One More For The Road

The children insisted I add their 2 cents worth.

Click to biggify.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

As The Holidays Wind Down

All in all it's been a lovely , quiet, colder than  beejeebers holiday here at the Casa. I've been off for a week or so and for once decided to give myself a break and not go bat shite over the imagined lists of things  I always plan for myself to do when I am home , trust me I needed the mental R and R .

I still have a few things to do when he goes to work tomorrow, so I am comfortable with the " didn't get done" bit because hisself has been working 90 to nothing and is dragging his butt too.

Middle ages does that y'all....it really does.

We had a lovely dinner last night for the anniversary which was actually on the 27'th but with  his hours, Saturday worked out just fine. We went over to a local place called Trulucks  recommended by a gal pal at the office and for all of the local folk, if you haven't been and it's an occasion , I cannot recommend it enough. The lobster was superb ( thanks again Kells ) and the service was just what we hoped it would be. We enjoyed it as much as we did Dicky Brennans in Nola and it was well worth the $$$ spent.

As for Christmas, again it was lovely. Sistah sent me a book that she made of photos including Sweet Pea and I cried buckets at the love it held, it will be treasured all of  my life, it really will. Southside came over and we had a great dinner , well as far as what he could actually east but the dental issues will be soon resolved so there is that.

Xena is holding her own but ..yeah...it is what it is.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday in what ever manner they celebrate it and I am closing with love and hugs to all my dear hearts..you know who you are,


Love to all.

Aunty Pol aka Jane, Gordon, Xena, Boshi, Loki and Gracie Marie.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Just another reason that I am a fan of his .

Oh My !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

For My Father ~ Feliz Navidad ~ !

http://thefw.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-a-charlie-brown-christmas/
What a different year this has been.

I have been going over some of last Decembers posts..LMAO..yeah ..I never did get around to making the Krumkakke did I ?

As I sat on the deck last night ,  with the Charlie Brown Christmas tree on the top of the large bookcase that SU built, I realized again that this is our normal for Christmas. Now bear in mind that normal is not a word that I personally associate with the holiday because as custom would have it , at least in our house there is always a crisis of some sort on the horizon. Translation: That shit costs money y'all.  This Christmas, I have done things I haven't done in years...I sent out cards, put up the tree , and not only got shopping all done early, all of the things that needed to be mailed out were dons so NOT LATE ! YEAH ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Of course some might consider it cheating that I did some of the shopping on the Oregon coast this past September and I a did a lot on line but Whisky tango Foxtrot..it got done.

Some things changed for the better , some did not but it is what it is so there ya go..

I will be home after today until 2 Jan so let the weirdness begin.

Feliz Navidad to all and Happy Festivus for the rest of us.

Santa's favorite helper..
Aunty Pol

I've Been Singing This All Day.

Lets see, one week to go .

All of the packages that needed to go out of town and cards - check.

Cats barfing faux pine needles and various meals in the living room and dining room - check.

Saved gift cards via  SU who located them after they got left amid the Sunday paper land fill on the dining room table as I tried to wrap prezzies Sunday night and then chucked into the garbage can when I tidied up by throwing the paper out - check .

Minimum embarrassment as I had to swap one of the gals cards for the one she got by mistake even though she got an upgrade - check.

Office prezzies delivered..1/2 done, to be completed tomorrow .

Lost what little grey cells I have left - check.

Yes indeed Virginia, Aunty Pol is ready for Chrismouse.

Feliz Navidad,

Aunty Pol

Some Seriously Funny Shi*e

http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/books/extras/10-commandments-of-heroine-conduct

Anyone who knows me knows that I read a variety of books and when I like an author I tend to collect.
And Kindle is Crack.
And I have run out of room for new bookcases in the house .

Years ago I read Beatrice Small and Fern Michaels and Linda Lael Miller in addition to my Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Yep..me.

I read " Bodice Rippers."

Lady Lisa turned me on to another site..." Smart Women , Trashy Books" and whilst killing time, I ran across this.

I dare you to not laugh out loud, it's brilliant.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Bruce Of The Day

It's not a happy Friday and my brain is overloaded so..if you have a small child in your life, whether one of your own or a friends or a neighbors ...or know a teacher..hug them and say a prayer for those dear souls who died today at the hands of a mad man.

Jane

Chambord Cookies From Souffle Bombay

http://soufflebombay.blogspot.com/2012/12/chocolate-chambord-cookies.html

I have always had an open vice regarding chocolate....and raspberry's.....and Chambord.

Yeah..." My name is Aunty Pol and I'm a chocoholic."

I have my list of food blogs that I read every day and unless I am in the grip of a mad pinning frenzy ( when possible) , I check out Souffle Bombay daily.

And there it was , Miss Colleens post about these cookies.

DAYUM !

As luck would have it I had to stop at the local booze barn to pick up a couple of gifts and I must have had my trademarked look of puzzlement because the two owners came over to assist me..nice guys and small business owners do that more often than not and I prefer to support small businesses over chains.

Anyhoo..Given that while I love Chambord and the bottle is a work of art, $35.00 for a bottle to use in a recipe that calls for such a small amount hung me up.They recommended Framboise so I will let you know how that goes...

Go check out the original post and the blog....all sorts of seriously yummy looking and drool worthy recipes abound.

Have a great weekend ..

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Why ?

I just don't understand this .

Why ?

Aunty Pol

It's Okay Puddin , Sandy Paws Knows You Want To Help .

Too cute not to share .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Tartar has Begun To Grow On Me..LOL !

You cannot escape this kitteh on the internet, commonly called " Grumpy Cat." I don't know the gender , but the cats real name is Tartar..and If I had to choose between PSY and his video..or the cat....The cat wins every time.

Besides , I am a die hard Journey fan.

Enjoy .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol .

Chocolate, Orange Marmalade Bliss..Oh My !

https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=8724&name=Chocolate-Orange-Pastries

I was noodling around my list of daily blog reads looking for a recipe that I want to post here if I can with permission, and luckily for me I had seen it over at Pinterst so I went to the original blog and submitted the request. While waiting I popped over to Bake at 350 and read the post about Hersheys and baking . There was a cute as all get out contest so I had to enter ( LMAO...Lady Lisa will tell you that her contest from a while back REALLY is the ONLY internet/blogger contest that I have ever won ) ..anyhoo..there was a link to the Hersheys home page and so I popped over. As is my custom, when I check out a new website with recipes , I automatically check out quick breads and muffins in the recipe index. Don't ask me why..then I saw this one...and I have to lay my head down . I wonder, the recipe calls for premade pie crust ( which I am totally fine  with BTW  ) ..but I wonder would crescent rolls work too ?

I can hear Lady L plotting my demise now.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

It's That Time Of The Year Y'All !

http://www.cajun-shop.com/cajun-twelve-days-of-christmas.htm


For what ever reason, I am just not finding as much of the holiday silliness to post as I did last year , so going forward, during December, I will be posting some of the annual stuff that I have before..personally I think you have to do it more than one time for any thing to qualify as being annual...or am I over thinking it again ?

Probably.

As usual I am behind on some stuff but not as bad as in previous years....lmao.
Considering that it has been 9 years since we put up the tree and have only had the Charlie Brown one ( genius ) for a couple of years , it's not too bad. Cards are out so there is that...I some of the packages have already been shipped ( Sistah..one went out from the office the day before yesterday for Sweetpea and it is going to your office..and some have shipped out so ...yatzee !) ....BUT...I screwed up and the sockies with the rattles and the plaque didn't come to the office, it came to the house so SU is going to have to brave the USPS Saturday am ...so ..the usual mea culpa sweetie.

Stuff for Colorado will go out Tuesday at the latest after the battery bandit replaces the triple A's..you know who you are .

And..I have to sort/bag what ev all of the ones for the office this weekend to deliver next week because I am out of the office from the 21'st through the end of the year..and manage a haircolor appt and I need to make a list.....

But on the upside , you are warned, I get much more creative on posting  from the house than I do from here....mwahahahh...all in good taste naturally..there are FAR to many others out in the media who can be tacky all by them selves...for example...underwear is always good and personally I would pay good money to see Lohans personal effects end up on " Storage Wars.."..which also reminds me..Whiskey Tango Foxtrot firing Dave ( YEP ) Hester ? ..not that SU and I watch the show or anything ...LMAO .

OCD much ?

Nope .

Not Me.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

OMG ! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot !

Shaking My head.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

A Year Has Passed...

It's been a year now baby boy since you left all of us.
We miss you every day.
The patio is just now the  same without you on patrol and I know that you would have loved the deck , once you had gotten used to it. Mama fixed it really pretty and wishes you were there to play .
Nieci and Munchkin are with you now and with Gumbo to run the fences and all of the other "brofurs and sisfurs " that you have met , I am sure that there are plenty of snuggles and bellies for all to share.
Your plumbago is doing really well and everyone knows that it is yours and we are all taking good care of it.
Daddy finally got rid of the art work in the back yard so you would be amused at the squirrels confusion because we took their hidey hole away.
We finally got the driveway replaced and I was sure to put your name in the corner so that everyone knew that our borders were still patrolled by the pants patrol.

I miss you Pooky, say a small prayer to Bast for Xeni . Diddums is not doing really well right now and I am worried. Maybe you can visit her when she is napping and tell her to be a good girl and eat her Rx food and that Mommy and Daddy aren't trying to upset her when we have to grab her for her meds....her tummy is really not so good right now and we are worried..so help the Mama out here, okay ?

The Mama and The Daddy Units
Xena, Boshi, Loki and Gracie Marie .

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Happy Friday everyone !
A twofer...Bruce and Stan Lee !

Well, the holiday insanity is coming along. Evidently, artificial trees DO NOT last forever. Granted, it is the first time that it has been up in 9 years, but I gotta tell ya , that mofo is shedding faster than the speed of a strippers clothes at an audition. We came home to only 2 ornaments on the carpet , and the usual gift which SU thinks is from one of the children eating one of the "needles." Good thing I won a gift card to Home Depot, the trees should be on sale after Christmas.

Great..daily hoovering.

Progress is made in the prezzies ordering, some stuff is in, some ion it's way. I guess I need to get organized this weekend..right..........

Army Navy game tomorrow.
Xeni Gabbini has an 11:30 appt at the vet.
Beautiful 80 degree weather and the deck.

Lalalalala...the usual chaos.

Have a great weekend !

Ciao,
Aunty POl

Worlds Easiest Fudge Recipe

http://www.chocolatechocolateandmore.com/2012/12/milk-chocolate-fudge.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChocolateChocolateAndMore+%28Chocolate%2C+Chocolate+and+more...%29

Miss Joan over at Chocolate Chocolate and more may have come up with the

worlds easiest fudge recipe. It can be made with whatever kind of chip you want and involves no candy thermometer , in case you don't have one.

I have taken to checking her blog every day lately and there is always something that makes me swoon.

Slap Mr.Linky and go check it out.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

For Sistah

Love Ya !

Hugs,

Me.

Thus Far

Well..
I got some more of the ornaments on last night but I know that I can't ( read shouldn't ) attempt to do it all in one night so as a mercy to my back I am giving myself the entire week aka Friday to get that bit done.
I haven't broken all of the holiday crap...oops holiday decorations out for 9 years so I have to say...I am amazed at how much stuff we ( I ) have accumulated...sheesh. I guess that is true for the most of us and lets face it , every year, someone gives us a new ornament. I swear, the green bin will go up to the attic this year..lol.

The house is a mess, but once I get the tree done, I can manage to get a handle on a lot of this ...yep...

Tis The Season To Be Delusional ...

Oooh...a new fudge recipe..SHINEY !

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

You Know Who You Are .

Hee Hee.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Birthday Dude !

Raise a beverage or two for the Dude's Birthday !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUDE !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

I laughed My Ass Off ~ ALL DAY !

OMG..for Ukulele...

I'm dying here kids, I really am .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Just Another Manic Monday...

Sheesh , I had to come to work to slow down.

I know....

Whiskey
Tango
Foxtrot

Saturday was really more interesting than I thought it would be , watching the crew pour and smooth the driveway. I guess I just like to watch the process ( aka ..beats housework though I am paying  for it now ...lol ) ..We suspected that there was in fact NO rebar on the original pour in 1976 and we were right. Once they had gotten all of the debris out of the way it went pretty quickly. It looks great but as always there is a problem. Years ago SU put slate over the concrete in the from entry way and we love it , such a pretty upgrade. SU noticed before I did that when they put the rebar in the area just below the slate they chipped the bottoms of the tiles. I am not happy and fully expect that they will replace it all or at least fix the broken parts ( SU...this is for you ..talk to S or W about this ) . Since SU was gone for most of the day , after all was said and done , as we sat on the deck, we realized that it was damn near illegal if not immoral to have wet Cee -Ment and not at the very least put our initials or something on it . At the end of the driveway by the garage on the passenger side I carved in what I wanted ..." Andy Panda Pants " and the girls signed their initials and the year on the edge /border on their side.....Voila ! ART !

The tree is up but only has 2 ornaments on uit because we couldn't find the thrice damned ornament hooks....do you know how hard they are to find at this point ? Trust me, I could find my ovaries easier . SU finally found some at Tar Jay.

Ah...holiday shopping.

We made the circuit yesterday , and found some neat stuff for the house..yawn I know but Lowes every weekend is my life. We got him a sport coat because he had ..err..."outgrown" the ones that he had and he wants to go to the office holiday party at the Rice hotel and he has to have a sport coat ..

Now for me , I could give a rodents rear end over the party, I guess because I grew up with the whole cocktail party thing and they bore the hell out of me and blah blah,.....except  for a few like Betty Crocker and Nee Nee and Scooter and Mindy ...but life at the casa is chaos till its not..and that is fine...and a free meal is after all a free meal and I have been here since the Jurrasic era and I think it's expected...and of COURSE I bought a new top and sweater for me...mwahahahahahahah...bazinga !


And my brain is about to implode....the usual Holiday cheer...

Time to Boogie

Ciao,
Aunty Pol