I'm Still Alive..Mostly That Is .

It's been hotter than the 9'th level of Hell lately so unfortunately I have had no energy to post.

Come to think of it, most of this  year has been like that due to one reason or another. Hells Bells, I surprised myself that I actually skipped posting a ditty about Bastille Day, tho to be fair I crashed as soon as we got home..nausea not my friend.

Anyhoo ,  not a hell of a lot is going on right now at the Casa which is fine I guess.  Every night when I get home and change I water all of the potted plants on the deck then pray for rain...and pray some more. I can't complain ( like that ever stopped me , bitch please , have you met me ? ) since we have had a lot of blessed rain and while it has helped the drought , we are by no means out of the woods.


At least we are not as bad as Cali...HEH.." We can't run out state as  it is so lets subdivide..so much more efficient." . Yeppers..laughing directly and out loud at that one. Instead of one idiot fi'g up the whole magilla..lets grab 5 more and make a six pack of idiots to run this thing.

Let me know how that goes for ya ..m'kay ?

I always need more material to abuse and poke my big stick at.

And hisself has been working a lot so in his free time he has been running with his buddies and or playing goof so I can't complain..I do anyway but not as much or as often..DUDE....I do try ok ?


Gracie Marie ( YES DEAR ..I AM GOING TO CALL HER A GIRL...LIVE WITH IT..SHE AND I ARE FINE WITH IT ) has decided it's too hot for her so most days she is on the water bed, belly side up ,l fur floofing under the ceiling fan...smart girl. We still have our Mommy and me time on the deck but it's usually about 7:30 pm when it is not quite OMG out there.

I've got a couple of things rattling around in the little gray cells so stay tuned.


Have a great week.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

If It's Monday It's John Barrowman Time !

Happy Post I hope y'all survived the 4'th .

I was surprised this year that we had as many fireworks in the subdivision as we did . A few years ago when we were under a drought/no fire/no burn ban , I didn't think a lot about it . I assumed that folks had the common sense not to and with the exception of the Pyro that lives directly behind me on a cul de sac , every one paid attention. After that there has been an increasing amount of the boom booms until this year.

This year sounded like the DMZ the whole weekend.

Gracie Marie was not a happy kitty.

Nor was her Mama .

I know it's fun and all dudes and we have had a lot of rain but some of us want to actually get some sleep at some point before the coming dawn....without passing out in order to do so .


Sheesh !


SU was off campus for almost the entire weekend so I was able to get a lot done and Gracie only moderately fussed about her incarceration so that was all good but as usual my to do list is way longer than the actual amount of available time so as always I over do...and pay the price.

Oye my back !

At least this weekend I got a day nap on Saturday and we did cook off a decent size brisket so meals are in the clear..

It's clouding up again and they say that we are going to have showers every afternoon which is fine by me..less to water but I seem to be the exception to  the issue. A lot of folks that I work with are really getting po'd about the rain .

They are also the types to get po'd about what ever is the opposite of common sense.

This is the time of year that we really watch with hurricanes. We actively watch the water temp in the Gulf .

We really need the rain about now.

Because of the drought the last couple of years the price of beef , chicken and to a smaller part lamb has gone through the roof.

Produce...forget finding a decent price even at the local markets.

I like sitting on the deck with the kindle listening to the rain on the metal cover.

All I have to do is figure out the new Kindle HD I had to buy Thursday.

HAD TO.

Anyone who knows me knows I cannot function without a book of some kind.

And the battery on the old one went kaput.

I did however buy a users guide this time because this new HD is way more complicated that my old one which was only 3 years old ?

First generation Fire.

Anyhoo, the  forums under managing your device (s) is not very helpful. I think they lack a moderator because there is the usual battery  of Trolls there...and I don't have time, the need or interest in engaging that ilk.

I basically want a reader but the screen for the paperwhite is just too small.

I may or may not use the other function, I didn't on the first one so we'll see .


New adventures with electronics........................HUZZAH !


Have a great week.



Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

It's been an interesting week , not in a bad way , and not in a weird way ..just odd.

Bordering peculiar .

It's rained since last weekend and we need it , badly . Especially considering that the Fourth of July is a week away and I recall a couple of years ago when we had the drought and the fire ban  . I have enjoyed not having to water except for the shade plants that are up against the house on the deck but on the other hand  Gracie Marie aka Grayson McFuzzypants aka the Kid is really not happy about no real Mommy and me time on the deck. She .. ( damn it..I am going to continue to refer to her in that gender I don't care what anyone says , I am the mama..) hates to get her paws wet but happily drank from a puddle on the deck itself from cushions I failed to see were on the drip line of the patio cover.  And she is not at all happy about me having to hold her so her Daddy can gently cut off some of her lumpy bumpies ( matted hair masses on her bib from medicine splashing her when we had to burrito her 2x daily ) but she didn't really squirm and it was pretty funny to see that she was basically hanging with her head upside down .

And he has to work tomorrow most likely and then zip by his fathers...and Southside says that he is going to come over Sunday and of course he will because he just has to show off what he purchased legally in Colorado....meh . He did of course get pulled over on the Texas side for going over the speed limit by 6 miles but given his age ( +50 ) , he was able to get away with a warning about the speeding.

IDIOT !

But he's a grown man.

And I am still finding recipes to try out...if I can figure out the timey-wimey thing, because there is never enough.

Damn you  ,. sleeping  like a normal person, I am just too fond of you !

Have a great weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Happy happy joy joy.........it's finally Friday !

Huzzah !

Let the masses run amok.


Or not.


Even though it is technically the last day of Spring, it's 90 + degrees down here and a front is moving through. Grass pollen is up ..yeah ...and I have a blinding headache.

On a Friday for Chrissake.

Usually on any given Friday , I go home and do one of two things. I either sit on the deck and read or I sit and watch tv...or as I call it Brain Candy.

Mindless entertainment.

How mindless ?

Try " Say Yes To The Dress ."

Yep.

Well hell it beats any real housewife of any given city and I know that we have a lot on DVR but those are the shows that we actually follow and I want to be able to actually pay attention to them.


But not tonight.

And as luck would have it , Scott and Mindy are coming up for dinner tomorrow so I really want to get beyond the pick axe that is taking apart my brain right now. We haven't seen them in ages for a variety of reasons ( work, school, sports, life, schedule, vacation...) so I am super happy to get to hang with them for a bit.

I can do what ever needs to be done house wise tomorrow while he does the prep and thankfully they are more family than friends after 28 + years so they really are fine which ever way we roll.

Except..

Either the lawn gets mowed or I'm buying a small goat.

One of the REALLY cute ones.

Have a  wonderful Solstice and weekend.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Throw Back Thursday

 

 

As you may all recall, a number of years ago we discovered that Little Orphan Annie was actually an Andy and thus became Andy Panda Pants.

 

The folks at Banfield are idiots, pure and simple.

 

For years we thought this was a fluke, a funny family story , along the lines of " If you ask Aunty Pol and SU what the sex of any of their cats is, assume the opposite of their answer to be true."

 

And......................

 

 

The same damn situation occurred with Gracie Marie.

 

Now remember at first for whatever reason , my husband thought Gracie Marie was a girl...I haven't a clue why. When she first came up to the patio, I said " Come here little girl " ..I have no idea why but she trotted up. Mind you it was fall and getting colder, she probably would have run up just the same if I said " Come here dipshit."

 

 

We tool her to Banfield for a check up and presented her as a girl..which NO ONE challenged. In hindsight , it makes me wonder if they looked at her at all.

 

 

Fast forward to last month when she was at Dr.Tom's. Now , I really didn't think to much of it at the time because Dr. Simon has a very heavy accent..lovely but pronounced . And I was calling on my cell phone which kept dropping the call...actually we realized it was his cell...hah !

 

Anyhoo, he kept saying he and I kept saying she and so on.

 

It wasn't until Southside Johnny showed me what little could be seen since the cat is a long hair...

 

 

Yep !

 

Now it's not like I pick up the business end of a cat and go " Let Mama see."

 

Um..hell no.

 

So now we have the name issue.

 

 

I had to fight to get her a middle name..this is the south after all.

 

 

Grace.

 

Gracie Marie

 

Grayson

 

Grayson Matthew .

 

Grayson Mathias .

 

Grayson McFuzzypants ( I am actually leaning towards this...it makes me smile.)

 

Gray .

 

Baby Dude .

 

Dude .

 

The Dudester .

 

Dingbat..now that my transgendered cat will answer to .

 

 

Her/His attitude ?

 

Call me whatever, just don't call me late to dinner.

 

Here we  go again.

 

Happy Friday Eve.

 

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If It's Monday ~ It's John Barrowman Time ~ !

I'd forgotten about this .

I was going through some old posts and saw this title. Why did I stop ?

Beats me.

It always perked my Mondays to cobble together something and post a picture of Capt. Jack Harkness.

I chose this one because he is rarely photographed with his glasses on.



It was a busy wekend and a sad one. The sad part is not really my story to share per say....so I will only say that another lovely gal lost her fight with cancer . Much as I hate them , I will be going to this family funeral, it's just a matter of respect after all.

On the busy front..geeze Louise.

He had to work which is fine and I got some stuff done before the paws and claws bit . I should have done more laundry that I had, thankfully SU had done some when he  took the day off to go to the Doctors..thank you dear, it did help.

While he was spending the day with his father, I sorta lost my mind. I can't seem to do things in a simple manner , it's always balls to the wall or so it seems.

I made a double batch of hotdish for the weeks lunches , did my scrambled eggs for my b'fast tacos from home, also fried the bacon for said taco's , 3 loads of laundry washed, dried and put away , cupcakes for Cindy's birthday , de-cluttered the main living area ( sort of ) ..ran dishwasher 2 x's , hoovered, watered plants on the decj...dinner....yeah ..

Started at about noon because ..I am not a morning person...

Anyhoo....we masy get more rain so I guess I'd better grab the stereo off the deck bookcase..just in case .

Which means it won't rain...lol.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

For SU and The Moron

Love ya guys.

The Wife

It's Official ! ~ I Am Going to Have To Start A Group .

" Hello , my name is Aunty Pol and I am an addict. I am addicted to anything orange flavored , creamsicle flavored or baked in a Bundt pan."

" Who wants cake ?"


I was reading some of the blogs that I follow and when I get curious sometimes I will look at their blog list and pop over to see what looks interesting on sites they follow. .

It's like 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon and when  the acid some of us who went to college in the 70's may or may not have dropped kicks in.

Its interesting.

But being grown up and all, now it mostly involves baking...and creamsicles and the ever present " DO I really need that Bundt pan debate ?" that  I have with myself.


Check out Mr. Linky .

http://www.abakershouse.com/2013/06/orange-creamsicle-bundt-cake-for-bundtamonth-june.html


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Look Who Turned Two Today !

My Sweet Pea turns 2 today !

My baby's not a baby anymore.

I'll see you soon sweetie.



XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Aunt Jane

I Doubt My Mother Knew She Was This Ahead Of The Curve ~ Sorry Mom .

I was reading a bit on line that I suspect was a tongue in cheek piece about food trends, one of the newest being " Artisan Toast ".


TOAST .


Freaking TOAST.


Bread that is still good but too dried out for a sammich but still perfect for mopping up a soft boiled egg.

Yeah ...that toast.

I figured that my head would explode if I actually read the article because I have one of those nasty throbbing weather front change headaches where you basically have an invisible spike driven through the front of your skull where women of a certain age start worrying about the " Elevenses " wrinkle..you know where that is.

Anyhoo, later on as I was reading some food blogs because hey, why not, I started seeing a trend popping up about wedge salads. Now since I hadn't had lunch at that point and was really feeling peckish , I thought.." Ummmm...salad...good."

It is also 95 degrees here in H town today so a salad sounded good.

So..I started to read some  salad posts , noticing that the majority were about this " Wedge Salad " and it hit me.

WHEN DID FRIGGAN ICEBERG LETTUCE BECOME CHI CHI ?

Ice Berg Lettuce.


The kind that I used to clean by the case at the restaurant I ran in Walla Walla.


The only kind of lettuce my mother EVER bought.

The only kind I thought there was  for the longest time.

I'm like that by the way in case y'all hadn't noticed.

And now it's a thing ?

My mother was a good cook considering her mid west back round and the fact that until she made in in 1968 , her parents had never, ever had spaghetti.

Of course they came over from Sweden so it didn't seem that unusual at the time tho Grandpa did tell Mom he really liked the " Tomato sauce and noodle hotdish."


In Minnesota it should be noted, if something even remotely resembles a casserole , it is simply called Hotdish.

Yes, the movie " Fargo " got that bit and actually a lot more completely correct.

But back to the salad issue.

We had salads growing up, nothing fancy, basic lettuce, cuke, tomato, carrot  , croutons  and Bacos if we had them salads.

Italian or Thousand Island dressing. Ranch had not become available but would have been in the rotation had it been around.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

And now it's a thing ?

Somewhere my late mother has a very smug grin on her face, I just know it.

I can hear it in my head.


UFDA.

Carry On..

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

You Named It What ? Is That The Best You Could Think Up ?

Every once and a while , I run across a recipe that is stooopy easy.

I mean , stooopy easy .

But then I really had to sit and ponder the title of this recipe.

" Dutch Babies ".

Um....err.....why ?

I may or may not want to google this .

Anyhoo , without further delay, grab your cast iron skillet kids.


Dutch Babies .

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Pinch Ground Nutmeg
1 Pinch Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Confectioners Sugar  for dusting.

Directions :

1. Place 1 10 inch skillet inside oven and preheat to 475 degrees F...YES ...475

2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until light, add milk and stir .Gradually whisk in flour, nutmeg and salt.

3. Carefully remove skillet from oven and reduce the oven temp to 425 degrees F.

4. Melt butter in hot skillet making sure that the inside of the skillet in completely covered in butter .

5. Pour all the batter into the skillet and return skillet to the oven.

6. Bake until puffed and lightly browned , about 12 minutes .

7. Remove promptly and dust with confectioners sugar.

Now personally, I might replace the powdered sugar with some heated marmalade or some thinned out Biscoff on the side as a dipping sauce..but that's just me .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

When In Doubt Wednesday

When in doubt , buy shoes .

I was putzing ...err....doing research on the web  today and I ran across these in Navy Blue..in my size.

So , of course I had to buy them.

In Navy.

In White

In Black

In Geranium which is actually a bright pink.

Yes dear, the same color as the purse.


I was talking to a couple of co-conspirators and once they heard the word Navy..all three blurted out on cue.... "  Buy THEM ...NOW ! "

Amateurs !


I have been looking for summer sandals that I can wear to the office and these fit  the ticket. I have resigned myself to a lower heel or a wedge for safety's sake  but I have to draw the line somewhere. I am after all the woman who posted a picture of the only Tevas I would consider actually wearing and they had a heel.

Of course they had a heel.

Now these bad boys..cute and arch support...winner winner chicken dinner..

I hate to admit it but I am at the stage of my life where comfort is more important than a 4 inch heel with a 1 inch platform. When I take a step and there is no feeling in my left ankle or leg for that matter, rationally I know the reason and I know that it won't last very long, but as the panic attack takes over , I give in to reality inch by bloody inch.

Besides, shoe shopping took  my mind off the anvil sized sinus headache that has plagued me since about 3 am

Some folks Bayer.

I buy shoes .


Huzzah, the economy is safe for yet another day .

Carry on.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Can Someone Explain This To Me ?

I saw this on the local NBC news program this morning and almost died laughing .

In what world is this appropriate ?

Gentlemen, bless your lil itty bitty hearts.

I know that it's summer. I know it's hotter than beejeebers as my spouse often comments.Unfortunately , unlike we ladies, you have to suffer through long pants when you are in a professional environment. I know it sucks.........a lot.

Unlike you, most professional females ( wink..I am being very generous here ) have forgone pantyhose. Hopefully they have embraced Ms Pedicure and leg hair management.

Boys , boys, boys....I hate to break it to you but " Skinny Legs N All " just has no place in the modern business world .

Even if you work out and have calves of steel..

NO !

This has been a public service announcement on behalf of women everywhere.

" If you want to ever get lucky again..get dressed."

Carry On.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

A Tidy Cat Is A Happy Cat .

We have a new experiment at the Casa.


It;s another Gracie Marie story so you have been warned.

Aw..what the hell.


Anyone who reads this knows me to varying degrees at this point and what I write about. And lately is been food or the cat....I need to get out more or pin less.

We are uber aware of her bodily functions right now with the aftermath of " Oh Hell Noes You Aren't Gonna Throw That Crap Down My Throat."..and lets face it , after a couple of years of living with an incontinent cat , it's second nature.

Monday when we came home as I went down the hall, there was a present in out bedroom, a small dry stool deposit. My first reaction was not to get mad per se but rather pleased that the plumbing so to speak was operational . I did look in the guest bathroom tub where we keep the box and saw again, another dry stool in the tub. She had pee'd in the box as usual and there was no mess , just 2 areas that were out of character for her . Of course I asked her Daddy if he had cleaned her box and he said yes so I thought about it.


There may be a smell she senses in the box that she associates with her illness that makes her not want to poop there . We scrubbed the box out when she became the last Mohican so that she would not associate the box any longer with those who had gone to the Bridge..we'd done our homework and had not had any problem since we'd lost Boshi. In the greater scheme of things , Gracie has calmed down a lot since there is no sense of competition anymore, she is a rarity, a cat happily flying solo through life.

I'm hoping that a new box helps her sort it all out...saving that , I hope the accident was a fluke.

None of us want her to have to go back to the Vet any time soon.


Happy Friday Eve.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

RIP Mary Stewart. - May 15, 2014 .

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/15/mary-stewart

How is the hell did I miss this ?

Most folks who know me know that I am a trivia junkie and a "self " medicating Bookaholic. I used to say that if you can't find me in the mall , check shoe stores and book stores. You will save yourself a lot of time by just starting at the closest bookstore and zeroing in on the Science Fiction /Fantasy section.

Long before I first read any of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series or Anne McCaffrey's Dragon Riders Of Pern , I discovered Mary Stewart and the Crystal Cave series.

It was and is brilliant .

I guess I was maybe 14 at the time and it made a lasting impression on me because of the depth of her writing. It wasn't overblown or coated in sugar the way some fables and fairy tales can be so I found myself responding to the music of her words and became a life long reader.

I will read almost anything that catches my attention and so I have waded through many disappointments ( I WILL finish this idiotic insert name here book ) ..but along with many beloved and now deceased authors, she is in my arsenal of friends to revisit again and again.

If you haven't read anything of hers, go to your favorite data source whether it be Google, Amazon or Wikipedia and check her out.


Happy Reading !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Rocky Road For $400.00 Alex.

Quesetion: " What is Aunty Pols Favorite Ice Cream ? "

Anyone who knows me knows I love and miss Baskin Robbins Rocky Road Ice Cream. Thankfully for my sanity, there aren't a lot of BR/'s around here and I'm sorry folks. Pillory me if you need to but Blue Bell ROcky Rod just isn't good enough.

But since I can't scream for ice cream..I can make truffles.

Since today is National Rocky Rod Day, here is the link for Miss Janet's post on her blog " Dying For Chocolate."

http://dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com/2014/06/rocky-road-truffles-national-rocky-road.html

Inhale.

Enjoy.

Repeat as needed.

If Mr. Linky decides to get all pissy, just go to : www.dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com to access the post .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Doesn't Matter IF The Glass Is Half Full OR Not, I'm Still Likely To Drop The Damn Thing.

Yep.

We have had rain for 3 days.

The picture above is a mind version of what we have experienced.It was solidly green/yellow from Huntsville downward earlier and I've heard we have more bands on the way.

Thunder and lightening have woken us all up at 4 am and frankly scared the whiskers off of Gracie Marie. the roads are a mess, people are driving crazy. Like throwing a chameleon into a bag of Skittles, they have no idea of what to do except panic.

HINT : STAY THE F AT HOME.

And of course hisself is off this week. I guess he will be able to amuse himself .

It's medical appointment at the Casa for him, Gracie Marie and Southside Johnny so that should be a lot of fun and of course my youngest brother has himself all worked up because of the weather and the fact that we have lawn seating tickets for Jimmy Buffet tomorrow night.

Psst....John...Calm your ass down, I can't control the weather.


Sorry Dude.

On the upside, they found Madame's collar. I hope my brother wasn't too GRRR on the phone with the Vets.

You piss off my Vet, I'm sure as hell gonna be pissed at you .

It is what is is.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Bunting With The Biscoff

Just when you thought you were safe from another dreaded Bundt Cake Recipe..MWAHAHAHA !

Cookie Butter ( Biscoff Spread ) Bundt Cake With Chocolate Ganache .


Cake :

3 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Butter - Unsalted - Room Temp.
1 Cup Cookie Butter ( Biscoff)
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk

Ganache:
10 Oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate
1/2 Cup Cookie Butter ( Biscoff)
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour Bundt Pan

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt . Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar and  cookie butter ( Biscoff). Add eggs one at a time making sure that each egg is fully incorporated. Add milk.

By heaping spoonful add flour mixture to the butter /cream mixture . Mix until combined.

Pour batter into pan .

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before releasing and coating with ganache.


For Ganache:

Heat Cookie butter , chocolate and cream over low heat until creamy.

Allow to cool for 3 to 4 minutes before pouring over cake.


Inhale.


Note:

I use a metal long kabob as a tester for doneness especially with Bundt pans.

Personally, I would serve the Ganache on the side , possibly thinning it out with more cream to keep it from getting all gloppy..or forgoing the ganache completely.


Ciao,

Aunty Pol

Back To The Salt Mines

I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend. I hate the phrase " Happy Memorial Day " because for so many it is not a happy time and seems completely disrespectful to those who sacrificed their lives for this country .

( Steps Off Soapbox )

Onward.

It was an oddly international weekend at Casa de Swamp this weekend..We went to a local Italian restaurant for a belated birthday dinner and as always it was wonderful. One of the things that I appreciate the most about it is that it is not an issue at all to order off the menu, they in fact encourage it . I was elated to be able to order my beloved mussels in white wine and garlic and an currently craving the grilled Brie they served. A quick serve gave me an idea or 3 but damn , it's hard to find one that does not have the jam/preserves on it. Sunday hubbs made French Onion soup from scratch from a recent recipe in the local paper and even tho he is not a soup eater unless he is ill, he said that he really liked it . Of course we had to run out and get some bowls and we all learned that the 16oz bowls only need to be partially filled...aka we got real full real fast. None the less....winner. We're going to keep this recipe in the Fall/Winter rotation.

And now that he is on vacation this week, of course it rains..sideways. It started yesterday mid afternoon and it was really nice to sit on the covered deck to watch it but the longer we were out the the more we saw it intensify..as in sideways rain. The thunder and lightening woke me up about 4 am and scared the whiskers off of Gracie Marie , poor baby. Of course it is supposed to rain more because we have lawn tickets for Jimmy Buffet this Thursday so we shall see. If it keeps on the way it's predicted, they will have no choice but to refund or reschedule.

LE SIGH.

Speaking of Madame, she is doing better and eating normally but I find it interesting that she now walks away from her bowl and later returns to resume the carnage. Previously, we really did call her Hoover because that's what she did in the multi cat household but with competition gone is is more confident and calmer.

Only 2 more days on the meds..thank you Jeebus.

I don't want to think about the process of trying to clean her up..she's a dribbler and prone to trying to spit out the liquids on her bib..

I wonder how much the groomer at the vet charges.


Have a great week.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Our Lil Girl ~ UPDATE ~!

Alrighty then.

Gracie Marie is going to be okay. Dr. Simon called and said that they were able to clear the colon blockage and she used a litter box at the Vet on her own . Her blood panel came back okay with regards to the hyperthyroidism issue but the white cell count was really high due to the infection due to the wound on her chin/lower jaw. She's had saline and antibiotics via drip and they will be checking her blood pressure and the heart murmur on a regular basis. That bit really doesn't overly concern me because she is after all 15 years old.  She has 2x daily oral meds that we have to give her and she will be getting fish oil once a week to avoid another blockage.

She is of course glad to be home but miffed that Uncle John won't let her out.

News flash dear...you are going to be an indoor kitty for now.

I can breathe now.

Her daddy can breathe now.


Ciao,

The Mama.

Our Lil Girl ~ Update ~

Poor Gracie Marie.

It seemed that the sneezy bit was better and last week she was eating a bit more , not her normal hoovering everything in sight but better..until Friday night.

I thought that I had noticed that her lower jaw looked wrong..swollen so I grabbed her which is no big deal because she is not a squirmer at all and had her Daddy come and look at her . She looked like she just felt puny so we watched her that night and on into the day . When I got home from the store , I had been thinking about it so I made an appt for the following Saturday with Dr. Tom over at Parker Road Animal Hospital.

Sunday John came over while Gordy was playing golf for a few hours. He'd been cooped up in his apt. for over 2 1/2 weeks post surgery so he had a ragging case of cabin fever. As we sat on the deck with beverages, he watched her and tried to  the usual spin the kitty which normally she initiates but not this time. First clue. He said that she just looked like she felt puny and we looked at each other and thought " Aw shit."

He was free this week other than a dental checkup yesterday so we decided that I would change the appt and John would run her up to the vet today.

This is how much my brother loves his Gracie. He said that he wanted Gordy to clean the box last night and for me to leave a clean zip lock on the guest bath counter so that he could take a fresh stool sample. He also said that he needed to sniff the box for urine odor ..absence of odor indicates kidney issues. On the way to work Gordy told me that he updated the notes that I had typed up yesterday to indicate that she had not in fact had a bowel movement since Friday night but had piddled. My only response was " So...you were going to tell me this WHEN !!!!????!!!???? "

Anyway.............


Thank you St. Francis  that we didn't wait.

Dr. Simon indicated that she would not have lasted very long without treatment and lasting to Saturday was  out of the question .

She has a complete colon blockage so she has been sedated for an emetic and sub q fluids with antibiotics.  She is also getting a full blood panel to check for hyperthyroidism and tachycardia. John and I agreed that with sedation that she needed to stay overnight and not be home alone. Tomorrow her recovery process will be better and the sedation  will have had a chance to run its course.

The abscess came out of no where it seemed but with a Maine Coon 's long hair it is hard to tell. She has lost a bit of weight, not much but at 15 (  ! ) ..any weight loss can be an issue.


I suspect that when we get her home , she will no longer be allowed any dry Iams kibble or Temptations treats. For the most part her diet is wet and we can and have been advised to supplement her meals with fish oil to avoid any future hairball issues.

Thats the thing..of all the cats that we have had, she is the one that has been the least prone to hairball issues at all.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the blood panel comes back within acceptable norms and that the tachycardia is an aberration of this current crisis.



More as it develops.


Her Mama.

Just Another Manic Monday !

I'm neither confirming nor denying that this has  happened at the Casa de Swamp.

I'm merely stating that it could.


Have a good week....if you want...either way...I'm good.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol .

Sometimes Chores Are A Good Thing.

Top to Bottom:

1. Xena  aka Wooby Diddums

2. Andy Panda Panta

3. Munchkin aka Nee Nee Puddins


I had a bit of detective/housekeeping to do today.

Southside had asked me about the Buffet tickets, specifically when I would get a downloadable e mail for them. I replied that as I recalled I would get that about the 25'th of May for the May 29'th show.

Good thing that I got curious.

I am one of those who have multiple outlook folders for sorting in box e mails and I have one for concerts. It seems that almost the only way to purchase a ticket is online which is fine but you have to remember to move replies and receipts to folders of you want to ever find them or there is a 3 month delay between sale and actual event.

I found the receipt and realized that notifications would be going to my seldom used hotmail so off I went.

HOLY CRAP !

I need to manage that better so let the deletion of the epic amounts begin.

Huzzah, I found the concert advisory and the actual link to print out the tickets so I did and made extra copies since my clan is known for losing their shit in more ways than one.

Feeling very proud of myself I decided to clean up the dreaded hotmail in box and so off I went , creating the needed folders to sort stuff.


And there they were.

My babies in e mail photos that the Daddy sent.


I did create their own folder but decided to throw them in a post here to because they are my babies and that is all the reason I need...plus...my computer at the office is so FUBARED BEYOND BELIEF that I can not save a screen saver more than 24 hours much less photos so there we are.


Mama and Daddy miss all y'all , be good to each other and take care of each other.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol aka Your Mama.

Finally...A More Comprehensive Conversion than I Have Been Able To FInd Lately

http://www.everest.co.uk/products/kitchens/kitchen-cheat-sheet/#.U3KhJehNlUQ.blogger



Ever find a recipe and fall in love with the pictures so much that you start to read the various posts and then follow the author ?

Ever find one of their recipes that you really, really want to try except that it's in UK measurements  and you hate math and then you go cry and get another smoke and beverage ?

No ?

Must be me then.

Anyhoo....slap Mr. Linky for some basic conversions and most importantly to me...oven/cooking temp conversions.



You're welcome.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Who Knew This Was A Thing ?

Who knew this was a thing ?

All y'all know my passion for anything creamsicle.

Real creamsicle.

Like the Bluebell flavor that comes out every summer and I allow my self to have in small doses , fully knowing what it will do to my system.

And white chocolate..lets not forget that part.

Or anything orange, especially combined with chocolate, tho I have to say that I was oddly disappointed in the Lindt Orange Chocolate Truffles, don't ask me why.

Anyhoo..over at Plain Chicken , a blog that I read daily, Miss Stephanie had a post for creamsicle cookies.

And hisself is playing golf Sunday.

Dude..I am soooo doing this.

Check out the recipe and her blog at :

http://www.plainchicken.com/2014/05/creamsicle-cookies.html

Oh and yes we got rain from midnight through about 8 am.

2.8 Inches.

More than we have seen in 2 years.

And..yes..Madame is not happy.

She hates wet paws.

I only hope it washes some of the pollen away.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Just Another Manic Monday .

Actually, for a Monday it's not really been all that bad thus far ...and I say that fully aware that it could go sideways at any given time..whatever.

We were a  bit about the child last week but she has perked up . It seems that she has pollen issues like her mother ( I am NOT making this up ) and I could tell just by looking at her. She wasn't eating nut taking her usual gallons of water ( sparkly clean water at times Mother if you please ) but after a bit of bed rest ..her idea trust me, she appears better.

I can fully understand and have for the most part called a truce with the sinuses. I take my Zyrtec and pay attention to the pollen count...they gently advise me when I need to crash right after work. I no longer fight the ..." No...I'm gonna miss something..", I just DVR the hell out of stuff and crash as needed.

I embrace naps as a luxury now on the weekends. I savor them because I have the hardest time falling asleep unless I am really feeling like crap..when that happens I can and have slept over 13 hours straight and nothing can wake me. You could have a second line brass band and ..nope...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ .

I've spent the last few months being very angry about this self perceived loss of control over my like and it can be overwhelming if you are an A type with control issues and a tad of OCD , but as I have come to terms with the hell that we know as spring allergy season, I have come to realize that this won't last forever and I am not alone in the praying for rain. .


Anyhoo..Hisself had a blast at the annual Art Car Parade..( google it, it's hard to explain other than Art - the more out the the better + the idea of homemade auto restoring..google it...I don't even know where I am going here with this one). The parade draws over 350,000 spectators and I was amazed to learn that the entry that Doug the Brookfield Property Locksmith /Mechanical Building Jedi designed won first place for Corporate entry. And it wasn't that extreme !

And I am  going to make Southsides day since I found a recipe for Biscoff cake in a mug...we do love our Biscoff.


Have a great week.


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Cinco de Mayo AKA Boy , Am I Glad This Weekend Is OVER !

If it could go wrong, it mostly did at the Casa.

The weekend started out innocently enough. Lovely weather  and my usual paws and claws run..no big deal . I knew that the shop would be slammed with Mothers Day being this coming Sunday . I am never in a hurry or pressed for time at the shop because this is my time for me so I hang loose Mother Goose. Then my favorite tech that I always book with implies that she may not be there soon so I gently let her know that it she is doing something that makes her happy , it's all cool with me . Unlike the crap with One Allen and Supercuts which I have been going to for cut and color since it opened and they are closing it at the end of the year...GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..but I have a backup thanks to Jere so that will all get sorted.

The days mail is on the dining room table and there it was.

A LETTER FROM THE IRS.

GAH !


I opened it and proceeded to flip mah shit.


To sum it up:

" Yo deadbeat...This is your guvm'nt. Your sorry ass didn't file for 2012 ."

Oh Contrare Mohair, I most certainly did too "


I grab the files , realizing that I have got to get into that top drawer and sort that shit out...and find the copies that I need including the white bit that USPS date stamps when you send certified mail. Can I find the bloody , thrice damn'd green card pertaining to that particular certified mail ?

No.

Every other green card from every other certified mail..but not the one that I need.


After sorting it all out, I made an adult beverage and went out to the deck to wind myself down ...and remembered that Southside needed a return call..which I did...and his news set my ass down.

Surgery..minor but still.

He is fine...but let me explain.

As is his custom, it never fails that Southside Johnny will text me when I am at the shop..indisposed...and thus I let him know where I was ( if not , he will and has in the past blown the f out of my voice mail..so a quick test saves a ton of agita.) . I called him back and he  informed me that he had to have some surgery that Thursday...!!!!!!!!!!!..........but all was fine now. After I peeled myself off the deck ceiling he told me that all was okay and the problem was being treated and he was a big  boy ( age 54 this year ) and since he was sort of sedated at the time ( !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) they did the turn your head and cough  bit..no polyps..all good.



Sunday :

I get up and more often than not hisself has been baking something so it's always a surprise.

Cupcakes.

Wheee.!

"What's in the bowl in the fridge honey ?"

" The meringue that broke down."

" Bummer."

He went ahead and made cream cheese frosting and then informed me that Jere had been by because their freezer next door was DOA. She and I personally think Cindy Lou Who left the door open as she has done before but done is done  so mine is stuffed in the garage. Sometimes I think they have more in ours than we do but what the hell.

After a bit he goes to meet up with the Motley Crew and I see that BBCA has the extended directors cut of Dune.starting at 3 pm.

Shai Halud..my day is saved , my groove is on and everything was right in my world.

I do my laundry, dust, hoover, clean the kitchen and mop the floor. Now he had bought roast beast for dinner , Bless his lil heart so I am on it.

Floor mopped..check.
Roast in over...check.

I wondered why my toes were wet as I stood at the kitchen sink cutting up spuds for the dinner/carnage of le beast.

AW SHIT !

The pipe /gasket thingy on the non disposal side was leaking.

AND ON MY NEWLY MOPPED FLOOR !

I figured out exactly where it was coming from because I am smart like that.

Righty tighty..got it.

Or not so much.

Drip...drip.... F  F  F  F

I get the spuds sorted, spuds on the stove, cleaning products on the top of the dryer and towels under the sink .


Hisself looked at it and fixed it but it's one of those dealios we are super alert to now.


Monday never looked so good.

It's gotta get better.

Besides..cats in sombreros for the win !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Southern Style Quirks

The weather has been glorious lately. I mean to the point that you just  want to find a deck or patio about 2 pm and commence the ordering of adult beverages...or so I've heard.

Let me preface this post by saying that I do not wear street length dresses or skirts. I haven't work a traditional skirt suit since my fathers funeral, January 10 , 2004. I haven't worn a street length dress since Len and Crystal ( Hisselfs nephew and wifey) wedding.

I WILL NOT WEAR PANTY HOSE UNLESS IT'S BELOW FREEZING..AND ONLY IF IT'S GONNA BE FREEZING RAIN.

I do not wear anything but either pant suits or heavily coordinated separates for work attire  because I have some noticeable scaring and birthmarks ( Or liver spots the size of the Crimea...I kid...wink) so I cover my legs.I wear jeans on the weekends and save the shorts for yard and housework.

I have great colorful jackets from  Coldwater Creek and Chadwicks, cardigans and tank tops from Target ( their Merona amd Mossimo just rock out for price and quality ya'll) plus shoes, scarves and such so I am not at all adverse to wearing COLOR !

COLOR       COLOR    COLOR     COLOR    COLOR    COLOR !

And I think I am the only one . I kid you not.

Yes, Easter has come and gone and it's in the low 80's..and not raining.

LADIES...WHY ARE YOU STILL WEARING GRAY AND  BLACK AND BROWN ???????

Yes, I wear black and brown suits..but in the spring...I blow it the f up with color.

COLOR    COLOR    COLOR    COLOR.

Now I am not saying it's time to break out the white or bone shoes and bag, it's not the  Memorial day weekend to Labor Day period also known as SUMMER .

AND NO...nude color shoes and bag are fine now..they are NOT the same thing as white or bone.

This is the South...it's Spring...

Wear some friggan color, y'all are depressing to look at 5 days a week in this glorious weather ! Betty Crocker and I are the only two that I know of at work that constantly wear COLOR year round.

Maybe it's a redhead thing but I doubt that .

I'm wearing  a coral  jacket that is ombre'd with gold and purple tomorrow .

Tastefully with taupe dress pants and heels ..I am a grown up after all.

Grab your sunglasses because I am embracing SPRING !

Oh and for the record, if any of y'all can't tell which dress in the photo would be appropriate for work with a jacket or cardigan...we'll take that up another day , m'kay ?

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Just when I think that things are getting better with the allergies..............KAPOW !!!!!!!!!!

I never used to  pay any real attention to the issue because I have been plagued by sinus issues since I was a child and discovered that the Forsythia that grew rampant on Hunters Point base in San Francisco was in fact not my pretty friend , it was my arch nemesis. This of course mattered to my parents as they were both of the opinion and generation who assumed that " She will grow out of it." .In all fairness and hindsight , my headaches were probably nothing compared to their " morning after " angst.

So I learned to ignore them.

When the folks finally realized that their oldest kid was horribly nearsighted after a teachers intervention, it was again assumed that the cause of the headaches was eyestrain and for the most part, this was largely true.

When the sinuses got bad I took what ever over the counter was in the house, God forbid I pinch one of Mothers RX Ornade provided by her brother the doctor..until AMA rules began to tighten up on RX via USPS.

AS I got older, I coped as best I could and ignored the rest because it seemed silly to make much of a fuss over it, by this time I was also a smoker and so some of the problem was ( I was certain ) self induced.

I managed it for years quite nicely but this last year , it seems like it's taken over my life again. Last night I was crashed out by 8 pm and Gordy call simply tell by the look on my face how the day went. Co-workers are also miserable right now with the elevated grass and tree pollen so we all nod at each other as we sneeze and hack our ways though the day.

I am determined not to let this rule my life, I am fighting back with meds and an acute awareness of what I can and cannot tolerate .

I will have my deck time and be out in the garden this weekend, it's only going to be in the 80's which for the Gulf Coast is a miracle.

It's Spring Damn It and I am going to enjoy the hell out of it..even it it kills me.

Have a great weekend .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Post Easter Sugar Coma Y'all.

All things considered, it was a lovely holiday and by that I mean that I got the day off for Good Friday but sadly or not the spouse had to work. Now before anyone thinks that they are getting picked on, I also did 4 loads of laundry, hoovered, dusted and generally caught up on a lot of cleaning that I had put aside due to allergies..........and I ain't done so do not fuss at me.

In my ideal world, I would have been able to sit on the deck and read " The Mayfair Witches " all day by Anne Rice..and then been unable to breathe. SO I opted to stay in with the standard NCIS marathon in the back round ( so predictable) and tore into it. Granted , the house is a lot easier to manage with the wood floors, but that also means more to dust ( baseboards, crown molding ) and it the allergies are flaring up there is no way in hell that I am going to take that on.


The weather is nice for right now so I may be able to actually sit out on the deck to enjoy the solar lights that I finally got in the ground..yeppers...me...and I only had to have hisself relocate one.

GO ME !

One thing that I have also become hyper aware of is the price of beef right now .; Forget trying to even find a decent 6 lb roast...I know that sounds silly for just 2 people...leftovers/brown baggin lunch y'all . By the time we get home after work, it's literally 7 pm and  I sure as hell am not going to cook a full meal. Thankfully my hubby is self sufficient so I don't have to worry about that . I like to cook a big meal on Sundays and more often that not there is some sort of baking that has gone on so while it can be labor intensive on the cleanup,  it's right up there with digging in the dirt  as therapy for me .

Every Wednesday the local Kroger ad comes out and they had strip steaks on sale for $3.99/lb ,  marked down from $8.99/lb.

BAZINGA !

It was worth the time to stop the night the ad came out and I told hisself basically to spend ..oh $35.00 worth on it.  Now , because I am moderately OCD , I am one who will do the math to see what I saved. Yes, I hate, loathe and detest math ( just ask anyone who has every PBP'd or gamed with me..." GAH ! Resource sheets !  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ) . But........I am also the one who will do a happy dance to the tune of " $76.00 worth of steaks for $37.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

F Yeah I'm good.

Snoopy dance.


And no  , I am not one of those extreme couponers. I mean really folks, how many jars of Prego do you need ?  Isn't gluttony still considered a sin ?

Just wondering.

Anyhoo....the girls came over for Easter dinner because even though I told hisself it would just be the 2 of us,  it was a holiday and they had no plans and I am weak.

On the upside , the dark chocolate ice box pie was a winner.

On the down side, I only allowed myself 2 bites thus to avoid stomach issues..


I hate being a grownup !

Have a great week !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Happy Friday and Good Friday Y'all.

I am hopeful that I may have turned a corner on the allergy issue...knock on wood/head.

Over the last few MONTHS, I have suffered with the worst allergy flare up that I can ever remember . Pollen is every damn where down here in south Texas and it has frankly kicked my voluptuous ass.

I have a new respect for anyone that suffers from a chronic illness. I really , sincerely mean that .

Chronic pain , I get. That is a part of my daily life with polio.

But feeling f'd up and puny every day ?

Not so much.

Until now .

Some days it is so bad, I sleep on the way home, clean my face and teeth and by 7:45 pm or so I am in bed..........sound asleep. Those are the days when it is the worst and the only thing that gets me through my day at work is the promise of sleep when I get home.

I am taking meds and I try not to take  them unless I need them because I really don't want to build up a tolerance for them, I've been down that road and the Walgreens/Kroger knockoffs just don't cut it .


The ultimate irony is that this time last year , the only thing that got me  through the renovation was the simple idea that next year/now , I would be able to enjoy the deck that we finally have . Gordy built me some wonderful shelves and I decorated the deck with the metal birdcages that I have collected and the potted plants that I planted with love and sweat .

This year, it's been lovely...lovely yellow green with pollen.

Yep.

I am hopeful that I can get out there later today and enjoy it a bit since it seems less greener than usual..lol.

Mama has a raging case of cabin fever but if it gets bad, there is plenty of housework that I can tackle..it's a glam life your Aunty lives..yes indeedy.

Have a wonderful weekend and a blessed Easter if you celebrate it.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

This Is So Our House

Just keeping it real folks.

Click on the cartoon to biggify.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Roasted Greek Potatoes 2.O

Lets try this again.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/07/roasted-greek-potatoes.html

I found this over at Plain Chicken and it is a much better recipe than the one that I have.

Rarely have I met a spud I didn't like...okay..AuGratin and Scalloped come to mind because the only way that I had them served to me at home was ala the Box Oh Betty Crocker .

Results:

1: Heartburn
2. Enhanced gag reflex in 3...2...1...

Hisself and I share a love of spuds.

Baked, fried, hash browns, roasted, mashed, boiled, tots...you name it , we nom it.

For years , one of our go to, okay to serve at the dinner party standbys has been the classic ( tongue in cheek ) housewives stand by.." Liptons Oven Roasted Potatoes  ".

Yep, guilty as charged ossifer.

We've tried variations and we are over all pretty happy with it but are continuously challenged.." How to get them crispy on the outside and soft on the inside without baking the living Jeebus out of them.

Mind you , this quest has in no way stopped us from making the damn'd things.


Anyhoo, I saw this on Plain Chicken and then it hit me.

Bazinga !

Bake them covered for 45 minutes and then uncover then and bake for 20 - 30 minutes more.

The old way always took longer than the " Bake uncovered for 20 minutes , stir to flip over and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

I have been craving lamb again and if I can find Lamb steaks down here..no easy feat I assure you , this is going to be my side.

Yum !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

I Have Mixed Emotions And I'm Okay With That .

I really was not at all surprised to see that Stephen Colbert has been chosen to replace David Letterman. I am a huge fan of his and more often than I should stay up too late on a school night to watch him right after the Daily show. I should state that I am pretty much given a pass on this during any election coverage because that malarky just drives the husband and I bat shit crazy pants.


What does surprise me is the number of people who just don't get it or are out and out pissed about it.

REALLY ???????????????????????????????

The Colbert Report is an hour long program that stays in character.

Character.

Role .

Persona .

It is a role based on a certain lifestyle and political viewpoint which some may not see as funny as others including myself do...but then possibly those folks don't get the self mockery that is at the heart of it all .

One of the things that I have loved the most about the CR is the variety of guests that he has on the show . Writers , Supreme Court Judges, Scientists...yes there have been entertainers and musicians but they have been there for things other than the obvious ego stroke. Like George Carlin, the CR makes you think.

Would this be a good for the Late Show ?

Oh Hell no.

Different idea, different premise , different show.

Will it work  ?

Only the magic eight ball can tell.

Will I be taping or ( shhhh...watching depending on who is on ?)

You betcha !

Will folks get it ?

Other than his carry over fans, hard to say .

I sure hope so .


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Another Winner From Smitten Kitchen

I am just gonna have to go and buy her cookbook.

http://smittenkitchen.com
 check this out.

I love the idea of using extra melted chocolate and sweet coconut for this .

It seems that since I have every Sunday to putter about since hisself is either golfing or with the motley crew, I might as well take advantage of this free time to start baking again. I didn't really do any of it for the last year like I did before because of renovations , out of town trips and the fact that there is a certain point here on the Gulf Coast where the very idea of using the oven at all is hell no...well, I just didn't.

I've started it up again recently and I am amazed at how much I missed baking. Some folks like my husband like to bake early in the day and more often than not I have woken up to one of his baking binges on a Sunday..me ..I need coffee and paper and time to gather my thoughts . My day schedule as far as other things will depend on what I am baking . For example..if it's a bundt cake , I have time to process a load of laundry and hoover while it is in the oven. Quick bread..same thing. Cupcakes..pick up the clutter or start a load of wash or bring the basket in to fold. Or maybe set or move  a sprinkler..nothing I can't break away from. But cupcakes = time for one of the above, not all. Cookies..forget it . they don't take as long since I rotate 3 sheets at a time but it's a fast process once they are prepped.

If they are ready, this weekend is more banana bread..

One thing occurs to me.

I think I'd better check the pantry.

I have no idea what he has used all of or what is left.

Onward.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Timing Is Everything.

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/CustomerService/InvestorFAQ

I don't know if the above link will work or not, I suspect not but anyhoo....


If you shop at Coldwater Creek as I do ( DOH ! ) , you know that the best way is to watch for whatever makes your heart  go pitty pat and then with Kryptonian resolve , wait for your precious to show up in the outlet.

Bazinga !

Jackets regularly priced $125.00 and up can be snatched for $29.00 to $50.00.

For real y'all.


I told a friend at work and we realized that we had seen the signs and weren't aware of it at the time. Frequent CC shoppers would get coupons and catalogs at home .  Magazines such as Real Simple and Southern Living always had print ads and tear away discount coupon cards....haven't seen any of that in quite a while but as the cost of these print items increased over the years , it is not unusual for retailers to let that part of their ad budgets fall to the wayside.

If you see something at CC, grab it .

Your shopping therapy advisor,

Aunty Pol

Outstanding !

I guess I did miss a bit while I was out of the office last week.

One of the nicest gals that I have ever had the genuine pleasure to work with just made my jaw drop.

She is in her exit interview.

Wah !

But..........

She is about to embark on her own adventure.

She is going to begin pastry school in the quest to open her own shop one day.


I couldn't be happier for her and while I will honestly miss her , I am always super happy to see people with the strength to believe in themselves and their dreams.


Rock On Mama !

Stay in touch.


Hugs,

Aunty Pol

Mother Nature Is Having A Hissy Fit !

They said that the weather was going to change and they were not kidding.

Of course when I was off last week for my birthday ( it's a birth week and not a birthday and because I can ) the weather was less than stellar. On the one hand this gave me no excuse not to get some stuff done that I wanted to ( what ..me not have a plan so that I can over schedule myself...hahahahaha...yeah , right .) so I did get some of the inside stuff done but it really shortened the window to plant stuff.

I know that I pushed it but it seems like Easter is so late this year that I was having a fit. We lost almost all of the potted plants on the deck because of the unusual freezing temperatures and there is a certain point where I cannot bear to look at the debris one minute longer. Now , I did wait a bit because there just wasn't a whole lot to choose from a few weeks ago but I did manage to get some stuff and finally finished it up last night...sorted, potted and mulched. I do have some pots left but they can wait until closer to Easter when the selection open up. Of course everyone  else will be at the nursery but I've gotten a head start and only managed to lose one glove this  year.

I did manage to soldier through Wallyworld  with Southside Johnny on Friday to get some stuff which was fun because we did it after lunch and Wallyworld is always better after adult beverages. Anyone who knows me knows my tolerance for the emporium so this is almost the only way that my happy ass will cross that threshold. The purpose of this jaunt was simple. Every damn year I wait to long to buy new solar lights for the back yard and by the time that I actually slap myself over it all, they are all gone.I refuse to make the same mistake that I did years ago by over paying at Lowes for a beautiful ( $$$ bazinga) copper set which did not last more than one year , thank you lawn dudes...And then again I had to get new chair cushions for the deck furniture, WTF I was there already and odds and ends so in the end once again I impressed the youngest brother with my commando shopping skills....I gotz skillz y'all.

Other than that , not a whole lot else went on..hubby got me the entire BSG series on blue ray so I am a most happy camper. 

And I am back to work and it is the usual mayhem a week before the tax deadline but bam bitch !

Ours are sent off and the CPA is paid for .

Go us !

Have a good one.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol