Sunday, August 30, 2009

Geeze-Blogspot REALLY Needs....


.........to have an option for only showing you blogs in the language(s) of your choice.

Today I sat here clicking thru the NEXT BLOG tab for over 40 minutes before I FINALLY came upon one in ENGLISH!

WTHeck? WHY can Blogger not offer that option to us? You guys who know how this stuff works- is it not possible to have that option? Would it really be that much work to add that option to Blogger?

It's just really annoying to me. Serves me right for BEING so annoying, I suppose.

Just So You Know.............

Guys, let's get something straight......

When we ask you which heels you think look better with our dress-up outfit....it is not a trick question or a question designed to make you uncomfortable. We KNOW which ones look best with our outfit.....(except for a very FEW "fashion senseless" females out there) and ...we only ask YOU because occasionally we are willing to go against the crowd and risk being called "fashion senseless" because we want to wear something that YOU like even if it goes against OUR fashion sense.
So, please, just say which one you like.

Thank you.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Bloody Humbug.

I just HAD to write about how well things were going, didn't I?

Now- we went out to the car and it's doing NOTHING. No TRYING to turn over- just one little "ting" before dead silence.
That probably means a new starter is needed ..... Guess what I'll be doing this weekend???

I need A NAP.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation.


Remember the first day back at grammar school that was ALWAYS the first thing they gave you as a homework assignment in English class?
It became such a routine assignment that when I was excited about going BACK to school(yeah, I was one of those kids) I would do my essay on "Summer Vacation"the day BEFORE classes started just to pass the time away.

I miss the smell of the schoolrooms...except for gym class...ugh.

Anyway, Altho my weeks vacation isn't completely over yet- so far it's been a real mixture of work and relaxation. I got ONE of the three rooms I was planning on spring-cleaning or "purging" done. The smallest one I might add, but since I only had my car to haul the donations and trash off with- it was good. Every little bit helps, you know. And I found a couple things that I had been looking for for a couple of years. Yeah- when I say the room was "packed" I actually mean it was PACKED from the floor to the roof with boxes upon boxes of stuff. Now- there's like 5 smallish boxes left. Yay Me!!
I want to thank Frank- my eldest son, for coming over and helping me with that job. He's going to be helping me with the other rooms as well soon too. I figure a room a day on one of my long weekends a month will get it done by winter. Again, Yay me!!

I've went a lot of places, trying to help Frank get settled and him and his wife find a new place to live. They have been living with Marie's mom for the past few months and it's just NOT working out. They need their own place. All married couples/families do. But the pace has been not hurried at all, and I've enjoyed the company with them immensely. The baby is holding his head up now and looks more like his daddy every day! Such a cutie- but then all my boys are!! Biased? I think SO!!!! I'm going to have some photos made of them soon- so I'll post them when I get them so you can see just how handsome the Lot is!!!

Paul and I were planning to head towards either Charleston (the beach) or Pigeon Forge(the mountains) today for an overnighter-or just a daytrip-whichever. But fate has intervened yet again and tripped us up. Yesterday I got up, went to the gas station and re-fueled, got back in my car, and it wouldn't start for love nor money. After trying for about 10 minutes with no success, I finally asked somone to give me a jump-start and when it was running, I picked Frank up and we headed straight to AutoZone. There they put their little machine on it and as I and Frank expected- the battery was bad. So I ended up buying a new battery for 70 dollars. Ouch.

Well, There went our overnighter- but we could still do the daytrip! So we go by the house, pick Paul up and proceed to grab a bite of lunch before taking Frank back to his sisters house. As we come out of the restaurant, I glanced at my left front tire and notice what looks like little bubbles of tar...WTHeck?....I look closer- it's the re-cap seperating from the tire. On both sides of the tire.
Damn.... I mean DANG. (Trying to stop swearing- actually having an easy time of it too)So off we head to the tire shop for a new tire. Sigh.

Then ,I go to take my meds- I only have two Nexium left- so I NOW also have to get my script filled today.
So- no trips at all for us for the rest of my vacation. Guess we'll just have to stay home and do stuff like........play games together. Maybe I'll get Paul to play Rock band or Halo with me. That would make him happy and maybe I might learn to like those things as well. He hasn't had a vacation in 5 years either and I shouldn't be selfish about how I wanna spend it. Have I mentioned that since my sister loaned us her riding lawn mower(She downsized to an apartment and has no yard to use it on or no place to store it) Paul has been keeping the yard almost immaculately groomed? We're actually getting grass in the driveway now! And the yard grass is becoming worthy of Golf course status.

I've been reading all the interviews that a fellow blogger has been posting on his blog the past couple weeks. I've learned a lot about men by reading them too. And guess what? Evan 08 has interviewed me as well!!!!! It was nothing like what I thought it would be. He asked a few questions that really made me do some hard thinking before answering them.( I almost had a headache from thinking so much the first day...LOL...What... you thought I was JOKING when I said thinking too much makes my head hurt???). I have no idea when he will post the interview- but I highly recommend you check him out whether he posts it or not. I found him about 4 years ago when he/we first started blogging and have been a daily reader ever since......not that he posts EVERY day- he's a BUSY guy after all, but he has some really interesting stuff on there. Like I said- I've learned a LOT.

I haven't been playing my FB games much. I've only been on the computer a minimal amount of time this week- altho I'm sure Paul will think otherwise. It seems like as soon as I pick the computer up- he walks into the room wanting to do something with me. LOL. Sok- he can interupt my computer time ANYDAY.

Well, I think that's about it for now....no telling what the weekend will bring. Whatever it is- you can be sure you'll hear about it sooner or later!!

Have a GREAT WEEKEND Guys!!!

What I Did On My Summer Vacation.


Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Two Years.......


Two Years........can it really have been that long that my baby boy has been gone? Seems like just yesterday that he was with us, giving me big hugs and calling me "Sweetie" as he and his brother have done since they turned 10.
On the other hand, it seems like it's been forever since he was with us, giving me big hugs and calling me "Sweetie" as he and his brother have done since they turned 10.


How can it be both?
We miss our Clay so much. We always will.
I love you, Son.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Brownie Recipe...Vacation Just Gets Better & Better!!


I finally found a brownie recipe that is PERFECT for me.
I like very rich, dense chewy brownies but have never found a recipe that's EXACTLY what I want. Til last night.........I didn't have all the ingredients for it- so I'll post it as it was written- and then again as I "tweaked" it for the ingredients I had on hand. This recipe is so awesome I think I'll use it as my new fudge cake recipe and frost it with Dark Mocha Frosting or Cream Cheese Frosting for Special Occasions- Like Christmas. This recipe is better than Chocolate Velvet Cake!!!
VERY Rich- Very dense- no one will be able to eat more than a small slice so one cake will go a LONG way!!! Okay so here goes.....

Chewy Brownies

4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter; more for the pan
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1-1/2 cups sugar
Scant 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) flour
2 Tbs. natural cocoa (not Dutch-processed)

Tip: The recipe gives a range of baking times—use the shorter time for metal pans, the longer for Pyrex pans.

Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square pan, line the pan bottom with parchment (or waxed paper), and then butter the parchment.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove the pan from the heat; cool slightly. Stir in the sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, stirring each time until blended. Add the flour and cocoa; beat until incorporated and the mixture is smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top is uniformly colored with no indentation and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean, with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 45 min.

Set the pan on a rack until cool enough to handle. Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan and then invert the pan onto a flat surface and peel off the parchment. Flip the baked brownie back onto the rack to cool completely. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.

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Sunny's Version:

4 oz. (8 Tbs. or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp veg oil
1-1/2 cups sugar
Scant 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, straight from the fridge
4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) plain all-purpose flour

*Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
*Put softened butter in deep sided bowl.
*Grease 9 inch pan(doesn't matter what shape) with wrapper from butter.
*Add cocoa powder,sugar, salt and vanilla to butter in Bowl. Beat with electric mixer til crumbly.
*Add oil. Mix for about 30 seconds.
* Add both eggs and mix for about a minute.
*Add flour a third cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
(Batter will be thinner than regular Brownie Batter usually is.)
*Pour into pan and bake 35-45 minutes.(Metal Pans will take closer to 35 minutes- Glass pans closer to 45)Begin testing with toothpick at around 30 minutes for either.
DO NOT OVER-BAKE!
*Remove from oven. Cool. Cut into squares. Enjoy.

No joke- the hardest part of making these brownies was waiting on the butter to soften and waiting for them to cool. If you put it in the microwave to soften it quickly- don't let it melt- just put it in long enough to SOFTEN!
As soon as I cut into them, I knew this was the perfect recipe for what I wanted.
After 30 years of looking, I can say it was definitely worth the wait.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Let The Vacation Begin!!!

Well, my vacation has started out just the way I wanted....nice and relaxing. I came home and went to bed and then slept til 3. Then I got up, showered, and am sitting here doing one of my favorite downtime things...playing my games in Yoville and Farmtown.
I've chilled out a bit with the Farmtown playing, I have the biggest farm, have planted all the big money crops, and have my river and waterfalls.I'm just raking in the experience points til I can get to level 34 to get that mansion. After that the game will be boring unless they add something major to it.
I've started playing Yoville again and am enjoying it a lot. When I first started it, I had no idea how to make any coins to improve the look of my apartment, so it wasn't much fun. But then I sat down and watched a couple of my friends at work playing and after a few well placed questions and their answers, I decided to give Yoville another chance.
A month later, I am the proud owner of a Yoville Ranch-style house. It's decorated too except for a few little things I want for the outside. AND I still have the original apartment to re-decorate if I want. And I can buy more houses and decorate them, too.
My little avatar has 3 pair of pants, half dozen shirts, a skirt, a dress, and 4 pair of shoes to dress up in.
I think that game will keep me occupied for a while yet.
We're all still little girls playing with our paper dolls there in Yoville!

As for my vacation, today is going to be spent doing a whole lot of nothing. Then, tomorrow, I have planned to clear out the second bathroom and bedroom we have been using as storage and get RID of some of this clutter in my life. I haven't done any real purging since dad and Clay's passing and It's been way piling up.
I thought a day or twos clearing should help me be able to put some calm back into my life.
At least that's the reasoning, anyway. Heck, it CAN'T hurt!!
Then On Thursday, After re-doing the budget for the rest of this month and bext month- Paul and I may be able to go on an overnight trip to Charleston or Pigeon Forge. I don't really want to go to Gatlinburg Proper again. I mean it was nice - but I want to go somewhere different. I'm just afraid that if we go to Charleston, I just might decided to not come BACK!
Seriously, my company has an office in the Charleston area......if I thought for a minute that I could get a job down there and it might increase the chance of Paul gaining employment there- I would move down there in a heartbeat. No joking aside. I know money would be tight for a while, but I would so do it.
Anyway, I plan to catch up on my reading as well. One of my friends gave me a whole new stack of awesome books just waiting to be enjoyed!!! I think this might turn out to be a great week!!

Friday, August 21, 2009

National Lampoons Vacation...........

Just two more days until my vacation starts. I haven't had a vacation that didn't involve a funeral or a hospital stay since mine and Paulius' Honeymoon.

I'm, at the same time, looking forward to it and viewing it with some trepidation.

What exactly do you DO on a vacation? I've completely forgotten it's been so long.
Paulius and I tend to bicker towards the end of my long weekend off- will we be ready to strangle each other at the end of an actual week long vacation? I hope not.

I suppose I'll know the answers to both these questions soon enough.
Come on, Monday Morning.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Productive Day

Having had a very happy productive day, I now have the mother of all headaches.

One good day please- all the way thru? Is it too much to ask for?

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Found On Facebook......My Personal Favorites

-The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag,
saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words,
someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think
about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people
eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by
myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard
before dinner..
********************************************
-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?"
How the hell do I respond to that?
*********************************************
-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
***********************************************
-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and
goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
************************************************
-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind
that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
*********************************************
- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my
neighborhood.
*************************************************
- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
*************************************************
-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can
think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell
my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves
me.
***************************************************
-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you
realize you're wrong.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Has The World Gone Mad???

No- That actually was the question.....Has the world gone mad....yes? How so, in your opinion?

Saturday, August 15, 2009

I Won!!!!


It seems I WON the Asian Lottery!!! 2 Million US Dollars!!!
And I didn't even enter it!! What a WONDERFUL Surprise!
All I need to do is provide some detailed info about myself and it's all mine.

I'm such a LUCKY GIRL!!!!

What a LOAD of HorseSH*T!!!!....

I think Paulius summed it up best...

"THE CAKE IS A LIE!!!!"

Friday, August 14, 2009

Don't Ask.........


All I'm going to say is............What the HECK are some people thinking?

Don't ask....Just PLEASE don't get me started.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Of Mice & Men......


Of Mice.........
Logan caught his first mouse today. Well, his first mouse since WE have had him. I found it in the hallway and thought it was his toy mouse and on second glance thought he had torn the stuffing out of it again since it looked considerably smaller than it usually does. However, upon closer inspection,(as in when I reached to pick it up to resew the stuffing back into it) I quickly realized it was a REAL mouse, and the poor thing looked as tho it had been toyed with til death.
GOOD LOGAN!
We're so proud!!!
I only wish he would eat them when he kills them...or better yet, do the same thing he did with his toy mouse. We had gotten it and it has an motion sensored electronic squeak that made it sound exactly like a real mouse.
We heard him playing with it in the hallway off and on all night long.
Next morning, I got up, walked into the bathroom and lying in the wastebasket was the toy mouse.
Hehehehehe...not a stupid cat, is he?


Of Men............
The cake is NOT a lie.

Paulius has been wanting cake for the past three weeks and has said so on a daily basis altho it's something he RARELY requests.
Considering his blood sugar has been a bit low lately, I made a small- (as in 5" X 5" X 5") chocolate cake and left if in the fridge for him when I went to work.

This morning, he sweetly asked me to not make him any more cake-(except maybe on his Birthday).

I can do that, but whenever he mentions something, if it's in my power to make it so- he gets it.
I think this is going to be harder on me than it is on him.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

From Scratch or Not From Scratch... THAT is the Question.


Okay- everyone knows what a "from scratch" cake is, right?

Well, I have a WHOLE list of "Totally from scratch" cakes I make. Now for my mom's birthday, she wanted a carrot-cake. I usually make ALL Birthday cakes TOTALLY "from scratch", but OCCASIONALLY I don't feel good, so I sort-of shortcut it.......And I did Mom's cake.(*hangs head in shame*)

I used a boxed white mix, added a cup and a half of finely HAND grated carrots and all the necessary spices and baked it. I then made the icing and decorations totally from scratch.

It turned out great- Mom even called and asked if I had made it with my regular recipe- and I didn't fib- I told her no and asked her why. She said it was awesome and that she liked it better than the other recipe- that it was not so heavy as the other one.
Now- my question is- does using a mix and then adding the extra ingredients count as "from scratch"- or not?

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Autumn....

(This photo was taken(not by me, unfortunately) at a location just a few miles from where we live.)

Oh, I cannot WAIT for Autumn to get here.
Cool days...... crisp nights..... the smell of leaves burning in someones back-yard....... The beautiful colors surrounding you no matter where you look.
Long sleeves.... long pants.... no insects buzzing about........being able to wear Boots........ being able to leave my hair down and it not dripping with sweat an hour later.
Being able to open the windows and doors and having fresh air flowing thru the house instead of the A/C on all day and night............Cuddling on the couch without feeling as tho you will burst into flames at any second........ Being able to enjoy a cup of coffee in the mornings instead of something cold as soon as you wake up.

Wonderful, wonderful Autumn.

HAPPY SISTERS DAY!!!!....& HAPPY B-DAY MOM!!!!





















We have shared so much....there are no stronger women on Earth and I am proud to call them my family...and my friends. I love you ALL-Mom, Teresa, Valina and Julie!!!!

Monday, August 03, 2009

Warning: ZOMBIES AHEAD!


I've not been getting much restful sleep lately.....every time I've gone to bed for the past couple weeks, I've dreamed of the Zombie Apocalypse, woken up, said, "What a stupid dream!" and then promptly went back to sleep to dream a completely different Z.A. Dream.....now, as many times as I have had stupid dreams come true, do you think maybe it's a SIGN?

Just thought I should let y'all know so you can be prepared.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

A Hope & A Prayer........& A Up-Date........

Ever have one of those days when you wake up and things look so promising, and then before an hour is gone by, things start spiraling downward and you can't quite place what set it in that direction?............

Yeah, me too.

Ever had one that was salvageable?
Well, I'm hoping.............sigh.
****************************
Well, an update........
The day was salvaged, after all. We decided to go fishing, so we loaded up the fishing gear and headed off.

Needless to say,us being us, it ended up being one of what I like to call "Life's Little Adventures".
We got there- and even in the shade it was close to a hundred degrees. I got overheated after about 45 minutes and almost completely passed out- Paul managed to get me back to the car and revived me after about 10 minutes with the A/C on full blast. And he drove home.....about 50 miles..... and after all that, we only caught one little 6 inch bream.

Right now- Paul's out in the yard (it's MUCH cooler here now and a bit overcast now and then), getting the grill cranked up so he can cook our dinner. I think he put chicken breasts in marinade while we went fishing.

My husband is my HERO!!!!