Yummmm!!!!! Chocolate! - February 27, 2010

OK. I admit it. I'm tired out. It's nap time! Grandma Froggy needs a nap. Taking care of babies and toddlers is a young person sport. Ms. En is a bundle of energy and as sweet as can be. She chatters almost non-stop and sometimes I think I can actually understand what she's trying to say. Mr. T. isn't feeling 100% but he's a cute little bundle of sugar and he loves to dance and cuddle.

Ms. En loves cooking. While she ate a banana this morning (after breakfast), she helped Grandma Froggy make banana bread. She watched intently as Grandma measured and mixed and then helped Grandma by peeling the bananas and putting them one by one into the mixer bowl. What a good little helper! Then...#1 Son (Unkca Dabbid)thrilled her when he showed her how to make his special chocolate brownies. He let her taste some cocoa powder. Yuck! Cocoa powder smells good but it tastes awful! But then he showed her how to wipe the cocoa powder on her jeans because that's what jeans are for...and he gave her a small spoonful of the batter to lick and then...best of all...he let her lick the mixer paddle...loaded with chocolate brownie batter. Yummmm!!!!! Chocolate Nirvana. #1 Son (aka. Unkca Dabbid) makes WONDERFUL brownies and who can resist a man who doesn't even blink when she gets brownie batter all over her face and hands and all over her cute pink shirt. He even helped her clean her hands and face. Awwww!!!! DD Daughter will have to soak that cute pink shirt but...that's a Mommy job. Unkca Dabbid, Grandma Froggy and Ms. En needn't worry about such trivialities.

I wonder what Grandma Froggy, Ms. En, and Mr. T can all find to do after we're up from our naps. I wonder if Ms. En wants to help Grandma Froggy make the pot roast for supper tonight? Somehow I don't think that will be quite as fun as making brownies with Unkca Dabbid.

Random Thought of the Day

Do butterflies remember life as a caterpillar?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Help others get ahead. You will always stand taller with someone else on your shoulders.

- Bob Moawad

I Hope T Square is More Careful Than Santa

Word of the Day

Snignorant - Describing any person who is ignorant regarding unwords or sniglets, or who doesn't understand the purpose of them.

DD Daughter called me this morning at 8 AM. She and the kids were just hitting the road. She called again at around 11 AM. They'd made it to Des Moines and she'll call us again once she gets to Clear Lake, IA. Half hour?

I baked two fresh loaves of bread this morning after breakfast. I washed my hair...because it NEEDED it. I took Gypsy over to my folks' place and saw T-Square up on a ladder, using an ice pick to break up an ice dam that had formed on the roof of their house. NOT something that I cared to see but he told me that he'd be fine. Right?

HTP and I'll hit the road as soon as we hear that DD Daughter and the grandkids have reached Clear Lake.

Random Thought of the Day

Can you "stare off into space" when you're in space?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

All love that has not friendship for its base, is like a mansion built upon sand.

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Word of the Day

Snigletology - The study of sniglets.

HTP spent the morning getting the downstairs bedrooms prepped for company. It's been a while but I "think" I can remember basic baby-proofing. DD Daughter tells me that it's not the baby that I need to worry about. Ms. En is two years old. Hopefully, three adults will be able to keep on little two year old in line...four adults this weekend because #1 Son will be here too.

We're all going meet to go see HTP's Dad and Mom tomorrow in The Big City tomorrow afternoon before returning here to The Lake. My folks are going to take care of Gypsy for us for the night since we won't get back here until late.

I spent most of the afternoon getting the upstairs (our main living area) prepped for company. Hopefully, I managed to get things toddler-proofed. I'm sure that DD Daughter will tweak things when she gets here. She knows Ms. En better than HTP and me. I suspect that we've forgotten much of what we used to know about two year olds. It's been a while.

Meanwhile, since HTP and I've been here, I've been spending much of my time chasing down ladybugs...dead and alive.

Random Thought of the Day

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without the benefit of experience.

- Henry Miller (1891 - 1980)

Snow on the Roof...before I attacked it with a roof rake.

Word of the Day

Snirt - Piles of snow mixed with sand and dirt which can be seen in most cities, piled by the side of the roads by snow plows.

Exhaustion! Shopping with my folks didn't wear me out. No...really! I was fine when I came home after stopping at the post office, racing after my Mom through the hardware superstore (my Mom can MOVE and she has a tendency to disappear on occasion if you don't keep up with her), exploring the discount grocery store, meandering through the local Farm & Fleet (where I bought some winter boots and a couple pairs of flannel-lined jeans), shopping at the MarketPlace grocery store, and then finishing up at the Kwik Trip (cheapest onions and eggs). Nope. I wasn't tired. Even when I sorted and hauled all my loot out of my folks' car and loaded it into my car, avoided getting stuck on a slippery spot on my folks' 3/4 mile driveway, drove home, and unloaded all the stuff I bought and even put it all away. Well...I still need to haul a few more things down to the basement but...I wasn't tired. No....really! I'm weird that way. I happen to like shopping.

Exhaustion! Excited about my new pairs of flannel-lined jeans and winter boots and the hoody (a hooded sweatshirt) that I bought that's supposed to keep me warm, even in a blizzard, I decided to try out my new winter outfits AND the roof rake that I borrowed from my Dad. After hacking and raking and hacking and raking, I managed to get some of the snow off the north-facing edges of our roof. I hope I was able to get enough of the snow off to prevent ice dams...at least I tried. Then...after wearing myself out with this bit of exercise, I noted that I'd piled up a LOT of snow right where it would get in the way when HTP needs to drive the car into the garage later tonight. Not good. *sigh* So...I took the roof rake apart, put it away and...already tired, I exhausted myself by shoveling off the driveway so HTP won't get mad when he gets home from The Big City later tonight.

My new boots worked great! My feet remained warm and dry. My new jeans kept me warm and comfy! The blizzard-rated hoody kept me so warm that I was tempted to take it off. I'm looking forward to taking a few winter hikes with Gypsy....who....demanded to go back inside the house where she'd be safe the minute she saw me dragging snow off the roof with the roof rake. Right now, she's sleeping in a sunny spot on the couch.

Random Thought of the Day

Why are women and men's shoe sizes different?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

When you have got an elephant by the hind leg, and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run.

- Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Mr. T, Ms. En, DD Daughter, and GI Joe - February 15, 2010

Word of the Day

Snigletize - 1. To form a sniglet or unword from a word or combination of words. 2. To form into an unword or sniglet; Turning a word into an unword.

It's snowing...again. Off and on. Not too much is sticking. I made chili for lunch.

We got a call from DD Daughter this afternoon. She and our grandkids are driving down to visit with HTP's Mom and Dad on Friday and then continue on to stay with us here at The Lake. HTP is driving to The Big City to see his folks tomorrow. We'll both go in to see them on Friday when DD Daughter and the grandkids go visit with his folks.

I'd better get the guest rooms prepped. Tomorrow will be soon enough. It looks like I'd better add to my grocery list too.

Random Thought of the Day

Is "vice-versa" to a dyslexic just plain redundant?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness.

- George Sand (1804 - 1876)

D Buddy and Sarge - February 2010

Word of the Day

Snigletization - The process of snigletizing.


It's Sarge's birthday today!


Happy


Birthday


Sarge!


It's snowing at The Lake! It's the first time we've seen it snow since we've been here. I suspect we'll see LOTS more before winter departs and spring arrives. HTP hired someone to plow the driveway but I'm not sure that we'll need him quite yet. However, I'm glad I got all the snow and ice off the deck. Hopefully, I'll be able to tackle this accumulating snow with a broom instead of a shovel.

In the meantime, it seems like a good day to do laundry. I'm getting quite the workout from walking up and down the stairs to our basement. Good exercise, I suppose, so I won't complain. You'd think with all the added exercise that I've been getting that I'd have lost some weight. *sigh* Maybe I can blame the added pounds that I'm seeing displayed on our scale, on winter clothing?

Random Thought of the Day

Why do we say we're head over heels when we're happy? Isn't that the way we normally are?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.

- Dr. Joyce Brothers (1928 - )

A Frozen Lake - February 19, 2010

I'm reluctant to drag out the camera and start taking pictures of the guy who parked his truck so close to our shore.

Word of the Day

Snigletist - One who is a professional at making up sniglets, or simply enjoys making up sniglets.

There's a truck parked on our lake. Actually, there's a few trucks parked on our lake, but this one is parked right off our dock area, facing the house. Weird. No question that I'm going to have to set the burglar alarm today when HTP,#1 Son, and I drive to The Big City today to visit with HTP's side of the family. His sister and their family, his brother and his family and his fiance, and his Dad and Mom.

While we're gone, Gypsy is going to meet my folks' new dog Sandy. My folks are going to look after Gypsy while we're gone. I'm not sure what time we'll be getting back home or if we'll be back in time to pick Gypsy up tonight so I'll have to pack Gypsy an overnight bag...just in case.

Random Thought of the Day

If there's an exception to every rule, is there an exception to that rule?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.

- Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

Sarge, Mom, D Buddy, and Dad at The Lake - February 20, 2010

Word of the Day

Snigletism - 1. A word that has been partially or unofficially accepted as a sniglet or unword. 2. A word that has not been accepted as an unword because of its poor quality.

I couldn't stand the thick layer of ice coating my deck and patio furniture. I was going to wait until #1 Son came so he could help me remove it but...I spent about an hour out on the deck yesterday removing most of the remaining ice and snow. There are still a couple of stubborn patches remaining but, for the most part, it's all gone. It was such a nice day. The sun was shining. The temperature on the deck was working with me. I didn't even need a jacket. Our coal shovel worked great at breaking off clumps of 2-3" thick slabs of ice and then I just shoved them off the deck...under the railing. "LOOK OUT BELOW!" Since it was just me, I figured that I didn't have to shout out a warning. The ice fishermen out on the lake were far enough away to stay out of harm's way.

HTP returned from The Big City at around 9:15 PM last night. Sarge, D Buddy and #1 Son were about twenty minutes behind him. We sat down to a REALLY late supper at around 10 PM. I'd already cooked the mushrooms and potatoes, threw together a salad, and had the steaks sitting out on the countertop so they'd come to room temperature. Sarge and #1 Son took care of grilling the steaks for us.

All the shoveling and ice chipping and shoving wore me out enough that I never heard when Sarge, D Buddy, and #1 Son unloaded the U-Haul trailer that was sitting out on the driveway and took all the stuff down to the basement. I didn't even hear when Sarge snuck into my room to borrow my keys. There's nothing like a bit of exercise to cure insomnia. Best night sleep EVER!

Of course, I was the first one up this morning. Later, I heard that Sarge, D Buddy, #1 Son and HTP didn't get to bed until past 3 AM due to a mixture of unloading the trailer, visiting, and enjoying the brownies I made yesterday with some ice cream that they'd bought at the store. I would have loved some but...sleeping. Not to worry, they didn't eat all the brownies or ice cream. I should be conscious enough to enjoy my dessert tonight.

Sarge and D Buddy hit the road for Texas after breakfast. My folks came over just in time to wish them a Bon Voyage and for HTP to take a few pictures.

I'm glad I got all the ice and snow off the deck yesterday. It's a lot colder outside today. I don't think there's any snow in the forecast but the sun hasn't broken through the clouds. Still...there are some hardy ice fishermen still out on the lake. Brrrrr!!!!!

Random Thought of the Day

When you're caught "between a rock and a hard place", is the rock not hard?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The things we know best are the things we haven't been taught.

- Marquis de Vauvenargues

Gypsy's First Winter at The Lake - February 19, 2010

Word of the Day

Sniglet - Any word that doesn't appear in the dictionary, but should.

Bear with me, it's been a long time since my last blog and it isn't because there hasn't been anything to write about. This is the first opportunity I've had to spend more than a few short moments on my laptop.

The last time I blogged, HTP and I had no plans to leave sunny Arizona to return to our home here at The Lake. Plans change. Sometimes change comes at lightening speed. HTP's Dad has been in and out of the hospital since February 6th. After receiving notice that he was back in the hospital yet again on February 13th, HTP and I decided that it would be best to head to The Lake so we could be closer to HTP's folks.

It’s amazing how quickly one can accomplish in one day with a little help from friends and neighbors. Our Arizona house is all closed for the summer. Friends came over for a movie and appetizer night on February 13th. They ended up taking home half the food in my fridge. One of these friends agreed to return our cable converter boxes to the cable company for us. Our neighbor next door is going to check our mail, forwarding the important stuff until the post office stops delivering there and starts delivering to The Lake. She’s also picking up newspapers for us until we can get a hold of the newspaper and tell them to STOP. I was supposed to play my clarinet at church on February 14th and February 21st but the Pastor and his wife were very understanding.

Most of Sunday morning (February 14th) was spent buttoning everything up in and around the house. Draining the fountain. Disconnecting the battery on the car. Taking down wind chimes. We’ve got quite a To Do List to close up but HTP and I finally packed and loaded and hit the road at 11 AM that very morning. We even loaded up the wine that isn’t quite ready for bottling. Buckets and Jugs of Hooch.

HTP and I finally got all packed and loaded and hit the road at 11 AM on Sunday. Driving was great! Sunny skies and dry roads. We arrived in Albuquerque at 6:30PM. We planned to head for Omaha to spend Monday night with DD Daughter, GI Joe, Mr. T. and Ms. En, but plans changed.

I was practically gibbering after our marathon 22 hour drive Monday and Tuesday. Tom and I got a call from his sister as we were leaving Albuquerque. HTP’s Dad had gone home but was back in the hospital so we decided to drive straight out to Minnesota and the hospital after a quick stop in Omaha to give DD Daughter and the grandkids some hugs and drop some of wonderful grapefruit that our neighbor gave us.

We left Albuquerque at 7 AM (February 15th), Albuquerque time, and got to the hospital at 6 AM (February 16th), Minnesota time. According to the nurse, HTP’s Dad was doing OK. We checked into a hotel where I crashed with Gypsy. Thankfully, the hotel gave us a room and let us check in right away. We even got to enjoy the continental breakfast. HTP headed back to the hospital to visit with his Dad at around 8 AM…then he came back to the hotel crash. We went back to the hospital to visit with Tom’s Dad at around 5 PM that evening and then went out to eat with our son Dave.

In the meantime, my folks arranged to have our driveway at The Lake plowed. It took the poor guy five hours to clear all the accumulated snow….and…my Mom told me that it had started snowing again. Oh well, at least the next time the guy comes to plow, it shouldn’t take so long. They also called our plumber to hook up our water and then went over to turn up the heat so we wouldn't arrive to a frigid home.

On Wednesday, February 16th, we checked out of our hotel and went to visit with HTP's Dad at the hospital and then go see HTP's Mom at their apartment. We finally arrived at The Lake (after picking up groceries), at around 3 PM. Our driveway was plowed, the water was running, the house was warm. We unpacked the car, opened shades, unpacked boxes and suitcases, and touched bases with my folks and Sis. I shoveled a path of snow off my back deck and moved the gas grill that we'd stored in the kitchen out to the deck and so I could drag the deck chairs back outdoors. Finally, I started a fire in our fireplace and connected with my folks...across the frozen lake, and Sis in Florida. By this time, I was too exhausted to more than pour myself into bed.

The weather has been fine but it is COLD!!!! I’m really glad I had a pair of gloves but I really need a sturdier, warmer pair. I’m going to have to buy some warm boots. There is LOTS of snow and ice. Poor Gypsy stepped into a snow drift by mistake and leaped out as fast as she could and then she slipped on some ice. Poor baby. She’s going to have to get used to walking barefoot in the snow. The only bad driving conditions so far were in Iowa. HTP and I couldn’t believe all the ditched and overturned cars and trucks on either side of the freeway. Apparently, driving conditions were HORRIBLE the day before we got there. There was still plenty of ice left and blowing snow which forced us to slow down to 40mph. here and there. By the time we crossed the Minnesota border, the roads were clear sailing once again.

So...Thursday? I ended up in a dental chair. I can't exactly remember when my crown popped off. It was my birthday. Happy Birthday to Me! I was driving. I was eating jelly beans. Crunch. Off came my crown. I passed my gold crown to HTP, who put it in a plastic baggy that he dug out of my purse so the crown wouldn't go missing somehow. Thankfully, the dentist was able to glue my crown back on with little problems. Stupid jelly bean! *sigh*

And then...HTP got a call from Sarge and D Buddy. They had hopped in their car and were within 80 miles of our home here at The Lake! Wow! They drove 23 hours straight from their home in Texas. So, with a still numb mouth, HTP took me to the closest grocery store for supplies, drove home and made sure that our guest room and guest bath were usable. Thankfully, I'd moved my grill out to the deck. Hamburgers on the grill. Sarge made french fries. We invited my folks to dinner...that was last night.

It's Friday! Today! If you've read this far through this mega-blog entry, you're almost caught up on all the happenings. Sarge, D Buddy, and HTP headed off to The Big City after breakfast today so they can go visit with HTP's Dad. They also rented a U-Haul trailer so Sarge and D Buddy and move all the items that they've had stored in a storage unit in The Big City, close the storage unit out, and move those items here to The Lake where they can keep them here until they can pick them up again and move them to Texas....later this summer? While in The Big City, Sarge and D Buddy plan to connect with #1 Son, visit with HTP's Dad, and then return with #1 Son to The Lake where I'll have a late supper waiting for them. HTP will be hauling the loaded trailer behind our Gator. Thankfully, today seems to be an ideal day for driving. Blue skies.

I can hear the ice melting out on the deck, but despite Sarge and D Buddy's best efforts at snow and ice removal, there is still quite a layer of very solid ice built up out on my deck. Though the thermometer on our south-facing deck reads 41 degrees, it's going to take quite a while before I'll be able to see deck board. Maybe #1 Son will be able to help tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.

Random Thought of the Day

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read "President Can't Swim".
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908 - 1973)

A Clean Fountain is a Joy

The above picture was taken last April.

Word of the Day

Snifty - The pinnacle of awesome; Being both snazzy and nifty.

Owning a fountain is not all joy. It's kind of like owning an aquarium but without the fish. Algae happens. Algae really happens when you add sunshine, leaves, and flower pedals. Conditions have been way too favorable for generating algae this winter. Ideally, I should/could drain the fountain, scrub it out with with some really strong soap, let the sun do its job, and then refill. I may still end up doing that but, I thought I'd try using a pool shock treatment first. It worked...kinda. The algae all died and turned brown. Then, the dead algae started pulling away from the surfaces of the fountain, creating some really nasty looking slime, chunks of slime which I spent a great deal of time scooping out of the fountain. Ewwwww! Oh, and the pool shock makes the water in the fountain foam up. Since I've used the pool shock before, this wasn't exactly a mysterious occurrence. Thankfully, I know from past experience with this product that this too shall pass. My fountain is more or less clean...as clean as it can be, for right now.

Random Thought of the Day

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Train up a fig tree in the way it should go, and when you are old sit under the shade of it.

- Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870)

That's a lot of Arancello!

Word of the Day

Sniffalist - Any person partaking in the annoying habit of rhythmic sniffing or snorting though free of allergy, cold, or flu. The behavior is a sad attempt to get attention from those within earshot and often precedes speech or movement. Such people can be found in cubicle farms, quiet coffee shops, and university libraries.

I've been a bit busy since I last blogged...that and a bit lazy. I had planned to blog about the Arancello making experience yesterday but my computer (cable modem) was acting up so...I gave up. Looking back over the last week, I can't really tell you all the things that I did because that was last week and this is this week and nothing I did was earth-shattering...not really. Should I have blogged to tell you that I picked the remaining tangelos from my tree? By the way, the new fruit-picker that I bought works great. I gave most of the tangelos to my friend on Saturday when we made a run on Saver's. I donated a trunk-load of clothes and stuff from when HTP and cleaned the garage and I bought eight "new" shirts. Then, I came home and sorted through my closet so I could find eight shirts to donate for the next trip to Saver's. I've decided that if I buy anything new, I need to discard something old so there will be room to store the new. HTP and I don't have unlimited storage here in Arizona...or at The Lake.

I played my clarinet at church on Sunday. I've really enjoyed playing my clarinet with the church orchestra and with the contemporary group. It's one thing to play my clarinet at home with a CD backup (n'eh) but there's nothing quite like playing with other musicians. Wonderful!

I worked on my Arancello project yesterday. It took the entire day to strain off the tangelo peels and filter the stuff. As an aside, the entire house smelled like oranges and I ended up with a whopper of a headache. I think the fumes were getting to me. The undiluted liquor is potent! (I probably should have worked with the windows open but...HTP really doesn't like the cold.) Before starting my filtering project, I cooked up a huge pot of simple syrup, a quadruple recipe for a quadruple recipe of Arancello. There is a reason for why I buy lots of sugar. By the time I'd finished with the double filtering, the simple syrup had plenty of time to cool. So, I now have four large jars of Arancello that will have to sit in a cool dark spot for forty days and nights and I need to buy more coffee filters because before bottling the Arancello, I'll need to filter it all again a couple more times.

I've decided to hold off on racking the winter wines until next week. I'm not sure I could handle more than one alcohol related project a week. In the meantime, today is Tuesday. I'm doing laundry.

Random Thought of the Day

What is another word for "thesaurus"?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Eat before shopping. If you go to the store hungry, you are likely to make unnecessary purchases.

- American Heart Association Cookbook