Author: admin

Moving Right Along….

 Thank you all for your kind words regarding our book project.  What the book represents to me is an acknowledgement of  just how far my relationship with my mother has come since the days of my rebel teen existence and her school-teacher/careful-as-you-go way of living life.  A bull and a china shop, Mount St. Helen and a tiki hut, Niagra Falls and a folded newspaper boat. You get the picture, I’m sure. 

 Anyway… to answer a question I get frequently, yes, my GIANT dog Ben and my smallest dog Rudi get along very well.  Ben is an amazing animal, his size does not give him the impression that he should dominate. As a matter of fact, he still believes he can fit on your lap, and demonstrates this regularly.  Ben now weighs approx. 195. lbs.   Rudi weights 9 lbs.  I do love my boyz, although Rudi still marks his territory, pissing on various things if I don’t catch him, the little sh*t. Ben has NEVER done this in the house.  Ever.  That would create a floodplain.

   Big plans for the garden. BIG. Besides tripling the vegetable garden, we have ordered 10 blueberry bushes and 10 raspberry.  My back porch has been transformed into a mini greenhouse, complete with heater.  These are his babies, you see.  I was given the task of watering the other day, and you’de think there were human embryos in there with the set of instructions I got.   We are also going to build a roadside stand, so by mid summer we should have a nice selection of produce and cut flowers for passers by.  We just filled out paperwork for the farm bureau, hoping to be accepted.  

   I’m excited for This Old House to become a working farm once again…

  This is not my photo… but I love this farmstand, would like to have something like it…
  See the heater on the floor?  He’s nutz.

We published a book!

  My mother is a retired public school teacher who has worn many hats in her volunteer efforts and interests. She is also a gifted writer. Two years ago she asked if I would illustrate a children’s book she was going to attempt to publish.  I loved the idea but was very intimidated because I have no education in that area, just a love of creating stuff.

 At the time I was playing around with scrapbooking and paper products, so that’s how I decided to design my illustrations.  There were no sketches. I picked up her manuscript and as I read along I wrote down the scenes I saw in my head.  “Mom and daughter riding in open jeep through jungle road”… etc.   Then I picked up a scissor and started cutting out images, rough-hewn, for lack of a better term.  It was such a fun process because I had no  lines or boundaries I HAD to adhere to….   Always a plus for me….

 Pleased with the results.. we decided to send off the images with the manuscript to various publishing houses, thinking we’d at least get a reply, even if it was a – thanks but no thanks-.  We followed the rules, producing discs with the images in the quality they asked for, (that cost $1,100. alone, just to have my papercut pieces photographed!) and we put the packages together the way the publishing houses want them presented.  This part of the business bugs me… you’d think.. with their strict requirements for submissions and the cost of said submissions to the writer and illustrator.. that they would at least give you a reply at some point, or an acknowledgement of receipt. All it would take is an e-mail.

   I suppose there are so many submissions on any given day that it might be impossible.  Nowadays everyone and their brother and third cousin twice removed by a second marriage wants to write a children’s book.    I’d rather believe in that explanation then one like “they don’t need you, you need them.” That just seems…rude.     Having an agent would help the process along, but most agents don’t want you if you’re a nobody.

  So.. after a year of this struggle, we decided to self-publish with LULU.  I’ve just gotten notice from them that the book will soon be available.  They did some of the cover design work around the image submitted and I won’t say I’m IN LOVE with it, but after weeks of back and forth, the process was tiring and I settled on what their design team came up with.  I just ordered a preliminary copy and I’ll share it with you if I like what I see.  

  Below are a few images from the book. We may not be professionals deserving of a proper agent or a big publishing house, but we sure had fun putting it together.  And to me, that’s what it’s all about –

  

Water For Elephants

 I love a good book. One of my favorites this year has been Water For Elephants, and I’m looking forward to the movie, due out April 22nd.  The cast, in my readers opinion, is perfect to portray the main characters.  To read a New York Times Review of the book, click here….

 I’ve admitted before that this 45 year old woman is a Twilight fan. Robert Pattinson (Edward for Twi-hards) will play the lead roll  in the movie adaption and from what I can see in the trailer and photos – he’s perfect for the part.  He may be a nimwit in interviews  (dude, get your hands out of your hair)  but he’s actually quite good when the director shouts ACTION.  Talk about eye candy… in that british sort of way. 

Another Train Wreck

 I feel so bad for this guy – clearly.. CLEARLY… he is not in control.  Whatever mental illness he’s suffering from – and I do think it’s a mental illness –  he is no longer in any kind of control.  I don’t believe this is just a drug or alcohol addiction. It’s gotta be more than that.  

 Who is he surrounded by? (besides his harem of hired prostitutes…and  what they do for a living is their business, I’m no judge – but where’s their conscience?)  Where are his friends and family?   Isn’t  there SOMEONE out there who can help him? …STOP him?!  I’m pretty sure it’s beyond his family’s power, he has to agree to any help.  Still……he needs to be locked in a facility, diagnosed and treated before it goes to the point of no return.

  From the looks of him in this video…I’m afraid it might be too late.

It’s a Wonder I Ever Survived

…. without his great knowledge and superior wisdom…

Him:  Mom, don’t park back here, it’s not cool. Please move up there next time.
Me:  What’s the difference?  It’s like… 30 feet away from up there.
Him: ( Heavy sigh and eye roll).  Just park up there. Parking here is just stupid.
Me:   I’m sorry, I didn’t see the – Stupid Parking Only –  sign here.
——————————————————————————————-

Him:  MOM!..don’t buy this anymore, I don’t like it.
Me:   Umm.. it was one of the only three things you’d actually eat about two weeks ago??…
Him:   That was two weeks ago, I don’t like it anymore.
Me:  OK then.

——————————————————————————————

Him: Mom, don’t ask him if he needs a ride, he WANTS to walk.
Me:  Well it’s cold out, let me make sure.
Him:  NO MOM, that’s so not cool! He WANTS to walk. Omg.
Me:  It’s cold out, I’m going to ask.
Him: ( A sigh so heavy it could drop Hulk Hogan.)

He didn’t want the ride. 

Him:  I told you.

——————————————————————————————-

Him:  Those sneakers are so dorky. You’re not wearing them, are you?
Me:   I sure am.

and you know what came next.

QUICK!!  Ask your teenagers anything you want to know!!!!
While they still… know…. EVERYTHING

Oldest Stone House in New England

I had errands to run in Guilford today – the town we were married in and had our first house and child. I love the historic green, the wonderful old homes and the great shops in this shoreline town and sometimes I wish we had stayed.  Plus, it’s right along the water, who could ask for more?

 I took pictures of the oldest stone house in New England – built in 1639 under the direction of Henry Whitfield, a practicing reverend from England who also served as one of the founders of the town.  Background history for the house possibly suggests it was built with the help of local Native American inhabitants who assisted in the transport of fieldstone from a local quarry. Archaeological excavations on the grounds revealed  many artifacts as well as the remains of a temporary or seasonal structure occupied by Native Americans, or possibly the Whitfield family until the stone structure was built.

This is the Henry Whitfield house and museum, just down the road from the town green.

These two interior shots I found on the web – the house is closed for winter but can be toured in spring….

 Below is a stark contrast in housing just two blocks over from the Henry Whitfield House..
A condo complex! We’ve always called it the spaceship…how cool is that!
Or weird.
Well.. both.
 The Red Shack on the Guilford Harbor – I don’t know the history, but always wondered what it was supposed to be used for, other than catching high tide at a bad angle.  Probably why it’s abandoned.

 The first Good News story has been published on Roba Dolce’s new blog…
check it out if you have a minute, and tell them your story if you have someone you’de like to nominate!

Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Peppers – and a two ingredient chocolate lovers dream

 I made two recipes that I found in the blogosphere yesterday, both were delicious –

Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Peppers – recipe found on tastypursuits.com

1/4 pound spaghetti (reserve 1/2 cup pasta water)  I had rotini on hand
4 turkey sausages, casings removed
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced – I used shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced – I added more
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated (I used twice as much)

pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon butter
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain the spaghetti and reserve 1/2 cup of the water it was cooked in.

In a large pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium high heat. Add the turkey sausages and break them apart in the pan with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is no longer raw and pink, approx. 3-4 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a small bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, approx. 3 minutes.

Lower the heat to medium. Add the red peppers, green peppers, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. Cook until they are tender, approx 5 — 7 minutes.

Add the sausage, parmesan cheese, parsley and pasta water. Mix well and cook for another 30 seconds — 1 minute to reheat the pasta water and sausage. Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat, and add the butter. Mix well then add the spaghetti and toss to combine.

2 ingredient Brownie Muffins everyone will love – 

This very simple 2-ingredient recipe is a Weight Watchers favorite, and it’s so moist and delicious  –

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 can solid pack pumpkin (15 oz.)

Directions:
Mix the two ingredients together. Don’t add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, such as eggs, oil, or water. The mixture will be very thick and you will be tempted to add in other things to make the batter smoother. DO NOT DO THIS AS IT WILL RUIN EVERYTHING! Place batter into muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) lined with paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 12 regular or 36 mini muffins.

Thank you Patricia of Butter Yum for this great muffin recipe –

  The manchild this morning getting ready for school –  I discussed my fears here with you about a transition from public school into private.  I’de like to take this opportunity to tell you how proud I am of this guy for accepting his lot in life as a private High School student who has to dress up every day.  He actually does a better job with his wardrobe ensembles than I ever did. And Thank You Lord for the invention of those no-iron dress shirts that just snap right out of the dryer and onto the hanger.  (thank you blog friends for that tip).

Forced Forsythia update…

  Have a great day –