Author: admin

Dear Linda

A comment left by Linda – 
To bad you had to get political-have you ever heard obama
speak…mr…teleprompter -aren’t you supposed to be a decorating blog…will
not follow…another angry liberal
-Linda

and then another after I responded...

Like I said – you seem to be angry – not interested in hearing your pathetic commentary… so don’t worry I won’t be following.. have fun in your small world.
Dear Linda – I’ve never been a decorating blog. Nor am I an angry liberal.  My mother is a liberal and my husband is a conservative republican.  I believe that sound choices for our country lie somewhere in the middle, and so that’s where I stand – no affiliation.   Am I Angry?  At some things, you’re damn right. I hope you are too as far as the state of our government.  You assume and label pretty quickly… with your own anger. That’s small world living if you ask me.  
I don’t write my blog for followers. I write as a journal for myself and my family, and the blog friends I’ve made along the way… the ones who I have become friends with regardless of whether we see everything in the same light… they are the icing on the cake, the treasure unexpected when I started this blog.  It’s perfectly OK that you don’t want to be among them.    The beauty of a blog is it’s my space to create and express whatever I choose.  I also like to share things with anyone who WANTS to stop by and see whats posted.. like recipes, health tips, decorating ideas,  family triumphs and tribulations.   I like to support other bloggers who are going through a difficult time and I like what I’ve learned by seeing others points of view, even if they don’t match my own.    
 I would have been interested in knowing what you find redeeming about Sarah Palin and even what you find revolting about Obamas speeches or policy.  Instead you throw insults.   That’s what is so troubling about our political world.  We don’t really know how to communicate and accomplish anymore effectively.. instead it’s arrow slinging.
– Just sayin. 
  

Lets ramble through…

 Feel free to chime in on any of the below mentioned items…..

 How about them Patriots?!!!…. Yes I’m a fan.. and boy did they come through in a clutch, once again.  I can’t stand the arrogance in the Seahawk camp and while it was very unfortunate that they made a really bad mistake at the very end of the game, they deserved it.  As for deflate gate, funny video here.  But.. they’re all lying… because I AM THE LOCKER ROOM GAL. 
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Sarah Palin… I know some of my readers are fans.  I have never understood the following, and the fact that she still has some support and is given any platform at all is just.. wow.  But.. I’m going to venture to guess that the brave souls who still stand in her camp are quietly backing away at this point because… the freedom speech.  And hey, if you’re going to defend her with  “Her Teleprompter broke!”…. then my answer is…. Yeah.. so you got the REAL DEAL right then and there. Boom.  
   I get that we are all weary and want change.  Change is needed, no doubt… but this -ain’t it – .  
Didn’t catch the speech?  Here’s just an excerpt.. one of the more coherent. 
“Things must change for our government. Look at it. It isn’t too big to fail. It’s too big to succeed! It’s too big to succeed, so we can afford no retreads or nothing will change with the same people and same policies that got us into the status quo. Another Latin word, status quo, and it stands for, ‘Man, the middle-class everyday Americans are really gettin’ taken for a ride.’ That’s status quo, and GOP leaders, by the way, y’know the man can only ride ya when your back is bent. So strengthen it. Then the man can’t ride ya, America won’t be taken for a ride, because so much is at stake and we can’t afford politicians playing games like nothing more is at stake than, oh, maybe just the next standing of theirs in the next election.”

Ouch. 
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 It’s snowing, sleeting, raining again here in Connecticut.   I’ve just come in from shoveling paths to the dog run, the barn, the chicken coop and rabbit hutch.  These are the times when I ask myself the question… .”Why do I have all these animals again??”… but you know.. the consolation is.. I love to eat.  Without all this work, I’d probably weight 200 lbs.   And theres all the love.    All you need is LOVE… and a dog. (.. or four….. and a few horses, rabbits, chickens and fish… apparently). 
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I’m going back to an official work status and the task of turning my office back into an actual office meant we had to toss Bens queen size mattress and buy him something smaller, a twin.  He’s still getting used to it.  Most of the time he has figured out how to fit his entire being on it quite nicely. 
Sometimes it’s just all wrong. 
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Apple Chicken Sausage recipe HERE
Delicious, healthy, easy to make and comforting on a cold winters night. 
Speaking of recipes.. I’m not much of a drinker.. but now and then 
a good one is just refreshing and the load becomes a little lighter
with just a little buzz. I was recently introduced to this drink and it’s a winner in my book.
Dark & Stormy
Ingredients:
Goslings Ginger Beer
Goslings Dark Bermuda Rum
Lime, Ice
Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in about an inch of  rum. Fill the rest of the glass with Ginger Beer. Squeeze a large wedge of lime into the drink and drop the slice in.  Stir.. enjoy.   YUM!
It’s a new day, all!.. Let’s make it a good one. 

Blizzard 2015 and prayer for a special person

  Business as usual… weathermen all aflutter over what might be the Blizzard of 2015.  If you live in the northeast, have you stocked up on the essentials yet?  Toilet paper, bread and milk are the three things we apparently can’t live with out.  Speaking of milk… we’ve discovered a new product that we love beyond whats reasonable, I’m pretty sure.. it’s called FAIR LIFE – read more HERE.   I’m not being paid to herald it, we just really love the taste and the concept of cows living humanely and we consumers -consuming- a healthier product. 
  My thoughts keep returning to a blog friend. She is  struggling greatly and if you’re so inclined, please visit THIS post and  leave a kind word, send a little prayer.  I cannot fathom what she must consider daily now and her grace under such enormous weight is amazing, a lesson for us all.  It occurs to me as I type this that the  concept of prayer might seem like hypocrisy coming from someone who claims  she is not religious.  I don’t know what to say to that… only that in times when it seems appropriate and necessary, I pray to the powers that be that there will be healing, peace of mind, comfort for those who need it, including me.
 
    

Theres an a$$ for every seat

  To the GOP who stood up and applauded last night when the President mentioned in his speech that he had no more campaigns to run… You are a disgrace, as was your foolish, childish mockery.  Actually, I think CHILDREN know better than to behave in such a way.  As for anyone out there who thought that was appropriate behavior aimed at THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, your attitude is part of why our government is such an embarrassment at this place in time.  And after being handed such an ignorant display of behavior, he is chastised for his response?  If you approved the applauding but disapproved of his giving a  response… which referenced winning both elections… you’re showing your true colors. 
 I’ll say it again as I have said here before.. I don’t approve of all ideas and actions President Obama has brought to the table during this two term presidency and I can say that about any politician elected to office that I’ve ever paid attention to.  I think you can say the same. What we have before us now in our government is shameful behavior that brings to mind schoolyard tactics. Other nations are losing respect for us NOT because of any particular man who holds the highest office, but because of the way we do not stand together, work together, have respect for each other right here in our own home, America. Especially on the highest platform.   We are ALL better than this… and yet we keep sinking further down that hole with our cheers and jeers and accusations and discord and idiotic behavior. 
Enough said.  
  
  

Atmosphere is everything

I’ve just returned from barn and coop chores…  IT IS COLD OUT THERE!  The guys stocked the feed room in the barn with more hay this morning so that if we’re whopped with a lot of snow any time soon, I’m ready. I also gave the chickens fresh bedding and the rabbits fresh hay.   I’m still getting eggs from the hens, in part because I do have a flood light in their coop which gives them just a little warmth. Many  people don’t believe in providing heat but I just don’t feel right about it when it’s 0 degrees out there.  I do keep it moderate, hence the low watt flood light instead of a heat lamp, a trick one of the guys at the local hardware store told me. 

 This is the time of year when I take a look around the place and see what needs sprucing up, organizing, a little bit of change, some throwing out.  So… I’ve glanced around the kitchen….. Have you ever paid much attention to the lighting in your living space?   The right kind of lighting can make all the difference as far as atmosphere.  While it might be tempting to put BIG light in areas that you will be working… I find it annoying and unsettling… i.e. florescent overhead lights for work spaces in the kitchen or recess lighting in ceilings that makes you feel more like you’re under surveillance.  Yuck.    Right over my kitchen sink.. where I spend a lot of time!…. there is a beautiful window with a big granite shelf.  The lighting for this area is that recessed lighting I mentioned above.  I hardly ever use it because it’s stark.  I rely on the kitchen island pendant lights behind it and they just weren’t giving off enough light over at the sink.   If you can believe it, it never dawned on me until last week that I could plug in a very small lamp on that shelf because there is an outlet…. right there… for that purpose!   My grandmother did this and my mom has a small lamp at her sink window too. What a lovely glow it casts on the kitchen in the evening.  We keep it on all night as the night light for the downstairs area too. 

Little touches like this can make all the difference – warm lighting downcast with soft shades. 
I also cleaned up the hallway between the two kids rooms upstairs. The old blue dresser that was against the hall window is now out of the picture and the once stark walls are now filled with artwork and photographs from the kids and I over the years.  I also found these beautiful little glass and metal votives at Pier 1 and set them on the window.  The small hallway is now open and colorful instead of cramped and stark. 
  It doesn’t have to cost much to bring a new vitality and warmth to the atmosphere in your home. All it takes is a fresh perspective. During these cold winter months when we are in more than we are out – why not take a look around and do a little tweaking. It’s good for the soul.  Got some tips or tricks of your own? Share with me in the comments section – 

Hellos and Goodbyes

 Ms. Phoebe arrived in her new home with my daughter and has settled in very well indeed. She follows K around the apartment and frequently talks about whatever, maybe the weather.  Just adorable, she is. Makes me want to go back to the shelter to adopt that little stinker who was just as pretty and loving but also sprinkled with a dash of crazy, I think.  Mike says no, no, and ten more nos.  So I think it’s a no go.

 When you rescue an animal and provide the home and love they’ve never known, there is no question they realize  their sudden good fortune, you see and feel their appreciation.  Want a natural high?  This is one of the best.  For those of you who have adopted homeless animals, you know what I’m talking about. 
   Yesterday mom and I drove to Staten Island to say good bye to a wonderful, genuine, kind, no-bullshit, give- you- the- shirt- off  -his- back kind of guy… My Uncle Guy.  Loved him, miss him, what a gem.  He lived a full 84 years, healthy until the end, still walking two-three miles a day, cooking for himself, visited his wife daily on his walks in the cemetery.  Christmas Eve he was told by his Dr. the aches and pains he was feeling weren’t just old age, he had bone cancer.  Everywhere.  With the dignity and grace and common sense he’s always embodied.. he simply said to his doctor with his son by his side…..
“It’s OK. In every book and story  I’ve ever known, there is a beginning, a middle and an end”.   This is my end, and I lived a full life. I’ve traveled, I’ve shared my life with my wife of 55 years, raised two boys, had three wonderful grandchildren and knew my great grandchildren.  Life Was Good”.   
Not three weeks later he passed.  This picture was taken at a family celebration for my college graduation and my sisters HS graduation.  He was as proud of us as any father would be and at times throughout my life when I needed the advice of a Dad figure, he was often the voice of reason. 
 During yesterdays visit to the funeral home,  I got to visit with cousins I don’t see often . This family of ours always manages laughter and keeping it real regardless of the circumstances.  Now and again I am reminded of this and I’ll always be grateful. 

Some Happy “tails”

  My daughter is now happily residing in her new apartment.  Since we are her landlord, she gets to have a pet. Holding down two jobs and taking care of her horse leave not a heck of a lot of time spent at “home” during the week, so having a dog in the apartment really wouldn’t be fair to the dog.  Or the neighbors.  We contemplated letting her take our little doxie Rudy with her because he sleeps in her bed at night and loves her way more than me nowadays, since I relegate him to the crate due to his pisspot tendencies i.e. marking of good furniture.  Again and again and again.    *ahem.  Rudy also howls when we leave home.  LOUDLY. So.. no apartment dwelling for Rudy, he’s stuck with us. 
  Anyway…. we went to the local cat rescue last weekend – Forgotten Felines on the shoreline… and there were about 100 cats in need of a home.  At least.  Those folks are amazing in their good care of the cats – basically an entire house is dedicated to the care and keeping of those 100 or so cats. There are cat beds and cat scratch posts and cat sky scrapers and cat jungle gyms all over the place. Indoor and outdoor rooms as well, all secure from predators or escape artists.   One long haired calico girl sat quietly in a corner.  K went over to her, petted her, then picked her up and put her on her lap.  It was love at first Purr. 
 We did go around to meet the others, but came right back around to Ms. Purdy. (Now Phoebe).  Phoebe was found on a construction site, locked in a closet with her kitten, emaciated.  She’s looking much better after the care she’s been given.  It took several days for them to approve our application, but she just received word that she can pick Phoebe up on Thursday evening.  
  It was weird being on the other end of an adoption interview and inquiry into my references.  Usually I do that sort of thing to determine whether we will approve a family for whatever dog it is they are interested in.  What is sometimes difficult is when people have to be told their adoption application has been turned down for whatever reason.  It’s not meant as a put-down.. merely an attempt to find the best possible situation for the dog or cat who has already been through so much.   We don’t like to adopt dogs out to people who are beyond our home-visit range… about an hour or so. If you have trouble, we want to be able to come to you and help, or take back the dog.  Sometimes the children in the house are too young and rough when handling the dog and we know it will be a stressful situation for that particular dog.  It’s not that the people are “bad people”.   Inevitably, we piss a few off, never our intention, but the welfare of the animal should come first. 
 ANYWAY… I look forward to Phoebe’s arrival at daughters apartment.  I already dropped off a present.. a cat tier and scratching post so she can scratch to her hearts content and lie on the tier in the window full of sun.  
 We’ve got another small adoption event coming up… Flyer below..
In order to fund these adoption events, we hold fun nights like these two below…
if you’re local, come on down!
 
Here are a few of the faces that will be attending our event 
to find their forever homes…
 Isn’t Cosmo a charmer?  12 years young, takes life at a walking pace,
loves people and dogs and slow walks. 

What’s a Frisky Lemon?

    Not sure, but friskylemon.com has one winner of a paleo Shepherds pie recipe.  I made it last week and it was a big hit. Definitely a new favorite at This Old House 2.  I left out the rosemary as the husband has an aversion to it. I added extra garlic.. and used shredded carrots.   I also used a can of organic peas instead of thawed frozen… I sprinkled it on top of the meat mixture once that was laid in the pan. Then covered with the sweet potato mash to bake. Delicious and good for you!   – Perfect for these chilly winter days. 
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 container (~8oz) of mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bag of frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 4 to 6 medium sweet potatoes
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 1 Tbsp butter plus more for the pan
  • sea salt and pepper
  • butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
  2. In a large skillet, brown the meat with the cloves of garlic in butter.
  3. Once the meat is browned, remove it from the pan, and cook the onions, carrots and mushrooms until carrots are soft and onions are translucent.
  4. Add the meat back to the pan, add the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, thyme and salt.
  5. Cook until all of the excess liquid has cooked off.
  6. Stir in the peas.
  7. Pour the meat mixture into a large baking dish– 9X13″ works well.
  8. Bake your sweet potatoes: place the sweet potatoes on a foiled lined baking sheet and bake until soft– about 40 minutes depending on the size of your sweet potatoes. (You could also do this step while you are cooking the meat on the stove top).
  9. Allow the potatoes to cool for a few minutes, then peel and place into a medium-sized bowl with coconut milk, butter, sea salt and pepper.
  10. Mash the sweet potatoes into a paste, and spread on top of your meat mixture.
  11. Bake the shepherd’s pie for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sides are bubbling and the center is hot.
Enjoy! 

Time Off and Stonington, CT

  

  The husband has, for the very first time, given his crew this week off.   On the second day of the  most unnatural- for- him  hiatus -…..  he got antsy.  

    “What was I thinking, taking this week off.. there is SO MUCH TO DO!@#*!.”
   I pointed out for the  two thousand and twenty seventh time in our history together  that in the 27 years I’ve known him there has never been a time when there wasn’t SO MUCH TO DO!@#*!   but life is too short and every single being needs time to unwind and rewind and that included HIM, let alone his work crew.   I don’t know that he’ll ever truly get that memo, but I’ll keep trying.  Needless to say he was in and out of the office all week.  We did manage some fun though.. yesterday especially. 
   So.. off we went on a short ride to Stonington, CT .. a lovely old New England village with gorgeous old houses originally built for sea captains, etc.  Many of the houses on main street date back to the 1700’s and are beautiful kept. Main Street rides out to a peninsula where you get an unobstructed view of the ocean. The color of the water this time of year is deep blue green marine.  Gorgeous, wild, and COLD.
  Stonington is located in New London County, population approx. 18,000.   The first European colonists arrived in 1649 and officially became part of Connecticut in 1662 when CT received its royal charter. The town acquired wealth in the 1790s when its harbor became home to a fleet involved in the sealing trade – where the skins of seals clubbed on the Chilean and Patagonian coasts were sold as fur in China. 
Ugh.  

     Back to the day – First up was lunch at the waterfront  Dog Watch Cafe… loved it.  We found the people to be very friendly and the food delicious… I didn’t snap pictures inside, the shame of it. I can tell you with certainty their Reuben sandwiches, Veggie Burgers, clam chowder and Bloody Marys are the bomb.  The seafood everything looked pretty awesome too, maybe next trip we’ll sample some of that.  

 Then we drove down Main Street and I proceeded to drive  the guy nuts with the stop and go that is necessary for good picture taking.  It was very cold and the wind was blowing, so I darted in and out of the truck with great efficiency and speed, I must say.   Still…. the chagrin   🙂
  There are many charming stores and restaurants along the way… 
 

.. and the jewels in the crown.. all the old homes…..

The beauty is in the details.. everywhere.  Dental and crown molding abounds…  love the design of this window…

The entire village reminds me of one of my other favorite places, Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard.

 Most of these homes have ocean  in their backyard or just across the way.

 

 I could live here happily… love the color choices. What you see above is this homes backyard. 
 We also visited Stonington Cemetery located at the entrance to town…  a 22 acre non-sectarian burial ground founded in 1849, although there are many graves dating back to the 1700’s.   According to their website…  The Stonington Cemetery was incorporated in 1849 when a small 18th century burial ground was expanded by a group of Stonington residents who created a significant horticultural and aesthetic landscape site.  Many in the group made their fortunes in the whaling and shipping trades and were responding to the “rural” or “garden” cemetery movement of the time.  The intention was to create settings for relaxation and contemplation rather than sorrow or loss.   

Annie  Wheeler was just 15 when she passed. 

 Below is the very gothic Billings Mausoleum. It was a showcase for the art glass of the J & R Lamb Studios but the windows are all boarded up so you can’t view the glass. What a shame – but I suppose vandalism avoidance is the reason.

    The Mr. often talks about wanting a family mausoleum for when we have all passed.  Personally I see it as a big waste.  I want to be cremated and my ashes scattered where they might nourish a tree… or tossed off a cliff into the ocean. Use the money you might have spent on a lavish funeral and burial to donate to an animal shelter or homeless shelter.    I like the idea of becoming one with nature again, instead of a rotting corpse encased in whatever.. forever.     Who .. of the Billings loved ones.. comes to pay their respects now, I ask you?… and this will sit for centuries.. until someone decides it won’t. 
 HERE    is a listing for a lovely ocean front condominium down at the bottom of Main Street in this lovely town… if I win the lotto we can all share it for a little respite now and then, ok?  Ok. 
  It’s a new day all.. while we’re all still here… make it a good one 🙂  
 
 

  

A whole lot of random, but useful just the same

   I took the tree down yesterday.  It was indeed a pretty tree… My mother thinks that’s a travesty but ’round here – when it’s over, it’s over.  My neighbor across the road just put hers up on Christmas Eve. I know that’s a tradition going way back, but it seems a month behind to me.   That wasn’t useful, was it. 🙂 
                                                                     *****
   A great article in the Huffington Post  HERE   on the 7 habits of chronically unhappy people… I think everyone should read it and evaluate and perhaps… adjust accordingly.  I wouldn’t say I’m an unhappy person but I am indeed a worrier.  Worriers should read this article too.  Really – click on the link, it’s worth the effort. 
                                                                     *****
   A fantastic recipe I made last night, shared by a good friend.  I used Almond flour instead of regular flour and let me tell you, folks.. it was delicious. Devoured in an hour.   I recommend it highly, with the glaze.  Of course, once I devoured 1/4 of the loaf  before bedtime, I was up all night due to the sugar content, I’m pretty sure.  I’ve read articles that claim sugar really doesn’t make people/kids hyper, but I think that’s just crap.  It gives me palpitations and a racing heart if I eat too much of it… every time.   So you’d think I’d stay completely away, right?   *sigh   right. 

                                                                          ******
           Another plane absolutely completely and totally…missing…..
 this is getting really… really.. strange.
Anyone got any theories?  I’m not going to post mine.

UPDATE:  Debris found….  

*****  
“There’s this youth culture that is really, really powerful and really, really strong, but what it does is it really discards people once they reach a certain age. I actually think that people are so powerful and interesting – women, especially – when they reach my age. We’ve got so much to say, but popular culture is so reductive that we just talk about whether we’ve got wrinkles, or whether we’ve put on weight or lost weight, or whether we’ve changed our hair style. 
I just find that so shallow”.
–Annie Lennox, who just turned 60.



Related in a different way – a very attractive, very fit friend of mine in her mid forties is
so very critical of herself – her appearance and the beginning signs of aging
 – and it’s an awful thing to witness.
… we need to stop the self torture, really.
It’s a privilege to age and it’s societies unfair standards that have brought
us to this. Lets stop the nonsense. Every morning when you look
in the mirror, truly see the beauty that is before you.
Do you have crows feet?  You must have lived some happy times, because
you’ve been smiling.  What a gift.
Do you have laugh lines?  Ditto.
Stretch marks from child rearing?
What an accomplishment… a miracle!
Kind eyes?  a generous mouth?
 Allow yourself to recognize your own beauty.   Just that.

*****

We have a new year upon us… 
Resolutions…what say you? 
 I plan to be kinder to my aging self…
to embrace each day, even the trying ones.. because indeed every minute is a gift. 
to try my best to be a positive force on this earth
and not  a user, or a taker, as my deceased father in law would say.
A Happy, Healthy, Peaceful 2015 to all!