Uncategorized – Page 85 – This Old House 2

Enough Already!!!

Do we really give a flying F*ck about flirtateous e-mails and affairs of Army Generals, politicans, the high school janitor? Even President Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson had affairs. Why has this become such a big deal and why do we think it’s any of our business at all?? These things have been happening for as long as humans exist in one form or another, it’s nothing new. Modern technology has made it easier to detect, I guess… but SERIOUSLY… can’t we just move on here? None of their digging has even unearthed any “giving away of spy secrets”….which I can understand would be a concern. But just listen to the banter! FLIRTATEOUS E-MAILS… AFFAIR!! I’m not condoning anyone’s poor marital behavior… I just don’t think this airing of dirty sexual laundry has a place in the public eye, other than to sell alot of newspapers and magazines, boost or destroy someone’s political agenda and give the news pundits something to yap about.

Everywhere I look, I see the four faces of the “Patraeus Affairs”. Tell me, do you find justification in this witch hunt or are you just as fed up as I am? PS… it’s ok if you have a different opinion here, maybe you’ll even shed some light.

Peace on earth…

…requires dogs and beaches, I’m convinced.

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent.

To sit with a dog on a (beach)on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,

where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.”

― Milan Kundera

“You think those dogs will not be in heaven!

I tell you they will be there long before any of us.”

― Robert Louis Stevenson

“No matter how close we are to another person, few human relationships are as free from strife, disagreement, and frustration as is the relationship you have with a good dog. Few human beings give of themselves to another as a dog gives of itself. I also suspect that we cherish dogs because their unblemished souls make us wish – consciously or unconsciously – that we were as innocent as they are, and make us yearn for a place where innocence is universal and where the meanness, the betrayals, and the cruelties of this world are unknown.”

― Dean Koontz,

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled,

there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog

that you can get from no other source.”

― Doris Day

“Spiritual fulfillment doesn’t have to mean belief in a religion or disbelief in science.

… Whether one believes in an unseen, all-knowing force,

or the wonder of science and the universe,

or simply the beauty of the human spirit,

nearly every one of feels an inner longing

to feel part of something bigger than ourselves.”

― Cesar Millan – The Dog Whisperer.

It is what it is

We are enjoying some glorious weather…. and this week the glory continues so I plan to do some dog walking on the beach (which did not see as much destruction on Ct’s coast as last year’s Hurricane Irene).

The guy and I ventured out yesterday, as did many others… it was great to see so many people in good spirits, faces up to the sun and out over the water, marveling at the beauty of the day.

Now that the election is over, flared tempers have subsided and tension has eased at This Old House… I think we like each other again …..

It’s all good.

Like pulling teeth without novicane

Uncle.

Max-a-Million

For those of you who are horse savvy, you know that the search for the right horse is not always easy and isn’t always found down the road you thought you’d be traveling. Whether you’re looking for a Steady Eddie or something with a little more athletic zip … sometimes what you think you brought home to the barn doesn’t quite work out the way you had hoped. Over the years we’ve made a few mistakes… ended up with a horse or two that had “too much engine” for our daughter, or myself. I’m a sucker for a pretty face or a sob story, and sometimes in the horse world that ain’t a good thing. We have always managed to re-sell or give those horses to good homes, where the rider/owner was looking for something with more ZIP.

We like the steady Eddie… and with 17 year old semi-retired show horse Max, we’ve gotten exactly that. High praise to the horse Gods for sending him our way….

The object of his affection

It was bought for Rudy…

the pisspot, the only dog who gets locked in a crate in this house

because he marks EVERYTHING whenever you’re not around.

(I’ve been told it’s a dachsund thing)

Rudy loves the soft squeeky toys made of that pliable but

not easily broken rubber stuff.

The cupcake was his new treasure.

Frasier covets the cupcake.

When Rudy is not in his crate, Frasier immediately sees that as an opportunity

to go steal the cupcake.

I put it on top of the mantle so he can’t take it.

(and rip it up)

If the door is closed.. he tries to pull the blanket through the crate

to get to the cupcake.

He does this even when Rudy is IN the crate.

It’s an obsession.

Sometimes when I’m not looking, he succeeds.

…..Houston… we have a problem.

And don’t ya think I’ve already thought to buy three more @%#$! cupcakes?…

and I can’t find a one. Not a one.

Snow = Food, don’t ya know

First, I have to acknowledge the plight of the people of New York and New Jersey who are still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. We’ve now been hit by a Nor’Easter… and while it’s no big deal up here… it’s like salt in the wound for them.

Anyone who doesn’t believe our severe weather patterns for the last few years aren’t an indication that the world is-a-changing climate-wise… is living under a rock. I don’t know if Al Gore had it right or if this is the natural cyclical order of things, but it’s scarey.

Do you see my roses, still blooming… till now.

I called the manchild’s school yesterday and asked them to let him come home, new driver plus snow and wind.. not a great mix. They obliged and assured me I wasn’t the only nutzo mom doing so. Today they have no school. Thank you, powers that be. This morning although we have only a few inches out there, the wind is still strong and there is ice on the roads. Weird.. a week ago, tropical hurricane…today, snow on the pumpkins.

What do I do when cooped up in This Old House? Cook! and EAT! I usually have company by the stove.

I made Cheyenne’s pumpkin chocolate chip muffins again…

Recipe here ..

if you haven’t tried them, believe me, they’re worth the effort.

…and for dinner last night I made sirlion in blackberry sauce..

recipe HERE….

My friend Raven let her readers in on this potato recipe..

Cut potatoes of choice in half after washing thoroughly.

I use red potatoes.

melt 1/4 lb. butter and spread in large pyrex

Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top of melted butter

add salt, pepper and a little cayenne..

then place potatoes cut face down on top.

Bake at 400 for approx 40 minutes, serve!

Looks like this when done. Delicious!

Have a great day, all – looks like we’ll be spending some of it here…

Tell me….

… is there anyone who doesn’t want this for our country?

Let’s all put our differences aside and make it happen.

We all play a part, even in our attitude.

Hard work, determination for a better way of life, and working together

is what built America. Let’s pay it forward.

“America, I believe we can build on the progress we’ve made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.”

Amen.

– and that’s all I’m gonna say about that.

Random Ramble

* It’s sometimes very difficult when you have completely different political views than those of your spouse. I actually knew that going in. At the time, the things we hold dear together trumped the differences, and they still do. But… .. there are days when we shake our heads, try to reason and change the other’s mind…. then bitch and moan more than a little if I’m being honest here. In the end it still comes down to one vote voiding the other. I understand my spouses point of view, I get where he’s coming from… I just can’t abide it… it’s not in me to turn away from my belief that there is a better way to treat people in society, a road toward more equality, less war mongering, more peace. Both parties have “issues”…. but only one, the way I see it… still stands for “the people”…ALL of the people…

* My heart aches for my home town, Staten Island, NY. The devastation was unthinkable just a few weeks ago… now, a reality for so many families. You know that train of thought “Oh, that doesn’t happen here”. Oh yes it does, yes it can, yes… it did. These were not wealthy shoreline communities that Hurricane Sandy demolished. Staten Island’s most prominent citizens are blue collar workers, the backbone of the NY workforce. Teachers, busdrivers, firemen, police officers, waiters, waitresses, secretaries, nurses…. Their waterfront homes are not beautiful second homes or heavily insured mansions.. they are modest homes, cottages and apartments, townhouses, affordable living complexes. They’ve lost EVERYTHING, which by some standards may not have been much, but contained their whole world.

A testament to the true grit that are Staten Islanders… they were and are helping each other, even before FEMA or Red Cross arrived (days later). There are food drives and clothing drives, baby food, diaper and formula drives… people are offering their heated homes to those without, folks are gathering in the streets armed with garbage bags, brooms and bleach, to help scrub neighborhoods they don’t even belong to… it’s amazing… a renewal of faith for me in humanity. And can I tell you this?…. FB.. has a valuable place in this world, I have a new respect for it. It has been a lifeline for people who had no other way to connect with loved ones, and it’s been a gathering place and announcement hall for all these collections and drives. Awesome.

* I loved your entries in Project 24.. thank you to all who participated. We will certainly do this again.. I’m thinking Christmas Day. Are you in? Then look for a post about a week or two before Dec. 25th and we’ll get it going. I’ll need 23 of you to pick a time slot.

* Have you seen the movie “Game Change”? No big surprise for me, but enlightening just the same.

* Why did I get a spam e-mail in my inbox the other day for Seniorpeoplemeet.com ? Are they trying to imply something??……

– Just sayin.

Project 24 – October 31st, 2012

1am – Ms. Anthropy, Texas.

2am – Mark – ” Gulf of Mexico, latitude 2753 N / Longitude 9656 W”

3am – Cindi – “Haunted Dog”

4am – Diane, Blue Ridge Mountains – ” Bored out of my skull at 4AM and so I sit at the computer… isn’t that what everyone does at 4AM on Halloween?”

4am (2) – Deborah, Minnesota

5am – Sandra – “Morning Meet-up”

6am – Kate – “Our border collie, George asleep on the couch with one of his toys. He opened his eyes just before I took the shot. Then I went to the kitchen to get my coffee. It was my first day back to work since we heard the hurricane was coming and I was glad to have things begin to feel like they were back to normal.”