How about another Random Prompt? Okay! Holidailies recipe swap: post a great holiday recipe (and tell us why you like it so much) I've talked an awful lot about the Best Pumpkin Pie in the Whole Entire World, so I won't beat that dead horse anymore. Instead, I'll tell you about another holiday delicacy that my Gramma used to make: stuffed dates. Sounds kinda weird, doesn't it? Well, the recipe is insanely easy. It only... Read more →
As we getting ready to go pick out our Christmas tree, we heard the siren coming closer. And then, what to our wondering eyes should appear, a big old fire engine with Santa was here! Actually, our apartment complex was hosting "Santa Paws", an event where you could get your pet's picture taken with the Jolly Old Elf. We knew that neither of the cats would stand for such foolishness, so I had my picture... Read more →
There is something about me that inspires perfect strangers to tell me their life stories. I was taking my walk this morning -- outside, because it is 60 degrees here, in December! -- and saw an old-ish guy with a cute little teeny tiny dog. I'd already passed several dog walkers and other folks; normally, everyone nods and smiles, or says "Good morning!" but we keep on going. So as I passed this guy, I... Read more →
Ever since I saw the Masterpiece Theater mini-series The Six Wives of Henry VIII in 1970, I've been fascinated by the Kings and Queens of England. Then I took a course in Arthurian Legend in college and found out about Henry II and Eleanor of Acquitaine. Being a theater major, I took a Shakespeare course and got introduced to Henry V and Richard III. Well, I recently bought two books by Dan Jones: the Plantagenets,... Read more →
Back in the dark ages of 1970, an inventor and marketing genius named Ron Popeil advertised and sold many amazing, labor-saving devices via late night TV. My Pop was especially enamored of the Vegematic, a device that chopped, sliced, and diced just about anything! You could make perfect French fries with one push! Slice an onion without shedding a single tear! Hey, you could even slice a tomato without mushing it to death! Every time... Read more →
I love planner-y type stuff. At one point, the company I worked for decided that everyone could order a Franklin Day Planner. One of my coworkers swore by hers, so of course I jumped right up on the bandwagon. I got the binder; the pages; the ziploc pouch for keeping various things like paper clips, pens, and whatever; the five-year foldout calendar; the combination ruler and bookmark; the special punch for punching holes in random... Read more →
My mind is a blank once again. I have not gotten a lot of sleep the past couple of nights because the little cat is -- wait for it -- in heat. The question of whether or not she has been spayed has been answered, and how! She's slinking around with her butt up in the air, rubbing up against anything and everything, all the while singing the feline equivalent of "Me SO Horny!" and... Read more →
I've gotten a little addicted to all of the Tiny House shows on TV. Back when I was on the road, tiny houses were called "trailers", but now they are quite fancy, even though the mobile ones tend to be no more than 250 square feet. They're like Transformer Houses! Things slide out here and tuck in there; steps double as storage. Sleeping lofts have hidden desks. Kitchens have ingenious layouts and bathrooms have composting... Read more →
Being fresh out of ideas for a post, I clicked the Random Promptinator. Here's what came up: Where do you fantasize spending your perfect December holiday time? It has to be somewhere you've never been before. Well, one is not enough. How about ten? At the top of the list is the Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park. It's a special Christmas celebration that sounds just wonderful: a seven-course dinner and... Read more →
Oh, these cats! Little Bits, the Siamese on top of the recliner, came in from the cold to live with us a little over two years ago. She was thoroughly enjoying her life here when we threw a hard curve ball right at her head and adopted Taffy, the little one on the rug. Bits is quite a bit bigger than Taffy, but Taffy doesn't care. Taffy slowly, slowly stalks poor Little Bits, then finally... Read more →