Summing it Up...

Now, that I'm way on the wrong side of sixty, I feel that being true to self is important. "I yam, what I yam." Kindness and smiles are to be given away. Women are strong. Men are more vulnerable than we believe. Husbands may come and go...but one thing I know for sure is that I will NEVAH live without a corgi or coffee in my life if I can prevent it. Come piles of dog fur or hot water!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Greetings and Salutations of the day dear blog friends.
I hope that your day brings more treats than tricks.
It might be fun, just for a giggle, to have a few tricks up your sleeve today. I'm busy making treats in the kitchen since hubby man will be home overnight. Cheesy Broccoli soup is simmering, and later ribs, chocolate chip cookies and warm yeast rolls dusted with rosemary are on the agenda.
How 'bout your way? Are you cooking up a storm? I have candles lit and an audio book playing as I chop. For the moment, life is good. I have no complaints. Take care today, and watch out for those goblins.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Healthful Reminders...


Avoiding Colds and Flu

In the 1852 Farmer's Almanac, there was advice on avoiding fevers: “To avoid fall fevers, eat moderately, drink sparingly, lie not down on the damp earth, nor overheat yourself; but keep your temper, and change your clothes as the weather changes.”
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Some modern advice from today's publication may be helpful as well:

The best preventative measure is to simply wash your hands the "right" way—and often.

To relieve a cold, drink plenty of fluids to keep the body hydrated. Hot soups clear nasal passages.

Herbal teas frequently bring relief. Rose hip tea is full of vitamin C.

Lemons, oranges, and apple cider are all considered to be cold remedies.

Eating extra-spicy dishes or foods heavy in garlic may speed recovery as well.
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My Mom and I have been drinking fresh squeezed lemon juice with honey and hot water (virgin toddies?) each night to fight scratchy throats and nasal drips. It's delicious!
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Saturday, October 24, 2009

Hrmrp....miffed.....


Visit one of my favorite etsy sites...Oh so Sassy Greetings...for your own revenge!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Corgi Cottage Capers...

It was a dark and stormy night....the rattle of glass spooked Corgidogmama and the corgettes.
Heads popped up just past midnight. Eyes were wide, and hearts went pitter-pat. There! It rattled again, and CDM slowly threw back the covers and took a shuddering breath as she crept out of bed. Jake flew off, and toenails clicked across the tile floor.


The light popped on, and 'lo and behold, what did we see? Little Pink Baby face first in the "bisky" jar, full of fresh peanut butter, bacon and veggie flavors.


Thinking fast, PB said..."Oh look Jake, here's something for you. I thought that maybe you had the midnight munchies, and I came to get a biskey for you my dear friend."


I don't care what angle you look from...the story is the same. Thievery and tomfoolery deep in the night.





"Oh sweet Addie girl, here's a little sumthin' sumthin' for your tummy" coaxed the shameless pile of Pink.





BOOM! A ginormous clap of thunder and blink....the lights went out.
The next thing CorgiMama knew, there was a scurry on the floor. She felt fluff brushing quickly past her bare leg, and corgi feet stepping on hers. She heard munching from the next room.

What..she thought, her head in a whirl, it was much too late for hijinks such as this going on. With a flicker the lights came back on. Blinking, this is what she saw...all evidence was gone, and Addie licking up crumbs...

Moral of the story....
Every dog deserves his day.

Live it up kids, I'm going to bed!

(Of course this was just a spoof, PB's behavior has been of the highest regard. No corgis were hurt in the telling of this spoof. We just wanted PB to go out with a bang! She leaves tonight. It's been a great visit, we were honored to be one of her hosts as she travels the world....and beyond!)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

PB going to Sycamore, Illinois!


Kelly, of Corgi Butts, and mommy to Gibson, will be hosting the next visit for Pink Baby. How nice, that PB will be making all the midwest rounds...first Michigan with Classy Chassy and her gang of cute corgi kids, then it was here, in northeastern Indiana with our two corgis, Jake and Addie. Next, Illinois to spend time with yet another corgi kid, good ol' Gibson. I'm thinking that Pink Baby may be meeting her corgi quota soon...another breed of pupdog is going to have to jump in. Hard to beat a corgi in my personal opinion...but, hey....I'm CorgiDogMama!

Job opening.....Host home needed


Doh! Today we went to Campbell's Pumpkin Patch and saw the pygmy goat "kids" and their mamas. One came over and wanted to be rubbed and rubbed, while the others were touch me nots. So dang cute. There was a field full of burros as well, with the crosses on their backs, seven in all. More dang cuteness.
The problem? No stinkin' camera. PB was there, the corgis were there...but no camera. Sigh...yet another menopausal moment. While at Walmart though, I took the time to note which parking lane the car was in. Felt so empowered, and smart....briefly!
Anyhoo....PB had a grand day...but it was not meant to be filmed for your pleasure.
The time has come for Pink Baby to pack up, and get the heck outta Dodge. One of you kind readers will need to be the first to comment and volunteer to be the next host family for her pinkness.
Miss Kylie has the rules stated on her blog, and we must follow them. You may want to go visit there, to read them over, before signing on and inviting PB to come over and play at your house.


So, you decide...if you'd like little Pink Baby to visit, let me know! She's good company, is well behaved, and has a story to tell via her scrapbook which travels with her. She's been to NY, KY, TN, MI, Singapore, OR, and now IN. Want to add your state?

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Food, glorious food...

Well, this photo depicts what feeding time at the ol' corgi corral is like.
There's a lot of munching, crunching, as each one tries to gobble up and be the first one done. As you can see...this time the winner was Pink Baby!


Folklore
When a cat sits with her back to the fiery logs, frost is coming.

The more red berries seen in the hedgerows, the more frost and snow in the coming winter.


White Chili
Call me cuckoo, but this just looks delish to me!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Local sites...

The day began dark and gloomy, but the sun broke through mid-morning, and out came blue skies. We began our local jaunt with a quick stop for our senior java...I'm sorry, but that's the kind of host I am.

It's all about my caffeine fix, so there! Pink Baby wanted to order, and I told her she had to use her old lady voice, which she did, causing the corgis to giggle in the back seat.




This is the last blooming flower we have in the yard. We always have one die-hard October rose, and this one is a beauty. This one is directly out our back door, and PB wanted a nature shot for Kylie.






Our tiny town is home to Manchester College, a small liberal arts school, full of future CPA's, teachers and science majors mostly. The total population is 1200 students, and it's where daughter April got her undergrad. PB HAD to see the culture hub of our small town, USA. They do a lot for our community, and host the fireworks each 4th of July. We live just down the street.




In the center of town, this plot of land was donated, and delights the masses. It's deeply wooded, has concrete benches throughout for rest or meditation, and the paths are well mulched. It smells so good walking through, no matter the season. We're lucky to have it.

I checked everyone for ticks before heading home; no worries Kylie!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Pink Baby has arrived, and settling in...

Miss Kylie, from Massachusetts, entrusts her dear beloved Pink Baby to fellow bloggers in order for PB, aka, world traveler, to see the world, and meet Kylie's bloggie friends.
.There are rules to follow, and a scrapbook entry to fill out. Pink Baby is to be entertained, and kept safe from "household animals" who would love her death, I fear, if allowed to. I'll be posting later in the week about an opportunity for YOU to host Pink Baby in your own home.


The corgi kids anticipated Pink Baby's arrival, and waited patiently by the front door for the postman. Addie barks her head off every time the poor mail man comes, and it's rather embarrassing.

The unveiling of PB was a momentous occasion, and she popped out of the box with vigor. She was ready to get out of there!


Jake gave her a friendly sniff and was delighted to find out that she came equipped with a squeaker!






Addie, a little more bold than Jake, welcomed PB in a more traditional way, between dogs, pink or tri-colored.





Indiana is full of color now, and we've decorated our home interior with fall color as well. PB checked out the decor!




Many of you know that Corgidogmama loves making cards, so a trip to the craft room was a must do. Pink Baby loved the pink ink and dived right into being creative and crafty!




I think that our week will go well. Rural Indiana, and I do mean r-u-r-a-l, should be a nice respite for this traveling pink stuffie of Kylie's.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Friday, October 16, 2009

Company's Coming, and she's pink...

Have you heard of the world famous traveler hailed by the name of Pink Baby? Pink Baby is the much loved friend of Kylie, who visits fur lovers for a week and shares adventures with the host and their furry pets. Well, the pink creature is on her way to northeastern Indiana, and should arrive anytime from Classy Chassy's (Expressly Corgi) home in Michigan where she spent all of last week. We're ready for her arrival. The welcome mat is out, and plans have been made. The fridge is stocked and we're ready to have some fun with our new little friend, Pink Baby. How, do I keep Jake from eating her alive is my main concern!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Perks for being over 50.....


You all know by now that I'm a regular "senior coffee please" at McDonald's drive through, but today, I stumbled upon a website geared for the lovely gang of us...over 50. It's target is menopausal, scary, forgetful, yet wise and still lovely (after all these years) females. A website for women over the age of FIFTY! It's called Vibrant Nation, and I urge you all to go visit, and see what it has to offer YOU! Oh, and grab your senior coffee before sitting down to peruse their offerings.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Witchy Behavior...

Some days it's easy to be like the good witch. Things are rosy, the sun is shining, and you feel a song in your heart. However...not every day goes that well as you all know. Moods come and go, spirits rise and soar or go kerplunk and wallow in the mire of despair.
In other words...we all have our "poopy" days. That's normal and natural. I'm not going to apologize for having a black mood day, are you? Unless it's a daily occurrence that offends most everyone in your circle, or zings them and leaves them bleeding...we'll ALL get over, and survive, a bad day.
Women in their fifties tend to be more prone to this. Call me crazy but with the herd of aging boomers out there, I'm thinkin' that right now, there are more of us, than them. There's a whole population of cranky, disjointed, forgetful women out there on the loose....scaring the masses. So be it. Some body's got to do it. It may as well be us.
It's the month of Halloween anyway...we just have our witch on, daily....rather than just one night. But...in our defense, we don't get any candy either. Unless, we are smart, and buy it for ourselves!

This has been a public service message for folks, not in the throes of menopause. We are out there, beware! Caffeine in any form will be appreciated. Amen!

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Crunchy Pumpkin Squares


Do you all read Mennonite Girls can Cook? If not, go visit their site....I'm telling ya'....you'll drool! This recipe looks delish and I felt it was my public duty to pass it on and share!
Crunchy Pumpkin Squares

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Wise words to pass on~

Give a hoot....


There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Baked Mac & Cheese

My gosh,things are moving along at the old homestead. The flower beds are officially gone, beds raked out and some beds freshly mulched. The scarecrow is out front, holding court with the pumpkins. The mums are full as can be, and will soon get hit by frost. Seasons move forward day by day. The moon is in full glory and fun to spot when out watering the dogs at night. The bats swoop, the owls hoot...time moves on.



My mom is here this week. We've been cooking things we ate when we lived at home. 'Sketti with tomatoes and sharp cheddar, butternut squash, lots of hot tea. We hope to build a fire and roast hotdogs one evening with Josh. We had a big meatloaf, hashbrown casserole, steamed spinach and swiss chard Sunday dinner. It's been fun, and dare I say...ahem, delicious!
PS....she'll be 93 the first week in April...amazing, eh?


This looks like a delish recipe for mac and cheese, go visit!Baked Mac & Cheese

"Believing" is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see. This was passed on to me from another pumpkin. Now, it is your turn to pass it to a pumpkin. I liked this enough to send it to all the pumpkins in my patch. Happy Fall!

(email forward)

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Missing life like this...



Hey... Wasn't this us?

A little house with three bedrooms and one car on the street.
A mower that you had to push to make the grass look neat.


In the kitchen on the wall we only had one phone,
And no need for recording things, someone was always home.


We only had a living room where we would congregate,
Unless it was at mealtime in the kitchen where we ate.


We had no need for family rooms or extra rooms to dine, When meeting as a family those two rooms would work out fine.


We only had one TV set, and channels maybe two,
But always there was one of them with something worth the view.

For snacks we had potato chips that tasted like a chip,
And if you wanted flavor there was Lipton's onion dip.


Store-bought snacks were rare because my mother liked to cook,
And nothing can compare to snacks in Betty Crocker's book.

Weekends were for family trips or staying home to play,
We all did things together -- even go to church to pray.


When we did our weekend trips depending on the weather,
No one stayed at home because we liked to be together.


Sometimes we would separate to do things on our own,
But we knew where the others were without our own cell phone.

Then there were the movies with your favorite movie star,
And nothing can compare to watching movies in your car.


Then there were the picnics at the peak of summer season,
Pack a lunch and find some trees and never need a reason.


Get a baseball game together with all the friends you know,
Have real action playing ball -- and no game video.


Remember when the doctor used to be the family friend,
And didn't need insurance or a lawyer to defend?

The way that he took care of you or what he had to do,
Because he took an oath and strived to do the best for you.

Remember going to the store and shopping casually,
And when you went to pay for it you used your own money?


Nothing that you had to swipe or punch in some amount,
Remember when the cashier person had to really count?


The milkman used to go from door to door,
And it was just a few cents more than going to the store.


There was a time when mailed letters came right to your door,
Without a lot of junk mail ads sent out by every store.

The mailman knew each house by name and knew where it was sent;
There were not loads of mail addressed to "present occupant."


There was a time when just one glance was all that it would take,
And you would know the kind of car, the model and the make.
?

They didn't look like turtles trying to squeeze out every mile;
They were streamlined, white walls, fins, and really had some style.


One time the music that you played whenever you would jive,
Was from a vinyl, big-holed record called a forty-five.


The record player had a post to keep them all in line,
And then the records would drop down and play one at a time.


Oh sure, we had our problems then, just like we do today, And always we were striving, trying for a better way.

Oh, the simple life we lived still seems like so much fun,
How can you explain a game, just kick the can and run? ?


And why would boys put baseball cards between bicycle spokes, ?
And for a nickel red machines had little bottled Cokes?
? ? ?

This life seemed so much easier and slower in some ways, I love the new technology but I sure miss those days.

So time moves on and so do we, and nothing stays the same,
But I sure love to reminisce and walk down memory lane.

(this was a forward from my sis-in-law)

Y'all come back now...

Y'all come back now...

Everyone is special, and counts!