No explanation necessary....

A Prayer.......

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;
Love to forgive him; And Patience for his moods;
Because Lord, if I pray for Strength,
I'll beat him to death, because I don't have time for his nonsense.




(Inspired from an email)

Sadly, this is the time of year that takes a toll on our little old lady bodies.
Okay...I won't group us all together using that phrase...old lady.
The Farmer's Almanac is so much fun to read, and there is a wealth of info in them that I find fascinating. The website, too, is full of good, old-fashioned, grandma wisdom. Love it, love it, love it~
Here's an article that is worth sharing:

Take steps to prevent winter illness! Here are three commonsense reminders:

1. Wash your hands! The #1 defense requires 20 seconds of rigorous rubbing.
2. Humidify inside and out. Keep your body well hydrated and your indoor air humidified. Add moisture to the air of your wood-heated home by hanging laundry indoors, keeping a lot of houseplants, and setting steamers on the stoves that release moisture gradually into the surrounding air.
3. Eat your vegetables. Increase your daily intake of green, red, yellow, and white vegetables.

Just a quick blessing and a hug to each and all this Christmas season. Indiana, it appears, will have a green Christmas this year. Josh and I had our cookie baking session. He went caroling with the church group, and had his Christmas date with Jenny last week. He made her an absolutely darling pair of Christmas tree earrings from tiny beads that she was so happy with, she immediately jumped up at Bob Evans and ran to the bathroom to put them on! We're having a very quiet Christmas. No yelps of joy from the grandkids, or hustle bustle. It's always so much more fun when all are home, isn't it?
May your family be near and dear. May happiness renew your heart. May the true spirit of Christmas open us to what's real. Life is fragile. We are all dear in HIS eyes. Bless us everyone!

Time for Tea Thoughts...

We have a covered bridge in town that looks amazingly like this; at least it does in my retro little head.
I was born in '51, was a teen toward the end of the sixties, was a mama of two from the mid-seventies through the mid-nineties. I was set free, cut adrift from the secure anchoring job of mama hood on to the sea of finding self hood by 1996.
I had no one to nurture for the first time in decades. It was scary, lonely, freeing, liberating and manic all at the same time. I sold our family home and moved to a new small town similar to the town I was a child in and began again.
I was perky, zany and bold and walked for three hours a day. Following a painful, grueling divorce in '82, and hiding under a rock and behind my children for fifteen years...it was fun to unfurl, and open up facing the sun again.
I need to experience that feeling again. The fearlessness.
Anybody know what I mean?

Sad, isn't it when the four day Thanksgiving holiday comes to an end. I collected all the fall foliage decor, bittersweet and anything orange today inside and out. Bagging up autumn for another year...
Our company will leave when we do in the morning as we head back to work. No one felt like turkey yesterday, and there is still an amazing amount left. Making me think that more should have been sent home with Josh and Jim's mom. "Three day rule" in our household made me pitch pies and dressing. Tomorrow the rest will go.

We, as a family, and, as a nation have much to be thankful for. More so than in other countries I believe. Things aren't perfect...and lots needs fixing. An entire new congress would be a real gift to us all, but one we won't get. But, overall, most of us, are lucky ducks. For that, I am thankful.
I am not going to be feeling thankful on Monday night when I have the guts and an empty house to enable me to step on the scale following an orgy of gluttony over the weekend.
That's all I'm saying....

TGIF

I woke up early and began the process of washing windows and taking down screens by 6:30 a.m. This is my day off, the one day I don't set the alarm. Sheesh!

Coffee deprived, these thoughts popped into my head.....
Watched toast does not pop.....a cup of tea is more than a hot beverage......vinegar really does work on windows.....one should consume at least four Hershey kisses a day.

Have a great weekend. We got our first snow yesterday. Flurries but enough to cover decks and rooftops. It's too early for this nonsense!

Boyz to Men...

The female body is a marvelous machine...that is until you're on the wrong side of fifty."I am Woman, hear me roar" was the theme for women our age back in the day. Not only did we bring home the bacon but we put it in a pan.
These days, a few weeks following my sixth decade celebration, I find odd things happening that are vexing. Menopause is robbing me of my femininity. When ones ovaries sputter and begin to spit cotton do we become men? If not, then WHY do chin hairs sprout? What the devil is all this loose skin? Why do I have inch long hair on the back of my legs? Why do urinals suddenly make sense to me?

I had to plunge the toity in the library men's room the other day and while "in" there, I had a good looksee at the two urinals. They make perfect sense for use by women as long as we turned around to use them. We hardly sit on toilets anyway...we all do the squat in these germ infested days, right? Thoughts like these are disturbing.

When the estrogen flowed freely and rampantly I would NEVER have had these thoughts. I took collagen and plump lips for granted. Perky boobs that pointed out not down were the norm. Sigh....I feel the need to wear plaid oxford shirts and watch This Old House. I want to hold the remote and scratch. If I get a hankering for Skoal, I'm going to visit the Ob-Gyn and get back on hormones!

Hump Day "Therapy" Soup...

I don't know about you, but by five o'clock on a dark, windy Wednesday, I'm hankering for the end of the work week. Tonight, I resisted the temptation to just run through McD's for a daily double. Instead, I came home to a pair of bouncing corgi kids, and began chopping veggies.
In a pot, I emptied a can of low-sodium chicken broth, added in leftover chicken breast and ham, perhaps a half cup of meat. While that simmered, I chopped three green onions, a heaping handful of chopped celery, a small bunch of broccoli, and a handful of fresh spinach. It needed color, so in went one large carrot, farmer chopped. Thinking of Hungry Girl creations, I threw in two wedges of Laughing Cow reduced fat swiss cheese. The lid was put on, and the heat lowered. When the bright orange carrots were just tender, I stirred in a tablespoon of Wondra, the miracle flour. Presto, chango, lo' and behold...supper! This made a one and a half serving in my jumbo Starbuck's mug. Delish, fast, and the crankies flew out the window.
Soup....it's what's for dinner and soothes the soul.

I'm so disgusted with Blogger. For months now, I've not been able to make comments on many of my dashboard/followed blogs. I still sign in the same...nothing has changed...well, except for Blogger that is.
Makes me cranky...and y'all know, THAT, is not a good thing!

Hump Day Chuckle...

So...it's Autumn, and I'm jumping back in!

Greetings and Salutations dear bloggie buds...How was your summer? I've read, while lurking, and kept up with most of you. Blogger wouldn't allow me to comment many times as some sort of penance or just plain aggravation for some reason. Sorry about that. I've missed you gals.

So what's happened in our neck of the woods? Well...last weekend the North Carolina kids were here. Emmy is four and a half, and a loving older sis to lil' Liam. I saw him at five weeks, then not again until he was five months. Believe me, there are many big changes in the little fella.
I had a corgi-themed sixtieth birthday on the 9th; with corgi cake, corgi gifts and corgis underfoot at our hot dog/chili bonfire. It was great, making leaving the fifties behind not all that painful.
We sold the RV on October 3rd. Jim's driving truck again for a much better company after being home all summer getting honey-do's done. I got a small promotion at the library, gaining hours and a tad more pay.
That's our time apart pretty much in a nutshell.
Hope to jump back in once in a while and catch up.
Take care, and hugs to all.
Susan

Summer Sabbatical

Due to living an uneventful life and mood in the pits, I shall say adieu for the summertime. I'll be reading your blogs; carry on and be happy. TTFN!

Not all mothers are female. Jim lost his first wife to breast cancer. She was 27. He raised their son alone. He did a darn good job. The very first thing I noticed about Jim on the day we met was his sensitive side. I realized that men were vulnerable. Before that, I had NO idea!
Happy Mother's Day to all who have had the gift of raising their young, and lived through it! Blessings and Hugs to those doing so in today's rough world. Grandparents help soothe the hurts that both their children and grandchildren experience. God bless 'em too!

New Kid in town...

Chapel Hill has a new resident, and we have a new grandson!
Liam is his name, and big sis Emmy Lulu counted all his toes and fingers.
He's no corgi....but he'll do!
I fly down in a few weeks.
Yahoo!

Dear Easter Bunny....

If you could please fit any or all of these into my basket this year, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you from your good friend,
Corgidogmama

Prayer Changes Things...

Friday, is World Cancer day.
Be a dear, and say a prayer, so simple and easy.
Dear God, I pray for a cure for cancer. Amen

This would be funny....if it wasn't so TRUE!

Questionnaire from the American Association Of Retired People



Q: Where can men over the age of 60 find younger, sexy women who
are interested in them?

A: Try a bookstore, under fiction.

Q: What can a man do while his wife is going through menopause?

A: Keep busy. If you're handy with tools, you can finish the
basement.

When you're done you'll have a place to live.

Q: Someone has told me that menopause is mentioned in the Bible.
Is that true? Where can it be found?

A: Yes. Matthew 14:92: "And Mary rode Joseph's ass all the way
to Egypt ...."

Q: How can you increase the heart rate of your 60+-year-old
husband?

A: Tell him you're pregnant.

Q: How can you avoid that terrible curse of the elderly
wrinkles?

A: Take off your glasses.

Q: Seriously! What can I do for these crow's feet and all those
wrinkles on my face?

A: Go braless. It will usually pull them out.

Q: Why should 60+-year-old people use valet parking?

A: Valets don't forget where they park your car.

Q: Is it common for 60-plus year olds to have problems with
short-term memory storage?

A: Storing memory is not a problem. Retrieving it is the
problem.

Q: As people age, do they sleep more soundly?

A: Yes, but usually in the afternoon.

Q: Where should 60-plus year olds look for eye glasses?

A: On their foreheads.

Q: What is the most common remark made by 60-plus year olds when
They enter antique stores?

A: "Gosh, I remember these!"

SMILE!! You've still got your sense of humor, RIGHT?

The calendar says Spring, but 'tis it?

Surely others out there experience this: When you feel a spurt of energy, you take advantage of it. The other day the sun was shining, the sky was blue and life felt pretty good. Since the arthritis wasn't at scream level, getting a head start on spring cleaning felt like the thing to do. Down came the curtains, out came the windex, and the washing machine was busy all afternoon. Cobwebs that decorated corners all winter were annihilated. It felt good to kick butt on a sleepy house that had become cluttered and dust filled. Getting one's house in order, mentally and physically. Just another way for women to express themselves...there's no changing a man, but by golly give us a house to rearrange, and we're happy!

The local retired state rep had his pasture full of spring sheep. Their tails hadn't been docked and it was an interesting sight. I pulled to the shoulder of the highway, and Addie popped her head out to say hello, startling the entire flock into a stampede. Sigh....I think she's menopausal. Do corgis become menopausal? She has all the signs. Snapping, snarling, moodiness, water retention.....
We went to see horses, enjoying the sun's warmth, lazily rolled over onto their sides. Boom! Addie did her glass breaking yip hello, and they jumped up and tore to the other end of the field. Sheesh...she needs to work on socialization skills.

If you know anything about Indiana, you most likely have heard of Shipshewana, in the heart of Amish country. It's full of interesting shops, the sound of clip clops, horse turds in the street, and good food. There's a terrific place to get warm, soft pretzels and cherry cokes and people don't mind standing in line with twenty people in front of them. Anyway, a friend and I are driving up on Thursday. It's about 60 miles north of us, and a pretty drive. The corgi kids will go along and we'll make a day of it. Sort of a girls-dogs day out. Is that legal in all states?

Major projects need to be worked on here. A serious clean up in the garage and organization. The RV needs to be cleaned inside again from our hurried emergency trip to Florida this winter, and put up for sale. I'll be fermenting two straw bales again, getting them ready for garden plants. It worked great last year, no getting down on knees to harvest and a friend who has horses is giving me a couple of bales. Painting...yeah, that's on the list as well, two rooms at least before fall.
Now...where did that energy spurt go? Dang it! The TO DO list is growing. It's no wonder that Jim is on the road all the time...it's an evasive action!

Anyone else thinking about spring projects? Beaches? New book titles? Running away with the UPS man? Hee hee, got 'cha with that one, didn't I?

Feeling naughty...blaming Spring...

Is it just me, or have you EVER just ached to say this to someone? (Not neccessarily your husband...this time!)

Some people try to turn back their odometers.
Not me; I want people to know 'why' I look this way.
I've traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren't paved.
~Will Rogers

Memories...

When we were kids growing up in Hillsdale, Michigan, we always tapped our trees.
I remember buckets hanging from them, and I think it was a common sight to see in the late fifties. My mom would boil down the collected sap and we'd pour it over french toast and her homemade pancakes.

Not so common now, however, here in rural Indiana, I was happy to see this familiar sight again. The family is Old Brethren, which is very similar in lifestyle to the Mennonite. The corgis love to stick their heads out to spook their goats and shiny hens, as we drive by. The goats are often in the barn doorway, deciding whether to come out or not. The hens are bolder, when the weather is fair. There is a Fresh Brown Eggs sign tacked to one of the big trees at the edge of the gravel drive.
I'd move there in a minute. But the hens and goats would have to be part of the deal. The buckets too. I want to collect syrup again. What fun. It makes me feel all sappy inside just thinking about it!

Shits and Giggles...

This, is a wild turkey. This, crossed the country road in front of us this morning.
Why does the wild turkey cross the road you ask?
Well...it stopped in the middle of the road. It did not cross.
It was less than a foot away from the car. The corgis and I got up close and personal. Addie popped her head out the back window, and barked her itty bitty head off as she always does. Jake hid. As he always does. The bird didn't flinch.
Nobody blinked. I was imagining bloody scenes in my head...thinking,"do turkey birds attack?" I rolled up the back window and slowly pulled away.
The darn thing chased us.
For twenty five feet.
Addie looked out the back window, paws on the back seat, looking as if she couldn't believe the crazy sight.
Jake kept his head down, hoping it was all a bad nightmare.

Years ago, Jim and I camped at a northern state park in Indiana, called Chain-O-Lakes. We were surrounded by wild turkey creatures there while in our little red tracker. Seven or eight of them, looked inside our car windows, thinking we were the biggest red berry they had ever seen. These things were nearly as tall as our car windows. I have photos.

It was like that day all over again. Same red car. Same boldness. Either turkeys are really, really dumb.....or really, really scary.

Alone, without Supervision...

Bet you're thinking uh-huh...she's being naughty! Well, sort of I guess. Let's set the scene. Winter...doldrums...long, dark nights...Jim out on the road...two weeks alone without any one telling me I can't do something. Perfect setup for trouble, right?

Well...I don't know what YOU'D be up to, but I've been sorting closets, drawers, tossing papers, moving entire rooms of furniture. My sis-in-law and I are infamous for moving furniture when we have emotional upsets. Cleaning is cathartic when your innards aren't happy. There's just too much winter to cope with!

Jim's "big man's" recliner wasn't too bad to push around, but the corgi/mama chair and a half was awful, weighing twice as much.
Several herniated discs unpleasantly wake me up during the night when these shifting urges strike. The ol' gal still feels like superwoman in her head...forgetting (or denying) that the body isn't what it used to be. I always pay for it, but it's SO rewarding to see the results of one's efforts.

Jim'll be mad. He always is, but phhhttt,when the urge strikes to get something done, it's very hard to wait around for two weeks for a tired, grumpy man to get home, who will just crab about moving furniture. So...why not just get 'er done?


Being alone has never bothered me. Luckily, since Jim has been gone most of our thirteen year marriage. Luckily, since I was single for fifteen years...while working, raising two kids,going to school after divorcing in '82. I even liked it as a kid. Boredom has never been a problem for me. Is it something that any of you have trouble dealing with?

Is it a woman thing... this need to change/clean/clear...or am I just plain weird? Surely, there are a lot of "us" out there.......right? Peck, peck....hello? Anyone going to jump on this rebellious wagon of hormones?

Is it Spring yet?

Groundhog Day, a Germanic holiday that uses a furry prognosticator to foretell the coming of spring, depends on the presence (or not) of sunshine for its forecast.
Many of you know that most of America is being hit by the Blast of '11 this week.
I'm thinking, that NO groundhog in their right mind will pop his little furry head out of a nice, warm burrow.
Oh well....in the meantime, we're under a Level One snow emergency, meaning that only emergency vehicles can be on the road.
We have over a foot. The wind was blasting so hard last night the windows rattled.
Jim is home this week with a bad cold, and it's a lucky break for him.
The corgis are not enjoying the snow as they have in past years. There's just too much of the stuff.
We put a small turkey in the oven last night, and were carving/deboning after 9p.m., in anticipation of a quiet, snow day today. The library director called with the delightful news of being closed today. She just became one of my favorite people on earth!
Luckily I brought home movies and books from work yesterday. The trees were loaded with fat, perky robins when I got off at one. I've never seen such a sight in early February. Somehow, they made a wrong turn, and landed right in the thick of a pending blizzard.
Last week, we got an emergency call from Florida, stating that my mom had fallen, face-first onto concrete, and ended up spending a few days in ICU. We went down to see her; spending two days in Largo. The rv needed a tiny little valve, so we spent an entire day sitting at a repair shop, and the next morning. She's doing better, and the rv made it home after a bumpy beginning. Both intact.
We spotted ten armadillos, sunning along the Florida interstate. A site that always delights me. We took a shower at a truck stop, and slept in Cracker Barrel parking lots at night. We listened to "Murder on the Orient Express" on the way home. We stopped at a Waffle House for a pecan waffle fix. The corgis ate some green grass at the rest areas. A treat for them. While in Florida though, we had sweaters and jackets on. I think the temps ranged from 40 at night to maybe 60 during the day.
It wasn't a pleasure trip, but it was a change of scene, once the anxiety of mom's accident passed.
Spring can't come soon enough. Time to go shovel....again!

Refinement...

Back in the day I was a hot head, well sorta.
Today I don't get into much of a hullabaloo over anything.
Am I passionless these days? Or...am I finally, at pushin' 60,
becoming somewhat "refined?" Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket!

Don't get me wrong...Jim can trip my trigger, and the fire-breathing
dragon comes out for about thirty seconds, then I'm over it. I'll say
words that would make my mother clutch her chest, and sigh in despair.
I flare, then I'm done. He, will carry it around for days.....like most
men, I think. Sheesh, life's short I tell him, "get over yourself!"

He says I'm hard to live with. How, I wonder. I'm clean, neat, and tidy.
I like to cook, and am VERY undemanding of his time. When he's home, I back up
and give him space so that he can destress. ( Gee, wouldn't you like to live
with somebody like this?) HA!

However....if there are many chores that need to be caught up on, and he's the
only one to able to do them, and he's home for more than two nights...it ain't
pretty. I do believe that we "radiate" emotion sometimes. That, or else Jim
is very sensitive to my radioactivity! He gets the creeps being around me at
times like this. ( I seem so normal....but, in his eyes, I become the demon wife.)
Hmrph, go figure!

We're all odd somewhat, don't you think? We all have certain quirks, that only our
spouse sees,that most undoubtedly drive them NuTs. I'm not alone here, am I?
Peck, peck....uh....hello??? Anyone out there?

Anyhooo...

Have you tried McDonald's new oatmeal yet? Well, I did today, only because it was free. First of all...it must "sit" for at least 15 minutes to somewhat thicken.
It's a rather watery mess that looks extremely disappointing initially. Trust me.
Back away slowly, and leave it alone for fifteen minutes.
It's rather bland. I didn't get the brown sugar, thinking that the apple chunks/raisins/cranberries would sweeten and flavor it up. Wrong.
It would have been worth it to spend those extra thirty calories for the boost in wow factor. Trust me here. It cost six WW points to eat this. I will not waste six perfectly good WW points again on this wall papery paste mess.
Actually, wallpaper paste isn't too shabby.

Any differing opinions or personality confessions you want to share?
Don't leave me hangin' here girls....

Snowy, but not sleepy here.

This is a tiny town, but it always seems to be a bustle. Josh and I got up early to go Squirrel Creek, an Amish-type bulk food shop, way out in the country where one can stock up. We always get our spices there, salad fixin's, cheeses, etc. It's a cool place and we love to go. When folks visit, we always make a trip out there. It's fifteen minutes from our door.
Today we saw four, young white-tailed deer hop across the ditches and head across an open field, tails up. A beautiful sight on a blowy morning. The country roads were drifting, so I shifted to four wheel drive.

I dropped Josh off at the library upon our return to town, and drove past the town park across the street from it. Parents and young children all dressed in snow gear were sliding down the hills to the gazebo; making the most of our "local slopes."

Just down a half block from that happy place, I noticed that the old pool building built in 1962, has been completely demolished, making room for the new six million dollar complex soon to be built. We're still $500K short, but this community works wonders, and I have no doubt that the money will come from somewhere.
The town library was a gift to the town from several generous benefactors. It's a fantastic building, and a real community asset.
Things happen here. I don't know if it's the combination of it being home to a small liberal arts college, the educated retirement communities, but the people here are civic minded, caring, and things get done. We have a community owned coffee house which bakes rustic bread daily, and during summer/fall months, hosts live bands on Friday nights on the front porch of the restored l880's brick home.

We have our problems. Not everyone is nice. We have a drug problem. Troubles get swept under the rug sometimes. For the most part, I'm extremely satisfied with living in small town USA. If we had a local hospital, I'd be thrilled.

We stopped at the high school before going home,so the corgis could do their sniffs and bunny hops in the snow. Corgi people never tire of that silly sight. Corgis and snow are a natural combination.

What's new??

So....on someone's blog I read that every state in America currently has snow, except Florida. What...is everybody doing, while home, surrounded by snow, is what inquiring minds want to know! Want to share?

I've planted some paperwhite bulbs, and they're up to almost four inches. You can see daily growth, and the green is a sight for sore eyes!
I'm currently listening to Patricia Cornwell's newest book on audio. Port Mortuary. I miss her earlier work. (Scarpetta, the main character, has become very guarded and jaded, and I miss the team thinking and amity of the characters in earlier stories.) Life is complex enough, and these days, getting along appeals to me, even in books!

I ordered Red Rose Tea online, and got a sampler box. A nice mix of decaf/Irish/Earl Grey/and the regular (which one can find at Walmart, but not the other types.) The corgis highly approve, as we share a mug of decaf in the evenings. They ARE Welsh, afterall! Even a corgi likes their cuppa!

There's a pile of books...fiction/yoga/what not to eat/and Land's End Sale catalog beside my bed. I've shoveled EIGHT times since Monday. Once at the library! And, readily counted that as exercise on my WW tracker!

The excitement just never stops around here as you can see! SnOrT! Comment, and let me see what you're doing during this silly winter of 2011 to fill these snowy evenings. Until the weather pattern changes, hang in, and hang on!

Cabin Fever Anyone?

In many areas, the U.S. is fighting ice and snow. This is the time of year, to just give up, sit back, grab an afghan, that is if you don't have a nice, warm corgi, and begin looking through seed catalogs and recipe books!


From the Farmer's Almanac:

Healthy Pork Chop Casserole This is a "wonderful" comfort dish! Children LOVE it, and do NOT even know they are eating their veggies, unless you tell them. You will have very tender chops, that can be cut with a fork! Also, a great dish for any type of large function.

Yield: Can serve 4 to 12

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Start to Finish Time: 2 to 2-1/2 hours

•4-8 bone-in or boneless pork chops
•6-10 Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
•1 large head cabbage, sliced
•1-2 large onions, peeled and sliced
•1 can cream of mushroom soup
•1 can cream of chicken soup
•Foil
•Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and pat dry chops with paper towels. Season each with a little Kosher/sea-salt/no-salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste.

In a non-stick frying pan, drizzle a little olive oil. On high heat when oil is rippling, lay each chop in pan, only browning each side! When browned on both sides, take out of pan and lay on paper towels to drain any fat or oil off.

In a large deep casserole dish, lightly spray with olive oil/Pam/or using butter, oil dish lightly for non-stick.
1. Lay your medium-thin sliced potatoes, 1-2 layers making sure to cover the bottom of the dish.
2. Cover with a layer or two of sliced cabbage.
3. Next layer add sliced onions.
4. On top of onions, lay "browned only" chops.
In a medium bowl, mix together cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups, then spread evenly on top of your casserole. Making sure everything is covered.
Tightly cover the dish with the shiny side of the foil down. Place in preheated oven and cook 1-1/2-2 hours. When finished, let rest for at least 20 minutes before removing foil.

Flurries look as if they are out there for the entire day. I will be loading up my trusty broom to sweep off the car at quitting time tonight! The tracker is already in the four-wheel drive position. If you're out there, be careful will ya? Wintry hugs to all my bloggie sista's!