And the winner is...

Ahh, the age old tradition of fighting over the wishbone from the Thanksgiving turkey. Known as a "lucky break" the tradition of tugging on either end of a fowl's bone to win the larger piece and its accompanying "wish" dates back to the Etruscans of 322 B.C. The Romans brought the tradition with them when they conquered England and the English colonists carried the tradition on to America. Interesting stuff eh?

Make A Wish starring my lovely daughters, Mandy and Emily.

It's crazy lady day!

I love Target's Black Friday Crazy Lady but shopping on Black Friday is not for me. Yeah I may miss the great deals out there but getting up before the crack of dawn and fighting stampeding crazies into a store just doesn't sound all that appealing to me (no offense to Mandy, Emily, and others who find this enjoyable). Maybe I'm not aggressive enough or competitive enough or maybe I'm just plain scared of being trampled on...but nope if I do any shopping on Black Friday it won't be like the frenzied funny lady above. Call me sane but it'll be where I am right now, safe and warm and home...thank God for desktops. :)

Thanksgiving Top Ten List

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and a good time to count blessings, so without further adieu here's my Countdown to Ten Things I’m Thankful for this Thanksgiving (though not exactly in order of importance as many are equally important).

ta da Drum Roll Please...

10) My house – Yes I gripe about the pains of home ownership (the upkeep, the yard work, etc) and no I don't live in the home of my dreams nor in my dream town but I have to say my house has provided my family with security, safety, and shelter for many years...and so far (knock on wood) there have been no major catastrophes (hopefully I didn't just jinx myself)... and I am very thankful for that.

9) My job – I've been fortunate to have a good job working with good people for 20 years (minus the time I left for a week and the other time I left for a year-and-a half). Click left pic to see their smiling faces. I still can’t believe they took me back... and I am very thankful for that.

8) My dogs – Even though technically I have just one dog (Winnie), as long as I live under the same roof as Emily (and her dog Lola), I’ll always have two dogs to love and care about...and to keep me company and drive me a little crazy at the same time... and I am very thankful for that.

7) My health – I should exercise and yes I could stand to eat better but at least I quit smoking cigarettes years ago (if the scant OP’s I've bummed don’t count) and if you don't know what OP's are, they don't. Fortunately my health seems to be fine and I feel pretty good the majority of the time... and I am very thankful for that.
(Darn, wouldn't you know I couldn't find a picture of me eating an apple or exercising anywhere...).

6) My grandson Jude – what can I say about baby Jude? Mere words can’t describe the powerful love I feel for this boy. He's sweet, quiet, funny, perfect from his fingertips to his toes, has blue eyes, likes to eat, loves his hands, makes you work for a smile, he's my grandson... and I am very thankful for that.

5) His wonderful mom Erin – I can’t imagine a better mother for Jude than his mom Erin. People like her come around once in a blue moon... sweet, pretty, caring, and with a heart of gold, that's Erin. She's also a great mom... and I am very thankful for that.

4) My brother, sister, and dad – I feel lucky to have grown up with siblings I not only love but love to be around. I can't imagine life without them and though dad is no longer here in the physical sense he'll always be with us in the treasured memories he left behind... and I am very thankful for that.

3) My one-of-a-kind mom – I dearly love my one-of-a-kind mom. Strong willed, opinionated, say anything, this mama grizzly has always been there for her kids, and her grandkids, and now her great grandkids. She can always be counted on in any and all times... and I am very thankful for that.

2) Mark – talk about one of a kind. Still opens my car door, loves to go shopping and insists on carrying the bags, clips coupons (for me and the dogs), takes me places I’ve never been, feeds me good, loves the same music, loves me... and my kids, has crazy dance moves that make me laugh (especially his "go to" moves), wears funny hats and lets me take goofy pictures, raises my spirits, and so much more... and I am very thankful for that.

1) My kids – Did I ever not have kids? I can't imagine (and E, I mean that in a good way). No matter how old or how far away they'll always be my kids and thru anything and everything I will love and care about them more than anything in the world. In them I feel as if I did something right, something good... and I am very thankful for that.

Dogs love Thanksgiving too

Sometimes I think dogs love Thanksgiving just as much as people...maybe more. It's a day they're usually guaranteed not to be alone; it's a day of new smells and sometimes new faces; it's a day of running around, being mischievous, getting underfoot and tripping people up (which I suspect they find amusing); and, oh yes, it's a day of that scrumptious smelling bird and all the yummy trimmings. Dogs love all kinds of Thanksgiving food but sometimes the food doesn't love them back, which brings me to something we should all think about on Thanksgiving. And that is that Thanksgiving can be very dangerous to your pet.

Stuff the turkey, not the dog (or cat, guinea pig, rabbit, whatever the case may be)

Here are a few foods that are not healthy for your pet (copied from a reliable source):

Turkey Skin - High-fat foods, such as turkey skin, can be hazardous to your dog. Since the skin is hard to digest, it can lead to pancreatitis. If you still want to share your bird, give your dog a small piece of white meat.

Turkey Bones - Cooked poultry bones are brittle and splinter easily. If ingested, they can lodge in the esophagus or cause stomach or intestinal irritation.

Grapes and Raisins - These common snacks can induce permanent and life-threatening kidney failure in some dogs. Though some pets seem to handle eating grapes just fine, it's safest to avoid grapes and raisins completely.

Chocolate - Most pet owners are aware of chocolate's danger, but with the recent popularity of dark chocolates -- which contain higher doses of toxic cocoa -- it's more important than ever to be vigilant about chocolate consumption. Ingestion can cause abnormal heartbeats, kidney failure, and death.

Onions - High levels of onion ingestion in dogs and cats can cause life-threatening anemia. Be aware of food at your table -- such as stuffing or casseroles -- that may contain this dangerous ingredient.

Also, beware of feeding your dog too much of anything as excessive consumption can cause bloating and pancreatitis which means an emergency visit to the hospital. :(

A fun pre-holiday weekend

It's always fun when Mandy comes home for the holidays and this time it was even more fun because her boyfriend Naveen came along with her. The weekend began a little later than planned Friday night due to their flight being delayed nearly an hour but luckily we still made it to the Lumiere in time for burgers at the Burger Bar (yum) and a couple hours of gambling where some of us won (Cha-Ching!) and some of us lost (Cha-Bummer).
 

Me, Jake, Erin, Eric, Emily, Naveen and Mandy at the Burger Bar
where we had . . . burgers.  Photographer: Mark


Saturday night it was off to Jake's in South City where we ordered pizza from two different pizza establishments...because one is just not enough. Elicia's (thin and crunchy) and Lemmon's (super thick and hot, thanks to one too many jalapeno peppers). After the heartburn came entertainment with an impromptu jam session "Jammin at Jake's".

The Rock Stars

Eric and Naveen on guitar

Eric on mandolin

Mark, one seriously talented mandolinist

After a little (and I mean, a little) practice upstairs, it was time to go downstairs to the basement where things really got serious. haha









Jackson wasn't sure what to make of all the racket...uhh, I mean good music.



An MTV video in the making... 

Sunday morning brunch at home and the conclusion of a very fun pre-holiday weekend.

Mark's right. Jude does look just like him. ;-)

Great grandma Jean and Jude

So good to have her home again.

A little pre-Thanksgiving humor

Don’t Eat at Joe’s
Ohh to be a kid again. This clever Tex Avery cartoon takes me back to the cartoons of my childhood. Back then I practically lived for Saturday mornings when I’d jump out of bed, race to the TV set, plop down on the floor, and immerse myself in crazy cartoons like the one below. This cartoon is called Jerky Turkey and is about a pilgrim who doesn’t want to wait in line for his Thanksgiving dinner so he goes to “Ye Black Market” where much to his surprise a live turkey (a Jimmy Durante one at that) offers himself up. Or at least that’s what the pilgrim is led to think. Lots of gags and zaniness…they don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

Oh what a beautiful baby!

For more pics of this sweet baby boy, click here:  http://gottalovejude.blogspot.com/

Now this is a blog...

I have a new favorite blog...http://thepioneerwoman.com/. The writer of this website is Ree, a self-confessed desperate ranch wife and mother of four. She writes with humor and because she loves us. She also takes great pictures of her husband's chaps-wearing butt. :)

I LOVE everything about this blog, from its various sections on...

Confessions (wow, wish I could take pictures like this...gorgeous!)
Cooking (scrumptious recipes w/ step-by-step instructions and pictures!)
Photography (tips for beginner photographers and cool Photoshop tips, just what I've been looking for!)
Home & Garden (includes everything from bath and beauty to remodeling, very cool!)
Homeschooling (great source for people who do this!)
Tasty Kitchen (takes you to another place with favorite recipes from kitchens everywhere!)

...to tales of days spent wrangling children, chipping dried manure from boots, washing jeans, and making gravy.  It's all good!
x

Happy Birthday stinker pup!

Emily’s dog Lola (my granddogter) is 3 years old today. Wow, seems like only yesterday that Emily picked her out of a litter of 7. Well, not entirely because in a way it seems Lola’s been in the family forever....and I mean f-o-r-e-v-e-r. Lola’s a full-blooded Shih Tzu and a high maintenance one at that. She’s bossy, demanding, aggressive, cocky, arrogant...and those are her good points, haha. Lola’s descended from royalty (just ask her). She thinks she’s “Queen of the World” and in her high pitched yippity yap bark she’ll let you know it. In spite of herself and ALL her little idiosyncrasies she is a dearly loved dog (yes Lola, you are a dog). How a stinker of a fur ball can be so loved I don’t know. Happy Birthday Lola! Thanks for gracing us with your presence these last 3 years!

2-week-old Lola

4-week-old Lola (2nd from left) and her 6 siblings

2 months

Lola's mug shot -- then, and now. 

Lola's a beauty...and knows it. :)

"Don't be such a stick in the mud"

Someone said that to me the other night and while I'm not sure I appreciated the advice I figure it can't be that bad if a great band like the Jayhawks wrote a song about it.

They're playin my song...

	Jayhawks - Stick in the Mud .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

So exactly what is a stick-in-the-mud? Well, according to one definition, a stick in the mud is:

(stĭk'ĭn-THə-mŭd')
n. Informal, pl., stick-in-the-muds.
One who lacks initiative, imagination, or enthusiasm.

I understand it can also mean one who is a party pooper, killjoy, wet blanket, boat rocker, maker of waves, upsetter of the proverbial applecart, spoilsport, etc.  Moi?  Do I really mar the pleasure of others? Wow, hmm and here I thought I was just tired.

When the circus comes to town...don't go

I remember as a kid getting really excited about going to the circus. I remember thinking the tigers and elephants must be the smartest animals in the world to do all those neat tricks. It never occurred to me that they were forced (not merely “trained”) into performing and that the circus was no fun for animals, no fun at all. Crossing the bridge into work each morning I’ve been noticing a billboard on Hwy 55/70, like the one below. Over and over I look at it as I drive by and it makes me sad. I didn’t know about all the cruelty going on behind the scenes and I’m sure most parents who take their kids to circuses today don’t know about it either. If more people see the billboards by PETA and stop and think about the heartbreaking pictures they see, maybe they will learn. And maybe, hopefully, when the circus comes to town, many will no longer go.

A link with more information about the cruelty of circus animals.
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/circuses.aspx

An acapella version of a beautiful song.

	Rachael Yamagata - Elephants .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

They're gonna flip your picnic table Dave

I love Tina Fey. Back in '08 I used to laugh like crazy at her impersonation of Sarah Palin on SNL. The video below is Tina recently reviving her Palin impression on the Late Show. The best part? Dave trying to explain "Sarah" -- I justa I justa I don't uhh I wish I knew but I don't know uhh, I just can't uhh figure out quite...uhh, you know what I mean? I love it. Tina knew exactly.

Ticks and Heathens

No holding back dogs and handing out candy this Halloween. Instead I went to a double-bill show at Off Broadway on Halloween night. First up was the Band of Heathens followed by Deer Tick (yes, the second band is named after a deer tick). I’m not sure where the Band of Heathens got their name but hearing it for the first time conjured up all kinds of images. I pictured an all out assault on the senses but luckily BOH were no wild haired heathens and surprisingly I think I liked them better than the main band I went to see (Deer Tick). Not that I didn’t like Deer Tick. I liked them plenty. They're a band that gets a lotta love. Maybe sore feet took away some of the love I otherwise might have felt. I don’t know but in any case it was good fun seeing both bands and especially on Halloween night where at home I surely would have been holding back dogs and handing out candy. Now, I can just eat the candy. 

The pics and videos below are in order of appearance.

BAND OF HEATHENS

Band of Heathens performing Gillian Welch's "Look at Miss Ohio"

DEER TICK...or the Village People?

ahhh, much better.

Deer Tick performing Village People's YMCA

Deer Tick performing their own Baltimore Blues No. 1