Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Engagement Ring

Soooo, Prince William gave his new fiancĂ© a ring.  His Mother’s engagement ring.  Princess Di
was a great gal and all, and I would feel honored, but…. Would I really want that for MY engagement ring?  Is it cursed?  I tend to be on the superstitious side, and considering the Princess’ first wedding didn’t fair well and the fact that she died tragically would be enough for me to say, “I have to think about it.  Can I give you an answering in the morning?”  Ok, enough thought on this subject... crank up Meatloaf!


Thursday, November 11, 2010

Yoga

Really.  A new trend that's been around for hundreds of years.  There's Hatha, Bikram, Power, and Hot Yoga (there's more but I'm pinched for time today).  Before reading on, please understand that I am a fan of Yoga.  Not as a religion, but as a form of exercise.  However, I have never imagined that it could improve my vision until I read about "eye Yoga".  Yep, you read it right, unless your eyesight is really failing you, it's Eye Yoga and its a book written for us to reawaken deep brain capacities which may or may not have been lost over time.   Ha.  Can't even type this without laughing.  Do clock circles with your eyes.  Gaze around the clock face without moving your head.  (Don't kid yourself, I know you are trying this right now.)  Next, finger push-ups.  Hold your index finger out from the tip of your nose as long as your arm.  Slowly move it towards you and away keeping it in focus.  (I see you!!!)  Last but not lease, V in and V out.  You guessed it, make a 'v' with your index and middle finger in front of your face a comfortable distance.  Cross your eyes and focus in front of the V for 'in' and behind the V for 'out'.  Do this until you see 3 fingers.  Focus on the center one til you can see the tip where the 2 fingers come together clearly.  Huh?  I wish you had your webcam on.  LOL

Don't forget, do not to stay that way too long because "your face will stay that way" to quote the best Mom ever.   Oh, and cup your hands over your closed eyes when you're finished to relax them.  

So go ahead, give your eyes a good stretch.  Let me know how you feel.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Miner Saga

Just a quick post about how gratifying, emotional, and suspenseful the Miner's crisis in Chile ended.  Many comments, such as the U.S. would not have been able to get their politics in order to save the 33 men, have been surfacing.  Not going there.  I will however, discredit the U.S. media.  Do they have to turn everything into a reality show conflicting disambiguation??  The poor guy who's wife did not show up because of his mistress.... who cares??  The guy is alive and safe.  This is no time for spreading dirt.  I watched many of the 33 men step out of that capsule and hug their families and friends and it just didn't get old.  I cried every time.  My compliments to the Chilean people and government for making the rescue a success!  Thank God, which by the way, the religion comments are coming out now too.  Good Grief.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Butterflies & Potty Training.... Life is Good!

If you love them set them free..... ahhh yes.  Just to let you know we (Granddaughter # 4 and I) raised 5 very tiny caterpillar larvae into chrysalis', which we called cocoons because she said that soooo much cuter, and watched them emerge into Painted Lady Butterflies.  All 5 of them survived until release day.  Sorry to say, we lost one.  Not lost, in the sense of can't find.... died.  The other 4 successfully flew away into the vast backyard.

How did this adventure present itself???  Well, who says you cannot raise a child with bribery.  We were potty training and she saw a commercial for the "Butterfly Garden".  "I want one of those" came out of her tiny little lips with such sincerity and yearning, a grandmama just couldn't ignore.  However, keeping in mind we did have this potty issue hanging over our heads, and controlling my desire to provide her with EVERYTHING she wants, something strange came out of my mouth.  "If you go potty in the toilet.... I'll get you a Butterfly Garden."  Oh no!  What will her mother (Daughter #1) think of such shenanigan???  Not being sure, I neglected to inform mother because we had not discussed raising a child using this tactic.

Then, I received a phone call.  "Grandmama.... I used the potty!!!"  Yea!  Yes!  Yahoo!  Oh No!  Where could I find this Butterfly Garden??  I needed time.  "Okay, as soon as you use Grandmama's potty, we'll get the Butterfly Garden!"  Phew.  Bought some time.  But now, Mother knows.  "Let me speak to Mom please."  Then the biggest weight off my shoulders.  Mother told me how SHE got her to use the potty, and I must say.... bribery at its best!  After purchasing a much desired, whined, and pleaded for camera at Walmart, Mother placed it in the bathroom.... not to be played with until mission was accomplished.  I was SAVED!  Mother and Grandmama agree again AND success!!!

Life is Good.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Peculiar Town Names

You know how everyone wants their Valentine's postmarked from a city with a catchy "lovey dovey" town or city name?  Well how about a postmark that just plain makes ya hungry?  Try these on for size:

Bacon, Indiana - Buttermilk, Kansas - Chocolate Bayou, Texas - Goodfood, Mississippi - Ham Lake, Minnesota - Hot Coffee, Mississippi - Oatmeal, Texas - Picnic, Florida - Pie Town, New Mexico - Spuds, Florida - Sugar City, Idaho - Tortilla Flat, Arizona - Two Egg, Florida - and of course our own Illinoisan favorite....... Sandwich, Illinois!!!

Just "food for thought" this would get ya thinking of an appetizing town to visit!  Enjoy.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Which came first the chicken or the egg??

I cannot answer this question, however, an interesting thing happened to me on the way through the zoo.  I witnessed something I have not ever seen in my whole 40 something years of life.  (never mind.... those who know my real age)

Yes, it was a real live chicken laying an egg!  It was not pretty.  And it was DEAFENING!!  As a child I used to giggle and cackle and my grandmother always said... "lay that egg would ya?" and now I completely understand.  It sounded just like me!  Except with wings flapping, head bobbing, and tail feathers wiggling.  Ok, I may have looked like that too.

So, I just felt that was blog worthy.  This city girl didn't get into the country much and I was FASCINATED!  Couldn't take my eyes off the poor chick!

That's all for now.  Thanks for listening.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

In Honor of Mother's Day

Happy Belated Mother's Day.  It was busy for me and now I would like to tribute Mother's everywhere by posting favorite things we have ALL heard our Mother's say and probably now say ourselves.... as Mothers!

If you can't say anything nice... don't say anything at all.
Go outside and get the stink off ya.
Be sure to wear clean underwear without holes in case you get in an accident.
Who put the quarter in you?  (ok, that one was my grandmother)
What's for Dinner?  Turtle soup.  Where are we going?  Shemung  (dad)
If your friend jumped off a cliff (sometimes it was bridge).... would you?

and everyone's favorite...... Quite crying or I'll give you something to cry about!!!!

Got any favorite quotes??  Please share.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

For the Movie Buffs

Here's a quick one for all my movie buff readers.  I personally, was surprised by this.  There are hundred of historic figures portrayed in movies, as we all know, but this little tidbit is interesting.  Napoleon Bonaparte is featured in 194 movies.  That is not the shocker.  He leads Jesus Christ who has been portrayed in 152 and Abraham Lincoln who has been portrayed in 137.  THAT is surprising.  Happy Watching!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

All American Hot Dog?

Here's something I have learned this week about the wiener.  Did you know a hot dog is not just a hot dog in other parts of the United States?  The All American Hot Dog, just like all other pedigrees, has many different names.

Let's start in the midwest and work east.... Chicago, of course, is the "Red Hot".  Vienna Beef loaded with a dill spear, peppers, neon green relish, and celery salt.  In Detroit, Land of the Coney Island, "Detroit Style" is messy.  More chili than dog that has to be eaten with a fork and napkins, plenty of them.  Cincinnati has the "German Wienerwurst" smothered in tomatoes, pickles, onions, and hot peppers.  Options include chili and cheddar.  Cleveland, just ask for a "burnt dog"... no thank you.

Moving further east, The "Pittsburgh Dog" is a humongous, 18" tube of something wrapped in a hoagie bun with lettuce, tomato, coleslaw, and smoked provolone.  Washington, DC calls their top dogs "Half-smokes".  These are made from spiced, coursely ground beef and pork.  And lastly, and one quite frankly (no pun intended) I don't understand.... is Maine calling their pups "Red Snappers".  This screams lobsters to me, but then again.... I am from Illinois and the land of the "Red Hots"!  Apparently the red casings on these "Red Snappers" sputter on the grill and crunch in the mouth enough to be given this name.  Then they are covered with mayo/sweet onion relish and celery salt.

Everyone claims their dog to be the best, but for me..... I like golden retreivers!  LOL gotcha!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Overpaid??

This day and age, there are a lot of people who think a lot of other people are overpaid.  Here's a good one for ya.  Charlie Sheen makes $825,000 per episode of his tv series "Two and a Half Men".  Now, that's a good show that has 14.4 million viewers, but come on.... it's just more for his ex wives and lawyers!

Celebrity contestants on one of my other favorites, "Dancing With the Stars" make $200,000 per season with the winners receiving a bonus.  This is just being paid to diet and lose weight.

I also like NCIS, however, I did not break into tears to learn Mark Harmon makes less than half of what Charlie Sheen makes.  Let's face it.... I would take it!  And he doesn't have nearly the expenses sorry Charlie has.

Oh well, back to my writing job that pays 108..... that's $1.08!  Cya.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Blago Half Baked

We here in the state of Illinois have known it for a long, long time.  My mother always says, "If you can't say anything nice about anyone, don't say anything at all!"  I know your Mothers said it, and now as a Mother, I say it!  However, I am NOT saying anything bad..... Sharon Osbourne said it for me.  She is my new hero!  Check it out:

"Celebrity Apprentice" contestant Sharon Osbourne has diagnosed Rod Blagojevich.

Osbourne, the wife of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, appeared on "The Ellen Degeneres Show" Thursday to dish about the NBC reality show. She ended up spilling about the ex-Illinois governor, the Sun-Times reports.

"He is absolutely crazy. He is insane. Completely self-obsessed, insane," Osbourne said. "He talks like a typical politician. Backtracks all the time. Like they said, he is half-baked."  When asked what she meant by that  "The fiery redhead smiled and stood by her statement. "They pulled him out of the oven too soon. He wasn't properly formed," Osbourne said.

Sharon, the state of Illinois applauds you!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Have you completed your census today?

Did you complete the census? Most of us did, but do we really know any specifics? If we even care, my son asked me the other day how often it is sent out. When I didn’t know, I looked it up (Wikipedia) and found a few interesting facts that I thought were “blog worthy”.

The US Constitution requires the Federal Government to conduct a census every ten years. The last one being in 2001.

The results are used to allocate congressional seats (congressional apportionment), electoral votes, and government program funding.

The census is performed by the United States Census Bureau. The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790 under then Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson. There have been 21 federal censuses since then.

Only the names of the heads of household and a general demographic accounting of the remaining members of the household were recorded for the first 6 censuses (1790-1840). Beginning in 1850 all members of the household were named. The first slave schedules were also completed in 1850 with the second, and last, in 1860. Censuses of the late 19th century included agricultural and industrial schedules to gauge the productivity of the nation’s economy. Mortality schedules were taken between 1850 and 1880 to capture a snapshot of life spans and causes of death throughout the country.

The first 9 censuses (1790-1870) were not managed by the Executive branch, but by the Judicial branch. The US federal court districts assigned US marshals, who hired assistant marshals to conduct the actual enumeration. Sounds familiar huh?

For more mumbo jumbo on the census go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Census

You never know when there’s going to be a quiz!!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

One More Sports Post...

Ok, no whining, no criticism, no opinion.  I just learned something new.  After reading "Cinderella" in a sports headline, a twinge ran thru my fingers.  I actually thought someone found my last post and I was going to hit it big.  After clicking on the headline I learned Cinderella has another meaning.  An underdog team (NCAA-Northern Iowa) that makes it big.  Ha.  A far cry from a princess meeting her prince charming, but ok guys...   This one's for you.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Sports Today

I don't often post about sports, but I have been following hockey this season and am co-entering an NCAA bracket pool.  Not that I had anything to do with the picks, but I did front the money.  Go Kentucky!  The real heat of the post is regarding the Ovechkin (Capital) breaking bones of Campbell (Blackhawk) in last week's game.  There seems to be a mixed poll on whether or not he should have received the fine and suspension.  My blog.... my opinion.  Heck Yes!  That was terrible.  Don't get me wrong, I too go to hockey games to see a fight or two break out, but this was unnecessary abuse (a step up from roughness... my blog, my rules too) during the game.  Again, my opinion.  So, on to the Stanley Cup....Go Blackhawks!  Have to go shopping for a jersey now.  Later.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Snow, Snow, Go Away

And don't come back another day!  We are tired of this white stuff that is now turning to brown, salty, icky muddy messes in our yards.  Be gone!  Bring on Spring.  Bring on Summer!  Open the pool so the little ones will forget about their "snowbuddies" they created in their yards that have slowly disappeared.  When explaining to my 2 year old granddaughter that snowmen are made with "magic snow" and that after they melt they return to the atmosphere to watch us play in the summer sun and return again next winter for her to create again.... I realized it mattered more to ME than to her.  Just another childish story... maybe.  But it's keeping me young and realizing the midwest is the place for me.  Seasons change and come and go and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

R.I.P. Daddy

Since recently losing my dog of almost 13 years, I am saddened to hear Cesar Milan lost his beloved Daddy.  As a fan of the show, I have watched Daddy rehabilitate numerous other troubled dogs and am reminded of my Maxwell.  You see, Max didn't exactly "rehab" dogs, he helped us TRAIN the dogs we have added to the family.  He trained an Irish Setter, two goldens, and "babysat" a yellow lab belonging to my daughter.  Believe me.... the added dogs new their place and the rules because of Max.  We are now down to one golden.  The Tank.  Tank just turned 3 this past January and is remarkable.  Ok, maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed.... but well behaved and knows the rules.  Thank you Max!!  And RIP Daddy.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Happy Fat Tuesday

Beyond Masks, Beads, King Cakes, Food, Parades and whatever other Frolicking you would like to imagine…. There is an interesting history about Mardi Gras. Also, a MOST interesting tidbit not mentioned in this, is the fact that our very own midwestern city of St. Louis, MO has one of the most fantastic Mardi Gras parades and celebrations ever!!! This I write from experience :)

In French, "Mardi Gras" literally means "Fat Tuesday," so named because it falls on the day before Ash Wednesday, the last day prior to Lent...a 40-day season of prayer and fasting observed by the Roman Catholic Church (and many other Christian denominations) which ends on Easter Sunday. The origin of "Fat Tuesday" is believed to have come from the ancient Pagan custom of parading a fat ox through the town streets. Such Pagan holidays were filled with excessive eating, drinking and general bawdiness prior to a period of fasting.

Since the modern day Carvinal Season is sandwiched between Christmas and Lent, with Christmas Day being December 25 on the Gregorian Calendar as set by the Roman Catholic Church, this means that other Holy Days are "floating" in nature. Easter always falls on a Sunday, but it can be any Sunday from March 23 through April 25, its actual date being the Sunday which follows the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox. Mardi Gras is always 47 days prior to this alloted Sunday (the 40 days of Lent plus seven Sundays). The beginning of the Carnival Season itself, however, is also fixed...being January 6, which is the Feast of the Ephiphany, otherwise known as Little Christmas or Twelfth Night.

Since the date of Mardi Gras thus varies, the length of the Carnival Season also varies accordingly from year-to-year. The origin of the word "Carvinal" is from the Latin for "farewell to the flesh," a time when one is expected to forego earthly pleasures prior to the restrictions of the Lenten Season, and is thought to be derived from the feasts of the Middle Ages known as carnis levamen or "solace of the flesh."

The first American Mardi Gras was celebrated near modern-day New Orleans on March 3, 1699. It wasn't until the mid-1800s did official parade organizations start to form with the Mystick Krewe of Comus in 1856 and the Krewe of Rex in 1872. The tradition is still carried on in New Orleans with many other krewes represented on floats in a myriad of parades.

The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple (symbolic of justice), green (symbolic of faith) and gold (symbolic of power). The accepted story behind the original selection of these colors originates from 1872 when the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia visited New Orleans. It is said that the Grand Duke came to the city in pursuit of an actress named Lydia Thompson. During his stay, he was given the honor of selecting the official Mardi Gras colors by the Krewe of Rex...thus, did these colors also become the colors of the House of Romanoff. The 1892 Rex Parade theme ("Symbolism of Colors") first gave meaning to the representation of the official Mardi Gras colors. Interestingly, the colors of Mardi Gras influenced the choice of school colors for the Lousiana arch-rival colleges, Louisiana State University and Tulane University. Whe LSU was deciding on its colors, the stores in New Orleans had stocked-up on fabrics of purple, green and gold for the upcoming Mardi Gras Season. LSU, opting for purple and gold, bought a large quantity of the available cloth. Tulane purchased much of the only remaining color...green (Tulane's colors are green and white).

So I bid you Happy Tuesday and…. Laissex Les Bons Temps Rouler!!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Monday... February 1st 2010

Oh my.  What will I do if the groundhog sees his shadow tomorrow???  I will add more MUFAs to my diet.  That's right.... I am on a MUFA kick.  This is the 3rd day and so far so good.  Nuts, seeds, olives, oils, chocolate, it is my kind of diet.  I ate my first portabella (sp?) mushroom burger last night and liked it!  I also tried feta cheese and, you guessed it, I liked it.  I baked a cranberry walnut scone... delicious! 

It won't replace the sun and spring on its way, but hey.... something to focus on!  Happy Groundhog Day!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

FB Help

wow!  over a month since i've posted.  that darn FB is taking up too much of my time.  i am addicted.  its not that i have alot of friends and/or relatives.... i am just so darn nosy i can't stand it.  i have to know.  i have to read everyone's status updates every day!  and photos.... omg.  even if they have hundreds, once i start an album i HAVE to go thru it.  please tell me this is normal.  if not, perhaps set up an intervention for me????