May you have a restful day of treats, naps, and sunbeams!
7 years ago
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Check out this new blog!
Here's a fun, informative new blog created by my dear friend, P.
Piñata
Click HERE to check it out!
(It is also listed in my blog list to the left!)
Piñata
Click HERE to check it out!
(It is also listed in my blog list to the left!)
Friday, February 20, 2009
For Philbert
In December, I had the honor of meeting Philbert, a Pygmy Slow Loris, a type of tiny primate, for a photo shoot. Tame and gentle, he loved affection. He liked it when we rubbed his chin and would tilt his little head and close his eyes in delight.
Sadly, Philbert is no longer with us. He lived a full life for his kind, though, and I know he was well loved. Now he is missed. Thank you, K, for the opportunity to meet this sweet little guy!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
"From you I have been absent . . ."
Wow, it's been a long time.
You might have thought I'd never be back, but here's the sitch. As some of you know, and more of you have probably noticed, I'm a stickler for privacy. That's why you won't see any pictures of me, my family, or any other humans unless 1) they have given me permission to post their pictures, or 2) I don't know who the heck they are (ironic, isn't it?). I hope the blog hasn't been less interesting because of this.
So, I was left with a dilemma. Either keep publishing posts that seem, well, anticlimactic, considering the recent developments within my Little Room (sorry George, but you're no longer the most interesting creature-that-can-fit-into-a-kitchen-cabinet in the house) OR branch into a baby/family blog, which I would love, but which goes against my Cyber-hermit ways. I know I have options, and I'm considering them, and in the meantime, I'll try to make my way back at least periodically. And if you find yourself wondering, "Why doesn't she write about . . . ?" you'll know why.
Oh, and the quote that inspired the title of this blog . . . I HAD NO IDEA how true it could be!
You might have thought I'd never be back, but here's the sitch. As some of you know, and more of you have probably noticed, I'm a stickler for privacy. That's why you won't see any pictures of me, my family, or any other humans unless 1) they have given me permission to post their pictures, or 2) I don't know who the heck they are (ironic, isn't it?). I hope the blog hasn't been less interesting because of this.
So, I was left with a dilemma. Either keep publishing posts that seem, well, anticlimactic, considering the recent developments within my Little Room (sorry George, but you're no longer the most interesting creature-that-can-fit-into-a-kitchen-cabinet in the house) OR branch into a baby/family blog, which I would love, but which goes against my Cyber-hermit ways. I know I have options, and I'm considering them, and in the meantime, I'll try to make my way back at least periodically. And if you find yourself wondering, "Why doesn't she write about . . . ?" you'll know why.
Oh, and the quote that inspired the title of this blog . . . I HAD NO IDEA how true it could be!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Blog Interrupted
Abundant apologies to my faitful readers! Some assurances . . .
1. Yes, I'm still alive.
2. No, I haven't given up on blogging.
3. Yes, I finally have Internet again at home, which will make it slightly easier to post.
And, finally,
4. YES, I have a very good reason for being absent from Cyberspace for so long, which I will elaborate on in my next post!
1. Yes, I'm still alive.
2. No, I haven't given up on blogging.
3. Yes, I finally have Internet again at home, which will make it slightly easier to post.
And, finally,
4. YES, I have a very good reason for being absent from Cyberspace for so long, which I will elaborate on in my next post!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Where have these been all my life?
I just discovered the wonder that is the secret-recipe buttermilk Perkins pancake.
Three on Thursday
Subtitle: My Three Excuses for Not Posting More Often
1. We currently don’t have access to the Internet at home. I feel entirely disconnected, even though I only reluctantly signed on at home, before, because we had dial-up and a quick-check-of-the-weather or a movie-time-lookup would take 20 minutes, at least. Posting full size jpg photo files to any online printing website was out of the question, because it would take 4 hours . . . per picture. Once we return to the 21st century, we’ll have high-speed. I imagine we’ll have to have a hole carved into our cave wall for the cables.
2. I just started a new job in a different department within the same company – a promotion, thank goodness. When I applied for the position, I was simply hoping for a job I wouldn’t hate as much as the old one. I’ve only been in the job for four days so far, officially anyway, and I’m still training, but I am SO happy to have left my old job. This is something I might actually . . . dare I say . . . like! And every day, my ex-coworkers still manage to make me more and more glad I left. As Cartman might say . . . “Screw you guys, I’m going to Accounting.” Let them eat my dust.
3. Because of #1, I can only access the Internet on my lunch hour or in quick sneaks (like this one). Because of #2, my brain is so fried from training by lunch time, I need to get away from my desk, and I’m so busy, I rarely have time for sneaks. Plus, I’d hate to get fired.
I do have posts in my head, though, so I’m hoping once the dust settles, they’ll find their way to the blog. In the meantime, patient readers, bear with me!
1. We currently don’t have access to the Internet at home. I feel entirely disconnected, even though I only reluctantly signed on at home, before, because we had dial-up and a quick-check-of-the-weather or a movie-time-lookup would take 20 minutes, at least. Posting full size jpg photo files to any online printing website was out of the question, because it would take 4 hours . . . per picture. Once we return to the 21st century, we’ll have high-speed. I imagine we’ll have to have a hole carved into our cave wall for the cables.
2. I just started a new job in a different department within the same company – a promotion, thank goodness. When I applied for the position, I was simply hoping for a job I wouldn’t hate as much as the old one. I’ve only been in the job for four days so far, officially anyway, and I’m still training, but I am SO happy to have left my old job. This is something I might actually . . . dare I say . . . like! And every day, my ex-coworkers still manage to make me more and more glad I left. As Cartman might say . . . “Screw you guys, I’m going to Accounting.” Let them eat my dust.
3. Because of #1, I can only access the Internet on my lunch hour or in quick sneaks (like this one). Because of #2, my brain is so fried from training by lunch time, I need to get away from my desk, and I’m so busy, I rarely have time for sneaks. Plus, I’d hate to get fired.
I do have posts in my head, though, so I’m hoping once the dust settles, they’ll find their way to the blog. In the meantime, patient readers, bear with me!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Torta di Arancia
My father-in-law's birthday was at the beginning of April, and my thoughtful husband wanted to make him a cake that would remind him of the orange cake that his mother used to make him. The result was this, Torta di Arancia (Italian Orange Cake), from a recipe found online and modified only slightly from the original. It was a hit!
Italian Orange Cake (Torta di Arancia)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons finely ground almonds
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
Grated peel of 2 oranges
1/2 cup orange marmalade
Honey-orange glaze (see recipe below)
Brush a 9- or 10-inch Bundt pan with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with ground almonds. Set aside. Cream remaining 1 cup butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cream. Stir in vanilla and orange peel. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven about 1 hour, or until lightly golden and wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Invert onto cake plate. Brush cake with orange marmalade. Spoon honey-orange glaze over cooled cake. Yield: 16 servings.
HONEY-ORANGE GLAZE:
1/2 cup orange juice, strained
1/2 cup honey
Combine orange juice and honey in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring once or twice, until honey is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Spoon over cooled orange cake. Yield: About 1 cup.
We sliced the oranges we had used for the zest and used them to decorate the plate.
Experimenting last weekend for Easter dinner with my family, I used the batter recipe to make a pineapple upside-down cake. I omitted the zest and added a bit of the pineapple juice from draining the can. I used 2 cups of brown sugar and one can of pineapple chunks (I don't like to use rings, because they make it harder to eat!). It was a large cake, so I would probably cut the recipe in half next time, and I would add cinnamon to the brown sugar. If there are any expert pineapple upside-down cake bakers out there, I'd love some tips!
Friday, March 23, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Invasion
First, there came the scout flakes.
Then, the colonist ships arrived.
Then, the Mothership landed.
Friday, February 02, 2007
ABC tagged by P
A - Available or single: Happily Married
B - Best friends: S and P!
C - Cake or pie: BROWNIES! (duh!)
D - Drink of choice: Water (yep. . . always! Ha ha)
E - Essential item you use everyday: lots and lots of soap
F - Favorite color: navy blue, but burgundy is almost up there
G- Gummy bears or worms: Bears!
H - Hometown: Stow
I- Indulgence: Chocolate chip cookies hot from the oven and a big glass of milk
J - January or February: February, this year at least! Birthdays and heart cookies!
K - Kids & names: Same as P here, no kids, but some names!
L- Life is incomplete without? Dogs and books. (Okay, and George, too.)
M- Marriage date: September 17
N- Number of siblings: 1
O- Oranges or apples: Oranges most of the time – Apples in the fall (again, right on P!)
P- Phobias or fears: Staircases. I’m not kidding.
Q- Fave quote: The one at the top of this blog.
R - Reasons to smile: Too many to mention! That’s what this blog is all about!
S - Season: Fall
T - Tag: B and M
U - Unknown fact about me: Unknown to some – I want to be a computer animator when I grow up.
V- Vegetable you don't like: Turnip greens. Does that count?
W - Worst habit: Not eating fish.
X - Xrays: Oh my . . . teeth, back, lungs . . . what haven’t I had x-rayed?
Y - Your fave food: Kibbie!
Z- Zodiac sign: Cancer
B - Best friends: S and P!
C - Cake or pie: BROWNIES! (duh!)
D - Drink of choice: Water (yep. . . always! Ha ha)
E - Essential item you use everyday: lots and lots of soap
F - Favorite color: navy blue, but burgundy is almost up there
G- Gummy bears or worms: Bears!
H - Hometown: Stow
I- Indulgence: Chocolate chip cookies hot from the oven and a big glass of milk
J - January or February: February, this year at least! Birthdays and heart cookies!
K - Kids & names: Same as P here, no kids, but some names!
L- Life is incomplete without? Dogs and books. (Okay, and George, too.)
M- Marriage date: September 17
N- Number of siblings: 1
O- Oranges or apples: Oranges most of the time – Apples in the fall (again, right on P!)
P- Phobias or fears: Staircases. I’m not kidding.
Q- Fave quote: The one at the top of this blog.
R - Reasons to smile: Too many to mention! That’s what this blog is all about!
S - Season: Fall
T - Tag: B and M
U - Unknown fact about me: Unknown to some – I want to be a computer animator when I grow up.
V- Vegetable you don't like: Turnip greens. Does that count?
W - Worst habit: Not eating fish.
X - Xrays: Oh my . . . teeth, back, lungs . . . what haven’t I had x-rayed?
Y - Your fave food: Kibbie!
Z- Zodiac sign: Cancer
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Sunday Science Hour
As S and I were leaving the restaurant after breakfast Sunday morning, we found some dry ice in the parking lot. It had apparently been used for a delivery and had beed discarded.
We took it, of course. How could we resist?
It provided a good hour of science fun in our kitchen.
We took it, of course. How could we resist?
It provided a good hour of science fun in our kitchen.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
A Belated Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all!
Once again, I was holding out until I upload my holiday pictures for a new post (these things MUST happen in order, after all!), but I figured I'd better post something so I don't lose any faithful readers.
Faithful readers? Hello . . . Hello?
Once again, I was holding out until I upload my holiday pictures for a new post (these things MUST happen in order, after all!), but I figured I'd better post something so I don't lose any faithful readers.
Faithful readers? Hello . . . Hello?
Monday, December 11, 2006
A Lovely, Snowy, Christmassy Weekend
I’m back at work today after a wonderful four-day weekend. I took last Thursday and Friday off to spend time doing Christmassy things and get some random stuff done.
It was so nice.
On Thursday we woke up to heavy snow. I managed to get myself out of bed and out the door for my follow-up chest x-ray (to make sure none of the pneumonia from a month ago remains). Nikki was excited that I was home, and she insisted on going with me, despite my warnings that if my x-ray took a long time, she’d be cold in the car. She didn’t care, and there was no way she was staying home. So, off we went in the snow. Roads were snow-covered but manageable, but visibility came and went with the wind. Large flakes were falling with a vengeance when I parked and went into the lab, and as I signed in, I was struck with the view from the open and airy reception area: a winter wonderland through enormous windows spanning the front of the building. Christmas music was playing softly, the waiting room was empty, and I wondered for a moment if it was actually pleasant working there at that moment. My x-ray only took 15 minutes, so Nikki was spared the chill. When I left, the snow had slowed to a very light flurry, so I stopped somewhere on my way home to pick up a couple Christmas gifts. It was a blizzard again by the time I left, so I thought I’d better quit while I was ahead and turn for home. When I got closer to my house, the snow was lighter again, and I ran a bunch more errands. The whole time, Nikki and I listened to Christmas music . . . and I sang along.
Later, I turned the tree lights on, listened to Christmas music, and worked on Christmas cards. Our afternoon trip to the vet was less adventurous for Nikki and me, as it had stopped snowing altogether by then, but Nikki was very happy to return home from that particular trip. The snow started up again when it was time for S and me to go to dinner with some family, but it was worth the drive.
Friday, I spent a fun day Christmas shopping with my sister-in-law and got several things crossed off my gift list. S and I went to dinner with my brother, and then we visited with him at his fine apartment. Saturday, after having nothing but difficulty finding online the gifts I decided to get for our niece and nephew, I took a quick trip to Toys R Us. It was amazing how fast I was in and out of there. The store was PACKED with Christmas toy shoppers, many yelling over the din on their cell phones, “Was it the red one with the ‘mystic speeder’ or the one with the ‘deluxe dragon mobile’?” I went in knowing exactly what I wanted, and that helped me get out of there in less than an hour. After that, I headed off with my family to visit some friends for a delicious meal and happy company.
Sunday, it was pancakes for breakfast and Thai for lunch, then I got a massage (ahhhhh . . .) and we went grocery shopping. George found one of his Christmas gifts and was angry when I told him he had to wait until Christmas to play with it.
Really, the only thing I have left is the wrapping. I save it up so I can put on A Christmas Story or Christmas Vacation and wrap all the gifts at once. I’m sure George will be helping me.
Thanks to the long weekend, I’m feeling relaxed and settled for Christmas. Each evening I can go home to our warm and cozy house, light the tree, and put on Christmas carols. George can take up his favorite spot under the tree where he is the picture of Christmas peace, a soft kitty lit dimly by the white lights on the branches above him, snoozing away.
Right now, though, I’m back at work watching the minute hand and remembering how wonderful it was to not be here!
It was so nice.
On Thursday we woke up to heavy snow. I managed to get myself out of bed and out the door for my follow-up chest x-ray (to make sure none of the pneumonia from a month ago remains). Nikki was excited that I was home, and she insisted on going with me, despite my warnings that if my x-ray took a long time, she’d be cold in the car. She didn’t care, and there was no way she was staying home. So, off we went in the snow. Roads were snow-covered but manageable, but visibility came and went with the wind. Large flakes were falling with a vengeance when I parked and went into the lab, and as I signed in, I was struck with the view from the open and airy reception area: a winter wonderland through enormous windows spanning the front of the building. Christmas music was playing softly, the waiting room was empty, and I wondered for a moment if it was actually pleasant working there at that moment. My x-ray only took 15 minutes, so Nikki was spared the chill. When I left, the snow had slowed to a very light flurry, so I stopped somewhere on my way home to pick up a couple Christmas gifts. It was a blizzard again by the time I left, so I thought I’d better quit while I was ahead and turn for home. When I got closer to my house, the snow was lighter again, and I ran a bunch more errands. The whole time, Nikki and I listened to Christmas music . . . and I sang along.
Later, I turned the tree lights on, listened to Christmas music, and worked on Christmas cards. Our afternoon trip to the vet was less adventurous for Nikki and me, as it had stopped snowing altogether by then, but Nikki was very happy to return home from that particular trip. The snow started up again when it was time for S and me to go to dinner with some family, but it was worth the drive.
Friday, I spent a fun day Christmas shopping with my sister-in-law and got several things crossed off my gift list. S and I went to dinner with my brother, and then we visited with him at his fine apartment. Saturday, after having nothing but difficulty finding online the gifts I decided to get for our niece and nephew, I took a quick trip to Toys R Us. It was amazing how fast I was in and out of there. The store was PACKED with Christmas toy shoppers, many yelling over the din on their cell phones, “Was it the red one with the ‘mystic speeder’ or the one with the ‘deluxe dragon mobile’?” I went in knowing exactly what I wanted, and that helped me get out of there in less than an hour. After that, I headed off with my family to visit some friends for a delicious meal and happy company.
Sunday, it was pancakes for breakfast and Thai for lunch, then I got a massage (ahhhhh . . .) and we went grocery shopping. George found one of his Christmas gifts and was angry when I told him he had to wait until Christmas to play with it.
Really, the only thing I have left is the wrapping. I save it up so I can put on A Christmas Story or Christmas Vacation and wrap all the gifts at once. I’m sure George will be helping me.
Thanks to the long weekend, I’m feeling relaxed and settled for Christmas. Each evening I can go home to our warm and cozy house, light the tree, and put on Christmas carols. George can take up his favorite spot under the tree where he is the picture of Christmas peace, a soft kitty lit dimly by the white lights on the branches above him, snoozing away.
Right now, though, I’m back at work watching the minute hand and remembering how wonderful it was to not be here!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Thank You Ohio!
Here's something I'm thankful for...
Starting December 7, "all enclosed public spaces and workplaces" will be smoke free!
Having just been through a bout with pneumonia most likely brought on by four hours spent in a cigarette-smoke-filled room back in mid-October (I should have known better, but it seemed like an important function at the time, and it was the only way to be there), I couldn't be happier about the passage of Issue 5. Thankfully, before I was house-bound for a week and a half, including election day, I voted absentee, and Issue 5 was The Issue for me. The fact that it passed makes me think that there are plenty of people in Ohio like me who are just sick of cigarette smoke altogether. We wanted this, and now we finally have it. We just needed a chance to make it happen.
It's like Christmas came early this year. No more choosing places based on how smoky they are. No more turning down invitations because going would make me miserable. No more picking clothes based on how smoky my destination will be. Hallelujah - it's a new freedom!
Now . . . I can go anywhere . . .
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
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