Blog Archives
The Idas
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Hurricane Ida is throwing a lot of wind our way. It hasn’t rained much although it’s been overcast for days. It did begin to rain a bit around 3 a.m. though. How do I know this? Because the pups wanted to go out. Not a peep out of them all night until it began to rain.
Hurricane Ida is feisty and makes me think of another Ida I knew. She lived with us. She had white hair, wore glasses, was under five feet tall, and was almost as round as she was tall. Ida was a lively woman who loved to walk. She could walk all of us grandkids into the ground on any given day. She learned to do the twist when she was in her seventies.
Oh, that woman could bake! The cookie jar was always full and the house was scented with baked goods for as long as I can remember. My baby sister loved peanut butter cookies and she often made them for her. I loved her chocolate drop cookies, oatmeal and raisin, and Snickerdoodles. She had a true weakness for chocolate, dark chocolate being her favorite. I know she passed that obsession on to me.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
For what are you thankful?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I promised Dave, that sometime this month I’d do a post on what we are thankful for, so here goes.
I’m thankful for every moment with my Dear Hubby, the love of my life, may we have many more years ahead of us. I’m thankful that I’m healthy. I’m thankful that we have a roof over our heads, our mortgage is paid, and we have food on the table. I’m thankful for the love of two silly dogs.
I’m thankful for the love and support of my wonderful Aunts and Cousins. Have I told you all lately how much I love you?
I’m thankful for all my wonderful friends who never fail to lift my spirits. I love you guys too.
I’m thankful to be able to follow my own path in life.
I’m thankful to be who I am, all I’ve experienced—the good and the bad, who touched me, who I’ve touched, and for those who have gone before me. I’m thankful for the joys of living and the lessons of loss and grief.
I’m thankful for the people who take time out of their day to read what I write here.
Posted in Holidays, Misc, My books, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Food, gifts, happy, Home, Humor, joys, lessons learned, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Thankful, Thansgiving, Writer, Writing
You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your relatives.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Some family holiday meals are as pleasant as playing with an angry grizzly bear. We don’t do them any more. Instead, Dear Hubby and I enjoy a quiet meal at home without having to endure in laws or out laws. We don’t go away for the holidays.
For some reason, at certain of these ‘holiday meals,’ Dear Hubby and I found ourselves seated at the children’s table. Two children sat at the adult’s table because they’d raised a fuss over having to sit with their peers. We didn’t have kids, we were well over twenty one, but there we were at the kiddies’ table. (Not a smart thing to do with us.)
I guessed it was some perverse torture set up by the parents of the spoiled brats…um children. Therefore, we became the ringleaders of mischief. Do not leave us to our own devices…you WILL pay. DH’s specialty is food fights. He is very subtle and no one has any idea how these battles begin—well, I do but no one else does.
I specialize in telling bad fart jokes or engaging in other antics that will make milk come out of a child’s nose. (I warned them not to seat us there.)
Posted in Food, Holidays, My books, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Holiday meals, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
What foods do you crave when the seasons change?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I find my cravings change with the seasons. Right now, in the fall, I begin to crave vegetable laden soups and stews, crisp tart apples and apple cider, herb teas, pecan and pumpkin pies, and acorn squash. Dear Hubby wants slow cooked beef and pork roasts with mashed potatoes and carrots or corn. He wants apple crisp, bread pudding, and rice pudding with raisins all still warm from the oven.
My father would make a wonderful turkey soup after Thanksgiving. He’d boil down the turkey carcass, put in everything but the kitchen sink, and never wrote the darned thing down, he died in 1995. I’d almost perfected his recipe after years of trial and error when DH decided he no longer liked turkey. That was the end of that. Now I make chicken soup with a PA Dutch flair.
DH’s mother used to make one thing very well. She made an applesauce cake to die for however, she no longer bakes. No matter how often DH asks for it I won’t make her cake. Why? Because no matter how good it is, it can never compare to the memory of his mother’s.
It is fall, and I still crave Dad’s soup. DH still craves his mother’s applesauce cake. What foods do you crave when the seasons change?
Posted in Food, Holidays, Misc, My blog
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Fall, Family, Fiction, Food, Holidays, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
16 lbs of candy and a ton of smiles
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It was interesting to see which costumes were popular among the Trick or Treaters this year. We had a great many firemen and a few other super heroes among the boys. There were more pirate wenches than there were pirates. The girls that visited brought more variety, dressing as vampires, witches, fairies, fairy princesses, princesses, and the pirate wenches I mentioned before.
We seldom had a lull. At times, the line of T or T’ers stretched for a block. At other times, they came from two directions. All of the children were polite and said thank you. Wow, was that delightful.
We played music and had plenty of flashing lights, which contributed to several impromptu dance parties in the street. (It’s a good thing we’re on a side street and not a main street.) I even handed candy out to some people who drove by and commented on our display. All the smiles, children’s and adults’ that we saw Friday night were priceless.
Posted in Food, Holidays, My blog
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, fun, Halloween, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Trick or Treat, Writer, Writing
This is why I enjoy Trick or Treat night
Posted by doggonedmysteries
These pictures are only a few of the people who came by. We had so many Trick or Treaters that we finally gave up on taking pictures. We went through 16 lbs of candy this year. We all had a blast.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Candy, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, fun, Halloween, Holidays, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Trick or Treat, Writer, Writing
Halloween break 2009
Posted by doggonedmysteries
This is my ‘see you in two days’ post. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be busy getting ready for Friday’s festivities. I’ll be back on Saturday with pictures of our fun. I’m hoping to snap plenty of pictures of the little monsters who show up at our porch. That all depends on fast they come through though. Last year we had so many large groups arrive, I never got a chance to take pictures of them.
You try taking pictures when you have to work the fog machine and hand out candy at the same time. We did have fun though. Maybe if I beg Dear Hubby enough he’ll be willing to snap a few pictures.
Have fun! Many thanks to you for stopping by. For those of you who take the time to comment on my posts, I am grateful.
Posted in My blog
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, fun, Halloween, Holidays, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Trick or Treat, Writer, Writing
Trick or Treat night is almost here
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I need to buy more candy this week I don’t have near enough for the hordes. Thursday I’ll make a big pan of lasagna (in my brand new pan gifted to me by a very dear friend.) Then on Friday night, all I’ll have to do is heat it up after the children have finished. It saves me time.
I supply the garlic bread. G is bringing over a pumpkin swirl cheesecake that is to die for and I have a weakness for cheesecakes. The pumpkin swirl is one of her best. I know this because whenever she makes a cheesecake she brings me samples.
While the lasagna is cooking Thursday night, I might carve a pumpkin or two if I can the size I like. I haven’t seen many good ones yet. Most of them are too short, too small, or too thin. Yes, I’m picky.
Friday G and I will spend the day decorating the porch—a haunted house theme this year. We’ll get our exercise going up two flights of stairs to the attic to haul all the decorations down. It’s going to take several trips.
Posted in Holidays
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Candy, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, fun, Halloween, Holidays, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Trick or Treat, Writer, Writing
That’s a wrap…for this week.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s been a long week. In the last two days, the weather improved drastically. We had a temperature of 75 degrees today and plenty of sunshine. Whoopee!
I now have a working oven light. Another whoopee! I no longer have to use a flashlight to check on things cooking in there. My next door neighbor’s dear son came in today and was able to remove the end of the broken bulb. Thank goodness for tall people with long arms!
Dear Hubby is feeling much better since the oral surgeon removed the stitches. In addition, I realized I haven’t heard him complain of a headache since the removal of those broken teeth. That one deserves a big yippee!
The pups are happy and healthy. {Knock on wood there.} I posted a new picture of Patty in the Bull Pen, and if you scroll down a few posts, you’ll see Waldo the owl.
I managed to finish another chapter in my book without going postal.
My kitchen is clean and I did some yard work today. I do need to figure out how to plug the hose for the little gargoyle fountain since I’m worried that he might freeze and crack over the winter. I’ll be bringing him in with all the other garden statuary until spring rolls around again.
Posted in My blog, My books, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Food, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pets, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
Doggoned Green Tomato Pie
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Doggoned Green Tomato Pie
3 ½ c. peeled and sliced green tomatoes
¼ to ½ cup of golden raisins (optional)
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
6 tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
¼ C lt. brown sugar
3 tbsp. flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cloves
1 tsp instant tapioca
Sauté the tomatoes in the butter and lemon juice until just tender. Combine tomatoes with sugar, flour, salt, tapioca, and spices. Line 9″ pie pan with pastry, pour in filling, and cover with top crust. Snip a couple of vent holes in top crust. Bake at 450 degrees 10 minutes then reduce to 350 degrees and bake until crust is brown–approximately 35-40 minutes.
Posted in Food
Tags: Author, baked goods, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Desserts, Disability, Doggoned, Fall Desserts, Fall Recipes, Family, Fiction, Food, Gardening, Gardens, Green Tomato Pie, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, recipes, Writer, Writing
Chocolate is brain food
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Okay, that may not necessarily be true, but it works for me. I inherited the chocolate loving gene from my grandmother. I don’t eat so much of it as to gain weight I eat only a little each day. I can claim chocolate as part of the vegetable food group, can’t I? It comes from a bean…. Vegetable. It relaxes me, it helps me think, and I love it.
( Hey, Jennie, tonight I finished that dark chocolate bar you sent. It was yummy!)
Hmm. Therefore, if I follow that same form of logic as is found in the first paragraph, it means that coffee is vegetable juice. Oh, goody. I’ll tell that one to Dear Hubby’s doctor, it will crack him up for sure.
I drink gallons of coffee. Ask Dave he’ll tell you how I carry coffee with me at all times. When I visit the Aunts, I phone them from down the road a piece from the house and ask them if they have the coffee on. They always do.
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Chocolate, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, gifts, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Friday post mortem
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I stopped in at Borders today for a little ME time. Remember yesterday’s post? Wouldn’t you know it, a mere two doors down from Borders they are opening a Spirit Halloween store. I can’t wait for it to open. They always have great props and costumes.
At the pet store, (I had to get dog food) I almost bought two Halloween hats for the pups. One was a witch’s hat with green hair attached and the other was a pirate hat with black hair. I might go back for them, the only thing stopping me is the pups,—these two don’t like to wear things, unlike previous Bull Terriers.
After the pet store, I picked up a few groceries. I’ve never had to dodge so many misguided carts and stopped in the middle of the aisle people than I did today. People who completely block an aisle and remain oblivious to the fact that other people would like to get past them make me crazy. I hate grocery shopping. I want to get in, get what I need, and get the heck outta there.
I grit my teeth, I smile, I say, ”Excuse me.”
They stare at the shelves.
I smile again and speak louder, ”Excuse me. Helloooo.” I wave my arms to get their attention. “Yoohoo.”
Finally, it sinks in they look at me and say, “Oh, am I in your way?”
“Heaven’s no. My cart has hover capabilities and I can fly it right over yours.” ACK!
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Food, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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