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Easy to gift
Posted by doggonedmysteries
G and I buy a ten-dollar or less, gift for each other every year. We’ve done this for over thirty years. She’s never once failed to come up with something I love.
This year G told me I was difficult to buy a gift for, who me? I’m easy. There are many things I appreciate and enjoy. For a few years, she got me a Borders gift card each holiday. That little sucker would burn a hole in my pocket until I could get to the store.
G was trying hard to think of a different gift to give me when it dawned on her that buying me some sushi would be perfect. Only a best friend would think of buying sushi as a gift. She knows I love sushi and that I rarely get it.
She’s often been with me as I drooled over the case of freshly made sushi in the grocery store. I’ve bought some for us to eat on the way home many times. On rare occasions, she and I have treated ourselves to the finest of sushi in our favorite Asian restaurant, Bamboo.
She brought over a gift-wrapped sampler platter of sushi yesterday afternoon. I enjoyed it. Nommy nom nom.
Posted in Holidays
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Food of the Gods
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Yes, it is chocolate. I always have some in the house. I blame my Grandmother. She was a true chocoholic. She taught me the joys of dark chocolate.
A few days ago, I was in a grocery store and spotted an irresistible display. They had a sale on Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie mixes. It was a two for the price of one sale. I’d never tried them because I no longer do much in the way of baking—don’t need the extra calories. I read the back of the box and I bought two, one of their ultimate dark chocolate brownie mix and the other their dark chocolate brownie mix. I would’ve bought more if they hadn’t been out of the turtle ones. There wasn’t a single box of those left.
Last night I made the dark chocolate brownies. They were so good they were very nearly orgasmic. I hope they have more mixes when I go back to the store. I intend to keep a box or two on hand for when a chocolate crave hits me, or if I have drop in company.
DH was in heaven when I served them up still warm from the oven for dessert with fresh coffee.
Posted in Food
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Chocoholism, Chocolate, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Dogs and the theory of levitation
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Gavin and Patty will always try to mooch food. DH was munching some cinnamon toast this morning and both dogs stood in front of him. All the while he ate they never took their eyes off him. Their concentration was so intense I swear they were trying to levitate the toast from the plate to their mouths.
“Abracadabra!” Said Gavin. “To me, to me, come to me.”
“No, no! Alakazam, it’s mine.” Patty moved in tighter.
Each time DH lifted his toast to take a bite both tails would wag, more drool would drip, and four dark eyes never wavered. If from my desk I called their names, I received no response. The toast, oh, the marvelous toast, all slathered in butter and covered in cinnamon sugar drew their attention to the exclusion of all else.
DH saved them each a small piece and they gulped them down with joy. Let’s not tell them that they don’t know the theory of levitation.
Posted in Dog related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Hooked on DIY Network
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Now that my TV gets it, I’ve become hooked on the DIY network. It’s my late night background noise while I write. Although at times, it does drag me away from the computer because it catches my interest.
DH and I had many plans of what we wanted to do with this house. Only one ever came to fruition and that was the pond. Maybe if we’d known sooner that his MS was going to kick his ass we would’ve jumped on those projects.
Now, instead I drool over ideas and projects I see on the show. A deck or patio? Oh, yes that would be nice. To see the kitchen and front bedroom stripped of wood paneling and neatly wall boarded and freshly painted? A pipe dream.
If any of those hosts want to come in here and do the work (free of charge) I’d let them. Tap, tap, tap…is thing on? Can you hear me out there?
Posted in Favorite TV shows
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, DIY, Do it yourself, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Home and Garden, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Television, Writer, Writing
Nursing homes plunder and pillage and the Government lets them
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The nursing home wants DH to sign his mother’s assets over to them today even though her insurance hasn’t run out yet. Yes, now they’ll be able to loot her checking and savings accounts with impunity. Once they’ve cleaned out every dime, they’ll appropriate the house. Meanwhile, we still have to pay her bills.
The Government doesn’t give a damn. The fleecing of the elderly and their families happens daily. Senators and congressional representatives have their own insurance and they don’t pay into Medicare. When it comes to medical or nursing home care, their families have no worries. The Government pays for it.
Unfortunately, we baby boomers are aging and most of our parents are either dead or elderly. Short of hitting the lottery, I see no help for any of us who are in the middle class. We will have nothing to pass on. We will lose our homes, savings, and worst of all we’ll lose our dignity.
Our Government is telling us to spend, spend, and spend some more to stimulate the economy. Well, they certainly do spend and the problem is what they spend it on isn’t it? Please take care of things at home and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
The Marie Antoinette ‘let them eat cake’ attitude is alive and well down there in DC. How many of them have to worry about the cost of necessary medications and then walk out of the pharmacy without them so they have enough money for food?
They should walk in our shoes for a while and then let’s see how many tell us to go spend money that we don’t have.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Home, Life, Love, Medicare, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Nursing home, Old age, Writer, Writing
I wonder, do Koi get the sniffles?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It seems that pond heaters, when used hard in very cold weather, have a two-year lifespan. I have to replace ours this winter. It isn’t heating well. Without a heater in the pond, our lovely Koi won’t last through the winter. I was glad to find them on Amazon and ordered two so I had a spare just in case.
So far, we’ve been lucky with the old heater managing to limp along. The pond hasn’t frozen over completely yet. Sunday we’re supposed to have a day in the fifties with rain. However, the temperatures will take another dive after that. I hope the old heater survives until the new ones arrive.
I also hope the Koi stay healthy in the meantime.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardens, Home, Home and Garden, Koi, Koi pond, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Water garden, Writer, Writing
We don’t live in a fantasy world
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Have you ever seen some small thing that you coveted? I did last night. The local meteorologist had a jacket on that I immediately fell in love with. As my five regular readers know, I am not a fashionista, but this jacket really caught my eye. It’s perfect for dressy and casual wear. I was ready to kill to know where she got it. Yes, I wanted the jacket that bad.
Then, as I searched the web for one like it, I began to rationalize. With my luck, the jacket would look like crap on me and I’d have to return it. Therefore, I say that it’s better to dream than to have reality slap you in the face over something so trivial.
Is it no wonder that fantasy games are so popular? They suspend reality and that’s something we all need occasionally.
Yes, I said occasionally. If you spend more than an hour or two a day playing games, you need a dose of reality. You do have to put those things down, suck it up, and step out into the real world more often.
Did I ever find the jacket? Nope, but that’s okay I really don’t need it.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
A quick recovery
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Gavin is feeling terrific today. He’s been driving Patty and us crazy. He’s even begged for and eaten cookies all day. I think we can stop his pain pills now.
Last night he was back to his old self, screaming for his dinner. He was HUNGRY! His remaining teeth are nice and clean and he’s even been chewing on his favorite Nylabone. Dogs are lucky in this way.
Last time I had a tooth pulled I didn’t bounce back fast. I sipped liquids for over two weeks and pain pills were my best friends.
Did I chew on anything harder than bread for at least two weeks? No way in hell.
Posted in Dog related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Almost toothless Chicken Dog
Posted by doggonedmysteries
No, I’m kidding. Although Gavin did have three teeth removed, he is far from toothless. Our vet was surprised since he only expected to remove one. He removed the one we knew was bad and another next to it. Then while he was cleaning the rest, he discovered a bad cavity on the other side and removed that tooth too.
First thing Patty wanted to do was jump all over him. It’s a good thing he was in his crate before we let her see he was home. She drove him crazy for a while bowing and barking at him through the crate door. However, he soon began to snore content to be home and in his own little den.
Tonight I’ve been alternating between cuddling a still whiny dog (the sissy), taking him out, and putting him in his crate to continue to sleep off the anesthesia. .
Since I rarely go to bed before four in the morning, I stayed up to take him over at eight. We made it in the door and easily weighed him. Then the tech came out with the hospital lead to take him to the back. I offered to do it but she said she could handle it and I could leave. I know my Chicken Dog, so I chuckled as I walked outside. I didn’t leave instead I stood where he couldn’t see me and peered in the window.
A couple of minutes passed and I didn’t see the tech hauling him across the slippery floor. Next thing I know another tech came to the door and asked me to come back in. There was Chicken Dog Gavin backed under a chair and not coming out, no sirree not him, not for anyone. He’d managed to back under the entire row of chairs like a rocket in reverse. The techs were giggling about that.
As soon as my hand touched the lead, he obediently followed to the back room and the waiting cage. I had him in the cage and locked down in mere seconds. Oh, yeah that one is a Momma’s boy for sure.
Posted in Dog related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
The death of a theater?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I finally had a chance to see the new Harry Potter movie. The time went quickly G and I quite enjoyed it and can’t wait for the final one.
Our favorite theater will likely close one of these days. We practically had the place to ourselves. We were two of six people at the show. The attendance is bad enough that they canceled the early matinee, which we had arrived to see, and we had to go kill some time before the next show.
That also meant we didn’t get home until after seven tonight so DH had a late dinner. However, he did feed the dogs so Gavin got a meal before his seven p.m. no-food-after instructions for his tooth extraction kicked in. The poor boy will shrivel up and die without his breakfast in the morning. I wouldn’t want to be the techs at the vet’s when he wakes up hungry. He will let them know all about it.
Posted in Dog related, Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Windy and cold
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s been the most blustery year we’ve ever had here. We had wind all summer and now more wind to drop the already cold temperatures into the cellar, so to speak. Baby, it’s cold outside is no joke around here.
Gavin and Patty are choosing to stay inside until they absolutely MUST go out. No, I’m not complaining one bit about that. I prefer staying warm. The Jacket I bought a few weeks ago has helped a lot I didn’t realize how much cold my old jacket let through.
We’ve not had any real snow other than the one storm we had come through several weeks ago. That snow was gone by evening. We have had light snow showers that don’t seem to make it to the ground. I’m good with that.
With wind chills in the low twenties, I’m cooking more stick to the ribs type meals too. This makes DH very happy.
Cold weather to me means soup weather. I am the soup lover in the house but he’s beginning to enjoy them more as long as they’re home made. He actually asked when I was going to make my scallop bisque again.
Posted in Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Wind chill, Writer, Writing
No, I’m not a holly jolly person
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I haven’t been reading lately. I have three books sitting here with bookmarks in them at various stages. There’s another stack sitting on an end table waiting too. You would think with the cold weather settling in that I could find some time to curl up in my comfy chair and read.
However, this is not the case. The same goes for the writing, it’s not moving forward as fast as I’d like it to. Nope, it’s stalled. The mind boggles or rather, is boggled, bogged down, over worked, over stressed, and over tired.
I’ve tried all my usual jump-start techniques to no avail. My muse needs her ass kicked or something.
Then again, it could be the holidays. They always fill me with a Bah Humbug attitude. They have for many years. This is NOT my favorite time of the year. No sirree, when you are feeling all holly jolly I’d rather ignore the whole month.
Posted in Holidays, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing



