And Just Like THAT!

 I think this was the fastest month in history!  It's already the last day of February and winter seems to have slipped out the back door.  Oh wait ... that's Yuma!!  WE are looking at a very close variance of 60 degree days and 50 degree nights.  Not bad ... except for four days of rain!

That's when I heard it.  Drip drip drip.  I wasn't worried because it's not raining, but it means I've got a leaky faucet.  Every one in this house is a Delta ... and they don't last at all.  Trouble is, which part do I get?  I had a few minutes to spare before I headed out to get my machine repaired.

As I searched the internet, I got nothing.  I finally found the Delta site and tried talking to their computer.  It was like talking to a wall.  I don't know how I found Frank B.  We narrowed it down to two cartridges.  Why it depended on the color of the supply lines, I've no idea.  

And JUST LIKE THAT ... I was late for my takeoff to the repair shop, which was exceedingly more important!!  As I ran out the door I read the part number.  SUCCESS!!  A big thank you to Frank B.  I sent him three big red hearts as I dashed out the door.

There's nothing like heading out on the freeway at 7:30 in the morning.  There was an instant traffic jam.  Luckily most folks were going 85-90, so I could cruise along at the speed limit of 70 mph.  I arrived five minutes early ... and the door was OPEN.  That's a miracle.  Most places don't open their doors until the very second of the hour.

August took my machine in as we talked about how OLD it is.  Gosh ... I think I bought it in 2013?  I mean really, I still have my Singer sewing machine from 1963 and it still WORKS!  Are they not expected to last that long?  Well no ... they come out with a new model every couple of years, the price of which has escalated to a whopping $17,000.  Are you kidding me?  Of course upgrading the software on these things is the name of the game, and anything that old is no longer available.  Lucky for me, they still have the program upgrade from 4 years ago.

I went and sat down for the long wait.  I was extremely distracted by the pretty colors.  It didn't help that the second I walked in the door, they said WELCOME ... EVERYTHING IS 30% OFF!

I had a headache from the traffic, so I opted for a chair and a cup of coffee.  Wow ... these guys know how to make coffee!  And SNACKS!!  What could be better ... French Vanilla and Popcorn!!

The lure of the fabric was too much.  I jumped in my truck and headed over to the Elks Lodge that I never knew existed.  Although I'm sure it's noisy from all the traffic, it's on a side street and even has RV parking.  Next time I'll bring the van!!

As I drove along, I noticed all the fast food places now available.  Since it was close to noon ... not really, but what else did I have to do ... I got a BOWL of Panda Express for $8.50.  It was HUGE and way too much food.  

Back at the store, I waited some more.  The pretty colors finally got to me.  I've wanted to make this Beth Dutton Yellowstone quilt for a long time, but did not have a pattern.  While perusing the internet, I actually found a picture that showed the block size.  

That brought on an hour of calculating the fabric required.  I'm sure they won't have any, but maybe I'll just take a quick look see.

Well looky here!!  I found both the red and the black.  Sadly, they did not have the gray.  Gee, there's a Hobby Lobby right down the street.  Not bad ... not bad at all.  And it was all 30% OFF!!!

Yup this is me, still hiding behind the thread rack four hours later.  I missed the pot luck in the back room, along with the birthday cake, but I sang for them under my breath.  

At long last, August came out with my roller bag full of my cleaned, repaired and updated baby.  He rolled it out the door and even put it in my truck.  I could have kissed him, I was so happy to get her back with no parts required.  Then he brought up the C word.  I need to clean out the feed dogs MUCH more often!!!

The best part?  She sews like a DREAM!!  Like when she was brand new.  I can't wait to get back to business, finish the tiny square quilt and get on to embroidering the next one!!

I was exhausted, but could not nap to save me.  Instead, I whipped up another pizza, since I'm determined to use up all that pepperoni I bought.  This time I took your advice and precooked it in the microwave.  SO much easier!!  Another hit!!!

And just like THAT ... the day was over.  Mr. Cooper and I snuggled on the couch in preparation for lots of sewing today.  

I Survived!!!

 Okay my blogger friends ... I am back ... and I survived.  That's what counts, right?  I am immensely enjoying the 70 degrees days and the 43 degree nights here in sunny California, though that won't be the case soon.  I see 5 days of rain in our near future.  Actually I'm hoping for it.  Maybe it will settle down the pollen.  I carryeth a box of Kleenex everywhere I go-eth for allergies I seem to have acquired.  What can I say, I live in the middle of hundreds of acres of almond orchards.

It's time for the Magic Kingdom once again, so I tried to rest up.

That didn't last long because SOMEONE wanted to smell the grass.  It's not like smelling the roses, because we literally run along until coming to a screeching halt.  It takes me a few steps to stop.  Just about the time I've lost all momentum, OFF WE GO once again!!  It's hard to believe this kid is fifteen years old!!

I tried to rest up, but that never works out like I plan.  I got a call about someone being paid to help the Secretary.  We don't have funds for that, so I said I would go in early to the lodge and help out.  We have twelve new members coming in and they require packets.  I was flinging papers right and left.  Fifteen minutes later I was done.  

Ummm so why did it take the last person 90 minutes to do this??  Efficiency must not be our forte!

I signed a gazillion checks ... okay, not quite that many ... and headed down to set up for Bingo.  Thank the good Lord above for Fairy Godmothers.  That girl ... she is a whirling dervish who knows how to get things done!!  All I had to do was count the cash.

Suddenly I saw the text.  My Lady in Waiting was out of town for the night.  OH NO!!  That's when the newest Knight in Shining Armor walked up to my table.  This young kid (a total surprise since all of our helpers are Ancients from eons past) asked if he could help.  

OH YEAH!!  Have a seat in this nice cushy chair!  The best part EVER ... he's a Bingo player, so he knows what all the cards are.  And away we went!!  Lucky for me, the Infernal Machine just hummed along, happy it had two new batteries.

Eddy is his name and he did an AWESOME job of counting cards for me.  I could hardly contain myself!!   To make it even better, he speaks Spanish fluently.  We have many who speak little English, so that's a BIG plus!!  I understand what they are saying, but I can't speak the language.  I should have taken that instead of 4 years of French in high school.  

In other good news, one of the OTHER Knights took a knife to the backup infernal machine.  Two seconds later, it decided to recognize the new batteries we installed.  I should have been happy about that, but it means I now have to program THAT one!  

We always know when we will be busy.  Federal checks went out for Child Care Credits, whatever that is, meaning YAY my Bingo money has arrived.  Folks totaled up to 128 this night.  We had the usual "you didn't give me that card" until further inspection of their receipt proved they didn't BUY that card, along with "where's my red ticket".  We haven't had red tickets in a year!!  

The good news ... there were no knock down drag out fights.  They did however, spend a LOT of money.  Every game winner received $250 from me ..... 22 games paid out.  

And so I was lucky on this night also.  I have a new helper who is sharp as a tack and the infernal machine balanced to the nickel.  No more pennies allowed!  

I got home very late however ... meaning the next morning came WAY too early.  I'll relate that story tomorrow morning, because even though it's 5:45 in the morning right now, I need a nap!!  

YUM ... PIZZA!!!

Well that was fun!!  We set a record yesterday for the warmest winter day ever.  A lovely 71 degrees it was, meaning my heater didn't come on all day.  Woohoo!!  More money for food!

The heat however, did not keep me from my appointed task.  Rodeo!!  Yes, it's rodeo season once again. I admit, it's not as exciting as years past.  All the new kids on the block are coming up.  It's more fun when you know the guys, like Ky Hamilton from Australia.  

Just like my all time favorite Stetson Wright, Ky got hurt last year and had to take the entire season off.  But he's BACK!  This is a close up of how they hang on to the bull rope.  He will open his hand, lay the bull rope across his fingers and hold on for dear life.  It's all about balance and leg strength. 

This guy didn't have it.  On the ground from the left .. the gate guy, the bullfighter, the bull ... and on the right, that big ball of blurry ... that's the rider.  He lost the fight.  In other good news, at another rodeo, Stetson is not only back, but he rode his two bulls and won the San Antonio Rodeo.  Good times!

With that out of the way, it was time to drive the van.  It's not hard to get ready ... unhook the electricity, open all the shades and manhandle the front window insulation that keeps out the heat.  What takes the longest is closing all the cupboards and drawers, including the fridge so nothing slams open when turning.  If I forget one, I know it very quickly!!

Interestingly enough, I think I have a propane problem again.  I'm out of propane when I didn't even use it.  I've had them check it previously with no results.  Maybe it's where it connects to the generator?  Everything else is turned off.  I don't smell it ... but it's disappearing somewhere very slowly.

My first stop was for fuel at my usual station.  Not bad ... $4.35 a gallon compared to $5.09 in December.    The station across the street was $5.25.  

I hit the fabric store with gusto ... and lots of problems for them to help me with.  We could not match the problem border I had, so their suggestion was to take it off and change the color.  That's why they get paid the big bucks!!  GREAT idea.  

This was the end result, the only ones that match in color to the quilts I'm working on.  Hopefully fabric follows fuel prices soon.  This was $163.00 that hopefully will turn into Quilts of Valor or Veterans quilts without too much hassle.  I'm hoping to be reimbursed by the Elks Lodge for fabric, but I'm not sure that can happen since I'm a trustee.  Most likely I will just write it off my taxes ... along with my time.

Once home, I spent quite a bit of time going through the boxes of stuff I received for those quilts, trying to come up with a pattern.  Nothing ... I got nothing!!  Thus the little package of Quilts of Valor patterns.  Maybe this morning when my brain is a little more active I can come up with something for the panels that are in the box..

Dinner was an easy choice.  I tried out those cauliflower pizza crust thingies.  Here's my tip of the day, as given to me by the Pizza Queen Terry Russell.  Always put down a layer of cheese right on the crust first.  I didn't have provolone, so I used parmesan.  That keeps the crust from getting soggy.

Next up ... sauce ... and more cheese.  Yeah, I forgot the mozzarella, so I used cheddar.  Finally, the toppings .. thin sliced onions, olives and pepperoni.  I precook the pepperoni on a sheet pan in the oven to get rid of all the grease ... and there is a LOT!

Finally, into the oven at 425 for 14 minutes.  I was shocked to find the crust came out PERFECT!  It was crispy and crunchy ... not soggy at all ... kind of like a crisp cracker.  I LOVE IT!  Thank you to Shirley for this great tip.  To make it even better, I didn't feel like I ate an entire horse!!  

I tried to spend the evening sewing the binding on this quilt, but as you can tell, I didn't get far.  It's okay, I'd rather get puppy snuggles.

And so another day has passed, bringing me back to yet another rousing night of BINGO!!  Thankfully there's no full moon for the next couple of weeks.  No steel armor should be required.

The bad news is it will be a late night, followed by a very early morning drive south to get my embroidery machine fixed while I wait.  And so my blog friends, you won't be seeing a blog tomorrow morning.  Late nights and early mornings should not be held back to back, but alas, I've no choice on the date or time.  I'm taking a blanket though .. maybe I can catch up on some sleep in my truck.  I'll see you Thursday morning!

I Love It When Things Work

 Every single morning, the second I wake up, I get snuggles from Mr. Cooper.  On this morning, instead of snuggles I got throw-up.  Oh yeah ... SO much fun!  And so we got up at 4:30.  The lucky part ... sometimes anyway ... is that I make him sleep on a small blanket on top of the comforter.  Easy peasy to clean up, but NOT this time.  Truly, this rarely happens, but once is too much!

Of course that made him feel better, and so the second I put my socks on, which means shoes, which means an outside walk in dog language ... off we went.  Good grief ... he ran a full sprint the entire way.  I had to run to keep up with him.  I almost thought he was afraid of something I couldn't see, so I took us straight back home.  All seems to be okay now.

For the next hour, I contemplated the surgery. YouTube is a wealth of information, and I previously watched a video on how to do this.  In order to get to the lower running lights, you have to remove the top headlight.  I was not very optimistic when I found out the bulbs I bought (per the internet) were not the ones recommended by THIS video guy.  

And so I removed the top light, NOT disconnecting it completely, meaning I had to hold it in place with my head.  It took two hands and a flashlight to find the plug where the bulb was.  Taking the old bulb out was fun ... I had to hold it so tight I was sure it would smash in my fingers at any moment.  Putting the new bulb in was the same, only in reverse.  I had to push it with all my might until it finally clicked.  

Here's something I didn't know.  Up on the dash is a little round disc.  That tells the truck if it's dark outside.  When you click the UNLOCK button, these lights turn on so you can see.  Who knew?  And so to check if it was working, I covered it up and hit the unlock button.  VOILA!!!  Surgery successful.  One down, one to go.  It's silly how happy you can be when things actually work!

The second one was harder than the first, but I persevered.  Another test and YES!!!  They both work!  I'm amazed that I got that done.  Probably saved myself a $200 repair bill!  I celebrated with a peanut butter cookie and a happy dance!!

Since that went so well, I thought to try a little of the puzzle.  I think this time I got nine pieces put together.  

Lunch time brought about a flurry of organization.  I've been making things like meatloaf, then cutting it into small pieces and storing it in these little plastic containers with a spoonful of vegetables.  They are the perfect size for lunch and dinner.  

It only takes one of these slippery things to land on your foot when you open the door before you figure out a way to keep them in place.  Man that hurts!!!!

These also fell out on the floor.  I forgot to mention these came with my Walmart order.  Shirley Kay is always making those to-die-for pizzas ... with cauliflower crust.  I thought I would try it, so I ordered ONE.  Maybe I should order TWO just in case they are delicious!  BIG mistake.  I should have read the fine print.  They come TWO to a package, and so now I have to make FOUR pizzas.  Oh the horror!!  I smiled to myself.

The other thing I picked up was bananas.  Mr. Jonathan has been hollering for his favorite ... Hawaiian banana bread.  It's full of pineapple, nuts, and his MOST favorite thing ... SUGAR!  The nut doesn't fall far from the tree.  It just happens that this is MY favorite too!

I have to admit, this was one of the longest days I've experienced in awhile.  I suppose because we were up so early.  It was very nice to get so much done.  

Today I have to drive the RV.  I know, I've been saying that for days.  But TODAY I'll head out to the fabric store for some red, white and blue so I can finish up two of those lap quilts.  I'm hoping those nice ladies can look at a picture and create a pattern for me.  And yes, I can write off not only the fabric, but my labor AND my longarm machine!!  I am truly looking forward to THAT!!!

Here's to another great day for everyone!!

Earthquakes and Pickle Juice

 Good Morning from sunny California!  Although it has been chilly the last few nights, the days have been quite amendable.  This is the sunrise, looking the exact opposite direction of the sun.  Not really anything to write home about, but it's better than cold rain!

Here's something we've been having a few of here and there.  Earthquakes.  The red line is the San Andreas Fault that will make California fall off into the ocean.  Lucky for me, I live far from the fault line and rarely feel anything.  It takes a 5 or 6 point earthquake for me to barely feel it.  It's a sensation you get in your head and ears, which makes you immediately look to the overhead lights and ceiling fans.  This was a small one!!

Here we are on the couch, where I recovered from the leg cramps and the ANGRIES.  Some times it takes awhile when people you know do stupid stuff to purposely hurt people you know and like.  It just boggles my mine that people can be so mean and cruel, then laugh about it.  I'll try to get past it, but it's going to be hard.  This sweet boy will help!!

Jonathan is still hanging out, discoing, talking and screaming up a storm.  Surprisingly, he's none the worse for wear after that long trip in the tiny van cage.  He makes me laugh every day ... when the first thing he says is WATCHA DOIN'???  DISCOOOOOO .......

Thank you everyone for the leg cramp remedies.  I'm not a fan of pickle juice, but I always have it around.   I already drink lots of water, so maybe a little salt in the bottle will help.  On the other hand, Nurse Patty came up with the best suggestion of the day!!  It's salt, right?????

I had four things to do on this day.  Meet with accounting clients, hit the Post Office, drive the van and pick up some oil to make banana bread.  It seems all three of my bottles of oil went rancid at the same time.  

Everywhere you look around here you see these almond trees in full bloom from the lovely sun.  Sneeze sneeze!!  Everyone's allergies are going crazy, including mine.  This picture does not do them justice ... acres and acres of gorgeous white blossoms.

I met my first client at her newest residence.  She's 92 and has fallen a few times, so has moved into a senior facility.  I was surprised it looked so nice.  Kind of like a hotel.  At the moment she has a single room, but will soon be moved into a two bedroom apartment.  The cost is outrageous!  $6,000 a month for 250 square feet.  I suppose they supply meals and activities, but that is unaffordable for most everyone.  

She had her grandson set up two computers so I can take one home and do her books.  It didn't work.  He copied all the files, but not the program that runs them.  We'll work on that.

Whereupon I completely forgot about the post office and wasn't feeling it when it came to the van.  I couldn't forget the oil however ... banana bread is one of Jonathan's favorites!!  I put in a Walmart order instead.  That's when I was reminded that the running light on this side of my truck was not working.  

THIS is a pain to get to and even harder to replace the bulb.  I guess it will be the surgery of the day.  

There was more bookwork done, three walk-bys of the puzzle table, a big save of Mr. Clean stuck yet again under the same chair (will he ever figure that out?) and lots of list making so I don't forget the post office yet again.  All the while, Mr. Jonathan was yawning like crazy. 

Apparently it was past everyone's bed time!!  This doesn't look very comfortable to me!!

It's Sunday ... a day of rest ... not that I haven't rested up every other day of the week!!  Maybe after the truck surgery, I'll get up enough energy to drive the van and charge the batteries!!!  Yes I got a battery charger, but I don't know how to use it.  I'm taking it to Bingo on Tuesday in the hopes someone can explain it to me!!  I'll take notes this time!!

I SURVIVED!

 ALLRIGHT ..... I survived the leg cramps and the sleeping pill (just Advil PM) and finally got a little rest.  I was so tired, I just could't think.  After playing invalid most of the day, I'm back to blogging.

So here we are back at the Lodge Room.  This was after Frenchman's night where we sold 248 dinner tickets.  Why so popular?  Because these are long time sheepmen, although mostly cattlemen now, who came from France back in the dark ages.  Their ranch was rather far from ours, but we visited a lot over the years about the cattle business. 

These guys know how to cook lamb shanks ... and people LOVE them.  Twice as many folks show up for this dinner as any other.  They also make white beans with ham, bell peppers and onions.  Throw in all the red wine you can drink and fresh baked French bread and you have a house full.

I discovered I STILL don't like lamb.  Just the smell when I walked in the door was enough, but NOOOO ... I decided I should at least TRY it once again.  NOPE ... no way.  I'm a BEEF person!

Once that was over, we headed up to the Lodge room.  I'm so mad about this whole thing.  I won't go into details, but the gal who so deserved the seat she was moving up to after two years of donating all her time, did NOT win the election.  She cried.  I felt so bad for her, having spent all that time doing good for the lodge, only to be ousted by a mean evil person.  I have no other description.

 The other person and all her bar fly friends were so disrespectful it made me angry.  They have no respect for Lodge traditions and know NOT what it means to be a good person.  I won't go into any more because it makes my blood boil!  Oh, and I was elected Trustee once again ... for five years.  I'm going to make her life miserable for the next two years, then I'll resign.  I can play those games too!

Luckily my leg cramps finally went away when I ate half a teaspoon of salt.  Gosh those can be painful, and the more you try to relax, the more it cramps up.  Oh what fun!!  And so the day went by rather slowly.  Having finished the other puzzle, I gave this one a look or two.  Can you tell?  

Yeah, not so much.  I did find two pieces and put them together, so I suppose that's progress.

I brought the lamb shank home, but still could not force it down.  Instead I had this lovely vegetarian variety of chili.  I learned I'm not vegetarian EITHER!  Oh I ate it because I paid for it, but this being the last of the Factor meals, I won't be eating it again.

There was some good news ... my accountant called to say I would only owe a few hundred dollars on my taxes.  YAY!  But then the lady from the Quilt Guild called to ask if I was making those quilts for veterans.  Ummm ...... no.  I really have no directions for these and no pattern to tell me what size to cut them.  

I dug in the bin and pulled out something like 30 panels for the centers.  I cut them up, not really knowing what size to make them, and went looking for matching material.  That's as far as I got.  Making up patterns is not my thing.  I never know how big to make the squares before they are sewn together.  

Mr. Cooper and I snuggled on the couch for awhile until time to deliver the goods.  See's Candy donates a hundred boxes of candy every year to our Special Needs Children and Adults Group BINGO.  Everyone wins and everyone gets a prize.  

Last year just for fun, they threw in a Valentines Dance.  They LOVED it!!!  The volunteers made sure everyone got to dance.  And so that's how I ended up with six boxes of Sees Candy.  Perfect for my diet, yes?  Ummmm NO.  And so I walked around the neighborhood giving out candy to my bestest neighbors.

That was my day until I found this.  This is my public service announcement for the day!!  By the way, when I was a kid, we NEVER got the flu.  Maybe some got the measles or mumps, though I never did, but we were rarely, if ever, sick.  Today it seems we get the flu and every other virus running around on a yearly basis.  Why do you think that is?

And so ended my day.  I'm still a little drug out ... those late nights always bother me.

Today I'm off to do some accounting work and drive the van.  Since I have to keep the batteries up, I might as well drive it to the fabric store three towns over to look for patriotic stuff.  At least I will get out of the house!!!

LONG NIGHT!!

 Oh what a night does not do it justice.  I'm exhausted after getting home at midnight and thrashing around the house with the worst leg cramps I've had in ages.  What's up with THAT?

Here we are in the lodge with the biggest crowd ever!!  

Once I recover, I'll fill you in.  

Just Messing Around

 Oh boy .... it was a bad night.  Sometimes I sneak through with no major nightmares and get a good nights sleep.  Sometimes it could not be worse.  This was worse!  It's going to be a long busy day of dentists and Elks lodge voting for officers.  

Normally I wouldn't care, but someone is trying to jump ahead of the line and not bother to do the two years of work that is required.  The other person has done a great job for two years and is ready to move up.  You know how these organizations can be ... lots of crap has snuck into the building.  It makes me mad ... which brings on nightmares of epic proportions and sleepless nights.  Especially when there is nothing I can do about any of it.  Rant over.  I'm praying it has a good ending. 

I stood out in the dark this morning, always surprised that my phone can take pictures in pitch black.  It's been very windy all night ... yet another eye opener with plants hitting the walls.  Time for a big pair of shears!!

Lots of Cooper hugs will help this morning as I gear up for my dentist appointment.  It's no biggie, just a cleaning as usual.  I think this is the time they tell me I have to have x-rays, which I always decline.  Why do they demand that when everything is just fine?  I know .... the money.

A hundred years ago I was born on the ranch.  Okay, not quite a hundred, but pretty close.  The ranch was in the high desert and had lots of fluoride in the water.  So much so that the kids, few as they were, had brown teeth from too much fluoride.  Now however, we are all thankful because we have GREAT teeth!  It could also be because I hated milk and drank only water as a baby.  Hmmm maybe that's what's wrong with me!  

Anyway ... here's my Lady in Waiting Diane from Bingo fame.  We worked together as auditors, where else but in the auditor's office .... for the County.  We spent eleven years sitting ten feet apart, and became best friends.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate this girl for working Bingo with me.  She has the perfect personality for it ... everything just rolls off her back!!

As usual, I didn't do much all day except recoup from the stressful day and late night.  Lunch was another FACTOR premade meal.  I've been testing this one for two weeks.  The first week it went great.  The second week, not so much.

I received the second box of six meals, but it only contained four.  I called and had the usual language problem.  I can HeLp yOoooo.  Truly, I was surprised they believed me that two meals were missing, but they did, and offered a credit to my account.  

Oooooo waaaait ... yoo has disCOUNT ... credit will beeee AprIL.  Um no, I am not waiting for a credit in April.  Oooooo waaaait ... I can get NOW on Carddddd.  Okay ... thank you!

Time passed and I began to EAT the four meals I got.  One had less than a quarter cup of veggies, but the 6 shrimp were pretty good.  Yesterday, I cooked this one.  Ummmm I think they forgot the broccoli.  Hard to believe, but that's actually a piece of salmon on the right.  Okay, I'm done with this.

I can HeLp yOoooooo?   Yes, please cancel the account.  I can gib disCOUNT .... credit bees in AprIL.   I tried to be calm.  No, I want the credit now and the account canceled.  Oooooo waaaaait!    NO WAIT!  I'm cancelling.  Ten minutes later I got an email that the account was cancelled.  No doubt in two weeks I will get an offer to come back for half price.  

I'm still getting deliveries from Hello Fresh, where the same thing happened when I reported the crappy celery and the rotten carrot.  Even though I was able to make the dish and I ate it, they gave me credit for the entire thing, but not until the conversation about CREDIT IN APRIL.  Hmmm ... I wonder if these are the same company???

The rest of the day I worked on this puzzle, truly frustrated that with so few pieces left, it took me 3 hours to finish.  I do love the picture though.  Now to tackle the MONSTER puzzle in the other room.

At the end of the day when I should have been having dinner, I rushed off for a quick haircut from my gal.  After all, I should look nice for the dentist, right???

Tonight I'll be off to the lodge for lamb shanks.  YUCK.  Oh yes, it's Frenchman's night.  Where did THAT come from?  I think they meant to say BASQUE night.  Anyway, I'm hoping everyone I talked to will show up to vote for she who has put in the time.   Hold good thoughts for us please and have a GREAT DAY!!