Everyday Living

Our Snow-Covered Berm

2009-12-13T14:27:00.006-07:00

It's hard to believe that this picture was taken when it was over 100 degrees out.

Yesterday, my wife went outside and took this picture...

Oh, just so you don't get the idea that I was lounging around in the warm living room and drinking hot coffee, I was busy shoveling the driveway and sidewalks.

Funny Fotos: 12/11

2009-12-10T20:04:00.005-07:00

Have a great weekend, everyone. Try and stay warm...

I SO want this car...

courtesy of... lolpix.com

Hard to read, but this is for a funeral home...

courtesy of... pyzam.com

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

Geometry and Me

2009-12-08T19:58:00.010-07:00

This cartoon is exactly how I feel much of the time, because I am back once again trying to re-learn my junior high and high school maths. However, this time it is much more insidious and evil; for this time it is geometry. This monster happened to be my worst subject in school and college and now I have to teach myself how to do it. Why, so I can help my daughter who also seems to be carrying the anti-geometry gene.

After I was able to finally master the wonders of triangles, I am thrust-into the wild world of quadrilaterals and how to tell them apart. Let's see, there are parallelograms, which have alternate sides that are congruent. The rectangle, which has four equal angles. The rhombus, which has four congruent sides, and finally the square, which has four equal angles and four congruent sides.

Now, all that may seem fine and dandy, but the fun part comes when you start discussing the bisectors and the various properties it has with regards to each shape. On top of that, you have the teachers, in their infinite wisdom, making the test questions as convoluted as possible, which leaves you dazed and confused.

I have never liked geometry and I fear that our dislike for one another will continue on.

A Slick Commute

2009-12-07T12:47:00.009-07:00

My wife takes the bus into work, but she still has to drive just under a mile to get to the bus stop and today marked the first day that there was ice and snow on the roads. This being the case, I would like to share an Email my wife sent to me after she got into work..

Tim,

I got in okay. What a ZOOOOOOO, those idiots were driving as if there were no snow!!! It was a ice skating rink and they were driving as close as they do on every other day!!! I swear it is the Darwin awards every first snow. I saw pickups down town that could not get a grip on the roads and still they follow too close!!! I was driving 35 on State and felt that was too fast (and was being run over!!) aaaaaand TWO cars decided that it was not any problem to just pull right in front of me because I was leaving FIVE plus car lengths between me and the one in front. I had to honk at one because he only had maybe a car length and a half when he pulled out in front of me and I was pumping my breaks like crazy to not hit him. Of course after I honked he accelerated like mad and followed too close to the one in front of him. I never have cars pull out like that when there is no snow…why now!!! If no one dies it is because I am praying like crazy for these IQ compromised people!!!! Thank goodness I wore my shoes with tread!! I should have worn my snow boots!!! I knew that the snow plows and been going by, but I thought there was much less snow then there actually was!!! Oh well……happy Monday!!!

See ya later,

Love

Mary

Just a hint: when there is ice and snow on the roads, that means the roads are SLICK, so SLOW DOWN.

Belly-Up to the Buffet

2009-12-06T13:04:00.007-07:00

As you are all no doubt aware by now, the Holiday season is upon us and for a good portion of us, that means parties. Yup, 'tis the season to party and enjoy the warmth and com fort of family and friends. Yeah, I know, sounds corny, but I'm still recovering from last month. Anyway, although the party season is in full swing, there is no reason for those of us watching our weight to have to stay in the corner nursing our Diet Coke. Even though you may be on a DIE with a T, you can still enjoy the season and not feel guilty about it. You may be thinking that I have no idea what I'm talking about, but bear with me a few more paragraphs.

Now, we all know that the very essence of a diet is watching what we eat and exercising. So, between your active social engagements, you still need to find the time to exercise. However, when you are at the party and you see the buffet table calling your name, you don't need to run in fear; you can still enjoy the food, just take smaller portions. I know, it is not as easy as it sounds, but if you can discipline yourself to reduce your portion size, you can still enjoy the food. It does not have to be an all or nothing deal, there is a tasty middle-ground that you can visit.

When you see all that wonderful food calling your name, you may think that there are only two choices: you can either dive right in and feel guilty later or you can just grab your diet coke and drool over everyone else's plates; all the while feeling sorry for yourself. But now you know that there is a wonderful third option: that of moderation. You can still enjoy the buffet and have a good time, but you'll no longer have to feel guilty about it.

The short version: take smaller portions of you favorite foods. Yup, it's a no-brainer, but when you're in diet-mode, it's sometimes difficult to accept the fact that you don't need to be miserable all the time. There is no need to deny yourself your favorite things. There is no need to make yourself feel miserable watching others eat, while you stand in the corner and watch. As you have already discovered, going on a diet requires a great deal of self-control and willpower. It also requires that you moderate what you eat. So, what makes a party any different? Yes, there will be more food and there will be food there that you may only have a few times each year. So, do what you do every day: take smaller portions.

An invitation to a party does not have to strike fear in the heart of the dieter. Go and enjoy yourself, because at the end of the night, you will discover that you not only had a good, guilt-free time, but you have also proven to yourself how strong you really are.

Friday Fotos: 12/4

2009-12-03T19:36:00.010-07:00

Happy Friday, everyone. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Now, the rush is on for Christmas. Although I am long past the getting-presents stage, I still really enjoy this time of year. Mainly, the decorations and the great holiday movies. Anyway, you came for the pictures, so without further ado...

Time to call AAA...

courtesy of... funlol.com

courtesy of... failblog.org

Does Sadie have this kind of trouble with Angel and Isabella...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger

Cute pictures: The Drāno of Writer's Block

2009-12-02T19:49:00.009-07:00

Since I am still unable to think of anything intelligent to say (what else is new), I've decided to share a few pictures of our newest addition, Yum Yum. I'm assuming this lack of thought has something to do with going full-tilt all last month, so I'm hoping that it is a temporary lull and that I can once again return to showering you with my inane drivel. Until that much-anticipated time, please enjoy the photos...

Laser cat sees all...

Practicing her punt fake...

Magically expands to fit any space...

Favorite Holiday Classics

2009-11-30T16:43:00.021-07:00

In no particular order,

Here are a few of my favorite holiday classics

A Novel Experience

2009-11-29T19:48:00.009-07:00

Well, I finally did it. On Saturday at around 6:30pm, I finished my novel. I have to say that the experience, although very intense, was also very fulfilling. For me, it was 27 days of total immersion in my book. When I wasn't spending hours writing, I was thinking about how to move the plot along and believe it or not, actually dreaming about it.

There were times, too many to count, where I would literally spend hours in front of the computer, trying to think of what to write. I would know where the story needed to go, I just didn't know how to get it there. Then, there were those magical times when the story would actually write itself. Wonderfully, this happened on Friday and Saturday, because on each of those days, I was able to write over 4,000 words.

When it was finally over and the last word written, I have to admit that I was a little sad. I had lived with these characters for the past 27 days and all at once, it's over. There were times when it was frustrating and other times when it was fun. But overall, it was a very rewarding experience and one I would gladly do again.

Now, since my brain is currently running on empty, I plan to do something a little different this week: I'm going to be sharing some of my favorite holiday movies. I know, you can actually see the affiliate monster rearing its head, and you would be correct. These posts will be mainly for search engine use, but I'm hoping you might get a kick out of looking at my choices. Also, this will allow me a chance to recover from my writing marathon.

I hope you all have a great week and if you have any holiday favorites, please feel free to let me know; I'm always on the lookout for a good movie.

Friday Fotos: 11/27

2009-11-26T21:02:00.019-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I don't know if any of you are going to brave the crowds and actually be at the stores at 4:00AM, but I can tell you that I will not be one of them. I got roped into that several years ago and I vowed never to do it again. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pictures and have a terrific weekend...

courtesy of... pyzam.com

I hear there was a movie with a similar title...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

Yes! I love this...

courtesy of... failblog.org

Your Guide to Lump-Free Gravy

2009-11-24T14:01:00.014-07:00

photo courtesy of... whatscookingamerica.net

This is the last in my series of Thanksgiving Day posts, so I hope the previous articles have given you some new ideas to try. The following gravy is flavored with the dripping from your turkey and is not made from the giblets. If you desire to use the giblets in your gravy, please click here: Emeril's Big Bird with Giblet Gravy. You will need to page-down a bit until you see the recipe. I have used this recipe as well and it is fantastic. I hope you all have a terrific Thanksgiving.

What you will need...

Turkey drippings
Flour
Butter...unsalted, please
Cardamom...To taste
Salt or 1-Chicken Bouillon Cube (crushed)...To taste
Pepper...To taste
For adding the flour and the butter (making the roux), I use a 1:1:1 ratio...1 Tbsp of butter to 1 Tbsp of flour to 1 Cup of liquid. I will be writing this recipe to accommodate 3 Cups of turkey drippings...

Putting it together...

Try and separate the fat from the turkey drippings

In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt 3 Tbsp butter

Once melted, add 3 Tbsp of flour and whisk to combine

Now is decision time. How dark do you want your gravy, because the longer you stay at this step, the darker your gravy will be. I like my gravy to be somewhat lighter, so I will whisk over medium heat for about 5 minutes. If you want your gravy darker, keep whisking. For a very dark gravy, as in a gumbo, you will be at this step for about twenty minutes

Once you reach your desired color, slowly add the 3 cups of turkey drippings; whisking constantly

add salt or crushed bouillon, pepper, and cardamom (cardamom has a rather strong flavor, so I like to start with this small amount and continue adding until I reach the desired flavor...start with a ½ tsp

Continue adding the pepper and cardamom, until you are happy with the flavor.

Continue whisking until the gravy boils (This is when it will reach its full thickening potential)

You should end up with a very tasty, lump-free gravy

If you need to delay service, take some plastic wrap and set it directly on top of the gravy. This will help prevent that wonderful "skin" from forming

Troubleshooting...

Gravy seems to be "missing something"...I usually crush a chicken bouillon cube and add it to the gravy. This seems to correct the problem. If not, try adding some chicken stock or experiment with a little crushed sage or a very tiny amount of mace. If the gravy has too strong of a turkey flavor, you might want to dilute it with water or, if you don't mind a white gravy, add milk or cream.

Gravy is not thick enough...In a separate bowl, spoon-in about a half cup of your gravy and whisk an additional Tbsp of flour. Once well incorporated and no lumps visible, add it back into the main gravy and whisk well. Bring to a boil. If this does not thicken it to your liking, repeat until you get the your desired consistency.

Something else you might want to try...

Replace the cardamom with a spice called Grains of Paradise

If you want to add a taste of garlic to your gravy: take a clove of garlic and crush it. Add to gravy when you begin added your other spices. Remove before serving

Originally published as...My Thanksgiving Gravy

My Thanksgiving Turkey

2009-11-23T19:43:00.010-07:00

courtesy of... mynotabledad.wordpress.com

The above photo is a pretty good representation of what our turkey will look like when completed. You would have thought that after doing this for so many years, I would have thought to at least take one picture of ours. Unfortunately, whenever I do think about it, it's too late. Anyway, this is how I've been preparing our turkey for the past several years. It comes out very moist (thanks to the turkey bag) and the aromatics really give the turkey an added boost.

As an aside, even though it has never happened, I always have the fear that our turkey will turn out like the one an Christmas Vacation. Anyone else have this fear?

What you will need

Turkey...any size, we usually get between 20-25 lbs.
Turkey bag...used in the baking process
Turkey Pan
Broiler Pan
Meat Thermometer (Example of the kind I use, is at bottom of page).
Flour...1 Tbsp
Compound Butter...Click here for recipe
Oranges...2-3
Onions...any leftover from other recipes
Celery...any leftover from other recipes
Herbs...any leftover from other recipes

Cooking the Bird

First remove the surprise packages in the neck and the body cavity

Rinse the bird inside and out

Remove the pop-up thermometer

These things are set to pop at 185⁰. Your bird will continue to cook while resting and the final internal temperature will be around 195⁰ or more. This will give you a turkey that is less moist than I prefer. I use my own thermometer and remove the turkey at about 160⁰ to 170⁰, which will give you a nice, moist turkey that is also well-cooked (final temperature around 170⁰ to 180⁰).

Take the Turkey bag and put the flour inside it, then shake to coat the bag

Work your fingers between the skin and the breast on both sides...making a cavity

Take the compound butter, slice it, and insert in the cavities you created

Once the cavities are filled, cut the oranges in half and squeeze juice over the turkey

Place used oranges inside the body cavity

Place a few slices of your compound butter inside

Place any extra herbs, onions, celery, etc, inside the body cavity

These are used ONLY as aromatics and are NOT to be eaten

These additions will help flavor the turkey as it bakes

Place turkey pan on broiler pan (I never trust those turkey pans to be able to hold the weight of a turkey)

Place the bird in the turkey bag, use the supplied tie to close the bag

Cut a few slits in the bag, and place on pan

Insert thermometer, through the bag, into the thickest portion of the bird

Place the turkey in the oven and cook according to the directions

When the thermometer reaches 165⁰- 170⁰ remove the turkey and let rest at least 30 minutes

Your turkey will continue to cook and carry-over will continue to raise the temperature an additional 10 degrees

Remove the aromatics and discard

It will looked burned where the compound butter was placed, but believe me, it isn't

Cover with foil and let rest for 30 minutes (I'm sure you will be able to find something to do while the turkey rests)

You should end up with a nice, moist turkey with a great flavor

Here is a thermometer like the one I use. Very good and versatile...

Originally published as...How to Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey

Whipped Potatoes for Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T15:20:00.011-07:00

As you look over the ingredients to this recipe, you may raise your eyebrows when you come upon the buttermilk, but this will give your potatoes a nice tangy flavor. If you're unsure that you want to release this powerhouse of taste on Thanksgiving, why don't you make a smaller batch and try it out first. Just substitute buttermilk for the milk or cream you usually add.

What you will need:...

Potatoes...10 pounds (1 bag)
Butter...½ to 1 stick
Salt...to taste
Pepper...to taste
Buttermilk...½-1 cup
Parmesan Cheese...1-2 cups

measurements are estimates and based upon texture/taste

Putting it Together...

Skin potatoes and cut into quarters (this allows the potatoes to cook more quickly)

Put in large pot, add water and salt (I usually put in a few chicken bouillon cubes to add a little flavor to the potatoes).

When fork tender, remove from heat and drain

Turn-off burner and replace potatoes in pot and return to burner. This will allow the excess water to steam out of the potatoes. Be sure to keep an eye on them, so they do not burn

Place the potatoes in a bowl

If they do not all fit, you will need to repeat the following steps with the remaining potatoes (although cutting-back on the measurements)

Add butter, salt, and pepper

Mash with a potato masher and then use a hand mixer to blend

Add 1/2 cup of Buttermilk and continue whipping

Add additional buttermilk until you reach the desired consistency

Add additional salt and pepper to taste

Add the Parmesan cheese and mix until well incorporated

Take any additional potatoes and repeat steps 6-11

Originally posted as... Tangy Whipped Potatoes

Friday Fotos: 11/20

2009-11-19T14:31:00.012-07:00

Have a happy Friday everyone and enjoy the pictures...

Izzy soon discovered the error of her ways...

courtesy of... my wife's friend

Huh??...

courtesy of... hahastop.com

Oops...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

My Favorite Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-18T10:42:00.006-07:00

Double-Layer Pumpkin Pie

What you will need:

Ready Made Pie Crust...1 (pre-backed)
Cream Cheese...4 oz, softened
Cool Whip...1 ½ cups,
Pumpkin...1 can, 16oz
Jello Pudding Instant Vanillas Pudding...2 packages (4 serving size)
Cold Milk...1 cup plus 1 Tbsp
Sugar...1 Tbsp
Ground Cinamon...1 tsp
Ground Ginger...½ tsp
Ground Cloves...¼ tsp

Putting it together...

Preheat oven to 450⁰

Poke the bottom and sides of pie crust with a fork

Back pie crust in oven for 10-12 minutes

In a large bowl, mix Cream Cheese, 1 Tbsp of milk, 1 Tbsp Sugar until smooth

Gently stir in Cool Whip

Empty mixture in the bottom of the crust and spread evenly

In another bowl, pour 1 cup of milk

Add pumpkin, pudding mixes, and spices

Mix well

Spread over cream cheese layer

Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set

Now, being lazy and since my wife doesn't like the graham cracker crust, I use the ready-made pie crust. However, if you like graham crackers, here is the recipe for the crust (the way I like it).

Graham Cracker Crust...

What you will need:

graham cracker crumbs...1 ½ cups (about 20 squares)
butter..._1/3 cups, melted
Measurements courtesy of Betty Crocker

Putting it together...

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter

Mix well

Layer bottom and sides of pie pan

Originally published as...Double-Layer Pumpkin Pie

My Classic Apple Pie

2009-11-17T20:26:00.002-07:00

Okay, I know it's strange posting the deserts first, but I like to make them a few days in advance. This way, they are not only done and out of the way, but it also allows the flavors to blend together longer. It may seem strange to use Crème Fraîche (a rich sour cream) and black pepper in an apple pie, but one taste of this pie and you may be hooked. Anyway, this is one of two pies that I make for Thanksgiving. I will share the pumpkin pie recipe tomorrow.

Apple Pie with Crème Fraîche and Black Pepper

What you will need:

Pie Crusts...2
Granny Smith Apples...2 ½lbs.
Sugar...about ¾ cup plus 1tsp.
Fresh Lime Juice...2 Tbsp
Salt...Pinch
Black Pepper...¼ tsp. (freshly ground, if possible)
Flour...4 Tbsp
Calvados or Brandy...¼ Cup
Crème Fraîche...½ cup click here for recipe
Milk...about 1 Tbsp

Putting it together...

Preheat oven to 425⁰F

Place 1 pie crust in pie pan

Peel, core, and cut the apples into ¼ inch slices (you may also cut them into cubes, if you like; I've done it both ways

Place them in a bowl and add ¾ cup of sugar, lime juice, salt, pepper, and flour

Toss to coat the apples evenly

Add the Calvados and the crème fraîche

Toss to mix well

Cover and let set at room temperature for 20 minutes

Taste the mixture and add sugar if necessary

Transfer mixture to the prepared pie pan and distribute evenly

Brush the edge of the dough with milk and place the second crust on top and seal

decoratively crimp the edge

Brush the top with remaining milk and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar

Cut 3 vents in the top of the crust

Place on a baking sheet and place in oven

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375⁰F, and bake for an additional 55 minutes

Crust should be crisp and apples tender when pierced with a knife

Remove from oven and allow to cool 30 minutes

Recipe courtesy of Michael Kalanty of the California Culinary Academy

This is a pie I first made about 11 years ago and after that first year, it has since become a Thanksgiving tradition.
This pie also makes a great gift. Prepare as above, but do not bake. Make a copy of the baking instructions and include that with the pie. I believe that the smell of an apple pie baking is also a gift.

Enjoy

Originally published as... Apple Pie with Crème Fraîche and Black Pepper

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

2009-11-16T19:33:00.008-07:00

As you know, Thanksgiving is just over a week away and if you are anything like me, you will be scrambling to get the house cleaned and trying to put together a menu. So, with this in mind, over the next week or so, I will dust-off some of my old Thanksgiving Day recipes and share them with you. Although I can't help you with the cleaning, maybe I can help you with the menu.

So, to start things off, I have included a few items that I make every year. These two items need to be made several days in advance, so I usually start the Crème Fraîche (for use in an apple pie) on Sunday and the compound butter (for use in the turkey) on Monday.

Crème Fraîche:

Things you'll need:

Heavy Cream...1 cup
Butter Milk...1 Tbsp
jar w/lid...1

Putting it together...

pour heavy cream into jar

add buttermilk

mix well

put lid on jar and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours, then refrigerate

can be stored for up to a week

Compound Butter:

Things you'll need

Putting it together

Place butter on counter to soften

Take the herbs (try to avoid including the stems) and chop them very fine or, if you have a food processor, place them in there and pulse until finely chopped.

Next take your softened butter and place in your food processor

Add a small amount of olive oil (1Tbls)

If you do not have a food processor (like me), place butter and herbs in a bowl and mix with a hand-mixer until well combined.

Pulse until well combined

Take plastic wrap and place on the counter

empty butter onto the plastic wrap

fold the wrap over the butter

Using the edge of a cookie tray or other straight object, press it against the butter and tightly form into a log about 1-inch in diameter (the plastic wrap acts as a mold)

careful not to get the plastic wrap under the butter, roll-up and twist both ends

place butter in refrigerator

Friday Fotos: 11/13

2009-11-12T16:23:00.007-07:00

Well, another week has almost come to an end. I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend. Unfortunately, I will be writing and cleaning the house for Thanksgiving.

Okay, what's wrong with this picture...

courtesy of... www.funlol.com

Hmmm...

courtesy of... www.funnyjunk.com

Does this look familiar...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

Some Novel Progress

2009-11-10T20:21:00.008-07:00

I've sat in front of this blank screen for the past fifteen minutes and I just can't think of anything to say. I guess spewing-out 1800 words a day has started to affect my tiny brain. So, I have decided to just include a short snippet of my novel.
Now, to reiterate, the 50,000 words that are to be written basically constitute a rough draft, so that is what you will be looking at. You will read it as I have first written it: with no proofing or modifications. The only thing I have done is spell-check, so you may even run into some words that don't really belong. As you will be able to see, I am still having difficulty with the dialog thing, but hopefully, I will get the hang of it eventually.

Well, the excerpt you will read takes place just after the main character, Eric, finds out about the weird things that are happening in the house he has just inherited from his uncle. Pam is his girlfriend and Bob is the attorney handling the estate.

Eric caught himself looking up at the ceiling and decided that he wanted to take a walk upstairs. “Let’s go to a look at the upstairs, everybody.” So, they all got up and moved across the room and started for the stairs. “You know, Eric said, “this is actually a really nice house.”
“I agree,” Pam said.
They all walked up the stairs and looked around the room. At the very top of the stairs and to the immediate right was the bathroom, newly enlarged due to the remodel. It had a nice Roman tub, which would be great for taking a leisurely soak, if guys did that sort of thing. There were also two windows that gave-off spectacular views of the farm. The first window looked towards the South side of the property and the other window, which was the newly installed window and directly above my uncle’s old bedroom, looked towards the east.

Looking immediately to the left, you will enter the main living area of the second floor. It was a large, open room that was divided by a chimney going through the center. There were also two banks of windows on either side of the room; one set facing east and the other facing west.

Looking around, Eric stated, “Well, this doesn’t look so bad. Okay, we have footsteps and lights turning on and off, anything else?”
“As I said, that was just the beginning. There are a few additional things that your uncle mentioned. For example, he also mentioned that he heard voices, growls, heard banging, and even saw something, but he never would tell me what he saw.”
“I see,” Eric responded. “And did he ever tell you why he continued to stay here, if he heard and saw all of this?”
“Again, he never did tell me why he continued to live here. I imagine that it could be because it was his house and that it had been in the family for all those years. I just don’t know. Anyway, I figured that you should know about this.”
Eric said, “Well, I do appreciate you letting me know. I must say that if it hadn’t been for those weird dreams and the fact that my uncle has had the exact same ones, I would not have given this a second thought.”
“Well,” Bob said, “I felt that you should know. Now, why don’t you two take a look around the rest of the house and then we’ll take a little hike in the woods; there’s something else that I would like to show you.”

National Novel Writing Month...Update

2009-11-08T20:22:00.011-07:00

Official word count 13,590/50,000.

Well, I've been at it for a week now and I must say that this writing thing is not easy. Granted, the first few days were a breeze, it was slow going, because I was in the process of setting the stage for the story, but the words just came to me and I had no problems trying to think of what to say. Over the past few days, I really can't say that anymore.

First off, this is the first time I have attempted writing anything of this magnitude, so I am not used to supplying the amount of detail that is needed in a novel. Another thing that I am trying to get used to is writing dialog. I have VERY limited experience in this, so it is making life difficult, trying to make that part of the story flow somewhat smoothly.

There are times when the story seems to write itself (Oh, I love those times) and there are also times when it's like trying to pull teeth. During those times, I just have to keep pushing the story forward, until I can breakout and run for the end zone (Yes, I'm watching the football game while writing this). The story is coming along and hopefully, over the next week, I will get into a better rhythm.

I realize that this post is somewhat disjointed (you think??), but I just wanted to give a quick update of what it's been like.

Friday Fotos: 11/6

2009-11-05T14:47:00.008-07:00

Another Friday is upon us. I hope these photos help brighten your day...

courtesy of... funnyjunk.com

courtesy of... lolpix.com

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com

Yum Yum and the Tongue

2009-11-03T20:35:00.007-07:00

While I am knee-deep in writing my new novel (soon to become a major motion picture..I wish), I probably won't be writing many long posts, for which you are all most likely jumping for joy. My current word count is 5200/50,000. With this in mind, I decided to post a few pictures of our newest family member.

My wife was able to get these shots with her phone-camera.

Yes, we have a dork cat...

Hand-Made Wearable Art by WillOaks Studio

2009-10-31T20:30:00.014-06:00

Believe it or not, the Holiday Season is fast approaching us and I can't think of a better way to show that special someone how much you care, than to give them a one-of-a-kind, hand-made gift. You can help support these very talented artists and do your Christmas shopping at the same time. So, please take the time and look over these items, because that perfect gift may be right here.

Our final featured products are brought to you by: WillOaks Studio The descriptions are copied from the owner's site. Please click on the title or the large image to be taken to their site and the product of your choice.

Brilliant Warm Red Ear Wires

Cubic zirconia in a warm, orangy red is faceted for flash and dangles from hand formed sterling ear wires. The inner fire in these earrings will warm up any outfit for fall or winter and coordinates well with the reds in many of my fall necklaces-as illustrated here shown with my Red and Natural Long Knotted Leather necklace. Wire wrapped to include a cap of tangled sterling wire, a rich contrast in textures.

Hand formed wires incorporate satin finished sterling beads and a faceted and stamped Thai silver bead. Earrings drop 1 3/4" from the top of the ear wire.

Earrings are shipped with clear silicone ear wire clutches and are carefully packed in a cotton filled, decorative box, all ready to give or to keep.

Red and Natural Long Knotted Leather necklace

Really long necklaces are so versatile and this one is original, too. Fine brown leather has been knotted to capture 71" of lovely hand selected natural stones and beads. Included are natural red marble, dyed red quartz, natural varigated quartz, and Czech glass, all with unique patterns and a variety of surfaces, featuring shades of bright,warm red.

Since this necklace is over 71" long and closes with a copper toggle, it can be worn in many ways from very long to a wrapped arrangement with either staggered strands or a cluster of beautiful stones. It's even long enough to tie into a loose knot. Imagine layering it over a nice winter sweater for a look that's sure to get attention. It coordinates perfectly with my Brilliant Warm Red ear wires, listed here in my shop.

Necklaces are carefully packed into decorative boxes, all ready to give or to keep. Consider adding coordinated earrings, either available in my shop or custom made for you-just drop me a note!

Luxuriant Labradorite neckpiece

A truly royal collection of faceted labradorite teardrops, graduated in size from 15 mm to 6mm long, forms the clustered focal point for the artful neckpiece. The deep gray labradorite includes generous flashes of royal blue, teal, green and yellow, always changing in different light. Plentiful facets add another kind of light play.

Teardrops are arranged on sterling silver coated steel beading cable which is linked to oxidized sterling chain. The sterling lobster claw clasp and wire used to construct this piece was also oxidized here in my studio.

Just over 9" of stones, connected to a total of 14" of chain and clasp, make this piece infinitely adjustable from choker length to as long as 23"--plenty of different lengths to suit different necklines. A labradorite briolette dangles from the end of the chain.

It took over a year to finally gather a collection of labradorite stones in order to create this graduated arrangement. This piece will be offered as a very small edition. Coordinated earrings, in a style that you prefer, are always available--please contact me for more information.

Each neck piece is carefully packaged in a cotton filled, decorative box for shipping.

The House

2009-10-30T20:46:00.008-06:00

I ran this story last Halloween, so I felt it would be appropriate to dust it off and give it another showing. Just a note: the sketch was done by my daughter for the novel I will be starting on Sunday. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it...

I found this buried in my college notes a few weeks ago. The following is a portion from a book I was going to write. After 4 chapters I gave up and, judging from how this turned out, it was just as well. Happy Halloween!

Julie was alone in her uncle’s house. The 11:00 O’ Clock news was on and there was some story about a guy who raised a record-sized carrot. When they ran stories like that, you know that it was a slow news day. Elsa was doing her usual routine of sitting and staring at you, that cat wasn’t good for much else…what cat is? It was when the news was over that Julie realized what happens next…bedtime. She knew that she would have to go to sleep, bit the thought frightened her and she didn’t know why. It could have something to do with the fact that she would have to turn-off all the lights and try to sleep in the dark, empty (and let’s not forget), BIG house. The fact that neighbors surrounded her did nothing to alleviate her anxiety. It was a well-known fact that when the lights went out, the ghosts came to life. Everybody knows that! “Elsa, stop that tearing around! You had all day to play and there’s no need to run around the house and…” She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw what Elsa was doing. That stupid cat was sitting outside the doorway to the stairwell and staring.

The feelings that came over Julie were ones of fright and dread. Knowing that she would have to go in and check things out, (she could no longer think that she could drift peacefully to sleep) knowing that the stupid cat had seen or sensed something in the house. Julie got up out of her chair and did what any normal person would do…she opened the front door. This was done not to run outside, but to give herself a sense of security. She knew that beyond the front door lay the neighbors and safety. It never occurred to her that the front door was a full 30 yards from the staircase door. However, the feeling is what counts in this instance. Slowly, Julie turned from the front door and started for the rear of the house. “Elsa, what are you doing?” The sound of her own voice comforted her, although it did nothing to alleviate the tension from Elsa. As Julie neared the staircase, turning on every light within her reach, she saw that Elsa’s fur was standing on end and the growling grew louder. When Julie got to within a few feet of the doorway, Elsa started to back away and spit at the door. It suddenly felt very cold in the hallway and Julie sensed something else; it was a feeling very hard to describe, but she felt the presence of evil. It seemed to be coming from the stairwell in waves. It took every ounce of strength in her 18 year old body could muster to go those last few feet. As she turned to look in the doorway, she comforted herself by talking to Elsa, “its okay Elsa, there’s nothing in there.”

As she looked up the curving stairway, she heard the sound of a creaking floorboard from above her. Elsa had flown into the laundry room at the other side of the house, so it wasn’t her. Something was upstairs. Something that shouldn’t be there, was there. There it goes again; definitely, something was walking around upstairs. Looking over her shoulder, Julie noticed that the front door was wide open and there was a clear shot to the outside. Feeling brave, Julie looked back up the stairs and yelled, “Hey, you don’t scare me you stupid, ugly ghost!” All of a sudden, an inhuman howl roared through the house. It didn’t come from just the upstairs, but from all around her. Turning back Julie yelled once more, “come and get me you jerk!” As Julie started to run for the front door, she heard the unmistakable sound of an immensely heavy footstep at the top of the stairs. Running for the door, Julie noticed that she was not really running at all. It felt as if something was pushing against her and slowing her down. The footsteps grew louder, but they also now came from the direction of the basement. Julie tried to run faster, but it was like running through Jell-O. The howls and the footsteps grew nearer from all sides, yet the front door seemed to be just out of reach. The overpowering sense of evil seemed to be suffocating her and making it hard to breathe. The howling grew deafening; the footsteps closer; the fear overpowering.

Almost there, the front door is within reach. As Julie reached for the door, something touched her shoulder and as she turned around, Julie saw a sight that made her…

Friday Fotos: 10/30

2009-10-29T11:58:00.007-06:00

I hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween...

Happy Halloween...

courtesy of... lolpix.com

This would freak me out...

courtesy of... funlol.com

This is me before my coffee...

courtesy of... icanhascheezburger.com