Recommending "The Lope"

Just a short blog today....I highly recommend you go take a look at Greg's blog. Here's the link: http://thelope.com/blog.htm He's posted some gorgeous shots of the hoar frost. This is what talented photographers are capable of doing. Check it out!

A Snowy Day - A Funny Story

It has snowed here...I've heard any where from 1 1/2 inches to 8 inches. Truly it's just a "light to medium" snow. Not bad. Streets are pretty much cleared off. My son shoveled my driveway a couple of times and it's about melted clear now. Temperature isn't too bad...all in all kind of a pretty snow.

However.....that means I'm bored. My horoscope for today(and NO, I don't believe in them, but for fun I DO read them) says: Take care of personal business today. Stay out of group discussions that lead nowhere. You have excess energy to apply as you run errands. Take the bike!

'Scuze me???? I'm not especially feeling any "excess energy" and if I go run any errands (and I don't plan to!!) I sure won't be taking the bike!!!! I have on occassion been considered a "serious rider"....but I'm not THAT serious!!!!

I had lunch with a friend the other day and she related a funny story to me. It seems a group of her friends have dinner (here in Kansas, that's "supper") together once a week. Well, this particular evening she was expecting a phone call from her son, and sure enough, shortly after arriving at the restaurant, he called. It was noisy, so she excused herself and went into the ladies' room. She said she tends to pace when talking on the phone and she kept hearing a little "hum"...."hum"....."hum"..... but didn't think much of it..figured it was an automatic air freshener or something. But after a few minutes she turned to see that she'd been pacing in front of the paper towel dispenser...the one with a sensor to roll out a towel...and the towels were down to the floor!!!!!

I saw humor and laughed!!!! Someone else I related this story too didn't...his response was, "Did she clean it up?" Hmmmmm.... I didn't ask.

With that....have a bright day...don't forget to count your blessings...

Semi-retraction ... MY sense of humor

Regarding my previous blog...well...so I guess I'm supposed to eat crow here because I wasn't sharp enough to pick up on the fact that Conan is supposed to be funny and that he really wasn't throwing all of NBC's money after poor taste. I watched last night and heard him say it was all fake...it wasn't real...ha ha ha. I have a very poor sense of humor...ask anyone that knows me...they'll tell ya!

So...as an apology to all of you who were upset with my blog...here's my promise: No matter what venue, what channel, I will NEVER watch Conan O'Brien again! Good enough? That way I won't get confused and post such ugliness about such a great guy.

Conan - World's Biggest Jerk

OK...so right up front...I'll tell ya...go back if you're easily offended. Stop now! Remember I've said before: my blog...my opinion.

I have NEVER liked Conan...when I heard he was going to take over the Tonight Show I knew I'd be getting more sleep. I'm not overly wild about Letterman so after the nightly news I'd go to sleep.

However, this whole uproar of Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien drew my interest and I've kind of been watching just to hear the jabs: both Leno and Conan. (Conan I've only watched for the past three nights.) Last night was the ultimate piece of shit!!!! Before I started to write this I googled Conan and saw this piece written by John Milewski on the Huffington Post. It's entitled "Conan's Expensive Goodbye". I certainly cannot add more to it to improve it....at least now without using extensive swear words. Let me add just this: Conan is exactly what I've always thought he was!

Conan's Expensive Goodbye ....... (in part).. John Milewski

Millions of American's are losing or have lost their jobs. They are angry and their employment future is uncertain. That's where the kinship with Conan ends. Unlike Mr. O'Brien they didn't walking away with tens of millions in severance pay. And they certainly weren't provided with a high-profile pulpit from which they could publicly criticize their former employers.
I have no sympathy for NBC. This is a mess of their own making. When I tuned in I was squarely in Conan's corner and remain there on technical merit. After all, in negotiating the 45 million dollar exit deal, Conan made sure that 12 million of that would go to his staff. He is legendarily generous with those he employs and is widely regarded as a decent fellow. So while there is a clear disconnect related to how most of us lose our jobs and Conan is losing his, that's not the main source of my complaint.
My problem is with a segment introduced during the last couple nights in which something not very funny is done for the purpose of spending NBC's money. Last night's skit designed to waste network cash involved a racehorse in a mink watching restricted NFL programming. As advertised, it wasn't funny, but it did cost NBC 4.8 million dollars about which Conan gloated. He's having some pay back fun by burning NBC's money. The night before the price tag for gratuitous waste was 1.5 million and involved a ridiculously expensive automobile. The two-night total is a whopping 6.3 million dollars which is more than half of the 12 million total dedicated to severance packages for the show's staff. Adding to this offensive wastefulness is the fact that Rome, or at least Port-au-Prince, is burning. In fact, Conan made an appeal for donations to Ben Stiller's Haiti relief charity last night mere moments after reveling in the lame but expensive racehorse gag. Apparently it's not just Washington and Wall Street that doesn't get it.

I've been accused of being irreverent to a fault. I find humor in even the darkest scenarios. But given the stark contrast between the world of late night spats and the worlds of record unemployment and horror in Haiti I guess I've reached my limit. Conan O'Brien, because he could, wasted 6.3 million dollars of NBC's money on a sophomoric prank because he's angry that they've unfairly taken away his show. Who knows what tonight's total will be since he has 90 more minutes of air time to get even with the evil peacock network. Ben Stiller's charity and the people of Haiti could have done something quite different with that 6.3 million.
What amounts to chump change in the land of network shenanigans is huge money in the real world. In the real world it's the kind of money that can change lives or perhaps even save them. And while I know that there's no simple formula for moving such money from one place to another, I really don't care. The contradiction between multi-million dollar pranks and appeals for disaster relief from the same host on the same show separated by mere minutes was more disconnect from reality than I could stand and I just had to get it off my chest.

2010 is Here!

The New Year is UPON us - 2010 !!!!! Time to shape up!!!!


Vision without a plan is merely an hallucination!


I heard that earlier today when I was downstairs riding the trainer. I love it.. And HOW TRUE!!!!!!


The first photo here is my road bike...the one I usually ride. I love it. It's now about nine years old and I have no intentions of replacing it. I've had people tell me you don't put a handlebar bag on this particular type/style of bicycle, but I bought it to enjoy, not to race!!! (And I know...some people ENJOY racing. I don't. I enjoy the fresh air and sunshine and little flowers at the edge of the road and a good cow-barn smell!!! And most of all I enjoy the companionship of my fellow riders!)


This second picture is of my older Trek on the trainer set up downstairs. I actually have ridden it almost every day since the day after Christmas. I've missed three days! I'm doing it to keep my knees moving more than anything. I only do 30 minutes, but I still manage to work up a good sweat every time! Riding this trainer probably ranks second to walking on a treadmill. Even with a tv going, etc...it's incredibly boring!!! Not as boring as walking on a treadmill, but still pretty darned boring.


This third photo is of one of my son's bicycles, and his rollers. I used to ride rollers years ago. For me, rollers indicate a death wish. On the trainer that my bike is on, only the back wheel moves and everything else is stationary. On rollers, everything moves. And if the rider slips too far to the left or right, he's off and usually into a wall. T'aint funny!!! Very serious riding. Also far more energy is spent..which is good. I won't even try them anymore.

Easiest way to get started on rollers is to set them up in a doorway and brace your shoulder against the frame of the door. That way until you're sure of your balance you can kind of support yourself. Like I said, death wish. Pure suicide.

So...I've got the riding part and a little jazzercise going pretty good....but about the diet part....hasn't changed much. Still consume far too much sugar and sweets and gooey stuff...not nearly enough "greenery" (unless gummy bears and M&M's count!!!??). Soon I'll start trying to do better there too.......she said.

Weather is awful. It's cold. But as I always say "Count your blessings!!!" Hutchinson seems to be one of few places that doesn't have snow...or at least much snow. We have "dustings" from time to time, but virtually no accumulation. Count your blessings!!!

Update on Skinny Alpine Tree

Wow!!! I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and the 7' Skinny Alpine was $129.99 this year...it was $80 last year. It's on sale now after Christmas...yesterday it was about $67 as I recall...I gave $12 for mine! Wonder if they'll ever get that low again. Someone must have figured out they were popular!!! Funny how that works...the greedy bas..... oh, never mind!!!

The Skinny Alpine

Here's a photo of my "skinny alpine"...a pre-lit tree that I bought at Hobby Lobby last year shortly after Christmas. It was an $80 tree...and I haunted their store/parking lot until the price was right..$12. I just love it. My friend Patsy, the uber-Yule Christmas maven (Greg's term - wish I could take credit) has one just like it in her kitchen with cute little kitchen ornaments all over it. It's 7' tall, but everyone refers to it as my "little tree".

The little snowman/Santa face is one of two that my friend Pat gave me. It's really cute. Both of the photos were taken after 9pm...so they really aren't very good shots...but...."when the spirit moves ya", you know! (If you click on them, it might improve them for you a little.)

I'm looking forward to the New Year with great anticipation....I HAVE to get in better shape!!! I've made truffles a couple of times this Christmas season, and today I made peanut-butter balls (replaced 1/2 stick of margerine with 1/3 package of cream cheese.....yummy....great improvement!).... and I'm eating like it's my last meal. Believe me, that tree is the only thing that's "skinny" around here.

Well, enough....just wanted to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year!!! And, please...don't forget the reason for the season!

Looking back & looking forward...

Looking back...and reading back....strange how time changes our opinions and goals.

I just spent a few minutes going back a year and reading what I had written here in my blog. Much of the same feelings this year regarding the holidays: bluntly, I'll be glad to see January roll around! Old country song about "If we make it through December, everything's gonna be alright"...seems pretty fitting to me. I think it's a time to be celebrated and thankful, but I think the commercial aspect of it all has totally wiped out a lot of people's common sense...as well as their ability to recognize what the season is all about! 'Nuff said? Ok.

One more thing from the near past that has probably changed for me is that I'm somewhat (probably more than somewhat) disappointed in Obama. I was all for him and what he stood for and what he was saying he could make happen. He's made a few decisions here lately that sure haven't set well with me. #1: LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF THIS WAR!!!!! I totally believe that sending more troops over there is a huge mistake! (My blog, my opinion. You want to express an opinion, start your own blog!)

Ok...on to a new year....have you made resolutions yet? I usually don't, however, this past year I made one that I've actually stuck to for the entire year: that was to NOT answer the phone to a certain individual. It hasn't prevented his phone calls (he's a slow learner), but somehow I feel I've gained a little control over the circumstances.

I'm so proud of that accomplishment that I've decided to work on a few other things for 2010. The standard: lose weight, exercise more, bicycle more, walk more, eat more veggies and less sweets, give up Diet Coke...see, all related to my weight and condition. I'm 65 now and can still ride 30+ miles on a bicycle. You'd think would make me happy...but I don't do it nearly often enough. Wasn't but two or three years ago that we (the gals I ride with) wouldn't consider doing less than 20 miles a day...and that was usually 5 or 6 days a week. Now if I get out twice a month I'm doing good! That has to change...that's GOING to change! Granted, winter months means riding the trainer in the basement probably, but that's do-able!!!

Recently I had a bone density test and was told later that I have osteopenia in my spine. Of course, the doctor wants to start me on medication...a PILL...that's the standard answer! No! That's my standard answer. So the alternative is to up my calcium, increase my vitamin D, and do weight-bearing exercise. (When I asked the caller from my doctor's office if bicycling was considered "weight bearing" she assured me it was....I knew better, but I asked. SHE'S WRONG!!!) But, nevertheless, bicycling is good for all sorts of things - especially my knees and heart and lungs and attitude! So I'm also going to start tanning in a tanning bed...oh yeah, yeah...I know...but that's vitamin D and if you don't overdo it and become Miss Naugahyde it's probably a plus rather than a minus!!! And, by the way, a little on-line research indicates that osteopenia is a natural occurrence as we age.

Well...you see...this having one's own blog is handy! I get to say whatever I want and no one argues..yet.

Today was nice...over 50 degrees, light wind, sunshine (which we haven't seen much of here for a while). I thought about a bicycle ride..but chose to go out and rake the backyard instead. It needed it and I needed some outdoors exercise. Hope your day was spent productively and happily...count your blessings! I mean that!!! Good night!

Sunday - Dec 13 -

Many of you will probably remember that Schiz (the dog that owns me) came from a really bad place. I didn't get her until she was 5 1/2 months old. At that time she'd never been on grass and didn't know how to be held. (Among a multitude of other atrocities!) She'd stiffen out and was just scared to death. She's now 5 1/2 YEARS old, has been thoroughly "socialized" (some might perhaps say too much!!), and is a pretty relaxed, easy-going little girl.

Yesterday we had four ladies stop by and Schiz had her "ain't I the cutest thing ya ever saw" routine going full speed. When they came in the front door, she was on her hind legs, standing and waving both front paws in the air. One of the ladies was clearly a "dog person" and she was on the floor with her and pretty soon Schiz was doing "hot laps" up and down the hallway...sliding into the computer room where we were all at. She won all their hearts I think!!!

Usually she's not an over-affectionate dog. My previous Shih tzu was...Odjida was a lover! Schiz is affectionate first thing in the morning. She'll maybe give you a kiss even. She not really a "kissing" dog. She seems to pride herself on being very independent. Often she'll stay in one room while I'm in another...for several hours even.

This evening I was ironing and she was sleeping in the doorway. I had a sweatshirt vest over my t-shirt (ok..it's a rag of a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut out), and I got too warm, so I pulled it off and threw it on the floor. These photos are merely my proof that the dog DOES TOO like me!!!! She had to get up and move to get on the sweatshirt. She's zonked! In fact, while I've come into another room, she's still asleep in the ironing room...on my sweatshirt! Sorry...I think she's really a sweetie!!!

Also this evening my son supplied me with this website...forewarned, you'll be sorry you ever looked!!!! Go ahead and get your pen and paper ready to start making a grocery list right now...then go look. If you can get through this page, you can scroll to the bottom and find page after page after page of goodies. I haven't managed to get through them all yet...but I'm sure I will!!! Good luck...here's the link: http://foodgawker.com/popular/gawked/


Well, that's it for this evening. Remember to count your blessings...and remember, sometimes they're disguised and you have to find the meaning.

PS...I'm back...just went and looked at more of the Foodgawker site...there's some wonderful stuff there...there's also some really weird stuff...like the cows' lips and the duck embryo cooked in the eggshell....YUCK!!!!!

What's Been Happenin'

Wow...been busy, busy, busy!!!!

Started out last Thursday, the 3rd, I went up by Manhattan and picked up my cousin, Shon. She was showing me their new barn/stables when I saw this ox yoke hanging there. Oh-oh!!!! So I had to go talk to Charlie (her husband) about it, and wound up bringing it home with me. I love it!! It's about 50 inches wide, and will require at least 40 inches vertically. I may not get it up til spring as I want to sand a little and then put tung oil or something on it. I'm thinking probably the back wall of my dining room...but friends say the side wall of the living room. We'll see.....







Then Shon and I went on to Becky's (Shon's sister, my cousin) at Maple Hill. Both Shon and Becky have incredible talent! I didn't take the time to take photos at Shon's but she does awesome work as well. But these are a few (and I do mean FEW) of the gorgeous wood carvings that Becky has done. My photos are a little confusing sometimes as I was shooting against a mirror and sometimes through glass besides. Just incredible...even the leaves are carved or "formed" by hand. Everything looks so real you expect them to move. Both Shon and Becky are wood carvers and compete in shows and do quite well. And you can surely see why!!!!









This last one is definitely one of my favorites. The little chickadee and the blue bird on the same piece of aspen (which is also carved!!)....WOW!!!! She calls it something like Mountain Song....as both birds are found like this quite often in Colorado (I hope that's accurate!?!?! It's been a long, full week and I may not have my facts straight.)

Anyway, the three of us had a wonderful visit. We laughed and laughed til we were crying. It was a most relaxing, entertaining, fun-filled day I've had in quite a while...and I totally enjoyed it.



Then Saturday my friend Pat who does Iris-folding greeting cards and I shared a booth at the Hutch Rec Craft Fair held at Trinity Methodist Church. I think someone said there were 15 jewelry booths out of a total of 30 booths. I had a great day. Sales were pretty good. I think maybe the gals in the booth behind us (who sold jewelry) weren't real happy with me, but I can't help that. People that like sterling silver, like sterling silver! And Pat had a very successful day with her cards as well.

Monday was my big Christmas Open House Craft Fair here at my home. I wound up with eleven vendors: beaded jewelry, sterling silver jewelry, embroidered tea towels +, goats' milk soaps, antiques, Pappardelle's pasta, purses, metal art, Scentsy candles, candies & baked goodies, and Iris-folding greeting cards. The weather was NOT cooperative. It was very, very cold!!!! And by late afternoon had turned to snow! We didn't have a huge crowd, but still it wasn't too bad. Everyone did ok I think. Everyone made a little...some made a little more! But the best of it was the entertainment. Who had time for customers anyway...we were too busy laughing at each other and telling stories!!!! And there were some FUNNY stories!!!

I won't go into all the details here, but Mark...the goats' milk soap guy...has 27 goats and does all his production himself, except the packaging which his mother-in-law does. He's a hoot!!!! He was telling stories about goats that kept us all in stitches!

Tuesday was "carpet cleaning" day...and cold and snowy...as was Wednesday when I was supposed to do a trunk show at a local tanning salon. I postponed it until next Wednesday. Today was the first day I've had my car out of the garage since early Monday morning. Our snow wasn't necessarily all that deep (I've heard 1"...and I've heard nearly 3") but the roads looked pretty slick and it was VERY cold, so I just stayed home!

Life is good overall. I count my blessings...and I hope you'll count yours too. If you ever think you've got it bad, look around. You'll most likely see you're pretty blessed! With that, good night.