Author |
Message |
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 12:33 am
LOL, I was on a mission today. The more I got done, less I have to do this weekend, since we're planning on several Christmas activities starting tomorrow night. I finished the living room floor (even did the hallway,) the kitchen, den, and bathroom. Also finished several loads of laundry, including one for my aunt. I'll be going over to her house tomorrow to clean and help her with a shower. Now if someone could just give me a kick in the pants to wrap the rest of the Christmas presents! I should have had that done earlier this week and have really been dragging my heels on it. Dipo, your idea of vacation sounds totally awesome (sitting on the balcony and reading, not the recycling part.) I hope you're able to get a lot of rest and relaxation and enjoy yourself.
|
Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 1:59 am
Yes Dipo! Sounds just like MY idea of a vacation! Have relaxing blast. Wow War! You are one busy woman! Maybe if you were to put on some Christmas music it would rev you up to wrap the rest of the Christmas presents. Good luck, the rest of your weekend sounds like great fun! Hey War, want to hear a funny? Remember my Sis has a little Sh!tszu we call Muttley? Sis gave you all sorts of info on clipping when you got your Sweet Princess. Well, my furry little nephew has been on a roll this season getting into everything imaginable!!! Even ate a box of apricots and they're so expensive. Recvd my Christmas packages yesterday, one more should be here anytime. Opened one box Sis was concerned about (not peeking til Santa comes tho ). Well wrapped in bubble wrap, the plastic bag around was all chewed up. (Yep Sis said, he even went for your jar of marinated garlic olives!) Now, the other item she had warned about but still I laughed when I saw it. Family tradition is to send Aunt Bisc a box of "cheap chocolates" every year since I like the orange/lemon cremes. In my younger years I used to eat them when everyone else went for the pricey Sees Chocs. So when I opened the box to retrieve the homemade fudge she wanted put in the refrig, I saw the box of "cheap chocolates". A 3" by 2" hole torn out of the corner at the top. Sis had said "Muttley was very delicate about it. He only took the two chocolates in the corner." What a LAUGH that gave me! I've read that chocolate is bad for dogs, so I was relieved that he only got the two! Think I'm going to post this in the Dog thread, bet there's other people that might remember Muttley!
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 2:41 am
Ha, Mutley wants in on the Christmas fun! I love the fact that he was so careful when getting into stuff and that he didn't overdo it on the chocolate, lol. We haven't put out any presents yet but we've had some pup funnies. We have the Santa that sings and dances, 5 ft tall and he can either be set to be motion activated or where he has to be turned on with a button. We don't turn on the motion sensor...scares the hell out of you when you walk into the living room at night, in the dark, and you see something move and then hear, "HO HO HO MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!" Most of the kids love my Santa (middle niece spent hours dancing with him last weekend) but the little ones are scared of him (baby niece wouldn't even walk past him.) But, this year, PJ is scared of him. Everytime someone turns him on she spins around to see who it is and then stands and growls and barks at him. He doesn't even have to be turned on to get this reaction! It's really strange cuz I don't remember her doing that last year. It's also really funny. The other day I turned around to watch her protect against Santa and when I did I finally found the cause of the ornaments from the tree being on the floor. Kept finding them down, but couldn't figure out why, nobody else would be home and there'd be 4 or 5 ornaments scattered under the tree. Turned around and there's PJ growling at Santa and Harvey using the tree as a scratching post! Rubbed his ears against it, his head, his butt. And whole time he's scratching, he's shaking the tree and stuff is falling off. I about fell over laughing. When I told Darren and the kids about it, the kids said he's been doing it ever since we put the tree up. I hadn't seen it til that day, but since then I notice he stops to scratch pretty much anytime he walks by it. Goofy pups, guess they should be having fun this season helping with the tree, being entertained by Santa, and opening some gifts!
|
Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 3:07 am
Tee Hee War! Those furry kids sure do give us some great stories, don't they! I'm surprised Harvey hasn't managed to knock over the tree.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 11:52 am
I am too, Bisc. We switched to a smaller tree last year thats no where near as big or heavy as the big one was. And he knocked the big one over several times! Not scratching against it though, lol, we used to keep it in front of the window next to the front door and everytime someone came to the door, he'd run over to peek out the window and see who it was and there'd go the tree. One year he knocked the damn thing through the window...that was loads of fun. We not only had to replace it, but pick glass out of the tree and sweep up broken ornaments from the porch. That was the year we moved the tree.
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 12:27 pm
Well, I did hang my wreath, and I sat on my balcony and read my book, then when it was dark I took out the recycling (Wargod, its not like yours I just take it down to the bins, don't drive it anyplace, LOL), then I made my flylady cinnamon buns so they could rise over night. Got up this morning, pre-heated the oven and cooked the rolls, they are fabulous! Now I am going to take a nap, LOL, I've been up since 6, and snuggle with the kitties and read the paper.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Saturday, December 19, 2009 - 11:58 pm
LOL your first day of vacation sounds a lot like Darren's. Except he got up at 4 (a little later than his work day wake up time) and did some homework. He doesn't have class for two weeks either, but wanted to get the homework done first thing so he doesn't have to worry about it later. Then he went back to bed around 10 and slept til 1. He'll be like that for a few days and then start sleeping in a bit later (though probably not past 6-7am.) I didn't do too much of anything, woke up super crampy this morning and lacking all energy. Did one small load of laundry. Went to my aunts to help with a shower (I'd actually walked out of the door without my cleaning supplies so knew I wasn't doing that) and she said she didn't feel like it. I didn't even argue, just said ok, I'll be over tomorrow.
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, December 20, 2009 - 3:11 pm
So far, I have watched some tapes, put away a few things and have the dishwasher running. I think it must be time for a nap.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Monday, December 21, 2009 - 1:44 am
Monday's Mission Sis had an allergic reaction to something or other she ate last night and spent the night not sleeping (nothing series, just awake and uncomfortable all night.) Talked to her earlier this morning and said I'd keep the girls, go over tomorrow to clean/aunts shower. I've been enjoying (said sarcastically) severe cramps this month, so it's not taking much to get me to stay in my jammies and veg. The girls spent most of the day outside riding bikes/scooters and playing with the neighbor kids. I wrapped a few Christmas presents, did a few beaded things, and that was about it. Tomorrow I'm planning on cleaning (mostly picking up) around my house in the morning, then later in the afternoon going to aunts. Kids need to clean their rooms in the morning and Darren's going to see his mom in the afternoon and figured I'd go to aunts then.
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Monday, December 21, 2009 - 1:57 pm
Well I woke up to rain, LOL, I haven't seen the news, guess I better watch some at 5 to see what is going on in the world. I unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned up the kitchen, getting ready to hit the shower (I have been watching tapes), then I will run walk up to the store. I was cleaning the kitty box and realized the litter locker was out of plastic bag, I usually have an extra in the closet, but don't! So I need to pick up some french bread for my "flylady" christmas breakfast dish, so I am going to Trader Joe's, thought I would get a coffee at Peets, and then go to the store. They have a nice prime rib (I saw it the other day)so want to check it out for Christmas dinner, and I need a chocolate desert for when my sister comes on the 26th. Anyway, I have some boxes to take out, some presents I bought for myself came! I got two cashmere sweaters on sale big-time at Macys, and a rocket blender (my 20 year old on died). I am really excited because I got 4 big glasses for $5.22. I was amazed. Also planning on working on my bills, and a couple of other office things.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Monday, December 21, 2009 - 11:27 pm
What is a rocket blender, Dipo? You were certainly busy today! It was cleaning day here. I picked up, washed dishes here and there, dusted, wiped glass, vacuumed, swept. Really wasn't too bad since I'd been busy Friday cleaning. The kids both cleaned their rooms and got rid of a bag each of stuff they'd outgrown/don't use/broken/torn. I'm going to clean their carpets tomorrow I think. Dakota and I went to aunts and I got her in the shower and cleaned up there. I'll go back Thursday to see if I can get her in another shower and probably run the vacuum over the carpet but that's about all it will need them. Came home and made some spaghetti sauce from scratch. Haven't done that in a while. Hehe, my bil was actually surprised I was doing it...goofball, his mama taught me how years ago! Usually it's just easier to use a jar but I didn't have any, didn't feel like going to the store and figured I'd might as well make it myself. Was pretty good if I do say so myself.
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Tuesday, December 22, 2009 - 4:56 pm
A rocket blender is actually a blender, but it is smaller, and I was looking at the instructions and it is just like that one on TV that they show making smoothies, I think they call it a bullet. I just wanted something that was smaller and actually worked, lol. I tried to make some pesto with my old blender and it just sort of gummed the leaves. It blends, chops, and mixes with one blade and grins or whips with the other blade. I am hoping I may be able to get rid of my food processor as well, I haven't used it since I moved in 2 &1/2 years ago. I got everything at the store yesterday and started making the "flylady" christmas breakfast, but realized I the spinach wasn't thawed, so I got up at 7 this morning and squeezed the water out of the spinach, made the dish, put it into the oven and went back to bed. An hour later it was done! I have cleaned up the kitchen, swept the floor, worked on my bills, cleared up some minor office issues. Just got another box from macy's, I think it is my new glassware! I need to wash the rocket blender and a few other things, plus the glasses, and I am supposed to caulk the bathroom some time today (it is only about an inch that needs to be done). Ooo, spaghetti sauce sounds good! How do you make it?
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, December 22, 2009 - 11:47 pm
Tuesday and Wednesday's Missions Oops, forgot to post Tuesday's last night! Oh that sounds cool! I haven't had a blender in years, mostly because of the size, I never have needed a big one. A small one would be great. The spaghetti sauce is super simple. I just sautee onions and garlic and then toss in whole (canned) tomatoes for a bit, then add a couple cans of tomato paste and enough water to get it to the right consistency of sauce. Then toss in the meat, salt, pepper, and italian seasoning til it tastes good. Sometimes I use bellpeppers too and mostly ground beef though occassionally ground sausage. Nice thing about it is that it really doesn't take too long to make. Bils mom was a serious Italian (and Polish) and made tons of different sauces from the simple one she taught me to the more complicated ones she taught to my sis and her other daughter in law and daughter. Sis uses a couple different kinds of meat in her sauces (ground beef, mild and hot sausage links) and more spices. Little "adopted" sis (bils sister) makes one sauce that cooks for 3 days and has all the different meats in it, she uses fresh tomatoes, and I don't know what else she does to it for 3 days. But, I know when she makes it, that's the type of stuff when you just walk in the door and smell it, you're mouth starts to watering, it's sooo good. She usually only does that for holidays though, rest of the time she does simpler sauces like mine and sis'. Today was a fairly quiet day for us. A little bit of picking up, I made a pot of beans (great day for it, it was freezing cold and windy here today,) and went back to my aunts for a last bit of cleaning I didn't get done yesterday. Tomorrow the kidlets are going to my sisters for a few hours. I've put it off long enough and can't do it anymore, I've got to wrap the rest of the presents. We've got presents hidden all over the house too, so not possible to sneak them out while the kids are here. When we pick the kids up, my nieces are coming home with us for sis to do some wrapping and maybe last minute shopping.
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Wednesday, December 23, 2009 - 2:12 pm
Oh that recipe sounds good and simple, I am always trying to figure out different things to do with my sauce. I have loaded the dishwasher, put away all the stuff that I hand-washed yesterday, moved some stuff around in my drawers so I could store the rocket blender, redid my Christmas card list, added some more to my Safeway order (they are coming tomorrow between 12 and 2), got some laundry ready to take down and gathered all boxes and recycling that I need to take out into the foyer. ONce I take the laundry down when it is time for the dryer I haul out the trash and recycling. I need to take a plant down to the trash as well, and do a little work on the balcony (while it is sunny). good luck on the wrapping, it is the one job I don't like at Christmas time.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 12:37 am
Thursday's Mission Oh, it's very simple, Dipo. Biggest pain about it really is cutting up the onion, bell pepper, and I cut the canned tomatoes. Woo hoo on the grocery order! I bet that comes in really handy around the holidays when you don't have to fight the crowds. We actually went to Walmart today, really dreading the crowds, but it wasn't all that bad when we were there. Would have probably been a pretty quick trip, except that we kept remembering things I'd forgotten to put on the list, lol. I still forgot a couple things, but Darren's planning on going out early tomorrow for something or other and said he'd pick them up. We were supposed to take the kids to my sisters early this morning. I got up and hopped in the shower, got dressed, and came out and ended up picking up the living room. Told the kids to get ready, I was going to put breakfast dishes on to soak and then we'd leave, but once I got them on to soak, I decided to wash them, then since I was already in there, wiped counters, did a quick grocery list, took out trash, etc. It was right around the time I was sweeping I realized it was 11, lol. And then still found a couple more things I wanted done before taking them! Finally dropped them off a little after noon (cuz I also had to stop and get gas!) When I got home, Darren had everything out and ready to go and we set here for about two hours wrapping and organizing (we have stocking stuffers all seperated and ready to just be put in stockings, Santa gifts ready, and the stuff that goes to my aunts seperated.) Then went to Walmart after that and back to pick up the kidlets. Older two nieces are spending the night, baby stayed for awhile while her parents did some last minute shopping and then they picked her up to go home. Tomorrow, my plans are just picking up around the house and baking. I'm doing a few dishes for aunts Christmas dinner and then making pumpkin bread, banana bread, blueberry muffins, and brownies for gifts (kidlets will be helping.) Oh, also have to bake some cookies for Santa. For the most part that's about it other than trying to keep the kids busy.
|
Landileigh
Member
07-29-2002
| Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 1:01 am
war, your BIL's mom taught you correctly. it's basic "ragu" or red meat sauce. you can use it for spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna. just about anything. my nonna taught my mama, my mama and her taught me, and i taught holly. you should try oxtails some time. you have to add a little water to the sauce so that you cook it longer, but they are soooooooooo delicious!
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 1:47 am
Oxtails? Real tails or is it some hunk of meat off a hip or something? LOL, I am not that adventurous! Bils mom could cook. She taught her daughter, she taught sis and the other dil. At the time I wasn't all that interested in cooking and only learned a few things from her. These days I find more comfort in cooking good meals and wanna kick myself for not learning more from her, especially since she was eager to teach, because she was such a great cook and because some of my fondest memories of her were in the kitchen. It's not quite the same getting recipes from sis (who thanks to bils mom is a fabulous cook) or little "adopted" sis.
|
Landileigh
Member
07-29-2002
| Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 10:39 am
they are not REAL Ox's tails, but beef. and you find them at costco in the meat section (i've seen them there) and all you do is cook them in the sauce until they fall of the bone and they are the most tender flavorful meat you'll ever taste.
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 12:03 pm
Ah, thanks Landi! I've got the banana bread and brownies done, getting ready to do pumpkin bread and then chocolate chip cookies. Also need to start on aunts devilled eggs and candied yams for tomorrow. I need to get a little housework done, but I'm enjoying my little bit of quiet time before everyone comes back.
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 12:22 pm
Glad to hear you got all the presents sorted, Wargod. I did two loads of laundry, put it all away this morning (the kitties like to lay in the warm laundry), got the dishwasher loaded and running, just waiting for my delivery then I will start prep for cooking. Oh, deviled eggs sound really good, maybe I will make some too. I haven't had them in a long time.
|
Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 10:10 pm
Just about 3 more hours and Santy Claws will be here.
Merry Christmas Everyone! 
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Monday, December 28, 2009 - 1:36 am
Monday's Mission I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. We ended up skipping out on the holiday dinner since Kota was feeling so lousy, so yesterday we did a holiday meal here. It turned out pretty good if I do say so myself, though I sure missed all the Italian dishes! Today I did our Costco shopping, came home and seperated everything and worked up the menu for the next couple weeks. That was actually about it. Tomorrow sis and bil and the girls are coming over for dinner and games, so I will spend the better part of the day doing some housework and getting ready for them. Sis is helping with the cooking so I don't really have to rush around getting that done before they get here. I need to make a quick run to the grocery store for a few cleaners and a couple things I don't buy at Costco and that'll be about it.
|
Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Monday, December 28, 2009 - 2:01 am
Were you able to get Kota to Urgent Care and she's all well now? Glad you had a nice belated Christmas dinner!
|
Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Monday, December 28, 2009 - 2:35 am
Nope, didn't take her. Yesterday she felt pretty bad, but better than she had been on Christmas and no fever so we decided it was most likely a cold and no point going. She'd been complaining of the sinus pain and her ears, but my last cold (and everyone else who'd had it) had had the same complaints. So, of course, last night, after feeling bad but ok all day, her fever shot back up and she was miserable. Told Darren then, if she was feeling that bad today and running a fever we'd go to urgent care. Got up this morning and she was feeling better, not good, but the fever was gone and she wasn't just laying around. She still feels bad, but her fever didn't come back and while she just sat around in her jammies and feeling yucky today, she wasn't sick enough for urgent care so I'm sticking with it's a cold. Other than the fever (which we all had with the cold) she hasn't shown signs of any infection, sinus and ear pain yes, but not infection, and her breathing has been pretty good for the most part. But, with Kota, we never know which way she's going to go with illnesses, so have to keep a careful eye on her. Christmas she barely registered any of the gifts she got except for the robe. She didn't go running around to play with the kids, and hardly moved off uncles couch. Yesterday she laid around playing with her ds and listening to her ipod and taking several naps. Today she stayed in her jammies, no naps, and she played with some of the new craft kits she got. She told us tonight that she's hoping tomorrow she can go outside and play catch with her new glove, check out the hit-a-way, and run around with Caleb and the girls with the nerf guns. I think that might be a bit optomistic on her part, but I know it's driving her batty to be sick with all this new stuff she wants to play with. And doubly sucky, her favorite stuff is always the outdoor stuff like a new softball glove and nerf gun. But, it's a sign of how lousy she's feeling that all she's been able to do is sit and hold them and look at them.
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Monday, December 28, 2009 - 12:01 pm
Bummer that dakota got sick! Hope she is feeling much better and can get out and run around. Wow, its been a while since I was in here. Lets see Friday I swept and dust moped all the floors, did some general clean up to be ready for "christmas" on Saturday. Had a wonderful time with my sister, we never got around to eating any of the deserts (I am not really a desert person, but that is what she wanted to do). Oh and I made a great prime rib with mashed potatoes on Friday. Thursday night I made some deviled eggs, thanks for that suggestion wargod, they turned out great. Had the leftovers for breakfast on Saturday. My sister helped me clean up my balcony, I had a big plant I had finally killed and wanted to haul off to the trash, then we swept and moved stuff and got a good clean in. After she left, I sat out and read a book and watched the birds eat seed of the flaming amber tree (that was all the crud I found on my balcony), they had moved on to a neighbor tree and there were 13+ doves on the roof eating the leftovers from the gazillon finches in the tree feasting, it was lovely to watch. Didn't do much on Sunday, finished up some tapes, cleaned up a little here an there, ate some food, cleaned out the fridge and that was about it. I think tonight I will starting putting away some of the decoration stuff, but my tree and light will probably be up for a little while. I need a dry weekend and I am not sure when that will be. Hope everyone had a great Christmas!!
|
|