Thursday, December 27, 2007

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Just a thought

I had a thought, awhile ago... the first of October, to be exact.
On why we say "didn't deserve to win".

here are some of your comments

from Jolina:
Oh, by the way, I neglected to respond to the term "didn't deserve to win." I think that is just poor sportsmanship. That kicker deserves soooo much credit for stepping up and coming through like he did. The quarterback spoke extensively how he had dug them into a hole, and the rest of his team really played well to score that win. Instead of hanging around and saying such things as this, wouldn't it be so much better if they focused on the positive. Not just in football games, but in everything. I don't suppose that a game like that played by our young people - our kids - would there be any talk of "didn't deserve to win." (well, maybe in some families) We would say something like, "they stuck it out till the end," "they never gave up," "they had the heart to win," etc.

I have a hard time with the word deserve anyhow. Why do any of us "deserve" anything?

from Mark:
Oh and the cowboys do deserve to be 5-0 because they are the best football team ever. But last nights game was lucky. They should of lost but they somehow managed to get themselves out of that mess Romo got them into.

from Betty:
Some times the other team makes boo boos that give the game away.

from Meghan:
I would think that phrase would only apply if someone was a jack ass, poor sport, cheater etc. but... do you really hear that often? I cant think of a time I have heard it, I am sure I have, but not coming to mind ... we are more a 'oh that sucks that they won' type family!

from me/debbie:
I hear it from the fans of the team that won, when their team didn't play as well as they would have liked them to.
BUT THEY STILL WON!!
So, I think it's a weird thing to say....

this was my original note:

Just a quick thought.......
Why do people say "they didn't deserve to win?", when talking about a sports team, that wins, but doesn't do it as prettily as we would like?

Last night the Cowboys won in the last 2 seconds of the game. They did not play their best, but it was exciting at the end...and they won.
then Rich said they didn't deserve to win. I just thought it funny, as obviously they did deserve it since they had the most points at the end, and that's what counts....Victory or Loser.

I know, it's a rhetorical question....people use that term all the time "they didn't deserve to win".
so...what? they've never had a bad day? The teams have bad days, but they pull it off somehow. Personally, I think that's a better description....
boy they had a tough game, and yet they managed to be the winners!!!! Which is how it goes down in the record books.
Never is there---the Cowboys are 5-0 but they really don't deserve to be there. The fact is, they do deserve to be there because THEY WON!!!

Should I or shouldn't I?

down to 199 girls. woo hoo!!

and I so, don't understand the not second guessing oneself. How do you not do it?
I just second guessed myself on having the correct pieces of toast!! I should have only had one with peanut butter, but it tasted so good, I had one more...but should I have? Really? I mean, the peanut butter has fat in it......and on and on and on.

from Linda in Walla Walla:
I am not a procrastinator. I'm an organized person, and yes, I makelists. I seldom second guess myself. I have OCD, for God's sake.

from Diana in Elko:
Some procrastinating. I want to be worse but I just can't. yes I do make lists so I won't forget important stuff.--mostly for work related

from Theda in Tualatin:
I would say that I am 80/20 (20 being the procrastinator). But 20 seemsso high. Sometimes admitting your faults is the first step. Perhaps I amchanging as I write this. HaHaHa. Actually depends on the day and all ofthat stuff. Every end of the school year I say that I will wake at 7 am,exercise, eat well, clean............ but do I ? Okay-- it is okay to sleepin the first week and the second... well I should write up a "list" andget the "to do's" on paper, then what happened to the last five weeks and Ihave one week to do six weeks of "to do's."I don't think I second guess myself. The same with regrets, - no to themalso.

from Laura in Elko:
I think of myself as an organized person…because of my lists. I don’t feel comfortable without a list. My kids laugh at me for them…but it always helped me. And yes…I am always 2nd guessing myself. ALWAYS. I envy those who see a situation, make a decision and stick to it… That is why I still have blank walls in my house and I have lived here for almost 4 years…why none of my homes have every really been “decorated” to any degree. I blame this on being a Libra…I see all sides of a situation and ride the fence from then on….that and the fact that someone once asked me “are you sure?”. I think up until that time, I was…then in a blink, I wasn’t…and haven’t been since.

from me/debbie:
OH NO...the dreaded "are you sure"?
geez... we were up until THEN!!

from Barbara in Buckeye:
Procrastinator??!! ME!!?? hahahahahahaAnd you know I am the most organized person you ever met.

from April in Winnemucca:
I am a split personality...organized/procrastinator How is that possible you say??? I always have a zillion things at once going. My head is thinking "April, you should get your luggage packed because you're leaving on a trip in the morning." At the very same time my body is working away at cleaning out the fridge while also processing LOADS of laundry. Get the picture...laundry-done, fridge-clean....packing - Oh, maybe after I watch this movie

from me/debbie:
I am procrastinating right now. I need to go vacuum.
But...oh...mabye after I get my e-mails down to 150!!
(I am at 193 now. )

my mission

My mission today, is too get my e-mails down below 200 in my in-box. I get it down to around 207 and then leave for a while, or a couple of days and then I am write back up to 265. Just this morning in fact!!!

Right now I am down to 205. I haven't been below 200 in my inbox for months and months!!!

let us begin.... by talking about magazines.

from Kate Getty...pregnant Kate, as she will be known from here on out, until March (I think):
Guilty as Rich....front to back....skip it if I startto read it and it is boring, but I do go through itfront to back....

from Robbie Milton:
I read them watching TV or waiting for something. Ialso read some before going to bed.

from Linda Ornelas (known as my cousin ):
Rich and I would get along well. I read from cover to cover, completely.

from Diana Elwess:
I read them like you do unless I am really really bored then the whole thing.

from Theda Pansevicius (in high school, I called her Ted):
I think that John does the same. We get two magazines that are his. I can go to the library if I want to see one.

from me/debbie:
I buy them when we go on a road trip. I take a library when I travel. With Rich anyway. the book I'm reading, one more book in case I finish that one. 2 or 3 new magazines, a cookbook to get ideas from, my address book and some cards and stamps (in case I want to write anybody) slippers... I am set and ready to go. LOL

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Thanksgiving Soup

I'm making a squash soup for Thanksgiving.
And pies.
LOOK, I'm already practicing for my restaurant. Soup and pies, soup and pies.

from Cherrie Lou Who (Rich's sister in Auburn, Washington, works at Boeing):
OK I know I have been missing a lot over the last month, but now I amback.I see that my e-mail got so full I did not receive any mail for a fewdays, which is probably good.Kate Getty, another FF and I were at Elk camp with the boys the lastweek. It was really nice, good weather, great food, nice camp fires,good friends. None of our men were able to get an Elk this year, but that's OK. Weall have the regular places to get meat, Grocer, Butcher, the Getty'sfreezer is full of the stuff! Daryl got his deer a couple of weeks ago!Stone Soup, I hate to tell ya Deb . . . . There is a Stone Soup inRichland on the Parkway. And I'm sure you know the story of Stone Soup,don't you? I would like veggies and meats and things in my soup.Michael Makes a killer beef barley soup, it's one of his slow cookerrecipes.Pies, all pies are good, my least favorite would be pecan, I'm not a fanof pecans. The best is Pumpkin! Mmmmmmmmmm! Apple is great because itis really inexpensive, and back when I was really really poor, I wouldmake one on occasion as a treat, mmmmmm! I like Key Lime, but I thinkit's hard to get a really good one because they are rare in the GreatNorthwest. And I could have lived on Gilligan's Island with Banana andCoconut cream pies. But the best is still Pumpkin!Well, I suppose I should get back to work for now, I will be better atresponding now that I am here.Cherrie Lou Who

from me/debbie:
I am so impressed with all you FF's who know the StoneSoup story. How literate you all are. (not that I thought you were illiterate, but nice to know you like literature...geez, I better quit before I stick my foot further into my mouth!)
and yes, to the Richland and Walla Walla Stone Soup.
Should I have the contest?

from Jolina (our Winnemucca FF, who works at the College--Great Basin College):
careful about contests. When Ray & Bobbi Davis owned the Players bar, they opened naming the place to a contest and hated that name.

from me/debbie:
Maybe I can choose from the top three.
I like pecan pies. I like apple pies. and I have a recipe for a German Chocolate pie that Lisa makes...yum-o! I even have an old Amish recipe for oatmeal pie. Luke loved it. It's like an oatmeal cookie in a pie.. a very moist oatmeal cookies.
And how can one not like crust Laura/Jolina? Homemade crust?! mmmmmm......mmmmmmmm.
Dustin called me on Friday and asked what a pumpkin custard pie was... that was all he could find in Virginia. I told him it was the same thing as regular pumpkin pie. It is, isnt' it?
The thing that REALLY confused me was he then asked.... if he should get the mild or SPICY pumpkin custard pie. ????

from my mom Bev, who is retired:
There are cold soups also for hot days! Some of then are very good.

from me/debbie:
gazpacho being my favorite!

from Darleen (Rich's aunt, his same age aunt LOL, who is retired also. She was in the navy for awhile):
Hey, check this out: www.stonesoupcafe.net. It says they have one in Richland!!

from me/debbie:
yes, it is the responsibilities of the Tri-Citian Friday Friends to go have lunch there this month and "check it out" for me.
Us...as you will be my investors. LOL

from Jolina again:
I worked for a lady in Fallon in a lunch spot. also had ice cream. She did soups, sandwiches, and specialty things. She had a chalk board to write the specials. She would make artichokes and then stuff them with salad. Made some tremendous pies. One I should have gotten the recipe for was the German Chocolate Pie (she made the cake too - oh so yummy). She used to make extra coconut pecan frosting and serve it warm over vanilla ice cream. Of course, you could only get that when she had baked the cake, so people were always calling to see when she was baking. People poured in during lunch. It was in a strip mall, so I wouldn't call it a restaurant exactly.

She also catered and made fancy cakes - wedding and birthdays, and such. She taught me how to cook artichokes, make frosting flowers, sugar Easter eggs with the scenes (what are those called?).

This is really sad, but I can't think of the name of the place. I can see her, and I remember her name. She was very crotchety - people told me not to apply, she was hard to work for. Then, right after I was hired she was having problems with the ice cream cone stand. You know those metal ones where you put the box on and the cones come out the bottom? I tried to help her but managed to get her hand stuck in the contraption somehow - hurt her. Think I wasn't worried then?

from me/debbie:
LOL... but she must have forgiven you?
People will be pouring into my restaurant too. to get out of the rain and have comfort food of soup and warm bread. And to watch "It's a wonderful life" in black and white.

Thanksgiving plans

Today I will make my menu for Thanksgiving. I am probably going to shake everybody up, because I am having "courses". Well, I want to make a soup and at first I'll just serve the soup. You kind of have to have it in courses if you have a soup. It just doesn't work to have soup along side everything else. So, first, we'll sit down and have our soup and visit and then, I'll whisk the bowls away and bring out everything else... which will be..... I'm still thinking.

about that Thanksgiving countdown list.... I love lists, but that one did seem a bit excessive. LOL

from Shelly in Nevada:
Oh my gosh!!! Who makes up these lists?? I'm feeling like this year I'll be lucky just to get some kind of meal on the table. And forget the turkey. My family will eat it once and then they're done. So, since it's just us this year I'll probably do ham or prime rib. The last item should be "go to bed for three days".

Pumpkin pie...yes, I like it. But it's not a fruit, is it? And I only want one piece then I'm done. Luckily both Lorin and Bryan really like pumpkin pie so there's never a problem with it being eaten. Damn...I suppose they will be expecting one to appear for Thanksgiving...to make or buy??? Gotta love the frozen food section of the grocery store!!!

from Barb in Arizona:
Good grief! That list is so long, it would take me all the way to Thanksgiving day to even read it!

from Jolina in Nevada:
I love pumpkin stuff - like pumpkin cheesecake, and pumpkin spice coffee. I like the spice used in pumpkin pie in my oatmeal. I can eat pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream, but here again (I know you already doubt me!) I am not much of a standard pie eater. I prefer graham cracker crust type pies. Cream pies, cream cheese pies, the ones that are really bad for you!

from Diana in Nevada:
I LOVE Pumpkin Pie, Pumpking anything. I have to say I make a pretty mean Pumpkin Log.

from Laura in Nevada:
OK, OK, I’ll answer one….yes, I love pumpkin pie…but I am not a “crust” person. More often than not, I only eat the “insides” of the pie, any pie. And I am not a cooked fruit type person…not to say I WON’T eat cooked fruit, I just prefer it fresh, and when given a choice…like at a buffet or at a function where there is more than one offered…I would be the one that chose anything else besides the baked fruit first….especially if it is chocolate.

from Theda in Oregon:
I agree with Debbie that this is a holiday that I really like. Since it is on a Thursday there is still Friday - Sunday to shop and enjoy left overs. Not sure what we are doing. Last week there was talk of going to the Seattle area to see John's sister. I did not really care if we went or not, but then started thinking about all of my favorite Seattle things to do and became ready to go.
John called from his work on Friday to ask about our plans. Someone has to be the "on call" manager. I would rather have Christmas off and we need Memorial Weekend 08 for Sarah's wedding. So, I think that we will be home. Sarah had mentioned about going to Aaron's family so they could talk about the wedding. Not sure what we are doing now but I won't deny us any favorite foods if we are alone.

from me/debbie:
I think holidays are not the time for denial of food..... so, good for you.

from Gina in Nevada:
My whole family is meeting at my sisters house in Fallon. We are taking the four wheelers, dirt bikes etc. The day after Thanksgiving the guys are going hunting and the girls are going shopping and craft making. Should be good fun.

from Jolina in Nevada:
Have I ever shared any of the ADAMS family Thanksgiving stories with you?

Here's how Thanksgiving goes in the ADAMS family.
* Throw the turkey in water the night before, because someone forgot to pull it out of the freezer. Cook until it falls off the bone, not because we meant to, but because the entire family (except me and the girls) is downtown making football bets, watching the game and drinking themselves silly. I have learned to love overcooked turkey. In fact, anything less seems odd.
* make a few family favorites, such as ranch pasta salad (Mark), green bean casserole and baked acorn squash (me), corn so it can be thrown across the table (an Adams family tradition), mashed potatoes (hopefully not undercooked and blended) and gravy.
* purchase the obligatory pumpkin pie (no way would I take the time to bake one) and whipped cream that no one will eat, either because they are too busy drinking or because they don't like pie. Take turns spraying the whipped cream in each other's mouth until empty.
* play hand and foot into the wee hours.

This year, Mark won't be home, and we are not planning to travel anywhere. Not sure what plans Mike's family has, and we are rarely =invited to my Dad's. So, I'll probably cook a turkey, makes some sides, not buy the pie, buy 2 cans of whipped cream and then sit around and watch the games.

from me/debbie:
Hand and foot into the wee hours!! What fun.
I think every family does the same thing....eats too much and watches football (we go to a movie too usually), we just all have different ways of getting there. Which is kind of like religion. We're all going to the same destination, we just travel on different paths.
ahahhaahahaa... frozen turkey in the water or brine-ing a turkey, same thing if you think about it.

from Jolina in Nevada:
Thanksgiving at the beach! I AM IN!!!

from Barb in Arizona...the only one not doing traditional this year!
Thought you might enjoy reading Kim's Thanksgiving menu!It sounds like a great picnic!!And how about that dream??!!

from Kim in California: (via her mom, Barb. Well, sent by her mom, but it was from Kim to her mom) Could you send me a list of Thanksgiving side dishes? So far, my menu consists of: turkey sandwiches green bean casserole cranberry sauce and the cranberry orange relish tri color mashed potatoes dinner rolls (I was thinking sourdough but probably need to get an alternative for Dad) pumpkin pie or apple blossoms (like apple pie) antipasti (we're going to start carrying a platter called that, with kalamata and green olives, marinated artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, etc. it looks DELISH) I was thinking maybe stuffing (we have an instant kind that's pretty good) and maybe cheese/crackers. of course, beer and wine - I'll get a pinot noir because I've heard that's the wine for Thanksgiving. On another note...I had a couple disturbing dreams last night. You had gotten pregnant three different times, failed to tell me, and acted like it wasn't a big deal. I'd come by and there'd be another new baby at your house! Weird and whatever...
from me/debbie:
and with all this, you'll be at the beach? you'll have to take along a board game or two and a deck of cards.
You'll have fun. Take some pictures!!
oh...the dream. too funny!!!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

The Bride



And for those of you who don't go on the Ringo picture page... here's a picture of the bride, Stacy. She looked so beautiful.
Her colors were ice blue and silver and white... to give the allusion of "winter".
She also had a "kids room" made with the draperies. She is standing in front of it, before the wedding.
they put a TV and bean bag chairs and movies.. then the younger kids would come and go, come and go.It was a good thing.

One other thing that we had to do before our tables were dismissed for the buffet table... we had to sing.
I KNOW you are cringing, thinking of Rich and me---hahhaa, but the whole table had to sing--one line of a love song. It was actually pretty funny. You had some tables who couldn't carry a tune and some who had ringers--REAL SINGERS, who made the rest of us cringe in horror about ourselves. LOL

Nice Day




We went out to breakfast with Larry and Traci Marques to begin our Saturday.
It was funny....Traci and I showed up, almost dressed alike. Brown is the color. LOL

It was such a nice Saturday.... a nice leisurly breakfast with friends. And a morning drive to check out the changes in town. Then a wedding!!
The Brehms are dancing fools. Dancing FOOLS, I tell you. We danced the night away.

Our table was table "3". (we had assigned tables). It was the "fun" table. so named by the bride...and she chose the seating arrangements.
I took one picture during the decorating and then Stacy took one of table "3" with all the "fun" people, during the reception.
Just FYI

The wedding


Hello!!
We're back from the wedding. And what a wedding it was. So, so pretty. I took pictures. Lots of them, and most of them not very good. :~(
For one thing, I cannot see anymore, so I just hold the camera up and shoot. And get what I take.

Judy and Duane Brehm (Judy is a FF, but.....hmmmmm... ...rarely answers) LOL
Their daughter, Stacy married Jacob Saucedo, who was our neighbor when we lived in Los Banos, CA.
Funny, because when we lived their, they didn't even know each other.

here is one shot....of Rich. Duane (the father of the bride--in the background) had just put the Indian Headdress on Rich.
the DJ was playing "YMCA" and he had "props" to go with, so....they were passed around to the first people, and then those people had to go into the audience and give their prop to someone else to carry on the 'YMCA' dance....

Rich, of course, was having a stroke about this time.... he didn't want to go up front and be the Indian Chief. :~) LOL LOL
The DJ was great and had a lot of "interaction" activities.

I will put all the pictures on Ringo, if you want to look at them.
Just a warning...I took tons and tons of the hall as it was being decorated, BECAUSE, it was a "fairground" exhibit hall also, and I wanted to show what could be done to an exhibit hall.
Of course, all the drapery was rented.... but it really transformed the "concrete" room.
And the lights...I mean the trees, Duane and Judy made them out of PVC Pipe and twinkle lights and cotton "snow". Snowflakes were hung all over the room.
Stacy wanted a "winter-wonderland" decor.
Anyway, I took a ton of pictures while decorating the hall. Oh...and Rich and I helped decorate. We put bows in the bathroom. LOL And...worked on the entryway....snow lined.
another note.....when it comes to details, no one can match Judy. IN the bathroom at every sink were "soft soap" in dark blue/SNOWFLAKE dotted conatiners. I'm sure you can see them in the grocery market, but....there were just snowflakes everywhere, and I took pictures---of the bathroom.
Judy and Duane made everything.
"I" can't even make a greeting card.

I'll tell you more later, look at Ringo to see everything....and here is Rich...
Y...M...C....A !!!

YMCA


Friday, November 9, 2007

Too cute

Susie's other three grandchildren....
Paige and her brother Jakob, and their cousin Aleah (the oldest)
These are my "great" Godchildren----if their is such a thing. And I deem there is. :~)
And I also stole the name (from Gina) Grantie!!

I told you all.... we FF's have the cutest kids ever!!!

I think this is the end of all the Halloween pics I have.....
you can check out my website to make sure.

from Shelly:
It's so funny reading about all these babies!! How did we get to be the age where we were old enough to have grandchildren??? We're not quite there yet....only because we got a late start. Had to laugh when you talk about kids growing up...we went to the SPR Saturday night. Asked Bryan if he wanted to go (of course not!!) so we went and met up with Mitzi and Larry there. Bryan had gone to his friend Quinn's house and then the boys decided to go...to the RODEO. Of course, they don't go for the rodeo, they go for other items of interest! Anyway, we're up in the stands and Bryan walks by with his friends. He sees us but he's too cool to wave or acknowledge us in any obvious way so we get the slight head nod in our direction as he keeps on walking. We all busted up laughing. I'm sure that wasn't exactly the reaction he was looking for. Gone are the day of the waving and "Hi, Mom!" for all to hear...

me/debbie:
hahahaaha!!! oh....... it's funny, but ....well...it's funny.
(but I was going to say---where does the time go??)
ps---it's nice to live in a small town too, where you WILL run into your kids at the one 'EVENT' taking place.
There's no hiding in Winnemucca!!

my gorgeous Great-God Children (whom I take credit for).......

Great God Children


I stand corrected--LOL

Yes, I did...that's who I meant. LOL

from Ashley:
I think you mean Robert Plant and it was actually Layla and I would agree that it was the greatest rock and roll love story, I just read both the autobiographies of Pattie Boyd and Eric Clapton - amazing

from me/debbie:
ahahhaaa..... I also just bought the new Eric Clapton CD. It's good too.

from Barb B:
I'm sure he exclude me when he said "You Women!!".....................> Yes---when Doug and I had our long distance relationship (I was in Idahoand he was in New Mexico), he wrote me a song, and sang it along withstrumming his guitar, on a cassette tape that he sent to me!!

from me/debbie:
okay, Barb.... I know you. NOW, anyway. I did not know you then...but did you take it seriously? Or laugh? what would you do now?

Why do we lose that.....that....wonder of love? LOL

from Barb B:
At the time it seemed very special and sweet. Now---being the hard oldwoman I have become-----I would probably start laughing. What a witch I havebecome!!

from Jolina:
both music and poetry about me

I don't always know exactly what everything costs, sometimes I just want what I want. And I have a vague notion of the total, but am often surprised when the bill is larger than I expected. Just last week I exchanged a top that was too small for Nik, and then bought a top and sweats for each of them for basketball tryouts. It seems reasonable when the price is $5.88, but then I have to buy two. And then Wal-Mart was having 75% off all their Halloween stuff. So I spent more than I intended to when I walked in, which is far more common than not knowing how much an item is when I throw it in the cart.

I don't mind being compared to you. I consider being like you a good thing.

from me/debbie:
awe... I told you, she's my new best friend.
LOL LOL
(except the apple thing----that could make or break our relationship)

from Jolina:
yeah - wondered where the word slime came from, not sure I'd use it in that context, but you're right, that's what I meant. Love the disclosure.

from my mom, Bev (at least she is normal):
love any baked fruit!

me/debbie:
what about pumpkin pie? do you guys like pumpkin pie?
Laura, do you?
Theresa M, do you like sweet potato pie?
what do you make for Thanksgiving CJ?

(method to my madness....ask "personally" and you have to answer....right?)

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Anniversary

As we approach our 8th anniversary.... it was a cold winter day in December 1999, when I wrote all my friends and asked: What's for dinner?

Everyone answered right away. I had an "idea". I cut. I pasted. I sent all the answers out.
It was a Friday... you were all my friends.
The rest is history.

I've added. Found old family friends. 2nd cousins, once removed. our children as they come of age. In-laws, out-laws, even a "man-group".

But......hmmmm....I ....... I....... I've lost my train of thought!!

Happy approaching anniversary? who's been here since 1999?
No, that wasn't it.

I think....maybe in all these years, some of you have realized that I like music. It's important to me.
so here are my two thoughts for today on music (I think the anniversary was what got me sidetracked)

1. There is a new CD out by Robert Plank and Allison Kraus. I bought it. Robert Plank was the lead singer for Led Zepplin (whom I love) and Allison Kraus, is a bluegrass singer. (whom I love)
The CD is great. But hard for me to pinpoint what kind of music it is.
It's not Led Zepplinish. It's not blue Grassyish.
It's kind of different.
I like it. I'm not sure anyone else would.
Have you heard it?
Their voices, both distinctive, but very different, go good together.

Number two music thought for the day....
2. The greatest rock and roll love triangle..... can you name it/them? I think I just wrote about this last month.
George Harrison and his wife Patty and Eric Clapton.
They both wrote love songs to her
Something (in the way she moves---attracts me like no other lover)
and Lela. ( you've got me on my knees, Lela, tell me darling please, Lela )
Both great songs.

But, do you think....do you think that someone would ever write a song about you?
I realize I'm way too old now to have someone fall passionately in love with me and write a song about me (what would they say anyway?)
I mean REALLY? okay, you write a song in the heat of passion? But what about when you are together long enough to go thru menopause with someone?
ahahahahahhaahahhahaa
what would he write about then?
Rich would never write....
we went to Wal-mart last night and at the check stand I threw in a Paula Dean Christmas magazine. I didn't look how much it cost.
so he asked me.......and it did cost $7.19, which was way, way too much for a magazine--especially since it turned out to not be that great of one anyway---but my husband gave me a bad time. For not knowing how much something was that I put in the cart.

He said in his life he has never EVER not known how much he was paying for something.
(isn't that weird.....he's known how much every single potato he put in the cart has cost?? come on....)

And he made a mistake...a bad mistake...
he said "you" women, who throw stuff in without knowing how much it costs.
"YOU" women.
Now, I want you to know that I stuck up for ALL OF YOU!!!!
I said, "ALL OF US WOMEN? RICHARD, you can't compare ALL of us women with me. Those poor other women probably do know what they are spending and it's insulting to them to be compared to me. "

He laughed.

But what could he write a song about???
debbie...I beg you darlin please....debbie....don't spend so much money...debbie

hahahahaaaaaa!!!!

(ps the money thing is a joke!!! I mean some of you take me literally and then worry about my finances. If you are so worried send me money for the Stone's Soup place. :~)
really, tho..... I'm not to be taken too seriously.

Worries

I am worried too...
about a few of you.

from Barb B:
I am very worried about Jolina. It's practically un-American to not like apple pie. As for me------------------give me a fruit pie any old day!! I might just make one this weekend!! YUM!!(although apricot is the only one that doesn't appeal to me).

from Shelly:
I really don't think fruit and dessert should be mixed at all. What's the point?
Now, there are exceptions. I do like desserts with peaches (pie, cobbler, etc.) but that's about it. Some cherry desserts are ok...but I really don't think there's much chance of getting a lot of "real" cherries in canned pie filling. I'm with Jolina on this one.

from Sadie:
No baked fruit, I agree with Jolina. Although I don't like very many fresh fruits either....

from me/debbie:
weirdoes I say!!!!

from a "normal" person (hmmmm..... well... ) my mother in law, Teresa B:
I love fruit and veggies of most all kinds, I like them fresh, raw, and cooked in any way. Apples are a good fruit, I like them, I just never though about anyone not liking apples. But then I can't stand watermelon so I guess it is just a matter of choice.

I would have thought of Apple computer store, as it has been pointed out that there is just no Apple fruit store. A place where they just sell apples (the fruit) would be a farm, a roadside stand, or orchard, something like that in my mind.

me/debbie:
see? not normal to not like watermelon.
hahahaaaaa

Beautiful kids

I have been working on this picture for so dang long!!!
It's Tomi's son Cody and her new daughter in law, Chanelle, in Guam.
From when they went to the wedding in June/July (I can't remember EXACTLY)
But the photos she sent were too "big" for my computer... she sent lots but none came thru.
Except this one came at work...but well, anyway, to make a long story short...
HERE IT IS. A FF wedding.

And.....I was envious of Tomi's trip to Guam, she loved it. My heart was filled with envy....
but now?
I'M KINDA GETTING PISSED....

from Tomi:
SO-here is my exciting news - guess who is going to Australia?!?!?!?!?! ME!!! Can you even believe? I am leaving this Friday as a matter of fact. Stuart is going for work, so I am tagging along. I can hardly wait. We will be gone about a week.

me/debbie:
I want to go!!!
Tomi has been a world traveler this year! Virginia, Guam and now Australia.
and then she writes this:
I'm still working way more than I'd like to, but I really should be working more. Why I think we have the wherewithal for me to be a lady of "leisure" is beyond me.

me/debbie:
hahahahaa...if you quit traveling the world, you could stay home and sit on your butt. BUT it's not worth it.
And for what it's worth....ladys of leisure wrote letters EVERY DAY. Just FYI.
I am so jealous!!!! Australia.
Have fun, Fun, FUN, FUN!!!!!
(and don't forget the postcards)

And once again, we Friday Friends have the cutest babies, most gorgeous, smartest, amazing children....I mean, you couldn't be a Friday Friend unless this was true!!

as shown by this wedding photo (okay, after the wedding) of Tomi's son and daughter in law, Cody and Chanell Pingree.

Wedding PIc

You don't know how long I've been working on this picture!! I'll explain later.
This is Tomi's son Cody and his new wife Chanelle. Taken on the wedding trip to Guam.

Look Both Ways

Look both ways before crossing the street!!

from Sadie Stone:
My favorite lights are the ones that tell you how much time you have to get across the street. It starts counting the seconds backwards, they have these in San Fran. and I'm sure in other cities too, so you know down to the second how much time you have left before you could potentially die from being in the street.

from Darleen:
Does the term "road kill" come to mind, about being stuck in the middle of the intersection in a busy city????

from MIL Teresa B:

I agree that the walk button does not do a thing to help anyone walk across the street. As for us old and slow people I just pray as I cross, and think that at least with any luck my family can sue if I'm injured or killed. Doesn't do a lot for me but it helps me get across the street a bit faster because I try to move faster, I pretend that I am racing grandson Jimmy across the street, that way I have a chance to win the race. Also most drivers watch out for animals, and who would want to hit a sweet little turtle.

from me/debbie:
hahahaaa....... Jimmy. (he doesn't know how much he's loved)

from Georgann:
I should have video taped this, except I was afraid the woman was going to die...Colleen is driving on a very busy four lane street in Modesto...on her far right a little old lady with a walker starts across the lanes of traffic...no signal light, no cross walk. She slowly crosses each lane...walks in front of cars, trucks and smiles a thank you as they stop for her. Why wait to find the pedestrian walk way with traffic lights? Take a chance, step off the curb and just go for it! I joke but it was very frightening, at least for me and Colleen. Apparently not for that gusty lady. Makes you wonder does she do this often?


me/debbie:
We have a lady just like that here in Winnemucca!! and she walks all over town, in all kinds of weather... at a snail's pace. Just crosses the street when she feels like it.
We'll keep our fingers crossed for both of them.

doomed

I wasn't "lying" on the phone interview for our life insurance.... I answered no and that's the truth. As far as I know, I don't have any of those ailments or diseases.
BECAUSE I DON'T GO TO THE DOCTOR. (like I should)

Right now I'm fit as a fiddle!!!
but on next Wednesday, I have to go have my blood drawn.... and then, I will be diagnosed with something horrible, I'm sure.

Irrational, you might be saying to yourself? YES, I KNOW. Everybody has their "things", their little "idiosyncrasies" (haven't we just been discussing this? LOL ) and mine is a fear of.......
okay, okay...enough of that....silly me, I need to get back to the insurance story.

So, I did not lie to the insurance co. No fraud for me. the thing about Rich is this: they ask him a question and in his answer he goes off on a tangent. They never asked if anyone had polyps... SO WHY TELL THEM?????
But he is laughing along with them and joking and telling his life story. they have duped him. duped him into spilling his guts.
It's life insurance for heaven's sake....not medical insurance. IN the end---they will pay. So....

LOL
(you guys know, I'm joking, right? I'm never sure. sometimes the written word doesn't show the "inflections" it needs to, to understand. )

anyway...

from my favorite mother in law, Teresa Belcher, who I am happy to say is back!!! for a while, her computer refused to acknowledge mine....hahahaa:
When you apply for insurance they check very closely. They do usually catch it if you lie, they call that insurance Fraud. Then you've paid out all of those premiums and can't collect the money anyhow. It is well documented that I have had polyps removed, Rich also. The same with high blood pressure. Sorry.

me/debbie:
oops, somewhere, I had an e-mail from Shelly about life insurance. It must be at work.

Soup debate

Good morning.
get your lazy rears out of bed!! It's already 5:39 a.m.

about the Stone Soup....
from Lisa:
I say you have to be Stone Soup! Who cares what used to be. They obviously were not good enough to last!

from Meghan "Stone":
I will research, they disappeared from here in the 80's... I like that name!! my second soup class was called Stone Soup!

hahahhaha! I googled it... and no sign of the mall ones... but there is this one.... in WALLA WALLA!
http://www.stonesoupcafe.net/


from me/debbie:
LOL..... Linda had e-mailed me and told me that. I looked at their web-site and it looks very good.... BUT, it looks like they only have one soup a day.
I, of course, will be so popular that I will have no menu, but make 3 soups a day, depending on my mood. :~) (which ones they will be)
LOL

from my cousin Linda (who lives in WALLA WALLA and has actually been to the Stone Soup Cafe`):
Jenn has a great idea for your restaurant. No desserts, no sandwiches,just stick to soup. The only other thing you offer is bread. You'll needlots of different rolls and breads, some fairly plain, but lots of unusualand out of the ordinary.I have some great cold soup recipes for the hot weather. But I think Jennhas a good idea. You can even develop a signature bread or roll.


from me/debbie:
Good idea.
bread is good. But I have to do pie also. That's all I wanted to do anyway, soups and breads--a piece of pie for dessert.
and I was thinking---since I'm going to win the lottery to do this, I will make it "winter" all the time. Like in Disneyland, where they have simulated environments. Well maybe that will be going overboard, but it will look "cool" inside---not as in really neat, but cool as in decor.
I will have to practice my bread making skills. I know that practice makes perfect, so I'm not too worried about this, but......I still need an investor. :~)
It's always something.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Remember the LIght?

Remember the stop light?
I still don't think it does ANYTHING AT ALL when you push the button.....
(there's a whole cycle it has to go thru.... ?? )
and I stood thru 2 cycles of red/green WITHOUT getting "walking man" to help me across....so I walked down a ways and jay walked. On Winnemucca Blvd.

from Diana Elwess in Elko, NV:
I am with you on the not doing anything when you push the button.

from Cherrie Stone-McClintic in Auburn WA:
It depends on the light. there is a stop light a few blocks from my house, in one of the busiest intersections in town. sometimes the walk sign does not come on at all, when you push the button it does, it also chirps so blind people can cross the street and it counts down the seconds to the yellow light. when the lights are timed and the walk is activated that takes longer that a normal cycle, the next cycle is shorter to put the lights back into sync with each other.
Cherrie Lou Who

from Linda Ornelas in Walla Walla, WA:
When you push the button for walk, all it does is activate the walk lightor the little white walking figure, so you think you've done something.It doesn't change the timing of the traffic light. The traffic lightschange according to the way they're programmed, but sometimes if you don'tpush the walk button, the work walk doesn't light up. This is a truefact.

from Darleen Evans in Pasco, WA:
have you ever noticed that at pedestrian crossings, you can only make it TO THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION before it is flashing DO NOT WALK???? Imagine how hard that would be for us OLD PEOPLE to make it!!

from my father in law, Philip Belcher in Pasco, WA:
How about the people that push the walk button 10-12 times. Does that help any?

from me/debbie:
no, it doesn't. I've tried it. LOL
and YES, to the middle of the intersection. It drives me crazy. Rich and I walk at a decent rate and this always happens to us on the corner of Melarky and Wmca Blvd.
How in the world do people cross the street in big cities?

Stone Soup

Stone Soup

from Traci;
Wonderful Idea for winter (cold months) but what about the hot months? Not many people want hot soup on hot days, so add salads and sandwiches...........then you got it.

from me/debbie:
SOUPS, and a sandwich a day. Many soups, 1 sandwich, salads in the summer. And Beef Burgundy when I feel like it.
No menus...chalk board only, so I get to make what I want to.

from Jolina:
what a cool idea - Stone Soup is so cute.
I wish I had money.
and I care about your cooking trivia.

from Diana:
Great Idea, Stone Soup is a great name. The logo will be cool. You do need a sandwich to go with the soup. Also I don't have any money, I'm remodeling.You could be the soup Nazi.

from me/debbie:
I actually walked by the store-front of the soup Nazi, when we were in Manhattan.
but....... I need infestors. Or Investors.
oops...a Freudian Slip, does not bode well for Health inspectors--infest. :~)

fruit

I have an interesting question....
but first, about the apple store, from
Diana:
I would have went the same direction. They must have dozens of apple farms in CT. Right?? And it is fall.


me/debbie:
THANK YOU.

from Jolina:
I must confess that I am not an apple fan - don't like them much in any form. Especially apple pie. Really any fruit pie, there's just something about cooked fruit that turns me off. So, see you would not have to share your apple pie with me!!


me/debbie:
okay...that is just weird. LOL LOL
I saw Jolina at a meeting on Monday night, where I had cherries spooned over my cheesecake and she almost cringed.
She does not like baked fruit, cooked fruit of any kind.

so my question to you is.....
do you?
she said the consistency of, well, basically "slime" didn't sit well with her.

I say...the taste overrules any "feeling" on your tongue and they taste good!!!
warm blueberry cobbler
fresh apple pie
fresh cherry pie
cherry turnovers
apple crisp
or just a baked apple
fried apples (my mom used to make these--yum. I will have them at my restaurant too)

what about peaches? apricots (I like apricot pie)

Is it just the "baked" fruit?
Well, Jolina said pretty much she didn't care for apples in any form.

This is so, so sad. :~)

so...what about you?
baked fruit? take it or leave it?
and why.....?

**the word slime in describing cooked fruit was used by the author who was exercising her literary lisence rights.
What Jolina said "could have" been the same as slime for baked fruit.

Life Insurance--Rich chimes in

about my and Rich's interview questions....

from Barbara B:
And try getting health insurance with those answers! Doug tried several places, and just because he has had high blood pressure, they wouldn't even talk to him! Thank goodness I could put him on the JCP plan, no questions asked. I have to pay and arm and a leg, but at least he is insured.We don't have life insurance. And in my mystery novels, the murdering husband usually has just gotten a large insurance policy on his wife before he "offs" her............................................

from Traci:
At least not until he pisses you off the next time, then you'll be thinking about that life insurance ..............thinking you need to up the amount on him anyway! hahahaa

from Jolina:
Mike lied once about his tobacco use, said he didn't use, and they found out anyway and our premiums went up because he's a risk. So, they probably think you are lying . . .

from Diana:
Good thing they were talking about angina. My mind went else where because sometimes I read every other word.

from me/debbie
oh my gosh!!!

from Rich:
Fit as a fiddle?

Please put on your glasses so you can read this
Are your toes still numb?
Does your skin hurt?
How is your hearing lately?
How are your wrists?
I'm sure your sore back is better.
How is your gall bladder?


rebuttal from me/debbie:
hahahaaaaa
okay, okay..... I DON'T HAVE A GALL BLADDER--they already took that out.
I am blind as a bat---for small print only
my toes....are only numb and tingly at the end of the day
my skin.....was sensitive, but lucky me, shingles did not appear
Huh?
my back? It is all better.
Geez, Rich, you make me seem like a decrepit old lady.
I'm fine.

Life Insurance

Rich and I are getting a new life insurance policy.

we had to call and do a phone interview.
I answer "no" to everything. medically, I am fit as a fiddle. I answer no, no, no, no, no.....
no high blood pressure
no diabetes
no cancer
no heart disease.

Rich has conversations with them about his mother's angina. I said "DON'T TELL THEM THAT STUFF!!!'
They'll mark you down. They'll reject you, is they think you have a family history of anything but breathing.

He then tells him about his polyp, and his mother's polyps.
I am cringing in the corner.
I fear that one day I might need his life insurance and he might need mine. But who will they reject?
Me---the one with no health issues whatsoever, or him, the one who discussed every ache and pain he's had and his parents have had?

okay, I know they asked him these questions....but couldn't he have just lied?
To make it seem like we wouldn't be cashing in this life insurance anytime soon?

Monday, November 5, 2007

Sharing

I like to tell stories about all the FF kids.
I just love them and am proud of them, and excited about them. I just love to know how they are "growing up" and to hear about their lives.
so, share if you dare. LOL
Share with me please.

this is about MY nephew, Nate Stone: (told to me by his mother,
Every month they hand out Character Awards in each class, this months theme was Humor... Mike & I were both at school helping with the parties and Mrs. Gallagher (nates teacher) whispered to Mike that Nate won it, so we went into his class when they were announcing them over the intercom, it was SO cute, his friends all cheered and clapped him on the back and he had that darling sweet smile like he was so proud but trying to be cool! It was great that Mike & I both happened to be there.


me/debbie:
and then......
from Sadie:
Actually there's a bit of a debate over who made that comment about it being the most beautiful street in America. During orientation my group leader said Mark Twain, then another group right behind us said Thomas Jefferson. Then during a talk about the history of Yale a professor said Charles Dickens, so at this point I'm inclined to believe the professor, and to with Charles Dickens. It really is a nice street though

me/debbie:
I'm still waiting for a picture of the most beautiful street in America.
I pick Mark Twain. (who said that)

from Sadie:
So as you already know I was awarded a scholarship to go to Yale and the name of my scholarship is the Richard C. Stazesky Scholarship. Well I just got done having tea with Richard Stazesky. He's a very sweet man from the class of 1952 and he invited Marcus and I to come visit him in Delaware and also to visit his cottage in New Hampshire. It's just so interesting to me that this man gave money and now I'm using it to go to school. He's suppose to send me the pictures he took today. I didn't bring my camera because I didn't know I was going to meet him. Anyway that's what I did today, and it struck me as being interesting sort of interesting so I thought I would share.

On Yale's campus is a library which houses old and rare manuscripts, books and other documents. Next Wednesday I'm going with my history class to look at hold items like Jonathan Edwards's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," the original Lewis & Clark maps, the transcript of Joseph Smith's trial in Missouri, and things like that. I just thought you would appreciate this more than anyone else I know, I'm exciting to see these things. I'll let you know how it is.

from me/debbie: (her favorite mother in law)
I do appreciate that stuff. Very much.
Take him up on the cottage in New Hampshire!! LOL

Everyone have a great day!!
It's Monday. Great day. :~)

Fertile Myrtle's

We are a fertile group. And most of us are older. LOL LOL
because it's our kids who have been fertile this year.
The last FF baby we had was from Mitzi. she had Mattie about 18 months ago, before that it was she with Nate.
And a long time ago, we took bets on when Meghan would have Devin.
We also got to vote on her name. That was fun. :~)
I like the idea of naming the FF babies.
Maybe we could vote again...since an actual FF is having a baby this time!!

from Kate Getty, Washington/Minnesota:
hi Debbie,I apologize for the long bout of silence..things arecrazy here...I am still traveling almost every weekback and forth to Minnesota...take the red eye Mondaymorning and fly home Friday evening. Not sure if youheard from Cherrie, but we are also pregnant!!! Ourdue date is May 12th, and we are about 13 weeks alongnow. No morning sickness, thank goodness, and everything is going so well. The first part of my childhood I grew up in a niceneighborhood with single-family homes. I don'tremember trick-or-treating very much until we moved toMontana. Don't recall ever making our costumesgrowing up. I think our baby sitter took us most ofthe time to do the actual trick or treating. We livedacross the street from the town Sheriff so it was aquiet neighborhood. The city park was a few blocksfrom the house and that is where my brother and Iplayed softball and t-ball. We had great hills forriding bikes in our two block radius that we wereallotted (they were good size blocks) and there was agreat wooded section behind a row of houses where wecould go exploring. I didn't start carving pumpkins until I was anadult...I think I carved my first one when I was25...I know pretty sad. We do it about every otheryear now...depends on how crazy/busy things are.We never had any haunted houses in any of theneighborhoods that I grew up in and we neverdecorated. Daryl and I went kind of crazy this yearwith decorations..but it was a lot of fun...we havemore fun at Christmas though..=)


from me/debbie:
woo hoo!!!!
Tell Daryl, that you guys can pick your top three names and then the FF's will vote!! LOL
how exciting. Congratulations!!!

oh, and from Barb and their 1st place 3-blind mice award:
It wasn't the costumes, as much as the singing and "acting" we did thru the night, that won us this contest. we were great.................(p.s. I made the ears!)

and more grandbabies...
from Theresa:
I had little Morgan Rorex, April Cain's granddaughter in myMoms-n-Tots class and she is just cute as a button!! It wassuch a fun class today. Really great moms!

me/debbie:
she is cute as a button! she came to see me on Halloween afternoon, and growled at me, just like the bear she was....(for Halloween).
She's the cutest thing.

not fertile....OH WAIT, YES SHE IS. or her off- spring is. Lisa is going to be a grandma in March. Her daughter Amanda is expecting.
I should change the name from the Friday Friends to the "Baby Club" or something. LOL LOL
I was going to include the last Halloween note/memory and so I wrote "not fertile, but Halloweeny". hahahaahaaa
But yes, Lisa is joining the ranks of GRANNY.
I tease her....she had a grandmother in Texas, whom they called "Biggie".
So...will Lisa be Granny or Biggie? We'll find out next spring. :~)

from Lisa, her Halloween memory....
Sounds like you have fond memories with your kids too on Halloween! I got a kick out of your "sewing" the costume! No wonder it took you days...
did not sound like you took candy from your kids though.....darn. When the boys were younger, we would put newspaper on the big island and all carve a pumpkin. It was fun and they were always very competitive and creative too. One year, Nick worked and worked to get his pumpkin really thin so the whole thing would glow. He scraped and scraped the inside and then etched a carving on the outside. It looked so good with a candle glowing inside however, the weather was a little warm and we found out that the thinner the pumpkin skin, the shorter its life span is. It did last through Halloween night though which was a good thing! Derek's was not quite as good as he got tired and gave up early but it was still unique. We did this for about three years then Nick had other fish to fry and did not do one but me, Dennis and Derek would...

from me/debbie:
I'm still laughing at myself.
I'm going to write a FF Christmas letter and list all the birth's.

Soup's On

Sally Gruber called me last night.
Sally from Pennsylvania. We have so much fun talking and catching up. She reads the FF stuff, but doesn't respond.
(I will forgive her....but not forget about it)
She told me that my Soup restaurant just might make it. she said things like that around there do. But I had to remind her that we were in the middle of nowhere.
SO...to make ends meet, I do need more money than I'll be able to bring in......

from Barb:
First you are begging for Xmas gifts-----now money. And you wonder why you don't hear from all of the FFs anymore..................................hahaI would have cared about the electric vs. gas comment. I LOVE to cook with gas! It's the only way to go.And I'm liking the "Stone Soup" name. But I do agree with Rich (hey! he's my partner!). You should have a sandwich of the day to go with the cup/bowl of soup. And interesting crackers. No saltines or Ritz.Yum.....now I'm very hungry.p.s. I was so desparate for a dessert yesterday that I made a cake with coconut "glaze" out of Bisquick. Quite good actually!

from my mom, Bev:
I would give you my last dollar as I think it is a very good idea, but I'm with Rich. You need a sandwich also. Wish I had money to give you!

from Theda:
Really? maybe they don't have gas in Europe. I recently got a gas stove and I have been wondering why the food people don't talk more about if you are using a gas or electric stove. I now wonder if Rachel Ray can do a 30 minute meal on an electric one. I bought a lottery ticket, maybe I better go check it.

from me/debbie:
Theda and I could talk cooking too. She would not look at me funny when I mentioned the Cordon Bleu using electric stoves!!
by the way....it's a safety issue for them. and they figure if their students can cook on electric, they can cook on anything!!
There are NO EXCUSES there.

from Linda:
If I had any money, I'd make you a loan. One of my favorite places forlunch here in Walla Walla is 'Stone Soup'. Sorry.

me/debbie:
Is their last name Stone? maybe we're related.
Stone Soup is a children's book.

from Georgann, who was the librarian I worked with in Los Banos, and if memory serves me correctly, her daughter, Colleen, went to the Culinary Institute in San Francisco:
I Know, I know....I always connected "chefs" with gas....gas stoves. Matt and DanVy have a friend who is a chef and she has an electric rangetop at her weekend home. So, maybe it doesn't matter which, gas or electric. Will have to pay more attention when watching Paula Deen and others.
Personally, I burn fewer meals on the gas range.

from Robbie Milton (on the name being copyrighted):
I think as a book but not a restaurant.

from Darleen:
I like the soup and pie idea. I do agree with Rich that a sandwich of the day would be a nice bonus. Something grilled and warm and gooey...yum...when r u opening???????
I did not know about the chefs being trained on electric stoves either and I am SHOCKED as you are. I believe the only real way to cook is on gas and I hate having an electric stove. I miss my gas stove so much. But when you think about the Cordon Bleu being in FRANCE I guess it goes without saying!!
I want cream of potato soup, grilled Ruben sandwich, and a piece of lemon meringue pie. Oh yeah, and don't forget a side salad with bleu cheese dressing and yummy fries to go with the sandwich. (and don't forget the tartar sauce for the fries!!)
Now aren't you sorry you asked???

from Mitzi:
I LOVE your idea! Stone Soup...what a great name! NOT Soup Factory..that sounds so boring, and "Campbell's" if you will. And we doooo care about cooking trivia! I can't believe they cook on electric stoves! Gas stoves are much easier to control the temp & such. I agree with Rich, you'd need a sandwich, too.
:) Love ya, cutie pie!
Mitzi
P.S. And I don't really know the Mavity's, so when they stopped, it didn't even occur to me! I wish she would have said Can Debbie come out and play? LOL!

from me/debbie:
hahahaaha.......she will next time.
a sandwich, huh?
I actually could do that.
now, investors?

Last night, Rich was flipping thru channels and one of the movie channels had a Humphrey Bogart movie playing--it was black and white. I said "Stone Soup"!
he said, "Maltese Falcon"!

catching up


I just wanted to tell you, that my computer is almost empty. My in-box, that is. I am down to 246 e-mails, and while you don't think this is "low", I started out yesterday with 698 in my in-box. I deleted a lot of old stuff and printed out some pictures I wanted to keep.

Keeping my fingers crossed that I can get down below 100 this week.
so....let me begin.

Halloween continued....

from my oldest and one of my dearest friends, Theda in Tualatin, OR:
We only had 7 kids. I feel that we live in a retirementvillage. Even the neighborhood kids (in high school) didnot come by. I had to take candy to them the next day. Ourfirst was at 7:30 and the last at 9 pm. How sad. Of courseI still have candy left over. I don't ever want to bewithout so I make sure that I have enough and each year havemore than enough.

The one thing that I remember about Halloween. When Michael wasjust a baby, about 2 1/2 months old, I had to place him onthe floor while I opened the door to treaters, he found histhumb and started sucking his thumb that night.

from me/debbie:
I know some people don't like it, but I love little thumb suckers!!!
they are so cute. Of course, Michael is 22 years old now, so it wouldn't be cute anymore. LOL
oh...and Theda had her grandson, Cayden for a week, and she and John took him to the Portland zoo for the Elephant "pumpkin smash". I thought that sounded fun and want to hear about it. :~)

from Theda:
This is cute. At work we always have a pot luck and costumes are welcomed. This year one department dressed as rats. Mainly they had a fake nose. But they also had names and capes.
All morning I just did not get it. They even had a flier on their fronts but I was too busy to read the entire flier and still did not get it.
At the pot luck they told their story. The supervisor of the department buys a rat - can't remember the name now - anyway they are African Rats that go and sniff out land mines and TB. It was interesting, but then someone asked a innocent question, "How long do rats live?". She was thinking they don't live long and how do you train them. But someone's answer was, "depends if you are sniffing land mines or TB." It was pretty funny, not meant to be just one of those timing issues.

from my favorite cousin Linda in Walla Walla, WA:
I grew up in Walla Walla and Enterprise. Both small towns. I suppose atthe time, I thought Walla Walla was a booming metropolis, but it's still asmall town. Whether Walla 2 or Enterprise , my neighborhood was asingle-family neighborhood. Everyone seemed to know everyone else. Everyone seemed friendly and helpful, and there were the neighborhoodgossips too. Kids got to play outside all of the time, and in the summerwe would stay outside quite late. It was a great time. I remember myfirst boy-girl Halloween party. We were all in costume and we went outtrick or treating together. We were about 12, I think. Nobody wasworried that we might do something wrong or that we would need achaperone. Of course the party was chaperoned, but from upstairs as Irecall. It was really fun. Costumes were something that we spent manylong hours on and they were always homemade. In Walla 2 there was a housedown the street with a lot of overgrown greenery. It sat way back off ofthe street and all of us kids thought it was haunted. So, of course onHalloween it was a real challenge to approach the house. As I recall, andold woman lived there, so naturally she was a witch. She was probablyjust a sweet old lady. I've been past that house recently and the bushesand trees have all been trimmed and it's very nice looking. Not the leastbit scary, and not as far back off of the street as I remembered.

from my husband's partner in crime, Barbara Brown, Buckeye, AZ:
When we lived in the Sacramento market, we used to go to Apple Hill all the time! It was so............................Fallish!

23 bags!!???? Now I remember why I like living in AZ., even though I don't get to have the "Fall Feeling". (now I'm thinking the "fall feeling" is Rich's aching back from raking all those leaves.....).

No---I did not turn my clocks back. Hawaii and Arizona are the only 2 states that do not recognize daylight savings. Thank goodness. What a pain to have to reset everything-----and for WHAT? So the farmers have more daylight? They can either get up earlier, or stay out in the fields later, or whatever it is they need to do (it's so confusing). Won't they be in the fields the same amount of hours, no matter what?

from me/debbie:
sheesh!!
(I don't think it has anything to do with the farmers anymore...it has to do with conserving energy---which I don't get either)

from Theda:
Now at least I know what my new neighbors are doing. They have leaves all over their yard (which is just not allowed in Kickapoo Court). I raked & mowed yesterday and I can read today.

from me/debbie:
oh...new neighbors, huh?

Sunday, November 4, 2007

poop house



It's fall!!! And I love fall.

and this is what Rich did yesterday. He raked leaves.
look at all the bags! 23 to be exact. the rest he will mow up today. Then wait for the rest of the leaves to fall.

I helped put leaves into the bags.... but he did the most. He was pooped.
and he stepped in dog poop and then was mad at ME, for yelling at him walking thru the house.
Men are funny.....
I mean, really, I would want to know if I had dog poop on my shoe. I wouldn't get mad at him for pointing it out to me. I would be THANKFUL.
He said I yelled at him. well, YEAH, I don't want to live in a "poop house". (private joke for my boys)
But really, (sigh) men.

Apples

Apple.
what came to "your" mind?

Yesterday, I rode along to Elko with Debbie E, at 6:00 a.m. to pick up her daughter, Megan and her grandson Dane, who flew in from Salt Lake City.
I told her the "apple" story. She, like me, first thought of REAL APPLES. As in Adam and Eve.
When I told Rich the story, he laughed and said, maybe if they were in Maine where that weirdo Rachel Ray is from (we watched her cooking show....well, I do a lot, but he watched ONE TIME, and all she could talk about was that her family were from Maine and they were apple people ), then he might have thought apples.

Anyway, I'm not soooo..weird. Only a little. :~)

from Theda:
Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, Carmel Apples, Hot spiced Apple Cider and theApple Blossoms that Trader Joe's sells. The funny part is that I have aPC at work and some of the schools have MAC's and were having trouble witha program, so I have been downstairs in the computer lab working on aApple.

from me/debbie:
THANK YOU THEDA!!

from Jolina:
that is sooo funny.
We want to make a field trip next fall to Apple Hill. Have you been? You've probably been a hundred times, you little apple lover, you.

from me/debbie:
never. But I would like to go.

from Shelly:
I guess it depends on the context it is used in. I think if someone said to me they were going to "the apple store" I would think of computers only because apples are one food/theme stuff that I've never seen a separate store for. They could exist, of course...you never know these days!

from Barbara B:
Guess I am younger thinking than I realized.........I, too, thought aboutthe computer co.

from Traci:
Apple Computer was first, followed very fast by Apple pie.

from me/debbie:
I think I'm going to make an apple pie today.......

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Goodbye Halloween, Hello Thanksgiving


Franklin the Turtle


(he's much cuter than Yertle the Turtle)


It's Max. :~)

more kids


Theresa's kids.

(the ones I didn't get to see last night ) LOL


from Theresa: (about last night)

Well the funny thing is that I'm like "ok, here's Rich & Debbie's house" and the kids are like "YAY!!" (cause we all love your house... we like the vibe there... like it's fun & relaxing) and then Mitzi's at the door and they were both like deer in the head lights!! It was funny really.
My little Cave Girl
(McKenna)

more grand goblins


And a little pink bunny!!

Makayden Lindblad.

Susie's granddaughter.

and on and on....

Best Costume of the evening!!!


Barb is the one in grey. LOL


She's the one on the left (top picture)

and on the right (bottom picture)


I hope.



Jolina says:

I would LOVE to be a blind mice. And I just loved the stories about the theme at the school every year, how fun is that? I would be just jacked about going to school that day, wouldn't you?

the cavalcade continues


and Debbie Engstrom's grandson Dane.

Is he celebrating Halloween or Thanksgiving? LOL

Magazine Maddness

first me, then you.... (read to the end for your answers)

me:
Speaking of magazine articles ( you didn't know we were, did you?)

How do you read a magazine?

For instance, I took a cup of coffee just now to Rich ( 6:00 am) and he is reading a magazine (Field and Stream or something), and he is almost to the end, and it dawned on me after being married to this man for 29 1/2 years, that he must read his magazine COMPLETELY from front to back.
I asked him if he did and he said yes.
He gets a magazine and opens the front and reads
EVERY SINGLE THING!!

I get a magazine and I flip thru it quickly and then go back and read the most interesting thing first. And then I might pick and choose a few other articles. I never read the whole thing.

So I was just curious...... for the magazines you subscribe to, how do you read them?



NOW YOU!!

from Cherrie Lou Who:
I read from front to back, but I skip a few things that I can't get motivated about sometimes. Mostly I read 98% of the articles.

from Barbara Jean Brown:
Since moving into this new house, I got a ton of magazine offers. Everything from free to dirt cheap. I guess they figure if they can get me hooked, that I will continue to renew over the years.So-----that has presented a bit of a problem. There are too many to read "correctly"! Like you, I graze thru, then come back to it and give it more time and effort. But I have a couple mags that I just don't care for, so they get the old "wham bam thank you ma'am" treatment. Once thru and they are history!

from Traci Lynn Marques (am I right?):
We are just like you two. Larry reads everything and I skip here and there, never reading anything all the way through unless it's a book.

from Theresa....Theresa L.... I'm thinking it begins with an "L", Mavity:
I am a magazine junkie. Love them! I get Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, O, Parents, Family Fun, Dance, Dance Teacher, Dance Spirit... and I buy others. I do turn every single page in the mag and look at each article. I do not necessarily read them all though.


from Sadie Elaine Stone:
I read every single thing in magazines from front to back.

from Jolina.....um, Jolina.....Adams:
I subscribe to some paper craft magazines, my sister subscribes me to Oprah, and the kids get Nickelodeon and American Girl. I look at everything in the crafts magazine, however Oprah I skim or pick out an article or two. Some months I don't read it at all, but bring it to work so others can. Nik picks through hers, Jenna reads and re-reads all of her magazine, and then will do the same thing with catalogs. I often clean out old worn catalogs from the side of her bed, her floor, backpack, etc.


from Beverly Jean Hambelton: (my mom):
back to front and not everything!

from me/debbie:
I get only cooking and gardening magazines and you all know how I read them. :~)

My own little sweet pea!


The things we put our kids thru....all for our own enjoyment!!
LOL

Evalynn is a sweet pea!! And she doesn't look too happy about it.

Craps


Friday Friends in Pictures!!!
Jolina (our FF) on the right, with her co-worker, Susan.
Jolian works at our community college, and is the mother of Jenna and Nick, and Mark, who is in the Air-Force, and is in Washington State.
Her husband is Mike...
she likes.....
okay, that's enough of a bio. LOL
this is what Jolina said about their costumes:
when we stood together, we felt like craps!
ha ha


Halloween2



I am laughing at myself....for while I made slop, slop, sloppy joes for dinner and fed the Storms, the other Stone sister in law, had real food!!! I'm going to her house next year for Halloween...after all, I am family.
But heck, i put cheese on my sloppy joes!!
It was a hit. Mitzi and Larry both liked it. LOL

from Sadie Stone:
"slop, slop, sloppy joes" they laugh because it's one of Adam Sandler's songs

from Meghan Stone:
Yes, the kids had a ball..... we had the family over (Mikes side) as usual, and a few friends... I made roasted pepper soup and served it out of indivdual boules (mini bread rounds) and had some apps - stuffed shrooms, sundried tomato pesto torte, mini tacos, crap like that.... it was a good night.
Every year at Rancho the teachers dress up in the same costume (as one another) last year they were all Superman, and when we got to school the theme song was booming over the loud speakers and some of the teachers were standing on the double story roof tops with hands on hips and chests out, capes flapping behind them....then after the parade they have an assembly and the teachers do a dance rountine.
This year they were all Albert Einstein, and dressed as mad scientists///they came out as the bell rang and were all dancing in the courtyard, then at the assempbly they had the stage set like a lab with dry ice smoking beekers and one teacher dressed as a frankenstein tyoe creation and they worked over him with drills and caws, then he got up and they all did a routine to "weird science" it was SOOOO awesome, I just love the school spirit stuff... the kids had a blast.

me/debbie Stone:
OMG!!! I want to go to your kids school. How fun.
we had a Stone-theme going on there for a moment..... :~)

from Traci:
We had a grand total of ....................9 kids, 5 little ones and 4 big ones. I shut my light off at 8:30 and then dumped the whole bowl of candy in to my nephews bag (another big one). I told him to share it with some one (he's going camping this weekend with the Boy Scouts). I had my porch light on by the kids would just walk by, I guess next year I have to get some pumpkins and carve them! :( Last year we had less than 20 kids, so it shouldn't surprise I didn't get very many. There are just so many things going on around town and the kids hit the newer areas before coming to the 'old' homes! hahaha

from Shelly:
It was sure crazy up by your house last night! The people you talked about with the great house...were they the ones down on Offenhauser with all the stuff in their year? I tried to look at it a little on my way home but I had to watch out for the mobs (kids AND adults) that kept darting out in the street...dark clothes, no flashlights...so it was hard to see. Rich's garage was great.

The past couple of years we've had maybe 10 or 12 kids. Last night we probably had 20 or 25...that's a lot for us. Most came early but we did have some little ones come after 8:00. I'm thinking "why aren't those kids home by now?" Oh well. After that we turned off the porch lights and called it a night.

Mitzi's costume was much more effective after seeing your picture. The booth makes a big difference!

Was there any trouble around town?

from me/debbie:
I haven't heard of any trouble yet.

from Theresa:
Well, I gotta agree with Rich, I felt there were many festive houses but there were quite a few w/the "lights out we're pretending it's not Halloween" vibe going on too. I told Mike this when we got home last night. I don't get that at all... but that's probably because my entire family would kill to live in town in a neighborhood where we could hand out candy.

It was such a beautiful night that lots of people were just sitting out on their porches which was fun. The pirate house across the way scared by kids (they're just like that) so we didn't go up there... but the one pirate we saw looked fantastic!! The Gilboys house looked great too...and their costumes.

Let me tell you about this cool way of TOT (trick or treat ) that my friend in Whistler, BC Canada told me about. So they block off a neighborhood of town so it's pedestrian traffic only. That is the "known" TOT neighborhood. Starting about 2 days before Halloween a few neighbors take turns setting up a little stand on an easy access corner for candy donations. People from all over town drop off a bag of candy or 2... so this neighborhood isn't stuck with all the expense of buying all the candy. Everyone then brings the kids for TOT... and it's very safe, fair & festive. I just love this!! And really, the pedestrian thing is a great idea. Honestly, I was pretty nervous w/the traffic in your area last night. Your street was good... but there were a lot of cars driving on Offenhauser.

And who's the guy directly across the street from you? He had a line like no other because he was talking to every single kid.

me/debbie:
His name is Bryan...he was probably drunk. LOL
His wife tho is the Assitant DA.

and as to why the Mavitys failed to show up on my doorstep?
Well, they really didn't fail.
They were greeted by a strange face. Mitzi with a wig on. LOL LOL

from Theresa:
Yes, ok, it's true... Mitzi answered the door and I didn't say anything. You know, what I can say? we all have our insecurities sometimes-lol. Ask me to emcee an event or perform in front of several hundred (or even thousands) of people, I'm there for you!! Ask me to say, "So Mitzi, is Debbie here, we wanted to say Hi." Um, no. :) I did look in the door, and I saw someone with brown hair that was not you. So off we went.... And I was by myself because Mike conveniently had class last night. I'm sorry... but your garage looked great as usual. I asked Max if he wanted a closer look and he said, "No, I already saw that garage the Halloween before this one!" His memory, I tell you...

me/debbie;
I know..he was only 3 then.
no worries....you'll send me pics. :~)

from Jolina:
I got to see Mitzi at school, she was awesome!!
Did I send you a picture of us as dice on the 30th?

me/debbie:
picutres will be on the blog page. :~)

from Jolina:
when we stood together, we felt like craps!
ha ha

me/debbie:
ahahahhaaaaa!!! craps.
My little Jimmy has an evil eye.
(mark send new pics of Jimmy )

BOO!!


Well, we survived Halloween night.... I actually think I lost a few pounds....jumping up and down, up and down, to answer the door for the "little communists".

hahahahaha....it's on old family joke. In 1955, my grandfather wrote in his diary/journal, that he had passed out all the candy and apples he had, "and they just kept coming, the little communists!"
LOL LOL
(Luke even called me from Phoenix on the 30th and he and Mara were on their way to Costco to buy candy for the little communists.)
(doesn't every family have their little inside jokes?)

Camron came by.... and talked to himself while choosing candy "I'll have three crunches and a butterfinger....." :~)
and as for the graveyard, he wouldn't go in, because he said "he'd PUNCH 'EM, those ghosts and goblins"
(he said this in a very angry voice and I for one believed him---and didn't encourage him to enter, because I didn't want my graveyard destroyed. )

We had a neighborhood in contradiction---Rich said there were a lot of houses that had their lights off (spoilsports) but for those of us who had our lights on, WE WERE GREAT!!
the "orange" house at the end of the street ---kind of across from me--had a whole pirate theme going on. They were all dressed as pirates, had a great, great decorated yard, which they roamed in, and they were handing out eyeballs out of a treasure chest in their yard!!!!
(I can almost forgive them for painting their brick orange---almost )
And the Gilboys!! Well, for those of us in Winnemucca, we know how great their yard is for holidays. (and luckily didn't get vandalized---that is the house I was so worried about )
I was proud of us. LOL

Mitzi, Larry and the boys came by....we had sloppy joes (slop, slop, sloppy joes----my boys say that and laugh, I have no idea why )
Nate handed out candy for a while and then he, Larry and Rich went trick or treating and Mitzi and Matt and I stayed home. No time to visit tho....we were up and down, up and down. And Mattie wanted to hand out candy. He was so funny tho.... very cautious of the ghosties and goblins, but he really wanted to put that candy in their bags (Matthew is 18 months).
Jolina came by with Jenna.
Shelly came by to see the garage. then Hayley came by---she is a junior in high school, and for Leadership group, they offered to take kids around trick or treating, as chaperones. Only 3 kids signed up for it. I told them next time offer to "hand out candy", and I'd take them up on that one!! LOL
(I didn't get a picture of Hayley, and I could just kick myself)
We missed the Mavitys. I was wanting to see the kids dressed up, but either they didn't make it this far, or.......they got pushed aside by the hordes of kids trying to get on my porch. Max could still be lying in the bushes as far as I know. (I have a smallish front porch and when 20-30 kids are vying for the candy, they is some pushing sometimes---or I knock them around getting my screen door opened. It's always the little ones who suffer, the big kids can stand their ground)

The newspaper said Tricks or Treats was to be between 6-8, and you know, even tho we had THOUSANDS, they were pretty much done by eight o'clock.
Then I followed Mitzi and Larry home to take a picture of Mitzi in her costume....she was "Lucy" from the Peanuts cartoons.
(I told Rich, if the Mavitys come, Keep them here until I get back. Larry and Mitzi thought that was illegal, not kidnapping exactly, but detaining people against their will...... LOL )
Mitzi's costume was cute. She told me at school, she had on a Lucy-jumper and a tin cup, but I was making her do this at the end of the evening.

from Cherrie:
So, did you get the usual flurry of little ghosts and goblins at your house this year? I supplied junk food to 50 or 60 young beggars. I ran out of candy and ended up giving away a couple of those snack sized bags of snack crackers, and a few yummy yummy Sweet and Salty Peanut Granola bars mmmmmmmmmmm, we love those things. About this time I realized that the last ten trick or treaters were all significantly bigger than me and their voices had changed years ago. That's when I decided to turn the lights off and go to bed.


from Barb:
Along with my 3 neighbors, we went to the communityhalloween party as the 3 Blind Mice and the Farmer's wife(who cut off their tails with a carving knife).And....................................we won Best Costume!!I'll send pics once i get them downloaded.


from me/debbie:
Mitzi, or rather Lucy...after a hard days night.

Halloween


and Jolina's daughter, Jenna, the little devil!

(and her friend..... I have no idea who this is, but she's on the WWW. Wow what a world.

Friends


And all my little friends who came to scare me!!!


(Larry was the scariest!!)
But Nate and Mattie as a ghost and a frog were cute. LOL

Scary


He's so dang cute!!

Halloween night


My little Darth Vader.

Camron

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

(The Great) Gatsby....or Catsby


And then.....(the great) Gatsby, running around by my rock garden. He REFUSED to be a character in the graveyard!! The cackling witch makes him nervous. You should see them tip-toe around the garage!!

The cats are very suspicious. Monore not so much....he doesn't really care.


by the way, do you say cemetary or graveyard? In Halloween terms?

Friday Friend recipe #352

  Making my way thru my  Friday Friend Cookbook , one recipe at a time. What is the Friday Friend cookbook?  I once had about 50 of my close...