It's An Emergency! (sort of)

Today is Saturday.  The Saturday before Christmas.  Rach had spent the night with friends of Alaska Girl and the kitties were in heaven because they could sleep with their people again.  So much so that even the Diva herself (Skittles) deigned to sleep on the bed. (Actually, they both slept on me for most of the night.  I'm not complaining, but they get heavy.)

I got up a little later than normal (around 7 a.m.) and worked out.  I was just settling down to my favorite Saturday morning breakfast of cereal straight out of the box (yes, I am still 10) when the phone rang.  It was Alaska Girl saying that a really annoying thing had happened.  I guessed that she had locked her keys in the Rach-Mobile (our old van).

She said that was correct but please listen to how it happened.  Ok, I'm game.

It seems that she had gone outside to start the Rach-Mobile.

Here is the Rach-Mobile in all it's 140,000+ miles of glory.

She had placed the Rach inside the running Rach-Mobile.

Here is the Rach with Computer Boy.

The Rach-Mobile has automatic door locks controlled by a master control.

Locked.

Unlocked.

Controls.

That's it.  You've got it.  The Rach locked up the car while it was running and she was outside.  Being the great mom that I am, I left with the spare key and rescued her dog.  I had a lovely chat with Ballerina Girl and her mom while I was there.  And all of this before breakfast.  

And now for your enjoyment a couple of pics of Rach in action.  

Go for launch.

Take off!

Got it!

We Bought a Zoo?

I don't know if we really bought a zoo, but we have inherited one.  By default.

We have 2 cats:  Pluto and Skittles.  Their many exploits have been published on this blog and on Facebook.  In August, Swim Girl brought her cat, The Squirt, home with her.  You will recall that there was enormous opposition from the two and that resulted in using feline pheremone diffusers to help calm them all down.  Skittles still hisses at Swim Girl, but the knock down, drag out fights have ended.  There is just hissing and spitting and chasing.

Just when we were getting used to being a TCH (Three Cat Household), we got a phone call from Alaska Girl.  She needed to move home.  With her dog.  Her 60 pound dog.  The one who chases bears up trees.  And chases moose.  And lynx.  And anything with fur.  Anywhere.  No matter what is in his way.  Like, oh, say tables and chairs.  Sigh.

We are now a TCHplusOD (Three Cat Household plus One Dog).  His name is Rachmaninoff or Rach (pronounced Rock) for short.  He is a Karelian Bear Dog .  Now if you go to this link and read about this dog, you will see that he needs several HOURS of exercise a day.  WTF?  We don't have several hours to work a dog.  Nor do we have the acres of land that they prefer.

Rach is a beautiful, well behaved dog.  Unless he thinks there is a squirrel or a rabbit around.  Or a cat.  Or maybe, three cats.  He will stop at nothing to get at what he thinks he needs to get.  If there is a rabbit outside and it hops away, he quickly races to a different window to follow the rabbit's progress.

The same general principal works with the cats.  The only problem with all of this is that he has a complete disregard for things like furniture, Christmas trees, plants, people, windows, screens, shelves full of glassware; you know, anything.  He jumped the couch in the first few seconds that he was in our home.

Pluto and Skittles now reside in the basement.  They are allowed out when Rach is gone.  The Squirt can come out too.  She now chases Pluto, but Skittles still owns her.  Rach has a screw in thing with a chain in the yard.  He still gets loose sometimes.  He has a Husky buddy across the street and they wrestle around at least once a day.  Then he comes home with Husky goober all over his neck.  Yecch.  Alaska Girl takes him to the dog park at least once a day.  We all try to walk him.  He is completely obsessed with the squirrels around here.  Basically it is like a dog with OCD.  Gives a new meaning to the phrase, "Squirrel!"

Despite all of this, I am happy to report that our yard is bear, moose and lynx free.

This is the King of the Couch.  His main position for guarding us from the fierce creatures in our yard.

 Ears up!  High alert!

Such a pretty boy!

The Squirt is attacking my tree!  Brat.

Calling Cards and Christmas Preparations

So the other day I went outside my door and there, right by the stoop, was this tasty little tidbit.  

Now, our cats are indoor cats.  But I believe this is a little calling card from the local neighborhood wanderer.  I think he figured out that there are three lady cats living here and he wants to date them.  As the mom, I am not impressed.  We think it's a shrew.

I swear, this is not my house.  I would never do this.  I couldn't resist a picture though.

Skittles already looks guilty and we hadn't even started decorating when I took this picture.  I think she is practicing her nonchalant look.  Little does she know that her life is about to change in a major way once again.

A picture of innocence is The Squirt.  She is a trickster and chewed through Swim Girl's shoelace today.  Brat.

My big, ginormous project arrived and it looks pretty good.  I am so relieved.  There are a couple of mistakes, but live and learn.  I promise to share after Christmas.

I will be posting some very cool Christmas decoration pictures soon.  That will be as soon as I read all of those Pins about taking great Christmas pictures.  So maybe expect them in January?

Enjoy the shopping days that you have left.  I'll be back soon.

Special Secret Project a Go!

I finished it!  

I was working on a major, huge, enormous project for Christmas and I got it finished and sent yesterday.  Now I just have to wait and see what it looks like when it comes back to me as the finished product.  These are gifts, so I can give you no specifics.  I will just give you a picture of what my coffee table has looked like for the past 3 weeks.

I want you to especially note the M&M's as those were an integral part of my work.  I am rather disappointed that there is only one empty bag in this shot.

If things go as planned, I will be adding pages to my blog that will incorporate the project itself.  I just have to figure it out.  That is a tall order for me.  I am not completely tech challenged, but I tend to get lost in the layers if you know what I mean.  Then I look at the clock and 3 hours have passed and I haven't done anything but learn about stuff I will never use.

Have a great day.  See you later.  I'm going on a walk and will take Baby #2 with me, so who knows where this will lead?  Maybe a Fierce Creature encounter.

Required Eating

When you are in STL there is one thing that you are required to eat.  It is this:

'Nuf said.

On the Other Side of the Turkey

Since I was in STL for Thanksgiving I had to get out of the condo.  This is a matter of self preservation.  You may think that it is a choice, but really, it is a necessity.  Luckily for me, I could take my morning 'constitutionals' and it was really warm.  I loved it.  I was able to walk down by my old grade school and then today I walked up to the old homestead.  Well, actually the old homestead is gone, but I walked to the hill where it used to be.

In reflecting about my old homestead, I realized that my first homestead in downtown STL has been torn down.  Our second dwelling (the one I was near today) has also been torn down as has the next place we lived.  Hmmm.  This seems a little ominous.  So far, the last house we lived in as a family is still standing.  

So this is the name of our old street where we lived in a tiny little house on 3 acres with a well.  

This is the best approximation that I can manage as to where the house would have been.  It is a huge development now and I can't really figure it out without an engineer.

Down this big hill is where I went to grade school.  I remember it well and it is still there.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with plenty of food.  We played a great game called Scattergories that Swim Girl had nabbed at Stuff, Etc. for $3.  Did you know jawbreakers are kept in the medicine cabinet?  We didn't either and we wouldn't let mom use that one.  Lysol isn't considered a toiletry item either.  (That was mine.)  However, having poopy pants is a reason for being late.  Play the game.  Laugh a lot.

Apple pie.  MMMMMMM.

Green beans.

Swim Girl makes a mean leek pie.  Think of it as a quiche on steroids.

Mash.

Yeah.  I hate these.

Anyway, when I was on my walk today I had a close encounter with the 4 legged kind.  Check it out.  She almost walked right into me.  I don't know who was more surprised.

Can you see her?  We played a little Hide and Go Seek.

There she is.

Sorry the pics aren't any better, but my little lens kept wanting to focus on the leaves and tree trunks.  I have asked for a telephoto zoom for Christmas, so we shall see.  

I wouldn't consider this a Fierce Creature, although I am tempted as she scared the crap right outta me at first.  She ran down the hill a ways and I backed up.  Then we stared at each other for several minutes while I tried to focus.  I love my baby #2.  I love taking random walks with my baby #2.  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in blogland.   I am visiting the parentals.  I have made the pie and the tomato aspic salad (see previous post).  Grocery Boy is working on the turkey.  My work is done.  I do the stuff that you can make ahead of time.  That is all that I am allowed to do.

It is beautiful here in the STL and my bro is visiting with his family.  So far, we haven't hit each other so life is good.  I think we have been in the same room for a couple of hours already.

I promise to post some pics later.

I am busting with pride about my niece, Airman Brittany Day.  She just completed her PIR (Pass in Review) at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, from Canada, from the lake, you name it.  Oh, and I have no idea what PIR really means.  I am just trying to act like I do.  The picture above was taken by her very proud Dad yesterday.  We love you, Brit.  Good luck in A School.  I am not quite sure why you are called an Airman when you are in the Navy, but who understands anything about the military?  Not me.

I hope you all eat 'til you bust.  I started a diet, so nothing for me.  Ha.

The. Best. Apple. Pie. EVAH!

I promised some recipes and then when I went to cut and paste from my recipes in Word, the ones I wanted to do weren't in there yet.  So, I copped a 'tude and didn't do anything.

As it gets closer to Thanksgiving, I thought you might want a recipe or two for the holiday.  One is absolutely sure to please.  The other is more of an acquired taste.  In fact, a lot of people hate it.  Grocery Boy and I love it, but no one else in our family does.  Try it.  You might like it.

Tomato Aspic Salad

I got this recipe from my grandmother who got it from her sister in law.  She always made this salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As you can tell by the ingredients, it seems a little strange, but if you like what's in it you will probably love this salad.  Good luck.  I don't recommend just springing this on people.  I would love any comments from those of you who try it, good or bad.  I can take it.  Besides, I don't know where you live.

Recipe:

1 ¾ cups tomato juice

1 package lemon Jell-O

Heat tomato juice to boiling point then remove from heat.  Add package of lemon Jell-O and dissolve.  Pour half of the mixture into bottom of mold or pan and place in refrigerator to set. 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 t. mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)

1 envelope Knox gelatin

Mix cream cheese and mayonnaise together well.  Dissolve Knox gelatin in 1/3 cup cold water and mix with cheese mixture.  Add the following ingredients:

Diced celery

Stuffed olives, chopped and drained well

Green peppers, chopped

Onions, chopped or grated

These ingredients should total about 1 ½ cups.  I add a little garlic powder also.  Set in refrigerator and chill until almost set.  Add cream cheese mixture to first layer of set tomato juice.  Let this set.  Add remaining tomato juice mixture and let set.  Cover with Saran wrap.

FYI:

-I use a rectangular, glass pan for this.  I do not like to use metal due to the taste.

-Also, grease the pan you use with mayo or Miracle Whip.

Now if you survive this one, how about one of the best pie recipes that I have ever run across.  I got it out of a magazine.  I can't remember which one, but I know it wasn't Taste of Home or Family Circle.  I think it was a little higher end than that.  I am not a super great cook, but I can bake, baby.  

For the pie crust, use your favorite two crust recipe or just wimp out and buy those pre-made ones that are in your grocer's diary case.  They don't taste as good, but they don't taste like butt or anything.  

Apple Cranberry Pie

  

Recipe:

6 Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored and sliced

½ cup cranberries

2 T lemon juice

1 ¼ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

1 ½ t cinnamon

¼ t ground allspice

1/8 t salt

1 recipe pastry cream

1 egg, beaten

1 T whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out pastry dough and transfer to a 9” deep dish pie pan.  In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries and lemon juice.  In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice and salt.  Spread bottom of crust with Pastry Cream.  Toss apple mix with dry ingredients and pile over pastry cream.  Cover with second part of dough.  Cut 4 small slits in top to allow steam to escape.  Combine egg and cream.  Brush on pastry.  Bake for 1 hr., 20 min.

When I made this for Thanksgiving I threw in about half of a bag of frozen cherries.  Yummy!

Pastry Cream for Cranberry Apple Pie

1 cup milk

¼ cup sugar

Cook over medium heat in a medium saucepan until bubbly on edges.

2 egg yolks

3 T sugar

3 T cornstarch

¼ t salt

Mix until combined in a separate bowl.  Gradually beat in 1/3 cup hot milk mixture; quickly beat in remaining milk mixture.  Return to saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in:

2 T butter

½ t vanilla

Transfer to bowl.  Can store, covered in fridge up to three days.

I Promise That This is the Last of the Fall Pictures

It is officially fall here in the Heartland.  I hate it.  The tree leaves are all raked up and everything is gray and bare and yucky.  We have had some sunny days, but I really miss those warm summer ones.  Today has been super rainy and the only thing to do about it was go to the mall.

This was, of course, after we took all three cats to the vet for nail jobs.  That is always a very fun and exciting adventure.  They all love getting in their cages and have no qualms about it at all.  We simply call them and they come running, hop in the cages and say, "Let's go!"

Not so much.  It can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to round them up and extreme stealth is required.  We are getting so good at it that the Navy Seals could take lessons.  The trick is to get the first one while the other one isn't looking.  We didn't manage it today, but luckily for me, Skittles is under the impression that if she sits under the wicker chair in the bathroom, I won't see her at all.  I will encourage her to keep thinking that way.

So here are the rest of my pictures from Fall in Iowa.  Enjoy.

There are two or three of these beauties left.  

25 bags of leaves.

The Dead Squirrels

I promised all of you that I would post that other dead squirrel picture and so I shall.  Dead Squirrels would be a great name for a band, don't you think?

The time changed last night.  I have a love/hate thing with that.  I love that it is lighter in the morning and I hate that it is darker earlier.  I think I prefer dark in the morning.  So now I will be messed up for a day or two.  Basically then, no change.

I posted on my Facebook Wall about a little trick Swim Girl played on us.  She put a very large plastic spider on the toilet paper roll in our bathroom.  She did this on Halloween as a little joke.  When I found it I used both of her names.  It was that type of joke.  It is so cool having someone around that you can holler at with both names.  I usually only get a chance once a year, but I see a whole bunch of opportunities ahead of me now.  Ah, the perks of having an adult child move back home.

Ta da!  This is Dead Squirrel #2.  He just looks like he's sleeping.  I am going for a walk soon and who knows, I may find another.  Something is mysteriously killing the squirrels around her so that they just look like they are sleeping.  I mean, where are the tire treads?

I took this one somewhere in the neighborhood. 

 There are still a couple of roses on my new rose bush.  They look a little strange without the rest of the flowers around.

 We don't have any streams or rivers around here, so I simply content myself with the profundity of the cracked roads.

 See Swim Girl rake.

Whoa, Dude!

Profound Pictures of Fall in Iowa

Well, since I have Baby #2, I have been out cattin' around taking lots of pictures of things that I think in my head will be really cool, but in actuality are pretty boring.  I don't mind though, because I love to pretend that I am all artsy and try and take really profound pictures.  Snort.






It was really pretty around here for about a minute a couple of weeks ago.  Then it started to get rainy and windy and all of that beauty fell to the ground.  I think that most of it was in our yard as I can count 25 bags of leaves out beside the garage.  Don't feel sorry for me, I didn't rake them up.  That was Swim Girl's fun job on Saturday.  She says that her arms are still sore.

I call this one "Leaf in the Driveway".  See.  Profound.

I actually really love this shot.  Those are acorn hats!  Squirrels got the nuts.

Oh, and remember that post that I did earlier this month called, "Fierce Creatures"?  It was all about the dangers my kids face daily from the wild animals that live near them.  This time we have something much more exciting to worry about. We have Hurricane Sandy bearing down on Computer Boy in Manhattan.  He is safe so far with lots of water, food and candles.  His toys are fully charged and he is ready.  He did say that he went to get more beer, but the line was all the way to the back of the store so he left.  Maybe tomorrow.  Right now he has power, but I guess that they are going to turn off the grid below 34th street later, so he will be in the dark.  Not drinking beer apparently.

The one redeeming thing about all of this is that I only have one kid in the eye of the storm.  Last year, not only did Swim Girl survive a really nasty earthquake in Baltimore County, but also both kids survived Hurricane Irene.  Yes.  My children have this knack for danger.

Iowa can be pretty sometimes.

Oh, snap.  I have this thing about grabbing pics of dead animals in the road or by the road or anywhere, actually.  This little guy looked fine.  Just dead.  I have another pic of a different squirrel, but I thought that one at a time was best.  I don't want to flood the market.