Visions of Dog teeth

A few days ago I had to take Cosmo to the vet for his yearly check. Cosmo is a very Vocal little pooch and as he sat on my lap for 20 minutes in the waiting room, He was 'speaking' to everyone in the room ( and in the building next door!). At one point he actually said the words Mawwwmmaw Mawwmmaw Mawwmmaw . ( That's Schnoodle for MAMMA!)
I found Sitting for 20 minutes Trying to hold and quiet a Noisy VERBAL schnoodle quite tense. The tension I felt was small in comparison to what I felt shortly before Dr. Rosen finally (thankfully) called for us. A couple walked in With TWO pitbulls, ONe was on a leash, but the puppy pitbull WASN'T. (puppy, my ass! He was intimidating and LARgE!) There is a HUge sign on the door to the Veterinarians office.. NO DOgs permitted without a Leash. I am a stickler for rules. And despite being a dog lover, I am actually frightened ( with good reason) of strange dogs. I get very perturbed by people who break rules and walk into a business and 'take over'. This Bull was running all over jumping up on people and licking legs left and right. Forcing everyone to calm their own dogs down. I was waiting for the receptionist to intervene but she looked intimidated by these people in general. I am not sure if everyone felt as annoyed (and scared) as I did, but Not everyone shares the Vision that came flooding back to me as I sat gripping my yappy guy and trembling in fear.
When I was a very little girl, my neighbors dog had puppies. My friend Billy asked me to come over and see them. What little girl could resist a basket full of puppies? I ran right over. Billys dog lay in the middle of a large dogbed and her puppies encircled her. He kept reaching down, picking up a pup and handing it to me. After a few pups, I saw one behind the Mom that was THE cutest of all, I reached down myself to pick him up. I was smiling from ear to ear! In one blurry second the Mawwmaw dog Leapt forward and BIT me right in the Open smiling mouth!! My baby tooth, blood and gum were hanging out of my mouth. Billy started screaming. I was screaming! I dropped the puppy (thankfully he landed in the soft bed). My memory of the rest of that day is erased. I assume My gum was stitched up and I know I eventually mended fine. I have no (visible) scars from that traumatic day. As a 'get well' gift and I'm sure a "hope I don't get sued gift" Billys parents gave me the little puppy that had taken my breath and tooth away. I named him Mr. Chips chocolate chip cookies, but settled on Mr. Chips for short.
It's funny that it only takes an encounter with an intimidating dog to bring back that bittersweet memory, and visualize it as if it were yesterday.


Speaking of getting BIT... Have you seen this adorable video
on Utube yet? If not.. Please take 56 seconds and watch it..

See More Visions at sunday scribblings

Thurs.13 QUOTES (#14)

Every Morning I do my local papers Cryptoquote puzzle. But Here are
13 cryptoquote solutions from a favorite cryptogram book that I've solved and enjoyed reading.

1. When choosing between two evils, I always like to take the one I've never tried before- Mae West
2. I moved to NY for my health, I'm paranoid and NY was the only place my fears were justified- Anita Weiss
3.The second day of a diet is always easier than the first. By the second day you're off it.- Jackie Gleason
4.Children have never been very good at listening to-their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them-James Baldwin
5.Know yourself. Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.-Ann Landers
6.Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.-Phyllis Diller
7.We can't all be heros because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.-Will Rogers
8.I'd like to come back as an oyster. Then I'd only have to be good from September until April.-Gracie Allen
9.I figure when my husband comes home from work, if the kids are still alive, then I've done my job.-Roseanne
10.When you reach for the stars,you may not quite get one,but you won't come up with a handful of mud either-Leo Burnett
11.Okay, so god made man first, but doesn't everyone make a rough draft before they make a masterpiece?-Courtney Huston
12.The advantage of having a bad memory is that, several times over, one enjoys the same good things for the first time.-Friedrich Nietzsche

13. I was so sad to hear of George Carlins passing. In his loving memory, One of my favorite George Carlin Quotes-
When driving, anybody going slower than you is an idiot, and anybody going faster than you is a moron!

Visit Thurs.13 for more!

How do you laugh?

The 3 word wednesday words are
Rumor
Shake
Spontaneous
This is what popped into my head-



I wish I could say it’s a deceptive rumor
But Alas it happens to be genuinely true
When I’m amused by hilarious humor
My body Quietly shakes my face turns a red hue
Not too attractive but I will honestly report
my laugh is a spontaneous sporadic SNORT

Nearly 28 and counting

<--Our wedding day- 10/26/1980


June 15,2008- we are both sweaty and pooped (me- no makeup!) at the end of Fathers Day, but I like the pic anyway!



No matter what I have to go through in my life
there is one thing I can depend on. The unconditional
love and tremendous support I receive from my husband.
We have been through many difficult bumps in the almost
28 years we have been married. There were times when
we both felt we just couldn't take another beating. Life
sometimes has a way of making you feel like that. Like
it's round 12 and You just can't keep fighting, can't keep
trying to get back up from every stressful punch. We've discussed
how typical it would have been, to be crushed to a point where we
would have given up on each other through all the knockouts.
Instead, somehow we persevered and our marriage actually grew stronger
in spite of the upsetting difficulties. When he was at his lowest and even
HE felt, many women would have said Adious Baby,
I hung in there and made sure he got back on his feet.
Whenever I am having 'one of those days' where I could so easily
lose it and require a straight jacket, His intuitiveness 'picks up' on those
feelings instantly and He intervenes with various loving gestures..
ALL which seem, Just like THE magic potion required for bringing me
back to a normal pulse. Back to handling whatever situation is at hand
that I need to deal with. I've had younger women ask me what I think is the
secret ( if you want to call it that) to a long lasting happy marriage.
Besides the obvious - really loving a person. I would say it has to do with
3 C's-
consideration, communication and camaraderie. Being Considerate enough
to put your spouses feelings and needs above your own. Caring for their emotional upsets
and caring to make their life happy. Communicating EVery
feeling you need to express. Caring to want to hear their feelings.
Bouncing thoughts off each other. Never going to bed angry or
without first resolving problems between you.
Camaraderie- actually enjoying each others company. Enjoying some similar interests.
Working together as a team to raise the children. Wanting to spend time together.

I am not sure how 28 years have passed by already. It feels like a blur.
I am hoping we will be able to go the entire distance. I am hoping
we don't get hit below the belt too often.!
In the meantime...
I am confident that as I face another worrisome bout in my life.. He is
still my cornerman, ready to catch me. With him in my corner, I just can't fall.
♥ ♥

Happy Endings

A man goes into a massage parlor.....
NEVER MiND.. I am NOT going this route
(but can you believe Wikipedia does?)

(volume up! Even David Cook is happy)
When I think of Happy Endings what really comes to mind are all the films I love. Surprise endings are great but I am a sucker for the 'I saw that one coming" Happy Ending. Even my favorite books are usually just that, due to an ending that leaves me comfortable knowing " ahhh, everything is okay now ". I wonder if this tells a lot about my personality? Maybe, it's because I am a worrier by nature? Maybe, because I am typically a pessimist, that I desire the optimistic outcome? Maybe, it's me hoping for an idealistic, romantic world? Several films that have ended tragically and unpredictably ('the departed 'comes to mind ) Leave me quite pissed off quite frankly! I was SO sure Leonardo DiCaprio would not only get the bad guys, but he'd get the girl, the career, the happy ending! Their ending really had me angry!
But take films (that i love) like 'return to me"... OH, HOW I love it when Minnie Driver and David Duchovny live happily ever after! She also lives happily ever after again in Good Will Hunting!
Or take "its a wonderful life"... it wouldn't be too wonderful If George Bailey would have killed himself and left Mary to raise all those kids alone!
Don't We all wish for happy endings to our own life story and the life stories of our loved ones?
The end of life's journey is inevitable, but How wonderful and happy that ending could be, If we've lived life to it's fullest, haven't battled any horrible illnesses, or injuries
and have given and received much love and happiness along the way.
That surely would be a lifetime movie I would truly enjoy watching ♥

Let's find out if we are on our way to a happy ending...
Take Oprahs Happiness Quiz
I scored a 57 which happily means I am happy! I hope you share your score with me.
( if you are finding this post nauseatingly bubbly... Don't worry about your score, That doesn't necessarily mean you are an unhappy miserable sourpuss)


for more Happy Endings visit Sunday Scribblings!

13 amusing thoughts

13 random/amusing thoughts i received in an email...(thanks Anna)


ONE- Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home, and when he grows up, he'll never be able to merge his car onto the freeway.

TWO-The cost of living hasn't affected its popularity.(thank goodness!)

THREE- I used to be indecisive. Now, I'm not so sure.

FOUR- I had amnesia once --- or twice.

FIVE- I am neither for nor against apathy.

SIX-Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone.

SEVEN-One nice thing about egotists... they don't talk about other people.

EIGHT- They told me I was gullible and I believed them.

NINE- All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.

TEN- How can there be self-help groups ?

ELEVEN- What is a "free" gift? Aren't all gifts free?

TWELVE- Protons have mass? I didn't even know they were Catholic.

THIRTEEN- My weight is perfect for my height... which varies.

for more Thursday thirteens go here

3 word Wednesday

TheThree word wednesday words are-
Frequent
Open
Someday


If only Someday I could give in to life’s temptations
Open my mind and set my pesky conscience free
Think Oh just think about the crazy possibilities and
How much more interesting and frequent my blog posts would be!

Trust the voice within

The sunday scribblings prompt is Guide. I have had very little computer time lately. I decided to write exactly the first thoughts that came to mind, since my mind has also been a bit busy lately.
I hope to catch up on all my favorite blogs soon, I miss visiting you.

(turn up your volume for title song)

What 'guide' quickly brought to mind, Is how I have always felt we all have our own little guide living inside of each of us.
It's that little inner voice, Our conscience.. The Jiminy Cricket in all of us.
It feels like, as long as I can remember it has been speaking to me. Even though, due to various circumstances, I've had an extreme lack of parental guidance, I seemed to have been born with an innate sense of right and wrong. It's Clear. It's trustful, It's often difficult to fight. There were times I tried to be a bad girl, there were times I succeeded, Yet the guilt that haunted me was not worth the fun of the rebellion.
The inner voice is triumphant. I need to follow it's guidance, trust it's integrity. It's a value, a style I am just comfortable with.
I know it's in each of us, but there are some who can fight it without the consequence of remorse. What a much more peaceful world it would be If Every one would only surrender to their own inner ethical voice, if everyone could take a cue from a fairy tale...
"And always let your conscience be your guide"

unexpected

Nothing like the last second to respond to a prompt!
It gave me time to think about several UNEXPECTED things
that have happened this week!

One morning my husband had to call our plumber back. His wife answered with an abrupt 'HELLO'?? My husband asked if he could please speak to Ron. Then my husband over heard her say " Hey Shithead, it's for you! Why didn't you answer the phone? I had to get off the TUR-LIT to answer it!"
My husband found it difficult to hold in the laugher and not say "hey shithead" when Ron came to the phone! ( talk about appropriate nicknames!!)

Two our UNexpected surprise, we got an electronic peppermill in the mail from a loved one for no occasion, other than that they know my husband loves pepper.

Three UNEXPECTED EXTRA pounds- NO Comment!

Four the first time, I tried Panera Breads Turkey chickpea Chili and it was Unexpectedly DELICIOUS!

Five times after I got home from Panera, I UNexpectedly needed to R..U... N... to the bathroom!

it's SIX minutes to my midnight deadline for the Writers Island prompt.... and I've unexpectedly given out way to much information.

SEVEN unexpected adorable geese were in the middle of a busy road tonight. I had to stop my car and wait behind other cars for quite a while, for them to decide to cross.
After they crossed and I proceeded I realized why they were taking so long. One poor little guy had apparently been a hit and run victim. The other 7 weren't just crossing, they were in mourning. Unexpected tears welled up in my eyes and I haven't been able to stop thinking of their poor sad hearts.

writers island

13 Fathers DAy gift ideas

Sick of giving your dad a new tie each year?
Or a more apropos question would be-
Is your dad sick of getting a new tie each year??
Here are some alternate suggestions

1- A Dvd of an old tv series he liked ( the honeymooners is on dvd!)
2- A Cd of a band he HAD on lp and never bought on c.d..
3- A Gift Certificate to his favorite restaurant (this is good,'cause he may bring you along)
4- A Hand made coupon Giving him Car washes, or yard work from YoU!
5-An Ipod with all his favorites ALL ready loaded!
6- A new Book or a favorite classic
7-A caddy to hold all of his remotes
8-Lottery Scratch off tickets!
9-Bake his favorite cookies or cake
10-A gift certificate to his usual barber
11-a subscription to a magazine you think he'd be interested in
12-A nose hair trimmer! Or... a buzzer for his neck hair
13-A cool shirt to go with All those ties or a tie organizer!

Happy Fathers Day!
This was my 12th Thursday Thirteen already!
for more TT go here

children

the 3 word wednesday words are - change, dizzy, key


Each Key Stage spins into another
I've grown dizzy watching you grow
Each Change you make my heart is unchanged
It deeply treasures each stage as we go.

Got a few minutes?

Okay... It must be cyclical with me...
I again need to rant about things that have pissed me off this week!
The first thing, that I was hesitant to write about( sparing feelings crap) but feeling crazed tonight, I thought... What the Fuck!( If you don't like this expletive, leave now.. Im sure I will be re-using it because it's my favorite fucking expletive..)
People touching my stuff! My adult son had a few buddies over. They decided to go on my computer to look at.. who knows what!
I came home an hour later, no one is home. I go to use MY computer( key-fucking word MY) and MOST of my BOOKMARKS are deleted!! Yes.. just think about this one moment for my sake please... Imagine how YOU would feel... pretty enraged, NO?? YES I was beyond LIVID. At first I just couldn't understand... WHY?? why would ANYONE just delete something of someone else's?? I've been bookmarking on this computer for 4 years! So I call my son who asks his friend who used the computer and the friend said "OH did I? I was trying to delete the history of what we were looking at". (wonder what that was??) I can't even get into all I felt and what I said. BUT, even enraged, I am such a mush that when they came back and He looked so upset and felt SO awful, and he IS usually such a nice guy... I had to forgive him, even though It took 2 glasses of vino to calm down. All week, I've been so frustrated.. need to quickly go to library web site...OH NOT there! school district website... OH NOT there... All the blogs I visit... .. gone!
Some frequently visited blogs are on my google reader, but the ones I don't visit as often... Who the hell remembers their addresses?
I can't remember my own these days! I am always typing the wrong password into blogger! Even writing this has stirred up the hot temper in me that I felt last week. What really angered me further, was when my son (ring leader) said... What's the big deal really?? I mean so just type things in when you need them and bookmark them again. HE almost lost his head. He should thank god I had already had the wine.

My second rant involves what else... GAS As I am getting a fill up yesterday..(full serve at hess is self serve price)- I notice in my side-view mirror, a customer running towards my gas tank. Apparently when you have a pocket of air in there, the gas doesn't automatically stop... It just OVERFLOWS and POURS out of the tank! This nice guy saw it and ran to stop it, the two foreign speaking attendants didn't. When they came over and my pump said 59.25. These two generous souls said ... No worry Lady... No give us 25 cent. I said to them ARE YOU kidding me?? 25 cents? There has to be at least 2 gallons on the ground. "No, no, it not much." Then another attendant appeared explaining my tank had air and Blah Blah Blah. Like that's my fucking problem? Am I suppose to burp the tank each week? Even at 4.25 a gallon, It just wasn't worth my time to try and speak Pakistani and communicate my outrage about their unjust customer relations.

rant #3.. ARe you actually still with me? You are a kind soul.
The other day, some moron in my salon went on and on about how much she can't stand it, when she sees someone nursing their baby in public. I just don't get people like this... Especially a woman! My god, she had breasts.. what Does she think they were put there for?? besides that...
It was very hard to maintain professionalism, while cutting her hair straight, AND try to give her a (former) nursing mothers point of view. Then just this morning, I am reading one of those Dear whoever advice columns in my newspaper.... And some Asshole mother-in-law, is complaining about her daughter in-law nursing in front of company. She wants her to stay in a bedroom during parties and family events till she's done nursing.( this sometimes takes an hour, you know?) I keep fearing I have Alzheimer's, so please tell me.. Where are we living? What kind of society frowns on the simplistic beauty of a mother nurturing her baby, the way nature intended?
All this bullshit, brought back to mind similar scenes when I was a nursing mother. Once while visiting close friends, His very uptight mother popped in unexpectedly. I was sitting at their kitchen table very discreetly nursing my son. She came in all happy to see us and made small chit/chat and then she realized what I was doing.. as quick as my bookmarks deleted.... She got all weird and embarrassed and said she had to leave!! She LEFT her son's home because an unrestrained Breast was in the room!! How fucked up is that? My poor friend felt awful, and tried to apologize for her oddness. One of my all time favorite anti-breast feeding statements? My sisters friend, who said... "yeah, if he was a girl I would have nursed him, But you know , he is a boy"
It's been like 25 years since I heard that line, but I still don't know what the fuck she was talking about! I guess she is thinking of it as something sexual? And she would only do something sexual with... Her daughter??
If anyone understands this .. Please enlighten me.
I DO think it's nice to be considerate when near people feeling uncomfortable in the presence of the Dreaded Lactating breast... Nursing moms should try their best to be discreet. But geeez people... Its a breast. It's got an important job to do, Moms don't need your hangups making child rearing any harder than it already is.
I've got more to rant about, but I doubt anyone is listening anymore.. this is a bit long winded.. and long winded blog posts piss me off too, so I better just say..
thanks for listening to whatever you were able to bear. This REALLY felt like BLOGGING!
I feel better now.

Thurs. 13 #11~ Pasta & Broccoli Rabe

13 EASY steps to making a Delicious pasta dish!

ingredients- 1 bunch of broccoli Rabe
1 lb. of your favorite pasta
1 can of cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
3-4 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil/ chicken broth/ S&P
Grated Cheese
Sun dried tomatoes (optional) ( I love them in this recipe!)
Sausage (optional) If you have left over cheese and parsley sausage, YUM
cut it up and use it in this recipe!

STEP #1-Put up a large pot of Water to boil (for the pasta)

STEP#2- Cut off and discard large stems from Broccoli Rabe, Cut up remaining leaves into approx. 2" pieces


STEP#3-Put Broccoli Rabe into large pot and rinse rinse rinse.

Then add water to cover Broccoli and bring to boil

STEP#4- simmer for about 5 min.
(when Im not in a hurry, I wait to boil pasta water, So I can use this same Pot for that)

STEP#5-Meanwhile, cut up your garlic and sun-dried tomatoes


In another pot, fry garlic in about 5 TBSP. of olive oil (on med. low) till soft and golden

STEP#6-Drain the broccoli Rabe well ..



Add it to the golden garlic and toss and simmer a few minutes.

STEP#7-Add the cannellini beans,
S & P to taste


STEP#8-Add 1/2 can of chicken broth, saving the rest in case you need it later when pasta is tossed

STEP#9-By now your pot of water should be boiling... Add your favorite pasta, and time it till 'al dente'


STEP#10-While pasta is cooking, you can now add the sun-dried tomatoes and/or pre-cooked sausage to the broccoli Rabe

STEP#11-DRain Pasta and Toss with the Broccoli Rabe mixture. If it is too dry and a little more chicken broth ( i microwave it in a glass measuring cup, so it doesn't cool off the pasta.)

STEP#12-Taste and if needed add more S &P and a few tsp.'s of Loccatelli grated cheese ( put this on the table to add more!)

STEP#13-Serve and ENJOY!!








for more Thursday thirteens go here

3 WW

TheThree word wednesday words are-
deny
smile
uncomfortable

Here's what I came up with-

I deny while trying to breathe and hold it all in
as I go through my summer clothes trunk.
I swear out loud with an uncomfortable smile
"These shorts from last year must have shrunk!"

Jayna's Angel Bag

Today I received a very special gift. It truly lifted my spirits and made me smile from ear to ear. My fabulously creative cyber friend Sherrie sent me one of her sweet Jayna's Angel Bags!


These whimsical, adorable tote bags are Sherrie's loving tribute to her dear friends sweet baby girl Jayna, who sadly passed away 1 year ago today, tragically at only 9 months old.
Along with my enchanting tote bag, Giggles also enclosed this heavenly hand painted note card!

Leave it to Giggles to place her art work in such a fanciful hand decorated Envelope!



When I started blogging two years ago, If anyone would have told me, that I, suspicious,mistrusting (paranoid!?) Lulu, would befriend a total stranger from Canada, I would have said you're &@#! crazy!! Now, I can't imagine my life without my cyber soul sister!
Today, my son was diagnosed with Psoriasis. According to the pamphlet, 4.5 million adults in the U.S. have it. Even though I Of course know this isn't a serious or right now too difficult problem, I was feeling very upset. I guess this week, it's just been one thing after another. You know how that happens? Three kids times AT LEAST 3 problems each, Husband times AT LEAST Double that, and my own stupid problems. So this Skin disease thing, and reading TOO much information in this freaking pamphlet had me really feeling down.
Then... I read Sherries blog, Realized that today Is the One year anniversary of her sweet little friends passing. Read about the everyday battle little Jayna's parents are going through with their disabled son. Perspective... It is amazing how it affects us. I am now weeping tears of relief..... I am so grateful for this Psoriasis.
My cyber soul sister has a way of always doing this. Sometimes it's with her direct words of wisdom for what's ailing me... Other times, Just like an angel... she is a messenger, through provoking words and whimsical brush strokes, who truly lifts my spirits and enlightens my heart. ♥
thanks Sher xox

Book Meme

A new blog for me, that I've been really enjoying is Amaretto girls blog.
She recently emailed me and asked me to do her Book meme. Thanks for tagging me! I also want to thank you for linking your readers to the definition of Meme.. I had always thought it was pronounced MEM like in memo. I was surprised to see Wikipedia actually covers this word!

Now the rules of a book meme are as follows:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.


My book club and I are reading "the senators Wife" by Sue Miller... It is right here on my desk...
Page 123- sentence 6- Then he mentioned the campaign, his campaign for reelection, which had already begun.
7- When she came to this passage, Delia smiled bitterly.
8-So this was what lay under it all-under the wooing, under the regret.

I am not too crazy for this book. It is interesting enough, I want to finish it. But I feel like not much has truly happened. I had originally thought it would be about corruption in the senate. Or, Scandalous, seductive, sexy senator shenanigans! I've been more entertained & shocked by REAL life former N.Y. Senator Spitzer, I guess he is a tough act for a fiction writer to follow!
I am hoping the ending will surprise me and make it worth the read.

I am not tagging anyone in particular, Instead I invite anyone who is interested to please do the book meme!

Curve #2

She stared at her reflection. Never had she felt so complete.
She stared at her shoes in the mirror. Able to now view her feet!
She felt the stirring of life inside her. Tears welled up from within
She traced the curve of her swelling miracle. blissfully waiting for life to begin

I wasn't happy with my last' Curve' post..
so I tried again.
thanks SS