wow, this thing is

dusty.  I've had a nice break.  January 1st will bring a new assignment.  It's nothing new, a lot of people do it but I'm making it my new project.  It will be a photo a day.  We'll see how it goes.  I plan for it to last all year... plan, that is.

I had to make a few changes on this thing too.  I was so tired of the orange, not a big fan.

i have a new

favorite thing and it wasn't even supposed to be mine.  I remember back on several Christmases and Lauren received a "gift with purchase" for a present.  No, she did not receive the bottle of perfume required for this free gift but she received the free gift.  Period.  Over the past few years, I've tried to bring this tradition back.  I don't only give her the free gift but I do like to wrap it and give it as an individual gift.  This year was going to be the same.  I went down and bought my powder and the gift was a free robe.  I had a choice between white, pink or white with hot pink polka-dots.  The last one screamed Lauren so I picked that one.  Several stores down the row, I found out Lauren had no need for a robe.  (Hey, I do like to be practical so if she doesn't need it, I won't waste it.)  I decided I would just keep it for myself.  I went back to the car to get the robe, back to the store to swap it out (for white since white with hot pink polka-dots does not scream Melanie) and came back home.  I wrapped other gifts I picked up that day and went on with my business.  Once finished, I opened the robe up to try it on.  OMG.  I have been living in that thing.  That is the softest most comfortable thing EVER.  Maybe I'll start keeping the free gifts for me.

this is just an update

for the post from earlier.  It is not my head being screwed on wrong but it is this day that is messed up.  Once I finally got Eric's computer to read my card, the pictures were horrible.  In the middle of it all, well, I'll just say at least she did it on tile and not carpet.  For now I'm going to take a break and try this again later... along with redo's on the pictures.

things need to

turn around fast for me today.  I don't know if I just don't have my head screwed on straight or what.  The day started off fine but then I got out of bed.  I made Eric cheese toast for breakfast (requiring the broiler), woke him up to eat, went out to get his car warmed up while he got dressed, turned the water on to get the ice off the windows but couldn't get the heat or defrost to turn on.  I came inside and we decided I'd drive him... as he's walking out the door.  I had to run inside to get my purse and keys without bothering to change out of my pajama pants.  (Actually, they aren't even pj pants but knit pants I cut off to make shorter.)  I'll save the expected drama now and say that no, I didn't have to get out in public wearing cut-off knit pants.  We start to leave and realize I don't have the garage door opener, it's in Cosme's car.  Eric had to get out and push the button and run.  Heading to the end of the driveway, I look back and notice I left the MG's lights on.  Eric had to run back and turn those off.  We're halfway to WC and I wonder if I turned the broiler off.  I get back to the house and water is running down the driveway.  I never turned the hose off.  I walk around to the front door in my cut-off pants, long winter coat, white socks and slip-on black shoes while hoping nobody sees me and wondering if the kid riding by on his bike is laughing.  Turned the broiler OFF as went through to open the garage door and hear a squeal after pressing the button.  I sprayed the stuff on the garage door down with WD-40, hoping that won't turn into another dilemma later in the day.  I came back in and as I sit here to write this post I wonder a) what next and b) should I go back to bed.

i feel as though i'm

almost back to normal.  Since Thanksgiving I've been trying to fight off a cold or something like it.  I took vitamin C, ate numerous oranges daily, took Benadryl, sinus/allergy headache medicine, Mucinex D and dragged around A LOT. Today is the first day I haven't needed any medication and I actually feel a little bit of energy.  I made soup and baked a cheesecake.  Now I'm going out to finish what the yard guy didn't do right yesterday.  Oh well, at least the poison ivy is gone.

the season is

here!  Yes, Christmas is approaching but that's not what I'm referring to.  Cuties are back in season!  I'm so happy!  Don't remember what Cuties are?  Look here. (Read the second half because it's definitely not the season for a road trip.)  Anyway, I bought a bag day before yesterday and it's almost gone.  If anything, it should help in my fight against this cold (or whatever it is)... and also, my hands smell delightful!

NOTE: It's almost 5:30 and I'm about to have my third one for the day.  I'm addicted.

just so you'll know


"Many hunters know that a simple buttermilk brine does wonderful things to venison and wild turkey as it mellows strong, gamey flavors."

I found this while researching cooking methods.  I already knew to soak venison in buttermilk but had no idea it would do wonderful things for Wild Turkey.  Bartender??

doing a search for

"fallow recipes" brings up "how to follow a recipe".  I don't think I'm in that bad of shape.

What I've learned from my internet search so far is that fallow doe tastes better than buck and while it's not as good as some, it "ain't that bad".  Glad I bought chicken for backup.