i had a patch of

dry skin on the top of my foot that showed up and stuck around for a few years and then one day just went away.  That was about 15 years ago.  Over the last year, it's started up again.  When I went to the doctor with a sinus infection in November, I asked her about it and she said it looks like it's psoriasis.  She prescribed an ointment and said to try that but if it doesn't work, I should call a dermatologist.  I went to Walgreens to fill the "give it a try" ointment.  $250.  I told them to forget it.  If it was a sure thing, I probably would have taken it but I wasn't about to spend that much for a maybe.  Let me just say this.  I don't really know how the whole system works because I don't use it.  I get an antibiotic when I'm sick but there's not a prescription I take regularly.  Here we are, months later, and I decided to call Walgreens to see if there was a deductible of some sort that might have been met after Eric was sick for a little over two months.  She said it was still $250 BUT this girl suggested I call the insurance company to see if there was something equivalent to my Rx that was on our plan and cheaper.  I don't know why nobody suggested that in November when I told them to keep it the first time.  I called and they did and the doctor called in a new $30 prescription.  That's better.

So I used it for a day or two and it works.  The only minor issue is I have some dry skin on my hand and the directions say not to keep it covered.  When I need to cook or spend a lot of time washing my hands, I wear a glove.  When there are those times I want to sit around but not get ointment all over the remote or my iPad, I needed a solution.  I made one.

The sock glove. 

I found a matchless sock in my drawer, rewashed it (with bleach because I'm a germaphobe) and cut it.  It's still pretty loose so it's not like keeping it covered with a rubber glove all the time but I can function without getting anything on everything I touch.  I kind of feel like I'm bringing back something from the 80's.

I'm pretty sure the sock glove won't be as big of a hit though.  I'll keep everyone posted.

Now I'm off to Ancestry.com.  I contacted a DNA match and she got back with me, giving me a name that might send me in the right direction.  It's nothing like any of the names on my list but the WI town is the same and her link is also a Norwegian.  Then again, a Norwegian back then in WI might be like finding someone who owns a horse in Texas.  There are quite a few.  So that's where I'm headed, off to search. 

I'm sure I'll need a Coke break (with ibuprofen) soon.

i had an awesome idea

on Monday.  I sent Mom a text asking what she was doing the next day.  She said cleaning.  I asked what time she was planning to start cleaning.  Being familiar with her usual schedule, I asked what if we went to Eric's to hang out at the pool early and she started cleaning afterwards.  I told her we could leave around 1:30-2:00 and that'd put her back home by 3:00.  That sounded about right to me.  I told her to be here at 9:30 yesterday morning and we'd head out.  When yesterday morning rolled around, there was absolutely no sun.  She made it over here and we ended up leaving town at 10:30.  I'd talked to Eric and he said it was sunny there but I didn't see how.  Heading up 288, it was still looking pretty dreary.

We made it to Eric's and he was right.

We spent a couple of hours there, laying out in the sun and cooling off in the pool.  We left a little before 3:00 and stopped in Pearland to pick up barbecue for dinner.  We got back to town and Mom headed home while I headed to the shower.

I can't tell you if she got her stuff done but I can tell you the Kroger version of Benadryl works just as well as the name brand.  I can also tell you that shouldn't have been our first time to do that.

i just logged on and there

was a post that was written and never posted.  That's how busy I am.  I'm so busy I can't click "publish".  I deleted it because it's probably all old news now.

I went to Aldi today.  One of the first things I saw when I walked in were boxes of these things.

I guess you can tell I bought a box since it's on my counter.  Anyway, when I saw them, I thought of all the cream I have left over from cream horns I made yesterday.  While I do like the puff pastry, I didn't feel like making more cones and logs so waffle cookies are having a shot.

The cream has been in the refrigerator so it was kind of hard but I had to try it out ASAP.  The cream can either be put on like a chip with dip.

Or they can be turned into sandwiches... which would be easier if the cream had been softer.

The verdict:  meh...

The cookie doesn't have much flavor.  The cream is so sweet it really needs more to balance it out than just a flavorless cookie that's a step or two up from cardboard.  Now I see why people take the time for the pastries.  It would have been was better just eating it off the spoon.  Now I'm stuck with a bunch of waffle cookies.

Oh well, worse things have happened.

While I'm typing this, I see a portion of the picture above.  I feel like a reptile is watching me.

I'm signing off now.  I'm tired of my reptile hand staring at me.  Besides, I've got a bag of cream horn filling to OD on.

the results are in and I was

off.  Not way off, but off.

The areas circled are the less than 1% and trace amounts.  The percentages are in the white box to the left. 

The areas highlighted are what I'm made of.

I don't understand how DNA works exactly because apparently the little over a quarter of my ancestors who were Scandinavian, their stuff wasn't very dominant in my makeup.

This is my people from the last couple of hundred years. 

This doesn't make sense because a quarter of those Scandinavian ancestors should be represented in the northern states by the ones who settled in Minnesota.  Right?  I wonder if my Ancestry.com DNA matches (through those ancestors) show anything from the northern states.  I don't know.  Maybe it just doesn't show because it's a low number of people compared to the massive amount that came over to the Carolinas?  Who knows.  I guess this just means I'm a die hard southerner... like we didn't know that.

I am surprised by the percentages, knowing what I do about my family tree.  I expected more than the 8% Scandinavian and didn't expect the highest percentage to be 34% as Irish.  The 33% English didn't surprise me but I guess since I expected it to be higher, there were just more Irish than expected.  I don't know.  I do know this answers a couple of things for me.  Going by the percentages, I see now why I hate fish so much (low Scandinavian makeup) and can't go without potatoes (high Irish makeup).  Oh, it might also explain the crazy temper I get.  Then again, I hear those Vikings might have had tempers too...  I'm sure those things are scientifically proven and not just stereotypes.  Even if, it sounds good to me.

And in a very non-stereotype sort of way, I had Lucky Charms for breakfast.  They're having a contest to win a box of nothing but marshmallows.  I didn't win.

So much for the luck of the Irish.

i went outside for pictures

with the dogs yesterday.  I really wish Archer didn't hate the camera so much.  Once again, most of the pictures I have of him are out of focus or only partial shots of him.  I have to get pictures of him with the camera away from my face.  As soon as I hold it to my face, he's done with it.

This one almost had potential.

"Lady.  I know what you're up to and cut it out."

Finally, one I can keep.

And once again, there's Maggie who has no problems with the camera... especially when she's watching bugs that I can't see.

But she still has her off moments of not letting me focus.

"I just heard something.  You have 2 seconds before I chase more bugs."

But not long ago, maybe last week or so, I asked why dogs couldn't channel all their energy into doing good.  Here we go, perfect example.

Archer wanted Maggie's attention so she could help him tell me about something but she was too busy watching bugs.

Good boy, Archer.  Point it out.

Now tell me all about it.

Still not holding the camera to my face, I didn't want to risk losing what he was trying to show me.

After he pointed it out, I went inside and got a can of spray and sprayed a big nest loaded with wasps.  I guess it was a wasp nest.  I couldn't tell you for sure because we ran away after that.  Then he considered his good deed done and still wouldn't let me get any pictures.

In DNA news, I'm still waiting.

In Zyrtec news, I just realized I didn't take any and I'll regret it in a couple of hours if I don't do it now.

highway expansion has got nothing

on an article I read this morning.  Like I've already mentioned, I wake up hungry on Thursdays for some reason.  Today's Thursday.  I started off the day by reading this excellent culinary write up on something they do in France that we should all try.  Get this.  It's seriously mind blowing, just genius.  In France, they get bread and before putting cheese on it, they spread butter on it.  THAT'S RIGHT.  They spread butter on bread before they put cheese on it.  I actually didn't read the whole article but skimmed down to see what this spectacular thing is the French are doing that we're all missing out on.  When I caught the highlights, I said "really?" and quit skimming.  I'm tempted to write and ask what hole the author crawled out of.  Maybe I should submit my childhood request of butter sandwiches.  I might should call the Brazoria County News and volunteer to write a new culinary column.  Munchies with Mel.

In case that butter sandwich has your mouth watering, Archer threw up yesterday and I collected the bits from it in case it got worse and we ended up at the vet.  He got better.  I guess it was bone.  I really don't know what else it could have been and I don't think I do want to know.  I got a few pictures of them in the cage because they were there and my camera was in my hand.

Bored... but not bored enough to want to go outside.

They started moving and my auto focus went for something other than the dogs' faces.  You get what's there though.  It's just dogs being cute.

I let Maggie out to go to the bathroom and Archer did his usual thing of hanging back.  I got a couple of pictures of him with my phone.

I also didn't let them inside last night.  Ever since school has let out, there's been a bunch of crap happening around town at night.  People's things are getting messed with and destroyed.  Yesterday I read that someone in the neighborhood's basketball goal was knocked over the night before.  I know someone has driven through our yard already and messed up the neighbor's car.  The same night that happened, there were reports of broken car windows in other parts of the neighborhood.  Now it just seems to be an Angleton thing and it sounds like a group of kids who need to be taught a lesson.  Let me at 'em.

Now I need to go wash off my breakfast dishes.  I didn't have bread with butter and cheese but instead, lasagna.  I wonder if they've tried that in France yet.  Maybe?

i mentioned my trip to

Hobby Lobby on Friday. 

But


I


failed


to


mention


THIS.

I don't know if I'm quite ready for that right now.

Cosme played tennis on Sunday morning so I dropped him off and waited at Eric's.  Once he was finished, I picked him up and we went back to Eric's and had breakfast.  Driving down I10, I was thinking back to when I was a teenager and worrying about the Datsun overheating in one of the three lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic.  I probably wouldn't have worried so much if they'd done this in 1988.

Back then there were just the few lanes for each direction and then the one HOV lane, which headed east or west depending on the time of day.  Now there is one HOV lane next to one toll lane for each direction and then outside the barrier of that area is the seven or so regular lanes.  I've traveled that road many times since then but when it's so empty like it was on Sunday morning, the massiveness of it really stands out.

Now that I've totally captured your attention with my amazement of highway expansion over the last 30 years, I'll think of something really crazy for tomorrow.  The evolution of light bulbs?

Speaking of visiting with Eric, he was supposed to come over yesterday.  It was also our anniversary so I thought I'd make a cheesecake for dessert to go with our lasagna.  The last time Eric came over he was a little disappointed after he asked if I'd saved him a piece of that cobbler and the answer was no.  I thought it'd really suck if I didn't give him a heads up and tell him he might want to wait and come another day since I knew the cheesecake wouldn't have cooled and set up by the time came and left yesterday.  I could just picture it.  I told Cosme he didn't need to post anything on social media since I don't like attention like that but then I could picture myself posting dessert pics... and Eric seeing them and thinking "WTF??? I WAS JUST THERE AND SHE DIDN'T OFFER ME ANY???".  So Eric didn't come yesterday but is coming Friday instead.  I'll make sure to have cheesecake for him.

I might have kept the cheesecake in the oven a little too long.  It might be a little dry.  I think I'll have a sliver for breakfast just to make sure.  Maybe it wasn't dry but just needed more time in the fridge.  Only one way to find out.

Time for breakfast.

the top of my washing machine

has been bothering me forever.  Seriously, as long as stuff has been collecting up there, it's been bothering me.  Then Pinterest came along and you see all these laundry rooms that don't even look like laundry rooms.  I have no desire to put my laundry detergent into cutesy little containers.  While it's pretty, it seems like a total waste of a container and space.  You can't tell me all these people with their cute little jars with chalkboard labels fit the whole container of detergent in there.  That overflow has to be stored somewhere and it's probably in the original packaging so just keep it there.

So.  This is what I've been dealing with.

Well, there was a laundry basket up there that had stuff stored in it, important stuff like a bungee cord, flashlight, an old towel and serving bags for popcorn. (Still trying to figure out my reasoning for that.)  I finally had enough and emptied the basket.  I put the stuff from the basket in permanent homes and now have the basket in the garage with reception decor in it under a table.  (It makes sense, trust me.)  Then I was left with this, just a bunch of stuff piled on top but it's stuff that really should be there. 

• a box of cat supplies
• cleaning rags
• a piggy bank for loose change from jeans
• a flower pot with gardening gloves and baseball caps

You see?  That's the best place for all of that... right now.

I was doing something in the closet and saw my shoe shelf and a light bulb went off.  I grabbed a measuring tape and computer and headed to Amazon.  Yesterday my shoe shelf arrived and it is now a washing machine shelf.

How much better does that look?  I have another basket like the white one so I'll either put the towels or gardening gloves in there or just find something totally different that needs a home.  But that flower pot could totally find a home somewhere else and I'd be fine.  I guess I could also dust off the outlet in the back.  I'm assuming that's dust... right next to the cleaning rags.

Is it odd how happy organization can make me?  Maybe it's a Virgo thing.

Now I just need to install the cabinet knobs Lauren gave me.  I've been putting it off because it scares me.  It could go wrong fast and I'd end up with crooked knobs and a scarred door.  It will look good when I finally get it done though.  I might not have cutesy jars with custom labels that only half of my detergent will fit in but I like this and I like practical.

i went to target on

Friday morning to get dryer sheets because that is the only store that sells the scent of the brand I like.  I went in and had to stop in their little dollar section.  There was absolutely nothing I needed but I managed to talk myself into buying TWO boxes of those little white poppers you throw down and pop (I guess because I loved them so much as a 9-year-old, I figured I'd probably still love them now) and a notepad.  I can understand the notepad but the poppers?  It was a weak moment.  I made my way back to the fabric softener and picked up a box of the sheets.  I was distracted by a cat cookie jar on clearance on my way back to the checkout stand but while I didn't get the cookie jar (which would've gone on the bookcase outside the cat room), I decided I needed to check all the clearance shelves in the home department.  I found a candle holder that was marked down to $6.98.  I had to get it. 

With its grey base I knew it would be perfect on the blue bookshelf outside the cat room (since I'm trying to find neutrals to tone down the blue that I'm still not crazy about).  I made it out of the store with just those few things.

Next stop was Hobby Lobby because I wanted to see what size canvases they had in stock.  Walking in, I saw that all their yard stuff was on clearance.  I had to check it all out because I've been thinking about a certain owl for wedding reception decor.  They didn't have the owl but they did have an Elvis garden gnome.  I don't like gnomes but I do like Elvis.  I sent this picture to Mom and told her to tell me no. 

She didn't reply.  I called Lauren and told her to tell me I didn't need it.  I sent her the picture and she told me I had to get it.  It was decided.  I got it.  (I later got a text from Mom telling me I needed it.)  I guess they aren't the best support system.  They'd suck at being those partners/sponsors for a 12 step program.  Anyway, while walking around HL with Elvis, I found a couple of owls on sale.  I sent Paige a text and bought those.  Walking around a little more, I found the same candle holder I JUST bought at Target for $6.98 and it was $19.99.  The larger one was $29.99 at HL and was only $8.99 at Target.  (I'm thinking I should go back to Target today and get the larger one... in addition to the cat cookie jar.)

The journey to Target for dryer sheets ended at Ross, where I thought I might could find a few reception decorations.  I did find a couple of things but I also found some decorative balls that could go in the new candle holder (instead of a candle).  I told myself this trip was getting out of hand and then got back on track with my to-do list.

Once I got home, I put the balls in the candle holder and found out they're too big.

I also found out I put my frames back to soon and the paint was messed up.  And I know the blue above and the blue below look like two different colors from the lighting but the bookcase is the color of the top blue.

After spending the weekend thinking about it all (bad spots, shades of blue, decorations), I've pretty much decided to paint the bookcase another color so I can quit trying to tone down the blue.  The good news is I did see a picture of a color yesterday and I think it might be the perfect color for the bookcase.  I also think the new decorations will still look good, minus the little globes that are too big for the candle holder.  I also think I'll wait until it's cooler outside and make sure the paint is totally dry before putting anything back on the shelves.  Live and learn.

Now will someone please tell me I don't need that other candle holder?  OR THE CAT COOKIE JAR (which is marked down to $13.98 in the store)?

i don't have a picture

to share or much time to write anything but I have a question.  Why is it that dogs can be so smart but they use that smart for being up to no good?  We'll take Maggie, for example.  The dog wears a collar for the wire fence.  They are supposed to wear those collars until they are trained to know not to get close to the fence.  Not Maggie.  First of all, if she wants something bad enough, she ignores the collar and gets whatever she wants.  When she's being less stubborn and following the rules, it's fine... until she figures out the battery is dead in her collar and then she rips the wire to destroy the connection.  When I replaced the battery on her collar this morning, I also had to repair the wire.  It wasn't that difficult of a fix this morning, unlike those times she has just somehow taken the zapper box off the collar and ditched it in the yard, leaving me to search the entire yard for a little black box.  (That box is now glued to the collar with E6000 and she's only gotten it off once since then.  The second time I used more glue.)  She's not bad but she can definitely make you shake your head.

Now it's time for me to lock them up since I have to run to the store and the people might show up to do the yard today.  All of a sudden the weed eater is the bad guy and she just wants to destroy it.  It's too bad she can't channel all of that into something positive, like going around the yard and picking up toys and sticks they've left behind.  Is that too much to ask?

the alarm went off at

5:00 this morning.  I've pretty much been hungry ever since.  The odd thing is I'm not usually hungry super early, except for Thursdays when Cosme doesn't eat breakfast at home and there isn't already a dirty pan... typical.  Anyway, today's Thursday and I've been hungry.  I've been putting off making myself something because nothing has really sounded good.  I've been avoiding taking the garbage out because, well, I'll just say shrimp.  I've left the garage door cracked open to make it better.  I think everyone knows I have a sensitive stomach and I can't handle quite a few smells.  (insert gagging)  Have I mentioned that I discovered the smell of ground cinnamon give me a HORRIBLE headache with mild nausea?  Anyway, I knew the garbage would totally kill my appetite.  I started to empty a few containers from the fridge and gasped when I almost threw out my baked beans from Tuesday.  Have I mentioned that I love beans?

So I took the garbage out, rinsed out a few containers and then it hit me.  Beans.  Beans for breakfast.  I cut up a hot dog and am having Beanie Wienies for breakfast. 

I love this baked beans recipe.  I found it online a few years ago from The Pioneer Woman's website.  It's what I make now.  They turned out a little thick so I probably could have taken them out of the oven sooner but I didn't.  Oh well.  It doesn't matter because I saved them from being thrown out and now I'm full. 

My to-do list is kind of small today but I don't feel like doing any of it.  Sounds like I might need a speed cleaning video or two from YouTube.  I don't even feel like watching one of those.  I'm so full I feel like plopping.  If I were the responsible type who plans ahead, I'd go to the store now before it gets too hot and get my errands out of the way.  Guess I'm headed to the store.

yesterday was

July 4th, the day we celebrate America.  Yesterday was also the day Ancestry.com's DNA department let me know they've started processing my spit sample to let me know how American I'm not. 

I'm excited and can't wait to find out more details and compare it to what I already think/know.

Archer killed a mockingbird the other day.  I freaked out a little.  I have no problem with the dogs killing things but I do have a problem with the remnants.  Since I'm the one here all day and the one who goes out to the backyard more, it means I'm the one who stumbles upon dead bodies and everything that comes along with them.  I don't handle guts and maggots well.  I just don't.  All the other birds were angry and while their buddy was screaming its death cries and convulsing in pain, they were freaking out and flying from fence to tree to shed and trying to get closer to their comrade.  I was panicking because now that Archer had already caught and tasted one bird, what was I supposed to think would happen if more showed up?  Well, I was getting angry thinking they might try to attack him but then I was dreading him catching more.  The evening passed with no other fatalities or injuries (or at least any that I've found) but sure enough, that dead bird was left on the back porch for me.  Kill stuff.  Fine.  JUST DO AWAY WITH THE BODIES SO I DON'T HAVE TO SEE IT.  They'll never catch on.  Thinking about it gives me the willies.  I'll never be able to hunt.

And then there are the cats.  I caught Strat chasing a bug the other day.  Instead of pouncing to kill and eat the centipede, he was chasing it.  I can't win with these animals.  I killed it and threw it away and then thanked Strat for letting me do his job.

I went in later to play with paint for a red, white and blue theme.  I caught him lying on a paint rag I had in there.  Luckily it was dry.

I also caught him lying around just watching everything in the living room.  It was probably another centipede.

I need to go fold clothes.  SOMEBODY has to do something around here.