What Warms You? This will!

Hey Yall! Today, Stacey of Poofing the Pillows (isn't that just the cutest name for a blog?) is hosting a "What Warms You" Recipe Exchange. I am sharing my favorite soup, Vermont Ski Lodge Soup. No I didn't get it from Vermont. No I didn't get it while I was at the ski lodge. I received a recipe book from my friend Elaine and it was there that I found this fabulous soup! What I love about it is that after browning the sausage, you just throw everything in and put the lid on for 2 hours. The recipe make a lot of soup. I freeze what is left into single serving size zip lock freezer bags. Sometimes I make a grilled cheese to go with it and sometimes we have corn bread or biscuits. This is a hit at my house and I know you will love it at yours!

Vermont Ski Lodge Soup

2 lbs. bulk sausage, browned and drained well
4 (16 ounce) cans tomatoes, chopped (I buy the cheapest store brand diced)
3 medium onions, chopped
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large bell pepper, chopped fine
4 cans red kidney beans with juice (I buy the cheapest, again)
4 cans water (tomato can)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup barley or rice (I use rice 'cause I never have barley, but want to try it sometime!)

Combine all ingredients in large soup kettle. (Be sure and use LARGE!) Simmer, covered, 2 hours or longer. Makes 16 to 20 servings.


Be sure and click on the link above to go back to Poofing the Pillows and go visit all the different blogs that are participating in this exchange! You might find something you want to cook this weekend.










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Boo Yall!

Hey Yall! I hope you enjoyed those pictures as much as I did! Weezie is thankful that she had surgery and doesn't have to wear a costume this year! Hey! Don't think you are going to do this every year little girl!

I took Weezie on a little outing this afternoon. We went to pick up dry cleaning and to the grocery store. I turned on the seat heater so her side was nice and warm. She also had a little blanket over her. I only had a couple of things to pick up, so she didn't get cold while I was in the store. I think she enjoyed herself. I hope so cause I was ready to get out of the house!

Have any of your watched the new show called "Life on Mars"? I like it. There is not much on tv anymore that I like to watch. Mostly I like to watch reruns of Reba, Will & Grace, and Fraser. Sad huh?

I hope you all have a wonderful Halloween!

A Lazy Day Remembered...

Hey Yall! Weezie had a good day yesterday. She was sent home with some pain killers and has been getting them every 12 hours. She is moving around much better than I would be. She prefers to go back up the steps by herself. I cringe each step she takes. I can tell she is being a little more careful about it, but does it anyway. On Tuesday afternoon when we went to pick her up, I was wondering how in the world I was going to be able to manage to get those pills down her throat. Cause she doesn't like taking them at all! Sitting there waiting for them to call us back, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a package of Greenies brand pill pockets. It is a soft little "treat" that has a little pocket in it that you can place the pill into and your dog will gobble it on down cause it tastes so good! They are kind of big. So I cut it in half and use one part for her pain pill and one part for her antibiotic. She swallows it so fast that she never even knows there is anything in it!

Yesterday was a yucky day here. It was cold and overcast. I eventually broke down and took a shower and dressed. Weezie was a little ticked off cause she wanted me to stay in my pj's all day. But for some reason I didn't think Dick would go for that, so I showered and dressed. I had some things I needed to paint, so I got the craft paint out and started....

This was a planter that I had found at GW for 99 cents. Someone had sponged on some green paint. I spray painted it black a couple of days ago. You know what they say...."Some spray paint each day keeps the doctor away" or something like that.....and then decided to do a little painting on it. It actually turned out very cute. I have something in mind to put in it. I will post that when I get it done.

Can you figure out what these are? You will have to wait till I finish them to find out, but I wanted to show you how cute the paint turned out.

I made a pot of red chicken stew yesterday also. It will feel good to put some in the freezer for future meals. I love the feeling of being able to go to the freezer and take out our dinner. Especially when it is red chicken stew! Yum!

Yesterday was spent pretty much all downstairs. But today I need to do some work upstairs, so I will take the Weez and her bed upstairs. She pretty much prefers to be on our bed. Probably because she remembers how great it felt to sleep there. Unfortunately, she snores too loud to sleep with us any longer.

I guess that is all for now....you never can tell what might pop in my head later....

The Devil Made Me Do It

Weezie's One Wish

Hey Yall. I slept on the couch last night so I could keep an eye on Weezie and take her out every two hours. Don't want the bladder to stretch any more than necessary! Ugh...the thought is even painful! This morning, when I took her out at 4, it was snowing! And as much as I love snow, I was not able to enjoy it at 4 in the morning.....with the wind blowing.....and the temperature around freezing....in my thin sexy pj's.

Weezie told me last night as she was laying in her bed in a drug induced state that the only thing she wanted in the world was for us to be lazy and stay in our pj's today and nap and doze and watch tv. And she specifically said US, meaning ME and her. Not just her. And who am I to take this one thing that will make her happy away? I just can't do that to her.

You know where to find me......

Hey Yall! Just a quick update to let you know that Weezie did great through her surgery. The Vet called and said she removed 4 stones from Weezie's bladder. She said that Weezie was laying there on her back with your paws up and her tail wagging.

We will pick her up around 6:30. They want me to take her out regularly tonight, so I guess me and the Weez will be watching some late night TV and reading some blogs...

Weezie and Her Stones

Hey Yall! Tomorrow is Weezie's surgery. I take her at 7 am and probably will not be able to get her until Wednesday. I took up her food earlier. I dread letting her out before I go to bed because she always gets a treat when she comes back inside. Always. And boy is she going to be ticked.

Cute Chippendale Dancer

Wanna Win Something?

Hey Yall! You know how I love decorating magazines and books? Well, one of my favorite bloggers, Rhoda of Southern Hospitality fame is hosting a wonderful giveaway! She has a beautiful decorating book she is giving away. How great is that? And you can enter by just going to her site and leaving a comment! Just click on the link above and go enter. Then check out her wonderful blog if you haven't already.

What are you waiting for? GO!

Recommended Products Review

Hey Yall! Debra from the Bunnies Bungalow is hosting a Favorite Products Review. I have never done this before but thought you might enjoy this too. After you read mine first, of course, click on Bunnies Bungalow link above and it will take you to her blog. And she has a great blog too! Different bloggers will have links to their websites listed and you can read about the favorite products also. You might find something you would like to try.

I love Soft Scrub Deep Clean Foam Cleanser. I love it. I no longer dread cleaning my showers and tubs. I have tried other "foaming cleansers", but this is different. Way different. I have found that the way to get the maximum benefit from this cleaner is to use it on a completely dry surface. So get an old washcloth or towel and completely dry your tub or shower. Then generoursly spray it on. Wait about 10 or 15 minutes and take a dry or damp cloth and start to wipe away the soap scum and dirt. Don't turn on the water while you do this. Completely wipe it down with your cloth. If you have a spot that is difficult, respray, wait and it will wipe right off. Trust me. It works.



Go get yours today. You're welcome!

Now you didn't think I would only have one recommendation today, did you? I must share with you the most delicious thing we have found in Maine. You must order one, or a dozen.

Wicked Whoopies is a local company that makes these sinfully delicious snacks. They are addictive. Just ask my hips, thighs and stomach. Do yourself a favor and order you some for Thanksgiving or Christmas or for your little secret sweets stash that you hide from the kids. You probably won't want to share. Not that I have ever done that.....

Now go to see Debra and check out all the other Favorites!

Trick or Treat Yall!

Hey Yall! Hate me if you must, but I do love me some dogs dressed up for Halloween. And because of this love, I will be posting pictures of these adorable pups in the finest! I love it!

Whiner

Hey Yall! You are warned! I am whining. What is up with my head? My sinuses are going haywire! I woke up at 7 this morning. Not my usual wake up time. Why did I wake up at 7? Because yesterday I had to go have lab work (usual "high cholesterol on medication check levels" lab work) and didn't want to over sleep, so I set the alarm on my cell phone. I THOUGHT I had deleted this alarm off my phone. The key word here is thought, cause I know I can't rely on THOUGHT, especially mine. Anyway. At 7 this morning, my alarm went off. What's the problem you say. Just turn the dang thing off and roll over like you usually do and go back to sleep. Yeah, well, I would have done that IF my phone was upstairs. But it was downstairs. And if my cell phone goes off at 7 am, then there is an emergency with someone I love. Cause Dick would never, ever call me at 7 just to chit chat. Not that he ever calls me to just chit chat.... Anyway.......I jumped up out of the bed and Bam! My head feels like it has been hit by a Mack Truck. Literally. And I run, open the door, and hurry as fast as I can down the stairs which isn't very fast cause I am terrified of falling down stairs because I am very capable of doing just that. I immediately wake up Weezie who is ticked cause it is too early for her to wake up and grab the phone ONLY to see that there is no emergency and it is only my cell phone alarm and worst of all I am now awake. And it is cold. And my head has been hit by a Mack Truck. And really the absolutely worst part is my Vick's Vapor Rub is upstairs. Which means I have to go back up and get it. I'm lazy like that. So I turn on the TV, open up my 'puter, and get a cup of coffee. AND delete the 7 am alarm off my cell phone.

It is now 10:26 am. I have had 4 cups of coffee, a tylenol sinus (my personal drug of choice), three advil (no lectures please....I know how to medicate myself....I was a physician in a former life! Hey! If Reba can be a man in her former life, I can be a physician. And I really was one in my former life, just ask me!) and I have my back up cocktail of a goody powder and real live sugar laced Coke waiting for me if all of this does not work. I told you I was once a Physician. And a girl scout. Be prepared. And the Vick's Vapor Rub? Well, it is still upstairs unused because I am lazy like that. I can't help it. It is an affliction. Physician heal thyself. When you feel better.

Only to the next affliction. What is up with this! My arm is hurting. Don't worry....not the heart attack type of hurt. The "ice skating" broken arm type of hurt. Remember? Yeah, me too. It feels like I just broke it again. Kind of. I guess I slept on it wrong. Cause I know I haven't been doing anything strenuous....

Tired of the whining yet? Yeah, me neither....you are warned, AGAIN!

Hey Yall. I was finally able to take Weezie into see the vet today. Two weeks ago, I took her in because she kept squatting to urinate over and over and over. And she had started to go in the house. Just little trickles, but you get the picture. The vet told me then that she had a urinary tract infection and that while she was examining Weezie, she thought maybe she felt some stones in Weezie's bladder. Ugh. She told me to give her the antibiotic for two weeks and if she was not better, to bring her back in. So I did today. The vet did x-rays and sure enough, little Weezie has 4 or more stones. And they are big. She is scheduled for surgery next Tuesday. I feel so bad for her. I have been in a seriously depressed mood all day.

The stones will be sent to be analysed so maybe there is something we can do to help prevent them from recurring. Unfortunately, the vet said that sometimes there is nothing you can do to prevent them. I hope that won't be the case with her.

Tootles.

A Visit with the Sister

Hey Yall! Last weekend, Dick and I drove to see Julianne and take her out to lunch. For the first time since we painted her apartment, I had my camera. We actually have an idiot proof camera and a camera that makes me feel like an idiot. I had been taking pictures of the inside of the apartment and took the above picture of her door and its wreath as we were leaving. I have a hard time trying to see through the view finder with my glasses on. Well, when we got out in the hall, I couldn't even see the door through the camera. Julianne just burst out laughing cause the lens cover was still on it. Duh. See what I mean about idiot? But isn't her wreath cute?


This is in Julianne's pink bedroom. We had to paint over awful, awful old dark wallpaper. It actually turned out pretty cute. I found some shutters back in the spring and painted three white. We are using them as her headboard. The ceilings are tall so it doesn't look as tall in the room as it does in the picture.


The white bedside table was made by Pennsylvania House. I found it at Goodwill for $9.99. I painted it white and it really turned out cute.


Julianne wanted me to make her a tassel, so I whipped this one up for her. She loves bunnies too.


Her apartment came with some furniture in it. One of the pieces what a white desk. Julianne decided she wanted to use it as a make-up table. I mean.....we have our priorities! So I made a skirt to go around it. We slipped in the space that was made to hang up clothes. It fit perfectly. I made a little curtain to go over the top and on one side. She can put baskets over it and still have storage.


Weezie loves to go and visit her sister! She went for the weekend when we celebrated Julianne's birthday.

The next time we visit her I will try and remember to take the camera. One of them. She has a lot of cute things in the apartment I want to show you. And the apartment is in an older house that has been divided into several units. It has lots of character. And the character is much nicer since we painted!

Boo Yall!

Hey Yall! Do you like my "Boo" decoration? This is actually the only Halloween decoration I have in the house. We would decorate more when the kids were younger, but now that they are grown and living away from home, I just kind of skip over Halloween and concentrate on Thanksgiving. And I need to start concentrating a little harder too! I have a million things I need to do before Thanksgiving. Last year I decorated for Christmas the weekend before Thanksgiving. I loved it! It seemed to take so much pressure off me to have every thing decorated. This year we have a wedding to go to in SC the weekend before Thanksgiving. How wrong would it be to decorate before that weekend?

The picture that I posted yesterday was taken by Dick last year. My parentals were here for Thanksgiving and we took a drive one day and saw "him". A farm house had put him out by the road and it looked just like someone bending over. So we stopped and took a picture.

Weezie needs to go back to the doctor tomorrow. I don't think the medicine for her urinary track infection has done the trick. The doctor suspects she may have some stones. I'm trying not to even think about that one.

I will be so glad when this election is over.

I guess that is all I have for now. Hope you all have a great day! Tootles!

Cause I Love Yall!

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Darlene at Darlene's Days is having a giveaway to celebrate her 100th post! Join the fun and leave a comment on her blog and you will be entered in the giveaway. She has such a sweet blog that I found not long ago but check everyday now to see what she is up to. Go!!!!!!

New Old Lampshade

Hey Yall! About a year ago, I found two great Waverly toile lampshades at a great store we have up here called The Christmas Tree Shoppes. Great store! They were marked down to $1.99. Full sized shades that were perfect for a couple of lamps I had that needed new "attire" to update them. One lamp is in the formal living room/Dick's office. The other one is in the entry hall from the side porch. I love the black and white toile, but needed some color in there. So I decided to paint the shade. You know....being green, recycling, whatever! I originally decided to paint it with a tan colored paint that had been watered down. You can see from the second picture what that color turned out to be and it was not what I was looking for!




So after leaving it on the lamp for a month with this hideous color that stuck out like a sore thumb, I decided to take it off and repaint it today. I got my barn red craft paint and thinned it with some water. I can't tell you the exact measurements because it is a very guarded secret. Or because I didn't measure. I very carefully (hahahahaha) swirled it around with my paint brush until it looked completely thinned. I, however, was mistaken because after painting for a while I got a few darker globs in the fabric and had to brush the paint brush over it continuously to try and thin out the color. I went over it twice and actually got a little bit darker on the second coat. Mostly because the bottom of the paint was thicker....I guess I should have swirled it every few strokes.




All in all, I think it turned out pretty good. I feel like I have a new lampshade in there.

Hey Yall! Every afternoon, we walk out in the back yard and look for golf balls. We have a picket fence around part of our yard. We find a few balls back there every day. More when the golf course reopens in the spring (rusty golfers!)and less as the season winds down. It just like hunting for Easter eggs! I mowed the grass today and had to manuever around two that I had not picked up. Just for reference....don't ride a mower over a golf ball. Bad, bad, bad. Not that I have ever done that.....

Tootles!

Go Jackets!!!!

As most of you know by now, we are Georgia Tech fans. Dick graduated from there and we love to fly our Georgia Tech Flag, especially during football season.



We even have a grand dog named Grace Darling that dresses up like a Yellow Jacket!



Being the loyal Georgia Tech fans that we are, you can imagine how we felt when we rode past our next door neighbors house and saw this awful flag in front of their house!



Isn't this just the most disgusting thing you have ever seen?

Our neighbor lived in Savannah for a few years and had purchased a Georgia flag while he was there. They have been waiting and waiting for us to put up our Georgia Tech flag so they could put up their Georgia one. They have been laughing and laughing.

We see no humor.