Happy Halloween

Eye candy as virtual treats. Less calories than the standard treats.
Enjoy
Suzanne

Groovin' (On A Sunday Afternoon)

Couple of updates: The white van found with the two bodies inside was not related to the white van involved in the murder of Sacramento County Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell.

My visit with my mom and step-dad was wonderful. The chicken pot roast was a big hit and even though I forgot the cinnamon in the baked apples, they also turned out great. We spent Thursday afternoon into the evening eating and talking and catching up. My step-dad got tired so my mom took him back to the motel Thursday night and came back to spend another hour or so here before heading back to the motel to get some sleep herself.

I was up early (for me) and we spent Friday together until they had to head over the hill to San Jose to check into their hotel and have dinner with my brother. My oldest baby girl made arrangements to meet with them Saturday morning.

She reported back they had a wonderful time. She brought her dad, whom my mom had not seen since oldest baby girl graduated high school. My brother had not seen her dad for 20 years or so. There was a lot of catching up to do! They had breakfast at the hotel, and then went to a park to walk around so they could all continue chatting.

I'm still smiling here at the little cottage on the creek in the redwoods. Was really really good to see my mom and step-dad again. I'm thinking that when the little cottage on the creek in the redwoods is listed, I'm going to do a road trip - head down to see them for a little while - during which time Mary will be bringing other agents and possible buyers to see it. Might even head down to see my favorite Hollywood blonde.

The maples and other deciduous trees up here are finally turning. Lots of yellow showing in the green curtain around me. No pictures yet because I'm waiting for a wee bit more color (and hopefully some maple red) first. The redwoods stay green but most everything else changes.

KO said is best with regard to Michael J. Fox. The UTube never did show up so this time I am cutting and pasting all that coding to get KO's segment. It really is worth watching, even on dial up.



I've turned the leftover chicken pot roast into a stew and made a pot of rice. I'm going to dish up a plate of rice with the stew spooned over it to go with the biscuits that are ready to come out of the oven. We've been getting down into the high 30's at night for the past 3 nights. I'm ready for some cold weather food.

UPDATE: It WAS afternoon when I wrote and first tried to publish this post. Lord knows when Blogger will come up again. It has been going up and down all weekend. I try to keep in mind the old adage that one gets what ya pay for but dayamitalltohell, this is getting frustrating.

Officer Down

Deputy Jeffrey Mitchell, 39, a 9 year veteran of the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department, was killed in the line of duty this morning.

Deputy Mitchell, who patrolled the rural area southeast of Sacramento, advised dispatch he was initiating a traffic stop on a white Chevy van with no plates near the intersection of Dillard and Meiss Road shortly before 3:30 am. When he did not respond to subsequent radio calls from dispatch, additional deputies were sent to the scene and found Deputy Mitchell barely alive suffering a gunshot wound to the head. He died at UC Davis Medical Center at 4:45 a.m.

He is survived by his wife, Crystal and a 6 year old son.

For more, see here and here for more on this still breaking tragedy.

Hot Mama

July, 1972. Wasn't I a babe? Which one am I?

Lite Blogging This Week

I've been trying to post all afternoon but friggin' Blogger was down for hours. Either that or I've pissed off my NSA screener again. That UTube video still hasn't shown up. It was the Michael J. Fox ad that has been all over the news and talking head shows since that rat-bastard Rush Limbaugh claimed Fox was "acting". Ok, Blogger went down again. Geez louise, Blogger has more ups and downs than Rush on Viagra. This is the third try - fingers and toes crossed this posts before Blogger has a premature deflation again.

Here's the post that goes with the picture:

My mom and step-dad are coming up for a visit. Won't be as fancy as the dinner we had in the picture but I think they will like the food nonetheless. I think that was my 30th birthday celebration at the top of the Hilton in San Francisco, which would make it 22 years ago this month.

I'm planning on a baked chicken dinner done in the style of a pot roast, with the veggies, yukon gold potatoes, onions, and garlic all roasting together. Still researching the dessert (dietary restrictions) but I'm thinking baked apples with raisins and cinnamon.

When they lived in the Bay Area, we saw each other regularly. Only an hour's drive away. Now they are in the Palm Springs area (a much longer drive), seems like we only get to see each other once a year or so - usually Christmas.

This will be their second visit up to the little cottage by the creek in the redwoods. Last time they were here was only a late afternoon until the next morning visit because my mom could only get a short time off work. This time, they arrive tomorrow noonish and will be here until Friday evening, when they head over the hill to San Jose to visit with my brother. Now that my mom is not working, they can travel (and certainly are - they are just back from a drive to Indiana to see my grandma).

Still working on getting the house "sell ready" but I think I'm almost there. Just a few more tweaks to do inside (like a bathroom mirror to buy) and touch-ups outside (blowing the leaves etc) and the place will be good to go.

Of course, that does assume that I figure out where to store all the boxes I've packed that are currently stacked in the great room. No garage and storage units are out of my budget. Still working on that one.

Blasted Blogger

So far, Blogger has eaten two posts, one of which was a heads up about the first post that became disappeared.

I had tried to post a UTube video yesterday. It still has not shown up, although I got the little pop-up advising me it would be posted shortly. Shortly came and went a long time ago. Last time, it took a week for it to post - twice.

The picture is from the heads up post that was eaten. I just could not resist it - it was perfect for the heads up post, which I 'spose this post is also.

Best Protest Sign

Best protest sign seen in Viriginia at a Bush protest yesterday:

Monica Lewinsky has had more president in her than George Bush will ever have

Thanks to Dana in the Late Nite Thread at FDL for the best sign since the "Would somebody give George Bush a blowjob so we can impeach him" sign (a photo of that one here).

RIP America

Rest in Peace
United States of America
July 4, 1776 - October 17, 2006

Today, Bush signed the Torture Bill today and killed habeas corpus in a Country founded on it. We no longer have our Constitution to protect us. The Decider, George W. Bush, now has absolute power to declare anyone, including American citizens, to be an enemy combatant. When that happens, may God have mercy on your soul because no one will ever know why you joined the disappeared.

Today, America died.

Today Is

Happy Birthday to me!

Progress!

Progress!

The furniture in the front bedroom has been moved out of my way. B-man said there are a couple of places that need to be spackled but then I can finish the priming and painting in there.

Those of you wondering what this picture has to do with this post about men moving furniture have not read my profile - the "About Me" to the right (laughing). I just liked it.

The Power of Makeup

Got these in the mail and they were just too funny not to share. Enjoy!

On the personal front, I am working with my lenders, who have agreed to accept partial payments until the cottage by the creek in the redwoods sells. I've primed the front bedroom as much as I can without moving furniture. Now I just need some strong backs to help me move out the heavy stuff so I can finish priming and painting.

Now What?

North Korea tested a nuclear weapon.

Now what? Does the Atomic Scientist's Doomsday Clock move forward for the first time in almost than 5 years? I remember "duck and cover" drills at school as a kid and thinking how useless they were.

Now what? Visqueen and duct tape? I really doubt their effectiveness against radioactive particles no matter what Homeland Security says on their website.

Now what? I don't know.

Yikes!

I see the tubes unclogged! Golly gee wiz, it was a week ago that I was trying to post that Lamont/Ferris Bueller ad and the post poofed. Twice! Whatever unplugged the tubes certainly worked because they both showed up. A week later.

It is raining. Real rain. Not that drizzle crap but an honest to goodness quarter of an inch so far. Soothing but yet another reminder that I've not moved yet. I could sure use a pinch of good luck about now. My fingers and toes are cramping from being my crossing them for so long.

I've not posted about the Foley fiasco yet. Been trying to keep my blood pressure down but will say that it is not the crime that gets ya - its the cover up.

Just like it did in Watergate, the criminal cabal at the head of this Administration is going down.

Joe Lieberman's Days Off

This is a great ad, a take off of the movie classic, Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The scene is the one immediately quoted by oldest daughter when the name Ferris comes up.

Nice...
(note, I tried to blog this video earlier but it appears to be clogged in the tubes or something. In case it shows up twice now ya know)

Joe Lieberman's Days Off

A special treat for those of us who love Ferris Bueller... and seriously dislike Joe Loserman.

This is one of my girls' favorite scenes in Ferris, adapted quite well into, ....

well, watch it (laughing). Jennifer, you know this means you!

Come to think of it, Loserman DOES have a wee bit of an Ed Rooney air about him.

Peach Cobbler Rewards

It drizzled up here today. Tarped over the stuff on the deck that are giveaways to either people, Mountain Thrift, or the dump. Not enough rain to measure but enough to sure make my old bones feel older than their stated age.

Made hamburger stew tonight with fresh corn, potato, and brussel sprouts. For the first time tonight, I added paprika and that spice will be a permanent addition to the recipe.

It only seemed fitting tonight to make a peach cobbler, using that old Bisquick recipe and canned peaches. Of course, I tweaked it, adding cinnamon in addition to the called for nutmeg and I also sprinkled a wee bit of sugar and cinnamon on the top at about the halfway point while baking.

Oh. My. Gawd! Delicious if I do say so myself.

My reward for painting the bathroom (shudder) white and being halfway done priming the front bedroom.

My helper friend has been ill and therefore absent for the past several days. Hopefully I'll have help moving out the furniture in the front bedroom that is preventing me from being able to finishing priming. Then paint and cleaning the carpets and that room is done. Oh yeah, windows. I seriously dislike windows.

My room is done other than a good vacuuming (and whether or not the cedar chest and/or the ornamental bookcase stay).

Bathroom is awaiting said helper to put back all the fixtures.

Great room has to be emptied of the boxes that go to storage along with maybe a desk and curio cabinet. Halfway done cleaning the plantation shutters with a barely damp rag and a weak mix of ammonia and water. Most effective cleaner for them that I know of. The white wooden plantations are great looking but really collect the dust and debris that living in the forrest provides and each individual slat must be cleaned on both sides. I have cleaned the inside of all the windows in the great room/kitchen. Just the outsides to do, and of course, the windows in both bedrooms.

Then I call Mary and tell her that I'm ready for her stager to come in.