Michael’s, Costco, Joann’s and What Would You Do?

Okay, let’s start with Michaels first.  Walked in the door this morning and there right in the front, on sale at only $39.99 was this:



For less than $40 your children (or grandchildren) can put one cupcake at a time into this contraption, fill the little cups on top with sprinkles, and with a twist of the handle, send jimmies and sprinkles flying in all directions to decorate that cupcake.  Amazing!!  Doesn’t everyone need one?  Okay maybe not.

But then maybe not everyone needs a little tiny iron either but I found the one I wanted at Michael’s and I had a coupon for 40% off so I bought it.  Then I went to Joann’s to get some trim and found a tiny ironing board.  Actually it’s a sleeve board but it will work wonderfully with the little iron for ironing all those little doll dresses I am making!  Russ did cut a board out for me but by the time I could make a cover and get it fixed up to use, I figured I was money ahead to buy this one.  Oh, and I had another 40% off coupon at Joann’s so I was happy happy!!

Are you proud of me Sweet P??











Now isn’t that just perfect??




We also went to Costco and, for the first time since summer, we gave into temptation and ordered up a Costco ice cream bar.  We decided one was plenty to share and Russ offered to cut it in “HALF”.  Guess which half he offered me?



HA!!  Not on your life, Bucko!  I took over the dividing and a more equitable solution was found.  That ice cream bar was SOOO good, but SOO messy.  Good thing we had the plate.




Oh yum.  I think of Barbara (Me and My Dog) every time I get one of these as she was the one who got us started on them.  Hope to see you next summer Barbara.  I’ll spring for the ice cream bars!!


Now here’s a “What Would You Do” question for you.  Here’s what happened.  We were in Fred Meyer's doing some grocery shopping a few days ago.  I wasn’t paying too much attention to the checker until Russ had most of our items loaded onto the conveyor belt.  Then I started watching her, as I thought she was taking a long time to get through the order in front of us.  This checker had hair a little longer than shoulder length and every so often she would reach around, grab her hair, and draw it over one shoulder, running her hand along the length of her hair.  She would scan a few more items then run her hand over her face, scan an item or two more and rub her fingers under her nose.  Then she would give a big sniff. 

These actions were repeated during the entire check-out process.  When it was our turn, the checker did the same thing over and over.  I wanted to grab my fresh vegetables and tell her not to touch them.  I was just waiting for her to sneeze all over everything but luckily that never happened.

Perhaps I am just being too picky but it gave me the willies to allow her to handle my food and produce (even though it was in plastic bags) when she was playing with her hair, her face, and her nose.  YUK.  I thought about bringing it to the attention of the manager and then decided in the big scheme of things it wasn’t that big of a deal.  After all, germs are everywhere. 

Still I couldn’t help thinking of the Chinese market my grandson took us to in Portland last year.   Everything was SO clean and the checkers all wore plastic gloves.  There was no YUK factor there.

So what would you have done?  Is it okay to stay silent when an employee's actions are less than stellar, or should concerns be taken to the people in charge?  I really don’t know the answer and I didn’t want to be responsible for this woman getting reprimanded or fired.  In all likelihood, she needed the job and if she was sick, could not afford to stay home.  Or maybe I’m just too particular.  And yes, I am one of those people who uses the wet wipes on the shopping cart handles before I shop.  Haven’t had a cold in a long time!!  What would you do?

Grandpa Plays Hide and Seek

Bill Cosby was in town yesterday – yes, THAT Bill Cosby.  He is still alive and well and, according to our son, Josh, as funny as ever.  So while Josh and wife Arwen went to enjoy the show, their girls, Cailin and Emilie spent some time with us.

You remember Emmie as the one who always wants to win Grandpa’s marbles.  Yesterday something different was on the agenda.  Emmie brought walkie-talkies to the party.   While Cailin and I chatted in the kitchen and worked on dinner, Emmie talked Grandpa into a game of hide and seek.

She had it all figured out.  They each had a walkie-talkie and Emmie would talk to grandpa while she hid and then he had to find her.  I don’t know all the rules but they seemed to be having a grand time.

After dinner we were playing Table Topics.  Table Topics is simply a bunch of cards printed with questions which the participants answer.  It’s a way to facilitate conversation.  All the kids love it.  It’s a great way to establish an open line of communication with the kids while they are still young enough to enjoy it.  Then when they become teenagers, perhaps they will still talk to us!!

Anyway, it was Grandpa’s turn to answer a Table Topics question, but he had made a detour into the other room and was not available.  I told Emmie, “Don’t wait for Grandpa.  He may be gone awhile.”  She must have thought I was casting aspersions on Grandpa’s character as a willing participant in our game and she gently leapt to his defense.

“Grandpa played hide and seek with me today,” she said.  “He could have just sat in his chair but he got up and played with me.”

Wow! Sometimes we think they don’t notice or that our involvement doesn’t matter.  But the fact that Grandpa got up and actually played a game of hide and seek, will be a memory that will last this child for a long, long time.  It’s not the fancy gifts or the new toy that will be the sweetest memory.  It is the investment of time and attention that will return the greatest dividends.

Sorry, forgot to take any pictures yesterday but we had a great visit.

We Have Sunsets in Oregon Too!!

Okay, I admit it…I have sunset envy!!  There aren’t too many times during the gray dreary days of winter in the Pacific Northwest when the clouds part long enough to give us a colorful sky.  I have been viewing all the beautiful sunset pictures from Mellow Mike, Rick and Paulette, Al and Kelly, The Caves, and so many others too numerous to list.  They are from California, Texas, Florida, Arizona…seems like everywhere you look there are glorious, colorful sunsets.



However, today was dry and only partly cloudy so we headed out to the lake about 4:30 to see if we could find fire in the sky.  And find it we did.  It went from soft pink to blazing orange.  I would have loved to have a few more ripples in the clouds but you take what you can get.

There was lots of water in the lake from the recent heavy rains and the marina is being dismantled and the docks replaced or repaired.  Firewood, anyone? 



The walkways were all still in place, but the one that had been stripped was looking rather bleak.  BUT, we were starting to get some color!!

There are normally boat slips all along this pier.

The lake had only a gentle ripple on it and the reflections on the water doubled the color from the sky.  Just a few days ago this area was totally dry but water was let into the lake to prevent flooding upstream.







The geese were no doubt headed for their nighttime resting grounds as they passed almost directly overhead.  See the little sliver of moon up there?



Finally the sky filled with fire as the sun sought its own resting place for the night.



And so there you have it…the sun does show up once in a while in Oregon in the winter and sometimes it even puts on a nice show!  Now if it could just be as warm as it is in California or Arizona...

The Big Cheese

I was enjoying some of my Wisconsin cheese today (see earlier post) and I was reminded of one other time in my life when I received a gift of cheese.

It was Christmas and I was 6 or 7 years old, I don’t really remember and it doesn’t really matter.  My dad was a Pastor and, although he always made certain we had a good Christmas, this particular year things were looking a little skimpy under the tree.  Dad’s church was doing well, but the problem with that was, we had started a building program to accommodate the congregation so money was especially tight.  This was back in the days when pastors did not get a regular salary.  The offering was taken up, the bills of the church were paid, and the Pastor got the leftovers.  Just the way it worked.

Anyway, I kept checking under the tree for gifts with my name on them.  There were a few small parcels but where, I wondered, was my “big” present?  On Christmas morning I was up at the crack of dawn hoping that Santa had visited the night before and left me something special.  Sure enough, there was a big box with my name on it.  I picked it up to shake it (of course I always shook my presents, didn’t you?) and not one rattle could be heard coming from the package.  But it was HEAVY.  To a young girl, it seemed to weigh at least 50 pounds!!

Of course Daddy had a big grin on his face, as he played Santa and passed out the gifts one by one, but he made me wait until last to open my “big” gift.  I could not imagine what might be inside such a weighty present but as I tore off the paper and ripped open the box I was astonished by what I found.  For there inside was a HUGE wheel of Longhorn Cheddar cheese!

I was ecstatic!  I LOVED cheese and to own a great big wheel of it was just about the best thing ever!  It never dawned on me that it was an inventive way to get groceries into the house, along with the oranges and apples that filled our stockings.  To me, I had all the cheese I would ever want, and my Christmas was complete.

My mother was so wise.  In the coming days she never presumed to use MY cheese.  She always asked if I would like her to make tacos, or enchiladas, or mac and cheese, and oh yes, would I like to use my cheese in the dish?  I was so happy to be consulted on these decisions and proud to be able to share with the rest of the family.  That cheese went a long way and it is still one of my favorite gift memories. 

My Dad was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and he always held that the best cheese was Wisconsin cheese.  And that is why I am so happy with this chunk of cheese from Merikay and Craig.   Every time I eat some, I am reminded of that special Christmas so long ago and of the love and wisdom of my parents.  I miss them still.

Okay, I’m done talking about cheese now!!

Ducks Dodge a Bullet

No, not the Good Luck Duck or the mallards or any other duck species you might encounter.  It was none other than the Oregon Ducks who managed to end up on the sweet end of an almost done deal.

I went to bed sad and disappointed last night over the news that the head football coach of my beloved Oregon Ducks had decided to leave college football to become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  It was all over the local news, FB, ESPN, and any other source I checked. 

Imagine my happy surprise when I woke up this morning and found out the news of Chip Kelly’s new position had been reversed.  Even our local paper got it wrong and had to backtrack.  Can you say Dewey vs. Truman?



So while this may not be news that rocks your world, I am certainly in a better mood!  Not so happy with the outcome in a certain NFL game yesterday, but that’s life.  (Well, I have to find SOMETHING to blog about while we are stuck at home!!)

Who Cut the Cheese???

Well, actually, I guess I did.  Now just hold your horses and don’t you go thinking the worst.  And no I wasn’t one of those old folks on Judy’s tour yesterday!!  Here’s what happened.

Back in December our Oregon Ducks won the Pac12 Championship and thus a Rose Bowl berth.  At the same time the Wisconsin Badgers won their league title and so would be matched against the Ducks in the Rose Bowl.  Merikay and Craig hail from Wisconsin and are big fans of their team.  Since they were going to be in Pasadena for the Rose Parade, we thought a little side bet might be in order.  Since both Oregon and Wisconsin have great cheese, the loser had to buy the winner some cheese from the loser’s home state.



My cheese arrived today and I wasted no time cutting into it and boy was it good.  Thank you so much Merikay and Craig.  The Badgers may have lost the Rose Bowl game but Wisconsin cheese is definitely a winner. 




Now where did I put those crackers….

Nostalgia, Grandkids, and Sedona

As I read some of the blogs with young grandchildren featured, like Gwenny and her recent visit with Grandma and Grandpa at RV Life on Wheels, I was remembering the times when my children and grandchildren were little.  I have 8 grandkids and the youngest will be 9 in just a few weeks.  The oldest is 23…can’t believe how fast the years have passed.  Chuck and Anneke are thinking about hanging a little closer to their little granddaughter, Victoria, and the antics of Karen and Stevio’s grandchildren are always fun to read about.  Dave and Carol welcomed their first grandbaby last year too.  And let’s not forget Sam and Donna at the Weeb ranch who always seems to have a grandchild or two underfoot.  There are so many others I could mention, all loving and enjoying their little grandkids.  It makes me nostalgic for the time when mine were all younger. 

I was thinking about some of the cute things the grands said when they were younger.   My sister and I have grandsons who are just a few weeks apart in age and they used to play together when they were younger.  When they were about 6 or 7 years old, my grandson, Michael,  fell and cut his head open on a rock and had to have staples put in to close the gash.  It was NOT a pretty sight.

Our family summer picnic was the weekend after this happened and my sister could not understand the reluctance on the part of her grandson, River, to play with Michael.  Finally she asked him why he was ignoring Michael and did not want to play with him.  “Well, Grandma,” said River with a serious look on his face, “You know how I feel about kids with staples in their heads.”  We shared a good laugh over that one, although to the boys, I am sure it was no laughing matter.

Michael dressed for Halloween about age 7

One time Rebekah was staying with me and I was trying to encourage her in some healthier eating habits.  She was about 7 or 8 at the time.  That seems to be a good time to come up with some interesting things to say.  I used myself as the bad example of what will happen if you don’t eat healthy…you get fat like Grandma.  “But Grandma, you’re not fat,” said Bekah.  I assured her that she was being kind but that, yes, I was fat.  Not to be dissuaded from her opinion Bekah declared, “Well you’re not fat to ME!”  Bless her heart.

Bekah and Grandma at California Adventure Oct 2007

Now it seems those innocent days are mostly gone as the pre-teenaged grandkids are much more reasoned about what they say and when they say it.  I adore watching them grow and enjoy seeing the men the older ones have become.  But every once in a while, when I am reading blogs about little grandkids, I feel somewhat nostalgic and wish those precious years would last just a wee bit longer.  They are gone in a heartbeat. 

I guess I tend to feel nostalgic when we are in a holding pattern and unable to travel.  I was remembering our first trip to Sedona – this was pre-RV days.  It was April 2005 and we stayed in a beautiful house we found on VRBO.  It was just down the hill from the small Sedona airport and we had wonderful views of Coffee Pot Rock and other red rock formations, right from our front door.   I was looking at some of our pictures of that trip and put together a little video memory for us.  You can watch it if you like.  I really want to go back to that area.  It is so beautiful…more so than I can capture with a camera.



Okay, I’m going to quit with the nostalgia for now and get back to the present – and hopefully the future as well.  May if involve some travel!!

Stuck in Eugene???

Oh yeah, there were storm clouds over Eugene for sure yesterday…and today might not be much better.  At least one person had a humorous take on our wintry weather.  Check out what USBACKROADS has to say about our situation.
We went to Salem yesterday to celebrate the 80th birthday of Russ’s sister, Alice.  What a great lady she is and she was sooooo surprised to see everyone there at her party – it was a surprise.  Even her son, Darrell,  who lives in France was there.  There were so many people that I didn’t get many good photos but here are a few of my favorites.

The birthday girl herself

Alice and Russ

John (Red) and Auntie Alice

Russ got Alice a little bear made by Russ (the company, not my Russ!!).  That way she can have a Russ Hug anytime she wants one.

Russ spent many happy summers with Alice and Elmer when he was growing up,  and he has a deep love for his sister.  I do too!!  She’s a wonderful lady and we are  so blessed to have her in our lives.  Happy Birthday, Alice.

It started to snow pretty heavily by mid-afternoon so we did what any sensible old folks would do – we beat feet for Eugene.  Just walking out to the car made Russ’s hair begin to turn white!!

Yup, that's snow

The drive home actually wasn’t too bad.  The storm was very spotty, with bare pavement followed by snow, then ice, then rain, and bare pavement again.  This was not bare pavement!!



During some of those storm breaks, we were treated to some colorful skies as the sun began to set in the west.  These photos were taken from the car as we traveled south on I-5.

That's a little irrigation stream running through a field filled with sheep.

Had a bit more snow last night with more predicted for the early part of the week. 

There’s just something a little sad about snow surrounding a swimming pool.  And it’s REALLY sad when you have to stick your hand in that freezing water to clear the leaves out of the filter basket! 




But I always think there is a certain beauty in a snowfall, even one as light as what we received last night.  Something about a fresh blanket of white covering all the ugly spots and making the landscape fresh and bright.  Okay, that’s enough already…I said the something good about the snow…it can quit now!!

Winter Blahs!

I‘m beginning to think we will be stuck at home all winter.  Still trying to get a needed test scheduled…no one calls me back.  Have one test completed, two more scheduled, but the important one is the hang-up.  Why do doctors tell you to schedule something and then the office you were referred to never calls back???  I also cannot get an appointment for a physical until February 28.  I didn’t take that appointment because I wanted to be gone by then so now I probably can’t get in until March.  Russ is scheduled for a physical on February 16 so can’t go anywhere until then anyway.  I called 5 minutes after he did (same doctor) and that was when I was told February 28.  They can keep their dang physical for all I care!!  Yeah, you got me, I’m in a pissy mood!

I guess I shouldn’t complain.  Barbara of Me and My Dog is in the hospital after undergoing a not pleasant operation.  Others I have read of recently are facing serious medical conditions.  It just seems that all too often as soon as you are able to quit working and travel, you become entangled in medical problems.  Sometimes I wish we could do things backwards;  travel while we’re young and healthy and work when we are old and miserable anyway!!

Allen and Lolita are trying to decide what to do about retirement.  He asked for reader input and ideas so hop on over there and give him your two-cents worth. 

We went to a BD party for our 12 year old grandson on Saturday.   I FINALLY got a nice photo of Corbin as he was showing off the jean jacket he received from his other Grandma.


Normally Corbin does this when he gets in front of  a camera…



…or this…



He’s just like his dad!  I have very few pictures of his dad when he wasn’t mugging for the camera. 

Next year we will have THREE grands turning 13 within a few months of one another!  Oh my…

We also got to visit with little brother Brendan and the new grandpuppy, Bertie. 



Brendan is a “snuggler”…his big brother, not so much!  The expressions say it all.

Mom, can I dump him on the floor now, PLEASE?

Dad (Joel) cut the cake…Corbin specifically requested something other than a “kid’s” cake.



We’ve been having nice sunny days here but still COLD.  The few wispy clouds we have had, turn into wonderful sunsets at night…mostly pinks and blues rather than fiery reds and oranges.  Russ shot this the other evening out in front of our house.



Unfortunately, our home is in an older neighborhood and we have all these ugly overhead wires.  This is how it might look if we had underground utilities!!



Anyway it was a great sunset and we enjoyed the color while it lasted.  And a Good night to you all!

A Fun Trip to….COSTCO!!

Now, going to Costco is not generally high on my list of things to do.  Oh sure, I like to wander around and look at all the neat stuff, and browse the books, and breathe in that fresh bakery smell…BUT I could do without the hoards of people, and the basket bashers, and the whiny kids…wow, I sound like a curmudgeon!  I’m sure you have never longed to run smack into a cart that some thoughtless person has left abandoned in the center of the aisle while they go off to check out the fresh produce! 

But today I saw something in Costco that made the trip completely worthwhile.  I’m not sure it was completely legal and I am not sure how store security was not involved, but here it is:



As far as I know these are NOT service dogs and those are the only ones allowed in grocery stores.  But who cares?  They were behaving themselves. “Momma” was pushing them with one hand and pulling one of those oversized Costco baskets with the other.  She was creating something of a traffic jam but no one seemed to mind.  When I asked if I could take a picture, she grabbed a package of meat and held it up for her little charges to see. 














I think this little fella was hoping for a sample.  The poor little one in the back didn’t stand a chance.


We got what we needed at Costco, and some of what we didn’t, so it was a good trip.

All the roasted chickens were gone when we got there a little after noon, but we hung around and got a fresh one.  The aroma in the car coming home was enough to whet anyone’s appetite and we were ready to dig in.  I had a bit of left over teriyaki pork loin and a little green onion.  I made some instant rice (don’t tell my daughter!), added the diced pork loin, onions, seasonings and a scrambled egg and we had ourselves a dinner of pork fried rice, Costco chicken, and some of those yummy little tomatoes that Costco sells. 



Geez, this has turned into a commercial for Costco and I don’t even own any stock!

Just to prove it isn’t all about Costco, allow me to enjoy a short rant.  I have had a few minor medical concerns since Thanksgiving and I have put off doing anything until after the holidays were over.  So Tuesday morning I started making calls.  Of the three things I needed to take care of, ZERO have been addressed!  Between no call backs, sloppy lab people, and conflicting instructions, this week has been a total waste as far as medical issues go.  I am not surprised that many older folks neglect their health until they are forced to confront an issue.  It is just so darn frustrating and stressful to deal with the medical community that I would almost rather just go out on the ice flow and let nature take its course.  Not really, but you get my drift.

Okay, end of rant, and I’ll start fresh on Monday and hope everyone leaves their stupid hats at home next week!

That’s all folks…have a great evening.

Animal House

Actually, if you look at our family, it would be Animal HOUSES…I don’t think we have a relative that doesn’t have a pet of one kind or another.  Many of you commented on my post the other day when son John (Red) lost his longtime feline companion, Pita.  He read every comment and said that it really helped to know so many people care and understand.  Thank you so much from both of us.  I am happy to report that John has a new kitty, Margo, a two-year-old rescue.  As he said on Facebook, “I have too much love for kitties to be kittyless.”  John also said, “You're right, I can't replace Pita. But I was thinking about it quite a bit and in Pita's final moments she was so calm and relaxed in my arms. She was truly at peace and felt very loved. If she could talk, I think she would tell me that she was the luckiest kitty on earth. I think Pita would want me to share that love with other kitties as well.”  What a guy.  There are no pictures of Margo yet as she is very shy and John does not want to spook her by following her around with a camera and having a flash go off in her eyes. 
I do have a picture of a new Grand-dog though.  Grandson Corbin will turn 12 on January 9th and he got a puppy for his birthday.  His name is Bertram and he is terrier and Pomeranian.  He reminds me a little of Nellie’s dog, Bosco.








He is an adorable little fella and I think they will make a good pair.




Granddaughter Anna also got a new kitty for Christmas and she is so happy with her.  This is also a rescue kitty, and her name is Shea (Shay).


It seems like many in the RV community have dogs or cats and some, sadly, have lost their beloved companions recently.  There is just something so unconditional about the love you receive from a dog or a cat that makes it so hard when they cross that Rainbow Bridge.  For all of the pet lovers out there, I want to recommend a book.  In a shameless bit of promotion, I want to pass on to you a book written by my brother, David Fritsche.  His book has been out for a while now but he recently published it as an affordable e-book and I think many of you would enjoy it.  If you have ever loved a pet, or if you have ever lost a pet, this book will touch your heart. 


My brother got his first German Shepherd Dog (GSD) when he was only 15 years old.  She was a descendant of the famous Rin Tin Tin and he has been forever a lover of that breed (and all other dogs too!).  His book is not only a memoir of the dogs he has loved  in the last 50+ years, it is a testament to the human/animal connection.  There is no one that I know who has lived a life of love, acceptance, and forgiveness more than my brother.  In his younger years, he was a police officer in our small California town and helped them begin a canine unit.  In later life David went on to other careers, but his dogs were always front and center of his life.  


This book, The Dog is My Shepherd, is full of stories of his relationships with those dogs and is by turns, humorous, insightful, and sometimes poignant.  Below are links to both the Kindle and other e-Reader versions.  If you like dogs, you will like this book.  Enjoy and pass the word along to other pet lovers in your circle of friends.



Other e-Reader versions


Kindle version







David is also the author of the German Shepherd version of Barron’s Dog Bibles.    If you are considering owning a German Shepherd or already own one, this is a great book by folks who know dogs.

I had a wonderful birthday today and don’t feel a day older than I did last year!!  Thank you all so much for your Happy Birthday wishes.  It really meant a lot to me.  Hopefully we will be back on the road before too much more winter passes us by and we may even see some of you all back in California or Arizona.  Safe Travels to you all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONNA

May your day be merry and bright

 

and all your meals be right!!!!

Let’s go out for pancakes!!!!!!!!!!!!

You’re my best friend and the love of my life…so glad!

Had Some Jobs to do…

We are probably behind the curve in cleaning up the Christmas mess but we had a big list of stuff to do today.  We were going to get all the boxes down from the attic, de-decorate the house, take the tree out, put the Christmas wrap back in the attic…you know the drill.  The we looked out the window and saw beautiful bright blue skies and decided the Christmas junk would still be here any day of the week.  After all, we’re retired and don’t HAVE to do anything on any certain day.  When you get a gift of sunshine in January in Oregon, you go with it.  The header photo shows 58 degrees and it actually ended up a couple of degrees warmer than that.

So we took Rusty and Poppy and headed for the lake.  Of course I forgot my camera but we had a nice walk and enjoyed the spring-like weather.  Rusty was tired after that so we dropped him off and picked up the camera and set off to climb to the top of Skinner’s butte (in the car of course!).  This is just a small hill in the middle of down-town Eugene and is part of Skinner Butte Park.  Eugene Skinner was the founder of Eugene.  There are great views from the top, especially on a day like today.  We could see all the way to the Three Sisters (only two could be seen) in central Oregon, about 100 miles away.




We could see the river with the I-5 bridge.  A few of you have this used route lately.  We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it!!




We could even see Autzen Stadium, home of the Rose Bowl Champion DUCKS!  (Did you really think I could write a blog today and not mention my Ducks?)




And I could see Poppy straining at her leash wanting to take her Daddy for a walk.




At the bottom of the butte, there is a sheer rock wall that is a popular practice area for rock climbers.  I think this is basalt columns but maybe a soil scientist would know better than I?? I really don’t know much about rocks and such.  This one fella was enjoying the warm sun on his back as he made his descent.



I think this fella was just getting started in the sport but he seemed to be having a good time.  Poppy found this activity incomprehensible but she enjoyed watching!



After all that activity (watching counts, doesn’t it?) we were hungry and went to Marie Callendars for lunch.  I forgot to take pictures but it was sure good.  Russ had a Cobb salad and I had the  special of chicken pot pie, Caesar salad, and a piece of pie for dessert for $10.99.  I had a $5.00 off birthday coupon (tomorrow’s the day), PLUS we both got a free piece of birthday pie so it was a really good deal.  Neither of us could eat pie with lunch, so with our two free pieces, plus the piece that came with my meal, we came home with three pieces of pie…HOT DOG!  Russ chose apple since he didn’t get the apple pie at Carpo’s when we were in Santa Cruz.

We did finally get to a couple of things on our list.  Got the tree down and out to the curb since tomorrow is garbage day, and got the Christmas wrap boxes back in the attic for another year, but that’s about it.  Tomorrow is another day and the stuff ain’t going nowhere!! 

OH, wanted to tell all you grandmas out there…if you want a fun game to play with you grands, try this one.  It’s called Story Cubes.  The games consists of 9 dice which are divided among all players…it really doesn’t matter if you have 1 or 4, it’s all fun.  Each die has a different picture on every side.  Everyone rolls their dice and the players take turns starting a “Once upon a time…” story, using the pictures on their dice.  The next player must take up the story and add to it using his pictures.  The last player brings the story to a conclusion.  It is great for interacting with kids and for stimulating their imaginations…something that is sometimes lacking in today’s electronic age.  At any rate, it sure gets the minds and mouths moving and can become hilarious.  No scoring – it’s just for fun.  I highly recommend this game…might even be fun for adults!

Well, that’s a wrap folks!!