Saturday, November 29, 2008

giveaway!!!

I've been waiting for Christmas to arrive to start giving Christmas stuff away. I've also been waiting for my photo-editing software to arrive at my front door, but that's not going to materialize till the beginning of the week. So I went ahead and snapped a picture of this nifty little wristlet, all Christmas-y and begging for a new home. Mindy was the winner of the last wristlet and she was surprised at how much this little sucker can hold. It's great to carry in lieu of a purse, or you can put stuff in it and slip the whole danged thing in your purse. You can put your little camera in it, your cosmetics, or gobs and gobs of Christmas cash and credit cards!

Just leave a comment telling me what you want for Christmas this year. Maybe I'll get some good ideas from you, I like to hijack people's good ideas! Just ask my brother. Don't forget to leave your email address, so that I can contact you for important information, like what you're making for dinner tonight. One entry per person, please. The winner will be selected by my friend, the Random Generator. I'll pay for shipping anywhere in the United States. Outside of the U.S., we'll split the shipping fee. Are we ready? Let the giveaway begin!!!

I'll announce the winner on Thursday, December 4th.

Good luck!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Santa?!

Santa! What the heck?!.......All I wanted to say is, I've been a very good girl this year. There's really not a whole lot that I want, but I never imagined that I'd catch you in this compromising pose. And an umbrella drink, Santa? C'mon, I thought you to be more of a whiskey on the rocks, or a Scotch and soda-type guy. I think you had better shape up, or I'm gonna blow the whistle on you to Mrs. Claus. That's all I have to say...oh, one more thing. Order another drink and move over, I'm on my way!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

feast day.


I am thankful for:
my faith and love of God
my husband & our son
my family: mom & dad, mybrothers & their families
my parents-in-law & family
dear & loyal friends
our church community

To have been born in the United States of America
In a country founded by God
Who inspired a group of men to write a document,
second only to the Holy Bible
The United States Constitution.

God bless America!
Have a wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

little piece of history.

Jason and I decided to take a ride to St. Augustine last Saturday, a trip I never tire of. It was a lovely day for a ride and for a visit to this lovely and quaint mission. This little chapel was the first Shrine ever to be dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the United States. The original chapel, built in the earyl 1600's, was ruined in the early 18th century during an attack on St. Augustine. In 1915, the present Chapel was reconstructed and enshrines a replica of the original statute of Nuestra Senora De La Leche y Buen Parto~Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Deliviery. It's a beautiful little shrine, so peaceful and serene. As one walks through the mission's historic grounds, one retraces the steps of America's first founding fathers more than 400 years ago. It was here that Spanish explorers founded our nation's first permanent community and pioneer priests first planted the cross of Christianity. Standing 208-feet high, it is a beautiful and comforting site, the home of Christianity on the shores of America.

A neat little slice of American history on this glorious holiday, Thanksgiving. Have a blessed day with your loved ones...I'll be over for leftovers.

P.S. Head over to my brother's blog, Marching On, for a cheerful description of the birth of our American Thanksgiving tradition. Does that even make sense? I didn't think so...

Monday, November 24, 2008

brother's new blog.

I was blessed to grow up in what used to be considered a traditional family. My parents, myself, along with three older brothers. We were raised on an island, the very same island my father and his brothers grew up on, the very same island our Grandma and her family grew up on. The island is said to have been the last stop on the Underground Railroad, destination Canada.

My brothers are very dear to me. Today, I am going to introduce you to the "oldest" brother (sorry, Tom), the most senior of the set. He is quite remarkable. He's very smart, extremely patient and has a very wry sense of humor. The boys were each others' playmates when they were little, and I remember them playing baseball in the field across the street, or touch football in the yard. And when playtime was over, Tom would inevitably end up with his nose in a book. He never left home without at least three. Books. Or more. There's a Jello incident in his past, but let's just say that rather than drop his books, he opted for the Jello dessert Mom had labored over to take to Grandma's for Thanksgiving. It had like, six layers to it, each seperated with a yummy cream concoction. I never did get to say this, but "NICE GOING, TOM!" I do believe that Mom forgave him. The rest of the family still carries a grudge, but moms are good about overlooking that sort of thing. I digress. Tom's book fetish paid off...he's a lawyer, a history buff, a writer, an editor, a Civil War re-enactor Not to mention that he married a sweet and gentle soul and they raised three talented children, who are now grown (sigh).

True to my history of ripping my dear brother off, I snagged that photo up there off his new blog, Marching On. I'd love for you to go and visit him. Please, please don't compare our writings! Oh Lordy, once you finish reading Tom's posts, my ramblings will sound like the kid who writes backwards on that elementary school lined paper. In crayon. With snot smeared across the page. DON'T JUDGE ME!!! Tom writes beautifully, able to express his thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Unlike me. He has some beautiful thoughts about God and country, our family history, politics and history.

Friends, let me introduce you to Tom, of Marching On.

no spring chicken.


Nancy Pelosi Techno Chicken from wreckandsalvage on Vimeo.

My first instinct is to apologize for offending anyone with this clip, but then I thought, "What the heck, I've watched eight years of Republican mockisms and if they were funny, I'd laugh!". In light of the fact that we all need to develop thick skin, here's my contribution to the first layer.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

test of friendship.

This is my friend from the '60's. I love her hairdo. You'd look good as a blonde, Suzy. Totally hip, chic, sexy!


This is Wanda in the '80's. Wanda has curly hair in the '80's. She doesn't have curly hair in real-life. I'm sorry about this picture, Wanda. You see, I'm waiting for my photo-editing software to arrive and not being able to upload my fabulous photos, I just had to post something. I thought this might be fun. It was fun for me, but I don't know if my girls will forgive me.

I can take comfort in knowing that these two ladies are fun-loveing and have a great sense of humor. Right, girlfriends?

If you'd like to play with some photos, go to Yearbook Yourself. Then blackmail your friends and family. .. go ahead, it's fun!

I love you, Suzy and Wanda!


Friday, November 21, 2008

post about nothing.

Hello? Yes, I have a question. What are you planning for your Thanksgiving menu? Great idea! Give Great-Aunt-Matilda a call and get her super-secret sweet potato casserole recipe, then give me a call back. I'll be right here, waiting.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

recurring theme.


Can you guess what this is going to be? Yes! You're correct! It is going to be a duffel bag. I've gotta tell ya, flamingos have been very popular this week. And gators. I mean, Gators. Flamingos, Gators...can you tell I live in the South? If I were back home in Buffalo, NY, it'd be buffalos, I mean, Buffalos and Sabres. Anyhoo (Canadian lingo), this is going to be for my friend Terri, who really does have a heart. I know, because I saw and heard it on a monitor at her doctor's office. That was a great time! I'm planning on sewing up a storm this week..I have Christmas orders starting to come in. Which reminds me of a song. Too soon to sing, I'll wait until Black Friday.

So for now, good night and have a pleasant and cozy evening.

Monday, November 17, 2008

blazer surgery.

It was a beautiful Sunday in Florida. The weather was cool, perfect for spending the day in the hood...I mean, under the hood! Sasquatch's new/old truck got "sick" and needed some special attention.

It's a good thing that we have MacGyver here, he saves us LOTS of money! And he can teach a young driver a thing or two about mechanics. It really was heartwarming to see the two of them working on the truck together, laughing and cracking jokes. I didn't spend too much time out there with them, as I think I'd just gum up the project. I was in the house, "doing my own thing." But I did send my spy...


She can't stand for her boy to be out of her sight for very long. She's loyal that way.



Friday, November 14, 2008

chance to win a quilt.

You know you want this lovely quilt. Now that the chilly nights are upon us, wouldn't it be wonderful to snuggle under this delicious handmade lovely? Well, it could be yours if you just go here and enter to win. It's that easy! There's also a button over there, to the right, in my sidebar. Not only is the above quilt (fabric by my blog friend, Melissa Averinos over at Yummy Goods) up for grabs, but two other gorgeous quilts as well. So why are you still reading, get over there and enter!

And have yourself a beautiful, restful weekend. Hugs and love.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

skinny panhandler.


This is a very clever clip...stick around for the ending.

If you're in the mood for a heartwarming short film about a hero & the dogs who worship him, please visit the following link:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/10/mental-health-2.html


birthday bash.

It was Grandma's and Papa's birthday this Sunday. Grandma is in the white shirt, Granny is in the grey shirt and of course, their grandson is the handsome guy standing between them. He's their "guy" and they love him very much. And he loves them.


The birthday boy is Papa, who is sitting at the table. Granny is his girl. Pa is in the white shirt and Grandma is his girl. Jonathan is, of course, the one holding the dog, B.B. And B.B. is his girl. We had some yummy hamburgers, a birthday cake and lots of laughs.
Happy Birthday, Grandma & Papa!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

day of indentured servitude.


Crazy idea. I saw an ad in Sunday's employment section of the paper, calling for applicants to work at a Hobby Lobby being built in the area. Oh, what a fantastic opportunity! To work in the fabric department and make a little side money...great idea! Off I went to the cattle call, spending 3 hours in line for a second interview. Red flag #1. I was told that there would be some lifting and that I was needed to start the next day at 7AM, "are you OK with that?" Red flag #2. I dragged myself out of bed early Tuesday morning and fought the morning traffic in order to arrive promptly at 7 o'clock. The manager greeted me with, "Oh, I'm sorry. I don't need you until 10. Is that a problem?" Scarlet flag #3. I drove all the way home, very annoyed at the whole situation, thinking that maybe this wasn't the job for me. But being raised to never shy away from work, I headed back for my 10 AM start. Signing in and not seeing my name tag in the pile on the table, the Human Resource Hitler informed me that she couldn't find my employment folder. Blazing Red flag #4. "Go stand over there," Barbie Hitler barked. I clicked my heels in the proper Nazi fashion and did as I was told. Commandant eventually found my folder and I completed the assigned paperwork. At this point, I really should have sprinted for the door, into the comfort of my lovely 4-Runner. But no, I had to see this work fiasco through.

We started off with building these crazy round roll-around units with glass shelving and polished brass hardware. I guess they're attractive enough, but what a pain to put together. And who, I wondered, is going to have to clean this glass? Duh. Once I got the hang of it, I was able to build another unit rather quickly. I finished my second unit and went over to help a lady finish her first unit. Upon completion, we were instructed on how to build another shelving unit. This was twice as big, twice as much glass and hardware and was rectangular in shape. In order to construct these monstrosities, we had to sit on the floor or kneel at the beginning and contort our old, tired bodies to tighten up the screws under the glass shelves. These suckers are five units high, crazy heavy glass, not to mention that we had to unpack, unload, ...oh, what's the use? It was hard! Have I mentioned that it was HOT in that store, no air, no open doors...hello, this is FLORIDA!

Lunch time. Hitler informs us that we have an hour, but we shouldn't expect an hour's lunch every day. Scorched flag #5. Hmm. Off to my car I went, blasting the airconditioning to cool my tired, aching body. Why I didn't just drive home at this point is a mystery to me. But no, I went back to East Germany for another round of body-breaking torture. That's what happens in fascist societies, I was an indoctrinated worker and was worried about my older, heavier partner Sally. Who would help her finish the stupid shelving unit?

By now, you're all bored with my story. But I returned and the work became more physical and back-breaking. We were given one 15-minute break in a ten-hour day. I really felt sorry for some of the women there who were very heavy and plum worn-out. The managers were seldom to be seen, except for the last half-hour as they stood watching us lift heavy peg-board and assembling these crazy aisle-units they use in the stores. We'd been at this for hours, very physical and tiring. At exactly 8 PM, little Hitler called us to the front of the store for a short meeting. What?! Couldn't this have been called at 7:50? All that was left of Red flag #6 were the grey ashes on the floor. Our Comrade informed us that tomorrow, if we were caught "not busy," we would be told to leave. "There are 100 other people who are waiting for your job, so if you can't follow the rules, you're out." She then read from a list the names and the times that her soldiers were to report for work the following day.

I left that hot-box, the nice hard-working friends I'd made and flew to the comfort of my family. I dragged my tired, old aching body out of the car and into the strong arms of my husband. To the loving hug of my son. Even the dog was thrilled to see me. There was a 7/7 on the counter and the aroma of dinner on the stove. A hot shower awaited and then into the comfort of my cozy chair. Jason brought me my dinner and drink that he had prepared for me and honestly, it was the most delicious dinner I've had in a long time. I didn't move until bedtime and needless to say, I slept like the dead.

The end of my story is this: my name was on the list to report for work at 7 AM. As I was leaving the communist block of Hobby Lobby, I thought of those Red warning flags that God had been waving at me throughout the day. Driving home, I realized that I could never keep up this pace for a whole month until the store opens (Dec. 26th). I thanked God for the warning flags, for getting me through the day, and for the comfort of my home and family.

I didn't report for duty this morning. I'll never see the Little Fuhrer and her Gestapo again, but I am going to pray for those women who desperately need those jobs. I honestly don't know how they'll do it, but perhaps with a little prayer from me, Eva Braun will lighten up.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

missing keys.

I have "misplaced" my car keys. They've been "misplaced" for a couple of months. I have looked in all the obvious places, to no avail. I need some intervention. St. Anthony has always helped me out in missing matters, normally other peoples' missing matters. Now I really need his help and YOURS. If you'd like to help me find my "misplaced" keys, recite this simple prayer:

St. Anthony, St. Anthony
please come down
Patti's car keys are lost
please help them be found.

I'll let you know when and where the keys have been, once St. Anthony leads me to them. He's always been very faithful to me, but I'm figuring it's because he and I were helping someone else. Perhaps he needs you to help me, this time. So in advance, thank you for your prayers.

God bless you and have a great weekend!


Friday, November 7, 2008

visit to a childhood store.

I thought you and I would take a trip today, to my hometown of Grand Island, NY. Are you ready? Our destination is Kelly's Country Store, an old favorite of locals and tourists alike. It's a magical place, full of candy and treasures. Let's go inside.

What have we here? Mmmmmm. The very best part of the store, the main attraction, the deliverer of cellulite. Who's worried about fat anyway, it's the holidays & it's fantastic! I remember being a little girl and trying to decide which candy I wanted...just too much to choose from! It was always a treat going in there. Back and forth in front of the candy, with the friendly salesperson waiting to scoop up your selection and put it on the scale to weigh. If I recall correctly, my 3 brothers and I shared the bag of candy with our individual selections all mixed together. Did we fight? You bet we did! "That was mine, no, it's mine! " I don't know if we really argued over the candy, I'm just taking literary liberties here. It makes the story more interesting.

There were several unique antique pieces in the store. I remember an old washing machine complete with washboard sitting outside at the front entrance. There was also a picture show machine inside, where you insert a coin and watch an old-fashioned picture show. I wonder if those old goodies are still there. Hello, anyone from Grand Island reading this, an update please. There's a big wonderful room that is used for special holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. At Easter, it's full of chocolate Easter Bunnies and chocolate eggs and jelly beans and other yummy chocolate confections. I do believe the Easter Bunny makes an appearance in the spring. During Christmas, the room is transformed to welcome the holiday season for all the children who want to see........
SANTA! Hello, Santa! My friend and I just stopped by to get a peek at the store. How're things going with you? Are my Christmas presents almost ready? What? Why you know I will, silly Santa! Don't I every year? What's that? Yes, I'm going to sit on your lap and tell you how naughty, I mean good, I've been. Santa, you just crack me up! My friend here? I don't know, just a minute, I'll ask. "Are you going to sit on Santa's lap this year?" Ho, ho, ho!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

rice recipe.

Welcome to the House of Skinny, a new feature on this blog. Inspired by my friend Randi (visit her for more yummy recipes), we're going to share favorite recipes here...yes we are! Why the "House of Skinny" you ask? I sarcastically used it to describe our home and I got a very big laugh from my handy husband. It's not a physical description of our home, but rather a portrait of its inhabitants. Insert the sarcasm and you'll understand. Let's just say we're very "healthy" people. Yes laugh, all you people who know us. I'll wait for you to compose yourselves...

Here we go. I am going to give you a recipe so simple, it's frightening. I gave it to my friend Terri, who uses her rice cooker to make it...she has everything! Our slender son (he's not a member of the House of Skinny) loves this dish. It's a regular on our menu.

French Onion Soup Rice
1 can French Onion soup
1 can water
1 cup rice
1 tablespoon butter
dash of Oregano or Italian seasoning

Preheat oven 350-degrees. Put ingredients in small casserole dish or pan, stir ingredients & cover. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until rice is fluffy and water is absorbed. Serve and enjoy.
*Recipe can easily be doubled, just use a bigger casserole dish or pan.

Now go and feed your family. Become a member of my secret society and send me a picture of your Skinny House!


Monday, November 3, 2008

day in the life of Tom.

Again, I am shamelessly photojacking one of my brother's excellent weekend adventures. Because, quite frankly, it appears that there are more interesting things to do in the Rochester area than around Jacksonville. And I am not above plagerism when it comes to "borrowing" material. Here we are, back in time enjoying a Sunday drive, a la carte. Get it? Carte? Buggy? ...Never mind.


Oh my, who's that with Johnny Appleseed? It's my sister-in-law, also a local groupie! Johnny's such a rebel, a knave, a cad. Watch out, Melany! You know how those famous men are! He'll toss you away like a, like a......like an apple core!

Oh, but how sweet is this?! My heart is melting all over the keyboard. It brings out every maternal instinct left in my body. This young woman/girl kissing the goat is my nephew's little wife. It's a picture of contradiction. I know she's a grown woman, yet she looks like a little girl. I do believe I could look at this photo every day for the rest of my life and never tire of it.


Thanks, Tom...you're a good sport. More pictures, please. I'm going to need more material.



time for "change."

I don't understand how a society will protect a miniscule insect, rail against global warming, protect illegal alien rights, uphold a tree's right to live, yet will not protect the life of God's most vulnerable of creatures. I want change...I pray for this nation to restore the values upon which she was built. The change I pray for is life.


God bless America...and all her citizens.

boring story.


A little smile for you! Did you have a good weekend?
We did! Would you like to know what we did? No? Too bad, I'm gonna tell you anyway!
Here we go...laundry, cooking, football, dusting, grocery shopping, laundry, going to Mom and Dad's, dishes, vaccuuming, mass, cooking, ironing, driving, VOTING, cooking, dishes, laundry.
Don't forget to get to the polls early tomorrow. And take a book with you, or some project that you need to get finished. It was a two-hour process. Yee-ha!
Now go and be productive. Or not.
Would you like to enter a delicious giveaway?
Check out Divine Domesticity and enter today!
YUM!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

chomp romp.


That's about it. What more is there to say? Except, "GO GATORS!"
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...