You just hafta see it....

My best laugh of the day occurred last evening, while taking a walk with Sis and her Dad.  Those two never cease to amaze me.  Fred takes her over to the Church right near us, and lets her immediately off her leash.  They have this game they play, that I was not aware of.  You have to see it to believe it.  She gets to stroll by herself until she reaches a certain designated area-- the area right past the Garden.  Suddenly, it's game on.  She and Fred run, almost side by side, all over the yard and Sis watches him out of the corner of her eye, to make sure he's still running with her.  If he stops, she stops.  It's almost like it's choreographed.  I liketa died.  She won't really run unless he does.  It's not like he's chasing her exactly but more like they are running together, in tandem.  Seeing Sis run at warp speed is beyond hilarious.  That long body of her's and those little short legs can m-o-v-e.

Then they take a break, cut through the church, loop around the side, and go at it again.  By then, both of them are exhausted, so that's it for that game.  And she loves it.  Where the two of them come up with this stuff is beyond me.  Hell....I just walk her.... which explains why she always wants to walk with him.  And did I mention she gets all antsy and excited when it's getting close to walk time?  She does, and has been known to bark at us, to get us moving along towards the back door.  Now that I've seen their latest little game, it sure explains why I get that look, when he's not home, and I walk her.  It's clear I just can't please everybody but second place ain't too shabby.  And it means I don't have to run, either.  Yippee.

Hello, Italy?????

Italy, Italy, Italy.....while I sit here drumming my fingers waiting for a response to my emails, I keep having to remind myself that folks half a world away, don't get in the same kind of hurry we American's do.  Piddle, piddle, piddle.  And come to think about it, might they have a superior way of living??  Perhaps I need to start living more like they do and less like I'm used to, and enjoy the health benefits, not to mention just the sheer joy of a slower pace.  After all, what I'm waiting to hear back on is potential spots for a Rehearsal Dinner and menu possibilities, and as earth shaking as that may feel to me, it's just one meal.  Perhaps I need to throttle back and get over myself.  Yeah....good idea.

I don't know what shocked me more this morning.  The two headed baby born in China or Maria and "Ahnold" separating.  Both are sad and sort of shocking.  I'm always surprised when people separate after the 25+ year mark.  The first thing I think is...dang, by then you're probably past the hardest part of marriage and kids, but I guess that's not the case for lots of folks.  Maybe for the Tipper Gore's of the world and other political wives, they can finally get off the campaign trail and have a life of their own.  I can certainly understand that, especially with the ego's some of these political guys have shown.  I'd be out of there, too.  Enough is enough.  Buh, bye.

On a totally different topic, the three little monkey's and their parents all went by to see mom on Mother's Day.  Interestingly, my sister shared with me that Hudson picked up on the changes in mom immediately and felt sad.  And he's 5.  I hope I get this right but my sister said he told his mom that "Babe is different" and other than that, probably didn't have the vocabulary to say what else he felt, if he even knew what he felt, other than sad.  He was so intuitively correct, as the Babe he remembers used to come visit HIM, and have "Yifesavers" (Lifesavers) in her purse for him ALWAYS.  Now...not so much.  Because he's so tender, I told my sister that she had a great teaching opportunity and to call him back and explain to him what was going on with Babe.  I told her to tell him that sometimes when people get old, they need a lot more of our help, just like babies do.  I figured with two little sisters he'd get this part easily.  They may need more help walking, eating, or putting on their clothes.  And sometimes, they go live with other people, in a nice place, where they can all be together, and get the extra help they need.  She called him and they chatted, so I hope he's feeling better about the whole thing.  Ouch.  Pain at both ends of the spectrum.

And now for a good laugh...

Happy Mother's Day To All

I like to tell everyone Happy Mother's Day, even if my friend's don't have kids.  If they have animals, they have kids--just the four legged kind.  Sis got me a card and had her Dad fix me breakfast this morning, despite the fact she wouldn't come in the kitchen and give me kisses, which I thought was the very least she could do.  Nope.  Too busy.  She had to watch the birds and squirrels out the front window.  Bad on you, Sis.  As a loving mother, I still shared two bites of my turkey bacon with her.  A "mother's love is a sad love", as Fred's dad always used to say.  Sis also had a pre-Mother's Day bath, teeth brushed, and ears cleaned last night, so maybe that's why she still has some 'tude going on. 

Brian and Benji sent me some beeee-u-ti-ful flowers yesterday while I was making pesto, and I've carried them room to room with me so I could enjoy them.  I figure if I am fortunate enough to receive flowers, I want to ENJOY them, so I do.  If you wanted some and didn't receive any, do what any smart woman today does for herself.  Go buy yourself some.  You deserve them and you are worth it.  Splurge, baby.  Here's some from me, too.  

Yesterday's pesto making resulted in filling three of the small Glad containers, so I am set for a good while and I still have basil left over to throw in a salad.  I doubled the recipe so as to only have to make one big load.  The recipe says it's easier to make in the blender, but I disagree.  I start it in the food processor since it is so much easier to mix it in, than my blender.  My blender hates trying to grind up all the leaves and I end up repeatedly trying to force it to do it's job.  (You don't even want to know how many blenders I've burned out in 32 years, so let's just say, a lot.)  Once the food processor has done it's job, then I dump it all in the blender to get a really nice smooth sauce.  It's still thick, but the consistency is just better.  The food processor just doesn't seem to be able to get it as smooth as the blender, and if you put it all in the dishwasher afterwards, no muss, no fuss.

Actually, I learned an easy trick to clean my blender, on TV, so sometimes I do it.  Rinse out the blender container, and then add hot water about half way full and some dish washing liquid.  This is the important part: put your hand, covered by a cup towel on top, and hold tight.  Then hit blend.  If you fail to cover your hand with a cup towel or hold tight, you will really not like this.  Otherwise, it's great.  Let it blend for a few seconds, and then rinse out the soapy blender container and top, and dry.  Presto, cleano.  Or in my case, pesto, cleano.  :)

Pesto making time

Well....as pesto would have it, it seems my basil plants are ready for an early harvest and a round of pesto making, which suits me just fine.  I long since used up my last container from the freezer so it's time.  It's just so easy and yummy, and tastes good on anything from garden fresh sliced tomatoes to grilled chicken breasts.  Pasta isn't on my list these days so I don't even want to think how great that would taste.  I'm not sure what's up with my plants, but they are leaning over, so it's "hair cuttin'" time.  I can't wait to get my garlic cloves gently roasting in my skillet, and my washed basil leaves in the food processor.  Pour in your toasted pine nuts, almonds, or even pecans, garlic, and EVOO and some salt and pepper, and prepare for lift off.  Makes me salivate just thinking about it.  The house always smells like heaven after making a batch of pesto.

Today was a non-stop scour the city for something to wear for Benji's wedding in September in Capri, and I think I may have scored something, though the jury is still out until The Mole approves it.  (The Mole is my sister).  Sometimes I really need someone else's perspective before I definitely commit to something really important in the clothing world--especially something that will be forever captured in pictures and howled over, if it's atrocious.  If she gives me that look, I'll know I'm screwed.  You know the one I'm talking about.... when you can just tell someone's trying not to say "that looks like a bedspread on you" or " that would look really nice on  a sofa", and they're about to blow a lung trying not to laugh..  Which is exactly why I'm asking her.  She'll tell me the truth and she has no dog in the fight.

  I have no confidence shopping anymore.  I can tell you what looks awwwwful on me, but, hell, anybody can do that.  I'm just not always sure if something looks OK.  If you aren't rail thin and all shot up with Botox and facial fillers, I'm not really sure what a 57 year old woman is supposed to look like these days.  So, given that, I'm just going to be me and wear something I like, and most of all, feel good in, that Shamu could never squeeze into.  Unless Mole gives it the hook.

In a pig's ear and Thank you, Mr. President

In a weak moment at the grocery store Sunday, knowing Sis wanted something to chew on, I bought her a package of pig's ears.  Yeah, I did, and even I couldn't believe I did it.  They're in the section with the rawhide chews and I know not to give her those, so instead, I gave her something probably much worse and skankier--a dried, smoked pig's ear, (3/pkg), and she went into orbit.  She was so protective of it on Sunday that she wouldn't let Fred or me have it, when we asked her for it.  She didn't growl because she knew that would be it for her...but she didn't let us have it either.  By the time we finished unpacking the groceries, poof, it was gone.

Yesterday afternoon, while she was sunning herself in the backyard, I let her have the second one.  OOOO, la la....how great does life get?  A chewy delicious pig's ear, in the sun, in your own backyard and no one trying to take it from you?  Quite simply heaven. Since today looks like a instant reply of yesterday, weather-wise, somebody just might get lucky again.

On another front, I'd like to weigh in (a little dieting pun) on President Obama's decision not to release pictures of a dead Osama Bin Laden.  May I thank you profusely for that decision, Sir.  I don't know about anybody else, but I have no problem not seeing, and being protected from, that level of gore.  This is not an ER and believe me, that's not a picture you really want to see.   I also personally am not paranoid about whether Bin Laden is still alive.  And, I'm not worried about Elvis either.  I believe both of them have "left the building", thank you very much.  If you are like The Donald, you probably still don't believe the President was actually born in Hawaii, despite his birth certificate, and it follows logically you won't believe a picture of a dead Bin Laden either.  Releasing a picture wouldn't have convinced someone who is really paranoid, and might have endangered lots of others needlessly.  And hey...if you do think Bin Laden is still alive....pay attention to those voices you are hearing in your head.  They really are out to get ya.

Sis

After a long and busy day yesterday, last night I decided to lie down on the floor and stretch out my back, since it was hurting after exercising and just generally being o-l-d.  I don't usually lie down on the floor while watching TV but this time I did.  I no sooner got horizontal, than a fat black seal slithered over and laid her entire upper body across my face, so I could love on HER.  Seriously, Sis....I'm in pain here and it's all about you??  But then I got to laughing thinking when isn't it all about her??  That would be never.  And the more I loved on her, the harder I laughed.  Then when she got tired of that, she laid down on her back, right beside me, ears flopped back, snoot in the air, mimicking me.  I rolled over on my side.....she rolled over on her side.  She's a big spooner.  I don't know if it was the back stretches or Sister, but suddenly my back felt lots better.

She's back in her bed underneath the computer desk this morning since it's still a wee bit chilly and she hates to be cold.  This is her usual spot for this time of the morning and she is sawing logs, snoring.  Yesterday morning she was yipping in her sleep...perhaps she was dreaming she caught Bin Laden, being a seal and all.  Never mind the training.  Nah...she'd hate the military.  She doesn't follow orders.  Ever.

WOW

I don't know about you, but my head is spinning this morning.  Between the Royal Wedding and all of it's emotional sweetness, to the killing of Bin Laden, I feel like my brain has been put into a blender.  I never want to celebrate the death of anyone--even a murderer like Bin Laden--but I cannot seem to reconcile my feelings of relief, pride in our exceptional military and it's skills, and fear that retaliation isn't far behind.  Maybe I'm just in a little bit of shock.  Maybe it's the rain and morose look of today and all of the recent tornadoes and their damage, but it just feels like life is in overdrive.  Life's changes are moving sooo fast, and the highs and lows are steep. I can only imagine the swirl of feelings this latest news must bring up for families of all the 9/11 victims.

To all of those people who lost their lives on 9/11, and all of their families, my thoughts and prayers are with you today.