Goodbye November

November 30,  2012

Gosh darn, it's cold this morning!  I sure do not like this cold!  There's talk about some warmer temps coming our way, but sad to say not today.  I'm at work so this will be a short post.  The Mrs will be waking soon.

Pogo is with me today because his day sitter had to work.   I hope the Mrs doesn't get upset.  She prefers me to leave my dog at home.  This I don't really understand because she enjoys playing with him.  Ah well, go figure.

Yesterday's mail brought one package for me to wrap.  Hopefully, there will be more waiting for me when I get home this afternoon.  I got to go shopping for a little while and was able to pick up my Laura's Christmas gift and a birthday gift for a friend.  I am feeling so good about being ahead of myself so far. 

I have yet to figure out what to get Pogo for Christmas.  He's not really crazy for toys yet as he's still learning what to do with them.  He has no teeth so that lets out chewies and dog treats.  He already has a lot of clothes and warm comfy blankets.  Hmmmm, this one is going to require a lot of thought.

Several days ago, I broke a vessel or something in one of my fingers, and for days my hand is painful.  Sad to say, there's not much you can do this.  It's just a waiting game till the pain goes away.  On the other hand, I can't seem to find the broken vessel, so maybe it's not that.  Maybe it's just arthritis.  I have that in other spots, so maybe it's now in my hands.  Oh goodie.

Let me share a pretty flower photo with you before I have to sign off.  This beauty is one of the Mrs' bouquets.

Now I must get busy here.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Brrrrr! It's Cold!

November 29, 2012

Good morning from my nippy little part of New England.  It's only about 38 degrees F, and tomorrow is only going up to about 33 F degrees.  This is definitely not my favorite weather.  Well, actually the weather is okay, it's the cold that I don't like.

I got up late this morning because I was up during the night trying to figure out what was wrong with the cable TV.  While I was watching a program, the cable went out.  No notice, just out.  After being on hold on the phone for about 25 minutes, I went online to try a representative chat.  Eventually, the TV started working again. 

It seems that the cable company just picks a time and shuts everything down so that they can do maintenance of sorts.  I would think that they should be required to give customers a bit of notice before doing this.

Do you have an address book like mine?  I have to keep an elastic around it to hold in all the little scraps of paper that have addresses, phone numbers and email addys written on them.  Well, this morning I started to clean it out and get the bits of information onto the pages of the address book.  I'm about halfway done and hope to get this project finished before the week is out.

I am at a standstill with my gift wrapping.  Until all my packages come in the mail, I can't go much farther.  I did get one package yesterday.  The Mrs said that she would like to have a copy of my deer print (from the 2012 calendar) so I had one printed, and it was in yesterday's mail.  Now I just have to frame and wrap it. 

I have two fruit baskets to make up, but those will have to wait until the last few days before Christmas.  So for now I will focus on finish addressing the rest of my Christmas cards.  I want to put them in the mail this weekend. 

For today's photos, I went into my archives from this past Spring.  I found this adorable little sparrow enjoying a bit of refreshing in the bird bath.  I thought it was a nice way to make the day feel a bit warmer.

I probably shouldn't tell you this because it will make your mouth water, but this morning I polished off the homemade peach preserves (that Audrey made) and have now opened the apple butter jar.  Ooooooh, this is sooooo delicious!

On that note, I think I'd better get dressed and get busy around here.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Even Doggies Love To Shop

November 28, 2012

Well, here we go again.  We are running out of another month.  There's only two more days left in November, then we will be in December.  That's another whole year gone by.  Gosh, I just got done saying that not too long ago about another year. 

Time stands still for no man (or woman).  And when it sees us "oldies but goodies" it goes into overdrive and runs like hell.  So, with a bit of luck, this winter is going to fly by quickly so that Spring can get here.  Only fifteen and a half more weeks to go.

Well, yesterday morning started off with a bit of snow, followed by rain mixed in, and then nothing for a while.  Mid afternoon brought the snow back, and by supper time, it was coming down pretty good.  It was wet and thin, and thankfully did not last very long. 

For some reason, Pogo was very huggie huggie last night.  Mostly after taking him outside to sprinkle.  He does not like the wet, snow and cold.  At all.  Well, neither do I, so that makes us a good pair. 

Pogo is into the gift wrapping scene too.  He bought his first gift last night.  It's for his nighttime sitter, and it is just too fun.  I can show it here because the recipient does not read blogs nor does he have a computer.  Here's a peek.  It's quite appropriate, I think.  Good job, Pogo.

I did a bit more wrapping, and I think I just might have everything off my bed by tonight.  Oooo, it will feel so good to crawl back into it again.  My sofa is okay, but I don't get a very good night's sleep on it.

This weekend, the town will be picking up all our bagged leaves, but we may not be able to get ours bagged in time.  This yucky wet weather isn't helping.  It makes it harder to rake up the leaves and quite messy to pick them up and stuff them into bags.  Ah well, we still have a couple more days to get the job done.

Well, that's enough jibber jabber.  I have to clean up some of my wrapping mess.  There are piles of gifts and wrapping materials everywhere.  Janet will be coming over this afternoon, and it would be nice if there were a chair for her to sit on.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

My Pogo Is One Special Little Guy

November 27, 2012

Good morning.  Guess what?  It's snowing!!!  I took Pogo out earlier for his morning sprinkle, and saw these tiny little white spits falling from the sky.  Let me update that thought.  I have just looked out the window, and there is no more snow.  Hmmm, just a little shower.  Maybe we'll get more later in the day.  I wonder how Pogo will react to snow?

Yesterday, Pogo had his first health checkup at the VCA hospital.  Needless to say, everyone there fell in love with him.  Good food agrees with him because he weighed in at five pounds fully dressed.   Woo Hoo! 

He checked out pretty good, but his doctor told me something I did not know.  Pogo came to me without any teeth, but I was not aware that he had no lower jaw bone either.  He was not born that way, and the more I think of it, I get very angry.  I can't imagine what this poor little guy went through for six years and three months before he was rescued.  It breaks my heart to think about it.

It's taking a while to type this post because Pogo keeps hopping up on my lap to play.  He loves cuddling.  So we cuddle.  I love it too. 

We have gone through a lot of doggie food brands, but I think we have found one that Pogo likes.  It's called "Paws".  They sell it at the market where his daytime sitter works, so that is very handy.  Today she is working so she will pick some more up for us. 

Well, I got a few more gifts wrapped, and a few small packages ready to be mailed.  I think I'm starting to get into the swing of things.  I admit I used a bit of psychology on myself.  I spread everything out on my bed so that I could see what there was.  Little by little, I take something off the bed and wrap it.  Until the bed is clear, I will have to keep sleeping on the sofa.  (I'm more than half done.)

Now I just have to pick up more wrapping paper and a bag of bows.  Then we wait for the rest of the packages to arrive so that we can get those gifts wrapped too.  I've been trying to figure out what to write in my letter to Santa, and it's not easy coming up with things that I want or need. 

I'm very blessed and already have all the things that are important to me.  Perhaps I will give extra gifts to the MSPCA and the ASPCA.  I think Pogo might send a little gift to the agency that rescued him.  Yes, that's what I think we will do.

I have something adorable to share with you.  This is one of the designs I came up with while I was working on my cards and my calendar.  Now tell me, is this not the cutest little dog ever?

Pogo would not sit and pose with the hat so I Photoshopped it onto his head.  Gosh, he is just so precious!  I had so much fun working on the different designs, and I'm pleased at how my cards and calendars turned out. 

Now I need to get dressed and put in a load of laundry.  Maybe even push the vacuum around a bit too.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a really nice day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Big Day For Pogo

November 26, 2012

It's 5:20 a.m. and I am still at work.  Another hour and a half to go.  This morning, Pogo gets to meet his doctor at the VCA hospital.  He will be having a health check up in order to get his traveling papers.  We need these to get his airline ticket for when we go to Florida. 

Pogo does not know about this appointment yet, so I'm anxious to see how he reacts.  His last visit to a doctor was not a fun one (hair cut, neutered, chip put in, and mouth surgery).   My little guy has already had his share of bad memories.  The doctors at the VCA are all very caring so I'm hoping Pogo will come away with good memories today.

Yesterday I was able to order a couple more gifts online, and will wonders ever cease?  I not only wrapped two gifts, but I got two mailer boxes ready and wrapped a few more gifts.  All that, and I managed to sqeeze in a nap before it was time to get ready for work.

This morning I will re-post an older photo (from last Spring) for Mandarin Orange Monday.  Cardinals are such beautiful birds and these are the natural orange colors of the female.

Today, Su and I are posting the last two parts of "Pass The Stuffing Please".  We hope that you've been able to make some nice scrap pages with this rather fun kit. 

Here are your download links:

http://www.mediafire.com/?0nuqecokdim2wmq

http://www.mediafire.com/?nl02j4ollz65v0d

When you have finished downloading, be sure to visit Su's web site for her last two parts of the kit.  Su has also posted a lot of extra's to go with the kit.  So be sure to pick them all up.  Please remember to take a moment to stop and say thank you.  It is most appreciated.

I have finally decided what to give to my Secret Santa partner.  She is very much into crafts and home made things, and she has a Yorkie too.  But that is all I can reveal here at this time, just in case she has stopped by to check out my blog.  I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Wouldn't it be nice, some year, to just give home made gifts?  Forget the Black Friday madness and the Manic Monday rush.  Just use your very own talents and make something special for everyone on your gift list.  Big business wouldn't be happy, but the folks on your list might be.  And your wallet would absolutely love you!

On that note, I must get back to work.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Creatively Photographing A Planet

November 25, 2012

Good morning world.  The sun is shining, and it's a beautiful day.  Yes, it's cold, only about 31 degrees F, but that's to be expected this time of year.  What's not expected, is that gorgeous little red rose blooming outside my door.  I will have to take photos later this morning.

In my whole life, I don't recall being able to see so many different planets visible to the naked eye like we can now.  Most every night, there is a huge bright star up in the sky and with a bit of research I find that it is a planet.

Once I'm in the warm house, I don't like going outside just to get a photograph.  But this morning I just could not help it.  The star was so big and bright, and begging to be photographed.  After checking on Google, I think this is the planet Venus.  If you know otherwise, please let me know.

I got a lot of photos of just squiggles (no tripod), and finally had to lean against my car and hold the camera against the top of the car.  This is not so easy when you are five feet tall, and sometimes your photos are pot luck.  Here's my best shot at 6:10 a.m. this morning.

Sorry it's crooked, but it's the best I could do at the time.  When you hold your camera up over your head you can't see what's in the view finder.  I took the photo into Photoshop, and rotated and cropped it.  Here's my final view.  Look closely and see the other little star right by the top telephone wire.  (middle of photo)

For those who don't know, you can click on any photo posted on my blog and it will get bigger.  Makes it much easier to see details. 

I had a good night at work last night.  The Mrs went to bed fairly early, and I was able to play a bit on the laptop.  Actually, I designed two more Christmas gifts, and uploaded them to Vista to be printed.  Hmmm, I just had another idea for a gift.  Can't tell you though, you never know who's reading here. 

Today, my goal is to wrap just two gifts.  This is not a favorite task, so I tend to procrastinate and then nothing gets wrapped.  So I will use a little psychology on myself.  I can handle wrapping just two, so that's where I'll start. 

Once this year's gifts are wrapped, I'll start working on next year's gift list.  You can laugh, but doing it this way makes it very affordable for me.  I work on it all through the year, setting things aside a little here and a little there.  This also makes it a lot more fun for me.

Now I want to have a look to see what's for breakfast.  My little guy is curled up next to me, waiting patiently for his breakfast.  I am so glad to have Pogo in my life.  He just bubbles over with love.  If I didn't have to work I'd call the shelter to see if they had another little guy like my Pogo.    Right now, I can't do that because I rely on sitters for when I have to work.  Someday.

That's all the news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Lots Of Goodies In The Mail!

November 24, 2012

Good morning.  Oh wow, the mail was good to me yesterday.  First a package arrived with my new calendars.  Oh are they nice! A couple hours later, another package arrived.  This one was my Christmas cards.   Now I just have to find all my addresses.  One of these days, I will have to get them all into one book. 

Later in the afternoon, the third package arrived containing my new books on how to find my way around Photoshop CS6.  I shall be busy for a while!  In between, I have other projects needing a bit of attention.  Sad to say, I have been neglecting my photography classes.  I did start on them, but I wasn't really focused on them.  I'll have to do better.

At work this past Wednesday, the Mrs got a gorgeous flower arrangement.  Of course, I am not one to pass up a photo opportunity.  Here's a shot of part of the bouquet.  You just can't beat nature for beauty!

Daughter Audrey has a birthday coming up soon, so yesterday I made a trip to the post office to mail off the birthday boxes, and another filled with socks and pajamas for Laura Jean.  Then I stopped by Walmart to fight the maddening crowds.  No gifty shopping, just the fixings for corn chowder.  When I got home, I made up a big pan of chowder which Deanne and Eddie came by and picked up. 

Then I got down to some serious card addressing.  I really have to get better organized with my addresses and phone numbers.  It would make life so much easier.  This morning I have a few gifts boxed and ready for wrapping.  So, I will try to get that done today.

Tonight, it's back to work.  Gosh folks, time is just rushing by me these days.  The good part of it is that Spring is that much closer!  lol.  Now I'm off to get a few things accomplished here.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

I Hope Your Day Was As Wonderful As Mine Was

November 23, 2012

Good morning.  Hope everyone had a fabulous day yesterday with family and friends.  Pogo and I had a great day.  Except for a bit of laundry, we just relaxed all day.  We had visits either in person or via telephone by family and friends, we ate good food and enjoyed a few trips out into the yard where we enjoyed the fabulous weather. 

A couple of highlights were the homemade cranberry sauce that I had with my dinner.  Mmm, mmm, mmm!  Audrey has a secret recipe of her own, and oh my!  Was that ever delicious!

 Next, Jasmine tried her hand at baking apple pie and cranberry bread from scratch, and brought me one of each.  Oh Lordy, this young lady is headed in the same direction as her mom and aunts and uncle.  All of my kids are wonderful cooks, and Jasmine is joining them. As a matter of fact, her older brother Bobby is a chef at a restaurant in a nearby town.  It sort of runs in the genes.

I didn't get much wrapping done yesterday, I was having too much fun just being lazy.  But this morning I'm putting up the folding table again.  I am so hoping that my cards and/or calendars arrive in today's mail.  It would feel good to get some of the addressing done too.

I also want to make a quick trip to either Walmart or the market to pick up more fixings for corn chowder.  I promised to make Deanne a big pot of chowder if she would just bring me the pan.  Along with yesterday's goodies came a big blue pot.  lol.

For those of you who don't have a recipe for the corn chowder, here's mine.  You may want to adjust the amounts of everything to make less.  I make a huge pot so that I can share.  If you cut the recipe in half, you should still end up with enough chowder to last a couple of days.

I start by peeling four large baking size potatoes into small pieces.  Next I cut up half of a large onion. and four or five strips of lightly cooked bacon.  The potatoes, onions and bacon go into the pot along with four cups of water.  I boil these until the potatoes are half or more cooked. 

Then I add two cans of creamstyle corn, two corns of whole kernel corn, and two cans of evaporated milk (canned milk).  I season with seasalt and pepper (not a lot, you can always add more later to taste).   If you make half of the recipe, and it needs more liquid, add a bit of regular milk.  That's all there is to it.  Enjoy!

I have a pretty photo to share.  I took this early one morning through the Mrs' patio doors before daylight.  There was a really pretty mama cardinal perched at the feeder just long enough for me to take a couple of photos.  Isn't she pretty?

I also have a wonderful cartoon to share.  This was sent to me by a friend, and I just had to share it.  It is so true of the double standards that society has for men and women. 

I have to laugh.  If we all dressed similar, you wouldn't be able to tell the men from the women!  lol.

Okay, that's all for this morning.  I want to get started here before I get too comfy on the couch.  I have today off so I'd like to get a few mailer boxes ready.  Wouldn't that be nice!  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

November 22, 2012

It's a little after 5 a.m., and I've been up for a couple of hours doing a bit of cleaning and reading emails.  Last night, I was so tired that I feel asleep early.  Hence, the early morning energy.  Today is supposed to be another really nice day weather wise. 

Pogo and I have decided to fore go the turkey dinner in favor of a lasagna dinner cooked by one of the dwarfs.  This works for me.  Today I am going to enjoy being lazy.  I will spend part of the time wrapping more gifts, reading my "Tablet" books, watching TV and playing on my laptop.  I may even squeeze in a bit of laundry. 

In all seriousness, today is a day to acknowledge all that we are thankful for.  We need to look into ourselves and all around us, and realize just how blessed we really are.  And because we are so blessed, it would be really good if each of us could do just one nice thing for someone else. 

Pick a neighbor or a total stranger and do something for them.  Maybe clean their yard, or offer them a ride to an appointment.  Maybe a meal, or help with their household chores.  Anything you can do will be so appreciated, and bring a bit of sunshine into their lives. 

If you'd rather, another wonderful place in need of help is your local animal shelter.  They can use food, blankets, towels, money and volunteers to help clean the animals' living quarters.  Of course dispensing a bit of love and hugs to the animals is also appreciated by all these wonderful fur babies.

For me, I don't need a special day to realize all that I am thankful for.  I just have to dig into my memories and to take a good long look around me.  I have loved and been loved by so many wonderful people.  My children have made me so proud, and have given me so many beautiful grandchildren.  There are even seven great grandchildren to date.  At 73, I could possibly see a few great greats! 

In my lifetime, I have achieved almost every dream I ever had.  I was able to go back to school and get my masters degree; I was able to buy my own home and have my own successful business;  I was able to be a teacher (even if it was in the crafts and after school fields); and so far I have been able to grow older and keep all of my faculties about me. 

There have been quite a few hills and mountains to climb over the years, but He always saw me through my problems.  From the little girl of two years who did not know who she was, to the woman of today who definitely knows who she is, I am grateful for everything and everyone who has touched my life. 

This blog has brought so many wonderful people into my life.  And doggies too, I might add.  For this, I am ever so thankful.  On my darkest days, my wonderful blog friends have surrounded me with hope and caring.  They might be virtual hugs, but oh my they feel good. 

I have just pulled up my folder of "Pass The Stuffing Please" and made a Thanksgiving layout.  I'll give you three guesses whose photo is on it! 

I am so thankful to have this adorable little guy in my life.  He bubbles over with energy and love, and just thrives on all the hugs and kisses he can get.  Ever notice how wonderful it feels to hug an animal and have it love you back?  If you haven't, try it.  You are missing the joy of a lifetime.

Now I am going to cook up a fabulous breakfast for my Pogo and me.  I'm thinking of scrambled eggs, green peppers and bacon.  Oh yum!  I will also have toast slathered with Audrey's peach preserves.  Mmmm, heavenly!

So till tomorrow, I am wishing all of you a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.  May it be filled with friends and family and much love and happiness.  Y'all have a beautiful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Poor Birdie!

November 21, 2012

It's a beautiful morning, and I'm at work.  Therefore, I won't be making a long post.  Mrs has had her breakfast, is dressed and is settled in the living room watching her programs on TV.  Pogo is with me today, and is being so pesky.  He seems to want me to pick him up constantly.  Must be because we are not at home. 

I just took a photo of a cardinal through the Mrs' bedroom window, and it's not too bad so I'll share it here with you.

A little while ago, a female cardinal flew at the window, and knocked itself out and fell to the ground. It was quite a while before it came to and was able to fly away.  It had me so worried for a while.

Yesterday, the new books I ordered to learn about the tablet came in the mail.  So hopefully, before the week is out I will know a bit of how to use the tablet.   My cards should be arriving soon too.  I want to get them addressed and ready for mailing. 

Deanne and Eddie will be coming by tomorrow.  It seems funny to be calling someone else Eddie.  Right up until I was around 50, everyone called me Eddie.  I guess with age comes formality, because then they just called me Edna. 

Now I must get busy here.  The Mrs' family will be coming by in a while to set up the dinner tables for tomorrow's family feast.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a marvelous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

My Laptop Feels Almost New Again

November 20, 2012

Good morning.  It's looking pretty nice outside my door.  Sunny and cold, but not too cold. 38 F degrees.  The frost that was covering everything is almost all melted away.  And the nice part?  I still have some beautiful roses blooming.  Looking out my window and seeing pink and red roses blooming is like warm fuzzies all over my heart.

Yesterday afternoon, I took a couple of photos of the roses and the gorgeous red leaves on my favorite tree.  I forgot to post a photo for Mandarin Orange Monday, so I turned one of the pink roses to a beautiful peachy orange.  Hmmm, I wonder if there are any orange rose trees?  I  think I would like to have one.  Isn't this pretty?

And here's a shot of those gorgeous red leaves with the sun shining through them.  This tree is such a joy to see.  My Michael loved this tree.  I know he''d be so happy to see how it has grown, and the fiery red display that it gives us each Autumn.

I couldn't sleep much past 2:45 this morning, so I got up and took Pogo out for a sprinkle and then settled down to play on my laptop.  I also made a huge pot of corn chowder.  And yes, I've already had me a big bowl of it.  Mmmm, mmmm. mmm!  I made a lot so that I can share some of it with a couple of the dwarfs.  They do for me, I do for them.

Last evening, Wayne came by and cleaned out my laptop and then installed my new Photoshop.  My goodness, it looked so different!  But then I figured out how to change the color of the background and made it look a bit more familiar.

Of course I had to visit Amazon.com and order me a couple of books to help me learn my way around this new Photoshop.  I could have saved a bit of money by ordering them as e-books, but I find it difficult to be reading an e-book at the same time I'm trying to learn something in a program.  It's so much easier to have the printed page beside the computer so that I don't have to keep flipping back and forth between the program and the e-book.

Later today, I'm going to set up the card table and drag out my holiday gift wrapping stuff.  I want to see piles of gifts all wrapped and tagged.  I also want to get daughter Audreys birthday presents wrapped and boxed.  They need to be in the mail in the next couple of days. 

Did I mention that I got a box in the mail yesterday from Audrey?  It contained two jars of the most expensive (and tasty!) cranapple butter and cranberry sauce.  Audrey's own homemade goodies.  It cost $11.35 to mail that box to me.  I think she likes me.

This morning, while Pogo enjoyed some bologna mixed into a dish of doggie food, I had me cinnamon raisin english muffins slathered with Audrey's Peach Preserves.  Oh my, simply yummy!

Now I have to get dressed and finish washing the dishes.  I have an appointment this morning at the nail salon.  Got to be pretty for Thanksgiving!  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Yeah! The Calendars Are Done!

November 19, 2012

Good morning.  It's 4 a.m. and I'm at work.  I've just finished uploading my new calendar to the printing company but I will have to call them when they open.  I could not figure out how to order the amount that I wanted.  No problem, their customer service is usually pretty good.  In case you are wondering, I use Vista Print.

My holiday cards have already been printed and are in the mail back to me.  In a week, I should have all my calendars too.  Phew!  It feels so good to have that done.  With all the set backs I've had this year, I just couldn't get in the mood to design these items.  But now they are done and I am quite happy with them.

The last couple of days, I been busy backing up my files again.  Wayne is coming by tonight to see why my laptop is so sluggish.  It probably needs to have a lot of junk cleaned out.  When he gets done with that, I can install my new Photoshop and Lightroom.  I saw an ad for Lightroom 4 for $150, but Adobe sent it to me for free with my new version of Photoshop.  Such a nice surprise!

This morning, Su and I are posting Parts 3 & 4 of "Pass The Stuffing Please".  It was fun putting this kit together, and I hope you can make lots of Thanksgiving layouts with it.  Here's my preview.

And here are your download links:

http://www.mediafire.com/?g0891mkf8yws6rh

http://www.mediafire.com/?fpubsk9m298vcka

When you have finished downloading, be sure to stop by Su's website (later in the morning) and pick up her two parts.  Do take a moment to stop and say thank you.  It is so appreciated.  Here's Su's preview.

I got an email from Amazon telling me that my new books have already been shipped to me.  I can't wait for them to get here so that I can start playing with my new tablet.  I ordered me a "Dummies" book and a "Tips/How To" type of book.  It would be oh so nice if the local community college would offer classes on how to use all this new technology.  I'd be first to sign up!

Now I must go check on the Mrs and get my report written.  (Every shift has to write in the log book)  Mrs was in a very good mood so I had a rather good night.  Hopefully later this morning I will have a chance to go to the market and pick up a few food items.  We are all out of doggie food.

That's all the news for now.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a splendid day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Good Morning Jack Frost!

November 18, 2012

Well, the frost was certainly on the pumpkin last night, and on the cars, and the houses, and the trees, and just about everything.  Sad to say, I did not take any photos.  I was too busy warming up my car and cleaning off the windows. 

On my way home this morning, I stopped by a Walgreen's store to buy some bacon that was on sale.  It was a fabulous bargain, but they did not have any.  I asked the clerk about it and he said that they had a run on it at midnight.  Now, either the clerk is a lousy liar, or the local stores buy their merchandise from Walgreen's when it is on sale.  I tend to think that they just did not have the advertised product.

During the night, I spent a few hours going through a lot of my photos, trying to pick out some to use on my new calendar.  So far, I have narrowed them down to about twenty or thirty.  Later, I will narrow them down to twelve.  With a bit of luck, I will be able to get everything uploaded to the printer in the next day or two. 

For breakfast this morning, I made us scrambled eggs and bacon.  This is one of Pogo's favorite meals, and he licked his plate clean.  Of course, this means that he won't want to eat any doggie food for lunch or supper.  He's a very picky kid.

I'm watching the shopping channel on TV as they demonstrate a Bose wireless mobile speaker.  Oh Lordy, it sounds so magnificent!  You can hook your phone, tablet, ipod, laptop, etc up to it wirelessly and listen to your music in glorious sound.  Hmmmm, this is something to think about.  I love listening to music when it sounds good.

For photos this morning, I dug into my archives from back in April.  A woodpecker was having a feast on the Mrs' birdfeeder, so I took these photos through the patio doors.

Now I'm going to take Pogo out for another sprinkle, and then crawl into my toasty little bed for a nice long nap.  Before you know it, it will be time to leave for work again.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

History Can Be Fun

November 17, 2012

Good morning.  It's a bit cool and cloudy, but the sun might still show it's face this afternoon.  I'm sitting here watching a very fascinating TV program about old Hollywood trivia and memorabilia.  (The program is called "History Detectives".)

You know that big famous sign "HOLLYWOOD"?  It originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND".  It was first put up in 1923 to sell real estate.  By the late 1940's, the sign was dilapidated.  It was torn down, and a new one was put up without the last four letters. 

Some fun news, yesterday, I got a package in the mail.  It was the tablet that I had ordered for myself for my birthday.  I got the Nexus 7 by Google.  Now I just have to figure out how to use it.  I went on Amazon and bought me a couple of books to help me learn my way around this new tablet.  I'm hoping to have a lot of fun with it, but we shall see.  As much as I love new tekky  toys, they don't always love me.

Today I have a couple of interesting photos to share that I took this past October.  This first one is a shot of the blue sky peeking through some dark rain clouds.

This next photo was taken (also in October) one afternoon on my way home from work.  I was sitting at a traffic light and noticed some seagulls perched on top of one of the parking lot lamps.  You know me, I just had to photograph them. 

Now I'm going to enjoy watching the "Antiques Road Show".   It is fascinating to see what some of these treasures are worth.   A lady has brought in an advertising piece that she purchased for $32 that is really worth around $3000.  Now that's quite a bargain!

Pogo is getting antsy, so I guess it's time to see about making us some lunch.  I'm thinking we might have hamburgers.  Mmmm, mmm.  On that note I'll leave you.  Till tomorrow,  Y'all take care and have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Fabulous Visit With A Friend

November 16, 2012

Good morning.  I'm at work so I won't be able to chat for very long.  Mrs is asleep but will be waking soon.  I'm not sure what the weather is going to do yet.  On my way to work, the sky was filled with some gorgeous colors, but they disappeared in just a minute or two.  At the moment, the sky is a bit gray.

Yesterday, my friend came to visit and we had a wonderful gabfest, catching up on a lot of years worth of news.  She brought her dog, Zoe, so Pogo had a really nice visit too.  Today, Pogo is here with me because the sitter has to work today. 

It's just as well that he is with me because I have to stop at the bank on my way home this afternoon, and everyone at the bank loves it when I bring him in with me.  Of course, Pogo enjoys all the extra attention too. 

I have a pretty photo of one of the Mrs' roses that is still hanging on.  Later, I'll have to take a few photos of my roses that are still blooming.  This rose should brighten up your morning.

I did not get to work on my calendar last night because I fell asleep.  Luckily, I woke up in time to watch one of my favorite TV programs, "Project Runway All Stars".    After that, it was back to sleep until about 2:45 a.m. when Pogo wanted to go out.  After going outside at that hour, there was no getting back to sleep. 

Now I really must get busy here.  The Mrs is calling for her breakfast.  Pogo is looking for his breakfast too.  And, as I look up, I can see the sky getting brighter, so it's probably going to be a nice sunny day.  That's all for now.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Counting The Weeks Till Spring!

November 15, 2012

It's a bit gray, but not raining.  So far.  It's supposed to get up into the 40's later today, but at the moment is around 35F degrees.  Just a tad bit nippy.  Winter is only five weeks away.  However, the up side is that Spring is less than eighteen weeks away!

Well, I guess I got excited over Pogo's achievements a bit early.  This morning, he has decorated two carpets, a scatter rug, and sprinkled near the potty patch once.  So much for being a good boy.  This potty training thing is going to take quite a long time. 

Today, Pogo will be meeting a new friend.  My friend (whom I haven't seen in so many years) will be here in a few hours, and she is bringing her little dog with her.  This should be fun because her dog is shy, and Pogo gets very excited when he meets a new dog.

Well, the dust bunnies can rest easy now.  I've only managed to evict a few of them.  The rest are safe until my next burst of energy.  It's simple.  Love me, love my dust bunnies. 

 I'm also not the greatest plant waterer.  After killing off my house plants,  (unintentionally)  I bought me a new plant a couple of months ago.  Unfortunately, I keep forgetting to water the poor thing.  All of a sudden I will look at it, and all of it's leaves will be hanging over the side of the pot.  That's when I rush to give it a big drink.  So far, it's still hanging in there.

How about a photo of a cute bird?  Here's a little tufted titmouse that I photographed through the Mrs' patio doors. 

Speaking of birds, I have to get outside and fill up my bird feeder.  Earlier this morning there was only a little bit of food in it.  Outside my window, there must be close to fifty little birds looking for food. 

Now it's time for me to get dressed and put in another load of wash.  Tomorrow is a work day, so I need to finish up a few things today.  Tonight, I will start to seriously work on my calendar.   I'd like to have it finished and uploaded by next week.  

That's all the chatter for today.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Some Days I Sound Like Such A Grinch!

November 14, 2012

Good morning.  The sun is shining, but it is a tad bit cool.  Not quite 40F yet.  Oh dear, the weather lady is talking about the new storm that is on it's way here.  It's looking like lots of rain, hearty winds and flooding just in time for Thanksgiving.  Goodie, goodie.

They're also showing the huge 80 ton tree that has been cut down and is on it's way to Rockefeller Center in New York.  There it will be set up and loaded down with a horrendously shameful amount of lights.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why we have to kill a perfectly good tree, and waste so much electricity on such a huge tree in the name of holiday spirit.

Once all the lights are on the tree, you cannot see the tree.  All you can see is a blaze of lights.  To me, this is sinful.    Pouring all this electricity (and expense) into such a huge tree does not seem right when there are still so many people without electricity from Hurricane Sandy.  I'm not really a grinch, but I can't understand how such waste is supposed to bring hope to folks.  I'm all for a tree with lights, but a much smaller tree with not so many lights.

Such a nice surprise I got yesterday.  I must share it with you.  Pogo has been sneaking out to pee on his potty patch.  Whenever I checked it, it was dry so I'm thinking that he has just started this.  I discovered it because he sprinkled on the wee wee pad that I had on the floor in front of the potty patch.  Such a good boy!  Dare I get excited because he is learning? 

I did not get a lot of sleep during the night, so I finally gave up and turned on my laptop.  The good part of this is that I designed, uploaded and ordered my Christmas cards.   I can't show my new card here just yet because I like it to be a surprise when I mail it out.

Now I have to work on my calendar and updating my address list.  Last night, I was able to get the rest of the November kit uploaded too.  Gosh, this burst of energy is scary.  I might even run the vacuum around later today.  Now that's scary!

I took some photos a couple of days ago to show some of the foliage that we still have.  The tree with yellow and green is at the front of my driveway.  The other tree is my fabulous Japanese Red Maple.  This one always puts on a spectacular color show every year.

Now I want to make some breakfast for Pogo and me.  Afterwards, I think I'll even start wrapping a few gifts and getting them boxed up for the mail.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Could We Maybe Have Another Warm Winter?

November 13, 2012

Good morning.  It's gray and wet outside, but it's warm still.  (low 60's)  I'm not complaining, because I'm hoping we get another winter like last winter.  I only had to fill up with heating fuel five times last winter.  It was a blessing because the cost of fuel is so high.  This winter, if I only have to fill up five times, it will still cost more than $4000 to heat the house.  I don't even want to think what it will cost if we have a "normal" winter.  Groan, groan.

While I'm complaining about the cost of heating oil, I am still thankful that I have a job and am able to heat the house.  There are a lot of folks who do not have jobs or warm houses. 

I have a story to share this morning.  There was an article in last night's newspaper about a lovely lady who lives a few towns over from here.  The headline read:  "Involved to the end:  At 105, she casts her last vote."  She was proud of the fact that she always voted, and even though she resides at a nursing facility, she cast her votes by absentee ballot.  She continued to follow the election news as best she could, and on Election day she passed away.  She would have been 106 in February.  God bless her.

I also have an adorable cartoon to share.  I found it on my daughter Deanne's facebook page.  I just couldn't resist copying it to share here.   I had to laugh, because it is so true.  The stores have already put out their Christmas stock, and we haven't even had our Thanksgiving dinner. 

It would be so nice if the stores would do their advertising and stocking a little closer to the actual holidays and seasons.  We aren't going to spend more money just because they have their goods out so early. 

I'm watching the Weather Channel, and I surely wish whoever is in charge of the weather forecasters' "on camera" wardrobes would try not to have all the women looking so tarty.  Their dresses are so tight that every bump and wrinkle is glaring.  A few times, a couple of the female forecasters were wearing dresses that were not quite so tight, and they looked really nice.  I know, I know.  If I don't like it, I don't have to watch.  Oh well.

Remember all those super sounding promises that the president made when he visited New Jersey and New York right after Hurricane Sandy?  He said I'm going to cut through all the red tape and get you the help you need right away.  Well, a lot of those folks are still without power and heat, and for some, homes.  They don't have the money to stay at hotels, and they are not getting any aid from the government.  Obviously, it's not coming from anywhere else either.  This is just too shameful.  Makes a person wonder what the big promises were all about.

That said, I'm going to see what's for breakfast.  Pogo has been sitting here, waiting patiently for some food.  My friend who was coming today will be coming Thursday instead.  So, after breakfast, I will see about chasing away a few more dust bunnies.  Who knows, I might even get good at this!  (Oh Lord, please tell me I didn't say that!)

That's it for this morning.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

"Pass The Stuffing Please"

November 12, 2012

Good morning.  It's six a.m. and the fog outside is so thick that you can just about see the other side of the side.  I just went out and took a photo to share.  I'm hoping that it burns off soon before I leave work.

Today is also Mandarin Orange Monday and I have a pretty orange photo to post.  This is another photo that I took using my macro converter.   It's a reject photo, but the softness of it struck me as being so pretty.  Sort of mystical looking.  With a little work, it has possibilities of becoming a nice bit of photo art.

Today Su and I will post Parts 1 & 2 of our November collab kit, "Pass The Stuffing Please".  There should be a little something here for everyone to scrap their Thanksgiving and Autumn photos.  Today we give you the Quick Pages, and the next two weeks will bring you the papers and elements.  We hope you like it.  Here's my preview:

And here's your download link:

http://www.mediafire.com/?r6i7mi6en7pa7za

Here's Su's preview.  Later this morning, stop by Su's website and pick up her Parts 1 & 2.  Please take a moment to stop and say thank you.  It really is so appreciated.

I have a bit to do today.  A friend whom I haven't seen in more than twenty years is coming for a visit tomorrow.   We keep in touch but it will be so nice to actually sit and visit with her.  So today I will have to evict a few of my dust bunnies.  They won't like it, but I must do what I must do.  lol.

I've finally decided to look into hiring someone to come in and help with the housework.  I will have to see what it costs, what I can afford, and how often I can have it done.  I don't really like strangers snooping in my house, but it takes too much of my breath to do the work myself. 

Now it's time to check on the Mrs and start packing up my things to go home.  The fog outside is beginning to clear a bit, so the driving will be okay.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

What A Gorgeous Sky This Morning!

November 11, 2012

Good morning.  Wow, what a pretty sky we had early this morning.  A little before 7 a.m. I looked out to see what the weather was like and noticed a sky full of what appeared to be lumpy light gray clouds.  I got my camera to take some photos, but once I was outdoors I realized that the sky had lots of colors in it. 

Have you ever taken the time to really look at the sky and the clouds?  There is so much beauty there, and you can look at it all you want for free.  Imagine that.  Fabulously gorgeous art, and it's free.  All you have to do is look up.  Here's a photo of this morning's sky.  Isn't this beautiful?

I had the White Balance on my camera set on "cloudy".  I don't usually remember to change this setting, but today I remembered.  I find that when I use the proper white balance setting, I get a better photo.  Geesh!  It took me long enough to figure this one out!  I'm thinking I might re-take the digital photography class at our local college.  I'll get more out of the class now that I've learned a bit more about my camera.

Tomorrow, I'll be posting the first two parts of our new collab kit, "Pass The Stuffing Please".  Yup, you guessed.  This fun kit will focus on Autumn and Thanksgiving.  But, you'll have to wait until tomorrow for a preview.

I signed up again to participate in the Secret Santa Soiree.  Last year was my first time, and I really enjoyed it.  This is such a fabulous way to meet new people.  Now I can't wait to see who my secret partner will be. 

Well, that's all the chit chat for this morning.  Tonight is another work night, so I'll be wanting to have me a nap.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

What A Fabulous Package!!

November 10, 2012

We have another beautiful sunny morning here.  A bit crisp (45 degrees F) but still nice.   And what could make it nicer?  A slice of toast (or bread) slathered with home made Cranberry Apple Butter with my coffee.  Mmmm, mmm, mmm.  

Yesterday, the mail lady brought me another package from daughter Audrey.  Oh my, what treats inside!   Here's a photo of the contents of my package.

Audrey loves to cook and has been canning her own fruits and veggies for quite some time.  So here are four delicious jars of Cranberry Sauce, Apple Butter, Peach Preserves, and her own creation "Cran-Apple Butter".   Oh, yum, yum, yum!

 I'm watching the Shopping Channel on TV in hopes of finishing up some of my gift shopping.  Of course, I'm on the list too.  Santa told me to shop early and wisely to make his job a lot easier.  Naturally, I always do what Santa says.  He is always so good to me.  ha ha ha ha.

Today they are featuring the Google Nexus 7 Quad-Core 32 GB Tablet.  It does look pretty good, and it has voice recognition for typing and looking up stuff.  Hmmm, now I have some thinking to do. 

Now it's time to get back to my cartoons. "Peep - The Big Wide World" is on now, and it's a fun (and quite educational) program. I'm just a kid at heart. Every now and then, the Tom and Jerry cartoons will be on, and those are my favorites.

This afternoon, I will run the vacuum and then have a nap.  Tonight is a work night.  I've bundled up the new sale flyers, and tonight I'll read them after the Mrs is asleep.  It's sort of a Saturday night ritual.  Time for me to get busy now.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Good Morning Sushine!

November 9, 2012

Oh beautiful sunshine, it's so good to have you back!  It rained all day yesterday and took away all the snow.  We didn't get all that much snow, though any snow is too much snow for me.  A few towns over got six inches of snow so we really were lucky. 

I took today off from work, and it felt good not to have to get up early and go out.  I did go out earlier with Pogo, but then we could crawl back into out toasty little bed.  I also traded a day during Thanksgiving week with a girl at work.  I will work her Wednesday, and she will work my Friday. 

I have to start thinking about what to cook for Thanksgiving dinner.  Some of the dwarfs will be staying here at home that day, and I always have a dinner for anyone who is home.  I'm leaning towards a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but first I want to make sure that everyone wants turkey. 

Today I am going to make corn chowder.  It's been so many years since I've made it that I won't offer it to anyone until after I taste it.  Funny, I cooked for so many years but got quite spoiled while my brother was living with me.  He was such a great cook and he loved being in charge of the kitchen.  As long as I don't have to bake and frost a cake, the chowder should turn out okay.  lol.

I really have to get serious about making up my Christmas cards and next year's calendar.  Time is flying by, and I really need to have these things already printed by the end of this month and ready for mailing. 

I played around a bit last night with a photo of a tiny rosebud, and I rather like it as a piece of photo art.  I think it's the colors and lines that are so pleasing. 

Now I really must get a move on.  I've procrastinated for so long about doing any housework that it's beginning to annoy me now.  But, I've promised myself lots of playtime on the computer once I make a healthy dent in the household chores.  I also want to box up some of the holiday gifts so that I can stack them in a corner until it's time to mail them.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Surprise Weather

November 8, 2012

My, what a surprise I got during the night and again this morning.  Sometime shortly after midnight, Pogo wanted to go out for a sprinkle so I put on his new rain slicker and out we went.  Into the falling snow!  Everything was being coated with this cold white stuff.  Yuck!

Around 8 o'clock this morning, he wanted to go out again.  This time I put on his new winter jacket, and out we went - into the snow and rain mixed.  Double yuck!  Snow, slush and water everywhere!  This time, Pogo decided that he definitely did not like being out in this mess and would not make any sprinkles. 

So, back in the house we went.  I set him down on his potty patch, hoping for the best, but he definitely does not like that either.  At the moment, we are at a standoff.  I know as soon as I turn my back on Pogo, he will water one of my scatter rugs.  I'm keeping my eye on him.  Winter lasts a long time here.

Yesterday, I took Pogo shopping at Petco.   He picked out a new winter coat, a rain slicker and two new shirts.  I also got him a new collar and harness.  The only thing we did not get was boots.  I might have got some but there were none his size.  Hmmm, maybe I could cut the fingers off a latex glove, and tie one on to each of his legs (like thigh high boots).  I'll have to think about that.

Later, daughter in law, Janet, came by with more birthday goodies for me, and a deeeeelicious birthday cake.  Thank you so much Janet.  Goodness, any wonder why I love her so?  She is always so good to me.  She's also my "photo fun" buddy and a good friend.

Now, I have a question for you.  Does anyone know about a 99 year old Max Factor cover girl?  Some time ago, a friend sent this photo to me.  It intrigued me so I tried Googling it to get more information.  However, I never did find anything about this adorable lady.  Maybe you'll have better luck?  

I think models should reflect what people really look like.  Elderly folks do buy their clothes and accessories in the same stores that "skinny minnies" shop in.  Yet you rarely ever see clothes being modelled by a size 22 gal,  or better yet an 85 year old lady. 

If you pick up a "Big Sizes" clothing catalogue, you will find that the models are tall with fabulous (slim) shapes.   The catalogue gives one the impression that sizes 22 to 28 just refers to how tall you are.  In fact, it has more to do with the width of your waistline, your bustline and your rear end.

I would like to see catalogues for Women's and Women's Petite clothing with photos of the clothes actually being worn by us "normal sized" women.  Especially the petites.  I am between 5' and 5'1" (shrinkage from old age, you know). and would love to see clothes (women's petite) being modelled by someone the same size as me.  Even better for me would be if they were over 70.

I have so many good ideas that I just can't figure out why the White House hasn't asked for my opinions on some things.  Like for instance, a water pipeline,  election by popular vote only, clothing designers and models for larger and elderly ladies, better and less expensive benefits for the elderly, stricter laws for child and animal abuse, etc.  I'm thinking that we really need to get more women into politics and the White House. 

Enough babbling for today.  I have laundry to do and, of course, the dreaded house work.  I can't seem to get rid of this nasty cough, and I'm not looking forward to going out again in this mess to see if I can't get Pogo to do his "stuff" outside.  Oh joy, oh joy.  So till tomorrow, think sunshine and warm weather, and Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Yeah! Maybe Now Things Can Get Back To Normal

November 7, 2012

Good morning everybody.  Well, the election is over and maybe now we can back to normal.  This year, the campaign ads got to be quite invasive on my personal life.  There were constant ads on TV, several phone calls a day (do you believe that?) and tons of redundant literature in my mailbox.  They even made it into emails.  Personally, I find this quite distasteful.  I'm not a stupid person and I don't need these ads pummeled into my brain in order for me to make a choice between the candidates.

For Judy at Aquascrap, we register as either a Democrat, Republican or Independent voter.  I am registered as an Independent so that I can choose whichever candidate I feel is right for the job.  I do not know if Democrats have to vote for Democrats or the same with the Republicans.  Nor do I care.  I think this party crap is quite outdated and restrictive.  Everyone should just vote for the person(s) they feel are best qualified for the job.

Last night I stopped to vote on my way to work, then I stopped at a drugstore to buy a shopping bag full of cough drops.  This cold is making me crazy.  It wouldn't be so bad if the cough and scratchy throat would go away.

Oh goodie.  One of my favorite kiddie programs is on TV now.  I just love "Word World".   It's quite enchanting, fun to watch, and very educational for the kids.  The creativity is amazing.  Do any of you ever watch it?  Isn't it adorable how everything is made out of letters?  Today they are building "st" words. 

Today's shows are so different from when I was a kid and TV was a new invention.  We watched "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" and "Howdy Doody".   Before the TV came along, we would listen to programs on the radio.   I don't think today's kids even realize that radios were used for something other than music.

I have some photos to share this morning.  First, I have a picture of the pretty shell picture that Audrey made for me.  Then I have a nice shot of the beautiful flowers that Deanne brought me.

Next I have a couple of photos that I took of the sky this morning.   Even though it was filled with large gray rain clouds, it was still quite interesting.

 

Can you feel some new textures coming on?  Yup, me too.  First I have to finish working on the next collab kit, then I will do up some texture freebies for you.  Well, that's it for this morning.  Pogo and I have to go out and do a couple of errands.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Election Day 2012

November 6, 2012

Good morning.  I'm not sure why I still call today Election Day.  It is in my state and many others.  However, I understand that there are some states that get to vote much earlier.  Why is this?  If voting is to be fair, we should all be voting on the same day. 

Another thing -- does my vote really count?  It might, and it might not.  Last night's newspaper ran a whole page article on the electoral equation which is - Population Equals Power.  (per the newspaper)  It shows a map of all the states, and each state is colored either green, red or tan. 

There are 22 Green states, having a total of 260 electoral votes.  There are 2 Red states with a total of 6 electoral votes.  There are 26 Tan states with a total of 265 electoral votes.  Washington D.C. has no congressional votes, but was given 3 electoral votes back in 1961.

The different colors explain how the votes are cast. 
The Green states -- Majority winner takes all and electors are legally bound or pledged to vote for a specific candidate.

The Tan states -- Majority winner takes all, but electors are NOT legally bound to vote for a specific candidate.

The Red states -- Two votes go to overall winner of state and remaining votes go to winner of congressional district.   ????  Anyone know why this is???

Washington D.C. -- The paper does not say how these 3 votes go.  Hmmm, I wonder why.

My newspaper is The Patriot Ledger, and all of this information comes from their article.  I'm printing it for those of you who do not know how the voting process works.  I wasn't really too clear until I read this article.  I always used to think that my one little vote was somehow important.  In reality, it isn't all that important.  At least it seems that way.  I think it just sort of gives Congress an idea of which candidate I prefer, but it does not mean that it will count toward electing that person.

The President is not chosen by a nationwide popular vote.  The Electoral College vote totals determine the winner.  It kind of makes you wonder why the TV stations keep posting the peoples' votes all night.  Sort of gives you the idea that the person with the most votes will be your next president.

In the last 200 years, more than 700 proposals have been introduced in Congress to reform or eliminate the Electoral College.  It has been called "archaic" and "ambiguous".  Obviously Congress is quite happy with it just the way it is.

YES, I will go out today and vote.  Who knows?  Someone I vote for just might make it into office.  And yes, I encourage others to vote.  Although I have to say that I am very unhappy with the way this campaign has been run.  I also don't understand why the two parties had to hold conventions this year.  Each party was only offering one candidate, so a vote to pick a candidate was not necessary. 

I wonder how many storm victims could have been fed, clothed and put into new housing with the tens of millions of dollars that each party spent on campaign advertising and travel.  It's shameful.

Now that I've chewed your ear off, how about a photo.  Can any of you identify what this is?

Can you see what looks like curly rings with little gems bezel set into them?  Some of them would make really pretty wedding rings.  Give up?  This is what is left when the rose dies and all the petals have fallen off.  Just a bit of fun I'm having with this macro conversion lens.

Now I think it's time for me to get dressed and take myself to the voting poll.  Well, maybe I'll have another cup of coffee first.  Then I'll go.  Happy voting everyone.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Fabulous BIrthday!

November 5, 2012

Good morning.  It's a bit cloudy, and a tad bit on the cool side this morning.  Brrrr!  Yesterday was a really nice birthday.  I had a fabulous visit with Dee and Eddie and my great grandchildren, Jack and Lilah.  They brought me some gorgeous flowers and beautiful cards, and Pogo had such a fun time playing with the kids. 

 During the afternoon, Pogo and I had a nice nap, and to finish off the day, Joe cooked us a very tasty chicken dinner.  Audrey called to say that packages were in the mail.  I just love getting packages!  So with calls and visits and a lot of well wishers, my day was fabulous!

Today I have a photo for Mandarin Orange Monday.   I find this one quite interesting.  Can you tell what it is? 

I had to look it up on Google, and I'm still not quite sure if this is the Stamens or part of the Pistol.  A great horticulturalist, I'll never be!   Any input from you will be welcome.   Here's a copy of the original photo.  (I took this with my new macro toy)

This week I'll be rather lazy in hopes that my cold will go away.  They say that sleep is good for curing colds and such, and I'm hoping they are right.  Of course, being laid up is putting me way behind with my Holiday projects. 

I still have photo class assignments to get caught up with, and the dust bunnies are beginning to gang up on me.  Speaking of bunnies, there is one little bunny who comes out to nibble on things in my yard at night time.  I suppose it feels a bit safer once darkness settles in.

Now I'm going to  hop back undermy cozy blanket on the sofa and watch some cartoons.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.