February 29, 2008

Crazy Ivy

I think the ivy plant in my office is trying to escape. It's climbing the walls. I'm not sure what it's clinging to, but it's kind of fun to look at. I'm waiting for it to reach the ceiling to see what it will do next.

And yes, those are 3 year old candy canes in that snowman mug.

It's snowing.

It's snowing again. Although I have to say, it has been a quiet winter here in CNY. I've only used the snowblower 3 times since the New Year. (I used it a bunch in December though...) That's not much for CNY standards. We've only had 85" of snow so far this year. But there's still plenty of winter left. We're in the midst of a storm right now, so who knows how much that will bring when it's over. I stopped off on my way home tonight at the lake and snapped a photo with my new camera. It was so peaceful and quiet there.

And the Oscar goes to...

Ummm... I have no idea! I didn't see a single one of the movies up for any award. Not a one. Usually I have at least seen one in the 'Animated Feature' category. But not this year. I wanted to see Juno, but I haven't yet. The others, I've barely even heard of. And I hadn't heard of most of the actors/actresses either. I'm really out of touch I guess! Maybe I'll catch them on DVD when they are released... I think I still need to catch up from last years winners first though. Who won best picture last year??

Gone With the Wind

Frankly my dear Scarlet, you were kind of a piece of junk. So, I'm taking little Scarlet back to the store. She was awfully cute, but she definitely didn't stack up to the former Elph. Soooo... I broke down and replaced the beloved Elph with another Elph.

This is identical to my other one, except it's a wee bit smaller and the megapixels are more than double what my old one was. Plus the display on the back is much larger which is nice. I found it on sale at BJs for $154. They're usually more than $200. So I grabbed it. I'll return Scarlet one day this week. I packed her all up, she's ready to leave.

Scarlet

I bought a new camera! I'm naming her Scarlet. She's not really red, not really pink. Somewhere in between. I got it at Target. On sale for $99. I couldn't pass it up. It has an adorable little carrying case, that I can attach to my pocket or pants if I want. It fits perfectly in my small purse too. Here's a photo of Scarlet:



A couple of things I was looking for, aside from the compact size, was that it took an SD card. (I have several from the Elph.) Which it did. It also has an internal battery with a nice a/c charger. And I was loving the price. It was on sale from $149. It seems a little more fragile and light-weight than the Elph, so I think I'll need to be more careful with it. I'm not so sure it would survive a fall. (RB, stay away from this one!)

I have yet to take a photo and import it to my computer yet though. The battery is currently charging. I played with the one on display at Target and it seemed easy enough. I'll post some photos later.

Weekend Update

Boy, the week just zoomed by! It was a quiet week, especially at home. Alex has been away during his February vacation, so it was very quiet here without him. I think Jenny missed him too. If I even mentioned the name "Alex", she would head for the door... He returns tomorrow, so Jenny will be relieved. So will I.

Today I'm going to continue the camera search. I discovered the reviews on that Kodak weren't the best and you have to buy an A/C adapter separately to charge the camera. It's not included. That's weak. I think I'm going to go see what Wal-Mart has today. And maybe Target.

Last night Eric & I watched "The Brave One" with Jodie Foster. It was pretty good. Lots of violence. I also have "Little Miss Sunshine" to watch today.

Should be another quiet weekend here. I can't believe March 1st is next Saturday! Wow. The winter is almost over....

Say Cheese!

I started the search for a replacement for the Elph. I'm not looking to spend much, but I don't want a piece of garbage either. We went to Sears this evening to see what they had and this one caught my eye... it was on sale for $119. I saw it on the Target website for $129.

It's not spectacular, but it would certainly fill my needs. (Photos for the blog/email and small enough to fit in my purse...) So that's really all I'm looking for. If I need good photos of something, I'll have Eric the Photographer take them! I'll keep looking for a couple of days and probably decide this weekend.

On my way to work today, I was sporting the sunglasses and noticing how brown everything was. Yes, brown. Not white. There was no snow on the ground. In February. It was wonderful. I got to thinking that since March is next week, maybe we're almost done with winter! Boy, was I wrong. As we were leaving the mall tonight, it started snowing. It's been snowing for the last 2 hours now. The car is tucked safely in the garage and the heat is turned up. I'm getting ready to go get cozy under the covers and finish watching American Idol.

Oh, but first I have to give RB an official "Happy Birthday!". I didn't update the blog yesterday and should have said it then! Here's a photo from our celebratory lunch at Rico's.... Happy Birthday!!

RIP Little Elph

My fun little Canon Elph has taken its last pictures. This is a photo of my office. Well, at least that's how the Elph now sees it. It's over 4 years old and it has been a very good camera to me. But now I think it's time to let him go. Thanks for all the memories!

I stopped to buy another lottery ticket today and almost got carded again. This time by a younger woman. So I don't think she was trying to score points with me! She looked at me and said "Are you old enough to buy this?" To which I replied, "I'm more than twice old enough to buy this..." She looked at me and said I was lucky that I looked so young. Well, maybe I look a little bit younger than 39, but younger than 18?? What is wrong with these people??

Busy Weekend!

I had a busy weekend. I sent Alex off with his grandparents on Saturday. He's spending the week in NH, with plans of snowmobiling. He left with a minor cold, I hope it doesn't turn into anything more serious!

The rest of the weekend was spent with Eric. We went to dinner, watched a movie, and did LOTS of shopping. Eric is a very good shopper. I like that about him. Not many men will voluntarily spend an entire Sunday afternoon in the mall. :)

Back to reality today. It's Monday!

I got carded!

For buying lottery tickets!! I thought the guy was joking, but he didn't seem to be. I asked for 3 Mega-Millions quick picks and he looked at me kind of funny. Then he asked to see an ID. I looked stumped and asked him to repeat his question. He wanted to see my ID. So I laughed and handed it to him. He looked at my birth date and then he too laughed. He handed it back and said, "You certainly don't look it!"

I was kind of flattered, but I noticed the coke bottle glasses he was wearing and thought maybe he might need a prescription update. Or maybe he was trying to score some points with a cute customer. (Heh heh) But no, I think he just needed new glasses.

Oh well. It made me laugh. Hopefully I'll be laughing all the way to the bank after I win the lottery!

Bloat.

Yesterday for lunch I got a Taco Bell Fiesta Platter. I was hungry at the time and the commercials had me sold. I was shocked at just how huge this thing was! It included a "Grilled Stuft Steak Burrito", refried beans, seasoned rice, chips and a side of chunky salsa. I loved every single thing on the platter. Unfortunately, I was "stuft" after the burrito, but was able to squeeze in most of the beans and rice. There was no room for the chips and salsa.

I looked up the nutritional value after I ate my lunch and was surprised that the calorie and fat count wasn't as high as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it was still quite high! The total calorie intake was 1,160. And the fat content was 46 grams. Now since I didn't eat the chips and salsa, I'm thinking maybe it was a teeny bit less... but probably not much.

The good news about this lunch was that it filled me so much I didn't eat dinner. Or breakfast this morning. Not that I usually eat breakfast. But the point is, I was still full.

Happy Heart Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope you get to spend a little time with loved ones today. I made fun heart shaped pancakes for Alex and cut heart shaped apple pieces too. He loved it. He even volunteered to clear the snow and ice off my car off this morning! Happy Valentine's Day to me!!

Yum-O!

I found a fun recipe for what I'm now calling "Spinach Cups". I made a few variations and made it my own.

Here's the recipe:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup sour cream

1/8 cup cream cheese

1/8 cup parmesan cheese

Handful of shredded Mozarella cheese

1/2 package of frozen spinach, thawed & drained

1 package of Crescent Rolls

Pre-heat oven to 375.
Mix together all the ingredients except the Crescent Rolls. Set aside. Take the package of Crescent Rolls and separate into 6 squares. (Just press together the perforations.) Use a 6-cup ungreased muffin pan. Press one square into each muffin cup. Fill each crescent with spinach filling. Bake in oven for 9-11 minutes or until edges are nicely browned. Makes 6 Spinach Cups.

These were SOO good and so easy to make. Even my son loved them. Although he likes most everything, but still, he loved them too. Next time I'm going to use a mini-muffin pan and make them bite-sized for appetizers. And perhaps double the recipe for a larger group. This was a perfect amount for just the 2 of us.

So I got a call from the Vet today. Apparently Jenny needs to be on a new diet. Her food is giving her kidney stones. Or something like that. I didn't really understand it. She's got crystals forming in her pee. And he suggested a "Urinary Diet". I don't have the details yet (he left a message), but tomorrow I'll call back and find out what she's allowed to eat. I'm guessing caramel corn and peanut butter crunch won't be on the list...

We're in the midst of another winter storm. I imagine I'll be up early to snow-blow the driveway. I wonder if there will be school...

Monday Madness

Today was a crazy day. Work seemed unusually busy and it didn't help matters that I had to leave in the middle of the day to take Jenny to the Vet and then race back to work to finish things up.

This photo is the giant "order" of gift baskets I got first thing this morning. They're for a sales conference tomorrow. Included is a nice Grey's Anatomy travel mug, NC9 t-shirt, the '08 Weather Calendar and a local restaurant gift certificate. I had to buy supplies for the basket assembly, then had about an hour to complete the task. I've become quite the gift basket maker as of late. It started out as a one-time thing a few years back. Just making one basket for a silent auction. Then it became a couple of baskets here and there. Now I do about 3-4 a month it seems. For some event or other. This was definitely the biggest request yet. Maybe I should start a side business...

The vet visit was fun today. (Not really.) I wore my black wool coat. That was a huge mistake. I still haven't gotten all the dog hair off of it. Jenny indeed has a UTI and was given some anti-biotics. I was shocked at the bill. I'm still shocked at the bill. I'm now in search of pet insurance. If a simple UTI cost me over $200, I hate to think what it will cost if something serious were to happen to her! If anyone knows of any good pet insurance, please let me know!!

It's a Good Day for Baking

Brrrr! It's 8 degrees outside. And lake effect is on its way. It's been a perfect afternoon to bake. I made a Pear-Apple Crisp, Oatmeal Cookies and then a nice Chicken Stroganoff for dinner.

The Pear Apple Crisp came from my Taste of Home magazine. (I love this magazine!) Here is the recipe. I have never thought to use a can of apple pie filling for a crisp. I usually slave over peeling and cutting apples. We were all in agreement that the homemade crisp is better, but this was a nice, easy alternative.

The Oatmeal Cookies came from my Betty Crocker cookbook. I added a nice twist to the traditional recipe. Instead of 1 1/2 cup of oats, I used 3 packets of apple-cinnamon oatmeal and a cup of plain oats. It added just a perfect amount of apple-cinnamon flavor. Very nice! I would definitely make these again.

For the Chicken Stroganoff, I used another Taste of Home recipe. The only difference was that I added a can of Cream of Chicken soup instead of the chicken broth & flour. It was just easier and we love the taste of the Cream of Chicken soup. (I also left out the bacon.) This is a great comfort food for a cold evening. And I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow!

3rd Time is a Charm

It took 3 tries to successfully get a pee sample from the dog. I was truly expecting to have no success at all. But perhaps I didn't give her enough credit.

The first attempt took place early this morning. Still dressed in my orange and red flannel jammie bottoms, slippers and a bright orange fleece, I had Jenny by the leash in one hand and a little tin pie pan in the other. It was cold and flurries were in the air. She was not happy that I was following her so closely. She took a very long time to get down to business and kept looking at me with a "What do you want??" look in her eyes as I continued to follow her around. She finally went, but I was far too slow on the draw and only got a couple of drops in the pan.

The second time we had better success. I decided to wait until she had to go REALLY bad so we wouldn't be out so long. (It's cold out there!) It was a good plan as she went fairly quickly, I was much smoother on the pan-slide under the rear-end trick and managed a teaspoon or so.

We still needed a little more, so I tried a 3rd time. I was right there with the pie pan as she began her squat. I got several tablespoons worth of specimen and we were officially done.

Hopefully all she has is a UTI, we will get some anti-biotics and be on our way. I'm sure my neighbors will appreciate not having to see me traipsing around the backyard in my orange plaid jammies chasing the dog.

In other news, Alex emerged this morning wearing his Laurence Maroney jersey. I do believe the official mourning period is over. He simply stated "It's time." That it is.

How to Collect a Urine Sample from a Dog

I never thought in a million years this would ever be a concern for me. But the day has arrived. I need to somehow retrieve a clean urine sample from my dog. I noticed yesterday that she had some blood in her pee. (Thankfully there is snow on the ground, otherwise this would have gone undetected!) I called the vet today to make an appointment and they requested that I bring in a sample of her urine.

Now that certainly is easier than it sounds! Especially if you have a dog like mine. She's very skiddish. The moment I so much as bend down for the collection process, she will jump away. I have been looking online for help.

Here's what ehow.com suggests:

"Wait for the right moment and spring into action. If you have a female dog, consider standing behind her, out of view, and sliding a saucer under her as she squats."

Ha ha ha! Yeah. That's gonna happen.

Here's what another website suggests, complete with illustration:


"Try using an aluminum pie pan attached to a broomstick handle. Simply place the pan in the urine flow..."

Simple. Right! Well, wish me luck everyone! And if you have any advice, please feel free to share. I sure hope the vet has other ideas when I show up on Monday empty-handed...

Grease Monkey

I got an oil change on my lunch break today. I headed over to the Valvoline Instant Oil Change near the place that I work. I like them. They get you in and out usually within 20 minutes. Today was no different in that regard. However, the experience with one of the attendants annoyed me to no end. Her name was Dawn. My biggest problem with her was when she came by to greet me and find out what service I needed. This is pretty much how the conversation went:

Dawn: Hi.
Me: Hi. I'd like an oil change, please.
Dawn: Ok. (She grabs a pamphlet.) Um, we have this really good synthetic oil. (She points to the picture of the can of oil on the top of the chart.) Would you like to have that? It's $69.99.
Me: That's ok. I'd just like to have the cheapest oil please.
Dawn: Oh. Well, the synthetic oil is the best. How much driving do you do?
Me: I really just want the cheapest oil.
Dawn: Because I do a lot of stop and start driving and I would really recommend this synthetic oil.
Me: That's ok. What's the cheapest oil that you have?
Dawn: (Looking at the pamplet.) Um, we have this other semi-synthetic oil. It's also very good. (She points the the 3rd can of oil on the list.) This one is $49.99.
Me: Is that your cheapest?
Dawn: Um, no. We don't really recommend that one.
Me: You don't recommend your cheapest oil?
Dawn: Uh, no. We don't really recommend using that one.
Me: What's wrong with it?
Dawn: Oh, nothing. It's our conventional oil.
Me: Isn't that what I've used every other time I've come here?
Dawn: (She turned to look at my chart.) Um, yeah. (Giggle) But I would really have to recommend that you use a synthetic oil.
Me: How much is the conventional oil?
Dawn: $31.99
Me: I'll take that.
Dawn: Ok...

Later she brought over my mostly white air filter and tried to get me to spend another $21.99 on a new one. My car is only 18 months old. I think the air filter was just fine. I also believe that the conventional motor oil is perfectly fine. I have a simple 4-cylinder vehicle. I don't need fancy, expensive oil. And besides, if it really wasn't any good, then they wouldn't be selling it.

Poconos Here We Come!

It seems that our once reliable realtor on the Cape has fallen into disarray. Every week they call us with bad news about our cottage rental. "It isn't for rent anymore... how about another one instead... you're all set... oops, no, that one's been rented out from under you... oh, how about the original cottage, they seem to magically be renting again... "

Well, we've grown tired of the stress and being jerked around. So we're done with them. We loved it there, but someone is obviously trying to tell us something. So we're going to the Poconos instead! There's a lovely home on Lake Naomi that has our name written all over it. We'll sign the papers today and get them in the mail. Here is a photo of our new summer "home."

We think it will be perfect for the kids. They have a community center on the lake with 3 pools, (indoor and outdoor), game room, tennis courts, basketball courts, hot tubs, a lounge, a restaurant, oh and did I mention that it's on a lake? And the house comes with a fun row boat! Alex will love going fishing. It's also only about an hour from my parents house, so they can come for dinner sometime! I think it sounds perfect.

Vote for Jenny!

It's Super Tuesday here in NY. And in honor of Super Tuesday, I have an election for you! The choice is easy here, no issues at stake, no party lines to cross and you don't even have to leave your seat. It's the "Bissell Vacuum Most Valuable Pet Photo Contest". And our little Jenny has been entered. (Along with 15,000 other pets...) Anyway, all you have to do is follow THIS LINK and vote for Jenny. Click on the "J-M" link and look for "Jenny". She's number 1903. If we win, we will get a new vacuum! And with all the hair that this little dog sheds, I am in dire need of one. So please help!! You can only vote once per name/email. So please pass the word to anyone and everyone that you know. Voting lasts for a week. Thanks!!

Ouch.

That hurt. I'm not sure which was more difficult, the loss or having to pick up a sobbing, hysterical Alex off the floor to take him home.

Good game Giants and congratulations on your win. And as a seasoned Red Sox fan, I just have to say "There's always next year!" Good season. We'll get 'em next time. On an up note, we had a terrific time at the party we went to. Our hosts were wonderful. Alex even won a prize in the "squares" game. I'll post some photos later...

15 days until baseball players report to Spring Training!

Update: Here are the photos from the Super Bowl party.

Super Sunday!

It's finally here! Super Bowl Sunday. Pre-game has already started. I made cookies for the party. Decorated the plate of cookies with little Patriots/Giants flags. (Thanks for the idea Amy!) I washed my Patriots shirt. I think we're ready to go!

.

GO PATRIOTS!!

Iced

Yesterday was quite a weather day. I think we had a little bit of everything. Except sunshine. As I drove home last night, I was noticing all the trees were covered in ice. This is from the tree in our front yard. I thought for sure we would lose power because it was supposed to rain/freeze/snow all night. But thankfully that didn't happen. Temperatures are hovering around 32-34 degrees. Hoping it stays above freezing and the ice will melt from the trees. The driveway is a mess though. I didn't think the ice/water/sludge would go well through the snow blower. I will have to get out and shovel it today.

Big weekend ahead... This afternoon, Eric & I are going to his sister-in-law's house to help celebrate her birthday. And tomorrow is the BIG DAY! Super Bowl Sunday. We've been invited to a fun Super Bowl party! I believe that both sides will be well represented. Should be an interesting evening! I'm sure I will have photos and stories. Go Patriots!!

Freezing Rain Friday

All schools are closed. I can hear the freezing rain/sleet on the windows, and it's coming down pretty hard. I'm thinking this might be a very long day! I hope we don't lose power. Good luck driving out there everyone! At least it's Friday.

Last night was day 4 of "Turn off the TV week. Alex and I watched a travel video about Ireland. (Destination Travel Guide: Ireland) Ian Wright was our "host". I love his travel videos, he's such a goof. Alex really relates to him too. And he really has a lot of fun with his travels. Alex now wants to ride a bicycle in the rain down a beaten path through Southwest Ireland. Hopefully someday we'll get to Ireland to fulfull his new dream...