January 31, 2015

Fashion over the years...



Pants under dresses or skirts? I think nearly all of us were guilty of this at one time or another...

 

But now I couldn't think of wearing a dress without some kind of trousers underneath. It's High Fashion, and Low Fashion, and everything in between.

 

Camouflage was the fashion statement of choice for nearly a decade...



And I'm still wearing camouflage, of a sort.

 

January 29, 2015

Zadok is once again becoming the lively, vigorous little boy you all remember. He isn't quite sure about solid foods yet, but he's getting there. His favorites so far are a gourmet spinach apple blend and a painstakingly  prepared apricot sauce.

January 17, 2015

Here is how you make a butterfly to hang from an Easter tree, decorate a birthday card, or, as I did, make a mobile for a fussy baby. This design is brought to you courtesy of me and "Coral." 

 Fold your square piece of paper in quarters.

 Turn the folded triangle so the two folded edges face you, then cut three slits starting at the wide (open) end and moving toward the point.

Cut off the tip.

 Open out your square again and it should look like this:

Fasten opposite strip corners together alternately. Double sided tape would be ideal for this.

The finished "pre-butterfly" shape should look like this from the side:

And like this from the top:

Press all the taped corners together thus, and fasten in place with a thin band of paper and more tape.

Attach the butterfly body on this band with another  piece of tape. You could draw on the eyes, but googly eyes are a big plus. I sacrificed the last but two of my stick-on googly eyes for this project.

So there you have it. The finished butterfly...

...And the finished mobile. Kind of cool, if I say so myself. Zadok likes it too.

January 13, 2014

Zadok enjoys his toys from the comfort of his luxurious "Please Don't Throw Up" throne. He's not quite 100% but he's feeling a whole lot better, and seems to be more alert and energetic every day.  Thanks for all the prayers!

January 11, 2014

For your listening pleasure, my year 2014 in song lyrics:

Green and yeller, green and yeller,

Oh Mother, be quick, I'm gonna be sick

And lay me down to die...

There's a holy host of others standing round me

But still I'm on the dark side of the moon

And I know that it goes on like this forever

You must forgive me...

If I've gone to Carolina in my mind...

Belladonna lingers, her gloves don't have no fingers...

Calling America, that's what she said to do

Calling America, that's where she has to be...

Another one bites the dust, yeah, another one bites the dust,

And another one's gone and another one's gone,

Another one bites the dust...

You gotta know when to hold 'em,

Gotta know when to fold em'

Gotta know when to walk away

And know when to run...

Here's a first rate opportunity

To get married with impunity

And indulge in the felicity of unbounded domesticity...

Well the nine-pound hammer is a little too heavy

For my size, honey, for my size...

Too late, my time has come,

Sends shivers down my spine, my body's aching all the time...

And the last laugh, Baby, is yours...

Now I can see the dawn arrivin'

Finally see beyond the road I'm drivin'...

Well the winters drive you crazy and the fishing's hard and slow,

You're a damn fool if you stay but there's no better place to go...

Last week a premature blast went off and a mile in the air went big Jim Goff...

There was shouting in the street

And the sound of running feet,

And I asked someone who said,

“'Bout a hundred cops are dead...”

You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table,

There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done...

When the gun smoke settles we'll sing a victory tune,

And we'll all meet back at the local saloon...

Stand fast.

January 3, 2015

Here is my recipe for Cornmeal Pancakes, a new favorite--almost as good as Tasty Wheat! They are best eaten when very hot and still crisp around the edges.

1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Cornmeal
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2-2 Cups Milk
1 TBSP Oil

January 1, 2015

Happy 2015 to one and all! 2014 was a wonderful year, full of joy and surprises, and I'm thankful I got to spend exactly half of it with most of you.

Some 2014 highlights...

A season of rest and rehabilitation in the States, and quality time with the Fam...

A Very Important Wedding...( I know this is an engagement picture, but I didn't have any wedding pictures)...

Zadok...

Did I mention ZADOK?

A long awaited return to Kabul and a chance to reconnect with friends...

Snatch up what bits of social life there are left to us (don't worry, I'm not dropping Zadok)...

Enjoy fun times a a family...

And celebrate with our team. What a year it has been!