Guess Who's Two?

That's right! My little lady-bug; Judith Evelyn Baber!

What a wonderful gift for me, to be a grama!

Thank you; Michele and Jason for the most wonderful grand-daughter I've ever had! ;)

I Love You All!

Grama.

This Must Mean...

It's time for chicken soup! If I were to make it like good ol' Mom; I'd just open up a can, but you all know--that's so not me! Even my intention to just assemble a simple soup mushroomed into something a bit more complex. What can I say; cooking is my therapy. I made some biscuits using a recipe from Diane's Place. MMMMMM-MMMMM!

I don't know about you; but when it's doing this outside,



it's a good day to make a mess of the kitchen!




First, I boil up a whole chicken. Then I cut up the available veggies, and saute and season them in my dutch oven.






Next, I strain the stock and add it to the veggies.




It turns out different everytime, but this method gets the job done!

Soup's on!

;)

Back in the Land of Darkness and Northern Lights

So, I returned to Alaska on Friday after a convoluted flight with delays and an extended lay-over with an unexpected hotel stay in Phoenix. Nice room; no clean undies or female sundry thingies. I know; TMI!!! Anyway; needless to say in addition to being sick the last four days of my trip with a chest cold, I can't think of a more crappy way to cap my visit home. I made it alive (barely) and in relatively one piece.

I have some pics from my trip and a few videos to share. I'll post those in the coming days.

It's great to see K. and very strange to find that Joey is truly gone. Knowing something in your mind and realising it in the heart are two different matters indeed. I've been a bit marney the last few days; still expect to see him sneaking up onto the bed, or practicing his "not begging" routine beside the dining room table; drooling all the while, not making eye-contact. There will never be another Joey.

As for seeing the kids and Judy-bug; I had a great visit! My, how quickly time flashes by. I'm getting so old. I still think that I'm in my late thirties, but my body is letting me know that I'm definitely nearing fifty. I am really going to start an exercise regimen this week. No waiting until the New Year. I want to be around for my great-grandkids! Can't do that without taking care of myself; besides I don't think that I'll survive the a**-chewing I will receive from my kids if I don't! ;)

A Little More...

K. has written a beautiful homage to my friend here.

When You Least Expect...

The old "That's the way things go" hits you SMACK in the face. Or rips your heart right out of your stupid, unsuspecting, happy-on-vacation little chest.

Yesterday evening, a week to the day that I left Alaska for a much anticipated visit home; Joey passed from this world. The thing that makes it hard for me is that he was all alone. Sometime between the time K. left for work at 5:00 P.M. and midnight he died in his sleep. K.'s cousin found him on the floor in front of the fireplace when he stopped by to check on the dogs on his lunch-break.

Joey has been with us for the entire time that K. and I have been together. I remember K. building a kennel for him before we were an official couple. I met K. and acquired Joey in the same month.

He would have been 10 years old in January.

I know he has a super deluxe doggie condo with the most awesome Frisbee supply and the best in-house harmonica player.

We miss him so much already.

If I had only known...


Rest easy, my Best Puppy.

January 2000-October 23, 2009.

:{

I Made It!

Well, I'm finally here!

I arrived with K.'s Mom in Albuquerque on Saturday after what could be deamed as an interesting flight (but that's a story for another post!)

The sun is shining and the sky is SO blue! The temps were in the high 70's (HAWT!!!) It's spectacular. My kids and grandbaby are so cute!

I will have some of my own photos and possibly videos in the future, so check back in a couple of days.

In the meantime; check out this blog to see why I love New Mexico (beside the fact that my kiddos live here!)

=o]

So nice!

What The Hell Am I Doing?

Have you ever wondered why you don't seem to accomplish anything?

Lately, everything I attempt turns to crap! I can't get a handle on any sort of a routine. I can't even find my arse with both hands; let alone any one else's! I just feel worthless and minuscule, and totally ineffective.

I know there are many folks with much worse matters to attend to than I; but I haven't even been enjoying cooking. That is usually the one thing that relaxes me, and where I can let the creative juices fly! Sorry for that stupid, lame metaphor; but as I pointed out earlier, I kinda suck right now. I don't even seem to even have time to lurk at my favorite blogs, so I can't blame teh innertubes for distracting me from my duties. I feel tired and stressed, and I have an annoying rash on my hips and shoulders that is about to drive me over the edge! I'm even going to have to wedge a doctor appointment in there somehow. Have I mentioned that I hate doctors?

Wel; thanks for letting me bend your ear. It's good to be able to vent once in a while!

Now, if you'll excuse me; I think I left my shoes in the freezer!