YOU KNOW DASHER AND DANCER AND PRANCER......

But do you know these Reindeer??
It's the PSMWG's of course

P-PATTI, S-SHEILA, M-MARY ELLEN, (ME), W-WINNIE, G-GLORIA.
Saturday, was another fun gathering of my best buds.
We went to Cozumel's, a local Mexican Restaurant. And we had a "couple" of
Margaritas.... okay.. it was a couple of pitchers!.
Gloria, brought us Reindeer Antlers. Another fun thing to add to my growing "PSMWG" collection.
We headed back to my apartment, just about a mile up the road. And sat, had desert and coffee. Lots of fun as always!

I THINK I LOST MY MO JO....
My ART Mo Jo..... I haven't produced anything since last February. yes.. I've done some doodling, I even made 2 Prim dolls. But It seems my creative juices have all dried up.
Today, I sat at my art table, anxious to spend the day doing ART. I couldn't think of anything exciting to make. Everything I thought about making, didn't thrill me. Or, I wasn't in the mood to start the process whatever it was.
help.
I think the fact that the clock is ticking, and the day is slipping away, made me feel anxious, that I wasn't taking advantage of the day and I needed DO SOMETHING QUICKLY! before the day was gone, and I regret not making SOMETHING. I pulled out some paper, and colored pencils, and a technical pen... More doodles.
Now it's almost 5 p.m. and the "meat of the day" is pretty much gone. My "window" to sit and leisurely do art, is closing.
I don't have much creative juices during the week. When I get home from work, I want to do nothing. It's like my brain is fried from work, and can't focus on ART. So 5 days a week, are usually ART-less.
leaving only the weekends.. or just one weekend day, if I have to work the other.. to do art.
I have so many ideas but I can't focus on which to do... and end up doing nothing!
I wanted to make some Christmas ornaments, or gifts. But I have no good ideas.

The daylight is quickly disappearing. I sit and look at all my art supplies.. hoping one will "speak" to me.
nothing.
Okay.... I will just let another perfect day go by, and hope that my Mo Jo comes back soon.. : (

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Hope your Thanksgiving will be just the way you like it!

Mine, will be spent at home with my kids, Eddie, Jamie & Allison, And friends, Gloria & Laure.

I'll be cooking (our family's) traditional Dinner:
Turkey, Italian Sausage Stuffing, Mountains of Mashed Potatoes, and a Gallon of Giblet gravy. Corn, Candied sweet Potatoes, Crescent Rolls & Pumpkin and Cream pies.... and
a few extra goodies!




One of my most favorite smells, is my kitchen, when I'm making Thanksgiving dinner. I also love the way the windows steam up.
(I read last year's post.. and mentioned the very same things..yes.. I really love it that much!)

The Thanksgiving weather forecast for Northeast Ohio....

Temps. in the low 40's with a chance of rain or snow showers. November has been unseasonably mild!.. in the low 50's.. we even had a couple of 70's in the beginning of the month! We've actually made it thus far.... with nary a snowflake!... this is remarkable! and almost unheard of 'round these parts this time of year and I am very THANKFUL for that!! I just looked at last years pictures...... We had SNOW right before Thanksgiving....ugh.

I love this picture of my mom, Mary, carving a Turkey.

Her maiden name was "Cook"... and she certainly was an awesome cook! The family recipes we all love so much, were hers. And her Italian Sausage stuffing recipe is "coveted" in our family! For the record, and in case my sister Susan is reading...... SAGE GOES IN THE STUFFING.. NOT PAPRIKA.... : )....yes... it's an inside joke.

I miss my mom.. and her cooking. She passed away at age 57 (yes, very young) in 1983

I also miss saving the Turkey Legs & Wings for my Dad. I think he was the only one who liked the dark meat! and I miss my dad. He passed away at age 74, in 1993.

But they're always in my heart, and not a day goes by that I don't think of them.

I am very, very brave.. for posting the last photo... gulp... of me..

dressed.. as a PILGRIM........ omg.. I need more wine.....!

My mom, thought it would be "just adorable" to dress me up... take pictures of me basting the turkey.. and posing at the table.... omg!!!

lol.. She wanted to send the photos to her mom, who had just moved to Alabama.

It never dawned on me to "object" and say "NOOOO WAYYY!"

My siser Rita hand made the whole costume! Sure.. SHE didn't have to wear the damned thing! LOL..

So, have a good laugh, be THANKFUL it wasn't you.

I am up wayyy too late as always....... I was in bed, till Jamie called.. and now I'm wide awake.

She and I will be making the stuffing Wednesday night. It's "our" tradition! and we've been doing it together for about the past 10 years.

So... I have a lot to be thankful for. Family, friends, health a job.. (even though I hate it)..... I am blessed in so many ways.

I hope you have a wonderful day, with the ones you love, wear "stretchy" pants, and enjoy your leftovers!.. Bless you!

LEGAL AGAIN... :)

Hello out there!

Hope all is well.
I've just been doing my usual nothing. Work, sit, eat, sleep.

My friend Teri, turned me on to ZENTANGLES.
What's a Zentangle?... I think they're little doodles, with repetitive patterns. I've been doing this kind of doodle art my whole life, never knew they had a name. There's a cool Zentangle group on Flickr, and a whole Zentangle.com website.
They're fun to do, and relaxing too.
I guess most, are kept in a small format like a tile size?.. but I think you can do any size you want!

The top one, I did yesterday at work. No.. I don't get to just draw at work.. I wish!... but I usually have paper around, and while my dear.. sweet... kindly.. elderly phone customers are busy finding credit cards, catalog numbers, and eye glasses... I doodle while I wait. Keeps me from shouting "HEYYYYYYY!!!!! can we move this along????"lol..
So... I've done a few, but I like the top one the best.



Here I am.... A CAT. Our company Halloween "party"... not really a party party... like we dressed up, brought stuff for a potluck.. then worked like always. God forbid, if they actually let us off the phones for 10 minutes!! Anyway, it was fun dressing up. I haven't worn a costume in awhile. I made my ears, and tail, Safety pinned on some fake fur, made Goldfish earrings, and painted the cat eyeballs on my lids. Always a big hit. Harder to do now, that I can't see without my glasses, and had to paint them on at 8 a.m. still sleepy and bleary eyed. I had looked at lots of pictures online, mostly of the cat makeup from the CATS play. I wanted to do more details, but decided not to bother. RRRrrrrowwrr!

So that's about it.
I can't believe the Holidays are almost here! I'm thinking about my Thanksgiving dinner, and how I'm looking forward to Giblet gravy ahhhh mmmmmm!

I'm thrilled to say, we haven't had any snow 'round these parts...................yet.
Yes.. I know it's coming.. but everyday without snow is fine by me!

My BFF Gloria, has been in Las Vegas, visiting her sister, for the past 3 weeks. She'll be back tomorrow.

Oh! the BIG news... I'm LEGAL again.. lol..
Yes.. I finally got my drivers license renewed.
For the 3 of you who read my Blog, you may recall, that I forgot to renew it last year, causing me to have to get a temporary license.. and worse.. have to take a road test and maneuverability test!!!!!! I did get the temp. last December, then dreaded taking the test. I put it off and put it off.. (how typical of me!).. then knew I'd better get it over with, before the snow flew. Reluctantly, I made the appointment.
I almost overslept, because I was stressing the night before, and couldn't fall asleep.
Oh the horror, of sitting in the room with the moms & dads and their brace-faced teenagers. One by one, out the door they went to "line up" for the maneuverability test...each Teeny bopper was told "You can take your licensed driver, and get in line.."... WHAT???? LICENSED DRIVER?? I didn't bring one!!!!!! OMG... I in visioned myself offering money to one of these already stressed parents, to be MY licensed driver. Gloria had offered to go, but because of my procrastination.. she was now in Vegas. Oh man... I'm not leaving.. I'm not rescheduling... Finally, it was my turn, "Okay, you can get in line."... huh?... no licensed driver needed???.. feewhhh!! AGE has it's rewards! It was such a beautiful morning.. what a way to waste it.
I watched as the cute, young (35 years old...he told me...) uniform wearing Examiner, put on his best serious face, and put the first two victims through the maneuverability test. How could 5 innocent looking poles be so frightening!!! I couldn't think about it. I would just wait till it was my turn, then freak out. The car infront of me, made it through, and was off for the road test. Now it was my turn to pull up and wait.......... How could something I've been doing for 35 years terrify me??? I lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, then tried to clear the smoke out. Popped 7 Tic Tacs.... and with safety belt on.. waited .. for the "EXAMINATOR" to return. I was breathing hard now. He was going to be back soon, And I was going to have to go through the "Poles of Torture" next! He came out the door, looked at me across the parking lot... and his whole demeanor changed. He smiled, and through up his arms. "It's too nice to have to work! I should be home in my back yard right now!".. "I'm with you!" I laughed.. omg.. he's gonna go easy on the old lady!!!! Kewl! After checking my blinkers and horn he got in the car. He explained what was about to happen, then asked if I had any questions. "ya... how much do I have to pay you, not to take this test??".. "whoahhh.. don't say that!.. that's the kind of stuff that will land us on Karl Munday! (local investigative reporter)
Okay.. he's laughing.. this is good. I'm not used to parking while wearing my seat belt, and asked if I could take it off. "NO ma'am.. sorry, you have to wear it."... DAMN!... Okay.. I entered the poles of terror... pulled out... now what..?... "okay, back up".... .. omg.. Ok.. Ok.. I can do this..... AND I DID! FEWWWHHHHH!... "Okay, ma'am, you passed the maneuverability test. "I DID??"... YESSS!!".. He started talking like the EXAMINATOR again, telling me we were about to begin my road test. "the test begins now, I will tell you shortly before, when to turn. If I don't give you instruction, just continue to drive. Do you have any questions?"...... "nope."... I was thrilled to know we weren't going on the main road. Traffic is busy, and I wasn't very familiar with the area. Instead, we.. I snaked through an alleyway, and side streets. My road test had barely begun, when he asked what I did for a living. Huhhh??... chit-chat during my road test??... reallly?????? KEWL! I asked him how long he had been an examiner, and how many times he was told he looked like Tom Cruise. I got his whole work history during my test. He said I had taken my hand off the wheel, "Well your old, and old habits die hard..... I'm not going to take any points off for it..... eh.. uh.. I don't mean your old.. I just mean it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.. eh.. no.. I mean...... "... We were both laughing.. "I know what you meant, and it's fine!" Anyway..... we were back to the parking lot. "YOU PASSED".... "Ahhhhhhh Thank you!!! you will NEVER, EVER see me again!"..... "ha ha ha ha...you have a nice day Ma'am."..."I will now!" So "OLD" has it's rewards. I'm sure those brace-faced kids weren't engaged in a friendly conversation with the "Examinator"... ha!!! They were busy gripping the wheel, in the "10 & 2" position, sweating bullets, and fearing the scary "Old" guy in the uniform, that held their fate in his hands.
.... So let this be a lesson to you.... (mostly to me) NEVER FORGET TO RENEW!...... You're going to go check your license expiration dates now aren't you... :D