Homemade Tamales

Book club lunch was at our house today and I tried making homemade tamales. A few weeks ago I went with some friends to a class and got some great recipes which I tried today. Shrimp tamales, chicken mushroom tamales, a dessert tamale, two great salsas, and a delicious salad! It was a feast! I am so happy to have been asked to join this book club for the food and for the friendships.


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Perfect Valentine's Day Flowers

Could George have found a more perfect flower arrangement for his dog loving wife? I don't think so!



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Naughty Boy!

Normally the only problem we have had with any of our foster guide dogs is that they like to get up before the sun even thinks of making an appearance.  Ace has been wonderful in that department because he will sleep as late as we sleep.  But yesterday I came home to find this in the hallway.  The boy had been busy while we were away!

I think he was sowing his last wild oats as today he started training to be a certified Guide Dog.  I have loved all our foster dogs but I'm especially attached to this big guy. It was hard to take him back, even if he did make a mess like this and chew the corners off three remote controls!  But how could you be mad at this face for long?  Does he look remorseful to you?

Ace

Meet Ace!  75 pounds of dog!  His tail is constantly knocking things about but we already love him.  He'll only be with us for about a week before we take him back to begin his training.  Again I'll feel like I'm taking my child to boarding school!

Bob Newhart told a great Guide Dog joke.  George Shearing, a blind jazz pianist, was on a flight from Los Angeles to New York.  In those days, there was always a fuel stop somewhere in the Midwest.  They landed in Chicago and during the time of refueling, the passengers usually left the plane to stretch their legs.  Remember this was in the days when one walked down stairs that were rolled up to the exit. George remained inside with his guide dog Lee tucked under the seat.  After a time, the pilot came back and asked if he'd like him to take Lee for a walk. George agreed, thanked him and gave him the dog.  About 15 minutes later, the seat partner commented that about 40 - 50 people seemed to be milling around the bottom of the stairs, reluctant to get back on the plane because they saw the pilot get off the plane assisted by a Guide Dog!

Bob Newhart

George and I spent Friday night at Spirit Mountain Casino.  Don't worry we neither lost the retirement fund nor became sudden millionaires! What we did was laugh for 1 1/2 hours at Bob Newhart.

If you are too young to remember the Bob Newhart show or his stand up comedic routines, then you might know him as Buddy's Dad in the movie "Elf"! 

Because George had a Bob Newhart record and because George has an amazing memory, he has quoted Bob Newhart routines to me for the last 38 years!  And they are still funny! 

Over the years we've seen the airlines become more and more like "Mrs. Grace L Ferguson Airline and Storm Door" company!   Here's a little excerpt from the pilot's speech to the passengers on a flight to Hawaii: 

"Good evening, I'd like to welcome you aboard the Mrs. Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Co.  I don't know how much you know about our airlines, we've only been in business about a week.  Uh, our airline was founded on the philosophy that what the American public was really looking for was low cost overseas transportation.  We have attempted to eliminate what we call in the airline business 'frills and extras' like uh....maintenance, and ...uh radar, and a whole bunch of technical looking instruments up in the cockpit.  Oh incidentally I want to apologize for your having to stand all the way..uh...if I can give you a little tip there, every oh, half hour or so, you want to alternate your arms through those straps above you head.  Uh...you folks flying tourist don't have any straps...so don't bother looking for them."  

Sounds almost too close to the truth about flying these days!

As the kids learned to drive or we've encountered bad drivers on the roads, we've remembered the 'driving instructor'.  In this one, Bob is giving a lesson to Mrs. Webb.  

Let's practice some turns. Um, the important thing on turns is not to make them too sharp,

just kind of make a gradual....Now that was fine....That was a wonderful turn....It's hard for   me to believe you only had two lessons after you make a turn like that....Are you sure you haven't had more lessons? I find that very difficult to believe...One little thing....This is a one way street....Well, no, no actually it was partially my fault, you see, but uh, you were in the left hand lane and you were signaling left, and I just more or less assumed you were going to turn left.

The sold out auditorium was filled with grey haired people laughing hysterically as Bob delivered his routine in his typical dead pan style. I'm so glad we got to see this man that will go down in history as one of the greatest comedians of our lifetimes. 

  

Downtown Abbey - Why do I care?

Like most women I know, as well as a few men, I looked forward to January 6th with anticipation!  Not because school started the next day but because we were finally going to see the first episode of the 3rd season of Downton Abbey!  I should have known that this series was going to become an obsession when after the first season I got a call from my own 'Lady Mary' saying,"Mom in England the 2nd season starts in the fall.  We should go to England."  I admit the first thoughts in my head were, "Yes we should"....sure we should go to England for six weeks to watch TV!  Last year, I just couldn't stand the wait and I bought the 1st and 2nd seasons as soon as possible.  I told myself that I was going to savor each episode but what actually happened was that I indulged and watched the whole thing - 2 seasons- during one evening and early morning!  Talk about obsessive!  I admit that I am!

Now finally Season 3.  Why do I care?  I heard someone say it reminded them of their British ancestors.  Well, mine would have been downstairs I'm sure and not lord and lady of a manor.  I think it is the costumes and the sets and the humor and the acting and of course the drama!  Then this year the big question, "Will Lady Mary and Cousin Matthew finally get married?" Happy day!  Finally they said, "I do".

As soon as Matthew asked Tom, former chauffeur and now married to Lady Sybil, to be his best man, I started crying and I cried through the entire wedding.  Then last week my heart ached for Lady Edith.  In my life, I'm much more of a Lady Edith than a Lady Mary and I really felt for her.  What now?

Will Carson finally grab Miss Hughes and profess his love?

Or is she really going to have cancer?

Did Bates actually kill his wife?

Will the nasty "O'Brien" figure a way to get even with the even more nasty Thomas?

Who will have the first grandchild Lady Mary or Lady Sybil?

Will Lady Edith find true love?

Will Daisy profess her feelings for the new footman?

And is Martha coming back?  It is just too fun watching Shirley McClain and Maggie Smith!

Only one way to find out......

December 31 - Goals

Scott inspired me when I read this quote from Christmas Eve on the Desert on his Facebook page -

I should not fail to set my feet upon the star-bound trail.

Then I saw this on Facebook

                                                          

                                 so I got inspired to think about goals for 2013!

2012 had 12 goals.  I did 6 of them 100%; 3 of them about 75%; one not at all (and I don't even care); one I'll be working on for the rest of my life, and then there was my weight goal....hmmm...let's just say that I think I gained about as much weight as I wanted to lose last year!  Not good!

2013 has 10 goals.  Hopefully I'll have better success next year.  Here's to success on the 'star-bound trail' and worthwhile writings in the book of 2013!