A Face Lift

Wow, it looks much better. Thanks to my daughter, brneyedgal, at The Color Of Home She does such good work. She really is good at computer stuff.

It's been pretty quiet around here. We had a bit of ice and snow but nothing compared to south and east of us.

Work has been nuts. It is so busy on the floor I work on. There is just two of us on that floor. We have many more cases than the other District Court floor. I am getting sick of the amount of work and everything that is expected of us. On top of all of that the State put in a hiring freeze. That means if someone retires or quits they will not be replaced. That just put more work on the people that is left. The bad part is I would so love to retire but I don't want to leave the people I work with in a bad situation, damn, damn, double damn.

THE COURTHOUSE



Not the best picture but it will have to do. As you can see it was taken a few months ago.

My Interview.

The cute little guy with the pencil is here to help me with my interview. This is where he came from http://organizeddoodles.blogspot.com/

Staci from "The Bliss of it All" is doing the interview, so here we go.

1. If you had to change your name to an Indian name, such as "Bird Flying" or something similar, what name would you choose, and why?

Darn, this is kind of hard. Hmmm, Some days I would be Shining Star other days it would be Dark Moon. Why, well I can be kind of moody. I do hide this very well at work but not at home.

Edit; Now that I have thought about it and my daughter gave me some ideas. I think maybe
Momma Bear or Twitching Eye. The last one is my oldest daughters idea. There is a long story that goes with the twitching eye. I'll tell that story someday.
The Momma Bear name would be because no one hurts one of my kids without me stepping in.

2. Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.

Very Good at:
1. Painting (that's decorative painting)
2. My job (I may not be very good but I'm pretty good)
3. Keeping a secret (If someone tells me not to tell anyone, I don't tell anyone ever)

Very Bad at:
1. Keeping a spic and span house. (I live in a home not a show place)
2. Helping my husband with the yard work. (I hate to sweat)
3. Exercising (I hate to sweat)


3. What is the dumbest thing you've ever seen someone else do?
It was a long time ago. A group of young adults (adults really isn't the right word) were together on the 4th of July. The guys were holding firecracker lighting and throwing them. This one guy put one in his mouth like a cigarette. He kept telling them to light it. Finally someone did. Before he could grab it and throw it. It blew up in his mouth. It mess up one of his lips and he had to get a few stitches. It was just one of those that had a very fast fuse for some reason. It ended our fun with fireworks.


4. If you could only keep five things (not including people) that's in your home right now, what would those things be and why?

1. Photo Albums
Why, because they can't be replaced.
2. My Computer
Why, I can't live without it.
3. My husbands inhaler
Why, he can't breath without it.
4. My Waterbed
Why, I don't like sleeping on anything else.
5. I guess the damn dog.
Why, my husband would miss him.


5. Do you think the world will be a better or worse place 100 years from now?

If there is still a world left I do hope it will be a better place. I hope the rain forests that are left can be saved. Maybe just maybe mankind will not kill off any of the endangered animals. And there will be World Peace.

So that's it! If you want to participate, leave me a comment. I'll send five questions (I get to pick them!) to the first five who might respond. After those five post their answers, on their blog, they will do the same to five more bloggers. I don't know if I even have 5 people that read my blog. We shall see.

A DOG'S LIFE

BIG STRETCH

This is what he does after laying around most of the day.

He loves looking out the window in hopes of seeing something to bark at.








He loves his chewy bone. He makes such a mess.











Then he crashes, worn to a frazzle





Now I get to vacuum.













I really think he needs a playmate. Am I nuts for thinking of getting another dog.
Maybe something that can hold their own with him. Something like a Yellow Lab or Golden Retriever.

Beautiful Weather!

At least for a few days. Then it will turn cold and snow. But for now we have weather in the high 50's.



I love this kind of weather.

I have been reading a book my district Judge loaned me. It is John Grisham's The Innocent Man. It is a true story that took place in Ada, Oklahoma. I may live in Kansas but I am and always will be an Okie. So far it is a good read. I'm only about one fourth of the way through so I'm off to read.

Last night I'm sitting in my chair reading about the murder of a pretty 24 year old young woman. The dog (the German Short Hair) is laying by the chair. He slowly raised up looking at the patio door and growling. He doesn't do that! I get up and head for the patio door. First he is in front of me the closer I get to the door the more he drops back. What a chicken and me too. I didn't open the door to check what may or may not be out there. I just checked and made sure the door was locked. I went back to my reading and he laid back down. He would have to do that when I'm reading about the condition the body was in when found. What timing.

BEST COOKIES EVER

Just enlarge so you can read it.

Everything you will need.


Begin with 2 sticks of oleo and 2 cups of sugar, cream together
add ricotta, vanilla, baking soda and 2 eggs



Mix well and add the flour.





Mix well and prepare your cookie sheets (I hope your oven is preheated to 350)



Drop by rounded teaspoon, I don't know how many it makes. I didn't count them.
This made 4 cookie sheets full.



Get every little bit out of the bowl. These are good.



While the cookies are baking have a cool drink. Or have one while you are making the cookies. Once they are done and cooling, make the cream cheese icing. Once cooled Ice the cookies. Here they are all done and ready to eat.

Sunrise

I stepped outside this morning and saw this sky. I had to take a picture of it. I love the colors.

I think my dates are messed up on my camera. I did take this on 01/13/09. Now I have to fix my cameras date.

This was take maybe 10 minutes after the first picture. What a difference.

Kansas Sky

Sunday afternoon was beautiful. Today is damn cold with the wind blowing 300 miles per hour. Well maybe not that fast but at least 50 to 60 mph gusts. It's gray and the sky was filled with dust and it was just plain nasty.

Yesterday was just so much nicer. I don't want to go out into the cold night. I must if I want milk for tomorrow morning. I have to have milk! It's my coffee. I go through withdrawal with out milk. That is whole milk. The one with all the fat. I love it.



I need to get Ricotta Cheese, I hate ricotta cheese, but I must buy it. I have a cookie recipe that has ricotta cheese in it. They are the best cookies I have ever eaten. You put a cream cheese icing on top once the cookies cool. They are soooo good. I might share the recipe if you beg.

Really just ask and I will post it.

Camera Critters

This is a Downy Woodpecker, I think, if not it's a Hairy Woodpecker.


I took this through my front window. We also have a Red Bellied Woodpecker that comes to our feeder. I just can't catch him. Everytime I try for a picture he flies away. I'll get him one of these days.



This is my guessing game. How may sparrows can you find?


I think this maybe a better picture, if you enlarge it.

These little guys snuggle deep into the tangled honeysuckle bush on very cold days and nights.

I must be a Mean Granny

Cute girls, one year apart in age. What one couldn't think of the other one could. They didn't both live with me at the same time, thank God. Allie Cat lived with me and Hippy Child lived with her Mom. It was in the same small town. They ran around with each other and two or three other friends.

It did come in handy working for the District Court, juvenile division. There were things I could find out and they didn't know. That and Allie Cats Mom had put a spy on her computer. We knew every word she typed, sent or received. That was a big help. Of course she had no idea. I told them I just got these feeling that something was going on. That or one of the kids a court was talking about a party that was going to be held that night.

I also knew the kids that they should not be hanging out with or be in the company of. Allie Cat had this "boyfriend". He was or is a cute kid. At least the last time I saw him he was still cute. I haven't seen him since he got out of the juvenile detention center or was that prison. I had told her she couldn't see him. I know she still did but it did limit the amout of time she was with him. He just couldn't understand why I didn't like him. He was use to fooling parents with his charm and manners and he was from a good family. The little pot head. I think she is now glad that I had put my foot down about him. Her Mom said she was a much better behaved kid when she moved back home. (at least for a year or two) I think she has finally grown up.

Hippy Child moved in when her Mom married and moved to another town. Hippy Child was in her senior year at school and didn't want to change schools. So she moved into my home. Believe me, that picture of her in her graduation gown and that big smile of hers was very close to not happening. It was so close that her name wasn't on the graduation program. That's how close it was. Hippy Child now lives in Arizona, going to school and learning some type of new dance. She is one of the funniest and most fun person to be around. I miss her terribly.

For some reason I think my kids would threaten their kids with "if you don't behave I'll send you to live with your Granny". I have no idea why!

Bird Feeder?

I think the squirrel eats more of the bird food that the birds do. You just can't keep him out. My husband has named him Rocky. Now you know why Monkey Girl thinks its a squirrel feeder.

Just had to take another picture of the sparrows. You always know when it is really cold. They all flock to this bush. Shoot, I took a close look and only found two birds.

Can you count how many?

I don't know how many sparrows are in the honeysuckle bush. I heard lots of chirping and looked over and there they were. They do like that bush because it produces berries. That and it protects them from the cold, somewhat. You know you can enlarge the picture by double clicking. When I first heard them and saw them there were more but by the time I got my camera some had flown away.



It was a beautiful day this morning but now it has turned cold and windy. The weather changes so darn fast here.



Sunday I am going to Wichita with my first born. Her and her DH are stopping by to get me (as long as I don't have a headache) I need to get the frames for the pictures that are being mailed as I type.

It's now Sunday I started this post Saturday, trying to get a head start.

I woke up at 5 this am with a headache. I took my migraine medicine and went back to bed. Thank heavens when I woke again it was gone!

Now to make my list of things I need from the "Big City". I know my DH needs some new Levis. For some reason I keep shrinking his. At least that is what he keeps saying.

This is my husband's German Short Hair named Duke. His name should have been Spaz! I have never seen such a hyper dog. I even ask the Vet if he could be ADHD (I think that is what it's called) He is hard headed too. He is now 2 yrs old and the Vet said he should calm down by the time he is 4. I don't know if I can take it that long. He is a pretty dog by OMG! I know if something happens to him my husband will think I did it!

I can't believe he stayed still for this picture.

I HATE MIGRAINES!!

I have fought this all night. I knew when I went to bed with a headache that I should have gotten up and taken some asprin. I had taken a muscle relaxer, that usually helps. Sure didn't last night.I do have it down to a dull roar now. And looking at this computer doesn't help. So why am I doing it? Because I'm bored!

I think I will go to Wichita today. I need to find 2 frames that are 8 x 12 or larger like 12 x 16. I have purchased a photo from Kate (Chronicles of a Country Girl ) It's the Tree in Silhouette, I love that photo. Then I found out from Kate that I got one free, so I got Tree in Silhouette 2. I think I will slowly start replacing the pictures in my livingroom. Everything I have in here are signed numbered prints or orginal landscapes that I have taken while on vacations. I love Kate's photos. I only have one so far from a local photographer. He has won national awards for his photographs. His are much more expensive that Kates but I think hers are just as good.



This is the photo that I bought my husband for Christmas. (Really it was more for both of us)

If you double click on it you can enlarge it. The brown color is the matting around the photo. I don't know how many of this he sold but it was alot. This was taken about a mile from my house during the ice storm of 2005. Isn't it beautiful.

Tammy if you know how to go in and put a copyright on the photo please do so. Stan does have one on there in the lower left had corner but is that enough? I don't want to get into trouble for putting it on the web. If you can't remember my sign in for my blog let me know and I'll send it to you. (okay I did kind of figure it out but if what I have on the photo doesn't work let me know so you can fix it.) If I shouldn't have it on the web let me know and I'll remove it. I just thought it was so beautiful I had to share it.

Here is some of my other art work in my living room.

This is a Ducks Unlimited signed number print. I have 2 or 3 from Ducks Unlimited. This one is above my fireplace.

The ones below are also signed numbered prints by Ivy Hayes. I would have loved to have one of his orginal oils. He is an old black man from North Carolina. He is color blind. His grandson tell him what colors are what.


Double click to enlarge, you can view them better that way.
As you can tell I love art of any kind as long as they appeal to me. I hope you have enjoyed my livingroom art. What is shown is only a couple of walls. My livingroom is 16 by 32 so I have a lot of wall space. Believe me when I say it is covered!

Hey, my migraine has gone away. I guess my migraine pill worked, yeah!

Day 2 of the New Year and all is okay

Hey, I have the the day off with pay which is great.

All of the Christmas decoration are packed and put away for another year.

I have been trying to get photos of some of the birds that come to our feeders. I would love to get the woodpeckers. We have two different types plus a flicker. They fly away as soon as I open the door. I did catch a cardinal before he took off.

This was taken from my deck. It is a good 60 to 70 feet to this feeder. I can't believe my little camera zoomed in this much. One of these days I will get the woodpeckers.

Walking down the hallway I noticed a Christmas decoration that I hadn't packed away and I may not. It makes a great night light. I think it is pretty even if I did make it.

Its just a glass block with a hole drilled in it. Then you stuff a string of 20 lights inside. That can be a chore because the hole is just big enought for the single light to fit in. After putting in the lights you find a pretty ribbon and tie a bow, plug it in. Thats it your all done. I have a box of these glass blocks with holes that my husband drilled. One of these days I will fix at least 5 more to give to the kids. If they want them?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

It is hard to believe that 2008 is over. I wish everyone a safe, happy, and healthy 2009.


Our BIG Christmas is over. This year it will be a big Thanksgiving. We do it so the kids can have Thanksgiving or Christmas with their spouses family. It works pretty good this way. I don't think I have the energy to do big holidays every year.

Now it is time to put all of the decorations away. At least that goes so much faster than the decorating. I even decorate my (as we call it) little bathroom. This bathroom is in the hallway off the livingroom.







Doesn't everyone decorate their bathroom?

That is what I will be doing this New Years day. Sounds like fun, huh.

I do need to go to the store and pick up a few things. I do hope I can find some black eyed peas. My oldest daughter called these pork eyed beans when she was little. I don't know how she got pork and beans and black eyed peas mixed up but she did.

Oh, my kitchen is done. At least the tile work and counters are done. The floor is yet to be done. I'll let you know when we start on that. I want spanish tile. I will post pictures soon of the tile work. I can't believe the difference it made, so pretty