Tuesday

I am pleasantly stuffed with home made pizza.  Even tried making the crust in the bread machine, which didn't turn out too bad.  I like the crust crisper than what I ended up with, though.

My truck is parked on the street, and it is trying to snow.  I think I'll tempt fate and leave it out there.  I do have a broom in the back now, so I can brush it off.

 

I rather like this way of looking at a new year.

Sounds like a good idea to me!

Kasey left her new watch here.  Pretty fancy, huh?  It was a Christmas present from Lila.

Monday

Fairly uneventful shopping trip to Ridleys.  I think I will be having zucchini fritters this week.  I didn't plan on that, but when I shut the tailgate on the pickup, I heard something crunch.  When I got home, I discovered one of the zucchini had been caught under the tailgate and was pretty much pulverized.   I think I need to write a recipe book- "Cooking with Duene", or maybe "The Klutz in the Kitchen".

 

 

I found these amusing cartoons on the Internet yesterday.  I thought they were appropriate for New Year's. 

Sunday

I've lived here seven months, and discovered today that my oven has a light!  There is a little black switch on the black surface of the back console.  Duh!  I've never noticed it before. 

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The Yahoo weather report on my computer says visibility is 10 miles.  I've always wondered how they figure that when the mountains all around us are standing there sharp and clear. 

 

 

 

This sounds like a great idea to me!  Does anyone who makes a New Year Resolution actually keep it?  And most resolutions seem to involve getting into shape and losing weight.  I haven't made a New Year's Resolution in years, maybe never.  That way, I don't have to feel guilty about not keeping it. 

 

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I have a list ready to take to Ridley's today.  Barrie brought me milk a couple days ago, but there are things I really need, so might as well get it over with.  A trip to Ridley's is not something I enjoy.

 

I have thrown out most of the candy and snacks from the Care box someone sent to all the residents here.  It's pretty bad.  There are five or six pairs of lightweight gloves in the box.  Then Barrie and Kasey gave me some gloves for Christmas because I didn't have any.  I need to put the gloves in a dresser drawer, because they are slowly disappearing.  Kat enjoys chasing them around and throwing them up in the air.





Friday

Kasey is with me today.  She came early, I was just waking up.  She had a piece of cherry pie for breakfast.  And I didn't give it to her - her Mom did! Then she ate an egg and biscuit.

I just baked some bread pudding.  Maybe we'll have that for lunch, and more cherry pie for supper!

 

 

In spite of the schoolteacher blood running through my veins, I allow her to vegetate in front of the iPad, watching cartoons.  Maybe we'll do something educational later, like play Black Jack.

 

Spur likes this view of the world.

Thursday

The first order of the day yesterday was to bake a pie.  Check.

 

Is this what a pie crust is supposed to look like?   It didn't look like this in the recipe book!

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We told Kasey she could choose our Christmas Dinner.  So we had biscuits and gravy today.  Personally, I liked her choice.  We also had cherry pie and ice cream.  Believe it or not, I managed to pull that mess of dough together and make a good pie. 

 

The recipe said "do not handle dough too much."  Believe me, I handled it a lot.  I manhandled it!

 

 

 Kasey loves to play with my "Bluebird of Happiness" and wanted to take it home.  When she opened this, she squealed "A bluebird of my very own.

 



When she opened the next box and found the baby bird, she danced around in a circle.

Then she opened the magnifying glass - "A magnifying glass of my very own!"

I had two glasses at the house and brought both of them here.  It's a pretty safe bet an item will be a good gift if your granddaughter wants to take yours home.  It was a wonderful day.

Tuesday

This place is just too busy.  Last night they delivered this BIG box to my room.  It is from the Church of Christ, I think.  It is full of snacks, treats, lotions, socks and gloves.  How nice!

 

Kasey is here this morning, and she unloaded everything so we could see what was in it.  There was some fragrant body spray in there, so now we both smell like orchids.

Barrie brought me some gift wrap, my plant fertilizer, some mail, and the dark glasses I have been looking for.  She went to Alco, but Kasey can't go with her today.  Secretive stuff.

They just delivered a plate of cookies to my door.  Kasey wonders if I'm going to share them with her!

Kasey and I just took a vote.  We want pizza for Christmas dinner!

Sunday

Pleasant surprise today.  I turned on the TV just to see if anything was on.  And I found the Denver game is on!  Payton Manning just threw a touchdown pass that broke the record for one season. The only football I've seen here has been college ball. I guess I better pay closer attention. I already missed three quarters of the game.

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The elusive blue eraser was taken off the kitchen counter yesterday.  Today, it showed up in Kat's food dish. Some people have the "elf on the shelf".  I have the "cat on the counter".

 

 

Several years ago, I decided I was going to buy myself a new TV for a Christmas present,  This is what was left on my front porch.  Sorry, Santa, but I had no desire for a mountain bike.  I never did get a new TV that year.

 

 

 

 

Saturday

All the things I took out from under the stove and refrigerator have disappeared.  I made the mistake of leaving them on the kitchen counter.  Kat must have been so happy to see all her goodies. I did find two erasers, a chain, and a pencil, and put them in a safe place.

 

I kind of OD'd on Christmas movies last night.  I watched both "A Christmas Story" and "Christmas with the Kranks",

I always wonder what becomes of child actors.  The little boy who played Ralphie in the movie went on to do some more acting and became a producer.  And the little boy who froze his tongue to the flag pole went on to became a porn star.

You can visit the original house from the movie in Cleveland. It was sold on eBay in 2004 for $150,000. Collector Brian Jones bought the house and restored it to its movie glory and stocked it up with some of the original props from the film, including Randy's snowsuit and the leg lamp in the window.  There is also a museum and a gift shop.  You too could have a leg lamp in your living room window!

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Barrie called Thursday to see how I was feeling.  She had gotten sick after she got home from Rock Springs, and was sick all day Thursday.  She was afraid it might have been food poisoning, but we ate the exact same things, and I felt fine.  Yesterday and today I have felt a little bum - just tired and achy, so maybe we both got the flue.  But I haven't felt nearly as badly as she did. 
 

Friday

Disaster in housekeeping yesterday.  Mandy showed up at my door yesterday morning, with Xiao Ling, who was  in tears.  I had asked Xiao Ling to wash the quilt that was on my bed (bright colors), and it faded a little bit on the sheets and pillow cases.  Xiao Ling was so upset.  I guess she expected me to yell at her, but Mandy and I got her calmed down, and I gave her a big hug.  She was smiling when she left, so why do I feel like I kicked a puppy?

I don't even have white sheets.  They are flannel and printed with bears and pine trees, so the little bit of color on them can hardly be noticed.

Kevin, head of housekeeping, showed up looking for Mandy, and he moved both the stove and refrigerator out for me.  There were all my missing erasers and pencils, and a Tylenol.  Thanks, Kat!  You are such an invaluable companion. 

They worked all day shoveling snow off the roof of the new apartments, and it snowed a little again last night.  I don't understand why they let most of the summer go by before they even started construction.  Maybe they were waiting until irrigation was over for the summer and the water was turned off in the ditch.

Thursday

Barrie, Kasey, Spur and I made a "quick" trip to Rock Springs yesterday to have my eye checked.  Everything is fine, and I won't be going back until Jan 11 when I have the cataract removed from my left eye.  Of course the high spot of the whole trip was stopping at the café in Farson.  Barrie and I splurged - we had jumbo shrimp.  And it was delicious!  Wish that place delivered!

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This was the art room at Rendezvous Pointe yesterday.  Yes, there are actually five people crammed in there among the Angle Tree gifts.  I didn't stay for lunch, but the entire place was full of people for the big Christmas Dinner.  I saw a lot of people I would have enjoyed visiting with, but had to get on the road to Rock Springs.

 

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I got a phone call from the Casper Star Tribune this morning.  They want to do a story on the Marlatt Brothers baseball team.  (my dad and his father and all the brothers.  The guy who is doing the story actually got my name from "Old Picture of the Day" - where I had sent a picture of the team.  I directed him to my PBase Gallery, where there are more pictures.  Also gave him my brother's number.  Bill may remember more of the old stories than I do.

 

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The new apartments resemble an ant hill that has been stepped in this morning.  It looks like at least 20 men working on the roof, and a crane lifting big pieces of something up to be put into place.  There is another smaller crew sweeping snow off the part where the roof is on.  It snowed a couple inches again last night.