Another Monday....

and I am still treading water.  The trial I served on took up the better part of three weeks, but we finally wrapped it up on Thursday.  I worked at the Mort on Friday, worked on my end-of-the-year bookkeeping for the salon on Saturday, worked in a couple clients before church on Sunday and then spent the rest of the afternoon in the Sun Room Studio getting it cleaned up and organized ---- a job that has been looming over my head for months.  However, I made great progress today and am pretty happy with myself. I will spend this morning out there, too, enjoying the beginning of a new day and will hopefully get the rest of it done.  So guess what that means?  Another week has gone by and I have nothing to share with you --- no tips, no recipes, no nothin'. Or do I?
Maybe a little bit of insight......  Do you have a box or drawer or closet that you have been meaning to clean out and organize?  Work yourself up to get around to doing that.........it will make you feel WONDERFUL to accomplish it no matter how big or small your project is.  I know getting the four boxes in my craft room gone through and the stuff filed, put away, or thrown away has been very good for me.  I can feel my creative mojo coming back.
Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a fabulous week.  I know I will.... more sunshine is predicted!

Jury duty.........

Hi all!  How was your weekend?  Mine was pretty busy trying to catch up on things that I didn't get to take care of during the week like salon appointments --- my clients', not my personal appointments --- due to jury duty.  Unfortunately it is not over yet and most likely I will have to go back for at least a couple of more days. Then I am off the hook for at least a year and will be keeping my fingers crossed that it is a LOT longer than that.  This is the third criminal trial I have sat on and really feel I have done my civic duty and would like the honor to be passed to someone who has not experienced the whole process.  The wheels of justice is truly an honor and privilege and very interesting, but traveling 100 miles round trip for several days out of the week (this is week three) gets kind of spendy so I will be glad to have this behind me.
Has anyone tried the pasta recipe I posted last time?  I am almost ready to cook it again!  Love that stuff!Someone wondered about putting the rind in along with the brie, and yes that is what you do; it wasn't a printing error.  There was also some concern about the rind and cheese melting, and yes, it does melt.  Just cut your cheese in smallish pieces and stir thoroughly.  You might want to put a lid on the pot for a few minutes if you are working in a cool kitchen, but it will melt, I promise.
I don't have anything new for you this time due to time constraints, but please check back next week. Everything should be back to normal by then.  Well, MY version of normal anyway :-) Have a fantabulous week!

Recipe

Good Monday to you; hope you had a good weekend.  I had a little post ready to go concerning more uses of the wonderful handheld steamer I told you about in an earlier post, but I got sidetracked and had to share this fabulous pasta recipe with you.  It came from a dear friend of mine just in time to serve over the holidays.  It is super quick, extremely easy, and everyone from my two sons to all the grandchildren loved it.  With my picky crew, that is saying something.  There is usually one in the group that doesn't like something, but not this time.  ENJOY!

Tomato Brie Pasta



1 lb. linguine   (you can use any kind of pasta.  I used rotini)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 brie cheese (8 oz), cut into small cubes (rind and all)

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper (I always use more pepper)

1/3 cup parmesan

Cook your pasta according to package directions.  While it is cooking combine the oil, brie, tomatoes, basil, and the spices.  Mix well.  Do not cook the sauce.

When the pasta is cooked drain and pour the sauce over the hot pasta and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with parmesan. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as me and my family did.  We thought it was YUMMY!

Thanks for stopping by!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

How's things going for ya?  2011.  Can you believe it!?!?!  It's been a whirlwind of activity, work, and more activity and more work over this past holiday season.  I am afraid to blink because Christmas will be here again!  *wink* .
I had over-night company last weekend and we had a lovely visit.  She was heading back up to Roseburg, Oregon from San Diego where she spent Christmas with her siblings and she got to SCUBA dive off Catalina Island.  Lucky duck!!!  That's something I've always wanted to learn to do. But that was way back when.  Now I will settle for tales from my friends who have the gumption to make it happen.  I'll stick with above-the-water activities.
I had a couple of things rolling around in my head for the post that gets me back into the swing of things here in Blogland, but I think I will ease into it.  Actually, it is fear that I will run out of things to share with you and I would hate for that to happen.  So if you can bear with me, I will string you along a bit.  Are you ready to strangle me?  *grin*------------------
This is earth shattering, so hang on.  My friend who visited, you know, the amazing SCUBA gal from two paragraphs above?  Well she was looking over my shoulder when I opened the fridge (probably wondering if there was something GOOD in there, not the stuff I was trying pawn off on her.  Dang, she SAID she liked my offerings.  What's up?)  and she noticed the turntable I had on the top shelf and mentioned what a good idea that was.  So, I thought if she hadn't thought of that maybe you hadn't either.  So that's it.  My tip for the day  week.  Use a turntable on one or more of the shelves in your fridge.  Makes organizing and finding stuff in there a whole lot easier.  I'm all for easy.  And convenient.  Thanks for stopping by Two Dogs, and thanks for not bailing when I decided to take a little vacation from posting.  See ya in a week or two!

December is almost upon us

Hi!  So glad you stopped by Two Dogs today.  Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are getting geared up for Christmas. Can you believe it----- that Christmas is almost upon us?  Wow, I don't know where this year went, but it went in a big hurry.
I have been testing the steamer and found a couple of more uses for this dynamo; BUT I am going to step back, take a breath, and take a little time away from the Two Dogs blog.  Probably be back after the first of the new year, maybe a little longer.  Sometimes one has to take a little breather to get the energy flowing again.  When that happens I will be back at it and I will reveal what I have been up to in the cleaning department.  Have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and sane New Year's celebration. I will see you in 2011!!! 

My Charlie Dog.

It's been almost a month since I took Charlie for his last ride and gave him the peace he never knew for most of his life.  It still hurts and will for a long time.  I loved Charlie dog.  A lot.
I want to thank each and every one of you who sent a card, left a message on my blog, said a prayer or two for us, or called to say you were thinking of me.  It was, and is, such a comfort to know that so many people hurt when I hurt and, most importantly, know exactly what I am going through.  But life does go on and I try to keep in the forefront of my mind good, sweet thoughts of the ten months that Charlie lived here with Toonie and me and that those were probably the best ten months of his life.  While it does not take away the pain of losing him, it does give comfort that he knew some love and kindness in his life.  My only regret is that I will always wonder if he was ever able to be that crazy, happy-go-lucky, energetic, self-absorbed wire hair terrier that defines this breed.  Charlie was never self-absorbed, he always tried to do whatever I asked of him but he no longer had the energy or health to run and play. That was taken away by thoughtless uncaring people who no doubt acquired him because he was "so cute". He was too weak and a very old 12 years when he came to live with me --- it does make me wonder. But even if he never had that, or it was constantly being suppressed by who-knows-what means, he knew love here.  Lots of love.    Wire hair fox terriers are one of the most adorable looking breeds but they have requirements that must be met or nobody is happy;  not the family, not the dog, not the neighbors.  They require tremendous amounts of exercise and grooming. They are hard headed.  I won't go into their other requirements, but I do want to say that if you are looking to add a dog to your family (or any other animal), please do your homework first. Every breed has certain needs that must be met and if they do not fit into your lifestyle and you cannot give them what they need the animal will end up the loser.  Every pet deserves a forever home and should be a cherished member of your family. 
OK, I will get off my soapbox now and spare you a repeat of the editorial piece I wrote to the local newspaper they day after I said goodbye to Charlie.  I was extremely emotional but I needed to say my piece and hopefully save a dog or two from abuse. neglect, abandonment, or being taken to the pound because he didn't fit in.  Please don't get a pet because he is adorable, or has big brown eyes, or looks at you and makes your heart melt.  By all means get a pet, but get the right one.  Everyone wins that way.  Thanks again for all your love and support.  Have a great week.  Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Have you ever

noticed how sometimes you are just going along, living your life, minding your own business and WHAM!!! You get slapped down for no known reason?  These past 10 days or so have been like that around here.  Sick furry kids, a leak in the roof, the list goes on.
My little Toonie Mae was confirmed diabetic and I have learned to give her insulin injections. Not something I ever thought I would be able to do --- stick a needle in flesh, but when faced with something we have to do because of the path we chose, we get a pair and do what must be done. A dear friend went with me to Tooner's vet appointment because I fully intended to have her put down if my suspicions of diabetes were confirmed.  Well, when it came right down to it I couldn't do it.  I just couldn't.  With Charlie sick and winter coming on and my foot hurting, and my hair dryer blowing up---- any excuse is a good excuse------ I just couldn't face losing them both at this time so I hitched up my britches and learned to give my sweet baby dog her insulin.  The needle is tiny, she really didn't feel a thing,  and it was the scariest thing I have had to do in a long, long time.  But as my friend said ------ this is what you chose to do so you have to learn to do this.  Yep, she was spot on.  And she has been such a comfort and encourager to me.

As for Charlie, my sweet boy is at the end of his life.  His stay at the vet's didn't produce the hoped-for results and with a heavy, broken heart I have decided to let him go.  He refuses to eat anything but chicken and even that is not consumed with much enthusiasm.  Whatever is going on with his spine is not, and will not, get better and the kidney dysfunction cannot improve with his refusal to eat his prescribed food.  The stubborn little sweetheart actually spit the stuff out when I tried to sneak it into his portion of chicken!  At this point he sleeps 98 percent of the time and I am gathering my courage to take him back to the vet for his final ride sometime this week. And now I am faced with the hardest thing I have had to do since putting Sherman down.  Keep a prayer in your heart for us, would you?