My Adventures and Travels

Something funny happened as the Thanksgiving games were winding down for the evening...the couch started ringing! Of the 6 of us there, all of us claimed it was NOT our phone. Since Toni had 2, but had left, I sent him a text message to see if he had both of them. He didn't reply. It took a while for it to dawn on me (maybe it was the red wine?)...wait a second...if his phone is the one in the couch...maybe he didn't get the message....ah ha! So I called him instead, and sure enough, the couch started ringing. What makes this blog-worthy, you might be asking? Why not reach in, pull it out, and return it? Well, it was the extraction process. Apparently Andrew & Timi's couch is very high-tech with all sorts of secret compartments inside. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. First, Carl tries conventional methods. Then, he goes at it from above while my dad tries to get it from the floor. Soon, it becomes clear that more drastic measures are necessary. (I might...

Oh, don't get me wrong, the food was good. Really good. Problem is, we ate it too quickly to take any pictures. That happens, when you save your appetite for the big meal....when it comes, all you want to do is EAT! Timi prepared another wonderful Thanksgiving meal for us, with all the fixin's. This year, those in attendance were Timi and cousin Andrew, of course, my dad, 2 brothers, and boyfriend Toni. Brother Carl After the feast, we started playing games. First, there were several rounds of Uno, and most of us had a chance to win at least one. Then, we brought out the Clue, which dad won by default because everyone else guessed wrong! Andrew and Peter think Uno strategy, while Timi explains how Clue is played.

So, I was on dessert duty this year. Several guests, including our hostess, aren't into pumpkin pie, so first, I bought a cheesecake plate. Then there was the pie. Do I buy one or make one? Does it count to buy a crust and pour a can of pie mix in? Does the can have a recipe on the back? Clearly, I needed some help. I decided to consult my mom. However, with her being a wonderful cook, I had to lay down some ground rules. Mainly, I was not making a crust. I was also buying a can of whipped cream instead of making my own. She did give me my grandma (her mom's) recipe, and some tips, and also she reminded me to buy a pie pan, which she suspected I did not own. So, off I went to the store to buy the necessary ingredients, and, yes, pan. (Also, as a precautionary measure, and sister of 2 voracious 20-something brothers, a backup pie.) Thursday morning, I started cooking. With the crust made, it was pretty easy, and wasn't long until my house started smelling GREAT! Proud of m...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm not sure if I'm behind, or just don't have much to blog about...who wants to read an entry about the trials and tribulations of entering report card grades, after all? The weekend before last, I had a little incentive to finish report cards before the weekend though...I had other plans! Once a year, my mom and I attend a Creative Memories scrapbooking retreat. It is always somewhere in the mountains, this year in beautiful Estes Park. We are fed and given large tables to spread out our gear. We always bring a couple bottles of wine and make a weekend of it! I FINALLY finished my Costa Rica scrapbook that I started last fall, and got started on Peru. My mom worked on her Africa pictures-getting most of Mount Kilimanjaro done, and starting on her safari pictures! Most "scrappers" are documenting their children's or grandchildren's milestones...but not us! I wish I had pictures of my mom and the room we were using, but alas, I think the thought of even MO...

Okay, I'll admit it...the World Series didn't go exactly as I would have liked. But come on. We made it to the World Series! Boston did it the boring, old fashioned way-they played great baseball all year long. We took a less traditional approach. By now everyone has heard of the winning 21/22 baseball games, where the first 14 of those games were Must Win, because in mid-September, we were 4 1/2 games back. It was exciting! I was lucky to go to many of the games toward the end of the season, and I may never see as exciting game as our playoff-playoff come from behind in the 13th inning, win. It was fun to be a part of, and the Rockies made history. So, another season over, time to recuperate and start looking towards spring training. My students have already assured me that "they will play again next year" even though guarantees of wins haven't been as plentiful. So, thanks for a great year!