Sweet Lorraine

Admit it...you cried. And, if you didn't, you should have.

What Happens in Orlando Stays in Orlando

The English girls have been here for exactly one week. We've been having so much fun that I haven't had a second to blog. We've shopped, shopped, shopped. We've eaten, eaten, eaten. We've walked, walked, walked. And, we've laughed, laughed, laughed.

This afternoon we returned from a two day getaway to Orlando. The first day we shopped both the big outlet mall and the huge Florida Mall. The second day was spent at Disney Epcot. I have much to write and photos to share. I will leave you with the little teaser below. Just imagine three old ladies sans husbands turned loose in Orlando where no one knows them and no one will ever see them again. I'll borrow the slogan Las Vegas Tourism Boards uses (I'll just change it a little) and say only this...What happens in Orlando stays in Orlando....shhhhhh...

PS: Kudoes to Shirley for being such a good sport and letting us bully her through Epcot. And believe me, this is just a small sample of the Grandma mayhem that happened.

PPS: I promise more blogging and photos tomorrow

Peppermint Bark

Today's mulling of why the world is the way it is was engendered not by visions of sugar plums dancing around in my head, but by a quick jaunt around  my local COSTCO.  COSTCO has flown by Halloween, bypassed Thanksgiving and is in the orgasmic throes of hawking everything commercial however loosely connected to Christmas.  I must tell you that we do not do Christmas.  Husband and I are Athiests.  We're a lot of other things, too, but we are really loathe to add Hypocrite to the list.  I used to love decorating for Christmas.  I still like seeing Christmas lights.  But in all honesty, for me, it was never about "the reason for the season."  I respect my Christian friends.  I respect my Jewish friends.  I respect people of all faiths.  I just don't happen to be one of them.  To me, the ten commandments are common sense rules for a just society, so I try to follow them.  I don't need to endorse the whole burning bush thing to do so.  The commercialism of Christmas really really bothers me.  If I were a Christian, I'd be in the remember the reason for the season camp.

So, now COSTCO is selling all things Christmas.  I look, I am interested to see what's out there for sale.  We are presently wrestling with what the possible consequences might be of rather than buying the grandchildren Christmas gifts (and by the way, none of their parents has set foot in a church for decades) making a donation in each child's name to Operation Smile and trying to explain to them why we are doing so, not the religiousness of it or lack thereof, but the idea of doing for others, not necessarily a religious thing, just a human thing.  Will the grandchildren still love us as much as their other grandparents?  Can we continue to give them gifts for Christmas and remain true to ourselves?  I feel like a hypocrite every year.  But, they're children.  To them it's all about Santa.  It's all so very complex.

Anyway, I had no intention when starting this entry to go off in the direction I did.  But here, "You pays your money and you takes your chances."  What I intended to write about was Peppermint Bark.  It's hard to do that and stay focused when it's 92 degrees outside.  When I worked at Pottery Barn, I received a very large employee discount.  That discount also applied at Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn's parent company.  Every holiday season, I'd gorge myself on Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark.  It costs twenty six dollars for one pound in a somewhat ordinary tin.  I've got at least six tins hanging around here.  After the first tin, they sort of lose their appeal.

At COSTCO while flitting through the bakery department dreaming about by buying a big tub of Two Bite Brownies, I spotted an equally large tub of Kirkland brand Peppermint Bark!  It was a two pound tub for $9.99.  Twice as much as Williams Sonoma for less than half price.  I have never noticed it at COSTCO before.  It was every bit as good as the WS peppermint bark.  The only difference that I really notice is that the COSTCO peppermint pieces are slightly smaller.  If you want to save yourself some money and you like Peppermint Bark, head to your local  COSTCO.

Regular Life Stuff

In the Dawg Daze Section:

Rico has owned our hearts for exactly eighteen days.  After Taffy's initial snubbing of him, they have bonded and sorted out the pack hierarchy.  I am Alpha female, which is as it should be.  The dogs know that.  Husband is still fighting the notion of it.  He's been fighting it since we met.  Taffy and Rico have had two dust ups.  The first when we were still in the RV.  Rico decided he would join Taffy in eating dinner out of her bowl as she ate.  She disabused him of that notion firmly and quickly.  He lived to remember his first lesson.  The second lesson was a bit harsh.  One evening last week, Taffy initiated play, butt up in the air, front end down and tail wagging woofs.  Rico had been begging her to play for days and she always ignored him.  Upon her initiation, they played for 30 minutes, running, chasing, barking, tails wagging, fun.  It was just wonderful.  The next day, Rico initiated play, butt in air, tail wagging, begging to play.  Taffy ignored him.  She walked away and he trotted behind her and sort of jumped on her back end. Oh, No, No, No, No No!  Again, Taffy let Rico know who was in charge of canine life around here.  As they say, "The wind blew and the fur flew."  I thought Taffy was killing Rico.  He was screaming like a girl.  I began screaming, husband grabbed Taffy and it was like a whirlwind.  Well, Rico didn't have a scratch on him.  I checked him carefully, fully expecting a trip to the emergency vet.  Nope.  Since then. over a week, it's been cool. 

It works like this.  Each dog has their own food and water bowl.  When dinner is served, Taffy goes to her bowl and eats.  Rico sits a respectful distance away and watches her.  She finishes her bowl and then walks over to Rico's bowl and takes one mouthful while he watches her.  She always takes just one mouthful, chews it and then walks out of the kitchen.  It's as if she takes that one mouthful just to show him that she can and will and he needs to accept that.  Once she has left the room, Rico goes over and eats his dinner.  Then he goes out and joins her.  That Taffy is one kick ass alpha female!  As long as she's in charge, it's all good.  She's a benevolent dictator and Rico gets it.  I wish he'd explain it to Husband...Look...This is what the three critters I live with do all afternoon...

In the Regular Life Department:

We're having guests over for dinner this evening;

Green Salad

Cassoulet with Cannellini Beans, duck breast, garlic sausages, pork and lamb

Dauphanoise Potatoes

Steamed Mixed Vegetable with Brown Butter Sauce

Golden Peach Cake with Whipped Cream

At the CopacaDan-a

Her name was Taffy, she was a show dog

With pink flowers in her hair and her fur cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star, She never got too very far

At the Copa (CO!), CopacaDan-a
The hottest spot north of Havana

At the Copa (CO!), CopacaDan-a
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the Copa....they fell in love

(Copa CopacaDan-a)

His name was Rico, on his head he wore some stars
He was escorted to his chair, he saw Taffy dancin' there
And when she finished, he called her over
But Rico sniffed a bit too far, Taffy sailed across the bar

And then the fur flew and there was growling too

There was a single yelp

But just who bit who?

At the Copa (CO!), CopacaDan-a

The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the Copa (CO!), CopacaDan-a
Music and passion are always the fashion
At the Copa....she fell in love
-
(Copa. . CopacaDana)


Her name is Taffy, she was a showdog
But that was 7 years ago, when she used to go to show
Now it's a dog park, but not for Taffy

Still in the fur she used to wear, faded flowers in her hair
She sits there so refined, and barks herself half-blind
She wants a new man

she doesn't care what kind
At the Copa (CO!), CopacaDan-a
The hottest spot north of Havana
At the Copa (CO!), CopacaDan-a
Music and passion are always the fashion
At the Copa....Taffy's now in love

(Copa) don't fall in love
CopacaDan-a
CopacaDan-a

Meet Our Newest Family Member....Rico, a registered Havanese