Holiday Thinking Inside the Box!

It is time for

holiday libations!

When the Christmas decorations

come out of the box,

so do the holiday toddies!

There are some special liqueurs

that are our favorite Christmas drinks.

Snifters of this amber liquid

saved our marriage for many years

during Christmas tree trimming time!

Grand Marnier was our holiday drink

of choice for many years.

Until we were introduced to this

yummy drink several years ago...

minus the candy cane, of course.

Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur is reserved

only for Christmas season in our home.

Have you tried it?

I cannot tell you how delicious it is...

or how expensive!

Sigh.

This holiday season,

things are different...

times are tough...

adjustments must be made!

Yep.

We have joined Maggie,

Kathy Griffin's mother,

in the joys of boxed wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon?

Pinot Noir?

Merlot?

No, just plain old...

well, never mind.

I have got to find a craft

to use all these plastic liners

out of the wine boxes!

Any ideas?

If you are still sober,

you need to go visit HERE.

Seriously!

YaYa Chique is having a super giveaway...

the Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway!

Debi has already given away two prizes

so you better hurry!

Forget about this third prize

because I am winning this one!

Just sign up for the next prize!

Well, I tried.

Go ahead,

go enter the giveaway!

I'm busy anyway...

Gotta go tear open

a new box!

CHEERS!

Pop Test!

I know. I know.

It has been a long time since we had a POP TEST!

So here we go.

Don't hold back.

Say what you think.

Write the funniest caption yet!

Directions: Multiple choice answers...

you are responsible for answer D.

A. The "sister wives" had unanimously voted for no new wife in the flock.

B. Beatrice found pleasure in punishing Gertrude for killing her pet turkey, Fred.

C. Bloggers unite to seek revenge for the stealing of ideas.

D.

Going To The Dogs...

I am SO upset with Jenny Matlock this week!

Why, you ask?

I am upset because of what she did

to us this week

at Saturday Centus!

She knew that we ate a boat load of turkey,

dressing and pecan pie this week!

She knew we were full and slightly nauseated!

Yet, she allows Clearspace to do this to us!

Can you believe it?

Who is Clearspace?

I'm not sure...

I thought Clearspace was a brand new

cell phone service provider...

evidently not.

Clearspace is this hotshot blogger

who wrote our prompt for this week!

Really!

And you know what Clearspace chose for a prompt?

A horoscope!

You heard me!

A horoscope!

Oh, my gosh!

And on top of a full stomach!

So I have been really upset all day

until the BEST thing happened!

I was reading online horoscopes

and trying to avoid all of those

pop-up sex ads that jump up on

the horoscope pages...

when I discovered PET HOROSCOPES!

You heard me!

PET HOROSCOPES!

Then it hit me...

that's what I want to do

when I grow up!

I know, I know...

I can't grow up much more,

but when I do,

I want to write PET HOROSCOPES!

Yessirree...

that Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary English

is finally going to pay off!

I am going to write

PET HOROSCOPES!

Thank you, Jenny!

You helped me find my true path!

So, it was a pet horoscope that I used

for my prompt today.

No, I did not make this up.

It is a real pet horoscope.

My pet horoscopes will be SO much better!

“Another trick AGAIN?

You’re really getting tired of practicing,

but just keep that happy smile on your face

and that tail wagging.

It’s all worth it for a treat and a big hug from your owner!”

If you want to join us this week,

just bring along your pooper scooper

and write 100 words based on a horoscope.

Here is my contribution this week.

My prompt is in italics.

__________________________________________________________

Honey Dew was not having a good year. The recession had hit hard, but not as hard as her man, Ho Daddy.

Honey Dew could read the writing on the wall. Usually the writing was on a bathroom wall and had her number in it. She knew that her once-famous melons were now too ripe.

She was thinking of hanging up her fish-net stockings and cashing in her chips…Lay’s chips, of course.

Then she read her horoscope, never knowing that it was a pet horoscope:

“Another trick AGAIN? You’re really getting tired of practicing, but just keep that happy smile on your face and that tail wagging. It’s all worth it for a treat and a big hug from your owner!”

Happy day! She could use a hug and a treat.

Honey Dew wagged her tail.

Be More THANKFUL This Thanksgiving...

It is almost time for

LEFTOVERS!

Thought I would get an early start

by recycling this post from last year!

Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Blount's house. I am on the far right and I am joined by 7 of my first cousins! There are 16 first cousins on this side of the family! I remember my Mother talking about the old days when the men sat down and ate first. When the men were through, the women sat down and ate, and then it was time for the children to eat. My Mother never liked that arrangement! She, like mothers everywhere, think that children always come first! I guess that explains this picture...sure doesn't look like we were hurting for attention or food! It was Thanksgiving and we were happy to be at our grandparents' house, to have an abundance of food and to just be together! With that in mind, let us make an effort to put the THANKS back in Thanksgiving! Here are some suggestions:

1. Sit down and take a few minutes to write a letter---not a text message or email, but a real letter---to the oldest surviving member of your family. Maybe it is a great aunt, a great-great grandparent or a sibling. Maybe it is someone you haven't talked to in years. Maybe it is someone you just saw earlier today. None of that matters! What matters is that you sit down and put in words how appreciative you are for the things the family has passed on to you: values, good genes, wonderful memories, etc! What a wonderful, thoughtful way to say 'thank you' to and from your family

2. When you are at the grocery store shopping for your Thanksgiving dinner, remember to shop for another family who needs the help. Too often, when we buy food to donate, we buy staples. We stock up on sale items like spaghetti, macaroni and cheese and ramen noodles. We then give those staples to a food bank which distributes the food. Change it up this year! Adopt a family and deliver the food basket yourself! Double the products you are buying at the store! Fill up your basket with Thanksgiving food items: fresh yams, cranberries, turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pies! Take your kids and let them help you carry the bags of food to your Thanksgiving family! Both your family and your Thanksgiving family will benefit from your thoughtfulness!

3. Take an elderly person or a person without transportation to the grocery store to do their Thanksgiving shopping! Many people, who can no longer drive, would love the opportunity to take a leisurely shopping trip to the grocery store. Many of those people may be expecting out of town family for the holidays and will be so grateful to you for thinking of them!

4. Know anyone who is new to your community, has no family, or is totally alone for the holidays? Why not invite them to your house for Thanksgiving dinner? I know that having your family at your home is a very private time. Just give up one hour of your time! With your invitation to your guest to join you for dinner, include transportation by one of your family members. Invite your guest with a pick up time and a return delivery time. You will give a lonely person the opportunity to share the joy of your family and your dinner table and still reserve enough time for your family to have some private "together" time!

5. There are many "shut-ins" in every community. Adopt one or two for Thanksgiving dinner. Let them know that you will be delivering Thanksgiving dinner to them! And make the delivery special---no tin pie plates with aluminum foil on top! Deliver your meal on a beautiful gift plate! Set a lovely table complete with flowers and Thanksgiving decorations!

We all get so caught up in our preparations for the holidays...everything has to be perfect....the perfect menu...the perfect table setting...the perfect centerpiece...the perfect family setting. Maybe we all just need to slow down and think about what made Thanksgiving great when we were kids...laughter...games...a place at the table...just being together! I don't know about you, but I am going to slow down and try to be more THANKFUL this Thanksgiving!

Happy Trails To You...

This is for those of you

who are hitting the road

for the Thanksgiving holiday!

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.

Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.

Who cares about the clouds when we're together?

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'til we meet again.

Some trails are happy ones,

Others are blue.

It's the way you ride the trail that counts,

Here's a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you, until we meet again.

Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.

Who cares about the clouds when we're together?

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.

Happy trails to you, 'til we meet again.

A Sticky Situation...

Jenny Matlock is a turkey!

There. I said it.

Jenny is not just a turkey...

she is a turkey of the finest quality.

Jenny is a Butterball turkey.

You know what I mean.

She is a turkey for giving us such a

quirky writing prompt this week!

Plus, if you just follow her directions,

and baste and trim from time to time,

your story will be delicious!

Maybe I spent too much time

on my turkey this week.

It may be a little dry

or a little too juicy.

You decide!

What are Jenny's Saturday Centus directions?

Write 100 words on her prompt.

"Pardon me," said Tom T. Urkee..."

Jenny's prompt can be used anywhere

in your story.

The prompt will be in italics.

Simple...

right?

Come on...

join in the feast!

Here is my contribution for the week.

__________________________________________________________

I hated being his opening act.

Tom T. Urkee gave me no credit for warming up his audience.

If Tom didn’t think he was cock of the walk, we could share the spotlight.

Maybe I could charm him.

As he strutted backstage, I took my chance.

“Hey, Tom, is that a drumstick in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

“Pardon me,” said Tom T. Urkee. “Don’t ruffle my tail feathers!”

“Go stuff yourself!” I shouted. “You are so tight-laced, you are trailing twine!”

Then I heard the emcee announce my name.

“Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for….

Miss Candy Yam!”

Walk This Way...

Glad you could continue

with us on our walk!

See the white crane sitting on the dock?

We have LOTS of birds because

of all the trees and the water.

Nice view, huh?

From here we can see another neighborhood

on another part of the lake.

I love this old bird house.

Don't know how old it is,

but it was here when we moved in the

neighborhood fifteen years ago.

Ahhh!

Yes, this is the perfect place to walk...

especially with this nice, cool weather!

What?

You need a rest?

Go ahead. Sit down.

I am sure the neighbors won't mind.

Sweetie has got her eye on this big, empty lot.

Thank goodness we took care of "business"

before our walk!

Yep, we still have roses and flowers in bloom!

You should see the orange trees with big, plump oranges!

This is Pine Island.

We can see it great from our walk.

Pine Island is a nice little, uninhabited island

which is a local gathering place for boaters.

A full cooler, a picnic lunch and a bottle of wine

makes for a fun day there!

My boys and their friends spent many a day

having loads of fun there.

What is not fun...

having to get a broken down boat

towed in from the island!

Jump it...

Lurch will push!

Palm trees, pine trees,

hardwood trees...

if it is green, we have it!

Guess we better go back to the golf cart

and head back up the hill.

Hope you enjoyed seeing the sights with us.

I'll feature some of the houses we saw

on our walk real soon.

Now, it's time to catch your breath

and have a nice big glass of iced tea!

Welcome To My Neighborhood...

Thought you might like to join us

on our walk today.

Come on!

Since most of our neighborhood roads

have steep inclines, we always walk

the lake front road which is the most level

of our choices of paths to walk.

So we load Sweetie up on the golf cart

and drive down the hill to the lake.

Here is our neighbor's house.

Yes, we are lucky to live in a location

with big lots and plenty of greenery.

Fork in the road...

which way should we go?

We took the scenic route.

I love this house which is nestled

back in the woods.

The owner always has the most beautiful garden!

We go down this charming little road

until we come to...

our neighborhood lakeside park.

This is where we park the golf cart

and begin our daily journey.

Gotta check out the boat dock...

and walk out on the pier.

Our golf cart waits patiently

for our return.

Hurry! Get your walking shoes on

and join us!

More photos of our neighborhood walk tomorrow!