Meet Otto!

If you read my previous post, you know I went to the new animal shelter in my town yesterday. While there I saw this darling doggie.
Growing up, my family had a miniature dashhund named Rudy. He was like one of the family, but my dad was his favorite and vice-versa. My dad is a major animal lover (apple doesn't fall far from the tree!), and he is always saying he would sure like another "wienie dog". Well, I immediately called dad and he immediately called the shelter, and sight unseen, he adopted this little rascal!
Dad & I picked him up yesterday afternoon. He is already neutered, has all his shots, and LOVES people! The shelter called him "Dynomite", but dad wanted a German name for him, so he is now "Otto".

Otto arrived home to find a big brother, Max. We weren't too sure how they would take to one another, but lo and behold, they like each other. Max is around 7, so he's not quite as rambunctious as Otto, but they took to each other right off the bat!!! The only thing Otto claims as his own, and growls at Max for nearing, is his bed. Mom had a cat bed and cleaned it up for Otto, and Otto jumped right in and made it HIS!

Aren't they cute?????? He is very, very well behaved, sleeps in his crate at night without any whimpering, and follows Max around the rest of the time!!

It's like he knows that his life has been spared, and that he found the best family on earth! He really acts appreciative!!!

Now, I did have "girls night" last night. But we FORGOT to take pictures!!!!! Penny, Carol Ann and I ate at Olive Garden, saw "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day" and then ended up at Barnes Noble---big surprise there!!!

The movie is quite good. I think there were a total of 7 ladies in the whole movie room, and we all left commenting on what a great story it was. It's not a comedy---but has some funny parts. It's just a real good movie with a story, no blatant sex scenes, no horrid language. But an actual STORYLINE!!! And it's a good one. I would highly recommend it!

While standing in line to get tickets (at the wrong movie house!), someone called my name, I turned around and there was my cousin!!! She lives in that area, and her sister was in from another state. We don't see each other near enough. This is the aunt, uncle, cousins, that I was practically raised with--we saw each other at least once a week even living in different towns. And we were at Grandmother's often at the same times. I love them dearly.

Anyhoo---I called them this morning and said "hey, I'll cook dinner Sunday if you guys will come up". One has to work, but the one from out of state is coming, along with their younger sister. I'm so excited. You cannot believe the laughter that will ring through the air when we are all together. And the love that just is "seeable".

I'm going to try to bribe my daughter & family to come from the other side of the world~~ha ha. I'm seeing her today, and my cousin (who has her first grandchild the same as Hank) hasn't seen Hank since last spring! This is going to cost me!!!

Well, better go and clean the bathroom!

Have a great day!

How Much is that Doggie?????

Another Cake!!!! This one has a special story behind it. A young lady, Jessica, found a dog through our 'no-kill' facility on line and is on her way to pick up the dog. It's also her 13th birthday, so the shelter director is having a mini party for her. Now---the unusual part of this is that Jessica is from NEW JERSEY, and she and her mom have driven all the way to Oklahoma for "Maggie". Isn't that sweet?

Our shelter has only been officially open since January 26 of this year. You see, there was a "pound" in town, and they had to "dispose" of animals after a certain time. Our local city librarian and her son decided this had to be changed. She went on a campaign to build and staff a "no kill" shelter. A true shelter that is a refuge for these animals.

She worked with the city on getting land from them, and getting it under their "umbrella"'; she worked with a local veterinary office to provide services; she worked fundraisers and grants to pay for the facility; she worked with people to enlist volunteers to work the shelter; and she continues to work to provide funds for food, electricity, water, etc., for the shelter. All this and she runs the library full time. And she has 2 sons and 3 grandchildren that she is very active with. And she is Chamber of Commerce president.

She deserves a special place in heaven for her efforts. If any, ANY of you want to donate to a worthy cause, just email me. I would love to have the blogging community share the pride of this facility.

At present I am helping to plan a fundraiser "birthday" dinner for the shelter in January. If you have any ideas that would be useful in any way for this event, please let me know.

I am also working to provide some type of fundraiser that I can contribute on in an on-going way.

I am soooo proud of Miss Susan. If we all took a cause and worked that diligently this would definitely be a better place.

With that said, I'm off to clean out my garage today!!! And tonight is "ya ya girls night out". You just KNOW I will be posting pics!!!

Wednesday Musings

This was at Kelsi's birthday party a few weeks back--Hank was sooo good & even let us take his picture. He hates having his picture taken, and so won't look at the camera--usually he turns his head. But on this night, when he had his new truck from Cars (notice in his hand) he was pretty easy.
This is Hank's mother, my baby, on the same night. She's such a sweetie, and too thin!!! ha ha She's such a good mother---Hank is one lucky boy!
And here's a pic of me & sis. Ain't she cute? She gets her coloring from Mom and me from Dad---she says she's taller than me but she's not!! However, she is thinner and a much healthier eater!!! And she's a runner, so she's in better shape. Other than that~~~we're about the same--ha ha.
We have such fun together!!! I couldn't ask for a better sister. And I'm so glad we live near each other so we can enjoy life together!!!




Now, tonight was the last Wednesday meal at church until September. I'm really gonna miss it!! I love cooking each week, and seeing all the people enjoy the sweat of my brow. And tonight I really got the compliments!! It was just ham, peas, rice pilaf, salad, rolls. Oh--and the big winner: banana upside down cake. YUMMY!!! A new recipe I found and I will definitely use it again and again!!! Here's what you do:
Yellow cake mix, prepared as directed on package with 2 tsp banana
extract added.
Grease & flour 9x13 pan. Melt 1/4 cup butter & mix in 1/2 cup brown
sugar. Pour into bottom of pan and spread around. Top with pecans
and 2 sliced bananas.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into cake
comes out clean. Immediately turn out onto platter.
Really really good.



Bad news for me: the health inspector turned down my church kitchen as a commercial prep area. Boo Hoo. Too many "co-mingling" issues. And the drain from the ice machine isn't what they require. And they didn't like the ceiling tile. And --- well, and, I'm out of the catering business. Now don't tell, but I will continue to do my cakes word of mouth. And I may even do some receptions, anniversaries, etc., word of mouth. But if you tell anybody, I swear I'll say you're lying!!! I just can't give it up completely. I'll just slow waaayyy down.


I do still get to keep my Wednesday evening job. Health Inspector From The Eternal Fire Pit said they view churches as "family atmospheres". And they leave them be. So I can still cook for them. Whew. I'd hate to give that up. So would the congregation!!! What would all those people do for food and nourishment on Wednesdays??? Who would keep them supplied with high calorie, high fat food??? Who would clog their arteries on a weekly basis like I do??? They DO have all summer to cleanse their internal selves from the damage done this past winter! ha ha ha But in my 7 years of cooking, I have not seen ONE person come back in September gaunt and malnourished. I don't know what they're doing all summer or who's feeding them, but they return like swine to the trough.


Well, gotta run for now. Mr. Sandman calls. And I'm ready to answer.

Bye & Sweet Dreams.