Just A Note

I'm back for just a few.  It's been a bit of whirl-wind in the last few days.  As I mentioned in a past post, after my mother was hospitalized last Sept., two weeks after she turned 90, all went to hell for her and my sister decided to return to El Paso to be her full-time caregiver.  I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate her for doing this, uprooting her life in Phoenix and returning home to care for our mom...she's a friggin' saint!  Anyway, due to my mother's deterioration, her needs have become more profound, making it an emotional and physical roller coaster for my sis, so she decided she needed to take off a every 2-3 months, just to reboot.

So she left for Michigan last Tues. to visit an old, dear friend who is terminally ill, but still enjoying her life at full throttle.  My mother was already complaining about feeling badly, again, but then what does one expect at 90??!??  My mother went up the road to Las Cruces, NM, to stay with my brother and we knew he and his girlfriend would treat her like royalty, which they did, briefly.  On Friday, Fred called and told me her bp was high, very high.  Long story already made long, I went to her house, picked up her living room on wheels (Buick) since it was more comfortable to drive her back to El Paso and take her to the ER.  She was admitted, eventually, and my brother told my sister of her hospitalization.  She was upset at my mother's condition, but not my bro and me.  You see, the last time she went out of town, Mom ended up at the ER the day after she left, same problem, her leg spasms.  However, we told her to stay put in Michigan, enjoy her time with Julie, her friend, and know Mom is in good hands...she knows there will be bigger challenges upon her return.

So my friends, please pray for Mom and Letty as rougher times are ahead for them. Of course, Fred and I will also be vigilant and there to help, always, but the bulk of that 24/7 is on Letty's shoulders.  Thanks.

Now for just a lighter little transition, we celebrated Mother's Day yesterday since my son, Ian, wasn't here last week on the official day.  Now my hubby was taught never, EVER, use gift-giving occasions to replace broken coffee makers, toasters or anything that deals with kitchen crap (my ex one year gave me those exact thing for a Mother's Day, plus, I didn't get a chance to eat my nice Mother's Day meal at our reserved table at the country club...had to take out a screaming baby, Ian, out to the lounge area since the little guy was hysterical, his autism was still unknown.  I thought that perhaps one of the 4 other adults, who were our guests would come out and take care of him while I went back to the dining area to enjoy a meal, but an hour later, they all came out to the lounge, bellies full and ready to go home...memorable!).  However, I told him I wanted a a cast iron skillet...yes, ladies, you read that right, a cast iron skillet.  During one of my visits to Austin last year, I was staying with one of my best buddies, Irene and she promised to show me how to make chiles rellenos.  Now Irene is not of Mexican heritage but one hell of a great cook and her chile rellenos are the bomb!  I suppose I wasn't paying attention when my mother used to make them and she didn't like making them very often due to all the mess of frying them up.  Anyway, Irene told me a good Southern woman always has a good cast iron skillet for such delectable dishes and I really never considered myself as a good Southern woman since I'm Mexican-American, but I'm also a Texan and this state did participate in that little war back in the 1861-65, so that does make me a "Southern Woman."   So last night, after a really nice steak dinner prepared by my honey, both Ian and he presented me with two cast iron skillets...told him he could purchase them at Academy and didn't believe me since it's a sports store...he was quite amazed at the variety of kitchen ware Academy carries!!  LOL  They're already pre-seasoned, so I don't even have to do that..Yay!!  So very soon I shall enjoy making chile rellenos in my new cast iron skillet along with whatever I can muster.

Well, time to check out...going to run to the hospital for my mother's lunch to feed her.  Take care all, and as always, peace out.

Life in the Slow Lane

Howdy, all.  I know, I know, I said I wouldn't be such a stranger, but ya know what they say about the road to hell.  I told myself, "Myself, make time to blog and do some catching up," but myself sometimes can be a stubborn bitch!

I hope this post finds you happy, healthy and enjoying the upcoming warm weather, unless you live in Alaska or other cold places in the world.  Summer started here in March, but Winter decided it wasn't quite ready to say, "bub-by," so we've had a few colder days in the last 2 months, and I'm not complaining either.  However, all is on track and the temps are heating up and summer is in full gear to make things a bit miserable for some of us, especially those of us who still have evaporative coolers.  This area has been in a drought for many years now and causing great concern; the Rio Grande River down this way looks like the Great American Desert.  The rest of Texas caught up with those of us out here in far West Texas and the Southwestern U.S. and are they having some problems adjusting!  We're ol' pros at this drought stuff, so we can teach them a few lessons or two.  One of the things the city is asking it's residents, is to convert to air conditioning since evap coolers use a H2O and at times, can leak like a cascading waterfall when something breaks up there.  I say, great, city of El Paso, we'll do it, but are you willing to pay us a $6-8K for converting to that system???  Didn't think so.

Ok, here's an observation/rant.  In the last few years, well at the onset of menopause, I gained lots of weight.  I have always had a weight problem, but it became exacerbated by the Big M.  I now shop in the "fat chick" section of department and discounts stores.  Please don't take offense to fat chick, since I have always been a fan of the cartoon strip, "B.C." and love the "fat chick"  and the snake.  Anyway, the other day I was at Macy's and was looking at the regular size clothing and thought, "What gorgeous colours and cool flowing fashions!"  The racks were bursting with beautiful, cool Spring and Summer colours, linens and lose fitting, flowing tunics and pants.  Then I looked across at the WOMEN section, just a matter of 2-3 feet away from the regular fashions, and asked why is it that designers of large sizes think we big girls like the "English Garden" look, bold horizontals or the friggin' graphics as big as the Aztec calendar emblazed on our chests!!!???  REALLY!!!??  I shall also add that the tight, short skirts, the width and length of a 4'x4'' is not appropriate wear for those younger fluffy types or the older fluffy types who think she's "stylin!"

Now I will say that my mother had a lot to do with my attitude about colours, designs and all that is fashion.  Like I said, I have always been fluffy, on and off throughout my life, but never as I am now.  My sister, who is 4 years older, was a picky eater as a child and according to my mother, didn't really start eating till she was 10 years old, after her tonsils were removed, or so the story goes.  I, on the other hand, was a very enthusiastic baby, toddler and child when it came to food...no problems here.  However, as I got older, the "baby fat" wasn't melting as quickly as she preferred, so at age 12, she took me to a diet quack and there, he gave my mother all kinds of colourful little pills, which I obediently swallowed every morning and during the day.  I recall in the dead of winter, I perspired, no, sweated in class, looking as if I had just run a 20 mile marathon in the Amazon Rain Forest.  Well, in less than 2 weeks, I had dropped 20 lbs., hadn't slept in those 2 weeks and was completely miserable...she gave the pills to my aunt instead who wanted them.  My weight was always being scrutinized and eating became a game...what can I sneak and eat and won't get caught.  In the summer of my 15th year, my braces came off, my hair was cut in the Sasson short style, I lost weight and this ugly duckling had become a swan, but I didn't know that.  All my young life, all I saw in the mirror was that fat 10 year old.  My sis also suffers from weight problems and was also under the same scrutiny as I when we were young.  We're both amazed at seeing pictures of ourselves of those days of yore, and can't believe what beauties we really were, but neither of us could see it.  I recall a knit shirt I bought at 18 and it had pastel horizontal lines in lavender and my mother told me it wasn't a good choice, made me exaggerated my hips.  Later, I found a picture of me wearing said shirt with a pair of white pants, standing next to my now ex when we were dating, my arms were skinny and the pants were hanging off of me...I looked as if I were wearing a wire hanger...I was a bone!  But that wasn't the message I was getting.  I don't blame my mom, she was watching out for us and didn't want us to suffer, plus, it was just a thing of her generation since many of my friends were also under the same sort of  fat watch,  but it taught my sis and me a lesson, accept our children's body no matter.  Encourage when needed and always tell them they're wonderful.  Case in point, my daughter has lost 70lbs. in the last 8 months.  She was told she was on the road to an early grave and she had just turned 34, so she changed her lifestyle, began to run and looks wonderful and better yet, feels wonderful.  She has to be on her best physical shape with five children, ages ranging from 13 years-20 months.  I'm so very proud of her, but I was always proud of her.  She knew what she looked like, no one needed to tell her or ridicule her, her mirror worked just fine, but she needed that scare to get her in motion, physically and mentally.  Now she's one of those obnoxious runners!!  LOL

Wow, sorry about that..sometimes I just get on a roll and go with the momentum, as I should be doing soon in my studio. For those of you who do not prescribe to  FB, you haven't seen some of my latest  creations, so here they are.  I have yet to open up my new Etsy shop, so if anyone is interest, let me know.  For the exception of the chicken, donkey and yellow headdress doll, who all have new homes, everything is up for grabs, so please "grab!!"  LOL

 Well, it's time for me to get motivated and get my arse up and out of this office and do some fun work in the ol' lab.  Have a great week, take care and as always, peace out.  Oh, P.S., I know I mentioned a Giveaway...still working on that, folks, but I'll get back to you  later.

This & That

Good Morning, my bloggie friends.  Hope you all had a wonderful Easter or Passover.  We didn't do much in the way of celebrating.  I forgot to put up my Easter Bush and all my other little Easter stuff that I usually display a couple of weeks prior to the holiday.  I guess it was a combination of laziness and a lot of  "la viejitis," or old age!!  LOL  I recall my ex-father-in-law calling it "Oppenheimer's" which wasn't quite like Alzheimer's...his version had more to do with explosive brain matter.  However, I did make a homemade carrot cake, a delish ham, baked potatoes and salad and a few Easter eggs were distributed by your's truly to both hubby and son.

Spring has sprung out here in far West Texas and with it, comes gorgeous days and some not so gorgeous.  Spring can be both a blessing and curse out here.  Everything is in bloom, including allergies, sinus infections, wheezing, dry and itchy eyes, etc., etc., etc.  We also do some real estate exchanges with the state of New Mexico (probably get a bit of Arizona too from it blowing into New Mexico) and Mexico.  Those are the days when you shut your windows as to avoid all the dirt settling on your furniture, but unless your windows are caulked completely with super glue, dirt's going to find it's way in.  Then there's those times when our air conditioner isn't turned on yet and it's blowing and howling and it's 80 degrees in your house!!  Now aren't you feeling a little better about those late snow falls right about now???  LOL  However, when the weather is clear, which it has been the last few days, it's at the "gorgeous" level, plus, our air conditioner is already on, so no sweat till we reach the century mark and beyond...OY!!

Before I post my latest dolls, I wanted to bring something up.  Do you know that Playboy magazine really does have great articles in it....really!!!  How many times have you heard guys say the reason they get it is due to the "articles and interviews???"  Right, and I've got a bridge in London I want to sell you!!  Actually, I  grew up with Playboy.  My dad had this client who gave him a subscription every Christmas for years.  He used to "hide" it under his side of the bed, but we all knew where he kept it.  Of  course, as kids, we'd look at the "neekked" ladies, showing less than what you see on prime time tv these days.  When I entered high school, I began looking at it in whole new perspective, they had damn good writers and the articles were actually good and some of the non-sexual artwork was fabulous.  So when I'd see the old issue in a box up in my Pop's closet, I knew I could have at it and cut out my favorite articles and graphics, unbeknownst to him, however.  I found them the other day and had to laugh...how the times have changed.  I found lots of the articles naive and silly, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing either.  Have we become so desensitized in this world of technology, making our world a really smaller place?  Anyway, I decided to keep them as a reminder of simpler times (yea, Playboy had simpler times) and artwork that were actually drawn or painted and not computer enhanced or air brushed, like everything is now.

Let's hear a drum roll for my new stuff.  I call this series of dolls, "The Talkies," because they look as if they're telling you something and you really need to listen.  I wanted them to be a bit ethereal, I love that word, hence my choice of chiffon fabric for their clothing.  I utilized all these missing pieces of jewelry, that is, earrings without partners, broken necklaces and bracelets, pieces of chains and unused embellishments.  So here they are:

I posted them on Facebook and within a few minutes, I got someone who was interested in the red lady, so she's off now to her new home in London, Ontario, Canada.  I still have the other three looking for new homes, so if you're interested, contact me...I promise I won't bite!! LOL

Last night I attended a lecture given by my young friend, Jessica Pizana Roberts, http://www.jessicapizanaroberts.com/.  I met Jessica a few years back when I was still in school and she was   working on her B.F.A.  I got to know her better when we were partnered to do testing for a foundation under the John's Hopkins umbrella.  I don't never laughed so much with anyone on road trips as I did with her, ok, my hubby and I have some great times too, but for someone as young as she was, she has an old soul along with a sense of humour to match.  Anyway, if your interested in seeing her presentation, there's the link.  It may not be for everyone, but like I said, I know her well and this didn't surprise me a bit.  I invited one of my oldest and dearest friend, Ginny, to attend because I know she'd enjoy it as much as I.  Jessica added her regular flair of humour and it was questioned by one of the students (those goofy art types that are there because they "have to be."  LOL).  She now has her MFA from New Mexico State University and because of that, she should be serious???  Her lecture was about women's body images in today's society and I had to laugh when she showed a split screen of the Venus of Willendorf to one of her costumes....

I turned to Ginny and told her I was beginning to look like her....talking about women's body issues!!!!  LOLOLOL  During the lecture, Ginny turned around and asked me if I wanted a B12 tab...told her I already had mine earlier in the day.  She then reminisced about how when we were these student's age, we asked our friend sitting next to us if they had a joint!!  LOL  Anyway, we had a great time and then went to one of our favorite little eateries and had a salad and pizza.  I also want to show you what she gave me as a "just because it reminded me of you" gift," a pair of La Catrina earrings.  She and her sis had gone to the El Paso Museum of Art earlier that day and she said she saw them in the gift shop and had to get them...they're soooo Georgina!!  Spent a great evening with a great old friend...one of my many blessing.

Well people, time for me to get my day started and head on to the kitchen to get my pork tenderloin out for dinner tonight...making chile colorado (red chile stew) and some beans and coleslaw.  Then back into my happy place, the studio, to complete another framed Cocohead.  Peace out.

New Work, a Future Giveaway and Stalkers

Well, here I am again, after promising I wouldn't stay away long, but I did it again, I stayed away for a bit more time I had intended.  Actually, I've decided not to come too close to my computer since this thing can be addictive, giving me more time to do more stuff here at home and do research for new projects.

Speaking of new projects, I've started a new body of work and it's a little different from my usual "skelly" dolls and doodles.  I have this great personal library that I tap into for inspiration when I feel all dried up and it invariably works every time.  I haven't finished them yet, so no pics, but I can assure you, they're very different from what I've made in the past.  Back when I was in school, one of my art profs told me I would always do funky and whimsical stuff...why, because I'm funky and whimsical???  LOL  He said that's just my nature and thankfully, left me alone to create my own brand of work, instead of all that undergrad "ugly art."  I'm not sure if these new dolls are "whimsical" but most definitely,  funky.  Anyway, I'll post pics when I'm done.

I thought of having a small giveaway next month...sort of a celebration of Spring and all the work so many of us will be doing for the coming Halloween season.  So many of us eat, dream, breath, think Halloween year round, so this will be a little something to get everyone motivated...more later.

The other day I spent about 2 hours on the phone with my old friend, Sandie.  I've known her since 1974 when I worked at this insurance company in Dallas, during my other life.  She comes from a long line of Southern families, hailing from Atlanta, GA, and like so many fine Southern women, she has a whole set of  seasoned cast iron skillets and a quick whit to match.  She has this blog, which I can't post since she's gone "private," I learned this during our long discourse.  Anyway, she asked me if I had problems with stalkers...WHAT????   Oh yea, all the time!!!!!  She explained, "blog stalkers," not your regular, run-of-the-mill, stalkers!!  Thanked her for clearing that up...thought maybe it was a problem in GA.  So she told me her sister-in-law is a blog stalker and hence the reason she went private on her blog, she and her 4 other sisters, various cousins and other relatives.  She told me her brother's wife, who is "foreign" which in Sandie's world, could mean Catholic or from up North!!!  LOL  Actually, she is from another country, came here to this country after her grandparents, who were her caretakers, passed away before she turn 18, and attended Georgia Tech like all of Sandie's family.  There she met the brother, married and have been for many years.  This said s-i-l works as the administrative assistant to the V.P. of  a high school and according to Sandie, has too much time on her hands if she can read everyone's blog, then emails or calls the people that they're talking about!!!  Apparently, she's trying to stir the pot and create some animosity between the sibs, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., etc., etc.

Now, I've been reading her blog for years, and she does bring up family members and speaks of their particular quirks, which are down-right hilarious, along with recipes, quotes, rants and regional goings-on.  Sandie has told me many times that all her family are "bat-sh-t crazy, but as all good Southerners, we embrace our peculiarities and even boast about them!" LOL  Anyway, fortunately, the family is aware of the s-i-l's motives and just brush it aside.  I asked her why she's doing this and Sandie feels that it somewhat empowers her to attempt to distance family members from each other since she really didn't have much of one of her own, therefore, never developed good concept as to how families function, so the family is sympathetic but mindful.  So my question to you, my bloggie buddies, have you ever encountered anything like that?  I told Sandie I didn't allow "anonymous" comments on my blog, after having to delete comments from Chinese and Korean porn sites, so who knows if I'm being stalked.  The only blogs I read are the ones I follow.  Sometimes, I'll read someone elses' blog if it's listed as a link and recommended reading  and if I like what I'm reading, I'll follow it...that's how I found so many of you in the past several years.

 Before I forget, I had my daughter, Andria, and the two younger grandies here visiting for about 4 days.  Had a great time getting reacquainted with my two little ones, 3 year old Sammy and I are buddies and 14 month old Zoe, well, let's just say, she's still a mommy's girl.  When Andria was around, I was calling her, "Evil Zoe," since she just wanted to hang on mom, literally!!  LOL  The first time Andria left me with them, I wasn't sure how Zoe was going to react when she saw my face get her up from her nap and not her mom's....I was welcomed with a huge grin!!  We had a great time until "Evil Zoe" returned once her mommy walked through the door!!  Here's a picture I took of all of them (3 older boys were visiting their dad here during Spring Break) with my 90 year old mom, grandmother and great-grandmother...she was loving it too.

I'll post pics of my new work and more details on the giveaway next time around.  Have a great weekend, my friends, and take care.  Peace out.

All In A Day

Good Morning, my bloggie buddies.  I said I wouldn't be neglectful anymore by staying away too long, well, it's been a while.  I've been busy doing, making, thinking, crying, laughing...well, what all the rest of you do in a day.

I think I mentioned that I was in the process of making a couple of dolls for submission into "Art Doll Quarterly," and hoping this time something will "stick on their walls!"  As I said in my last post, some of their selected pieces are either, what I consider, sculpture or just cheesy, but having different perspectives is what makes the world go around and around and I hope my work will influence someone's world!  I don't know why this is important to me, since I'm not of a competitive nature nor do I give a holy baloney what other's think of me or my work, but somehow, I want to do this.  "If at once you don't succeed, try, try, try again," has become my motto as of late.  I guess it's my post-menopausal brain guiding me into the darkness!!  LOL

My mother has had a few set-backs lately.  Almost a month ago, the specialist administered a epidural into her spine to alleviate her horrible leg spasms.  We hoped she would be that percentage that didn't need the procedure more than once, but no such luck.  The leg spasms have returned and 10 fold.  As I mentioned in my last post, my sister is caring for her and I thank the good Lord for her every day...she's a Godsend.  My hubby and I were planning on a short trip to Tucson, AZ for this week, but when mom landed in the ER last Saturday, due to the return of a particularly horrible spasm, he canceled our reservations and we decided to have what my daughter calls,  a "staycation."  However, my sister is aware of our presence.  We were planning on going out with some friends last night, but when my sis called needing my help in getting mom into bed, we decided to make some homemade pizza instead.  I went over there to help her get mom into her bed and stayed for a bit since my mom wanted "her girls" to keep her company.  I returned to my pizza dough ready to be punched down and spread on the sheets,  good timing!  The evening turned out fun and we all had our fill of veggie pizza or sausage...I only ate the veggie!! LOL

Today, my hubby will be taking an online drivers course, due to his speeding ticket this past Thanksgiving weekend outside of Sonora, TX.  The deputy was the usual Texas, pot bellied cop cliche, accent and all.  As he walked away, he told us to have a "good day," and you can imagine my reply, with windows securely shut, however.  Well, the course will be several hours long, so I will have to relinquish this machine to him soon, so I must make it quick.

I'll be spending my time in the studio, continuing on my little offerings to said publication, listening to some new cd's I treated myself to the other day, Philip Philips, the 2013 Grammy picks, Gotye, The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons.   Music, books (the real thing, no downloads for this gal) and art supplies are my weakness.  Oh speaking of books, I just finished a really wonderful read, it's called "The Prisoner of Heaven,"  by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.  He hales from my European home ground, Barcelona, Spain.  It's a real page turner and if you like intrigue, you'll like this book.  I haven't read his other books, but I'm hooked now.

Well, my lovelies, it's time to say adieu for now and I'm sorry there's still no artwork to display, so I'll leave you with a photo of my "power to reckon wtih," Zoe, after engorging herself on a rather large, pink cupcake.  Peace out.

Time, Time, Time, What's Become Of Me

Good morning, my few bloggie buddies who still might remember me!!  I have been so absent, that I've almost forgotten about this stupid new blogger thingy.  I know for most of you, it's become a everyday format, but I'm still figuring it out!!  LOL

So what have I been doing lately, well, a lot of nothing, creatively anyway.  I've been a bit out of sorts since about Sept. and my muses are slowly returning from their long vacation at a small bar in the Bahamas, the sluts!!  I'm working on some new/old dolls to submit to Art Doll Quarterly.  I attempted a couple of years ago to submit some of my box dolls, but they were not accepted and I was quite miffed since the issue that I submitted them for contained lots of dreck (Yiddish for "caca"), well, in my opinion.   I didn't renew my subscription and until last Fall, I hadn't purchased an issue.  How's that for Prima Dona behaviour!!??  LOL  Ok, so I put on my big girl chonies and decided I wasn't "all that" and subscribed again.  The mag still has lots of dreck, but they also have some wonderful works of art too, so I just have to expect "the good, the bad and the ugly," when it comes to any art publications.

I want to take a moment to thank my sister, who moved her home and life, back  to El Paso to care for our mother.  In my last post, I wasn't kind concerning her cooking skills, and for that, I have apologized.  She has "da touch" in the kitchen also and has been caring for our 90 year old mother since then.  My sis is a God-send and I thank Him everyday for her love, care, concern and dedication to our mom's needs.  My sis has a heart of gold and and some big-ass stones along with that...the lady has "hutspa," lots of it.

In December, we had to say good-bye to our little Mr. Peanut, a.k.a, Senor Cacahuate.  He was diagnosed with liver cancer in the early summer and doctor said that he could live for another 6 months, year, maybe two, but our little guy made it to the 6 month mark.  I cried the entire time I put away Christmas of '12, on Dec. 28th.  He had a rough start, but my stepdaughter chose him up at a animal rescue facility, since she was told he was unadoptable due to his bad disposition...I would be pissed off too if I were mistreated and kicked in the face, breaking my jaw, by my owner.  He quickly took to all the lovin' provided by his new family and when Jessi moved up north to Chicago, we kept that little guy here with us.  Thank you , my sweet/bad-ass doggie...see you in heaven, because all dogs do go to heaven!!

Before I leave you, I want to post a pic of my little Zoe girl taken on her first birthday.  My daughter had a big Lady Bug theme party for her and Zoe will not have any memory of that festival, but her parents will!!  So here are my goils on her Zoe's "burpday" as my daughter used to refer to them around the same age.

Have a great week, my friends, and I shall return and post again, this time with pictures of my creative endeavors...sigh.  Peace out.

Just a Quickie

Good Morning, my lovely bloggie buddies.  Just wanted to come by and share a few words and perhaps, a rant here and there.

As most of you, I've been busy getting prepared for Christmas.  Sweet man and I returned from our little Thanksgiving vacae in late November and the rush was on.  Unfortunately, I wasted 2 very precious days by laying on my bed or kneeling before the Porcelain Goddess.  I visited my doc the week after our return, and he prescribed yet another bp medication.  The last one we tried just about did me in, so he decided to try another approach and another type of drug, but in a low dosage.  Long story short, didn't work either.  I'm hyper sensitive to many medications and these were pretty common bp meds, but not for me!  Decided I'll just take my chances on risking that stroke!!  LOL

Today, I begin the Christmas bake-o-thon.  On today's menu, I will be making Mexican Wedding cookies, Biscochos and if I haven't ended up in the ER from diabetic shock, Toll House Cookies.  Actually, I'm not much of a sweet eater, but I have my trusty resident cookie sampler, my son, Ian.  I contemplated on making New Mexico Biscochitos, but I made them many years ago, in my previous life, and they were not appreciated.  I suppose it's the hint of the anise  flavour and the pinion nuts.  I love them and have a really good recipe my ex-sister-in-law gave me back when she was working on the rez as a nurse living in Farmington, NM.  Anyway, for those of you who would like the Mexican version, visit my Dec. blog from last year, I have the recipe posted plus, photos.

I really need to run but before I leave, wanted to post a picture of my honey and me in front of the Alamo, in San Antonio, TX.  The River Walk and the entire area was all lit up for the season and it was just gorgeous weather during our visit.

Now for something completely different.  The other morning, as I was brushing my teeth, I took notice of my "display" on top of the toilet tank.  I couldn't help but get a bit philosophical about the whole scene, that is, realizing I'm an old fart, a really old fart!  After about 3 seconds of that downer, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically and share this with you, my friends.  Hope you take the time to laugh at yourself on occasion because let's face it, life can be just too funny.  I should mention, beneath the monthly copy of the AARP magazine, are a couple of Diabetic Forecast publications.

Oh yes, one more thing.  I discovered this wonderful nut cracker.  No, it's not those cute little German figurines, but something much more practical and is multi-purpose.  I had forgotten I purchased this some years ago and for some reason, put it away in some obscure area in the room off the pantry.  How happy I was, when I came across it and now swear by it....best nut cracker, EVER!!!

Well, it's time to "take it to the couch," (for those of you who remember Dean Martin's closing lines from his television show back in the 70's) and get this bake-o-thon going.  I'm hoping to come by and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, but if I don't get that opportunity, please have a wonderful next two weeks and take my advise, don't count calories...that's what New Year resolutions are all about, but don't ask me, I don't believe in them!!  Peace out.