Our Superbowl

Yes our version of the SuperBowl is the Oscars.   Sure, we like movies but really Auntie and I are more interested in watching the pretty people and the pretty clothes etc.

Much like Super Bowl Sunday, I have all the snacks ready for the big Couch-Potato night.  Chips, cookies, taco dip etc.

The Oscars are one of the few things that Auntie and I do together that doesn't end in a bit of a squabble.  I suppose because of the stress of caregiving together, we can sometimes take out frustrations on each other.  But not tonight!   Tonight is all about junk food and some foolishness.

You see, we turn into catty, mean 13 year old girls once the red carpet show starts.   Just wait until someone struts out in some really ugly dress.  Remember years past - the credit card dress, Bjorks swan dress, Lara Flynn Boyle's pink tutu, and the year Drew Barrymore forgot to wear a bra ??

Oh then the claws come out.  And god forbid someone wins who we don't like.......Look out!!!  It worse than being at a hockey rink when the referee misses a penalty call.

And don't even get me started when some shmuck who we have never heard of goes on waaayyyy to long with their acceptance speech.   Seriously....do you need to thank the guy who put the extra sprinkles on your ice cream cone when you were 5......??

Yes....we start yelling at the TV -  "Get the Hook".   Yup we are in for a real mature night here at the funny farm.   LOL

A box of sunshine

Don't let that innocent looking box deceive you.  Its contents were pure sunshine.  And trust me, after the last 24 hours, a little sunshine is desperately needed.

Yesterday and overnight we had snow, wind, rain, freezing rain, wind, snow and wind.  In that order.  So that meant a mess of ice to chisel off the cars and walk ways.  But even all that could not bring down my mood today.

I bet you are wondering what could possibly be in that box that is so special???

WOOL

Yards and yards of beautiful Heavens to Betsy wool.    I could hardly contain myself!! It is almost to pretty to cut up.  I think I'll just keep it and admire it for awhile.  Here are a few close ups

OOOOH.....

AAAAAHHHH......

Now.....what to do with it ?   The future rug ideas are spinning.

Blue Bird of Happiness ??

BLUE BIRD OF HAPPINESS, MY ASS!

It's Friggin' Freezing. There's snow up my ass, all the food's covered with

3 feet of this white shit, and you want ME to sing?

What?? Anne Murray's "Snowbird"? Piss Off!!

Next year, I'm flyin' to Jamaica, and smokin dope!!

Due to the fact that we are AGAIN in the middle of ANOTHER storm, I thought I would share with you this message I received today.  LOL

Wednesday Word of the Week

This weeks word is.....

LOSER

(loo-zer)

- noun    1) A person who has failed at a particular activity
 2) someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc
3) Slang - a misfit, especially someone who has never or seldom been successful

I chose this as today's word because for the next few weeks I will be reminded I'm a loser on a regular basis.

Its ROLL- up-the-Rim to win time at Tim Hortons.  Its like I have been cursed - I never friggin win.  Here is a case in point



Can you read what it says at the top?   Please Play Again !  Crap  I'm convinced when they see me coming they reach for the Loser sleeve of cups.

And what is worse is that my Loser status has become somewhat legendary around the office.  Occasionally I will find one of these on my desk....

A Pity Donut!  Imagine the nerve...... Some people win so much that they have to distribute their excess to the sad loser people.   Oh, don't get me wrong - I eat the donut irregardless of the fact it is a pity donut for losers but it is kind of sad. 
As I grope around in the relentless pursuit of free donuts, I worry that my delusional tendencies don't attempt to obliterate all the joy the non-losers experience.  I think maybe all this coffee has made me a little loopy.  Whatever!  (Michelle - that one's for you!)

And no stupid post would be complete without the ultimate creepy loser

Just had to throw that in there since its been awhile since I mocked clowns.  Now I will probably have nightmares!

(I needed to post something silly.  All this mopey whiney stuff lately was getting on my nerves.  It's bad enough when you know you are getting on other peoples nerves but its really bad when you get on your own!)

A little update

Your comments and emails on my last post were so greatly appreciated.  You have no idea how much it means to me.  It has been a frustrating time the past few weeks, and sometimes I wonder how I managed to deal with things before I started this crazy blog.

I'm going to give you a little update without alot of details.  I try to be cautious of how much I share with you about Mom because she doesn't have the capacity to consent.  It's one thing for me to blab about all my stuff but out of respect for my mother, I do keep a lot of the details surrounding her condition and activities to myself.   I guess because I would hope that if I ever got in that condition I wouldn't want all my daily indignities splashed out to the world.

However, this is what I will share.  We spent most of the morning at the hospital.  We have now confirmed an issue that has the potential to be not good.  However (yes there is always a but) there really isn't anything we can do to fix it.  Because of her advanced Alzheimers  and a few other things, the traditional treatments and remedies that would work on most people are not an option for us.  She would either be non-compliant or some things would create other issues that make it un-manageable.

I am not generally a person that easily accepts there is nothing I can do.  I did get a little fiesty at the hospital but the doctor took the time to sit down with me and we went through ALL the options and the pros and mostly cons of each.  Eventually I had to accept that he was right. 

So I guess we just have to deal with things as they are for now. My grandmother always used to say that you have to play the hand with the cards you are dealt.  So I guess that is what we will do.  It SUCKS but it is what it is.

I had to snap this picture tonight after supper.  The sky was so pretty and soothing, it made me feel a bit better.

Onward and upward.  Thanks again for your concern.  I have the BEST followers!

Random thoughts

I find myself at a loss for an interesting blog post.  Sunday morning I had several great (well, what I thought was great at the time) ideas ready to go.  I decided, for no particular reason, to wait until evening to post.

Well, evening came and I couldn't remember any of those great topics.  I had nuthin...nada......zip

I did however decide that although I have absolutely NO interest in gardening and NO green-thumb skills - I want to grow sunflowers this year.   I love them and want to look at them while I sit in the backyard this summer.  

On another note, I did get Mom in to see her Doctor this morning.  I don't want to go into details now but it may be more serious than I thought.  We are scheduled to meet him at the hospital first thing tomorrow morning. If you have any good vibes laying around - send them my way tomorrow.



Restful Days

The past 2 days have been so restful.  Just a little thing like taking an extra day off to make a long weekend can be rejuvenating.  I poked around yesterday doing odds and ends.  I usually get the weekly grocery order on Saturdays but I did it yesterday.  It was like a whole different world.   As I was walking up and down the aisles seeing lots of different faces I thought "Gee this must be what it is like to be retired.....or to have married well.......or to have won the lottery."  LOL

It was great to have a Saturday without the typical chores.  I lounged around this morning - no rush rush for me!  And even though the sun wasn't shining much, it was still above zero and the melting party continued!  If this keeps up for another day I might even be able to see the top of the backyard bench  in a day or so. 

I hooked a fair amount on the landscape rug today.  I am surprised at how much I am liking it.  As soon as I find myself starting to over-think it - I just put it down for awhile.  So far it seems to be working.
Here is another peek.

 The colors are just gorgeous.  So many different types of wool and textures.  I think I might be sad when I finish it.

And for another bit of good news, I checked a few blogs last night and discovered I had won Maggies giveaway.  I'll be sure to post my treasure when it arrives.

TGIF and a new project

It's Friday.....and I took a vacation day today!  After a long, busy week and I couldn't wait one more day for the weekend. 

I have a plan to get all my chores done quick today so then I can just chill out for the next couple of days. There might even be a martini in my future.  Mmmm, its been awhile.

Yesterday the temps climbed to above zero and we actually had some melting!  The sun was shining and you could feel the difference in everyone's mood.  But as I am typing this post, and looking out the window, it is snowing again.  LOL  Seriously!  Geez.   I think my martini just turned into a double tonight!

I have a new project on the go.  I am taking a 4 week workshop from Deanne Fitzpatrick on hooking a landscape. I'm excited because I am no good at that.  Being wild and expressive with color makes me break out in hives!

Right now I am at the favorite part of any project - When it still has potential for greatness.  I haven't ruined it yet - I haven't made some fatal mistake yet that frustrates me to the point of abandoning that piece of burlap.

 At this point I am forcing myself to not think.  I am just grabbing a handful of amazing colors and textures and just going with it.  Deanne has provided us with a selection of beautiful materials and each of us get to select our own colors as opposed to being provided with a ready-made kit.   Can you imagine the fun - literally like being a kid in a candy store.

Here is a close up

 I am really loving hooking with the fancy yarns.  Our "homework" is to continue working on the field part of the rug before next weeks class.  Cross your fingers that it continues to look like a field. 

Wednesday Word of the Week

This weeks edition of the Word of the Week is......

DELUSIONAL

de-lu-sion (dih-loo-zhuhn)

-noun
1. an act or instance of deluding
2. the state of being deluded
3. a false belief or opinion : delusions of grandeur (this one is my favorites)
4. Psychiatry - a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact
5. a false belief strongly held in spite of invalidating evidence (another favorite of mine)

My belief that Spring will arrive - just as the Groundhog said makes me think I must be delusional.

My belief that someday a dandlylion will pop up on my lawn - pushing its way up through 3 feet of snow and ice that I believe will never leave - makes me think I am delusional.  Kim at My Field of Dreams has a dandylion and gosh-darn-it I WANT ONE TOO.   Spring in California......Whatever!  LOL

To the paper boy who this morning was too friggin lazy to extend his arm a few inches to get my newspaper within reaching distance of the front door - If you think you are getting a tip this week - YOU are delusional.

And to the local Moron who yesterday thought it was a good idea to rob one of our banks - Hahaha  Did you get delusions of grandeur while watching Oceans Eleven on TV last weekend?  IDIOT

And speaking of delusional......

In case you can't read the caption, it says   "They're not staring at you because they think you're hot"

Nuff said on that!

Laughter

As I have gotten older I realize that most things in life can be better with some good old fashioned laughter.

A smile, a snicker, a giggle, or a big old belly laugh can turn things around in many cases.  If you've noticed I tend to have a bit of a warped and twisty sense of humor.

When I first started reading blogs and then writing one, I only looked for rug hooking sites.  As I have explored blogland I have discovered some really creative and funny blogs on a variety of topics from recipes to spirituality to just random fun.  When something in my day goes a little wonky, I often find myself blog hopping and I find myself now with a wide variety of types of blogs on my regular visit list.

One of those blogs I recently discovered is the Chatty Crone.  What a nice surprise to visit the other day and discover that she has given me an award.

The rules say that now I need to tell you 7 things you don't know about me.  This is difficult because I tell you all most everything now!  But here goes

1. I like all music with the exception of rap music
2. I used to play the clarinet
3. I cannot - under any circumstances - clean out the inside of a chicken
4. I am not fond of heights.
5. I once smuggled some illegal sea shells and coral from the Phillipines inside the battery compartment of my laptop.  (I almost peed my pants going through security)
6. I'm not sure, but I may have eaten dog while in the Philippines.  (My strategy was not to ask to many questions when we were being hosted by the locals)
7. I hate being late - or when someone else is late.  Arrrgh!

Now I am supposed to pass this award along to 7 other bloggers, but I have decided not to pick.  There are just too many worthy recipients.  Soooo, Happy Valentine's Day - If you think you are funny - please accept this award!

Sunday Ramblings

I love Sunday mornings.  It is my favorite part of the week.  I get to relax and wind down and just be which is a rarity around here.

I found this picture I had taken this summer on the beach at high tide.  I find it so peaceful and relaxing to watch the water come in over the rocks.  It is a good depiction of how I feel on Sunday mornings.

Millie and I get up early and have the house to ourselves for a few hours.  This morning we cuddled up on the sofa and I enjoyed a few cups of coffee and actually read for awhile.  I don't get much opportunity for a quiet reading time.  I tried this new coffee too - yumm

Eventually the Golden Girls woke up and it was back to reality.  Chores, chores, chores.  I stripped and washed all the beds and did the rest of the laundry.  I got Mom in the bathtub without incident and her feet are looking almost perfect.  I bought her some ridiculously expensive "circulation" socks, plus she has been getting lots of foot rubs (which is a big deal because I hate touching other peoples feet!)

Then about mid afternoon there was a knock on the door.  It was one of Mom's original home-care workers.  If you remember I blogged about him just before Christmas because he arrived with a little Christmas present for Mom.  Today he had a little bag of homemade fudge all decorated with hearts for Valentines Day.  He hasn't been assigned to us since Thanksgiving but he still visits his old clients occasionally.  Isn't it sweet to know that there are such thoughtful and caring people doing Home-care??    He was spending his Sunday afternoon doing the deliveries.  Sweet!!

The rest of the afternoon I spent flipping through 2 magazines about my 2 favorite things --- hooking and cooking

Although I didn't try any new recipes for supper we did enjoy stuffed chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.   Then I popped into Corinnes for a little visit and a cup of tea.  She had dyed some new wool, so of course I had to check it out. Now for a perfect end to a great Sunday, its time to hook a little.

Here is the latest shot of the crazy square rug.  I left the little bit of the dark plum in for comparison but I like the lighter background.  I'll pull out the dark tonight and replace.  It doesn't show well in this photo but the new background color is Dorr celery - a very pale light yellowish green.

If today is an indication, the start of a new week is looking promising.

Happy things

Despite a few bumps in the road this week, there have been lots of happy things to report.  One of those things is all of you.  Your comments and emails have been wonderful and it reminds me of how important friends are - near or far. 

Another happy thing is looking out the upstairs windows onto a bare (almost) snow free roof.  It may not seem like much but it really made me happy.  And I hope I don't jinx it - but it hasn't snowed a flake since Tuesday.  That makes me REALLY happy!

Then a family friend arrived at the door with a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips.  So springy and cheery.  I keep them on the kitchen table so they are the first thing I see when I walk in the door.

And last night was the event in honor of my friend who died of cancer.  His sister organizes the event to raise money for the Palliative Care unit at the hospital.  Last night over $4500 was raised and I am thrilled to say my hooked rug donation to the silent auction raised $205.   The only other thing at the auction that raised more money was a hockey jersey actually worn and signed by Sidney Crosby.  So considered the hockey fans around here I am very pleased.

I am also happy that Mom's swelling is down a bit more.  Still not back to normal but it isn't getting any worse so that's great! 

And no post on happiness would be complete without a  mention of sweet Millie.  She always makes me happy.

I hope you are all having a happy day too.

And the Winner is.....

I used the Random Generator to pick the winner of the $40 CSN Gift Code.

The Magic number was 14

The winner is

Lea from  mylettersto emily

So Lea, contact me with your email address and I will send you code and CONGRATULATIONS!

And Thanks to the people at CSN stores for

sponsoring this giveaway.

Quick Update

First, thank you all so much for your messages and concern.  I checked her again at lunch time and the swelling is down to about half what it was and the bright purple discoloration is fading a bit.  So, some improvement. 

I did call 811 which is a NS Health line that connects you to a nurse.  Her advice was to continue what we are doing and monitor and keep pumping her with fluids to try and flush her system.  Unless things take a dramatic turn, I am not doing the ER thing again.  I softened the actual experience in my last post.  It was enough to make your hair curl!

Another positive - we found a man to shovel the kitchen/pantry roof.  He came this morning and did a great job.  It cost $75 but was worth it for our peace of mind.  He even took up a bag of salt and ice melt and sprinkled it along the eaves.  One less thing on my mind.  YIPPEE

Downhill

Warning: Big rant ahead.  One of the difficult things about Alzheimers - as a caregiver - is that Mom cannot tell us when something is wrong.  Unless the symptoms are glaringly obvious we just have to wing it.

Last night as I was putting her pyjamas on I noticed an issue with her feet and ankles.  We put her to bed with her feet on a pillow and hoped that the morning would be better.  It wasn't .  And of course you question yourself all night - Am I doing the right thing? Should I bundle her up in the middle of the night and head to the ER? etc etc.

So after a restless sleep I checked her this morning and they were still the same.  I called her family doctors office and explained and it was suggested we go to the ER.  Now spending any amount of time in a waiting room with an alzheimers patient is no fun.  They don't understand, you can't reason with them and when they get restless there isn't much you can do.

When we arrived at the ER the waiting room was full, except for 3 empty chairs.  We waited and waited while more people came in. We waited 6 hours.   Six hours with alzheimers is more like 24 hours.  We hadn't eaten all day and mom hadn't taken her pills.  Within the 2nd hour the waiting room was now standing room only.  If you left your chair - you lost it.  So that meant we couldn't even go to the washroom.  And I couldn't get up and leave her as there was not one person in that room that looked responsible enough to leave Mom with for 5 minutes.  Seriously....it was the shallow end of the gene pool in there.

After 6 hours of waiting we still had not seen a doctor.  I had enough.  A wicked headache had taken hold and I just couldn't control Mom anymore.  We left and came home.  There were still 4 people in the waiting room who had been there longer than us.  There was an 89 year old man slumped over in a wheelchair who had been there, in that position, for 3 hours.   It was disgusting.

Wednesday Word of the Week

This weeks word is.......GROPE

grope   [grohp]
verb, groped, grop·ing, noun


–verb (used without object)


1. to feel about with the hands; feel one's way: I had to grope around in the darkness before I found the light switch.


2. to search blindly or uncertainly: He seemed to be groping for an answer to the question.


–verb (used with object)


3. to seek by or as if by groping: to grope one's way up the dark stairs.

4. to touch or handle

Hmmmm, perhaps I should explain.  I spent the entire day in mandatory Emergency First Aid, CPR and Automated Defibrillator Training.  So I spent a great deal of the day on the floor, pretending to have various injuries while several of my co-workers groped me searching for broken bones.  (Or that's what they said they were doing)  LOL  So depending on who was your partner, it was an interesting way to spend the day!!

And during the Defibrillator part of the training we spent alot of time pretending we were in an episode of Greys Anatomy and yelling "Clear" before pushing the shock button. 

We learned a lot and we laughed a lot.  Luckily the trainer had a great sense of humor too so between her attitude and our crazy staff the day went quickly.

Desperate - Part 2

When the going gets tough, the tough get.......  (you will have to wait a little further down the post to find out) 

So here is the Desperate Update - I still have the darn leak.  Mr. Friggin Disappearing Handyman is wherever - Whatever!! Who needs him - I have a new package of diapers!  

Today I kind of "cracked".  When I woke up it was snowing.  Not alot but at this point any tiny flake that falls from the sky now is enough to send me over the edge.  Then as I walked towards the leaking pantry, the first thing I saw was a giant wet spot on the carpet.  Arrrrgh, I panicked that the leaky window had now spread to the ceiling but then I saw my tupperware tower had collapsed in the night and spilled on the floor.   A mess but so much better than the roof falling in!

I guess between the weather, work, the leaky window (now on the 5th day) I have had enough and by lunch time I was on the verge of tears.  No special reason - just at the edge.

So......when the going gets tough, the tough......call for a Spa Treatment!  I called looking for a massage appointment.  There were none until the end of the week.  I begged - even suggesting she bump someone.  OK I didn't mean to really bump someone but it was worth a try.   It was the owner of the business who answered the phone and she could tell I was stressed so she offered me a 1 hr facial appointment right after work - with a 15% discount.  SOLD

Ooooh it was so perfect and I feel so much better.  When I finished the treatment I got more good news.  She said she had changed her mind - and gave me a 25% discount on the facial.  SWEET!!!

I think I need to do things like this more often.  Fed up, disgusted, down in the dumps......call a Spa!

There is still time to enter my GIVEAWAY!  Click here and maybe you will win and can spoil yourself with a new gift.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

Drip......drip......drip......Is there anything more annoying than a constant drip? 

And guess who didn't show up again today?  Mr. Handyman is seriously on my list!!  I called him Friday, and twice on Saturday.  Today I just sent him evil nasty vibes through my mind.

We did get much less snow than was expected but then the freezing drizzle came and then just drizzle.  So, not ideal conditions to alleviate the leak.

At this point there are about 5 different drip spots and because the window ledge is narrow it is difficult to positions things in the right spot to catch them all.  So this is what I came up with yesterday

What a mess eh!  I have been replacing the towels every couple hours.  I hate having the wet towels laying on the wood but didn't have much choice. 

This morning, as I was fretting, I thought "if only there was something absorbent yet leak proof that would protect the wood frame".   And then the next commerial on the television was for.................

DIAPERS



Genius, right?   So as soon as Wal-Mart opened I bought a pack and have been "changing diapers" all day.    Can you imagine?  But it works great.  I have the window ledge lined with Pampers!   Yes, I am a classy gal! 

I have hooked some more crazy squares and tried to fill in a bit of the background.  I had some very dark plum (almost black) but I don't like it at all.  I left a small section in and will try to find something else this week.  Then I'll look at both options.

If anyone has any suggestions for a background color, I would love to hear it.

Well, better go change my window diapers again.

Hit and Miss Project

I have been without a hooking project all week.  Last weekend I didn't want to start a new project because I had signed up for a 4 week class at Deanne's to work on a landscape rug.  I was supposed to start last Wednesday but of course last weeks storm delayed it by a week.  And then the rest of the week was taking up with shovelling (and moaning about the snow).  I managed to amuse myself with knitting and blogging all week but by last night I couldn't stand it anymore.

As most of you "hookers" know, the pile of wool worms seems to multiple worse than rabbits!  So last night I gathered up a big bunch - threw them in a pile - and just started hooking on a piece of blank rug warp.   No plan, no lines except for a rough border.   It felt great to just do whatever - no stress of drawing and color planning - just grab a handful and GO.

Plus, a new project will be a nice distraction tomorrow.......during another 25 cm snowfall!  No, I am not kidding!   And just to add insult to injury I have a nasty leak in the window in the pantry.  The ice and snow has collected at the eaves of the house and created an ice dam.  It has nowhere to go and is seeping in around the window.  I have a collection of towels and tupperware dishes lining the window sill.  My handyman is  "supposed" to come over tomorrow and try to do something.   I hate winter.

On a happier note - don't forget to enter my giveaway.  Click here.    Remember, your gift credit is good for any of the CSN stores.  There are hundreds of items at every price point and lots of cute things to get with $40.

Happy weekend.

Wall art and decor GIVEAWAY with CSN

There is no better way to dig yourself out of the winter blahs than some shopping fun!  When it is so ugly outside, a great pick-me-up is to pretty up the house and what is better than wall art and decor.

CSN Stores and Millie's Mats have partnered for a great GIVEAWAY opportunity.  If you are not familiar with CSN stores they sell just about anything you could ever want - from kitchen wares, furniture, wall art and decor and even the kitchen sink!  They feature so many pretty things it is easy to become a shopaholic!

The winner of this Giveaway will receive a $40 gift code for any of CSN sites.  Yes, I said $ 40.......

Wouldn't shopping be a great way to forget about the weather outside?   

Now, for the rules

All you have to do is click on the link wall art and decor  and leave me a comment on this post telling me what you would buy with your $40 credit.   

AND if you want a second entry, please mention this giveaway on your blog and add a 2nd comment showing me the link.  I am really hoping this giveaway gets tons of entries to thank the great people at CSN stores for their generosity.

I will make the draw on Saturday, February 12, 2011.  I will post the winner and also contact you by email so make sure I know how to reach you.   Please enter and tell all your friends! 

You don't have to be a follower to enter but if you look around and you like it here, I would love to have you stay!

Unfortunately I can only accept entries from Canada or the United States.

Happy shopping everyone.

Wednesday Word of the Week

This week my choice of "the word" changed several times a day - I suppose with my mood.  But now the time has come to pick one and this weeks word is:  OBLITERATE

ob-lit-er-ate  (uh-blit-uh-reyt)

- verb (used with subject), -at-ed, -at-ing.
1.  to remove or destroy all traces of; do away with; destroy completely
2.  to blot out or render undecipherable (writing, marks, etc); efface

Any trace of pavement has been obliterated since the snow started today. 

Any trace of my driveway or the bench in my backyard has been obliterated.

My patience and sense of humor about the weather has been obliterated.  Last night the stupid weather girl on the news called the storm "Magnificent".   What a bitch !

My hopes and dreams of Spring are slowly being obliterated.  I no longer am convinced that it will actually arrive this year.  The 3 1/2 feet of snow in my yard has obliterated the concept of Spring from my mind.   This image now is just a fantasy of days gone by....

I fear that soon this may be the only mode of transportation I have to get to work....

And lastly, some of you may be thinking that my sanity is slowly being obliterated.  And you may be right !

Kissing Cousins and big news on the horizon

Sunday we had company. (Yeah, what else is new right!)  My Mom's cousin and his wife arrived.  The wife is at least 10 years younger than Mom and has Alzheimers also.  Last year Bob had to place her in a nursing home but whenever he can, he takes her out for the day.  They live about an hour away so it is a nice little drive for them.  Before Dianne got sick she used to visit us every other weekend. 

They brought their little Yorkie JD with them Sunday.  He is a real charmer.  Meet Millie's cousin JD

We thought they would become great little playmates because they are almost the same size.  But then JD made his first mistake.   He grabbed Millie's snowman toy.

Oh oh!  The second mistake was when he jumped up on my lap and cuddled up.  Whoa!!  Princess Spoiled was NOT happy.  That was it.  She decided that this little intruder had to go!

JD tried his hardest to make amends, offering up a wet sloppy kiss.   Needless to say, he was turned down flat!

This last photo says it all.  "Mommy, how could you allow this travesty to go on in my house?"

BIG NEWS:  Well, actually this is just a little teaser but keep your eye out at the end of the week for a Fabulous Giveaway Announcement.  

I am very excited about it and am just finalizing a few details.