Too Much Mind On My Time

This delectable treat is made with Baker's Microwavable Dipping Chocolate. At $1.84 a carton, it turns strawberries into a sinful treat.
To achieve the double dipped look pictured here, my husband did the bottoms of the strawberries by inserting toothpicks in the tops, dipping--then putting the toothpicked strawberries, standing on their heads, into a block of styrofoam in the refrigerator. Once chilled, he removed the toothpicks and put the strawberries, right side up, for upper drizzling.



I didn't sleep well last night, waking every two hours or so for a trip to the bathroom and to refill the water glass I keep at my bedside. I stepped out on the deck two or three times to run Jake off the porch. Once outside I'd look at all the stars. My racing mind wouldn't let me get back to sleep. I was busy planning what chores I needed to do on Sunday.

Realizing that I MUST sleep, I stepped back inside. The house was quiet with the exception of my other half blowing on the couch (he sometimes snores, but more often than not, he blows). He's recovering from a dry socket!

I'm really wasn't exactly sure what a dry socket entailed until yesterday morning. I did research and turns out, it just means the clot that usually forms after a tooth is pulled has been dislodged.

Momo and Pop always told me that if I kept my tongue out of the hole left from my missing tooth, the new one would be gold. Of course, I never got any gold teeth. Come to think of it, I don't know (even as a child) why I'd want one! I guess they were using that parental psychology to get me to do what was in my best interest.

I can think of times I pulled the same stunt on my daughters. When they were very small, I told them the locket I wore around my neck contained a fairy. A magic fairy. And we must never open the locket or she'd fall out.

Concerned for the safety of my precious little girls, I told them they had better always buckle their seat belts in the car. I warned that if a policeman stopped us, and they were unbuckled, he'd whip their bottom. (They have a healthy respect for the law to this day.)

Momo always told me that if I ate the burned french fries ( or whatever was a bit too done) that it would make my hair curly. You can bet I ate all I could hold. No curls. (In Momo's defense, she had four little ones and a husband that was always on the road. She really is a good cook.)

What parental psychology did you hear as a child? What are you telling your own children?

And On The Third Day, We Slept

This handsome fellow, Elijah Blue, has just recently decided his first potty break of the day should occur between 3 and 4 am.

He has planted himself beside my bed and stared me awake. Ever felt the intensity of someone staring at you? Perhaps it was the squeaking and sneezing, coupled with the staring that woke me.

At any rate, I stumble out of bed, gather my slippers and bathrobe and head to the east stoop. He's out the door like a greyhound at the track. Lord have mercy, I am so glad I let him out!

After he's out, I go to the kitchen...may as well make coffee since I'm up. I really wish I were one of those people who could go back to sleep, but I'm not. Once I'm up, I'm up for the duration. Besides that, I can't go back to sleep until Blue is back inside...

I always cut on the big floodlight in the backyard so I can see him running from behind the studio, around the garden, over to the guest house and back up the west side of the house. Once I see him heading my way, I go around to the kitchen porch on the north side of the house and cut that light on.

The lights are more for my benefit. Blue has limited vision is his left eye and no vision in his right. We had been here a few years before this happened so he became comfortable with the surroundings. If you were to watch him running around in the yard, you'd have no idea his vision is impaired. Maybe...

He puts on a really good show. Reminds me of the figure skaters who hit the ice and then swiftly get up and act like it was all part of the routine. He occasionally bumps into things, backs up, and decides on an alternate path. Bless his heart.

Bless his heart, indeed. After 2 days of this crazy 3 in the morning stuff, my other half and I decided last night that we're not to going to let Blue nap so maybe he'll sleep longer and we can sleep longer. So last night, everytime Blue went belly up, we called him. Everytime Blue wanted to go stretch out on his pillow, we called him. By 9 pm or so, Blue's getting a bit weary having missed out on some good quality nap time since his humans won't leave him alone. This whole scenario is so very reminiscent of a new baby in the house!

I finally turned in about 10:30 when my own lack of sleep had taken its toll. But the miraculous thing is, I woke up to the sneezes and squeaks of Mr. Blue at 5:30!!!

I guess his little body clock just needed some fine tuning.