2023 - A Year in Review

 I can't believe it's New Year's Eve!  The year just flew by!  That means it's time for us to review all of the scary interesting things we experienced this year on A Scary Journey Inside My Life. 

 We discovered some fun, interesting National Month holidays to celebrate

Learned from my retail stories that there are some really, scary strange people out there

Discovered that I am a weed-a-holic (that's dandelion weeds, not, well, you get my drift)

Found out that Chicago had the worst air quality in the world this summer (I gotta get out of here!)

Sent my blog into a kerfluffle when we learned some new words.  I know that I am looking forward to seeing the snollygosters in the next year.  How about you?

Went on a little dental journey.

Learned about the neighborhood informant. The one who knows everyone's business.

How I learned to keep my car on empty, so no one wants to drive it.

My two days nightmare of driving to the airport

After all of these years I finally had to break down and buy some dental floss

I got witnessed by mail.

Had a little history lesson of the Monotonous, I mean the Monopoly game tokens

And, reminisced on our little holiday tradition, "Night before night."

RT got in there with his hip surgery in February.  

We also learned that the Bluetooth on my car refers to him as, "Retweet."

Oh, and then there were some interesting stories with My Weird Dog Pippen

My weird dog turned 11 this year

With aging comes aches and pains in the legs, eyesight going and sometimes the hearing isn't all there.

Tried to join a coyote family at 3 in the morning

How Pippen spent spring break at home 

Pippen's fear of bubbles

Pippen goes to the vet 

Get's his teeth cleaned

We find out that Pippen loves cooked green beans

How he was forgotten outside at night and decided he wanted back in at 3am

How Halloween is a big day of protection for Pippen, and of course, there is the long recovery

We made a few new meals/snacks/desserts:

Kale and Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Farro Salad 

Vegetable Tempeh Teriyaki Dish 

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Hershey Kiss Pretzels 

and

Peanut Butter Banana Pupcakes (for the puppy in your life)

Let's not forget that we celebrated twelve long frightening scary years on A Scary Journey Inside My Life.  Thanks again for sticking around.  

Cheers to another scary year!

Retail Problems

 The holidays are over.  We barely survived.  

The Christmas music is turned off (Thank God!).

The mad rush of customers finishing their last minute shopping are gone.

Everyone should be happy.  We should be able to relax.

Bring on the holiday returns.

National Thank You Note Day

 As I always say (and write), people love getting handwritten letters and notes in the mail.  It's always the first thing someone reads when they bring in the mail.  I would rather read a letter from a friend or family member before diving into a pile of bills. 

Sure, it's easy to send off an email or a quick text to thank Aunt Sally for the ugly Christmas sweater.  Aunt Sally would much rather receive a nice handwritten Thank You note in the mail from you.

Today is National Thank You Note Day! 

I'm unable to find out how or why this day was started.  Some say it was created because of all the presents people received on Christmas Day.  I, on the other hand, believe it was started by my mother, The Queen of Thank You Note writing.

I remember being called down to the kitchen a couple days after Christmas.  On the table there were three place settings.  At each spot there was a sheet of paper with list of names and gifts that they gave us, and a pen.  In the center of the table there was a stack of Thank You note cards, stamps and an address book.  You had to find your spot at the table.  The rules?  Write a Thank You note to everyone on the list, address and stamp the envelope.  Oh, and you can't leave the table until you are finished.

My Mom never taught us how to write a Thank You note.  My brothers would hurry up and scribble some stuff and leave the table.  I would be stuck there for hours asking my relatives how their pet is doing and trying to figure out how to nicely thank someone for the gift they gave me (how do you thank someone for money?).

If you do participate today, and I hope you will, you can use #NationalThankYouNoteDay on social media.

If you need any tips on Thank You Note writing, I'd love to help, especially if you want to know how the family dog is getting along.

Don't worry, Mom, I already wrote my Thank You notes this year!

Merry Christmas!

 "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you:  You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:  "Glory to God in the highest.  And on earth, Peace, goodwill toward men!"  Luke 2:8-14

Hershey Kiss Pretzels

Looking for a fun, easy treat to make today?  

Grab some pretzels, a bag of Hershey Kisses and some M & M's and let's go!

Hershey Kiss Pretzels

what you need: 

Pretzels

Hershey Kisses

M & M's *

parchment paper (or silicone baking mat)

directions:

Oven 200F.

Place your parchment paper (or baking mat) onto a cookie sheet.  

Place pretzels on the baking sheet.

Unwrap Hershey Kisses and place one on each pretzel.

Put in oven for 3-5 minutes (or until Hershey Kiss is soft).  Place M & M on top of Kiss and press down into pretzel.  

Let cool completely.

Store in airtight container or in the refrigerator.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*Feel free to use mini twist pretzels, mini snap pretzels, or the circle pretzels (usually found during the holiday season)

*You can use any type of Hershey's Kiss (Hugs or candy cane kisses) You can also use Rolo candy.

*These can be made year round.  Just buy the holiday package of M & M's

Enjoy!

Night Before Night

 Every year we get to reenact a little play that the youngest child made up when she was little.  This little play starts out with all of us pretending to sleep by the Christmas tree in the living room.  One of us wakes up and proceeds to wake everyone else.   We all then make our way to the family room.  We stand by the fireplace, look at the stockings and realize that Santa visited while we were sleeping.  We then run back to the Christmas tree and jump and shout, Santa!

It's fun to see how excited children are the days before Christmas.  This story was created last week when the child was in kindergarten and is something we try to do every year.

This year, we are making sure to enjoy every minute playing our parts, remembering all the little details.  Seeing as this might be our last Christmas in our house, we want to remember everything.  

Do you have any fun Christmas traditions that you do with your family?

Monopoly

 That long boring game you loved playing as a kid.  The game that could last for hours, sometimes days.  RT refers to the game as, "monotonous."

When Monopoly first came out, there were no tokens in the box.  You were encouraged to use buttons, pins, etc. from your home.   In 1935, Parker Brothers took over distribution and added tokens.  The original tokens were the battleship, boot, canon, thimble, top hat and iron.  Within the year they added the racecar, purse and rocking horse.  The original pieces were made of a mixture of lead and tin. During the war, they needed these metals so wooden pieces (like pawns in chess) were added to the game.  These pieces were painted different colors.  Some of the pieces were made of sawdust and paper.  Those didn't hold up very well (but they are a collector item).   After the war, pewter was used for the tokens.  They also added the wheelbarrow, horse and rider and the Scottish terrier.  The car remained and the canon was replaced with a howitzer.  Oh, and an airplane was introduced to the game.  Of course, by 1950, some of these pieces changed.  The current tokens available in the newer editions of Monopoly are the penguin, rubber ducky, dog, cat, battleship, top hat, racecar and thimble.

Whether you played the game as a kid or still play the game now you probably had a favorite token that you used when playing.  Was it the:

top hat

shoe/boot

iron

dog (Scottie)

racecar

rubber ducky

thimble

horse and rider

wheelbarrow

rocking horse

t-rex

hazel cat

money bag

My "go to" tokens were the shoe, iron, thimble and the dog.

What are your favorite Monopoly tokens?

Retail Problems - The Christmas Song Nightmare

 I was told that by playing Christmas music, customers are a lot happier and enjoy their shopping experience.  They are also more likely to spend more money during their shopping visit.  

Meanwhile, us retail employees find ourselves in Dante's Inferno in one of the nine levels of Hell, listening to the same nine Christmas songs over and over for eight hours.

My Weird Dog - Yard Work

 I had a little yardwork to do out front before winter digs it's heels in and decides to stay for a while.  I thought it would be fun to bring my weird dog Pippen outside with me.  

I hook Pippen up on a chain and he "helps."  Actually, he walks around and sniffs everything.  He wants to be where I am and forgets he is on a chain and gets tangled.  He tries to trip me gets excited and runs circles around me when I make my way to the garage.  Of course, he is always on the lookout for intruders (other dogs) so he can protect me.  If nothing is happening, he walks towards the garage and stares me down.  That just means that he's tired from all of that work and needs to go inside and take a nap.

Saint Nicholas

 There are many stories about the life of St. Nicholas.  I found my information here.  The following is a quick summary.  Click on the link to read more details.

St. Nicholas came from a wealthy family.  His parents died when he was very young.  He grew up in his faith and strongly believed to give to the poor.  He became Bishop and was know for his generosity, love of children and concern for sailors.  Under the Roman Empire he was persecuted for his faith.  He went to prison.  He was released and died on December 6.  The anniversary of his death became a celebration known as St. Nicholas Day.

There are many variations of the story of St. Nicholas. He gave money for three poor girls dowries, he helped children, gave to the poor. Do a little research.  You will even see how Santa Claus evolved. 

If you put your shoes out by the door, Saint Nicholas visits and leaves candy inside them.  

This is probably the last year that I will get to participate with our little Saint Nicholas tradition.  I might have to mail care packages out to my children next year. 

Do you have any special traditions you do with your family during the holidays?

Christmas Crafts and Holiday Gifts

  It's that crazy time of year again!  

Snow 

Holiday Parties  

Snow  

Crafts  

Gifts  

Gift wrapping  

Snow  

Cookie making  

Hot Chocolate 

Sledding  

And more snow

Don't forget all of the Christmas music!

I put together this page and included some links from my blog to some easy Holiday Crafts and Gifts that you can make yourself, with kids or even a Girl Scout Troop.  Some of these are a great activity for those days when you are stuck at home because of the snow or cold weather.

Enough talking, lets get going! 

Christmas
Animal Ornaments 
Brazilian Holiday Flower (great children's craft)
Candy Cane Sleigh 
Christmas Cards and tags
Felt Heart Ornament 
Foam Gingerbread House (children's craft)
Foam Ornament Gift Tag 
Jingle Bell Bracelet (children's craft)
Mitten Gift Tags 
Mosaic Christmas Tree (children's craft)
Picture Frame
Snowman Ornament 
Stocking (out of construction paper) (children's craft)
Winter Scene (children's craft)
Snowman Ornament
Snowman Winter Craft (children and adult craft)
Ugly Christmas Sweater Felt Banner


Gifts
Homemade Bubbles
Bath Bombs
Laundry Detergent (powder)
Homemade Hair Detangler
Homemade Liquid Hand Soap
Homemade Lip Balm
Homemade Lotion


Miscellaneous Crafts/Gifts
Bangle Bracelet (wrapped)
Blank Books 
Bubbles (homemade)
Book Mark
Bottle cap necklace
Cork Board using Old Picture Frame
Decorative Wrapping Paper 
Dryer Balls
Fun Scrapbooks
Gift Box
Paint Chip Monthly Calendar
Pumpkin Soap Recipe
Twine Napkin Holders 
Note cards  
Homemade Sidewalk Paint 
Sit upon (a cushion to sit on)
Wrapped Bangle Bracelet


Don't forget to make some cookies this season.  They go great with hot chocolate!  (Well, cookies go great with everything!)  Here are some links to cookies that appear on the blog:

Cookies:
Butterscotch Chip Cookies
Avocado Chocolate Cookies 

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies 
Chocolate Chip Blondies
Chocolate Chip Blondies (vegan)
Chocolate Chip Chokies (Mom's famous recipe)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Deep Dish Cookie Pie

Hershey Kiss Pretzels 

Icing for Sugar Cookies 
M & M Cookies
Nutella Cookies 1
Nutella Cookies 2
Peanut Butter Bars
Peanut Butter Raisin Bran Cookies

Pfeffernusse Cookies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Raspberry Lemon Cookies  

Red Velvet Cookies 
Sugar Cookies
Vanilla Pudding Cookies

If you make some sugar cookies, make sure to check this out for an easy Sugar Cookie Icing recipe.

Check out the Recipe page for other sweets recipes.

My favorite cookies are the pumpkin cookies, M & M cookies, Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies and of course the Pfeffernusse Cookies.  

National Months - December

We made it a whole year of looking at the National Month long holidays!  December is up with Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years. I found a few more holidays that we can celebrate.  Let's get started!

National Tie Month

Do people still wear neck ties?  Are they still the "go to" gift for dads?  I do find the "tie that blocks a 9mm bullet from piercing your skin" rather interesting, though.  Well, if you find yourself wearing a tie, why not post it on social media #NationalTieMonth.  And if you have a tie that blocks a bullet, let me know in the comments.

Bingo's Birthday Month

B-I-N-G-O and BINGO was his name - o.  We are celebrating the game this month, not the song.  BINGO was first played in Italy in 1530.  The game made it's way to American in 1929 and was called Beano (not to be confused with the product that prevents gas).  The name was changed to Bingo and was used as a church fundraiser in the 1930's.

Operation Santa Paws  

December is a time of giving, so why not donate to your local animal shelter.  A new blanket, dog or cat toys, dog or cat food, kitty litter or some treats.  Contact your local animal shelter for a list of items they need.  Use #OperationSantaPaws on social media to spread the word.

I had a great time discovering all of the fun holidays that are being celebrated.  Thanks for playing along this year with the National Months!  

Retail Problems - Bicycle

 I often wonder about the people who ride their bicycle to the grocery store.  They buy a ton of stuff, and they stand at the register trying to figure out how they are going to get all of it home.  They go ahead with the entire purchase and I'm left trying to fit the items in a couple of bags.  If I'm lucky, I get to watch them try to shove them all into a backpack.

Black Friday

It's Black Friday!  That fun time of year where we exercise our credit cards.  Let's push them to the limit folks!  This is a great day for you to get in your daily workout by trying to snag that big screen TV before someone else grabs it.  Just don't get tackled in the process!  Want to be the first one in the store, why not camp out overnight!

Oh, yea, and it's also time for my world famous usual Black Friday post.  

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday and it is the biggest shopping day of the year.  For retailers, it marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.   In recent years, every Friday leading up to Christmas has been referred to a "Black Friday Sale."  Today, though, is the real Black Friday.

For those of us that are out there working on Black Friday, it's a crazy, long and tiring day.  Make sure you take those vitamins, drink lots of water, plaster a smile on your face and, well, just try to have some fun.

If you are out there shopping, it can get crazy, so, try to be safe.  Also, be nice to the store employees.  They don't make the rules or have any control over the amount of inventory the store has of that item you want to purchase.  So, go easy on them!

And now, what everyone has been waiting for, here is my famous Black Friday song playlist for your listening pleasure:

Man in Black - Johnny Cash
Paint it Black - The Rolling Stones
Back in Black - AC/DC
Black Cat - Janet Jackson
Black Magic Woman - Santana
Black or White - Michael Jackson
Black Widow - Iggy Azalea
Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden
Black - Pearl Jam
Blackbird - The Beatles
Black Betty - Ram Jam
Black Gold - Soul Asylum
Men in Black 3 Back in Time - Pitbull
Black Night - Deep Purple
Black Rain - Soundgarden
The Long Black Veil - Johnny Cash
Ebony and Ivory - Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Black Velvet - Alannah Miles
Black Water - The Doobie Brothers
Men in Black - Will Smith

Blue on Black - Five Finger Death Punch

Back to Black  -Amy Winehouse

Fade to Black - Metallica

Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall

Two Black Cadillacs - Carrie Underwood

Black Honey - Thrice

Black Rose  - Volbeat

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress - The Hollies

Now get out there and have some fun!

Happy Thanksgiving!

  In the year 1621, the Pilgrims held their first Thanksgiving feast.  They invited the great Indian chief, Massasoit, who brought ninety of his brave Indians and a great abundance of food.  Governor Bradford and Captain Miles Standish were honored guests.  Elder William Brewster, who was a minister, said a prayer that went something like this;

"We thank God for our homes and our food and our safety in a new land.  We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world for freedom and justice."

Linus Van Pelt
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Vegan Diaries - Restaurants

 I feel like times are changing for the better for vegans.  More information is out there and more people are interested in veganism.  I am also finding that more restaurants are waking up trying to cater to the vegan customers.

I remember starting my vegetarian journey.  We would go on vacation and there would be little to no options for me to eat.  The "little" options the restaurants had would be a side salad.  Basically, iceberg lettuce and maybe a tomato or cucumber slice tossed in for fun.  Everyone is ordering a meal while I'm trying to slowly eat a tiny bowl of lettuce salad.  Of course, that was over ten years ago.

Today, some restaurants are accommodating the vegetarians and vegans of the world with a couple of options.  Hey, I know it's not a full menu, but it is certainly progress.  

I think it's great that there are more people out there trying this type of diet and pleased that the restaurants are embracing this opportunity to offer a vegan meal option.

Pretty Paper

 Well, you read about my blank notebook obsession, so I guess I should confess to my pretty paper fascination.  

I have quite an assortment of pretty paper, various colors and designs.  Some were purchased and others gifted to me. I have used some of the paper over the years.  Recently it was brought to my attention that there was an obscene amount of paper and that I had to do something about it.  The child who mentioned this knows that this paper is part of her inheritance and would like the amount to decrease before it becomes entirely in her possession.

A side note:  I think I'm in good shape because I have used quite a bit of the paper on a recent project and have plans to use some for an activity in the next couple of months.

Do you need any pretty paper for future projects?

Do you have a stockpile of pretty paper?

World Kindness Day

 Today is World Kindness Day.  A day that promotes the importance of being kind to others, yourself and the world.

How to celebrate the day?

Whether at work, school, at home or out and about in the world, there are many ways you can spread kindness.  

Try to perform three random acts of kindness today.   Let someone go ahead of you in line, buy the person behind you a cup of coffee, hold the door open for someone, smile at strangers or greet your cashier. 

It pays to be kind!  Performing these niceties lowers your stress, blood pressure, your aging process and helps you live longer. 

Remember, kindness is contagious.  Your one kind act can start a long string of kindness because it's contagious and fun.  

Use #WorldKindnessDay on social media.

My Weird Dog - Halloween Recovery

Halloween is always a fun time of year at our house.  Even my weird dog Pippen gets in on the fun.  You see, every time the doorbell rings he jumps up and runs to the door.  You're probably thinking, "That's what all normal dogs do."  You have to remember that Pippen is not normal.

One of Pippen's favorite hangouts is in the family room.  He is usually engaged in his favorite activity:  sleeping.  When the doorbell rings, he will jump up and start barking.  It's nice, because he has a loud bark and people can hear it at the front door.  The only problem is, if we remain seated, he just stands there and barks.  He doesn't run to the door to protect us.  If we start walking towards the door, he will follow.  It's like he is afraid to go near the door (my fearless protector).  

I should also mention that our front door is down a flight of stairs and that Pippen is not a puppy.  With every doorbell ring on Halloween, he runs down and up a flight of stairs.

Pippen has been a little tired and out of sorts for the last week.  Hopefully with a few more naps, he should be back to "normal" soon.

Retail Problems - Two Cents

 It was one of those crazy days at work.  I had a long line of customers at the service desk.  As I was helping someone, a customer came up and demanded her change.  "The cashier forgot to give me the change."  I told her that I can't just take it out of any register.  The change has to come from the register that rang up her purchase, otherwise both register drawers will be off when counted.  

I brought the customer over to the register and realize that it's a new cashier.  She has no idea how to open her drawer and get change and she is in the middle of ringing up a large order.  So, I start bagging for her and explain the situation to the customer.  The customer, of course, becomes upset because she does not want to wait.  I try to calm her down.  The transaction ends and I instruct the cashier on how to do a "no sale."  She's new, so I want to teach her how to do this so we don't get in the same situation in the future.  

The cashier opens the drawer and pulls out the change.  Two cents.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The customer threw a fit because she needed her two cents back.

I try to carry change in my pocket (my own money) so I don't have to go through these nightmares.  Unfortunately, this was one of the times I did not have any money on me.

National Harvey Wallbanger Day

 Happy Harvey Wallbanger Day!

I think this is one of my favorite days of the year and I want to make sure that everyone out there is celebrating with me.  Of course, I'm starting early this morning, so I might be a few drinks ahead of you.  

A Harvey Wallbanger is a fruity cocktail made with vodka, Galliano and orange juice.    It's basically a screwdriver, but a little fruitier.  Galliano is an Italian liqueur that contains Juniper, Anise, Mint and Vanilla.  If you are unable to locate Galliano, you can always substitute Kahlua, Triple Sec or peppermint Schnapps. 

The Harvey Wallbanger originated in the sixties.  There are several stories out there, but I prefer this one:  A bartender named Donato Antone created the drink and served it at a party.  The one person remaining after the party, Harvey, was banging his head against the wall.  The drink made its debut to the rest of the world in 1968.  Galliano used Harvey in their marketing campaign in 1969 with, "Harvey Wallbanger is the name and I can be made."  The drink's name also became a metaphor to describe someone who goofs off or makes mistakes.  Harvey Wallbanger was also a frequent write in vote during elections.  

How can you observe Harvey Wallbanger Day?  Meet your friends at your local hang out and order a Harvey Wallbanger and toast good ol' Harvey (just don't be the one banging your head on the wall at the end of the night).  You can use #HarveyWallbangerDay when posting on social media.

How to make the perfect Harvey Wallbanger?  I'm glad you asked!

1.5 oz Vodka
4 oz orange juice
.5oz Galliano
cherry or orange slice for garnish

Mix vodka and orange juice.  Pour Galliano on top and don't mix it in the drink (best if you pour over a spoon).  Garnish with a cherry or orange slice and serve.

Cheers!

Blank Notebooks

 I have quite the collection of blank notebooks.  I'm a sucker for the pretty designs.  The ideas flow through my head of how I could use them.  I mean, there are so many things that you can do with a new blank notebook. 

Here's my list of what to do with those beautiful, blank notebooks:

Gratitude Journal

Daily planner

To Do List

Personal Journal (Diary)

Food Journal

Travel Jornal

Place to write down your thoughts

Favorite quotes

Favorite lists (songs, flowers, food, movies, etc.)

Bullet journal

Journaling prompts

Recipes

Goal Setting

Bucket List

Doodle or drawing book

Write stories (or blog posts)

Learn a new language

Track your finances

Prayers or reflections

Memories

I could go on and on.

What's holding me back from using my journals?  Oh, afraid that I use them for the wrong thing.  Messing up the book with my bad handwriting (you would agree if you saw the original writing of this post in my, believe it or not, blank notebook).  

Do you have a blank notebook obsession?

Do you use blank notebooks?  If yes, how do you use them?  Let me know in the comments below.

Belly Ache Day

 Another Halloween has come and gone.  How much candy did you eat?

My Dad always called the day after Halloween, "Belly Ache Day."  The belly ache came from eating too much candy the day before (Halloween).  I never suffered on Belly Ache Day.  I was allowed a few pieces of candy on Halloween, and then the rest of my candy was squirreled away by my mom, never to be seen again.  I think she probably threw it all in the garbage (Thanks, Mom).

If you have some energy and are looking for some ways to use up that Halloween candy (besides hiding it or throwing it away), check out my recipe for Halloween cupcakes.  You can make a few batches and give them out to the neighbors.   You can always donate some candy to a food pantry or bring candy to a nursing home (the seniors love getting the candy as a bingo prize!).  There are local dentists that collect candy, also.

Here's hoping that you aren't suffering too much on this Belly Ache Day!

Happy Halloween!

 Every day I go on a bike ride and take the same route just so I can ride by this one house.  They have two skeletons in their front yard that they move every day.  One day they are exercising, the next day they are playing baseball or football.  They have been known to camp, barbecue, do sit ups, cut the grass, do yard work, golf and rake leaves.  Today they were Trick or Treating. 

I'm a little sad the Halloween season is over because I will miss my skeleton friends.   Hopefully one of the neighbors has some creative outdoor holiday decorations planned.

Happy Halloween everyone!

National Months - November

 Once again, we have quite a few scary weird fun holidays to celebrate all month long.  

Let's get started!

At the top of our list.... it's

World Vegan Month

An entire month dedicated to vegans.  There are lots of exciting vegan products out there (food, beauty, clothing).  There are also a lot of vegan recipes out there for you to give a try this month (even some on the blog, just click on recipes).  Some reasons people go vegan:  to save the animals (because of poor treatment of animals on farms and the actual killing of the animals), to save the environment ("animal agriculture takes a toll on the earth by contaminating aquatic ecosystems, soil and more"), and for their health (animal fats and proteins are linked to colon cancer and heart health among other diseases).  

it's also

National Noshavember

Learned something new about No Shave November.  Apparently, this was started to raise awareness for cancer.  Any money that you would normally spend on haircuts or facial grooming was to be donated to a cancer research charity.  Don't forget to share those hairy pictures on social media, #NoShaveNovember. 

National Pomegranate Month

Pomegranates are packed with many nutrients like, protein, fiber, Vitamins C and K, folate and potassium.  They also are a beautiful and tasty fruit and this happens to be pomegranate season.  Check out Greek Mythology and the story of Demeter and her daughter, Persephone for an interesting take on the effects of pomegranate seeds. 

National Pepper Month

Great time to try out the world's hottest new pepper, Pepper X.  I'll stick to peppers that don't burn the inside of my mouth (and stomach).  Add this fruit (yea, peppers are fruit because of the seeds) to all of your dishes.   I love adding them to salads for extra color and crunch.

 

National Peanut Butter Lovers Month

Great time to celebrate our love for all things peanut butter.  Check under recipes on the blog for some peanut butter recipes.  Better yet, just type peanut butter on the search bar.  I'm sure Pippen would love to participate this month.  Peanut butter is his favorite.

and, finally, it is 

National Gratitude Month

A month of being thankful.  Let others know that you appreciate their friendship.  Give back to your neighbors and community.   It's also a great time to start that gratitude journal.  How about just journaling for the month of November?  Just by writing down what you are grateful for helps you look at the world in a positive way.    

Looks like a fun month ahead.  Get out there and celebrate all month long!

Witnessed - by mail

 The other day I looked through the mail and saw we got a letter from Donna T.  I set the envelope aside and sorted the rest of the mail, all the while trying to figure out who is this Donna T. person?  

I have to admit, it was rather exciting receiving mail from a person instead of a bill.  I mean, who doesn't like getting a personal letter in the mail?  I don't get a lot of letters in the mail these days, just bills like the rest of the world, so you can imagine my excitement this letter is bringing me.  I was so excited to find out who this Donna person is, so I tore open the envelope.    I pull out the letter and find out that Donna T. is a Jehovah's Witness.  I have to admit that my excitement deflated rather quickly.  I was surprised that I was receiving a letter in the mail.  Don't they walk through neighborhoods and knock on doors anymore?  It seems rather impersonal to just send a letter.  I guess there are a lot of weirdos out there.  I wouldn't want to knock on random people's doors. 

Have you been witnessed by mail? 

If you need a little laugh about being witnessed, check out this post.

RT or Retweet

 I think we all know that I refer to my husband as RT.  In fact, I have him in my phone as RT.  When calling him while driving my last car, the voice would say, "Calling Artie."  By the way, that is how I had to say his name if I wanted to call him.

Recently I noticed that RT's name has changed.  When I call or receive a text from him, he is now referred to as, "Retweet."  I never know if I am calling my husband or retweeting something.

I guess I could just change his name in my phone but that would take away all of the fun.  

My Weird Dog - Forgotten

 I woke up at 2am the other night and thought I heard my weird dog, Pippen, barking.  It sounded like he was really far away.  I thought I might still be sleeping and dreaming of him barking.  I was a little shaken and decided to get out of bed and investigate. 

To my surprise I found him wagging his tail and staring at me on the other side of the sliding glass door.  I let him inside.  The poor guy's fur was standing up and he was a little miffed he was left outside.  It was all RT's fault...or at least that is what I told Pippen.   

Side note:  Pippen loves being outside and it wasn't really that cold.  He just likes curling up in his bed at night (or on the carpet by my side of the bed).

Today is National Make a Dog's Day.  A day set aside to give all dogs the best day of their lives. It also encourages to adopt, not shop.  If you already have a dog, how about showing some love with an extra walk or a special treat.  Maybe a visit to a dog park.  

Of course we will be observing #MakeADogsDay by going on a walk, extra treats (maybe even some green beans), fur hugs and even remembering to bring the pooch inside at night.

P.S. No harm was done to Pippen.  He is happy and healthy.

Retail Problems

 I think I have been hanging out at work too much (is that possible?). 

I had a customer ask me if I have a twin sister.  Of course I replied, yes.  Just kidding.  I replied, no.  The customer continues, "I swear I saw your doppelganger at (some bar) over the weekend." (of course, this was said to me in front of my manager).  Apparently, I have a twin sister who spends all of my money by partying all weekend at local bars. 

 I assured the customer that it wasn't me at the bar.  I also made sure my boss knows I'm not living it up at the bar when I am not at work (it does sound like fun, though).

National Handbag Day

  Today is my favorite day, National Handbag Day!  A day set aside for me to celebrate all of the time and headaches effort that I put into finding the perfect a new purse.  

Handbags come in many shapes and sizes.  They can be as small as an envelope or as large as a carry-on suitcase.  Handbags also come in every solid color and a variety of prints like leopard, zebra and even stripes.  You can get a sparkly bag or a purse with rhinestones.  There is a handbag out there for everyone.

Whatever you call it... purse, pocketbook, clutch, evening bag, case or pouch, handbags have been used for thousands of years.  The earliest bags were used to carry tools or gear.  Sometimes the user decorated them with beads.  And some dyed the material to make the bag.

How do you celebrate National Handbag Day?  Wear your favorite handbag today, of course!  Or use this day to buy a new handbag.  There are so many out there for you to choose!

 We all know that I celebrate this day because of my purse commitment issues.  If you need to read up on my scary purse stories, click  HERE, HERE and HERE .  I promise these stories are quite entertaining.

I have been using one of those waist pack/ sling over your shoulder bags the majority of the summer.  Today I will actually use a purse.  I am always on the lookout for a new everyday bag, so, lots of prayers are going to be needed for that search.  

National Produce Misting Day

 Okay.  I think these National Days are getting a little out of hand.  Produce Misting Day?  Are you serious?  We're happy that every time you go to grab your produce, you get to take a free shower?  

I dug a little deeper into this one and found that it is celebrating the fact that the automatic produce misting machines were invented in 1979.  No more covering the produce with burlap sacks at night.  No more manually misting the produce to try to keep it fresh.

I mean, it's great that the produce mister was invented, but do we really need to dedicate an entire day to celebrate?

Fall is here!

 "Fall is here!  Fall is here!

It's my favorite time of year

Football games and falling leaves
I'll take mine with turkey please"

It's that time of year set aside to think about falling leaves and all things pumpkin!  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, pumpkin spiced latte, pumpkin potpourri, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies and just plain pumpkins.

Are you a pumpkin person?  A football person?  How about a Halloween person?

Well, time to get your craft on and get into the Fall spirit!  I thought I would put links to some of the Fall Halloween crafts and Costumes that I've blogged about in the past.  Some of these are great ideas to do with little kids and some are great to do with your Girl Scout Troop!


Halloween Crafts

Bat Pencil Cup  uses an empty can and construction paper

Extra Crafts - using construction paper, make owls, witch, ghosts and foam monsters

Mosaic Pumpkin - using paint chips

Mosaic Pumpkin - using construction paper

Owl - using construction paper

Pony Tail Craft - using ribbon (great for a Girl Scout Troop!)

Pumpkin and Ghost - using Popsicle sticks and paint

Pumpkin Magnet - using foam

Spider - using pipe cleaners and google eyes

SPIDER  using construction paper

Spider (under $1 craft)  using an egg carton, black paint and google eyes

Witche's Hat  uses foam and glitter glue

Pumpkin Soap


Have a party to go to and need a quick, easy Halloween costume?  Look no further! 

Costumes
Easy Halloween Costumes
Eye Candy Costume
Target Employee

It's also time to grab that apron and whip up some fall goodies!  Everybody loves pumpkin!  (well, at least I do!)

How about some Fall food ideas:

Vegetarian Chili
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Pie (from a Pumpkin)

Halloween Candy Dessert 

The Great Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 

Hope this inspires you to get into the fall spirit!  I think I'll go make some pumpkin cookies.

Enjoy!

National Months - October

 Looks like we have a lot to celebrate this month.  

Let's get started!

National Pet CBD Month

CBD products are becoming quite popular to use with pets.  Some of the products include: tinctures, treats, peanut butter and topicals.  THC free options are the way to go for our furry friends.  I have a feeling my weird dog will be participating this month.

National World Menopause Month

A whole month dedicated to hot flashes, night sweats and trouble sleeping.  You can share your sweating on social media with #MenopauseMonth.  Sounds like a good time.

Wishbones for Pets Month

This is a time where animal lovers raise money for pet charities.  It's set around the holidays to remind us to keep the animals in mind during this season.  How to help?  Donate to your local animal shelters.  Often times the shelters have wish lists online to make giving easier.

Squirrel Awareness Month

I really think this one was set up for RT for his favorite squirrel, Nutty (Nutty is the screen saver on RT's phone).  If you want to learn more about squirrels Nutty, give RT a call.

National Sarcastic Awareness Month

Best to participate around people with a sense of humor.  #SarcasticAwarenessMonth 

National Pretzel Month

I love pretzels.  Great time of year to make my Pretzel Bites.  Serve them with your favorite mustard, makes it the perfect snack for watching a football game.

National Popcorn Poppin' Month

I love popcorn more than pretzels, though.  The perfect snack for any occasion.  Watching movies or sports or just for a healthy snack.  I think I'll go make some popcorn now.

National Pizza Month

This works out perfectly if you ask your brother over to make pizza for you.  Maybe have him make several pizzas and you can invite the entire family over for a pizza party!

National Pickled Peppers Month

Probably sponsored by Peter Piper.

National Cookie Month

A great time to get your body ready for the cookies over the holiday season.  If you are making cookies and need some inspiration, check out the "Recipes" link on the side of the blog.  There are some fun cookie ideas under "Desserts."

Vegetarian Month

Even if you are a meat eater, this is a great time to give vegetarianism a try.  Even for just a day or two.  There are so many great recipes out there.  And, before you chime in with, "Meat is essential in your diet" response, read on first.  A vegetarian diet is high in antioxidants and vitamins.  Eating meat supports heart health.  Cutting out meat helps reduce your risk of diabetes.  If done correctly, you can still get plenty of protein on a vegetarian diet.  Why not plan a meatless meal this week?

Have a great month!

Stickers

 There are stickers on fruit that easily peal off.  There are those beastly stickers they put on items like glasses or dishes that are difficult to pull off.  And there are fun stickers of animals, sayings or pictures that you can decorate yourself, a water bottle, your locker or a notebook.  I'm going to talk about the fun stickers.

We have a small box of fun stickers at every register at work.  If the customer has a child(ren) you can offer them a sticker.  I have to say, sticker distribution is the highlight of my job.  If you see how happy these kids are to get a sticker you would understand.  I'm even excited about giving out the sticker!  I hand over a sticker and the child's life is immediately changed forever.  They are so happy and excited.  Makes you wonder how something so small and insignificant can bring so much joy.

What small item brings you joy?

National One Hit Wonder Day

 For all of those awesome songs that we know all of the words from bands that we never heard from again.

Let's rattle off a few here:

867-5309  -  Tommy Tutone (1981)

Tainted Love - Soft Cell (1981)

I Melt with You - Modern English (1982)

I just died in your arms - Cutting Crew (1987)

I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred (1991)

Walking in Memphis - Marc Cohn (1991)

Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something (1995)

Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne (2003)

Some oldies that I didn't realize were one hit wonders:

Monster Mash - Bobby "Borris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers (1962)

Wipe Out - The Surfaris  (1963) 

The Boys are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy (1976)

Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles (1979)

Did I miss any of your favorites?  Add them in the comments below!

The Proust Phenomenon

 The Proust Phenomenon is the idea that certain smells can trigger childhood memories.  Marcel Proust wrote about this in "Swann's Way" referencing how the taste of a cookie soaked in tea revived a long-buried childhood memory.  How does it work?  Our brain stores all sorts of details on odors that we come across.  Location, people, emotions, animals and the like are stored along with this memory.  Smelling this odor again brings up all of the memories (good and bad).  These memories can be from the ages of 1-10.

We visit a local halal market.  I love going up and down the aisles and seeing items that either my dad or grandparents would buy.  Brings up some happy memories for me.  My dad had a store, filled with cases of various fruits and vegetables.  To this day, the smell of golden delicious apples takes me back to being in his store as a little girl.  I have been known to sneak "smells" when I'm in the product department while grocery shopping.

Do you have any smells that bring you back to childhood?

Are they from good times or bad times?

National Chai Day

Chai tea, one of the most popular tea drinks!

In Asian countries, "chai" means tea.  The meaning of this word changed when India adopted the British way drinking tea and added milk and a sweetener.  More spices were added and a little more milk and masala chai was born.

Masala chai, or mixed spice tea, is what we know as chai tea.  Some of the spices used in chai: green cardamom, ginger, cloves and peppercorn. Hot or iced, there's no wrong way to enjoy this drink.

How to celebrate:  

Pour yourself a glass of chai tea. 

Have a little tea party with a friend or two.  Don't forget tea biscuits!

Post on social media using #NationalChaiDay

Chai tea is my favorite.  I know I will be celebrating today, how about you?

Airport

 If there is one thing I hate doing, it's driving to the airport.  

There's the traffic. 

Lane closures.  

More traffic.  

Police officers letting you know, "YOU CAN'T PARK THERE!"  

Traffic.  

Circling the terminals (while waiting for the travelers)

Police officers yelling, "KEEP MOVING!"

Crazy taxi drivers.

Flight delays.

Even more traffic.

Recently, I had to drive to the airport to drop a car off.  Instead of bringing the person all the way back to our house, it made sense to just bring their car to save them 45 minutes to 2 hours of driving time (Chicago traffic).  I enlisted my brother to drive one of the cars (I needed a car to get back home) and we set out for this long journey.  

I would like to say that everything went smoothly.  That we got there at a perfect time, not a lot of traffic and circled a few times.  Well, that did happen.  The only thing that didn't happen was the travelers' arrival.  

I should probably state that the "traveler" is my son.  I should also mention that the "traveler" gave me the wrong arrival day.  So, as much as I hate driving to the airport, I now had to make this journey two days in a row.

The "traveler" made it safely to his car and has apologized for his mistake.   

My brother is a saint for being a trooper and helping out.

And I'm just hoping I don't have to drive to the airport for awhile. 

Retail Problems

 Time for another installment of retail problems.  This is where you get to read about the weirdos people who step out into the world and try to interact normally with other humans.

I have been working Customer Service lately, handling returns for both our store and Amazon.  There is a noticeable difference between the customers returning merchandise to our store and those just returning to Amazon.  Our store customers are (usually) a lot nicer to us employees.  Of course, there are always the scary strange odd situations that occur on a daily basis.  

We have a guy who makes store returns.  He likes to return old produce purchased from another store.  I'm not sure why he doesn't return to where he purchased the food.  I'm afraid to ask.  He has receipts for his purchases.  The receipts can be up to 3 months old.  I don't think produce can last three months long.  His produce is hot, old, squishy and smelly (that's the only way I can describe it...nicely).  I guess I could give you my honest reaction and say I'm trying to keep myself from getting sick while doing the return.  His reason for his returns?  "My wife didn't like it."  I wouldn't like three-month-old lettuce, either.  Nor would I like mushy, moldy cucumbers.  I'm sick just writing about it.

Moving on...

We have another woman who is a frequent "returner."  She likes to bring in items that have been opened.  For example, a half-eaten steak, a half-eaten bag of chips, half bag of pistachios, part of a chocolate bar.  She has receipts for these items.  They are, of course, purchased at another location.  Apparently, that location has flagged her and will not let her return anything to that store.  Her reason for returning these items?  "My husband didn't like it."  I have yet to meet this "husband."  Does he like anything she buys?  Does she even have a husband?  Is this just her entertainment or social interaction?  If she does have a husband, maybe he should do the grocery shopping!  There will probably be a lot less returns.  

And one more before I go....

I had a woman who wanted a refund on two beers that she did not drink.  She purchased them a couple weeks ago from a different store.  Who returns beer?  Does everyone go through their pantry and return items they haven't consumed?  Is this normal behavior?

All I know is, you can't make this stuff up.

A Scary Journey Inside My Life

 Here we are, TWELVE YEARS LATER, still on this scary journey inside my life.  

It's been a wild ride.

Living it up with RT

You can thank him for pushing me to start this blog.  He's usually a good subject for posts.  And, no, he still isn't allowed to read it.

Life with My Weird Dog

Can he get any weirder?  

Pscyho in the backyard.  

Doesn't like other dogs.  

Afraid of thunderstorms and fireworks.  

He's cute though and always happy to see me.   

My retail adventures

I didn't realize how weird people are when they try to interact with others in public.  

Still living in Illinois 

Hoping this changes sometime soon...

  

Who knew my family (and dog) would provide so much entertainment many stories?

If you have been here since the beginning, you are a saint  I'm sorry  I should pay for your therapy  thank you for putting up with me and my craziness all of these years. 

Cheers to twelve more!

Dental Floss

Dental floss is a hot topic here on the blog.  Yea, just search for it on the side for some fun dental floss stories.

I thought I would let you know that, this is it.  I have completely run out of my inheritance dental floss.  I wrote about this problem a couple years of ago, but luckily found a couple of boxes.  This time though, it's for real.

I will be setting up a GoFundMe page.  

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

My Weird Dog - Green Beans

 I plant a (vegetable) garden every year.  I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, an assortment of peppers and green beans.  Every year I like to mix it up a little and try growing something different.  This year it was sugar snap peas.  Sometimes I purchase the plants and sometimes I grow them by seed.  This year, I had a half packet of green beans and thought I would just plant them all.  Normally, some of the seeds don't take and I'm left with five or six plants.  This year, all of the seeds made it and we have had an abundance of green beans.

I do what any normal person does with a large crop.  Panic.  Just kidding.  I clean them, cut and blanch them, then freeze them.  I have a several gallon sized bags of frozen green beans in our freezer.  Normally, I like to have enough so we can have home grown green beans at Thanksgiving and or Christmas.  This year, we could probably have green beans every night for dinner and still have some left over for the holidays.

Yes, I have given some away.  I haven't tried the "Sneak some onto a neighbor's porch" yet (although I am certainly tempted..).  And yes, I have made dishes with green beans.  Some that actually called for green beans and some that I decided needed fresh green beans. 

I made a rather large batch of my Greek Style Green Beans.  RT and I must have had them a few days in a row.  While at work, I texted him and said that I couldn't eat green beans a third night in a row.  I could sense the relief when I got RT's text.  Later that evening, RT wondered if dogs could eat green beans.  (I think the abundance of green beans is putting him over the edge).  RT put some of the green beans in Pippen's dog food and they disappeared rather quickly.  Pippen had the rest of that green bean dish (spread out over a few days).

Yes. Pippen likes green beans.  He won't touch carrots or apples, but loves his cooked green beans.

Today is National Hug Your Hound Day.  A day to pamper your pet.  Something that happens every day in our house.  I have a feeling RT will celebrate the day by making Pippen a batch of green beans.

Pop-Up Ads

 What is it with those annoying pop-up ads?  You are trying to read an article and all of a sudden you are being asked to subscribe to a newsletter.  Or a video starts playing and it's playing in front of what you are trying to read.  

I came to read the article, not watch an instructional video on how to build a barn.  And, no, I don't want to subscribe to your newsletter.  Just let me read the article!

National Lazy Moms Day

I like this holiday.  We all deserve to take a guilt free break from our everyday lives. 

#NationalLazyMomsDay is a day to encourage moms to take a break and not feel guilty.  A day for you to do whatever you want without worrying about your chore list.  Delegate those chores to other family members or just forget about them for today.  Being lazy can have some health benefits like reducing stress levels and improving creativity!

How to participate:

Pamper yourself.  

Read a book  

Get a mani/pedi

Take the kids and go for a hike or play in the park

Have a picnic

Go to the movies

Take the dog for a long walk

I know I'm definitely going to participate today!

National Months - September

 Time to look ahead and see what fun holidays we will be celebrating next month.

Here we go!

National Sourdough September

This is a great time for you to make some sourdough bread and share it with your favorite sister.  I will expect a fresh, homemade loaf of bread every week.  Thank you.

It's also

National Square Dance Month

This is a great month to put to use all of that time spent square dancing in PE class back in junior high.  It's a good thing this was part of our curriculum.  Where would we be without those awkward square dance lessons?

National Mushroom Month

This one is for RT, a fun guy interested in fungi.  I believe a trip to the mushroom festival in Kennett Square, PA, the mushroom capital of the world, is in the future.   Mushrooms are an excellent source of copper, fiber, potassium, protein, selenium, vitamin B and zinc.  How to observe?  Drop some in your soup, add them to your pizza, sauté them in some wine as a side dish.  

National Sewing Month

Apparently sewing has always been around in some shape or form.  In the early days, bone and ivory were used as needles.  The process became a lot easier, thanks to the invention of the sewing machine in 1750.  I'm feeling the need to pull out the sewing machine and try to make something.  Do you like to sew?  Do you prefer to sew by hand or use a sewing machine?

National Rice Month

A little strange, since there is a rice shortage due to floods, drought and severe weather and the price is skyrocketing.  

National Courtesy Month

To some, courtesy means kindness.  To others it can mean being polite or having good manners.  It can be spoken or actions toward someone.  Courtesy is about manners and respect.  It takes little effort to be kind.  The entire month of September gives you plenty of time to practice kindness.  Henry James once wrote, "Three things in human life are important.  The first is to be kind.  The second is to be kind.  And the third is to be kind."

National Self Improvement Month    

An entire month set aside for us to make a conscious effort to improve ourselves.  What would you like to improve in your life?  Healthier eating habits, add some exercise to your daily routine, learn a new skill or read more.  Set a goal and get started today!

National Classical Music Month

This holiday recognizes the beauty of classical music.  How to celebrate:  Listen to classical music (either alone or with friends).  Attend a local concert (most towns have local bands that perform).  Learn to play a musical instrument.  

Lots of fun happening this month!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am a fan of cherry chocolate combinations.  I had a taste for maraschino cherries (I don't why) and bought a jar.  Unfortunately, they only had one size jar and it was HUGE.  After eating one, I realized I had to figure out what I can do with them, other than put them in my tropical drinks.  I did a little research and found this cookie recipe.  The cookies are amazing and disappeared within 24 hours.

Here's the recipe:

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

ingredients:

 1/4 cup butter*

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg**

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup maraschino cherries, drained, finely chopped***

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

directions:

Oven 350F.

In large bowl, add butter and sugar and mix well.  

Add in egg and extracts and mix.

In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt.

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  (best to mix by hand at this point)

Add in cherries and chocolate chips and mix by hand until combined.  The dough will be thick.

Drop dough balls onto lined baking sheet. 

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet (about 15 minutes) before transferring them to cooling rack.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A few notes:

*I used vegan butter for this recipe.  I also reduced the amount of sugar in half.  They were still sweet and tasty.

** I used a flax egg.  1 flax egg = 1 TBSP flax seed + 3 TBSP cold water.  Let sit for 10 minutes before adding to the mixture.   You can probably use aquafaba.  That's 3 TBSP of aquafaba = 1 egg.  Aquafaba is the water mixture inside the can of chickpeas.

*** If you like cherries, you can save some of the chopped cherries (or chop a few extra) to add to the tops of your cookies.

****If you want to add a fun look to these cookies, add a little pink gel food coloring to the batter.  Just keep an eye on the cookies while in the oven.  You don't want to burn them.  

If you make these Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies, let me know what you think in the comments.

Enjoy!