My Weird Dog - Takes a Vacation

 I thought I would continue our conversation about our move.

We are two days from having to be completely out of our house.  We still have some loose ends to tie up, but first we need to pack up My Weird Dog Pippen and take him to his vacation destination:  N's house.  A lovely three hour drive.

A little background on why we were forced to waited until the last minute for this transfer.  We planned our move very carefully, down to every last detail.

Getting rid of stuff

Fixing things around the house

Packing boxes

Parties (Easter celebration)

Graduation

Drop off Pippen

First moving truck

Selling off stuff

Pack up remaining items

Second moving truck

Pack up car and get out of town

Before that first moving truck, Pippen was scheduled to "go on vacation."  We discussed this with N back in January.  He agreed to take Pippen.  There were monthly reminders of his commitment.  A week before the drop off, N tells us that he can't take him at that time.  He had other plans.  Yes. He agreed five months ago to our plan, but I guess things change.....

Luckily, RT and I are pretty flexible.  We had to move our dog drop off right after the second moving truck.  Sadly, this required My Weird Dog Pippen to watch (from the deck) people enter our house and take all of our stuff.  This did not set right with Pippen.  It became worse because he saw RT and I leave with the truck full of stuff.  Luckily (or unluckily, depending on who you ask) he had B to hang with him until our return.

When we returned, we packed Pippen's belongings, popped some CBD in him, loaded him in the car and started on our three hour journey.  He was happy to see N but not happy when RT and I left.

Pippen had quite the adventure.  N brought him camping.  Turns out Pippen loves camping.  He loved being inside the tent and was always sad when they took it down.  He even tolerated car rides (with out being drugged).  That last one is huge since he is a pain to travel with in the car.

N called us with updates on Pippen and his antics.  There were also photos and videos of mischief Pippen.  About two weeks in, N called and asked when we were picking Pippen up.  Not a good sign since N signed up for a four month visit.

After our vacation, we decided to stop and pick up Pippen on our way to our new home.

My Weird Dog - Celebrates the big 13

 Today is a big day in our house.  We are celebrating My Weird Dog's Pippen's 13th Birthday. 

We started off the celebration by waking up at 2 am.  I think Pippen wanted to make the most of the day and get as much celebrating in one day.  I really don't think that it had anything to do with the thunderstorm that rolled in at that time.  He got himself worked up and took a couple of hours to calm down.  Even with the help of CBD treats. 

Luckily we just had a trip to the big city planned, dropping off the baby at the airport and some shopping.  

Thanks for making our lives, well, interesting.....

We love you, Pippen!

My Weird Dog - Moving

 All this talk about moving and I should mention the effect it had on My Weird Dog Pippen.

I honestly didn't think any of this would affect Pippen..  I mean, little fixes around the house, items disappearing.  A dog doesn't have any idea how much stuff you have and that some of it is slowly disappearing from the house. Especially when this dog is living his best life on the back deck, terrorizing dog walkers as they pass our house (I'm sure there are quite a few people happy that we moved). (In fact, I bet there is probably some people who changed their walk route and will now go past our old house because there isn't a psycho dog barking at them.)

There was a couple of months of keeping the house immaculate for showings.  During the showing, we took Pippen for long walks. Props to RT. I worked during this time and he had to do a lot of this himself (home prep and dog walk). 

Once our home sold, you would think we could relax a little, but that's when "it" hit the fan.

We did not move everything, sold quite a bit of the furniture.  Once things started disappearing, the "weirdness" kicked into gear.  After the first truckload, Pippen knew something was up.  When the movers showed up for the rest, well, I think he was afraid we would forget him.

B and Pippen were the last ones to stay in the house.  Pippen didn't know at the time, but he was going on a little vacation. 

Moving

 I'll try to hit all of the highlights and also try to make it brief.

We talked about moving for years. The move would take place after B finished High School.  Why stay in a huge house when there is only two of us, and pay ridiculous taxes?

People around us thought we were crazy.  That we didn't think this through. What they didn't know was this was an ongoing topic between RT and I. The only problem? Where would we move?

We had to prepare for this move. We lived in our house for twenty seven years, raising three children.  During this time, we had to sell our parents' homes and, unfortunately, some of their things became residents of our house.  We did not want to move all of the stuff that we accumulated, so, downsizing was in order.

Downsizing is just another way to say that you are getting rid of a bunch of crap.  OK. It isn't all crap.  It's just stuff.  Stuff that you haven't looked at in thirty years and, frankly have no desire to look at in the next thirty years.  There were quite a few million texts sent to the kids (by me).  Basically, "Does anyone want this?" And, frequent runs to the Goodwill. I think we were one of their main suppliers for the last five years.

This major "downsizing event" went on for at least five years. Why did it take so long? I don't think we were that serious going into it. We kept thinking we would have more time.  We will do it later. We might need it.  The last six months we were at our house we got rid of more stuff than the previous five years.

There were quite a few things we did to make the house look nice.  I'm still upset we didn't paint the laundry room years ago.  Why did we wait until we were selling it?

We packed up what we could and stacked boxes in the garage. Those first boxes packed, we had no idea what was in them.  Yes, we labeled them.  I wasn't allowed to go back and pull stuff out.

Our house was put on the market in the middle of April.  We wanted enough time to celebrate Easter with our family and friends, watch B enjoy her senior activities (prom, senior celebration), B's graduation and a graduation party.  All with the hopes of moving out at the end of June.

Our house sold (crazy, but it happened on our 30th Anniversary). After the grad party I realized that I had to quit my favorite job and get serious about this whole move thing. 

We packed the rest of our stuff, made a million more trips to Goodwill and two moving trucks up to a storage locker in the town that we would eventually live.

Oh, our house, the one we would be moving into was being rented through the summer, so we were homeless for a while.

More about the crazy move in another post.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Vegan

 Peanut butter and chocolate.  

Chocolate and peanut butter.

I had a taste for this combination in cookie form.  This recipe satisfies both cravings and makes a real nice cookie.  Make sure you save the recipe.  They disappear quickly!

Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan)

ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (vegan)

1/2 cup peanut butter*

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg**

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups flour

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

directions: 

Oven 350F.

In a large bowl, mix butter and peanut butter until smooth.

Add sugars and mix until creamy.

Add vanilla, egg, baking soda and salt.  
Beat in flour slowly until a dough forms.

Add in chips and use wooden spoon to mix.

Chill dough for thirty minutes.

Use scooper to make cookie dough balls and place on cookie sheets.* Use a fork tine to press dough balls.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until slightly brown

Cool on wire rack.

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

*I used crunchy peanut butter, can use creamy peanut butter.

**I used aqua faba egg.  Can also use a flax egg.  One flax egg = 1 TBSP ground flax + 3 TBSP cold water.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes before using.

*I use a silicone baking mat.  Feel free to use parchment paper.

*Don't want to make the cookies vegan?  Substitute butter for vegan butter and an egg for the flax egg.

If you make the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, let me know what you think in the comments below.

Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Craft Ideas

  It's finally February!  A time for love, hearts and all things red!  Oh, and it's also time for my favorite holiday, Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day, also known in our house as the National Holiday, is coming up and I thought I would put links to some crafts we have done here on A Scary Journey Inside My Life to get you ready for the big day. Some of these crafts are pretty easy and would be great to do with your Girl Scout Troop!  These are also great ideas for an indoor activity on those cold winter days.

Valentine's Placemat (children's craft)

Valentine's Day Bookmarks

Pallet (he)art

Homemade Valentine's Day cards

Felt Heart Pin or Barrette

Felt Heart Ornaments 

Valentine Photo Book

Valentine Love Picture

Valentine Love Frame

Looking for more fun things to do in February?  How about warming up the house (and some hearts) with some baking?  Check out the Recipes page to try something new!

My Weird Dog - Olympics

 It's been quite a while since we have heard from My Weird Dog Pippen. Lots of stories to tell about him.  Pippen has had a crazy year (isn't every day/year crazy for him?).   He loves where we live and gets to decide where he wants to go for his walks every day.  And since he is the only child at home, he can be quite spoiled.* 

A result of one of these spoil sessions was something that didn't quite sit right in Pippen's stomach.  I sensed the urgency, hopped up and start yelling, "Let's go!  Get up!  We're going outside!  Hurry!  Come on!  Let's go, Let's go, Let's go!" and we both sprint out the back door.  

RT watched the whole show and said that I have made Pippen's nauseous stomach issues into an Olympic event.  It's the "Race to get the dog outside before he barfs in the house," event.  RT is amazed that, over the years, I appear out of nowhere (the attic, basement, the roof), sensing that this is going to happen and get Pippen outside in time.  

Yes, kids, do a little every day.  Always be aware of what could happen and prepare in your mind how you can help the dog evacuate the house.  This isn't a sport that you can just jump into and be the best.  It takes years of practice.   

I would love to talk more, but I have to go accept my Gold Medal.      

*OK.  So, he has always been spoiled.  Nothing new.

Vasilopita Bread - St. Basil's Sweet Bread (Vegan)

 Vasilopita is a Greek sweet bread baked especially for New Years.  The story behind the bread: St. Basil asked the ladies of the church to bake a sweet bread with coins baked inside them.  The bread was given out to the needy people at church for life's necessities.  This was his way of giving them money without demeaning them at all.  It is now a tradition to bake a coin into the Vasilopita (St. Basil's bread).  The person that receives the coin is considered to have luck in the New Year. 

Vasilopita is a sweet bread made with butter and flavored with orange, vanilla, masticha and Mahlep.  

I posted this recipe a few years back and decided to try making it vegan.  This is my first attempt and was pretty decent.  I thought I would share the vegan recipe here for those that want to make it

Vasilopita Bread

ingredients:

1 pkg active dry yeast

3/4 cup oat milk, lukewarm

3 flax eggs*

1.5 tsp grated orange rind

1/2 cup sugar

4 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground masticha

1/4 tsp ground mahlep

1/2 cup melted vegan butter

vegan butter for glazing

blanched split almonds or sesame seeds

directions:

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of milk

Add remainder of milk, eggs, orange rind and sugar.

In a warm bowl, add 3 cups flour, salt and spices make a well in the center.

Pour in yeast mixture and stir to blend in flour.  Gradually add warm melted butter.

Mix dough with hands until it comes away from the sides.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining flour as required.

Knead for 10 minutes.

Place ball of dough in bowl that has been greased with butter.

Turn dough over to coat top with butter and cover bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap.

Leave to rise in warm place until doubled.

Punch down and turn onto lightly floured surface.

Knead lightly and shape into a round loaf.

Place onto large greased baking sheet or greased 10" round baking dish

Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (1.5-2 hours).

Glaze with beaten egg and arrange almonds or sesames onto the bread (pressing lightly).

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked when tested.

If bread browns too quickly, place greased parchment paper on top.

Cool on wire rack

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

I used the 1/2 cup of sugar and it turned out wonderfully.

*one flax egg equals one Tablespoon flax with three Tablespoons of cold water.  Let sit for five minutes before using in recipe.

I did not add the orange rind and the world did not end.

This bread turned out wonderfully. This bread is a sweet bread that tastes great plain or with a little butter (regular or vegan).  Great for toast in the morning.

Let me know if you try making Vasilopita.  I would love to hear how your bread turns out!

Happy New Year!

 Every year our small town does a ball drop in the middle of downtown.  It's part of their Light up the Lake New Year's event.  Along with the ball drop, there is music, fireworks and a beer tent.  All of the local businesses are open and have little events happening prior to the main event. You can shop, drink, sip some tea or hot chocolate while listening to jazz, get your photo taken with the 2025 ball in the background, or just dance in the streets.  

The ball drop was named 2024's best New Year's Eve ball drop in the nation by the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.  The best part is that we were able to attend this event!  

I forgot to mention that we are four blocks from this event.  No driving. No trying to find parking.  Just a nice leisurely walk into town.  When it was over, a nice stroll back home.

Who needs Times Square when you can be in Legacy Plaza?  Yea, I'll take the small-town New Year's Eve ball drop over any other celebration.

How did you ring in the New Year?  

Did you make any New Year's resolutions?

Happy New Year everyone!