Sometimes I think I'm losing it

I decided to be productive today.  Goals:  finish the portrait of Dually and get it framed.  I pulled the picture out of the porch and the new frame I bought for it months ago.  I attempted to put the glass in and it would not fit.  How could that be?  When I bought it , it fit fine as I remember.  So I am determined to get this picture framed and done today so I get a tool to scrape out the frame edge to allow the glass to go in.  I scrape and scrape and scrape.  I scraped out a layer of paint and some wood. Finally I get it to fit and then only then did I turn it over and look at the back and realize I had been trying to fit the glass in on the wrong side.  Geeezz  Okay plan B .  I pulled some paint out and painted the frame where I had chipped it out and then of course the whole frame had to be painted. Now I am waiting for the paint to dry.  But in the meantime I spayed a fixative on the drawing of Dually and  did some more coloring on his eyes and it's ready to be framed.

I was looking for some spinach in the freezer and I found a little chicken pot pie that I had made who knows when.  I popped it in the oven and it smelled great.  It was full of chicken and butter but it just doesn't  taste right. I remember it didn't when I made a few of them at a time.  I guess the dogs will get some good stuff tonight.

I am soon going to the grocery store to make a vegetable lasagne tonight.  Serves 12 so I guess I will be freezing a lot of it.

And I will stop at the paint store and get a tack cloth and a lint free cloth to give the counter another coat of tung oil and see if it darkens even more.  And maybe go talk to Kathy at the decorating store for more ideas of backsplashes.

Talked to Kathy and she gave me a tile sample to bring home and try in the kitchen. It looked really good in the store but in the night light in the kitchen it doesn't look the same.  Keep lookin

I made the lasagna and it is pretty good. I already portioned it out and froze most of it for later dinners.  I'm about to look up another recipe for tomorrow. It's supposed to be cold and what else is there to do?  Clean?  not happening

Dare pooped in the cellar tonight.  I asked him if he wanted to go out but he wouldn't go even though he was whining. Ok he burned me twice, next time I will force him outside. 

movie day

Hmmm, got to get organized so I can actually get something done during the day.   Today, I trimmed toenails (dogs).  big deal

I went to the movies and saw " the Wolf of Wall Street". Lots of nudity  and swearing, but the story was engaging and even after 3 hrs I wanted it to continue.  or ya, lots and lots and lots of drugs.  Completely out of my realm of living.

Came home from the movies and fed the dogs and let them out. I went in to take a shower and somebody pooped on the floor.  They hate to go out in the rain and it's kinds miserable out there tonight.

A little training

 I had a lesson to give today so I went out and had Edge sort the sheep and then take 3 sheep out to the big field. I can't remember if I have ever worked him on just sheep at least not these particular sheep which could have been lighter than normal. He was a good boy and onlyone sheep went head over teakettle on the ice.  She's a bit of a uncoordinated dummy anyway.  I chose 3 ewes that I am unsure are bred.  I wanted to work him on driving and getting away from me.  He was much better in the larger area. More willing to walk up on them away from me.  Flanks are fairly non existent especially inside flanks. Outside flanks were not too bad but he cut in at the top so  I do need to let him know I don't like that much. He is very sensitive to what I want.

I also worked Dually and his inside flanks were only good when I got the command out harshly.  I need to find another way to get thru to him.  He did them but he did them much better when I sounded like I really meant it.

Then he picked up a toy and went and laid down away from my lesson and stayed there no matter what was going on or what I was saying during the lesson. It was that darn toy in his mouth. 

Bill came over with a piece of the finished countertop and it is georgeous!!!!  I was hoping I would like it but I love it.  They are going to come back next Thurs to do the whole thing. Whoooowhooo a real countertop and now I can start thinking about the backsplash area. 

Christmas

   I packed me and the dogs up and went to my sisters on Christmas Eve.  She is only an hr and half away but we decided to stay for a couple of days. Ed came up and fed the sheep and kept my pellet stove going. 

We had fresh shrimp and oysters for dinner followed by linguine with fresh clam sauce. Delicious stuff. They are so close to the ocean that the fish is fantastic. On Christmas day we had swordfish, mako shark and more clams and all of that was grilled. It was yummy. I wanted to  get some to bring home but  the fish market I wanted to go to was closed the day after Christmas. So I went to Market Basket on the way home and that is a trip in itself.

 My brother in law made me a decoupage light switch cover so I went to "Michaels" on the way home to get some mod podge to try my hand at it. I made one really good one and one bad one and one ok one.They are kinda fun to do. More time consuming than I would have thought. It takes a while for the background paint to dry and then the modpodge takes a while.  I did all but the bird. Mike did the bird.

Michael's bird

My first try and it needs to be redone

I really like this one

this is okay

Home again

  The Christmas party at my sisters on Thurs night went well. I'm glad I was there to help her  because she had a LOT to do before the party. We worked non stop on Thurs and Wed afternoon.  I had a good time and the food came out very well.  Carol made a drink called a Peppermint Patty that I really liked.
1 oz peppermint schnapps
1 oz dark crème de cacao
1 oz half and half or  heavy cream

The dogs stayed in the car until the party was over and then they came inside. Last night I left all but Dare in the car so I could be ready to  roll first thing this am.  I set the alarm for 5:30 and was ready to go by 6am and the car battery was dead.  Oh geez .  The light shut off for when the doors are left open is apparently not working. Mike jumped me and off I went. I took the most direct route which was the NJ turnpike(I hate the NJ turnpike)the GW bridge and then I took some parkways and expressways to 91.  The NJ turnpike was stop and go for miles and then I ran into a slow up on the Merritt parkway but made it home in 11hrs.

The house looks good-Thanks Kim.  The bed looks great all painted and ready to be made up. I think the dogs are glad to be back and I will be glad to be able to put them outside tomorrow for some playtime.

At my sisters in VA

I stopped at the Va welcome center after we got on the road at 8am yesterday to find out the best route to get to my sisters.  I did not want to follow the GPS blindly because it would probably take me the long way. Anyway they gave me a possible 3 different routes. I chose the shortest one on paper and the most scenic.  It took me over the Jamestown ferry which was very cool.  I sat in line for approx 5 min and then they loaded us and off we went.  I did not get out of the car because it was cold on the water and then they let my line of cars unload first so it was a score all the way.

I got to my sisters and let the dogs run a bit.  The yard is large but unfenced and goes right to the canal and 3 of them went in and got all dirty feet and legs. I kept Peaches out because her hair is longer than theirs and harder to get clean.

They all came in the house and slept with me in the guest room and then went out again this morning.
Carol is having a Christmas party tonight to I will try and help her get ready. I polished all the silverware yesterday.

The road to VA

I left the motel early this morning.  I was going to tour Shorter Mansion in Eufaula but I woke up earlpy and wanted to get on the road so I missed the tour.  I did stop at the Waffle house for breakfast and then on we went.  I did 500 miles today.  12 hr day.

We are encamped in another Motel 6 in High Point NC.  Formerly a Days Inn, it is fairly nice. I do like that they replaced carpeting with laminate, but the dogs toenails are quite loud. I hope they settle.  There is also someone in the room right next door with an adjoining door and I don't think Dually likes that .   Grrrrrrwllll

I had leftover stew from the Olive Garden so I had that for supper even though I didnt' have a spoon to eat it with, I improvised and used the top to a coffee cup. It worked fine.