* Question of the Day *

Do you have a favorite I Love Lucy episode?

Here is mine, and tell me if you remember it. When Ricky and Lucy and Ethel and Fred are driving to California, and find themselves at this broken down motel. The owner put misleading signs on the highway to "trap" weary travelers.

They are served rubber sandwiches in the coffee shop, and then check into the only available cabin. It's the only one available, because it's the only one they have. Both couples go about their nighttime routine and my favorite scene is Ethel tucking Fred into bed. It had a huge divet in the middle. And then....the train comes through! It was a classic.

It's a Small World

....and getting smaller all time. Today my husband bought me a box of candy. Not the exact box pictured, but one very similar. This box USED to contain one pound of candy. Not anymore. It now contains 12 ounces. That is 25% less than before. Notice the shiny gold divider "thingey" separating each piece?


Below is a photo of how the box used to look, back when it contained a pound of candy. No divider necessary - there would not have been room. With the divider though, they are able to keep the same box size. I guess they figure we won't notice we are paying the same price for 25% less candy.

Every time I go grocery shopping I notice another one, or two or more products which have shrunk. I find it very unsettling but I don't know why. I don't mean financially unsettling, I mean from a security standpoint. I am bracing myself for the carton containing 10 eggs, or the three-quarter gallon of milk. I would rather just pay more. All of this changing of sizes messes with my head. I can just see the execs in their board rooms, plotting strategy and charting their bottom lines. Sales has always been all about the psychology. I swear it's worse now.

Sleeping Around, and a Great New, to me, Blog

I find that many couples do not sleep in the same room. This kind of thing was horrific to me in my 20's. What a cold, sterile relationship it must be, to sleep apart. I learned from a very reliable source that 90% of the time, it's the woman who ends up hitting the couch. AND, it's the man who feels hurt and abandoned. Please don't take it personally men. Women don't mean it personally. Women just need to get some decent sleep. And it's not like we are missing any quality time with you.

We are in separate rooms now, because of sleep incompatability. I got a twin bed for my office/studio room, and he stayed in the king size bed. That would be fine, were it not for my permanently tweaked neck and shoulder. A while back we purchased a memory foam bed. You've seen their commercials....welcome to bed. Let me tell you the bed is everything they say it is, and more. I miss it. My shoulder misses it.

Soon we will begin the process of flip flopping the rooms. After a career in the military, he can sleep anywhere. It takes an act of Congress for me to get to sleep. I'm difficult, I admit it. I am grateful to have a bed at all. To have a warm home and a son and husband who love me. So part of me feels terrible asking for the memory foam bed back. But the part which is cranky, tired and sore is stronger.

Kay over at The Rustic Cottage (on my sidebar) sent me the link to a very neat blog. A single gal homesteading on a farm in Vermont, with her dogs and assorted farm animals. She has two Huskies and being a huge snow dog fan, I really enjoyed reading about her adventures. She wrote a book too! You can check it out at http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/.

Please take a moment and say a prayer for Mary, who recently lost her beloved Malamute, Meeko. Corresponding with Mary has given me a glimpse into what life was like with a normal Mal. Ours is special needs - and we meet them, I promise.

** Little Nuggets of Trivia **

I think we all possess knowledge that isn't widely known, or thought about, or cared about. Nonetheless we know things and when we tell other people these things, the other people say "hmmm, I did not know that." I enjoy knowing odd things. It's one of the few times I get to hear my husband say "you're right."

My nugget today concerns dentists, and why some are DDS's while others are DMD's. Both mean exactly the same thing. DDS is doctor of dental surgery and DMD is doctor of medical dentistry. Which three letters the dentist receives is totally dependent on the college he or she attends, and how they choose to do it.

Would you share a little nugget of trivia with me? Sounded a bit like Mr. Rogers there, didn't I?

Stuff

Hello to my one loyal blog reader, you know who you are. A big snap 'o the strap to you! You never fail to brighten my day.

I can't believe it's the weekend....already. A day had the same 24 hours when I was 18, why does it seem like so much less now? Mary Kay, founder of, you know Mary Kay, said we all have the same 24 hours. Sigh.

I had a busy day, for me. Juneau's foster mom came over and put some medicine in his ears. Then hubby took me to the doctor for my every few month state of the shoulder visit. She moved and now it's a 30 minute drive to see her. Not my favorite way to spend 30 minutes, but she is so worth it. She poked around a bit and said "that's tight as a drum," hubby got a flu shot, and I got a new round of prescriptions. I even got one for something called a "suicide ball." At least that's the street name for it. Goes on your steering wheel and enables you to steer with just one hand/arm. I just need to find out where to get one.

I made a tuna noodle casserole for dinner and Kay came over to join me. Hubs had a cold, got over the cold, and now it has returned. So he spent the afternoon and evening "in the bed," as they say in the south. Kay and I went to my neighbors' house to see their two new puppies. Half Havanese and half toy Aussie Shepherd. Eight weeks old and cute doesn't even begin to describe them.

Then she took me to church to pick up my son, who had been volunteering at the variety show and spaghetti dinner that I wished I had gotten tickets for. Miss Jessie loves riding in the car, and hopped right in. Juneau on the other hand, won't get in anyone else's car, period. Never say never, I asked him if he wanted to go, and he jumped in. Kay was amazed and so was I. He did what he always does - sat right in the middle of the seat so big sister gets pushed against the door. Then he put his big head right between her head and mine, and panted away.

In April it will be three years since we adopted Juneau. To this day it amazes me the amount of heat these arctic dogs can generate. You don't even have to be touching him and you can feel the heat radiating off his coat.

Goodnight faithful blog reader ~ and God Bless!

Baths, or Showers?

Okay, I'm really pressing here, for a blog post subject. Do you take a bath, or a shower, or both? Hey, at least I didn't ask "tampons or pads?"

I shower. If I had a larger tub I might take the occasional hot bath with bubbles and candlelight. Our tub is not very big, and I kinda am - so it's not a great combination.

C'mon Get Happy * Question

I'm a huge Partridge Family fan.

My question today is: What are the last three things that made you happy? They can be anything at all. Here are mine.

Yesterday the dogs and I did a few errands. I stopped at my favorite thrift store and wandered around for about 20 minutes. I spent $5.88 and found several pieces of "treasure."

Two people told me how beautiful my dogs were.

My son called from the birthday sleepover he was attending, to ask if he could play a rated M video game. Dad's rule is nothing rated M. Son knows this, but figures it's worth a shot to ask every now and then. Dad said no. It was a very short phone call. It made me happy that he called because he could have gone ahead and played the game. We would have never known. And maybe he did play it anyway, but I rather doubt it. He's down with the fact that parents can't be everywhere, but God can.

~ Question of the Day ~

Men....are kinda gross. Not that women can't be gross. In fact if there were two lines, one for Not Gross Women and one for Gross Women, I'd have to stand in the latter. But in general, ordinary every day life, I think men are "grosser" than women. They have us beat in the sights and smells departments, and then there is always that cover one nostril and blow trick. And spitting...don't get me started.

What gross thing or things has your man treated you to? I have to be careful here, because hubby does occasionally read my blog. Let me see, I have so much to choose from.....Here is an oldie but a goodie. Years ago (before our marriage) we were eating in the Food Court at the mall. He said "I've got something I want to show you." Being the silly female I am, thoughts of - oh he snuck away and bought me a ring - immediately filled my head. Imagine my surprise when he pulled his shirt down over his shoulder to reveal a large, red, juicy zit - just ripe for the popping. Nice.

We still talk about that zit. He swears I used to tell him I loved his zits. I say I must have been REAL desperate to get married.

Keeping Calm.....

This little pink pendant is available in my Etsy store. Take a deep breath through your nose, and exhale slowly - and carry on.

I am just getting back up to speed, after a 24 hour ride on the Muscle Spasm Express. The only way to disembark is to take the flexeril and go to bed. All the while thanking God you have a husband who is fully capable of handling the household while you are out of commission.

I so enjoyed reading the comments left on my last post. I had forgotten many of those things, and some I never knew at all! The Fotomat huts - wow, that takes you back. Made me think of my Kodak Instamatic camera with the square flash bulb on top. I remember when VCR's were the newest thing. I paid over $500.00 for mine (used my handy dandy Sears charge card) and it was enormous.

My son and I often discuss technology, and how for every positive, there is a negative too. Text messaging has replaced the telephone, and how impersonal is that? I guess at 14 you don't appreciate hearing the other person's laughter, or the smile in their voice. "Mom," he says in a disgusted voice, "I know there are some things you don't text and I do talk on the phone sometimes."

Question of the "Back In" The Day ~

What things do you remember from "back in the day?"

~ I remember when "back in the day" wasn't a commonly used expression.
~ I remember seeing the occasional milk man on his route.
~ I remember when you played outside all summer, unless it was just too hot, then you played board games, inside.
~ I remember when I wasn't wished "a happy period, always."
~ I remember when everyone drank tap water, except for medical offices, where they had Sparkletts.
~ I remember when See's Candy cost $4.30 a pound.
~ I remember watching TV, without cable. Back then you could turn on the set and not have to see commercials for Viagra and Monistat.

I remember not being old enough to wish for the way things used to be, back in the day.