Ever hear of a "mug rug"? It's a mini placemat just large enough for a mug and a cookie or two. 
I was asked to bring a little gift for a Valentine's dinner for the older ladies' class at church. Thought this would work.
This was my "post" the last couple of days. 
I did make it to work today. Took ALL DAY LONG to close out some paperwork for January so that I could post for the treasurer to pay. Had a couple of glitches - one the treasurer had to deal with someone else to get straight. Then I found out one of them was also a duplicate billing. They tried...but my computer program is better than theirs!
Yesterday I noticed that Sam was having some "sympathy" coughing. I get home from work today...and he's not feeling well either. He's in bed. I'm about to head to the other one. Hopefully we can get some rest if we aren't keeping each other awake. Mainly ME ... I take cough syrup...he doesn't. "It will run its course." Yes it will...and make both of us more miserable.
I drove to Austin on Monday to attend a webpage management class for the county. Here's our site: www.co.morris.tx.us I am proud to say that with the exception of one or two photos of elected officials and the snow photo (which Sam took - in that space the photos changes with the season - at least that's the plan), the other photos are mine.
I've already been working on the site with instructions that were passed to me from the first person, who just did not have the time to add this duty to her hectic schedule. As long as you follow step by step and then make a mistake, you can go back and step by step again and pick up the step you skipped.
I haven't seen the capitol building since I started my Freshman or Sophomore year in high school. I took these photos as I left the Texas Association of Counties building. This is the west side facing me. 
A peak of the front through the trees as I drove by...my best photo. LOVE how the tree frames the shot! 
Stopped at a signal light...if I'd been one car ahead, I would've had a good unobstructed shot. Que sera, sera. 
If I'd felt better...I would've spent another night and dedicated today to site seeing. However...I am not feeling better. I know that the crud had been sneaking up on me and it hit full blown Monday - the day I drove to Austin. I had to stop 5 times to walk around, get some caffeine, stay awake. That's not normal. AND...all of those stops involved a restroom break so that I could cough without fear of - well - anyway...
The class was informative. I was the only person already working on our webpage. And, pat myself on the back, was able to tell the instructor one thing. She said she'd asked the software people a question that they couldn't answer. It's "just the way it is." I told her why. :-D That is what happens when you don't know what is going on ... you try to find out why.
When we were in the demo site, the instructor was busy with someone. Another had a question and asked if I could help. I looked over my shoulder to make certain I wouldn't be overstepping any boundaries...teacher was busy...so got up and showed the person needing help the three places to look and voila! It was in the third place. Which is always the last place I look. LOL
Then...we had some computer connectivity problem about 2:30. Teacher left the conference room to check into the problem. While she was gone, I decided it was time to head home. 300 miles to drive and trying to get home so I could crash in my own bed. I was prepared. Left at 3 p.m. Made only 3 stops: fuel and potty, supper and potty, potty. Got home at 9:45. Great time! It took longer to get to Austin with those 5 stops.
I'm self-medicated. Realized I'm running a fever today - which I had off just in case I didn't make it home last night. Will call my sub and ask if she can work for me tomorrow too. Hopefully I can be back in the office Friday. I know I'll have plenty of work waiting on me. Arrggghhh!
AGAIN - SPOILER ALERT!!!
Best casting: Sherri Shepherd as Lula. She was LOL funny.
Katherine Heigl did an okay job as Stephanie.
Jason O'Mara was a decent Morelli.
Daniel Sunjata - WHERE WAS RANGER'S PONY TAIL?!
Ana Reeder aka Connie - Where were the boobs? Not as much cleavage as Connie should've had - or big hair either.
Have no idea who either actor/actress were that portrayed Stephanie's parents.
Debbie Reynolds as Grandma Mazur. I like Debbie Reynolds. And she was funny as Grandma Mazur. But she's not the least bit bony. Not the body I had in mind for Grandma.
Patrick Fischler - don't have an idea who he is - but he did a good Vinnie.
Things that were wrong:
The Plums' house is supposed to be a duplex with non-matching paint jobs on each half.
After Lula was beaten, she was not rolled out of Benito Ramirez's pickup. Nor did she spend just a few hours in the hospital. He carried her up the fire escape and left her outside Stephanie's bedroom window. He nearly beat her to death.
I've got to reread One. There was no...and I do mean NO...sexual tension between Stephanie and Ranger. Hmmm...wonder if it started in Two.
I do intend to see it again. :D
...Insert foot. Or in this case...tie fingers in a knot and stay off Facebook!
One of my "friends" who I've known since she was a little girl, posted a photo of Miss Texas (I think). Skinny. Terribly skinny. Looks like she works out...but skinny.
I commented something about her not living in the real world and the message our daughters are being sent is that they will never measure up without starvation, a hell of a lot of plastic surgery, and lots of $$$$. Someone else commented how pretty the woman was...she wishes she was that size. I posted the link about the story I heard tonight on ABC about size 6 models now being "full size"! (What does that make me?!) And said that by teaching our daughters and grand daughters to compare their bodies to these in an unreal world was not doing justice to our daughters.
"Friend" commented back that I needed to get my facts together.
I private messaged her. She was on FB at the same time. Well, she doesn't watch ABC since they are mainstream media and tell lies. What I did not realize - she produces (y'all are gonna gasp here) - she produces little girl pageants. Yep. She told me not to post on her page any more. My last comment was that she was on a public forum...not a private forum.
I exited the private message. Went back to the thread and deleted my posts. Then unfriended her.
Ay-yi-yi! This young lady is larger than I am. Her precious little daughter is a cute little dumpling. And she's pushing the skinny-minny body image. We need to teach our daughters that they are precious. To treat their body respectfully. To eat healthy. To exercise. That either side - too skinny or too fat - is not healthy. I am amending that sentence to read, "That either side - anorexic skinny or morbidly obese - is not healthy."
But...I shouldn't've commented to start with. It would've been better if I'd just shook my head, let it slide by, and ignored it.
See the deer? 
This herd had seven deer grazing! SEVEN!! I think that's about the most in one group I've ever seen. On the way to work, I've been seeing one or two in this area...but SEVEN?!
One of first husband Ron's cousins invited family members to her house New Years Eve day for noon. I saw family I have not seen in over 15 years. A very good day.
I took this: 
Pecan Pie Cheesecake. (Baked according to directions...turn oven off, leave cheesecake in oven for one hour...next time only 45 minutes.)
I MEd (machine embroidered) these for Colt and Isabel.
Pecan Pie Cheesecake
1 good frozen pecan pie, thawed
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (8 ounce) packaged cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half and half or milk or cream (I used cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
pecan halves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Thaw pecan pie according to package directions. Cut in half. Cut one half into 10 thin slices, keeping wedges intact, and set aside.
Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Press onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of 10" spring-form pan.
Arrange 10 pie wedges in a spoke design in prepared pan, pointed ends to center. (I used part of the other saved half of pecan pie too.) Reserve remaining pecan pie for another use...heated with a scoop of ice cream works for me!
Beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sour cream, half and half, and vanilla; beat until blended. Fold in sugar and flour. Carefully pour cream cheese mixture evenly over pecan pie wedges in pan, making sure wedges remain in place. Arrange pecan halves evenly around edge and center.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Turn off oven and let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour. (This was a bit long for my oven...I should've removed the cheesecake after 45 minutes to keep it from cracking.) Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. Chill at least 8 hours or overnight before serving.
NOTES:
I had to break the crimped part of the crust off for the wedges to fit in my spring-form pan...think my pan is 9".
I bet if you wanted to make this all homemade that you could cook the pecan filling on the stove and just drop dollops on top of the graham cracker crust.
Let's see how these photos loaded...Sam called to me one evening to grab the camera...
I almost missed the sunset. 
I've made candy several times...
...not to keep at home though! 
I need to superglue my lips together. Peanut brittle I can leave alone!
Florida Farm Girl commented on my pot. That was my grandmother's, Ruby Durham Sanford. I called her Little Mama. I have a couple of her pots, but only one this thick. This is my candy pot. I have NEVER burned candy in it. It is a thick aluminum. Of course, because of the wooden handle it is strictly hand wash. But that's okay. Even though I don't use it daily, I see it every time I open the cabinet for a pot, pan, or skillet and think of my favorite grandmother. She was such a sweetheart!
**Peanut brittle recipe is already on the blog...check the right hand side bar.
I made a mug rug for Da Judge to go along with a coffee mug I had made for her with a photo of the courthouse on it. 
The pattern of the square on the right is a Log Cabin variation called Courthouse Steps. I did not get a photo of the mug...but that's okay.
Sam is still working on toy boxes for the two grands. By the time he got the plans drawn, he did not have time to complete them. I took a photo of one nearing assembly completion. 
The above photo was printed twice and placed in cards so that the grands (and their parents) would know why they got chinchy gifts. ;-) Like the babies would even care! LOL Both sets of parents requested primer only on the bare wood. They will paint to match their decor.
Sam was going to build a regular toy box with a hinged lid. He'd commented on getting the spring loaded lid so that it wouldn't close on the kid(s). I pulled up a photo similar to the toy box my son, Jonathan, had. With the sliding doors. Sam liked it and drafted his own pattern. OH! The white sliding doors? Dry erase board!
Speaking of woodworking... 
...this is the completed bed. If you remember from an earlier post, Sam built the bed at John's request...from just photos. Someone else slightly distressed it and applied the finish.
Yep. 
More candy. 
Peanut patties this time...without the red food coloring. 
I was going to make a double batch, but didn't have any extra sugar. THAT is unusual around here!
Christmas Eve at John and Erin's. Looks as if cousins Isabel and Colt are plotting against the parents - already! 
Who? US? 
Granny with Colt. His Papaw and Daddy finally took the bows away from me...especially after I put a pretty ribbon bow around his head and called it a "fascinator"... :-)
Isabel enjoys playing with the simple things. 
I untied the cord from my cell phone and handed her my "camera case"...a little something I made a few years back and initially called it a makeup bag.
Colt - Born to be WILD!!
That's okay...Isabel has the new remote to the car!
Peanut Patties
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup white corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup raw peanuts
red food coloring, if desired...I don't
In a heavy pan, combine all ingredients except vanilla, peanuts, and food coloring. Bring slowly to a rolling boil. Cook about two minutes to softball stage - 238 degrees. Remove from heat immediately. Add vanilla and peanuts; and a few drops of red food coloring if desired. Cool until lukewarm. Beat until thick and creamy. Drop by spoonful on was paper.
I don't use the food coloring. It adds nothing to the candy, so why use it?
You can run some cold water in the sink and set your pan in the sink while cooling..stir please. It won't take long. IF the candy sets up before you can get it all spooned out, just reheat long enough to soften, stirring constantly.
I was asked to bring a little gift for a Valentine's dinner for the older ladies' class at church. Thought this would work. 
I did make it to work today. Took ALL DAY LONG to close out some paperwork for January so that I could post for the treasurer to pay. Had a couple of glitches - one the treasurer had to deal with someone else to get straight. Then I found out one of them was also a duplicate billing. They tried...but my computer program is better than theirs!
