Grocery List for Your Thanksgiving Dinner

If you're going shopping this weekend for your Thanksgiving dinner, and who isn't, you can adapt this list for your grocery list.



Simply print it out, add or delete, and WAH-LAH EZ-Smeazy shopping.

Hope you all have a Happy Weekend!

Embellishing for the Holidays-On a Budget

Who doesn't love a little glitz and glam at the holidays? The only problem is: I don't want to pay for it. But that doesn't mean I can't decorate my home with all the fancy frills and thrills I want. I just add my own dazzle to my duds simply by sewing or hot gluing some left over ribbon, glitter or beads to things.

I can't afford to run out and buy new furniture or expensive accessories so, when the holidays roll around, I buy a few new towels, bath mats, etc. to help liven up the homefront. But instead of blowing the budget on a few decorator items, I buy the simple, less expensive brands then I bring them home and embellish them with my own baubles and beads.

Take a peek at these towels to see how you can do it too.

First I measure out some ribbon:


Then I sew it where I want it.

And Wah-Lah! Decorator accessories at bargain prices.
You can use your imagination and be as bold or simple as you want. Add your own touches to reflect your own personality.

This is a simple way to stretch your decorating budget and go beyond beautiful without breaking the bank.

Check out some more craftilicious ideas here.

Mother Goose or Mary Goose

Lars and I were staying in Boston and wanted to go for an early morning run. So we ran down along the the Charles River and when we came back to our hotel, we stopped at the Granary Cemetery across the street. Paul Revere is buried here and a lot of Benjamin Franklin's family. There is also a monument to Franklin. But, I wanted to see Mother's Goose's grave.

Mother Goose is best known for her children's nursery rhymes, like Bye Baby Bunting, Baa Baa Blacksheep, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, and the list goes on and on.
Mother Goose or Mary Goose and three of her children are buried here. Some say this isn't the original Mother Goose as her nursery rhymes were known in France before this time period. But at least this is the Mother Goose who brought all these beautiful and funtastic rhymes to America.

Around the World--um--country in 8X days

Wouldn't you love to go around the world in 80 days? I never made it that far.

Well, at least I got to go across the country for 8 days. Just yesterday morning I was sitting on the balcony at my hotel in 85 degree weather...but nothing lasts forever.

Today it's time to start heading back to reality...and the rainy weather of Portland, Oregon--I keep reminding myself, "at least we get the four seasons."

I thought I'd share a few of my photos from my time in Boston, New England and Florida.


I'm not one to sit around for long, even if it is beside a pool, in a beautiful hotel like the Lago Mar or even on the beach. So, while my husband was busy at a business conference, I went on a ride on a water taxi. It was a lot of fun. The tour guides pointed out where Sonny and Cher used to live and Lucy Arnez and Ricky Ricardo. Also, the owner of the Miami Dolphins and the major Nascar owner. So, I got to see how the rich and famous (and some not-so-famous) people live, in their extravagant mansions and super-sized yachts.

The driver pointed out this particular point on the river - it's a little slice of paradise and where Jimmy Buffet used to hang out and sing Cheese Burgers in Paradise

Then I went back to my room where I sat and waited for my husband to get back. Don't feel too sorry for me because here's the view I got to enjoy while I waited, from my hotel room balcony...

When the hard-working hubby got back from the conference, we wandered down by the pool and started a game--a rather large game--of chess
Then we walked a few feet further to the ocean. Lars went for a swim in the warm water off the Florida coast. The water here, in Oregon, is not so warm. Our ocean water is the runoff from Alaska--bone chilling.


But, before we ever made it to Florida, we stopped in Boston to visit some friends. And we all drove up the New England coastline to the Hamptons. Not quite as warm as Fort Lauderdale, but we still enjoyed it.

This was the beautiful view of Boston we got to enjoy for the few nights we were in Good 'Ole Bean Town.

Plus, the Nine-Zero was so nice to us, they even had sparkling water and chocolate dipped strawberries waiting for us in our room.

And what trip to New England would be complete without some great seafood? You can't leave without trying a bowl of clam chowder or a Maine Lobster
Or...a little history?



I hope you enjoyed the pictorial memory-journal of my vacation. If you did, you might want to pop back by tomorrow for more about Mother Goose and her history in Boston.

Answer

Shegetz literally means little rascal. If you want to read more, check it out here.

shegetz

Usually I do a word for Wednesday but today is Tuesday and my word is Shegetz.

Hint: A friend told me this is what he was in class. And that he got in trouble for it more than once.

Guess what it means. Put your answer in the comments section then come back around 3:00 to see if you were right or wrong.

Miami Book Fair

The Miami Book Fair is happening now. And, I was thinking how much fun it would be to travel the world and visit all the different book fairs.

Anyway, lately, whenever I turn on the t.v., which admittedly isn't very often, I see George Bush talking about his new book or see Sarah Palin's Alaska advertisements for her new reality show. It seems like a Republican mediafest. And, I'm not complaining but I think we need to have "fair and balanced" news coverage. Maybe we need a few Democrats to write some tell-all books or have Arnold and Maria have a reality show... I'm just saying.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share a few of my ideas. How 'bout you? Any ideas for new reality shows featuring political people?