Birthday Post - Take One!

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They say it's my birthday!!!
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I can post what I wanna!

They say it's my birthday, I can drag it out if I wanna!

And I wanna.
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On Friday, after our wonderful professional "best there is" cleaning lady left, I noticed there was a small Christmas package under the chair.

WHERE WAS THAT HIDING? I wondered. 

I don't know - - - but the Cleaning Lady made it materialize from SOMEWHERE and low and behold, it had MY NAME on it.

I told Fisherhubby I was SAVING it 'til SUNDAY to open it on my Birthday.
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I put it on the feet of the Biggest Baddest King so he could stab Fisherhubby with his scepter if FH tried to mess with it.

I thought it might be my ONLY present to open on my big day, and I wasn't taking ANY chances.

Did I think to tell you that SUNDAY was my birthday?
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Just before dark on that same Friday, as I was putting down the throw rugs, I nearly JUMPED OUT OF MY SKIN when there was a loud knocking on the front door, right behind the very point where my "nether regions" were up in the air as I bent over to do the rug straightening.

I answered the door, and it was the FedEx man delivering a box with my name on it!!!

It was from my MIL Robin, and that made me REALLY excited 'cause she has the gift of perfect gift giving!!

I put IT beside the kings for further protection until the anniversary of my birth should arrive.

Did I mention my birthday was on SUNDAY?
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The next day, Saturday, the FedEx man came AGAIN.  (You can read THAT fun tale at the end of this post.)

I piled my DeBrand box right up with the other packages in front of the Kings, 'cause I didn't want to open it until Sunday.  Did I mention my birthday was on SUNDAY?

The Kings felt this guarding thing might be getting a bit out of hand, but I didn't let them off the hook.  Fisherhubby requires A LOT of guarding to keep his itchy little fingers OUT of things.

Especially when one of those things says "DeBrand" right on the box! 

I already KNEW what DeBrand was, and it is a TREAT of the rarest and most decadent kind - - - but I'll make you wait a bit longer to find out about THAT.

I was pretty sure my DeBrand came from one of our two daughters, but at that point I wasn't sure which one.

I only knew I was mighty excited to get it!

And I could hardly wait until Sunday to OPEN it.  Did I mention my birthday was on SUNDAY?
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Now let's back this birthday truck up a bit to Friday afternoon.

I stopped by my friend Eloise's (pronounced E-Lois-ez) house for a while on Friday afternoon.

She gave me a cup of coffee AND a birthday present which she "forced" me to open on the spot.

It was this bib.
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Oh yes, I probably WILL wear it.  Maybe even out in public.  Maybe at a restaurant.

I can't be taken out in public.  I'm a mess and no two ways about it.

Eloise knows me well.

Too well methinks!

If you're old, and can't keep your dinner off the front of your clothes, a good long bib is pretty essential.

Don't laugh - - - you'll get old one day too, then where will you be if you laugh at me now?
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Speaking of eating, we were speaking of eating weren't we?  Someone brought these WONDERFUL lemon bars to our church fellowship Sunday, and since "they said it was my birthday" she GAVE ME ALL THE LEFTOVERS.

Now, that was a "wunnerful" birthday surprise!
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Of course Fisherhubby is a birthday gift to me all the time, not just last SUNDAY.  He brings life, and fun, and humor, and "antics" into our world every single day.

Oh - - - I kid you not - - - EVERY single day.

One day he MAY grow up past 14, but in the meantime he keeps me hopping.
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We interrupt this birthday post to announce that the Clemson Tigers just BEAT the LSU Tigers in the Chick-fil-A bowl, 25-24.

Rah Rah Clemson!!! It's been a LONG TIME since you finished strong!!!
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Now back to "They say it's My Birthday"

In case I forgot to tell you, my birthday was SUNDAY.

And on my birthday Nita Davis sent me THIS virtual birthday surprise.  It is awesome and I love it very much.

Now - - - if you want to know what ELSE happened on SUNDAY when it was my birthday, you'll just simply have to tune in to this same station at this same time TOMORROW, or whenever I manage to get "Birthday Post - Take Two" published.

In the meantime, while you wait, why not sing along with the Beatles?

THEY SAY IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Did I manage to mention that my birthday WAS SUNDAY?

TTFN.
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Living in a Snow Globe World

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We are living in a snow globe world over here in Central Wisconsin.

This snow is light, fluffy, and sparkly - just like that in a snow globe.
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If I could, I would ship some of it to each and every one of you because EVERYONE should have the joy of experiencing a snow globe world for themselves.

But, since it won't ship and arrive in the same state of matter (double entendre intended), I'll do the next best thing and share some PICTURES of our snow globe world with you.
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I took these pictures yesterday in my pj's.

Don't worry - - - I HID the pj's under a ski jacket and snow pants.

The OTHER issue I had to overcome to get some of these pictures was the snow was so deep it went RIGHT OVER THE TOPS of my boots.

But it was NOT so much of a hardship that I couldn't overcome it for YOU my dear bloggy readers.

Besides - - - there isn't much I like BETTER than getting out in a gorgeous snow globe world.

Well, maybe watching football - - - but I digress.
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There's a pond someplace under that snow.
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The Wisconsin River only freezes in the "quiet backwater" places - - -
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The main channel runs free all winter long, no matter how cold it gets.  If it gets so cold that the river freezes over, it is COLD.

COLD means colder than 20 (F) below.
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There weren't any kids on the playground, not even any "echos" of my grans from last summer.
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This bench was very lonely and there weren't any picnickers either.
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This is a "scale" image so you can tell about how tall my little decorative snowman sled is because - - -
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Now I'm using it as a "gauge" to show how high the pile of snow is after shoveling the sidewalk.
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If you are a regular here, you may remember THESE snow gauges (patio chair and free standing fire pit) that Fisherhubby LEFT OUT on purpose accidentally.

When our snow storm was "over" Friday, or so I thought, this is how deep the snow was.
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But by midday Saturday, we had even more.

I can't tell you HOW MUCH we love this snow.  I wish you were all here to enjoy it with us and then come inside for a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

And now, before I go here is a little snow related story to give you a chuckle (I hope) to brighten your day.

Saturday morning Fisherhubby said he was going out to run errands.

I asked if he didn't think he should blow the snow (about 8 inches worth at that point) out of the driveway before he ran around.

"Nope, I'll do it when I get back,"  he said.

"Don't you think you should do it before you go in case someone tries to come over?"  I queried?

"NOBODY ever comes over, it won't matter,"  says he.

"The FedEx man came yesterday and he might come again today since TOMORROW is my birthday,"  I argued.

"THE FEDEX MAN DOESN'T WORK ON SATURDAY."   And away he went.
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Oh my dear bloggy friends, he was barely out of sight when what to my wondering eyes should appear but THE FEDEX MAN bringing ME this birthday box!!!!

I KID YOU NOT!!!

I had really only been KIDDING about the FedEx man coming but he made a LIAR out of Fisherhubby anyway!!!

And I didn't even have to TRY to "get" him.

Hahahahahahaha - - - BEST birthday present EVER 'cause he "gets" ME all the time on PURPOSE!

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Joining Unknown Mami

For Sundays in My City.

Please hurry over to her place to see

What others are sharing from their cities today.

My city is Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

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The Most Classic "Grandaddy" Gullibility Story of Them All

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But first, a disclaimer.

I THOUGHT I had surely already posted this story on my blog, but if I did I can't FIND it anywhere, so I'm posting it now.

If I DID post it before, and if you are a regular here, and if a few words in you say to yourself, "Silly girl, you ALREADY told me this" then just shake your head at my veritable foolishness and click away to another blog, k? 

Now, on with the tale:
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The Most Classic, Grandaddy, "Fisherhubby Tricks Keetha" 

Story of Them All!

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Once upon a time, in the early days of our marriage - - - shoot what am I SAYING, in the first 30 or so years of our marriage - - - we did not watch nor pay any attention whatsoever to football.

I know, I know - - - my bloggy regulars are sitting up in SHOCK and saying, "What, YOU, the college football queen, didn't pay attention to football????"  But alas and alack 'tis true, and my children can attest thereunto.

The REASON for this negligence on my part was that while Fisherhubby SAYS he likes football, he really does not.  He can gladly go weeks and weeks with nary a football watching experience to his name.  Why, on Saturdays during College Football Season (yes, in caps) when I am contentedly watching football from noon to midnight he FREQUENTLY begs me to change the channel to fishing shows.

Anyway, because Fisherhubby did not gravitate to watching football, somehow we just never started watching it together.  I don't know HOW it happened, but I never thought of watching it without him either.

For 30 long years I was in football drought.

Now, this is NOT an excuse for I realize there is NO EXCUSE for me in this tale, nor in many another either.  BUT, when last I had paid attention to football the ONLY lines on the field were the ones that make up the gridiron and they were either put down with chalk or "built into" the astro turf.

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When, in the mid 2000's I accidentally on a Saturday clicked to a channel showing a college football game (must have been about 2005 'cause it was an Iowa game and a kid named Drew Tate was their quarterback - - - I remember it, and him, as if it were just yesterday) I felt my heart go "pitty-pat" with EXCITEMENT and I haven't stopped watching college football on fall Saturdays since.

HOWEVER, I noticed right away that some CHANGES had happened to the gridiron in my time away.

For ONE thing - - - there was a GLARING yellow first down line.  Miraculously, that line MOVED as the downs changed.   "Woah!" thought I, "This makes it A LOT easier to find the first down!"

That thought was immediately followed by, "Hmmmmm, I wonder how they GET that line down and back up so quickly."

Now HERE'S where I made my FIRST fatal flaw.
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 "Fisherhubby," queried I, "How do they get that yellow line down, up, and back down so quickly?

"What yellow line?" says he, "You mean the first down line?"

"Yep, how do they do it?"

Now, this was like saying "sick 'em" to a bulldog, he was off an running - - -

"You see, Keetha, they have a man with a little chalk laying machine and he runs across the field and puts down the yellow line."

"Yes, I KNOW THAT,"  I said, "But how do they get it all up to put it down again SO FAST?"

"That man has another machine, sort of like a vacuum that sucks it right back up again.  They do it during the commercials, so you've probably never noticed before."

Oh yes he did.   He said that to me.

And I hate to admit it - - - but I BOUGHT IT HOOK LINE AND SINKER!!!  But he wasn't finished:

"I'll watch before and after commercials and see if I can point him out to you."  says he.

And he did.

After nearly every commercial he'd say, "Keetha, LOOK!  Oh, you weren't quick enough - - - you just missed him."

For the NEXT TWO WEEKS.
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During that time we went to dinner with our friends, Vangie and Charlie.

Charlie was sitting directly across the table from me and Fisherhubby was sitting on my right.

Suddenly in the middle of the meal, and for no apparent reason other than a Colts game was on the TV in the Applebees where we were, I said:  "Charlie, isn't it amazing how they put that yellow first down line on the football field and get it up again during the commercials!?"

Unbeknownst to me, Fisherhubby was leaning behind me frantically signaling Charlie to play along.   I never even noticed the incredulous look on Charlie's face when he responded that it WAS indeed amazing.

There ensued a whole conversation about how the "little man with his little machine" came out during commercials to put the line down and take it back up again.

I do not reveal this "literal" trait about myself with any pride.  It is my greatest stumbling block, ESPECIALLY when married to a "user and abuser" (of this trait) like Fishserhubby.

How Charlie kept a straight face through that meal I know not.  But oh my friends - - - he DID.  He never once let on to me that I was believing sheer Fishserhubby created nonsense.

Not once.
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The very next Sunday Sister Pam PHONED me during the Colts game.

"Pam," I said, "Isn't it AMAZING how they put down and take up that yellow first down line so quickly?"

Fisherhubby couldn't head HER off at the pass over the phone.

"Keetha, what are you talking about?"  says she.

"You know - - - the yellow first down marker.  Isn't it amazing how that guy with a little machine puts it down and takes it back up again during the commercials."

Long Dead Silence

"Keetha, you idiot!  THAT'S COMPUTER GENERATED!"  she says, laughing hysterically at me over the phone.

I don't blame her.

I am a COMPLETE idiot!

I've been laughing hysterically at MYSELF about it ever since.  In fact, I can't even TYPE this TALE without laughter tears streaming down my face.

I only wish I could tell it to you live and in person.
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Yes, I AM a dork.
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But, my bloggy friends, I OWN my dorkiness,
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WEAR it well - - - and can laugh at myself.

It's a good thing, if I cried I'd dehydrate.
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Photo Credit:  Colts game first down line by scienceline.org
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Scrapin' the Bottom of the Old Frag Barrel

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I have no frags that are post worthy, let alone "spit and snort" worthy so maybe I shouldn't even DO a Friday Frag post this week.

Nah - - - I'm doin' one anyway.

You'll just have to grin and bear it.
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* * * * * * * * * * * *

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This is Fisherhubby's marriage motto.

Any of you who have been around this blog, or around us live and in person for more than 5 minutes can attest that it is true.

He found this on pinterest and proudly e-mailed it to me.  That's his love language.

See why I call him Gregory Farrell SNOT Broyles?
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* * * * * * * * * * * *

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Cute nails on cute girls.

(now THAT is a frag.)

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* * * * * * * * * * * * 

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8:47 here and Fisherhubby is already snoring.

He thinks it's midnight.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * 

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I love the snowy vista I can see through my patio doors.

I believe the Kings like it too.

We want more - - - maybe a little bit tomorrow - - - but NOTHING like the heapy gobs a lot of folks got this past week.

Sigh. 

I may be jealous.

And SOME who got it don't want it, 

Just how is THAT fair? 

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* * * * * * * * * * * * 

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We woke up to a lovely hoar frost one morning.  If you look closely you'll even see it on the wires.
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That's ONE way to beautify the neighborhood!
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* * * * * * * * * * * * 

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That's it.  That's all I've got this week.  

I promise, I'll try to have a more interesting life next week.

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Please hurry on over to Mrs. 4444's place 

To see all the other Friday Frags.

Most of them will not

Be Barrel-Scrapers like me.

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Not ALL Ladders are For Roofing and Other High and Lofty Chores

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It's been a long time since I joined Coloradolady for Vintage Thingie Thursday, mostly because I think I've already shown most of my vintage thingies!

I decided to join in again today, maybe some of you haven't seen these things.
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This is my vintage-esque kitchen ladder.  It is made out of old boards that look like barn boards.  They are so chippy that I can't even wiggle it without leaving some barn-red "crumbs" on the floor.

Hanging from the left side of the ladder are two vintage aprons.  The blue one I won in an online give-away and the mauve one I found in our church's "clothing swap" store - called the Shepherd's Loft.

On the right side of the ladder is a cranberry swag - - - not vintage at all, but since this is cranberry country I am very partial to it.

Hanging from the rungs of the ladder are pieces of my grandmother's linens.
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Scattered up and down the ladder are vintage kitchen utensils, cookie cutters, and tools.

When I first got married I still mashed potatoes using a masher just like this one!   Not sure what happened to my old potato masher, but am glad to have this one now.
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I've used an egg beater of this style many a time too.

These kitchen tools that I have on my ladder all came to me via antique shops or friends.  I wonder about the folks that once upon a time used them to whip up all kinds of goodies in their kitchens.

Now they are "retired" (the tools, I know not what has happened to their former owners) from their labors and just get to chill out and "hang around" in my kitchen.
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An egg beater from across the tracks.

Oh, I do kid about the tracks - - - but it is a different sort of egg beater or whisk.  I have never used one like this.
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A flour sifter of the "turn the handle" variety.  I believe this was the type my mother had as I was growing up.

I have, down in my cupboard, the sifter that was given to me at a wedding shower.  It is of the "squeeze the handle" variety.   I imagine it too is now vintage, though I still have it in my cupboard as a WORKING kitchen tool on the OUTSIDE chance that I ever again in my cooking life decide to sift some flower.

Probably never gonna happen, but I'm not about to put something that was NEW to me, circa 1975, into vintage display just yet.
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One more little vintage item I just found in my picture folders.  I believe this is the "button" I first used when playing Vintage Thingies Thursday.  I don't remember why it says "Apron Queen" instead of Coloradolady.  I bet Suzanne can tell us!
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That's it for this version of VTT.

Please head over to Coloradolady's place

To see all the vintage goodies 

Shared by other bloggers.

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I Think I Might Be Cheap and Easy

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My friend Joy used to say, "I'm cheap and easy."   She was referring the fact that she loved to receive cheap costume jewelry and other inexpensive but blingy things.

Of course, that was back in the day before we knew what bling was.

She ALSO used to say, "Chocolate is God's will," but I'll have to save THAT one for ANOTHER blog post.

Back to the "cheap and easy" bit - - - - but first - - - 

Today was a lovely Christmas.  Fisherhubby and I spent a little over an hour this morning skyping with two of our children, our oldest and youngest who were both together in one place, our grans, and our SIL.  

While we were skyping, we were also opening the plethora of fun Christmas gifts sent to us by my MIL, Robin.  Now we're getting CLOSER to the part about me being cheap and easy.

After the skyping and unwrapping, Fisherhubby had to go to the ER to spend his day taking care of I know not WHAT kinds of "issues," though I'm guessing MOST of them were frivolous and not emergencies at all.  (But, I digress again and I won't go there in THIS post except to say that MOST of the patients who come into the emergency room have NO CLUE what a REAL emergency is.)
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While Fisherhubby was working away his Christmas Day in the ER, I went blithely off to my friend Connie's house to enjoy Christmas Dinner with friends.
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I always love going to Connie's house, but it is especially special on holidays.

It is a comfortable, homey place where folks congregate in the kitchen to "help" (a little) and talk (a lot.)

And now we get to the part where I am cheap and easy.

I am soooo transparent about my passions that I believe I make it EASY for folks to find gift ideas for me.  And since none of my passions are EXPENSIVE - - - I'm also cheap.

Don't get me wrong, by saying I'm cheap and easy I in no way mean to imply that I am not THRILLED with the gifts.  On the contrary, nothing could make me happier than the assortment of things that found their way into my possession this Christmas.

I'm going to show some of them to you, and I think if you've visited my blog for more than 5 minutes you will agree that my "peeps" know me well and chose gifts that simply SCREAMED my name.
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A Bucky Badger scarf.  

There was never, nor will there ever be, a better mascot than Bucky Badger.

No - - - don't tell me about your scary nuts, or your jolly green Spartans, or your "cornheads" or even your gators.  NONE of them can hold a candle to my Bucky.

My mind is made up, please do NOT try to confuse me with your facts.

;-)
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A sign to hang in my computer room.

I MAY put it on the front door when I take down the Christmas wreath, but then again I may leave it right here beside me where I can ALWAYS see it.

I'm not sure the "world" will notice it as they pass my front door, and I'd certainly hate to WASTE it where it couldn't be seen and enjoyed.
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Four miniature Santa stockings.

For the rest of this season I hung them on my grape vine wreath.   I think they give it that "je ne sais quoi" effect.
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Two jig saw puzzles.

These look to be much more difficult than the "primitive art" puzzles I USUALLY put together.  I MAY still be working on these by NEXT Christmas.

It will keep me out of trouble.

Maybe I'll send Brunhilda and Borris down to the football cave to work on them during their long winter's hibernation.
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Little decorative soaps.

I put them in a canning jar 'cause they're way too cute to use.   Can you tell what they are?  Here, let me give you a closer look:
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Now can you make out their little "King" features?

Nutcracker decorative soaps!!  Who knew???
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 A set of four embroidered "vintage-esque" hand towels.

Just before Christmas I was wishing I had "just the right" vintage Christmas towels to hang on my dry-sink towel rack.  I didn't have any, so I just forgot about it.
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I didn't have any - - - UNTIL NOW, that is!! 

Now I have a whole row of "Kings" marching across my dry sink.  What could be more perfect??
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A large pillow-King.

Isn't he just "the thing" to go in the chair beside the patio doors? 

He's my FIRST pillow-King!
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A gingerbread-oreo-candycane King!

He makes me think of "sugar plums" dancing in heads.

If you look closely at his right hand, you will see he is holding a candy cane AND a gingerbread man on a red ribbon. 

And don't neglect to notice his oreo/peppermint beefeater hat!

So, you see, it was a Very Merry Christmas for me.

I hope all was merry and bright for you too!!
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