We need to do something like this again!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DOC!!! Mar 13, 2016 UPDATE

Our darling boy is now 43! 

Join us in wishing him the best today and always! 

Happy Birthday, Doc!!

TODAY'S UPDATE:

From that other social media site:

The Doc said:
 

Thanks for all the Birthday wishes everybody! I love and respect you all with the white hot intensity of a 1000 suns.

 

47

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MITM!

Whisky Tango Foxtrot

Two words:  Why, Georgia?

The Republicans here in Georgia gave Drumpt 40 delegates because of 501,707 votes or 39% of the total Republicans votes cast.  I think John Oliver sums up Drumpt the best.



There will be no more politics from me here. I think all y'all know where I stand with regard to the November election for President and it ain't the orange guy.

the cake or what's left of it

Home made chocolate bundt cake! 
I've included the recipe and it is very, very, VERY good. Not too sweet and very moist. Evidently, this type of cake was made popular during WWII because of rationing. 

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mayonnaise

1 1/3 cups water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside. (I used a bundt pan, but followed the instructions for prepping the pans.)

In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. In large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in mayonnaise at low speed until blended. Alternately beat in flour mixture with water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake 30 minutes* or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans and cool completely.

Frost, if desired, or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

*Since I used a bundt pan, baking time was increased by about 15 minutes. After the 30 minute mark, I set my timer fro 5 minute intervals and did the toothpick check until it was done.)

Leap Year or hey, it's monday and i'm doin the best i can

so, here we are the 29th day of february or the 60th day of 2016!

i felt that it was important to post today, but for the life of me now at 16:28, i no longer remember why i gave this day significance.

on an up note, i have a chocolate bundt cake in the oven AND i made it from scratch!  those who know me know i am a lazy baker who if given half a chance would BUY her cakes from a baker and not make a mess in the kitchen.

on the downside, i noticed that i have somehow lost 7, yes, SEVEN followers here on the blog! who knew, right? i mean, i've been trying my best to entertain everyone!  

i am distraught. 


(yes, that's my story and i'm stickin to it!)

BUT, i shall endeavor to do better in the future.
i promise.

(why is this starting to sound like the beginning of a drinking game?)


cake time.
back later. and if the cake is good, i'll post a picture.

Say Goodnight Gracie

The day after...

Yesterday we watched the returns from South Carolina and by the end of our viewing both of us were more than saddened. I know we were unreasonable to have faith in the intelligence of voters, but I am nothing but optimistic and try to think the best of people.

Was I surprised? Yes and no. I know there are many, many good, reasonable, thoughtful, (yes, I'm looking at you sister Hope and her Hubby), but Sweet Mary Sunshine! I would have felt a hellva lot better if the results had been different. OK, no, there's no way the GOP in it's current configuration can make me feel warm and fuzzy. 

Anyway....

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY

The MITM has spent the day listening to music, watching movies, and generally reminding himself that our culture, our American culture is far more than the rantings of the clown car currently filling our television screens, press, and social media feeds. The Plantation has been rockin' out to the sounds of rock and roll, latin jazz, cool jazz, smooth jazz, salsa, blues...you're getting into the groove, I hope!

We've spent the day with Marvin Gaye, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Al Green, Mel Torme, Etta James, Celia Cruz, Fred Astaire singing the Gershwin songbook, the ENTIRE American songbook, so to speak. And then, there were the movies...and the comedians...and then, back to the movies. All of this to remind himself (and me because I needed it, too) that in this country there are more people who value each other BECAUSE of our differences than live in fear and hatred of the other.

I'd post some youtubes, but I leave all y'all to imagine your favorite tunes and movies.  Right now, he's watching the third installment of the Bourne trilogy and having dinner!  We opened our last bottle of Reynolds Family Winery, Stags Leap District, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 to celebrate all the good things that we know to be true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's a good ending for this post! Super nana just sent this to us.

UPDATE: there's more! the Cap't, BBC and if you look closely, BGM!

Saturday

So, I didn't get back yesterday and as MJ said in the comments, Umberto Eco died. Two of my favorite authors have passed away. I am fortunate to have their books in my library. It's probably time to re-read them. 

Given the politically charged atmosphere here in the USA, both locally and nationally, it's a good time for me to find solace in literature again. Or, if nothing else, turn off the tv and stop getting notifications on my phone from a gazillion news outlets!  The MITM can follow international news as it relates to his business, but I think I need a breather.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other news (for lack of a better word), BBC aka Baby Boy Chaos, is now 4! Time flies (a truer cliche was never written) and I wish we could have been out there for the party, but we'll fly out when we can. Great that we could Facetime and see everyone.

The MITM is talking about moving to Pasadena because it would be closer to the Krewe and their response has been, "NOOOOOOO! Stay on the Plantation because we LOVE it there! And because: seafood!!!"  I say we stay here because FRESH SEAFOOD not 10 minutes away from my front door! Besides, I am not packing/moving house again!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Right now, I have headphones on and I'm listening to instrumental acoustic tracks on spotify because the MITM is on a conference call and the only way to block it out is headphones and music.  I've tried other rooms in the house, but as the song said, voices carry. Besides, there's nothing more frustrating than being in the peanut gallery and not being able to chime in! (I'm very opinionated! Who knew, right?)

(I just realized, I've gone from not writing anything to absolutely going into TMI country!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think I'll quit while I'm ahead, so here's BGM aka Baby Girl Matrix and The Kid (she's 14 now!!) and BBC!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, sweetpeas! xoxo

Friday

Harper Lee has passed away at age 89.

That isn't how I had planned to start this post, but it was on my mind.  May she rest in peace.
Others have written obituaries and there will be blog posts written by far better writers than I, but the world is less for her passing.

I'll be back later today.

Still the one

Yes, I'm still around, just not writing. I will soon, I promise.

It's just a tiny bit hectic/insane/rocky/slightly off for a little while around here,

all will be revealed in time.

on death and dying

I found this on that other social media site and that is how I found out that David Bowie had died.

He was 3 years older than I am right now.  The questions he asked are echoed by many of us today because we are not promised tomorrow. Hell, even the next minute, if you think about it, but what do you do? 

Keep on keepin' on because as the man said...I don't know where I'm going from here....


Remember to tell the people that matter to you that you love them. Or as the MITM's Aunt Loys said, Don't send me flowers when I'm dead because I'd like to see them now!

Life repeats itself or "Yes, we are clients of the Cloning Institute, as well"

super nana & Big Red as diana and anne of green gables  BGM and Lil Red

the picture on the left was taken maybe ***REDACTED*** years ago. the one on the right are the daughters of super nana and Big Red! the pic of BGM and Lil Red was taken last week!! 

mad crazy, right?

i'll be back soon!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We've all been given another chance to make it better!

Here's to all of us, now and always...

CHEERS, MY DARLINGS!!!

2016

happy birthday to me!

a quiet day here with nothing planned.

the MITM is fixing dinner later and there is a chocolate cake (of course), but that's pretty much it for this year.

i'll post a pic of the cake later.

and probably one of dinner.

cheers to all of YOU for making every day so wonderful because you share them with me!

here's how birthday week celebrations started:

Adele and books from super nana

UPDATE:

a friend on that other social media site share this:

and it just seemed darkly appropriate!

2nd UPDATE:

birthday cake

Happy, happy...

December

what is it about this month that makes tears come so close to the surface?

the joy of the winter season with its promise of spring, even with warm temperatures and not snow, is lost this year.

the sun shines, the wind blows, the sky is clear and then...

it is grey
it becomes dark
the rain comes.

we all mourn a loss this year.

we are less.



and more's the pity.

safe and sound

The MITM is home.

monday

today someone told me to Go Home. (this was online, MITM, don't freak out)

i answered with "back to california?" :)  (yes, i used a smiley face, don't be a hater)

the reply? "yeah, tell me what going away gift you want."

and then it dawned on me, my response needed to be:

"...I AM HOME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

and that is exactly what i said.

so, to all the intolerant bigots within our boarders and beyond, i say...


this is my home, so fuck off!




(and note to self: stay away from that other social media site)

Captain Chaos

IT'S BIRTHDAY TIME AGAIN!!!

CAPTAIN CHAOS IS older TODAY!

Join us in saying

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAPTAIN!

a sustaining member of the N'Djamena Gentleman's Society Camel Shack & Hunt Club

On the job

Our boy with his boy and a couple of pals

Good Hunting and Happy Birthday, Captain Chaos!!