Six Word Story on "Season"

Art by Sarah Pecorino Illustration

Ketchup on Rice

I stared at the soft, white ovals on my plate that not only tasted bad but were not even worth it from a nutritional standpoint. I don't understand how anyone likes plain white rice for it is the blandest food I've ever tasted and certainly needs someone to season it. Maybe it would be palatable with a sprinkle of dill weed and pepper. That is not enough, so I could add Worchester sauce to it, too. Actually, the only way to make it really tasty is a blob of ketchup mixed throughout the rice. YUM!

Music Monday Happy Birthday to my Little Girl! And Ruby

 Today, is Judy's birthday making her older than yesterday. My beautiful daughter has blossomed into an accomplished young woman! She is currently enjoying her return to school to work on a Master's Degree at the University of Michigan. Unsurprisingly, this beautiful and brilliant young lady is still the 'A' student that she's always been and if up to her, she'd love to keep on learning in school, forever because Judy has an unsettled curiosity to know about everything in the world. I really think she should have been a lawyer with her quick wit and brilliant argument skills. Nonetheless, she will run a nonprofit, work for social causes, or do any of the numerous jobs that she is being set up for.

Of course she is a dog lover, too! In honor of her birthday, here is a Beatles classic from long ago!

On another note, we just got back from a visit to our son's home with our dogs. As I posted not long ago, he recently lost his dog, Ruby. Our two older dogs were very attached to her and showed definite signs of mourning. Honey Bear sniffed all over the house looking for her while Millie refused to eat. Just like people, dogs get attached to loved ones, too. Here is a song for Ruby from an olden decade. I think of Ruby with this song, because this is how she acted when ever we saw her. Ie., she'd go crazy on us with her jumping Dino dog reaction!

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Remembering Ruby

We received the dreaded phone call last night. Ruby, our much loved grand-dogter passed on at the ripe old age of 14 years old.

Although fourteen seems young, our furry friends are given a very short time here on Earth. As a golden retriever, she outlived most others of her breed, who have an average life expectancy of 10 - 12 years. She also died at home with her family as she quietly quit her labored breathing.

Ruby was a gift for our son's 19th birthday. He often referred to her as the gift that keeps on giving. She spent her youth as part of a college fraternity and was able to fart and burp with the best of them. Everyone loved Ruby, and Ruby loved a good party. She was a wild young thing as she would jump onto our six foot fence and peek over to tell the neighbors, "Hello." She did this until just a few years ago when she lost her high jumping abilities. But, she still loved to steal tomatoes wherever she could find them.

So, what do you do when the performance of the Can-Can is a little over an hour away, and Ruby chews up your bloomers? Or when your socks manage to get twisted in a red dog's intestines, and had to be removed by the vet. It feels like that wild little puppy quickly grew into a calm old gal . . .  and she will be missed!

Yet, even as an old dog, she was still Ruby. Daniel had a great plan to propose to his wife under a waterfall on a camping trip. Instead, Ruby rolled in something smelly, so the proposal was a bit less romantic.

Ruby had such an expressive face that I couldn't help but use her modeling shot in my store logo. Afterall, who could resist that goofy grin?

Ruby is the dark red, adult retriever in the sudoku puzzle. 

She was such a looker in her day!

In memory of Ruby, I have placed my dog logic puzzles at half price until 

I feel like putting things back to normal. Maybe for a few weeks. 

I don't want to think about that, right now. 

Good Bye, Sweet Girl!

Ruby as Regina George with her friends, Honey and Millie.

Summer is Special

Although summer doesn't technically begin until June 21st, my daughter's birthday and the longest day of the year (especially in 1990), most of us feel like it's summer when that end of the school bell rings, on that last day. I've been in schools with that tearful goodbye to the kids followed by the blasting of "Celebration" over the intercom when the last little rugrat is gone. Now that it is summer, what do you do?

The last thing you want, right now, is to think about the next school year. This is the time to read a good book, travel, or just chlax. I loved The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah, Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, and anything by Jodi Picoult. You can think I'm not right, but I was also fascinated by Stiff by Mary Roach. If you don't want to read about cadavers, it might be fun to read kids books like the Harry Potter series, The One and Only Ivan, or books by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I know, summer is the time to forget about teaching, but it helps to read what kids read so that you know how to suggest good reads and can have a laugh over a silly Gordon Korman book. My daughter always questioned my love of reading books for kids.

If you're not into summer reading, how about a vacation? Depending on where you live, I'm sure there are a lot of fun weekend jaunts. We like to trek over to Nashville to see the grandson. If you live near a beach or mountain, lucky you! The vacation is in your backyard.

Another summer love of mine is the smoothie! Here is a page from my Smoothie Reading Passage that give you some great recipes. Enjoy your summer!