A Very British Thanksgiving.....

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!!!! 

B at Cuttingsonablog asked me to describe Thanksgiving from

a British perspective.  Urgghhh what to say??

It all started a million years ago when the Pilgrims came to America

and they survived the first year with the help of the Indians... then 

at harvest time they all got together and had a yummy 

celebration dinner. 

The tradition continued and each year on a Thursday

in November (either the third or the last or something) we

all get together and give thanks for the superness of 

living this charming American Dream.

I find it hilarious that it was started by the pilgrims... when in the 

heck did the Brits ever give thanks for anything? We just

tend to take it all for granted and expect that we should

have a wonderful life, I mean, puleaseee... we deserve it

right??? We're part of the greatest Empire on Earth! 

These days it's all about the food, yes, delicious, fantastic, once (actually twice) 

a year goodies... turkey, sweet tators, pies beyond all pies and the best

veggies ever!!! Not to mention Grannies Banana Pudding!!! 

Then on the day after Thanksgiving the stores slash their prices and people

everywhere get up at the butt crack of the middle of the night and 

head out to the stores. 

Its HELL ON EARTH!!! they are out there throwing elbows and 

following intricate blue prints of the store to get to that coveted

item they have seen in the sale paper!!! 

I am a bargain hunter, don't get me wrong but I have never, never, 

done the Black Friday shopping thing in all the 12 years

I have been here. It's just not cricket!!!! 

This year we are staying at home, we're not headed to the "family 

shin dig" and they are not headed to us. It just worked out that

way.... so the McGillies are eating, playing Wii, watching movies 

and chillaxing.... that's how we do it!!! 

Here's a sample of the menu....

Turkey breast cooking in the crock pot with a secret marinade...

Sausage balls... a little too big but delish all the same....

Yummm mixture for the Pumpkin bread...

The pumpkin bread baking nicely in the oven..just for the record, it's now done and

actually rose quite nicely... can't be bothered to go and take another pic.

So that about wraps it up, one day a year set aside to

eat a big dinner, tell people what you're thankful for and

let the kids dress up as Indians or Pilgrims and make

little turkeys by drawing around their hands and coloring

the fingers...Marvelous!!!

Florida Caverns..... what a fantastic day out!!!!

The McGillies recently wandered off the beaten path and underground... we were real live spelunkers for the day. We took a trip to the Florida Caverns, near Marrietta, FL... somewhere in the panhandle for those of you not familiar.

This was a true test of my nerves of steel, not only are there some tiny little passages to squeeze through, it's dark and there are bats and moths!!!! We didn't see any, thankfully, but they were there.... the guide said so.
We were surrounded by magnificent colors and formations, there are a number of "rooms", each one having a different name depending on what the rocks look like.  There's the wedding cake room and the small room... you get the picture.  The guide kinda reminded me of that weird guy in the movie Office Space who keeps getting moved further and further away until he's in the basement. Just sayin'. Ash kinda ran rings around the guy, I am not sure if he's ever encountered such a precocious five year old.

I managed to get some shots down there but you'd have to be a bit of a pro to get something really good. It was so hard to do without the flash and it was a fast moving, no bullshit kind of a tour, I was the only one with a camera so it was a bit like they were all waiting on me.... which is fine in my book but you know... one must be reasonable... right?

It's like being in another world down there, just different, quiet, clean and beautiful.

This looks like a tooth, kinda sorta, and I had to take three hundred shots to get that one drip.

So after a fun packed tour of the caves we ran around the trails a little looking at trees, rocks and

all things nature. It was a perfect afternoon and the best thing of all was when Syd told me

how lucky we are!  She's so right!

Finally it was time to hop back into the truck and let the full moon guide us home safely to bed!

More Doctor Drama......

My youngest daughter has once again picked up whatever heinous bug it is that's terrorizing parents everywhere, if there's a nasty germ out there ready to pounce Ash will find it. This is much the same as she had earlier in the year, a high fever, vomiting, dehydration..... and she's lost six lbs already!!!!!!

Instead of waiting to see how it goes this time I called the docs office, followed their instructions on the clear liquids and the nausea suppository and still she seemed to go down hill. So late yesterday afternoon I bundled little Peanut into the truck and drove her to our local Urgent Care (figuring that due to the late hour the doctors office wouldn't start an IV). The PA took a look at her, we managed to get the tiniest of urine samples from her, then they called in a real doc and they talked about the level of dehydration and that she needed fluids. Apparently though, and this is verbatum, they don't like to do fluids by IV in that office, and the hospital won't waste a bed giving her fluids!!!!!!!!!!!!  So they went on to explain it was down to me to force her to take a teaspoon of Gatorade every five minutes and that she would continue to vomit and it would be really bad but I could just get on with it. So they left me in the room feeding her teaspoon by teaspoon of ice chips and Gatorade, until she puked. By this time I was pissed, I could be doing this at home and not have to worry about the extortionate bill they would land me with.  When she threw up all that I had given her I walked out into the hallway to let them know and the doc just looked at me like "so??".   A nurse came in and cleaned up and I was outta there..... I told her in no uncertain terms that I did not appreciate their manners and that I would take her to a real doctor in the morning. I love the town I live in but quite honestly I have never in my life seen such shitty medical care!!!!!!!!!!

So no sleep last night, Ash wanted me with her all night and we tossed and turned, she sipped on a little gatorade and some water and that was how it continued. I called my family doc and they told me to bring her in at 10:15, so hopefully they will do their magic with the IV and she'll be home resting this afternoon. She's a freakin' trooper that one!!!! She understands that she can only have a sip at a time every five minutes, she understands that she's  missing school and won't get  her perfect attendance for November, she understands that she's going to get a needle in her arm and most of all understands that I am here for her, caring for her the best I can.

It's so depressing to care for a loved one who is sick, it doesn't matter if it's a child, a parent or some other relative.... it's downright depressing!  Please take a moment in your day to find someone who's caring for a sick person and just hug them!!!! Show them some love and support they need it more than you can imagine!!

I'll post later and update on how my little trooper is holding up.

UPDATE!!!!  She's on the mend... she's drinking and keeping it down, and has even tried some eggs. She's such a strong girl... they decided that she probably didn't need the IV this morning because she had not thrown up since last night. Relief!!!!! I slept a little this afternoon but still feel like crap.... there is a light at the end of the tunnel though. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!

Happy Hour Friday.....

Hello.... it's Friday again all ready!!!!!

Time to join in with Otin and Bambi and declare what it is this week that's making us Happy!

It's Friday... nuff said.

It's almost Thanksgiving, next week I will only work a total of

2.5 days!!! I love my job but when I don't have to get up

in the morning that makes me happy.

My job makes me very happy, this week has been kinda weird, we've

all had things to share this week and it's total group therapy.

I trust and love the people I work with and when things are

not going right, I walk into to work and unload, and it's all

better again. It's like a security blanket!!!!!

Of course my hilarious little girls have made me very, very happy this

week.  Syd is in the Spelling Bee at school next week and is so happy.

Ash is excited because they both will be in the Christmas Parade

and have sparkley costumes, she's beside herself!!!  They tried

the costumes on last night; they posed and posed and posed

again. It makes me giggle to see them and remember what

it was like to be a little girl!!!!

We started painting the outside of the house three years ago... yes

you read that right... no misprint... three freakin' years ago.

Last weekend his gorgeousness got on the ladder and painted

a little more, it did make me happy, it's still not finished... like

I said he painted a "little" more... not a lot more... a little

more. But a little is better than none at all so it made

me a little bit happy. I'm gonna throw a freakin' party

when the thing is actually finished... but don't hold your breath.

OK that's it... oh one more teeny thing... the dishwasher was not full

this morning... Woo Hoo... I just put the dishes that were in the

sink in ... and turned it on!!! (now why couldn't you know who have done

that last night?)... not gonna even go there 'cos I'm happy!!!!!!

Things that make you go Hmmmmm

Look...look carefully...what do you see???

dirt?? yes dirt....but in what form??

in the form of freakin' paw prints that's freakin'

what!!!!

Who in the heck has dogs that trot all around

the coffee table??? me that's who!!!!!

suggestions on how to control this beast, please!!

This is a card that was given to me by my good friend K. She's a nut

and reads my blog, but hates it when I use the effin' eff word.

K. is hilarious, she should blog!!!!

Yesterday she was driving her big ole van which she cannot

drive, she's always dinging it... and she turned a hair pin

bend only to find that the van was filling with a strange white

smoke.. she's panicking thinking it's about to blow up when

she realized that the fire extinguisher had rolled under the front

seat and set off when she turned the bend!!!!

Yes my friends that's the kind of daily occurrence that keeps

Ms. K. on her toes!!!!

I may well turn the above into an award and call it the

K. award in her honor!!!

Besos!!

My, aren't we a pair of fun guys.....

Really this episode of Inner Ramblings has nothing to do with fungi but I love these pics, don't you?

So, it seems that so many of us are blogging these days, all over the blogosphere are

talented ladies telling stories of their day, sharing pictures and  remarkable works

of creativity and genius. Talented guys too... Otin for example.. I read his stuff

but rarely comment because he's so "followed" I figure he stops reading after

the millionth comment and  have never gotten into to the top three.

Anyway, it occurred to me that somewhere circa 1996 or so, there probably

were no bloggers anywhere... i don't know exactly when it started or when it

got to be pretty much a household hobby for "normal" peeps at home. I think I read

somewhere that Blogger has been going for ten years (don't bother to correct me,

I'll only thumb my nose at you for being a know it all).  So what in the

world were we doing before this?  Can you remember not having a computer, an

iPhone, a Nikon, a blog????? URgghhh I know you're disgusted with

yourself for even daring to remember such a backward way of life.

I think I probably watched more tv before I got involved in the bloggies.... or

cleaned house!!! Imagine such a life!!!! I sure didn't take as much interest in my

pictures and wouldn't have dreamed of making my own posters to frame and

display in my living room.... yeah that's right people... I have my very

own work hanging there for all to see...some people even like it.

There's also the wonderful, wonderful blog camp to consider. How in the

world would I have come up with an notion to travel clear across the country and

meet complete strangers and have such a freakin' fantastic time had it not been

for bloggin'.  Wouldn't it be great if I could actually go to Denmark this coming

January and experience all that is the blue room!!! I really can't see me

wrangling that one.  Just a tad too out there for hubby to swallow.

And so my friends, I shall continue to blog, I get so much from it, even when I am

sad and weary I have online friends to offer cyber comfort and bloggy love!!!

Oh who am I kidding.. this is the only hobby I can comfortably do in

my ugly freakin' pj's with wine! Score!!!

How do you blog????

Time for more Randomoniim in McGillyville....

OK, random item numero uno....when the heck did the time start

passing by so quickly and how did Thanksgiving sneak up like this? 

I don't feel very thankful right now, yeah I said it! it's out there 

I just don't. I've been working freakin' hard this year and I only 

want to thank myself!!! So sue me!!!!! 

Numero dos.....this is as far as it goes for me and the 

Spanish counting... 

three.... Hubby is into FB... wtf....he's always so 2000 and late!!!! 

still better late than never I guess, he's just such an amateur and 

keeps asking me for help. He'll be blogging next!!! 

four... with weather like we've been getting it's hard to 

concentrate on work, I keep thinking I could be out somewhere 

fabulous taking pictures, I miss RENO!!!!  

five....eldest child is a book-a-holic, we're going to have to make more

trips to the library, she bought a book a the weekend which cost

$16.99 and read it in a day!!! It kinda hit me that a habit this 

expensive needs to be fed by the library versus the book store. 

six...did I mention Thanksgiving...I'm cooking this year and haven't 

even started to think about a menu!!! Is it wrong to hire a caterer 

or even go out for dinner???

seven..... why do people who work for the utility company have 

to be do damn rude? Is it a prerequisite?  The application probably 

says..name, age, address, are you a complete asshole to strangers

who pay your wages? 

Well that's it... can you tell I'm not in a very positive mood lately? Sorry about 

that I'll try harder to get back to the light and jaunty McGilly you all 

know and love!!!!!