well, I didn’t have a heart attack

Posted on February 2, 2021 by suziecreamcheese

Maverick decided to break his lead this morning. We have like 5000 feet of snow out there and he’s off and running in the woods. I can get through the woods on a good day, but with all this snow, it ain’t gonna happen. This is not “lovely stroll through the paths” woods, it’s “tree limbs on the ground, holes in the ground, rocks on the ground” woods. For a dog, it’s nothing. For a person, it’s a broken ankle waiting to happen.

Bear and I were on the porch. I never lost sight of Maverick, but he was going further and further into the woods, heading for the neighboring field. The field that opens to the road. The road where people tend to drive like the hounds of hell are behind them.

We were both calling and he wasn’t listening, he would stop and look and then run further.

We spend a lot of time playing games. One of our favorite games to wear Maverick out a bit is “come find me.” I run upstairs, “hide” in a bedroom, and call to him to come find me. It’s actually harder than you think because my scent is all over the house, so he has to figure out where I am from where he heard my voice and where the freshest scent is. And running up and down the stairs tires him out nicely. (When you have a high energy dog, you do a lot of “wear him out” games.)

As he was getting further away, I yelled, “COME FIND ME!” He stopped. Turned. Made a bee-line for me. I didn’t even cry till about half an hour later. Phew!

If you’ve never played this game with your dog, do it!

Posted in learning, Maverick, my life, puppies, training | 8 Comments

Pondering things that don’t make sense

Posted on January 30, 2021 by suziecreamcheese

It’s been really cold here. It’s also supposed to snow tomorrow and the next day and maybe the day after that. Oh, yippee, two of my least favorite things.

I’m seeing this comment on weather pages and it makes no sense to me at all: “well, if it’s gonna be this cold, it might as well snow!” Umm, really? So we can have two wads of suck instead of just one? I’ve questioned this statement a few times and never really got a satisfactory answer. Seriously, if it snowed when it was 70 degrees outside, I might be okay with it. When I’m already wearing 18 layers just to be outside for a half hour with the dog, then yeah, let’s add snow to that so I have to wear boots and clean floors 8 times a day from all the crap being dragged into the house every time someone goes outside and comes back in. (The “let me out, I need to come back in” game is strong in Maverick.)

‘Here’s another one – “It is what it is!” Be damned strange if it was what it wasn’t!

And another – “walking” your dog off leash at a park where it’s clearly posted that dogs must be on leash, then getting pissed when someone asks you to leash up your dog. There’s a dog park – a really huge dog park – in this county. If you really want your dog off leash, go there! Yelling at me that your dog is friendly does not mean a damned thing to my reactive dog who is being faced by your big oaf bounding at him at a pace that means something other than “I want to play” to my guy.

Walls don’t work and cops are bad, so let’s surround the Capital with a wall and a bunch of armed guards.

A guy dresses up like a Viking and his testimony is to be taken seriously.

A fetus is only a baby if you want it, otherwise it’s just tissue.

My caramels are hard as rocks and I have no idea how to soften them up.

Maverick loves me no matter how crabby I get. (That’s probably my favorite thing, though)

Posted in dogs, my life, snow, weather | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Oh dear

Posted on January 28, 2021 by suziecreamcheese

Well I can’t be responsible for what he posts but…………………Maverick has his own blog now

Hi, I’m Maverick!

Please go visit or he’s gonna be terribly sad.

And then I’ll have to give him treats

And he’ll get fat

and it will be your fault.

Okay

Thanks

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

There are cookies in the kitchen

Posted on January 26, 2021 by suziecreamcheese


Actually, that’s a lie, there’s one cookie in the kitchen and there may soon be none. I should be grading homework but I’m feeling singularly without motivation these days. I’ve been trying not to watch the “news” but one of my friends updates me with the latest “I can’t believe this shit!” daily. Maybe that’s why I’m not motivated to do more than eat cookies.

I guess I didn’t realize that hatred for one man would cause people to ignore all else and choose (well, I actually still believe the election was stolen, but I digress) someone to lead the country based entirely on the desire to remove him from office by any means necessary.

We’re hearing a lot about unity from someone who seems to think that impeaching the former president is a good idea, even though it has little support from most of Congress, it seems and looks like merely an exercise in “neener neener neener, we won and we can do whatever we want!”

People, we’re told, are starving, in this, the greatest country in the world (prove me wrong) but we’ve got the idiots in charge spending resources on this trial. And on a lot of other crap that just makes me go, “really?”

And I’m waiting for the supporters of that man to wake up, to start complaining, when things start going to hell in a handbasket. Will I feel sorry for them? Nope. Will I gloat? Only in private. Will I laugh my ass off? Again, only in private.


So I’m not motivated to do much of anything and that last cookie is calling my name.

Posted in Uncategorized | 25 Comments

DIvision

Posted on January 15, 2021 by suziecreamcheese

And not the kind you learned in Math classes.

We walk every day at the local park because without two walks a day, Maverick is unbearable to live with. I adore him. I am old and he is not. He needs more exercise than I can give him and the 2.5 miles around the park combined with endless sniffing of every blade of grass and tree, seems to take the edge off that energy to the point where I can actually enjoy his company in the evening.

(Except when he barks like the hounds of hell are outside my front door, which he’s been doing tonight, thank you very much)

(No, there is most likely not an axe murderer out there but can we be sure?)

I digress. We meet the same group of people at the park pretty much every day. Some want to pet Maverick, some wave, some scurry by as if he’s a holy terror. Sometimes we stop and chat with a particularly friendly sort.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a young girl pushing her child in a stroller while listening to something through earbuds. She’s a chatter, she loves to pet Maverick, doesn’t mind when he jumps up, has a lovely Irish lilt and has always seemed very pleasant.

Till tonight. She mentioned that she loves to read, and since I do as well, I asked what type of books she reads. She said nonfiction, and then commented that she has a degree in Political Science. I said, “you must be enjoying yourself these days” because it seems to me that anyone with that interest would be fascinated with the things going on.

She replied that she “didn’t think Biden was the right man for President, but he was infinitely better than Trump.”

When someone says something like this, I ask them this question – “do you like Biden or do you hate Trump?” She reponded that it was both, and then said, ‘not one of Trump’s supporters voted for his policies, every one of them voted for their cult leader.”

I was taken aback. I said, “that’s not true.” She demanded to know if I supported children in cages? Did I not realize that he’d been inciting violence for four years? Did I not know this was the cleanest election ever held?

Every time I started to speak, she talked over me. Several times I said, “Please let me finish my sentence” to no avail. At one point I said I wasn’t an idiot, and she responded that yes, I was.

I told her to go look up the interview where the Lt. Governor of Texas talks about why they didn’t use Dominion voting machines, and we walked away.

First, she will never pet Maverick again. You don’t call me an idiot and then expect to love up on my dog.

But deeper than that, I walked away and started thinking about the divisions in this country. According to her, it’s all Trump’s fault, all the fault of his supporters. This is not the first time I’ve tried to have a conversation with someone who hates him. In every single case, I have been shouted down, talked over, and eventually called names. I don’t claim to be perfect, and if I did, I’m sure there are many who would offer evidence otherwise. I do, however, try to listen to people. I’m one of the youngest of a very large family, and I’ve experienced more than my share of being talked over and interrupted – it’s something that I hate so I try very hard not to do it to others. I’m also aware that there’s always more than one side to every story so I may not agree with you, but I’ll hear you out and try to reason with you. I’ll never call you an idiot for your views (unless it’s about flexi-leads and then there’s just no holding me back. Or doodles. Don’t get me started on high priced mutts)

I have many friends on both sides of the fence. When my conservative friends get together, the conversation is almost always the same as what I experienced tonight. We are shouted down, talked over, told we’re idiots or better yet, Nazis. (Here’s a clue, if there were really 75 million Nazis in this country, I’m betting you wouldn’t be talking over me at the park, or even free to walk in that park)

And yet we’re responsible for the division. When did it become okay to stop listening to anyone, to think that he who shouts the loudest is the one who gets to be right, that it’s okay to just yell over anyone you don’t like and insult them?

I don’t know how to fix this. I’m going to start walking away from anyone who interrupts me. Will that do any good? Probably not but I won’t have to be annoyed that they’re talking over me.

Posted in my life, politics | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

I may not agree with what you say

Posted on January 8, 2021 by suziecreamcheese

But I will fight to the death for your right to say it.

I was brought up with those words

I’m not sure when they became out of vogue, out of style, wrong think, or what but apparently they are no longer true.

Today Twitter has permanently suspended the account of the man who is at this moment still the President of the United States.

If that doesn’t scare the living shit out of you, there is no hope left for this country.

Posted in Uncategorized | 26 Comments

By request – Chocolate Silk Pie recipe

Posted on December 30, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

*This is from Taste of Home magazine from several years ago

Ingredients:
1 unbaked pastry shell, 9 inches
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
2 tbls strong brewed coffee
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbls confectioners sugar
chocolate curls, optional

Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450 fro 8 minutes. Remove foil, bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, combine the marshmallow creme, chocolate chips, butter, unsweetened chocolate and coffee; cook and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool.
Fold in the whipped cream; pour into the crust.

For the topping, in a large mixing bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners sugar, beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over filling. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

I’m a lazy butt, I use a purchased graham cracker pie crust and it’s fine.

I make this pie for Christmas and Thanksgiving, and often for my BFF for her birthday. I can’t eat it because chocolate gives me a migraine but I do love to make it for others.

Enjoy!

Posted in Christmas, recipes | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The sound of scissors

Posted on December 28, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

Which is nothing like the sound of silence.

When I was a wee one, many centuries ago, I would sit on my mother’s lap when she was sewing, and when she was cutting fabric, and pretty much any time she sat down.

My favorite times were when she was at the dining room table, cutting fabric for a quilt, or a doll dress, or a dress for me.

We ate Sunday dinner at the dining room table. It was pretty much always the same, pot roast – the cheap cut that had strings tied around it for some reason – mashed potatoes, some vegetable. My mother was sometimes a good cook. Sunday dinner was not one of those times. She firmly believed that there was no such thing as an overcooked piece of beef. (She was wrong)

I did my homework at the dining room table. We didn’t have a den or an office – we all did our homework at the table. Then we cleared it off and had dinner when there were enough of us home that the kitchen table was too small.

I did my homework at that table all through high school, and college – all 3 degrees, including studying for the GMAT to get into grad school. ‘

We cut quilt blocks on the dining room table – because it was the most convenient place We quilted many quilts, my mother on one side of the table and me on the other. The sound of scissors cutting through fabric on a wooden table will always take me back to those days.

We did jigsaw puzzles on that table. My father loved to do puzzles, I still giggle when I think of him sitting there pondering where a piece was as I walked past, paused, picked it up and put in in place. “damn it!” he’d swear, “I was trying to find that for an hour!” (It was probably 10 minutes )

We had holiday meals at that table. Put in a leaf, pull up another chair, sit close and don’t eat off your neighbor’s plate – unless it’s something really good and you can make them laugh when you steal it.

We once put a board between chairs to make enough room for the little kids (one of whom was moi) – that was the year we ran out of potatoes and my father kept offering more to my Uncle Bill, who, being a gentleman, kindly refused – which was a good thing since there were no more!

I learned to play 500 Rummy at this table. There were endless games of cards, daily games of Yatzee, Risk, Monopoly and too many more to name.

When my mom died, I inherited the table. I’ve written lesson plans, created videos, done diamond paintings, and continued to study at this table. I just finished a quilt – thrown across the dining room table so I could stitch in comfort.

The stories this table could tell. My mother would talk of the women gathering during WWII, while the men were overseas, and contact was minimal – if there was any contact at all. They would gather around the table, Ouija board in the center, to try to learn anything about the men they loved. What else did they discuss, those cold, lonely nights? What stories has this table heard, and seen? My journals have often been written here. I’ve fallen asleep, head resting on this wooden surface.

And it sits here, in my dining room, a quiet presence, a piece of the past, of my past, and I wonder sometimes – if only it could talk.

Posted in family, home, memories, my life | Tagged | 6 Comments

Why, why, why, why?

Posted on December 23, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

Okay. The baby quilt is all quilted. Last block was done on Monday – not heavily quilted, it’s just straight lines but it’s done and I think it’s okay.

But

Now I have to finish it

I have to bind it

The thought terrifies me

It ALWAYS terrifies me

Okay, I have a huge amount of fabric hanging over from the back because I just didn’t want to cut it off.

What to do? What to do? Shall I cut it off even and then make a binding? Shall I cut it like an inch wider and just whip it around to the top? Shall I go hide in a corner and cry?

I really kinda wanted it done tomorrow but then the terror hit. And I froze. So dear Jebus, it may never get finished.

Why did I get myself into this??????????????

Okay. Put your big girl panties on and cut the damned thing and just whip that binding on and screw those mitred corners that you struggle with every single time and make it straight and get it done.

I’m going to need booze.

Posted in my life, quilting | Tagged | 16 Comments

Dear Jebus, Maverick

Posted on December 19, 2020 by suziecreamcheese

*My friend’s little girl, all of 3 years old, prays to “Dear Jebus” and we think it’s adorable.

Dogs are creatures of routine. There is no dog more a creature of habit than mine. We get up, jump on Mommah, go outside for a bit, jump on Mommah some more because there are never enough pets (I just stopped for 10 seconds, Maverick! I know, worst 10 seconds of my life!)

Then we have a battle with the collar that we use for walking so Mommah’s arm stays in the socket.

https://smile.amazon.com/Canny-02-1000-Collar-Size-3/dp/B00F0J9RMS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1W9PI13VDBC4X&dchild=1&keywords=canny%2Bcollar%2Bno%2Bpull%2Bdog%2Bcollar&qid=1601867430&sprefix=Canny%2BC%2Caps%2C524&sr=8-2&th=1

Best thing ever, honestly.

Then we go to the park. We walk at least one lap, which is 1.5 miles, and normally we do the little loop again, to get to 2 miles. Later on in the day, we do this again, because if we don’t, it’s pretty damned impossible to live with Maverick. He has a lot of energy and not much focus – I swear he has the dog version of ADHD.

It snowed on Wednesday. We had our morning walk and it started snowing soon after we got home. Mommah doesn’t do snow – y’all know that. He was okay Wednesday afternoon and evening, I think the novelty of the snow helped, plus he had had his lunch and his daily poop before it started. He will ONLY poop at the park. He doesn’t poop at home unless he absolutely has to and then it’s major drama.

Thursday wasn’t too bad either. We were home, but so was Bear, so he seemed to be okay with this.

Yesterday it all fell apart. We can’t go to the park because the paths aren’t cleared – township has more important things to do, but people will walk there and then the footprints freeze and it’s a real joy. There’s a broken ankle just waiting to happen. Maverick hadn’t pooped on Thursday because he doesn’t do that at home. (If he would poop here, I wouldn’t have to clean it up, there’s a huge freakin field just waiting for his deposits, but nooooooooooooo, gotta use those poop bags at the park!) Bear went to work at 2. At 3, the pacing and whining started. I don’t take Maverick to the field. He always manages to pull away from me and his recall is not reliable, especially when there’s a strong possibility of a deer sighting. Bear plowed the driveway so that there’s a snowbank to be climbed to even get to the field and I really like having my legs unbroken, so that’s another deterrent.

None of that meant diddly squat to Maverick. He wanted to go to that damned field and nothing was going to stop him. I took him out multiple times, would walk to the edge of the field, tell him to do his business, and he would refuse. Back to the house we’d go, only to do this again five minutes later. I would have happily let him just stay outside because he seemed to like it out there, but it was about 20 degrees out and I’m not about to leave him out in that, even though he is a Golden and yes, they like the cold, that’s a bit too cold.

Today was a repeat of yesterday.

Tomorrow I’m taking him to my friend’s development – we can walk the streets and he can get some exercise and maybe poop on someone’s lawn. And I can get to pick it up. Well, the bonus is that I’ll get to visit with my BFF a bit!

Meanwhile, thank the Goddess for booze.

Posted in dogs, Maverick, my life, snow, weather | Tagged , , | 4 Comments