I almost forgot to give everyone a link to one of my favorite Halloween recipes...

Kitty Litter Cake

The poop scoop really does add the finishing touch :o)

Since I'm thinking about jumping off of the carnivore bandwagon for a little bit, I thought I'd ask the group another question.

What is the healthiest thing you do? Do you exercise regularly? Eat lots of fruits and veggies? Get plenty of rest?

And, if you're really daring, what's the least healthy thing you do?

For me, I think the healthiest thing I do is drink a fair amount of water, make sure I have a couple of veggies other than potatoes most days...and laugh. A lot. As much as I can.

Least healthy? Well, I smoke, which I know is very, very bad, but I haven't had the nerve to go on another quitting binge just yet. And I don't get nearly enough sleep.

I loved learning about the Peanut Butter & Jelly campaign, which points out all of the good people are doing the world when they choose PB&J over eating a sandwich with meat in it.

While I'm not sure that all of the numbers are perfect, I completely agree that not eating meat does save a lot of energy, environment and resources. There was a time about twenty or so years ago when I was a vegetarian (ovo-lacto), back in the days before there was much on restaurant menus in the valley besides pancakes and garden salads for the non-meat eater. And somewhere along the way I got back into the meat-eating habit.

But now, thanks to the PB&J folks, I've started thinking again about taking a break from meat. I mean, I've had the black bean burger at Chili's and I have to say, it tasted a lot better than any number of actual hamburgers I've consumed. I may start with a week off the cattle car, so to speak, and see how it goes. I'm not sure when I'll start, maybe in a week or so, after I've had a chance to do some shopping. I'll definitely let you know when I do.

Anyone have any good recipes that will ease my transition? I think I have lunch covered for a few days...

I know they say the fog creeps in on little cat's feet, but it didn't come in on mine! My toes are frozen right now, and I'm a little annoyed that we have fog, but still no good rain.

Does anyone have suggestions for good foggy-weather eats and drinks? I still have salad-fixins in my fridge and haven't shopped for the good stuff yet.

O.K., it looks like it's time for someone to put up a post that's supposed to be funny.


There is a  factory in Northern  Minnesota which makes the  Tickle Me
Elmo toys. The toy laughs when you tickle it under the arms.  Well, Lena is
hired  at The Tickle Me Elmo factory and she reports for her first day
promptly at  8:00  AM.

The  next day at 8:45  AM there is a knock at  the Personnel Manager's
door. The Foreman throws open the door and  begins to rant about the
new employee. He complains that she is  incredibly slow and the whole line
is backing up, putting the entire  production line behind schedule.

The Personnel Manager  decides he should see this for himself, so the 2
men march down to the  factory floor. When they get there the line is
so backed up that there  are Tickle Me Elmo's all over the factory floor
and they're really  beginning to pile up. At the end of the line stands
Lena surrounded  by mountains of Tickle Me Elmo's.

She has a roll of plush red  fabric and a huge bag of small marbles.
The 2 men watch in amazement  as she cuts a little piece of fabric, wraps
it around two marbles and  begins to carefully sew the little package
between Elmo's  legs.

The Personnel Manager bursts into laughter. After  several minutes of
hysterics he pulls himself together and approaches  Lena .. "I'm 
sorry," he says to her, barely able to keep a straight face, "but I  think you
misunderstood the instructions I gave you yesterday..."

"Your job is to give Elmo two test  tickles."

I just want to say a big "thank you" to Jewels for providing one of the most entertaining blog posts I've seen in a long, long time. I know that wasn't your intention when you started the blog post, but I, for one, got caught up in the mystery. Thanks for the diversion :o)

Given the tone of a bunch of posts lately I thought this was appropriate. Sorry about the formatting, but I couldn't get it to change for me.

Sand and Stone

TWO    FRIENDS    WERE    WALKING THROUGH    THE    DESERT.  DURING    SOME    POINT    OF    THE  JOURNEY,    THEY    HAD     AN  ARGUMENT;    AND    ONE    FRIEND SLAPPED    THE    OTHER    ONE  IN  THE     FACE.

THE    ONE    WHO    GOT    SLAPPED
WAS    HURT,    BUT    WITHOUT
SAYING    ANYTHING,
WROTE    IN    THE    SAND:

TODAY    MY    BEST    FRIEND
SLAPPED   ME    IN    THE    FACE.

THEY  KEPT    ON    WALKING,
UNTIL  THEY    FOUND     AN    OASIS,
WHERE    THEY    DECIDED
TO   TAKE    A     BATH

THE    ONE     WHO    HAD    BEEN
SLAPPED     GOT    STUCK    IN    THE
MIRE    AND    STARTED    DROWNING,
BUT    THE    FRIEND  SAVED    HIM.

AFTER    HE    RECOVERED    FROM
THE    NEAR    DROWNING,
HE    W ROTE    ON    A    STONE:

"TODAY    MY    BEST    FRIEND
SAVED    MY    LIFE  "

THE    FRIEND    WHO    HAD    SLAPPED
AND    SAVED    HIS    BEST    FRIEND
ASKED    HIM,    "A FTER   I  HURT    YOU,
YOU    WROTE    IN    THE    SAND    AND    NOW,
YOU    WRITE    ON    A     STONE,    WHY?"

THE   FRIEND    REPLIED
"WHEN    SOMEONE    HURTS    US
WE    SHOULD     WRITE    IT    DOWN
IN    SAND,   WHERE    WINDS    OF
FORGIVENESS    CAN     ERASE    IT AWAY.
BUT,    WHEN  SOMEONE    DOES
SOMETHING    GOOD    FOR    US,
WE    MUST    ENGRAVE    IT   IN   STONE
WHERE    NO    WIND
CAN    EVER    ERASE    IT."

LEARN    TO     WRITE
YOUR    HURTS    IN
THE    SAND    AND    TO
CARVE    YOUR
BENEFITS    IN    STONE.

Click on the photos for some funny pics!

Man, I'm about wiped out with all of the bad going around these days, so I figure the best way to combat it is to post something good.

Here's the topic for the day: Who do you see who makes you smile? Where do you do business that leaves you happy you went?

I'll start. I think Bill Mead is one of the classiest, nicest people in the whole town. I have never, ever heard him say an unkind word about anyone. Whenever I see him I'm always tempted to stand about six inches closer, just to see if some of his kindness will rub off.

And one of my favorite places to go is Canine Creek. Beside the fact that wet dogs are always good for a smile, they always have friendly, happy people, as shoppers and as staff people. Almost makes me glad the dog runs out of treats, just so I have an excuse to go back.

How about you? It can be friends, neighbors or your favorite server. Who makes you smile?

I got this in an email and thought I would share...ahhhh, the memories. Both on the giving and the receiving end :o)

I got this little tidbit over the weekend and thought I should share it with my blogging pals.

This is interesting.  When you get the web site up, click on the state.

Then the next window is a listing of cities in that state.

Click on your city and there are the speed traps listed.

SPEED TRAPS - NO JOKE...CHECK IT OUT!

Speed Traps