New Years Tradition

There’s a yearly tradition that we do here at the Hotel Thompson that I thought I would share.  It’s nothing difficult, really simple if you will.  Mom/dad have done this for years and as they say, “If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it!”  I thought I would share with my friends here in blogville because one can never have too much of good luck, right?

On the 31st of December before midnight, place money outside on your porch.  It can be a loose bill, change, or in an envelope.  This stays on your front porch.  Before midnight, everyone goes outside of the house.

At midnight, you open the front door and throw the money in over the threshold.  This should be the first thing that crosses your door.  This represents money coming into your home for the new year.  Remember, you don’t step into the home until after the money goes in.

I’m not sure where mom/dad got this from but they have been doing it forever.  I mean heck, we’ll take all of the help from everywhere we can, right?  Happy money tossing tonight my friends 🙂

 

Good Bye Don Juan

Good riddance!  Another year behind us with the freak gone.  Shakes piggy head.  I think I will need therapy this year to get over some of the antics that Don Juan did to us this year.  He has no morals.  No standards.  Not anything good is in his twisted little body.  He is bad.  Real bad.

The night before Christmas, dad was going to set out donuts and a Coke Zero for Santa.  I know that’s a weird combination but dad assured me that was what Santa wanted – Shakes piggy head.  You know what they say, “Don’t argue with your elders”.  Snorts with piggy laughter.

Dad went to go get the donuts and he found Don Juan was in his bag.  The little brat ate all of the donuts but one.  Daddy said Santa was *not* going to be happy.

So Don Juan – goodbye.  Good riddance.  Don’t let the door hit you on the butt on the way out of the Hotel Thompson.  Until we see each again, may you see nothing but darkness.  And watch out little guy – we will be prepared for you next year.  Oh yes… we will – evil piggy snorts.

 

Shopping Around the World

Thanks to everyone for another great edition of Shopping Around the World last month.  It’s so awesome to see the various prices around the world – and the pictures with recipes!

This month we have a suggestion from my cousin Sammy on highlighting cookies or other sweets for December.  Is there a special treat that you fix only around the Christmas holidays?  A certain cookie to share?  It does not have to be five items or less this month.  Share your recipe and picture of your sweet items.

This time of the year mom loves to fix what she has always called reindeer noses.  Now they have been called other things like yummy, pure grace, delicious, Rolo droppings, etc.  Snorts with piggy laughter.  It doesn’t matter what you call them because you will absolutely love them.  AND they are so easy to make.  You will need:  1 bag of pecan halves (prices range on this – the bag I bought was $8.99); 1 bag of Rolo caramels in milk chocolate candies ($4.00) ; and 1 bag of small pretzels ($1.50 on sale).  Total paid around $14.50 for some priceless candy 🙂

Turn your oven on to around 250-300 degrees.  While that is pre-heating, start taking all of the aggravating pretty foils off of the Rolo caramels in milk chocolates.  Yes you can be like my mommy and eat some for all of that painstaking foil removal.  Then, put some parchment paper on a baking pan.  Add a bunch of small pretzels and top with one Rolo each.  Now, here is the tricky part.  You don’t want to put so many on the baking pan that when you pull it out of the oven you don’t have time to top them with the pecan half.  You see they will cool fast and you want that finishing touch – trust me.  Okay so now you have your pan planned out.  Place it in the hot oven for around 5 minutes until the Rolo melts all over the pretzel.  Once that happens, remove the pan and quickly add a 1/2 of pecan to the top squishing it down in the chocolate.  mmm – just thinking about it.

Let these cool before trying one.  Trust me on this – daddy found out the hard way.  Once they are cool, put in a air tight container and share… or not 🙂

 

Rain, Rain and MORE Rain

 This is a picture that mom took the other morning coming out of the neighborhood of the Hotel Thompson.  Do you see all that rain?  On the sides of the street, falling from the sky and on the car?  I told mom she needed a boat not a Jeep to get to work – jeez!

And all of this rain… sighs.  It makes my deviled ham side come out to play.  I can admit that.  See, time of the year I kind of go into hibernation mode.  I don’t play as much.  I don’t eat as much.  And I sleep lots.  But the weather here in Georgia, it has me messed up.  It’s still hot – not cold like it should be in winter.  And ALL of this rain – OMP!  I’m getting cabin fever with the rain.

So deviled ham comes out.  Shivers – you don’t want to meet deviled ham.  He doesn’t know how to play nice.  He doesn’t have any manners.  He doesn’t mind mom/dad.  AND… he’s very destructive.  You won’t like me when I’m deviled ham.  Mom says she much prefers her sweet Bacon.

I found this picture on iFunny and had to share.  It says everything about our desperate situation right now of RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!

 

Bacon’s Show and Tell

This month for Bacon’s Show and Tell we are highlighting December.  What we do, traditions, food, parties with friends and family – what special things do we do for the Christmas holidays?

Now mom/dad have been together since Moby Dick was a minnow.  Daddy said that when he was courting mommy, every year for Christmas they would go to mom’s family in the morning with presents and dinner.  Then in the afternoon, they would head to dad’s family for presents and dinner.  It was certainly a full day surrounded by family, food, love and LOTS of people coming/going.

Once mommy decided to let daddy ‘catch her’ and put a ring on her finger by marriage, their house was the gathering point for a couple of years for the family dinner and presents.  Then here and there, moms and dads passed away and it was time for my mom/dad to start making their own ‘family’ tradition.

Since mom/dad don’t have any two legged creatures for Christmas, me and the other anipals here at the Hotel Thompson step up.  Hey, it’s the least we can do for mom/dad, right?  So we leave out little hints – cut outs from pet store magazines, videos from television and paw prints spelling out what we want from Santa.  Then mom/dad have a direct line to Santa and tell him everything.  On Christmas day, we all get up at the crack of dawn and rush to the living room to shred open presents.  It’s a grand time in our day.

Then when we have played with our toys and ate some treats, we anipals take a nap so that mom/dad can do their Christmas.  You ask what?  Well, you just *know* it’s going to involve food – snorts with piggy laughter.

For years now, mom/dad go to a local restaurant for all you can eat CRAB LEGS.  Can you believe that?  How traditional is that?  Not so much but they absolutely love it.  And let me tell you something.  They are serious about their crab legs.  They wear bibs and everything and they have tools.  Tools to eat?!  WOW – I don’t have tools to eat… well unless you count my powerful snout and hooves – snorts with piggy laughter.

   .

But they get buckets of crab made in a spicy boil that are delivered fresh and steaming to their table.  They then throw caution to the wind and get cracking.  Neither one of them throw in the towel until they are happily full of crab meat.

This is their time to spend together, talk about family that have passed, laugh and joke about their days together.  They talk about their life together and drink to years more to come.  They talk about their love for each other.

And talking about love. Mom has bad arthritis in her fingers.  There comes to a point in her crab cracking that those fingers just give out.  And what does daddy do about it?  He will sit there and crack open her crab legs for her to eat.  Now my friends, that is love!

 

Pay it Forward – REMINDER

Okay Friends – Here We Go!

My sweet friends at Nikitaland have started this monthly issue of Pay It Forward.  We asked for you to keep this in mind all month and to share things here today on what you have been able to do.  Paying it forward is not for bragging purposes – it’s an attempt to show how many different things we can do to pay it forward – lots of them don’t even include money.  Gestures that we take for granted may be a God send to another person.

My buddy Nikitaland made up a good deeds sheet.  You can get it here.  You can print it, hang it on your fridge and just jot some things down that you do during the month.  That way at our next meet up, you can share what you have done to PAY IT FORWARD.

AND if you are interested in getting some Pay it Forward bracelets, check out Nikitaland’s post here for ordering information.  Believe me friends – WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Next meet up will be January 6th – mark your calendars!

 

When?

Today my friends, mom would like to speak with you about something that she has been thinking about a lot lately – take it away mom –

---

Thanks my Bacon.   Today let’s talk about when.  When what you ask?  When did we become old – LOL.  I mean really, this aging thing has like sneaked up on me and screamed BOO in the mirror like overnight.  And I’m ALL for aging gracefully.  It’s just when the heck did this happen?  So my friends, I’m going to share some things about aging.  Please join right in and share some of your thoughts with me.

WHEN…

Going into a room and forgetting what the heck am I here for?  This can include going to the bathroom to use the facilities and forgetting why I’m there.

Not writing things down because you know you will remember and then not remembering what you were suppose to remember.

Putting things in a good spot so you don’t lose them and then forgetting where that nice safe spot so happens to be.

Actually taking the time to write a letter.  Mailing the letter and forgetting to put the letter in the envelope.

Going to bed at 8:30pm is now considered late getting to bed.

Making dinner sometimes consists of a bowl of cereal – who needs to put out extra calories just to make a meal these days?

Snap, cracking and popping more than Rice Krispies.

Not driving at night because it’s hard to see.  Heck sometimes it’s hard to see during the day time.

And when did eating dinner after 4pm start happening?  Anything later than that and your tummy will ache when you are trying to sleep.

Ordering off the senior menu… ’nuff said.

 

Dear Bacon

Dear Bacon –  No.  That’s right No.  Our doorbell rung in the middle of the day.  We weren’t expecting anyone so mom looked out the peep hole.  She didn’t see anyone.  We all sat back down and again the doorbell rung once again.  Mom went to the door, looked out the peep hole and nothing.  So she opened the door… of course keeping the security chain on the door.  Then mom squealed – I’m sure she squealed louder than you.  This is what she saw.  What in the world?  He wanted to borrow a cup of chicken – as if.  Mom told him that she wasn’t the local Kroger and to take a hike.  Have you ever had guests like this wanting to borrow food?  Signed Uninvited Guests

Dear Uninvited Guests – Oh dear piggy heavens have mercy!  Now we all believe in neighborly hospitality here at the Hotel Thompson.  Journalist Rocky the Squirrel often knocks on our back door asking for a cup of nuts.  And once, the neighbor asked to borrow a cup of milk.  But *never* have we had such a guest wanting a cup of chicken.  Did your friend leave?  I mean who you goin’ to call in this circumstance?  Be safe my friend – and keep that door LOCKED.

---

 Dear Bacon – I scored BIG time for Christmas.  I asked Jolly St. Nick for a cool pair of bunny slippers.  And let me tell you something, he delivered!!  I am jumping all over my crib in bun-bun delight.  Aren’t they the cutest things you have ever seen my friend?  Signed Bunny Times Two

Dear Bunny Times Two – You are *almost* right my sweet dear friend.  Those slippers are *almost* as cute as you.  I think you are pretty darn cute to begin with and YOU make those slippers even cuter.  Wear them with pride and stay warm my little friend!

 

---

 Dear Bacon – I’m sorry.  I couldn’t wait and had to go.  And I hear my mom tell my dad all of the time, “Better out than in.”  I think this is what she was meaning.  I’m sorry.  But what better way says I’m sorry than to leave my poo in a heart shape, right?  Surely mom wouldn’t be upset over that on your new rug… you know of course add in my pleading don’t-be-made look.  What do you think?  Signed You Gotta Go – You Gotta Go

Dear You Gotta Go – Well dear, my mom says there is no way she would be mad if I made that mistake and left something in a heart shape.  Like you said, sometimes crap happens.  Keep being cute and give mom extra snuggles today – she will forgive you.

---

 Dear Bacon – You see, we got new neighbors over the weekend.  We heard that she’s a cute little poodle.  We were just trying to take a peak and see.  That’s when our master caught us.  Can you say busted?  Signed Caught in the Act

Dear Caught in the Act – One question my friends.  Did you see her?  Was it worth it?  Why have you not gone over with some biscuits and welcomed her to the hood.  I think that would be a grand gesture from the both of you.  You know, meet her first before anyone else does.  Let me know how it works.

---

 Dear Bacon –  No one and I mean no one will ever be this cool.  How cool?  Me a mere lizard standing on some good stuff in a posture that just screams, “I’m the lacertilia!”  Ha!  Now, I need to pour me another and get this party started!  Signed Fred

Dear Fred – Well I must say you do know how to party my friend.  And well I have to admit.  I did have to look up the word lacertilia to see what it meant – snorts with piggy laughter.  You are one of few words.  Loved it my friend.  Now remember something important.  Don’t drink and drive.  Stay home to party and keep it at home.  Have a great time and oh – don’t forget my invitation.  But I’ll take some koolaid on ice – no alcohol in mine okay.

.

---

REMEMBER my friends.  Dear Bacon can’t happen without YOU.  Please remember to keep sending me your letters and pictures via my email.

 

How Was Bashful’s Christmas?

Oh dear piggy heavens my friends in blogville.  What has my Bashful been up to you ask?  As you can see in this picture, Bashful is happy, smiling and have an awesome time in Florida.

My friends Reilly and Denny have brought Bashful to many outings with them in their parks.  Bashful seems to be having the time of his life with Sweet Pea.

In fact, both of them are learning about nature and other wildlife in Florida.  And in some pictures oh my!  Once they were reviewing the pictures at home, they saw something spooky!  It would be right up my ally in my Bacon’s Tales of Terror – shivers.

So go check out my Bashful’s activities my friends.  And remember, tell them that Bacon sent you! ❤

 

Food Porn – A Southern Breakfast

  The other morning after Christmas, mom/dad went out for a true Southern breakfast.  Mom/dad said they had to get this out of their system to start the year off right.  Shaking piggy head – I don’t get it.  Mom/dad wouldn’t tell me where some of this food came from… they said it was best that I didn’t know.  Snorts – we *all* know what that means huh?  So, let me give you a breakdown of a southern breakfast:

Of course, buttered biscuits, eggs (scrambled and over easy), sausage, streak o’ lean (a southern delicacy – look it up – gulps), pancake, southern gravy and real grits with shredded cheese.  Now tell me my friends – which item do you want to try first?