Travels in the South

Welcome my friends to another edition of Travels in the South.  This weeks find is something sinful.  It is something so delicious that you and your spouse will fight over the last bite.  Heck, you might even want to get your own slice of this heaven so you don’t have to share.

This week’s find is called Sogno Di Cioccolata –  translation “Chocolate Dream”  Now look at that picture.  Isn’t that the best way to describe it?  Chocolate Dream.  Are you asking yourself what is in this masterpiece?  It’s a rich fudge brownie covered with a chocolate mousse and topped with fresh whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce.  Oh, did I mention that it’s also sitting in a puddle of rich chocolate?  Mom/dad always share one of these delicious creations because it is so rich and heavenly.  But they do fight over the last bite… or should I say they play paper – rock – scissors.  Snorts with piggy laughter.

So my friends, if you have a Carrabba’s Italian restaurant near you, make some plans to try this delicious creation.  It’s on their dessert menu ❤

 

 

Our Hearts are Broken

Our hearts are so broken here at the Hotel Thompson this morning.  We woke up to hear about the passing of our beloved brother Easy.  Please friends, join us in lighting a candle and sending massive hogs and snout kisses to Easy’s parents during this time.  Our hearts go out to them ❤

 

Shopping Around the World

Shopping Around the World

Shopping Around the World is hosted by us and our friend Fozziemom.  This month since it is the Thanksgiving holidays here in the States, we are focusing on Thanksgiving foods.  We have elected to post a side dish that everyone loves here in the south – black-eyed peas.  Yummo!  I admit that even this little oinker loves these peas.  They are tasty… but of course I like mine without the bacon – you know for obvious reasons – snorts and rolls with piggy laughter.  I leave the recipe and other delights of this recipe to mom – take it away mom! ❤

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Black-eyed peas.  Some people hear the name and stick out their tongue making a grimace while others smile and can’t wait to jump in feet first and eat their way out of the bowl.  Which category do you fall into my friends?  You’re not sure yet?  Let me tell you my recipe and then you can make your choice.  You will need the following:

⇔ Two cans of black-eyed peas (you can use fresh peas- I take help where I can) $0.98 each = $1.96

⇔  Four slices of bacon $3.99 pack/12 slices = $1.32

⇔ Cilantro $1.49 a pack; onion $0.49; olive oil $6.99 bottle; red pepper flakes $1.49 bottle = $1.50

Total Cost per Dish $4.78

The first thing we do is get out the old southern iron skillet.  Put a tad of oil in the bottom, cut up the bacon strips and fry them in the skillet.  While the bacon is cooking, dice up your onion and chop up your cilantro.  Once the bacon has cooked, scoop out the fried bacon and put on a paper towel to drain.  Leave the bacon grease in the skillet and add your onions to give them some color.  While the onions are cooking, open your cans of black-eyed peas, drain them and wash them.  Now some people use the juice out of the can, we don’t.  If you like it, by all means use it.  Once the onions have some color, pour in your two cans of black-eyed peas.  Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to your taste.  Your black-eyed peas will have a semi fried taste – awesome.  Trust me.  Once everything is heated through, pour into a serving dish and top with cilantro and your fried bacon.  You will never want black-eyed peas the old way again 🙂

 

Dear Bacon

 Dear Bacon – The elections are finally over here in the United States.  It was a roller coaster ride of a lifetime for sure!  I’m thinking that this no experience thing for jobs is a thing of the past with our current state of affairs now.  Therefore, I’ve come to the conclusion that an anipal needs to be in the White House.  Not as a so called ‘pet’ but as someone that can bring harmony and human affairs back to the forelight.  In saying that, I would like to apply for Secretary of State.  I think I have what it takes to make the world smile and come together as one again.  And hey, look at my picture.  I think I look good behind that podium too.  What do you think?  Do you want to start my campaign now?  Signed Leeza Dice, Your Next Secretary of State

Dear Leeze Dice – I think you have just about as much chance as anyone else.  And I agree with you.  No experience has no place anymore.  I think you could make a mark for all of us anipals in the world that all we need is love – pure and simple.  I would definitely back your plan and vote for you.  I’m off to write a letter now on your behalf and send it to Trump Towers.

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 Dear Bacon – Some of my bro’s might think this is not a grand look but I’m here to tell you that they are wrong!  With this cut that I just got from my doggy hairdresser, I am styling and making the world MINE.  I mean who else can pull off this look?  I’ve got the short hair on my back to keep me fast running like a jaguar and the cute bob on top to show I’m a stud.  You wait and see – this look is going to break the internet and you have me to thank for it.  Va-va-va-voom!  Signed Party Player

Dear Party Player – I do admit my friend that not everyone can pull off that look.  Nope.  Not at all.  You are so rocking it and I do believe we will see others trying to pull it off.  I imagine the girls are knocking your door down to get a date with you.  Stay happy my friend!

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 Dear Bacon – I am not impressed.  Every since this mutt has come to live with us, he has not slowed down.  He is bouncing off the walls, barking at everything that moves and pretty much just being a nuisance to me.  He has interrupted one too many of my power naps here at my crib.  I’m thinking that trapping him in the bathroom or a bedroom far, far away from me might be for the best… or for his survival.  What do you think?  He’s looking over my shoulder again isn’t he?  Signed Blanco

Dear Blanco – I know only too well of your personal dilemma  my friend.  I have my own barky thing here at the Hotel Thompson that doesn’t know how to shut his pie hole.  All day long… all night long… the only time he is quiet is when he is eating or sleeping, which is not often enough for me.  I find that sometimes I can give him one of his toys for destruction.  That can keep him busy for hours.  Perhaps you need to try this with your pain in the butt… I mean brother.

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 Dear Bacon –  The fountain of youth!  I have found this magical fountain in my backyard.  Okay, maybe it’s not my backyard but two doors down the street to the left and behind the big oak tree.  A yard is a yard and it’s all mine for the taking, right?  This magical water makes me feel young again – so powerful and magnificent.  It has to have some powerful magic in it for sure.  Do you have such a glorious fountain?  Signed Sweets

Dear Sweets – Oh my!  I can’t say that I have such a magical fountain in my hood.  Maybe that’s because I can’t leave the magical confinements of my wondrous backyard.  I mean it would be nice to be able to roam the hud several houses down and to the right where these awesome smells come from but I really don’t have a choice in that matter.  So if you have any of that water to spare in your magical fountain, please send me some.  I could go for feeling younger for sure!

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Dear Bacon – I’m a firm believer that you should dress for success.  Every morning I get up, dress, eat my Cheerios like you and prepare myself for the day.  You never know who might show up at your house during the day.  You know like the mailman, the UPS driver, the President or your Nana.  I gotta look my best for visitors, right?  Do you ever dress up anymore?  I know I’ve seen you in a shirt or two over the years.  Snorts and Oinks out, Peter

Dear Peter – I think you look totally awesome my friend.  Not all of us pigs can pull off a tie but you do it brilliantly!  Once upon a time,  I did dress as well.  But these days, some of us don’t have too anymore because they are just fine the way they are by letting their inward pig out.  And also I think that the little guy here Houdini does better in the dressing department for sure.  You carry on my friend and keep styling!

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❤ Remember friends – Dear Bacon can’t happen without YOU.  Please continue to email me your pictures and letters  ❤

 

Bacon’s Show and Tell

Bacon’s Show and Tell

This month we are sharing embarrassing stories from Thanksgiving or other family dinners.  I’m sure that we have a lot of material to pick from with the Thanksgiving holiday just taking place.

I’m letting mom take this one from a story from way back in the day – take it away mom!

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Many, many years ago we attended a family Thanksgiving get together.  There was snack food, drinks and then the main meal to be served several hours later when everyone arrived.   Me and the hub unit arrived and socialized with family members we had not seen in years.  This was way back in the day during the times that the hub actually had vision.  We got separated at one time and met up at the snack table.  With drink in hand, I was headed to this fabulous looking shrimp platter.  That’s when the hub unit grabbed my hand and guided me away to a quiet corner.  Now I’m thinking, “That’s what I’m talking about, let’s get a little kissy-kissy.”  Boy, was I wrong.

He went in for what I thought was a kiss but instead of a peck, he whispered in my ear.  Might I say there was not enough adult beverage that night to help me from practically rolling around on the floor laughing.  He told me that one of the children (and yes he named names) had been camping out at the shrimp platter.  This child was told not to touch anything.. so he didn’t of course with his hands.  He proceeded to lick all of the shrimp on one side of the platter.  No wonder the platter was still full.  About the same time that Jim told me this, the host saw what was happening.  But the child was right.  He didn’t ‘touch’ the shrimp – laughs.  And Jim did tell the host – all of this happened within minutes but seemed to have been frozen in time.

 

Journey with Friends

Welcome my friends to our weekly issue of Journey with Friends.  This is a time that we come together for support, for encouragement, for fellowship – all with one single goal in mind – to live better.  Welcome to our journey to share our goals and our accomplishments and our disappointments and frustrations.

Together we can do this!

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Hello friends – how was your holiday?  Did you get enough turkey?  It was probably one of the best holidays we have had in a while here at the Hotel Thompson.  We ate, slept, sat around watching a LOT of football – screamed at the games and cheered for the players, slept some more and chilled.  I was off of work for FIVE entire days and did not think about it one single time.  It was as close to heaven as I could get for sure.  I finally did hear back from my doctor Friday for the additional blood tests.  Everyone was right.  I’m in a major flare up so some of my medicines have been tweaked.  I’m feeling so much better today so YAY for that!  Over the holidays, we also worked on Christmas Cards.  We had a little line going trying to get everything taken care of during this break.  Some of you may have gotten emails/texts from us inquiring about your address.  Please check your emails and those that responded back – thanks!  We will be putting everything in the mail in the next couple of weeks.  We *attempted* to work on some packages to be mailed.  But -cough cough- some anipals (Bacon, Houdini and Hemi) thought everything was for them.  It’s hard to explain that not every toy bought into this house is theirs.  Funny how life works that way, right?  So if you receive a package from us, overlook the added hair.  Just think of that as more love – LOL.

And while you are addressing your Christmas cards this year, we would like to ask for you to do one thing.  Please remember our soldiers.  If you can, please send a card or two to the recovering soldiers.  I’m sure that it would brighten their day.  Thanks my friends – have a great week.  Only FOUR more weeks until Christmas!

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We got SNO!

Okay – maybe not the snow you were thinking – snorticles!  Now I’m hungry.  I’m off to find something to nibble.  Maybe dad will give me a snowball?

 

Shaking My Head

How in the world am I going to explain this picture to mommy?  It looks like that little psycho elf Don Juan has been into mom’s pictures and sent them to a certain magazine which has made its way to the big man and his elves.

Shakes piggy head.  This can’t be good.  Look at their faces?!  Oh dear piggy heavens.  How am I ever going to tell mommy what Don Juan has done this time?!  What will daddy think?

You gotta help me friends.  How do I break it gently to my mom that her private pictures may not be so private anymore and that she might be on Santa’s naughty list… but he might like it?  Snorts.

Don Juan is in deep doo-doo here at the Hotel Thompson. Shakes piggy head and walks away with daddy’s credit card.  I gotta buy all of these off the market so she doesn’t see the cover.

 

Six Months Baby!

 

Price Placement

So daddy lied.  He decided to venture out with mom to take a break from wrapping and they went down the street to a store.  It wasn’t busy which was awesome.  Daddy of course was looking around with mommy.  That’s when mom found this package and started laughing uncontrollably inside of the store.  In fact, mom was laughing so hard that she couldn’t breathe.  Daddy didn’t know whether to call a doctor or an exorcist for mommy.  That’s when she finally got a hold of herself and described to daddy about this video.  Remember stores – it’s all about price placement and where NOT to put the sticker.  OMP – Now I have the giggles – rolls with piggy laughter.