This picture is from Wikipedia. It shows the typical seasons – Spring, Summer, Fall and then Winter. That’s the way it’s suppose to fall. But this year, dear old Mother Nature is not playing fairly. Mommy says she needs hormone shots and daddy says she needs more dates with Father Time. I’m not sure which one is right. I just know that maybe she needs a kick in the butt. Yep, I said. I kick right smack in the middle of her captains quarters.
You see, this weekend is what I’m talking about. Saturday here at the Hotel Thompson we get up and it is beautiful. There’s no other way to put it. The birds are chirping (and that’s a story for another time – snorts), the sun is out, the wind is just right and the temperatures are in the 60’s. You couldn’t ask for a more gorgeous day.
Our neighbor Big Daddy had cut our yard and the back yard was spectacular. Thanks Big Daddy! We went out there and ran for a while. Mommy says it was for me to get some sun and I said I understood. Secretly I knew she wanted me to run some excess Winter weight off so I would sleep more deeply tonight. I’m good with that. I just wonder why she didn’t make daddy do the same. Double snorts.
It was a wonderful day. Lots of running, loving and snuggles.
Then BAM! What a change Sunday. Sunday brought us rain, cool weather and strong winds. We could actually sit inside and hear the winds! We all got up and had breakfast together. It was so damp and yuck outside that after breakfast, we all went back to bed. Now, I’m not hating days like this because usually, like this day, when we go back to bed we all get on the Select Comfort for a siesta. It was great.
Picture this. A king sized Select Comfort bed with two humans, one purr things, one pooch and a piggy. Snorts, Me and Houdini are a 65 with mommy on the Select Comfort. Daddy and Hemi are a 100. That’s just too hard for this little oinker. When we got up from our nap, it was still yuck outside.
Now, I’m telling you all of this for a reason. It’s suppose to be Spring but it still acts like Winter. I’m suggesting a new season called – Sprinter. You get it? Spring with Winter. So sometime today, tell someone Happy Sprinter. Then smile and remember my little story here. 🙂
Barks – mom did you call me? Cause I could have sworn I heard a wrapper – what was it? A piece of cheese? A cracker? Potato chips? I know you called my name – barks with puppy laughter. Mom started laughing at my picture. We were both taking a nap. Mom got up to go to the potty. I was comfortable so I stayed. I was sound asleep too. That’s when I swore I heard mommy call my name – HA! Mom did share a small piece of cheese with me in the end. See, I told you she called my name.
Hello Friends!! ❤ It’s that time for Shopping Around the World for March. For March, we are highlighting ‘go to’ meals that you always prepare when you have nothing else to do.
This one is right up mom’s alley for sure. Her ‘go to’ meal will always be some sort of chicken dish for sure.
In fact, she made her favorite ‘go to’ meal this weekend for all of us – and we all enjoyed it.
So without further ado, take it away mom!
You will need the following: four chicken thighs ($4.38); a pack of english peas ($0.88); salad mix ($1.00); salad dressing of your choice ($0.25); flour/spices/oil ($0.50) = Total cost $7.01 – Could possibly be a bit more 🙂
We all know how to fix your salad mix and peas so I will start with my ‘go to’ spice mix for my chicken. And although I’ve been using my air fryer a lot these days, I decided to go old school and do this chicken the old southern traditionally way. First thing – an iron skillet. Every good southern cook here in the south will have different sizes of iron skillets in the cabinets. Yes it makes a difference. Put that skillet on the stove to medium heat and pour some oil in it to heat. While it is heating, prepare your spice mix. In a mixing bowl, put two cups of flour. To that add: salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste (make it as hot or leave it out altogether). Mix it together. In another mixing bowl, add a touch of milk, two eggs, and again season well with salt, pepper and a touch of cayenne pepper. Mix it together.
Now clean your chicken. Then they are going to get all seasoned. Make sure your oil is hot. How do you do that? Take just a pinch of flour and sprinkle it in your hot oil. Does it bubble? Yes, it’s ready. No, give it some more time.
Take a chicken thigh and put it in the flour mixture, then to the ‘bath’ egg mixture, then (this is what a lot people forget) back to the flour mixture. Yes your fingers will be messy. Get over it. After the flour mixture, then the chicken goes into the hot oil. You should be able to put all four thighs in your pan. Then wash up those fingers. I usually do mine chicken around 10 minutes on one side and then flip to the other side for another 10 minutes.
Then serve with peas and a salad – there you go. Southern fried chicken at its best!
So yesterday during the great shopping expedition, I told you a funny how daddy got mommy. Let me tell you my friends, the laughter *never* ends. Trust me on this okay. The man knows NO boundaries. You don’t believe me huh? Okay, I’ll tell you the rest of the story of those two out unchaperoned.
There they were walking through the aisles. Mom had her list, checking items off and trying to keep daddy in line (which might I add is a full time job these days – snorts). So, they are in the area where the fresh vegetables and nuts were. Mom says to dad who is hanging off to the side looking at God only knows what, “Do you have nuts?”
Without missing a single beat daddy replies, “Yep, I have two of them” and continues what he is doing. In the meantime, there were two guys and a lady standing near them who overheard the entire conversation. They all burst out in laughter. And I have to admit it, when daddy told the story later I did the same.
Last November, mom/dad traveled to Chicago, Illinois. Or should I say, mom planned a trip and told dad absolutely nothing about it until the car came and picked them up at the Hotel Thompson the morning of departure. Mom had already packed everything for their adventure. Why Chicago? Well first up, my Aunt Tina lives there with my cousin Sherlock Bones. Second up, daddy has *always* wanted to go to Ditka’s Chicago. Are you asking yourself what is that? Well Mike Ditka is a former football player, was an awesome coach and a television commentator. He coached the Chicago Bears back in the day which was one of dad’s favorite teams.
In the next couple of weeks, we will be highlighting some of the food that everyone enjoyed during their trip to Ditka’s Chicago.
Have you enjoyed these past couple of weeks my friends sharing in mom/dad’s adventure at Ditka’s Chicago?
Today we leave with the best picture of them all – dessert.
On the dessert menu, it was so hard to decide on something to share.
And we had to share – we had so much food! We settled on peanut butter pie – licks lips. It had whipped cream, peanut butter mousse, chocolate and caramel sauces.
By splitting this wonderful masterpiece, mom/dad said they all had split the calories too. And they said it was wonderfully sinful!
And trust me, everyone had so much food! Look at all of the leftover boxes that they went home with to eat later ❤
Dear Bacon – You talk about having your own room. All 8 of us have to share a room and this is our kitty bunk beds. It gets kind of crowded and you really can’t stretch out… let alone snuggling up to any kind of a blanket or pillow. We even heard that the kitties at the Hotel Thompson sleep in a ‘real’ bed. Is that true?? Signed Eight is Enough
Dear Eight is Enough – WOW – that is a tall kitty bunk bed there. I would think that stretching out on the floor would be more freedom than confined to that little compartment. Is it first come, first served or is everyone assigned their ‘bed’? Make the best out of it my little purr things! Enjoy the moments in life where you can. P.S. Yes the purr things here get to sleep with mom and dad on their select comfort bed. Rotten aren’t they? … like I don’t know nothing about being rotten… snort.
Dear Bacon – I hear the “V” word… you know “vet”. I tried to hide but the master found me like this. What do you think I should do next time? Signed Hide N Seek
Dear Hide N Seek – Well first of all, next time hide under something that you can actually ‘hide’ underneath. Just because you can’t see your master doesn’t mean your master can’t see you. Follow me? But hey on the other hand, that is really a cute picture of your captain quarters – snort – LOL.
Dear Bacon – Sometimes the best things in life are when we sit back, relax and reflect on life. You know, don’t sweat the small stuff. I have a favorite rock that I like to sun myself on and reflect.
It helps me to keep stress free and ponder my life in general. Signed Pondering Ribbit
Dear Pondering Ribbit – WOW – Well you do look relaxed my green friend. I tried meditation in my bedroom. I just couldn’t get my mind to quit focusing on running and eating though.
Perhaps I will try again. Stay green my friend.
Dear Bacon – I’m the sheriff here in these parts. Bark Bark – you think I fit the part? I may be small but I’m a force to be reckoned with! Signed Walking Small with a Big Bark
Dear Walking Small with a Big Bark – I think you can possibly get away with it – you are just too cute with that hat on!!
And those big brown eyes, yeah, I would let you arrest me. Snort.
P.S. I’ve seen some political people on the television. I think you have a shot just like everyone else! Be firm but be fair – that should be your motto.
Dear Bacon – My master is always telling me, “Safety first”. Every time we go on a road trip, she straps me in. Other dogs don’t get strapped in. Signed Wanna be Free
Dear Wanna be Free – If all of the other barky things jumped off a cliff, would you? If they all got taken to the doggy jail…AKA pound… would you want to go too? Your human cares for you with all of their heart and doesn’t want anything to happen to you. I say go with it little man. Enjoy the extra treatment. P.S. I’ll try to hide this picture from my mom. The next thing I know, she will be buckling Houdini into a carseat like this.
Welcome my friends. I’m tweaking my weekly journey with my healthier living. It’s a step in the right direction for sure. I hope you come along for the ride. Instead of day-to-day comments, I’m going to post something from my personal journal to share. Hope you enjoy. Remember all of us go down this path and we are all in it together ❤
Week of 03/18-03/24/2018 – Week 11
“Dear Journal – Slow and sure wins the race. I think I’m going to start taking yoga again to relieve some stress. I did it before – nothing pretzel style – mostly stretching and doing what I can just to let things go. It seems like it might be a little hectic in the next couple of weeks. And I’m moving. Surprise. No, not the Hotel Thompson. I’m moving offices at work – giggles. It’s a good thing. Right now, my current office is the size of a postage stamp… who cares where the bean counter works huh? But soon… soon I will be moving on up! And when I say postage stamp, I really mean that. I don’t have a door. I don’t have any windows. I can literally stand in the middle of the office, stretch one foot out and touch the wall and stretch one arm out at the same time touching the other wall. I’ve never complained. I don’t need much and I’ve made my space homey. And I won’t believe it until I see it… a new office. WOW.
The Road Not Taken written by Robert Frost is one of my mom and dad’s favorite poems. They know it by heart and frequently say it to each other, each one picking up the next line until finished. I feel like I know it by heart as well. Sometimes mom will read it to me as a bedtime story. Everytime I hear it, I can picture what is on the road not taken. Can you? I posted what I picture at the end of it. Enjoy my friends!
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I marked the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
Barks! Do you ever play hide and go seek with your humans? I love that game! One day this week, mom came home from the worky place and I wasn’t in my usual position guarding the front door via the top of the chaise. It worried mom so she called my name. I didn’t come. So mom then went into immediate worry mode and went to find me. I was curled up under mom’s blanket in the big bed. I was just so tired from guarding the house that the time got away from me. That and of course I was warm and toasty from being under the blankets. Of course she had to pick me up and cuddle me while she walked around the house. Hey, maybe I should ‘hide’ like this more often… you think?
Miniature pot bellied pig and friends - Bacon, Houdini, Hemi and all of the Rock Clan with Journalist Rocky the Squirrel all out looking for adventures from the Hotel Thompson.
Piglove 