Monday, November 30, 2015

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Family Members Gone

My uncle Bill died recently; we found out on the way to my recent Oklahoma City gig. Uncle Bill was a born-in-the-wool Hollander who moved to the States at age 3, along with his ten brothers and sisters. (The baby of the family, Bill died at 92, having outlived them all.)Their family homesteaded in South Dakota...where Uncle Bill met his bride, Wilmetta...my dad's sister. Apparently, Bill was walking by the open door of the classroom where Wilmetta was teaching. He turned and said to his friend, 'That's the girl I'm going to marry.' 
    They were together more than 60 years.  

Uncle Bill
From what The Mama said (she attended Uncle Bill's service in Michigan), their community had an interesting way for boys to ask girls out -- the girls would gather in a large circle, then the boy would hop out of his car and tap his chosen date on the shoulder. If she wanted to go out with him, she'd get in his car. This was the way, apparently, that my grandpa and grandma DeVries met! 
    The girlies' response to this was horrified: "Sounds like they're stalking, Mom." It sure wasn't the way people did in my high school. But then again, very few of them were reserved, quiet...and Dutch.
     It's hard to see family members who you knew so well as a kid, moving on. Uncle Bill was a kind man, known for his love for his kids and wife, and his work ethic. His daughters especially will miss him; he loved them dearly, and loved to tease them. 

     We lost another relative last week: our aunt, Mary Pat Brick, in Billings, MT. Pat met her darling Bill while she was in kindergarten, and had never ceased to miss him since his death from cancer decades ago. But she loved her daughter and son, and her grandson Miles. She was a wonderful, kind woman, and we loved her. Pat was a little over 90 and in poor health; daughter Jane was she was happy to go. But we will still miss her.

Yes, the New England Patriots got handed their lunch by the Denver Broncos. And don't believe all the whining about "well, they had to play in a blizzard." It wasn't snowing THAT hard. Goooo....Broncos!

A thoughtful look at how quilting mixes with faith. (Click on this link, then click again on Pomelia Wasdin's talk. Yes, she mentions some things I said -- but most of this is her take on the subject. Wonderful.)

Wearing a LIVE turtle as a decoration? Apparently, they did do it -- or were urged to, at least -- according to this 1898 magazine ad. (Ewwww -- thanks to Karen Alexander for mentioning it.)

Yoko and John -- another viewpoint. An interview with someone who knew her well. And didn't admire her that much, either, because of it.

Some of the wackiest endings in college football. LOVE this stuff. In keeping with that...

The twenty richest quarterbacks in the NFL. And they're not necessarily the famous ones, either.

A $14.99 shelf that turns industrial...thanks to IKEA, boards and a little bit of elbow grease. (From Apartment Therapy) From this:



To this:





Unsolved mysteries of the American Revolution. Also from Listverse:

Ten gutsy kids who foiled their kidnappers. 

Where's Jefferson Davis' stolen quilt? (From Civil War Quilts)

Who knows what you'll find in Colorado, if you really look...

And this graphic has more truth to it than I care to admit:  (Thanks, Chris Rock)




Have a great week.






Saturday, November 28, 2015

Bunny Words

For those of you out there who LOVE puns...


Deer Dawn

Darling cousin Dawn Cumings is the latest family person to get their animal -- her Thanksgiving hunt produced a nice fat doe!
(As Dawn puts it: "our organic meat for the winter.")

Attagirl, Sweet Cuz.



I'm here, recovering from Turkey Day, work and a little bit of Sit Down and Rest-itis. It's been a long week. Hopefully you're getting some relaxing in, too.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Monday (ok, Tuesday) Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Gobble, Gobble

Had a wonderful time in Oklahoma City...and learned all sorts of rude Texas jokes! Seriously, these people are some of the nicest. We looked at a lot of old (and some new) Western and pioneer quilts...and even made a few Snowballs. (Fellow quilters will get the joke on that one.) 
    Huge piles of snow were at the start...and the finish. We also saw people and truckers pulling out their in-the-ditch vehicles here and there. (Yes, the storm was that bad in our neck of the woods -- nearly 2 feet of snow, though Denver only got about 3".) The roads were thankfully bone-dry throughout our trip.
    The Brick and I got home just in time for a pile of work...and the next storm, which is supposed to roll in on Thanksgiving. I have barely had enough time to look sideways at the turkey, which is thawing in the sink, let along think about baking the usual pay-can pi-eee. Oh well, it will all get done somehow. 

Nov. 17 was National Bread Day. To celebrate, here are celebrity sandwiches -- made up to look like celebrities! 

A simple -- and brilliant -- solution to a stained coffee table. (From The Boondocks Blog)

30 priceless one-liners. Including one from our buddy, Winston Churchill.

Stolen art -- including five cases where the art was recovered.

Another connected case -- hundreds of stolen art pieces found hidden in the apartment of the elderly son of an art dealer. (The authorities busted him while looking for money launderers, ironically.)

A beautiful wedding dress -- crocheted out of doilies!

Ten things under $10 to send your favorite missionary. Or out-of-town friend. Or family member.

Seven things learned during 7 years of blogging. (From Budgets Are Sexy) It's hard to believe, but next month will mark my 8 YEAR ANNIVERSARY of blogging!


Happy Thanksgiving to you, friends.

Is it safe yet? Can I hide in with the chickens?

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Dancing - Who Won?

From a September video posted by the Daily Star:
    The Houston Astros' mascot and a security guard get into it.

Wait for it, wait for it... wow.





Did two lectures today...class all day tomorrow in Oklahoma City. Glad I've got staffers to help out in Colorado -- even so, Charley the dog must be wondering where all this white stuff came from. (We're supposed to get another storm tomorrow.) I'm just hoping it melts off enough to get us home on dry roads. 

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

AIS Celebrates Autumn

Friend Constance teaches at the American International School in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Here's her school's take on their annual Autumn Festival. 



Gee...Colorado's got more than a foot of snow on the ground, courtesy of our latest snowstorm. 
   Can I come stay with you?

George and Martha Hold Forth

Another Skinner's auction with a backstory:  two handwritten notes from George and Martha Washington -- but with an unusual twist!


They were found among papers scattered on the library floor of Hope Park Plantation by a Union soldier in 1862, not long after the Confederates fled.
    Martin Stone noticed Martha's signature (see below) -- then, on another scrap of paper he picked up, George's (above). He mailed the notes to his home, which was fortunate; he then spent some time as a POW in a Confederate prison. He survived to return home.

The scraps of paper were eventually put in the back of a drawer and forgotten. Recently they went up for sale at Skinner's Auctions, by Stone's descendants.

Turns out that the plantation had, at one time, been owned by Dr. David Stuart, whose children and grandchildren were step-children and grandchildren of... you guessed it... George Washington. The two men had a close relationship, and the Washingtons were frequent visitors to Hope Park. When Stuart died, his home was purchased by the Barnes family, who owned (then temporarily abandoned) the plantation during the Civil War. At which point, Confederate soldiers move in...and trash the place. (Knowing soldiers, they were probably using Stuart's letters and notes as very expensive firestarters.)

More on this interesting story here. Washington's note, which was valued at $4,000-6000 pre-auction, went for $19,680. (Yes, the scrap of paper you see above.) Martha's was less -- only $15,990. (Pre-auction value: also $4000-6000. Somewhere, the appraiser who valued these has a slightly red face.)

    Be sure to wander through the lots; a number of astronaut-related items didn't even sell. But the Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning pieces, including manuscripts and presentation copies of their books, did very well. Sherlock Holmes' inventor, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, had an autographed postcard sell for nearly $450 -- not too shabby, either. A first edition of Dickens' Christmas Carol sold for around $4600. (A signed copy of same went for $15,500 and change, back in May of this year.)



Shades of the manuscript of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford, which was found in Canada, being used to wrap grocery purchases. (It most probably was grabbed by British soldiers during the American Revolution. Fortunately, someone noticed and bought up the pages; it ended up in a bishop's library in England.)

Which goes to show you -- unusual paper ephemera is still out there. If you purchase an old book or manuscript, don't forget to check!


See, George...I TOLD you we should be writing more.



Monday, November 16, 2015

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Heading Out, Heading Up

Oklahoma City's in our sights...but we've got Christmas choir practice, and some other work to get done first. I've got a big batch of appraisals to finish off, too. Colorado's supposed to get hit with a Really Big Storm again -- fortunately, just before we leave. (Our last RBS was 8", less in Denver -- big deal.) Hey, even better reason to stay inside and snug. Update: Yep, it's here...slippery and messy. As of early evening, about 5" -- and still coming down. See for yourself.

     The chickadees showed up when the hummingbirds left, around Labor Day. These tiny black-headed beauties have been sounding off their distinctive call, and bouncing in and around the junipers by the dining room window. I think they like the spicy berries. Meanwhile:

It's Ralph Moody's birthday today! If you haven't read this Western author's series of memoirs, starting with Little Britches, you're in for a treat. (Go here for even more.)

The Secret History of Medieval America. Or, in other words, how rich Americans bought old European monasteries and other buildings, then had them crated and shipped to the States... (From Atlas Obscura)

Income profiles of financially free people. Or, in other words -- you don't necessarily need a big salary to be financially independent -- just some willingness to experiment. (From Financial Samurai)

The millionaire [liar] next door. (From Budgets Are Sexy)

Pancake bacon dippers. Don't laugh -- these are really quite tasty, according to Who Needs A Cape.


Homemade onion soup mix -- you can use this stuff everywhere, from meatloaf to chip dip. (From Good Cheap Eats)

The secret world of free stuff -- and how to get it!  (From Sarah Titus)

50 Christmas presents that cost $10 -- or less.  (From the Penny Hoarder)

31 genius facts about Jim Henson -- puppeteer extraordinaire.  (From Mental Floss)


Ten little-known Americans that affected history, anyways. Including Mr. Wizard, and a guy who REALLY believed in Chairman Mao. (From Listverse) From the same site:

Unanswered questions from WWII. Including one I've always puzzled about -- why didn't Hitler order an attack on Dunkirk while all those soldiers were being evacuated?

Ten influential things that happened in the bathroom. (No, I do not make this stuff up.)

And while we're on the Weirdmobile:

Harvard owns at least one -- and most probably more -- books bound in human skin. So what are subjects? Roman poetry and philosophy, among other things.

Have a great week.


Sunday, November 15, 2015

An Unusual Tankard -- And Its Backstory

I have been meaning to tell you about a silver tankard recently auctioned at the Skinner Galleries.

This intriguing piece is typical mid-18th century; what isn't typical, though, is its inscription:
   "The Gift of John Swan who Died/May 1 1743 AE 75 to his Son John Swan."



This is the same John Swan who married Susannah (or "Hannah") Eastman -- a woman who had to deal with captivity not just once, but twice by Indians. The first time, in 1676, her husband was killed, their house burned, and she was held by the Indians two years. Soon after her release, she married "Crazy headed" John Swan; the couple eventually had seven children.
     The second time Indians attacked, in 1708, Susannah (and presumably John)  managed to fight them off -- the story goes that she stabbed one of her would-be abductors with a fireplace poker as he entered the house.

According to an early 19th century note left by a descendant:

“when a Child [John] had a little drum which he beat uppon when the indians attacted the house of his father as it was the mother of my grand father they wanted as they had murdered he first husband a taylor and one Child and they took her prisoner and kept her on year and ten months when he escaped in exchanging prisoners She came to haveril then Wido where she married this Crazy headed John Swan…”

Poor girl...

Soon after the second incident, Susannah and John moved to Stonington, Connecticut. (Can you blame them...) After John's death, the tankard came to his son John, their firstborn.
     
Thus the inscription.

Read more here. 

(P.S. It sold for $6,765 -- slightly more than the pre-auction top estimate: $4000-6000.)


Silver Tankard, detail
Silver Tankard, detail













Thursday, November 12, 2015

Headed to Oklahoma!

Yep. Next week, the Brick and I will be on our way to Oklahoma City...and the Central Oklahoma Quilters Guild. I've got two speaking dates there, one for the evening guild, and one for the daytime group -- and both are going to be on "Quilts With Secrets."



oooh....

This lecture is so much fun! Textiles really do hold secret keys to our treasured thoughts, including beliefs, loved family members and friends...and our opinions on any range of subjects, including death, politics, religion and... sex. (See, all the controversial areas are covered.)

I plan to mix it up a bit, so even if you attend both lectures, you'll be hearing something different each time.

Here's the info, from the website --

November 19 @ 10 am & 7 pm
Speaker: Cindy Brick
Program: "Quilts With Secrets"
November 20 @ 9 am - 4 pm
Workshop: Grandma's Quilt Pattern

The Grandma's Quilt Pattern workshop will be "Quilts of the Old West," which you can see here.

We'll be stitching five different pieced and applique patterns...and checking out a BUNCH of variations. As well as viewing a range of vintage and antique quilts that will Give You More Ideas. (I'm good at that.)

I'd love to have you join in. E-mail me at cindyjbrick@gmail.com, or stop in at the guild website for more specifics.





My Grandma Drove Like This...


(Thanks, Pinterest...)

Monday, November 9, 2015

Watching Libby Sew

Remember our old friend, Libby Lehman? 




It has been more than two years since Libby's stroke...and subsequent slow recovery. (You can find more here, as well.) But I am glad to say that the woman who the doctors said would not walk again...well, she has.

And she's talking.

And going places. Her CaringBridge journal entries show that, including a recent trip down to Houston for the International Quilt Festival.

And sewing again.    Ricky Tims' recent visit had something to do with that:




Her birthday is Nov. 12. Wish her a happy one!

I'm sending her a birthday card...hope you will, too:


Libby Lehman
7618 Jordan St.
Houston, TX  77017

Best wishes and prayers go with you, friend. Keep getting better...




Sunday, November 8, 2015

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Why Can't I Be More Pushy?

...to myself, that is. 
      It has been a difficult fall for the Brick and yours truly, between retiring, job demands and a combination of other things. Now that life is starting to smooth out (especially getting used to this retirement thing), I find myself just wanting to doodle around -- play with the dogs, make biscuits, mess around with fabric, etc. etc. (I have been finishing up the restoration jobs, at least.) Working seems like, well...work. 
    I need to push myself, nonetheless. There's lots of stuff to take care of:
    Paperwork for the business -- just a little
    Daffodil bulbs planted before the ground freezes solid. (We get more snow Wednesday.) 
    The chicken coop shoveled out. 
    A series of articles worked out on the Brick's retirement experience. 
    At least one class sample stitched up. (Not to mention a bigger quilt I have in mind.)
    The house is a mess -- piles everywhere. 

      I leave next week for a teaching job in Oklahoma City, and wonder of wonders, the Brick will be driving with me. (More on this shortly.) It will be great fun, and I'm looking forward to it. If only this needed work gets done first!

If you feel financially stuck -- you may not be as badly off as you think. (From a blogger I hugely admire, Donna Freedman)

Heating your house for free -- or almost: firewood.  (From Pretend to Be Poor)

Bacon and Broccoli Egg Bake. Easy, healthy...and fast. (From Good Cheap Eats)



Roman artifacts -- including streets -- found in London. Quite a few have been found in recent years. (Don't miss the slideshow on recent archeaological discoveries.)

23 ways to extra money for Christmas. (From College Investor)

Grandma shreds nearly a million euros in cash, and cuts up her savings account books -- because she didn't want family members to inherit. (The joke was on her -- the Austrian government said they'd replace the cash.)

Seven reasons your co-workers might consider you peculiar. (Not that you'd care... from Money Beagle)

Fabulously frugal freezer recipes. (From Frugalwoods)

Donating art to nonprofits...and taking the tax deduction.

Why is it so hard to ask a fee for what your work is actually worth?  (From Financial Samurai)

A tiny house for a thousand pounds? (It's not that much in US dollars, either. From Tiny House News)


and in that vein...

The best tiny travel trailers.  (From Apartment Therapy)

Valuing Georgia O'Keefe's estate -- and those values were affected by 'blockage.' Personal property appraisers out there, you're going to be interested in this one. (From Appraiser Course Associates)

Have a great week.



Veteran's Day's Coming

...it will be here on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Don't forget to honor your favorite veteran...they've done so much for our country.

I know this firsthand, with several uncles who served in the military, plus my dad (Korea), my father-in-law (WWII and after), two brothers-in-law who were career Navy and Air Force, respectively...

and my darling Brick, who put in 6 years with the Navy before he and I met almost 34 years ago.




Plenty of companies, especially restaurants, are offering specials to those with military service, past and present --
       Here are 100+ items with various discounts and freebies.

We'll be taking advantage of one of the two we knew about --

Country Buffet is offering free lunch for veterans.

Golden Corral is offering free supper for vets. 
   (They actually do a lot more than just this -- click on the link to find out.)

I may have to go along, and keep the Brick company! 


For those of you in the military who have given your time, energy, effort, lives and health...

THANK YOU. Your fellow countrymen are grateful.





P.S. For a gripping wartime movie, try Against the Sun, about three men who survived 34 days on a raft after their Douglas Devastator warplane sank in 1942. Amazing. 




Saturday, November 7, 2015

Operation Christmas Child

Ever since our kids were young, we've made up a box or two each year for Operation Christmas Child, the brainchild of Franklin Graham, the founder of Samaritan's Purse.

You start with a shoebox -- then fill it with goodies you think a child would enjoy.
    (Our box this year, for a girl 5-9 years old, included toothbrush and toothpaste, a jumprope, jacks, three little baby dolls, colored markers, toys...and a candy bracelet.)


A $7 donation gets it on its way...and in a new program this year, actually tells you where your package will be sent! I love this...have always wondered where our boxes ended up.

The collecting week is Nov. 16-23, but the folks at Samaritan's Purse would be thrilled if you'd get your box delivered sooner. Check in your area -- many churches and social groups have collecting points.

It's an easy way to share our many blessings with others...and know that our gifts and donations actually reach them.
    For more on Operation Christmas Child, go here. 




Thursday, November 5, 2015

First Snow!

It happened on Thursday morning, for 20 minutes. Mixed with rain and sleet the rest of the morning. (We get so little moisture that every drop is welcome.)

Seasonally, it was wayyyyyyy later than usual. 

The Mama called. Her Michigan weatherman is bragging about the mild weather they'll be having, thanks to El Nino.

Our weatherman is saying just the opposite: that Colorado and parts West are really going to rack up the snowfall this winter, thanks to El Nino.

Really? Even though we've had one of the mildest autumns I've ever seen?

The only way to know for sure is to live through it. Here goes...










Winston Churchill At His Word--

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."





More than 500 quotes here from the Great One. He was quite prolific -- and very aware of the power words could produce. 


Here are other Winston quotes that resonate:

"Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts."

"If you are going through hell, keep going."

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."


and one of my very favorites:

"Writing is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public." 


I look at that one, every time I start working on a new book. 









Adventures in Eating Cheap

...especially now that we're facing our first snowstorm.

The garden has continued to fitfully produce. I cannot remember the last time in late October that I was still picking beans! The chard loves this cooler weather, and has just burst into leaf. I planted "City Lights," which comes in several vivid colors, besides just green.

This is chard -- crunchy in salads, but holds up to scrambled eggs and stirfry, too
It will be interesting to see if it can handle the cold. I've heard of it lasting through the winter...maybe we'll have chard on our Thanksgiving table!

We need greens not only for ourselves, but the chickens. Vegetables and fruit help them kick out those delicious eggs, and keeps their feathers and eyes bright and healthy. I can't pick lettuce for them anymore...but cabbage is still available, as are peppers and cucumbers. (The latter are 48 cents each at our local Sprouts.) The star of the show, however, has been pumpkin -- especially the carved versions our neighbors and friends are glad to trade now for a dozen eggs. Our chickies LOVE pumpkin, and will reduce it to a pecked shell in just a day.
    Neighbors (and friends) down the street have rabbits in their backyard, and an understanding with a local market to pick up discards. They often generously share with us -- and the chickies. (And yes, some of those goodies end up in my soup pot, as well. A long simmer does wonders.)

I still use some of the same tricks I've mentioned before, but have been employing a few others, lately:

*The election board -- where the Brick and I have been opening envelopes and checking signatures for the past few weeks -- has been chockfull of snacks, set out to encourage its tired staff. (We were putting in 11-plus hours on Election Day -- the Brick didn't get home until after midnight.) I am not a big fan of cookies, but the Brick is. Instead of eating them all week, I've been taking my share of the goodies, and stashing them away, instead. I save calories, and the Brick gets something special with his afternoon coffee.
    They also had box lunches for supper last night...with plenty of leftover boxes after everyone had eaten their fill. We weren't the only ones keeping what we couldn't eat (like half of our very substantial sandwiches, plus that ubiquitous cookie), and even were able to get an extra.
     That extra box made for a delicious -- and fast -- supper tonight, along with a bowl of clam chowder. It was much welcome; our last envelopes were filed around 5 p.m., and we were both exhausted. Plus it was gray outside. And raining. And dreary.
    Which brings up another savings:

*Eat only half. If you're at a restaurant, ask for a take-home container -- and stash half your entree or sandwich right away, before you have a chance to eat. (Haven't you been wanting to cut back and lose a little weight, anyways?) Fill up with veggies or fruit, instead -- or even two cups of coffee, instead of just one. It feels strange, at first, but will soon become habit. That doggie bag will make lunch...or its contents can be supplemented with rice, noodles or potatoes for your next supper.

*Make your meat go further. A roast of beef made for good eating Sunday, then was sliced thin for sandwiches and hot beef sandwiches...which used up the leftover gravy. Marked down ($3.59 pound in the discount bin), it's made three good meals -- and will do at least three more. In other words, $12.50 divided by 6 will make a very reasonable $2.08 for both of us per meal. (And we're eating MEAT.)

*Vary your meat when it doesn't matter. Burgers can be made from ground turkey, beef, pork or chicken. So why not get whatever's cheapest...or most nutritious?
     Another possibility is Sloppy Joes, a golden opportunity to Add Stuff. (This recipe is a good one, and makes the sandwich below.) Get away with less meat, by mixing in rice, beans, chopped onion and vegetables. (Makes them healthier, too, particularly if your family are not veggie-lovers. Our dogs do not like carrots -- but will snap them up, mixed in with Joes.)
     Fast, delicious -- and relatively painless when served on discount buns. (Or make your own rolls.)


This one...


...not this one.
That, at least to me, is way better than serving turkey gizzards for dinner,

*Using what we've got. The gracious Powers That Be decimated the Brick's first retirement check by holding back two months' worth of insurance premiums. Fortunately, we've got plenty of canned goods and frozen stuff, augmented by fresh elk (thanks to Daughter #2's partner Keith) and some other things found on sale. Relying on these items, as well as cooking at home, will keep our bills paid this month. (I've already got nearly all the Christmas presents, as well -- and 75% off Halloween candy will top off the Christmas stockings.)

*Every bit counts. Our leftover beef will go in the soup pot, along with diced potatoes, snagged at $1.49 for a ten-pound bag from a sale last month. (The rest will appear as baked potatoes -- cooked with a slice of bacon or a handful of cheese in the squeezed middle -- or mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving.) I'll add a carrot or two (50 cents/lb) and the rest of the chard -- plus a beef bouillon cube or a little mushroom soup for heft. The result will make at least two meals, with leftovers for the dogs. Delicious.
     (My Holiday Goodies blog has a number of recipes for soup -- and other budget-savers.) 




I'm already looking forward to tomorrow morning's breakfast, of fresh scrambled eggs and hash browns, a little cheese -- slathered inside a warm tortilla.

     We can stay home tomorrow in a snug house...and enjoy it. No more elections! 




Monday, November 2, 2015

Dog? What Dog?




from Pinterest...

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Voted Yet?

It's still mild here, in spite of a light frost or two. Hardly a drop of rain, in spite of threatening clouds and fresh snow on the mountains. Doesn't matter much, though, because the Brick and I have been staying inside all week to count ballots and check signatures. We have a few more days, then it's back to our regular lives. Which will be kind of nice. 
    If you haven't voted yet, it's not too late to do so. The United States is lucky to be able to speak its mind this time of year. Sure, things happen that we don't want. (Not all Coloradoans voted for the marijuana initiative, after all!) People get elected that we don't respect. But now and then, things do improve. And you have no right to comment if you did nothing. 

    Be sure to vote by Tuesday evening, fellow Americans. Meanwhile:


The Kansas City Royals win the World Series decisively, with a final game: 7-2.

(The Broncos didn't do too bad, either.)



Good advice from Bill Watterson. I am a big fan of this guy, and his friends Calvin and Hobbes.

"The people I blocked on Facebook" -- and why. (From Money Beagle)

How drones helped save a missing horse's life. (This one comes from my neck of the woods.)

Interesting uses for a yellow tennis ball...especially if you like smiley faces. (From Pinterest)



Down she went...Diary of a Stay-At-Home Mom rattles on. (And I love it.)

Eight low-calorie (well, sort of) goodies you can make with leftover Halloween candy. Including mini Snickers pies...like the ones shown below. (Thanks, Hungry Girl.)


What the super-rich eat for breakfast.

Looking toward November: its delights and duties. (From Living Rich on the Cheap)

And finally, from Mental Floss...misconceptions about pirates!  (Just guidelines, really.)






Have a great week.



Monday Stuff On the way to Other Stuff: Meltdown

     The nice thing about Colorado is that we have these horrendous snowstorms -- and within a few days, they're melting off -- fast. Al...