Uncle Larry's funeral service will take place Monday, January 3, 2011 at St. John Catholic Church in Ennis at 10 am. The viewing and Rosary will be held Sunday January 2, 2011 at J E Keever Mortuary in Ennis from 4-6 pm. (Rosary at 5 pm in the Mortuary Chapel)
The address for Keever's is 408 N. Dallas Street Ennis, TX 75119. Their phone number is 972-875-3891.
St John Catholic Church's address is 401 E. Lampasas Ennis, TX 75119. It's on the corner of Lampasas and Paris...down from the KJT Hall.
Kelly
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Uncle Larry
Please keep the Haskovecs in your prayers. As many of you know, Uncle Larry had an ulcer rupture on Monday and was hospitalized in Waxahachie. He's being moved to Baylor Dallas today where he can receive better treatment and dialysis. He also has pneumonia. I'll keep everyone updated via my blog and FB as I receive updated information. Theresa is holding up okay and the girls are with her.
Kelly
Kelly
Monday, December 27, 2010
Awesome Christmas, Holding Baby Jesus By The Leg, Kidney Stones and Benadryl Comas.....
We had a really busy Christmas! Between Mass, kidney stones (my stepson), runny eggs and the subsequent Bendadryl OD as well as tons of food, a Trivial Pursuit match that had us rolling, and Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog, we had a fantabulous Christmas!
Off we went to Mass; Paige, my mom and dad and myself. Paige was playing the part of Mary and when it was time for her to go up there with Joseph and baby Jesus, she walked up to the altar with baby Jesus alright...holding him by the leg...LOL! We got her attention and told her to hold Jesus and she whispers back, "I know!" and we're all like, "then do it!". She would also look at us periodically and wink and blow us a kiss. So much for a nice, pure Mary!! Seriously, Mass was really nice and I'm glad we went. It means a lot to me to go to Mass with Paige every Christmas Eve. Gary, Tyler and Zoe try to see his grandmother every Christmas Eve, so this is our thing that we do together. We got home and I had enough sense to start dinner earlier, so all I had to do was make the peas and finish the spinach my sister started. I am going to get the links to each of the recipes in order to share them. I made Nigella Lawson's Onion and Sage Chicken and Sausage Bake, Roasted Potatoes and French Peas. I made Ina Garten's Grown Up Mac and Cheese. I don't want to get any flak for reprinting, etc - so I'm going to just share the links. The Nigella recipes are fantastic and easy to do during the week. I actually did my own version of the chicken and sausage dish, so if I can remember everything I used, then I will post it on my blog. The sauteed spinach I made is easy and it could be about 15 people's recipe! Dice four slices of bacon and brown them in a Dutch Oven. Once browned, add two diced shallots and 2 diced garlic cloves; saute over medium low heat until tender. Add four bags of prewashed baby spinach, a drizzle of olive oil and stir to coat. Put the lid on and let the spinach wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg. Squeeze a lemon over the sauteed spinach if desired and serve. Pretty easy!
While we were eating dinner, Tyler walks into the dining room and announces that he has a kidney stone. Someone asks him how he knows this and he informs us that he "peed brown" and that's what happened last time. We tell him to lay off the cokes and drink some water and cranberry juice. We also tell him to take it easy on the cranberry juice since we are using that to make our Poinsettias in the morning :) He goes to bed and wakes up Christmas morning in excruciating pain. Gary takes him to the Ennis ER where they confirm that he has a 3 mm stone between his kidney and bladder. So, they give him a bunch of fluids and pain meds and send him home. He came home and ate an assload of pancakes, so he was obviously feeling better. He told me earlier today that he thought he passed it. I asked him if he was going to lay off the milk and cokes.....he said he would. We'll see!
After dinner, we tracked Santa via NORAD and sent the little crackheads to bed. Gary, Courtney, Gammy and I settled in for our annual game of Trivial Pursuit. As expected, Gary did not disappoint. He managed to pronounce "impotent" as if he were saying, "im-PO-tint" and we couldn't stop laughing. Then, Courtney said the aliens in Blade Runner were called skinjobs and my mom's next question was about the song "One Night in Bangkok. It just went downhill from there and we kept getting more and more perverted and twisted. Courtney and I finished tied for 1st, Gary 2nd and Gammy in 3rd. We had a fun time drinking our spiked egg nog and trash talking each other. My dad slept through all of the laughing and hollering, poor guy. My mom and I got the rest of the kids presents wrapped and then we went to bed. I'm such a craptastic mom. I didn't even put nametags on their gifts. I was like, "screw it....I'll remember whose is whose." Right....Zoe was opening P's....P was opening Zoe's....oh well...they got it worked out :) My mom bought me two new cookbooks - Nigella Lawson's Nigella's Kitchen and Tyler Florence's new cookbook. They are both full of some great recipes that are quite different from what I normally cook. Still, I'm looking forward to trying out the recipes. The Nigella cookbook is full of comments and stories from her and most of them are pretty funny.
After the kiddos opened presents Christmas morning and Gary took Tyler to the ER, we started making breakfast. I made blueberry, apple and plain pancakes and scrambled eggs. My mom made Ina's Herb Baked Eggs and we also had toast and bacon. First of all, I have a bizarre protein allergy and all of my chicken, pork and eggs have to be cooked completely. I love a good over easy egg just as much as the next person, but they don't like me and trouble tends to follow should I indulge. Therefore, I eat what my mom calls "hockey pucks". Well, one of the herbed egg dishes had two eggs that were pretty firm and one still a tad runny. I said what the hell and ate them figuring it would either not bother me too much, or maybe a little and I'd just take a Benadryl. Well...it kind of bothered me a lot and I had to take one. I managed to stay awake for about an hour and then I lapsed into a Bena-Coma for three hours. I woke up, put on a clean pair of pj's and slept for another four hours. I finally woke up, ate some cheese and crackers with Gary and had a few glasses of wine and we watched The Town, which by the way is very good. We went to bed around midnight and I slept until 11:30. I think I finally slept it off! We went to the Hall last night and had a great time visiting with friends. A couple of Jack and Cokes and I was back in business :)
When I got home tonight, I made a few pots of soup; my chicken soup and I made a hearty winter soup. I was really pleased with how the winter soup turned out. The recipe is below:
Cadillac Cowgirl Hearty Winter Soup
2 T Olive Oil
1 T Butter
2 Large Shallots, diced
5 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 14 1/2 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes (do not drain)
2 19 oz Cans Cannellini Beans, drained (if you can't find the 19 oz cans, use the regular size)
1 Bag Prewashed Baby Spinach
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Kosher Salt
2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
Rind of Parmesan or Gruyere Cheese, plus cheese to grate over the top
4 Cups Water
French or Multigrain Bread
In a large soup pot, melt the butter and olive oil. Saute the shallots and garlic over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except the bread, stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow to boil uncovered for a few minutes, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the soup simmer 25-30 minutes. The rind of the Parmesan or Gruyere cheese is optional, but it really adds a lot of rich flavor to this soup. Taste before serving to make sure the salt and pepper is to taste. Ladle the soup over a piece of the toasted bread and grate the cheese over the top. Enjoy with a big glass of red wine and a nice fire!
Well, my hubby has had to work in the field the past week and he was back out there today. He got home late, ate a bowl of soup and is snoring in the recliner - where he's going to stay. I'm going to scoop the boys out of my lap and get into the bed. Paige is at Gammy's for one more night since her BFF is at her YiYi's tomorrow. I hope everyone had a blessed and happy Christmas. I know we did and I'm grateful for all that God has given my family. Have a drama free Tuesday :)
Spreading joy and kindness in all that I do....
Kelly
Off we went to Mass; Paige, my mom and dad and myself. Paige was playing the part of Mary and when it was time for her to go up there with Joseph and baby Jesus, she walked up to the altar with baby Jesus alright...holding him by the leg...LOL! We got her attention and told her to hold Jesus and she whispers back, "I know!" and we're all like, "then do it!". She would also look at us periodically and wink and blow us a kiss. So much for a nice, pure Mary!! Seriously, Mass was really nice and I'm glad we went. It means a lot to me to go to Mass with Paige every Christmas Eve. Gary, Tyler and Zoe try to see his grandmother every Christmas Eve, so this is our thing that we do together. We got home and I had enough sense to start dinner earlier, so all I had to do was make the peas and finish the spinach my sister started. I am going to get the links to each of the recipes in order to share them. I made Nigella Lawson's Onion and Sage Chicken and Sausage Bake, Roasted Potatoes and French Peas. I made Ina Garten's Grown Up Mac and Cheese. I don't want to get any flak for reprinting, etc - so I'm going to just share the links. The Nigella recipes are fantastic and easy to do during the week. I actually did my own version of the chicken and sausage dish, so if I can remember everything I used, then I will post it on my blog. The sauteed spinach I made is easy and it could be about 15 people's recipe! Dice four slices of bacon and brown them in a Dutch Oven. Once browned, add two diced shallots and 2 diced garlic cloves; saute over medium low heat until tender. Add four bags of prewashed baby spinach, a drizzle of olive oil and stir to coat. Put the lid on and let the spinach wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg. Squeeze a lemon over the sauteed spinach if desired and serve. Pretty easy!
While we were eating dinner, Tyler walks into the dining room and announces that he has a kidney stone. Someone asks him how he knows this and he informs us that he "peed brown" and that's what happened last time. We tell him to lay off the cokes and drink some water and cranberry juice. We also tell him to take it easy on the cranberry juice since we are using that to make our Poinsettias in the morning :) He goes to bed and wakes up Christmas morning in excruciating pain. Gary takes him to the Ennis ER where they confirm that he has a 3 mm stone between his kidney and bladder. So, they give him a bunch of fluids and pain meds and send him home. He came home and ate an assload of pancakes, so he was obviously feeling better. He told me earlier today that he thought he passed it. I asked him if he was going to lay off the milk and cokes.....he said he would. We'll see!
After dinner, we tracked Santa via NORAD and sent the little crackheads to bed. Gary, Courtney, Gammy and I settled in for our annual game of Trivial Pursuit. As expected, Gary did not disappoint. He managed to pronounce "impotent" as if he were saying, "im-PO-tint" and we couldn't stop laughing. Then, Courtney said the aliens in Blade Runner were called skinjobs and my mom's next question was about the song "One Night in Bangkok. It just went downhill from there and we kept getting more and more perverted and twisted. Courtney and I finished tied for 1st, Gary 2nd and Gammy in 3rd. We had a fun time drinking our spiked egg nog and trash talking each other. My dad slept through all of the laughing and hollering, poor guy. My mom and I got the rest of the kids presents wrapped and then we went to bed. I'm such a craptastic mom. I didn't even put nametags on their gifts. I was like, "screw it....I'll remember whose is whose." Right....Zoe was opening P's....P was opening Zoe's....oh well...they got it worked out :) My mom bought me two new cookbooks - Nigella Lawson's Nigella's Kitchen and Tyler Florence's new cookbook. They are both full of some great recipes that are quite different from what I normally cook. Still, I'm looking forward to trying out the recipes. The Nigella cookbook is full of comments and stories from her and most of them are pretty funny.
After the kiddos opened presents Christmas morning and Gary took Tyler to the ER, we started making breakfast. I made blueberry, apple and plain pancakes and scrambled eggs. My mom made Ina's Herb Baked Eggs and we also had toast and bacon. First of all, I have a bizarre protein allergy and all of my chicken, pork and eggs have to be cooked completely. I love a good over easy egg just as much as the next person, but they don't like me and trouble tends to follow should I indulge. Therefore, I eat what my mom calls "hockey pucks". Well, one of the herbed egg dishes had two eggs that were pretty firm and one still a tad runny. I said what the hell and ate them figuring it would either not bother me too much, or maybe a little and I'd just take a Benadryl. Well...it kind of bothered me a lot and I had to take one. I managed to stay awake for about an hour and then I lapsed into a Bena-Coma for three hours. I woke up, put on a clean pair of pj's and slept for another four hours. I finally woke up, ate some cheese and crackers with Gary and had a few glasses of wine and we watched The Town, which by the way is very good. We went to bed around midnight and I slept until 11:30. I think I finally slept it off! We went to the Hall last night and had a great time visiting with friends. A couple of Jack and Cokes and I was back in business :)
When I got home tonight, I made a few pots of soup; my chicken soup and I made a hearty winter soup. I was really pleased with how the winter soup turned out. The recipe is below:
Cadillac Cowgirl Hearty Winter Soup
2 T Olive Oil
1 T Butter
2 Large Shallots, diced
5 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 14 1/2 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes (do not drain)
2 19 oz Cans Cannellini Beans, drained (if you can't find the 19 oz cans, use the regular size)
1 Bag Prewashed Baby Spinach
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Kosher Salt
2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
Rind of Parmesan or Gruyere Cheese, plus cheese to grate over the top
4 Cups Water
French or Multigrain Bread
In a large soup pot, melt the butter and olive oil. Saute the shallots and garlic over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except the bread, stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow to boil uncovered for a few minutes, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the soup simmer 25-30 minutes. The rind of the Parmesan or Gruyere cheese is optional, but it really adds a lot of rich flavor to this soup. Taste before serving to make sure the salt and pepper is to taste. Ladle the soup over a piece of the toasted bread and grate the cheese over the top. Enjoy with a big glass of red wine and a nice fire!
Well, my hubby has had to work in the field the past week and he was back out there today. He got home late, ate a bowl of soup and is snoring in the recliner - where he's going to stay. I'm going to scoop the boys out of my lap and get into the bed. Paige is at Gammy's for one more night since her BFF is at her YiYi's tomorrow. I hope everyone had a blessed and happy Christmas. I know we did and I'm grateful for all that God has given my family. Have a drama free Tuesday :)
Spreading joy and kindness in all that I do....
Kelly
Friday, December 24, 2010
Feliz Navidad!!!!
Merry Christmas Eve everybody!! I'm sitting in my kitchen here in my warm house in the thriving metropolis of Crisp, Texas. My boys are in their cozy cave dog bed, the fireplace is going, the girls are running around like crackheads and my oldest is killing zombies. What more could a mommy ask for??? We've also been tracking Santa....I need a Gammy tracker, too. Paige keeps asking me when she's going to be here. The rain finally made an appearance as well. We've got Mass at 6 pm, a feast for dinner, cocktails and the annual Trivial Pursuit battled scheduled for tonight. I'm excited!
Our Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Morning Brunch are going to ROCK! For dinner we're having Roast Chicken and Sausage, Ina Garten's Grown Up Mac and Cheese, Roasted New Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach, French Peas and lots of bread!!! I'm also going to break out the Brie, Cheddar, and Stilton for a pre-dinner snack. For brunch in the morning we're having blueberry, apple strudel and regular pancakes, smoked salmon fritatta, Ina's Baked Eggs, Bacon and BREAD!!! YUM! I'm looking forward to a lot of great food, fun and wine :)
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with their friends and families. This really is a miraculous time of year. Seven years ago, I spent Christmas Eve and Day in the NICU with my little miracle baby born at 30 weeks. She has always been our Christmas miracle and while I'm thankful for her (and her conversations) throughout the year, I really count my blessings during the Christmas season. Regardless of your religion, there's a lot to celebrate this time of year. I love going to Mass each Christmas Eve with Paige and singing Silent Night, and lighting the candles. I love how she has such an unwavering belief that Santa will bring her exactly what she's asked for. I think about how fortunate and loved and blessed my family is and I thank God for keeping my family healthy and safe. I also pray that those in need have the love and guidance of God to get them through and keep them safe. I hope all of you feel the same love and warmth in your lives. Merry Christmas - be safe, be merry, and most of all...be jolly!!
Kelly
Our Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Morning Brunch are going to ROCK! For dinner we're having Roast Chicken and Sausage, Ina Garten's Grown Up Mac and Cheese, Roasted New Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach, French Peas and lots of bread!!! I'm also going to break out the Brie, Cheddar, and Stilton for a pre-dinner snack. For brunch in the morning we're having blueberry, apple strudel and regular pancakes, smoked salmon fritatta, Ina's Baked Eggs, Bacon and BREAD!!! YUM! I'm looking forward to a lot of great food, fun and wine :)
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with their friends and families. This really is a miraculous time of year. Seven years ago, I spent Christmas Eve and Day in the NICU with my little miracle baby born at 30 weeks. She has always been our Christmas miracle and while I'm thankful for her (and her conversations) throughout the year, I really count my blessings during the Christmas season. Regardless of your religion, there's a lot to celebrate this time of year. I love going to Mass each Christmas Eve with Paige and singing Silent Night, and lighting the candles. I love how she has such an unwavering belief that Santa will bring her exactly what she's asked for. I think about how fortunate and loved and blessed my family is and I thank God for keeping my family healthy and safe. I also pray that those in need have the love and guidance of God to get them through and keep them safe. I hope all of you feel the same love and warmth in your lives. Merry Christmas - be safe, be merry, and most of all...be jolly!!
Kelly
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Ramblings...
It's almost here...the end of the debt ridden holiday season!
How is everyone's week so far? Everyone finished with their shopping? Hell no....LOL!!! I think I'm finished...I'll have to double check. I do need to go grocery shopping for this weekend's feasts! I'm really looking forward to taking off Friday and staying home in my pj's, listening to Christmas music, cooking and drinking wine...ALL DAY LONG!!!!! Oh, and Christmas Eve Mass....LOL!!
So, I've been on the hunt for the perfect pillow. I wake up every morning with a headache and I've determined it's my pillow. I've tried firm, down, memory foam, tempurpedic knock off, crappy pillow, no pillow...you name it, my head has laid on it. Last night I spent some quality time at Bed, Bath and Beyond (my budget) and I think I found a winner. It's a firm down pillow and I woke up this morning headache free! Yay!! We also bought a new featherbed for our semi new mattress and I think that made a difference, too. Hopefully this is the beginning of a better night's sleep for me! I sleep with the snorer FROM HELL. I wear earplugs and I can still hear him. I can have my earplugs in, bedroom door shut and Gary banished to the living room and I STILL hear him. Tyler hears him too...so does Paige....I have witnesses.
Paige had her very first dental procedure involving laughing gas yesterday and she was not impressed:
Paige: Mommy, what does laughing gas do?
Me: It makes you relaxed and happy.
Paige: Okay......
An hour later:
Paige: Mommy, was that laughing gas supposed to make me happy?
Me: It was supposed to, why?
Paige: Because I'm not any happier than when I woke up this morning. I didn't feel happy at all. They should call it boring gas.
Kid drives a hard bargain when it comes to mood altering drugs! I feel sure she'll let the dentist know next time to turn it up a bit for her :)
I bought Paige some Justin Beiber pj's for her birthday. She wore them the other night and when she put them on, I saw that "Beiber" was written across her ass. I became physically ill. Can you imagine walking around with "Beiber" on your ass? She loved it, of course. She also drew a picture of them holding hands. Gag.
That's what I've had going on the last week. Christmas shopping, work from hell, more Christmas shopping, more T & B Hell, you get the picture. We did have an OUTSTANDING NOW Pod Christmas Party last Saturday at our house. There was a ton of food and everyone had a great time. It didn't hurt that the cocktails were going down easy, either! Last year, I hoped very loudly that 2010 would be better than 2009. Here's to hoping that 2011 will be better than 2010. The years are getting marginally better....I think I might make it.
I will have recipes to post either this weekend or Monday. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and is surrounded by their friends, family and lots of love. I know I will be.
Spreading my own special brand of joy and kindness......
Kelly
How is everyone's week so far? Everyone finished with their shopping? Hell no....LOL!!! I think I'm finished...I'll have to double check. I do need to go grocery shopping for this weekend's feasts! I'm really looking forward to taking off Friday and staying home in my pj's, listening to Christmas music, cooking and drinking wine...ALL DAY LONG!!!!! Oh, and Christmas Eve Mass....LOL!!
So, I've been on the hunt for the perfect pillow. I wake up every morning with a headache and I've determined it's my pillow. I've tried firm, down, memory foam, tempurpedic knock off, crappy pillow, no pillow...you name it, my head has laid on it. Last night I spent some quality time at Bed, Bath and Beyond (my budget) and I think I found a winner. It's a firm down pillow and I woke up this morning headache free! Yay!! We also bought a new featherbed for our semi new mattress and I think that made a difference, too. Hopefully this is the beginning of a better night's sleep for me! I sleep with the snorer FROM HELL. I wear earplugs and I can still hear him. I can have my earplugs in, bedroom door shut and Gary banished to the living room and I STILL hear him. Tyler hears him too...so does Paige....I have witnesses.
Paige had her very first dental procedure involving laughing gas yesterday and she was not impressed:
Paige: Mommy, what does laughing gas do?
Me: It makes you relaxed and happy.
Paige: Okay......
An hour later:
Paige: Mommy, was that laughing gas supposed to make me happy?
Me: It was supposed to, why?
Paige: Because I'm not any happier than when I woke up this morning. I didn't feel happy at all. They should call it boring gas.
Kid drives a hard bargain when it comes to mood altering drugs! I feel sure she'll let the dentist know next time to turn it up a bit for her :)
I bought Paige some Justin Beiber pj's for her birthday. She wore them the other night and when she put them on, I saw that "Beiber" was written across her ass. I became physically ill. Can you imagine walking around with "Beiber" on your ass? She loved it, of course. She also drew a picture of them holding hands. Gag.
That's what I've had going on the last week. Christmas shopping, work from hell, more Christmas shopping, more T & B Hell, you get the picture. We did have an OUTSTANDING NOW Pod Christmas Party last Saturday at our house. There was a ton of food and everyone had a great time. It didn't hurt that the cocktails were going down easy, either! Last year, I hoped very loudly that 2010 would be better than 2009. Here's to hoping that 2011 will be better than 2010. The years are getting marginally better....I think I might make it.
I will have recipes to post either this weekend or Monday. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and is surrounded by their friends, family and lots of love. I know I will be.
Spreading my own special brand of joy and kindness......
Kelly
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Always The Last To Know....And Other Observations....
Were any of you aware that Christmas Eve is basically a week away? I had no idea; no one told me it was coming so soon. :) Right?? Is anyone else horribly ill prepared for the holiday that comes the same time every year? I thought I had two more weeks until some poor fool informed me last night that I don't, in fact, have two weeks and I'm going to have to get off my ass and get to shopping.
I love Christmas, but I DETEST this time of year. Receivables are slow, people are cranky from all of the junk food they won't stop consuming, traffic is horrible and there is always somewhere you have to be or something you have to buy. It just wears me the hell out. We've got a great Christmas Eve meal and Christmas Day brunch planned, so I'm looking forward to next Friday and Saturday...if I can just survive until then :) I hope it's sort of cold so that I can have a fire going in the fireplace Christmas morning....that always makes me happy! I will have recipes to share as well, especially for Christmas Eve.
It's very interesting, to me at least, that when I make a comment about CASI it's viewed as, "Kelly's on us again." (not my words...someone else's) I guess that reiterates my opinion that CASI only wants to hear praise, never criticism...no matter how relevant or constructive it might be. CASI is just like any other organization and/or business in existence - there is ALWAYS room for improvement. Why does it seem that only the ones really lobbying for the improvement believe that while the individuals in the position to really lead the changes balk at the mere thought of innovation? There is more than one way to lead a horse to water...and get the same results. Why is that so hard for CASI to grasp? Is it because it still tries to hold on to how things used to be done? Is it because the membership really does have too much of a voice? That sounds really, really bizarre coming from me, doesn't it? Let me explain...as a business owner, input from my employees is important. However, we have rules and regulations that must remain consistent in order for our business to operate smoothly and with as little trouble as possible. I personally believe the best thing that could happen to CASI would be an overhaul of it's structure. Twenty-something years ago, the membership got together and worked to form a structure that was in the best interest of CASI at the time. Well, times have changed and maybe it's time for the present membership to work with the Board to revamp the structure and culture of CASI to make it more attractive in order to increase it's popularity. Maybe it's time to change how CASI is structured and operates. I feel as if CASI envisions itself as this large, somewhat global, charitable organization. If that is what it wants to be, then it's going to have to evolve in a way that will allow it to actually function as one on ALL levels...not just where it's convenient. I'm on a committee that is attempting to come up with a CASI policy. While I appreciate being asked to serve on this committee, I sometimes wonder why CASI has all of these committees. If there are straightforward by-laws and rules, and a BOD that enforces them...then why is there a need for a committee? It's like the Rules Committee. What does that really serve? If a rule has been broken, why does a committee have to submit a recommendation to the Board for action against that particular cook off or referee? Rules are not a bad thing. Enforcing them, and having consistent structure, isn't terrible, either. Maybe instead of forming a bunch of committees to recommend how the rules should be enforced, have clear cut rules that are followed by everyone, enforced by the Directors, and move on with a happy membership that knows what is and isn't acceptable...all of the time, for everyone and every cook off.
So, if the above statements are seen as "being on us again", then maybe "us" needs to put their big girl and big boy panties on and deal with it. Take the good with the bad, the criticism with the praise. The shit with the sunshine :)
The NOW Pod Christmas Party will be held at the Brignon Compound this Saturday. We're giving the Haskovecs a break this year and having it at our place. I thought about cooking this weekend in Temple with Tom and Sam, but I really need to finish Christmas Shopping. I'm so behind it's not even funny. I have managed to buy Eddie and Waylon new beds for Christmas. They are each getting their own burrow bed. I want to buy them a toddler bed in hopes that they will sleep in it instead of taking over my bed. You don't realize how much room 24 inches of weenie can take up :) Seriously....those small dogs can take up an entire bed! But they're so sweet....and so warm....they really are great sleeping buddies!
Fred is still doing really well. His chemo has been cut back and his water consumption has decreased. Now if we can just get some of the extra weight off of him. Wyatt has made a full recovery as well. And, he's a much happier dog. I guess that's what happens when you get your ass handed to you....sort of an attitude adjustment. He's also been taking Rimadyl for his hip dysplasia and that has also made a difference. I'm glad he's okay and I'm really glad his hips aren't causing him any more pain!
The next time my number is called for 1st Place Beans, I'm not going to claim it. Every time I win beans, I don't do shit in chili!! I just need three more points. I couldn't BUY a point last weekend....LOL!! Dr. Ray is back on the chili trail and he placed in both CASI and Elks at the Irving Elks Lodge last weekend. Hell Yeah!
I'm going to get back to work....joy.
Spreading my own special brand of kindness and joy...fa la la la la.....
Kelly
I love Christmas, but I DETEST this time of year. Receivables are slow, people are cranky from all of the junk food they won't stop consuming, traffic is horrible and there is always somewhere you have to be or something you have to buy. It just wears me the hell out. We've got a great Christmas Eve meal and Christmas Day brunch planned, so I'm looking forward to next Friday and Saturday...if I can just survive until then :) I hope it's sort of cold so that I can have a fire going in the fireplace Christmas morning....that always makes me happy! I will have recipes to share as well, especially for Christmas Eve.
It's very interesting, to me at least, that when I make a comment about CASI it's viewed as, "Kelly's on us again." (not my words...someone else's) I guess that reiterates my opinion that CASI only wants to hear praise, never criticism...no matter how relevant or constructive it might be. CASI is just like any other organization and/or business in existence - there is ALWAYS room for improvement. Why does it seem that only the ones really lobbying for the improvement believe that while the individuals in the position to really lead the changes balk at the mere thought of innovation? There is more than one way to lead a horse to water...and get the same results. Why is that so hard for CASI to grasp? Is it because it still tries to hold on to how things used to be done? Is it because the membership really does have too much of a voice? That sounds really, really bizarre coming from me, doesn't it? Let me explain...as a business owner, input from my employees is important. However, we have rules and regulations that must remain consistent in order for our business to operate smoothly and with as little trouble as possible. I personally believe the best thing that could happen to CASI would be an overhaul of it's structure. Twenty-something years ago, the membership got together and worked to form a structure that was in the best interest of CASI at the time. Well, times have changed and maybe it's time for the present membership to work with the Board to revamp the structure and culture of CASI to make it more attractive in order to increase it's popularity. Maybe it's time to change how CASI is structured and operates. I feel as if CASI envisions itself as this large, somewhat global, charitable organization. If that is what it wants to be, then it's going to have to evolve in a way that will allow it to actually function as one on ALL levels...not just where it's convenient. I'm on a committee that is attempting to come up with a CASI policy. While I appreciate being asked to serve on this committee, I sometimes wonder why CASI has all of these committees. If there are straightforward by-laws and rules, and a BOD that enforces them...then why is there a need for a committee? It's like the Rules Committee. What does that really serve? If a rule has been broken, why does a committee have to submit a recommendation to the Board for action against that particular cook off or referee? Rules are not a bad thing. Enforcing them, and having consistent structure, isn't terrible, either. Maybe instead of forming a bunch of committees to recommend how the rules should be enforced, have clear cut rules that are followed by everyone, enforced by the Directors, and move on with a happy membership that knows what is and isn't acceptable...all of the time, for everyone and every cook off.
So, if the above statements are seen as "being on us again", then maybe "us" needs to put their big girl and big boy panties on and deal with it. Take the good with the bad, the criticism with the praise. The shit with the sunshine :)
The NOW Pod Christmas Party will be held at the Brignon Compound this Saturday. We're giving the Haskovecs a break this year and having it at our place. I thought about cooking this weekend in Temple with Tom and Sam, but I really need to finish Christmas Shopping. I'm so behind it's not even funny. I have managed to buy Eddie and Waylon new beds for Christmas. They are each getting their own burrow bed. I want to buy them a toddler bed in hopes that they will sleep in it instead of taking over my bed. You don't realize how much room 24 inches of weenie can take up :) Seriously....those small dogs can take up an entire bed! But they're so sweet....and so warm....they really are great sleeping buddies!
Fred is still doing really well. His chemo has been cut back and his water consumption has decreased. Now if we can just get some of the extra weight off of him. Wyatt has made a full recovery as well. And, he's a much happier dog. I guess that's what happens when you get your ass handed to you....sort of an attitude adjustment. He's also been taking Rimadyl for his hip dysplasia and that has also made a difference. I'm glad he's okay and I'm really glad his hips aren't causing him any more pain!
The next time my number is called for 1st Place Beans, I'm not going to claim it. Every time I win beans, I don't do shit in chili!! I just need three more points. I couldn't BUY a point last weekend....LOL!! Dr. Ray is back on the chili trail and he placed in both CASI and Elks at the Irving Elks Lodge last weekend. Hell Yeah!
I'm going to get back to work....joy.
Spreading my own special brand of kindness and joy...fa la la la la.....
Kelly
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Just Thinkin......
I've had several random thoughts today. Here are some of the ones I can actually share.....
I think that I need to put some new pictures up on my blog. I've got some real gems of my child that I should share.
Fred is responding well to his chemo for Cushings Disease. His water consumption has decreased and that's a really good sign. He was drinking about five gallons a day and that has gone down quite a bit. Hopefully he's getting better. Poor Black Dog Fred.
I prefer to look at Christmas lights in my warm car, with my seat warmers on and a cooler in the back seat for cocktails. I'll pass on the horse drawn carriage rides where you look at lights and freeze your ass off!!!
If you are ever 15 miles from empty, and the voice in your head tells you to stop and get gas, listen to it. Otherwise, you end up in your bank while it's being robbed! Glad I stopped and got gas! I had just pulled up to the bank when it was all over. Damnit!!
Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce is delicious!
Okay, I'm going to piss some people off now. I think that if you drive a Lexus, Cadillac, or some other high dollar vehicle and you are a doctor, lawyer, or dentist and you live in one of the high end neighborhoods in Ellis Co., AND you send your child to a private Catholic school, then you should have your ass BEAT for whining about what you've been asked to purchase for a family in need. I cannot believe some people and if I wasn't worried about assault charges, I think I'd knock the shit out of some of them. I know that everyone is watching their money and things aren't great. But if you are fortunate enough to be in the group of people who don't have to worry, like the people mentioned above, then you are just a cheap asshole. I wish that I had more to give and I could help out more to make up for all of the other people who can and won't. Gary and I have struggled for most of our marriage and just over the past few years have we been able to take a deep breath a relax a little when it comes to money. Hell yeah I know how expensive it is to pay the mortgage, raise kids, buy groceries, and all of the other things that we like to do. It's not like these people are asking for weekend spa getaways. They are just asking for the basics to help make their lives a little better and for their kiddos to have a Christmas. That kind of shit just goes all over me.
Just because I hate Christmas music in November does not mean I hate Christmas :)
I'm going to go snuggle with my Peapod. I can't believe how big she's getting.....she'll be 7 years old on Friday. Time flies.....
Have a great evening. I'm going to finish my wine and relax by the fire.
Keep it real folks, no matter what tax bracket you're in,
Kelly
I think that I need to put some new pictures up on my blog. I've got some real gems of my child that I should share.
Fred is responding well to his chemo for Cushings Disease. His water consumption has decreased and that's a really good sign. He was drinking about five gallons a day and that has gone down quite a bit. Hopefully he's getting better. Poor Black Dog Fred.
I prefer to look at Christmas lights in my warm car, with my seat warmers on and a cooler in the back seat for cocktails. I'll pass on the horse drawn carriage rides where you look at lights and freeze your ass off!!!
If you are ever 15 miles from empty, and the voice in your head tells you to stop and get gas, listen to it. Otherwise, you end up in your bank while it's being robbed! Glad I stopped and got gas! I had just pulled up to the bank when it was all over. Damnit!!
Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce is delicious!
Okay, I'm going to piss some people off now. I think that if you drive a Lexus, Cadillac, or some other high dollar vehicle and you are a doctor, lawyer, or dentist and you live in one of the high end neighborhoods in Ellis Co., AND you send your child to a private Catholic school, then you should have your ass BEAT for whining about what you've been asked to purchase for a family in need. I cannot believe some people and if I wasn't worried about assault charges, I think I'd knock the shit out of some of them. I know that everyone is watching their money and things aren't great. But if you are fortunate enough to be in the group of people who don't have to worry, like the people mentioned above, then you are just a cheap asshole. I wish that I had more to give and I could help out more to make up for all of the other people who can and won't. Gary and I have struggled for most of our marriage and just over the past few years have we been able to take a deep breath a relax a little when it comes to money. Hell yeah I know how expensive it is to pay the mortgage, raise kids, buy groceries, and all of the other things that we like to do. It's not like these people are asking for weekend spa getaways. They are just asking for the basics to help make their lives a little better and for their kiddos to have a Christmas. That kind of shit just goes all over me.
Just because I hate Christmas music in November does not mean I hate Christmas :)
I'm going to go snuggle with my Peapod. I can't believe how big she's getting.....she'll be 7 years old on Friday. Time flies.....
Have a great evening. I'm going to finish my wine and relax by the fire.
Keep it real folks, no matter what tax bracket you're in,
Kelly
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