Pot Sticker & Dim Sum; you know, to protect the "innocent"

I think my doggies need undercover names, names to protect the innocent, well...if they were innocent.  These are nick names given to my little barking duo by my brother-in-law, one of my brothers-in-law (you'll just have to guess).

This summer has been a while in coming, but now that it's here, I'm afraid it came with a vengeance.  This inferno is just starting and we have another three months or so to go, I'm so excited, really....still not convinced? Me either. 

I am having a difficult time finding a way to bring comfort into our home with this raging inferno going on outside, and I'm too cheap to let the air run all day.  This is where the issue begins, I'm convinced.  I leave the air off, or leave it to only come on if it get's 80 or 85 in the house while I'm away.  Lately this has been an issue.  My doggies are alone all day here in their kennel, and once I come home they wake from lethargy to spin in circles and  bounce up and down to get outside which is a quick trip because after they get into that heat they beg to come back in.  This is when the mischief happens, and I miss it because I'm changing, or just stripping in our room instead of hanging out and watching the water bowl.  Except for this week, when I was on the phone talking with Melissa.  This is when I found the offender, and how the puddle of water ends up on my kitchen floor instead of staying in the bowl.

Dim Sum, yep, the never in trouble always good and cute dim Sum.  She was the culprit. Tossing water out of the dish like a crazy woman.  It was cute, except for the friggin' mess she keeps leaving on my floor. 

She's not as innocent as she looks

In my naivete I felt that the whole mystery had been solved in this discovery, and I had my eye on her.  I mopped the mess up, steamed the floor and continued on to make dinner and move along with the plans for the evening. 

I was reading quietly, waiting for my hubby to get home, and I ear it...splashing.  Like a doggie was digging in water, but Dim sum was sitting peacefully under the coffee table chewing on her rawhide.  Quickly I looked over to their water dish, and yes, there was Pot Sticker pawing away at the water.  Both of them! The little traitors, taking turns soaking the floor, and creating a lake in the kitchen. 

He looks calm, but really he's just recharging to continue the chaos

I have rethought my feelings of affection for the little monsters recently, now with them both conspiring to wreck my house.  It was bad enough with the continuous shedding and fur that has to be cleaned constantly.  I was also looking forward to a reprieve from cleaning the rainbow of mud that they drag into the house every time it rains, summer is dry after all.  But now there is anther seasonal disaster, water being tossed about my kitchen. 

I gave them both ice cubes to chew on, and chase around the floor. I have now contributed to the puddles of water on my carpet, how crazy am I?

Here are pictures of the Ice cubes from when Pot Sticker was a baby, to show you some of the cuteness that happens with ice cubes.

The Thin Man, and the newest development

The Thin Man goes Home

Nora Charles: Pretty girl.
Nick Charles: Yes. She's a very nice type.
Nora Charles: You got types?
Nick Charles: Only you, darling. Lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.

To watch two different trailers click here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025878/

If you know me at all, you know of my love of old movies.  One of my all time favorites is the Thin Man series.  It did not start out to be a series, but it gained a following and the main characters were just to fabulous to let go of. He is a retired sleuth, and she is a wealthy socialite who loves to get in on the action.  He is rather reluctant to take on these cases but he always finds the solution.

A favorite scene of mine, Nora begins to wonder if she could kill her husband, and he slowly removes the knife from her hands.

Of course this scene is another midnight thinking session, and she is putting herself in the mind of the woman accused.  See how she is cutting the bread, it's before the pre-sliced revolution.  You know the saying, it's better than sliced bread! It's before that phrase came about.  I'm so enamored with their interactions.  

Nora, Asta, and Nick Charles

Nora Charles: Pretty girl.
Nick Charles: Yes. She's a very nice type.
Nora Charles: You got types?
Nick Charles: Only you, darling. Lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.

Myrna Loy and William Powell

Nick Charles: How'd you like Grant's tomb?
Nora Charles: It's lovely. I'm having a copy made for you.

 To see more on the screen play:

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1336214809/ Here is the really awesome news, for those who like new movies. Johnny Depp, another of my favorite actors, is going to be in the new remake Thin Man Series!!! I am very excited to see how this unfolds, I think he will pull the character off very well.  But the leading lady needs to be refined, sassy, and flirtatious in such a way that really shows off their chemistry.  I love their interactions, and the way she tries to stifle back the giggles from some of the scenes, she is a fantastic actress portraying a great wife.  I don't talk abut marriage much, but if mine could be so flirty and fun all the time it would be perfect.  There was another film who paid tribute to Nick Charles as a character, can you guess?  It was an animated flick, still need more hints?  Hoodwinked, have you seen it?  Mr Flippers, the sleuth of that little flick has some similar characteristics of the Nick Charles character, sans alcohol.

The Thin Man, actually refers to the man missing, and not the sleuth Nick Charles

Okay I had to, I've included some of the memorable lines, just in case.

Nora Charles: [to Asta, as Nick and Asta are going out on a case] If you let anything happen to him, you'll never wag that tail again. 

___
Nora Charles: [suffering from a hang-over] What hit me?
Nick Charles: The last martini.

 ___
[Nick has revived Nora after knocking her out to keep her from being accidentally shot by Joe Morelli]
Nora Charles: You darn fool! You didn't have to knock me out. I knew you'd take him, but I wanted to see you do it.
Lieutenant John Guild: [laughs] There's a girl with hair on her chest.

___
Nora Charles: How many drinks have you had?
Nick Charles: This will make six Martinis.
Nora Charles: [to the waiter] All right. Will you bring me five more Martinis, Leo? Line them right up here.

___
Nick Charles: Now my friends, if I may propose a little toast. Let us eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
Nora Charles: You give such charming parties, Mr. Charles.
Nick Charles: Thank you, Mrs. Charles.

___
Nora Charles: Nick? Nicky?
Nick Charles: What?
Nora Charles: You asleep?
Nick Charles: Yes!
Nora Charles: Good. I want to talk to you.

___
Nora Charles: Take care of yourself
Nick Charles: Why, sure I will.
Nora Charles: Don't say it like that! Say it as if you meant it!
Nick Charles: Well, I do believe the little woman cares.
Nora Charles: I don't care! It's just that I'm used to you, that's all.


Okay, okay I'm done with the quotes, I could go on, but you should just watch the films so you hear how they lines are delivered.  Just to let you know, I'm not usually a fan of re-makes, but I'm hopeful for this one.  Irregardless I will remain an unabashed fan of this series.

Table Settings and other formailities

I like to have nice dinners, I'm used to them for Holidays.  Spending time with my grandma and grandpa (dad's parents) taught me to enjoy festive occasions with the good china, the good silverware, the pretty stuff.  We celebrated in style.  The kids had their table, and the adults had theirs, until we were older and  could behave well at the table with the parents.  I missed the kids table, but the formal dinning area was amusing and adventurous in our family.  Grandma would eat off the people's plats next to her, my father, uncle and grandpa would talk "shop", and the ladies kept the kids in line and had conversations between themselves.  There were moments of fights between my aunt and grandma, they loved each other but were both very strong willed and rarely ever saw eye to eye on anything. Conversations were loud, and rambunctious.  It was fun just trying to keep up with it all, let alone try and interject a comment or two.  This differs greatly from my husbands family dinners.  They are more casual, but also more mannered in their conversation.  There is no raising your voice over the conversation of others to be heard.  They will move or talk later to finish a conversation.  It is much easier to speak and be heard, but I miss the more elegant table setting.  So, when I host dinners, I do it with all the formal trimmings that I'm used to, and a few more at times for fun.  My husband thinks I'm nutty, and he teases me about it, but when else will we ever use the fine china? When else will we pull out the fancy linens?

me as a kid at the grown up table in the formal dining area.

I have learned one very important lesson in the death of my mother, and that is, life is short.  There are no more times to celebrate with her, those have ended.  So, now I celebrate the moments I have left with the ones I love with flair.  I want them to know how special they are, how important and loved they are, how this celebration is worthy of the good stuff.  They are worth the fine things, the extra attention to detail, even the extra effort in cleaning up.

My Sister at the kids table, the room behind her is the formal dinning area, this is the kitchen.

I now go all out when I invite friends over for tea as well.  It's easy for me to post recipes and pictures of friends and family, but sharing how I set it up and what goes into the planning, that takes more effort.  I can plan for a while on how, and what I will share, what food I will present, what table settings I will use.  These are the rituals that I enjoy, and savor but they are hard to explain.  I will do my best though.

Setting up for tea

A More informal Thanksgiving setting

Partially set Christmas ever dinner table, the tea cups were out of place but we did not have a bread plate.

I was watching a comedian with my hubby, Larry the Cable Guy go to visit interesting sites Only in America.   One of his stops was at the home of Emily Post.  Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy — Episode Guide — History.com Larry Makes Moonshine. (2011). The History Channel website. Retrieved 4:15, March 25, 2011, from http://www.history.com/shows/only-in-america-with-larry-the-cable-guy/episodes/episodes-guide.This was hilarious to me, Larry is not known for manners at all and Emily Post was the Etiquette Queen.  If you get a chance watch the episode, the family of Emily Post is continuing the legacy.
All of this started me thinking about how many people I know here in my circle, who are not familiar with formal dinner settings, or many other formalities that I was raised to know.  I thought I should share.  I do not have kids to pass this stuff down to yet, and so you reading have become my students in this post. I hope you will allow me to share.

The glass was moved on this place setting, and I'm still teased about the place cards. Everyone was family, but the holders are Christmas themed, and we only host the Christmas Eve dinner with family each year.

I love sharing recipes and other things, but the real satisfaction is from the whole package. I did Medifast, and although the food was nourishing, and my hunger was satisfied, I was never completely sure that I had really eaten.  I started to bring my lunch with real utensils, and cloth napkins, to aid in the appearance of an actually dining experience.  I am eating real, whole foods now, and I am truly thankful.  There are some things that make sitting down to a meal together, magical.  People talk, ideas are shared, there is a time to relax and just be in the presence of those we love and cherish.

Buffet Table Setting

Remember to use the utensils on the outside first and work your way in.  That is a helpful thing to remember if you are in a social setting where you are using unfamiliar utensils. 

Here are some links to help you if you need to brush up, or learn it new entirely.
Table Settings with cheat sheets. 
Tip of the day: Properly Setting The Table

Table Settings

Settings Tips
Entertaining Table Setting

Have fun entertaining, and hosting family events.  Use the good stuff, and savor the memories.

New Year's Eve, a bit late in posting

The three little girls, one of which is a part of our normal crowd and I've known since she was born.

not a great picture of me, but it was the better of the two.

My darling friends and family, here is the crowd we spent New Years Eve with.  We had a great time, the ladies talked, and the guys got some rest.

there was one lonely little boy, but he got to play video games

Later in the night there were naps taken, but no pictures were taken of those.

We wish you a blessed New Year.  I've posted my thoughts for this new year already, here: New Year's Resolutions....  So you can take a look and see if you have similar thoughts or not.  In any case it's a new year with new possibilities.  I hope your celebrations were wonderful and filled with fun.

Can you say...Murder?

I've been planning this last weekend for some time, and I love having friends over.  This party turned out quite a bit different than how I had envisioned it, very very different.  I have been thinking about whether I wanted to post pictures, or share this experience with the world, but I thought about the similarities between the planning for this party and my plans for life.  Neither one turned out how I planed, but the party was a great success and we all had a great time, and then I thought that's how my life should turn out as well. In the end, there should be laughter and although different than planned, it can be a wonderful experience.  PCOS knocked me for a loop, I was diagnosed after being married to my husband for three years.  This was not something I thought I would ever have to deal with, I had never had issues with loosing weight, but all the other signs were there but no doctor could figure out what was going on with me.  I have always been a positive person, although there are times when I have dark moods.

I've been reading others battle through this diagnosis and feel hopeless, and that is just to much for me, it would swallow me whole thinking that there was nothing that could be done.  I've been doing what I can to eat right, and exercise and just listen to to the wisdom of others. As you can see there are recipes and things that I have tried, and there are others that I don't like and have not posted.  I'm still unsure about the Shirataki noodles, praised by Hungry Girl, but I may grow to appreciate them eventually. 

So, back to the party. I had invited three couples, about a month in advance.  One of the husbands was immediately unable to come, and I was making adjustments to read the extra part for him.  Well, closer to the event another husband dropped, and then finally the night before the final  husband dropped out from sickness.  His wife found a replacement, and I had found a replacement for the previous player, both of these replacements were female.  This left my husband to be the only male playing a male character, and the rest of the party were all female.  He was also coming down with something, and so I left him bow out and rest.  Finally the night of the party and it was a girls night, we had a great time talking about all sorts of things beyond the Murder Mystery Characters and were quite comfortable with one another.  The evening was fabulous and now I'm looking at doing another.  The plans of mice and men sometimes go awry, and then we make the best of it and make it work.

And now another disaster, my computer didn't download all of my pictures from my camera but wiped the card clean, so I have lost all of the pictures that I did take that evening.
Here are some links to find Murder Mystery Games.  We played The Last Train From Paris.

How to Host a Murder Mystery Party Game

The Last Train from Paris

Dear Friend:
      It seems that the German troops are about to enter Paris. The roads south are a hopeless snarl. The trains are full, and one cannot find space aboard them. Yet to remain in the city under Nazi control will not be pleasant.
      This letter offers you what may be your last chance to escape.
At 5:00 p.m. on 13 June 1940, a government train under military guard will depart platform 7, Gare d'Austerlitz, for the relative safety of southern France. Attached to this train will be a private Pullman car and dining car. The accompanying transit authorization will see you past the military guard and on board.
      I do hope you will come.
      Who am I? Well, for the time being, I will not tell you. Think of me as someone much like yourself, a citizen of the world. There will be eight guests. I have listed them all below and, as you can see, they are a distinguished group. I will make it a party of nine.
      Do bring proper attire. We will dine elegantly. Our chef is the man who made travel by train a delicious experience, Master Lester ("Les") K. Arrgowe. Oh yes, each of the train cars has its own name: the lounge-dining car named "Délice" and the Pullman sleep car named "Désire."
      Don't be late. Miraculously, the trains are running on time.
     Number 9

CHARACTERS

KHOVER T. AGEANTE
A well-traveled and worldly individual, Mr. Ageante is seldom home in the British Isles due to the necessities of business travel. Distinguished, impeccably dressed and courteous to a fault, he is welcome in the finest hotels and restaurants in Europe. Yet there is an aura of mystery about him, and no one seems to know exactly what his business is or why he travels between Berlin and Paris with such regularity.
Costume Suggestions: Crisp, 1940s-style suit and briefcase.
PRINCESS IDELLE CHATTRE
A royal refugee driven to Paris by the advancing German troops, Princess Idelle is the sole surviving representative of the ancient and noble Chattre family. Those European rulers descend directly from Nonnes Taupe Chattre, who, in 1124, at the head of an army of fierce Northern tribesmen, conquered and carved out a small, heavily wooded land where his descendants now live. Despite her youth, Idelle is aware that she alone carries on the family line. Strong-willed and quick to anger, she is quite beautiful and, it is said, possessed of considerable family wealth safely invested overseas.
Costume Suggestions: Regal but not without style; jewels; crown and scepter might be a bit overdone, but acceptable.
MALCOLM R. CONNTINT
"Mal" is a soldier of fortune. Restless, cynical and secretive, he is well-known in Paris society; it is whispered that for some undisclosed reason, Mal cannot return to his home in the United States. Some say he killed a man; some say it was an affair of the heart; others say he makes his living in the active and thriving black market of Continental Europe. Whatever the truth, Mal is a welcome participant in Paris high society where his worldly toughness stands out against a backdrop of leisured affluence.
Costume Suggestions: Gangsterish; dark shirt and suspenders, white tie, fedora.
MARY K. TRAIRIE
A journalist for a large metropolitan U.S. newspaper, Mary has lingered in Paris to send the true story of the war in Europe home to her readers. She has interviewed men in the street, soldiers and generals, ministers of state and celebrities. Her articles are published in metropolitan papers across the United States under the byline Mary Trairie, but those who know her past remember her as little Mary Kohn, daughter of the late Augustus Kohn, journalist, publisher and newshound. It was Augustus who said, "There's them that wants news and there's them that wants truth. Don't ever confuse one with the other." Mary was briefly married to a young city editor named Harold Trairie, but it didn't last. She has kept Harry's name, feeling her father's too austere.
Costume Suggestions: Tailored, possibly a man-style suit; no frills; steno pad.
RAF GROUP CAPTAIN WEYLAND W. AWFCORCE
Known to his men as "Wey," Capt. Awfcorce is a pilot of renown. His squadron of Laklustre Bombers is likely to prove one of the most formidable armaments available to the British Armed Forces. Shot down on a reconnaissance mission over Germany before hostilities commenced, Wey evaded capture and made his way to Paris, and is now trying to return to England. Born of English nobility and educated at Oxford, Wey epitomizes the strength, endurance and noble character of that island race.
Costume Suggestions: Flying jacket, scarf and goggles.
BARBRA Z. ENHUSSIE
Barbra may be described in a few words - "rich, spoiled and beautiful." Daughter of the late French perfume king, Louis Z. Enhussie, she was brought up in extravagance and has carried on the tradition of the Enhussies in all respects. Châteaux Enhussie, on the outskirts of Paris, and Barbra's luxurious apartment in the city, are centers of lavish social activity. Everyone who is anyone is a regular at Barbra's.
Costume Suggestions: Something frilly and flowing; dripping jewels; a fur.
DUKE SCHWÄZHE B. U. KLARE
Another royal victim of the German advance, the Duke fought his way through enemy lines to reach Paris. His own small army in tatters, he and a few hand-picked men succeeded in bringing valuable information concerning German troop disposition to the French High Command. The Duke remains a hero to his now captive people, the sturdy peasant stock of the region known as AlzŠse-Laverne. He is a man of noble bearing, schooled extensively in military matters and a swordsman of considerable talent. Young to be the leader of even so small a nation, the Duke is not married and is considered to be one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe.
Costume Suggestions: A regal military uniform with sword; horse optional.
BELINDA SCREETE
A "couturière extraordinaire" is the way Belinda is described by her wealthy clients. Usually she just blushes and responds, "Really, I'm only a simple dressmaker," but those in the inner circle of Paris society know better. Owner of a thriving high-fashion studio, Maison de Screete, this clever and well-educated American has thrust her way into the Paris fashion world. More than a caterer to the patrons of high-fashion, Belinda participates in that society as actively and as well as any. Vivacious and charming, she is a frequent guest at the mansions and châteaux of wealthy and influential citizens of Paris.
Costume Suggestions: Extremely stylish or, at the other extreme, extremely dress-makerish (pins, thread, tape measure, scissors...).

Of course I can not tell you who dunnit, that would be cheating!


Other games can be found through these links:
Dinner and a Murder


Murder Mystery Games

Murder Mystery Games UK

Mystery Game Central

I know how to set a proper table, my mom drilled it into my head growing up, but for those of you who did not have mothers like mine here is a link to a site that will show you the proper ways to set a table:
Table Settings with cheat sheets My home ideas.com

Bouncing off the walls

My little doggies love to run, and jump, and bounce off the furniture.  They love to fetch the ball, and I like to play in the house, especially in winter since it gets all muddy outside.  When I get the ball and throw it, there is a flurry of furr running under the end table. They collide in our entry way sliding on the tile, and finally get that ball.  Then the process begins all over again.  Their energy is boundless as they play, it can go on all day if I'm willing to keep sitting there tossing the ball, one will rest while the other plays.  This way they can keep me occupied, and not let me get distracted from my job as the ball thrower.

Mandy waiting for me to begin playing

Bear running

Our furniture is just an obstacle course for them to run and play in

Mandy getting the ball from behind the evil flowers.  Just ask her, they are evil.

These moments are much more fun with narration.  I have friends who are not dog lovers, or animal lovers for that matter, but they have found that the commentary when playing games is rather fun.

"Are you going to throw it, or what?", or "Anytime now!", maybe even "It's your turn!"

These are the fun things that I get to say, it's all in their body language, and yes they have body language.
I love my furr babies, and I'm so glad that we have them.

I do have people who say interesting things to me though, regarding my doggies.  Such things as "you really don't need kids, you've got your dogs." "your dogs are just like kids, so it's alright".  For those of you who are unfamiliar with some of the PCOS issues, infertility is one of them, and currently I do not have a baby.  This has caused concern among family members, and friends.  It's not that we don't want a family, it's just taking us longer to get there, and hearing things about my dogs being able to replace a baby is ridiculous.  There, that's my rant. I'm moving back to the cuteness of my adorable doggies.  I can't call them puppies anymore, they are older than that now, so doggies it is.

I am also excited to say that I have recently been approached by csnstores.com to do product reviews for them. I’m pretty excited about it because I am a fan their cooking things! With over 200 products…I can’t wait to get started reviewing products for the house and sharing them with you!

3/8/11
an update to this post, I was waiting for a skillet which was on back order, and it has not yet come back in stock, and today when I finally decided to try for another one, I found that the promo code I was given had expired. I will not be reviewing their items.  If I purchase form them in the future I will only provide a review of the item itself.

Things that remind me to laugh

Funny Clip From Ruthless People [Slightly out of sync sorry!]

Here is a clip from a funny movie.
I feel like I'm working with some of these characters, yep, pay attention to the guy robbing the clown.

There are days when the people we interact with just are not getting it. They are not the best and the brightest, or the fastest, or sharpest people.   In these moments it is good to have a lot of patience and a good sense of humor.  Lately I've needed the reminder that these moments are, in fact, funny.  maybe not for the poor soul who just is not getting it, but for those of us who get to help them find their way.

Look for the things in life that make you laugh, and just keep on laughing.

Pharaoh's Daughter - Halloween costume

Pharaoh's Daughter - 9 years old

So here is the one costume I did have, for the Harvest Festival at Salt Lake Christian Center.  Things have changed over the years, but that was where my sister and I did get to dress up.

But before then, we had another type of celebration.  We had friends of ours come to the house and all of us kids played games, and had candy, and had a grand time.  The Crainers have been life long friends of ours, and their boys were like our brothers.  We grew up together in a different church, and were in plays together, got in trouble together and of course we teased them.  There was one of these occasions were the two oldest boys, my sister and I were picking on the then youngest boy about something or other, and he ran and hid in the closet.  Coaxing him out took most of the night.  This could have also been the night that we colored the wall in mine and my sisters room with crayons.  Our artistry knew no bounds, we moved the bed to make sure that we all had plenty of space to color.  It never completely washed off either, that was the beginning of wallpaper in our room.  I have never been a fan of wall paper, especially when removing it and repainting.

Now my sister used this costume later on, and she got a full shot of the outfit.  It seems that my mom was much more concerned about my eye makeup.  It was the first time I wore eye shadow, and it was caked on, and itchy.  I do not remember anything about the party, but I do remember my mom putting on the eyeshadow and how it felt.

My little sister as Pharaoh's Daughter - I'm not sure how old she was

So now that I'm an adult and you'd think we'd be over celebrating by dressing up, it seems that all of my employers here in Cali love to dress up for Halloween.
Here are some of my costumes, I'm still not great at coming up with costumes, so I'll explain them.

Cat Burglers - Accounts Receivable Department 

I went as Miss Marple, an Agatha Christie character, and yes, no one knew who she was so my costume was pointless

Well this year I might go as a window installer, or I will wear one of my Indian outfits - Salwar Komeez
I'm not a fan of dressing up for Halloween, and I'm not excited about having to do it for my work.  It's really frustrating when I can not explain it to my boss about my not believing in celebrating the holiday for Religious reasons when she shares the same religion, but views this holiday differently than I do.  Well here's to celebrating holidays in all the ways that people do.