February 19, 2009
Don’t forget or if you didn’t know….I’ve moved to cranberryblossom.blogspot.com
Come by and see me!! Judi xoxo
February 15, 2009
Installing a Husband
This was sent to me and I thought it was a bit on the funny side. One never knows one might need to make some hubby adjustments so here are the instructions you may want to have handy:
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Hope you are having a great day … Judi xoxo
February 3, 2009
Judi Doesn’t Live Here Anymore…..
Nope… I have picked up my Abby 
and we have departed to our new HOME!!
Its exciting…we’ve left the archives back here…and the pictures and all the nice memories..*frowning*…that I’m sorry about. But we can all come back here ANY-TIME we want to, to relive these times… PLEASE do come and visit us at
we can’t wait to see you there!!!!
February 2, 2009
Blue Monday – Thrifting
Today is Blue Monday hosted by Sally of SmilingSally. Visit all the participating bloggers for more lovely BLUE for your day. Be sure to leave a comment so everyone knows you’ve been there!
I have never been a BLUE person. I can comfortably wear only navy blue or a certain pale blue. I’m a green, buttery yellow, raspberry, bricky red kind of gal. Love blue when I see it but under no circumstance could I do it in my home…or can I? I am loving cake plates and gave one to my DIL for Christmas to my younger son’s girlfriend for her b’day in January. But I don’t have one…yet. So yesterday I was on a mission when I headed for the thrift store.
Then.. I spotted this one in absolute perfect condition for $2.99. See all the pale BLUE in it…and the touch of green and touch of pink and silver rim? 
Then I saw the matching BLUE bread/cake plates under $1.00 each. There were 8 of them…
to serve up the cake…BLUE…
Then I could not resist the matching BLUE covered casserole $3.99. None of these pieces showed wear…
I tried to avoid the matching 2 piece BLUE gravy boat… $2.99. But couldn’t.
Unfortunately there were only 5 dinner plates and 3 were chipped so I left them all there. I also found 5 little dessert nappies but didn’t take them. (should I go back?).
As I walked around a couple who must have seen me picking my treasures came to tell me there was a matching teapot and 8 cups and saucers around the other side. Thanks??…..
The teapot was $3.99 and I also picked up the matching platter it was only $2.99 . How could I possibly resist them? They are in excellent condition and only a few pieces have a very minute wear on the silver. I can’t believe I brought home something BLUE, really you can’t imagine. Its only because I’ve been blogging and admiring so many different BLUE items including a new love for china that I was able to bring these BLUE pieces home….and so far…they feel right at home. I’ll have to mix and match them with my white dinner plates. They are called Somerset by Excel.
Blogging is certainly having quite an effect on me… you too? Have a lovely BLUE Monday.. Judi xoxo
February 1, 2009
Superbowl Sunday
I hope you’ve been having a good Sunday. Many of you might be getting ready for a Superbowl Party…going to or hosting one.
Marc has been in Jacksonville, FL on business allll last week and won’t be back until Friday. So its been just Abby 
and me doing our thing AND today is Superbowl Sunday and neither of us is celebrating. Just by ourselves. We were on the phone earlier and we were laughing because he has a self contained kitchenette in the hotel and will be cooking up hot dogs for dinner along with Diet Coke, potato chips and he found a package of popcorn in his microwave. So he’ll pop that up for the festivities.
Me on the other hand am going “big” style. I boiled a few potatoes during our conversation and I’ll make myself some potato salad, and I’m frying up some onions and peppers and I’m slapping that into my hotdog too! *lol*. So its not nice being apart again today. It isn’t however the first time we’ve watched something on TV together he in the States and me in Canada while we’ve been on the phone. I have a fabulous long distance plan. Its 25 cents PER call and we can talk as long as we want.
The weather today is sooo beautiful. February first and it feels like a spring day for a change (its only fooling us though) its really not getting into spring yet. From below freezing temps we’re up to 36F so THATS a celebration and the skies are blue. Let’s see what the prediction will be tomorrow on “Ground Hog’s Day”. We will see whether Wiarton Willie sees his shadow or not!
I’ve been out thrifting and I’ll share that with you tomorrow for Sally’s BLUE Monday. I think there is a revelation going on blogland is certaining transforming me from the way I was before. I always continue to say I’ve learned so much about so much and I’m seeing things differently…many things thanks to all my wonderful blogging friends.
*hugs* and enjoy this day… Judi xoxo
January 30, 2009
Duck Facts
I posted this week about the ducks swimming in the cold water surrounded by ice and snow around my place. I decided to look up some facts about ducks and…here they are. By the way apparently ducks have a system with their arteries so that warm blood flows from their heart and interweaves with the cold blood that is coming from their feet warming the blood. Therefore it keeps their feet and legs warm.
A girl duck makes a loud quack sound while the boy duck, or drake has a raspy, muffled call.
Touching a duckling doesn’t prevent the mother duck from taking care of it. It is however best to leave ducklings alone so as not to scare the Mom duck away or accidentally injure them.
Ducks sleep with half their brains awake. Ducks are more likely to sleep with one eye open when they are located on the edge of sleeping groups. They can detect predators in less than a second.
Duck eggshells have tiny holes (pores) that allow it to breathe. A hen’s eggs can have 7500 pores, most found at the blunt end of the egg. Respiratory gases as well as water vapor travel through these pores allowing the egg to breathe.
Ducks can live 20 or more years with good care and feeding. Apparently the world’s record is held by a Mallard Drake that lives 37 years. Now thats a long time!
Baby ducks are precocial, meaning they are born with their eyes wide open, with a warm layer of down, and are not fully dependant on their parents for food. Ducklings are ready to leave the nest within hours of hatching.
A clutch is the total number of eggs laid by one bird during one nesting session. Clutch size affected by hereditary and environmental factors. When food is abundant, birds lay more eggs.
A brood is the total number of hatchlings, or ducklings in a clutch.
Ducks have very good vision, and they can even see in colour.
Did you know that a duck’s quack doesn’t echo? Nobody knows why.
I hope you’ve found these facts interesting… and that you have a lovely day. Judi xoxo
January 29, 2009
Cat Paint Jobs
These pictures were forwarded to me through emails and I wanted to share them with you especially the cat lovers…and the artists.
Apparently these paint jobs can cost $15,000 each and they grow out of the colour in 3 months and some people spend $60,000. a year. Can you imagine even having that kind of money to paint your cat? They must be show cats.
They are really something. How could you get your cat to sit still this long?
This kitty is striking in its red, white and blues. Would he feel silly or would he feel fabulous…surely he would get some reaction from the response around him.
Love this one….
Imagine having the same hair colour as your cat? What colour would you and your cat share?
Hey is that Charlie???
Camouflage with the goldfish…
I should have saved this one for Blue Monday…
Don’t you love his mouth? How would you feel if you came across this in your yard on a dark evening…..
I think this kitty was one of the original cast in “Kats”….
Mommy’s little kitty. Doesn’t she have a lovely face? I think it can only be a “she”….
When I saw these I couldn’t believe it. You never know what you’ll see next….have a lovely day. Judi xoxo
January 28, 2009
Thrift Dishes
Tonight my eldest son Geoff and his wife and my little Madeline are coming over for dinner! We’re having crusted tenderloin, twice baked potatoes, green beans, peas and pearl onions in white sauce, and a salad filled with veggies. I’ve saved some of the Tipsy Chocolate Cake I made on Saturday for our dessert. I think it’ll be yummy.
I am going to give them these Wedgewood Group Stoneware dishes I picked up while thrifting this fall with the intension of giving it to them. I believe they were $14.00 . Included were 8 like new dinner plates, cups and a large veggie serving bowl. 
This is the underside. They are oven to tableware made by Wedgewood Group in England. Nice aren’t they?
This is a better look at the plate which suits their decor. They have glasses that will look perfect with the plates as well. The moment I saw them I had them on my mind and I had to get them. I have had them in a box ready to give to them so its about time I do! I hope they like them too.
Boy I love a good deal on something so worth it!
Hope you have a lovely day… Judi xoxo
January 27, 2009
Bourbon-Chocolate Tipsy Cake
Remember for Christmas Janet gave me a wonderful 12 month Cake Calendar? Each month has a different cake recipe. So on the weekend I made the Bourbon-Chocolate Tipsy Cake – the January cake.
NOTE: The recipe calls for some bourbon which I didn’t have. When we were on our cruise last spring we bought a bottle of Coffee Rum from St. Kitts. I think if you prefer to omit the liquor you could increase the liquid, which is the instant coffee mixture by 1/2 cup. I added 1/4 cup of the coffee rum and 1/4 cup water instead of the 1/2 cup bourbon the recipe called for.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 ox. sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup instant coffee crystals
2 tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup bourbon
1 cup unsalted buttered, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp bourbon
powered sugar
1. Butter a 10-inch fluted tube pan. Add cocoa powder to pan; shake and tilt pan to coat the bottom sides and tube and shake out the excess. In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In small microwave bowl combined the unsweetened and sweet chocoltes. 
Microwave for about a minute. Stir. Microwave in 30 second sets, stirring until melted. Cool slightly.
3. In 2-cup glass measure disolve coffee crystals in the boiling water. Add enough cold water to measure 1.5 cups liquid. Stir in 1/2 cup bourbon - (I used 1/4 cup coffee rum and 1/4 cup water. If you don’t want to use liquor try increasing the coffee mixture from 1.5 to 2 cups)
4. In large bowl beat butter for 30 seconds and then add suar and beat well. Beat in eggs one at a time . Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. 
Alternatively add flour mixture ad bourbon mixture to chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixgure. Beat on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour into pan.
5. Bake 325F about 60 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack and allow to cool completely. Brush cake with 2 tbsp. of the bourbon (I used coffee rum and you may want to use some more of the coffee mixture instead). Allow to sit for a few minutes and sift powder sugar over cake.
This is a very delicious cake. It is extremely moist and I know you will just love it!! WE sure did.
Have a lovely day… Judi xoxo
