Fickle Food

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a Contest and I almost missed it! Totally went out of my head. That happens to me a lot lately, sometimes I think I’m losing my mind! Here’s my entry.

Only about a month ago in Vienna. I was having lunch when I realized my Freudian slip could be seen. You have probably had that experience before. I felt anxious and I knew that soon I would have to go to my happy place. I was a little worried about a panic attack, But then, all of the sudden, I saw the whitecoats coming right towards me!! I remembered what a cowboy’s wife had told me. It was very important to relax and breathe. Before I knew it, I was given the tools and tips to redirect. So you see, I really was overreacting , and I decided I just had to chill.

I will warn you ahead of time, stonework is not for sissies. It’s hard work. You’ll probably want to wear leather gloves as stonework is hell on the manicure.

The first picture shows the ugly concrete and concrete blocks that made up the walls of our homes foundation and patio, before we affixed stone to them in a kind of “veneering”, for lack of a better term. We purchased about a truckload of thin pieces of stone, the pieces we chose were too thin to even work as path stones. They came out to be about 6 cents a pound. Next we cleaned the concrete blocks with a high powered pressure hose and left it to dry. To apply the stone, we mixed up a batch of mortar then troweled it onto a smallish area at the base of the wall, kind of like icing a cake, then firmly pressed the first stone onto the wall and tapped it lightly with a rubber mallet. The thickness of the mortar varied with the thickness of each stone, it generally worked out to about a half inch or more thick.

We chose each stone according to its color and shape, fitting the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, working bottom to top in small areas so the mortar didn’t dry before the stones were placed and adding more mortar as we needed it. We used a hammer and chisel to break up pieces that were too large. After the mortar had hardened we filled in the spaces between with stones with mortar, taking care to clean the excess off the face of the stone. When the entire wall was covered with stone and the gaps were filled and dried, we capped off the top with much larger, thicker pieces of stone using the same technique.

I think it looks GREAT! Especially with flowers hanging down over them. Next spring we’re going to do the floors of the patio. Hubby can hardly wait.

“Albert with Pipe and Shovel” Is a gorgeous reproduction of an antique German Gnome. The original gnome statue from which he is modeled is exhibited at the Gnome Museum in Germany (Yes, apparently there really is a Gnome museum) Albert is made of stoneware pottery and is safe for outdoors…although with a Gnome this fetching I’d keep a close eye on him, Gnomes have a way of disappearing, (see the Garden Gnome Liberation Front). Albert stands 11 1/2 tall and is smoking a pipe as he takes a rest on his shovel, but not to worry! He’ll be back to work on the garden in no time!

When you hear the phrase, “SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND” It calls to mind a singularly dark and dangerous fellow, deadly yet charismatic…
NO! Not scarface, the gnome from the garden! (if you stumble home some night, trip and fall on him, you’ll know exactly what I mean)
This amusing T-shirt is made of 100% heavyweight cotton. Deep navy with bright yellow silk screened graphics. Nobody is gonna mess with you in this tee!

So who do you think is tougher? Tony Montana or gnomy?

Yeah, I agree, definitely gnomy…

These great 2K Synopsis T-shirts sum up some of your favorite movies, like Scarface, Back To The Future and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, plus the year they were first released and their star rating. Tees are 100% Cotton, tubular Body and double hemmed at cuffs and bottom.

I’m back in the saddle again…Ever heard that song?
We had a great time today horseback riding! My brother and sister-in-law have a beautiful farm down in southern Illinois. It was a gorgeous bright, windy day, a little hot at times but bearable. We rode for a couple of hours, then went back to the house and ate pizza. It was wonderful! I felt like I was a kid again! I feel great so far, but I wonder if my butt will be sore tomorrow. The first picture is the only one I took, so I guess it’s not really a true Self Portrait, but you are seeing my view from the saddle!

My husband and I are going to Burnt Prairie today to visit his brother and wife. We’re going to go horseback riding. I haven’t been on a horse in about fifteen years. Now I’m wondering about things like bone density, has my insurance deductible been met? If I break my neck who will take care of my husband and dogs? I used to ride all the time, back when I was young and limber as a green twig. I barrel raced, rode in parades, went bareback on the farm.

The last thing I “rode” was a mechanical bull, that was about fifteen years ago, too. I stayed on the whole time, but at the end I went to dismount and the guy thought he’d be funny and he hit the button again and the bull jerked up and hit my inner thigh. I hobbled straight to the restroom, dropped my drawers and found a horrible contusion the size of a dinner plate, within an hour it was blood red and purple, with all these scary lightening bolt zig-zags…looked like the eye of a terrible storm. And I was a whole lot bouncier then. So wish me luck, and if I do break a hip, promise you’ll visit me in the nursing home…

I’d like to thank everyone who participated in the awesome Mohair bear contest!

I have put the entries names inside a shoe box, I am now going to close my eyes and pull one out…hold on.
Okay! Lemme see…Looks like Loretta, from Stitching The Night Away has won!

YEAH!!! Loretta!!!!!! (whistles! Cheers!)

There, there, please do not cry if you are not Loretta, because I have one more bear to give away! Today I am announcing a NEW Awesome Bear Contest. In the meantime, once again, I want to thank everyone who participated! Here is the list;

Shannon at The Reality Of A Brat, for her entry about the dangers of leaving children and pets in an enclosed car.

Jayme at Just Jayme for her entry about the ups and downs of an expectant mother.

Contest Blogger for the entry about his two pet peeves, anthropomorphism and slow folks in grocery lines…

Contest Blog Cat for his entry about people teasing him for his height..

Vijay at Contester
for the entry about vehicles that drive recklessly…

The Daily Journal Of An Ice Dragon for the entry about finding a job…

Laura at Laura Williams Musings for her entry about cellphone usage

Melissa at Yesterdays Hopes: The Blog for her entry about rude drivers.

Lori at Cowboy’s Wife for her entry about husband and kids inability to find things, even with directions!

Vincent at Revie Wow for the entry about people who chew loudly…

Link Right Contests for the entry about slow drivers in the left lane…

And I’d like to thank Simon from My Blog Contest and Mr Prizes who didn’t write an entry but gave me great plugs for the contest!

Thanks guys!

Twinkie is a dog of many moods…and sometimes she just wants to have fun! What do you think? Should Twinkie go to the Halloween parade as Twinkie The Clubber? Or did you like Twinkie The Kidd better?
P.S. Twinkie isn’t wearing panties…

If you have been following the ongoing saga of Benny the Chihuahua, you might be interested to know that he now has his head. And a tongue. You can see Benny’s progress here.