Toby

After losing Chappy it has been the understanding of all those closest to Jay that, although Chappy can not be replaced, Jay needed to have another dog.  It has also been an understanding of those closest to me that I would be quite content to not have another dog in the house.  But I especially knew that Jay needed another tag along buddy for evenings and Saturdays while puttering and fixing at the shop.  He also needed a buddy for a lap companion to share naps with on the Lazyboy.  Jay has been looking online following pet ads and made a few inquiries into possible selections.  We thought we'd try to find a dog that was already house trained.  This past Tuesday night Jay was looking through the Merchandiser and saw an ad for 11 week old Boston Terrier puppies in southern Lancaster County.  He made a call and after supper he and Mr. Studly drove down 'just to check 'em out'.  We ALL knew that meant we would be adding a puppy to our household that evening.  (and I just got my carpets cleaned the Friday before!) 

So now let me formally introduce you to Toby - Jay's Christmas present buddy.

Trying to get the scared little fellow to eat something.

Wednesday Betz & I were planning to be away all day and not able to care for a new puppy so Jay packed him up in his crate and he spent the day under Jay's desk - I think we may have started something here and I think it's a great idea.



And the little weasel ....... he's worming his way right into our hearts.....   yes, mine included.  sigh......

But life is brighter today.  Things are a little less tilted, more aligned, closer to normal.......  because it's Jay and his dog again.

Don't tell her she can't

A project I've been waiting til Betz was here to help me with was applying our business slogan/mission statement on a wall in the customer service room.  I had sent off for the words and when it arrived each line was on a separate section of adhesive paper.  We spent considerable time discussing options, measuring, and leveling before we did the top line.  We were moving along and each sentence applied brought satisfaction of 'we did it'.  Just before applying the very last line I discovered, to my utter horror, that I had mixed up the 2nd and 4th line.  I could have cried - I was so disappointed.  The directions clearly stated that the letters could be removed but could not be reapplied. 

But Betz is her father's daughter - don't tell him he can't do something.  So I very carefully pulled each letter off the wall while Betz did her magic and reapplied the letters to the guide paper almost as perfectly as they had arrived.  We salvaged the top rub sheet from another line and lo, and behold - we did it!  Whew! 

I'm so glad she's her father's daughter.  Thanks Betz!

Turducken on the menu

After traveling 35 hours and 1750 miles Betz & Mr. Studly arrived safe and sound late last Friday evening.  Bruiser and Bryn - their 2 Australian cattle dogs - traveled well but all were glad to finally turn the truck off, eat some warm food and slide into bed.  Mr. Studly lasso'd the snow and brought it with him for a delightful Saturday afternoon.

With everyone home now our Thanksgiving Dinner was planned for Sunday evening.  In the past my family and Jay's family has always had Roasht (amish turkey and filling) and it IS one of my most favorite foods.  But with family gatherings we would have it twice during Thanksgiving and then twice again during Christmas.  So our little family of 5 likes to try something different for our Thanksgiving menu.
This year we decided to have a go with Turducken.  A duck is stuffed inside a chicken which is stuffed inside a turkey and layers of stuffing between each bird.  It was a hit and we'll most likely try it again.

So we purchased a duck, a capon and turkey.

It was most useful to have our own live-in butcher to bone everything out.

First he boned out the chicken, cutting off the wings and boning out the legs leaving a single slab of boneless chicken.  He also pulled the breast tenders out so the layer would be more even.

Then he did the same with the duck.....

... leaving a single slab of boneless duck.

(wings and legs still attached on this pic)

Then he boned out the turkey.  He left the wings attached as well as the legs/thighs but pulled out the breast tenders.

Earlier that day I made a dish of bread filling.

I buy large loaves of bread and cube it myself with my electric knife - saves some pennies.  And it was always 'filling' in our families - never 'stuffing'.  Many recipes for turducken call for sausage stuffing, or something more highly seasoned but our family tends to prefer a simple bread filling (bread, eggs, butter, onion, celery, milk, salt and pepper).

Starting with the turkey laid out he seasoned it with salt and pepper and layered the first layer of bread filling.

Topped it with the boneless slab of duck....

and another layer of filling.

Last layer of chicken and filling.

Then he rolled and pulled it together and tied it with twine, rolled 'em over and popped 'em in a large baking dish. 

He cooked all the bones in a large stock pot and it produced a large quantity of great stock for gravy.  I froze most of it for a later use.

The tenders that were pulled out were cubed up and pan fried with sauted onions and mushrooms.  He added some barbeque sauce and we ate it over macaroni and cheese for a separate meal.  YUMMY!

Back to the turducken....He assembled it all Saturday evening and Sunday morning put 'em in the oven.  He was told to bake it for 10 hours at 250 degrees.  But he did need to turn up the oven a bit the last few hours to make sure it was done in time for supper.  Next time we'll give it more time and a little more heat.  But it was delicious - and fun!

Food is fun.  Food is delicious.  But family fellowship is pricesless.  Mr. Studly is mapping out the layout of the home he and Betz have moved to since leaving the ranch.  These 3 fellows all have iTouch gizmo's that they share finds with and talk about apps.  The table is cluttered with cups and snack but full of great fellowship.

So nice when they are all home together again.

Dance With God

I received this in email form in July '05 during some really difficult days.  It's been like walking down memory lane a bit as I continue to sort through some files of full of paper.  Finds like this one bring a flood of emotions as I remember how hard and long some of the struggles were.  During those days it was a head knowledge and I willed myself to believe even though my heart was feeling dry and very empty.  It's a joy to read some of these again today when things look clearer and with far less baggage attached to them and I can look back and see the footsteps of the dance.  God is Faithful!

The remainder of this post is the email as I received it in it's entirety:  (I would gladly give the author credit if I knew who to give it to.)

DANCE WITH GOD

When I meditated on the word GUIDANCE, I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word.  I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.  When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.  The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music.  One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.  It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word BUIDANCE.  When I saw "G", I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". 

"God, "u" and "i" dance."  God, you and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life.  Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.  May you abide in God as God abides in you.  Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.  Prayer is one of the best gifts we can receive.  There is no cost but a lot of rewards: so let's continue to pray for one another.

AND I HOPE YOU DANCE! 

Psalm 118:8

I'm going through some files that have accumulated past their holding space and I'm deciding what to keep and what to chuck.  I came across this interesting page of Bible trivia.


Shortest chapter - Psalm 117
Center chapter -   Psalm 118
Longest chapter - Psalm 119

There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118.

594 + 594 = 1188

Center Verse - Psalm 118:8

Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?  We say we want to find God's perfect will for our lives and we want to be in the center of His will.  Go to the center of the Bible.....

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

What Child is This

I'm waiting to decorate for Christmas until Betz arrives this weekend. She loves to decorate and I've said she has free reign here when she comes.  It's been 3 years since our family business schedule has changed.  For many years my Christmas decorating was 'what ever didn't get done by the Saturday after Thanksgiving simply didn't get done'.  Deer season was written on the calendar each and every day of December.  This week I would be making giant meals to feed the crew that was working almost around the clock each day.  And then 2 weeks later it would be repeated.  We'd stop for Christmas Day and then pick up the pace again until well into January.  The last 3 years we've been able to have 'normal' Christmas planning like other folks - yet I find that years and years of routine are hard to break out of - at least in my head.

I enjoy Christmas music - but not until after Thanksgiving.  And knowing that Betz & Mr. Studly won't be arriving until this weekend I feel like it's not time to start until they get here.  But yesterday I heard a new rendition of my favorite Christmas song and it has jumped started my Christmas 'mood'.

I find that most often the mood or spirit of the melody is what stirs me most.  Occasionally I can know a song for a long time but not know all the words because it's the music that I remember.  I'm glad this recording doesn't have video attached - it's the music - and the words of this particular song -  that stirs something deep within.