Hog's Head

Hi Everyone,

Hope your holiday party is fun Karentia.
We actually have had some rain this week. Sorry for those of you in very cold climes.
Congratulations Always on your newspaper bit.
I got a nice ham on sale last week. It was delicious. Yesterday I made some pea soup with it. Wonderful, and not expensive.
Hope you are all happy and well.

Good evening to all,

That pea soup sound great on a night like this, Yum!



This is definitely soup and stew weather. Stay warm everyone. I had Laurene turn the space heater back on in the laundry room today because it's going to be rather 'nippy' at night through Sunday.

I do know that Hallmark is planning on a new movie every weekend through the winter months. The one that I'm waiting to see is Called Love Locks with Jerry O'Connell. I loved him when he was in Sliders, only because he reminds me of someone I knew when I was growing up. His name was Jerry too, he was the son of friends of my parents that moved to our town not too long after my dad built the houses for us and my grandparents. They opened a jewelry store in town, his father was an expert watch repairer, and I sort of grew up with him, he'd come out to our place in the country during the summer and we'd play. He was about four or five years older than I am, and as we got older, his father died and he took over the jewelry store. I'm sure he is responsible in part for my passion for jewelry. Once I got married and had the restaurant his store was just two door away from mine. I remember my husband going nuts when Jerry would pop his head in the door and yell out that he had a salesman in the store, he always called me 'sis'. Of course I would run over and look at all of the samples and pick out whatever I liked and he'd order it for me. Ahhh, those were the good old days!

Oh, another thing I just heard was that the Golden Globe Awards are on this Sunday on ABC, with the red carpet pre-show on the E! channel before hand. Haven't even picked out my dress yet, to say nothing about reserving the limo to get there!

I did order myself some new movies, The Miss Pereigrines School for Peculiar Children, James Bond-Spectre, Night at the Museum, Secret of the Tomb, and Jersey Boys, the the story of Frankie Vallie. Loved that one when I saw it on tv and have wanted it for my collection for a long time. I haven't forgotten about The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, but that one will have to wait for the next time I order movies.

Here are a few more different types of soups if anyone would like some........................



Enjoy and stay warm!

Blessings for a toasty cozy night! Hecate3fold!

Hecate, is there a Target nearby? Because I was able to pick up both of the Marigold Hotel movies for $5-7 each there. My popular location to buy movies on the cheap side. They keep a section of movies for under $10, and get new selections frequently. Maybe ask Laurene to look for you next time she goes? One of my reasons I love Target. Stay cozy! Yeah, my power bill will be a doozy. But not as bad as if I was using the wall mounted heaters! Oh, I posted a picture of my door with the cards on fb, if anyone wants to post it here for me? Thank you!

Have a wonderful weekend! See you all soon, time to get ready for work. Missy P, I say keep the tree up for another week. Go easy on your knees! Hugs!

The Old Queen's Head, London, UK. Photo by Whistle and Wander.

Good morning. Dobby, I'll have a tall vanilla coffee, and a bowl of oatmeal with raisins, walnuts, and Irish butter, please. Perfect for a chilly morning (lows in the teens this week).

That pea soup Hecate and MMD brought in yesterday looks tasty. I think I know what I'll be having for lunch today.

Here's to a healthy, cozy, smooth-flowing day for all...

evening all

baby it is cold cold outside, 0 and below shoveled out the cars after the plow trucks some people won't be moving until spring I am dreaming of sunshine.

always how neat it would be if you could get on his payroll then you could post and write all sorts of things and be payed as well, love all the fire places make it nice almost feel warm. thanks

Missy nice you got lots of cuddle time grandma fun times for sure nice you had such a good time hugs dear.

hecate too bad you don't have Netflix or Hulu then you could watch shows to your hearts content*, hope you are staying warm, we have loads of cold wish it would go away. hugs to you and your angels stay safe and warm.

Mad glad you had a good Christmas and hope you have a great new year hugs dear.

Maxie I'm with you warm fire and a cup of something warm perfect hope 2017 is wonderful for you hugs dear.

karentia hope all is going well with you, hugs dear.

dobby would love some hot cider make sure everyone can get some as well,and a bowl of the split pea soup as well make sure there is some with meat and some without perfect thank you dear.

well think I will settle here for the night lots of warmth and a comfy "hair perfec.

have a wonderful evening all

Missy P, sounds like you and the family had a wonderful holiday! Time with those babies, priceless! Hugs!

So tired, skipped the work out, grabbed a quick dinner, going to bed early.

Good evening to all,

So good to hear from you MissyPotter and happy to know that everything went well, as it was planned. Sounds like it was a perfect Christmas for you all around. What more could a person ask for in that respect.

That's a great idea for that movie Karentia, especially at that price.  That is the reason I wait until I get a bunch that I want to see/or have, and then get them all at once.....less total shipping, or none,  There is the last Jesse Stone/ Tom Selleck movie that I haven't gotten yet, I have all of the others, and I'm trying to get the Good Witch, Secrets of Grey House, but so far I'm finding that the only way to get it is to rent or buy the digital copy from Amazon. I'll have to look further.  Oh! Good news!  I just found out today the Face Off will be back on the Syfy channel starting Jan. 24th. This season will be a competition of the all stars, previous winners.  Looking forward to that.....for sure.

Rebekah was here today, she had to pick the coldest day of this cold snap for her venture out. The good thing was that she brought me, well actually Lois found, some pfeffernusse cookies at a smaller grocery store called Pete's.  They are imported from Germany, and yes, they are sooooo good.  While Rebekah was here I showed her how far I've gotten on the 'Wabbit', I know I haven't mentioned it for quite some time now here because it has been a real challenge for me. I think last time I told you that I had to muzzle sewn onto the front of the head, haven't finished the head yet, but Laurene did find me the new eyes that I wanted for it instead of the ones that came with the kit, they're a little large and darker brown. Well now I have the right front side and right back side sewn together and both pieces of the right arm sewn to that, the same for the left front and left back and arm pieces. The next thing is the legs sewn to each of the sides, then stuff the arms and legs before I sew the body together at the front middle seam, then I will finish the head and attach that to the body and finish stuffing and the last thing then will be to attahc the tail.  It's a slooooowww work in progress, but it will eventually be done.

That hot cider Samtibbs is having sounds good Dobby, please get some for me too...................



And how about some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich to go with it?.......



Mmmm, best comfort food ever!......Thanks Dobby, you;re the best!

Blessings for a blissful night for everyone! Hecate3fold!

The Onslow Arms Pub, West Clandon, Surrey, UK. Photo by Get Surrey.

Good morning. Dobby, I'll have a bowl of that lovely tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, and a tall mug of coffee, please.

Hope everyone stays warm and safe during this arctic blast! We were forecast for early snow today but now it's been pushed back to 5pm or so, followed by a week of rain/snow. Missyp... it really doesn't sound like a great day for anyone to be moving especially towing a Uhaul! An extra day before heading out might well be a good idea. It just seems to be a Murphy's Law that when you are moving it's either in the midst of a heat wave or a rain/snow storm.

Here's to a healthy, cozy, safe, smooth day for all...

Two bowls of soup, please. One to guzzle and one to soak my frozen feet in.   Think it's in the teens. ..might be colder if I check,so I won't. Double dressed, space heater pointed at feet,blankets head to toe.
Probably have to use the bathroom soon.
Winter.

I hope the kids are safe in their move,missypotter. I know you won't feel comfortable until they've arrived safe. Refresh my mind,please. Where is Brian going to be working?

Nice Rebekah could visit, Hecate. Will she be returning to Alfred this semester? Dollar General gets a variety of older movies and TV series... not as many as Target, but a lot closer. I had to replace my Love,  Actually dvd. Scratched the old.  My son sent amazon gift cards which will renew my Prime account and feed my book habit. Wish I knew how to use Netflix and Hulu. ..I have a smart tv but I have no clue how to do anything except turn it on.

Looks as though the West coast is being hit from top to bottom. Such extremes. Are you getting any of the rain, Magical Music Dreamer? I saw a video that brought you to mind..a pair of twins who played the harp simultaneously. They were both very pretty,so I'm not sure if it was talent, eye appeal, or novelty that made them popular.  Can't imagine playing a harp backwards.
How  is your kitty?

I noticed Maddie limping today. Can't determine if it's the front or hind leg. She doesn't go out now so I can't imagine she got injured. She's almost 14,maybe arthritis?  She spends most of the days in sunny spots and night cuddled against me. We both like our comforts.

Still sorting through my craft supplies. It's a chore I can do sitting down. Trying to develop a system where I can locate items quickly instead of going through boxes. Harder than it sounds.

And then, there are Larry's dishes from Saturday brunch. Delicious food but so many dishes to wash.

Good evening all,

So tired again tonight.  Ever since I got the idea of wanting to see the pictures of the pubs from Always in all around view I want to see them all that way. Wonder if that will be the next big thing in pictures.  If it can be done to tour Hogwarts why not when looking at hotel rooms, or famous buildings and landmarks. They have done it with map quest where you can travel down a street and turn and look at all of the houses along the way, why not the inside of building too?

Hope Maddie is feeling better soon Maxecat.

Stay worm everyone, yesterday was the coldest in this batch of frigid stuff, tomorrow will be back to normal for this time of year. How about some homemade chili and corn bread for this evening to help us stay warm, followed by some hot chocolate of course.







Blessings for a cozy night by the fire!  Hecate3fold!

I'll have the grilled cheese please. Someone at work cooked their lunch, smelled very much like this! Yum!

Stay warm! It was in the teens overnight here for a week, all that clear sky time. We have warmed up to 34! Heat wave! At least I don't have the heater to double digits. I know it is hard to do, Maxie, when you feel that cold, but part of that is mind over matter too. Try thinking "I'm so warm and cozy!", and visualize your feet in a tub of hot water, that your core is a hot, bubbly mass of warmth, radiating out to your arms, and fingers, and down to your toes. While under those blankets, it should help a bit. Not enough to go out without a jacket yet, lol! Love visualization! It is all up to you, if you want to try it.

Missy P, had my fill of moving in snow. Good luck to the kiddos, and congrats on having them move closer! Yes, where will Brian work? Or what field? My next move will be Spring through Fall - no snow!

Whelp, as some read on fb, I tweaked my ankle. Not sure what happened, but a white hot pain shot through, put me back in a chair, and hobbling the rest of the day - few more zingers when I got lazy, so I came home to an ice pack, and feet up. No swelling, or bruising. Hope it's just a bone slightly out of place - my knee keeps popping on the same side. Why does my left side hate me right now?

Well, hugs all around, I'm off to bed, sleep is good medicine.

The Cock Inn, Diss, UK. Photo by The Cock Inn.

Good morning. Dobby, I'll be adventurous today. How about a bowl of chili topped with an egg, some cornbread with lots of butter, and a tall mug of coffee, please.

Well, we were supposed to have snow yesterday, but only had a few wisps of flurries for about half an hour, so I don't know if this storm is late or if it's been overhyped. Forecast now says rain/snow mix for several days, but right now, there's nothing, and it's a bit warmer than it has been for the past few days. Guess time will tell.

Here's to a healthy, cozy, smooth-flowing day for all...

Good afternoon to all,

I know I'm here early but I'm still getting ready for the Golden Globe Awards. I decided to go with a dress that I saw on Meryl a while back but I don't think she will mind. It looks comfortable and that is a requirement for me.



I'm also enjoying (not really) a glass of bubbly and some pfeffernusse to go with it (really)................





Hope everyone is having an exciting evening!

Blessings for a fun night! Hecate3fold!

I forgot it was on, so watched one of my dvd's. I did see Meryl's speech, it was shared on fb many times - what a speech!

I was going to go swimming this morning, but between the ankle and such, think I will try to nap for a wee bit more, then up for my daily routine. Darn nightmares. Swear I woke up in an earthquake. Nope. But there was a few in the South Pacific! Weird. Dobby, I'll have just a cocoa for now, and a cozy blanket, please...

The Green Dragon Inn, Hardraw, Hawes, North Yorkshire, UK. Photo by Green Dragon Inn.

Good morning. Dobby, I'll have oatmeal topped with an egg, and a tall mug of coffee, please.

So far we've just gotten rain out of this storm, predicted to continue for several days.

**Spoke too soon, updating: it's snowing now.
**Now it's raining.
**Now it's back to nothing. Just one of those days!

Here's to a healthy, healing, loving, safe day for all...


Happy Birthday, Severus Snape.

At least you have power. Ours has been out for an hour. They project it back on by 5:00. Our generator works our phone and computers, in Dispatch, but little else, like heat. Emergency lights are ok. At least we have a guesstimate.

I'll mentally be hanging out at the Green Dragon! Pretty cozy looking.

Just rain here over night.

Might have popped a tendon. Hurts a little without the brace, doing fine with it on. But there is a divot in the front of my ankle that wasn't there before. I should go see a doc about it, but no time before Saturday. Maybe I'll go to Urgent Care tomorrow, after everything else. Back to work!

Good evening to all,

Hope your ankle gets better quick Karentia. I've dozed off twice already and if I don't post now I'll won't make it for later, I'm sure.  The awards were fun last night.  The dinner was great and I had a good seat where I could see everything that was going on. For me the highlight of the night was Meryl Streep, loved her dress too, maybe I'll wear a copy of it for next years awards, or maybe for the SAG awards on Jan. 30th. Never can tell....imitation is the best form of flatery.

Laurene and I went to the movies today and it was a double feature!!!!  First was Jersey Boys, she had never seen it before, and I love the Frankie Valli music so much I could just keep it on in the background to listen to the songs. Good movie.  Then there was Miss Perigrines Home for Peculiar Children. (What is Tim Burton's fascination with eyeballs????) In Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow, and this one!  Weird Dude, for sure.  I'm wondering.......I caught that the place where the home was located was in Wales.....Has anyone read the book The Magic of Findhorn??  The place is located on a set of magical laylines in Wales. It's a community of people who have discovered that the energies in that particular area can and do produce fantastic sized vegetables, fruits and all of the vegetation that grows there is very in tune with the people who live with it.  I read the book back in the seventies and was wondering if the fellow who wrote the original book or Tim Burton made a connection with Findhorn and Wales and the little girl who had control of all of the vegetation.  I did watch the extras that came with the movie and the actual place that was used to film where the house was located was in Belgium.  Oh well, maybe there was no real connection but if any of you haven't researched Findhorn it's worth checking out. A real mystical place .....from what I read in that book many years ago, although I did read a few years after that, that there were some people who were trying to discredit the colony and the people who lived there.  It's been a long time since I've heard anything about the place.   Feel like I'm starting to babble, have to get to sleep.

I just searched Findhorn and there is still an official site....found this picture which said that it was part of the eco-system located there.



Blessings for a mystical night!  Hecate3fold!

I know it's a little late but Happy Birthday Snape!!! My favorite character even before I finished the first book. When they announced they were turning the books into films I was so worried that they would turn Snape into your typical British baddie in an American Hollywood film. I was so happy and relieved with they announced that Alan took the part and that he was on Rowling's wish list of actors!

I hope you get that ankle looked at soon, Karentia. Doesn't sound good and don't want it to get any worse.

My mom loves to travel and the original plan was that my parents would travel together once they both retired. Unfortunately, my dad passed away in 2000. So my mom takes trips by herself or with others. We would go to Antarctica in November when it's summer there. I'll have to get some cold weather gear since I have very little since it doesn't get very cold down here.

The Mardi Gras season has been officially kicked off and you can now buy king cakes. It's funny that they used to come on only one flavor: cinnamon. Now, you can get them with all sorts of fillings inside but I still like the classic cinnamon the best. Not sure when Mardi Gras is this year. Sometime in February.

The Hat Rack Bar, West Sussex, UK. Photo by Historic England.

Good morning. Dobby, I'll have a large coffee and some wheat toast with apple butter, please.

Still supposed to have the mix of rain/snow/nothing today, then a break for a couple of days.

Here's to a healthy, pleasant, cozy day for all...

Missypotter, how nice having the kids close to home. Can you just keep reminding Brian of the Donner Party?
Boy, the weather has been vicious everywhere. When it's in the 40s in South Florida, it feels cold (no insulation in houses) Our snow is gone but it's very windy and uncomfortable out. How many days 'til Spring?

Ah , Professor Snape. I'm sure the original choice Tim Roth would have presented all the sneering, dark, aspects of Snape ' s makeup,but AR added all those layers that allowed us to recognize the pain and longing. Such a disciplined professional.
Loved the Snape on a Plane meme posted on FB. Clever people.

Maddie has an appointment Friday morning. I can see no wound nor torn nail. No swelling either. Just favoring her front paw. If it's arthritis I guess there are some medications that help. I know she hates the cold. ..she's been using me as a heating pad whenever I sit down. And then,every once in awhile she turn on me and tear my hand. Cold makes me ill tempered too.

Yesterday's mail box was filled with catalogs and I'm making a wish list. Late Christmas for me.
Looking into more container gardening and am determined to do sunflowers. .will try protecting the young plants with netting and repellent. If I have to install motion lights I will but I want sunflowers again. War has been declared!

must dump the cat and clean off the kitchen counter. Funny how I strip it bare and somehow come morning there're dishes, bags, bottles and papers there. I think I have garden gnomes escaping the cold by sneaking into my house at night.


Magical Music Dreamer, have you been affected by the rains? My brother, in Novato, is grateful the drought conditions have been helped but the wine country was hit hard by hard winds and heavy rain. Not good for the area. I'm planning on visiting him in the Summer.

Better drag myself up and move. Love to all. May you all be protected.

I called my insurance nurse line. At first, after a long interview process, she was suggesting home care, since there is no swelling, or major bruising. Then she said if there are any changes to go in. No swelling, no bruising. Ok. I have a list of things to do - party on Saturday!

Yup, the Holiday party for work, we are getting everything ready. Today I have to shop for door prizes - planning on one per couple/ticket. Should be fun. Also finishing the mini trees today, ran out of zip ties, not using black ones on white trees! I think I will end my shopping with time in the pool and hot tub - they close it for maintenance tomorrow, for a week - great timing. But time in the pool can be great exercise without straining my ankle.

Hecate, I saw the behind the scenes too. That house was gorgeous. The author, I think he came up with the stories about the children from looking at old photos, some included in the galleries, in odd situations. Made up the book from there - and I wouldn't be surprised if Tim influenced the author by his style - he had no say in who would direct the film. It was a match made in heaven, anyway. Well done film, every one fit their parts well, and the children were looking like they were having a blast. I will watch it again.

Missy P that is awesome that they will be so close! Now I remember you said he would be working there. Good luck for him! And great news about their waiting. It is a gorgeous day here, maybe cold, but beautiful sunshine. Hugs!

Have a fabulous day all!