I love my fur babies. They are like my children. I ESPECIALLY love Fatso. We've had this big furball of a cat since he was born and he is just so sweet and loving, he has a very special place in my heart reserved JUST for him.Although he can be very sweet and loving, he also commands a certain amount of respect. Fatso does not tolerate things such as being restrained or even being held or fooled with for too long. He ESPECIALLY doesn't like anyone venturing into areas such as his haunches or his tail when brushing him. I'll openly admit it: I'm afraid of Fatso! Although fat, his reaction time is akin to a Jaguar and I'm NOT kidding! He has hurt me many times over the years so I have learned to be respectful and careful! Fatso is a Maine Coon aka FURBALL! He has long, long hair and it is EVERYWHERE in my house. I try to brush him regularly, but he doesn't tolerate it well and he absolutely will not allow me to brush the areas that REALLY need it! This has resulted in some knots on Fatso's chest and down in his 'neutered but still somewhat manly area'.

Michael is much braver and stronger than me (and tolerates pain much better also)! So I told him last week I couldn't take cleaning up the hair any longer and I was concerned about the knots and I wanted him to buy a shaver and come shave the knots off of Fatso and give him a bath.

Well Michael and Alyssa arrived last night with a brand new trimmer and a whole bunch of good intentions! Alyssa, being the intelectual girl that she is wants to follow the instructions that come with the trimmer and some other techniques that she's heard of from pet groomers. She's even brought him a special treat to give him after the procedure is over so he will 'associate the shaver with a treat'. Yeah right! She doesn't realize that there is no instruction booklet written on how to deal with Fatso! She soon learns this though....

So they spread a blanket out on the couch and Alyssa starts shaving his sides while Michael holds him. So far, so good. Then about 10 seconds later Fatso begins to buck and resist like a Red Bull!

Shavingfatso

After a couple of minutes Fatso is spitting everywhere, Michael can't even hold him. So they let him go. Fatso is MADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!  After a couple more attempts Michael is about ready to give up as he is bleeding from several nice cuts on his arms. Alyssa has more ideas though: She says we should try putting something over his head to keep him calm and to put socks on his legs so he can't claw Michael. She went out to her car and got the bag from a bottle of Crown Royal and I went and got 2 old pairs of socks. She put the bag over Fatso's head and pulled the drawstring just a bit to keep it on. Then, with Michael holding him, tried to put the little booties on all four of his feet. I was laughing so hard I forgot to take a picture but it was quite hilarious! Fatso must have worked with Houdini in another life because before they could even get 2 of the booties on him he somehow removed that bag from his head, removed the booties from his feet, spit, scratched and clawed and catapulted his entire body out of Michael's grip! He was all bowed up looking at all of us like "WHAT THE HELL ARE Y'ALL TRYING TO DO TO ME?" Bob is freaking out because he doesn't understand what is going on. Heidi doesn't care because she's rekindled her relationship with Hailey.

Haileyheidi

So, the saga continues....

Although they have removed a sizeable amount of hair with the trimmer, they have still only touched the tip of the iceburg and haven't even ventured to his underbelly (I can already see that that is NOT going to happen, Fatso is just NOT going to have it and all the brute force Michael has cannot even restrain him). Finally they decide to try cutting off some hair with scissors. Fatso is a little bit more agreeable to this but still it's not very long before he rebels.

Finally, Michael is ready to concede defeat and asks me to call a groomer and get a price. He takes Fatso upstairs to give him a much needed bath.

Fatsoafterbath

Fatsoafterbath3

Fatsoafterbath2

Poor Baby! So now he has a haircut that looks like he did it himself, but at least he's clean.

I'm calling a groomer tomorrow.

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Since we live atop Red Mountain we have a pretty good view of the fireworks that are shot from Vulcan Park on the 4th of July right from our own yard. We have stayed home and watched them for the past 2 years. Homewood also has a nice little carnival, street thing in downtown and we've gone down there a couple of years also, but it's really geared more for younger kids. This year we're going to 5 Points South to attend a block party! It's a more grown up atmosphere and I think Hailey and her friends will have a great time! Michael will also be there (working) but at least we'll get to see him.

5 Points South is a club and restaurant district just over the hill from Homewood. Whereas Homewood has a nice view of Vulcan's butt, 5 Points South has a nice view of his frontside LOL. 5 Points South, also known as 'Southside' is an awesome place with many unique clubs and shops. This is where the local music scene in Birmingham thrives. It's a very walkable area and the shops are amazing! Hailey and I went down there last Saturday and went in Cloud Nine and India Shop. Both shops have unique clothing, shoes, jewelry, posters, and tons and tons of incense! Cloud Nine also does tattoes and that is where Hailey will get hers (when she does get it). Southside is also a neighborhood and within walking distance to University of Alabama at Birmingham. There are many old homes that have been refurbished and remodeled into showcases. Quaint, old apartment buildings house singles, couples and many college students.

This is the first ever block party in 5 Points South. It was an attempt by the 5 Points Neighborhood Association to provide a fun 4th of July event for people who are feeling the gas crunch and can't necessarily afford to go out of town for the holiday. I think it's a great idea and I will DEFINITELY be taking my camera along!

 HERE'S A LINK IN CASE THE WIDGET DOESN'T WORK

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Yes...THAT'S why I haven't blogged in over 10 days! Amazing! It finally dawned on me about a month ago that if I didn't get it in gear and work some serious overtime we could just kiss this trip to Cali goodbye (myself at least, fund raising has already paid a big chunk of Hailey's costs). I make a pretty good wage on regular time and since I'm still an hourly employee, a VERY NICE wage on overtime. So I withdrew from school (just put that on hold until Hailey graduates) and really buckled down on the overtime. From January through May I maybe worked 3 hours of overtime total! In the last 6 weeks I've worked over 10 so I'm headed in the right direction. I'm in real good shape this week having worked almost 30 hours in 3 days. I should be on overtime all day Friday and will go in Saturday to meet my goal of 50 hours this week. I'm tired but it's just gotta be done.

I've also been exercising. I've been doing Turbo Jam every morning (not today, since I got up late).  It's really great and gives me lots of energy. There's no better way to start your day than to get a good, sweaty workout! I've been trying to do 5 days on and 2 days rest BUT since I'm skipping today I'll have to exercise on Sunday and just rest on Monday.

We've been doing this fruit flush diet and it's great too! It's a 3 day detox where you eat nothing but fruit all day, then a salad and some chicken or fish at night.  I don't own a scale and the only time I get weighed is when I go to the doctor, but I can definitely feel that I've lost weight and the exercise is really toning me up.

I've also been NOT smoking in the house, which naturally keeps me away from the computer.

So, those are the reasons my blog has been kind of neglected as of late. Plus I just haven't had anything to blog about. Hailey is out of school and there's nothing really going on right now. They've cut her hours back to just weekends at Moe's so she's just basically chillin at home while I work.

There are some upcoming events that look promising though:

Senior band members get fitted for their uniforms on July 8th.

Hailey has her Senior pictures made on July 9th (I'll be there probably snapping some pics of them snapping her pics).

Band camp starts on July 22nd and I will be there spying and listening as much as I can. They don't play when they first start because they always have to teach the Freshmen how to march.  Hailey will be one of 4 section leaders for the clarinets. It's going to be a great year for band!

And, my BFF Melonee is having an adoption party on July 26th (she's adopting a foster child that she's had for quite some months). I will be taking my camera so I can blog the event.

We MIGHT be taking a short trip to the beach (we SO need it). This depends upon the above-mentioned overtime.

Hailey's Senior registration is August 4th.

Band pictures are on August 6th.

First day of school is August 11th.

My Birthday is August 16th.

The band will perform for the Tournament of Roses president on August 19th (he will be here all that week).

Homewood Patriot Football starts on August 29th!

Looking at all this I guess it's good we've got this little break where there is nothing going on. But I love the fall, when band and school and football start, it's so exciting and since this is Hailey's last year, I'm not going to miss a minute of any of it!

Here's some more very good news about our school system, of which I am so very, very proud!

 Homewood High School was named one of the "top 1,300 U.S. high schools" by NEWSWEEK magazine.

To qualify for the list, public schools are ranked according to the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at the school in 2007 and is divided by the number of graduating seniors. Any school with a ratio of 1.000 or higher is placed on the NEWSWEEK website to indicate that the school had as many tests taken in 2007 as they had graduates.

Homewood High School was ranked 479 out of the 1,300 schools, a ranking that would place it in the top two percent of schools in the nation.

There were very few schools in our state that made this list.

Here's the article and the complete list.

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I was going to blog today and write a bit about my Father. This is the first Father's Day since he passed away last July. It felt weird and sad. I decided I didn't want to write because it would make me too sad. I decided I just wanted to remember the good times with my Dad. He was a good Father and I have many wonderful memories that I will keep with me throughout my life and someday I know that I will see my Father again. The details of the day he died and the days to follow still haunt me: the phone call at 6:30am, hearing my sister say the words that wouldn't register in my brain, the funeral, the burial and visiting his grave a few months later and still seeing the dirt looking so fresh. I don't want to focus on those sad things. I want to focus on the memories I have with my Father. He is still alive in my memories.

So Junior FINALLY broke his winless streak today and won at MIS. While I was watching the race I was saddened by the number of empty seats. I don't think I've ever seen the stands so sparse at a cup race before. I'll bet some of those people who didn't go are kicking themselves now! Thank God Jr knows how to save fuel! And Thank God for that last caution. I think this was a very special win for both Junior and Rick Hendrick. These two have a very special bond in that Junior lost his Father and Rick lost his son. Very, very fitting for Father's Day. I know that Dale Sr and Ricky Hendrick were both smiling down from heaven today.

Way to go Junebug! Way to go! Happy Father's Day!

Jrwinsmichigan

Jrfathersday

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Four chefs have made it onto Forbes' Celebrity 100 Power List.  And apparently it helps to be on TV - preferably with more than one show. 

The highest-ranked among them at # 76, is the always-chipper Rachel Ray, who is not really a chef, but a cookbook author and TV personality. Coming in next at # 91 is Wolfgang Puck, one of the original celebrity chefs from the 1980s whose empire has expanded to include airport cafeterias and take-out stores to go alongside his more upscale restaurants. At # 95 is the cantankerous Gordon Ramsay, who has managed to accumulate an incredible 12 Michelin stars at the same time as run an expanding TV empire that includes the popular shows, Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares. And just slipping onto the list with the final spot is relative newcomer Paula Deen, whose popular Food TV shows feature the most overindulgent televised use of butter since the Two Fat Ladies went off the air.  

The list takes into account earnings, press coverage, magazine cover stories and television presence, among other criteria.

Notably absent from the list are the ubiquitous Bobby Flay and English culinary heartthrob Jamie Oliver. 

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theappetizer/archive/2008/06/12/four-chefs-make-forbes-celebrity-100.aspx

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The Beatles, then David Cook, then Hannah Montana

in 'American Idol', Beatles | Permalink

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OK Folks! In case you missed them during the finale results show....here they are back to back...

David Cook and David Archuleta Guitar Hero Commercials!

Now I have to say that Archie looks like a little kid who just got ready for beddy-bye and ran back into the living room to goof around...you can also tell he's never played a guitar or guitar hero...but he's as cute as he can be...

Now Cook, on the other hand....that boy has got some moves and some legs, he's givin the ladies what they want :)

I've never been a fan of tighty-whiteys but I'll make an exception here...

Ladies?

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So she can decide for herself....just a few videos I found that kind of epitomize what Sex and the City is really about...the lives of 4 women whose friendship is something that most of us only dream about...each very unique individuals but as a group they become one...

Charlotte York - the ever self-conscious, princess type who has an unflappable, fairytale idea of how her life is supposed to turn out. She wants a prince of a husband and lots of beautiful children. She marries right up to Park Avenue to a successful man whose family has old money. But her knight in shining armor turns out to be a thumb-sucking Mama's boy and the meddling MIL ultimately results in the demise of their marriage coupled with their failure at making a baby together. Charlotte finally finds true happiness when she falls in love with the lawyer who represents her in the divorce. Harry is about as far from Charlotte's type as he could be. Balding and Jewish but she falls head over heels in love with him, converts to Judaism and they have a traditional Jewish wedding that is full of mishaps...

Charlotte e Harry - Sex and the city

Miranda Hobbes - the tough girl in the group, she's a successful lawyer but never finds love among the elitist types she dates. She meets Steve the most unlikely fit for her and although she's crazy about him, she is also constantly irritated that he acts like a 12 year old most of the time. They have a baby together but their relationship doesn't last and they split up. Ultimately they realize that they are meant to be together and get married holding their son Brady.

Steve and Miranda- Have A Little Faith In Me

Samantha Jones - she's the wild one in the group. She's outrageous and very open about all of her sexual escapades. She treats men like sex objects and thwarts any who attempt anything close to intimacy with her but Samantha ultimately finds love with one of the male models that she is promoting. Smith is a young, beautiful Adonis and is crazy about Samantha but she is still resistive. She decides she wants to get breast implants and during the consultation with the plastic surgeon she finds out she has breast cancer. Everything in her life is turned upside down. Smith is there and ultimately brings Samantha to realize she loves him too...

Samantha and Smith Love

Carrie Bradshaw - she's a writer, she's a dreamer, she's always second guessing herself. The story of Carrie and Mr. Big is the cornerstone of the show. It weaves in and out of the storylines as he weaves in and out of her life. She has other relationships, even marriage proposals (which she ultimately turns down). Mr. Big gets married to someone else. But their merry-go-round lives always bring them back together. Carrie decides to move to Paris with her latest love, an insufferable artist who takes her for granted. She can never get Big out of her mind or her heart...

Sex and the City- Carrie and Mr.Big

Carrie and Big All the moments (sex and the city)

In the final episode...Charlotte and Harry receive news that their adoption has gone through and they receive a photo of their new baby daughter...Miranda realizes that she can be a nurturer when her MIL, who is ill with dementia, escapes into the streets of NYC....Samantha realizes that she loves Smith and finally lets him in....Carrie realizes that she's made a mistake going to Paris at the same time that Mr. Big goes to Paris to rescue her...he tells her that "she's the one"....and that's where they leave us waiting for the movie...

Sex and the City - The End

Sex and the City series finale tribute

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Well, first of all I'm not overwhelmed by tonights performances by either contestant. Second of all, I'm somewhat deflated and saddened by Cook's lack of charisma tonight. I'm not bashing him by any means. The guy has got a major distraction in his life with his Brother being deathly ill and I actually feared that he might quit the show if his Brother took a turn for the worse. The fact that he remained on the show and was able to perform is commendable in itself. His distraction has been obvious to me the last few weeks and was really obvious after he returned from his homecoming trip. To compound all of this, funds were raised to bring his Brother back to L.A. for the finale tonight but, sadly, he was too ill to make the trip. I cannot even imagine how tortured this young man must be and I fully commend him for sticking it out and I also totally understand that his heart wasn't fully in it tonight.

All this being said I think David Cook took his unofficial concession tonight and I hope he sleeps very well (he will need it because win or lose, both the finalists will be BOMBARDED with media following the results show tomorrow night).

On the other side of the coin toss, Archie was definitely 'in it to win it' tonight. I think booting his Dad from backstage has actually allowed David A to be himself and show some personality in his song choices and his performances. He did better tonight that I think he has any other night. Without that oppression from his Father he really seemed to shine. The judges all seemed to favor Archie. Simon called it a "knockout".

I voted 440 times for David Cook tonight and stopped (there's still a while so I'll probably vote a bit more) but I don't think it matters at this point. Either way, they are both winners and will do very well.

We will see how it all comes down tomorrow night.

I loved seeing my man Ruben on the show tonight. He was here just a week ago filming a documentary with his childhood voice coach for his upcoming role in a Broadway musical. While he was here he also visited some local elementary schools and actually singing with them! Ruben is an awesome guy!

Good luck to both David's tomorrow night!

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I found out yesterday that you don't have to be a baker to make a great pie. I'm not a baker and have never claimed to be a baker. Yes, I made a cheesecake from scratch once and it was pretty good. I've made cakes from scratch that tasted about the same as cake made from a box mix. I love to cook but baking has just never been my thing.

But I wanted to make a blueberry pie so I decided to give it a try. I was browsing pie recipes on www.allrecipes.com and came across a simple recipe for a blueberry pie. I didn't want some big complicated recipe that called for cornstarch or other weird ingredients. I wanted it to be very simple and fresh. When I told Hailey we were going to make a pie her stock answer was "I don't like pie." I just asked her to give it a try. The recipe just called for blueberries but I wanted to include some strawberries too. I modified the recipe just a bit too. As the filling was cooking I noticed Hailey taking some interest in it. We both had a taste with a little spoon. "Yumm!" she said. It was ridiculously good!

So here's my recipe for,

88gurl's berry delicious pie for dummies!

Ingredients:

2 pre-made pie crusts (I couldn't find a top crust so I just bought 2 bottoms)

1 small bag of frozen blueberries (thawed, drained and rinsed)

1 small container of fresh blueberries (or even better, go out and pick them yourself!)

About 10 fresh strawberries, sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

While you are preparing the berries bake the bottom crust for about 10 minutes and set it out to cool

Bottomcrust

Melt the butter in a dutch oven

Stir in the flour, sugar and cinnamon

Add the sliced strawberries and drained blueberries (not the fresh ones)

Simmer this over medium heat until the liquid has reduced and the strawberries have softened and let it cool a bit

Piefilling

Line the bottom crust with some fresh blueberries

Freshberries

Pour the cooked pie filling over the fresh blueberries, place the top crust (I had a bit of trouble with this) stick a fork in it a few times to release the steam.

Return to the oven to bake for another 10 minutes or so unti the top crust is brown and the filling is bubbly.

Voila! You have made pie!

Finishedpie

It ain't too pretty. I cracked the top crust taking it out of the oven because the aluminum tin was kind of flimsy but who cares? I'm sure it wouldn't win any pie baking contests but who cares? It was absolutely delicious with the fresh blueberries still firm enough to 'pop' in your mouth! And adding in the strawberries and the cinnamon (which the original recipe didn't call for) really made it delicious!

We were trying to keep the calories down so we served it with whipped cream (from a can) instead of ice cream.

Hailey couldn't even wait until after dinner! She begged me to hurry up and cut it and gobbled up a whole piece! SCORE!

Deliciouspie

So all you people out there who think you have to be some kind of master baker snob to make a delicious pie, think again! This was super delicious, not too difficult and one of the best things I've ever made! With ready-made pie crust and some fresh ingredients anybody can make a berry delicious pie!

ps: next time we're gonna try apple!

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