Not A Loss, But A Privilege

The news of Betty White's death on New Year's Eve has surely not escaped you. Nor has the extraordinary life she led. The brilliant comedienne and actress that she was in life will live forever thanks to all her work on television. She was smart and funny and compassionate. Her animal right activism is an inspiration. Tomorrow would have been her 100th Birthday. Funny how someone could live to such and old age and still not have lived long enough. I really thought she would just live forever.

While I can't say that I mourn her death, as I did not know her personally, I can say that my deepest sympathies go out to those who did. Do know that it was a privilege to live in the time of Betty White. 

The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls are available on Hulu. 

Hot In Cleveland is available on Paramount +. 

The Proposal is available on Amazon Prime Video.

Donations to animal charities in her honor would certainly be welcome. Here are a few ideas.

ASPCA

World Wildlife Fund

The Humane Society Of The United States

New Year

 Happy New Year! 

Today I am hanging with my favorite (and only) grandson while his parents move into their new house. Shout out to Donvan and his family for making this happen for them. They finally have a place for their little family to call home. 

We had breakfast and watched Encanto. Charlie and Rowan both love this movie. As does Michelle, but she was helping Carolynn clean and pack.

For Christmas, Carolynn got me this great cookbook. 

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook

I love it. Today I decided to try out a recipe from it. I made clam chowder from New Orleans Square in Disneyland park. I even served it in a bread bowl. We listed to the sounds of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride while we made it. Rowan sang "Yo Ho, Yo Ho!" It was easy to make and fun. And most importantly delicious. 

Smooth As A Babies…

So I live in a desert. Yep. A dry, hot, boring desert.

And I have realized recently that I am not exactly the spring chicken I once was.

Shut up.

My mother, and no offense to her, aged horribly. Her wrinkles and gray hair came at an early age. Smoking probably helped speed that along.

Anyways, at my age I think I look pretty alright. People often mistake me for a lot younger and are usually surprised when they find out my real age. I don’t have grays. It’s because I am a soulless ginger. Red heads generally gray later. I don’t have wrinkles too much either. I was never a make-up wearer and I have always tried to take care of my skin.

But the dry…

My elbows and my knees…

So I bought lotion. Do you have any idea how many bottles of lotion I have in my bathroom?

16.

I counted them. Little ones, big ones, some with all natural ingredients, some with fabulous fragrances…

And you know how many of them I use?

None.

I hate being all greased up. I hate greasy hands. And mostly, I just forget it is there. I am a busy person. Who has time to lotion? Not me.

Then I started seeing these commercials for this in shower lotion. These commercials are the creepiest thing ever. LIKE EVER....

And while I don’t want some creepy lady anywhere near me or any one I like, I thought maybe this in the shower lotion would be good. I could avoid the dragon scale elbows and knees and not be a greased up pig. And if it is there in the shower, I might actually use it.

So I bought some. But not this brand, I went with Nivea In Shower Body Lotion

AND IT WAS GLORIOUS!

I no longer have dragon elbows and knees. It was awesome. I am not all greasy.

I loved it so much I bought if for Mary on her birthday. Yeah. I know I am weird.

I use the cocoa butter version. It smells good. No one paid me to say that either. I just wanted to share it with you. Because it was that awesome.

The Return of The King

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by John Tiffany

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was really looking forward to this book. I love Harry Potter so much. I have read the original series more times than I can count.

Yes, I knew it wasn't written by J.K Rowling. Yes, I know it is a play.

I enjoyed it. Sure, I would have loved more detail, but it was a play. Sure I would have loved more new characters. But again, a play.

I loved being taken back to familiar times and places. I loved a look into future Harry's life.

I would love some more. But I take what I can get.

I give this book a 4 out of five because as much as I love Harry Potter, his story finished in The Deathly Hallows. And as much as I want it to continue, it won't.

And yes, it was a play and no it wasn't written by J.K. Rowling.



View all my reviews

The Living Desert

Last month our home school group took a trip to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. We had a great time.

They have a neat butterfly exhibit where you can go in and butterflies land right on you. While Michelle is way too much for butterflies, Catherine made some new friends.

And we got a lot of great pictures.

Michelle also got to ride a camel. She loved it.

And feed the giraffes. Again, loved it.

There was so much to see and do there. It was great. The weather was nice. The people were friendly. We were the only school group that day and it wasn’t crowded.

I tried to take Charlie on the carousel, but he did not seem to like it.

On the way home we stopped and got pizza for dinner, which made David happy.

Just another day of making memories.

#Thankskoda

Carolynn got a dog. It is a husky and german shepherd mix. I am not a fan. Carolynn told me she was going to take care of this dog. But she works and goes to school. And Koda does crazy stuff. So we created a hash tag just for her.

#thankskoda

Koda ate one of my plants. Thanks Koda.

Koda pees everywhere. Thanks Koda.

Koda eats all the plastic ware. Thanks Koda.

I tried to let Koda in but she peed all over the threshold and on my foot. I needed clean socks. Thanks Koda.

Koda some how managed to get on the table but can't seem to figure out how to get off. Now I have to go outside in the freezing cold to rescue her. Thanks Koda.

I forgot what this herb is, because the sign is missing/eaten. Thanks Koda.

Koda just licked me up the nose. Thanks Koda.

We found Koda's collar... She ate it. Thanks Koda.

(FYI... She also ate Drizella's collar some how.)

I was trying to take a picture. Thanks Koda.

Thanks Koda. Thanks Carolynn.

Dogs...

The Gift Of Magic

Last year, as my Aunt Sherri is a grown woman who is free to buy her own stuff, I decided not to give her anything for Christmas. Instead, I gave her a day. Well, two days actually.

Harry Potter Days!

We started right with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone at 9:00 AM. And the same way that book starts, we started…

With breakfast.

We did not burn the bacon. There were eggs and toast too.

We moved ahead movie after movie. We had delicious snacks. (I have a Harry Potter Cookbook. I know. I am an odd one.) I made bouillabaisse for dinner with warm bread. The next day we made Caldron cakes for breakfast. (Yes, they are the same as pancakes.) Then still more snacks and a yummy stew for dinner.

We watched all 8 movies. We had presents; a fabulous Time-Turner Necklace, a beautiful leather journal, a real quill pen, Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and Jelly Slugs.

It was a great weekend.

Way better than just new socks and underwear…