Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!

Happy birthday Mom!!! She's a New Year's Eve baby. How old did you say you were?????

Twenty nine??????

We spent New Year's Eve at the Red Wings game. R wasn't feeling well and the Wings all played like they had just ate a 6 course meal. It was very unlike them to play so poorly but then they can't win them all. The score was 2-0 with the second goal being an open net goal in the closing seconds. It's also very unlike R to catch a cold. Since he wasn't feeling well and the forecast was for heavy snow we passed on going to Greektown to get a deep dish pizza at

PizzaPapalis. Home of the original Chicago style deep dish pizza and authentic Philly Cheese steak. Their menu says they use cheese from Wisconsin and tomatoes from Italy. Who knew a pizzeria could be so international.

The snow was lightly falling when we went to bed. The next morning we awoke to 8-10 inches. I woke R up so he could go outside and shovel a place for Mr. Peacock. Mr. Peacock was not happy at all. His usual spot under the kitchen window was snow free because of the overhang but it was a fairly warm 31 degrees and he had his rounds to make. He normally doesn't squawk this time of year but he was honking and squawking up at storm until R went outside and fed him a can of tuna cat food and his favorite Hi Ho crackers. He ate while R shoveled off the deck and deck railing.
Isn't he gorgeous??? He knows it too. He's a great pet. Knows his name, answers to my husband's whistle, and is the best burglar alarm you could have. He absolutely cannot tolerate the trash collectors and let's them know that they and their noisy truck better make it quick and move along. For good measure he squawks at them when they drive back by on the other side of the road. Our neighbors have a nursery (trees and plants) and in the spring and summer have shipments delivered by semi trucks. Mr. Peacock in an attempt to protect our neighbors from intrusion, braced the truck in the driveway and would not let him enter. He really needs a lady friend as he was spotted following a flock of wild turkeys only to be seen a few moments later returning rather dejected. If you know of any lady peahens, drop me a line. Mr. Peacock likes long walks, eating grasshoppers, sitting on the fence watching cars drive by, and Hi Ho crackers. His dislikes are anything noisy and people he is unfamiliar with.

Here is a photo of Mr. Peacock (also answers to Big Boy) in all his summer splendor. His tail feathers are actually longer than the photo depicts. It was a windy day and his feathers were blown forward a bit.
Since R was feeling poorly and comfort food is always nice after you have been shoveling for an hour plus....I made chicken noodle soup with dumplings. When I made the dumplings I used buttermilk instead of milk and added my usual smidgen of dill weed but for a twist I added some finely shredded cheddar cheese into the batter. It was delicious and worked out perfect using up the remaining carrots and buttermilk. The fridge is now back to it's pre holiday condition....empty!!!!
On "The Gear" front.......not much happened. During the holidays we didn't have two days free in a row, so starting any kind of project was out of the question.

Happy New Year and here's to a great '08!