Kat and Nanny, you're welcome any time. I just finished canning broth and dehydrated 30 pounds of garlic, so my kitchen smells.....well, it just smells. (grin) I'd love to have you, and I wouldn't even make you do clean up. Seagrass, I'm happy to see you again, I hope your holidays went well and you're feeling good. Molly is just a dog, I guess, we don't know what she is. She came from a local shelter who "thinks" she is a Sheltie/Beagle mix. I see the Sheltie a little, but not the beagle, maybe a spaniel of some type. She's just a dog, and has become Elery's constant companion. All 60 pounds of her will lie on Elery for a nap, LOL. Sleevendog, I'd just purchased 10 pounds of green coffee beans, or I'd have considered that. We didn't do many gifts either, I got the Foodsaver and Elery got the Cabela's certificates, and that was it. As for the jalapeno, well, I'm a heat wuss, so it probably wasn't that hot, just too hot for me! Peppi, I'm out of bags, and was using the leftovers, and that one was a bit small, so I think that was the problem. Molly did get her share of liver, but you probably knew that. I do have a recipe for liver dumplings, but no one will eat them except me. Well, I'll bet Molly would, now I think of it. Alexa, other family members have taken half a dozen deer off the farm this year, it's about Elery's turn. The deer stand at the feeders with the horses and eat hay, so I think if I feed them, I get to eat them. The Princess did shoot her first deer this year, now I'm lobbying for her to learn to shoot geese or turkey, the other wildlife we have a zillion of. Cathy, I'll be waiting to hear if HG knows what that thing is. He might surprise you. Then again, he might think it has something to do with gift wrapping or knife sharpening, LOL. Annie

Sammy, you are an educator and deal with various types of children each and every day. Relate your experiences with them to your situation with your dog. If you have a bright but bored child, keeping him in with the "regular" group is a recipe for behavior problems. Instead, you put him in some gifted classes to challenge him and don't expect him to just go along with everyone else at the pace of everyone else and not offer any behavioral problems. You, as an educator, try to determine which method will reach each individual child in the most optimum fashion. You don't teach only history and accounting because it's what you like to teach. You teach a balanced curriculum tailored to a wide variety of needs because that is what the children need. Dogs are very much like very bright 2 year old humans. THey understand much about the adult human world, but they aren't part of it. And, they will be dangerous to themselves unless you constantly supervise them, or contain them, or train them to be reliable. You're choosing to not properly train your dog because it's an inconvenience to you, not because your dog doesn't need the training. Love isn't enough. You must also be responsible. You are ignoring that responsiblity because you choose to. You, and your dog, will be the worse for it. Perhaps it's been so long since you've had a puppy that you don't remember what a tremendous amount of work it is. If this isn't work you are willing to do, then your dog will not be an adult good citizen. You're already seeing the consequences of much of your inaction, but refuse to see it as a call to action, and you'd rather bury your head in the sand. Please, no one here means you or your dog any ill will. We're just frustrated by an all to common occurrance. Dog owners somehow are convinced that their dogs will raise themselves and turn out to be problem free with very little of their own time invested. It's no more true of dogs than it is of children.

DH is the last minute shopper, and spends the season grumbling about the lost meaning of Christmas. So shopping is pitifully painful for him. He absolutely abhors it, and wants for nothing from anyone either. ( I know, Bah-Hum-bug) One year, he actually beamed as I was opening the 2 gifts he chose for me! I was so excited for his excitement for me, if that makes sense!!! All the family was gathered around because they all know that my poor DH just is NOT the shopping kinda guy. All eyes were on me as I opened the first gift. It was a seer-sucker bathrobe. That's not so bad, as we are in Florida and I run hot anyway, so don't need a warm, plush, heavy robe. But when I tried it on, something wasn't quite right. It took a few minutes for me to realize...this is a MAN's robe!!! No darts to accommodate the breasts, and no curve at the waist. The belt was hung at my butt-level!!! His response: "Well, the ladies robes were too cutesy-wootsie for you" (I beg your pardon?) Second gift, same Christmas! Perfume, all wrapped in the store paper.... Halston....."Por Homme" "I told them to wrap up the Halston...I thought it was for girls!" (Thanks, I was feeling pretty macho at this festive time of year.) Nevertheless, the greatest occurrence of that precise moment, was my dear brother, who howled with laughter at DH's foibles! We still look back and laugh at that one!!!! And understandably, after that catastrophic embarrassment, DH has reverted back to being bah-hum-bug...he just can't get it right! Poor thing! (I buy my own stuff and say Santa delivered it for me!)

Thank you all so much! I riffed off Beagles’ suggestion and included many others: I found a basket at HomeGoods that can eventually hold towels, toilet paper, magazines, etc. Lined it with four nice kitchen towels (including one that says “Meals and Memories are made here”). Purchased a nice frame and included the following poem printed on parchment: Bread that your cupboards will always be full, (Gift Certificate to Ulele – ML that was an amazing suggestion – and likely one they wouldn’t find on their own any time soon) Candle that your home will always have light, (Voluspa ‘Maison Blanc – Saijo Persimmon’ Candle) Coin that you may dwell in good fortune, ($200 Home Depot Gift Card – they already have a lawn mower, but will need a weed eater once we help them install a fence for their dogs) Honey and Salt that life shall always have sweetness and flavor, (Orange Blossom Honey from Florida – if they like it that will make a terrific and inexpensive gift for them to send to family members at Christmas; also found some smoked sea salt and pepper & garlic seasoned sea salt that sounded useful and interesting) Wine that joy and prosperity may reign forever. (bottle of pinot grigio – I had to google wine that beer drinkers would like since they have yet to acquire a wine drinker’s palate!) Although married over 30 years, DH and I do well remember those first days of needing SO much. However, DS/DDIL have been married for three years (first lived in an apartment and then military quarters at previous assignments) so have most of the staples and furniture already. This is their first home purchase – driven mostly by the fact that it’s cheaper to buy in Tampa than rent and the waiting list for military quarters is 10 months’ long. I don’t think this will be their forever home but – you never know! We definitely plan to purchase and plant a tree during our first visit – and now I know to bring a new broom as well! OT @runningplace: my stepfather recently passed away after a very unexpected, painful, violent, and unnecessary illness (he and mom were married for 47 years)… you have given me clarification on how my DH can craft boxes for all of DSF’s (12!) grandchildren with the rough milled wood we brought home from his shop milled from a cherry tree in their front yard. Coordinates – perfect! Thanks again, everyone – you are truly awesome! My best, Michele