Shoot 'Em Ups, Who Dunnits and Bodies -- Don talks about his series of books

MyFox Atlanta Atlanta Novelist Covers Business Mystery Genre

Atlanta Novelist Discusses Business Mystery Business mystery is a genre rarely covered by novelist. 'Justice for J.J. Jenkins' is the newest work by Atlanta writer Don Swann.

I can't believe how ridiculously great Don was on Fox this morning ... who can believe he is really married to Debbie. He's freaking adorable! Go get Justice for J.J. in Jenkins ... trust me, its worth the read!!!

Gambling in a Winter Wonderland ....

It snowed ... and snowed ... and snowed some more. Green Valley and Henderson got 4" - 8" of snow yesterday. It was beautiful, but then messy and then annoying. I think I've lost the joy of snowdays, it was too cold to make a snow man and my feet were wet and cold and the dogs were wet and smelly ... and well, there was not old movies, popcorn and hot chocolate. Today's snowday, simple to stay off the melting streets, simply means working from home, and working harder since yesterday afternoon was a wash of sitting on slushie streets.

We broke records from December 1967, but I think the January snow of 1979 was still a bit more ... either way, yesterday left Vegas in survival mode and in a little bit of shock. Today, the temperature is in the 40s and the sun in shining ... water is pouring off of my roof, streams are running down the sides of the road ... the snow is melting and life will resume to normal, if there is a normal for us, at least.

So here are some photos of our winter wonderland ...

The snow started slow ... right outside the office, then the open courtyard

The open courtyard at the office, palm trees in front of the District

Puppy prints in the snow, Fern rotating which foot touche the snow and EMJ trying to figure out what she did to deserve this sort of punishment ...

Fern's concerning look ... Simon racing back to the warmth of the house and Rebel, sheer, naive amazement

Rebel loves the snow and even chased snowballs ... Pickles was slightly intrigued, but didn't care to spend too much time out there ... however, a pig in snow ... good stuff ..

Sweet Snickers, trying so hard to understand ...

Some scenes from the 'hood - including our "other" pig, the neighbors decorated sail boat (in the South the decorate cars ... sailboats are a little classier) and more ...

Shouldn't there be a warm fuzzy for providing a Barbie Dream House

Christmas is the time for giving and sharing, the time when people feel most charitable and have the most desire to help their neighbor and contribute to the good of mankind. I am not different. As an office, we decided to "adopt a family" (clearly it seemed far better than another dog) and provide Christmas for a less fortunate family. Like adopting anything, there was an agency involved who worked with us to choose our family and explain the program. It was explained to us that in order to qualify these family must provide proof of income, proof their children exist and proof their children are in school - sounds fair and reasonable. We were matched with a single mother and her three children. The parents fill out a "request" form of sorts listing the childrens clothing sizes, shoes sizes and two toys that the children have "wished" for ... as the adopter you are asked to provide two toys gifts (it doesn't have to be what was asked for) and a gift card to provide food for the week.

Easy enough right and how wonderful to provide a child with a lifetime memory of a Christmas morning ... I remember vividly waking up to Cabbage Patch Kids, Barbie Dream Houses (I really want it back now as it was sweet), bicycles and the best the original home Apple computer ... there were stockings full of candy, trendy pencils, stuffed animals and socks ... and in the end you sat with this glow on your face, eyes closing from exhaustion because you awoke so early to see what Santa left, all amidst piles upon piles of colorful shredded paper and discarded bows. As tired as you were, there was not time to sleep ... the Dream House needed occupants, the Cabbage Patch Kid needed a wardrobe change, or if you were lucky enough to get a preemie there was feeding and diaper changing and for goodness sake if you didn't ride that bike in your nightgown in the freezing cold (helmetless) the world would end. Not to mention the candy cane induced sugar can high that alone prevented you from returning to bed. How wonderful that I am fortunate enough to be able to provide this to another, bring a little girl her Barbie Dream house ... so it started.

We divided and conquered as a team and set off shoppping for items requested and others as we deemed appropriate. There were pink bicycles, rollerblades, stuff kittens, Hannah Montana Electric guitars, video games, card games, mittens, gloves, jackets, lip gloss, candy scented lotions, pens and pencils, Pez and more ... As we wrapped the gifts we mused over how jealous we were of the Hannah Montana guitar (that as of wrapping time had dead batteries), wondered if at 32 it was still cool to have streamers on your bike and blew off media kits to play Tetris, Simon and 20 questions. We imagined the 3 little girls opening their gifts, the giggles, the aw, the thrill of Christmas morning. We worried they wouldn't like it, we over thought ever detail adn imagined every Christmas morning scenario. Even though she asked for a "big stuffed cat" would she be just as excited about the litter of 4 unique stuffed kittens, seeing there isn't a single big stuffed cat available in Sin City ... Is her bike the right size? What about a helment? Does she have thick socks for her rollerblades? Do you think Old Maid is too lame? We gave it our all to make sure that when those little girls hurled themselves out of bed on Christmas morning, they experienced the joy that each of us had each year of our childhoods and beyond ... it felt so good!

Gifts wrapped and labeled, loaded in boxes, bow on bike we headed to the drop off location to drop off the wonderful gifts ... imaging what a relief this would be on the mother to be able to see the light in her childrens' eyes ... not to worry about their happiness for one day ... surely she's hardworking and just needs a helping hand, who hasn't in their lifetime. Hearts full of love and a truck full of 8 bags of wrapped packages and a bike, we pulled up at the organization's warehouse to make our donation and leave behind happiness for our adopted children.

At first I was overwhelmed with the sheer number of children's bikes and warmed at the thought there were so many other people out there who chose to share with those less fortunate. I know you shouldn't give and expect something in return, but a thank you, maybe a champagne toast would have been nice when Alex and I pulled up with more than $700 worth of "loot" for a family we don't know.

Let's be honest ..... adopt a whale >> get a picture

adopt a starving African child >> get a picture AND a letter

adopt a senior citizen >> get doilies and vivid stories of years gone by

adopt a dog >> get a hairy sofa, chewed sheos and unconditional love

Everything else you adopt, you get something, some sort acknowledgement that you've participated in the betterment of someone else's life ... something that gives you that warm feeling inside, the feeling that makes you want to hug the closests person to you ... you get something tangible or intangible.

I got something - a lump in my tummy and coldness in my heart.

The gifts were unloaded and we were scurried out, a rude young boy was at the front door blocking the entrance with no intent to move, despite several pleading "excuse mes" .... No one really thanked us, no one took time to check the gifts we had dropped off ... for God's sake people we could have bought them bongs and vodka ... no one asked for list to check it twice and find out if we were naughty or nice. There was no picture of a child or three ... there was nothing. Alex and I pulled away from the building silent ... it was anti-climatic.

A moment or two in the car and we realized the $150 gift card purchased to provide the family's Christmas meal was still in the car, so a quick U-turn and we were back, to drop off the remainder of what, if I do say so myself, will be a swinging Christmas.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but two "needy" families there early to pick up their "gear" ...

I know I shouldn't judge, I know judging is bad ... but really, if you are needy should you be dressed in trendy, quasi designer clothes - should you hair be freshly coifed - should your car be clearly recently detailed - at 3 pm on a Friday shouldn't you be working or looking for work - is it ethical to pick up a bag full of gifts for a 6-month-old baby?

My hair needs coifing, my truck needs detailing, I took time from work to do this, meaning I'll be working late tonight and I'm not quite sure how trendy I really look today --- however I just put your children first! I just took time out of my life and money from my account to give your child a Christmas, if not me, someone else did that - there is someone responsible for that black trash bag full of gifts that you are picking up, someone whose hand you should shake, neck you should hug and heart you should bless in your bedtime prayers.

Where is the accountability to the family in all of this ... where is the thank you note to the people who stopped their lives to provide for you ...? Shouldn't these people be required to give something back to the community for what they have been fortunate enough to receive?

If you are picking up the gifts early are you going to take them and sell them on Craigslist to make money for your hair habit? Will that little girl ever see her pink bike? Are you scamming the system and me ... hard working people who are putting themselves aside to put you first? Am I horrible for wondering this?

I have to wonder if I am just a hardened bitch? a spoiled brat? a pompous ass?

Life has never been hard for me, but it sure as hell has never been easy. I haven't struggled, but I have worked. I made the grades to get in to college and funded it with the help of my parents. I busted my ass to get the jobs I've had and worked even harder to keep them. I paid my bills and my dues and now feel fortunate enough to give to someone else who may be in a position where they are struggling ... so why is it that I feel like I just gave of myself to someone who is too lazy to support themselves of their children. Why do I want that pink bike back?

But, what is the definition of struggling? Should you be wearing holey shoes to deserve a pink bike? Or does a dead beat dad who doesn't support you after he knocked up your mom qualify? Does scamming the system for disability count since your laziness prevents you from supporting your kids or are you really disabled and really need a helping hand and pat on the back? What really qualifies as a struggle?

I wanted nothing more than to just feel the spirit of Christmas and the joy of giving. I wanted to know that I gave a little girl her Barbie Dream House - is that so much to ask for ... why did that have to be ruined by seeing people picking up their donated Christmas ... on that note, can you explain to me why it was necessary for you to pick up your gifts early ... I mean are you leaving town with the cash your saving since, along with my co-workers, I provided your entire Christmas? My shopping isn't done yet because I put your kids first, but you need to show up 4 days early to pick up the donated gifts for your kids? The regular pick up time was still 10 whole days before Christmas!

All I want is a picture of my whale ...

All I want is to know that pink bike was needed, was deserved and will be cherished they way I still cherish even the idea of the Barbie Dream House. I want to know that mother is going to have a huge weight lifted off of her shoulders knowing her kids can go on living in sweet, innocent bliss having no idea how much their mother has struggled and fought to provide for them. I want to know that my hours of shopping and agonizing over pink bikes meant something to someone and wasn't just a free hand-out because you could ...

I don't wish struggle on anyone, I just hope the someone who will reap the benefits of mine, appreciates it and when they dig their way out will do the same ... give another little girl her Barbie Dream House! I want to give a hand up not a hand out ... is that so wrong?



WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY!

Fat ballerinas in pink tutus

Ho-esque red dresses worn at inappropriate times

Strawberry Shortcake

Ornaments my Grandma made

Ornaments I made with my little hands


A warm feeling in my home

Pink pigs in my front yard, that totally outshine the neighbor's blow up nativity scene

Simon's steadfast obedience and willingness to pose for my pictures

Rebel's distrust of the stockings, hung by the fireplace with care

PEACE. LOVE. JOY. HAPPINESS.

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

I was thrilled last night to finally catch a Charlie Brown special on TV, it seems I always miss them! As Steve and I ate dinner and watched a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and It's America Charlie Brown (about the Mayflower) ... I decided that we are much like Charlie and Lucy.

"Pretty faces are always leaders" - Lucy

"Good Grief" - Charlie Brown

Not a good week for fish

RIP Kate Spade
September 20, 2008 - October 27, 2008

We'll miss you!

There's something just a little bit fishy about Kate's sudden, unexplained death ... I think Coco brought in a funk, that led to Kate's demise .... I am launching an official investigation, this is not just a case of a standard floater!

R.I.P Coco Chanel

COCO CHANEL
October 18, 2008 - October 22, 2008

Good Swimmer

Great Sucker

Classic

Baa Baa Black Sheep ...

As if 6 dogs and a pig weren't enough ... how the hell did a sheep and a cow get in the back yard?

Snickers and her squeakers crack me up ...

Off to go deal with spending, plumbing and Sarah Palin ...

Even the kids get it ...

A video of a high school friend's child ... if he gets it, why doesn't everyone else?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWbkgXkNICo

Because you asked ... the lasagna recipe

Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagna
Layers of sage-flecked squash and rich, creamy ricotta serve as both filling and sauce.

Ingredients

Serves 8

3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
Freshly grated nutmeg I didn't use this at all
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped I would double this
1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

Fresh Lasagna Noodles, (you will need only 1/2 of the batch), cut into 4-by-13-inch strips and cooked, or store-bought dried noodles, cooked I used one box of store bought noodles with no issues

4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Bake until light gold and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool. Make sure your squash is cooked REALLY tender!

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Combine ricotta, cream, yolks, mozzarella, and a pinch of nutmeg in a medium bowl. Season with salt.

Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add sage, and cook until light gold and slightly crisp at edges, 3 to 4 minutes.

Place squash in a medium bowl, and mash 1/2 of it with the back of a wooden spoon, leaving the other 1/2 in whole pieces. Gently stir in sage-butter mixture and stock. Season with salt and pepper. I would honestly suggest putting it in the food processor, most of it, and leaving only minor chunks, based on my experience

Spread 3/4 cup of ricotta mixture in a 9-cup baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 of the butternut squash mixture over noodles. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering once more (noodles, squash, noodles, ricotta). Sprinkle Parmesan over ricotta mixture.

Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Helpful Hint
Because fresh pasta is more supple than dried, the uncovered edge of store-bought noodles will crisp more readily than the fresh version.

This may indeed be my next venture, as stolen from someone else's blog ;)

Pear Chardonnay Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup Chardonnay
1/2 bosc pear, peeled and chopped small

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, mix butter sugar and eggs until smooth and creamy; add the vanilla and mix well.In a small bowl, mix baking powder and flour; add to creamed mixture.Add white wine and mix well, but be carefull not to overmix. Add chopped pears.Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.Let cool completely on wire racks

Frosting:

1/2 cup pear juice
1/4 cup Chardonnay
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 oz. cream cheese
4 c. powdered sugar

Mix the pear juice, Chardonnay, and dark brown sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer uncovered until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup and is thick and syruppy. Set aside to cool.In a mixing bowl cream together butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar carefully and beat well. Pour thickened pear Chardonnay syrup into mixing bowl and beat until well combined.

Frost cupcakes and enjoy.

Red Wine, Chocolate and Coco Chanel

I was feeling very Martha, Rachel and Betty today and decided to tackle some recipes that I'd been wanting to test, so I did.

First - Red Wine Cupcakes with a Marscapone Icing. I don't like chocolate cake, but wholy Moses this is some good stuff!! I skipped the secret caramel toppping under the icing because I was too lazy to make the caramel, but next time I'm going to do it as I think it makes a nice addition to a "girl's night" cupcake. What better that an all in one combination of chocolate, red wine and the super indulgent caramel! Yummy! My neighbors, Shelly and Alex's fiance' Shane are starting to love my baking whims!

I overfilled the cupcake liners a bit, well, a lot, so my cupcakes are a bit high and a little lopsided! Oh well, the batter is really thick, a warning for those who dare to venture down this road of drunken baking!
I took Rachel Ray's suggestion of a cute little red grape as a garish, not sure I like it, I might have to play with garnish ideas ... and of course, does anyone have ideas for incorporating red wine into icing to make a red wine icing? Delish, I think so ...

Next, my craving for Butternut Squash Ravioli from Olives at the Bellagio could not be overlooked any longer. I thought I could wait until Erin got here in November, but alas, the urge for sage, butternut squash and pasta over took me. I found this recipe for Butternut Squash Lasagna and gave it a whirl. It needs to be whirled again.

The taste was MAGNIFICENT!! SUPER DELISH AND SO WORTHY OF A PIG OUT! However, my ability to use Ricotta needs some work, the squash was under cooked, so a little a hard, then not near enough of it was "smooshed" ... plus, I think I under "saged" - don't you hate it when you undersage ... ugh. However, the end result was delish, delish, delish with some work needed!! I highly recommend you try this at home!

CHEERS TO YUMMINESS, MARTHANESS AND EVEN A LITTLE RACHELNESS!

So on a fishier note, I felt like Kate Spade has been a little lonely, on top of that, she is a horrible tank keeper! You wouldn't believe the algae build-up in that girl's home. So, a Saturday outing led to the acquisition of Coco Chanel, in the classic colors of black and white, with exquisite taste (for algae) and a complete lack of personality - the name suits her perfectly!

Keep in mind, I've never claimed to be an award winning photographer, but Coco is especially hard to capture on film. She is a 'sucker' fish, so she is always stuck to something, swimming is not an option for her! This is the best I could do, but trust me, she is so Coco Chanel!!!

Pork or Pork Barrel?

Like most, I watched the debate tonight, it was either that or baseball (Go Phillies!) and sadly, I chose what I thought was the intellectual choice. I've seen 4 year olds debate over the rules of the monkey bars better. McCain and Obama fought over milk and apples instead of focusing on the important issues, the bologna sandwich and twinkies - no 4 year old would make that mistake, no 4 year old would be that short sighted. So where does that leave us ...



Well it leaves us with a failing economy and the brightest stars out there are about to drop from the sky and hit the earth like meteors, at least one of them, the other may just remain a star, albeit dimmer and without placement on a map of the constellations. The other, the earth shattering meteor, is going to leave this country wondering what hit it .. scrambling for help and running in circles because there is no help, no hope.



I can't defend McCain right now as he made a fool of himself tonight. If the best thing he can come up with about his running mate is that she's a reformer and understands the families of special needs children, we have a problem, as this indicates he can't hire a decent staff to write speeches and advise him on debate winning quips, which means cabinet will most likely reflect that, which means government will closely mirror it as well ... his only witty remark was that he wasn't Bush, aside from that he poked at Obama, tried to steal his Cheetos and made fun of his finger painting - real productive - way to get to the point and discuss the issues facing America. Finger pointing and finger painting never got anyone, anywhere.



That being said, I'm still far more likely to turn my fate over to him than I am to a man who clearly can't address factual allegations against him, constantly changes his story and ultimately plans to turn this country into a socialist nation - if I wanted socialism I'd be in France (mmm bread) or Zimbabwe, hell, even Canada; I'd spend all my money on taxes and get even crappier healthcare. I don't trust this one, he's slick and well-spoken, seems to have formed a cult, but in the end he scare's me, no terrifies me. Acorn and Ayers alone can cause concern, never mind his constantly changing position, referring to people as workers and raising, no lowering, no raising taxes ... He smiles big and speaks proud all the while really talking about nothing more than how the crust needs to be cut from his sandwich.



So mid-debate, I started packing up all my belongings and got a dart to toss at Mexico, my decision making game for where to live after the election, as if now wasn't a good enough time to play international move roulette ... Cozumel or Cabo can't be awful right .. beaches, tacos, salsa and margaritas can't make for a bad life. I'd say moving internationally would make me miss family, but trust me, they'll visit. So as I packed, researched movers online and prepared to change my cocktail routine from Vodka & tonic to Petron & Sprite, I realized, there might just be another option.

I lost my first hope, the pudgy, southern gentleman, Fred Thompson. Being the important guy on Law & Order doesn't get any hotter, but a presidential candidate ... back of girls ...



So I move on to the next best thing ... he's also a little round, a little short and a little southern ....



PICKLES



It's only logical really.



Pork barrel politics - GONE, Pickles doesn't think pork should be kept in barrels.


Bail outs - GONE, it's every creature for itself


Sharing the wealth - let's be serious, do you really think that one pig would share a field of corn with another pig, I don't think so. If you waddled over here and worked to get it, dammit it's yours.

Welfare - there's not such thing, nothing ever goes well for a pig at the fair ...



His cabinet would be exemplary ...

• Simon as Secretary of State maintaining order


• Snickers handling Foreign Policy-making loud, obnoxious noises when inappropriate intruders approach and quietly allowing those who qualify in without hesitation


• Rascal leading the FDA and USDA


• Rebel would act as Vice President, as that position really doesn't do much anyway


• Etta Mae would work hard for Senior's rights ensuring the safety and validity of Social Security and Medicare


• Fern would be the press liason, she looks good in public

There would be no handouts, as everyone in this pack has to work for their food , so why shouldn't that be national policy.

Crimes would be punishable immediately, a jury of your peers is fine, but seriously, if someone sees you pee on the floor or eat a chair leg, you WILL be ratted out.

Wealth is not shared. If you find it first, it's yours. Don't expect to take a toy from someone's else mouth because you have too many puppies and not enough teets .. what's mine is mine and what you don't have is your problem.

Food will be subsidized, as when it gets too expensive, grumpiness insues and we can't have that.

Energy. Pickles and his cabinet proposes that in order to get our country back on its feet and less dependent on foreign oil or even oil, we use his revolutionary cat-ergy ... cat powered energy for vehicles, home energy and more. It's revolutionary.

Everyone will learn to work and to work together as a pack, if you dont' fit in, you get eaten, it's just that simple. Work is the key word. You have to work to eat, it's just that simple.

Will there be mud-slinging, hell yeah! Will it be more fun that what we are seeing now? Oh yeah!

Will there be a bumpy road ahead, trying times during the transition, yes! But will he reduce the price of corn for the betterment of man-kind, most certainly

I can guarantee you this ... the rose garden will NEVER look the same again.

So, I implore you, beg you, and quite honestly expect you, to make the right choice and election day (which is apparently any day) .....

TAKE THE PORK OUT OF THE BARREL AND STOP THE SHOVELING OF MANURE ...

VOTE PICKLES FOR PRESIDENT

If you haven't registered to vote yet, or this message has made you change you mind, no worries, our friends at 'Pumpkin Seed' will be right over and for an incentive of $25, they will pay you to register, re-register and re-register again - and to vote, and vote often. Pickles knows nothing of these policies, despite his unfailing support of Pumpkin Seed.

Pork is the only option! Write in Pickles in 2008!

MONDAY'S QUIZ ANSWERS

In case you didn't know all the answers ... here they are, you've waited long enough ... Thankfully, for you, I knew all the answers

Answers To Quiz:

1. The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends …Boxing

2. North American landmark constantly moving backwards: Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)

3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons: Aspargaus and rhubarb.

4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside …Strawberry.

5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. (The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.)

6. Three English words beginning with ‘dw’: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle.

7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.

8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh: Lettuce.

9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with ‘S’:Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

The bitterly cold low country boil

Despite the record cold temperatures on Saturday, the Low Country Boil was great fun! I must give me self some credit, as the food was remarkably good. I tried a new appetizer, Hot Virginia Dip, which everyone loved, as well as Beth's grandmother's Freezer Slaw recipes - a favorite from a 92 year old North Alabama woman! Shelly shined with her ability to mix Sweet Tea Vodka into marvelous cocktails and the dogs only stole of ear of corn, even though they ate 2 starter logs (do those even taste good?). The red velvet cupcakes were PERFECT and Steve is going to keep me in the kitchen making 7up Cake (which he calls Lemon Chiffon Cake).

The weather was unexpected with 40 degree temperatures and rumors of sleet and snow on the West side of town. No one went outside, but we had fun catching up, gabbing, drinking and eating and watching Pickles play piano! Here are some photos for your enjoyment.

Hot out of the pot, the shrimp was cooked separate, ya know, allergies ... Pickles had a few too many .... beers and potatoes
Pickles favorite Aunt Shelly who freed him from his crate and fed him all night
Pickles entertaining the crowd, what a ham ...
Gary enjoying Hoegarden, his favorite!

Southern Vodka - Sweet Tea and Muscadine Wine, some Merlot in case anyone wanted to take the classy road
Sally and Kelly

Auntie Alex and Uncle Shane getting some Snickers ans Simon love

Rebel quickly found his new favorite aunt ...
Shelly and Alan
As the night came to a close, Rebel took himself a nap, paying no attention to anyone around him or their desire to sit there
Sally and Fern rest by the fireplace


The next day left the dogs exhausted, so much entertainment from company meant they had to spend the day with their daddy watching football and laying around

Our Sunday afternoon amusement came from a raven in our tree, and some of his friends scattered in trees in our neighbors yards ... Fern went very "coonhound" for a while and was determined to climb a tree ... the rest of them just ran in circles