Enjoying the Holiday Long Weekend

Thanksgiving was really nice here at Frog Central. I had a dinner with turkey and all the trimmings courtesy of Bob Evans. The nice thing with that is limited leftovers. I made a nice plate up of leftovers last night and there's enough for a small meal this evening. Of course thursday morning was taken up with watching the Macy's parade - I don't especially care for the first hour - all I want to see are the bands and balloons. A local channel here plays the St. Louis parade, but we won't go into that (mom always said if you don't have something nice to say, say nothing at all - and this is one time I'm taking that advice. LOL).

The weather here has been in the 50's - absolutely beautiful. So yesterday I spent most of the day packing up fruitcake and making a run to the post office. The lady at the post office saw me coming and when she saw the boxes she asked very hopeful - fruitcake? She was so happy when I told her yes and then held up a pound loaf for her. I had given her a small amount last year and she loved it. So I made her day and she promised to maybe share some with her fellow employees - emphasis on maybe. It's amazing how fast these fruitcakes went out considering the 6 weeks that went into making them. I hope all getting some enjoy. This morning I spent doing the local delivery of fruitcake. I'm down to the last few loaves - one for me and one to take home to mom early next month for Christmas. I was also able to get some Christmas shopping done this morning. I'm almost done with that, thank goodness.

So I'm holding off a new Frog of the Day until monday. We're supposed to get snow all day sunday and monday so I'll be housebound for a couple of days, looking for something to do no doubt.

Enjoy the rest of the long weekend. I hope your enjoying it too. Now I'm off to enjoy some pizza - I needed a change from poultry! lol

Happy Thanksgiving Eve

It was a tough day today. Thankfully I'm feeling much better. Thanks to all the cold remedies I received from my faithful readers. I kind of liked the shot of whiskey idea the best! LOL (Those that know me know I don't drink alcohol - but if it would have made me feel better, I might have just done it!). I think the best thing that helped was a nice long night of good sleep and then turn around and have a nap shortly after breakfast.

I talked a long time today with AB. She said it did good to get her mind off the loss of her dog and so I was happy to talk as long as she wanted. AB knew that I knew what she was going through and so I hope it really did help her to have someone with whom to commisserate.

I made a late afternoon run to IGA. They are the only store in town that carries the Bob Evans side dishes and I was afraid they would all be out of stock. I was able to get everything I wanted, snagging the last three bean casserole. They had the stuffing, glazed apples, and 4 different types of mashed potatoes (I settled on two). I went further down the aisle and there they had turkey all sliced and in gravy. I was at the checkout and the lady said I forgot a can of cranberry sauce. I told her I already had a can at home. She marveled that you could microwave your way to a Thanksgiving meal so easily. I told her that I live alone and cheating in such circumstances is acceptable (and indeed preferred)!

Now I'm ready to settle down and enjoy a bit of television. Here's hoping that you have a great Thanksgiving Day.

And before I forget: HAPPY 75TH BIRTHDAY DAD!

A Late Post

I'm up and around - and that's about all. It was about 4 this morning when I finally drifted off to sleep for a couple of hours. I hate when you lay down and one nostril clogs up - I ended up rolling from side to side, one nostril clear, one clogged. Ugh! Things seemed to have dried up today and even my swollen eyes are feeling a bit better (as long as I don't look at the computer screen - lol). Hopefully just another day or two and I'll be back to normal.

Of course, as I'm beginning to feel a bit better I have to go out again. I wonder if I can get one of those protective bubbles. With Thanksgiving coming up I thought I'd pop out to IGA - they have the green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, stuffing all made up - all you have to do is microwave it. Hey, when you live alone, you cut corners wherever possible. I don't want to spend all day cooking for a 10 minute meal eaten in the la-z-boy while watching television.

I heard from AB early this morning and her new dog, Ida, passed away during the night. She was only a couple of years old. A very young age for a small dog. My heart goes out to her, I know what she's going through - her e-mail took me right back to the day four months ago when the Frog Wrangler passed away. Keep AB in your thoughts and prayers.

A tough morning....

Yesterday was a day to rest, relax, and catch up on some much needed sleep. I had gone out Saturday to pick up my Angel Food order and it was about an hour late. Add to that the power was out in town for that time and it was a chilly (ok, downright freezing) wait. With a bunch of coughing people mixed in and today I feel like crap. I was up this morning at 6:30 with my eyes swollen and my nose running. I think today is going to be a Nyquil day.......

Hope your day is going a bit better.

Frog of the Day

Annalee - Snowflake Frolic Frog
Originally uploaded by KenCalvino

I didn't want to crawl out from under the covers this morning, but my back was screaming. I can't believe that at 6:30 it is so dark out. I woke up my poor birdie stumbling around. Shortly after plopping into the easy chair and covering up with the afghan I was back to sleep for about an hour. I woke up to birdie whistling at me. The temps are barely moving out of the 30's (I miss the summer months already!). Worse is that today I have to run out to do a couple errands - brrr! I really have to find my hat this morning before I go out.

This frog collectible is from Annalee and is called Snowflake Frolic Frog. He stands 8 inches tall and is an exclusive design. He can only be found at Dilliards. A great frog collectible to add to the collection. I just received this little guy this last week.

Happy 4th Anniversary

Quarry Critter
Originally uploaded by KenCalvino

I originally began this blog just to list all the frogs I had in my collection. A way to get a handle on the almost 1,400 frogs that now populate Frog Central. Forest from Quarry Critters was one of the first frogs I listed and he made a return on the 1st anniversary, so I thought he should be the one to be here for the 4th. I can't believe all the frogs we've seen along the way!

The blog morphed along the way as a way to reach my friends and family to let them know what was going on from day to day. I added my own little personal musings from time to time on the mundane - the nonsense of life, if you will. I began adding pictures now and then of my surroundings, gifts, and don't forget the fruitcake! LOL

Of course, once my life creeped into the blog, that meant that my ever present dog, Shadow a/k/a The Frog Wrangler had to make a weekly appearance. I'm glad that the last years of her life and story were documented here. And the outpouring of support when she passed away this last summer was indeed moving.

I was asked recently what I was going to do with the blog now that all my frogs have been cataloged. Well, I've been adding new frogs to the collection at the rate of about 3 a month. While not a lot, there have also been some months I've added as many as 6. Almost all the frogs in my collection came in the form of gifts from friends and family. Only in the last couple of years have I bought some frogs for myself, but I never bought just to buy. A couple years ago a woman in England opened a museum and made quite a splash as having the largest collection of frogs in the world. She had made a world trip and bought all of them in about a year! Within a year she closed the museum and had sold all the frogs. That's not the way most collectiors do it. Instead, most do what I've done - my collection has been built frog by frog for about 25 years (or more!). What began as a single wide mouthed frog and a funny joke, blossomed into a passion for all things frog collectible.

I would say that the blog will continue much as it has over the last 4 years, but those years were marked by change - so I guess I'm not sure what the next year will bring.

All I do know is that I love hearing from my readers. Some have sent me pleading e-mails to sell them one of my frogs (NEVER!) or to help them find a specific frog for their collection. I try my best but I'm not always successful. The first week I started my blog I had 1 view a day. Today there are about 150 hits a week - and over 16,500 people have stopped by to check things out. I've received e-mails asking why I'm not more personal or controversial. There are a lot of blogs out there where you can get your political, religious, or whatever. This is not that kind of blog. I try to stay neutral as much as possible. I do have opinions on these subjects and I vent them on those other blogs that deal with that kind of material.

I will try to stay very g-rated as possible - non controversial. I am passionate about wildlife issues and will talk about them and being green from time to time. More salacious items will not appear here. So I hope you'll continue to stop by and I look forward to another great year of frog collectibles!

It is cold!

It is really cold here at Frog Central. Yesterday I stayed in, wearing 2 and 3 layers of clothing and wrapped up in my afghan. I'd probably do the same today, but I have a lot to get done today. I've already got the desk cleared of all the important items. Now I have to run out and do a couple errands. I'd like to stop at the local mexican restaurant to get some lunch - anything with jalepeno peppers please! LOL

Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day here at Frog Central. You'll have to check back to see what's going on. Let me just say that I've been holding back on some frogs because I was waiting for this.........

I'lll surely get sick now!

I called the doctor's office today to schedule a flu shot only to be told that they ran out! They gave me an alternate place to call and they're out too, this can only mean that I am destined to get the flu this year.

I was watching the news this morning and I'm getting concerned about the amount of snow that is piling up along the path that I'll travel east next month. I don't want to end up in another snow bank! I'm planning on taking some extra days in the travel time so hopefully I can by-pass the early mornings when the roads are still slick from overnight freezing. Since I won't have the Frog Wrangler with me I'll have more options for stopping along the way.

I'm in the midst of studying the calendar so that I can make stops to see all my friends who I haven't seen in ages - hopefully it will all work out and the weather will cooperate.

Guess I'm going to finish watching my soap and then take a little nap - have a good day!

Monday Morning Rush

Today has been non-stop and I still have a number of errands to run today. I've already been to the pharmacy, post office, and grocery store. I went by the DMV but they aren't open on Mondays. Guess I'll be going out again tomorrow. It is so cold out. I was bundled up with my winter jacket but I couldn't find my hat this morning. Who knows where I put it...... I'm sure it will turn up somewhere.



The weekend was really laid back which was really nice. I stayed in, wrapped up in my afghan, keeping warm. We had a little bit of snow flurries Saturday night, which thankfully didn't stick.

Well I went to post this a couple hours ago only to find that the internet connection was down - oh, the joys of living in a small town. You just have to wait a bit for them to do whatever they're doing and hopes it come back up. They get a bit annoyed if you call them the second it goes down - they like you to wait overnight before you complain. As someone who came from the east coast, that is one of the hardest things to do. I'm not the most patient person in the world, but I'm learning. So before the internet goes down again I'll get this up and posted. Have a great day!

TGIF

It's been a long week and I feel that I didn't get as much done as I should have. I think I feel that way every Friday..... I have to call the doctor's office today to set up getting a flu shot. I wasn't sure if I was going to get one or not, but it seems every time this hermit goes out I come home feeling sick, so I guess it would be a good idea. Especially since I'll be heading back east for Christmas.

Today I've already resoaked the 5 loaves of amaretto fruitcake in brandy. I'd deciding how to divide them up because that's all I made of that kind and everyone wants a taste. Several of the loaves will have to be cut in half I'm afraid.

Some people have all the luck - bad luck that is. I was reading a news story yesterday and it reminded me of that old Hee Haw jingle about if it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. A woman in South America was riding in the hearse to the cemetary to bury her husband. An accident with the hearse and another car happened - shifting the casket forward, hitting the woman in the head, snapping her neck, and killing her instantly. I wonder if the funeral home gave the family a two for one special......

Guess I ought to get this day started........

A New Day

And thankfully no rain. The last two days have been miserable here at Frog Central - dark, overcast skies and lots of rain. The sun is actually finding its way through the clouds today and hopefully things will dry out a bit. I've already gotten the fruitcakes brushed for today - they'll be ready to go at the end of the month and a day later I'll be complaining of a stomach ache! LOL

The news this morning was all grim - high unemployment numbers and according to Chicago's mayor it's just the beginning, stock market in a nose dive again. It sure makes you wonder where this is all headed. President-elect Obama sure has his work cut out for him.

So after the Oprah magazine debacle, which you may remember me commenting on here, I received OK! magazine yesterday for the same person. I'd really like to meet this person who is ordering magazine after magazine and doesn't seem to know their own address. So today I'm going to spend part of the day on the phone to OK! magazine trying to get them to stop sending it - I flipped through the copy sent and it's absolutely nothing I'm interested in. I don't need to know the private lives of stars - honestly, they just aren't that interesting.

Well, I suppose I ought to get this day started......

Veteran's Day

Today's the day we give thanks to our veteran's for all the sacrifices they have given to keep us safe. The parade here was cancelled due to rain but that doesn't mean they aren't in our thoughts. Thanks veterans!

Monday, Monday

I love that new show Skins on BBC America. I watched that last night and then turned on the radio to hear Harry Shearer and his show, but ended up going to bed a bit early. Not that it did any good when my head hit the pillow. This weather is creating havoc with my back and I tossed and turned most of the night. I feel like I'm trying to move through mud today. I spent most of the morning brushing more brandy on the fruitcake. They are smelling so good it's all I can do to keep from tasting some. Two more weeks and they'll be ready.

The news today was depressing so I had to turn it off. I'll turn it back on in just a bit because I want to see our new president-elect make his first trip to the White House. He's supposed to return to Chicago afterwards - I hope he makes it back before the snow starts in earnest. Can you believe all the reports of snow - multiple feet of snow! I better start now to make it home for Christmas.......

Senior Moments

This weekend has been one long senior moment. I decided that yesterday I would go to the Odd Fellows Chowder. I arrived with my kettle, ready to buy a gallon of chowder and come home and make some drop biscuits. The place was locked. Well, I figured they must be at the local park so I took a ride over there - nope. I came home and called one of the members I know - it's Sunday. Oh well. I looked at the papers again and sure enough I was wrong. By now enough of the day had been wasted that I couldn't make either craft fair, so I made a late lunch and took a long nap. At first today I didn't think I'd make it to the chowder because my back was killing me, but with the help of one of my pain killers I finally felt well enough to adventure out. I tried their chowder and it was delicious so I decided to buy 2 gallons. I froze up one gallon and am looking forward to enjoying the rest over this next week. If I don't have to cook for a while it's a wonderful thing!

An explanation of a southern Illinois-ism is in order here. Chowder is not a clam chowder. For the first several years I lived here that's what I thought. Instead, it is a mixture of beef, pork, chicken, potatoes, and vegetables in a tomato based liquid. It's much like a beef stew. It's very good, but confusing to those of us who were brought up on the east coast.

TGIF

It's been a good week, hasn't it? The last couple days have been pretty busy. I went down to the new IGA to check out the specials and sign up for a chance at a new plasma television their giving away this weekend. Since the car came back all fixed it works great - no more squeaking and brakes that will stop you on a dime.

Wednesday evening I watched Ghost Hunters - and if those guys think that ghost in the last house was nice, they're crazy. Slamming doors, throwing hangers, and banging pots and pans - I don't think that's a pleasant haunting. I got to laugh it all off minutes later though watching South Park - they had turned around the election results into one of their episodes. Of course Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are always good.

Today there's little on the agenda, but this weekend plans to be busy. There are two really big arts and crafts festivals that I'd like to go to. Plus the local Oddfellows are having their chowder fundraiser. And now that I know that it's beef stew and not clam chowder, I'd like to go get some. Well, not sure what I'm going to pick to do, but it should be fun.

Have a good weekend.

The biggest voter turnout in 90 years - be proud!

I've said for a couple weeks that seeing people wait in lines that went on for hours and hours was moving. To see the crowds last night in the streets all over the United States was amazing. This morning I watched some of the photo essays from around the world - to see them revel in our democratic process gives me a renewed sense of hope for where this big blue marble is headed. No matter how you voted you can be proud of the process that brought us to this point. As our new president-elect said last night, this is just the beginning - the hard work of fixing our economy and so many other things that have gone wrong recently - now that hard work begins. May we be up to the task!

Beautiful Fall Foliage

Beautiful Fall Foliage
Originally uploaded by KenCalvino

I'm so glad I voted early. I went out and sat for awhile at the end of the driveway and watched the squirrels play - including a white one - and just took in the beautiful fall foliage of both my trees and the neighbors trees across the street. The sun was hitting them just right that the trees looked like they were just golden. The picture doesn't do them justice.

I'm currently awaiting the garage to come and pick up the car - today's the day I find out exactly what's wrong - hopefully nothing much (fingers crossed).

For me, today is going to be a low key day. Nothing much is on the schedule other than watching election returns tonight. So get out there and vote if you haven't and then sit back, have a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy some scenery.

One Day to Election

I've had to turn the news channel that I usually keep running in the background while I do other things. I can't listen to one more campaign speech - until I hear from the winner tomorrow night. So today I'm going out to run a whole bunch of errands and plan to eat lunch out at our local Mexican restaurant. First up is getting all the checks for the bills written out and in the mail. There were lots of sales flyers in the Sunday paper and while a lot of those stores are not local there were a couple sales I want to take advantage of. After lunch I'm going to swing by the garage to see if they can fit me in at some point this week. Then I can come back home, put up my feet and relax - for a minute or two anyway. Time to get this beautiful 70 plus degree day started......

Halloween Hangover

Have you come down off that sugar high yet? I watched the live show of Ghost Hunters last night and munched away first on popcorn, then on some of my favorite licorice - Twizzlers cinnamon fiery hot! I don't get any trick or treaters here at Frog Central - well, I don't turn on any lights either....

I spent much of the morning brushing a new layer of brandy on about half of the fruitcakes. Oh my, they smell so good. The amaretto fruitcakes have such a strong almond scent - yummy. The Christmas fruitcakes have a nice aroma of all the fruits blending together. Three more weeks until their ready to taste and I can hardly wait.

There's only three days to the election and I can hardly wait for it to be over. I get my television out of Missouri and Indiana - so you can imagine all the ads I'm seeing from these two battleground states. I'm impressed to see the long lines for early voting - some people are waiting 10 hours to vote - that is just amazing. It's nice to see democracy in action.

Now I have to go have another cup of hot chocolate to wean myself off this candy high a little slower......