New Years Eve Paw-Ty!

 It's the "Doodz"New Years Eve Bash in Blogville hosted by our friends.

• Dory's Backyard

and the Mayors of Blogville

• Murphy and Stanley

 Frankie and I didn't have just a DOUBLE date, we had a TRIPLE DATE!

Prissy and Sarge all decked out with Frankie and I. 

Stunning as ever Rosie with Blogville's Ace Attorney Ernie.

Beautiful Prissy and Handsome Top Cop Sarge.

We dress up pretty nice (but I didn't wear heels)

Ernie's trying not to eye the foodables.

Look at all the pretty decorations.  This will be the best New Year ever!

Click on the colored links above for all the party fun at Dory's and Murphy and Stanley's - we'll be rocking and rolling til the clock strikes midnight.

A big thanks to Sarge's Mom who helped us in getting dressed up.

A little Music to Start the Festivities

While I get ready for my big date with Frankie for the New Years Eve Pawty hosted by Dory and Murphy and Stanley (photos coming up this evening), I will leave you with some music. This is Dad playing at a church for a wedding. He hadn't played in YEARS, but when he was young, before he did the whole engineer/inventor thingy he played in an orchestra in Austria. This video was taken in March of 2011, when he and Mom were first dating.

Even if he said he was "really rusty", Mom was quite proud of him, though Mom did make the minister and ushers crack up when they didn't recognize her from either the bridal party (Dad's college friends, much younger than Mom) or the couple's parents (right age, unfamiliar face).

 Mom just grinned, winked at Dad, and said "I'm with the band!"

 Abby Lab

Seek, Squeak, and Repeat !

Blogville Howl-i-daze Hijinks continues this week.  I had such a good time with my date Frankie Furter at Howl-i-daze host Dory's birthday bash over the weekend - staying out with the dogs and cats until the cows came home.

Abby Lab  - Remember that talk we had about your curfew?

Today it's "Game Night" and Frankie and I are whomping Sarge and Company at ping pong - even with the snow freak bomb moment as an attempt to distract us.

But the fun continues  After checking out the action at

• Dory's Backyard

go on and hop on over over to see hosts

• Murphy and Stanley

for even MORE fun!

Snow Freaks -A Fore-Gone Conclusion in Winter

Abby Lab here.  I got all kinds of good pressies from friends and family and even my special friend Frankie Furter and his brother Ernie. One gift was this soft white squeaky toy.  It looks like a little ball. Here, let me snoot it with my nose.

Oh My DOG - It's a snow freak head.  Frankie - you can't just decapitate them, they're like zombies. You can only ship them off someplace where where they will melt. They're diabolical.  This one gift wrapped itself and shipped itself to our house to invade with the other pressies. We need to get it away from here now. 

What can we do?

Down there at the bottom of the picture.  That just LOOKS like an ordinary golf ball.  But with Mom as the caddy. . . . . . .

 Snow Freak - FORE!

Merry Christmas Everyone

As Abby Lab says:

Pees on Earth.

SqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueakSqueak

Thanks Frankie and Ernie for the Pressies!

Wordless Wednesday - My Gotcha Month Spring 2014

Sunday Black and White

And Visions of Sugarplums Danced in Her Head..

This is a blog hop.  Thanks to our hosts Nola and Sugar.

The Dog Barks But the Wookie Roars

Not that I'm a big Star Wars fan or anything like Noodles Mom.

But this is one of my favorite pictures.  Actor Peter Mayhew who plays Chewbacca in ALL the Star Wars Movie had a photo taken with his copy of The Book of Barkley.  That just made my whole year!  Peter and his wife, who have a rescue dog named Scout, are active in animal rescue and their kindness is very much appreciated.

Bacon Blueberry Bomb

It actually was down to freezing after temperatures in the 50's foe much of December in Chicagoland.  A good night for a simple meal, served with salad, as I'm watching my calories and just had a little wedge with that. My skinny, metabolism of a hummingbird, husband had a WEDGE :-)

Bacon Blueberry Cornbread.

It's the bomb.  Moist and both sweet and savory with a smoky/crunchy crust. For the vegetarians in the bunch, make with some of the veggie "bacon" strips and just crumble on top like you would the regular bacon.  If you're using blueberries thawed from fresh, dry with a paper towel, or toss with a teaspoon of flour so the juice doesn't stain your cornbread blue.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cook 6-7 pieces of bacon in a cast iron skillet.  Remove bacon and pour off 90% of the drippings, leaving a two or three teaspoons in the pan, swish it around and up the sides.

In a large bowl mix

1 and 1/2 cups corn meal
1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cup white sugar
two pinches of nutmeg

In another bowl whisk

2 large eggs
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon lard - melted

Mix wet ingredients into dry in the big bowl until moistened and pour into bacon greased (or buttered) pan.  Top with a pint of fresh blueberries and chopped bacon.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  If not done - reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 5-10 minutes. Edges should be nicely brown and a knife stuck in the center should come out clean when it is done.

And someone woke up from their nap in the family room when the pan went past.

Wordless Wednesday - Please don't go to work Mom

Sunday Black and White - A Retro Festival of Lights

We didn't get our tree or lights up yet (this photo was taken last year) as my paw-rents are re-wiring the the basement shop to add some powered equipment the current system isn't sturdy enough to accommodate safely, so the tree is still waiting to go up.

But in honor of 

• Hailey and Zaphod

who are having their Festival of Lights today, we are adding our own little bit of light.

Go visit their blog and look at all the wonderful entries!

Abby Lab

Any Pet can be a Super Pet

What's Your '80s Action Hero Name? - Zimbio 

Mom did this with me for grins while we waited for Dad to come home

 Mine is:

Glorybottom - I LIKE it!

Mom's name is even better, considering her hair color what she studied in school.

So what's YOUR 80's action hero name?

Abby - You got something in the mail. . .

Mom just  picked Dad up at Oh Hair Airport.

I was happy to see him, because he'd been gone forever (Mom says four days isn't forever but they start with the same letter so I say it's true). But I was even MORE happy because my dog walker had brought in a box that was addressed to Abby Lab!  It's from my favorite guy - Frankie Furter

Here's a picture - I licked off the addresses but you can see the nice big box.

What is it Mom, what is it?

It's pressies for Christmas!  Plus a jar of treats and this really neat ball that's all squishy and when I squish it it makes this REALLY loud high pitched SQUEEEEEAK.

Squeak Squeak Squeak

Dad - why is Mom rummaging around the bar for a bottle of scotch?

Wow - all the cards I've been getting from my friends in Blogville are so wonderful, but this is the first time I ever got a BOX addressed to me.

My Frankie is such a sweet guy and his Mom is so nice to make sure everything is wrapped.

Thank you Frankie and Ernie Family - you all are the best fur-ends ever!

Keep Calm and Go to the Holiday Bazaar

It's time for the Lucky Pup Dog Rescue Holiday Bazaar out in sunny  San Diego!

Lucky Pup is San Diego's first Adoption Center for "Shelter Dogs" at UC Marketplace.  3358 Governor Drive in the cottage next to Sprouts Grocery Store.

An all volunteer group, they have been rescuing small and medium sized dogs from the highest kill shelters since 2011 and rely on fundraisers such as this, and donations to their 501c3 non profit dog rescue to continue the rescue/adoption process.

The Book of Barkley is happy to support the bazaar each year with books and info on it for our fur-ends. Their founders and volunteers are the nicest people.  With my late brother, a part of that San Diego Navy community -  as a submariner for many years- we want to give a little back to that area.

This holiday season you too can help, while getting some wonderful things to give as Christmas gifts.

Founders Christine and her husband Steve.

Debora Barreto Photography Christmas reunion 2014 - donated photo

There are four easy ways to help.

1.  Visit the Bazaar at the address above on this Saturday December 12.  from noon to 4 PM. They will have blankets, beautiful sterling silver jewelry, dog stuff, tumblers, cards, books and more!

2.  When doing any holiday shopping online  -  type www.AdoptAShelter.com in your browser, then go to the list of shelters to select  select Lucky Pup in San Diego (if you adjust the search page to list 150 shelters per page, they are on page six.)  Then simply select from dozens of retailers (including Amazon)  then shop.  It's free for you, you don't have to provide any personal information, and they will receive a donation of a percentage of your purchase through the retailer

I tried it and it was easy.

You can also help by adopting a rescue and saving a life or becoming a sustaining member of the Lucky Pup family with a monthly donation as low as $10 or make a one time donation to help the animals this holiday Season at:

• Lucky Pup Dog Rescue

Thanks for caring in this wonderful season of love and giving.

Girls Day Out

Another stuffed animal dares breach the perimeter and the usual carnage ensues.

Sunday Black and White - Caution in the Woods

A simple walk on a forested path. The woods are totally still, no others around. It's the country, there's trees, sunshine, birds chirping.  It's safe to be here,  all alone, out along an isolated road, far from home.  Right Abby?

But then we stumbled across a bobcat, lying in wait along the path. We were lucky it didn't notice us and we were able to turn around quietly and leave the area.

You all be careful out there.  :-)

Don't Say You Weren't Warned.

There's a post up for meatless Monday on the diet blog but I have to share something that was whipped up in the kitchen the other morning for breakfast in just a few minutes for my hungry husband who can eat about a zillion carbs a day and not gain weight.

I bow before you, oh great waffle iron, creator of square Frisbees of goodness.

This one is about as easy as it gets.  Cinnamon Roll Waffles.  Get a tube of  Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls, Separate and pop each one into a  hot waffle iron for 3 minutes.  Add a splash of milk and vanilla to the "icing" as syrup.

My blood sugar just jumped off the roof looking at the photos but they were really tasty.

Barkley on Helping the Blind

The holiday weekend has drawn to a close.  It was a quiet one, spent at home while Abby Lab mostly napped.  My Dad spends Thanksgiving with my cousin, who is like a daughter to him, her losing her own Dad at a young age.   So he will get some good food and company until I can go out to see him closer to Christmas and New Years.

We had a great time Saturday but I woke up Sunday with a head cold in full swing -  so the day sort of dragged.  But there was one bit of awesome news.

There is an organization in Kansas called  the Kansas Audio-Reader Network at the University of Kansas.  They are a reading and information service for blind, visually impaired and print disabled individuals in Kansas and Western Missouri.  According to their website "We read daily newspapers, magazines, and best-selling books on the air and on the Internet, 24 hours a day and we offer automated newspaper readings by telephone."

This  non-profit service has brought a lot of joy to those in the area that are blind, or otherwise have physical limitations that prevent them from enjoying books and printed material.  The readers are all volunteers and they have great support of not just the university they are part of, but Kansas and Missouri Lions Club.

So why am I sharing this?

The Book of Barkley was selected as one of the best sellers they would be reading for the visually impaired.  I will be receiving a copy of the reading as well, which I can't wait to hear.

Their website is: http://reader.ku.edu

It's a wonderful thing they are doing, not for profit, but simply to help their community.

I've not mentioned this, but this is something close to my heart.  I have a still young family member that has lost much of their vision due to a hereditary issue that results in retinal detachment, with little that can be done, so it's a subject close to my heart.

Barkley, for one, would be very happy to be part of this effort and we both give our support and thanks to the organization.

Well I CAN'T lay on my bed,  someone stepped all over it with their paws and it's not poofy any more.

Black and White Sunday - Our Own Little Miracles.

"Everything worth meaning is made up of so many small parts, its moments, its words, its acts, the skin and bone and the nucleus within us that contains its own fire, somewhere deep inside. We're our own walking fate, and we're our own little miracles, the atoms from which we're made; not so different from the atoms of the earth, the air, the water, all of us formed from that blazing nucleus of the stars--Heaven, binding us together." -  The Book of Barkley - LB Johnson

Thanks to our hosts Nola and Sugar for the Blog Hop.