Day 362: Not Exactly Reindeer Games

Thinking outside the box from my usual ways of torturing Vernie (Honestly I love her) I used the very massive sleeve of The Robe to cover her head and see how long she'd tolerate being covered in darkness.

My patience ran out long before hers, but I suppose that's because she's used to the abuse. My nieces and nephews love it when I hold up her back leg (her hock) while she just lays there not even noticing. Could be love that holds her place, but I think it was the practiced torture :)

A positive aspect to the meted out abuse is Vernie has displayed an incredible tolerance for the affections of babies. Pulling of hair, which we try to prevent, doesn't faze her. Constant petting and chasing around the room or smacking of her; all this she bears with incredible patience.

Day 361: Custom Artwork

Phanny B has an artistic touch, to put it lightly. She's good with several mediums as well. Photography? Yup, she can do it. Painting? Check! Drawings, can she do that too? Indeed she can.

Her exact specialty is....well....that's for her to decide. She might say painting, or she might say drawing. Doesn't matter really, because she's marvelously talented in my book.

There were several things stored within these hand drawn envelopes. What tickles me the most is the tiny little peppers drawn on the one below. Can ya' see? Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.

Day 360: Christmas Ham

Christmas Day was wonderful, as always. Of course, it started the day before really.

Cookies were made at Phanny's parents' home. They were quite grub, by the way, both cooked and raw. Midnight mass at Saint Mary's Church. Exchanging of Christmas Eve presents at home, then back over to Phanny's to spend the night with her.

Of course, after such an incredibly long day being on the go, when we finally arrived at Phanny's we crashed into bed without exchanging Christmas Eve presents (between the two of us). Wake up time was late too, not getting out of bed 'til nearly twelve noon. After a wonderful hour or two, I finally made my way home, upon where I got into presents with my parents.

Just for the record, as far as my parents gift selection goes, they usually are near the mark, but rarely quite on target. However, this year proved different on several levels.

Three gifts really set my parents up with some major cool points. One, the Robe. I capitalize it and call it "THE ROBE" because this particular robe was years in the seeking. Secondly, they nabbed me up a body pillow. Might not sound cool to you, but it let me know they listened to me. Thirdly, they grabbed up an umbrella for me, which was on my list, as was The Robe.

Day 359: Vernie Claus or Santa's Lil' Helper?

Yes, I allow things to happen to this dog, even if it requires her to throw on a tacky ass, Cosby sweater.

Day 358: Poppa Claus!!

Tell me my Pops doesn't make an awesome Santa Claus, just try and say it! This may not be a traditional Santa costume, but he's worn one before. Almost makes me sad that he's dropping weight.

Read the words of the middle portion of the sign below and tell me why it caught my eye.

Day 357: Made in Mexico....

....just like Phanny B.

What some might not know is that I'm one of the more culturally sensitive people they've probably ever met. True, I like to come across as a bit ignorant, which I am of a great many things, but I'll be damned if I'm not willing to learn and/or respect the differences in people.

I get a serious kick, despite being a bit more sensitive, of pretending to be insensitive to my culturally diverse friends. To an Indian (dot, not feather) friend, I call her just that, Dot. My wonderful lady friend, Stephany Briceño, I'll refer to her as my lil' jalapeño, and similar things. Rude? Perhaps, but I'll let it continue for some time.

Day 356: Memory Building with Phanny

To the right is a pic of two notes I've left on Phanny B's automobile; under the wipers specifically. It had crossed my mind that she might confuse them for a ticket, which she admitted to thinking the first was just that, a ticket. Sorry Phanny!!

The photo below is from an excursion to the mall with my Phanny B. I'd rather her have laid seductively over the hippo, or have straddled it like most kids do. Perhaps even sit on the nose, but at the time I wasn't wishing to make her feel like a silly fool in front of various people passing by.