Chicklet & Ducky

Cider Mill

2010-11-21T16:58:00.000-08:00

I was able to spend this morning with my lovely friend, Angie, and she pointed out that I had not posted a blog in much too long and she has missed reading them. Isn't she sweet??? So, I decided that it was about time to write about one of my favorite seasonal traditions: Visiting Cider Mills!!!

The truth is that cider mill season is pretty much over. Most Cider Mills close their doors Thanksgiving weekend, which means that Mick and I finally made it to one on one of the very last days that we could. I am a little disappointed in that the leaves have been off of the trees for a few weeks now, and it is starting to feel a bit more wintery than fallish, but even though the scenery outside is lacking, the cider and doughnuts are as good as ever!

I have very definite ideas on what makes a good cider mill, a good cider mill. (Shocker, huh?)

1. A Little History and Few Gimmicks. Okay, so really a cider mill is kind of a big gimmick, given that you can almost certainly make apple cider in an easier, modern, and possibly more sanitary way. That aside, there is something very nice about visiting a place that has been doing things the same way (relatively speaking) since the 1800's or early 1900's. We decided to visit the Dexter Cider Mill, which has been in operation since 1886. They use a wood press to make the cider and the doughnuts are served just as they should be... hot! When we got there, we also found out that it has been featured on the Food Network. I tried to find a clip, but could not, so if you should come across it, send it my way!

By few gimmicks, I mean, I think that a cider mill should primarily be a cider mill. There is a trend among newer cider mills to throw in a petting zoo, corn maze, hay ride, clowns...whatever. Technically, those are still cider mills, given that they have cider and doughnuts, but really they strike me as more of an... attraction? I can't find the right word. It is just not the same, somehow. I know that parents feel pressure to constantly entertain their kids, but there is something valuable in teaching them that the trip and a yummy doughnut are a special treat.

2. Creaky floors, Creepy store. A great cider mill should have wooden floors and look like a ghost will materialize at any moment. And there is nothing wrong with a little messy. The Dexter Cider Mill also has the added bonus of a really lovely atmosphere to enjoy your purchases. Just down the stairs...

The cider mill set up tables all around the Huron River. Again, I wish that we had the chance to come earlier in the fall. Imagine that river with all of the fall colors around it! (And kayakers floating by.)

3. One kind of doughnut. Plain. Yep, there is no better pairing for cider than a plain, cider mill doughnut. Cinnamon/ sugar is also permissible, but nothing more. Most real cider mills will only offer the one (possibly two) types. The have a very specific size and texture. The outside should definitely be a little crispy. The telltale sign of good cider mill doughnut is this:

If your bag isn't a little greasy, it means that A) The doughnuts may be a little old, or B) They were made off site. (And that is NOT a real cider mill!) The woman that sold these to us said, "These should still be hot. I just made them!" Thank you nice lady! And when you open that greasy bag...

VOILA! There they are in all of their perfection. Mmmm

4. An authentic cider mill might have cider that is... well... read for yourself:

Okay, you might be thinking that this is gross, but have you ever eaten Feta? You have had an un-pasturized product. Pasturized is preferable, but to me, this could just be another small indication that the cider production is still as close to original as possible. And for the record, I have never heard of anyone getting sick from apple cider.

For those of you that have never had the cider and doughnut experience, you may be wondering why this is a pairing at all. Let me assure you that a hot, crispy, plain doughnut dunked in cider is just divine!!!

Practice Makes Perfect

2010-08-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

This past week it was brought to my attention that not everyone knows how to post a comment on a blog. Well, the truth is.. neither did I. I think that Wordpress was much easier, but it seems a bit much to switch back from Blogger.
Anyway, I think that I figured it out:

Under the comment box, there is a drop down menu titled "Comment As:"
If you click on "Name/URL", you will then be able to enter your Name (so I know who you are.) Ignore the box titled URL (unless you have one) and click "Continue".

You will then be able to leave your comment and I will know who left it. Have fun!

Running Down A Dream

2010-07-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

Do you know this song? It is a Tom Petty classic, and from what I remember, the anthem of our High School Cross Country team. In fact, I remember going to a Tom Petty concert with my high school friends, Jackie and Rebecca, in celebration of this fact. (Where Jackie naively admitted that she didn't know that Tom Petty sang about drugs... Oh Jackie...) I always thought that a more appropriate song was the cheesy 80's song, Break My Stride: "Ain't nothin' gonna to break my stride, Nobody's gonna slow me down, oh-no, I got to keep on movin', Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride, I'm running and I won't touch ground, Oh-no, I got to keep on movin'"

When I think about my happiest moments from the age of 14 on, many of them have been tied to running. There was the beginning when I joined the cross country team, just praying to make a friend or two before that dreaded first day of school (I was PAINFULLY shy!!!) Fortunately, they cross country team more than produced.

There was every 6.2 mile Turkey Trot that I ran with my friends on Thanksgiving morning for 10 years in a row. I felt rather entitled to a third helping of just about everything at dinner. Pure bliss!

Then of course, there was the first marathon at Disney. Jackie and I had joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training program, where low and behold, we "ran" into our old high school teammate, Julie. I know that there is no way that I could have had that amazing experience without those girls. My time wasn't that great: 5 hours, 22 minutes, but it still felt like the biggest thing that I had done in life. I had actually finished a marathon!
Interestingly, a couple of years ago I found an old yearbook from my junior year in which Jackie and Julie jokingly wrote that we should do the Disney marathon someday. Rather strange given that we did not see Julie again until we all happened to show up for that first Team in Training meeting. Creepy, no?

I think that one of the more amazing running experiences that I had ever had was my second marathon in Detroit. Just prior to the marathon, I read an article in the Detroit Free Press about a woman that was raising money for MS and hoped to qualify for the Boston marathon in the Detroit. Wouldn't you know that it was a girl named Lindsey that I ran with in high school. I happened to see Lindsey at the expo the day before the big race, which was awesome, but didn't expect to see her again.

The next day, I lined up for the marathon and decided to start off with the 3:40 pacing group. It wasn't that I thought that I had any chance to qualify for Boston, but I just wanted to see how long I could hang on with them. I found out. 10 miles, then they were gone! I actually ran behind Lindsey for most of those 10 miles, but I didn't say anything to her because I knew that unlike me she was serious about qualifying. I just did not want to be a distraction.

At mile 22 or 23 (I can't remember), I was struggling a bit. Up ahead, I saw someone that looked rather familiar. It was Lindsey... and she was struggling as well. For some reason, her back began to have spasms and she was forced to slow down. When I managed to catch up to her, we chatted and wound up finishing the race together. She absolutely pushed me, and I still can't believe that she finished that race. I could see that she was in pain the entire time and she actually collapsed at the finish line. She didn't hit her goal, but she officially became my running hero that day. (And she pushed me to a 4hour 12 minute finish. Much better!) Isn't it amazing that just about 10 years after graduation, we found ourselves running like teammates once again? Runners have a strange bond.

So, after all that, you must think that I love running, right??? Wrong. (What I actually love is pie.)

I would consider myself a regular runner until about the time that I moved to Springfield, just after that marathon. Coincidentally this is also when I moved away from my running buddies. I think that was the point when I realized that running for me, was not a love of the sport... It was very much a social thing. The thought had honestly never occurred to me that without my running buddies, the sport did not hold much for me.

Sure, at first in Springfield, I ran with our neighbors Paul and Gary every morning. We would meet at 8 am, then sit on one of our porches, and eat homemade baked goods afterward. That lasted for about a month and a half. Then Paul moved, and the running stopped. I did one here or there with friends/ squirrels, but nothing regularly. I just didn't find myself motivated without someone expecting me to meet them for a run.

The last year has been stressful, with re-locating back to Michigan and running has been out of the question. Shockingly, given that there is no Andy's Frozen Custard in Michigan, I have also packed on a bit of weight. Not enough where I am out of a healthy range by any means, but let's just say that my clothes do not fit me the way that they used to (and I don't make quite enough for a fabulous new wardrobe). My options are: slim down or get a second job.

I tried to motivate myself to start again. I got the Nike timing chip and even told friends that I was thinking of doing the next Detroit marathon. Not enough. Then I went to the doctor and found out that my blood pressure is slightly high. What the what! (Again, not a dangerous range or anything, but still... I am too young to have a high anything.) It is time to do something.

So, last week I decided to take dramatic action and signed up for a beginners running class. Yes, I know, I know. I am technically not a beginner. That being said, I really do feel like I am. I am starting over with the intention of fostering a new appreciation of running. What I hope to walk away with is an actual love of the sport itself. I just need a coach and a group to get me started.

Running and I have been in a relationship for 17 years now. It is time that I learn to learn to love it. The fact is that I have always felt great and a huge boost of self confidence when I have achieved a running goal. It is not a sport that is dependent on someone passing you the ball, so to speak. It is completely, 100% self motivated. If I succeed, it is because I made it happen. Needless to say, when I succeed in running, I tend to succeed in other areas of my life as well.

So here is my strategy: No big races. No stressing about times. No obsessing over goals. In fact, if anyone asks if I "am a runner" the answer will be "no" for a while, because it is not about that. For the time being, I am going to try to live in the moment and just enjoy going for a short run. The other stuff can, and will, come later. Running isn't social quite yet, but it may be again in the future... I just have to catch up to my friends first.

What A Difference a Year Makes

2010-05-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

I realized that as of today, it has been a year since we left Missouri. On one hand, it seems that it could not possibly be a year because the memories that I have of our time there are much too vivid. On the other hand, I think of everything that has happened since we left, and it seems much longer:
- We had to move in with my parents while waiting to purchase our condo
- Eventually, we did get into our place
- I began a career at Make A Wish
- My Dad. Enough said
- We have met some new friends and are adjusting to the decidedly more intense atmosphere in Ann Arbor
- My job moved from Ann Arbor to Detroit (kicking off an hour commute and a ridiculously hefty gas bill)
- Relationships have changed, formed and deteriorated or developed
- Most unbelievably: 7 babies have been born to our friends/ coworkers in Springfield since we left!
On and on and on....

When we left Michigan 2 years ago it kicked off a consequential period of growth for me. It was my first time leaving my comfort zone, and I was... anxious. Never had I imagined that the experience would be turn out to be so rewarding, and such a learning experience. And never had I imagined that returning to Michigan, my so called "comfort zone" would cause me to develop and change further.

I feel that I left Missouri with not only friendships, but having learned truths about myself and life lessons. With both moves, I have learned:

- That non-profit work suits me, but more importantly, I value being appreciated as a person as much as an employee in the workplace.
- That I don't have to apologize for my interests or beliefs (because someone out there shares them or at least finds them amusing.)
- That being too PC can be negative, unproductive and stand in the way of breaking down barriers
- That I value relationships that are first and foremost, genuine. It is okay to let go when they are not.
- That I am an INFJ and should embrace it.
- That I should not compare myself to those around me, but learn from them.
- That creativity always matters

I miss Missouri terribly and I cannot wait to visit. Perhaps I will pick up a few more lessons while I am there. I know that I still have much to learn...

I Don't Have A Clever Title For This One

2010-03-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

You may remember the saga of my Dad from last year. Long story short, he wound up in the ICU on 3 separate occasions in a 3 month period due to pneumonia complicated by Post Polio Syndrome. He was also placed on a ventilator on all 3 of those occasions (and thanks to the negligence of a certain nurse he even had some experience taking himself OFF of a ventilator. No, you did not read that incorrectly.)

This past October, he found himself back at Henry Ford Hospital when he had a heart attack, though not in the ICU. It came as a bit of a shock because we had allowed ourselves to think that something serious enough to hospitalize him would most likely be lung based. This past Wednesday, my Dad went to the hospital again complaining of chest pains. Oddly enough, the test results showed no evidence of a heart attack and he was released later that day.

While he may have been sent home, my Mom had been noticing that he wasn't being himself and hadn't been for a couple of weeks. Skipping over a few details here... he was admitted to the hospital yet again on Friday and by that afternoon he was not really responding to us. By 2am they had decided to put him on a ventilator again. Oh boy...here we go again.

While eventually he had developed a small case of pneumonia, the issue that placed him in the ICU is that his body was not ridding itself of carbon dioxide the way that it should. This is a direct result of the Post Polio. The ventilator became necessary because his CO2 levels were getting dangerously high, and nothing else that they tried would work. Trust me, everything was tried including us taking turns standing over him and yelling "DAD! BREATH! TAKE DEEP BREATHS!" Needless to say, while he generally did not respond to any of us, the one time he did was when my Mom was encouraging him.

The reason that the ventilator was so scary is that every time a person is intubated, they become more dependent on the ventilator. Because my Dad's respiratory system is approximately 50% paralyzed from Polio, this is especially a concern. As you might imagine, we do not want my Dad to be placed on a ventilator (or feeding tube) permanently. Having him placed on it was both devastating and comforting in an odd way.

My Dad had expressed to my Mom his extreme distaste for being intubated many times and when they allowed him to come-to after the intubation, he managed to scrawl out a note to my Mom that simply said: "You're putting me on right?" Last night he wrote me a note that said "Being able to talk is terrible" but then continued to pen a series of scenarios that could happen on the season finale of Desperate Housewives. At that moment, something told me that he would be okay, but I don't think that any of us were ready to relax until he was breathing on his own.

This morning, they extubated my Dad and he is doing great so far! He even passed his swallowing test on the first try (which was another concern.)

So, onward and upward. Cheers to happiness, health, happier blog posts and to next weekend actually being a weekend!

Lent Me A Hand

2010-02-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

I do not believe in New Years Resolutions. Rather, I do not believe in them for me because I find that I rarely stick to them for more than a week. Besides, as a practicing Catholic I have a much more effective tool when it comes to self-improvement: Lent.

For some reason (and I am guessing that it is because the fear of God is added into the mix) I do much better at Lenten sacrifices. In the past, I have done things such as giving up meat (pre-vegetarian days) and sweets. I also have done things that would make a positive impact in my life such as adding a weekly mass in addition to Sunday. I even took on my most challenging, yet rewarding conquest: Resolving to say nothing but positive things about others....for 40 days....no matter how much they might annoy me. The reason that I chose this is because I think that every so often I find myself indulging in conversation that is non-productive and contributes to a negative environment. I don't think of myself as a gossip by any means, but I think that we are all a little guilty of venting from time to time. To quote Eleanor Roosevelt: "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. " It was a challenge that I feel made me a better person. It was also a challenge that stretched my vocabulary as I found that I was apt to use a little creative wording from time to time. (Hey, I'm only human.)

So here I am wondering what to do/ give up for Lent this year. I am open to repeats. Any suggestionss???

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2010-02-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

Before getting to the topic of this post, I would like to thank Erin Nelson for helping me with it. Erin is someone that I have had the pleasure of meeting since moving to Ann Arbor. Our guys are in the same program at U of M and we have all had the chance to hang out together on a couple of occasions. Last Friday, we met up with them at the Jolly Pumpkin and I found out that we both have blogs (and knit!). I mentioned a small problem that I was having and she solved it in about 2 seconds flat!

You see, my friend Ashley had an inventive notion. After reading my entry about Hostess Donettes, she crafted the idea of issuing each other random topics as a way to keep up on our blogs and to stimulate a little creative thinking. The idea is that we will do this twice a month and that we are required to post within 3 days of receiving our topic. I am now posting approximately 1 and a half weeks after so I automatically get an "F" Given the topic that I was assigned, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that I get a Zzzzz
My word is: NAP

Quite honestly, I have been stuck. It is strange to think that I could have an absolute writers block when the topic is about something that I love and adore so very much, but outside of stating my desire for a good nap, I had: nada. When I mentioned this to Erin she quickly replied that I should think outside the box and perhaps I could even write about the places that I would like to nap. Erin, you are brilliant! Here it goes...

1. A Beach
Okay, this is where everyone wants to nap, is it not? I am not a beach person by any means. I am a sunscreen addict that would never go anywhere near a bathing suit, but the idea of laying in a hammock while the waves crash nearby is just too dreamy.
I have an alarm clock that has a series of relaxing sounds designed to provide a source of white noise. Even though there are 6 different options, the only one that Mick and I can agree on is the ocean feature. I don't like the options that sound like inclement weather and he doesn't like the "Outdoor" option because there are grasshoppers in the background. ("Bugs of Death," he calls them) and he doesn't like the Rainforest feature either ("Birds of Death"). In any case, I sleep on an imaginary beach every night. I would just like to do it in the sun for once.

2. Mexican Pavilion  in EPCOT
If you have been to Disney World and gone on the "El Rio Del Tiempo" boat experience, you know that this is one trippy ride. I don't really know why I have always been a little obsessed with this outdated and rather non-sensical attraction. You board your boat under a starry sky near a volcano gently float under Mayan ruins where... well... just watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymfShhs9mY
Yes, I know that it makes no sense but something makes me want to grab a pillow and a blanket.
Honorable mention: The Jungle Cruise at night or on the couch in the lobby of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

3. A Park
Simple, I know, but I would be too self conscious to lay out in a public place. I think that I will jazz it up by saying a National Park.

4. Under the Eiffel Tower
It was beautiful when I went there, but under the advice of the guy that worked at the crepe stand near the tower, I would not bring my wallet with me when doing this.

5. Dalkey, Ireland
This is a suburb of Dublin that we went to in 2006. It was, in a word: Enchanting. I would like to sleep in a garden of an estate on the Irish Sea. We later found out that Bono lives there. Needless to say, I would like to sleep in the garden of Bono's estate on the Irish Sea.

6. Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake
A few years ago, we went to a wonderful town about 10 miles down the road from Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. It is called "Niagara on the Lake"   The town boasts historic B& B's world class theaters and wineries galore. It is just a beautiful environment.
I would also like to nap at Niagara Falls, but preferably not on the side with all of the wax museums.

7. My couch or my bed
After everything that we went through in order to get into our home, I don't know that there are many places that I would rather sleep!

So there you have it, Miss Ashley. I am sorry for the delay and next time, I will stick to the 3 day rule. Thanks again for helping me out Erin, and for everyone else... where would YOU like to nap?

You're An Animal!

2010-01-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

I have no idea who reads this little blog of mine. I am sure that there is a way to track it, but quite honestly I think that you should be able to come and go as you please without me checking it out. That being said, when I do find out that someone reads it, it makes me downright giddy. On that note I would like to give a shout-out to Nick Hill who I just found out reads this from time to time! (sorry Nick) Nick is the husband of my dear friend Ashley http://familyhillosophy.blogspot.com/ and is a swell guy. He is also a new addition to the marathoners club and just the Memphis Marathon in a freakishly fast time for a first marathon. (Really dude... how did you DO that????) Welcome to the club and congratulations Nick! Oh, and I vow to never, never do this to you again, so you can continue to read without fear. :)

On to the topic of the post...

In December I reached a landmark that quite frankly baffles me. I have been an "accidental vegetarian" for 11 years now. I say "accidental" because I never expected or planned to be one. A rather gruesome and yucky incident prompted me to go this route (I will spare you the details). Suprisingly, the lifestyle has just stuck!

I think that the reason that I have never regretted this move is that the benefits of going vegetarian were apparent almost immediately. Just prior to the transition, I had been to the doctor several times because I was feeling inexplicably fatigued most of the time. They had even tested my thyroid to determine if this could be the problem, but alas it was not. In a relatively short period of time after giving up meat my energy levels returned and I experienced other benefits such as weight loss (that needed to happen) and a genuine appreciation and desire for a well rounded diet. I did make the mistake that most vegetarians make at first of substituting cheese wherever I had been using meat which raised my cholesterol for a smidgen of time, but I was able to correct this quickly by learning to appreciate a variety of veggies.

I have always been sensitive about some of the stereotypes that I fear will be assigned to me with this choice. It seems that there are those that assume that vegetarians are hippie, free-loving, Athiests that put the needs of animals before those of people. Things that I am not: A hippie, an Athiest, or someone that puts the needs of animals before humans. If you are any of these things, no offense. I just don't enjoy having assumptions made about me just because I don't eat meat. (Just to clarify on the last point: I love animals! I just happen to get a little annoyed when people place the needs of their pets before the needs of the people in their lives. I am definitely not one of those. Sorry Murphy and Maisie! ) I do this mostly because I feel that there have been some very concrete health benefits in my life.

Lately I have noticed that yet again I am not feeling my best (and of course that pesky weight is creeping back on) and I have been considering upping my commitment to the vegetarianism by going completely vegan. This may feel a little out of left field but it is something that I have actually considered for some time. When I first moved to Missouri I gave it a try for about a month, but found that it really wasn't feasible because there was really only one store in town where I could get some of the specialty foods that I needed. Here in Ann Arbor, I live 1/2 mile from Whole Foods and 1 mile from Trader Joes. Between the two of them I should be more than okay.

This might seem a bit extreme, but frankly, the health issues that have plagued my friends and family in the past few years have been extreme in their own right. I will admit that I am frightened and at this point am willing to consider drastic measures in order to increase my chances of good health. I know that I am not alone in the desire to explore the affects of diet and environment on health as my sister and I have had numerous discussions on things of this nature. It seems that we are on a mission to reduce the use of as many chemicals as possible in our lives. (Hey, she is the Mom and caretaker of a kiddo with cancer. We are entitled to be a little paranoid!) I even stopped using my microwave because... let's face it... there is nothing natural happening in there!

Needless to say, when I read that studies have shown that veganism reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases, my interest piqued. It is also shown to be rare that a vegan would ever develop heart disease, which makes sense given that cholesterol only comes from animal products. (Risk of death from heart attack by average American man: 50% Risk of death from heart attack by average American vegetarian man: 15%
Risk of death from heart attack by average American purely vegetarian man: 4% http://www.soystache.com/environm.htm) The fact that livestock are very rarely fed a vegetarian diet anymore also just creeps me out. Again... not natural. I just don't want to eat that!!!

Naturally, I have concerns. First and foremost, I worry how a decision like this would affect those around me, especially my wonderful, yet carnivorous husband. I never, never, never want to inconvenience anyone with a choice that I make. It is, afterall, my choice! I try to be as easy going of a vegetarian as possible but I always secretly worry that I am making things difficult for others and that they are just not telling me. (Feel free to use the comment section for an airing of grievances. I need to hear it!) I think that if I do this, I will confine it to my own home. If I come to your home for dinner, I will eat the cheese and consider it a lovely treat for the evening! Let's order a pizza! People have already made allowances for me as a vegetarian and I just don't think that I could ask them to take this extra step. It just wouldn't be fair, and I would feel guilty.

I was worried at first about getting sufficient vitamins, protein, iron, calcium etc., but over the past few weeks I have used an on-line tool that tracks the nutritional value of everything that I eat and I have found that almost consistently I have ingested more in each of these categories than I need before I even take my vitamins.

Mostly I am worried about the sacrifice that comes with giving up certain items. They are making decent replacements for cheese in terms of mozzerella and cheddar, but what about the more pungent cheeses like feta? I love feta! I also love candy and was shocked to find exactly how much of it involves gelatin and egg by products. I guess that the point here is that I should be eating less candy, though. :)

Along the lines of candy, I did worry about baking because I love to do it, especially on the weekends. I will be testing different options out in the coming weeks. I did, however, figure out how to make a vegan version of my Raspberry Truffles and I swear to you that they are superior to the originals! (No really, I did a blind taste test with Mick!)

The last concern of course is the perceptions that come with being a vegetarian being increased with being a vegan. I even read that some people consider vegetarianism to be anti-Christian! (I don't get it.) When I see statistics such as these:

Human beings who could be fed the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock: 1.3 billion
Percentage of food grown in United States eaten by human beings: 20
Percentage of food grown in United States eaten by livestock: 80
- Number of people who could be adequately fed by the grain saved if
- Americans reduced their intake of meat by only 10%: 60 million

I cannot think of anything more Christian than to give up animal products.

So there you have it. All of my reasons for becoming a vegan, and none of them have to do with animal rights. I have not made a decision yet, and if I do, I think that the transition will be gradual. I may not even tell you. Afterall... you may be my cheese connection!!!

Do"nots"

2010-01-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

My friend Ashley just updated her blog after a long period of neglect which got me thinking about how I should be a little better about it myself. So this evening, while Mick and I were mindlessly watching television, I pointed this fact out, but admitted that I didn't really have then energy or a topic. As luck would have it, a Kroger commercial (that's a Dillon's for you Springfieldians) happened to air at that very moment. The special of the week? Hostess Donettes. Mick absentmindedly muttered "you should blog about doughnuts" We had a brief laugh and then he uttered: "No. Not really. Not enough meat. Besides, you couldn't possibly create a blog post about doughnuts." Oh really, buddy??? I accept your challenge!!! Here we go:

I love doughnuts more than most things in life. They are tasty, sweet, occassionally crispy and fat laden, which for me is an absolute bonus. I somewhat secretly loathed the bagel craze of the mid nineties and rejoiced in the Dunkin Donut rise that occurred about 5 years ago. Sure, it was the coffee that made it happen, but the increased doughnut availability was an added bonus to be sure. And really bagels... flavored cream cheese? It is adequate for breakfast...but crave-worthy? Are you kidding me?

This brings me to a story that occurred just this past Easter. Usually for Easter I try to do something of a positive nature. I very rarely give anything up. Last year, I made an exception, and gave up desserts. I, as deemed acceptable by the Catholic Church, did allow myself limited sweets on Sundays. If you know me at all, you know that this is a very difficult thing for me to do. As I write, there are the now remnants of what was a half of a cake this morning sitting on my kitchen counter.

So yes, I did it! It was Easter morning. I had just completed my 40 day journey and I was craving one thing...D-O-U-G-H-N-U-T-S!!! Mick was going out that morning. (I can't remember what for) and knew of my strong cravings. He very sweetly offered to bring some back for me. Oh joy! What luck! What a swell guy!

The entire time he was gone, I dreamed of the treat that I was about to experience. I just knew that it would be a cake variety, so fresh that the grease would practically squirt with the first crispy bite. Mick arrived in a shockingly short period of time with a plastic grocery style bag in hand. Hmm... not the bakery box that I had expected, but clearly there was some type of box in that bag. Perhaps the bakery had just bagged it for him.

"I have something for you!" Mick cooed. I was practically salivating as Mick opened the bag and pulled out....

Ummmmm....yeah.... Hostess donettes.... from the gas station

Now before I come across as an ungrateful wife, (or worse,) I do want to stop and tell you what a wonderful husband Mick is. Truly, there was no act more selfless than to throw my silly little craving into the morning that he had planned. It was beyond sweet and he had no idea that I had such a certain image in my head. Thank you honey for being so thoughtful!

I realize that this is my "sickness" and I can't expect others to understand or adjust to my silly whims.

Here is the issue that I have with these miniature "doughnuts."

1. They are not the correct consistency

2. They do not go stale...indicating that they are just circular, sweet, chemical compounds (This point of contention may be extended to all Entemans products as well.)

3. The coating is disgusting no matter which one you choose. Really, your options are: powdered sugar mustache, or chocolate tinged paraffin

4. If I am going to waste the calories, I want them to be quality. These little greasy puckets are calorie bombs with little to no return on flavor.

5. People think that they are doughnuts

So there you have it. A full blog entry on doughnuts/ donettes. Oh no. I just realized that this is my 2nd entry on doughnuts. I think that the real problem here just might be me.

On a completely unrelated note, the tax season is upon us and I am sure that many of you are looking for a reputable place to have yours done. This commercial is airing in Detroit, and the place looks like a winner to me! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuMuedrV2qs

A New Old Tradition

2009-12-20T18:37:00.000-08:00

Every so often I get an urge to watch a really good movie. Oddly enough, this desire rarely drives me toward the nearest cine-plex. The first place that I always look is: The Redford Theater in Detroit. Many, and I would guess, most Detroiters have never heard of the Redford theater. They don't advertise that I know of, but rather build their business by word of mouth. Somehow or other, my parents have known about it since I

was a kid and took us there from time to time.

The theater originally opened in 1928 and when you walk into it today, you feel as though it were still that era. A group of dedicated volunteers have managed to preserve and restore the theater right down to the Japanese courtyard decor surrounding the front of the theater and starry sky ceiling. This group of volunteer also belongs to the Motor City Theatre Organ Society which is housed in the theater. As you may have guessed, the theater has an old, working organ. (That I will get into later.) While I am certain it has not maintained it's original ticket price, I would still say that the $4.00 admission that they charge is about the cheapest movie in town!

The other part of the Redford Theater that I love is that it only shows old movies. In fact, as you will see, they are dedicated to giving you an old movie experience. I think that as a kid, I was oblivious to the fact that most people hadn't gone to the theater to see Laurel and Hardy in "Sons of the Desert" (my favorite!) "You wax eater!!!"

While I realize that you can turn your television to Turner Classic Movies at any given time to catch much of the Redford Theater lineup, there is really something different about seeing these movies on the big screen with an audience. The first time that I took Mick to the RT, we went to see "Blazing Saddles." It was very different to hear a room full of strangers cracking up at the humor that Mel Brooks was doling. Only at the Redford Theater

will you get a balcony full of college students cheering at the mere mention of Gene Kelly during an introduction of "Singing in the Rain". (They always do an introduction.)

The theater also has an intermission with all of the movies, just as an old theater would have. They have a 50/50 raffle during the intermission. I won it when I went over the summer to see Mary Poppins. I walked away with $68, so factoring in the cost of the tickets and concession stand for all of the movies that I have gone to, I would say that I have made about a $55 profit going to the Redford this year.

This brings me to a new tradition for my family... "A Chistmas Story" at the Redford. I have always loved this movie. Actually, I love any movie which allows my parents to reminisce about their childhood. The Woody Allen movie "Radio Days" is a great example of this. The little known, but brilliant "Avalon" is another. "A Christmas Story," always seems to extract

the exclamations from my parents such as "Oh my goodness! Do you remember those snow suits?" "Look Matt! Look at the stove that she's using in the kitchen!" More than anything though, it conjures up a good laughing spell from my Dad which is an unforgettable thing.

"A Christmas Story" is shown every year at the RT because it is quite popular with their audiences. We went as a family once a couple of years ago, and sure en

ough, I began to get the itch to go again. I randomly put something on Facebook and quickly found out that my sister had gotten the same itch and had been planning to go. My brother Mike jumped on board. Everyone (in Detroit) was able to go except for my parents, who already had tickets to the symphony. Sorry Mom and Dad! It is a tradition now, so we will plan better next year!

It was so much fun to hear everyone laugh as the Dad pronounces "Fra-gee-lay. Must be Italian!" The audience cheered as Ralphie takes a stand against Scott Farkis the bully. "Yellow eyes! Yellow eyes! So help me God, he had yellow eyes!" The theater even threw in an additional raffle for a leg lamp!

So let me take you on a tour! (But bear with me. While these photos were supposed to be in an order that made some sense, Blogger does not seem to want to let me shift them around.) Get ready for some nostalgia:

This is looking at the overall scene from the balcony. Unfortunately with my camera, there is no good way to catch the starry sky, but there are twinkling stars above this already fantastic scene.

Some of the evenings participants: Mike with his girls, Madeline and Natalie

Check out the Santa Bears behind the tree. I totally had the 1986 bear!

Mick, my nephew Vinnie and my brother in law, Steve.

Here is an example of some of the detail above the lights that was preserved in the middle lobby. I am taking this from the stairway that leads to the balcony:

The theater is always decked out for Christmas:

This was as close as I got to the organ.

I believe that it is original, and yes, there is an organist playing as you walk into the theater and during intermission. Usually the tunes relate to the movie that you are going to watch and in this case he was playing Christmas music. See how the organ is up on the stage? As the movie is beginning, the organ sinks slowly begins to sink until it is below.

At Christmas, they have an elaborate train set at the front. Wow. Whatever happened to train sets? I kind of want one.

Detail of some of the decor to the left of the stage:

Before every movie the curtains open and the National Anthem is played on the organ. I like to imagine that they have been doing this since World War II. (Who knows? Perhaps they have.)

This is a view of the middle lobby with the snack bar. What? I didn't mention the snack bar? $1.50 popcorn with real butter!!! Other inexpensive classics may be found such as Vernors ginger ale and Chuckles. (When Mick ordered Chuckles this time, the volunteer behind the counter responded "Chuckles! Ho Ho Ho!"

You can also see the other staircase going up to the balcony

Before most of the movies, they will usually show a "short" of some kind. Most of the time it is a Bugs Bunny cartoon, but in this case, we were treated to a silent Laurel and Hardy film that I had never seen before (accompanied by the organ of course.)

Here is a detail above one of the staircases. I am afraid that my flash made it appear a bit gaudier.

To the right of the stage

What photos did I not take? The entrance or the main lobby! Fortunately, you may find some on the Redford Theater website: http://redfordtheatre.com/index.htm

While you are there, you may just want to check out their Calendar of Events for the movie schedule. I will see you there!

The Digs- Christmas Edition

2009-12-15T18:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome Avid Reader, to the

McCulloch Family Christmas Home Tour!

Yes, Mick and I now have the ultimate Christmas gift... a roof over our heads. Several of you have been asking for photos, so here they are!

As I write this, I am imagining the reactions that people will have based on where they know me from. The Detroit crowd will surely think..." Wow! This is a lot bigger than her last place!" The Springfield crowd might think: "Whoa! Their house they just sold was twice that size!" Well, you are all correct. We have landed right in the middle, which I think is pretty good for a non-profit employee and a student. We really love this little place, and we are happy to share it with you. (Too bad I can't funnel you some celebratory Christmas cookies via the internet.)

This is the entry way to the condo. Cute, no? They look like little Snow White cottages to me. One thing that I love is that no two buildings are the same and that the landscaping is quite fabulous. The building across the street is forest green with yellow trim. The one next to ours is beige with orange trim. I enjoy the variety because it doesn't make it seem like a "condo" (By the way, some of these photos were taken this summer. It is just kind of icky out right now, so I pulled from the archives. Plus, all of my recent shots were taken at night.)

Let us start with the main floor: First up is our living room. I never thought that I would go for yellow walls. In fact, I had very specific plans to paint the one wall a bright orange, but there is just something very homey about the yellow. Oh, and I am just a little more than lazy in this particular area. Next up? Curtains!

Here is another shot from the living room looking upstairs:

And our dining area, which is open to the living room. I really wish that we had brought my old light fixture, because this chinese lantern has got to go!

Here is a shot of our kitchen:

And another. I don't know why, but I went a little ga-ga over the little pantry off of the kitchen. These were built in the 40's and this just seems so appropriate for that time period. I also really dig the retro gas stove and like to pretend that it is from the 40's as well, but the reality is that it is probably from the 60's.

This door leads to the most treasured part of the home: our basement! We went without one in Springfield and I am going to cherish having one more than you can imagine. Unfortunately, it is so jam packed with moving boxes that you can't even walk through it yet, so I will not be posting a photo.

I am excited to say, however, that I will have my own sewing area down there. Oh yeah!!! I also enjoy this door, because conveniently, there was a cat door waiting for us despite the fact that the previous owner did not have a cat. I did measure the cat door during our inspection and measured Murphy as well. I concluded that there was no way that he would fit through it, but wouldn't you know that the crafty fella figured out a way to manuever his girth! Nothing comes between Murphy and his food dish in the basement!

Moving upstairs: This is our office. We decided to treat ourselves to a new desk and bookcase and we are so glad that we did given the amount of time that Mick spends in there and the fact that I work from home at least once a week now.

This was my grandfathers desk:
Our bedroom was the one room that I actually bothered to paint. It was formerly a peachy pink color and I just couldn't imagine myself relaxing in that space. Again, I imagine the difference between Springfield and Detroit... Detroit: Oh that wall behind the bed is really different! Springfield: Really Carrie? The grid again?

Well, I couldn't help it. We've never had a headboard and our bed needed something behind it. It is a Chicklet orginal.

Here is our deck. Well... our deck with the previous owners furniture. We didn't bring ours from Springfield as we anticipated living in an apartment. Have any that you want to get rid of?

The condos are all situated around areas of green space. Ours is one of the smaller spaces, and yet it is still a good size. Looking to the right from our deck:

Looking to the left from our deck:

Condo fun facts:

1.The buildings are arranged so that no two windows line up. You will never look out of your window and directly into someone else's.

2.These were built to house World War II veterans

3.Our condo accepts and encourages guests!!!

If Patience Is a Virtue, Then I Am One Virtuous Chicklet

2009-11-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

Before I get to the topic of this post, I first want to thank everyone for their continued prayers, phone calls and support. My Dad is doing fantastically well. After the two heart attacks that he had in 1995 he was just worn out and it took a very long time for him to recover. We were expecting worse than that given his medical history this year. Within a day or two you would not have believed that my Dad had just been in the hospital at all! He has much more energy than he had before the heart attack. In fact, he looks better than I have seen him look all year! The only theory that we can come up with is that perhaps due to the stents that they put in that he has more oxygen than he has had in a long time. In any case, we are so grateful!

While my Dad is doing great, Vinnie could use a few prayers right now. He is in the hospital yet again with a virus. Not only did he have to miss Halloween in his neighborhood, but his doctor said that he was not even well enough to go on the trick or treat outing in the hospital. (And of course where did they gather all of the kids? Right outside of his window where he could see them!) He was understandably upset. Anyway, if you could keep those prayers coming, we sure would appreciate it. A week without visiting the hospital sure would be a treat for my family.

Now on to the main event: Condo Craziness!

Yes, 4 months later, we are still waiting on this to happen and living with my parents in the meantime. I think that one thing that we have believed all along is that once we were at the point that we were ready to close, we would just do it. We knew right off the bat that we weren't going to have a ton of say in when it would happen as we were instructed that they would assign us the closing time. Naturally, we assumed that when it came time to close, that they would be ready to go (given that they were dictating the timeline). How silly of us.

Keep in mind that the closing has been delayed from week to week or month to month, but here is what happened this week alone: We are told that we are required to close on Saturday, October, 24th. We don't believe them at first, but finally Friday night, we allow ourselves to get excited as we have not heard anything to the contrary. I get up on Saturday morning in a great mood! My great mood is ruined the second that Mick checks his e-mail only to discover that we have been delayed until Monday. (I have a migraine Saturday and Sunday). Monday we are delayed until Tuesday at 11 am. On Tuesday we are walking in to the closing at 10:45 and Mick's cell phone rings. Yep. Delayed again. We talk to the CEO who declares that he can close us that day at 4:00. At 2:00 we receive a call delaying us until Wednesday morning. At 6:00 we get a call delaying us until Saturday, October 31st. Saturday, we get a call delaying us until Monday at 6pm.

So, that is where we are now. Do I think that we will actually close tomorrow? Um. No. I won't allow myself to get excited until we put our last signature on the documents.

"So, why is this happening?" you ask. Well, I am sure that you are able to determine on your own that to achieve this level of frustration that there are going to be a large number of idiots involved. But to be fair, the situation would be difficult for anyone to manage. Long story, short: These are co-ops that are converting into condos. We cannot move in until they are condos (because that is what we are financing it as), but the conversion is actually what has been delayed over and over again. This week, there are 422 units closing, so it is understandable that there are going to be errors. But really? Moving us 6 times in one week? How on Earth is this acceptable?

The one saving grace comes in the form of a co-worker of mine. She already lives in the complex and has for 10 years, but has to go through the entire conversion process as well. After they moved her several times, she finally did close last Wednesday. There is hope!

The funny thing is that you must be thinking that what we have been waiting for is a fancy, large and grandiose condo. It isn't. We love this complex. The location is just amazing, the grounds are beautiful and the condos themselves are so charming! (Honestly, they look like Snow White's cottage!) The truth is that they are also smallish and older (which if you know me at all, you know that I consider old an asset.). They are not fancy, they are not large, but they are perfect for us.

This condo is just what we need. It is not too big, it is not too small, but it is just where we want it, and just how we want it. After all of the frustration that we have experienced, we were reminded of this when our sellers real estate attorney took pity on us and gave us the code to the lock box so that we could go visit yesterday. It was really what we needed and it reminded us of what will come with patience.

So cross your fingers and say a prayer that this happens tomorrow. It is what we need and more importantly, what I am sure that my parents need right now. As an added incentive, there is likely to be a celebratory gathering at the new place once this is all over. While I am not much of a drinker, at this point it is also likely that this party will include large quantities of alcohol.

UPDATE: Vinnie got to come home from the hospital! Hooray! He told my sister that he was actually a little sad to be leaving and that she must be too since it "is kind of like a little vacation for her" Uh... right, kid. (Though it is very thoughtful of him to consider that she doesn't have to cook, clean, etc. while they are in the hospital.)

Condo: Delayed again. No surprise.

Will it ever end?

2009-10-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Mick and I went out to dinner with his folks and came home to find my Mother encouraging my Dad to go to the Emergency Room. He was having a hard time breathing and while he thought that it could be related to allergies, it was quite apparent that it was not. Given the fact that he has been in the ICU 3 times with lung complications (etc.), we naturally assumed that this was a lung related issue as well. Imagine our surprise when the doctor told us that my Dad had a heart attack.

He is currently in the hospital awaiting a course of action. The doctor has already ruled out the possibility of heart surgery because given the health issues that my Dad already has, it would be too risky. (Imagine not being healthy enough for a life saving surgery!) They are trying to determine if it would even be too risky to do a heart catherization (that would find out the extent of any blockage.) A catherization is not very risky for the average patient, but unfortunately my Dad is not your average patient. By the way, my Dads cholesterol and blood pressure are absolutely perfect, so whatever has caused this is out of the ordinary. (True to form.)

Given that my Dad has a team of specialists at the hospital, my parents made the very wise decision to request that they all consult with eachother before making any firm decisions. That means that we will wait until Monday before knowing much of anything.

I have to do wish tomorrow morning in Kalamazoo, 2 1/2 hours away. (I have to go because it is a shopping spree and unfortunately I have the gift cards to make it happen here in Detroit.) I hope that tomorrow goes quickly because I think that we could all use some answers.

P.S. Prayers please!

The Arts...

2009-09-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

A Space Odyssey as performed by a high school band.

Thank you List of the Day.

It's time to Face the Facts

2009-09-09T17:56:00.001-07:00

I have a very wise friend by the name of Steve Kirks. Recently, Steve did what many Facebook addicts consider the unthinkable... He cancelled his account. According to Steve's blog: "I realized that the constant exposure to other’s lives through social network sites left me feeling empty. I had subcontracted human contact to Facebook and Twitter, allowing to maintain the illusion of ‘keeping in touch’ without touching anything." Doesn't Steve have an elquoent way of phrasing his thoughts?

Lately, I have begun to feel the same way. Currently, I have 136 "friends" on Facebook. (Down a bit since I recently cleaned out the people that I haven't spoken to in ages. Refreshing!) I put the word "friends" in quotation marks not because I don't think of them capable of being my friend, but because I don't believe that Facebook alone could ever really allow us to be what that word implies.

Am I glad to have reconnected with people from my past? Definitely! So glad in fact that I would like to pick up the phone and actually connect. Here is the problem: People don't seem to be able to tear themselves away from Facebook (or texting for that matter.) It seems that more and more people are becoming almost uncomfortable with anything past a superficial level.

I want to hear my friends voices, laughter and tears, read their creative and complete thoughts on their blogs, and occasionally shoot an e-mail if necessary. It makes me wonder...If I were to give up Facebook and texting, would my 136 friends disappear? If I opt for more meaningful connections, am I essentially giving up all connections? Can I win against technology? (Yikes! Do I sound like Carrie Bradshaw here? Not intended!)

How about you give me a call and we will discuss it...

(comments are good too though!)

Frankenfood

2009-08-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Just when you think that you know everything about your spouse, they can completely surprise you. Take for instance, the recent revelation that Mick has never been to a Michigan staple: Frankenmuth.

Most Michiganders have been taken, willingly or unwillingly, to Frankenmuth at least once in their life. It is known as "Michigan's Little Bavaria" and boasts a German heritage, chicken dinners and a lot of souvenirs. It also features the Cheese Haus and Bronners, the worlds largest CHRISTmas store. (they really put an emphasis on the CHRIST!)

Mick and I are probably not going to be able to take a real vacation in the next 4 years, which is an easy trade-off for what Mick is going to accomplish. (Go Mick Go!) However, we have been feeling a little cramped and thought that a night away might be just the thing. So, the first weekend in August, we decided to go! At first we wanted to go to one of our favorite vacation spots: Niagara on the Lake. Unfortunately, our passports, birth certs, etc. are in the POD, which made Canada a no-no. I had just been up-North for the WAM so we decided to look for alternatives to that idea. Introducing Mick to the cheesiness that is Frankenmuth was just too tempting. To build the excitement, I began to speak in a German accent to Mick. "Ve go to ze Frankenmoot ya?"

The first challenge was determining where to stay for the night. We settled on the traditional Bavarian Inn. This lovely establishment is where you would typically stay if you had a car full of kids and wanted to occupy them for a weekend. It has 5 pools, an arcade and a putt-putt course. We wanted to stay there because if you are going to do Frankenmuth, you should probably do it right. My favorite part of the inn were 3 special television channnels featuring a Terry Bradshaw special about the Inn, a German music program that was filmed there, and a cheese-making channel.

This is the outside of the inn:

Every room at the inn is dedicated to a local family that lives in Frankenmuth. Below, we see what is clearly a recent photo of the Claremunt family. See Wendy there with the large blond hair? She is the pride of the family as she was in the Frankenmuth beauty queen court in the 80's!

Below is the view from the balcony of our room. Pretty, no?

There are several kitchsy little shops and tourist traps in Frankenmuth, but we fell in love with this one in particular. Unfortunately it was closed by the time we found it. While I may be fawning over the fact that it has 50 kinds of cheese, this establishments real claim to fame is that it hosts Michigan's Largest Meat Display. Well, as you can imagine, that got me rather excited!

Now on to the main event: The "World Famous Chicken Dinners!" If you are going to have a chicken dinner, you really have two options: The Bavarian Inn Restaurant, or Zhenders. I have been told to avoid Freeway Fritz by all means. Bavarian Inn and Zhenders are directly across the street from one another and are owned by the same family. Being that we were staying at the Bavarian Inn, we decided to have dinner at Zhenders.

Zhenders atmosphere is a little brighter than BI and strives for an all- American theme. They also had a vegetarian menu which was a bonus for me. I got tortellini Alfredo which was actually quite delicious and Mick got the "family style" chicken dinner for himself. The waitress assured him that he would be receiving all of the sides even though he was the only one eating the chicken dinner. Sides included: Bread and preserves, stuffing, potatoes and gravy, buttered noodles (my favorite), green beans, pickles and dessert. Mick is pictured below with some of his dinner as well as his favorit part of the dinner: His own personal bowl of gravy.

This photo shows my reaction to the smorgasboard and the personal bowl of gravy:

After dinner, you just want to move. We made it as far as across the street where we promptly fell onto a bench just in time to watch the glockenspiel tell the story of the Pied Piper. I suppose that I had forgotten what a sick little story that is! That jerk lured all of the children from a town away with the exception of the blind kid and the "crippled" kid. How un-PC!

The next morning, we were going to head to Bronners, but we found out that Vinnie was in the hospital again. Amy told us that he was sleeping, so we decided that we would stop for breakfast and then drive to see him instead. He hadn't slept all night, so we had time before we should be there. I knew just the place: Tony's

If you are a trucker that has driven through Michigan, or a hunter on your way up North, or merely a fat-ass that enjoys a good side of bacon, then Tony's is for you. (Pardon my use of the term "fat-ass" This is not in my normal vocabulary, but as you will see, the term seems quite appropriate in this instance.) Tony's is also great for the outlet mall shopper that really wants to fuel up before hitting Birch Run Outlets directly across the street.

Tony's is quite literally known for large quantities of food. They do not boast quality, they boast quantity. And it is always packed! I decided to take Mick there, but did not tell him what the restaurant was known for. Little did he know that his side of bacon would consist of over a pound of bacon.

Here we see my half-order of french toast. Yes, that is a half order. 6 slices of Texas toast with homemade strawberry sauce. I must say that it was actually quite good!

I think that the way that we feel about Frankenmuth is really best summed up by this fantastic promotional photo:

As for Vinnie, they discovered that his poor levels and fever were due to the Parvo virus. He is out of the hospital and feeling great. When we showed up at the hospital, Uncle Mickey was the star as Vinnie grabbed him and they played video games for a couple of hours:

All in all, it was a great weekend. If we can sum it up in one word, it would be: Food!

p.s. Thanks to Nhung for lending us her camera cord!

PODsitively crazy!

2009-08-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you may have noticed that I have been slacking on the entries a bit. My, you are observant! (And correct!)

Here is the deal: My life is in a POD. You know...those nifty moving/ storage systems that allow you to cram all of your stuff into a cube and choose a date and location for their delivery? Well, unfortunately my poor dear husband packed everything we own into one of them thinking that we would snatch a house and move in quickly somewhere. We have snatched up a condo, but it will not be available to move in to until September 1st - 14th. (We don't know the exact date yet.)

The POD contains things such as important legal documents, my cookbooks, and much of my wardrobe. It also contains: our camera cord. I have been hesitant to post anything on here without visual aids, because I would certainly hate to bore you, but I am afraid that we are all going to have to use our imaginations here. That cord is packed away and it isn't coming back for a long, long time. (Oh dear, I miss my cookbooks!)

So, yes, this post will be mostly about work, but that has been my life lately:

WAM!
No, silly! Not the 80's group! The Make A Wish- "Wish A Mile" bike ride!

I first got to witness part of this last year when I happened to be in town the day that my brother in law, Steve pedaled his way across the finish line. I knew that it was 300 miles over the course of 3 days. The ride starts in Traverse City (top of the mitten) and runs all the way down to Chelsea (near Ann Arbor) While I cannot comprehend what it feels like to bike that, I knew that it was a big deal and I was incredibly proud of him. Steve had witnessed Vinnie receiving his wish and decided to give back.

This year, Steve decided that not only would he participate again, but that he would raise enough money to grant one full wish for another child. ($8,000. Yes, it costs that much!) He also decided that he would train harder and make both that and the fundraising a year-round effort.

I of course, now work for Make A Wish and teamed up with my co-worker Angie to volunteer to host a break stop every day. Amy and the kids followed along the tour driving from city to city and waiting for Steve to pedal in every day.

Let me paint a picture of the WAM experience: WAM is quite literally, a traveling city. It is amazing, and I have never seen anything quite like it. There are over 750 riders that need to be cared for over a 72 hour period and everything must be provided for them.

First, riders show up to the Chelsea fairgrounds, where they will eventually finish the race. Riders are given jersey's for the three days, and volunteers are given t-shirts. Everyone also receives a bracelet with the name of a wish child that they will be riding for, or keeping in mind as they volunteer.

The riders park their cars and there are 6 HUGE semi's waiting to carry the luggage and bikes. (Keep in mind that riders like my brother in law that have family going along don't even utilize this.) There are shuttle buses, after shuttle buses that they board and they are driven to Traverse City. Volunteers like me are given vans with all of our supplies in them and we drive separately.

Once there, volunteers decorate their vans and riders set up campsites or mattresses in a school gym, and we eat dinner. Lights out at 10:00. There is another semi available titled "Rubber Duckies" which is actually a really nice shower truck. (Hooray for no community showers!)

I am brushing over a lot of it, but let me tell you that there are some amazing people that do WAM every year. I think that my two favorites are the gentleman that does WAM on a unicycle, and the most inspirational rider of all: Kevin.

I am not sure of his condition, but Kevin only has the use of one arm and one leg. In order to bike, he has to create a sort of rocking motion with his body... and he does... for the entire 300 miles. Let me tell you, it makes someone like me, with four working limbs feel pretty lazy when you see Kevin take on some of the steepest hills I have ever seen. Go Kevin!

So now to the saga of Steve, Amy Erin and Vinnie:
Day One: Steve starts out great. All of a sudden, his spoke breaks and his gears stop working properly. He finishes anyway, but quickly hands over his bike to one of the "bike doctors" that travel along with the WAM.

Amy, noticing that Vinnie is looking a little pale, takes him to the hospital in Big Rapids, where it is quickly determined that he needs a blood transfusion asap. Unfortunately, in Northern Michigan, asap means that you have to wait for the blood to be shipped up to you. In this case, Vinnie had to wait for the blood to come from Grand Rapids, meaning that his transfusion would last until about 2 am. He is understandibly upset because he had plans to go with Erin and all of his WAM friends into the pool back at the hotel. He had even gotten a new watergun for the occasion. The hospital was also ill-equipped to deal with this type of situation. Poor kid! Fortunately, our Uncle Dale and Aunt Kitty were there to keep him entertained.

Later that evening, the bike doctor confirms that Steve's bike is toast. There is a crack in the frame and despite his training for the entire year, Steve cannot go on.

Day Two:
Vinnie's levels go up, but not enough. His doctor back at home determines that he needs to drive back so that he can receive another transfusion and so that his regular doctors can keep an eye on him. Vinnie does the most self-less thing and tells Steve to go to the "Wammy" awards that evening. We knew that Steve and his team were really looking forward to it and Vin thought that he should go. With a lot of tears in their eyes, Amy and Vinnie head back to the hospital in Detroit while Steve stays on.

The Wammy awards do turn out to be something incredibly special and we all got to see a three year old little girl named Amanda receive her wish to meet Elmo. If you haven't seen the video, I highly recommend it: www.wishmich.org/amanda
We also found out that the bike ride had raised $1.5 million! Not too shabby!

Our CEO knew that Vinnie was watching the awards from his hospital room and gave Vinnie a shoutout, which was pretty cool. Steve won an award for raising so much money, and his team: Team Nicholas, won the top fundraising award for a small team. When they went up to accept the award, the team captain (Nicholas' Dad) told everyone how much they loved Vinnie and that they were riding for him. More tears!

Last Day:
Everyone is in a great mood on the last day. The break stop that Angie and I ran, was quite frankly, the best. It also turned into a bit of a dance party. (Or...was I the only one dancing???) Anyway, it was great.

At the end of the day, we pulled into the celebration at the end known as "Heroes Hurrah" This is where the finish line was, and Steve borrowed a bike to ride the last two miles with his team. Riders and Volunteers alike are ushered into the "Wish Barn" where that aforementioned child that you are keeping in mind, is waiting for you to give you a medal!

My wish child was named Alexandra and she was adorable! I went to shake her hand and she pushed it aside to give me a great big hug. While we were waiting in line to go on stage, she gave us more hugs and couldn't stop bouncing around because she was so excited to be there! It was awesome!

Heroes Hurrah also included a kids area, and more importantly, FOOD! Everyone, and I mean everyone is invited to eat at Heroes Hurrah and the food is EXCELLENT! It is all donated by Carraba's (like Zio's to you Springfieldians) and it was the best thing that I could have tasted after the 3 days.

So that is WAM. It was so well-organized and the mere logistics of it will leave you awe-struck!

As for Vinnie, it has been determined that whatever is causing his levels to drop is viral in nature. He has been in the hospital one more time, but is home for now. We are hoping that it stays that way.

Next up in this month in review:

-Mick and I go to Frankenmuth
- Something very funny happens that I cannot put on this blog (Consider it an incentive to call me. Definitely worth it.)
- The condo saga

Stay tuned!

A Day With Squirrels

2009-07-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

A fellow squirrely girl presented me with the idea of writing a Dr. Suess- like book about squirrels. This was after we learned that according to yahoo: "Squirrels have paws with razor sharp claws." Her concern was that the term "razor sharp" might be a little harsh. I maintain that a term such as this is completely acceptable as long as the children's story has a good moral.

I demonstrate this in my original, and completely child appropriate story:

A Day With Squirrels…
By Carrie McCulloch

Alfred Squirrel lost his tail while fighting the war
He came home to America and opened a store
He married Ms Hazel and purchased a tree
They had 2 children: Bobby and wee Emma Lee

Life was so grand, it was truly the best
On the weekends they’d read books, eat nuts and rest.
Every evening would bring kisses and big hugs goodnight.
Mr. and Mrs. would snuggle. (They never did fight.)

Then one day in August while having their tea.
There was suddenly a shadow, something strange did they see!
A lumberjack lumbering toward their lovely abode.
An axe in his hand. He would chop down a load!

His eyes met Alfreds, and they glared at the other.
Surely he would not hurt wee Emma’s mother!
Lumberjack lumbered right up to their home.
Raised his axe high and kicked over their gnome.

With a choppity chop and a HACK and a WHACK
It soon became clear, they were under attack!
The tree fell to the ground, Alfred onto his head.
And Oh! The humanity! His family was dead!

He raised his head and yelled to the squirrel in the sky:
“Why did you take my family? Why squirrel? Why?”
How could he go on? How could he live his life?
Was it even worth living without kids and his wife?

He looked to the lumberjack who was chopping away.
His squirrel heart hardened. No pity today!
Revenge! Revenge! It must be sought now!
The only question was when? And furthermore, How?

The sorrowful squirrel looked down at his razor sharp claws.
And knew right then they could serve a great cause.
He marched up to the lumberjack who had left his home smashed.
And by the time Alfred left that lumberjack’s throat had been slashed.

The blood spilled here. The blood spilled there.
It was even on Alfred but he did not care.
The big meanie deserved it. This wasn’t a pity.
Without guys like this around, it was a much safer city!

Victory! Joy! And what a relief!
This was surely the thing to help him with grief!
Now off to the pub for a lovely nut ale.
Blood has been shed, and he must share the tale.

Walking to town with a little squirrel swagger
He was grateful for claws. His personal dagger.
Ahead in the road he did see quite a sight.
A mother and 2 children who were clearly in plight.

With tear stained eyes they told their story
Of their lumberjack father killed in a scene, quite gory!
Their daddy had just gone out to do some chopping
The family was starving and had to go shopping.

This was not the result for which he had longed!
He just wanted to kill because he felt he was wronged!
Alfred never gave thought to the life he had ended.
He just thought of himself and his pride he defended.

The guilt! The sadness! It was all too much!
Alfred began weeping, and crying and such.
He thought eye for an eye was justified and correct.
But from this belief he would now surely deflect.

Alfred felt emptiness from a lost family and victim.
He realized that life was not all about him.
His family truly did not deserve to die.
But to pretend their killer was not valued was truly a lie.

Alfred fled the small town to live all alone.
Hoping that soon his sins he could atone.
Everyday he prayed for the family with whose life he had messed.
Alfred died all alone up in a sad little nest.

Lessons can be learned from our good friend the squirrel
These lessons should be remembered by each young boy and girl.
Go to sleep young one and don’t you forget
Revenge on your enemies only causes regret

A True Artist...

2009-06-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

I love that I was lucky enough to be born into a group of interesting people. Every member of my family has a talent that is unique to them and that makes them quite fun to know. (I am still trying to hone a talent.)

Nhung joined our family in January and it became apparent immediately that she is the harbors many talents. She is funny, smart, and an excellent cook! It didn't take long for us to discover one of her greatest skills, though: Photography! I just wanted to share some great Nhung shots with all of you (click on the photos to get the full effect):
Let's start with everyone's favorite Subjects:

Maisie

Murphy (who by the way, has abandoned me to go sleep in Joe and Nhung's bed every night. What-ev cat! )

Vinnie and Steve (She has quite a knack for catching people at the perfect moment)

Erin

Madeline (playing with a magic wand)

Natalie

Welcome to the family Nhung! We are happy to have you, and your talent!

On a side note: Mick, After seeing these, I agree. We should have splurged for a fancier camera!

"Looking for Empty Boxes"

2009-06-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

This was a phrase that my co-worker from the Detroit News used to use frequently. On any given day, you could ask her how she was doing and she was likely to reply " I am looking for empty boxes." What does this mean you ask? Typically it meant that she was frustrated with work and expecting to be fired. In other words, she would be living in a cardboard box relatively soon. This same co-worker also later introduced me to her trademark "Don't screw me file" in which she would keep mementos, e-mails etc. that would highlight the great job she really did do at work. She was a mixture of funny and paranoid, but who could blame her? I've lost count of how many layoffs the Detroit News and Free Press has had at this point.

Lately, I feel as though I am going to start looking for a nice refrigerator box myself. Not because of my job mind you, but the fact that I can't seem to find a place that I would like to move into. First, there is the buy vs. rent debate. Mick is more comfortable with renting, whereas I am having a hard time accepting this as a possibility after owning our own home. I really enjoyed taking a piece of property and making it our own. There is something very satisfying about looking around your space and knowing that it is the way it is because you made it that way! It was ours from chimney top to driveway.

The prices in Detroit are phenomenal right now because of the, lets face it, terrible economy. (I will refrain from scolding those of you that drive foreign cars.) This presents an opportunity as well as a problem. There is real estate for the picking, but what if we were to find ourselves in the position of having lost income? The thing about Michigan is that whether or not you work for the auto industry... you work for the auto industry. My brother Mike was laid off as soon as I got here, serving as a bit of a warning. (Mike literally has the best work ethic of anyone I know. I am 100% convinced that the paper cannot and will not survive without him. They are fools.) I am going to be cautiously optimistic. I have had the month to observe my new workplace and I take a lot of comfort in the fact that Make A Wish seems to be managed fantastically. That is a very grateful me talking!

The worst part is that I have found a condo that I would love to buy. It is tiny, has two bedrooms and includes a basement. We don't need any more than that. It is little, affordable, and the layout would still provide us with the opportunity to separate the house in a harmonious way. Upper floor = quiet (bedroom & office- Mick's domain! ) Middle = louder (living room & kitchen) Lower floor= loudest (sewing & laundry). Plus the landscaping there is really pretty! http://web.mac.com/ksluice/iWeb/TheVillage/Welcome.html This is one of those moments where I really have to tell myself to rule with my head and not by what I want. Normally I am really good at letting logic rule, but darn it! I drove through and thought that it was too cute! Logic says "Rent!" We would want to move in 4 years anyway because our financial situation will probably be very different then, and if anything should happen, you can always get out of a rental situation. I think that's what we need to do. Yes, I have just convinced myself while typing this post.

The problem with renting in a college town is that what is available is typically not what my 30 year old self would like to live in. Parties going on in the middle of the week? I don't really miss them. Or, perhaps it is more accurate to say that I just don't want to live next to them. (I mean, I'll go! I'll just leave by 8:00 for bed.)

There are a ton of apartment complexes everywhere, but quite frankly, they depress me.
I think that complexes are void of personality (can we say white walls?), and feature such amenities as sand volleyball courts and pools. You will never catch me in anything that remotely resembles a bathing suit and despite the fact that my maiden name is Carrie Walsh, I have never played volleyball without injuring myself. (That was a reference to Kerry Walsh, the olympic beach volleyball player.)

I looked at a townhouse a couple of weeks ago that I shot down because it was ugly and had no dishwasher. Horrors! I also fear that I would be forced to keep the vertical blinds by the condo association. I don't have anything against them. They just weren't in the best of shape and IKEA has such very cute and inexpensive curtains. What the rental condo did have was a layout that was what I was looking for. Goodness gracious! It even had a basement! I may call on it again. I just have to hope that it has not been rented in the meantime.

Well, send some good wishes our way. It is fairly certain that I am going to miss my July 1st deadline and we are going to have to figure something out for all of our stuff. I cannot keep mooching off of my very generous parents. (The poor dears have put up with an array of crap from me including a generally poor, stressed out demeanor and a quite a bit of messiness on my part. Sorry Mom and Dad!) After all, if I don't get it together, I am going to have to start looking for empty boxes!

Look out Sunday... here I come!!!

2009-06-02T18:25:00.000-07:00

Oh my. What a month. Well, since I last posted, a few small things have happened. No big deal. Just a few slight inconveniences. This won't be an overly clever entry, but hey, we have a lot to catch up on!

The weekend before we moved, we wound up having a very last minute gathering of sorts. I had planned on packing, cleaning and finishing a few sewing projects that weekend, but the opportunity to spend some last minute quality time with friends proved to be too tempting. Instead my weekend was filled with baking, entertaining and...oh yes...an open house crammed in there somewhere. I wouldn't trade a minute though.

The next couple of days were spent getting ready for our departure and on the 20th I had my last day at the American Cancer Society. It was tough at best. I won't go into it too much. Let's just say there will be a mourning period and I am going to miss everyone so much! Later that night we had dinner with our friends Tammy, Steve and Eric at Patton Alley Pub. Another gut wrenching goodbye to good, good friends.

That evening we had also received an offer on our house! The next morning, our real estate agent Michael came over and helped us to write our counter-offer. We were supposed to leave that morning and drive through to Michigan in one day, but this delayed our travels so we wound up turning it into a two day trip. So, we packed up our car on Thursday, complete with two unhappy, sedated, yet vocal cats and began the journey.

We wound up stopping not too far from Chicago for the night and had to wrestle with Maisie to get her from out behind the disgusting hotel bed in the morning. On our way to my parents we received a call that our counter offer had been accepted! Whew!

So, we arrived Friday afternoon to find not only my parents, but my sister and my niece Erin "cuddlebug" were there. What a nice homecoming! We had plans with Mick's family that night so we met at his parents house for dinner. Brian, Pat, Allison and our new niece Leah also came. We were exhausted, but I will do just about anything for some Leah time, so that was okay. Have I mentioned lately how cute Leah is???? I'm just saying...

Anyway, Saturday we got up and started to run errands. Why you ask? Because Mick was getting on a plane to go to Paris that afternoon! That's why! That was another sad day. I was excited that he would get to experience a month in France and so sad because I would miss him. I was also a tiny bit jealous.

After Mick left, I didn't sleep very well, which if you know me at all, you know that is a fairly common occurence. I spent the next couple of days running errands in preparation for my first day of work at Make A Wish including spending a bit too much on clothing. (Much of my clothing had the Relay For Life logo on it.)

Tuesday I started at MAW. I was extremely tired, but fortunately the one thing that kept me going was the promise of a restful weekend...and the fact that Merry the woman training me is hilarious. I am quite excited that I get to work with her. (I will save the rest of MAW for a future post.)

Unfortunately, my dreams of a restful weekend were quickly dashed. I wound up working Friday night and all day Saturday, finally got to hang out with a friend (Sarah) and then got up early on Sunday for Leah's baptism. I am dragging but working with Wish Kids, volunteers and hanging with Sarah and Leah made it all worth it.

Sunday night I thought that I would go to bed early and get a lot of sleep in. Murphy had other plans and kept me up by pawing at my face for much of the night. When I tossed him out of the room, he cried outside of the door. Give me a break, cat!

So, it is Tuesday. I have managed to have a relatively relaxing evening, though I admit that I am hardly thinking straight. This Friday I have Erins recital, and the Edison street sale starting Saturday morning. I plan to sleep in on Sunday and I am telling you that no one can stop me. Don't even try to call before noon. Look out Sunday... here I come!!!

I have been to the Emerald City of the Ozarks...

2009-05-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

If you don't mind my bragging for a moment, I must say that my parents raised my siblings and I to appreciate the finer things in life. We delight in a good meal, appreciate the arts in all forms, and even dabble in them ourselves (in various ways.) There is, however, one seemingly less sophisticated pleasure that we savor... amusement parks.

Most self-respecting adults would probably not brag that they were a bit of a roller coaster junkie. Nor would they boast that they had been to Disney World over a dozen times. I apparently am missing that sense of shame and embarrassment because one of the first things that people are likely to learn about me, is that I LOVE roller coasters and amusement parks. (Disney in particular).

Now before you write me off as a no-class thrill seeker, let me explain where this fascination comes from. On my old blog, my sister once left a comment that very accurately described our Mothers introduction of Disney to us. She wrote: "mom never sat next to us during a Disney movie commenting on the cute and fuzzy bunnies, but instead said things like, “look how they drew the reflections on the water. That’s amazing!" It is so true, and that attitude extends to the Disney parks as well.

Disney parks are the full immersion experience of an idea. What I mean by this is that Disney not only creates an idea, but designs an environment that will evoke a desired reaction by a visitor. I love the concept that a company can be so committed to a story that it wishes to tell, that it will stretch the boundaries of creativity and technology to make that story a reality. The Disney experience is about more than just rides. That being said... I love a great ride too!!!

My non-Disney park experiences revolved around two other parks. The first was Boblo island. This was a smallish park on...you guessed it... an island. When I was a young child the Boblo boat (similar to the Branson Bell for you Springfieldians), would take us to the island. I LOVED the Boblo boat because there was dancing. I don't think that I ever danced, but lets face it, a major draw of theme parks and that boat is people watching!

Once the boat pulled up to the island, my family would go have a picnic of cold fried chicken and sides and we would then hit the rides. They were tame by comparison to today's rides, but fun nonetheless. I have many fond memories of that time and if I should ever hear the 80's song "Electric Avenue," I am instantly transported there.

My other non-Disney park is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. After Boblo closed when I was in grade school, this became the "it" park to go to. The draw of Cedar Point (or "America's Roller Coast") is that for a long time, they had the worlds tallest and fastest roller coaster called the Magnum. It was huge, a smooth ride, and a lot of fun. Other parks built taller coasters, so CP decided to build the Millennium Force. I don't know if MF is still the tallest and fastest, but I really hope that it is. When it opened, I remember that there was discussion in the media that this coaster could be pushing the line for major injuries and head trauma. (not a joke.) I haven't ridden that one. While Cedar Point has the thrills, it is lacking a real theme. It is all show and no creativity (but is still fun.)

This very lengthy introduction leads me to the real purpose of this blog post. As I mentioned, I have no shame about my love of amusement parks and so it is only natural that I had mentioned my desire to go to Silver Dollar City, our local amusement park in Branson, to my friends at work. When I put in my 4 week notice, my friends sprung into action and planned a day for our group at SDC. They know me too well, and I was grateful that a group of classy and chic women would indulge my childish obsession. (Though I think that they were excited too.) Thanks ladies!

So, last Saturday we ventured out to SDC. To be honest, I was expecting another Cedar Point. By that I mean rides, but nothing particularly special. I was pleasantly surprised! SDC chose to adhere to a classic Ozark hillbilly theme, and they did it very well. The park is actually quite pretty and is dotted with mature trees, hills, and free standing, themed buildings. The hillbilly workers were slightly disturbing, but they helped to create the atmosphere. All good.

We started with a fun and kicky little coaster called Thunderation. It gave you the option of riding backwards or forwards. Allison and I chose a cart that faced forward and I have to admit that it was a little weird to be looking at someone face to face during the ride. (And I prayed that they would not experience motion sickness, if you know what I mean.)

Next, we headed to the kiddie area so that Finnley could hit the rides. The park definitely tried to replicate some Disney rides. I saw teacups, a ride with pirate ships that looked oddly like those found on the Peter Pan ride, and of course this "flying elephant ride": (can anyone say Dumbo?)
Here is Jessica Bertholdi and Finn. I wish that you could see his face!

The oddest ride, well... downright perplexing was called "Fire in the Hole." This was the original Silver Dollar City coaster and Ashley insisted that we ride it. I knew that it was supposed to feature the Baldknobbers who according to the brochure had "set the town on fire!" When I think of the Baldknobbers I think of the oafs in the Baldknobber Country Jamboree (see photo from previous post.) I was expecting a storyline where the toothless guy has some kind of lighthearted mishap that causes a ride full of hilarity. While waiting in line, they even have a live Dalmatian for you to pet. (Thereby reinforcing my lighthearted hunch.)

Here is Eastan with the Dalmatian at Fire in the Hole!

The ride started out careening through dark hallways and a town indeed on fire. Imagine my surprise when the culprit turned out to be nothing like the toothless hillbilly, but a bunch of guys that looked like this instead:

Upon exiting the ride, I immediately asked: "Um, you guys, did I just witness some secret meeting? Was that a KKK themed coaster? What WAS that????"

(This is the part where they laughed at me.)

It turns out that the Baldknobbers were actually a vigilante group in the Ozark mountains in the late 1800's. The area was quite lawless at that time and so the Baldknobbers were formed to bring peace and justice to the Ozarks. That sounds like a lovely thought, but they were actually quite violent. According to legendsofamerica.com "They would hang or beat a man to death for assault, disturbing the peace or destroying property." It also mentions that if anyone spoke against them, they might turn up beaten to death in the woods. And then there are those masks...

So after Fire in the Hole, I am haunted by two questions:

If they were such an awful group, A) Why is there a Baldknobber Jamboree show? and B) Why are they the subject of a roller coaster at Silver Dollar City?

The rest of the day was great! We rode another coaster called the Powder Keg that is pressurized so that it starts at 60 mph. FUN! We also looked at other things that SDC has to offer such as glassblowing,candy making, a candle shop, etc.

The best part of the day though was spending time with my friends. Some of the Squirrely Girls went: Carla, Allison, Ashley and Jessica Blake and then we also had two additions: Katie Towns (the Audrey Hepburn of the ACS) and Jessica Bertholdi who I actually replaced, but is a really cool girl and I am so glad that she came too! We were also joined by Eastan (Ashley's son) and Finnley (Bertholdi's son).

Since living in Springfield, I have been so lucky to have met a group of smart, talented, FUNNY, and caring women. Silver Dollar City was entertaining, but the fact is that when you have great friends, you can have just as much fun sitting around and staring at each other. Thank you so much girls! It was a fun day at the park, but for me, it was so much more than that! I will miss you all like crazy! -Carrie-

Supplemental Income

2009-03-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

In these times of economic uncertainty it is important to have a backup plan should one find oneself in the unfortunate position of being unemployed. I take this piece of wisdom to heart and have been working on my financial security through what I have come to realize is a flawless source of income:

Cat Portraiture

Yes, I have a passion for photography, and a passion for cats. When you combine the two, you have a fiscally responsible business plan that is sure to provide for the family indefinitely.

This little venture started just two years ago when several family members came to Springfield for my birthday. Our cat Murphy was lounging by the decorated tree, gazing up at the beauty and no doubt pondering the miracle that is Christmas. My brother Mike snapped several photos of him, and that was the first moment that I realized that I had the goldmine that is a photogenic cat. You just can’t keep a beauty like this to yourself. You must exploit it so that others can enjoy it as well. Here were the results of our first Murphy photo session. You may have been the lucky recipient of the Christmas card that resulted:

Murphy was the perfect subject and we were not really looking for a new muse, but one day Maisie showed up on our porch just begging for work. After some serious discussion and deep reflection we decided to schedule a photo shoot.

We settled on a prop shoot and in the grand tradition of the McCulloch Cat Modeling Agency, decided to use a Christmas theme. The fear on her face and the glow of her eyes was just not going to sell, and while we wanted another cat, we did not want a charity case. If there is one rule that remains in our household, it is that you will work to earn your keep.

One thing that I have learned with photographing cat models, it is that you have to set a tone. I decided to give Maisie another shot, and really concentrated on this. The results were astounding!

I would say: “Give me cattitude Maisie!” and she would produce this:

I would say: “Be thoughtful! Think of the future!” and she would give me this:

Maisie really developed, and of course Murphy continued to turn out consistent work:

I have focused on Murphy and Maisie throughout this post, but I assure you that I can achieve similar results with your favorite feline. I can bring out the glamorous side of any cat. Murphy and Maisie aren’t special, they are just lucky enough to have found me.

Packages start at only $595.99 for 3- 8x 10’s and 24 wallets. If you truly love your cat we can customize a package that will showcase their beauty within.
Cash and credit cards are acceptable. No personal checks please.

Contact me at your earliest convenience to book your photo shoot.

Sincerely,
Carrie McCulloch
CEO, CFO, Chairman of the Board
McCulloch Cat Modeling Agency

P.S. Modeling is also available for the less cuddly, tempremental cat, but an extra fee and sedation are required:

The Long Awaited... Things That I Love About Springfield!

2009-03-27T17:37:00.001-07:00

Welcome! First of all, thank you for following me to my new blog site. I must say that the ease of use is much better with blogger. Also, I really wanted a cute background and Wordpress just was not cooperating with me. This is much more me... don't you think?

The move from Wordpress is the perfect timing for this post because I am going to be talking about my move to Springfield, Missouri from Dearborn, Michigan. As you will remember, I had posted an entry about things that I miss in Detroit. Today, I will let you all know why I am glad that I live in Springfield:

1. The People!

My first week in Springfield was a little rough. It became abundantly clear from the moment that Mick and I arrived here that people were as a whole, very friendly. Take for example our trip to City Utilities the first day to have the utilities switched to our name: We went to this city-owned building expecting to find a run down office with lines out the door, tired, over-worked, and rude employees. Instead we walked into a brightly lit atrium where we walked up to a desk and were greeted by a giddy young woman. She observed our licenses and upon seeing that we were from Michigan, exclaimed: "Oh welcome to Springfield! You are just going to LOVE IT HERE!" She could not have been nicer and Mick and I walked away...bewildered. Clearly, there were friendly people in Springfield, but how was I going to meet them?

Enter: The Zackrisons and the Kirks (and Paul too, but he doesn't live here anymore.) We had been living in Springfield for about a week and just that morning I had been whining on the phone to my Mom about how I hadn't met anyone in Springfield yet and how homesick I was. I just wanted more than anything to go to Costco and Ikea with my Mom and Sister and end the day with a big meal at an Arabic restaurant. Instead... Mick and I had just gone to this new restaurant that we had heard about called Cheddars. (You can stop laughing now, Springfieldians.) As we were getting out of the car, the "group" descended upon us.

The first person I noticed was Eric Zackrison because, well, he is hard to miss. I would describe him as one of the most likeable people you will ever meet, with a bushy beard, a tall stature, and a really great laugh. His wife Julie is incredibly friendly, outgoing and equally likeable. They own Patton Alley Pub and it was easy to see that we were going to be frequent patrons and friends of theirs. Next were Steve and Tammy Kirks. Steve is one of the smartest people I have ever met with a quick sense of humor and a love of food. Tammy is a scream and is so creative and funny that it would make your head spin. The best part about meeting these people that night? They like beer and invited us for one! We had so much fun getting to know everybody that night that the next morning I called my Mom to very casually let her know that we had "met the neighbors." (Though internally I was the kindergartner shouting: Guess what Mom? I made a friend! I made a friend!) These friends of course led to more friends and I was so grateful because it was when we made connections in Springfield, that I knew that I was going to be okay.

Another group that I am so glad to know are my co-workers. I truly work with a wonderful group of women. Aside from the amazing (and I do mean amazing) things that they do professionally, they are a talented group in their personal lives as well. They are funny, thoughtful and creative and I am so glad that they are my friends. Some of us have gone on to form Squirrely Girls (see my old blog) and yes, we do hang out on the weekends!

I can only begin to tell you about all of the wonderful people that we have met here. We are so lucky!

2. Branson!

I mean... come on! How can you not love the cheesy atmosphere that is Branson, Missouri? It is miles of awful souvenirs and even worse shows, and I love every last inch! Well, okay, I've really only gone to Dolly Partons Dixie Stampede, but I go to the outlet mall often! Branson is the dream getaway for any active senior citizen looking to kick up their heels, get an early bird special, see a show, and be in bed by 7:00.

"The Strip" is really the best part. It starts down at Branson Landing which is an outdoor mall/ entertainment venue. It was built just a couple of years ago and has quickly become a destination for shoppers and diners. It is supposed to be upscale and modern and is inhabited by a bunch of young whipper-snappers who like to drink the devils brew and shop for revealing outfits that show their ankles and such. They put the Landing down at the end for a reason!

You then progress up through "Old Branson" where you land on one of my favorite little Branson gems: Dicks 5 and Dime. Oh yeah! The first time I took my Mom to Dicks she exclaimed that it is how most dime store were when she was a kid. I am the type that adheres to any family heirloom/ memory that is thrown at me, so I was instantly attached to Dicks 5 and dime. The floors are creaky, the soundtrack is ancient, and the merchandise is priceless! Have you been looking for a fancy hankerchief, a book of paper dolls, or some old-lady undergarments? This place is for you! They also carry the wide selection of Branson junk that is found in most establishments on the strip, but the classic goods really make it worth the trip.

Our drive continues and we see more Branson staples. There is of course, the Dixie Stampede and Dick Clarks American Bandstand Theater. (Do not, I repeat, do not eat at the ABT diner!) Coming up are the various theaters for people you have never heard of. No really, you have never heard of them and somehow these seniors keep filling the seats! Have you heard of Jim Stafford? Moe Bandy? More importantly... would you pay to see them? Off of the strip you will find other shows such as Yakov Shmirnov (who ironically makes me want to yak), Shoji Tabuchi and the Kirby Vanbirch show which stars Kirby the magical unicorn. The oldest show is the Baldknobbers Jamboree, which stars these guys:

'Nuf said.

3. The Creative Community

Creativity is a vital part of the culture here. My friend Tammy owns Red Bee Designs (click on the link to the right.) Her jewelry is phenomenal and I am happy to say that I own quite a bit of it! I have also met Jen and Nate Falter who own Springfield Pottery shop. It contains some unique beautiful pieces. There are numerous art galleries in town and the first Friday of the month always garners an art walk. The downtown really comes alive as the businesses host and showcase local artists. It is so much fun to get a great meal (at Patton Alley of course) walk around downtown and see some original art.

It isn't just the actual artists community that breeds creativity though. The crafting community is alive and well in Springfield and I am proud to say that I am a part of it. Just down the street a few doors from my house is a business called She's Crafty that is packed every weekend! And of course, there are the Squirrely Girls...

In Detroit, I can't say that I really have any friends that sew or knit. They thought that it was neat that I did, but I didn't have anyone that I just got together to craft with. Then one day at work, it was mentioned that my friend Ashley knitted. Soon after, I found out that Jessica, Allison and Amy did as well. It wasn't long before I joined the circle. Allison is also a sewer, and soon the rest of the group joined she and I in the sewing club as well. Frankly, Carla went nuts with it! Go Carla!

The champ of all crafters is none other than Sarah Kerner (her link is beauty school dropout) I am constantly in awe of her work. This is not just because she turns out the most beautiful and intricate pieces that I have seen, but because she does it in such a speed that frankly... Well, I can't imagine how she does it. I could learn a few tricks from that girl!

Well, I do love Springfield. Detroiters, you really should come to visit. Those of you that have certainly have not been disappointed. Springfieldians, feel free to add your favorites as well! I could go on and on about the things that I love, but frankly, I need to go to bed! Good night everyone!

P.S. Comments are a girls best friend ;)

2009-03-27T16:00:00.000-07:00