Sharpied Mugs

Left: Top Bar: "Unable to communicate. Try again later."  Second Bar: "More awake... may bite off heads." Third Bar: "You may speak now. Slowly. Right Cup: "Sometimes apart ... but never in heart. ♥"

Aren't these just adorable? I found a couple of different ideas for the mugs, and a couple of different ideas on how to make the mugs but this method seems to work the best. I did give one away for a Valentines gift, but then I found it smashed to smithereens a week later. Poor planning on her part storing it on the ground or on mine thinking that she actually cared? Don't worry, neither one of these was harmed, it was a larger, cheaper cup! ♥

So, the first thing you need to do is get yourself a lovely white (preferably porcelain) coffee mugs. I found these cuties at the dollar store (maybe that's why the first one broke,?  Maybe...). If it breaks, heck, it was only a dollar! Now, find yourself a sharpie. Mine was a little chubby, so if I was to do this again I for sure would use a smaller tipped sharpie marker. Just a tip☺

Now, this is the tricky part... write on it! But make sure that everything is spelled correctly or so help you... the person that you're giving it to will never let it down that you misspelled "coffee" or their name, or anything! LET IT DRY. I would say a few hours to a few ays. Just because I'm extra cautious.

Now, when you are all done place it in the oven at 350 degrees F. Yes! You have to bake it! Now, I've heard from a range of 10 minutes to half an hour. I would say leave a spot (maybe on the bottom) wither you just write a couple of scribbles. When the scribbles STOP SMEARING, you're done! If they keep smearing, you're so totally NOT DONE.

Have fun! These are cute, reusable, cheap, gifts. So if you break one (Like I have already!) don't feel bad! Just get another one and don't tell anyone! Have fun! ♠

13ucket List Week 3

1	Get as many pictures of friends as possible!
2	Go out with someone that I haven’t gone out with in a while!
3	See something in town that I’ve never seen before
4	Go swimming in all of the town ponds/lakes
5	Go to the Rocky Horror show dressed up!
6	Go to a book talk
7	Read a book a week
8	See a town game	See a new/different play
9	Hike to the old town line	See the old conservation center
10	Audition for the church choir	Stop in at the local dinette
11	Try out for a play at the nearby theaters
12	Write to a Celebrity	Enter a Radio Contest
13	Try three new drinks
14	Pull an all nighter	Bike the old train track route
15	See a midnight movie showing	Go to a concert
16	Take a Train or a Bus to see a friend	Try out 3 restaurants that I’ve never been to before
17	Visit a friend in a different state	Go Mini Golfing!
18	Run/Walk a Marathon	Visit a Different Country
19	Go geocaching twice (now once!)	Go to the drive in movies
20	Go to the Casinos, Hammansset, or the Jersey Shore	Visit 3 Museums

•  I had a coffee at the local dinette, and although I didn't stay for breakfast it was still a fun trip down memory lane!
• I finished another book! This is off to a great start! This was called Red Delicious Death by Sheila Connolley, and I am actually going to go to her book talk on Saturday! Not bad, right? 
•  I went to a 53 year old ice cream place a few town away from me for a banana split and boy... I sure do miss making those when I used to work at an ice cream parlor for or six years ago! I had three scoops of ice cream... eh. I'll post a copy of the recipe for you instead, how is that? ☺ Two more to go!
•  Geocaching: My friend invited me to with him this week, and we found one! One to go!
•  I saw something in town that I've never seen before! I went to the town line (there are four!) and went all back roads back to my friends house. What an adventure! We were looking for stars but never actually found more than 6. Oh well. 
• Oh yea, and I tried a new beer tonight... Blue Moon. Wasn't too bad, but I think I like the Coors the best out of the three of them. 

Plans for next week:

• A few friends and I are planning a picnic at the local conservation center! I'll bring my camera, don't worry! 
• On Wednesday, I am planning on going to a FREE concert in the town next door to me. I hope someone else would like to go with me! Perhaps another picnic? Hmmm.... 
• In July the town historical society is being reopened for an open house and guess who is planning on attending!? I haven't seen inside of the building since middle school so I am looking at this adventure as I have never been here before!
• Geocaching next Thursday? We must hunt down the second one!

Crocheted Ducks

Aren't they adorable? You can ask for the pattern, I changed it from the original. ☺

There once was a momma duck 

Who felt down on her luck 

Then she met a drake

Out on the lake

And Oh! His name was Muck! 

After a few dates they decided to marry 

And over the threshold he did carry 

Our soon to be momma 

Who oddly seem calma' 

Than his mother in law Sherry! 

Three little ducklings were soon in their eggs 

Growing strong from their beaks to their legs 

The parents contemplented names 

That ranged from rappers to games 

Until "No more weird names!" the newborn begs! 

During the parents arguments over names 

That ranged from rappers to weird games 

The ducklings decided 

Before they rioted 

That they would pick out their own names! 

Then the grey one quacked "I'm Rocky!" 

Who pushed his brother up, quacked "He's Stocky!"

But before he could begin 

His mother began a din 

And yelled... "I don't care... his name is Hockey!" 

A Spoonful of Murder

 

Welcome to the Spoonful! A lovely place to stop and have a bite to eat and to catch up on the latest town gossip! No really, the Spoonful was a lovely place to sit and chat and eat homemade soup. (Check out the last few pages... the recipes used in the book are actually listed there!) Lucky began running the soup shop with her grandfather Jack after her parents passed away. In the wintry months at the little town that you may recognize, a murder takes place. Life is hard enough to run a soup shop with unsteady customers, but when the cook is framed for the murder, it's almost all that Lucky can bear. To make things worse, the sexy doctor from her high school days, Dr. Eliot, has begun to take a shine to her and brings her into a world that she never could have dreamed of before she moved away for college. Can Lucky solve the murder and save the restaurant before it goes under? Or will she fall for the sexy doctors charms and forget everything else? 

Find out in A Spoonful of Murder by Connie Archer!

13ucket List Week 2

1	Get as many pictures of friends as possible!
2	Go out with someone that I haven’t gone out with in a while!
3	See something in town that I’ve never seen before
4	Go swimming in all of the town ponds/lakes
5	Go to the Rocky Horror show dressed up!
6	Go to a book talk
7	Read a book a week
8	See a town game	See a new/different play
9	Hike to the old town line	See the old conservation center
10	Audition for the church choir	Have coffee at the local dinette
11	Try out for a play at the nearby theaters
12	Write to a Celebrity	Enter a Radio Contest
13	Try three new drinks
14	Pull an all nighter	Bike the old train track route
15	See a midnight movie showing	Go to a concert
16	Take a Train or a Bus to see a friend	Try out 3 restaurants that I’ve never been to before
17	Visit a friend in a different state	Go Mini Golfing!
18	Run/Walk a Marathon	Visit a Different Country
19	Go geocaching twice	Go to the drive in movies
20	Go to the Casinos, Hammansset, or the Jersey Shore	Visit 3 Museums

This list is off to a great start!

• I entered a radio contest... one for KISS108FM for a free DVD!
• I went to a book talk on Marie Bostwick... I'm going to read her books in the coming weeks, after I finish the murder mystery  that I'm on right now!
• I finished the book A Spoonful of Murder... Details soon to follow ☺
• I went to a wine tasting last weekend (tried eight different kinds!) and a few days later had a beer (yes a beer!) at a party. Don't worry... I wasn't driving! ☺AND! I tried Coors Light ... and It wasn't bad! I actually like this one more than the Busch!
• I went to a marathon (I didn't run/walk it alas) BUT I snagged a picture with a few of the runners!  
• Well, I'll count it for now, but I still want to go out with someone that I haven't been out with in a while. I went to my neighbors graduation party and I haven't seen him for say... five years? that counts kind of, right? Eh, it's my list; I'll put it in the gray section ☺
• Yes, I can add things to my list... It is my list after all! I checked out the first law museum in the area. Very colonial-ish. My kids are going to love the pictures!

Pumping Gas Alert

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ
  A friend stopped at a pay-at-the-pump gas station to get gas. Once she filled her gas tank and after paying at the pump and starting to leave, the voice of the attendant inside came over the speaker.. He told her that something happened with her card and that she needed to come inside to pay. ...The lady was confused because the transaction showed complete and approved. She relayed that to him and was getting ready to leave but the attendant, once again, urged her to come in to pay or there'd be trouble. She proceeded to go inside and started arguing with the attendant about his threat. He told her to calm down and listen carefully:
He said that while she was pumping gas, a guy slipped into the back seat of her car on the other side and the attendant had already called the police.
   She became frightened and looked out in time to see her car door open and the guy slip out. The report is that the new gang initiation thing is to bring back a woman and/or her car. One way they are doing this is crawling under women's cars while they're pumping gas or at grocery stores in the nighttime. The other way is slipping into unattended cars and kidnapping the women.
   Please pass this on to other women, young and old alike. Be extra careful going to and from your car at night. If at all possible, don't go alone!
  This is real!!
  
 The message:
   1. ALWAYS lock your car doors, even if you're gone for just a second!
   2. Check underneath your car when approaching it for reentry, and check in the back before getting in.
   3. Always be aware of your surroundings and of other individuals in your general vicinity, particularly at night!
   
 Send this to everyone so your friends can take precaution.
   AND GUYS...YOU TELL ANY WOMEN YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS Thanks. 

  Barbara Baker, Secretary Directorate of Training U.S. Army Military Police School

The Westing Game

Was it the Judge in the house with a gavel? 

Or was it Otis in the front yard with the hammer? 

Or was it Theo with his darling looks aimed at his young stalker? 

The Westing Game, written by Ellen Raskin in 1979 and since then has left its readers scratching their heads trying to figure the best who-done-it for children!

Mr. Westing has passed away and left his million dollar estate to his sixteen heirs, wait, sixteen?, who seem to have no relation to each other by blood, by work, but maybe by bruised shins. The sixteen heirs have been paired together to solve the riddles left behind by Westing, with the winner the sole benefactor of a large share of the estate. Soon, it's tenant verses tenant, best friends against each other, siblings against siblings... you get the drift. So, who will be the one who wins it all?

Will it be, the doorman who waits pationtly for you to enter the building, then enters himself?
Will it be the family that owns the restaurant at the top of the building?
Or will it be the momma's girl, who always does as she's told?
Only you can solve the mystery, hopefully before anyone else is killed!