Hootin’ Anni’s

Well, the special day of giving thanks has finally come to a close. Today, Friday, the day the Americans call “Black Friday” is the day I make sure I don’t leave home! In fact this weekend, I remain in the perimeter of my home only!! I’ve been trapped and stressed, being blond as I am, at stores on the day after Thanksgiving, for all the special sales at certain hours. The GOOD sale prices. But no more!! The people, the traffic, the congestion on the streets and in the stores….uh-huh! No way José! Never again if I can help it. On the local news last night after the Dallas Football game, they showed people camping outside the Best Buy store —waiting for the 5 A M opening so they could get the laptop computers at a VERY cheap price. I say, “It’s just not worth the hassle!!” I’d rather pay full price and keep my sanity, thank you very much.

Yesterday, our turkey was delicious. Just the way we like it…tender and dry! The dressing was fit for a king [if I say so myself]. I made cole slaw, cranberry waldorf, mashed potatoes and brown gravy. To top it all off pumpkin pie and topping. It was all great tasting and exceptionally good.

Every year for the day, while we watch the Dallas Football game, it’s tradition that we decorate the Christmas tree. We have it completed, perched by the front window just off the front porch. And yes, I do continue to use tinsel! Even tho it’s considered ‘taboo’ these days. I have no small children [even when we did, tho, I used tinsel, and they survived!] –and our cats are strongly disciplined, they don’t go playing with anything on the tree….they know better! So, tinsel it is! I love it…the sparkle with the lighted lights is a finishing touch for me still!!!

And yes, if you know me at all, just a bit -you guessed it’s…Santas! A Santa tree top that is animated. And the lights? Santa faces!! Here is a close up of the tree lights. I fell in love with them…I think, if I recall correctly, my sister sent them to me. Everyone in my family knows how I collect them…and these lights are adorable! I like the red and white against the green Christmas tree branches. Our tree is decorated traditionally with Santa ornaments, red glass ball ornaments, icicles, snowflakes, Santa lights, Santa treetop, red velvet bows, and tinsel.

I started with the annual task of the long hours of unpacking the hundreds of Santas that will be all over the house eventually. By the end of the weekend. Soon, once again as with every year, the House of Hootin’ Anni will be a virtual Holiday Santa Shoppe! Christmas will arrive at our house soon!! After the meal we had yesterday, this is just what I should be doing. Santa, with all his cookie consumption over the next month…he likes to keep in shape. And this is his secret…of course, don’t tell Mrs. Claus that we now know what kind of undies he wears while he’s working out with his hula hoop. She probably wouldn’t appreciate us knowing. But, on second thought maybe she’s very proud of her hubby and is happy to show him off in blogland!! [this is one of MANY Santas from my collection] And for the next few days, I will ache with all the unpacking…it too comes along with all the holiday traditions. Backache, sore legs –you know, the usual from climbing ladders, and unwrapping and hanging this and that. But each and every year, it’s worth the acres and pains—the house is always so festive. As I get more out and set around the house, I’ll add more photos. On December 17 there is a blogland “Show of Homes” for the holidays…then, I’ll have a lot more photos to share!!

And as I continue to grunt and groan with the stiff muscles and achy back, I thought it’s time to sit down and write out my living will. Just in case———

~My living will….

I, HOOTIN’ ANNI, being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means. Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of pinhead politicians who couldn’t pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it, or lawyers/doctors interested in simply running up the bills. If a reasonable amount of time passes, and I fail to ask for at least one of the following:

Glass of wine
Chocolate
Margarita
Chocolate
Cheeseburger
Cold Beer
Chocolate
Chocolate
Mexican food
Chocolate
French fries
Chocolate
Pizza
Chocolate
Ice cream
Chips ‘n’ Dip
Chocolate
Chocolate
or
Chocolate

it should be presumed that I won’t ever get better. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my appointed person and attending mongers physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes, let the “fat lady sing”. .. . And call it a day!

Signed:
Anni also known as Hootin’
on this said day of the said year 2007
23, November

NOTARIZED by Tahoe & Winston

- – -

Now that the cat’s outta bag…Some legal terms to help you understand more clearly –[i.e.; --"Don't rely on the crooks of the nation to word your living will"]:

Civil law

Quirky American derivation of Roman law wherein lawyers and judges routinely manipulate a written collection of laws that apply to everyone’s will & testament, but the lawyers and judges themselves, who are exempt from observance of said laws; practiced by uncivil lawyers in an uncivil environment and administered by uncivil judges in uncivil courts of estate.

Conflict of interest

A disturbing and somewhat awkward situation that occurs whenever a lawyer, representing one inherit client, discovers that the opposing inherit party is paying their lawyer a lot more money than his inherit client is paying him. See “Breach of trust”.

Intestate

Dying without a will, thereby leaving your inheritance to the lawyers.

Just cause

A phrase frequently used by Southern estate lawyers pertaining to their bills and the wills legalities. In the South, lawyers frequently overcharge their inherit clients “just cause” they feel like it.

Lawyer

Originally derived from early Roman law, meaning “liar,” term has evolved over the years to include other derivatives, including Latin for “scoundrel,” Italian for “shyster,” Greek for “con-artist” and early Texan for “piece of horse poop.”

Prostitute

A person who screws another person for money. See “Lawyer.”

Litigation

America’s favorite pastime.

Ethics

In the old English court system, a set of standards or codes outlining the moral principles, conduct and judgment the estate lawyers had to adhere to. No known equivalent in the United States legal system.

Dufus dilecti
Latin for “dead dumb ass,” as in the condition most inherit clients find themselves after dealing with their estate lawyers.

FRIDAY FEAST is closed for the holiday, but Gattina is hosting one herself –Go there if you’d like to participate. [Here's my answers:

Appetizer
Imagine that you are deaf, dumb and insensitive to touch.What other image of happiness could you have?
I would have the memory of what I saw in my life...also, the love of family.

Soup
Do you collect anything?
Ha!! I just added one of my hundreds of Santas today on my blog! -- I also collect anything GWTW and ruby glass [but dust is always being collected around the house!] -see above

Salad
When do you start your Christmas?
I start buying for Christmas right AFTER the following Christmas…but, traditionally things don’t come out of boxes and such until USA’s Thanksgiving Day.


Main Course
What would you do if you were in a corner and a snake was staring you down?
DIE!! [of fright] Either that, or make a new entrance in the wall behind me with my fingernails!!!!!

Dessert
If you were in the library and had gas…
I’d be fanning the book pages violently to make a draft that would float across the table to the other dude –blame it on him!!!

In the meantime, ’til next week folks, for those who served turkey [or roast WHO BEAST] –enjoy those leftovers. For the feasting today, how ’bout some ideas for fixing leftover turkey?

1] Turkey Hash

Ground cooked turkey, onion, hash-browned potatoes. Mix in skillet, brown over medium heat.

2] Turkey Salad Sandwiches

Chilled cooked turkey, flaked coarsely. Dried cranberries [you can use any dried fruit], chopped celery, pecan halves. Mix all with mayonnaise. Serve on 12 grain bread.

3] Turkey Stroganov

Diced cold turkey. Cooked noodles. Mushrooms, and onion. Sour Cream and Cream of Chicken Soup [canned]. In skillet, sautee onion in butter. Add diced turkey, mushrooms. Mix well. Add the cream of chicken soup. Mix well. Slowly stir in sour cream. Heat at low temp. Pour over hot cooked noodles.

4] Hot Roast Turkey Sandwiches

Heat leftover turkey slices. On plate, add hot mashed potatoes, place turkey over bread slice…pour a generous helping of brown gravy on top of all…serve hot!

5] Monte Carlo Sandwiches

Sliced turkey, 2 slices of bread. Raspberry jelly. White cheese [slice --I use provolone cheese or swiss] Make sandwich. Dip in beaten egg [both sides] Grill or deep fat fry the sandwich. Serve hot.

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