Do you ever feel

about this big

when you want to help

about this much

but find yourself

here, instead?

photo from here

Natural Pest Control

I love these spiders. I never know when one will appear, and they always have prey caught in the web. I've seen several yellow jackets in her web, and glad for it. We're sure to have one next year, too, with her new egg sack.

Underfoot

This is Chewey's new favorite sleeping position/place. Right under my feet at the corner of the couch.

Easy, Tasty, Chocolate

A good friend passed this recipe on to me from Betty Crocker. I halved it, made it, and ate it. All. by. my. self.

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Sundae Cake


1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cups chopped nuts (I didn't use, optional I guess)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 cups hot water

Spray inside of 2- to 3 1/2 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, the baking powder and salt in medium bowl (this could probably be done in the slow cooker). Stir in milk, oil and vanilla until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread batter evenly in slow cooker.

Mix brown sugar and 1/4 cup baking cocoa in small bowl. Stir in hot water until smooth. Pour evenly over batter in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high heat setting 2 hour to 2 1/2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Turn off slow cooker. Let cake stand uncovered 30 to 40 minutes to cool slightly before serving. Spoon warm cake into dessert dishes and spoon sauce over top.

There might be some left for Hubs when he gets home tomorrow.

A Really Bad Start

Early this morning I was having a dream. I was either on some sort of campus or living in a very small town. I lived in a suite in a dorm sort of building with a friend that reminded me of 3 of my good friends all sort of mixed together. We lived in the corner, on the second floor. There was some sort of conflict or scandal going on that I was against. Not actively, I just didn't agree with whatever the issue was. Well, a couple of guys had threatened me and I decided to leave. As I was feverishly throwing stuff in a couple of bags, the headmaster came by to see what was going on. I told him that I was afraid for my life, and asked if he could send one of "our" guys up to our room just in case the other guys showed up. After he got there, the two "threateners" arrived and I nervously backed up to the guy that was sent to watch out for me. This guy hooked his arms under mine just as the other two picked up my feet and they started to beat me. I began to flail and scream as I watched their fists connect with my midsection. Hubs woke up when I was screaming out loud and tried to wake me. I thought he was one of the men and started to fight him. When I realized I was awake, I was hyperventilating and crying uncontrollably. I've never been this terrified from a dream. I was incredibly shaken and could only see these men coming at me everytime I closed my eyes.

About an hour or so later, I got out of bed to get ready for work. There were a few little things in my regular routine that I forgot to do. I think because I was still pretty upset from the dream. I left for work around 7:20, stopped for gas and then got on the interstate, and stayed in the right lane. I had gone about a mile, then hit a rough spots of patched holes and my front end began to shake violently. I've been having this problem recently when I hit a bump the wrong way, and if I steer to the right just a bit everything evens out. But it didn't this time. The shaking got worse and moved up into the steering column. There were cars in front and behind me and in the left lane. It was all I could do to keep the truck in my lane and pull off into the emergency lane. I sat there shaking and approaching hyperventilation again trying to calm down. Hubs was only a few minutes behind me, but the heavy traffic along with where I pulled over didn't leave him much warning or room to get over. He called to see if I was okay and if he needed to come back to get me to go to work. I didn't want to leave my truck because it wasn't the best part of town to leave a car on the interstate. I drove on to work, didn't leave for lunch, and drove home cringing over every bump in the road. We're carpooling the rest of the week and truck's going to the mechanic on Saturday.

Luckily, the rest of the day was uneventful. I hope I never have another one of those dreams.