Molly Bee's Attic

I’ ve finally done it! I’ ve cracked the code on a million dollar idea! I’m going to be rich! RICH I tell you! For the last few years, humans have used the Wii video unit to simulate tennis matches, hunting, bowling, even dancing and socializing. And now, for the fur baby in your life, I have created…drum roll please…the DOGGIE Wii . Gosh I wish Billy Blanks was still alive. I can almost hear the ad now! 'This miracle of modern technology simulates a roll-the-windows-down-stick-your-head-out-and drool-all-over-the-doors car ride without ever leaving home! !! No danger of falling out the windows!!!No crashing into the wheel wells during unanticipated stops!!! No getting yelled at for bogarting the front seat or for licking the back of the driver’s head!!! No bugs in your teeth or eyes!!!All of the enjoyment of a 60 mile per hour race through the country without any of the dangers!!!' Pssttt ! I’ll let you readers in on the secret. Yes, both of you (Hi Mom!). It’s already ...

Well, Aaron, Terri and William moved back to their homeland (Minneapolis) on Thursday. They stayed with me for the last couple of nights while they packed their stuff into a pod and cleaned the house. (For those keeping score at home that's three adults, 1 six week old and two 80# dogs in a one bedroom apartment.) It sure was nice to have folks around. They feel like family. The old homestead was awfully quiet on Thursday night lemme tell ya. Ben and I both felt the absence. He misses his spooning buddy, Brinkley. You need someone to snuggle when you sleep by the air conditioner vent after all! The morning they left I took them out to breakfast. I was paying the check and the waitress said, "Your GRANDSON is just adorable!'. Wow! That took the wind out of my sails! She's lucky she pocketed her tip before she came out with that little gem! I didn't say anything because biologically it IS possible, but Geez ! But I guess I could do MUCH worse than having William fo...

Mad City Mike has brought to my attention the fact that I have been remiss in updating this little folly for about a week now. He asks if I’m leading a dull life these days. Silly Mike. You should know better! I’ve just been an extra busy Bee this week. Work is crazy. Home is crazy. The commute is crazy. It’s lead to more than a few near ‘climb-up-in-the-bell-tower-with-a-semi-automatic’ misses, but it beats the alternative. A big project at work and an overseas meeting has me pulling double duty these days. I’ve been working quite a few hours on the weekend and evenings to keep caught up. Last Friday Night was Knit Night. I managed to sit and ‘knit’ (I use that term loosely ) for FIVE full hours and got NOTHING accomplished. I didn’t have a brain in my head when it came to reading the pattern, counting, or keeping the stitches straight. In fact I think I may have had to rip out work that was done before I even GOT there, thus I actually left Knit Night BEHIND ! But as usually I had...

It is with great sadness that I announce that Michael-J.-('MJ' to his friends)The-Road-Kill Fox departed this world on Sunday, June 14 doing what he loved best; playing with is dog friends. MJ was a good fox. He was docile and kind and always had a snuggle for you if you were down (on the floor). The sound of his briefly-working squeaker was a joy to all. On his last day on earth, he, Ben and Brinkley-from-next-door were playing a rousing game of tug of war: Ben: I want MJ ! (pull pull) Brinkley: No he’s mine!(pull pull) (Repeat x 1 trillion) Then came that moment of triumph when each dog discovered that he had won! And ensuing confusion when each dog discovered....that he had won! They EACH had MJ …at least part of him. [ For those of you keeping score at home, Brinkley was technically the winner since he had a mouthful of nose and ears… so he came out ‘a-head’! ] A small private service was held near the prairie reserve on Hwy M in Madison where the cottonwood fluff and pr...

I lost a friend last week. She was the daughter of a very good friend of mine. She was only 35 years old and she died of cancer. This is the second time in less than a year that I've had to attend a funeral of a young person lost to this horrendous disease. And a few years back I lost my dad to it, as well as many other people that I wasn't ready to let go of just yet. I can't count the number of people I know that are fighting the good fight; my mum for one, Kathy, one of my best friends for another. Volunteering at the hospice center, I've watch so many families ripped up by cancer. I can't think of even one person that hasn't been affected by it in one way or another. It just never ends. The word cancer strikes fear in my heart; fear and anger. Recently I made a new friend. His name is Darren and he is a cancer survivor. Not only has he triumphed over it, he is fighting back in an amazing way. A few years ago he started running. At first he ran around the blo...

Mr. Ben is all tucked in for the night and watching The History Channel. He had a long walk and a round of fetch. I accidentally threw his Frisbee in the tree twice and he sat underneath looking up until I untangled it from the branches. Then once I 'fake' threw it so he'd back off a little and he looked around and then ran under the tree and sat looking up. Guess he figured that's where it went before, that's where it must have gone this time! He's not as stupid as he lets on. Last nights baking turned out fine. The pumpkin chocolate cake was OK if you're looking for something low fat (1 box of devil's food cake mix mixed with 1 (15oz) can pumpkin and put in a non-greased 9X13 and baked at 350° for ~30 mins . I also sprinkled a few pecans on top). It has the consistency of cake not brownies as promised and I can't really vouch for the taste because I got two bites in and realized that I still have no sense of taste. I suspect it would be greatly...

I’m back in the saddle again! It was a long week or so of flu related fun, but I’m finally back to being able to function again. Not exactly six feet tall and bullet proof yet, but close. The weather is supposed to stay cooler and I’ ve been very remiss in my Domestic Goddess duties over the last week so tonight will find me grocery shopping, cleaning and baking. Someone gave me a recipe for brownies which involves a brownie mix and a can of pumpkin…and that’s it. I can’t decide whether I think it will be a good-for-you-low-fat-yummy success or a oh-for-the-love-of-God-now-I-have-to-throw-out-a-perfectly-good-pan culinary disaster. I’ll let you know. I also found a recipe for a lemon blueberry pizza (sugar cookie dough crust/lemon, cream cheese ‘sauce’, sprinkled with fresh blueberries). I’ll make it to bring in for the kids tomorrow. I like to bake when it won’t heat the apartment up so much. I got a wonderful surprise last night. Aaron, Terri, William and Brinkley popped by to visit...