Good Night Sweet Friends

My animals have done nothing but sleep on this dark and dreary rainy day. I'm tucking in early too so I can catch up with some quality DVR viewing in my bed. There's also a new episode of Doc Martin tonight. Yay. See you tomorrow. xo

European Robin - Animated Gif

Here's a cute little chirping European Robin to cheer you up while you wait for Spring. via

My Healthy Lunch

All I had for breakfast was oatmeal and an orange. And two cups of coffee with soy milk but I don't consider that breakfast. Coffee first thing when I wake up is as necessary for me as oxygen. I really wasn't even hungry for lunch but ate anyway. Two slices of Life Changing Bread toasted in the Panini Press. I spread my homemade hummus first and topped that with avocado mashed with lemon juice. It was so good and satisfying. My last batch of hummus was a hit so I made another batch with the ingredients I always have on hand. Costco has the most wonderful BIG jars of organic oven dried tomatoes packed in organic olive oil. They are super delicious and I use them in salads in the winter, as a pizza topping, or in anything that needs a taste boost. I buzzed a can of garbanzo beans with a generous helping of those tomatoes and lemon juice and kept tasting until it was just right. I could eat it with a spoon. YUM. I still have enough of the bread to last me for at least two more days. I'm going to make another batch tomorrow and let it sit overnight and bake it on Friday. It really seems to agree with me and keeps me from getting hungry so I'm going to continue eating it as long as the magic is working.

There were two women on (click to watch) CBS This Morning from The Well and Good Website. I'll be checking it out quite often because the interview was quite interesting. They are like the Angie's list for products and classes and fads that pertain to health and wellness. Looks as if I jumped on the bandwagon just in time, doesn't it?

Domestic Happiness in 1835

This is the frontispiece engraving for one of my Antiquarian Books published in New York in 1835. I love looking at the interiors and checking out the furnishings. 

I am working on my taxes this week and might even finish today, fingers crossed. xo

Meet Jock VI, Ginger Cat at Chartwell

From nationaltrust on Instagram: Following an intensive interview process, we're proud to welcome Chartwell's newest employee. When Chartwell was left in our care, the family of Sir Winston Churchill requested that there would always be a ginger cat with white chest fur and four white paws named Jock in residence. Following the retirement of Jock V, we're honoured to introduce Jock VI! He likes afternoon naps, tuna and cuddles.

The unusual request stems from the affection Churchill felt for a kitten given to him on his 88th birthday by Jock Colville, one of his secretaries.

Churchill lived at Chartwell in Kent from 1924 until his death in 1965. The National Trust property has been kept exactly as it was when he lived there. See more photos and read the article here. I love animal stories like this, don't you?

An Old School Photo of Me

This is one of the very few school pictures of mine that is halfway decent. I remember those days being very frantic the night before and the morning of picture day before leaving home. It was always a hair thing. Usually getting a too short haircut the night before or worse still, a home perm. Remember those? I actually have some natural wave to my hair but I always curled it in my youth. Pincurls or rollers. The curls in this third or fourth grade picture look pretty tight as if the rollers were removed and my hair was never combed or brushed out. I had a gap between my teeth that eventually filled in without the aid of braces.

Irish Proverb for St. Patrick's Day

I scanned the dog from my antiquarian book on Royal Crests. After inserting the quote and putting it on a bed of shamrocks it became perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

My Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast fixing before assembly this morning. Life Changing Bread, 1/2 an avocado mashed with some organic lemon juice (Italian Volcano), and a 10 minute boiled brown egg. 

I toasted two slices of my bird bread in the panini press, spread on the avocado and topped with egg slices. Finished with coarse sea salt and ground black pepper, it was delicious. There really is some kind of magic in this bread. It's so satisfying and I can honestly say it keeps me from getting hungry. So the name is perfect!