Celebrate Your Inner Fabiola!

Fantastic Fabiola's Orient(al) Pork - A Fast "Slow Food" Dish with a Taste of The Orient

2012-01-14T20:49:00.000-05:00

Darlings! This is an updated dish. The Fab posted it first, sometime in 2007, but she (because The Fab almost never measures) titled it as ...

Orient(al) Pork - A Recipe For Folk Who Already Know How to Cook

... meaning that The Fab didn't measure, so she couldn't write down how much of each ingredient you would need to make this dish. The Fab has seen the error of her ways (and bought actual measuring cups and spoons) so, with a flourish she presents ...

Orient(al) Pork - A Recipe For Any Folk

This is an aside Darlings: Orient(al) as in Orient Correctional Institution - Fabiola first created this recipe on the evening following a visit to a former beau. This beau became "former" just prior to gaining the new title of "inmate" at that medium security facility. The visit has nothing to do with the dish, other than after spending a day traveling and hearing heavy metal gates crash behind one, a gal wants a dinner that is both fast and pleasantly aromatic.

Anyway -

Ingredients in order of use:
Pork - 3 pounds (or so) - Cut in 1/2" Cubes (The Fab bought one of those pre-packed pork loins it was about 3 pounds) - of course Dears, you can substitute chicken prepared the same way. Dark meat or white, or both, doesn't matter.
Oil -- 1/4 cup Enough to coat the bottom of your pan
Regarding the cooking oil, use whatever kind you prefer: Lard, Butter, EVOO, Peanut, Corn, Vegetable -Fabiola uses Peanut Oil - (ahem), but if Fabiola recommended that - some would jump up and down shouting and waving their arms like they just got a Bingo and the words they would be shouting -- "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" - you know who you are.

Garlic Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Onion Powder - 1 teaspoon or a small onion diced fine (no matter which you use- the powder is just easier)

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon (more or less to taste)

Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon (again more or less to taste - start with this much)

Celery Seed, Crushed - 1/4 teaspoon (if you don't have celery seed substitute 1/4 cup real celery diced fine)

Light Sesame Oil - 2 tablespoons

Dark Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup packed

Maple Syrup - 2 or 3 Tablespoons (more or less) -- you can omit this item it only adds a layer of flavor dears. No matter if you don't have any. Fabiola uses real Maple Syrup Boiled Down from actual Maple Tree Sap Only - seriously, if all you have is the flavored corn syrup kind, make pancakes.

Blackstrap Molasses - 1 or 2 tablespoons Again an optional item, it adds flavor depth, but the world will not end if you don't add it. But, your Grandmother was right, it IS good for you. Use it more.

Nutmeg - just a sprinkle (like the two previous items, add it if you have it, don't worry if you don't)

Maggi Sweet Chili Sauce (1/2 of a 10.1 oz Bottle) There is no substitute for this item, it is beyond wonderful.

Rice - The Fab uses Knor Chicken Flavored rice, because it is fast and easy. There is no reason that you can't, and a lot of good reasons that you should, use real brown or white rice that you steam. What are those reasons? Fewer calories, less salt, less processing, more nutrients. And the Fab would never tell anyone this, but she likes the nutty flavor of the brown rice, but others in the household don't. Sigh.

Instructions:

CUBE Pork, - Never cubed a pork? Here is how:

This is one side of the pork loin, flip it over and you may find shiny connective tissue covered with a thin layer of fat. This connective tissue should be taken off, or you will end up with some pieces of pork that have a tough chewy edge. Not saying that you HAVE TO just suggesting that you should dears. Takes only minutes.

Pull up a corner of the membrane with the knife, pull and slice until you have removed the membrane. Discard the membrane and fat. Or, zap it in the microwave until it is cooked through, cool then ... toss it out the window to the barn cats. You would never feed raw pork to an animal would you? Of course you wouldn't Dears.

Slice the loin into 1/2 inch slices like in the photo, then stack 2 or three together, slice lengthwise into 1/2 x 1/2 inch strips, then cut the strips into cubes. This whole process is faster if the pork is still slightly frozen. Once you have the strips, you may find it easier to use your kitchen shears to make the cubes.

A 3 pound pork loin makes about 8 cups of cubes.

Once your pork is cubed ...

SPRINKLE with Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt, Pepper, Crushed Celery Seed, TOSS.

HEAT Oil in Fry Pan - Medium Heat (you knew that) - Just a minute or so then add the pork cubes to the pan. Lightly BROWN Pork Cubes In Oil. This took about 15 minutes, with The Fab stirring and breaking up the pork 3 or 4 times. The Fab also used the cover for her fry pan to speed the cooking of the pork. Quick note Darlings, it is easy to overcook pork - that will make it tough and dry. You are shooting for cooked through (no pink left) with just a touch of golden color on the outside. To be certain that the meat is cooked The Fab takes a cube or two out of the pan and cuts them in half. No pink = done.

REDUCE HEAT to low.

ADD Light Sesame Oil, TOSS. ADD Brown Sugar, Blackstrap Molasses, Maple Syrup, Nutmeg, Chili Sauce,TOSS.

SIMMER UNCOVERED until the sauce has reduced slightly. This takes about 10 minutes,

SERVE over Rice.

Now Darlings, The Fab made this dish for dinner tonight. It was delish. Of course as it is just Mary, The Fab and Crabby Guy here, half of this dish went right into the freezer for another day. Orient(al) Pork freezes and reheats nicely.

Questions?

1. Why yes! The fry pan with a heavy lid that I am using instead of my trusty cast iron is a Pampered Chef pan. They Are Wonderful. Heavy, even heating, tight fitting lid. The Fab loves, loves, loves hers! Now, I am not telling you what to do Dears but my Pampered Chef Kitchen Consultant is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Independent-Consultant-for-Pampered-Chef/235202309887538 Robin and she is a darling. No, really. Poke on the link talk to her. So much joy should not be possible in a real person.

How to make your Kids LOVE Sauerkraut ... maybe

2012-01-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

Good morning Darlings! It is going to be a wonderful day! And if it turns out to be not such a wonderful day -- if a gal can't triumph, she can prevail. Of course, it is our way.

Speaking of prevailing, Vegetables, nutrients, fiber, do children (and a lot of grown men) just know when something is good for them so they automatically won't eat it, even if they haven't tasted it? It seems so to this Fab, which is why when she makes sauerkraut, she makes this:

Pork Chops with Sauerkraut

Brown Pork Chops on medium heat in a big Skillet with a lid. You will be adding an entire package of Sauerkraut later so bigger is better.

While chops are browning, empty your package of Sauerkraut into a mixing bowl.

Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar (The amount of Brown Sugar varies depending on taste and the size of the Sauerkraut package -- dears you are looking to just cut back the acid and to make a sweet sour taste -- you knew that sugar cancels out acid, right? In judging the amount of sugar remember that you are making a vegetable, not candy.)

Add a sprinkling of Caraway Seed. A scant 1/8 teaspoon for you measurers out there. Caraway seed is wonderful spice with a pungent sweet tangy flavor, so use a light hand when adding this seed. You can always add more later.

Mix until the Brown Sugar and Caraway Seed are mixed into the Sauerkraut

Once the chops are brown , add the Sauerkraut, turn the heat to simmer, cover the Skillet with a lid, simmer for at least an hour. You can simmer longer, as the length of time increases, the Pork Chops become more tender, just keep an eye on the liquid. If your skillet lid isn't tight, you may need to add a splash of water.

To serve, place a spoonful of the Sauerkraut on a plate, put a Pork Chop on top. Add a side of mashed potatoes and you have, maybe, a dinner that includes a vegetable the kids will eat.

Dressing in Layers for work out in the cold.

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

Gentlemen, please avert your eyes, the animation at the bottom of this page is intended as educational material for the Ladies. If you are thinking Victoria's Secret model in oh so sexy underwear, wow are you in for a surprise. And don't come crying to Fabiola if after this warning, you scroll down and the image of the Fab in her danties is burned onto your retinas for all time.

Ladies! I don't know what the temperature has been like 'round your part of the world, but here in Fabiola Land, this morning, the thermometer read 18 degrees, with wind. What does a gal do on days like this, when she has to spend some time outside working? (Actually, Mary had to go out and horrible creature that she is, she dragged the Fab with her.) To battle cold temperatures, a gal dresses in layers!

No, not one cute contrasting T-shirt over another layers; layers designed to prevent frostbite layers. As much as the Fab hates to admit it, this is something that Mary knows a little bit about. Back to the layers ... this instructional is for serious killer cold, below zero cold, for winter warm days like today, omit a layer or two.

1. Basics - unmentionables of your choice plus 2 pair of cotton or silk knit socks. Yes, two.

2. Bright Red Wool long johns, or similar garmet. Wool is best, yes it can be scratchy, so what? It is warm. And a thick pair of wool knit socks. The ones with the bright red dot on the toe are great for wearing and for turning into sock monkeys.

3. Loose jeans and a heavy wool or cotton sweater, natural fabrics only gals, fake-a-roo's don't insulate as well. They don't. Unless you buy the special made for cold insulation fake a roo materials. Here the Fab is talking about acrylics, and our friends poly and ester.

4. Snow boots, the ones with the insulated take out liner, yes they will make your feet look big, but compared to what the next layer is going to do to the look of your behind, your feet will seem downright dainty.

5. Insulated coveralls. The kind with the quilted lining and the legs that zip open at the bottom so that you can get them over your gigantic booted feet.

6. Polar Fleece jacket and earband. Don't skip the earband, it will keep the next step from leaving knit cap dents in your forehead.

7. Insulated vest (keeping your core warm is very important). Two thick knit watch caps, one over the other. The Fab prefers blaze orange (it isn't like a gal is going to go unnoticed in this get-up so why not make sure that you can be spotted from the space shuttle?)

8. Down Jacket, then gloves in multiple layers. The Fab wears two pair of cotton string knit gloves with winter jersey work gloves over them (at least).

Yes, this outfit will make you look fat. Fortunately in the Fab's case she started out that way, so that isn't such the issue. When working out in the cold, warm is better than waffer thin regardless.

Darlings. You looked didn't you. Told ya.

Go to my Website to see my Original Art available Click Here!

Carnation Famous Fudge Kit and a Figment

2012-01-02T10:03:00.000-05:00

This Christmas past, Darlings, the Fab decided to make Fudge. Now it is a known fact that the Fab is not much of a candy maker. The Fab can cook like no body's business, but fudge? Sigh, not so much, the Fab admits her limitations, even if she IS a figment.

The Fab spotted a Carnation Famous Fudge Kit at the Kroger. Into the cart it went. The kit provides everything that a Fab will need to make a batch of fudge -- MINUS two tablespoons of real butter. And who doesn't keep a supply of butter in the house? Not the Fab, not ever. Meat, milk, bread, eggs all optional in the Fab's kitchen -- butter? In the event of a tornado or flood, the Fab would save her butter before the family photos. The Fab digresses.

Follow the instructions on the back of the box and you will have perfect, creamy fudge. The Fab promises.

Happy Cold Blustery New Year! And Evelyn's Famous Quick and Easy Chili Soup!

2012-01-01T12:38:00.000-05:00

Darlings!

The Fab trusts that you are well this fine first day of 2012! Here a cold front is movin' through and the wind is a whippin' <-- that link will take you to YouTube music and a song by the Gap band. One of the Fab's New Years Resolutions was NOT to develop her taste in music beyond '80's funk.

It is a known fact that a gal should never attempt to fix something that isn't broken.

Regardless ... The Fab is staying mostly indoors today and because it is a cold windy day ... the Fab is making Evelyn's Famous Quick and Easy Chili Soup.

Note: Chili Soup is slightly sweet, slightly spicy hot and more soup than Chili. Try it with Grilled Cheese sandwiches and / or Ritz Crackers. Fabiola says "Yum'!

Evelyn's Famous Quick and Easy Chili Soup
Ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 medium yellow onion chopped medium (photo below)

Fabiola uses a whomper-chopper (that is what she calls it) fast, easy, whacking the top of the chopper releases frustrations.

******
2 - 46 ounce cans Tomato Juice - Del Monte or Red Gold

(seriously, these two taste best to Fabiola -- use your favorite -- but don't say that Fabiola didn't try to help!).

1 - 16 ounce can Bush's Best Chili Beans, Medium Sauce (or mild or hot -- but use Bush's, trust Fabiola on this one).

******

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/8 teaspoon Ground Celery Seed

1/4 teaspoon Corse Ground Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Salt

4 tablespoons Dark Chili Powder (or to taste)

(Fabiola likes the Kroger store brand best. Also: keep in mind that Chili Powder looses flavor as it sits in your cupboard. Buy small quantities more often rather than leaving it sit on a shelf).

********

1 cup Dark Brown Sugar packed

2 tablespoons Blackstrap Molasses (Fabiola has a thing for Blackstrap Molasses - have you checked out the nutrition label? Calcium, iron, B vitamins ... the link takes you to nutrition data's information on Blackstrap Molasses -- click this link if you want to look up other ingredientshttp://www.nutritiondata.com/ great site!)

Assembly:

Put the Tomato Juice and Chili Beans in your slow cooker, start cooking on low heat.

Brown (stirring frequently), the ground beef and onion over medium heat. You want the meat to brown and the onion to cook until transparent. Drain fat.

Turn off the heat, move your skillet to a cool burner, add the Garlic Powder, Celery Seed, Black Pepper, Salt, Chili Powder to the browned grond beef and onion. Stir, stir, stir. Add the brown sugar and molasses, stir until mixed. Transfer to your slow cooker, stir until mixed. Let the soup cook for at least 2 hours, but will be just fine if you leave it all day.

Fabiola serves a big bowl of this soup with grilled cheese sandwiches and Ritz crackers.

Yes, this is a cast iron skillet. Cast Iron is a permanant non-stick, precision cooking tool - yet again, Grandma knew what she was doing.

Christmas is past for another year ... Notes on Decorating Trees

2011-12-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

Darlings, perhaps you have tree decorating down to a science, sadly the Fab does not. Perhaps this is due to her will-o-the-wisp nature, perhaps it is due to obstacles most folk do not encounter whilst decorating their Christmas Tree.

Regardless, the Fab is making notes for expedited decorating for next year.

1. Have a decorating theme.
2. Collect all ornaments, unwrap them from their protective paper.
3. Arrange them on a flat surface, grouped by size then color to ensure that a Fab has an even distribution of decor over the entire tree.
4. Lock all animals in the laundry room while putting up the tree. That way a Fab has only to put ornaments onto the tree, once.

Darlings, the above pictured Christmas cat is Smoky, who sleeps with one eye open and has been immortalized in an original yet affordable garden sculpture. <--- this would be a shameless plug for the Fab's alter ego's web store.

A Link to a Mary Post on Perfume ...

2011-12-07T19:17:00.001-05:00

Darlings, Mary wrote a post about old perfume that she ordered from eBay. She lives in the past Darlings, she lives in the past.

http://farmhousewindow.blogspot.com/2011/12/time-traveler-arrived-in-my-home-today.html

Big Batch Chicago Style Cheesecake recipe (48 servings)

2011-11-23T08:31:00.001-05:00

Darlings, I am re-posting a recipe of Mary's. This recipe originally appearing in 2004 is still the best if you need to make cheesecake for a crowd.

Quick Note Folks:

Yes, absolutely you have time to make this before Thanksgiving, if you do it today. Cheesecake tastes better if it sits in the fridge for a day. Well, it does. I made this recipe again yesterday, while I was making chili. Seriously, mixing this together takes about 15 minutes, the baking not quite an hour. Cool, wrap, into the fridge.

Now I did something different this time with the crust. Saved a bunch of time. I bought a package of Pillsbury ready made pie crust (the package that has 2 rolled single crusts for a 9 inch pie). I used that for the bottom crust. Line the bottom of 2 of the spring-form pans, trim the excess, piece together the bottom of the third. Do not pre-bake the crust, just pour the cake batter in on top and bake as directed for the cake. Worked dandy.

If you don't need 3 cheese cakes, divide the ingredients by 3.

It Is All About The Cheesecake!

Note before you start -- this recipe makes 3 nine inch round cheesecakes.

Cheesecake freezes beautifully.

CrustPreheat oven to 325 degrees
In medium sized bowl combine:
3 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon grated lemon peel (from real fresh lemons not the dried stuff in the jar)

Mix well, then add
1 Cup softened butter (real butter, I use salted butter, if you prefer sweet butter, that works fine too. I have no idea what fake butter or shortening will do to this recipe and I don't want to know, if you try either, please do not tell me.)

Mix again until all ingredients are combined. You should be able to easily form a pliable ball from the dough with your hands.

Pliable like pie crust or play dough, not sticky.

If the dough seems stiff or wont form a ball - add water one tablespoon at a time until you can form a pliable ball.

Divide the dough into three pieces. Smash the dough into the bottom only of three nine inch spring form or straight sided cake layer pan. You can get all neat about it and roll the dough out and cut a nice circle then lay that in the bottom of the pan, but you were just smooshing the dough around with your hands to form a ball then divide it in three so you decide if you want to get out a rolling pin.

Bake the crust in your preheated (you did preheat -- right?) oven for 10 minutes. You don't want the crust to brown, just set, it will finish browning when you bake the cheesecake.

CheesecakeRemove your pans from the oven, set aside to cool. Turn the oven temperature up to 350 degrees.

In a very large bowl combine
9 eight ounce packages of softened cream cheese. (single cake = 3 packages)
3 cups sugar (single cake = 1 cup)
1/3 cup all purpose flour (Single cake = use 2 tablespoons flour)
1/2 tablespoon grated lemon peel (Single cake = 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 tablespoon vanilla (single cake = 1/2 teaspoon)

Mix -Mix - Mix -- mix until well blended

then add
7 eggs (I use extra large eggs -- but cheesecake is pretty forgiving so if you use large or jumbo it should not make a huge difference. If you use small eggs, you are on your own.) (single cake = 2 eggs)

3/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2 (single cake 1/4 cup)

Mix until well combined. Pour cheesecake mixture into your prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for around 50 minutes. Cheesecake is done when only the middle 2 inches of the cake jiggle when you move the pan slightly. Take the cakes out of the oven to cool. The middle will finish setting while the cake cools.

After the cake has cooled run a spatula around the outside of the cake to loosen it from the side of the pan. Do not remove the side of the spring form pan at this point. Cover cake with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to chill at least four hours before serving. If you are going to freeze the cake, skip the refrigerator and put the plastic wrapped cake right into the freezer.

Raspberry Sauce
2 cups frozen whole raspberries
1 cup sugar
Place the raspberries and the sugar into a heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat until the berries are thawed and stirring combines the berries and the sugar into a liquid. Increase heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches the "jell" stage on a candy thermometer.
Chill sauce and serve over slices of cheesecake.

One nine inch cake should be cut into at least 16 slices.

The Fab is Mad as Hell and She .... Graceland Revisited

2011-09-26T22:30:00.002-04:00

Darlings, the Fab realizes that she promised a post on finding Graceland as her very next post. Well, she did find it, not where she expected, and it was in front of her the whole time but she was too busy to see it (as these sorts of things usually are). Unlike the usual sorts of way that things go, someone stole Graceland, moved right in, replaced that already bad carpeting with that horror from the seventies, orange and brown spotted shag and put way too many black velvet paintings on the walls.
What in the world is the Fab talking about? Honestly she is too livid to be her usual gracious, genteel self, so she will just let Mary speak for her. (How strange is that that Mary is more civil than the Fab for once?) The text below is from the latest post in Mary's Blog View From A Farmhouse Window and it speaks for itself (which is well, as that is what blogs are supposed to do).
**********************************************************************************************************************
I Had an Idea for a Blog ....
I had an idea for a blog. One about life on a farm, in the mid-west from the viewpoint of a city girl moved out to the country. That blog would include the best photos that I could take, slices of life, and sometimes recipes. That was the idea, anyway. That it turned out to be much, much more is a function of how lonely and difficult life out in the middle of farm no-where can be. Truth is farm life for women can be too many hours alone or in the too cold or too hot, all doin' what needs doin' until you drop with no time or energy left over for dreaming. Silly useless activity anyway, dreaming. But.

View From A Farmhouse Window started with Kites and Dogs and almost Spring Air. I wrote a memorial to my Father and a wooden boat on a river. Mourned a loss. Had a Mad Hatter Day. One entry was devoted to Diesel Fuel and Dance Cards. Then, of course, the railroad. I told an An Easter Story. I talked about hunters (and I have no doubt that they are still talking about me all these years later). Then a surprise substitution of trailer brake work for girly time followed by And Then The Cat Fell Into the Bathtub. I wrote about walks in Wild Dog Woods and how a good dog can make you believe in forever, and then I wrote about the day that I lost my beloved Golden (I re-read it again just now and I am crying again). I poured my heart into View From A Farmhouse Window, because all too often out here, a gal just has to do it or break down.

As the years spun out View From A Farmhouse Window became where I went to remember, to dream, to talk to the fine people that stopped by. I made some wonderful friends first on AOL, then here, then here and on View From A Farmhouse Window mirrored and more on my own site. The photos from AOL didn't translate here, I didn't take the time to go back and re link them, but that doesn't mean that my heart wasn't in each and every one of those posts. I lived for the time that I spent here.

Why on earth am I going on like this? Before I started View From A Farmhouse Window in February of 2004, I did a search on the name to ensure that I wasn't stepping on anyone's toes. It was a great name for a Blog about farm life from the perspective of a city girl transplanted to the country. I had it all to myself. Did for more than half a decade. If I wanted to look up an old post all I had to do was search on the title.

Just yesterday, to my absolute horror, I discovered that about a year ago someone had elbowed her way in, plopped her insensitive behind down in the middle of my world, put her feet up and made herself right at home. No, I don't OWN the title View From A Farmhouse Window, but I do own http://viewfromafarmhousewindow.blogspot.com/ don't click it you are here already.

Perhaps it was just an "accident" that she decided upon a blog about life on a farm from the viewpoint of a city girl moved to the country with photos and slices of life and sometimes recipes. Perhaps it was "coincidence" that she chose http://view-from-a-farmhouse-window.blogspot.com/ see the dashes inbetween? and that she titled her blog "View From A Farmhouse Window" complete freaking coincidence. E-x-a-c-t-l-y t-h-e s-a-m-e b-l-o-g, E-x-a-c-t-l-y T-h-e S-a-m-e N-a-m-e.

I know that I am not fooling anyone, I have no doubt that she did a search, found view taken, then just added dashes between the words, because, well, you know, she wanted to use the name. I wish that I could say that her blog isn't beautifully written, it is. I wish that I could say that the photos aren't top notch (almost commercial quality) they are gorgeous. The thing is, as slick as it is, she stole my safe place, my heart and she did it on purpose. I am heartsick (and nosebleed angry). I can't do anything about the doppelganger blog, she is (barely) within her rights. Maybe it is of no matter, can you imagine the Karma she has bought for herself? The Karma Train runs in a circle and her Karma train is running 'round in a circle to hit her from behind.

Well that, and I can out write anyone (almost), I can take pretty pictures, and, clearly, I am the only View From A Farmhouse Window that has any creativity.
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Fab again, well that Dear and you have for a friend a Figment who is not above a lady-like fight.

And Again ...

2009-10-26T22:47:00.004-04:00

Oh. Now the hyperlink adder is working. Sigh.

Click here to go to the Fab's new blog.

Darlings!

2009-10-26T22:47:00.001-04:00

The Fab has a new post. It is not this one, and it is not here.

My add a hyperlink thingy isn't functioning.

Go here ---> www.fantasticfabiola.com scroll slighly down.

Last Quarter

2009-08-27T20:21:00.003-04:00

The moon is at the last quarter, but the Fab sees it as half tonight. As you know darlings, Fabiola's moon is always half full (not half empty). What moon do you see tonight?

Intersection of this and that ...

2009-08-24T22:12:00.000-04:00

Darlings, the Fab has been pondering music. One song from three days ago (that song is really from 1976 not three days ago -- but it was new to the Fab three days ago, which works out to be the same now does't it?) Holding up a hand: Don't argue with the Fab darlings, the Fab is a figment, arguing with a figment of someone else's imagination, well, how can you win? But mostly the Fab has been contemplating music remembered from her highschool(ish) years. Perhaps music is too broad of a term, the Fab's years of 1975 through 1979 were dominated by power ballads and disco. What is a Fab to do? She works with what she has that is what she does. Don't worry if this isn't making any sense, nor does it appear to be headed towards a point. Of course you know that the Fab has explained that she is less than linear, try as she might to have it point North, the Fab's compass insists on spinning round and round. (That the Fab still follows that compass, despite knowing this is as much a wonderment to her as it may be to you.). A destination then if not a direction? Yes.

The destination is music once heard that grabs onto a moment and there it stays forever verses music that drifts along with you always staying close but never finding an anchor in memory. You have no idea what the Fab is talking about?

A song that the Fab liked, Bad Girls by Donna Summer is stuck somewhere in the middle of a hundred or more hearings headed west through a stop sign at the intersection of 12th avenue and 34th street in Moline on a sunny summer afternoon. Why then, why there the Fab has no idea, but toot toot, hey, beep beep and there we are.

On the other hand, a song that the Fab loves has been drifting in and out of memory since 1975 without finding a spot to light and stay. Pehaps it is a song that deservs more than a three second pause at a 4-way stop at the bottom of a hill.

Remember Shrinky Dinks?

2009-08-18T20:12:00.000-04:00

Remember Shrinky Dinks? No the Fab didn't so much either until a week or so ago. Of course, lovely, brightly colored, shrinking plastic had almost nothing to do with the actual event but as is the way with the Fab, tossing some around can only help.

That said, the Fab went with Mary to her 30th High School Reunion. Fortunately, the Fab is ageless. Mary, on the other hand ... well, it is the mileage now isn't? Gets ya every time. Still, Mary had a great time. She did. No, you ask her if you want to hear about it. Isn't the Fab's story to tell. Mary hasn't written a word since February, slacker.

Third paragraph darlings and the Fab is winding up to tell you what she came to say. Everything shrunk. While the places were all there and next to the other places remembered, and everything looked almost exactly the same, everthing was smaller and closer together. Entire city blocks, shrunk. Parking lots were cut in half. Nothing was as tall or as wide or anything as it should have been. the Fab could not figure it out. Until, the realization hit. When the Fab last looked at Moline, she had city eyes, since then she has been looking through country eyes. Out in the middle of not much of anything, everything is very far apart and the Fab now knows that a gal gets used to seeing things that way, because in her memory, the places that she used to live, expanded. A trip back however, shrunk them right back down to where they (always really were) and should be. Interesting.

Don't for a second suppose that the Fab is talking about the people she talked to. No, they were more wonderful than the Fab remembered.

Fabiola Confesses to her very first crush ...

2009-07-25T21:10:00.000-04:00

Yes darlings, it has been forever and ever since the Fab posted anything. Therefore she understands the import of making this post as interesting as possible. Now, the Fab asks you, could there be anything more fascinating than a personal tid-bit about the Fab's early years? The Fab didn't think so.

The Fab was 10, the year was, well, ago. Fab's very first crush was on a fascinating caracter on Sesame Street -- The Mad Painter. He painted numbers on things. And. Well. That is about it. Oh stop, th Fab had youngr siblings. Still the Fab found something fascinating about the determined number painter. Well, she did. And she still has a thing for the number 11.

Wedding Invitation Address Etiquette ...

2009-06-14T10:12:00.000-04:00

Hello Darlings!

Yes the Fab has abandoned you. Mary has been busy and horrible and ... well, the Fab doesn't want to talk about that.

The Fab does want to mention that spring is that time when lots of weddings occur. It is no coincidence just prior to that, expensive, carefully prepared, hand addressed insults (wedding invitations) arrive. You see darlings, my alter ego lives in one of those non traditional thingys with the crabby guy. Shrug.

Fifteen years.

Now, most everyone that knows CG, knows Mary just as well. Everyone also knows that most men never go to weddings unless poked and prodded, nagged at and possibly hog tied and dragged to the event. Of course the Fab is right.

Back to the expensive insults. Wedding invitations invaribly arrive addressed to: C.G. and Guest - or worse - C.G. on the outside envelope, and Guest inside. Now, the Fab has to tell you that anyone that knows CG well enough to invite him to a wedding also knows that gift shopping, wrapping and sending will not be performed by him. Ever. He won't appear at the "event" without the effort of "and Guest" either.

The Fab has no doubt that some twisted form of etiquette demands that invitations be addessed as insults to the person that will be spending the time and money to respond in the polite manner.

Usually the Fab counsels (and her alter-ego disregards the counsel) that the insult invitation be ignored (it is easier and cheaper). Recently one arrived that is so egregious that Fab is advising that her alter ego buy a gift, send it well ahead of time, with the gift card signed "and Guest".

Etiquette be damned, the Fab is sick of it.

Wednesdom - Ideas

2009-05-13T05:00:00.001-04:00

Men die but an idea does not.

~ Alan J. Lerner

The Street Where I Live - My Fair Lady

God Love Ya Susan Boyle!

2009-04-16T18:50:00.006-04:00

Now it is time.

A few weeks ago I posted something that my mother once said that I didn't understand because I was young and it was one of those things that youth cannot comprehend. My Mom declared once (the world) was erasing her. I said at the time that there was an essay in there somewhere. I was right about the essay, I was wrong as to who would be the author.

Have your heard about Susan Boyle have you seen her video? Susan is a 47 year old woman from a small place living a simple life and allowing herself a small dream. She lived her life and dreamed her dream, but never got the chance to make it come true. Then, she earned herself a chance on "Britan's Got Tallent" the British equivalent of "American Idol". Through her pre-interviews and as she stood before the judges, the catcalls from the audience and the eyerolls from the judges were all attempts to erase her. She was too old, she wasn't beautiful, she wasn't supposed to dare to want to be there. They were all trying to erase her.

Susan Boyle didn't let that happen. She believed in herself and despite everyone's clear expectation that she was going to make a sad mess of her chance, she sang a difficult masterpiece of a song and brought the audience to their feet and tears to the world's eyes.

Thank you, Thank you, Susan Boyle. Your courage and your voice will carry many other women out of the hell that they are living and give them back the courage to follow their dreams.

God Love Ya Susan Boyle! Sing!

It is going to rain, no it won't, maybe it will, it is going to rain ...

2009-03-25T20:09:00.003-04:00

Ok, Darlings. It did rain. Darlings, Fabiola is out on a jobsite with Mary. Fabiola got to go-with because she flung herself into the bed of the pick-up as Mary was pulling out of the driveway. Oh, she thought that the Fab wouldn't be awake as it was 3 am. It is a known fact that figments never sleep. I, Fabiola can't believe that Mary doesn't know that.

Well, to retaliate, Mary made me ride on the top of the floater. Fabiola loved the view! Ha! That will teach her. But today it rained, so Fabiola got to stay on the ground.

Just a quick update Darlings.

Oh, and PK? The Fab can't read your blog and can't remember your email so she can't resort to appropriate clandestine electronic groveling to acquire permission. Appropriate and Fabiola hmm two words that almost never proximate. It must be the rain.

Eventually ...

2009-03-14T14:58:00.000-04:00

Now Darlings, this is the thing. Well, perhaps not THE thing, but A thing with the Fab. Footle and Fuss, move this here and there, wait until it is perfect and generally use that as an excuse for not doing something.

The Fab is trying to get past that. For those that are interested, the Fab has been working on her website rather than writing here. Because she told sister J that she would, and, mostly, because she wants to.

The problem is that while the Fab has been nudging things along, nothing is perfect (or even close) a lot of things are barely started. The Fab is going with it anyway. So, Darlings, if you want to know what the Fab is up to, take a peek from time to time at Fantastic Fabiola's home on the Web as she decorates. Don't get all attached to anything, the Fab likes to footle tootle with stuff until it is perfect which it never will be.

Aside:

Yesterday the liquid song of the Red Winged Blackbird were heard. Fab spotted a few of the boys in the grass on the edge of the field. The girls will arrive soon.

Well!

2009-03-10T21:33:00.000-04:00

Zipping through Darlings! Fabiola has been busy the last few. Yes, she knows that is no excuse.

The killdeer arrived the other day, just behind the robins and the mourning doves. Spring is on the way, but not here yet. Fabiola will let you know when she sees her first bluebird for the season!

Fat Tuesday Happy Thought

2009-02-24T08:15:00.001-05:00

Paczki

Throw Me A Lance and Call Me Quixote ...

2009-02-22T16:04:00.000-05:00

It is a know fact that Fabiola always quotes Cervantes, (unless she quotes someone else, of course). Wondering why, Fabiola supposes here, Dear Anony asked the Fab in a comment ...

well, let's just cut and paste -- shall we?

"How'd you come to know about Cervantes?" - Anony

The soundbite answer is: Bookplates.

Way back when, Mary bought a box of bookplates with a gesture drawing of Dom Quixote and the quote

"The man who fights for his ideals is the man who is alive" ~ Cervantes

printed on it. That quote struck Mary as being Truth. So she and the bookplates traveled through life together and that could have been the end of the Fab's knowing about Cervantes. But, fortunately, it wasn't because both Mary and the Fab would have missed out on one of the greatest writers and, perhaps, the greatest work of fiction ever written.

Oh, please. Learning doesn't happen that way. The segue wasn't bookplate to reading the novel. It was more like a twenty year process from bookplate, to song "The Impossible Dream" (from a musical kinda-sorta-based on the novel), to having someone accuse Mary of being "Quixotic" (funny how that phrase is never used as a compliment, but Mary took it that way), to an argument and a challenge on a message board wherein Mary (knowing that she was about to tilt at a windmill) titled the thread, "Throw me a lance and call me Quixote", which lead her to actually read the book because she had to use the book as a basis for the argument.

Oh, the Fab knows that it is all sorts of fun to just write whatever horrible things pop into your mind to people on message boards, but it is more of a challenge to use ideas, written images and quotes from a great work of fiction as your weapons. The Fab favors "Alice In Wonderland", but Mary, that time, chose Don Quixote and learned some amazing things in the process. Funny how everyone seems to win when learning, civility and chivalry are the rules for the discussion.

Everything after "bookplates" is the long answer Dear Anony, most of it anyway. Thanks for asking!

Sometimes People that you love say annoying things ...

2009-02-16T11:07:00.004-05:00

Sometimes they say annoying things that are also -- wrong.

Added 02/17/2009 --> Very often, they realize the error and fix it, thus making the Fab's commentary -- more pointless than usual.

"Mother Theresa was ~~an atheist,~~ filled with self doubt. But she was an authentic saint, because she always acted like one." - Seth Godin
link: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/02/authenticity.html

A two word edit and all is right with the world again.

~~Sigh.~~

~~On the above, Mr. Godin is wrong.~~

Fabiola loves, loves, loves Mr. Godin, he is an inspirational bundle of joy. The Fab reads his blog every day. You should too.

Mother Theresa was not, by any stretch of the imagination, an Atheist. Ever. (Not that there is anything wrong with being an Atheist if that is a club that you have joined. Who is the Fab to say one way or the other. Mother Theresa, however, wasn't a member.)

~~Technically, neither is she a Saint. Yet.~~

~~But Mother Theresa ACTED as a saint does, all the time, which makes her a saint, and that was Mr. Godin's point. So, that part isn't lost.~~

~~He did state as fact, something that isn't. Which is too bad.~~ The Fab does the same thing from time to time; when it is on purpose, she identifies it by announcing that "It is a known fact". When she does it because she believes something to be true, but it isn't, then the Fab is just wrong.

It happens.

Sigh.

Link to a Catholic Register article on the 'Atheism' of Mother Theresa.

http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/3762

Fantastic Fabiola vs. Her pop DOWN toaster ...

2009-02-15T18:08:00.002-05:00

In a life-time of ill considered spontaneous appliance purchases, Fabiola's pop-down toaster is a triumphal synthesis of entertainment, suspense and ... at least occasionally, edible browned bread (or bagels, if ya narrow them up a bit).

I, Fabiola have a stainless steel commercial four slice toaster where the bread goes in from the top, as usual, but when the cycle is complete the newly toasted toast shoots out the bottom, hits a plate and almost always takes one bounce, sideways, mostly.

How many of you knew that leaping toast has hang time?

That hang time is a slow motion spiral during which the Fab's hand reaches out in an attempt at preventing toast from landing in the sink, or glancing off the counter edge and ending with a crispy scrunch on the floor. All in all, Fabiola prefers oatmeal in the morning, it stays put.

The Fab would like for you to know about -- National Train Day

2009-02-15T05:00:00.001-05:00

Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan celebrate
National Train Day
The anniversary of completing America's
first transcontinental railroad

Saturday, May 2, 2009
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Open House
Toledo Amtrak Station

Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza
415 Emerald Ave. Downtown Toledo

Train Displays ● Musical Entertainment
Food ● Prizes ● Rail Art
Drawings for Train Trips

FREE ADMISSION FREE PARKING
For information 419-536-0993
TrainDayToledo@aol.com

Snow Drifts and Smelly Socks ...

2009-02-03T19:06:00.042-05:00

Hello Darlings! This is going to be quick because I, Fabiola am typing this on the run. That horrible Mary had the Fab trapped in the bottom of a laundry hamper (under a particularly vile pair of work socks that Fabiola swears ... well we won't go into it but, clearly, a day spent inside workboots doesn't leave wool smelling like roses). Where was Fabiola? Yes. Hiding upstairs while Mary catches up on house cleaning that she neglected while dealing with snow followed by various other outdoor tasks. Like brining in wood for the wood stove. Warm is wonderful but out here it only happens with work. Sigh.

Anywho, Mary let the dog ride in the backhoe while she moved snow the other day, but did she leave room for the Fab? No. Anyway, I, Fabiola would have felt it necessary to point out that shortly after the snow was pushed to the side, the wind pushed it back. Trucks had to get in and out that day, so, perhaps there was a point to moving the same snow over and over. Perhaps Mary didn't want to hear that the job she was doing was almost pointless. In a way it struck Fabiola as being remarkably similar to doing laundry, clothes are clean, then they aren't, so you wash them. Then the clothes are clean again, quickly they become, not. Fabiola only wishes that she had encountered the work socks in the pre-dirty state. But then they wouldn't have been in the hamper with Fabiola, would they have? Fabiola supposes that life is an endless cycle of encounters with snow that won't stay put and smelly socks. Or something like that.

Wednesdom - Cervantes on ... Waiting ?

2009-01-28T05:00:00.001-05:00

Patience, and shuffle the cards.

~ Cervantes

Fabiola has a terrible cold ...

2009-01-27T20:44:00.004-05:00

So, why the pictures of teapots, you may very well ask. Go ahead. Ask. Well, I Fabiola, as I mentioned in the title, have a terrible cold. So, I sashayed myself, hacking and wheezing to the drug store. No, Darlings this is not going to be a post about a terribly clever home made cure for a cold. Fabiola isn't sure what it is, but it is what she has to work with.
I, Fabiola bought some wonderful cold medicine at the drug store. Non-drowsy, don't you know? Well, after the second day of taking it (and not hacking and wheezing and sneezing) Fabiola was reading one of her favorite blogs. Suddenly, Fabiola felt the (al)most overwhelming urge to type the words to "I'm A Little Teapot" into a comment, and then (electronically) run away laughing.

Fabiola resisted the urge because, well, she doesn't do things like that, and teapots have nothing to do with Leonard Cohen, as far as Fabiola knows. Still, although the urge was resisted, the song persisted. And the damage was done, Fabiola has had "I'm A Little Teapot" running through her head all day.

That leads us to the teapot drawings. Fabiola is attempting to exorcise teapots from her brain. She hopes this works.

2009-01-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

A blanket of snow hides last Fall's leaves, which are transforming into next Spring's soil, making the bed for Summer's flowers, which will, in the Fall, mix with the leaves wwaiting for a blanket of snow ...

Happy Thoughts - Winter Wool

2009-01-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

In Winter wear Wool to keep you Warm,

Spring, Silk, silly.

Something that Mom said once that I didn't get until now ...

2009-01-25T13:29:00.000-05:00

A very long time ago, Fabiola's Mom said to (the world Fab suspects), "you are erasing me".

Fab didn't understand. Why would she? The Fab was in her early twenties. Now, she gets it. There is an essay in this somewhere, and the Fab will get to it here, presently. Meanwhile, Ladies, if the years and your world are starting to erase you, grab a pencil and go.

Wednesdom - Kennedy on Diversity

2009-01-21T05:00:00.001-05:00

If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

~ John f. Kennedy

Address at American University, Washington, D.C. - June 1o, 1963

Happy Thought - Snowflakes

2009-01-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

No two snowflakes are ever the same (or last very long).

Dressing In Layers

2009-01-16T22:38:00.002-05:00

Gentlemen, please avert your eyes, the animation below is intended as educational material for the Ladies. And don't come crying to Fabiola if the image of the Fab in her danties is burned onto your retinas for all time.

Ladies! I don't know what the temperature has been like 'round your part of the world, but here in Fabiola Land, this morning, the thermometer read -22. What does a gal do on days like this, when she has to spend some time outside working? (Actually, Mary had to go out and horrible creature that she is, she dragged the Fab with her.) To battle temperatures below zero, a gal dresses in layers!

1. Basics - unmentionables of your choice plus 2 pair of cotton or silk knit socks. Yes, two.

3. Loose jeans and a heavy wool or cotton sweater, natural fabrics only gals, fake-a-roo's don't insulate as well. They don't.

5. Insulated coveralls. The kind with the quilted lining and the legs that zip open at the bottom so that you can get them over your gigantic booted feet.

6. Polar Fleece jacket and earband. Don't skip the earband, it will keep the next step from leaving knit cap dents in your forehead.

8. Down Jacket, then gloves in multiple layers. The Fab wears two pair of cotton string knit gloves with winter jersey work gloves over them (at least).

Dear Darling Commenters ...

2009-01-15T19:25:00.002-05:00

Pull up an Ottoman ("goes with a chair" ottoman, not the empire Darlings -- but goodness knows if you have an empire that is yours to arrange at will, well Darlings, just go ahead although we will need a bigger space, now won't we?)! Where was Fabiola? Oh!

It is a known fact that I, Fantastic Fabiola, am always the gracious hostess, of course you know that. And Fantastic Fabiola adores each and every one of her readers, that goes without saying, although Fabiola just did. Here is the thing, comments promoting a particular commercial endeavor even if they are polite, well written and topical are ok, ONLY if you have checked with the Fab first. Why is the Fab mentioning this? Well, the other day a comment was posted (a polite, well written, topical, didn't bother the Fab at all comment) the problem with that comment was that it was a surprise to both the Fab and the company / person that the comment was aimed at helping. Bless the heart of the person that wanted to help their friend, relative, whatever -- times are tough and we all have to work together to get through this now don't we? We do. However well intentioned the comment was, when the Fab called this person (actually the Fab had Mary do it as Fantastic Fabiola is a Figment) the subject of the comment (a professional, polite, well spoken person the Fab must add) requested that the comment and info be taken down.

So the Fab did.

Fantastic Fabiola doesn't want you to think that she just goes around deleting comments willy-nilly. Have a care darlings, that is all the Fab asks, make sure promotions are ok with everybody (does Fabiola need to add) first.

Hugs to all of you and thanks for taking the time to visit!

Wednesdom - Temptation

2009-01-14T05:00:00.003-05:00

I can resist everything except temptation.
~ Oscar Finigal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde

Yes, yes. Fabiola posted this one too early. Even Fabiola knows that today is Sunday, not Wednesday. Fabiola has issues with time flow, as she said being a figment an' all.

Old Man Winter is Blowin Up a Storm

2009-01-12T23:28:00.004-05:00

Old Man Winter is blowin up a storm. A blizzard the weather-folk say. We shall see, sometimes they are wrong. Or they are right, just not in the right place.

Peckish - Rootbeer Goes to Austin - Part 4

2009-01-11T20:42:00.003-05:00

If you have no idea what in the Fabiola is going on here --
the story starts here

Continues here

then goes to there

wound around here

And now it continues ... (but doesn't end, somehow you knew that would happen dealing with the Fab, now didn't you?)

Root-beer (the traveling chicken) Goes to Austin Part 4

Awaking from her long nap safe in the branches of the Treaty Oak, Root-beer realized that she was a little peckish. "What chicken wouldn’t be after all the adventures I have had" clucked Root-beer to herself. Fanning the air towards her nose with her wing, Root-beer realized that she could smell peach cobbler baking somewhere nearby. You may not know this but chickens have a fine ability to detect scents and Root-beer had a particularly acute sense of smell and wild fondness for fresh baked peach cobbler.
Root-beer carefully put her hat back on top of her head and re-fastened it with the hat pin that helped her to escape from the mini-van then jumped down from her perch in the Treaty Oak to the lawn.
Root-beer’s fine sense of chicken smell told her that the peach cobbler was baking to the south- west, so she trotted down Baylor Street to 5th street where her nose turned her left. Just a few hundred feet later, a right turn took her to North Lamar Boulevard. Root-beer followed North Lamar Boulevard for about a half mile smiling and waving at the folks out and about on this fine evening, almost everyone waved back, although some of them looked a little confused. In a hurry now, Root-beer scampered left on Riverside and followed that until Haywood Avenue and the smell of peach cobbler were just to the right.
As Root-beer was just arriving, someone was exiting a door that lead to the wonderful smell that she had been following, so in she scooted and sat down at a table at the world famous Threadgill’s. Being a well brought up chicken, Root-beer ordered glazed carrots for dinner (Root-beer’s mother, like all mothers everywhere and every when, told Root-beer to eat all her vegetables before desert), and the wonderful peach cobbler the smell of which she had been following all the way from the Treaty Oak.

When dinner was done and every last scrap of carrots and cobbler was cleaned up, Root-beer headed out the door to the sidewalk where she started planning how she was going to get back to the Farmer’s market.

Happy Birthday Sister J

2009-01-08T17:40:00.001-05:00

Sister J (who lives in the Tall-Small House) is mumble mumble years old today!

Happy Birthday Sis! Fabiola made you a cake.

For those of you keeping track, I, Fabiola took a few liberties with the posting date. Fabiola started the cake on sister J's actual birthday, but spent most of the evening pursuing Mary inspired drudgery it wasn't until today that Mary allowed Fabiola to finish it.

Yes, Fabiola faked the date on the post. You will have that with Fabiola; time is irrelevant when you are a figment.

A Single Candle In the Dark

2009-01-07T21:23:00.000-05:00

Fabiola misses candlelight. Perhaps she exagerates if her implication is that she ever used it for primary lighting. She has, however, at times lived by it. One candle at a time if necessary.

Fabiola is being pensive, new fangled low-vo-flo bulbs don't give off the same light. Fabiola has yet to run across one that smells of beeswax and heaven.

To all the candles in Fabiola's life, thanks for your light.

Wednesdom - Winter and Summer

2009-01-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

In winter I get up at night

And dress by yellow candlelight.

In summer, quite the other way,

I have to go to bed by day.

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

A Child's Garden of Verses

It was a Freezy-Weezie Ice Glazed Day Today

2009-01-06T20:47:00.000-05:00

Today was January all over. Snow on the ground and freezing mist in the air, all grey and get in your bones damp cold. The mist froze on everthing that it contacted and built up in micro thin layers making driving an adventure. Not that Fabiola went out and about. No no Darlings! Freezing wet cold air is damaging to mature skin and it turns hairsprayed hair into a sticky drippy lump when it thaws. Fabiola stayed inside peeking out the windows at the folk that braved the roads at ten miles an hour driving in wiggly lines at that.

What in the Wacom is clutched in Fabiola's hands?

2009-01-04T08:28:00.005-05:00

Well, Darlings, this is of great interest to Fabiola, maybe not so much to you (but it should be). Fabiola prodded and nagged, pouted and nudged Mary until she bought for Fabiola a Wacom Cintiq -- the little one Darlings! Fabiola is all about prudence.

What is a Wacom? It is a wonder of electronic technology that allows a Fabiola to draw right on the screen instead of first paper then scan then clean up then give up because the transfer takes forever. Drawing on a Cintiq is almost as good as paper, doesn't make Fabiola's brain hurt as the ones where you draw on a pad but look at the computer screen do. And it is fast.

Fabiola's opinion? Her new Cintiq was expensive but worth every single penny.

Cautionary tale here. Technology can do nothing to increase talent. You will just have to make do with Fabiola's limited, yet suddenly faster skills.

Fabiola is delighted with her new technology. Happy happy Fantastic Fabiola.

It is going to be a Wonderland year ...

2009-01-03T14:33:00.000-05:00

Fabiola has had Wonderland days before, but an entire year? Shiny and new and already Fabiola knows that things are going to be ... eventful? She does.

Fabiola hopes that your new year has started off as you expected, perhaps significantly better.

A new year, new beginning ... change lobsters and dance, Darlings. Dance.

Wednesdom -

2008-12-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

Advance twice, set to partners ... change lobsters, and retire in the same order.

~ LewisCarroll

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Wednesdom - Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

2008-12-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

... behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

... they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

~ The Gospel According to Saint Matthew

Note of explanation ...

2008-12-18T20:03:00.002-05:00

I, Fabiola, am again working with Mary. The previous posts are Mary (with the assistance of Fabiola) documenting the hours of her day to fill out one of her last posts.

Thank you for bearing with Fabiola.

And day end

2008-12-18T17:22:00.001-05:00

. . . And the minute . . .

2008-12-18T15:54:00.001-05:00

. . . For the hour . . .

2008-12-18T14:58:00.000-05:00

. . . Asleep . . .

2008-12-18T13:58:00.000-05:00

. . . the world waits . . .

2008-12-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

before christmas while

2008-12-18T11:57:00.000-05:00

. . . In winter just . . .

2008-12-18T11:39:00.000-05:00

. . . Of a gray day . . .

2008-12-18T11:12:00.000-05:00

. . . of every hour of a day

2008-12-18T10:08:00.001-05:00

hour one - sunrise

Every minute of every hour

2008-12-18T09:39:00.000-05:00

just before dawn

Wednesdom

2008-12-17T05:00:00.001-05:00

Nose, nose, nose, nose!

and who gave thee this jolly red nose?

Nutmegs and ginger, cinamon and cloves,

and they gave me this jolly red nose.

~ Thomas Ravenscroft

Fabiola Signed Mary up ...

2008-12-16T21:44:00.002-05:00

For a chance to meet Mike (from Dirty Jobs). (whispering) He is her hero. It is Fabiola's Christmas present to Mary. Fabiola wonders how Mike looks in tinsel?

Fabiola knows that it is a silly thing to do. Darlings, you know that Fabiola is all about silly.

Decorate your Christmas Tree in Layers ...

2008-12-13T12:54:00.004-05:00

Now, there are theories on Christmas Tree decorating, then there is Fabiola’s theory. I, Fabiola, approach decorating a Christmas tree like I approach getting dressed.

First is the arrangement of the branches. Think of it as putting on your foundation garments. There are those who insist upon selecting a natural tree. It is a known fact that in getting dressed or choosing Christmas trees, allowing nature to decide what goes where will only lead to unfortunate aesthetics. (Darlings, those of you over 40 know exactly what Fabiola means?)

Remove your lovely artificial tree from the storage box and assemble it on the stand. Spend some time arranging branches. Push the sagging ones up; flatten out any branches that are too poofy. Remember to check the 360 degree view, someone always feels compelled to look around back. To accomplish tree beauty feel free to use duct tape, pallet strapping, or latex to attain the perfect form.

Next are the lights. Think of this as selecting your garments for the day. Fabiola can't help but mention that Christmas has always fallen after Labor Day so -- all white lights? Well … you decide. (Perhaps white lights should be reserved for those that want to display a lumpy natural tree?) Color! Color and visually even coverage is the key. Would you put as much material for a hat as you would use for a skirt or pair of pants? No, of course you wouldn’t. You would have too much on your head or not enough to cover your behind. Take a step back, look, rethink. Add additional layers of light until your tree is evenly illuminated.

Only after your lighting is perfect, add ornaments as if you were selecting jewelry. Perhaps it would be better if you added ornaments as if Fabiola was selecting jewelry. There is no such thing as too much when it comes to sparkly. If you are the sort of gal that favors wearing boas, add garland before the ornaments, tinsel after.

Finally add scent. Plug in an evergreen house freshener and you will have the perfect Christmas tree.

Fruitcake!

2008-12-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

Photo from the Colin Street Bakery site (looks yummy yummy, doesn't it? Trust Fabiola, they are.)

Love it, hate it, no getting around it, ya aint got Fruitcake, ya aint got Christmas. Fabiola says anyway. (I, Fabiola, love - love - love -love -love Fruitcake.) Please don't break Fabiola's heart by telling her your tragic Fruitcake stories, unless, of course, it happens to be funny or it reveals the age of someone - (fruitcake regifting that has been going on for as long as a family member has been alive are always interesting.)
Did you know that the best part of Fruitcakes is that they are best preserved by soaking in Brandy? Ah! You might say, that is it! Well of course Darlings, soak a Christmas consumable in enough spirits and it doubles as a yule log. Fabiola is all about practicality.

Regardless, the best Fruitcake ever can be bought from The Collin Street Bakery Fruitcakes make wonderful gifts, Ahem.

Wednesdom from Mae West

2008-12-10T06:48:00.000-05:00

Beulah, peel me a grape.

~ Mae West

Darlings! Don't let the holidays get to you ...

2008-12-09T19:56:00.002-05:00

Everything does not have to be perfect, honest.

One of the most memorable Christmasses of my childhood was the one where Patches the cat knocked over the Christmas tree. Oh, the tree went back up (but it leaned at an odd angle and the ornaments were kind of scattered). I don't remember what that year's presents were, I don't remember what was on the table for that Christmas dinner, I do remember a cat in a tree, then not, and I laugh.

It doesn't have to be perfect to be memorable.

That is all for the moment Darlings.

Fabiola's Five on Steel Toed Boots.

2008-12-07T19:01:00.005-05:00

Mary was (mostly) right to lock Fabiola in the filing cabinet, if the cold doesn't dampen a gal's spirits, the mud surely will. There is just something about wearing five pounds of shoes with an added ten pounds of mud that gumms up the whole tripping lightly through life way that Fabiola chooses to live. Regardless, Fabiola always finds a bright side.

Fabiola's Five - positive things about wearing work boots.

5. Wearing steel toed work boots makes those silly ankle weights unnecessary.

4. Heavy footwear makes it less likely for a gal to fall over. She can lean way over in almost any direction and her work shoes will keep her firmly on the ground.

3. Ankle support.

2. If the finish starts to wear, you just hit them with another coat of sno seal and they are back in action.

1. Steel toed boots are not available in a four inch stiletto heel, so the front half of your feet wont hurt at the end of a day wearing them.

Yesterday

2008-12-04T08:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a perfect late fall day. This photo is of a Sycamore in the early morning sun With the southern ohio hills in the background.

The critical choice of footwear color

2008-12-02T18:34:00.000-05:00

Now, it might not have occured to some of you, but matching your footwear to the hue of the local soil can be critical. Imagine - wait. Sigh. Mary just informed me that Steel toes come in an aray of colors that are all shades of brown. So, you're good from go.

footwear and candy

2008-12-02T07:38:00.000-05:00

when you wear steel toed boots ( i started with the word if then realized that all truly stylish women wear them from time to time). if the weather is cold, tuck one of those mineral warmer packets under your toes. and keep plenty of starbucks dark chocolate covered expresso beans handy. it is a known fact that a goodly shot of coffee in any form makes everything look better.

In the begining ...

2008-12-02T06:59:00.001-05:00

Of my day darlings, my day. I, fabiola, insisted that mary take fabiola with her to work. so far, it is dark and cold with the promise of mud. fabiola will make it a delightful stylish experience anyway.

Winter Trees

2008-12-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

why mary locked Fabiola in the filing cabinet

2008-11-26T10:13:00.000-05:00

Sorry Darlings!

2008-11-24T19:04:00.003-05:00

Mary got all busy and has had Fabiola locked in the fireproof filing cabinet.

Fabiola is through the steel inner frame and is working her way through the concrete. Concrete dust is very drying to the skin, Fabiola will have you know.

Fabiola will break out soon.

Wednesdom - Halloween

2008-10-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Halloween is the only absolutely fun holiday on the calendar.

A gal can pretend to be anything, and get away with it.

While eating candy.

Doves

2008-10-26T09:17:00.001-04:00

Ok, Fabiola intended to wax all poetic about recieving grace from above, but the buzzer on the dryer just went off. Apparently, the need for clean clothes cancel the metaphysical in Fabiola world. Who woulda guessed?

Wednesdom - Walking In Autumn

2008-10-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

There is no season such delight can bring,

As summer, autumn, winter, and the spring.

~ William Browne

Almost ...

2008-10-20T08:41:00.001-04:00

Today

2008-10-20T08:40:00.000-04:00

Just Past sunrise

2008-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Which follows dark thirty. That photo wasn't as interesting.

rolling over the clover

2008-10-16T11:33:00.000-04:00

Well I, Fabiola, have to tell you that rolling in clover isn't quite as advertised. While mary was out in the feild in the floater, Fabiola flung herself flat on the forage (even Fabiola is weary of illiteration right about now) to experience this clover rolling thing for herself. clover stems are poky and clover flowers atract bees.

Wednesdom - Sweaters

2008-10-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

The best sweater for walking outside in the chilly Autumn air

is one that is too big, too old

and knit by someone that you love.

If the wool can't keep you warm, the memories will.

Escape - Rootbeer Goes to Austin - Part 3

2008-10-14T21:00:00.001-04:00

There she was, Rootbeer the Traveling Chicken locked in a cage in the back of a mini-van, anticipating a life in a suburban Texas back yard.

"This is not for the birds" said Rootbeer in her cage as the mini-van loaded down with the nice little girl (that wanted a really truly free range chicken) and her family headed west on 4th street.

Rootbeer's cage leaned to the left as Nice Little Girl's Mom turned right (a little bit too fast for Rootbeer's taste) on San Antonio street. Then there was the left at west 6th street where a bright blue sportster stopped almost clear of the intersection and the rider would have had a start at how close the front of his bike came to the side of the mini-van, had he not been flirting with the pretty blonde in the convertible camaro to his right. Then it was left again at Baylor Street, a quick swoop into a parking spot and everyone, Nice Little Girl, Mom, Brother and Dad all tumbled out of the mini-van. Dad popped up the back window of the mini-van because everyone knows that you shouldn't leave a chicken cooped up in the back of a closed vehicle in the sun, even if you are only going to look at the Treaty Oak for just a minute.

While the family took photos in front of the famous but sadly smaller tree, Rootbeer realized that this was her only chance at escape. Removing a hat pin from her hat (how else did you think that Rootbeer kept her hat on?), Rootbeer pushed up from below on the pin in the latch for her cage with the hat pin and grabbed the top with her beak. Pulling the pin out, allowed the hasp to fall over and the cage door to swing open. Wasting not a second, Rootbeer flew out the open back window (chickens can fly you know - just not very far -- but Rootbeer IS a traveling chicken, she practiced), scampered across the park lawn and before anyone in the Nice Family could notice, Rootbeer flew up into the branches of the Treaty Oak, where she tucked her head under her wing where she started a very long nap.

No Chcken story again today ...

2008-10-09T07:27:00.003-04:00

Yes, yes, Fabiola knows that she needs to finish the Chicken Story. Sadly, that big drag Mary has been working (working, working) the last several days. Mary and the fella split the floater in two and are replacing the bearings. Never mind, it is a greasy, dirty process involving heavy jacks, sledge hammers, pry bars and swearing - all things that I, Fabiola want nothing to do with.

::whispering:: (Fabiola will tell you all about it the second that Mary is not paying attention.)

Darlings - thank you for your patience.

Wednesdom - Water Will Get You Wet ...

2008-10-08T05:00:00.000-04:00

Water will get you wet,

electricity can get you dead.

If your wiring is all wacky,

hire an electrician.

~Fantastic Fabiola

Fabiola will be late today with her Chicken story update

2008-10-07T08:49:00.000-04:00

Wild busy day here. Fabiola appologises! Still, Darlings, Fabiola will update the Rootbeer the Traveling Chicken story later this evening.

Rootbeer Shops At Farmer's Market - Rootbeer Goes to Austin - Part 2

2008-10-06T09:00:00.004-04:00

After and exhilarating ride into the city, Rootbeer arrived at the farmer’s market. As the farmer’s truck came to a stop next to his vegetable stall, Rootbeer held her purse in her beak and flew down to the ground.

Rootbeer walked from stall to the next first looking at sweet corn, eggplant and fresh fruit. She stopped at one stall and was looking over some particularly nice McIntosh apples when she heard the voice of a little girl.

“Oh, Mommy look! A really truly free range chicken!” A perfectly clean, perfectly dressed little girl exclaimed. “Can we take her home? She could share Darling’s dog house and give us fresh eggs for breakfast in the morning!”

Rootbeer dropped the apple that she was holding and stared at the little girl. “No thank you little girl” Rootbeer clucked. “I am a country chicken, you look like a city girl and while I am certain that you are very nice, I bet that you have Koi in a pond in your yard and not one single armadillo.” “I bet that you couldn’t protect me from a rattlesnake like my people did.” No, no little girl, I am not going home with ack!!”

Rootbeer ended her clucking with an "ack" because the apple vendor had just plopped a wooden chicken crate over Rootbeer’s head and she was trapped.

“Twenty-Two fifty should cover the chicken and the transport crate.” Said the apple vendor.

So off in a crate Rootbeer rode, through the farmer’s market and into the back of a mini van where the back hatch door shut with a thud that sounded like the end of the world to Rootbeer.

Happy Thoughts - Farmer's Markets

2008-10-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

Being pretty on the inside means you don't hit your brother and you eat all your peas -

that's what my gramma taught me.

~ Lord Chesterfield

Rootbeer (The Traveling Chicken) Goes to Austin -- Part 1

2008-10-05T09:50:00.000-04:00

Because Sister J, wouldn't let Rootbeer (the Traveling Chicken) go for a ride in the car, Rootbeer decided to arrange other transportation. She trotted down the driveway, flew into a cedar tree that hangs over the road, and waited.

Rootbeer looked for a vehicle headed towards Austin. Before long, she spotted a neighbor farmer's truck loaded down with turnips. That truck must be headed to the farmer's market, thought Rootbeer to herself. So when the truck drove under the tree that she was sitting in, she jumped.

Rootbeer had a few moments of concern when she reailzed that chicken claws don't hold very well on painted metal surfaces. Fortunately, she slid back onto the piled up turnips. Chicken claws hold very well on piles of root vegetables. So Rootbeer (the Traveling Chicken) headed towards Austin.

Changes

2008-10-05T09:04:00.000-04:00

If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.

Taking the day off ...

2008-10-04T05:00:00.000-04:00

Fabiola waves hello to all her darling readers!

Fabiola is taking the day off to sit in her easy chair while Mary works.

Traveling Chickens

2008-10-03T09:00:00.002-04:00

Rootbeer the Traveling Chicken follows Sister J (and the kids) everywhere they go outside. One day Sister J loaded the kids into the car and was about to drive away from the Tall Small House when "scratch, scratch, scratch" she heard the sound of tiny nails on the floormats in the back seat.

"Is that chicken in the car?" Sister J. asked the kids.
Laughing, the kids replied "what makes you think that?"
"I can hear toenails scratching on the floor" was Sister J's reply.

So Sister J swung around and looked over the back of the front seat.
"Chicken, get out of my car!" Said Sister J to Rootbeer.

Rootbeer (the Traveling chicken ) tried to remain where she was but Sister J (always a determined gal) shooed Rootbeer back out into the yard. Where Rootbeer, no doubt, started planning her next attempt at adventure.

Happy Thoughts - Travel

2008-10-03T05:00:00.001-04:00

Like all great travelers,

I have seen more than I remember,

And remember more than I have seen.

~ Benjamin Disraeli

Bob the Bird and His New Friends

2008-10-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

When we left Bob the Bird, he had been banished outside to the patio (daylight hours only). Although his friend Henry the dog isn't always with him, Bob has met some new friends.

Bob the Bird's new friends are Bluebell the Bunny who lives in a cage (mostly, sometimes, well, she has been IN the cage before). Bob the Bird spends his days in his cage, which sits on top of Bluebell the Bunny's cage. Bluebell and Bob and their stacked cages are happy outside in the sun. Then there is Rootbeer the traveling chicken, who sits beside (or on top of) Bob the Bird's cage and makes clucking noises and peers this way and that at Bob the Bird. Perhaps Rootbeer the traveling chicken is trying to figure out which strange chicken family produced Bob the Bird. Maybe it isn't that at all.

Happy Thoughts - Cats and Lies

2008-10-02T05:00:00.001-04:00

One of the most striking differences

between a cat and a lie

is that a cat has only nine lives.

~ Mark Twain

Because Bob the Bird is loud ...

2008-10-01T09:00:00.003-04:00

Daytime anyway, he moved outside. With the chickens.

Fabiola doesn't have time to say more right now. Perhaps, tomorrow, she will introduce you to the chickens. And Blue Bell.

Wednesdom - Politics

2008-10-01T05:00:00.006-04:00

Our country, right or wrong.

When right, to be kept right;

when wrong, to be put right.

~ Carl Schurz

Happy Thoughts - October - Pumpkin

2008-10-01T05:00:00.001-04:00

Or, more or less correctly: punkin

O, it sets my heart a-clickin' like teh tickin' of a clock,

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

~James Whitcomb Riley

Bob the Bird Lives in the Tall Small House

2008-09-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

“Shriek, shriek” , pause “shriek, shriek” an unknown (to Fabiola) creature began a series of loud and getting louder – noises in the background of one of Fabiola’s conversation with Sister J.

Fabiola wondered if it was some sort of new proximity alarm at the Tall Small House, perhaps one to warn of rampaging chickens. So she asked Sister J.

Bob the Bird was the answer. Who? Bob the Bird, a cockatiel.

Why on earth was it shrieking Fabiola wondered aloud?

Bob the Bird was shrieking because the dog left the room. Apparently Bob the Bird is much attached to Henry the dog, and when Henry leaves the room Bob the Bird becomes very distressed and shrieks until dog comes back.

Fabiola believes that is a beautiful expression of concern between animal species, but astonishingly annoying all the same.

Say hello to Bob the Bird!

Happy Thoughts - Wealth

2008-09-30T05:00:00.001-04:00

The problem of our age is the proper administration of wealth,

so that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together

the rich and poor in harmonious relationship.

~Andrew Carnegie

Wild Cows and Other Interesting Things ...

2008-09-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Pointing back to an entry that Mary posted in February of 2005 on her first "blog". On second thought, I, Fabiola, will just re post the whole thing here. Why is Fabiola doing this? She has been contemplating cows, free milk, the second law of thermodynamics and economics. Not that Fabiola wastes time on such things.

Anywho:

The Wild Cow of Alvada ~AND~ Dancing in the Dark

Ohio steers don't often jump fences and make a run for it, mostly because steers in Ohio (I imagine) have enough sense to realize that reaching steer "it" would require a ticket on a jet headed west and an awkward transition through airport security. "Is that fertilizer that we detect on your hooves?" Talk about having some 'splainin to do.

Farm life. Once last spring a steer did jump a fence on a neighboring farm and managed to both stay loose for more than a week and work the men folk into a frenzy. There were men in pickups and on 3 and 4 wheelers running up and down roads, lanes and into every patch of woods for miles around. Steers are dangerous and one on the loose with plans to head west, maybe by jumping a freight train, have to be found. It was quite exciting, at least for the fellas. Maybe not so much for the steer because it was found it was in a clearing in a woods eating grass, without evidence of any further travel plans.

Farm Life. Farm folk don't get out much. A person has to be good at being alone if they are going to be happy out here. I am better at alone than anybody I know. Still, I miss dancing. My solution? Every night after the fella has fallen asleep, I creep into the basement, CD player and headphones in hand, in the dark I dance.

Dancing alone in the dark is similar to singing really loud while driving down the freeway. Liberating and joy full and blessedly without an audience. I love to dance, always have. That I have always been completely uncoordinated and have now reached an age when random body parts fail with no warning whatsoever that will not stop me. If I can manage to negotiate the grocery aisles wondering if my knees are going to lock or my elbows suddenly refuse to bend or maybe just a finger or two spontaneously sticking out at random angles, I can dance in the basement in the dark. It aint wild cow chasing, but it will do.

Happy Thoughts - Purple Cow

2008-09-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

I neve saw a purple cow,

I never hope to see one;

But I can tell you anyhow,

I'd rather see than be one.

~ Gelett Burgess