Category / Holiday

by Talmadge House

What happens on the Day before Memorial Day?

Well in our lives we spend the entire weekend celebrating Memorial Day OUT on the boat or just hanging ON the boat IN the marina with all of our friends.  Here’s a glimpse of our day.

Mike got the dink in the water and everyone knows this is Scottie’s boat.  He was all paws when he saw it go in and pitched a doggie anxiety fit for a ride.

Then there was Cosmo (our friends sheep dog)

Who perched himself way up high for a birds eye view of our odd bunch here –

Scottie was also curious of the odd bunch and why all the racket that awoke him from his breezy afternoon nap.

Then there was fishing and of course your apt to find multiple people throwing a line into the water to see what today’s catch will be.  Our very good friend Mike Malone –

Also our friend Mark and his iddy bitty catch that Scottie just had to get a lick of.  He’s so gross but crazy mad for fishing!

And look who paid us a visit, Crystal (my sister-in-law) who does not visit often, decided to pop in along with her boyfriend (Mike) for first time introductions.

And of course myself and Mike were amongst the crowd of activities.  I had to hand the camera over to my other sister-in-law (Carla) for this pic . . . thank you Carla!

Then Jeff Fox’s weather report held true.  Look what started rolling in on us.  I didn’t get a pic of what transpired but let me just say we got a mad amount of hard poring rain and hail.  YIKES!

Now we turn to Scottie sniffing his way

over to this . . . steamed clams.  He LOVES clams and not only does he eat the clam itself, he will lick the juice from the shell and chews off the leg that’s commonly left on the shell.  He’s a true boating dog!  By the way the collar Scottie has on is a new collar made by me entitled “The Picnic Series”.  It’s blue, yellow and white plaid.  Perfect for this weekend and dang cute I might add!

All in all it was a fabulous day relaxing with friends and family.  Memorial Day itself we are having Bridget, Jeremy and Isabella down on the boat for the day.  So I’ll have pics from this also, stay tuned.

by Talmadge House

Happy Birthday Little Peanut!

Scottie celebrated his 12th birthday this month!  Wow how fast time goes, our furry baby is getting older by the second and is like 80 years old in human years or something crazy like that!  I won’t get into how sad this whole thing makes me which will in turn will keep this post short.  A show of hands who prefer shorter posts . . . Mike I know you have your hand raised and better lower it if you know what’s good for you 🙂  Anywho, Scottie got his birthday bowl of vanilla ice cream.  This year I light a candle and put it in the ice cream of which he curiously but yet cautiously checked out and quickly realized it was not something he should have his nose close to.  He also got special walks, playtime and snuggle wuggles.

by Talmadge House

Puppy Love & Forgotten Birthday

Last Wednesday was my 37th birthday and I was lucky enough to have Mike take some pictures of me and my fluffy bundle of puppy love.  I adore this picture out of all the ones he took.  It’s a true depiction of how much he loves me and I love him.  He’s the best dog and friend anyone could ask for with his chocolate brown puppy dog eyes.  They and his big curly haired ears melt my heart . . . most of the time anyways :).

I figured I’d mark my birthday this year as it was the first year ever that most of the vital people in my life forgot about me.  And when I say “vital people” I’m talking my husband, my sister, my best friend . . . so ya’ll see what I’m talking about right?  I’m thinking I have a free pass with all of them.  What are the chances they’d all forget the same exact year?  LOL . . . listen I can laugh now but I was feeling pretty cruddy the day of my birthday though.  Oh well . . . I’ve earned free passes.

by Talmadge House

Mike & Dave’s Birthday

Having our birthday dinner again.

Birthday dinner was at Fratelli’s in Derby this year.

Birthday Guys.  Listen the iPhone is good for many things but surely not for taking a good quality picture.

Dave and Gina (Love you my dear friends . . . thank you so much for continuing our annual tradition!)

Me and my guy . . .

Dinner was acceptable, atmosphere was comfortable and the company was the best part of all!  Gina & Dave, I LOVE the personalized embroidered hand towels!  I’ll have to bank that gift idea to use for someone down the line.  I missed the note you wrote on the gift and noticed it when I got home and was unwrapping the ornament.  Gracious note and we too value our friendship with you.

by Talmadge House

New Year’s Day Activities

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  In case you were wondering what we did on New Year’s Day . . . here’s a run down accompanied by some pictures too.  Y’all know I LOVE pictures right?????  (insert big smile)

1.  Mike cooked breakfast . . . bacon and egg on english muffin with green tomato relish and cholula hot sauce (both of these toppings rock!).

2.  Stayed in jammies until 1PM.   Yup those are my slippered feet hehehe.

3.  Had lunch at Panera Bread.

4.  To Starbuck’s for our favorite latte’s.  Mike hearts the Cafe Latte.  Brandi hearts the Peppermint Mocha Latte.

5.  To the marina to check in on our summer home location and to see how frozen the Housatonic River was.

Still @ Marina:  Ned in the “Grumpy Old Man Boat” breaking up the ice so it doesn’t destroy the docks.  Look, I caught the train going by in the background (wonder if the riders are on their way to NY City?  We need to take a day trip soon, LOVE it there!)

Still @ Marina:  Mike and Leon talking “man stuff” . . . probably fishing or boats.

Still @ Marina:  Me taking pictures of interesting things around the marina while waiting for “man talk” to cease.  I really like this pic!

6.  Back @ home fending off our overly excited dog.  He is far to cute!

7.  Photo session to obtain a nice new profile shot of maw and my favorite technological toy.  Not too bad especially considering I was holding the good camera in my hands.  Thanks Mike!  We had A LOT of bad shots to obtain a few good ones.

8.  A bit of crafty time for me and techy time for Mike.

9.  Thinking of my girlfriend, Latonya who flew to Georgia yesterday afternoon to spend a few days with her sister.  Hoping she made it in time (considering our winter storm) to have rung in the new year last night.

10.  We are now deciding what we should do for dinner.  I’ve had little interest in cooking this week.  Better get myself back in gear for next week when life returns to normal.  UGGHHH!  update to dinner:  mike had beans and dogs, I had a grilled cheese sandwich and we both had a little bowl of Kraft Spiral Mac & Cheese.  Not a dinner to write home about nor should I have written it here but wanted to remind myself that I can’t always be Martha Stewart but a girl sure can try . . . right?  Can you believe something like this came out of MY kitchen!?!

Hope you had a nice relaxing day!

by Talmadge House

New Year’s Eve Snow Fall

It couldn’t get much better than this (for me anyways) . . . a snowie New Year’s Eve Day!  Thought I’d take a picture of where Mike and I spent quite a bit of time this fall and planned on doing the same this winter.  HEHEHE . . . Well we haven’t been out there yet this winter and can you blame us?  Lets see . . . a nice warm wood stove inside or the wood chimenea outside on the cold snow covered earth.  Emmm . . . yeah, well we’ve been content by the inside fire thank you very much.

I sure did go to work today but left at 1:30 not so much cuz of the road conditions but more so cuz the entire office left at 1PM and well it is New Year’s Eve so out the door I ran!  I’ve got the chicken wings getting ready to be baked and a bunch of other finger foods lined up.  And of course we’ll have champagne but before midnight.  We like to eat and be merry all night long which starts right about hmmm . . . now.

2008 was a prosperous and healthy year and am praying 2009 promises the same.  Hope your New Year’s promises much prosperity, love and health.  Happy New Year’s Eve!

by Talmadge House

Merry Christmas!

Oh what a jolly time we had at the Talmadge House last night (Christmas Eve).  We exchanged gifts, ate a bunch of appetizers, some fell asleep in the recliner (Jeremy who wasn’t feeling well) . . . we also had great company.  Thank you everyone for sharing your evening with us!  So here are some pictures . . . I wish I had more that turned out nice but I’m still working on nailing my shutter speed.  Layman’s Term = many of the pics were blurry.

Mike and his dad.  Sorry Mike I know your eyes are closed but it’s the only unblurred shot.

Uncle Mike and Isabella

Isabella watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in my studio.  Look at that beautiful smile, she’s such a happy little girl!  Oh boy was she so excited about Santa Claus arriving at their home.  Soooo innocent . . . hey I believe in Santa too and the sparkle in his eye.

Bridget and Isabella

Isabella even had us playing games (Cookin Cookies) . . . so cute!

Toys that Santa brought for Scottie Buddy Boy . . . all of his toys are called monkeys.

Our traditional Christmas Breakfast that is always prepared by Mike, french toast and ham.  Mike makes the best french toast on the planet.

And a Christmas kittie kat (Miss Wilbur).  She loves to lay under the Christmas Tree

I so wish I had more pics of the rest of the clan that celebrated with us . . . Jeremy, Carol, Kane, Scottie and yeah even myself.  I must’ve been a good girl this year as Santa was very good to me bringing many wonderfully thoughtful gifts.  Thank you Santa and Happy Birthday Jesus!  Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas Eve and a Merry Merry Christmas Day!

by Talmadge House

Happy 38th Birthday Mikey!

We celebrated Mike’s 38th birthday yesterday.  He received a couple of nice gifts if I might say so myself and we dined at the Outback which was alright.  The company and atmosphere was superb however the choice in food not so much.  We’ll get something different next time.

My birthday guy and our buddy wrapped up on the couch for their evening cuddling

A few other pics from the weekend blizzard . . . look how much snow fell on us!

And for good measure another picture of Scottie in his snow trail that his daddy so nicely snow blows for him.  He’d really have  hard time getting around otherwise.  Look how deep it is compared to his little body.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I’m so excited!  Here’s what our tree looks like . . . before we swiped her up at the tree farm.  She’s a little thing isn’t she . . . PERFECT!

by Talmadge House

We Say Merry Christmas, What Say You…

We Say Merry Christmas Thanks to the Factor we are sporting this bumper sticker, We Say Merry Christmas. When we saw this bumper sticker was given out with the purchase of “Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity” Bill O’Rielly’s new book we had to have it, and the book is great too.

It really amazes me how many groups, organizations, governments and PEOPLE are so intimidated to wish someone their good beliefs, especially Christmas.  This country is built on around this belief, do some people not know this?

If someone wishes upon me their good beliefs I am okay with that and thank you for your good wishes, but I will say MERRY CHRISTMAS.

What Say You?

by Talmadge House

Drum Roll Please . . . We Have a Winner

And the winner of the Talmadge House “spirit of the season giveaway” is . . . . . . . .

MY SISTER BRIDGET

And the crowd roars . . . I can hear the shrilling screams of joy coming from her already.  Congrats Bridget!!!  I’ll put it in the mail tomorrow morning  (12/18) with Priority shipping so you can enjoy through the rest of the season.  Thank you to everyone who played along.  It was so nice to read about everyone’s traditions.  Simply divine!  Don’t you just love this time of year!  This was a lot of fun so I’m thinking we’ll have another giveaway in January.  Hmmm . . . what will I make for the next giveaway.  Keep your eyes peeled.

Alrighty then here are a few miscellaneous pictures from the last week of our lives.

Me and my mother-in-law Carol.  We all went to The Nutcracker of which Carla played a part in.  Loved this show!  Gorgeous costumes and divine music performed by The Danbury Symphony Orchestra.  Carla, the only picture of you and your girlfriends that turned out was the one you were talking in and I think you’d kill me if I posted it.  So you’re stuck with me and Carol’s pic instead.

And the man of all men . . . ooo la la.  Check out that smile/smurk on his face . . . I’ll just say it again ooo la la!  Picture taken the other day when we took Scottie for a walk at the marina.  Nice green trailer behind him huh?  Love this marina, so homey and down to earth!

Listen guys I know I take too many pictures of this dog of ours but really though how many of you can say you have a picture of your dog doing this?  You name it, I’ve probably got it.  Hysterical! This too was taken while at the marina.  SMILE SCOTTIE YOU’RE ON CAMERA!  Watch out when I’m around with the camera . . .  I’ll catch you doing something funky and am bound to post it here.  HA!