March Blog Style

I have been working on the March blog style and love it so much that I am not waiting until Sunday to launch it!!!

Hope you like it, too!

Have a happy weekend!

Arizona Memories

John updated his online album today with photos from our excursions. He captured a lot of Arizona's beauty, so I have to share. Click here to see the album.

It sure was warm there... Missing that (and Dad and John) now!

Phenomenon

I think I have posted in the past about Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase. I love Betty and her monthly stories about air travel...

I got her latest post last week, but have not had time to listen to it until today. It is nice to be able to multi-task while I am working (after all, listening is easy!). I like the installment so well that I wanted to pass it along to you. It made me both cry and laugh.

I hope you enjoy it!

Phenomenon

via Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase! by flywithbetty@gmail.com on 2/17/09

Episode 52

This episode highlights some airline phenomenon like the "plane knocking" or "plane kissing"  people do as they enter the aircraft. 

Along with some other strange phenomenon like why actors are so afraid to fly or why most people are soooooo interested in the mile high club?

But mostly this episode is dedicated to the phenomenal story of the amazing USAir ditching in the Hudson river!

Contact... flywithbetty@gmail.com

Check out my internet store for some fun airline items at www.skybetty.com   Hopefully  by next month I will have a "Best of Betty" CD for sale in the store!

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE IN iTUNES!   It's free!

Music by www.garageband.com  "Fly" by The Good Sirs

Happy Retirement, Mom!

Yesterday marked a big day for my mom. She retired from her company after 32 (I think that is right) years of service. The opportunity came pretty quickly -- so much so that I couldn't even make it out to Kansas City to celebrate!

Congratulations, Mom! You've had a career you should be proud of, and we are proud of you!

Enjoy all the time you get to spend relaxing!

Bits and Pieces

I made it back home safe and sound on Tuesday after a nice visit with Dad and John. Mike picked me up at the airport and it was so nice to see him. No matter how wonderful a trip is -- even to St. Martin -- I always enjoy coming home to my own bed. Speaking of beds... I was overtaken by an obsessive impulse to wash all the bedding yesterday (sheets, blankets, comforter). It is so wonderful to snuggle down in a nice clean bed that feels and smells fresh and warm.

**Addendum: The above comments are no reflection on the state of bedding at my father's place. I had nice, clean sheets, comforter, and pillows. I was simply appreciating having clean linens at home. Apologies if someone was offended :)

Last night was the season finale of Top Chef. We had major TV service problems that I was on the phone about during the show as we could barely get reception (grrr...).  We did see that Hosea won. It is too bad that Carla gave over so much control to Kate Kasey, she really could have gotten it. I am glad Stefan lost; while he has skill, he doesn't put love into his cooking and his is too damned cocky.

I woke up this morning having decided I need to learn how to do Sudoku. I have no interest in it, really. I just don't want to feel so stupid that I don't understand what the heck it is and why everyone is so obsessed. I know I'm crazy...

My final note... I am reading an absolutely awful book (Nuclear Jellyfish by Tim Dorsey). I have read him before and hated him, but apparently had a fit of amnesia when I ordered this book. I paid $9.99 for the Kindle version, so now I am stuck finishing it because I'm too cheap to let my $$ go to waste.

I may be a little kooky, but it is not new, and you all still love me!

Have a great day!

Pima Air & Space Musuem

Yesterday we went to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tuscon. It is a boneyard for a bunch of military (and some commercial) airplanes.







One of the main attractions is the John F. Kennedy / Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential plane. It is the only plane that can be boarded at the museum.







There are four hangars with various collections that can easily keep visitors busy for hours.











The museum is located across from Davis-Montham Air Force Base. They were doing some manuevers, apparently for training purposes, during our visit.







A couple of planes caught my eye during the excursion. This one's name looked so much like FIONA that I had to take a picture. As you can see, it is a F-107A:





The other plane, and Osprey 2, looked like something Michael would like:






Have a happy day!

Sears-Kay Hohokam Ruins

Yesterday we drove an hour north of Phoenix, near Cave Creek, to the Sears-Kay Hohokam Ruins. The Hohokam lived in Arizona from approximately AD 300 to 1500. The settlement we visited was believed to exist from 1050 to 1200.











The area surrounding the settlement is scenic and mountainous.

The settlement we visited consisted of 5 buildings and 40 rooms in its time. Buildings were constructed with large rocks and used no mortar. It is no wonder the rooms didn't withstand time.




This room is called "The Mystery Room." Its round walls have confounded archeologists because they prevent abutting rooms.




We were pretty high up -- I'd hate to fall down the mountain and land in those cactus!




All in all it was a beautiful day!

What's wrong with this picture?

Yup, that's right. Tracy is missing...

Inexperienced

So, you know, I am new to this "on line" stuff, since I am usually stuck in the bathroom all day. Those people... They just don't let me out. Well, except for the summer.

Anyway, Mike didn't get my door shut all the way today, so I've been surfing the web on his computer.

I was checking out some cute kitties when I saw this girl...





It took me 15 minutes to figure out how to read the caption. She fooled me. I am so embarrassed...

Sandy Bottoms

Even though Connor and Fiona (and Deirdre and Pat) are in Florida, we still keep in touch with photos. Deirdre took these with her phone a few days ago. These kids are so darned cute that I had to share!




Mike says this looks like Fiona is a 50's girl, with the little ruffled swimsuit. I love the sunnies on her head!




Fiona loves the ocean and swimming.




Isn't this lion cool? Connor just loved it!




Boys fall in love with trucks early in life. Connor LOVES his trucks!

Have a happy day!

Mom's Out of Town...

Hee hee, hee hee! Let's see what kind of havoc I can wreak while she's gone...

Don't let the cat out of the bag





But I might have some tricks up my kitty sleeve!

VetHelp Direct Helps You Diagnose Your Pet (from Lifehacker)

VetHelpDirect Helps You Diagnose Your Pet

By Jason Fitzpatrick, 12:00 PM on Sun Feb 15 2009, 6,819 views

VetHelpDirect is a web-based assessment tool for determining whether or not your pet needs veterinary care, as well as getting reliable information about various animal behaviors and conditions.

The site has expanded to provide assessments and facts on horses, donkeys, rabbits, reptiles, and birds, but Fido and Mr. Scruffles are covered as well, of course. Head to the site, select an animal, then answer a series of questions. Based on the responses to the questions, the site database will recommend immediate emergency veterinary care, care within the next day, or assure the user that the behavior is not usually an indicator of an illness, or just needs at-home treatment. In addition to the assessment tool, there are general guides on pet care and conditions to help pet owners take better preventative care of their animals. Free to use, no sign-up required.

Weekend Wrap Up

Mike and I had a really wonderful weekend. Three days of bliss at his return made coming back to work today, difficult, at best!

We enjoyed a nice dinner out at Romaine's on Friday night. The food was excellent, as usual. Saturday was spent recovering and running a few errands. We celebrated Valentine's Day at home with an excellent meal from Pepper's Catering. Yum yum yum! Sunday I did some packing for my upcoming trip to Arizona and we got ready for skiing on Monday. I know there are a lot of blanks here, but we did keep busy. I just don't remember exactly what we did! Yesterday was a great day of skiing at Stratton. The weather was perfect and there were lots of people, but not so many on the trails we skiied.

I hope you had a nice holiday weekend, too!

Hotmail Enables POP3 for U.S. Users [Windows Live]

Good news, Hotmail users. Hotmail has finally enabled POP3 access to their accounts. Last week I wrote about a somewhat complicated process of getting Hotmail over to your Gmail account. Well, strike that! Simply go into your account settings and enter the information as outlined below.

Thanks for the update, Lifehacker!

Hotmail Enables POP3 for U.S. Users [Windows Live]

via Lifehacker by Kevin Purdy on 2/11/09

Ars Technica cites an "insider" in announcing that POP3 access for Hotmail users has been activated in the U.S. Say hello to getting Hotmail into Gmail, non-Microsoft-made mail clients, and many other places.

Microsoft has been rolling out POP3 importing access to a number of countries since mid-January, including Canada, the U.K., most of western Europe, and elsewhere. The details you need to plug into your mail client or other webmail account, though, should be the same. Here's the list, as posted by the Windows Live team:

POP server: pop3.live.com (Port 995)
POP SSL required? Yes
User name: Your Windows Live ID, for example yourname@hotmail.com
Password: The password you usually use to sign in to Hotmail or Windows Live
SMTP server: smtp.live.com (Port 25)
Authentication required? Yes (this matches your POP username and password)
TLS/SSL required? Yes

It goes without saying that Hotmail (excuse us, Windows Live Hotmail) is a bit behind the curve in offering up direct mail access to its customers, but its welcome news, nonetheless. Hotmail users might also notice integrated Windows Messenger sign-ins through a menu in the upper-right corner, providing chat capabilities while you're in your inbox.

Just reminiscing...

Strolling down memory lane...



Mike and I in Austria (1999)




Our Wedding (2000)





Christmas -- I think our first in our house (2001)




Christmas in Kansas City (2007)





Christmas on Amelia Island (2008)

I don't know why these photos are so intruiging to me, but they are. I just wonder how we look like we've aged so much over 10 years?!

Have a happy day!

Book Review: Hello, Cupcake! (via Real Simple)

I went gaga when I read this in my reader this morning. I actually sat on the Amazon page for a bit debating over buying the book. After a lot of thought, I did not buy it. I just don't bake, and it would be a waste to buy something I am not going to use.

But, you guys bake!!!!! Don't you want to get this and make cupcakes with the kiddies? Read on...

Book Review: Hello, Cupcake!

via Simply Stated By RealSimple.com by Jennifer Sbranti on 2/8/09

If you're looking for some playful, creative inspiration for upcoming parties or fun times in the kitchen in general, then Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson could be just the thing for you! ($9.38 at Amazon)

I seriously can't give this book enough kudos... not only is it chock full of some of the most creative cupcake designs ever, but it also includes tons of great cupcake baking & decorating techniques. From the smartest way to fill cupcake tins (no more messy spilling or dribbling), to instructions on how to make frosting leaves, petals, or fur (yes, FUR!), to step-by-step instructions for each individual cupcake design, this book is jam-packed with great "how to" info and visuals.

The cupcake designs are nothing short of ridiculously cute and clever, and you'll find everything from "party animals" to occasion-specific ideas (baby showers, weddings, birthday parties) to designs for all the major holidays.

Here are a few of my personal favorites:

Pictured above: "Crazy Horses", "Rabbit Holes", and adorable "What a Hoot!" owl cupcakes.

Pictured above: "Shark Attack" (with mini donut "life preservers" and "channel markers" made from mini ice cream cones & lollipops) and "Buttered Popcorn" mini cupcakes.

The "Alien Invasion" and "Creepy Crawlers" designs would be perfect for your favorite little guy's birthday celebration or a sweet treat after a Monsters vs. Aliens screening:

And for anytime you want to be a little silly - there's any entire "April Fool's" chapter featuring cupcakes that are sure to to garner a double-take. For example, unwrapped hazelnut chocolates and strawberry preserves do a fabulous job of pretending to be meatballs & marinara:

Just imagine the sideways looks you'll get when you serve up "TV Dinners" and "Corn on the Cob" with pats of butter (a.k.a. "yellow fruit chews") for dessert:

All in all, whether you're shopping for yourself or someone else, you can't go wrong with this book - especially for the price. There are so many more cupcake designs to check out than what I featured here, and I picked up my own copy up at Target for around $15, but you can snag Hello, Cupcake! on Amazon for only $9.38!

I gave a couple copies of this book out as gifts for Christmas last year, and the reactions were fantastic from both the recipients and everyone else that was around at the time they were opened.  It's not often that someone goes through every single page of a book one by one right when they receive it, but that happened both times!

Note: There's also a Hello, Cupcake Blog available where you can pick up more tips and check out cupcake photos from other bakers. Happy baking!

Amazon Releases Kindle 2

The much anticipated release of the new Kindle has come. Amazon officially released it today at 10 am Eastern Time.

Among the new features are better placed buttons, increased storage capacity, 16 shades of gray for added color depth, skinnier form, and increased battery life. Kindle 2 also has the ability to read books to you and to sync between Kindles. Pricing remains the same, $359. Kindle 1 owners get shipping priority (their orders ship first) on the February 24 release date.

I sure do love my Kindle. Kindle books comprise 10% of Amazon's book sales, so I am not alone in my opinion. The new features look great and would be enticing if you don't own a Kindle yet (I am happy and don't need to upgrade). Pretty cool!

Thanks, Melissa

more animals

You are the best :)

I Feel Ya, Kitty

more animals

I don't know what's with me, but I am having one of those days. I am missing obvious things that I should know better. I must be sleep deprived...

Integrate Hotmail with Gmail

I changed my primary email account from Hotmail (actually, Mailshell, which was pulling messages from Hotmail) to Gmail in 2005. I love my Gmail and haven't looked back once. I kept my Hotmail account active for various reasons and check it sporadically. Until recently, that was once every 6 or 7 months.

Recently I have had cause to check it more frequently (good thing - I discovered US Airways reposessed 18,000 FF miles -- grrrr). It may be a minor effort, but I find logging into additional email accounts each day to be time consuming and inconvenient. What I really wanted was to somehow get my messages from Hotmail to Gmail without having to do any work.

I found a solution with a quick Google and some tweaks in my Gmail account. I am sharing it here because I know more than one of you has migrated from Hotmail to Gmail (or is thinking about it) and are in the same boat. The solution has two parts.

Part One
Register for an IzyMail account. But, wait!!! This is important!!! When you sign up, provide the information for your Hotmail account. IzyMail will ask you for your login info (username and Hotmail password) and a confirmation code. Now, go into Gmail and click "Settings." Next click on the "Accounts tab". Find the section "Get mail from other accounts" and click the to "Add a mail account you own." Follow the instructions and screen shots at http://v3.izymail.com/gmailconfig.aspx for step-by-step instructions for what to do next.

Part Two
This step may not be strictly necessary, depending on your needs. Not only do I want to check my Hotmail account, I also want to reply to messages sent to the Hotmail account using my Hotmail email address. For all intents and purposes, I want the recipient to believe I am emailing from the address they have, Hotmail. To do this, go back into the Gmail Settings. Click the "Accounts" tab and locate the "Send mail as" section. Choose the radio button that says "Reply from the same address the message was sent to." Next, click "Add another email address you own." You will be prompted to enter your name and the email address. Enter the entire Hotmail address here. Click "Next step." Gmail will send a message to your Hotmail account to verify it, and you'll have to click the link inside of the message to complete the process.

So, now your email gets automatically sucked out of Hotmail and into Gmail. Any time you reply, it will look like you are replying from Hotmail. Easy-peasy!

** A couple of notes...
*If your recipient receives mail via Outlook, they will not be fooled. Outlook detects that you are sending from your account on behalf of another. It shows something like this:
tlhorgan@gmail.com; on behalf of; Tracy Horgan [tlhorgan@hotmail.com]
*Also IzyMail will fetch mail from Yahoo and AOL, too.