Check out my E-Bay Auctions!I have 3 Blue Dog Shrines up and a new thing - Blue Dog jewelry dresser!

Oh, and I have also updated my website with pictures of Shrine Frames (Guadalupe and Blue Dog) and Story Boxes. Go to Maison Celeste.com. I also just put up some more Loteria items!

Can I just say that I am GRUMPY?!! I have no excuse, and I don't know why. I went to bed at about 10:00 PM, which is early for me - or on time, depending on the night! I didn't sleep well - even though I think I had control of the thermostat and it was reasonably cool in my room when I went to bed. Still, I tossed off the covers a couple of times - maybe I am going through the change of life!!!!

I can add to that - I definitely don't feel like having 18 8th graders in my classroom at one time - for 3 hours, no less! NO - they cannot go to the bathroom (I almost got the impression that I couldn't - but I will not play that!). Now, I have the rest of the day to look forward to. Two one-hour, eighth grade classes - both of whom I have spent 3 hours with already today!!)

...And where is my para-professional? Where? He has spent all morning helping the other teacher administer her testing, and now he has probably been snatched away to watch another unruly class, like he was yesterday.

Aren't you glad you tuned in? I know, I am a ray of sunshine...

Last night, I went on another cooking adventure. Yes, like the French do, for the past two nights, I have looked in my cupboard to see what I have, then go to the local marche (Save-Rite) to get "fresh" items for my cooking efforts! Since I cannot afford France right now, I will just have to make do.

I had thawed out two packages of venison generously left by my father, and decided to make chili in the crockpot. I guess that I could have just used one pound of venison, but I had two - plus about half a pound of ground meat. So, my 6-quart slow cooker was not big enough. I had to bring in the 4-quart as well. I used a modified recipe from my Better Homes & Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes. I don't know who I am going to feed this all to! That's a lot of chili!

My husband had a friend over to work on some music, so he got to eat left-over pork stew that I made on Sunday, then they wanted cobbler for dessert. There was not enough for all of us, so I looked in my Cake Mix Doctor cookbook for something to make with the lone box of yellow cake mix I had. I found a lovely recipe called Dump Cake. I used frozen cherries and a can each of light apricots and peach slices - I mashed them with a potato masher! Then, I poured the cake mix over the fruit in a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish. On top of that, I drizzled a cup and a half of butter (that's the ticket! So much for the light fruit!!!!). I didn't have coconut, so I chopped pecans and sprinkled a lot on top! I served it with vanilla ice cream and it was yummy!

I think that when I get home I will take a nap. I can work on finding tax stuff when I wake up. My husband acquired Turbo Tax and Quicken and is trying to get our finances together and taxes prepared before we go to New York City!