Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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Star Wars Jedi Chipmunks Anyone?

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by Kimberly A. Cook          (Twitter@  WarriorTales)

I’m in such an alpaca mood this week I wanted to continue the theme and post that fabulous alpaca Star Wars video I used before, but thought I’d see if anything else caught my fancy. Star Wars Jedi Chipmunks!

These little furry fellas are really going for it in this battle. I hope everything worked out okay and no Jedi chipmunks were hurt during the filming. I’ve really got to go to film school and learn how to do this. May the Farce be with you!

Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

https://youtu.be/fu-jyoBGsUU

Can You Balance Better Than A Goat?

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by Kimberly A. Cook               (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

Goats have been on my mind this past week. At the day job we put some goats on contract to eat vegetation at one of our sites. They’re doing a fine job and I even got to see a photo of them in action. Cutie pies and top rate work too. So besides being paid to eat, I wondered what other skills they might possess and found this fascinating video.

This must be how they start to train goats to surf, is what I’m thinking. Then they could go on to work at the Surfing Goat Dairy on Maui that I love. Practice makes perfect. Do they have Velcro on their hooves? And are those baby goats too cute?

Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

PDX Carpet Selfies And Parade Hijinks!

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by Kimberly A. Cook                 (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

It is definitely catch-up time. So many fun things have been happening! Our favorite airport carpet was featured as the Grand Marshall at the Portland Rose Festival Starlight Parade. “PeeDee” rode in a fabulous red Cadillac and made quite the entrance.

PDX carpet shoe and toe selfie arriving home from Maui!
PDX carpet shoes and toes selfie arriving home from Maui!

Since we are ga-ga over our old teal carpet currently being replaced by new green carpet we haven’t bonded with yet, there is an entire industry of shoes, ties, mugs, you name it with the old carpet pattern. Even the pace truck for Saturday’s Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade was wrapped in the pattern.

SO, of course you can imagine that I had a shoe selfie taken when we arrived back from Maui last month, so here is my photo complete with sparkly toes! This is not considered odd behavior by the way, shoe selfies with the old PDX carpet is the thing to do here while we all race to get pics taken before all the carpet is replaced.

Worthy of a “Portlandia” episode, we love our old carpet and it has risen to great heights; including a limited edition shoe from Trailblazer Damian Lillard. Only in Oregon, I guess. We take Keep Portland Weird to the MAX (Also the name of our lightrail train).

It was a very hot and toasty weekend and yesterday hit 91 degrees, so even though you might think the hot weather explains all the PDX carpet-mania, it doesn’t. I think what it really explains is that I was born in the right city, Quirky Portland, Oregon.  Because if everybody is a little odd, we all fit in!

P.S. I just registered to get in line for some used PDX airport carpet. Keep your fingers crossed!

www.pdxcarpetstore.com

www.twitter.com/pdxcarpet

Moving Into A New Year Of Possibilities?

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by Kimberly A. Cook               (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Here we are getting ready to move into 2015. A New Year brings high hopes and fond memories. Since five is supposed to be a lucky number, I’m thinking good things for all of us ahead. That is my wish for all.

Weather is odd once again, woke up to 25 degrees outside and high winds. But we have brilliant sunshine so I can bundle up no problem. Most of the U.S. is in the Arctic Cold outbreak once again so here are some fun things to do this week.

Spec Ops Cat demonstrating his Olympic level napping skills this week. He's a black belt Nap Master. Watch and learn.
Spec Ops Cat demonstrating his Olympic level napping skills this week. He’s a black belt Nap Master. Watch and learn.

1. Figure out what is bugging you the most and clean it out. Did this recently with the container next to my stove that holds my utensils. Couldn’t even get one more in the container, so sorted it out. Stuffed the overage into the kitchen utensil drawer, so now I need to clean that out. But I accomplished one thing!

2. Take a nap. Spec Ops Cat demonstrates his professional level at this activity in the photo. Remember to relax like a cat. Just wish I was as limber as he is.

3. Play a game from your childhood. Taking the Yahtzee game over for New Year’s Eve celebration treats tomorrow to play with family. Nothing like rolling dice and not losing money to make me a happy woman.

4. Read. A magazine, book, cookbook,  ebook or cereal box. It feels like a guilty pleasure to do this during the day in the sunlight, so count me in!

5. Socialize. Whether your watching the bowl games with friends and family, Go Ducks!, or visiting family and friends during the holidays, make time to bond. Actually listen and talk with people. Unplug! It’s a wonderful thing.

6. Be grateful. It’s easy to get wrapped up in all the stuff and things and expectations, but the true joys in life are the little things; always have been, always will be. My favorites this past week were my sister’s pumpkin bread, a calm and happy Christmas, healthy family and friends, donating books to the library, spending Christmas Eve with my Mom, sleeping in and Spec Ops Cat cuddles. Priceless!

Hoping your holidays are going well and let’s all make fun plans for 2015. Happy New Year!

Spring and Summer are just around the corner!
Spring and Summer are just around the corner!

How About Some Bells For Holiday Fun?

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by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Just when I think I’ve got the holidays under control, my schedule goes nuts and I get behind. Happens every year. One thing I do love this time of year is my Claymation Christmas favorites. This stop-action clay show was made in the mid-1980s by the then Will Vinton Studios. It’s a family tradition to watch the DVD and this is one of my very favorite songs.

Enjoy and Happy Quirky Friday!

Coping? With The Holidaze?

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by Kimberly A. Cook         (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

On Saturday, November 1st, I dashed into our local Freddie’s store to pick up some items I forgot the day before. Stopped short in my loafers – Christmas had exploded in the store. Looked around and did a mental double-take. I was eating Halloween candy YESTERDAY, right? The orange and black decorations were all gone and it was full press holiday overload. Like the elves and a thousand minions re-did the entire store overnight. Must have been some good spiked eggnog.

For the wild children out there, try this no fail scratch pie crust recipe. It's a friend's high school home economics recipe. Pretty sure that makes it vintage!
For the wild children out there, try this no fail scratch pie crust. It’s a friend’s high school home economics recipe. Pretty sure that makes it vintage! (Click on the photo to enlarge)

In the military when something expanded or moved up we called that mission creep. Now we’ve got Christmas creep or Kwanza Creep or Holiday hustle. Pick your personal celebration. It’s enough to make my frazzled brain ask for a holiday time out. Seems buying bathing suits in January isn’t bad enough, now we lose out on the discount Halloween candy! Is there no justice?

Each year I surrender earlier to the holidays. Really reduces my stress level. Lower your expectations, it’s a great thing. We’ve even decided to have pizza for Christmas and friends are cooking for us on turkey day. A first. Fabulous!

I used to slave over making the pie crusts from scratch for turkey day until my brother-in-law’s mother confessed she used Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts. The family was stunned and shocked. I had no idea her amazing pies were not scratch crusts, so I decided to do the same thing. (I think mixing up the Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe and pouring it in the pie pans counts as cooking, don’t you? I add evaporated milk, eggs AND spices. )

In this season of “everybody looks happy on tv” (it’s fantasy) and “everybody has tons of fun festivities to attend” (who has time for all those parties? Fake tv people!) it can become a bit overpowering if we’re not in the same mind-set or personal situation.

So besides lowering my expectations and surrendering to the holidays, here are a few things we can all do to make the holidays easier to cope with, besides chugging hot buttered rum.

Do one fun thing for yourself each day. Take time to blink. Or breathe. Give yourself a foot rub with lotion or Crisco – whatever works for ya. Watch a favorite movie. Smell a holiday tree. Sniff cloves or cinnamon – sniff not snort, safety first here. Cuddle with a pet or person – either/or need to give their permission first. Wear those comfy raggedy lounge clothes at home while watching football. (Just because my 300-year-old sweatshirt has blue paint on it does not mean it’s worn out.)

Do one nice thing for someone else each day. Smile at people; a nice smile not a vampire on steroids scary smile. Comb your cat or dog or parakeet, if they’re okay with it. Open a door for a fellow human. Give someone a compliment. Donate some canned food to the food bank if you’re able. Take your friend, pet, spouse or kidlet for a nice long winter walk. Send someone a snail mail card for the fun of it.

One of the driver training videos by our Sheriff’s Department talks about how you will drive where your eyes look; so if you focus on the holiday crazies that’s where your brain is going to go too. Try evasive maneuvers if you start to get the holiday blues. For me this is a time to cuddle up at home, write, read and bake in the warm comfort of my toasty house and comfy LaZBoy. Especially since our Oregon weather temperatures are rising again; I am SO SORRY for the rest of the country on Arctic Cold Outbreakageddon- the sequel.

Feel free to bake cookies or cupcakes or pie crusts. Go online and listen to my current fave radio station www.island985.com on iheartradio for some Hawaiian reggae music. Or eat baked goods – just not ALL of them. The holiday season is still young – pace yourselves!

Got any holiday coping tips?