Photo Challenge Fail

So, I failed my photo challenge. 

 Miserably.  

There was just no way I could keep up with the frantic rush of the Christmas season, 

the multiple illnesses the Brat Child had, 

my own health issues, 

the dog's ongoing mystery illness, 

the cat's UTI, 

normal life and all its demands,

 taking specific photos 

and blogging. 

So, here are the photos I did take:

 Ok, so I didn't take this, my sister did 

(that's her front and center with me to the left, 

my mom to the right and my daughter in the back), 

and it was taken on Thanksgiving, 

 but it was going to be my photo for "Family".

 This is Bailey getting one of her regular baths with medicated shampoo.

Since August, Bailey has had a mysterious skin issue where she looses her hair

and scratches until she has open sores which then develop into skin infections.

We are on possible diagnosis #3: food allergy. 

I now get her meds at the Pharmacy-

the name reads "Bailey J. dog of Jamie"

 This is Gibbs the cat.

Here he is shown playing dead 

waiting for an unsuspecting Vet Tech to enter the room

so he can attack them.

Seriously.

He went from love bug to rabid jaguar in 6 seconds.

After attacking the tech and me, 

he prowled the room continuously

hissing and growling and swiping at whatever got in his way.

He had a UTI, easy enough to fix with pills.

Ever try to give a rabid jaguar pills?

 This is Gibbs hiding from getting his pills.

He learned to keep the pills in the side of his mouth

so I thought they had been swallowed,

then he's spit them out in the hallway.

Now I crush them up and mix them with canned food.

So far he doesn't suspect.

 A photo from Valley View Farms in Baltimore.

It has every ornament imaginable

even some you can't imagine.

 Christmas Day and the Brat Child with one of his favorite gifts.

 A shot of one of my favorite gifts- the game Quelf.

If you want a night full of hysterical laughing,

play this game.

So those are the photos I managed to snap this month.

Will I manage to do the January Challenge?

Who knows.

I'll make an effort, but I'm not going to make it seem like a chore

or worry about getting it done.

Cat and Dog Games

 This is Templeton.

He is one of two barn cats.

I saved him from certain death when he was a kitten

(someone was going to give him to their dog as a play toy)

Templeton has attitude.

He only pays attention to you and allows you to give him attention when he feels like it.

And he enjoys messing with Bailey the chocolate lab.

 Bailey is in the background,

leash looped over a fence post while the humans take care of feeding the horse.

Templeton is perched on the log by the barn door

pretending not to notice the dog.

 But then he looks at Bailey to make sure she's watching

while Templeton rubs up against the door.

He's also been known to sit perched on the bow of the old boat,

closer but still just out of reach.

It drives Bailey bonkers.

'Tis The Time for Pumpkin Cookies

I decided to bake some pumpkin cookies
for the annual bingo night at my son's school.
It is, after all, pumpkin flavored season. 

Pumpkin cookies baking in the oven

 Bailey laid down ever so innocently 

as though she had no interest 

in what was being placed in the oven to bake.

 Knowing only too well (from experience)
that Bailey will make a beeline
to whatever she can reach on the counter,
I had to make a barricade for the cookies that were cooling.

Golden raisin filled deliciousness.

She's nothing if not predictable!

Here is the recipe for the cookies.
I can't take original credit for them, though.
One of my coworkers used to make them for the annual
Open House he and his wife hosted at their craft store.
I'm not usually a fan of pumpkin things
but I love these cookies.

Bob's Moist Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 C butter                                              2 1/4 C flour                             3/4 C raisins

1 C packed brown sugar                       1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 C granulated sugar                         1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 C canned pumpkin                      1/2 tsp baking soda

1 egg                                                             1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla                                               1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 F

Beat butter and sugars until creamy, beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla, mix in flour and other dry ingredients, stir in raisins. Drop heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet bake 12-15 minutes, store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!