One Dog Lover to Another

When you hear that word, ‘love’ everywhere, you know its the V-Day month. Yes, Valentine brings out the romance in many men. I’m lucky, my best friend is also my husband. He's always romantic on Valentine's. If by chance I didn’t have my husband, whom I love and would miss deeply, I would certainly have a dog, which by the way, I do.

I love dogs. In my book, Secret Past, A Yellow Creek Novel, (http://anna_sugg.coffeecup.com/YellowCreekNovels.html ) my main character has a Dalmatian. He’s her buddy and goes everywhere with her and when is shot, she is devastated. Secret Past is an ebook under my alter-ego, Anna Sugg on Amazon.

I think we should learn from our dogs. Here are some tips that I’m sure you’ve read before since it’s been circulating the e-mail community forever:
· Run and greet your love one the minute he/she walks through the door
· Experience a joyride with the fresh air and wind in your face
· Respect others, but let others know if they invade your space

· Take naps, stretch when waking
· Play every day
· Let people touch you, hugs, pats on the head, etc, are wonderful
· Don’t bite, a simple growl can get the point across
· On a warm sunny day, lie on the grass and daydream
· Drink lots of water on a hot day and nap under a shady tree
· Show happiness, do a happy dance and wag your body
· If you’re chew out about something, don’t pout, figure it out and make friends
· Take you best buddy on long walks
· Don’t over eat, but eat with eagerness
· Dig deep for what you want and find it
· If your love one is having a bad day, nuzzle him gently
· Above all, be loyal, don’t be something you’re not

Take heart and learn to practice what your dog can teach you, and just maybe, your life will shine with love all around.

I will close with an anonymous quote: “The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.”

Want to see my dog go to http://anna_sugg.coffeecup.com/About.html to see a picture. He has given us so much love and has been a wonderful teacher.

If you are a dog lover, I would like to hear from you and your dog.

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Hidden Sheet

Now, we’re officially into the New Year. I did remember to write down my Resolutions. Did
you?

At the beginning of each New Year, I write a list of 5 things that I want to accomplish by the
end of that year. These 5 items are my personal ‘wants,’ no one else’s. I think
about my list long and hard before writing those words. Sometimes, I write the
list on an old napkin, tattered sheet of paper, a post-it, or whatever’s
available at the time I remember to think about what I want to list– yes, I
write it – not type.

Afterward, I hid it in my desk drawer where I won’t forget at yearend, but it’s out of sight, so
that I will not think about throughout the year. And, I really do forget about it. You know
that old saying ‘out of sight, out of mind” really works. Anyway, as you know, the New Year starts with a bang and when you blink, it’s time to be thinking of a new list.

Once people start to mention Resolutions, even if it’s on television, my brain clicks and I
remember to check my list. Hmm, by that time I can’t even remember what wrote.

I’ve been doing this for several years, and it totally blows me away at how much I actually
accomplished on my list. Remember, it’s a short list, but it’s mine and only
mine. Someone once said (I have no idea who, but it’s been said I’m sure by
many and I know you’ve heard it) that it’s a subconscious thing. When we made a
list that’s important to us, our brain remembers and we subconsciously work toward
accomplishing that goal.

Try it.

2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here's a toast to you and yours on my wed sites:

Judy Baker ; Anna Sugg

Christmas Jell-O Recipe

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

I want to express my appreciation for those of you that have supported me throughout the year. I want to share a Christmas recipe and hope you enjoy this Jell-O Salad as much as my family and I have throughout the years, probably as many as fifteen Christmases – does that make it a Christmas tradition?

It’s called “Christmas Raspberry Carousel”


1 3 oz Raspberry box Jello
2 Cups boiling water
¾ Cups Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 Cup Diced Apples
¼ Cup Celery, diced
¼ Cup Walnuts
1 3oz Lemon Jello
1 4 ½ oz Cool Whip
½ Cup Real Mayonnaise

Dissolve Raspberry jello in 1 cup boiling water…Add Cocktail Juice, chill

Fold in apples, celery, nuts into the raspberry jello and pour into mold – chill
Dissolve lemon gelatin in 1 cup boiling water – chill

Combine Cool Whip and Mayonnaise
Stir into lemon jello
Spoon over raspberry mold
Chill
Unmold, garnish

Sorry about the picture, that's all that was left from a Christmas dinner party I had last night. I forgot to take a picture of the mold, but it gives you an idea of what the mold could look like.

By the way, if you didn't get my recipe for my delicious carrot cake - see the previous blog for 'Sherry's Carrot Cake'

Have a wonderful, blessed Christmas. Judy

Merry Christmas

I’m one of those ‘weird’ people that others don’t understand – yup, you’re right - I start listening to Christmas music in August. Once I started writing a Christmas themed story in December and listened to Christmas music all the way through April, when I finally wrote “The End.” I about drove my hubby crazy when I decided to write two more books (during the summer months) to complete my Santa Series: Santa’s Pretty Lady, Santa’s Secret Gift, Mainland Santa. And, yes of course, you have to have the music while writing. All my e-books are written under my alter-ego Anna Sugg. Read a blurb on my website: http://anna_sugg.coffeecup.com

I have so many wonderful Christmas memories that I have often started out writing a Christmas story, until my characters head into a different direction. That’s what happened when I wrote Secret Past, A Yellow Creek Novel.
My family always went to my grandparents’ farm in Tennessee for Christmas when I was a child. To this day, the memories of so many special Christmases put a smile on my lips. They’re so dear to me since both my grandparents and parents are gone. In Secret Past, my character returns to her grandmother’s farm and while taking a journey through the past, she remembers a fun Christmas Eve spent at the farm. While there a vision of her grandmother appears…and, so, my story is off and running in a different direction. But, those Christmas feelings are still living within me to this day.

When visiting my family in Tennessee in 1988, my sister, Sherry, gave me a recipe that I thought would make the best holiday cake ever. Now, years later, I’m making the same cake for our Christmas dinner dessert. We make traditions sometimes that can last a lifetime. I would like to share my Christmas recipe with you…

Sherry's Carrot Cake
2 cups of sugar
1 ¼ cups of vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 ½ cups cake flour
2 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups finely shredded carrots
3 ½ cups black walnuts
Combined sugar, oil, egg (one at a time) Mix well after each egg
Stir in carrots
Add nuts
Sift together: flour, baking soda, cinnamon
Stir into mixture
Pour into 3 greased 9 inch round cake pans
Bake 30-35 minutes
Cool

Cake Icing
1 8oz package cream cheese – softened
1/4 cup butter – softened
1 lb box soft confection sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon lemon juice
Blend cream cheese and butter until smooth
Add sugar, gradually mixing
Stir in lemon and vanilla
If frosting seems too soft – refrigerate for a few minutes

I decorate our entire house for Christmas and I start at Thanksgiving. My husband drags the Christmas tree from the storage area and sets it up in the living room. We don’t decorate the tree, but always have the lights on for Thanksgiving dinner which adds to the festive atmosphere. Once Thanksgiving dinner is over, I sat back, relax, have a glass of wine, and watch the grandkids decorated the Christmas tree. My hubby likes that tradition. They always do a beautiful job, with their parent’s help of course, or else, only the bottom half of the tree would be decorated. I put up two more trees the next day and by the weekend I decorate the rest of the house, including the bathrooms. I would love to hear from you at drake31704@yahoo.com and please visit my website: http://judybaker.coffeecup.com

My next post will be my cheeseball recipe with BB's Special Seasonings - another tradition that just happened years ago.

Merry Christmas to you and your love ones. Judy

Santa Series

Christmas E-books Santa Series AVAILABLE NOW

Lena Belle tries to reject the love of a man whose only job for the moment is playing Santa for the department store. Yet, he stirs an emotion within her that she has not felt for many years. How could she fall in love with a homeless Santa? Would he be willing to work for their relationship? Supporting a man once in a lifetime is enough. She will not be the sole provider and risk another divorce.

Madison Sanford never dreamed a gift from a secret Santa could give her hope and a chance to take her daughter and run. Once safe in the arms of the sisters at St. Paul’s shelter, their new life melts into days of happiness, until her past catches up with her and her secret Santa shows up at the shelter, homeless. Now, to correct a malicious feat, she must leave the happy life behind and return to the man that could destroy her.

Dr. Brianna Sanford would miss the smell of the salty ocean air, the winter Hawaiian nights with their perfect conditions for stargazing, and the island’s constant eighty-two degree temperatures. As her job at the prestigious Hawaiian hotel nears an end, Brianna meets Cagney Malloy. Since breaking off an engagement, Brianna Sanford has decided all men have only two things on their mind: sex and secrets. Cagney Malloy is no different. He has a secret. She wouldn’t care, except her feelings for the man had become more than she expected. All e-Books available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com http://anna_sugg.coffeecup.com