Happy Sunday Dear Readers,

It has been a heck of a week in National and International News hasn’t it?  Horrible tragedies have taken place around the world.  Bloggers, pundits and writers across the globe hurried to put their two cents into the pot about the United States’ epidemic of undiagnosed mental illness and the plethora of guns.  I really don’t know if I should write about the subject at all.  It’s a horrible thing that happened.  The perpetrators will be vilified in the media.  There will be a lot of hand-ringing, chest-beating and rending of garments.  The division of the citizenry will once more be thrust into mainstream news with politicians talking a lot but not saying anything and the cumulative “Lame Duck” legislators from every state won’t do anything either.  (Wouldn’t you know, I started to add my own two cents?  You can read about it tomorrow should you so choose.)

Christmas is fast approaching and I’ve been experimenting with gluten-, dairy- and soy-free recipes; at least I’ve been trying to make, or remake, everything minus those components.  So far I’ve made Crispy Quinoa Cookies and Coconut Cake.  I even took photos and hope to get posts written for them and published this week.

The chickens have increased their egg laying, we’re now up to three or four eggs a day.  We put a temperature-dependent heat lamp above their perches.  The light remains on so long as the temperature where the censor is is 42 degrees or colder.  The chickens definitely enjoy having the lamp on even though we’ve been lucky and haven’t had very cold temperatures yet.

My post, “I’m an Accidental Nudist“, has been incredibly popular and has been reblogged a few times at the time of this writing.  The Naturist/Nudist community is a very accepting and welcoming group of people and I feel incredibly privileged to have been offered the opportunity to see it “behind the scenes” as it were.  I truly appreciate all the opportunities that have come my way and I can’t wait to see what else the future holds.

Now, before I get too winded (and wordy), the Top Search Term for the week goes to: lol.  At least people are still able to laugh with everything going on in the world.  Our Honorable Mention for the week goes to:  could squirrels be cutting my christmas lights?  The answer to that question is:  Yes, yes they could.  By the way – they got our lights again this year.  Why must squirrels be so cute?

Now!  To the facts!

Random Facts 345 – 351

Random Fact #345 – I don’t like Hot Buttered Rums.

‘Tis true… as much as I enjoy my adult beverages, I have tried Hot Buttered Rums a few times, and just don’t like them.  I seriously thought that I had somehow messed up the very easy recipe the first time I made one, and made another.  Nope – still just as bad.

Random Fact #346 – I have dared myself to make a naked snow angel this year.

Now – we just need some snow.  I’m happy to take precipitation in whatever form it chooses at this stage of the game since we’re in a drought, but snow would be nice, and much more festive than the rain.

Random Fact #347 – I’m an Optimist.

The glass is half full or at least has a little bit still remaining or can be refilled.  I’m perpetually optimistic.

Random Fact #348 – I developed an irrational dislike of The Elf on the Shelf – that little sucker is going to get me – just like clowns.

We all know about clowns.  They’re scary.  While I don’t run away “screaming like a little girl”, they disturb me greatly, and now too, does the Elf on the Shelf.  Have you noticed how its eyes follow you around the room, watching.  Always watching.  And like a gremlin, during the night it walks your house performing random acts of violence and vandalism.  That is one creepy little sucker.

Random Fact #349 – I love curry dishes, ones that are flavorful, however, not melt-my-face-nuclear-hot.

I really enjoy making curries at home.  The scents.  The spices.  Everything smells so awesome with the coriander and cumin, onion and ginger.  I even make my own garam masala!  I also have some fantastic apple chutney that is delicious on curry.

Random Fact #350 – I think it’s funny that certain foods make ones pee smell different (asparagus, curry, etc.)

Okay – so maybe this one falls into TMI, but how can a person not laugh when five minutes after eating asparagus you know your urine is going to smell “funky”.  I’ve also been guilty of eating so much asparagus in one day that I could smell it exuding from my pores. (And don’t get me started on beets…)

Random Fact #351 – I mark diagonally through each day on my work calendar.

I only seem to do this reliably with my work calendar.  My planner is only struck through sporadically, and yes – I have a pencil & paper schedule.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you with the next post!