This GED stuff is... often exhasting. I just finished a GED Supplimental Package of Social Studies and i feel... worn out. My brain is so not used to thinking and it is complaining.

No, Brain, you cannot go watch t.v.; you need to study!

I graded the packet a few minutes ago. Out of the 152 questions on Editorial Cartoons, Drawings and Diagrams, U.S. History, World History, Geography, Economics and Civics and Government, i got 133 correct.... which, if i got the math bits right, is about 90.79%, or as i rounded to, 91%. Not bad. And what i assume to be a pass. I was concerned about the U.S. History the most, seeing as not much of it is taught in Canadian schools... and i would assume the Canadian perspective is different.

What i have been finding out about the social studies parts of the GED is that is is very much based on reading a passage and answering questions on it. However, it does assume the reader has some basic knowledge of some key U.S. Historical events. Those gaps are not as big as i thought they were, thank goodness. I am learning to find what the test is looking for, not what i think... oddly enough.

Teach says i might be ready to write the predictor soon, and the GED within weeks.

The process is..

First day of class, i wrote a very short 10 - 20 question test. Then, i wrote a TABE test based on the results of that first test. Then, i was given a score. The score meant nothing to me... what the hell does 12.9 mean, teacher man?! Turns out it means that 13 is the highest i can get. OK, so i did really well on the reading portion. Reading well means doing well on all the other sections, including the science and social studies. Yay. Math, i think i had a combination score of 9 something. They say an 11 is needed to write the infamous predictor.

• note to self -- try to use US spellings... color not colour **

The predictor is, apparently, a sample GED test. The whole deal. The 8 hours sitting in a room filling in dots that correspond to the correct answer to a question.

If that goes well, sign up for the next GED.

Studying daily. Brain complaining....

Can't decide between a Pug and a Boston Terrier?

Well, why not get a Bugg!

I wanted to post a picture from this site, one of the very few i found, but they had some sort of copyright warning. So to not get anyone in trouble and be a nice girl, for a change, i thought i would refrain from posting a picture.

This weekend, we are going to Canada... yes, AGAIN. Sunday is my dad's birthday, so we are going to take him out to dinner Saturday evening. I used to always bake him a blueberry cheesecake, but with his high cholesterol and the difficulty with transporting a cheesecake over the border, i am making him these super duper easy cookies.

First, i start with a chocolate cake mix.


After sifting the mix, adding a stick of softened butter, 2 eggs and used all my muscles, i get this thick batter.


Using an old tablespoon measuring spoon and a couple of spoons, i plop the cookies onto an ungreased sheet, then roll them into wee balls.


It hardly makes any mess at all.


They spread a little, so i am careful not to have more than 12 to a sheet.


After 10 - 12 minutes in the oven, an additional 5 minutes to cool on the sheet, i put them on a rack to cool.


They taste like brownies.... YUM!

I stuck it in the bottom the freezer we have in our basement yesterday after a wash and a thorough dry. The bowl was ready to go. Since (e:jenks) suggested it, i asked my parents for an ice cream maker for christmas. And now, the eggonog is churning away! The recipe was easy. One quart of eggnog. We'll let you know how it tastes!!

I know ya'll might be anxious to see the pictures from the (e:PMT) New Year's Eve bash last night... and some of you may be cringing. But i had other pics i wanted to post too, so i thought i would do them all, for all the holiday, in one big post. So here goes...

The obligitory "godmom" pictures of Kirsten's pets taken over the holidays.

Cute lil Ava in her holiday wear


Elliott borrowed Ava's hat


Ava and Nolan


I must be boring Nolan.



Then there was the holiday with the family. Since they never asked to be stars of my blog, all the pictures of my brother and his family are, well, of them hiding mostly. Which is what the kids did naturally, i suspect.

Nephew Luke


Foster nephew Jamie


My brother, John


My neice, Arianna taking a picture of her Gramps


Arianna taking a picture of their dog, Rosie


Sister-In-Law, Michelle, petting Rosie


Rosie the basset hound


My Parent's dog, Ralphie, scared of all the humans, hiding behind his mom


My parent's little predecorated tree


My mom with her hand up a turkey


The piggie footie massager the kids got me for xmas


Me and a giant 10lb loaf of german rye bread my brother brought for us from the bakery he works for


And now, ladies and germs, the show you have been waiting for -- the (e:PMT) New Year's Eve bash. Thank you, yet again, (e:Paul) (e:Matthew) and (e:Terry) for hosting!

Oh, and before i go any further, thank you thank you thank you, my Secret Santa. I ADORE my gift!


The hosts with the mosts, (e:PMT)


(e:imk2) happy with her secret santa gift


(e:Terry) showing everyone the slight flaw in the design of (e:imk2) 's gift... the hole in the fabric should be down here, i think...


Uhmm... nice bottle, (e:imk2) !


(e:Enknot) 's crime fighting duo


(e:Metalpeter) and (e:Vycious)


The women of AbFab loving on (e:Metalpeter)


(e:Mike) drinking with style


awe, isn't dating cute?


(e:jenks) (e:Ladycroft) and (e:imk2) showing some girl on girl on girl action


Is this my best side, Darling?


From AbFab to I Love Lucy, all in one night


An (e:Jenks) sandwich... with (e:Soma) kicking out the jams