Cartoon Maddie, the Amazing Barking Dog is celebrating an occasion this weekend that merits even more fanfare than her usual five-woof salute. So, she composed a celebratory song that should be sung to the tune of YMCA by the Village People

Young Girl!

No more need to feel down.

Young Girl!

No more reason to frown.

You went there

And you gave it your best

And you fin-ally passed

The last test.

DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO

Now Lindsey is A CPA

It's fun to be A CPA

She can count all your stuff, She can take you to lunch

Just give her the numbers you want her to crunch.

Because Lindsey is A CPA

It's fun to be A CPA

Hmmm hmmm hmm and so on and so forth

Yes, we're very proud. I also find it pretty amusing that my daughter is a CPA. In fact, what I'd really like to do is call up all my old high school math teachers and give them this little tidbit of information. I think they'd be very surprised.

I spent the week reading The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins for my English Lit class. I also had a couple of meetings and went out to lunch on Wednesday with the Tri Kappa ladies to the Adam's Lake Pub. On Thursday, I had another lunch date that was scheduled for the park, but was moved to my kitchen because of rain. Tuesday evening was my second cake decorating class of the year. Here are a couple of photos from that evening:

From the Archives: Just a couple of years ago. Rob and I are happy grads. (But we are not CPA's)

Recipe of the Week: I fixed this pasta salad for my Thursday lunch with Vi. I've been looking for a mayo-based pasta salad for some time. I found the recipe for Ruby Tuesday's pasta salad online, but it called for ham chunks and I was already serving my dilled chicken salad on croissants, so I didn't try it. (but I will in the future). This one is pretty good. I did blanch the broccoli and carrots slightly. I would also double the recipe, as this doesn't make a whole lot.


Creamy Shell Pasta Salad

1 cup small uncooked shell pasta
3/4 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1 hard-cooked egg, peeled and chopped

Dressing:
1/2 cup may
1/4 cup Ranch salad dressing
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, broccoli, carrot, cheese, cucumber, celery, sunflower kernels and egg. In a small bow, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.





"Beauty is like a fox in winter bouncing through the snow. All is well, all is innocent. But there! Lurking behind that tree trunk is the fox's mortal enemy, the fox. He waits until the fox is within range, then he springs. Fox on fox. Man, what a sight." Jack Handey