Have a safe & Merry Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner.  I feel it's only right to remind everyone about stuff you need to be aware of...

You have been warned.....

Anyone planning to dash through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are advised that a Risk Assessment will be required, addressing the safety of an open sleigh for members of the public. This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers.

Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before their fields may be entered. To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.

Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night. While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd observation hut, all users of this facility are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks and any lone working undertaken by more traditional shepherds in remote locations.
The angel of the Lord is additionally reminded that, prior to shining his/her glory all around, s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to mitigate the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.

Following last year’s well-publicised case, everyone is advised that equal opportunities legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr R. Reindeer. Further to this, exclusion of Mr R. Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.

While it is acknowledged that gift bearing is a common practice in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered. This applies regardless of the individual, even Royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of currency or gold are specifically precluded, while caution is advised regarding other common gifts such as aromatic resins that may evoke allergic reactions.

Finally, in the recent instance of the infant found tucked up in a manger without any crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly.

Have a Merry & safe Christmas!  

Bailey & Lexie test & review the "SUNBEAM GOURMET DOG TREAT MAKER"

Well, we went to our local Petsmart & did some walkin' around.  They were gettin' some stuff in for the holidays, & we saw a display for a Sunbeam Gourmet Dog Treat Maker.  Mom thought that was kinda neat, but she said she needed to research it first (don't know why....it looked like the perfect thing as far as me & Lexie were concerned...no research needed).  After getting home, mom started lookin' into it.  Ever since the scare of all the treats & jerky from China makin' dogs sick, mom's become a fanatic about our treats. We were worried that meant she was gonna cut 'em out, or in Lexie's case slow 'em down, but she just decided she could make better treats & jerky for us cheaper & healthier right here in our home.  Anyway, she found it on the internet & even on Sunbeam's site...but no reviews of anyone that had actually used it. It was just that new.  Lexie & I were disappointed...we really thought this was just the thing to insure we'd get fresh homemade cookies just anytime. We could invision mom makin' cookies everytime she was in the kitchen cookin' for her & dad. That thing just sittin' there bakin'. Mom wasn't sure about this. So, Lexie & I, convinced her to write a letter for us to the company tellin' them we had loads of friends, and we wanted them to send us one.  After tryin' it out we would give our friends a review. Mom thought we were crazy, but she sent our letter out.

Surprise..surprise..surprise.....a  couple of weeks went by, and one day the postman brought us a package. It was the Gourmet Dog Treat Maker....free!!

 Lexie was so excited....
she had to help unpack it.....

Lexie declared it the "real deal"....
looks just like the picture!

Now......we had to pick a recipe....
there were only three, & this one,
 mom had alllllll the stuff!
How hard can this be?

Whole wheat flour, chicken broth, eggs, applesauce, olive oil & bakin' powder.......we're allllll set.....

Hmmm......this is awfully soupy. Mom's gettin' a lil' nervous....she's not the neatest person in the kitchen.  Dad says she should be a chef, 'cause she needs someone else to go behind her & clean up....

You gotta wait for the lil' green lite to shine 

& it makes a lil' beep, 

before you can put the "batter" in. 

First one......& she's followin' the directions...you're supposed to start on the outside of the bones then fill the center......

                                               Yep...this is gonna be messy...

You gotta lock the handle down...and set your timer for 15 minutes.  It don't go off on it's own...guess they'd just turn into lil' bone bricks if you forget 'em....

Lexie wants to know, "Are they done, yet?"

Oh my gosh.....the smell...it was glorious  (mom didn't think so)...all chickeney...yum!

By golly.....lookie there, cookies!

4 cookies....wonder what Lexie's
gonna eat.....

 Mom tried really hard to follow 

the directions on how to get them 

out w/out scratchin' anything 

Oh...& that thing really gets hot...

it's not a toy, so everybody keep 

your hands & paws out  of it.

Yep!!   There's just four cookies.

20 minutes of work, 2 starvin' to death

dogs.....4 cookies....there's no mass

production goin' on here....again, where's Lexie's?

Cause there's barely enough for me...

if I was to eat these...I be hungry again' 

by the time the next batch was done.

I can see a viscous cycle startin'....

Just so you know...they are soft...like waffles.  Hey.....you know the big restaurant trend of "chicken & waffles"? Well...here you go...all wrapped up in a bone shaped biscut/waffle/cookie thing..

She's given up on the tongs...
so much for followin' directions....






And the ladle..now, she's tryin' a spoon....there is just no way to stay "in the lines".....but then again, she's not the most patient or neatest person....

 

Again.....Lexie's askin'...."Are they ready, yet?"

Heck yea....we wanna test 'em!!       

Hey....I think I need to test another one or three...just to make sure I give a proper review....

AAAROOOOOWWWOO......PLEASE.......

Now...she's sayin' they're too hot & we have to wait.......

I think she's just stalling....

They are right there!!!   Right there!!!

Mom....you don't want me tellin' that company you wouldn't let us test em...do you?

We have an important job to do, you know.

See!  Right there......Hey, Lexie...come here.....

 Drats!   Mom heard me....she moved the plate......

Well....I have to say the quality control may be an issue...notice the cookie from the first batch...& the cookie in the last batch.....
But that's the cook's fault not the machine...
Remember I told you that mom has a patience deficiency.

 It looks messy, but it really cleans up

really really easy.

Just a wipe down & your ready

to spend  hours makin' 

fresh homemade cookies

(or bone shaped waffles for your family )

So.....One hour-50 minutes later.....26 "cookies".

Nice warm fresh homemade cookies.

They're soft & have the texture of a waffle.
Basically...that's what it is...a doggy bone shaped waffle maker.
Kinda fun...but not for going into mass production, maybe if you made a recipe that you could keep in the fridge. Then make a batch while you're busy in the kitchen doin' somethin' else. Mom found it difficult being tethered to that 15 minute timer for almost two hours. There really wasn't enough time to do anything else...of course she started doing this at 10 pm....so, maybe during normal daytime hours it'd be different.  It's hard not to be messy...she said she'd like to see someone demonstrate "pouring" that batter into those lil' bones & not drip anywhere.  If you have more than four dogs...you may want to invest in more than one, lol.

My final analysis......I love it!  Lexie loved it! We both loved the cookies!

The production is a little slow, but if mom were to dedicate her whole day

into makin' 'em & not do anything else...it'd be perfect! 

(Especially since we could eat 'em as fast as she could make 'em)

Would I recommend you get one...absolutely. Especially if you have a designated

cookie maker or have a group of kids you need to keep off the street & outa 

trouble that you can assign cookie detail to.  Or you can give it to

your mom & tell her it's a designer waffle maker...the new "in" shape,  & oh, by

the way...you can also use it to make "Gourmet Dog Treats".  

(PS....wait for them to go on sale or clearance)

Lexie loved the cookies, but she says that mom coulda made a gadzillion cookies in the oven in the time it took to just make a couple dozen.  (She's not big on paitience, either)  Not to mention the fact that either one of us coulda scarfed down all those 26 cookies in less time then it took to put the batter together. 

Mom says that she thought it was a lot of work w/little result, and another lil' gadget that she's gotta find a place for...'cause she's not gonna leave it out on her counter all the time. (Dang it) She's already got a lil' waffle maker, & it's a lot less messy, would make more, plus she' sure we don't care about the shape. She'd just cut the waffles in strips. But she's willing to give it another try, find or make up a different recipe, smaller batches & that she can just have handy or add water or milk to like those instant pancake or waffle mixes....and use it when she's in the kitchen cookin' stuff anyway. 

(Oh & she's plannin' on makin' dad some bone shaped waffles this weekend, lol)