SECRET SANTA

caveninit

 I mailed mine out today. 

Me too.  PO said it would most likely get there this week, probably Wednesday or Thursday.

Joyce

 I'm almost done!! It's not going to be mailed out by tomorrow though. I'm sorry!

Mine went out today at noon.  Apparently if you don't use a post office priority box, the "if it fits it ships" for $4.95 doesn't apply. 

The auto-ship center also has a big warning on it about using one's own box:  it says that if any non-US postal info is on the box, it must be obliterated prior to mailing.  Good grief, first mattress and pillow tags, now boxes.  I hope mine was covered enough - though I wouldn't say obliterated.

Anyway, when my person/dog gets the package, you may want to open the box enough to take out the human treat that is near the top and perishable.  It will likely be okay if you don't open until Xmas, but that is the only item that should not go under the tree.  It is not wrapped in Xmas paper like the rest, only in a small amount of bubble wrap.

Are you really supposed to keep your identity a secret?  I just got a big box of goodies and have no idea who to thank for it. 

Deb W

Deb, I always sign mine, put my name and address on the box.  Is there a postmark? 

 I didn't sign mine...didn't know if we were supposed to...but the box has my return address.

I always figured it should be a secret just until the box comes, so I always put a return name & address on it.  I mean, it is for the dogs and they'll never know who sent it anyway.

Joyce

 Mine will go out tomorrow...I promise!  I had to grab one more thing, then I'm done. 

Hey, are we supposed to wrap the stuff?  I didn't last year, and the stuff the dogs got wasn't wrapped either...

Oh and I can't send anything without a return address, at least not across the border, so mine is never a secret.

sharismom

 Is there a postmark? 

It came from somewhere in Virginia.  Whoever sent Jamison's and my gifts   . . . . . Thank you very much.   But can you please, please, please post the recipe for those homemade brownie bars?   Jamison went totally berserk over them !!!!!  I would really like to make a batch for him.

Deb W.

 I sign with my dog's names, not my own. So, unless the person knows the names of all of my dogs, they have to search the forums to see who matches the dogs it came from ;p

I haven't read the card that came with my ss box yet. The box is still on the kitchen table and I'm waiting for the right moment to set it down and let the dogs go at it (this is their favorite part of ss). I did figure out who sent it though because 1) she dropped a big hint by asking what size my dogs were in another thread and 2) she said "yay" when I got the box haha. Thanks Stardog! I'm thinking I may let them at the box this weekend when I put my tree up :) I will be sure to take more pics (other than the ones I took already the vest that is :)

WOW!!!, Jamison's package is already there!!!  I was thinking maybe Tuesday and hoping for Wednesday - but Monday - I'll take back a few of the things I said and thought about the post office. 

The town in Virginia is Big Stone Gap - 300 miles from anywhere and a nice place to live.  You may have heard of it.  One of our former residents wrote a series of novels about growing up here - Adriana Trigiani. 

I'm glad Jamison liked the treats.  Those are probably the main reason the vet says Nemo needs to loose a pound or two.  They are a variation of the liver treat recipe Glenda posted a year or 2 ago.  I can't find the post so I'll give you my version.  Beef liver works too but is rougher on your blender.  Sometimes I add cheese or spinach or an apple.  Change it up a bit. 

1 lb or so chicken livers with juice

2 large or 3 small eggs with shells 

1/2 tsp  minced garlic

1/2 a regular can of pumpkin 14 or 15 oz can

2 to 3 cups flour of choice.  I like brown rice or oat

Crack the eggs and shells into the blender with the garlic.  Liquefy. 

Add the juice from the chicken livers then begin adding the chicken livers until liquefied. 

Blend the pumpkin into the mixture. 

Pour the goop into a bowl large enough to handle adding the flour.

Add flour until you reach the consistency you want.  I aim for something like biscuit dough.  

Generously grease the surface and sides of a large cookie sheet.  

Pour mixture into pan and spread.  I tend to use a plastic storage bag as a glove and spray it with nonstick spray to  spread the dough. It can be kind of messy. 

Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes or until the treats are no longer touching the sides of the pan.  

Cool, cut into pieces that work for your dog.  Glenda suggested a pizza wheel - it works great.

Freeze in zippy bags what you think you can use up in a week.  

Let the show begin.

Happy Holidays to you and Jamison.

Debbie Z aka sterlingfan40 & Nemo

sterlingfan40

Deb,

WOW!!!, Jamison's package is already there!!! 

Thanks so much Debbie Z.  We only opened the packages you told us to, so we still have some goodies left for Christmas !!!  Those doggy brownies are awesome and Jamison really, really, really liked them !!!!  Thanks for the recipe !!!!

Deb W.

 I was sick yesterday so I didn't get to finish shopping, I'm going tonight and it will be sent tomorrow, I promise!  I'm sorry.

Gosh, that sounds WAY better than my recipe!

 I shipped mine today!

 I didn't wrap the gifts, but put them in boxes, with labels.  I signed the dogs' names instead of mine.  There's a return address on the shipping box, though.