The Liturgical Year

The Liturgical Year
The Ancient Practices Series
By Joan Chittister, Phyllis Tickle
Published by Thomas Nelson

I spent some time reading this book. I usually read through a book of this size within a few hours. The Liturgical Year was mind provoking. Not all churches of Christian faith have this liturgical line up of celebrations and such. With the exception of the Catholic Church, in my years of exploring different faiths, none have practiced this liturgical year especially to the extent talked about in this book. Maybe we all should.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

getting ready for winter

Yes,I said winter.

The weather hasn't work with me over the garden, figure it is going to bite us in the butt this winter.

I walked through the house, even the upstairs that we don't use so much with just being the two of us and made a list of things to take care of this summer making a deadline of being done by the end of August as my focus will shift to my older daughter's wedding(I am doing the catering).

Cauking the windows inside and out was number one followed by actually hanging heavy curtains instead of just sheers across the windows.Some of the windows need new seals.

Insulating the duct work to the furnance( you can lose 10-30% of your heat with out insulation on the duct work) and water pipes along with sealing the gaps in the basement windows and where the foundation meets the house will be a hugh project.

I still have to check the insulation in the attics.

Putting insulation foam behind all the outlets and switches.

Moving furniture this fall so where we sit the most is actually the warmest part of the room.

Things I have done so many times in the past that wasn't on my mind when we moved in this old farm house at Christmas.

Right along with preserving the bounty of my garden and what ever else I get my hands on.

Have a Blessed day

Happy Father's day

Happy Father's day to all the daddy's out there. Happy Father's day to the ones that filled in for the daddy that wasn't there...whether you be a man or a woman.

Enjoy the day.

Blessed Be
Juls

To those going thru bad weather

My prayers are for you.

I got some calls this morning, asking advice about freezers with power being out.What to do with the food etc.

Freezers thaw from the top down so your most important meat/veggies should be on the bottom.Don't open the door unless you need to and do so as little as possible. Cover the freezer with a blanketto help keep it coolunless it's winter and it's below 32 where the freezer is.I have actually had to cover up my freezer to keep the motor from freezing up when it was in the garage.

If you know you are going to be losing food, pass it along to others that need food to eat NOW.IF you can't find anyone, get ahold of who ever is running the shelter and such around you and see if they can use it or know who you can give it to.Sometimes the soup kitchens and churchs will take it.

Be safe everyone.

cleaning home and self

While down I have taken a hard look at what I am buying at the store.

Food wise the amount is less than $150 a month but still there is more than plenty going in the trash. Definitely need to up the left over night and more plan over meals.It's the attitude of "hubby will take it for lunch to work or I will eat it for lunch or a snack" that is causing things to get dumped in the trash can instead.If nothing else, it needs to be packaged for the freezer especially with garden season coming in.

Non-food is killing the budget.

I've tried several cleaning products always on the look out for something that eases the cleaning and makes the house smell good at the same time.So I spent some time looking back through my notes of interviews with elders and came up with the following list.

Olive oil,safflower oil,baking soda,white vinegar,apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. Not only are these food products but they are usable to clean your home and yourself( clean and skin care) and can be use to medical also.

Castor oil (can stain material), mineral oil,vaseline,rubbing alcohol,and witch hazel can help clean and are medical items

Castile soap, naptha soap, washing soda,borax and glycerine will clean the home and yourself along with skin care.

examples of the above could make: furniture polish, window cleaner, toilet cleaner, all purpose cleaner, oven cleaner, scouring powder, dish soap,laundry soap, laundry stain remover,laundry fabric softener, shampoo, conditioner, liquid body soap,skin moisturizer,lotion to ease body aches, insommia,sleeplessness,reduce inflammation, laxative, stomach issues,fungal infections,acne, ringworm and etc.

Instead of me joining the throw away society I can spend a few minutes and make my own cleaners out of "greener" products that I either already have or can easily get and spend less money, be healthier and reuse containers.

Now if I could just get them to clean the house on their own Lol.

on my feet

Just when I thought I was getting back to my feet...my gallbladder kicked them out from under me.

Not used to sitting around and resting, I thought of tons of things I needed to get done once I uncurled from the fetal position. Anyone that has had gallbladder issues can tell you recover just isn't that fast.

So out of boredom...

I made a list of 25 meals from the pantry that can be put together and on the table in 30 minutes.

I made a master grocery list reflecting the new way I have to eat.

I made a list of homemade cleaning products and their recipes so I can quit having asthma attackes from my cleaning products and cut the non-food portion of the grocery bill down. We spend twice the amount on non-food that we do on food.

I made a list of homemade personal care products.

I made a list of my garden stuff needed to be bought, started and etc.

I made a new budget for the finances

I made a list of the projects that need to lower heat bill to be done before winter hits.I know it will take me all summer to get them done.

I bounced doctor appointments and tests( last one tomorrow crossing my fingers. At least the second medication is working.

Now with sunshine, warmer weather and taking care of myself I should be able to be back to feet and be organize...if I don't lose the lists. SMILE

have a blessed day!!

when life rolls over you

you have to make some choices of what gets done and what doesn't. Pretty much any thing involving the internet doesn't get done when I am on overload with life.

Cleaning gets a kiss and a promise,laundry does get kept up because I only have a couple pairs of warm pjs and it's still cold here and hubby works out daily and only has 3 outfits for that. Cooking is a stuggle if I don't have a good pantry and precooked entrees in the freezer. I don't use much box stuff as I have a low sodium diet due to my heart failure.

Things that have hit in the last month... I was south for a few weeks, had some job interviews that went no where(or least didn't for right now). I came back to flooding and water in the basement...which caused my root veggies to start going bad.I had some family issues that was dealt with. AND I haven't even touched starting my seeds for this spring's crops.Let alone finish unpacking from our move here at Christmas.

Mean time I wiped out the precooked items in the freezer and it's started "I wished we lived in town so we could do fast food" feelings I knew it was time to restock the freezers.

Luckily hamburger was on sale so I stocked up, now I just have to deal with it.

I precook and rinse several pounds for casseroles and sauces,taco meat(homemade seasoning), homemade sloppy joes meat(for sloppy joe,sheppards pie etc)pasta sauce,meatballs,meatloaf and some patties with seasoning mixed in so they aren't just frozen beef. I think this time I will also make some salisbury steak as I have found myself wanting to buy this in the frozen food section at the store and ignore the sodium level.

Granted it is a lot of work and it's on top of having to deal with several squashes and 4-30 lbs pumpkins that need dealt with because of the moisture in the basement before I lose them. It can be overwhelming if you think about it.

How to get it done??? I have hamburger simmering in my large soup pot with water mixed it(helps remove the grease) while I check my emails, this blog,do the finances and do the laundry. I have a timer to tell me when to stir it. I drain it in the large colendar and rinse with hot water. While it drains I start the next batch. I prefer to only do 3 lbs at a time but did 5 lbs at a time when all the kids were home. I mixed the meatloaf first since I wasn't cooking it then did the meatballs as this was a lot of hands on time. When they were precooked(not done all the way or they will be dry when you do reheat them), I shoved them in the freezer on a cookie sheet and started on the rest. I"ll do the patties and salisbury steak last.

Maybe maybe I will catch up when I am 80 LOL

leftovers vs planovers

I have a friend that routinely mentions that I can take leftovers and make it into something totally different and flavorful.Considering that I didn't grow up with leftovers I don't know where the talent came from.

Might be because I don't prefer to eat the same thing over and over?

Casseroles using leftovers are easy.Toss protein,carb and veggies(sometimes fruit also) with a binder of cream sauce,tomato sauce,gravy or just a can of soup in to a casserole dish,cover (or not) and bake at 350 for 30 min or until hot in center.

Soups using leftover are easy.Toss leftovers into a pot,add broth,water or juice and call it a day.I will toss small pasta or rice in to extend it if it's not as filling as I would like it to be.

Other...leftovers can go into pastas with any kind of sauce or just butter and seasonings if needed.Or you can toss them into a tortilla wrap or sub bun.OR dump over rice. Or dumb in to eggs and bake,fry, scramble.

My Nonna used to make bean soup on Monday, Tuesday she would add water and mixed veggies(what ever was on hand or in the pantry), Wed she would add rice or small pasta or broken up spaghetti and on Thursday everything was served over stale bread or cube the bread and toss in the soup (bread she had baked the Friday before). It doesn't sound the most exciting meal there was but it was different each week as she changed the type of beans, veggies and whether it was with pasta or rice.The staleness of the bread wasn't noticable with it being in the soup.You could always toast them and make them into croutons for the soup.

planning and habits

The main thing is you have to PLAN for the thin times, no money to buy food, no way to get to the store due to weather etc. and you have make it a habit.It takes a bit of time to plan and about 30 days to make it a habit of doing it constantly. It also takes time to actually do the work. If you plan it, use a crock pot, your oven, the refrig and freezer, a pressure cooker if you have one, things can be simplified for you and take less hands on time.

When I first started making vegetable broth we had Thanksgiving dinner.I had shared some of the broth with my youngest daughter and we were talking about it while preparing the big dinner. AFTER we were done prepping the vegetables we both realized we had just peeled everything directly in to the trash can. Needless to say a few mentioned to us that we were giving that trash can strange looks and they were wondering why. We figured we had just tossed 7-8 qrts of broth into the trash.We didn't dig them back out as one grandkid asked if we were going to but it was a definite lesson on where we peeled the veggies from then on.

I have a pantry, I have a hugh pantry for only two people but it's nothing for the kids to call and need help with groceries or for me to provide meals to others in need.

I didn't always have a hugh pantry.It has been years in the making with a lot of planning that let it come about. My son in law still teases me for having can goods under the bed, under the couch, love seat and in bedroom closets.He found them as he was helping us move.I did the same when I lived in a two bedroom trailer with all the kids.Now I have a hugh basement for my pantry like I did when the kids were younger.Things keep better in a cool spot and I have a better veiw of what needs used up first.

I always have kept the staples which is the list I already posted.Might not have paid the cable or phone bill so I could but food and a roof over your head comes first.

I am in a place where my landlord has blessed me with his okay to plant as big as garden as I want.I have did container gardening when I didn't have a place to plant anything or I hit the farmers markets, the pick your own farms, and the sales at the stores (Aldi's and Save-A-Lot along with the rest). My groceries are bought on sale and I try to buy in season. Before I buy any meat I check the marked down meat and base my menu on it.

I keep a running inventory of my pantry especially the freezer. I thought I needed ham and ground beef this week but I don't when I checked the inventory. I do need ground pork,pork chops,sausage, bacon and ground veal. I finally put the inventory on an excel sheet that helps a lot with updating once a day after I pull what I am fixing for our meals.

The fat of any meat(pork,poultry,beef, sausage,bacon etc) goes into ice cube tray and is frozen then put in a freezer bag.

Shells of seafood into the freezer to make fish stock. This is usually around the holidays when my mother brings shrimp and cocktail sauce.

Wash the veggies before peeling them and toss the peelings into a gallon freezer bag to make veggie broth. Include onion peelings, garlic and mushroom stems. I keep the broccoli and cauliflower separate as they are strong. I also keep the broccoli,sweet potato and white potato separate if those soups is coming up on the menu.

Leftover vegetables, toss into a container in the freezer or frig for soups, stews or casseroles or in this family a "big egg" which is actually a frittata,omelette or a crustless quiche.

leftover meat, you can either toss each separately into a container or toss them together put in the freezer or frig for soups, stews or casseroles or in this family a "big egg" which is actually a frittata,omelette or a crustless quiche.

Keep bread on the table at all times. Whole grain is better for your health but white will fill you up when you are low on food. You can spend a small fortune on buying bread for a large family or a small family of big eaters. Learn to make bread etc. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day By Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois is a great book if you don't have a lot of time or just don't want to spend a lot of time on bread. Borrow it from a library and check it out. You will be buying the book in the end anyways.

Another thing...have the family drink water at all meals and during the day. Save the juice for morning only and only let them have a serving which is 1/2 cup ( 4 oz not 16). Give only an 8 oz glass of milk once a day and serve the other 2 servings of dairy as cheese,cottage cheese, sour cream or yogurt etc. Let the sodas before for special occasions.

end of the month meals

I once asked my kids what was their favorite meal growing up was.

Beef and homemade noodles, homemade bread fresh from the oven and homemade (mock) KFC coleslaw. Poultry noodles ran second. Beef and veggies soup with homemade bread came in third.

It amazed me. It wasn't the Tday dinners or the pot roast but the very meals that I made when scraping the bottom of the barrel for food.

Homemade bread was common. I made several loaves at a time using an Amish recipe.I'd put it together around 5 AM and it would be ready to bake by 7-7:30 so I could have it done and cooling before I went to work at 8:30.If I was really with it I would make some on Saturday and Sunday afternoon to ease the work load for the week.

Noodles was a way to fill the tummies with very little. Some flour, salt and egg mixed together, rested, rolled, rested and cut.You can make enough noodles for a family of four with a couple cups of flour and a couple eggs. I would cooked them in beef broth(made from the scraps of bones or roast)or poultry broth (made from the carcus of the bird) or just water flavored with beef or poultry fat. Yes I said FAT. When you are poor you waste nothing. I would cool the broth,skim the hardened fat and freeze it. We didn't eat a lot of fat to begin with and a tablespoon or so in a dish that served a large family wasn't going to do damage.Now days I would also include vegetable broth made from the peelings of veggies that I use. A big thanks to Gayle over at www.grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com. Just make sure the broth or water tastes like sea water(yes, that salty) BEFORE you add the the noodles. I have 2 kids that will make homemade noodles now.

Vegetable soup was made from a couple cups of beef broth that came from a pot roast along with any of the meat and veggies that didn't get ate from the last few days. I would toss a couple cans of mixed vegetables or what ever I had on hand, a can of tomato soup and a large can of tomato juice. Sometimes I added more tomato juice if we had a large crowd with the kids friends. I will do this now days with poultry also especially for hubby and myself as I will over load us with poultry broth if I'm not careful.

starting with meats

Meat was only bought if it was on sale and I could make at least two meals out of it. I always tried to squeeze a third if not four meals out of the meat.When you are feeding a large family of seven plus friends that are meat and potato folks that are big eaters ( I have a friend that calls me a truck driver because I eat like one). Squeezing an extra meal out of meat is a miracle to being with.

I tried to get a roast of some sort every week. Preferrable chicken or beef. It took four chickens or one good size turkey, (I have a daughter that still cringes when she sees turkey on the table besides at the holidays) to feed us one meal.I would then simmer the carcuss in the stock pot and pick the rest of the meat off the bones. This would be split between broth and meat for homemade noodles(flour,salt,eggs),chicken (or turkey) dumplings and if I was lucky a pot of soup with what ever veggies was in the crisper along with either some rice(not instant) or pasta.If there was enough meat to make a stir fry I would go that way.

A beef roast started with root veggies.Second time was either with noodles(the kids preference) or beef vegetable soup.Sometimes there was enough for stew instead of soup. I would add dumplings to make the stew stretch or put the "stew" in a pie shell and make pot pie instead.

Pork roast was with root veggies, then shredded and tossed with BBQ sauce.Now days I would save some back to make Brunswick stew.

If we got a ham, I roasted it and we had that the first round, then sliced and diced it up for ham steaks, ham sandwiches, ham salad, diced ham for eggs, salads and the bone for bean soups. I can make a lot of meals out of ham.

Hamburger went to meatloaves that followed was sliced cold for sandwiches later and what ever was left went into red sauce for pasta.

I tried to cook ten pounds of hamburger for sloppy joes made from scratch and taco meat made from scratch. It let me keep the sodium and sugar levels down.Sloppy joes also made sheppards pie while taco meat ranged from tacos to enchilidas, burritos,taco casserole and added to cheese to make dips.

I made chili from hamburger(hubby does from sausage), it would make chili soup, then walking tacos, the Cinncy chili over pasta, then taco salad, or even nachos or a casserole with chili with corn bread baked on top, kind of like a tamale pie?

Pork chops,pork steaks, beef steaks etc wasn't on the table much. Couldn't afford the price with how much we needed to put on the table.

Staples in the home

We have went thru the sleet,freezing rain and snow right along with those howling winds.The roads are not something to be out and about on yet.

Landlord brought over a generator so the steers in the barn would have water, which means we get water also. Something city folks take for granted is having water when they don't have power.

Even so I stocked water for flushing toilets,cooking/drinking and made several pots of coffee to put in the thermos we have. Just encase we can't get out to the generator to turn it on.

BUT the worst thing I have dealt with is a child calling me telling me they are low on groceries and aren't sure they will have enough to eat before they can get back to the store. First part of that is my immediate reaction to load up my car with food and haul it over an hour(none of the kids live closer than an hour) and FEED MY CHILD.

The second part wants to kick their rear because I preach,nag and so forth about keeping certain foods in the house at all times.

The following is the main list. It is what I call my basic staples. You don't see Bisquick or anything like that. That is on hubby's basic staples list.LOL

Flour, all purpose and bread if you can afford it also
corn meal
rice, not instant
oats, not instant
cream of wheat
pasta of any kind
yeast, keep it in the freezer
eggs, large
corn starch
baking soda
baking powder
worchestershire sauce
soy sauce
apple cider vinegar
lemon juice
salt and pepper
cream of tartar
nutmeg
cinnamon
paprika
chili powder
garlic powder,fresh if you can afford it and will use it.(jar in frig in not bulbs)
onion powder, dehydrated onions, fresh onions if you will use them
basil, dried
oregano,dried
bay leaf,dried
thyme, dried
rosemary,dried
vanilla
cocoa
sugar
brown sugar
maple syrup or karo syrup or both if possible
oil, canola and olive or at least vegetable oil
lard...I do not use shortening for health reason. Lard doesn't bother my chorlesterol
butter... another one that I only use
milk,dry milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk
sour cream
velvetta,American cheese or mild cheddar,cream cheese
potatoes
raisins
dried beans...navy or Michigan, pinto, kidney and black
tomato juice
tomato sauce
14 veggies of different colors not just corn and green beans
7 fruits, not just bananas and apples
popcorn, at one time it was microwave when it was just mine then hubby added regular popcorn. Now I wouldn't feed microwave popcorn to my family since I know it's not good for them to be eating those tryglycerides.

Tomorrow I will start telling what I would cook from this list as I did when I was raising our children and money was really tight

Memory of the Challenger

It doesn't seem like 25 yrs ago when we were watching the tv and crying. Wondering how something could go so wrong. Such heart break for the families and co-workers. Such heart break for this nation.

Take a moment and remind your self of all that you hold precious and then let them know it.

The Sacred Meal book review.

“The Sacred Meal”, written by Nora Gallagher, is another book from the “The Ancient Practices Series”.

Nora Gallagher writes this book about Communion, “The Sacred Meal”. This also talks of other faiths rites that are also practiced at that time. The book is based on the writer’s talks of her own feelings and thoughts of Communion that she practices which makes it interesting.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Starting fresh

We have been talking of the New Year, starting fresh since we moved to a bigger place (and better for us financiallyand emotionally since it reminds us of our childhood homes)...in finances and in health. They hold hands all the time.

I just finished setting up the pantry in the basement in this house. Great to see what I don't have and need because I use all the time...and bad to see what I have an over abundance of and don't hardly use at all. So we started wondering if I bought stuff not knowing I had it because I didn't have a written inventory or because it was hidden in the small house under the bed,couch, love seat etc. More likely as we found out this weekend, it was given to us because we do eat it, we just don't eat as much as we are given.I know the kids will pass to us things that are considered healthy because they don't eat it and know we do.

SO where does that leave me??? I have a wonderful and extremely varied pantry including over 100 herbs and spices. I have a good amount of meat even though it is low or out of chuck roast, pork butt roast,and Once again,I live out in the "boonies" according to my kids, love it love it love it. BUT you can't run thru the drive thrus of fast food(after reading they douce my hamburger with ammonia I don't think I want to anyways) and you can't have fast food or pizza deliveried.

You have to cook or you beg your hubby to make popcorn in lard,bacon grease and drown it in real butter. That only works on the weekend when he isn't trying to pack his lunch from the leftovers of dinner.

I also am looking at eating healthier foods. I eat natural foods mostly so will be planting a garden this spring (Square Foot Gardening is the way to go).

My plan so far it is to use the pantry up so when the garden comes in there are empty shelves to put it on as I process it. AND to eat more whole grains, more veggies and fruit AND spend less money on food and non food.

Bragging

Bragging rights...lol... some of the grandkids got together and made these for several of us at Christmas. They picked the Buckeyes while walking down the street and put it together. They were a little upset they didn't have enough letters to spell Nonna correctly or Grand-dad but as far as we are concerned they are perfect. Best part...they gave their imagination and time.

Moved

It's hard moving even when it's something you want to do...not necessarily the leaving the old place and going some where new. The packing and moving and the unpacking is the hard part. Especially when you have tons of stuff from years of living or take everything and anything that you are given.LOL

We are finally completely in the new place that we fondly call the farm as it is our landlord's grandparents farm house.The family is still farming around us and using the barns.

BUT there are over 160 boxes sitting in the garage left to unpack after I unpacked what was in the house. I figure about 8-10 a day and I'll be done by the end of the month.My oldest is excited because it means next month I can start getting my stuff out of her house. We down sized the house but not the stuff.LOL. Now we are back into a house that is basicly the same size we raised the kids in but the master bedroom and the only bathroom is on the ground floor. Hubby doesn't like to walk up and down stairs. I love to which is a good thing as the washer and dryer is in the basement and where I put the main part of the pantry.

Now if I can catch up the Christmas candy and cookies etc before this weekend it will be great.

Have a Blessed Day

new member of the family

In between getting back from out of state and doing our share to the local HAM Radio group holiday dinner.We adopted a dog.

She is a black lab/retriver with possible other mix in there. Medium size dog. Was going by the name of Kira which is now Miss (Or Missy) Kira. She was at a no kill shelter in Urbana OH for 2 yrs. I have yet to figure out why no one wanted her because she is a really good dog.Housebroken, doesn't bark excessively, lets you know when she wants out or in. Doesn't get in to things when you are gone or asleep. Since she is almost 4 the "puppiness" is mostly out of her.The shelter is having financial problems and was looking at closing is why I looked on their website.Glad I did.

So If you do NOT want to adopt an animal, you can donate to your local shelter. As the shelter where ours came from said to the local paper.IF every person in the county donated $1 each they would have enough money to run for quite awhile.

The Nativity Colletcion by Robert J. Morgan

The Nativity Collection by Robert J. Morgan Published by Thomas Nelson

The reason for the season…if you struggle with feeling this or know someone that does this book of short stories can help you find the answer. With examples of different cultures and different outlooks and places in our society Robert J. Morgan guides us to the place where we are all the same.

This is a great book to share with an older child about the meaning of Christmas.

I have already given a copy of this book to a couple friends as a gift and would encourage anyone else to do the same, along with buying one for your self.

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781404189744?id=4708389750852#customer-reviews

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

new cookies

We always bake cookies and make candy for the kids as part of their Christmas present from us. Snickerdoodles and buckeye candies are a must. SO since I am not home to bake right now and hubby isn't going to start with out me I decided to surf the internet for some new cookie recipes...I might actually decide on something instead of all the OOOOOOH that looks good, that looks easy and are you kidding me ones LOL

Hope everyone is staying on budget, and remembering it's not the actual gift it's the memories you give.

Blessed Be Juls

Dec 1

Twenty five days until Christmas.

What Am I doing? Not a thing towards getting ready.Hubby is holding down the house while I work out of state these first two weeks of Dec.

I did send out my Christmas cards before heading out.The outside of the house is decorated BUTTTT

We are moving before Christmas, top that with finishing the painting of the open staircase at my daughter's family and doing Christmas cookies and candy along with presents for all the family that I haven't even started shopping for.

I hope I still have hair left on my head after I get back and start pulling it out.

Happy Tday

We have already had our Tday dinner last Saturday. Plenty of food, family and friends. I still have a good amount of my dishes,pots and pans in at my daughter's.Instead of having turkey again or ham again we are having steaks.Giving the turkeys a break HA HA

I am also still painting the area of her open staircase in the foyer.

On top of that we lucked into a new place so we will be moving.Must be our pay backs for complaining when the kids would have us move them in the winter. Bigger place, less rent and in the country. Can't beat that combination.

I have a couple weeks work,another blessing.

I have candy and cookies to make for the kids also.

Have a Blessed Day

Coming attractions HA HA

This is a picture of last year's Thanksgiving dinner that my youngest took. You will notice that neither her or I was in the kitchen.I gave her the camera and told her to take pictures. I was banished from the kitchen by my son who took over the stove and finished the remaining dishes and made his homemade mac n cheese as requested by his sisters. Kind of funny since I taught him how to make it.Guess he changed it some, what ever gets me out of making it. HA HA

We hold our dinner the Sunday before that way we don't conflict with non-custodial visitation,in laws or those in food service wanting to work the weekend after Thanksgiving Day.

Why am I tell you this...because I have disappeared into the land of painting right before cooking dinner this coming Sunday. I call it remodeling because when ever I paint the old homestead it becomes a remodeling due to the repairs that have to be done before I can paint it.The kids voted last year and decided to move the dinner back to the old homestead( Sorry to my eldest and I wonder if she will do it again next yr) with the condition I get the house ready for the dinner, cook certain dishes and clean back up. NO biggie been there and had done that several years...what I didn't factor in was painting and installing new flooring and ceiling in the foyer that is 8 ft by 17 ft. A foyer that has an open curving staircase with a wall that goes up 20 ft.

I have found that even years after a fire your house will still develop issues due to the fire.

I have found by experience that I can put together our standard Tday dinner of over 100 dishes in 3 days. This year is only 61 dishes, 48 of them are mine to do and then the pies which last count was over 20 not touching other desserts and cakes. Can you tell we like to eat? We also like leftovers from this dinner and basicly no one cooks for a couple days after.

I best get going...today is rolling along whether I do or not.

7 wks later another death

This is Cookie when she was healthy and happy before she got a tumor on her spleen.She was a joy and prancing like the princess we felt she was.



I took this picture yesterday when she was sliding down hill so fast.She wasn't eating and had already lost 20 lbs but was "blowing up like a ballon" in her stomach area.By 1 AM this morning she was struggling.I was surprised she made it through the night.She insisted on being out side in the coolness of the night and laid in the gravel of the driveway. I laid in the gravel beside her and held her with prayers of GOD not letting her suffer.

We got her in to the clinic and had her put to sleep.Though my heart is broken I know I looked inside my heart and placed hers above my own.She's on the other side playing with Tasha (2/25/2010) and Sam (9/7/2010).Of course when I get to the other side Tasha and Sam are going to nailing me for cooking a turkey for Cookie and not them.

Blessed be those that love us unconditionally, accept us as we are and greet us with love and affection no matter what our moods are.

I miss you Cookie...I love you even more.

My Dad and the old times

This is my Dad.He is 83 and proud of it.

I spent a day interviewing him for my next book.It was a good day.Not only because I got plenty of back ground for my next book which is always sweet when I don't have to spend 150 hrs doing so but because I got to spend the day with my Dad talking about his childhood.

He talked about the "greens" he would go pick so they could be fixed.Poke weed, dandelion,Blue Devil(chicory) etc, talked of the berry patches,nuts(even chestnuts when they were still around) apple and plum trees that was around where he lived.The garden they grew wasn't be enough to feed them through the year.There was no electric, they heated with a coal stove that also was their cook stove.They had one kersone lamp for the whole house which was 3 rooms of average size.No bathroom, an outhouse and a wash basin.Times were hard, poverty was normal in this small village in southern Ohio.The house I remember his dad and sister living in was "poor" by current standards back when I was a kid, was actually living high on the hog for his family.We talked of lack of medical, herbal medicence,clothing and items most of us wouldn't think to even know about let alone ask about.

Groceries were bought weekly when there was work.Dried beans,lard,salt and pepper,rice,24 lbs of flour(they made 9 loaves of bread Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday), corn meal,oatmeal,evaporated milk,bologna( only for his dad's lunch for the coal mine)and potatoes.This was kept on a table about 2 ft wide and 4 ft long close to the table they ate at.

His Dad(Grandpa) and he both hunted and fished for what meat they ate.The only time they had eggs was on Easter.Then they could have as many as they wanted fried with fried potatoes.

They didn't keep leftovers as it would spoil before morning in warm weather and when it cooled enough to keep it outside the critters would help themselves.Trash cans,or things we take for granted were not there.

The only vegetables and fruit they ate was what they could grow and cold pack(waterbath) or find growing wild.

When they moved to the last place there was room for several gardens, a chicken coop( an egg at breakfast was a daily celebration right along with the noodles they could make), 4 rooms and 2 coal stoves. A well on the place instead of going 100 yards(estimate he said) to get a couple buckets of water for what ever it was needed for.The only saddness that touched them when they moved was his mother( my grandmother) had just died in her 40's.They buried her on his 16th birthday, with his youngest sister only a couple yrs old.

It was a extremely hard life that got harder when the Great Depression came.

As I watched his face as he walked through those memories, saw the wisdom gathered and stored to get him through these times of stock market turning down and wiping out his retirement pretty good.Knowing that he is okay financially due to living that hard life.Seeing the food he has stocked up on to feed himself including the apples he was making into pies and dumplings for this winter...I understand even more that my attachment to the old ways and old days aren't just a whim or passing fancy but a tribute to those that went before me and survived an existence that none of us of this generation can really understand and some just can't comprehend.

so this is for Dad and all those that walked in his shoes...

Bless you for showing we can also survive if we use the wisdom that was gained before us.

Blessed be

A Day of Celebration

Autumn Equinox
First Day of Autumn (which started at 11:13 LAST night)
Mabon

We celebrate this day,thankful for cooler weather(ok,thankful when it finally gets here) and thankful for the harvest that is coming in from the fields.

The heat of the summer is still lingering, I started gearing towards canning the late summer/early fall harverst as I have starting canning apples for sauce and looking at the pumpkin I bought to can this week.

This is the day I "fall" clean from top to bottom, decorate the house with fall colors, decorate my stand with squash( this year it is a pumpkin instead of gourds, beans, grains, nuts and an apple.I also have a cinnamon apple candle lit on it and a pot of applecider, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange zest simmering to scent the house( not to drink, that I will make this afternoon for the evening meal).

The evening meal with be spiced hot cider( maybe iced instead),corn chowder, pork chops with apples,roasted root veggies and carrot and raisin cake for dessert.

With grateful heart of blessings that have came our way and continue thru the year.

Blessed Be

chicken

Kroger's had whole chicken for sale for 88 cents/lb here.These were regular chickens not roasters but a 5 lb fryer is still 5 lb of chicken so I picked up 4 of them.

The largest 2 went in the freezer double wrapped to protect (besides I am weird over possible chicken leaks).I know I will make at least 3 meals out of each one when I roast them. It wouldn't be unusually to end up with 4 meals if I make chicken and dumplings or chicken soup with the carcass.For around $5 per chicken that is around $1.66 per MEAL if I only make 3 meals out of one and $1.25 per MEAL if I make 4.

The other two smaller ones I cut up. I don't do a pretty job when I cut up a chicken but the pieces are recognizable.I ended up with 4 thighs which is 1 meal, 4 legs which will be a second meal,4 breasts which will be another 2 meals and I cut the wings in 3rds so the 2 larger parts will be wings for appetizer night( we eat them as a meal in a restaurant might as well at home) and the tips went in the dutch oven with the fat and backs along with an onion, 2 regular carrots and 2 stalks of celery and water.Popped in the oven to do it's thing to make broth which will convert to soup or dumplings. Figuring what it costs the smaller 2 chickens came to $8.84 with at least 5 meals out of them that is $1.77 per MEAL.Knowing I have the chicken scraps and veggies in the dutch oven cooking( heating up the kitchen again with the oven)I will have 2 more meals ( one with dumplings and one with noddles) out of it.I figure the chicken scraps are free since the cost was figured into the other meals. The jumbo onion cost me $1, the 2 regular carrots costs me 20 cents total and the 2 stalks of celery costs me 30 cents total( yes I actually counted how many stalks and how many carrost there was and divided the cost out).SO for $1.50 I have the beginnings of another 2 meals.

I make my own noodles but I know for around a dollar or so you can buy a bag of noodles..okay it might be $2 now days. Dumplings can be made with a can of biscuits( cheap and cut in fourths) for around $1.20 last time I bought biscuits.


Figuring that as an estimate...for $1.75( or $2.75 for chicken and noodles and $1.95 for chicken dumplings for a meal ...that's a good deal.

storm is rolling in so I must go...

Blessed be

YOUR MONEY GOD'S WAY

YOUR MONEY GOD’S WAY by Amie Streater

If I was with in traveling distance to attend church with this lady I would in a heart beat. Down to Earth and real is the way I would describe her and this book. She gives us ( and admits she’s done it to herself) a real kick in the pants with false beliefs and how we make dumb, dumber and dumpest choices concerning our money.

She lays the ground work for you to turn it around and do it GOD’S WAY.

This is a book that every high school student should study and it wouldn’t hurt any of us, even those that are doing well in their money matters to read and reread through the years.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

weekly chores

Ever hear of the saying Monday wash day,Tuesday ironing day,Wednesday sewing day, Thursday odd job day, Friday cleaning day( bed linen was changed this day but not washed until Monday), Saturday baking and bath day and Sunday the day of rest????

Sunday the day of rest. This one I seem to struggle with the most. GOD took a day of rest so why do I think I have to work more than he did?

As I write this it runs through my head I need to clean out the 3 refrigerators to make sure there is nothing that needs to go in the trash as it goes to the curb tonight.If I was being a good steward of my food there wouldn't be food going in the trash to begin with. I didn't do any baking yesterday so I need to make the granola bars for Hubby's lunch box today since he works tonight(his Monday.


Monday wash day is my favorite especially when I can hang clothes on the line.Though tomorrow will be a late start as I have to go to the doctor's for a check up since I've been down sick to the point of pneumonia.

Tuesday ironing day...been there done that.The best thing I can say now days if I absolutely must iron something it is going to be sprinkled with water and frozen for at least 20 min before I iron...makes it easier.Spent many years doing ironing for a living out of my home.

Wednesday sewing day...hummmm...you mean you aren't suppose to wait until the laundry basket,box or trash bag you have it stored in doesn't explode all over the place before doing it?

Thursday odd job day.I think Thursday has over ran ALL the other days of the week as this seems to be what side tracks me from doing what I should be doing instead...except laundry on Mondays.

Friday cleaning day...sigh...I really liked it when I cleaned on Monday but that no longer works because of Hubby working 3rd without overtime so he is here by 7 am( Sunday night is his Monday) and wants to go to sleep.Midget house is too small for me to move around much without waking him up so Fridays is better I guess since he doesn't work Friday nights.Still I side track a lot with Thursday odd jobs.

Saturday baking and bath day. The bath part is understandable LOL.Those that don't know, in the old days you carted water by bucket, heated it on the stove that was fired with wood(corn cobs, coal etc) and then dumped it in a metal tub that was what would be about the size of a good size round trash can cut in half.Took your bath (cleanest to dirtiest in same water) then dumped it out.Not something you cared to do every day.They did daily take what is fondly called sponge baths or sink baths...in other words "WASHED UP" using a pan of water( still heated on the stove) instead of the full bath.

Baking was done on this day for the week. When the kids were little we went through a loaf of bread each meal.Take it back in time and I would have had to bake at least 21 loaves of bread a week if not more due to working more manual labor then we do now. Along with cakes, pies and cookies on Saturday.This would not be throwing a mix together or thawing out dough but making it and letting it rise( sometimes twice) before baking.It wasn't unusual when I was baking bread to bake 3 loaves with a sheet cake under them at the same time.

Have a Blessed day

corn cob jelly and syrup

first my days have been completely in taking care of Sammy in his final days here with us in this world so this got shoved back..again...some more...

Corn cob syrup and jelly...

don't matter which one you are going to make both start the same.

12 corn cobs that have had the corn cut off...I used ones that I cut off the corn for freezing.

6 cups of water to cover corn

bring to a boil and simmer for 30 min.

strain (I don't strain because I like corn particals in my syrup and jelly)

now here is where the difference lies....

FOR JELLY you need to have 3 cups of corn juice so if there is not enough "juice" add water until you have 3 cups. Add 1 pkg of pectin and bring to a rolling boil.Stir in 3 cups of sugar and boil for 2-3 min or it reaches jelly stage.Pour in to clean jelly jars and process in canner according to the same directions as apple jelly.

FOR SYRUP measure what ever corn juice there is...for light syrup add 3/4 cup of sugar, medium syrup would be 1 cup of sugar and heavy syrup would be 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 10 to 15 min until all sugar is dissolved.

process in canner same as apple jelly.

I do use corn cob jelly and syrup on corn bread or Mexican desserts...

I will note here that any time I have a jelly that doesn't set...it gets used as a syrup instead.

OUT LIVE YOUR LIFE by Max Lucado

OUT LIVE YOUR LIFE by Max Lucado...good book, interesting comparsion between people(us) of these times and those in the Bible times. Thought provoking...a little on the dry side for my personal taste. I do think the title does not reflect the writing inside the book...I would have named it something more in line of "We are
st like them" or "Same as you and me".

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

death of loved one

 

He was in the slammer as a vagrant.Unloved and unwanted because he was disabled. I asked him if he wanted to come home with me and he stood up and said yes.He was honest, he was a begger and a theif, disabled and unsure of his age but he would do his best to follow the rules and get along with me and mine.

For five months and two days, he was a blessing beyond what we ever thought he would be.With in days he knew he was home and safe, that we loved him and accepted him as he was.As his lower back disks gave out and caused him to no longer be able to get up on his own or sometimes not even stand, he never stopped showing his love and how grateful he was.At the clinic he laid in my arms, not whimpering from the pain he must have felt but nuzzling to show both hubby and me that he loved us, that it was okay. I held him until his heart beat no more with grief to match the love.

Our only comfort is knowing he is now running on all four legs, playing as he wanted...no as he needed to be and easily picture him sharing bread with our Lord

GOD BLESS YOU SAMMY...Sam I am, I am Sam...Sammy Wammy...Samuel Adams Sheltie.

Book Review Cast of Characters by Max Lucado

CAST OF CHARACTERS Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon GOD by Max Lucado
The Cast of Characters in people from the Bible. Max Lucado does his magic and makes them come alive for us. He places them in our times with our troubles and worries. I not only found myself in this book but several of my friends. Well worth the reading, especially when you need to look at those of faith in the Bible outside their times.
This would be a great book for someone that feels they can’t “measure” up like those that did in the Bible.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

sorry , I got side tracked

I got side tracked wrapping up the food needing canned, froze etc. and then I felt I had to finish up inventorying the dry goods part of my pantry...so I forgot to post pics and recipe for corn cob syrup. I have now placed it on my to do list for the first of next week when I get back into OH.

so speaking of my pantry....I inventoried all of the drygoods...not refrig( never will as it changes way too often)and freezers are still on the to do list. BUT everything else is done. I put it on an excell( yes I broke down and figured out how to do it) and then broke down the categories to each "sheet" in the "workbook" NOW as long as I input what I buy and use daily ( or put what I use daily on a note to do on desk day) I won't ever have to wonder if I have something or need something and actually go look. I even did a need to buy sheet so I can stock up on what is missing with sales BUT NOT BUY what I already have.Each sheet says what the item is, wheither it is box,can good,jar or other container and where it is in the house or garage.

THe reason I spent a week of several hours doing this..to use up what we have instead of buying more and then pitching something down the line because it's too old to eat.So I can actually find where I put that spare bottle of ketchup at LOL. So I NOT buying what we already have and not getting what we actually need AND FINALLY not having to buy anything except basic so the grocery money can actually go to pay on some bills that have popped up that we don't have enough in the budget to cover.

LIKE...a bridge for my teeth because after 50 some yrs of having great teeth, I broke a molar into 4 pieces and had to have it pulled and now need a bridge that the ins will not cover completely.I am gratfeul they will cover part of it but really wonder if I didn't have ins if I could find a cheaper way to get the bridge.

We won't mention that Christmas is a little more than 17 wks away.

Have a great day.

Blessed be

canning tomatoes

Yep it's canning season.This is tomato,homegrown basil and garlic. This is all of the tomatoes I have gotten off 12 plants. They aren't doing very well this year for me so regrettfully I have to chose between buying some from the farmer or buying canned tomatoes through the year...sigh.

Tomorrow I plan to pick up more corn to cut off the cob and freeze.I will make corn cob syrup from the cobs (recipe next post).I hope to also pick up cucumbers to make bread and butter pickles and dill pickles.It's been almost 20 yrs since I have done cucumber pickles.I pickled beets when I overflowed with beets a couple yrs ago.They turned out well.

Got to go clear freezer area to put all this corn LOL

Have a good weekend

Mondays and garden

It's Monday so the clothes are hanging on the line( ok I took the picture BEFORE hanging the unmentionables)I usually try to get the bedding done on Monday but it didn't get done so it's on tomorrow's laundry.

I didn't start the home blessing.Except for Sammy our sheltie, shedding small yorkies the house is in good shape.Cookie,our husky,border collie mix, isn't shedding much since I butched her hair.I think I could have shaved Sammy bald and he would have still shedded yorkies.


I cleared some of the garden up...things no longer growing and producing got pitched and containers cleaned and put away to go to lock up. The pumpkin vine now needs 2 pictures to get all of it. I've picked enough sweet basil to fill the dehydrator.Took a good whack at my finger so had to stop and play doctor with it.Have Thai basil, spicy basil and boxwood basil also but I have finally got it staggered enough to not hit all at once. Chives will need done after this batch of basil. Have tomatoes and hot peppers to can in the next day or so.

Decided to hit the local fair tonight so dinner will be there. Hubby will have to rein me in like always...I definately will eat too much too fast and it won't necessarily be healthy.I mean, come on...it's the fair. Elephant ears,Belgin waffles,lemonades,fries, deep fried veggies(NOT pickles),cotton candy and maybe a caramel apple just for appetizer of course HA HA.Then I'll have to walk 10 miles to burn the calories back off.

have a blessed day

Monday Home Blessings and Laundry

Monday is my favorite day of the week. A fresh start of the week no matter if I am in state or working out of state.

I love washing the laundry and hanging it on the clothes line.Especially the bed linen.Nothing beats that fresh air smell on the bed and night clothes.

Hubby enjoys the lower electric bill.

I also do my homeblessing on Mondays. That is the term from www.flylady.net for house cleaning. It's a hit the middles not a pull out the furniture and sweep behind cleaning.I will admit I was the windows and not just the mirrors. I enjoy clean windows.

I do try to do the decluttering on Sunday. First most of your time cleaning is decluttering and second trash goes Monday morning...it's out of here LOL

Everyone have a good day

dry rub recipes

Sorry D I didn't post the dry rub recipes.

So here they are...

ANY MEAT DRY RUB

By Chef Julia L Owings Personal Chef

4 Tbsp ground cardamom
4 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
3 Tbsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp ground allspice
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Store in an airtight container for up to two months

Bring meat to room temp. Lightly coat meat with a light oil (I use safflower or grape seed oil but canola would be fine) then rub dry rub in to meat. Allow at least 30 min for rub to set before cooking.

Poultry Dry Rub (covers 3 Cornish Hens or 1 chicken, double for a turkey)

By Chef Julia L Owings Personal Chef

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons chili powder (I add a pinch or so of Ancho chili powder if I want a healthy kick)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.

If using on the grill or broiler WATCH like a hawk due to sugar burning and turning black.

rubs and marinades

Hubby came in awhile back( read in there that I was getting ready to leave for GA and then got back in time to leave to go to my son's to babysit his cats while he was out of state)and asked that when I got time if I could write down some of the dry rubs and wet sauces I use for us.He had a friend he wanted to share them with.So finally I got around to printing a couple of them off.

The one I forgot to mention because both him and I do it automaticly when we don't want to throw something together is a no brainer.

Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Yep, that simple. Steaks,beef or pork roasts,chops, poultry, possible lamb.We don't eat much lamb but I would try it in a heart beat. Marinate it or just dump it on say about 30 min before you go to cook it. Seafood I would only marinate it 10 min the longest as the vinegar in it will "cook" it and you could end up with mush.

Meat will absorb flavors better if you allow the meat to be room temp BEFORE applying the rub or marinade.

I do more dry rubs and marinades in the late fall,winter,early spring.I want the kick of spices to get me thru the dreariness of the weather.In the summer time it is all about wet sauce or BBQ sauce.

We like Bobby Flay's Chipotle-Molasses BBQ sauce.If I don't have any made up then we use what ever BBQ sauce I have in the pantry(depends on coupons and sales). I mix it one bottle of BBQ sauce with one bottle of dark beer or one bottle of BBQ sauce with 1/2 cup of Jack Daniels single barrel whiskey.( if I want a strong whiskey taste I use old #7).

My mom made a great BBQ sauce and I plan to get it off her so we can try it in a week or so when I am back from babysitting kittie kitties.

Enjoy the day

Wet Eagle

this is a wet Eagle. I got his pic thru an email forward from a friend.Today this is what I feel like.

Just soaring along, doing what needs to be done and trying to keep food on the table and wham, it's a battle and I end up totally soaked, worn out and exhausted.Like the Eagle there is no vacation in sight. It's a fight everyday to survive.

Someone needs to lend me their GPS so I can find a very tall tree to sun myself and dry off safely.I am sure though if my kids don't find me, my mother will and she will most likely tell me to quit hogging the limb.

EMBRACING YOUR SECOND CALLING book reveiw

EMBRACING YOUR SECOND CALLING BY Dale Hanson Bourke.

When you reach a certain age, life changes wheither or not you are ready for it to. SO what now? is the question most of us ask ourselves.
Dale Hanson Bourke helps find those answers in her book. EMBRACING YOUR SECOND CALLING.

She doesn’t give you pat answers but suggests resources to find the correct answers for yourself. She’s been there and done that. Dale talks about her busyness when the kids were little and she was working fulltime to when everything changed as the kids left home and she dealt with coming out of her career of her youth.

I needed this book when I was 40 and struggled through that year.In my fifties I am glad to see I am not alone in the struggles, glad to see that some of my choices as a young mother and then an elder( try not to use that word OLD) have been on track in comparison to others.

WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR STRUGGLES.

May GOD grant me the wisdom, patience and humor today.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

when it rains it pours and floods

the weather suits my mood and emotions at this point. A great sunny day would be wasted for sure.

We thought we were making the turn to see the light at the end of the tunnel in our finances...what we got was a total cave in.Hubby agreed to see a financial lawyer over it. I hate losing everything we have worked for during the last twenty years but I can't handle the stress of bad choices.

SO the grocery budget will take the hit again along with some other things.

Hopefully the internet won't be one the things to take the hit.

I'll keep you updated

menu plan Monday

check out the banner and the blogger I got it from. Her addy is on the banner

Menu for this week is( please note veggies can change by what needs used up in refrigerator or garden. Right now the lettuces are going crazy)

MONDAY
marinated flank steak( hopefully it will be cooked on grill)
mac and cheese
mixed veggies

TUESDAY
ratatouille
butter noodles
smoked sausage

WEDNESDAY
marinated chicken breasts(grilled if possible)
rice
what ever fresh veggie that needs ate

THURSDAY
stuffed shells with red sauce
crab cakes
salad from the garden

FRIDAY
shredded chicken sandwich
mac salad
crudite and dip

SATURDAY
pork chops and gravy
mashed potatoes
okra mixed with tomatoes
spinach

SUNDAY Fathers Day
ribeye
baked potato
salad from garden
AL Lane Cake (Yankie version)

I am back

worn out and frazzled but at least here for a week or so LOL.

Here is a pic of my son's kitties that I was babysitting while moving him while he was out of state. Cuddles in the black cat and he definitely likes to cuddle. Bailey is the gray cat.She is a cat for sure LOL

Now that I am back here I've started the deep cleaning of our own place.Not as bad as I thought it would be since I missed my regular spring cleaning but still in need of a good scrub. In the midst of it all I am also moving the pantry items around and checking out what needs used up. I need to start making desserts before it over runs all the pantry.

Dinners have been what ever needs used up as I go. Last night was chicken satay made with coconut milk, turmeric,cumin and coriander for the marinade along with avocado salad (lettuce in garden is over running us).

Tonight is going to be soft tacos, refried beans and more lettuce.

have a great day, got to go finish scrubbing the kitchen cabinet doors.

away from internet

due to going to my son's while he is out of state I won't have access to internet.

Not only is he depriving me(LOL) of internet since he took his laptop and I can't connect to his provider...I am cleaning his new apt, packing his old apt, moving him, unpacking him and cleaning his old apt all while he is gone.

do you know how tempting makes it to hide things from him????

More to his fear, I will move things in, things that are his that his sister and I have stored for him for over 7 yrs. ...His fear is well founded !!!!!!!

I'll be back on the last weekend of the month.

take care and Blessed Be

Book Review You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be

You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be by Max Lucado

When I opened the package and took out this book, I thought…hummm, small and short, won’t be much here. I totally forgot that good things come in small packages and many times they are packed full. Full of the knowledge of the life God wants each and everyone of us to live.

Max Lucado lets you know that God has a plan that was tailor made just for you and you alone. He doesn’t just ask you “what is your gift” but offers the way of finding out what your gift is if you don’t already know. How many of us do know?

I will read this book several times over, knowing each time I will find another gift that will help me get back to being everything that God wants me to be.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review You Can Be Everything God Wants You to Be

You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be by Max Lucado

When I opened the package and took out this book, I thought…hummm, small and short, won’t be much here. I totally forgot that good things come in small packages and many times they are packed full. Full of the knowledge of the life God wants each and everyone of us to live.

Max Lucado lets you know that God has a plan that was tailor made just for you and you alone. He doesn’t just ask you “what is your gift” but offers the way of finding out what your gift is if you don’t already know. How many of us do know?

I will read this book several times over, knowing each time I will find another gift that will help me get back to being everything that God wants me to be.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Mothers Day

May your MOTHER'S DAY be BLESSED

wheither you had children or not, if the child is by blood or love

if you teach or preach

BLESSED BE

Plan B By Pete Wilson book reveiw

Plan B What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?
By Pete Wilson

If you are lost, drifting, or know for sure where you are going, this book is one you NEED to read. Pete Wilson is down to earth in relating every day reality with Christianity.

I felt as if I was sitting around drinking coffee with an old friend with no secrets between us. A friendship with no judgment, no criticism and total acceptance of all my strengths and flaws.

I’ve been off Plan A for years and know for sure I would have made better choices with my reactions and actions when Plan B came along if I would have had this book.
I am sure this book in on my list to buy for others for Christmas.

I just can't say enough about this book except for you to go buy it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Sunday..day of rest and prepping for the week

Sunday is the day I try to rest and prep some for the coming week.

Tomorrow I will be going to the grocery store with my youngest and two of her children.

So I have the menu planned for the next 11 days I am actually here.I have the grocery list for those meals and coupons to match.

I am winging the 15 meals I will put in the freezer for hubby while I am gone to babysit "grandkids" for my son while his is out of state for classes contected with work.Grandkids being his cats.I know most think a guy having cats is weird.It was the better choice for him since he wanted to come home to some thing since he wasn't coming home to some one.He works two jobs and many times is gone for 12-16 hrs a day 7 days a week on top of living in apartments. Dogs need interaction, dogs need outdoor time and he wasn't going to be there to do that.When he needs a doggy fix he comes home and visits his dog,Cookie, we have.

SOOOO I have a to do list for before I go and one for while I am there which includes me packing up his apartment,moving him to his new apartment and unpacking him and then cleaning the old apartment WHILE he is gone.

AND while doing that amongst my own work for myself. I am to fix meals for HIS freezer.The cats just aren't willing to start dinner for him (snicker)and he is tired of crock pot cooking for one even though he also packs his lunch from it. Fast food wore out quickly.He likes his vegetables and he likes variaty and he has a strict budget.

Tonight is chicken stirfry...uses up the veggies that need used up and is a good dish to make extra to freeze for hubby.

Have a great day

Blessed be

White bread

this is the recipe for the bread I made when the kids were growing up.

some notes to be added to it,

lukewarm is close to the temperature of the inside of your wrist.

it says shortening but in this house that can be anything from lard,bacon grease,butter or crisco(few and far between)

I've lowered the sugar to 1/4 cup or even switched it to splenda using their guidelines but I wouldn't go less than 1/4 cup.

flour...I use bread flour for a heavier loaf(filled the bottomless pits up better) to all-purpose flour (for hubby and me). I've also used less than 7 cups to make the dough and a few times more than 8. Flour depends on moisture in the air etc when it comes to amounts you will add.

figure 10 minutes for kneading and I have used a rolling pin to "beat" the dough instead of just kneading it.

you can freeze this dough when you get it to the point of putting it in the pan to raise. Just shove it in the freezer in loaves.When you are ready for it, thaw in greased loaf pan and let rise then bake as you would if it hadn't been frozen.


WHITE BREAD


½ CUP LUKEWARM (105-110 DEGREES) WATER

1 TABLESPOON OF YEAST (OR 1 PACKAGE)

1 TEASPOON OF SUGAR

2 CUPS OF LUKEWARM (105-110 DEGREES) WATER

½ TEASPOON SALT

1/3 CUP SUGAR

2 TABLESPOONS SHORTENING

7-8 CUPS OF FLOUR

IN A MEASURING CUP, DISSOLVE YEAST AND TEASPOON OF SUGAR INTO ½ CUP WATER, LET IT REST 5 MINUTES.

IN A LARGE CONTAINER, MIX THE 2 CUPS OF WATER WITH THE SALT, 1/3 CUP SUGAR AND SHORTENING.

ADD YEAST MIXTURE TO LARGE CONTAINER

GRADUALLY ADD FLOUR.

KNEAD UNTIL SMOOTH AND ELASTIC.

PLACE INTO GREASED BOWL (CONTAINER), COVER AND SET IN WARM PLACE (OUT OF DRAFTS) TO RISE UNTIL DOUBLE.

PUNCH DOWN AND FLIP OVER.

LET RISE AGAIN.

PUT IN 2 LARGE BREAD PANS OR 3 MEDIUM BREAD PANS THAT HAVE BEEN GREASED

LET RISE UNTIL DOUBLE AGAIN

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 MINUTES.

ME ME ME

It's Wednesday. This is the day I try to take time for myself...you know the woman...no not the wife, the mother, the daughter, the friend ,the employer, the employee or what ever...time for the woman, me, myself and I.

OF COURSE I still have to do the laundry, cook the dinner, do my work (which isn't making a dime at the moment)wheither or not the "woman" is screaming for chinese take out or dinner at a real Italian restuarant, a new pleasure romantic book she hasn't read fifty million times already, a manicure and pedicure that she isn't giving to herself, flowers, candles and old soft rock music. Just naming a few there.

I want to curl in bed with junk food, good movies and a good book( so much for that because I have to wear 2 different pairs of glasses to do that)

I want to soak in a BIG bathtub that doesn't have doors on the tub.

I want I want I want...

why does that remind me of a whiney child??? LOL

so instead since I will be at the computer for most of the day. I decided to use the laptop. I can move it around the house and at least sit in the sun and pretend it is warm out.

So do something for your self that will make you smile today...have a ME DAY

Blessed Be

taxes and food

Spring has sprung and right along with it the pollen. But still I can look at the blooms of flowers and know that with in a few weeks I will be planting containers of veggies

tax day will be here in a couple days.We had to file for an extension as a few pieces of important papers didn't get to us since we moved.I guess calling and telling them your new addy doesn't count as changing the address.

SO in that process knowing that we are going to be owing big time for the first time ever(I am not worried since pop already had to go this route and can hold our hands) and add on top of it other debts from our medical proceedures required by our ins but not paid in full for ( I think if it's required it should be pd for in full and not by my health fund) and back debt on the house we lost in foreclosure.Sore subject and not one I am getting into today.

money is going to be very tight.We don't qualify for bankruptcy under the new rules in OH and I am not really wanting to do a chapter 13 slow pay BUT I have pulled their figures for the budget they put you on to live on for the Ch 13.

I plan on Hubby working 40 hrs, he would be one of the last to be laid off if the plant shut down and he has a month's worth of vacation we can use for cash instead of time off if needed.BUt I am not working. Between clients moving, economy and my heart failure, work is pretty much not there.

Some areas we are doing great in, others I just wonder where the figures came from and then others I wonder where in the world I went to.

IN the kitchen I can cut costs so that is where I went to.Hubby watches Food Network, wants to try a recipe, I go for it.After all I am a Personal Chef. I think of some ingredients I want to mix up with some different spices, I go for it.After all I am a Personal Chef.That would be excusable but the reason I took the course thru USPCA to be a Personal Chef was to justify the spice and conditments in my pantry to begin with.

A few weeks ago I inventoried all the freezers( got rid of one deep freezer) and condensed down any thing that there was two of in the refrigerators( we have 2 and the landlord has one).When I get back to the house( I am out of state for 3 wks) I will inventory the pantry.I plan to use everything up and start fresh with the new harvest that will be coming in this summer.

The GOvt allownece for food in a ch 13 of our area is $537.00/month for 2

that is $17.70 /day for 2

breaks down to $8.85/ day for 1

breaks down to $2.95/meal for 1

It's going to be an interesting couple of yrs in my kitchen.

go out and enjoy the weather,

Blessed Be

A CENTURY TURNS

A CENTURY TURNS New Hopes, New Fears by Dr. William J. Bennett

In A CENTURY TURNS Dr.William Bennett, using his skills as an author, historian and educator has given a breath of life to the shaping history of 1988 with George H.W. Bush to 2008 to the election of Barack Obama. A CENTURY TURNS shows just how far we have traveled in the last 20 yrs.

Where and who we are stands on where and who we were and it gives us the bases of where we go and who we become. History is that bases BUT most times it is as dry as dust and boring to those of us that aren’t historians and history teachers like my own brother. Stating that, A CENTURY TURNS is a breath of life in history. Dr. Bennett’s personal thoughts, feelings and memories combined with the facts of the times were a joy to read.

I wished I had A CENTURY TURNS available when I was in school and again when I was home schooling my own children. I’ll be buying a copy for my brother for his birthday.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

rain on the way and today's meals

Rain is coming YEAHHHHHH.It will knock down some of the pollen and I won't have to shower and change clothes every time I've been outside for any length of time.I actually had a green cast to my hair yesterday from the pollen...yuck.

today for lunch I am having homemade beef and vegetable soup that I brought with me along with a ham sandwich. Tonight though I will be cooking chicken breasts,whole grain medley and asparagus. Not sure what spices I will use on the chicken since I have a really good selection on my herbs and spices with me.What ever it will be throwed in an electric skillet to cook.I have enough chicken to make 2-3 meals total. I'll marinate some of them with Italian salad dressing and cook them in the crock pot tomorrow. If any isn't eaten then they will go into wraps. pitas or on salads.

Have a blessed day, stay safe

Blessed be

and time flies

when you over load yourself ( or the boss does) with things that have a deadline.

At the moment I can take a breath...maybe two...oops overload is right there again.

Sitting in GA in a motel room, looking at my nice red car that appears green now that it is covered with pollen...YUCK

I am looking at attending 2 wedding receptions, 2 baby showers and 1 wedding anniversary with talk of an engagement party with in the next 3 wks right along with my deadline for the revision of my fiction book and my reveiw that is due for another book.

Dinner still must be served as none of us is rich nor do we prefer eating out anyways.

SO tonight is smoked sausage. kraut and leftover mashed potatoes I brought with me. Canteloupe for dessert, maybe some cheese and crackers for an appetizer, depends on how hungry we are.Simple, quick and not drive thru food.

Take a break and take a breath( try to avoid the pollen )

Blessed be