Zoo Talk

To makeup or not to makeup

2011-11-28T07:52:00.001-06:00

Every so often I try using makeup. Not much, but I figure a little will help improve my "face value". Maybe it doesn't. I really need eyelash growth products since my own eyelashes are so short and sparse. Mascara doesn't have anything to stick to!

A number of years ago, Danny and I were heading into town. We stopped to get gas in the vehicle and I commented that as long as we were stopped, I'd go ahead and put on some makeup. While he was filling up and going inside to pay, I fixed my face. He got back in the vehicle and said, "I thought you were going to put some makeup on?"

"I did."

Ok, so my face is fairly featureless even with makeup. I get it! lol

Technorati Tags: cosmetics,makeup

Thanksgiving update

2011-11-28T07:39:00.001-06:00

I spent a few days last week at Mom's. I was able to stay Monday through Thursday, but had to leave Thursday afternoon since I was scheduled to work early Friday morning. It would have been great to stay longer, though, and I always hate to leave.

We did have some storms and rain while I was there. This seems to be the time of the year for that here in Arkansas. Next, we are supposed to possibly get sleet tonight. I do not like that prediction.

Thanksgiving Day turned out to be a beautiful day, though. Chilly, but no precipitation. Mom, even though she's not fully herself yet, did all the slicing and dicing in preparation for the big meal. We began earlier in the week getting things prepped and pre-cooked. On Thanksgiving Day, the turkey was cooked, along with dressing and a few other items. Then, it was a simple matter to reheat pre-cooked foods, put some olives, pickles, and rolls on the table, and sit down to a delicious feast.

We preceded the feast by giving thanks to God for His many blessings in our lives. We do have much to be thankful for, not the least of which is the improvements Mom has shown after giving us such a scare a few weeks ago.

Technorati Tags: Thanksgiving

Two day update

2011-11-14T18:27:00.001-06:00

I've had two days off and they've been moderately productive.

Yesterday, I pulled all the butter bean plants and got the beans off them. A lot were dry, which is just fine. Others were still green so I'll fix them for the freezer. Pulled the last few purple hull peas, too, which were all dry.

We went around to the spots in the gardens where I could remember planting sweet potatoes. Got a few of those. I'm sure I missed some. The best ones came from the raised bed and the big planter pots I have, so that's something to remember for next year. What we got were nice big ones, though, so I was pleased about that. It was probably only about 5 pounds of them but I didn't plant very many. They were from sweet potatoes that were sprouting in the bin, so basically were free.

I boiled up 3 dozen quail eggs and put them in pickling solution. The mix has minced garlic, minced onion, vinegar, peppercorns, dill, crushed red pepper, and salt in vinegar. I put them into three half-pint jars and stored them in the fridge. We tried them tonight and they were really tasty! So tasty, in fact, that I just boiled another 77 of them to pickle. I'll process them so they'll be shelf safe. They are sitting in plain vinegar right now to dissolve the shells. That takes about 12 hours, so I'll deal with them tomorrow when I get home from work. It's a pain shelling quail eggs. lol.

I boiled up a dozen hen eggs to pickle, too. I selected the smallest ones. They'll still take more than 24 hours to be good, though. The quail eggs only take 24 hours and they are ready to eat. I've been able to sell hen eggs, but we are now getting 11 to 12 a day, so I need to not only sell them but find other good uses for them.

Today, I was walking around outside and found regular potato plants sprouted up, so we dug those. Must have been some we missed in July. There were about 2 pounds of nice size red skin potatoes, which is enough for a meal.

We took care of the animals early because I was afraid it would storm this afternoon. So far, not even a sprinkle. But it's been pretty cloudy all day and windy, so it could still roll in here. Because it could come severe storms, I have the generator set up and ready to run in case the power goes out.

Now I'm about to put ingredients in the bread machines so we can have bread. White bread tonight, then molasses raisin bread tomorrow.

Technorati Tags: gardening,quails,chickens,eggs

Scrub fashion

2011-11-14T10:58:00.001-06:00

Having a daughter who works in the health care field, I see her a lot in some really nice looking and comfortable looking outfits. Sometimes I even think they might be nice for lounging around the house.

I bet that a lot of men would like them, too, instead of always just wearing pajama bottoms. They could check out http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Men/ and note the discounted prices and wide variety of colors and styles. There's bound to be something there that would please just about anyone. Scrubs don't come in just that awful green anymore. They come in every color of the rainbow, plus a variety of pant styles such as boot cut or low rise.

I've even thought about getting a few sets for myself to wear around the house for extra comfort. The fabric is wrinkle free and there are some really pretty colors and patterns, besides being discount uniform scrubs, which is a money saver.

Do any of you wear scrubs for work or for relaxation?

Technorati Tags: shopping

Bracing for storms again

2011-11-14T10:48:00.001-06:00

I guess the weather can't decide if it's spring, summer, fall, or winter right now. We have had some very cold nights with frost, and chilly days. Then again, we've had some warm, stormy days as well. Today is a warm day and we may be getting storms tonight.

The generator is set up so that all that needs to be done if the power goes out is crank it up and plug in a heavy duty extension cord. I can power a light, my laptop, and my wireless modem with that, with plenty of watts left over if I wanted to run something else.

Son drove a ground rod into the soil this afternoon for added safety, so the ground wire is hooked up now. We have a large piece of roofing tin over the top of the generator and it's sitting on the base of an old gas grill. It fit on that perfectly. The base has wheels in case we need to move it, but I think it's really in its permanent location now.

I have a power strip inside so all I really need to do if we lose power is unplug it from the wall and plug it into the cord that goes to the generator.

We took care of all the animals early this morning so we wouldn't have to worry about that when it's storming. They are all well fed and watered, and settled in just in case it gets real bad.

Technorati Tags: weather

Preparing for storms

2011-11-07T20:25:00.001-06:00

Batten down the hatches. It looks like we're in for a couple of days of storms, beginning Tuesday. Yes, it's really November but this is Arkansas, so the season of the year means nothing at all when it comes to severe storms or even tornadoes.

I think I have the birds and bunnies set up ok. We have attached heavy, clear plastic to the quail cages to protect them from blowing rain and cold wind. The chicken house does a pretty good job of keeping the hens dry already, though the end door should also be covered with plastic to keep cold winds from blowing through.

The bunnies have boards surrounding their hutches already, and good roofs over their heads. They should be just fine. Rabbits lend themselves to cold weather more readily than some other animals, so just providing a dry place with some weather protection is just about all they need.

I'll be picking up a bale of hay Tuesday to help finish off the quail, chicken, and rabbit nesting needs.

Technorati Tags: rabbits,chickens,quails

Time to think about Christmas

2011-11-07T04:29:00.001-06:00

Here it is, already November and I haven't even started to think about Christmas. I know, we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but I've already heard so many people say they've finished their shopping already, or at least have begun it.

Some have already ordered holiday photo cards. I usually receive one or two of them around Christmas from acquaintances. It's fun to look at them, especially if I haven't seen the folks for awhile. I am always amazed at how children have grown, aren't you?

Ah, well. For now, I guess I'll just go to bed and sleep on it for a few hours. Maybe when I get up, I write out a list of Christmas plans which will include making chai tea mix, hot chocolate mix, breads, and other treats to use as gifts.

Technorati Tags: Christmas,gift

Long Sunday

2011-11-07T04:23:00.001-06:00

Sunday was a really long day for me. I worked from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Then, I went back tonight at closing time to address some issues on our computer system. I was there another 3 hours fixing those problems so it could be business as usual once again.

Yes, now it's very late. Yes, I'm really tired. No, I can't seem to get to sleep.

Why is it that when I am most tired, I can't make my eyes close long enough to rest?

Technorati Tags: work

Direct deposit sucks

2011-11-05T08:48:00.001-05:00

Rant Alert!

I am an unhappy worker today. I signed up for Direct Deposit for my paycheck (it was either that or a debit card from a major bank which I don't use) and now I won't get paid until Monday. I was supposed to be paid today.

Last payday, it rolled in around midnight so the money was in my account very early. Now, they are saying because it's the weekend, it won't go through for two more days. Sorry, folks. I don't buy it.

Electronic transfers of funds can go through any time of the day or night, on weekends, on holidays...it doesn't matter what day it is. I've transferred funds from one bank account to another one, paid bills, sent money every day of the week and it goes through immediately. It is drafted from my account and shows up where ever I sent it right away.

We live in an age of rapid technology, but apparently some banks are still in the stone age. Because I can't get my pay till Monday, I am at a standstill. Yes, I have plenty of groceries and other bills aren't due until later in the month. But, I can't pay my rent (he waits additional days already because I get paid on the 5th), I can't put gas in my truck, and I can't stop anywhere to pick up a few needful items at the store. As of this moment, I have less than 1/4 tank of gas. Read that as hovering between 1/8 and empty. I can probably scrape of $5 in change to get gas to make it to work today, but that won't happen tomorrow.

Others are in my predicament, and maybe worse. Some have autodraft bills coming out of their accounts today. They will incur overdraft fees because the payroll didn't deposit in their accounts. Others have kids and need to buy groceries to feed them. And, like me, they need gas in their vehicles.

I have plenty of food, so no problem there. I just don't know how I'm supposed to get to work and back on fumes!

Rant Over.

Technorati Tags: paycheck,direct deposit

Really?

2011-11-03T20:17:00.001-05:00

The cash register receipt printers at work have been producing receipts that are more and more faded. It's getting harder to really tell what people's orders are.

One of the crew people suggested that maybe they needed to be refilled with ink. I don't think so.

The are thermal printers!

Of course, that's not much different than the time my nephew was sent to fetch some liquid paper from my Mom. He made his request, then added that he didn't know how many sheets to get!

Technorati Tags: printer

Mom is in the hospital

2011-10-26T23:15:00.002-05:00

Mom has been in the hospital since Monday night. Sis called me Tuesday morning early. The first time she tried I didn't hear it ring. Then someone where I work called me a little later and gave me a message from her.

Of course, I called her right back and learned that Mom had been taken by ambulance due to unexplained bleeding. She fell a couple of weeks ago and has been having a lot of back pain since then. Apparently, she took way too many ibuprofen and naproxin sodium...or maybe even combined them. This led to an already-present ulcer bleeding profusely.

She required 2 units of blood during the day Tuesday. She was also on an IV drip for fluids. She was taken for tests late in the afternoon and that's when they discovered the large ulcer. They also discovered that she had a compression fracture in her spine which is what is causing her so much pain.

Today, Wednesday, she seemed to be a little better. She ate about half of each meal she was given and she's been drinking tea and water, but she's still very very weak and needs a lot of help just to get to a sitting position on the side of the bed.

They seem to have everything as under control as they can right now. She will probably need a home health nurse in the weeks to come. The doctor hasn't said exactly what's going to be done about the fracture because she wanted to get the bleeding stopped first.

I took off work a few days again to be able to visit her as much as possible while she's in the hospital. If she comes home tomorrow, I may need to head back home tomorrow night so I can at least work the weekend.

I just really hate to leave at all. This has worried me beyond imagination.

Technorati Tags: Mom,mother,hospital

Trying to find a toddler-proof Halloween costume

2011-10-26T22:59:00.001-05:00

Guest post written by Ruth Piper

I'm learning the hard way that it's hard to raise a toddler without him completely destroying your house. That's just kind of how it is, though. So now that I'm thinking that instead of buying him a Halloween costume, I would be better of actually just making him a costume that I know isn't going to be destroyed 10 minutes after I put it on him. He wants to be a superhero. So I thought that might be an easy thing to create on my home in comparison to other types of Halloween costumes.

I used my Orlando wireless internet to look up some ideas about what other people have done to make their sons super hero outfits. I did find a good amount of ideas and decided it wouldn't be so hard to pull of, after all.

I think it is the perfect toddler Halloween costume. I already made him a cape and I bought some leggings that he's going to wear underneath a pair of his swimming trunks. He's already excited about the part of the costume that I've already put together. Plus, I'm saving so much money by making this costume instead of buying him that isn't nearly as impressive.

Technorati Tags: Halloween

Sick weather

2011-10-24T23:44:00.002-05:00

Such strange weather lately. First, it's cold enough at night to cause a frost. Then it's hot enough in the afternoon to make me want to run the air conditioner (which I refused to do anyway). One day, it's severe thunderstorms. Another day, the northern lights are showing just after sundown.

It's foggy. It's clear. There's pollen abounding, or the air is ok after a strong rain. Cold to hot. Hot to cold.

It's no wonder several people I work with are sick. One of the managers keeps on working even though I swear she has pneumonia. Her cough is so deep and coarse, and her voice is getting raspy. She has run a low fever, too, but most of her problem seems to be with her lungs. I feel so bad for her, but she feels she must work in order to keep her bills paid. I know that feeling.

I think that's why she can't seem to shake whatever this is. She just can't get enough rest.

Some others have kids who have a tummy bug. Thankfully, they aren't bringing their kids around work. I use enough hand sanitizer I could probably give people operations!

Technorati Tags: illness,weather

Internet shopping and shipping

2011-10-17T01:04:00.001-05:00

The news is out that a lot of small post offices are going to be closed soon. I'm sure it has to do with all the internet activity. After all, you can send e-cards to loved ones for every occasion. If your friend lives on the other side of the country, you can send your friend a gift using one of the many shipping options.

I have done my share of internet shopping. It's easy, convenient, and saves my time. Probably the only time I have used the USPS in recent years is to ship things out that I sold on eBay. Even so, there are other shipping options I can use.

I think that probably the small town where I live could be in danger of losing its Post Office, but the larger town about 20 minutes away has a large Federal Building that includes the Post Office, so it will probably be safe...for now.

Technorati Tags: shopping

Chicken payoff

2011-10-17T00:54:00.001-05:00

Having chickens is finally paying off. A few of them have started laying eggs. The quails have laid a few eggs, off and on, ever since we got them. However, it takes 4 or 5 quail eggs to equal one hen's egg. Yes, they're that small.

I figure the other hens will begin laying soon. Their combs are getting bigger and redder, which is a sign of maturity. Once they are all laying on a regular basis, I can begin sharing eggs with friends and family. This will also give me an opportunity to raise chicks that later will become dinners!

Technorati Tags: chickens

Visiting son and daughter-in-law

2011-10-14T09:42:00.001-05:00

Thursday, I went to visit my oldest son and his wife and kids for a bit. Youngest Granddaughter couldn't wait to tell me all about her visit to the Pumpkin Patch. She showed me the pumpkin she got, which was very small but perfectly shaped. She told me all about riding the bus for the very first time, seeing the pumpkins and corn stalks, and having a generally wonderful, fun time.

Then she led me around the family room pointing out every photograph her Mom had put up, and telling me the name of every person in them. She remembers a lot!

We gathered on the front porch to enjoy the nice weather and she got a rake and started raking leaves in the yard. I don't know that she intended to rake the entire yard, but she got a pretty good start on a pile of leaves that would be fun to jump in.

Grandson was napping, and when he woke up wasn't really in the mood to visit much, clinging to his mother first, then his father. I don't blame him. I don't want company as soon as I wake up either!

Technorati Tags: children,granddaughter,grandson

Preparing for the trip

2011-10-14T09:27:00.001-05:00

I'll get my laundry all done today so I'll have clothes to wear up to Mom's house, and outfits for the days I'm there. Tomorrow, I'll check the oil and transmission fluid levels in my truck to make sure it's all up to par. I don't have a subscription to a breakdown service, so it's really all up to me to make sure the old truck stays in good running order.

It's a 2000 model, so it's getting pretty old but I still like it a lot. I want to keep it as long as possible. I worked hard to pay for it. It wasn't new when I bought it about 3 years ago, so it needs some extra babying, I think.

I might decide next year to trade it in for an actual pickup truck, which could prove more useful. What I'm driving now is a Ford Explorer. However, with gardening, raising chickens, rabbits, and quails, it might be better to have a pickup truck for hauling feed, cages, animals, etc. That's a number of months away, though, and for now I'll just haul what I can in the Explorer.

I have actually hauled 6 bales of hay in it and I've hauled lumber and fence wire in it, so I guess it's not so bad.

Technorati Tags: truck repair,truck,driving

Upcoming visit to Mom

2011-10-14T08:59:00.001-05:00

I'll be heading to Mom's on Sunday morning. Sis and family are going on a vacation trip for a few days and Mom just isn't up to going this time. I'll stay with her while they are gone.

It's all good, though. I always enjoy being with Mom, and if I lived closer I could spend even more time with her. She has always taught me so much and she is the kind of Mother who loves completely.

I don't know yet how we'll spend our days while I'm there. I'm sure part of them will be spent watching her new TV. She was using an old analog one, but the colors and picture had gotten so bad on it, it was time for something new. I'll help her get her DVD player set up while I'm there, and we'll learn together how to use her new TV.

Technorati Tags: mother,mom,visit,travel

Local drilling

2011-10-11T14:21:00.001-05:00

There are more and more oil/gas rigs around here than ever before. It was believed that their fracking was causing earthquakes. Some have also suggested that the wells and the way they get to the fossil fuels might also play a part in ruining some folks' water sources, especially water wells in the area. There is controversy on both sides, and I personally have no real idea who's right.

So far, our water has been clean and sweet from our well, and I'm glad for that. I wonder, though, as the drillers get closer to us, if I will need a reverse osmosis water filter system in place in order to continue enjoying our well water? It's really something to think about. I don't want to tie into the community water system. Besides being expensive to do so, it means another bill every month for water that's full of chemicals that are supposed to purify it.

Technorati Tags: water,oil wells

What happened to fall?

2011-10-11T14:15:00.001-05:00

We started the season out with very cool temperatures, both day and night. Now, the overnight temperatures are in the 60s and the daytime highs are around 80. It's like summer is starting again.

I'm not really complaining, though. I like warmer weather and it's helped extend the growing season on my garden beds. I'm still picking beans and peas, so that's a big help. I even pulled a few carrots the other day. Those can stay in the ground all winter, so I'm not concerned about dealing with them for the freezer or canning them.

It looks like the few sweet potatoes I planted are making tubers. There won't be a lot of them, but after the vines die back, I'll dig them up and see what we've got.

Wild rabbits have taken a toll on some of my fall plantings, such as lettuce and spinach. I'm going to have to figure out some way to keep the critters out!

Technorati Tags: gardening,weather

Country lifestyle

2011-10-06T06:13:00.001-05:00

I'm "country" and I guess I always will be. I've lived in town some, but most of my adult life has been spent living in the country. I surround myself with gardens and farm animals. I like to forage for wild foods, though I don't have as much time for that as I used to because of working full-time.

Still, I wait for the day when I can be home all the time. That day isn't that far away! I'll be 60 on my next birthday.

There's a store in town that sells log and barnwood furniture furniture. I think the next time I'm in town, on a day off, I'm going to stop in there and just have a look around. I'm not really thinking of buying furniture, but that is the kind that really appeals to me. Who knows? Maybe in the future I'll change what I already have and get something from them.

In the meantime, I'll just keep what I've got and continue my country lifestyle.

Technorati Tags: shopping,country living

Changing seasons

2011-10-06T05:55:00.001-05:00

There is no doubt that fall has arrived around here. Nighttime temperatures are dipping into the 40s and daytime highs are in the 70s, for the most part. The leaves are changing colors. Roadside shrubbery is already a flaming red, while trees are changing from green to gold and orange and rust. The sun is traveling in a lower path in the sky.

The gardens are giving up the last of their fruits now. Some gave up weeks ago in the terrible heat wave we experienced.

We will still have some very warm days -- some even into the 80s -- before the full blast of colder autumn air really sets in.

While I enjoy the cooler temperatures to a point, the overnight temperatures make me very chilly. I bundle up in a blanket while I'm watching a movie on my TV. I really don't want to turn the heat on yet, since I just turned the air conditioning off a couple of weeks ago.

I picked up some plastic sheeting and caulk in order to do some winterization. Most of my windows still retain the plastic from last year (it helps keep the AC from running so much in the summer), but I need to replace it on a couple of the windows that I used for air circulation during the spring. I'll be getting some weather stripping and outlet insulators, as well, to block drafts.

I do dread the long, cold, gray winter.

Technorati Tags: weather,seasons,fall,winter

A little frustrated

2011-09-16T11:23:00.001-05:00

I really like my phone, for the most part. However, the screen on it is really scratched up and I don't think it's worth replacing it. The scratches make it harder for me to scroll through messages, contacts, etc. Also, from time to time, it doesn't "go to sleep", which means the battery runs down a lot faster.

I will keep it awhile longer, but maybe I should think about getting a 32gb ipod touch as a backup. It's not a phone, but it does have the ability to send and receive text messages. I can use it here at home, with my wireless internet, or in town where there is also wireless internet and wifi offered at various locations.

Son has an iPod and really enjoys it everywhere he goes. Can anyone give me any tips or opinions about them?

Technorati Tags: technology,phone,shopping

Cooler weather

2011-09-16T11:16:00.001-05:00

Brrrrr! Ok, so I am NOT a cold weather person. To many of you, this weather is glorious and isn't cold at all. But to me, I just sit wrapped up in an afghan and wish for summer to return.

I'm sure warm weather will come again before it settles into fall and winter temperatures. Those days will be very much welcomed by me, you can be sure. It's only 63 here now, and sprinkling, with a chance of more rain today. My thoughts drift toward hot chocolate, hot apple cider, or a steaming pot of chili when it starts cooling down.

I know, I'll get used to this temperature...just in time for it to drop even further! I don't want to start using the heaters just yet. It's not cold enough for that, of course. Layering clothes helps me stay warmer. Maybe it's just the thought of cooler weather that makes me feel cold.

Technorati Tags: weather

Trip to Mom's

2011-08-27T11:25:00.002-05:00

I took a little trip to visit my Mom, Sister, and Brother-in-law last weekend. I arrived there on Sunday evening, just around suppertime and stayed until Wednesday evening. I make this kind of trip once a month. My heart wants to go more often and for more days, but I have to work to pay bills which means many days away from them.

I always find rest and relaxation on the visits. I need that. My job is fairly stressful at times so I really need the down time.

While there, we went to an outdoor movie over at the college in their town. We saw "Secretariat", which is a very fine movie. I highly recommend it. The weather, though warm, wasn't unbearable. Sis provided snacks of home made trail mix and ice cold bottled water.

One night we played rounds of Skip-bo, Mom's favorite card game. It's a simple game but fun to play. Luck wasn't really with me as far as winning, but I don't even care. For me, it's more about the conversations around the table than the game itself.

Tuesday, Sis and Brother-in-law headed to another town for a visit with family members and shopping. Mom and I spent the day mostly working on a jigsaw puzzle, which we completed that evening. I enjoy the puzzles and it's something I do while there. I don't set one up at home because of lack of space but also because it's something I can look forward to while visiting them.

We did get a couple of strong storms while I was there. One woke everyone up in the wee hours of the morning with a loud clap of thunder. I'm guessing there was a lightning strike nearby, maybe in the patch of woods near Mom's house. The heavy rain was welcomed, though, as the state has been experiencing drought conditions through part of June and all of July.

When I got home, Son told me it stormed here, too. The soil is still quite damp, but that's ok. It's helping my little garden patches. The turnips, lettuce (two kinds), radishes, collards, spinach and cucumbers that I planted before I went to visit Mom are already sprouting. I planted the cukes in old hay bales and I think that's going to be a success for the fall. Beans and peas are blooming like crazy so soon I'll have those to pick. After having so much other garden stuff fry in the heat, it's good to see things growing well.

Technorati Tags: gardening,weather

Turn it back on!

2011-08-15T23:47:00.003-05:00

I suppose there is something to be said for not having internet service right now. I've been actually reading more...LOL. I read my latest issue of Mother Earth News from cover to cover, even the ads in the back. I'm digging out more of them to read in the same way.

Son, who plays xbox games online, hasn't been able to do that. Can you say "Yay"? Sorry, about that, all you folks who play them "live", but it seems like a bigger time waster than the social networking page I'm part of. Maybe not. Maybe it's just my own perception of what constitutes a waste of time. I suppose everyone needs a hobby.

Really, though, I'll be glad when they get the internet service fixed. I caught up with email and family news by going to town and getting on the wifi last night. But it would really be better if I didn't have to drive anywhere and use that expensive gas. My monthly internet bill is a lot lower than my gas bill to drive extra miles!

Technorati Tags: internet

Pleasant weather

2011-08-15T23:47:00.001-05:00

It's another lovely day here. Tolerable heat and some nice breezes make the day more comfortable. There is still a chance of rain this evening, but the fronts that have made their way through our fair state have done so much good. We've had a lot of rainfall. The last one over half filled a 2 gallon bucket that was sitting outside in the yard. I don't know how that translates in inches, since I don't have a rain gauge but it sure made my garden plots look better!

The storms did make a lot of leaves and small limbs hit the ground. I figure after all the heat and drought conditions, they were the result of weakened trees. I'll go outside in a day or two and pick it all up then toss the leaves into the compost bin and the limbs into the woods.

If it stays on the cooler side (90 degrees or so), I can get outside and finish up other projects, too, such as building a storage shed/feed room. Right now, I'm having to keep poultry and rabbit feed in the house to protect it from the elements.

I'm wanting to develop some rock-edged beds around the back of the house where there's a considerable slope. That means cutting down some scrub bushes and trees to open the area up more and hauling rocks, which we have plenty of, back there and stacking them. No way I want to do that when it's 100 degrees out!

My inspiration for that area comes from a house next to the river over near the town where the grape festival was held. Every time we've gone by that house, I've looked at their back yard where the people have put in terraced gardens, white picket fences, and yard ornaments on the slope leading to the river. It's a lovely place even though it's small and I can just imagine my back area looking something like that.

Technorati Tags: gardening,weather

Invitation quandary

2011-08-15T23:42:00.001-05:00

So, I was handed a baby shower invitation yesterday while I was at McDonald's using the wifi there. (My internet service is down after the big storm that hit Friday night.) Here's the deal: I don't accept invitations to anything from people who work there. I don't buy gifts for them. I thank them for the invitation, and decline.

Am I being a Scrooge? I don't think so. The way I see it, once I accept an invitation and buy a gift for someone, it starts something that's difficult to stop. It's not that I don't care. I just can't really afford gift-giving to everyone who works there nor do I want to commit time to showers, parties, etc. with people I am not close friends with or related to.

When possible, I go to family functions like weddings. That is, if I'm off work. It's harder for me to get a day off on short notice because our schedules are created for an entire month. That means I have to know well in advance which days I'll need off. But as far as functions for co-workers...I just don't go. The only difference in the most recent one is that the young lady just moved from another state and the people who work with here are practically the only people she knows.

What would you do in this situation?

Technorati Tags: party,invitation

Data storage

2011-08-15T23:41:00.001-05:00

My laptop is really getting some age on it. I think I've had it about 4 years now, which is way beyond the normal life span of these machines. Son is recommending that I look into online storage for all my data -- documents, pictures, etc. I'm still riding the fence on that. I'm not so sure I want all my data in "cloud storage". I'm not real sure how secure it is.

It might be better for me to purchase an external hard drive and document management software to store my data here, at home. I think I'd feel better about moving or copying it all from my laptop if I knew it couldn't be accessed by whatever corporation provide online storage.

I'd like to know your opinion or experience in this area.

Technorati Tags: laptop,data,software

Catching up on my homestead gardens

2011-08-13T22:45:00.001-05:00

Our weather lately has switched from viciously hot to quite pleasant but very rainy. We've had thunderstorms almost daily the past week. I'm not complaining. We desperately needed the rain and I'm very happy to see it come.

My gardens were practically fried from the heat and drought conditions. Even with frequent watering, there just wasn't any way to get away from the 100+ degree daily temperature highs, and lows in the upper 80s to mid 90s at night. It does look like I'll still have beans of several varieties and purple hull peas, though. The few sweet potatoes I planted seem to be thriving, so maybe we'll get a few meals from those. It'll be late summer or early fall before they are ready. I might even get a few ears of corn, though it is pretty stunted from the heat.

My poor tomatoes bit the dust early on in the heat, though. Next year, I'll be planning on some kind of shade for them. Squash and cucumbers were invaded by beetles that destroyed them. I don't like to use insecticides on foods we plan to eat, so I'll be shopping for diatomaceous earth (a natural, organic, and completely safe insect killer) for next year. It can also be fed to animals to get rid of worms or put on them to kill fleas, ticks, and mites.

It's about time to plant turnips, so I'll put them out where I had the potatoes planted. I'll work the dirt up a little and just broadcast them out there along with radishes and probably mustard for a mixed greens plot. Because I don't want them to be too crowded, I'll mix the seeds in with some sand and dirt, then toss that around.

I'll also clear a couple of the garden beds and put out fall radishes and lettuce. I have a lot of buttercrunch lettuce seeds and some black seeded simpson seeds, so I'll create three small salad beds. It's been our experience that we can pick lettuce, radishes, turnips, and carrots well into the winter months.

Technorati Tags: gardening,weather

Supplementing electricity

2011-08-10T22:43:00.001-05:00

A few months ago I ordered a couple of things that might help if/when our power goes out. One thing was a generator. Since it's not a huge one, it will at least keep the refrigerator running. Possibly, the freezer, too, but not a lot else. At least it doesn't use much gas -- it's rated to use about 1.5 gallons over an 11 hour period.

The other thing I got was a solar panel to charge two deep cycle batteries. I already have an inverter, so I could run the cord in the house and use it to keep my wireless modem and laptop running. What I'm lacking is a floor cord cover so that we aren't tripping over the cord. Since the weather has cooled down some, we should be able to construct the solar panel mount out in the front yard and finish that project up.

With the way the springs storms hit this year, I really want to be prepared if the power goes out for an extended period of time.

Technorati Tags: electricity,generator,solar panel

Rain and the window

2011-08-10T22:34:00.001-05:00

Rain!! Finally, we're getting some much needed rainfall! Along with the rain, of course, comes wind and lightning, but at least my thirsty gardens are perking up.

I watered them 3 or 4 times a week, but nothing replaces a natural rainfall to really help growing plants. The storms have also brought cooler weather to us, which the bunnies very much appreciate. I haven't needed to use the fan or ice bottles in their hutch for the last couple of days. They are also livelier and seem happy with the cooler temperatures.

The bad news: My driver side window stopped rolling up. It's stuck on "down", which means I've had to cover the window with a large piece of bubble wrap that came in a package I received a few months ago. It works, as long as the truck is parked. I take it out to drive, though, and the rain can still blow in on me. I'm hoping to get that fixed with my next payday money. Not sure what happened to it. It wasn't making a noise or being fussy about rolling up. (It's an electric window.) It just suddenly...quit.

This morning, my truck seat was quite wet because I'd forgotten to cover the window last night. Wouldn't you know it, we got a hard rain storm this morning, which meant even a towel on the seat didn't fully protect me from getting a wet derriere on the way to work.

Technorati Tags: weather,rain

Heat and net

2011-08-08T18:49:00.001-05:00

It seems like there just can't be any relief from the heat lately. This morning started out cool enough, and really very pleasant. By 11 AM, though, the heat was on and it just kept getting hotter.

I had a couple of errands to run, since I was off today, so I started out around 7:30 AM. By the time it was all over with, it was high noon and crazy hot out. I was wringing wet with sweat by the time I made it home.

We so desperately need cooler temperatures and rain. The rain we've gotten lately has just been a teaser, not soaking the ground well enough to eliminate the need for a burn ban nor perking the garden plants up enough to say they are doing well in the heat.

By the time you read this post, our internet will have returned. Yesterday (Sunday, the 7th) it went out. We thought it might have something to do with the heat, but also thought it would be fixed quickly. When I discovered this morning that the internet still wasn't working, I contacted our provider. After just a few minutes, they said there are actually 109 people without internet service in our area. They didn't have an ETA as to when it might be fixed.

So, now, I'm just typing into my Windows Live Writer program and will upload this later.

Technorati Tags: internet,weather

More about crafts

2011-08-08T08:13:00.001-05:00

I noticed that a lot of the craft vendors catered to bikers and truckers at the Grape Festival. I think that's mainly because there isn't much else going on in that area of the state. Fort Smith is less than 40 miles away and there's a sizeable truck stop at the exit where you get off to go to the festival.

Add to that the fact that this is in the more mountainous region of the state, where there are a lot of bikers living, and you can imagine the demand for both biker stuff and trucker stuff. I saw a lot of guys, and gals, in do-rags and leathers, walking around enjoying the festival. I also saw a lot of do-rags and leather items for sale, as well as items which might be useful in a truck. Neck coolers abounded.

Of course, there were also handmade jewelry booths, clothing booths, bread and jam booths, and other items of interest. I didn't buy anything, but it was interesting to look at these things.

Technorati Tags: Grape Festival

Grape festival

2011-08-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

I don't think I ever posted about going to the Grape Festival in the western part of our state. I was happy to be able to join Mom, Sis, and Brother-in-law for that little vacation trip. It was only for 3 days, but in the heat we've been experiencing, that was probably long enough.

We were a bit disappointed that there was no fireworks display this year, but it's understandable because almost the entire state is under a burn ban. Usually, the fireworks display is held on Friday night.

The actual festival, which went on all day Saturday, was fun, though. All kinds of vendors of crafts and foods were on hand. Bands took turns playing throughout the day. At one point, because it was so hot, I saw one of the female band members (an Oompah band) pour cold, bottled water over her head in an effort to cool down!

The wine tasting booths stayed busy, with their chilled wines and grape juices. I found one which was really refreshing. A new product called Moscato, which was crisp and sparkling. Just the thing for a hot day. It comes in a festive screen printed cobalt blue bottle, so it's just fun all the way around. I'll be looking for this one on my next excursion to the store where I buy wine.

Technorati Tags: grapes,grape festival,wine

School starting soon

2011-08-07T12:28:00.001-05:00

Around here, school starts on the 17th of this month. I think college classes begin on the 27th. This means we'll start getting busier at work in the early morning hours as people come by for a quick breakfast before taking their kids to school.

Where I work, the land joins the school property so that makes it really easy for people to swing through, then go straight to the school.

Of course, this also means football practice for both schools and colleges in the area, so we get business at odd times of the day. Namely, kids who've been at practice and walk over for some quick refreshment or to wait on parents to pick them up. Cars will be decorated with middle school, high school, and college flags, in support of their respective teams. Go, Team!

Occasionally, cheerleaders come by after practice, all decked out in their school colors and sometimes practicing cheers in our lobby!

Technorati Tags: school supplies,school,college

Gearing up

2011-07-22T00:27:00.001-05:00

The new school year is almost here again. I guess everyone will be doing lots of shopping, both in stores and online, to get the best back-to-school deals they can. Just today, while I was shopping at a local small discount store, I noticed aisles filled with backpacks, lunch boxes, and other items related to the upcoming school year.

With gas prices being what they are, I'm sure there will be a lot of folks who'll be using dropdowndeals coupon codes for online shopping. After all, saving money is hard enough unless you get a little boost like this. You might even turn into one of those "extreme couponers" I have read so much about lately.

I've used coupon codes in the past for online shopping, and I'm sure I will use them again. They help with reduced or free shipping, money off when X amount is spent, or percent or dollars off something you purchase. Every little bit helps!

Technorati Tags: shopping

Back with pictures

2011-07-21T23:44:00.002-05:00

I have not been very good at posting lately, but I'm going to try to do better. It seems like home projects and life in general, including the extremely hot weather, have just zapped my energy lately. Well, there's nothing I can do about the weather, and I do have to work to pay bills, but I miss blogging a lot.

Right now, I just want to share some pictures with you. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: blogging

Camping season

2011-04-03T18:12:00.001-05:00

Camping season is almost here, and I plan to do more of that this year. I need to pull some things together first, though.

I need a tent and a couple of air mattresses. I've got a couple of little propane stoves I can cook on, and plenty of pots, pans, and plastic silverware to take along. I need to get some paper plates, though, to save washing up dishes.

I might even get a bicycle and a thule bike rack to mount on my truck. Biking around a campground is good exercise and a way to meet new folks. Driving a vehicle all the time makes it hard to stop and chat with other campers.

Of course, I need to see that my fishing tackle is in good order and get my fishing license for this year. It goes out in about 6 weeks, so I've got a little time for that.

Are you looking forward to camping?

Technorati Tags: camping

Seed exchange

2011-04-03T18:11:00.001-05:00

I am really looking forward to the seed exchange next weekend. I've never been to one, so I asked by email what would be good to bring along. It was suggested that I get small coin envelopes. So, Monday I'll be shopping for those at a wholesale store in the town where Mom lives.

It's supposed to storm Monday, so I hope we get get down there and back before it hits. I really don't want to be on the roads in stormy weather, and I doubt Sis does either.

If I can't get the coin envelopes here, then I'll just check in Big Town at the office supply stores to see if they have them. Even though it's a seed exchange, I don't actually have seeds to exchange this year. They are looking for heirloom varieties. I hope to have some by next year, though.

Technorati Tags: gardening

Visiting Mom - Day 2

2011-04-03T18:08:00.001-05:00

Sunday was pretty quiet and laid back. Mom and I went outside Sunday morning and looked over the gardens. Mom had received a gift of hand painted stones from another great-niece and her children. They are so cute!

We had lunch of leftovers from Saturday's Shih Tzu birthday party, which were all still very tasty and filling.

Mom and I set up a jigsaw puzzle from a collection of them that Sis has in her closet. We worked on that for almost 2 hours, sorting the border pieces out, getting the border put together, and getting some of the picture pieces in place.

Later, we just vegged for awhile.

I related to them how my Dog had gotten hold of some cranberries out of our compost bucket. Now, Dog likes fruit and I do feed her some apples or cantaloupe from time to time. But cranberries, well, they just didn't agree with her. I read on the internet that dogs can actually have cranberries. Not my pup! She's not getting anymore of those! I wonder if I can Shop tasty hand-dipped berries for dogs online? Maybe with carob or or yogurt on them? I don't know. I think I'll just stick with apple slices and cantaloupe portions.

Technorati Tags: family,dogs,fruit

Visiting Mom - Day 1

2011-04-03T17:59:00.001-05:00

I thought at first that I wasn't gong to be able to have a visit with Mom this month. Son needed a way to work Monday and Tuesday, plus the extra gas I'd used had pretty well dipped into the money I had saved back for gas for the trip. However, Sis talked to Niece and I was able to ride up with Niece, her grandson, and my great-niece on my brother's side.

It meant not having my own vehicle while visiting, but that's perfectly OK. The main thing was to be able to see Mom for a few days.

I take 4 days off in the early part of each month to visit. I missed in February due to bad weather - icy roads were predicted. While the ice never materialized on what would have been my trip up here, it hit us pretty hard on the last two days planned so I wouldn't have been able to make it back home again.

We were late getting here because between working and getting Son back and forth to work, I was pretty well done-in. Nephew and his wife were up most of the day washing Mom's windows and doing other little chores that needed doing. Since it was after lunch before we got here, we didn't get to visit with them for long before they had to head back home.

We had a nice supper of fried chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans, and fresh tomatoes. Dessert was pineapple upside down cake. The cake was made to celebrate Sis' dog's birthday. She is 17 now!

Son got a job

2011-03-31T02:27:00.001-05:00

Well, Son got a job. The place where he bought his truck called him day before yesterday and he started yesterday. He's detailing cars and being a general "heyboy". You know, "Hey boy, come do this/that."

He worked 9 hours yesterday and by the time he was done, was really tired. Taking seats out of cars, scrubbing and shampooing carpets, and other cleaning duties can be pretty demanding. I'm betting he won't need any liponox to lose some weight with this job.

The bad thing is that the car place has his truck, holding it for him, until he gets his payments caught up. He'll work out what he's behind on, and they'll give him part of his pay for living from week to week. It shouldn't take long to get it all caught up so he can have his truck back, but in the meantime, I have to help him get back and forth to work.

He has to ride in with me, which is very early, wait till it's time to work, then drive my truck down there. (It's only about 2 miles from where I work.) Then, he comes to my workplace at noon for his lunch break, I take him back, and either hang out in town till he's done or come home for awhile.

Until he gets his truck back, this is going to cost me quite a bit of extra gas, it being ever more expensive all the time. Guess we'll tighten the belt and just deal with it. Not much else I can do.

Technorati Tags: work

Dreaming of a mowerless lawn

2011-03-31T01:53:00.001-05:00

I generally love to spend most of my time outside. Weather permitting, my days off are largely spent out in the yard, even if all it amounts to is me sitting on my front porch with my laptop.

While some people dream of a 5.1 home theatre system, I dream of a yard crowded with growing things, garden beds, flowers, herbs, and vegetables. I wish I could convert my whole yard into nothing but gardens and walkways.

Maybe, given time, I will finally be able to do just that. It's not something I can do in a day, but I can add projects as I go to create the kind of yard I really want -- one that doesn't require mowing!

Technorati Tags: gardening

Chilly spring weather

2011-03-31T01:44:00.001-05:00

Ok. So just where is spring? We got a hint of it last week, but this week it's been overcast, rainy, foggy, and downright chilly every day.

I know we'll turn the seasonal corner soon enough, but I can actually remember years past where we got a snowfall or a hard freeze before Spring finally had her way with the weather. Winter just doesn't seem to want to turn loose this year.

I keep a close eye on predicted temperatures in case I have to go cover any of the tender plants that are starting up in the gardens. Speaking of gardens, I'm only partly finished with working on them and setting them up. Why? Rainy weather has held me up, of course.

I suppose it will all come together eventually, won't it?

Technorati Tags: gardening,weather

Had Monday off

2011-03-29T10:46:00.001-05:00

I was able to get out and do a little gardening again yesterday, since it was sunny. I wanted to get outdoor things done before I had to put on the brakes for another few days of rain. Since I live on a hill and some of my stuff is planted in containers or raised beds, drainage isn't a problem here.

I got a lot of laundry washed and hung out, too. I think I use hanging clothes out as an excuse to be outside, but it works.

I haven't done a lot except work lately, and it seems to make me more tired these days. Part of it is the pollen in the air, making me sneeze and sniffle a lot. Part of it is just the fact that I'm on my feet for so many hours. My supervisor has begun reducing the number of days I work, which is the way I want it. Not as much money, but I have enough home time now and time for rest.

Technorati Tags: gardening,work

Gardening update

2011-03-16T18:42:00.001-05:00

Son and I spent a lot of time outside today, since it was so beautiful. I only just a few minutes ago turned my computer on!

We raked and trimmed and planted. We filled containers with the topsoil and potting soil that I had left, amending it all with compost and manure. There are still containers to fill and an area out front where I want to start a "lasagna garden", so I'll need to get more topsoil and potting soil. I have enough manure and compost already.

Today, I planted:

cabbage
broccoli
garlic
onions
radishes
beets
carrots

In the coming weeks I'll plant:

cucumbers
all kinds of tomatoes
all kinds of peppers
squash
corn
several kinds of beans
cantaloupe
watermelon

It's all going to be intensive gardening methods so I can get the most out of the space I have. I'll do some companion planting, which I started on today with a few items. I still need to get herbs and plant them to add dimension to all these organically grown veggies.

Technorati Tags: gardening

New dog, no name

2011-03-15T20:00:00.001-05:00

We have acquired another dog. This pup was found by Son, who witnessed some people dropping her off alongside the highway that runs near our house. He didn't get their license plate number to report this activity, but he did pick up the dog. She appears to be mostly beagle and has taken up with us very quickly. She has been running rabbits all over the place around here, but I'm concerned she'll get on the road and be run over.

Son tried tying her up, but she manages to slip the collar every time so we will probably have to invest in some kind of fencing to keep her contained. We'll also need to have her spayed, since puppies are something we just don't need to deal with.

Of course, if she were to have puppies, I suppose I could find some personalized baby gifts for dogs and see if that would entice folks to adopt them. Nah. I think we'll just get her fixed instead.

In the meantime, we need to figure out a good name for her besides "Here, Pup!"

Technorati Tags: dogs

Spring fever

2011-03-15T19:54:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted in a few days, I know. Mainly, I've just been working although Son and I did get outside a few days ago and mixed some soil for some of the garden containers. I'm collecting the 5 gallon oil jugs from work, cutting one side out, then binding them together with zip ties to create some containers for gardening.

By placing them side by side, then joining another group together and tying them all together, I have created, so far, a planting arrangement that's got 16 jugs in it. As I go along, I can create more of these and already have 7 or 8 more oil jugs ready to go. These are free and after the side is cut out of each one, it's just a matter of rinsing them out well.

If the weather would ever cooperate, I'd take a picture of the arrangement and share it with you. We've had a lot of rain, and some storms, the past couple of weeks which has prevented me from doing much outside. I have some seedlings that can be put out and covered with plastic to protect them, though. Broccoli, cabbage, and a few other cold weather plants can go out anytime now.

I stopped by a local small store and picked up 5 lb. of seed potatoes. Those need to go in the ground very soon if I expect to have potatoes by mid-summer. Other seedlings I have will need to wait for warmer weather, but by then I should have everything set up just the way I want it.

I'm off work tomorrow, and the sun is supposed to be shining, so maybe I can really get some gardening done then!

Technorati Tags: gardening

Days at Mom's

2011-03-08T13:38:00.001-06:00

I really had a good 4 days off, visiting my dear, sweet Mom. She had a birthday Friday, which we celebrated by going out to eat at her favorite restaurant in another town. She enjoyed the creamy macaroni and cheese, baked fish, fried okra, and slaw immensely. I like seeing her eat so well, and mac 'n cheese usually does the trick for her.

Before we went to eat, we visited a local deep-discount store. Sis found some movies for $3 each and Mom found hummingbird food and some stick-on borders for scrapbooking. I saw a few things that interested me, but not enough to actually purchase them. I was interested in the sunburst wall decorations and wind chimes the most, but they still seemed a bit pricey to be at that particular store.

Saturday, Niece and two of her grandchildren visited. They brought along party favors which were so much fun. They also visited a local museum and made children's crafts there. Both the grandkids had a ball, and so did Niece! She kept us in stitches the whole time at Sis' house, she's such a cut-up.

Saturday was also the yard sale for their local Extension Homemakers. Several of the vendors got rained out, I guess, because there were a few empty booths. It was also cold and windy that morning, which I'm sure kept not only vendors but shoppers away. We, however, brave souls that we are, went to the sale.

I'm glad we did. I found my favorite lavender goat milk soap, so I bought two bars. The lady who made it raises goats, so we had a fun conversation and she shared pictures of her "babies" with me. So cute! Mom has purchased this same lady's soap for me in the past and it's excellent.

I also found hand crocheted pot scrubbies for $1 each. I love them. They are gentle on Teflon, if you have it, but do a super job of scrubbing out even stuck on food in iron skillets or other pans. I bought two of them. I noticed that I wear one out in less than a year, so this is a good time to get enough to last till next yard sale time.

Sis found some paperback novels she is wanting to read. She's an avid reader. Mom found a package of cute notecards with flowered hearts on them. She loves making greeting cards and these will, I'm sure, be added to her stockpile of embellishments.

Other than a strong thunderstorm on Friday night, the weekend went very well and, as usual, I had to return home earlier than I ever want to, but as planned. I can never soak up enough Mom to last me till the next visit!

Technorati Tags: family,travel

Beautiful Wednesday

2011-03-02T15:23:00.001-06:00

It's been a lovely day today. I got outside and hung laundry to dry, which is a favorite activity of mine. I also roamed around the yard, checking out the garden beds and planning where to put new ones.

Now it's time to get ready for work. I close tonight. I'd much rather stay here and get some gardening done, though.

Tomorrow, I'll head to Mom's house, about 80 miles northeast of here. I'll be there for a nice 4 day visit, returning on Sunday for Son's birthday. Mom's birthday will be this week, too.

I'm really looking forward to the days there. I am able to relax a little more and not have to worry about work at all. During the visit, we'll eat out at a place Mom loves. I'll have my hair cut again. (It's time for that.) Sis said there's a big yard sale on Saturday, so I'm eager to see what's offered there.

Sunday evening, I'll take Son out for a birthday dinner. It will be his choice of restaurants, and I bet he chooses the Japanese one in Big Town. I could be wrong, but I know it's one of his favorite places because of the sushi. Now, sushi isn't something I enjoy at all, but it's not my birthday. They do have other delicious foods, though, such as the grilled salmon.

Technorati Tags: gardening,birthday

I hate can openers

2011-02-26T23:51:00.001-06:00

If I ever wanted to go on a quick weight loss diet, all I'd need is all canned goods and a can opener. I swear, I can not for the life of me get an electric can opener to work!

I've got an electric one now that will create a slit at the edge, then bog down. What good is a slit at the edge when you're trying to get canned peaches out? I have a manual one, as well, but it takes the strength of three big men to turn the handle, and even then it tends to slip.

So, this morning when I was wanting the peaches opened to make the cobbler, I enlisted Son's help. Even he couldn't get the can openers to work, which is unusual. So, how did he open them?

He used a lid lifter style opener. You know, the old kind with a pointy end that is really only meant to make a hole in the lid. He made holes all around the lids of the cans, creating a rather lethal looking saw-toothed pattern when the lids were removed.

Isn't there a can opener on the planet that actually does what it's designed to do??

Technorati Tags: can opener

Highlights of the family gathering - 2

2011-02-26T23:36:00.001-06:00

I'll start off by saying that after I got home, I napped -- a long time! In fact, I woke up at about 9 PM thinking it was time to get ready for work. Now, my sleep is messed up again.

Anyway, Nephew and Niece reported that there were 43 people in attendance. I knew there were a lot there, and that number includes all the babies and children that have come into the family in the past few years, plus friends. Even though a few were missing, it was a good crowd and a lot of fun.

Great-nephew announced he is engaged and will be married sometime in June. The date isn't set yet and they have a lot of plans to make, but it's coming. The girl he's marrying is very sweet and well-liked.

Nephew (host) and his wife and I talked about gardening and putting in fruit trees and grape vines. They have become quite the farmers since buying their land and house. They have some chickens and guineas to supplement their groceries with eggs now. I miss having chickens but I'm so glad they have them.

The highlight of the children's day was when Sis handed out bundles of colored pencils all around. They were excited to receive them and I'm sure none of them will even think about drawing on walls with them. (Removing tongue from cheek now.)

Sis took us all outside where she took pictures of the whole group. This is a tradition for us, and it's so interesting to go back through these big group shots to see how kids have grown and new family members have been added. I can't wait to see this shot.

Technorati Tags: family

Highlights of the family gathering - 1

2011-02-26T18:07:00.001-06:00

I had a wonderful time at the family gathering today. I don't know if anyone counted how many were there, but I can tell you, there were a lot! From Mom, the Matriarch of the family, down to the smallest baby still crawling and every age in between, there were family and significant others all through the house and spilling out into the front and back yards.

I got up pretty early so I could get the triple batch peach cobbler baked. I had intended on showering while it was in the oven, but I didn't want it to burn or boil over, so I kept a close eye on it until it was done. The batter-type crust was a beautiful golden brown and I was very tempted to give it a "quality check" before covering it and putting it in a box to take to Nephew's house. I resisted the temptation, though.

Son and I got there ahead of a few of the family members, but they soon began pouring in. Not many were missing. I'm so glad about that because there are some I rarely see during the rest of the year.

There was an abundance of food, as well, mostly supplied by my Sis. Barbecue pork, cole slaw, 11 bean soup, chicken noodle soup, potato soup, deli turkey and Havarti cheese for sandwiches, cup cakes (both white and chocolate) and icing, ice cream, and the peach cobbler. Others brought various beverages and there was plenty of piping hot coffee to be had.

I'm pretty sure that I won't need any sort of over the counter sleeping pills to fall asleep tonight. It's been a long, busy, but fun day and now I'm really beginning to wind down.

Technorati Tags: family

Almost goodnight

2011-02-25T22:42:00.001-06:00

It will be a busy day tomorrow, so I really should get to bed soon.

In the morning, I'll bake a peach cobbler type of pie. It's the kind with a sweet dough topping instead of a traditional pie crust. I'll be taking it to the family gathering tomorrow. These are best served quite fresh, so I didn't want to make it today and refrigerate it. It's still good overnight, but nothing quite beats it fairly fresh out of the oven.

While it's baking, I'll get a shower and get dressed. Temperatures are supposed to be pretty mild tomorrow afternoon, but I figure it'll still be chilly for most of the day, so I'll dress warmly. Son is coming along with me, so he'll need time to get ready, too, so we can be there before lunch time.

I've written the directions down how to get to Nephew's house. There are a lot of right and left turns involved so written directions help me stay on the right track.

Technorati Tags: family

Family gathering Saturday

2011-02-25T14:08:00.001-06:00

I'm looking forward to a family gathering tomorrow. It's one where we celebrate the birthdays of family members born in February, and there are several of them. Sis, brother-in-law, and Mom will be there along with lots of nieces and nephews, greatnieces and greatnephews, and assorted friends and acquaintances. My nephew and his wife are hosting the gathering.

They have a nice place and there's plenty of room outdoors for the children to run and play. The weather is supposed to be pretty nice, with temperatures around 64 in the afternoon and mostly sunny skies. I'm sure we'll be seated everywhere, including out on the large front porch.

I'm hoping the musically gifted family members will show up with instruments and play together for a while. That always adds a lot of fun to gatherings like this.

Of course, there will be lots of pictures taken. Just about everyone comes armed with a digital camera to functions like this, including myself! There will be photos of everyone, from babies to Grandma (Mom), the array of food set on glass tile counters, the outdoors as kids play, and the big family shot that Sis takes at every family gathering.

I'll share pictures at some point next week, when I get them all uploaded and edited. It will probably be early in the week because I love sharing these things as quickly as I can before the memory moments are lost.

Technorati Tags: family

Gardens and dogs

2011-02-25T13:50:00.001-06:00

Ok, what has happened to the weather? It was warming up pretty nicely and now it's only about 43 degrees. I thought it was supposed to be warmer than that today!

I know it will warm up eventually, though. I went ahead and planted two kinds of lettuce in one of my raised beds -- Black Seeded Simpson and Buttercrunch. Both do pretty well and I think they will germinate and grow just fine, as long as the neighbor's dogs stay out of the beds. I'm thinking I need to surround each raised bed with some low chicken wire to discourage them.

They were keeping them put up all the time, but now I've noticed they are more lax about it and the dogs are once again running loose, especially late at night. That's when they bark at everything that moves, and also when they dig stuff. I wish I could afford a fence all the way around the place to keep them out of my yard!

Always the optimist, though, I'll continue planting all I can, when I can. I hope I don't have to talk to the neighbors myself. Son-in-law already spoke to them about this matter, I think.

Technorati Tags: gardening

Dirty fingernails

2011-02-20T23:57:00.001-06:00

I get dirt under my fingernails...and I love every minute of it! Of course, it has to do with gardening. I'm sure you already figured that out. The fresh air is good for me, as is the exercise of digging in the dirt and hauling compost to the raised beds.

I'm way past ready for spring here. I've got cucumber seeds sprouting in my mini-greenhouse already. I just need to get out and fix a good place for them to grow when planting time comes. I've got several varieties of veggie seeds ordered and they should come in any day now. I'll put some of them in the mini-greenhouse to get an early start. Others can be sown directly into prepared beds later in the spring.

I'll be expanding my front yard gardens so that I can have a lot more produce this summer. I don't mind getting dirty and sweaty outside when I'm working toward something this worthwhile. Of course, I may have to learn how to get rid of blackheads with all the dirt and sweat I'll have on me, but I figure just scrubbing up with a good goat milk soap should do the trick.

Technorati Tags: gardening

Fun weekend

2011-02-20T23:23:00.001-06:00

I've had a pretty nice weekend. I had to work Saturday, but it was an early shift (not opening, though), so that gave me time to rest a little and get ready to go see my Nephew and his band play in a big town near the Capitol City.

They played until midnight, and when it was over, I came on home. They didn't have as large an audience as they'd hoped for, though. For one thing, there was a PBR rodeo going on at the Arena. Also, a large portion of the street where the pub is was closed to the public for a gala event featuring former President Bill Clinton. There were police and security everywhere at the entrance to the event. Between those two events, pub attendance was down and parking on the same street as the pub was nigh impossible. I had to park two blocks away.

Nephew walked me back to my vehicle, since by then all the police and security guards had left and the street was open again.

It's been awhile since I was able to see this band perform, and I'm really glad I went. Although, I'm not too keen on driving in that City, it wasn't so bad late in the evening when most businesses are closed for the day.

Funny: After I got off the Interstate and was on the access road, I was hastily directed to turn on a street I didn't really want to turn down. The guy with the flashlight was waving it wildly till I thought he might throw himself in front of my truck if I didn't heed his directions. About a block down, there was a young lady, also with a flashlight, motioning me into a parking lot. I rolled down my window and explained to her where I was heading. She chuckled, then gave me directions how to get back on the right street again. These folks were parking cars headed for the arena, which is NOT where I was going!

Technorati Tags: CloverBlue Band

Early garden beginnings

2011-02-18T19:12:00.001-06:00

Yes, gardening is in the air...at least, somewhat. I have some seeds started in a starting tray. Today, I picked up some onion sets and will get them in the ground, a few at a time, over the next few days.

I'll space them out so that every couple of weeks, I'm planting more so I should be able to have green onions, then maybe some bigger onions, over the course of time instead of all at once.

Soon, I'll be looking for herb plants. I've never had much luck growing herbs from seeds for some reason. Anyway, I'll replace all my mints, the sage, and anything else that was either mowed down last summer or that the neighbor's dogs dug up.

I want to get some lavender growing well so I can add it to my home made beauty products like creams and maybe even some soaps. Of course, I grow culinary herbs as well. Nothing is more delicious in home cooked food than home grown herbs.

Technorati Tags: gardening,herbs

More tremors

2011-02-18T18:44:00.001-06:00

Apparently, there was another earthquake at around 2 AM today. I didn't feel that one, but it was felt in town. My boss said it roused him out of a deep sleep and shook his house so hard he thought it might be destroyed. He grabbed his kids and headed for a strong doorway until the shaking stopped.

Geologists are calling these "swarms" because there are a lot of them but not one in particular is the main shock. This morning's early quake was listed at a 4.2 and those who felt it said it seemed to roll on for a time. They are always preceded by a sound like thunder, then the tremors.

A lady who works for us said it knocked some glassware off a shelf in her house and broke it. Those who live in mobile homes were truly afraid their homes would come off the block foundations.

I don't know what to make of all this. Our area has had earthquakes for many years, although they are usually too small to be felt. The more recent ones, however, are stronger and make everyone wonder if we are in for the "big one" soon.

Technorati Tags: earthquake

I feel the earth move...

2011-02-17T20:10:00.001-06:00

Ok...so I live in a part of the country that doesn't seem to be immune to anything anymore. We get tornadoes, ice storms, heavy snowfalls, floods, earthquakes -- it seems like there's always something exciting going on.

Just this morning, there was an earthquake a few minutes before we opened the store. At 4:50 AM, we heard a boom, sounding like thunder, and felt an earthquake that made the news. Apparently, there were several yesterday as well, but I didn't notice them. They happened while it was pretty busy. Others, though, did feel them and asked me if I'd heard the precursory boom followed by the tremor. No, I was otherwise occupied.

Even some of the out-of-state TV new stations are reporting on these earthquakes, so we're making news all over the place, although it really isn't the way we'd like.

If the earthquakes keep getting worse, folks are going to have to increase their home, RV, and 5th wheel insurance to cover earthquake damages! Or maybe, move to a location where we aren't in danger of being swallowed up by the earth.

Technorati Tags: earthquake,weather

Furniture thoughts

2011-02-15T22:03:00.001-06:00

I've had my wicker sofa about a year now and it's holding up very well. I like the fabric on the cushions but every so often I want to change things up just a little.

Since it's all loose cushions, I don't think it would be hard at all to make some slip covers from some kind of designer upholstery fabric. This might be something I'll be looking for on future shopping excursions. It might be nice to have a variety of slip covers to suit various seasons of the year.

In the meantime, though, I'll just enjoy its comfort and surprising durability.

Technorati Tags: furniture

Gardening fever

2011-02-15T19:31:00.001-06:00

It's been a lovely day here. Slightly overcast, but still warm. I was able to open my front door and let the fresh air flow in for quite awhile this afternoon.

Son and I decided to go get something to eat in Big Town. While there, I visited the large home improvement store and picked up a grow light and a couple of seed starter trays. These trays have the clear, dome lid and 72 peat pellets each to start seeds in. I have some cucumber and squash seeds, so I got those in the pots a bit ago.

I ordered a few varieties of heirloom tomatoes and an assortment of vegetable seeds from eBay sellers. When those come in, I'll put more things in the seed starters. As you can tell, I really want to have a wonderful garden this year, like the ones I've had in the past. I enjoy outdoor gardening and the warmer weather certainly gets the gardening juices flowing!

Technorati Tags: gardening

Dogs again

2011-02-13T10:43:00.001-06:00

The neighbors were doing well at keeping their dogs put up...for about two weeks, anyway. Now, they are letting the dogs run loose at night which means they are back over here, barking at all hours at Lord-knows-what. One of the dogs was actually barking at the snow falling, the other day!

Being let loose at night means they will be over in my yard and garden beds, digging again. I'm thinking I have only two choices -- put up fences or ask the neighbors if they've made funeral arrangements for the offending dogs.

I'm really not trying to be a cranky old lady, but it does wear the patience thin to listen to loud, barking dogs when I'm trying to sleep and to find holes dug in the yard (plus "land mines"). In a few weeks, when I'm really getting things in the ground, growing, I'm going to be very upset if they dig up all my hard work.

Technorati Tags: dogs,gardening

Last big snow I'm hoping

2011-02-11T12:43:00.002-06:00

So, we got hit by a pretty tough snowstorm a couple days ago. It dumped 8 inches of snow on us and surrounding counties, while piling about 24 inches of snow in the northwest corner of the state. Roads have been snow and ice covered since Wednesday, but should clear a lot today since the predicted temperature is to be about 40 F.

I've stayed inside except for brief periods of taking Dog out for a walk and snapping some digital shots along the way, as you see below.

Technorati Tags: weather,snow

Cutie dog

2011-02-07T11:41:00.001-06:00

I have such a cute dog. Ok, everyone thinks their dog is cute, right? But really, how can you not fall in love with a little dog that looks like an Ewok from Star Wars? All she needs is a brown hoodie and she's all set to play in the next George Lucas episode!

She's no spring chicken, though. Even though at times she still acts like a puppy, she sleeps a lot more. This year, she didn't even want to play in the snow as much as she did in years past. I guess she feels the cold more, because when she goes out, she's quite ready to come back in quickly.

We don't have carpet in the house (she's like a hair grenade and carpet would just collect it too much), so she lays on a couple of old sheets I've folded up for her, right in front of the sofa. I looked at pet beds for her, but in the past she never wanted to use one. I wound up throwing the last one away. But, she's perfectly content to snooze on the folded sheets. They help insulate her from the chilly floor so she never shivers.

Technorati Tags: dog,pets

NO MORE ICE, PLEASE!

2011-02-07T11:29:00.001-06:00

I really can't remember having so much winter weather, for such a long period of time, as we have had lately. We've had week after week of snow, extremely cold temperatures, and ice since the last part of January. Now, we are expecting even more snow and ice.

The first snowfall made the road out to my house very dangerous, which meant I lost a day's pay because I couldn't get to work. Then it warmed to spring-like temperatures for a few days, giving me hope of an early spring. That hope was soon dashed, though, as February brought front after front through our fair state. One front looked exactly like a hurricane on the radar. It was swirling around instead of passing through, drawing cold air from the north and moisture from the gulf which dumped ice and snow on us. Again, the road to my house became dangerous.

I spent some time wrestling with the decision to go to Mom's for my monthly 4-day visit, and opted against it considering the weather moving in. Saturday, as I headed to work, I was diverted to another route because one of the oil rig trucks had rolled over on the hill I have to go up on my way into town. It still had ice on it (that part of the road is always shaded and doesn't melt very quickly), so being rerouted was probably for the best. The back road was just slushy.

I am SO ready for spring!

Technorati Tags: winter,weather

Drive-thru etiquette

2011-02-03T09:27:00.001-06:00

Working in fast food, I've discovered that a lot people don't have a clear understanding of good drive-thru etiquette. So, here are The Ten Commandments of Drive-Thru:

Have your money ready when you get to the pay window. You ordered food, so surely you realize you have to pay for it.
Don't argue with the order taker about prices. She/he has no control over that. Neither do the managers. Prices come from higher up in the corporation.
Don't try to cut a deal. If it says "two for $X" that's what it is, and buying one doesn't make it half price. Also, if it's a certain sandwich that's on sale, don't try to add/subtract ingredients until you have another kind of sandwich. The on-sale sandwich comes as it is.
Don't stop between the pay window and the food window to sort through your purse, or arrange your trash to accommodate the food you just purchased.
Don't sit at the pay window or food window and chat with the person there about all manner of things. *There are other customers behind you who would like to get their food and go.
Don't sit at the food window and start handing sandwiches and beverages out to everyone in the car. Pull forward to do that. (*See #5)
Don't sit at the food window and sort through your food, opening every box and wrap, to make sure it's made right. Pull forward to do that. (*See #5)
If asked to pull forward because all of your food isn't yet prepared, just do it. Getting hostile and refusing to pull up won't make your food cook faster, and you will get your food as soon as humanly possible. (*See #5)
Don't throw wrongly made food at anyone working in the restaurant. Don't call people names. Don't curse. This is childish. Just ask for a replacement or refund.
If it's frigid temperatures outside, be mindful of the fact that at either window, the crew person is getting hit full in the face with cold air. If it's raining out, turn off your wipers to keep from throwing cold rain on the person who's trying to receive your money or hand you your food.

Certainly, there are rare occasions when the person in drive-thru isn't doing their job. If that's so, tell a manager and let him/her address the problem. Food mistakes are just that -- mistakes. Allow the restaurant to correct them. Mere humans are doing the work.

Thank you.

Technorati Tags: fast food,restaurant

Gardening plans

2011-02-02T11:51:00.002-06:00

I am going to start pulling some gardening things together, I think. First of all, I'm going to see what I have on hand that I can start seeds indoors with. I know I have some small pots and a couple of seedling trays out back. I just need to get some peat pellets and more small pots, I think.

Next, I'm going to see about setting up some grow lights in the house, near the back door. I don't use that door at this time of the year and there's already a card table set up there for other purposes, so it's a good, out of the way location for a grow setup. Just need to run a cord to it or maybe get battery operated lights to set up there.

Then, I need to set up a cold frame outside so I can harden-off the seedlings before I plant them.

Really cold days like today are the best time to think about gardening, I believe. It gives me something to look forward to when the weather is better, which is the best rehab for me when it comes to overcoming cabin fever!

As soon as possible, I'll see about getting a load of dirty sand hauled in here and use that as part of my gardening mix. I'll put my own compost in it along with raked up leaves and maybe some manure from a local farmer. This should be an excellent growing medium -- rich and loose. I still need to set up more beds around the yard since about all I do anymore is raised bed gardening and intensive gardening.

Technorati Tags: gardening

Boo on winter weather

2011-02-02T10:50:00.001-06:00

I'm sick of winter weather! We just had a bit of a snow event (nothing sticking, thank goodness), but the bitterly cold temperatures are really getting to me. I'm staying warm enough inside but I do have to go out from time to time to walk the dog or go to work. That's when I really get miserable.

From what the National Weather Service says, we are in for more wintry precipitation over the weekend and into next week. Ugh!

I suppose I should count my blessings, though. The mid-west has experienced the worst snow and ice in decades. Thousands are without power. Motorists have been stranded. It's just awful and I really feel bad for them all.

Still, I'm so very ready for spring. Last week we had temperatures even up to 74 degrees. Talk about giving me the gardening bug! I was busy online, looking at seed sites and planting imaginary gardens all over the place.

Technorati Tags: winter,weather,gardening

On the downhill side of winter

2011-01-24T13:11:00.001-06:00

We've had quite a bit of winter here lately. No, I don't like it one bit!

We had a heavy snow and ice event on Sis' birthday. Then, the next week, had another winter event on my birthday. Happy Birthday to us, huh? At least the second one didn't involve icy highways and me missing work. It passed through pretty rapidly, leaving mostly wet stuff behind.

This week is promising to be more seasonal for us, though, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. That's more like it! I'm a southern girl and I like southern weather!

Now my thoughts have turned to seed catalogs and gardening. I'm hoping to get some things started indoors, which means getting a couple of grow lights and fixing them up so that my seed flats will thrive under them. I really want to do more gardening this summer. That is, if I can keep those dang dogs from next door out of my yard.

Technorati Tags: weather,gardening

Portable connectivity

2011-01-14T13:35:00.001-06:00

Enter the world of ipods. It seems like everybody has one now, and they do all kinds of things with them. Son has one that he can use to even send text messages to my phone. He doesn't have a cell phone right now, but that's the next best thing. He just uses our wifi connection.

The folks I know who have them are pretty keen on them. I don't have one yet, and I'm not sure if I ever will. But, who knows? It could happen at some point. I might be able to do a lot more, in a lot more locations, with an ipod than just depending on my cell phone and my laptop.

It's an interesting thought, anyway, isn't it? Do you have one? How do you like it? What do you use it for?

Technorati Tags: ipod,technology

Took a fall

2011-01-14T13:14:00.001-06:00

I fell at work last week. I came out of the walk-in cooler, hit a wet spot in the floor, and down I went! Thankfully, only me ego was bruised. It could have been a lot worse.

I was walking around funny the next day. I really got stiff and sore after falling. After all, I'm no spring chicken. I worried a bit that I might have done damage to an already bad disk in my back, but apparently I didn't, thank goodness. I'd really hate to think I needed to try and get SSDI right now, so I try to take care of myself every way I can. I need a real income for awhile longer!

Technorati Tags: health

January 2011 snow pictures

2011-01-14T12:50:00.006-06:00

Road in front of my house

My house after the snowfall

Closeup of snow covered cedar limb

Birdbath gives you an idea of the depth of the snow. Not much, but we just aren't in a part of the country that is prepared for much snow!

I took the last picture at night, under the security light, when the snow was falling. The other pictures I took the next day. I wasn't able to go to work because the highway I travel has a very steep hill which was ice-covered. Where I live, way out in the country, they don't really pay much attention to ice or snow covered roads and don't put much if anything on them to clear them up.

Snow!

2011-01-14T12:50:00.001-06:00

We are finally out from under the snow and ice we got over the weekend. Well, most places anyway. My driveway still has about two inches of ice/packed snow on it. Thank goodness it's a short, level driveway.

There's a lot of cedar trees next to the driveway blocking the sunshine, so even when the temperatures go above freezing, all that stuff lingers for days. Around the house it's mostly oaks and hickories, so with no leaves the house gets plenty of warm sunshine on it. Even on the coldest days, I've been able to turn heaters off because the house warms up nicely through the passive solar energy it receives.

Because of the extremely low temperatures a few nights ago (single digits), I made sure the water was left dripping and we drew up several buckets of water for flushing the potty. If the power went out, we could at least stay here and not be uncomfortable. I have a way of cooking, lighting, and heating that works out very well for power outages. I also have extra drinking water on hand for such an event. We have a well, which means no water if there's no power.

I'll put up some pictures of the snow and our road in the next post. It doesn't take much to shut everything down here in the South!

Technorati Tags: snow,weather

Little rubber bracelet

2010-12-26T13:25:00.001-06:00

I was digging around in an old purse to see if I could use it to replace the one I'm currently using, and I found an interesting item I'd forgotten about. It was a rubbery bracelet that hooked together using a little usb drive. I'd gotten it last year where I work, so it was printed with our logo and had information on the drive about our company and some web page access to visit to find some learning programs about our company.

It's really one of those promotional usb drives, but it's pretty neat. I can even add some of my own information to it, if I want, even though it's a pretty small item.

When I first got it, I thought it was merely a bracelet. After I got it home, I remember really looking it over and noticing that it came apart in one spot. That's when I discovered the little usb plug. It's amazing how much information can be stored on something so small and so portable.

Technorati Tags: usb drive,work

Christmas

2010-12-26T13:18:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a blessed and merry Christmas!

Ours was quiet but I did get to visit Oldest Son and his family for awhile, then went to Older Daughter's and visited there. Youngest Son and I had eaten at a local Chinese restaurant for our Christmas lunch, but we were hungry again by the time we visited Daughter. She was happy to share the abundance of leftover Christmas dinner with us. She cooked like she was cooking for an army!

Younger Daughter and her hubbie came to Son and Daughter's house, too, but had eaten so much they passed on the second round of good food.

Older Daughter had cooked both ham and turkey, as well as mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and green bean mix (a recipe Sis developed years ago and is a family favorite), and Greek pasta salad. She also had her table loaded down with quick breads, cookies and candies she'd worked on all week. We brought some of the cookies and candies home with us, too.

She insisted that Son and I take some home with us, which we did. We had that for our lunch today. It was just as delicious the second time around!

Technorati Tags: Christmas,family

Company Christmas party

2010-12-25T00:50:00.001-06:00

We had our company Christmas party the other night. It was ok, as far as the food went but we didn't really "do" anything. No games. No music. No door prizes. It wasn't very exciting.

Most of us even forgot our digital cameras, although I did take a couple of pictures with my cell phone. I think I saw others doing that as well.

A crew person and I decorated the tables and put up a Merry Christmas banner. If I'd known that no one else was going to do anything, I'd have at least made sure there were door prizes for the folks who attended!

Technorati Tags: Christmas

Christmas in two days

2010-12-23T12:02:00.001-06:00

Christmas is only two days away. Are you ready? I am for the most part, as long as I haven't forgotten something. Of course, that's entirely likely, knowing me.

I haven't spent hundreds of dollars this year. I'm not expecting anyone else to spend a lot on me, either. I don't figure I'm getting Quoizel lighting for my house or fancy jewelry. This year is a much more basic Christmas, more from the heart than from the wallet.

While I haven't spent tons of money, I have spent time pulling things together for gift giving. I won't reveal what the gifts are here, in case someone who is a recipient is reading. Where's the surprise in that? After Christmas, I'll share what I did.

Merry Christmas!

Technorati Tags: Christmas

Lazy weekend

2010-12-19T21:54:00.001-06:00

I had two days off in a row this weekend, and I needed them both to get some rest. I haven't been feeling very well lately. It seems like I catch everything going around, and working where I'm exposed to the public plus crew people who may be sick doesn't help at all.

So, I've pretty much been lazy this weekend. I wanted to go see my Nephew's band play in town, but just didn't feel up to going Saturday afternoon. I was disappointed, to say the least. I try to always go see them play when they're close by.

I really wish I had more weekends like this one. Well, not the sick part. The two days off together part. I rarely ever get two days off like that.

Technorati Tags: health

Holiday gatherings

2010-12-15T12:24:00.001-06:00

With all the Christmas goodies going around, including what I'm making at home, I know this is going to be bad for weight and skin. After all, most of the things have a lot of rich ingredients we aren't used to.

That means that after the New Year, some of us may need diets and blackhead remover to get our bodies set to rights again. Of course, it would be easier if we exercised more self-control during the holidays, but I know it's sometimes hard to do.

Folks where we work will bring in their favorite holiday items, like cookies and candies. Then, we may be attending parties and gatherings where the offerings are much richer than we are used to eating on a day-to-day basis. It's hard to turn down these foods all the time, and we wind up partaking more and more in order to be polite. Besides, a social gathering tends to make us eat a bit more, don't you think?

Ah, well. There's always January.

Technorati Tags: Christmas,baking

Christmas baking

2010-12-15T12:19:00.001-06:00

I've been busy baking lately. I have baked a variety of muffins and quick breads. I've also mixed up some beverage mixes and put them all in 1/2 pint jars.

I still have some things I want to bake before Christmas and it looks like I'll be able to complete them all in time. For instance, I want to make some loaves of yeast bread with ingredients in them like herbs and cheese. Probably a couple of jalapeno cheese loaves, too. Those are really delicious.

Of course, we've sampled everything I've baked so far. Really, I do have to make sure they are edible, right?

I don't make cookies anymore mainly because it seems like such a chore to me. Some folks enjoy baking them, but the repeated put in the oven, remove from the oven, put in the oven wears me out. Probably the only cookie I'll make are Brown Sugar Shortbreads which are really easy, festive, delicious, and all go in the oven at one time.

Technorati Tags: Christmas,baking

Cold!

2010-12-13T12:42:00.001-06:00

It's cold. Last night's low was in the upper teens and the high today is expected to only be in the 30s. I really do hate cold weather. All I want to do is bundle up and hibernate.

It's been a few days since I posted anything, so I thought I'd catch you up a little on what's been going on around here, besides shivering.

Mostly, I've been working. What else is new? At least it seems like I spend all my time at work. I'm on night shifts now, which suits me better. However, I'm still pretty tired at the end of the shift and wind up sleeping too late in the morning. Still, I do have time in the daytime to get a few things accomplished.

I've been doing a little baking every day. I've also returned to making "master mixes" for things such as hot chocolate and quick breads. That makes it much easier to pull things together for baking projects and a hot beverage to have with the baked things. Some of these baked things will be included in gift packs for Christmas.

I have a couple of yarn projects started that I need to finish. They shouldn't take long because they are small projects.

Technorati Tags: weather

Food food food

2010-12-01T10:13:00.001-06:00

After eating Christmas baked goods and drinking delicious but calorie laden winter beverages, I can already see that I'm going to need to exert more willpower to keep from putting on a lot of weight. I don't want to get diet pills for an after-Christmas gift!

It's hard, when all the goodies are being passed around, to forego the tasty treats. The best thing for me is just to not have them, or very many of them, at home to start with. And, to avoid places where I might be tempted to indulge in them more than I should.

Eating is really a very social event, don't you think? I eat a lot less when I'm alone because I eat only for sustenance. But in a gathering, I tend to eat more. I think others do this as well. It's just really hard to get the right balance when there are trays and trays of tasty goodies, and a crowd of people loading their plates while chit-chatting.

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Cold December 1

2010-12-01T09:59:00.001-06:00

Brrrr...woke up to 22 degrees this morning. That is too cold for me to be comfortable even inside with layers on and the heat turned on. I guess I get cold just thinking about that temperature.

I know, I know...It's December and what do I expect? I expect cold temperatures, but I don't have to like them, do I?

I work tonight, so I'll be dressing in layers, with something warm under my uniform. Yes, it will be warm inside, but there are times I have to go outside to see if the lot needs cleaning or if the outside trash needs changing. For those times, I must wear something warm.

But first, I'm going to stay warm with hot coffee and hot chai tea here at home, boosted by cookies.

Technorati Tags: weather

Back to the old grind

2010-11-28T22:27:00.001-06:00

I had the Thanksgiving weekend off, which I am very glad for, but not-so-bright and early Monday morning I'll be back at work. I open Monday, which means getting up at 3 AM to be at work by 4 AM and open the store at 5 AM.

I am not a morning person.

All the pimple popping teenagers will be back in school by then so it will at least be hard working adults during the day. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the kids who work for us really do an excellent job. But there are a few who seem to think they are only there to socialize with their friends and draw their pay for no real work. Those are the ones who make it difficult for the ones who do work hard, and they don't present a very good image to the buying public.

Maybe someday, they will come to realize that, yes, they have to do what their bosses tell them to do, and, yes, they really do have to work if they want to make money.

Technorati Tags: work,job

Sleet! But not much

2010-11-28T22:26:00.001-06:00

Thursday night, just after Mom and I walked back to her house, we got sleet. Yuck! I am not a fan of winter weather to begin with, but most especially not of frozen precipitation. At least it didn't last long and there was nothing on the ground the next morning.

That night, the temperatures dipped below freezing to about 27 degrees. During the day, however, the sun came out and it warmed up to reasonable levels by afternoon on Friday. Since then, it's been frosty in the mornings but the daytime temperatures have been tolerable -- mid to upper 50s.

That's my kind of winter weather. Lots of sunshine and highs in the 50s I can live with. But I know that even this won't last. By January and February, we'll have much colder weather. If the upcoming year plays out like years past, we'll probably have an ice storm or two combined with a few inches of snow. Central Arkansas winters tend toward ice, for the most part. Not all winter long, but at least a couple rounds of the slippery stuff that is bad enough to close highways and increase accidents by those travelers who think icy highways are just as safe to travel at high speeds as dry ones.

During those times, the news is full of films and stories about multi-car pile-ups, jack-knifed big rigs, and cars by the dozens off in medians and ditches. As for myself, I just stay off the roads until they are clear. Seems sensible to me.

Technorati Tags: weather

Christmas kickoff

2010-11-28T22:18:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving officially kicks off the holiday season. At least, to me it does, even though I've been seeing Christmas decorations and hearing Christmas music everywhere. It seems like businesses begin all this earlier and earlier every year, as if consumers don't already know which major holiday si coming up.

My preference is to see and hear Christmas related stuff a little closer to the actual day. Maybe two weeks away is soon enough even, at least to me. The season is rushed so much that I actually get sick of it all well before the Day arrives.

I wonder if that's one of the reasons so many people seek depression treatment these days? Could it be that the inundation of Christmas just overwhelms them? Does it bring to the surface the feelings of loneliness, or magnify those feelings?

Technorati Tags: christmas

Thanksgiving weekend

2010-11-28T22:18:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving last week! I worked Thanksgiving morning, then left soon after lunch to head to Mom's, where I spent the rest of the weekend. I did NOT go shopping on Black Friday.

The weekend was spent in relaxing activities such as working jigsaw puzzles and watching the Thanksgiving Day parades, which Sis had recorded on her DVR. Of course, there was plenty of food to eat, too.

Sis and Mom decided to not have the traditional turkey but opted instead for chicken. Since there wasn't going to be a large family gathering this year, the chicken was more than enough to feed us all for several days. There was also bread, mashed potatoes, dressing, cranberry sauce, gravy, ham, and an assortment of pickles and olives. They also prepared deviled eggs, but I'm not much of an egg fan so I passed on those.

Sis had picked up some freshly made yeast rolls from a local eatery and I brought a loaf of Artisan style bread. I actually brought the dough and finished it on Friday morning.

In all, we had plenty to eat and plenty for leftovers, just like any Thanksgiving.

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Up and down weather

2010-11-20T23:24:00.001-06:00

Weird weather lately. Friday night by midnight, it was already 40 degrees and heading lower. Woke up to a temperature in the mid-30s. But tonight (Saturday) at 11, it's 51 and seems to be getting warmer, although there is a breeze. I can hear the wind chimes ringing.

It's hard to know just how to dress when it's like this. This morning, I had on several layers of clothes plus a heavy jacket when I went to work but by the time I got off, I was wishing I didn't have so many layers!

It's weather like this that makes people get sick easier, I think. Bodies try to adjust to cold air, then suddenly it's warm again. Of course, this is Arkansas.

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More sorting and cleaning

2010-11-19T19:45:00.001-06:00

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I posted to this blog. I suppose it's because I've been working all week. I had today off, thank goodness, and was able to get some things done in my house.

I've got my living room just about where I want it. There are still some details to attend to, but at least it's coming together and I've gotten a lot more junk out of the house.

I wish I could downsize my possessions as easily as downsizing my body by just throwing one of the best fat burners in a room and watching "stuff" melt away. I guess nothing is ever that easy, though, is it. So, I'll continue to sort and toss and give away the stuff I've accumulated over the years. Not much of it is any good anyway. Mostly, it's duplicates of things or things that have needed repair for a long time. I'm never going to repair it, so why keep it?

Some stuff I've kept is because I spent money on it and don't want to feel like I'm wasting money by getting rid of it. But, if it's in the way and taking away from my peace of mind, how much can it really be worth?

Technorati Tags: house

Longer shift than usual

2010-11-13T03:17:00.001-06:00

I worked a longer shift than I was scheduled for, or than I meant to work, on Friday. However, there were playoff ball games in town which meant we were exceptionally busy for the afternoon and evening. By the time I did leave, I was pretty much exhausted.

I got home and immediately got ready for bed. I fell asleep almost right away and then woke up in the wee hours of the morning Saturday, still groggy but not really sleepy. Now I'm almost fully awake and thinking about making a fresh pot of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal.

I work at 11 A.M. again today (Saturday) so I really should get a little more rest. It doesn't look like it's going to happen, though.

Technorati Tags: work

Cold and rain coming

2010-11-12T08:54:00.001-06:00

We had a bit of a reprieve from the cool temperatures the past couple of days. Now, it looks like the next few days will not only be cooler but also rainy as well. At least that's what the National Weather Service site says.

Right now it's still sunny but there are some clouds now and then, drifting across the sky.

I'm not a big fan of cold weather. This stuff makes me want to head to Florida for a few months, maybe sit on a beach, look at a tampa car rental, and visit various parts of the state. But, I'll just stay right here where I am and bundle up a little more.

Technorati Tags: weather

Bought a mini washer

2010-11-11T11:12:00.001-06:00

While it's not really "Christmas shopping", I did just order a mini washing machine from the Biggest Discount Store On The Planet. They don't have them in stock at any of the nearby stores and the shipping was free, so I took the plunge.

I've really been needing a washing machine but my little house doesn't have a place to put a regular one. This mini washer is portable so I can roll it to the sink, hook up the hose and put the drain hose in the sink, then wash small loads of clothes. I regularly use my clothesline, even if I go to the laundrymat, so drying isn't too much of a problem. On bad weather days, I hang clothes on a drying rack set in the bathtub and on plastic hangers on the shower rod.

Lately, I've used the dryers at the laundrymat a lot more because I've been washing clothes before I go to work, making it all one trip. The PTB there have increased the prices for washers, now at $1.50 a load, and dryers, now at .25 for 8 minutes instead of 10 minutes. Washers were $1.25 per load. This doesn't even include the gas it takes to drive the 12 miles one way to the laundrymat.

Call me a cheapskate or a skinflint if you want, but it's hard for me to continue to plug quarters into machines I'll never own and which aren't that convenient for me to use, especially with the price increases. I am finding myself spending $10 to $15 a week on laundry, not including detergent. So, the way I have it figured, this little washer will pay for itself in about 14.5 weeks, or less if you figure in the travel cost.

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Online shopping

2010-11-11T10:49:00.001-06:00

Speaking of shopping, I use my debit cards like credit cards so I can get either points or cash back bonuses. Occasionally, such as paying utility bills online, they only run as debit cards. Otherwise, though, when given the choice, I choose the credit option. I might as well get a little benefit from mundane shopping.

I could use cyberpowerpc coupons, which is a secure online shopping site. They tap your bank account directly without need for either debit or credit cards, and they pay you cash back on their thousands of discounted items. I tend to be a shopper who likes a more personal experience, but this could be a way to get a little Christmas shopping done online.

I live pretty far from any shopping places -- about 25 miles or so. It's just not easy for me to justify the gas consumption, not to mention the time lost, driving that far perhaps to come back empty handed. So, I do like to shop online when the possibility arises. I can usually have something shipped to me for less that it would cost me to drive to and from the source, not to mention the fact that I can do the shopping on my laptop while I'm sitting in my living room enjoying a cup of coffee!

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Gift shopping time

2010-11-11T10:07:00.002-06:00

It's nearly the middle of November already! That means there really aren't that many days until Christmas, and I know I'm not close to ready. I have some ideas about what I want to give to a few people, but sometimes it's so hard to buy for others that I wind up giving gift cards to eateries or gift cards of money so they can select their own gift.

It's not that I don't care. I do. But people generally know what they want or need more than I do and I'd like the gift to be something they really, really want/need.

Sis and Mom create their own Christmas cards that they rarely have to shop for unique Christmas cards or other greeting cards. They are so beautiful that I always consider that to be a big part of the gift. I love handmade things because someone took the time out of their busy lives to create something special.

Now is the time for me to set my mind to creative thinking so I can perhaps create special items for those closest to me. What are your plans?

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Thursday off

2010-11-11T09:35:00.001-06:00

I'm off work today so I slept late. I've been feeling so poorly lately that this was a much needed nap. Although yesterday, by the time my shift was over, I actually felt a lot better. Still stuck with sneezing and coughing, but the body aches are finally gone.

Today I'll tackle some more decluttering and getting rid of stuff I just don't need. Most of it's not that great anyway. Some will go to the FreeCycle site and the rest will just be trash, except for fabric, if there is any. That will go to Sis who will give it to her community theater group for use in costumes and sets.

As things are moved out and boxes emptied, I'll use a box cutter to break the boxes down for easier disposal. I've heard they can be composted but my thought is that they would take too long to decompose in my compost heap so I'll just let the trash truck take them Friday.

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Daylight Savings Time ended

2010-11-07T22:30:00.001-06:00

Oh, the end of Daylight Savings Time. My internal clock is really out of whack now!

The sun set what seems like days ago and we've been shrouded in darkness for way too many hours. Some say, Well, it'll be light earlier in the morning now. So what? I have to be at work at 4 AM and it's still dark at that hour, so it hasn't helped me a bit!

When I get home shortly after lunch, the time is limited when I can enjoy the daylight hours. By 4:30 or so, the sun is already sinking in the west...or should I say being slam-dunked!

No, I don't like the end of Daylight Savings Time at all and think we should just live with it year 'round. I could handle that so much better.

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Watching movies

2010-11-06T22:29:00.001-05:00

Son has an xbox 360, or something. I know it's a pretty big game machine and I think that's what it is. Anway, he plays video games on it just about every day here at home. He also goes to visit a friend in town who has a game machine like it.

It's kind of neat, I think, because he can also go online with it and watch movies. He set one up in my living room so I could take advantage of a popular movie rental site, and he showed me how to use the machine, but now I have forgotten what he said to do!

So, there it is, sitting next to my television, on top of my DVD player, but turned off. I really need to have him show me how to use it for the streaming movies again.

Technorati Tags: television,video games