Are You Ready?

It has been an absolutely beautiful day here in the south.  These are the sort of days that I wish would just go on and on. Except of course for those pesky chemtrails over our heads.
 We had our first frost this morning.  It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  Yep, the holidays are upon us folks, are you ready?

Mars has been working on the new garden area the past few days.  He took up the black plastic and is hand turning the whole thing.  Then I guess he will put the plastic back down.  I'm not sure exactly what his plans are,  I just know he has one!  Sometimes it's better just to let 'em go and sit back and watch what happens!

I haven't been talking much these days about prepping. It has been on my mind a whole lot though.  Things are getting ready to get really ugly in the United States.  Not that things aren't already bad but I don't think we have even seen the tip of the iceberg yet.  I cannot stress enough just how important it is to be putting up food and other storeable  goods right now, while you still can.  The dollar is getting ready to take a nosedive that will make the Great Depression look like a walk in the park.  My thinking on it is that if there is ANYTHING you have been needing to get or think you may need in the future you better get it now.  While you still can.  Food prices have almost doubled in just the last couple of years and they aren't going to go down.  You can't afford to NOT be adding to your food storage.   Things are getting ready to take a real turn for the worse and most of us are not even close to ready for that to happen.  If you haven't started yet I honestly don't know what you are waiting for. 
                             ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin... ~~

Time Out

Well, due to technical difficulties, Mushroom's Monday's will be running a little behind schedule again this week.  I'm still trying to iron out the details.  It seems I'm not very good at keeping a tight schedule.  What?  Stop laughing! 

My intentions are good, it's  my  "doing things in a timely fashion" skills that need a little work on.   I could try to wiggle out of it by saying that I didn't get a chance to talk to her about things until late, or that the email I received got sort of lost in "translation", or that time somehow got away from me. Although this is all true, the fact is that  I piddled around and still  need to write the dang thing.  Thank goodness this isn't a "paying" gig, although if it were, the incentive might be a little stronger.... I dunno...
 Where in the world did the weekend go?   I didn't really get much accomplished so it's a good thing that I hadn't planned on it.  Friday evening, after we got back from Oktoberfest ,I ended up in the prepper chat room and stayed up wayyyyy past my bedtime.  You know how it goes when you find yourself deeply involved in a conversation and time just ceases to matter? We chatted way off into the wee morning hours and I must say that I enjoyed every minute of it. 
  Of course it also gave me the most perfect excuse for sleeping in late on Saturday morning.  I took full advantage of it too.  The weather even cooperated with me.  Rainy, cool and cloudy.  Just right for lazing around all day.  I'm still trying to remember why I even bothered getting out of my P.J.'s. 

 I did get dressed  in time for a late afternoon nap!  I woke to the smell  of bread rising.  I'm not kidding!   Mushroom had decided to make some cinnamon bread and I got my lazy self off the couch just in time to help her with the finishing touches.  Truth is, all I did was put some brown sugar, butter and pecans in the bottom of some muffin tins.  She did all the hard work.  I sure wish I had thought to take some pictures though because a little less than a couple of slices is all that is left of two loaves of cinnamon bread and two dozen sticky rolls!  A true testament to the absolute yumminess of this venture! 
Sunday Mars and I went for a ride off to the other side of Tulsa to look at a job he is going to be doing over the next week or so.  I thought it was going to be another rainy day but things cleared up and we had a really nice day together.

I'll be putting up a really nice recipe for a Whole Honey Wheat Bread in the next day or so stay tuned for that. Trust me when I tell you that this one is a "keeper".

So how was your weekend?  I hope you got to do everything you wanted to and nothing you didn't.  With all the craziness going on in the world around us these days maybe we all should take just a little time and enjoy the things that matter most in life. 

                                ~~Hey... I'm Just Sayin'...~~

Oktoberfest 2010

We went to the Oktoberfest in Tulsa yesterday.  They had been forecasting rain starting yesterday and running through the weekend.  The rain held off all day yesterday and it ended up being a nice partly cloudy day with some nice temperatures.  The Tulsa Oktoberfest has been rated the 5th best one in the country.  Which makes me wonder how hokey the #1 rated one is!  Hokey as it was we all still had a great time.

They had a German band there who while playing German music didn't sound all that bad. 

 The thing was though that they kept playing American songs which were so horribly done they were downright hilarious.  Of course they played the chicken dance like every 5th song.  And of course there were folks dancing to it every single time.  I laughed until I almost couldn't laugh anymore.  People will do some silly stuff when plied with enough beer! 

 There were all sorts of folks there having a great time.  Even this little fellow seemed to enjoy himself. 

They were doing a drawing for this bike.  Or if you are the lucky winner you could have a $50,000.00 cash prize instead.  I'll take the cash please!

 This old man kept showing up everywhere. In the beer line, walking on the midway and of course on the dance floor!

                     I didn't catch this guy's name but there were sure lot's of pictures taken with him.

                              These lady's serenaded us with some "better than air" guitars.

 That's the downtown Tulsa skyline in the background.  The festival is on the river. (which I never did see)

             Of course there was a small midway.  No festival would be complete without one, right?

 The Boy Scouts were out too.  They were on garbage patrol and did a great job keeping things clean.

         Of course there had to be a chicken what with the number of times we heard The Chicken Dance.

            And of course no festival would be complete without the obligatory good ol' boy T shirt.

                                The rains held off and we were blessed with a beautiful sunset.

                All in all it was a good day.  Lots of laughs and time spent with good friends.

                                                 ~~Hey... I'm Just Sayin...~~

Vegetable Beef Soup from Food Stoarge

                Mushroom's Mondays on Tuesday This Week

There are so many reasons to have a well stocked pantry.   Maybe some sort of natural disaster like a snow storm that keeps you home for a few days,  or suddenly becoming unemployed. Even the skyrocketing prices at the grocery store is enough to get you started.  What you paid for that "can of corn" today is a whole lot cheaper than it will be next week or next month.
    There is something quite satisfying about being able to open your pantry and knowing that you can put together a great meal.  I love not having to run out to the store because "I don't have anything to cook for dinner".  Or being right in the middle of preparing a dish and thinking... Darn it,  I'm out of "_______" , now what do I do?   If you have a well stocked pantry of things you use regularly, this won't happen to you!  And if you have some way to substitute some other item for the one you are out of... then that's even better!

    "Cooking from scratch is one of the easiest ways to stretch your family food budget. " Honestly, it is just as easy  and as fast to cook from scratch as it is to eat out of one of those box meals.  Have you ever looked at the ingredients in those things?  Ask yourself, "Can I make this same meal from scratch?"  You will be surprised at how many times the answer will be yes.  Using ingredients that are in season and available in your area is a great way to go.  Buy things on sale and work around them to plan your meals when you can.

     Winter is coming soon and along with it comes the dreaded flu season.  It never seems to fail that when one person in the house gets sick it seems to go right around the entire family.  I don't know many people that feel up to cooking when they are sick.  Heck I don't know ANYONE who does.  One really easy and very healthy choice during times like this is a good old fashioned soup!  I know that a hot bowl of soup when I'm feeling under the weather somehow  makes me feel better.  Just make yourself and your family a big ol' pot and you won't have to be worrying about the cooking for a few days.

 Here is one of Mushroom's soup recipes.  I have tried this one and I give it 5 stars*****   It's really simple and works with things from the pantry.

                                M.R.'s Vegetable Beef Soup
1 pint jar diced beef
3 pints beef broth
2 quarts water
1/2 cup small beans ( I use Pinquito beans)
1/4 cup pearled barley
1 cup dehydrated mixed vegetables
1/4 cup dehydrated onions
1/2 teaspoon dehydrated minced garlic
Dark beer or red wine as desired
Salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare beans according to directions.  Add beef, broth, and barley when beans are almost done.  Add remaining water that was not used in cooking the beans.  Simmer for 30 minutes then add vegetables and continue to simmer for another 45 minutes.  Adjust seasonings and serve.  More broth or water may need to be added as the cooking goes on.  Use your judgment.  Make it as soupy or chowder-like as your family likes.  Spaetzle, macaroni, or oyster crackers can be served with the soup, according to taste.

Mushroom's Hint:  I make my own mixed vegetables by dehydrating frozen mixed vegetables.  I just find it easier.

Mushroom's Hint:  When you have leftover vegetables from a dinner like that little bit of corn or beans etc...  Put them in a container in the freezer.  Keep adding left over veggies until you need them in a soup or stew.

As with any recipe tweak this one anyway your family likes it.  Try doubling the recipe if you want it to last a couple of days or want to freeze some for later.  Trust me... this soup will disappear fast!

Thanks to my friend Mushroom for all her input and especially for this wonderful recipe.
She and I will be working on lots of things related to Recipes , Food Storage, and all things related!   Please feel free to leave comments and  ask any questions you may have.

Coming Soon

 I guess most of you know that Mars and I are staying with our friends Mushroom and her husband Bud for awhile.  What you might NOT know is that they are both a virtual well of information.    She and Bud (her hubby) have been into prepping for many years and are happy to share the things that they have learned along the way. 

She is a wonderful teacher as well.  I love just sitting down and talking with her about most anything. It fascinates me be able to "pick her brain" about all sorts of things.
One of the things she is a whiz with is  food storage and most anything related to it.  Gardening, herbal remedies and uses, canning, dehydrating, nutrition, preserving foods... Well you get the idea. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
She and her husband both have alot of allergies and medical problems that make cooking both an adventure and a challenge at times.   In the year or more that I have known her, both online and off, I have learned tons and tons of  really useful information. 

Now if you are wondering why in the world I am going on and on about all this is because I have been talking with her about an idea I have been kicking around for a while now.   Why not share with others some of the things that she has learned over the years?  I'm so excited that she agreed to do it!

  We  will be posting recipe's that you can make from your own food storage.   We will also try to toss in tips and tricks about how to "take care of" the foods you store.  I think it will be alot of fun and we will do it until we run out of things to write about! 

If you have any questions for Mushroom, please leave them in the comment section and I will do my best to make sure we can find the answers. I think it's going to be alot of fun.  So be sure to check out Mushroom's Mondays and let me know what you think.

                                 ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin... ~~

Pictures Anybody?

A good friend of mine told me once that if you get stuck while trying to figure out what to blog about you can always fall back on pictures.  Now I don't know how true that is but I happen to agree with her.  I love pictures. Yours OR mine! I have taken quite a few pictures of day to day stuff that I haven't shared.  I'm sure it would bore you silly anyway. Kind of like looking at Great Aunt Sally's vacation pictures from last summer.  So you have had fair warning.  Now is the time to click that Red X in the upper right hand corner if you want to be spared!

We had pizza for dinner the other night.  Not that cardboard stuff straight out of the freezer, but pizza with homemade crust and your choice of toppings!  We all have our favorites around here and individual pizza's are just what the doctor ordered!

This next one is a picture of some of the "magic" beans that are growing out in the garden.   Snapped and ready to go.  Aren't they a pretty purple?  Mushroom added some bacon bits and onions and let them cook just a little while.

 Here they are ready to eat!  Yup that's them.  Where did all the purple go?  I guess it will remain a mystery.  The magic here is in the fact that they sure do disappear in a hurry! No leftovers this round.

And this one was taken while driving on the way to Tulsa one morning.  What a beautiful start to a early Fall day.

Miss Kitty loves to hang out in the trees.  She has become fascinated with trying to catch a squirrel. No luck yet but you never know...... Mars has been ridding the  trees of a few pesky pecan snatchers himself the last day or two.  Three in the freezer and counting.....

 Mushroom's husband Bud is into airguns.  Really really into airguns!  I just thought this was a super cool picture and so I thought I would share it.  Quite  an interesting hobby wouldn't you say?  Did I mention that he is into airguns?

 
This is one of the loaves of Italian Rustic Bread that has become a favorite of mine here lately.  See the spatula in the background?  This is one HUGE loaf of bread!  For those of you who know how much I love(d) my bread machine I have a surprise for you.  I haven't used it now in almost three months.  Yep, we have been making it from scratch.  Mushroom is on a mission to teach me how to make bread from scratch.  LOL It's working too!

This has to be one of the strangest looking kittens I have ever seen. The stray mama cat wandered up one day and hasn't left yet.  She is an Abyssinian mix and an interesting looking cat in her own right.  She only has a partial tail too.  This little guy ended up with NO tail at all.  Someone mentioned that this picture sort of looks like a catlike chupacabra .  They make a good point!  I AM glad to report that the kitten seems to be morphing into something that more closely resembles a cat.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  It is supposed to be a picture perfect one around these parts.  Better enjoy them  while you can because winter is on the way.  We are forecast to have a cold front move in around Monday and drop the temperatures down quite a bit.


                                 ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin... ~~

Pictures Anybody?

A good friend of mine told me once that if you get stuck while trying to figure out what to blog about you can always fall back on pictures.  Now I don't know how true that is but I happen to agree with her.  I love pictures. Yours OR mine! I have taken quite a few pictures of day to day stuff that I haven't shared.  I'm sure it would bore you silly anyway. Kind of like looking at Great Aunt Sally's vacation pictures from last summer.  So you have had fair warning.  Now is the time to click that Red X in the upper right hand corner if you want to be spared!

We had pizza for dinner the other night.  Not that cardboard stuff straight out of the freezer, but pizza with homemade crust and your choice of toppings!  We all have our favorites around here and individual pizza's are just what the doctor ordered!

This next one is a picture of some of the "magic" beans that are growing out in the garden.   Snapped and ready to go.  Aren't they a pretty purple?  Mushroom added some bacon bits and onions and let them cook just a little while.

 Here they are ready to eat!  Yup that's them.  Where did all the purple go?  I guess it will remain a mystery.  The magic here is in the fact that they sure do disappear in a hurry! No leftovers this round.

And this one was taken while driving on the way to Tulsa one morning.  What a beautiful start to a early Fall day.

Miss Kitty loves to hang out in the trees.  She has become fascinated with trying to catch a squirrel. No luck yet but you never know...... Mars has been ridding the  trees of a few pesky pecan snatchers himself the last day or two.  Three in the freezer and counting.....

 Mushroom's husband Bud is into airguns.  Really really into airguns!  I just thought this was a super cool picture and so I thought I would share it.  Quite  an interesting hobby wouldn't you say?  Did I mention that he is into airguns?

 
This is one of the loaves of Italian Rustic Bread that has become a favorite of mine here lately.  See the spatula in the background?  This is one HUGE loaf of bread!  For those of you who know how much I love(d) my bread machine I have a surprise for you.  I haven't used it now in almost three months.  Yep, we have been making it from scratch.  Mushroom is on a mission to teach me how to make bread from scratch.  LOL It's working too!

This has to be one of the strangest looking kittens I have ever seen. The stray mama cat wandered up one day and hasn't left yet.  She is an Abyssinian mix and an interesting looking cat in her own right.  She only has a partial tail too.  This little guy ended up with NO tail at all.  Someone mentioned that this picture sort of looks like a catlike chupacabra .  They make a good point!  I AM glad to report that the kitten seems to be morphing into something that more closely resembles a cat.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  It is supposed to be a picture perfect one around these parts.  Better enjoy them  while you can because winter is on the way.  We are forecast to have a cold front move in around Monday and drop the temperatures down quite a bit.


                                 ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin... ~~

Garden Update

This fall Mars has planted a little here and a little there.  Some in Bud's old boat, (which makes a great raised bed) some in a little spot by the greenhouse, and some in several containers around the yard.  Now he is preparing a real garden spot for next year.  All that black plastic in the picture will next spring be a nice big ol' garden spot.  There is alot of grass growing there now but the plastic will solarize all that . I tried to step it off so I could figure out about how big it is but   1)  I suck at measuring,   and   2) my math skills are uhm... horrible.  I THINK it is about  40' x 60'  but there is a good amount of guess work with that!  Anyway, with a bit of work in the coming months we should have a pretty good size garden plot.  I think ALL of us are really looking forward to that!

The "magic" beans are still producing.  We haven't got a whole lot from them but man oh man are they good!  I'm pretty sure we will plant a whole bunch more of them come springtime.  The cabbage  is doing good and so is the broccoli.  The beets are looking good and all those  volunteer leeks are growing like crazy! There are onions and lettuce growing in the greenhouse too.

 The radishes are getting bigger and boy are they good. I hope we get enough of them to try something I read about this year.  I heard that if you saute them in a little butter or oil they make a really tasty dish. I'm willing to give it a shot.  If it is as good as I've heard I can add another recipe to my collection!

 The tomato  are really looking good and all have blooms on them.  They are only getting about 4 hours of sun a day though so I'm sure we won't  be getting any fruit from them.  That's ok though, it was an experiment to begin with!   The pepper plant's on the other hand are starting to set fruit.   Mars is going to dig them up and move them into the greenhouse so they can winter over in there. 

 The spaghetti squash plant is dying off but there is one HUGE squash on it that ought to be pretty close to picking.   I can't wait to bake that bad boy and butter it  up really good.  I love that stuff.  

It won't be long around here before its Pecan picking time.  And that always brings on the craving for pecan pie.  There are two big pecan trees in Mushroom's yard that look to be just overflowing this year with nuts.  She said the last couple of years hadn't been all that good but this year looks to be a bumper crop.  Whooo Hoo!  She gives alot of pecans to her family around Christmas time!

Is that one BIG pecan tree or what?  I bet we just might make a pecan pie or two... what do you think?

 I need to cut back the basil plant and hang it up to dry.  Yumm... I love basil.  The cilantro and the sage are just now starting to take off. I don't know why they took so long to get started.   Mars is talking about transplanting them and putting them in a southern window over the winter.  That is something I would remind folks about who haven't done much gardening.  Even in the winter time with a warm and sunny window,  you can grow all sorts of things. Herbs do especially well growing in a window sill.

                               ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

Garden Update

This fall Mars has planted a little here and a little there.  Some in Bud's old boat, (which makes a great raised bed) some in a little spot by the greenhouse, and some in several containers around the yard.  Now he is preparing a real garden spot for next year.  All that black plastic in the picture will next spring be a nice big ol' garden spot.  There is alot of grass growing there now but the plastic will solarize all that . I tried to step it off so I could figure out about how big it is but   1)  I suck at measuring,   and   2) my math skills are uhm... horrible.  I THINK it is about  40' x 60'  but there is a good amount of guess work with that!  Anyway, with a bit of work in the coming months we should have a pretty good size garden plot.  I think ALL of us are really looking forward to that!

The "magic" beans are still producing.  We haven't got a whole lot from them but man oh man are they good!  I'm pretty sure we will plant a whole bunch more of them come springtime.  The cabbage  is doing good and so is the broccoli.  The beets are looking good and all those  volunteer leeks are growing like crazy! There are onions and lettuce growing in the greenhouse too.

 The radishes are getting bigger and boy are they good. I hope we get enough of them to try something I read about this year.  I heard that if you saute them in a little butter or oil they make a really tasty dish. I'm willing to give it a shot.  If it is as good as I've heard I can add another recipe to my collection!

 The tomato  are really looking good and all have blooms on them.  They are only getting about 4 hours of sun a day though so I'm sure we won't  be getting any fruit from them.  That's ok though, it was an experiment to begin with!   The pepper plant's on the other hand are starting to set fruit.   Mars is going to dig them up and move them into the greenhouse so they can winter over in there. 

 The spaghetti squash plant is dying off but there is one HUGE squash on it that ought to be pretty close to picking.   I can't wait to bake that bad boy and butter it  up really good.  I love that stuff.  

It won't be long around here before its Pecan picking time.  And that always brings on the craving for pecan pie.  There are two big pecan trees in Mushroom's yard that look to be just overflowing this year with nuts.  She said the last couple of years hadn't been all that good but this year looks to be a bumper crop.  Whooo Hoo!  She gives alot of pecans to her family around Christmas time!

Is that one BIG pecan tree or what?  I bet we just might make a pecan pie or two... what do you think?

 I need to cut back the basil plant and hang it up to dry.  Yumm... I love basil.  The cilantro and the sage are just now starting to take off. I don't know why they took so long to get started.   Mars is talking about transplanting them and putting them in a southern window over the winter.  That is something I would remind folks about who haven't done much gardening.  Even in the winter time with a warm and sunny window,  you can grow all sorts of things. Herbs do especially well growing in a window sill.

                               ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

And the Beat Goes On

There sure are alot of things in the news these days that are disturbing me to no end.  With the elections around the corner fur is flying in every direction.  To bad that the only time it seems like all these issues are looked at (notice I said looked at and NOT addressed) are during the pre- election wave of "Look at me, I care" B.S.  

I'm sure everyone knows by now that Social Security recipient's  won't be getting a cost of living raise for the second year in a row.  Watch those b*#@rds in congress give themselves a raise though.  I would love to see just ONE of them try to live off the Social Security check that lots of folks make do with for just ONE year.  Now wouldn't that be an eye-opener!  

That is why some of us do the things we do to stretch a dollar.  That is the reason we try to grow some of our own foods.  We do everything we can to make ends meet.  Some folks can't do everything that others do but we all try our best to stretch that dollar to its breaking point.  Some of us are learning new skills, brushing off old ones and always looking for other ways to help us get by.

One of the reasons I follow so many blogs, especially the "prepper" oriented ones, are for tips, tricks, and new ideas on ways to make life a little easier.  I have learned tons of useful information from folks in the blogosphere.  I have also made many friends along the way. 

 Many of us will never meet in the "real" world but that doesn't make any of them less of a friend.  We all try to help out one another in lots of different ways.  I could go on and on about how the "online world" has touched me and made my life richer for it.  As a matter of fact, I just might do that very thing one day!  Heck, if I thought about it for any length of time there is probably a book in it somewhere. 

                           ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

And the Beat Goes On

There sure are alot of things in the news these days that are disturbing me to no end.  With the elections around the corner fur is flying in every direction.  To bad that the only time it seems like all these issues are looked at (notice I said looked at and NOT addressed) are during the pre- election wave of "Look at me, I care" B.S.  

I'm sure everyone knows by now that Social Security recipient's  won't be getting a cost of living raise for the second year in a row.  Watch those b*#@rds in congress give themselves a raise though.  I would love to see just ONE of them try to live off the Social Security check that lots of folks make do with for just ONE year.  Now wouldn't that be an eye-opener!  

That is why some of us do the things we do to stretch a dollar.  That is the reason we try to grow some of our own foods.  We do everything we can to make ends meet.  Some folks can't do everything that others do but we all try our best to stretch that dollar to its breaking point.  Some of us are learning new skills, brushing off old ones and always looking for other ways to help us get by.

One of the reasons I follow so many blogs, especially the "prepper" oriented ones, are for tips, tricks, and new ideas on ways to make life a little easier.  I have learned tons of useful information from folks in the blogosphere.  I have also made many friends along the way. 

 Many of us will never meet in the "real" world but that doesn't make any of them less of a friend.  We all try to help out one another in lots of different ways.  I could go on and on about how the "online world" has touched me and made my life richer for it.  As a matter of fact, I just might do that very thing one day!  Heck, if I thought about it for any length of time there is probably a book in it somewhere. 

                           ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

Making Lists

I am going to share a secret with you.  Something that most people don't know about me. Something you probably couldn't tell by just looking at me.  Are you ready?  Here goes....

I am a list maker. There I've said it!  I've never had the greatest memory so I compensate by making lists.  I have always made lists of things I don't want to forget.  These days my memory seems to be even shorter than it once was.  I can tell because there seem to be a whole lot more lists around than there used to be.  I would like  to chalk it up to getting older but folks keep telling tell me I'm not old enough yet to use that excuse.  (Dang it!)

 I have lists everywhere. Lists in notebooks, on scrap pieces of paper, lists in files on the computer, lists on backs of envelopes and even sometimes on old receipts.  If there is a blank piece of paper somewhere it is fair game to start a list on.  Lists of things I want to do, of things I need to do soon, of things I would like to do someday. Lists of ideas I am working on and of things I need to finish. The dang things seem to be everywhere. I keep telling myself that one day I am going to get them all together in one place and try to organize them somehow. (yeah right)  As a matter of fact I probably even have something on a list somewhere about doing that! 

Here's my dilema.  It doesn't seem like I ever get a list finished.  Oh, don't  get me wrong, I DO get things done and I love being able to mark things off  one of the lists. My favorite lists are those that have lots of things marked off of them.  Unfortunately, it seems like I have more lists of things TO do than I do with things marked off as being done!  There just always seems to be a reason to start another one!

 What I'm wondering is.... Are there others out there who have this compulsion?  Is this something alot of people do?  Are there other list makers out there with lists of lists of things still needing to be done?    Hmmm......    I wonder if they have meetings for list addictions?    Would they hand out paper and pens?  Or would they make sure that during these  meetings you couldn't HAVE the pen and paper?    I wonder how hard it would be to have to stand up in front of a bunch of people and say 
        "Hello my name is ________ and I'm a list maker" 

Ok, well there you have it.  Something you didn't know about me. Only next time you see me you will probably point and whisper.... "Do you see that girl over there?   You would never  have guessed it by looking at her but she's a list maker."

Well I feel better now that I have that off my chest.  I hope everyone has a wonderful day and a great weekend.  Now if you will excuse me...  I need to go and start my grocery list for the week!
                            ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

Making Lists

I am going to share a secret with you.  Something that most people don't know about me. Something you probably couldn't tell by just looking at me.  Are you ready?  Here goes....

I am a list maker. There I've said it!  I've never had the greatest memory so I compensate by making lists.  I have always made lists of things I don't want to forget.  These days my memory seems to be even shorter than it once was.  I can tell because there seem to be a whole lot more lists around than there used to be.  I would like  to chalk it up to getting older but folks keep telling tell me I'm not old enough yet to use that excuse.  (Dang it!)

 I have lists everywhere. Lists in notebooks, on scrap pieces of paper, lists in files on the computer, lists on backs of envelopes and even sometimes on old receipts.  If there is a blank piece of paper somewhere it is fair game to start a list on.  Lists of things I want to do, of things I need to do soon, of things I would like to do someday. Lists of ideas I am working on and of things I need to finish. The dang things seem to be everywhere. I keep telling myself that one day I am going to get them all together in one place and try to organize them somehow. (yeah right)  As a matter of fact I probably even have something on a list somewhere about doing that! 

Here's my dilema.  It doesn't seem like I ever get a list finished.  Oh, don't  get me wrong, I DO get things done and I love being able to mark things off  one of the lists. My favorite lists are those that have lots of things marked off of them.  Unfortunately, it seems like I have more lists of things TO do than I do with things marked off as being done!  There just always seems to be a reason to start another one!

 What I'm wondering is.... Are there others out there who have this compulsion?  Is this something alot of people do?  Are there other list makers out there with lists of lists of things still needing to be done?    Hmmm......    I wonder if they have meetings for list addictions?    Would they hand out paper and pens?  Or would they make sure that during these  meetings you couldn't HAVE the pen and paper?    I wonder how hard it would be to have to stand up in front of a bunch of people and say 
        "Hello my name is ________ and I'm a list maker" 

Ok, well there you have it.  Something you didn't know about me. Only next time you see me you will probably point and whisper.... "Do you see that girl over there?   You would never  have guessed it by looking at her but she's a list maker."

Well I feel better now that I have that off my chest.  I hope everyone has a wonderful day and a great weekend.  Now if you will excuse me...  I need to go and start my grocery list for the week!
                            ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

A Day at the Lake

  We got a wild hair yesterday and decided to take a little drive. We have heard about a little lake around here just out of town and thought we would check it out. Mars had seen it on a google map.  Of course the easy thing to do would have been to ask Bud or Mushroom how to get out there.  So of course we didn't do that.  

Instead we headed out down Main Street until it was almost a country road. We never did see a sign for it.  So I stopped at a gas station/restaurant called (I kid you not ) The Pig out Palace! Hey, you can't make stuff like this up! We might have to try it one day just to say we did!  Anyway, I asked the girl in the gas station how to get out to the lake.  She looked at me kind of funny and told me she didn't really know if there WAS a lake, but maybe I should try the other end of town. I'm pretty sure she is from around here too.   I didn't know they let people who are that medicated handle money! 

   Anyway, I stopped in at the other station across the road and BINGO I got excellent directions from a friendly guy. I know I've said it before but folks in small towns sure seem  alot nicer than those from big cities.   Fifteen minutes later we were at the park!  It's a nice little place and its FREE!    I'm not used to free admission into lake parks so that is a big plus.  We didn't take BB (the dog) with us this time. She loves the water so much that sometimes it's hard to make her stay out of it, so I wanted to make sure it was "dog-friendly" before hauling her out and having to argue with her about being on a leash. Now we have a place to take her anytime and let her run and swim!  We had a nice day and I'm sure we will have a few more over the next few months!
Oh and the picture  is of some really friendly ducks that apparently hang out there. Next time I'll be sure to take some goodies for them.  Hmmm, on second thought that might not be a good idea.  I would sure hate for them to end up being a fast food meal for BB.
                              ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

A Day at the Lake

  We got a wild hair yesterday and decided to take a little drive. We have heard about a little lake around here just out of town and thought we would check it out. Mars had seen it on a google map.  Of course the easy thing to do would have been to ask Bud or Mushroom how to get out there.  So of course we didn't do that.  

Instead we headed out down Main Street until it was almost a country road. We never did see a sign for it.  So I stopped at a gas station/restaurant called (I kid you not ) The Pig out Palace! Hey, you can't make stuff like this up! We might have to try it one day just to say we did!  Anyway, I asked the girl in the gas station how to get out to the lake.  She looked at me kind of funny and told me she didn't really know if there WAS a lake, but maybe I should try the other end of town. I'm pretty sure she is from around here too.   I didn't know they let people who are that medicated handle money! 

   Anyway, I stopped in at the other station across the road and BINGO I got excellent directions from a friendly guy. I know I've said it before but folks in small towns sure seem  alot nicer than those from big cities.   Fifteen minutes later we were at the park!  It's a nice little place and its FREE!    I'm not used to free admission into lake parks so that is a big plus.  We didn't take BB (the dog) with us this time. She loves the water so much that sometimes it's hard to make her stay out of it, so I wanted to make sure it was "dog-friendly" before hauling her out and having to argue with her about being on a leash. Now we have a place to take her anytime and let her run and swim!  We had a nice day and I'm sure we will have a few more over the next few months!
Oh and the picture  is of some really friendly ducks that apparently hang out there. Next time I'll be sure to take some goodies for them.  Hmmm, on second thought that might not be a good idea.  I would sure hate for them to end up being a fast food meal for BB.
                              ~~ Hey... I'm Just Sayin'... ~~

What I Didn't Write About

Have you ever had one of those days that began with all sorts of plans and yet somehow something happens and absolutely nothing gets done? No?   Me either!!  LOL   Just checking...

I had a post in I was in the middle of writing and then somehow it morphed into the wild rantings of a madwoman. I really wasn't wanting to go there.....Isn't the delete button wonderful?  It's one of my very favorite of ALL the keys!  OK so now I'm right back at the beginning.  What the heck am I going to write about? 

I know I won't be writing about folks who leave anonymous comments because they are to afraid to actually use a real name. Oh wait... that's not a "real" name anyway....  And I probably won't write about double speak  either.  Or folks being so naive as to think you can't figure out who is leaving those "comments" through a little research on the trusty statcounter....  Oops... there I go again.   My Bad!    LOL
Ok lets start over (again)

I ran to the store today to take advantage of a couple of the specials that will expire today.  I also had a couple of coupons that are expiring as well for free stuff.  I just can't seem to pass up free cookies.  Go figure! 

I came home with 2 packages of cookies, 2 boxes of popcorn and 4 cans of "chunky" type soup for under $5.00. Not a bad haul actually!  I'm really starting to have fun with this couponing thing.  For someone like me who is cheap....er .... frugal  its a blast!

Have you ever tried one of those cans of "chunky/hearty"  served over a bed of rice?  It is actually quite good and it can really stretch that can of soup into a decent meal for 2-3 folks rather than a can of soup for one.  It is also a great way to help with a super tight budget.  One of the ones I really like is the Cajun Gumbo soup!   Whip up a pan of cornbread and your all set!  Yummy :)

                                    ~~Hey...I'm Just Sayin'...~~

What I Didn't Write About

Have you ever had one of those days that began with all sorts of plans and yet somehow something happens and absolutely nothing gets done? No?   Me either!!  LOL   Just checking...

I had a post in I was in the middle of writing and then somehow it morphed into the wild rantings of a madwoman. I really wasn't wanting to go there.....Isn't the delete button wonderful?  It's one of my very favorite of ALL the keys!  OK so now I'm right back at the beginning.  What the heck am I going to write about? 

I know I won't be writing about folks who leave anonymous comments because they are to afraid to actually use a real name. Oh wait... that's not a "real" name anyway....  And I probably won't write about double speak  either.  Or folks being so naive as to think you can't figure out who is leaving those "comments" through a little research on the trusty statcounter....  Oops... there I go again.   My Bad!    LOL
Ok lets start over (again)

I ran to the store today to take advantage of a couple of the specials that will expire today.  I also had a couple of coupons that are expiring as well for free stuff.  I just can't seem to pass up free cookies.  Go figure! 

I came home with 2 packages of cookies, 2 boxes of popcorn and 4 cans of "chunky" type soup for under $5.00. Not a bad haul actually!  I'm really starting to have fun with this couponing thing.  For someone like me who is cheap....er .... frugal  its a blast!

Have you ever tried one of those cans of "chunky/hearty"  served over a bed of rice?  It is actually quite good and it can really stretch that can of soup into a decent meal for 2-3 folks rather than a can of soup for one.  It is also a great way to help with a super tight budget.  One of the ones I really like is the Cajun Gumbo soup!   Whip up a pan of cornbread and your all set!  Yummy :)

                                    ~~Hey...I'm Just Sayin'...~~

DIY Onion Soup Mix / DIY Brown Gravy Mix

I don't know what in the world I might have done, but I sure feel like I have wrestled a couple of midgets for 9 rounds!  I'm sure it must feel sort of like this. I think I slept "crooked" or something. A bit uncomfortable actually but it should be better soon!  

  Mushroom showed me how to make a wonderful honey wheat bread today.  Unfortunately I didn't take notes... so I will have to share the recipe with you when I can get her to write it down for me. She is slowly but surely weaning me off my bread machine.  One thing I do know is that it sure does smell  good around here right now.

I was looking through some old files yesterday and found a couple of recipes for some DIY mixes.  These just might come in handy one day when I don't have the originals to fall back on. Anyway, I thought I would post them here in case anyone might also find themselves needing a DIY mix of some sort!
I think I may have posted this one before but it is a really good copycat version of Lipton's Onion Soup Mix.  I love that stuff. Especially when I'm making a roast!  It is also good when you whip it up as an Onion Dip!
CopyCat Lipton's Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients
    3/4 cup instant minced onion
   1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
    4 teaspoons onion powder
    1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
    1/4 teaspoon sugar
Directions
 Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
        About 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to 1 1¼-ounce package.
  ***** To make onion dip: Mix 5 tablespoons with one pint of sour cream.

Here's one I found for a DYI  Brown Gravy Mix.  I like this one since I can't make a good brown gravy to save my......  Well I just can't make it!  LOL
        Brown Gravy Mix
              Ingredients
    1 2/3 cups cornstarch
    6 tablespoons low-sodium beef bouillon cubes
    4 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
    2 teaspoons onion powder
    1 teaspoon garlic powder
    1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions- - Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.   To make gravy, measure 3 tablespoons mix into a saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 minute
                 There ya have it!  Two easy DIY Mix recipes!
                                  ~~Hey... I'm Just Sayin'...~~

Game Day

Today was a big day for me. It is one of the few days each year that I will sit down (sort of) and watch college football. Let me just say that I am now and always have been a HUGE University of Texas football fan. I grew up with UT football. But today was different.  It marks the very first time I have watched the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma play in a state other than Texas.  (Me, not the game ) Unfortunately, that state happened to be Oklahoma!  And to top it off, my team lost. Big time!  The consolation prize was ok though. Mushroom bought a case of Samuel Adams to wash down the hurt!  It helped of course, but loosing the game AND being in Oklahoma to nurse my wounds was still  bit painful.  I'm sure I will live, but not without a bit of a sting to the ego!


Final Score   University of  Oklahoma  28
                     University of Texas          20

                                  ~~Hey... I'm Just Sayin'...~~