November 2019

Happy Birthday,  ELLEN!!!  

GRAYMARE:
So sorry about TL's broken arm. Not fun at all. I hope he gets all healed up as fast as possible.


ELLEN:
So how are you going to celebrate? Chocolate? Movie? Party??


CB:
Congrats on your new trailer. How do you like living in your house?


I gave blood yesterday at a blood drive and have reached the 2 gallon mark. Not much compared to others, but hopefully someone will get some good use of it. I celebrated by eating Nutter Butter cookies.....yum! My personal vampire told me, afterward, that this was her second week on the job. Glad I didn't know before she stuck me! She did a good job, got it in one stick.

The new carpenters are putting up the barn poles today. They are working out well. The one in charge, Benny, says he wants to ride "one of those Arabians".....yikes. He has been on a horse twice in his life. Ivan and Areion aren't exactly easy rides. I may let him on Daisy.

It is a quiet celebration today.  I had a Nestles Crunch bar, and a nice steak for a late lunch.  There'll probably be some popcorn later.  
I got a cute little microwave popper from Amazon a few weeks ago.  It works great, and pops just the right amount for one person. This is the one I got, in case anyone is interested.

https://www.amazon.com/Ecolution-EKPRE-4215-Micro-Pop-Popper-Maker-Qt-Snack/dp/B019HR91W4/ref=sr_1_19?crid=2POKLH396S67Z&keywords=popcorn+popper&qid=1574194310&sprefix=popcorn%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-19

Happy Birthday Ellen!!!!!! Popcorn sounds like the perfect topper for the day.

The popcorn made a not-sweet dessert this evening.

With all the rain we have flooding.......not here, but throughout the valley. I was
watching the news with all the cars stuck in water..........I've been here over 40
years and it's always the same.......all stations give good reports and warnings, in
addition warnings of road closures..........people notoriously still drive right in.
It's funny but it's not in actuality. Even birds hunker down in the rain.......

We've not had any drownings as far as I know, so that's good.

Everyone have a good evening...............

We are finally getting back to more normal November temperatures. Not quite so cold as the last couple of weeks. The lake is pretty quiet. The only boats and pontoons moving are on the way to winterizing and storage.
Perma-gloom is here to stay. That's the part I like the least.

Popcorn sounds good, ELLEN! Yum! I am on a low carb diet and haven't had much in the past 6 months. When we go to a movie, the diet is off and then we have popcorn. We haven't been to many movies lately, though. I want to see the Mr. Rogers movie, so may get some popcorn soon!

GRAYMARE:
It is strange what people believe their vehicle can do in poor weather. Donnie knows a guy who bought a brand new 4x4 vehicle several years ago. Within the week, while we were in a very cold winter with frozen lakes and river, the guy decided to drive that new truck out on the river's ice. I was surprised to hear his insurance paid for his stupidity when he totaled the truck when it sank. He hadn't made the first month's payment on it. It gets cold here in Virginia, but not long enough to freeze a river hard enough to support a truck.

Benny, our new carpenter, has a big interest in 'riding one of those Arabs'....hahaha. He has been on a horse twice in his life. I don't feel like killing him, so he won't be getting on Ivan or Areion, but after the arena is finished and barn built, I will ride Daisy and see if she is capable of being ridden by him. She is calmer and lazier than "one of those Arabs". Daisy has been feeling pretty well and her feet are doing very well lately. I think she is ready to be ridden again. I would love to have a riding partner here, but doubt it will be Benny. He is a former marine, though, and is probably tough enough to learn to ride if he really wants to learn. He's doing a good job on our hay building.

Pouring here at 5:30 A................horses fed and happy. 50 degrees, 90% humidity.
Me, drinking java and watching the storm news.

I haven't watched Dr. Phil for quite a while, but today I did. His show was about hackers being able to get into home security camera systems. He had a guy on who showed how easy it is for hackers to get any information they need to get in. While I never had any intention of getting cameras, this reinforced my opposition to them.
A family was hacked by a 17 year old kid who lived 1500 miles from them. He was talking to their 8 year old daughter, scaring her and her mother half to death. Dad was traveling on business. Mom took the three kids and left the house because she was terrified. The place where Mom worked was hacked, and her information was obtained from that. These people had cameras all over the place, inside and outside the house, thinking that would keep them safer. Wrong. As it turned out, this particular hacker kid was probably not a serious threat. They have taken all precautions to try to prevent future hacks. They even considered banning the internet from their home, but Mom has a side home online business and needs to keep using it.
Another guy was talking about a hacker getting into their security system and turning up the heat in the baby's room to 90°, and then talking to the 7 month old baby.
The guest "hacker" was saying that even charger cables can be set to install malware. There are also ways to turn on the webcams built into most laptops now. I've heard of that before, which is why I keep a piece of tape over mine, and have for years.
He suggested getting a VPN anytime you are using a laptop away from home, like in hotels, or other similar situations. He also said that using 2 phase security is a good deterrent.

Just thought I'd share what I learned.

I saw that one, too, ELLEN.........our nation is not secure at all.....and it has created severe paranoia
among us...............everyone is worried what others are doing.......we always have to protect
everything.      

Right now the neighbors dogs are barking and barking and barking.......it crossed my
mind that maybe they are being robbed.  Ten years ago that would have never crossed
my mind. One is more alert as a neighbor now than they used to be..............
or, I am anyhow.  In the long run I don't see anything odd over there.

So, anyhow, I try to be a good neighbor without being nosey...........

Later taters.

Addendum: No wonder they were barking and barking.............it's raining..........I thought it had stopped. Duh

Lets have Thanksgiving together FOOP Style. Share a recipe of one dish that you plan on serving. I'm gonna do this:

This is a simple recipe for a Pecan Cheesecake Pie and I found it sosimple that Ive made it several times. Use real sugar or the artificial kind … cant really tell the difference...

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350

8oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 egg Mix together until smooth
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
************************************************
3 eggs Mix in well
1 cup Brown sugar (packed)
1/4 tsp salt
************************************************
POUR into deep dish pie shell … you'll need the DEEP DISH SHELL.
Top with pecans (halves and chopped)
Bake @350 for 50 - 55 min. You might wanna "lightly" cover with foil while baking if top start to get too dark...probably last 30 - 45 minutes in oven.
Cool and cover!!

Or here is my alternate … a Pina Colada cake

2 sticks unsalted butter, divided
1/3 cup Pineapple Juice
3 (20 oz) cans pineapple chunks in pineapple juice … drained ...should be plenty of juice for the 1/3 cup juice required.
1 box Yellow Cake Mix.
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Preheat oven to 350f / 180C
Melt 1 stick butter in a 13 x9 pan for 5 minutes
When melted, remove from oven
Stir pineapple juice then chunks into pan
Spoon cake mix over top of chunks covering completely/evenly
Sprinkle coconut on top of cake mix until covered
cut remaining butter into small chunks over top of coconut
Bake 45 - 60 minutes rotating pan 1/4 turn every 15 minutes for even browning of coconut
Icecream or whipped cream will taste great. when added at serving.
====================================================
notes:

1: Its OK to substitute frozen pineapple or fresh for canned
2: OK to substitute rum for pineapple juice
3: If coconut starts to look too dark … cover with aluminum foil and continue baking
4: May be soft when coming out of oven but will firm up as it cools
5: CALL RICK FOR A CERTIFIED TASTE TEST!!

Here's a super simple old family recipe, known as Harvest Cake.  It's really a pie.  My cousins expect me to bring it every year.
When the threshers came to a farm to reap the wheat, my grandmother would make this, large scale in a 16 inch iron skillet for the workers for their lunch.  It was very rich, but they were working hard in the hot sun all day, so it provided energy to finish the day.

Sugar Cream Pie.

One Marie Calendar frozen pie crust.  (I'm a terrible crust maker.  Marie is good at it.)
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

Whisk flour and sugar together.  Add cream and stir.  Pour the whole mix into the thawed pie crust.  Bake for about 40-45 minutes at 350°.  
It's okay if it a still a tiny bit jiggly, but not runny, in the middle.  It will set up as it cools.  One pie will serve at least 8 or more people because it is so rich.

Another tale of what the hell is going on in PA.  When I disappear you know some crazy thing is going on.  My son was in the hospital for 3 days with a abscess in his colon, I was babysitting the 2 little girls, 2 dogs and a cat.  After 2 days, I farmed the girls out to family members (who are younger than me and equipped to go non stop for 24 hours) took the dogs to the boarding kennel, left a lot of food and water for the cat and came home.  Ace was so mad at me.

His "wife" is in FL with her mom, who is dying from 2 types of cancer.  Sleeping in a bed with 2 big dogs and a 5 year old is nothing I want to do ever again.  LOL The dogs are home with him, but the girls are still being farmed out for another week. He isn't allowed to pick up more than 10 pounds.

Yesterday I took my 83 year old neighbor to the ER, they kept her.  Her daughter is coming up from DC today. 

Got a email from my freind who is catering the Barnabas & Purple Heart Christmas party, husband fell off a ladder, broke his ribs and punctured his lung.  Crazy stuff all around.

Praying next week is a nice calm holiday week for everyone. Picking up my turkey & dinner items today.

Trudy, I stay with 3 little girls, 8, 6, and 2 for two or three hours at a time. It is very clear why the Good Lord decided that young people should have the babies. It takes a LOT of energy.
I hope you have a very quiet week and that you can get most of the Thanksgiving dinner done ahead of time.

How much sugar ELLEN? I need direction..............

TRUDY, kids run you into rugs........I can only do it like ELLEN does, a bit at a time.............

Oops! I didn't get the whole recipe in there. I went back and edited that post.
I'll be making a couple of those pies on Thursday morning before I head for the cousins'.

2 cups cream
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar.

SUNSHINE!  It's a rare thing these wintry days.  
I think we are going to get the last of the leaves cleaned up today.  I hope.  Anything that falls after today can just stay there until spring.

Several hours later:
Neighbors' son was a huge help with a backpack blower.
Whatever leaves are left will just have to lie there until spring. We got the leaves that were piled up next to the house moved and ground up to dust. It always concerns me that dry leaves next to the house are a fire hazard if somebody drops a cigarette near there. Nobody near here smokes, but a drive-by might throw out something without thinking about what could happen.

More fun news is that there is a juvenile eagle around. He was seen in a tree next to my house. I didn't get to see him, but I heard him. That is very encouraging, since it means that the adult eagles we've seen for the last few years are a breeding pair.

Hope everyone has a very nice and delicious Thanksgiving!

Hubby is trying to beat the snow and cold coming....building a shed for lawm mowers...side by side dirt bike..bicycles....etc etc....ill be glad when he has his knee surgery to make him rest more. In january.

It will be in teens at night but with wind chills close to zero...saturday our high will be 28! I do not like the winters here at all....
We will be going to alaska for 10 days for xmas to see jessi and family. Im not looking forward to even more cold....but it will be nice to see them all. Havnt seen the grands since march! Miss them.
Colt is very adamant about having his diaper changed....granny got to babysit...i realized its been awhile since ive changed a small butt...then he finished his bottle of breast milk and i rocked him to sleep.. So nice to hold and cuddle with a great grand.

Hope everyone stays warm and safe.

Ark...will let you know how we like the camper when we get to take off in early spring.

If y'all can send some good mojo on wednesday for me....id appreciate much.

Hug to all!

Good to see you CB...............good thoughts coming your way on Wednesday.
Glad you have your great grand son to cuddle.........so sweet.

Thanksgiving is going to be a mess in Az.......rain for us, snow for the high country.
It's at our house so that's fine. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the country
fares during winter storms..........some are supposed to be wicked and some just
mild. I certainly pray for those traveling.

We have a superintendent of schools here in AZ accused of embezzling money......
not for herself, just raised salaries for some administrators rather then keep the
funds in the classrooms...............we shall see but it never ceases to amaze me
what goes on right before our eyes. They have fired the superintendent and are
doing the investigation. Who does that?

Everyone have a good day.........

CB, have a great trip. As for cuddling the babies, we never get tired of that.

Graymare, crookedness and corruption seem to be EVERYWHERE. No conscience. No sense of right and wrong.

The weather is looking more ominous throughout the country.................good
grief............it's chilly here for the evening and not looking any too bright for tomorrow.
Air travel is jammed up everywhere............roads are closed, winds are added to the mixture.

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.................

Everyone be safe......................and warm.............

We had rain most of the night. When that ended this morning, the wind started. There have been some strong gusts. Over by Ft. Wayne two semi trucks were blown over, and some power lines are down. Here at my house, all is well. The wind is blowing, but not dangerously.

I'll be going to my cousin's tomorrow, as always. We'll be thankful, visit, eat too much and have a good time. I hope all of you do the same thing.

I wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving and a happy happy day......................

I had a very good visit with my cousins, met a brand new cousin who is not quite 5 months old, ate way too much, and made it there and back with no problems. It was a good day.