Oh, go ahead and cry!

My friend made the three hour trip from her home to mine so that I could watch her little dog this weekend while she made a run to pick up her car from The Popular Mechanic in Las Vegas, Nevada. He had just done an engine rebuild for her. It was going to be a six hour run one way. She had rented a car to get from her home to mine and then to Vegas where she would drop it off (yes,The Popular Mechanic is that good that she had arranged for her car to get to him and then now to go to retrieve it!). She would pick up the "new old car" and head right back, probably a 14 hour day or more. Her "little red haired girl" is too much of a princess to tolerate that kind of a trip, so the minute she arrived, the little red haired girl made herself right at home on her pillow on the sofa.

My friend and I hadn't seen each other for several months and she had had a birthday during that time. I wanted to make her something special for a Birthday Dinner. She is trying to be a vegetarian, and likes Mexican food, so I decided on cheese enchiladas. Lots of other good stuff to go with them (the enchiladas were especially for her, vegetarian) meat tacos for the rest of us. (I combined the pork and beef and really liked it that way).

The afternoon she arrived, though, Herman was having a big meeting upstairs and one of the girls attending was a mutual friend. We all decided to go out to lunch and visit for a spell.

The Birthday Dinner would have to wait until she returned from Vegas. We had eaten so much at lunch, noone wanted to think about eating again that night. 

My friend made her trip the next day and came right back as planned. The monsoon rains helped confuse her return trip and she arrived back a little too late for dinner again that night. We talked a little about her trip and decided the enchiladas would have to wait again.

She slept in a little the next morning, but we all  had a nummy breakfast of guacamole on sourdough toast with seasonal fruit on the side. Lots of coffee, she was still a little road hung over from the long trip and needed some stimulation to get moving by then.

My little dog, Bentley continued to try to impress her "little red haired girl" by showing his personality whenever he got a chance.She wasn't much impressed, making Bentley feel a little like Charlie Brown. They pretty much kept to themselves. 

Little red haired girl waited at the door the whole time Mommy was gone. Thought she had been abandoned. Bentley felt kind of sad for her because he knows how she felt. He sulks whenever I leave. Sometimes waiting in the car, "Come on, let's go get Mom."

We finally had the dinner. She took a picture of the beautiful table I had set with all the nummy food and my new hat looking placemats, but when she edited the picture to get a good close up of me, Picasa forgot to save the original. So this is all you will see of the beautiful spread I made... You can see the hat looking placemats under the fruit bowl in the center of the table in the picture below.

It was a nice looking table and Herman was in it too, but she apologizes that she goofed and didn't quite know how to use Picasa as she should. That darned ole learning curve, causing problems again. "There just isn't enough time in a day!" As Herman always says. 

My friend stuffed herself on two enchiladas and let the rest of us have a share of the pan too. Mmmm, they were good, if I do say so myself.

It was a full house this weekend. I always cry when I see my friend coming and then when it's time for her to leave, I cry again. I had been telling her the story of my childhood and how easily I would cry. My mother would say something she knew would upset me and then before I could start, she would throw up her hands and say, "Oh, go ahead and cry!"

So as the language of friends seals the intimacy found there, my friend usually blows a kiss and waves goodbye as she pull out the drive...this time she rolled down her window and yelled, "Oh, go ahead and cry!"

Of course I laughed! :o)

That'll do pig!

Help I've Lost My Mate

Not too long ago, one of my neighbor friends and I made liquid laundry soap. For different reasons, we are trying to stretch our dollars. It was easy to do and saved oodles compared to name brand products packaged and ready to go. (click here to see a blog and video about making your own soap and a cost analysis)

Simple old vinegar makes a great fabric softener. (click here to read what wikipedia has to say about fabric softeners) 

(click here for full instructions for the recipe below which adds an anti-static element and an optional fragrance)

Homemade Fabric Softener

1 cup baking soda

6 cups distilled white vinegar

8 cups water

10 -15 drops orange essential oils (optional) or 10 -15 drops lemon essential oils (optional) or 10 -15 drops essential oils, of choice (optional)

(My ghost writer tells me that dryer sheets have animal tallow in them! She's vegan, so this recipe meets her interest to save animals.)

It seem like yesterday that I was doing laundry for a houseful of kids and a husband. It was in fact, many years ago. Jim was with me then and he was a southern gentleman, always putting a hand out to help, as any gentleman does.

Laundry was just a chore, but I loved keeping house and I loved taking care of my family.  

As usual, I would pull the laundry from the dryer and invariably a sock or two would go to wherever socks go to be missing. 

I never complained about it. I just put everyone's laundry on their beds and put the single socks with the pile. I would return later, when the mate was found to put the two together. 

One day I looked up and above the dryer was a cardboard box with writing on it. It said, "Help, I've lost my mate." Jim, on his own, with no cajoling, had taken it upon himself to help his damsel, a box for single socks.

He was a sweet soul and I am sure God is well pleased to have him in Heaven to keep people laughing and finding a place for mate-less socks! It would be a job he would do without complaint.

I have had the blessing of good mates. 

My washing machine stopped not long ago, and it wasn't long before Mr. Menze had all its internal parts out and stretched in a line on the floor to try for a diagnosis on his own before calling for paid help. He stopped everything to do that, because he knew I needed it to work. 

Yes, I've been richly blessed. And I am grateful. 

psalms 107:15
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Please take the time to watch this cute little video about where socks might be lurking....



And then again...
That'll do Pig.

Click here for Heather Bailey's Pig Pattern

Like a Penny Waiting for Change

As if there could be anything smaller? With less value.

"I felt like a penny waiting for change."

You know, pennies can add up. After all, there are a hundred in a dollar. A thousand of those little things in a ten.

Large corporations make millions off of a fraction of a cent.

If ever you think your value is less than a cent, throw your two cents in and see if people change their minds. See if you can change your own mind by thinking yourself out of thinkin less of yourself.

Put a penny in the jar every time you think a negative thought and just see how they add up. Might be a good way to start a savings account.

Better yet, I like to see em adding up and start thinking of a way to think of something good instead of bad to dwell on.

King James Bible

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Maybe I'll take all the pennies that have accumulated to the store and buy some graham cracker crumbs and make a pumpkin walnut cheesecake? Mmmmm! Nummy, nummy.

That's worth a lot, and it will win you a bunch of friends too.

Here is a recipe that my friends fight over. Even skinny people are willing to run an extra 10 miles just to take a sliver...

The credit for this recipe goes to Susan Garoutte, Georgetown, Texas at Little Baker Books. (click here for link)

"When it comes to autumn desserts, you just can't beat this deluxe cheesecake! One of my Bunco friends gave me this recipe, and it's now a family favorite. -Susan Garoutte, Georgetown, Texas"

2    cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

6    tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:

3    packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1    can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1    teaspoon ground cinnamon

1    teaspoon ground cloves

5    eggs, lightly beaten

TOPPING:

6    tablespoons butter, softened

1    cup packed dark brown sugar

1    cup chopped walnuts

Place a greased 9-in. Springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square).

Securely wrap foil around pan. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, cream, cinnamon and cloves until blended. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place Springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. 

For topping, in a small bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Stir in walnuts. Carefully sprinkle over hot cheesecake. Bake 30 minutes longer or until center is just set. Remove Springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. 

Yield: 12 servings. 

That'll Do Pig!

Take All You Want

I'm eighty one. 

I think it looks better if you spell it out rather than use numerals.

I believe "You don't stop doing things because you get old. You get old because you stop doing things." Rosamunde Pilcher

So as not to get old, did I say I was eighty one...oops! Okay, so as not to get too old, I keep pretty busy. 
I love my home. I love cooking. I even love, yes love, to clean. I feel so accomplished when I have a clean home. 
Not so much ironing. But it's a chore that needs doing, so I just buckle down and get er dun. 

I always say, "Take all you want and eat all you take."

That is before we start a meal. 

It kind of applies to life too. (If you plan to take a lot, you should probably plan to use it wisely.)
But ya have to watch out not to get greedy. It's good to leave some for others, don't ya think?

I've decided to start this blog because my grandson told me I should write down all the cute little quips I throw at him as wisdoms.

My friend told me she would post what I write and design it for me so I don't have to learn all that new stuff. I'm busy cooking. But she loves all the little things I say too and thought I really needed to get them out there for others to hear.

She keeps asking me, "Did you write that one down, like your grandson asked?"

So, I'm gonna tell her and she will write them down and  probably have a few cents to add too. (all links are probably her two cents. She has my permission, because I get the final say.)

"We must be careful with God's things. He provides his children with what they need ( Matthew 6:25-34). However, his standards are significantly different than ours are. Thus, we violate his standards and become poor stewards ( Psalm 24:1; Exodus 16:16-21). He desires simplicity while we command excess. We must fight this impulse every day." 

We hope you enjoy this blog and come back for an extra helping. 

I plan to post an expression or two and feature some of my best recipes.
Oh and some of my life stories and my daily adventures.
Keep looking out. We're gonna post a picture of me without my teeth.
You get to a certain age and ya just have to laugh at yourself. (o;
My ghost writer says I look cute without them. You'll have to let me know.
See ya next time. I'll be posting my special Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe. No one can resist it. You'll love it. It's so easy!

That'll do pig!

That'll Do Pig
Babe at MOVIECLIPS.com