Finally.
I've been increasingly unhappy with the whole thing, the fact that we use more dishes because we don't have to handle them again, and then the spotty (pun intended) performance of the dishwasher, leaving spots and a strange white powder if the water softener isn't filled with salt. That might be the next thing to go!
As a child I hated the whole dishwashing thing, with all the work it entailed. Cutting wood to heat the water we carried a mile from the spring in plastic jerrycans in winter, closer in summer. If you didn't heat the water, your hands would ache for what seemed like hours, a bonedeep ache that precluded doing anything else til you warmed up.
But, with the luxury of a hot water heater, there really isn't any reason not to wash up by hand, and lots of reasons why I should.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Randomness
Home again from Denver----had a great time at the show. On Sunday I took Con out for a walk around the Merchandise Mart---that place is big! Came back to the table and found a perfectly beautiful garlic keeper with a note...Stan of XAZ was at the show and I hadn't known it, we were so busy on Saturday I had no idea who was there and who wasn't.
If you haven't been to the XAZ website, you really should; he was debuting a new line of handformed boxes, very elegantly formed and polished...I thought decaying steel and urban leopard, shadows of empty windows... There's a group photo on the website, but it doesn't capture the essence well.
We used lots of hand sanitizer at the show, and I am glad to be home---but it's nice to remember that I do not have a spirit of fear, nor should I give place to it...everything is under control.
Nienie said the same thing, it's under control--much more eloquently, of course!
If you haven't been to the XAZ website, you really should; he was debuting a new line of handformed boxes, very elegantly formed and polished...I thought decaying steel and urban leopard, shadows of empty windows... There's a group photo on the website, but it doesn't capture the essence well.
We used lots of hand sanitizer at the show, and I am glad to be home---but it's nice to remember that I do not have a spirit of fear, nor should I give place to it...everything is under control.
Nienie said the same thing, it's under control--much more eloquently, of course!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Warmer
And tomorrow is forecast to be much warmer than today....I have onions to plant and ground to turn. Beads to make and cleaning to do.....our last bead show til Sept. is this weekend. Come see us at the Rocky Mountain Bead Bazaar. Or one of us, anyway....Chuck may have to work.
The bread from yesterday sliced just fine, Chuck's sandwiches were a great success. We got seven loaves for a little more than the cost of one loaf at the store....
Had to snicker at a certain blogger complain about the tea-bagging secessionists and the paranoid, well armed, right wing fundies....I think I may adopt that as my sig line somewhere.
The bread from yesterday sliced just fine, Chuck's sandwiches were a great success. We got seven loaves for a little more than the cost of one loaf at the store....
Had to snicker at a certain blogger complain about the tea-bagging secessionists and the paranoid, well armed, right wing fundies....I think I may adopt that as my sig line somewhere.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Today
Today I took the plastic off the windows and opened them.
It had been raining for the last three days and today is the first sunny day in a week.
The cats are perched on the windowsills, chattering at the grackels.
The grackels are ignoring the cats.
I made bread this afternoon, using the recipe from Granny Miller.
I think I could have gotten eight loaves, my yeast must be particularly frisky....
The bread is delicious! I haven't made a kneaded bread for years. My mother used to make bread, but somewhere around the time I was 13, she stopped cooking. We ate a lot of pilot bread and peanut butter, canned soup and store-bought bread. Life was a lot like a piece of pilot bread, flat, hard, and tasteless.
But, now I make my own bread. It's good, and if it isn't, well that's my fault, isn't it?
It had been raining for the last three days and today is the first sunny day in a week.
The cats are perched on the windowsills, chattering at the grackels.
The grackels are ignoring the cats.
I made bread this afternoon, using the recipe from Granny Miller.
I think I could have gotten eight loaves, my yeast must be particularly frisky....
The bread is delicious! I haven't made a kneaded bread for years. My mother used to make bread, but somewhere around the time I was 13, she stopped cooking. We ate a lot of pilot bread and peanut butter, canned soup and store-bought bread. Life was a lot like a piece of pilot bread, flat, hard, and tasteless.
But, now I make my own bread. It's good, and if it isn't, well that's my fault, isn't it?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Muddles
More garden prep----I'm digging up the strip between the sidewalk and the street, a little at a time. I'll plant sunflowers and then pole beans, with a row of bush beans inboard of the sunflowers.
It's amazing living on the edge of town---the amount and variety of trash that lands in my yard and in my trees. WalMart bags are a huge part of it, but I've actually found maxipads strewn along the back fence....makes me wish for an island somewhere.
A nice thunderstorm tonight, should make the digging easier tomorrow!
It's amazing living on the edge of town---the amount and variety of trash that lands in my yard and in my trees. WalMart bags are a huge part of it, but I've actually found maxipads strewn along the back fence....makes me wish for an island somewhere.
A nice thunderstorm tonight, should make the digging easier tomorrow!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Long nights...
It's been a long couple of nights.....the tan puppy, Walnut went to a new home with three children on Tuesday. The first night Peanut slept ok in the bathroom as usual, but that was the last time. The next I had the foolish idea of letting him cry it out, like a baby. Puppies are not like human babies. He cried for three hours. Chuck snored through part of it, but when he woke up and asked what was killing the puppy the cries tripled in volume and desperation.
We've compromised the last couple of nights: he sleeps in a box beside the bed, on my side, where I can put my hand on him if he cries. I found that covering the box with a pillowcase helps a bit, there isn't anything interesting to see that way.
Last night he only cried at 4AM, so we took him to his papers to puddle.
I hope he grows up to be a little more independent!
On a funnier note, the cats are noticing that he's turning into a dog....they're wondering about our powers of observation..
We've compromised the last couple of nights: he sleeps in a box beside the bed, on my side, where I can put my hand on him if he cries. I found that covering the box with a pillowcase helps a bit, there isn't anything interesting to see that way.
Last night he only cried at 4AM, so we took him to his papers to puddle.
I hope he grows up to be a little more independent!
On a funnier note, the cats are noticing that he's turning into a dog....they're wondering about our powers of observation..
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wild onions
Went to a garage sale this afternoon.....found a few things, but got to chatting and wound up with a whole dishpan full of wild onion plants....now to find a good spot for them!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Pizza
We survived!!
We did pizza for the children last night at church---3 batches of 5-minute-a-day bread (15 pounds of flour)....lots of hamburger with sausage seasoning, a gallon+ of pizza sauce, cheese, ham, green peppers, onions, and lots of hands to help! Lydia put oranges in the salad and that was yummy----everyone went away with a full tummy.
About halfway through pre-baking the pizza skins I discovered that a short knead, about 2 minutes, made the dough MUCH easier to roll out and shape.
We did pizza for the children last night at church---3 batches of 5-minute-a-day bread (15 pounds of flour)....lots of hamburger with sausage seasoning, a gallon+ of pizza sauce, cheese, ham, green peppers, onions, and lots of hands to help! Lydia put oranges in the salad and that was yummy----everyone went away with a full tummy.
About halfway through pre-baking the pizza skins I discovered that a short knead, about 2 minutes, made the dough MUCH easier to roll out and shape.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Huh?
Stolen Cessna Pursued by Jet Fighters Lands on Highway
A pilot who stole a Cessna plane from a Canadian flight school and was pursued for hours across the Midwest by fighter jets, landed on a Missouri highway late today and took off running, government officials said.
The single engine Cessna 172 landed on U.S. Highway 60 in Missouri at approximately 9:50 p.m. ET.
There were no reports of injuries on the ground.
The plane had been escorted by two F-16 fighter jets since shortly after it crossed into U.S. airspace from Canada, and the pilot did not respond to multiple requests that he establish communications with ground controllers.
A Customs and Border Protection aircraft was also closely monitoring the Cessna.
The plane entered American airspace over Michigan's Upper Peninsula at 3:25 p.m. today and was trailed by the military aircraft since 4:43 p.m. as it flew over Minnesota, south through Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri.
Details are scarce as to the identity of the pilot, but NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek said the pilot is a student at the flight school and that his motives are unknown.
According to Kucharek, the F-16 pilots had made visual contact with the pilot and knew that the person that flew the aircraft was aware that the F-16s were there. He was "unresponsive to their non-verbal directions and ... not in contact with the FAA controllers," Kucharek said.
FAA officials also said the Cessna's pilot did not respond to repeated efforts to hail him on all radio frequencies.
It was thought the fighter jets might have to shoot down the aircraft if it showed hostile intent, Kucharek told ABC News.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kind of a stupid thing to do, unless its a practice run for something...
A pilot who stole a Cessna plane from a Canadian flight school and was pursued for hours across the Midwest by fighter jets, landed on a Missouri highway late today and took off running, government officials said.
The single engine Cessna 172 landed on U.S. Highway 60 in Missouri at approximately 9:50 p.m. ET.
There were no reports of injuries on the ground.
The plane had been escorted by two F-16 fighter jets since shortly after it crossed into U.S. airspace from Canada, and the pilot did not respond to multiple requests that he establish communications with ground controllers.
A Customs and Border Protection aircraft was also closely monitoring the Cessna.
The plane entered American airspace over Michigan's Upper Peninsula at 3:25 p.m. today and was trailed by the military aircraft since 4:43 p.m. as it flew over Minnesota, south through Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri.
Details are scarce as to the identity of the pilot, but NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek said the pilot is a student at the flight school and that his motives are unknown.
According to Kucharek, the F-16 pilots had made visual contact with the pilot and knew that the person that flew the aircraft was aware that the F-16s were there. He was "unresponsive to their non-verbal directions and ... not in contact with the FAA controllers," Kucharek said.
FAA officials also said the Cessna's pilot did not respond to repeated efforts to hail him on all radio frequencies.
It was thought the fighter jets might have to shoot down the aircraft if it showed hostile intent, Kucharek told ABC News.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kind of a stupid thing to do, unless its a practice run for something...
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Someone
Someone slept really well last night, but it wasn't either of us! Punkin got in bed with us last night and snuggled down right in the middle. I think she slept like a log all night, but I don't think either of us really got into deep sleep at all. Now she's all bright and perky this morning and we're dragging around like zombies...
On a brighter note, it's snowing again...
On a brighter note, it's snowing again...
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Blizzard
It's official....its a blizzard, not a winter storm. Hubby did go to work, but he didn't stay long, and I'm glad he didn't. The local Post Office didn't even open, as far as I can tell---I called several times and no one answered. I'll find out Monday or Tuesday...
The wind drifted snow across the door, took some doing to get it open, and even more to get the dogs outside! They are convinced that I'm in control of this whole thing and that if they cross their legs long enough, I'll just fix it.
Chuck remembers the blizzards they had here when he was a boy, he said you'd take a shovel in the house, so that you could crawl out a window and shovel out the door after it was over.
I cooked up a pot of lentils and made gullets to go with it. Not sure where the name originated, but it's probably a universal fry bread. We made them when we didn't want to fire up the cookstove in the summer. You take a tennis-ball sized piece of bread dough and flatten it out between your palms, then fry it in hot oil. It will brown nicely and rise in the pan, so you want to be sure you've made it thin, otherwise it won't cook through before it burns.
The wind drifted snow across the door, took some doing to get it open, and even more to get the dogs outside! They are convinced that I'm in control of this whole thing and that if they cross their legs long enough, I'll just fix it.
Chuck remembers the blizzards they had here when he was a boy, he said you'd take a shovel in the house, so that you could crawl out a window and shovel out the door after it was over.
I cooked up a pot of lentils and made gullets to go with it. Not sure where the name originated, but it's probably a universal fry bread. We made them when we didn't want to fire up the cookstove in the summer. You take a tennis-ball sized piece of bread dough and flatten it out between your palms, then fry it in hot oil. It will brown nicely and rise in the pan, so you want to be sure you've made it thin, otherwise it won't cook through before it burns.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Smoking
Some interesting comments being made on a board I frequent about smoking....some are likening the addiction to a physical deformity that one can do nothing about..
I'm not so sure about that, truthfully. We have the information available to us before we CHOOSE to pick up a habit that probably will become an addiction.
I see it sort of like a bear trap in plain sight. You walk around it, look at it, poke at it, and finally put your foot in there. You were told by people around you that it really wasn't such a good idea. It would damage you physically. You would smell bad. Some people would not want to associate with you. There was documented scientific evidence freely available covering the hazards. You chose to try it anyway.
Now don't expect everyone who happens by to affirm you in your choice to wear a bear trap on your foot. Some will offer to help you out, some may point out the folly of your ways, that's human nature, pure and simple. Most people will be quite sympathetic, but don't be surprised if no one wants to bring you food and water and take care of you, rather than helping you pry the trap off your foot!
Just for the record, I did smoke for 22 years. Do I miss it? No.
Am I a particularly strong person? No.
I'm not so sure about that, truthfully. We have the information available to us before we CHOOSE to pick up a habit that probably will become an addiction.
I see it sort of like a bear trap in plain sight. You walk around it, look at it, poke at it, and finally put your foot in there. You were told by people around you that it really wasn't such a good idea. It would damage you physically. You would smell bad. Some people would not want to associate with you. There was documented scientific evidence freely available covering the hazards. You chose to try it anyway.
Now don't expect everyone who happens by to affirm you in your choice to wear a bear trap on your foot. Some will offer to help you out, some may point out the folly of your ways, that's human nature, pure and simple. Most people will be quite sympathetic, but don't be surprised if no one wants to bring you food and water and take care of you, rather than helping you pry the trap off your foot!
Just for the record, I did smoke for 22 years. Do I miss it? No.
Am I a particularly strong person? No.
Crumbs....
That's all that was left over last night! Those kiddos can eat!
Spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread----pans and pans full, gone in 20 minutes.
It's a good feeling to look at a table full of empty pans, and tables of full children.
Beads later or tomorrow, we're working on getting a trunk show out the door, so it may not be until tomorrow.
Spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread----pans and pans full, gone in 20 minutes.
It's a good feeling to look at a table full of empty pans, and tables of full children.
Beads later or tomorrow, we're working on getting a trunk show out the door, so it may not be until tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Irony
How ironic that the governer of Kansas, a state that recently stopped issuing tax refunds, has admitted to owing back taxes.....it's true, our President should be collecting a finders fee from the IRS. Poor guy is having a hard time finding an honest appointee...
Snowing again...
It's snowing lightly---again. Con was out on her scooter last night, good thing she did it then!
The pups are snoozing in their box with full bellies. I think Brownie's ears are beginning to stand, and his tail has more curl, it lies almost flat on his back. Peanut still has flop ears, but he's usually moving so fast you can't tell, anyway!
The pups are snoozing in their box with full bellies. I think Brownie's ears are beginning to stand, and his tail has more curl, it lies almost flat on his back. Peanut still has flop ears, but he's usually moving so fast you can't tell, anyway!
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