Happy Halloween

 Grand niece Addi

 

Grand niece Bri

 

Grandson Cain

 

Grandson Colt

Granddaughter Isabel 

Grand nephew Ty

 

Grand niece Rilee

Niece Lacee

Grand nephew Tanner

 

and

 

Me!

 

The Judge knew I was dressing in Harley gear, but she was out most of the day. When she walked in and saw me, she just shook her head. She said that in one of her meetings she saw one of the district judges. He told her a tattooed biker chick was running her office. :D 

Sprained Ankle Revisited

Back on March 4 I sprained my ankle while in College Station TX. I am approaching nine months since the incident. The ankle is still a bit stiff. However, I am in heels again! YAY!!!

I went from flats to low heels to mid heels. (FYI - I do not wear hooker heels so we're not talking much over 2 1/2 inches...maybe 3 inches but I really doubt that any heel I have is that tall.)

Every so often I would put on my taller heels and walk down the hall. Ummm...nope...not yet. About six weeks ago I started wearing heels around the house. Really. I looked real cute wearing my heels with shorts. And jeans. Not to mention sweats. ;) But it has worked. I've worn heels to church for three weeks now. And tomorrow...TOMORROW...I am wearing a pair of my most comfortable heels to work. :D  I am so proud of myself.

Just Stuff

One morning I stepped out on the front porch with my camera to check the clouds. While standing there, I heard a hummer. It flew toward the feeder as I watched not moving. 

 

Then it decided to check ME out. LOL

Last Tuesday evening while watching television, I looked out the back door. The sky was orange. I've never seen an orange sky. I called Sam's attention to it as I jumped up and grabbed the camera on my way out. Unfortunately, the color just does not show up in the photo. RATS...

Kids in church...a few weeks back I mentioned about a little girl saying, "God bless you," to someone who sneezed during church. It was not a whispered blessing...it was a regular voice blessing. :-)

This morning a little girl down in front of us was singing. She sang during the song and quit singing when the congregation stopped. She did this with every song. Sam and I looked at each other and just smiled.

Then...

there are the parents who do not get to hear a word of the singing or sermon because they spend the hour shushing their child(ren). I'm not talking about infants and toddlers who are learning how to act in church...I am talking about kids who are at the age that they should be sitting quietly. I do not know why this mother does not have a "bag of tricks" for the kids during church: sketch pad, colors, coloring book, story books, etc. ANYTHING to keep them quiet.

It's a mind-boggling thing.

All I Want

I saw an ad on a Facebook vintage stuff for sale page: mid-century vinyl couch. 

LOOK!!!

It reminded me of a Darius Rucker song (click song title):

All I Want

A Man with a Televison Remote

We have one television. Can you guess that the boob-tube is not a big deal in our home?

A few months back, grandson Colt and I were in the bedroom. I was folding a few items out of the dryer on the bed. He helped a little, then settled back on the pillows, crossed his ankles and said, "TV." I told him Granny did not have a TV in the bedroom. He looked around then said, "Okay." Finished "helping" me fold laundry.

Having just one television is starting to be a 'big' deal for me. I can be settled in watching a program, get up for a bathroom break, come back, and DH has taken possession of the remote and is scrolling channels. 

Yesterday early evening I got back from a milk run (I have to have milk - chocolate preferably - every morning). I put the milk in the refrigerator, walked into the living room portion of the open floor-space room and turned the news on. I went back into the kitchen to start prepping for supper. I can see the television clearly from the kitchen. Sam was in his office at the computer. He walked through the kitchen to the living room, picked up the remote and started scrolling channels. I was flabbergasted. Did he think the television turned itself on? I politely asked him that when he got through scrolling would he please turn back to channel 7 for the local weather.

Just a couple of evenings ago, he scrolled for an hour and a half. An HOUR and a HALF!! He never settled on anything longer than 3 seconds. Folks, we do not have cable or satellite. We are still on antennae. We only have access to SEVENTEEN channels! He scrolled SEVENTEEN channels for an HOUR and a HALF!!!!!

I'm thinking about putting a television in my sewing room...

Bless You!

In church yesterday morning, a lady sneezed. The little 3-year old girl behind me leaned over and said, "Bless you!"

LOL

Ouch!

Sam and I traveled to College Station to dine with Aggie friends who graduated 55 years ago. The whole week was planned, but because I have only 10 days vacation, Sam decided to just go to the dinner Monday night. Walking toward the Hilton - from the parking lot - the pavement looked one level parking lot to fountain to under the portico. It wasn't. I stepped off the curb and hit the pavement. Totally stunned trying to decide how I went from upright to on my knees in milli-seconds...??? When I looked around and saw that the leading edge of the curb was painted maroon while the pavement itself was a shiny black. I thought - where'd that curb come from?!

My right ankle is sprained. A recurring injury left over from childhood. Although it has been years since I've stepped crooked and hurt myself this badly.

 We headed to Austin Tuesday so that I could attend a webpage management class for work. Comparing ankle sizes that night.

Crossing the Colorado River on the way to downtown Austin for class.

 January 2012 I was in Austin and sick - so could not walk the grounds of the Capitol. Sigh - once again I could not walk the grounds of the Capitol, but took photos as Sam drove by.

This is a shot from the fourth floor of the Texas Association of Counties where the training took place.

And this is my ankle...yes, it is bruised below, behind, and above the ankle.

Somoas!

Computers

Sam's computer has been pfffftttt. Working so slow most of the time. It would have a quick moment of sanity and work fast for a short time, then next time it would be back to its same old tricks.

Jonathan decided to downsize to a laptop so sold Sam his pc.

Jonathan and Kirk are visiting this weekend.

Sam and Jonathan are both in bed - still this morning - and I'm playing with Jonathan's laptop. Ssssh. Don't tell him but before he leaves Monday, I'm going to hide this and slip my laptop in his case!

Bwahahahahaha

Just Stuff

Not much going on around here. I've been setting my Kindle to Text to Speech and listening to it while I sit in front of the quilting frame working on a poor red-headed step-child quilt that's been in the frame ever since I started work - TWO YEARS ago! Hmmm...I don't seem to have a full view photo of it. You'll have to wait until I finish the vine and roll the quilt to the next section. 

It's a Rose of Sharon variation. Originally I was going to call it Sherry's Rose, but since Mama's death last March I've decided to name it Shirley's Rose.

I purchased the Outlander series (by Diana Gabaldon) for my Kindle. (Thanks Cody, Brook, and Isabel for the Amazon gift card for Christmas!) I'm reading/listening to it AGAIN! I've lost track of the number of times I've read it or listened to it on audio book from the library. And am anxiously awaiting the next book...Written in My Own Heart's Blood to be released Fall 2013!!! :D

I baked oatmeal-raisin cookies for Sam yesterday afternoon. He kinda got his nose out of joint about the spicy chocolate tart I made. When I offered him a slice of it, he commented Yes, I'd like some oatmeal cookies. eyeroll Men are truly just little boys in grown-up disguises.

The last time I baked the cookies, I pulled the recipe off the internet. It's Quakers Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies. I thought something was different. It called for 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 stick and 6 tablespoons butter. Hmmm...I didn't remember that. The cookies were different. They were thicker and more cake-like. Later, I found the "original" recipe in my binder. Well HELLOOOO! Quaker changed the recipe and did not call it "Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies - less sugar - less fat." 

I made this batch by the original recipe. Just like we remembered they should be. Perfect!

Here's the updated recipe:
   http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/content/recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeId=474

Just remember to use 2 sticks of butter a full cup of brown sugar. (I searched the site trying to find the REAL recipe - it's not there!)

John texted to tell me that one morning Colt was singing: Pawpaw Pawpaw Pawpaw Genie Genie Genie Donnie Donnie Donnie...over and over again. Colt can't pronounce Granny yet. Donnie and his wife are friends of John's and Erin's. Sam was visiting with John later in the week. The guys, including Donnie, went to lunch together. That was the first Donnie had heard about the song. Sam said he grinned.

Well - that's about it! Just the "normals" around here. Work - which I love! Work around the house - a necessary evil. Wishing my grands were closer.

The Good and the Pfffftttt

Sam, Jonathan, and I went to see "Parental Guidance" at the movie theater tonight. I haven't laughed that much at the movies in a very long time. 

Now - Jonathan, my 29-year old son, and I are watching television. We just enjoyed two back-to-back commercials. One was for Cialis - erectile dysfunction. The other was for RepHresh - feminine cleanliness.

Not quite as bad as when he was 14 and tampon commercials came on. At least now we can laugh about them.

Where?

I heard some absolutely horrible news today. When I walked in the house this evening, Sam asked how my day had gone. I started crying as I told him about the incident. I pulled up the online newspaper so that he could read it.

I think for the first time in my life I asked God "Where were you? What were you doing?!"

But then I knew. He was crying while Satan reared his ugly-ass head back and laughed and applauded at those who would blame God for this horror.  

Spelling Bee

I thought I was finished with Spelling Bees after elementary school. Da Judge asked me to get a 3-person team together from the Friends of the Library and the salon she owns (and her sister manages for her) would pay the entrance fee.

The Bee was tonight. One of our team, the most stable person I've known in a long time, called at noon and said she wasn't going to show up. I made no comment - just hung up the phone. She called back and fussed at me pretty royally for hanging up on her. LOL She was actually having a bad case of nerves! I would've never ever guessed that of her. 

We could appoint a "speller" - the third team member said she'd do it. The way it works...the word was called out, we each wrote it down, compared our spellings, then the speller stood and spelled it...she did great! 

We were NOT the first ones out! YEAH!!!! We came in fourth out of eight teams. And we are all happy about it! 

Just Stuff...and a New Pie Recipe!

This hawk is sitting on a high-line pole nearly every evening. One day I'm going to be prepared and catch him on that pole!

I made one placemat at the COF 2012 retreat in Branson - well I started it there. I finally completed all eight and made the tablerunner to match from a PJ party on the HGTV quilting forum. :D I'm happy!

A couple of weeks ago we spent Sunday with Isabel and her parents. She was starved for barbeque at lunch...

Ah...sated!

This is what 15 mph looks like at 7:40 a.m on the way to work via a country road. He got up to 20 and hit his breaks to slow down. LOL I leave early enough that I don't always go straight to work, sometimes I take an alternate route. This guy may have thought he was "getting to" me...but I was behind him laughing. neener neener He turned right at the farm-to-market road and looked over his shoulder - I guess to judge my degree of frustration. He was a young guy. Go figure...

Remember that Ozark Mountain Pie I had at the Rainbow Cafe in Mt. View Arkansas?

Here's my version.

I sorta held a naming contest with some quilter friends: To Die for Pie, Sherry's Sinful Indulgence, Sherry is a Big Tease (LOL), No Name Pie...but the winner is ...

Big Butt Pie

1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup light Karo
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add Karo and vanilla, mix in. Then add eggs and beat until all is blended in. Stir in chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts. Pour into a prepared pie shell. Bake 40-45 minutes.

Note: I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
 

This is my "Does this hat make my butt look big?" gift from Sue - aka Florida Farm Girl. Yes...there's a story. ;)

My new crust recipe. 
When I got my new KitchenAide food processor last year I searched for a pastry crust recipe. So flaky it melts in your mouth!

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pulse a couple of times to mix.

8 tablespoons of lard (I weigh it - 4 ounces)
Cut into chunks and spread on top of flour. Pulse 3 times counting to 3 each time.

Run and sprinkle in three tablespoons of ice cold water. This comes together real quick. Turn off. Gather up into a bundle. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour.

Note:
You can use shortening instead of lard. Some of the fat can be butter, but butter tends to toughen the crust.

My Week

My first - and probably only - ATC (Artist Trading Card).

A field of frost.

Early morning full moon.

Smokey morning drive to the dentist. After I got back to work I found out that this was a controlled burn that got out of hand. The forest service was called in to cut a fire break. Back under control and allowed to burn.

At the car wash...

 Fall colors on the drive home from work.

Long Weekend Trip - and Other Stuff

These are in the "other stuff" category. I fooled around with the templates in my cell phone. LOL Sam did not really appreciate the photo below. Wonder why?!

I took a couple of days vacation for a trip to Mt. View AR.  The colors are gorgeous! Once upon a time Sam would stop so that I could take pictures. Now I shoot them while he's driving. sigh...

This is called Ozark Mountain Pie. I got a slice at the Rainbow Cafe in Mt. View. OH MY GOODNESS! So good! I asked for the recipe. RATS! It's a specialty of the restaurant and they wouldn't share. However, I think I can replicate this. More to follow later. Butter and eggs are on the grocery list.

 When we were in Branson MO last month, Sam won a couple of tickets to a show. Grand Country Jubilee (or something like that). We took the opportunity to make a side trip to use the tickets.

This is the view I had. Sam sat to my right. Every time the performers moved to the left, I leaned left. The guy on that side probably thought I was putting the moves on him.

At intermission, he and his wife changed places. (This is probably the shortest hair-do I've ever seen on a woman. And, yes, Sarah. This is a woman.)

We ate at Jack's restaurant on the White River. A group of Miatas were in the parking lot. I took a photo of the car in the group I liked best. Sam told me I had good taste - this is a Porsche. :D

On the way home we spotted this on a trailer. Yep. I could see myself in either one of these cars.

This is the main reason we go to Mt. View...jam sessions on and around the courthouse square.

These photos of fall foliage are just south of Branson.

By now I believe y'all know how I love clouds. Aren't these in the Missouri sky unusual?!

This is for The Monitor - the local paper from the north end of Morris County. ;-)

Two years ago I purchased the two fabrics in the foreground from The Quilting Bee in Mt. View. I visit every time we are there. I found the fabric in the background in the sale bin. Pert near perfect match!

Big brother Colt reading to little brother Cain. I LOVE IT!

 It's truly funny how you associate "things." That pie up above. I thought to myself while I was eating it..."This better than sex!" Of course I didn't say anything out loud with Sam sitting across the table from me. Since the booth directly behind me was occupied I had to keep down the "When Harry Met Sally" scene... Anyway, I thought about...you-know-who. OH YES!