Sunshine and Drugs

Today as the sun poured in my dining room window I thought how happy I am that somebody built a house next door.  The trees were so high and so thick that not only did the sun not come in, they couldn't even get satellite coverage.  Need my daily dose of sun.

I really enjoyed watching the MLB video about Josh Hamilton today.  He is on the Texas Rangers team and doing well now but almost died from his addictions.  It was very sad to see what a hold his addictions had on him.  It appears he knows he can never relax, the addiction is always there but he has been clean for 5 years.  He was such a remarkable player as a child he couldn't play with the boys his own age but his dream of the majors all came crashing down when he was injured, got into tattoos, drugs and everything else bad for you.  It was almost an impossible road back.  His book is called "Beyond Belief".  I do want to read it.

Makes me think of Whitney Houston and how she keeps going back to drugs.  So sad, so very sad. 

Last night I had one of those terrible nightmares.  I was wandering with some family members (not sure who) looking for a place to live.  We finally ended sleeping in a vacant lot.  I awoke very sad but what was that all about?

Mike made some fabulous fajitas again last night, so delicious.

Mike and Cheesecake

Mike loves cheesecake and each one gets better. (I swear I will not eat more than the one piece I already had and it is very good, our family recipe.) However, since he is so into cooking I will find a recipe that will produce the kind of cheesecake I had in Maryland. It was the Original New York cheesecake--very dense and will use about twice the cheesecake for the same size tin. He has four weeks to perfect it for Thanksgiving!

Sisters Sharing Medical Advice?

I felt so lousy and tired yesterday, I had decided I needed to go back to my Doctor.  But then I talked to my sister Carole and realized we both had the same complaint about our swallowing problem.  She had recently been to the doctor and was following his advice.  It was the advice I had been given  before but was somehow neglecting to do.  And I still had the pills advised in my cupboard.

So I will follow her Doctor's advice, save myself a trip, and in the meantime, use up the pills I have.  We will see if I feel better by next week.  Surely sisters are a lot alike, right?

Scorpios in The Family

I have always enjoyed reading about our SIGNS and seeing how an individual matches up to his sign.  After reading about Kristi's children's antics I had to remind myself of the Scorpio sign again, those born from October 24 to November 22.  According to those who know, these are some of the more interesting and exciting people in our life.

In our family, that would be Kate and Ryan, little Jimmy, college age Mitch, my daughter, Maria and my sister Carole.  Supposedly the Scorpio are the most passionate, who can go from one extreme to the other,  and who always will keep your life interesting. 

'Sorting It Out'

Saturday when we stopped at Wal Mart, I bought four pair of dark blue sox to wear with my jeans.  Now why did I need more sox?  Because I hadn't sorted out my sox for some time, that is why.  I had a drawer full of sox and couldn't find any to wear.  (I do tend to wear them out because I am always wearing my sox with no shoes, even sometimes out to the mail across the street, the bottoms do wear out).  This morning I sorted and matched and found I had over 22 pair of black or blue sox, over 20 pair of white, seven pair of odd colors, and about 10 pair of nylon knee highs.  This is not counting my drawer full of panty hose.

I feel so good when I sort out a drawer or sort out a closet, even if I don't find anything to throw away, at least I know what I have and what I really do not need.  When we lived in La Jolla we had a Friday cleaning lady who not only cleaned my 3500 sq ft home from stem to stern, she also did my wash and dry.  When we would come home in the late night after our Friday night date, the house would be clean and Richard 's and my underwear and sox would all be neatly folded, matched and in our drawers.  What a wonder woman that Maria was.  She kept my home life in order.  Richard loved having his sox matched.  His mother had probably always done the same thing. 

One of my favorite authors from Ireland is always using the term "sorting it out" in reference to thoughts and making decisions.  This is so important to sort out our thoughts and opinions once in awhile.  What is refreshing about living with someone over 50 years younger than me is that we rarely agree on too much except what is good to eat.  And yet, I do not feel any animosity about it.  That is just the way it is.  A product from the 30's and a product from the 80's is  going to have  very different points of view about life.  Mike knows about things I know nothing about and I have experienced a life he will never know.

We both need to 'sort it out' from time to time and share.

Flannel Pajamas

Linda said Kristi was making Christmas Flannel pajama bottoms. Reminded me of how much I always wanted a Lanz Christmas flannel nightgown or pajamas.  I don't think I ever got them.  It was not a brand we carried at Anderson's Store and they were very expensive.

However, since I have been on my own I do always try and buy a flannel pair of pajamas each year.  Last year I bought two and I have a few that are well worn out and need throwing away.  The best source for pajamas I have always found to be Macys but if someone knows a better place, I would like to know.

As I said before, I love flannel.  When I was in junior high we tried to make pajamas.  They did not turn out as well as our corduroy jackets and ballerina skirts.  It was those seams!!!  I never tried to make pajamas again.  Except, after I was married I had one pair of silky pajamas I loved so much, I did buy material to replace them.  I think I still have the material!!!

Just in Time, A Sauce for Pork Tenderloin, and Christmas Plans

Michael cleaned out the gutters just in time.  The rains came and came.  Saturday I went to the Temple with Mary Anne and there was even a little snow between here and Susanville, but mostly rain and though there was no rain in Reno it was very windy and cool.  They were planting bulbs on the Temple grounds.

When I came home Michael prepared some delicious Nachos, always a favorite of mine.  So today, though I wasn't feeling too perky I cooked the dinner.  It was easy, pork tenderloin, but for a little variety it was roasted with bacon strips on it and there was a tangy sauce--not sweet but very interesting.

Here's the recipe so I will try it again some day:

1/3 cup chopped onion cooked till tender in 1 T butter, Add 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce, 3 T of sweet pickle relish (or just sweet pickle), 2 T vinegar, 1 t sugar and 1 t dried parsley flakes (I didn't have any of those) and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.  Good!

Today we watched "Invictus" about Nelson Mandela and I kept telling Mike we needed some background information so I finally looked up in Wikepedia about his life.  What an amazing person--inprisoned for 27 years and still accomplished so very much in his life.  We are all indebted to such dedicated people, who are continually learning and trying to give others a better life. 

I also made some of the Family Hot Fudge Sauce and didn't have any light corn syrup but the dark corn syrup works just as well.  Always a good thing to know.

Again this week I stretched the butter by whipping about 3/4 cup of water into 1 cup of butter.  Just don't use it for cooking, it is for spread only.  And I keep it refrigerated.  Better to use a little butter than margarine any day.

And yesterday I did buy Jan Karon's new book "In the Company of Others".  It was hard to choose between that and Nicholas Sparks new book--oh well, it will soon come out in paper back.  So happy to have time in my life for reading.  That hasn't always been so.

Linda invited me to come and stay with them for awhile at Christmas.  So I think I will take my Bear Paw Quilt, sewing machine and finish it off at Linda's.  At least Jimmy and Camber won't have to put up with me for so long this next year!

Another Jan Karon Book Due Out--Yea!

When I was in Maryland after Hurricane Isabel, my FEMA friend and I found a delightful bookstore and she started me on my Mitford Series.  I have read them all and loved all of the following except the last one which is due out  this month.  Her books make the simple things in life interesting and make you feel so very satisfied with this wonderful world and your family.  I love her writing.


The Mitford Years Series: In publication order they are:

At Home in Mitford, published 1994

A Light in the Window, published 1995

These High, Green Hills, published 1996

Out to Canaan, published 1997

A New Song (novel), published 1999

A Common Life: the Wedding Story, published 2001

In This Mountain, published 2002

Shepherds Abiding, published 2003

Light from Heaven, published 2005. This is the last of the nine books in this series.

The Father Tim Novels:


Home to Holly Springs, published October 30, 2007.

In the Company of Others, release date October 2010.

How Disappointing!

I tried to make scones with gluten free flour (rice flour).  The texture is not the same and I threw the whole batch out.  Although they say you can use it in your own recipes I have decided it will never be the same, so don't try, you will be disappointed.

Use 'their' recipes but not ones you have previously loved with wheat flour.  My favorite cookies were just not my favorite cookies... and now this...weird scones...yuck.

Mike Cleans Up

I saw my neighbor from Reno using a ladder today so I quickly asked if we could borrow it. No problem. Mike was able to get on the roof and clean off the pods and clean out the gutters. Yea!!

My neighbor also said he had more cedar logs we could have so Mike hauled those over and chopped up the branches that had accumulated and filled the wood bin. So we accomplished a lot today.

When I was working in the yard I speculated that I never see any other women around here doing what I do. Then I remembered when I was a freshman at the Y and doing the whitewashing of the Y on the mountain, we had a bucket brigade and I was with my Wyoming girl friend and I guess we were putting a little bit more effort into it than the California girls because someone remarked, "There is sure a lot of difference between the Montana and Wyoming girls and the California girls. I doubt it was meant as a compliment to us but that is the way it was, we used our muscles.

The Fence

In the early morning mist you can see the two unfinished sections of my neighbors fence. They are just finishing them now. The sections are a problem because of a tree stump. Why they didn't just cut the tree stump lower, I don't know. Anyway they have spent over three hours trying to make the fence look right. It will be interesting when the neighbor returns this weekend if he approves of how they did it.

It all started about a month ago when I noticed these men measuring and remeasuring with a cord between our properties. Upon inquiry I found the neighbor was building a new fence. Actually one of my trees damaged his old fence this winter. There was a severe wind storm while I was in San Diego. My neighbors wanted me to pay for the damage but fortunately I had called my insurance company and they told me NO--The rule is if a Natural Disaster knocks over a tree the insurance company of the damaged property pays for the damage, not the owner of the tree. My insurance company said if my neighbors inquired of me (which they did) tell them to call them and if they sued, my insurance company would handle it. I was out of it. OK, no problem.

Except when I returned from town there was a new property stake about 8 ft within my front property line. I wondered why. AHA. I could see that if the fence company used the new property line to measure from they would avoid having the fence go through or in back of a large rock, a stump, and a tree. Unfortunately, the fence would not look good going in front of the big rock on my side and it would be too close to my woodshed and make it appear that I was not conforming to the boundary line rules.

I sought out my former neighbor for advice. He is a fireman and one of those good guys who know about things and likes to help other people. He ran off a map of my property and told me to measure from my lot stake on the other side 80 ft. He also told me to check and see if they had filed a architectual plan to be reviewed.

The following Sunday I had Mary Anne follow me home and help me measure. Sure enough the stake that had been planted was about 8 feet inside my lot line. The property owner came out and wondered why I was measuring and if I had questions why didn't I just ask. Mary Anne and I assured him, I was asking. After a lot of choice words and accusations both directions he said he would make sure that the fence complied with the proper lot line measurements. He would not admit to knowing who put the stake there.

I did call LACC and they assured me no one from the club had put the stake there and so I should move it to it's proper place. Unfortunately I could not budge it. Last week when Mike and I returned from a walk the stake had been mysteriously moved back to where it was supposed to be. The only ones in the area was the fence company working on another yard nearby.

This Saturday my neighbor asked me to come out and see if where the stake was, was now ok. I asked him who moved it. He said he didn't know. I asked him who put it there in the first place, he said he didn't want to talk about it.

Long story short--the fence looks a lot better on my side than if they had come in front of that huge rock and been on my property. And it looks like they are putting the bottom of the fence on either side of the huge stump??? I ask again, why not just chain saw the stump down???

They must not own a chain saw. Matt could have done it easily.

Talent!

I am forever amazed and perplexed by the fact that people who appear to have one talent, also have multiple talents.  How is that?  They can act...and they can also sing...and dance.  They can paint...and also write...etc. etc.

How is it that some are gifted with these artistic talents and then some of us have none???  Did we not develop the one talent we were given and not recognize and so we get none?  Do we hide whatever talent we might have had behind our fears and lack of confidence?

I wish I knew.  I wish I could sing.  I wish I could dance.  I wish I could draw.  I wish I could write.  I wish I was artistic with vision and ability to be able to create something wonderful.

I wish, I wish, I wish.

The Montana Years is a Book!

It finally happened. The Montana Years is published. Some of the pictures I enlarged too much but for the most part I am happy to have my memoirs of my first 23 years in print. Now to finish the San Diego Scene before my memory is gone.

Ciao Bella, yes!

Did I mention I have a new crush?  Not Ben and Jerry's "Cherry Garcia" anymore.  It is Ciao Bella Gelato--Dulce de Leche.  Oh my goodness--$5.19 a pint here, a real luxury.  So far I have only tried the Dulce de Leche flavor but I am keeping the Chocolate in my freezer to try soon.  You will love it.  And you can eat a little and be satisfied...or you can eat the whole pint and commit one of the Seven Deadly Sins...

I finished the greatest novel "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese.  It is amazing.  It takes place mostly in Ethiopia and you will come away with an awesome respect for surgeons but...  The story line is so unusual and the description of everything so intricate but easy to read and keeps you turning those pages.  The author is a professor at Stanford with an impressive medical background but also a writer.
Very interesting!  Random House gives a teaser:

"Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Moving from Addis Ababa to New York City and back again, Cutting for Stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined. "

(One of ) The Best Things in Life is Flannel!!

This week I changed from my summer cool, silky feeling sheets to my winter flannel sheets.  I hate to get out of bed in the morning I am so comfy in my flannel!  I love good flannel.  A few years ago I made myself a flannel comforter out of some flannel from Anderson's Store in Glendive.  I had rescued it from Mary's stash in her house.  It was made years ago and is so solid and soft.  It was such good flannel--not thin like so much of the flannel made today is.  It is my favorite comforter for napping and I won't give it away.  Anyway as I was struggling to get out of bed this morning from my "flannel haven" I thought I must run to the store today and find some flannel for receiving blankets for Meagan's new baby girl due in February.

One of my pet peeves is to see new born babies with clothes on and no blanket between them and their carrier--Mom, Dad, Grandma or whatever.  Hellloooo--that baby needs swaddling and protection and being comfy and cuddled in a nice soft blanket!  Anyway, Meagan, today is the day I shop for flannel.  Hope I find some good flannel, I am not going to Walmart for it...there is a great shop in town, if it hasn't closed down yet.  So many of the stores have closed...signs of the times.

So another project--this weekend while I have no car (Mike is going to Sacramento) I will try and make some comfy receiving blankets.

NewFamilySearch

The last couple of days I have been working in the church Family History program seeing what needs to be done on my father's genealogy line.  I was very discouraged last night because his great great grandfather was attached to a Danish family which would send us back along a Jensen line in Denmark---wrong, wrong, wrong.  I couldn't figure out how to undo it.

Jeanne's oldest son Steven

But today my nephew Steven was online the same time I was and he straightened everything out and taught me a lot through umpteen emails.  So much easier than reading all the directions myself.  I feel very good about everything!!! Yea.  Hope it isn't all undone tomorrow.

Steven was a toddler when I was at BYU so I was his babysitter quite often.  I will never forget the time I was riding with Jeanne and holding the new baby Dougie in my arms.  Stevie was standing between us (this was before carseats).  Looking very nonchalant and staring straight ahead he casually lifted his right foot and brought it back forcefully right on baby Dougie's head.  Still not sure how he did it so well.  Except for Dougie crying, it was almost funny.  Jealousy begins at a very young age.

Anyway I surely appreciated his help today.

Another Baking Success for Mike!

Marjorie came to visit yesterday and in honor of her visit Mike made some quiche--Marjorie loved it and had two pieces and another today before she left. I loved it, too, and did the same and I made some of Carole's Spinach Strawberry salad to go with it. Very good.

Tonight Mike made guacamole, taquitos and chips. Yummy. Mike is spoiling me with all his cooking, since it is the one thing I do not like to do. I should have taken Marjorie's picture. She is very slim and fit. It was fun having her to talk to--and we did talk nonstop. She went back to her son's home and leaves for Washington tomorrow.

OK, how do you spell taquitos?????

Pizza Time!

Best pizza I ever had. I am not kidding! Mike is a great chef. This was crisp gluten free crust with barbecued chicken, bacon, green pepper, onion, mushroom and cheese topping with garlic butter on the crust. It was really great. He made a regular crust one for himself. Just what I have always wanted around, a man who does the cooking!!!

We had an interesting day in Susanville, first to Mike's dentist.  He was so kind as to fix a small filling au gratis--most appreciated.  Then on to Lassen College to drop off a transcript request--immediately someone popped up to see Maria's Mom and she graciously took our picture.

Whenever I run into one of Maria's friends they always make comments as to how beautiful I am, or "now I see why Maria is so beautiful"--very nice friends.  This was Laurel who is going on an Ensenada Cruise with Maria at the end of the month.  I was telling her about the one I went on with Meagan and tried to reassure her that Ensenada was not dangerous, how good the night shows were and the food was great...plenty of it.

Then we went on to Safeway where we looked all over for UDI's products but could find none.  We talked to the manager and told him UDI's listed Safeway as a store that carried their products.  He said he does not determine what comes but their freezer space is so small, he doesn't have room to carry it anyway--their loss!

Anyway we bought our food there and then stopped at Jack in the Box--problem, no electricty.  Then we stopped at a gas sation--sorry but no electricity.  We went north and same problem, everywhere we went except Port A Sub--however, they were crowded with high school lunchers because Burger King had no electricty.  So we went back to see if Wal Mart had their own generator--evidently it was a power outtage all over town but before we got there we found Jack in the Box would be opening shortly so we stopped there for lunch because the Pumpkin shakes are back  And on the way back toward home the gas station was working (gas is 26 cents cheaper a gallon than in Chester.)

Finally, back up the mountain to Lake Almanor.  Big day in Susanville, yea!

Just in Time!

The back deck just had time to dry before the rains came!  It was a mini miracle we had dry weather just long enough to get that chore completed.  Yea!

Wow, it is so fun to have a cook in the house.  Mike makes super guacamole among other things.  Yea!

And since he has the scanner set up and updated I am having fun digitalizing pictures--old pictures.  When I get into our family slides, I will really feel I have completed something.

Since Linda started her "We Walk In Their Shoes" (link on the right) I have been busy seeking out the family histories.  One grey briefcase I cannot find????  Probably left it sitting in a Family Center in San Diego or Salt Lake.

It has been fun reacquainting myself with my ancestors and Linda has been busy with Richard's ancestors.  I especially enjoyed looking at the fantastic monument and park dedicated to Sarah Sturdevant.  Supposedly she has more descendants than any other woman in this dispensation!!!  You must see that.

We have a rich heritage and the one thing I know is that we do not know what poor is, what sacrifice is, what dedication is.  Those ancestors who embraced the Gospel through all odds, came to America, and never faltered in their faith have us forever in their debt.

Thanks, Linda, for starting the website.  I hope many will enjoy it and perhaps contribute to it.  I have learned so much in just the last few days and so much more to read.