Sometime Messy Makes Perfection!

My perfect gluten free crust.

Michael and I make a mess in the kitchen!  I was not finished making ice cream when he wants me to make my gluten free crust for one of the three quiche he is making.  There is only so much counter space and things got real messy, real fast.

But the quiche were wonderful and the kitchen is all cleaned up!

One thing I learned while making the Best Ice Cream recipe today.  I actually read instructions from the manual,  And it is a lot higher, and fluffier if you mash your fruit and juices with half the sugar in a separate bowl and then beat the half and half with the rest of the sugar and then fold in the heavy cream to that mixture.  Just before you pour the ice cream into the ice cream maker fold the fruit mix into the cream mixture.  It was perfect and I won't remember this unless I write it down.

Bad Choices, Bad Consequences

Isn't it strange how most of the bad stuff that happens to us is because of a bad choice we made?   I was the one who deleted all my family histories--by being careless and not thinking what I was doing.   Today coming back from Susanville I was singing to one of my favorite Vic Damone records and not thinking what I was doing either,  I had not put the speed control on--which you must do--because the speed limit is 55.  It is funny almost that you get a huge ticket up here for driving the speed you have to drive at to survive when going through LA.

Of course, at the moment I hit 80 for a second,  I was driving north and the highway patrol was driving south.  His red lights went on instantly.

He was nice enough, said he wrote it for 70 but Michael said it won't matter, it will still be almost $400 even if you do take the driving class and keep it off your record.  Woe is me, not what I need right now.  Michael said so many people are getting tickets, one of his fellow workers just did.  It is an easy money maker  for the State is this area, that is for sure.  Why don't I learn?  I have been here for 13 years...

Hardly makes the money I saved at Margie's Book Nook important.  I found the two additional books I need to finish the O'Hurley series by Nora Roberts.  I also found a "Carl" book for Keira.  The book nook has soooo many used books but they love it and so do we.

I also found the Guar Gum I need for my Gluten free cooking at the Susanville Health Food Store.  They said they also have buns usually but were all out and they have lots of other stuff, too.  Interesting how popular it is.  But, it is much better to cook what you can yourself as it is not cheap.

Update on the Meagan and Matt Family

I loved this picture because Keira looks like she is getting crushed with love and saying--ok, guys, enough, enough.

I love this picture because they are all smiling so sweethly.

I love this picture for the same reason.

 

What fun, crushed with love again, I love it.


Ahh, that parental pride, it shows.

Very nice, all around nice, love it.

Nice picture session, wonder how they got to shoot in the Monastery?

Nora Roberts

As a diversion from my family history recreations (which you can only work at so long before going slightly crazy) I read one of Nora Roberts novels "The Last Honest Woman".  I loved both of her main characters.  She makes me fall in love with her men all the time.  They understand women so well, wish I could meet one like that.   I have never met any like them but I wish I had--perhaps because I am not like one of her woman heroines either--I generally love them, too.

This wasn't always so.  In a lot of her earlier books, she had women who swore a lot and were a bit too aggressive for me to really like.   Actually this book is from 1988. I think she has matured into the best romance writer of all.  I love her Wedding Planner series, loved all the characters so much.   It is interesting to me that she continues to and always has written eight hours a day.  It is a serious job for her--no wonder she can put out so many books.  I love her triologies and will stop in at the book store today to see how many used books of hers they have that I have not read.  I then take them back to a Thrift store when I am done.

I can usually read her books in a day or so and I love that--they keep me interested and I just sit down and gulp them up.  What a wonderful escape from the hum drum life and too much work that we need to sometime disappear from...thank you Nora Roberts for the depth of your heroes and heroines.  I love them.

Unfortunate Mistake

Monday I was working on my Anderson and Larson Family Histories and I accidentally deleted ALL the posts, ALL my hard work and I did not have a copy of it.  I tried everything and did find some of the stories which had been backed up by Carbonite in 2011.  However, I forgot to renew my subscription or to use Webroot and it was not ALL backed up.

I was so depressed and angry at myself.  But hope springs eternal and I am putting it back on line and hopefully I will make a back up this time so it won't happen again!!!!!

The hardest story to replace has been the Benjamin Lillywhite, Jr. story and the Martin and Mary Jane Anderson stories.   I have it but not in an easy form to reconstruct so it is taking a lot of time!! 

Well, hadn't I just been saying I didn't have anything important to do...now I do.  Back to work.

Update on the Fuqua Twinnies

Raina and Sage make rice krispie treats with their Aunt Stephanie. Steph says they are always lots of fun and enjoy being together.  Happy little girls.  Come August they will have a little baby brother.  That will be interesting. 

The  twins live in Bozeman and Steph lives in Livingston and she has them come over at least once a week I think.

 

 

 

The Johnsons are at the Cabin in Silver Gate

My sister Carole and her husband Len with daughter Steph went up to visit Cheri and Jeff Johnson, who are staying at the Relatives's Roost this week.  Cheri is my brother Dick's daughter.

What a view from the front of the cabin.

Carole tries to do something to add her bit to the addition.

Stephanie and Cheri grew up together in Glendive and have a nice reunion.

 

Jeff and Cheri have just sold their home in Wyoming and have bought a home in Pocatello, Idaho.  Jeff will be the manager of the new Herberger's store there.  What a great opportunity and they will be close to children in Rexburg as well!!

Cheri and Jeff's daughter Jenna was also there to enjoy the cabin this week.

Randy's daughter Charlie left a great touch to the cabin.

The Stewarts are at Crow Ranch in Wyoming

The Stewarts were at the family ranch Crow Ranch in Wyoming and had lots of fun pictures.

Ryan looks right at home, he'll make a great cowboy!

 

Kristi and Mike, seven years of marriage and three children and still in love.  Can't ask for more than that!



How about that, Kate loves horses, too.  California kids are fitting right in with the Wyoming territory.

Love that smile, Brynn, she must like Wyoming, too.

Kristi had lots more fun things on her blog:  'Taking it One Day at a Time'.

The Freedom of a Bike

My neice Carole Warburton, who is an excellent writer, wrote a very insightful piece about 'The Freedom of a Bike'.  I recommend everyone to read it.

http://carolethayne.blogspot.com/

I don't have her memory of when I learned to ride a bike but I know it was an important part of my life in elementary school, high school, college not so much, and after Richard died

Bandido and I rode all over with my friend Nadine.  Marjorie and I tried it after I moved up here but my knees hurt so we didn't do it long and then Matt took it to Tahoe and there it is.

But read Carole's piece.  So excellent. 

One Down, How Many More to Go?

I finally digitalized all my Scandinavian trip from 2000 and got it in to my 2012 book.  I also hope to do the trip to New York and the trip with my sisters to the Cabin and any trip I took before I started keeping my blog in 2005.  Hmm, that means my trip to Guam, several Texas trips, Hurricane Isabel, Maryland, Delaware, W Virginia.  I think I did Katrina and Rita--oh but not the year before.  Oh my goodness, will I ever catch up.

All I can say is I love going back and reading and seeing pix of experiences in my life.  Oh, and of course. I still have San Diego to finish from the 70's to 99--it is a goal to be all caught up by my 80th birthday in January.   What my children do with all my books after I die, it doesn't matter, it is for my memory bank in my old age.  So nice living and remembering all the good times of my life.  Life is good, most of the time, anyway.

Lily, Yellow Lily

Some lilies that escaped the marauding deer who was not fooled by the ribbons.  He got more than I wanted to lose, though.  And either he or a squirrel or? pulled up and ate most of the little tiny pansy like flowers that were all around.  These escaped that are caged in with the yellow Lily and the roses.

It has been a busy week working on the house and yard but the weather is great.  I have been taking long afternoon naps and then can't go to sleep at night.  Last night I had a tummy ache (think it was too much Cool Whip the last two days--I have found out there is gluten in there) anyway, I tried Talk Radio, Listening to A Book, Listening to my Music, Reading, and I still didn't fall asleep until about 3:30 or so in the morning.

 

 

 

Maria and Johnny Were Here!

Maria and Johnny had a whirlwind visit from Saturday night to Monday morning.  My camera was lost (later found under the bed) so pictures are from Maria's phone.

We had pizza at the Buffalo Chips where Mike works and here he is taking his Mom's order.

Maria and I out in front.  What is funny is we have a picture from 2004 and I am wearing the same shirt.  It is a shirt I bought in 1997.  Talk about favorite shirts and one that never wears out.  Many others have come and gone in the meantime.  It is a Koret.

Maria, Meagan, and Me 2004

While Johnny was there he put up my new sensor, energy efficient lights around the outside of the house and he found the three garage lights were just wires through the wood so he bought plastic casings and enclosed them (fire hazard avoided).  He also fixed the garage door again which broke right before our eyes.  He is also designing a replacement for the basketball hoop which I have wanted down for years.  Yea for Johnny!

All in all it was fun having both daughters here in one week and what a lot was accomplished for me and my house.  Family is good!!

Linda Was Here!

On July 1 Linda drove me home from El Cajon to Lake Almanor.  (I did drive part of the way.)  Then she started a two day spring house cleaning spree which included windows, screens, blinds, curtains.  Wow, the house has never looked so clean.

The lillies have just started to bloom so I will see them all before the summer is over.  Yea.

Bandido has been put in his own little home by the deck, no more accidents throughout the house.  He likes it.

On the 4th of July we saw the Chester Parade, Arts and Crafts Fair, and lunched on Hot Dogs and Lemonade.  Nice day after two intense work days.

Before Linda hopped on the plane home we stopped at Home Depot in Reno and replaced my stain sponge and bought more stain.  The result was these beautiful decks.  And it went on easily, thanks to the sponge.

Thanks to Linda for spurring me on and furnishing all the help and materials.  Yea for Linda!!!

 

Jacob and Jimmy Learn to Sail

The boys wait at Mission Bay Santa Clara Point for their last sailing lesson.

Jacob had already had a busy morning working on his scuba diving certification with Dad and other scouts.

They launch the boat and the sails were flapping.

I was impressed as they tightened up the mainsail and jib and really knew what they were doing.  Although it appears Jimmy is more the passenger.  Don't know if he got to do any of the work or not.  I hope so.

Just adjacent to where these boys were sailing we used to launch Bill's Thistle and go out into the big bay for races a lot of weekends when I was a single school teacher here in the late 50's.  Good memories.  I hope the boys stick with sailing.  It is a great sport.

Yesterday--Big Day

I forgot my camera yesterday and so missed many photo ops.  It was James' birthday so I drove up to Carlsbad for lunch at the Fish House.  My appetite was small but I had the best Coconut Shrimp I have ever had.  Then I shared his free birthday Key Lime pie.

Then Meagan picked me up in Pacific Beach and she and Keira and I had luscious yogurt.   I am glad I did not know that place was so close.  Keira was so fun to watch and she let me  pick her up and do Patty Cake with her.   Glad they are coming up the end of July and I can get even better acquainted with her.  She exhibited her sign language skills.   Very impressive.

After that Maria and Johnny took me to Su Casa for yummy guacamole and chips and I had tilapia for the main course.  This eating out is getting to be a habit.  Love it.

I have now had my favorite fish tacos over 10 times I think.  Still like El Toro's the best. And I have had Wendy's frosty  twice.  I didn't know they also have several shake varieties.  Good thing I live far away from all these temptations.

Good day!

Beaches of My Life

I am enjoying my stay at Maria's and Johnny's and walking down to the Law St Beach every day.  While I was there this morning I thought about the different beaches in my life.

When I first came to San Diego we stayed at the Ocean Beach Hotel and  spent a lot of time at Ocean Beach.   Before I was married and after I had become acquainted with a group we would spend our Saturdays and a lot of the summer on Ocean Beach and Mission Beach, the beach just north of it.  We always thought the sand was whiter.  When I was sailing it was mostly in Mission Bay.

After I was married we were in Pacific Beach about 10 years and enjoyed the beaches there.  Law Street beach is just one of them. Richard and I lived not too far from here.

 

When my children were in elementary and high school we were in La Jolla and used those beaches  which are just north of Pacific Beach.   This included the La Jolla Shores and Torrey Pines Beaches (which is where Maria and Johnny like to hike above).  It also includes the famous nude beach, Black Beach.  The boys surfed nearby.

After Richard died I was living in Pacific Beach again for awhile and my friend Nadine and I would bicycle along both the Mission Bay walks and the Pacific Beach boardwalk. 

When I was working in Guam I would walk along the beach  behind all the hotels, there was beautiful views of the sunset and lots to see on the way.  Loved it.

And then when I was in Galveston, I enjoyed walking the beaches just across from our hotel.  The water was very warm but very dirty, lots of fishing.  And since it was winter, there was often a breeze and cool.  We had to wear jackets.

Yesterday I tried to sit on the beach for a couple hours but I had forgotten a chair and it was very hard for this old body to be comfortable in any position.   I guess I will just stick to walking the beaches.  In the early morning it is mostly the surfers and a few older people, very quiet and very nice.  Everyone is friendly and says Good morning or Hi, even the young surfers.

I do love walking on the beaches, they have been a big part of my life.  I especially loved the parties and bonfires for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.  The beach life is a good life.