Thursday, January 15, 2015

A Belated Christmas For Janet And Me

January 15, 2015

Good morning.  Today is cloudy and it's 25F degrees.  At some time during the wee hours, it must have snowed for a while because everything outside is covered with a layer of snow.  I'll have to run the car for a while to melt all the snow off it before going out to do errands later.

I did finish making the corn chowder yesterday, and it was delicious!   I like my food plain, so there's not a lot of ingredients in my chowder.  Just potatoes, whole kernel corn, creamed corn, onions, canned milk, whole milk a dash of salt and a sprinkling of pepper.  If I'd had any bacon, I'd have put in a little bit of that too just for flavor.


I spent a few hours on the kitchen project yesterday, mostly deciding what to toss and what to keep.  Of course, anything that I would keep also needed a new place to live.  I was going to work more on it today, but I think I'll take today off. 

As for my 365 photo project, sad to say I did not finish getting my two photos for days 14 & 15.  Some of the topics listed are just not as easy, at least for me.  My mind isn't as creative as it used to be in it's younger days.  However, I will try to get them done.

Remember back before Christmas that I spoke of our local Ace Hardware store's pet food drive?  Well it seems to be getting better every year.  I received this thank you email from the hardware store.  I wish a lot more stores would do this, and it doesn't have to be just at Christmas time.

Last night DIL Janet came by after work, and we finally got to open each other's Christmas presents.  Janet has been sick since before Christmas, first waiting for an appointment for a root canal (for some reason, all the dentists in our area were totally booked until after the holidays) and then later with the flu.  It was good to see her well and smiling again.
 
This afternoon, I have to make my shopping list.  Later, when Joe gets home from work, we'll be making a trip to the market.  I mostly just need a few staples plus a few tasty meals for Pogo.  This is always a challenge, trying to figure out what he might actually eat.  He's such a picky kid.  He likes hamburgers, but if I cook two at once (one for today and one for tomorrow) he'll only eat it on the day I cooked it.  Now where did that come from? 
 
A few days ago, I order myself a "spin mop" from a catalogue.  It arrived yesterday afternoon, so either later today or tomorrow I'll get to try it out.  I have trouble wringing things with my hands, so I thought that this might make it easier for me.  If it works, I'll get another one for out in the house. 
 
Audrey is on the mend, but Dee Dee, Eddie and Kevin are still a bit under the weather.  Hopefully, they'll be well really soon.  As for Audrey's car, it was being towed away this morning by the insurance company.  Now we're just waiting for the decision - is it totaled or shall we fix it?
 
Well, that's all the news for this morning.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all stay warm and have a fantabulous day. 
 
Hugs, Edna B.

6 comments:

Andrea @ From The Sol said...

Hmmmm ... corn chower. I remember when you made it last winter. Now that I have your recipe, I may try that. It sure seems like a good thing to eat on one of our many cold days.

the food drive for the shelters had quite a turn out ... very impressive. Nice of them to send out thank you's like that. That is probably why they get such a good response each year. We collect food for pets at our agility group and donate it to the shelter in town. A lot of people can't afford to feed their pets and then end up dumping them somewhere and they end up in a shelter ... sure is sad.

I am still working on the house. The kids will be coming home. The Visa has been approved, but they mail it to her so they have to wait for it. They are hoping to be home by next weekend, the 23 or 24th. Just in time to our Granddaughter to meet the fiance ... pretty exciting stull going on around here.

Sorr so many of your family are sick ... this weather doesn't make it easy on anyone. Knock on wood, we are still okay here, but the winter isn't over yet :)

Went to the second hand book store to sell a ton of old books that were just taking up space here. I don't get anything from it because I always end up spending what they pay me on new books to bring home. Not as many as I took, but at least I have never read them so I have something to look forward to:)

Better head downstairs and look into what I want to do for dinner. Think I am making hamburgers tonight ... sounds pretty good.

Andrea @ From The Sol

smiekeltje said...

Wonderful that Janet at least is feeling well again and that she visited you. I bet you had fun with the belated Christmas! Really hope Eddy and family will get well soon too. It all lasted too long already. And crossing fingers for Audrey that her car will not be damaged too heavily, and that mending will not be too expensive.
Oh what a good girl, you did some more on the kitchen project.
Such a nice idea to send all a Thank you for the donations at the store for helping the animal shelters. It´s a little gesture which makes a big difference to the people who donate so kindly. It makes you feel warm around the heart, isn+t it=
Have the same problem with Brodski here with his food. Sometimes he cannot wait to eat our of his bowl, and another time)same stuff' he leaves it till much later. But I harden myself a bit, in not right away tossing the stuff out and give him something else. If he is really a bit hungry suddenly he eats it all. )But I cannot keep it up for a too long time LOL).
well, you have a nice shopping time with Joe and have some fun during the weekend.
Hugs
Kyra

Unknown said...

Good Morning,
The sun is shining today. Second day in a row. It reached 45 degrees but with the sun shining it was just really sweater weather. I am sure not complaining on this end.
I hope that you don't mind if I use your corn chowder recipe. It sounds wonderful and would really be great on our next cold and dreary day but even as the sun shines today, I know that we will have a few more blasts of cold coming our way.

What a great way for the shelters to receive the food and donations. I love Ace Hardware. They are a great company here. I haven't found a local shelter here to sponsor since I just moved here in July and I haven't explored the city very much. But I did sponsor the one where I use to live.
I saved all of my old towels and sheets for them. One of the volunteers is a good friend of mine and she said that they always welcomed food and such but they needed other things that do not always come to mind such as brooms and mops, trash cans and bags, litter boxes and kitty litter for the cats and leashes and collars for use when the volunteers come to walk the dogs. Things that I am ashamed to admit that I had never thought of donating before. So I started doing that. I would buy a little at a time. I truly believe in giving of the items in need more than sending money to the cause because really, I don't know if my money actually gets to the animals.

It is nice that your daughter in law is finally over her illness and that you were able to have your Christmas together. I also hope that good news for your daughter arrives regarding her car. Dealing with Insurance issues can be a pain.

I think that I am going to make Chicken Fried Steak tonight with mashed potatoes and gravy. We have been health conscious for weeks now. It is time for a little comfort food.

I guess that I will go for now. I am really sleepy. I suppose I need more coffee. Have a great day
and take care. Beth

Edna B said...

Beth, that chicken fried steak sounds yummy. I've never tried it, so I may give it a try. It should go over well in this wicked cold weather.

Along with the food, I too donate other things. Big boxes/bags of treats, old blankets, doggie begs, etc. You've listed some other great ideas that I hadn't thought of. Thanks, I'll add some of those to my list. Giving to animal care is my pet charity.

Those hamburgers sound good. Maybe Pogo and I will have some for supper too. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

Unknown said...

A couple of tips for you on the Chicken Fried Steak. Use the tenderized cube steak, dip the meat in flour first then in a egg and milk blend then in flour again. Also using self rising flour is best because it leaves a more crusty batter but you can use regular flour as well if you want to.
I just thought that I would pass this on since you said you had never had it. Take care. Beth

Edna B said...

Thanks for those tips, Beth. I'm definitely going to try this out. You have a great day, hugs, Edna B.