Talking Turkey

I have been trying to come up with bulk-cook meals out of the items we already have in the house. So far, I am kicking butt!

With Thanksgiving over, I picked that carcass CLEAN. The "ugly meat" (you know, the pieces that are fine to eat, but not something you want to look at on your plate) will be used in soups and pot pies.

A batch of broth was made and I'll bag most of it as is, to use as soup bases. A few I will make in to a gravy for pot pie filling, along with the turkey and veggies.

I made an open turkey pie for lunch today. They are GREAT ways to stretch the heck out of something, and the filling was made out of less than what a normal dinner would use. 

Frugal Domestic Goddess Turkey Pie

Crust (it's not a roll out crust, more of a squishy play-dough)

1 cup biscuit pre-made mix (Bisquick copycat)

1/2 cup corn grits (cornmeal)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup butter

~ Mix together and press in to pie pan - reserve some for topping

Filling

Whatever you have on hand, mixed with gravy

-- I used 1/4 cup mixed veggies, 1/4 cup stuffing, 1/4 cup smashed potatoes, 1/4 cup cut up turkey, 1 cup gravy

Put filling in to pie crust. Flatten out the remaining crust and use to decorate the top.

350 for 25 minutes.

We WILL Make It Through This!

Well, it's happened. -- We are now part of "them"
Elvis lost his job on Friday.

The upside is, I've been planning for this day. We knew it would be happening, we just didn't know when. Six days before Thanksgiving.... . *UGH*

Because I am me, the Frugal Domestic Goddess, the Yule gifts are taken care of already. I made most of the gifts, or managed to get the lowest possible prices on things I can't create (like a certain book by a certain author Diva has fallen in love with). There may not be a lot of gifts under the tree this year, but the tree is little and the thought behind the gifts is immense.

Thanksgiving is set. I wasn't planning anything BIG, a 14 lb. turkey, stuffing, baby peas, cranberry sauce, croissants, and gravy for dinner with apple and pumpkin pies for dessert. I'm going to be stretching that turkey a lot farther than ever thought imaginable now.

Elvis and I are going to defrost and inventory the chest freezer, the pantry, the assorted "where on earth are you planning on storing THAT" places I have shoved the stockpile in to and see exactly where we stand on Sunday. I already knew where the finances stood and we will be okay. We have to be.

On Friday, when he walked in the door at 9:30am... I knew. I knew that there was no more preparing. We had to put in to practice everything I had been running scenarios on. If you could bottle the adrenaline I was running on, you could retire in luxury! Friday was all about pulling it all together, calling the insurance company, calling friends who may have some leads on jobs, calling unemployment.

Unemployment.

Elvis busted his backside for that company for nearly 5 years. Heat, holidays, hurricanes... Blizzards, bullsnot and bassfishes (trying to keep it PG here people). According to the Unemployment rep. Elvis has to wait to talk to an adjuster in FOUR WEEKS before they will even consider his claim. That bassfish who took over the office is a corporate puppet. Nobody has been laid-off since he took over. Nope, he worded it as if he was let go because of performance. I find it odd that only the high-level/high-pay guys were suddenly "failing" and being let go. When the first was let go, we were in shock. When the second-in line was pushed out, we started to become lemeurs. We knew there was a target on his back... he had recently gotten a promotion, and with it, a raise.

So, here we sit. An unemployed family of 3, in a recession, during the holidays when jobs are already scarce.

He's put in applications to all the competitors. He is more than qualified for everything he put in for. I'm hoping that (shhhhh) calls on Monday, so impressed with his resume that they want him to start right away and offer what he was getting at the last job.

His "fall-back" job isn't looking very promising right now. In the past, they have provided the work van... they still do, but they are all taken. I doubt anyone is going to leave anytime soon. New hires have to use their own van/truck/SUV. If you remember from my other posts... Elvis drives a Yaris.

He will call them on Monday. It's not the job dreams are made of - 6 day work week, pay for own supplies, have to buy your own tools, get paid by the job but you can also get 'charged back'. No set hours, no set pay.

It may not be perfect... but it's a paycheck, whatever the amount may be.

Keep your fingers crossed that when he calls on Monday that the listing on their site is wrong and there just so happens to be one company van in the parking lot just waiting for him.

Ya, I've been using sharp, pointy sticks again!

I've been working on different projects. I still have to photograph some of them for my Ravelry page. Working on and off, as my hands and time allow. 

I wouldn't be the Frugal Domestic Goddess if I went hog-wild in the yarn stores and/or paying for patterns. Some designers post pattern testing requests. I've signed up for 3 this month (hat, cowl, mittens). YES... this MONTH!

(test) hat ~ for charity

(test) cowl ~ Yule gift for my Mom

(test) mittens ~ for charity

cowl - Yule gift for my friend

WIP - a block for a baby blanket

Sweltering Saturday

This is the type of day that I am happy I live in a cave-like dwelling. My ancient wall-mounted air conditioner has run more this last month than it has since it was first installed back in 1977.

Partly Sunny
90°
RealFeel® 104°



With that... I am going back to knitting -- blah!

Mock Cowl Pattern

My daughter is a non-girly girl, but she does like some flare from time to time. She also likes Selena Gomez. What could be better than a Selena-inspired cowl?

I started searching for a pattern, but no luck. I decided to come up with one of my own! It is a work in progress.

Selena in her cowl
(inspiration piece)

MY SELENA-INSPIRED COWL
Cast on 252 on size 10US circulars
(RedHeart Super Saver in Cherry Red)

Row 1: Knit
Row 2 : Purl
Row 3 :  * K2tog 3 times, (YO, K1) across 6 times, K2tog 3 times *
Row 4: Purl
Repeat 1-4 until wide enough (I did 9 repeats - 36 rows)

~I placed markers after every 18th stitch to help remember where I am on the Row 3 work.

The Countdown to Yule is KILLING ME

I have been so busy with cleaning and preparing for the home-school year that I have been slacking in the knitting department...

BIG MISTAKE!!!!!

I have everything in my queue on Ravelry. I even moved stuff over to the 2013 to-do list... but... there are things I --must-- get done this year. Things that are needed. Things I had planned on giving as part of something else. Things I thought "Oh, that's easy, I can whip that up in no time".

Well, that's what I have --no time-- !!!

Technically I have just over 4 months to get it ALL done, wrapped and mailed off if need be. 4 months! FOUR! Thank goodness I have a SMALL list of people.

See what I mean?

I have been working on a "sit-upon" for Diva. She starts Girl Scouts as a Cadette this year and I thought it was something that would come in handy for not only troop outtings but later in life as well. A “sit-upon” is a piece of waterproof material to sit on while resting, eating, or sitting around the campfire.” It's beautiful to look at and makes a nice thick, comfortable place to sit, but UGH... CABLE!

I didn't create the pattern, so credit given where credit due - pattern

If you have a Ravelry account, you can see my queue here. If you don't they are free, they just take a few days to get approved.

The Sickness Continues!

I slept in today - if you can call passing out on the sofa and waking up at 11 am "sleeping in". The last thing I remember is watching an infomercial for some blender of doom. It was late, I couldn't sleep, it could have been anything really. I noticed a slip of sunlight through the curtains and thought it would be nice to make a cup of coffee for Elvis before he headed in to work this morning. Only problem with that is... he was already at work for 5 hours before I managed to stumble in to the kitchen and see the clock.

I'll tell him I thought about it... it's the thought that counts, right?

I cleaned in my sleep. No, I didn't clean the house while sleeping... my dreams were about cleaning and what I wanted to get done. As motivating as it's suppose to be, it was a little saddening when I realized that I actually have to DO them now.

My focus has been the kitchen. The wall cabinets are now shining in their "Yes, they are Ikea cabinets" white. I am going to make Elvis clean "his cabinet" because even on a step-ladder I can't reach it and I am not adventurous enough to dangle over the stove. The difference between the cleaned cabinets and that one is amazing...

Yes, I used vinegar and baking powder. I think I am addicted to it. The bubbles... THE BUBBLES!

I decided to move some appliances around. There isn't a heck of a lot that I can do because there aren't many plugs available. I have more appliances than I have room for and I need to change them around from time to time.

The coffee pot, crock pot, microwave and toaster over get the most use, so they have a permanent home in the valuable real estate known as my counter. The Kitchen-Aid is on the butcher block because it's the only other place I have a plug and it's too tall for the counter and too heavy to lift.

WELCOME TO MY KITCHEN

(well, parts of it)

The largest crock pot and coffee pot are on the small bit over the dishwasher, next to the sink. I don't know what to do with the coffee, sugar and creamer. Eventually I want to get them in to the cabinet above, but for now, they are going to stay where they. Yes, that IS an odd shaped cabinet. It's a corner unit so it's triangular. It was the only design that would give me the storage space and still allow me to have some head room. Since I am short, I had them installed at 16" instead of the usual 18". It's still too high for me, but I can get to most of the first shelf and the front of the second. The dishwasher is original, oddly it was black. I know black isn't an unusual appliance color now, but it was back in 1977 when the condo unit was built. It's on the list of things that need to be replaced. It may be old, but for now, it's working. The frugalista in me can't part with it yet.

The microwave and toaster oven are on the counter that makes the L from the one the coffee pot is on. (Pardon the crumbs in the toaster oven, I hadn't cleaned it when I took the picture) I think corners are a waste of space, especially when you are short and can't reach in to them. Originally I had the microwave sitting kitty-corner. It looked okay but it took up a lot of space and things managed to hide behind and beside it. The toaster over use to be next to the coffee pot because I was lugging the crock-pot out almost daily. There is another corner cabinet above the microwave, next to it is a double door dish cabinet and then an over the stove/vent cabinet. The stove is on the right just out of the picture. The bottom corner has a swing door and 2 wire lazy-susan racks. Next to that, cabinet at the bottom right corner of the picture is a triple drawer unit.

That's the end of the official counter space in my kitchen. I will post more pictures later and eventually a picture of the whole thing.

I know I should be thinking up some wonderful dinner for Elvis tonight because he got stuck doing mandatory over-time today (his day off) and will come home exhausted and starving from a hard days labor... but, I'm thinking pizza. I know, I know... but, I just cleaned the stove!

Sign of the Apocalypse?

So... here I am again. A bit later than I had originally planned, but hey, I never claimed to be perfect. What have I been doing all this time? What's with the title you say? I've been (insert drum-roll and grab your desk) cleaning.

GET OFF THE FLOOR!

I told you to hold the desk, don't blame me if you tripped over your jaw and fell on your backside. The shock that I, The Domestic Goddess, spent the last few days cleaning is a shock to anyones system... especially mine.

I'm pretty sure there is something written somewhere about this being a sign of the end of times. I woke up the other day -wanting- to clean the slider. Seriously. I didn't even drink a cup of coffee until after I scared the neighbors. I was in my pajamas at the time. Epic I tell you. 

If only it stopped there... The dishes were done, the toilet was scrubbed, the kitchen sink shone so much I needed sunglasses! If it's not a sign of the Apocalypse, it's a sickness I tell you! The butcher block was cleared off and scrubed down. The fridge was cleaned, inside and out. More dishes were washed because I started taking things out of the bottom cabinet to give them another washing because I felt they got "dusty" sitting down there.  The stove was scrubbed down, the vent was cleaned and the filter replaced.

The stove, vent and cabinets are the bane of my existence. I would rather scrub a port-a-potty than deal with the fine layer of ick that seems to accumulate on those 3 things. I don't fry -ever-, I barely even pan-cook meats. I bake most things because I hate the smell of oil in the air. White cabinets, white vent, black stove. Could I have picked worse colors for a kitchen? As a whole, it looks great (from a distance)... titanium gray walls, white cabinets, black sink and appliances.

I have tried just about every product on tv, on the store shelves, online, reccommended by complete strangers when I grab them by their ankles begging for the secret to ridding myself of this greasy plague...

Sometimes the old ways are best. I am proud to say that I have conquered the beast that has overtaken my kitchen! How? As I was standing and glaring at the stove it came to me... -the solution- Well... I suppose I could tell you. Volcanoes.

Yes, volcanoes. Vinegar and baking soda. I sprayed the stove-top generously with straight white vinegar and let it sit about 15 minutes. Sprinkled some baking soda over it and stood there in amazement as this concoction began to bubble. When it finished its magic, I took a soft sponge and wiped it all up. A quick cold water wipe-up and .... (sit down, seriously... I'm not going to finish until you do....... )

Sitting?

Okay.... it was CLEAN! It was a bit trickier on the vent, but I sprayed it and then when it was time to add the baking soda, I put it in a small bowl, added a small bit of vinegar and turned it in to a gluey substance that I brushed on with a silicone basting brush.

That's all for today... I have a pile of clothes with my name on it... 

Wow... 4 Months... REALLY???

As busy as my life has been, I felt as if something was missing. I am happy with my family, my home-life, even came to terms of my defeat by Mount Laundry... The bills are paid, the pantry is full, the closets (and baskets, and the corner of my room) are full of clothes.
-- Something was still missing. My outlet. MY BLOG!


So, with that, I bring you the months of March, April, May, June and up until today in July. Bare with me, it may take a little while.


My life so far -- in a nut shell...
March - Um, I wish I could tell you that something out of the norm happened, but other than warm weather and sunshine... nothing really.
April - Diva had school vacation. It was good to have her home during the day. It was better having a break from the daily school runs.
May - Mothers Day was great. Flowers, balloons, breakfast in bed and Diva made me a serving tray.

Diva's birthday party was what she asked for... not to have one. We did have a family dinner at a restaurant to mark the occasion though. I offered her a big party with her school friends or a bigger gift. She chose the bigger gift. Here Elvis and I were thinking she would want a flat-screen tv, or something equally electronic. Imagine our surprise when she says she wants the 3 of us to go to Kahuna Laguna? It was FANTASTIC! I could live in the wave pool. Seriously.
June - Diva graduated from the 5th grade, ending her time at the private school she had been attending for the last 2 years. You are going to have to trust me when I tell you she looked STUNNING and much MUCH older than 12 that day. I held it together until they played a video yearbook during the ceremony. I lost it. I admit it. I came prepared with 2 boxes of tissues.
Fathers Day wasn't exactly the bag-o-fun we wanted it to be for Elvis. He was working. By the time he finally got home, he was too tired to be master of his grill. Pizza it was then...

July - BUSY month!!! Our friends from PA arrived late on June 30. On July 1 we went for breakfast, did some local sight-seeing and then headed off to Shrugs to soak up the sun and lounge in the pool. It was hard for me to leave there that day. I knew it would be a week before I saw Diva again. Why? I'll tell you why... July 2, Elvis, my PA friends and I boarded the Carnival Glory for a 5 day out of Boston to Saint John, NB and Halifax NS. (I'll write another post with pictures and details tomorrow.-edit: okay, so I lied, I will get to it, eventually) July 7 is Elvis' birthday. It was also the day we got off the ship. I tried to make it special for him, but not sure how special -getting up at 5:30am to go down to declare at customs, shovel some breakfast in and run around picking up Diva, checking in to the hotel, buying some groceries - really was for him. We did try though. My friend, Diva and I headed to Salem, MA for some touristy things. We didn't stay nearly as long as I thought we would, but it was a great time all the same. My friends headed back to PA on the 9th. I cried. Yes, again. No, I don't cry at the drop of a hat!
That more or less brings us up to today. I have a HUGE secret, but I can't say anything right now... eyes are everywhere and the wrong eyes will ruin the surprise because they share face-space with a huge mouth!

Fledglings

So, I admit... I have been glued to the nest lately. There is something so peaceful about watching the hummers go from eggs the size of tic-tacs to fledglings.


Live broadcast by Ustream

So Much For An Early Spring...

Leaping In To My Day

Happy Leap Day

Today started off strange. My alarm went off at 7am... it's set for 5:45am and 6:01am. Not only did it go off at 7, but when I rolled over to shut the *censored* screeching off, the plug came out of the wall. The option to just lay there "9 more minutes" was taken away from me. Looking back, that was a good thing.

Later, I got a text from Elvis - he overslept. He got up at 6:04. Okay, it's only 19 minutes later than his usual, but it was enough to start his day behind. He made it to work on time, but that was mostly a stroke of luck.

We almost escaped February untouched by snow. Almost. To make up for lost flake-time, the 3-6 inches we were told we were getting has been bumped up to 6-10 inches. Let me tell you how thrilled I am about that.

Ya.... keep waiting, not going to happen!

I decided that the oven needed to be cleaned. Nothing tells you that dinner is ready like having the smoke detector go off. The other night, dinner cooked over and I had to spray the oven last night. I spend the morning with my head shoved in the oven. Literally. I am all of 5'2 and have the wingspan of a T-rex.

So, here I sit with sore arms, a hair style that looks as if I primped in a hurricane, and considering a life without baked items...

Ya... that's not going to happen either! (Although, I had thought about a NuWave oven in the past)

... In a Nutshell

I Don't Ask for Much...

Dear (God, Gods, Universe, Magical Spork of Glittery Goodness - I'm not all that picky)


 -- please grant me patience so I can deal with the people who annoy me because I know if I asked for strength, I'd beat them half to death...

FAIL !!!

STOP!!!! 

Before you continue reading this post... kindly put this on

I set out to post something... anything daily. It sounded like a good idea. Sounded realistic. 

What I didn't count on was actually having to live through the plague I felt coming on back on the 19th. It started off small, then started to drag other parts of my life with it. Sleep. Insomnia. Sleepy insomnia. A stomach with a mind of it's own. A migrane that would taunt me by acting as if it was going to leave me and then come back with friends.

Ever feel as if your body was staging a rebellion? Ever feel as if it's winning?

Well, that is why I was missing.

Indulging Myself...

Diva is staying at Shrugs tonight. Elvis will have the left-over chicken and rice casserole from last night. Me? I'm having pancakes. Maybe.

I'm watching the tv and I swear, every commercial is for some food or restaurant. I think there is something wrong because I actually said "oh, that looks good" to a burger commercial.
I don't eat meat!!!!

So... in fear that I will do something I will regret later, I am going to make pancakes, with raspberries (that's where the indulgence comes in... humor me).

Oops...

I knew there was something strange, something I was forgetting as I was starting to prep tonight's dinner. I ran through the checklist, everything was there. Chicken, rice, peas, water, milk, butter, sauce... casserole pan.

Even after I popped everything in to the oven, I couldn't shake the "I'm forgetting something, something is wrong" feeling....

Diva and I played a game together... still feeling like I am forgetting something...

THEN it hit me... Oops!

I won't forget NEXT year!!!!

Something to Smile About

It's THAT time of the year - February break. I feel happy to have her home. The house feels so alive when Diva is here, relaxed, having fun.

It does feel weird having no snow. February vacation use to mean building snowmen, having snowball fights, bundling before going outside to play. It's 41 right now. We haven't had snow since October 29 (not that I am complaining).

Thinking back, when Diva was still an "itty bitty", 9 years ago. We were staying with a friend and we got so much snow on Presidents Day that we couldn't let any of the kids go in the backyard in fear of LOSING them!

Just One of Those Days...

Just tired. I don't think I am sick... but I am not feeling very "me" right now. Simple day - making chicken and dumplings for Elvis tonight. I am thinking about toast for myself. The dishes can wait until the morning... ugh.

Wine and Dine

Today Elvis and I had a beautiful outing. We discovered a quaint winery with a fantastic restaurant. We took a tour of the place, complete with tastings of 6 of their offerings. I am not what you would consider a wine drinker, prefer the sweeter things - but I was pleasantly surprised.

We already talked about coming back for a picnic lunch on the grounds (which they encourage, they even open the bottles for you to enjoy on the property) as soon as the days get warmer and the trees return to their happy green.

Lunch was a carrot bisque and half a turkey sandwich with apple chutney and gouda cheese - a scoop of potato salad and two juicy slices of pineapple. It was beyond fantastic... but don't take my word on it, look for yourself!

Pizza Pie

Tonight's dinner came from a cross between craving pizza and not having enough mix to make a crust and having a deep-dish pie crust left over from yesterday's quiche.

It's simple, it's easy, it can be tweak to fit different tastes or use up what's hanging around in the fridge. I'll post what I used, feel free to change it around, and if you do, let me know what you did and how it was.

My EASY Pizza Pie

1 deep dish crust

1 pound ground chicken - browned

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 pepper - diced

1 onion - diced

1.5 cups shredded cheese

1 T olive oil

minced garlic

spices (I used sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, red chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper)

Saute pepper and onion with olive oil in a sauce pan. Add diced tomatoes and spices. Cook on low for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool enough to use a blender to make a sauce. Return to sauce pan, add cooked chicken and cheese. I added more garlic because, that's how we like it. *lol*

Bake 350 for 45 minutes - let cool before cutting

Real Men Bake Quiche!

I must admit, I feel a bit spoiled today. I also feel full!
Elvis brought Diva to school today and returned with ingredients to make breakfast. Not just any breakfast... Quiche!!! He whipped it up and I had to take a pic of it and share it with you all... and yes, that is an Ikea plate.

Super Easy Even Elvis Can Make It Egg, Cheese & Sausage Quiche

1.5 cups heavy cream (or milk)
4 eggs (beaten)
6 turkey sausage links (sliced)
1.5 cups shredded cheese
1 deep dish pie crust

Mix everything together and put in to crust.
bake 350 for 1 hour

Pretty Little Pleats...

I have been trying to find pants for Elvis. He needs a couple of pairs for the cruise we are going on. I thought the hardest decision would be choosing between khaki and dark khaki. Oh boy was I wrong!

Pleats, double pleats, stripes, pinstripes, hounds-tooth, gingham, plaid...

Whatever happened to just "dress pants"? You know, black, navy, gray and if you were "hip" khaki? Flat-front, no cuff, no design... PANTS?

The search continues...

Valentine's Day 2012

Am I Broken?

I look complete. I feel as if everything is where it should be ...
So, why am I not up in arms about the same things "the others" are?

Am I broken? Am I missing whatever it is I am suppose to have that allows me to give a flying fig?

I have passion. I have conviction.

Sitting back, listening to the current events -- I realized that these people have nothing better to do than seek out things to be irate about. The things that have them flailing arms has me raising eyebrows.

Valentine's Day - What has changed THAT much since the days my friends would exchange pretty pieces of paper with cute pictures and funny sayings like 'choo choo choose me' in the smoke above a smiling train? Occassionally, there may be a box of conversation hearts. Let's be honest. Who has plowed through an entire box in one sitting? I know I haven't. Even if every kid was to give a snack size piece of candy. Where does it say that the kids have to eat it all in one day? (Halloween better watch out, it's going to be next.)

Valentine's Day sweets banned from Newton school: MyFoxBOSTON.com

One of the mothers said in a radio interview "to give a child a piece of candy means you don't love them". WHAT???? Ever? My solution: If you don't want to give candy to the classmates, don't buy it. If you choose not to give candy to your child, let them go through the tradition of trading Valentine's, but have them hand over the candy when they get home.

The same can be said with the current birth control argument - if you don't believe in birth control, don't take it. Please don't stop those from who want to take it, for whatever personal reason they have, from being able to have it covered by their health insurance.

There are more examples of my 'brokenness' but I could be here all day...

Liquid Life

Coffee - kape, qahwa, café, caffè, kaffee, コーヒー , кофеий, cafea, kawa, กาแฟ  - Call it what you will... but all who have sipped the glorious bean agree ...


it's awesome!

Love Long Ago

Today's post is just a memory of my elementary school years and the precious pieces of paper.

E-g-g-p-l-a-n-t Spells Love

You may be looking at the title shaking your head. Let me assure you, I know what the dictionary says it spells, but with all the work that goes in to making a low-fat, non-fried eggplant parm... that's LOVE!

Elvis is working on Valentine's Day. I already told him that if he walks through the door on Tuesday with a bunch of roses, I'll whack him on the head with them. I am not against Valentine's Day. I happen to like it, a lot. I am not a fan of tossing money away because the calendar tells you to. He heard a commercial for a real rose dipped in 24K gold. I looked at him and shook my head. He confessed, he thought about it. There are so many other ways to show love and if he was dead-set on giving me a gold rose, instead of spending $75, plus tax, plus shipping for one... I would rather have a nice rose pin... something I can look at, use, show off, remember the day he gave it to me.

Seriously, I don't hate Valentine's Day!!!!

We are doing our "date" today. He went to the store to buy the ingredients and I am cooking the eggplant parm, home-made gravy (tomato sauce to you) and pasta for dinner. We rented a few movies from Redbox. Nothing says Valentine's like Scorpion King 3 and 50/50. *lol*

I am very much a "chick flick" admirer, but I love him enough to force him to watch them with me.

If It Looks Like Strawberry Jelly & It Tastes Like Strawberry Jelly ...

If you find strawberry jelly in my house, someone must have brought it over! Diva is allergic to strawberries - a tough thing for a kid, EVERYTHING kid related comes in strawberry!

We had stopped at the store on Tuesday and she asked me what it tasted like. I didn't know how to answer that. I can tell her what it was like, for me, but it won't answer her real question. What does it taste like, to her.

That night, I sat here and thought about it. There has to be a way to give her the strawberry experience without the fear of a mad dash to the ER.

Yesterday it hit me! Mock-Strawberry Jelly. Yes, you read that correctly, MOCK.

I made half a batch. It does have the texture of the real deal. The coloring is a little off. The taste is perfect! Well, close enough to be perfect, especially if you never had one before.

Tadah, it's sooooo yummy and easy. EASY easy!

The recipe can be found ->here<-

I Think I'm an Addict

Before anyone starts looking in to the Betty Ford Clinic for me... I'm not THAT kind of addict! I think I am addicted to ... paying off bills!

It started with paying off my car 18 months early, then it was paying off Elvis' car 42 months early, then it was any little debt we had. Eventually we became debt-free. The craving to pay, pay, pay was still there.

With no debt left to pay off, the instant gratification I felt after seeing the zero balance was a gateway. I tried to get that same high by paying off both car insurances.

The electric is pre-paid until at LEAST January 2013, the cable is ahead. I am resisting getting too far ahead on the health insurance.

The budget is written out for all of 2012. The banking accounts are set up to split the paycheck before it ever comes in. 

I worked out a plan to have my car insurance paid in full... for NEXT YEAR.

So... yes, I think I have an addiction... paying off the bills before they are due.

Leave me alone... go away... I don't want help... just let me sit here with the check registry...

My precious...

Don't Get Sucked Down

Today is sort of a cheat... I have been reading up on different cruise tips. I have been on one before, but Elvis, and my friend have not. There is no harm in brushing up and getting a few ideas. I came across a cruise tip list.

Now, I feel compelled to share...

Whatever you do, do NOT flush while sitting down!

(the suction can and has caused bodily injury)

Monday Mourning

Needless to say, it's a sad, sad day in our house. The Patriots once again brought us to the brink of victory and let it slip out of their fingers, this time, quite literally.

Most of the commercials were ho-hum, the half-time show was decent, but other than M.I.A.. flipping the bird, I don't think it would be anything people would be talking about. What ever happened to marching bands coming out to play intermission? Why does it have to be a concert in the middle of the game? Year after year people only talk about the scandal of the half-time show. To me, it's a big waste of time. Bring back the local University marching band!!! *giggle*

I do have to say, there was one really touching moment last night. So touching that I feel the need to buy a Dodge truck, a Chrysler car and vote Eastwood for President... yes, I know he's not running, that doesn't matter!

SuperYumBowl 2012

Grab your pom-poms!

I have been so excited about watching the Super Bowl with my family tonight. The Patriots vs. The Giants... again. I am getting a not-so-small selection of gaming goodies.

FRESH FROM THE OVEN

Baked Honey-Mustard Wings
Baked Buffalo Wings

Ham & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Salami & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Buffalo Chicken Croissant Pinwheels

Pizza Rolls

Loaded Potato Skins

NIBBLES

Onion Rings

Buggles

Doritos

Football Brownies

Pats Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Cake

The Woman in Black - Review

I admit, I haven't read the book (yet) or seen the play (yet) but they are both on my to-do list now!

Daniel Radcliffe did an excellent job as Athur Kipps, an attorney from London. You forget all about his earlier acting rolls. Honestly, had he been a new-comer to the big screen, I would still be giving him kudos for a job well done.

The Woman in Black (2012) gave me hope that the art of horror movies is not lost. Suspense, hanging on your seat - well, when you aren't jumping out of it - and being totally drawn in to the story.

A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Being "Grown"

Tax refunds.

What comes to mind when you hear those words?  Do you think of it as free money? Do you have a list of things you want to buy?

Don't think of refunds as "free money", it's YOUR money. You earned that money. You allowed the government to hold on to that money, interest free. You overpaid, so you get it back. Simple as that. It's no different than taking a little out of every paycheck and shoving it in a savings account and pulling it all out, on one day. Well, I take that back. Banks give you interest (that you have to pay taxes on too - ugh).

As close as we try to get our taxes to be, there is always a little something coming back to us. I'm not complaining... we're glad we get the over-payments back!

What to do with it... He wants a new tv - a large screen, flat panel, HD monster. We HAVE a large screen tv. Granted it's a behemoth at about 2 feet deep, but it's in color, the screen is a decent size and it turns on when we want it. We'll get one... eventually. I want a new house and we will get that too... eventually.

Being Grown can be "not fun" sometimes. We did the responsible thing with the refund. *sigh*

• Since we are on a budget pay for the electric company, we know what the bill will be every month - 11 payments sent in. Paid off until January 2013. (I'll still be checking the balance monthly though, things DO increase.)
• My car insurance renewed in December 2011. It is now paid in full and I won't have to bother with it again until December 2012.
• His car insurance renews in June but he still had some remaining payments. They are now gone too. 
• The remainder is going in to savings

Is it exciting? Not really... Knowing that if something was to happen, the lights can't be turned off - awesome.

The money that would have been sent in to pay the electric bill will be deposited in to the savings account. The money that would have gone towards the insurances will still be put aside for insurances and make a decent dent when it comes time to renew.

 

SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER

oh joy...

Sorry, I'm Closed

There's nothing to see here today...

Seriously, look away...

Fine, if you insist on looking... there is an overwhelming feeling of "not being ready".

The Season of Reason of a Lifetime...

I woke up this morning... thinking.
Thinking about life, the people in it, the people who are long gone, and those I need to reconnect with. I don't have many people I call friends, but the ones I have are true to the core.

Over coffee, I was talking to my friend who is going through a transformation. No, there is no surgery involved, not that kind of transformation. *giggle*

Ahem... back to the serious sounding thinking voice...

For a while I have watched her get treated like a doormat by people who call themselves her friend. Friends don't set out to make you feel like something you step in just to make themselves feel better about their failing life. Friends don't try to belittle your achievements. Friends will not only stand beside you while you are reaching for the stars, they will toss you on their shoulders so you can be that much closer.

There comes a time to break free from the "ticks" in your life, those who do nothing but slowly and steadily suck away at your life, energy, sanity.

Sometimes the reason is to make you stronger.

Artfully Odd

I was logging in this morning and noticed that yesterday (my birthday) was a "milestone" post... on a few levels. I like 101, it's more than 100... and it's odd. Life is odd. It's perfect for today.

The morning started out routine -

1. Elvis off to work - check
2. coffee perking - check
3. Diva laying in bed sick *WHAT?* I'm starting to think she's allergic to Shrugs house or something, she came home sick yesterday.

At least it's sunny out!

OR NOT!

(forgive the horrid voice, I'm still not feeling 100%)

Happy Birthday to ME!

Amazing ~ I've made it another full rotation of the sun! My friend owns an online radio network and this was waiting for me when I logged on to listen this morning. Thank you Mary!!! ~( UBER RADIO )~

I got to sleep in a bit (which was easy since there was nobody home but the cat) and made myself a pot of coffee and headed out to the store to rent a movie.

Barely home an hour and dishes started when Diva came home from the weekend at Shrugs. Sick. Figures! She needed some "Momma Love" and lunch, then off to sleep she went.

My "Don't Ask Me How Old" Birthday Celebration

Dinner - a bucket of chicken, hm shell & cheese, veggies
Dessert - ICE CREAM CAKE!!!!! (it is MY birthday after all)
Movie - THE HELP

(read the book, it's even better!)

Sitting-On-My-Butt Sunny Saturday

Tomorrow is my birthday but Elvis has to work. Today has been dedicated to me. Thing is... I'm not feeling well. Without fail, every January 29th I am sick. Never anything life threatening, but enough to make a person prefer a pillow over a party. He's in the kitchen making me breakfast and then we will watch movies. (That's the end of the catering for me though, I have to make lunch and cook dinner)

People have asked us why we don't have cable. It's a combination of reasons actually. We did have cable about 8 years ago. We must have asked 4 times if it included Nickelodeon and the Disney channels. Of course, they said yes. Guess what? It didn't. For an additional $xx we could upgrade to a package that had those channels and about 100 more that we would never watch. We kept it for a while, but in the end, we saw no point paying all that so we cut back to the local only package. If there is anything we want to watch on a cable station, there is plenty of ways to see them on the computer, for free. Some channels allow you to view them on their websites, and Hulu is pretty good with what they still have for free, you have to wait a week in some cases, but, it's not like the story will change.

The local library rents out dvd's for free. Granted, most of the choices are old, but that works out when we want to share a movie from our past with Diva. Redbox is also pretty good. For $1, you can rent whatever they have available in the boxes. You can rent in one box and return in the other. They have a selection of recent movies with a sprinkling of older ones.

Today we'll watch 3 of the Redbox movies while I knit more dishcloths.

It's Friday. It's raining. It's payday. It smells amazing out there... which is a good thing since I can't see a damn thing through the fog!

Grocery shopping is on the to-do list and I will get it done fairly early because this is definately a "stay warm and knit" sort of day.

I'm currently knitting a dishcloth - it's simple yet pretty.

CO 31 (or any odd number around there)

10 rows of Knit
9 rows of k1 *p1, k1*
15 rows of Knit
9 rows of k1 *p1, k1)
10 rows of Knit
bind off