New Food

I was going to post yesterday--and forgot!  Imagine! Me, forgetting something!  I know, it almost never happens.  I guess it has to happen to the best of us.  lol  Anyway, I had a 3-day weekend and I was a cookin' fool--at least for me.  I actually tried 3--three!--new recipes.  The first was a cauliflower pizza crust and it wasn't anything to get excited about.  Highly disappointing!  You used grated cauliflower, lightly steamed in the microwave, as the base, mixed it with cheese and egg and then baked.  After which you just top like regular pizza and bake just long enough to cook the toppings.  It wasn't horrible, just not great.  Won't be going in the file.  But the other 2 recipes..........whooee.  Fab-O!  I know, that's not a word, but today, here in my world, it is. =)  Anyway.  Recipe #2 was a cinnamon roll swirl cake.  If you go to my boards on Pinterest, it's there.  You can also find it here.  It's a cake that tastes like cinnamon rolls.  The cake texture is dense and not too sweet--which is a good thing, because you swirl it through with this sticky, buttery, gooey cinnamony mixture.  To top it off, when it comes out of the oven you pour a glaze icing over top--just like you would on cinnamon rolls.  Oh so yummy!  Then there is the bacon.  Recipe #3 for the weekend.  Candied bacon to be precise.  Oh.My.Goodness.  How did I get to be this old without making this before?  I had seen recipes for it a couple times before in my online travels, just never made it.  Why?!  Well, I suppose it's really a good thing I haven't done it before because I really might be 300lbs by now with a completely shot gallbladder! lol  This stuff is that good.  I could hardly stop eating it.  And so simple!  Just bacon dredged in brown sugar (don't you just love the sound of something being dredged in brown sugar?) and then baked.  You can add pepper or any other spice you might like, or you can just do it plain.  Place on a rack that has been placed over a cookie sheet (with edges mind you!) and put in the oven at 350 for 20-25 min.  You don't want to do it too long because the sugar will just burn.  But you don't want it to be too floppy when you take it out or it will be soggy after it cools.  You want it somewhere in the middle--stiff and caramelly (not a word either. I know.  But it's my blog after all).  Take it out and beg yourself to not taste it until it cools.  Hot bacon and sugar--not friendly to the tongue!  Then after it cools and you have a taste, you will have to beg yourself to stop so you won't be sick! lol  Such simple ingredients for such a tasty snack.  It would be great as an appetizer for a party.  So there you have it.  My New Food weekend.  It was such fun.  Now if I just had more time for all the other gazillion recipes I want to try!

Mowing Season

The mowing has begun.  I think I should start planning an annual party event to coincide with the mowing season.  Kind of like Fat Tuesday before Lent. lol  Because once the mowing begins there is very little stopping until it gets hot hot--like July.  I even thought I could have my guests all bring a mower and everyone make a round before dinner.  I mean, one round on the yard is not too much to ask for a table full of food and drinks with a fire afterwards is it?  Think I would get any takers?  Really, I don't mind the work so much.  The hardest part is trying not to get stressed thinking about what needs done.  If I could just keep telling myself 'it will get done one piece at a time', I'd be ok.  But I tend to not do that, so consequently end up feeling pressed sometimes.  Also, it does take a lot of time, so that means very little time for hobbys and other likes.  BooHoo.  But the actual work?  I really don't mind it.  People are always telling me "Girl you need to get a riding mower."  Yea yea, I hear ya.  But I don't for 2 reasons.  First off, I've never had a rider so don't know a thing about upkeep, and it's not as if I have a resident handy man to do it.  I do, however, know enough about machines to know that if you don't know how to keep them up, you might as well not waste your money to buy them in the first place because you ain't gonna have 'em long!  Besides, I don't have a trailer to haul it to anyone who does know how to take care of it---and I really don't think my explanation of "Officer, I was just drivin' this here mower over to Bubba's place for upkeep" is going to hold much weight in the ticket-not-issued department! lol So that's the first line of reasoning.  Secondly--and most importantly, I might add--is the fact that having 2 acres of grass to mow with a push mower is rather like having a drill sergeant trainer who is at your door every.single.day. making you get out there and sweat!  Without the mowing my exercise program is......well, non-existant.  I never have been good about a long-term "exercise diet".  It's sad, I know.  But there's the truth of it.  I know I need it.  I'll be the first to tell you that.  Not just for cardio exercise/body health, but mental/emotional health too.  Me especially. (Stop nodding your head!)  But really, I  feel a lot better emotionally when I've had some good exercise. However. When I come home after a shift at the dialysis unit, the very LAST thing I want to do is excercise.  So I don't.  Until the Mowing season.  Then there is no choice but to get myself out there and cut that grass.  Because ain't nobody else gonna cut it---unless I'm willing to fork over nearly $100 every time.  And there is a whole lotta craft stuff I can buy with all those $100's!  I mean, in the Spring here I would be doing that at least every 3 weeks and maybe every 2!  No. Way.  So.  From now until July I will be having nearly daily dates with my little red mower.  Maybe I should name it Fred.  lol  Muscle tone and mental health here I come!  (Yes, I know that my mental difficulties need way more than a red mower!  You needn't rain on my parade so soon!) See ya round the yard!

Poison Ivy.....

I suppose it's a miracle really.  I mean, 40 years of being outside, playing in the woods, mowing lawns, pulling weeds, cutting brush--and no poison ivy, oak or sumac.  Til now.  *sigh*  I suppose it had to come sometime, right?  I wore gloves, I tried to be careful, I washed clothes and showered as soon as I was done, but....  I didn't see any sign of it's presence on me until the next day, and even then I saw it before I felt it.  Not itchy or anything.  So I thought 'hmm, maybe I'm just not that allergic to it'.  Wrong-O!  I thought maybe since there were no leaves on it yet, I would be less likely to come in contact with the poison ivy "juice".  But now I'm wondering if getting the sap on you from the bark before it has leafed out is actually worse.  You should see my arm.  No, rather you shouldn't see it.  You don't want to, really you don't.  I have a patch on my right arm that looks rather like something out of a sci-fi horror film.  A red mass of oozing blisters, the like of which I have never seen.  Frankly there have been a few times when it almost made this nurse sick to her stomach to look at it! lol  I have been soaking in oatmeal and epsom salts, and applying calamine, hydrocortisone and ice.  Popping benadryl like candy too.  Right now the patch seems to be staying the same size, the itching is under control and the blisters aren't oozing quite so bad.  It's been so strange though, watching this develop on my arm from a quarter size patch to this 'thing' that is about 2x2.  I've also developed tiny patches elsewhere--days after I came in contact with the plant.  I guess I thought the rash would show up right away--as big as it was going to get.  I keep looking around, half expecting more alien spots to show up! lol  I'm thankful though.  This could have been WAY worse.  I don't know how in the world people take it when they have this all over.  Just the little spots I have and the itching has nearly driven me insane (well, more insane than I am already! lol)  I can't imagine a whole body case.  I think I would have to be locked up!  But enough for now.  Time for more sitting in the chair with ice applied.  Here's hoping for my human skin back soon!  =)

MT

I was trying to think of what to post today, and then I saw the news that Baroness Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady, had passed.  I was just a teen during her time in office, and not really interested in political goings on (still am not interested too much!), but I remember that her name and Ronald Reagan's name were mentioned together, and that her name was a good name.  Now I know a bit more about her policies and what she did for Great Britain---and Margaret Thatcher is still a good name.  She wasn't perfect I'm sure, but I believe she was the right, strong leader at a time when Britain really needed one.  Policies aside, I admire her for daring to do what she wanted to do.  When she was elected Prime Minister, she was blazing a trail of her own making.  No woman had ever done what she did (in Britain).  I don't know if any had ever attempted to get elected in the first place--let alone be elected more than once!  But she had a vision, she wanted to do it, she did it.  And then, once elected, she stood where she stood and if you didn't like it that was your problem!  I admire that.  I have such difficulty letting go of my fears and just doing what it is that is in my heart to do.  I admire people who just do it and forget about being afraid; who don't worry if everybody likes them. We call her The Iron Lady, which in my book is a compliment.  Too many countries' leaders are all talk and no backbone, and you don't really know where they stand, but you're pretty sure it's not in the country's camp.  Not so with Margaret Thatcher.  You knew where she stood and she stood there firmly.  She was a Patriot, a Leader and a Lady.  America has lost a friend, and we mourn her passing.  Rest In Peace, Iron Lady.

Patience---or Long-Suffering

Patience or Longsuffering?  I've had this post idea nibbling at the edges of my brain for some time now.  Let's see if I can get it written down.  A while ago I started thinking about how some versions of the Bible use the word Patience while others use Long-Suffering, and I decided that I liked Long-Suffering better.  Why?  Because for me the word Patience has such nice connotations---like it's referring to someone who has it together, and is in quiet and complete possession of themselves while they wait for something.  Long-Suffering, on the other hand, just says it like it is: suffering looooong.  It's not really nice, not pretty, not all put together.  Long-Suffering, to me, refers to someone who is slogging through the trenches with muddy cold feet, trying desperately to keep their rifle dry as they wait for reinforcements. (Please forgive the military reference.  I can't help myself!)  There are 2 particular verses that come to mind when I think of this comparison.  One of them is the description of the Fruit of The Spirit, where Patience (Long-Suffering) is put right in there with Love, Joy, Peace and Kindness.  Seems so nice doesn't it?  Now please don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying there is anything wrong with 'nice' Patience!  But when you get right down to the nitty gritty in life and you are waiting desperately for something, and so many times you feel like you can.not.wait. another moment, you don't run to Patience!  You go to Long-Suffering.  Because you can DO long-suffering.  You do it every day while you wait.  You slog through the mud of life and you push on and you continue and you stay determined and you work HARD at keeping faith.  You suffer long.  The other verse I think of is in The Love Chapter where it says "Love is patient and kind".  The other version says "Love suffers long and is kind".  Makes a difference, don't you think?  Sometimes loving others takes Patience, but at other times it takes Looong Suffering!  Oh you know what I mean, and someone's name or face just popped into your head didn't it?  Admit it!  There are some people who are easy to love and there are others who cause you to hunker down for a siege of suffering long! lol  Jokes aside, though, there are people we meet/grow up with/are related to, etc.  who take some suffering in order to love them, aren't there?  There are many facets to this suffering long in order to love thing, but that's a whole other tangent I will not get off on here.  This post is already gonna be long enough! =)  My point here is that if you are going to love someone else with any depth or strength you are going to need a portion of 'patience' or 'long-suffering'.  And once again, when it gets hard to love, you don't run to Patience, you run to Long-Suffering.  That's the only way to get through, the only way to keep loving. Long-Suffering. I don't think the word Patience says enough.  'Patience' seems like it should be easier somehow than 'Long-Suffering'.  When I try to be Patient and it's not easy, I feel like I somehow have fallen short---like I should be better at this 'Patient' thing.  Then I get frustrated.  But if I think that in this particular situation in life, or with this particular person I  have to be Long-Suffering, I know it's gonna be hard right from the start! No ifs ands or buts about it!  I like that better because I don't have to feel like I've failed when it's hard to wait--or when it's hard to keep loving.  I'm doing wth the Bible says:  Suffering Long.  =)  Of course, the bottom line here is, it's not about how hard it is to wait or to love.  It's about the not giving up.  If you can do Patient, then be thankful.  It's a gift from God.  Really.  But if all you can do is Long-Suffering, be thankful for that too.  Because it's also a gift from God.  Long-Suffering (or Patience--depending on your version!) is what keeps us from giving up, from quitting, from letting go, from losing hope. And not.giving.up. is a very good thing.

Thinking Ahead

Why do I never learn to plan ahead?  You would think after being around this planet for 40 years I would have learned at least a LITTLE bit about planning!  *sigh*  So here I am, once again up against the wall because I haven't thought ahead.  This time its the lawn mower.  It's the 3rd of April, here in NC the grass is getting thick, and just today I went out to see if the mower would start.  Can I blame my lack of organization in this particular department on the fact that I was born and bred in the North?  I mean, in Upstate NY it's still snowing at this time of year!  You're barely thinking about flowers blooming, let alone lawn mowing!  So yes, let's put the blame right there.  I've only been in the South for several years---not nearly long enough to sweat the Northern Winter habits out of me yet.  =)  Anyway, the lawn mower.  So I attempted to start the thing and miraculously it did!  Off I went, round the front yard, thinking I might just cut some of the longer sections.  I got about 5 rows done and then it died.  Kaput. Dead.  And yes, it does have gas and oil in it! lol  I tried restarting Multiple times--and it starts, but then dies immediately.  So.  Off to Sears I must go, mower in tow, for servicing (the mower, not me!  Though maybe I should ask if they can fix me too! lol).  The problem is that they send out mowers on Mondays and get them back the next Monday--which means it will be more than a week before I can get ANY mowing done!  Oy.  Thankfully most of the yard does not need done yet.  The side yard however, is getting a bit shaggy.  By the time I get the mower back I may need to invest in a sythe instead!  I suppose there is always next year for thinking ahead..........=)

Whew.  As you can see, I have been gone for an entire month plus.  And what a goat-rope of a ride it was.  Don't ask me to explain that phrase. I heard it from a Marine.  But you know what it means without my telling you, don't you?  =)  That's what I love about Military expressions.  They might use a strange sounding phrase, but you don't have to ask anyone what they are talking about.  Anyway.  March was a hard month, but thankfully its gone and done, and hopefully April will be better.  Its not that the whole month was bad, just most of it! lol  I did have a 12-day vacation in the middle, which was great, but the time before and the time after............well, let's just not talk about that, shall we?  I'll just say that emotional issues, work issues, computer issues, and cold weather don't mix! Period.  lol   So.  I'm trying to get back in the swing of blogging.  I'd also like to try following one of those Photo-a-day challenges, but I don't know if I can do that right now or not.  I was all set to try one in March---started it even---and then the computer issues started. Grr.  Which led to the rest of March.......oof.  So one thing at a time.  But at least now I'm looking forward to trying some things again.  And this is a very good thing.


PS. My drain no longer looks like something from the Redneck Home Journal!  Yay!  Thanks Annie!!