The Neighborhood Dog

Isn't he a noble looking guy? He reminds me of our first dog, Mac.

At any time of the day or night, he likes to jump his low fence and tour the easement behind our house.

As soon as our two canines hear his footsteps, they charge out the two doggie doors, yelping all the way.  They peek at him between the boards of the fence and let him know what's what. He ignores them and ambles on.

We gave up trying to call Jack and Jill  in by name and just holler, "Treat." Maybe that's what we should have named them.
Happy New Year.

A Tree of Poinsettias

A fun afteroon for looking at Christmas stuff on sale at Stutzman's. After seeing all the Christmas bargains, Mary spotted rows of tables full of pots with tiny little green plants. Easter Lilies.  Spring is on the way.
Then we had a shopping spree at Glenn's Bulk Foods. My big purchase included English Toffee Cappuccino Mix. Add 1/3 cup to 8 oz. hot water. The smoothest coffee drink I have ever had! Almost like hot chocolate. I hesitate to read the ingredients because it may be full of bad stuff. If I only have one cup every other day, it couldn't hurt too much, could it?

Back to the city of South Hutch and regular coffee at Mickey D's with friends - great to do on a winter day. Thanks for the laughs. . .

No Time for Breakfast?

If you  have a toaster and a microwave, you can have toast and a scrambled egg in about
a minute.
Use the fork to whip the egg, adding just a splash of water as I saw Julia Childs
do for an omelet.
Grab a foam drinking cup and place egg into it.
Place bread in toaster.
Put cup in microwave, choosing one minute at HI. (I later tried 45 seconds - fluffier!)
One word of caution: At this point your toaster needs to be faster than ours. The Cuisinart takes three times as long  to toast
a piece of bread than it takes to cook the egg...three minutes!
Remove cup from microwave; butter toast and enjoy.
Sure - the egg looks funny but tastes great.
You can add some shredded cheese or diced green pepper or ham if desired.
Another warning: Do not do this in a regular coffee mug or cup made of glass.
It won't hurt the mug but as Lee's boss, Mac, found out when  he tried this in the '70's,
that cup is a killer to clean. With the foam, just throw it out. Our recycler doesn't accept foam items
anyway.

Hat Repair

Well, the dogs (pups? When do they stop being pups?) found my hat which I thought I had put away and dragged it to the back yard. Before L. found it, there was a little chewing going on.
I had no more rust colored yard so used what I had for repair and found a pattern on the internet for a crocheted flower.  It's not like this is the only hat I have but I hate to throw stuff away. Somewhere I read that we lose 40% of our body heat through our head.  Many people do not wear hats and so I think they must be colder than they need to be.

I wish the wearing of hats would make a return. Looking at old photos, you can see that almost everyone wore some kind of hat. Very few ball caps.  Of course, in England the royals set their own style of headgear.

Wind Map

This is a site for viewing the winds in the United States.
On December 19, 6:35 p.m. this was the "picture."

http://hint.fm/wind/

Today it looks much the same with more stuff going on near the coasts.

Looking Back

The dearest men in my life.
Husband, Dad and Sons.

Christmas Snacks

Some pepper nuts arrived from Oregon, some pretzels and fudge came from Miss L. and then some unleaded egg nog from L.'s trip to the grocery store.  Thanks to all for the treats!

I'm all set for snacking.

Waiting for Santa

Just when I think that these pups may some day get past the chewing stage, L. finds a hat in the back yard in a state of UN-crocheted.

 

There is a good reason all the quilts are stored away.

Ceilings

A blog that I follow has had some photos of what the blogger's camera sees when it is lying on the table.

Here is my offering. I really love those old tin ceilings;  spray painted or left original.

This is from the Anchor Inn in our town.

Why is a Mexican restaurant called Anchor Inn? We used to have a naval base in the middle of Kansas - no ships but plenty of pilots to be trained. Some of the reasons for this location were the number of cloudless days, easy access to rail and highways, open country and a nearby liberty town.
So the folks who started the cafe, chose the name because of the naval air station. The navy was here from 1943 to about 1946, closed and reopened in the 1970's.
I was too young to date a sailor in the 1940's and when the base returned, I had married a sailor from Emporia who had never heard of Hutchinson's base.

Banana Bread

We buy bananas, let them over-ripen (think almost rotten) and then bake banana bread.

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup flour
1 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Mix in order given, pour into greased and floured bread pan. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. (45 min. was long enough in my oven)

Cinnamon Rolls

 We like cinnamon rolls at our house. No, I don't make them unless they come as dough in a can. So we usually buy them at the bakery.

These mini-rolls are good for two bites.
If a certain relative (older son) were here they would be mutilated with the center torn out and consummed. The remains would be there to taunt the next snacker with one bite.
Unfortunately, he has taught this foul deed to his two off-spring.

No cinnamon rolls are safe when the three of them are around.

Saturday Morning

 If that picture looks a little disoriented, so am I.

The long white sheet of paper represents the long arm of the law. On my way to a craft sale, I evidently "rolled" through a stop sign. First ticket I have received since I've been driving (1945) when the license was fifty cents and the two questions asked were, "Are you color blind?" and "Do you have seizures?"  No learner's permit or classes.

It was a simpler time.
And now, after criticizing other drivers for turning into the wrong lane, running through red lights and speeding by me, I have a ticket on my record.  They aren't chintzy in the charges. $106.                  Well, it's in the mail. The policeman was very nice and told me after checking with dispatch that I was an upstanding citizen.

Merry Christmas.

December 7th

I actually rremember hearing this event announced on the radio. We were big radio fans and listened to One Man's Family on Sunday evenings; Ma Perkins, Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories, Stell Dallas, Inner Sanctum, Fibber McGee and Molly, Red Skelton, Bob Hope, Guiding Light and Grand Old Opry on other days.

When we heard the news, I could tell it was serious from my folks' reaction. I'm not sure what the draft age was but my dad was 43 and was an electrician for the Kansas Power and Light.  This was considered an essential job and it seems to me his rating was something like 4-H.  1-A meant you were going to be drafted.  4-F was physically unfit.

The next day in the fifth grade room, we heard on the small radio President Roosevelt's speech to Congress.

Later we bought stamps to put into books and change into War Bonds. We kids collected scrap iron with our wagons; also newspapers and our mothers saved grease in cans. Sugar, meat and gas rationing meant stamps. Only so much per family to control the supply.  I found out gas was rationed to save tires....there was plenty of gas but not so much rubber.

I was ten then and fourteen when it was over. We (with my 50 cent driver's license) drove up Main in the '34 Plymouth honking the horn and cheering the end in 1945.

To think we ended that global conflict in four years and we've been fighting somewhere ever since - not encouraging.

Odd News

So Karzai blames the U.S. and NATO for the instability.
After we have lost two thousand men there in the ten years we've tried to "help."

I say, let's leave and let them stabilize themselves.

Some Things on the Internet Are True!

I saw an ad on the internet stating that drivers in our state who traveled less than a certain number of miles per month could save on their car insurance.

We checked our mileage on statements from services.
 L. took the information to our agent and sure enough!

We'll save $80 per year.

Not to be sneered at. . . or is that saying "Not to be sneezed at?"

Refrigerator Art from the Grands

We appreciate the art!!!!!!

Twelve Hours and Three Minutes Later

This is the sunset yesterday evening.

As much as I like mountains, I like Kansas with its unobstructed view of the sky.

Morning

Six twenty-three a.m., December 2nd.

Our trees, squirrel nests and a colorful sunrise.

Snow on the Cacus

 This picture was taken near Tucson, AZ, in 1987. It was a white Christmas!
We are all wondering if it will ever snow here again; forget rain.  We have had about half the rainfall that is normal for the year.
Hope some prayers will help!

Mrs. Neighbor's Fried Chicken

We didn't "eat out" much when I was a kid. My mom was a really good cook and besides, it was the depression.
The only thing I remember my folks purchasing outside a grocery store was fried chicken. In this house, which will soon be destroyed to make room for a health facility, another good cook named Mrs. Neighbor (really!) made home fried chicken and sold it from that window on the left. My impression was it was only on Sunday but that may not be correct.
The order was called in from the party line phone - 5555-W - and was picked up. For my mom this was a treat, but I remember her fried chicken was just as good if not better.

An Interesting Person

I noticed this rider this morning.  The World War I helmet combined with the Rebel flag are, as Arty Johnson of Laugh-In would say, "Verrrrry Interesting."

(Double click to enlarge)

Mail Service

This is not a complaint against the postal service.
In fact, I think they should raise the rate for delivery of a letter
to $1.00 and quit increasing the price of a stamp by a penny every year.
They do an amazing job - sometimes in an odd way.
This letter was mailed to me by a friend in Houston, TX, on
November 2nd in the brown envelope. For some reason it was
resent in the white envelope from the United States Postal Service
on November 7th.
Readdressed correctly, even with the the T's in our last name uncrossed as they
were on the original. (Perhaps they thought they were L's.)
We received it November 16th. No postage was due so we do not know why
it was remailed.
If we had been waiting for a big check, we would have been wondering where it
was for two weeks.
Oh yeah.  Now there is direct deposit so forget the check example.



 

Sunday

While I listened on the radio to the Chiefs start their game with two field goals, I made dinner with corn casserole, fried potatoes and more meat loaf. Sliced tomatoes and I just had to open the can of cranberry sauce that only I eat.

The corn recipe was in the newspaper today along with several others from the doctors at our clinic (!) I already had the recipe from a friend and had seen it on the internet too. We'll be eating it for several days cause it makes a bunch! 

And now at the two minute warning it doesn't look good for the KC Chiefs - again!  Think I'll go out for a walk and miss the mayhem.

Black Friday

Today won't find us shopping. The weather has turned to a more fall-like temperature.

Plans change so we'll be eating potato soup and meatloaf instead of turkey and noodles :(

So sorry one of the grands has a cold but very thankful they do not want to bring it to Kansas!

Another day when everybody is well will do.

Menu

Meat loaf sounded good today and I used Martha Stewart's mother's recipe.  Lots of chopped onion, carrots, garlic and parsley ground up in the food processor. I left out he parsley. Bread crumbs, catsup and eggs. Very tasty and we'll have fried meatloaf sandwiches for MN.  Part of the Texas branch will come here  tomorrow. Wish the West Coast branch were coming too!

Another warm day with records broken in Western Kansas and a lot of wind blowing.
I had the monthly trip to the hospital to receive "restorative joy juice." This is not from an ad for rejuvenation but something the doctor ordered to help a body stave off winter infections. So far it's working but it isn't winter yet!

Tomorrow's the big day but we will have our turkey later this week-end.  We found out a long time ago that the date didn't really matter - do it on the day you have off. Air Traffic Controllers and telephone operators have to work a lot of holidays.  So do other professions.

And when you are retired, any day is good to celebrate!

Take a Friend to Starbuck's

I just happened to notice that Starbuck's was having a special Nov. 15-18 for their three Christmas "flavors." Two drinks for the price of one. So I called Miss Linda and we thought it might be very crowded at 2:00 so we met at 3:00.
Not too many people! We ordered, grabbed a table and waited for our order - Carmel Brulee for her and Peppermint Mocha for me (what else?)  There was also a Gingerbread that didn't appeal to either one of us.
A moment before we were served, a long line of girls appeared. They may have been an athletic team and they filled the place with enthusiasm.  Very well behaved....
And after that the crowd was steady. It probably remained that way until 5:00 which was the hour it ended.

We had arrived just in time to avoid the long wait. Our coffee was good and it was so nice to see Linda after she was over her cold. (We avoid each other when we are ailing.)

Worn Out

A decision has been made. This has worked well since we were in Texas but I think it is just tired. It doesn't like to stay connected to the internet. It is very slow which reminds me of its old age.

How many human years is five years in a computer life?

So sometime between now and Christmas, we will have a different piece of equipment.  Yea!

A Warmer Day last Week

It was warm enough to fix the sagging gate.

L.'s two helpers were standing by.

More than Knick-knacks

All these snow people, quilters, girls and an angel were given to me by dear friends.
I enjoy them so much even though they are now residing
in the china cupboard to protect them from two dogs who
wanted to enjoy them too.

How Thoughtful . . .

 I mentioned that I would like to try the pumpkin latte from Starbuck's.
After another errand, L. stopped at the coffee shop on his way home and not only bought
the pumpkin latte, but bought my usual  Venti (Spanish =Veinte) Mocha Decaf.

[My Spanish got mixed up with their Italian.]

In case I didn't like the seasonal option!
Now how nice is that?

Drank the pumpkin yesterday and the mocha reheated this morning.
Yum to both.

Non-Emergency Trip

We had an appointment yesterday for Jack.  A place on his leg seemed to be the object of his attention.

Diagnosis? Something itches from an allergy and the dog continues to lick it and cause a granule to form.

Glad it was nothing serious!

While Jill and I waited in the car, she was a basket case. After about 15 minutes she quieted down but was alert to all the people walking about nearby. Two completely different personalities - even in dogs - is quite interesting to watch. They were kennel mates at the shelter, but not otherwise related. They keep us busy.

More Fall Leaves

These two trees are slowly losing their leaves. In the spring they are full of white blossoms. We are not sure if they are flowering pear trees.

Soon there will be more trips with the mower to pick the leaves up.

Right now it's hard to do Yard Duty with the Scoop-Pup.  Hidden treasures are everywhere.

Fall at Dillon Nature Center

A pretty spot in Kansas Land.

Almost Turkey Time

This tall, handsome fellow now resides in Nebraska.
 L. bought him at a garage sale many years ago. We think he may have been in a restaurant north of town as part of the decor. Our friends admired him - a deal was made, and they now decorate him for each season and holiday.

I never thought to do that.

Harvesting the Bamboo

 Many fishing poles died yesterday.

Before L. chopped the stalks off even with the fence, they had reached the wire you see in the photo.