Boiling the Bacon

I am a sucker for trying stuff I see on tv or on the internet. The latest was a new way (to me) to cook bacon. Since I have had problems in the past with burning bacon while trying to get it cooked through, this looked perfect. Place bacon in skillet and add water to cover. Use high heat until the water boils. Lower heat to medium. Fine so far. At this point the water did not seem to cook away as it did on the video. I spent several minutes spooning out fat that separated from the meat. Yuck. Finally I just poured out the water and let the four slices brown on medium heat. In the example the water evaporated and then the browning began. Oh well. It did turn out ok. There was not as much shrinking as in frying. Our bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches were good. Next time think I'll try baking it. I've heard that is another alternative. And there's always the microwave.

First Sign of Fall

It was so cool this morning that I had coffee and read the paper on the porch. Someone decided chili sounded good. By the time it is ready in the crockpot, the temperature may be back in the 90's.

Catching Up

Nothing important has been happening around here except I had run out of Perfect Pink (Rose Parfait, as the French say.) There is only one store in town that carries cheap Red Heart yarn. Three days ago I went to buy more. None on the shelf except Baby Pink and Bright Pink. Asked a clerk, who luckily happened to be doing inventory in the same aisle on the beads. She pointed her reading tool at the label and said they would be getting three in - probably tomorrow. (Only three?) I decided to give them an extra day. Same story only there were no clerks insight. We came home and I decided to call on that wonderful invention, the telephone. The number listed in the book gave me a disconnect message. I tried the other phone book provided by Mid-Kansas. Great! A different number but it was answered, "Bakery." I asked for the store's main number and she gave it to me. When the main number answered, I asked for the yarn department. A short wait time and the operator (?) answerer (?) asked who I was calling. I repeated the yarn department. She told me she thought she had mixed up the calls. Another wait. She would try again. After a total of ten minutes on the phone, a man's voice answered, "Electronics." I told him I was waiting for the yarn department and he offered to transfer my call. After a fairly long wait, I heard, "Electronics." He tried again and I reached a person who could check on yarn for me!! After a walk to the department, she said there was some in the back room. How many did I want? Four! She would leave them at the fabric cutting table with my name on them. I was so thrilled. Another trip back to the store. The woman at the cutting table had no clue what I was talking about. She said she thought they would have left her a note. But she looked and there they were...four skeins of Perfect Pink. There were long lines at the check out so I picked the fifteen items or less row. A gentleman ahead of me had just a few groceries. I said, "Speedy check-out," because there was a problem at the head of the line. He offered to let me go ahead and I said, "No, that's ok." After the problem ahead of him was settled, his groceries were checked out and he handed the clerk what looked like a blank check. She ran it through a machine which promptly chewed it up after rejecting it twice. They tried another check. Same result. Clerk took the machine apart, removed a ribbon and a piece broke off. Another clerk brought a ribbon and the procedure was completed. The man signed the electronic pad (is this a debit transaction?) The clerk returned the "check." The gentleman turned to me and said, "I'll bet you wish you had gone ahead of me." I laughed and said, "Yes and next time the offer is made, I'll say, 'Thank you.'"

The Battle of the Thermostat

This morning when I checked the rain gauge after a small thunderstorm last night, I saw one inch received! The temperature was about 65 wonderful degrees. I went out on the porch and enjoyed it. As I came back in, I noticed how toasty warm the air seemed. I said to L., that it almost feels like the furnace is on. His reply: "It is." When we went to bed the A/C was whirring and the fan was blowing cool air. Amazing. I usually don't touch the controls but I was sure tempted.

Flower

These flowers remind me of holly hocks but they are Rose of Sharon.

When I had a Telescopic Lens

About the middle of the 1970's. He still sings but he looks different. I hate plastic surgery. Some might say I need it but I prefer the normal aging process. I guess if you are a "star" you think it's necessary. Keep singing but quit the face rearranging, Mr. Manilow.

Three Down - One to Go

 

60" x 43"

Just a made up pattern of "grandma" colors.

Another Month of Summer"

This looks like the end of summer - right now. Dying cone flowers. I'm looking forward to some nice fall days before the cold arrives.

August 14, 1952

Bless the friends, Barb, Carlene and Darline. One with a camera was able to take this unforgettable wedding photo as we left the manse. My folks were witnesses. L.'s parents were invited but didn't come. My mother-in-law later told me that she didn't think it would last (we'd known each other three and a half months) and she didn't want to be a party to the crime. She lived to see it last fifty-two years and now it's the big six three! We're still together and had a great anniversary breakfast of bacon and French toast, juice and coffee. Later today we may throw caution to the winds and have a steak. It was the right thing to do. (The marriage, not the French toast.)

IV Day

Today was the day I get this view. The good news is, my "counts" were so good that they increased the time between treatments from six weeks to eight weeks. Hurray!

Peanut Butter Multi-Grain Toasted Cereal

The title on the box surprised me because the large photo looked like Cheerios ( In my long ago childhood, they were Cheerioats) Then I noticed it was the grocery brand. I bought them anyway. They are my new favorite snack. Less fat than buttered popcorn, no added salt needed although I imagine there is plenty in them anyway. I remember seeing ads with babies eating them and picking them up using remarkable dexterity. So now this is my snack of choice. (Trying to cut down on the cake and doughnuts which Somebody keeps buying and toting home from the grocers.)

Thieves

We have a lovely new park for kids here in our town. The land was donated by a generous native. Work was done to install equipment good for all children but especially directed toward those with some disabilities. Another family, whose father served the city as a commissioner, donated a bronze statue. They said they wanted to encourage others to support the arts and become patrons. It was titled "Butterfly Girl." Sculptor Gregory Johnson of Cumming, Georgia, created it as part of a group called "Field Trip." This group was commissioned for the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in 2006. This statue was one of eighteen pieces cast of "Butterfly Girl." Only eight more will be cast before the mold is destroyed. The question I have is, what will the thief do with it? There is no market for bronze as there is for copper or aluminum. Destruction of public property and art is such a stupid act. I hope they find the person who did this and more importantly, the statue. (Most of the information in this blog was recovered from The Hutchinson News article on 8/12/15.)

1951 Miles

And still very clean.  400 more miles to go today.

Searching -

We just spent about an hour looking for Someone's glasses. He is famous for taking them off and putting them down. Somewhere. Shelves, garage, cupboards, drawers, outside, inside, bathrooms, closets, desks. Then he says, "Did you look in your purse?" No. And there they were. Wonder how that happened.

Waiting for the Seven

Time to hear what the seven candidates who fell under the percentage points for prime time. They may have more to say than we can imagine.

Pink

I've been buying pink yard since a year ago last April. So last week I needed another skein from Wal-Mart along with some other colors.

After I got home without my penny change, (see previous blog on July 29th ) I found out I had picked up the wrong pink! Instead of Perfect Pink, I had a pale pink. Back to the store with sack and receipt.

It is necessary to go to the service desk and explain. She told me to just bring the one I need back to the desk. Can you put the new one in the old sack and just leave?

Nope.

There is a procedure the poor girl had to go through; scan the price code. That didn't work so she typed in the long number. She noted on my receipt the new number, replacing the old.

I signed my name with one of those stylus things that make it look as if you never have written it before. Result? Chicken scratches.

I apologized for putting her through all this. She said that is what she is there for and just her job!

I think next time I'll just go buy the color I need and keep the paler pink for possibly another project.

She was very pleasant and a good start to a good day!

Old Camera

Thirty years ago this was the latest thing in home video cameras. Not shown is the strap over his left shoulder holding another large vhs player/recorder that was necessary to record. We video'd a lot!

Weddings, graduations, older relatives talking about their youth, silly stuff.



Now I look at my phone and can't believe that it will do the same recording of events and I can put it in the pocket of my jeans.

Gut Feelings

You know how you think maybe you should check with someone about a meeting that was changed to be sure that everyone got the message? That happened to me this week. Every day I thought, "I should call them to be sure the word got around and everyone knows what is going on." Well, I didn't because the next thought was: "You need to trust people to do what they said they will do." I had been assured that it was handled. So yesterday I get a call wondering where I was and what had happened. They had not been called. Next time, I'll listen to my doubting mind.