Category: Uncategorized

Ready? Set?…

I have to share this link with you…
Wow, some really awesome recipes if you’re still looking for some ideas
for the Thanksgiving table.
For the next few days I’ll be shopping, baking, cooking, cleaning,
setting table…
And there will be about 15 minutes of  Thanksgiving dinner consumption
followed by two hours of dish washing on the actual day.
Have you ever noticed?  It takes about three days to put together
a meal that will be done with in 15 minutes. Truth!
All worth it, though… I am thankful that I can afford to put
good food on the table, that we are relatively healthy
and have family nearby that we can share a meal with.
I hope your Thanksgiving Day finds you at peace with your world
and in harmony with the family you love.

This, that and a whole lot of JUST SAYIN

  Are you ready for the holidays?  For a time of year that was originally designed to be such a joyous, celebratory season, why do we have to be ready?   Why?  Because the powers that be (read that as media, retailers, etc.) have blown these once spiritual holidays into a money spending, guilt promoting, tension building headache causing some of the joy to be sapped right out of it.  This year Christmas was in stores at the same time as Halloween.  Are ya kidding?  I actually saw the Thanksgiving decor on shelves in July.  It’s packed away already, have you noticed?  I’m pretty sure Easter is  sitting on the loading dock.

  That being said, I love this time of year.  My Thanksgiving menu is mapped out and I have visions of that big juicy turkey leg dipped in cranberry orange walnut sauce.  And the Cheeses!…  Have you ever been to a Cheese Shop?  Believe it or not, I have not.. until recently in a town not far from here.  I went, I sampled …OMG and then some.    Once you’ve had really good quality cheeses like those you get at a good cheese shop…. you’ll never be satisfied with cracker barrel again.  My recommendation is Cambozola Black – the creamiest brie infused blue cheese I have ever tasted.   If you’re local… go HERE for your holiday cheeses, even if you’re just treating yourself.  

*******

  The Affordable Care Act.   *sigh*   Well.. I’m gonna say it right here right now.  I am so thoroughly disappointed.  I had hopes, I had dreams, I had confidence.. TWICE… that this administration would be the- change – the country needed after my thorough disgust with the previous administration.   I believed in the vision, the concepts, the forward thinking. I still believe it was genuine.   Apparently the country is not mature enough to handle it, and it’s not working out for a myriad of  other reasons either. You and I probably won’t agree that many issues can’t be blamed soley on our President, but some of the blunders are his,  they are big, and they are not the blunders I thought he might make.

  ** Our insurance is cancelling us.  Doesn’t matter that there is a year of _stay_ to sort this mess out…. they are still cancelling us regardless.  They are not honoring that particular new stay, they don’t have to.  Oh, there are other plans… and we can shop around, but my family already pays $1900 per month for insurance, and we are all relatively healthy.  Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, we are being cancelled by our current insurance company, but if we want to come back, they’ll take us.  At an additional $400. per month, plus an $11,000. prescription deductible.     I’m sorry, Mr. President, that’s not my idea of affordable.

***********

  Michael Skakel  is getting out on bail, a new trial awarded.  You may or may not know anything about the murder of  teenager Martha Moxley here in Connecticut many years ago –  surprise surprise, a few Kennedy cousins were in the mix, one convicted for the murder.  One Michael Skakel, who was 15 years old at the time of the murder.  I read one of the books written about the crime, and it sure as hell looked like they had the right guy to me, but someone now thinks differently and he’s being given another chance many years after his conviction. My sister and I were talking about it yesterday.. and she made a great point…

WHY is this man OBESE??  Hasn’t he been in prison for ten years?…. Who’s providing him with all the extra food it takes to maintain that obesity?  Apparently withholding junk food is too harsh a condition to impose on convicted murderers.

*******
 Speaking of Kennedys –
50 years later, Despite all the research,  books, documentaries, TV specials and commemorations
of the tragic death of President John F. Kennedy,
who I think I would have approved of highly had I been alive and mature at the time,
we won’t ever really know for certain who was responsible for his assassination, will we.
Think what you will,  my belief is he was a visionary, he had real courage, the kind
Presidents should be made of, and he loved his country.
Off topic but not really – I will never give a flying f*ck what a person in office does with his or her 
private parts as long as it doesn’t involve children or abuse or the use of our tax dollars. 
That’s none of our collective business, period. 
You want government out of your business, right?  
I hear it time and time again, and I agree!
Well, no double standards then, ok?
Ok. 
********
– Just sayin.

 

forward thinking

We’re born.
That’s the first gift. 
 Then..no guarantees… no choice in the matter. 
  We have no control over the first years of our lives
and very little until we approach adulthood. 
Then the decisions are our own to make, and our responsibility alone.
That’s another gift we don’t all embrace. 
Some of us have had a less than stellar experience in our youth..
whether it was at the hands of family members or the bully kids at school, 
the list is long for possibilities as to the ‘whys’. 
The lucky ones escaped unscathed, nurtured, even. 
I don’t know where you fall in that catagory..
but here’s something we all share. 
You alone are responsible for your well being, for your happiness,
for what your life looks like and turns into. 
Blame no one but yourself if you are not happy with your station in life,
whatever that refers to in your world.  Be kind to yourself when doing so.
You make decisions at any given time, good or bad, given what you have to work with. 
You can most often change, even though change can be uncomfortable… at first.

All have a cross to bear, some bear several. 
It’s the outlook you choose that determines your wealth.
Wealth.. meaning peace of mind, state of happiness, fulfillment in life.
Money is not necessarily wealth. If you have an abundance 
of peace, happiness, fulfillment… you are wealthy.

Saddens me to no end, when I see someone wallowing in WHAT WAS – 
letting it pollute their current existence, possibly even ruining current relationships, 
careers, whatever.

 Just sayin.

Brrrr…

  Well, so much for all that bragging about awesome fall weather.  The cold has descended… and it’s a chilly morn here at This Old House.  Not that I’m complaining!.. Every day is a gift, right?  When the New England chill sets in, there are a few things we layer up around here… 
Pardon the crappy iphone pics.. it is what it is.
The minis grow a very thick coat – 

 The horses do not,
so they are blanketed.

 I add extra bedding to the stalls –

 The chickens get a red flood light to throw some heat –
(my chicken coop looks like a house of ill repute at night) 

ROX anne…. you don’t have to put on the red light….. 
those days are over… you don’t have to sell your body to the night..

ROX anne…
Sorry, couldn’t help myself…
… off topic but who knows the artist who made that song famous.
No googling. 
You’re singing it now, aren’t ya.

 
And I throw some hay around the chicken yard so they can forage a little and burrow in it..

  
The basket of  barn gloves and hats is now perched on the mud room bench for the season..
Don’t ever make the mistake of wearing barn gloves to the grocery store, however.
The scent is distinct 🙂

 
 ..and firewood rests on the porch, easy access on those cold nights.

Although I may gripe now and again about the cold grey New England winters…
I wouldn’t trade the season changes. 
An opportunity for a week or two 
in a warm sunny tropical place wouldn’t be scoffed at and turned away, however. 
Just sayin. 

Just do it

I once asked a friend who was in her late 70’s at the time
how she managed to be in such great shape, moving around
as well as any forty year old I ever knew..
and her simple answer was – 
JUST KEEP MOVING. 
Those simple words speak volumes.

When I lived in suburbia, Staten Island, to be exact…
one of my favorite family rituals was the walks we would take
in my grandmothers Bard Avenue neighborhood after a delicious Sunday or holiday dinner.
I loved glancing over at the windows of the houses we passed,
seeing the warm glow inside and the decorations, the gardens in the yards.

We don’t live in a sidewalked neighborhood nowadays, but

the guy and I have been burning some sneaker rubber at our local parks
and in the woods behind this old house.. and it feels really good to do so.
Oh, it’s not always comfortable.. creeky knees and sore muscles,  whine, whine, 
blah blah blah. 
Don’t listen to the excuses your body gives you, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
I believe walking is the best form of physical exercise, and it’s totally FREE
once you buy yourself a good pair of walking shoes. 
Good shoes/sneakers are important or you won’t keep doing it. 
So, if you’ve been contemplating a little effort toward better health, 
what are you waiting for? 
Even 15 minutes around a city block or down a country road
improves your health. Make it a point to get out there atleast three or four times
a week and you will reap the benefits.  No excuses, anyone can find a little
slot of time to do this.. the quality of your life is worth the effort. 
For me, treadmills just don’t cut it, they bore me too easily 
and I quit before I’ve really gotten started. 
I find that picking different locations, not going the same route every day, 
helps with the motivation factor.  Also, taking a dog or husband or friend along helps too. 
Don’t drive yourself nuts with EXACT MILEAGE  or step counting
if you’re not a die hard fitness freak.
Just get out there and walk. Even ten minutes at lunch break counts.
  
Hammonasset State Park

 
 

 
 

 

And don’t forget to drink plenty of water!
 Are you a walker too?  What are your tips and tricks to keep the effort going?
Do you have a favorite place to get in your exercise?

The Good in Life

We were invited to share a lovely evening filled with delicious food, great friends,
a gathering of community minded people who I am so blessed
to call friends. Uplifting, it was. 
Thank you, Tim & Eileen, for doing that thing that you always do –
Bring people together in such a positive way.
A few scenes around this old house this weekend – 
The moon rises as the reflection of the setting sun glows in the family room window…
 
Bailey naps – always reminds me of my favorite Andrew Wyeth print.
I bet some of you know which one I’m talking about. 

We now actually USE this big fireplace since the arrival of the sectional couch in the family room.
 
 
Ask me how much I love finally making a good furniture decision.
🙂 

My new project, coming along slowly…
original photo above, attempt in oils below…
 
 
I hope you are all enjoying a peaceful Sunday – 
I’ll be looking toward the Thanksgiving table and menu ideas…
 Any suggestions for something new to add to the menu??…
Even an easy appetizer??
leave a link to the recipe below in the comments section if you’re so inclined.
I’d love to hear them. 
 

New stuff!

When we finally moved into This Old House after the ressurection
was complete.. we bought a new couch and chairs for the “family room”.
I was going for a country look because we were in an old house, and truth be told…
when the furniture arrived eight weeks after purchase,
I was a little flustered at the big bold floral gold print I had actually picked out
for the two overstuffed chairs and the red couch was very pretty but not alot of room
for sitting.  It was a –what was I thinking– moment.
Have you ever done that with a major purchase?  ugh.
And you know, when you spend that kind of money
and the man who paid for it is standing next to you in the new family room
asking if you’re happy with the new furniture..
well, it’s kinda hard to say… I SCREWED UP!!!
So we lived with it.
No one was ever really happy with the arrangement, 
and the room got very little use, despite the fact that it is 
the most beautiful room in the house.  We all huddled in the mancave, 
a small room truly only fit for two-three people comfortably,
because the furniture in there was more casual, comfortable.
Last week the man who pays the big bills in this house
got tired of us all huddled in his mancave and agreed to 
go look at sectionals – the kind that would make the family room
more like a family room.  We went.. we looked, we found
and bought a reasonably priced sectional that accomodates a small crowd, hooray!
We all watched a movie together last night sprawled out and comfortable
together, the way a family room oughta be used. 
Country, it ain’t.  
Comfortable, functional, accomodating… it’s a beautiful thing.
The old gold chairs are now in our bedroom and they actually look inviting.
The red couch is in storage for when the kids get their own place.
 
It’s all good. 
By the way.. we watched Man of Steel last night.. because I have always been
a Superman Fan.  While he wasn’t hard to look at and there were many good
actors involved, the movie was nothing but Aliens having tumbling temper tantrums..
a big disappointment in my opinion. 
 
 

First Snow

Thank you all for such thoughtful comments yesterday…
amazes me how well we are able to get along regardless of
religious or non-religious beliefs – proof that it IS possible.
 What you all drove home yesterday was the idea that
 we all  believe in the simple celebrating of a joyful time of year,
that’s my AMEN. 
The first snow of the season fell yesterday morning..

The knock out roses have now officially been… knocked out.

 It’s a new day, all.  Make it a good one 🙂

Agreed!

   I saw this on Facebook this morning… and while I do not follow a specific religion or God and I consider myself more of a spiritual person who gives a damn about my fellow humans and animals, I agree with  a lot of what he has to say. The Idols we worship today, some of the things we choose to take offense to.. are cringe worthy.  Who’s driving this ship, anyway? …  So  If you’re so inclined, read below…

   AN UPDATE TO EARLY POST:…. the following statement is not true, you can visit snopes to see for yourself.. however it has been a widespread rumor, thank you Vickie B. for clearing it up… Apparently the White House refers  to Christmas Trees as Holiday Trees now.   False statement.  But…something  prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein,
to write  the following…. .or didn’t.  Regardless, I agree. 

 ”

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does
not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit
up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t
feel discriminated against. That’s what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to me. I
don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a
ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers
and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at
all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near
my beach house in Malibu. If people want a nativity scene, it’s just as
fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think
Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think
people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around,
period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an
explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I
don’t like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we
should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God? I guess
that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who
are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we
knew went to. 


In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a
little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny,
it’s intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane
Clayson asked her ‘How could God let something like this happen?’
(regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound
and insightful response. She said, ‘I believe God is deeply saddened by
this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of
our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our
lives.And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.
How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we
demand He leave us alone?’ 

In light of recent events… terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc. I
think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her
body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our
schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible
in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal,
and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they
misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we
might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We
said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said okay.

Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they
don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill
strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it
out. I think it has a great deal to do with ‘WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.’

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the
world’s going to hell.
Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the
Bible says.

Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like
wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people
think twice about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through
cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and
workplace.

 Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on
your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what
they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us
than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it…. no one will know you did. But, if you
discard this thought process, don’t sit back and complain about what a
bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein”