It's true, I have a love affair with Mason.

Mason jars that is!

I find these jars the handiest things. Yesterday I had the opportunity to make 2 quarts of tomato sauce. What handy creatures those jars are for storage.

I use them to make tea and store in the fridge. When I make apple juice and apple sauce, they serve me well.

I have one where I throw extra buttons to keep them so when I need a button, I can find them.

I do have Mason jar envy, though. We visited a friend Saturday and she has been canning up a storm. She has over 40 quarts of green beans and over 40 quarts of tomatoes. There's a jewel like quality of seeing all those vegetables in those shiny glass jars!

On Pinterest there are always great ideas for decorating with Mason jars.

When I was growing up, the mayonnaise jars were glass and my mom used them for canning. She thought she had hit big time when she went to a rummage sale and bought a case of "real Mason jars." I wonder if that is where my esteem for them started.

So, DH isn't jealous of my crush on Mason jars. He says he reaps the benefits of my using them. Plus, it saves us money by using and reusing.

So, the love affair continues!

It has been a tough and tiring week. School seems to have so many pressures and deadlines. I have made it through these four days and pleased I did not cave in and decide not to fix supper and eat out. I will admit, the thought crossed my mind a couple of times.

Monday we had vegetable soup -- I made a lot and froze 2 quarts so in case we have another surprise meeting like the previous week, I won't be caught without a meal. Tuesday we had chicken stir fry. Wednesday was pork tenderloin roast, and tonight was clean out the fridge fritatta. I seem to make that most weeks, but it is different every week depending on what leftover vegetables and meat I have. DH likes eggs so he's happy as a clam (however happy clams are) when we have it.

Now onto a rant...is it just me or has society just lost all class? I'm tired of seeing people dress in what I consider inappropriate attire. I remember growing up thinking it would be horrible if someone saw my bra strap sticking out of a blouse or dress. I know it isn't the end of the world, but I am seeing more and more women dressing in tops that show their straps. Maybe I should just be happy they are wearing the undergarment.

One gal I work with was wearing such a sheer garment, there really wasn't any surprise as to what her foundation garments looked like or her skin. We were in a meeting in air conditioning that day, so heat wasn't an excuse.

I was really hoping when the media said Princess Kate was bringing back hose under dresses that it would be true. I'm not talking sundresses or casual wear, but nice dresses in regular weather, not the hot as Hades stuff. I still wear hose and slip when I wear a dress. Guess I'm an old prude. I like the finished look of the hose on legs. And it seems so many women are wearing such short dresses when they sit down, one sees far more than one cares to. I'm not talking about little girls or teenagers. I am seeing this in a professional setting. I know varicose veins are a health issue, but I don't really need to see these in one's upper thighs.

Maybe I'm just in a foul mood from being tired.

Today was the day for the chocolate tea.

I wasn't sure what to expect. We could have iced tea, flavored iced tea, coffee, hot tea, or water.

We were served 7 different bite size morself of dessert type items made with chocolate, both milk and white.

Yum!

We did spend $10 each for it, but we felt it was worth every penny. I haven't been making any kind of sweet desserts so it was a treat.

We pushed supper back a bit and we had leftover vegetable soup. I had made a big pot in the Crockpot the other night and what we had left over, I froze. I thawed it, heated it and served it with crackers and it hit the spot.

I enjoyed the chocolate and the tea and it truly was a pleasure...sometimes we have to spend a little money for something fun.

Now it is back to real life.

No wicked stepmother here, of course, but after work I have been cleaning and washing, and doing laundry. Made me think of Cinderella!

The last few days have been crazy at work and by the time I get home I have been very tired. The schools buildings were extremely hot the first four days of this week and I write gleefully they cooled off today so it was bearable. Staff and students alike were grumpy most of the week because of their misery

DH went to Aldi today and we went to the other store for the few items he couldn't get. Between coupons and such, we spend less than $100 at both places, probably even less than $85 if I truly figured it. I have some ideas for menus for the weekend and next week. Nothing extraordinary, but we are fed and it is usually healthy. I think my menus are getting a little predictable so I need to change things up a bit.

Back to being Cindy...Instead of a ball, we are going to a chocolate tea tomorrow afternoon at a tea room. So, I don't think I need glass slippers and a fancy gown.

And fortunately, the carriage won't be turning into a pumpkin!

Today was a strange day. I had a meeting and not to bore you, let's just say I felt like I was ganged up on by some of the folks who are my peers because I do things differently than they. Basically, it was I needed to do things in the same manner. And in my humble opinion, I'm not sure they are doing accomplishing a whole lot. My boss did validate me and told me to keep doing what I was doing. As I sat in the meeting drinking my coffee from home, I noticed all those who brought stuff from fast food places. After our meeting, some were going to stop and buy lunch. Hmmm. These are the same folks who complain they don't have money before the next payday.

Supper was basically cleaning out the fridge frittata. I had leftover sausage patties, some leftover goat cheese, a lone small zucchini, part of a bell pepper, and a small onion. I sauted all (but the cheese) this together, then beat 4 eggs with a cup of Half and Half, cooked the egg and milk mixture with the vegetables, and then added the goat cheese and put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. DH made toast, we had sliced tomatoes and called it a meal. DH loves eggs and I love using up stuff, so we were both happy.

A friend of mine at work said she was going home to water her plants and fix dinner. She commented she was very happy to be doing that and queried whether this was strange because she had no desire to do anything like shop or go out. I told her I thought it showed a person who found satisfaction in her life. What do you think?

I have not had a chance to post the past couple of weeks. School started and between school hours and trying to get things done in the evening for school, and errands and cleaning on the weekends, I haven't had the opportunity.

This is not a gripe or rant. Just had something happen locally and reminded me of my priorities.

Saturday a local well known and loved pastor was killed in an accident. He was on his motorcycle and the other vehicle was a car.

It certainly is reminded me of what is truly important. Give your loved ones an extra hug tonight!

There was a story on the news the other day that people using Facebook may often find dissatisfaction with their lives.

Basically, the story said people see photos of others having fun, feel like they are missing out on life, and depression comes about.

I think there's a lot of truth to that. Maybe not full blown depression, but people feel like they aren't getting enough of what everyone else is getting.

I'm not saying people need to stop posting their vacation photos and family celebrations, but we need to stop and remember that a photograph is usually taken for one of two reasons. One is to help us remember something and two, to show someone else what we did. It is a snapshot in time.

I've been to some cool places and I've guilty of those vacation shots. But, my life isn't one big vacation, that's for sure.

But, I think human nature makes us feel like we are missing out on stuff.

One of my Facebook folks is constantly posting photos of her dream homes. Over and over, she makes comments about how she wishes she had this and that. The realistic side of me wants to say, "Get away from the computer and make your house more of what you like."

I guess that would be cruel, eh?

Last night had a couple for to join us for supper. It was a simple meal. The best part of it was the fellowship. I didn't have super fancy dishes or wine glasses and no flowers or big candlelabras. But I think we all had a nice time visiting.

And I realize how very blessed I am.

We've been busy the past week or so. Between doing major deep house cleaning, and running errands, it seems like life has been a whirlwind. School begins here August 12 for teachers, but I have a day of training next week, then a full week of training the following week, so I'm rushing to get everything finished. I'm also trying to think of the meals I need to be planning once I'm back at work.

We visited DH's uncle who is 93 yesterday. It is a two hour trip there and two hours back. We had a nice visit. He does well and still lives at home. Normally I take food to put in the freezer that he can heat up, but DH had procrastinated so much about when he was going to call, when he finally did call because my "free time" is running out, I didn't have anything prepared. I think it was OK because I think he just liked having the visit.

We hit two grocery stores today as well as some garage sales. As for the garage sales, there really wasn't much out there we couldn't live without. Some folks had just junk and others had a few nice things with equally nice prices. People walked in, looked around, and left without buying anything. I'm not sure how they made enough to even cover their ad. I wonder if they even thought about that.

We checked on our booth today and took some items to add to it. We took a couple of things that have been there for a long time and haven't sold, and moved things around. The lady at the checkout desk said we've sold more things than anyone else so far this month. I know we didn't make a huge profit because most of the things in the booth are pretty reasonably priced...we don't have a huge mark up. Our economy is pretty flat so folks don't have a lot to spend. But, last month we made booth rent and broke even on other expenses so I didn't think that was too bad for the first month.

We don't have major plans for the weekend. We have a couple of errands to run tomorrow and we are having friends for supper which should be a lot of fun. It is far more relaxing to enjoy meals at each other's houses then it is to go out and overspend and feel rushed.

We hired a painter.

I absolutely cringe typing this, but we did.

I don't mind painting, but this was a job for a pro.

DH uses the hall bathroom and loves hot showers. I told him he should not shut the door and not run the fan while showering, but he did. The steam from the shower was so intense that it blistered the paint and damaged the drywall as well as the ceiling. This didn't happen overnight, but after many, many showers.

There was also an area near the tub where water splashed on the wall and there was a large spot where it totally destroyed the drywall.

Hence, lots of repairs.

So, we hired a pro for the repairs and the painting.

He is working with DH on trying to figure out a solution for the water coming from the shower so we don't have another issue. I jokingly suggested we just hose off DH in the driveway. :-)

He fixed the spots and scraped the ceiling. It is taking a day to dry before he primes and paints, but what he has done looks great.

DH is not handy and he hates painting.

So, I figure fixing this bathroom is an investment to our home.

We have the money so that isn't the issue; I think I just hate spending money!

I haven't blogged much in the past week simply because I haven't had too much to say. We have worked on some chores around here and Friday and Saturday we hit some garage sales. I've cooked most meals and stretched things, but none of the recipes are anything new or exciting so nothing to share there. I made foccaicia bread last week, except I made it in glass baking dish and instead of putting the herbs on top, I mixed them in with the dough mixture. DH loved it and asked if I would make it again for this week. I think we ate it with 4 or 5 meals and since I subsituted some of the white flour with wheat, I think it was a little healthier.

July 4th has come and gone and I'm tired of the neighborhood fire crackers that have been going on for the past week. I didn't sleep well either the 3rd or the 4th because some one or ones were shooting them off late, and when I say late, I'm not talking 9 p.m. Some were still going off after midnight. This has continued for the past 3 nights.

I have decided that some of the folks that bought the most firecrackers and fireworks are probably ones who could least afford them.

In that vein, doesn't it seem like the people who can least afford it are the ones who have a zillion pets?

Doesn't it seem like the folks who can least afford it are the ones using their credit cards for rewards, bragging about what they earned, yet not paying the silly things off?

I know there are people out there who bought fireworks and are not hurting for money. Or who have pets and take good care of them without hurting their budget. I use a credit card. I buy certain things with it like groceries. I don't really use it for the rewards, although I get a paltry cash back. I use it because it is far easier at the grocery store to use the credit card than to write a check. I also use my credit card if we are buying a big ticket item in case I need some recourse. But, I pay that puppy off every month as well.

Maybe I'm just crabby from lack of sleep, but I'm a little tired of people complaining they don't have money and then buying many of these items or using their credit card.

Here it is June 30th. What happened to this month? It seemed to fly by! Yikes!

It has been a busy month for us. We started the booth at the antique mall. When we checked on Friday, we had sold 21 items. Not expensive or big money makers, but at least we made double of the booth rent. One of the ladies who works there said some folks didn't sell anything all month. So, hopefully we can continue finding things people want. One booth owner pulled out because they hadn't sold too much the whole time they were there. They had Fenton and carnival glass with huge prices. I imagine it was worth what they were asking, but in a town which unemployement higher than 10%, I don't think there are a lot of folks buying fancy dishes to put in a cabinet. Anyway, we are pleased.

Our garage door opener quit working so we bought a new battery at Walgreens last Friday. They gave us a coupon for $5 off $20, but it was only good for two days. After seeing the sale ad, they had stuff we needed on sale, so that was a good thing for us.

Grocery shopping was completed Friday and last night we had pot roast. The weather here has been cool and rainy, unlike many other places in the states. It was a good pot roast night. I have enough to make another meal or two out of the meat and vegetables. I'm thinking maybe a pot pie for one.

We went to some garage sales Friday. I found this neat, lidded jar that was apparently made for dishes sold at the Guggenheim museum. It has Frank Lloyd Wright collection on the bottom. I could only find some dishes for sale, but not the jar. I wonder if it is rare.

DH thinks we should think about Ebay, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that. Since he doesn't touch a computer, I don't think he realizes there is more to it than listing something. And I don't think I know enough about Ebay to actually try to sell something.

We don't have big plans for the Fourth. We did find some steaks on sale a couple of weeks ago which we put in the freezer and I will thaw and fix. So far, the lettuce has been safe from the bunny so we can have a salad if that continues. We no longer want to fight crowds and traffic to see the fireworks and it seems at our city, the last time we went to the fireworks, there is rarely parking, and so many folks have been drinking to the point they are drunk, it isn't fun.

Hope your month was a good one as well.

It's supposed to be a hot day here in Central Illinois. We have received quite a bit of rain and I imagine within a day or so, things will be drying out. Hopefully, by the weekend, it is supposed to be cooler.

I have two meals to plan today, both using leftovers. We are going to have a frittata for one meal using up some sausage and cleaning out the vegetable bin. For another meal I'm going to make spaghetti using up the leftover sloppy chicks (sloppy joes made with ground chicken). DH has lettuce growing and fortunately our bunny troubles seem to be in the past so I will make a salad with the lettuce and radishes, as well as some of the tomatoes we bought.

We did find some things to put in our booth yesterday. I need to wash things up...I don't understand why people do not wash things to sell, but I guess they are too busy or too lazy.

We did go to the library yesterday and I checked out some magazines and a DVD. We watched a DVD we had checked out earlier and I will enjoy the magazines...our library changed the checkout period for magazines...they used to be for two weeks, but have been cut to one. So, I always check to make sure I get them returned on time.

I will be making a meal plan for the next week so I can then make grocery lists for the two stores we frequent. I kept the Sunday ad for the one to check what is on sale. The other is Aldi and although they have a weekly ad, most of the stuff they advertise is not stuff I usually purchase.

Hope you have a fine day.

Last night we were watching Frasier reruns and this episode had Frasier hiring a butler.

This guy was amazing. He knew society, he knew manners, he could predict what Frasier, his dad, brother, and Daphne wanted and he was organized.

I want one just like him! I turned to DH and said, "Let's get a butler!" He laughed and said, "Wouldn't that be fun!" and we chuckled over that idea for a few minutes.

Of course it is all said in fun, but I can't imagine having someone wait on me like that and give me great advice and meet my needs. Not to mention the expense.

Of course, a little day dreaming and a chuckle never hurt! So, can I put down we saved money because we didn't hire a butler? :-)

It's a pretty day here in the Central Illinois. I guess there is a 50% chance of rain, but right now, it is just lovely.

DH is a good gardener and the past few years he has grown herbs. I asked him if he would be willing to try peppermint. I thought it was would be good for flavoring water and tea. He has and it is. It is a refreshing water on a warm day. Last summer I dried a lot of herbs to use during the winter and I hope to do the same. A couple of weeks ago we visited a friend and took some fresh herbs to him; he was amazed and pleased to get them because in the grocery store, they are quite pricey.

Speaking of herbs, I've been making a lot of no knead bread and changing it by using different herbs and adding either rye or whole wheat flour. It is wonderful to enjoy and far cheaper than the price of artisan breads at the store or at restaurants. I told someone that I could bake a loaf for a lot less than the $3.50 to $5 being priced and they were shocked.

While DH went for a walk, I got out some paint and did some touchups to some of the walls. It was one of those projects where you plan to do it and then it doesn't get done. The paint has been put up and the brush cleaned and the biggest hassle was getting the top off the paint can, but I finally succeeded.

It's almost time to begin fixing supper. We are having sloppy joes made with ground chicken so I call them sloppy chicks. We will get at least two meals from this mix. Fortunately DH doesn't get tired of it.

It has been a nice Sunday so far...church, brunch at home...getting some projects finished...how was your Sunday?

Today is my 23rd wedding anniversary. DH and I married in a small ceremony in his mom's back yard and had a cake and punch reception for family and friends.

We went out to dinner and exchanged cards. It was a very nice day that we spent together.

It has been a rather wet Memorial Day weekend. It has rained quite a bit all three days. We did manage to finally get to the cemetery today and get our flowers out for our loved ones.

This is sort of a rant, but every year I say the same thing to DH: the owners of the cemetery his parents are buried in must have seen his mom coming when she purchased their plot. She bought the plot immediately after her husband's death and it is in a very nondesirable place. It is next to a drop off with a tree so it is super shady and no grass grows so it is muddy when it rains. And when it rains, the mud splashes upon the stone. With the recent rain and humidity, moss was growing on the stone. We took quite a bit of time to clean it today before putting down the flowers. It is sad that people in the funeral industry take advantage of someone in such a time of grief.

On to other things...

We made it to the library and I did get to check out some magazines. I found a couple more recipes to try. Since I was successful with the last tilapia recipe, I'm getting bold and trying another.

Spiced Tilapia

1/2 t sale
1/2 t ground chili pepper
1/2 t caynee pepper
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t garlic powder
14 t ground cumin
4 tilapia fillets

Combine dry ingredients, sprinkle over fillets. Cook fillets in a large nonstick skills coated with cooking spray over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes with a fork.

Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?

DH is pretty angry right now. The carrots he planted a couple of weeks ago were eaten by a rabbit. He had hoped to get some of them at least. He replanted them today in a pot hoping the bunny won't be jumping up there to enjoy.

No, I am not blogging about myself...

Funny how things work out...I am still baking bread with a couple more classes. The library assistant said she just finished a book by Joan Bauer titled, "Close to Famous" and it is a children's novel about a girl who bakes. I just finished reading and what a clever book.

The main character is being raised by a single mom; dad was killed in Iraq. She loves to bake, but her major problem is she cannot read. She and her mom roll into a small town and you meet the townspeople who all have their own problems.

I won't tell more, but it was worth a read and the author ended it with the girl, Foster, saying she is going to make the world a better place one cupcake at a time. Truly a delicious read!

A friend of ours has a daughter in law who is a buyer for a department store. She bought some tins of teas and opened them and served them for some meeting, After the meeting, she has no use for the remainder.

My friend knows I like teas, so he gives them to me.

Free is good.

However, I do have to report I think some of the labels are misleading.

One was titled "get young." Well, I am all for that. I brewed a cup and although it tasted a bit medicinal, I thought it would be worth it so see the years roll off. Can you believe it, not one person commented about how much younger I looked.

Last night I drank some that had the name "Get energized." I was a little concerned about drinking it in the evening in case I started moving around like the Tasmanian devil. I must say, I had a very good night's sleep.

Perhaps the labels are just the opposite....if so, I'm not drinking the "Get young" one again and I am staying clear of the one with the claim of getting thin!

DH and I have been grocery shopping for the past two nights. We do Aldi one night and County Market the next. I usually look at the grocery fliers from both places, plan a menu, and then make a grocery list. I think we spend a lot on groceries, but we eat a lot at home and most of our meals usually have leftovers for either another meal or for a lunch or two.

A lady I know doesn't go shopping until they are totally out of everything. It's kind of odd -- she seems proud of that fact, but then admits they go to fast food places to tide them over.

She thinks I'm rigid because we have a schedule for shopping. But, I like to know we have food in the house and plan a menu.

She has admitted they are having money problems. I wonder if her pell mell attitude to shopping and cooking is also her attitude in saving and investing.

Meals for this week include:

roasted chicken tenders
scrambled eggs and grits
sloppy chicks (sloppy joes made with ground chicken)
baked turkey breast
tuna cakes
turkey (left over) and couscous

The next item has nothing to do with money, but I was highly amused. A lady I work with has a small farm and horses. One horse leans on the fence and has loosened the wire to the extent he can put his head under it, stretch it out, put a leg through, then another and another and gets out of the fence without tearing up the fence or hurting itself. And you ask, where does this traveling horse wander to? The front yard because the grass is longer and hasn't been grazed. Guess he thinks the grass is truly greener (and longer) on the other side of the fence!

I am basically fighting with myself. I sat in a meeting and two of the ladies I work with were talking about what they are doing. One is doing a craft project and is looks costly. The other wants to do the same project and plans to buy the materials. Another lady sells Thirty-one bags so these two bought a couple of them each.

At lunch, they both went out. I brought leftovers.

When I came home I asked my husband what is wrong with me. I felt jealous. I don't even know why. I don't want any bags and the whole idea of spending the money on a costly craft project really doesn't appeal me. In fact, there isn't anything I need or want. And I liked my lunch. So why did I feel jealous?

It's been muggy and sticky today and warm. We are currently having storms and the north part of town received large hail. Tomorrow is supposed to be really cold.

DH is chomping at the bit to start gardening. He loves gardening and he loves eating his homegrown produce.

I'm ready to growing our own as well. Good flavor as well as saving money.

We reached our goal for saving up for hardwood floors and after a couple of weeks of price matching and asking people for advice on which companies were good to work with or not...we bit the bullet, ordered the flooring and set to motion the "joy" of packing things up so furniture could be moved.

April will see the anniversary of our buying this home 15 years ago. The home is paid for and soon after we bought it, we replaced the carpeting in the family room and then the dining room and hallway as we saved up for it.

Due to wear and tear the carpeting was starting to show it's age. Plus, we both have allergies and it was recommended by the allergist to replace carpeting with vinyl, laminate, or hardwood. We decided to go for the hardwood because if we would ever desire to sell the home, we figured hardwood would be a bigger selling point. So we saved a little longer and finally reached where we could afford the job.

Due to the fact we are not "handy" we have to pay for installation. We figured it was cheaper than major medical bills after we injured outselves. :-)

Anyway, the flooring guys came Tuesday and started. One had an accident and hurt his thumb so he wasn't there Wednesday and the other one worked solo, putting our "adventure" behind. But, they anticipate finishing tomorrow. They did get the dining room finished. We donated the entertainment center to a local charity opening up the dining room quite a bit. We bought it almost 23 years ago and felt it had served it's purpose.

My photos aren't the greatest and I don't have things put away since some are blocked into another room, but you can see the difference in the flooring.

Someone posted on Facebook the other day about Dave Ramsey saying, "You are not entitled to anything until you save enough to pay for it."

Not sure we are entitled to new flooring, but we did save for it.

Before:




After:

Well, here in Central Illinois we are getting snow. Lots of it. And blowing and then it is supposed to freeze hard tonight. Gosh, those weather forecasters are just full of good news.

DH and I went to church...it hadn't started yet. We got home and had brunch and it started. Big, wet, flakes.

We've been out twice to shovel. We learned our lesson a few years ago that it is far better to go out and shovel a few times than try to move many inches of heavy, wet snow. One person on Facebook told me to wait and then admitted they don't shovel. I am assuming we will have school tomorrow, so I need to get out of the driveway.

Other than my complaining, I need to count my blessings as well. We are in a warm shelter...we have plenty to eat, and I can change into dry clothes after coming in from shoveling.

And, spring is coming...right?

I am in a quandary. Well, not a major mix up by any means, but I am really not sure how I feel about what happened this evening.

My husband is retired from the public library. A coworker who was also retired died suddenly and we attended the funeral visitation tonight.

There was a large turnout and I'm glad for that because I think it is reassuring when people take the time to comfort the family.

The funeral home had an area that was in the center of the place that was not walled off and it was like a refreshment stand. I'm sure the price of that was included in the price...we priced funerals a few years ago when dh's mom was dying...and this place was pretty expensive.

I guess what I'm confused about is the fact the grandkids were acting like it was a party...screaming, laughing, hitting each other and carrying on, all next to those of us in line to pay our respects.

Granted, I didn't expect them to be crying and in a state of deep mourning, but everything they said or did was about "them." I wasn't trying to eavesdrop...it was just right there in the open.

Maybe I don't understand how society has changed. When I was a child, I was expected, at a funeral visitation, to be respectful of the deceased as well as those who were saddened. I know life goes on, but why in the world would a funeral home set up a refreshment bar, and television out in the open while those who waited could witness this? I live in a fairly conservative Midwestern city.

Any thoughts?

We were watching HGTV today and a rerun of the Love It or List it was on. The designer was given $15,000 to put in a bathroom, male two rooms, update a kitchen and do a few other things. We thought that was a low figure for all that work. Well, they didn't get the bathroom or updated kitchen and had to fix some structural problems. We just looked at each other and said how could someone even claim to try and do the original work for such a low price and not reuse stuff?

It amazes me how these home improvement shows love to tear out stuff and tear it up. Years ago when we bought new kitchen cabinets, the contractor removed the others and our neighbor took them for his garage.

I have sort of ruined the Love It program for DH...I pointed out the predictable turn of events....the homeowners give the laundry list of what they want remodeled, and all the things they want in a new house....the hosts always say they can work these miracles, then say later there isn't enough money for the remodeling or the new house. The homeowners hate the decorator and get snarky, and they hate the first two houses, but love the third one shown. I kind of wonder how much of the conversations are scripts and if the story line is written ahead if time and the viewer just thinks these things are happening. Guess I am skeptical.

It's rainy and windy and just a great day to stay inside. I, of course, took liberties with the Carpenters' song and changed it to Sunday because that is what today is...Sunday. A few folks have complained about the rain, but not me. We need that precious precipitation. After being in a drought last summer and fall, rain is glorious and wonderful and if I have a choice, far better than snow and ice.

After church we came home to fix brunch and then I did some cleaning. I paid a couple of bills and I'm getting ready to finish up the straightening and organizing in the kitchen.

Before church I put a small chicken in the Crockpot to cook with some vegetables and herbs. When it finished, I used the meat to make a large casserole of chicken and dressing (at least two meals there this week) and froze the remaining broth. Last night's meal of pot roast will make up quite a few meals this week for lunches and then beef and noodles for a supper.

DH is hoping the rain replenishes the ground so when he plants his vegetables and herbs, they will take off and look great and also the moist soil will help the farmers.

I mopped the floors and put some rugs in the washer. Anyone know if there is anyway to repair or replace the rubber backing on rugs? The rugs still look great, but the backing is starting to wear away.


So, I'll be humming along and changing the song!

Last week sort of got away from me. Saturday night we received a phone call that my husband's aunt had died in the morning and the funeral was the next day at 3 with visitation at 2. What made us uneasy was the weather forecast ... freezing rain and ice in our neck of the woods.

DH wavered back and forth. He wanted to go, but the weather was frightening. We decided to wait and see and make the decision at noon since it was a two hour trip. At noon it was cloudy, precipitation had almost halted. We made the trip.

DH was glad we had the chance to go. His aunt has been a fighter the past few years, but he wanted to have the closure as well as support his uncle.

The pastor did a wonderful service. This couple had been married 67 years. And to say they were the perfect example of how to love would be an understatement. At 91, DH's uncle was always loving and kind and watched out for her. She, in turn, did many things to help him. What a love affair, even to the end.

Anyway, I'm glad we had the opportunity to go. It just made the week a blur as I caught up on other things and fought a bug. Another weekend has come and almost passed and I'm asking myself, am I ready for Monday? I certainly hope so!

I was reading the Saturday Evening Post and they had a recipe that I think I may be using this week. I have two after school meetings and one evening meeting at school, so it looks quick and easy as well as a way to use the eggs I caught on sale this week:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of fresh vegetables, chopped
4 slices of bacon, chopped
4 eggs
1/2 milk
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat broiler.
In a bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Set aside. In an oven proof skillet (I'm using cast iron) heat the olive oil and saute' the vegetables. Remove the vegetables when they are cooked through. Cook the bacon until crisp and then add the vegetables and make a flat layer. Pour over the egg/milk mixture. Cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until almost cooked through. Put under broiler for a minute or two until browned,and the remove, add the cheese, and put under the broiler for a minute or until cheese melts. Either cut into wedges or scoop out and serve.

Cheap and easy, don't you think?

In the Peanuts cartoon, Snoopy used to do a happy dance when it was dinner time. Well, if I danced, I would be doing one because it is Saturday. I made it through this week. I'm still fighting whatever it is, but other than returning a book to the library, there isn't anything I HAVE to do today.

I worked on data yesterday for school and two classes really made progress on the practice tests we gave. My email report had one word with the attachment: Celebrate!

I think sometimes we need to stop and celebrate the little things as well as the big things.

So, I'm celebrating it is Saturday, that my fridge and pantry are full, and life is pretty good overall!

didn't show up again! Imagine me with my nose in the air and humphring..."Good help is so hard to find!"

Well, we don't have a maid or a house cleaner. I usually gripe and say the maid didn't show. She never does.

I kind of wonder if I would even want to have a maid, money aside. I think it is a nice idea to have someone clean, but I kind of wonder if my mindset would keep me from being a good employer.

After all, would I be willing to hand over the house to someone to clean? And would they clean to my specifications.

Well, since I will never have to worry about that, on to better things. Well, at least getting the house clean.

Today is my birthday; I turned 52. With it, I wonder if I have become wise or just jaded.

No offense to those who do not live in the US, but I am frustrated that so much of the "stuff" that is for sale in stores is from China. I mentioned to DH today that if we were cut off from China's exports, we would be hard pressed to have anything. DH received a set of WWII dvds, and it talked about industry stepped up to provide so much for the war effort. I don't believe we could do that today.

Then, I think about the Civil War and the fact that the north was industrialized and the south was not, and it certainly hurt the south. I know there was much more than this issue for the war, but it is kind of scary. We, in the US, do not seem to manufacture too much anymore.

My own city has an economy that is hurting. We used to be a blue collar town with many industries. So many of those factories have shuttered and we have so many folks without work or underemployed. This has gone on in the past decade, and the recent recession has not helped. Although factory work is hard and grueling, it almost always included benefits and wage increases. Those folks who had the jobs spent the money at the stores and restaurants that helped the service industry so they in turn could buy some of the things manufactured. The circle has been broken, that's for sure. I know some are embarrassed about the blue collar image, but honest hard work is nothing with which to be ashamed.

So, perhaps my age is making me see the big picture. Or maybe I'm just jaded. I am hoping that it is leaning more towards wisdom.