Jury Duty

Well, Steve wasn't able to avoid jury duty so I sure hope they aren't not using any big words!

Quote of the Day

Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for"
-Will Rogers

Help, I Need Somebody....not just anybody

Holy Cow, I really am a blogging virgin. It's never so clear to me as when I'm trying to change my background. When I need help who do I call? My daughter. Honestly, she is as patient as I am impatient. But it dawned on me tonight why she is so willing to tell me the same things over and over again. It's because I am fodder for her crazy mother stories. But that's okay because I think she finally gets tired of telling me the same thing a millions times and then she does my work for me. I don't really plan it that way, but I do always hope it will turn out that way. So thank you, Erin, I hope you never get tired of me and my insipid questions.

Ode to a Date Roll

Christmas is in the air. The minute the weather turns cold I feel the Christmas spirit and part of the spirit to me is baking yummy goodies and making delicious candies. I don't make as much as I used to, but I still have my favorites. One of my favorites, at least to eat, is the ever elusive Date Roll that my mom used to make every year.


Now, the reason I call this candy elusive is because the ability to make it has eluded me for years.


When my mom made candy she was not the candy thermometer kind of candymaker, she was the drop a little bit of the boiled candy in a cup and see if it was at a soft or hard ball stage.


When I make boiled candies I need all the modern helpers that I can get, mostly I need someone to made them for me. But, alas, the trying to make them is most of the fun. Or so I always used to think. This one candy may have changed my attitude toward that idea.


I must say, however, that I love this candy so much that it's worth the trouble. So here is my salute to the Date Roll:


Ode to a Date Roll


by Emma's daughter (who cannot make a date roll to save her life)


The color's not right, it tastes like a shoe.


I honestly, truly, don't know what to do.


I went to the store, bought all the right stuff,


And yes, I'm pretty sure I bought quite enough.


I carted my groceries out of my car,


Into the house and onto the bar.


I got out the thermometer, the pot, and the spoon.


I know that the grandsons would both be home soon.


And, oh, they would marvel. They'd oooh and they'd aahhh


At this wonderful creation as soon as they saw.


But what did they see when they walked through the door?


My pot and my spoon and myself on the floor.


I give up, I give up I said in a state.


You can all go fishing and use it at bait.


So now I give up, I won't do it again,


At least til next year when, who knows, I might win.

Do It Yourself or, as it is known in our house, Are You Crazy?

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits"

Albert Einstein

Have I mentioned before that I am a diy-er? I love working with my hands and I love doing projects around the house. I tell myself that it's in my blood. My dad is a "builder", he can build anything. When there is something that needs to be done around the house I like to do it myself, partly because I want it done right now, I'm rather impatient.

But, alas, my memory is short. I tend to forget about the last project and the one before that one that went awry.

So, to my present project. Earlier this year our "handyman guy" built us some floor to ceiling bookshelves (I'm pretty sure I could have done it myself). I have since decided that I need more storage space, I always need more storage space, where I could hide things away. So on goes the lightbulb in my head and I figure that I could put doors on the bottom part of the bookshelf. It would look pretty and give me my much needed storage space. Easy, right? Anyone could do it, right? I can do that, right?

Okay, so out comes my measuring tape, I really don't know why I bother with that thing, it never works right.

I measure and mark and have Steve set up the table saw. Oh my, sorry, I just broke out in a cold sweat. Just saying Steve and table saw in the same breath sends shivers down my spine.

You really have to know Steve, he can do a lot of things. Carpentry is not one of them. He's a shortcut kind of guy whose mantra is "good enough". Sorry honey, using warped wood that you rescued from the dump is not "good enough".

However, I let him use the warped dump wood because I know that his cuts are not going to be quite what they should be and I will have to go to Home Depot and buy real wood anyway. And what the heck, the practice wouldn't hurt, would it?

Where was I? Oh yes, he set up the saw, on the ground. On the ground we have lots of gravel. Steve is wearing sandals, and I should mention that he has his 6'4" frame bent over the saw. He is, very carefully, pushing the wood through the blade, when his foot slips.

This is the scenario that plays out in my head in a span of seconds:

Steve slips, his head makes contact with the blade. It's like a scene out of a slasher movie except for the fact that we don't have a villain. He's screaming and I am standing unable to move for several seconds. I finally rip off my shirt, not to worry, I dressed in layers today, and press it to his head.

Okay, I'm going back to that happy place where none of these things happened, happy thoughts, happy thoughts!

After my little "mind movie", DIY as taken on a new meaning for me.

The only thing I am going to do myself now, when it comes to power tools, is call someone whose expectations of themselves do not exceed their abilities. Well, at least until the next project comes along that I KNOW I can do.

Mmmmm, Waffles anyone?

Yep, it's fall in this house. I know it's fall when I bring out all of my pumpkin recipes, and this morning I brought out my pumpkin waffle recipe. You know those foods that with every bite you express your delight? Well, this is one of those foods.

I'm never sure if those I feed are quite as enamoured with the food as I am. But this is what it sounded like in my house at breakfast time this morning. "Oh my, this is wonderful", take another bite. "Oh my goodness, is this great, or what?"....another bite. "Mmmmm, I've never tasted anything so delicious before"........"Hey, are you going to finish that waffle?"

That was a somewhat one way dialog, but that's okay, everyone around here is pretty used to me talking to myself. I rarely expect people to answer or comment anymore. But believe when I tell you, you have to have these waffles, oh my, they truly are the best!

Now, I don't ordinarily brag about my birthday because, quite frankly, I'd just as soon forget I was having one. But.....this is so an exception. Let me tell you why. It's because I am the luckiest person in the world.

My day started out just like any other day except on this day I was a little peeved with my husband. No, he didn't forget my birthday. We don't usually make a big deal about each others birthdays,but I must have been feeling an exception to the rule today.

My present you ask, was a 99 cent candy bar and a very cute card. I'm not greedy, really, but I can buy my own candy bar. That was enough to set me off for the morning. I didn't scream and yell or anything, but believe when I tell you HE knows when I'm not happy. Well, we had a good morning running errands, going to the apple orchard and buying apple cider (to drown my sorrows with) and going to our granddaughters soccer game (that was fun!).

This is where me being the luckiest person in the world comes in. On our way home from town we run into our second oldest grandson. We stop the car to say hi and I get a big ole hug and a Happy Birthday and he says he is coming to my birthday party. Huh? Then we get home and I get a call from my Idaho daughter, whom I miss so much, and get another happy birthday wish. Then my oldest grandson calls, he's 15 years old, and wishes me a happy birthday. Maybe his mom called him and told him to call me, I don't know, but I don't care. The fact is, he called. Then ALL of my Tehachapi children and grandchildren come to our house with bbq and cake in tow and we have the best birthday party ever. AND the boys do all the cleaning up (and I mean the "little" boys).

After everyone leaves I check out Facebook, which I rarely do these days, and had so many wonderful friends have wished me a happy birthday. Oh, I almost forgot, the icing on the birthday cake. My Idaho son-in-lw, whom I love like my own sons, called and wished me a happy birthday.

To all of my children and grandchildren, I love you more than words could ever express