Gobble Gobble and Things to Come

THANKSGIVING DAY WAS TERRIFIC.

Details to follow.

Enjoying time this 

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY 

WEEK-END

with FAMILY, FOOD and FELLOWSHIP.

Hope you all are well.

Love hearing from you.

God bless,

d

Gobble Gobble

~Merry Turkey Day~

Being THANKFUL.

 

Have a good one and God Bless,

d

A New Woman

Today, I had THANKSGIVING LUNCH with Lil Miss at school.  The TURKEY WORKS was the meal and it tasted like MEMORIES that soothe my soul.  Blistery windy day outside where the furnace must be on and bundling up a must.


I took an afternoon nap where I set the alarm to go off 30 minutes before returning to school to pick Lil Miss up.

So that I felt like I had accomplished something in the afternoon, I entered "THE SPARE ROOM" where you may not come out alive if you go in there.  IT'S WHAT YOU'D CALL A MESS. 

I will be a NEW WOMAN when the spare bedroom is organized and looks more like civilized people live here than HERMITS.  I picked up a container to go through and deal with.  Thought if I can just go through SOMETHING everyday that soon there would be a dent in all that needs to be done.  A DENT.

The small white basket that I picked up and carried to my overstuffed family room chair looked like one that I could go through QUICKLY and pat myself on the back that I GOT SUMTHIN' DONE.

I'm not sure why certain pieces of paper were in this PARTICULAR BASKET, but this is what I found as I was gently picking up each piece of paper to look at.  I have to sleeve these papers in vinyl sheets and then place them in appropriate notebooks to where I iz SO ORGANIZED I CAN'T STAND MESELF.



There were small pieces of bubble wrap, a couple of plug-in devices I don't have a clue what they belonged to, old 23 year old Church Bulletins, a letter written by my eldest son when he shared why he wanted to be in a singing group and what he had experienced, a Church bulletin from 1990 when my other son was confirmed, a 1990 Lecturer telling about Dr. Charles Allen, a wedding announcement from a Houston Texas friend that announced he had married with a picture of his second wife that would later pass away within their first year of marriage from Breast Cancer, an old card with letter from Belarus from my soon to be ex daughter in law's mother wishing us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, an article about seven who shaped destiny, newspaper clippings from various places, a 2008 letter from my eldest brother wishing us a happy new year, a cartoon clipping, etc.

During Prayer Time today, I was thinking about people I should have talked to and didn't.  I think it ODD that one of those people I thought of was Charles Allen when we heard him speak at Church when we lived in Texas.  In the basket was a slip of paper with his name on it.  Perhaps I should try and get my hands on one of the books he wrote.  As we went through the line at the end of the Church Service to shake the Pastor's hand, we were at the end of the line and there standing behind us was Dr. Charles Allen.  I had a prime opportunity to turn around and visit with him, but didn't.  I should have, but didn't.  Too shy to say hello and invite him to our HOME for LUNCH after Church that day.  Not that he would have accepted the invite, but that opportunity slipped through my fingers.  That has bothered me for a long time.  There have been times that I should have said, Hello and didn't. 

Charles Allen

Charles Livingstone Allen (1913 – August 30, 2005) was an American ordained Methodist minister most notable for his work as a Pastor.
Born in Newborn, Georgia, he ministered around the state, including 1948 to 1960 at Grace United Methodist in Atlanta. During his tenure at Grace, it became the largest congregation in Georgia and while at First Methodist it became the largest Methodist congregation in the world at 12,000 members. In 1960, he moved to Houston, Texas where he served at First United Methodist until 1983.
Allen was also a columnist for the Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution during the 1950s and after that for the Houston Chronicle. He also authored inspirational books, including God's Psychiatry and Prayer Changes Things.
The section of Parkway Drive (which connects Highland Ave to Piedmont Park) north of Ponce de Leon in Atlanta was renamed in his honor in the 1960s.




I save all of my Christmas Cards, but they're usually all grouped together.  Personal letters the same.  I don't know why these particular things were off by themselves unless I had GOOD INTENTIONS to stash these some place else and this is as far as I got.  MIGHT BE.  Hum.

The cartoon clipping I came across was one of FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE by Lynn Johnston.  The Mom is picking up articles from the house and is thinking GRUMBLE SNARL.  I spend half my life picking up after other people!!  She begins to holler at her family about picking things up.  Ending with saying, "Honestly!  Everytime I turn around I'm picking up things left by other people.  Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a house where everything stayed neat and tidy!!!"  Her little daughter says, "I know what a house like that would be like, Mom!  EMPTY."

Cartoonist Lynn Johnston

As I think about my children having grown up there shouldn't be so many messes, but there are.  Different kinds of messes.  Messes is as messes does.

I pray that as time passes that I will once again have the strength to GET MY ACT TOGETHER....in a good way.  The spare room be a bedroom once again.

Please Lord, help me.
Praying,
d

Bitter

The computer is not my friend this morning.  She won't let me download/upload pics.  Bahhumbug.

Blessings to you.  The skies are grey.  Trees are stripped of their beautiful AUTUMN leaves.  The outdoors grass is crunchy with frost. 

This past week, wintery winds harrassed the leaves as they swished across the landscape, but I didn't see the COLD coming so soon for Kansasland.  The bitter COLD blew in last week as I was sleeping.  How did this happen?  Nature did not ask me if she were allowed to freeze remaining Autumn foilage.  Piles of leaves line the street curbs.  The snow may blow before our yard gets groomed for SPRING.

Bitter temps when taking lil Miss to school early in the morning.  When she began seriously coughing her mom took her to the Doctor's to confirm she has an earache and sinusitis infection as well.  She  remained HOME with me the remainder of her school week.  I welcomed not getting out in the COLD.  It is all too soon WINTER here.

As I prepare this week for a THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, I am at a loss as to how much I need to get whipped into shape.  It'll be a HUGE BLESSING and RELIEF when this palace of ours is in order once again.  When that will happen is a mystery.

With the Kitchen remodeling ON HOLD, I will work around the messes as best I can.  There are three pies in the freezer waiting for me to warm them up for Desserts over the next week-end while company is here.  So glad they are in the freezer waiting.  There's a TURKEY and a HAM ready to rumble.  Praise the Lord...it is there.  I hope to finish the grocery shopping mid week.  Preparing what I can a head of time. 

I have been jotting down a THANKSGIVING MENU and know that this is one of those times in the year that the MENU is pretty much the same year after year and I am so COMFORTABLE with that.

Today I will clean out the fridge making room for the storage dishes I will serve some of the food in.  From PREPARATION to Stove to Table to Fridge these hardy dishes are multi-tasking ones for me. 

I've done this before....after deciding what the MENU will be, I locate my serving dishes and place a small piece of paper with written description label of what will be served in this particular dish.  Then place dishes in a special place before they are man handled.  This year I am going to go ahead and place them in a cleaned out fridge ready to see if I can get all the refridgerated items in there.  There they will remain until the foods are prepared. 

The more planning and preparations I can get done beforehand HELPS make that SPECIAL DAY run with less HICCUPS..SNAGS...BUMPS in the road. 

THANKSGIVING is in the forecast this week!  I am getting excited about COMPANY coming to visit and have FELLOWSHIP.  Visit, take some pics, dine, play games, see Family, etc.  I've been working at wrapping Christmas presents so I can send some presents HOME with LOVED ONES knowing they have their gifts for December.  I'm almost finished with the gifts for the Grandkids.  Have some more shopping to do for grown-up Children, Parents, Hubby.  Knowing this is just about a WRAP is satisfying.

December can then be a more relaxed month. 

It seems to be a juggling act around here as preparations are made for THANKSGIVING, HUBBY'S BIRTHDAY and CHRISTMAS presents being bugeted in. 

This morning I hear the clothes dryer tumbling as the clothing inside tickles the interior of this beast of a machine.  Pretty soon the dinger will go off and I will go to hang the casual clothing that are ready to see daylite before being put in their place.  I'd like to go to Topeka and buy some pre-made clothing to get me through the Winter.  So many of my WINTER sweaters are LOVED, but needing some new company.  They need new aquaintances to rub elbows with.  Know what I mean.

There goes the DINGER.  Ten times. 

I love my life as a HOMEMAKER, WIFE, MOMMA, GAMMAH!  Being a Daughter, Sister, Cousin, Aunt and Friend is like frosting on the cake.   

Better go take care of the load of clothing that's ready to be placed on hangers.

May you have a delightful Monday as THURSDAY inches her way our direction.

All the BEST 2 u,
d

Winnie...Are you there?

Crock Pot Coffee Roast

Dining On The Prairie with Pot Roast.

~Coffee Pot Roast with Red Potatoes and Baby Carrots~

~CROCK POT COFFEE ROAST~

Slow cooked in the crock pot.
I just had to try this recipe for Peking Roast.

It turned out mighty tasty.

Do you remember Heloise that wrote for newspapers?  I found an old book of her's where she shared that when overseas she had such delicious roast and discovered that coffee was used to help flavor the pot roast.  I wanted to try this for myself and thought the results were great.  Wasn't disappointed.
  

~Crock Pot Coffee Roast~

Start with a 3 to 5 pound roast. 
Cut slits completely through the meat so they look like little tunnels.  
Insert slivers of garlic and onion into the slits.  
Can do without garlic and onion.   

Put the beef in a bowl and pour one cup of vinegar over it.
Make sure that the vinegar runs down into the slits.  
Cover and place in refrigerator for twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
(I did 36 hours)

When ready to cook the roast, discard the vinegar solution and place meat in a heavy pot 
(iron if possible) and brown in oil until nearly burned on both sides.  
(I skipped the browning step.  Will try to do this next time.)

Pour two cups of strong black coffee over the roast.  
Add two cups of water and cover.
(I had left-over coffee in the coffee pot, so I poured approximately 2 more cups of coffee.  
A total of 4 cups of coffee.)  

If liquid boils down NEVER add more than one cup of additional water at a time.  
Make sure the lid is on tight.

Cook slowly at a simmer for six hours on top of stove.  (I used my CROCK-POT on low.)
Do NOT season with anything else until twenty minutes before serving and then add salt and pepper.  

That's it.
For a nice Pot Roast Meal, I added sliced White Onion, sliced Red Potatoes and Baby Carrots.  Cooked right along with the Roast for about 4 hours.

Looking forward to my QUIET TIME TODAY.

May you have a blessed and pleasant day.  

Thank you for stopping by and saying hi.

GOD BLESS,

d

Thank you Michael Lee West!
Foodie Friday Participation at http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2013/11/foodie-friday_21.html

Welcome to my BLOG.

Looking forward to my QUIET TIME TODAY.

May you have a blessed and pleasant day.  

Thank you for stopping by and saying hi.

GOD BLESS,

d

I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

Hello out there in Blogland.

Believing that God will see me through,

d

Happy Birthday

She turned 12 years old 

and is a tiny bit closer to being a Teenager. 

Seems impossible that she is 12.

Wishing my Grand a wonderful 

life turning 12 and counting.

Love you so much!

You're a blessing with great value.

Happy Happy Happy 

Birthday,

Grandma 

My Children Are Grown

As I sit here and meditate upon those words, My Children Are Grown...I have no idea where I will go with this post.  Writer's block or Mom in deep thought.

I no way look or think as I once did as a young momma with babies.  I have matured or some would say morphed.  I'd like to say that I grew older, wiser and more aware.  More informed.  My life would have little meaning without my God, Husband, Home and my Family.

My children are grown with children of their own.  All are a blessing.  I'm thankful for each one.  

This week-end our neighbors had an auction.  We went over to see the Walnut Victorian Bed that was going to be auctioned off and I decided to walk away.  Not bid on it.  It was a Children's bed too short for our long bodies.  Neighbor Delores had beautiful and clean furniture.  She no longer lives in our lil town, but in an apartment in Topeka with her husband.  The house that she raised her children in is for sale and her belongings are now in other's hands.  All auctioned away.  

I thought of her children as I looked at her belongings displayed on tables about the back yard and wondered if this was an emotional process for them.  Their childhood home is up for sale.  The house where they grew up is no longer the same.

I remember visiting with Delores and she told me that her husband did not want to buy this ole stone house back in the fifties.  Ranch Houses were the rage at the time.  She got her way and they lived there for close to 60 years.  The first time I saw this house as I was driving by, I admired her and thought gosh, she's a pretty house.  I had no idea that I would be living across the street from her.  Surprise.

As I looked at Delores's things,  I know that Delores no longer can remember as she once did.  

Her mind has quieted to the past.  I'm not sure she would recall the house she lived in for so many years.  All the decorating she did was her pride and joy.  Daughter said that Delores was so proud of her home that she showed her the entire house while decorated for Christmas a few years ago.  Daughter was saddened by the auction as Delores's beautiful furniture was all on the front lawn.

I decided that there really wasn't a thing I needed.  If I change my mind, I will shop an antique store or thrift.  

The wind was blowing so hard as others bought the belongings.  From inside my house, I could hear the auctioneer's faint voice as the bids went forth.  

I hope that someday I will have a Victorian Bedroom set.  Until that happens, if it does, I have to live life the best way I can.  

God, I thank you for the blessings you have given me.  
Thank you.

With Thanksgiving coming, my home needs cleaned and tidied.  Preparations made.  My Husband continues to recover from Thyroid surgery and we plan to go forward with radioactive ablation sometime in December.  My children and their families are planning on coming Home for the Holiday.  I pray that we all have a pleasant and safe time.  I hope we have many more Thanksgiving Holidays together, but for now this is the one that counts.  It is what we have.

Friends, Thank you for stopping by.
I wish you well,
d

'Life Just Got A Little Easier' Creamed Chicken 'n Biscuits

'Life Just Got A Little Easier' 

~Creamed Chicken 'n Biscuits~

Made with LEFT-OVER Biscuits.

From time to time we all need help preparing meals.

With left-over biscuits on hand we ate well.

Biscuits from a previous meal

were used to create another dish.

Life did get a little easier 

with Creamed Chicken 'n Biscuits and here's HOW.

~Creamed Chicken 'n Biscuits~

Ingredients

2 cans of condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

10 1/2 ounces Milk

Basil

12 ounces canned Chicken

1 can of Green Beans

Left-Over Biscuits
Butter

Directions

1) Empty 2 cans of condensed Cream of Chicken Soup 

into microwavable bowl.

2) Fill 1 soup can with milk and pour into bowl with soup.

3) Season with Basil.

4) Mix well.

5) Add 12 ounces of canned Chicken with juice to mixture.

6) Mix.

7) Drain off liquid from 1 can of Green Beans

and add to soup mixture.

8) Top with Left-Over Biscuits.

9) Add pat of Butter to each Biscuit.

10) Microwave 7 minutes.

11) Dish out portion.

12) Serve Hot.

This semi-homemade microwave meal is 

Stick To Your Ribs 

Good!

Thanx for stoppin' by
and Dining On The Prairie with me.

Have a pleasant day,

d

 Participating this week with Foodie Friday at 

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2013/11/foodie-friday_14.html

Face Lift With A Nose Job?

 

Seriously.....who needs a face lift and a nose job when you can just use scotch tape???  

So much cheaper and recovery time vanishes.

Hugs.

Love you, Darling.

Think you look just fine the way you are,

Momm/d

Before It Snows....

 

Halloween has come and gone. 

Daughter and Lil Miss dressed up.

Thanksgiving is on the way.

But before this happens....I want to post about costumes 

that they created.

Daughter as a Cat and Lil Miss as a Barbie Musketeer.

Til next year...what do you suppose they will be?

d

Granny Nanny and Pumpkin Huggers

 

Granny Nanny here and it's been a while

 since posting a GNChronicle with Lil Miss in school.  

Say hello to our PUMPKIN HUGGER.

~Autumn~

 Soon the snow will blow here on the Prairie.

Not ready for that.

Hoping we have a few more weeks of 70 degree weather.

Hope. Hope. Hope.

They'd have to be resurrected cauz the temps have cooled.

Autumn Blessings to you,

Granny d Nanny

Birthday Boy

~MY DEAR DAD TURNS 87 TODAY~

HaPpY BiRtHdAy

DADDY

Wishing you all the best.

My prayers are with you.

God richly BLESS you.

Love,

Your Daughter

Home Of The Free

Beloved,
We have such freedoms........giving THANKS,
d

Hands

While driving to the Topeka HOSPITAL on Tuesday morning, it was spitting rain.  Not a downpour, but light misty moisture drops.  We were on our way to admit my Husband for surgery.  He has cancer.  It is still soaking in.  Cancer.  Such an ugly word.  No cancer is good.

Husband admitted to me today, that he was wondering if this would be our last morning together.  I had wondered myself and prayed as we drove the interstate.  Please, Lord, Give us more time together.  Death can come as a thief in the night.  At any time.  Hush.  Pause. 

He is recovering.   Resting. 

Our trees still have many of their leaves dangling.  The Flint Hills are a blaze with vibrant Autumn colors.  A beautiful Autumn.  I am not a fan of COLD weather which leads us here on the Prairie into WINTER.  It takes a while to persuade me that I should like Winter.  I should be ready.  I comfort myself by saying to slow down and enjoy each season that God created.  He knows all the reasons there is Winter.  I don't.  I don't want to understand.

Reminding myself that we are one day closer to SPRING, I have to remind myself that I shouldn't rush my LIFE away.  Each day is a gift to enjoy.  Time passes so quickly here on planet Earth.  I look at my hands and see the beginning of old hands that are attached to my body to use.  

Ancient hands of an older woman.  Surely not mine.  Hand Lotion and positive thinking do not erase the results of actual aging.  I'm no longer a young woman.  58 is not the new 28.

While the Kansas winds blow, the colorful leaves will fly past one's face and congregate wherever they come to a rest.

I wish I liked cold weather better than I do.
Wish I did...but I don't.
Sigh.
d


1 Thessalonians 4:11
...and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, (NIV) 

Bobo's

Here I sit.  TIRED, but oh so HAPPY to be HOME where I'm blogging and putt-sing around shuffling odds n' ins in the Dining room.  Working at making room usable for Thanksgiving Time while my Husband recovers from his second thyroid surgery.  

He did well with his surgery.  He's resting right now.  Surgeon said the left lobe was more difficult to remove.  It is slowly sinking in that he had cancer.   

Life is returning to 'normal' if there is such a thang.  Hubby is upstairs resting before I fix SOUP with crackers for Lunch.  Better make that a pre-made Chicken Pot Pie.  I need EASY, so I can have a Coffee Break.  

~BOBO's in Topeka KS~

 ~NOT This Bobo~

~Barbara (Bobo) Sears Rockefeller~

Doesn't her hair look like Marilyn Monroe's?

We returned HOME from the Topeka Hospital late yesterday afternoon.  First, it took a while before prescriptions were filled at the pharmacy.  Seemed to be a mix-up.  We went to eat at BOBO's and had a hamburger which at their Car Hop place that's been in business since 1948 is a Steak Burger with French Fries.  Later, we had a Red Button HOT Coffee with three creams in it while sitting at SONIC waiting for Hubby's meds to be filled.

Thought it to be better to sit in the car than drive in Topeka's busy traffic.

In the morning while Husband was waiting to see the Doctor, he napped and I went shopping early in the morning with a HY-VEE coupon-in-hand...buy a HAM and get a FREE TURKEY.  Picked a nice size Ham and then picked an 'almost' 14 pound Turkey.  

Turkey will be baked this week-end and the HAM is going in a CROCKPOT just about now.

This gives me some ideas for Thanksgiving.

I noticed that the ones shopping early in the morning so they could get FIRST PICK FREE TURKEY were the older Homemakers.  Because you stay HOME as a Homemaker doesn't mean you will do completely without.  You may be the one that gets the bargains because you have flexibility with your hours and will GET the worm.  That saying, 'The Early Bird Gets The Worm' went through my head as I walked into the SUPER-SIZED Grocery Store.  The thought that we are BLESSED in this country with so many stores to shop.  Stores of all kinds.  Stores of various sizes....big, small, in between.  

I don't want a worm, but the BARGAINS are a welcomed thing.  A MUCH NEEDED THING.  Women....BE ENCOURAGED.  If you are LIVING on ONE Paycheck, the Bargains can and will come your way.  The Lord's Blessings are why.  

I also purchased a ROAST and will be preparing it the way Heloise suggested by marinading it over night in vinegar.  Discard vinegar then pour two cups of STRONG COFFEE and water over it to add FLAVOR.

~COFFEE POT ROAST~

Heloise called it Peking Roast

Starting with a 3 to 5 pound roast, use a large knife to cut slits completely through the meat so they look like little tunnels.  Insert slivers of garlic and onion into the slits.  Can do without garlic and onion.   

Put the beef in a bowl and pour one cup of vinegar over it making sure that the vinegar runs down into the slits.  Place this in your refrigerator for twenty-four to forty-eight hours.

When ready to cook the roast, discard the vinegar solution and place meat in a heavy pot (iron if possible) and brown in oil until nearly burned on both sides.  Then pour two cups of strong black coffee over the roast.  Add two cups of water and cover.  

If liquid boils down NEVER add more than one cup of additional water at a time.  Make sure the lid is on tight.

Cook this slowly at a simmer for six hours on top of stove.  (Will try the CROCK-POT.)

Do NOT season with anything else until twenty minutes before serving and then add salt and pepper.  

That's it.

Looking forward to my QUIET TIME TODAY.

May you have a blessed and pleasant day.  

Thank you for stopping by and saying hi,

d