Jibber Jabber

Sat outside this Saturday morning and nearly froze.  This Autumn day the temps were colder than wanted.  It seems that around here, the Autumn is short lived before moving into cold weather and then in the Spring it turns off HOTTER than desired.  That's Kansas for you.

About two thirds of the CHRISTMAS decorations were gone through a couple of weeks ago.  I am too sentimental which makes getting rid of stuff difficult.  Managed to thin it out.  I'd like to continue on this project and be able to say, "Well done good and faithful servant…you did it and lived to tell about it."  

We HOPE to decorate the exterior of our old house with blue lights.  It will be a BLUE CHRISTMAS.  Will have to start stringing up lights in November when the weather is still half way decent before the SNOW BLOWS and ice coats everything.  I am looking forward to when Husband flips the main switch and says, "Let there be light."   

Hoping the deep cleaning has taken place between now and then so the inside of the house is ready for the HOLIDAYS.  

I must clean the other Guest room before FAMILY comes for THANKSGIVING.  I need to get a new set of sheets to fit this bed.  Dust and vacuum once again and make ready for company.  The room needs relieved of clutter and I am in the state of mind to make this happen.  Slowly it will take place and we'll be able to breath a little easier because the clutter is gone.

This room needs some curtains.  Only has pull shades for the time being.  Which reminds me, the bronze colored valances that I purchased a few years ago for little of nothing have been washed and dried in need of pressing.  I will get bronze colored rods for the Family room and hang the new valances hopefully this coming week.  This warms my heart prettying up my HOME.

Last week, I went through all of my COOK BOOKS and stared at the tastefully done pictures admiring wonderfully arranged items placed so the photographer could get a appetizing photo.  Even the table service and serving dishes were so very attractive.  I have collected Cook Books for years and needed to thin them out.  They were taking over.  I probably pulled a third of them.  Made me think of when a third of God's angels rebelled with the head worship leader, Lucifer.  He fell like lightning.  In a flash he was gone.  It took longer than a flash to go through my books, but I bravely did it.  

Stiff upper lip….it is difficult to turn loose of them.  Imagine being so attached to a Cook Book that you about can't turn loose of it.  Imagine.  I remember when I owned only one Cook Book which was wedding gift and scoured all the pages over and over until they were worn out.  I still LOVE this book.  LOVE IT.

Before I go onto my heavenly reward, I hope and pray that I can conquer fixing the best FRIED CHICKEN this side of Topeka, CHOCOLATE CAKE that melts in your mouth happy and I'll think of something else as time passes.  I like trying new recipes for MEATLOAF, but have finally found a recipe that I really, really, r e a l l y like and it's not the one I won the PAXICO MEATLOAF CONTEST with in 2011.  I might try competing again with this one and see if others agree, it's just plain good.

I have a Sugar Cookie Recipe and Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe that I cherish as delicious.  Wouldn't change a thang.  My Husband's Chocolate Chip Cookies are to die for.  I've been to Heaven and back many times just eating the cookie dough.  

His trick is mixing and stirring the dough thoroughly.  It's all in the wrist.  There's no way I could improve on this delicacy. 

One of my favorite Cook Books was water damaged, but I cannot bring myself to throw it away.  There's a wonderful Quiche Lorraine recipe in it that I used which helped me make friends amongst the Texas Ladies I knew many moons ago.  Every time I think of Quiche, I think of them.  Real women eat Quiche and admit it.  

God has been so faithful to bring friends each time we moved to a new location.  SO many of my friends have passed away…I miss them.   Inside the water damaged Cook Book were two CHURCH Ladies Programs that I attended and helped in the Kitchen to prepare Luncheons.  It seems just like yesterday that I was young and in the Kitchen helping prepare the meals and clean up.

It would be here that I saw one Lady add large quantity of salad makings into a clean trash bag to mix the combination salad up.  Worked like a charm.  What better way to fix a huge amount of salad than the way this Lady did.  Also saw the Kitchen Dishwashers use Clorax Bleach in the dish water to help sanitize all the dishes.  Helpful tips to remember.





Back to my HOME Cook Books.  The book shelf that held the books was moved upstairs into the master bedroom and I didn't want cook books in the bedroom.  This would give breakfast in bed a whole new meaning.  The books ended up in the Dining room and need to be relocated to the Utility room where I will have to move seldom used items to make room for them.  Sometimes I wish my Kitchen were larger, but am THANKFUL to have the space I do.



Tried like HECK to fall asleep last night by decorating my house in my thoughts.  It didn't work this time.  I tossed and turned all night with very sore muscles from working in the garage.  SO sore I cried.  It is something else to physically work for a few hours each day and be sore from it.  It is one way I can tell that I am 60 years old.  There's that magical number again that I am having trouble believing that I am over the hill.  Maybe I should be let out to pasture.  The grass is always greener there you know.

Now to take the next step and haul more goodies to the THRIFT SHOPS.  Will back the car up against the garage door and begin loading the trunk with the no returns to house or garage items.  Some other lucky individual can have the privilege of getting a treasure for little of nothing.  I took the challenge and said good-bye to STUFF.  STUFF STUFF and more stuff.

Not bragging, but I could have opened a Department store with all the STUFF that has passed through my hands over the years.  Maybe a warehouse.  Take a deep breath and praise God that I have had more than enough.  M.o.r.e. than enough.  It is amazing to think how little we really need to make a house a home to live in and be very comfortable.  Main thing is that it be orderly, clean and shining with love.

The most important stuff to fill your home with is LOVE.  A HOME cannot be a HOME without Love.  It goes a very long ways. 

I continue going through belongings and thinning out.
The challenge has been accepted.  I will not want.  

The adventure continues,

d