Now we need to prepare in earnest for out trip south. We are down to the last 8 days. I have no problem with being ready to leave, but I am still working on Christmas gifts which need to be finished for Keith's family and Craig. The rest of the family will be together so I have a bit more time. Gary and Caroline, how far do you expect to get on the fifth? We are debating whether we will leave and meet you on the fifth, or rise and shine early on the sixth and meet up with you.
Our Thanksgiving Day was very enjoyable albeit quiet. Craig, Colleen, and I engaged in a game of Scrabble to while away some time. And then we grazed on into the evening.
Colleen and I met Cinda, Linea, and Jordan in Seattle on Friday. We had lunch together and browsed through a few stores but bought nothing. I can't shop when I am with anyone. Shopping is serious business, and I need to concentrate!
Craig has a new girlfriend and she is coming to dinner on Thursday evening. I think she has been an item for a while, but we just learned about her this past week. I love her name - Cassie. Thursday is our 43rd wedding anniversary, so it will be fun to celebrate with others. I think Ken and I will try the new restaurant here in town some night this week for an anniversary dinner. It is called Creme Brulee, is in the bistro style of dining, and it is rumored that the owner is French. I'll give a full report.
Colleen is out walking Cooper. He loves to be walked, but Ken isn't a walker, and I find I can't manage him on the leash and keep myself all together. There is always a risk involved when walking him for fear there will be a dog on the loose. Steilacoom is pretty good to enforce leash laws, and it doesn't happen very often, but it is a very helpless feeling when a strange dog appears.
Dinner calls.
Ciao
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving
It is Thanksgiving eve, and all is well - the tomato aspic is prepared and in the refrigerator. It will just be Craig, Colleen, Ken, and me for dinner tomorrow. Why am I needing to make 3 pies? Well, tradition says one must have mincemeat (actually Ken says we must have mincemeat) and pumpkin, and we have huckleberries from Montana that are crying to be put into a pie to be shared.
I scored on the turkey this year. I prefer fresh to frozen, but the commissary was already out of them. However, Trader Joe’s had fresh turkeys, and all of them, regardless of size were $9.99. And they are organic, for whatever that may be worth. So tonight Mr. Turkey will get dunked in a bourbon brine to ready him for the oven tomorrow.
2 cups coarse or kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 cups bourbon
2 gallons water
Add salt and sugar to 2 quarts of the water and heat until salt is dissolved. Combine with the remaining cold water, add the bourbon and plunk the turkey in the brine. We leave it overnight, chilled (on the back porch), then rinse and roast it in the morning.
This recipe was on last year’s Thanksgiving episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
Cooper gets a bath tonight, just because. He always looks like an unmade bed, but he does look more handsome after a bath. As I was reading a website about honey, I learned that it is common for groomers to add some honey along with the shampoo when bathing a dog. Maybe we will try it. They say it makes the coat much shinier, and the stickiness of the honey goes away as soon as it is combined with the shampoo.
On that note, I will retire for the evening. Happy Thanksgiving to all and g’day to you Canadians who have already had your Thanksgiving.
Ciao
I scored on the turkey this year. I prefer fresh to frozen, but the commissary was already out of them. However, Trader Joe’s had fresh turkeys, and all of them, regardless of size were $9.99. And they are organic, for whatever that may be worth. So tonight Mr. Turkey will get dunked in a bourbon brine to ready him for the oven tomorrow.
2 cups coarse or kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 cups bourbon
2 gallons water
Add salt and sugar to 2 quarts of the water and heat until salt is dissolved. Combine with the remaining cold water, add the bourbon and plunk the turkey in the brine. We leave it overnight, chilled (on the back porch), then rinse and roast it in the morning.
This recipe was on last year’s Thanksgiving episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
Cooper gets a bath tonight, just because. He always looks like an unmade bed, but he does look more handsome after a bath. As I was reading a website about honey, I learned that it is common for groomers to add some honey along with the shampoo when bathing a dog. Maybe we will try it. They say it makes the coat much shinier, and the stickiness of the honey goes away as soon as it is combined with the shampoo.
On that note, I will retire for the evening. Happy Thanksgiving to all and g’day to you Canadians who have already had your Thanksgiving.
Ciao
Friday, November 18, 2005
We give thanks this Thanksgiving.................
for the good news that Keith will not be recalled by the Army and can resign his commission with no further obligation. Do you hear that sigh of relief? It happened with a telephone call that Keith just happened to pick up since he was home yesterday for a bite of lunch. My understanding is that since last July those who have fulfilled their military obligation and are still in the inactive reserves are not duty-bound to return to active duty. My cynical mind wants to say that President Bush and his cohorts just quietly let this one sit, but saner minds prevailed and Sheila pointed out that the military has the onerous task of changing over to a completely new digital process for tracking all military folks, and it has simply taken this long to catch up to Keith. I will not concern myself further with the process, but will just be thankful for the outcome. But my heart and my prayers go out to all families who are affected by the situation in Iraq....and Afghanistan.
We keep thinking we need to be busier to get ready to go south on about the fifth of December, but we must be more ready than we think, because we aren't busy!! I did do a bit of housekeeping, sorting, and rearranging in the motor home yesterday, but it was nothing major. I do need to give some more serious thought to Christmas. I particularly need to finish shopping for Craig since we will not be here with him at Christmas. And I want to take a string of lights, at least, for decorating the motor home in Arizona. Then there is the planning for what to take and what to wear when we go to McCall to spend Christmas with Brian, Sheila, and the boys. At least I am thinking if not doing!
We are invited to Jerry and Mary Ellen McKain's for dinner this evening, and that is always enjoyable. Jerry mixes a mean cocktail, and there is lots of good conversation throughout the evening. Ken worked for Jerry when he first went to work at Western State Hospital, and then it turned out that we moved into Steilacoom and on to the same street as the McKains.
Colleen has had three business trips in as many weeks. She was in Pasadena at the Fuller campus for each of the two previous weeks, and as of this past Wednesday she is in Nashville to observe a class to better prepare herself to write the follow-on course. She called last night and said it is cold there. But most anywhere in the US would feel cold coming from Phoenix.
The interstate just east of Snoquolmie Pass is still down to one lane each direction as a result of the latest rock slide. The DOT announced last night that the repairs will not be finished by the Thanksgiving holiday, and folks could face a 30 mile backup. Their advice is for everyone to stay put and not try to cross the state. There are two alternate passes, but they have fewer lanes, and the weather and road conditions could be a major issue for either one.
Curt, Cinda and Linea were planning to go to Spokane, driving over on Thaksgiving morning and returning Sunday evening to get Linea on a plane back to Chicago early on Monday morning, and I know that is their first choice, but I have assured them we would love to have them here with us. I am just waiting to hear from them, but knowing their schedule, I am pretty sure they won't try to get to Spokane.
To complete the sewing machine saga: Elisabeth and I went to a sewing and quilting fair last Friday, and I found the machine I wanted at a great price. So went back to the shop that I had been dealing with, told her the going price ($500 less than what she was asking) and asked if she could match it. She did! Another example of a consumable that doesn't even come close to selling for the suggested retail!! But I love the machine, and know exactly where it will live in the motor home. Of course the expenditure for the machine is only the beginning. It has been so long since I have sewn that there is a whole new world of notions and accessories, plus the price of fabric and patterns has quadrupled since I last purchased any. So I had better get busy and go shopping!!
Ciao
We keep thinking we need to be busier to get ready to go south on about the fifth of December, but we must be more ready than we think, because we aren't busy!! I did do a bit of housekeeping, sorting, and rearranging in the motor home yesterday, but it was nothing major. I do need to give some more serious thought to Christmas. I particularly need to finish shopping for Craig since we will not be here with him at Christmas. And I want to take a string of lights, at least, for decorating the motor home in Arizona. Then there is the planning for what to take and what to wear when we go to McCall to spend Christmas with Brian, Sheila, and the boys. At least I am thinking if not doing!
We are invited to Jerry and Mary Ellen McKain's for dinner this evening, and that is always enjoyable. Jerry mixes a mean cocktail, and there is lots of good conversation throughout the evening. Ken worked for Jerry when he first went to work at Western State Hospital, and then it turned out that we moved into Steilacoom and on to the same street as the McKains.
Colleen has had three business trips in as many weeks. She was in Pasadena at the Fuller campus for each of the two previous weeks, and as of this past Wednesday she is in Nashville to observe a class to better prepare herself to write the follow-on course. She called last night and said it is cold there. But most anywhere in the US would feel cold coming from Phoenix.
The interstate just east of Snoquolmie Pass is still down to one lane each direction as a result of the latest rock slide. The DOT announced last night that the repairs will not be finished by the Thanksgiving holiday, and folks could face a 30 mile backup. Their advice is for everyone to stay put and not try to cross the state. There are two alternate passes, but they have fewer lanes, and the weather and road conditions could be a major issue for either one.
Curt, Cinda and Linea were planning to go to Spokane, driving over on Thaksgiving morning and returning Sunday evening to get Linea on a plane back to Chicago early on Monday morning, and I know that is their first choice, but I have assured them we would love to have them here with us. I am just waiting to hear from them, but knowing their schedule, I am pretty sure they won't try to get to Spokane.
To complete the sewing machine saga: Elisabeth and I went to a sewing and quilting fair last Friday, and I found the machine I wanted at a great price. So went back to the shop that I had been dealing with, told her the going price ($500 less than what she was asking) and asked if she could match it. She did! Another example of a consumable that doesn't even come close to selling for the suggested retail!! But I love the machine, and know exactly where it will live in the motor home. Of course the expenditure for the machine is only the beginning. It has been so long since I have sewn that there is a whole new world of notions and accessories, plus the price of fabric and patterns has quadrupled since I last purchased any. So I had better get busy and go shopping!!
Ciao
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Birthdays, Spelling Bee, and Sewing Machines
As I sit here trying to figure out where to start, the above are what come to mind. I had a birthday luncheon yesterday for 10 women for Elisabeth's birthday. All in all in was a success, even though I was aware of little things that didn't meet my expectations. It was a fun project, but I'm glad it is over.
Grandson Warren asked his family for pledges for a spelling bee in which he was competing. So in true grandparent, aunt and uncle, and mom and dad style, they all came through and he raised the most money for his school - $53. In turn, he received a $70 gift certificate from Toys R Us.!! I think there are several of us who would like that kind of a return on our money.
I-90 near Easton has had another major rock slide which has resulted in either no traffic or one lane of traffic for the last few days. We would like to drive to Spokane to look at a piece of property, but don't know that this is the best time to do it. This is the third rock slide this year, and it makes one wonder why all of a sudden. It tends to make me not to even want to drive it.
After several weeks of research, I made a decision about a new sewing machine, and picked it up last Thursday. Within 15 minutes, I realized it could not do one of the things I expected - straight stitch in a circle as small as two inches in diameter. So I returned it on Wednesday and looked at some other possibilities. Now I think I am ready to try again. Buying a sewing machine, even limiting oneself to one brand, is like buying a mattress. Every store has a different number, or color, or model for the same item. As I am sure it is intended, it makes it virtually impossible to comparison shop. More to follow.
You might recall my tale of woe about crunching the camera case behind the slide wall in the motor home? Ken took it in last week, and the repair cost $49; yes $49. And $3 of that was for parts - staples. I didn't think it was possible to have anything done at a vehicle or RV repair facility for less than several hundred dollars. I am just relieved that there does not appear to be any structural damage to the slide that would compromise its ability to keep water out. Of course in another month, we won't have that worry for a while as we bask in the sunshine of Arizona.
Here is the soup I served at the luncheon yesterday. I thought it very good. Plus it is easy, inexpensive, and can be made the day before.
Curried Pumpkin Soup
1 large onion, sliced
3/4 cup sliced green onions, white part only
1/4 cup butter
1 16-oz can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup Muscat Canelli (I used Lairds apple brandy)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder (or to taste, I used more)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Several parsley sprigs
2 cups half and half
Salt and pepper
Saute` onions and scallions in butter until golden brown. Stir in pumpkin, broth, bay leaf, sugar, curry powder, nutmeg and parsley. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer soup to food processor in batches and puree. Return to pan; add half and half, salt and pepper. Simmier 5 to 10 minutes. 6 servings. I garnished it with the green onion tops, minched.
Grandson Warren asked his family for pledges for a spelling bee in which he was competing. So in true grandparent, aunt and uncle, and mom and dad style, they all came through and he raised the most money for his school - $53. In turn, he received a $70 gift certificate from Toys R Us.!! I think there are several of us who would like that kind of a return on our money.
I-90 near Easton has had another major rock slide which has resulted in either no traffic or one lane of traffic for the last few days. We would like to drive to Spokane to look at a piece of property, but don't know that this is the best time to do it. This is the third rock slide this year, and it makes one wonder why all of a sudden. It tends to make me not to even want to drive it.
After several weeks of research, I made a decision about a new sewing machine, and picked it up last Thursday. Within 15 minutes, I realized it could not do one of the things I expected - straight stitch in a circle as small as two inches in diameter. So I returned it on Wednesday and looked at some other possibilities. Now I think I am ready to try again. Buying a sewing machine, even limiting oneself to one brand, is like buying a mattress. Every store has a different number, or color, or model for the same item. As I am sure it is intended, it makes it virtually impossible to comparison shop. More to follow.
You might recall my tale of woe about crunching the camera case behind the slide wall in the motor home? Ken took it in last week, and the repair cost $49; yes $49. And $3 of that was for parts - staples. I didn't think it was possible to have anything done at a vehicle or RV repair facility for less than several hundred dollars. I am just relieved that there does not appear to be any structural damage to the slide that would compromise its ability to keep water out. Of course in another month, we won't have that worry for a while as we bask in the sunshine of Arizona.
Here is the soup I served at the luncheon yesterday. I thought it very good. Plus it is easy, inexpensive, and can be made the day before.
Curried Pumpkin Soup
1 large onion, sliced
3/4 cup sliced green onions, white part only
1/4 cup butter
1 16-oz can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup Muscat Canelli (I used Lairds apple brandy)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder (or to taste, I used more)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Several parsley sprigs
2 cups half and half
Salt and pepper
Saute` onions and scallions in butter until golden brown. Stir in pumpkin, broth, bay leaf, sugar, curry powder, nutmeg and parsley. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer soup to food processor in batches and puree. Return to pan; add half and half, salt and pepper. Simmier 5 to 10 minutes. 6 servings. I garnished it with the green onion tops, minched.
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