61 year old woman goes on a binge….

Like the nursery rhyme, The Little Girl with the Curl, when I’m good, I’m very, very good, and when I’m bad I am horrid!

Remember last week, and how I said I would eventually cave and make a raisin pie?  Well, yesterday was the day, I not only made the damn pie, I ate half of it.  Yes, sport fans, half!  But, oh, I’m not finished yet.  This piece is in the kitchen, the last piece, and hubby isn’t feeling so great this morning, he thinks maybe he is getting a bug, and he said he doesn’t feel like eating any more pie.

And yes, I feel really bad for him, well I do, I was going to share, well I was. But since he’s not feeling well it means that I get to eat this other piece of pie, this big piece, all by myself.  And yes, that’s real pie crust you’re seeing, no Pillsbury Pie Crust for this pie, nope, it was the real meal deal…

I’m really bad, and really stupid to tell it on myself, but I have no filter, remember?  Tomorrow back to healthy eating, today, over the mouth and past the gums, look out tummy, here that pie comes!!!!

I posted the recipe on Jan CAN Cook, if any of you are so inclined to make a raisin pie for yourself.  I highly recommend it.  And one of these days, I’m going to make another favorite, sour cream raisin cream pie.  But not for awhile, I’ve done enough damage with this one! But sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.  Know what I mean, Vern?

~ jan

Jan’s Find of the Week – Hooked on Houses

This is the cottage in the movie, Bewitched. Bad movie, lovely house…

I’m running a little late today, but oh, do I have a goodie for you.  This blogsite is called “Hooked on Houses” and it has something for everybody, peek into celebrity homes, movie sets, you name it, it’s on here.  This is so much fun, ladies, oh you’re gonna love it.  Pinkie swear  you will ;o)

In fact, I love it so much that  I’m adding it to my Google Reader and The Dish sidebar.

If you go into the archives, you can spend hours here. Enjoy…

~ Jan

Here’s the click>>>

Down Comforters, they’re not your grandma’s featherbeds…

I think that Grandma’s featherbed is why I resisted using a down comforter all these years.  If you’ve never tried to smooth out feathers and fit a sheet over a featherbed, you have no clue as to how daunting that can be.  Every time we spent the night at Grandma’s, I would have to wrestle that darned featherbed, trying to make it of a morning.  But sleeping on top of feathers is totally different than sleeping under them.

Our kids had down comforters and we would sleep under them when we visited them, and talk about how nice it was, then come home and totally forget about it.  But a couple of years ago they had a down comforter marked down, wayyyy down, at Tuesday Morning.  We have a king size bed, and soft goods for it can be really spendy, but this comforter was just such a good deal that I bought it.  I brought it home, stuffed it in a closet and there it stayed until last summer.

I finally got around to buying a duvet, stuffed it with the down comforter and put it on the bed.  I quickly realized that it was indeed, light as a feather and worked great as a light blanket all summer long.  Then autumn rolled around, I was still just using the duvet and a sheet, no need for a blanket.  Then this gawdawful winter started, the temps were frigid, I keep the bedroom cool, and still no need for a blanket.  It’s simply the most awesome thing, it keeps you cool in the summer, toasty warm in the winter, not to mention the fact that the M&M’s love it, they dive on top of it, and sink into the down, almost disappearing, and are instantly asleep.

Mine doesn’t have channel stitching, like some do to keep the feathers in place, and I prefer it this way because it’s so fluffy.  I simply flip it end for end every few days and the feathers redistribute.  But the best part is not being weighed down by blankets, it really is like sleeping under a cloud.

So, if you are a late bloomer to the idea of a comforter like I was, or had always wondered about one but weren’t sure if you would like it, give it a try, they are a wonderful thing.  I think hubby likes it even more than I do, he thinks it’s the greatest thing, ever.

I still see them often at Tuesday Morning for great prices.  If you’re looking for one, it’s a good place to start.  I found all kinds of duvets at Bed Bath and Beyond.  Of course Pottery Barn has gorgeous ones, they are simply stunning, but I couldn’t justify the cost, considering I sleep with the dogs and wash mine often.

Butterfinger Snackerz Commercial *

This is the cutest commercial I've seen in a long time. Southern woman are just so "precious," bless their hearts. I just bet John Austin would like these, my oldest son has loved Butterfinger's since he was a little boy.

 

One of those simple things…

The sound of a bird outside my window made me positively giddy this morning.  And I’m bemoaning the fact that I didn’t plant those crocus bulbs last fall!

I think I’m going to go to the grocery store, browse the plants and pick up a bit of spring for my desk.  Bring a little sunshine home today

Let’s summer dream a bit this morning, with a little vintage Seals & Crofts…

Your daily dose of cuteness, ohhh, it’s a good one, too!

Hacienda Salsa

Ladies, do I have a recipe for you!  Well, actually I have two of them.  I'm a huge fan of a local restaurant, Hacienda, and have wanted their salsa recipe for years.  I'm talking years, like thirty years!  On a whim, I put Hacienda Salsa into Google and this recipe pops up, and it looks surprisingly similar.

The poster on the Group Recipe site also posted a recipe for Ranch Dip, which hubby loves with his chips.

 So, if you're looking for something new to try for Super Bowl Sunday, this might just be what you're looking for.

The recipes are on Jan CAN Cook, take a peek, and tell me what you think.  These are a couple of goodies.  I can't tell you how excited I am to find these recipes!!!!!

~ jan

The Mother Tucker Collection, body shapers

 

 

They were talking about these shapers on After Today, with Hoda and Kathie, Lee this week.  They were pretty impressive, totally smoothed the dreaded rolls on a hefty model.  Here's a link if you want to check them out.  I haven't tried these, I'm just sayin...

The Today Show, 1994, Bryant and Katie, What's the Internet?

 Flash back to 1994 and watch this clip of the Today hosts trying to figure out the internet, they're totally clueless.  Oh, how far we've come...

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Lost Valentine

For those of you who watched Betty White and Jennifer Love Hewitt in The Lost Valentine last night, wasn’t it wonderful?  And for those of you who didn’t, you missed a good one.

One thing that just irritated the bejeesus outta me, though,false eyelashes! They had a full set of Jennifer Love Hewitt, extremely long and thick, extremely black, so unnatural, it was detracting.  And if that wasn’t bad enough, they had a half set on Betty that just looked stupid!

But that was a minor thing, the movie was just charming and the actor who played her husband when she was young,Billy Magnussen,  was SO handsome. How refreshing it was to see a young actor cleanly shaven and groomed, he was just yummy!

Here’s a little behind the scenes video for you…

Jan’s Finds of the week…

It’s Sunday, time for some more of my finds of the week.  I have a couple for you today, the first I can’t take credit for, I owe this one to Linda, Lindsay’s mom, who gave one to Linds. It’s a counter mat and since I have a one bowl sink, I'm always putting a dishtowel on the counter to dry things, but this works so much better.  It’s foam lined, absorbent, cushions your dishes, easy to fold and put away, isn’t bulky like a dish drainer, it's a great product.  They come in grey and beige, and are available at Bed Bath and Beyond.  They’re only $7.99, not a chunka change, it’s a lot of bang for your buck.

And speaking of one bowl sinks, it’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever owned, this deep one bowl sink.  I remember when I told the guy building our countertops that I was putting one in, he told me that it was a huge mistake for resale value, and I told him that I could care less because I plan on living here until they cart me out of here to the nursing home.  Well, that was eight years ago, now the trend has shifted and a one bowl sinks are really popular.  My guys love mine, both of them wish they had them in their kitchens.  And some of you are probably thinking that if I had a two-bowl sink I wouldn’t have to put this mat on my countertop.  Umhmmm, I hear ya, but if you have never tried them, you don’t know what you’re missing. They’re big and roomy, easy to clean, so much more user friendly than a two bowler, pinkie swear they are…

And this is my second find.  Hubby has the big stainless grill on the patio, this huge contraption that men seem to feel the need to own, you know the kind that will grill a dozen burgers, plus twelve ears of corn, plus whatever else you want to throw on it, and every time we grill we have to traipse all the way thru the house out to the patio and fire this big thing up. 

It’s way too big for a couple of burgers, it’s so big it takes forever to heat up, not to mention guzzling the gas.  It’s great for when we have company, but just not for the two of us.

Enter the Weber Q120 Gas Grill. We’ve debated on buying one of these since last summer.  It’s cast iron, portable, easy to pick up, put in the car to tailgate with, and you can buy a cart to roll it around on when you’re at home.  LC found a great deal on one of these on eBay last month, we bought a cart for it at Lowe’s, and we’re off to the races.  It’s so easy to roll outside the garage and grill. It’s close to the kitchen, and it heats up really fast since the surface is small.  As you can see from the picture, it’s plenty big enough for 4 burgers and a couple of ears of corn on the side.  It’s a good thing…

Do you wash your hair, or do you shampoo?

I had a flashback tonight, I was thinking about washing my hair and I  could just hear mother say, “I’m going to shampoo in the morning.”

I would call her on the phone, a lot of times she would say to me, “what’s new, pussycat,” probably due to her ongoing fascination with all things Golden Girl, I would ask her what she was going to do that day, and she would reply that she was going to “shampoo.”  Her signature shampoo was Prell, I can still remember exactly how it smells, and will always associate it with her.

I never say that I’m going to shampoo, I always wash my hair, but it made me smile tonight thinking of her “shampooing” in the kitchen sink, then rolling her hair on those wire rollers from the 60’s, securing them with clips and wrapping a scarf around her head until it dried.  Toto has come a long way from Kansas, simply blowing it dry and using a flat iron, but I remember the days of the curlers, sleeping with them stuck in my hair every single night of my teenage life.  I never got a good night’s sleep with those wire rollers digging into my scalp, but oh the things that teenage girls do for vanity.

What is it with me and all these blasts from the past this week?  First the Tangee, now the rollers.  Good memories, though.  Maybe I’ll get up and “shampoo” in the morning.  Yeah, ma, I think I will…

What is this obsession with trotting out the girls?

  I may be old(er) but I’m a pretty liberal thinker, however, for the life of me I just don’t “get” why all these under 40 something’s have this compulsion to show as much of their cleavage as is humanly possible. 

Over and over again, all these women are showcasing the girls, and it’s not always pretty, ladies.  I think most of the time it just makes them look desperate.  It’s like they have to flash their boobs to get attention.  And I’m not talking a “little” bit of cleavage, I’m talking about just a wisp of fabric away from totally baring it all.  It’s not an uncommon occurrence these days, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around it.

We just didn’t show cleavage back in the day, we made a conscientious effort not to.  Instead we showcased the legs with high heels, a look that I still makes a woman look amazingly feminine. I love really high heels, they can look so classy with the right outfit. Nobody does stilettos better than Sarah Jessica Parker, she always looks spectacular in them.

But now, in this day of “”anything goes,” it’s the more you can show, the better.   And if they happen to not have “more,” they simply buy implants, and then, coupled with push-up bras, they have these silly looking melons sitting on their chest.  I actually think a little “sag” is better than rock hard “melons that stick straight out.”

I see older women with extremely low cut tops, too with their crepey skin and sagging tata’s,  it certainly is “eye catching” to say the least, oh, and let’s not forget the sleeveless dresses.  What’s that all that about, it’s frickin’ freezing outside, and all these women are going around with sleeveless tops.

What happened to the “rules,” you know, like no white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day, or patent leather in the fall, not the summer.  Maybe people were just smarter back in the day, they didn’t wear sleeveless tops in the winter because it was cold, and they didn’t hang the girls out to dry because it was trashy.

Oh, is my age ever showing.  Me, who bemoans the fact that I can no longer wear ripped jeans, which I like to think is a “cute” not “trashy” look.  I just was never into the cleavage thing, and even if I had arms without an ounce of swing, I still wouldn’t wear sleeveless in the winter.  Just isn’t right, and let’s not even get started on tattoo’s, that’s a whole other rant…

Taco Bell - Where's The Beef? What's the big deal..

Okay, so I'm a Taco Bell junkie. My whole family loves it, my boys fondly nicknamed it "The Hell" when they were in college.  I think it was their primary food source during those years.  My mother was a huge fan in the day, we still laugh about how she used to go to Taco Bell for the senior special, a hard shell taco and a coke for not a lot of cash.  And so what if it isn't 100% pure ground beef, they're a reputable company, if they add soy, it's less calories, and it tastes good, works for me.

All the hoopla reminds me of my very favorite commercial of all time - Clara Peller in Wendy's "Where's The Beef."

Give it a watch, I bet you will love seeing it again, too. The woman was a treasure!

A Dog's Welcome home...

Oh, do I have a big smile for you this evening. For all of those who have been loved by a dog, you will so totally get this. A big thanks to my buddy, Gowdy, for posting this on her FB wall. This is exactly what the M&M's do when I come home. Is it no wonder I love them??

Tangee Original Lipstick and Rouge, talk about a blast from the past!!!!

Look what I found at The Vermont Country Store!  Oh, Tangee, you seductive orange devil you.  I wore you as a teenager, your color was bright, your taste was unforgettable.

Okay, so it made my teeth look yellow, orange lipstick always does, but I bet a lot of you are taking your own trips down memory lane right now...

Why am I ALWAYS hungrier than usual this time of the year...

When I remember past Valentine's Days, all my recollections are of being on a diet.  I think I have been dieting every February for the past 40+ years!  

I think this obsession with what I'm not eating is a seasonal thing, Oh sure, dieting is never fun, but I never struggle with eating healthy like I do this time of the year. I'm restless, I walk the floor, I have coffee, I make tea, I eat yogurt, nothing satisfies me, I think it's boredom, plain and simple.  I was so desperate yesterday I bundled up and went for a long ride on Milly.  Hubby put her winter cover on, but even covered, a golf cart is not warm ride on a sunless raw January day with temps in the 20's.

We're supposed to have a "thaw" this weekend, followed by more snow next week.  I just don't know when I've had a worse winter than this one.  I think if the sun would shine, my mood would be so much better.  And so on I go, struggling against the demons that want me to make Mother's recipe for  old fashioned raisin pie, or a batch of gooey chocolate chip cookies studded with pecans, or warm apple pie with a wedge of sharp cheddar, and I wonder how long it will be before I cave.  It's just a matter of time...

But you know what, this Valentine's Day, I'm going to enjoy my day.  I'm going to eat and drink and be totally merry and refuse to feel guilt-ridden.  I'll update you on the 15th to let you know what treats I indulged in. I think I will spend some time just planning the menu.  Maybe that will give me a new focus, ya think?

It's time for my annual post about the orange peeler...

This is for the new kids on the block who haven't read my blog until lately.  Every year I blog about Tupperware's nifty orange peeler.  My buddy, Nish told me about this a few years ago, and it's the greatest little gadget.  You all know I'm the Gadget Queen, if it makes life simple in the kitchen, I'm all over it.  This won't break the bank, it's totally inexpensive.

You can always find them on eBay, here is a link to what they are currently offering.   They are often sold in packages, give them to your friends, they will love them!

 

And since I'm on a roll here, I might as well throw in the grapefruit knife.  This thing is awesome, too!  It has a curved handle to go around the edges, double blades to cut the sections.  These little tools just make life a bit simpler.

Bet you can't wait to see what I come up with for strawberry season, huh?  Yeah, I just bet you can't... ;o)

Cyndi’s Catalog of Garden Catalogs

It’s a typical winter day in Heavensville.  Snow on the ground, grey skies, the temperature below freezing, and here I sit, dreaming of springtime.  I’m tucked in by the fire with a cup of coffee, dogs by my side, ordering gardening catalogs.

Is it really still January?  Two more months until the greening even begins?  Jan, quit yer b*tchin’ and get on with it!!!  Egads, wishing away the winter months is a silly thing to do.

Anyhoo, I found this really comprehensive list from a lady named Cyndi, who must have had a lot of time on her hands ;o)  If you’re so inclined, browse her site, link to the catalogs that interest you and order up a batch.  She did a great job getting this all together.

And my personal favorites?  The first is Shepherd’s Seed Catalog, I ordered from them back in the 80’s when I tried, unsuccessfully I might add, to grow some heirloom veggies from seed.  These days I just look for the Heirloom tags on the plants at my produce stand, much easier.  Renee Shepherd is a fascinating woman, I’m always impressed with women who work with their hands and are passionate about what they do.

My other favorite is The Cooks Garden.  It’s a wonderful site, I think you will enjoy it a lot. 

Here’s Cindi’s site and her complete list of all of the online catalogs, if you like to garden, you will enjoy this, pinkie swear you will.

~ jan

5 tips for using for aluminum foil

Carlene sent me this earlier today, it's totally fascinating. Okay, fascinating is a bit much, but I'm so bored, this gawdawful winter is driving me to be interested in some really strange things, like this...

The only problem is after I watch it I can't remember what I saw. Which gives further meaning to one of my favorite sayings, "of everything I've lost, I miss my brain the most."

When your husband retires, learning the dance...

My friend, Mary, told me before LC retired that it's like learning to dance when they're suddenly home all the time, you have to learn the steps.  I've thought about this so often, it was good advice that Mary gave me.  It's been almost three months now, and I can safely say that we've learned to jitterbug, but we're a long way from the waltz.

Several of my girlfriends are watching what's going on with us, as their husbands will be retiring soon, as well.  But there really is no comparison, since all men are definitely not created equal.  I'm one of the lucky ones, LC is self-sufficient, thinks nothing of not only throwing in a load of laundry, but drying it, folding it and putting it away, as well.  He keeps my dishwasher emptied for me, he's cleaned closets and rearranged drawers, and you're all probably thinking, wow, she's really lucky, I wish my husband would do that.

Well.....  I am extremely lucky that he does all of this for me, but you have to remember, that all of a sudden you're sharing your territory, 24/7 with someone who doesn't do things like you do.  Not only does he do all of these things, he does them much better than I ever dreamed of doing.  I'm a butterfly, I flit thru life, getting easily bored, hopping from one project to the next, skimming everything, and he is painstaking thorough and a perfectionist.  So everything he does, shows my inadequacies.  I had quite a problem with it at first, but I've come to realize that he does it to help me, he's not doing it because I don't do things well enough, and so I'm relaxing with all of it.  And he's adjusting as well, he didn't say a word about me washing sheets at 7pm last night, when he would have much preferred me doing it at 7am yesterday morning.

We're developing a routine, often he makes breakfast, we each work side by side making our own lunch, simple lunches like soup and salads, then I make dinner.  Cooking is the one area that he defers to me.  He's always liked the way I cook, so other than manning the grill, he stays out of the way in the kitchen.  With both of us working together, daily chores are finished quickly and the house has never looked better.  He's enjoying having his own schedule, and says he's so busy he doesn't know how he had time to work.  I enjoy the fact that we can visit the kids whenever we want, and now that he's not working weekends and can have date night again on Friday night.  I'm a huge fan of date nights, Friday night is my favorite time of the week.  He spends time in his den, I spend time in the sunroom, so we're not on top of each other, that has probably saved both our sanities.

And so we're dancing, finding our rhythm, enjoying the process.  Life is good, this retirement thing might just be okay...

Another daily giggle...

Your daily giggle...

Jack LaLanne's passing made me realize I've been on a diet my entire life...

When I read this morning about Jack LaLanne dying at the age of ninety-six, I had a few flashbacks to my teenage years.  I can remember exercising in front of my black and white television, watching him do those dreaded jumping jacks, I also remember that I hated to exercise, even as a teenager.

And furthermore, I've been on some kind of wackadoo diet my entire life!  This is all due to my corn fed upbringing.  I know now that Mother's great food, biscuits, cornbread, noodles, cookies cakes and pies were the root of all evil.  I never had a serious weight issue, and I didn't have the bone structure to be thin and svelte, but my life would have certainly been different if I was as educated about food then, as I am now.  

And of course when LC and I married, I cooked like my mother did.  We fried everything, bought Criso oil by the gallons.  Oh, how times have changed.  I fry nothing, now, the vegetable oil just sits on a shelf and goes rancid, I use olive oil for almost everything.  And is it worth it, giving up all the wonderful food just to stay healthy and try and keep the weight gain to a dull roar?  Heck no, it isn't!  That Jack LaLanne existed his whole life on those damn juices and raw veggies and exercised until the bitter end.

Sure, he was still muscular, but it was old skin hanging on those muscles. You can only do so much.  I know, I know, he lived to be ninety-six eating like a rabbit.  It said in the paper that he died, with his family around him, watching football.  Watching football???  That's just not right.  Wonder if they were all munching on celery sticks and slurping green juice.  Oh, bad girl, Jan, bad girl, bad girl!!!

Jan's finds of the week....

I think it's time for something new on The Dish, every Sunday, new finds for all of you.  If anybody has anything they would like to share,  please let me know.  My friend Barb told me this week about a site called 1 Sale a Day, Daily Deal everything on the cheap.  Just click on the categories in the left side of the page - wireless, watches, family, jewelry - everything is drastically reduced.  She was watching Nate Berkus and he was talking about it.

My new food find of the week is Yoplait Boston Cream Pie, now with an added 20 daily value of calcium and vitamin D.  This flavor has been around for awhile, I just never got onboard with it until recently and it's yummy!   You just can't beat Yoplait Yogurts, and the flavors just keep getting better. These days yogurt tastes more like pudding than yogurt, the sour taste is gone, it's just wonderful.

I have it with a cup of Gloria Jean's Butter Toffee coffee in the afternoon and I'm satisfied for hours.

Yoplait Parfait Delights are my very favorites, but this Boston Cream Pie is a nice change.

 

Organize your life with Mint.com

Hubby has been looking for a monthly expense tracker, and I found this top rated one on Google. I researched it before I created an account, because you do have to give your bank user ID and password so that this program can pull your information and create your profile. That can be really scary, but in the following videos you will see that this is a secure site. It will show you pie charts and graphs, you will know exactly where your money is going each month.  It will even alert you when bills are due and if your bank account falls below a specified level.

After I installed the program, in minutes we could start to see where our money was going, what our big expenses are. It's very clear that we are spending a lot of money on food. No surprise, there. It updates automatically daily, so once you set up the categories you don’t have to manually input anything.

This is an amazin' raisin, girlfriends. If you really want to know where your money is going, this program is all you'll ever need, and the best part is that's it totally free. Interested, umhmmmm, I bet a lot of you are. Just go to mint.com and get started. Here are some videos that should reassure you that this is safe and give you a bit of insight into the software. What a great Sunday project I have for you. ;o)

~ jan

 

 

 

We're not alone, look who's aging right along with us...

My morning coffee and newspaper just isn't the same anymore...

Recently, hubby and I subscribed to our local paper online.  The e-edition costs us $9 a month, so it's less expensive than the paper version, no more traipsing out to the mailbox, no papers to dispose of, we just click and read.  It's a bit of an adjustment, getting used to it, but it works wonderfully.  So now I sit at the computer and read the paper with my morning cuppa joe.  I like it, I really like it...

 

 

 

My thoughts about more snow

Snow is moving in once again tonight, the forecasters are predicting 2-4 inches, but they never get it right.  When I saw the forecast, this is exactly what I thought!!!  Porky says it better than I ever could ;o)

Do you know this old cartoon dates back to 1938.  I bet I got a grin out of you, and I bet a lot of you feel the same way about this gawdawful winter we're all having...

Betty White on Letterman last night

Okay, only one more Betty White post.  We have to enjoy this National Treasure while we can, after all she turned eighty-nine yesterday.  This clip from her on Letterman is so good, oh ladies, you're going to laugh so hard when they bring out the vodka!

Five things I love about McDonald's

I'm serious here, Mickey D is always getting bad press, but there are healthy options, and they're good, too!

1. Their new oatmeal offering - it's amazing, full of great fruit, creamy, hot and it's only $2.00
2. Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, great for an afternoon snack
3. Senior coffee, yes, senior coffee - 55 cents and it tastes awesome.
4. Grilled chicken sandwich, real chicken breast, not processed
5. Fish Sandwich, okay, so it's not healthy, and it's probably made of parts of fish you don't want to know about, but I love it, Deanna does, too!

See, I did it, five things that are good and only one that is unhealthy.  Don't even think about going there with the coffee, I think of caffeine as a food group, it gets this old girl up and running, and anything that gets me going I consider healthy.   And I didn't even mention the fresh apple slices with caramel dip

Mary Tyler Moore is going to be on Hot in Cleveland tonight

Season premiere tonight, 9pm, TV Land - this is a must see for yours truly...

A smile for you this morning, just for my buddy V ;o)

Anne of Green Gables, where have you been all of my life?

Why did I never read this wonderful old classic before?  It's taken all of these years for me to discover Anne and her wonderful story.  I'm having a wonderful time, spending evenings by the fire with the dogs, reading.
I can't wait to go to the next books, Anne of Avolea, then Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Rainbow Valley and Rilla of Ingleside.
Okay, so I'll burn out, but hoping to at least get to Anne of Windy Poplars before that happens.
And when I'm not reading this, I'm reading the latest Robyn Carr novel, Promise Canyon.  It's the last in a series of her Virgin River books, which are wonderful reads if you're looking for interesting contemporary fiction.  I love series, you get to know the characters, the town, it's just so much fun, you are drawn right into these stories.
Here's the entire Virgin River list, if you are looking for something interesting this winter, start with book one and read forward.  If you enjoy romance novels with a good story line, you won't be bored, pinky swear you won't.  ~ jan

Must See TV.... Betty White in The Lost Valentine, Sunday January 30th, on the Hallmark Channel

What goes around, comes around...

The year was 1975, the month was September.  How do I know? Oh, this is monumental, ladies.  Let's see, the exact date would have been September 23rd.  I had just brought Ryan home from the hospital, and these were my pre-pregnancy jeans.  Yes, these jeans, these exact same jeans, are the ones I had in 1975. complete with the stitching down the front and the hem.

It's monumental because the day after I brought him home, I was actually able to put these on and zip them.  Unreal huh?  I only gained sixteen pounds with that pregnancy, but before you go getting all impressed, you have to remember that I never got back into my pre-pregnancy jeans after I had John and when I got "preggo" with Ry, I knew I had better watch it or I would be "el lardo" after he was born.

And the size on these bad boys - a 12, I was never a skinny minnie, but let me tell you when these jeans fit me three days post delivery, I was soooooo thrilled! And even though I tell myself I still wear size 12 jeans, we all know better.  Yeah, the tag says a 12, but those low rider jeans are very forgiving.  If I had to put on a pair with a high waist, no telling what size I would wear with this thick thru the middle post-menopausal body.  I would probably run screaming from the dressing room, yelling "nooooooooooooooooo wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" at the top of my lungs.

And now they're popular again.  These are from the Gap, $79 - now if I were Nisha, I would still have my old ones in the closet, but of course mine have been gone for years.

And no, I have no desire to buy them again.  Well, maybe if I lost twenty pounds, just for old times sake. ;o)

What is it about The Barefoot Contessa

Why does this woman intrigue me?  I think it's believability.  She's not a twig, she's a real person with a real body, and a lifelong love, Jeffrey.  I just like her, period.  I tape her and watch her while I'm sitting at the computer.

Just look at that face.  Wouldn't you love to sit at her table and eat her food.

I seldom make any of her recipes, however.  It's a shame, but I guess when it comes to cooking I'm more of a Paula Deen type.  Did I just say that?  Surely that didn't come outta my mouth.  Ask me about it, and I'll deny, deny, deny. ;o)

I know, I know, at least it's not snow.

Does fleece last forever?

It’s chilly today, I pulled on a fleece vest from my closet, and I started thinking about how long I’ve had it.  I’ve got several pieces of fleece, and some of it I must have had for ten years, and it looks the same now as it did when I bought it.

Are all of you aware that fleece is made from plastic bottles?  I guess that’s why it lasts so long, but I’m getting really tired of a lot of this, I’m not sure I like the idea that it lasts for-ever.

It’s a gray, damp day in Heavensville.  I’m dreaming of spring bulbs, the ones that my friend Trish and I vowed to plant in November and promptly forgot about.  No crocus peeking their head thru the snow for me this spring, no daffy’s to brighten my walk and no bright colored  tulips either. Drats, how did we forget?  Cause we’re older than dirt, that’s why.  Grrrrr

Where’s Maggie…

This picture quality is so bad, I took it with my cellphone and it was dark.  Maggie Moo buries her little body amongst her toys and naps, you can barely tell where she is.  Drats, I wish this were a better image!

 

A young John Wayne

Now he never did float my boat, but I was in the minority.

Just thought the picture was fascinating..

That damn microwave!

Okay ladies, you’ve heard me complain for a couple of months now about my new microwave from hell.  Excuse the profanity, but you have no idea of the grief this thing has given me.  It is not touch sensitive, I have to push and push to get it to even work. 

Well a couple of nights ago, I noticed that the touch pad area where the start button is had bubbled up.  Oh, I threw a hissy, stupid microwave, inferior product, it’s already starting to look worn.  Then I started looking closer.  Holy crap, I had forgotten to take off the protective film.  Well, it was hard to detect, even hubby, who normally catches everything, didn’t realize it was still on there.

So I peeled it off, and viola, it is now touch sensitive, works much better.  But I still hate it!  It’s not fast enough and I think it’s uglier than dirt, sitting there front row and center, above my stove. Grrrrr

And is my face red?  Heck no, you all know I’m a ditz!  But Geezy Pete, I should have realized the protective film was still on there.  Go figure…

Heart Shaped Measuring Spoons

Cute, aren’t they, I smile every time I look at them. V thought they would be fun for me when I start baking with Abby. Can’t wait! ;o)

And yep, I always leave a bowl filled with measuring cups and spoons on the counter.  It’s so handy.  I’m all about convenience these days, I have all kinds of appliances sitting out.  Back in the day I was all about “decorating” my counters, now I’m about convenience.  And I have found I like the way my kitchen looks with appliances sitting out.  But then I have spiffy appliances.  Well, I do!  I’m a foodie, remember?

The Wovel, Popular Mechanics best new product of the year…

Okay, ladies, one more thing Carlene told me about.  The Wovel.  She bought one, since she lives in a snowy part of the country.  Some of you might be interested, as it makes shoveling a lot easier and relieves pressure on your back.  Here’s a video, and here’s a link to the site>>

YakTrax

My friend, Carlene, sent me this information about YakTrax.  She has bought them for gifts, everybody say's they're great.  I'm thinking a lot of us could use these on our shoes in this winter snow.  It's only January, people, I hate to think what is ahead of us before spring!

 

Note:  Carlene bought the $20 version, not the pro version, and they work fine.

Here's a direct link to their site>>>

The Kennedy’s, what we’re not going to see on the History Channel

Have you been reading this week about the eight-part mini series, The Kennedy’s, starring Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes? 

Supposedly, if you can believe what the tabloids are saying,  the History Channel succumbed to pressure from Maria Shriver and Caroline Kennedy who did not want it aired, and pulled the plug on it.  After all these years, does that family still have that much power?

Now it will only be seen overseas and in Canada unless someone else is willing to air it.

Here’s the trailer.  You be the judge…

I don’t hold back in my old(er) age…

We had a three inch snowfall overnight in Heavensville, but hubby and I were out and about early this morning,  the cleaning lady came, and we always leave the house.

So we’re going to breakfast, it’s about 9am, snowing like crazy, the wind is howling, the roads were gawdawful, it was really slick,  and on a busy four lane street, there stood this poor kid in a statue of liberty outfit with a card that read Liberty Tax Service, standing right next to the road in the midst of all that snow and ice.

OMG, it was totally, unbelievably dangerous for him to be there, someone could have easily slid into him.

So, being the in your face old broad that I am, I call up the tax service, all the while hubby is saying, “Jan, be nice.”

Some lady answers, and I say to her, “do you have a guy advertising your business standing by the side of the road?”  “Yes, she answers, somewhat apprehensively.”

Boy, did I let her have it, telling her that it it was totally irresponsible of her company to expect someone to stand next to an icy road, that he could be killed, and that furthermore,  that kind of recklessness certainly wouldn’t encourage people to file taxes with their company.  I said “you should be ashamed of yourself making him stand out there in that snowstorm.”  And then I promptly hung up the phone because I had no desire to listen to her rebuttal.

There was simply no excuse for that.  Hubby kind of rolled his eyes, not really surprised at my actions though, after all we’ve been married almost forty years now.  But I did my good deed for the day and felt better for it.  I wonder if they left him there in the snow?  I hope not.   People just don’t have a brain!!!

Congressman Giffords

As, with all of you, I  continue to watch the media coverage surrounding the shooting.  I find it sad that the focus is almost completely on Gabby Giffords.  The other people matter, too.  They have families, friends and loved ones, yet we only hear snippets of information about them.

Politics in this country are really pathetic.  You can just see the politicians posturing for position in this tragic time, putting themselves out there, making statements, bringing attention to themselves.

I find this really sad, I'm sure most of you do, as well...

What's going on with me, is this part of the aging process?

I've blogged many times about my struggles with television and not finding programs I enjoy, but I find lately that it's intensifying.  I  no longer enjoy The Young and The Restless, and I was a fan from day one.  I find Regis and Kelly silly and insipid, the ladies of The View are hideous, even my beloved Brothers and Sisters is falling short this season with their stupid storyline about Justin being a paramedic and Kitty and her boy toy relationship.  I have no interest in the "O" network, except for Cristina Ferrare, she is absolutely wonderful.   I long ago gave up my fascination with Oprah, who is so impressed with herself that I can barely tolerate her.

What's wrong with me?  I've always been a die hard television fan, eagerly anticipating my roster of shows.  And now, they just bore me.  Am I alone, are some of you struggling along with me?

What do I enjoy?  FoodTV - I love watching the Barefoot Contessa, even the annoying ones like Giarda DeLaurentis and Rachel Ray hold my attention.  Paula Deen is so over the top, but her campy style makes me laugh.  I also enjoy the last hour of Today with Kathie Lee Gifford, who I used to not like at all.  I like to watch developing news on FOX, and most of all I enjoy winding down my day with HGTV, especially International House Hunters.

Oh, how my tastes have changed.  I can't help but wonder if this is just a phase, or if it's a lifestyle change.  Time will tell, I guess, and in the meantime, I'll just keep on truckin'..,

You don’t rule dogs, they rule you…

Oh sure, they look innocent enough.  It’s why they get by with all they do.  They’re so darned cute that I give into them.

It’s cold outside, they go for a potty run really fast and then they’re back in the house.  And they both go to the fireplace, stand in front of it and stare me down until I turn it on.  Then they stretch out in front of it and go to sleep. 

And when they get hot, they move to the chair.  No, let me rephrase that, they take over the chair.  And I let them.

Maggie regularly stands on this chair in the living room, peering around at me in the sunroom on the computer and crying.  She keeps it up, whines and cries, and at first I didn’t know what was wrong with her.  But I got onto her little game really fast, she wants me to flip on the fireplace while she naps in the chair.  And heaven forbid I take this throw off, she scratches and makes her nest with it, now it’s full of pulls, and looks just awful, but I don’t throw it away, she enjoys it too much.  Maggie is always the instigator, she gets the ball rolling, especially letting me know when it’s time for their afternoon “snack,” then Mollie chimes in, barking along with her.

And yesterday was bath and haircut day, and let me tell you, Miss Molasses Maybelline was just a little shit!  She’s normally a trooper, actually enjoying getting her “hur did,” but not yesterday.

It’s too cold to groom them in the garage, and so the deed was done on my computer desk.  I’m halfway thru Mollie’s haircut and she decided she was done with it, and refused to stand up any longer.  She refused!  And so she has this crazy lopsided do, because there is no way you can scissor her tummy and legs when she’s laying down. Maggie was actually the little trooper, because even though she had tangles, she patiently stood there, letting me get it all combed thru.

And that’s life around here, I just never expected to be ruled by two five pound fur kids, but I am, and I wouldn’t change them for the world…

Pioneer Woman's Charlie the Ranch Dog

Oh, I'm such a fan of Pioneer Woman, well me and just about everybody I know.  She has taken a little blog and made a lucrative business out of it.  Now she has this children's book coming out in April, and you can preorder it now on Amazon.  Guess who will snap this up for her little granddaughter.  Yep, you betcha, Grammie Jan is going to be reading this to Abby ASAP!  You can read more about it on Ree's site.

Laputa–the best phone app, EVER!

I upgraded recently from a Droid to a Droid X, thanks to Jean, who told me about a rockin’ deal, and I found this book reader app called Laputa.  It’s absolutely fantastic, and I’m able to download a lot of current books from one of their third party links.  I’ve been reading Laura Bush’s biography, what a fascinating woman she is.

So if there are any smartphone users reading this, check into Laputa.  It doesn’t work for iPhone, but it does work on Android based systems, and Blackberry. It’s absolutely amazing.  You can set font size, font type, the pages turn like a book, the pages bookmark, and you always have an instant read with you wherever you go.  If you download this and can’t figure out how to get the current books, just email me and I’ll show you how to do it.

There are two versions of Laputa, the free version and the Pro version that costs $3.99.  You need the pro version so that you can add all the books to your bookshelf. Trust me it’s $3.99 well spent, you will love this!

And for the skeptics who think a phone is too small to read a book on, you’re wrong.  I was skeptical, too, but it works amazingly well.

You can read all about it here>>>

Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love...

Cristina Ferrare is sixty years old now.  She still has it, gorgeous, funny, spontaneous and a world class cook.  I'll be taping her series for sure.  She's just the BEST!

January favorites…

You all know how fond I am of original scent Jergen’s lotion, love that cherry almond smell.  But when we were at John and Deanna’s for Christmas she had Jergen’s Ultra Healing Dry Skin Moisturizer, and I have to admit, it really moisturizes better than any lotion I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried a lot of brands in the past.  So, for the winter months, I’m giving up my cherry scent for softer hands.  Still have those pots of Carmex sitting all around the house, though. ;o)

I bought the Cuisinart Brew Central that I blogged about a few entries ago.  It’s simply wonderful, just like people told me it was.  And my coffee flavor of choice right now is Gloria Jean’s Butter Toffee.  It’s wonderful on these cold January days.

And since January is all about soup, I haven’t made this yet, but I’m going to duplicate it later this week and it just might become a favorite.  Hubby and I went out to lunch yesterday and I had ham and bean soup.  When I make mine, I always put tomatoes in it, this one didn’t have them, and I think it will be easy to recreate.  It’s great northern beans cooked in chicken broth, finely diced celery, onion and carrots and finely diced ham.  It was “soupy” but thick, and I’m thinking that they must have used an immersion blender to puree part of the cooked beans to give it the thickness, and then they added a bit of cream of milk to finish it. 

Hmmm, that was a pretty short list wasn’t it?   But, oh, I forgot the fireplace remote control that dh got me for Christmas.  It is the ultimate in laziness.  Now I can sit in my chair, with the M&M’s snuggled in beside me, and read without having to get up and turn of the darned fireplace when it gets too warm in the room.  And no, I don’t wear one of those gawdawful snuggie things, and the dogs don’t wear them either.  Puh-leez, just shoot me now if I ever go there!

Talk about a nightmare!

I dreamed I lost all of my makeup and my cell phone was wet and wouldn’t work.  Can you think of anything worse?  I was never so glad to wake up in my life!!!

Gigi’s Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

This is the cupcake I have been raving about.  I put together the recipe for it and published it on Jan Can Cook.

This is total decadence, girlfriends.  It’s time consuming, but would be a great project for a lazy Sunday afternoon when you want to treat the family.

Here’s the click, check this out and don’t be overwhelmed by all the steps it takes to make this.  It’s well worth it, pinky swear it is…

~ jan

I’m back….

 

The holidays seemed to have gone by in a blur.  We were in Nashville with John and Deanna for nine days, then off to Lexington for the New Years with Ryan, Lindsay and Abby, it was such a good time.

Cuppycake was really into opening her presents.  Lindsay would start the tear and she would rip into them, so excited to see what was inside.  It’s just amazing how much these little ones grow in a year.  She got a little car to ride, and she sits on it and honks the horn and watches her cartoons, of course it’s just the cutest thing ev-er.

Lambchop was a hit.  If you need a cute gift, look for it on Amazon, the quality was great, and it talks and is just precious.

We had awesome food, I posted a recipe on Jan Can Cook for Spaghetti with Browned Butter and Mizithra Cheese, which is just the best thing you ever put in your mouth, pinkie swear it is!

We went to a cupcake shop, where I ate the most wonderful concoction of dark chocolate cupcake, caramel buttercream, topped off with a chocolate glaze and salt.  I’m looking for a similar recipe for that to post for you all.

I’m ready for January, and doing nothing, I’m sure most of you are, as well.  Life is good this sunny cold Monday of the New Year.  I’ll be around more, now that I have time.

~ jan

Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars–a 4 Star Recipe

If you’re knee deep in holiday baking and looking for something really special, this recipe for Cranberry Bliss Bars tastes just like Starbucks.

Lindsay’s favorite has now become a family tradition.  If you make them, cut them into squares and then each square into a diamond, makes them soooooo special.

~ jan

Here’s the recipe>>>

Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop, simply the BEST!!!!

Let’s take a little walk down memory lane this morning.  I adore Lamb Chop, she’s always been my favorite.  Shari Lewis was such a talent, sadly she’s no longer with us, but oh what wonderful videos she left us all to watch. 

Lamb Chop is going to be under Miss Abigail’s Christmas tree this year.  I think she’s the perfect age to really enjoy a puppet, and what better puppet to buy her than Lamb Chop. 

If you have a little one that would enjoy buying one of these for, here’s the Amazon link.  It talks, too ;o)

So take a minute this morning, and see if Lamb Chop doesn’t brighten your day.  This is actually the second part of a four part video, if you want to see more of this Christmas video, they are all on YouTube.

~ jan

I did a little research this morning, and Shari’s daughter, Mallory is carrying on the tradition – here is a clip of her and Lamb Chop. This is really cute…

I’m on a roll here, now her daughter has a nightclub routine with Lamb Chop – here’s the clips – *sigh* she’s growing up…

Your daily dose of cuteness....

Look who's off to do a little last minute Christmas shopping this cold Sunday morning...

Baby It’s Cold Outside…

Must see tv, mark your calendars...

Poor Cher, she got caught with her tape on...

I've always been a Cher fan, and think she looks pretty darn good for her age, despite her surgical enhancements.  But, now I just feel sad for her.  This picture is from the London premiere of Burlesque, and if you look closely at her chin line, next to her earring, you will see tape.

Apparently, she has taped her chin to try and make her jawline look firmer.  Okay, you might argue that this is no different than firming up the mid section with Spanx or body shapers, but somehow this just looks desperate. :(

Maybe she would have had better results with this method.  V, remember when we saw Katharine Chancellor do this on the Young and the Restless, we were horrified.

Sw-eet......

I've been checking out the Keurig Single Cup Coffee Makers, andI'm thinking this Cuisinart model looks even better!  I've had pod makers before, and haven't been impressed, however, they've come a long way, baby and this looks pretty awesome.  Do any of you have this yet?

Christmas baking, this is SO simple, why didn't I think of this before?

Last weekend at Ryan's we were baking gingerbread cookies.  I'm never a fan of rolling cookie dough, it always seems to give me problems.  First you chill the dough, then you try and roll it out, and it's so cold, it doesn't roll evenly, then you cut the cookies and they spread too much when you bake them.  It's a royal pain in the patootie.

That's what we did, and it was a pain, and they did spread, but they were wonderful cookies.  Not that heavy, biting bitter gingerbread taste, just a wonderfully mellow great taste, tender and moist, they were super, except for the procedure it took to cook them and their out of shape bodies once they were baked.

And since this isn't my first rodeo with formed cookies, I know that the key to having them bake without spreading is to have really cold dough, and thus the problem, that darned chilled dough and making the cookies quickly to bake.

So, in the middle of the night, when my brain seems to work best, I had a moment of clarity.  Forget chilling the dough, roll them immediately, when they are pliable and easy to work with, cut out the cookies, put them on the cookie sheet, and then chill them in the refrigerator before you bake them.  Why didn't I think of this years ago?  Maybe some of you already know to do this, yours truly had to have a senior moment to figure it out.

We haven't tried this yet, but it has to work better than the way we have done them in the past.

And the recipe for these great cookies - it's Betty Crocker, and she's tried 'n true for recipes that turn out.  Here's the link, the flavor of these cookies is vundebar>>> (We used milk instead of water in the recipe)

I picked up these cutters for Lindsay last weekend in Cincinnati at Williams Sonoma.  They are just adorable. Yeah, I know you want the link.  Here's the click>>>

I found the most AWESOME gift...

Okay, ladies, I found it, the elusive "great" gift, but since certain people read this blog who will be getting it, I can't tell you what it is until after Christmas.

But, if you're interested in a really super gift, for not a lot of money, just email me and I'll fill you in.

It's a winner.  Pinky swear it is. ;o)

~ jan

Guess where I've been?

We had a quick weekend trip to Lexington.  Lindsay had Abby all dressed up for Grammie, a bow in her hair, with her little tutu on, it was a fun time.

I have some new recipes on Jan Can Cook, including an eggnog quick bread that looks killer, and a yummy sounding cranberry pear, apple salad.  You might want to take a peek when you have a chance.

We went to Cincinnati shopping on Saturday, ate in this great burger joint that was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, check this video out, awesome burgers, seriously some of the best ones we've ever eaten.

These guys know how to have fun...

Jan & Friends Christmas Recipes

Like the Thanksgiving recipes, my friends gave me wonderful Christmas recipes to share.  I bring them back every year, so if you're new to the Dish or an old friend, look through this great recipe collection for Christmas ideas.

~ jan

Here's the link, then just click on the recipe title for the ingredients>>>

Pure bliss, it doesn't cost a lot...

What is your favorite lotion?  Not the newer ones, remember back to what you used as a teenager.  Mine was Jergen's, original scent, naturally.  I think that's the only scent Jergen's made when I was a teenager.  I love the cherry almond smell, and keep a pump bottle on the computer desk, it makes me smile every time I use it.  I keep Carmex on my computer desk, too, but that's a whole other blog...

I also have Jergens in my purse, and this fall I was in the car with John and I put some on my hands.  He immediately wanted to know what that smell was, he remembered it as well.

So if you're out and about this weekend, pick up an old friend, a favorite lotion from long ago, and see if it won't give you a smile, too.  And while you're at it, pick up a glass pot of Carmex and some Luden's Cherry Cough Drops.  It's a cheap thrill..

Oh, I wish you were all here right now...

Some dog is barking to Jingle Bells on the radio and the M&M's are going bonkers.  Maggie is circling, growling and barking, Mollie even got up from her nap to chime in.

Silly little dogs, this is funny beyond words...

Ribbon Candy and other wonderous Christmas treats...

This was the Christmas candy of my childhood.  Syrupy sweet, lemon, peppermint, spearmint,  I loved all the flavors!  It's still around, I sometimes buy it at CVS or Walgreens.  Still tastes the same, too.

I'm also a huge fan of chocolate covered cherries.  Daddy bought them for me every Christmas, nobody else liked them, so I rationed myself one a day, and ate the whole box.  Mother was a fan of filled hard Christmas candy, but I was never cared for the jellied centers.

We always had bowls of Christmas candy sitting around, nuts and a nutcracker in a wooden bowl, orange peelings and cloves  simmering on the stove, and Andy Williams crooning Christmas carols on the stereo.   I have wonderful Christmas memories of life in the country, snow on the ground, and you would think a fresh cut tree, too.  But oh no, we had the aluminum tree with the color wheel that turned the tree colors.  We had all blue bulbs, and we would turn off the lights and sit and watch the tree change colors.

When I was really young we did have a real tree with bubble lights.  I adore bubble lights, John and Deanna do, too.  I wish I still had Mother's, but they're long gone now.  Do you know how expensive the old bubble lights from the 40's and 50's are now?  They sell on eBay from $500-$750 a set.  Amazing, huh.

I'm not decorating this year, we're going to be with John and Deanna at Christmas, and neither one of us wants to drag everything out of the attic.  But when Abby is a bit older, we will recreate the sock monkey tree, I think she will love it.

It's been a busy time here, no blogging going on, but things are settling down now and I'll be around more. Hope you are all making great progress with your shopping.  And if you buy some ribbon candy this year,  eat a piece or two for me.  {;o)

~ jan

Let's talk about something a lot better than that old microwave...

Okay, I needed this smile after the morning I've had.  This is Miss Abigail on her way home from visiting the relatives this morning.  She's talking on her cell phone, brushing her hair.

Oh, is this cute or what?   Nothing like a grandtoddler to make your day!!!  Thanks for sending this, Dilly, it kind of puts everything into perspective about what's important in life!!!

I still hate that damn microwave!!!!!

Oh, do I ever hate the thing.  Remember my post a few weeks ago about the new microwave and how I wasn't liking it?  Everybody said, "just hang on, you'll get used to it, it will be okay."  Oh yeah, right.  Well I've hung on and I'm not getting used to it and I still hate it.  It's hard to operate, it doesn't work worth crap and do you know what happened this morning????

Oh, I'm still fuming.  Okay, here's my rant.  I've cooked my morning poached egg in the wave for years now, years, and I've never had a problem, never.  Put hot water in a mug, add a spash of white vinegar, a pinch of salt, slide my egg into the water and nuke for a minute fifteen seconds.  Comes out perfect every time.

I even managed to make it in this new disaster of a wave and it worked okay.

So this morning, I'm nuking my egg, pouring coffee and all of a sudden I hear the blast from hell from the area of the microwave.  It blew up... my egg BLEW UP!  It spewed egg and water all over the interior of the gawdawful contraption, and when I opened the door, it dripped blobs of egg down on my stovetop.  Oh, I'm seeing red, can you tell???

I would like to get rid of the damn thing, but I just bought it.  If this doesn't improve in the next thirty days, it's going on eBay.  But whatever you do, if you see my auctions, don't bid on it!!!

Even hubby doesn't like it, his popcorn is not popping like the old one, so that's a major issue in itself around here.

And how is your day going?  Mine is spouting profanity, as you can tell, which doesn't help at all, and once again reminding yours truly that Grammie has to clean up her mouth.  Little pitchers, ya know....

ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR