Tiger Lilies always remind me of mother…

The tiger lilies are in bloom, and they always bring childhood memories to the surface.  Mother was a gardener, she never ordered from catalogs, or bought from nurseries, she got “starts” of plants from friends, or she dug plants by the side of the country roads, and as a result, our yard was a riot of color in the summer.

My beloved ditch bank was covered in tiger lilies, started from a few plants, and over the years multiplying until the whole bank was a mass of orange color in the summertime.  We had no hose, no running water, we would carry buckets nightly to water the plants, she always took care of her plants, regardless of how tired she was.

The older I get, the more I admire her strengths, and her talent.  She lived off the land, and enjoyed the beauty of nature in the plants that she nurtured year after year.  I don’t have tiger lilies, but they always make me smile when I see them, and I think I need to tuck just one plant into my garden.  A pop of orange color amongst all the pinks, just to remember my roots, where I came from and how strong I now am, in large part because of her…

Baby elephants in the pool…

My friend, Carlene, sent me this link this morning. I thought you all could use a smile on this rainy, at least in Heavensville, Monday afternoon...

Abby's First Artwork....

Like all our children have done, Miss Abigail decorated her first door with crayons.  I think she shows promise, don't you ;o)

If You Ask Me, Betty White’s latest book…

This book is like a box of assorted chocolates.  With each chapter, you take a bite, and it’s so good, but it’s a surprise, you never know what you’re going to get.  Some chapters are creamy, some have nuts. Who doesn’t love Betty White, and who doesn’t love a good summer read?  Oh, this is such a treat, and it’s chocked full of wisdom.

I’ve added a GoodReads box to my right sidebar, you can click on it, and see what’s on my bookshelf.  I wish some of you would join me on GoodReads as friends, it’s is such a good time,and a really informative site for booklovers.  Here’s my friends link again, in case you might be interested.

I’m reading so many good books, I’m totally absorbed by books this summer.  I just finished Friendship Bread, it was just wonderful, and makes me want to go right out and make a batch of starter.

The author of this book, Darien Gee has a website, Friendship Bread Kitchen, with the starter recipe, and a badzillion variations in her recipe box.

So, if your time is limited, and you just can read just one book this summer,  give Friendship Bread a try.  It’s a good thing.  Pinkie swear. 

I’ll tip you off to some of my other goodies, I have several beach reads to wade through, but only for those of you who read easy breezy novels.  I don’t do the heavy stuff, remember, just the trash. 

Works for me!

~ jan

What’s making me smile this week…

• Fresh Market, just opened yesterday in Heavensville, I was there when the doors opened, It’s totally AWESOME!
  
• Jane’s Krazy Salt, love it on everything
  
• Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil Body Wash – Original Scent, ahhhhh
  
• Grampie’s Salad Dressing Recipe, courtesy of my friend, Barb
  
• Vanity Fair Napkins, the white dinner style ones with the embossed shells.  Yes, I know it’s strange, but I really enjoy them.
  
• The M&M’s haircuts, I’m finally getting the hang of using clippers
  
• Friendship Bread, a great read about life and loss, and finding hope again
  
• Anticipation of seeing sweet little Abby tomorrow, maybe she’ll say “Hi Grammie” when she sees me ;o)
  
• My fleurs, the garden is in bloom, oh people you are so missing out by not having micro irrigation – lush blooms, totally 100% maintenance free.  I can never thank John enough for setting it up last summer.  It’s fantastic!
  
• That piece of apple pie that’s sitting on the kitchen counter

I hope you all have a lot to smile about, too.  ~ jan

Old dogs, taking life one day at a time….

We live our lives alongside our pets, growing old together, and sometimes the changes are so subtle that we don’t realize the deterioration. Mollie has degenerative hips, and has gotten noticeably worse since this spring.  She has good days and bad, sometimes she can’t stand up from a sitting position on our stone floors, or even outside on the concrete, and I have to lift her to the carpet or the grass so that she can get traction to walk.  Sometimes she stumbles, and if it’s really a bad day she bunny hops in the grass to go potty.  But some days she’s fine, running through the yard, following us around, a lot of it depends on the weather, like the rest of us when we get old(er).

I groomed her today, she no longer stands in the sink, or stands on the grooming table, but that’s okay, we work around it.  She’s happy and not in pain, her little tail wags, her eyes are bright and shiny, so we carry her on the bad days and rejoice when she’s having a good one and runs through the yard toward us on those short little legs.

Mollie was a breeder mom that came into our lives five years ago.  At that time the breeder said she was six years old, but we’ve always thought she was older.  She’s a such gentle little soul, our Mollie.  She was never spunky, never played with toys or even jumped on the couch, and we attribute it to the fact that she probably didn’t get much attention as a young dog.  She’s the direct opposite of Maggie, who has always been a little social butterfly, but then she has been the center of attention her entire life.

I always say that Mollie loves me like nobody else ever has, she shadows me constantly, is miserable when I’m not around, and is always content just to be by my side.

So we are living life one day at a time, enjoying her every day, giving her lots of massages and special treats, and when she has  a day like today, when she is walking really well, our lives are a little more joyful.

That’s all any of us can do anyway, live in the moment, one day at a time.  Dogs just grow old too soon, but oh what joy they bring to our lives in the years we have them…

~ jan

The Clydesdales are in town…

The Clydesdales come to town every June for the ShrinerFest and even though hubby isn't a horse lover, he good naturedly takes me for a visit every year. It was a cloudy, cool morning when we wandered over to their tent, and I had a hard time getting a picture of their faces, they were too busy eating hay. The dalmation was there, too, and he was totally interested in sniffing me out, no doubt smelling the M&M's on my pant legs. I'm always in awe of them, they are so magestic, and as I watched them, just for a brief minute, I was a kid again...

goodreads, it’s a good thing…

I don’t think there is anything better than summertime reading, a love of mine that started in childhood.  There was a steady supply of books at our house, due to mother working in the drugstore, because every month the book vendors would come in, rip off the front covers of all the paperbacks and leave the books to be tossed.  Mother would bring home stacks of them, and those books instilled a love of reading that has been a lifelong adventure.  I’ve spent many, many  hours in the summertime under a shade tree absorbed in a good book, with a glass of iced tea, and usually a dog or cat in my lap.  Oh, what wonderful memories I have…

I recently stumbled across goodreads – it’s a total awesome site. After you register your account, you can add friends, browse what they are reading, show what you’ve read, what you’re currently reading and what’s on your wish list.  There are reading groups, lists of bestsellers and about to be released books.  It’s a reader’s dream.  And I’m not even going to get started on how much I enjoy the ibooks app on my iPad, that’s for another day.  But I have to tell you that the iPad is so much better than my Sony Bookreader, it’s absolutely wonderful!

I’ve added 62 books so far, a ton of Robyn Carr, because I enjoyed her Virgin River Series so much.  One of the best series of easy reading that I’ve ever found. I’ll be adding more as time permits, it’s such a good way to organize what you’ve read and want to read.

When you go to this link, remember, I’m a total lightweight, easy breezy romance novels, that’s what I like, no men authors either, just women.  And what am I reading right now?  Actually four books, Flowers on Main, The Help, 44 Charles Street and Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen.  And at the top of my wish list is Betty White’s, If you Ask Me.  Wow, a bit of nonfiction, that’s a stretch for me. ;o)

You can join my friends list, then we can share book ideas.  It’s so much fun.  Here’s the link to get you started

~ jan

Click Here to sign up and see what it’s all about…

Loretta’s Pralines from N’awlins….

Twenty years ago, hubby and I went to New Orleans and discovered Loretta’s Authentic Pralines in the French Market.  At that time Miss Loretta herself stirred the candy in the big copper pot, today she is much more business savvy than that, but the recipe is the same.

I adored the pralines, brought them home to the boys, John went crazy for them, Ryan, who never was a sweet eater, didn’t know what all the fuss was about.  John started making them with a recipe I brought home from some ladies in a little restaurant in Louisiana, they told me the secret is to make them using Pet Evaporated Milk, and he’s made them ever since.

He and Deanna were in New Orleans over Memorial Day, and what arrived in the mail yesterday – this box of pralines from Loretta’s.

Law-dee, that boy sure is good to his mama….  You’re the BEST, Johnno, I’ll think of you with every bite I take…

Say Goodbye to the Food Pyramid

I don't know about the rest of you, but I think this is the best new thing to come along in years.  This is one “out with the old, in with the new” idea that got it right! It’s so much easier to navigate than the old food pyramid – so visual, just one look and you know what you should be eating.  Now I’m just waiting for them to come out with plates that actually look like this – hey, I would buy them, especially if they are made of great looking pottery with maybe snazzy veggie/animal illustrations around the edge.

It’s so easy, even for little children, to see what portion sizes should be.  Kudos on this one, Department of Agriculture, talk about a good thing…

Rhubarb, it’s not just for old ladies anymore…

I had a mother that adored rhubarb.  She grew her own and fed the tart concoction to me as a child and I absolutely hated it.  She had friends that were older, and they all loved it as well, so I grew up thinking it was something old women ate.   I avoided it like the plague for years, and finally decided that it was pretty good in a strawberry rhubarb pie, but even now, I never cook it. 

For some reason this week, I decided I wanted to try and make stewed rhubarb like she used to.  Hubby bought me several stalks at the farmer’s market, it cost $5.00 for those stalks, and I’m thinking, “this better be worth it.”  So then I picked up a quart of strawberries, and last night I peeled the strings away like she always did, cut it into chunks, put it on the stove with just a few tablespoons of water and the strawberries and a pinch of salt and simmered it on low for about ten minutes.  Then I put in two cups of Splenda, no way was I going to put in sugar, after all rhubarb is only 25 calories per cup, I had a good thing going, didn’t want to amp the calories with real sugar.

I always have Edy’s Slow Churned Sugar Free (80 calorie) Ice Cream in the freezer.  I scooped out the ice cream, put it in a dish and poured the warm rhubarb strawberry mixture over the top.  Oh-my-GAWD, it was incredible!

I have a lot left, so this morning I added the chilled rhubarb to my cottage cheese berry concoction, and later on I’m going to make a diet version of Rhubarb Fool, layers of rhubarb and whipped cream Cool Whip.

You might want to rethink rhubarb, too.  Martha Stewart has some yummy looking recipes on her website.  Check them out here…

Mother was also a fan of gooseberries, we had gooseberry bushes, and those things were the most sour fruit I ever put in my mouth.  But now that I’ve “found” rhubarb, I’m thinking that I should give gooseberries a try, if I can ever find them again.  Who knows, Mikey might like those, too! 

Things I’m enjoying this summer…

Simple food:  For breakfast, a scoop of cottage cheese, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, all mixed together with a packet of Splenda.  Thanks Linds for telling me to do this.  Her recipe calls for honey and almonds, all layered in a parfait glass.

Oatmeal made from old-fashioned oats, with two teaspoons of cocoa stirred in before it’s cooked.

Iced tea with a wedge of orange, always reminds me of Mother.

Smells:  Dove Body Mist, Pomegranate & Lemon Verbena

Dial Body Wash, Spring Water

Sounds:  Smooth Jazz from Monterey Bay, NPR Classical Music, The waterfall in my garden

Flowers:  Invincibelle, a new variety of hydrangea, Candy Corn Plant, just for fun

Books:  I just finished Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews – great summer read.  If you’re not familiar with this author, you’re missing out – All of her books are so much fun, Savannah Blue, Savannah Breeze, The Fixer Upper to name a few, check her out.  Deanna and I both really enjoy her…

Robyn Carr – oh, so good, especially the entire Virgin River Series.  Yep, Deanna and I have read all of these also, fifteen books in this series.  Start with book one, Virgin River and you will quickly be enchanted with the folksy people that live in Virgin River.  Awesome reads…

Kristin Hannah and Rachel Gibson are also on my favorites list this summer.  I bought an iPad 2 a couple of months ago, it’s just the most fantastic computer, ever!  The iBook reader is seriously to-die-for, read all about it here! 

But, of course, my favorite thing this summer is anything having to do with Abby.  Lindsay is so good about letting me know what cute things she is doing, constantly sending us pictures, she’s an amazing mother.

And that’s what I’m up to this summer, I hope all of you are enjoying your lazy days as much as me….

~ jan

Take a good look at Dyan Cannon today, ladies…

I always liked Dyan Cannon, I thought she was so beautiful, loved the hair, the laugh, the smile, but lord help, what has this woman done to herself?

Here we go again with the duck lips, the cosmetic surgery the extreme dieting.  This woman is seventy-four years old and she looks like a train wreck.  And here I go again, on that soapbox, ranting about aging in America.  Why do women feel the need to try and look young, when they clearly can’t pull it off?  Why can’t we be okay with our bodies as we age?  Why can’t we embrace our sags and bags, instead of pulling and pinching and tucking and ultimately looking ridiculous instead of natural?

A few years ago, I saw Miss Cannon on a talk show and they were doing a cooking demonstration, making mashed potatoes, and the host could no way get her to take even one bite of those potatoes.  She was horrified, saying they would make her fat.  Well, lady, it’s not too late, you could use a few potatoes to plump up that body a bit.  As for the lips, oh never mind….

I had a total, complete Grammie moment this past weekend…

Oh, I know I must bore all of you with my Grammie stories, but everything she does is just still so brand new to me.

Last weekend, I was talking to Ryan, and I could hear Abby in the background.  She bumped her head, and Ryan said to her, “Abby, did you hurt yourself?”

And this sweet little voice, said crystal clear, “No, I’m fine.”  Oh, it was just so amazing to hear her answer a direct question like that.  Such a thrill…

I’ll try to hold it down, ladies, seriously I will.  But, just think, it won’t be long now until we can have actual phone conversations.  They will probably go something like this.

Me:  “Hi Abby, what’s going on?”

Abby:  “Where’s Bampa?” 

Yep, that’s probably what will happen.  *sigh*

Happy Memorial Day from our famiily to yours....

VPL

Okay, I admit it, I was reading a book, they were talking about VPL, and I was clueless. So I looked it up in the urban dictionary and found out that it means "visible panty lines," so now i'm informed. Do I care, is it important in the overall scheme of things, do I really give a rats hiney about VPL at my age.

Of course not, I could care less, I'm just sayin...

New Orleans ‘2011

I always look forward to John and Deanna’s trips.  They send me a steady stream of pictures, and I feel like I’ve been on vacation, myself…

My pretty little daughter-in-law-to-be looks like she’s having a great time.  Oh, what I wouldn’t give for one of those beignet’s from Café Du Monde with my morning coffee…

A few of her favorite things…

We visited Ryan, and Lindsay last week.  “Bampa” took Abby a Barbie tent and big building blocks, both of which were a huge hit.

Here she sits, with her favorite elephant chair from Lindsay’s parents, her sippy cup and her blocks.  She played for hours surrounded by these toys.

She simply adores “Bampa.”  There are no other words to describe it.  Me, she tolerates, occasionally doling out a quick hug and a big smile, but the good stuff she reserves for him.  Despite all my coaxing, I’ve only gotten an occasional “Naneeeeeeee” from her, when I try and get her to say “Grammie,” but she constantly says “Bampa,” holding up those little arms for him to pick her up.   Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!

My friend Nisha told me last night that it might be 4-5 years before she gives up the obsession with LC and turns her attention to me.  Geezy Pete, lets hope she’s wrong, I’ll be really old(er) in another five years!!!!! I tried all the tricks, too, even bribing her with videos on my iPad.  She would sit on my lap for just a little while, then she was back in the tent. 

I won’t give up, though, I’ll try a new tactic next time.  If it were her Daddy, I could always bribe him with cookies, unfortunately Miss Abigail doesn’t seem to care for them at this point, but I’ll keep trying, who knows, maybe she’ll decide she likes cookies the next visit…

The most amazing German Potato salad, EVER!!!

Oh, do I have a recipe for you, ladies. My neighbor is a German lady, ninety-three years young, and she gave me her recipe for German Potato Salad.  It’s the best potato salad you will ever put in your mouth, pinkie swear, it is. 

I’m posting it on Jan Can Cook. If you want something absolutely amazing this Memorial Day Weekend, try this recipe.  It’s WORLD CLASS!!!

Here’s the quick click…

~ jan

Arnold Schwartzenegger, I've got a Secret....

Well the past few days have been interesting, to say the least.  Those of us who are of a certain "age" have lived through a lot.  We cut our teeth on the Kennedy "bad boys."  We were shocked to hear about JFK frolicking in the White House pool with a bevy of naked women.  We were appalled to learn that he and his brother "shared" Marilyn Monroe,  we were horrified to find out that a drunken Teddy had driven his car off a bridge and left that poor girl to die, and by the time the newer generation of Kennedy's came along, other than the time William Smith raped that girl, we were pretty much desensitized to the family scandals.

Until this week....  I cannot imagine having my housekeeper having, not only a long term affair with my husband, but having a child with him.  This was his housekeeper, the woman who knew the most intimate details of their family life.  She did the laundry, she washed his wife's underwear for god's sake!  She changed the sheets, and emptied the trash in the bathroom, and all the while, knowing that she had slept with this man and had a child with him. This scumbag is the lowest of the low, and the woman is just as bad.   I have never been a fan, I always thought he was pompous and arrogant, a man who's self importance was bolstered by his ties to the Kennedy family.

Maria, however, was always the lady.  Despite her wealth, she was a humanitarian and worked to make a difference for women and children, regardless of economic background.  The poor woman probably turned her cheek in ways that we never even dreamt of.  But what goes around, truly does come around, and this sleazebag is finally getting his cumuppance.

Of course now he is p*ssing and moaning and trying to rebuild his family.  Hogwash, had this woman not threatened to blow the whistle on him, he would have carried this secret to the grave.  What's next for him, a geriatric sex clinic?  Oh puh-leez...

I had to post this picture, ladies.  Not exactly Speedo eye candy, is it?  Maybe, this time, the Terminator is finally EXTERMINATED!!!!!!

Mother’s Day 2011

We had a wonderful Mother’s Day.  The family all came to Heavensville, the weather was lovely, we had brunch on the patio, and enjoyed being together.  Abby is growing so quickly, and is precious beyond words, as all of our grandchildren are.  I hope you enjoy the video.  ~ jan

 

What I've been up to....

Hubby and I spent a couple of days in the yard between rains, and got EVERYTHING planted, I'll post some pictures as soon as I get a chance.  

The family is coming home this weekend, I'm SO excited, it's been awhile since I've seen Ryan, Lindsay and Abby, I can't wait to see how she's changed.  John and Deanna haven't seen her since New Years, oh how she's grown since then! 

We were in Nashville for Easter, I got a new white Ipad 2, which is the just about the neatest thing I've ever owned.  Oh my, it's an awesome thing.  More about that later, too.  Seems like my wheels are spinning here, I need to make a plan, FAST!

It will slow down here soon, I'll be around again, this is just a really busy time of the year for me, but it's so much fun going to the garden centers, picking out the plants, I really enjoyed it this year, despite the icky weather...

~ jan

Carrie Underwood w/Vince Gill How Great Thou Art–Standing Ovation

If you haven’t seen this yet, it’s totally amazing.  What a voice this woman has…

Remember Marcia Clark...

She's had so much work done she's unrecognizable....

Pioneer Woman is coming to Food Network

I just read that my very favorite online person, Pioneer Woman is going to be sharing her own special brand of home cooking in her home late summer.  Premieres August 2011.

And, Trish Yearwood is going to have a series, filmed in her kitchen, it premieres September 2011. WOW, a couple of good ones to look forward to, ladies….

I watched the Judds new show on OWN last night…

I have fond memories of the Judds, I loved their music in the 80’s, and still think that Wy has the best set of pipes on the planet.

So, I’ve been anticipating their documentary on OWN TV, and I caught a couple of episodes last night.  Oh my gracious.  Mama Judd is a bonified wackadoo.  The woman is soooo eccentric.  But I haven’t been so entertained since I saw Tanya Tucker in Tuckerville. 

Wynonna, however, is still magnificent, despite that she has her hair dyed Day-Glo orange and is dating a man named Cactus.  I suspect that both of Judd girls have had a “lot” to deal with in their lifetimes.

The highlight of the show, for me, other than seeing where they live, the horses and the dogs, and the beautiful Tennessee countryside, was watching them eat at the Country Boy Restaurant in Lieper’s Fork, Tennessee.  Yours truly is a huge fan of good ole’ boy diners, and hubby and I ate at Country Boy just a few months ago when we were visiting John and Deanna.  It was so good, beans, cornbread, coleslaw, sweet tea, everything this old country girl, loves…

But back to the Judds, there they sat at a table at Country Boy’s, Mama all decked out in an outrageous plaid school boy cap and a jacket that clashed badly, crying.  But drats, I would have rather saw what they were eating than watch them tearing up, but they didn’t show the food…

They made a total of six episodes, will I watch the rest?  Of course, I will.  I still love their music, I always will, and I’m sure my kids think I’m pretty wackadoo myself, don’t yours?  So in a way, I sympathize with Mama Judd, and I have to admit, she’s pretty fascinating, especially when they hook the computer up to her ears in attempt to balance her brain…

Kids and their pets…

Mother says, and Mother is always right…

I think of my mother so often, especially in the spring when flowers start blooming and trees are showing their blossoms.  She loved spring, even though when I was growing up, it was a hard time of the year for us, living alone in the country.  We had an acre of ground that we mowed, and after the winter, a yard full of sticks and limbs to trim, flowerbeds to weed, a garden to plow.  But we did it, and she did it with grace, never complaining, just doing what needed to be done.

She always said that if you have a late Easter, you will have a late spring, early Easter, early spring.  I think of that so often, and how she was so right.  Especially this year, when Mother Nature just won’t give us a break.  We have a few warm days, and then it’s cold again.  I’m ready to be planting geraniums, haunting the garden centers, enjoying the great outdoors, and we are cloudy in Heavensville this morning, with a predicted high in the low fifties.

And so I wait it out, dreaming of warmer days ahead, and thinking this morning of how it used to be, what a simple life it was, and what good memories I have…

You might enjoy rereading a scrapbook page I made a few years ago, about spring when I was a child.  There’s a picture of my beloved childhood ditch on the page…

All My Children and One Life to Live, cancelled...

First it was Guiding Light, then As The World Turns, now they're cancelling All My Children and One Life to live.  Is Young and The Restless next?

Statistics are showing that there is just not the appeal for soaps that there once was.  People would rather see cooking shows or talk tv.  

I personally think it is sad that it's come to this.  I'm old, I don't like change.  Even though I never watch these soaps, I have fond memories of them back in the day.  It's a sad day for daytime television...

Abby is growing up so fast…

And so it begins…

Spring has arrived in Heavensville.  I happily potted herbs yesterday, but I’m waiting a bit on the annuals.  It’s early yet, we  could get a cold snap and I don’t want to have to cover a lot of plants.

It’s rainy this morning, but the window is open beside me, the birds are on the feeder, and singing in the trees.  Is there anything better than this?  I don’t think so, at least not in my world.

Life is good, I’m living in the moment….

I miss Paul Harvey…

I was such a fan, I listened to Paul Harvey most weekdays, he often put a smile on my face, and I gleaned from him a new awareness of the world around me. He was a National Treasure and I miss his wisdom.

Good Day…

Twin boys talking to each other…

This has been all over the news this week.  If you haven’t watched this, it’s a must see…

Elizabeth Taylor

I read yesterday where they are going to auction off Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels.  Now today, they are going to put her unpublished love letters up for auction.

It’s like the vultures are circling already and the poor woman has only been dead a few days.  Greed is a terrible thing…

Seniors Texting Code

ATD.At The Doctors. BFF..Best Friend Fell. BTW..Bring the Wheelchair. BYOT..Bring Your Own Teeth. FWIW..Forgot Where I Was. GGPBL.Gotta Go Pacemaker Battery Low. GHA..Got Heartburn Again. IMHAO..Is My Hearing-Aid On. LMDO..Laughing My Dentures Out. OMMR..On My Massage Recliner. OMSG ..Oh My! Sorry, Gas. ROFLACGU..Rolling On Floor Laughing And Can't Get Up. TTYL.Talk To You Louder.

Elizabeth Taylor and those violet eyes...

Now I've looked at a ton of ET pictures this week, and for the life of me, her eyes never look violet to me.  Her lipstick in this picture looks violet, but the eyes look rather hazel.

I just don't see it.  Am I having a senior moment here, or do some of you have trouble seeing it, also?

 

 

Elizabeth Taylor

Everybody has a favorite Elizabeth Taylor movie, mine has always been Cat On a Hat Tin Roof. The year was 1958, and she was an absolutely gorgeous woman. Younger readers, watch this trailer, now this was a real movie star. RIP ET, you were the queen...

Jan’s Find of the Week, Sunday Saver

These finds of the week are kind of hit and miss with me, to be honest, I forget about them.  Old brain, you know.  Anyhoo, this is a good fine for you, it’s all the different weekly newspaper ads, condensed on one page.  You’re going to like this one, girlfriends, it’s a goodie…

Here’s the click>>>

Do you know what’s in your bottle of Downy?

You know that bottle of Downy Fabric Softener you have sitting on your shelf in your utility room?  The same Downy that, if you’re like me, you’ve used forever.  Do you know what one of the active ingredients is?  It’s animal fat!  Seriously, “dihydrogenated tallow dimenthyl ammonium chloride:  A derivitive of rendered fat from cattle sheep and horses.”

Isn’t that totally disgusting?  That’s why it makes it so soft, it’s grease doing that!  And that’s why the automatic dispenser gets all gunked up, it’s grease doing that, too!

LC told me this, and I didn’t believe him, but when I Googled it, sure enough, he was right.  So I owe him one for this little tidbit of information.  Bet I made your day, too, huh.  You’ll never look at that bottle of Downy quite the same again….

Happy St. Paddy's Day from Maxine...

 

 

 

 

Abby at the park….

Lindsay and her friend, Kristen, took their kids to the park today. Those little legs are getting so long...

Seana's Salsa Deviled Eggs

My friend, Seana, emailed me after she read the post about my deviled eggs, and shared her favorite recipe with me.  You can find it on Jan CAN Cook, it's a must try here, next week for sure.  Thanks Seana, this sounds awesome, lots better than those awful things I made yesterday!

I think I've been watching too much FoodTV

I don't know why I'm so addicted to FoodTV,  I don't even like most of the chefs.  I use that term loosely, because most of these people are celebritiy wannabe's, not real chefs, well except for my beloved Barefoot Contessa, that is.  And I do enjoy Paula Deen, even though I've become a closet Paula Deen watcher in the last few years, since just about everybody I know, except for my buddy V,  can't stand her.  But I like her grissly husband, who is so uncomfortable on the show it's funny, and she does love her boys, you have to give her that.  Plus the woman is a southern cook, which is near and dear to yours truly, so yeah, I admit it, I like Paula Deen.  So there!

But you all know how much I detest the Neely's.  That stupid man prancing around, going "baby, baby, baby" just works on my last nerve.  And Giada DeLaurentis must weigh all of ninety pounds soaking wet, and I have never trusted a skinny cook.  Plus the way she overpronounces italian words just drives me round the bend!   Rachel Ray with her annoying giggle is just so butch that she is a total turn-off, and then there are the recipes.  You have to wonder where all of these recipes come from anyway.  Do these "chefs" think all these things up, day after day after day.  Of course not, they probably just show up, read the recipe that somebody puts in front of them and start cooking.

However, due to all of this FoodTV watching, I tend to experiment more, and not always with good results.  Sometimes the old ways are better, but the people on FoodTV can't cook the samo samo every day,  so they come up with new twists, and of course, I fall right into the trap of trying them.

Yesterday I made deviled eggs.  Now I've been making deviled eggs for forty years now, a little Miracle Whip, a healthy squirt of Plochmann's mustard, salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper,  whirl all the yolks and the MW in the food processor, plop them into the cooked egg whites, sprinkle with paprika, sometimes chives, and voila, deviled eggs.

So why didn't I just do that yesterday?  I make yummy deviled eggs, but oh no, after seeing some yayhoo making them on FoodTV, I decided to do it their way.  I substituted Ranch Dressing for the mayo, and not even regular ranch, this was my tofu ranch, oh I don't even want to go there.  But anyway, I used horseradish mustard and dusted them with smoked paprika.  Hubby was a trooper, he said they tasted "pretty good" but let's face it, they tasted awful!  Sometimes you just don't mess with perfection.

Now if I would have taken a mini walk on the wild side and crumbled bacon on top, instead of using that tofu ranch dressing, they would have been fantastic, instead the darned things taste like a smokehouse with all that smoked paprika on there.  Will I ever learn?  Probably not, I do love to watch FoodTV when I cook.  So tonight I'm going to stir-fry bean sprouts with soy sauce and a little sesame oil.  Will that go with a burger, ya think?  Of course not, now I have to come up with some asian hamburger recipe if that's even possible.  This should be interesting, wonder what old man Neely would do with this idea!!!  Egads, I can't stand to even think about him - "baby, baby, baby!!!!"

Sunday dinner at Grandma's...

I have wonderful memories of Sunday dinner's at grandma's.  Regardless of what was going on in our lives or how busy we were, we always took the time to spend Sunday with grandma.  There were always cousins to play with, great food to eat, lots of family around, those were such special days, little did I realize at the time.

Sometimes I talk with friends that have their families nearby, and I wonder if they realize how lucky they are, just to have them stop in for a vist.  There is just something special about Sunday, it's a day for families, but today's families are so scattered, that a lot of us don't have that opportunity.  So we enjoy what we have, and look forward to the times we can all be together, but sometimes it tugs at the heartstrings, when the house is quiet, nobody is here, and no good smells are coming from the kitchen.

So I'll make dinner for hubby and I, and as enjoyable as it will be, it's just not the same as if they were all here.

~ jan, feeling a bit nostalgic this chilly March Sunday...

Shelley Fabares, then and now...

Law-dee, a picture is worth a thousand words...

I found these pictures  after viewing this old Annette Funicello wedding video...

61 year old with a zit. Why???

There was an old girl

Who had a zit…

Right in the middle of her nose.

It did no good to to do lament

or heaven forbid sit and cry

‘Cause zits don’t go away til’ you die!

Instead she slathered on the concealer

And spritzed lots of scent on her

So if you can’t bear to look at her

Maybe you will at least enjoy her odor.

THE END…

Cuisinart Single Serve Brewing System, my latest trick...

If you're a regular reader, you know that I bought the Cuisinart Single Serve Brewing System last December and have been thrilled with the quality, the coffee choices, yada yada yada.

Yeah, I know you're tired of hearing about this. But, today when I stopped by Bed Bath & Beyond to pick up some iced tea k-cups, only to find that they don't stock them until closer to spring, I had a brainstorm.  I have this reusable coffee filter that stores in the side of the machine, and is easy to fill with coffee if you don't want to buy the k-cups, why am I not brewing iced tea with this?  Duh, senior brain!!!!

So, I came home, I had Lipton loose tea in the pantry, so I opened the box, scooped a coffee scoop of tea, put it in the reusable filter, and after using the rinse cycle in the Brewing System, I brewed a cup of tea.  It worked great!  So then I ran it again, the second cup was not quite as strong, since I didn't put in fresh tea leaves, but still good.

So that's my latest trick, one scoop of tea leaves brews enough for hubby and I to both have a tall glass of iced tea for lunch.  No waste, and if we want it later in the day, it's simple to brew it again.

No getting out my Mr. Coffee iced tea maker, no boiling water, and steeping tea for 5 minutes, this works fantastic.

You're probably wondering why I would have loose tea in my pantry, nobody buys loose tea anymore.  I bought it for the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker, but i don't see why you couldn't take a tea bag or two, push them into the k-cup dispenser, or rip them open and pour the tea leaves into the dispenser.

So, if any of you have this wonderful machine, or are thinking about buying one, this is another trick for you.

Here's a video so that you can see how it works for yourself...

Old ladies crossing the street…

This is so funny.  I can just see Hooterville and myself doing this in a few years to alleviate boredom in our old(er) age…

Instant nose job….

I’m watching Hoda and Kathie Lee this morning, there is this woman demonstrating an appliance that you put in your nose that gives you the appearance of having a nose job.  It lifts your nose without surgery.

Now I’m either getting really old, or this is just totally bat shit crazy!  What happens when you sneeze or blow your nose?  Imagine the possibilities…

Nice ‘n Easy Color Blend Foam

I saw this advertised on television last night.  Looks good to me, so much easier, especially since you apply it to all of your hair, not just the roots.  I’m hoping that my favorite Nice ‘n Easy color (103) will be available in this foam.

Well, I just checked their site, they don’t have 103.  Grrrrrr, so it looks like it will have to be either 8, 9 or 8G.  This stuff is  never simple.  103 is a shade that works well for me, and now I’m going to have to try something else.  Here’s the chart, see if any of these colors will work for you.

Don’t you just love YouTube?  They have a video for everything.  Give this a watch, it might be just what you’re looking for, too…

Charlie Sheen for Halloween...

 

Finally, something to laugh about.  That guy is such a douchebag, shame on him and his  sorry excuse of a life!

Living on a fixed income, am I missing something?

I see all of these silly commercials with the preppy looking gray haired senior citizens, and they are all talking about living on a “fixed income.”  I find this sooooo annoying.

Don’t most people live on a fixed income?  You go to work, you get the same amount of money in your paycheck every week, isn’t that a fixed income?

Why is it you never see any overweight thirty year olds talking about living on a “fixed” income.  Or better yet, why no upwardly types talking about it?  I can’t figure out if it’s just a buzz word, or if it’s a put down. 

~ Jan, being very testy tonight…

Donna Mills, The Eyes Have It, a blast from the past…

I loved this video from the 80’s, and back in the day, who didn’t love Donna Mills and her great eye makeup? I bought the video, watched it over and over, and still have it as a matter of fact.

I found highlights of it on YouTube, and thought you all might enjoy seeing it.  Yep, it’s a little dated, and it’s pretty cheesy,  but the techniques are still good, and the woman is so gorgeous, it’s unreal. It’s fun to watch, enjoy…

Here’s a picture gallery, it’s too bad that she couldn’t stay “forever young.”

Here are a couple of recent pictures, she’s sixty- nine years old now, how did that happen?  Where did the time go…

 

I have a new grandpuppy…

 

Meet the newest addition to our growing family, Isabel Lucille, born Christmas day.  And let me tell you, ladies, she’s an eight-week old, four pound bundle of dy-NO-mite!

John and Deanna have been looking for cocker pup for quite awhile now.  Oreo’s breeder found Izzie in Connecticut, and flew last week to pick her up, along with her sister, Hannah, which she kept for herself.

John and Deanna came here for the weekend to pick her up, and it was quite the experience having a pup in the house again.  I was sure Maggie would love to romp and play with her, but oh no, she would have no part of this puppy, and Mollie just totally ignored her.  Poor little pooch, she was practically standing on her head trying to get their attention, but nothing she did enticed them to play.

Maybe when she gets a bit older, it will change, so for now she has to be content to play with the humans.  She knows how to sit and lay down already, something the M&M’s have yet to master.  She’s a real cutey-pie, little Miss Izzie Lou, and oh do her new parents have some exciting months ahead of them.

There is nothing sweeter than a little girl…

This is Alevia, she’s two and a half years old, and the most precocious, adorable little girl.  We had company yesterday, Margie and Jerry, forever friends and neighbors from thirty-five years ago.  Alevia is their granddaughter, and she enchanted us all.  Just had to share a picture of this special little child…

Static Guard, did you know it lasts for-ever?

Our youngest son, Ryan, spent the night with us last night.  He was in the area on a business trip, and was able to visit.  I made his favorite dinner, meatloaf, potatoes and carrots, corn and coleslaw, with brownies and ice cream for dessert, and we laughed and talked and the years melted away and he was a young boy again.  Well, not quite, because Lindsay and Abby crept into his conversation constantly.  It was so nice to have him for a visit, yet it was odd, because the rest of his family wasn’t with him and I missed them.

But that’s not my story.  Ryan is a pharmacist, so he regularly goes through my medicine cabinet, checking all the bottles, throwing away anything that is either expired, or going to be expiring, he’s passionate about it.  And he’s also passionate about food, so he’s constantly checking my refrigerator for expired dates, throwing away food that is past it’s prime, because neither hubby or I are diligent about whether or not the salad dressing expired last week, last month, or heaven forbid last year.

So this morning, after he bribed me to iron his shirt, reminding me of what a good job his grandma always did, he announced that he needed some static guard for his pants, and asked if I had any. “Of course I have some, it’s in the cupboard in the utility room,” I told him.  So he retrieves the can and starts laughing, practically doubling over he’s laughing so hard.  “Look at this label,” he says.  And sure enough the girl on the label looked really dated, with an apron and beehive hairdo.  He checks the can, and sure enough, it’s dated 1983.  1983, how in the world did that happen?  How could I have possibly had a can of that since 1983?

Well, to be honest, I haven’t used Static Guard in years, but 1983, that was twenty-eight years ago.  But it still worked, it did the job for him, despite it’s age.  Geezy Pete, doesn’t time fly…

Ginger Rogers dances Salsa at 92 yrs old, it’s Sarah Paddy Jones

This lady, Sarah Paddy Jones,  is actually seventy-five, not ninety-two,  but isn’t she amazing?  Thanks for sending this Marti, just wait ‘til she rocks out and strips out of her gown.  She will blow you away.  ~ jan

When I'm good, I'm very, very good....

And when I'm bad, I'm horrid!!!

Last night LC ran by the grocery store, and in a weak moment I told him to bring home a package of Little Debbie Nutty Bars, a delightful concoction filled no doubt with unpronouncable chemicals and lots of nasty trans fats.  I haven't indulged in this sinful treat since the boys were children, but sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and I have been craving Nutty Bars for about as long as I craved that raisin pie.

He came in the front door, threw me the box, I tore into them like a rabid dog that hadn't eaten in days, and oh my, they were just as wonderful as I remembered.  Crisp, sickening sweet, peanut butter, cookie wafer, what's not to love.

And this morning, I woke up totally refreshed, after a great night's sleep.  I swear it was the Nutty Bars.  But no, I'm not going to start buying these things, there are 350 calories in two little wafers.

But oh my, were they ever good!  Miz Scarlett went to bed with a full tummy and a smile on her face.  And today, I'm baking brownies, a recipe from long ago when I was a teenager.  Ryan will be nearby on a business trip and he's spending the night.  So Mom's in the kitchen today, baking brownies and sending some home for Lindsay and Abby to try.  Life is good in Heavensville this morning....

 

I wish I could blame this on being old(er)

I am such a dork!  Hubby took me out to breakfast, then we did a little shopping, we were on our way home and I looked down at my windbreaker.  It was on wrong side out.

I wore that in the restaurant, in the stores, you would have thought that he would have noticed.  You would have thought that I would have put it on and checked to see that it was right side out.  But oh, no…  I had to go around looking like a doofus.

It’s not like this is anything new, I’ve done this kind of things for years.  Oh, if I only had a brain….

Oldie but a goodie, Cybil Shepherd singing “The Menopause Blues”

The McGhee Sextuplets

 

This family was on Oprah today.  What a wonderful couple, and what sweet little children.  These parents are simply outstanding!  Go to Oprah's site or YouTube and see if you can watch a clip from the show.  This mom is cool, calm, collected, organized and Dad is right in there, helping her.  

Find of the week - Micro Tweeze

 

I'm running a bit late with Sunday's Find of the Week, but this is a great product if you want to wax your eyebrows at home.  There is a video on YouTube, a young girl is using this product, but seriously, I do a much better job than she does, and I'm going to share what I've learned.

When I first bought this, I would put it under my eyebrows in a thin coating with an orange stick,  it wouldn't come off, just little chunks would peel off, it hurt, it was messy, it was totally useless.  But instead of giving up, I kept working with it, and finally got it right.

Here's what you do:

Warm the container in the microwave.  You don't have to make the entire pot liquid, just warm it enough that there is a melted hole in the middle, this will take between 1-2 minutes, depending on the wattage of your microwave.

The instructions say to use an orange stick, but that was a disaster, because to make this as painless as possible you have to put a big blob of the stuff under your eyebrow and you can't load an orange stick up with product.  I take a q-tip, twirl it around in the wax, it strings when you take it out, so don't get it on your eyelashes, and yes, I did that once, too.  Anyway, now you have a big wad of the stuff on your q-tip, just dot a thick blob under your eyebrow, move over a bit toward your ear, and make another connecting blob.  Of course you can't get right up to the brow line, but who is brave enough to do that anyway, that's just asking for disaster, and yes I've done that before, too.  Just get the majority of the stray hairs and you can easily clean the rest of it up with tweezers.

You let it cool for a minute, no need to use a cloth strip, you just pull up the edge, and quickly rip it off, tearing it off against the hairs,  toward your nose.  That's all there is to it, it works great, is relatively painless and almost every bit of wax comes off.  You can use a bit of Vaseline to get the rest of the residue off.  This is a super product, the jar lasts forever, and you don't have the hassle or the expense of going to a salon.  It works equally well on moustache and those nasty post-menopausal chin hairs, too.

I bought mine locally in a beauty supply house, but you can order it here from Amazon.  It's really inexpensive, $13.99 and it lasts for years.  Look at how much money you are saving, the price of this is no more than one salon visit. The reviewers say to use a popsicle stick to put this on, that would probably work well, but who has popsicle sticks laying around?  

Give yourself a few attempts to perfect this, but you have any problems, just give me an email.  The secret is to put it on really, really thick, but it works great!  Pinky swear it does.  ~ Jan

This really is amazing, seriously....

Grammie's brag, that's that what we do, so here goes.  

Lindsay put Abby's puzzle in front of her this morning, and started to help her fit the pieces in the right slots, she swatted mama's hand away and proceeded to put the entire puzzle together with no help.  

That's pretty good for a sixteen month old.  

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

I saw these on Denise Richard's twitter feed.  She says they are amazing.  Hmmmm, can't imagine...

I went to YouTube - here are a couple of videos if you want to check them out -

Sally Hansen Bling Effect

Sally Hansen Promo Video

My take on these - if you're a 20 or 30 something, these would be fun.  At my age, the color choices would look silly.  Sooooo, another idea bites the dust.  Oh, getting old is such a pain in the patootie!!!!!  How do old(er) women have fun?

But back to the nails, I was just telling Lindsay last weekend that I can't wait until Abby is old enough to paint her toenails.  I love, love, love little girl's with different colored piggies.  A yellow one, a purple one, a pink one, maybe little polka dots on one of them, too.  Oh, won't that be cute peeking out of a pair of sandals, or even better flip flops.

I know, she has to grow up a bit, but oh, what fun we're going to have...

One of the finalists from Pioneer Woman's Love Photo Contest

This picture is so precious, it brought tears to my eyes.  I simply adore Pioneer Woman. She's just the BEST!!!!  Check out the rest of her photos, they're wonderful!

 

 

By Sara. Nel

The Dancing Goat

Jean sent me this early this morning. Aren't animals just a joy! This is so cute!!!!!

Houseplants, normally not my thing…

Despite my success with outdoor gardening, I have a bad reputation when it comes to houseplants.  I overwater, or ignore, they turn yellow, they turn brown, they die, you know the routine.

Well, the palm tree in the sunroom, I got it last year at Nashville Flea Market.  The vendor that was selling it said it was thirty years old.

Thirty years old, what an obligation I felt, to nourish this through the winter.  It had been alive for so many years, I couldn’t just couldn’t let it die at at the end of summer.  So into the sunroom it went last fall, and I’ve actually managed to keep it going, it actually looks pretty good considering who has been taking care of it. 

I’m looking forward to spring days when I can once again drag it out into my little front courtyard, but right now I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself that I didn’t kill it!  But not pleased enough to bring more live plants into the house, I’ll leave that to my friends that do a better job than me.

Oh the things I put that man through…

Today was the day,  I decided that I wanted to move the furniture in the sunroom.  Poor LC, he moved everything out, and rearranged it the way I wanted it.  He pushed and pulled and vacuumed, and then I stood back and looked at it and I hated it!

It looked terrible, everything  was lined up against the walls, a look that drives me nuts! Whatever was I thinking? So he took a nap, and then he pushed and pulled and moved everything back the way I had it in the first place.  Now the sofa is angled in the corner, the tree and plant are behind it, just the way it was before, the way it’s been for the last eight years.

I’m usually a creature of habit, once I get a room the way I want it, I don’t change it.  I must have had a touch of spring fever this afternoon.  Either that or dementia, probably the latter.  Whatever it was, it was not one of my better ideas.  But I am going to look for new toss cushions for the sofa, something with a summery feel. That should do it, a little change without a major redo…

What a difference a week makes…

A week ago, Trish and I were out on the golf cart, with the cover on.  It was twenty-five degrees, we were bundled in coats and hats, drinking mugs of coffee to keep warm.

Today, hubby put the flaps up on Milly, we took the M&M’s for a ride in our shirt sleeves, it’s 72 degrees in Heavensville.

It won’t be long now until spring.  Today is just a tease, I know.  But it’s glorious…

Happy Valentine’s Day….

Abby at 16 months...

She’s a little whirlwind, why walk when you can run.  We visited them this weekend, Lindsay warned me that she has discovered her screamer, and she’s right.  She runs through the house barefoot, squealing at the top of her lungs.  Then she stands on her tippy toes and walks across the floor.

Despite my repeated attempts to get her to call me “Grammie” she refused, opting instead to refer to her grandpa as “Bampa.”  I was so desperate I tried to get her to call me “Bammie” but it was hopeless.  She would just look at me and say “no.”

That’s her favorite word, “no.”  She says it for everything.  She shakes that little head and is very emphatic about it, too. 

She’s a busy little bee, doesn’t want to sit on your lap, only cuddles when she is tired, she has too much to do, exploring her world.  She is totally in love with Handy Manny, watches his cartoons intently, while clutching her Handy Manny doll.  She tries to use the screwdriver to screw things from her Handy Manny Toolbox, and of course hubby thinks that’s the cutest thing ever.

She has definite ideas about food.  She does not want anybody feeding her, she wants to do it herself.  She enjoyed dunking her french fries in yogurt at Cracker Barrel, and speared chicken with a fork and fed to anybody that would take it.  Did she eat it herself, of course not, she only likes Chick-fil-A.  I discovered quickly that she would much rather feed you her food than eat it, except for yesterday when she ate half a bag of my Baked Lay Chips.  She put those chubby little hands into the bag and crammed them in her mouth as fast as she could, not once offering to share with “Bammie.”  She’s just like her mama, she loves anything salty.

She’s crazy about her daddy, he’s the only one she will always give a cuddle to.  She lights up when he enters the room, yells, “Dada” and runs to him as fast as she can with those little arms in the air to pick her up.

Sixteen months is a precious age, I wish I could make time stand still, she’s changing so fast…

Waking Up is Hard to Do!

This is great, thanks for the send, Carlene!

Is this a hit, or a miss?

I need your opinions. This is a picture of the back wall of my kitchen, the prep area, I’ve reorganized things, put what I need to bake with in these cabinets, and changed out my mismatched canisters that I put my Splenda and Oat Bran in.

First I bought these standard issue glass canisters from Target (third picture), brought them home, and hubby told me that there were old square canisters stored in the garage.  So I sat the Target canisters in the utility room, ready to take back.  Then he brought the Seifert ones in the kitchen for me, washed them, and here’s the result.

Is this Seifer’s Pretzel’s on the front ugly?  It doesn’t work to turn them to the back, as you can still see the logo from the backside, and it looks even worse. *if you click on these pictures, they enlarge a bit*

I did a poll in the sidebar, what’s your take on this, should I ditch the Pretzel Canisters and use the Target ones, or none of the above?  Oh, the poll is completely anonymous, but I really want to know what you think, or I wouldn’t be asking…

~ jan