Coffee and...Part 20! :-D

I gave up bi-weekly massage therapy to have a cleaning lady, a way to spoil myself. When I left the house, I got custody of her, it took me 2 years to find her and even if I haven't a mess, she's staying with me.

I do pick up my dirty clothes strewn about the bedroom tho, but that's all. Kind of embarrassing to have anyone know I strip and toss.

LOL
Molly
:^)))

So much painting needs doing around the country. I have a job coming up in LaBelle soon. Maybe I should just be the painter on wheels, hit the road........problem with that, no internet in the van. Besides, the dogs would make me sleep in the front bucket seat.

This message was edited Jun 27, 2005 12:33 PM

Ahhh, Molly... all you'd need is wireless software. Then you could just cruise around until you find a coffee shop or hotel with wireless, and tune in! (A laptop would help.)

Give my aunt in LaBelle a hug for me, wouldja? She's the one that owns the lakefront house up here where I lived last summer. With her stroke, she just doesn't remember she owns it.

Went to Dollar General this morning, and all their garden stuff is on sale. Got bamboo stakes, some garden art, garden tools, potting soil and other things. Usually just go there to buy cleaning supplies, as they are so much cheaper. Did a little weeding this a.m. too, but the temperature is so high that it chased me indoors about 1:00. Might go out later (in swimsuit) work some then hit the pool. So refreshing!! DGD is coming back later this afternoon, will be here thru the 3rd. We have plans for the 4th, so she will return on the 5th, and stay for a week, then off to horse camp for her. Used to say school started too early, now have changed my mind and think that it doesn't start soon enough. LOL, she's a good kid (9 years old) but thinks she needs to be entertained all the time. Have invited some neighborhood kids to come swim with her, so maybe that lets me off the entertainment hook for a few days.

Mary, I picked up that image at http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/field.asp and they maintained that the farmer did it without computer assistance.....they are usually pretty thorough in checking internet stories, spam offers, school project of questionable nature, etc. I have seen other mazes and plantings that are beautiful , but those were plotted and graphed.

And Julie, I am the cleaning lady, LOL, toilet scrubber,vaccuumer, dishwasher, purchasing agent, accountant, answering service, and general factotum. I had a cleaning lady for a while back in the 80s, and it was wonderful because it made me put my junk away instead of cluttering up the house, I didn't see much point in paying someone to pick up clothes off the floor, and stack up mail, and organize clutter,when they could be getting after the real dirt.

My shopping trip was not fruitful. Not that I didn't spend money, I just didn't get what I went for. And, I lost my car for a while after I parked in one of those odd lots that has odd angled rows. Walking in the hot sun muttering to myself about what kind of an idiot doesnt leave a trail of breadcrumbs. Grrrr.

Found one of last year's hollyhocks trying to come up between two big hostas, so I had to trim them back so the poor little thing could get some sunlight. Gotta give it credit for trying.

Okay, folks... gonna do some baking. Look for either lemon bars or Jo's (Roadrunner) recipe for Sopapilla Cheesecake tomorrow. (Not sure I have enough lemon for the lemon bars, my first choice.) The Lemon Bar recipe is from our own DG Lenjo.

Oh, I'll take some lemon bars - love them, but cheesecake sounds yummy to!! Ever been to the 'cheesecake factory'? Oh, now there are some gooooood cheesecakes...

Talk about cleaning ladys- I had my mom clean for years when she was a widow. She needed the extra $$ and I appreciated it after working all day. I loved it because I didn't feel like I had to hide important papers etc, plus she always brought out dinner too. There is something about coming home to a clean house that smells fresh - ahhh heavenly. Now the tables have turned and I help her clean her house... Molly - I don't know if I could give up a massage for a cleaning lady - that would be a real toss up here. My insurance used to pay for massages 2x a month...one of the good perks about working.

I am a real scardy cat driving across bridges. I feel like i am going to faint dead away - not a good feeling when I am behind the wheel. The window has to be open, I have to have water to drink and DH has to rub my neck (a zanax helps too!!)

M5- that field is something if it is real. Farmers are not real high on my list at this moment however.

It is 3:03am and it is hotter than blazes out still. The weatherman said that If we have a hot June, a hot July is sure to follow. My folks came out yesterday (hottest day yet) and wanted to clean out their tiny trailer. Now they both are so old that they cannot climb onto the beds to open the canvas windows, so I did that for them, then they had hornets in every opening, so I swatted at them. They both move sooo slow, that it takes forever for them to do anything. I felt like I had to sit with them and help them out. Somedays they just come out and sit by their trailer (they store it at our house) Mom says there is nothing to do at their condo and they love our country living. We are all going camping for 10 days next week - I think it will be their last trip as their age is making it scarey for them to be pulling a trailer. Sad as they enjoy it so much.

Tried to be good as far as eating yesterday = it was so hot that all I wanted to do was drink. Downed a ton of water, but also had 2 cokes...and only half a dozen oreos - they are almost all gone thank goodness!

Well, darn cat wants to be let out....

Robert those poppies are wonderful! I've tried for several years to get mine to bloom. Lots of people around here have gorgeous 'crops' of poppies, so I know my problem isn't zone related. I'm trying them again this year...and hoping to see at least a few blooms next season. (I couldn't figure out 'dadoing'. It looked to me like 'Dad do' (Something my DGD first called her daddy) THEN I read it in context and *knew* what it was. Geez! I'd *better* know what a 'dado' is...just don't remember reading the word before. LOL & LOL And that reminds me of the first spelling word I ever got wrong on a test. That was when a teacher called out 'deny' and I was waiting to hear 'denny'! :-O )

Molly..."Strip & Toss"? Where did you say you worked,again? ~evil grin here~ (Sorry, I just couldn't resist the temptation. ;-) ) Seriously, for me it wouldn't just be the clutter I'd be worried about. I'd be doing the dishes, dusting and probably washing windows before the cleaning lady got here. And then there'd be changing the sheets and making sure the toilets were sparkling. It's not that I'm a great housekeeper by any means, I just don't have company very often. LOL I guess I'd consider the cleaning lady 'company'...I think I need a therapist...FAST! LOL

D.cat...I'm so glad my DGD (2 y/o) can entertain herself at the moment. I'd never be able to think up enough things to keep her busy. I do have to admit to teaching her how to play in the dirt...and then wash it ALL off in her wading pool, though. LOL (And I take part in the shebang. :-S)

M5...I really had to chuckle at your "I *am* the cleaning lady" comment. Me TOO! My biggest problem is that no matter what I am 'doing' at the moment, it has 110% of my thought process and energy going into it. In other words, I have hard time not ripping the groceries out of the cabinet, scrubbing down the shelves and reorganizing the canned goods...and that's when I'm washing dishes by hand! If I use the dishwasher then I'm not in the kitchen long enough to *think* about all the stuff that needs to be done. LOL

Darius...The lemon bars sound SO good and just right for this kind of weather. But, you're actually going to turn ON the oven??? I think up here they'd probably bake just fine if I laid the pan on the sidewalk! ;-)

Sarv...I'm glad you have the kind of relationship with your mom that you *can* help her out. In a way, I'm glad my mom isn't around. Especially when we're talking about house keeping. Mama was the kind of lady who laid *white* throw rugs by the front door and we'd have to jump *over* them to come inside. (Lord help the person who put the first footprint on those cotton rugs! LOL) Hmmmm, I guess I must have gotten a little of my housekeeping ability (notice I didn't say 'habits'!) from my mother. hahaha I think I gave up trying to imitate her when I had 2 *boys*

OK...I just refreshed the other window I have this thread open in...and Kooger hasn't posted *yet*...I guess that means I didn't miss a post from her this morning. LOL (Hi Kooger!)

I'm off to the shower now. I have the last appointment with the eye doctor this morning...and hopefully I have new lenses in my glasses by the end of the week. HOOOOORAY!!!

Y'all have a GREAT DAY!

~julie~

Was it here that we have the mulit-tasked people? This is part of a little story my DD just sent me....I loved the end...LOL



But here's the worst of it -almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter..... either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires

AHHHHHHHHH, life is wonderful....as my cousin once said to me. "Life if great if you don't weaken, and more fun if you do!"

See ya later....

G'morning Hap! Radiator and exhaust problems? Sounds like 'old age' to me! hahahaha

~julie~

I be thinkin' that two!!!

Hap, that's a great analogy!

All showered up and ready to go...a bit early. :-)

Darius, it's nearly 80° here right now...overcast with a few light showers every now and then. Looking forward to seeing that cheesecake when it's ready. Ain't digital photography great?? Instant gratification! :-D

~julie~

Oh, I've had that cheese cake before- I just didn't remember until I saw a pic of it. It was delish. I've never made it tho!

I just got a new bra and the straps keep falling down. I thought it was my problem, but I had my sister hitch up the straps- they fell and then I took it off and gave them a tug and the thingy doesnt hold. Straps just get longer. I happened to save the tag as I wanted to get more because they are so comfortable. I am going to call the company and ask them 'what to do' -I'm getting good at doing things like that now that I have the time!! Before I would just toss it and put on another one, but with me not working anymore, I am more conscious of $$ waste!

Well, I'm off to the store to get some of those water crystal things- my diapers in the pot bottoms are just not doing enough and we are leaving for a ten day vacation and things won't make it if something isn't done!!

Hotter than blazes here again- this is like a broken record!!!

Darius,,,,gonna share that Rx....

Hap, here's the link to Jo's recipe. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/521505/

It's in the oven. Forgot to add the cinnamon to the butter/sugar topping so guess I'll just make a little cinnamon-sugar to sprinkle on top after it's baked!

Darius - I can't believe you're baking. Must not be as hot there as it is here! We're desperate for a cold front and some rain! My MIL in Mt. Home AR said their area has officially been declared "in a drought" - no kidding. No rain of any significance in over a 2 months......

Wish I could have a bite!

m.

Here's the photo. Will take another photo after it cools and I can cut into it.

Marcia, it's mid-70's here.

Thanks, and it looks great...Interesting recipe....strange...

Hap, actually it is surprizingly good. Next time I won't forget to add the cinnamon to the topping before I bake it rather than an added layer of sugar/cinnamon after the fact!

Plus, I don't think my oven was hot enough. The bottom layer of crescent rolls didn't puff much.

You can see the cream cheese filling here.

Yummie....have you ever tried fruit inside?

This is the first one I've ever made. Sure glad I have a room full of people to share it with this afternoon or my weight would go back up. : )

Ummmm! That looks good. I hadn't heard of making anything out of the bisquits except that you can cut the centers out with a small bottle lid, fry them in deep fat and make doughnuts in a snap! Since I seldom buy instant stuff and don't spend much time reading recipies it is a whole new concept and I do love cheesecake!

Today I'm off to town to do my weekly stuff. Hope to have enough time left this afternoon to go riding which I didn't do yesterday because of rain and thunderstorms. I did take some pictures of the awesome looking sky, haven't downloaded them yet. If any of them turned out good you'll see them. It's been several days since I downloaded and I have taken quite a few pictures of my gardens, so I will be surprised to see everything that is hiding in the camera. Now if I could just keep from taking pictures of my thumb and fingers..... lol. See you later.

Am I the only one that thinks cooking and gardening books are novels and are to be read many times?

Right on Hap. Nothing like a good cookbook on a dark and stormy night.
Darius. It looks toothsome yummy and delicious. The concept should work fine with fruit too shouldn't it? Interesting countertop assortment; ginger root, lemon and avocado. Been saving up for something special like this. It is still wet out.Not rain, but a noticeable mist which makes it rather unpleasant working outside, but everything is nice and green!
Julie. Keeping good thoughts and crossed fingers for your eye doc appointment. Here's another word to confuse "scarf joint". The 2X2 lattice wood is only 8 ft. long and the distance between posts is 10 ft. Now I have to "scarf" an 8 ft and 2 ft piece together to make it long enough. Its just a long slanting cut to make a stronger joint, used a lot in boat-building.
Here's the arbor today.

Lovely....and it still stands.....LOL

Oh, fruit inside sounds good too!! I make that veggie pizza with cresent rolls often -can't leave it alone either!

Just got a tearful call from future DIL - saying that the wedding was off. I thought she was joking so immediately started laughing- I got an earful for doing that - believe me! I told her it was just prewedding jitters. DS does not want a wedding at all (they have been together for 6 yrs and he doesn't think it is proper) (I tend to agree with him!!) Wife to be wants one, so they are having a small wedding and a medium reception. Now granted, she has done everything as he doesn't want a thing to do with it, but it is time to get the tuxedos and the $%^^ is hitting the fan. I hope things will be ok, but say a little prayer for me will ya. I feel like I may be going thru that fiasco that was on the news awhile back (runaway bride thingy)- only this time with the groom!! She is a difficult gal to deal with and I fear their lives will not run smooth, but he was a stinker of a teen and I often think he deserves her!! LOL Unfortunately they have a precious son who is caught in the middle....that makes me sad.


Continues to be hot and steamy here- do I sound like a broken record? Hoses are running non-stop. I went shopping for the moist- crystal things and couldn't find any. Going to my favorite garden store tomorrow- that's my last resort. They are pricey..., but I am desperate!

Nothing sounds good for dinner- too hot to even eat. Just wannt drink water - and lots of it!

Well, time to sign off and see what other catastrophe awaits me.....

Awwww geeeee Robert, all the scarfing I do is at the table...not to mention my car, my reading corner, etc. I sure could go for a slice of that luscious looking cheesecake, that's a winner for sure. I must try it. Then I must eat it. Then I must feel very guilty for being a big pig. Which never stops me from doing it again.....HAHAHAHAHA

Went golfing out in Grafton this morning, with my old league which is now 80 miles round trip and you know gas went up to $1.34 so I haven't been out there this year at all. My friend who moved to FL is staying north of there. and we thought that was a good place to meet, and they had their monthly luncheon which was a nice chicken breast, wilted spinach and some kinda bland noodles, and schaum torte with strawberries for dessert. Yum. Making egg plant lasagna for dinnner as we have been coming up short on real food lately. You may recall.....LOL Egg plant is now salted and draining over the sink. Won't take much to throw it together.

Hey Sarv, if that thingy on the bra strap doesn't hold, why not get it in the right spot, and stitch it down permanently? Or are you expecting a major gravity shift in the near future?

My birth mother used to baby sit for my youngest when she was a toddler. She was unbelievable, she cleaned and ironed and started dinner. Unfortunately, we moved out of town and that came to an end. Plus she got a real job. It was heaven while it lasted.

Julie, when I run into that mind set of going beyond dishes and think about expanding the paramenters of cleaning to include cupboards, etc. I reach deep within myself and bring out my best Scarlett O'Hara approach......I'll do that tomorrow.............

It's HOT HOT HOT....It was overcast most of the morning but now the temp is climbing back into the 90s. Had another rain last night, but it didn't linger. My plants are soooo happy! Me, too, I don't have to go out in the heat and water them. Trash day so I brought in the garbage can and the recycle bin and they really stunk, so they are now sitting on the driveway, in the hot sun filled with soapy water and bleach in an attempt to deodorize them. Phewwww. I'll dump the residue on the *$&&!! field horsetail which is STILL NOT DYING!! Well, some of it is. But not enough to satisfy me.

Hap, I thought cookbooks were novels, they have beginnings and ends and middles, and lot of spicy characters, and nice pictures..... but then so are dictionaries,and encyclopedias, which I've been known to sink into and not emerge for hours.

Gotta go, make it look like I was minimally useful today instead of playing and eating. But first..............cheesecake recipe.

Just got back from the grocery store. Had to make an emergency run! No cream cheese or tubes of crescent rolls in the fridge. Having no will power, the bill came to just under $60.00. Thats a bunch for some rolls and cheese, well there was a great looking flank steak marked down a third,a couple beautiful tuna steaks for dinner tonight, thought I may as well stock up on some fruit and veggies while I'm here and, well there might have been a couple other things. But darn it, with the cost of gas now you have to take advantage of the situation when you can, don't you? Don't know if I can get the cheesecake made, but dinner will be broiled tuna steaks, green peas, rice, sliced tomato, cucumber and cheese on lettuce leaf with my thousand island dressing and maybe even a glass of pinot gris. (and sopapilla cheesecake?) Like to have dinner for the Chairman of the Board on those days she haas to work, not that she doesn't work her fingers to the bone here, but the other place pays better. She'd probably have my head if she knew I'd posted this picture, but what's life without a little (in this case, a lot) of danger? Hope everyone has a nice cool evening and rain where its needed.

Robert, you could easily be blackmailed with a picture like that, so you'd better behave! You must like living dangerously.

I was just thinking that you folks don't just eat, you dine!

What do you plan to plant by the arbor? Something to climb on it? With lots of flowers?

Robert, we wont tell if you don't.... I know about those trips to the store ....last time I made a buy like that they had a big 2# chunk of black angus roast that must have come from the deli, and a holiday was looming and it was marked down to $8, it was still rare in the middle, so I grabbed it. By the time I got out of the store,what with the nice rustic bread and salad fixings and the things I went in for I was fearful of writing a rubber check . I'm trying to consolidate my errands these days too... gas is outrageous.

Hap, I put cookbooks in the same category as music (and in my case, mostly classical)... WHO in their right mind would only want to hear a delightful piece of music just once? Same for cookbooks.

Robert, your lovely wife already has that evil gleam in her eye in the photo.. better NOT let her know she's now online!!

And, as for the cheesecake... Well I surprised myself because I'm something of a food snob and normally would not make any recipe that began with "2 cans of crescent rolls" and yet it was really very tasty. My afternoon class finished off all but 2 small squares so my waistline is somewhat safe!

The native (wild) rhododendrons are now blooming in my yard, specifically between my apartment and the creek.

Classical....yes! That's what I grew up on....Bach I'm now just getting to appreciate...I always felt he was no machincal for me. I prefer the romance composers, Rocky, Tsch, Mozzy...thems guys..

I love rhodies, something of a State Flower. looks like dinner will have a dessert as the sopapilla just came out of the oven. Made my usual mistakes by being too eager. Added cherries but neglected to note that they weren't seeded. Use caution when biting into a slice. Mixed the butter, sugar and cinnamon together rather than sprinkling it over the top.(hung up on making rhubarb crisps) But all things considered it looks good and smells great. Thanks for the idea Darius and Roadrunner.
Mary, there is already a wisteria growing up the arbor and I'd like to put a Clematis on the other side. Forgot the name of it, but the flower is white and BIG, also 45 bucks. Re: dining over eating, some 40 years ago I was privileged to date a drop dead gorgeous blond with an Einstein IQ and family beyond compare.Mom, to 3 girls and 1 boy, felt that life should be a celebration. Everything that could be, should be celebrated and appreciated for what it is, a gift. We didn't date long but I was "adopted" as a family member and have felt as such since.To sit at table with someone and dine, even on peanut butter and jam, and have the company and friendship is what its all about. Oops, its past 5:30 and my sweetheart is due in a half hour. Table to set, salad to make, veggies to prepare and wine to chill. Anybody else like Trader Joe's Charles Shaw wines? The "two buck Chuck" is pretty good, maybe not a Rothschilde vintage, but pretty good. Y'all play nice now,heer.

then the next step

always another, and it's ready to eat.

Robert, I haven't seen "2 Buck Chuck" around here but I hear it's drinkable.

There'a a great quote from MFKFisher about Dining Companions...

Robert, that looks very good. I think I'll have to try that. I agree that we should celebrate just being here and being together more than we do. We spent many years so poor that we ran out of grocery money between paydays every time! We ate a lot of beans, potatoes, and whatever was cheap! We saved loose change to go out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary but it was usually weeks after the actual anniversary because something always came up that needed the change collection. I remember we tried to have a little fund for "happy little emergencies" like a milkshake we shared, or an ice cream cone we licked until there was a kiss in the middle. For vacations we went camping. Hard times but good memories!

Darius, thanks for sharing that quote with us.

Morning everyone. Up really early, (4am) DGD has an ear ache. Do you have any home remedies that might help. I am going to call her mom later, to see if she thinks she needs to go to Dr. I think it's too much swimming, without ear plugs, but what to do in the meantime?

warm sweet oil for the ear (but who keeps sweet oil around??) Give her some tylenol for the pain and warm wash cloths to sooth the ear pain. Kids always had them here too. Good luck!

Sarv,

I was gonna say that because when I was young and lived in Michigan, that was my mom's best cure for the "swimmer's ear". I have substituted Olive Oil for lack of sweet oil before, warmed up just a touch.

Molly
:^)))