Bad Pie! Bad, Bad Pie!

Making pies has never been something I was nervous about. Making crust is something I was almost born doing. And I will admit here, I am a bit vain about that fact. What's the big deal? It's flour and salt, mixed with shortening and cold water.

Done and Done.

No mystery there, folks.

But sometimes it is a bit tricky. If you are tired, and maybe had a margarita or two, you might turn out a pie crust that not only doesn't look right, it does not feel right, or worse, taste right.

I tried to console myself with my Mom's words, "the harder it is to roll, the worse it looks, usually means it's delish."

In this case, that was not true. It was awful. The crust was tough and flavorless and the apples were crisp and uncooked.

Looked good though. Which makes it the worst kind of pie! Looks lovely, tastes like poo.

Okay, not quite poo.

Poo probably has more flavor.

Bad Pie!! Shame on you!

What I Am Thankful For

It's Thanksgiving and I am full of thanksgiving!

I was momentarily wearing my cranky pants, but when my husband got up and started washing dishes for me, I quickly realized that I am a very lucky lady.

I Am Thankful For:

my husband, my kids, my dogs

my family, my friends

my house, my furnace, my electricity

(especially in this snow & ice)

my food cupboards full, my bank account decent

my country, my world

and my God who made it all

Band-aide Wrappers Dream Of Flight

Haven't you noticed that? When you tear a band-aide wrapper off and try to drop it into the trash, it suddenly decides to fly. Or at least float around in the air.

I'm not sure if it's the idea of going into the garbage that makes it fly, or if it's always been a life long dream, but I do know it is true.

Those darn wrappers float and flutter and avoid the trash with all their might.

And when they land on the floor behind the bathroom garbage can, they inevitably stay there until I give the room a scrubbing.

Did no-one else notice when they let go of the wrapper that it did not make it to the garbage? Or are they like me, and did notice, but wasn't wearing the proper gear (rubber gloves) to reach down behind the can and way too close to the back of the toilet, to pick it up?

I've taken to wadding the wrapper up to give it some weight to fall right into the trash.

But darn those two little plastic pieces I peel off the back of the sticky. They are the true dreamers of flight!

The Disinfecting Queen

I have been a slight germaphobe since the great stomach bug of Christmas 06. Or was it 07? We've actually had several Christmas flue bugs that spread through our family like wild fire. But the first one was the worst.

It hit everyone. Hard. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. We all went down.

And ever since then I have been a huge fan of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.

I know, these days we should be worried that we are wiping out the good old germs and letting new super bad germs threaten us in their place, and I don't know if the wipes actually prevent any of us from getting ill.

All I know is that after kids have thrown up on the dining room table, or their most favorite spot the floor, I find that the wipes give me peace of mind. The wipes allow me to keep my table, to not drag it outside and burn it as hazardous waste. The wipes let me keep walking around the house, use the facets and the TV remote, all without a full body hazmat suit complete with gloves, booties and goggles.

This topic is at the top of my thoughts because I've just had several sick kids, and puke has been all over the house.

The Clorox Disinfecting Wipes have been at my side these last few days. I think I need to make a holster for easier carrying! I am the Queen of Disinfecting. There is not a surface or handle or place where hands touch that hasn't been wiped down daily since this illness struck.

Even the toaster and the the handle to the clothes dryer.

Everything is wiped and Nothing is left alone. The Queen has spoken!

Thank You, Belatedly

I mean to post this yesterday, but how fast the day goes when I have good intentions!

All I want to say is, Thank You to all of our Veterans, both young and old, well and injured, front line or side lined.

I love my country. I love my freedom. And I'm smart enough to understand that we are free because a few years ago, our countrymen FOUGHT for freedom. And a few years after that, we fought to help keep others free.

Could we honestly live with ourselves if we hadn't gotten involved and stopped Hitler?

I so appreciate the men and women who've fought for us, who are fighting for us right now.

So, Thank You! Words aren't enough, prayers are appreciated, and respect is deserved.

My gratitude does not begin and end in one day. I feel it every day.

Who Turned Out The Lights?

It's shocking how much we depend on electricity. I take it for granted, that when I flip the switch, the lights come on. Or that my oven will start heating up with a twist of the dial. Or that hot air will blow out of our heating ducts thanks to a hard working furnace.

A few days ago we lost power for a little bit.

Maybe an hour.

It's the end of the world! No joke, some people at the office ventured this theory. Jesus is coming back! Also, not joking, a real theory spoken yesterday. Hmm. I said I was hoping that if it was Jesus, he would take us in an instant, not make us sit around in the dark wondering if we were just the ones left behind.....

Since I had nothing to do at the office without power, and I really wanted to use the bathroom without the aid of a flashlight, I drove home.

And even though I knew we were without power, I still flipped the switch when I walked into the bathroom!

I felt better when my daughter ran in from school and did the exact same thing. Turns out flashlights were also being offered for restroom visits, and she opted to wait.

I was glad for the sunshine, so we could see, but it was odd to think no radio, no tv, no computer, no phone, no idea what to do.

I kid. I had elaborate plans to settle myself in a comfy couch and read a good book until the sunshine faded to dusk.

Then the power came back on.

Back to the old grind of checking email, watching TV and working my fingers to the bone on bazaar projects.....

Maybe the day after the bazaar is done, I'll pretend we lost power. No noise, just me, a cup of coffee (or three) and a good book.

Sounds like a plan.

Orange You Glad

I am actually. I love oranges. I feel like winter is their time to shine. Their lovely sunny orange color gives us a splash of beauty in the gray weather. The first bite just bursts into your mouth and you know you are tasting sunshine.

I love eating oranges.

But, getting to the fruit is not so much fun. I can't throw an orange into my lunch bag and peel it at work. I hate having the juice squirt all around, I hate having my fingers stained that weird orange peel color.

I can take the time before work to peel my fruit, and bring it to work in a dish. I am usually not that prepared for work. Running late most days, don't you know.

So my lovely oranges sit on the counter, waiting for me to have the time to eat one.

There is cheer on the horizon! It's holiday time! That means bags of easy to peel clemintines!

Seedless only please.

I've Got The Day After Halloween Candy Sick Blues

Yes, that is melted chocolate in the corner of my mouth.

Yes, this mound of candy wrappers are the spoils of my feast.

Yes, I ate candy for breakfast.

I'm a firm believer in having some hair of the dog that bit me, and since I went overboard last night on candy, more candy this morning will help even things out.

Or we could have just gotten an amazing haul from our trick or treating adventures and I know if I don't eat my share now, there won't be any good stuff left when I get home from work tonight.