John's Monday Photo Shoot. Letter G

Your Monday Photo Shoot: The Letter G

From-http://journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/entries/5129

We're getting lexographic for this week's Photo Shoot:

Your Monday Photo Shoot:  Snap a picture of something beginning with the letter "G."  Because I don't think the letter "G" gets nearly as much attention as it should.

Well John, I went back into my past to produce two of my  "G" pictures, then one postcard and one picture I took recently.

1..My great grandparents Mattie and Franklin Olmstead (on my dad's side of the family).  She passed away when I was 5 so I don't remember her.  But he lived until my junior year of high school and he lived just across the driveway from us in his later years so I knew him well. He was a dear man.

2..My grandparents Clara and John Stern,parent's of my mom.  They migrated from Kansas to Sunnyside in eastern Washington in 1920.   Grandpa was a farmer and grandma worked hard taking care of the family and feeding the farm hands. He passed away when I was in the 8th grade and she died a couple years later.   They were both wonderful grandparents and I spent a lot of time with them as a child.  I can remember grandpa used Prince Albert in the can and she was always baking cookies. 

3..Gig Harbor, WA lighthouse.  This postcard pictures the unique lighthouse in the tiny fishing community of Gig Harbor.  Just across the Narrows Bridge from Tacoma, WA,  it's a great place for shopping and to have lunch while watching the boats come and go.

4..John has his Gabby and I have mine.  I think John's Gabby is a very cute young lady and I think my Gabi is cute in a different way. I'm glad  I don't have to worry about boys coming to call on my Gabi in a few years. She will always be home with me.

That's my "G" offering.    Until next time....Linda

 

Later Sunday Evening

They're done, they're done !!!  My Christmas cards and letters are done!!!  A new record for me, I must say. Now all I have to do is start wrapping the presents. I have a couple to mail, so they'll be first.   I brought my tree in from my storage shed.  It's unwrapped, everything is straightend out and the lights are plugged in and working.  My dear, smooched face cat, Gabi has absolutely no interest in this tree.  She's the first one...when my son and his two cats lived with me, they were under it sleeping and playing with the hangy down ornaments all the time.  Well, maybe she's just too tired today..maybe while I'm at work tomorrow she'll discover it.  Speaking of work...I've just had 4 days off and tomorrow it's back to the salt mines.  No !!!   Please don't make me go back !!    :)    Until next time....Linda

Meeting Author Debbie Macomber

It was a pleasure to meet local author Debbie Macomber this afternoon.  She lives locally (to me) but is a New York Times best selling author. She is a delightful lady, so much fun.  Her book "Shop on Blossom Street" has a huge following of knitters.  In fact there were several lady's knitting there today.  This afternoon she was promoting her Christmas book for this year.  I happened to be sitting in the front row at Borders and was the first one in line to get my book signed so that was fun.  I purchased the book when I first got to the store about an hour before she arrived. So..I got a head start reading the book.  It's a Christmas book for people who absolutely love fruit cake and for those who can't stand it.  Yup...fruit cake is invloved as is the local city of Puyallup (remember last Sept when I went to the Pew-all-up Fair?) I hope some of you will go out and get it. And if you do, let me know how you liked the book, also Debbie stated that she loves to hear from her readers.  All of her books are delightful. She told how she got started reading back in the 1980's when her kids were little.  Sitting at the kitchen table with a typewriter pounding out love stories. It took several years and a lot of perseverance to get her first book published.       One of the Borders staff members took a picture of Debbie and myself but my cord from my camera to my computer thingy isn't working today, so I've scanned the book and have posted that picture.  Also here's a link to Debbie's website.   Until next time....Linda

http://www.debbiemacomber.com/index.htm

Easy Like Sunday Morning #28

Easy, like Sunday morning!  FROM:

http://journals.aol.com/delela1/BlueSkiesandGentleBreezes/entries/1263

We watched CMT Crossroads last night and had the pleasure of experiencing Lionel Ritchie sing this song with Kenny Rogers!  What a treat and a most excellent show.  Throughout the song, I was grinning as I pondered between two different questions for today.  And my mind is made up.

As always, post your answer in your journal, then come back here and leave me a link in the comments.  I'll post the answers next weekend and then we'll start all over again.

Tell me...

If you dropped a penny from your pocket or purse, would you stop to pick it up, and why?

You know I think for me it would depend....I wouldn't get run over in a WalMart parking lot to pick up a penny but under normal circumstances I might.  However, if I dropped it and left it...some little kid might find it and that would make them happy. 

Sunday Morning-Snow ??

Well, they say there is snow on the ground up north of Seattle in the Everett area.  The news guy on location, was even able to build a tiny (about 3 inches high) snowman.  They say the snow is moving up into the mountains, so that's good news for now.  Although the weather guy just said that some of us in the "south sound" (that's the Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia area) could see a rain and snow mix later today.     After church I plan on going to our local Borders Books to a book signing by local author Debbie Macomber.  She's out promoting her new book "There's Something About Christmas."  She lives across the Narrows Bridge in a small town between Gig Harbor and Bremerton.  I love her Cedar Cove series because even though it's fiction it's set in our local Pacific Northwest area. Makes for fun reading when you're familiar with the locations and towns the author is writing  about.  Until later..Linda

Saturday Evening

I'm happy to say I have an update on last Sunday's shooting victim at the Tacoma Mall.  He has awoke from a coma and has been able to talk to his family and the police.  Here's a link if you'd like to read the entire update.

http://www.komotv.com/stories/40450.htm

I ventured out today, and was very surprised to find the stores I visited not real busy...no huge crowds, I guess they are all home sleeping off yesterday's shopping madness.   The weather was beautiful here most of the day, cold but sunny.  Now this evening the tempature has dropped again to about 38 degrees and it's raining.  I never did get my Christmas tree out of the shed today...maybe tomorrow. 

I'm cooking a big pot of hamburger soup this evening.  It's not done yet but I can smell it and it's making me hungary.  Maybe I'll just eat popcorn for dinner and save the soup for tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday, etc.  Since I ate Thanksgiving dinner away from home this year I had no turkey left-overs.  But, I found a half of a fresh turkey breast at Fred Meyer today for $4.25.  Not a bad price.  I put it in the freezer for now but when I'm ready.....with a box of Stove Top Stuffing and a veggie, I'll have a whole dinner.

Until next time........Linda

 

"THE 5'er!"

Hi guys!!! 

It's Friday and it is time for what I am going to call "THE 5'er!"     FROM: http://journals.aol.com/robinngabster/Thesearethedaysofourlives/entries/1254

Now for the game. If you want to play all you do is cut and paste these questions into your journal. When you have answered them come back and leave a link in my comment section.  On the following Friday I will post your links and a new set of questions! Have fun!

1. Do you already have your Christmas tree up? If so when did you put it up? If not when will you put it up?  Ok here's the deal on my tree.  In reality it's already up and decorated...in my storage shed, wrapped in plastic.  All I have to do is bring it in the house & plug it in. I plan on doing that when the rain lets up.

2. Do you have any particular theme when it comes to decorating your tree? Maybe you do all Disney ornaments? Only blue lights?  Tell us how you decorate your tree. Kudos if you have a picture and post it. No theme, other than the one I've used for the last 15 or so years. The picture is from Christmas 1991...my daughter Jools and then "baby" Harrison. (He's taller than me now). Harrison is the only one that's changed since then.  Jools looks pretty much the same & the tree definitely looks the same.

3.  What is your all time favorite ornament? Only one.  Kudos again if you have a picture and post it.   All the ornamnets are favorites, that's why they stay on the tree year after year.  My very favorite ornaments are put away and those are the handprints, etc that my kids made in school.

4. How many stockings do you hang and are any of them for pets? And...where do you hang them?  (Not everyone has a fireplace) No stockings are hung by the chimney with care...but we did that when we were a familyand the kids were young.  And yes I think Frisky the dog and Chang the cat had stockings,too. Now it's just me and my little cat, so I don't bother with stockings. Who'd stuff them?

5.  Tell us about one of your Christmas traditions. I try to go to church somewhere Christmas Eve. Other than that I guess there really are none anymore. 

Thanksgiving Evening- Recipe for Left Over Turkey

Well Thanksgiving is over for another year.  I did some laundry this morning and got a couple of my Christmas letters written.  The cards are done...just need to finish the letters. My son picked my up about 3pm and took me to his girl friend Carrie's house.  She had a house full...her mom, both of her sisters, a friend of her sister and another couple that are friends of their family.  Then after dinner her uncle came with her grandmother and a friend of his for dessert.  We really had a great time.  They are really a very nice family.

Last night I went to a Thanksgiving service at church.  It was a wonderful service and I was glad to have my grand kids join me.  The pastor gave a brief message based on the scripture found in     1 Thessalonians 5:18..."In everything give thanks"    I've been thinking about that all day....that's really a difficult thing to do at times.  "In everything give thanks"  I guess that means in the bad times as well as the good times.   I need to do better in this area.

Now I want to share a recipe  that I have used in the past to use up that left over turkey.  I love it and has been a favorite at office pot-lucks as well with my family.

Turkey/Chicken Enchilada Casserole

3 cups diced, cooked turkey or chicken, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 can chicken broth, 1 small can chopped mild green chilies, 1 can diced cooked tomatoes (partially drained), 1/4 cup salsa (optional), 1 small can sliced olives, 1 small carton of sour cream, 12-15  tortillas, torn into bite size pieces (flour or corn).  Mix all ingredients and pour into 9 inch by 11 inch baking pan.  Sprinkle grated cheese liberally over all.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour if using corn tortillas and a little longer if using flour tortillas.    Yum, yum, yum !!!   

For those of you who will be out shopping at 5am on Friday......I'll be thinking about you as I'm in my nice warm bed.  I understand Target is even making wake up calls for those who registered with them for this service.  For our journal friends in the UK...the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest Christmas shopping day of the season.  Stores actually open at 5 and 6am with special sales for like the first 4 hours. The paper today was loaded with these sale flyers from the different stores.  Just to mention a few; Toy' R Us opens at 6am, Wal Mart open at 5am, J C Penney open at 5am, K Mart open at 6am, Jo Ann Fabrics & Crafts open at 6am, Mervyns open at 5am and Circuit City open at 5am.  I have never participated in this early morning adventure, the day after Thanksgiving, but I know a lot of people who do.  As for me and my cat...we'll be in bed.  Good night,  Linda

Easy-Like A Sunday Morning

EASY -- Like Sunday morning! FROM:

http://journals.aol.com/delela1/BlueSkiesandGentleBreezes/entries/1255

Here's my question of the week.  Answer it in your journal and come back here and leave me a link in the comments.  I'll post your links next weekend and we'll start over again next Sunday.

Tell me.....

When you were growing up, what did you want to be as an adult and is that what you are doing now or did your ambitions change?

Whenever we had Career Day at high school I would visit the following career booths;

1. U S Airforce-I thought it would be great to be an aerial photographer.  Well, I love to take pictures but I don't really like to fly...so it's a good thing I didn't choose that career.

2. Telephone operator-that I did...the first four years out of high school.  I started in July of 1960 and that was back in the days of the old cord switchboards, working split shifts and every holiday.  I should have stayed there...by now I'd be retired.

3. Nursing-my mom was a registered  nurse and I know that's what she wanted for me.  I could have gone to nursing school but I was really sick of school by the time I graduated from high school.  I have however, worked in clerical positions at a hospital for over 24 years.

The job I wanted more than anything (and they didn't have a booth on Career Day) was being a wife and a mother.  Since I'm divorced I guess I really didn't do well as a wife and I think the jury is still out on my mothering.

Tuesday Evening

It's been a little over 48 hours since the tragic events at the Tacoma Mall.  The news is not good regarding the one shooting victim.  I'm including a link to this story from KOMO TV in Seattle.  Please remember this fellow and his family as they wait to see the outcome of his injuries.  Until  next time....Linda

http://www.komotv.com/stories/40392.htm

Update On The Tacoma Mall Shooting

The mall remained closed today until noon.  I imagine there was still some investigating going on there.  I heard on the news tonight that the critically injured victim (a 38 year old man) is still in very serious condition with a bullet lodged at his spine.  The accused appeared in court today to be charged with 14 counts, including assault, kidnapping, etc.  And he's being held on two million dollars bail.   Of course he pleaded not guilty. 

It was another cool day in Western Washington...about 45 degrees, foggy this morning and the sun never did break thru.  I heard that this evening visibility at Seattle-Tacoma airport is about 1/2 mile.  I'm glad I'm not flying anywhere.  I wish the fog would keep the U S Air Force on the ground but they keep going out & in over my house.

Until next time.........Linda

Thanksgiving Divorce

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York a few days before Thanksgiving and says, "I hate  to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing... forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.   "We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says.  "We're sick of each other and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone.  "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts.  "I'll take care of this."

She gets on the phone and calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father,  "you are NOT getting divorced.  Don't do a single thing until I get there.  I'm calling my brother back and we'll both be there tomorrow.  Until then, don't do a thing. DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The man hangs up the phone and turns to his wife,  "Okay," he says, "the kids are coming for Thanksgiving and they are paying their own way."

 

It's Over

Nearly four hours after the shooting began the suspect is in custody !!! Towards the end he apparently had 2 or 3 hostages with him.  It's not known at this time if there are any more people injured.  The police are in the process of debriefing the hostages and others that were still trapped in the mall. The injured still stands at 6 people with one in critical condition.  I will know more tomorrow after it's all sorted out.  The news spread across the country fast.  My cousin Betty called from Utah and my friend Claire called from Oklahoma as the news was on CNN. My friend Bob is in Pasadena, CA and he said it was on the new down there, also.  Thank God it's over.

Until later........Linda

Horrible Day At The Tacoma Mall

Right now as I write this entry, the Tacoma (WA) Mall is closed and being evacuated.  Apparently,  gun fire rang out in the mall earlier today, 6 people have been transported to area hospitals with gun shot injuries.  One critically injured is at Tacoma General Hospital per their media person. The suspect is apparently holed up in one of the stores inside the mall and a police SWAT team is headed into that area.  What an awful thing to happen.  My thoughts and prayers are with those who were there when this happened and to those who have been injured.  Concern also for those law enforcement officers who have to go in and try and get to this person before anyone else is injured.   I heard one lady interviewed on the radio say that she was just outside the Penney's store with her three little girls when the shots rang out.  She grabbed her three girls and headed for an exit.  When she got to her car, she said these 2 lady's came along, crying and asked if they could get in her car because their car was on the other side of the parking lot and they were afraid to go in that direction.  Another witness said that some people were actually running into the mall thinking that the shots were out in one of the parking lots.  They are saying now that there are still people (shoppers and employees) trapped inside the mall and families and friends are gathering on the sidewalks across the street from the mall waiting for word on their loved ones. 

            WHAT A NIGHTMARE !!!!

John's Weekend Assignment #86 Thankfully Remembered

Weekend Assignment #86: Thankfully Remembered

From John; http://journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/entries/5084
Next Thursday is Thanksgiving, and, frankly, I don't expect to see too many of you around here on that day, so I thought I'd post a Thanksgiving-themed Weekend Assignment this Thursday:

Weekend Assignment #86: Who are you thankful for -- who you won't be able to spend this Thanksgiving with? This is a chance to tell us about the people you care about who will be far away from you this holiday, or who have passed on but remain in your heart.

Extra Credit: Pumpkin pie vs. pecan pie -- which do you choose for Thanksgiving dessert?

I remember Thanksgivings past...when my parents were still alive and my kids were young.  We seemed to have the biggest house, so everyone came over.  My mom made these great sweet potatoes, she would boil them until tender,peel them,  then slice them horizonally, then just before dinner she  would fry them (in her electric frying pan she that always brought along) in a mixture of butter and brown sugar. And she always made the gravy, even at our house.  Frequently, my former husband  (who worked for the railroad) would have to go off on the train so dinner would be set around his departure time. If he was home for the day, he and my dad would watch football on TV.  I don't think either one of them really cared about the game but it was the thing to do on Thanksgiving afternoon.  When my grandmother was still alive (she passed away in 1979) she would always ask for her dessert to go.  She (and my dad) were retired from the railroad and when she was still working, she would take her holiday dessert to work with her.  So even after she retired, she would say "I'll take my dessert with me so I can eat at work tonight."  It was kind of a family joke that grandma always ate her dessert later.  My kids were both blessed to have wonderful grandparents and a great grandmother (great, great as Julie called her) in their lives.  We used to have such a good time at family holiday get togethers.  Oh how I miss those days.  But I know that someday we will all gather again.... around the throne of God for a family reunion.

Extra Credit question:  It has to be pecan pie (just a small slice as it's so rich).  Pumpkin pie is absolutely out !!     Yuk !  

Every Store Should Have This Sign

Thanks to my friend Judy in Arizona for this one.

It's Over For Another Year !!

With a minute and 40 seconds left in the game, the Cougars came from behind with a touchdown and ended up winning the Apple Cup 26-22.  I'm happy for them...the drive from eastern Washington is especially awful  right now.  There's a section of I-90 going over the mountain pass that's down to one lane in each direction due to massive rock slides.  So they deserve to win based on the fact they had a hard time getting here and will have an even harder time driving back this afternoon.  The news said this morning that the traffic was backed up for 30-40 miles in each direction. 

 Both of these schools are wonderful universities.  The University of Washington in Seattle has a fantastic medical school.  And Washington State has a fine educational program for teachers and a program for physical and occupational  therapists.

Now the Oregon vs Oregon State college game is coming on..I think I'll pass (a little football talk there)  and look for a good movie on the tube.

I had a great shopping trip to Trader Joes...my friend loved it and says she's going to drag her hubby over there.  It is a wonderful store and they are always handing out samples.  Today we sampled their spiral cut ham, some Christmas cookies and a holiday blend coffee. Yum !! 

Until next time.....Linda

 

Saturday Morning

The big day is here !!  Today is the playing of the 98th Apple Cup football game between our state's two big rivals.  On the west side of the Cascades (here where I live) you have the Univ of Washington in Seattle, aka The Huskies.  Then on the east side of the Cascades you have Washington State Univ , aka the Cougars.  I've noticed that it doesn't matter that I live in Western Washington, the Cougars are everywhere over here.  In fact I drove by the pharmacy at the hospital yesterday, and there was this huge inflated Cougar out front.. proudly standing there for all to see.  I know that the head pharmacist there is a Cougar and proud of it.  The funny part is, that his wife (also a pharmacist) attended the Univ of WA, so she's a Husky.  Anyway, I have no preference so I'll just say "May the best team win!" 

Meanwhile, I'm going off to Trader Joes to get my breakfast cereal supply and another jar of their great almond butter.  A friend of mine is going with me, she's never been there so it ought to be a fun trip. 

My brother and wife live very near Trader Joes so I will go by their house and drop off this years Christmas ornaments for their three daughters.  Two are married with children of their own and the other one is still single.  But Aunt Linda has been giving them a Christmas ornament every year since they were little girls.  I like to have them at my brother's before Thanksgiving, so that the girls will have them in plenty of time for their holiday decorating.

Have a good Saturday..........Linda  

GO HUS-GARS !!

In My Opinion....

Regarding those stupid banners across the top.....I think we should we should just ignore them & maybe they'll go away. 

Or....maybe we should all ask AOL for a credit on our bill each month since they are using this space, we've paid for....to advertise.  Certainly they are getting BIG money for those ads from the companies represented.  

 It was just a thought......

(Freaky) Friday's Five from Robin

The  Official Friday Five begins now!

* Ooops! That title is taken...how about...Five Fun Questions for the week? Fun Five? FREAKIN A' Five? Fiddlesticks I thought I had an original idea Five? Help me name it. from:

http://journals.aol.com/robinngabster/Thesearethedaysofourlives/entries/1227

1.  What is the one thing on your Thanksgiving table that you will NOT eat?   dark meat of the bird

2.  Did you ever play in a pile of leaves as a kid? If so do you have a picture of you or someoneyou know playing in the fall leaves? Post it if you do!  No, I don't think we had leaves.  There were just Douglas fir trees around the house and they have needles not leaves.

3. When you think of Fall what are the three things that come to mind? 1. higher electric bills to heat the house, 2. winterizing my roses, 3. the car is going to be darn cold when I go out to go to work in the morning. (Gosh am I a little negative tonight or what? All I know is that Arizona is sounding better & better for the winter as I get older)

4. When was the last time you had pumpkin pie? Was it last year or have you already had some this year?  Quite frankly, I can hardly eat pumpkin pie.  I have never really cared for it unless it's completely covered in Cool Whip.  It's been several years, I'm sure, since I choked some down.

5.Tell us something really nice about the last person you read an email from.   I got a comment from Penny (firestormkids04) She's always so upbeat and I love to read of her time as a missonary in Mexico.

I like Freaky Friday's Five also.......Linda

Friday Evening

Well, it's been a busy day off for me.  I had an appointment this morning to have an EMG on my left arm.  It's been feeling weird, heavy, with numbness and tingling in my left hand and fingers.  I thought maybe the carpal tunnel problem had returned (I had both wrists fixed back in the 80's) but they decided today it's not carpal tunnel. The doc decided to check my neck, so he stuck his needles in the muscles at the C-5, C-6 & C-7 level and found a problem there.  Now he wants me to have an MRI of my cervical spince.  I hate those things...I just had a MRI of my head on November 4th and I was a basket case for hours afterwards.  I am somewhat claustrophobic anyway and those MRI machines are not a good place for someone with that problem.  I had taken some medication before that exam but still felt very panicky.  Now I have to have another one. OH YUK !!!! Why couldn't it be of my feet ?

After that appointment this morning, I went to the grocery store and the post office and came home.  I decided to get started on my Christmas cards and I have completed them this afternoon !! Well, just the addressing part.  I still have the "letter" to write.  I usually just write one base letter in Word and then personalize it for those that get letters.  Some just get a note handwritten in the card. It depends....I traditionally do my cards Thanksgiving weekend but thought "heck that's only a week away, so why not."  

Speaking of Thanksgiving...I got a special invitation to Thanksgiving dinner yesterday.  It was from Carrie, the gal my son Jim has been dating.  She was the one with him when he had his skydiving mishap back on August 13th. They don't get to see much of each other because of their opposite work schedules but are still good friends.  Anyway, Jim and I will be having dinner with Carrie, her two sisters, her mom and some friends of her sisters.  It ought to be a great afternoon.  That means no turkey leftovers in my refrigerator and that's fine with me.  I love turkey but it's available all year long in the stores so can cook it whenever I feel the urge.

Now next weekend I can do my 20 minute decorating routine for Christmas.  I have a 4 1/2 foot Christmas tree....all decorated with plastic wrapped around it.  It's out in my storage shed just waiting to be brought into the house.  I bring it in, put it on the table in front of the window and plug in the lights (yes I take the plastic wrapping off).  Then I take the generic wreath off my front door and hang up the Christmas wreath.  I'll have to get Jim or my friend Bob (however right now he's in sunny Pasadena, CA)  to come over and put up the icicle lights on the front of my house and then my decorating will be done.

There was a time when I really went all out at Christmas.  But now.... usually it's just me here so I don't do all that intense decorating that I once did, when my kids were home.

Until next time......Linda

Something To Think About

Here's something to think about as we move into the Christmas season.

According to the Alberta Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to December.

Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring.

Therefore, according to historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen had to be a girl.

We should have known.....only women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.

International Girl Friends Week

It is good to be a woman:

1..We got off the Titanic first.

2..We can scare male bosses with the mysterious gynecological disorder excuses.

3..Taxis stop for us.

4..We don't look like a frog in the blender dancing.

5..No fashion faux pas we make, could ever rival a Speedo.

6..We don't have to pass gas to amuse ourselves.

7..If we forget to shave, no one knows.

8..We can congratulate our team mate without ever touching her rear end.

9..We never have to reach down every so often to make sure our privates are still there.

10..We can speak to the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.

11..There are times when chocolate really can solve all your problems.

12..We can make comments about how silly men are in their presence because they aren't listening anyway.

Well..I did it

Last night I mixed up the fruitcake and baked 8 mini loafs.  Today, I wrapped each one in plastic wrap and then put them back in the pans they were baked in (I did take the brown paper off the bottom of each loaf before I wrapped them).  They are now stored for thirty days.  I even wrote a note on the December page of my kitchen calendar, so I wouldn't forget them.  In the mini loaf pans it took exactly 1 hour at 300 degrees for them to get done.  Today, I went to the Post Office to mail eBay packages.  The line was so long (because of the holiday on Friday, I guess) I almost turned around and left.  But I didn't....and remarkably the Postal staff worked hard to get us taken care of as quickly as possible.  Then it was off to Safeway for a few groceries.....another quart of Light egg nog (so good in cocoa) and some hubbard squash to bake and  3 new potatoes to make a little batch of potato salad for Sunday.  For some reason potato salad sounds good.  I think I'll grill a chicken breast on my George Foreman grill to go with it and cook some broccoli.  A great Sunday dinner, I'd say. It was cold here today, never got much higher than 45 degrees.  Tonight it's raining and I'm sure the snow is really coming down in the mountains.  The skiiers are in 7th heaven, I'm sure.   I hope everyone has had a good Saturday...I think I'll take my book and my kitty and get horizontal.  Until next time.......Linda

Follow-up to the Washington State Anniversary

I had the question from  jeadie05   "how many states at the time Washington became a state?"  Here's a list of states and their order and date of admission...

1. Delaware 7 December 1787    2. Pennsylvania 12 December 1787    3. New Jersey 18 December 1787    4. Georgia 2 January 1788    5. Connecticut 9 January 1788    6. Massachusetts 6 February 1788    7. Maryland 28 April 1788   8. South Carolina 23 May 1788    9. New Hampshire 21 June 1788    10. Virginia 25 June 1788     11. New York 26 July 1788             12. North Carolina 21 November 1789    13. Rhode Island 29 May 1790    14. Vermont 4 March 1791    15. Kentucky 1 June 1792    16. Tennessee 1 June 1796       17. Ohio 1 March 1803            18. Louisiana 30 April 1812    19. Indiana 11 December 1816     20. Mississippi 10 December 1817     21. Illinois 3 December 1818     22. Alabama 14 December 1819     23. Maine 15 March 1820    24. Missouri 10 August 1821    25. Arkansas 15 June 1836     26. Michigan 26 January 1837     27. Florida 3 March 1845     28. Texas 19 December 1845    29. Iowa 28 December 1846       30. Wisconsin 29 May 1848         31. California 9 September 1850      32. Minnesota 11 May 1858    33. Oregon 14 February 1859      34. Kansas 29 January 1861     35. West Virginia 20 June 1863     36. Nevada 31 October 1864            37. Nebraska 1 March 1867       38. Colorado 1 August 1876   39. North Dakota 2 November 1889        40. South Dakota 2 November 1889      41. Montana 8 November 1889                 42. Washington 11 November 1889      43. Idaho 3 July 1890    44. Wyoming 10 July 1890       45. Utah 4 January 1896          46. Oklahoma 16 November 1907        47. New Mexico 6 January 1912        48. Arizona 14 February 1912     49. Alaska 3 January 1959  and   50. Hawaii 21 August 1959

Washington admitted as a state

Not only is it Veteran's Day it's a special day for the State of Washington.  I found this information on the web regarding this important day for my beloved home state. http://www.secstate.wa.gov/history/

Washington admitted as a state

On November 11, 1889, U.S. Secretary of State James Blaine sent a telegram to Miles Moore, the last governor of Washington Territory stating: "The President signed the proclamation declaring Washington to be a state in the Union at 5:00 and twenty-seven minutes this afternoon."

On October 23, 1889, Territorial Governor Miles C. Moore dispatched a certified copy of the Constitution of the State of Washington by courier to be delivered to the President who had to approve it before he could proclaim Washington to be a state. Days went by with no word, and finally on November 4 a message was received saying that because Governor Moore had forgotten to sign the copy the President could not approve it. Overnight a new copy was prepared in Olympia (in long-hand since there were no copying machines in 1889, signed by the Convention delegates and Gov. Moore and it was sent to the President by courier the next day.

On November 11, 1889 the President approved the Constitution and issued the proclamation declaring Washington a state. Secretary of State James Blaine sent two telegrams to Washington announcing the news.

VETERAN'S DAY PICTURES

After I wrote my first entry for today, I decided to post some pictures of those, in my family, who have served.  My cousin, Doug, who lives in England (the Air Force transferred him there years ago and he never left, except for visits home) also served in the US Air Force for several years.  I just don't have a picture of him.  I'm proud of each of them.  I also have male relatives  who for one reason or another did not or could not serve in the military.  I'm thankful for them too, they were here, at home working and  caring for the family. 

VETERANS DAY

Today we pause to remember the thousands of men and women who have served and died in the armed forces to keep us free.  I heard someone on the radio the other day say "they served so that we may have, among other freedoms, free speech even if it is disrespectful or of another point of view."    Wow...even if it's disrespectful ??  Think about it, we can speak our minds even if it's disrespectful, even if we have a different point of view.  There are countries in this world where you can't do that or if you do...you are at risk for a prison sentence or even death.  To me this is just one reason why we owe those who serve in the military's of the free world a huge "THANK YOU !"  And remember no matter how you feel about where are troops are..we need to support them.   Remember...Freedom Isn't Free.

Thursday evening...I've been to the grocery store

Well, I stopped at the grocery store today on the way home from work.  I'm off now until Monday, so will have time to make the fruit cake.  I actually found a package of Dole chopped dates (great !! I won't have to cut them up) and of course the golden raisins were no problem and then I found a 2 pound container of "Fruit Cake Mix"...it's got orange and lemon peel, candied cheeries and pineaple (there's some green chunks in there so that must be the candied green pineapple).  Anyway I think I got all the stuff to make mom's fruit cake.  So to all my journal buddies in the UK, especially ...look in your grocery stores, where they have the flour, sugar, etc and I bet you'll find the fruit cake mix too.  And Jae....I found all this stuff at Fred Meyer, in case you decide to try it .  I'm going to get off here now and clean up the dishes.  Until next time...Linda

Fruit Cake....'Tis The Season

I'm going to go out on a limb here tonight and share my mom's "famous" fruit cake recipe.  I know, I know...everybody makes jokes about fruit cake but you know..some people like it.  So if there's anyone out there that reads my journal, feel free to use this "secret" family recipe and let me know how you like it.  I'll be making some this weekend.   Ok here goes, Edythe Smith's  Fruit Cake.........

1 pound shelled walnuts, 1 pound pitted whole dates, 1 pound golden raisins, 1/2 pound candied red cherries, 1/2 pound candied golden pineapple, 1/2 pound candied green pineapple, 1/2 pound candied citrus peel, 1 1/4 cup flour, 1 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 6 eggs,  1 oz brandy flavoring (mom did not use the real stuff).      Combine all fruits and nuts in large bowl and mix well.  Sift over fruits; the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder.  Stir well.  Beat the 6 eggs with brandy flavoring until light and fluffy.  Pour over contents in bowl and blend thoroughly.  Line oiled pans with heavy brown paper (a grocery bag works well).  Oil paper also.  Bake at 300 degrees until toothpick comes out clean.  One hour is enough for small loaf tins.  Bread size loaf pans will make 3 of them and may need to bake longer.  Do not overbake, or they will dry out.  Cool completely before wrapping tightly in plastic.  Age for 1 month before eating.  Will keep for months.

Ok there you are.  Again, if you make this, I'd love to know what you think.  I remember that mom always made a lot of her fruit cake every year and gave it as little gifts to her friends and family.  

Enjoy.....Linda

The Morning After..

Well, it's over....now we just have to hear about the results for days and days.  One thing I did hear on the local news this morning, is that the statewide ban on smoking in public places (including taverns, casinos, bowling alleys & clubs) is passing by a huge margin.  Also it would ban smoking within 25 feet of any public building.  The smokers can still smoke, they just have to do it in their homes, cars or outside.  I'm sure even in places like taverns it will make it nicer for those have to work there.  Right now it's about 70% for this ban and 30% against.  So, it looks like it will pass and if so, it will take effect December 9th of this year.  

Well, I've got to go get ready for work, have a good day.....until next time, Linda

I Am So Glad This Day Is Almost Over !!!

It's Election day in Washington....nothing real big, mostly local stuff.  However there are some state wide issues, such as banning smoking in all public places (including taverns and casinos) and a medical tort reform type issue (stemming from attorneys sometimes getting more $$ than patients in medical malpractice suits)  And I've voted, I always do...with a mail-in ballot...mailed it  a week or so ago.  I don't have a problem at all with elections...I have a problem with the non-stop TV and radio ads (smearing the opposite side, of course), the millons of signs stuck in the ground along the highways and by-ways and the pile of election propaganda I have been receiving in my mail box every day for months.   I think they push too far....everyone I've talked to says they are sick of it too.  If I were in charge this is the way it would be... each candidate or group with a propostition would be allowed  to mail out 1 (ONE) flier to each registered voter and have an ad on TV and radio no more than once a week for the 30 days before each election.  And they should be limitied to the number of roadside signs they can put out.  When I went to work today I counted 50 roadside signs for one initative in a 20 block range of the street I was traveling on.  That is ridiculous !!! And most of them will still be there months from now.

Ok, I've climbed down off my soap box.....(until the next election anyway). Hope everyone had a marvy Tuesday...I'm home from work and making a big pot of vegetable soup.  Yum !

Until next time......Linda

Krissy's Monday Morning Question

Monday Morning Question:  From Krissy at;

http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/

What about your family are you thankful for?

I'm thankful that I was raised in a Christian home and that all of my immediate family members are born again Christians.  Including my grandkids.   Linda 

My mother was a fanatic about public toliets

Thanks to my friend Ruth, who's laid up down in California recovering from a car accident for this one. 

     As a little girl, she'd bring me in the stall, teach me to wad up toilet paper and wipe the seat.  Then, she'd carefully lay strips of toilet  paper to cover the seat.  Finally, she'd instruct, "Never, never sit on a public toilet seat."
     And she'd demonstrate "The Stance," which consisted of balancing over the toilet in a sitting position without actually letting any of your flesh make contact with the toilet seat.  But by this time, I'd have wet down my leg.  And we'd go home.
     That was a long time ago.  Even now in our more mature years, "The Stance" is excruciatingly difficult to maintain when one's bladder is especially full.  When you have to "go" in a public bathroom, you find a line of women that makes you think there's a half-price sale on Mel Gibson's underwear in there.  So, you wait and smile politely at all the other ladies, also crossing their legs and smiling politely.  And you finally get closer. You check for feet under the stall doors. Every one is occupied.
     Finally, a stall door opens and you dash, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.  You get in to find the door won't latch.  It doesn't matter.  You hang your purse on the door hook, yank down your pants and assume "The Stance."  Relief....more relief.   Then your thighs begin to shake.  You'd love to sit own but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance" as your thighs experience a quake that would register an eight on the Richter scale.
     To take your mind off it, you reach for the toilet paper.  The toilet paper dispenser is empty.  Your thighs shake more.  You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on that's in your purse.  It would have to do.You crumble it in the puffiest way possible. It is still smaller than your thumbnail.
     Someone pushes open your stall door because the latch doesn't work and your purse whams you in the head.  "Occupied!" you scream as you reach out for the door, dropping your tissue in a puddle and falling backward, directly onto the toilet seat. You get up quickly, but it's too late.  Your bare bottom has made contact with all the germs and life forms on the bare seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper, not that there was any, even if you had enough time to.  And your mother would be utterly ashamed of you if she knew, because her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, "You don't know what kind of diseases you could get."
     And by this time, the automatic sensor on the back of  the toilet is so confused that it flushes, sending up a stream of water akin to a fountain and then it suddenly sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged to China.  At that point, you give up.  You're soaked by the splashing water.  You're exhausted.  You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket, then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.
     You can't figure out how to operate the sinks with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past a line of women, still waiting, cross-legged and unable to smile politely at this point.  One kind soul at the very end of the line points out that you are trailing a piece of toilet paper on your shoe as long as the Mississippi River! You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and say warmly,"Here. You might need this."
     At this time, you see your spouse, who has entered, used and exited his bathroom and read a copy of War and Peace while waiting for you. "What took you so long?" he asks, annoyed.  This is when you kick him sharply in the shin and  go home.
     This is dedicated to all women everywhere who have ever had to deal with a public toilet. And it finally explains to all you men what takes us so long.

 

I've Been to the Snow !!

My friend Bob decided to go up to Snoqualmie Summit Ski resort  today to check on his season skiing pass and asked me if I'd like to ride along.  They gave him a free one for the 2005-2006 season because of the lack of snow last year.  (Very good P.R. on management's part) We decided to take my car because it has 4 wheel drive and we wanted to be prepared for snow.  Well...we got it.  It was really coming down.  And so beautiful...as we neared the summit, the trees were just lightly dusted with snow.  Then when we got to the ski resort there was a lot more snow and it was really coming down.  The resort isn't officially open yet but the lower slopes were filled with people of all sizes on sleds, tubes and snowboards.  They were having a ball...playing in winter's first snow.  We encountered heavy snow for about four miles coming back down the mountain and then it gradually turned into heavy rain.  We stopped out the Factory Outlet stores in North Bend (oh how I love the Corning store and the Paper Outlet) and then headed back to my place.  I'm hoping since I have been to the snow...it will stay in the mountains and not come to me.  I don't like driving to work in it..too many hills in this town.   Until next time.....Linda

Thursday Evening

Well, the weather has been wild here in the Pacific Northwest the last couple days.  Rain, wind, thunder and lightning all with dropping temperatures...I guess summer is really over.  And the big thing is the snow in the mountains.  The weather guy says there's going to be 8-10 inches this evening.  The skiers snowboarders are drooling and waxing their skis and boards . The popular Crystal Mountain ski area is opening tomorrow and the other big area in our local mountains, Snoqualmie Summit will open next week.   The season was so bad last winter that the owners at Snoqualmie are saying that people with season passes from last year can use them again this winter.  That's nice of them, especially when they have no control over the lack of snow.   They say there should be about 120 days to ski season, last winter there were less than 30 days of skiing in Washington's Cascade range.   I'm not a skier, never have been but I know a lot of people who love it, so I'm happy for them.  Until next time.....Linda

This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt #48

This Week's Photo Scavenger Hunt (#48) will be due on Sunday,
November 6, at 11 PM EST.  

When  you have completed your entry, please leave a link to it in the comments section below. 

Category:  Photo of your choice

Ok Krissy...I had to think and think which photo to use for this.  I have hundreds of photo's to choose from.  I finally decided to use this one, it's a picture of my mom and my brother Steve with little Julie(http://journals.aol.com/joolsinwa/randommusingsofmymind )    between them.  It was taken out in the pasture, part of the 10 acres where we lived when mybrother and I were growing up.  My folks lived there until 1971. My mom always wore an apron, she must have taken it off for this picture.  My brother was 11 years old when Julie came along, so he was more like her big brother than an uncle.  Notice how tall he was in this picture  (he was probably about 13 years old)...he's 6' 4" now. So this is my photo entry for your photo scavenger hunt this week... until next time, Linda