Here's another blog that I started about 2 years ago, and apparently never finished. So, read it with summer 2010 in mind. :)
All gone! No more horses! No more nuzzling noses looking for treats! No more horsey smell greeting us when we go to the barn. No more manure to spread. No more flies to deal with. No more rides. No more sore butts. No more saddling, unsaddling, brushing, currying, shoeing, worming, feeding. No more four-legged friends greeting you with excited whinnies when you FINALLY get there to feed them. Yep! The last two horses are gone.
Now that I read this, it's kinda sad. It does look pretty empty down in the pasture when we go there to fish, but it was time. We found them a good home - they were bought together, and I think they'll be happy where they went. So, the barn stands empty, the grass keeps growing in the pasture, and our season of horse ownership has come to an end. I almost wish someone had a horse or two we could board for them just to have them down there again. :)
Other than that - it's been a hot bugger of a summer so far, and I'm prone to stay indoors most of the time if at all possible. I do get out in the garden to pick squash and peppers and lettuce, etc. but try to do that in a hurry-up-and-get-back-in-the-AC fashion. The only time I want to really deal with the heat is fishing. Or, swimming would be good, but haven't gone any around here. I guess we really need to find a good swimming hole someplace close. I had such a good time when our kids rented a houseboat on Lake Ouachita a couple years ago. I could have stayed there the whole week with them instead of just the one day. The water was like bath water, and I really hated to get out of it. What a blast flying down the slide and splooshing into that beautiful, clean, deep, warm water. Do you think I liked it??? Oh YEAH!!!!!!
Cookie's fixing to get a bath today as soon as my one piano student gets here and we finish her lesson. They should have been here already but guess they are on the way. In fact I hear them now so will finish this later.
And, I now realize that I never did "finish this later" so I'm just going to finish it now and post!
I'm finished!!!!!! LOL
Friday, April 27, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Togetherness!!
Bill and I will be married 37 years next Saturday. Hard to believe, I know, but it's the truth. We got married one week after my birthday in 1975. And, my Dad thought we'd never last. Actually the day that I brought Bill home to meet the folks, Daddy had gone to town to get fortified with a couple of beers before the "big meet"!
Guess he was really concerned with what I had brought home to the farm.
Anyway, THAT'S not what this is really about. We were talking about the new little horse barn tonight at supper, and though he's doing the lion's share, no, make that elephant's share of the work, I did manage to get my hot little hands on a few boards, so that I can actually say, "I-eee haelped!" Sometimes, just one other pair of hands makes all the difference, sooooo, that's where I come in!!!
I said something tonight like, "You know, we've done a lot of projects together in the 37 years we've been married." Some good, some not so good. BUT, the one that we always both think of when we're reminiscing about those projects is the time we brought the Franklin cast iron stove up the back stairs of the store when we were living above it. Now, that stove was one heavy piece of work. Bill chained it to a sled he'd built out of 2 x 4s. Kind of a skid. THEN, he attached a heavy wire cable to the front of the skid. Brought the cable up the steps, over the porch floor and back down to the trailer hitch on our '75 Monte Carlo.
AND, then the fun began. Yours truly was driving the Monte Carlo while the big man was going to try to keep the stove upright. No small task when you are trying to drag a stove up steep staircase. All the while praying that the cable didn't snap, I started sloooooowwwwllllyyy, so very sllllloooooowwwwlllly pull that Franklin Stove that held 24" wood up the stairs.
God was with us. The cable didn't snap, the stove didn't tip over and fall on Bill, and I didn't drive the car through the south fence even though that was looking like a distinct possibility. AND, we got the stove into the upstairs living room. AND, then, after all that drama, we probably only used it once or twice, because it flat out cooked us out of the area. Didn't know it could put out that much heat!!!
Why we didn't have camcorders and digital cameras back then I don't know. This definitely was movie worthy, but, alas, all we have are the memories and the re-tellings. And I believe the story gets better each time. :)
More next time.
Guess he was really concerned with what I had brought home to the farm.
Anyway, THAT'S not what this is really about. We were talking about the new little horse barn tonight at supper, and though he's doing the lion's share, no, make that elephant's share of the work, I did manage to get my hot little hands on a few boards, so that I can actually say, "I-eee haelped!" Sometimes, just one other pair of hands makes all the difference, sooooo, that's where I come in!!!
I said something tonight like, "You know, we've done a lot of projects together in the 37 years we've been married." Some good, some not so good. BUT, the one that we always both think of when we're reminiscing about those projects is the time we brought the Franklin cast iron stove up the back stairs of the store when we were living above it. Now, that stove was one heavy piece of work. Bill chained it to a sled he'd built out of 2 x 4s. Kind of a skid. THEN, he attached a heavy wire cable to the front of the skid. Brought the cable up the steps, over the porch floor and back down to the trailer hitch on our '75 Monte Carlo.
AND, then the fun began. Yours truly was driving the Monte Carlo while the big man was going to try to keep the stove upright. No small task when you are trying to drag a stove up steep staircase. All the while praying that the cable didn't snap, I started sloooooowwwwllllyyy, so very sllllloooooowwwwlllly pull that Franklin Stove that held 24" wood up the stairs.
God was with us. The cable didn't snap, the stove didn't tip over and fall on Bill, and I didn't drive the car through the south fence even though that was looking like a distinct possibility. AND, we got the stove into the upstairs living room. AND, then, after all that drama, we probably only used it once or twice, because it flat out cooked us out of the area. Didn't know it could put out that much heat!!!
Why we didn't have camcorders and digital cameras back then I don't know. This definitely was movie worthy, but, alas, all we have are the memories and the re-tellings. And I believe the story gets better each time. :)
More next time.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Another Year Gone
How does this happen? It seems like every time I get inspired to post a blog, I look at the last one and a year + or - has slipped by. I don't know where it went. It was here not that long ago, and, now it's gone.
Many things have happened this year I guess. More probably in the last 4 weeks, but lots of good stuff nonetheless. For starters, my 73, almost 74, year old husband worked on a cattle ranch most of last summer building fences, clearing stuff, putting up stuff, feeding cows, doing the hay thing, etc. Every night he came home with not a dry thread of cloth on his body. He lost weight, was getting pretty thin-looking, but like he said, "If I was ever gonna die from a heart attack, I think I would have already done it!" Guess he's a pretty tough old buzzard for sure.
Then we had a wonderful visit with our daughter and her husband when they came up last fall. Been a while since they'd been here, so it was so good to see them. They motorcycled up one weekend, and then came again in a vehicle. Easier to carry stuff that way and a granddaughter and her boyfriend came along so that made the visit extra special.
Then, if that wasn't enough, my nephew and his family from Wisconsin came down the week after Christmas for several days. What a great time we had, and I think they did too. We made music, played on the pond, and just had a lot of fun.
Here's a picture of the kids in the Pedalo on the pond. They sure had a blast!!
And, now we've got horses again. We bought one for me to ride - a beautiful boy. I named him Chance because I kinda figured he was my "last chance" to ride again. I've been NOT ready for a couple years now, but somehow the "horse-bug" has bitten me yet again. HOWEVER, my last Chance turned out to NOT be the horse for me. After a friend who can ride anything she gets on, and our granddaughter, Lacie, rode him, I was warned in no uncertain terms to "never get on that horse. Never, EVER!!!!" Too much horse for me. And, I tended to agree. He's a big fella - over 16 hands, and has a bit more spunk than I want to deal with. I think Bill will be able to ride him, but "not I," said the duck!
Bill looks a lot more comfortable on Chance than I ever would.
So----------------- last week we bought my Pretty Girl. We found her over at Big Cedar and I believe we are soul mates. She is 15 years old, been there, done that, stands still, neck reins, stops, goes, and comes when I go toward her with a piece of apple or a treat. Hey! I'm not against a little bribery. Whatever works. :)
This is my birthday present this year - a beautiful horse and brand new saddle. What could be better. As soon as she gets new shoes, we're heading for the trails. LOL
So, that's what's been happening this year so far. And, our poor little Cookie has a bladder infection, or kidney stones or something. I feel so sorry for her. She feels like she has to go potty ALL the time. So, she's in panties with a pad for the time being. Just because she has to go all the time, doesn't mean she's going to be going here in the house. These little pads that Mom left in her dresser drawer have come in VERY handy. Half a pad and little girl panties and Cookie is good to go. And I mean that literally.
So, perhaps I won't wait another year to write again. I'm sure there will be many more horse-related stories coming so will try to do a bit better this year.
Many things have happened this year I guess. More probably in the last 4 weeks, but lots of good stuff nonetheless. For starters, my 73, almost 74, year old husband worked on a cattle ranch most of last summer building fences, clearing stuff, putting up stuff, feeding cows, doing the hay thing, etc. Every night he came home with not a dry thread of cloth on his body. He lost weight, was getting pretty thin-looking, but like he said, "If I was ever gonna die from a heart attack, I think I would have already done it!" Guess he's a pretty tough old buzzard for sure.
Then we had a wonderful visit with our daughter and her husband when they came up last fall. Been a while since they'd been here, so it was so good to see them. They motorcycled up one weekend, and then came again in a vehicle. Easier to carry stuff that way and a granddaughter and her boyfriend came along so that made the visit extra special.
Then, if that wasn't enough, my nephew and his family from Wisconsin came down the week after Christmas for several days. What a great time we had, and I think they did too. We made music, played on the pond, and just had a lot of fun.
And, now we've got horses again. We bought one for me to ride - a beautiful boy. I named him Chance because I kinda figured he was my "last chance" to ride again. I've been NOT ready for a couple years now, but somehow the "horse-bug" has bitten me yet again. HOWEVER, my last Chance turned out to NOT be the horse for me. After a friend who can ride anything she gets on, and our granddaughter, Lacie, rode him, I was warned in no uncertain terms to "never get on that horse. Never, EVER!!!!" Too much horse for me. And, I tended to agree. He's a big fella - over 16 hands, and has a bit more spunk than I want to deal with. I think Bill will be able to ride him, but "not I," said the duck!
 |
| Chance and Bill - March 2012 |
So----------------- last week we bought my Pretty Girl. We found her over at Big Cedar and I believe we are soul mates. She is 15 years old, been there, done that, stands still, neck reins, stops, goes, and comes when I go toward her with a piece of apple or a treat. Hey! I'm not against a little bribery. Whatever works. :)
 |
| Pretty Girl - April, 2012 |
So, that's what's been happening this year so far. And, our poor little Cookie has a bladder infection, or kidney stones or something. I feel so sorry for her. She feels like she has to go potty ALL the time. So, she's in panties with a pad for the time being. Just because she has to go all the time, doesn't mean she's going to be going here in the house. These little pads that Mom left in her dresser drawer have come in VERY handy. Half a pad and little girl panties and Cookie is good to go. And I mean that literally.
 |
| Cookie in her "panties" |
Monday, April 18, 2011
66 and On A Tear
Now that I'm officially 66 years old, I think that I am 'entitled' to "telling it like it is". (Just want we need - another entitlement!)
First of all, let me say that I had a wonderful birthday. It started off with a beautiful card and a Kindle e-reader from my hubby. I've been secretly (well, maybe not quite so secretly) casually making mention of the fact that I thought there might oughta be a Kindle in my future. After all, I've always LOVED to read, and the convenience of being able to download books and read them whenever I felt the urge, rather than having to wait to go to a bookstore (which, by the time I actually got to a bookstore, any thought of something that I really wanted to read was completely banished from my mind by the $29.95 price tag of said book.) So, even though there is a charge for the newer e-books it's a LOT less than the bookstore price. Even the Wal-Mart price. So, he saved up his money (he has a real job now for which he gets paid real money - how sweet is that!!) and had me order a Kindle for my birthday. So, I'm now currently in mad love with JAKE! (ie: Joan's Kindle - JK)
I'm reading "High Heels to Tractor Wheels" by Ree Drummond, a book by Dennis Swanberg, subscribed to Reader's Digest and the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines, :"Water For Elephants" - which, after reading all the comments about this book, I can hardly wait to start. And all this in the first few days of Kindle ownership. Like I said, I LOVE Jake!!!!!
To carry on with my birthday. Last Thursday was Bible Time at our church, so I spent the entire morning and the early part of the afternoon over there rehearsing our skit (in which I play Clementine) and then putting the skit on for the two groups of kids who come from school to attend Bible Release Time. Midway through our second skit, when Zelda (one of the other characters) and I were "frozen" while Pastor Rufus delivered his mini sermon, he instead counted off: 1, 2, 3 and the entire church of kids and adults burst in to "Happy Birthday to you" for me. I was so surprised and I guess my face turned beet red. That was just the nicest thing and TOTALLY unexpected.
AND THEN, to top off a really good day, we went out for Chinese food with our really good friends and ate like little piggies. It was delicious and a very nice evening.
So, WHY AM I ON A TEAR you might ask? BECAUSE, I am sick and tired of getting taken advantage of by doctors. Not all of them - two in particular - one can be read about in a previous post. The one I'm pretty well put out with this time is the optometrist that I've been using ever since we've been in Oklahoma. He is located in Mena AR and I've been going there for years.
Well, last summer, in July to be exact, I had cataract surgery in both eyes. A couple months later I went back to said optometrist for a followup checkup. At that time, he prescribed a pair of glasses to help me see close up. I had my eyes fixed so that I didn't have to wear glasses all the time anymore, just for close work. So, two or three weeks later, I got the glasses and proceeded to wear them when I read or use the computer. (Like right now - LOL) About a month ago, sometime in mid March, I noticed one morning that I wasn't seeing quite as good as I had been at first. I thought perhaps my eyes had changed a little. A day or so later, I happened to reach up and take hold of the frame of my left lens and realized that it had shifted a little, so I took my glasses back off to check the screw and lo and behold! The lens was GONE!!! I don't know when! I don't know where! It's just GONE!!!! I have searched the house over and I'm sure had it fallen on the bare floor someplace I would have heard it, and it's not around.
NOW for the part as to why I'm angry. I went back in to the doctor's office to tell them that something was wrong with the frame - that the screw had come out or something and the lens was gone. Either the frame was defective so that the screw didn't seat properly or else whoever put the lens in to start with didn't tighten it up properly. All I know is the lens is GONE!! So, the girl at the front desk goes back to check with someone and comes back and tells me that it will cost me $169.50 to replace the lens. THAT'S what the lens cost in the first place. They're going to charge me FULL PRICE to replace a lens that was lost through no fault of mine. I bought the frame from them - they put the lens in. It came out. End of story.
Well, not quite. I told the little girl at the desk that I was extremely upset about this and felt that something should be done - this wasn't my fault. She told me that "oh, the screw just came loose. That's just routine maintenance. We're not responsible for that!" Helllllooooo!!!! Just how would you feel if you bought a new car and six months later a wheel fell off and you had an accident and wrecked the car. Then, when you checked and found that the lug nuts had come off so that's why the tire fell off, and the dealer said, "Well, that's routine maintenance. We can't be responsible for the lug nuts coming off!" Give me a break!!!! I would foresee a very large lawsuit in their future. How many times have you ever gone out and checked your lug nuts to be sure they are tight - especially since it's a brand new car!!!!! Come on!!
And the same holds true for glasses. WHY would I expect that the screw might come loose in a brand new pair of frames after only having them for 6 months. I had another pair of glasses that I wore for 7 years, and I NEVER had a screw come loose. AND, I never had the doctor suggest that I go to the back after an eye exam and have the screws checked in my frames "just in case they were loose!" He didn't EXPECT the frames to be loose, and neither did I.
SO, I went back in to the doctor's office and this time talked to the wife of the doctor's son who is also part of the practice. She agreed with me that that shouldn't have happened and was sure that it could be taken care of. She said, I'll just have to run it by the office manager, and I'll give you a call in the morning. Well, the next morning the office manager called me and explained that they couldn't replace the lens. After all it was all my fault. Now, they would replace the frame if it was defective, but not the lens. The frame was under warranty. BUT, if the frame was defective, then the lost lens was not my fault. Then she said that they could give me a 20% discount off the cost of the lens. I told her that was NOT satisfactory at all. I was not to blame for this and did not feel like I should have to pay for something that #1. they've already gotten paid for to start with and #2. was the result of a defective piece of merchandise that I BOUGHT from them!!
So, she said she'd have to check again with the doctor who was going to be back in the office Monday (today) and she'd call and let me know what he said. GUESS WHAT!!!! NO Call!!! No nothing!!!
AND, if all this wasn't enough to frost my cake, the real kicker in the whole thing is that he's already gotten $1,026.00 for this pair of glasses, frames, and a followup exam. He charged my insurance $249.00 per eye for "Exam Post Op Cataract Care". PER EYE mind you! And what really ticks me off is that he did nothing more during this "Post Op Cataract Care" exam than during any other exam I've had. Same routine. And that was $90.00 for the whole thing - both eyes!! What a stinkin' rip off!!! And then we wonder why our Medicare and insurance premiums are going through the rough. Because doctors are ripping them off by calling what they did by some fancy-schmancy name.
So, that's why I'm mad. I'm not a little mad. I'm really, really, really MAD!!!!! And I'm not finished with this yet. I have never quibbled about legitimate charges for things I've had done, but this is just WRONG!!!!
First of all, let me say that I had a wonderful birthday. It started off with a beautiful card and a Kindle e-reader from my hubby. I've been secretly (well, maybe not quite so secretly) casually making mention of the fact that I thought there might oughta be a Kindle in my future. After all, I've always LOVED to read, and the convenience of being able to download books and read them whenever I felt the urge, rather than having to wait to go to a bookstore (which, by the time I actually got to a bookstore, any thought of something that I really wanted to read was completely banished from my mind by the $29.95 price tag of said book.) So, even though there is a charge for the newer e-books it's a LOT less than the bookstore price. Even the Wal-Mart price. So, he saved up his money (he has a real job now for which he gets paid real money - how sweet is that!!) and had me order a Kindle for my birthday. So, I'm now currently in mad love with JAKE! (ie: Joan's Kindle - JK)
I'm reading "High Heels to Tractor Wheels" by Ree Drummond, a book by Dennis Swanberg, subscribed to Reader's Digest and the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines, :"Water For Elephants" - which, after reading all the comments about this book, I can hardly wait to start. And all this in the first few days of Kindle ownership. Like I said, I LOVE Jake!!!!!
To carry on with my birthday. Last Thursday was Bible Time at our church, so I spent the entire morning and the early part of the afternoon over there rehearsing our skit (in which I play Clementine) and then putting the skit on for the two groups of kids who come from school to attend Bible Release Time. Midway through our second skit, when Zelda (one of the other characters) and I were "frozen" while Pastor Rufus delivered his mini sermon, he instead counted off: 1, 2, 3 and the entire church of kids and adults burst in to "Happy Birthday to you" for me. I was so surprised and I guess my face turned beet red. That was just the nicest thing and TOTALLY unexpected.
AND THEN, to top off a really good day, we went out for Chinese food with our really good friends and ate like little piggies. It was delicious and a very nice evening.
So, WHY AM I ON A TEAR you might ask? BECAUSE, I am sick and tired of getting taken advantage of by doctors. Not all of them - two in particular - one can be read about in a previous post. The one I'm pretty well put out with this time is the optometrist that I've been using ever since we've been in Oklahoma. He is located in Mena AR and I've been going there for years.
Well, last summer, in July to be exact, I had cataract surgery in both eyes. A couple months later I went back to said optometrist for a followup checkup. At that time, he prescribed a pair of glasses to help me see close up. I had my eyes fixed so that I didn't have to wear glasses all the time anymore, just for close work. So, two or three weeks later, I got the glasses and proceeded to wear them when I read or use the computer. (Like right now - LOL) About a month ago, sometime in mid March, I noticed one morning that I wasn't seeing quite as good as I had been at first. I thought perhaps my eyes had changed a little. A day or so later, I happened to reach up and take hold of the frame of my left lens and realized that it had shifted a little, so I took my glasses back off to check the screw and lo and behold! The lens was GONE!!! I don't know when! I don't know where! It's just GONE!!!! I have searched the house over and I'm sure had it fallen on the bare floor someplace I would have heard it, and it's not around.
NOW for the part as to why I'm angry. I went back in to the doctor's office to tell them that something was wrong with the frame - that the screw had come out or something and the lens was gone. Either the frame was defective so that the screw didn't seat properly or else whoever put the lens in to start with didn't tighten it up properly. All I know is the lens is GONE!! So, the girl at the front desk goes back to check with someone and comes back and tells me that it will cost me $169.50 to replace the lens. THAT'S what the lens cost in the first place. They're going to charge me FULL PRICE to replace a lens that was lost through no fault of mine. I bought the frame from them - they put the lens in. It came out. End of story.
Well, not quite. I told the little girl at the desk that I was extremely upset about this and felt that something should be done - this wasn't my fault. She told me that "oh, the screw just came loose. That's just routine maintenance. We're not responsible for that!" Helllllooooo!!!! Just how would you feel if you bought a new car and six months later a wheel fell off and you had an accident and wrecked the car. Then, when you checked and found that the lug nuts had come off so that's why the tire fell off, and the dealer said, "Well, that's routine maintenance. We can't be responsible for the lug nuts coming off!" Give me a break!!!! I would foresee a very large lawsuit in their future. How many times have you ever gone out and checked your lug nuts to be sure they are tight - especially since it's a brand new car!!!!! Come on!!
And the same holds true for glasses. WHY would I expect that the screw might come loose in a brand new pair of frames after only having them for 6 months. I had another pair of glasses that I wore for 7 years, and I NEVER had a screw come loose. AND, I never had the doctor suggest that I go to the back after an eye exam and have the screws checked in my frames "just in case they were loose!" He didn't EXPECT the frames to be loose, and neither did I.
SO, I went back in to the doctor's office and this time talked to the wife of the doctor's son who is also part of the practice. She agreed with me that that shouldn't have happened and was sure that it could be taken care of. She said, I'll just have to run it by the office manager, and I'll give you a call in the morning. Well, the next morning the office manager called me and explained that they couldn't replace the lens. After all it was all my fault. Now, they would replace the frame if it was defective, but not the lens. The frame was under warranty. BUT, if the frame was defective, then the lost lens was not my fault. Then she said that they could give me a 20% discount off the cost of the lens. I told her that was NOT satisfactory at all. I was not to blame for this and did not feel like I should have to pay for something that #1. they've already gotten paid for to start with and #2. was the result of a defective piece of merchandise that I BOUGHT from them!!
So, she said she'd have to check again with the doctor who was going to be back in the office Monday (today) and she'd call and let me know what he said. GUESS WHAT!!!! NO Call!!! No nothing!!!
AND, if all this wasn't enough to frost my cake, the real kicker in the whole thing is that he's already gotten $1,026.00 for this pair of glasses, frames, and a followup exam. He charged my insurance $249.00 per eye for "Exam Post Op Cataract Care". PER EYE mind you! And what really ticks me off is that he did nothing more during this "Post Op Cataract Care" exam than during any other exam I've had. Same routine. And that was $90.00 for the whole thing - both eyes!! What a stinkin' rip off!!! And then we wonder why our Medicare and insurance premiums are going through the rough. Because doctors are ripping them off by calling what they did by some fancy-schmancy name.
So, that's why I'm mad. I'm not a little mad. I'm really, really, really MAD!!!!! And I'm not finished with this yet. I have never quibbled about legitimate charges for things I've had done, but this is just WRONG!!!!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Good Grief!!!
This is PATHETIC!!! This thing tells me that the last time I posted anything was May 5th. How did that happen?? What HAVE I been doing. Ohhhhhhhhh, now I remember. I started fishing. THAT's what happened! I made the gigantic mistake of agreeing to go out to a friend's pond with the husband who, by the way, LOVES to fish, just to get him to stop bugging me about it. And, lo and behold, the crappie were biting BIG TIME, and we caught at least 15 fish apiece. AND, that did it. I was HOOKED - hook line and rod and reel and little pink gummy worms.
So, that's what we did all summer - fishing every afternoon, or early evening. It was great. I got my own pole(s), reel(s), and they sit right here in my office in the corner. Actually, can't wait for it to get to be fishing time again. We caught lots of crappie and nice BIG bass in our pond and friends' ponds. This fall we decided maybe we ought to keep some of the fish and freeze some fillets.
GUESS who had to learn to fillet fish??????? You are right!!! Yours truly! Don't know why husband didn't want to learn - he sure likes to catch the suckers, but wasn't about to fillet 'em. So, after a couple tries with just a fillet knife, I invested in an electric knife with two different sized blades, and is that thing slick. I'm getting pretty good at the filleting thing now. As long as the fish are iced down and pretty dead by the time I do it. There's something about filleting a live fish that I don't think I'm going to do. I don't like them LOOKING at me when I'm cutting their sides off. There's just something really wrong with that picture. But, as long as they are just giving me that icy stare, I can get the job done.
Anyway, that kept us going this summer - that and our little garden that actually gave us a LOT of good eating. We had two rows of lettuce and ate lettuce and ate lettuce and ate lettuce. And then the banana peppers and tomatoes started producing. And THEY both did great. I truly believe that we got way over a thousand banana peppers off the 9 plants that we planted. AND, best of all, we discovered roasting them. THAT is the way to eat banana peppers. Just was 'em and pat 'em dry, then put olive oil on a flat sheet pan, single layer the peppers in the pan and drizzle with more olive oil. I started using the spray olive oil - makes for a much quicker job. Then roast at 375 for about 15 minutes or until just starting to brown. Take 'em out of the oven and sprinkle with salt, and just eat them. Don't have to seed them or anything. You'd never even know they had seeds.
When the okra started, that's how we made lots of it. Use the small 3 -4 inch size and roast like the peppers. No slime, and they are just delicious. We sure hated to see the okra quit producing. We had LOTS of it as well. Can't wait till next garden season.
Now my freezers are pretty full. Bill even went deer hunting this year and killed one his first day out and his first shot. THAT'S the FIRST time he's gone deer hunting since we've been married. AND, again, guess who had to cut the thing up????? Yep, yours truly once again. Luckily, I had a friend who is an expert at it, so we did deer together over in her kitchen. I would never try that on my own, but it worked out OK. So, we've got some good venison in the freezer as well.
See what happens when I don't blog for a while - I try to fill in the ENTIRE time since the last post.
So, we'll see how long it goes before the next one. :)
J
So, that's what we did all summer - fishing every afternoon, or early evening. It was great. I got my own pole(s), reel(s), and they sit right here in my office in the corner. Actually, can't wait for it to get to be fishing time again. We caught lots of crappie and nice BIG bass in our pond and friends' ponds. This fall we decided maybe we ought to keep some of the fish and freeze some fillets.
GUESS who had to learn to fillet fish??????? You are right!!! Yours truly! Don't know why husband didn't want to learn - he sure likes to catch the suckers, but wasn't about to fillet 'em. So, after a couple tries with just a fillet knife, I invested in an electric knife with two different sized blades, and is that thing slick. I'm getting pretty good at the filleting thing now. As long as the fish are iced down and pretty dead by the time I do it. There's something about filleting a live fish that I don't think I'm going to do. I don't like them LOOKING at me when I'm cutting their sides off. There's just something really wrong with that picture. But, as long as they are just giving me that icy stare, I can get the job done.
Anyway, that kept us going this summer - that and our little garden that actually gave us a LOT of good eating. We had two rows of lettuce and ate lettuce and ate lettuce and ate lettuce. And then the banana peppers and tomatoes started producing. And THEY both did great. I truly believe that we got way over a thousand banana peppers off the 9 plants that we planted. AND, best of all, we discovered roasting them. THAT is the way to eat banana peppers. Just was 'em and pat 'em dry, then put olive oil on a flat sheet pan, single layer the peppers in the pan and drizzle with more olive oil. I started using the spray olive oil - makes for a much quicker job. Then roast at 375 for about 15 minutes or until just starting to brown. Take 'em out of the oven and sprinkle with salt, and just eat them. Don't have to seed them or anything. You'd never even know they had seeds.
When the okra started, that's how we made lots of it. Use the small 3 -4 inch size and roast like the peppers. No slime, and they are just delicious. We sure hated to see the okra quit producing. We had LOTS of it as well. Can't wait till next garden season.
Now my freezers are pretty full. Bill even went deer hunting this year and killed one his first day out and his first shot. THAT'S the FIRST time he's gone deer hunting since we've been married. AND, again, guess who had to cut the thing up????? Yep, yours truly once again. Luckily, I had a friend who is an expert at it, so we did deer together over in her kitchen. I would never try that on my own, but it worked out OK. So, we've got some good venison in the freezer as well.
See what happens when I don't blog for a while - I try to fill in the ENTIRE time since the last post.
So, we'll see how long it goes before the next one. :)
J
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Updated Blog and Steam Blowing
As you can see, I'm making a few changes to the blog - basically changed the name from "From Mom & Me" to Meanderings, etc. Just thought it was time to update as Mom's story has been finished for over two years now so no sense in staying with that title. I actually thought about an entirely new blog, but when I looked at all the stuff I'd already done on this one - pictures, recipes, posts, info, etc. - I decided it would be more work to try to start over than to just revamp this. So, here we go meandering.
I've been on Facebook for over a year now. You can see the link to my profile page on the blog homepage. I enjoy Facebook immensely as I get to keep up with friends and people that I really wouldn't be in contact with at all if it wasn't for this avenue. I'm friends with cousins there whom I haven't seen since I left high school. And, that's a long, long, long time ago. :)
So, to do a little updating on where we are and what's going on. We thought we had our land sold where the barn is and the horses and the pond. A doctor from Cleburne, TX came up and made us an offer, and we decided to take it. Was time to let it go. Bill spent a couple weeks cleaning out the barn, the area around the barn, the little barn, hauling brush off, and generally policing the whole place. It really was looking good. The good doctor, Robert N. Smith, Jr. to be exact, came up a couple times to see it, decided where to have a well dug, made arrangements for that to be done a couple weeks down the road, called the electric company and requested service there, sent a deposit to them to get that done. We got the 911 address established on the property, and all was going according to plan. When he first made the offer, he asked us if we wanted any money down or would we be willing to work on a handshake because "that was the way he'd always done things. He was from the old school where a man's handshake was as good as a contract and his word was his bond. As far as he was concerned, it was a done deal." Those were HIS words. So, being from the old school of honor and integrity himself, Bill agreed and they shook hands and that was that.
Anyway, the good doctor called Bill to tell him on Friday that he had the certified check and was ready to get this done, so plans were made to meet in Poteau Monday afternoon to file the Warranty Deed and transfer the funds. We got up Monday and were on our way to Smithville to sign and get the deed notorized when Bill's cell phone rang and it was the good doctor. Basically, he said, "I don't feel right about this so am going to have to back out of the deal." No real reason, no alternative requests, just backed out. We were, as you can imagine, it total shock and actually, STILL are in shock. We don't know why. We don't know what happened. We don't know what we did or didn't do to make this happen. All we do know is that the word and handshake of Dr. Robert N. Smith, Jr. of Cleburne, Texas is as worthless as a piece of used toilet tissue. We found out what big fools we were to trust someone because he was a doctor and was reputable and believable. I hope no one else ever gets stung by this sorry excuse for a reputable doctor, because the sickness in the pit of our stomachs is still there and still upsetting.
AND then to top it all off, we get a bill for $150.00 from the lawyer that HE wanted to go see to get an opinion of the transaction. Our only part in the matter was setting up the appointment for him as Bill knew the lawyer and had dealt with her before. SOOOOOO - we get the bill and we get the shaft!!!! Are we still a little bitter???????? NO, NOT AT ALL!!!!!
There, now aren't you glad that I re-did the blog? Don't imagine you really wanted to hear all this "blowing off steam" but if I could figure out a place to post a big notice to let people know what kind of a person the good doctor really is, I'd be sorely tempted to do it. Maybe someone else will avoid the turmoil that this has caused us.
AND, it's not that we really even want to sell the property - we just NEED to sell the property. Since the government so nicely decided against a cost of living raise for social security recipients for the next three years so that they can have the money to:
Now isn't that a piece of work. So, that's one reason we wanted to sell our property. But, perhaps it will have to be the house that goes. It's too big for two of us anyway, but we just love it so much. We built it and all this stuff that everyone keeps asking about is remembrances of family or friends who gave it to us. How do you throw that stuff in the trash or put it in a garage sale? I guess we're both just too sentimental for our own good.
OK, that's enough meandering for today. BUT, I'll be baaaaaack!!!!!!! :)
Joan
I've been on Facebook for over a year now. You can see the link to my profile page on the blog homepage. I enjoy Facebook immensely as I get to keep up with friends and people that I really wouldn't be in contact with at all if it wasn't for this avenue. I'm friends with cousins there whom I haven't seen since I left high school. And, that's a long, long, long time ago. :)
So, to do a little updating on where we are and what's going on. We thought we had our land sold where the barn is and the horses and the pond. A doctor from Cleburne, TX came up and made us an offer, and we decided to take it. Was time to let it go. Bill spent a couple weeks cleaning out the barn, the area around the barn, the little barn, hauling brush off, and generally policing the whole place. It really was looking good. The good doctor, Robert N. Smith, Jr. to be exact, came up a couple times to see it, decided where to have a well dug, made arrangements for that to be done a couple weeks down the road, called the electric company and requested service there, sent a deposit to them to get that done. We got the 911 address established on the property, and all was going according to plan. When he first made the offer, he asked us if we wanted any money down or would we be willing to work on a handshake because "that was the way he'd always done things. He was from the old school where a man's handshake was as good as a contract and his word was his bond. As far as he was concerned, it was a done deal." Those were HIS words. So, being from the old school of honor and integrity himself, Bill agreed and they shook hands and that was that.
Anyway, the good doctor called Bill to tell him on Friday that he had the certified check and was ready to get this done, so plans were made to meet in Poteau Monday afternoon to file the Warranty Deed and transfer the funds. We got up Monday and were on our way to Smithville to sign and get the deed notorized when Bill's cell phone rang and it was the good doctor. Basically, he said, "I don't feel right about this so am going to have to back out of the deal." No real reason, no alternative requests, just backed out. We were, as you can imagine, it total shock and actually, STILL are in shock. We don't know why. We don't know what happened. We don't know what we did or didn't do to make this happen. All we do know is that the word and handshake of Dr. Robert N. Smith, Jr. of Cleburne, Texas is as worthless as a piece of used toilet tissue. We found out what big fools we were to trust someone because he was a doctor and was reputable and believable. I hope no one else ever gets stung by this sorry excuse for a reputable doctor, because the sickness in the pit of our stomachs is still there and still upsetting.
AND then to top it all off, we get a bill for $150.00 from the lawyer that HE wanted to go see to get an opinion of the transaction. Our only part in the matter was setting up the appointment for him as Bill knew the lawyer and had dealt with her before. SOOOOOO - we get the bill and we get the shaft!!!! Are we still a little bitter???????? NO, NOT AT ALL!!!!!
There, now aren't you glad that I re-did the blog? Don't imagine you really wanted to hear all this "blowing off steam" but if I could figure out a place to post a big notice to let people know what kind of a person the good doctor really is, I'd be sorely tempted to do it. Maybe someone else will avoid the turmoil that this has caused us.
AND, it's not that we really even want to sell the property - we just NEED to sell the property. Since the government so nicely decided against a cost of living raise for social security recipients for the next three years so that they can have the money to:
|
Now isn't that a piece of work. So, that's one reason we wanted to sell our property. But, perhaps it will have to be the house that goes. It's too big for two of us anyway, but we just love it so much. We built it and all this stuff that everyone keeps asking about is remembrances of family or friends who gave it to us. How do you throw that stuff in the trash or put it in a garage sale? I guess we're both just too sentimental for our own good.
OK, that's enough meandering for today. BUT, I'll be baaaaaack!!!!!!! :)
Joan
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Memorial Day
Memorial Day has come and gone for this year. Lacie came up from Texas - complete with cast on her broken foot, crutches, and, of course, all the fixin's for SMores. That girl LOVES Smores. Too wet to have a fire outside so we just made 'em in the mic. They were so good and the chocolate gets all melty too when you do them that way. I even had some strawberry flavored marshmallows to try. Those are REALLY good in Smores.
We went on a fairly long trailride on Saturday. There were eight of us all together. 4 men and 4 women. We did Short Mountain and waded a couple creeks, one of them pretty deep. Bill was riding our new horse, Twister, and he's so short that Bill's feet got wet when we crossed. It was pretty exciting. I was truly hoping and praying that Blaze did not, at that very mement, want to lay down and roll in the water. He really likes to do that, however, not saddled up so far. But he didn't so I stayed pretty dry throughout.
It sprinkled on us bit but not bad and we stopped at a slab across one of the creeks to rest and eat a bite of lunch. The sun was cloud-covered for the whole ride, but that didn't keep me from getting nice and pink in spite of it all. But not burned. I was slathered with my trusty sunscreen, so at least this year I look like I actually go outside once in a while.
We got back home early afternoon, and just got the horses unloaded and the trailer pulled back into the barn when it poured down rain. I'm so glad we weren't out on the mountain when that hit. Riding home in wet jeans just is not my idea of a fun thing. But, all went well, no one got hurt, and the horses acted fine. It was a very nice ride. I'm ready to go on another one soon.
BUT, that's not to say that I wasn't sore as a risin' Sunday morning when I got out of bed. I guess I tried to sit way to straight in the saddle, because my back muscles and thigh muscles were killing me all day Sunday. By Monday I was doing better and I'm ready to go again now. But it's another rainy overcast day so guess we will wait for a better time.
Bill and Lacie spent all day Monday checking out horses for sale. She's ready to buy a replacemnt for Lady Jane to start working with. I think she's found one so we'll see how that all goes.
Not much else happening so will close for now.
Till next time,
JB
We went on a fairly long trailride on Saturday. There were eight of us all together. 4 men and 4 women. We did Short Mountain and waded a couple creeks, one of them pretty deep. Bill was riding our new horse, Twister, and he's so short that Bill's feet got wet when we crossed. It was pretty exciting. I was truly hoping and praying that Blaze did not, at that very mement, want to lay down and roll in the water. He really likes to do that, however, not saddled up so far. But he didn't so I stayed pretty dry throughout.It sprinkled on us bit but not bad and we stopped at a slab across one of the creeks to rest and eat a bite of lunch. The sun was cloud-covered for the whole ride, but that didn't keep me from getting nice and pink in spite of it all. But not burned. I was slathered with my trusty sunscreen, so at least this year I look like I actually go outside once in a while.
We got back home early afternoon, and just got the horses unloaded and the trailer pulled back into the barn when it poured down rain. I'm so glad we weren't out on the mountain when that hit. Riding home in wet jeans just is not my idea of a fun thing. But, all went well, no one got hurt, and the horses acted fine. It was a very nice ride. I'm ready to go on another one soon.
BUT, that's not to say that I wasn't sore as a risin' Sunday morning when I got out of bed. I guess I tried to sit way to straight in the saddle, because my back muscles and thigh muscles were killing me all day Sunday. By Monday I was doing better and I'm ready to go again now. But it's another rainy overcast day so guess we will wait for a better time.
Bill and Lacie spent all day Monday checking out horses for sale. She's ready to buy a replacemnt for Lady Jane to start working with. I think she's found one so we'll see how that all goes.
Not much else happening so will close for now.
Till next time,
JB
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