A Different Life II

[ColoradoLady]

Maggie, that will be quite lovely. Lucky recipients!
I agree, nothing so satisfying as a sparkling clean home! My cleaning ladies come every 2 weeks...do such a nice job. This is one really special thing I do for me!

Sorry we sent our blizzard to you! LOL! We have another due for Thanksgiving...low 5 in A.M., snow due overnight and through the day, high of 20's. Brrrrr! This is SUV COUNTRY...and I love my big Pathfinder. Deb is equally thrilled with the Murano I bought her a couple years ago. Good to know we can go when we need to.

Stay safe and warm! Evelyn.

[Lily&Me]

My Monday afternoon volunteer stint for hospice is going to be good for me. Nice people, nothing terribly challenging to do but I have had that in spades in my life....something productive, outside the house, is what I need.

Also gives me a reason to put on some nicer clothes, a bit of makeup. A good thing.

Lily finds this cold weather a bli too invigorating for my taste. She gets out the door and jumps and twists around at the end of her leash, like she is a young pup pulling a young woman...so excited to be out on her walk. I need to mind the snow and slush, she hasn't a clue I could go down on my bum, not as sure footed as she. Booger dog.

Doug would always hold my hand when we walked, and in bad weather I would take his arm. He was my rock, my steadying force. I miss him.


Maggie

[paiceman]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

My Monday afternoon volunteer stint for hospice is going to be good for me. Nice people, nothing terribly challenging to do but I have had that in spades in my life....something productive, outside the house, is what I need.

Also gives me a reason to put on some nicer clothes, a bit of makeup. A good thing.

Lily finds this cold weather a bli too invigorating for my taste. She gets out the door and jumps and twists around at the end of her leash, like she is a young pup pulling a young woman...so excited to be out on her walk. I need to mind the snow and slush, she hasn't a clue I could go down on my bum, not as sure footed as she. Booger dog.

Doug would always hold my hand when we walked, and in bad weather I would take his arm. He was my rock, my steadying force. I miss him.


Maggie

Maggie:

My wife and I are the same, especially with our young one Abby (who also became a Therapy dog last night by passing her test).

I bought a treadmill, they can be found on Craigslist very cheap as most become clothes hangers anyway. Then I trained our dog(s) to run on the treadmill. When weather is too bad or dangerous to risk an unnecessary fall I put them one at a time on for an hour at 3mph and I use the Elliptical next to them and we both watch TV. It's not hard to teach and once into it they consider it a job.

If you find a treadmill I can walk you through my process or any trainer should be able to get Lily comfortable in about 15 minutes, but I follow a process which seems to work as I've been successful with a number of dogs.

Bud

[Lily&Me]

That's a great idea, Bud, but I simply don't have anywhere to put an exercise machine. Small house, smaller RV.

Great idea, tho!

I have a good sized back yard she can run in, and she does do laps when she is feeling house-bound....a frisbee, stick, etc., also gets her going a bit.....tho she likes to play keep-away, rather than bring them back for me to throw them again. Booger dog.

If the surfaces are too slick, we simply don't go. Don't need any injuries, especially without my better half to take care of me.

I am still moving that outside wood pile, plus there is the frequent chore of bringing wood from the garage into the house....40-50 pound or so bags at a time have sure been good for my muscle mass, and my sleep at night....I drop like a stone and hardly wake til 7-8 hours later. I like that.

Most of the snow is melted, going to be in the 50's today and my yard guys are taking advantage of the break in the weather to come clear out my back yard and trim a couple of things for me.

The leaves will be a yucky mess, but they don't care. I'm going to rid out the garden, too, then everything will be neat and tidy back there.

I like neat and tidy.

Tomorrow I will get roll dough going and bake a pecan pie to take to my son's on Thursday. I enjoy being the guest these days, who brings a few things, rather than chief cook and bottle washer.

The furnace tune-up lady was here yesterday...yep, a woman, and she can do anything...and we were discussing pecan pie. Her sister makes hers with maple syrup. I discovered ribbon cane syrup several years ago, and use that instead of dark Karo, and it makes the most delicious, rich tasting pecan pie you have ever eaten.

My Looooziannna cookbook recipe I have used 20 or more years uses a stick of melted butter, eggs, and lots of pecans.

Once a year, what the h--l, right?


Maggie

[cwf]

My Maternal Grandmother, Jeanne gave this wonderful recipe for "PO-mans cake"...

I share this family recipe with my "Airstream family" so it keeps living...

[Lily&Me]

I love it! Looks yummy.

Thank you, Channing.


Maggie

[cwf]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

I love it! Looks yummy.

Thank you, Channing.


Maggie

You are welcome! My "Maw Maw" used a black pot which she preheated.. I bet the Dutch ovens you have would work fine!!! You may substitute your favorite nut if pecan ain't your thing...

[Lily&Me]

Might be a good item to make at a rally.

I've just thrown my hat in for Alumalina the end of March.

It will get me home late, around the 5th of April with taxes still needing to be done.....but there are already so many people signed up that I want to see, I just have to be there.

Looking at the location on the map, it is right on my way home, too, so that was a determining factor.

We have always tried to be home by the 1st of April, but a few extra days should still be doable, and will be so worth it.

Important not to be a slave to ones routine.

Doug and I were at the very first Alumalina....where we had rain, wind, and hail!...and were on our way there in 2014 when he died.

Lots of great people there. I am already looking forward to it, and the rally will top off my 2015, South Carolina winter........Charleston, Edisto and Alumalina......what's not to love?.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Pecan pie is baked and cooled, rolls just out of the oven. Off to my son's after a bit.

This time last year I was facing the first wave of holidays without my sweet hubbie. I am really glad to be beyond my "year of firsts", with a new routine from last year already becoming familiar this year. Life goes on.


I found this recipe last year, and used it again this year.....dinner rolls with Thanksgiving turkey, biscuits with Christmas ham, don'tcha know.

It is a delicious recipe, requires no kneading , and you can make them up the day before, refrigerate overnight, then pop in the oven in the morning for fresh rolls with dinner.

I haven't found a need to use a floured surface, which makes such a mess , just shape the dough out on a clean countertop and cut it with a wooden dough cutter. It doesn't stick.

She says to use a 9x13 pan, and I did that last year, but it is just too small for the amount of dough. This is a smaller sized cookie sheet, next year I will use the full sized one. You could also use three cake pans.

i rub a little oil on the top of the rolls before putting them in the frig overnight, then brush with butter after they are baked, as otherwise the butter wants to make the rolls get too dark.


Martha Stewart's No-Knead Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for pan and brushing
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for shaping dough

Directions

Pour warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast, and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add sugar, butter, eggs, and salt; whisk to combine. Add flour; (I whisk in the first couple of cups) mix until incorporated and a sticky dough forms. Brush top of dough with butter; cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface. With floured hands, roll dough into a thick log. Cut into 18 equal pieces (halve log, cut each half in thirds, then cut each piece into thirds again).

Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. One at a time, flatten each piece of dough, then fold edges toward the center, pressing to secure, until a smooth ball forms. Place dough balls in prepared baking pan, smooth side up (you should have 3 rows of 6). Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove plastic wrap; brush rolls with butter. Bake until golden and rolls sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 35 to 40 minutes (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly). Pull rolls apart, and serve warm.


Happy Thanksgiving!

Maggie

[DIR1]

Wow!! those look great Maggie!!... Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

[Paddledipper]

Happy Thanksgiving Maggie!

[Lily&Me]

A yummy, traditional Thanksgiving dinner, mostly prepared by son and DIL, and consumed with great relish by all.

My son's middle child, below, at age 10 has taken up the cello this year. His assignment for the holiday weekend was to give a concert for someone who did not live in his house. That would be me.

He is playing pretty well, for only a few months in, and the cello suits his rather cerebral little self.

Thanksgiving now over, and Christmas wish lists received from the grands, I have begun doing some shopping online. So simple and trouble free, from the comfort of my little house and favorite chair.

Cleaning carpet and tile tomorrow....good indoor tasks in cold and rainy weather, then everything will be shipshape for holiday company.

Nothing too exciting going on here.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

My sweet son in law in NYC went from Prompt Care to ER to an ICU admission yesterday.....a feeling of nausea and general unwellness over the past couple of weeks finally got bad enough for him to see a Doctor. Macho stuff, denial, whatever.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis....his first indication that he is diabetic. Stable and much better this am, he is lucky it wasn't worse. He drove himself to the Prompt Care yesterday afternoon, but could just as easily have lapsed into a coma somewhere, had a heart attack, or some other severe complication.

A strapping 6'4", late 30's, and the feeling of invincibility that we can be prone to at that age, his diet and lifestyle have issued a wake-up call.

Take care of me...or else.

They have been thru a lot these first couple of years of married life, but are strong, mature and responsible adults...and will get thru this, too.

When serious stressors occurred over our 27 years together....and there were a few ... Doug and I would look at each other and say "it's a test"....to see how much we can handle, do we really have what it takes, are we strong enough.....

We made ourselves look at these as occasions to rise to, a strength builder, something to survive rather than succumb to..... another piece of our master plan, a one-foot-ahead-of-the-other, do-your-part-in-this-piece-of-your-story event.

I am scheduled to visit them, and friends in NJ, leaving on Wednesday.

Good timing.


Maggie

[xrvr]

Have a safe trip. Slow and easy.

[Lily&Me]

Thanks. .

I am looking forward to a good visit with them all.

Shark Steam Pocket Mop and I have been cleaning the tile.

Next.....carpet!


Maggie

[ColoradoLady]

Maggie,
I hope your SIL mends quickly. WOW! First indication of diabetes is ketoacidosis? How lucky is he...that something worse did not happen to him! I hope he is one who can regiment his intake carefully...as you know, this will be necessary. I always taught my patients...."diabetes can be controlled....either you control it...or it WILL control you!" I wish him luck.
You are so right....stressors are great growth opportunities. Safe travels to NY. EVELYN.

[Lily&Me]

Thanks Evelyn.

I am exhausted from pushing that carpet cleaner ......but my carpet looks lovely.

I vacuum every other day, and a phenomenal amount of dog hair is still pulled up in that machine.

My little dog walker took Lily for a long walk today.....I did not have to.

A very sweet young lady, very reliable and responsible. She has been raised up right.

Going to have to do a little something for her for Christmas.


Maggie

[ColoradoLady]

Such a nice idea! I love giving Christmas presents! Evelyn.

[Lily&Me]

Shooting contagion still running amok. I am so sad for the state of the world these days.

I do wish the media would stop giving such all-inclusive coverage to the shooters. I don't believe these incidents are discouraged by plastering names and faces all over the news. There, I said it.


The physical struggle with the carpet cleaner is always worth the effort the next day, when I see my light colored carpet looking clean and fresh. Good exercise for me, as well.

I always put a dab of OxyClean dissolved in water in the wash water...any that then doesn't completely rinse out continues to clean and brighten as it dries to a fine powder....then to be vacuumed up. Takes out every discoloration, every time. Love my OxyClean.

Post Thanksgiving means time to put up holiday decorations, and get a fresh wreath for my door. Doug always got the wreath, always at the same place....and always with red ribbon and pine cones affixed. Looks so pretty on the door.

One more cleaning chore to be done, then my house is ready for company.

Doug's middle son called the other day, asking of Christmas plans, as his parents will be flying to California with a grandson to visit his parents and siblings.

He is welcome here for any and all of it, so waiting to hear what he can get off work. Nice.

I appreciate the efforts of Doug's kids to stay in touch....which effort I also make.

Relationships now of choice, and we are all better for them.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Cold and rainy today, but not freezing, and hopefully I will have no trouble flying out on Wednesday morning.

Got my hair trimmed this morning, and had a nice visit with my long time haircut lady....such a sweetie.

Mailed off a big box of hats to Dr. Culpepper....'tis hat making season, you know. Going to fill next a bag for the nice pastor whose outreach was the recipient of Doug's good clothes last summer.

I really liked this man, who just impressed me so thoroughly with the genuiness factor. Seemed to be a good man with a good heart, trying to give support and hope to men who are struggling. It takes a very positive and sincere person to do this effectively, and I feel he is one of those.

Picked out a beautiful wreath for my front door, and made a rare visit to a liquor store for some of this.....a new indulgence, this single serving, pink champagne by Sofia Coppola.

Found it by accident at a local grocer a couple of months ago....on sale, by the glass, sparkling, pink.....worth a try, right?

Really delicious, and a nice, once in awhile, change from my favorite Riesling.

Doug would look at it and say....pink?...really???.



Maggie