Will Willie sing for a plea??

I am sure by now you all know that I am a huge Willie Nelson fan.  I don't agree with his lifestyle, but hey, that is his business.  I got the biggest kick out of this article I saw in today’s paper.

Prosecutor wants Willie to sing for plea

 

Willie Nelson arrives at the Kennedy Center for the 12 Annual Mark Twain Prize, awarded to Bill Cosby, in Washington on October 26, 2009. UPI/Alexis C. Glenn 

EL PASO, Texas, March 30 (UPI) -- A Texas prosecutor has recommended singer Willie Nelson settle up a marijuana possession charge by pleading guilty and singing a song in court.
Nelson, 77, was arrested in November after Border Patrol officers allegedly found pot on his tour bus.
Although settling such petty cases is usually done by mail, E! News reported Tuesday Hudspeth County Attorney Kit Bramblett said he thinks Nelson should pay a fine and entertain the court by singing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" as a community service.
"You bet you’re a** I ain't gonna be mean to Willie Nelson," Bramblett told the Big Bend Sentinel newspaper
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Music/2011/03/30/Prosecutor-wants-Willie-to-sing-for-plea/UPI-16171301457660/#ixzz1I8kOqqnT

  Beth

Yay, another running day...

This life I am leading here is far different than it was in my old little town. There I went to the fitness center to workout 5 days a week and to the post office to check my mail every day. Once a week to Champaign to get groceries etc. No family within 100 miles in 2 different directions. Here I have family, lots of stores to choose from and many places to eat, plus a Kroger store. I love Kroger's, not quite as much as Meijer but close. I miss my home and friends and visiting the cemetery. I am hoping Marcia will go with me in May to put some flowers on Jim’s grave.

Today my daughter and I went to East Peoria to check the dollar stores. She is looking for some wooden spoon for a craft to use at church.

No luck finding the spoons, we stopped by Kohl's. Something about that store is magnetic. It just draws you inside and invites you to spend money. I bought a couple of things, some potting soil, etc.

Next on to my favorite eating spot, 8th Street Station aka Grumpy Pete’s where we had the buffet. Fried chicken, meat loaf, BBQ beef ribs, mashed potatoes and green beans plus the soup and salad bar.

Click on pictures to biggify.

By now I have missed Y & R so I am going to have to watch it on the DVR. The nice thing about the DVR is that you can fast forward through all commercials.

I am looking forward to a visit from my son on Saturday. I have to make lemon cream cheese bars on Friday which he always requests.

I am on my way to see what you all have been up to. I hope you have all been good. If not Santa won’t bring you anything.

 Beth

A note for my recipe blog followers…

I had to delete my recipe blog because of some major problems with it.  I have redone it and moved it to another spot.  If you would like to follow on this recipe blog my new address is http://msbethmariesrecipes.blogspot.com/

I hope you  will continue to follow me at my new blog.  Thank you so much and happy cooking.

It is an iffy day, chilly, 37 degrees and snow flurrying.  I have been out and about, to Wal*Mart, to pay my rent, Kroger and on to the bank.  I barely got home in time to watch Y&R and you all know that is one thing I hate to miss.  The show is bordering on the ridiculous right now but I think that is helping me to stay sane. 

I finally got everything all settled with the cable company.  I spoke to a very nice young lady and everything was settled in a gracious, courteous way.

Now I just need to get some energy to do the dishes and some dusting and vacuuming.  Will I, or won’t I??  That is the question.  Well, obviously I will clean up the dishes because I don’t like a messy kitchen.  I cleaned the dreaded bathroom yesterday so that is done for a few days.

So, I guess I had best get up off my rear end and get busy.  I hope you all are having a good Tuesday.  Say safe and be happy!

  Beth

Did you ever…

wonder why you can be yawning like crazy and your eyes won’t stay open?  Then you take yourself off to bed at your regular bedtime only to toss and turn for hours.  You suddenly have half a dozen arms and legs and they are all going in different directions.  This is happening to me a lot lately.  Once I get in bed my mind replays all of the worries in my little world then goes on to replay all of the worries in my big world.  Anyway, after a very restless night I am not feeling or looking great.  Needless to say I am having a bad hair day too.

The turkey loaf turned out to actually be very good.  At the last minute I added a teaspoon of dried onion flakes.  I am not a turkey fan.  Even at Thanksgiving I bypass the turkey and eat the stuffing and the other good stuff.  I am trying to eat healthier but my poor old body rejects that idea.    As for Mrs. Dash  in answer to a question from Nita, it is a blend of herbs and spices that is salt free.  I have used it for many years.

It is sunny and 23 degrees with the temp to reach the lower 40s today.  I can handle that as by Sunday it is to be in the 60s again.  My plan for today is to clean the bathroom thoroughly.  That seems a pretty good idea as I kind of feel like k*** right now. 

I hope you all have a great week.  Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

Will wonders never cease??

I was making a Kroger run this morning and I came to a 4-way stop sign.  I was there one second before a fuzz pulled up to the stop sign to my left.  Being an intelligent, knowledgeable person with a great respect for the law, I sat there waiting for the fuzz to go first.  Wonder of wonders, he waited for me to go forward.  With a feeling of apprehension I moved forward and the dear boy followed me all of the way to the Kroger store where he proceeded to go straight.  Whew!  I have lived in this city for a year now and I am still not sure what the speed limits are around town.  My daughter says 30 mph unless otherwise posted as some of the main thoroughfares are 35 mph.  In my previous big city, Champaign, the city streets unless posted were 25 mph.  The same in my little town I lived in before I moved here.  So to be on the safe side I split the difference and go 28 mph.  Is that you honking your horn behind me Twin?

Anyway, it is a fine day right now.  Bright sunshine and 28 degrees.  Snow is to come this week.  My WV sis said they got about 1 & 1/2 inches of snow last night.  I hope it all stays to the south of me.

I got some ground turkey at the store this morning and I am going to make a turkey loaf after a bit.  This is the recipe I have decided on.

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

Mix all ingredients together and put in a greased loaf pan.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. 

I will let you know tomorrow how it turns out. 

I hope you all are having a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!
  Beth

What happened to Spring??

It is cold outside!  37 degrees right now and windy with snow flurries.  What happened to the 60 and 70 degree temps we were enjoying last week?  Well, let it never be said that I let a chilly, breezy day keep me from going shopping.
 
First off to pick up my daughter then on to buy lotto tickets.  The Mega Millions jackpot right now is $312 million and the Powerball jackpot is at 125 million.  Then we went on to Sears to the final few days of the going out of business sale where I bought 3 pairs of shoes.  Next to McDonalds for a fish sandwich and a diet coke, then to Dollar General to pick up a few things, finishing up at the gas station to fill up the car.  Gas at most stations around town this morning is $3.65.9 a gallon.

By this time I have missed Y&R so I turn on the DVR to watch it.  Then this thought came into my mind to call ITV-3  to ask about their triple play pricing for cable, internet and telephone.  Wondering if by doing this I could finagle Comcast into giving me a better deal.  Turns out I can get exactly the same cable lineup, with DVR and unlimited phone for $45 per month less.  So now I have a bargaining chip to use with Comcast.  We will see if it does anything.    You know that old thing about not holding your breath?  Believe me, I am not holding my breath.

Miraculous day yesterday.  I was scheduled yesterday for a thyroid biopsy at a large hospital in Peoria.  Large enough that they have valet parking and trolleys inside the hospital.  Anyway back to the miracle.  I was on the table and in the gown awaiting the doctor.  I told the nurse that I had this same biopsy done in December of 2008.  My primary doctor’s nurse had copies of my previous ultrasounds but had not forwarded them on to the Doctor in Radiology.  Now getting back to the miracle.  The nurse told the doctor this and he came in and told me to wait a few minutes while he made a call.  He spoke to my doctor and found out that the nodule had not grown any in 2 years.  The doctor came back in and told me no biopsy was necessary, just to have another ultrasound in 1 year.  He told me to go home and enjoy myself and furthermore, there is no charge for today’s visit.  Then he went to the waiting room and spoke to my daughter.  This doctor whose name is Dr. Moresco has restored my faith in doctors.  I applaud him for his integrity.  I now have a new favorite doctor.  I asked him if I could use his name in my blog and he gave his permission. 

I think all of this activity this week has worn me out.  I plan to sleep in tomorrow morning.  I hope you all have a lovely weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

A bright star has gone to become a star in the sky…

I was extremely saddened this morning to read of the death of Elizabeth Taylor, one of my favorite actresses.  http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailymusto/2011/03/elizabeth_taylo_1.php

She was a classy lady who lived a troubled life, including 8 marriages, that is beyond my imagination.  Be that as it may, I admired her as much for her humanitarian work as I did for her acting.  Her work for the AIDS cause was remarkable.  May she rest in peace.

I survived the visit to the dermatologist yesterday.  Let me take this opportunity again to remind you all to use sun screen.  The sun on your unprotected skin is a killer.

I was up early this morning.  I have laundry to do, I have to stop by the pharmacy and I have to get my hair cut this afternoon.  It is a lovely morning, the birds are singing and the sun is shining.  Friday could be a different story with snow/rain.  But at least spring is here and that gladdens my heart.

I am home from the pharmacy, laundry is done and I am waiting for the trip to the beautician who has her work cut out for her.

Tomorrow is another doctor day which I happen to be getting tired of.

Best stop now while I am ahead.  You all stay safe and be happy.

  Beth

Hooray!! Spring is finally here…

Not many signs of spring around here yet.  I took this pic today of the hen and chickens that I carried from home when I moved.  They appear to have overwintered well.

You can see signs of grass and weeds underneath all of the oak leaves that ground maintenance did not clean up last fall.    I have seen robins and cardinals the last few days.  I love getting up in the morning and listening to the birds singing.  I miss my back porch in the spring.
I was out this morning to the store and to pay a bill.  Then my niece came over to have lunch with me and watch the one soap that I am hooked on.  That about sums my morning up.  Tomorrow is a doctor visit.
I spent half an hour on the phone with the cable company.  No fun, no luck.  LOL
I hope this is a good week for us all. Stay safe and be happy!!
  Beth

Spring has sprung!!

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung, the grass has ris’,
I wonder where the birdie is?

There he is up in the sky,
He dropped some whitewash in my eye!

I‘m alright, I won't cry,
I'm just glad that cows can't fly!

  Beth

The Lincoln Lawyer Review

Of course you all know by now that I am madly in love with Matthew McConaughey  since I saw him in ‘We Are Marshall.’  Today I went with my daughter to see ‘The Lincoln Lawyer.’  This is an excellent movie.  I give it 2 thumbs up and 4 stars.

The Lincoln Lawyer trailer...

It is a beautiful bright sunshiny day at 52 degrees.  The countdown to Spring right this very minute is 1 day, 5 hours, 53 minutes and 18 seconds.

I have the results from my ultrasound.  I have to go to the hospital one day next week to have a biopsy done.  I have had this particular biopsy done before and it is not pleasant at all.  I would even go so far as to say it hurts!  But then I am here to mention it and for that I am thankful.

Not much else to mention today.  I did want to get some cleaning done but I went to the movies instead.  100 years from now it won’t make much difference.  I hope you are all having a good weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!

  Beth

Sunshine and 64 degrees…

and the Irish half of me wants to wish you all a very happy St. Patrick’s Day.  Well, I guess the Dutch half of me wants to wish you a happy day too. 

I have been out gallivanting all morning.  First to pay my cable bill, then to Wal*mart  and finally stopping by Eighth Street Station, formerly known as Grumpy Pete’s for lunch.  Lots of good things to eat on the buffet today.  BBQ beef ribs, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, fried chicken, lasagna plus the salad bar and cream of chicken soup.  Of course I didn’t eat all of these things but I will say the ribs were luscious!!

It is a beautiful day today, 64 degrees and bright sunshine.  I went out without a jacket this morning for the first time in many months.  The countdown to Spring is 3 days, 6 hours, 52 minutes and 2 seconds as I am typing this.  I am in the mood to do more spring cleaning, but not today as I ate too much lunch. 

I still find it hard to believe I have been here a year.  My cable company is raising my Triple Play rates and I need to check into that.  I hate to change companies as it involves a bunch of kaka, otherwise known as crap, so I guess I will stick with Comcast but I am going to try and get the deal I was promised for my second year.  Whew, that was a long sentence.  The English professor in me tells me to go back and change it and the lazy part of me says to forget it as it is fine just as it is.

I hope you all have a peaceful day.  Stay safe and be happy.

  Beth

And the countdown to Spring…

is 4 days, 10 hours, 54 minutes and 9 seconds as I am typing this.  This is to be a beautiful almost Spring like  day topping out at a sunny 68 degrees.  If this happens it will be the warmest day so far this year.  Right now it is hovering at 32 degrees so I am impatiently waiting.  Not holding my breath, mind you, just waiting.

I think I have spring fever as I don’t want to do anything today.  It is just like I am in limbo, waiting for the other shoe to fall.  I just hope it doesn’t fall on top of my head.  I need to get up the energy to go to the store in a few minutes as I am out of some things.

My mind is filled with the terrible happenings in Japan.  So very heartbreaking.  My thoughts and prayers are with those affected.  So very sad!

Not much happening here in my little corner of America and for that I am thankful.  I survived the ultrasound as I knew I would and now I am waiting for the results. 

I am heading out for a little while.  I will catch you all when I get back.

  Beth

Scott Altman, Bronzed…

Scott Altman, a former NASA astronaut and Pekin native looks good in bronze.  http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1664570021/Altman-hopes-new-bust-inspires-next-generation

The Tazewell County Museum unveiled a bust of Altman Sunday afternoon.  Altman flew four space shuttle missions, logging more than 51 days in space, and was commander of the final two Hubble Space missions before leaving  NASA in 2010.  The bust was created by artist Morgan Elser from Delavan IL.  I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Altman’s mother at the cookie exchange I went to last December.  She is a lovely, gracious lady.

It is still a pretty dreary day at 34 degrees right now.  I am having difficulty getting used to the new time and I think some of the iPhones are too.  I read in the paper where some of the phones changed the time back an hour instead of forward an hour and people were late getting to church, etc.  I do hate the time change.  I say leave it one way or the other.

The Spring Countdown stands right this minute at 6 days, 9 hours, 17 minutes and 24 seconds. 

I hope you all are having a good start to the week.  Stay safe and be happy.

  Beth

Happenings…

Sunday morning has rolled around again.  It is a dreary, chilly day (27 degrees), but hey, as I am typing this it is only 7 days, 8 hours, 51 minutes and 2 seconds until Spring.

The wind on Friday and Saturday blew leaves up to my front door jam.  Maintenance did not clean up the leaves from the big oak tree in the fall and they have been a royal pain in the wazoo all winter long.  I will be making a call first thing tomorrow morning to complain.  I clean them up and they blow right back again.  Wednesday rant on Sunday.

I have been busy doing some more spring cleaning.  I stripped the bed in  the guest bedroom and washed, sheets, blanket and bedspread.  Room is ready for company now.

Tomorrow afternoon I have to go to the hospital for an ultrasound.  Then to the dermatologist next week.  It is a never ending cycle.  Let me stress again the dangers of being a sun worshiper. Too late for me now. 

I hope you all are having a great weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

Life Goes On

PIONEERS

Deep in the heart of every one,

There is a wide frontier,

A vast expanse to overcome,

Beset with toil and tear.

There is no smooth and easy path,

Each one must find their way,

And prove their merit traveling on

With Faith, from day to day.

~ Dovie A. Owens ~

 

Yesterday was not a good day,  Another blood test and a discussion with the doctor that I didn’t like.  Some days I feel way older than what I am.  But life goes on and we deal with it the best way that we can.

I met an interesting lady while I was sitting waiting to have the blood drawn.  She was a hoot to talk to.  She said she would be 89 on her birthday that is coming soon.  Man, she looked better than I do but then I was having an extremely trying morning.  She told me that her kids (that is what she called them, although I think they were almost as old as I am) took her car away from her last year and told her she couldn’t drive anymore.  She told me it broke her heart but she had figured out a way to get even.  She said that every appointment she has, no matter where it might be, that one of her kids has to take her.  She was laughing as she was saying this.  My daughter was sitting there smiling and this lady told her to pay attention and to remember that we all grow old if we are lucky enough.  Young people think that their parents will live forever.  Not so!  Appreciate your parents while they are here and help them whenever they need help.  You know what?  I would like to get up on the rooftops and shout that lady’s word at the top of my lungs hoping just one person would pay attention.  Not gonna happen!

This morning I have to go to the pharmacy and back by the grocery store.  I hope you all have a good weekend.

  Beth

Retro Post

8/10/2006
Hospital again...
Yesterday Jim started with nosebleeds and is back in the hospital again. His white count is down so they are giving him shots for that and a saline drip with potassium in it as his potassium is low. He felt really bad yesterday and this morning but this afternoon he was feeling better and insisted I come home to get some rest. He should get to come home tomorrow if his blood count starts to rise.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers.

And…

the countdown to Spring as I am typing this is 11 days, 8 hours, 58 minutes and 7 seconds.  But, who is counting?  Well I am as I am tired of snow, ice, rain and cold.  It poured rain here last night and this morning it is cloudy and drizzly at 45 degrees.

Yesterday my daughter  came over and helped me start some spring cleaning.  We took everything out of the utility room, mopped the floor and starting looking through containers to see what could be pitched.  I found Jim’s letter sweater from high school with letters for football, basketball, speech and band.  Also my wedding dress which looks a lot worse and a lot skinnier that it did the night I wore it.  Then I topped the scales at 100 lbs.  Anyway the utility room looks great now.  Needless to say the letter sweater and the dress were not pitched.  Also the hallway closet has been cleaned out too.  That takes care of the closets  except for the bedrooms.  More  spring cleaning to be done in a couple of weeks.

My son is coming to see me the first week in April and he has requested the lemon cream cheese bars.  I definitely know not to use fat free cream cheese again.

Tomorrow morning is my appointment with my doctor.  I will be glad to get that over and done with.  I think I will celebrate afterwards by splurging on something.  LOL  Maybe some new books for my Nook.  I have 46 books on there now.  About half of them are free books.  I even have the Bible downloaded to my Nook and I have started reading it again.  That is my credit charge each month, books for my Nook.  Hey Pen, I made a rhyme without even knowing it. 

I do need to get off here and get busy.  I need to figure out what is for lunch and supper.  I definitely do not eat right.  It is no fun cooking for one.  YES!!! I know what I am going to splurge on after my doctor visit.  Homemade mac and cheese baked in the oven.  You can’t get any better than that!!

You all be good.  Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

Move over Danica…

You have competition in the defensive driving arena.  I think I could probably beat you on an obstacle course filled with pot holes from my city.  It is quite a chore just to navigate around town.  I have gotten pretty good on my comfort zone routes at missing the pot holes.  I know turning into the Kroger parking lot there is  a gigantic hole on the right.  As you come out at the first stop sign is another gigantic hole on the left.  Forget missing the pot holes as you are going to the credit union.  The road is thick with them and it takes a lot of maneuvering to miss them all. 

Well, ‘enuff said about that.  It is Monday morning and time to start a brand new work week.  That is if you were still working which I am not as I have been retired for a  long time which is not all it is cracked up to be let me tell you.  Sometimes the days are very long, even though I am a lot busier than I was before I moved here…

I have a lot of things to do today that will keep me busy.  First by the rental office to sign a lease for another year.  I can’t believe another year has come and gone.  Then to mail some letters, then to pick up my daughter , then out to Menards to see if I can get some stand alone shelving for my utility room.  Then to the bank.  By that time it will probably be time for lunch and you know what that means.

COUNTDOWN TO SPRING as I am typing this is 13 days, 9 hours, 48 minutes and 30 seconds.  I am so longing for a sunny 70 degree day.

  Beth

Oh NO!

The day is over half done and I have done an extra good job of doing nothing much.  Today is my niece’s birthday and I had her over for cheeseburgers, chips and baked beans.  And, well, since there was a birthday involved that meant a birthday cake.  For Pete’s sake, no one should ever have a birthday without having a cake.  That meant yesterday I had to bake a birthday cake, an orange bundt cake (recipe on my recipe site) with butter cream frosting.  OK, so that wore me out yesterday.  I mean, I usually go to the store and just buy a cake, but I thought what the heck,  I will bake a cake.  Which I did, and it turned out to be very tasty indeed.  But that was yesterday and this is today.  So, my niece left to go home a few minutes ago.

Then the doing nothing started.  I stripped my bed and I have the washer and dryer both going now so I am doing nothing running back and forth to the laundry room.  Now I am back from taking a load of clothes from the dryer and putting another load in.  So much for doing nothing.  I am worn out from it.  I think I will quit doing nothing and rest awhile.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

Justice Samuel Alito, I applaud you!

My heart was heavy yesterday when I learned of the outcome of a Supreme Court case, a consideration of protests at military funerals.  The Court voted with an 8 – 1 decision which they said falls squarely on the First Amendment.  This means that anti-gay funeral protests will continue to be allowed.  This sickens me.  Our brave men and women in the military are fighting and dying on foreign soil to protect countries that don’t even want us there.  Fighting for us here at home, and yes to protect our freedom of speech, however I, for the life of, me can’t understand how the first amendment can allow protestors to picket at the funeral of a fallen soldier.  The Westboro Baptist Church evidently (my opinion) doesn’t have a Christian among their members!  Surely God is looking down on these protestors and shaking His head in sorrow.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************

I am just home from a fasting lab which required 4 tubes of blood.  My niece went with me and we went to Bob Evans afterward for breakfast.  Next Thursday is my doctor appointment for the results.  Not looking forward to that.

I need to go out and run some errands so I will catch you all later.  Stay safe and be happy!!

  Beth

Memories are made of this

Sweet, sweet memories you gave-a me
you can't beat the memories you gave-a me

Take one fresh and tender kiss
Add one stolen night of bliss
One girl, one boy
Some grief, some joy
Memories are made of this

Don't forget a small moonbeam
Fold it lightly with a dream
Your lips and mine
Two sips of wine
Memories are made of this

Then add the wedding bells
One house where lovers dwell
Three little kids for the flavor
Stir carefully through the days
See how the flavor stays
These are the dreams you will savor

With His blessings from above
Serve it generously with love
One man, one wife
One love through life
Memories are made of this
Memories are made of this

Songwriters: Richard Dehr, Frank Miller, Terry Gilkyson

Three years ago on Mother’s Day I put my mom’s maiden name in Google.  What a surprise to find a photo of my mom as a baby being held in the arms of my grandfather and grandmother.  A cousin had traced the roots on my mom’s side clear back to the early 1600s in the Netherlands.  You will find the picture on the left side of my blog.

Knowing hardly anything about what had happened to my dad’s side of the family I put my dad’s full name into Google a few days ago.  There on a genealogical site I found someone searching for information about my grandfather on dad’s side.  A few emails later I had some family pictures and some new cousins that I knew nothing about in South Central Missouri.  Rae and I have always said that if we could locate all of our cousins that we could all hold hands and stretch all of the way across Route 66.

The words to the song posted above don’t have much to do with my post.  I just like that song and I have it playing here on my blog.

The countdown to Spring as I am typing this is 19 days, 10 hours, 5 minutes and 35 seconds.

Time to go and fix breakfast.  I will catch you all later.

  Beth