Chilly Wednesday…

at only 38 degrees this morning to reach the mid 60s.  Still sunny though and altogether a very nice day in store.

I did it, I removed the flannel sheets from my bed this morning and exchanged them for the cooler sheets.  Note for my Twin’s Miss Katie, sorry, but I do still have a blanket on my bed and you and mom are welcome to visit.  Of course this means I am doing more laundry this morning.

I did finally get to the store yesterday afternoon.  What an awful mistake.  Kroger is undergoing all kinds of renovations which include not only remodeling the inside but tearing up part of the  parking lot with a bulldozer.  I had a terrible time parking and then getting out.  Every time I was trying to back out of my parking spot a workman’s truck would pull right up behind me and not budge.  It was a good thing I am a lady because I was tempted to give him a very nice salute!  And that is my Wednesday rant!!

So it is on with everyday chores.  Yesterday I made homemade beef vegetable soup.  I tried to keep it a small batch so I wouldn’t have any to put in the freezer as my peppermint is taking up space.

Have a sunny day!  Smile at all that you come in contact with today.  I saw that the lilac bush in the cemetery behind me has leafed out as have so many of the lovely trees there.  I shall have to walk over and take a peek.  God is good!

Love you all!!  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Hooray….

only 12 more days till Spring.  And we are to have a heat wave today.  It is  34 degrees right now to climb up to 46 degrees by afternoon.  I can live with that.

Yesterday was grocery shopping day.  My daughter went with me and we went to Kroger and Schnucks to shop the bargains.  I purchased strawberries and blueberries.  It is too early for the strawberries and they are tasteless.  I love the local strawberries in June.  I will freeze the blueberries  for blueberry muffins a bit later.  No good buys in the store this week.  I did find a bag of bananas for 99 cents.  All in good shape, just broken apart from the bunch but not overly ripe.  I will make banana bread tomorrow from my own recipe not Chef John’s.  My kids informed me that they like banana bread without chocolate chips in it. 

I have doctor appointments today, just a checkup to see how I am doing since my treatment.  I like both of these  doctors, both very nice and caring.

I have started spring cleaning in the kitchen.  The shelves are all cleaned out.  I probably should have waited on this until the cracks on the wall (caused by the tornado) are fixed. I did run out of shelf liners but it is all cleaned and a bunch of junk put in the garbage.  How do we accumulate so much stuff.  I have only been here 4 years and I couldn’t believe the stuff I was saving.

I am still working on cleaning out my CD collection.  I have donated to Goodwill and sent to some of my blogging friends and to my WV sis and her family and I still have several hundred.  Some I guess I can’t bear to part with.

Sharing another picture from home.

I don’t know what the name of this vine is.  The hummingbirds loved the flowers on this.  Jim and I would sit on the back porch and watch them.  Beautiful!

I need to close now.  I will be around to visit in a  little while.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

I have it…

my package that is.  It only took 9 days to deliver a priority mail package 500 miles??  Priority mail is called 3 – day Priority Mail.

Things are looking brighter on the countdown till Spring as it is only 49 days to go.  It is cloudy and 25 degrees this morning and  the wind is gusting at 28 miles an hour.  The forecast is for snow for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I am going out this morning to the post office (to mail a couple of packages with fingers crossed) to the bank, Kroger store and to pay my rent.  I have taken a picture of my kitchen window and I am taking that with me to have put in my folder at the rental office.  It is very cold, dark and depressing in my kitchen and I am intending to tell them that.  Not that it will make one bit of difference.  LOL

This is a short post as I have to go out and get my car warmed up so I can get moving.  I went to Food Depot yesterday morning and it  was filled with wall to wall people out shopping to beat the forecast. 

Have a peaceful day.  If you have snow and like it then I am happy for you.  If you are like me and getting very tired of snow and winter then get to the grocery store and stock up the first chance you get.

Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Thankful Thursday…

It has been quite awhile since I listed things I am thankful for.

1.  My faith…

2.  My family…

3.  My friends, including my blogging family…

4.  And last, but not least, I was able to get out of bed this morning.

I really am thankful for so many things.  Each time I pick up a book I am thankful for my sight as reading is such a joy for me.    I am thankful for my WV  sister who calls me 2 or 3 times a day just to make sure I am still living.  There is no other living person that worries so about my well being.  I am thankful for my daughter who goes with me to all of my out of town doctor appointments; and for my son who checks in with me every 3rd day just to make sure that mom is among the living.  And oh, so many more things to be thankful for.  I think you all know what I mean.

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I have been out early this morning, to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription and to Kroger to get some groceries. 

It is a damp chilly morning at 31 degrees with more rain forecast for later today.

My furnace thermostat is flashing the numbers this morning.  I am waiting now for maintenance to come and change the battery.

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

Beth

I need…

a flu shot and a whooping cough shot I overheard a young man say as I was paying for prescriptions in the pharmacy this morning.  The technician told him that they wouldn’t have flu shots in till this afternoon as they had run out of them.  He could have the whooping cough shot this morning or he could wait until this afternoon and get both at the same time.  This guy was desperate to get those shots.  While I was in the pharmacy I heard the technician tell someone on the phone  that the flu shots would be in this afternoon.  I didn’t realize, but is whooping cough making a comeback too?  Rather frightening.  I always get my flu shot in September around my birthday.  The hospital beds are full and there has been a no visitor ban placed on the local hospitals. 

And then, you guessed it, I had to stop by Kroger on the way home as I forgot to get bananas yesterday.  With the bad weather  scheduled I didn’t want to run out.  Of course I didn’t get just bananas, I got a few other things too.  What can I say?  I have no willpower.

I have changed bedding and done 2 loads of laundry this morning.  I think I am through working for today.  I have a pot of ham and beans on cooking and I will fix some cornbread to go with it.  Then I am settling down with a good book.

I hope this is a good day for us all.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Diet Day…

Nothing for me today but Jell-O and broth in preparation for my test tomorrow.  I have orange Jell-O which is all I had on had on hand.  Now, I am not a lover of Jell-O.  My mom used to make the stuff and she would put bananas and marshmallows in it, sometimes drained fruit cocktail.  I was about 6 or 7 when I barfed after eating it.  From then on it was not a favorite of mine.  Jim loved it so I fixed it for him.  I can tolerate it if it is doctored up with good stuff.  Plain, like today, yuck!

I have been to Kroger this morning.  Mostly to get out of the house.  I did purchase Janet Evanovich’s latest book and that old staple that we all can’t live without, TP.  I am old enough to remember outdoor potty houses, just barely, but I can remember them.

On the way home from the store I had a red SUV on my tail all of the way.  The speed limit in town is 30 MPH which is what I was doing.  Followed me all of the way till I was almost home and then he turned.  I say he because I didn’t get a good look at his face and of course we all know that men are the tailgaters instead of women.  lol

It is a beautiful morning, sunny and a bit cooler.  Just a great day to be alive and believe me I have already thanked God for that.

Have a wonderful week.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

50% chance fizzled…

out.

fizzles3rd person singular present, plural of fiz·zle

Verb:

End or fail in a weak or disappointing way: "their revolt fizzled out".

Noun:

A failure.

We didn’t get one drop of rain here.  Some places around here got a few drops but nothing to speak of.  Our grass is the color of wheat now.

*****

Have you ever noticed that a complete stranger will stop you and tell you their problems??  In the Kroger store this morning I noticed one of the lady workers pushing a lift with a heavy cart on it.  I said hi and I bet that was a good workout for her figure.  She stopped pushing and told me about her trips to the doctor and that it was discovered that she had bone spurs in both knees.  I listened patiently because I know how painful bone spurs are.  I have them in my neck, back and both ankles.  I didn’t tell her my sad story, I just told her that I was so sorry.  It really is easier to tell a total stranger things that you don’t discuss even with your family.

And on the way to the store I had 3 cars pull out right in front of me from stop signs and 2 that pulled out in front of me on the way home.   The street I was on is all through traffic.  The thought does cross my mind to speed up a little bit and give them a scare.  That is dangerous so I never do.  The thought is there however.

I have a whole chicken cooking so that I will have something healthy to eat this week.

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

Beth

Suddenly it’s Saturday…

Busy week for me what with cleaning and garage sales.  This morning I started out to Kroger and couldn’t resist the temptation to go down 11th Street and check out the sale where the books were.  Yes, I did, I bought some more books.  I think the find of the day was a hardback by Michael Connelly that contained all 3 books in the Harry Bosch series.   Only a quarter!  I was told I could come back at 10 and everything would be half price.  Nope, had to say enough is enough!  lol

I did make my way on to Kroger and I have the chicken cooking now for the noodles.  I also bought strawberries and red grapes.  I intend to have some strawberry shortcake with my meal.  I was going to buy some of the red cherries that were on sale but there were none in the store.  Anyway, I am cooking today and will have a decent meal for a change.

It is sunny and going to be very hot and humid here today, up to the low 90s.  That is getting into the kind of Illinois weather that I don’t like.

This post is short as I have to get back to the kitchen.  I hope you all are having a great day.  Stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Pouring down rain…

at 37 degrees which makes for a chilly outing.  Only 25 days left on the countdown to Spring.  It is not going to be spring like at all today as the temps are to fall all afternoon and the rain is to change to snow.

I have been to Kroger with my daughter this morning to shop.  I don’t know if you get the Kroger ad in your part of the country that promises that you won’t have to wait in line.  HA!!!!  This is a large store.  There was one checker on 15 items or less and one regular checker plus a lot of the check yourself lines were open.   I don’t like the check yourself lines.  I think it is just another way for a job to be lost.  To make a long story short, the wait in line did not match the promise of a speedy checkout that is touted in the TV ad.

I have mentioned dozens of times in my blogs that I am a people watcher.  I don’t mean that in a derogatory fashion at all.  I try to smile and say hi each time someone tries to run me over with a cart.  I never get defensive at all.  I just say ‘pardon you’ and give them a big smile.  All of that nonsense put aside, I saw two sailors in full dress uniform in the store today.  Awesome!  Age range, 18 to early 20s.  The mother in me wanted to hug the both of them, say thank you, and ask if I could take their pic for my blog.  Darned if they weren’t moving so fast I lost them in the crowd.  Maybe next time.

I did get out to Bergner’s yesterday.  I got the shoes.  There were lots of good buys in the men’s department and I did think about starting Christmas shopping early but I decided against it.  Men’s $60-$70 dollar shirts at a good reduced price and then take off 85% and the price was amazing.

My shoes and 3 guesses as to who is in the pic sitting there.

I am running way late so I think I will close and start thinking about what to have for lunch.

You all stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Just call me…

sweetheart.  This was a new one for me.  When the receptionist called me from the dentist office yesterday to remind me of my appointment she ended the call with ‘thank you sweetheart.’  I wasn’t quick enough on the draw to say ‘you’re welcome sweetheart’ like Nancy suggested I do. 

Actually yesterday during my stress test I finally decided that I like Dr. G. after all.  I realize that he has my best interest at heart and that is the most important thing.

I had to stop for a minute and get my clothes out of the dryer.

My daughter stopped by on her way to work this morning and cleaned the snow off my car.  No snow on the ground this morning, just on my car.  The next thing on my agenda is the trip to the dentist.  I will finish this post when I get back.

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I am home from the dentist with my teeth cleaned and x-rays taken.  All is well with that part of my life.  Since the dentist’s office is directly across the street from Kroger of course you know I had to go to the store where I bought a couple of necessary things plus a cherry pie and ice cream which were totally unnecessary.  I am hoping my daughter will stop by for her lunch hour.  Cherry pie happens to be her favorite.  My favorite pie is lemon meringue or banana cream pie with meringue.  Recipes on my recipe space for all 3 pies.  Stop on by, I am fixing fish sandwiches to go with the pie and ice cream.  You are welcome too RB.

It is a bright sunshiny chilly day on this 41st day on the Countdown to Spring,

All for now.  I hope you are all having a great day.  It is important that you stay safe and be happy!!

Beth

Glorious Day!

I feel good today and this is the first day I have felt good in weeks.  Thank you God!!

I have been out and about this morning.  I stopped by Food Depot which is a supermarket that has name brand food plus the County Market  brand at really low prices.  Today I got some really good bargains.  The most impressive ones being Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (fat free) for 25 cents a can, Pillsbury family size brownie mix for 88 cents and a 5 lb. bag of flour for 89 cents.  I had my cart full and the total price was $19.71.  Then on to Kroger where I bought the necessities.  Kroger is my favorite store even though they are a bit expensive.

Yesterday afternoon the urge came on me to try something different.  I roughly crushed peppermint sticks and decided to make peppermint cookies.  I made up the recipe and they turned out to be delicious.  I was just thinking what I usually use to start a cookie recipe.  Most cookie recipes start basically the same.  One thing I did differently was to use all powdered sugar (sifted) in place of regular sugar.  I think an addition of crushed walnuts or pecans would have been nice and a bit of white frosting topped with a miniature cane would make them look festive.   Now to try them on my official taste testers, my daughter and son in law.  If they like them I will put the recipe on my recipe space.

 

 

It is getting time to think about lunch,  the cleaning will wait until tomorrow.  You all stay safe and be happy.

Beth

Use it or lose it…

Now how many times have I heard that phrase since I have been in my (shall we say) golden years?  Rae (my sis) and I have discussed it many times on the phone.  We have come to the conclusion that it is an accurate phrase.  You can put your own meaning on this phrase.  If you are young, of course you can think of all kinds of meanings.  If you are a senior it means use your brain and exercise your body as well as your mind.  If you sit down in the recliner or plunk your bottom end down on the sofa will you get up again?  Or will you just sit there and grow older letting body and mind atrophy?  I choose not to do that.  So even on days when it feels better just sitting down I force myself to get up and go.

With that thought in mind I finished the cleaning.  Sitting down every few minutes to rest my back.  Back surgery in 2000 did not cure my problems.  I would advise anyone with back problems to make surgery your very last option.

My SIL’s brother’s wife Val, brought more of those lovely big tomatoes in for me to share.  They are gorgeous and each tomato is huge and juicy.  THANKS!!!! to Tim and Val!  I have pulled my potted tomato plants as the hail storm killed them so I really appreciate the tomatoes from them.

I have to make a Kroger run this morning as soon as I have breakfast.  They are having the buy 10 at a reduced price and get $5 off your order.  I love that sale that they have quite often.  It is when I get stocked up and believe me, you had all better get stocked up because groceries are going sky high.  The drought in many of the states  will cause that.

If you notice the photo to the right of the post, it is my daughter on her first birthday chowing down on birthday cake.  And if you can’t see it clear enough I will post it here and you can click on it to enlarge it.

Remember, if you can, get up out of that chair and go somewhere.  Smile at everyone you meet and say hi.  Betcha get a smile or two in return.  Stay safe and be happy.

  Beth

My Kroger store…robbed

GateHouse News Service

Posted Jul 26, 2011 @ 09:55 AM

 

PEKIN —

Two employees chased a man from the Kroger grocery store he had just robbed Sunday, but stopped when he paused, turned and aimed a handgun at them.

No one was injured, but the robber escaped and was still being sought Monday afternoon, as police reviewed security camera video and other evidence the thief left behind, said Pekin Police Detective Don Jolly.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m. the man entered the store at 1607 Broadway St. and asked one of the checkout clerks if she would exchange some dollar bills he had for change, Jolly said. When the clerk opened the register, the man handed her a note, stating, “This is a robbery and he had a gun,” Jolly said. Without displaying the weapon, the man grabbed an undetermined amount of cash from the register and ran from the store.

Two employees gave chase, but the robber disappeared after he froze them by pointing his handgun, Jolly said.

He was described as white, about 6 feet tall and wearing a dark hat with an emblem and dark short-sleeved shirt, shorts and shoes.

Copyright 2011 pjstar.com. Some rights reserved

This happened Sunday afternoon.  I do my grocery shopping  in the morning.  Needless to say this bothered me a bit.  I have been shopping there for over a year now since I moved here. 

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I woke up this morning to severe thunderstorms.  My beautiful tomato plants were knocked over and some of the tomatoes knocked off.  I haven’t been able to get out and take care of the plants because of the rain.  It is still back as pitch out right now.  The best thing about this is the temporary relief from the heat.  I was listening to the weather on my weather scanner this morning and this heat is forecast to last through all of next week too…  Clear into August where we have the dog days of summer.

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

  Beth

What can I say…

except it is hotter than blue blazes here, however hot that is.  It never cooled down all night and the AC ran non stop.  Yesterday the temp got up to 96 with the heat index of 107.  Now that is too dang hot for this old gal.

I am just home from the Kroger store buying the necessities needed for a hot day, such as ice cream and stuff for sandwiches.

Yesterday morning early I went out to Staples and purchased the scanner that I thought I couldn’t live without.  So far I like it.  I had forgotten how easy it is to scan something without having to pull out the printer drawer.  I scanned quite a few pics in and I am quite pleased with the results.  Below is a pic taken when my daughter was senior in high school and my son was a freshman.  Already you can see at 5’ 4 & 1/2 in I am the shorty in the bunch.  My son made it to 5’ 11 in and my daughter to 5’ 6.  Me, I remained the same height, just growing in a different direction. 

Click to make larger.  You know what, those were the good old days.

I have watered the tomatoes and talked lovingly to them this morning, promising them if they will get ripe for me that I will be happy to share them with bread, mayo and bacon.  I think they are responding as there are lots of new blooms on the plants.

I guess you can tell that I have nothing much important to say today.  Do be mindful of the heat if you are living in a state where you are affected.  You be careful Twin!!

  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

75 Glorious beautiful degrees…

this Thursday.  I am thoroughly enjoying the last few days we have had this week. It is a good thing too because the 90 degree weather is back for the weekend.

I have been to have my hair cut, then grocery shop at Kroger, then Marcia and I went out for lunch. It is just wonderful to be out in the sunshine when the weather is like this.

It is expensive being close to a major grocery store as every time I am bored I get in the car and head out to grocery shop.  My freezer is full and the cupboard is full and I rarely cook.  I stocked up today on Lean Cuisine at $2 each, buy 4 and get one free.  I do cook either on Saturday or  Sunday.  My daughter and son in law stop by to eat with me a lot after church and this gives me a reason to cook.  Otherwise that is really the only decent meal I eat each week other than when I eat out.

I have noticed the geese do not like to graze (is that what you call it?) after the grass is mowed and it takes them a few days to come back afterwards.  They are really packing on the pounds, in preparation for winter I guess.

Finally Comcast is getting some competition here in town.  iTV3 is starting here.  I have checked them out online and a representative came to the door the other day.  I am not overly fond of Comcast because when one thing goes out they all seem to go out.  It takes forever and a hundred years to get help when you call them and then you spend half an hour  poking this and that in the modem.  Very disgusting.  Comcast does have one thing I like though, when you have the TV on and the phone rings, the telephone number and caller ID scroll across the bottom of the TV screen.

I am not in the mood to do housework.  I have had my 30 minute workout this morning plus a nice long walk.  I always park in the boonies when I go somewhere so that gives me a reason to walk.  When Jim was alive we had to park in the handicap parking because he was unable to walk but a short distance.

I hope the weekend to come is a good one for us all.  Get out and enjoy the fact that you are alive and the air that you breathe is free and you are able to speak your thoughts without fear of censorship.  Man, I love the USA  and I am so proud to be an American!

Beth