Finally finally finally I made a pot of chicken noodle soup tonight. I have only been planning to do this for a week now. Honestly, I amaze myself at how I can avoid doing some of the most simple things. It took me 12 minutes to throw all the ingredients into a pot and set it to cooking. I forgot the bay leaf, (I just thought of that now) but really how simple is that. Carrots, celery, onion, chicken, broth and noodles. Throw in some spices and let it cook. Hearty, yummy, and the perfect thing to eat on a snowy winter's night. It will be wonderful to have it to take to work tomorrow for lunch, once the flavours have melded and mingled and deepened and become richer. I need to adjust this thinking of mine that what really only takes a few minutes is a big deal. Work, overwhelming, too much, whatever it is I get stuck into my head. I need to focus on what the rewards are and how little time it really does take.
Panic and gratitude hit me this afternoon. Once again I am grateful for my DVR and that function where you set up the taping of a series. I totally forgot Downton Abbey on Sunday, and today when I remembered I promptly had a panic because I thought I would have missed it. Ha!Ha! I, thankfully, had set up a series recording and I will be able to see it. How I managed to forget that it was on I have no idea. I love that series.
Not much else happening here. I spend my days at work, wishing I could be home, full of plans to purge and clean and organize. It is a new year and I like many others am seized with the need to clean. Then I get home and all I want is to sit and knit or nap on the couch. What is up with this I have no idea but its annoying. I will however get started on the weekend. I want to move the living room area rug and that means moving furniture. Might as well do a good clean while things are moved about. I want to shift the loom to a new spot in the house as well. Its not where I want it to be but its a more sensible spot to have it. I will post pictures as I work my way through it.
I also plan to start a quilt this weekend. I owe on to the Church at home and I should make another to donate to them again this year. Winter is most condusive to quilting and knitting. Warm and cozy things to combat the cold chilly winds of winter. I think I have found a couple of patterns that I want to try out. One for sure. I am on the fence about the other and may keep looking until I find that one that sings my name.
Toodles,
Linda
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Sunday Catch Up
Cold, quiet day here at the homestead. Did the usual Sunday morning things, slept late, made breakfast, then sort of got ready to face the day.I finally finished the great Christmas Clean Up. Well almost, I have to make a trip to the basement with the trees and the outside stuff but I am going to do that later when my knee is done getting better. Its vastly improved now but it still needs a tad more time to be back to normal. Since a trip to my basement is a bit of an adventure, I need all my leg strength.
This afternoon E and I went to see Lincoln. I liked it. I had a hard time following who was who and who was on side and who was not but on the whole I liked it. Daniel Day Lewis did such a good job, you would forget who he was at times. He reminds me of Meryl Streep with his ability to totally become the character. E thought Sally Field was not right for her part but I thought she was just fine. She cries so well.
Some of my afternoon was spent watching The Last Time I Saw Paris, with Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson. I love old movies and thanks to my DVR I will get to actually see the end. I had to leave to pick up E before the movie actually ended and its been so long since I saw it I forget the actual ending. I worked away on my scarf project, sipped tea and watched the movie. A perfect afternoon in my eyes.
Now I am home again. I should actually do the dishes and get the kitchen set to rights but I am not feeling like it. I can do that tomorrow night. Tonight I will flip through some magazines and keep one eye on the Goldon Globes. I usually only ever watch the Academy Awards but there really is not much on TV tonight.
I hope everyone had a lovely weekend.
Toodles,
Linda
This afternoon E and I went to see Lincoln. I liked it. I had a hard time following who was who and who was on side and who was not but on the whole I liked it. Daniel Day Lewis did such a good job, you would forget who he was at times. He reminds me of Meryl Streep with his ability to totally become the character. E thought Sally Field was not right for her part but I thought she was just fine. She cries so well.
Some of my afternoon was spent watching The Last Time I Saw Paris, with Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson. I love old movies and thanks to my DVR I will get to actually see the end. I had to leave to pick up E before the movie actually ended and its been so long since I saw it I forget the actual ending. I worked away on my scarf project, sipped tea and watched the movie. A perfect afternoon in my eyes.
Now I am home again. I should actually do the dishes and get the kitchen set to rights but I am not feeling like it. I can do that tomorrow night. Tonight I will flip through some magazines and keep one eye on the Goldon Globes. I usually only ever watch the Academy Awards but there really is not much on TV tonight.
I hope everyone had a lovely weekend.
Toodles,
Linda
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Saturday Stuff
Funny how a cup of tea and three coconut cookies (gluten free!!) can make you feel so much better when you are tired. I do love a cup of tea when I am feeling weary. This is a good kind of tired because after battling all afternoon long, Christmas it almost completely put away. I have one little tree to deal with and then the garland and a wreath on the front of the house has to come down and I am finished. Happy Drunken Monkey Dance of Joy. All the pretty seasonal things are back in their place for one more year. Its a lot more fun to get out than it is to put away in my opinion. Its good to have it done and it was time for it to go. The house looks roomier. I was ready to do it this week but I had to wait until to day because of my stupid knee. Tomorrow I will finish it completely.
There you have it, that has been my Saturday so far, groceries and errands this morning. Snow shoveling and then Christmas clean up this afternoon. Now its supper time and I am done in. My knee has held up very well today, I have not had to take any pain killers but I am more than ready to rest it for the remainder of the day as I spend the evening knitting in front of the television. Speaking of knitting I am on scarf number 4 of the 27 I plan to knit this year. Happy with that, I am!!
Even though I feel revived a bit after my tea break, I still am trying to work up the energy to go peel some potatoes. I had breakfast this morning, then my tea and nothing else. I am starting to think I need to rustle up some supper. Have I mentioned I plan to work on my cooking skills this year?? Well I am but I am thinking maybe not today. Boiled potatoes and some leftovers will more than do for my supper.
So that is what I have been up to. Its been a good day. A friend dropped by this afternoon and I did a little favour for her. She brought me a book and I nearly peed my pants I was so happy.
Do my friends know the way to my heard to what?? A book about my all time favourite book and movie. It is a win, win, win all round.
Have I ever mentioned how blessed I am with really really really good friends who are so over the top good to me. I am over and over again, each and every day reminded of this fact. The watch over me, make sure I am ok, call to check in when I am not well and when I am. I am grateful for each and every one of them. They make my life so much richer.
Ok potatoes will not peel them selves, nor can I do it with the power of my mind. I have been trying so I think I may just have to get up and actually go into the kitchen and peel some myself. I wonder if I could talk the cat into trying it out?????????????????
Toodles,
Linda
There you have it, that has been my Saturday so far, groceries and errands this morning. Snow shoveling and then Christmas clean up this afternoon. Now its supper time and I am done in. My knee has held up very well today, I have not had to take any pain killers but I am more than ready to rest it for the remainder of the day as I spend the evening knitting in front of the television. Speaking of knitting I am on scarf number 4 of the 27 I plan to knit this year. Happy with that, I am!!
Even though I feel revived a bit after my tea break, I still am trying to work up the energy to go peel some potatoes. I had breakfast this morning, then my tea and nothing else. I am starting to think I need to rustle up some supper. Have I mentioned I plan to work on my cooking skills this year?? Well I am but I am thinking maybe not today. Boiled potatoes and some leftovers will more than do for my supper.
So that is what I have been up to. Its been a good day. A friend dropped by this afternoon and I did a little favour for her. She brought me a book and I nearly peed my pants I was so happy.
Do my friends know the way to my heard to what?? A book about my all time favourite book and movie. It is a win, win, win all round.
Have I ever mentioned how blessed I am with really really really good friends who are so over the top good to me. I am over and over again, each and every day reminded of this fact. The watch over me, make sure I am ok, call to check in when I am not well and when I am. I am grateful for each and every one of them. They make my life so much richer.
Ok potatoes will not peel them selves, nor can I do it with the power of my mind. I have been trying so I think I may just have to get up and actually go into the kitchen and peel some myself. I wonder if I could talk the cat into trying it out?????????????????
Toodles,
Linda
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
On the Mend
Well my poor old abused knee is slowly getting better. I managed to stand and wash a sink full of dishes the other day and last night and this morning I can sit at the computer with my knee bent a little for a longer period of time. Its all good, its slow but its good. I can hobble about the house with out the cane today so I am definitely on the road to recovery. I detest being anything less than capable of doing for myself. It makes me cranky. I plan to go back to work tomorrow. I think I can get around enough and sit at the desk comfortably enough that I can do it. Besides if I stay home much longer I will need a doctor's note and I don't want to go to the doctor. He will tell me I'm fat, (like I don't know that) and he will then tell me to stay off it as much as possible and take Advil. I can and am doing that already.
So I am staying home today, babying my poor abused appendage and watching way too much daytime television. I will be so glad when this knee heals and I can get around again without having to think of every step.
Toodles,
Linda
So I am staying home today, babying my poor abused appendage and watching way too much daytime television. I will be so glad when this knee heals and I can get around again without having to think of every step.
Toodles,
Linda
Monday, 7 January 2013
Snap, Crackle, Pop goes the Knee
Short post to day because I cannot sit at the computer very long. Why is that? Well I am at home right now, but sadly I am not happy about it. I snapped a tendon in my knee today going up the stairs to work and it hurts like hell and I am cranky and I want it fixed this instant. There is no instant fix. Crap Crap Crapity Crap.
So I am staying off it as much as I can and it will get better eventually. Patience is not my strong suit. I am not good at being out of commission.
Toodles,
Linda
So I am staying off it as much as I can and it will get better eventually. Patience is not my strong suit. I am not good at being out of commission.
Toodles,
Linda
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Another Week Slipped By
It has been a while since I sat down to do a blog post. This last week was the funniest of weeks, it dragged on and on with leaden feet in some aspects and in others it was gone in a blink. I am blaming the fact that New Year was on Tuesday and got everything into a muddle.
So the work week lasted about a million days but the free time zipped by with lightening speed. Whatever was happening I did not do any blogging. Go Me!! I need to get myself back on schedule. New Year, new start and all that.
My Christmas decorations are still out and about. They will be put back into their summer homes starting this week. While I hate to see them go away, it will be nice to have the place back to normal. More room, less clutter, and as with most everyone else the urge to clean, purge, tidy and organize comes along with the putting away of Christmas. The cleaning, purging,etc will start this week as well.
At work this has been a week of goodbyes. Two of our staff are retiring so there where hugs, tears and farewells. We had a little coffee do for one of our men who is leaving, we are taking him out for a proper farewell this coming week at a pub, so there will be booze but the coffee party in the office was a bonus. Snacks are welcomed on these occasions and in that aspect, I stepped out of my comfort zone. I am an passable cook/baker but I am not usually confidant enough to try a new recipe and take it out in public without having done a taste test at home. This week I stepped outside my comfort zone. I had read on another blog, mockingbirdhillcottage.com, about a coffee cake the author makes each Christmas. It sounded and looked so yummy I decided to give it a try. (Having all the ingredients on hand was another plus). I will confess I used pecans instead of walnuts but is came out looking pretty good I thought.
I mean something that looks this tasty could not possibly be bad, off to work it went with me. I am very happy to say it was a hit. I came home with a couple of crumbs on a plate, a head full of compliments and several recipe requests. That to me is a hit. I am definitely moving this recipe into my "make it again" file. Thank you Claudia, even though you have no idea who I am.
The Nurse was here for part of the weekend. The Entertainer did not come with her, she opted to stay home with Grandma and Grandpa so Mommy got some alone time. The Nurse spent her time of Friday visiting with other friends and caught up to me for coffee with the No Cook Friday group. Saturday we spent the most of it shopping, just one small break to take in Les Miserables. After supper she scooted off home to her girl and I retired to my knitting and the television. I am always glad to see her, I have known her since she was 3 or 4 years old, so I am tickled she makes a point of visiting with me.
Today was a super lazy day for me. I did not even get to breakfast until close to noon. I finally got dressed around 1:00 and then did some sewing. I finally made a cover for my beloved Kitchen Aid Mixer. In my small house space is at a premium and the only place I can keep my baby is beside the stove.
Isn't she pretty???? I love this mixer, it tickles me to no end that I finally got one and I want to look after it as best I can. Sitting by the stove gets it all mucky. Today I made this:
This will keep the greasy splats off of my baby and I can throw it in the wash when it needs it. I have had the material for ages and finally, today. got my self round to sewing it up.
I also purchased for myself this jolly little fellow when I was out and about this weekend. I saw him when the Christmas season first came about and I liked him, but I did not like him for $12.99. I like him even better now he was only $4.99. He makes me smile when I look at him. He has a little chip on his nose but that just adds to his charm as far as I am concerned. I think I will call him Dudley. Yes I am one of those people that names inanimate objects. Deal with it.
Season 3 of Downton Abbey starts tonight, Happy Dance of Joy!! I enjoy this series to no end. I like those Upstairs/Downstairs sorts of shows. I had best get off and watch it.
Toodles,
Linda
So the work week lasted about a million days but the free time zipped by with lightening speed. Whatever was happening I did not do any blogging. Go Me!! I need to get myself back on schedule. New Year, new start and all that.
My Christmas decorations are still out and about. They will be put back into their summer homes starting this week. While I hate to see them go away, it will be nice to have the place back to normal. More room, less clutter, and as with most everyone else the urge to clean, purge, tidy and organize comes along with the putting away of Christmas. The cleaning, purging,etc will start this week as well.
At work this has been a week of goodbyes. Two of our staff are retiring so there where hugs, tears and farewells. We had a little coffee do for one of our men who is leaving, we are taking him out for a proper farewell this coming week at a pub, so there will be booze but the coffee party in the office was a bonus. Snacks are welcomed on these occasions and in that aspect, I stepped out of my comfort zone. I am an passable cook/baker but I am not usually confidant enough to try a new recipe and take it out in public without having done a taste test at home. This week I stepped outside my comfort zone. I had read on another blog, mockingbirdhillcottage.com, about a coffee cake the author makes each Christmas. It sounded and looked so yummy I decided to give it a try. (Having all the ingredients on hand was another plus). I will confess I used pecans instead of walnuts but is came out looking pretty good I thought.
I mean something that looks this tasty could not possibly be bad, off to work it went with me. I am very happy to say it was a hit. I came home with a couple of crumbs on a plate, a head full of compliments and several recipe requests. That to me is a hit. I am definitely moving this recipe into my "make it again" file. Thank you Claudia, even though you have no idea who I am.
The Nurse was here for part of the weekend. The Entertainer did not come with her, she opted to stay home with Grandma and Grandpa so Mommy got some alone time. The Nurse spent her time of Friday visiting with other friends and caught up to me for coffee with the No Cook Friday group. Saturday we spent the most of it shopping, just one small break to take in Les Miserables. After supper she scooted off home to her girl and I retired to my knitting and the television. I am always glad to see her, I have known her since she was 3 or 4 years old, so I am tickled she makes a point of visiting with me.
Today was a super lazy day for me. I did not even get to breakfast until close to noon. I finally got dressed around 1:00 and then did some sewing. I finally made a cover for my beloved Kitchen Aid Mixer. In my small house space is at a premium and the only place I can keep my baby is beside the stove.
Isn't she pretty???? I love this mixer, it tickles me to no end that I finally got one and I want to look after it as best I can. Sitting by the stove gets it all mucky. Today I made this:
This will keep the greasy splats off of my baby and I can throw it in the wash when it needs it. I have had the material for ages and finally, today. got my self round to sewing it up.
I also purchased for myself this jolly little fellow when I was out and about this weekend. I saw him when the Christmas season first came about and I liked him, but I did not like him for $12.99. I like him even better now he was only $4.99. He makes me smile when I look at him. He has a little chip on his nose but that just adds to his charm as far as I am concerned. I think I will call him Dudley. Yes I am one of those people that names inanimate objects. Deal with it.
Season 3 of Downton Abbey starts tonight, Happy Dance of Joy!! I enjoy this series to no end. I like those Upstairs/Downstairs sorts of shows. I had best get off and watch it.
Toodles,
Linda
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Its a New Year!! Wow!!
2013, I cannot believe its 2013 already. Seems like just yesterday it was 2000. I really am starting to sound like an old fart. (Soon I will be yelling at kids to get off my lawn). So before I take a complete slide into geezerdom I have to say I have high hopes for this year. 13 is my favourite number so I am thinking this is gonna be a good year. A new chapter, a blank page and full of endless possibilities.
I did not do much last night, watched the Hatfields and the McCoys on tv and nibbled appetizers, drank a little wine, stayed up til midnight. I let the New Year in the front door, shooed the old year out the back door and then I went to bed. I slept in this morning, got up and was just done breakfast when Teddy Bear phoned and twisted (teehee) my arm to go out for coffee. I laugh because all she had to say was coffee and I jumped on the chance. Coffeee/laundry ........ the choice was pretty easy I have to admit. I love days like this. I thought it would go one way and it took unexpected turns. Wonderful unexpected turns.
T-Bear and I coffeed for an hour or more, discussed all the things we want to do to get our houses in order this year, then we parted company. I headed home and dove head first into my to do list. Finally today I dealt with all the cat blankets and towels. I use these to cover the furniture so her Majesty can lounge without covering the actual furniture in a carpet of kitty fur. Sadly, I take them off, stuff them in a corner and put fresh on. Well I had to deal with them. Honestly I gathered up bales, yes, I tell you, BALES of cat hair. I rubbed, combed, vacuumed, picked and pulled until it was all gone. Then I washed them all, fresh and clean with a promise to myself to keep on top of them in future. This last year I have gotten so good at ignoring the day to day things that need to be done. Need to stop that.
I finally washed the ceiling fan in the kitchen, HAPPY DANCE OF JOY!! It no longer looks like its coated in ostrich feathers. Now I know I have to do the rest of them in the house. Believe me if a chunk lets loose on one of them, it would knock someone out. I will not go on and on about what I did but I got all but one thing done on my list. This makes me happy. I like to start the year out by at least keeping some of the promises I make to myself. Its to early to break the resolutions!!
Then I finished off my day with a lovely, lovely, lovely, roast beef supper with the Hostess. Gawd that woman can cook!! Even when stuff does not turn out as nicely as she would like them they are still delicious. Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, potatoes, turnip, peas, pickles, wine, brownies for dessert. Amaretto and coffee. Oiy. It was lovely. So much better than the scrambled eggs I thought I would have. All in all I had a great day, I got my list dealt with, and I got the bonus of the extra two nice things today, coffee with T-Bear and supper with the Hostess. A lovely change to a day I thought I would be spending on my own. Love those friends of mine!!
One thing on my resolution list, (one of a zillion) I want to get better at cooking. I have always wanted to learn to be a really good cook and I think this is the year I need to get on it. Every time I go to someone's place the food is so good, I resolve once again to practice and get better at this cooking malarkey. Thus far I have not put much effort into the actual practice. This year is the year. I do not know if this counts but I came home and threw together a pot of hamburger soup, now I have something to take to work for lunch this week. Hardly gourmet but it will be yummy. It took less that 30 minutes. Need to work on that mind set that food prep takes forever and is lots of work.
So in 2013 I want to get healthier, become a better cook, get more organized at home, purge my house, stay on top of the house cleaning, give back more, be more grateful for all of the blessings I have, let my friends know how much I care about them and how grateful I am that I have them in my life. Live a life of gratitude, stop dwelling on the past and things I cannot change. Learn to spin wool once and for all. Work on my looms more and I have a few zillion other things that I am not gonna put on here for the world to see. So there it is, some but not all of my high hopes for 2013.
Right now I need to go check my soup and get some knitting time in before I need to head for bed.
I hope each and everyone of you had a Happy New Year and that this year brings you all you need to be happy, healthy, wealthy and wise!!
Toodles,
Linda
I did not do much last night, watched the Hatfields and the McCoys on tv and nibbled appetizers, drank a little wine, stayed up til midnight. I let the New Year in the front door, shooed the old year out the back door and then I went to bed. I slept in this morning, got up and was just done breakfast when Teddy Bear phoned and twisted (teehee) my arm to go out for coffee. I laugh because all she had to say was coffee and I jumped on the chance. Coffeee/laundry ........ the choice was pretty easy I have to admit. I love days like this. I thought it would go one way and it took unexpected turns. Wonderful unexpected turns.
T-Bear and I coffeed for an hour or more, discussed all the things we want to do to get our houses in order this year, then we parted company. I headed home and dove head first into my to do list. Finally today I dealt with all the cat blankets and towels. I use these to cover the furniture so her Majesty can lounge without covering the actual furniture in a carpet of kitty fur. Sadly, I take them off, stuff them in a corner and put fresh on. Well I had to deal with them. Honestly I gathered up bales, yes, I tell you, BALES of cat hair. I rubbed, combed, vacuumed, picked and pulled until it was all gone. Then I washed them all, fresh and clean with a promise to myself to keep on top of them in future. This last year I have gotten so good at ignoring the day to day things that need to be done. Need to stop that.
I finally washed the ceiling fan in the kitchen, HAPPY DANCE OF JOY!! It no longer looks like its coated in ostrich feathers. Now I know I have to do the rest of them in the house. Believe me if a chunk lets loose on one of them, it would knock someone out. I will not go on and on about what I did but I got all but one thing done on my list. This makes me happy. I like to start the year out by at least keeping some of the promises I make to myself. Its to early to break the resolutions!!
Then I finished off my day with a lovely, lovely, lovely, roast beef supper with the Hostess. Gawd that woman can cook!! Even when stuff does not turn out as nicely as she would like them they are still delicious. Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, potatoes, turnip, peas, pickles, wine, brownies for dessert. Amaretto and coffee. Oiy. It was lovely. So much better than the scrambled eggs I thought I would have. All in all I had a great day, I got my list dealt with, and I got the bonus of the extra two nice things today, coffee with T-Bear and supper with the Hostess. A lovely change to a day I thought I would be spending on my own. Love those friends of mine!!
One thing on my resolution list, (one of a zillion) I want to get better at cooking. I have always wanted to learn to be a really good cook and I think this is the year I need to get on it. Every time I go to someone's place the food is so good, I resolve once again to practice and get better at this cooking malarkey. Thus far I have not put much effort into the actual practice. This year is the year. I do not know if this counts but I came home and threw together a pot of hamburger soup, now I have something to take to work for lunch this week. Hardly gourmet but it will be yummy. It took less that 30 minutes. Need to work on that mind set that food prep takes forever and is lots of work.
So in 2013 I want to get healthier, become a better cook, get more organized at home, purge my house, stay on top of the house cleaning, give back more, be more grateful for all of the blessings I have, let my friends know how much I care about them and how grateful I am that I have them in my life. Live a life of gratitude, stop dwelling on the past and things I cannot change. Learn to spin wool once and for all. Work on my looms more and I have a few zillion other things that I am not gonna put on here for the world to see. So there it is, some but not all of my high hopes for 2013.
Right now I need to go check my soup and get some knitting time in before I need to head for bed.
I hope each and everyone of you had a Happy New Year and that this year brings you all you need to be happy, healthy, wealthy and wise!!
Toodles,
Linda
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