Reflecting

I guess what got me in the mood to find my sister is that a lot of my aunts and uncles are already gone and time runs out before you know it.

enough of the morose. They delivered my new double oven and my new refrigerator today. I really like them. I got a GE profile with the pull out freezer on bottom and double doors on the frig. They are both stainless steel. Garrett wasn't very impressed. He said that I didn't need either one of them, that the old ones were just fine. Funny he didn't say that when he got his new game machine and his new 48 inch television huh? I guess it depends on who is doing the getting.

Men just have this inherent need to tell people how to live their lives. I AM DONE WITH ANYONE TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!!!!!!!!!

Finding my sister

I have finally decided to find my sister. She is 2 weeks older then my oldest son. I need to find her in case she wants to know her family history before something happens to me. I will totally understand if she isn't interested, but I feel an obligation to make it available to her. I just have no idea where to start. I guess the first step is calling the Los Angeles County Adoption Agency.
I don't have an exact date of birth, just the first couple of weeks in October 1961. I do know the name of the hospital where she was born. wish me luck, I feel I will need a lot of it.

lazy day

I got up this morning and went for my walk about 6:oo. It was cold but not as cold as it has been. It is 72 here today and beautiful. I had a lot of things to do, but decided what the heck I am an old lady and I can do what ever I damn well please. I got dressed and went to Sears. I am looking for a new double oven, as I broke my old one. Sears is toooo expensive and they charge $ 175.00 for installation. Pacific Sales has one for just over $1500.00. The cheapest at Sears was over $2000.00. Maybe I will just use my convection oven for a while longer.

My love wants a recipe, so here it is.

Get out the slow cooker and put in a layer of chopped onions, a layer of sliced carrots, a layer of sliced celery, and a layer of cubed potatoes, sprinkle on a little salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme. Pour a can of chicken broth and a can of chopped tomatoes over it. Then take some boneless, skinless chicken thighs, salt and pepper them. Lay them on top of the other layers. Cover the slow cooker and cook until thighs are ready to fall apart. About 5 hours on high, 7 or 8 on low.

yum yum

Before I went to church today I put the ingredients for a chicken stew with boneless skinless chicken thighs on top in the slow cooker. The house smelled soooooo good when I got home. I made a pot of rice to go with it.
Garrett had to work today. He just got home and is playing games on his new 48 inch flat screen tv that he bought himself for Christmas. It takes up his whole bedroom. You walk in there and it blinds you.
I worked in the yard all day yesterday. I have been neglecting it, while working on the kitchen. I trimmed 2 peach trees, an apple tree, and a nectarine tree. I ran out of trash can space. I still have to trim the plum tree. I picked the last two avocados off the haas avocado tree. They were huge. I have quite a few avocados on my Fuerte avocado tree, but they are not ready yet.
I am now going to wrap my lips around my chicken stew and rice. Toodles !!!!!!!!

Sad Day

My favorite uncle died last night. He was 92 years old and I loved him dearly. His name was Leon Pitchford, but to all of us he was just uncle Bud. He was a good christian man and is with God right now, probably talking his ear off. I will miss you forever uncle Bud.

Merry Christmas

Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas everyone and a very Happy New Year. May you live long and prosper. Ihope Santa is good to everyone.

BIG dummy

Okay, so I did something stupid and my blog did not appear!!!!! It is not easy being my age and living in this new age of technology. I can still kick a certain granddaughter's rear end, who shall remain unnamed!! I was already upset with her that she got to see stonehenge, I have always wanted to see it.
It is raining here again and very cold. I have been out in it all day, getting my monthly blood test, going to home depot, to the pharmacy, etc.
The shipping company just called to say Garrett's new television will be delivered tomorrow. He bought himself a Christmas present. ( It must be nice )
My friend from Havasu, Az. visited me yesterday. It was really nice catching up on all the goings on in her life.

A better day

It is sunny and beautiful here today,but soooooooo cold. The mountains behind my house are white instead of their usual blue, They are solid snow. Garrett had to use the water hose to get the ice off his windshield this morning. It was frozen solid.

It is cold in California

It started raining at 6 am and has not stopped since. It is only 39 degrees and soooo cold. It is snowing all around us in places that usually don't get snow. I dread my morning walk tomorrow at 6 am.
I did grocery shopping for my grandson today as he is cookin, and baking to take to his friend's house on Christmas day. I called and told him that he owed me a huge, very expensive Christmas present for being the world's most wonderful grandma. He just laughed and said we drew names remember? I don't have to get you anything. I told him I didn't care I still expected a very large expensive present. I live in such a dream world!!!!!!
Today is my youngest son's birthday. He is 43. Where did the years go? I only feel about 25. I must be in denial, but I am very happy in my make believe world. Join me there sometime, I THINK YOU WILL LIKE IT.

I'm done

I am all through with the ho ho ho Christmas shopping. My daughter's present is sent, the cards are mailed, and I am a happy camper.
I cleaned the house all day, and now I am pooped. The kitchen is almost done. A couple more doors to hang, one more drawer to put in, some touch up painting, and the shelves on my pantry need strengthing. I have shelf paper to put in and put stuff back in. The problem is that I have been ignoring the outside of the house and I have a ton of stuff to do out there. Trimming trees, trimming roses and bushes, feeding plants, etc. Maybe Santa will do it for me, you think? yeah,right!!!!!!!!!!!

shopping sucks!!!!

I have nothing against Christmas, but I HATE shopping!!!!!!!!! I always have, and I always will!!!! Bah humbug!!!!

Another year older

Go grandma its your Birthday!!!! Enough said about that.
The cookies my daughter was talking about are called nut butter cookies.
1 c flour, 1/3 c sugar, 2/3 c ground walnuts, 1/2 c butter, 1 tbsp cream. Mix flour and sugar, add nuts. Cut in butter with pastry blender or mixer. Blend in cream to form a dough. Roll out on a floured board to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into whatever shape you prefer. bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. Frost and decorate as desired. I always had to triple or quadruple the recipe.

Bragging Rights

I have to say this, I have the cutest most adorable greatgrandchildren in ALL THE WORLD!!!!!!!! Briana and Christina you did good work. It must be something in the water in Hawaii huh?

thanks to God

thanks to God my daughter came through her surgery okay. She is probably going home today. She is amazing, after all she has been through and still keeps her great attitude. I doubt that I could do it. I love her more then words can say. Who put the picture of that grizzly, reclusive, mountain man up and said it is my handsome grandson James? Not funny guys. What a bunch of beautiful people we are!!!!!! Well at least James used to be!!!!

why me?

my grandson came home from Hawaii last night. He brought a huge bag of dirty clothes for me to wash!!!!! I didn't realize that they don't have washers and dryers in Hawaii. I guess he thinks I enjoy getting up and down from the ladder while I am painting to go wash and fold clothes!!!!!!!!Are men really ignorant or do they just act that way to get someone else to do their work for them? GEEZ LOUISE!!!!!!!!!! IN MY NEXT LIFE I AM GOING TO BE A MAN.

quiet day

It was very quiet here today. I went to church, then came home and cleaned the inside of my car. I cleaned all the Thanksgiving food out of he frig and put it in the disposal. Lots of my neighbors put up Christmas lights and decorations this weekend. It looks very festive outside, except for my house. I do not do ladders.

Take a few moments to be thankful

I am most thankful that it is rainy out today, so I don't have to paint. I am sooooooo tired of painting inside cupboards. I am thankful my knees let me go for a walk early this morning with my friend. To be serious, I am thankful for my family and everything I have. I have decided to cook me Thanksgiving dinner after all. I love leftover turkey too much not to. I will be alone, but that is okay, I will enjoy my turkey. I just made pumpkin pies, and they smell heavenly. I hope you all have a joyous and peaceful Thanksgiving, with much love.

I wish you enough

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final goodby.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.
TAKE TIME TO LIVE.......

life in my world

I just got home from the dermatologist. She checked me out ALL over then burned a spot off the tip of my nose. Now I have to go around with a sore on my nose for a while, but it is better then skin cancer. I have to go back in 6 months. I need to paint today, but I just cannot find that little burst of energy. I think I will read instead, and thats all that is on my little pea brain today

family appreciation day

I am so lucky. I have a great family. I love them all to pieces. I have 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. Some I have not gotten to meet yet, but I will eventually. Families are a blessing and sometimes we forget to realize just how much we truly do love each one of them. I can't even picture how it would be if even one of them were not here, so to each one of you, please know how special you are to me. I love you more then words can express. If this sounds like I may not be around much longer, FORGET IT!!!!!!!! I intend to live forever, and if not I will find a way to come back and haunt you!!!!! THAT IS A PROMISE.

I hate painting

The air is much better today. The fires are not out, but are under more control. I am painting inside my cupboards today.yuk!!!! I had forgotten how bad I hate to paint. The bad part is, they need 2 coats. Now I know why people hire it done. I just wish I wasn't soooooo cheap. My grandson got halfway to his dad's house last night And had to come back home. His dad cancelled the gathering, because his wife got sick and he had to take her to the hospital. We don't know what was wrong with her. He didn't say. It is a beautiful morning in California. Sunny,and cool. It is supposed to be hot later on. I just pray the winds stay calm. I guess that I have stalled long enough and had better do some more painting. How depressing!!!!!!!!

still burning

It is totally yukie outside. There is smoke everywhere, partially hiding the sun. The smell is just terrible. I am 10 miles from the closest fire, ( the one in Orange county ) and I can just imagine what it is like up real close. My grandson just went to his father's house, and had to take the long way, because the freeway he normally takes is closed. The weather seems to be cooperating right now so maybe the firemen can get it out. There were lots of prayer requests at church today for the people who lost their homes. The bad thing is you don't just lose your home, but you lose your memories. Pictures, momentos, etc.

still burning

We have another fire today. The San Fernando valley. My grandchildren's uncle lives out there I hope they are safe. Keep all these people in your prayers. Life is never easy but these times we are living in right now are exceptionally difficult. I think we are going to have to go back to the past where extended families all lived together to survive. That might be a good thing to teach us tolerance, respect, etc. We are becoming too isolated and too me, me , me oriented.

life as I see it.

I wanted to be wrong about the fires, but no, we are burning again. California has some great things about it. Drive 1 1/2 hours and you are in the desert, 30 minutes and its the beach. 30 minutes, and its the mountains,35 minutes and its LA, Malibu, Beverly Hills, etc. The bad part is we are constantly on fire somewhere, its very expensive to live here, and the traffic can be very bad. I love it though no matter what. I keep my property in Arkansas just in case. I can always pitch a tent there. Its a toss up, do I want earthquakes and fires or tornados?

not a good day!! my knee is very sore and giving me fits. It is very fustrating when you are a super type A and can't sit still for more then 5 minutes and your knee won't cooperate. It is hot in California. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 90's with winds. That always means fires out here. I hope we get lucky this time. I am going to start painting my kitchen tomorrow I can't wait until it is finished.

I have decided that I am not doing Thanksgiving this year. It will be the first time in years. I am not in the mood to cook, maybe because my kitchen is still not finished, or maybe I am just taking a time out. My son has invited me over to his house, but I think I will pass on that too. I have a lot to be Thankful for, to much to name. It is just the cooking I am passing on. When you get to be my age, I think you have earned the right to pass on just about anything you please, and I seem to be finding more and more things lately. It actually feels pretty good. Try it sometime.