That's a lot of Arancello!

Word of the Day

Sniffalist - Any person partaking in the annoying habit of rhythmic sniffing or snorting though free of allergy, cold, or flu. The behavior is a sad attempt to get attention from those within earshot and often precedes speech or movement. Such people can be found in cubicle farms, quiet coffee shops, and university libraries.

I've been a bit busy since I last blogged...that and a bit lazy. I had planned to blog about the Arancello making experience yesterday but my computer (cable modem) was acting up so...I gave up. Looking back over the last week, I can't really tell you all the things that I did because that was last week and this is this week and nothing I did was earth-shattering...not really. Should I have blogged to tell you that I picked the remaining tangelos from my tree? By the way, the new fruit-picker that I bought works great. I gave most of the tangelos to my friend on Saturday when we made a run on Saver's. I donated a trunk-load of clothes and stuff from when HTP and cleaned the garage and I bought eight "new" shirts. Then, I came home and sorted through my closet so I could find eight shirts to donate for the next trip to Saver's. I've decided that if I buy anything new, I need to discard something old so there will be room to store the new. HTP and I don't have unlimited storage here in Arizona...or at The Lake.

I played my clarinet at church on Sunday. I've really enjoyed playing my clarinet with the church orchestra and with the contemporary group. It's one thing to play my clarinet at home with a CD backup (n'eh) but there's nothing quite like playing with other musicians. Wonderful!

I worked on my Arancello project yesterday. It took the entire day to strain off the tangelo peels and filter the stuff. As an aside, the entire house smelled like oranges and I ended up with a whopper of a headache. I think the fumes were getting to me. The undiluted liquor is potent! (I probably should have worked with the windows open but...HTP really doesn't like the cold.) Before starting my filtering project, I cooked up a huge pot of simple syrup, a quadruple recipe for a quadruple recipe of Arancello. There is a reason for why I buy lots of sugar. By the time I'd finished with the double filtering, the simple syrup had plenty of time to cool. So, I now have four large jars of Arancello that will have to sit in a cool dark spot for forty days and nights and I need to buy more coffee filters because before bottling the Arancello, I'll need to filter it all again a couple more times.

I've decided to hold off on racking the winter wines until next week. I'm not sure I could handle more than one alcohol related project a week. In the meantime, today is Tuesday. I'm doing laundry.

Random Thought of the Day

What is another word for "thesaurus"?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Eat before shopping. If you go to the store hungry, you are likely to make unnecessary purchases.

- American Heart Association Cookbook

On a positive note, while cleaning the garage, I only found two scorpions...and they were dead.

It's always important to keep a few jars...just in case you need to trap a scorpion.

Word of the Day

Snew - Literally. Is new.

The time has come my friends to speak of cleaning the garage. HTP broke a jar that I had sitting out in the garage with a whole bunch of additional jars. As he looked around, in his eyes, there were jars as far as his eyes could see. Jars, jars, everywhere and no real place to store them.

The thing is that I actually use my jars. I need my canning jars. I can. However, I have to admit that I don't need canning jars here in Arizona. Well, I need some canning jars here in Arizona but I don't need boxes and boxes of canning jars here in Arizona. I do most (95%) of my canning at The Lake. However, I bring at least half of what I can at The Lake to Arizona for HTP and me to enjoy during the winter months...that and as gifts for friends and neighbors. Canned green beans, pickles, tomatoes, relish, jam and jelly. Right now, I'm enjoying the tomato juice that I made last summer. I could but I won't throw away the jars. So, over the years, I've ended up with quite a collection of empty quart jars, empty pint jars, and empty jelly jars. Actually, I usually try to pack up the empty pint jars and jelly jars and take them back to The Lake with me every spring but there's only so much space in the car to carry things back an forth each year...but...I hate to buy jars.

I really hate to buy jars! I've got jars. Unfortunately, the jars I have aren't where I need them...at The Lake. So, HTP helped me sort and box up jars today. Boxes and boxes of jars. Oh...and wine bottles, but that's another issue. I've got boxes of small mouth quart jars for canning, ready to go to The Lake. I've got boxes of large mouth quart jars for canning, ready to go to The Lake. I've got a box of large mouth pint jars for canning, ready to go to The Lake. I have a couple boxes of small mouth pint jars for canning, ready to go to The Lake. I've got a box of jelly jars that will need to be brought to The Lake. I'm still filling that box. I've got a couple boxes of antique canning jars that need to go to The Lake.

After much work, bending and stooping, lifting and toting, every jar and bottle in my garage is neatly organized and good to go. HTP is no longer in any danger of breaking a single one of them. And...it should be interesting to discover how many boxes of jars will actually fit into the car this spring when I return to The Lake. Priorities must be observed.

Random Thought of the Day

I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

- Aldous Huxley (1894 - 1963),

Word of the Day

Sneat - The snow that falls on one's car seat when they open the car door to get a brush out.

Wow! HTP's Aunt D and Uncle B actually drove all the way from Minnesota! They stayed with some friends south of Tucson and then dropped by at our place on their way to Lake Havasu. But, they told me that they planned to stop in time so Uncle B could watch the Viking's game. *moan* Last time I switched to the game, the Vikings were behind by a touchdown. I've been afraid to watch. I always feel like I tend to jinx things if I watch. Look what happened when I watched the Cardinals play the Saints. I rest my case.

It was nice visiting with HTP's Aunt D and Uncle B. I picked some tangelos to give them. I also gave them some of my Limoncello and Arancello. They told HTP and me that they'll be heading to Laughlin and then on to sunny California to visit another of HTP's Aunt D and then up the Pacific coast to visit a couple of HTP's cousins. Quite the road trip! They're even hoping to stop and see the Grand Canyon. Sounds like fun times but...I've got to be honest and tell you that I'm totally worn out just thinking about all their plans.

On the other hand, I may just be tired because of all the running about I did this morning...and my lack of both breakfast and lunch. However, I did nosh on some of the munchies that I'd bought for HTP's Aunt D and Uncle B. And...I ran around cleaning the house because HTP and I weren't sure if we'd be having overnight guests or not. So...I've got a clean house, no guests, and tomorrow is another day.

And as we watched HTP's Aunt and Uncle drive off...HTP noted that it might have been nice to take a few pictures while they were here. *sigh*

Random Thought of the Day

I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.

- Jeff Valdez

I'm supposed to study the above picture before attempting to teach Gypsy the Down command.

Ummmm...OK, but Gypsy is a lot smaller than the dog in the picture. Given her size...or lack thereof...and her bad knees...and I'm pretty sure I can get down to a crouching position but getting back up may prove...interesting.

Word of the Day

Snark attack - A person under verbal attack from someone that is snarky.

HTP and I spent most of the morning cleaning up after three days of rain and wind. The Brazilian pepper tree in our front yard decided to prune itself. HTP had to cut up one large branch and I ended up raking and sweeping up the smaller branchlets. Never fear, the tree still stands. It didn't prune itself all that much. As a matter of fact, I'll be digging out the pruning shears come spring. Brazilian pepper trees have a sneaky tendency or desire to become Brazilian pepper bushes.

With all the sweeping and yard clean up, Gypsy and I only took a short walk today....just to the mailbox and back. We'll try to do better tomorrow. Maybe. I've got an orchestra practice tomorrow morning and then HTP's Aunt D and Uncle B. from Minnesota plan to stop by for a bit. I wonder if they'll want to watch the Viking's game? I should probably make a quick stop at the grocery store to buy munchies...just in case.

I managed to fix my fountain! Woohoo! The electrical outlet got wet. All I had to do was allow both the outlet and the plug for the motor a chance to dry so the ground fault would stop tripping. HTP was shocked....that I was able to fix it.

Random Thought of the Day

It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it.

- Jack Handey (1949 - )

Word of the Day

Snargle - To lessen the visual impact of a horror movie by filtering it through one's fingers.

Gypsy and I walked all the way from our house to The Clubhouse today...and back. That's a VERY long walk, since The Clubhouse is near the front gate of our development and our house is near the rear gate. We'll have to time the walk next time better next time. I "think" we left the house at a couple minutes past noon. I know that we didn't get home until 1:20 PM. It was a good day for a walk. Although it was a bit windy, there was more sun than clouds. I brought my cell phone along on the walk...just in case it started to rain. I figured HTP would feel sorry for us and come to the rescue. The rescue wasn't necessary. The rain held off until around the time I had to race out to get the mail this afternoon. We've received 3 1/2 inches of rain in the last few days...and we should be getting more tonight.

Random Thought of the Day

Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The art of living easily as to money is to pitch your scale of living one degree below your means.

- Sir Henry Taylor

Word of the Day

Snapperwrapper - An elastic ponytail holder having a plastic ball at each end. The elastic is wrapped around the ponytail and then one ball is snapped in place over the other.

Sis' hubby is retiring today...or tomorrow. His retirement party is today. Thing is...how much work is he going to actually accomplish tomorrow? Anyway,


Happy



Retirement!

I washed out my rain gauge the other day (not an easy task) in preparation to measure coming rains. The first of three predicted storms didn't produce any measurable rain. The second storm produced one and a third inches of rain. That's lots of rain at one time in our desert environment. The third predicted storm has already produced over a half an inch of rain...and I've been promised more to come before tomorrow night. Right now, we're having major wind. Thankfully, the wind isn't kicking up any dust.

Gypsy and I decided to call off our daily walk today. We're going to use the weather as an excuse.

Random Thought of the Day

As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

My husband gave me a necklace. It's fake. I requested fake. Maybe I'm paranoid, but in this day and age, I don't want something around my neck that's worth more than my head.

- Rita Rudner

Gypsy...last year when she was better with her training exercises. Stay!

Word of the Day

Snaktrek - A voyage through one's cupboards and refrigerator where no man has gone before in search of a snack.

Gypsy and I resumed our daily training walks...today. Gypsy and I normally take walks around the block to get the mail, and yesterday, we walked resumed our daily walks around the neighborhood, but, today we resumed our daily training walks around the neighborhood. I noticed (yesterday) that Gypsy doesn't think she has to heel or sit if she isn't wearing her training collar. *sigh* Obviously, it was past time to resume training walks. Consistency is key. I dug out the training collar for today's walk. Eventually, I hope that Gypsy will do what is expected without the use of a training collar.

Random Thought of the Day

I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to a particular piece of flawless prose that I swear I did not make any changes to.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

To accomplish our destiny it is not enough to merely guard prudently against road accidents. We must also cover before nightfall the distance assigned to each of us.

- Alexis Carrel (1873 - 1944)

Word of the Day

Snagamuffin - 1. To quickly snatch a muffin or doughnut from the conference room after everyone has left their meeting. 2. An affectionate term used in addressing loved ones.

It's my Mom's birthday today!


Happy


Birthday


Mom!


Random Thought of the Day

I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.

- Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894)

Gypsy in Arizona

Word of the Day

Snackrifice - The impelling act of sharing one's most treasured treat with one's significant other, friend, or family member in order to avoid hurting their feelings for one's own selfish indulgence.

Gypsy had a vet appointment this morning. I've been concerned about her health since HTP and I got back home to Arizona. She'd been limping...on occasion, and then, lately, she's had a few incidents where she'll cry out in pain and then throw up. What's with that? Maybe her knees had slipped out of joint? I had visions of kidney problems or worse. It's not like Gypsy could tell HTP and me where she was hurting.

I was relieved to find that Gypsy is just fine. Well...as well as Gypsy, being Gypsy and with all her Gypsy problems can be. After a full blood work-up, a urinalysis, a sonogram, and an X-ray, I was relieved to hear that Gypsy's heart is strong and her kidneys are just fine. The vet gave us some antibiotic because it looks like Gypsy has a urinary tract infection. Aside from that, the X-rays showed the beginnings of arthritis in her knees...to be expected when it comes to luxating patella problems. Yes, but what's with the cries of pain and throwing up? The vet and I both noted that these incidents only happened when her tummy is empty. When I've fed her three times during the day, she didn't seem to have any problems. So...I'm to continue feeding Gypsy three times a day but...I'm also supposed to give her Pepcid AC (2.5 mg...1/4 of a tablet) twice a day. As for her arthritis problems, I've already been giving her Cetyl-M but...the vet wants me to double up on her dosage. She's always going to have knee problems but the Cetyl-M should help slow the progress of the arthritis. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to slip some fish oil into her food in the mornings.

I'm just very relieved to hear that her knees remain where they were placed during her past surgeries, that her heart is strong, and that she doesn't have kidney stones or kidney infection. I can deal with acid reflux. I wonder if it's the change in water from The Lake to here?

Random Thought of the Day

I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

You may delay, but time will not.

- Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

Word of the Day

Snackmosphere - The air inside bags of chips.

First of all, let me just state as fact that it's really hard to blog when you've got a dog cuddled up, half reclined on top of your lap and thus, your laptop. Her nose keeps triggering the laptop's cursor pad. However, one must blog.

HTP and I had friends over yesterday to watch the humiliating defeat of the Arizona Cardinals. It was really quite painful to watch but we persevered. We had hamburgers on the grill, chips and dip, baked beans and wonderful strawberry shortcake but.... Oh well, we finished the day on a positive note. We munched on chicken wings while we watched Star Trek. I can't wait to see the next Star Trek movie...in 2012. Unfortunately, I meant to pick some tangelos to send home with our friends. I forgot.

Today started out with an orchestra practice at church. Then, Gypsy and I watched the Vikings beat the Cowboys. It was a relief to see a Viking victory. I don't think I could have watched a second humiliating defeat. I did have a backup plan in place...just in case things started looking bad for the Vikings. MonsterQuest.

Random Thought of the Day

There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A gift in season is a double favor to the needy.

- Publilius Syrus (~100 BC)

Word of the Day

Smuffy - Used to describe weather that is foggy, cloudy, smoggy, and other forms all combined yet with no precipitation despite the fact that it looks like it will rain at any moment. Often this weather form makes it hard to breath.

It's Friday! Which...means that tomorrow is Saturday and there won't be anything worth listening to on local radio. HTP and I were invited over to a get-together at one of our friends' house tonight...neighbors. It was a mellow celebration for The Mister who has started his 60th year...entering a new decade. Happy Birthday Lee!

Random Thought of the Day

Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

It's a rare person who wants to hear what he doesn't want to hear.

- Dick Cavett (1936 - )

The Thermometer
The temperature reading on this thermometer at 12:47PM was 67 degrees, back in the shade.

Word of the Day

Smuckiful trini - A pseudo-French word ascribed to a cycle of events which leads three of one's friends to look like complete schmucks, each in their own unique way; usually leads to "mocking smuckful trini", in which one points, laughs, and jeers at their expense, making them unhappy.

One of my thermometers in my backyard read 80 degrees this morning. I noted the temperature when I walked by it as I was talking on the phone. This is the thermometer that my folks got me and that HTP and I finally got around to hanging this winter. It is sitting in full sunshine. The real temperature was probably closer to 60 degrees. Actually, now that the sun isn't shining directly on that thermometer anymore, I can see that the temperature has fallen to 75 degrees, and still falling. I've got two thermometers. One digital, and one more traditional. The digital thermometer is telling me that the actual temperature outside is 61 degrees right now. Sweater weather. Actually, the thermometer that my folks gave me is probably a lot more accurate sometimes than my digital thermometer. Since I've got the sensor for my digital thermometer attached to the house, it never gets any sun and it also tends to read warmer during at night after the sun goes down....residual heat coming off of the house. I figure that between the two thermometers, I get a fairly accurate idea when it comes to outdoor temperatures.

Random Thought of the Day

Bad decisions make good stories...eventually.

Noteworthy Thought of the Day

In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice.

- George Matthew Adams

Word of the Day

Smilder - Describing one's toned down smile, especially after displaying a huge, fake smile.

HTP and I finished up the left-over grilled chicken tonight. I sliced it up and served it fajita-style with some homemade tortillas. Yes, I do make my own tortillas, even though it would be much more convenient to buy them at the grocery store. I didn't feel like driving to the grocery store. Besides, homemade tortillas taste lots better than store bought tortillas.

It's been a slow day today. HTP asked me if I wanted to go out to see a movie with him. There are a couple of movies that I wouldn't mind seeing but...I just didn't feel like going out anywhere today and having to deal with other people.

In the news today, there was a major earthquake (7.0) that hit Haiti. The scenes of death and destruction are horrific. It's being reported that the death toll may be higher than 100,000. It's really sad to see this poor country kicked so often by disaster after disaster.

Random Thought of the Day

I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Dreams are postcards from our subconscious, inner self to outer self, right brain trying to cross that moat to the left. Too often they come back unread: "return to sender, addressee unknown." That's a shame because it's a whole other world out there--or in here depending on your point of view.

= Dennis Koenig and Jordan Budde

Word of the Day

Smiddy - The name of a small, annoying, often gnome-like character with the importance and intellectual capacity below that of a small grapefruit. Often picked as a hero's sidekick for their extreme loyalty.

I'm not sure why some people dislike left-overs, often throwing them away rather than re-heating them to enjoy another day. The potato soup that I re-heated today for lunch was even better than when I made it yesterday. Don't get me wrong. At risk of breaking my arm while patting myself on my own back, I made a terrific pot of potato soup. It tasted wonderful yesterday. But, with all the flavors having a chance to expand and blend, the soup tasted even better today. We're having left-over grilled chicken tonight. Sometimes it's just a matter of presentation when it comes to left-overs. I can get three or four different meals out of grilled chicken breasts. I think I'm going to serve tonight's left-over grilled chicken with Spanish rice. When I served it fresh off the grill, I served it with a side salad. I served some of the left-over chicken with a marinara sauce on top of angel hair pasta. No point in lighting up the grill for just one meal.

Random Thought of the Day

You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.

- Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

Word of the Day

Smellifire - To attempt to hide the inevitable bathroom smell one makes by using matches.

DD Daughter's Mother-in-law mentioned that she made some potato soup last week. So...this made me think of the sack of potatoes that I had in the pantry. The sack of potatoes was sending sprouts out through its sack and was in danger of going to waste. This was a sack of potatoes that I bought because it cost me less than 10 cents per pound....before Christmas. HTP and I don't eat a lot of potatoes. DD Daughter's MIL had a recipe for potato soup and it sounded wonderful but I would have had to make another trip to the grocery store and I had a whole lot of other ingredients that needed using up in my fridge. So...using her recipe as a guide, along with six or seven additional recipes that I found on the Internet, I created my own recipe. I used up some of my huge container of chicken gravy mix that I've got stored in my pantry. When did I buy that? Why did I buy that? I used up the wilting celery that was in my crisper drawer. I always have carrots. For some reason I had several onion nubs in my crisper drawer. I assume this was another waste not, want not thing on my part. Of course, I used up all the potatoes. I used up some left-over cooked bacon that I'd cooked up the other day. I used up all the cheese that had started to change color. Hey! I sliced off the mold and discarded it before shredding up the cheese. Anyhow, I ended up with some really tasty potato soup...and I wrote down the recipe so I can make it again someday. It REALLY tasted wonderful! I sure hope it freezes well. As it is, HTP and I are going to be eating a lot of potato soup in the coming days.

Random Thought of the Day

MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The man who says he is willing to meet you halfway is usually a poor judge of distance.

- Laurence J. Peter (1919 - 1988)

Word of the Day

Smeed - A nickname for one's cohort; Sidekick; Right-hand man.

I stayed up way too long last night, watching a movie that was basically a propaganda movie tauting the evils that may come due to global warming. This particular movie was created in 2004. There are more than one of these scary global warming movies. Actually, I only decided to watch the movie because one of the actors went on to star in Criminal Minds, a TV show that I happen to like. I stayed up way too late watching the movie because it was a two-parter, by which I imagine it was created, made for TV movie that was spread out between either two days or two weeks, and I just had to stay up to find out if the teenager whose boyfriend shot her and the woman that went into labor were going to be rescued. They were. Oh, and the guy who created the computer virus that hacked into the electrical was just trying to make a point...and it wasn't his fault that a super storm was converging Chicago. I mean, how could he have known? His intentions were pure...right? Gah!

Since I stayed up so late, I'm glad I didn't have to be at the church until 9:30 this morning. Good thing. As it was, it wasn't all that easy to keep up with the music. However, I did manage to play the obbligato part of As a Deer correctly, two out of three times. Could have been worse.

Random Thought of the Day

I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Good manners are just a way of showing other people that we have respect for them.

- Bill Kelly

Winter Wines

Word of the Day

Smed - Describing an animal that is smelly and dead. Often used in reference to a discovery while one is driving.

I finally got around to racking my winter wines. This is the second racking of the winter. I'll end up racking the wine two more times...three if you count the final racking on bottling day. I always taste-test the wines each time I rack. Adjusting sugar levels if it seems necessary. However, I'm a big fan of dry wines so adding sugar is a fairly rare occurrence. Of course, the first taste-test is always a bit iffy. For instance, after the first taste-test of the winter wines, I REALLY didn't like the taste of the Prickly Pear wine. Blech! It was AWFUL!!!! I was actually thinking that this might be my last winter for making a Prickly Pear wine. However, after this second racking and taste-test, the Prickly Pear wine tasted fine. This makes me wonder if the Prickly Pear wine from last year (granted that I used a different recipe last year)might end up tasting better after a few more years. You never know what you're going to end up with when it comes to wine-making.

Random Thought of the Day

Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The simple solution for disappointment depression: Get up and get moving. Physically move. Do. Act. Get going.

- Peter McWilliams

Word of the Day

Smaste - To taste the way something else smells.

I juiced the last of the tangelos that HTP and I picked the other day. Following the directions that I found on the Internet, I froze two quarts of juice...leaving room for expansion. I'm thinking that the frozen tangelo juice will make a good alternative for freezer containers in my cooler next spring.

While I was exploring recipes on the Internet, I found one for Tequila/Lime Chicken that looked intriguing. Since I had all the ingredients...including the chicken breasts...I thought I'd give it a try. My chicken is marinading in a blended pale green slime...which...actually smells great. The green slime contains 2/3 of a cup of cilantro, a couple tablespoons of black pepper, a couple teaspoons of garlic powder, a teaspoon of onion powder, a teaspoon of kosher salt, the juice from two limes, the juice from one lemon, a 1/4 cup of orange juice (I used tangelo juice), a half cup of margarita mix, three tablespoons of tequila, three tablespoons of Arancello (recipe called for Triple Sec...but my Arancello is pretty much the same thing), two tablespoons of honey and 1 cup of olive oil. The slime part comes from blending everything together until smooth. I used my hand-held blender, which worked great! I'm a bit concerned about the amount of black pepper and oil in the recipe but...it's a marinade....which will be tossed after it has done its job. Besides, I figure the oil will keep the chicken breast from sticking to the grill. Now all I've got to decide is what side dish I'll make to go with the chicken. I'm thinking salad.

Random Thought of the Day

Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I'm very pleased with each advancing year. It stems back to when I was forty. I was a bit upset about reaching that milestone, but an older friend consoled me. 'Don't complain about growing old - many, many people do not have that privilege.'

- Earl Warren (1891 - 1974)

Word of the Day

Smashal - Small pieces of broken glass, metal and other debris that remains at the scene of an accident for months after.

I packed up a bag of tangelos for a friend of mine but...it looks like I'm going to have to drag out my juicer. Tangelos don't have a long shelf life after they've been picked. My friend's daughter is here in town....for the Holidays. I remember when... *sigh* She only has the one daughter. If I've learned anything as a parent, I've learned that you need to spend as much time as you can with your children while said children are still hovering near the nest. Before you know it, they've flown far away to make nests of their own and then you're left with the memories of when they took their first tentative steps along with the hand-prints that a thoughtful/blessed pre-school/kindergarten teacher memorialized in tempera-paint or in quick-dry cement. How fast time races....ever fleeting.

Random Thought of the Day

Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

I had an epiphany a few years ago where I was out at a celebrity party and it suddenly dawned on me that I had yet to meet a celebrity who is as smart and interesting as any of my friends.

- Moby

Word of the Day

Smaco - A s'more and a taco; has the makings of a s'more put into a tortilla.

I found a home for the tangelos that I picked the other day. Woohoo! Of course, I've still got more on the tree but at least I won't have to make room in my fridge. I also discovered that I can freeze tangelo juice. Sounds like a plan. Waste not, want not. However, even though I could probably make candied tangelo peel...I probably won't. One must draw the line. Besides, I'm not sure I even like candied fruit peel, despite the fact that I do like fruitcake.

I prepped my clarinet music for church on Sunday. Six sharps?! *sigh* I'll have to work on that one a bit.

Random Thought of the Day

Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, 'What the hell happened?'

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered.

- Tom Stoppard (1937 - )

Sarge and the Tangelo Tree - December 2009
Why didn't I think to send a box full of tangelos back with her on the plane?

Word of the Day

Slurm - The slime that accumulates on the underside of a soap bar when it sits in the dish too long.

HTP helped me pick some of the tangelos from the highest part of my tangelo tree yesterday. We've got LOTS of tangelos this year. I haven't even picked half of what is out there. I wish I had one of those long extension poles to help pick the fruit way up on top of the tree. HTP dragged out our tallest ladder but I still couldn't reach high enough to pick some of them. Oh well...HTP thinks I shouldn't worry about those. As it is, I'm having to find homes for all this fruit.

I started two more batches of Arancelo and I've got more than enough fruit to make another couple batches but, I really don't think I need gallons and gallons of Arancelo. However, waste not, want not. I zested the thirty tangelos I needed to make the Arancelo and then I juiced the fruit. I now have a couple of quarts of juice in the fridge which...well...I'll find some use for all that juice. In the meantime, I'll eventually end up with four batches of Arancelo.

I wish I could magically transport some of these tangelos to The Lake for my folks and for Sis but...ain't happening. I'll have to remove all the fruit from the tree by February. I'm going to have to get creative. Maybe I should figure out how to condense my own orange juice...tangelo juice. However, with a huge laundry basket full of tangelos sitting in my kitchen, I've got a more immediate problem. I don't have enough room in my fridge to keep all this fruit. Even after I packed up and gave a huge bag of tangelos to my neighbor, I still have a huge amount of fruit in the laundry basket sitting in my kitchen. I ate one tangelo with breakfast and plan to have another as a snack but I'll still have to find more homes for the fruit HTP and I picked yesterday. Did I tell you that there's still LOTS of fruit out there on the tree? *sigh*

So? Why did HTP and I pick so much fruit since it keeps best out on the tree? Ladders don't magically transport themselves from the garage and HTP isn't always available to help hold a ladder so I don't end up killing myself. It's called making hay while the sun shines....or....in this case, picking fruit while someone is there to help you set up the ladder and hold the ladder so you don't fall off.

Random Thought of the Day

Why do psychics have to ask you your name?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

All my possessions for a moment of time.

- Elizabeth I (1533 - 1603)

Christmas Dinner 2009

Word of the Day

Sludgatin - That brown slime found on the top of cafeteria hamburgers.

I think I've finally put away the last of the Christmas paraphernalia. Actually, I thought I'd put away the last item on Sunday afternoon but, as I was fixing supper last night, I saw a couple of plant spikes...Christmas plant spikes...that needed to be put away. Immediately, I put them away and thought...NOW...I'm done. Hah! This morning, after breakfast, I remembered the Christmas candle that I had been using to make our fake Christmas tree smell kind of like a real tree, which never really makes a fake Christmas tree smell like a real one but...that's beside the point. I remembered the candle and decided to put it away until next year since I'm thrifty and figured that I could use it again...next year. It was then that I discovered that I'd forgotten to put away the candle holder that I'd been using for the Christmas candle so I wouldn't burn down the house while burning the Christmas candle. A Christmas candle candle-holder. *sigh* Now? Do I have all the Christmas paraphernalia put away? Knock on wood...I think I've got it all put away...until and unless I find another bit of Christmas hiding somewhere. It makes one think about Easter and Easter egg hunts and that one elusive egg that no-one can find...until it starts to smell funny. Of course, that never happened in our household. We always counted the eggs before the Easter Bunny came and hid them for us and then we had to keep looking until we'd found the correct number of eggs. Unfortunately, I've never thought about doing the same thing when it comes to Christmas decorations. Fortunately, Christmas decorations don't ever start to smell funny.

Random Thought of the Day

What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.

- Jack London (1876 - 1916)

Happy


New Year


Everyone!

Word of the Day

Slowmobile - Any vehicle that turns in front of one's path on the highway and cuts their traveling speed in half.

Christmas has come and gone. Today was Laundry Day. I've been tempted to take down and put away everything Christmas but...I'm going to wait until...next year. Believe it or not...this has been a bit hard for me...leaving everything Christmas right where I put it. However, the task of having to do the laundry helped a bit. Kept me busy. I've also been so tempted to throw away all the Christmas cookies that HTP and I haven't eaten...yet. Again, I'm holding off until...next year. Next year is going to be arriving faster than you'd think. We might as well enjoy the cookies...until next year.

Random Thought of the Day

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

There is no Them, there is only Us. Some of Us think this or some of Us think that, but we're all Us.

- Lisa Williams

Memories of Christmas Past



Merry


Christmas


Everyone!



I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Me? I'll worry about cleaning up the kitchen tomorrow. We enjoyed a wonderful meal which was made even more enjoyable because we got to share with friends. We watched GI Joe on Blu-ray (a present from Santa).

And now, it time for bed. Merry Christmas to All and to All a Goodnight!

Word of the Day

Slow Driving Club - A group of cars in front of oneself on the highway that block one from passing while doing exactly the speed limit or even several miles below it.

It's


Christmas Eve!!!!!


Tomorrow is Christmas! I've got a prime rib thawing in the fridge...but...I may have to let it thaw a bit more on the countertop today. I'm going to be cooking it for dinner tomorrow and don't want to risk a rarer than rare center. I like my meat rare but not THAT rare.

HTP and I are having problems keeping to our diet. The Diet Gestapo (that's me) has decided to let up a bit on her rules, due to the holiday season. Normally, during the week, HTP and I stick to our diet breakfast. A piece of toast with jam, an egg white omelet with salsa...no cheese...and coffee or tea. But, today is Christmas Eve so...I made eggs...basted...toast,Italian sausage, and stollen. But...we're not having lunch so I can justify the calories...right?

We don't open presents until Christmas but...our main present, the new television and Blu-ray player, has gotten quite the work out. I just finished watching the last of twenty episodes of Kolchak - The Night Stalker. I used to love that program. Campy. I still love it. Of course, now it seems even campier due to all the 70's stuff. Love it!

I also opened some of my presents on FarmVille...not all of them...just some. I'm saving the rest until Christmas. Way cool! I got a couple of lambs and some baby turkeys and LOTS of gas for my farm vehicles. Sis hasn't been playing FarmVille lately. She's missing out on all the cool Christmas stuff.

I'm planning on spending the day cleaning...and not just because we've got company coming over tomorrow afternoon. Gypsy does shed. Not much but she doesn't shed and her hair tends to clump up in dark hair balls on the carpet. I'll probably giver her a bath too...even though it is cold outside.

Sheet dances will be preformed in my yard tonight. It's supposed to get below freezing tonight...tomorrow...the next night. Winter has arrived. No snow...just cold. HTP and I did manage to clean all the dust from our patio and entry way yesterday. I'm dreaming of a duststormless Christmas.

Random Thought of the Day

How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

There was a definite process by which one made people into friends, and it involved talking to them and listening to them for hours at a time.

- Rebecca West (1892 - 1983)

Mr. T - Ain't He Cute?!

Word of the Day

Slottery and vendication - A public misdemeanor in which a person gambles on a vending machine, loses, and tries to exact revenge by kicking it.

Only Two More Days and then... Wake Up! It's Christmas?!

I actually NEEDED to use my alarm clock to wake up in time to get ready for church on Sunday. For some reason, I've been having a hard time waking up like I normally do in the mornings. HTP thinks it has something to do with the time the sun rises. Unfortunately, the sun isn't rising all that early during these winter months and if I want to get to church in time for an orchestra practice before the first service on Sunday...well...the sun is definitely NOT up at the time I need to rise and shine. However, I must say that playing my clarinet at the church makes the whole getting up before the sun thing well worth the effort.

I started two batches of Arancelo yesterday. My tangelos have finally ripened enough for picking. I picked thirty tangelos from my tree and if you should go outside to check the tree right now, you'd never know that I'd ever picked a one. My tangelo tree has outdone itself this year. There's plenty more tangelos to make a couple more batches of Arancelo...with lots more leftover fruit for gifting or...just peeling and eating. In the meantime, I peeled off the zest from the fruit I picked to use for my Arancelo, and I juiced the peeled fruit for...tangelo juice. However, DD Daughter recommended a mixed drink called a Fuzzy Russian that calls for orange juice (I think tangelo juice will suffice), vodka, and orange liqueur (I think Arancelo will work). Should I rather call the drink a Fuzzy Russian of Italian Extraction with an Old Grey Frog Flair? Seems a bit wordy to me.

Yesterday was my day to work on Adult Beverages. I cooked up a couple batches of simple syrup to make liqueurs. I filtered some of my raspberry schnapps to make Raspberry Liqueur and then filtered some of my strawberry schnapps to make Strawberry Liqueur. And then...I discovered that my label-maker program didn't want to work with Windows 7. Argh! However, HTP was able to fix the problem by running the program using a Windows XP patch? Beyond my pay grade. However, I was able to finally print out labels for the liqueurs that I plan to gift my friend who is coming over for dinner on Christmas. I'd send some to Sis, my folks, #1 Son, DD Daughter, Sarge and Sistah's but...."The Man" frowns upon people sending alcohol through the mail...unless you've got a license which...I don't...and won't.

Today? It's Tuesday, therefore, today was Laundry Day. Aside from laundry, I had a whole list of To Do things that I didn't...do. However, I did run outside to rescue the cushions on my patio. They're safely sitting in my living room now. Dust Storm! HTP and I will be spending a great deal of time tomorrow sweeping and vacuuming desert dust from our patio. *sigh* Again! We actually had a thunderstorm today! Gypsy barked in protest at every clap of thunder. She doesn't like unexplained noises. Thunder in the desert is definitely an unexplained noise. We don't get many thunderstorms here during the winter months. Gypsy doesn't even flinch at the thunderstorms at The Lake...but...thunderstorms at The Lake are a more common thing.

Random Thought of the Day

Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Providence has hidden a charm in difficult undertakings which is appreciated only by those who dare to grapple with them.

- Anne-Sophie Swetchine

Word of the Day

Sloppywords - Words coined and submitted to an online dictionary in such a manner that resulted in poor spelling or research of the very word one was submitting.

Only six more days until Christmas! I'm resisting the urge to do any more Christmas decorating. Not to sound like Mrs. Scrooge or anything but whatever I drag out and scatter about the house will just have to be packed away again after Christmas and before I decorate for Valentine's Day. I'm planning on leaving the few Christmas decorations that I've put up until next year. January 2010...not Christmas 2010. I'm not that lazy.

HTP and I are joining friends for supper tonight at Valle Luna...one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. I wish I didn't have to get up so early tomorrow morning. I'm going to be playing my clarinet for two services tomorrow at church. So...no late night for me. I have to be at church tomorrow morning at 7 AM. *moan*

Random Thought of the Day

When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others.

- Hasidic Saying

Sarge, DD Daughter and Santa - Christmas Past


Sarge, HTP and Me - December 17, 2009

Word of the Day

Sloopage - The tendency of precious items to slip out of ones grasp.

Wow! What a week! My daughter, Sarge, came for a surprise visit. Well...it was a surprise for me. HTP knew all about it. Sarge flew in on Saturday. HTP told me he was going out to do some shopping. He told me that he'd probably be getting home kind of late for supper...but...he'd pick up a pizza for us. Sounded good to me. I was going to be spending the day with the Christmas music cranked to the max while I decorated brown sugar cookies. Meanwhile, HTP was doing his shopping but he also was picking Sarge up at the airport. I'd just finished decorating the last of the brown sugar cookies and was finishing up with cleaning up the kitchen when HTP got back home from his shopping. I helped put away the groceries he'd picked up and noted that he'd forgotten the pizza. The doorbell rang and I went to answer it. There was Sarge at the door! What a wonderful surprise! We didn't get any pizza until Wednesday night. Instead, we went out for burgers and peanuts that night at Teakwoods.

Sarge and I did lots of shopping. Cost Plus World Market and Lee-Lee's Oriental Market. We wondered the local mall. We talked and walked and laughed. We ate entirely too much. Sarge made us some wonderful cinnamon rolls. Yummmm!!!!! I set the fire alarms off in the house again when I made some prime rib. Sadly, time flew by way too fast. Entirely too soon, HTP and I found ourselves driving Sarge back to the airport. She flew back to her Texas home last night. *sigh*

I finally got all my Christmas baking finished. I'm glad I was able to get most of it done before Sarge got here so I could send some of the cookies back home with her. I packed up some of everything for her and D Buddy. Even after packing up cookies for Sarge and D Buddy, my neighbors and my friends, HTP and I still have plenty of cookies left for ourselves. I probably should freeze some...but...I do have friends coming over for Christmas dinner and...well...I have to serve something for dessert. If there are any cookies left on New Year's Day...well...we'll just have to wait and see.

Random Thought of the Day

OK, so what's the speed of dark?

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

The more I give myself permission to live in the moment and enjoy it without feeling guilty or judgmental about any other time, the better I feel about the quality of my work.

- Wayne Dyer

DD Daughter, Old Grey Frog and Santa - Christmas 1980

Word of the Day

Sleeky - A positive, descriptive term referring to anything that is cool. Similar in nature to sleek.

Christmas baking has started. HTP helped. He finished the clean-up from our winter dust storm so I could concentrate on all things Christmas. With Christmas music blaring, I baked two batches of regular Russian teacakes, and two batches of sugar-free Russian teacakes. I baked two pans of Fruitcake bars. Yes, I happen to love fruitcake. Please feel free to send any unwanted fruitcakes to me. I baked one batch of Rich Shortbread cookies, using a recipe that DD Daughter sent me. Next? I baked two batches of regular Jan Hagel (Dutch Hail) and two batches of sugar-free Almond Jan Hagel. Finishing my Christmas baking/cooking for the day, I made three batches of peanut brittle. I would have made more peanut brittle but...I ran out of peanuts. Even so, I almost out of Karo corn syrup. Both of these ingredients are vital when it comes to making peanut brittle.

I need to buy more baking supplies. I used up all of my Maltitol powdered sugar which I can only purchase online. I don't actually need any more this year but I decided to order some for next year. Knowing me, if I waited until Christmas baking 2010 to order it, the Maltitol powdered sugar would never get here in time for actual 2010 Christmas baking. I've run dangerously low on margarine and butter. I'm down to my last cup of chopped pecans. Grocery shopping is on my To Do List tomorrow...tomorrow morning. I'll concentrate on baking Brown Sugar cookies tomorrow and a couple batches of Katherine Hepburn Brownies...my sugar-free version.

Random Thought of the Day

How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure.

- Bible, Old Testament

DD Daughter - December 1979

Word of the Day (Week)

Slavor - To slurp ones soup, coffee, eggs, or dessert in an attempt to enhance the flavor or increase the brief time period in which the food can be savored.

Well, CARP! It takes longer to nurture good habits than to destroy them. Daily blogs are becoming very difficult for me to maintain. It's going to take a while to nurture my blog back into full gear. However, one must at least try.

No excuses but things have been rather busy around here. I've been trying to get into a Christmas mood. HTP and I are going to be doing the empty nest thing this year. Just HTP and me. It's been kind of hard to get into the mood. However, DD Daughter, Sarge, and #1 Son bought HTP and me tickets to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra here in Arizona...an early Christmas present. Wow! It was great! Our seats were right up front. HTP was really watching the guitarists as their fingers flew over the strings. The show was spectacular. And? It jump-started my Christmas mood.

So...I wrote my annual Christmas letter...first draft. HTP took that draft and as Editor and Chief, he edited it. We printed out our final draft, got our address lists checked twice and I "think" I've got all the Christmas cards in the mail. Of course, it seems, that there are always those few that come back undeliverable or those few that we "forgot" to send but...I think I've completed the Christmas card portion of our Christmas preparations.

Christmas shopping? Well...HTP and I are already enjoying the Christmas present we bought for each other. I've completed all of my online shopping. As for the rest of my gifts, I planned to start my Christmas baking today. Unfortunately...

We got a monsoon-style storm that hit our area last night. The wind howled through the Arizona, bringing lots of snow...but not here. We got all the wind and LOTS of desert dust and a half inch of rain. The half inch of rain was greatly appreciated, but, I could have done without the layer of dust that coated my patio, including my grill, my patio furniture and clogging my fountain. Dust?

I WAS going to spend my day baking Christmas goodies. Instead, I spent the day shoveling, scraping, and sweeping "dust" from my patio and from the walkway in front of my house. Dust? It's amazing how the word "dust" seem to quite fit what I always end up removing after one of our Arizona "dust storms". Big mistake? I should have removed all of my patio cushions and stored them in the relative safety of my garage. When I woke up this morning, every cushion looked like it had been dyed the same color. Desert brown. The top of my mosaic table was a uniform desert brown. The water in my fountain was...desert brown. My grey concrete patio was...as desert brown. Dust? We're talking a fine silt...kind of like pancake makeup. Because it was a bit damp...I had pancake makeup sticking to everything. It took me a couple of hours to just sweep off the first layer of this stuff. I've got to wait for a couple more days before I can bring out my shop-vac so I can vacuum up the rest of the mess. And then...HTP will have to wash everything down with the hose. And then? We just might have another "dust" storm coming by the weekend. I'm not sure what they (Indian reservation land) plan to grow in that empty field just south of us where all the dust came from (the state just paid for and installed a special irrigation system)but I'm afraid that me and my neighbors just ended up sweeping up and disposing off most of the topsoil from that field.

Despite the major weather and its resultant mess, I did manage to bake two stollen today. Yesterday? I put up a new artificial Christmas tree that I bought on Sunday...on sale. Cheap. And, yes, Virginia, you get what you pay for. However, our old Charlie Brown tree had seen better days. However, as I said, you get what you pay for. As I was putting this six-foot tree together, branches were coming off in my hands. At the price I paid, there was no pre-installed lighting. I decided to buy some of those new LED lights which aren't supposed to use so much electricity. So far...so good. I've got my new tree up and decorated. Even at six-feet, it's a bit short so I set it up on a chair. However, HTP says it looks nice. Gypsy hasn't complained.

So....why bother putting up a tree when it's just me and HTP this year? Celebrating Christmas without a tree is kind of like celebrating the 4th of July without fireworks. And...following that line of reasoning...Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Christmas cookies....which...I've got my baking list and I've checked it twice. I'll be baking Jan Hagel tomorrow....if we don't get hit by a plague of locusts. I plan to turn on the surround sound, crank up the Christmas music, heat up the oven and concentrate on Christmas baking...knock on wood.

Random Thought of the Day

If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

Noteworthy Quote of the Day

Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children.

- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)