Friday, December 28, 2012

Weekend Photo Hunt (end-gathering)

End of wrapping presents. This was last gift I wrap...by the time I got to the end of wrapping the yo-yo I figure how it could have been done better. 

 
Gathering up the ornament after the pets knocked over the ornaments off the tree. This happen as we were over at my in-laws...So Boo, Carson and Daisy are guilty. 

 
Next weekend photo hunt will be add and or self-portrait

A short thing to mention that I add one more blog to my coffee drinkers...living rich on the cheap

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Three Hundred and Sixty Seven

Thought I would put my self to a personal challenge. Here in the United States they have a program called (S.N.A.P) or at one time known as food stamps which help the low income purchase food.
For the month of January Murphy and I are going to buy our food as if we were getting the full benefit of two people which is $367 dollars.
This is the amount which the government figures that we should be feeding our self with.

Out of this $367 I can't purchase such things as toilet paper, tooth paste, medication, deli foods, bakery foods, alcohol or cigarettes. But snap one can purchases candy, soda pop, tv dinner if you don't use the store microwave...yes one can buy fresh food.

At the end of this blog post they will be some links on info on snap and a for money exchange for those who live outside of the United States.

Question time... can one or a family eat nutritional on the snap program or not.

Is anyone else to take on a snap challenge.

I don't know how many of you heard about Carla of “half dozen daily” challenge. It a -decluttering-nolow-spend-challenge
One thing I'll say there having prizes....One can see I made a link just above.

I'm using my snap challenge for my no/low spend challenge.
Then for my declutter challenge...It not a big one but it needs to be done...it has 3 parts to it....clean off the coffee table and the two end tables.
In this I'm also including organizing and taking care of the items,,,not just sticking them under the bed...you know out of site out of mind...none of that.
I know it a small under taking Confession time....I want to get back out to the shed/barn and start back on that project....There to much snow on ground to get out there.
The first of January I'll post some picture

Coffee is on.






Saturday, December 22, 2012

Weekend Photo Hunt (Kind- Looking In)

One day Murphy and I was going though a box of stuff. Could someone be kind enough and tell me what this is.

 
I want to post a picture of our yule tree in last weekend photo hunt but it wasn't up. So I went outside to our front window and look in at the yule tree.

 
Next weekend photo hunt themes will be End  and or Gathering

I know none of us yet had our Christmas celebration but one of my coffee pals “Carla” of Half a Dozen Daily will be hosting a Decluttering and No-Low Spend Challenge  in the month of January 2013. I haven't figure what I'll do but the prize are great.

So On the Twenty Six I have a food spending challenge that I'll be posting and maybe by then I'll have it figured out what I could possible do for Carla January challenge

 
Friday I took my Friend Quenella into town. Thursday would have been a little more tiring we end up with eleven and quarter inches of snow.
I didn't have that much to do in town. Mail one package off to Bart girl friend Edna who on the Oregon coast. I hope she get it buy Christmas but she an adult.
So as Quenella taking care of her self in town I went out to Ellie and took her a burger from zips.

Quenella accidentally grab a package of mine behind the pick up seat. Our pick-up is crew cab my weather report which I put in the Christmas Card is in the sack and couple of over-due books from our local library. The reason I stick weather report...Confession time...Some time I think those who put a form letter in their Christmas card is like eating chocolate cover cherries...sickening sweet.



Friday, December 21, 2012

New For Yule 2012 Unto 2013

First day of winter is here now. I have or I should admit I'm feeling gloomy now. But I been trying to do little bit here and there.
As you can see I did get up a yule tree. I was surprise how much I like a pine instead of fir for a yule tree.

Every year I pick up a few new ornaments. I personal don't care for one color or style of ornament on yule tree. 

So I got this little bird house in a thrift store in Sandpoint.
 
This angel I got at my T.O.P.S brunch.
 
I paint up ceramic ornaments for little people and haven't kept anything for my self to add to our tree. This year I decided to keep this one.

If any of your wonder what type of tree it is. This year we got a white pine which is Idaho state tree 

 
This time of the year I do some cleaning out of coffee pals. But I add nine new blogs to read in 2013.
Here they are.

Not Just Greenfingers 
If some reason if your wondering why pick my coffee pals. I don't have to have a reason it my blog.
If there a few minute check them out. I try to pick variety of different type of blogs to read.

I find I'm not as constrict in blogging to me it more free flowing. Not say I don't do other social media on the internet. If for some reason I had to, need to, or want give up something I would close down my facebook and twitter accounts before I would stop blogging...I'm one who doesn't blog every day.

Plus I actual enjoy blogging.

I found this site though anther blog called Whispering Sweet Nothing and she trying to get a coast to coast
map of different bloggers.

Coffee is on.


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Does This Have Any Warrant To Our Gun Violence

Couple of things I've don't recall every posting anything real heavy about abortion or guns. The killing of these children in Connecticut is one evil person.
I can imagine and empathy for those who lost love ones in such a tragedy.
Back and forth there been debate on gun control. I live in an area where a lot people are worried about their gun rights.
It might even be call that some in my area have a gun fetish.
I know some of your statement will be guns don't kill people..people kills people yes this is true but why do these countries have lower violence in there communities.
Statement time....I have no major thing for or against guns...I surely never felt like owning one for self protection at this time in my life...Our guns are for hunting ....Once in blue moon I don't mine doing some target practice, bullets are expensive....I surely wouldn't get a loan or spend a large percentage of our income on any gun...I don't pick a candidate if their pro gun or not.

If you notice we have the highest number of people killed with guns. But even if we had gun control I wonder if there some underlying condition that needs to be addressed.
Such as what in our food chain...I see so much this at work the people I take care of lives on packages (junk) foods Opinion time... is full of toxic chemicals.
It seem like most of the clients takes enough medication, in the long haul of things, how is this effecting them.
Let just say if they had tighter control on our guns and still live in a toxic life style. Question time...I wonder if there would be the same number of killings but a different method.

I took a few minute and googled cancer rate by countries to compare cancer and gun violence but so far no luck.

I wonder if these country with lower death rate by guns could possible have lower death rates because they don't live in such a toxic neighbor hood.

Coffee is on.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Take Care

I hasn't sure what I first want or need to blog about. Like every one else I to have the shooting in Connecticut on my mine and heart. I guess like everyone I have my opinion what needs to be done. But at this time I just don't know how or when I'll put it into words.

 
So I thought I would ramble away instead.

 
I haven't made date fill cookies for ages.

Date Filled Cookies
•   2 cups dates, pitted and chopped
•   3/4 cup white sugar
•   3/4 cup water
•   1/2 cup chopped walnuts
•    
•   1 cup butter, softened
•   2 cups packed brown sugar
•   2 eggs
•   1/2 cup fat free sour cream
•   1 teaspoon almond extract
•   3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•   1 teaspoon salt
•   1 teaspoon baking soda
•   1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.    To prepare the filling, cook the dates, 3/4 cup of sugar and water over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in the nuts, remove from the heat and set aside.
2.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3.    In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Stir in the eggs, sour cream and almond extract. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon, stir into the creamed mixture. Drop a rounded teaspoon of dough onto an unprepared cookie sheet, place a scant teaspoon of the filling on top of it, then top with an additional 1/2 teaspoon of dough. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
4.    Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until slightly browned.
I went over to my friend Alice this morning and had some coffee. Caught her up about with medication policy as home care giver. First of all Alice went back to Detroit so I filled in for her client Carrie. As she was gone the medicaid nurse came in to the interview. Part of her care plan is that the caregiver helps set up her medication.
So the nurse ask her who was sitting up her med and it was easy to see that Alice was doing it and I was doing it to as a filling in
But to find out you need a nurse to set up the meds for any client.
Then to find out if the client does something stupid with there medication. The client holds no responsibility at all and it all falls on the caregivers. Just one more thing for not being responsible for possible their own stupidly.
Not sure how Alice and Carrie is going to handle the medication part. Finding a nurse or one close enough to do it can be an interesting twist to the facts. Rural home care has it own set problems then a large populated area.

A little while ago I told Alice about etsy a possible place for her to sell some of her wares. But she had some reservation a short time before she went on her trip some how she receive a text message and put in code she would receive a gift from some store. It just messed up her daughter Katie computer.
I told her that I listed 3 ornaments and figure it was a good place to start, to see where I need to tweak it
See she travel to quite a few craft shows and sometime she does excellent and other time she doesn't do all that well.
Opinion time...It seems like the craft shows is to risky of an adventure. Personal I'm not interest doing them at this time. I think it would be less of a risk doing the local farmer markets not even on weekly bases. I think you would actual come out farther ahead then traveling about.
We got our tree up in our stand. This year we put up a white pine which is Idaho state tree. One can see it's not decorated yet.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Weekend Photo Hunt (Bells-Tree)

When I was young my mom Myra would make a big batch of sugar cookies around this time of year. Invite the neighborhood kids. She would furnish all different color of icing and things to decorate the cookies.
I still have the cookie cutters and one is a bell. The cookie cutter are stored in this old tin and it once was my Grandma Olive.
These are the ornaments that I will be given to the little people. I'll be given 16 ornament to the little people so they can hang the ornament on a tree
Recent time I been doing up the ornaments for the children under 18 that attends the family function over at my Sister In Law Faith.
Then I will give some to my friend Alice so she can give them to her grandchildren.
It seem like the grown-up is more thrilled about the ornaments then the kids are. That's ok. 

 
Next weekend photo hunt theme will be Kindness and or Looking in

Still have two ornaments over at esty.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

To See Jack's Paper Plaster

So What going to happen if our country goes off the financial cliff. I think most people I know it won't have much effect on them.
Actual there a real simple solution to this mess. Raise Tax 5 percent on those who are making $750,000 a year. Then cut spending 2% straight across the board for all department...including the military, foreign spending, and even Israel.
Then next year every week which we have 52 weeks in a year, every-week remove a tax loop hole and buy the end of 2013 we would of gotten rid of 52 of them .
Sure there more but I real doubt that anyone in Washington could mange to do anything on the loop holes. I would be total shock if they got one done a month.
This is the biggest reason why our country is in there financial troubles is all of there departments is so mismanaged. Each and everyone government program needs to be put in the 21st century. Including our defense department.
Plus this doesn't mean they need to be put in the private section
I notice most department once there program is sat up it doesn't keep up with the changes that actual a person may or not need.
Anther words there not very “progressive” at all.
I figure if I made it to public office I would get shot at.

Coffee is on.

Friday, December 07, 2012

Weekend Photohunt (Marco-Zesty)

I wasn't sure what the difference between Marco and a close up. To be a true Marco the item needs to 1 inch or less. I have to say I'm not sure how to set the Marco device on my camera. But a penny in actual size is three-forth of an inch.
 
When I heard the term zesty I though of my friend Alice zesty herb blend. There a lot one can do with the zesty herb blend. What I decide to do with it was to make some zesty bread.

 
Next weekend photo hunt theme will be bells and or trees

Three weeks ago one of the photo hunt theme was color and I posted a picture of a North Pole scene and here is the finish product.

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Twelve Bottle For Advent

I don't know why I just can't get into the gear to get ready for the holiday season. It not the first time we are cash strap for the holidays.
We have never put our self in debt and I this year we're spending $15 to $20 on our two sons and also their sweetie. $207 been spent on present.
I'm pretty much done shopping, in my figuring I even figured in the two gifts I haven't pick up. One will be for my son Sawyer which I'm stump what to get him and we need to pick up a gift for the family adult gift exchange.
Minus the Christmas Cards and the stamps which came to $23. Then I should subtract $10 for the pets. The only grandchildren I have are grand-pets. So all in all I need to take off $33 from $207 which leaves us $174 for the present...that is 15 gifts which comes out to $11.60 a present.

Yesterday my friend Qunelle and I went shopping in Bonners Ferry. I didn't pick up that much I spot a gift for Sawyer girl friend Betty. The time I spot it I wasn't sure if I want to get it or not so I look around a bit. Stop in this morning before I went to work I bought it.
Most of our holiday shopping was done in our local variety store Huckleberries. Quenelle spend a lot more then I did she buys for 4 children in need.
Not trying to be critical of her giving but I bet most of the gift she got will be just toss out shortly after receiving them. I try to purchase quality not quantity. But I understand if your working with limited funds.
I did pick up one item and donate it to our local community charity “Care and Share”.
Confession time...I know I sound like a hypocrite.

I haven't done any baking for the holiday and have mix feeling on it. There only two of us here and I can't see just making a bunch of goodies for two of us. Confession time...I like the taste of holiday treats.
But in this morning paper out of Spokane they had an article on a cookie exchange. I think that's the way to go....In the nutshell this is how one works...Invite people telling them to bring 5 dozen cookies and container to put cookies in.
Now the host will take a dozen cookies from each person and lay them out so the guest can sample them. The other four dozen cookies will be held back. Let the guest sample the cookies and sip on a drink or two also do a little visiting. Then the cookies which are left are divide equal among the guest. So everyone will have a nice variety of cookies to take home.
I think my Sister in law Faith place would be a place to hold one. I don't think it right to put upon her. She has enough to do. I might talk to her and I'll do the set up and clean up afterward. But who knows right now it seem like a lot of people have the crud.

Now if your wondering what an advent bottles are. Simple you get 12 bottles for the advent season and drink one for each day. You can drink them by your self or share them. I thought it would be nice to share.
I tried to find something on google but the only thing I found was baby bottle and breast pumps.

Coffee is on.

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Weather Report For November 2012 and Other Stuff.

The warmest day was November 5 58.5 (14.7)
The coldest day was November 27 & 28 13.8 (10.1)
The average high for the month was 45.7 (7.6)
The average low for the month was 22.0 (5.5)
Snowfall for the month was 1.50 (3.8)

Sunday, December 02, 2012

It's Going To Be Ok. I Didn't Say Great.

Kinda of an ok day. Worked on few light project. I thought once we had a computer paper work would be on a lighter scale, its not true.
So this morning Hubby and I went into town and I want to purchase a couple of binders one for my recipes from T.O.P.S and the other one for general T.O.P.S crap. The thrift store that open on Sunday actual had a photo binder just one, it was .49¢ So I put some plastic sleeve in and put the T.O.P.S recipe in.


Still hacking way at basement went though a box of Christmas stuff which had different parts to several
nativity sets. Then went though a box of wrapping paper and stuff like that. The only thing left here in basement is a cardboard barrel and one large box to go though.
I start on the cardboard box I took out long handle items such as mops like items and a mobile clothes rack. Murphy needs to see what is good or not. Personal I would like to get rid of everything except for the clothes rack but like to figure how to store it a smaller area.

I mange to get rid a few old seed catalogs from 2012 and now we're receiving 2013. So the old ones into recycling and a few other items. I got some New Yorker Magazines which I'll take in to the thrift store. I took in a small bag from which I clean from the basement.

My friend LaWalla fell and broke her leg so the ambulance took her in and I took her home. For pain she using Lettuce Valerian and Willow something or other.

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Weekend Photo Hunt (advertise-stellar)

One way to advertise is by word of mouth.

  I got a new washing machine compare to my old one with all the dew-hickeys it pretty stellar age 

 
Next weekend photo hunt themes are Marco and or Zesty


I pretty much finished up my North Pole resident which I use for my last weekend photo hunt theme of color. Now I'm waiting for some glitter to add to the snow.
I'll try hard to post a finish picture of it on next weekend photo hunt.

 
I sold one of my ornament on etsy but still have two left. One is a mouse dressed up like Santa and the other one is a plain star
Asking $2.55 for each of them and shipping free in United States and will mail to Canada for a little bit more.

Today Is Wednesday, March 27, 2024: This Is What Happened.

  We got the plugs fixed in the pick-up, which cost us $261.09. The last time we did a set of plugs, it was under $80.00. But I'm glad i...