The Holidays are Here and saying Goodbye to 2021

 When you think of Christmas and your fondest memories what comes to mind, what was it that made you the happiest? Is it the people or the places you traveled, the food you ate or perhaps the gifts received, maybe even a gift you gave?

Having a birthday near Christmas and as a child always feeling a bit let down if I had to pick out a Birthday gift from under the tree, or receiving a gift at a party that was wrapped in Christmas paper, I was used to think, why can't people just use birthday paper like the rest of the year? Don't get me wrong I loved Christmas but I always wanted it to be very separate from "my day". There was even a time in my life for a few short years when I changed my birthday to April, just so I could actually have a gift that didn't come from under the tree and a cake decorated for a birthday and not Christmas. It didn't mentally damage me though to have a birthday close to Christmas, but it made me care for Christmas just a little bit less especially as as a child.

As I've gotten older (yeah much older) I've had more time to reflect on the things that have meant the most to me and when it comes down to it, none of them had anything to do with the gifts under the tree, one less or one more would not have made a difference of course when you are little one less can be a pretty horrible thing especially when you have to pick the one that is coming out before Christmas.

As a much younger girl living in Long Beach, CA. with my family, my mom and dad borrowed a white tree one year, I think to make us feel more like we were back home on the East Coast where trees would have naturally been covered with snow, it was fully decked out with ornaments and tinsel, I don't remember if there were lights on the tree, but I know that mom had also borrowed a revolving 4 color disc light that was facing the tree and as it turned those colors would light up the tree and the ornaments on it. She also had a borrowed set off world dolls which were proudly displayed on the windowsill in our family room for all to see as they walked by outside. I don't remember any of the gifts I got that year, or the food we ate at our Christmas Dinner, but I do remember how loved it made me feel being there with my whole family enjoying that Christmas.

This year as we approach another holiday where we should be socially distancing as another type of covid spreads, I invite you to think about those years when maybe you didn't have as much as you wanted, or you weren't with those people you wished you could be with, take a trip down memory lane and remember what made you the happiest. So many this year will be alone for the first time, some will be homeless, so many facing indefinite futures. Help where you can, be kind and give whatever you have the capacity of giving, for some it will be financial, and for some it may just be a smile or a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line, just do it, see how it makes you feel, and remember to find some joy in the season and pass it on.

Updates ... I suppose!

It's been a hot minute since I've checked in and updated my blog, so long as a matter of fact I couldn't even remember the blog address, LOL, it took a few tries.

1.  We moved from the Condo we were living in back in early 2019, we weren't expecting to move, but someone in our life made a move which meant the condo we were in had to be sold.   It was very upsetting to have to move again.

2.  Found a nice house, in a nice beach community and were approved for rental.  It's small with 3 small bedrooms, 2 baths, and a kitchen/living room combination.  What we love most is that we have a nice fenced in backyard for our puppy girls, they LOVE being able to go outside without a leash and just lay in the sun all day long. 

3.  My girl had moved in with us, but that didn't last long as she and her boyfriend were given a chance to rent a nice apartment in another beautiful beach community, so off she went.  The only sad part is that she is about 40 minutes from us and I don't drive the freeways, so I don't see her often.

4.  The hubs and I are finally "empty nesters" ... we LOVE it, I can't even imagine living with our kids now.  It's great to see them, but living with your grown adult kids isn't easy on anyone.

5.  Covid 19 aka Corona Virus hit the United States and has virtually shut us down (no thanks to Donald Trump).  Nine months in to this and we have over 220,000 deaths, incredible numbers of those who have been sick with it, people losing jobs and companies have shut down, restaurants cannot seat people inside, it's been crazy.  We wear face masks everywhere we go, we carry hand sanitizer and use it like it's going out of style.  Even doctors offices have been doing zoom video appointments for non-emergencies to lessen the risk of becoming infected.  It's been horrible, families are becoming homeless, marriages breaking up due to the stress involved, and suicides, depression and anxiety are up as well.  Praying for things to get better, but I expect it will be a good while before we see a change.  The only good thing to come from this mess is that the hubs and I have been picking up take-out once a week or so and going down to the bay to watch the boats come in and out while we eat, we even catch a great sunset sometimes.

6.  November 3rd we will be voting for a new President.  I have voted already and am hoping for a great change.  God Help us all if Trump cheats and gets in again. 

7.  My Uncle Carl died, he fell and hit his head, he had a brain bleed and we suspect a stroke.  He was my last surviving uncle, and was like a dad to me as my own dad died when I was a child.  Life will never be the same without him, I miss him terribly.

8.  I've had some medical struggles lately, my diabetes has been a bit hard to control, but part of that is my fault, I need to try harder with my diet and exercise.  I also have Stage 3 Kidney Disease, but am hoping that if I can get that Diabetes under control the kidneys will not get worse anytime soon.  I'm also having a rough go with my Triglycerides, they are much to high, so I'm taking meds for that as well.  

9.  Crafting and Card Making has been my sanity most days.  I make tons of cards and I craft some other fun stuff once in awhile.  My latest creation is a Halloween Decoration for my girl, its a Spell Book, kind of like the one from the movie Hocus Locus.

10.  Not much else is new around here, I'll try to keep up here when I have more to say.

Thanks for reading this far, I hope you are well and safe and gosh darn it, go Vote.

The Day You Left Us

SEVEN YEARS

2556 Days

61,344 Hours

3,680,640 Minutes

That's a very long time

and yet

It seems like just yesterday!

That day I received a phone call from the Principal at your school,

she called to tell me you had been taken by ambulance to Lawrence & Memorial,

you were unconscious, and they had found you on the floor of your classroom.

My ears started to Buzz ...

I couldn't hear what she was saying anymore ...

I remember screaming in the phone "Is he dead"

I screamed again "I'm on my way".

I called for Morgan to come home immediately from her job which thankfully was literally right around the corner that day.

We drove to the hospital ...

Not knowing what we would find when we got there ...

I remember telling Morgan, I think he died.

Then when we walked in to the hospital they got the doctor to come and talk to us,

I KNEW THEN ...

IT WAS BAD NEWS.

I'm so sorry to tell you that your husband had a massive heart attack and passed away, we were unable to revive him.

... and there's that buzzing in my ears again, it just wouldn't stop.

How does one go on from that point,

you just do, even when you don't want to, you just do.

It wasn't easy, I walked around waiting for someone to tell me it didn't really happen ...

but no one did.

Thank God for all the family and friends that helped to get both Morgan and I through your passing.

We didn't get through it unscathed,

there were tears

and anger

and yet

we carried on, because that's what you would have wanted us to do.

There are still hard moments and days when we think about you and miss you, I suppose that will never change.

You filled our lives with joy and love.

You changed our world for the better.

You will never be forgotten Brian.

LOVE,
Me and the Girl

A Recipe Share ...

A Recipe Share for everyone today.

I love You Tube, and follow quite a few people there.

Sometimes they share cooking video's and recipes,

and sometimes I like them so much I want to share them as well.

The following recipe is from "The Queens Cabinet".

The creator is a lady named Shelby who is currently cooking a Keto Diet for her family, as her husband has rejoined the national guard and needs to make his Army weight.

Basically she is going through her own recipes and converting them for Keto and WW.

This one is a recipe for a Artichoke Dip that she made and then used on top of grilled chicken breasts, which she popped in to the oven for just a few minutes to bubble up the dip.

It looked amazing and she said it was a 10 out of 10, something she will make again for sure.

How many ways might you find to use this dip in your healthier eating.  At our house we need to eat less carbs so this would be delicious used with the chicken in the recipe, used with fresh veggies, perhaps even fish (I don't eat fish but my husband loves it).

Here's the Recipe for the Dip.

Creamy Artichoke Chicken

-4 grilled chicken cutlets -1 cup mayonnaise -1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated -14 oz can artichoke hearts drained and quartered -1 clove garlic finely minced -4 oz diced green chilies

Place grilled chicken on sheet tray. Mix remainder ingredients in bowl and mix. Top each chicken breast with 1/10th of the mixture. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly golden. 1/10th of dip recipe is 1.2 carbs, 190 calories and 7 WW Smart Points

Things That Bug Me ...

You guessed it, this post is all about things that bug me.

1.  People who home school without a plan.  I watch a lot of You Tuber's and many of them home school their kids.  Now that's not a bad thing if you have a plan, if you follow a program, if you are making sure that you are teaching your kids properly and that you are making sure your kids have a chance to socialize properly.  One family I watch lives in Utah, they have 9 children, some of which are adopted.  They are by their own admission "unschooling" their kids.  I asked if they follow a curriculum daily and was told "no, our kids are responsible for education at their own pace, we encourage them to do what they enjoy and not get caught in the binds of a strict state designed curriculum.  Most given days the kids are "playing", building forts, chasing one another outside, going on hikes with the mom and dad, making jewelry, yada, yada, yada.  They do not take state mandated exams and it is up to the parents to decide when they are ready to graduate.  HOW CAN THIS BE OK?  The other day on a trip to a big box store looking for a gift for their dad, one of the young daughters, who appears to be about 12 years old did not know what an outside Thermometer was used for (something you might learn if you went to school) she by the way spend much of her time making earrings to sell.  Another son recently who is old enough to have two jobs went in to the thrift store looking for toys that he is obviously to old for and he was being dropped off at work early because he was bored, there was nothing to do at home (how about Math, Science, or Reading).  I guess Utah does not have any strict guidelines for home schooling, in my opinion they need some.  The good thing I've seen now is that they have enrolled their youngest two in school for a bevy of reasons, both have speech problems as they were born in another country, one of them is down syndrome and cannot guide herself in education, this makes me happy.  Then their oldest who would be a senior in high school has decided to go to school for all electives in things he enjoys, apparently the school is OK with his having done all his core work on his own, I guess some schooling is better than none.  Then today they mentioned two of the middle aged kids have decided to go to school on a short day program, thank goodness.  I believe those kids are bored stiff and need some socialization outside of their home and church activities, sometimes when their parents turn the camera on them and ask them what they are up to they say "nothing".  What makes me really sad is that so many people think this is the way to go and it worries me that we are raising a generation of self indulged kids with no idea how to work with time restraints and schedules.  Kids need structure, they need guidance and discipline and they need to know they can't live their whole lives getting up when they please, working if they feel like it, learning if they "like" it and not just because it's what will help them in the future.  If you're going to home school, do it right and don't think your little ones can "do it on their own without their parents guiding them, they cannot". 

2.  Contractors really drive me crazy, mostly because they work on their own schedules and never show up on time.  We've had them here a few times over the past few weeks, lots of "we'll be there by such and such a time", they they either don't show up at all or they literally show up hours later.  There's nothing we can do though, we certainly need their skills.

3.  Cell Phones at the Dinner Table, it drives me insane especially when everyone has one pulled out to text, check Face book, emails etc. and no one speaks.  Put your DANG Phone away for 20 minutes.

4.  Bugs, bug me ... especially when you live in a condominium and the association should take care of treating for the little and big pests and they sit on it.  Spray, treat ... kill them and make sure they don't come in my house. 

Sorry nothing super positive, just a few things on my mind that I needed to get out of there.

SaveSave

Fall is Coming

I love Fall!

I really miss my Fall days back east as we don't really get them where I live in Southern California, yes some of the trees turn colors (much later in the season than the East Coast), we can purchase delicious apples at the Farmers Markets, but it's not the same.  There are no cool mornings with the smell of cold dew on the leaves that have fallen, smoke in the air from fireplaces warming homes, and wool sweaters and socks to keep us warm.

I'm sitting in my living room right now, with the sun shining brightly through the windows here at home.  The sliders and windows are all open to let in the fresh air and my fans are all on while I am wearing shorts and a t-shirt.

Certainly none of that brings to mind a cool Fall day.

I am home a lot during the days, taking care of my pups and paper crafting when the mood hits.  I also watch a lot of You Tube video's in search of inspiration of many kinds, card making ideas, cooking, knitting and crocheting and just daily vlogs from some of my favorite you-tubers. 

I especially love cooking vlogs and meal plans.

One of my favorite You-Tubers is a lady by the name of Shelby.  

Her You Tube channel is called "The Queen's Cabinet".

She lives in Cooperstown, NY and she and her husband are building an amazing property around their home that when finished will be complete with an apple orchard, a trout pond and a huge garden for the kitchen.  I cannot wait for them to post pictures when it is all done.

Here is one of the recipes she cooked recently, it looked and sounded so delicious, I'm definitely going to try it soon, maybe you would like to try it too, and Yes I think it will make a wonderful Fall dinner for your table.

Here you go, enjoy!

Creamy Pesto Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

10 Skinless Chicken Thighs

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil

3 Tablespoons Pesto

2 cups Heavy Cream

5 Ounces Baby Spinach

12 Ounces cooked Penne Pasta

Parmesan Cheese for Garnish

Directions:

Saute chicken thighs in oil until cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add Sun Dried Tomatoes, pesto, heavy cream and spinach and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove Chicken Thighs and stir cooked pasta in to cream sauce.

Serve to individual plates and top with 2 chicken thighs per portion,

Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

*Note Shelby recommends using bone in Chicken thighs for the extra flavor, however I do not like meat on the bone, so I will be trying this recipe with boneless, skinless thighs.

That's it, a recipe that appears pretty easy and sounds amazing.

I hope you will give this recipe a try and while you're at it check out Shelby's You Tube channel "The Queen's Cabinet", I promise you won't be sorry, it's filled with so many yummy recipes, menu ideas and her charming spirit.
Thank you so much for stopping by today, I hope you'll chime in here and tell me what you love about Fall, I'd love to know.
I appreciate you, have a wonderful day.

Pineapple Mango Salsa "Dump" Chicken (A Crockpot Recipe)

Summer for me means "easy" kitchen cooking.

I hate to heat up the house and end up not wanting to eat because we're all too warm.

Turning on the oven is a big NO-NO.

Eating out every day is expensive so we try to find things that can be done simply at home.

The Crockpot or the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker is the way to go.

What "easy" recipes do you make for during the summer to lighten things up and cool things down?

Pineapple Mango Salsa "Dump" Chicken 

A Crockpot Recipe 3 Large chicken breasts 1/2 cup of Salsa 3 Tbsp. of Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce 1 cup brown sugar 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks drained 2 cups diced mango (this can be canned and drained) 15 0z black beans drained 15 0z sweet corn 4 oz green chilies 1 Tbsp. of garlic powder 1 Tsp onion powder 1 Tsp smoked paprika 1 Tsp salt Dump all ingredients into a crockpot and Cook 6-7 on low or 4 hours on high.

*Note: This is a good "freeze ahead" meal, dump all the ingredients in a bag prior to cooking and freeze it until you are ready to enjoy, then dump in your crockpot and you will be good to go.

Serving Suggestions: Delicious served over brown rice with heated tortillas on the side.

*Note this recipe is not my own, it was shared on Pinterest and by Kiera on a You Tube channel that I watch and enjoy.

Randomness ...

Just a List

Some days you have a lot on your mind.

Some days you have nothing on your mind.

Some days it's easy to remember everything.

Some days you need a list to remember anything.

Here's a list of random thoughts for me.

1.  The world it is changing.

2.  My daughter just turned 29 years old, how did that happen.

3.  People can and will lie when it is advantageous to their cause.

4.  I love the ocean and the calm I feel around it.

5.  Two dogs, one big and one small are a ton of work.

6.  I love those two dogs and would hate if i had to give them up.

7.  My taste buds have changed.

8.  I seem to be enjoying plain food lately.

9.  I am a spiritual person, but not a religious person.

10.  Politics - they are tearing friends and families apart.

11.  Sometimes I wish horrible things on the current President of the United States.

12.  I don't like wine.

13.  I love my husband.

14.  Family, sometimes it's a love/hate relationship.

15.  I believe Heaven is a real place and that many people will never get there.

16.  I love the Lularoe Perfect T shirts.

17.  Some of my best friends live in my computer and we've never met.

18.  Money does not buy happiness.

19.  Pizza yum ... but only thin crust.

20.  It seems no one has time for anyone else anymore.

21.  When did we all become so self centered and self absorbed.

22.  I miss the East Coast.

23.  I enjoy California but hope not to live here forever.

24.  Exercise, I need to do more of it.

25.  I hate Diabetes 

26.  Why can't we find a cure for Alzheimer's Disease.

27.  Peonies are my favorite flower.

28.  I don't care for hard ice-cream but I love soft serve in a cone.

29.  I wish I could travel more.

30.  Do things that make you happy.

31.  Don't worry about what others do to make themselves happy.

32.  Try and pay my debt down.

33.  Help other people when they need it and don't ask questions.

34.  Drink more water.
35. Laugh whenever and wherever you feel like laughing.

36.  Make and eat more salads for meals, we love them.

37.  Remember, you cannot fix every wrong in the world, but just one small good deed can lead to so many others that might fix one thing at a time. 

38.  NO one is Perfect, including me.

39.  Take Naps, they're a good thing.

40.  Have a good cry every once in awhile.
41.  Try to blog more often even if no one reads it.

42.  Hugs and Kisses 

That's it for now ... random stuff.

Ever changing.

Whole 30 Chicken Verde

On my hunt for recipes that will help me on my journey towards lowering my sugar (diabetic problems) I have found this recipe, it looks yummy.  I borrowed it from "The Nourishing Home" page, there is a  link below, check out the website listed at the bottom of the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion

2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cumin

1 (12oz) jar Whole30-compliant Salsa Verde (see recipe note)

1 large red bell pepper

1 large yellow pepper

Instructions:

🌶Cut the ends off of the onion and remove skin. Then slice into 4-5 thick slices. Place in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.

🌶Place the chicken thighs on top of the onion. In a small bowl, combine the seasonings and evenly distribute across the top of the chicken.

🌶Evenly spoon the Salsa Verde over the top of the seasoned chicken. (Trader Joe's and Whole Foods both have Whole30-compliant brands, be sure to read labels.)

🌶Slice the bell peppers into thick slices; discard the seeds and stem. You can either - place them over the salsa and cook with the chicken for very soft peppers that meld into the sauce, or add the peppers during the last hour of cook time to enjoy them al dente (as shown in photo).

🌶Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours, until chicken is fork tender. When chicken is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the salsa-covered chicken and peppers to a large platter. Move the peppers to the side. Use two forks to shred the chicken.

🌶Serve on large Bibb lettuce leaves. Top with diced tomatoes, avocado, and fresh cilantro. So delicious!
...............

For more delicious whole foodie fun, visit TheNourishingHome.com

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Disclaimer: This is not my own recipe.

 I found it on my Facebook Feed and thought I would share it here.  I have yet to make it ... but I will, very soon.  In an effort to eat healthier I think this will satisfy everyone at our house with some huge servings of veggies on the side. 

Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Makes 3 servings

Per serving

1 Leaner protein

1 fat

3 condiments

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced 

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil 

• 1 cup low fat plain greek yogurt 

• 1/2 cup chicken broth 

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 

• 1 cup spinach, chopped 

• 3 slices sun dried tomatoes

In a large skillet add olive oil and cook the chicken on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown on each side and cooked until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate. 

Add the yogurt, chicken broth, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Whisk over medium high heat until it starts to thicken. Add the spinach and sundried tomatoes and let it simmer until the spinach starts to wilt. Add the chicken back to the pan and serve over zucchini noodles if desired.

Doesn't this recipe sound delicious, not get over to that kitchen and give it a try, I suspect we will not be disappointed when we sit down to eat with this on our plate.

Yummy in your tummy!

Thanks For The Memories Mom

Memories are a sweet thing, and for me "food memories" are some of the best. I love creating recipes that I remember so fondly from my childhood. Mom was a cook of the times, much like other women who worked on limited budgets, dinner could be pretty mundane and plain. Meatloaf, hotdogs and beans, pot roast, roasted chicken, spaghetti and meatballs, jello salad, date bars ... everyone had their own recipes for the same foods. My mother however always looked for ways to change things a bit, especially after we moved to California, fresh vegetables instead of the canned versions began to cross our plates, and salads seemed to be at every meal. My favorites were always the homestyle stuff, her Italian sauce with spicy hot sausage was one I always looked forward to after it cooked slowly all day on the back of the stove, unfortunately I've never made one to rival hers though my sister Debi knew moms secrets and always made a good sauce. Meatloaf was never a favorite of mine because mom always tried to sneak veggies in that I didn't like, green peppers and onions ... eventually though I would eat it and actually loved leftover meatloaf sandwiches in my lunchbox the next day. Pot Roast with carrots, onions and browned potatoes was always amazing and again leftovers on white bread with yellow mustard always made me smile. Stuffed Cabbage with her twist of cooking in beef broth instead of tomato sauce was a family favorite, it seemed there was never enough for leftovers because we couldn't get enough. Swiss Steak her way (again no tomato sauce), beef and cauliflower, and a French favorite for breakfast, Corton (a homemade potted meat spread) that we so enjoyed spread on warm toast in the morning. I miss my mom, and I miss her cooking, thankfully I was observant enough to learn many of these recipes so I could share them with my own family. This morning I taught my daughter Morgan to make "mom's" stuffed cabbage, it was a great way to share something very special that I just know my mom would be thrilled about if she was still here with us. 
Thanks for the memories mom.

DIABETES (Type 2) And All That Jazz

Well for years I've had type 2 diabetes.

For years I've kept in under control with medication.

It was so well under control they lowered my medications.

Then ...

Anxiety moved in to my life.

Mostly because of some things I could not control.

Well ... I went for blood work last Wednesday and went about my business.

I planned on calling to see my doctor for results and meds.

My phone rang Thursday morning at 8:30 in the morning ...

it wasn't great news.

My blood sugars were over 500 ...

way too high.

They wanted to see me right away.

My choices were immediate switch to Insulin along with pills.

or

See a Nutritionist ... I'll be calling tomorrow for an appointment.

Off Metformin on to a stronger, new to me medication

and

a change to my carb heavy diet with the addition of exercise.

Well ... I don't want Insulin unless there is no other choice.

So begins a very difficult phase in my life.

Right now I'm hungry all the time.

I want bread for breakfast, not chicken.

It won't be easy ...

It's quite depressing for me especially in the mornings.

I'll keep trying though ...

because really what other options are there.

Meal Delivery Companies ... what do you think?

Hello Fresh vs. Chef'd

It's Expensive to Eat out in California!!!

So last year I tried out a meal delivery service, it was called Chef'd.  I enjoyed it because I was not locked in to trying 3 meals each and every week, and I was able to pick my meals from an extensive list of about 100 choices, though I wasn't totally pleased with the quality of the ingredients, I did like that the prices varied based on the recipe.  
We tried a few different meals and enjoyed all but one of them and that wasn't because the meal tasted bad, it was because it came with chicken thighs which I hate.  LOL
So in an effort put a bit more variety in to our meal planning (it seems I just can't plan a meal with new items that I love anymore my own), I have joined another meal plan company, Hello Fresh!
I am only doing the meals for 2 people x 3 meals per week (it's usually just Pat and I for dinner), with the option to change some of the meal choices I may not want to options we might prefer.  The choices are much more limited each week and I have the option to "opt out" for certain weeks.  I have also decided at this point to only do meals two weeks every month, opting out the other weeks unless we find that we need more.  The price is very good for a main course for two, it's a little shy of $10 per person, or about $20 per meal (I will add in salads or other veggies that we may like from our own grocery shopping). 
We went out for Italian food last night and it cost us with tip about $75 for 3 people, no dessert, no appetizers, no alcohol ... that's a lot of money.
With Hello Fresh for 3 meals a week, it will be less than the price of one night out, and for our first week I had a code so I only paid $29 for 3 meals (yay). 
Now, I'm not saying I won't be eating out anymore, but we really enjoy eating in and relaxing, it's cheaper and the food is usually better. 
My first 3 meals will arrive on the 30th, I can't wait to give them a try and the choices I made sound delicious.  Does anyone else have experience with this particular company?
If you do, I'd love to hear about it.

Random Stuff

1.  Maybe I should start a "Random Stuff Bullet Journal".

2.  I don't like the taste of most food anymore unless it's cold or tart.

3.  Anything too Savory turns my stomach.

4.  I crave my mom's Italian Spaghetti and Sausage.

5.  I am always HOT ... like boiling from the inside out.

6.  Having two dogs to contend with in a small Condominium is a lot.

7.  Fall is my favorite season of all ... but not in California.

8.  I am a Card Maker.

9.  I sell Stampin' Up products and truly believe they are the best on the market.

10.  I have been married now for one year to Patrick Gilmore.

11.  I complain a lot, but I am truly thankful for everything that is good in my life.

12.  I'm not sure what I believe anymore in the way of Religion.

13.  I used to love to cook, but not so much anymore.

14.  I need to have my eyes checked and get new glasses.

15.  I am a bit of a procrastinator.

16.  I am VERY Liberal.

17.  I am not as patient as I used to be when I was younger.

18.  Soup ... I love it just about any time of the year.

19.  I have never traveled to Europe.

20.  I prefer thin crust to a thick crust pizza any day.

21.  I don't wear yellow gold at all.

22.  I am not a "hugger" or a "kisser" with strangers, I prefer not to be touched.

23.  I love to read and prefer historical romances.

24.  My favorite TV show is probably Outlander.

25.  I never went to a "real prom".

26.  I hate surprise parties, as I do not like to be the center of attention.

27.  I have never been in a wedding party, ever.

28.  I love a good steamed Hotdog with mustard, relish and raw onion.

29.  I'm allergic to shellfish.

30. I have one daughter but I've had two pregnancies.

31.  I love to play board games.

32.  I love to watch You Tube.

33.  I've never seen "Gone with the Wind" in it's entirety.

34.  Growing up I enjoyed watching "Ma and Pa Kettle" movies on Sunday's.

35.  I was born on the East Coast.

36.  There is nothing like Bell's Seasoning for Turkey Dressing.

37.  I feel at peace watching the ocean waves.

38.  I don't like birds .. and I don't ever want to hold one.

39.  I prefer Ices to Ice Cream, Rita's Italian Ice is a favorite.

40.  My dad died when I was 11 years old.

41.  My mom died from complications of Alzheimer's Disease.

42.  I worry that I will die from Alzheimer's Disease.

43.  I want to be cremated, not buried.

44.  I've been married 3 times in my life.

45. I've been divorced only once.

46.  I love the snow.

47.  Maine is my favorite state.

48.  I hate driving especially in California.

49.  I am diabetic.

50.  I am the 3rd of 3 children in my family.

Just random stuff about me, now you know me better.

Friends

Just a question for all my Blogger peeps.

Have you ever had an amazing friendship, a best friend/friendship, that suddenly ended?

I did this past year.

The person I used to call my best friend suddenly was no longer my friend.

I suspect that we were so politically different during this election year she simply decided we no longer had enough in common to keep the friendship going.

We came together as friends through Scrapbooking online years ago.

She lived in another state so becoming friends wasn't easy,

but we were on a design team together and after a girls weekend in LBI, NJ we both went home feeling like we had been the best of friends our whole life.

We visited one another and knew each others families.

We called each other often and shared secrets.

She was the first person I called when my mom was dying, and the 2nd person I called when my husband passed away.

She was my person.

Then suddenly it all stopped.

It's the oddest feeling, knowing that the person you thought would be your oldest and dearest friend  simply was no longer on your radar. 

She stopped responding on Facebook then one day I found she had limited my view of her page.

It felt weird, and though I knew it was all because of politics,

I had trouble believing that she would simply just stop all connection with me.

I told her long ago that it wouldn't offend me if she chose not to read or respond to some of the things I posted and I would simply do the same for her, I guess she just couldn't get there.

I mean ... isn't it possible to be friends with someone that you have differences of opinions with.

It felt like a death in the family.

I know that things and people change in life.

Friends and acquaintances come and go and sometimes change because we change.

It's still weird to me though that I know we'll never talk again.

I did feel kind of watched though, especially knowing she could have full access to my page though I was limited on hers, so one morning recently I went ahead and unfriended her, her husband and her kids.  I guess I felt like the friendship needed to go both ways or no way at all.

So that was it ... gone and they no longer have any access to view my page.

I wish her well ...

I hold no anger towards her.

I understand.

The Times They are a Changin' ...

2017

A New Year.

My first New Year married to Patrick Gilmore.

I never would have dreamt that after moving away from California so many years ago that my path would ever cross Patrick's path again in my lifetime, but as we know things change.

I had a crush on Patrick from the first time I met him, back in 1970.

He was my first date ever ... and it was the best date.

We doubled with Randy Jones and his girl at the time.

Pat borrowed a Camaro from a friend to take us out in style.

We drove to the Queen Mary thinking we were having dinner at a French restaurant on board, and while we girls waited on board for the boys to check in for our reservation they came out with frowns on their faces and told us the restaurant had messed up our reservations and we couldn't eat there.

So off we went, starving of course to find some other place to eat.

Driving down PCH Patrick stopped on the side of Bolsa Chica Beach,

he asked me to go out and grab a map out of the trunk for him, because he knew where he wanted to take us, but wasn't sure what road to take.

I thought for sure something was up so Randy got out with me ...

and when we opened the trunk there was a picnic basket.

The boys had planned all along to start a fire in a fire pit at the beach to grill us dinner.

We had steak, salad and dessert which I believe was Smores.

We also celebrated with Martinelli's sparking grape drink,

we were only 16 and 17 years old, and Mormon.

Pat was a gentlemen all night, 

we walked down the beach and talked, 

it was dreamy.

When he brought me home I never got a good night kiss, we were both too shy.

I joke now that I had to wait 33 years for that kiss,

but it was worth it.

We've moved away from Long Beach and are currently living in South Coast Metro.

It's a small 2 bedroom condo, but I love it, it's just the perfect size for us.

I never want a big house again, they're way too much work.

Morgan is living with us right now as is my sister,

it's tight, tempers flare sometimes, but we're making do.

Pat and I hope to save some money and be able to buy a place of our own eventually.

The only sad news I have is that we no longer have our amazing President Barack Obama.

I knew it was coming ... I had hoped that his replacement would be Hillary Clinton,

but that was not to be.

We've turned the clocks back 100 years and the biggest clown ever got voted in, Donald Trump.

He's a horrible person.

I won't go any further talking about him here other than to say, let's hope that we figure out the error of our ways and vote the idiot out in 4 years, and we'll pray that he doesn't get us all killed in the meantime.

Hoping that the New Year will get better, it started off with both Patrick and I sick with colds and flu, and we hope that our friends and family all find love, hope and prosperity in the days to come.