Countdown is Here

Isn't it always a rush near the last day and time of departure...especially for those who don't travel that often...I'm just getting to the point of getting on a plane...don't need the jitters before I get there...
I'm hoping I'm not forgetting something that would cause the spending of unnecessary money...:o( I've already put the camera on the bed (with all the things I intend to pack into the suitcase...I've changed what to wear to the Airport a few times already. Don't want to be too hot or cold...
Did you notice the house shoes for sale these days? they are thick little suckers made of "tire" rubber it looks to me and lined with fur...makes your feet sweat (and stink) (they are perfect for concrete floors)...besides they take up too much suitcase room in the suitcase...I'm taking a pair I got as a gift years ago...Just enough to cover the foot to the john...
I think we will have to pay for another bag..the one we were going to carry on would be a pain and cumbersome, (it will be too full).
I'm looking forward to seeing all my children and grands gathered in one place for enjoyment and a happy occasion..I can't remember the last time that happened.
Everyone is so far away it's hard to gather for the regular Holidays and we miss that ...The house in NJ would have held them all...No need in crying over spilt milk.
New day new time.
I won't be posting anymore today I need to complete things in order...So I'll say the goodbye's now! You all behave yourselves and pray for Our safe travels.

It's a Dreary Cloudy Day in NC

Today is what I call a "Washed out Sunday", I didn't get out of bed until 10 am! and I'm still in my Pajama's, (and I may stay in them all day)...
I woke up during the early am ...and managed to get back to sleep until it was time to watch T.D. Jakes at 7am...watched that and rolled over and went back to sleep.
I haven't had much energy here of late...I take a vitamin and that helps, but I can only take one or two a week other wise they keep me awake at night...
I think I caught a cold or my sinuous are acting up again....that makes it difficult for me to know which I have!..So I just go with the flow and handle myself according.
I made a nice Lamb stew yesterday for dinner...there's a nice pot of it still left..
I feel like baking a fish today...so there will be good leftovers to snack with..
I have some shrimp and I'm being tempted to make some shrimp and rice...Maybe I'll do that too...for the next couple of days, I'll be busy packing and all the stuff that goes with it...Getting to the Beauty Parlor ( I usually do my own, but I don't set it nearly as good as they do, and it lasts longer). So I'll be having a lot of leftovers or quick meals ...

Shawl Spread out looking like wings

When you take a trip, you try and plan the right clothes! you get mixed up with what you want to leave behind or take to make sure you have enough...
There is a nice story behind this shawl...It was my first Lace one ....and when I made it I really didn't know what I was doing :o)..I had excellent help from a shop keeper in NJ....she guided me all the way...It was a very small shop (knit knot, if I remember correctly)...but she listened to what I wanted and surprising later years when I finally knew what I had done and what I had , I was elated and I bless her soul every time I wear it...it's made of wool and I believe nylon (in those days nylon was big, guess bamboo takes the place now).
I have thrown it in the washing machine and dried it in the machine (now slap me)!
You know it was good fabric to have been mistreated so .. I decided to stretch her out on my board so all the points would show up as they should...it has to be done in stages it's so beautifully large :o)

Dividing the Stretch

My design board is also a cream color...so if you do a close up you will see a good portion of the pattern...
the Shawl is so large I have to "Block" her in stages...so far it works out good.
I think it's my favorite shawl thus far!

What's old is new again!

The other day, Cecil bought a bag of decaffeinated coffee, and at the time didn't realize they were coffee beans!..We fretted for a minute, until I remembered and old coffee grinder I had on the Hoosier cabinet that I removed when we were moving here and had not replaced it back...I just knew I hadn't thrown it away...(not one of my favorite antiques), I quickly searched my mind file and remembered that it was on the shelf in the Laundry room..possibly at the bottom...two minutes later...Cecil emerged with it....was I some kind of glad...showed me that Alzheimer hadn't set in yet!...The mind was still good :o) the mind is still good!

The top picture shows I'm holding it up so you can see how it's to fit back on the Hoosier..just have to put holes on the other side of the Hoosier so the handle can be turned.
Maybe one of these days I'll find a new coffee grinder at Goodwill :o)

What a Day!

It seems that Cecil and I were glued to our chairs watching the Inaugural happens for two days in a row.....we were mesmerized with all that was going on.....
I have lived to see a great day in the making of History for the Country,
Correction : The World!! what we do here will be a beacon for the rest of the world.
Never mind who you would have voted for, or your dislike (if you have one) for our New President ...Barack H. Obama...let us all try and work together to make things better for our children and our children's children..put aside the old hatreds if you have any at least try and take a step forward..I was taught if you take that first step, God will help you take the second...and soon you will find yourself walking in the way you should go!...
I think I've gotten on a soapbox here! I'm sorry for that if it offends, but since I'm the oldest one here...be polite and listen...you may learn something.
Didn't get to the loom yet!!ugh!
Sorry Ladydi,no special cooking today, Breakfast was boiled egg and fried salami on toast...lunch was a can of Progresso Clam Chowder..and dinner was a quickie, French Fries with a hot dog :o) Cecil was happy (French Fries always saves me)
And I had a glass of Ice Water TWICE :o)....noticed I had some jitters (bet it's the caffeine in the soda :o( anyway, The water was delicious (just thought I'd say that so Ladydi would feel better :o) ps. (it was nasty tasting).

Yesterday was a fruitful one

Since Cecil and I have been here for such a long time and seen so many events take place...we sometimes wonder "What is today going to yield" you just never know, so you keep a prayer on your lips that you and your love ones are safe...then it expands to friends and acquaintances...Some events are repeated through ignorance or un-willingness to concede...some events just can't be helped because the human factors gets in the way!...Which are those, I think it's the 7 deadly sins...How many of them do you know?....off hand I can only name a few, Greed, Envy, Jealousy, wish I knew them all (I've probably committed them).
We spent the day in front of the TV ...we missed the first showing of the Inauguration Celebration...but caught the full show at 7pm and what a show it was, it was so inspiring..watching the entertainers of many ethnic backgrounds perform together and and all in harmony to "get the job done"....I can speak of the days that was not possible....not what someone told me , but what I have experienced in my own personal life, and I know there are many would, and could confess to many more experiences....I was tempted ( by going to a higher grade) and transferred to another school to keep me from playing the lead in a school play....I was to sing "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" < the Principal did that "Mr Prejudice". I will never forget him....I didn't tell my mother of the transfer..thinking I was doing the right thing....was I ever wrong...That was getting rid of me by dangling a carrot in front that he knew I couldn't resist...knowing I would fail, how can a child with mediocre grades in the first place succeed in a higher grade in the last month of the semester...getting rid of me was the point..! There are many that have stories like that in their lives.
The dinner and the pies were of great comfort and enjoyed immensely by us both, and thank goodness, today I don't have to cook :o) the leftovers are welcome. and just maybe I'll get to the loom ...:o)

Cauliflower and Broccoli being steamed!

I figured if I gave you some pictures today, I could be free tomorrow :o) I haven't been on the loom today yet!
I think we ate so many greens during the summer, that we have had our fill for a spell...here of late we are on a Cauliflower and Broccoli kick!...first I steam it with just a little sprinkle salt and garlic...then I toss out the water from steaming and melt some butter with some Parmesan cheese and toss the veggies in that, we both seem to like it so much better and eat more than when I make a cheese sauce for it....

Baked Chicken, stuffing and Cranberry Sauce

After I've cooked it, it's every man for himself!...The only rule is "Take what you want and eat what you take". Here again Cecil likes the white meat and I like the dark, so by the time we are full it's gone ....or I make chicken salad for a lunch, and when it's all cut up and mixed, you don't know which is which and it's all eaten.
We both like cranberry sauce and need two cans to one chicken.
I must say I was happy that I seasoned up that stuffing ...all I had to add was chicken stock and let it bake too! it was delicious....Cecil went for a walk so he could eat more later later, or have room for dessert :o)....

This is My Plate :o)

Just wanted you to see that I ate what I took (plus another helping of stuffing and cranberry sauce) it had such a nice "kick".The Chicken was nice and moist...I didn't have time to make a gravy from the juice of it...no matter when You take a piece just dip it into the juice a bit and that's fine..

My Homemade Apple and Pear Pies :o)

I feel kind of proud of these two pies, Cecil bought me some shells a couple weeks ago and I was going to make some sweet potato pies, but I wasn't up to it and little by little we ate the sweet potaoes up for dinner...I decided to make the Apple and Pear pies for our dessert..I was going to make one giant pie or cobbler, but decided against that ...anyway , the Pears are from my tree, and the apples were some we picked from a friends grove...all fresh and put away in the freezer especially for the winter goodies :o), I sure hope they taste as good as they look! I think they look much better than those sorry pies I made some time back :o).
I forgot to say that I made the Top pie crust...I think it looks pretty neat, the proof will be in the tasting :o)

Were you looking for more pictures of Food ? :o)

I think I just about spoiled some of you , showing you all the cooking I'd been doing. It just seemed to me that you all get quite active commenting when there is food involved :o)....For breakfast this morning we had some Country ham and one fried egg each and of course Grits :o)....I didn't bother taking a picture of it, just didn't feel like going to get the camera ....
I was pretty smart today, I took a chicken out of the freezer last night and put it in a large bowl to defrost, so this morning while breakfast was cooking I seasoned her up and put her in the oven....so while we ate...Dinner was on it's way, and maybe today I'll be able to play in the Studio...I'm going to make some dressing for the chicken (already have some half prepared in the freezer), I'll make some steamed broccoli and cauliflower and open a can of Cranberry sauce....I might make an Apple pie today for dessert....so maybe later you'll get pictures after all :o) . Just maybe...I think I've been spending a lot of time at the computer here lately. guess I missed being here last week, By the way, the wedding isn't until the 31st...so I'll be posting a little longer....

Sausage, Cheese and eggs with biscuits on the side :o)

After you all enjoyed yesterday's breakfast,thought I'd feed you breakfast again today.
I'm getting down to my last container of "Homemade" sausage, this certainly was a good batch, it has a nice kick to it and you have the taste in your mouth for a satisfying time after you finish the meal...I hope somebody has some pork on sale soon....that's when I make at least 10-15 lbs of it....It lasts pretty good in my plastic containers in the freezer...That cup of coffee belongs to Cecil, I really had a nice bottle of "Rootbeer" :o)I mean Ice water :o(, that's just in case my Dr. is reading :o)Cecil let me drink it...I mean "Cecil made me do it". See how one lie gets made into two or three....ugh! I'm so wicked.:o(

Okra & Tomatoes

You all are so encouraging when I show a food dish! and since I fed you breakfast yesterday, I figured I may as well feed you for dinner too :o) Ladydi, are you there?..Okra and tomatoes are delicious over a dish of rice...I usually cook mine with a little onion and garlic..( I think I add onions and garlic to just about everything I cook) even Cecil has gotten to the place he will pick out the clove of garlic in soup for his plate:o)
The pan is almost empty because I was in haste to serve it hot and remembered to take the picture after eating :o( Sorry about that, but it will happen again!
Two out of three of my children love it and One could care less about it :o)

Shrimp and Fried Rice (with chucks of garlic pepper and onions

As I was preparing the rice,I felt I just didn't want plain white rice. So I started thinking of another way of fixing it....It's been a long time since I made
"Fried Rice" and I thought yeah! and add the shrimp to it :o)....When I was a kid, in our house and most of the houses in our neighborhood, Friday was "Fish Day" We lived in an area where there were a lot of people in their religion practicing no "meat on Friday's", So I think it became a custom for all of us and it seemed the custom stuck..

Butterfish defrosting for breakfast

Most times at night I think of what's for breakfast! When you have prepared as many breakfast as I have sometimes you run out of idea's....and that's when you let your stomach dictate :o)....The News kept repeating the weather would be cold....and that means "stay in"..and "eat well" :o)....Too cold to fry the fish outside..so next thing is cook it inside..(we didn't want any bacon or homemade sausage today). So on with preparing fish and Grits inside...
The butter fish is a breeze to clean....no scales :o) just take them out of the freezer and let it soak in cold water for about 15-20 minutes...they defrost pretty quickly...I thought I'd give you all a good breakfast before the day went on :o)

Now that the fish are cleaned, and simmering in the canola oil, while the grits are cooking ....you can see the pot of water with white vinegar also on the boil < that really helps better than any other little secrets I have heard about keeping fish odors from penetrating and staying in the house...I won't have time to "stage" a breakfast picture, this is as good as your going to get today :o( I'm hungry this morning...

"Woven Dish Cloth" or " Tea Pot Mat" :o)

I made my friend Jilly happy today by sending her one of my "Handwoven Dish Cloths", that she promptly changed into a "Mat for the Teapot" :o) and it seemed to make her happy in doing so and that's the reward...making someone happy.
I Don't care that she saw or found another use for it, in fact I'm downright happy about it.... I also think it's pretty neat using it to fit more than one use...
Just in case my girls see this, don't worry, yours is in reserve :o)
Just a short note about Jilly, we met on the internet around 1990, have never seen each other face to face (except traded snapshots), we both know where each others bones are buried :o) it's been a continued friendship thoughout these 19 years! Time passes so quickly.....

Two sockets under lamp says 150X2

Nobody had bulbs that said that....
and the first bulbs I had I took back...they still hung out too far down and didn't give off enough light....

Light all across the Loom

This is the results after two trips to the store...and I tell you there is no help available these days...the stores are about empty...I remember when Halogen lights were a danger, but I guess things change with time...some of us have to just get with the times , (me especially;o)
First mistake was the "new" 40 watts that advertise differently , even with two of them they were like working in the dark....
So Next time I outdid myself, I could have gotten two 75 watts, but I got greedy, especially since the two cost the same and the lasting 2 year being such a good incentive I bought the two..I now think the best decision :o).It looks like you can see the two bulbs hanging , but it's the way I took the picture....they are really out of the way...
Having this much light is sheer delight..I'll be able to see what I'm doing (even if I don't yet know what I'm doing :o)

Visit to the Local Goodwill paid off

I told you all in my last post I was shopping til I dropped, I've been trying lamp after lamp on my loom, near my loom and on my loom and it kept falling off and I wasn't satisfied....there is a plug in the ceiling that I could very well use some track lighting, but I'm still not sure I don't want to move my loom further against the wall...so I've tried every lamp to see what would fit....the Ott light is too short,and I like using it for my spinning wheel and like to keep it near it..... the other lamp I like to sit near the book case and read by it, I can't attach a fluorescent light, my loom wouldn't fit one...so it seemed I was always looking for the lamp that would "fit just right"...We stopped at a good will, and if it were a snake it would have bit me, Cecil , bless his little heart spied the lamp and "Ginny did you see this?" No I hadn't seen it, there was an unsavory character standing behind it and I didn't want any confrontation with asking him to move, so I walked away from the area, thereby missing the lamp!...it must have been meant for me, it was only $15. and that price was just right :o)..the lamp would be in the $150-$175. range all I needed was some bulbs, at first I bought the wrong ones and the first picture shows why...I didn't bother to read the instructions on the inside... I'll fix that today, Wasn't that just the perfect blessing meant for me...There are some good bargains in Goodwill if your not too proud or what we call "uppity". Just remember "one mans junk is anothe mans treasure"...

Where I have been? and what I've been up too!

I've been to Hell and back!!! with a toenail that decided to grow away from the cuticle...I have been worried sick about it and finally got some verbal relief today from the Podiatrist< He says it's a natural thing !! What! it wasn't something natural to me, I thought I was going to lose my toe, (being a diabetic,I wasn't sure how that would start and stop) I've had patients that first lost the toe and then the foot and it kept going until they lost more and then their lives....You all know how I love to cook (and eat). well, thank God that hell is over. and I'm back amongst the blogging world....I didn't think you all would like a picture of my toe hehehe , I sure was tempted to show it to you, but was afraid you might faint :o)...Anyway the nail bed has been clipped and sanded down and it's not as bad as I worried!...I'm making sure my shoes are comfortable, I want no stress with my feet.
Now what I've been up to....SHOPPING! until I dropped from being weary...it has taken a week to purchase just a few necessities for a coming trip...my Granddaughter is getting married and that means new stuff even for this fat lady..I'm going to stop calling myself fat...I'm a sturdy size :o) Would you believe I walked into a store and found just what I was looking for!! that was a trip within itself it surprised me to no end....I found a pair of shoes like that too (twice).
Even Cecil had good luck with his attire...and the alterations took little time...He looked real handsome...maybe I'll have to slap him silly before it's all over.You know how men are..if a young women smiles at them they begin to think they are all that and a bag of chips....I have to remind him, his bag of chips have gone to crumbs... I will be posting a few more times before my trip...but not to worry I'm okay and I thank all those who took the time to ask about my well being....!!Maybe tomorrow I'll have something better to share....

Dish Cloths all decked out in a row

Here are the results of continued learning....The mistakes in this project doesn't really matter... it's going to be used and greatly appreciated by the user. :o) One thing they are 100% Cotton, so easy to wash and I can use Bleach on them..So while I learned I earned :o) (in other words I learned something and it wasn't a waste after I learned from it)...Don't know why I always have to explain myself twice...guess I feel like I don't do a good job the first time :o(
At first they looked like crap to me! but after doing the snipping here and there and cleaning them up a bit, they really look nice :o)

Today was a busy day for me , following the busy one I had yesterday....
It takes as much time to take fabric off a loom almost as long as warping it..
I had a slight mess to clean off my reeds yesterday...my cotton threads seem to have made a little mess from the threads being shaved off a little as I beat the warp, well I wondered what affect the smaller reed would have compared to the larger (for those who don't know a size 10 reed has wider space than the size 12) I used the size 12 and the size 10 would have been the better one to use for this project.
Sometimes you don't learn it all in school, you also learn best by doing ...mistakes are the best teachers...
After taking the fabric off the loom , I then had to plan most of it's separation, I thought I was doing a good job as I worked, but I see not that wasn't good enough! I made out okay with separating , but next time I'll use a better method, sometimes as it was going good I just kept working ....have to remember how I want the colors to work...but after separating and making the fringes , the product looks pretty good, in fact I'd go as far to say they are the best darn dish cloths I've ever had , besides the ones I knitted! Cecil is excited about them, he likes that they are real thick, I must keep him happy with the new bargain since my back surgery, I cook and he does the dishes, We have a dish washer, but he likes to use it sparingly.Okay with me :o)....

dish cloths patterns and colors

I tried hard to put the cloths in a flattering position, but it seems I was just too tired to get the best view ....and my arranging skills seem to fly the brain for now :o(...a closer look shows up more detail....they aren't too bad! just wish I could have used more patterns, I feel like I've missed something I get the pattern going > or < but I'd like them to meet all across like this <> I'm looking at patterns to find what I really want...

"Aunt Fannie's Dandelion Wine"

I'm surprised at so many people that was born and raised in the South not knowing about the custom "If a Man Calls or visits your home on New Years Day, it's good luck...and the man of the house is to offer the man visitor a drink ", I remember that custom being done when I was a child (a very long time ago)....here is a funny story for you...I had an Aunt Fannie(who was straight from Texas) who made "Dandelion Wine" every Spring ( I have the recipe direct from her).Anyway, our first year living in NJ , Cecil was practicing the custom by visiting family, he visited Aunt Fannie and she gave him a glass of the Dandelion wine...Cecil thought to himself, (What does she know about making wine strong enough like most Southerns who knew how to make "Moonshine" it was bound to be weak as a kitten...so he took a big gulp!(Dummy) He almost had to be carried home it made such a wallop! :o), I made the wine one year and he politely said "No Thank You" Guess that was the end of making "Aunt Fannie's Dandelion Wine" ( This was a true story, Cecil was teased about it for years and now has the greatest respect when Aunt Fannie's name is mentioned.:o)

Happy New Year's Day Meal"

I promised myself that today I would spend the time in the Studio with my weaving! Well that's the first resolve I've broken, instead I spent the day cooking! One thing led to another and in between cooking I watched CSI < all of it intriguing :o)
Anyway , Cecil made all his morning calls (an old fashioned custom, if a man enters or calls your home first thing it brings your home good luck all year) We can all use some good luck!.....
I made the traditional Black eye peas, Pork Chops smothered in gravy, some rice, of course some bitter turnip greens from the freezer, and Cornbread to go with that ...and some rutabaga turnips....I won't have to cook for a couple of days....I kept feeling someone was coming and I didn't want there not to be plenty! Cecil and I do pretty good eating,for two older adults. Maybe tomorrow or the next day I'll get back to my weaving.....