Saturday's........

Aaahhhh Saturday's......we had plans of going out on a date. But, it is just too icy out there, plus JP thinks the alternator or air pump bearing is going out on the car....so no driving today or tomorrow. Taking the car in Monday for it's diagnosis......geez more $$$$! Guess the winter has been harsh on cars too!!

So, I guess I will just rest today and drink some coffee. Maybe work on some cards and possibly list a few things on Etsy.

Maybe do a little bit of cooking. Going to roast some tomatoes, peppers, garlic and carrots and make some sauce for spaghetti. Got this recipe from Biz @ http://www.mybizzykitchen/2014/01/10/pissed/ (Sorry, my link button is not working) I have all the ingredients, might even try "julianning" some zucchini.

Also on the agenda for today is a little bit of exercise, mostly riding my bike for a spell and maybe lift a few weights, just like these mice are doing....hahahahaha!

Well, time to hit the road and get a few things done. Enjoy your weekend and keep looking up and stay warm.
Cheers ~ Louise

PS the House Mouse pictures are from: http://www.house-mouse.com (Sorry, my link button is not working) I have quite a few stamps from House-Mouse, really need to start using them. Maybe that should be my challenge for 2014.

We Three Kings of Orient Are....

Hi everyone, how are you all doing? Hope you are keeping warm or if you live in a warm area like Florida or California, you are keeping cool. Time sure does fly, it's been 6 days since I last blogged, that's a long time for me, I have been trying to go every 2-4 days. Guess I didn't have much to blog about, if that could be possible. Oh I was doing the Etsy Tap Dance on Sunday, got an Etsy sale, so I was pretty happy about that, took me a couple of day to prepare the mailing. Then the weather got REALLY cold and a little snow fell on Monday. Been busy decorating the house for Christmas and getting my Christmas cards mailed out also.

We took our car in for an oil change and it seems to need a couple of belts and a thermostat...oie vey...to the tune of $350+ not exactly what we need at this time. But, I guess it is a neccessity. Otherwise if not taken care of, the motor could blow. Then it would cost even more.

So in the above picture is my 3 Kings which I made back in 1968.....geez 45 years ago. They are made of paper mache'. I must have been going to an art store and they were giving classes in different art media. I have completely forgotten how these Kings were made, can you believe, I still have the paper mache' stuff from back then. Guess I always thought I would make something else with the stuff, some day maybe.

Anyways, my 3 Kings come out every year and are placed in some royal spot. Every year when they get put away, I think, is this the last time I will see them??? Then here we are for another Christmas. Who knows, someday they will get put away never to be seen again. So I will just enjoy them this season and shed another tear as they get put away. Who knows, maybe in 20 years they can collect Social Security...lol!

So in this picture is my little Christmas tree. I like this tree, easy to put away and easy to take out and decorate. I like the lights, it goes on about 4pm and goes off about 3am. I have been known to keep my tree up into February. Last year I had Valentine hearts hanging from it and was even thinking of making a St. Patrick's Tree....but there comes a point that it is time to take it down. I left the lights on the table for another month....so I was satisfied into March and April. Maybe this year I will get Easter lights to replace the Christmas lights.

I still have my village to put up, probably this weekend. Then I can sit back and enjoy Christmas, make some cookies and stuff. I still have to get a package off to my Step-father in Las Vegas...that package might be late. Need to look for a stuffed animal to pack with the cookies...what do you get an 87 year old for Christmas????

Well, I think it is time to close, have to go ride my bike and make some thank you cards. So you all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh, oh and stay warm. Cheers ~ Louise

Another Tart and a New "Used" Car

 Yes..........I made another tart and this one was even better then the last one. Used 7 fillio sheets, added the filling as in the recipe in the previous blog and topped with the vegies like as if it was a pizza then topped with bacon. Really good and the crust, as you can see with a lovely brown. I think I shall try this for all my pies. It is actually fun to work with and I can get 6 pies @ $4.49 a package verses 2 pie crusts at $1.99.

 As you can see......there was not much left and JP ate the last of the tart, all that was left........a few crumbs. This tart had the ricotta cheese, Mexican taco cheese, egg and chives. Spread on the fillio sheets, then layered with spinich, green and yellow zucchini, tomato, onion and pre-cooked bacon, drizzled olive oil and sprinkled parmasian cheese and chives. And, Wah-lah a wonderful tart. Baked at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

 We looked at this car today and are in the midst of making arrangements to buy it. It's an older car, purple in color with grey interior, a 1996 Dodge Caravan with 78K miles for $4,300. It runs really well, we took it for a spin, I am excited, cause there is hardly any rust and everything works. NOW finally we can take a trip someplace and there is actually room for Kylie to even walk around......funny how we buy things to accommodate our animals.

Our '97 Ford Taurus had over 143K miles and over $3,500 worth of work that needed to be done. I just could not see, sinking more $$$ into it. So, it will end up at the junk yard for parts and we will get $350 for it. It's been a good car for the last 2 1/2 years we have had it, but it needed alot of work too. Hopefully this new/old car will carry us through maintinance free for a while.

Well, it is time to go make JP's lunches and smoothie. Talk to you later, if you don't hear from me for a while....we are busy with the cars. Have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.

Cheers ~ Louise

PS. Please excuse the mis-spelled words, as my "spell-check" is mal-functioning on IE. I probably have to go to google to do my blogs and there I will find "spell-check" again. So until then......

My New Silver Bullet #2

Here is my new car...TA DAAAAAAAA!!!!!! 1997 Ford Taurus

We paid $1400 verses $1300 for new brakes on my old 1996 Buick LaSabre.....was hard to see my LaSabre go, BUT God always brings something good out of something bad, doesn't He!?!

Well, here's to better days ahead!!!!!!!

Louise

BIG STORM TODAY...........WOW!!!!!

We sure had a big storm today..............most snow in 24 hours since the 1920's. Woke up this morning to find 2 people trying to dig their cars out of the snow..........sure was a mess, they finally got unstuck after about an hour.

I went out for a little while to brush off my car, or should I say shovel off my car, there had to be over a foot of snow on my car. Then to my shock, I noticed my car door slightly opened, I then opened and shut it, thinking my husband had gone in there for something and just didn't shut the door properly. Thinking not too much about that incident I kept on shoveling. Then we had to move the cars to get the snow plowed and I got into my car and noticed my sunglasses on the floor................that was strange............then I noticed my walking shoes were out of my 'inches a weigh' bag...........that was strange...........seemed like things were a little disaray in my front seat, tapes were moved........that was strange.........I sure felt like someone had been in my car.

WELL.................then I opened the back door to get the car brush, I noticed my black leather merchandising bag was missing?????????? Where did it disappear to???????? I do believe I was robbed..........I think the robbers thought there was a computer in the bag BUT, there was nothing of value in that bag, just pens, notebook, change purse.....maybe with a few pennies, pliers, hammer, tape, water...........nothing of value.............I guess what bothers me is that someone was rumagging around in MY CAR!!!!! At first we thought the laptop computer was still in the bag, cause my husband thought he had used it at the library..............but that was the other bag. Soooo, no, the robber did not affscound with our old laptop computer.

I know you will say................."well, lock your doors from now on". I was going to do that, but the doors freeze during the winter months and I will never get into my car then. So I just will not keep anything of value in the car, if I do have something of value, I will put it in the trunk.

LESSON LEARNED............................

Well, we are all dug out now, it was a nice day off. Got some candy made for the cookie container I am sending for my stepfather in Las Vegas for Christmas. Little round pretzels, with a hersey kiss melted and a red or green m&m placed in the middle..........fun to make.

Christmas is fast approaching.................16 days away...................still feel scattered, got my cards made and in the next couple of days will get them out to a few people........I am really cutting back this year. Christmas has gotten so commercialized, I am tired of being so caught up in all this stuff. The true meaning has gotten so watered down................shame on us............FOR JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. How have we gotten so far off into left field??????

Well, I shall end this blog for now............you all have a great day and take time to smell the roses and enjoy the day.
Louise