Slacking!

I haven't been on here in so long!  But the day before yesterday was worthy of blogging.

Everything I touched turned to poop!  The tissue paper and tablecloths did not work (see below).  I went to make muffins and the plug came out of the wall for the mixer. (Easy fix you would think, but I can't reach it!  Had to wait for Pat to get back!)  Took out the 40 year old quilt to continue working on it - folded it right back up and put it away because I don't have the thread, I have to iron more pieces to work on, and there is so much to do I need Robbie to tell me that I will finish it!!!)  I hurt my foot at the Y exercising - ggggrrrr..

So for a project at church I bought tissue paper - should have been cellophane!

Went back to buy it, but couldn't find purple cellophane and of course not available on Amazon Prime for free shipping unless I buy something for $25 and buy the cellophane as an add in.  Since I don't want to buy anything else I thought I would go to the dollar store and buy purple tablecloths.

That didn't work!

So yesterday things began to turn around.....

Went to Michaels, Walmart, and Dollar Stores to look for cellophane to no avail.  Then decided to go to Target.  When we drove in the parking lot I saw Party City!!!!!  I didn't even know it was there.

Oh My Gosh - what fun!  It is the go to place for any occasion.  Truthfully - if you need to decorate for a party they will have all the accessories for any theme party.

And cellophane!!!  Any color!!!  

So I bought the purple and saw there is gold for Easter.  YEAH!

Blueberry Heaven!

The blueberries had an even deeper intense blueberry flavor. It was a yummy breakfast!

Unexpected Fun

Right at the opening of the Olympic Games someone a block over started fireworks. For five minutes, nonstop, red, white and blue fireworks were set off.

What a great show! Thank you neighbors!

Creamy Deliciousness

I made a quick salad dressing last night. It was Creamy Garlic. I cheated a bit! But it was yummy. The purees I use are the best thing since sliced bread!

3 TBS lite Italian dressing
Juice of one lime
1 TBS garlic puree
1 TBS parsley puree
3 TBS olive oil

Stir the dressing, lime, garlic and parsley until well mixed. Stir quickly while adding olive oil.

Finally

We have been faithfully exercising at the YMCA since the middle of December. Six days a week. I say my rosary on the elliptical. I say my daily prayers on the leg press.

We have been cooking at home! Limiting drinks to four a week.

Today - I just lost my first pound!

There are a couple questions I have for God.

Nature's Beauty

Pat and I drove out 46 yesterday. It was like a fairy world. The frost and snow clung to the trees. It was the most beautiful drive.

Ayva!

Ayva is playing with all the houses we bough at a garage sale last summer. She is making all the people talk.

It is seldom she is here without a brother, but she is enjoying herself.

Drive a mile and the weather changes!

We are on our way to take Sheala out for dinner. We have been through wind tunnels, snow storms and now blue skies and sunshine!

Can't wait to see her - hope it stays sunny!

Windy Day

I have been playing all day! The windchill is supposed to get to - 20 so they closed schools. So that meant Javier and Ayva could come play.

We dipped dried apricots in chocolate, cut circles out of cake for cake push pops and dipped Pretzels in chocolate. (There is a bake sale at church this weekend.)

We played school, Wii, and dress up.

Salmon

We had a delicious dinner. I began with my niece, Kim 's, basic soy marinade. She uses it for shrimp. I added a couple ingredients and took one out!

Mix
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 TBS garlic puree
1 tsp sesame seeds
Juice of 1 lime
1 TBS Brown sugar

Cover cookie sheet with raised edges with foil - THIS IS IMPORTANT.  Cover the second pan for the squash at the same time. No clean up and it would have been bad without it.

Put the salmon skin side down on the foil
Pour the marinade over the salmon

Broil until the salmon pulls away easily with a fork. About 12 minutes. I basted it once. I also turned the pan a couple times.

The edges turn dark and crispy and the salmon pulls away from the skin to serve. The marinade on the foil was dark and stuck to the foil.

At the same time I cooked the squash cubes with salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash and olive oil. When the fish was done I let it sit on top of the stove as I moved the foil lined pan the squash was on to the top shelf.

Another six minutes and the squash was done. Served with rice. Pat and I both thought it was the best dinner.

Phone Help

We went to help Pat's parents yesterday. Their car had a dead battery. Mom mentioned they didn't have a TV that worked! Yesterday was the deadline for getting the box to go digital.

So after Pat and Dad bought a new battery and put it in they went to Charter to get a box.

Pat hooked it up and I called to activate it. Now Dad told me there was a line out the door when they picked up the box. So when he thought I was on hold too long I explained all those people in line ahead of him at the store were now in line ahead of us on the phone.

Then Bob answered the phone. Well I had to say I was calling for Paul Clifford. He hesitated. I looked at the receipt and explained it had an account with Dan Clifford as the name. Then he asked, "Who are you?" I said Mary Ellen Clifford.

After trying a few things we got the box working. Then he was about to hang up and said we should set up the remote. That took a few more tries.

I thanked him for his help and he said "No problem, goodbye Clifford!"

He gets a pass on that one I did say Clifford several times. He was pleasant, helpful and patient. And Pat's parents have a TV that works.

Saved several trees!

Two sided printer - yahooooo!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

These are delicious! Very rich, cut small.

Brownie layer:
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
Heaping cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mix butter and sugar well. Add sugar, cocoa, mix well. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Stop mixer. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix slowly until well mixed. Pour into lined pan and set aside.

Cheesecake layer:
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 oz semisweet chocolate
8 ounces very soft cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt chocolate. Mix room temperature cream cheese and sour cream. Make sure there are no lumps. Add eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add melted chocolate. Scrape bowl often so there are no lumps. Spread over brownie layer. It did not cover completely - it went almost to the edges.

Preheat oven to 350 F (330 if convection). Cover 9x13 pan with foil and spray.

Bake 40-45 minutes. Cool completely. Remove brownies with foil to cutting board. Cut off edges and save for another day. Cut small pieces. Arrange on platter, cover with saran wrap. Refrigerate.

Downton Abbey

Into season 2 - I am hooked! I think Pat likes it too.
We connected the Wii to the TV and the Wifi. So we are streaming from our prime membership on Amazon.
In season 2 the world is changing because of the war. It is 1917 and in real time my Mom would have been 2 years old.
I really like the story. It's fun to see the servants lives and the Lord and Lady with their family.

Not a Smart Bird!

Oh Fran, your little Flamingo is up to his keister in snow!  I did leave the little sun to try to keep him warm.  There is a reason they should stay in Florida!  -33 windchill today!  We went out for a bit and now came home to find a little ice on the back entry way ceiling.  Goodness the wind has been blowing so hard the walls and roof was making loud sounds last night!  YIKES!

Festival of Books

YEAH!  My books have been featured on the Festival of Books website.  

Velyn Cooper has graciously created a space for authors to meet.

I can't tell you how much it means to me to have someone else promote my books!

Meat Pie!

I finally made a great meat pie. Pat's favorite food. Every time I made it the potatoes and the meat just didn't meld together right. It seemed the meat and potatoes stayed separate.

Now when I make meatloaf and baked potatoes I make three extra potatoes. Then I combine the leftover half a meatloaf with the potatoes and mash up and refrigerate overnight. Keep 1/4 cup of the drippings from the meatloaf and refrigerate that separately.

Today I made the piecrust. Then heated up the meat and potatoes. I added garlic powder, sage, Mrs. Dash, salt and pepper. Mixed well and added it to the piecrust. Make a small hole in the middle of the pie filling.

Take the leftover drippings and discard the fat layer. Put a tablespoon of the drippings in the hole. Cover with the top crust.

Bake for 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

A Day to be Proud!

Robbie signed up for the Air Force.  He had his swearing in ceremony in Troy.  I think he was embarrassed by how many of us came to see it!  Too bad - we loved seeing him follow through on his lifelong dream.  He will leave this summer after graduation.

Winter Reflections

This Winter has been so beautiful.  Breathtaking, literally, the cold has been making it difficult to breath.  But the ice on the trees has been wonderful.  On a recent trip to Owosso I took these pictures.  Except for the cardinal who was perched in the Forsythia in our backyard.

Mr. Lepeak!

Mr. Lepeak called from Freeland where he was at the car dealer with car trouble.  Pat went to pick him up and we had a delightful evening visiting.  It was fun catching up on all the Lepeaks, Grand Marais, politics, church, and a handful of other subjects!  He spent the night with us and Pat just took him to Westside Decorating and then back to get his car.  Sometimes car trouble can be such a blessing!

Christmas Update

No one came over for Christmas! Cathy sent a text that the roads were too bad.

We packed dinner up and Pat and I headed over to Midland.

We had an enjoyable afternoon with his Parents.

Then Jesse and Caroline and Ayva stopped over and we had a tea party with Ayva's new tea set.

A good Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas plans are still up in the air. Waiting for the okay from Pat's parents!

Two days ago Pat's sister told his mother she couldn't reach her brother. Pat's brother's phone was out of order with the winter storm and that was why he didn't answer the phone. His mother was sure something was terribly wrong. So she worried so much she didn't sleep all night. Yesterday, Pat followed up with his sister who just had dinner with her brother. She didn't think of calling her mother? So Pat called his mother, but she already had worked herself into a frenzy.

Yesterday she said she wasn't sure she would feel okay to come for Christmas. So we are being held hostage - send cookies, chocolate or money (I'll take a trip to Aruba far, far, far away!)

Christmas Shopping

Please tell me I'm done!

I hate shopping!  I don't like crowds at all!

I know, I know, with a mother like Elinor I should LOVE shopping.  But I don't!

It really wasn't awful - yesterday we went to Sam's Club, Gordon's and Meijer.  Even though I was only food shopping I thought I would be in for a terrible time.

We started out waiting in line at the Y to go in right after it opened.  Then after 45 minutes there we were pleasantly surprised that no one else seemed to be shopping at Sam's and Gordon's.

However, by the time we got to Meijer we were sorry to be shopping!

Not only were there tons of people in the aisles, but everyone seemed intent on blocking the aisles.  And it seemed as if a few of the people were trying their best to put in in a bad mood by following me no matter how many rows I skipped to avoid them!

Then the lines for checkout!  What a mess.  I hate when a store has you block the main aisle of the store when you are in line.

So anyway, church and then home today.  The ice and snow is a mess out there.  I think Hallmark has a movie marathon today!!!

Abbott Henderson Thayer

I printed out this picture called "Virgin. " I framed and hung it in the living room. I love it.  The faces look like Jesus and his cousin John are being escorted home by Mary after getting into some mischief!

Smiles

So many people are stressed and hurried during the Christmas season. We were shopping and I noticed that no one really looks at you. Everyone seems to have pinched faces and frowns on their faces.

Then we joined the Y. Everyone smiles and says hi when you walk by them. It is such a nice place to spend time that you almost don't mind going a few more miles on the bike!

Happy Birthday!?!?!

Oh goodness - what a way to start!

I started getting errors with Internet Explorer - took awhile to understand that I should download Chrome and use that from now on!!!

Anyway - I've been getting so many Happy Birthdays on Facebook - I love how easy it is to stay connected.

Only two more days of my free book - "No Christmas for Olivia" - I want to give away 1,000!!!!  Do you think I can?

FREE BOOK THIS WEEK!

My Christmas Present to YOU!

 

No Christmas for Olivia

 

Free on Amazon - December 16-20th

 

Give it as a gift to yourself or someone you love!

Dinner

How I love family get togethers. We had a nice time at Harvey's after church today.

Our Christmas Season begins!

 

 

Christmas is here!

We put up our Christmas decorations today! And we get to pick up Sheala! Then dinner with friends! That makes today very special.

OhOh

I just put up a 7 inch tree!!!!  It might have to do!!!!!  Busy, busy, busy!!!

YIKES!

We haven't even started decorating!!!!  I don't feel like Christmas!!!!  HELP!!!! 

I don't know why - but we just can't get started.  OK - if I say it will be done today, maybe it will.  Check back tomorrow for update!!!!!

Tonight!

Oh my! Sound of Music! I can't wait!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROBBIE!

We had a great birthday celebration for Robbie.  Cannot even imagine that he is now 18!

Sheala and Conner were home and Alecia was there, too, of course! 

We had a wonderful visit with everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unexpected Art

We met Jane and Chris and their family in Cedar, Michigan.  About a half hour away from Traverse City.  Caroline, Ayva, Pat and I decided to take the trip north on the day after Thanksgiving.  We were graciously invited to stay for dinner at Chris' sister and brother-in-law's home.  John is a potter.  He threw several small vessels and invited us to transform them into a mug or a vase.  We had so much fun!  Ayva LOVED working on the fresh pottery.  We learned how to attach the handles or in our case, berries onto the mugs.  Everyone enjoyed the project. 

 

It was so good to see everyone.