My new love E-Cigs!

I have been smoking since I was 13 years old!!!  I know huh!!!  But the more you told me it was bad for me, the more I wanted it.  Just like any black sheep. 

My smoking had gotten so bad that I was coughing, and my sinuses were causing me total havoc, and I had this dry patch in my throat all the time.  I was smoking more that 2 packs per day.  CRAZY… RIDICULOUS… However, the thought of quitting was way out of reach.  Years ago I had tried the “patch” and it worked except for the fact that I actually missed the act of smoking, something that had been a part of my life for so many years.

I had heard about the electronic cigeratte so I decided to do some research.  I found that a company who claim to be the #1 company for the e-cig, was just about to buy the $127 starter kit when I stumbled across a video from a guy saying that any e-cig will do. 

So I typed in e-cig on Google and came to this website e-cig so I started to study and discovered that I could order what ever I wanted, size, color, nicotine level and even the flavor of my brand.  There were really millions of choices!

It’s been about a week now and I am still loving them.  I still smoke real cigs but only a few per day.

The Winter Years... Getting Older Sooner Than You Think

You know … time has a way of moving quickly

and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young,

just married and embarking on my new life with my mate.

And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago,

and I wonder where all the years went.

I know that I lived them all…

And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.

But, here it is — the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise.

How did I get here so fast?

Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well…

seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people

were years away from me and that winter was so far off

that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

But, here it is …

my friends are retired and getting gray,

they move slower and I see an older person now.

Some are in better and some worse shape than me,

but, I see the great change.

Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant…

but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks

that we used to see and nev er thought we’d be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day!

And taking a nap is not a treat anymore … it’s mandatory!

Cause if I don’t on my own free will, I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so …

now I enter into this new season of my life — unprepared

for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability

to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I’m not sure how long it will last … this I know, that when it’s over…its over.

Yes , I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn’t done, things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I’m happy to have done.

It’s all in a lifetime.

So, if you’re not in your winter yet,

let me remind you that it will be here faster than you think.

< div “>So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly!

Don’t put things off too long!

Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today,

as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life … so,

live for today and say all the things that you  want your loved ones to remember,

and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things

that you have done for them in all the years past!!

New Years Goals/Resolutions HAHAHAHAHA!

Every year we all do it… Make New Years Resolutions that we don’t normally keep.  However, this year I think I am actually going to do it.  Wish me luck!  Oh and I am wishing you luck also ;-). 

When I was in my 20 or 30’s I made a strong stance to never make a New Years Resolutions because it was just a joke on so many levels.  The usual lose weight, quit smoking… WHATEVER!

Well, as I have learned from the school of hard knocks, we as humans should set goals.  Dammit why did I have to learn this at the ripe old age of 56???  If you don’t set goals and obtain them, well, you can end up in a really bad mess.

So the message here is to set some goals… think about where you want to be in the next 5 or 10 years.

Happy New Year to You!  May you obtain your goals!

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

T’was the night before Christmas and all thru the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. Our stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds with no thought of their dog that was filling their head.

With mom in her kerchief and I in my cap knew our dog was cold, yet didn’t care about that.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, figuring our dog was free of his chain and into the trash.

The moon on the crest of the new fallen snow gave the luster of mid-day to objects below. When what to my wondering eyes should appear but Santa Claus with his eyes full of tears.

He unchained our dog once so lively and quick… last year’s Christmas present now painfully sick.

More rapid than eagles he called the dog’s name and our dog ran to him despite all of his pain.

 

“On Dasher, on Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!” To the top of the porch to the top of the wall “Let’s find this dog a home where he will be loved by all.”

I knew in an instant there’d be no gifts this year, for Santa had made one thing exceedingly clear. The gift of a dog is not just for the season.

We had gotten the dog for all the wrong reasons. In our haste to think of the kids a cool gift there was one very important thing that we missed. A dog should be family, and cared for the same. You don’t give a gift, and then put it on a chain.

And I heard him explain as he rode out of sight…

“You weren’t given a gift, you were given a life.”

 

Babette, The Dog We Got For Christmas and Kept for Life

As a child my parents taught me a lot of things about owning a dog.  They realized that a dog was for life… they taught me commitment.  They realized what type of dog would be good for our family.  They did their homework!

So just like most kids, we wanted a dog.  My parents decided that would be a great Christmas present.

They actually had been planning it for a long time.  They knew that it had to be hypo allergenic because my sister Trudy suffered from asthma and was very allergic to many things.

Looking back I am pretty sure they gave us a couple of choices to entice us in their direction. I remember my Dad asking what kind of dog we wanted and me and my sisters chiming at the same time “A French Poodle”, they were all the rage back then.

We got the most wonderful gift for Christmas, a beautiful black miniature poodle.  My sisters and I named her Babette, Georgette, Corkett Waters… after all she was a French Poodle!

I remember that Christmas morning so vividly!  My Dad put her under the tree and told us to come out, but she fell back to sleep, so he told us to go put our robes on.  As we started down the hall she woke up, my Dad yelled “wait come back” …  and here she came waddling out from under the tree.

Babette was our dog and a member of our family for 18 years.  She was a great friend, we grew up together.  My parents let her have one litter of pups and we kept one named Pixie who really was my Moms dog.  I have so many wonderful memories of them.  I still miss Babette and Pixie will see them at the bridge one day!

My sister Trudy holding Babette, My best friend Leslie with Pixie and my litter sister Linda. Taken in 1967.

Saltine TOFFEE!

 

I learned about this on Facebook last week,  OH MY Goodness!!!  This is SOOOOOOO GOOOOOD!  And SOOOOOOO EASY!!!  A very special thanks to Katie Downing for reposting this wonderful goodness from A Southern Grace “Saltines have never had it this good!”  WOW!  It’s like a Heath Bar or … I don’t know just delicious goodness!!!

I don’t even eat sweets that much anymore, but I knew I had to try this.  It actually took me longer to read the recipe than to make it!   Here ya go!  ENJOY!

Recipe:

1 cup BUTTER
1 cup BROWN SUGAR
2 cups CHOCOLATE CHIPS (Semi-sweet)
1 pack/tube SALTINE CRACKERS, about 40

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
3. Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil.
4. Melt the sugar and butter until a boil is reached. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved.
5. Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly.
6. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the toffee becomes bubbly.
7. After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
8. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, and then spread them into an even layer (if they don’t melt just stick them in the warm oven for a minute).  
9. Let cool.  If you’re in a hurry put it in the refrigerator until hardened.
10. Break into pieces the size of your choice, I like to use a pizza cutter because my hands are too hot and the chocolate melts.  

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words!

I love pictures and have always felt that there is nothing better to make a story come to life than a picture! 

Well… maybe not!  It has come to my attention, that because I have not renamed my pictures before posting them on my website that it has cause some problems.  What happens is that when I download pictures from my camera they have a number, ok, so what.  But the camera starts over with the same numbers after a download.

Sooooooooo!  I have noticed that if I don’t put a name or change the number and then post it to a story on my website, well it just causes some scary problems.  It would scare me if I saw this stuff, I would be like what was she thinking!!! 

Like the time I posted a story about Shrimp with a Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, I went back to look at the recipe and there was a picture of TAZ!!!  WHY???  Because when I posted the picture of Taz in a later story it had the same number as the picture of the Shrimp dish so it replaced it with the picture of Taz!

Once again, I just looked up the story of Taz when he lost his eye and low and behold there was a picture of my hubby’s Lobster Rolls!!!

All I want to say to anybody that has come across this, I am so sorry!  I hope the memories have not left you scared!

Hearty Kale Soup for Meat Lovers or Vegetarians and Vegans!

Nothing like a bowl of hearty soup on a cold cloudy day.  This soup is great for meat lovers, vegetarians and vegans!  Serve it with a hot loaf of crusty bread!

Alton Browns Christmas Soup!  It is a soup that has been in Alton Browns family for years and they only eat it once a year on Christmas Eve.  We love it because it is so easy and so delicious! 

Check out the video below…   Hope you enjoy!

 Christmas Soup
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2008

Ingredients

1 pound kielbasa, sliced 1/4-inch thick on bias (obviously vegetarians and vegans won’t need this)

Vegetable oil,  if needed

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 - 15oz can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 - 32oz cartons of Vegetable Stock or Chicken Broth

1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

6 ounces fresh kale, approximately 4 handfuls

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup red wine vinegar   (I did not use, not a real big fan of vinegar, but hey, if you are, go for it!)

Directions

MEAT EATERS START HERE…
Place the kielbasa into a 7-quart Dutch oven (any stock pot or big pot will do) and set over medium-low heat. Cook until the kielbasa has browned well and rendered its fat, approximately 15 minutes. If you do not have at least 2 teaspoons of fat, add enough vegetable oil to make 2 teaspoons. Remove the kielbasa from the pan and set aside.

VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS START HERE… Add the garlic and vegtable oil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the beans and the chicken broth and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, add the potatoes, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Wash, rinse and trim the kale and tear into bite size pieces. Add the kale to the pot, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or just until it is tender, but not mushy.

Add the red wine vinegar and black pepper and stir to combine.

MEAT EATERS… Evenly distribute the kielbasa between 8 soup bowls. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.