...has been pretty easy for the past two days. A lot of compliments on the food the passers-by have been eating, as I have come to expect as the recipes are pretty much foo- proof by the time they land on the little six inch foam sample plates. They have liked it so well, I have to keep calling the grocery guys who do the shelf-stocking to bring more stuff as customers buy it out of the cooler that is right behind my little stand. The refrigerated area is designed to hold/merchandise every thing needed for the recipe we are making for people to sample, and this one is so good and Easy, they are buying all the makings and going right home to make for dinner.
Chicken and Rice. Starts with a package of flavored rice by Knorr. Make it according to the directions with two cups of water and a bit of butter. Add diced onions, RTU crumbles of bacon and cheese. Cook about a pound of seasoned chicken cutlets (size of a breast, but thin enough to be done in less than ten minutes). That's pretty much it. If you want you can brush some chipolte dressing on the chicken before you slice to serve it over the rice. Or not.
People come by all the time, asking for a recipe we did last week, or last month or last year. Occasionally they will find it on the little rack where cards are stored, but if it has been a while, not so likely. I will tell them: look on the internet. Go to the Publix website, pull up Aprons, type in the ingredients you remember and you can see all the recipes we have done with that ingredient, or combo. of things your taste buds recall. If you want the particulars for this one, you will have to look in the newspaper advertisement from Wednesday, pick it up at the store, or go to Publix.com. It's good and easy, and your family will gobble it up, ask you do make it again.
I have been telling people all day long, that I think it is probably the 'quickest' I have made since I have been doing the cooking demo. And would be quicker at home than me making it at the store, with only one burner to cook on. You could be cooking the rice, while you were getting the little thin chicken cutlets done, and have it ready to serve in less than fifteen minutes. Add a salad, and your all set... call the kids!
Friday, August 7, 2015
Thursday, August 6, 2015
upon returning, and turning...
... onto my street from a few days away, I discovered a huge lighted, blinking, unavoidable sign at the intersection just past the traffic light. That very plainly, in large letters stated I should expect delays and be prepared for a detour Aug. 6 -8. My first thought was: ?????
With trepidation, expecting the asphalt to suddenly open into a yawing abyss, I cautiously continued towards home, weary from my travels, but anxious to finally alight. Nothing amiss as I turned into the familiar driveway, so I then I thought: 'hmmm....' as I did not fall into any quicksand, bear-traps or unfortunate circumstances.
As I sit here typing, looking out the window to the north, there are two huge piles of fill material. One is gravel, the other a small mountain of bright orange clay. Both piles are at least the size of a dump truck. I read a notice amongst the stacked up emails as I was deleting this morning providing information about the upcoming road closure. There is an underground/under street drainage culvert that has been problematic for years about two blocks north of our house. The two huge loads of gravel and fill have been dumped on the empty lot on the corner. Awaiting use as the city digs up what is apparently an undersized culvert. To replace with one more adequately sized for runoff. The city has patched, altered, cemented, graveled, diverted water runoff for years in futile attempts to resolve the problem... which as you can imagine, only occurs during heavy rains.
The notice via email from the city indicates they will take drastic measures; deciding to wait till schools are back in session to massively disrupt traffic, creating monumental problems with carpools and school busses. This could have been done any time in the past three months when both the nearby schools were closed for summer. So the planners cleverly choose to wait until students start back to classes to create major turmoil for commuters, bus drivers, carpool moms, and me, who will be unable to get out of the driveway due to clogged up traffic for several days. Already not looking forward to schools starting: the elementary a half mile away at the end of the street, and the middle a about a mile away on the street that has to feed into the one we live on. Oh, well. I will need to plan to leave home earlier to make a mad dash out of the driveway....
With trepidation, expecting the asphalt to suddenly open into a yawing abyss, I cautiously continued towards home, weary from my travels, but anxious to finally alight. Nothing amiss as I turned into the familiar driveway, so I then I thought: 'hmmm....' as I did not fall into any quicksand, bear-traps or unfortunate circumstances.
As I sit here typing, looking out the window to the north, there are two huge piles of fill material. One is gravel, the other a small mountain of bright orange clay. Both piles are at least the size of a dump truck. I read a notice amongst the stacked up emails as I was deleting this morning providing information about the upcoming road closure. There is an underground/under street drainage culvert that has been problematic for years about two blocks north of our house. The two huge loads of gravel and fill have been dumped on the empty lot on the corner. Awaiting use as the city digs up what is apparently an undersized culvert. To replace with one more adequately sized for runoff. The city has patched, altered, cemented, graveled, diverted water runoff for years in futile attempts to resolve the problem... which as you can imagine, only occurs during heavy rains.
The notice via email from the city indicates they will take drastic measures; deciding to wait till schools are back in session to massively disrupt traffic, creating monumental problems with carpools and school busses. This could have been done any time in the past three months when both the nearby schools were closed for summer. So the planners cleverly choose to wait until students start back to classes to create major turmoil for commuters, bus drivers, carpool moms, and me, who will be unable to get out of the driveway due to clogged up traffic for several days. Already not looking forward to schools starting: the elementary a half mile away at the end of the street, and the middle a about a mile away on the street that has to feed into the one we live on. Oh, well. I will need to plan to leave home earlier to make a mad dash out of the driveway....
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
tryin' to get it all done...
...even though it is not possible to do the laundry and water the plants in advance. Doing my best to get everything organized in preparation to leave town for several days. Remembering how years ago, I thought I had to clean house before I left... and now it's all I can do to be relatively sure I am not packing dirty clothes. Thinking of how people thought if you were going to be away from home for an extended period you need to have everything perfectly in order: floors mopped, bathrooms spotless, laundry baskets completely empty before you walk out the door.
Not a dirty dish left anywhere. In the event you returned to an emergency, or worse: did not return at all. You did not want other people to walk into your house and see dirt or dust or less than sparkling bathroom sinks. Perish the thought that something untoward might occur. That you or a family member not actually return, but if this unimaginable situation occurred, your mother and grandmother insisted that the house be immaculate, ready to receive guests.
Well, sadly, those days are over. I am leaving dust, dirty showers and some questionable miscellanea in the fridge. Hoping that the guy who will be left here (unsupervised) might be motivated to heat and eat the leftovers. Though it is more likely he will get in the car and drive five miles to BK than take something from the fridge and put in in the micro., for consumption. And I will find it right where I left it, to go in the trash when I return. And a big pile of laundry generated while I am away.
Not a dirty dish left anywhere. In the event you returned to an emergency, or worse: did not return at all. You did not want other people to walk into your house and see dirt or dust or less than sparkling bathroom sinks. Perish the thought that something untoward might occur. That you or a family member not actually return, but if this unimaginable situation occurred, your mother and grandmother insisted that the house be immaculate, ready to receive guests.
Well, sadly, those days are over. I am leaving dust, dirty showers and some questionable miscellanea in the fridge. Hoping that the guy who will be left here (unsupervised) might be motivated to heat and eat the leftovers. Though it is more likely he will get in the car and drive five miles to BK than take something from the fridge and put in in the micro., for consumption. And I will find it right where I left it, to go in the trash when I return. And a big pile of laundry generated while I am away.
Monday, July 27, 2015
yard workin'...
...confessing about how I invited the English ivy to come to my house, and have been spraying it for about ten years with brush killer. This comes under the heading of: 'Things my mom warned me about'. Though it is definitely not one of the usual items you would expect to see on that list. She said you think you want it, and hope it will grow, but when it does, you will wish you had not given it a toe-hold. Right again, Mom.
I think the most annoying part is how stuff grows up in it, and so many undesirables will 'volunteer', get out of control. Perhaps the actual ivy is not all that difficult to manage, but all those other things, little oak and pine trees, various and sundry, dozens of small trees hoping to be ignored. Things that will make you grind your teeth in the never-ending battle of keeping them pulled up and the ivy bed pristine. There are probably people who love it, and have big beds of it growing in places where nothing else will in dense shade, no other ground cover does well, and it is a boon to preventing erosion. But it is almost certain that those same people go out in the ivy bed, fearing creepy crawlies, cursing and swearing the whole time, pulling up all that unwanted stuff.
I've been out spraying trying to kill it. Except for that place near the drive way where I had an encounter with Mr. No Shoulders several weeks ago. I am very wary of that area, though I know the belly crawler could be miles away by now. And admit to actually casting a side-ways glance over into the ivy bed every time I drive in and out. But don't want to spray the industrial strength brush killer there, as that is the only place where the late blooming yellow daisies live. I would love for the ivy to be history, but not at the expense of the wild-flowers.
When I see people buying hanging baskets or little potted plants, talking about how much they love ivy and hope it will do well at their homes - I tell them my story: it turns into kudzu when you aren't looking.
I think the most annoying part is how stuff grows up in it, and so many undesirables will 'volunteer', get out of control. Perhaps the actual ivy is not all that difficult to manage, but all those other things, little oak and pine trees, various and sundry, dozens of small trees hoping to be ignored. Things that will make you grind your teeth in the never-ending battle of keeping them pulled up and the ivy bed pristine. There are probably people who love it, and have big beds of it growing in places where nothing else will in dense shade, no other ground cover does well, and it is a boon to preventing erosion. But it is almost certain that those same people go out in the ivy bed, fearing creepy crawlies, cursing and swearing the whole time, pulling up all that unwanted stuff.
I've been out spraying trying to kill it. Except for that place near the drive way where I had an encounter with Mr. No Shoulders several weeks ago. I am very wary of that area, though I know the belly crawler could be miles away by now. And admit to actually casting a side-ways glance over into the ivy bed every time I drive in and out. But don't want to spray the industrial strength brush killer there, as that is the only place where the late blooming yellow daisies live. I would love for the ivy to be history, but not at the expense of the wild-flowers.
When I see people buying hanging baskets or little potted plants, talking about how much they love ivy and hope it will do well at their homes - I tell them my story: it turns into kudzu when you aren't looking.
do not like sprinklers...
...or the idea of wasting water on lawns. But sadly, have bought two sprinklers for keeping the grass green in recent weeks. The guy who lives here decided he would pay to get a small area in front of the house sodded. So we have been diligent about keeping that sufficiently wet when it has not rained in a timely manner. I am not sure why he decided to wait until it got blistering hot to talk to the lawn guy about putting down sod, but it's been a challenge to keep it well-watered over recent weeks.
Plus the doofus who was sent to cut it last week decided it was too long/tall and cut it so short it looked scalped. Which means, that though those grass blades are pretty narrow and not what you might consider 'shade', there is even less now that the grass is so short, requiring even more water to keep it alive. I'm so totally opposed to watering to keep lawns green. More of the 'just let it go' persuasion.
That same doofus is the reason I had to go back to K-mart last week and buy another sprinkler. He moved the one that has been out on the little patch of new sod, left it lying in the middle of the drive way when he 'scalped' the new grass. I totally forgot about that, until I heard the little plastic connection where you attach the hose go 'crunch', when I ran over it with my car. And said: well, $#@&! It's my fault, so I did not hesitate to pay for another one, but called the guy who runs the lawn service and blistered his ears.
I've been running sprinklers all morning. And for hours overnight. To try to save it, since it was so expensive and really does look so nice, out there being lush and healthy. I drag the hoses around all the time, aiming for specific things, trying to keep stuff I have planted alive when it is so blistering hot and unbelievably dry. But as far as having a nice green 'carpet' to look at for eye-appeal: I really don't care.
Plus the doofus who was sent to cut it last week decided it was too long/tall and cut it so short it looked scalped. Which means, that though those grass blades are pretty narrow and not what you might consider 'shade', there is even less now that the grass is so short, requiring even more water to keep it alive. I'm so totally opposed to watering to keep lawns green. More of the 'just let it go' persuasion.
That same doofus is the reason I had to go back to K-mart last week and buy another sprinkler. He moved the one that has been out on the little patch of new sod, left it lying in the middle of the drive way when he 'scalped' the new grass. I totally forgot about that, until I heard the little plastic connection where you attach the hose go 'crunch', when I ran over it with my car. And said: well, $#@&! It's my fault, so I did not hesitate to pay for another one, but called the guy who runs the lawn service and blistered his ears.
I've been running sprinklers all morning. And for hours overnight. To try to save it, since it was so expensive and really does look so nice, out there being lush and healthy. I drag the hoses around all the time, aiming for specific things, trying to keep stuff I have planted alive when it is so blistering hot and unbelievably dry. But as far as having a nice green 'carpet' to look at for eye-appeal: I really don't care.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
the impatient patient...
...seems to be doing fairly well. He made me look at the bandage on his chest last night. I'm not sure if it looks like it is supposed to. There has been some leakage, but I am guessing that a bit is not abnormal. He says he feels 'washed out', which is to be expected from the stress of the surgery. I know the doctor probably thinks this procedure so routine, she would not even call it 'surgery'. But I am pretty sure anytime you get sliced open it counts as something more than 'routine'. Certainly not part of my daily/run-of-the-mill activities!
I had to work yesterday, so not sure if he was 100% compliant with the instructions to stay at home, keep quiet and don't do anything more strenuous than an occasional trip to the bathroom. I'd like to believe he will do as told, and think that just the process has made him lethargic enough that he has no interest in much activity. But also know how prone he is to not abide by advice that he pays medical personnel a pile of money to give.
So, we will see how this goes...
I had to work yesterday, so not sure if he was 100% compliant with the instructions to stay at home, keep quiet and don't do anything more strenuous than an occasional trip to the bathroom. I'd like to believe he will do as told, and think that just the process has made him lethargic enough that he has no interest in much activity. But also know how prone he is to not abide by advice that he pays medical personnel a pile of money to give.
So, we will see how this goes...
dull, only marginally interesting...
...will be what you will find here. If you continue, and see that you are reading about my aggravating annoying trials in the world of Rx drugs. I have spent hours and hours on the phone with customer service people, many of whom speak English as a second language. So you can imagine how frustrating it is to have to ask people to repeat things or explain it in a different way, over and over and over. The people at the other end of my quandary often have such heavy accents I can't even understand what they tell me their anglicized names are, so they have to spell that, just for us to start the conversation.
I wish I had started keeping tabs on the amount of time I have spent on the phone, just in the past month, talking to CSR people in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As well as the fulfillment people with CVS/Caremark that sadly cannot do anything without approval of the Wellcare group. Just trying to get the prescription drugs I have been taking for years, now that my provider has changed, due to age-ing out of the program I was enrolled in.
But the other side of this irritating experience, is that I probably don't want to know how much of my life I have invested to this highly frustrating endeavor. The interesting, or possibly not, part of all this is that most of the Rx are actually free, according to the way the ACA has decided to 'tier' the meds. Based, I assume, on cost, and the exorbitant prices the pharmaceutical industry changes for name-brand, patented meds. But the one I have been struggling with, devoting 'way too much time talking to people in the Philipines, will cost me $455 for ninety days. Yes, I am sure we all agree, that sounds a little steep.
They have suggested to me, so I am certain it is written into their 'script': ask for assistance. Which I have not seriously considered, due to the other meds. being provided at nearly no cost. Other than the monthly fee I pay for prescription service. But I am taking my library book and going, prepared to sit and wait it out, to have a turn talking to the people who might (not likely) be willing to consider my plight. And provide some financial support for a prescription that, if filled as written, would cost over Five Freakin' Dollars a Day.
I wish I had started keeping tabs on the amount of time I have spent on the phone, just in the past month, talking to CSR people in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As well as the fulfillment people with CVS/Caremark that sadly cannot do anything without approval of the Wellcare group. Just trying to get the prescription drugs I have been taking for years, now that my provider has changed, due to age-ing out of the program I was enrolled in.
But the other side of this irritating experience, is that I probably don't want to know how much of my life I have invested to this highly frustrating endeavor. The interesting, or possibly not, part of all this is that most of the Rx are actually free, according to the way the ACA has decided to 'tier' the meds. Based, I assume, on cost, and the exorbitant prices the pharmaceutical industry changes for name-brand, patented meds. But the one I have been struggling with, devoting 'way too much time talking to people in the Philipines, will cost me $455 for ninety days. Yes, I am sure we all agree, that sounds a little steep.
They have suggested to me, so I am certain it is written into their 'script': ask for assistance. Which I have not seriously considered, due to the other meds. being provided at nearly no cost. Other than the monthly fee I pay for prescription service. But I am taking my library book and going, prepared to sit and wait it out, to have a turn talking to the people who might (not likely) be willing to consider my plight. And provide some financial support for a prescription that, if filled as written, would cost over Five Freakin' Dollars a Day.
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