...due to circumstances beyond my control. I go to a pot luck type dinner at least once a month and often do not have anything edible in my hands when I walk in the door. There are times when it is all I can do to get myself there, without considering what sort of food I might take to share. On a recent Tuesday night, I took a package of (on sale) chocolate chip cookies. That the eaters obviously were not particularly impressed with, as I returned home with about half the pack intact.
So I put cookies in a gallon zipper bag to pass along to people who can eat that stuff without guilt or dramatic blood sugar problems. They could not linger around this house, as I do not like chocolate chip cookies, and they on my list of foods I hope I will never again put in my mouth. My list of 'urpy foods' is a blog for another day...
I made the pie mostly due to the fact that I really like custard-y type things, and was thinking how good it would be to make two and have one that was not traveling, but staying at my house. They were not a roaring success. There were several slices of the one that went to the covered dish dinner left in the plate that I gave away, knowing another of the (disappointing) pies was awaiting my return. I will give the recipe exactly as it was written in the cook book and you will soon discern why it was not a pretty pie to take to a dinner, and sadly not particularly interesting in the mouth as well.
I should have realized there was 'something wrong with this picture' when the instructions had me cooking the ingredients for such a low temp and such a short time, with three eggs in the mix. I looked at several recipes and some how failed to compare the cooking times... obviously something is very much askew. It's 'dense', and kinda' homely in the way someone will say 'she has a great personality' - meaning she looks like she has been beat with an ugly stick. The man who has eaten three quarters of it reports it is very good. My response was 'of course it is, there is a stick of butter and cup and a half of sugar in it.'
Chess Pie
(as copied from the 'In Spired Delights' cookbook, though the author/guilty party will remain anonymous.)
1 stick butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs, beaten
1 Tbs. vinegar
Melt butter. Add sugar and beaten eggs. Mix well and add vanilla and vinegar. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 10 min. at 300, then at 325 for about 30 min. or until set.
I cooked it for much longer. And still could not decide if it was ready to take out of the oven. The sugar made a crust on the top of the pie, so it was hard to test with a toothpick to decide if it was done. I was really sad and disappointed but took it to the dinner anyway, so they would help with eating up TWO unsuccessful pies. There is still about a fourth of one in the fridge, but I am not even remotely interested in eating that homely pie.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Friday, August 14, 2015
drivin' in the dark... also...
... brought on a' MercyMe' fest. I tried to go to the library last night, but my timing was obviously off. I thougth they would be open till nine, but they did not wait for me, and closed before I was able to get my energy and motivation together. I'd worked for over nine hours then came home to a man who asked if we had any dinner plans, so put a meal on the table. (Something wrong with this picture, right?)
I usually have a talking book in the car, that I can plug into the CD player and read/listen while I travel. Due to poor planning, I had to entertain myself when I left home at 5:30 this morning. Before the crowd on the public radio station is even up and ready to talk to me. On the road early, hoping to avoid the worst of the going-into-the-city traffic, and be off the interstate by 7:00.
As I was leaving Decatur, I found Mercy Me CDs to listen to, so had a grand time playing music too loud all the way home. Ninety un-interrupted minutes of loud. Remembering some songs I have not enjoyed in years, and thinking about which ones I would love to hear in church on Sunday morning.
I usually have a talking book in the car, that I can plug into the CD player and read/listen while I travel. Due to poor planning, I had to entertain myself when I left home at 5:30 this morning. Before the crowd on the public radio station is even up and ready to talk to me. On the road early, hoping to avoid the worst of the going-into-the-city traffic, and be off the interstate by 7:00.
As I was leaving Decatur, I found Mercy Me CDs to listen to, so had a grand time playing music too loud all the way home. Ninety un-interrupted minutes of loud. Remembering some songs I have not enjoyed in years, and thinking about which ones I would love to hear in church on Sunday morning.
drivin' in the dark...
...due to a late start home from Decatur. Where I enjoyed spending the day in a highly non-productive mode. And did not remember until I got home just now, and open up the back of my car: part of the reason I planned on going was that box of flotsam and jetsam. Stuff from my parents house that was either too valuable or too trivial to donate to the thrift shop.
Sadly, a huge truckload of furniture went to the non-profit down in south Ga that provides low cost basic necessities to people in need. Or the lucky soul who shows up at the shop when the truck is being unloaded. I didn't really intend to be so profoundly generous but you can only wear the weight around your neck for so long before you realize it is dragging you under...
The box full of carefully wrapped collectibles, memorabilia and antiquities is still sitting in my car, right where I put it early in the week. When I planned that we would take photos and post on line to try to sell some of the cute little tzochkies I don't know what to do with. Daughters have very specifically said Do Not Bring Anything Else To My House. But I am hoping the idea of stuff that is just 'passing through' is acceptable? I do want to get rid of it, but currently not badly enough to donate to the thrift store. And sincerely believe someone (who is not me) will find these little bits of history so endearing and precious they will find a place in their hearts and homes for dust-catchers to sit.
Sadly, a huge truckload of furniture went to the non-profit down in south Ga that provides low cost basic necessities to people in need. Or the lucky soul who shows up at the shop when the truck is being unloaded. I didn't really intend to be so profoundly generous but you can only wear the weight around your neck for so long before you realize it is dragging you under...
The box full of carefully wrapped collectibles, memorabilia and antiquities is still sitting in my car, right where I put it early in the week. When I planned that we would take photos and post on line to try to sell some of the cute little tzochkies I don't know what to do with. Daughters have very specifically said Do Not Bring Anything Else To My House. But I am hoping the idea of stuff that is just 'passing through' is acceptable? I do want to get rid of it, but currently not badly enough to donate to the thrift store. And sincerely believe someone (who is not me) will find these little bits of history so endearing and precious they will find a place in their hearts and homes for dust-catchers to sit.
this week...
...was the start of classes for local public schools. So I have seen lots of little people while I was at work this week, dressed in crispy new school clothes. Some in uniforms that look so 'grown up' and business like seeing the sharply creased khaki pants and freshly unpackaged white collared knit shirts. Or brightly colored, obviously newly purchased flouncy little dresses - so new they have yet to be laundered and faded with washings. Little guys in fresh, stiff-as-a-board, almost with the tags still attached, jeans with pants cuffed until they have the growth spurt mom expects before they wear them out.
Reminding me of years ago with little back-to-schoolers, who had to have new dresses and shoes for the first day of returning to class. Along with new book bags, and new unsharpened, freshly purchased pencils, patiently posing by the front door, with big sparkly grins, waiting for photos to be done, as we marked the new beginning. Ready to get started with a new school year!
Reminding me of years ago with little back-to-schoolers, who had to have new dresses and shoes for the first day of returning to class. Along with new book bags, and new unsharpened, freshly purchased pencils, patiently posing by the front door, with big sparkly grins, waiting for photos to be done, as we marked the new beginning. Ready to get started with a new school year!
randomly reading...
...a book I picked up, haphazardly off the shelf in the library. I took my computer in to get advice, and had to wait twenty minutes while the desk holder-downer finished her shift at the check out. So walked into the stacks and picked up a likely suspect to read while I was in a holding pattern.
Recommended! I finished it this morning, after reading on it for several days, around working hours. Actually took it to work place on day to read on my lunch hour, and generally read myself to sleep every night (or in the wee hours when I wake up and know I could be lying there in the dark forever, unable to shut my brain down to resume rest.) "Esther", which as you might assume is based on the character from the Old Testament. By Angela Hunt, who is apparently a writer of a number of fiction books based on biblical stories. This one even has some questions in the back, that could be useful for book club readings, or the type thing a women's study group would gather to talk about.
Hunt has a pretty extensive bibliography listed so she has obviously done her homework. Lots of references to document a time in history where there was probably very little actually written about daily life, only primarily recordings of major events and personages. But a really well written book, with lots of well developed characters that bring the story to life in a way that makes it hard to put the book down.
Recommended! I finished it this morning, after reading on it for several days, around working hours. Actually took it to work place on day to read on my lunch hour, and generally read myself to sleep every night (or in the wee hours when I wake up and know I could be lying there in the dark forever, unable to shut my brain down to resume rest.) "Esther", which as you might assume is based on the character from the Old Testament. By Angela Hunt, who is apparently a writer of a number of fiction books based on biblical stories. This one even has some questions in the back, that could be useful for book club readings, or the type thing a women's study group would gather to talk about.
Hunt has a pretty extensive bibliography listed so she has obviously done her homework. Lots of references to document a time in history where there was probably very little actually written about daily life, only primarily recordings of major events and personages. But a really well written book, with lots of well developed characters that bring the story to life in a way that makes it hard to put the book down.
free to a good home: millipedes...
...but not at my house. I thought we were done with that, when a daughter convinced me that they were coming in through a crack in the foundation of the house.. Semi-convinced, we sprayed where she thought the most likely entrance was located. Admittedly there were practically, nearly none for a while. So the plan did have merit.
I find them in the most unlikely places, all over the house. Curled up, crispy little dots, scattered down the hall. In the corners in the living room. Along the baseboards in the bedrooms. Little curlicues, on the tile floor in the bathroom, where they ran out of steam, and thought: this is a good place to die.
But they are back with a vengeance. I think it might have something to do with the weather? We have had several good drenching rains in recent weeks, and I am convinced they breed/incubate when there is a lot of moisture. At any rate, I swept over a dozen up one morning this week. Perhaps it is time to spray that most likely crack in the pantry again...
I find them in the most unlikely places, all over the house. Curled up, crispy little dots, scattered down the hall. In the corners in the living room. Along the baseboards in the bedrooms. Little curlicues, on the tile floor in the bathroom, where they ran out of steam, and thought: this is a good place to die.
But they are back with a vengeance. I think it might have something to do with the weather? We have had several good drenching rains in recent weeks, and I am convinced they breed/incubate when there is a lot of moisture. At any rate, I swept over a dozen up one morning this week. Perhaps it is time to spray that most likely crack in the pantry again...
swimmin'...
...takin' the day off to be totally non productive. I have been swimming for the first time in at least a year. Pretty strange, considering how much I used to like it. It seems to take more effort to get organized and to the pool than I am willing to invest.
I have a membership at the Y, so I could go six days a week, were I to be inclined to motivate myself to get there and change clothes twice. But, sadly, have not been in a couple of years. The man who pays for the membership occasionally reminds me/reports that his checking account is being charged each month for the fee. Wondering why I don't use it. Though I told him months ago: you can pay it or not pay it, but you are Not Allowed to remind me about it over and over again.
I just did, had a great time. The water was cold, but the day was bright and sunny, so it did not take long to get hot enough to make the adjustment. I am not a proponent of 'inching' into cold water- might as well just go ahead and jump, definitely of the Do It and Be Done With It persuasion. Initially unbearable, but you just gotta' stay in motion, keep moving and eventually you either get used to it or your nervous system shuts down and you are so numb it doesn't hurt any more.
I have a membership at the Y, so I could go six days a week, were I to be inclined to motivate myself to get there and change clothes twice. But, sadly, have not been in a couple of years. The man who pays for the membership occasionally reminds me/reports that his checking account is being charged each month for the fee. Wondering why I don't use it. Though I told him months ago: you can pay it or not pay it, but you are Not Allowed to remind me about it over and over again.
I just did, had a great time. The water was cold, but the day was bright and sunny, so it did not take long to get hot enough to make the adjustment. I am not a proponent of 'inching' into cold water- might as well just go ahead and jump, definitely of the Do It and Be Done With It persuasion. Initially unbearable, but you just gotta' stay in motion, keep moving and eventually you either get used to it or your nervous system shuts down and you are so numb it doesn't hurt any more.
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