JUSTICE SCALIA

It's a shame, and he will be missed. Saturday, Justice Antonin Scalia of the Supreme Court, passed away. He was 79 years old. Now, I'm sure that certain people are just chomping at the bit to get another democrap libtard in his place. We will have to wait and see how this goes.

Prayers for his family and friends and our country.

John Wayne's God Bless America Mix

We never get sick of this at our house.
It will whoosh you back in time.

CHAPPED LIPS CURE

Here is a home remedy for chapped lips. Now, I was told this many, many years ago. I do not take responsibility for it. Now that we have the legal stuff out of the way.

All you need to do, according to who told me, is to kiss a horse's or a cow's hiney, at the base of the tail.

It may not help your chapped lips, but it will sure keep you from licking your lips and making them more chapped.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Mere precedent is a dangerous source of authority."
--Andrew Jackson, 7th U.S. president

"It is our responsibilities, not ourselves, that we should take seriously."
--Peter Ustinov, British actor and writer

"To be loved is to be fortunate, but to be hated is to achieve distinction."
--Minna Antrim, American author

"Friendship is the great chain of human society."
--James Howell, British historian and writer

A joke for your Wednesday

My sister sent me this one, and I thought some of you might think it is funny, too.
_______________________________________________

The doctors need to be just a little more specific with us older folks!

 

The other day I went over to a nearby CVS Pharmacy.
When I got there, I went straight to the back of the store to where the Pharmacists' Counter is located, took out my little brown bottle along with a teaspoon, and laid them both onto the counter.

The pharmacist came over smiled and asked if he could help me. 

I said, "Yes! Could you please taste this for me?"
Being I am a senior citizen I guess the Pharmacist just went along with me, and picked up the spoon and put a tiny bit of the liquid on his tongue and swilled it around.
Then with a stomach-churning look on his face, he spat it out on the floor and began coughing. 

When he finally was finished making all those weird faces, I looked him right in the eye asked, "Now, does that taste sweet to you?" 

The pharmacist, shaking his head back and forth with a venomous look in his eyes yelled, "HELL NO!" 

So I said, "Oh thank God!  That's a real relief!  My doctor told me to get a pharmacist to test my urine for sugar!"

Well, I can never go back to that CVS, but I really don't care though,because they aren't very friendly there anyway!

A SLOW CREEP IS CREEPING UP

It's slow. And it is creeping up and getting nearer. There is nothing that can be done. It's going to happen. I would change it if it were possible. It creeps up on all of us. Every day of the year. It creeps up and gets someone. Man, woman, child. Male or female, it doesn't matter, it gets us all. Some enjoy it. Others, maybe not so much.

What am I talking about? BIRTHDAYS! Pappy quit counting his when he was like in his late 50's. Ever since I could remember, he was always saying that he was 39 years old. He was in his 70's when he passed. I've seen and known some "older" people who still act like they are back in high school. One lady I know is over eighty and still likes to go out and dance if she can find a guy to keep up with her.

Take me for example. A lot of my family members tell me all the time that I'm still just like a overgrown kid. I admit that I can go a little overboard when doing some things. Why, just the other day, a guy and I had a race to see who could get to the bathroom first. He cheated. A friend and I went out for lunch last week for all you can eat pizza. I wolfed nine slices. He only ate four. If I had had beer, it might have been 14 slices. 'Course, we won't talk about how I was the next day or two.

I bet I can still ride a Big Wheel through Red Rocks Park, if you beef up the frame on it then help me get off the thing and back on my feet. I can still roll down a hill. Even when I don't want to.

So, I'm now declaring. I will not turn 60 in February!

I'm going to do like Pappy, but I'll start at 59 and work backwards. So, I'll be 58 this year, and 57 next year. Now if I can just figure out how to avoid looking older. Like the lady that my grandmother knew. She paid to have a face lift once. A couple years later, instead of getting another one -- I swear this is true -- she showed up at our house smelling a bit strange, but looked like she had a newer face.

She told my grandmother that instead of paying for a face lift that she was using Preparation H on her face. Tightened everything right up! Smelled a bit, along with old lady perfume. She was quite proud of how she looked and wanted to go out and have dinner someplace. I told them I had a date and couldn't go with them. Grandmother said something like "coward" under her breath.

They went out. Grandmother didn't talk to me for three days. 

QUOTES OF THE WEEK: January 15, 2016

"Opportunity is missed by most people, because it is dressed in overalls, and it looks like work."
-- Thomas Edison, American inventor

"Work with some men is as besetting a sin as idleness with others."
--Samuel Butler, British author

FRESH AIR TAI CHI

Last Friday I had my very first Tai Chi class. It was interesting, it was fun. In fact, you could say it was a "gas." It was also very relaxing. Which I guess would account for several people passing said gas. And, we ALL know that farts are funny. Loud ones, squeakers, low pitched ones, high pitched ones. There is such a variety.

Then, you have these people also saying excuse me every time that there is a "butt burp." Loud excuse me, soft excuse me, with a snicker or two along the way. I've heard that the same thing happens in yoga. Go figure. The instructor, who seems to be a nice guy, kind of started it all. First him, then one or two of the ladies in the class. Followed up by us guys. 

It was almost like we had a harmony going on, with Asian music playing in the background. My friend that told me about Tai Chi, never said anything about passing gas while in class. At least the rec center has good ventilation in the yoga room. And, what's up with all the mirrors around the room? I don't need four different views of myself trying to be graceful like a gazelle and looking more like a hippo in heat, moving around, and trying to get the moves just right.

So, maybe in a few weeks. . . maybe I'll look more like a graceful hippo. But it is still a workout. The others seem to have had more classes than I have. That's okay, I'll catch up. As for the gas thing, maybe a few air fresheners, like you hang in your car, might be in order to hang off a few backsides. 

It's all good.

TAI CHI

Hot diggity, I'm now signed up for Tai Chi class. The class starts this Friday. I'm looking forward to this. I'm pumped. I'm ready. I'm inspired.... But, what do you wear for Tai Chi? Shorts, lounge pants, sweats, ninja outfit, pajamas? I've got everything covered, except for pajamas and ninja outfit. And do you need to bring anything else with you to class? 

I'm hoping that I'll be able to get more limber, and be able to move and bend a lot easier than I do now. They say that it is low impact and easier on your body, good exercise for mind and body. I can use some improvement on the body. The mind. . . that's something that went into the waste basket a long time ago, according to some of my friends.  

This is going to be neat. I'll be a Taekwondo, Karate, Judo, Kung Fu Ninja Turtle when I learn this stuff. As long as my opponent moves as slow or slower than me. I should be able to kick some major butt playing pickle ball later on. After, I learn some of this Tai Chi.

So, away I go Friday to check this out. Wish me luck. Hoping for a more limber body in a few weeks.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! !

Okay so it is a few days past. I hope that everyone had a good Christmas, and that you all got what you wanted for Christmas. Me, I got several neat gifts. Smell well juice, socks, a puzzle (that we already tried to put together and couldn't.) Some other odds and ends. Kathi, still needs to pick her present out. She needs to check out a few shootin' iron shops first.

New years eve was quiet and Kathi crashed at about 9:30 p.m. I woke her in time for new years. New year's morning we made up some homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls, then played lounge monsters for the rest of the day. Ate some more cinnamon rolls for lunch. Watched westerns on the boob tube for the rest of the day.

I'm going to work on getting some things done that I want this year. A friend up in Wyoming has talked me into trying Tai Chi. So, I'll be signed up here this week. Plus I'm going to try my hand at some knife making, some leather craft, and  -- of course -- some camping and fishing here in a while. I'm also going to try to take better care of myself this year.

I'm not getting any younger. I'll be hitting the BIG 60 in a month or so. I also want to be able to get a jo... a jo ... It's hard to say. A part-time job. There, if you say it fast enough, it isn't as hard to say. Our home business is kaput. So, I'll try something different. HHMMM? 

I guess trying to get my old job (40 some odd years ago) as a stripper is off the table. My money shaker won't even get me change any more. I could try driving a delivery truck again, except I don't know if I can put up with the a-holes out on the roads now a days. Maybe a warehouse job. I'm sure I can get re-certified as a fork lift operator.

Well enough of my kibitzing. I hope that you all had a great one. Now, maybe its time for another cinnamon roll and a mug of coffee. 

Not enough time

I'm sorry that I have not been posting. It has been very busy here at the home place. Family things, friend things, and just general things that I can not go into right now.

Hope that all of you out there have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and that 2016 will be a great year for all of us.

Thanks, and God bless.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Defeat is simply a signal to press onward."
--Helen Keller, American author and activist

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."
--Jack London, writer

"I never think of the future - - it comes soon enough."
--Albert Einstein, physicist

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"If you do something with your whole heart and it's a mistake, you can live with that."
-- Florence Welch, British musician

FEED YOUR FACE: Applesauce

Just about every body likes applesauce. You can have chunky or smooth. I like both. I always looked forward to help make some fresh applesauce. I like applesauce year round, but we made a big deal out of it come holiday time.

Pappy really liked applesauce. He could eat his weight in applesauce. It took my sister and I awhile to figure out why. We never, ever, saw him eat a apple, ever. And the reason why was because . . . he had no teeth. He could gum a good steak to death, but could not bite into a juicy apple. 

He claimed that home made applesauce was way better than the stuff you bought in the store. 'Course, that never stopped him from eating a whole big store-bought jar of applesauce in one day. So here is a recipe for making your own applesauce.


APPLESAUCE
About 4 pounds of tart apples (or your favorite kind)
1 cup sugar 
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly.

In a large Dutch oven (or other big pot) mix sugar, cinnamon, and your sliced up apples. Let stand for about 40 minutes or until juices start to form. Stir once or twice.
Cook over every low heat till very juicy, about 15 minutes or so.

Continue cooking now over medium heat to desired thickness, stirring often.

Cook around 20 minutes or so for chunky style applesauce, or 30 minutes or more for smooth style applesauce.

Makes about 5 1/2 cups or so.

It's not hard to make. I remember having fresh applesauce one time out on the ranch when we had to round up cattle to take to fall pasture. Old Joe fixed up a bunch of fried pork chops with some green beans and fresh made applesauce. We didn't have a chuck wagon, but we had Old Joe's old Willies pickup truck. It was set up kinda like a chuck wagon. You've never seen such a collection of pots 'n pans and Dutch ovens, and all kinds of food stuffs packed up on this old truck.

It was some good eating. So make some applesauce and surprise your family when you tell them you made it your self. Enjoy and FEED YOUR FACE!   

FEED YOUR FACE: Hasty Pudding

How long has it been since you have had hasty pudding? You have had hasty pudding, haven't you? Well, if not, you should try some. My sister and I used to have it at our great grandmother's house on cold mornings. My grandmother would serve all of us hasty pudding every Christmas morning when we lived with them back in the early sixties.

HASTY PUDDING
1 cup yellow cornmeal
Maple syrup
Brown sugar
Molasses or light cream

Take a bowl and add cornmeal and 1 cup cold water. Mix well.

In a heavy saucepan bring 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil.

Then carefully stir in the cornmeal mixture, making sure it does not get lumpy.

Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve up in bowls with a pat of butter.

Now add some molasses or some maple syrup. Or maybe you like brown sugar instead. Maybe some light cream.

Me, I like to add some chokecherry jelly. It's great on a cold morning with a steaming mug of coffee and maybe a slice -- okay, several slices -- of bacon on the side.

So, if it has been awhile since you had some hasty pudding, or if you have never had hasty pudding, give it a try. I think you will like it. You might even give up on your oatmeal.

Enjoy.... And FEED YOUR FACE!

FEED YOUR FACE: Two styles of pie

Thanksgiving and Christmas meals would not be the same in our family if we did not have pumpkin pie. 'Course, any time is a good time for some homemade pie.

Good Old Pumpkin Pie

2 cups cooked and mashed pumpkin, or you can use a 15 oz of can pumpkin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup whipping cream or 1 cup light cream instead
1/2 cup milk or 1 cup light cream instead
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell. Make your own or use store bought.

Combine sugar, pumpkin, spices and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Now blend in cream, eggs, milk.

Pour it all into the pastry shell.

Bake at 400 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.

*********************************************
Now for a pumpkin pie recipe that my great grandmother used to make for the holidays. She would make it at her house then bring it over to my grandmother's house. Both of my grandmothers kind of had a pie rivalry going on. They never would allow the other to make and bake a pie in their own kitchen. This went on for years. My sister and I kind of would fan the flames every now and then. 'Course, by the time the holiday meal was done, the pies were brought out and they sure didn't last long.

Molasses-Pumpkin Pie.

In a mixing bowl combine
2 cups of cooked and mashed pumpkin, or a 15 oz can of pumpkin,
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 a teaspoon salt.

Beat mixture until well blended, pour into unbaked pie shell.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.
Let the pie cool.

My great grandmother was a farm girl and she loved to cook. If you walked away from the table after eating and were hungry in about two hours it was your own fault for not eating enough the first time. She always had a smile on her face and she would hum some tune from years gone by. She would let me and my sister in the kitchen to help her every time we came for a visit.

She taught me and my cousins how to cook some things. She would say that "boys should know how to cook too, just like girls do."

So, make some pumpkin pies for your holidays and smile when they say how good it is.

Now, whip up some whipped topping and FEED YOUR FACE!

FEED YOUR FACE: Southern style South of the Border Stew. (Pappy style)

Pappy loved beans. He also loved stew. And he loved just about anything hot and spicy from south of the border. If you caught him on one of his good days, the man could fill the kitchen with aromas that would knock your socks off. Or if he was in the mood for border-style, you would burn all of the hair in your nose from the aroma of chili and spices. Grandmother was surprised sometimes that the paint had not peeled off the kitchen walls.

At least once every winter, Pappy would make this stew. It's good with some fresh corn bread on the side.

2 tablespoons of shortening or bacon grease
1 1/2 pounds of lean chuck, cut it in 1 inch cubes
2 green chilies, hot or mild, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 pounds smoked pork, cut in 1 inch cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sweet peppers, green or red, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 one pound can of tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
1 cup of your favorite wine (save the rest for later)
1 cup raisins
1 cup whole almonds or 1/2 cup shaved almonds

Now, get out your trusty Dutch oven.
Brown beef in shortening or bacon grease in Dutch oven. Remove beef.
Brown pork,onions and garlic. Stir often, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Now add your browned beef back into the Dutch oven, add your tomatoes,chili peppers, red peppers,salt, pepper,bay leaves, cumin, and oregano.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat.
Simmer uncovered 10 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and cover.
Now, bake at 300 degrees for about 2 hours.
Skim the fat that has floated to the top, and serve.

Now, you can also do this in a slow cooker. When grandmother bought a slow cooker when they first came out and used it for the first time, I could have swore that I saw her dance a little jig in the kitchen. (She said that she was trying to squish a spider on the floor.) The roast and veggies were quite good. Pappy was overjoyed with the slow cooker also. Anyway, the slow cooker way follows.

Brown meats, onions, garlic in a skillet.
Dump that into your slow cooker. Now add all of the other ingredients.
Cover and let it cook 8 to 10 hours.

On cold days or cold nights, this stew will warm you up. It goes real good also with a cold beer and some sourdough bread.

So, whichever way you like to cook it, make a batch and FEED YOUR FACE!

FEED YOUR FACE: Mashed Potatoes (Grandma style)

Just about everyone likes mashed potatoes. But, some folks use the instant kind. Each has it's place. But give me fresh mashed taters! They just taste better. And the reason they do, according to my grandmother, is because you make them yourself, so you can make them like you like them. Lumpy or smooth. Skins or no skins. Lots of butter or very little butter.

Here is my grandmother's recipe for mashed potatoes.

6 to 8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cups butter
Salt and pepper to taste.

Place the potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover them with water. (Be sure to wash them first if you leave the skins on.)
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook until tender.
Drain. Add other ingredients.
Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended and creamy.
Serves 6 to 8.

Pretty simple. But I have known people that have never made mashed potatoes before. I remember my first time "helping" make mashed potatoes.

We were living with my grandparents, (grandmother and Pappy) and it was Thanksgiving day. It had snowed the night before, and the snow was deep. The wind had made big drifts in our backyard. My sister and I were helping by setting the table, and hoping that other family members were on their way. Things were going pretty well when all of a sudden the lights flicked off then on, then off. They didn't come back on.

Family started to show up. Food was being placed on the table. The only thing not done was the mashed potatoes. They were cooked and ready to be mashed, only we had no power for the mixer. So grandmother went old school. She produced this thing that she called a potato masher. Of course, me and my sister wanted to help mash potatoes.

Grandmother had turned off the burners on the stove. She put my and my sister in aprons, placed a chair by the stove, and let us bang and smash the potatoes to smithereens. Then she came up with this thing that she said was a hand mixer. The kind you have to turn this handle, and these little blades whirl around. Well, we had to have a go with that on the potatoes also, so we took turns.

We even were able to keep the biggest part of the potatoes in the pan. The power came back on when we were all just about done with our Thanksgiving meal. Everyone said that the mashed potatoes were the best they had ever had. .

So, enjoy, mash 'em up anyway you like. And FEED YOUR FACE!

FEED YOUR FACE: Corn Bread

My side of the family has always been the meat and 'taters kind of family. A lot of the family are from the south, so a lot of our meals reflect that heritage. A lot of our family were farmers. They really did live off of what they raised, and what they could sell for things they needed. Mamma and Poppa, my great grandparents, had a farm in Scout County, Missouri. They had the usual animals -- cows chickens, pigs, a couple of mules for plowing. And they had several acres of watermelons, corn, and several other crops.

Mamma could cook just about anything. Give her a couple of cast iron skillets and a few dutch ovens, and she could cook up a storm on her old wood cook stove. One of my favorite things was her home made corn bread, cooked in a big cast iron skillet. She always made all of her recipes from scratch. I love to cook in cast iron myself. I have skillets from my grandparents and great-grandparents. One or two are from great-great-grandparents.

So, it holds something special to me to cook in them. 'Course, I don't always cook from scratch, as there are things that make cooking a lot easier now that are (almost) as good. Like corn bread. Packaged corn bread is fine. But sometimes you need to add a little extra something to make it your own. Here is one of my great grandmother's cornbread recipes. (She had several.)

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup creamed corn
1/2 cups butter, melted

Heat your oven to 425 degrees.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.
Now in a larger bowl, mix the eggs, buttermilk,creamed corn, and butter. Stir thoroughly.

Now add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture, stir and combine it all together.

If you want, you can pour into cupcake papers in your muffin pan. Or, like I do, grease up your big cast iron skillet and pour it in.

If you use the muffin pan, it takes about 12 minutes or so to bake. This will make 18 muffins.

If you use your cast iron, cooking time will be increased. When the top of corn bread is brown and a tooth pick comes out clean when poked into the corn bread. Set muffins or skillet aside to cool for just a few minutes.

Hope this is a recipe you will like and use. Great for holidays or Sunday supper. Slather some butter and jam on your corn bread, or try using some sorghum.

I've mixed up the dry ingredients and placed in a bag. And the wet ingredients in a jar. And taken on hunting and fishing trips. I've also, on fishing trips, dipped the fish once they've been cleaned, in the batter and fried them in my dutch oven that has oil in it.

So, enjoy. And FEED YOUR FACE!    

FEED YOUR FACE: Trail Mix

Around the holidays, everyone seems to get the munchies more than any other time of the year. There is just something about being able to stuff our faces and worry about the end results at the beginning of the new year. My family use to start this feeding frenzy right after Halloween. We would eat up as much of the leftover candy as we could. Once we were tired of candy, we wanted something different to stuff ourselves with.

My great grandmother one year was tired of me, my sister, and three cousins opening her fridge every few minutes to look for something to munch or eat. She would holler at us and say, "There is nothing new in the fridge, that wasn't there before, so close the fridge, you're letting the cold out." I guess she had had enough. She grabbed a big bowl and dumped in what was left of some M&M's, peanuts, potato chips, and some dried fruit of some kind, leftover from the previous year when she made fruitcake.

Now, my cousins would eat anything and everything. They were always worried that one of them will not get his fair share. I mean, I've seen them fight over the ham bone from a pot of beans. Anyway, great grandmother threw a bunch of stuff in this bowl and set it out on a little table in the living room. Man, you would of thought that this stuff was the last meal on earth. My sister and I hovered around the outskirts of the bowl. We couldn't get near enough to try and get a hand full of it.

Our cousins came up for air, and me and my sister swooped in on the bowl. There wasn't much left. Some potato chip crumbs, a couple of busted up M&M's, the dregs of dried fruit, and them little chunks of peanuts and peanut skins. And there was also those hard chunks of the stale popcorn. You know, the ones that have not popped all the way. It was all gone. It seemed to satisfy our hunger for the time being.

Here is a recipe for some trail mix.

5 cups sugar corn pop cereal
1 cup raisins
2 cups peanuts or mixed nuts
2 cups of M&Ms

Mix it all together in a big bowl. Makes about 10 cups or so.
If you're the type, you can make up your own style of trail mix that is more on the healthy side. So, set out some trail mix. And FEED YOUR FACE! 

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it."
--Thomas Fuller, English clergyman and historian

"Where there is great love there are always miracles."
--Willa Cather, American author

"Three o'clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do."
--Jean-Paul Sartre, novelist

KATHI UPDATE & STUFF

Well, it has been more than five weeks with the blood clot in Kathi's leg. Even though it is still there, she will be heading back to the J.O.B. this Wednesday. Not sure if I will be taking her to work for awhile, or if she will drive herself. She still has bruising and nodules from the heparin shots, but they are getting smaller.

So, I will be busy for a few more days. Then, I need to call that friend of mine who was re-doing his basement. Need to get all of that crap done before the snow flies. We still need to get the sump pump installed and running to his liking. (That could take awhile.) Then I need to see what other type of piddly stuff he wants done.

With all that has been going on, my mind has been working overtime. Lots of projects that I have thought of. Now just need to start on them. Since the holidays are sneaking up on us, I think that I will be blogging some FEED YOUR FACE! posts. Main courses, sides, desserts, drinks, and a few stories thrown in also. Some wild game recipes are also in order. So, check in, you may find something from anything thing that crawls, swims, flies, runs, jumps, two legged, four legged, you never know.

If there is something you want to ask, ask. There is no such thing as a dumb question. Weird maybe, off the wall maybe. So, pull up a couch or whatever and ask away.

Also, don't forget to get the old snow blower ready. The snow will be here soon. Brush off them cob webs on the snow shovel. Check that pile of fire wood, Dig out your long johns and them old worn out winter boots. You might also start to drag down some of that Christmas stuff that is a pain in the butt to get to. 

Or if you're like some people and left them lights up all year, you're ahead of the game. Speaking of games. I came across a book that has some "old fashion games." I'll post a few of them and see if anyone remembers any of them.

Hope everyone's week is going well and not too many AH SH** moments happening. 

Annual Fall Poem (A Kathi Post)

My dad used to recite this annual Fall poem for us each year when we were kids old enough to think it was just nasty enough to be funny. He has been gone for a bunch of years, but I still think of it at least once each year when the weather is cool and the leaves are falling. I am very glad that I can still hear his voice in my head when I think of it.

"When the weather is hot and sticky
that's no time to dunk your dickie.
When the frost is on the pumpkin,
THAT'S the time for dickie dunkin.'"

A vintage message, still relevant

A friend shared this with us this week, and I thought you might like it, also. Enjoy.

Quotes of the Week: 10/19/2015

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."
--Josh Billings

"Of all the things I miss from veterinary practice, puppy breath is one of the most fond memories!"
--Dr. Tom Cat

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about puppies."
--Gene Hill

KATHI UP DATE

As of Monday night, Kathi will be starting her fourth round of heparin shots. She is also still taking the blood thinner Warfarin. She may end up taking this for the rest of her life. Her poor belly is nothing but a massive bruise.

She still has some swelling in her leg and foot. And, she still keeps it elevated. She will be off work for at least another two weeks. Me, I'm hanging in there. A little bit more stressed. And, of course, worried. As long as I can put a smile on her face during the day, I feel like I'm helping her feel better. I'm starting to go through all the different things I know how to cook. There are a lot of things I can cook, but she won't eat it if I fix it.

I mean, how could you turn down some fresh fried liver with onions, green beans, corn bread with honey and butter. YUM! Or a big bowl of clam-chowder. Anyway, she is starting to get her appetite back. I know that she is on the mend. She asked for some bacon for breakfast. BACON! BACON! So, I hope that the store stocks up. I see a couple of pounds of bacon making its way to our fridge and skillet.

I want to thank those who have sent cards, and the prayers from everyone. Please keep them coming. It was nice being able to make it to church last Sunday. Now...I wonder if I can make bacon meat balls for a spaghetti dinner?

Thanks everyone. 

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"Along with success comes a reputation for wisdom."
--Euripides, Greek scholar and poet

"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of man."
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, playwright, novelist and statesman

"Always do what you are afraid to do."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson, American transcendentalist, philosopher,essayist

(Still) My Hero (A Kathi Post)

Jim has been my hero for a long time. He is extremely good to me, but he is also good to others. The older ladies at church also think the world of him, because he is kind to them, and to everyone.

While I have been home working on healing (i.e., lazing around), he has done everything around here. We usually do the grocery shopping together, so he has had to do that alone, too.

He may be unhappy that I am sharing with you what happened at the grocery story yesterday, but who else will I tell, if not you?

He went to the store yesterday for a few things, but it seemed to take him longer than usual. When he got home, I heard why.

There was a mean, rude man who was impatient with an older lady who was moving too slow for his liking. Jim was behind that guy, who was behind the lady. That man said something to her along the lines of moving her slow a** the f*** out of the way.

Jim did not like that, and he told the guy he needed to apologize to the woman. The man behind Jim agreed -- a really large, big man. The lady started to cry. The mean man stared daggers at Jim and told Jim he'd have to make him. Jim took off his vest and said he would. The guy behind Jim said he'd help, too. The guy finally took them seriously, and spat out a "sorry." Jim said his apology needed to be more sincere and a complete sentence. He finally did, then left his cart and stormed out of the store.

The store manager, who had made his way over, said that guy has caused problems in the store before. Jim and his back-up suggested that he not be allowed back in the store since it is clear he cannot play well with others. 

At checkout, the same lady was short in paying her bill, so Jim slid her a $20. He is still my knight in shining armor. 

Anyway, I would have told the dramatic, movie version, but Jim would get embarrassed and make me remove it once he sees it, so I tried to keep it basic. 

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues."
--Cicero, Roman orator

"However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."
--Winston Churchill, British prime minister

"Nothing is impossible. Some things are just less likely than others."
--Jonathan Winters, Comedian, author and artist

"If  a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?"
--Dr. Laurence J. Peter, Canadian educator

UP DATE

Well, it has been a while since the last post. Thursday, took Kathi in for some more blood tests. She says she is feeling like a pin cushion. She is on blood thinners, and finishing up the heparin shots. I'm doing what I can to help her out and be more comfortable. The recliner is now the seat of choice for her. Her leg with the clot is now turning nice shades of green, yellow, and the neatest coloring of a bluish purplish color.

She will be going in for a CT scan here in the next several days. And then... The colonoscopy and endoscopy. I hope that they now have the skinny fiber optic scope thing, instead of that telephone pole optic scope thing they used on me. I mean, talk about feeling violated. The doctor didn't even give me flowers or take me to dinner.
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On to other things. I fixed a nice roast with potatoes and carrots, onion, celery (drool) and some spices. Put it all in our Dutch-oven, and after several hours we had a FEED YOUR FACE meal. Leftovers were made into sandwiches with veggies on the side. After a few days of that, I took what was left, chopped up the rest of the roast and the potatoes and threw it all in a skillet with a can of beans and a half a can of corn. Yum! We had leftovers from that also. Made for a good lunch or two. (And a chorus of whistle britches at night.)
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After all of this is done with, I get the joy of going back to help my friend finish with his basement and sump pump. So it has been kind of nice not having to go to his house every day. Course, it will be even better when he pays me for the work. 

OH CRAP!

Oh crap. Monday, I got a call from the wife, and was told by her that she may have a blood clot. 'Course, I was ready to leave Bob's house. (I'm still helping him finish the basement.) So, I got to the hospital as soon as possible. They took Kathi in, did an ultrasound, and, yep, blood clot. Lower right leg calf.

She was put on blood thinners and epoxarin shots. So, I get to play doctor at home. Heh, this could be fun, as soon as she feels a bit better. It's my turn to do things for her, like she did for me when I had them boulders that I was trying to pee out. She has taken over the recliner. It will be her throne to command from for the next several days.

I offered to help her with her shower, but she threw stuff at me. And I found the walker I fixed up for her when she had knee surgery years ago. (The batteries in laser, bomb, and blaster toy are still good.) It cleaned up real nice, and the streamers are still in good shape. As well as the bicycle bell. She feels more stable with the walker than a cane. So it is off to the store for a few snacks for her.

So I may not get to much blogging this week. But will try and keep everyone informed to what else is going on. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes."
--Maya Angelou, American poet and memoirist

HOME SHOOTING PRACTICE (With Wax Bullets)

With the price of ammo, it can be tough to be able to practice your shooting skills. My Dad came up with a way that is not too expensive. Where he got it from, I have no idea. This works real well for those of us who like to shoot "old school." You know, revolvers.

My Dad would shoot down in the basement of his house. It afforded him a way to practice shooting without going to the range or anything. He shot a .38 Colt snubby and a Ruger Security Six. This is also good for those people who like to shoot cowboy style.

Here is a list of the things you will need:

• A couple of foil pie pans
• Bee's wax
• A cheap pan to melt the wax
• Primers
• Brass
• De-primer tool
• Primer tool to set primers.

Take your empty pistol brass and take out the old primer. If the brass is really dirty you might want to clean it. Next, put new primers in the brass and set them aside for the time being. Next, you want to melt down the bee's wax. After the wax is in liquid form, you want to pour it into the pie pans. You want o have the wax about a 1/4 to 3/8 inch deep.

Next, when the wax has set, take one of your pistol brass and push it into the wax. Give it a little turn as you do this. It's like a cookie cutter. Do this to all the brass that you put new primers in. You are now ready to shoot a wad of bee's wax at a target. You can still reload your brass later on. The primer is just enough to pop the wax out of the brass.

My Dad used a old military canteen he had laying around as a target. After shooting up his wax wads, the old canteen looked like someone had taken a ball-peen hammer to it. After several weeks of his practicing, we went to a range with a friend of his. As they started shooting, his friend kind of looked around the partition at my Dad, and told him he was shooting too fast and was in all likelihood to be all over the target.

My Dad just smiled and brought in his target. A nice tight group of five. A little right of center. His friend just could not believe that my dad had gotten that much better. It pays to practice.

Now I take no responsibility or liability if you try this. Wear eye and ear protection, and (always) follow all gun safety rules.

This picture of wax bullets is from the American Rifleman Web site: http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2010/4/12/how-to-make-and-reload-wax-bullets/