Happy Halloween Life List

LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW....

A beautiful day here in Kansas. It is currently 65* on the way to 80* No wind. Blue skies. Sun is shining. Will be in the 70's all this week. Hard to believe it is almost November.


AS I PONDER....

Around 1959-1960

I am pondering Halloweens of the past today. I remember going trick or treating as a child. It was a BIG deal to us. We used pillowcases for our sacks. And we scoured the entire town. (Of course Pratt wasn't all that big). I remember my brothers would go around the town more than once. And they liked to play tricks on younger kids too!! Scared me more than once. I am sure I have shared this picture before but here it is again. That lovely witch would be me!! We used to dress up in the morning and wear the costume all day at school. Now, the kids (not the ones who live with me, they are too old) put them on in the morning, parade around the school, take them off and get busy with school.




WHAT I AM LEARNING...

I've been learning how sad it is if your external hard drive dies. All my pictures from years ago are gone. Maybe my computer guru will be able to save it. This happened sometime ago but today while I was searching for old Halloween pictures the lesson came up again. Boo! Hoo! I did what I was supposed to do. Backed them up. And it failed!!

WHAT I 'M CREATING...

I'm working on my weekly menu. Running a bit late but there will be re-runs from last week that we didn't have. For one reason or another meals get changed. I'm also going to be figuring out what to do with a bushel of good, crisp, Gala apples. So yummy!


WHAT I'M READING....

I'm reading Behind The Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. I'm listening to Ordinary People by Judith Guest. 


WHAT I'M WATCHING...

Currently I am watching The Chew's Halloween special. Great costumes today. Carla makes the best Steve Urkle. Do you watch The Chew ?



WHAT I'M HEARING...

I'm listening to Mario (dressed as Archie Bunker). Hilarious!!



Pictures I want to share...

My house in 2009

The kids their last Halloween to trick or treat

Justin 2011

Richard 2011

WHAT I'M DRINKING....

Enjoying my second cup of French vanilla laced coffee. 




WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE KITCHEN...

Monday...Hawaiian Burgers from The Pioneer Woman

Tuesday... BOGO at Braum's 

Wednesday...Bacon & Eggs with toast

Thursday...Baked Chicken with roasted sweet potatoes

Friday...Soup (haven't decided what kind yet)

Saturday...Honey Lime Chicken Tacos

Sunday...Roast with potatoes and carrots


A QUOTE I WANT TO SHARE...

A peek into my week...


I don't really have any plans for this week. Darian has an appointment with optometrist on Wednesday and that is about it! Let's hear a Yay for a quiet week!!




A final thought...

The week before the election. Much to think about! Have you decided yet? Happy Halloween everyone. I will snuggle in and watch Dancing With The Stars. What are your plans?

The Help-A book Review

This is one of those books I have heard about for a long time before I read it. The book was published in 2009. The story is about a group of black maids, working in Jackson, Mississippi, in the early days of the 1960's. Kathryn Stockett, a white lady, is the author and this is her first novel. I read that she was rejected by 60+ publishers before she found one who would publish her story.

The story centers around three people. Two black maids, Minny and Aibileen, and the white lady, Skeeter, who wants to write a book about black maids and their white employers. 

Skeeter's mother is the quintessential white lady, who wants her daughter to get married, hire help, and give her some grandchildren. But Skeeter has been to four years of college and wants to be a writer. She is trying to find a job in publishing when she is given the opportunity to write a book detailing the relationships between the white ladies and their black maids. It is a dangerous thing to do in the early days of the race movement in the United States. 

The books details what the maids go through in telling their stories. Not all of the stories are negative. Many of the maids love the families they work for. But many of them are fed up with the way they are treated. This book will change their lives. Some for the better. And some not so much.

I really enjoyed the story. I wondered in the beginning how a white author was going to tell the story. But I think it was well done. It doesn't dwell on the really bad things many of the blacks went through. It just told the story! I give the book **** four stars.  

What Do You Boo??

I love Thursdays! It is when I get nosy and ask you questions. Asking questions is how we get to know more about each other. Don't you think??

When I was younger we lived in a busy neighborhood. On Halloween it would not be unusual for my mom to have hundreds of little spooks coming to the door begging. She delighted in keeping track of how many visited us. Now, there just aren't that many kids coming anymore. Last year I had 5!! I live in a neighborhood that doesn't have very many younger kids. (Or older kids for that matter. Unless you count us older people as 'kids'). Ha! Ha!

Halloween is Monday? How do you celebrate? Do you dress-up? Do you hand out candy? Do you have lots of trick-or-treat-ers where you are living?? 

Just Clicking on the ClickList

I've often wondered how I will know that I have died and gone to Heaven! Today I found out. I have discovered ClickList!!!!!! This is a new way to grocery shop at Dillon's (or Kroger's in other parts of the country) In my neck of the woods, Kroger's is called Dillon's. For all of you who didn't know, the Dillon's operation was born in Hutchinson, Kansas. Right here where I live. And then it merged with Kroger. And Kroger is huge!! But we are still called Dillon's in Kansas.

Anyhooo....ClickList is the new on-line grocery shopping service. You shop, at home, on your computer. I filled out my list while I was drinking my coffee and wearing my pj's with Late Night TV blaring in the background. Who the heck doesn't want to grocery shop like that??? I have never been fond of grocery shopping. Richard loved to do it. And I loved for him to do it. Has not been one of the chores I wanted to take over. I used to dream of the day the grocery store would accept my order and then deliver it to me. ClickList doesn't deliver (yet) but it's the next easiest thing. I just drive up to the store at the designated time, call the number listed on the sign, and out they come with my entire order. They load it into the car. And wham, bam, thank you mam' I'm on my way home.

Eventually they will charge $4.99 for the service. The first three times you use the service now is free. I imagine it will cost you more when they start to deliver. But I figure I save at least $5.00 from no impulse buying while I am in the store. 

I thought it would be awkward to have someone else pick out my produce. But it wasn't. I got the best looking red pepper and the freshest bag of fresh spinach. Exactly what I would have picked. And the boneless, skin-less chicken breasts would have been to my choice too. 

The ordering could not have been easier. For right now you can only pay with a debit or credit card (that is all I ever use anyway) but I was told that soon you can pay on-line and never have to even show them your card. ClicktList will even keep track of what you buy so the next time your shopping will be ever easier. I reserved my pick-up time (for now it has to be at least for tomorrow) and set my timer for when I needed to head to the store. Threw on my crocs and kept on my shorts. Didn't even need to comb my hair because I didn't get out of the car. 

When they brought my order to the car she

went over the entire order with me. She told me that I had ordered something they were out of but (for no added cost) they gave me a larger size of the store brand of the same thing. Win! Win! There was a small problem with my debit card (a story for another day) which was solved with a trip to the bank (grrrrrr) and back to get my groceries. The store personnel were the best. Even the manager came to car to make sure I was pleased with how things turned out.I think that was probably because of the debit card issue. He was so nice.  

If you have this service in your area I highly recommend it. I am not being paid to tell you this either. I'd take the pay if they offer. But they haven't 

 Heck I may NEVER go to the grocery store again! That's how much I dislike shopping!!

The Sister-A Book Review

My favorite kind of book! This is a psychological thriller. And it surprised me with a couple of twists I didn't see coming.

I listened to this book on Audible. And had the follow along book on my Kindle app for those times I fell asleep while listening. 

Grace and Charlie were best friends. They buried a time capsule of memories. While Grace wasn't looking, Charlie slipped in a pink envelope. It's a note that is only to be read by them when they open the time capsule together.

But Charlie dies before they get this chance. And the last words she ever says to Grace are: "I did something terrible Grace. I Hope you can forgive me..." 

The story changes time frames from 'then' to 'now' throughout the story. We hear about their friendship in the 'then' sections. And we hear about how much Graces misses Charlie and the affect on her life after Charlie dies. And then there is the mysterious person who is following her. And sending her letters. And calling her on the phone. It keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Like I said, my kind of book! I give it ****

My Life List-October 24th Edition

LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW....

Today is a beautiful fall day in Kansas. The sun is shining. I like that! The temperature is 63*. And I like that. No wind! I like that best.


AS I PONDER.... 

WOW! What a week I had last week. Car trouble. I hate car problems. First, I am not at all knowledgeable about anything on a car. I know how to drive it. And put gas in it! And I'm learning all that other nasty crap that Richard used to tend to....airing tires, checking oil, resetting the computer alerts. But a massive amount of oil running out, as I drove, is out of my realm of knowledge. Thanks to baby brother and the kindest mechanic I have ever met, I'm back on the road and the bank account wasn't injured too greatly. But I didn't have a car for 3 days. Thank stunk!!


WHAT I AM LEARNING...

While I am learning more and more about on-line banking and bill paying, I am also learning that when the system doesn't work it is a pain in the butt. Know what I mean? My bank has been doing a major updating for the past 3 days. That means no availability of seeing my account on-line. No use of ATM's. Occasional non-use of debit cards. Geez!! Enough of this already. I probably wouldn't have found this quite as stressful if it hadn't been going on at the same time my dang car wasn't functioning. Do you think I was being tested this week?? Whatever God is saying...I'm listening. 

WHAT I 'M CREATING...

I think my efforts towards creating should go to anything less stressful. Like maybe set up a nice wine bar this week. Sounds like a plan, huh? If the debit card will work. No really, I'm kidding. No wine bar at my house. Just a bottle chilling in the fridge. And I'm still creating more space around here with cleaning out closets. 


WHAT I'M READING....

I finished the audio book. I'll review it soon. I need to find another one. I like listening while I clean. And I am still reading The Help!


WHAT I'M WATCHING...

Has anyone ever watched the show Naked and Afraid? I am a huge Survivor fan. When I ran across this show, Naked and Afraid, while browsing through the channels, I had to stop and check the show out. And now I'm hooked. WOW what a survival show!


WHAT I'M HEARING...

The news is on in the background. Seems there are only two things on the news anymore....the election and another shooting, somewhere. Someone is shooting someone, somewhere, sometime. If that doesn't scream of the need for better gun laws, I don't know what does. I'm not going to get into a debate with anyone about 2nd right amendment issues (which is way outdated in my opinion) but enforcing the current laws and strengthening some other laws is way past due. Far too many shootings going on around this country. And while I was sitting in my car, recently, waiting for Darian to get a haircut, it was very unnerving to see two (creepy-looking) dudes leaning up against the wall of a nearby building, both with guns strapped on their hips. What the hell!! This isn't the wild west!! Enough said. (P.S. I won't argue with anyone. You have your opinion. I have mine)


What's on my camera...

Look closely. This tree is filled with birds

Paige and Harley at lunch
with Justin

Happy Birthday from
Rib Crib

My "poor car" being taken away

WHAT I'M DRINKING....

I tried a new beer this weekend. Samuel Adams Octoberfest. It is a lager. The label describes it as hearty & smooth with a deep malt complexity & roasty sweetness. Ha! Ha! I don't know about that. It wasn't my favorite. I'll just take a cold Bud Light!!


WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE KITCHEN...

Monday...Broccoli Cheese Soup

Tuesday...Bogo at Braum's. They have their 4-cheese burger meals on sale...buy one get one free. I can't cook a meal this cheap!!

Wednesday..Easy Breakfast Casserole

Thursday...Hawaiian Burgers

Friday...Chili

Saturday...Potluck  (clean out fridge)

Sunday...Chicken stuffed shells


A QUOTE I WANT TO SHARE...

A peek into my week...


  Monday...Darian is working, Harley's at school. I'm recovering from the weekend.

  Tuesday...Nothing at the moment

  Wednesday...Harley has a FCCLA conference Darian has FAST

  Thursday...Trip to Goodwill & grocery store

  Friday...No school. Darian is working.

  Saturday...Darian is working

  Sunday...Paige & Justin ??


A final thought...

Harley and Paige went to a Halloween Haunted event on Friday night in Wichita. Harley went home with Paige for the weekend. They also attended a Roller Derby! Fun! But back to the Haunted Event. About 30 minutes to an hour after they left a man (very drunk, it was reported) was arguing with a woman while standing in line, pulled out a gun and shot himself dead. How sad! But it pisses me off that people were exposed to something they will never be able to forget. The event has always been a "gun-free" zone. It now has a metal detector at the gate. What is our country coming to?? I am so glad Paige and Harley had already left. We need to do something. I don't know what. But, something!! 

Review of the Walmart Beauty Box

It's been awhile since I talked about my Walmart Beauty Box. Click here if you want to sign up. I've been getting these for a year now. I have found every single one of them worth the $5.00 I pay. And I get to try new products. 

This is what was included in the Fall Box:

1) .5 oz. Dove Advanced  Care antiperspirant/deodorant in Cool Essential fragrance. It says that it offers 48 hour protection.

2) 1.8 oz.  Dove Nourishing Body Wash in sweet cream with peony fragrance. (very nice smell)

3) 1oz. Vaseline Intensive Care advanced repair unscented lotion

4)1 oz. Cetaphil moisturizing cream

5) 7 oz. Nirvana Spa Coconut rich body butter

6) 2 oz. Village Naturals Therapy Concentrated mineral bath soak in lavendar, chamomile, menthol 

7)Burt's Bees' Cleansing oil with coconut and argan oil. A foil sample .16 oz.

8) .17 oz ROC 5 in 1 Face, neck, and chest cream. (I have used this before and it is awesome)!

This is well worth the money, don't you think. They are seasonal boxes, so you get them 4 times a year!

Oh so much in this box

The box!

Check out these products

Parked at Five-Minute Friday

Five Minute Friday

You can find the prompt at Heading Home. 

Here’s how it works:

Every Thursday, a one-word prompt will be announced here on Kate's blog at 10pm EST.

The link-up is open for a full week, until the following Thursday evening.

To participate in Five Minute Friday, all you have to do is write for five minutes on the word of the week, post your words on your own blog, and link up the post on Kate's blog (via the InLinkz button at the bottom of the post). Be sure to add the actual permalink to your specific post, and not your blog’s homepage (e.g. http://katemotaung.com/five-minute-friday/ and not just katemotaung.com).

Just write.

Also, the most important rule is that you visit the blog of the person who linked up before you and leave some encouragement.  That’s the most fun of all, and the heart of this community

Our word this week is Park:

Go:

I feel like I am sitting in park right now. I'm really not moving forward. But I'm not going in reverse either. Just parked.

I have spent the past two years mourning the loss of my dear husband. Richard and I had more than 30 years together. 30 years of ups and downs. Of happiness and frustration. Like most marriages. I knew when I married him I would probably not be spending the "rest of MY life" with him.(He was 18 years older).But I made up my mind that it would be until "death do us part". This was not a first marriage for either of us. But it was going to be our last marriage. And believe me when I tell you there were many times I wondered if we would make it. Or if I would be the reason that "death" would part us. (just kidding, just kidding) There is a lot of give and take in marriage. So many do not want to put in the work. We chose to LIVE our vows.

We did both sides of the "for better or for worse", "for richer or poorer" and "in sickness and in health." We knew exactly how hard it was when the going was rough. And we knew exactly how wonderful it was when we were on the "good" side of things. When it was better, richer, and healthier! I wouldn't change a single day of our years together. Except I would still want him to be sitting there in his recliner waiting for his breakfast. I loved caring for him and I hated it! That is just a fact. I wouldn't wish him back into the life he had for his final year on earth. But I would! Does that even make any sense. 

I need to get my life back in drive and move forward. It isn't easy to do. I hate every bit of this process. But it is what life is all about. I haven't a choice. Richard would not want me to spend my life in park. He was a man with a lot of drive and he liked to go. He wasn't a homebody like I am. He liked to travel. He liked to visit people. He liked to find new places for us to see. He even liked grocery shopping. He kept me from being parked all the years we were together. And I feel him nudging me now....to get up and go. I've got to get some gas in the tank and get to driving. Straight down the road of life.

Stop

 

Thursday's Questioning Where Were You Born

Thursday's Question

I like to know things about people. Like when and where you were born. Care to share with us today??

I was born in a very little town in Kansas in 1951. The name of the town was Nashville. The name originated in 1885 because some of the settlers came from Nashville, Tennessee. It became a thriving community after the Atchinson, Topeka, & Santa Fe railroad came through. Big business at that time was selling cattle and wild horses. A small hospital was built in 1926 by Dr. J.B. Morton. Several years later the practice was taken over by Dr. T. L. Waylan and his wife, Francis, a registered nurse. He is the doctor who delivered me and all my siblings, but one. He practiced in Nashville until his retirement in 1981. The hospital closed and fell into disrepair. We visited it a few years back and I took pictures but I cannot find them at the moment. The hospital looked like a long house. The doctor and his family lived in the front part of it. My brother and sister were the first twins born there.

Now tell me where and when you were born!! 

Wednesday Hodgepodge Makes Sense

Time to join the Hodgepodge. Go on over to see Joyce at From This Side of the Pond. She posts the questions. We answer and post to our blog. And share the love with the other posters. It's a good thing! (as Martha would say).


1. What would you say is your strongest sense? 

I would say my strongest sense is smell. My mom used to say I could smell a dead mouse a mile away. (Due to my huge fear of mice; dead or alive). I love good smells like baking bread, vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus. And hate bad smells like dead things, skunks, and smelly feet. I used to have really good hearing. But not so much anymore. And the eyesight isn't that great either. Unfortunately my sense of taste is still 100% intact. I have often wondered if I would still be fat if things didn't have a taste. LOL!

2. Do you believe in the idea of a 'sixth sense'? Why or why not?

Yes, I believe! I feel it with my kids and my grandkids. I know when something is not right. I feel it. And when I worked at the hospital the feeling of intuition was really important. Sometimes you just feel things in your gut. 

3. When do you most feel like a slave to time? Explain.

I am not a slave to time anymore. I quit being a slave to time when I stopped working outside the home. I am a very "on time" person but I am not a slave to it anymore.

4. Have you ever worked in a restaurant? How would you rate the experience? If you could own a restaurant what kind would it be? 

Yes, my first job was as a waitress in a small dive here in town. I wasn't quite 16. The place was pretty much a dump but the food was good. It catered to a lot of drunks in the after hours. And the boss was very 'handsy' if you know what I mean. I didn't stay there long. My next job was for Lum's. Lum's was a chain restaurant from the 1970's. It's signature dish was hot dogs steamed in beer. According to Wikipedia there is only one Lum's still open in the United States; Bellevue, Nebraska. I was just 18. I was allowed to serve beer. At my training session I spilled a tray of beer on a table of Lum's executives. Believe it or not they didn't fire me. LOL! But it was another place with a 'handsy' boss. I am not interested in owning a restaurant. 

5. Ever traced your family tree? Share something interesting you learned there.

I haven't really traced my family tree. I used to gather names whenever we were traveling, but I didn't do anything with it. My mom's side of the family has been traced by other family members. I didn't learn anything interesting about them. 

6. What did your childhood bedroom look like?

Oh goodness! I don't even remember. It had a double bed. And was pretty messy. And I shared it with my sister until she got married and moved to Texas. That is about all I can remember. So I guess it wasn't impressive.

7. Anyone who knows me knows I love sour cream!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I just entered into the iPhone world. Do you have any neat apps to suggest? I'm game to try most anything. How did we ever get along without a cellphone??

My Life List-October 17th Edition

LOOKING OUT MY WINDOW....

Another beautiful day here in Kansas. It is already in the mid-seventies. They say we will hit 91* today. Isn't this supposed to be fall?? But I don't mind. As long as there is a light breeze. And there is. And as long as the sun is shining. And it is!!!! Plenty of time ahead for winter and cold if that is what you like.

AS I PONDER....

I am sitting here waiting for Harley to get out of the shower. She doesn't have school today! So we are cleaning out her clothes closet. And the drawers. And see what she needs for winter.  






WHAT I AM LEARNING...

I am learning about my new Iphone!! My old phone was an android and I've had it forever. It just wasn't working as good as it could have. My entire family are Iphone people so I jumped on the bandwagon. I got a 6splus. Bigger screen! (Old eyes, you know). There is a bit of a learning curve. But I think I will get it soon. Isn't it pretty?

WHAT I 'M CREATING...

My mantle for fall.....

WHAT I'M READING....

I'm not much further into my reading from where I was last week. Still The Help and I'm still listening to The Sister. 


WHAT I'M WATCHING...

Yesterday I binge-watched 90-Day Fiance. Oh my goodness. Another train wreck show. These people meet on-line. One lives in the United States and the other lives in another country. They apply for a K1 Visa and come to the United States, but in order to get to stay they have to get married within 90 days. Simply amazing. The Russian girls come across as 'gold-diggers'.  



WHAT I'M HEARING...

I am listening to the local news right now. Not much going on in my part of the world. I guess that is a good thing!

Pictures to share...

Taking a picture with daddy
before homecoming dance

Why can't teenage girls leave their tongues
in their mouth??

WHAT I'M DRINKING....

I am currently having my first cup of French vanilla laced coffee.


WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE KITCHEN...

Monday...Autumn Chopped Salad

Tuesday...Sweet potato, bacon, egg skillet

Wednesday..Grilled chicken & strawberry wrap

Thursday...Chinese Chicken Salad

Friday...Broccoli Cheese Soup

Saturday...Homemade Pizza

Sunday...Sloppy Joes & Chips

A QUOTE I WANT TO SHARE...

LOOKING FORWARD....

A peek into my week...


  Monday...Harley has no school today. We are cleaning out her clothes. Darian works

  Tuesday...Maybe a secret plan

  Wednesday...Harley is taking the PSAT at school and then they have Citizenship Day. Darian will go to his soldier training

  Thursday...No plans here. But I am asking everyone say prayers for Justin today! He is making big life decisions! Darian works today.

  Friday...Nothing planned

  Saturday...Happy Birthday Justin!! Harley's church group is producing Enchiladas 

  Sunday...Darian is working!


A final thought...

Hoping you are all having a wonderful Monday. Let's get the most out of this week!!