Taking advantage of times I can

I'll be batching blogs occasionally just like I batch cooking. I have days my eyes are too wonky for the computer and I just keep notes on my phone. And there are days finding a sitting position for the computer work is a no go. 

Today, I'm even writing this on my phone. It's just way easier since I bit off more than I can chew around here. Oh am I tired!!

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Just finished a hat that is supposed to be a teen chemo cap. I'm thinking no. It's big on me!  I think next one I'll be using a smaller hook. 

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Dinner was cook out night on Saturday. Cheeseburgers. Good grade burger with co-Jack, tomatoes, onions, pickles and lettuce.

I made tossed salad with variety greens, radishes, carrots, red cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, sugar snap peas and onions. Cliff had 1000 Island and I used fat free French dressing. 

I made a cuke, tomato and onion salad in Tuscan Italian dressing and cut up a cantaloupe too. 

Cherry pie was dessert. 

Having a variety for a meal seems to actually mean eating less. I like to savor the flavors. Color makes an impact too as do smells. Next meal you make, before the troops dive in, look at it, breathe in the smells. Does it need a little punch? Look around for something colorful for a centerpiece. Seriously. It really helps. 

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Working on another little sweater.  It's a crop sweater.  I really like this pattern.  When things are for donation, or when they are for sale (not for times you take an order), it gives a freedom to just make not worrying about fit. If I were making it for one of our grandkids, I'd be concerned it it's too small or maybe getting too big. Or maybe they won't like the color and it will never be worn. 

When I make things for donation, I fill them with love in each stitch too. I try to imagine the smile the recipient might have and that alone, giving someone a little happiness, keeps me going. 

I might post a few things I donate, but you won't find me posting many. I would hate for someone to feel funny wearing something I've told the world was donated to those in need. 

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 I couldn't stop crocheting, so I decided to try something. I like to experiment. Sometimes I like them, sometimes not so much. This one I love. 

I was pretty tired of tried and true. I have so many patterns and I wanted something unique. After reading through pages and pages I decided to just wing it. Tell me what you think. It's about a 12 month size I think. I'm hoping it will fit Missy's daughter Meghan. 

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Annnnd we almost got hit on the highway. Stay in your own lane!!  Cuyahoga Falls cops are usually on the ball on that part of Rt.8. Must have been change of shift. 

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Anyone else an American Ninja Warrior fan?  Another show my brother Tom introduced me to that I love. 

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Sometimes using something partial done to make a meal truly is best. Tonight I'm a wreck. Trying to sort, purge and clean can wear you out. Once I'm exhausted, there is no more. 

Luckily I did think ahead when I did my monthly shopping. I had a pre-chopped bag of stir fry in the freezer ready to cook that even had a little chicken in it. It came with a sauce too so about 10 minutes and it was done. 

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Sitting and letting my heart come back to something normal, I decided to try to get more sections of the livingroom done. Problem is, the areas left have the heaviest pieces of furniture. I can do this. I will pay, but I can. 

My next area contains the loveseat sofa bed. This bugger is heavy!  I would really like it on the third floor as an extra bed/seating, but my family will kill me if I suggest it!!  Lol  I always have such  GREAT ideas!!  😊

.....

I did it!  Kind of. I decided I could reach most areas I wanted sweep as I unfolded the bed. Somehow we have a bolt missing on the one side of the hinging mechanism but I'm pretty sure Cliff can handle fixing that. I want to fold a set of sheets inside it, but that will be another day. 

Next area, under my mom's chair and that corner. But I'm working on a sweater I'm making up and need to get the idea floating in my head into yarn. 

Ok. No energy. I could be done. NO I CAN'T!!  Things to do. Things to do. Get it together. I can do this. Just the livingroom though. Dining room can wait!

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Got the dining room swept too but not sifted. All dusting will need to wait. Need someone to do the ceiling fan. Not too sure about climbing. 

I even switched out glasses. Since it's just Cliff and I, a few less is fine. REALLY want to ditch the plastic souvenir cups. I'll have to slowly switch to my big Tupperware ones. ONLY those for big and kid sizes. 

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It is so relieving to get rid of things. I have wanted to for SO LONG. Thanks to a friend helping sell things that might be worth a little gives me a little want-to. I just can't do it all. Having an offer to help me does too. 

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Now. Back to my yarn. 😍

Hugs and love,

Mama Sage

Life happens, we deal

Two bad falls in three months slow a body down. Pushing it too much delays recovery. 

It seems like every time I go down the outside steps I twist that darn ankle again. It just seems like it won't completely heal. I know I never stayed off of it the way that you're supposed to, but life happens. I still want to live. I'm always cooped up and don't get out. The only way I could live is to just keep going. So I do.

Take tonight for instance. I finally got some energy. I decided to try going downstairs. I made it fine. I didn't trip, fall, or twist anything.  But just getting down the stairs takes so much energy on days that are just so-so or bad days, that I had to sit down when I got down the stairs. 

I decided I'd play the same game I used to play years ago when I first started having problems. That was back when the kids were still all home and there was no way things could just wait. I had to do what I had to do. What I did then was whether I was watching TV or not it was on.  I would time myself on all my chores. Every time a commercial came on it was time to get up and do. I worked on whatever chore it was until there was a stopping point. Sometimes the chore got done, sometimes only part of the chore got done but it was a stopping point.

Tonight the chore I wanted to get done was sweeping. That's such an exhausting chore whether you're feeling good or not.  Tonight so I guess a so-so night. I was able to complete little sections at a time.

The first little section I decided to do with where the cat tree is. They kind of forced me into it. I had left a bag that had hats and gloves and scarves in it on top of their tree by accident. I've been adding things to the closet and had taken that out while I was adding. Well these two cats destroyed the bag. It was shredded from here to forever in a little teeny tiny pieces of plastic.

While I was in that corner I decided I didn't really need the winter curtains up so I took them down. And I realized another little funzie that the kitty cats did. While we were evidently out of the house, they decided that the curtains were to hang on. The curtain rod was bent and buckled in so many directions I could hardly get it down. Ohhh having cats. I love them to death, they're my companions, but oh the messes they make.

I pulled the furniture all out of that corner and swept and dusted everything. I did decide that two in the morning was not prime time for window washing. I'll save that for a sunshiny day. Or maybe a cloudy day. I've been told cloudy days are better to wash windows.

I swept the chair and the cat tree and put them back in place pulled everything around the sewing machine cabinet and swept all there and put it back in my work mode. I've got it out for some little sewing project that I've got to get done this week also.

The next commercial break I handled my green dresser. I love that dresser. It's one that my mother and I antiqued when I was a teenager. I'll never get rid of it. I had to take the toys that are stored out from under it and sweep and clean under there. Barbie dolls in and the kids china.  Dusting it in dusting the pictures were the only other things I did that commercial break.

My next and final area before I gave it up for the night, was the corner where Cliff's recliner is. I tipped it forward, picked up the few things the cats drug under it, and swept under and behind it. There was an animal bed that I made behind it and they just aren't using it so I've decided that it's going to go.

That was it for tonight. It took me quite a while, and it wore me out. So now I'm upstairs again, working on more crochet projects. Some people think I'm crazy crocheting as much as I do, but crocheting makes me feel alive and useful. When I can't do anything else in the world, for now I can crochet. I'm so thankful.

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Yes. You can be seen. You ARE being seen. Peeing into a chain link fence does NOT hide you. I'm guessing it is probably considered public indecency. And the building you were by when you trotted off to hide yourself does, indeed, have a bathroom you were more than welcome to use. Un-real. 

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Lasagna in the power cooker is one awesome meal. Below are the things I added:

Layers of leftover sauce

Cottage cheese

Shredded cheese

Broken lasagna noodles

I don't really think that the order mattered, but I started with a little bit of sauce, then layered things as you would any other lasagna. 15 minutes and it was done.

To go with the lasagna, I put together a type of broccoli salad. I had a bag of chopped greens and a bag of broccoli slaw. I mixed those two together along with a little poppyseed dressing and a little western dressing. Western dressing is quite similar to Catalina, just with a bit of a zing. 

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I've had so much trouble with one of my crochet projects I'm just flat giving up on another dress. I think Emily will settle for a nice sweater though. If I can find a good pattern for a nice skirt to go with it I might try that. Sometimes I just shouldn't try to work and change the patterns. 

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People watching. Is so much fun! I saw a guy walking down the street pushing a baby stroller. Hewas dressed like the people that we sometimes complain about with those saggy pants. The difference was, in order to walk really fast with that stroller the way he wanted to, he had to hold onto the pants with one hand, hold onto the stroller with one hand, and then run.  I couldn't help it. I started laughing. People probably thought I was nuts because no one knew what I was laughing about.

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Quitcherbitchin!

It's a public street. You don't live in that house. You HAVE NO parking spot to claim! 

That's what I wanted to say to the lady with her car window down yelling about street parking. "That's my parking spot. That freakin little car is in my spot!"

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One day when I have nothing else to blog about, I think I'll take you "along on our cruise."  Don't worry. I'll warn you at the beginning of it so you can just tuned out. LOL

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Well that will have to be it for tonight. I'll be back. You just never know when. I will try to post a link on my Facebook page though so you do have some kind of an inkling that there's a new post. 

Hugs and love,

Mama Sage

I've fallen totally in love....again

Hi everyone.  How is everyone today?  I thought I’d be just fine today with the humidity lower, but the barometer in this body knows when the weather is about to change.  I guess we’re not only in for a hot one the next couple of days but a hot one with rain.  Goody goody.  I’m just so excited. 

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Who have I fallen in love with?  Not a who, a what.  I’ve fallen even deeper in love with this awesome power cooker.  Tonight I made a meatloaf in it.  15 minutes.  A 3# meatloaf cooked to perfection in 15 minutes! 

If you weren’t around in earlier blogs, you might not know my philosophy on meatloaf.  Meatloaf is a meal where it’s very possible to use up things in the frig.  It’s a meal that cooks can sneak in veggies so the family doesn’t even know they’re eating healthier.  If you cook it the way I do, you’ll have most if not all your food groups in your main dish.  Tonight I didn’t do spinach or onions or even peppers.  Tonight, this was what I included.

Meatloaf by Mama for 7/11/2016

   3# better grade ground meat

   2/3 c. old fashioned oats

   1 egg

   1 good size glob of catsup

   1 drained can of mixed veggies

   Squares of cheese – I used Swiss and Colby tonight

I used a good dose of spices.  Mexican spices that were actually meant for a beef rub. 

I just did the squish, squish, squishity squish, turned in out into the pan for the cooker, plugged it in, hit cook and that was it.  The bubbly orange and white are the melted cheeses. If you don't add cheese to your meatloaf, you're missing the one thing that convinced all five of our children that it's an okay thing to eat!  Nothing to it.

We also had Parsley Potatoes and Peas.  I don’t like using canned veggies, but when you have no fresh, you reach for the shelf.  To the drained canned potatoes and peas, I just added about ¼ c. parsley and real butter.  Unsalted.  Canned veggies are salty on their own. 

And I made a fruit salad.  Today’s included cantaloupe, red grapes, strawberries, blueberries and pineapple.  I missed the watermelon, but I had to toss it.  I chose a really bad one!  It wasn’t old enough to rot, but when I picked it up, the shell that was left full of mush felt like a drying gourd!  Ewwww.

The pineapple was fun.  I got one of those handy dandy cut it and slice it and core it deals.  Love it.  No eyes in the pineapple.  I remembered to pull the extra off the green top on it and stuff it into water too.  Finally.  I’d been telling myself to try it for a while now.  We shall see.  Might not get a pineapple like they say, but maybe I’ll have a plant.  

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I had good long talks with our youngest son Adam and my sister the last couple days.  I love staying in touch.  They both understand how I am now being on the phone.  I don't like it much.  I find as I'm losing hearing in my one ear I just don't much like it.  I was feeling good enough for talking and I really enjoyed it. 

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I guess I should let you all know not to expect me here daily as in the past.  It is my goal, but getting to that goal will take time.  Today, the cooking and walking into Corry’s house and out wore me out.  I wanted to stay downstairs and do some fabric cutting and start the deep sweep.  My body looked me in the eye and almost cussed!  So, like a good girl, I worked my way up the stairs.  I’ll try finishing up Melanie’s blanket .  I really want it done so I can get busy on a few other things.  No.  I won’t be showing everyone what I do for charity.  I think giving should be done in secret sometimes.  I’ve gotten praise for it before and feel uncomfortable being praised for charity work.

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Hugs and love,

Mama Sage

Did any of you win?

The lottery I mean.  I don’t know about you but to me, 500 Million is an unthinkable amount.  We buy tickets with my brother and my sister so it would always be a third for us.  Well a third of that amount is STILL unthinkable.  How would you take it?  Would you do a lump sum or take it annually?  Why? 

Most of us do dream I think.  At least those optimistic friends of mine.  I dream.  I dream all the time.  I play the what ifs in my mind every night as I’m falling asleep.  I think about what changes we could make.  I think about changes we would not make just as much.  I think about all the people we would want to help and how there are so many limits and restrictions it’s hard to go with your heart.  I think about A trip I’d like to take, not allllll the trips we would take.  I’d like to either take all the kids on one trip or take each family on their own trip.  I think about the impossible….all. bills. paid. totally. off.  Everything.  House, car, all of it.  What a dream.  Believe it or not I seriously do believe one day will be our day.  Just don’t know when.  J

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I ended up not cooking today like I thought I would.  I had no idea that we would get messages for free things at McD’s.  When they say free, I’m in.  After we ate the free fries, got a cheap cheeseburger and had our free shake, we were both full.  No need to cook.  There’s always tomorrow.  And the next day.

If any of you have a Power Cooker and have successfully made some meals you love, please share.  I’m so anxious to try things.  I’m thinking from the info-mercial that one day we just might try some ribs.  They were fall off the bone!  Oh I can’t wait until I use it again.  It’s better than the crock pot. 

Although you won’t catch me giving up the crock pots.  Nope.  No way.  I know soups and stews can be done in either but I know I will be using the crock pot for that. 

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I’m working on an afghan for Melanie right now.  It will go with her pillow.  Mommy started making an afghan and life got in the way.  We turned it into a pillow.  I have used the rest of the yarn to make her a poncho and now a blanket.  I’m having to add to the yarn for the afghan, but I got the yarn for a song.  It was part of my wonderful find at Goodwill.  I plan to stop by all the other Goodwills in the area and see what kinds of yarns they might carry.  Seems like a super way to find deals.  Of course I will check it good and make sure it isn’t smelly or buggy before buying it.  Just like if I’d find it at a garage sale. 

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Stormy weather makes me a bit nervous.  We’ve lost many appliances over electric fluxes.  I think I’ll be stopping  here for tonight.  Tomorrow I’ll be back.  Fun time happening I’ll be telling you all about. 

Hugs and love,

Mama Sage

Changes in the kitchen

First, let's send prayers and love to those in Dallas 

who are affected by the horrible events through the night. 

May God save us.

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I’m so excited!  We were visiting with Missy and the girls a few days ago and she gave me a Power Cooker that a friend had given her.  It had been passed down to the friend and somewhere along the way had lost its power cord.  I told her I might have one that would fit since the appliance looked very similar to my rice cooker. 

We got home and Papa Sage checked it out.  EUREKA!  It fit!  I looked through the instruction booklet and thought I’d hunt around online to see what all people had made with it.  Unfortunately all I found were places to buy it.  Wow what a great gift!  These things are expensive!  Since I didn’t find any recipes, I thought I’d just figure out something simple to try.  I put the book away, turned on the TV and guess what was on.  Their info-mercial!  They made what they called a chicken pot pie.  I thought about what they were doing.  I thought about what my daughter-in-law Darlene made out at camp for us a couple years or so ago.  She made her meal in the crockpot.

I had taken out some chicken tenders to thaw and knew they were in the frig ready to use.  I cut those into bite size pieces.  I chopped up and onion.  Put that in.  I cut up carrots and potatoes into bigger bite size pieces and tossed them in.  Two cans of Cream of Chicken soup and some Pillsbury biscuits cut into quarters went in last.  We put the pot into the machine, put the lid on and turned it so it would be pressure tight.  I set it to cook at 70kPa for 15 minutes.  It pressured up, cooked and went to warm at the end of the cooking time.  I’m telling you what, it was fantastic!  Amazing. 

Tomorrow I’m thinking about a meatloaf.  I think I can put the steamer in and steam veggies to go with it.  I wish I had some broccoli or something.  I do have cauliflower but I’d like something else a little more colorful.  I am firmly of the belief that looks has a lot to do with satisfaction in a meal.

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So how was your 4^th of July weekend?  We weren’t nearly as busy as we thought we would be.  Papa Sage took off from Thursday through the weekend and didn’t go back to work until Wednesday.  We told the kids we were free and would like to know what was up since it was the first time in years he had the whole weekend free.  We didn’t hear from a soul.  I guess everyone was into their own thing and didn’t want to include the old folks.  Yes, you youngsters, enjoy the family time while it is there.  One day it does slow down and you will find yourself in tears wishing to have it back again.  No matter how it seems, no matter how frustrating things get now and then, find a way to see the best and enjoy it. 

One thing we did do was all head to the annual Stow parade.  We had 21 gathered this year.  We were missing Morgan, CJ, and Adam.  Adam isn’t in town yet and the others were with the other side of their families.  Caitlin and Rusty brought donuts and we brought juice and water.  I was going to make donuts in the little donut maker I got from Let Go, but it wasn’t happening.  That’s okay.  We’ll do that another get together.  Maybe a fall party or something. First I will need to get the house to a point people might come by.

I was a little disappointed in the parade.  I was glad another band was in the parade, but it still seemed to be mostly political and commerce entries.  What happened to all the kids groups?  Only one scout group and a couple dance groups.  What happened to the clowns?  To the Little Tikes?  Couldn’t they even include decorated bikes or something?  The Shriners did have their go carts, but what about their big bikes?  I don’t know.  I missed a lot.  I’ve been attending this parade since I was a kid.

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Do you knit or crochet?  I have to fill you in on my last trip to Goodwill.  I got a message from a friend I’ve know for many, many years.  She had been to a particular store and told me they had a big bin of yarn.  We were going that way and made the stop.  Wow, did they!  I picked up four big Red Heart Super Savers, several, probably five, skeins of Caron Simply soft and assorted other yarns.  I also got a bag I love.  It’s a red sparkly bag as big as a good size tote bag.  It’s my Mimi’s Bag of Fun bag.  I took it with me to the parade filled with lots of things to do in case the girls needed to be kept busy until the parade started.  I donated some to their current cause and still got $2back from my $20.  I was so happy!  The twenty was a surprise and then I got a huge surprise when I went to use it!  The Red Heart was just exactly what I was wanting to finish up a blanket I’d started.  The Caron is the kind I need to use with the girls who have sensitive skin. 

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Have you tried the sliders at Arby’s?  I’m in love with them.  You sure can’t beat them for a buck!  We don’t need drinks when we stop because we always have water with us.  Who needs the pop?  When we are out and about doing our running around, a quick stop at Arby’s will fill the pit in the stomach until we get home. 

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The first of the month has arrived.  I’m still going to be making things I want to do for people, but I’m also telling myself that in between projects, I must do so much charity work.  I get so involved in seeing smiles on faces, I end up putting off what I want to donate.  I want to have little hats for the NiCU where little Meghan was and also the one at the hospital Cait works at.  I also want to be sure and have plenty done for the Kris Kringle at our friend’s church .  I also want to donate to the troops.  So many causes out there.  If you’re able, please donate.

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Well I’m off for now.  Need to work on this blanket. 

Hugs and love,

Mama Sage

I'm not disappearing again.

Honest!  Papa Sage is on vacation until Wednesday. I plan to do a catch up blog by Tuesday or Wednesday. Please don't give up on me. 

Hugs and love

~~Mama Sage