Thursday, May 2nd "What's Cookin'?"

[annrms]

Good morning! It's another cloudy but warm this morning.
We enjoyed the Aldi cutlet/eggplant Provolone last night. I tossed the rest of my Verde sauce with the ravioli. All good with leftovers for another meal.
Tonight we are having more meatloaf, baked potatoes with bacon/chive sour cream, and steamed cauliflower.
Good news! I found a shredding company that will take our boxes. On a whim, I Googled "bulk residential shredding near me" and found a site that found companies near me that would help. As soon as I entered my info, I got a phone call from a company!!! I pushed and pulled all of them out into the open yesterday afternoon, and Bill quickly went through them. When the truck pulls up sometime on Friday, we will move the boxes outside. Price was very reasonable and we will get a certificate of proof for our records.
Epilepsy Foundation is also coming on Friday...need to put the bags of books onto the curb. Thankfully it will be a dry day.
We are doing our grocery shopping a day early. We need very little. Last week I was just about to toss the grocery receipt, but something told me to look at it again. Come to find out we were charged for an extra bottle of wine that Bill bought with a -$4 coupon. He got the money back yesterday.
It will be another day in the trenches...! Have a good one! Waving!

[tasty]

Good morning.  48 heading to 64.  A nice pale blue sky above and should stay pretty much the same all day.  Dressed and ready to leave for some bloodwork - no coffee even as yet so I hope there is no great line up. Things do seem to be falling in to place for you Ann 👍.  BBL.

[nybirder]

Good morning. Our day is starting beautifully as well. I was thrilled to see a flyover of an adult bald eagle yesterday as I was sitting eating my lunch. This property is located in good habitat for a lot of different birds.

Lori, I'm surprised the owner of the property who had those terrible renters did not take them to small claims court. At least in our state, it covers a fair amount of money and you don't need a lawyer. It's a little like Judge Judy on TV. All you need are some solid proof items like pictures and receipts. It's too bad he has probably missed his chance. Heaven only knows where they are now. Best of luck to you with the new tenant.

I am having my neighbor drive me to my house today to pick up a few items that I can't really tell people to look for or where. Troy is a big help in the work he is doing for me but he has a tendency to gather things together and at this point I have no idea where some things are. They are worried about me here for fear I will fall. But I am super careful with the Walker and Gina is used to being with her father who walked even worse than I do. I only have five steps up to the porch and if need be I will do them on my butt. I did that after my last operation and it works great.

I can't believe the number of butterflies that are in the air right now. With the warm weather we've been getting they are hatching out early. Is definitely not normal weather for us. We are in a burn alert because of all the dry leaves in the woods with a no open burn order until the middle of May.

I am currently on a lindt chocolate truffle kick since I can eat them without worrying about chunks. They just melt in your mouth. I just covered that Amazon sells them and in flavors you can't find here in the store. I just received a shipment of strawberries and cream white chocolate truffles and milk chocolate filled with almond butter. I am in heaven, especially since I now have a refrigerator to keep them from melting. They even have chocolate filled with pistachio cream. Be still my heart. Unfortunately, the price of chocolate has really shot up. But I don't eat too many at a time!

Time to get going.

Birdy

[mamma482]

Good morning

A beautiful morning to walk to the pet area. In another month the asphalt will be too hot even in the morning. So I am trying to walk each morning. Mandy loves to walk and we both are very much in need of the exercise. This morning Mary and Emily were there as were the new pet area friends. So lots of running and dirt flying. LOL I love it when Mandy can run and enjoy being with her friends.

A church meeting this morning. Lynda will pick me up. The reason she is always picking me up is because she drives past me. I would go in the other direction to pick her up and then drive back this way. She thinks it's foolish for me to do so. I wouldn't mind though. MY little car gets way better gas mileage then her beast. hehehe The meeting is all that I have planned for the day.

Yesterday I called my GP and my pain specialist because of the horrible pain in my neck again. My GP is booked until the end of August and my pain specialist to mid June. No wonder everyone says to just to go ER for everything. Geesh. This morning it's not as bad as it has been but still not right. Oh well, such is life in Yuma where there is no medical.

Ops, just got a text from Lynda, she is under the weather so I'l go to the meeting by myself. Another milestone of out of my comfort zone.......if I don't chicken out.

Birdy, OMG, I too enjoy Lindt Chocolates. I can't eat just one either and I have no self control so i only buy them on occasion.  I remember when Mark and I were out riding our motorcycles and an eagle flew right over my head, I could hear the wings and feel the breeze they made. I got so excited I stopped right in the middle of the road to watch. Good thing no one was behind me. Oh how I miss that joy.

Time to get up and get to my morning tasks.

[tamaralynn]

Hi ! I am enjoying reading about you all's great weather. We have been having downpours here most of the night. I have never seen the water as high here on our property as it was this morning. I got over to the Care Center and marked some prices then went over to the shop. We had no power there. Two of my workers came in-they live about 2 blocks away. The other worker lives in the next town to the west, and she is flooded in.  The roads around her are closed, but she and her house are ok. I stayed there with 1 gal and we worked by the emergency light for awhile, but I am now home. The water has receded some. Our house is up, you have to navigate 4 steps to the front door, so we are not in any danger of flooding. It's 73 and looks like the rain will continue until about 5.

DH just called and he is eating over at Care. I will probably warm up a Stouffer's small tv dinner. Supper will be salmon patties, mac & cheese and some veg.

We do have power here at the house, which surprised me. One worker said she did not have power at her home, one of the gals who lives about 2 blocks from me.

Guess I'll close and find something to do. Have a super day friends!

[tamaralynn]

I just saw a video on facebook, posted by our pastor. He is asking for prayers because we have some water in every building of the church! another problem is that a sinkhole developed in some grassy area beside the fellowship hall. It is caused by a sewer or water main that runs through our property, that has been leaking. It started fairly small but now is probably 30 ft, by 10 ft, and it has taken out an awning attached to our building. that was a gravel area and had some picnic tables where the homeless folks could eat. The hold has expanded due to rain and it about 5 ft away from the side of the building. We are all praying the building foundation doesn't collapse!

Around our house the water seems to be receding.

[cooktocook]

Tammy saying prayers for you, your neighbors, and your church. I just saw on the FOX Weather channel a reporter from FOX26, I think that's out of Houston. She was reporting from the side of Highway 59 and was saying how bad the flooding was in West Livingston and Livingston. OMG, I'm adding another prayer that your weather conditions will improve this afternoon.
Lori 

[annrms]

Sitting here praying furiously. May the Lord spare the property.

[helen]

Wow Tammy! Haven't heard about lots of rain here but looks like there could be some later tonite. Fingers crossed there'll be a break in the weather for you and your church family. I watched an old Doris Day/Rock Hudson film (1959) "Pillow Talk" for fun last nite. I never would have thought that what I was watching then could be so totally different now. DD has been bingeing "Mad Men" and has been shaking her head at the things we took for granted. I imagine looking back will bring the same surprise to her some day. I'm having a hot shredded chicken sandwich from the freezer for supper tonite. A small lettuce salad to go with. Big hugs to all.

[weebill]

Good morning just getting ready to make brunch. We have been at the bank all morning. Now, need to go back next week lol.

Been saying prayers for everyone affected by the tornadoes and rain. The weather has been so scary.

Sure was glad to hear from Marlene.

Elaine

[tasty]

Tammy, hugs to you and everyone involved with this flooding.  I know you said this morning that your house sits up so it should be OK, but to think of a sink hole affecting your church is awful.

[emr]

Tammy, praying that the church building will be safe and that any damage from the flooding can be repaired. It is scary what water can do. Very glad y'all are okay at home.

Ann, great news about the shredding company. I had no idea that was a thing. That and the books being picked up should make a measurable dent! 

Birdy, always good to hear from you. It makes me happy that you are in a place where you can enjoy the birds and wildlife. And chocolate truffles -- that's a plus for sure. Hope you made it "there and back again" successfully.

Mamma, hope you went to the meeting and that it was a good experience. It's nice to hear that Mandy has friends to visit with too.

Lori, shaking my head at how careless and destructive those tenants were. Our neighbor in Louisville had thought about buying another house in our neighborhood to rent out for additional income, but after hearing others' experiences, he decided it was not worth it.

Helen, it's been a long time since I've seen one of those old Doris Day movies. Some of those old films and shows just hit differently now!

Elaine, I spent the whole morning at the bank too! LOL

Our yearly piano tuning was this afternoon. I really like this guy -- this is the 2nd year he's tuned for me -- and he seems to love our piano too. He starts playing away and I love listening to him and talking to him.

Now DH is finishing up some yard work and I've got a chicken stir-fry ready to go. Aldi oriental vegetables and chicken marinated in soy sauce, garlic and ginger, will be served over brown rice, with Trader Joe's spring rolls on the side. Sounds good to me! I haven't made a stir-fry in too long.

[cooktocook]

Good evening, friends. Today has kept me busy---First, I made a new soup, Meatball and Spinach. At first, I wasn't too impressed with the end result, but soon realized it just needed a tad more salt; 3 containers were put into the freezer. When that was done, I went for my bike ride. Handyman working next door stopped me and asked if I knew the former renters. Told him not really so he said, "good, I won't offend you when I say they left the place a mess." I didn't know what to say except I'm sorry to hear that and hopefully the new renter(s) will be better." Once I got back home, it was time to start dinner---Oven Baked Country Ribs. They were from Costco and after 3 hours they were still tough as shoe leather, however, a few more hours at low and slow, had them tender and delicious this evening. 

DH was a sweetie and cleaned up the kitchen while I planned a menu for next week as well as made my grocery list for shopping tomorrow. Going to go now and watch a bit of TV, read my book, and wait for our bedtime story from Lilith. Waving to all! Wishing each of you a beautiful evening.
Lori