tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55118972167674028992024-03-14T10:41:38.965-05:00Real Life Living"Happiness consists not in having much,
but in being content with little."
-- Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of BlessingtonAnnie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.comBlogger1001125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-25528367590250790572011-08-29T22:51:00.001-05:002011-08-30T07:20:55.238-05:00See Ya 'Round<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN_3v22m-tXN91ER0w5_3u2yKrxeSoXBF1Nmj2khKYR2jHrN0DP9ct1ih-Bm3blGlFZ7cr66RUpIjRO4JVYFnT3pNKEHpxKuMi-MbMSdVOEXPRiUYLTZ4hLfDFS2xW_c4mOxxGMiUu8gF/s1600/puppywave.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN_3v22m-tXN91ER0w5_3u2yKrxeSoXBF1Nmj2khKYR2jHrN0DP9ct1ih-Bm3blGlFZ7cr66RUpIjRO4JVYFnT3pNKEHpxKuMi-MbMSdVOEXPRiUYLTZ4hLfDFS2xW_c4mOxxGMiUu8gF/s320/puppywave.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello readers. I am just dropping in to let you know that I'll be extending my blog break indefinitely.<br />
<br />
First, I want to say that all is well. I just need to shift my focus away from blogging for the time being.<br />
<br />
This year has been one of the better ones for us financially, thanks largely to that big out-of-town project Shane's been working on. We're very thankful Shane's been working steadily, but again, largely because of that job, this has also been one of the most chaotic years we've experienced. Some days it feels like all I can do to keep up with the all changes. I need some serious down-time to figure out where I am amidst the confusion and where I want to be in terms of family, projects and goals.<br />
<br />
Also, after writing posts for the past four years (my first here was on September 10, 2007), I feel as if I've accomplished most of what I was trying to accomplish and have written most of what I wanted to write regarding debt reduction, frugality, and cooking. I just don't have much else to say.<br />
<br />
As the focus of our home life moves slightly away from debt reduction and "bottom-line" frugality, and moves more toward homesteading, green living, simple living and healthier food choices, I may find that I <i>do</i> have more to say. Whether I say anything...and whether I say it here or somewhere else on the Web...remains to be seen.<br />
<br />
I refer to my own posts here often, especially for recipes, and I hope others do, too. For that reason, I am leaving <b>Real Life Living</b> online. Meanwhile, I'll still be in touch with you on <i>your</i> blogs and on Facebook. If we aren't "friends" yet, feel free to send me a request.<br />
<br />
<br />
Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-36327821262264417692011-08-23T07:41:00.000-05:002011-08-23T07:41:09.611-05:00TTFNIt's time for another blog break.<br />
<br />
Oh, I know...I spend more time taking blog breaks than I do blogging. Chalk it up to a weird year around here. Shane's been gone, all told, for about 15 weeks this year so far, my mom passed away, we had that awful (and long) heat wave that kept me from being as productive outside as I might have been. It's been an unusual year, to say the least.<br />
<br />
I didn't have much problem slipping into a routine when Shane was gone in the spring, but this time around, I'm having the worst time trying to find my groove. There is a lot of work that can't be done until he's back to help me, but there's plenty I could be doing if I'd just get my lazy butt off the computer.<br />
<br />
Which is what I'm going to do. No posts for a while...although I'll be reading your blogs and showing up on FB once in a while (probably).<br />
<br />
I just didn't want to leave you hanging, wondering if I'd dropped off the face of the earth. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, so I'll just say...<br />
<br />
Ta Ta For Now!Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-88523171597703666432011-08-22T12:34:00.003-05:002011-08-22T12:37:41.976-05:00This Little Piggy Came HomeThis morning went and picked up the processed pork from the hog we bought a couple of weeks ago. The farmer who sold it to us estimated it at around 250 pounds live weight, but it must have been closer to 300 pounds, as the hanging weight (the weight after it has been gutted and bled out) was 209 pounds. The standard rule for pork is that hanging weight is about 70% of live weight.<br />
<br />
The amount of "usable" pork I brought home was about 175 pounds. That includes neckbones, heart, liver and quite a bit of fat -- I'll render some lard from the fat, and it's possible that I'll eat the liver (no one else here will), but the heart and the rest of the "scrap" will eventually be made into homemade cat food.<br />
<br />
That leaves about 150 pounds of truly edible meat. The cost of the hog was $250, the cost of processing (including curing and smoking the hams, hocks and bacon) was $193. Divide that by 150 and you get 2.95 per pound for hormone-free, antibiotic- free, humanely-raised pork. If you count in the fat, organs and scrap, it brings it down to $2.53 per pound. Either way, not bad.<br />
<br />
Here's what a 300 pound hog might look like in your freezer. Note that cuts are often a matter of choice. I opted for baby back ribs and boneless whole loin. I wouldn't have been able to get those if I'd opted for bone-in chops or the fancy <a href="http://whatscookingamerica.net/Pork/crownroast.htm">pork crown roast</a>. I can't wait to eat some of this pig a little later this week.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBBKOz22a2naLgc0FG0JmIRt1Z1RHtt5gyp51ZD52SlNFQFZ9p-NwJcaNyBqZ1ee6PpUnakspwL2gUafIXTJcOB0swcksjNBm9Iq13aM_Pi1gbJkpxHL9cfayxWleU_YN_SIAD66Jr9pj/s1600/porkcrop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBBKOz22a2naLgc0FG0JmIRt1Z1RHtt5gyp51ZD52SlNFQFZ9p-NwJcaNyBqZ1ee6PpUnakspwL2gUafIXTJcOB0swcksjNBm9Iq13aM_Pi1gbJkpxHL9cfayxWleU_YN_SIAD66Jr9pj/s320/porkcrop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">150-175 pounds of pork in the world's ugliest (and not so nice-smelling) freezer. <br />
Square box of white powder is baking soda.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Cured and smoked bacon - 17 packages - 17 pounds total<br />
Cured and smoked jowl (jaw bacon) - 2 packages - 1.25 pounds total<br />
Cured and smoked ham hocks - 6 packages - 6.75 pounds total<br />
Cured and smoked ham (shank portion) - 2 packages - 18 pounds total<br />
Cured and smoked ham (butt portion) - 2 packages - 18.5 pounds total<br />
Seasoned breakfast sausage - 12 packages - 13 pounds total<br />
<br />
Shoulder roasts - 4 packages - 15 pounds total<br />
Ground pork - 12 packages - 13.25 pounds total<br />
Spareribs - 2 packages - 5.25 pounds total<br />
Loin back ribs (baby back ribs) - 2 packages - 3 pounds total<br />
Whole tenderloin* - 2 packages - 10.5 pounds total<br />
True tenderloin** - 2 packages - 2.75 pounds total<br />
Pork steaks - 4 packages - 13.75 pounds total<br />
Boneless loin chops - 8 packages - 9.75 pounds total<br />
<br />
Neck bones - 2 packages - 3 pounds total<br />
Liver - 4 packages - 3.5 pounds total<br />
Heart - 1 package - .5 pound total<br />
Fat for lard and scrap - 2 packages - 18 pounds total<br />
<br />
<br />
* I usually see this in store sold as "Whole Pork Loin".<br />
** I usually see this in the store sold as "Tenderloin".<br />
<br />
<script src="http://d3io1k5o0zdpqr.cloudfront.net/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-61339966161023622902011-08-18T15:26:00.000-05:002011-08-18T15:26:25.056-05:00Yet Another UpdateThe bank officer just contacted me and said that, after closer examination of our receipt, she believes that the gift card was never actually redeemed. That would explain why there were two debit transactions, but still doesn't explain why they posted an hour apart.<br />
<br />
The gift card probably still has $100 on it. Shane threw it in the trash in the camper, and that trash was eventually thrown into the campground dumpster. The card is probably long gone, but I hope some lucky person did find it and was curious enough to find it if it had any funds on it. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the bank will still credit us the $100 and will still try to get their money back from Wal-Mart. I'm not certain whether the bank still needs Shane's signature, but I'm going to mail the form to him just in case.<br />
<br />
Unless something major changes, I consider this issue resolved and won't be updating further. But I will advise this: Hang on to those spent gift cards for a week or so, even if you think you've emptied them! They may not be empty at all!<br />
<br />
Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-66891661399381214572011-08-18T12:44:00.000-05:002011-08-18T12:44:43.513-05:00Debit Dispute UpdateI got a phone call this morning from my BBF (best banking friend) who confirmed what Shane and I were thinking...that our bank wasn't doing enough for us.<br />
<br />
After some much-appreciated coaching from my friend, I decided to take the receipt and a copy of my online statement and talk to a bank officer. As I was explaining the situation, she interrupted me to say that she herself had looked into the transaction after I had called yesterday, and suspects the Wal-Mart cashier ran the gift card incorrectly and wound up $100 short on her drawer at the end of the shift. At that point, she (or her manager) "corrected" it by charging another $100 to our debit card. <br />
<br />
That it is even possible is a pretty scary prospect if you ask me.<br />
<br />
The bank officer also said that while yes, it's true that I could withdraw our money and close the account and that I could request that Shane's debit card be closed, leaving him high and dry, I cannot dispute a transaction on his card in order to protect our money. Only the actual cardholder can do that. That seems a little backwards.<br />
<br />
So, I have the form to mail to Shane so he can sign it and send it back to the bank. He could fax it, but he doesn't have access to a fax machine. Once the banks receives it, they will deposit the $100 into our account and will dispute the charges with Wal-Mart on our behalf. That's more like it.<br />
<br />
As for the employee I spoke to yesterday, I lodged an informal complaint against her because I thought she was rude, condescending and apathetic about helping me resolve the issue. The bank officer assured me that she would speak to the employee about her CS skills, but also said that 1) the employee shouldn't have been talking to me in the first place because she mediates with the merchants and isn't trained to deal with bank customers and 2) that unfortunately, in the majority of cases when a wife says that her husband didn't make a transaction it turns out that he did and the wife just didn't know about it. I assume that goes the other way as well, where the husband doesn't know about the wife's transactions. I think that's a sad way to run a marriage. And I still don't think those two points justify the employee's behavior.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I feel better now that it appears something will be done to get our money back. I'll post about the outcome, but I don't expect to know anything for sure for at least a couple of weeks.<br />
<script src="http://d3io1k5o0zdpqr.cloudfront.net/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-51665626910083098612011-08-18T10:13:00.000-05:002011-08-18T10:13:10.932-05:00Trader Joe's. Meh.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlz865NgyF6EpgZoPBzmcEFtlcicwCmO6HK7xcept-MtJEue6h4E59otoHxpTfVo7v3xN0KhdU3ikJfHCWV4lnmqG6mydb7vTTrku1DJHa38W2936XQ8uSsxBqdGAU__9pztHXQ3AHAw-g/s1600/tjs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlz865NgyF6EpgZoPBzmcEFtlcicwCmO6HK7xcept-MtJEue6h4E59otoHxpTfVo7v3xN0KhdU3ikJfHCWV4lnmqG6mydb7vTTrku1DJHa38W2936XQ8uSsxBqdGAU__9pztHXQ3AHAw-g/s320/tjs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I finally visited one of our two new Trader Joe's stores this morning. Color me not especially impressed. On a 10-point scale, I give it a good, solid 5.<br />
<i><br />
<u>The good:</u></i><br />
<ul><li>They have a nice selection of cheeses at decent prices. Prices were comparable to cheeses at warehouse clubs, but the selection was probably a bit better and the package sizes weren't mega.<br />
</li>
<li>I saw some hard-to-find ingredients like white (clear) balsamic vinegar. I've been looking for it elsewhere for a while.<br />
</li>
<li>AT $2.49 per pound, they have the best price I've seen anywhere for organic free-range chicken. I usually don't find it for less than $4.00 a pound (and therefore, don't buy it).</li>
</ul><u><i>The bad:</i></u><br />
<ul><li>Most produce was being sold by the piece when it is usually sold by the pound in other stores. This makes comparing prices difficult. Bananas seemed cheap at 19¢ each, but I weighed them at home and they came to 42¢ per pound. That's a very average price around here.<br />
</li>
<li>I had hoped for better prices overall, but most prices were just average. For example, non-organic milk was about the same price I pay at Aldi (which shares the same parent company as Trader Joe's), and organic milk was right in line with the prices I see in most supermarkets.</li>
</ul><u><i>The ugly:</i></u><br />
<ul><li>I had been told TJ's was a great place to buy bulk ingredients for scratch cooking, but instead I saw an extremely large variety of processed foods and semi-prepared foods. There were lots of bottled sauces, mixes, frozen entrees, frozen vegetables in sauces, frozen pies, pre-cut vegetables and salads, etc. Some of these were quite interesting (like a frozen pasta entree with brie and asparagus), but they were expensive. Because I cook primarily from scratch, these items were a huge turn-off for me.</li>
</ul><u><i>Specific to this location:</i></u><br />
<ul><li>Being on the Kansas side of the state line, the store doesn't sell beer or wine, which is a big draw in other locations.<br />
</li>
<li>The store was uncomfortably cold inside. Even the employees were complaining about it.</li>
</ul><br />
Now, I'm not saying I didn't buy anything there (I did) or that I won't go back (I probably will), but I don't plan to make this store part of my weekly shopping routine. I can't imagine I'd want or need to go there more than every couple of months.<br />
<br />
If you're curious about what I bought, or the prices, here's the list:<br />
<br />
1 qt. buttermilk - 1.19<br />
1/2 gal. whole milk - 1.99<br />
17 oz. (1/2 ltr.) white balsamic vinegar - 2.29<br />
7 oz. Fontina cheese - 2.15<br />
2 lb. oat bran - 2.69<br />
16 oz. plain Greek-style yogurt - 2.49<br />
4.5 pound organic, free-range whole chicken - 11.11<br />
2 pounds sweet potatoes - 1.79<br />
2.25 pounds bananas - .95<br />
<br />
Is there a Trader Joe's store in your area? If so, what do you think of it?Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-60702947516934714242011-08-17T16:41:00.000-05:002011-08-17T16:41:23.855-05:00So FrustratedSeems folks either love or hate Wal-Mart and for a multitude of reasons. I've tried to remain fairly neutral about the company, shopping there when I must and avoiding it when I can.<br />
<br />
That said, the time has come that I have a beef with a particular store, or maybe with an employee within that store. I'm not sure which yet.<br />
<br />
Last weekend, we shopped in a Wal-Mart store while we were on our camping trip. There were some things for the camper that we had to have (couldn't do without) and the ONLY place in town to buy said things is Wal-Mart. We picked up a few other items while there and rang up a total of $135.38. <br />
<br />
Shane remembered that he had a Visa Gift Card that he had earned as a safety incentive at work. It was for $100 and he redeemed it on that purchase, leaving a balance of $35.38. He paid the balance with his debit card (his card that draws from our joint account). We left the store, went to camp and didn't go back into town at all during our trip.<br />
<br />
Today I was looking at our online bank statement and saw that there were two transactions, coming through from that Wal-Mart, but on two different days. The first was for $35.38 and the second was for $100 even. <br />
<br />
I called Wal-Mart first, and they looked at their tapes, files or whatever it is they use these days and say the transaction is good.<br />
<br />
I called our bank, and they looked at their records and say there are TWO transactions from that store, the first around 4:30 p.m. for $35.38 and the second for $100 -- <i>an hour later</i> -- as a <i>debit</i>. I told the bank lady that it wasn't possible, because we made only one transaction and weren't even in town an hour later. The bank lady says that I need to just ask my husband because maybe I don't know that he made another transaction and that regardless, Shane has to be the one to dispute it because it was his card. It doesn't matter that it is a joint account or that he's an 8-hour drive away and may be gone for weeks.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Shane's card has never left his possession, the transactions he's made since he's been gone are posting fine, and no other wayward charges are evident.<br />
<br />
So, just WTF am I supposed to do now? I feel confident the bank is only posting what they received from Wal-Mart. I think $100 is enough to fight for. In fact, I think we ought to fight it on principal, but I don't see how when Shane's so far away until who knows when. <br />
<br />
I feel like a little bitty minnow trying to take on a whale.<br />
Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-5750873675021920082011-08-17T09:24:00.000-05:002011-08-17T09:24:16.106-05:00The Simplicity of Small Spaces<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7hKMfB1P9ZKc5VEPY-HspxpjjefNWA4RjAt4PUYm0NDPGA47gIxmpI_mwfq0tkuY8ibDg3e5JnQ2qcZTmvh0RzO9R5FtTPJGhyphenhyphenYXcJkDnc1iv6NMOsT28_YMvnF5gEhF_Jy7IBiLb6Vh/s1600/tiny1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7hKMfB1P9ZKc5VEPY-HspxpjjefNWA4RjAt4PUYm0NDPGA47gIxmpI_mwfq0tkuY8ibDg3e5JnQ2qcZTmvh0RzO9R5FtTPJGhyphenhyphenYXcJkDnc1iv6NMOsT28_YMvnF5gEhF_Jy7IBiLb6Vh/s320/tiny1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-house/tiny-house-articles/">Source</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
I used to clean house for a friend of Shane's who at first lived in a very modest home of about 600 square feet. He had very modest, useful possessions and very few extraneous items. The house was a breeze to clean. <br />
<br />
Then, through an inheritance of sorts, he moved into a much larger home, purchased some much more luxurious yet useful possessions, and still had very few extraneous items. The new house was also a breeze to clean, never looked cluttered and didn't tie him down when he traveled frequently for work.<br />
<br />
So, obviously, a small space isn't a requirement for a simple lifestyle. But I think a simple lifestyle is required to live in a small space. <br />
<br />
Enjoying our first weekend in the camper spurred a discussion about life as "full-timers" who live in their camper or RV year round, which morphed into a discussion of living in tiny houses in general.<br />
<br />
Out of necessity, we'd quickly pare down, weed out and purge all but he most necessary or precious of possessions. Potential purchases would be weighed carefully to determine if they were worth the real estate they'd occupy. <br />
<br />
Having not done it yet, we can't be sure, but it seems to us that living in a travel trailer would be somewhat different than living in <a href="http://doodlebuds.blogspot.com/2010/08/could-you-live-in-tiny-house.html">a tiny house like this</a>. An RVer would maintain fewer possessions, while the tiny homesteader, being tethered to a piece of ground in a more permanent way, would be able to acquire and keep more things since some could be kept outside the structure.<br />
<br />
Naturally, there would be other factors to consider, like whether we're bothered by small spaces (we aren't) and how well we get along with each other (we think we could live this way, but we know couples who probably couldn't).<br />
<br />
We like the idea, this "forced simplicity". At this time, we aren't looking to move, but if the time comes, we're pretty sure we want to down-size. Maybe not all the way to tiny, but to small, at the very least. While others might see a small space as confinement, we think this type of simplicity would be liberating.<br />
<br />
Which raises the questions, "Why aren't we simplifying already? If size doesn't matter, then why not begin now?" I'm not sure we've even begun to understand all the answers yet.<br />
<br />
What do you think? Could you be a full-timer in an RV or live in a pint-sized house? Do you think you'd enjoy it, either alone or with another person? What about non-essential possessions -- how easily could you give them up? And maybe more importantly, if you think you'd enjoy "livin' small", what's stopping you now?Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-5792545341595581462011-08-16T06:00:00.005-05:002011-08-16T06:00:03.971-05:00Tuesday Tip - Neat And Easy Way To Store Silicone Baking Mats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gjmXgCXltQpLMIiMLMCxtTvfhyphenhyphenMWw0NVKiXdgblaAxYLMQdIQNBt13HBlQ4JuD3tnEmIsR2xGO-nV26NS9FfZLLUB31mBoVHS2oUWX8JNCqLCZF8P-SNqmjzZyEbrkV7VfwEpcpxlfjC/s1600/P7150015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gjmXgCXltQpLMIiMLMCxtTvfhyphenhyphenMWw0NVKiXdgblaAxYLMQdIQNBt13HBlQ4JuD3tnEmIsR2xGO-nV26NS9FfZLLUB31mBoVHS2oUWX8JNCqLCZF8P-SNqmjzZyEbrkV7VfwEpcpxlfjC/s320/P7150015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Parchment paper still has it's place in my kitchen, but I've recently converted to silicone baking mats for most of my baking. I use the empty rolls from paper towels to keep the mats neatly tucked into a drawer between uses. The rolls are just right for the "half sheet pan" sized mats. For larger mats, I think you could use a roll on each end.<br />
<br />
I like them plain, but if you're crafty, you could decorate them to suit your taste.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-36468439231700517652011-08-15T15:24:00.001-05:002011-08-15T18:30:41.183-05:00The Grand Tour<div style="text-align: center;">Per <a href="http://simpleslug.blogspot.com/">Sluggy</a>'s request, here is the camper p@rn.<br />
<br />
<br />
First, the tour of the grounds:</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RkGjSHuW8rLGMnbrZ6mN5nkwko7F4ADltHBKHkRY-tls5xzMhad_fAqpfEI-tud7rYS9v8jhb9a5a9o-gqh5C0xVfj7IRwfgFz6u1soLPyRvRxrBoO9mGosmUwc-SUvNYa1We3MkdQxK/s1600/P7230040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RkGjSHuW8rLGMnbrZ6mN5nkwko7F4ADltHBKHkRY-tls5xzMhad_fAqpfEI-tud7rYS9v8jhb9a5a9o-gqh5C0xVfj7IRwfgFz6u1soLPyRvRxrBoO9mGosmUwc-SUvNYa1We3MkdQxK/s320/P7230040.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Address: Site 58, Long Shoal Campground, Truman Lake, MO</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVZ_04pH6RwfeGGw2uUHr6yQPLYG87VMIXEG2kDGC7SoxFAg_m6iBf9Yq9yWCAclQaSP60RC8BNZjo169VPJTbDTe6GblSO5pyNQOXpytO7woTy3wwAklmzY872bIPoZSK9Ibs2Md_a17/s1600/P7230038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVZ_04pH6RwfeGGw2uUHr6yQPLYG87VMIXEG2kDGC7SoxFAg_m6iBf9Yq9yWCAclQaSP60RC8BNZjo169VPJTbDTe6GblSO5pyNQOXpytO7woTy3wwAklmzY872bIPoZSK9Ibs2Md_a17/s320/P7230038.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That margarita cooler on the corner of the table is not mine. <br />
(As far as you know.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xe8PjH2FGm6UH8vy5EciiVa12eFtOSnpWL1_MMZlNaCXqBaJ2kbQD50ELE5GzsomGu6CT6jd_DnYhBeUma8UaH6jNw_kPJmmDGGUAG-wDiwrlAvhWu38bWhKTiyQDz-rKuUmTlSrbQHe/s1600/P7230039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xe8PjH2FGm6UH8vy5EciiVa12eFtOSnpWL1_MMZlNaCXqBaJ2kbQD50ELE5GzsomGu6CT6jd_DnYhBeUma8UaH6jNw_kPJmmDGGUAG-wDiwrlAvhWu38bWhKTiyQDz-rKuUmTlSrbQHe/s320/P7230039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shane, doing something. Not sure what.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfK5r4R1Ln1g8ibYsaabXCE_LWECfNcXQMtCKoKE4C8buyMEKvjtEXgxDidP17v5UsA2cpF0to4Ak7vEFCJJmIvW1kBTh1D_OAS_8JUN09QMFzZT1sR-EGbiEaArtYKwF6euZcVTYTl0WB/s1600/P7230042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfK5r4R1Ln1g8ibYsaabXCE_LWECfNcXQMtCKoKE4C8buyMEKvjtEXgxDidP17v5UsA2cpF0to4Ak7vEFCJJmIvW1kBTh1D_OAS_8JUN09QMFzZT1sR-EGbiEaArtYKwF6euZcVTYTl0WB/s320/P7230042.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Required kitschy string lights.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And now, a tour of the mansion itself:</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFr18GclPqCkeQfsSZjXIOeFiIZlpqy-kxJJlZE5_7WPOOKQV49iM5w7ZnnNh1lepbT_ywt9npCBnKrIv1FPBf-_6k-xwUDsbNYwAtXnU9zibAqMuQlqr0v_DQeZQb8T0OsgDqSoDgjr7/s1600/P7230008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFr18GclPqCkeQfsSZjXIOeFiIZlpqy-kxJJlZE5_7WPOOKQV49iM5w7ZnnNh1lepbT_ywt9npCBnKrIv1FPBf-_6k-xwUDsbNYwAtXnU9zibAqMuQlqr0v_DQeZQb8T0OsgDqSoDgjr7/s320/P7230008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bedroom with built-in overhead cabinetry and adjoining living room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl97AcDUiy7gbfkAecODZgs-sZknJaniJrimCGn19M9v4egDeqcUZrcGpHvdesPQuu8dryBFu2oexGpuvizSpSzflRlhbP-jr-jIeuXnLIO7Zsoe6MxsF7-7BzY0ceAsKoO1erDSTktaXh/s1600/P7230009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl97AcDUiy7gbfkAecODZgs-sZknJaniJrimCGn19M9v4egDeqcUZrcGpHvdesPQuu8dryBFu2oexGpuvizSpSzflRlhbP-jr-jIeuXnLIO7Zsoe6MxsF7-7BzY0ceAsKoO1erDSTktaXh/s320/P7230009.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I say couch, Shane says sofa, my dad says divan. What do you call it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIl5ZpSUaXv4c4Q58y3TkDxbvA7YmZ-QSH2n4rJNR3nbOVPxGKpd0A4Un3Vdr9E6zfRicusjwBTcxTMUpwn6SHqMLTbarbHK9NZ2CECx6ufWacVBL8LtNvrDLCa9uyjx8Z_z63kmdti-u/s1600/P7230010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIl5ZpSUaXv4c4Q58y3TkDxbvA7YmZ-QSH2n4rJNR3nbOVPxGKpd0A4Un3Vdr9E6zfRicusjwBTcxTMUpwn6SHqMLTbarbHK9NZ2CECx6ufWacVBL8LtNvrDLCa9uyjx8Z_z63kmdti-u/s320/P7230010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under-bed storage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU6VB9ylhOUw-aafoz4WzSaGyPVzrqqsRrSxOhz4eUvrLQ2V8KqbVqJjCcU2e6fATKWjQkpRmMiTn37V46o7RtpvSJgAyH9Dcrk_1aKlnoufDmNySeIFd_QeOKYLWbGwUKljjeD_Y4lip/s1600/P7230012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU6VB9ylhOUw-aafoz4WzSaGyPVzrqqsRrSxOhz4eUvrLQ2V8KqbVqJjCcU2e6fATKWjQkpRmMiTn37V46o7RtpvSJgAyH9Dcrk_1aKlnoufDmNySeIFd_QeOKYLWbGwUKljjeD_Y4lip/s320/P7230012.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Front" door and clothes closet (being misc.-used).</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rT-Pa9kOCEq2OSHhyphenhyphenw_q53PRhFxXI3QaoKgbw1aWvFSL7yaRSJx1b8D9R0BHrSYXHLD7dOd6fj1SixlYf8b6renl2AjL4jStnSDaWadK1U2r33RZHGoa3Yias1v5ZtTH_eHdbXdTBQkB/s1600/P7230013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rT-Pa9kOCEq2OSHhyphenhyphenw_q53PRhFxXI3QaoKgbw1aWvFSL7yaRSJx1b8D9R0BHrSYXHLD7dOd6fj1SixlYf8b6renl2AjL4jStnSDaWadK1U2r33RZHGoa3Yias1v5ZtTH_eHdbXdTBQkB/s320/P7230013.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the living room. Fridge, stove, sink.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsfGzpM4pypuRZeGlGi3wT7HJKIyYKCR1dZYKSQffT5chto4XDWj1K0g6ViIbu3fAG7OA9vrLYfA41MRoW63ILQmvahHZ3OguNjF9O8bU0ZGMS-3FZqf194gNUrJPRcxrFjpFFaz2Dxoy/s1600/P7230016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsfGzpM4pypuRZeGlGi3wT7HJKIyYKCR1dZYKSQffT5chto4XDWj1K0g6ViIbu3fAG7OA9vrLYfA41MRoW63ILQmvahHZ3OguNjF9O8bU0ZGMS-3FZqf194gNUrJPRcxrFjpFFaz2Dxoy/s320/P7230016.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closer view of the kitchen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxBBw7UvOpMf9bt_tOEPvx6X22ryMrkaffj0w9e71mkv1o62HKIMBDvDKPhQumQvoAtmwsKYYPgXoj0o9z4bYLtHPr9FxjzkA1_jrQcujEBqss7C1uWJz8QgPDXtJ5UBttHuZcBlhfL1L/s1600/P7230014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxBBw7UvOpMf9bt_tOEPvx6X22ryMrkaffj0w9e71mkv1o62HKIMBDvDKPhQumQvoAtmwsKYYPgXoj0o9z4bYLtHPr9FxjzkA1_jrQcujEBqss7C1uWJz8QgPDXtJ5UBttHuZcBlhfL1L/s320/P7230014.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food pantry.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1hIfKHgKlk9MnEV_nswh8LSzgiA0wlgkL1VDmEdJC7s7W4Rn4UrLbtqDmjSq0slBe9FGTqGn_D6moE5evMH2N14nuUxh0lwhlqtGTPptmvnlcokUwToR-cYyBi0xIoY8mEtl43gvuF-8/s1600/P7230017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1hIfKHgKlk9MnEV_nswh8LSzgiA0wlgkL1VDmEdJC7s7W4Rn4UrLbtqDmjSq0slBe9FGTqGn_D6moE5evMH2N14nuUxh0lwhlqtGTPptmvnlcokUwToR-cYyBi0xIoY8mEtl43gvuF-8/s320/P7230017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double sink...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1bt8Hp00sB6sf2xSAAYN5YgMqXtwhkD-muB_ODBNZp1Rr81Bc21z4CJ1Anuv-EX9xX6deJnZJiwDV0joI6BdY_d88g5sWkVC81PuE5kU2yh0oT-sHF0d1sukvHXbsrz7z3Mgc_dzAO0V/s1600/P7230019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1bt8Hp00sB6sf2xSAAYN5YgMqXtwhkD-muB_ODBNZp1Rr81Bc21z4CJ1Anuv-EX9xX6deJnZJiwDV0joI6BdY_d88g5sWkVC81PuE5kU2yh0oT-sHF0d1sukvHXbsrz7z3Mgc_dzAO0V/s320/P7230019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">but they are very tiny.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9bxvojy-cgKN_MK_l2Ar5ZKSowXdse9M2Y0jkTE9jJ4tYXyiwjhKNx_vAw0NxORrzyzYARTiH4OorukmSEYNaabR2X01J-7ZnxK0INDLY3o11uIkv9FYAwwgeqaKstE2VbM1MpTVolPM/s1600/P7230020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9bxvojy-cgKN_MK_l2Ar5ZKSowXdse9M2Y0jkTE9jJ4tYXyiwjhKNx_vAw0NxORrzyzYARTiH4OorukmSEYNaabR2X01J-7ZnxK0INDLY3o11uIkv9FYAwwgeqaKstE2VbM1MpTVolPM/s320/P7230020.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three-burner gas stove with oven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk23X7TpGmOwbDMFaow_jYqnfEuZLjUnAQB0gd8h9B_P4_Z-CLuGD8-ztagPuZ84MjQx-0UiZfQAfVG3cCGBObUT7nHGJbeV0GKcaJc6ha3Tcw0eiDtVC_98si6N-QiwYVgXnVCrVDquJ/s1600/P7230021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk23X7TpGmOwbDMFaow_jYqnfEuZLjUnAQB0gd8h9B_P4_Z-CLuGD8-ztagPuZ84MjQx-0UiZfQAfVG3cCGBObUT7nHGJbeV0GKcaJc6ha3Tcw0eiDtVC_98si6N-QiwYVgXnVCrVDquJ/s320/P7230021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overhead micro.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgGCbqGX-bDeIc04Ie0-El4oybIFJHr0GZoHi-iYA7b-AztD_tlJaQTLO3e5Wya23KNS5_wMTUq08ux_eGFKMe39MMPa02yOE4MPjOyyeeOsfwypz5Ah460JTZwFc2sK7Qiw6EyQ7h2LD/s1600/P7230037.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgGCbqGX-bDeIc04Ie0-El4oybIFJHr0GZoHi-iYA7b-AztD_tlJaQTLO3e5Wya23KNS5_wMTUq08ux_eGFKMe39MMPa02yOE4MPjOyyeeOsfwypz5Ah460JTZwFc2sK7Qiw6EyQ7h2LD/s320/P7230037.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pull-completely-out drawers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKZ8oA477uBzFGTy5AS6uC8XyC_Tjzn6KpgKFA7rRiPphHCG8WzfvtyuPXuaoh4SknmDMGgSsjuX6qd_YLso7gV2tJqrPWByCvVBSar1_UawNLSnzVwHvYJRUPkc-TgQRSYD7y3bh-Fa8/s1600/P7230022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKZ8oA477uBzFGTy5AS6uC8XyC_Tjzn6KpgKFA7rRiPphHCG8WzfvtyuPXuaoh4SknmDMGgSsjuX6qd_YLso7gV2tJqrPWByCvVBSar1_UawNLSnzVwHvYJRUPkc-TgQRSYD7y3bh-Fa8/s320/P7230022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stereo with CD player.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97EadnL1L3LGzuwe7pobWzdXCQ6zV6S344Uwvpeivr9EEYSwlbk4lMc9IvxyHveqFBtURi0FAIT6hQTGexUH_WomT0KDUIfe_xisvhbSSh-OU6VNm8Y5eg8y6HsxiZpwnAf8sJdJdNQpQ/s1600/P7230023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97EadnL1L3LGzuwe7pobWzdXCQ6zV6S344Uwvpeivr9EEYSwlbk4lMc9IvxyHveqFBtURi0FAIT6hQTGexUH_WomT0KDUIfe_xisvhbSSh-OU6VNm8Y5eg8y6HsxiZpwnAf8sJdJdNQpQ/s320/P7230023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining area with overhead storage. Situated directly across from stove.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMrBnD9bd8eNjEa-a_0O7aP0bj5dUbNOCMKvg_JQdElZlrsiFKlAxirtbXuXGbeyHFq2w5XvtasfDIcx2EejozhUKad7UwX0TQ-0o_Vjqo_LOHMnGiJKlrp8N78DfDTEOTVLfU9P5BVp0/s1600/P7230025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXMrBnD9bd8eNjEa-a_0O7aP0bj5dUbNOCMKvg_JQdElZlrsiFKlAxirtbXuXGbeyHFq2w5XvtasfDIcx2EejozhUKad7UwX0TQ-0o_Vjqo_LOHMnGiJKlrp8N78DfDTEOTVLfU9P5BVp0/s320/P7230025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a Kat in the camper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqSuWqnSefmlqVa4XqQylAHh6bk42vOryXFMzAtGCVpj_rACMBz9UGXU_QAlmNz2VBuD0wK4aTLrYRoCJcGfIkeIrmRA3dJDOHbYdOanFWZS4Qa_cyFnhvQRhn3qwCUQy9HWgEY-Shf6K/s1600/P7230030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqSuWqnSefmlqVa4XqQylAHh6bk42vOryXFMzAtGCVpj_rACMBz9UGXU_QAlmNz2VBuD0wK4aTLrYRoCJcGfIkeIrmRA3dJDOHbYdOanFWZS4Qa_cyFnhvQRhn3qwCUQy9HWgEY-Shf6K/s320/P7230030.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shower and toilet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzV3198nzTxeeUGJgxuwL9dSdnkj3DLvRGCWy0O1Q-pkk5SssEKYr2Pcfx5UQoPb1J9nnPf8jlq9kpezyyYSDYQDQj3XyImI1XqykVJYVaT8bpAx9CSR6CQJfZjSKLMT-oRFsOc20hKgd/s1600/P7230032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzV3198nzTxeeUGJgxuwL9dSdnkj3DLvRGCWy0O1Q-pkk5SssEKYr2Pcfx5UQoPb1J9nnPf8jlq9kpezyyYSDYQDQj3XyImI1XqykVJYVaT8bpAx9CSR6CQJfZjSKLMT-oRFsOc20hKgd/s320/P7230032.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanity with sink. Shower is fed through sink faucet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBVAXVVE7tSGZX4Wk7baFua5MaWaN_y-Athe3H6DUB-yVYMyZHtczYuPK4oN77ktEz8nxh1g-ivMWn3sc2S4DQ5axvB3nbxkZ-dCwMVQYVND86wiDFINRos3MsYxqfjDfdtumv-byEvf7/s1600/P7230034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBVAXVVE7tSGZX4Wk7baFua5MaWaN_y-Athe3H6DUB-yVYMyZHtczYuPK4oN77ktEz8nxh1g-ivMWn3sc2S4DQ5axvB3nbxkZ-dCwMVQYVND86wiDFINRos3MsYxqfjDfdtumv-byEvf7/s320/P7230034.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kat's bedroom tucked in the back behind the kitchen and bathroom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3PBmuc0sWpLJUVIlWjzcjJ8SsYBt8krR44SeyQmioBRgZEl2bcJr15XCnyYzR84ApzLZds-P-rn6sC8u4sVMqrZZLPtwdjAy_piWXQvL8furWx1Gs3XWeQ2F4wl0dS_6I4aBoDngFZIo/s1600/P7230035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3PBmuc0sWpLJUVIlWjzcjJ8SsYBt8krR44SeyQmioBRgZEl2bcJr15XCnyYzR84ApzLZds-P-rn6sC8u4sVMqrZZLPtwdjAy_piWXQvL8furWx1Gs3XWeQ2F4wl0dS_6I4aBoDngFZIo/s320/P7230035.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Back" door near Kat's bed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And that concludes our tour. <br />
Shane drove away with the camper at 9:00 this morning -- next stop, Garden City, KS.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgGCbqGX-bDeIc04Ie0-El4oybIFJHr0GZoHi-iYA7b-AztD_tlJaQTLO3e5Wya23KNS5_wMTUq08ux_eGFKMe39MMPa02yOE4MPjOyyeeOsfwypz5Ah460JTZwFc2sK7Qiw6EyQ7h2LD/s1600/P7230037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-36769511720991707012011-08-11T07:49:00.000-05:002011-08-11T07:49:06.081-05:00CrazyThings have been a little crazy around here, thus the lack of posts.<br />
<br />
The first thing that happened was that I just didn't feel like posting, so I didn't.<br />
<br />
Then I went to help my dad and sisters sort through some of my mom's things. I thought about posting that, but it wasn't nearly as emotional or interesting as one might think, and we were done with it in a couple of hours.<br />
<br />
On our way to see my dad, we saw a travel trailer for sale and stopped to check it out. It fit every want and need we have in a travel trailer at this time...which meant it wasn't a pop-up but was still lightweight enough to pull with our half-ton pickup, and it cost only an arm instead of an arm and a leg. So, with the help of our credit union, we bought it. I'll post pics of it after the weekend.<br />
<br />
(And yes, I know..I know...taking on debt and all that...but it's the way we decided to do this...)<br />
<br />
Shane has been working as usual, but yesterday they flipped his schedule to accommodate a night job, so he worked overnight last night and will work overnight again tonight. They're doing a small job in a shopping mall, so they can't do the work during the day. <br />
<br />
He'll get home sometime in the wee hours tomorrow morning, will rest for a while, and then we are driving the 100 or so miles to pick up the camper. We'll camp in it a night or two while we're already near the lake, then bring it home either Saturday or Sunday. We'll be home just in time for Shane to reload it and take it with him to live in while he's at work in Garden City, KS, again. <br />
<br />
We knew he'd have to go back, but we didn't find out it would be THIS weekend until just yesterday. I've learned to not even ask how long he thinks he'll be gone, because they either won't tell him or it won't matter what they tell him. He'll be there until they tell him to go home, and it either will or won't be his last time out there.<br />
<br />
Wednesday of next week, Kat starts back to school. This summer has gone far better than I thought it possibly could, thanks to a chore chart for her and some clear-cut rules about what she could and couldn't get away with over vacation. All the same, I'm ready for her to be back in class.<br />
<br />
Then things might start getting back to what I'm beginning to think of as normal for 2011 -- which isn't very normal at all.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-49243950724132339442011-08-09T06:00:00.000-05:002011-08-09T06:00:05.435-05:00Tuesday Tip - Over The Sink "Clothesline"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BApeu8I2kDK5Fvave0rYy-PYwZ0iRoSKR7JAj8ZOxxlLwwJloFeQ7J1-4JeNd7eWrBW4TTiX9_3XYm0SVT6YBhpSfax2Lal0Ycj3SAUwg4FgpEAsXpxcC7VBFhWchQi_SlCqR5-l1VJS/s1600/P7150010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BApeu8I2kDK5Fvave0rYy-PYwZ0iRoSKR7JAj8ZOxxlLwwJloFeQ7J1-4JeNd7eWrBW4TTiX9_3XYm0SVT6YBhpSfax2Lal0Ycj3SAUwg4FgpEAsXpxcC7VBFhWchQi_SlCqR5-l1VJS/s320/P7150010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvV_ZQ-5sNabPW3Hbh0bIEkJRl0XeZPEf_OUdW4q3AZ5ZXCdPzANVRQCwPpRmQRkS62WB02lcnKHB7SDdCIsxFbKMnTtJX0bI_msYubXdDRfNWLhXUBoJV8HNMrbAUAsQ6GD19k_F30Se/s1600/P7150011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvV_ZQ-5sNabPW3Hbh0bIEkJRl0XeZPEf_OUdW4q3AZ5ZXCdPzANVRQCwPpRmQRkS62WB02lcnKHB7SDdCIsxFbKMnTtJX0bI_msYubXdDRfNWLhXUBoJV8HNMrbAUAsQ6GD19k_F30Se/s320/P7150011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISO5SYg7KwpBZ66BLXN_9iRyUiovwmVKd9VuOsGbnKVs8ydcqt-EXQ7kDH3fBDFxZBDRu4uryvwBl-RA31j8UGrB3bMMNxInJd2DaCyW57Yps-Tyh3BXNgEzT1kWzm23Z-QVIqganKIEo/s1600/P7150014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISO5SYg7KwpBZ66BLXN_9iRyUiovwmVKd9VuOsGbnKVs8ydcqt-EXQ7kDH3fBDFxZBDRu4uryvwBl-RA31j8UGrB3bMMNxInJd2DaCyW57Yps-Tyh3BXNgEzT1kWzm23Z-QVIqganKIEo/s320/P7150014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I had Shane string a length of wire over the sink a couple of weeks ago, and attached some craft-sized mini clothespin. I use this "clothesline" to hang wet gloves and washed plastic bags for reuse. <br />
<br />
I had been using a baby bottle drying rack for my plastic bags, but it took up more space than I liked on the counter and the bags took too long to dry sometimes. This line across the sink works a lot better for me.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-67703137019915382942011-08-02T07:40:00.001-05:002011-08-02T09:46:54.039-05:00Tuesday Tip - Exfoliate Your Bathtub...And Your PotatoesIn addition to sloughing away dead skin from your body, use a pair of exfoliating bath gloves to clean your bathtub and shower. After your shower, while the shower and tub are still wet, put on gloves and rub your hands over shower and tub surfaces. You'll be able to feel where soap scum has built up and just scrub it away. Use a gentle cleanser to to do this...or don't. The choice is yours. Wash the gloves with bath soap or shampoo, rinse well, then hang gloves to dry when you're done.<br />
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I don't know where I read about this tip, but it's one of the best tips I've found lately. Use a separate pair of exfoliating gloves in the kitchen to clean veggies. They are especially good for cleaning potatoes. When you're finished, just wash them with dish soap and rinse well, then hang them to dry.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEuRAtV27Jnyi7iLuAXCaURJ_XjX0RCEvVUDeNJn5GBADyCHIn91G2svbrw1leWq1PLY2X2mgIUTwEsQtOMKk_6gyqiDDv5C7tz3RiOAuYiztMaUhLvAr6ojG0BB5mRUxikcpj-mcX-4X/s1600/P7150002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEuRAtV27Jnyi7iLuAXCaURJ_XjX0RCEvVUDeNJn5GBADyCHIn91G2svbrw1leWq1PLY2X2mgIUTwEsQtOMKk_6gyqiDDv5C7tz3RiOAuYiztMaUhLvAr6ojG0BB5mRUxikcpj-mcX-4X/s320/P7150002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkRlr0_DtlQK0NRB_RbH7Szz7v9dfp39v_z9QJz_uv0ElGpuvhTAtW7S1uQdbWhTcAnj5j9hH1Z2bG7WMPB5_YLxzScomoodOTjQRWstz4Z0_fzDprFQDJL9b1E5ovEACwUJNeB1Afd-u/s1600/P7150009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkRlr0_DtlQK0NRB_RbH7Szz7v9dfp39v_z9QJz_uv0ElGpuvhTAtW7S1uQdbWhTcAnj5j9hH1Z2bG7WMPB5_YLxzScomoodOTjQRWstz4Z0_fzDprFQDJL9b1E5ovEACwUJNeB1Afd-u/s320/P7150009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
These gloves are only $1 a pair at stores like Dollar Tree and Deals.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-3199130562582369222011-08-01T07:45:00.000-05:002011-08-01T07:45:40.703-05:00Heat Wave Winter Planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOJKOvTRFOskYeplGzDgg0vmGvpL99BJtIlzjuILYf6LOHotwZaira_wUApM2qTxktrqW58MVauo29HBpD2Vet8-trG3AxMy4O8185HIm78dkJvU-SwiJM3ZrOp-FT1eeu7O7jMj97b28/s1600/pig.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOJKOvTRFOskYeplGzDgg0vmGvpL99BJtIlzjuILYf6LOHotwZaira_wUApM2qTxktrqW58MVauo29HBpD2Vet8-trG3AxMy4O8185HIm78dkJvU-SwiJM3ZrOp-FT1eeu7O7jMj97b28/s320/pig.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Like much of the country, especially the Midwest, we're in the midst of a lengthy heat wave. In spite of the heat, Shane and I have been planning for winter (and beyond actually).<br />
<br />
We've wanted to buy a whole hog for some time, but in the past, we couldn't get everything to fall into place. The price needed to be right, the money needed to be on hand, and timing was crucial. This year, all the pieces lined up and fell right together. <br />
<br />
Yesterday we were scouring the craigslist ads for our area and found a nearby farmer selling a couple of butcher hogs. We'll be buying one from him this week. It's already scheduled to go to the butcher tomorrow, and the fresh meat will be ready by Friday. Or we can (and probably will) wait a couple of weeks to pick all of the meat up when the smoked cuts are done. I'll also be asking for some of the fat to render quality, non-hydrogenated lard (unless they will render it for me there) and some of the organ meats for making homemade food for our cats.<br />
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We usually won't pay more than $2 a pound for pork in the grocery store, which limits the cuts we can buy to what typically goes on sale here. For us, it's usually whole pork loin or loin chops, country ribs, pork butt roast and breakfast sausage and ham around the winter holidays. With the purchase this whole hog, we'll get all of the cuts, including bacon, tenderloin, hams and ribs, for about $2.86 a pound. That's an estimate, of course; we won't know exactly how much meat we'll get until the processing is done. The pork will be from a hog that is hormone- and antibiotic-free, and raised in a large pen instead of in feedlot confinement. I think we're making a pretty good deal. The amount of pork we'll get will probably last more than a year, as long as it's wrapped and frozen properly.<br />
<br />
In addition to the pork, Shane hopes to get more red meat for the freezer this fall. Having venison in our freezer this past year has saved a lot on our grocery bill since we haven't had to buy beef. We all love the meat -- even Kat -- and look forward to stocking the freezer with it again this year. In addition, venison is generally considered a healthier meat choice than beef.<br />
<br />
With pork and venison in the freezer, along with strawberries we picked earlier this summer and produce from our garden, we'll be fairly well set for the coming winter and beyond. <br />
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What, if anything, have you been doing to plan for your winter food stores? Is it something you think about ahead of time, or do you wait until you need food to buy it?Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-20511928657777499722011-07-31T18:00:00.003-05:002011-08-05T09:27:40.316-05:00What I Bought - July 2011Here is the recap of my July grocery spending. This is mostly for my own reference, although I know there are one or two of you out there who enjoy this kind of post as well.<br />
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I ended July with a total of $155.38 spent on groceries. That includes sales tax, and is just for food items bought at the store to consume at home. It doesn't include any household, pet or HBA items, nor any meals bought away from home. Also, we are a family of three.<br />
<br />
This month looks a little different than most. Shane was finally back home all month, but the first week of the month we were on vacation, so no groceries were bought that week. Quite a bit of the produce this month was purchased at one or more of our local farmers' markets -- these items are marked with an asterisk (*). Several bulk items (albeit in small amounts) were purchased at Whole Foods. Canned green beans are one of the few veggies Kat will eat without fail, so I stocked up while they were on sale. I stocked up on sale sugar and flour, too.<br />
<br />
Otherwise, most of the rest was bought at Aldi, as usual. The remaining items were bought at other grocery stores when on sale or when I just had to have something not available at Aldi. Unless I've listed a brand name, all items are store brands. <br />
<br />
Considering the amount of bulk and organic food I bought, I think I did well this month. Here's what I bought for $155.38:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>MEAT, POULTRY AND EGGS</b><br />
Farm fresh eggs - dozen - 3<br />
Bacon - pound - 2<br />
<br />
<b>SEAFOOD</b><br />
Tuna in water - 5 ounce can - 1<br />
<br />
<b>VEGETABLES AND FRUITS</b><br />
Cantaloupe - medium - 1*<br />
Zucchini squash - small - 1*<br />
Yellow squash - small - 1*<br />
Tomatoes - large - 6*<br />
Cucumber - very large - 2*<br />
Plums - medium - 2<br />
Corn - ears - 40*<br />
Green bell peppers - medium - 2*<br />
Tomatillos - pint box - 1*<br />
Banana peppers - pint box - 1*<br />
Jalapenos - pint box - 1*<br />
Limes - 7*<br />
Organic carrots - pound - 1<br />
Iceberg lettuce - head - 2<br />
Mushrooms - 8 ounce carton - 1<br />
Green beans - cans - 14<br />
<br />
<b>DAIRY</b><br />
Half and half - quart - 2<br />
Whole milk - gallon - 1<br />
Butter - pounds - 4<br />
Smoked gouda cheese- pound - 1.5<br />
Cream cheese - 8 ounce - 2<br />
Sour cream - 16 ounces - 1<br />
Evaporated milk - can - 1<br />
Cottage cheese - pounds - 3<br />
<br />
<b>PASTA, GRAINS, BEANS</b><br />
Whole wheat penne pasta - ounces - 13<br />
Bulk organic quinoa, yellow - ounces - 8<br />
Bulk organic cornmeal, yellow - ounces - 8<br />
Bulk organic brown basmati rice - ounces - 6<br />
Bulk organic bulgur wheat - ounces - 4<br />
<br />
<b>BREADS</b><br />
Burger buns - 8-pack - 3 (for a cookout we attended)<br />
<br />
<b>BAKING/COOKING STAPLES</b><br />
Sugar - pounds - 5<br />
C&H sugar - pounds - 12<br />
Honey, local - pint - 1<br />
Flour, unbleached white - pounds - 10<br />
<br />
<b>CONDIMENTS/SPICES/HERBS</b><br />
Spicy mustard - 12 ounces - 1<br />
Yellow mustard - 16 ounces - 1<br />
Black olives - 6 ounce can - 2<br />
Green Spanish olives - jar - 1<br />
Rice wine vinegar - 24 ounces - 1<br />
Worcestershire sauce - 10 ounce - 1<br />
Bulk beet powder - ounce - 1 (for a specific recipe)<br />
Bulk sea salt - pound - 1<br />
Bulk salted sunflower seeds - ounces -10<br />
Citric acid powder - ounces - 8 (for canning, etc.)<br />
Pasta sauce, organic - 26 ounce jar - 1<br />
<br />
<b>SNACKS</b><br />
Cheese puffs - bag - 1<br />
Tortilla chips - bag - 4<br />
Potato chips - bag - 2<br />
Saltine crackers - box - 1<br />
Pretzels - bag - 1<br />
Shell-on peanuts - pounds - 3<br />
Club-type crackers - box - 1<br />
<b><br />
BEVERAGES</b><br />
Pepsi - 2 ltr - 1 (for a cookout we attended)<br />
Sierra Mist - 2 ltr - 1 (for a cookout we attended)<br />
<br />
<b>SEMI-PREPARED MEALS</b><br />
NoneAnnie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-58160442936716613242011-07-29T06:00:00.006-05:002011-07-29T07:23:15.765-05:00Flashback Friday - Chicken Breasts Diane<i><b>Welcome to Flashback Fridays</b>. Every now and then -- on a Friday, obviously -- I'll re-post something I wrote way back when.<br />
<br />
<b>This post is from January 28, 2008.</b> The chicken recipe I posted Monday reminded me of this one, which I liked much better.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********<br />
<br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FqaOwgvUH6uEaXMLGLou1wCkO6ZQ7eDBKL6IT14io4j-ewB7VHM6g3QP_QA_HKqm9-usBFXIAYHjL3yWx_zdaXSzSrq0dYEyQEflc9FxVbzRrQXcdcoyzca6OawegG_81bqBRs1ZLC4/s1600-h/IMG_0004.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156484019196510290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FqaOwgvUH6uEaXMLGLou1wCkO6ZQ7eDBKL6IT14io4j-ewB7VHM6g3QP_QA_HKqm9-usBFXIAYHjL3yWx_zdaXSzSrq0dYEyQEflc9FxVbzRrQXcdcoyzca6OawegG_81bqBRs1ZLC4/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">I've been carrying this recipe around in my card file for years, and I have no idea where I originally found it. But had I known it was going to be this delicious, I would have tried it a long time ago.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Although there are several ingredients, it goes together quickly and easily. I served the chicken on a bed of noodles and drizzled the extra sauce over the top.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chicken Breasts Diane</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 - 1 teaspoon pepper</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 Tablespoons butter, divided</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 Tablespoons chopped green onion</div><div style="text-align: left;">Juice of half a lime (or lemon)</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 ounces (4 Tablespoons) brandy (could use apple juice)</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 Tablespoons chopped parsley</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used just a tad more)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup chicken broth</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cut each chicken breast half in half, making 8 pieces total. Pound chicken between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap until even thickness, about 3/8" thick. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat 1 Tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in large skillet. Cook 4 chicken pieces over high heat for four minutes on each side. Do not cook longer. Transfer to a warm serving platter. Add another 1 Tablespoon each of olive oil and butter to skillet, then cook the remaining 4 pieces of chicken.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Add green onion, lime juice, brandy, parsley and mustard to pan. Cook for 15-30 seconds, whisking constantly. Whisk in chicken broth until sauce is smooth. Whisk in remaining 1 Tablespoon each of olive oil and butter. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Makes 6-8 servings.<br />
</div>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-71053508462332713062011-07-28T13:40:00.000-05:002011-07-28T13:40:33.472-05:00My HairI'm all about the no-frills approach to most things, including my hair. I just don't want to be bothered <i>by</i> it or have to bother <i>with</i> it. I quit coloring it about four years ago, and except for a trim or two, hadn't cut it in three years or so. Or maybe it was five years ago for the color and four years ago for the cut. I just don't remember.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I had grown kind of attached to my long hair, not because it was pretty at all, but because it was <i>easy</i> (up in some kind of bun or twist most days) and also because it was the only time in my life that I'd grown all of my hair one length without layers or bangs. But lately, I've been tired of it. So I found a style online that I liked and went in to get it cut this morning.<br />
<br />
It has a little more character now, but is still long enough to put up if I want. Here are the pics. Be kind.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbaPvNN-1vH-NjGJoM55K5_e8BdgfhxoM-oCagTvIQkLjdSuXabYMa5q7Cskh94DHhslQW707rAF8EHhvk2IpptmN7q-16lK1Yn2xju_qO2emf_y-1ufPKxnophtgMIopdd3iqJKtejO6/s1600/P7100008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbaPvNN-1vH-NjGJoM55K5_e8BdgfhxoM-oCagTvIQkLjdSuXabYMa5q7Cskh94DHhslQW707rAF8EHhvk2IpptmN7q-16lK1Yn2xju_qO2emf_y-1ufPKxnophtgMIopdd3iqJKtejO6/s320/P7100008.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before, basically all one length, air-dried (the underside is wavy like a cocker spaniel's ears...LOL).</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaPA4wky5Rj5WaeiWv0CQpSzqsgcMiw0zFMUPDBTAYkhehKs5sb15AMax9hCKIBK5HhbJMi4X5fU7XW_S58Jo_oHZPQH9WQMqsf9O3S2kPfXUE1mRuLb5NC97h_aa65J0R8Dv780PsvQQ/s1600/P7100013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaPA4wky5Rj5WaeiWv0CQpSzqsgcMiw0zFMUPDBTAYkhehKs5sb15AMax9hCKIBK5HhbJMi4X5fU7XW_S58Jo_oHZPQH9WQMqsf9O3S2kPfXUE1mRuLb5NC97h_aa65J0R8Dv780PsvQQ/s320/P7100013.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new cut, also just air-dried into the natural waves, curls and because of the humidity, a little extra frizz. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgQ0ELB-XVjwECCyTWfhT0VNu8Jg4uLfKPWCeQWHIHWZMWkSJfKIifq2agG0-h0JZwwJT6mlG7Q2Ge4h087sr5TusISWD-hEjENVLsXhj9DdoJTfZ3XXdZKhQcpcGgu6do-qwJuX2dvPs/s1600/P7100021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgQ0ELB-XVjwECCyTWfhT0VNu8Jg4uLfKPWCeQWHIHWZMWkSJfKIifq2agG0-h0JZwwJT6mlG7Q2Ge4h087sr5TusISWD-hEjENVLsXhj9DdoJTfZ3XXdZKhQcpcGgu6do-qwJuX2dvPs/s320/P7100021.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New cut after using the flat iron on it. This will probably be the every day style for me, but I think I can play with a curling iron to "fancy it up" if I need to.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-47941796619840384662011-07-28T07:15:00.000-05:002011-07-28T07:15:09.411-05:00If This Isn't Real Life, Then I Don't Know What IsI need to water the tomatoes, buy groceries, take Kat to the pool, and I'm seriously toying with the idea of getting a haircut today (pics to follow if/when I do).<br />
<br />
While I'm gone, read <a href="http://www.nwedible.com/2011/07/being-everyone.html">THIS</a> -- Erica talks about keeping it real in the Blogosphere Fantasy World. It's another great post from <a href="http://www.nwedible.com/">NW Edible Life</a>.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-61074365486806232062011-07-27T06:00:00.072-05:002011-07-27T06:00:10.567-05:00So RandomToday is school enrollment day. I'm so excited. I get to go stand in lines all morning.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><br />
Woke from one of those brakes-won't-brake, wipers-won't-wipe kind of dreams the other morning. They say it means I have no control over my life and I can't see the situation clearly. To which I say, <i>"pfffft"</i>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><br />
We've decided to take down the half-built sun room on our back deck and move it to the ground as a greenhouse, then redesign our deck, add some more raised garden beds, and build or get a chicken coop by next spring. Not to mention that water is somehow getting under our kitchen floor at the back sliding door so we'll need to locate and fix the water seepage issue, replace the sliding door system and replace the kitchen flooring. This should really be done soon, since we can see daylight around the sliding door, even when it's closed. And did I mention Shane has to go out of town again for work...soonish? I have no clear vision how we're going to get all of this done or how we'll pay for it. I feel like my life is out of control and I'm powerless to stop it.<br />
<br />
<i>See dream interpretation above.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********<br />
</div>It's said that blogging can help you work through and clarify obstacles in your life. It's also cheaper than a therapist.<br />
<i><br />
See dream interpretation above.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><br />
Kat and I are at an impasse. We both want to do something today. I want to go bowling, but she doesn't. She wants to go to the pool, but I don't. Whatever shall we do?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRTZpOwyvESvqRdRRbaCDs8Lo41IkjiDJ9Fd031ok793f297Pllc1A6vNosqwL1GL4TfeR46cskqMtnhK4FcrXaxS2c5oMjCQ-dly2t5z1ZdZXGPP4FRvvmJF-2Kuk1xBmfBJhiNZM-1n/s1600/P7060012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRTZpOwyvESvqRdRRbaCDs8Lo41IkjiDJ9Fd031ok793f297Pllc1A6vNosqwL1GL4TfeR46cskqMtnhK4FcrXaxS2c5oMjCQ-dly2t5z1ZdZXGPP4FRvvmJF-2Kuk1xBmfBJhiNZM-1n/s320/P7060012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catnip hangover.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-26010111627959263172011-07-26T06:00:00.001-05:002011-07-26T08:45:30.751-05:00Spiced Carrot Side DishI saw a recipe, I'm not sure where, for some kind of African carrot "salad". Sorry for the ambiguity, but at my age, my memory isn't what it used to be. When I searched on Google, I came up with a ton of recipes. Then I came up with this one. To me, it's not a salad, since it's served warm or at room temperature. But it is good. I really liked it, and Shane said it was awesome. His comment was awesome, since he's not a lover of carrots.<br />
<br />
This made just enough for Shane and me -- Kat took her required bite, but that's it -- so adjust as needed to serve your family.<br />
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PS: I think this recipe would work great with sweet potatoes instead of carrots, too.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XkE1td27kRkwcpqaRMyA5kfND1mkWrc09N1mTKJHWuoSjBIz9KZ8tQU7GXXNgg4FPvjMhyWeoESkKzAJxGpdki-mReRvujwtdckAw1hKaoWofcsMO2T3jzOYcTLBcfGplWEb9FZPIFwH/s1600/P7040007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XkE1td27kRkwcpqaRMyA5kfND1mkWrc09N1mTKJHWuoSjBIz9KZ8tQU7GXXNgg4FPvjMhyWeoESkKzAJxGpdki-mReRvujwtdckAw1hKaoWofcsMO2T3jzOYcTLBcfGplWEb9FZPIFwH/s320/P7040007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>Spiced Carrot Side Dish</b><br />
4 large carrots<br />
2 Tablespoons butter<br />
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed<br />
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed<br />
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley (fresh preferred, dry acceptable)<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Wash and peel carrots. Cook carrots until soft by whatever method you choose (I prefer steaming or microwaving with just a tiny bit of water). Coarsely mash carrots and set aside. <br />
<br />
In small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in coriander and caraway seeds. Cook and stir for about 1 minute or until spices become aromatic.<br />
<br />
Pour butter mixture over mashed carrots, toss in chopped parsley and stir together. Add salt and pepper to taste.<br />
<br />
Serve warm or at room temperature.<br />
<br />
Makes 2 servings.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><br />
<br />
This post is being linked to this week's <a href="http://premeditatedleftovers.com/hearth-and-soul-hop-with-premeditated-leftovers-725/">Hearth and Soul Blog Hop with Premeditated Leftovers</a> and <a href="http://momssundaycafe.blogspot.com/2011/07/hearth-and-soul-hop-58.html">Mom's Sunday Cafe</a>. Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-402630169272850402011-07-25T12:50:00.000-05:002011-07-25T12:53:44.384-05:00Kansas City Family Fun: UniverSoul Circus<i>Disclaimer: For my readers in and around the Kansas City area, the following is a press release announcing local performances of the UniverSoul Circus. I was contacted this morning about publishing the announcement on my blog. In return, my family was given tickets to one of their performances, but after taking a look at their website, I think the show sounds wonderful and I would have gladly agreed to promote the circus without having received tickets.<br />
<br />
After all...who doesn't love a circus?</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><br />
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br />
July 1, 2011<br />
<br />
HEADING TO KANSAS CITY JULY 27-31<br />
UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS TRANSFORMS THE HEART AND SOUL OF AMERICA WITH A SHOW THAT’S OUT OF THIS WORLD!<br />
<br />
“THE AWESOMEST SHOW EVER”<br />
<br />
We’re on a Mission to be the Most Liked Circus in the World!<br />
<br />
“The Awesomest Show Ever” to take place under the big top is heading to Kansas City as UniverSoul Circus brings the most electrifying and interactive single ring extravaganza to the Liberty Parking Lot of Kemper Arena, July 27-31. Tickets are on sale now.<br />
<br />
There’s no doubt about it – the 243 year history of the modern circus has finally been reborn in the form of UniverSoul Circus, nationally recognized for its unique brand of high energy audience interaction and thrilling circus artistry. Whether you’re dancing in the aisles with the Ringmaster; rapping to The Sugarhill Gang; volunteering for the “Soul Train Line;” singing 2,200-part harmony with the kids to Sponge Bob Square Pants, or enjoying a musical finale with the entire cast line-dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” – there’s something for everyone to interact with at UniverSoul Circus, recently proclaimed by a youthful online fan as “The Awesomest Show Ever.”<br />
<br />
<u>WHEN:</u> <br />
July 27-31<br />
<br />
<u>WHERE:</u> <br />
Liberty Parking Lot, Kemper Arena<br />
West 16th St. & Liberty St., Kansas City, MO 64102<br />
<br />
<u>TICKETS:</u> <br />
Tickets prices $11 to $26. Children under 1 are FREE<br />
All tickets available by Ticketmaster at <a href="http://www.ticketmaster.com/" target="_blank">www.ticketmaster.com</a> and 1-800-745-3000.<br />
<br />
<u>SHOWTIMES:</u> <br />
Wednesday, July 27 @ 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.<br />
Thursday-Friday, July 28-29 @ 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.<br />
Saturday, July 30 @ 12 noon, 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.<br />
Sunday, July 31 @ 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.<br />
<br />
Visit <a href="http://www.universoulcircus.com/" target="_blank">www.universoulcircus.com</a> for more info, show times, and schedules. Also follow us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/universoulcircus" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>universoulcircus</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/universoulcirc" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/universoulcirc</a><br />
<br />
<br />
UniverSoul Circus is on a mission to be the most liked circus in the world by acquiring 1 million “Likes” on Facebook by December 2011, the end of its 2011 tour season. It’s as simple as going to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/universoulcircus" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>universoulcircus</a> and pressing the “Like” button. You’re going to love our show, but you can “Like” us now on Facebook.<br />
<br />
The UniverSoul Circus line up for 2011 will flat out blow you away. New acts include the beautiful and enchanting Rahel of Ethiopia will twist and turn her way into our hearts with a cutting edge presentation of contortion we like to call Pretty Girl Rocks. If that’s not enough we traveled all the way to Dalian, China to unearth Modern Biker Girls, a group of amazing young ladies who will put any extreme biker to shame with their amazing two-wheel, non-motorized, dexterity. And we’ve brought new meaning to the Russian Swing Act, armed with an acrobatic attitude and a whole lotta rhythm as they swing themselves into the upper echelons of our big top.<br />
<br />
“We are a circus with a rhythm and beat all our own,” said UniverSoul Circus Founder and CEO Cedric Walker. “We will always produce a show filled with soul and hip hop music, and we will always feature only the most dynamic performers from around the world. It doesn’t matter if you’re an urbanite or a suburbanite, old school or new school, generation X or Y, pre-school, high school or grad school – I strongly believe everyone will find something to enjoy at our show.”<br />
<br />
And the rest of our amazing cast of UniverSoul Circus performers include, a daredevil motorcycle globe act, trickster dogs, high wire, tigers, Caribbean and stilt dancers, and elephants.<br />
<br />
The Cast:<br />
Act Type – Act Name – Hometown<br />
1. *Prelude/Opening – The Transformers – United States, Trinidad & Tobago<br />
2. *Bicycle Girls – Modern Biker Girls Troupe – Dalian, China<br />
3. *Russian Swing – Russian Swing – Belarus<br />
4. *Contortionist – Rahel – Pretty Girl Rocks – Ethiopia<br />
5. Aerial Straps – Jean Claude – France<br />
6. Ringmaster – Tony Tone – Memphis, TN<br />
7. Ringmaster’s Sidekick – Zeke (Zanda Charles) – Hartford, CT<br />
8. Caribbean Dancers – Caribbean Heat – Trinidad and Tobago<br />
9. Trick Dogs – Olate Dogs – Chile<br />
10. High wire – Gabonese High Wire – Gabon, Africa<br />
11. Tigers – John Jairo presents Tigers – Ecuador<br />
12. Stilt Dancers – Stilts – Trinidad &Tobago<br />
13. Motorcycle Daredevils – The Globe – Colombia<br />
14. Elephants – Soul Circus Divas – USA<br />
*New with the circus in 2011<br />
<br />
Audience participation under the big top and overwhelmingly positive fan feedback on online communities such as Facebook, Twitter and Ticketmaster have established UniverSoul Circus as the most entertaining and inspiring, interactive circus in the world. The following is a small sampling of audience feedback received in 2011 from Ticketmaster.com.<br />
<br />
<i>“This show was truly amazing. The acts were exciting, unbelievable, breathtaking and awesome. The ringmaster is the greatest announcer ever!!! There is no other circus in the world that can compare to the UniverSoul Circus.”</i><br />
Baltimore, MD<br />
<i><br />
“The stunts, music and show were all great! I loved the variety of nationalities performing and the level of talent was top notch.”</i><br />
Norfolk, VA<br />
<br />
<i>“My children and I danced and laughed like never before. Audience participation was at an all time high.”</i><br />
Queens, NY<br />
<i><br />
“The event was well worth its weight in gold.”</i><br />
Bronx, NY<br />
<br />
<i>“This was my first time attending this circus and it was amazing. I would recommend this show to anyone.”</i><br />
Raleigh, NC<br />
<br />
<i>“It was one of the best times we've ever had. The circus had something for everyone, from toddlers to big kids like me (I'm 41).”</i><br />
Richmond, VA<br />
<br />
<i>“The circus was great. My little girl loved it. It's a great place to take your family.”</i><br />
Atlanta, GA<br />
<br />
<i>“Good, clean, wholesome fun. Fantastic circus! Can hardly wait for it to come back next year!”</i><br />
Miami, FL<br />
<br />
<b>About UniverSoul Circus</b><br />
UniverSoul is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres including Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz and Gospel. It embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of pop culture globally by bringing them center stage with a cast of international performers. UniverSoul Circus is rated as one of the top three circuses in America along with Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey and Cirque du Soleil. UniverSoul’s fresh approach to family friendly live entertainment has earned it a coveted spot as one of Ticketmaster’s top ten most requested family events, along with other shows including Sesame Street Live, Disney on Ice, and Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The circus was founded in Atlanta by concert and theatre promoter, Cedric Walker. Now in its 18th year, the circus will perform over 500 shows in 32 major markets.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-41545010354861934222011-07-25T06:00:00.000-05:002011-07-25T06:00:06.063-05:00Chicken In Creamy Almond SauceI've had this recipe in my card file for years, but I'm just now getting around to trying it. Shane liked it a lot. Kat liked it, but would prefer I left out the almonds next time. I liked it, but think a splash of white wine in the sauce would be quite nice. Or maybe some sauteed mushrooms. In my opinion, it's one of those recipes that's a good starting point for making an even better dish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wJr0uHyMCbwOUpE_yvEqBvwLwhXmG4fg0WfaDdpdLd00BnwQxYxmAXsBZD1_Zf2dMZ_JYUJFn_YXMaeF-he3DF9atVAmK-LQxM3iExdfWSvjhGbm1lchC3Ir6hdLsoqkvILKY1R8gpCs/s1600/P7010037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wJr0uHyMCbwOUpE_yvEqBvwLwhXmG4fg0WfaDdpdLd00BnwQxYxmAXsBZD1_Zf2dMZ_JYUJFn_YXMaeF-he3DF9atVAmK-LQxM3iExdfWSvjhGbm1lchC3Ir6hdLsoqkvILKY1R8gpCs/s320/P7010037.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<b>Chicken In Creamy Almond Sauce</b><br />
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3 large chicken breast halves<br />
2/3 cup sliced almond<br />
2 Tablespoons butter<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
1-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch (can use potato starch, Mochiko or 2 Tablespoons flour)<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1 cup chicken broth<br />
2 Tablespoons orange marmalade (I used frozen orange juice concentrate by necessity)<br />
2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard<br />
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Cut chicken breast halves in half and pound to 1/4-inch thickness, resulting in 6 cutlets.<br />
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Melt butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Toast almond slices in butter just until they begin to brown. Remove from butter and set them aside.<br />
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Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and, over medium heat, brown in the butter that is already in the pan.<br />
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Meanwhile, whisk milk and broth into cornstarch and heat over medium high heat until bubbly and slightly thickened. Stir in mustard and orange marmalade. Stir in about half of almonds. Pour sauce over chicken in pan. Continue cooking chicken and sauce until sauce thickens somewhat, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Spoon sauce over top and garnish with remaining almond slices.<br />
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Serves 4 to 6.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-9174062156061309462011-07-22T06:00:00.000-05:002011-07-22T06:00:07.637-05:00Flashback Friday - Awesome Blender Pancakes<i><b>Welcome to Flashback Fridays</b>. Every now and then -- on a Friday, obviously -- I'll re-post something I wrote way back when.<br />
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<b>This post is from October 14, 2007.</b> These are the best pancakes I've ever tasted. Your mileage may vary.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh029hmfKZi5Jz6r6JUH_dhNPj272pfkyTnyKzhKp_6OE09UBSiUT1ihwOVZzguBKhi8IIAPV519iYpf3r8gJmykeIKSvgGkh2vV_CA4h8kIsRbhdiEFzCopQiKxwLcDa1S4gUkYe5KvRY/s1600-h/Picture+104.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121314916155804802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh029hmfKZi5Jz6r6JUH_dhNPj272pfkyTnyKzhKp_6OE09UBSiUT1ihwOVZzguBKhi8IIAPV519iYpf3r8gJmykeIKSvgGkh2vV_CA4h8kIsRbhdiEFzCopQiKxwLcDa1S4gUkYe5KvRY/s320/Picture+104.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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If you're a big breakfast eater, this pancake recipe will quickly become a favorite. And if you're like us and not really into the early morning meal, they might be what it takes to change your mind. They're the best pancakes we've ever eaten.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes</span><br />
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1 cup milk<br />
3/4 cup wheat kernels (aka wheatberries)<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 Tablespoons honey or sugar<br />
1/4 cup oil<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
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Put milk and wheat berries in blender. Blend on high for about 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and blend a few seconds until mixed. Batter will be thinner than most pancake batters. Pour batter onto lightly oiled, hot griddle or skillet. Serve with butter and syrup or honey.<br />
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Makes approx. ten 5-inch pancakes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Source: </span><a href="http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Pleasant Hill Grain Company</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span></span>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-53716439835488514562011-07-21T06:00:00.000-05:002011-07-21T06:00:15.195-05:00Product Review: Bissel Little Green Machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc36lt7eW1hWq9L0RmgCVEnCpvYkZ_aBMiQakHX_ACeyUSWmc5j2363-eKitCTzUo0vV06hOpAnFaEIbGjJeATA9UATeGQfDz314rr7Gr5tvRxE0fDW4lYj5HJeWIaRU49aNwNaoJU6zO/s1600/bissell_little_green_machine__17961_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc36lt7eW1hWq9L0RmgCVEnCpvYkZ_aBMiQakHX_ACeyUSWmc5j2363-eKitCTzUo0vV06hOpAnFaEIbGjJeATA9UATeGQfDz314rr7Gr5tvRxE0fDW4lYj5HJeWIaRU49aNwNaoJU6zO/s320/bissell_little_green_machine__17961_zoom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rU446txwPpUGqDYmekK-ocgQzn66zbFNOXbh3wjq3xOIfNXWXpOlnEwUbeqhIlAvksSXRi7A85Ggad4e4a6Rcvlg8252yV6cOxQjViglKniZ8r9lTQegtRVd8p5I0q20ymwRV7X82fyM/s1600/little+green.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><i>This is not a paid review. It's just my opinion of a product that I think works well.</i><br />
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<i> </i>You might remember that we got new carpeting a few months ago. We love it, and our cats love it, but the honeymoon officially ended about a week ago when one of the cats threw up on the carpet, leaving a very noticeable dark stain.<br />
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Shane, in typical Boy Scout fashion (although he was never a Boy Scout), was prepared. When we bought the carpeting, he also bought a Bissell Green Machine and some of their Pet Stain for Compacts solution. It cleaned the vomit stain up in no time.<br />
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It's easy to use. The nozzle attachment sprays the solution onto the stain, has a brush to scrub the stain, then is used to suck up the solution, water and dirt. The entire process takes about a minute, unless you pre-treat, in which case it takes about 5 minutes. <br />
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Now, once Shane gets started with something like this, he just can't stop. He also cleaned the upholstery on our two recliners and all four of our dining room chairs. We bought these chairs five years ago, when Kat was just 3, so her chair was the worst, with it's toddler and pre-schooler food stains. Here's the before:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcJwdIQpx8WR6V85NAP9TOBHrq7ChZ2SzbfVNIFthsBUC7VoQCkVNdIaiejKsAXCnYYIGsIpqBkOJacyKKAwylb3RlhJR-HCa_1rdMsXeJjAEMoNy0pyqKyQSThdJHd-Y_l97Li788xuH/s1600/P6240003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcJwdIQpx8WR6V85NAP9TOBHrq7ChZ2SzbfVNIFthsBUC7VoQCkVNdIaiejKsAXCnYYIGsIpqBkOJacyKKAwylb3RlhJR-HCa_1rdMsXeJjAEMoNy0pyqKyQSThdJHd-Y_l97Li788xuH/s320/P6240003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And here is the after, just a few minutes later:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YSrGVPJVO63ZfLDVXJvWHBe_cx4fyCFXRCdRtXUHNrs2ZhV7ubtyHVqBCIxy8RRQ4oZJz2TjSyM8krjTcjJBXqi3yoim1qHKURCXbbiEw4RLXmyUzD9Z3KQ-7Z9esNZkdyCwMyYsNggB/s1600/P6240004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YSrGVPJVO63ZfLDVXJvWHBe_cx4fyCFXRCdRtXUHNrs2ZhV7ubtyHVqBCIxy8RRQ4oZJz2TjSyM8krjTcjJBXqi3yoim1qHKURCXbbiEw4RLXmyUzD9Z3KQ-7Z9esNZkdyCwMyYsNggB/s320/P6240004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The Green Machine is lightweight and very portable, easy to use and really does the job. For small clean-up jobs, it's so much more convenient than lugging our our Kirby carpet cleaner (also a good product, but a behemoth).<br />
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Regular price on these is around $80. I think we found ours on sale for about $65 or $70. I can tell already it will be money well spent, and I'd recommend this cleaner to anyone.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bissell.com/little-green-deep-cleaner/">Click here for the specs, if you're interested in that sort of thing.</a>Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5511897216767402899.post-12202158725765822202011-07-20T06:01:00.003-05:002011-07-20T07:01:22.363-05:00Corn On The Cob Grilling Tip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyiRkJ67buXuJ0W8TtVlXlCvpi9wFk3f-z-TNP0O4Lj8axmPQbU5pi_chIn5gdAvVGyx0R94WeoNgmIq0jkmSflDZ-BL5rBtfFUYD0mrn9B-Xd0K-SsxdGK_k99CUBtNPLR71hx44eO6A/s1600/P7010041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyiRkJ67buXuJ0W8TtVlXlCvpi9wFk3f-z-TNP0O4Lj8axmPQbU5pi_chIn5gdAvVGyx0R94WeoNgmIq0jkmSflDZ-BL5rBtfFUYD0mrn9B-Xd0K-SsxdGK_k99CUBtNPLR71hx44eO6A/s320/P7010041.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I've never had much luck in the past with grilling ears of corn. They would always come out burned or undercooked. Until now.<br />
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I learned about this method from my sister-in-law when we stayed with them in Colorado. Just shuck the ears of corn, wash them and rap them in a wet paper towel. The towel should not be dripping wet, but I've found it works better if it's a little more than just damp. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yD6j7-FLsbpeKi7Bl31pQqIW07wlPpzvVULIb5ETxi4zN9kiZvMS9WTqq6N8sbIT4vygEUy8pyU7xj3Va4MH0MwYDDkLZvYI-vLBhyikjCmVJlaekcUAIQiiN_ahkpiP4vLaD1K4Zl0Z/s1600/P6260001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yD6j7-FLsbpeKi7Bl31pQqIW07wlPpzvVULIb5ETxi4zN9kiZvMS9WTqq6N8sbIT4vygEUy8pyU7xj3Va4MH0MwYDDkLZvYI-vLBhyikjCmVJlaekcUAIQiiN_ahkpiP4vLaD1K4Zl0Z/s320/P6260001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Then wrap the towel and corn in foil. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_DcSN40KJiWofcPvJ6bE7-7Y-5m_L5GORNruDwADNz8sGQL3Fd3x3Nstilbz7gjs4ESjR7jxr9E8J5FISb9pGinCus7ZvHlJsXYKvXWRAllFEznvi8At4n20Dc-9NfasD72wkMe8UbvH/s1600/P6260002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_DcSN40KJiWofcPvJ6bE7-7Y-5m_L5GORNruDwADNz8sGQL3Fd3x3Nstilbz7gjs4ESjR7jxr9E8J5FISb9pGinCus7ZvHlJsXYKvXWRAllFEznvi8At4n20Dc-9NfasD72wkMe8UbvH/s320/P6260002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Grill over medium-low to medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8YRhmiR2R5kD06WnKeVWMxewTF_nm-_1s5S4tyiTZE5AJev8xriHRcYxKdq30o_00_o_2_kztF453XetxJN_1GqsJNd1qazI6UOqe8hvLrny20xxxgmJPUUEuEvBM7f8m37lrX426Bbk/s1600/P6270004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8YRhmiR2R5kD06WnKeVWMxewTF_nm-_1s5S4tyiTZE5AJev8xriHRcYxKdq30o_00_o_2_kztF453XetxJN_1GqsJNd1qazI6UOqe8hvLrny20xxxgmJPUUEuEvBM7f8m37lrX426Bbk/s320/P6270004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The corn has cooked (steamed, really) perfectly every time we've tried this (5 or 6 times so far) and if it gets done before the rest of your meal, it stays hot for a long time as long as it's still wrapped in the foil. <br />
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Don't forget that you can toss the paper towel into your compost bin (since there is no animal fat on it) and smooth out and wipe down the foil for another use.<br />
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This post is being linked to the <a href="http://premeditatedleftovers.com/hearth-and-soul-hop-with-premeditated-leftovers-718/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PremeditatedLeftovers+%28Premeditated+Leftovers%29">Hearth and Soul Blog Hop with Premeditated Leftovers</a> and <a href="http://momssundaycafe.blogspot.com/2011/07/hearth-and-soul-hop-57.html">Mom's Sunday Cafe</a>.Annie Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07123644833186800503noreply@blogger.com5