Recipes of Old, and Nowadays. AND Oxford Commas R Us.

 Ya know...I made the cranberry sauce myself last Thanksgiving.  Full berried and that is how we like it though we will eat the smooth.  For the heck of it I looked all over the internet and I have never seen such nonsense.  I thought I would come across yet another recipe of cranberry sauce with the ever popular kale, spinach, yogurt, sour cream, coconut oil, protein powder, etc etc.  I am slightly joking.  But the recipes I saw ...holy cow!  Ewwww.  I just bought the berries, picked through them, boiled them, added sugar.  Voila!  That was the way it was in the dark ages of my youth. Now when I go through various magazines or recipes on-line it is to me, a "no can do!" Is there ANYTHING that people don't put spinach and kale in?  Coconut oil?  Protein powder.  One day, I will look for a cake recipe and see stringy spinach AND kale in it...to "make it healthy!!" All this to say that if I need the assistance of a recipe, I sure ain't gonna get anything edible from the past 15+ years.  I have all the cookbooks I was given from the time I was married at 17 years of age. Amy Vanderbilt, The Random House Treasury of cooking.  Several others, including Good Housekeeping. No "sneaking" fish eyes and scales into the icing on your cake (kidding, I hope) for your dietary good.  No strings of boiled, steamed or raw kale draped and cooked into your broiled chicken.  All the "milks" out there .  The day I use any oat "milk" soy "milk" & you name it "milk" hasn't had the sun rise on it yet. 

I have gone over every recipe I see hoping for something edible in all the magazines I have and will read.  Something in the  ingredients never fail to make me reject it.  If I am in need of direction I will go to one of my many cookbooks.  Back before the mania for adding "things that are good for you" regardless of into what!  

Ah, that felt good.  Now.  On to other things.  I am a sky maven and take many photos of it.  This was here at my house.  No spinach or Kale involved.  😆

Mackerel Sky

Soon wet or dry.

Time Really Does March On! Like it or Not.

 Here I am! Just scarfed down a peanut butter and sweet pickle sandwich.  Want one?  Still have plenty of both.  Waiting on laundry to get dry.  Then have to fold and put away.  Wish I had someone else to do that part. 

Angel Katie told all about my Chicken and Cat wrangling for about a month for the one and just 4 days for the other(hens).  Both are done.  I don't anticipate the cats needing to be sat for any longer.  I hope they don't ask me to Hen sit.  The effort just to turn the faucet on to give them fresh water and  so I could clean their watering can was almost more than my wrists could take.  Took a long time to do each of the two things.  But they were sweet and I enjoyed them very much.  The cats were used to me and started coming out when they heard me at the door.  

LOVED this. Charlie Leghorn was the first to make a 7 yr. old..me..laugh so much people turned and looked at me.

One of my sons from NC came over the Mountains to stay with me here from Thursday night till Sunday morning.  I loved every minute.  If you-know-who was here, she would have loved it too.  Took him out to eat on my birthday after going to Costco.  It was the next day that we had dinner and presents at another son's home.  That was because birthday was on Friday and N. still had to work. So Saturday it was.  

Aster.  Sept. birth flower.  Taken at the Arboretum.

The guy who did some work for me left unfinished work, made two appointments after not showing for others he made, and today, canceled again.  He does have bad family problems.   He is permanently out of my contacts now and I need to find another. The money he has for three things he needs to do can be his tip (which I don't do for expensive "handy" help.  They charge enough!) 

I am still trying to get used to sleeping by myself.  I think I never will.  I would rather have a warm fur baby who tucked herself under my chin.  Then changed  position to into my neck, head first.   

Had my yearly Lab tests and the results visit a few days ago.  Tests were all well. Humana is raising their prices this tie around.  And changing tiers of drugs.  And imposing a co-pay.   And raising drug prices. Makes a fella think. Charge requires one to remember: A lot depends of who takes what re: insurance and Doctor.  

Time Marches On. (where did we always see or hear that growing up?)

 Here I am, car-less.  I really really don't like that.  But at least I don't have tp worry about getting Katie to the Vet in a hurry.  I'll get it back Wednesday afternoon.  The two friends I always ask in the rare times I am carless or such, are both sick!  So I see there is no such thing as a taxi any longer...can't depend on that to get me to the body shop.  Just about 4 miles away.  Not walking.  Believe me.  Uber I think must cost an arm and both legs, an extremely generous tip I guess from all I have read...and the entire idea makes me just say NO.  I never ask for help hardly ever so I don't have a list of people in that regard to turn to.  Both family members are working...so...that's out.  Small town so no busses, etc. May have to resort to Next Door and hope no murderer comes calling.  'Course, I could do pretty well if there was one, but I would hope not.  Don't want to mess up my hair.  

I just can't stand it that I can't go out and get anything.  I need 2 measly nails!  Tough bananas I guess.  Have to wait till Wednesday afternoon to try and buy some. 

Katie said on her blog about me being waked in the middle of the night and getting my heart jump started because I heard not just one, but TWO "meows" close together. sounding loud enough to be in my bedroom.  The first meow woke me,  made my heart like a trip hammer for a minute...the second one happened right after that while my eyes were staring into the dark wondering and wishing and thinking how silly.  

Maybe one was summoning me.  

Going to get all three bedroom doors painted tomorrow--- and new door knobs on all three.  Kids ruined everything I have regarding doorknobs.  Have some of them there purty switch plates to go over the light switch toggles.  Moving along.

Want to take me to the body shop?  About 2 on Wednesday.  I live right here.  Expect you about that time.  

Jiminey Crickets

 Well, I took the car to have it assessed a while ago.  And for Pete sake, I kept calling it the fender when in reality it is the bumper.  I need to turn my eyes (and mind) in for new ones.  

Found the clip, at least one is broken off and several were out there to assess it.  However, the OTHER side is also coming loose.  I didn't see that as it must have happened very recently.  The first assessor said that it may be the place that did the repair the first time, not having placed the new bumper correctly. They said they have had to re-do several cars from them.  I will know later when I get the car back.  It will be gone 3 days.  I bought a new halogen bulb for the "fog lamps" or parking lights as well as on the drivers side, it looks yellowish...it must me incandescent or something even cheaper! (candle lit on demand?) They said they would change the bulb at no charge since the bumper will be off anyway. 

Looks like my insurer sent me to the right place.  The estimate is very do-able.  Oh, it isn't cheap but it is very very reasonable.  I won't have to be concerned about taking my baby to the Vet because of illness during that time.  Haven't talked to her yet today except Good morning.  

If anyone is making a cake..I'll have a piece.  I sure want some.  I made a cake for my dil's birthday on 27 July.  Highest one I ever turned out AND!  The icing was so good that is all anyone talked about.  And I spread it thick too.  In between layers as well as sides and top.  Mouf is waterin'. I whipped the butter...unsalted I will add.  YUM.

The Days After

 Each day is born anew with me waking..saying "Good Morning" knowing full well Katie isn't here to come running and get kissed into oblivion just about.  I will ask her to join me when I am ready to slip into bed.  But in the morning she is greeted.  I said I was home when I returned today to the house.  

I habitually look in corners, favorite sleeping places and watch out when walking or stepping backward. AND as I already mentioned in her blog, I was reading a few nights ago before bed and I felt her brush against my calf as I read.  I lowered the book and expected to see her...waiting to come up onto my lap and one loved on.  She wasn't there; but I will go to my grave telling you that it felt like the old familiar brush of fur as she walked past to stand on the left side of the chair..to jump up. 

I miss holding her...the silky shining furs.  The purrs.  But right now, I will honor her.  Having another kitty requires a lot of thought to cover all the bases such a thing would require.  Not yet.  Not yet.  Fostering is a possibility.  But not now.  

Took this last Fall.  Soon to see it again.  Clinch River, here. 

Let me tell you about a body shop here in town. 2 1/2 years ago, because I could find no reason for a car body problem, I took it upon myself to just pay to have the fender fixed.  It sagged down on the passenger front side.  There was a good 2 inch gap formed.  It looked as though it would drop off. I went to a shop..had it done at my expense back then (true, absolutely that I had not any idea why that happened and wasn't aware of it till a man acquaintance pointed it out.   After over a week got car back.  Looked OK.  Fast forward to now. I saw that the same fender was sagging again.  I took it to the same body shop and they said their guarantee did not apply to me.  That I had surely hit something and he said he felt damage. ????????? and that even the paint was crazed.  Um, no.  He called me a liar.  I left saying noting.  But went my insurance guy today to ask his recommendation.  (and enjoy looking at him.  Ooo la la.)  He said they NEVER send any of us to that place for similar reasons and poor work. He is sending me knowing I am paying, not them, to another one he said he will call today saying I will be there tomorrow.  Wish me luck and hope they like red hair! 

Here's 1 of several pics I just took.

Debris from thunderstorm and heavy winds yesterday

Oh MY! What a Joy to Get!

 Look!  Barb from the Cat Blogosphere sent this a little while ago of the three Musketeers; Nelly Belly on the left, Katie Isabella and Admiral on the right.   They are having high tea at the Bridge.  As Angel Katie said a few minutes ago on her own blog, they're gossiping about their mancats of old.  Aside from the newest things going on around the flowering fields. 

Three beautiful girls...always and forever. 

See how beautiful our Land is?

My Darling baby

Kathryn Isabella    August 8, 2026

My life will never be the same.  A bond that enveloped both of us completely has been severed.  I stayed right there holding her headie and laid my face next to hers.  It will never be the same here for me.  As it is  for me without my oldest who passed a few years ago.  Not sure how.

Oh, how can I bear it. 

From Ann..