Coffee Chat Time

Well Hello!  It's been a little while
hasn't it?  Can't help it, not one bit.  John's had vacation and this past week has been very busy.  We've a few  more days to enjoy but he'll be back at work before this week is over.  I don't know quite what I shall do with my two or three days alone before he's home once more for his regular 7 days off, lol.

I do have cookies but think twice before accepting one won't you?  I'm afraid they are not...quite what they were meant to be.  And do you know, even though I made a mistake in the mixing, I've though and thought that recipe over and there's doubt that it should turn out well a second time following the directions to a tee though I do mean to try sometime when I've more baking products on hand than I've got at present.  It's supposed to be a Blondie type cookie bar.  My fault that it turned out chocolate as I meant to add in chocolate chips as an added something.  And I didn't let the stuff cool as I ought to have so the chocolate melted.  Yes, I will try this again another time and see if it doesn't turn out differently.  I did note that the brown sugar called for was just a measurement and not 'packed' which I thought was standard for brown sugar but wondered if I was wrong?  Anyone want to hazard a comment on that?  I'll no doubt be making another treat this week and soon, because John and I both are utterly ignoring those cookie bars.  I'll use them for crumb crusts or layering in a trifle or some such thing.

My stumbling block at present is that the cookie recipes I most want to make call for nuts.  I don't believe we'll get pecans this year which will make two years in a row without.  I had a good stock of nuts in the freezer but I'm out of pecans, out of walnuts, low on almonds and have only a few pistachios.  Walnuts have been high of late and we're already warned that pecans and peanuts shall be more than in years past.  Oh and peanut butter is to go up.  Speaking of which, I noted the last jars I bought were now 12 ounces, which is a 5 ounce difference in size and no drop in price at that time either.  Sigh.  They do get you one way and another don't they, these manufacturers?



I've been thinking about Christmas gifts lately.  Seems to come around in my thinking about this time every single year.  I have NOTHING, zip, nada, for anyone at all.  And hardly a clue what I shall get anyone.  Mama has requested a robe.  I've an idea of a handmade item for my brother.  The only person I have any ideas for is John.  And one of those items, which we discussed yesterday afternoon, was getting a different package from our Satellite company that includes local channels.  I offered to pay the difference in cost for a year's package.  John wants to see football and currently he gets one channel on Monday nights with a game.

Today while I was clipping coupons, I came across an ad for the satellite company and figured with the toll-free number before me I might just go ahead and order it, as I'd promised John I would.  Since what he wants to see  is football it did seem relevant to get the service before the end of December when the season is practically over.

Called up and talked to a very cheerful young woman who spoke clearly.  Gracious but I've had my share of mumblers of late who do NOT wish to speak up even when you tell them you are a little hard of hearing.  Anyway, the cheerful young woman noted how long we'd have service with this company (almost the entire time we've lived here) and congratulated me on that fact.  Then told me that due to our long relationship with the company we qualified for a free 3 month trial of the Sports channels, a complimentary Showtime enrollment and a $5 credit for 12 months!  The package we ordered was only $3.50 more per month and here we were going to see our bill DROP by $1.50 more a month while we get more channels.  That was pretty cool in my opinion but I was even more pleased when she told me we'd have upgraded equipment installed on Friday at no extra charge at all.  Wow...I don't think this could have been any better do you?  I do have to call and cancel the Sports package coverage at the end of the three months or we'll pay extra for that but I've already noted the date and will be certain to call.

That John, lol!  When I told him all the good news he looked at me and then said "Well...since that is FREE now what will you do for my Christmas?" lol  I'll come up with something.

Looking ahead into November I found myself getting just a bit stressed.  November is a busy month already.  I made out my list of planned home projects, have already made out my goals for the month as well.  We've planned a cookout for the first weekend of November, Thanksgiving is upcoming, this is the month I begin my annual review of the year past and plan for the year ahead,  Christmas shopping must be started, holiday meals planned and shopped for, seasonal decorating started and all of that on top of the routine days!  But then I reminded myself this is only two months of the year.  These next two months area what makes January such a welcome month.

I do have a few ideas for my Thanksgiving table this year.  I'd like to go to the fabric store and find some pretty fabric with a little orange touch here and there.  But I was thinking this year, to use pale blue, brown and orange and cream on the table.  I have a picture in my mind.  It's finding the fabric in the store to match my imagination, lol.  I've had trouble of that sort plenty of times before.  I also have an idea for the Christmas table...and nope, I don't have all I need to manage that either.  It will be a month of quests ahead of me!

My little garden is coming right along.  The peas are now about 5 inches tall.  I am entranced, I am truly.  They have the tiniest tendrils, the sweetest little half round shaped leaves.  I harvested a second bit of lettuce on Saturday but am thinking I shall have to move the lettuce pot to an area with a little more sun.  However, the second crop of lettuce is coming on rather well, the cilantro is getting taller by the day and the first crop of lettuce continues to do well.  The beets are coming along okay despite their soggy week.  The radishes are getting bigger and I've just discovered that I can eat the greens, too,  either fresh or cooked.  I couldn't bear to wait any longer on Thursday and pulled two of the radishes, barely size of marbles and the loveliest red.  Boy did they 'bite' though!  Quite hot for something so little yet.  And the carrots are tiny tiny little wisps in the pot.  I don't know that they will do a thing really but I'm pleased to see them try.

I am really amazed at myself.  For years and years on end I've wanted to garden and here I am nearing the end of October in a year and finding myself with a few little pots of edible plants and plants and flowers galore.This is just the first step in my gardening dreams.  I have bigger dreams but I've had those for years upon end and this year I realized that I should deeply regret if I didn't start where I was instead of waiting until I could 'afford' a real garden.  I mean to be more ambitious with this.  I don't much like the feel of soil on my hands but I do truly enjoy seeing blooms, harvesting the fruit of time spent depositing a seed into the dirt and watering it and watching for it to break through the soil as a plant.  I've been bitten by more than the heat of a homegrown radish, I think. 

It's gotten late...much later than I realized so I guess I'd better end here and shut down this computer for the evening.  Not sure just what the plans for tomorrow are at the moment but I'll either be making bread or buying some.  We've only two slices left in the house.  And John's just told me what his plans for the day will be... Just goes to show the moment I start to plan...