Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Mrs. Murders
Have you ever heard of Mrs. Murders? She is written about on page 26 of "The Longhorn Feud" by Max Brand.
Mrs. Murders is a spider that lived in a house in the Old West. Wait. This sounds familiar.
What ever happened to my spider? Didn't he get stepped on? Well, that's what I thought. I thought that for a few days. All the way up to one special spidery day.
About a week ago now I walked into the bedroom and there on a roll of paper towels that I had left on the bed was my spider. This is a giant wolf spider. It seemed almost as large as the roll of paper towels.
This spider likes cushy things. Piles of laundry. My bed. Rolls of paper towels. "Oh nice!" he thinks. He sat there in his glory while pandemonium broke out. What could he have imagined my reaction would be? Southern hospitality?
I gingerly picked up the roll of paper towels and moved it ever so slowly while he just continued to sit there. Then I threw it on the floor. Smart. I thought I had killed him this time. He hurried out from under the paper towels and sat there for a moment looking at me. "What was that about?" he asked.
There was an empty box nearby. And why was there an empty box. Why hadn't I thrown that away? I don't know. He moved in there. Sometimes I have seen him come out for a moment, but he's begun to doubt our friendship and runs back to his safe little box. I can't remove the box because there's a spider in it.
I have been plotting against him. He senses this. I am going to get my grabby snatcher and pick up the box with it. Then I'm going to put the box in the yard. End of problem.
What amazes me about this whole situation is that Mr. Murders seems to not only think but remember things and learn things. He leapt to the conclusion at some point that we were friends. As he supposed our relationship progressed he moved onto the bed. This was his home! Now he's not so sure. OK. He stays off the bed. For now. His swagger around me is not as obvious. These crazy things think thoughts. I've trained him.
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Advice to Vegans
Many try to win converts to Veganism. They use a variety of ploys. They claim it's healthier. This is not actually backed up by studies, even though most people think it is, because the vegan diet, or "plant based" diet is juxtaposed in every study with the Standard American Diet (SAD). The SAD is not the Atkins diet or the ketogenic diet or the carnivore diet or the Mediterranean diet. And yet these studies are cited as proof that eating meat and saturated fat causes heart disease. How do I know this? I've read at least a hundred of them, having stayed in a famous vegan center in California for a month and feasted on their library of studies. They had them all. None of them compared "plant based" to anything other than SAD. I think you could live on popcorn and be healthier than the Standard American Diet, but not due to the saturated fat and/or meat. Due to the sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour, and hydrogenated oil. So over and over it was only proven that SAD BAD.
Suppose the health argument fails? It was at this center that I first heard people called "meat eaters." Some of these dear souls believed it to be immoral to eat meat. They made the vegan diet into a religion.
One additional note about the vegan diet. In my stay at Veganland I was surprised to see that while sprouts are eaten, they are not a main dish. Eat your sprouts! They should get a lot more attention.
Let's cut to the chase. What's fundamentally flawed in the vegan approach? Well, it tends to be negative, a kind of us against them mentality. Why would anyone want to get mixed up in that?
The cure? The vegans need great music to float their ideas. Beautiful lyrics set to music, sung by choirs of angels, accompanied by full orchestras. And it wouldn't hurt to do a music video with the beautiful people.
Monday, August 29, 2022
Lyrics to I'm Bound For the Promised Land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvwQ2pk-qH8&t=7s
On Jordan's stormy banks I stand
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land
Where my possessions lie.
I'm bound for the Promised Land
I'm bound for the Promised Land.
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I'm bound for the Promised Land.
Over all those wide, extended plains
Shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns
And scatter Night away.
No chilling winds, nor poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore,
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death
Are feared and felt no more.
When shall I reach that happy place,
And be forever blest?
When shall I see my Father's face,
And in His bosom rest?
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Friday, August 26, 2022
Hoodie Man
The song "I Go To Pieces" reminds me of my husband's death. Like the verse, "I go to places we used to go, but I know that he'll never show." I did that. I used to go to a liquor store, buy vodka, pour it in a water bottle, and sit on a bench behind a Catholic Church. It was on a mountain, and I liked to look down on the scene below me and say the Lord's Prayer. This was wine country and there were pretty vineyards. Then I would take a long gulp of vodka for fortification. Was I really abandoned? I would think to myself. It looked that way. I sometimes visited the church and prayed in there too. Sometimes I even played the piano. Once I lit a candle and noticed the holy water. I decided I needed that, so I got a water bottle and filled it with holy water and took it home. I put it in the refrigerator and drank some of it sometimes. Another time I was parked on the other side of the church and happened to think of watering the rose bushes. There was a woman there that I hadn't noticed who saw my concern for the roses, and came over and befriended me. She led me on a tour of the church, told me a little history, and invited me up to the altar to pray, and went so far as to suggest that we kneel. It was a nice visit.
I dealt with the void by memorizing Scripture. It actually made me feel safer. The level of depression was frightening. What was causing it? I decided it must be Satan messing with me. He couldn't penetrate my mind when I was focused on Scripture, I felt. That actually worked.
The first place I started to memorize was the Book of Revelation. I spent a lot of time on this and after a few months I had memorized the entire book. During that time I refused to allow my mind to wander. I wanted to memorize Revelation because, having heard so many bizarre things about what was said, I endeavored to find out for myself. It's an involved book, and most of the time when people talk about it they mix in a lot of other prophesies, especially from Daniel, as if they're all in the Book of Revelation. This confuses the picture.
Then I moved on to Psalm 119, which is a favorite portion to memorize at church groups. It is 176 verses. I liked to sit on the back porch in my rocking chair and recite the entire psalm aloud, once I had memorized it. One nice fall day I was reciting the verses aloud when I was startled to realize there was a man standing in front of me. How long had he been there? I wondered. He stood about ten feet away, and must have heard me talking. Why was he there? Why hadn't he spoken to me? Why was his hoodie up? It was a warm day. He seemed to be trying to hide his identity.
The man was turned to the side and with the hood up, I couldn't see his face at all, or any part of him not covered by clothing, except his hands. He stood completely still for a minute or two, and we seemed to be at some impasse, since I didn't know what to do. I was unnerved enough that I was reluctant to approach him or speak to him. So I sat and stared at him, and he stood completely still for what seemed like a long time. Where had he come from?
Then eventually he began to walk away ever so slowly, as if he thought that if he moved slowly enough I might not notice him. Oh I noticed. OK, I made up my mind I was going to get to the bottom of this, and walked to where he had been standing to see where he went. He walked so strangely, as if he were floating. No fallen leaves crunched under his feet. He eventually got about twenty five feet away, and as I scrutinized him, I noticed that he was becoming less distinct and blurry. And in fact, he vanished, just like that. I was vexed about this and saw that he had made a clean getaway in spite of my best efforts. I puzzled over his escape. Vanishing? He just fizzled. Was he a ghost? What just happened?
There is just no good explanation for this. File it under mystery. I like to think Jim finally showed up.
Thursday, August 25, 2022
Sunday, August 21, 2022
Saturday, August 20, 2022
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Monday, August 15, 2022
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Friday, August 12, 2022
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Suzy Homemaker
I received an oven like this for Christmas when I was eight. At first I wasn't very impressed with it. It was a little pink box. But as time went by I examined it more closely. It had little pans and little packages of recipes. Hmmm. It said cookies on the packages. Wait. Cookies?
For as long as the cookie packages held out, I came home from school every day and made a recipe of cookies. It was just incredible. The little oven turned on and made cookies like magic.
One day I ran out of packages of cookies, and I thought it was all over with my oven. I couldn't make anymore cookies. So I didn't play with it anymore. Since I seemed to have lost interest in it, my parents threw it away.
As time went by there was outrage among many that little girls were being encouraged to be homemakers. This must never be I guess. Little girls should grow up and be farmers or something. I had a good time with my little oven anyway.
I Made the Chicken Salad
A couple of days ago I roasted several chicken thighs. I didn't eat them all, so I had five left and decided to make chicken salad. Usually I make chicken salad with canned chicken, mostly because it's handy to have canned chicken in the pantry, and what else can you do with it? But this time, actually for the first time, I used chicken that I cooked myself and chopped up.
I took the meat off the bones, and tore it up, but with the canned chicken I always use the immersion blender on it to flake it up, so I did this chicken the same way. That's definitely not the Youtube way. I put mayo in it, and some salt and pepper, then began flaking it all together with the immersion blender. This worked well, in my opinion. I usually put hardboiled egg in chicken or tuna salad also, but not this time.
I thought about putting the salad on a croissant, but I decided to just have chicken salad for dinner, and then chicken salad sandwich tomorrow.
I have been thinking of making buffalo chicken dip, and looking at the videos on it, it looks like you could use chicken that had been made already into chicken salad, since the ingredients are the same, except there are several additional ingredients.
That was Thursday in Paradise.
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Eggy Paradise
https://www.jonesdairyfarm.com/brinner/how-tos/cook-eggs
6 Ways to Cook Eggs
We love adding eggs to every meal of the day. Whether they’re sunny side up with bacon and toast, or over easy in a big bowl of ramen, you can’t go wrong. For a quick cheat sheet on how to cook eggs, turn to our ultimate egg preparation guide the next time you’re in the kitchen.
Cookware: Pot
Preperation: Cover eggs with cold water, bring to boil, cover, shut off heat and let sit for 2-8 minutes. Crack off the end, and scoop out the inside with a spoon.
Try it in a recipe!
Sweet Potato Fritter Breakfast SandwichesCookware: Pot
Preperation: Cover eggs with cold water, bring to boil, cover, shut off heat and let sit for 2-8 minutes. Crack off the end, and scoop out the inside with a spoon.
Try it in a recipe!
Bacon & Egg Salad Breakfast Sandwich
Cookware: Sauté Pan
Preperation: Add a splash of vinegar to enough simmering water to cover an egg. Crack an egg and gently slide it into the water. Cook until the whites set up, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
Try it in a recipe!
Sausage and Avocado Benedict with White Cheddar Hollandaise Canadian Bacon Breakfast TostadaCookware: Skillet
Preperation: Crack into butter over medium heat, covering once the whites turn opaque. Cook for 4 more minutes.
Try it in a recipe!
Croque Madame with Canadian Bacon Double Stuffed Breakfast Potatoes Cheddar Sausage Cornmeal Waffles
Cookware: Skillet
Preperation: Crack eggs into butter over medium heat, flip over once the whites turn opaque and cook for 1 more minute.
Try it in a recipe!
Bacon and Egg Breakfast Ramen British Breakfast Bacon BurgerCookware: Nonstick Skillet
Preperation: Crack an egg, whisk with salt, then cook in melted butter, stirring slowly to make large fluffy curds.
Try it in a recipe!
Southwest Breakfast Nachos Breakfast Baked Potatoes Ham and Sausage Breakfast StromboliMonday, August 8, 2022
Friday, August 5, 2022
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Why Are Deviled Eggs Devilly?
Why are deviled eggs devilly? No horns. No pitchforks. They don't seem evil at all. I've heard it's because they are spiced, and spicy somehow made a leap to devilly in the language.
Well, around here there are a lot of deviled eggs. There are a thousand reasons why, number one being they taste yummy. Eggs are the best protein source there is and the cheapest. They actually last a long time just sitting on the counter. And it's so nice to have deviled eggs in the refrigerator whenever you need something to eat.
It all started a long time ago. Sometimes there were pot luck dinners at church. In order to do my part, I almost always made deviled eggs, since they were well liked and inexpensive. I thought sometimes that there would be leftovers, and I would enjoy them later myself, but there never ever were. There were never even any left by the time I got to the table. So they were a hit. So many people bring pies and cakes, but a lot of people avoid sugary foods. Rejoice! Someone brought a healthy, yummy treat.
Then one day for Christmas, Mr. Sunshine gave me a beautiful tray to hold deviled eggs in the refrigerator.
And the rest is history.
Joe Biden Makes Appearance
Yesterday the President gave a speech for the first time in a few days to announce the death by drone attack of our nemesis Iman Al-Zawiri. I was convinced that the President had really appeared because this was breaking news, something like holding up today's newspaper. This cheered me to see, as I was actually becoming concerned. It was also made me glad to see him looking like our leader, and appearing to be successful.
Monday, August 1, 2022
Where is Joe Biden?
I'm having a hard time finding a video of the President from today. Usually there is something. It interests me to see what he's up to. Any new gaffes?
The last video was disturbing. It looked like deepfake, because his eyes never blinked. Then there was a hashed together video of a bunch of edited clips of him before that. Weird.
What's going on?