A Flag

A few weeks ago my baby brother gave me a flag.  He said I should have it.  I said “yuck it has a snake on it”… of course Far Guy knew all about the flag.
I decided to put it up for a short time before Christmas takes over.

The Gadsden Flag.  Designed by Christopher Gadsden during the American Revolution.  It was considered the first flag of The United States and was replaced later by the stars and stripes.   The Gadsden flag symbolizes patriotism and the right to our personal freedoms.

Have you heard the big Minnesota news?  One of our Senators resigned yesterday…poor Al…got caught by his bad actions.  He was elected by the voters in “the cities” and never really represented outstate Minnesota…or Veterans.  The Veterans part is what made me unhappy, he ignored questions from Far Guy.   Don’t let the door hit you in the butt Al.  So long.

I recall when I was in first, second and third grade…my teachers all had one thing in common…they would say “Keep your hands to yourself.”   Seems to me maybe teachers and parents are not teaching that so much anymore.

I cannot imagine anyone being silent about any kind of harrasment for 20 plus years…yet it seems to have happened to many women.  I tried to remember back 20 years ago…I had to go back 40 years before I could come up with one situation where I just laughed out loud at the person and said “You have got to be kidding.”

I have just about had it with the Me Too crap.  Stick up for yourself when something makes you uncomfortable…get a backbone…jeeze louise don’t wait 20 years.

Simple Ways

A long time ago when I was a child seeing a field like this was normal.  Now when I see one it is special.

Shocks of grain in a field near my maternal Grandparents old farm.

Everyone rests on Sunday, except of course the horse.  You have to stop and think that perhaps this mode of transportation has it’s merits..no gasoline is involved.  The only emissions are of the solid or liquid variety of fertilizer quality. Nothing is imported or refined.  No wars are fought over hay or oats.  There are no middle men or CEO’s that are going to profit and retire with millions here.

Sometimes a simpler life is appealing to me, I like horses and would love to go to town in a carriage..of course it would take all day..so I wouldn’t have time to cook, clean, bake bread or hand wash my laundry. Once I got to town I would just guard the carriage since I don’t like to shop.  

Have you ever seen  any Amish in the nursing home?  Do their people work so hard that they escape the “home”..or do they surround their elderly with love and care everyday until their last day on earth arrives? 

I would like to take bits and pieces of this lifestyle..the horses and carriages..the feeling of family that surrounds you unconditionally with love and support even when you get old. Do I want to hand wash clothing and wear dresses everyday..and a hat..and look down a lot..and never have an opinion of my own..probably not:) 

Who Me?

Now for a WHO ME?  Somehow I got roped into making the coleslaw for a fundraiser dinner for the All School Reunion.  I distinctly recall being at a meeting..and said quote " If you are having coleslaw make sure you recruit someone that knows how to make it..so that it is edible. "  I absolutely hate coleslaw that is a mess of watery crap that puddles all over your plate.  So much for my opinionated opinion. There was no waving of my arms hollering "Pick me, Pick me, I am a master chef and my coleslaw is to die for."  I DID NOT volunteer..something got lost in translation..yet I am making it and taking photographs..I know I didn't volunteer for that one either. I must learn that when I follow Far Guy to these meetings just to keep him company ..that I should keep my big mouth shut, and occasionally leave my camera at home. I was informed of this coleslaw situation by Lefty last Sunday, he said he looked back in the minutes and Yup sure enough my name was next to coleslaw. And maybe it was ..as a contact person..not as the preparing person, or maybe as a person with an opinion..not even these idiots would want  a person with zero cooking ability in charge of their coleslaw..would they?    Luckily I placed a phone call to my Mother for her recipe (Coleslaw for 300) and a plan of attack was formed. There is "No cooking" involved with coleslaw..only mixing..I thought there might be lots of chopping..but the gal that ordered the food ordered shredded cabbage..yeah!  My Mother says it will be a piece of cake..and she is meeting me to give me final instructions and to oversee the slaw.  She is famous for her coleslaw, it is one of her specialties..so I will be saved this time. 

I hope they have a good turn out, it is at the Legion..they will have some of their buttons for sale and some of their over priced t shirts etc.. get this ..they are selling a whole line of t shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, caps etc.. and the Reunion Committee gets a dollar an item as a kick back. This way they get out of ordering 100's of shirts..and investing lots of money..but still a dollar an item? They have a reunion web site, I went there to check on the items for sale..they had two different prices..one price on the order form and a totally different price in the photo list..duh...no one proof read it? I sent off an email pointing out their erors ..the idiots.

At least the weather will be cooperative. It has been a really nice week. Not that I have been out and about very much..my toothache is subsiding..and the huge pocket of puss has been reduced to a pea sized problem.  The pain is tolerable now, at least it is not going kerthunk..kerthunk along with my heartbeat.  I no longer have the chills and today I will put real clothing on ..because they would probably frown upon me showing up to make coleslaw in my jammies.  Not that it would bother me..but poor Far Guy would probably be embarrassed.  And people would talk.. well they would talk more..I have a pretty good inkling that some people in town might actually call me  "a character".  Far Guy says I should not give them any more ammunition ..so I will conform to societies expectations once again. :)  

Christmas Shopping

I dislike shopping. Shopping for Christmas gifts is not real high on my priority list. I believe it to be a myth perpetuated by shop keepers and ad agencies, we are all sucked into their shopping vortex. Some are sucked in so hard and trampled on by so many sometimes they die. Shopping can kill you.

Just because some wise men from the east brought some gifts to a special baby in a manger, does not mean we should be assaulted with Christmas Carols and Christmas Shopping way before Halloween. How and why did Christmas become something I believe it is not? Christmas has become a shopping nightmare. Some stores invite you to Christmas in July. That is just SICK. I would like to forget Christmas shopping all together. Does that mean I would forget Christmas? NO, I would just like it to mean something again, on a non shopping level. I yearn so for the simpler times...perhaps with the recession now a certainty (for the past year) and a depression on the horizon more people will "GET IT." Some will be forced too get it and realize a pair of socks under the tree or something homemade or handmade and from the heart is the real treasure, that and the Christmas Story read out loud from the Bible. ( end of sermon.)

I guess I should take a class in shopping, like remedial shopping, or maybe shopping for dummies. I am a female, shouldn't I have been born with some type of shopping gene? Or am I deficient in some type of hormone? What is wrong with me?

Believe you me, I have pondered this for years. If I could find all of the Christmas gifts I am required to purchase in a Bookstore, Antique Shop, Auction Sale or the local Thrift Shop or even a Garage Sale..I would be the best shopper around. When I realized this, I realized it is not me that has the problem..but the gifted, you know the people who get the gifts. The gift I choose that will say I love you, you are special misses something in translation. I am a failure, I always get the wrong gift in the wrong size, wrong kind, wrong color..wrong, wrong, wrong..like a big old buzzer going off in my head. Then one day I just said to myself "Self, this is madness, stop the shopping cart."I also told Far Guy if he wanted to shop he could, far be it from me to hold anyone back from shopping. I did assist him for a few years until he finally saw the light, and it was a blue light special.

CASH! In a Card! Low and behold, it might not always be the right size, but after Christmas you can buy twice as much with your cash. I do buy a few gift certificates at local restaurants. I do not purchase gift cards. I will shop for Far Guys gift online, I know exactly what I want him to want ..he has not mentioned it for years..but I just know if I can find it..he will declare me the best shopper ever! Chance will probably join right in, cause he is easily bought with a few yummy treats:)

All About The Stuffing

How do you make your stuffing? Do you dry your own homemade bread for the stuffing? Do you buy it in a bag? Heavens to Betsy..you don't use the kind in a red box ..do you?

Personally I want some of my Grandmother D's stuffing. I think hers was the best I have ever tasted. It had apples and raisins. It was moist, never dry, and never cooked to the sides of the roaster. Oh come on..you know the kind I am talking about..the stuffing that was in the oven for too long or the oven was too warm. It coats the inside of the roasting pan in a layer so thick it has to be soaked for a day or two. Then you think..hey I should have spayed that pan with something..it is always too late by the time I remember that too.

Sometime along the way, Far Guy got put in charge of the stuffing. He doesn't put in any raisins or apples. He cooks up the giblets and uses them in the stuffing. He chops them up really fine, so unless you know they are there, you hardly realize it. All these years he has been sneaking some liver into our diets.

I remember one Thanksgiving, he and Dick (Son in Law) were in charge of dinner. Dick has what I call a highly tuned gag/vomit reflex..he gags very easily..one hand into that stuffing mixture and he was a goner. Far Guy thought it was pretty cool, and pushed both of Dick's hands into the stuffing. Dick came running out of the kitchen calling Far Guy a sick pervert. Far Guy went on to explain that only sissy's mix stuffing with a spoon. They are not very compatible in a kitchen.

I have had corn bread stuffing when we lived in Florida, it is OK. I have had wild rice stuffing here in Minnesota, it is OK. I have had stuffing in a fancy restaurant, theirs was pathetic. I told them to tell the Chef that the stuffing sucked, but I was glad they used real potatoes instead of the kind out of a box. I like to often temper my negative comments with something positive. No one should ever ask me how was your meal?..how is everything tasting?..did you enjoy your meal? Far Guy will sometimes request my silence.."Please don't say anything bad." OR "Could you hold onto your opinion until we are in the car?" I could..but WILL I? Sometimes I am greatly challenged to walk out of some place knowing that I was served inferior food, and when asked for my opinion I bit my tongue so Far Guy could feel more comfortable for the rest of the day. What about me? I swear once we reach the car, he goes into an ignore mode anyway, that meal is behind him and he is just worried about the next one.

Stuffing..everyone has their favorites..care to share yours?:)