Did you have a meal with friends and family on the holiday and miss all the turkey and dressing leftovers at your house? Or there are just the two of you and you do not want to cook a big ol' turkey for two people. I discovered an easy way to have it all. Grease the sides of your crockpot or use one of those nifty slow cooker liners ( I swear by the liners). Place a small package of dry stuffing mix in the bottom. Sprinkle with a 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth. Slice an onion and dice a celery stalk and layer on top of stuffing. Place a thawed Butterball 3 pound turkey roast (found in your grocers freezer) on top of celery and onion. Cook on low all day or high for 4-5 hours and you have the best of both worlds. A scrumptious turkey dinner for two with some for leftovers if you are moderate eaters.
Wednesday, December 28
Sunday, December 25
Christmas Day with Barb & Butch
We started our day in the usual way with an English muffin and poached egg followed by our first walk of the day.
Then I made a Pecan-crusted Spinach and Artichoke casserole for my contribution to Christmas dinner. I like to make things I wouldn't make for the two of us. Also there were plenty of things there that Butch would and did eat without my casserole.
Right after dinner twelve of us decided to play shuffleboard. The sun was beating down on the court and I would have sworn it was ninty but when I checked it was only eighty. But it was a very still day...so after shuffleboard we went for a swim to cool off. That seemed to work rather well.
This was followed by a glass of wine at Bill and Jo's. Then off for our second walk of the day. It was starting to cool off nicely by then.
All in all it was a different but very nice Christmas day
Then I made a Pecan-crusted Spinach and Artichoke casserole for my contribution to Christmas dinner. I like to make things I wouldn't make for the two of us. Also there were plenty of things there that Butch would and did eat without my casserole.
Right after dinner twelve of us decided to play shuffleboard. The sun was beating down on the court and I would have sworn it was ninty but when I checked it was only eighty. But it was a very still day...so after shuffleboard we went for a swim to cool off. That seemed to work rather well.
This was followed by a glass of wine at Bill and Jo's. Then off for our second walk of the day. It was starting to cool off nicely by then.
All in all it was a different but very nice Christmas day
Thursday, December 22
Merry Christmas
Ramblings-
I like to write now and then. Lately I have been busier than Lucy and Ethel in the candy factory and have lacked the time and inspiration but today is the day. We had a great trip to San Antonio.
Alex our tour guide did a super job and that boy knows his history. A couple of items of note that he told us is that in the US most of us think we are being flooded with illegal Mexican immigrants. He told us that only one in ten is Mexican the other nine are from Central and South America where conditions are even worse than in Mexico.
Have you seen the cars being towed as you make your way south to the Rio Grande Valley and wondered about it? I have. Sometimes you will see fifteen towed vehicles all lined up together. In the past I have called them Mexican trains being somewhat facetious but it seems I am wrong again! They are from Central America. They can come to the US and buy used and wrecked cars cheaper than in Mexico and tow them back to Central America, fix them and sell them for a nice profit. There are times when your perspective gets altered.
I picked up a pesky head cold while in San Antonio but I am now in day four and on the mend. I am feeling much better this morning. When I get a head cold I give in to it and sleep a bunch and am not active. It seems to shorten the duration...that and Zicam. Don't know about Zicam? It is an over the counter medication that promises to shorten the duration of a cold...and it does. Do a google on it if you want more info.
I have been asked what we will do Christmas day since we are far from friends and family. For one thing we have our park friends here and Butch's brother, Bill and Jo Brooker are here too. We have a dinner in the hall with all of our "new best friends". There will be about 150-200 people there. It is supposed to be warm on Christmas Day (78) so we may play shuffleboard. I have been so busy lately I would not mind just kicking back and not do anything but I doubt if Butch will let that happen! And of course we will call and chat with the kids.:-)
Granddaughter Amanda graduated summa cum laude in December from NWMS and she has a teaching contract already! She will be teaching first grade in Harrisonville MO. She is excited and we are excited for her.
I am doing a computer class in the park this year and the number of students varies each week from 6-10. It is for beginners but the old hands that come in sometimes learn a little too. We have a WiFi hotspot in the park at what is called the little hall and those with a wireless laptop can sit in comfort and do their Internet business-check email, google searches etc. on a high speed connection. It does not reach beyond the building but is nice for those who have had to go out of the park like to the library for it in the past.
Butch has hardly been home since we arrived in the valley. He is playing bridge, cribbage, poker and once in a while euchre. Also been shooting some pool and there is shuffleboard and of course golf as often as he can. In between he plays spider solitaire, freecell or mahjjong on the computer.
This past year so many of you have kept up with us on the blog that I have passed on the traditional Christmas letter. I did send one to the folks I know who are not connected to the Internet and that list is very short this year. This year Butch and I have done exactly as we had planned to do for what seemed like a very long time. We have enjoyed it thoroughly and plan to continue as long as possible. We have plans next spring to head east but those plans are not set in concrete. We will see what spring brings.
We wish all of our friends and family far and wide a very Merry Christmas and Happiest, Healthiest New Year.
Tuesday, December 20
Webshots Community - barbie1943
Webshots Community - barbie1943
There are new photos of our San Antonio trip on this website
There are new photos of our San Antonio trip on this website
Great American Cookies
Butch and I went to San Antonio to see the Christmas lights along the riverwalk, the Alamo and the Texas museum 
of 3 cultures. We had been there 16 years ago but thought it was time to see it again and it was well worth the trip. We took a bus tour with three other couples from the park. Here Butch is being bad with cookies. 
of 3 cultures. We had been there 16 years ago but thought it was time to see it again and it was well worth the trip. We took a bus tour with three other couples from the park. Here Butch is being bad with cookies. 
Thursday, December 15
My lifelong friend Mickey retired from the federal government this spring. In previous disasters she has worked for FEMA, making sure things were going as they should. This time she is in the New Orleans area working for Dewberry. I believe that is her on the right in this picture. Here is what she had to say about these 7 pictures:
"This is where they haul all the downed trees and burn them. Across the way is where all the construction material ( houses and contents) is dumped. The trucks are inspected as they drive by a tower for amount of material they are hauling. Truckers are paid by the cubic yard. Some of them are self loaders which means they have a large grapple that they pick up logs and vegetation with."
"This is where they haul all the downed trees and burn them. Across the way is where all the construction material ( houses and contents) is dumped. The trucks are inspected as they drive by a tower for amount of material they are hauling. Truckers are paid by the cubic yard. Some of them are self loaders which means they have a large grapple that they pick up logs and vegetation with."
Sunday, December 11
Saturday, December 10
Thursday, December 8
I sure can tell the weather up north is frightful. My inbox is filling up from far more people than usual. I like that!
We are in deep winter down here also. When I got up this morning the temp was 36 and is not supposed to go up all day. So we are doing winter things. I have a big pot of chili in the crockpot and we have a couple of DVD movies lined up. I passed up our morning walk but Butch is out there trudging around our usual route. He often gets sidetracked by someone along the way but I would guess that is less likely today. This cold snap is expected to last a couple of days with highs in the 70's returning on Sunday.
We are in deep winter down here also. When I got up this morning the temp was 36 and is not supposed to go up all day. So we are doing winter things. I have a big pot of chili in the crockpot and we have a couple of DVD movies lined up. I passed up our morning walk but Butch is out there trudging around our usual route. He often gets sidetracked by someone along the way but I would guess that is less likely today. This cold snap is expected to last a couple of days with highs in the 70's returning on Sunday.
Wednesday, December 7
Don't tell anyone but I let Angel out for about 15 minutes this morning and she had a real good time!
Monday, November 28
TODAY'S JOKE:
A woman's husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several
months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day. One day, he
motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he whispered eyes
full of tears, "You know what? You have been with me all through the bad
times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business
failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we
lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing,
you were still by my side. And do you know what..?" he whispered.
"What's that, dear?" she gently asked, smiling as her heart began to
fill with warmth.
"I think you're bringing me bad luck. . ."
A woman's husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several
months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day. One day, he
motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he whispered eyes
full of tears, "You know what? You have been with me all through the bad
times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business
failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we
lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing,
you were still by my side. And do you know what..?" he whispered.
"What's that, dear?" she gently asked, smiling as her heart began to
fill with warmth.
"I think you're bringing me bad luck. . ."
Friday, November 25
I know I have been remiss in posting to this site since we arrived so it is time to switch to the Magnolia news site if you want an update on the Brookers and what we are doing. I will still put the more personal stuff that pertains to us in particular on this one. Butch is on an electrical call as I am posting this and there is another guy waiting for his expert opinion when he is done. They do not kid me for a minute, Butch the electrician and his brother Bill the plumber both enjoy helping people out...as long as it is on their own terms which it definitely is since they are both retired. The electrician Butch is ready for the plumber Bill to get here however because sometimes people get them mixed up!
The first computer class took place this morning in the little hall with 9 people in attendance. I have since learned that some folks forgot all about it and plan to attend next week so it sounds like our group will grow. We plan to have lots of fun and learn a few things during our computer sessions this season.
Tuesday, November 15
Played golf today...shot a 41 on 9 holes. Not bad for the second time I have played in a very long time!!
Saturday, November 12
Simple Beginners Turkeyone 10 to 14 lb. turkey - (you may double the following ingredients if
the bird is 15 - 22 lbs)
1 large yellow onion, sliced into 6 thick slices
4 stalks of celery
1 (12 oz) can of frozen concentrated orange juice, thawed but NOT
diluted
Plain brandy (1 half full juice can = 6 oz / use the cheap stuff
- E & J / Christian Brothers, etc)
Vegetable oil (1 half full juice can
= 6 oz)
2 Tablespoons of flour
1 pop-up turkey timer or Digital Probe Themometer (I prefer the Probe)
1 Reynold's Brand (Plastic) Turkey Size Cooking bag Turkey size roasting
pan
Remove 1 of your oven racks & place the 1 rack remaining all the way to
the bottom of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Directions:
1. Dust the inside of your cooking bag with the flour & place the bag on
the roasting pan.
2. Lay the slices of onion in a single layer inside the bag, then lay
the celery stalks on top of the onion slices. (This keeps the turkey
from sticking to the bottom of the bag & adds great flavor to the
turkey)
3. Rinse your turkey well under running water & pat dry with paper
towels. (Don't forget to look in BOTH ends of your turkey & remove the
neck & the bag of giblets)
4. Poke the pop-up turkey timer into one of the turkey's breasts. (If
using the digital probe, wait to insert until you place the turkey into
the bag & insert the probe thru the bag into the breast.)
5. Place the turkey into the bag on top of the celery & onions.
6. Pour the thawed orange juice into a bowl & add the brandy & oil (use
the empty orange juice can to measure the oil by filling the can half
way up.) (Do the same with the brandy.)
7. Mix together with a whisk & pour a little of this over the top of the
turkey & the rest into the cavity of the bird.
8. Close the bag with the tie provided & poke about 6 half inch holes
into the top of the bag for ventilation.
9. Place pan into oven. (The side you put the pop-up timer in should
face the door. Or if using the Probe, set the temp-timer to 170F)
10. When pop-up timer pops up or the digital probe timer goes off remove
turkey from the oven & let it rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour in the
UNOPENED bag.
11. After 1 hour, open the bag & carve the turkey laying the slices on a
platter & drizzling them with the juice from the turkey to keep them
moist. (Keep the slices covered at all times or the slices will become
dry.)
Enjoy!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 6
Friday, November 4
We are settling in. Today I am catching up on laundry but I am taking time for a line or two. We are on Lot # 54 this year. It is shady and roomy and not very far from Bill & Jo's place. We can look out our front window and see their front door. We are much happier with this spot than the one we had last year.
Phoons from Around the World
Ray T. sent me this site and I think it is funky and fun! Phoons from Around the World
Thursday, November 3
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