Saturday, January 1
Mexican Black-eyed Peas
This recipe sounded quick and easy. I haven't tried it yet but plan to do so. Also to obtain the recipe I used the snipping tool on my computer. Windows 7 and Vista have the snipping tool and it is a handy little feature to have. We looked at it in our last computer class. So the recipe you see here is not text. It is a picture of text. I wanted to see how much trouble this would give me snipping it instead of copy and paste. So you are part of an experiment. If it looks too small I am sure you can click on it to make it larger, just as you would on any other picture. Oh yes, Happy New Year!!!! I sometimes get fixated on a detail and forget the bigger picture. We attended the park party and dance last night. I did not make it to the turn over of the new year. Too much rich food and it turned me into a slumbering log. For pictures of people acting the fool go to www.magnolianews.blogspot.com. We had a really fun time and laughed a lot.
Friday, December 31
The Days are Full
And they fly by! But most everything that is keeping me occupied is what I consider fun. I know not all people do...like Butch. I don't consider golf all that much fun so I guess that makes us even.
Yesterday afternoon I had some women over to learn bracelets. To me that is fun.This morning is computer class and I consider that fun too. I think Saturday might be a free day. At least now it is.
I am still getting my two walks a day in but if I didn't make them a priority they would get brushed aside. So the walks are number one on my to-do list.
Butch is busy too. Like yesterday he played shuffleboard in the morning, cribbage in the afternoon and then he nearly always goes to the pool hall at 6 PM.
It is no wonder that we rarely venture out beyond the front gate. Oddly enough the weekends are our least busy time but every now and then one must take a deep breath, put your feet up and chill.
Direct TV guy is coming Sunday and bringing us a new dish. The one built into our coach will not let us pick up high definition or local channels and since we have been paying for those things for over two years without getting them we are a bit miffed. This time it has to be labeled our mistake. One of those costly life lessons we all get now and then.
So now I must get on with my day...computer class starts in 40 minutes!
Yesterday afternoon I had some women over to learn bracelets. To me that is fun.This morning is computer class and I consider that fun too. I think Saturday might be a free day. At least now it is.
I am still getting my two walks a day in but if I didn't make them a priority they would get brushed aside. So the walks are number one on my to-do list.
Butch is busy too. Like yesterday he played shuffleboard in the morning, cribbage in the afternoon and then he nearly always goes to the pool hall at 6 PM.
It is no wonder that we rarely venture out beyond the front gate. Oddly enough the weekends are our least busy time but every now and then one must take a deep breath, put your feet up and chill.
Direct TV guy is coming Sunday and bringing us a new dish. The one built into our coach will not let us pick up high definition or local channels and since we have been paying for those things for over two years without getting them we are a bit miffed. This time it has to be labeled our mistake. One of those costly life lessons we all get now and then.
So now I must get on with my day...computer class starts in 40 minutes!
Thursday, December 30
Unprecedented
Yesterday was one of those days that you look on as unbelievable. Numerous phone calls and requests from all directions. I have not had a day like it since I was still working. But we got through it. None of it was earth shattering by any means. It was all ordinary stuff for the most part. It just landed all at once.
There are two things that took place that people should know about.
One is Chase Bank. I am sure all banks are now doing this but we all need to know and protest the practice. We had $3500+ in a Chase bank account. The first little trick they pulled is a $30 annual fee because we had less than $10,000 with them even though they are administering a very large annuity for us. We tried to get that $30 fee reversed without any luck. So we decided to do away with the $3500 we did have with them. They charged us $75 to close this account. As you can imagine Butch was livid and has let everyone he has come in contact know what Chase bank has done. We tried to get this reversed as well but had no luck with that either. So if you have small accounts here and there you are most likely being charged an annual fee for it and if you close it out they will sock it to you again. In our mind it isn't any different from the bandito's in Mexico stopping traffic and demanding a fee to keep from getting shot. Chase is most likely only one of many banks doing this practice.
Secondly, I must have registered as being diabetic online somewhere. At any rate my name is out there. There are many companies calling diabetics and telling them they have been authorized to receive a new test meter. The first time it happened to me I thought it was a an upgrade to my meter that I started with but it wasn't. It was a completely different company. They bill Medicare for it. Then I started getting calls from them-sometimes several days in a row-asking me if I needed supplies etc. So I put my number (cell phone) on the national do not call list. It takes 31 days for it to take affect but it seemed to be working...until yesterday. I received a call and it went like this. "Am I speaking to Barbara Brooker? Ms Brooker I am calling to tell you that we have contacted your doctor, Dr Panakos, and you have been approved to receive a new test meter. It will be arriving at your home in a few days." I said, "Wait a minute, You are planning to send me a new meter?" Yes, ma'am you have been approved." "I do not care if I have been approved. You are NOT sending me anything and you had best not call me again because I will report you. I am on the Do Not Call list." " Okay ma'am we will not send the meter then." This whole thing is very tricky because they make it sound as though your doctor has been notified and said you needed this new meter and that is not the case at all. It is fraud pure and simple. I can see how people get sucked into this very easily. And if it is happening to me it is happening to many others as well. So spread the word.
It was just one of those days....
There are two things that took place that people should know about.
One is Chase Bank. I am sure all banks are now doing this but we all need to know and protest the practice. We had $3500+ in a Chase bank account. The first little trick they pulled is a $30 annual fee because we had less than $10,000 with them even though they are administering a very large annuity for us. We tried to get that $30 fee reversed without any luck. So we decided to do away with the $3500 we did have with them. They charged us $75 to close this account. As you can imagine Butch was livid and has let everyone he has come in contact know what Chase bank has done. We tried to get this reversed as well but had no luck with that either. So if you have small accounts here and there you are most likely being charged an annual fee for it and if you close it out they will sock it to you again. In our mind it isn't any different from the bandito's in Mexico stopping traffic and demanding a fee to keep from getting shot. Chase is most likely only one of many banks doing this practice.
Secondly, I must have registered as being diabetic online somewhere. At any rate my name is out there. There are many companies calling diabetics and telling them they have been authorized to receive a new test meter. The first time it happened to me I thought it was a an upgrade to my meter that I started with but it wasn't. It was a completely different company. They bill Medicare for it. Then I started getting calls from them-sometimes several days in a row-asking me if I needed supplies etc. So I put my number (cell phone) on the national do not call list. It takes 31 days for it to take affect but it seemed to be working...until yesterday. I received a call and it went like this. "Am I speaking to Barbara Brooker? Ms Brooker I am calling to tell you that we have contacted your doctor, Dr Panakos, and you have been approved to receive a new test meter. It will be arriving at your home in a few days." I said, "Wait a minute, You are planning to send me a new meter?" Yes, ma'am you have been approved." "I do not care if I have been approved. You are NOT sending me anything and you had best not call me again because I will report you. I am on the Do Not Call list." " Okay ma'am we will not send the meter then." This whole thing is very tricky because they make it sound as though your doctor has been notified and said you needed this new meter and that is not the case at all. It is fraud pure and simple. I can see how people get sucked into this very easily. And if it is happening to me it is happening to many others as well. So spread the word.
It was just one of those days....
Wednesday, December 29
Our Boone Iowa Kids
Michael and Kira
Nicole and Terry
Jason and Laura
Laura's Men- Michael, Jason and EthanI see Jason is carrying on the tradition. Everyone in the family is a "present".
Tuesday, December 28
Baby Elise's First Christmas
From Grandpa Gary:
She's a little too young to understand but hey she's still cute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
She's a little too young to understand but hey she's still cute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Monday, December 27
A wee little grumble and more
It has turned cold! It shouldn't last long but when it drops from 80 to 38 in a few hours we suffer. No, I do not expect sympathy from my northern friends and family. It is reminder enough that coming south in the winter is an excellent idea.
Marlene and Bernard ventured over from Harlingen yesterday. It is about a 20 some mile trip. Marlene's intention was to stop at the Blue Barn in Mercedes where we can usually buy greeting cards at unheard of low prices like a quarter a piece. It was closed. BUT she brought with her one of her famous homemade Lemon Meringue Pies. It is capitalized on purpose. The pie deserves special recognition as anyone who has had the privilege will tell you. The pie was followed by more cribbage playing but to be honest I was not paying enough attention to give you a tally of the results.
Sunday, December 26
Good Intentions
Sometimes I have good intentions and then it slips past me. My friend Mickey sent me this picture of her with her sister Donna and I planned to share it with you awhile back. When I download pictures from email sometimes they go one place and sometimes another. This was in another place but I ran across it today. Some of the Magnolia readers are familiar with Donna because she keeps a blog for Rio Valley Estates and there is a link to it on the Magnolia news and of course you all know Mickey and I have been friends for nigh onto forever.Ode to Butch
Butch always had a tradition of putting the bows on his head. It seems Elise plans to carry on the tradition. Much cuter on her!
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