Thursdays Dam Walk

After the 6 inches of rain gathered in the area, Canyon Lake has risen some.

The Dam outlet

 Can you spot the buzzards drying their wings?

 Can you spot the tree root that was cut off?

Very little soil is needed to grow plant life.

Close up of a dung beetle

Beautiful dam day. Yeah, I know...I just could not resist being a damn fool.

Best I can do

The rain has abated and in looking at the radar map we should be done with it for awhile. It is still a bit damp around the edges. The windshield is still holding droplets so it has a ways to go. I have hopes for getting a walk in today. I did get out of my pj's yesterday but only because I was cold.
 I have made a few more bracelets. I get a bit pushed from different fans of them to get them in a shop in Jefferson so if I have some stockpiled I may get that done next Spring. I am back up to speed on them and if I stick with it I can get one done in two days of free time. The current one I am working on is red and black as that happens to be Jefferson's school colors. I could call these the Fall of 14 Collection because all of these have been completed since October 1st. There was another one but it was a special order and I forgot to get a picture of it because I wanted to get it to her before we left and I did. It was similar to the one second from the top.

Rainy Day in Texas

Hmmm a rainy day in Texas...not the first we have ever experienced and perhaps not the last. They need rain in this area (San Antonio) so for the most part no one is unhappy about it. Except us. We on the other hand have "enjoyed" an abundance of rain. In the last year it seems wherever we have been it rained. Last winter in the Rio Grande Valley it was cold and it rained. All summer in Iowa it was on the cool side and it rained. They are saying it will clear up and be nice by the weekend. I hope that is true.
So now instead of it being a choice to stay indoors, read, watch movies, nap and eat it is pretty much a necessity. In years past Mr. Antsypants would have been fit to be tied but he has become a bit more restrained in his senior years. Me too for that matter. In years past the weather would affect my mood quite a bit but I have learned to let go of irritants that one can do nothing about. I have even become good at it.
It is enjoyable to have a different view from my window; different trees(live oak and ashe juniper), different squirrels(smaller), different people, different plants etc.
I think I may have witnessed a drug transaction. Too soon to say positively but it would not be the first I have seen. Spotted one once in a Whataburger in the RGV, more than one in Iowa from an unemployed neighbor that moved suddenly in the night and now one in our present location from an unemployed neighbor who does not seem to be actively seeking employment. That is always a red flag. As Dr. Phil says, " If you do not have a job, your job should become finding a job." Not seeking a job usually means you are not concerned about your next meal and most likely you have a source of income you choose not to discuss. Usually if you ask one of these well fed members of society what they do for a living they will give a well thought out but very wishy washy answer. Now that I have been alerted to a possible drug RV I will pay a bit more attention to the visitors at that location. Purely for my own entertainment. They are safe from my prying eyes.

No TV day

No TV day
We have declared a 'no TV ' day at our house. We have had a long haul of political ads and today is the culmination of them. At least we can hope. Do they really believe that the last person making their way to the polls to vote is going to be influenced at the last possible minute by a tv ad. Of course they do! They think we are all stupid judging by the ads they subject us to for months ahead of the election.
If you base your choice on the ads and emails you receive then they are right and
the millions they spend on them are worth every penny.

We went to check out our favorite grocery store. H.E.B. Not only is it our favorite store here in Texas it is our favorite store anywhere. Their prices are low, their choices are many, their store brand is often better than the name brand, their employees are helpful and friendly and their aisles are crowded. That last one is the only sour grape.

We are enjoying our down time. We had a busy summer and we know it will be busy when we reach the park so this is our mid term break so to speak. We are reading, watching movies, making bracelets. walking and pretty much doing whatever strikes our fancy. Life is good!

Sunday in the Park

Update on the dental issues. It is much better. Everything is nearly back to normal. 90% okay I would say. I had made an appointment with a semi-local dentist but will cancel it first thing in the morning and keep up with the oral hygiene plan currently being used. As an added note; when I received my dental implants 15 to 20 years ago I was told that the proper dental hygiene practice was imperative or I could lose my implant and even my lower jaw. Nothing like hearing that to keep a person on the straight and narrow. Dental care has been at the top of my list twice a day for all those years and will continue to be for the remainder of my life. Oh yes, when I heard from my dentist in Iowa he told me I was doing exactly what I should be doing. That was reassuring and as it has turned out, also correct.
Last nights park gathering was fun. I met some very nice people that I could become friends with if given the right time and enough time. There were some others too. Ones that are more interesting to watch than to listen to. (wink)
It was worth the time and effort to attend.
Today Butch and I went on a bit of an excursion. We both have missed getting enough exercise so we went to the Canyon lake dam and walked on the dam road. It is .8 mile from gate to gate so a total of 1.6 miles in all. Close enough to my usual Colleen walk to satisfy my need for exercise. The problem with the walking location is that it is about 8-10 miles from here. We do plan to make an exerted effort to get it done regardless.

Canyon Lake

The dam road-closes at sunset

The gate sentry's atop the poles.

After our walk we went to Starzville, a little town nearby and ate at the Startz restaurant. It is a landmark restaurant and also very much worth the time. Butch had the Country Breakfast-eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy. I had a Western Omelet. It came with a biscuit. The biscuits were  higher and flaky to a severe degree. If you stacked two ordinary biscuits on top of each other that is how tall one biscuit was.Wonderful biscuits! The entire meal was wonderful and we will go back again.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

I saw this recipe and it sounded good to me. Of course it did. Will I make it? Never in a hundred years. So why I spent the time to save it is beyond me. I assume there are others who do this same thing and do not know why. Surely I am not that unique. Enjoy
Barb

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• dash of ground cloves
• 1 (12-ounce) package butterscotch chips
• 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with foil.
2. Butter the foil generously and set aside.
3. Bring sugars, butter, half-and-half, pumpkin, and spices to a boil over medium to medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed 5 quart pot, stirring frequently.
4. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, to the soft ball stage using a candy thermometer.
5. Remove from heat and stir in butterscotch chips until fully melted. This takes several minutes.
6. Add the marshmallow creme and stir until blended.
7. Add the vanilla and nuts and stir until combined.
8. Pour into prepared dish and cool.
9. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Todays Photos

This is the early morning view from my sitting place in the motorhome. The sun lands on the house at the top of the canyon ridge before it lands on us. A side note is this RV went out of the park today. The fellow was the disagreeable sort and most people were happy to see him go. We have been here a week and today when he was leaving was the first time I saw two dogs that were in this RV the entire time. These dogs never set foot outside this RV for a full week and my guess is that was true for a much longer period of time. Just knowing that was enough for me to be glad he is gone.

The church that our Canyon Lake friends are associated with have a Country Bazaar every November. These are some of the tables full of bargains.

 This tree outside the church gets some added support.

The Davis Family

Joe and Emily welcomed Jorgen Matthew Davis into their family this morning (November 1, 2014) Leo and Keri have another grandson!

Fallen Leaf

Taken on a rainy day before we left jefferson

Microcosm

We are in a tiny microcosm and it is very interesting. This park is mostly made up of people you would find in a small town neighborhood. But they cannot or choose not to own a house. Some are full time Rvers such as we were for 11 years and our lifestyle could still be considered if not full time at least half time. So some here are retired, some are unemployed at least to the naked eye. I am guessing some are disabled or trying to be. And we are told one is a college student. Since he never leaves the house he must be doing online classes.And some leave every morning to go to work and come home in the evening only to do it all over again the next day , same as we all did for years. They all live in tiny houses called Rv's.  All in all it is an interesting place to observe humanity. They all seem like nice people doing what they have to do to get along. The park owner is throwing a "do" tomorrow at 4:00 for all of us to get acquainted. I can see the smarts in this. When everyone knows their neighbor it creates a bond and yes, I believe this is a good thing. You are more likely to work out a problem, if you have one ,when you know your neighbor. Are we likely to become best buds with the majority in here? Probably not but it never hurts to say hello or even help someone out if you can. In the meantime it is like having a second TV and watching all the drama and the comedy unfold around you.
Another interesting side note to this place is that we are right beside a busy highway but you would never know it. The entrance is not easy to see right away and is easily missed. Trees obscure the fact this park is even here. So we are not an easy crime target. Also it is one of the darkest parks we have ever been in. Consider that it is in a canyon and we are out in the country at least theoretically and the only lights are from the RV's themselves and not everyone lights up their place. I think I only see two who do have some rope lights strung about and that is low key lighting. It is the only time I wish I had brought along our nightlight. Just as I wrote that I remembered we have some accent lights we never turn on. Wonder if we should?...So we turned on some accent lights we haven't used in the 10 years we have owned this rig. I think we may use them tonight. might as well!
Here are a couple of simple but beautiful shots I have taken recently.

A settling in and quiet time

Haven't done much the last couple of days. Laundry and other ordinary things is all. I have done a couple of bracelets come to think of it. That was fun. I have a third one started.

And then...

I am having a fight with myself in my mouth. This will most likely bore the daylights out of most of you. But this is the message I sent to my dentist just a bit ago and explains it all. Also keeps me from writing it all again: 2 months ago I became dehydrated and had a bad taste in my mouth and a blocked or sluggish salivary gland on the right side of my mouth. It became quite red and swollen and I was not able to wear my bottom plate for a few days. I started using Chlorhexadine right away and when that did not clear it up  I took a Z pak ( Azithromycin)and that took care of the bad taste but my mouth was still sore. Not severe but pesky. I was still able to wear my lowers and manage eating but still 1-2 on the pain scale. I attributed it to the sluggish salivary gland and still do but yesterday I had a "tooth" ache around the right implant and it was a 6 on the pain scale. I took my plate out and noticed puss around it. Scared the bejeebers out of me. I rinsed with Chlorhexadine and started another Z pak assuming there was infection in there somewhere. I got pain relief rather quickly. But... what do I do now?
I haven't heard from him yet but it hasn't been very long.

Butch played golf yesterday with Mike Bryce. I didn't think he played bad for being on a new course but he wasn't thrilled with it . He did say he had a good time. His attitude has matured in the last 10 years or so.;-)
Butch is going to do some interim washing on the motorhome. Get the bugs off the front and wash the car. And that reminds me of a great tip! Dryer softener sheets do a fantastic job of getting bug guts off the vehicle. Dampen the sheet and wipe away. Hardly any elbow grease needed.

So we are just chillin' in Texas and enjoying ourselves.

And now for dessert-Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup biscuit/baking mix

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Whipped topping, optional

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pumpkin-pie-pudding#ixzz3HYeQl3sp

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve in bowls with whipped topping if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Party at McGough's

We enjoyed an indoor picnic at Roxy and Larry's last night along with other Canyon Lake friends.

Lou Nelson headed for Roxy and Larry's front door. Roxy told me later that this bridge was not her idea for an entry but due to rock and other obstacles this was the solution. She has grown to like it. I thought it was cool.

Lou and Sharon visit in the kitchen. This group are people we met at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies in the years we volunteered there. Some of them continue to volunteer there.

A view from the McGough's solarium. This house is built on what some might call a mountain. At the very least it could be described as a canyon ridge.

The lake can be seen in the distance in this shot.

Lisa and Sharon share a couch.

Sarita is from Bolivia. She worked in IT with Terry Linder while at Snow Mountain and became friends with the Linders. She has been here visiting with them since August and will be returning to Bolivia next month. We had some interesting conversations last night about her life in Bolivia. I asked her when the last war was in Bolivia and she was not  sure but after some thought decided it had to be for their independence in 1825. I looked it up and that is correct.

Someone else asked here what her schooling was like. They go to school either in the morning or afternoon but not both. They start classes in November and I do not remember how long the term was but they do have a break. Schooling is strict and they are required to be meticulous with their tablets and books. All boys are required to do 5 years of military training and girls are required to do one year. Since it was so long since Bolivia has had a war we asked why are they required to have military training. It is for readiness.

Her mother taught her to knit very young. She was a high energy girl and her mother wanted to keep her occupied because she was always bothering her about what she could do. Knitting kept her hands occupied and her mind focused.

The Linders have enjoyed having her here and hope she can come back soon.

Roxy and Larry have a pool table in their basement so the guys went down and played for a bit. I went down later and played a couple of games. I think Butch got the fever.

It was a fun night and the conversation was interesting.

Day 3 at Canyon Lake

We have paid for a month but may not stay that long. It was cheaper to go that way. This is a great place though. Only one small aggravation and that is poor phone service. This park isn't called Walnut CANYON RV Park for nothing. We have walls of rock on 3 sides of us. It isn't just Verizon that doesn't work well. It is all of them. It works well once we leave the park. Text messages come through okay. And we have good Internet. I say good and not great as there are times when it does not work either but it is free. Mostly times of heavy use by our neighbors.
Our friends Mike and Sharon Bryce invited us to a gathering at their home and once again I didn't get pictures. I did get two when I was experimenting with the night setting on my phone camera. And here they are:

 The Bryce's home is moderately sized but their rambling patio is quite large with 3 seating areas all facing the golf course. The night was warm and the company top notch.

Another gathering planned for tonight. Maybe I can get some people pics for a change!
I have heard from my walk and talk buddy Colleen and she is in Cincinnati with her daughter and son-in-law. She said she was getting ready to go for a walk in her communication. I haven't gotten in the groove yet. I did plan to walk around the park but was forewarned last night that there have been cougar sightings. The dam that holds the water for Canyon Lake is a good place to walk but we have to drive to get there. I still plan to put it on my todo list.
I will be walking with Sharon at Costco later this morning but that doesn't qualify.
Got chores to do so...more later!

Chicken Empanadas

I must be hungry! These not only sound good but also easy!

Chicken Empanadas

   Fold crescent dough around a  mix of ingredients to make an elegant, super simple hot meal from the RV oven. The secret to any filled pastry is not to over-fill.

2 tubes, 8 rolls each,  crescent rolls

Small can deviled ham

1 ½ cups cooked, shredded  chicken (preferably unseasoned)

6-ounce can or jar sliced mushrooms, well drained

About 1 cup shredded low-sodium Swiss cheese

Low-sodium French dressing (optional)

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Unroll crescents and divide into 8 squares. Gently press seams together. On each place a blob of deviled ham, a few mushrooms, some chicken and a tuft of cheese. Drizzle ½ teaspoon of French dressing over each. Fold in half to form triangles and press edges with a fork to seal.  Bake about 20 minutes or until toasty. Makes 8 servings.

We have landed.

We are in our spot at Walnut Canyon RV Park in Canyon Lake Texas and will be here till mid November. Part of our thought process on this is we hurry on down to the Rio Grande Valley and then often times run the AC for a month. So we have a bunch of friends in the Canyon Lake area ( north of San Antonio) so why not stay here for a while and let it cool off in the good ol' RGV. We have often thought it would be a good idea to stop further north for a while but could never decide where to stop. Well now we have. At least for this year.
Our 3rd travel day went smoothly for the most part. There is tons of construction on 281 for anyone thinking of coming down this way. The most of it is from I-20 south to Lampasas Texas. It would not be bad in a car but it makes for narrow roads in a motorhome or 5th wheel. There are lane and edge drop offs for miles and miles. Butch decided to stop once and pulled off the road not realizing it was a big drop off. He threw things around in the motorhome pretty good. Fridge popped open with water bottles on the floor, laundry doors came open sending soap and vinegar bottles scattering. It took a while for clean up. It was probably the worst such incident we have had like that.
We are parked next to Gary and Lou who came to Iowa this summer and ended up helping us for a couple of weeks on our 3 season room for which we were very grateful.
After we were a bit settled in we went to the local VFW and met up with other SMR/ Canyon Lake friends for burgers and fries. And now we are home and I am trying to get caught up on the computer while Butch is watching the series.
All is good!

All Ability Bikes is a great addition

All Ability Bikes is a great addition to our town of Jefferson Iowa and they were recently featured on the news.
http://www.kcci.com/news/anyone-can-ride-with-new-cycling-innovation/29289206

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Thursday, October 23, 2014
Yes, we had a wonderful nights sleep in Hesston KS, filled up at a Casey's and were on the road about 9:00 AM. Road construction through Wichita made things a bit dicey but we got through without incident. Oklahoma city went fairly smooth as well. The funny stuff happened south of Oklahoma City. We saw a homemade "armored vehicle" go by us. It was towing a small red pickup. A few miles further down the road we noticed something  strange with a line of traffic pulled over to the side. The funny looking armored vehicle was sideways in the roadway and we could tell it had swerved severely as it was facing to the north in the southbound lane and had lost much of its load from the red pickup. Actually the red pickup was nearly annihilated.  And then as we went further down the road, Butch said," What in the world is that in the road?" It was a chair and a TV. They were in the middle of the passing lane on I 35 southbound. Strange things are happening!
We decided to stay at the Winstar RV Park at Thackerville OK. It is right on the border actually, you take exit 1 either northbound or southbound and it is connected to the Windstar casino. Usually the casinos are quite accommodating to RVers but not here. It is $35 a night with a players card. $40 without. So this is most likely a one time occasion. We had tried to find our way to this campground in the past but always on the fly. This time we used the Google map feature on the smartphone. It is one of the most confusing routes to a casino we have ever tried to find. And there is no WIFI! Wouldn't you think they would have that?? Found out later they do have wifi. Have to jump through a few hoops to get it but is working great right now.
Tomorrows trip will take us to our destination in Walnut Canyon RV Park in Canyon Lake TX.
We have been listening to The Secret of Magic. In 1946, a young female attorney from New York City attempts the impossible: attaining justice for a black man in the Deep South. 
We thought our battery would trickle out before we arrived here but it didn't and now I can get it charged up for tomorrows leg.
Well Butch is ready to go to the casino. Hopefully I can get this posted soon.
PS: I took a $5 bill to the casino and came home without it after two hours of play. Not bad. Butch spent a bit more than that but the casino was successful in doing what casinos do-take your money!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Trip from Jefferson to Hesston KS. 425 miles. On the outer limits of a travel day. In the 350 range is much better. We had planned to stay in Concordia KS, 317 miles, at the city park for a donation but we could not find the park. We may plan to stay there another time but I will call the city and get better directions than is currently provided on www.freecampgrounds.com . So we went another 100 miles or so to where we are now. We were both ready to stop.
We did see and had to deal with a cow on the road. Butch spotted it far enough ahead to avoid disaster.
So now we are settled into a Passport America park. Cottonwood Grove Campground, Hesston KS. We have been Passport America members for quite some time. Participating parks have half price rates and your membership dues are quickly reimbursed in a couple of stays. So this $30 a night park is costing us $15. We do not have Internet here but we knew that was a possibility. One of the bennies we do have is a Chinese restaurant about 50 feet from our door.  A VERY good Chinese restaurant named the Panda House. And we do have good TV coming from Wichita most likely. Another unit came in and parked beside us. They unloaded a family of 3 people and  3 llamas out of the toy hauler . They took the llamas a ways away and let them graze in a fenced-in area a short distance from the park. I'm thinking horses get their turn in that pasture on occasion. We are in horse country.
We are both looking forward to bed time and I doubt we will have any trouble getting a full and restful night of sleep.
We do have to apologize to our Snow Mountain Ranch friends Jerry and Diane Larson. In planning our trip it did not occur to us how close we were to your Kansas home. And by then all we could think of was stopping and resting. We were so tired we would not have been good company. I make these notes on the blog so I have ready info for another trip this way. This is a good way to go. Very trouble free in all ways. We usually go through Missouri to see our kids and this is the first time we have ventured off our tried and true path for a very long time. We felt it was time to get a bit out of our comfort zone. So perhaps when I review the blog for another trip this way, we can plan a bit better and see the Larson's.

On the road tomorrow

Been busy little beavers the past few days getting ready to go. It was so much simpler when we lived only in the motorhome. Then we only decided on a date. But now that we are property owners we have many more duties to take care of.

Keri has us set up with travel munchies, Mickey treated us to a Runza send off meal. All is grateful and all is good.
When I started out this morning I thought how in the world will I get all this stuff in the motorhome but lo and behold I did it with room to spare. I was shocked and amazed that it all fit.

We are taking a different route this year heading west to York NE then south to Canyon Lake TX. We should arrive sometime Friday. We usually keep the trips to 300-350 miles per day.

This year we also have a smartphone with good old Google to guide us. I have long used Google maps to plan our trips and then I would print out the sheets. But now I have smartphone help and better yet I have practiced with it and it has worked very well. I say, "Okay google, directions to .......city" Google maps comes up and shows where we are currently and how to get to the next city or town indicated.  We have made this trip several times. The only difference this time is the first day of travel. After that it will be somewhat familiar.

So this is my last night of for-sure Internet. From here to the Rio Grande Valley will be hit or miss for me so keep that in mind. I can continue to write but getting them from computer to cloud might be the tough part.

I have been so busy of late that much has happened the past few days. My friend Norma Cooklin came to Jefferson to visit us and see our tiny abode in person. She is getting along great with her new Chromebook.
She did however take a tumble about a week ago and broke her knee cap in two places. She was in such good physical shape before this happened that she is handling it better than you might expect. She does have daughter Vicki and her husband John helping care for her. She is required to keep her leg straight for 6 to 8 weeks but her spirits are good and she is minding the doctor. It was good to see her.

So till next you hear...see you soon!

Wednesday October 22nd departure

We have decided to leave on Wednesday because it is supposed to rain on Thursday. As good an excuse as any.
The weather has been wonderful this past month, best of the entire season. The winter prediction for this region is what they are calling equal. I am assuming that means either/or. In other words it could go either way.
The entire southern tier of states including Florida, Texas and Arizona is predicted to be wet. Oh yeah, we all three say in unison. There is usually what I call the winter lottery and one of the three winter areas has better weather than the other two. Last year Arizona was the big winner because they had the best weather they had had for nearly 30 years. Texas was the worst it had ever been in many peoples memories and Florida was moderate all the way around. Personally I hope they are wrong about the wet. They, being the weather predictors  have been wrong before and that is keeps me hopeful.

So with our departure date in mind we can work at getting ready today. And a reminder for all of the readers...my internet connection could be quite spotty for nearly a month so lower your expectations for posts on a regular basis.

Last Saturday's JIGS and Cheesy Egg Puffs

We had a light attendance at last Saturdays meeting at 209 Main and one of the highlights was Toni bringing her egg muffin recipe. Toni had gifted me with some of her muffins a couple of years ago and I had requested her recipe. It makes an excellent item to have in the freezer on our trip south. On any trip really. And they are mighty tasty!

Recipe:   Cheesy Egg Puffs      
Category: Breakfast/Brunch
Author:   Toni Roberts

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, chopped
1 Tablespoon plus 1/2 cup butter or margarine, divided
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 eggs lightly beaten
4 cups (16 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 cups (16oz) small-curd cottage cheese

In a skillet, saute the mushrooms and onions in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl combine eggs and cheeses. Melt remaining butter;add to egg mixture. Stir into dry ingredients along with mushroom mixture.
Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full; Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted towards the center comes out clean. Carefully run a knife around
edge of muffin cups before removing. Yield: 2 1/2 dozen.
Toni's notes:
"I use 1 dozen eggs for one recipe and 2 dozen eggs for a double recipe. I double all the ingredients EXCEPT the onions and mushrooms for a double recipe. Makes 5 dozen doubled. Freezes well- Microwave 30 seconds for a fast breakfast."

Bike Trail pics in October

Spaghetti Pie

My original Spaghetti Pie recipe called for a full pound of ground beef, but now I only use half a pound per pie. I find half a pound to be more than enough. This recipe could also be made with ground turkey, Italian bulk sausage, TVP (texturized vegetable protein), or no meat (or meat substitutes) at all.

SPAGHETTI PIE (from: Frozen Assets)
(6 servings)

• 6 oz. dry spaghetti noodles
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 well-beaten eggs
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 (8-oz.) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes (don’t drain)
• 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup cheese (your choice: mozzarella, cheddar, American, or Moneterey Jack), shredded

Cook spaghetti noodles. Drain. Stir margarine into hot noodles until melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese and eggs. Form pasta mixture into a crust shape in a buttered 9-inch pie plate. In skillet, cook ground beef and onions until meat is browned. Drain. Stir into ground beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar , oregano and garlic. Heat through. Spread cottage cheese over bottom of spaghetti crust. Top with tomato/meat mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese over all. Cover pie pan with foil; label and freeze.

To Serve: Thaw. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes at 350 F. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes more until cheese is lightly browned.

Tentative

We have a tentative leaving date of next Tuesday. We have made ourselves a cozy little nest here and for the first time we might be content to stay but we still have enough 'winter memory' stored up to know that half way through we would be living in regret city. So our next week will be getting the motorhome and ourselves ready to roll.

"Just Enough"
by Lisa Gocochea-

'I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain
so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish enough 'Hello's' to get you through the final 'Goodbye.'

Leo's Birthday

It was Leo's birthday yesterday and Keri invited us out for supper to help him celebrate and celebrate we did. We had Leo's favorites-Pot roast, corn and French silk pie. And it was prepared by Keri of course so you know it wasn't just any old pot roast. Leo was able to Skype with grandson Brady so his day was complete. And just so you know, Leo does not have old coot status yet but he is only a couple years away from it.

For Kindle people

I purchased both of these books. There is a deadline so If you want them you have to jump right on it.  I have a big backlog of books on my kindle and when I go back over them I most likely cannot remember why I chose it in the first place but I do know it appealed to me for some reason. I have not rejected very many in my years as a kindle owner.

Just Deserts By Jinx Schwartz From an award-winning author: With her yacht drydocked for repairs, engineer and spunky adventurer Hetta Coffey takes a mining job on the border — and soon finds herself chasing smugglers, terrorists, and one strangely domesticated coyote… Free! Originally: $2.99 Get Deal Deal ends: Unknown Category: Mysteries

When You Were Older By Catherine Ryan Hyde The New York Times bestselling author of Pay It Forward crafts the moving, provocative tale of Russell, who leaves the city to rebuild a life with his estranged, brain-damaged brother. A heartrending journey of unexpected solace with over 400 five-star reviews on Amazon. $0.99 Originally: $5.99 Get Deal Deal ends: October 12 Categories: Bestsellers, Literary Fiction

Farewell gathering

We had a gathering of Jefferson friends for a party in our new room last night. It was fun with much lively conversation about many things present and past. Some of this group will be heading south soon so we took this opportunity to say goodbye to those who remain and thank them for keeping things running smoothly while we are gone. wink, wink.
I had my camera ready to get some photos but as often happens I became enchanted by talk and totally forgot to take any shots of people having fun.

I will get another chance today as 209 Main is the location for a J.I.G.s gathering, the last I will be going to this season.

Casino walls are rising

Jefferson has 3 major construction projects going on, the medical center, Hy-vee and the casino. And there is about to be a 4th with McFarland Clinic being built on the east side of the Hy-Vee building. Soon the senior citizens of Jefferson can have a doctors appointment, physical therapy, pick up their prescriptions and buy their groceries in the same location and it is within one block of downtown Jefferson.

Photographer was Leo Brooker 

Blood Moon Experience

I woke up at 4:30 am and checked out the moon and it was starting to eclipse so I popped outside for a better view forgetting that the door can be opened from the inside but remain locked when it is closed. Fortunately I was able to tap on the window and get Butch's attention. He rescued me. We both dressed for the viewing in winter coats and hats and watched the moon become a blood moon from our backyard where we had a perfect view of it. I tried to get good photos but it did not happen so I said surely my cousin Howard who is an excellent photographer will put some great pictures on Facebook as he usually does and then I will "snip" them. So far he hasn't but this lady in Port Aransas Texas did so I "snipped" her pictures. Our moon had the sliver of light more evenly on the right side. That too was interesting.

And then...we went back to bed and slept for a couple more hours.

Enhanced

Ordinary Days

Colleen and I changed our walk time to 1:00 PM. I have not made the mental adjustment yet. It just feels oddly strange to be walking at midday. I will adjust.
 I am doing in-between stuff. Been working on jewelry again. Getting our head geared towards a trip south. It is October after all and that is what we do in October. First thing you know we will be hauling our essentials out to the motorhome. Makes me tired just to think about it.

The light is very different at our new walk time and I took advantage of that to take these pics.

 These artistic renditions were made by another talented member of the class of '61, Keith Conroy. And you thought I was finished with telling you about the talents of the Jefferson Iowa class of '61. I thought I was too.