Up Jumps the Devil?

 Every now and then we get a wake-up call. I was helping Butch with a TV issue and I kept hearing a tiny voice saying 'Factory Reset". I thought it was in connection with the TV but in fact, it was on my computer. I keep the sound way down on my computer so that is why it sounded tiny and far away.

When I got back to my computer it went dark...hmmm...so I did a hard shutdown. Brought it back up and it did the same thing and then said 'resuming' waited awhile and it all came back. So today I googled 'Factory Reset" and discovered this will happen when there is an interference...my word...on your computer. I did not appear to lose anything. So it was just an episode and it all seems to be working correctly now but still, it is a sign. Or at least I interpret it as a sign.

So I ordered a replacement. Will get it Friday. I will wait to tell you what I purchased and the details of it. I did a lot of research before I hit the button so it has been a busy morning.

Now I will get back to what I was doing when my computer so rudely interrupted me!

Here is a chuckle for you

 I was reading Facebook posts in a local Facebook sales group and ran across this posting for sale. I still chuckle when I read it. I need to find me some 'Slow Shoes' but I do not think these will fit. 

Slow Shoes!

Waiting for the sun...

 I am an early riser and have been all my life. If I didn't look so much like my mother I would have sworn I was adopted because I was the only early riser in my family. My Dad may have been but I didn't get to know him in my adulthood so I can't be certain.

I was up this morning a little before 6:00 AM. It was still dark. There is a tree that is in full fall regalia and I am waiting for the sun to shine on it so you can see what I mean.

The view from my computer:...waiting

Our backyard:

Waiting...

Tada!!

If we were not waiting to vote we would be on the road, I can assure you!

This week I...

 Took a few more photos than normal

Spectacular Fall Color


Made Susan VH's Ham Ball recipe and it was delicious. Next time I will make a double batch of the basting sauce.

 

Ham Balls (Susan VH)

1 # smoked ham

1 # lean pork

½ # hamburger

Grind meat and mix together. If you can find a store

 that sells ham loaf use that.

Add:

2 beaten eggs

1 cup tomato juice

1-2 cups cracker crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Make into 9 or 10 ham balls, place in a baking dish and

baste with the following:

¾ cup brown sugar 

1 tsp dry mustard

¼ cup vinegar

1 small can crushed pineapple

Bake 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees

(Fareway's Ham loaf is equal parts ground ham and ground pork)

And then I have spent far too much time thinking of what I need to pack for the trip to Texas! And what am I forgetting!!

The next to last Trivia session was on Thursday night as usual. Glen D. found the questions and asked them. I enjoy very much being on the other end of it now and then.

We took Mickey to Carroll for her weekday treatment on Friday. The sad part is that it is a necessary thing but the good part is we get to visit for a couple of hours and that we see how tough and determined my lifelong friend truly is. We love you, Mickey!

3 Handy Tips

 https://www.thundercloud.net/infoave/new/three-chrome-tricks-you-might-not-know/

Ever take a photo of a plant or animal that you could not identify and wish there was some way to find out? One of the above tips will tell you exactly how.

A couple of years ago I took a picture of a crop growing next to Trophy Gardens in Texas and I did not know its identity. Turns out it was arugula! I found this out today!

Connecting

 I have connections to at least 3 blogs. I am most loyal to the one I started in 2002. Yikes! 20 years ago! https://brooker3.blogspot.com/ I started it as a way to keep in touch with friends and family as we traveled. It also doubled as a journal. It worked well except in the beginning I couldn't add pictures. As the Blogger progressed so did I. I remember how tickled I was when adding photos was doable. I took full advantage of it. I sometimes like to look back at those beginnings.

But then... We were in Magnolia Park and I thought I should do one for the park because there were times I wanted to put only park stuff on the blog and times when personal stuff was not particularly appropriate.

Thus we have... https://magnolianews.blogspot.com/ And I kept it very much park-connected until our much-loved winter destination fell apart. So when the departure happened, Deon and I decided to keep the blog going. We still do to this day. The posts are fewer and far between but we retain the function of going back over all those years and seeing the posts of the good old days. And we add new ones as they come to us.

And then I found myself in a new park-Trophy Gardens- and was asked to start one for that park. I feared I was getting in over my head ...and I was...so I have kept it as simple as possible but it suffers for life as you might expect. Anyone can find it here: https://trophygardens.blogspot.com/ I would love to have help with it to keep it current. I do have a few rules in that regard. No rants, no negative angled posts, no personal stuff etc.

With a new policy from Blogger that they do not have a sign-up for the blogs to be delivered to people by email, the views have fallen off. I have been looking for a new solution. I have had a long-standing LOVE/HATE relationship with Facebook. Still do.  Amongst my peers, it does seem to be the one site most looked at so I will follow through with posting new blog entries on Facebook until another obstacle is placed in my way. 

I do have a personal issue with putting my personal blog, the original one, on Facebook so this will be a trial and if I get too much negative blowback I will not continue.

So here goes!

Color Change

 The leaves they are a changing!

You Decide

 

Preparation

 The preporation for departure is a bit daunting this year and the subject of a few nights of lost sleep. I knew it was going to be a challenge and it will be nice to have it behind us. My plan is to take lots of photos's on both ends in an attempt to keep track of what we have in each place. The days of living full-time in the motorhome made it so simple. This too shall pass.

Old Enough!

I have become hooked on this Japanese reality show.  You can see an overview by clicking on this link:

Old Enough!

So far as I can tell it is only on Netflix.

Huh?

 

Blue Jay

 Taken this morning...

The Hamiltons

 Johnny and Alice hosted a party comprised mostly Class of 61 grads and a few other friends and neighbors. Bob and Kay Maddux were here from Texas and Bob is known for his Texas BBQing talents. It was a wonderful time with old friends and the meal was superb. If you had told me in my teen years that the class of 61 would be such a tight-knit group I would not have believed it but the knit seems to be tighter the older we get!

Baby steps

 We are taking baby steps toward our departure. The change of address has been changed and we made our reservation for our first night out after we leave the Missouri kids. As it turns out our many trips down in the motorhome have proved to be good training for our first trip in many years by car. It looks as though we will only have one night's stay at a motel. 

We always look forward to going south and equally so when we head north in the spring.

Blog changes

 I have more and more people tell me they no longer see my blog. Unfortunately, I was notified a while back that people who had the latest blog entry emailed to them will no longer receive them. What surprises me is that some do still get it and some do not. One of the mysteries of the Internet. I think the reason could be if you have made a change on your computer. Just a guess on my part. So the only way to see it regularly now is to put it on your bookmarks bar or in your favorites and remember to check it. I do not like the new situation because it feels like a step backward instead of forward.  But deal with it we must!

www.brooker3.blogspot.com is how you find it and if I can find a better way I will let you know ASAP.

Cucumber Salsa Surprise

 Why is it a surprise you might ask? It is because it is so simple and yet quite delicious.

Cucumber Salsa 

Dice 2-4 large cucumbers- I take the seeds out.

Dice 6-8 Roma tomatoes-Again I take the seeds out

Dice half red onion-whole if you enjoy more onion flavor

Mix 3-4 TBSP Vinegar with one packet of dry Ranch dressing mix.

Mix together and let it sit in fridge overnight.

Enjoy with Scoops

Quote of the day

 

Old Meds and other things...

 Among other things yesterday, I went through all of our medications and discarded quite a few. By discarded, I mean I will take them to our pharmacy for proper disposal. It is incredible how they can pile up. Sometimes new ones will find their way into our house, not realizing we had some on hand. It is a good thing to have out of the way.

We have made some decisions on take-off time, with October right around the corner. We will be in our winter wonderland on October 26th or 27th.

The photo was taken in January of 2020.

Car Tips

 Stuff you might not know you had!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8fT7YCYSIk

We feel we might need to watch this more than once.

10 Little Indians

 Part of our early morning conversation...Butch was tapping on a coffee can and I said I heard a little Indian boy. That led to trying to remember the 10 little Indians from our youth. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0SkWCCWrF8