A Cup of Simplicity

Dogman's Post Office Picture

2009-06-23T22:15:00.002-06:00

Please note that his eyes appear to look a bit funny as he is going blind but nothing can be done to fix his eyes- they(lens) are slowly turning hard. he still gets around the house quite well and managed to chew up on of my scrabble letters--today. I think he has dogtimers as he is over 80 years according to the vet. According to him he is only two--LOL

and he chose a P to chew but we can still use it to play with it.

hugs from Meme

Dogman's sin not so simple

2009-06-22T23:08:00.001-06:00

I went out to his pee patch to scoop his poop- I was a few days behind which is ok as he has little poops--and goes to the same area which is private from walkers. And I discoverd that he had eaten a blue and white J clothe and pooped pieces out in his poop- there were big pieces and little pieces too and sigh-
I was so scared mad at him and me- I had forgot that he stole these in the old days so we quit using them. I had used a few half clothes for cleaning but only with vinegar and a little soap plus water in a spray bottle- because they are light they blow of the counter and he is such a scamp that he grabs and hides- We have disposed off any remaining clothes as I cannot let this happen again, and as Dogman has a short memory he will not remember the Meme tears.

I am praying that all of the clothe is pooped out now- it was some time last week when I used them and as I generally toss them away so I did not notice anything missing- he does this with kleenex to so no one is allowed to blow a nose with out immediatley disposing of them in a deep garbage-I gave him the Meme talk and he wagged his tail laughing at me-He really did!!!
sigh with hugs from Meme and Dogman wags

Simple chili supper

2009-06-08T23:46:00.003-06:00

made up a fun recipe for porcupine chili
as I need to ignore beans for a while due
to tummy issues.
I made this for supper--porcupine chili
------------
1 pound hamburger
1 can diced tomatoes * not drained
1 can tomato soup
1 can water
1/2 cup uncooked rice
chili power to taste
plus salt and pepper to taste
-----
brown hamburger and drain fat- add the rest of the ingredients - stir - and bring
to simmer- low simmer with lid on for approx. one hour-. recipe can be doubled and
left overs make nice sloppy joes for tomorrow.
hugs from Meme

SNOW DAY HERE

2009-05-18T23:03:00.001-06:00

that is right- we got the SNOW and it is still on the ground- about 2 inches and maybe more tonight-we were organized enough to bring in Miss Ashley's planter boxes that had already come up- and the ones that were too big for us to lift I covered with glass windows(old and was going to toss but decided to keep for this very reason--LOL) and then blankets- I can only hope that this is warm enough to save them for her- now she knows why Oma says not to plant seeds in this part of Alberta before May 15- I know tha seeds can be replanted but she did it with such joy and excitement that I am praying to save them for her- on the grand scale of things this is small but to see Miss Ashley have joy is joy to me------so I shoveled snow today and also took advantage of the snow day to do nothingI did tidy as I did normal daily living so the house is no worse than yesterday night and maybe even a little better.

hugs for SNOWY ALBERTA CANADA

A SIMPLE MEAL LESSON

2009-05-16T23:23:00.004-06:00

The other day we had a busy time and no one wanted to really cook
but eating out was not a financial option
so I asked everyone(4 of us AND then 3 came later)
what they would order
in a cafe that was not too expensive
everyone came to the conclusion it would be
toasted bacon and tomato and lettuce sands /fries
this came up as B-----works in a cafe and she knew
the prices etc' and that they come with fries-
however having this supper out still was not an option
so I decided to make our own and give a money lesson
at the same time
my cost for seven sands: was 3.49 for the bacon-
1.99 for the bread and 1.15 for 2 tomatoes plus 1.99 for
the oven fries and no one
wanted lettuce which is what they would done if we were
out too- we had butter and mayo and salt etc,
we made the sands together
took no longer than if we drove down and ordered
waited
for them -to come to us
our cost rounded off was 8.65 - and we ended up
with 7 sandwiches- I had B..... help make them as
they would have come if we were at the cafe-
we had great fun but the real lesson was that if we
had bought these sands in the cafe- at 9 dollars per
person times 7 - we would have spent 63.00 plus
5 % tax-(another 3.15 plus tip)
we do not have to pay taxes on the food
direct from the grocery store- only on cafe foods-
and no one tipped me--LOL
the price difference rounded off -
came to 57.00 dollars-
yes- we did the work and yes- we did have some
cost re-- electricity
it is wonderful to eat out and fun too
but eating in can be wonderful and fun also
no one could believe how much we saved
by not having the option of going out
--------
this is a good lesson for us all
in today's economy and
there are less expensive quick home meals
but we were in the a treat meal and
we had a treat at a very low cost
at home compared to the cafe
lessons in life for my teens and dear daughters and
we had bread left over too :-)
hugs from Meme

book club

2009-05-06T22:23:00.001-06:00

to day was book club day at our library and what
we do is get together and giggle and on occasion
read the book
it is the simple things that can bring joy and laughter
and make memories
hugs from Meme

spring showers

2009-05-05T23:09:00.002-06:00

we had a few spring showers this evening so soon the flowers
will start to grow
some green grass is peeking through
I love spring and our spring is late this year
playing peek a boo........
I had a simple day ....and made some chilimac for supper
it is quite simple-
(1 pound) hamburger
brown the hamburger - drain extra fat- add tomato soup-
1 can water
and a wee bit of pizza or spaghetti sauce
I added half a cup and then add 1 tablespoon chili powder
this is a recipe from Meme's head so the details are
kind of sketchy- (wink)
bring to low boil-and added another cup of hot water
and add 1 cup of macaroni
cook(low) for 20 minutes-
mixture should just have tiny bubbles or
it will burn.........
(this can be made in the oven also but my
oven is not working right now)
and serve to two teen age-rs-
help your self first as there will be no left-overs
we shredded some cheese as topping and also
would have had sour cream but we were out-LOL
we had no healthy salad or veggies but we had buns :-)
this was just a fun meal for Oma who was
taking some time off to enjoy her simple day-
one pan to wash....
you can double this recipe etc- and it will thicken
as it cooks..........
hugs from Meme aka Oma

spring in our year

2009-05-04T00:01:00.000-06:00

yesterday and today were good weather days here and so
we began to clean up the yard and do spring chores
Miss Ashley and I did a lot of work and the boy who is
a friend lent us a hand but I must say we are much more
intent- he is a good helper for lifting and watching_LOL
we did a lot and we both sure missed papa hubby here
we trimed trees and raked leaves and cleaned - and cleaned
I am a year behind as last spring papa was our priority-
it was nice working together and discussing papa memories
the church misses him a lot too
as he did the yard work there too
but I will not be able to take over that job
Miss Ashley did plant some flower seeds but I think she is
rushing Alberta weather- but this is how she learns and there is
always a chance that we will not get a spring snow in May--LOL
she also topped some of the trees that papa planted when a
grand child was born - so we have a few
she is strong- Oma could hardly pick up the trimmers but she
did a good job- and would have passed papa's inspection -
the boy who is a friend and the future husband
made supper and burned it and burned it--LOL
smoke and smoke and more smoke
we ate it anyway as we workers were hungry
but a tough frying pan mess- sigh- he used two so
we still have two frying pans soaking -
I think one should not cook if there is a hockey game on TV
but every thing will come out in the wash and the smoke
has disapated so we do not run into one and other -LOL
good night, all--happy spring
hugs from Meme aka Oma

A BUSY WEEK COMING..

2009-04-26T23:48:00.002-06:00

it seems like this week has every day planned
but I am looking forward to get some of the things
caught up so that when spring comes I can be
outside more often this spring and summer
I know that I said spring was here but now
it is snowing here again
it is fairly light and melting quickly but
there is not much outside chores that
can be completed
Monday is bank and bill day-
also our our church ladies
passed away at the wonder age of 96
so there will be a funeral to take care of
on Wednesday-
Tuesday is doctor day and seniors day
so I will have to balance out both
it will be nice to not have to cook supper home -
as supper is at the church this week
Thursday is meetings day
so the week will be busy
have a wonder week and take care
of each other
think I can keep all of this in my head
and then I can report in - :-)
hugs from Meme

snow rainbow

2009-04-21T22:42:00.002-06:00

our weather man says that we are going to get some snow tomorrow
and this what our spring does in Alberta-
and so our world may turn white for a while
but he did say that it would melt quickly
I have been out side a lot the last few days
just enjoying the fresh air and sunshine
Dogman joins me for a while but he is too old
to like the wind on his body-so he waits in the
house most days for me and greets me every time
I come back into the house
it does not matter if it is two minutes or two hours
he is just glad to see me again
I have been talking to him a lot
just to reassure him that I am still here
loving him
I am feeling better about life in general
and next week I go back to the specialist to see
what my tests said about me
have a wonderful day tomorrow and remember that
Jesus is in the spring- a spring of hope
hugs from Meme

SIMPLY BUSY

2009-04-17T23:15:00.002-06:00

spring is here now and looks like it plans to stay
most of the snow has melted
so yesterday I got side and re-arranged our outdoor
chairs and etc plus Dogman's love-seat into the shade
we are on the south side and it can get quite hot
by supper time but it would be nice to have some
picnic suppers out there for the grand kids
and Meme and Dogman too
also more shade for Dogman as he can go
under his loveseat for shade or lay on it
for a suntan
Dogman and I had our own picnic supper outside last night
we swept and dusted and washed and now it is just
like an extra room
we had such a long winter and it feels good to
have the balcony ship shape
it is quite large as it is Dogman's play ground as
it is fenced on all sides and then he has
a personal pee patch a few feet away-
I find doing things like this does help
my grief ......yes, there are memories out there too
but happy rejoicing memories
now this week end I do have some more yard
chores to do- and the front will need another week
of thawing snow before we can do anything
Miss Ashley can look after that area
I hope I never lose my love of being busy
I remember to rest too and I am just beginning
to learn at my age - to pace myself-
have a wonder week end
hugs from Meme who is miles behind in blogging but
filled with fresh air and sunshine

A SIMPLE MEME DAY

2009-04-06T23:17:00.001-06:00

what a lovely weather day- sunshine and soft breeze
and melting snow**
when I walked down town I had on no hat or gloves
this is the first time in 2009 for the gloves and the second day for the hat

the grand daughter and I went to do some small shopping
and then I stopped off and did the church chores-
Miss Ashley rested while I did them because
her feet hurt--LOL- and I thought I was the older lady
alas she is still a teen which means she buys shoes for looks
and not comfort.........

we had a nice day outing together
and we found the neatest book
called ---"I Remember Grandpa''
It is like a journal where you put all sorts of
special memories of grandpa so Oma is going
to do them with the girls-(I got each of the g'kids one)

Miss Ashley is old enough
to put in her memories-
they will be a wonderful
journal for the younger kidlets and if we do them
together Oma can help them with some of the
memories- there are places for photos etc- and
the nice thing is that they were at a dollar store(which
is why I could give one to each of the g'kidlets-
they are made with good quality paper etc -
and have a family tree to also follow and
questions and ideas and a lot of room to write in
the memories-------

so I was pleased- I find that the Lord
gives me so many blessings to help
all of us walk in our grief-
sometimes non christians cannot understand
how I can have joy in my grief

I tell them that my joy is a gift from the Lord
and a gift that Papa hubby prayed for me
before his home-coming-
have a wonder-filled week
huggles from Meme

IT FEELS LIKE SPRING HERE

2009-04-04T23:12:00.002-06:00

Today was a wonderful spring like day
and now the snow is melting fast
before I know it or want too (wink)
I will be out spring
cleaning the yard-----
I am going to keep the outside chores
simple this year- just a few flowers
to decorate the balcony
I like spring as it reminds
me of renewal
where everything is restoring --
we call it spring time in the Rockies
even though we live about a 100 miles
from the mountains
we can see them from a hill a little
ways from our house and we can see
the snow on the tops reminding
us that winter must come too
******************************
cleaning is never easy to do
but everything looks so nice when we are done
it is a type of restoration to our
homes and to us-- and Easter
reminds us what life is really all about...
I miss papa hubby being here and
I am OK and
OK is enough for now
happy Sunday to everyone
and see you soon
hugs from Meme

I am not lost --------

2009-03-31T20:10:00.002-06:00

I have had a few days off from blogging and writing
I had Miss Sidney on an overnight Saturday
and some how Meme ended up on the mat on the floor
she woke up and her lips had stuck together
just being to dry and she had a little blood
if frightened her more than hurt
so Meme got the vaseline out and we got
them smooth again
but it took her a while to go back to sleep
and she ended up in Meme's bed
trying to sleep with Miss Sidney
is like sleeping with bouncing ball
so Meme crawled down on the mat--LOL
nice and warm down there and cozy
but no one told me I had to get up again
I guess I am too old for being down so far
at any rate- Meme rearranged her shoulder
which hurts and now has gone down my side
so I am whining and not feeling up to sitting
up like a lady --
3 days now so I am hoping that it will
all just go away soon.....
Miss Sidney went home happy and
with smooth lips - the joys of being grandma
some times has ups and downs
so I will leave you with a Miss Sidney thought
that she told her dad
""Oma, has glue to UN do your lips and blood
will not stain your fingers- "" LOL
huggles from Meme aka Oma

sharing - I found a blessing..........

2009-03-28T19:23:00.002-06:00

while continuing to clean out things in the house,
I found a 2 lovely pictures of Papa David Hubby--
that were taken in 1966 the spring before I met him-
I did not know he had these pictures with his box of stuff..
.I am so happy that I am ''high''--LOL
-they are so precious and I will take them down this week
and make copies for the girls--
as they do not have pictures that old or before us or them---
--he was so handsome-- and cute and--------blond
I was a bit shallow at that time as I was so young-like just barely 18(that summer) -so I went out with him for his looks and his car--LOL
and love came to stay with us-and we were married in October--(1966).

I have been cleaning odds and ends in the house
for a couple of years now- a day here and a day there*going through all those boxes where one tends to stuff things for later..........
..and these were in one of papa hubby's evelopes that he kept special things-I never went into his things before his death as we were very respective of each other's private things-----he was the same with me.

it has taken me about 2 years to get where I am
( cleaning things we gathered over the years but knew we were keeping )
--and I found 10 dollars tooso that will help pay for the pictures to give the girls copies-
I want to do them for Easter gifts----
-what a family blessing!--hugs from Meme

Meme is getting soft.........

2009-03-26T22:31:00.002-06:00

due to health problems Meme has to start eating soft foods
or well cooked ........so much for salads-and carrot sticks too
and it got me to thinking about
how my life is rather soft
compared to the old days
which we look back on fondly
but I am not sure I would be able
to live that way again
there is something nice about
turning up the heat
turning on a tap
pushing buttons on dishwashers and
buttons on stoves
and listening to the flush
our old days were good
but they were hard work
too and I can see
now how hard mom and dad
had to work to make a living
so we could eat and etc.
even as they grew old they
had to make due with old ways
I am grateful for the blessings
that I have that make my life
much easier-
and especially now when
Meme has to go soft

Meme sends soft hugs.......

Dogman speaks...

2009-03-23T23:25:00.003-06:00

Dogman felt left out so he wants you to know

that he lives here too

and if he had only seen the kitty first--hahaha

he really does not mind cats as long as they stay

on the other side of the fence-

here he is on his old kitchen rug but we had

to buy him a new one as his nails would

get caught so he upgraded- the floor is too cold for him in the kitchen

with Alberta winters.........

so we have an area rug- sigh- I am beginning to think we do a lot

for him-LOL

his own chair- his own rug-

his own corner--his own special diet- wow

no wonder he thinks he is the top dog in this house-

hugs from Meme and Dogman who is does not believe in simplicity-----

MEME HAS A PICTURE

2009-03-22T16:13:00.003-06:00

- YES- a new picture- this was at our house

the birds are ours ( the blue bird died just a few days before papa did)

and the cat is a visitor

they got a long fine

but I know what that kitty was thinking-LOL

here is bigger picture of the little picture

I am playing and learning too
so you will have to be patient with me
now I just have to get Miss Ashley to down load some
more of my pictures
some time soon
----this is Dogman's balcony and out behind the gate
is where papa did his wood work-
he had a shed but it does not show
Dogman always watched him work
he has to stay in as he is a leash dog
and does not know how to travel on his own
and would walk away - or chase a cat too--LOL

we got the snow

2009-03-22T14:46:00.002-06:00

10 inches so far- wet-heavy snow- not terribly cold though
and wind is slight so not moving the snow around
poor
Dogman- stepped of the door step and fell into the snow
up to his arm pits and that is where he stayed
so I had to go out and shovel him a pee patch
the snow is heavy so I will have to do it in
samll sprats-
it is call ''heart attack snow''
here in Alberta
pray for all and also roofs
we are blessed to have a high peak roof
but some are not so blessed
pray for no cave-ins and the high-ways
must go and drink some tea
and store up some energy for more shoveling
alas- some storms are not simple
but it is part of the joys of living in Alberta
hugs for today
Meme

SPRING HAS COME TO MY CLEANING

2009-03-21T18:56:00.002-06:00

I started spring cleaning again
I did start once but got caught u in our winter here
it is not springy right now we have storm warnings
across Alberta
and we are being asked to stay at home
so Meme will have a quiet evening here
I may continue the cleaning bite by bite
and have a rest in between.......
I am trying to go through every nook and cranny
on the main floor
it is amazing how much one collects over time
and also how difficult it is deciding what to do
with some of the things....
it is not easy this year with
having no papa hubby here
he was my leg man
who vacuumed corners etc
while I cleaned and sorted --------
I am letting go of more things now
as I am the only one here and I have
become half of us....
Poppy was more of a keeper than I am
so I will give and toss and sort
and in the end I am hoping that there
will be less next year to gather dust
I enjoy this kind of cleaning but
only once a year
here we generally do not do a lot
of fall cleaning as we have work
to do outside preparing for our winters
hmmm- maybe we should change the name
to winter cleaning and we would all be done
when spring comes to us - but what else
can one do in Alberta in April as
we stay in between seasons with our
weather --
off to spring clean something
and I am hoping that it will be simple--LOL
huggles from Meme

SIMPLY ME....

2009-03-18T19:49:00.002-06:00

I am beginning to find
the me in me again
after papa hubby died I felt lost
nothing seemed or felt right
the world was inside out
but lately I have been finding
little things of me again
shoulders a little straighter
life seems more alive with
a laugh here and a cry there
and tears for others too
my smile is more real
my heart less broke-
the sun is brighter
and the sky less gray
and
I know that papa hubby
would want to see me
as me again
I will always love him.
Death does not end love-
so slowly I will dig my
heart out of the sand
because then I can see
what God wants for do=
as He guides me into
being me again.
huggles from Meme

pocket stories

2009-03-17T19:41:00.000-06:00

pocket stories
Pocket stories is another blog
that I am working on where I am
putting some of my writing
that I did before papa hubby got sick
they are lessons of life
that the Lord has taught
me since I became a Christian
in 1987
some stories are new
you may notice papa mentioned
in some of the old.....
I used to write more before cancer
as an encouragement to other woman
you are welcome to read
it will take me some time
to transfer stories over
so it may not be a busy blog
God has taught me many lessons
and these are but a tiny sharing
and He is still teaching me
as I live my life for Him
papa hubby was my greatest fan
and loved to sit and watch me write
it was one of the things he said
he was looking forward when he
came home from the hospital
the first time
I quit my writings for a long time
but I feel it is time to share
and write again
feel free to read them or
free to not read
this is just a reminder that
they are there
you may share any you want too
I just ask that you leave my name
attached -
sometimes they will say copy write on them
but I feel they belong to the Lord
so nothing will happen if you
forget who the author is
(wink)
and hugs and here is the link

http://pocketstoriesfromeme.blogspot.com/

Pocket StoriesLittle stories of life that have a message-fact and/or fiction- lessons of growth that God has blessed me with-the Lord teaches US each day as He blesses us in all things-lessons gifts to help us follow the Shepherd- please feel free to share but leave my name with the story- God bless everyone!! A pocket story is a short story- small enough to carry in our hearts and big enough to use again and again.
huggles Meme

UPDATE FROM MEME

2009-03-16T21:54:00.002-06:00

the fire is out
they had to tear down the building today
4 businesses and 4 homes gone
but no deaths
one small injury
to make sure no hot spots continued
the two buildings beside have water- smoke
damage but our little cafe is still there
felt some better today
went for a walk to see the mess
and did chores at church also
I think Meme is hanging
out to much with teen -age gal
and not getting enough sleep
so Meme may have to change her
new bad habits-
and also I think some allergies
are coming and going
I will be a good example
and get ready for bed early
hugs and good night

fire in our town

2009-03-15T21:35:00.003-06:00

part of our down town is on fire
I walked down to see what is.......
I should not be out
as Meme is sick and
really should be in her room
if not in her bed........
but down town is special
to me as that is where
I met dear hubby
the fire is on the same side
and two doors down
from our cafe.......
the buildings are older
than me and connected together
so we may lose more and they are
part of our history
is going up in smoke
it reminds me of what
the Lord tells us
that there is a time for everything
and although this is sad
as far as we know there are no
lost lives- there were apartments
up above so homes are burning too
the fire is about 5 blocks away
from our home
it is cold here- below freezing
but no wind
Meme must be off now
and have a simple quiet evening now
the Miss Ashley is here
to keep Meme in line --LOL
hugs from Meme

a simple day

2009-03-11T23:41:00.002-06:00

had one of those days where life was plain and simple
I always enjoy days like this
where no one phones with sad news
where it is cold but not too cold to walk
where the sun shines and warms my kitchen
where both sinks are clean for a few minutes
where the weather man is talking about warm air coming
where the moon lights up the world
where I find what I am looking for
where I see a child smile
where supper bakes in the oven
where I have tears of joy
where the kids got hours with their jobs
where I have laughter
where my heart is at home and
where I am still and hear God
******************
we had our casserole for supper and the
teens like it and put their dishes in the sink
and enough left over for tomorrow
now it is bed time and I am looking
for a new day tomorrow where I can rejoice
and be glad in it------
huggles from Meme

still cold--------hot recipe

2009-03-10T22:35:00.003-06:00

we feel like we are in a deep freeze-
the house has that chill to it----------
and feels dry but cold
we have a kettle of water
to bubble out some slow steam
to keep some moister in the air
I did not get much done today
played hooky but dishes are done
found this neat toss casserole which is
adjustable to your family--
also have this recipe ready to go tomorrow
********************************************

2 pounds of ground beef- cook- and drain

1 cup macaroni' - any shape you like- cook

1 cup grated cheddar cheese-

1 can of tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce- about 2 and 1/4 cups( when ever I find

that I am short an ounce or so of sauce I add water to make the correct amount of liquid)

and/ or ----1 cup of left over cooked veggies

and /or ---- 1 pepper diced- semi cook in pan you cooked hamburger in

onions are optional - cook same as pepper

salt and pepper to taste- I use about 1/2 teaspoon of each

-let all cool for 15 minutes and then mix everything together

place in greased casserole dish-and refrigerate

tomorrow night bake in 350F oven for 45 minutes-

- you can adjust the amounts of any ingredients to make a size that fits you house hold plus using your choice of veggies- I have made with out the options also

I like this recipe as it is a make a head and just needs to bake- a neat thing to have if around-

if you are expecting a busy day out- it is so much less expensive than eating out and the baking time takes no longer than service in a cafe- you can serve a salad and you are set to stay home.

hugs from Meme

Meme's Cabbage Rolls

2009-03-07T21:56:00.002-07:00

I take about 12 cabbage leaves and put in pot
of water - bring to a boil and turn off- let sit about 10 minutes in the hot water - then drain - they will cool as you are making beef mix-

1 pound lean ground beef-
2/3 cup instant rice or left over cooked plain rice
1 can tomato sauce- (15 oz. )
( I have used tomato soup in place of sauce--1 can plus 1 can water and omit the other half cup of water)
1/2 tsp. salt
dash or two of pepper
1 teaspoon sugar( cuts the acid taste )
1/2 cup water

mix tomato sauce - water - salt - pepper- sugar , together =

mix beef and rice and add 1/2 the sauce mix-

place approx 1/3 cup of mix into each cabbage leaf-

wrap up and place in a un-greased baking dish ( approx 8 by 8)

pour remaining sauce over rolls and bake at 350F- oven for 50 minutes =

( make sure beef is well done- really depends on thickness of rolls_)

huggles from Meme

spring cleaning the kitchen

2009-03-04T22:29:00.002-07:00

every now and then Meme has a moment of madness
and so I have started to spring clean the kitchen
and maybe I should add declutter too
my decor now is tea-pots, tea cups and plants
I need to toss the tea-pots into the dish washer
for a dusting and degreasing
before Miss Ashley arrived at my house
I only had dust
but she is a fry girl
and a high heat with no lid kind of cook
the good news is she does not cook often
unless it involves a can-opener-(wink)
there are other things in the kitchen
which are taking a hike
some I will clean and give Miss Ashley
for her home .......
and bribe my daughters to take some things
(another wink)
now that there is only me here
other than the gal and her pal now and then
I want to have a less cluttered look
so that is why I choose the above three
as simple decor,,,,,,,,
one thing I noticed that some of my
small appliances have failed to work
any more and I have decided not to
replace them
a lot of them are really more work
than if I did things the old fashioned way
this has created more space -and
gives me more joy in the kitchen
I think it will take about 3 days to
clean the kitchen to spring shape
-- then if the clean feeling is still
hanging around me
I will go to the dining room
so Meme has sprung into spring
and spring is not even here :-)
have a good day/night
and Meme will return

the recipe book

2009-03-03T21:15:00.002-07:00

I bought a recipe book for Miss Ashley last week
to put away for her home some day
and the last few days I have read
the book and the index and according
to the title it has 1001 recipes-
and I did not find one recipe that
I could or would use-LOL
sigh
it was interesting reading and thankfully
was on sale for six dollars
I am hoping that she will find better
use of the recipes
this was one of those gifts where the
thought counted for more than the
price - Wink-
there is a few recipes that I have
versions of -- so it did remind
of some cooking/bakiing that I have done
in the past.......
hugs from Meme

TURKY IN THE STRAW

2009-03-01T14:18:00.002-07:00

actually the turkey is in the oven- it was a sale turkey
that we got after Christmas- no too big but
enough to party with....
and I decided it had live in a frozen state
long enough and we also need the freezer room
Miss Ashley invited her mom and sisters
as it is Robyn's birthday tomorrow
we had birthdays in February and
more to come in March
so we are having a celebration dinner
for all of them
the rest is simple
carrots with a honey glaze
I cook the carrots and once they
are in the dish
I heat some honey in microwave
and drizzle over carrots
you do not need a lot when drizzling
potatoes mashed
gravy
no stuffing as non of the folks who are
coming eat it so why waste time and money
cranberries- yes
and a ice cream cake
it is nice way to have a celebration
and in this time of recession
we can still have fun by sharing
dinners together
our next dinner will be for Easter
Meme gets to do all the work - but
that is part of being a granny
and the time will come when
granny is too old.....and some
one else will have to step up
to the plate.......(s)
hugs from Meme who is going to the kitchen now

simple memory makers .......

2009-02-26T00:58:00.003-07:00

one of the blessings of our countries falling into
a recession is that folks are starting to see the need
for simple living and that life is full of good moments
that grow from simplicity
--------some ideas I/we do : when grand-kids are staying-
movie night and using some of our own movies
and making popcorn and sharing the popcorn
by passing the bowl
some times just putting a blanket on the floor
and having supper as a picnic
community scrabble-this is where we put out the board
and 10 letters and anyone can add a word as they come and go-
baking cookies and eating them asap
making pancakes in shapes of letters that spell
your name- just free hand with a soup ladle
simple things but memory makers
and I forgot another one which is a favorite --
making note cards or book marks from old cards-
____________________-
there are so many little things
that we can do as entertainment rather
than going out to spend money we
need for other things or even worse- adding
to a charge card and then losing sleep
later in the month -
I am looking for ideas to add to our list
hugs from Meme

Meme was playing ---..

2009-02-24T21:59:00.002-07:00

with her settings and accidentally set the comments on moderation
so if you think you goofed ---
you didn't - meme did
but has reset you and me back to normal comments
today I did nothing around the house - and
Miss Ashley said--''that is a good thing-''
but I did go down to the church and help
make our pancake supper
the original lady was too upset
to do it as she has to place
her mom in a nursing home due to a stroke
and mama does not want to go
but right now she cannot walk
she is 91 and was able to drive her car
up to the stroke so mom is feeling
a lot of loss right now and
daughters are not understanding mom...
we had 68 plus come to the lent supper
and nearly ran out of pancake mix but we
did manage to feed everyone
I started the dinner alone
and then a couple of ladies came in later
to help and we snagged two men
to do the dishes-
I am eating a chocolate bar and
thinking of giving up my chocolate
for lent-
chocolate and me go together
I must do a study on lent as I
really do not understand it or
why of the giving up ----
but I am willing to do it
but I want to give up something
to the glory of God rather
than using legalism
I will go study it now
and see what the Lord shows me
we did not do this at our church
until the new pastor came
huggs from Meme

pizza pizza?

2009-02-23T22:36:00.003-07:00

the grand-kids were here on the week end
so Meme tried to make a pizza
but Meme is blond in this area
but found a dough recipe which
I could handle as I do make bread
now and then
so we made a hamburger and cheese
pizza one day and a chicken and cheese pizza
the next day-
I made too much dough for just one..
both meats were precooked
and it was just the sauce and the cheese and the meat
as we had to build with what we had on hand
our only problem was that the pizzas
stuck in the middle of the pan?
have no idea why....so it
was pizza with a fork -----lol
now Meme has never eaten pizza-
sigh- as Meme had never understood
mixed up foods--
however in order to get one child
to taste Meme's cooking I had to
take a bite and make a comment
sigh-
well, it was good so Meme ate
the whole piece both days
this sent the g'kids into shock as they
have never seen pizza
pass Meme lips before and it
has never happened before
maybe I can do this more often
for the Miss Ashley and I
as we are not into cooking a lot
of real meals and according to some
survey somewhere at sometime
pizza can be considered a balanced meal?
could this be true? hm-mm
need to add some vegetables
and find a non sticking pan?
we added the cooked chicken first
and then the cheese and the meat did
not dry out like Meme thought
it might do.......
I need pizza ladies advice
hugs from Meme
is still growing up

daddy cooking dinner

2009-02-19T23:34:00.002-07:00

sometimes daddy would cook- if mama was away or out in the garden
our big garden was quite away from the house so it was
nice for mother not to have to walk back and forth
his favorite was a western sandwich
made
his way on the given day
he would use 6 eggs - beat with a fork until mixed
into a hot fry pan with bacon grease
and add some chopped tomatoes and potatoes
some green onion- and even cooked carrots
and maybe some crumbled bacon or cold beef or ham
sprinkle the ingredients on top of the eggs- but do not stir in-
cook until nearly done on bottom and flip over like a pancake
and finish cooking=this side will be less time-
cut into 3 and make up 3 sandwiches
this does sound a lot like an omelet but there is no folding over
and it is not as light........and
both sides were a golden brown
some folks call them a denver rather than a western sandwich
but we stuck with the name '' daddy's sandwich''
he did not toast the bread as it was home made
do not stir while cooking or you end up with scrambled eggs
we always had eggs as we raised the chickens from birth
I hate to think this now but I guess we ate the chickens
later on after they were old hens- sigh-
mama did not like eggs so she would find something
for herself......she did not mind......as she tended to eat
at odd times in the summer due to her garden-
huggles Meme

simple treasures

2009-02-18T21:56:00.003-07:00

because I am in a place where I have to make decisions about the things of papa hubby's I am noticing that it is the simple things he had that I find are treasures- what was his was mine and what was mine was his but we all some things that are just a part who we are--
here is a small list..
1. his small plainer ( hope that is correct spelling) that he used when he was making the diamond willow walking sticks and canes-- it is now a paper weight-( he made the canes and sticks and sold them at the farmer's market)
2. his belt buckle that he bought shortly after accepting Christ as Lord in his life- it says - Praise the Lord
3. he had 2 soup mugs that he used in the last months at home as they were easier for him to use- and he loved chicken noodle soup for breakfast and dinner and supper- he called it his ''special''-
4. a small dog blanket that he bought for Dogman but we used it to put under his arm that had the pic-line in - Dogman had no problem sharing -
His pic- pockets that the chemo nurses gave- they covered the pic-line when it was not being used for chemo and helped keep the ports from poking his arm-
twin hammers- he found these short hammers at the hard-ward and bought one for me and one for him - for just using in the house- a hammer for mama and one for papa too
his little bottle of opal that he kept with water in it and loved to show the colors to his friends-
His special cane that he made for himself - and used so much on his cancer journey-
his special forks- he was ocd about his forks- he just loved to use them and we did have 6 so we were able to keep him fed- they have a shorter handle than a normal fork -
his bent spoons- when ever we had soup( before cancer) he always would bend the spoon so we have a lot of spoons with bends in them as he would bend it back to normal when supper was over- and no - it was that the soup was like cement--LOL-
and his stuffed frog that he kept with at the hospital because when the nurses woud ask him about the frog he could tell them that it stood for ''FULLY RELY ON GOD -sometimes he got the word rely mixed with relax or reach but it was a seed planter no matter what word he used- I have to admit that the frog is ugly but he fit papa's personality....
-- these are some of the things of papa- there of course is so much more and I will share with kids etc but these odds and ends will remain with me-

hugs from Meme

BUFFALO STEW

2009-02-17T18:29:00.002-07:00

I was raised on farm in the 1950s - and in our area most folks lived as homesteaders as we did not have running water in the house- electricity- or an in door bathroom- and our heat was wood with some coal to supplement- we lived off the main road half a mile west and anyone living off the main did not have these blessings- until the early 60s.
--------------
when we went to grandpa's house a few miles away he did have electricity as he lived on main road- and we could go out to his field and find arrow heads as his farm was once an Indian camping ground-
the buffalo - were of course- all gone- but we often saw buffalo skeletons close to the river-
this recipe reminded of those days gone by- they were plain and simple but they were also very hard work for the homesteader- especially the women- the good old days were tough- and more romantic in books than real life.
**************************
Buffalo stew--
one buffalo, medium sized
Rabbits- (optional)
salt and herbs - to taste
*********skin the buffalo and cut into bit sized pieces- add enough water to cover- simmer until tender-could take days......
add rabbits , - but be careful as people do not like to find a hare in their stew--
*LOL* (did I get you?)
this reminds of my life right now- I am trying to cut the buffalo(life) into bite sized pieces so that I can make the stew
I am doing ok.......I was raised in hard times so I know how to be strong but I do not know how to be lonely-
==but this I know.
Jesus loves me, This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They(I) are weak, but He is strong.

hugs from Meme

simple pleasures

2009-02-16T17:51:00.002-07:00

sunshine in my kitchen
clean sinks
left-overs for supper
Dogman wags
time to drink a cup of tea
stains that come out of clothes
a good book to read
warm hands
heavenly peace
happy news reports
and knowing that tomorrow will bring more simple pleasures
and that today held more simple pleasures than I can report

huggles from Meme

company is here cake recipe.......

2009-02-14T23:06:00.003-07:00

when I was growing we had no pre warning of company unless they were someone who you had pre-invited- but folks would drop in now and then and no one minded .......
so mother knew how to add another potato to the pot etc.
most company did not come with supper or dinner on their mind
but sometimes mother would invite them to stay for our next meal
------------if there was time she might make this quick cake
I found this recipe that she often used - taken out of a magazine
back during the war 2- this was a recipe used to save on eggs and sharing the sugar was a gift as sugar was rationed during the war--
------------
egg-less chocolate cake recipe
****************************
1 and 1/2 flour
3 tablespoons of cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup water
--*** Mix the flour- cocoa- sugar- salt and soda
- together in greased 8 by 8 cake pan-
make large hole in middle of mixture and add vinegar,
vanilla and oil and then water
and beat with a fork until all ingredients are mixed-
--bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes-
serve warm with cream or whipped cream-
no need to even take out of pan - until serving
these were ingredients that we always had, it was an easy and quick
recipe
*******************
hugs from Meme

Mama's biscuits......

2009-02-12T01:03:00.002-07:00

Mama usually made biscuits once a week as sometimes the bread she baked did not quite make it through and she like to bake her bread on Tuesdays-
she did not have a lot of time to fiddle fuddle with rolling out the dough so this recipe is how she made them- sometimes daddy made them for us-
---------------------
Beat and drop Biscuits
4 cups of flour- do not pack
4 teaspoons. of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs, beaten with fork
1 cup of milk- our milk came straight from the cow so I would suggest
whole milk
********
Put dry ingredients in bowl and shred the butter into flour mixture and mix well- then add the beaten eggs and milk and mix but briefly
do not over mix or biscuits will not be light--
Drop on a lightly greased cookie sheet- and bake until golden brown
at 425F approx. 15 minutes-
the temp and time again are a guess so I checked some biscuit recipes and this seemed about right - daddy made big biscuits and mother's were smaller but we enjoyed either baker's biscuits........
sometimes mama would sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of half the pan-
-mother would wrap leftover biscuits in a damp tea towel-( this was before plastic wraps etc and she had certain tea towels reserved for wrapping or covering food-)- and then pop them back into the oven-(-just to reheat)- at breakfast time and we had pancake syrup on top or heated fruit from her own canned fruit- peaches were the best...
the recipe made about 2 dozen biscuits and would be our meal served with homemade soup-

supper for Mrs. Ford--recipe

2009-02-10T22:14:00.004-07:00

when I was a child we had a friend named Mrs. Ford
her husband had died and she lived alone
there was no money from SS or government for widows
so she was very poor
and often had to walk and visit neighbors just because
she needed to eat........
we never knew when she would be coming as
there were no phones in the district
mama tried to make this meal for her
because Mrs. Ford liked it......
then she would spend the night
we had enough blankets to make a
temporary mattress
and cover her-
we did not have the extra bed or couch
but she just loved sleeping on the floor
by our kitchen stove
she would leave after dinner the next day and
mother would send her off with food
to help keep her eating for a few days...
many others in the district did the same thing
although some would not let her sleep at their house
she lived about 3 miles away from our house
so here is the meal mama made when she could
---------------
6 potatoes * note - our potatoes and carrots were not small so I am guessing that it would be about 6 cups of each...
6 carrots
butter a 9 by 13 cake pan
and slice potatoes and carrots
put in pan and add one can of tomato soup
plus one can of water---mother would use a cookie
sheet to cover for the first half of baking time
bake in oven around 300F degrees for
for approx. one hour--
boil eggs and when dish is ready- peel while hot
and place sliced or mashed eggs on top and
serve with biscuits and milk
I can only guess at the temp. and the time
as mother used the wood cook stove
sometimes mother used hot milk in place of the soup
( I am
guessing about 3 cups )
I remember we all enjoyed it.....
and also enjoyed Mrs. Ford's visit
I am going to try this recipe soon to see
how my memory held out...
hugs from Meme

FALSE CABBAGE ROLLS

2009-02-08T22:23:00.002-07:00

I used to make this recipe when the kids were little and time was not always on my side-it makes a nice dish for blessing suppers at church
----------------
1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium cabbage--sliced
2 cans of tomato soup
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion (optional)
you can also add 1/3 cup of sour cream mixing in to pot- just before serving-
---------
Brown ground beef in cooking pot- drain fat--
add sliced cabbage- tomato soup- and spices- (do not add water to the soup)
cover and simmer until cabbage is done or place in oven at 325 F for 40 minutes- this can be served over rice or noodles or mashed pototoes-
I prefer the oven method over stove top--but both do work-
this recipe can be doubled re ground beef and cabbage but only use the 2 cans of soup but add 3/4 can water-

COOKING WITH CENTS

2009-02-05T18:52:00.002-07:00

I thought that with the way our economy is swaying-
I would start digging out recipes that are old and true and have stood the test of time- I am slowly teaching my Miss Ashley that we do not go to the store in between grocery shops-
I will try to share some of the recipes that I find brighten our day-
when we were kids mama made puff wheat squares about once a month- now I see these squares selling in tea shops for over 2 dollars for one piece- (kids can have fun making the mixture into balls similar to popcorn balls for their bag lunch-)
-------------------
PUFFED WHEAT SQUARES
--------------------------
1/3 cup margarine-
1/2 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tables spoons cocoa-- and
8 cups of puffed wheat
cook margarine, corn syrup, brown sugar and cocoa just until bubbly= if you over cook the mixture it will be quite hard to bite into the squares
pour over the puff wheat and pack into a greased 9 by 13 pan. allow to cook before cutting-
have fun-
hugs from Meme

OLD HOMESTEAD RECIPE

2009-02-01T23:30:00.001-07:00

I ran into this recipe while cleaning--this is an old homestead recipe put out in 1906- written as is...and no, I am not quite as old as this recipe--
.
Johnny Cake== Put 2 breakfast-cupfuls flour, 1 teacupful sugar, and 2 teaspoonfuls baking-powder in basin.
Mix well, rub a piece of butter size of walnut, add 1 teacupful of any fruit liked, such as sultanas, or currents, or peel or preserved ginger, or grated coconut, 1 egg(well beaten) and a cupful of milk. Pour into greased tin and bake about 1 hour. Oven should be medium hot, test heat with hand first. Keep fire going with green wood.
Have fun- I am going to try this recipe soon with out the wood-LOL--remember a breakfast cup and a teacup are not the same size--a teacup is about 2/3 of a cup and breakfast is about 1 cup
huggles me, Meme :-)

hint hunter

2009-01-30T23:51:00.002-07:00

I love handy home hints -
and I sometimes
collect odd hints to experience
and although after I try them
most
of the hints do not work well for me..........
I am never sure why because
they must have worked for some one
in order for them to become a hint
of course, some do work
but now the problem
becomes remembering the hint
at the time one needs the hint-
sigh
my hints usually involve
both spending time and money
in order to save time and money
but I am not so sure that
I save either in the end
but some how it does not
seem to matter.....
so I will still continue
to collect hints and try them
and keep
the hints that work for me
and hope I remember the hint
at the right time and place
and I will still pass hints on
that work for me and hope that
they work for you-
I think hints are bonding
for keepers of the home
as I have never met anyone
who does not like hints or
does not have a hint to share
and we use hints passed down
from generation to generation
we use them because somehow
they come with love
soft hugs from Meme who shares this hint-
add a splash of lemon juice
to the cooking water when
you are making steamed rice
it gives you that nice bright
white color and does not change the taste-

clutter to clutter..

2009-01-26T23:49:00.003-07:00

This is an old writing that I did in 2006 and I can see I have not changed too much--not sure if I have more or less clutter- I have declutter thoughts from time to time -but open spaces scare me--LOL-
Enjoy- it is old but new ....
------------------------------------------------

I am a clutter bug and have been learning to declutter. I never knew these words until I discovered the internet. It is amazing what you can learn on email groups. In fact, the word declutter is not in my spell check yet. But decluttering I will go.
The first thing we are always told to do is ''make a to do list.'' That sounds fairly simple. All you need is pencil or pen and paper. Some suggest notebooks and others suggest the paper is enough. I like pencils with erasers but usually use a pen. I can never find the pencil sharpener.Well, the first part is easy as I have had paper and pens in my life since time for me began. I was born with a silver pen in my mouth rather than a spoon.
I also have more note books than I have time. Dollar stores have such pretty note books and the price is always right. Paper is easy to make if you tear a page out of a notebook.The second thing is to decide what to put on the list.

This is where I start to fail. I am not a one word woman. I cannot simply put down dishes unless I put down what to do with those dishes. I need to know if I mean wash or dry or put away. And what about the pots and pans? All right, maybe I can skip the dishes for today.
So then, lets try laundry- hmmm- what laundry? The whites, the colors or the bedding? Do I dry in the house or hang in outside? Forget that, we have enough clothes to wear for another week.
There are other things to do but so many decisions to make before I can write them down.So far the list is looking weak.
Now I put down floors and but which floors? I will put down swiffer floors as that is easy to write up and check off. And I like the word swiffer. It sounds so clean and what fun it is to check the dirt when you are done. Maybe the rug too but that means the vacuum which is not nearly as much fun. Believe me, it is far too difficult to check the dirt in the vacuum every day.
This list making is harder than I thought.I will write down on the list to remember to make a to do list tomorrow. I am to tired from thinking to write any more today. I will just set this list down somewhere . Better yet, I will toss this list out and get a new piece of paper tomorrow. This list has too many scratch outs.
Hey, I found something to do. I can dump the garbage so I have a clean place to put the paper.I do this every day which does prove that I am consistent with some things and I have also made a discovery about me. I am not a list maker.

Somehow this strikes me as a failure in some departments. The problem is I do not know what department. I still believe in lists; just not in making them. They take me too long to do.
I realized that it is ok to not make a list and that God has planned me to be more in the moment. I do clean well when I buzz about like a bee from here to there and everywhere. No one has starved to death in my house and dishes rinse well in emergencies. We can wear the same pants more than one day. And swiffering is such fun and our garbage cans are clean.
I used to buy a lot of books that had the perfect plan for me to become the perfect woman. They never said the word 'should' on the front cover but when I read the fine print I would feel lacking in many areas. I was always 'too' something or not enough something else. They said I needed to become someone else more or less to be perfect.
They never mentioned that God loved me just the way I was today. They never said that perfection consists of love and laughter mixed with tears and prayer. . They never said it is ok to be different. They never told me that I was knit together by the Father. They had long lists of things I could do to change me into a new pattern.
And just when I thought I had it right they wrote a new book and changed the rules.
I have learned as God's child I need to listen to the plans He has for me. He made some of us list makers and some of us not. He will determine my needs and goals. Now I am living one day at a time with Jesus as my list maker. I no longer have to have a list as one of my goals.
Now I am off to swiffer the floors and maybe I will try to find a note book. First I have to make a list of things to write in my notebook. And maybe after that I will see if I can find those' how to' books and declutter them. I only need one book of lists to read. The Bible is the book for me.
©McmPiesse
Huggles me, Marilyn Christine(Meme)Brighten the corner where you are....

simple spring gifts

2009-01-25T21:38:00.002-07:00

I have a house plant that several folks want clippings from
but as it is still cold winter here we are waiting and also
plants like to rest until March so I would rather not do cuttings yet..
while sorting the cupboard that holds all the spare
cups and this and that-- ( I had too this finally as nothing more would fit in -) --I know you understand :-)
I found several odd cups that need a new home
so I decided that I will make these into to mini plant pots
and for spring I will make these up as gifts for the friends who are
looking for the clippings- this way the plants will get a fair start
and look nice and the cups will find a new home
these are pretty cups rather than cups re advertisements
I will put a ribbon on the cup and share the joy
I also have some wide mouth vases that will make
some pretty gifts filled with candy or soap for Easter gifts
this gives me a hobby and a simple gift from the heart
hugs Meme who would live to hear more ideas

recipe for this week--angel eggs

2009-01-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

ANGEL EGGS WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

12 hard cooked eggs- cooled
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese-(you can use sharp cheddar cheese also)
4 table spoons mayonnaise
4 table spoons sour cream
pinch of salt- and pepper- both are optional -
Cut eggs in half - length ways - and remove yolks from eggs- cut tiny edge of whites to give flat bottom and set white halves a side-
add edges of white and yolks together and add the other ingredients-- Mash with fork until well mixed - if mixture appears dry- add a bit more mayo.
fill each egg white with approx. 1 (one) tablespoon of mixture-- and garish as desired-
(chopped fine parsley makes a nice color contrast)
------------------
you can also use recipe as egg salad for sandwiches by using all the whites in mixture and adjusting mayo-
hugs from Meme

SIMPLICITY is simple?

2009-01-23T22:54:00.004-07:00

one of the things about simplicity is that it is not easy to start
but I know:
it has to start in the heart and I do believe
that what I/we may think of as simplicity is not what God
is wanting to work in my heart.....
I did think it would be easy
just eat less and use less and buy less and do less
but that is not quite how it is turning out for me
yes, I do turn out the lights when I leave a room
and I try to be ''green''. and many other so on...
but I see too that God wants me to start sharing
the things that I do have--
and not the typical ''drop off of old clothes'' at the
thrift store- sigh- I knew it was not going to be
that easy-
but what then is it that I am to do?
I am not sure yet but I know it is cutting into
my selfish heart
it is so easy to get caught up in what I have
and keep it to myself-
after all - it is mine- isn't it ?
and I did work for it etc etc etc. and
some of it holding a memory too ......
alas I have to say that I do not know
what God is going to ask me to do
but I do know that I am going to
have to become ''still'' and know
that He is God----and He owns the stuff
pray with me as I sort this out in my life
sigh
and I thought a cup of simplicity was going to be simple

hugs Meme

simply me tonight

2009-01-21T22:20:00.002-07:00

lately we have got a lot of email notices of certain foods containing peanut paste having salmonella but one of the most surprising to me-
was the one where
they were pulling all celery with peanut butter in it or is that on it-
due to the salmonella problems
now maybe it is just me-- but have we become a nation of being spoiled along with having to sort out spoiled foods
why do we need to we save time by not being able to put our own peanut butter in our celery sticks- sigh-
and does not the peanut butter put the celery off the diet list-do you count both or is one on and one off?
carrots we don't have to peel
lettuce we don't have to cut up or even wash
dressings we do not have to mix- just open and pour
eggs already broken and beaten so all you need to do
is open and pour from the jar- how is that is going to
read out in our recipes?
I love to save time but the last time I looked these things cost more than the way they came originally- so then the I need to work more hours
to make my life more convenient-
and what if no one has inter-net to read the notices-
and the salmonella is hiding somewhere in a cupboard
just waiting for your tummy to learn to read-
-----------
just a silly thought or two that Meme feels
huggles me,

Pumpkin Pudding

2009-01-19T23:17:00.002-07:00

Pumpkin Pudding--(pie without the crust)

2 cups pumpkin ( canned) I use one small can which is about a ounce short of the two cups.
3/4 cup brown sugar,
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk /or cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 water
Blend all ingredients,
pour into a buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole.
Bake at 350F for 55 to 65 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool and garnish with dollops of whipped cream or whipped topping.
store L/O in fridge -

hugs, Meme--no crust equals less calories :-)

who is Meme?

2009-01-18T16:30:00.001-07:00

who is Meme?
well, me of course but how did I get the name
when I was first on the net I just used my name - Marilyn
but then I went on a group of ladies where
there was another Marilyn
and this lady sent in jokes
that I did not want my name connected too
even by accident so I went to using Marilyn Christine
which worked somewhat but then folks
started to shorten my name to MC which
for me was not a good thing- but
being a pleasant sort of gal
I never corrected anyone or
told them I just did not want to be MC
now as you know ''our Miss Sidney
spent quite some time with papa and I
a few years ago while her mommy was working
and when ever Papa would call out''
who wants ice cream- Miss Sidney said
me and then I said
me-me --LOL
so after a while she would answer for me
and say me-me does too
and so I sort of adopted the name
by accident and finally became
assertive enough to ask the name
shorteners not to use MC but that they
could use meme--so I became Meme
here at my house I am now
the only one who calls me --meme
the g'kids call me Oma except Miss Sidney
who walks with her own beat of the drum and
calls me Nana
I did not even know there was a word for me-me
I just took it for me and left the dash out
now I know that meme means grandma
and also something else on the net
to do with questions or something of that sort
I did google in once upon a time
but memory of the meaning
passed away from my mind
Papa David called me Oma and honey and
many other sweet names
close to his time to leave
he always called me Oma or to the nurses
my wife who knows what I need--
he took new no pills
with out making them consult the wife
because I called papa --papa a lot
I did sign my name as papa's wife
as new folks were confused
thinking I meant my dad....
so that is sort of who I am now
Meme and you can call me that
any time you need too
as it really means to me- me too
and not age- it is an inter-net identity, of sorts
and saves typing for me and you
and you can call me Marilyn Christine too
but not MC although I would still answer
LOL
I hope I did not confuse anyone
and you will see this was a fun name
that took on my life as my own
and was all caused by eating ''ice-cream'
hugs from Meme aka Oma and Marilyn Christine

sharing a link

2009-01-17T21:36:00.002-07:00

this is a blog where I share stories of my yesterdays
some tales I have written before and they are family
stories of when I was a girl- sister- wife - and mother
and lots of Oma stories too- also some devotions that I wrote before
cancer came to our house-
http://memedaysgoneby.blogspot.com/

everyone is welcome but do not feel obligated to follow me- although I see that I am following my self - LOL- I will not overwhelm you with too many stories
hugs Meme

Recipe for you--

2009-01-16T22:14:00.002-07:00

---------------------GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH MOLASSES
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (light) molasses
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whipping cream/or half and half
3/4 cup boiling water
Preheat oven to 350°F.Butter and flour 9x9x2-inch pan.Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl .Beat in molasses, then eggs -1 at a time.
Sift in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt; beat until blended. Beat in 1/4 cup cream, then add 3/4 cup boiling water and beat to incorporate. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack *********************************
--Take a moment to enjoy day and be a blessing-

****JOYQUOTE
"On cable TV they have a weather channel – 24 hours of weather. We had something like that where I grew up. We called it a window." - (Dan Spencer )hugs, MEME

new club

2009-01-14T18:56:00.000-07:00

The 12- step Chocoholic's Program:

NEVER be more than 12-steps away from chocolate.

HUGGLES ME, MEME

A LONG TIME AGO

2009-01-12T22:06:00.004-07:00

Before papa hubby got sick and went home to the Lord- I had another blog-I am slowly cleaning it out..........sigh.........bittersweet
and found this recipe that we used often after a big family meal.........
a nice way to say good bye to left-overs
----------------------------------------
Pineapple Ham Bake:
2 cups crushed pineapple- undrained-------
1/4 cup brown sugar--------
-1 tablespoon vinegar------
-2 teaspoons ground mustard-----
3-4 cups cooked ham cut into bite size pieces.
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a ungreased 2 quart casserole dish. Stir in ham and bake uncovered about 35 minutes in a 350F oven. Serve with plain steamed rice and enjoy.
and here is a cheerio to ponder upon:
A KEYCHAIN IS SOMETHING THAT LETS YOU LOOSE ALL YOUR KEYS AT THE SAME TIME.

huggles from Meme

oh, see what I did

2009-01-11T18:44:00.001-07:00

I found a snippet to add to my blog and it worked-
Meme is flying-----lol
now soon I will have some other things to do here too and
I feel pretty in the pink :-)
hugs Meme

Simple thoughts

2009-01-11T16:47:00.002-07:00

have you ever noticed how your mind can wonder away
from good thoughts
oh, please tell me that I am not the only one-!
one thing I committed to this year is to toss
the sale fliers that come with our local paper
what I do not see- I do not crave
or think that I might need when
in reality if I do not have it now
chances are I am not in need
0f having it tomorrow -------
I do check the grocery fly-er from
one of our two groceries stores
and that is how I plan the meals for our week
which reminds me that I sent
the boy who is a friend of the
grand daughter who lives with Oma
to the grocery store and he did well
he kept the whole list in his head--LOL
and did not stray off the list by accident
but one thing I noticed when I put
the groceries away is that
he dented the milk that came in
a plastic jug
how does one dent milk?SMILE
only a boy would know-
the good news is there is no leak
and I did not ask or complain.........
papa hubby's cancer taught
me that there is a lot of small
stuff that we can panic or sweat about
that has nothing to do with having
a happy home....
I saw this wee poem about stuff
''stop wishing for the things
you complain you have not
and start making the best
of all that you have got....'' (unknown)
I have decided to start
using my blessings instead
of storing them for the perfect day
so yes, now I am using my special teacup
every day now
I see that I did rather wonder
off and on from my first topic again
but sometimes that is
a good thing..

and yes, I am going to take the help to pretty up this blog

but it will be another day as Oma needs to make a simple supper-

huggles from OMA/MEME who will explain my names another day too

pretty blogs

2009-01-10T23:54:00.002-07:00

I have been peeking in on blogs tonight and now I am wondering how
one makes them all so pretty and picture friendly-?

mine are plain and simple but not by choice-
this year I will have to see if I can find a way
to brighten the corner where I blog.......

all ideas are welcome and hints too
huggles me, Meme

FRUGALITY

2009-01-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

""Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Proverbs 30:8

wow- how often do I pray this verse? sigh-- so often I get caught up in many wants and the new word of the year,,,'' must haves'' and yet. God still supplies me with my daily needs and beyond.

Lord- give me the courage to pray this verse daily-

QUOTE; Little is much when God multiplies it.........amen

Meme versus Miss Ashley.....

2009-01-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

-------
I am 60
she is 18
so today Meme says
we need to take down the tree
so Meme starts to remove
things with care
Meme runs to exchange
laundry that was in dryer
for laundry from the washer
Meme is 60 so Meme thinks there
is in no need to hurry
then Meme returns
wow = tree is down
corner is bare
oh my,
tree is in box
with lights and ornaments
still on the tree
Meme is silent--
or is that in shock
but after all- it is her/my tree
and it is taken down
and it is in the box
and the ornaments are packed
now Meme's hope is
that next Christmas
Meme will be out
shopping while Miss Ashley
sets up the tree
let me only say
that this tree did not come
with ornaments or lights
now Meme has only one
box to pack to the attic
and Meme is smiling
double hugs from Meme

SICK LEAVE

2009-01-05T20:17:00.001-07:00

SORRY that I have not been a blogging but
I have been off sick and tired
but I am now on the mend
so I will return soon
take care and have
a happy January
God bless everyone
hugs from Meme

RECIPE FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR

2008-12-29T20:10:00.003-07:00

Take 12 fine, full-grown months; and
see that these are thoroughly cleansed from all old memories of bitterness, rancor, hate, and jealousy.

Cut these months into 30 or 31 equal parts.

Prepare one day at a time as follows:
Into each day, put 12 parts of faith, 11 of patience, 10 of courage, nine of work (some people omit this ingredient and spoil the flavor of the rest), eight of hope, seven of fidelity, six of open-mindedness, five of kindness, four of rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad-don't do it), three of prayer, two of meditation, and one of well-selected resolution.

If you have no conscientious scruples, add a teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.

Pour love liberally into the whole, and mix with vim. Cook thoroughly in a fervent heat. Garnish with a few smiles and a sprig of joy; then serve with quietness, unselfishness, and cheerfulness-and a Happy New Year is a certainty.
Author Unknown

MEME SLIPPING IN ......with Recipe

2008-12-28T00:23:00.003-07:00

Getting behind with my blog and tales
today was warmer here in cold Alberta
we got up to minus 8C with the wind chill of minus 15C
I did go for my walk
Meme's Banana Bread
-------------------------
1/2 cup shortening-
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
I tablespoon milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 mashed ripe bananas
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped (fine) walnuts
or I have also used chopped almonds-
cream shortening and sugar--add eggs, milk, mashed bananas and vanilla, add flour, soda, and salt- Mix well and add nuts - finish mixing and put in a greased loaf pan for about 1 hour at 325F. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan= when cool you can slice and freeze slices for bag lunches etc- they will be thawed in time for lunch.
enjoy
huggles Meme

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

2008-12-23T23:40:00.002-07:00

Peeking in for a moment just to say I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS
I am fine but on the busy side due to sewer problems
which are now fixed
had a nice day here but still very cold
however the wind has stopped blowing
I will send a note tomorrow unless I get lost in a snow drift
take care of each other
hug some one today
the best gift you can give is ''your self-
blessings from Meme

skipping days..

2008-12-20T22:39:00.001-07:00

no, did not forget my password again
but just busy staying warm in our very minus temperatures
Alberta is cold all over
and I lost a day in time
but now I am here- trying to come up with a story
I have not finished shopping yet and now it may be too cold --LOL
maybe on Monday I will stroll the streets and check out some of our little stores
I miss papa taking me to the city but I do not miss the long lines and the traffic jams
yesterday I popped into one of our stores and our line up was only 3 people long
that is my kind of line up-
it is true that we do not have everything here but we have what one really needs
yesterday was also the anniversary day to hear that papa david had terminal cancer --one year ago on December 19
terminal is a big word when added to cancer
it takes a lot of hope out of the equation
but we still had some hope and we kept the faith
I am not happy with the outcome - I miss him so much
and I have the realization that he will not walk in the door again
on on this earth
I also have the comfort of knowing that he is with the Lord
and what ever and how ever the Lord has all things planned
I know that I will see him again
but oh how much I miss him here
the weather is a damper on my spirits as I become a shut in
as with the wind chill it is too cold to walk far
but spring is coming under all the snow
it is sleeping but will return again
take care and Meme will pay more attention to her wonderings
and make sure I check in sooner than later
thank you for your comments
they help me
there is a couple of blogs that I have trouble leaving a message at ??
not sure why- but I do read and think and pray for you
huggles me, Meme who is cold ====
BBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Here I am..just late

2008-12-16T00:36:00.003-07:00

I have been busy and cold and speechless
here we are getting very cold temps with strong winds
so this old house and this old woman are/is cold
and I have just not been able to get to the net
until later in the evening
so I run out of time to report in
I am ok and making my way through
the season ok- I have not done the shopping yet
but as it will only be in this little town
it is ok to wait
no wild cities for me this year
if I take time I can manage to find
some very good things
here at prices with in reason and have
no gas money expenses
take care and Meme will call in soon
huggles from a very cold Alberta-

oldie from april 2007 plus recipe

2008-12-06T21:47:00.002-07:00

A CUP OF JOY--#5
Joy comes in the little things we are blessed with each day. Joy moves beyond being happy. Joy is the peace of understanding that God is love- Joy comes in small surprise packages each day. All we have to do is --open'' them.
I found this poem while cleaning and I wanted to share it with you:'

LITTLE THINGS
'Dear God, please give to meA thankful heart for little things-
For sunshine on my kitchen floor
For news the postman brings;
For memories in the making,
Things the children say and do,
That I will smile about, perhapsSome future quiet day.
Grant me appreciation
Of the small joys that are mine-
The special birthday parties,
My honeysuckle vine;
The clean, fresh smellOf clothes just washed;
The ivy on my wall,
The children's thrilled delight
To wake and find the first snowfall.
For robins in the springtime,
And autumn's crispy weather-
For leaves that crunch,
Friends in for lunch
And laughter shared together.
Give me enthusiasm
To greet each brand new day
With honest joy in livingAs I go my simple way;
Let me love the little things
and thank our Father when I pray.
----------------------------------------------------------------
---Joy Recipe:

Mexicali Beef Stew
2 pounds beef stew meat,
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 large onion chopped(optional)
4 cups beef broth
1 cup of medium salsa sauce
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cups chopped potatoes
and1 cup kernel corn(frozen but let thaw)
2 cups diced canned tomatoes(drain but save juice_)
2 teaspoons chili powder
dash of pepper------
Heat oil in dutch oven and add meat and onion.
Brown meat evenly and- Stir in broth and sauce and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for approx. 2 hours-
or oven at 300 degrees for 2 hours
Add carrots, corn and potatoes - cover and simmer for approx. 30 minutes.
Drain and
stir in tomatoes and heat through.
Thicken with 4 teaspoons of cornstarch and tomato juice.
Stir and heat for 5 minutes.--------------------

Huggles me, Marilyn Christine (Meme)
'Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.' --

A PART OF MY DAY---

2008-12-05T21:18:00.002-07:00

it is snowing and everything looks so clean outside
Dogman ran out and made tracks all over the balcony
it is warm enough for him to like the snow
shut the door on my finger today and
ouch- it still hurts --(cheese please )
I had to clean my room again as I could not get into
bed with all my books
I tend to read and use different bibles
and then tuck them in too but after
awhile they add up along with other
book reading== maybe it is a small way for me
to cuddle papa David right now
I love books and he loved that I loved books
he learned to read after we were married
as it was the best method for understanding me--LOL
someday when I meet papa again I will also meet
our Shepherd in person and I want to touch his scars
that He obtained so that I through Him I can
be with papa hubby again-
cherish today
huggles me, Meme

sharing an old writing from 2006

2008-12-04T21:59:00.002-07:00

When brother and I were kids back in the fifties Christmas was an exciting and magic time for us- our favorite part was putting up the Christmas tree.
We did not
put our tree up until the close to December 24.
Daddy would go out into our grove of trees where we had a both of poplar and spruce trees.
Trees were needed on the farm as they not only served as a wind break but they were our source of our heat. We did not cut down trees-unnecessarily or carelessly. They were too important to our way of live. All the trees had a job to do. Daddy never picked a perfect tree that would grow high and strong- He would find a small tree that was weak and perhaps only had a few branches on one side but filled on the front side. The back side did not matter as it did not show in the corner when it was decorated.
No matter what tree daddy found it was the most beautiful tree in our eyes as a child' No matter how imperfect it was to others it was perfect to us. Daddy choose the imperfect tree knowing that we would love and enjoy our Christmas tree .
He knew that even if it was small and weak we could still use it for decorating and sharing gifts around. When the tree was done bringing us Christmas joy we put it in our front yard where the rest of the winter it served as a bird feeder. Next fall when it had dried and shed its needles it was used for fire wood. That tree was useful in many ways.
Jesus accepted me in my imperfect ways and loved me while I was still a sinner. He did not choose me for my perfections. To Him I was beautiful and worthy to used. He did not throw me a way because I was not perfect. He decorated me with his Love and Peace and Joy and Hope. I am useful . Maybe you feel weak and broken and of no use. God will not throw you away because you have challenges or problems. We can shine for Jesus even when our back is up against the wall.
"Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." ~1 Peter 4:10
We can be thankful for whatever imperfections we have. We can perform, in the little things, as a faithful servant to God and others. We can be doers of God's word, not just hearers. Every day brings a new opportunity to be used.
PRAYING IN CANADA
HUGGLES ME, MARILYN CHRISTINE
MERRY CHRISTMAS-

12/5

Freeze your own bread dough for another day

2008-12-03T22:18:00.003-07:00

this is from an old blog I had and I thought I would start bringing most of the material from over there to here- and delete the old blog =so enjoy- this blog was written before dear hubby's cancer so occasionally I may say something about him and I do not want to delete or rewrite the blog posts so bare or is that bear with me--hugs
------------------------------------------
Make the bread recipe all the way through to the first rise, punching down and forming the loaves or rolls and placing them in the prepared pans.( I generally remove the dough after it has frozen in order to have the pans free- this is great for buns and beats the store prices=
Now instead of allowing the dough to make the second rise, wrap it with plastic wrap tightly and place in the freezer.
When you want to bake, you need to plan ahead .
Take from freezer, remove the plastic wrap and set out at room temperature to thaw. If not in pans, place in same size pan as loaf- It will take about three hours for the dough to thaw and another hour or more for the dough to reach the desired rise Then just pop it into the preheated oven as directed by your recipe.
I find the dough keeps well for 3 months- I have only worked with homemade white or brown bread recipes ----
HUGGLES ME, ( MEME) **PAPA'S WIFE**MARILYN CHRISTINE
The kindness you spread today will be gathered up and returned to you

ideas for finding urls?

2008-12-01T23:58:00.003-07:00

this is my url--

http://acupofsimplicity.blogspot.com/ but what I need to know is how do I put someone

elses url into my blog so I can tag someone= sigh- Meme just does not get it=== are there places where a friends url is that I can copy and paste and is that a right and fair thing to do or do I ask the blogger first ??

Meme is lost in blogger--- this is my friend who tagged me
but I copied and pasted from her blog to get this url ==
http://dzintrastitcheries.blogspot.com/

7 things about Meme

2008-12-01T22:58:00.004-07:00

I have to come up with 7 things about me that you may not know as I have been tagged ==I will have to be an open book= so here is number 1--sadly I am not too crafty so that will not be number one- so here goes:: I do not drive and never have although I do have a learner's permit but my eyes are too bad for me to be comfortable driving so out of respect for others I made a decision not to drive- it would be nice for me now but I still will not ....

I love the Lord and made Him my shepherd in 1987 watching a Billy Graham on TV and 3 weeks later my husband committed his life to the Lord at a local church= there is no turning back

I have helped raise one of my grand daughters who now lives with me although I told her tonight if she brings in more stuff into her room- I will have to put her in storage--LOL--Her name is Miss Ashley

Most of you will know this part- I became a widow this summer after the angels came and took dear hubby home to Jesus= I miss him but I know that I also rejoice as he is home with his Lord= he signed his checks -Jesus Christ Saves - you can do that in Canada if you go to the bank and sign for a special signature- it was his way of witnessing and yes, he was often asked about his signature and no one refused his checks

I hate to cook- and baking, even more-- but I will strike out now and then and make something= and no, papa did not die of my cooking--it is ok now for me to make a soft joke about my sweetheart- I can hear him laughing too

I weigh a bit less than a 100 pounds - and have most of my life- I did get bigger when I was expecting but it has always disappeared but the babies stayed and stayed-----2 daughters who gave me 3 grandchildren each --my health is not good but it is not bad bad either =the Lord is my Shepherd

I love to read and read and read and also write some- my writing times are off right now but the grief keeps my mind busy yet- I also like to study the bible and can stay awake away past bedtime when I have a good book - and you will notice- I tend to write like a talk and miss out most commas- I color outside the lines :-)

I will have to find out how to tag but for tonight I will just share and then I will be finding out more for you and me from 7 somebodies - this lady tagged me but I do not know if this is the right way to give you her address- Queen of the Armchair aka dzintrastitcheries ==I am going to have to learn how to do the tagging soon

just for today===

2008-11-30T22:54:00.003-07:00

yesterday was one of those days that you do not write home about-
so I am not going to tell you all either-- in case you write want to write home
about it --LOL
I missed papa's support yesterday and the little things he did for me==he took delight in little things like a plant flowering or the sunsets or a one pot supper=
supper time was his favorite meal- so I tried to cook special even when the meal was plain and simple--
to day was a better day- and I did get some things done
like cleaning my room again
since the kidlet moved in- Meme's bedroom is sort of a storage room/bedroom- if you don't
know what it is or where to put and if all else fails- put it in Oma's room (smile)
did the church chores and this and that here as
teen-agers can do a lot of droppings around the house

it is quite an adjustment from papa to Miss Ashley
but we are both muddling through and we are having
a good time
we both miss papa being here but we are now getting more content-because he is in our hearts

good night, everyone-huggles me, Meme aka Oma

winning wednesday

2008-11-26T21:59:00.003-07:00

just a short blog today as I had a lot to do and did done it all
one more thing off my plate
and I did use grace today to get me through the list
here is has turned quite cold although the day time was
beautiful and I even managed to go with out a coat
for a little while and yes
I did keep my sweater on so that I did not get a chill
will be off tomorrow here but will be back Friday
no room left on the list to blog
but another list and day will come
hugs from MEME

TUESDAY WITH MEME...

2008-11-25T22:52:00.003-07:00

a quiet day but I did walk to the bank as the weather was nice
then went to seniors supper as Miss Ashley had to work
I am thinking about how simplicity is more than just a life style but
also an attitude of the heart-
especially at this time of year with Christmas nearly here
we end up doing so many things that we not only forget
the reason for the season but we miss the joy...
and often set ourselves up for financial worries in the New Year
I remember how simple our Christmas was at the farm
and yet we still had so much to be thankful for...
we always had a good meal and a few gifts and our tree
was from our forest- fresh cut- with the same decorations
and then used as a bird feeder after
the time in the house
and a box of Christmas oranges- one box and one box of
candy canes- for the following cold winter nights-
I learned that you always ate the orange first or the sweetness
from the candy cane would make the orange taste sour
I learned that a candy cane can last a day and a night
I miss those old fashioned Christmas times where
the month of November was baking month so we could
share gifts with the neighbors that were simple and good
-maybe the recession that we are hearing of
will bring back the simplicity of Christmas
and if not--
I can still do my part to share the reason for the season
huggles me
Meme aka Oma

stewed

2008-11-24T22:38:00.002-07:00

today I cooked up a big pot of stew meat with a sauce made with
chicken broth( I was out of beef) and tomato soup( and equal water )
plus our
favorite spices
then I made a small stew for supper and enough leftover
for tomorrow's dinner and
I froze the rest of the stew and sauce=
this way we can make up different stews as we feel like
this will take care of many meals for the kid and I
I find this works better than making the whole stew
and freezing and seems to keep fresher-
I have done this with chicken also and then have
been able to make quick chicken dinners but all different
I cannot tell any difference using the chicken broth
in place of beef broth
I did toss in a teaspoon of instant coffee to darken the color
it was an adventure and turned out well
I hope that I am helping Miss Ashley learn some things
for her future-
I know that I can handle a recession as I know how to live
in a recession- the young folk don't understand that you can
change your life style and still enjoy life----and sometimes
a little work beyond a can-opener is fun and a good thing

huggles me, Meme

THURSDAY THOUGHTS-

2008-11-20T22:33:00.002-07:00

a cold wind bloweth
too cold to do any walking
so did some sorting
that I have been saving for
SOMEDAY which turned out
to be today.......
shredded and tossed and saved
and there is more for another someday
found some old pictures of us
before the cancer came to papa
it was good to see us as we were
and bittersweet
most of the stuff is the kind
of stuff you keep because
you are unsure what to really do with it.......
most applied to us before cancer
other than that I just did some of the usual
chores that seem to come every morning
and will be back tomorrow
take care and see you soon
huggles me, Meme

TUESDAY WITH MEME

2008-11-18T21:13:00.001-07:00

a better weather day here until tonight as we are getting rain/snow which
makes the highways bad
today was better emotionally than the last 3 days
I guess grief is like that-- some hard lows and soft highs
made a list today and did get 8 out of 10 done
which is good for me as I often go off list==
I did do some things not listed also
now the kid and I (mostly me) are doing a load of laundry(off list)
as she works again tomorrow
she says she can not wash her work clothes as clean as Oma
her friends all want to know how she keeps such a clean top
and she said she uses Oma--LOL
I think she just knows how to bribe Oma
so glad we have a washer and dryer as opposed to the old days
well, that took care of my day
and tomorrow is a new day
huggles me, Meme aka Oma
Huggles me,
Meme aka Oma
===============================
Lord, grant that I may seek to comfort rather than be comforted.(Mother Teresa)

MEME'S FRIDAY

2008-11-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

got up with the grand kid to chat as she got ready for work
had a cup of tea while she watch cartoons --LOL--and put on her makeup--(my child-woman)
planned to sneak a nap or rest
but discoverd dust creeping in the corners
so took the dust buster to combat the bunnies
brother stopped in for a few minutes
more tea and then a walk
to the thrift store
found 10 very nice modern christian hard covers plus a a new
NIV bible in chronological order=very interesting and will
enjoy seeing how the difference is as far as the time lines go
and a new pair of slippers that are warm as toast
all for $12.oo
a nice treat and yes, books do get heavier as one carries them home
but made it and then time for another Ashley chat and another tea
the kids have now gone out and yes, I also
got some more things done in the kitchen and now I
am starting the dining room
I will get all the rooms done and it will be time to
start over again
so now it is email and a bit of tv and then
bedtime==
good night, friends --God bless everyone
Huggles me,
Meme aka Oma
(MARILYN CHRISTINE)

Meme in the kitchen

2008-11-13T23:51:00.002-07:00

I was able to delete about 10 items from the kitchen- some tosses-- some give aways and some things did not belong there-

I cleaned the areas at the same time-

I did have a good day--

went to my last grief meeting and it did help me grieve guilt free-

on the net late so I will have to leave a short note

O Lord

May I believe in the darkness

when all hope has vanished

when waves beat with fury

and no start lights my sky

May I believe without

feelings or knowing or proving

till one shining moment when

YOU shatter the darkness

ANOTHER SIMPLE DAY

2008-11-12T21:56:00.002-07:00

after living with cancer and papa's death I love simple days where the sun shines and the dust bunnies hide and stuff just sort of happens with out fanfare-
I did get into the kitchen but I needed to do some plant pruning and watering so I did not get any deleting of the stuff done
but I had fun and the weather was beautiful- although there was freezing rain over night which made morning travel very serious
we did go for groceries and I am almost too old to travel with two teenagers and shop- they make my hair stand on end--LOL- how many ways can Oma say NO-sigh-
also got my blog done for another day
and did two loads of laundry and vacuumed and washed the floors
Miss Ashley thinks I do too much and I think she does too little and between the two of us we keep the house clean
I am learning that laughter and tears are nothing to be ashamed of--Celebrate the good things and pray about the bad-
huggles me, Meme

cool day

2008-11-11T22:41:00.002-07:00

we had a very cool day here with some fog but no snow yet
did some more things in the kitchen- I am going ''simple - as
I want to spend less time doing things called cleaning
I want to keep the plants there and my teapots but
try take the other things in there go away
the teapots will go in the dishwasher
and the plants only need water once a week
so tomorrow is the ''take away'' day
I may store a few things but I think most
will become give away I
I do not have a lot of cupboard space
so this is a tricky test
Miss Ashley and I may be able to use
some things for Christmas crafts as she
as too many relatives--LOL
and she likes to craft-
so I will make a report of how well
I have done sooner or later
I never quite get all I want to do in one day
huggles me, Meme

A PART OF MY DAY

2008-11-10T21:11:00.002-07:00

Oma got up with a plan today with about 10 things on her list
but she got side tracked but did get a lot of things done but not sure how many were really on the list
I put our table back in our spot that papa and I always had it=
I moved it in June when he last went to the hospital as I knew he would not come home again and it was just so hard to see his empty chair
but
today it was time to put it back as it really is to big
where I moved it too
but now I will sit in papa's spot =
I am ready I guess as
I am accepting that papa is so very very gone
and it is ok to remember him in his special places
yes, I cried but I know that it is a ''good thing''for me to do-
then I ended up cleaning other areas and moving this and that which is ok- I even vacuumed under the stove- (shock as there were dust bunnies living there)
did a few chores at the church and talked with the pastor
and he understands that it is not the time
for me to attend social functions there
right now
and that is sort of my day
have a wonder filled night
huggles me,
Meme

Oma is not

2008-11-09T22:26:00.001-07:00

as young as she used to be and the grand kids
kept her up too late last night
and now my my mind and body are telling me
that was not a ''good thing to do.''
but grand kids are only young once too
and we did make a few memories
such as
a 7 year old can out last her grandma
and they do not take bribes at bed time
and if Oma does not listen
and all else fails
phone mommy to tell her that
Oma made her go to bed--LOL
glad mommy is smart enough to know
that 11 pm is half past bedtime
the good news is that Oma is now
home alone
and can now go to bed early =
we ate out of a can today also
which means the kids went home
tired and hungry but the food was educational
it was alphagetti--LOL
huggles Oma aka Meme

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

2008-11-08T20:57:00.002-07:00

I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE FUN TO START SHARING SOME OF MY DAYS HERE
today I was done at the church and cleaned for 3 hours- ovens, vacuuming, bathrooms and etc...
it was very windy so I am so glad that I found a new hat yesterday to wear- it keeps the wind out of my ears and the hair on my head
the Miss Ashley and the boy who is a friend gave me a shock today::
THEY WASHED THE DISHES
so now I have two clean sinks at the same time
Miss Sidney is here to visit but she is not a happy camper so Oma is looking forward
to her bedtime- she has always been high maintenance and once she is on a melt down she needs to sleep it off,,,,,,, I try to ignore as much as one Oma can as I am trying to keep the visit pleasant for both of us,
in other words - an ok day-
praying for each of our bloggers and remember to make memories
huggles me, Meme

ASHLEY'S SCRATCH SOUP

2008-11-04T20:50:00.002-07:00

Miss Ashley is 18 and now living with Oma- and between us we are learning to eat together
here is our supper soup

2 large cups of water--(she likes to over flow the cup--LOL)

4 large carrots plus extra one if you have a dog-- dog likes raw carrots-

peel and cut in small pieces

bring water and carrots to a boil-

add frozen green beans- about 1 cup

and bring to boil again and add

3 potatoes - cut small-

bring to boil and add one cup of frozen peas

- boil for 10 minutes and then add one cup hot water

and 2 cans of tomatoe soup

mix well

bring to just boiling and cook for 10 minutes stir as needed

add left over rice or plain macaronie and your own spices for taste

no more salt-

serve with bisquits and crackers-

--this is how we did it together and so I thought you would enjoy our way of cooking

and you can also add other veggies that you like- we do not use canned veggies - only frozen- have fun and enjoy the togetherness-Miss Ashley says it needs some corn==

huggles me, Meme

I remember when

2008-10-31T23:27:00.002-06:00

when I was growing up
in the fall we had a lot of hearty soups
as there as so much to do
bringing in the harvest=
it was a basic vegtable
soup but had a lot of interesting
vegtables beyond potatoes and carrots
mother mixed and matched with no qualms
about how it all added up
she was using all the small veggies
that required little prep beyond a good wash
as tthe tiny veggies were hard to keep during
the winter but easy
to use
some times there was left over
meat to add-
mother did not have the extra time
to fuss with any meat not already cooked
we had a wood stove so it went out
while she was cleaning up the garden
and also on some of the nights when the soup
was nearly done
she would poach each of us an egg
right in the soup=
this was always a wonderful treat
and we had home made
bread to go with the soup
no two soups turned out the same
but they were all delicious
huggles from Meme

so much to do

2008-10-25T00:05:00.002-06:00

lately as I have been busy catching up on last year's chores and this years chores and
I am looking forward to limiting what I need to do- because
this old gray mare is not what she used to be so I have to
will try to find some new systems of doing things and keeping things
also freeing my self of stuff so I will have less dusting and
cleaning and make some space-
to day I turned our coat cupboard into a pantry- with papa gone we have less need of the cupboard to hang coats and I can fit mine into my clothes closet-

I put in two shelves and moved all the canned food , boxes etc there so I do not have to get up

and down so much to find a can of soup or whatever- and the good things is that I can now see what we really have- cupboards down on the floor do not work well for food storage but it was all I had before.......

- now it is a new system for me-- I know that papa would be pleased with the new set up= I found it difficult and yet freeing- I left the hooks in there as now I can hang my non plastic shopping bags and find them easily - now I can start to eliminate plastic bags when shopping-it will also save wear and tear on my legs and back -

it is hard to make changes from the way things were when hubby was here but I also know that he would encourage me to do things to make my life better-he had a servant's heart-

hugs from Meme who will love some new ideas --

Simple happy thoughts

2008-10-22T21:17:00.003-06:00

tea is better hot unless it is iced
teenagers cannot sit still unless they need to do a chore
chips are good unless you have no teeth
ice is bad for travel unless it is on the hockey rink
two are better than one unless it is two medicines
dishes are good to have unless they are dirty

simple things

2008-10-20T23:48:00.003-06:00

the smell of oatmeal cooking with brown sugar
the south wind on a cool day
a walk through the leaves after they have dried
after eight chocolates
a song playing in the dark
a child's tiny hand reaching up
sunshine in my soul
a grandma's prayer
good character
word of mouth promise kept

huggles from our house to yours

food for thought

2008-10-18T00:26:00.002-06:00

I was thinking of the homeless kitchen today
we used to work there before papa became sick
it is in the city so now it istoo hard for me to go there
but most of the meals we prepared
were simple but hardy
but the thank you for supper smiles were not
there is nothing like watching some one who
for some reason has no way to make their own supper
come in and eat- it is a good thing
and give back a smile
I liked to watch their faces change from defeated
to simple happiness
I remember once finding a pair of socks for a man
who had no socks and he was wearing boots a size to big
I remember his smile--I remember his feet-
broken down and old and tired but he
still had a thank you - smile
I wonder if perhaps I could smile more at the simple
gifts that God gives me every day-
smiles go beyond words
give some one your smile today and ask
them to pass it on,,,,,,,,,,
:-)
:-)
huggles Meme

MY BIG LIST for thanksgiving dinner.......

2008-10-13T22:31:00.003-06:00

I had a long list today but only time to get it on paper and I was able to scratch every thing off the list-
miss Ashley was a good help
now I am relaxing and recovering-I only have the roaster that is soaking to wash tomorrow and the house is back in order
- actually neater and cleaner than when we started out-
Miss Ashley stuffed her things in her room and shut the door......
now all we have to do is some how get miss Ashley back into her bed safely--LOL- it is her room and I never fuss about it to her- I just close the door too-- she is a good kid and her messy room is just her way of live --
we had a simple thanksgiving dinner with a lot of fun and kind of like a smorg and I found
that the simple gave me time to spend with the family-
simple celebration family meals is my new tradition .....as with out Papa David here; any more is too much for me.......
we missed dear Papa and laughed and cried about his kind ways- it was all good and he was missed -
huggless me, Meme

walking is simple

2008-10-11T22:12:00.003-06:00

One of the simple forms of exercise is walking- and I am blessed that I can still walk.
As kids, my brother and I walked to our country school house nearly everyday
as the other kids in the district - we had a lot of fun on the way to and from
school and never felt unsafe=we also walked every evening down to the field and brought the milk cows home for the night. They were happy to see us as they were anxious to be milked and they knew that they
were in store for a small oat treat. We had 7 milk cows and like all farm animals we
had names for them- they knew the way and would give us a run if we were late- We were
not allowed to force them to go fast as it did something to the milk- It has been so long since I helped bring them home that I know longer remember what running did to the cows-
In this day of fast transportation we do not walk enough - partly because of safety and also the location of the stores- our downtown is nearly gone now and has only a few stores left that
do not supply all our needs- I do try to walk to them and do what shopping I can- but now
at my age I have to remember how heavy a bag gets with each step.
With gas prices so high I have noticed that there are more folks walking - maybe the government should give us a discount on taxes for walking --LOL --
Go for a walk today and look for blessings you can see and hear-

turkey lessons made simple

2008-10-11T18:33:00.004-06:00

today dear grand daughter and I bought a turkey for our Monday thanksgiving dinner
d-gd found a seasoned turkey which she thought was a good idea to buy
so we found a plain turkey the same weight and compared prices and also
preparation- the seasoned also came with one of those plastic bags that you
can cook in plus the seasoning added to the turkey
but both preparation instructions were the same
the difference was the seasoned turkey cost 38 dollars while the normal
cook in a pan and add your own seasonings turkey cost 23 dollars
I let her choose after explaining that we would be paying $15. for seasonings and one plastic bag-
I was so glad she choose the normal-'' just put into the pan'' turkey and she was able
to see why it takes time and some thought to compare before buying
when we finished shopping we saved over twenty dollars by thinking before we bought
she is a good kid and I pray that one day when she is on her own that these savings today will save her a lot of expense in the future-
I am blessed that she wants to take the time with Meme to learn
hope to be back soon and remember it is simple to shop and compare as some times the extra is extra :-)

cooking simple

2008-10-08T22:15:00.002-06:00

I love recipes but seldom have the time or the money or the ingredients- I wonder what ever happened to just cooking a pot of potatoes and a pot of carrots and just sitting down and eating them just as they are........do we really need to add so many ingredients to everything that we cook in order to make it taste good to eat--
I enjoy spices and butter too but maybe if we did go back to simple cooking our health and our waste bands would feel better=

I remember as kids that mom never fooled too much with her cooking and yet her food was good
and wholesome - and there was no one over weight in the house- we still had things like butter and cream and salt but they were not used as condiments or additions to the pot-
if you check with your favorite burger joint you will notice that the condiments account for nearly half and sometimes more of the calories in the hamburger -
we learned to start asking for them on the side and then we had control over the meal and yes, they did taste as good and had less mess-
enjoy a simple meal tomorrow for your tummy's sake :-)

simple made easy

2008-10-07T22:46:00.003-06:00

I love reading blogs and letters as well as articles on simplicity
but one of the things that I notice that often the simplicity is not simple=
I was raised with simplicity as a way of life rather than a life style-
Mother saved almost everything for another day and also used the
things she saved- dad did most of his farming the old fashioned way with out
radios in tractors and no holiday from milking the cows- if we had a family
crisis then the neighbors came in and did your chores and farm work for you
I learned how to slice bread because our bread was home made and not
pre sliced - gardens were automatic
we had school clothes and church clothes and then we had our everyday play/chore
clothes and we never mixed up which was which-
we did not have baths everyday but we never went any where dirty-
water came in buckets and not taps =
our grass was green and so were we- but we did not know that
there was any other color to be-
it was easy to be simple because that was the only thing we could afford.

SIMPLE KINDNESS

2008-10-04T00:17:00.002-06:00

KINDNESS can be done in many simple ways that can warm some one Else's day-and return to you warming your day-----

saying hello to a stranger
soft voice with children
pet the dog
don't share gossip
pray for the homes you walk or drive past
and so on and so on......
just look for ways to be kind.

It is easy to be kind even in a busy noisy world and the time it takes is good for your health=

You will lower your blood pressure- blood sugar and other health benefits and it will be good for your heart, mind and soul-

huggles me, Meme

Kindness continued..........

2008-10-02T21:39:00.002-06:00

Kindness is more than just good manners--it is something that needs to come from the heart......it is medicine to some one's soul-
Kindness can be costly in time and money and yet it should be freely given-
How many times have we received kindness that in turn taught us to be kind ?
Kindness can be plain and simple- it needs no thanks=it can be not doing something as well as doing something-with practice it can become a habit-
-----
Because kindness starts in the heart - it becomes good medicine for the giver=
Kindness is gentle -

WHEN WE DO LITTLE ACTS OF KINDNESS THAT MAKES LIFE MORE BEARABLE FOR SOMEONE ELSE, WE ARE WALKING IN LOVE AS THE BIBLE COMMANDS US- (B JOHNSON)

BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER--
Huggles me, Meme

Kindness

2008-10-02T01:15:00.000-06:00

Kindness starts with me-and- you-today.
Kindness begins in our hearts.
Kindness spreads joy.
Kindness is a way to give blessings'.

In this world of speed and coming and going we often find our day to busy
to be kind to others. We need to take time to be kind in thought and speech
and deed- Kindness should be a big part of our day and should
be given to everyone=
Our
motive should be pure and filled with love with with no expectations.
Kindness should be free.

CARVE YOUR NAME ON HEARTS-NOT ON MARBLE-(C.H. SPURGEON)

Love other people just as Christ loved us==Ephesians 5:2 ICB

Huggles me, Meme

welcome

2008-10-02T01:08:00.001-06:00

I hope that you will enjoy this blog-
I will share many things here-

thoughts
recipes
ideas
bible verses
tales
and other things

I will talk about simplicity in the home and in the heart- written in a plain and simple manner = feel free to share with others=

Huggles me, Meme