Rickijayne's Place

Scrabble on Saturday

2009-04-06T11:31:00.003-05:00

Just a quick post...not that I want to be posting...but just to post it.

Here's Saturday's Scrabble Game.

I played against Rick and Dan. I won. They lost. 251-194-151.

After the game we went to Curt's, met up with some other friends and celebrated Rick's birthday with pizza and brownies and a movie (National Treasure). My continuing to beat Rick has, I'm sure, made his one win against me all the sweeter...

I'm taking a break from the blog

2009-03-30T09:14:00.002-06:00

You should know that I'm taking a break from the blog and will probably take it down at the end of April. It has been fun, but time to move on to other things...

Robb, J.D. - Promises in Death

2009-03-19T06:41:00.001-06:00

The newest Lt. Eve Dallas book was wonderful. If I'm ever murdered, I want her to be assigned the case...yes, I know she's fictional, but I think she could do it. What an awesome detective.
Read the series...but start at the beginning. It's worth it.
rj

Saturday's Scrabble

2009-03-16T06:45:00.003-06:00

I won Saturday's scrabble game 306-253, but Rick noted that I didn't trounce him...and while I maintained a lead throughout the entire game, he also noted that he was "on my tail feathers" the whole way. Um, sure. But he still lost.

Berg, Carol - Restoration

2009-03-16T06:14:00.002-06:00

I finished book 3 of the series this weekend. While I enjoyed it very much, I kind of felt a little let down by the ending. It just, um, ended...like it could have gone on for another 100 pages or so of story. It was a happy ending, don't get me wrong, but I still had so many questions about the characters and what happens to them next. Sigh. I guess I'll just have to "create" their endings in my head.
rj

Scones - Raspberry White Choc or Banana & Choc Chip

2009-03-13T07:07:00.004-06:00

Here is the recipe for scones. I actually used an English Tea Scone recipe and then modified it for the two different types I like. So, first the basic recipe:

English Tea Scones
2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
milk

option 1
1 c raspberries
1/2 c white chocolate chips

option 2
2 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg with enough milk to measure 2/3 cup; stir into flour mixture with fork just until mixture holds together. Fold in optional ingredients. Gently form into a ball with fingers; turn onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently 10-12 strokes. With floured rolling pin, lightly roll dough on floured surface to 1/2" thickness. Cut with floured 2 1/4" cutter, re-rolling dough as necessary. Arrange scones on ungreased baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake in a preheated 425 oven until lightly browned (8-10 min.) Makes 16 scones.

The Boringness of Daily Life.

2009-03-11T13:08:00.005-06:00

I am a bit flummoxed of late.
Mom tells me I need to write more in the blog. I say I don't feel like writing. She says, "write. Then you'll want to write more."
Um, sure. Whatever.
So, randomness.
I bought some Cadbury Mini Eggs today. I am glad they are only sold at Easter. I love them and find them addicting.
At home I am watching season 2 of Eureka. A great show from the Sci-Fi channel. My sister Libby bought season 1, so I watched that when she was done with it. It was so good, I bought season 2. I'm already half way through it. It is tempting to just watch several episodes each evening rather than do household chores like laundry and dishes and sorting through the mail pile.
Work has been very busy this week. The onslaught of questions and needs has been very random. I feel exhausted just from trying to keep up.
I spelled flummoxed and onslaught wrong.
I am tired of winter and wish that Spring would, um, spring now.
I keep forgetting to bring the raspberry white chocolate scone recipe into work to type it into the blog for Rick.
I haven't really cooked much in the past week. Mostly I've been eating cereal, fruit, veggies, frozen dinners and the like... oh and candy.
I've been craving BLT's lately and have had 3-4 in the past several weeks. I don't remember the last time I had a BLT (before the craving started).
I continue to read the bible every morning and I'm in Deuteronomy and Mark. Some mornings I don't really want to read, but I'm always glad that I have. And I usually find some nugget of wisdom to help me through my day.
I suck at eating well and trying to lose weight. What really sucks is that I know all of the rules and just don't seem to have the self-control to do what's need.

Is that enough writing? I still think it's not very interesting. The Boringness of Daily Life.

Scrabble Rematch

2009-03-09T09:51:00.004-06:00

I won. 360 to 303. But at the beginning I thought I would lose...Rick got his highest one-play score ever (93), and I was mighty nervous as I was staring at 4 I's. Nasty little vowels. So hard to use. Once I played them and made a seven letter word, things started to look much better for me.

Berg, Carol - Revelation

2009-03-09T09:50:00.002-06:00

I did enjoy book two. It got a bit long in the middle, but the ending was lovely and I am looking forward to starting book three today at lunch.

Berg, Carol - Transformation

2009-03-05T07:38:00.002-06:00

I just finished the first book in a trilogy by Carol Berg. I do have to agree with Holly. She is a great author. Very engaging characters and stories. Plus a few plot twists and turns that keep you guessing up to the very (happy) ending. It's a fantasy book with magic and good vs. evil.

I started the second one this morning and had a hard time putting it down so that I could get to work on time. (Don't worry, I did it...but I also brought it with for my lunchtime reading...)
rj

Because I promised I'd post it...

2009-03-02T13:23:00.007-06:00

The fate of the game hinged on the last play. I was up by 16 points after Rick decimated my 70 point lead with his 78 point word "equine." I came back from "equine" with a 24 point word...which left me up by 16 and holding 3 tiles that equaled 4 points. He had two tiles left. I was going to lose my 4 points. He was going to gain my 4 points. That put me up by only 8...if he found a 9 point word, he'd win. If he went with the 7 point word we found, he'd lose...

I saw the spot seconds before he did. I put my head down to keep from revealing it--To keep myself from telling him where it was...but he found it. On his own. Without me. And placed "hoe" up in the left hand corner for, you guessed it, 9 points.

I lost. By one. Rick won his first victory against me...

Against my better judgement, I have agreed to a re-match on Thursday. Those who know me well, know that I am not a good loser...

I do, however, make an excellent winner.

Walls, Jeannette - The Glass Castle

2009-02-26T08:36:00.003-06:00

I loved this memoir and am passing it on to sister Holly to read next. I recommend this book to anyone who ever thought his/her childhood was a bit crazy and abnormal. This family was downright nuts. But a feel-good story too.
Read. Laugh. Cry. Wonder at the craziness...feel good about your own parenting/family.

best ever scrabble game

2009-02-23T12:31:00.002-06:00

Here's that scrabble game from Saturday. Check out my seven letter word "RELISTED" right in the middle of the board. 448 for me...

vacation week is over

2009-02-22T17:35:00.003-06:00

Ah it was so lovely. I did so many wonderful things. And I got lots of rest in too. I made my favorite dish (Cape Malay Curry). I read four books (see below). I shopped. A Lot. I napped. I spent time with various family members. I cleaned (a bit). I played several games of scrabble.

(I'll post a picture of my record-high game tomorrow after I get it off of my phone's camera. I scored 448 points. Rick scored 200something...It was awesome! Well for me anyway. Though he assured me that he enjoyed watching me do it. My lowest scoring word (except for the last one when I used my last two tiles to go out) was 22 points. Wow!)

The cats enjoyed my vacation as well. And not just because they love naps. (I think they would have taken those whether I'd been home or not.) What they really liked was conning me out of extra cans of cat food. On "normal" days, they split 1 can when I get home from work. During the vacation, they managed to beg 2 cans out of me every day...fat cats.
rj

Fairstein, Linda - Lethal Legacy

2009-02-22T17:34:00.003-06:00

It has been a long time since I've read on of Fairstein's books...a long time since she's had a new one out. One thing I love about my favorite characters in my favorite books is how picking up a new one instantly transports me back into their story. This new book was no exception. It was great to reconnect with my old friends Alex, Mike and Mercer...and the mystery kept me guessing right up to the very end.

Berg, Carol - Daughter of Ancients

2009-02-22T17:33:00.001-06:00

A perfect end to the story; though I would love it if the author would write more "chapters" to it.

Berg, Carol - Soul Weaver

2009-02-22T17:32:00.002-06:00

I read book three of the series in one day...cover to cover...with a few breaks in between. I love vacation days.

Berg, Carol - Guardians of the Keep

2009-02-22T17:31:00.000-06:00

Book two was much better than book one and hooked me into the series. Perfect vacation read.

very busy week

2009-02-11T08:55:00.003-06:00

I have had a very busy week so far. Work has been intense. A big chunk of my job is sorting through details and solving problems. Monday and Tuesday brought a whole host of them. My hope is that today will be quieter.
Next week I am on vacation. Traveling up north for a couple of days and then I'll have a few days in town to wander aimlessly...maybe some movies, plays, coffee shops, books, buy some stuff to make the condo better. The week is wide open.
rj

Berg, Carol - Son of Avonar

2009-02-11T08:53:00.002-06:00

I liked the ending of this book more than I liked the beginning. In fact, I almost stopped reading it about half way through. It started in present time and then tried to tell the history of the story as though it was memories of the main character. It really didn't gel very well.
Hopefully now that we are well acquainted with the main characters, book 2 will start out great and continue great and end great as well...
rj

Harris, Charlaine - From Dead to Worse

2009-02-03T07:45:00.002-06:00

Alright, book 8 was all about character development. There was a small mystery, but for the most part it was about extending our knowledge of our favorite characters and adding a few new ones to keep the series alive.
I still loved it and am looking forward to book 9 "Dead and Gone" which comes out on May 5.

Now for a little break from reading as I put my messy house in order and give my head a rest.
rj

Baker's One Bowl Brownies

2009-02-02T07:22:00.002-06:00

These are the incredibly delicious brownies I made yesterday for Curt's SuperBowl party. From scratch, indeed. Yum! Yum!

Baker's One Bowl Brownies
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
3/4 cups butter or margarine (1 1/2-sticks)
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9- by 13-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan to form handles. Grease foil. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on High for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar, stirring until well blended. Beat in eggs (one at a time) and vanilla until well blended. Add flour and nuts, and stir to incorporate. Stop stirring when no traces of flour remain. Spread in prepared pan.Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few fudgy crumbs. Do NOT overbake. (It's better to underbake brownies than to overbake them.)
Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove brownies from pan, using foil handles. Cut into squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature or frozen for up to 2 months.. Makes about 24 brownies.

Harris, Charlaine - All Together Dead

2009-02-02T07:15:00.002-06:00

Book 7 was a quick read. (Well, the whole series has been quick, really.) I enjoyed the change of scenery and the new vampires (the Vampire Summit takes place in this book). I also got to hope a little more for Eric to win Sookie's heart.
I'm well into book 8 now, and book 9 doesn't come out until May. So, I'll have to wait a bit after this book before the series goes on.
rj

the flu sucks

2009-01-30T07:51:00.001-06:00

If you're thinking about getting the stomach flu, might I advise against it. What a very nasty two days I just had. I haven't been that sick (with the flu) in years. Let's just say it wasn't the best way to lose 5 lbs.

Back to work today. I'm functioning at about 90%. Hopefully the day will be easy...

Harris, Charlaine - Definitely Dead

2009-01-30T07:49:00.001-06:00

Book 6 was one of my favorites so far. Sookie travels to New Orleans to settle her cousin's estate. She meets new characters and has a wonderful new mystery to solve.
One thing I've enjoyed about each of the books is that the title appears somewhere inside it. In this book, one of the character's sees another (dead) character and says, "Yep, he's definitely dead." Very funny. Or at least it was at the time.
rj

Harris, Charlaine - Dead as a Doornail

2009-01-30T07:46:00.002-06:00

I liked book 5 as well.
Same reason as all of the others. Light-hearted, fun, and a little romance and mystery thrown in too.
rj

Harris, Charlaine - Dead to the World

2009-01-27T10:42:00.002-06:00

Book 4 is now done too.
And into book 5 now.
The story just continues one after the other. A few weeks between them. A bit of mystery in each one. A bit of romance. A bit of scare. And happy endings too.
Very quick, relaxing reads.
rj

Harris, Charlaine - Club Dead

2009-01-26T07:29:00.002-06:00

And because it was a cold weekend, I also finished book three of the series. In this book, Sookie is off to rescue Vampire Bill from the bad vampires of Jackson, MI. She hooks up with a hot werewolf to help her cover story, gets to know Vampire Eric (who wants her bad) a bit better and even gets to meet the King Vampire of Mississippi. A wonderful light-hearted story.
rj

Harris, Charlaine - Dead in Dallas

2009-01-26T07:27:00.002-06:00

Book two of the series was just as light and fluffy as book one. A perfectly distracting read. Sookie is quite a crazy woman consorting with vampires and werewolves and shapeshifters as though it was an every day thing. Well, for her it is...
rj

Funke, Cornelia - The Theif Lord

2009-01-26T07:26:00.002-06:00

I loved this story. I saw the movie several years ago, so parts of it were "known" to me, but I had forgotten enough of the movie to make the story fresh.
This would be a great story to read out loud to a child...
rj

more books than bookshelves...

2009-01-22T07:30:00.005-06:00

Little piles here and there of my books have slowly been taking over my condo. And I've known for a while that I need more bookshelves (or to *GASP* give up some of my books)...but I didn't want to go out and buy just any old shelf. Dad made the four I have, so I wanted him to make the new ones too. I just kept forgetting to ask. Sigh. In fact, he's made most of my lovely wood furniture -- coffee table, end tables, night stand, t.v. trays and bookshelves.

And now he is going to make me two more bookshelves. How lovely. I already know where I will put them and how I will reorganize my books to make it all work best.

Here's the picture I sent dad this morning of one of the ones he's already made...and I diligently took the measurements last night too, so the new ones will blend right in. Of course, you can tell by the shelf that even the books on the shelves need a little, um, reorganizing.

Harris, Charlaine - Dead Until Dark

2009-01-21T07:05:00.004-06:00

My friend Karen loaned me this book. It's a light-hearted vampire series. A very quick read. I finished it in two nights. It is a romance/mystery...human woman and vampire man. I was enjoying the humor/romance of the story so much that I wasn't even paying attention to the mystery, so I didn't even figure out who the murder was until he got caught. That doesn't happen very often to me.
Karen has the next 5 in the series and has finished them...so I will probably begin reading them this weekend.

the birthday weekend

2009-01-19T14:04:00.001-06:00

My birthday was on Sunday. I had a lovely weekend mixed with both fun activity and time at home to read and nap with cats.
I played miniature golf at the Mall of America with friends and then got to have dinner with other friends and play games. And my sister Holly made grilled cheese sandwiches (a favorite) for my birthday. And I read. And I napped. And did laundry. And grew ever so slightly older.

Flynn, Vince - The Third Option

2009-01-19T13:59:00.004-06:00

I'm still not entirely sure why I finished this book. Maybe it's because I feel a bit of a connection to Mitch. I like him. And I wanted him to get his revenge. The fact that we knew the end of the book almost from the beginning kind of sucked, but still...I went on and finished it.
Now I take a break from the Flynn books and move on to other adventures.
rj

The goals go on

2009-01-15T07:49:00.003-06:00

I'm down 3 lbs since January 1.

I've been reading my bible every day...and staying on the timeline.

I've been saving money by making better choices. Using those little mini-shampoos finally.

Other than that, it's been cold here. So, I've been staying inside and reading. I watched the first four hours of 24. I haven't seen the show since season 3, so lots of things are different and I know I've missed many plot threads. However, Jack is Jack, so it was easy to catch back up.

Evanovich, Janet - Plum Spooky

2009-01-15T07:38:00.004-06:00

A lovely "between-the-numbers" book. This one was a little longer then most of those, and it actually seemed to have a story too it. So not just a fluffy check-in with our favorite characters.
Diesel pops in to help Stephanie find her skip as he (Diesel) is looking for the mastermind who's taken Munch (the skip) under his wing.
Several laugh-out-loud moments. Truly enjoyable.
rj

Flynn, Vince - Transfer of Power

2009-01-12T12:46:00.002-06:00

I finished Transfer of Power this weekend. This is the book where we are introduced to Mitch Rapp. I liked the story and will probably continue with the series. Though I must confess that I will probably put it aside and read some other books first. It did get a little slow for me at times...I didn't really like that there wasn't any mystery. I knew from the beginning how it was going to end. But, I did bond with the characters, so it will be worth it to watch them grow in future books.
rj

When Timeouts Go Bad

2009-01-06T14:29:00.002-06:00

I got this picture last week from Morgan and couldn't bear to just throw it away...

Boy misbehaves.

Boy goes on Timeout...

Boy uses markers on bedroom wall.

Boy misbehaves.

Boy goes on Timeout...

Boy uses marker on self.

Boy misbehaves....

teeheehee...

The Year of Using

2009-01-06T06:56:00.004-06:00

This is the year when I will use things. I will use them up, wear them out, re-purpose them, finish them, and get rid of them to de-clutter my life.
I plan to work on the crafts that I own rather than buy new crafts to do.
I plan to read the books that I own that I haven't read rather than buy new books.
I plan to eat the food I have before stock-piling more.
Use the mini-shampoos. Use the good paper napkins rather than buy more cheap paper ones. Read the pile of magazines and then give them away. Etc.

Other new things:

I restarted Weight Watchers yesterday now that the medications have stabilized.
I started to re-read the bible on January 1 using one of those bible-in-a-year plans.
On vacation next month, I will go through all of 2007 and 2008 papers that I haven't sorted out yet...file what needs to be kept and get rid of the rest.
I will start saving money. A little each paycheck.

At the end of 2009, I want to be in a better, different place from where I am now. That's going to take work. A little each day will add up.

Funke, Cornelia - Inkdeath

2009-01-05T07:20:00.003-06:00

I finished the third book in this triology yesterday afternoon. It was a long book and took me four days to read (what with other bits of life scattered in).
I enjoyed the story as well. I would have ended it differently. But the ending was still a happy one.
I wonder what it would be like to climb into one of my favorite books and become a character inside the ongoing story. Hmm...
rj

Flynn, Vince - Term Limits

2009-01-02T08:17:00.003-06:00

I didn't really care for this first book. But I finished it. Part of the problem is that the bad guys somehow become the good guys by the end of the book...and there really aren't any likable characters to root for except for the FBI agent in charge of the investigation...which he doesn't get to solve.
I will read Flynn's second book though. In Transfer of Power, he introduces Mitch Rapp, who becomes a series character. So, book two will help me determine if I go on reading more of Flynn or stop there.
rj

Pictures from Christmas Eve

2008-12-29T08:08:00.010-06:00

This is the picture everyone will want copies of...

The stars of the show:

Big brother protects his camera:

Oh my, what's this?

Yes, he did dust his present off:

The dollar toy was the hit of the night...

A pretty tree it was...

Funke, Cornelia - Inkspell

2008-12-29T07:20:00.002-06:00

I devoured book two of the series this weekend as well. It was hard to put it down even for short breaks.
In this book the characters from the "real" world get to visit the book's world and see how the story has progressed 10 years after the book was finished. The author goes too and is astonished that his story has gotten off track. His characters have grown and changed and some have even died. Another "good versus evil" battle ensues and we are left knowing the third book will decide the fate of Inkworld's future.

Funke, Cornelia - Inkheart

2008-12-29T07:16:00.002-06:00

In book one of The Inkheart Trilogy, one of the main themes is how reading books makes them come alive in our minds. Two of the main characters bring people from a story into the "real" world and this first book is about struggling to get the bad guy back into his own story.

I love the way Funke describes reading. It is exactly how I feel when I read a well written story. It comes alive and I can imagine myself within it so easily. This is definitely a great young adult fiction read.

to blog or not to blog

2008-12-22T07:14:00.003-06:00

I suggested to both my mother and my sister that I stop blogging now. The blog has fulfilled its original purpose - to teach me how to use a blog so that I could show mother how to use hers better, so there is really no reason to continue. However, they both assured me that they want me to go on. Mother likes the pictures and recipes and Holly likes the book reviews and pictures as well. Plus she likes to keep tabs on me. Hmm...maybe that's a good reason to shut it down. Crazy, stalker-family members.

In the interest of keeping everyone updated on my ever-so-exciting life, here's what's new:

I am reading "A Short History of the Twentieth Century" for my book club at work. It's actually quite a good book...though a lot to digest, so I'm only reading 20-30 minutes at a time. Non-fiction reading is quite different from fiction reading. With fiction I get absorbed in the story and have been known to skip entire paragraphs to continue with the story's thread. With non-fiction I read carefully to absorb all of the details.

The non-fiction book I started yesterday is "Inkspell". Another young adult fiction book. This one is more fantasy than romance (like the Twilight series was). I only just began it last night, but I'm already quite caught up in the story, so I'm sure I'll continue on through to the conclusion of the trilogy.

Christmas is just three days away, and, in my family, we open presents on Christmas Eve afternoon, so I have even less time to finish things up. Happily, I am mostly done. I have made five of the six Christmas Goodies (there's a post below with details on family favorites). Tonight Kevin and I will make the Rosettes. I have just a few more presents to wrap. And one more trip to the grocery store to buy buns and butter and clementines...which I am bring to the Wednesday feast (along with the goodies, of course).

Tomorrow I have a follow-up appointment with the doctor who removed the mole by my eye. I am hoping that he will tell me I no longer have to wear the little bandage. It has been a long month of trying to keep that part of my face from getting wet. Plus, I haven't been able to wear mascara. Oh, the horror!

I work today, tomorrow and half of Wednesday. Also of note, I have my annual work review tomorrow...so I'll need to finish up that paper work today. I always have to come up with goals for the coming year. Every year I try to get something like "come to work every day and not kill any co-workers" on there...but, apparently, they expect that of everyone, so it can't be a goal. Sigh.

Personal goals for next year are also bumbling around in my head. I'll post more on those closer to the new year. Last year I set a goal to learn to make sushi. And indeed I do now make a wonderful batch of vegetarian sushi.

rj

Morris, Gilbert - When the Cat's Away

2008-12-22T07:02:00.002-06:00

I finished this book on Saturday morning. It is a Christian fiction book. I liked the story, though I didn't remember enough from book two to connect all of the details. Perhaps I should have re-read book two before this one...but then I'd probably have needed to read book one as well. Anyway, it finished like there might be more in the series, so I'll have to be on the lookout for that...maybe then I'll re-read them all.
rj

Meyers, Stephanie - Breaking Dawn

2008-12-15T07:55:00.002-06:00

I finished the last book in the Meyers' series this weekend.
A lovely ending to the story. I've read a lot of reviews...both good and bad about the storyline and the author's writing skills. I thought the story flowed very well and I didn't notice any problems in the writing. Maybe that's just me though. I got into the story and stayed there until the end...

rj

The Christmas Play

2008-12-08T08:08:00.007-06:00

Jordan was in a church play this weekend. He was a wonderful shepherd. It was difficult to get good pictures...the lighting was slightly off for my camera. Here are a couple that turned out okay...

After the play, I tried to snap a picture of Jordan and Henry together. In one picture I have one of them looking at the camera...and in the other it's the other one looking. Sigh. Cute though.

Two more...just because they are so adorable...

Meyers, Stephanie - Eclipse

2008-12-08T08:04:00.003-06:00

I read book three of the Twilight series this weekend.

I really liked it. And I liked the ending. I hope book 4 doesn't mess it up. At the end of book three all is set up for happily ever after. Hmmm...why do I get the feeling book four is going to take some of that away.

Ah well, I won't know until I read it. I have it on order and it should arrive on Wednesday. Good thing too as I have a few things that need taking care of in the next couple of evenings. So, no time to read anyway.

Robb, J.D. - Salvation in Death

2008-12-05T13:43:00.003-06:00

I do so love J.D. Robb books. Lt. Eve Dallas is such a great, strong character. And Roarke is hot. A dream guy that she is perfect for. A little mystery thrown in and a girl couldn't ask for much more.

on a week of routine

2008-12-04T08:55:00.002-06:00

A very routine week it has been. Nothing particularly new to post.
The area by my eye where the mole was removed is healing well.
Winter has come and snow is on the ground.
I have been in a pain flare all week.
I have not slept well.
Coffee is still delicious. No caffeine after noon though.
I've found a new game that I like to play on MSN. ScrabbleBlast! My high score is now 1840. Beat that!
Work is normal. No big projects this week.
The cats are clingy.
I read. I eat. I sleep. I knit. I watch t.v. (I bought seasons 4, 5 and 6 of Monk.) I work. And I try to distract myself from the pain flare.
Ah, whiny me.

rj

Meyers, Stephanie - New Moon

2008-12-01T12:42:00.001-06:00

I read book two this weekend. My only wish is that there had been more time with Bella and Edward...there was a big chunk of the book devoted to another storyline. I didn't like it. But maybe it proves important in book three.
My friend told me that books 1-3 are very good and that I won't like book 4. We shall see. We shall see.

Patterson, James - Cross Country

2008-12-01T12:30:00.002-06:00

I was a little disappointed with this book. Alex Cross is one of my favorite characters, but this book read more like a commentary on the political upheaval in Nigeria than a mystery. There wasn't really any plot. Just a chase.

I actually almost stopped reading it half way through so that I could move on to the second book in the Twilight series, but I stuck it out...and now it is done.

If he writes more of them, I hope they are better.

Meyers, Stephanie - Twilight

2008-11-26T11:13:00.003-06:00

A lovely romance. A light teen read. I can see why it has such a following.

I will see the movie tomorrow.

I'm on a waiting list for books 2-4 to borrow them from a co-worker.

Poor Man's Turtles

2008-11-25T08:18:00.002-06:00

Poor Man's Turtles
1 (1.7 oz.) Package Rolo Candy
8 Mini Pretzels
8 Pecan Halves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pretzels on a foil lined cookie sheet. Place 1 Rolo on top of each pretzel. Bake for approx. 4 minutes or until chocolate gets shiny. Remove from oven and gently press 1 pecan half into each treat. Cool for 10 minutes, then place sheet in the fridge to set. (I microwave the pretzels and rolos for 45 seconds and then press the pecan half on top...then refrigerate.)

Serves: 8 Per Serving: 42 Calories; 2g Fat (52.5% calories from fat); trace Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; WWP: 1

Rosettes

2008-11-25T08:16:00.000-06:00

Rosettes

2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine eggs, sugar, and salt; beat well. Add remaining ingredients; beat until smooth. Heat rosette iron in deep, hot oil (350 to 375 F) for two minutes. Drain excess oil from iron; dip in batter to 1/4 inch from top of iron, then immediately into hot oil. Fry rosette until golden, 10 to 30 seconds. Lift out; tip upside down to drain. With fork, push rosette off iron onto rack placed over paper towels. Reheat iron 1 minute; make next rosette. If you have two rosette irons, reheat one while using the other. Stir batter from time to time as you will get some oil in it. Sprinkle rosettes with confectioner's sugar.

Fantasy Fudge

2008-11-25T08:15:00.000-06:00

Fantasy Fudge

3 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
2/3 c. (5 1/3 fl. oz. can) Carnation evaporated milk
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
2 c. Kraft marshmallow creme
1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, butter and milk in heavy 2 1/2 quart saucepan; bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate pieces until melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares. Makes approximately 3 pounds.
Double recipe: Use this full 13 ounce jar of Kraft marshmallow creme, doubling all ingredients. Prepare fudge as directed, using 5-quart Dutch oven. Pour fudge into 2 greased 13 x 9 inch pans. Makes approximately 6 pounds.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2008-11-25T08:14:00.000-06:00

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 c. sugar
1 c. butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
2 (10 oz. pkg.) Hershey Kisses
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. milk
3 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix all ingredients above except Kisses. Shape in medium size balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, place 1 kiss on each blossom.

Chocolate Brittle Surprise

2008-11-25T08:13:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Brittle Surprise

35 unsalted soda crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Cover cookie sheet with foil. Spray foil with cooking oil spray.
2 Place crackers on foil in 5 x 7 inch rows.
3 Microwave butter on high for 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and stir. Microwave on high for 2 more minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
4 Pour over crackers. Bake 17 - 20 minutes (should bubble but not burn).
5 Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot crackers. Spread after 2 minutes (chips have softened). Sprinkle nuts on top.
6 Refrigerate 1 hour. Break into pieces. Can be frozen. Makes 2 dozen ( 12 servings)

Mexican Wedding Cakes/Russian Tea Cakes

2008-11-25T08:12:00.000-06:00

Mexican Wedding Cakes/Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2 In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.3 Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.
Prep Time: approx. 20 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 12 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 35 Minutes. Makes 3 dozen (36 servings).

Christmas Goodies to Bake

2008-11-25T08:07:00.003-06:00

Ah, it is almost time to start baking again. In years past, I've allowed each family member to pick a favorite item for me to make. This has worked fairly well, until they started picking the same thing and just asking for double-batches...so, in order to get some variety, this year I will simply choose the favorites to bake.
Of course, my years of experience will allow me to pick the ones I know will be loved by all in the family...

Fudge, Peanut Blossoms, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Brittle Nut Surprise, Poor Man's Turtles, and Rosettes come to mind...

Would someone like to argue the case for some other treat as well?

Lyrica lives on...

2008-11-25T08:02:00.003-06:00

Looks like I'll have to stay on the Lyrica a little while longer...at least until I get more Cymbalta in my system.
Last night I had to get back up and take the night dose of Lyrica. The aching pain was too strong. After it had 20 minutes to settle into my body, the pain receded and I slept fairly well.
Figuring out the right amounts is not an exact science. I guess I'll have to let my body guide me.

sigh.

I am very ache-y this morning as well. I did take an Aleve and that seems to be helping.

Pain, pain...go away...come back again...never.

Vicodin works

2008-11-24T09:32:00.002-06:00

So, in my never-ending quest to find the right balance of medications that work for me, I removed another Lyrica from the daily medications. I have been weaning off of it for several weeks now. I am now just taking the 1 Lyrica in the morning. Which is to say that I did not take 1 Lyrica last night before I went to bed.

In place of Lyrica, I am now taking Cymbalta. I am at 90 Mg of that, and I am taking it all at night. So, I figured, if I was going to do away with one of the Lyrica, the night dose would be the best one to do away with. The Cymbalta has been helping with the fibromyalgia pain and anxiety, and I have already weaned off of the Celexa (which I was taking for anxiety).

What I did not figure on was that the Cymbalta was working in concert with the Lyrica. So, removing that one Lyrica made for a very rough night.

Happily, I am also currently taking small bits of Vicodin for the pain related to my eye. And, since my eye was also throbbing in the middle of the night (as was my right arm), I decided to take 1/2 of a Vicodin at 12:30 a.m. And, it worked. Both the eye pain and the arm pain, and well, all pain in my body, went way...for a blissful few hours.

However, Vicodin is a narcotic, so I refuse to take that as an ongoing medication.

Next week I will move 30 Mg of the Cymbalta to the morning, add 30 Mg to it, and stop the Lyrica all together.

SO, I will have 60 Cymbalta at night and 60 Cymbalta in the morning...oh and the Tegretol for that partial petit-mal seizures. My hope in life is that this will work...and the fibromyalgia pain will get under control and the anxiety will stay under control and all will be well with my body.

back to work

2008-11-20T08:11:00.003-06:00

The surgery on Tuesday went very well. In the morning I saw the dermotologist who specializes in these sorts of things (the Mohs procedure). He was able to get the cancer out in one attempt, so that was good news. Gave Holly and I some time to go to Michael's craft store between the two appointments. We even had brunch at Perkins.

The second appointment was to get it sewn up. That went well too. A bit of a delay as the doctor ran late in his clinic, but all-in-all a quick and easy procedure.

Yesterday I spent most of the day at home on small dosage of vicodin. Today I am off of the vicodin and back at the office. I look worse today...all puffy and purple-eyed. But I feel much better!

So, yippee!

on days away from work...

2008-11-17T10:23:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow I have my Mohs surgery. I made the mistake of reading the brochure and looking at the pictures.
Now I am experiencing anxiety.
But I tell myself these are experts who know what they are doing.
All will be well.
My big sister, Holly, will come and spend the day with me. I'm sure she will protect me from any harm...that's what big sisters do, right?

rj

Paolini, Christopher - Brisingr

2008-11-17T10:05:00.003-06:00

I finished Brisignr yesterday evening. It was a cold, gray day yesterday so I stayed inside. I did a little cleaning and a lot of reading.
I had thought that The Inheritance was a three book trilogy. I was very saddened to come near the end of Brisignr and realize that there is another book coming. I was happy too. It means I get to spend more time with the characters who I've grown so very fond of...however, now I have to wait for Paolini to finish book four. Grr.

rj

HTC Touch Pro

2008-11-11T07:35:00.009-06:00

I got a new cell phone last week. The HTC Touch Pro. It is a beauty. It can do all sorts of wonderful things...like play music and t.v. and internet, and gps tracking, and picture taking, and weather, and e-mail, and oh...take phone calls.

Here are some pictures it captured...

Kevin

Henry

Maggie

Cozy

Now all I have to do is figure out how to do all of those fancy things...

Paolini, Christopher - Eldest

2008-11-11T07:25:00.004-06:00

I finished book two of The Inheritance last night. I started book three this morning. I actually purchased book three for my kindle as it was less expensive (only $9.99) to do it that way.

In book one the whole story is about Eragon. Book two adds his cousin Roran as a main character. It was difficult for me to get interested in Roran's story as I was still so involved in Eragon's. I found that during the first few "encounters" with Roran I raced through the text to get back to Eragon. Anyway, Paolini tied them both together very well and the end of Eldest has them wandering off on an adventure together...book Three - Brisingr.

the cold is leaving

2008-11-10T10:44:00.001-06:00

Not the weather cold...which is actually coming, but the sickness cold. It settled in last Wednesday and stayed a good five days before it decided to go. Now I am in the goopy after-a-cold stage. Still a little muddle-headed, but better every hour. I napped a lot yesterday and read several hundred pages of Eldest (book two of the Paolini series).
Today I work. So far; so good.

Paolini, Christopher - Eragon

2008-11-06T12:05:00.002-06:00

I finished Eragon yesterday afternoon. I read it once before, but it was quite some time ago, so I didn't remember all of the details. I am still amazed that the author was only 16 when he wrote it. There is so much depth of emotion and great character development...not what I normally think of for 16 year old teens.

Anyway, I'm already 100 pages into book two...

Peach Dump

2008-11-04T08:16:00.004-06:00

Perhaps I'll make this for dessert on Saturday night. James is having some of us over for a chili feast. I agreed to bring a dessert...this one is delicious and easy. (Though I am still thinking pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting would be good too...but for that I need to find mom's recipe.)

Peach Dump
1 can large peaches
1 yellow cake
1 stick of butter

Pour peaches and juice into the bottom of cake pan. Cut up the peaches into ¾ inch chunks. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the top. Cut up butter into ½ tsp chunks. Sprinkle on top of cake mix. Bake 350 for 30-40 minutes.

I have voted

2008-11-04T08:14:00.001-06:00

It took 30 minutes...after waiting 15 for the doors to open. I'm in the G-L line. Always the longest.
Anyway, it is done.
If you haven't voted, you should.
Vote early, vote often. Oh wait, um, vote once.

~If you don't vote, you can't complain later...

teeheehee.

The pirate and his wench...

2008-11-03T07:50:00.004-06:00

Jordan got 92 pieces of candy while trick-or-treating at my building. I ate two almond joys, and Tia ate 2 tootsie rolls. When he was finished counting, he had 88. We didn't correct him...So, if you ask him how many he got at Auntie Chelle's, the answer is 88...

Kellerman, Jonathan - Bones

2008-11-03T07:42:00.002-06:00

I finished the new Kellerman book this weekend. A wonderful, quick read. I do so love Alex and Milo. They work well together and the mystery was complex enough to keep me interested, but easy enough that it didn't distract from the wonderful chemistry and story between the characters.
Definitely worth the read!

Hard-Boiled Eggs

2008-10-30T06:08:00.004-06:00

Holly and Jordan visited last night for swimming. I offered some hard-boiled eggs for a snack before swimming. Jordan was in awe of the very thought of them...looked at them like he'd never seen one before. It turned out that those ones were a bit old (made early last week) and had a funny smell, so we had to throw them away...however, it did bring to mind the need (?) to give Holly the recipe so they can make them at home...

Maybe we'll have these for dinner on Friday when you (Holly and Jordan) come over for trick or treating...hard-boiled eggs, toast, and sausages. Yum.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Eggs
Water
Pot with tight fitting lid

Place the (whole) eggs in the bottom of the pot. Fill the pot with cool water to cover the eggs (don't need much more than that). Put the pot on high on the stove. Once the eggs come to a boil let them boil for 3 minutes. Then put the lid on, shut off the stove and let them sit for 20-25 minutes.
When they are done, pour as much hot water out as you can without the eggs falling out and add cold water to the pan. Let them sit in the cold water for 3-5 minutes. Then take them out and peel and eat. They can stay in the fridge for about 7 days.

And it was a good thing I went in...

2008-10-29T12:28:00.002-06:00

I met with the dermatologist at my clinic a month or so ago. The bump next to my left eye was too big and too close to my eye for her to take off. So she sent me to a plastic surgeon with the instructions to do a biopsy on it. There was a small, very small chance it was cancerous, so she wanted it looked at "just to make sure." Last week I met with the plastic surgeon. He took a sample to send off for a pathology test. He didn't remove it...since it would need to be removed in a special way if it is cancerous. So, he called today...turns out the bump has a bit of cancer in it. Basel Cell Carcinoma. Most common. Most curable. Doesn't spread.

Here's what wikipedia says about it:
"Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer. It is the most common and least lethal form of all cancers. It is a malignant epithelial cell tumor that begins as a papule (a small, circumscribed, solid elevation of the skin) and enlarges peripherally, developing into a crater that erodes, crusts and bleeds. Metastasis is rare, but local invasion destroys underlying and adjacent tissue. In 90 percent of all cases, the lesion is seen between the hairline and the upper lip. It can be destructive and disfiguring. The risk of skin cancer is related to the amount of sun exposure and pigmentation in the skin. The longer the exposure to the sun and the lighter the skin, the greater the risk of skin cancer. There are three types of BCC: The most common type of basal cell carcinoma is nodular basal cell carcinoma, a flesh-colored (cream to pink), round or oval translucent nodule with overlying small blood vessels and a pearly-appearing rolled border."
This is the method/treatment:
Mohs surgery: Mohs surgery (or Mohs micrographic surgery) is an outpatient procedure in which the tumor is surgically excised and then immediately examined under a microscope. The base and edges are microscopically examined to verify sufficient margins before the surgical repair of the site. If the margins are insufficient, more is removed from the patient until the margins are sufficient.

So, no big deal...but freaking me out a bit just the same.
rj

agreements one makes with oneself

2008-10-28T07:27:00.002-06:00

So, it was Sunday afternoon and my nap for the day was done. I had sorted all of the coupons and watched the last episode of season 2 of Northern Exposure. I sat on the couch to snuggle up with the big pile of magazines (15 or so of them) that have been collecting for the past couple of months while I read The Belgariad and The Tamuli.

While I was sorting through the magazines, I decided that I would finish reading (or skimming) them all before I start another book. This proved to be a great idea for Sunday afternoon. While I have plenty of books to start, none of them really appeal to me right now. So, I spent a few hours reading magazines. A lovely time learning bits and pieces about culture.

Yesterday (Monday) when I got home from work I stopped by the building office to see if I received any packages. I ordered the new Jonathan Kellerman book last week and it was shipped on Friday. It really shouldn't have arrived until later this week, which would have given me plenty of time to finish up that magazine pile.

Alas, it was there. In the office. Waiting for me to take it home. And so I did.

I even debated with myself for a while before I cracked the book open. "Should I start it? Should I wait? Should I at least finish the Reader's Digest that I'm half way through?" To give myself some credit, I did read one more article in the Reader's Digest before I gave in. But then the book called my name.

And so I have begun the new Kellerman book "Bones."

I'm sure I'll be done by Wednesday and back to that big pile of magazines. Of course the new J.D. Robb book comes out next Tuesday...

rj

The last weekend of fall 2008

2008-10-27T08:25:00.011-06:00

Curt, James, Rick and I drove south this past Saturday. We went 30 miles past Winona to the Great River Bluffs. We started out the morning with some homemade breakfast by James...pancakes, sausages, and eggs. Yum, Yum. Also of note, the soup he put in the crockpot for dinner was delicious as well.
On Sunday I stayed home and took several naps. The weather was cold and rainy, and we got our first snowflakes of the season. This is probably because Curt had us listening to Christmas music on our Saturday drive.

Below are some of my favorite pictures from Saturday.

Henry plays ball...

2008-10-23T08:43:00.003-05:00

Henry was playing a little kick ball with Al. I caught these great shots of him "on the field."

weekends without friends

2008-10-20T07:27:00.004-05:00

The weekend went well. A lot of activity. My mother came to stay for the week (though she jokes that she may stay all winter). Holly, Jordan, and I went to pick her up on Saturday morning. Then we went out to lunch at one of Holly's favorite restaurants - The Big Bowl. Then we went back to my place, sent Holly and Jordan on their way home, got mom settled and took our separate naps.
Yesterday, Holly, Jordan and Shayne came over to swim and visit. Jordan enjoyed the extra visit time with Grandma and took extra joy out of emptying the entire Black Box where he keeps his treasures at my house (mostly my tools and other such things).

Lots of activity for my cats. They keep staring at me like, "why? Why are all of these people here?" I think they have adjusted to "Grandma" though. She walks slow and doesn't move from one spot to another too often. So, they have learned to just leave her alone. Though I did hear Grandma and Cozy arguing in the hall while Grandma was on her way to the bathroom. Cozy was hissing and Grandma was threatening to take drastic measures if she didn't make it to the bathroom on time. I just stayed in my bed and silently chuckled. I figured they'd work it out.

Anyway, back to work today. It's just me in the IT department. I hope there are no crisis I can't handle. I wonder what the plural of crisis is...and how it is spelled. Hmm.

rj

Eddings, David - The Hidden City

2008-10-20T07:24:00.003-05:00

Ah, I have finished the last book in the Tamuli series. A very good story. And a happy ending. But that made it all the better.
When I read a well-written book, the characters come alive and I somehow become part of the story. So, it is kind of sad for me to finish the series. I want to know what's next...

Well, back to my list of books to read. The new Kellerman one comes out tomorrow. I have it on order. I did find The Last Jihad in my bedroom, so maybe I'll finish that up while I wait for Bones to arrive.

on thursdays...

2008-10-16T10:17:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I got a new work computer. It looks pretty much the same as the old one, but the inside is much faster and bigger. The only downside is re-installing all of my software (done) and setting up all of my short-cuts and other preferences...turns out I have a lot of them. Every time I open a new program or file, I'm finding that something ever-so-small needs to be changed.

I wonder when I became so fussy about such things.

Well, it will keep me out of trouble...and help me avoid the big database project for a little while longer. I mean, really, who wants to look through 3500 records to make sure there are no duplicates. Sounds like a yawner to me.

rj

On Saturday - MN Arboretum

2008-10-13T13:01:00.013-05:00

On Saturday, James, Curt, Rick, Karin and I went to the MN Arboretum. It was packed with others also looking for that last bit of fall...here are my favorite pictures from there.

On Friday - Wood-Rill

2008-10-13T12:49:00.016-05:00

Curt, Rick and I went to Wood-Rill out in Orono, MN on Friday. It was incredibly beautiful. I took 200+ pictures. Below are some of my favorites. I took them as high-res images, so I'll be able to make some bigger prints and frame them for home.
rj

Catherine Coulter - Double Take

2008-10-13T10:43:00.002-05:00

I read this book for my work's book club. We will discuss it next week.

I liked the story...an easy to follow mystery. However, we probably should have started with the first book that introduced the two FBI agents. While they weren't essential to the mystery, I could tell that they had a history that we should have known more about.

A good read though...and maybe someday I'll get back to the beginning of the series and go from there.

Madeleine L'Engle - A Swiftly Tilting Planet

2008-10-13T10:41:00.002-05:00

I finished the third book in the series. I must confess that I found it very confusing and difficult to follow. The main character, Charles Wallace, was jumping around in time trying to change some event that shouldn't have happened. It was hard to follow when he was and who was who.
I definitely like the first book in this series the best...and would even recommend the second one as well. This one? I'd pass...

the view from my work

2008-10-08T09:30:00.001-05:00

An early morning picture of the Guthrie.

Medication that works

2008-10-08T08:53:00.003-05:00

I started Cymbalta last week to help with the Fibromyalgia pain. And happily it is working. However, the side-effects are also at work. It makes me so warm. And nauseous. And a little tired today. I'm still adjusting to the increased dosage. Hopefully after my body gets used to it, the troublesome side-effects will lessen.

Eddings, David - The Shining Ones

2008-10-06T07:43:00.002-05:00

I read book two of the Tamuli this weekend. Bought it for $1 at the used bookstore on Friday night and finished it off last night. A lovely read it was.

There's one more book in the series. I ordered it from amazon.com since I haven't been able to find it in a used bookstore here. I paid $.01 for the book and $3.99 for shipping and handling. An interesting bargain. It should be here today or tomorrow...then I will be finished with Eddings and I can get back to all of the other books that have been waiting ever so patiently to be read.

back to Monday it is...

2008-10-06T07:37:00.002-05:00

The meatloaf was delicious. I made it yesterday afternoon. It was the perfect weather for making meatloaf. Cloudy and raining and somewhat cold.
I baked some potatoes and made some squash as well. A delicious dinner. And some leftovers for lunch today...dinner tonight...maybe even lunch tomorrow.

On Saturday Holly and I shopped for clothes for Jordan and Henry. We got lots of good deals at the Once Upon a Child in Plymouth. We even used coupons and saved $5 each. Now the boys won't freeze this winter. They grow like weeds. Henry's a 4T now. How did that happen? He's still so tiny in my eyes. But they tell me the sweatpants I bought him in 4T fit, so 4T it is.

Saturday night Rick had several of us over for a pot roast feast. It was so yummy. He's turning out to be quite a good cook...even with a little help from his friends. Kathy made a wonderful salad, and Karen took charge of the gravy. James helped with the dessert...all in all a fabulous gathering of the friends.

rj

My Meat Loaf

2008-10-03T07:49:00.005-05:00

It's not an exact science, as I usually just toss in amounts that look right and bake for a while (45 minutes) and then test it...but, here is my meatloaf recipe. I think I'll make it this Sunday. I've been craving it ever since Curt ordered it for his dinner last Saturday.

My Meat Loaf

2# Hamburger
1 egg
8-10 saltine crackers (make crumbs)
1 small onion, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
sprinkle of garlic powder
pepper
salt
1 TB ketchup

Glaze
1/2 c ketchup 1/4 c brown sugar

Mix the meatloaf ingredients together. Put the mix in a bread pan - push mixture down so that it conforms to the sides and is flat on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Meat should be done through in the middle.)
Mix the glaze together. 5 minutes before the meatloaf is done, put the glaze on top. Bake for 5 more minutes.

i love my job!

2008-10-02T07:08:00.002-05:00

Wow! What a busy week.

For the past several months I've been working on a database project at work. We're migrating from one platform to another. Same company, just a newer, different look and feel for the database. So, I've been deleting old records and lists, working with the vendor to transfer stuff to the new database, doing all the admin working in the new database, and then yesterday we trained most of the employees on it. The vendor came out for that and did a wonderful job of it. Today I'll be hosting a make-up session for those who missed it. But, happily, the stress of the project is gone. The migration is over. Now it's just follow-up training and assisting co-workers with list building. Which I can do quite easily.

Hurray for big projects that come to an end!
rj

Eddings, David - Domes of Fire

2008-09-29T10:24:00.003-05:00

Ah, I have begun the Tamuli. It is the three book series that has the same characters as the Elenium, but on a different adventure. I finished book 1 yesterday while lounging about the house resting from the busy trip to Duluth. I need to locate a copy of book 2 before I can read that. (My library didn't have it, and the two used bookstores I checked also didn't have it. And my Kindle also doesn't have it...so, it may be a few days before I can read it...as I'm opposed to paying full price for it.)
rj

and the other scenary

2008-09-29T10:17:00.004-05:00

the fall flowers

2008-09-29T10:13:00.007-05:00

the fall leaves

2008-09-29T10:03:00.008-05:00

The Sepia Shot

2008-09-29T09:57:00.003-05:00

The Original:

And as Sepia:

Saturday, Sklyine Drive, and Duluth

2008-09-29T09:50:00.003-05:00

Saturday was a wonderful day. Curt, Rick and I wandered up to Duluth to take some pictures. And while it wasn't a sunny day, we still got some great shots. I'll post several of mine.

I think I'll post them in small batches...to separate them out a bit. I took 200+ pictures, but only liked about 20 of them. I do love digital photography.

rj

The pain recedes

2008-09-26T07:39:00.003-05:00

I am feeling a bit better today. Less throbbing pain in my legs and arms. Less crabbiness. This is a good thing. And it is Friday. And tomorrow I am planning to go to Gooseberry Falls with Curt and Rick to take fall pictures and enjoy a beautiful fall day. I'll post some of my favorites on Monday.

Holly will say I feel better because I went swimming last night. Is that true? How will we ever know? I do know that right after swimming I felt sore and much ache. But this morning I woke up feeling much better. So perhaps the bit of exercise in my nice, warm pool was helpful.

rj

Madeleine L'Engle - A Wind in the Door

2008-09-26T07:35:00.003-05:00

After swimming last night, I finished up the second book in the L'Engle series. This book was a good, quick read. Very easy to get into and perfect for preteens.

I have one more of them on hand, and then I am going to switch to the Tamuli or to one of the other books on my "to-read" shelf.
rj