Flamingo Crossing

Today Zach's tech friend is coming over to take a look at my computer. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he can get my Java up and running and I can once again play games on POGO, and Yahoo, and Gamesville.

I had just paid for a year's subscription to Club Pogo about a month before I got the new hard drive, and without Java, I can't take advantage of it, so here's hoping. Besides my daughter, and serveral friends have subscriptions and we get together at times and play games and chat. I miss that.

Keep your fingers crossed for me, too.  Hopefully it will be an easy fix and won't cost me too much money.

Do I really want to relive my yesterday on this blog, or just forget it altogher?  Don't know why, but from the time I woke up things started to go wrong, when I knocked into the kitchen trash can, and my back hurt so bad that I couldn't bend over to pick up the lid, I should have gone right back to bed, but oh no, not me!

The rest of my day, well most of it anyway, was like that snowball rolling down t e hill, gathering more and more snow until !SPLAT! 

Hubby came right upstairs and made some smart-a$$ed comment!  Then I spilled my Pepsi all over the floor. Got on the computer, it was slower than usual (I know I can hear you now Ursula, "get rid of the dial up and go with broad band"), or else my patience was lost back in the kitchen.

Decided to do the smart thing and retreat!  So, upstairs I went with a few magazines and a good book.  Yes, Urs, I fell asleep while reading. Back downstairs for a really late lunch and things seemed to be going better.

Back on the computer answering e-mails and what not, when I decided to do some shopping on line.  Finshing up with that when I got a call from Travis, ok multi-tasking was going well, until about 2 minutes into our conversation, my phone beeped and I had a call from Ursula. Don't you two live in the same house, and don't you talk to each other?

Ursula wanted me to check out a web site, so I told her I would do that after I finished what I was doing and then I would call her back, well got so distracted that my multi- tasking went down the tubes.  Now I am back on the phone with Travis.  What they both wanted to tell me was, that Ben Franklin (which was the only craft store in Janesville for the longest time and has been there forever) was closing it's doors.  Sure would like to be there for that "going out of business sale". Travis was first, and he was happy that he beat his Mom to the punch.

Ok, that snow ball was still rolling, so off for some more reading. Seems that was my only "safe" place!  Got tired of that and went outside and just sat and enjoyed for awhile.

Went in to grap a snack (whole grain wheat gold fish, well it sounds a little healthy, lol) and the phone rings once again. Stopped what I was doing, trying to open the goldfish, and not getting anywhere fast, and ran to answer the phone, it was Ursula.  Tried the multi- tasking thing again (call me optomistic) finally got the goldfish opened, but knocked the butter dish off the counter, had to put the phone down, so I could clean up that mess, couldn't get the paper towels to tear off the roll correctly, knocked over some paper bowls, and all this Ursula can hear on the phone, and she starts asking me if I am ok, and what is going on. Get things settled down and then again the beep on my phone, Travis again. LOL Those two! Told Travis I would call him back and got on with my conversation with Ursula.  Again Hubby comes in with a comment.

By this time I give up and just go outside to pout a little and calm down before the tears of frustration start. I don't do anything for the rest of the evening.  Around 10ish decided to watch the movie Freedom Writers. It was as good as I thought it would be. Then off to bed for some more reading until I feel asleep.

Today Hubby and I are having air condintioner wars!  Yesterday it was in the high 70's here and I would normaly have the air on, but I deffered to Bob and opened the windows and turned on the ceiling fans. Last night, as I knew that it was going to be 85 degrees today, when I went up to bed, I closed all the windows and turned on the air. Woke up around 3 AM sweating!  Turned on the small fan beside the bed. Sure enough, when I go up this morning, the air was off and it was hot in the house.

A little back story (as if anyone is iterested), Bob usually watches TV in the basement, which we call his cave, and it stays nice and cool down there. When the air is on, he gets cold.  Meanwhile, after watching TV with him for awhile, I have to escape the constant channel sufing, and I come up stairs to the computer.  That puts me beside the front windows, which is a southern exposure, or I go up to the second floor and watch what I want on TV or a movie, so, I am  hot.  When the open windows and fans no longer are keeping me cool and I start to sweat, I like the air on. And so the air conditioner wars begin.

Several things that I wanted to get done yesterday, I didn't even attempt. So far (let's knock on wood) things seems to be calmer today, so hopefully, I will accomplish those goals.

Beef Brisket Experiment

In my Hubby's retirement gift basket from work was some delicious home made barbeque sauce.  So, I decided that I would like to try cooking a beef brisket and then shred it and make sandwiches.

Having never cooked a brisket before nor even bought a brisket before, I didn't even know how to chose the right one. I looked them over and picked one that I thought looked good.  Then I asked the butcher for advice, and she picked the same one I had chosen.

Yesterday I put the brisket in the slow roaster. I added some spices: fresh chives from our garden, garlic powder, season salt, Italian seasonings, and basil. I also threw in several halfed onions and some carrots. Added a little water and turned it to 150 degrees and let it cook all afternoon and all night. While I was awake I based it now and then.  Hubby was up after I went to bed, and he added a little more water for me.

Woke early this morning, and it smelled devine!  Hubby cut off a slice, wanted to see if it was done, and he also wanted to taste it.  He shredded it and added some barbeque sauce. I tasted it with out the sauce.

It had a really good flavor, but I was a little disappointed that it was a little tough.  Hubby assured me that brisket is a tough cut of meat.  I knew that, but thought that by cooking it really slow it would tenderize it some what. I will say though for a first time experiment, I didn't do, too bad.

I went on line to check out some brisket recipes, which I should have done before cooking it not after,lol, and found that most of them call for a marinade over night---that helps with the tenderness.  Next time, I will have to try that.

Good Morning!  Another glorious day here! Planning on getting out side and work in the yard. Want to get some containers planted, but haven't been to the garden center yet, so will just get the pots ready for planting. Yesterday my neighbor Heidi brought over a Cinnimon Basil plant, to replace  the one that got killed by our sudden weather change a few weeks ago. She is such a nice person and a good neighbor. She also brought home lots of plants to go into her yard, and said that she was planning to be outside today planting away.  That just got me in the mood, to be outside, too.

Today the Girl Scouts have a "Stock The Food Pantry" drive.  Don't know if it is just a local thing or not.  Two weeks ago, they left bags on doors asking them to be filled with personal hygene products, things that people can't use their assistance cards to buy.  I made a trip to the Dollar Tree and stocked up on some shampoos, soaps, disposable razors, tooth brushes,etc. to fill the bag. Last night I hung it on my door; the Girl Scouts are supposed to collect them today.

Have a great Saturday everyone!