"It'll be just fine", they said.

  It all started with this really weird, funky kind of smell. Whenever I walked past the front bathroom I smelled this kind of, mildewey odor.   Now I know that this is something that happens in bathrooms and kitchens. But, I have a very sensitive sense of smell and this one was just not acceptable.

 For a bit, I thought it would just take care of itself. I had my cleaning gal clean the bathroom really well. As a matter of fact, I had her do that several times. Didn't make a dent in the nastiness.   Actually, it was getting worse.

 Finally, when I couldn't take it anymore, we went over the bathroom with a fine-tooth-comb. My cleaning gal told me she thought the odor was coming from the air vent.  Oh great! So am I going to need to have work on the ductwork?  Ugh. That would not be fun.  

 In an effort to find something simpler and far less expensive, we checked with the roto-rooter man because there had previously been issues with roots in the drain line.   He had us try a couple of things to help diagnose the problem. So, it wasn't roots.   After having another plumber come out, one who is willing to come into the house during this COVID madness,  The decision was to put in a new drain line from that bathroom.  

As luck would have it, the machine that they needed to put it the new drain line was out of commission and being repaired. While waiting for that to resolve, the plumbers got together and compared notes and decided that a portion of the old clay drain pipe had cracks in it which were causing the issue.  YAY!  At last, an answer.  

 That answer did not last very long. It seems that there were cracks and breaks in the clay pipe that were serving the bathroom and the kitchen as well.  So, all of the original drain pipes in the house needed to be replaced. So much for a simple resolution.

 We are now heading into day 3 of my yard looking like several bombs went off in it. My poor little man can barely find a place to pee.  If this isn't finished by the end of the week, I really don't know what I might do. 

 It has been at least 6 months and I'm tired. I know it will be worth it in the end, and I am thrilled that my bathroom (which was added on later) is in full functioning order,  But the kitchen and the laundry room are on hold.  Not to mention the mess.  

This too shall pass.

Oh, by the way, the nasty odor is gone.

Yummy "Tot" Bombs

I recently came across this little recipe and just had to share.
So YUMMY!

Tater Tots Bombs

Ingredients

• ½ bag Tater Tots (thawed)
• 1 8-ounce package Sharp Cheddar Cheese 
• Hot Sauce, to taste
• 1 16-ounce package Bacon (strips cut in half)
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• chili powder, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 400F
2. Cube the sharp cheddar cheese into very small pieces.
3. Cut bacon strips in half.
4. Wrap the Tater Tot and cheese cube in one of the bacon strips that have been cut in half.
5. Roll in brown sugar and chili powder, place in pan seam side down.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turn each bacon wrapped Tator Tot over to brown the bottom. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the bacon is crispy. Cool and serve with your favorite sauce.

Torment...,

My neighbor on the other side of the wall (think duplex) has two sons, one dog and a cat.  She used to live in the house next to me but recently moved.  She is a doll. 

It is the cat that I now write about. The cat is an adorable little grey fuzzy thing.   She had several months of watching him from the window and then when she was old enough graduated to sitting on the back porch watching him.  From the beginning, the little kitty knew just how to yank Mozart's  chain and yank it good. There was nothing but torment in store for Mozart.  Then, her research done, she set out with a goal and boy did she meet it.  

She never once bothered him, UNTIL...one day I hooked Mozart up on his lead and let him out. Immediately he was barking up a storm and just would not stop.  I went to the door and looked out to see him straining at the end of the lead, trying to get to the cat.  

Now you must understand that Mozart has never had issue with another cat.  My sister has a cat that he completely ignores.  But, this little grey kitty would sit on my porch or under my bushes and when I let him out she would jump up and race off.  Not far, mind you but just far enough.  She would end up laying about six inches beyond Mozart's reach.  It was driving him insane, but what a brilliant move by the cat.  In the many months to follow, she did this over and over again and each and every time it drove him more nuts.  This became their routine fairly quickly and there were not too many occasions that this was not the case.  I wish I had a dime for every time I had to drag him in the door so he would stop barking at the cat.  

Now she has started sauntering back and forth on the sidewalk or in the flower bed in front of the large window Mozart sits and looks out and once again, drives him nuts.  LOL  Poor dog doesn't stand a chance.  

So, the other night I am all snuggled into my recline with Mozart snoozing away on my lap when I noticed a little movement outside the front window.  The curtain was pushed back about four inches where Mozart keeps watch on things from his perch.  I kept my eyes on the window and a few seconds later, there was more movement.  I turned off the little lamp that sits right beside my chair and looked at the window only to find the little cat, sitting on the window sill,  looking for Mozart.  Thankfully he was sound asleep and had no idea she was there.  I kept an eye on her and she stayed there close to thirty minutes, just waiting for her buddy.  

I guess she will miss him when we move.  Who will she torment then?

Keeping watch

Thirty one years...

They raced by in the blink of an eye, yet they dragged on for ever.

Thirty one years of, take this pill and that pill.  Get more rest, avoid stress, take more pills, have your chest split wide open, try this treatment, oh darn that didn't work, OK try this one now, take less of those pills and more of these, avoid people who have colds, flu or anything contagious! What a ride it has been. I am certain no theme park has a ride quite like this.  Thank goodness!

There was a time when I thought there was no way I would live this long.  Guess I proved that theory wrong.  It is horribly mind boggling to be diagnosed with a chronic disease.  It is hard to put into words how lost and hopeless it can make one feel.  It is even more difficult to put into words how devastating it can be to someone very young.

The very young Nanner, within a year of diagnosis.

My  Mother was an angel, she took care of me every step of the way those first years.  She was my nurse, best friend and Mom.  She helped me be wiser and stronger and she helped me learn to speak my mind and stand up for myself. My family and friends have always been a tremendous source of support and strength for me.  There is, absolutely, NO way I would be living and loving this wonderful life of mine without them!

In thirty one years, I have soaked up a lot of information, taken in a lot of experiences and best of all, have lived a fabulous life.  I have been places and done things that others dream of or see in a movie.  I am truly blessed.  Life really is all about what you make of things.  Life throws obstacles in everyone's path, what we do with them, how we crawl over, under or through them is what makes us who we are.   Don't lose sight of the goal, take baby steps, work your way through and always keep the faith.  You WILL make it.

To my Flakey friends you have my admiration and respect as well as much love.
To the rest of you nuts...I love you too!  :)

Also within a year of diagnosis.

Just a glimpse of my view these days.  :)

As requested...

A very dear friend told me that mentioning yummy foods was not allowed without posting the recipe.  So, here is the recipe for the aforementioned Collard Green and Andouille Soup.
I have included the part with the dumplings, but as I mentioned in the earlier post, I just make com bread to go with it.  Much easier.  Enjoy!

Collard Green, Andouille and Corn Dumpling soup

Dumplings:

3/4 C flour

3/4C yellow cornmeal

1 T sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c whole milk

1 1/2 T melted butter

1/2 C chopped green onions

Whisk first five ingredients together in a medium bowl. Stir in milk and butter and when combined add green onions.  Cover with wrap and let sit at least one hour and up to two hours.  Using wet hands (or if you have one of those handy dandy little scoops) shape mixture into balls.  Arrange on plastic covered sheet pan and chill well covered.  This can be done 1 day ahead.

  Soup:

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 C finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic pressed

4 bay leaves (I didn't have any and it was still wonderful)

1 T fresh Thyme ( 1 tsp dry)

1 pound Andouille, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds

6 C chicken broth

2- 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice

1 T hot sauce, or to taste 

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1 12 oz bag collard greens, chopped (I use frozen when they are not in season)

 Heat oil in large pot, add onion and garlic, bay and thyme and saute until onion is tender.  About five minutes.  Add sausage and saute five minutes, until fat renders.  Add stock, tomatoes with juice, hot sauce and allspice and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.   Soup can be made ahead to this point.  Store well covered in fridge.  Before continuing return soup to simmer. 

Add collards to simmering soup and cook uncovered for ten minutes.  Drop in dumplings and cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20-25 minutes until dumplings are tender.  Adjust seasoning as needed.

This can be made much easier by just making corn bread and serving soup over it.  Just as yummy!!!

It's a new day, a new year, a new beginning...

Last year on January 1st I started something I thought would be fun.  I had seen it on Pinterest, so of course, it had to be great.  :)  I gathered up an empty plastic canister,  a little pad of paper and pen and sat down to jot down the first 'good/wonderful" thing of the year.  It wasn't difficult to find several things to jot down.  So, right on time, into the jar went my frost note went.  Now the object of this exercise was to make notes about good things in my daily life, add them to the jar and then, on New Years Eve or New Years Day go through and read about the great things that happened during the year.  I read through all mine several hours ago.  I did, indeed have a good year!  My one failure is that I read through them too quickly, I need to make more notes this year.
So, I find myself sitting here, with a little note pad and pen in hand to begin filling the jar again. It really is a wonderful exercise and I highly recommend you try it.

Recently my eldest sister and I were talking about variations on this theme.  I do not have kids, but she has two wonderful sons who are now both fathers.  As you well know, out of the mouths of babes come the most hilarious and adorable things.  So, here is my suggestion.  If you have kids, every day jot down something wonderful, amusing or just ridiculous that they have said or done.  It will be great entertainment next New Years Even to sit around reading them while waiting for midnight.   And then save them all and type them up to share with your kids when they have their own kids.  LOL

Here are a few things I am working on in the new year.  I don't make "resolutions" because I would hate feeling guilty for breaking them.  But, here ya go....

     Getting mean with myself and getting back to the diet and losing more weight.
   
     Moving to the lake.  It has always been a favorite place of mine and I can't wait.
   
     Feeling much better.  I know I only have so much control in this, but I am going to feel better!!!

     Writing more notes for my jar and actually blogging, not just thinking about it.

     Finishing a few projects (handiwork) that are patiently waiting on me.


I was bored last night so I did my cooking for today.  Being a southern girl, I have to have collard greens, black eyed peas and some kind of pork on New Years Day.  I got it all.  I made black-eyed peas as well as collard greens and andouille soup.  I found the soup recipe a couple years or so ago and just love it,.  The original recipe had cornmeal dumplings too but it was fussy so I just make cornbread to go with it.  It is delicious.

My phone keeps beeping.  There is a winter weather advisory and we are expecting snow.  Yipeeee!  I love snow.  There is only one problem, it may cause problems with my massage appointment.   Oh well, so it goes.

Mozart and I are looking forward to sharing a wonderful year it with you.

Happy New Year











   

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today would have been my Dad's 87th birthday.  Hard to believe he has already been gone a year and a half.  Time really does go by more quickly with each passing year.  

I got up feeling tired since I did not sleep well. Nothing new or unusual about that is there?  Yes, that was rhetorical.

Nails were first on my "to do" list today so I headed off to Serenity Salon.  Perfect name, isn't it?  There is a great element of serenity there actually.  The place smells nice and clean and unless they are laughing, the gals really are rather quiet.  Of course when everyone gets to laughing, it is a free for all.  I really love my time with Beth,  She is a doll and a fabulous friend.  What would I do without her...I refuse to think about that!  

Once my nails were finished and dressed up in Peace, Love and OPI, (the new San Francisco collection) I moved on to the second thing on my list and headed out to the cemetery.  It's a nice one as things go...well cared for, clean and orderly.  I found myself giggling today because as I drove in, the UPS guy was leaving.  I wonder who ordered what!  LOL  I had a nice chat with Dad and enjoyed the gorgeous day with him for awhile.  

On  the way back into town, I had to stop at Homewood Grill and get some ice cream. Dad would have wanted it that way.  :)  His last several birthdays were celebrated with Homewood ice cream cakes/pies.  I got coffee as it is my favorite.  Forgive me for not getting your Black Walnut,  Dad.  I have never been a real big fan of walnuts.  

Last on my list was the IGA for a few items.  Almost done, yay.  As I went up and down aisles I soon realized I was getting hotter and hotter and more and more wobbly. Not good, but also nothing new to me.  I headed over to their little restaurant and sat down for a few.  While I was there I heard the gal in the deli call someone and tell them to turn the air up because she and others were hot.  Whew...it wasn't just me.   It often is. 

From there it was jiggety jig and home I went. No pig, but it still fits. Just a little bit after I got home, Julie showed up with my weekly veggie order.  Mmmm  I love getting farm fresh produce every week.  It is wonderful!  Tomorrow I am making some chicken veggie soup to share with Julie while we sip wine.  I love girls night.  Have I mentioned how much I love girls night?  heheh

All in all, a wonderful day.  For the first time in several months I was able to do more than one, quick thing when I went out.  I have been clawing my way out of my MG slump and it has taken a toll, but it is good to finally see some light in the tunnel.  

Life rarely dishes up what we expect.  Our reaction to what is on our plate is the answer to surviving the fray.  I have tried to keep smiling and have patience.  So far I have managed.  I haven't fallen apart...cried uncontrollably or any of those other things that have happened in the past.  The very best thing I can say though is this, I have gotten through several months without going into a crisis and am feeling better and stronger each day, so I am darn happy with that. Now to convince my doc that this is a good thing.  

Time to snuggle with my little man.  Sorry it has been so long, but now that I am feeling better I will try to keep up with this blog now that I am on the upswing.  



I love and miss you, Daddy.

So our human life but dies down to its root, and still puts forth its green blade to eternity.  ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden