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The Fearsome Foursomes

Since Hubby Hubie doesn't do his own blog, I'll blog for him. Here you see Lenny, Ben, Hubie & Chris @ our wedding 05/05/2007.
Below is Lenny, Jeremy, Troy, & Hubie @ his bachelor party end of March 2007.

Homemade Laundry Soap & Dryer Sheets

A promise is a promise, Cari! Thanks for an awesome time last night. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard! My side still aches.

There are also great recipes @ the Duggar's website: http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html

Also try: http://www.doityourself.com/

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value
4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Washing Soap*
½ Cup Borax
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soap*
½ Cup Borax

-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)
*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!
TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can often be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2 per batch.

Inexpensive Fabric Softener Recipes
Recipe #1
1 Cup White Vinegar
Add vinegar to rinse cycle. Works great. Removes residue and odors. Also helps to keep washing machine and hoses fresh and clean too.

Recipe #2
1 Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener
4 Inexpensive sponges, cut in half
Pour entire container of softener into a 5 gallon bucket. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet.

T-Shirts=See How Many You Recognize

FRIED ZUCCHINI - GREEN TOMATO

FRIED ZUCCHINI - GREEN TOMATO
-----------------------------

2 med. zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 c. milk
2 beaten eggs
2 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese (optional)
Olive oil

Heat oil in skillet. Mix milk and eggs together; beat well.
Dip zucchini slice in milk-egg mixture and roll in bread
crumbs mixed with pepper and Parmesan cheese. Fry until
brown on both sides. Works well with green tomato slices
also.

St. Jerome Day

Today is Saint Jerome Day. He is recognized by the Catholic Church as a canonized saint and Doctor of the Church. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome

Frost Watch Tonight

I never paid much attention to frost warnings...until I had a garden (that got in very late this year). I started my tomato plants this year from seed and have been really babying them. So I figured I'd pick just a few and pray it doesn't freeze. No use in covering them in plastic, too windy. Pictured here are my full-sized & cherry tomatoes. If nothing else, I'll make fried green tomatoes out of them. :)

Sore-Throat Solution

Got a Sore Throat? Here's the cure-all solution: white vinegar & salt gargle. If it is too strong, dilute with water. Last mouthful: swallow. Don't drink anything for 30 minutes afterwards to allow the solution to work. I am so susceptible to sore throats and this is the only cure (besides a penicillin shot) that helps me.

Peterson Family Get-Together

Every year my Mother-in-law's side of the family has a reunion at the ol' farmhouse. This is a picture of Mark driving Uncle Mike's Allis-Chalmers tractor, towing us on a hay ride. Mike's father, Alvin Peterson, owned it originally, and Mike & Cheryl restored it to near perfect condition. We are having the annual get together today!

Judicial Watch Investigates Side-Effects of HPV Vaccine

On June 8, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Gardasil. Gardasil is a vaccine against certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) which is the primary cause of cervical cancer in women.
28 women have already died from this vaccine. 1 in 185,000 Gardasil shots have resulted in serious, negative outcomes. See for yourself: National Vaccine Information Center http://www.nvic.org//

Summer is Still Hanging On

As long as it was drizzling tonight and couldn't do siding, Hubby Hubie & I went for a walk. We were commenting on how it is starting to smell like fall already and how dark it is when we drive to work, and here we were pleasantly surprised with one more gift of summer, berries. We got a few handfuls of blackberries on the way back from picking plums at the end of our drive. Yum!

Guess Who Turned One This Week? RUBY & WILLIAM!

Ole Joke

FINKERS

Ole vas vorking at the fish plant up nort in Dulut vhen he accidentally cut off all ten of his finkers.
He vent to da emergency room in the Clinik and vhen he got dar da Norsky doctor looked at Ole and said, "Let's have da finkers and I'll see vhat I can do."
Ole said, "I haven't got da finkers."
"Vhat do you mean, you hafen't got da finkers?" the doctor said. "Lord! It's 2009 and I'ves got microsurgery and all kinds of incredible techniques. I could hafe put dem back on and made you like new! Vhy din't you brink da
finkers?"
Ole says........"How da heck vas I suppose to pick dem up?"

Famous Words by Bill Cosby

Here's an email from my Hubby Hubie:

Since you like Cosby...

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
- Bill Cosby

Missed Email

Today I checked one of my old, old email addresses from high school. I check it maybe 1-2x/year. In there was an email from Dad, dated exactly 5 months ago today, offering me his manual treadmill because he was going to get an electric one so that he could exercise & get strong again after the hard winter"cause this one requires too much effort for atrophied legs" is what he wrote.
What a breath stopper; to get an email from your father who passed away 4 months ago. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him. I pray for everyone in my family daily, in my morning and evening, including the ones who have gone before us. Any why not? Yesterday, I finally forced myself go through the sympathy cards we received back in May. I wasn't ready until now. Some people wrote really touching, personal messages. Including how he was always willing to lend a hand at work, how he would help a neighbor without asking for anything in return, how good of a friend and neighbor he was, and how he was always willing to sit & listen or share a good laugh. And to them, I thank you for sharing those memories with Dad's kids.
I dream of Dad, quite often really. He's still alive and I am trying to warn him that his days are numbered. He tells me he already knows and that all of our days are numbered. Good point, Dad.
The dreams and the emails all sign off the same: love you lots...........Dad

Movie Review: Watchmen

I love superhero movies, but this one was absolutely terrible. Too long. The story bounces all over the place & times, difficult story line. Changes history. Too much nudity & language. Don't waste your money.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I just finished Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It was fantastic, all 850 pages, copyright 1991. It is a series and Outlander is the first. I borrowed it from a girlfriend at work. She offered me the other books, but since I get so engrossed in reading that nothing else gets done, I put it off until the cold, slow winter months. :) We have a garage to finish & a garden to harvest before the snow flies, ya know!

Outlander is a magnificent book about a woman living in Scotland in the 1940's when she "falls" back in time to 1744 and has to manage to live in their time, all the while trying to get back to 1945. She is educated as a nurse, but has leave her modern medicine techniques behind and use her knowledge of herbs, flowers, & fungi for healing & antibiodics. It is also a love story with a bit of history and action. It is really well written and a page-turner. I also read it will be made into a movie, but the crew is still seeking out the right director. I highly recommend this book! ISBN#: 0-440-21256-1

Raspberry Wine

Before & after of our homemade raspberry wine.

Movie Review: Julie & Julia

We brought some of our residents at the nursing home to a Julie & Julia matinée. It is a combination of two real-life stories of Julie Powell & Julia Child. We giggled through much of it, but it had some of it's "ahh" moments as well, bringing tears to my eyes more than once. It's a different movie, maybe a little slow paced, but entertaining none the less. I like action movies on the big screen, so I would recommend waiting until it comes out on DVD, but definitely a must-see. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams really do an awesome job at their roles. 7/8 of our residents gave it a thumbs-up. (Our one thumbs down was the one male we brought along, and he slept through much of it !) Bon Appetit.

Nobody here but us servantless American cooks...
Julie Powell's actual blog: http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/

Playing Catch-UP

I have been putting in a lot of overtime at work, so here I play catch-up on da blog. I told my boss I was pooped and need to take Labor Day off to recoup from my long, long days the past few weeks. She asked me what I was planning for my long weekend (picnicking, camping, relaxing?) Not us. What are we doing pray tell?
SIDING our 30' X 60' garage. Arg, a glutton for punishment. lol
(Cartoon = catchup/ketchup joke)

Brooks' Garden

Even with getting the garden late this year, it's producing pretty well. Kohlrabi is one of my favorites. I swore I'd plant more this year, which I did. And yet, I should have planted a whole row vs just 12 feet of them. We have leaf lettuce & onions coming out of our ears. Peas & beans are catching up. My beets are crying out, "pluck me, can me, cook me, eat me!" Carrots fresh from the garden just make my mouth water. That sweet smell you can only get from your own garden that gets lost in the packaging and shipping to the local grocery store fills the ol' olfactory system and brings back childhood memories. I gave my pumpkin patch 10 feet to spread out and grow, and yet it is still is trying to choke out my brussel sprouts, green & yellow squash, and cukes. Wiley little things. The tomato plants are only about a foot tall, but sturdy and blossom-covered. We didn't even have to use cages this year.

Cabbage Casserole (Pigs w/o a blanket)

If you like sarmas, you'll love this much-easier recipe!
Cabbage Casserole (Pigs w/o a blanket)
1.5# hamburger
1 C. rice
8 slices cooked bacon
1 small onion, chopped
salt, pepper, basil to taste
1 head cabbage (boil 5-10 min until partially cooked)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can sauerkraut
1 can diced tomatoes

Cook rice& bacon. Add to hamburger along w/ onions & spices. Mix well. Layer roasting pan w/ cabbage. Place hamburger mixture on top. Spread sauerkraut on top of hamburger mixture. Add tomato sauce. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Bake 1.5 hours covered.

I wrote this recipe verbatim from my co-worker. These are the changes I made:
* quarter & freeze cabbage overnight...thereby no cooking.
*precooked my meats & onion on the stove & crumbled my bacon into the hamburger mixture. I didn't like the consistency of the bacon. Next time I will do 1/2 & 1/2 ground pork & ground beef.
* I made multiple layers of the tomatoes, kraut, cabbage & meat mixture in my Crockpot. Everything was cooked ahead of time so when it was warm enough, we ate. That and we don't have to heat up the house with the oven.
Make your own changes to your own personal tastes!

Bored

How do you keep yourself entertained @ an estate sale? Take pictures!
We had Dad's estate sale on 08/28 & 08/29 this past weekend. It was hard to see the years of Dad's hard work and collecting just leave with someone else...but what can you do? We can't keep it all. I would recommend if you ever have to do a sale, bite the bullet & advertise in the local newspaper or shopper. There were quite a few people there who said that they had seen the ad. And have BIG, SIMPLE, BRIGHT SIGNS. A lot of people stopped by just because they said they saw the sign on the highway on their way home from work!

This is my beautiful, 11mo old niece, Ruby Wren,
picking grass at Grandpa Lon's. "Ah tu" to you too, Tuesday!

What Happens at Cajun Fest...Stays at Cajun Fest

Every year Mom and I head to Cajun Fest in Walker for 3 days. We had an AWESOME time once again. This year we stayed at a ... different ... hotel because there was no room at the Inn (Northern Lights Casino). They have fabulous Cajun & zydeco music & dance. There is another group of line dancers who know all the classics we know, so it gives us a chance to bust a move with them. Mom & I went up on stage twice again this year to play the zydeco (wash) boards with the band. Whoo-hoo!

Arrêtes pas la musique. "Don't stop the music."

I'm not really that much taller than Ma. I just still have my boots on!

Urine or You're Out

THE JOB - URINE TEST (Whoever wrote this one deserves a HUGE pat on the back!)

Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, and they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution
of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.

So here is my Question. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet.
I do, on the other hand, have a problem with helping someone sitting on their rump--doing drugs, while I work.

Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check? I guess we could title that program,
'Urine or You're Out'.

Our last Twins game @ the Metrodome

08/15/2009: David & I went to a Twins vs Indians game with Gary, Candy, Jr., & Jen. Game ended 7-2 (Cleveland), but we had an awesome time together and enjoyed good food afterwards @ Famous Dave's. Pictured above is Jen & Jr relaxing before the game, Joe Mauer warming up, Farewell to the Metrodome flag, and our pre-game picture. (In the Twins defense, they beat Cleveland Friday night 11-0.)

I Love Spinach, but this is Ridiculous :)

Our garden loves to produce leafy greens. Popeye would be so proud!
I saved one large bag for salads & sandwiches. The rest I blanched & froze.
Haha, two large cookie sheets of spinach, after blanching, fit into one quart-sized freezer bag. I have a whole new respect for the farmers and companies who freeze veggies and they shrink to a fraction of the amount of produce.

Is Cash for Clunkers a Hype Job?

This whole idea is asinine.
The "old" cars are brought in for a rebate on a more fuel efficient car. Now, what happens to that old car? Well, the legislation requires the engine, transmission and other drivetrain components to be destroyed so they can’t be reused and continue to pollute the air and burn excessive amounts of fuel. And they don't just take a hammer to these parts. They run chemicals (sodium silicate) into the system until the engine seizes up. They then "recycle' them.
So, what about the people who can only afford the used cars? We are destroying perfectly good cars just because they aren't fuel efficient.
Doesn't it take more energy, time, money & chemicals to destroy these cars than it would to just resell them? And where is the refund coming from? Americans' pockets, that's where. Your tax dollars at work.
"The excitement for the program was reported to be so huge that panic has set in that $1 billion isn’t enough to cover the program. Now, the geniuses in Congress are looking to approve another $2 billion for the cash for clunkers program. What is “Uncle Sam” really spending the money on or is the whole program and press excitement simply a con to get you down to the dealership to buy a car if you can?"~ireport.com~ Sodium Silicate will do to clunkers what the Obama proposed health care plan will do to Americans.

Recycle Your Dehumidifier Water

Recycle Your Dehumidifier Water: Instead of dumping the water you collect from your dehumidifier down the sink, use it to water your indoor/outdoor plants, flush your toilets, or put in your iron. You can also boil it for 12 minutes and drink it, but I wouldn't. Get more tips @ http://www.treehugger.com/

Twilight Series

Whew. What a series! I highly recommend this reading to any (female) reader. It is a clean, easy read. I was completely addicted over the past 2 weeks w/ these books. I already reviewed the first one "Twilight" in a past blog, but the story just keeps getting better and better with each book. I couldn't put it down. The last book, Breaking Dawn, was the longest and, I have to agree w/ my sis-in-law Jackie, the best. The author may get a little too extravagant in the details, but the details are so luscious and descriptive. I hope to read this series again in a few years.

Email

As you can tell, I'm playing catch up on my blog. Here's an email my Hubby Hubie sent to me:

This made me think of you....

I write down everything I want to remember. That way, instead of spending a lot of time trying to remember what it is I wrote down, I spend the time looking for the paper I wrote it down on.
- Beryl Pfizer

I love you.
:)

Can you say "Hit the nail on the head?" Thanks Hon.

Birthday Story

My poor Hubby Hubie. His parents & I took him out for dinner on his 31st birthday last Wednesday. We had a nice, quiet, sit down meal at the new Mexican restaurant in town. Just when we're finishing, the waiter brings over an ice cream cake (a surprise gift from his sister, Jackie. Thank you!).
Then they bring out a gigantic sombrero, place it on his head, and 5 employees sing "Happy Birthday" to him in Spanish. Now, my husband isn't the type to bring attention to himself in any way. Thankfully the place was relatively quiet, so he didn't attract too much attention, but it still slightly embarrassed him. Luckily he has a good sense of humor and we all got a good chuckle out of it. Happy Birthday Hon. We won't let them sing to you next year!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Every year our friend Candise has a girls weekend at her cabin. Here are the pictures I took before I could get some real incriminating ones.

Sharon was so proud of her kindling for the fire.

The 3 JCPenny Friends

Judy's Story Time (I think you can actually see Karen blushing from Judy's story!)

Krista "Hanging Out"

Back row (L-R): Mom, Judy, Sharon
Middle (L-R): Me, Ann Marie, Karen, Candise, Krista
Front (L-R): Sis, Angie

Pre-Wine Picture

David & I have been picking raspberries from our property with the goal of making wine. He does a great job at washing and freezing them individually before bagging. We have to accumulate enough to make a 6 gallon batch so a few more pickings and we should be ready! As you can see, there are a few blueberries that have made their way into the batch as well. Our field behind the house is loaded w/ blueberries!