Thursday's Thoughts and Friday's Favorites

Good morning!
Today I am taking my computer in now that the part is here and while my computer is being rebuilt I am going to be grandparenting my little earth angel Gretchen .
I enjoy each moment I am able to share with her she is my heart...
I have made some french onion soup for our supper and some ginger cookies for dessert!
I may be a few days away due to the computer re-build so I will post Friday's favorites as well.

           Laurie's Ginger Cookies

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84143785@N00/2417291404

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup - 1 cup crystallized ginger minced (amount depends on how strong you like your ginger flavor)
1 large pinch of ground cardamom
1 small pinch of nutmeg
1 small pinch of black pepper (if you like a spicier cookie)
1 cup of white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F
Sift your flour, ground ginger, baking soda,cardamom,cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper together in a bowl,mix and set aside.
In large bowl cream together the shortening, butter and sugar add egg,molasses, crystallized ginger.
Gradually add the flour mixture until soft dough forms.
Roll into balls about 1" in diameter, flatten ball gently with fingers in cinnamon sugar to coat each side.
Place 2" apart on cookie sheet
Bake for 7-10 minutes, top of cookie will have small cracks when done.
Enjoy!
I will to be back very soon, in the mean time take the time to enjoy the small pleasures in life...it is too short to rush through without taking notice of the world around you and it's beauty,be sure to share it with someone you love, until later my friends.

Wednesday's Wish

Good morning all!
I hope that this post finds you all well.
Today I am going to share my wish with you in the form of a poem.
I did not write this poem it is one that has been around for many years, it has touched my heart and expresses my feelings so well, I share it with you today...

* I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

* I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

* I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

* I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

* I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

* I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

* I wish enough hello's to get you through the final goodbye.

My friends, I wish you enough! ---

Lazy Tuesday

Good morning!
I hope this post finds you and yours well.

I awoke this morning to find I had slept  until 9am!
I have no idea why I slept so long, 10 hours and I usually sleep for 4-5 if  I am lucky!
How many hours of sleep do you require?

Today I am not planning on doing a whole lot except clean out and organize a few cupboards as I am still feeling tired if you can believe it.

I had my first feed of corn of the season last night, and it was delicious!
Funny how that makes me feel a bit sad when I see the local corn ready, it tells me that the summer has only a few weeks left...I do love the summer months.

I enjoy the fall weather too, I enjoy the beautiful colours that the autumn brings,
the wonderful harvest of vegetables and of course the apples.

In the fall I start shopping for the items I will need to do my Christmas baking, picking up a few things each week until my cupboard is full of all the ingredients I will need to fill my christmas cookie orders.
What does the start of corn season mean to you? 

Craving Daddy's Chip Dip

All weekend I have been craving a chip dip my Dad makes and plan on making it very soon for company.
I know he will not mind if I share it with you.
                       
   Daddy's Chip Dip

1 tub of sour cream
4 small dill pickles chopped fine
3 buds of garlic chopped fine or one heaping of pre-minced garlic
12 olives chopped fine
1 small onion chopped fine or 3 green onions chopped fine which ever you prefer
4-6 teaspoons of dill pickle juice (or more if you like)
salt and pepper to taste
Mix together and refrigerate for atleast an hour.
Enjoy!

 Good morning!
I am back until Thursday, when the parts for my computer should be here.
I will be sure to post Friday's Favorites on Thursday  afternoon before I take my computer in again.
I hope I won't be away for more than a few days and will be looking forward to returning...alas I am addicted!

As  most of you know by now I have been making numerous trips to the doctor and hospital for the last 15 months trying to determine what is causing the pain I have been dealing with.

Due to the fact that I already have IBS I at first figured that was the problem until I started having symptoms that could not be attributed to that and then after having to go to the emergency room they discovered after a CAT Scan that I have acute epiploic appendagitis, unfortunately  that is suppose to come in attacks as does the irritable bowel and the pain continued my family doctor was wonderful and booked every known test to find out what was going on with me.

Now after many tests and specialist appointments I was lucky enough to have a student doctor point out something that noone else noticed, my Superior Mesentric Artery is blocked, this is the artery that comes from the aorta and feeds the bowel and intestines so even though my appointment with the vascular surgeon is a month and a half away I am very thankful to that student doctor for being so observant and finding this out as I was to the point where I truly was considering putting myself out of my misery with no end in sight to the pain I have been suffering.
I thank God for answering my prayers and sending me in the right direction to be diagnosed.
I am sure my family is sick of hearing me complain...I know I am sick of complaining.
If any of you have heard of this or can offer some advice on dealing with the pain for the next month and a half (meds do not touch the pain as it is like an angina attack but in the abdomen and nitro spray doesen't work for that) I would be truly thankful for the advice.
I am going to post links to both the sites for the Epiploic Appendagitis and Mesentric Artery Ischemia  for anyone that is interested in learning more about these conditions.

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday !

http://www.mssurg.net/Team5Conferences/2005-6/Epiploic%20Appendagitis.pdf
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/191451-overview

Absence

Well I changed my IP and my son is building me a new computer and needs this one for a few parts so I will be away for the remainder of the week, hopefully I will be back on-line by the weekend.
Have a great week, bye for now!

The Waiting Game

Good morning!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

I have big plans for the day...laundry and making the rounds looking after my girlfriend's cats and my parent's cat as well as doing some banking and grocery shopping and if there is time out to weed the much neglected gardens.
It was too hot to cut the grass last week and the heavy rain we received made it much too wet so now it will be quite a chore to cut it as it is more than ankle high out there so it will take priority over the weedy gardens.

What are your plans for this sunny Monday?

As Promised

As promised, photos from the Ribfest in Millenium Park in Peterborough Ontario.
The Photographs were taken by my youngest son Ryan, he took his family there today for the festivities and of course the ribs!

Unfortunately I never made it into Peterborough today, I went to check on a cottage that the people had left from a stay and when I got there I needed to stay and clean-up before the next family came to rent it.
By the time I had finished and stopped in to feed my friend's cats and had a visit with my parents it was getting a little late in the day to go.
Next year, look out Ribfest I will be there!

To Ribfest Or Not To Ribfest?

Good morning, I hope you enjoyed the rain we got yesterday, it sure cooled things down alot.

This morning I was deciding what to do today and as I looked over the daily events calendar for Peterborough I noticed many events I am interested in attending.
This could make for one busy day!                            http://www.peterboroughpromotions.com/aaadaily/071010.html

Ribfest, open markets, yard sales, concert in the park, people watching... too many to choose just one!
I haven't decided what to do today but I promise to share pictures!
What do you have planned for this sunny Saturday?

Friday's Favorites

It's Friday again!
Wow this week has been a scorcher the temperature reached 34C yesterday and it appears we are going to get a break from this heatwave, they are calling for thunderstorms all day.
I do hope you all found a way to keep yourselves cool, if not this recipe is sure to cool you off on a hot day!

                            Frozen Lemonade Trifle

1 envelope plain gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
6 eggs
1 can frozen lemonade ( I use pink lemonade)
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 angel food cake

Soften gelatin in cold water
Beat egg yolks and mix with frozen lemonade in saucepan
Cook until it coats the spoon (about 3 mins)
Stir in gelatin, mix well and cool 1/2 hour.
In separate bowl, beat egg whites until near stiff
Beat in icing sugar until stiff peaks form
Fold into cooled mixture
Cut cake into 3 inch squares
In trifle dish or pan alternate cake and custard beginning with cake and end with custard
Press out air pockets with the back of a wooden spoon.
Wrap and freeze.
Keeps for 2 months in freezer.
Enjoy!

Thursday's Thoughts

Good Morning, I hope you all kept cool yesterday, our temperatures were 33C and with  the humidex was 43C.
This heatwave has lasted long enough now that the airconditioning  doesn't even seem to help.
So today will be spent trying to keep the house closed up to try to keep it as cool as possible...
I don't usually complain of the heat as I am a summer baby and prefer the summer's heat to the winter's bitter cold.
What season do you prefer?

Wednesday's Wish

Good Morning!

Well by the looks of the weather forecast we are only half way through the heat wave here in South Central Ontario. The last few days of blistering temperatures have made for alot of time spent trying to keep cool.

My wish this Wednesday is  for everyone who has an elderly neighbour or family member to check on them to ensure they are well hydrated and not exerting themselves in this heat and that you may find a way to beat this heat yourself.
Keep smiling...it is contagious!

Beating The Heat!

I don't know how high the temperature will rise today, it got up to 33C yesterday and with the humidex it was 43C...HOT!
Last night the temperature never dropped below 23C and it was 30C at 9am this morning so I am trying to get my laundry done and hung outside to dry I know the humidity will keep them damp for a while but I am sure once the sun comes around the side of the house it will bake them dry.
My beautiful pansies got cooked yesterday, I went out to water the plants last night and the whole pot was baked to a crisp, I watered anyhow, it appears there is no hope in reviving them.
How are you keeping cool in these hot July days?

Roadwork

This morning I was rushing about trying to get out the door before the town turned the water off for the morning as they are putting in a new sidewalk across the road from me.
When I was going out the door I looked out to see that they had already dug up the road infront of the house and blocked both ends of the street, it has been so hot I guess they wanted to start early so they aren't working in the heat of the day.

The temperature outside is 31C and the poor fellows out there working must be feeling ill in this heat, but atleast they can enjoy a break in the shade of the tree across the street.

Sunshine

Good morning and Happy 4th of July to all of you that are in the U.S.!
Today I hope you are enjoying the sunshine and sharing the day with someone you love <3

Saturday's Visit

Friday's Favorite's On A Saturday!

                                           Cream Of Asparagus Soup

Cook your asparagus atleast a pound (I steam mine) drain if you boil it.
Mash your asparagus and slowly add 2 cups of cream and 2 cups of milk.
Then add 4 cups of water and 1 cup of chicken broth.
Add 1/2 cup butter and some okra let cook down and thicken.
The amount of asparagus is anywhere between 1 pound and 3 pounds of asparagus depending if you like it thick.
Enjoy!

Canada Day Fireworks!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Happy Canada Day!
I got so busy yesterday I completely forgot to post my Wednesday's Wish...apparently it is to quit being so forgetful...

Today we are celebrating the beginning of what is a four day weekend for most of us. I am going to go to a few yard sales,spend time with my significant other, bring  my youngest son and his family out to visit for the morning on Saturday and spend a bit of time out in the gardens if the weather is going to co-operate and enjoy the back yard with my parents.

I will be taking lots of pictures of my little earth angel while she is here visiting.
I promise I will share them with you along with photos of the Canada Day fireworks.

Have you any plans for this Canada Day long weekend?