Problems.......
Jun 17, 2008
Aargh! It hurts to walk. I keep walking because I know if I don't, I will be chair bound. I am taking medication for arthritis, but it doesn't do much for the muscle cramping that causes the problem walking.
Saturday afternoon I stepped wrong and hurt my hip...again......then my shoulder popped and was extremely sore. I imagine some of the problem stemmed from the four hour ride in the car and then the activity Friday night. At any rate, my walking ability was cut to barely moving. Lord C. decided I needed to be at home so we left at five and were home by nine. I spent Sunday in the recliner--except for brief necessary trips. Monday was a bit better and so far today I have been able to get up and about a little more.
I had been having trouble with arthritis pain prior to the latest incident and was using a cane in my left hand. Since it was the left shoulder that popped (possibly a calcium deposit), it was impossible to use the cane at that time. I am getting a bit better as each day goes by.
Thanks for listening.
Lady C.
No longer holding breath
May 19, 2008
They're here! They're here! My iris are blooming!!!!!!!
There are at least 25 varieties in full bloom right now.
I love spring!!
Breath Holding Time
May 6, 2008
It's here.............spring storm season! 
"April showers bring May flowers". Only partially true........it also brings severe weather to the Midwest.
There were storms all around us last night--some producing golf ball sized hail!
We escaped the bad stuff (this time) and got a little rain out of the clouds. 
Each spring I hold my breath and hope the iris will be allowed to bloom without incident. Most of the time we have blooms. I hope this is one of those times, as the plants are truly loaded with buds. We planted eight new varieties last year and most of those have budded as well. It's almost like Christmas when the iris bloom. Each day I walk around the yard checking the progress of the flowers and each day I discover something new. (Not brand new--it was there last year, but it seems to be new each spring.)
Gotta go! It's time for my stroll around the yard.
Musings from the Midwest
Apr 13, 2008
It's a sunny Sunday and I am bored! This was a busy, busy week and as it is winding down, I feel a let down.
Hyp and Annie visited Wednesday, Thursday, and left for the wilds of Missouri Friday morning. I missed them before they got around the corner.
Wednesday evening we fixed a hillbilly dinner--bar b qued ribs, rice, and 
.
We shopped till we dropped Thursday--taking in stores that she doesn't have access to in her part of the world. We visited one of the local Oriental Markets to stock up on canned mushrooms, and other goodies not readily available in the local stores. Lord C. and I have been shopping there for several years. Our next stop was lunch with my daughter and son-in-law. After lunch we went to a wonderful Tea Store, sampled their tea of the day and generally enjoyed the atmosphere. We had to visit a shoe store--yes, Hyp has those at home, but it isn't often that she gets to shoe shop with her niece and sister.
Thursday evening we were invited to my son's for dinner. He has a new grill he was just dying to show off to his Dad. He also wanted his auntie to see all the remodeling he has done on his house.
The time went by too quickly, but there will be a next time. It's our turn to go down there.
Brownies
Aug 8, 2007
Since Hyp asked about the Brownies we used to make, here is the recipe:
Melt together:
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 Cup shortening
Beat:
2 eggs
Beat in:
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 cup sugar and cooled chocolate mixture
Sift together and stir in:
3/4 C sifted flour
1/2 tsp. double acting baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
Stir in:
1 tsp. vanilla
Nutmeats, if desired.
Bake in well-greased pan at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until top has a dull crust.
Good News
Jun 19, 2007
We had our yearly visit to the oncologist yesterday for follow-up on Lord C.'s colon cancer. Our oncologist is a youngish good looking man who was more than grinning when he came in and hung the chest x-rays.
He asked how L was doing and then asked me how L was doing. I was a bit surprised by this approach, but answered that he seemed to be doing well.
The upshot of the visit was that if his next colonoscopy comes out well--next June--he will be officially declared cancer free. It's been a long seven years. Yesterday put a lot of the uncertainty behind us.
Spring Fun
Apr 1, 2007
What could be more fun than hunting Easter Eggs? I'm glad you asked that. More fun than hunting Easter Eggs is hunting the morel mushroom in the spring. More fun than hunting the morels is finding the "Mother Lode"! The best part of all is eating them. 
It is a balmy day here in Middle Kansas. The sun is shining and there is very little wind. Our friends have a lease on the Arkansas River where he deer hunts, fishes, and just generally hangs out.
The timing is perfect. We have had three inches of rain followed by two days of sun--weather conditions perfect for bringing the tasty morsels up out of the sandy soil. We follow deer trails through the wooded area seeing signs of them nearly everywhere we look. At one point we are stopped in our tracks watching a white tail deer bound away from his resting place. We hear a turkey gobbling off in the distance and chickadees calling in the trees overhead.
The day would have been a success without finding the "Mother Lode" of mushrooms! They were concealed in a thicket of short bushes amid dried cottonwood leaves. They ranged in size from an inch long to six inches. Tonight we will have fried mushrooms and fresh asparagus for dinner--a feast fit for a king--or at least for the Chattinglys.
Spring has sprung
Mar 9, 2007
Spring has sprung,
The grass has riz,
I wonder where
The flowers is.
My grandad used to say that--every spring--with a twinkle in his blue eyes. He loved working in his garden. He planted enough vegetables to feed the whole family and half the neighborhood. His favorite tomato variety was Rutgers. He grew them in abundance. He planted peas on Valentine's Day and potatoes on St. Patrick's Day. He used the almanac religiously--consulting the moon signs before planting.
The highlight of his back yard, however, was his big annual flower bed--all grown entirely from seed. He planted zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, coreopsis, gomphrena, ragged robins, larkspurs, snapdragons, and daisies--just to name a few. He planted, weeded, watered them tirelessly. Grandma claimed them as hers. I don't remember that she ever pulled a weed or planted a seed, but the flowers were hers. (Maybe they were. I have always felt he planted them for her to enjoy.)
Every spring they would receive a shipment of baby chicks in the mail. The post office was full of cheeping and peeping for several weeks every spring. The baby chicks grew up and provided fresh eggs and fryers until they grew too old and tough to fry. The old hens were baked or stewed. When Grandma stewed an old hen, she made the most delicious dumplings to go with them. No one in the family ever learned her secret, but Mother said she added chicken broth to the dough. I've tried to do it several times and just don't have Grandma's magic touch. Maybe one day..........
I'm getting ready to plant early vegetables and later annual flowers.
I hope Grandad is looking down fondly on me and sending his blessings so they will grow well.
Pineapple Wine
Feb 10, 2007
3 pounds fresh pineapple.
1 1/2 pounds golden raisins
6 pts. water
1 3/4 pounds sugar
1/4 tsp Tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1 campden tablet, crushed
1 pkg wine yeast
Select fully ripe pineapples. Cut off stalk and outside rind. 1. Cut in half and remove hard core. Chop in small pieces. Put in nylon straining bag, mash, and squeeze out juice into primary fermentor. Keeping pulp in bag,, tie top and place in primary.
2. Stir in all other ingredients EXCEPT yeast. Cover primary.
3. After 24 hours, add yeast. Cover primary.
4. Stir daily, and press pulp lightly to aid extraction.
5. 3-5 days, strain juice lightly from bag. Syphon wine off sediment into glass secondary. Attach air lock.
6. When ferment is complete--about 3 weeks--syphon off sediment into clean secondary. Reattach lock.
7. To aid clearing, syphon again in 2 montha and again if necessary before bottling.
This wine is very pleasant as a dry wine. If slightly sweetened wine is more to taste, at bottling add 1/2 tsp stabilizer, then, stir in 1/4 pound dissolved sugar per gallon.
Makes approximately one gallon.
Macaroni and Cheese
Dec 22, 2006
8 oz. pkg. of macaroni (we like the small shells)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick butter (yes, butter.)
1 cup shredded cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Cook pasta to al dente.
Put pasta into a mixing bowl. Pour in milk, and 1/2 the cheese. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the mix. Stir. If more cheese is desired, add it now. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Pour into buttered casserole or 8 by 8 baking dish. Top with more shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until dish is nice and bubbly.
Told you it was almost as easy as the boxed stuff. If you think this is too much butter or milk, just use your own judgment. You can make a cheese sauce and mix with the whole thing, but that's a lot more work than is necessary.
I will post a recipe for Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin on another day, if anyone is interested.
Doggie Jail
Dec 21, 2006
I am most perturbed. Our neighbors have a pit bull cross. They do not keep the dog on a leash or inside their yard, for that matter. He is allowed to roam free in the neighborhood. (Yes, we do have a leash law.)
Most dogs are escape artists, but this one is especially good at it. Either that or she lets him out of the truck when she comes home on Thursday evening and allows him to run.
Today was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Said 
chased my grandchildren and jumped up on the younger boy scaring him half to death! I called the city office and they sent the police down here to catch and contain the dog. It is now contained and the policeman will be paying a visit to its owners.
Most communities have an ordniance in place banning pit bulls. Hopefully our little community has one too. If not, it's time to pass one. I'm just thankful our little one wasn't hurt.
Tests
Dec 15, 2006
Today was my yearly check up--nothing exciting--just routine.
The results of the bloodwork will be back early next week. Until then I just live with the fact that I've put on another ten pounds in the last year. I am really getting serious about this weight thing now.
The doctor zapped four places on my left arm and two on the right. They are now ugly blisters with raised places around them. She wanted to do the two on my face as well, but I talked her into waiting until after Christmas to zap them. Well, we might take a few pictures, you know, and I can't have big goopy looking blobs on my face.
Leftovers
Nov 25, 2006
What to do with all the leftovers!!!
We have turkey, gravy, desserts, enchiladas, tamales............on and on...........
All suggestions are welcome.
Indian Summer
Nov 6, 2006
Indian summer has come to south central Kansas. We are moving iris and peonies and doing some general back yard renovations. Most of the heavy work is done in the spring, but it's such a nice day, we hate to stay in the house.
The tornado siren was tested today. I finally had to come in the house. It's right across the street and when it swivels our direction, it makes a person's head hurt. Lord C. held Gus's ears. I'm thankful they only test it once a month. I am also thankful that it works when they test it.
Back to the flower digging and planting.
Woooooo Hoooooo!
Oct 28, 2006
Cardinals win World Series! Woooooo Hoooooo!! Wearing the red! Yesssssss.
Love everyone! Cards win!!!!!
Washington Post's Neologisms
Oct 13, 2006
I cannot take credit for these, but I am posting a few of my favorites:
1. Coffee(n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
4. Flatulence (n.), emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
5. Frisbeetarianism (n), {back by popular demand}: The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up on the roof and gets stuck there.
Add, subtract, or change one letter in any word:
1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
There are others, but these were my favorites.
Maybe some of you can come up with your own.
Red Lights and Sirens
Sep 22, 2006
Our little hamlet is a hub of activity this evening. We had an emergency--I don't know what type. Three firetrucks, the ambulance and police all went east of town with red lights and sirens. They were back within fifteen minutes so it must have been a non-event. Thank goodness.
Those of you who hail from large cities do not realize how sirens affect those of us in small towns. We know everyone here so everytime the firetruck or ambulance goes out, it is personal. We're always glad when they return within fifteen minutes.
Eureka!
Sep 13, 2006
I've found the perfect Christmas 
for my Mother. It is a day by day calendar of the New York Times Crossword puzzles. Just think, 365 crossword puzzles! That should keep her busy for awhile!
Ice Cream
Sep 10, 2006
I just discovered slow churned ice cream that has 1/3 the calories of regular ice cream. I'm sure you here in the US of A have seen the commercials for it. The flavor we bought was French Silk--positively decadent! (And this comes from one who rarely eats ice cream.)
English or not?
Aug 27, 2006
I have been working on our family history. I knew we had a lot of English in our background, but I wasn't prepared for the amount that is showing up. It seems that Hyp and I are more English than anything else. In fact, it looks like she is more English than I am. (Same Mother, different Fathers.)
That would account for our taste in British comedy and mysteries, wouldn't it? While our maternal grandmother claimed to be Scots Irish, my research is showing her maiden name as English. Our maternal grandfather is definitely English. Both his parents were English.
Hyp's paternal grandmother was basically English, in spite of the old story that she was half Cherokee Indian. Both of her parents names were English. We know that Hyp's paternal grandfather was German.
My paternal grandmother was Scots Irish and English, my paternal grandfather appears to have been English and German.
Now all I have to do is sort it out and prove it.
The tricky part is the proving. I have basically hit a "brick wall" on my paternal side. There is absolutely no one I can ask for any little bits and pieces of information as the whole family has passed on.
A Ren Festing we will go
Aug 24, 2006
The Renaissance Festival begins in Bonner Springs, Ks. the first week end in September. We were introduced to it last fall by friends from home. We went up and spent a Saturday in a completely unfamiliar world. We enjoyed it so much we went back a couple of weeks later to indulge our love of "folk music".
This year we are going up during the Scottish games. Hyp will go with us. I can't wait. We are not going to dress up in the garb of the day, but will have a very good time anyway. In KS. September is extremely hot. We will dress appropriately for the season. Why be hot and uncomfortable?
Will post a report later...............
School is starting
Aug 15, 2006
Today is the last day of summer vacation for the grandsons and tomorrow is the first day of vacation for Grandma and Grandpa. We kept them this summer. Some days it was like running a zoo and others were spent refereeing fights. It will be quiet here tomorrow. I'll miss them.
Painting, painting, painting
Aug 12, 2006
We are in a painting mode. This time it's the sunporch. It hasn't been painted for several years and things are looking pretty worn out there. We have decided on a tropical marine theme to go with the salt water aquarium we just installed.
Lord C. painted a mural on the wall over the aquarium and we have matched the paint in the room to the background color of the mural. My main job is moving objects to another room in the house and washing down the window sills. Getting rid of the cobwebs that have found their way into every corner of the room falls into my job description as well. When I get that done, I will start painting woodwork and the door. Guess I'd better get with the program.
Oh, did I mention? I hate to paint!
Word Play
Aug 6, 2006
In my inbox this week was a forward from a friend. It was entitled "Word Play". I am posting some of the better ones here in the hopes that some of you will pick up and run with this.
"Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine.
Practice safe eating--always use condiments.
Shotgun wedding: A case of wife or death.
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two tired.
A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
He had a photographic memory, but it never developed.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end." And finally,
"Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses."
Boop, boop dittum dattum wattum shoo!
Jul 30, 2006
It's official! The Chattingly's are back in the aquarium business. We have been kicking around the idea of putting a salt water aquarium on the sun porch for quite some time. We went to our local store and priced set ups. Actually found one we could afford so it came home with us.
Now, you don't just set up a tank and fill it with water. Lord C. has to run an electric line and an outlet to accomodate the pump,heater and lights. We will have to buy salt, gravel, live rock and plants. After the aquarium has cycled for a time and we have taken many many readings, we will be able to add 
.
What were we thinking?
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