Brown Bag Show

I woke up today still without a voice and I think I need to admit, I'm sick. I'm as weak as a kitten, tried as a dog and really don't have the will to go on.

On with the show...

My quilt... stupid blogger!

stupid...
stupid...
Broken dishes, Marley and me.
Shipping news, cant' remember, can't remember, No pocket Katy.
My friend Gail's quilt
Some others, I think you can guess some of them.






Ok, too tired, off the die on the couch.

Take care, brandie

Kitchen Goodies

Today I've woken up with out a voice. This happens about once a year and there isn't anything I can do about it. It's very frustrating not being able to make a noise above a squeak, hopefully it will clear up by tonight, before our Guild meeting. Oh well!

I'm also a little late today, because I was trying to get some light to my jam. I wanted you all to see how wonderful the color is to this jam. Since daylight savings, I keep waking up in the dark and we all know the you can't take as good of pics in the dark.

Then I put said jam on my bread and Voila! Isn't this the most beautiful color? Bet you'll never guess what kind of jam it is?
I slaved away in the kitchen all day yesterday. I made a pot of jam, several loafs of bread and gallons and gallons of turkey soup, which hasn't given me a voice. Hmmm, myth?

I had a HUGE and I mean Huge bowl of leftover mashed potatoes (which is unheard of?!). We had been eating them with every meal. Pork chops... and mashed potatoes. Stuffing, gravy... and mashed potatoes. Just mashed potatoes. And something that I'm not proud of, hamburger mixed with cream of mushroom soup, over green beans and topped with creamed... mashed potatoes!

It was getting ridiculous! Then I had an epiphany. Potato Bread! So I have made about 2 loafs each day and have frozen 13 cups of mashed potatoes! Each loaf uses 1 cup of potatoes so in no time I'll have used up those potatoes.

Now don't laugh at my loaf, this was the best looking one. I feel asleep while they were rising on the mantel. The worst one had grown up and over the sides and left a groove that made it very difficult to remove for it's pan. We eat that one with our turkey soup and it still tasted great, just looked funny.
If I had turned this loaf over, you'd see the pan rim also. I think I may have bouced it into the oven and that's why it is a little deflated in the middle.

Back the that jam. Figured out what kind yet? Carrot!
That's right, carrot. It was a french confiture. It also has lemon zest and juice which makes it taste a little more lemony than of carrots.
I like it and so does my dog and that's all that's important to me!

I know that sounded a little like sour grapes, but I really do think it is good. Hubby said "Its' OK". Great way to crush my spirit! And he even liked my white trash shepherds pie. I think I need to retrain him to like the french food not the WT food!

Take care, Brandie

Something New

Thank you all for your well wishes about yesterdays post. Life is difficult enough without the thought of something happening to our children. Car accident happen so fast and can cause so much damage. I will forever be Thankful that this accident was minor. And the sad thing is that this is not an isolated incident. Many of us have gone through the same thing lately.

They say things happen is 3's. I'm hoping that the quota is filled for us all!

On the quilting front, I have been madly finishing up that "Brown Bag Challenge". As the head of the project, I would feel ridiculous not having my own quilt done. Especially when I started so early and then got side tracked on something else. Tomorrow is or mini show at our regular meeting. We are going to hang all the quilts that come back and have the viewers choose several winners. It has been a fun experience and I hope everyone else had fun too. I'll try to remember to take pics to show you all on Friday morning.

I did break down and I started something new. But it was a small something, so I don't feel too bad. I needed something to do to calm my nerves and this foot the bill.
Over a the http://therabbitfactory.blogspot.com/2010/10/our-new-free-pattern-series.html. It was a free download and a quick finish. They are doing a four mouth quilt starting in November and finishing in February. I looked this morning, but they don't seem to have block 2 up yet, so keep checking.

I'm also debating about Christmas decorating. I love to see everyone's displays but I'm in a ho-hum mood. With all that has been happening in this household, Christmas will be very low keyed. Then I remind myself the Christmas is not about gifts, it's about family and friends. So we will be going back to old-fashion ways and make all our gifts. And you know me, that will involve a lot of sugar, flour and love!

Wishing you all a Wonderful Wednesday!

Take care, Brandie

Reason for my absence

I know, you are probably tired of seeing dog pics, but this one is too cute. Little Maximus in PugsLee's bed, actually looking well behaved. He is a little rocket. He runs from here to there and then he is suddenly in your face licking up your nose-holes! And poor PugsLee can't take a nap without fear that this little rascal will jump on her and pull her tail. For a 11 year old dog, she is doing quite well to keep up with Max. They run around and around the coffee table, till she start coughing too much and then we have to put Max in a timeout. Then he's back for more and it starts all over again. He is learning from PugsLee though. He has learned to follow her to the door to be let out and he always goes potty at the same time, because he has learned that there is a treat after going! So less accidents at grandma's.

And speaking of accidents, I had to take a break for this reason. I was too emotional and wasn't looking for sympathy, just time to deal with the after math.

On the 13 of November, my Daughter had an accident coming to meet us for her Brother's birthday dinner. She was just leaving the twins after spending the weekend babysitting. She had just called to tell us she was leaving. Then 15 minutes later she called again and I could hear it in her voice that something was wrong.
The car in front of her had stop suddenly to look at an accident beside them and she stomped on her brakes, the brakes locked and she slid right into the rear bumper of the car in front of her. Because that car was a bigger car, they were able to drive away. She had to be towed and rescued. She was alright, except for a sprained wrist, which we had to get a splint for.

My entire drive to rescue her was a prayer of Thanksgiving...Well, you know. Sorry, getting emotional again.

I'm ever so Thankful that I still have her and that no one was hurt, her wrist will heal with time.

So she begged rides from co-workers for a couple of weeks, then regained her courage to drive again and borrowed my car. She left after spending another weekend with us and drove my car home, then drove to work. Then went out to drive to lunch.

She called me crying that she broke my car. Apparently, my clunker, which she has driven many times, decided that it was time for the steering column to go out. So my boys had to mickey mouse with it to get it home and here I still sit! I couldn't leave unless someone pushes me and the car out of the driveway! Hey but the key is still in it, so I hoping someone will steal it!

So on Black Friday, we all drove about 3 hours away for my Daughter to purchase a newer car.
And here she is. Isn't this a beauty? Wait...there's more to the story.

So after driving this pretty little car home, at least another 3 hours, we all stopped in at the house for left-overs. 2 hours later, Hubby and Daughter went back out to drive around ... and... the check engine light came on...and they could only drive 4 miles pre-hour.

Soooo, we parked the thing, called the Honda dealership and asked what to do. They said "sometimes when they detail the car, they blow water in the spark-plugs and that will cause these problems". Hubby went out to check them and to dry them off, nothing changed. Good thing she has a certified warranty! So she spend another night and we thought we'd try agin in the morning.

Nothing changed. Here was her beautiful new car, just sitting there unable to keep the engine turned on. Long story short, it spent the weekend doing nothing.

Monday morning we had it towed to the localish dealership. Guess what they said? "You have a latch on your air filter and it wasn't attached, so we latched it up and you're good to go".

I'm hoping this is the end, as I'm sure you are!

Cross your fingers that I'm next in the car lottery!

Take care, Brandie

Turkey report

Hello again! I'm back. I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving. Has everyone had enough turkey and pie? I sure have! It's really hard to maintain a good diet through the Holidays. They only come around once a year and I usually make these goodies, once a year. So the temptation is avoided till now.

Our family had a wonderful meal and the best part was the time spent together. Bridgette and Maximus came to spend the weekend. Yes she only lives 30 minutes away, but that's another story. William and his girlfriend spent most of Wednesday and Thursday with us. In fact, those two helped with the pies. It was a first for Amanda, she had never made a pie crust or even a pie. I made a batch of Cook's Illustrated " vodka pie crust". I think it is one of the best and easiest crusts out there. (Google it, since I can't seem to make my link work.)

I did manage to get my hexy table runner done, just in time to set up before the fixin's got to the table. I had so much fun with these, that I bought another package, this time smaller ones at 1/2 inch. Maybe I'll make a Christmas pillow or again, something small. It's a great way to use up scraps.
I'm going to leave you now, but I'll be back tomorrow.

Everyone take care,

Brandie

Short Break

Sorry Girls, I need to take a little break. Hopefully I'll be back by the end of the week. If not, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Take care, Brandie

More Pumpkins

Yesterday I had a lovely time in downtown Chico. My sewing buddy Gail had some gift certificates to spend and she invited me along. We spent most of the afternoon roaming the streets and checking out stores. We had lunch at a local bakery, Tin Roof. In my humble opinion, they have some of the best bread. I wish my bread was as tasty, but then again maybe not, I'd be eating it all day.

We had turkey sandwiches on rosemary focaccia, yummy! Then after walking around a bit, and had a scoop of ice cream at another local shop, Shubert's . They have been in business since 1938 and have always made their own ice cream, again, yummy!

While wandering around, Gail bought me these salt and pepper shakers. They are the orangy ones, front and center. She is feeding my addiction!
She knows how much I love pumpkins and when she saw these shakers, she insisted on buying them for me. Thank you Gail! They fit in perfectly. Now they have a family.
I figured while I was taking a picture of the shakers, I might as well take a picture of the whole mantle. Especially since I never did get around to sewing! Too much shopping and having fun with Gail, makes a girl not want to sew.

Have a great weekend and I'll see you all back here on Monday.

Take care, Brandie