MIL's 90th Birthday

As a re-cap: This past week-end was my Mother-in-law's 90th birthday. I cooked for an entire day, so that we could stay in, where she could hear better. Yes, I was very tired, but we had a good day with her. I just kept saying to Huggs, "I can't believe I'm cooking all this food for one tiny little woman!" But she had a ball, although over-whelmed with all the attention. And she ate like a bird, so we had food left over for days!! And so did she!
(Hint to self: next time, cook more sanely.)

This tiny woman is still living alone, tending her house. She gardened up until this season and she says she probably wont have a garden this year, but may still plant a few tomatoes.

She had a corner on all the flowers in the valley, and received so many bouquets that I teased her that I'd heard a poor girl had to cancel her wedding because there weren't any flowers to be had, due to some little woman having a birthday party and receiving all the flowers!

This is the Chocolate Caramel Torte Cheesecake Thingy that I made for her birthday party. This is insanely rich....sent me straight into sugar-shock. Want the recipe? I could post it, if anyone cares.......

Meanwhile back on the ranch....................Miss Vic's hips are a bit wider, and I'm planning an additional walk this week!

Long Story, Longer

Yesterday was my MIL's 90th birthday. Since everyone takes her "out", we (I) decided it would be better to "stay in" and I would cook for her. She didn't care what I fixed, as long as it was chicken or pork. And she didn't want birthday cake; she hates cake. And any vegetable would do as long as it wasn't corn, and don't do noodles. Don't invite anyone for dinner...it makes her too nervous. Maybe she'd invite them for dessert....maybe. (Leaving me wondering just how many to prepare for). We had an out-of-town funeral yesterday morning, too, which meant I had to have the entire meal prepared, packed into coolers in the car, two hours early...attend the funeral and then travel the hour and half to Mom's house.

All prepared a day early: Italian Herbed/Parmesan Chicken, potato salad, baked beans, shepperd's bread, pickled beets, pumpkin butter, Caramel Nut Cheesecake Torte, and a huge pan of Mississippi Mudd for the unknown visitors that may or may not show up.... ACK !!!!!

Okay, we arrived, looking for-all-the-world like the Prize Patrol, there to deliver the multi-gazillion $ check...but No. it was just us: ME: grappling in the bottom of my huge bag for a stray pain pill and gimping up the steps on worn too thin knees and sweet Huggs with an armload of tulips and carrying cold chicken. What a hero. He smiles and we melt. All us old and semi-old women, that is. My rock......and hers. And I guess I just need to be so thankful that she shares him with me.


Or maybe SHE should be thankful to ME for sharing with HER ! yeah ! THATS it !!!

ha
Well, this kitchen cookie, is tired to the max. I spent the entire Sunday...well allot of it anyway, in my bed. With a hotpad. That I moved from knees to hips to ...yeah. well, you get it.
But THE BEST PART OF THE DAY: is that it compelled me to use the old VCR/TV in our bedroom, where I watched one of my all-time favorite movies, Hanford Street, starring Harrison Ford as a fighter pilot during WWII, who tragically falls in love with a dropdead gorgeous nurse. I wish I could tell you to rush to the video store and grab it up and watch it for a great Chick Flick night, but I'm not sure if you would ever find it! The music is fabulous, the love scenes and the tragedy of the whole WW thing always makes me cry....and desperate for love to always be that intense and beautiful.

oh. And yes. I took pix of the birthday Momma, but I am not able to get down to the garage for my camera. Not today. Not yet.
We'll see about tomorrow. K?
Meanwhile back on the ranch................

Miss(ed) Vic

Free Recipe of the Week - Gooseberry Patch

Free Recipe of the Week - Gooseberry Patch: "Cappuccino Mousse Pie

1/4 c. French vanilla coffee drink mix
2 c. milk, divided
2 3.4-oz. pkgs. instant French vanilla pudding mix8-oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
9-inch graham cracker crust
Optional: chocolate curls
Blend together coffee drink mix and 1/4 cup milk in a medium bowl; stir until well blended. Stir in pudding mix and remaining milk; whisk for 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup whipped topping; spread into pie crust. Refrigerate for one hour, or until firm. Spread remaining whipped topping over pie. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. Store in refrigerator. Serves 8."

To check out more from Gooseberry Patch, and to sign up for other free recipies each week,go HERE:
http://www2.gooseberrypatch.com

You're welcome!
Miss Vic

I Don't Like The Month of March !!!

I think we should rename this month: MUDD

and that's all I have to say about THAT.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch......

Graduation Day Ahead !!!

WooHoo !!!

It's Graduation Day tomorrow for Miss Vicki !! I know that none of you have been counting, but .....

It's About Time !!!

Tomorrow marks the end of my formal Physical Therapy for the Total Knee Replacement that I had done exactly four months ago. I will continue to attend the PT clinic on my own, two or three times a week to continue to strengthen the quad muscle necessary to control my new knee and so to negotiate stairs. And also to help prepare my left leg for the same procedure, this coming Fall.

Today, I took, what I call my third "real" walk outside. Yesterday, I walked about a mile or so down the highway, and while walking, gleaned roadside trash. Within a couple hours of my return, I was "busted flat", and in so much pain, I wasn't even functional. But I figured the best way to progress, is to keep up the exercise, and the weather was still warm, so I gave it another go today. I used a little more restraint today, and only walked the highway, and not so far, so I am not in as much pain tonight. I need to find a "middle-of-the-road" approach to my exercise, which has always been impossible for me. For all the years that I have dealt with my disease of Fibromyalgia, I haven't been able to moderate my exercise, so to not "pay" the huge price with over the top pain, later on in the day. And lately, the hard two hour physical therapy sessions have resulted in my having a low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) reaction, almost every session...Everything I do, each day, is to try to be in better physical shape, in better control of my health. Every day is a challenge, as I grow older.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Miss Vicki

Early Spring Project

One of my favorite past times is to restore abused furniture back to its original glory.
Recently, I picked up this little sleeper for a mear $275.00. I figure when I get it restored back to its original glory, it will be worth $1200.00, not that anyone will pry it from my hands after I spend all the old-fashioned elbow grease to get it cleaned up.



Here's my new little jewel.....residing not in the shop where it should be...but in my bedroom!
Well....this is where the big herculean high school football player dropped it, and, well...it's right where I cannot ignore it's need to be finished.

Not everyone would be adventuresome enough to put an antique buffet in their bedroom. But it fits beautifully under the huge window in my bedroom. Well, I use the word "beautifully" in a loose tense right now. But it has HUGE potential! And it will hold extra bed linens or just imagine stacking those bulky sweaters and jeans in those cool side cupboards. (Cupboards??? Another term I'm using loosely, this post!)

Stand by for future pictures showing the results of my little beauty. And the best thing about it? Huggs approves and likes it! And he likes the fact that having a project ejects me right out of my winter doldrums! So ONWARD! wood restorers of the world - now go down to the basement or up in the attic; grab that old beauty and get started with your own late winter project. Summers' going to be here with all its "busy-ness" soon enough, and there wont be time for it THEN, so get started now, and enjoy the ride!

I would personally like to slap the hands of whoever caused all the water damage to the top of this lovely old buffet. And to whoever caused the two cigarette burns to the top...there are no words kind enough for this G-rated BLOG. So I am sanding away. And manicures? Forget about it!

Hugs, Miss Vicki

Our JAVA Dinner

A few years ago, good friends Laura and Joel introduced us


to a great meal from the small country of JAVA. Lately, I've


been craving that very meal, so tonight, I whipped up the


ingredients for Huggs and I.

Here's the drill for those of you who would enjoy the adventure.

Like Asian cuisine, this meal centers around a lot of chopping.

Boil up some chicken till fully cooked and tender. Around here, I

use Costco's frozen boneless/skinless thighs. They're not as dry as

using breast meat, but use whatever floats your boat.

While chicken is cooking, use this time to cook your favorite rice.

A nice sticky rice, like Calrose, is fine. I wouldn't suggest quick rice.

It's just too dry. Enough said about that!

THEN, begin to chop and assemble your toppings of choice.

Here are the traditional choices that I remember, not that you

couldn't choose others, but these flavors work really well together.

Chopped ripe tomatoes. I prefer Roma's.

Mandarin Oranges

Pineapple chunks; fresh is awesome, but canned and drained is okay.

Chopped little green onions.

Shredded cheese. We like Cheddar or Colby/Jack.

Chopped Celery.

Slivered Almonds.

Large shredded coconut. I find this at the health food market.

When chicken is done, remove from cooking water to

cool, then chop coarsely, reserving chicken stock.

While chicken is cooling, its a good time to test a glass of your favorite

wine.

Thicken the reserved chicken stock into a gravy.

If you don't have enough stock or need to add additional

flavor, you can add canned Swanson's Chicken stock or

increase the flavor with a good quality chicken stock paste.

Flavor gravy with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Assemble ingredients on a lazy susan or buffet for each to

serve themselves.

Start with rice, adding chopped chicken and all other

ingredients and top with gravy.

Some like to add Soy Sauce or Yoshida sauce to taste.

The blend of sweet fruits, the coconut, chicken, tomatoes

and onions compliment the flavor of the chicken and rice

for a simple, delicious meal.

This meal works great for a group or neighborhood meal,

where each member can bring a certain ingredient. And

having all the ingredients laid out for each person to create

their own perfect dish, takes care of the dilemma of

"what if they don't like onions?"

I always make lots of extra when I create this meal,

because its so easy to grab the makings from the fridge

and assemble another masterpiece for tomorrow's lunch!

Bon' Appetit!

Miss Vicki

'tis the season of love....

I just found a great new BLOG that I've been following, and she, Tech Savvy Mama, has some awesome giveaways going on during this week of love.......check out http://techsavvymama.blogspot.com/
to see the latest and best shots and a chance at grabbing your very own Microsoft LifeCam VX-5500 and a Wireless Mobile Mouse 3000..WOO hoo!! I, for one, would love love love to see my sweet (not-so-baby) girl's faces, when I talk to them on the phone....but I may not win. So why dont you all try your hand at winning ! Best of luck!

Meanwhile....back at the ranch....................

Miss Vic

Coffee order at drive-in window....

I'll have a cafe' mocha, vodka, valium latte, to go, please....

Bah ha haaaaa...and it isn't even MONDAY !!!!!

Smile.

See. Now doesn't that feel better???

Meanwhile back at the ranch, the sun is shining!!!

back from the dead.....

Bad weather.

Chronic pain.

Frequent Fatigue

Fibromyalgia Syndrome

equals infrequent

Blog posts

....sorry.

Each day seems to bring new challenges and I am

up to them for about half the day. Then I'm just

DONE. On the days I have PT for my Knee replace-

ment, I come home, take pain meds and go to bed.

Hugs knows that on P T days, he's got to fend for himself when it comes to meals. On the alternating days without PT, I am able to do chores for about half the day...then I have to hit the bed with pain meds for a couple hours.....up long enough to cook dinner, do a load of laundry or read for a couple hours, then back to bed, due to over-whelming pain....I am just sleeping to retreat from the pain. What a shitty way to spend the winter. Is this normal for post surgical pain and fatigue? I don't think so. I feel like I've been hit with a truck. The surgeon and specialists had suspected this is what would happen for me. They are not surprised, and I guess, in all honesty, I am not either. Major pain is just a huge part of my every day. And adding another major surgery just added more for my body to try to deal with. The way I understand what the doc's say, because of my FMS,my brain detects/processes pain incorrectly at an unusally hightened level and is transmitted to my poor body at an highly exaggerated level. But it's not always static. Sometimes, I have hurt myself extremely bad, and just stood there watching the blood flow and thinking "Wow, that should really hurt."

Three months is long enough to whine about my knee pain. I am tired. And discouraged. The PT guys just say, "give it time....it takes a year to heal"

Auggggghhhhhh! A YEAR?!?!?! I don't think so, Scooter! Not this girl.

Nuh uh. No thanks. I'm tired of crawling up the stairs, one at a time like an old woman. Mostly, I guess, I'm just so tired of being tired and this freaking PAIN>>>>>sigh>>>>>>>

God, give me patience...

Okay, thank you for letting me vent. I am just frustrated. My knee is doing fine, and doing everything its supposed to do. I am now able to bend the knee at 123% which is really good! I am just the victim of cabin fever, tired of winter and pain and not being able to go anywhere or do anything.

All will be better tomorrow. That is the wonder of this incredible life! That we can go to sleep on a shitty day, and wake up to a clean slate, to begin again....and hopefully do a better job of it, THIS TIME.

God grant each of us a good night's rest and restoration. And may we meet again with a smile of gratitude, knowing that through His Grace, we have another day to do small acts of kindness, in His name.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.....

The Lady of Shalott

There she weaves by night and day

A magic web with colours gay.

She has heard a whisper say,

A curse is on her if she stay

To look down to Camelot.

She knows not what the curse may be,

And so she weaveth steadily,

And little other care hath she,

The Lady of Shalott.

And moving through a mirror clear

That hangs before her all the year,

Shadows of the world appear.

There she sees the highway near

Winding down to Camelot...

But in her web she still delights

To weave the mirror's magic sights,

For often through the silent nights

A funeral, with plumes and lights

And music, went to Camelot;

Or when the Moon was overhead,

Came two young lovers lately wed.

"I am half-sick of shadows,"said

The Lady of Shalott.

* * * *

And down the river's dim expanse

Like some bold seer in a trance,

Seeing all his own mischance -

With a glassy countenance

Did she look to Camelot.

And at the closing of the day

She loosed the chain, and down she lay;

The broad stream bore her far away,

The Lady of Shalott.

-From "The Lady of Shalott" by Alford, Lord Tennyson

...just sharing some literary Bliss....

Note: The beautiful words of Alford, Lord Tennyson were put to music and are beautifully sung by Loreena McKennitt, on her allbum, The Visit . 'Lady of Shallot' is one of my very favorite McKennitt songs. It is a pure, folk-like capturing of Tennyson's poem of an elven woman who is cursed to die if ever she let's herself love. It is a showcase for the singer's voice, which moves over her entire tonal range. ' You can hear MP-3 version on Amazon.com or listen /see on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU_Tn-HxULM

ahhhhhhhhh. You are Welcome......

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...............Miss Vic

My Winter Friends

Here, in Paradise, we like more than anything else (beyond the peace and quiet),the various wildlife that abound. I feed the birds year round, and songbirds enjoy our rich food source. Especially in the cold, bleak days of our long winter, we make sure there's lots of grains and seeds for our feathered friends, such as these winter friends, the California Quail. We sometimes have as many as fifty or so,at a time, feeding here under this planting of birch trees. The Quail seem to love the seeds from these trees as well as the cracked corn that we scatter around. These little guys look like an old Laural and Hardy routine, as they wobble and strut around in the snow - and always a source of hilarity for us is the way they carry on as a bunch of old ladies, gossiping across the garden fence.

We are in awe at how well they can camouflage themselves in the birch trees, as they roost right above the reach of the "Big Yeller Bird Dog" Belle.

These are our "Winter Friends"...ones we look forward to entertaining/and being entertained BY, each year.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....the wind still blows and the creek runs downhill.
Miss Vic

DO,Please, Try this free sample!

I forgot to tell you!! Do, please, enjoy a free sample of coffee from Dunkin Donuts! Their ad didn't just mysteriously show up on by BLOG...I placed it there for your enjoyment. (I share the things I like...and I like freebies!! in my mailbox.) Therefore....just follow the link for a free sample of coffee to arrive! Yahoo!
Miss Vic

Dunkin'Keeps Me Bloggin'

A Great New Read

I just finished a great read and thought I'd pass it along to you. Not remembering where this recommendation came from, I'll just tell you ALL how much I loved it! A biography, written by Judy Blunt, called BREAKING CLEAN. Born into a third generation of Montana homesteaders,Blunt learned early how "to rope and ride and jockey a John Deere," but also to bake bread and can vegetables. She writes so poetically about her belov-ed ranching days in Montana, that you feel that you are there with her, every step of the way, good times and bad. I found myself in this book, and wondered to myself several times, that if I was a decent writer, I could have written this as my life. Not that I ever lived in Montana, and I grew up on a farm, not a ranch....but I'll tell you THIS: some of the troubles she saw in life were definitely My Own !! And the two of us have had about as much trouble keeping our mouths closed. I finished this book in two days. It was that good!
Miss Vic

Meanwhile back at the ranch...it is blizzarding, blowing, snowing, freezing............and I am whining in the backwoods of Paradise.

Procrastination or Denial ?

Procrastination or denial ?
What is it about the beginning of a new year that makes us look back ? Why are there so many resolutions made, and ultimately ignored, forgotten or broken? At the new year, we have the opportunity to "start anew", even though God knows, we could do that on any day of the week in any month of the year! But for the sake of this post, we'll note that some, (many?) people choose this time of year to set a goal, or many goals, for themselves to accomplish in the new year. The slate's clean. There are no slip ups or failures to haunt us - a perfect time to, well...get perfect! As For me, I usually start a diet on "Monday"; I have used major birthdays,(40, 50) to "become perfect." I was going to quit smoking, lose weight, get in shape, find the perfect job, blah blah blah, before the monumental birthday arrived. We do the same every year, on New Years, stating we'll get in shape, start a diet, drink less wine, hook up the water & sewage lines to the house..(bah ha ha...just joking, here)
But then we let the day slip us by. We easily let the goal for the new year to evaporate like the steam from our first latte of the morning.
And why is it so easy to do that??!?!? Is it denial or procrastination? Is it because in polite society, we don't say to each other,THAT which would hurt the others feelings. We all noticed it over the holiday gatherings; but no one mentioned the elephant in the room: Aunt Tillie who still drinks too much; the extra thirty pounds brother Bob put on this year; the fact that sister has much more grey in her hair this year. And it's not enough that no one in the room says anything to us about that which we already know about ourselves, BUT THAT WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT ! Is this the River D'Nile ?? It's so easy to let each day slip by us, without taking the first step toward change. We can avoid the issue day after day, but with me, there is still "The Knowledge", and with it the guilt, because I'm choosing to ignore what I know to be true. Guilt, because I don't care enough about myself to prioritize my needs and take the first step toward health.
If I don't take care of myself, then no one will. If I don't love myself enough to do the things I know need to be done for my health to be good, then no one else will. Forget that its the beginning of the new year. Forget waiting until Monday to start. Forget about waiting for someone else to tell you. (They WONT). We need to take charge of our lives right now and do what must be done to insure that this year is going to be THE YEAR that you turned your life around and got healthy. As for me, I have to prioritize ME time. Prioritize that I am as important as every other member of my household. Make those doctor, dentist, massage appointments. Take those vitamins. Get that exercise and lose that weight. Get out of the house and socialize and enjoy life more.
And now I challenge YOU: Do it for YOU. Do it for those who depend on you to be there and to be well. And do it, as an inspiration to the others around you. You may light a fire this year.

Miss Vic about to fall off her soapbox...back at the ranch.
Happy New Year !!

Post Christmas Slump

I think I'm in the post Christmas slump. All I want to do is sleep. All night, as normal, and then all day, too! Maybe I'm just catching up from the girls' shopping spree!
For the first time, EVER, my little sis took me for the Day After Christmas sales. We shopped. And then we shopped some more. Every time she asked if I was done and ready to go home, I'd say, "Oh, well, we're here, we might as well check out this store too." ...Now all of this would have been no problem, other than I'm still gimping around on this new knee. I can walk the normal walk around the house, but you put me "out there" in the real world: on concrete and sidewalks and the shopping floors of the "big-box" stores...it's a whole 'nother world. By my 2PM hubby-imposed curfew, I was pretty tired. (But I wasn't going to crumble to him! )
"I feel FINE!! Just make sure to stop at the coffee shop so I can grab a latte for the long trip home"(....the latte was a chaser for my pain pills and muscle relaxants.)
Regrets? you ask. NONE ! Bring it ON ! I'm ready to go again this weekend!

We sure had a fun Christmas this year. Yeah, I know. I was the whiner about the lost family traditions and how I missed them and it didn't feel like Christmas, and we didn't have any snow, blah, blah, blah. Well, shoot, be careful what 'ya pray for! Cause this girl got it ALL !!
My baby sis really stepped up to the plate and provided an awesome old-fashioned Christmas, with spiral cut ham, cheesy potatoes, shrimp aspic salad, scalloped oysters, yeast rolls, pumpkin pie and pumpkin/Philly cheese roll. Her house was so totally decked out for Christmas, unlike mine, with NO decorations this year. The house was cozy and full of family, Christmas carols playing, good food, good spirits to drink...it was wonderful! And there was LOTS of snow, just like in the old days!!

Then we stayed over night, instead of the mad rush to drive back home to tend to the chores always waiting for those who own/tend animals. The whole family gathered at IHOP for "breakfast out" together, before we girls all went shopping. It was grand fun!

Over the holidays, I received so many wonderful cards and calls from all my extended family and friends, with so many of you revealing that you are following my BLOG! You can't imagine how grateful I am for your kind comments!
Feel free to sign in on the Blog register, and to leave your comments on the posts! And thanks for stopping by to visit ! Miss Vic

Meanwhile.....back at the ranch...

Santa Baby

Santa Baby....Well, he used to be a baby. Not so much, any more! My sweet nephew donned the Santa hat prior to handing out gifts on Christmas morning. He is growing up so quickly! Where do our babies go?? Wasn't it just yesterday....?
No. I guess not.
I am just getting old. And the older I get, the more my comments sound like MY grandmother's! Our children grow up. And I guess we should be glad that they do! That is our ultimate job as MOTHERS : to ready our children for independence in the real world.
But goodness gracious godness - it's hard to see them grow up so fast!

Dang! It's almost Christmas !

PARADISE MACAROONS

Cook Time 25 min Level: Int. Yield 3 1/2 doz
Times: Prep 30 min Inactive Prep 1 hr 30 min
Cook 25 min Total: 2 hr 25 min



Ingredients
2 (7 to 8-ounce) packages sweetened shredded coconut
2 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites at room temperature
5 ounces granulated sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 ounce vegetable shortening
2 ounces finely chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip the whites until medium peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes.
Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer the parchment with the macaroons to a cooling rack. Cool completely before topping.
Fill a 4-quart pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the side, set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the chocolate chips and shortening in a small metal or glass mixing bowl and set over the simmering pot. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat.
Dip the cooled cookies in the chocolate mixture, sprinkle with the chopped macadamia nuts and place on parchment paper to set, about 30 minutes.
Cook's Note:
Alton prefers to use weight measurements for baking, to ensure the best accuracy. Please be careful if you try converting this recipe to standard measurements, especially for liquid ingredients. Two ounces of sweetened condensed milk is about 3/16th of a cup, which is less than 1/4 cup but more than 1/8 cup.


PARADISE MACAROONS , courtesy Alton Brown 12 Days of Cookies Food Network