People = Food

So my daughter wrote on her facebook that oreos remind her of grandpa Paul. Here are my food and people reminders:
Mom = best potato salad ever. Never an onion to be had or too much mustard. Yum! Idaho Spud candy bar.
Dad= dilly bars, oreos and candy on a road trip. Everytime I drive with Jeff and he won't get me a snack I say my dad would get me one. Doesn't work but I try
Jeff= nuts, any kind of nut and scones. You say scones and he will try them.
Robyn= chicken chimmie changa, but minus the sauce and really it is just a tortilla and chicken and cheese. She also lives for salads but must be iceburg lettuce
Ally= lasagna she loves this and makes a mean one herself. She is turning into a great cook.
Brody= meat. The boy loves meat and meaty meals. He never complains about food, but loves dove choc. and candy....
Aunt Cheryl= greasy tacos...
Uncle Jim= popcorn and cheese wiz. So good, can't explain
Pam= beer and beef jerky sorry tuff that is you also makes mean soups and is an amazing cook but just talking memories here
Bill= italian anything. His mom was the best cook and he grows a mean garden and uses his produce in amazing ways.
Grandma Hazel= swiss steak and any dessert on the planet. My favorite recipes are hers .
Grandpa Martin= pepsi, juicy fruit gum and chewing tabacco
So those are my people and food, Me, I have no idea what you people think of as far as me and food. Let me know.

our new house

Here a a few pictures of our new house. The current owners are so kind to let us come look, sit and measure. The man is on a cruise to the middle east with his son and the wife is home alone. We have so enjoyed our recent chats and the time spent in the house. She is looking forward to seeing her friends in Illinois and ready to move back to her old stomping ground. We are ready to move into the home and get back to some sense of normal.
Decided not to publish interior photos until it is ours out of respect for the current owners. Would not want someone publishing photos of my house in boxes so stay tuned to when we close and you will see the inside.

Football oh, yeah

Today is our first football game in Hattiesburg. The tailgaters set up their tents yesterday and the students had to move their cars for the alumni to park their RV's. The gold and black is covering this city. The game is at 6pm and if we start walking now we might make it to the stadium by then.
Also I want to let you all know that we must celebrate today because the Cleveland Browns are officially undefeated... This will change tomorrow but for one day we can be proud and hopeful for a fine season.
Griz Football and we won last week 72-2. Enough said
So Fall has begun and football is starting and it is time to move into a house soon so I can bake an apple, a pumpkin and a choc. pie for my family.
Happy Fall Ya'll

politics smallitics

When I was in high school I had the opportunity to be an aide to the capital in Helena. I had a wonderful time and loved the experience. I even went so far as to major in political science my first year in college. Philosophy and polictical history, ended this dream which was more of lets make money than what I really wanted to do with my life.
I am still interested in politics but as a by stander. I do not go out and promote candidates, or wear my view on a bumper sticker on my car. However that being said, I do have a view point, but I really try to listen. I do not do a very good job of listening most of the time, but I try. I am very sure of one thing. No matter the party, politicians just like to hear themselves talk. I think if we really listen we find that they are not listening to us. They like to talk, they like to make us think that they are listening but they are not. We must be the ones to listen to ourselves and to speak out about what is right and what we need as a country. I do not feel that this has to be a party issue. It is a people issue. What will make us a stronger country, what will help our people, what is the right thing to do. How can we stay free and equal....
We need to speak for acceptance, love one another for our differences, and to recognize that PEACE is the most important thing that our world needs. I want to thank my two nephews who are in our armed forces going out there and protecting us every day. I admire and love you two boys more than you will ever know. Please stop today and say a prayer for the men and women protecting us. Pray that the politicians hear our cries to end this WAR and to help our country to heal and come together as the leader of the free world. Welcome our differences and see our needs. Help your neighbor, be a friend to someone new today. Welcome the differences.....

Changes

It is a time of changes for our family. I have read the book "who moved my cheese" like ten times and I still feel as though I fight change. I do not know why this is. I cut my hair and then let it grow back to the way it was. I try not to arrange the cupboards and within days I am "rangin up" in alphabetical order so I can find the beans and corn etc. Yes my pantry has the canned goods in abc order. You mean yours isn't?
I told Jeff the other night that I am tired of feeling like all the traits that I have others make fun of.
Example: I am organized and everyone I know always remarks on my ways, I get upset by this and Jeff and Robyn and Ally say that they are really compliments. Not sure I will ever believe them.
I like to talk to people, my family will always roll their eyes when I speak to people and even tell others "within a week she will know everyone at the apartment complex"
Well, I have tried to change, I have tried to not be my normal self and I can't do it.
I am going crazy in this apartment not being able to make any organizational moves. I have tons of stuff to take care of and none of it can happen yet. We can't move until Oct. we are wasting time here people.
I look for work and yet, I know I have tons of work ahead of me. I try to do my thing and then the bank calls and they have lost my paper work that I sent a week ago. See people organization is the key........
I am so frustrated....
I wish I could just go with the flow. I can't I admit it. I am an organization junkie and this is about to send me over the edge.
Does anyone know anyone here that needs me to come and organize their closets, cupboards, anything? I will come color code your schedule, put your clothes in color catagories, yes my closet has my clothes in order of color. I know it is a sickness but, I love it and I will come fold your laundry. Help, I need to organize something.....

People

For two days now I have seen people not watching their children by the pool. Here is my problem:
I went to the pool to relax and read a magazine, being the person I am, my radar is alway up around the pool. We lived in Arizona and every evening, the weather man would say "Watch your kids around water" to sign off his forecast. This was because almost every evening there was a drowning or near drowning in the area.
Being a mom, a teacher and just a caring person, I have always been aware of water and the need to watch everyone, not just kids. I respect water and I know that a person can drown in as little as cup if all the aspects align.
So for the second time in two days I went to the pool and watched parents not give a crap....
Last night four mind you adults were talking, drinking and they got up and left and went to an apartment. Out of the pool comes a little boy looking at me and Jeff and his new assistant as we sat there and he asked "Where's my mamma?" I said I think she left baby. I got up and talked to him, as he cried and he said I got put back in kindergarten when I asked how old he was. I saw the people and went to walk him as his mom finally realized she left him. I said to her, he was pretty scared and she said oh, he is fine. Pissed me off.

So today there is a family of 12 out there in the pool. They do not live here and I have no idea who belonged to whom. Two adults all the rest kids. Well, they played football in the pool as four little ones played in hot tub fountain and the shallow end. Once I heard the dad lift up the little one and say" Dallas if you gonna drown you need to tell someone".
They all got out left and went to an apartment, the weight room etc. I watched from the side lines as the little one, climbed the fence and got back into the pool area. then came two older but not but 10 and the other three little ones. No parent in sight. I then said to Jeff enough...
I walked over to the young man that came in and asked him how old he was. He said 16 and I said, ok, you need to watch these kids and I do not want to see you in the pool. I would recommend you call your parents and tell them to come watch these kids or I will be calling the officer that is on duty here.
So I watched him text his mom and left.
Am I a jerk or not...
I refuse to believe that people are this stupid but they keep proving me otherwise. I do not care if you are the parent or not please say something and take a stand
WATCH YOUR KIDS AROUND WATER.

Food

I am writing this blog and I am not hungry at all, just for all of you out there wondering. We have been eating out quite a bit as of late. Let me explain.
It is hard to go to the store, fill your cart and then realize that you have to cart all these items up 38 steps. My calves rock at this point. My lungs and my asthma now that is the killer.
So going to the store has taken on new meaning for that reason as well as the following:
1 pan in the furnished apartment
No pantry to grab the items that one never buys but knows are always in the cupboard
Four plates, four spoons, four forks, you get the idea, you want to eat you have to clean your plate from the meal before.
I know, you all say get paper plates, well easier said than done, cause you have lots of trash that way and the trash is a car ride away and yeah.
So eating out is easier most of the time. However we are all tired of this. I know you ask me anytime and eating out is always the option I would take.
We have not even eaten out at that many places. I mean we are so anal we even eat in an order.
No I take that back we are cheap.
Monday is Dickie's Bar Ba Que night. 5.00 pulled pork sandwich, side, and a drink. The onion tangler's are Jeff and Robyn's favorite, taste like a blooming onion only little pieces. My favorite side is the baked potato casserole. Mashed pots with bacon and chives and it rocks.
You also get ice cream for free at the end. Nice way to end a Monday.
Tuesday is Chick fil a. Right down the road and we can get a sandwich and fries or a kids meal and a side salad. If you get the kids meal and do not like the toy you can trade it in for a huge ice cream. Always clean and people are always overly nice,
Wednesday we usually eat at the apartment. Most weeks it is tacos and chips and salsa.
Thursday: Mellow Mushroom love this place and they make a olive oil and garlic rub that they put on instead of tomato sauce and portabello mushrooms. Love this the crust is like bread sticks. Jeff gets red sauce to dip his in. The place has a giant light bright with Brett Farve on the wall. So fun. TV's all over and very relaxed.
Friday We eat at home cause everybody else is eating out tonight.
Saturday and Sunday we eat where ever.
There are no grocery stores here. They do have a walmart which is so crowded it is too difficult to drive too and the shelves are always half empty.
There is a store corner market, they are very expensive and I am not impressed. The pasta sauce is almost 8.00 a jar. Give me a break.
So I am on a mission to find a nice farmers market and other areas to get meat etc. Target has most of the food that we need on a daily basis minus the veggies and fruit and meat. I have to work this area. I am so looking forward to having a kitchen and being able to cook dinner. I am looking forward to left overs. I know I can't believe I just said that.