Bad Habits

I was wracking my brain about ideas for a post today and finally succumbed to my trusty list of sites that have ideas for blog posts. Somehow that always seems like cheating. I read through several on one list before finding one. I don't know why it was so hard. Honestly, the suggestions were not that complicated. Here's one. What is the one thing you're most ashamed of and why? Actually, the questions was to list my bad  habits or addictions and if and how I've tried to get rid of them.

Seriously. I'm in a quandary over it. My bad habits are not really something I'd go around telling anyone about. Would you? Admittedly, I don't have a tremendous amount of bad habits. I'm obsessive about certain things. I like order and structure. Clutter agitates me. No really, it does. I get very stressed when things are cluttered. I have two rooms right now that I avoid looking in because I've got to go in there and straightened things up. I finished the living room except for rehanging pictures and getting a couple of wall lamps. My plan is to take a room a week and work on it,  clearing out the stuff that needs to be disposed of or put away.

I suppose my worst habit is putting things off. I've gotten worse at this in the last few years. I know something needs doing and I drag my heels. I don't know why and I don't know how to fix it. But is this really a bad habit or just laziness?

No, I can't put my finger on a really bad habit. Sometimes I go to bed without showering. Not often but I've had a few days where I was so exhausted and felt so bad that I really didn't care. I usually change the sheets the next day and get a shower as soon as I get up.

Oh, and sometimes I forget to brush my teeth. This really is a terrible thing. Of course, I always go and brush them as soon as I remember... unless I'm at the doctor's office. . . or something like that.

I eat things I know are terrible for me,  like ice cream. Of course, that's made with milk and women need extra calcium so I think this isn't a very bad habit at all.

In more recent months, I've neglected to put away the laundry. . . for up to three weeks. I know! I know! Terrible! But I just pull out what I need and leave the rest. I do hang up my street clothes... most of the time.

Oh.. wait... sometimes... I forget to ... really this is just terrible.... I forget to take the garbage to the street, sometimes for two weeks in a row! They've given us these huge dumpsters on wheels that we just roll down but I just forget. I generally leave it at the street so I have to carry the garbage to the street and dump it in the container.

I'm sure there's probably more bad habits I have but I have to think about it. I think these might be the worst.

Oh, and I have, once or twice, belched in public. But I always say excuse me.

A Tasty Dinner

Mike and I had supper tonight together. I'm trying to show him some easy recipes that he can make for himself and freeze some of it for later. Tonight it is a family favorite:

 Chili Rice Dinner

This is a delicious pan meal that I fed my family of four with for years. It works well with cheesy bread and side dishes are up to you. We rarely needed them, but a salad is a pleasant contrast.

My substitute items are for my convenience only. I've made it either way. If you're a cook, you may have all this stuff to hand. I'm all about shortcuts. You can also prepare this in the microwave if you like. Instructions follow the main recipe.





Ingredients you'll need:

1. Ground Beef
2. Onion
3. Chili Powder
4. Dry Mustard seasoning (and some Southwestern Seasoning for more bite)
5. Whole kernel corn
6. Bell pepper
7. Tomato sauce
8. Water
9. Minute Rice
10. Cheese

Instructions and Measurements:

Brown in a skillet over medium heat:

• 1 lb of ground beef (I always buy 80/20 but the higher fat content probably will work just as well)
• 1/3 cup chopped onion (I substitute dehydrated minced or chopped onions 1/4 cup soaked in hot water for about 20 minutes.)
• Drain fat if necessary. (this may not be necessary with low fat meats.)

Add following ingredients and bring to FULL boil, stirring occasionally.

• 1 Tbl chili power (I've also added things to make it a bit more spicy. If you like spicy foods, add your spice of choice. I've used Mexican seasoning and creole seasoning.)
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 package whole corn 10 oz (I use a can of sweet corn drained)
• 1 cup diced bell pepper (I buy the multi-color peppers, chop them up and freeze them to have on hand anytime.)
• 1 15oz can tomato sauce

Stir in:

• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 cup of Minute Rice
• Turn head low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn heat off.

Top with:  

• 1/2 cup of shredded cheeses ( If I don't have cheese to shred I use slices of American cheese.)
• Once cheese melts, serve.

Microwave instruction:

Remember microwaves differ. Please err on the side of caution and reduce the times until you know what works best. If something isn't done, add a minute more until you reach desired result.

• Break up beef in small chuncks in a 2 qt non-metal baking dish. Add onion, cook high power 4 minutes. Drain any fat.

• Stir in spices, corn, pepper & tomato sauce. Omit water. Cover and cook 4 minutes.

• Stir in rice, cover and cook 4 minutes longer.

• Sprinkle with cheese and cook 1 minute to melt.

#recipe

#ChiliRiceCasserole

#ChiliRice

It All Adds Up

Sarah is being difficult with her math at school. She simply refuses to do it, saying, "It isn't my thing." Yes, I'm sure she's heard someone make that statement. It isn't the first time she's done this sort of thing. I'm worried because how do you get a 7 year old to see that she must learn this stuff, like it or not. She's far better at passive resistance than anyone I've ever seen. Even her father...and he excelled at it.

Math is really important and even I, for whom math isn't "my thing" either, know that it is a necessary skill. People always joke that I know where every dime goes. My husband would get annoyed because I was furious when the bank statement didn't balance to the penny. It drives me crazy. So, I've been worrying over Sarah's lack of incentive. I decided I have good reason.

During my shopping on Tuesday morning (mentioned in yesterday's post) I decided I wanted a Hershey Pie(TM). I haven't had one in a while and it just sounded good. So, since I had to pass within a dozen yards of a Burger King, I decided to splurge. I pulled up to the drive-thru and ordered.

The disembodied, tinny voice drifted into my car. "That'll be $1.72."

They're a bit pricey but well worth the it. "Thank you."

I pulled around to the second window and pulled my wallet out. I had a pocket full of change in there. Large amounts of change in a handbag is useful for two things: as an effective assault weapon and for upper body workouts. It is terrible if you have neck and shoulder problems. I decided to pay with cash... uh... change. I counted out $1.77 in quarters and pennies and waited until she opened the window.

She smiled at me. "That'll be $1.72."

I handed her the money with a nice smile in return. "I'm giving you $1.77. That way you won't have to give me a bunch of pennies."

A look passed over her face and the smile sort of retracted a bit and froze. Her eyes became glassy. "But it's $1.72."

A thousand replies shot through my brain, like confetti during a Macy's parade. They fell with equal impact as I forcibly held the smile on my face and struggled to maintain a calm expression.

"Just give me a nickle back."

She never blinked. She just accepted that I knew what I was talking about and handed me a nickle and my pie. The smile had all but disappeared.

I drove away with a lighter handbag and a heavy heart.  I suppose Sarah will probably be able to get a job at Burger King someday.

It Actually Sucks!

I was out and about this morning shopping for a vacuum cleaner. It is not fun. I've been doing my research, shopping different brands and types. I always read the reviews for each one. I'm no longer optimistic that I'll find an affordable, reliable vacuum. They are oxymorons.

What happened to American workmanship, quality, and reasonable price? You want me to buy American but you want me to pay three times the price for a machine that doesn't work as well as the Chinese brand? Really? And those are just junk, too.

Anyway... I had considered a Hoover bagless machine until I visited my son's house and used the one they have ... exactly like what I was planning to buy. She's had it for a year and says it is awful. It is hard to get the trash out of the plastic container. It spits trash all over the floor and won't suck it up. She told me she's had to work on it several times, thinking that it was something stuck in the machine. It wasn't. I didn't know any of that until I used it. It is awful. So, won't be buying one of those.

The reviews on all of them are equally dismal. All of them. Very negative reviews. Defective belts. Defective casings. Defective dust cups. Defective cords. Heavy. Unwieldy. Seriously. Lots of the folks writing this had to return the original machines to the store or factory for repair or exchanges.

Do your research. I was able to see about three reviews via consumer reports on one but reviews at Walmart and Amazon for the same machine were just terrible.

Next, I researched for bagged machines. They have better reviews. Unfortunately.. the stores don't carry them. I have to order it. I did find an American made machine at a local store. Looked good. Four year warranty, easy to use, bit heavy. $400! Right but that warranty sounded good. About what you'd pay yearly for one of the crappy ones. I researched it. Terrible reviews.

The only thing I can positively say I got out of this is that shopping for a vacuum is the only thing that actually sucks.

An Island of Pink & Green

It is after one p.m. and I find myself here, in a corner of the front porch, behind the moon flower vines and crepe myrtle. It is beautiful weather, just 79 at the moment. My porch faces west so soon I'll have to go in because the sun will shine directly into my corner and warm things up a great deal.

My porch is very inviting in the early mornings. With the cooler temps, it is a nice, quiet place to sit and drink coffee. Most mornings this is where I spend at least an hour. Lately, I've been able to sit out longer but the evenings I'm driven in by hordes of mosquitoes. I've looked for standing water but there isn't any as far as I can find. My neighbors may have some on their property. The house next door is vacant and could have some there. Either way, the pests are really bad after dark. But that's a few hours away.

I saw a humming bird flying around not three feet from me, checking out the princess feather flowers and it appeared to be checking out the vines. The moon flower has still not bloomed and I'm getting concerned. If it gets much cooler, they may die before they bloom.

In the distance I hear two dogs barking. One is a small, annoying yap to the northwest. The other is a deep bark to the northeast. I suspect the annoying yap is causing the other one. Perhaps big bark got tired because he stopped. Eventually, so did little yap. Overhead a small plane heads for the local airport.

It feels like one of those days you remember from your past, where life seemed to drift at a slower pace that the world around you. I can hear traffic in the distance, someone using a circular saw a few houses away, a loud car once in awhile up the street. But for the most part, my world has shrunk to an island of green and blue with pink flowers where all of that seems far away.

I need a screened porch. I've been sitting here for a while thinking it through, trying to figure out how to do it. I think I could. The only thing that would present a problem would be a doorway. It isn't framed for that and I'm not confident enough to try it.

For most of the week I've had to keep checking to see what day it is. Suddenly, time isn't driven by appointments, events, and workload. It appears to move all by itself, without telling me. Friday has arrived and it feels like any other day. I got up this morning, a bit later than usual because I sat up later than usual. I went for my walk, changed clothes, made my 3rd trip to the bank and came home to eat toast and drink herbal iced tea.

It is very odd, really. Around 10 p.m. I get this feeling I should go to bed because I have to get up in the morning. The thought that follows is no I don't. I can get up when I want. The next thing that happens is I feel this sense that I'm doing something wrong. I should be getting up, getting dressed, and doing something constructive. Of course, I go to bed and sleep and get up again.

Truthfully, I've been on the run a bit this week trying to get my finances in order. I had an IRA that was virtually worthless so I rolled it over rather than letting them take $400 of it. I  had to take some of the insurance money that is left and put it where it might actually do some good eventually. I had to get medical insurance set up. I spent a lot of time filling out forms, calling people, and running to the bank three times. I've had to shop for another doctor and I have a couple of names. Now to call and see if they will take me. I also have to update my checkbook and see if I can buy groceries. I still have no idea the exact amount of my pension. So, even though it feels as if I just sat around watching mysteries, reading posts, websites, and novels I did do constructive things.

And now, the day has warmed to 81 and that's just a bit too uncomfortable for me at the moment. I don't know if it is better in the house. I've been shutting off the air most of this week. The temps in the evening, night, and early mornings are very mild and I've put it to good use. I'm going to put up a clothesline, I hope, this weekend. Every penny has to count now and there's no sense heating up my house when it is hot enough outside. I'll save the dryer for the winter.

I leave you with a nice bouquet.