Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving!

 Sissie wants me out of my funk.  She said my blog post yesterday was so depressing. She hates it when I go down like this.... okay, OH KAY her name is KAY.

I have my marching orders.  My Brussel sprouts are prepped.  My potatoes are peeled; I have made my pies. now I just have to finish setting the table.

Sissie is busy banging around in the Kitchen. We are going to eat at three. Horse ovaries at 2. It will be yummy for sure.

Had two wedding dresses come in yesterday, funny time of year. I am happy that I will have a lot to do next week.

I plan on stripping the house of all Fall tomorrow and starting on Christmas just for a mood lifter. I also am going to help Sissie with her cut garden for a while and take my buddy shoe shopping and I get Kelsa for the weekend.  I should have plenty to keep me up and happy.

I hope all of you that are celebrating Thanksgiving have a super holiday. Those of you oversees, just have a fun filled day.  Blessings on everyone, you all mean so much to me. Such a lovely community we have built over the years. Thanks for all you do for me, more than you will ever know.

Don't eat too much, *snort* I had pie and Cheetos and chocolate for breakfast.

God is good

Kim

Wednesday, I am a mess

 I need one of these chairs only mine would be a sofa. I am a mess. In such a funk I forgot to blog yesterday.  Just sat in a fog. Reminded me of the days after Joel's death.

Too much death.  The anniversary of the babies, (which included many posts to my nephew/brother to keep him sane), then Hiedi, and thinking of Joel at Christmas it will be the three-year mark, just more than I can or want to handle. I am normally a happy funny person.  But I am not that right now. 

I am trying to figure out how to climb out. I did it before and I can do it again.

Sissie will be here, and I think Signe' is dropping off the kids for a few hours.  That will help. Sissie won't be thrilled about the kids but oh well she will manage.

I think Signe' (daughter) is getting a kidney infection.  She has the same symptoms that she had before.  So, I might run up there this evening and help her with some housework. 

My real problem is that I am sitting doing nothing physical and that is not good.

I did get to the doctor's office yesterday and signed a form and was able to get another month of meds. But when I called the insurance office their computers went down and now, I have to call and go through that again.... Managed to get to the pharmacy to pick up meds and have to go back for more. 

The highlight of the last two days is working with Dan on a very hard jig saw puzzle, which helps take my mind off me, myself and I. 

I do not like wallowing, I am not a wallower, or maybe I am?/??????

I would so like to post a funny Kim positive post, but it is not in me right now. Heavy sigh.

I am looking for my lost self, where is she? Somewhere eating chocolate?

Well, I have piecrust to roll out so I had better get busy.  Maybe that will help. Sissie will come back and see that I have done nothing and then.... I don't want to know

God is good

Kim

Monday, Ravaged

 If I could only go back to summer, with painted toenails, and positive vibes. But alas that is not possible.

Heidi is so very sick.  I know I will never see her again in this life. All I can see is she is ravaged by this cancer. She looked so sick six weeks ago at mom's funeral and I thought it was not possible for someone to become thinner.  I was shocked by her appearance.  Lots of tears after I left, and I am having a very hard time holding it together.

Kay and I drove on to Twin falls to stay with my eldest daughter. I altered 9 skirts, two dresses, one pair of pants and one blouse. We also found fabric for blinds for the dining room. I will do those when I return at Christmas. 

It was a nice visit; wish I could have stayed longer.  Then the long drive home on Saturday. I had to play for the choir as they sang Sunday morning. I rested the rest of Sunday and have started to unpack and put things away this morning.

I am still futzing with my medication debacle.  Nothing is easy. I supposedly did not check an important box on paperwork, and I have to apply for some waiver with my insurance company.  Then the company has to mail it to me, and I have to mail it to the Pfizer company, just more delays and I am out of meds. Now must go back to my specialist office and beg for more.  How long can this go on?  Forever.

I sewed a batch of shirts this morning, and I just have one pile, two dress to alter and one wedding dress.  The shop is practically empty. That is okay by me.

All I have to do for Thanksgiving is make pumpkin pies.  Sissie is in charge. Fine with me. I am anxious to get Fall decorations down and Christmas up.  Even though I am not going to be here for Christmas I just want a change of scenery. I want some holiday joy.

Okay need to call my doctor.

God is good

Kim 

Monday, On the go again

 

Okay pretend this chart says #23 as I can't get my computer to download the new picture of chart 23. Or I should say I can't the picture to print on this blog and I am not in the mood to fight my way through why.

This cold lingers and has I think turned into an infection? But sinus infections are something that l get frequently after a cold. I am feeling much better. 

Did get to church on Sunday and teaching music to kids for an hour was a little stressful as I kept coughing or losing my voice. Choir practice was fine, as I did not have to talk just play.

Sissie and I made two kinds of scones for choir practice treats. We did orange, cranberry, and blueberry lemon. All of them disappeared very fast so I know they were appreciated.

So, my dear sister-in-law has been placed on hospice and I am devastated. Sissie and I are headed down to try and see her one last time and also to help my oldest daughters with some alterations.  She has lost about 25 pounds and none of her suits and skirts fit. She has very expensive clothes and is not willing to give everything up just yet.  So, mother to the rescue.

Sissie and I had planned to be having fun with Slugs at this time, but that did not work out, so we have to go on another adventure.  This one will not be nearly as much fun.

We plan on coming back on Saturday as the choir is singing on Sunday and I need to be here to play.  We are however taking our funeral clothes incase Hiedi goes while we are down there. I am just so sad for her six daughters. Losing your mom and seeing her suffer, it is just too much.

I have caught everything up in the shop and there are just a few things left for me to do when I get back.  We will call them seeds.  They will flourish and grow into more work.

I have started ordering Christmas and sending it to the eldest's house as that is where we will be Christmas day. I still have a few more to buy for but will try and do that while I am down in Twin Falls that way I can leave everything there and not have to worry about getting it down there later.

You all know how Christmas stresses me.  Just too many years of never having enough money and the pressure.  I just can't get over the PTSD of it.  But I am trying.

So today I have lists (that Sissie made me make) so I am checking those off and getting ready to go.

One thing is for sure Sissie, and I can laugh about almost anything, we are that stupid, so this will be a fun time, most of the time.

I am going to get the last of the sewing done. A uniform that Nate will pick up when I am gone.  He has keys to the house.  Then I am off!  In more ways than one.

God is good

Kim

Thursday, Recipes!

 Seems like a great excuse to me! I will use it.

I took a three-hour nap yesterday and then finished the wedding dress last night and I also hemmed three pairs of pants and shortened the sleeves on a dress coat.  So, I did get a lot done, just later in the day.

Still coughing but feeling better every day. 

I have at least 10 pairs of pants to hem in here and some patches to replace.  Elastic to replace in p.j.s.

The bride is coming tomorrow at 10 and then I have one more wedding dress to get do for the year. Unless something short term comes up. It has been a weird year. Or maybe things are just getting back to normal post covid which really messed with weddings.

Had my goodest buddy stop by yesterday with a bag of sweetened popcorn.  SO yummy.  She made me feel less isolated, and she got a good laugh over my description of leaving the house one time in a week and having a coughing fit at the checkout and wetting my pants. One needs a good friend to confess all things to.

Anyway, here are the recipe's I promised.

My Roll dough recipe.

one package of yeast (I use bulk so 2 and 1/4 tsp.)

1 cup of very warm water 105 to 115

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons shortening or butter

Add all of these and stir let rest about 5 minutes for yeast to bloom.  Do not worry if shortening or butter are not incorporated. 

While yeast is blooming

in a separate bowl

Beat one egg, add 

3/4 tsp salt to egg and stir

Now add 1 and 1/2 cups flour on top of yeast mixture.  Do not stir

On stop of the flour add you egg and salt mixture this will prevent salt from touching yeast mixture and causing death to yeast spores.

Stir well, you can even use a hand mixer here if you want.

Now add 1 1/2 more cups of flour. This should make a soft sticky dough.

Turn out onto 1/2 cup of flour and cut this in with pastry scrapper or just use your hands. 

Knead about ten times put into greased bowl, turning dough upside down to grease both sides and then cover with a towel and let rise.  About 1 hour.

Now shape rolls, or cinnamon, or orange rolls. Let rise until double

bake at 400   15 to 20 minutes. I turn my rolls at 10 minutes to bake evenly

You can double or triple this, I think if you are not familiar with bread making make a single batch and practice. Practice does make perfect when it comes to breads.

You can use this to make 10 hamburger buns or hot dog buns, add an egg wash with sesame seeds on top.  So good.

Never Fail pie crust

4 cups of flour (I have used WW)

1 3/4 cups Crisco (You can use other shortening, butter, lard, but best results with Crisco brand, or do 1/2 and 1/2)

2 tsp salt

Now cut in with a pastry cutter until fine and crumbly

In a separate bowl beat one egg well 

add 1/2 cup very cold water 

add 1 tbls of apple cider vinegar

Mix this together and add to the flower mixture. Mix in until dough forms divide into 4 crusts.

Sprinkle flour before rolling.

Bake at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes.  I usually double this and then freeze crusts wrapped in parchment and stored in a zip lock. Then when I want to make a pie, I pull out what I need.

Let's face it, pie crust is a pain, once you have the knack figured out, make plenty it just saves time and headache.

I have been using these recipes for at least 47 years. Good luck, let me know if you use them. 

I think people are afraid of making bread and pie crust. Just remember even if it is not perfect people will eat it, and it will taste so much better than anything you could buy at the store.

Pie crusts:

You will also save money. Even though Crisco is spendy, a large can, can make this recipe 4 times or 16 crusts. Now look at the price of ready-made crusts and you can see how this will save you by 1/2. plus the difference in taste, no comparison.

Bread:

Flour is about 9 cents a cup, depending on what you buy, I you buy yeast in bulk it runs about .31 a batch, add and egg a tiny bit of sugar and salt, water and you have bread. Even the cheapest package of rolls cannot compete in price or taste. Just remember there are no preservatives and these rolls are best eaten the day of or the day after.  They will not keep unless frozen.

Hey good luck. Homemade is always best. But if I was invited over to a completely store-bought dinner, I would still eat it and love you.

I am off to blow my nose.

God is good

Kim

Wednesday, SO tired

 I was able to get most of the things done on my list yesterday.  The wedding dress just needs to be hemmed and pressed, but right now I am just so tired.

I sewed for three hours yesterday and when I started to get the sweats I stopped.

I am just really fatigues today.  I want to finish this dress but I really want a nap so I think the nap will win.  I can work on the dress after the nap. Right?

God is good

Kim 

P.s. will post recipe's tomorrow

Tuesday, Still kicking

 This sums up how I feel.  I am doing better, just the residual cough and don't forget wetting your pants.  Okay TMI,

It is Veterans Day today and Kelsa is here.  She is playing quietly.  (That means making a mess) But she has gotten very good at cleaning up her messes. For which I am grateful.

I have four things I want to get done today.  I worked on a couple of them yesterday and then just laid on the couch.

1. finish altering a dress

2. finish altering a man's suit

3. hem and alter shoulders on a formal dress.

4. finish up this wedding dress.

If I can get these things done, I will be very happy.  Everything else can wait.

I received a notice by txt that I had points expiring yesterday and I put on a mask and ran to CVS and bought an item for the amount that was expiring.  It was 50% off candy.  But hey I loves me candy and no use losing the value.

Tuesday is usually a busy day for the shop as far as drop offs are concerned. But so far it has been quiet which is fine with me. I have enough to do and I am grateful for that.

I am going to try and get some sewing done.  Wish me luck.

Are any of you interested in my easy roll recipe or my no fail pie crust recipe? Both are just so easy, and they are better the store bought and will save you money.

God is good

Kim

Monday, Frustrated....

 I just cannot believe a simple cold can make me this sick.  I am beyond frustrated.  I have laid on the sofa for 4 days and I hate laying around not doing anything. I don't mind taking a nap but this laying around is not my thing. Every time I would get up I would here Cheryl saying rest and I would lay back down.  Of course, the sweating got to me. 

I have to say by Sunday I was really sick.  I had gone to the store for cold meds, but they were so outrageous I decided to skip them as I was just not that sick.  Then Sunday I was calling Sissie in tears. She came to the rescue of course. Cold meds help a lot. I am going to survive.

However, there is a lot of work in the shop and as I get two or three piles a day and I have not tackled any, I am going to be a very busy girl this week.

I did not have Kelsa or church yesterday as I knew I just could not handle that. I hate missing the kids, but I also did not want them exposed to me when I was that sick. I know my immune system is crap but now I know it is ultra crap.  I guess I have to be reminded every once in a while.  Not happy about this at all.

I have 11 piles in the shop besides the wedding dress and the fancy dress and suit. I need to get to work but not today. One more day of laying down I think will do me some good. Might do a little hand work on a few items.

Right now, I am a little lightheaded, I think it is the meds, or I just might be lightheaded. 

I must get better, I have so much to do!!!!!!!

God is good

Kim is an awful sick person

Kim

Friday, Day 1 of my cold is here

 I spent all day on the sofa yesterday.  I am bored.  The only time I got up was to mask up and go get a cortisone shot. Also talked to the doctor about my meds getting paid for, as I was told they were and then told no.  They are looking into it.

The shot was not really painful, just that weird sensation or something entering your body and I felt really woozy.  I guess many people will pass out. I felt somewhat lightheaded but it left right away.  Si happy this is done.

The window cleaner came, and he said my windows were really bad. They look great now.  The front room was the worst and still could use a little work, but I was pleased that he was able to get it as clean as he did.  I will have this done every 6 months. SO worth it for my soul.

My grandmother always said a common cold was three days coming, three days there and three days gone. I am on day 1 of there.  Although I think the 2nd day of coming was worse. I am trying to rest, and it is hard for me. But have the large head sinus thing going on.

Not sure if I will have Kelsa this weekend or go to church as I easily lose my voice. But I don't feel horrible, just lazy and tired.  But lazy and tired could describe me often.

I went to get cold meds on Wednesday night and picked up two huge packages of .99 porkchops enough for 12 meals for me. These packages were less than 5.00 a piece.  I spent 23.00 on loss leaders and I still have to get some fruit, veggies and bread and milk.  So, I will be well under my 50.00 a week budget.

My sister-in-law was shocked at how little I spend on groceries, but then again Sissie feeds me so much of the time.  I would love to have them up for dinner but not with this cold. Drat!

I am going to lay down again, as I was up for two hours in the middle of the night with a cough. So, I am a little sleepy.

I was able to get the bride dress figured out on Wednesday it is not done but will finish it up next week. Doing any work right now makes me break out in a sweat. What is that all about?

Have a great day

God is good

Kim

Wednesday, yes I have a cold!

 Okay, so existing around people that have had bad colds, daughter, daughters' husband, grandkids, church kids, all dripping and snotting, I have a cold.  With an immune system like mine I really should be in a bubble.  That is not for me.

Up last night feeling like my head would burst. It hasn't yet but feel like it will.   I was cold, sweating, cold sweating. Got in a hot bath at 8 a.m. and that felt good. My hair is finally dry and on top of my head that hasn't exploded yet. I am medicated.  This is day 2 of coming. 

I am going in for a cortisone shot tomorrow, and I will wear a mask.

What I really want to do is lay on the couch but alas I cannot I have work to do.

I have a wedding dress ready to fit but still have no idea what I am going to do with the top. I need to put on my thinking cap, unfortunately the thinking cap is in the part of the brain that wants to explode first.  that is my excuse. 

I worked for three hours on that dress yesterday and I was done so now have to get those pants hemmed.  I can do this, then I will tackle a suit that needs to be altered if the sofa does not call my name. I really just want to go back to bed so badly.

I haven't even gotten through the three days coming yet.  What a wuss I am becoming in me old age. Whine, complain, sniff.  I need to buck up and get to work.  Via the sofa....

God is good

Kim is exploding

Tuesday, what is coming on?

 I am definitely winging it. I also have a cold coming on, oh drat.  Hopefully won't be a bad one.  Just that scratchy feeling in the back of your throat and a dull headache above the eyes. Like maybe your sinuses are a bit angry. I will ignore it for as long as I can, like most things that affect my life.

I did a good bit of sewing yesterday and started on that wedding dress that I will work on today. It is a doozy, but I will figure it out. I always do. 

Went to Sissies last night for dinner and then stayed a few hours and worked on a jig saw. Then home to practice the piano and embroider for an hour or so. Trying to make myself use more of my time wisely to make a few homemade gifts for Christmas. As in Kim does not need to mindlessly watch Netflix, when she can be doing something while she watches Netflix. 

Sissie is making potato soup for dinner so I will go down there and eat and work on the puzzle we started last night. I see a routine starting for these long winter evenings.

I have now had 5 no spend days in a row, and I am trying hard not to go into any stores.  I don't need anything. Tomorrow I will pick up a few loss leaders at Albertsons and that will be the extent of my shopping for the week. It will be a very small haul.

I have 4 pairs of pants to hem; I would like to get them done today after I have done what I can on this wedding dress. I have a fitting tomorrow and there will probably be a couple more as I am creating sleeves for a strapless dress.  Always a challenge. But I do love a challenge. 

I am craving cinnamon rolls, might be tempted to knock out a batch of those later. Anne talked about coffee and cinnamon rolls on her trip, and I can't get that out of my mind. Yum.

I woke out of a sound sleep at 5:15 this morning watched TV for an hour and then back to sleep.  I am blaming the time change or coughing not sure which. 

Well, I am off to get this wedding dress ready for the first fitting. Hurrah!

What excitement is happening in your neck of the woods? Anything? Anything better than me? Come on almost anything is better than me.

Kim needs to live vicariously through you right now.  It is a need not a want.

God is good

Kim

Monday, Light a fire under Kim edition

 Happy thoughts!!!!

Well, I spent three days doing absolutely nothing. It isn't that I didn't have anything to do it is just that I chose to do nothing.  Oh, I did pay bills and that was abysmal. To the point that I had to scrape together every penny I could find to get the extra paid on the mortgage.  Then realized I was flat broke and I have to work to get future things paid.  What a bummer. You mean I will have to work? Why?

Nothing like a little low coffer to get one's butt in gear. By the third day of doing nothing I realized that it was not making me happy. So, I made a pot of chili. Signe' took some home to her family and Sissie took home some for them. I also finished a set of embroidered pillowcases and started another set. I mean really, I have so many plans in my head and then I don't do anything about said plans. Something has to change.

I have done well on the no spend. As in I have not spent any money for the last three days nor will I spend any today.  This is good as the checking account cannot stand any deductions at this time. I see no reason to have to buy anything in the near future. I do need 300 before the end of the week for the window washer and the piano teacher, so I must get to work. How am I going to do this?

With the piles!  Yes, the piles of sewing I have sitting all around me.

1. hem two pair police pants

2. hem two pairs of police pants

3. alter shirt sleeves

4, hem 2 curtains

5. hem three pairs of pants

6. hem 5 pairs of pants

7. alter a party dress and a man's suit

8. fix a hat

9. start on a wedding dress. STARTED

Let's get to it. Enough of this sitting around.  Gong to Sissies for dinner and maybe another puzzle this evening. But first I sew!!!!!

I am so hard to motivate at times. Seeing how little I have left in the checking account is always a strong motivator. Still need to pay a few smaller bills, might get that done today or maybe tomorrow.

Kim is now going to get to work.

Yes, she is,

For sure...

God is good

Kim is lazy