TGIF!

Appliances are rebelling, grocery prices keep rising and it was income tax day yesterday. Anyone want to join me in a drink? I'm having a caffeine-free diet Coke. Straight up. Right out of the bottle.

I'm starting to forget what my other computer looks like. I feel bad that our last day together looked like this

The scanner and printer that are normally hooked up to that computer feel disloyal when I ask them to cooperate with my laptop. I wonder if union lines are being crossed or if they are from different political parties? Bill needed copies of papers to give to someone. His computer has a working printer connected to it but it wasn't going to be physically simple to connect the scanner to his PC. I installed it to my laptop, scanned 10 pages and then emailed them to his computer to print. Except I did something incorrectly and only one page was saved so I had to rescan 9 pages. Sending the email went s-l-o-w-l-y and receiving it seemed even s-l-o-w-e-r. I could have gone to Kinkos, photocopied everything, stopped at 7-11 for the milk that we are out of and been home in less time but this was after 11:00 last night. Unlike some, I don't go shopping in my jammies.

I went up to bed at 12:10 and turned on the TV so that I could fall asleep to a mindless program. Bad habit, but it is my routine. Guess what? The TV is upset with me too. The TV would turn on, the cable box would turn on, but all I could view was a green screen.

Kitchen appliances are giving me grief too. I have a Maytag dishwasher that doesn't clean pots and leaves white spots on glasses. I scrape and rinse dishes. I have tried powdered, get and tablet dishwasher detergents. Rinse aids too. The handle has been replaced twice in less than 7 years. I'd shoot it but Bill won't even allow me to have a water pistol.

Our refrigerator seems to be rusting below the textured surface. I thought surely I was imagining this phenomenon until discussing it at the gym. Others are having the same problem and their refrigerators aren't as old as mine!

Bill asked if I was going to call the computer technician today to see when my computer might come home. I can't do that today. I am sleep deprived and cranky. If he were to tell me he didn't know or any other answer that I might not like (the only acceptable answer being "I'm turning down your street as we speak and will be there in three minutes"), I think I might have a hissy fit.

 

I would go look at new refrigerators, dishwashers, TVs and computers, but Uncle Sam got to our wallets first. 

Some of my friends are having a Middle Aged Woman Needs New Everything shower for me. Forgetful Fran is in charge of the invitations. I hope she remembers to put stamps on them. Hot Flash Hannah is in charge of refreshments. I know many of you like iced tea, I just hope the coffee lovers are ok with chilled coffee.

Wacky Wanda is planning the entertainment. I hope she does better at my shower than the last one. She was excited to find Chippendale dancers at such a cheap frugal reasonable rate.

It wasn't what the rest of us hoped for, but I still have their autographed photo on my refrigerator. It is covering up one of the rust spots.

Sun: friend and enemy

I love sunshine. 

I was never one to work on a suntan though, because I always burned so easily. I am pretty fair skinned for having such dark hair, thanks to my maternal grandmother who was a redhead.

Years ago there weren't many sunscreens available except those marketed for small children. A product called PreSun was the first one that caught my attention as a young adult. It was clear, watery and came in a brown bottle. I was married in September of 1975. June of that year, Bill and I went with friends to watch the hydroplane races on the Detroit River. I took PreSun with me and used it as I knew we would be in the sun most of the day and I didn't want to burn.

In the fashion of the day, I wore cut off blue jeans, a halter top, sandals and had my hair in pigtails for most of the warm day. After the races we went to Bill's house and fell asleep on the floor while his mom worked on dinner. I woke up sick, so sick I crawled to the bathroom. Bill's mom was a nurse and wanted him to take me to the hospital but I just wanted to go home. Wherever I forgot to apply PreSun (my ears, the part in my hair, the tops of my feet) and wherever PreSun didn't cover as I spread the watery liquid over my arms and legs unknowingly leaving streaks of exposed skin, and also wherever my clothing shifted and revealed unprotected flesh is where I burned.

Aloe Vera wasn't a known remedy back then. My mom applied Noxema cold cream which sank into the patches of lobster red flesh like raindrops in a desert. The nausea passed and Noxema, lots of fluids and tepid showers got me through the rest of the day and night. Three months later on my wedding day, the odd sunburn patterns on the tops of my feet and the streaks on my legs showing how my fingers were spread as I applied the PreSun were very obvious. The fringe of my cut offs was clearly visible in sunburn. I can't imagine how sick I would have been without the PreSun.

I've had a few minor sunburns since but usually I had sunscreen on or avoided being directly in the sun for prolonged periods. My last sunburn occurred while on a cruise 11 years ago. The day was partly cloudy and I was under an overhang, presumably in the shade most of the afternoon. I didn't take into account the reflected rays from the swimming pool next to me. My neck and upper chest area burned more than my face and arms. It eventually faded and was forgotten until last year at the dermatologist's office.

While talking to the dermatologist about another matter he mentioned my sun damage. What sun damage?! He pointed to the spots on my neck and chest which I attributed to aging. Nope. They are sun damage. How could this be? I wasn't a sun worshiper who spent my teens and twenties basting myself with baby oil while lying on reflective aluminum sheets! Alas, here it is:

The discolored patches are more obvious on certain days and in certain lighting. Again, I can't imagine how different I would look without sunscreen precautions.

This past weekend we were at the birthday party of a five year old relative. The sun felt good on our faces. I sat out in it for a few minutes, then changed seats to one in the shade. I had nylons on and shoes with skinny straps that crossed my instep twice. Guess who didn't have her feet under the umbrella the whole time?

(My toes are curled under here because a pedicure hasn't happened in ages.)

Many drugs affect sun sensitivity. Blood pressure medication and some antibiotics are two that come to mind. I'm lucky that this is all that has gone wrong regarding sun exposure. If you see me outside and I don't have sunscreen on, don't be surprised to see me using a parasol...

...especially if the parasol makes me look like this!

Nothing better than feeling good!

Perhaps this should read "Nothing better than feeling well" but James Brown is somewhere singing "I Feel Good" and I am singing along.

I was derailed yesterday with a sinus headache for most of the day. Not enough to render me nonfunctional, but I certainly didn't function efficiently or exuberantly. Dust bunnies snickered and had a field day. Leftovers languished in the refrigerator. Unfinished projects sighed and mumbled about another day gone to hell in a hand basket, and griped because the basket isn't done yet either. Good thing I didn't really see or hear most of this. I spent much of the day on the couch with a heat rice sock on my head doing this:

Between naps, when the headache eased enough that reading wasn't painful, I finished Jeanne Ray's book Eat Cake (click here for reviews at Amazon) and also Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs and More by Earl Proulx and the editors of Yankee Magazine.  (Amazon link here)  The first book is a light novel that fit my mood the past few days. I still have no word on when my computer will be repaired and returned. Light reading where everything works out in the end was just what I needed. The second book is full of helpful hints but is just old enough that a few things are outdated. For instance, saving 8 oz yogurt cups for a particular hint doesn't work since most yogurt is packaged in 6 oz sizes now. It was a fun book to skim through even though I know I won't put most of the ideas to use.

Books are great friends. Some challenge, some comfort, some inspire and once in a while, one is only a paperweight, but that still serves a purpose.  I love books.

 

I hope all who stop by today are having a great day. C'mon and join me singing!

Never fail lemon meringue pie

Years ago, making a lemon meringue pie was never a sure thing. Sometimes the filling looked right while cooking it, but once it was baked into a pie, I was never sure until I cut a piece whether I would serve it on a plate or in a bowl.

Thanks to a good friend giving me a recipe for the filling made in a microwave, my pie is now perfect every time.

This photo of the cut pie is from the internet. I didn't think to take a photo until it was too late. I could have taken a picture of crumbs and smears on used plates, but that wouldn't have been very pretty.

Now on to the recipe!

Make your favorite pie shell and bake it. Pie pastry is not my strong point. I use Pillsbury or Kroger pie pastries from the dairy case or a frozen shell and bake as directed.

For the filling, I use my 8 cup Pyrex batter bowl and add
1 2/3 cup water
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk these ingredients well and cook in your microwave. The original directions called for full power, 5-6 minutes. I have found that 8 minutes usually works for me. You will need to stir after each minute of cooking so I set my microwave timer for 8 minutes and stir when it reaches 7, then 6 and so on. Your mixture will be watery the first few times, then begin to thicken. At the end the mixture will come together beautifully thick, be that at 5 minutes or the full 8 minutes it takes mine.

Remove from the microwave and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour the filling into your waiting pie shell. Resist the urge to lick your spoon or rubber spatula. The filling is very hot and will burn your tongue. Not that I know that first hand or anything.

For the meringue, in a clean bowl, beat with an electric mixer until foamy
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar, a tablespoonful at a time, and continue to beat until this is glossy and stiff peaks form. 
Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat that in

I spoon large dollops of the meringue onto the hot filling and work it to the edges of the crust. You'll want to cover the edge of the crust, not just meet it in order to prevent shrinkage and weeping. You can smooth the surface of the meringue or make dips and swirls with the tip of a spoon as I did here. I do it this way because that is how my mom did it.

Bake your pie at 400* for 8-10 minutes, until your meringue is a delicate brown. Cool your pie away from drafts.

This was the pie I served on Easter Sunday.

Thank goodness it is all gone. It can be addictive!

Easter finery without rewards

When you are only four weeks old, you aren't allowed chocolate Easter bunnies, marshmallow peeps or jelly beans.
So what was the point of getting dressed in this get up to look older if it wasn't going to get me the goods?

No smiles until I get into my comfy clothes. I don't care how cute mom and grandma think these duds are. Clothes don't really make the man (or the baby). I am cute even when I am showing a little attitude. Grandma said so.

April Celebrations

Are you ready to plan your April celebrations? Don't forget these special days!
Since today is already April 3rd, I am skipping April Fool's Day and Good Friday. Today is Tweed Day

I'm sure most of us, Christian or not, don't need a reminder that tomorrow, April 4th, is Easter.

April 7 is No Housework Day (sounds like a great idea to me!)

April 9 is National Cherish An Antique Day (and no, it isn't my birthday...I'm not truly antique yet!)

April 12 is Licorice Day.  I prefer chocolate so someone can have my share.

April 15 is Income Tax Day (as if we need a reminder of this!)

April 16 is Get To Know Your Customer Day

April 17 is Blah, Blah, Blah! Day (anyone hearing Kesha singing in your head right now?)

April 21 is Administrative Professional's Day. I was one for a long time. I still am one within our home.

April 22 is Earth Day, the 40th anniversary of this day meant to bring awareness of caring for our planet.

April 23 is Arbor Day. Let's go hug a tree. 

April 25 is Red Hat Society Day

April 26 is National Pretzel Day

April 28 is Kiss Your Mate Day

April 29 is National Dance Day. Please don't participate if you dance like Elaine Benes. That is my job. 

The month of April is National Donate Life Month, National Garden Month, and Keep America Beautiful Month.

The birth flower for April is the daisy and the birth stone is the diamond.

Whatever you decide to celebrate this month, I hope you experience joy and kindness each and every day.

An Eggs-cellent post

Considering I am about to go grocery shopping, there is no accounting for my good mood unless it is the email I received from a good friend this morning. Since many of you will be handling eggs this weekend, I thought you might enjoy these pictures.

 

Did you know my middle name is prounounced me-shell?

Did I crack you up with these?

No? Well the yoke's on you!