It's been a while since I have been here and the last few months have been packed full of stuff. Mine, my children's, and my former life. We finally sold the house in VB ... Whew... And that has taken a huge burden from us.
We have had some exciting things happen such as son getting married this winter AND very soon becoming a grandma! I hope it is as awesome as being a mom because the last 24 years have been pretty cool.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Ole' fashion girl
I love,love, love technology. My dear hubby will purchase my hearts desire ... I have lap tops, iPad 2, fancy camera's and anything else I may want. Now don't get me wrong he has a cache of toys that far surpass mine. That would take several post to go over and explain dear reader.
Now to the title of my post... I love to can... Pickles, jellies, jams, peaches, you name it I will can it. And I get such pleasure from it, a sense of accomplishment that can only be understood by doing it yourself. I am saving a piece of summer for my family to enjoy during the winter... I am supporting my family with what we have grown in our garden.
I didn't grow up with this lost art, but have embraced it in the last several years. It started with jelly for my children with my desire to know what was in their food and has expanded from there. If your up for an adventure there are still garden fresh produce to can... Here is and easy one to start with:
Italian peppers
Cut peppers... Remove seeds and membranes... Your choice of pepper
Prepare jars and rings
Bring to boil 2quarts of vinegar
1 quart of water
Pinch of sugar
Place in each jar 1 tsp canning salt, garlic clove, 3 basil leaves, pinch Italian seasoning
Pack peppers into hot jar tightly, pour liquid leaving 1/2 head space
Put lids and rings on... Water bath process 10minutes
Now to the title of my post... I love to can... Pickles, jellies, jams, peaches, you name it I will can it. And I get such pleasure from it, a sense of accomplishment that can only be understood by doing it yourself. I am saving a piece of summer for my family to enjoy during the winter... I am supporting my family with what we have grown in our garden.
I didn't grow up with this lost art, but have embraced it in the last several years. It started with jelly for my children with my desire to know what was in their food and has expanded from there. If your up for an adventure there are still garden fresh produce to can... Here is and easy one to start with:
Italian peppers
Cut peppers... Remove seeds and membranes... Your choice of pepper
Prepare jars and rings
Bring to boil 2quarts of vinegar
1 quart of water
Pinch of sugar
Place in each jar 1 tsp canning salt, garlic clove, 3 basil leaves, pinch Italian seasoning
Pack peppers into hot jar tightly, pour liquid leaving 1/2 head space
Put lids and rings on... Water bath process 10minutes
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Bad things happen to good people
The last seven months have been a challenge for me... I have spent many moments making a choice to smile instead of complain. A friend asked me yesterday "hows life?" and I wanted to vomit a list of woes. But then what.....
I'm not going to feel better and it won't change a darn thing. I still live in Memphis... I still own a house in VB. I lack an active social life and my hubby can be grumpy. So I laughed and said " I just can't bring myself to complain about it". I believe you sow what you reap and those who do bad things will bring bad things upon themselves. If I didn't I may be in jail, of that I am sure.
The positive part of life is my family is healthy and well in this land called Memphis...lol... And Josh has graduated a full year early. Jessica is almost a year into culinary school and her food is wonderful... The cheese especially.... Mmmmm... Baked Brie. Jaqi is now a freshman in high school ... Wow!.... There is nothing left to say about that. Jeff is deployed overseas and leading a successful Navy life in his fathers footsteps. Brian is spending many hours riding his new carbon bike... His mistress so to speak... Keeping himself healthy to spend our lives together. Me.... I'm navigating life one day at a time.
I'm not going to feel better and it won't change a darn thing. I still live in Memphis... I still own a house in VB. I lack an active social life and my hubby can be grumpy. So I laughed and said " I just can't bring myself to complain about it". I believe you sow what you reap and those who do bad things will bring bad things upon themselves. If I didn't I may be in jail, of that I am sure.
The positive part of life is my family is healthy and well in this land called Memphis...lol... And Josh has graduated a full year early. Jessica is almost a year into culinary school and her food is wonderful... The cheese especially.... Mmmmm... Baked Brie. Jaqi is now a freshman in high school ... Wow!.... There is nothing left to say about that. Jeff is deployed overseas and leading a successful Navy life in his fathers footsteps. Brian is spending many hours riding his new carbon bike... His mistress so to speak... Keeping himself healthy to spend our lives together. Me.... I'm navigating life one day at a time.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Procrastination is not a four letter word
Hello, my name is Jody and I procrastinate.... my dirty little secret is out.I don't use this quality at work or in public but at home I relish the words " I'll do it in a little bit". These words can be used for any household request from laundry to writing a check for the children's lunch. Those words can give me five more minutes to read or thirty more to sleep. The words can also be used for good when applied to say tattoo's or a questionable hair color the latter of which I failed at and ended up with such a hair color two weeks ago.
But I digress this is not about hair.... it is about photos...... of which I have many. I love taking photos..... I hate sorting them. I wish they would jump from my much loved super fancy digtal camera right into the super cute book I have selected for such photos. And that would be super! But life is not a comic book and superhero's will not sweep in and fix my photo mess. And when I say mess that is a kind way of describing my boxes, drawers, tubs, and disk full of photos. Most are not sorted except by the layers in which they were placed in the container. Today in the mail I received yet another package of pictures this one quite large... 365 pictures. An my heart beats a little faster just thinking of this. Now my first thought after looking at the memories of my Key West trip is to place these littles treasures in the drawer. But I fought my demon, carefully choose my favorites then placed them in the handmade photo book I had purchased in July for these pictures. Yes, I procrastinate having them printed also.
I don't think my habit is really that bad.. it helps me create a little me time in disguise. My family thinks I'm just putting off chores and avoiding their wants and needs in reality I'm putting myself first. I guess it makes me feel less selfish if I tell them " in a minute" instead of no. Today I was selfish... those photo were for me. My first adult only vacation with Brian and I... I got to enjoy the memories he and I made as a couple and not parents. And today never once did I say in a minute... I said no I'm busy.
But I digress this is not about hair.... it is about photos...... of which I have many. I love taking photos..... I hate sorting them. I wish they would jump from my much loved super fancy digtal camera right into the super cute book I have selected for such photos. And that would be super! But life is not a comic book and superhero's will not sweep in and fix my photo mess. And when I say mess that is a kind way of describing my boxes, drawers, tubs, and disk full of photos. Most are not sorted except by the layers in which they were placed in the container. Today in the mail I received yet another package of pictures this one quite large... 365 pictures. An my heart beats a little faster just thinking of this. Now my first thought after looking at the memories of my Key West trip is to place these littles treasures in the drawer. But I fought my demon, carefully choose my favorites then placed them in the handmade photo book I had purchased in July for these pictures. Yes, I procrastinate having them printed also.
I don't think my habit is really that bad.. it helps me create a little me time in disguise. My family thinks I'm just putting off chores and avoiding their wants and needs in reality I'm putting myself first. I guess it makes me feel less selfish if I tell them " in a minute" instead of no. Today I was selfish... those photo were for me. My first adult only vacation with Brian and I... I got to enjoy the memories he and I made as a couple and not parents. And today never once did I say in a minute... I said no I'm busy.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Take me out to the ball game!
My one regret is I did not try BBQ Nachos... from a very good source I have missed an important part of baseball in Memphis. It's like not eating a hot dog in New York.... I may have commited a true sin of food in Memphis. My only saving grace is to return to Redbird Field this season for a second game and try those nachos!
Memphis may be a strange land with many quirks that I am trying to embrace... bless my heart.... but try I will continue. Go Team!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
What do you mean you don't take cards?
Todays adventure was the Davies Plantation... for anyone local you should take a couple of hours and visit. The volunteers are super friendly and have lots of information on the plantation and the articles on display. The downside is you better bring cash..... and for the people who know me this creates a problem.
I don't carry cash... ever .... I mean this with all seriousness.... no cash. And for the people who really know me imagine my surprise that a 150 year old plantation doesn't take cards or have an ATM. I searched the car but as I don't carry cash I had no spare change to pick out from the seat creases. Off to CVS to get some moola and we were back in business.
The Davies Plantation " fest" was today and for everyone's sake I will use that term lightly. It was really five local clubs looking for new members and selling books about TN. No so much of a fest if you ask me but no one did so fest it is. The grounds were lovely on this spring day... clean if in need of a little maintance but it's early in the season. Little old ladies dressed in period clothes more than willing to stalk you and tell you what you are looking at which is helpful because I have never been introduced to a sugar safe before.
All in all it was worth the drive and helped continue my qwest for a life outside of the four walls I reside in. As for the lemon pound cake I made all I can say is mmmmmmmm.... success! If anyone would like the receipe let me know it was worth the time and effort. Now I'm off to go stuff some creases with this leftover cash I have because in this strange land not everyone takes cards ;)
I don't carry cash... ever .... I mean this with all seriousness.... no cash. And for the people who really know me imagine my surprise that a 150 year old plantation doesn't take cards or have an ATM. I searched the car but as I don't carry cash I had no spare change to pick out from the seat creases. Off to CVS to get some moola and we were back in business.
The Davies Plantation " fest" was today and for everyone's sake I will use that term lightly. It was really five local clubs looking for new members and selling books about TN. No so much of a fest if you ask me but no one did so fest it is. The grounds were lovely on this spring day... clean if in need of a little maintance but it's early in the season. Little old ladies dressed in period clothes more than willing to stalk you and tell you what you are looking at which is helpful because I have never been introduced to a sugar safe before.
All in all it was worth the drive and helped continue my qwest for a life outside of the four walls I reside in. As for the lemon pound cake I made all I can say is mmmmmmmm.... success! If anyone would like the receipe let me know it was worth the time and effort. Now I'm off to go stuff some creases with this leftover cash I have because in this strange land not everyone takes cards ;)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Time to get out the map
Why did I decide to blog you ask? Well as a way to hold myself accountable to live life. I have always lived inside of my own personal comfort zone satisfied with everything aroud me. That all changed several months ago when the Navy was kind enough to relocate my family out of that happy place. I now reside in a strange land called Memphis where I have yet to gain my footing in life. In the begining I had to keep the happy face on for my family so they could succeed in a new place and that worked they are all thriving in the strange land. I on the other hand am not.
That is a hard sentence to write let alone read.
Now that is out of the I have decided to get a life... hahaha I know.... most everyone has been told that or felt that but I am going to do that. Last week I even announced it to my hubby...." Honey I'm tired of working, running errands, and being in the house I'm getting a life". I'm not sure he took me serious because on Sunday after my morning routine of reading the paper and drinking my diet coke I got up off the couch.
His response " what are you doing?"
Me " getting a life"
So I got dressed he followed we got into the car and proceeded to debate where to go to start this life... boating at Shelby Farms, gambling in Tunica. We ended up at the Memphis Zoo which was fantastic! I would say the best zoo I have ever been to. The animals were plentiful, the zoo itself filled with plaques of trivia that had me amused the entire time.
For my next adventure I joined a womens social group I found online. They meet several time a month doing various activies around town or in their homes. So now I might make friends in this strange land instead of meeting my far away friends on skype.... not that I have any intention of giving up skype or the great friends I have already. Today it is raining and my hubby is hard at work on his science project while I have started this blog to force myself to engage with life (in the strange new land ).
For today adventure, besides starting this blog, I am going to bake with fresh lemons.... I know what your thinking... whoa slow down there turbo BAKING!... but yes I'm going to do it. I found a reciepe online that makes a lemon pound cake with fresh lemons and no extract. It's raining... I have lemons.... I'm going for it... then I might just join that flash mob group I was reading about..... Wish me luck!
That is a hard sentence to write let alone read.
Now that is out of the I have decided to get a life... hahaha I know.... most everyone has been told that or felt that but I am going to do that. Last week I even announced it to my hubby...." Honey I'm tired of working, running errands, and being in the house I'm getting a life". I'm not sure he took me serious because on Sunday after my morning routine of reading the paper and drinking my diet coke I got up off the couch.
His response " what are you doing?"
Me " getting a life"
So I got dressed he followed we got into the car and proceeded to debate where to go to start this life... boating at Shelby Farms, gambling in Tunica. We ended up at the Memphis Zoo which was fantastic! I would say the best zoo I have ever been to. The animals were plentiful, the zoo itself filled with plaques of trivia that had me amused the entire time.
For today adventure, besides starting this blog, I am going to bake with fresh lemons.... I know what your thinking... whoa slow down there turbo BAKING!... but yes I'm going to do it. I found a reciepe online that makes a lemon pound cake with fresh lemons and no extract. It's raining... I have lemons.... I'm going for it... then I might just join that flash mob group I was reading about..... Wish me luck!
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