Home Thread...for the thread homeless :)

[heartfire 4]

A Blessed Good Friday to y'all!

A sad (Jesus dies), yet Glorious (he dies for US) day.

Getting some laundry done. I despise doing laundry. I guess if I want clean underwear for tomorrow, then I'd better do laundry. The 2nd load is running right now. Did all the bath/kitchen towels. Now doing a huge load of whites. Next is the darks but I'm not sure I"m going to get to those today. There are 2 loads of those. Yuck!

I used to hate having my laundry in the kitchen at the old house, now I'm thinking it wasn't such a bad idea! This house the laundry is down a flight of stairs, out in the garage. It's friggin' cold out there! The soap doesn't want to come out of the bottle or out of the cup b/c it's so cold! LOL!

Had our dog trainer friend over yesterday. OMG!!!! What a difference one session does. For all of us! DD did better than mama and papa combined! Dogs did fantastic! Mama and papa have a lot of homework! LOL!!!

She's going to come back again in a couple of weeks. Can't wait!

My mom had all of her pre-op stuff done yesterday, meeting with the team, etc. Her back surgery is scheduled for Tues. the 13th. It will be a nerve-wracking day.

I wasn't going to go up b/c I have to be back on Wed so DH can go to work but I'm thinking I'm going anyway. My step-dad will be there of course but at least we can wait together! My thought is to leave everyone here at home and head up Mon PM, then head home Wed PM. We'll see what's going on by then.

Tonight we're have green chili chicken enchiladas. I've grated a ton of cheese already and chopped up the olives. I'm going to go cook up the chicken and onion. Making enchiladas is a messy process so if I can get a lot of the prep done now and cleaned up, all we have to do is assemble them and pop them in the oven to heat thru.

Off to get a snack then start cooking. Have a great rest of the day!

[Jennifur 0]

Good Morning gals

how goes it? It has been so nice here, just trying to get some things done

So you will never guess! I start work Monday, at the same site, my BIL came back from FL and went to the site and pleaed my case, and his case, it is a 30 day trial so I'm going to have to be focused but who cares, this is fantastic!

Kat - how do you make brisket? I loved the one we had in TX but just can't get that hre and I've been dying for it

Michelle - I use to have my washer in the kitchen and dryer in the Bathroom - and now I have laundry room and lucky enough to have it right off my living room. I don't miss havng baskets all over my kitchen

Suzanne - hey there, that sucks about the window but go you with the treadmill and going to the gym. I start my beginner running class Monday, it is good for anyone who can walk 30minutes a day. Well, I think I can do that lol

I'm excited about that too. My new job is 2 huge buildings and and I will be walking up and down stairs all day long so I will get my fill of exercise.

Tracy (hugs) love ya sister

Hope you all have a great easter! I am going to shut down my computer, I have a ton of stuff to do today and tomorrow to get the house together and ready for work.

[Kat817 19]

Hey girls, Rick and I had a productive night, we got the cabinets changed out in the pantry area. Got new fluorescent lights put up in there and the rest of the garage area. We moved things, and threw things away, and attempted to start organizing (again---house is just tooo small!!) we worked til about 11, come in took a shower and crashed. I ma coming down with a sinus infection, my head hurts, throat hurts, and my nose is bleeding.......but I powered through! Slept in a bit this morning, got up, was trying to get the gumption up to start again, and Rick got called in to work! GRRRRRR Now I have disaster in every corner, to try to repair on my own...feeling like hell! Isn't that about right???

On the bright side, when we change out washer and dryer, it will begin to take on a whole new look out there! I want to do it slowly, and pay cash for it as we go! I do not want to bust into savings, or payment anything.

Got email yesterday, they added Motley Crue to our Sturgis line up!!! It is going to be their only stop in America on this tour they are on. Much of their music is not something I care for, but they have a few songs I really like, so I am ok with seeing them.

Jenn--brisket is easy the way I cook it! You have to cook it loooooong and slow, because it is a muscle meat, and tough otherwise. Now when I tell you this you will think I have lost my mind. I got this from family who runs an actual TX restaurant!!

Take a full brisket--flat works best for slicing--there are 2 or 3 different cuts from the one area, the others are kind of triangle in shape, the rectangle "flat" cut is easiest for cooking and slicing nicely.

Take it, put it in a large roasting pan fat side up, season with garlic powder, then spread a can of concentrated orange juice over the meat-using as much of the can as you need to cover the meat with a decent glaze of the orange juice---not diluted, full strength concentrate. Then cover the pan tightly--either with a lid or with foil crimped down tightly over the roaster (I do both, foil then pop on the lid). Bake it at 250-275 degrees. I cook mine overnight. When Rick leaves for work I take it out, leaving it covered tightly, and let it cool. Once it is cool, remove the foil, there will be black in the bottom of the pan---it is the sugars from the OJ. The meat will NOT taste like orange juice. I put it carefully onto a baking sheet, slice it length wise first, then into slices. Then I drizzle it with BBQ Sauce, and before dinner that night I pop it into the oven long enough to heat it again.

If you try to slice it hot, it shreds like a roast. And electric knife works great on it.

Typed out it sounds like a lot of work, but it is really pretty simple, the longest stretch is cooking, and I do it while I sleep!!! Do not open it until it cools, the citric acid in the OJ will tenderize the meat, and flavor it.

If you want the smokey flavor you can add a few drops of liquid smoke to the pan with the OJ.

I cook babyback ribs, and racks of ribs the same way--just not so long. Smothered in the OJ, baked slow, and then we finish them on the grill with the sauce---to crisp them up, but the meat slides right off the bone! That is what I am cooking today!!! Going to cook the brisket today, as well, so it will be ready for me to heat to eat tomorrow!

Does anyone watch the show on AMC called Breaking Bad?

Well I have hours and hours of work.......guess I will get to it.

Congrats on the job issue Jenn!!

[heartfire 4]

Congratulations Jenn!!!!!!

Is the whole thing due to the fact that you have a relative who works there? That's what it sounds like.

Kat, wow! What a lot of work! We're hoping to get back outside today to keep working on the side yard. It's looking like rain again so not sure if we're going to be able to get out there. And it's cold.

I hope you're feeling better soon!

Not much news here. If we're stuck inside today then it's more laundry to get done. Otherwise it's back outside.

Have a great day!

[Jennifur 0]

thanks guys

and thanks Kat, that sounds so yummy

off to shower, cleaned garage and rest of the yard, next weekend the weed wacker comes out! how nice to be done before easter

[heartfire 4]

Well, we made it outside! Whoohoo!

Got the area cleared for the dog kennels. And DH is getting a bunch of tree stuff burned. Any of the small stuff that we can't put in the wood stove or fireplace. Some of it's rotten too so that's going in the burn pile.

All I need to move is the potting bench. Not sure where it's going to go now. Or if we even need it anymore. It just gets piled up with junk and then I can't use it! I don't think I've ever used it to pot a plant! DH made it years ago out of redwood so the thing weighs a ton! Takes both of us to move it!

Storm is coming in. Sun peeked out for a few minutes then went back to hiding. DD and I came in to get something to eat so I figured I get on the computer while I was waiting for her to finish.

If I don't get on in the AM, please have a Blessed Easter!!!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!!

[Kat817 19]

Well Rick made it home, we got aome more work done in the laundry/pantry/garage....it is able to be walked through, and that in itself is an improvement!

Got my ribs cooked, brisket is cooking away. Got the back porch cleaned.....then Kinsey come over and we dyed 18 eggs, and had a blast!! We made special designs, and just had fun! She helped me make a macaroni salad, and make some wild rice to fix in mushrooms for her Mommy and Auntie ( DD's are vegetarians). Then we spent the afternoon taking turns hiding and hunting eggs in the yard! We forwent any "organized" Easter Egg hunts!

We went last year, and in her age group they just had eggs dumped on the ground, and thousands of kids, and parents were horrid. So we just did not even mention them. She giggled and hid them as hard as she could for Papa, then did the hot....warm....cold thing to help him find them. She had fun. Tomorrow they will have an egg hunt at church, and people will be nice about it!

Rick and I are going to dinner as soon as he finishes putting a fuel filter on Gary's bike. Our work list seems to have no end this weekend!!!

Then just between paragraphs now....my phone rings, it is my DIL, asking what she should bring tomorrow, and what time......WTH? We figured they would go to her families, and ignore us the way things are. But he is going to try to pull the old "pretend it never happen" routine.

Gary is here now so we will wait to discuss how to handle it when we are alone. Y'all are part of my 'alone' LOL.....you know what I mean!!

Well I am off to get dressed to go, and maybe make a cheesecake. Lots to do still......and now ponder the son and DIL thing......

[TracyK 3]

HAPPY EASTER!

I did not realize I haven't posted! I am so sorry for my neglect:blush:. I hope you all have a great day.

Yesterday we brought dd to an Easter egg hunt and she won a basket full of goodies. It was a great day today. We had a fantastic time.

Here are a couple of pics....and I hope you all have a very blessed Easter.

[Suziecat 379]

Good Morning and a very Happy Easter to you.

What a rejoiceful day.

I will be working at Church today, being a eucharistic minister. I really enjoy doing that so much. From there I will head over to the sisters to take her a little gift I got for her. Then it's back home.

I'm baking a ham, scalloped potatoes, potato salad, green bean casserole and about 18 other things, lol. Yesterday I baked a german chocolate cake for desert.

What sucks about that is that tomorrow is my appointment with my band Doc. I'm down 7lbs as of this morning and I want to keep it that way. But the reason I am seeing him is because he wants to talk to me about the hitial(sp?) hernia he found.

Kat, on my brisket I trim as much fat as I can then make a bed out of foil in a heavy pan. On top of the brisket I season it real good then slice a big onion and lay the slices over the brisket. I then pour about a tablespoon of liquid smoke over it. Roll the foil up and close it real good. Put in the oven when I head to bed at about 225 degrees. You can smell it cooking all night long. The family loves it. I slice it and put BBQ over half of it and the other half I leave plain for anyone who likes it that way. It makes wonderful sandwiches or you can eat it just with a fork. Yummy in your tummy.

Hubby and I got out yesterday and did yard work also. We finally got to put down the grass seed. Good thing because they are calling for a little rain later this afternoon.

Last night we watched "The Hurt Locker". Very good movie but can someone explain to me how it won as best picture of the year?????

My prayers are that everyone has a great day today and you enjoy whoever you spend the day with. Jesus is in our hearts, let's show that. Have a great day.

[heartfire 4]

A Blessed Easter to y'all!!!

HE IS RISEN!

Have a wonderful day! Off to the IL's soon.

[janiebug 0]

Happy Easter to you all!!

I know I don't post like I should, but you are in my thoughts all the time!!!!!!!!

[TracyK 3]

Love you Jane!! ((((hugs)))) Happy Easter!

[Suziecat 379]

Done. No more food. Stuffed.

It's days like today that I hate having a Band. I wanted to eat so much more.

[Kat817 19]

Long, but good day. I feel like crap, thinking about seeing a Dr. tomorrow. Sinuses are infected, and throat hurts, running fever, the usual crud everyone has. But I feel it dropping lower in my throat, headed for my lungs....then I get really sick.

Son showed up, didn't speak for awhile to anyone, there were enough here that there was chaos, so it didn't matter, then he began doing just as I said and acting like nothing happen. Rick told him, it was a family holiday, and he was not going to bring anything up, but they WERE going to discuss what was said, there was a non commital kind of grunt, nothing more.

Manda brought a guy she has seen a few times, but they went to school together, and his Mom and I did chemo together back a few years ago. He is a nice kid, but her polar opposite! She is very political, and he is the opposite, she is vegetarian, and he has yet to meet a veggie he likes he jokes! But he had his 2 year old daughter, and we all had fun. They fit in well. I think they are just friends, but who knows!!! Her vegetarian dinner was awesome she said, and everyone seemed to like the normal dinner.

Ricks Mom and Dad refused to come to dinner, they went out for chinese, then come to visit us, and then to go visit his sister, but refused to eat with either of us. I do not have enough room for her family of 4 daughter, who are all grown with families too. I simply do not have the space, my home is little. And we were not invited there, she made it known, She actually made it a point to tell us we were welcome anytime, but it was too much for my family to be included too. Which is reasonable, but if I am gone, and take the kids, that leaves my Mom and Dad and brother alone.....and I can't do that. So if they want to pout and eat chinese, more power to them. I packed leftovers to take them tomorrow, as a gesture to say "here ya go, I don't feel too bad for you!" Rick was upset.

Youngest DD did not make it til almost everyone was gone, but that is normal.

I am glad it is all over, cleaned up, and I can do nothing. I normally love this holiday, and I did not even decorate my house this year!

Bah Humbug!! LOL

Well I am off to watch Breaking Bad, and go to bed, hoping I feel tons better tomorrow.

Hugs to all of you, hope your days were wonderful!

[crzytchr 3]

Kat: I sure hope you call the doc this morning and get that taken care of. I do the same thing as you do and wait until it hits my lungs before I do anything. Why do we do this to ourselves?