I stayed up till about 2 last night, so I slept till about 9 this morning. Haven't done much so far other than skim newspapers from this week and do the Sudoku and crosswords in a few of them. The paper carrier used to come into the U-shaped driveway, drop the paper off in front of the house, and then continue on and get back on the road. Wayne would walk to the sidewalk, get the paper, remove the sports section and leave the rest in the kitchen before he got in his truck to make his morning rounds.
When we were having new siding & some new windows installed a couple of months ago, there was a trailer parked on the driveway which meant the carrier couldn't drive through. It was only blocked for a few days, but since then the paper has been dropped out near the road. Consequently, Wayne no longer retrieves the newspaper before he gets in his truck. He picks it up on his way out of the driveway, reads it while he has coffee at Jack-in-the-Box and doesn't always remember to bring it in when he gets home. So, that's why I had most of the week's papers to look at this morning.
Speaking of Jack-in-the-Box, I might have mentioned Wayne's routine of going there almost every morning. On our way home from a Mexican food dinner out, I remembered that I wanted to review his routine. I knew he stopped to buy coffee for the ladies at J-i-t-B, but couldn't remember why he did that. And I didn't think to ask him how it started in the first place. He stops at a gas station on the way to J-i-t-B to buy a cappuccino for one of the ladies there. He used to get an orange drink for one of the other ladies, but she told him he didn't need to do that anymore. He mentioned the other places where friends of his gather in the morning, but he prefers J-i-t-B because he likes to just read the paper and it's usually pretty quiet there at 6:30 or so. He said he might go by a business or two before heading back out to the farm by 8:00. Just like Benji, he has a regular routine.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Tip of the Day - Removing the seal on a container
I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make life smoother, so I've decided to post one every now and then.
Bottles and jars with the foil or paper seal across the top.
I used to go in search of a knife or scissors when I opened those kinds of jars or bottles. Not any more. I realized a few years ago that I usually didn't have to walk a a single step to puncture and then remove the foil or paper seals. My counter tops (laminate, alas) have square edges that go beyond the cabinets, so if I'm standing near one of the corners, I just carefully push the seal into the corner. It makes a little tear in the seal, as if I'd used a "church key." If I'm not standing near a corner, I'm probably near an upper cabinet door. Just open the door and push the seal against the bottom corner of the door. Obviously if there's liquid in the container, you have to be careful. The same goes for containers that are totally filled.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Third International Invitational Womens World Championship Spoon Off
If you're interested in reading about the Spoons tournament, held in nearby Nada, Texas, click on "The Hensleys" blog on the right side of this page.
Most of the photos posted were taken in 2009, during the Second International Invitational Womens World Championship Spoon Off.
If you're not interested, I got nothing else today.
Most of the photos posted were taken in 2009, during the Second International Invitational Womens World Championship Spoon Off.
If you're not interested, I got nothing else today.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A Foray into the Past
Since Wayne finished the last of the pinto beans last night, I decided to cook some navy beans today. I love navy beans and rice. My mom cooked them occasionally, maybe once a month or so, almost always on a Thursday. Thursday, because my dad didn't care much for them and he had Rotary Club on that day, at noon.
To the best of my recollection, my brothers and I ate lunch at home most days, including school days. We got picked up at school and taken home for lunch and then went back to school for the afternoon....every day. I have no idea who picked us up, although I'm guessing it was Dad. The reason I'm guessing Dad is because I vividly remember the time he came to pick me up at the high school and I wasn't there waiting for him.
Here's what happened. Dad would go pick up Andy and Chris from St. Philip's (or wherever they were in school) and then drive a few blocks to the high school where I would be waiting in front, close to the cafeteria. We would drive the 9 or 10 blocks to our house, eat lunch and then someone, probably Dad, would drive us back to our respective schools. (I'd like to know just how long our freaking lunch period was back then!)
This one particular day, I waited and waited for Dad. It seemed like I was standing out there for 15 minutes or so. Finally, deciding that he wasn't going to appear, I just went to the cafeteria and ate lunch there. He probably showed up as soon as I hit the cafeteria, waited a bit and then left...thoroughly ticked at me, since he was already running late. I was in a heap of trouble! My punishment...instead of being chauffeured back and forth for lunch, for the next week I had to walk both ways. I had to walk home, eat lunch and then walk back to school. Now, it's not like we were across town from school, but it was a decent distance. I just googled a map and it says it's 8 tenths of a mile. I suppose that could be right. Anyway, that's a round trip of over a mile and a half, plus time to eat lunch. I don't remember it being that bad. I don't remember even being mad about it. But I do remember that Dad was really late and I thought my eating in the cafeteria was an appropriate solution to the situation.
I also remember that on two separate occasions as I walked back to school, a neighbor and her boyfriend stopped to ask if I wanted a ride. Both times I thanked them but explained that I was being punished and had to walk. They probably thought I was nuts. I didn't know it then, but I had just talked to my future husband for the first time. I didn't know Wayne at that time...just knew who he was.
Why did I start this?
Oh, yes, the navy beans. They've taken their sweet time getting soft. After 4 hours they were still al dente, which is not even the way I like pasta, much less dried beans. They're okay now, I guess, but not quite as good as I remember the ones made by Mom. She seasoned hers with salt pork, which I didn't have. I used some leftover ham. I'll have a nice bowl of navy beans and rice tonight and hope I'm in the house alone tomorrow!
To the best of my recollection, my brothers and I ate lunch at home most days, including school days. We got picked up at school and taken home for lunch and then went back to school for the afternoon....every day. I have no idea who picked us up, although I'm guessing it was Dad. The reason I'm guessing Dad is because I vividly remember the time he came to pick me up at the high school and I wasn't there waiting for him.
Here's what happened. Dad would go pick up Andy and Chris from St. Philip's (or wherever they were in school) and then drive a few blocks to the high school where I would be waiting in front, close to the cafeteria. We would drive the 9 or 10 blocks to our house, eat lunch and then someone, probably Dad, would drive us back to our respective schools. (I'd like to know just how long our freaking lunch period was back then!)
This one particular day, I waited and waited for Dad. It seemed like I was standing out there for 15 minutes or so. Finally, deciding that he wasn't going to appear, I just went to the cafeteria and ate lunch there. He probably showed up as soon as I hit the cafeteria, waited a bit and then left...thoroughly ticked at me, since he was already running late. I was in a heap of trouble! My punishment...instead of being chauffeured back and forth for lunch, for the next week I had to walk both ways. I had to walk home, eat lunch and then walk back to school. Now, it's not like we were across town from school, but it was a decent distance. I just googled a map and it says it's 8 tenths of a mile. I suppose that could be right. Anyway, that's a round trip of over a mile and a half, plus time to eat lunch. I don't remember it being that bad. I don't remember even being mad about it. But I do remember that Dad was really late and I thought my eating in the cafeteria was an appropriate solution to the situation.
I also remember that on two separate occasions as I walked back to school, a neighbor and her boyfriend stopped to ask if I wanted a ride. Both times I thanked them but explained that I was being punished and had to walk. They probably thought I was nuts. I didn't know it then, but I had just talked to my future husband for the first time. I didn't know Wayne at that time...just knew who he was.
Why did I start this?
Oh, yes, the navy beans. They've taken their sweet time getting soft. After 4 hours they were still al dente, which is not even the way I like pasta, much less dried beans. They're okay now, I guess, but not quite as good as I remember the ones made by Mom. She seasoned hers with salt pork, which I didn't have. I used some leftover ham. I'll have a nice bowl of navy beans and rice tonight and hope I'm in the house alone tomorrow!
Monday, March 8, 2010
What's for dinner tonight?
I made myself go grocery shopping this morning. The pantry has slimmed down quite a bit, although there is still plenty of stuff to make a meal from. I'm using "meal" rather loosely here. Some people might not consider peanut butter & jelly a meal. Luckily for me, and Wayne, that sandwich would qualify for a meal in this household. He is very relaxed in his attitude about what should be presented at meals. Truth be told, the main reason I needed to go to the grocery store was because there were only a few slices of bread left.
He rarely eats breakfast at home. He leaves early in the morning and goes to town to have coffee (and maybe something to eat at Jack-in-the-Box.) It's my understanding that he stops somewhere else first and buys coffee for the ladies at JITB. I don't really know why that is. If he was here right now, I would try to get a clarification. But, it's mid-afternoon, he's not here...and I won't remember later.
Occasionally, he eats lunch here. But, more often he doesn't show up at lunch, either. He eats in town with friends. They pass around a card which indicates whose turn it is to pay.
Even dinnertime doesn't guarantee a real meal around here. Once a week I go out with friends and he occasionally has a meeting to go to. He usually tells me in advance about meetings so that I won't bother with a meal then, but sometimes I forget and cook anyway.
I was planning on making a meal tonight, but remembered after I got home that the fire department fried fish dinner is this evening. Carolyn said that if she and Brent decide to pick up some dinners, she will take my ticket and get a meal that Wayne and I can share. If there's enough for two. If there isn't, there's always peanut butter and jelly.
He rarely eats breakfast at home. He leaves early in the morning and goes to town to have coffee (and maybe something to eat at Jack-in-the-Box.) It's my understanding that he stops somewhere else first and buys coffee for the ladies at JITB. I don't really know why that is. If he was here right now, I would try to get a clarification. But, it's mid-afternoon, he's not here...and I won't remember later.
Occasionally, he eats lunch here. But, more often he doesn't show up at lunch, either. He eats in town with friends. They pass around a card which indicates whose turn it is to pay.
Even dinnertime doesn't guarantee a real meal around here. Once a week I go out with friends and he occasionally has a meeting to go to. He usually tells me in advance about meetings so that I won't bother with a meal then, but sometimes I forget and cook anyway.
I was planning on making a meal tonight, but remembered after I got home that the fire department fried fish dinner is this evening. Carolyn said that if she and Brent decide to pick up some dinners, she will take my ticket and get a meal that Wayne and I can share. If there's enough for two. If there isn't, there's always peanut butter and jelly.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Our 45th Anniversary
The kids wanted to do something special for our anniversary, offering to take us out on the town. They were were even getting babysitters! I suggested that instead of going out and paying out the wazoo for steaks, why didn't we just buy steaks and cook them here. That was fine with them, if that was what we wanted to do, but I still wanted them to get babysitters.
I need to digress a bit here. Wayne and I have always been fairly relaxed about when we celebrate our anniversary. If we go out to eat at any time during the weeks before our anniversary, we say, "Okay! We'll make this our anniversary." As it happened this year, the 27th of February was on a Saturday and that worked out for everyone. They all had to miss some dinner/dance fundraiser, however. But, they said they would start going to them next year. (Hope they arrange for babysitters well in advance.)
Carolyn and Wendy called Kenny & Kelly's kids, Kaiti, Kellcie, & Kent, to see if they would be able to babysit for them this year and luckily they were available. Also luckily, Kenny & Kelly wanted to join us for the anniversary dinner. A wonderful addition to the party. They always liven things up!
I must admit that I naively imagined that the dinner was going to be at our house but that I wouldn't have to do anything...just be a guest here. The first I heard that I would be cooking the steaks was a week or so before the big event. My response..."What the hell!?!" But, of course, steaks are pretty easy to do. We ended up searing them on the stove top for about 4 minutes each and then popped them in a 500 degree oven for an additional 6 minutes. They were very nice (preseasoned) boneless ribeyes that Carolyn bought at Novak's in El Campo.
Carolyn and Robin arrived mid-afternoon and we got started with the margarita machine. Robin and Chad got the 3-blender Margaritaville machine as a wedding gift. Brent gave Carolyn the same model for her birthday. A very nice machine...makes a great margarita! We washed potatoes and asparagus and toasted some bread for the baked brie appetizer. We should have set the tables and gotten a little more organized, but we neglected to do that. But, the margaritas were really good.
Wendy came as soon as Kelly and Gage got back from a birthday party. And then Brent, Kelly, Kenny and Kelly all arrived as soon as the babysitters got dropped off. And then it got really loud in the kitchen, which is where we all were.
Dinner was very good, although as I said, we could have been a little more organized. Once we finished dinner and dessert, a yummy pecan pie truffle, we cleaned up and then set up a Tripoley game on the dining room table. It had been many years since most of us had played Tripoley and Robin had to repeat the rules more than once. She bought the game on ebay. In case you don't know what Tripoley is, the game involves a poker hand and also the playing of money cards. It was a lot of fun even though Kenny was the big winner that night!
It was after midnight before the last of them left...all very tired, including us. It was a really fun anniversary party! Thanks, everyone!
Carolyn, operating the margarita machine.
Robin, doing quality control on the margaritas. A dirty job, but someone has to do it!
Kelly, Kelly & Chad reacting to something funny
Brent & Kenny, just being cool
Celebrating 45 glorious years!
From the look on Chad's face, Robin must have said something shocking. Meanwhile, Wendy is busily stacking (or counting) her nickels.
Carolyn, listening carefully to the rules explanations
Carolyn, taking no chances that someone will see her cards
Kelly & Kenny, the big winners!
Robin & Wendy
Oh, my gosh! Nearly half a century...
I need to digress a bit here. Wayne and I have always been fairly relaxed about when we celebrate our anniversary. If we go out to eat at any time during the weeks before our anniversary, we say, "Okay! We'll make this our anniversary." As it happened this year, the 27th of February was on a Saturday and that worked out for everyone. They all had to miss some dinner/dance fundraiser, however. But, they said they would start going to them next year. (Hope they arrange for babysitters well in advance.)
Carolyn and Wendy called Kenny & Kelly's kids, Kaiti, Kellcie, & Kent, to see if they would be able to babysit for them this year and luckily they were available. Also luckily, Kenny & Kelly wanted to join us for the anniversary dinner. A wonderful addition to the party. They always liven things up!
I must admit that I naively imagined that the dinner was going to be at our house but that I wouldn't have to do anything...just be a guest here. The first I heard that I would be cooking the steaks was a week or so before the big event. My response..."What the hell!?!" But, of course, steaks are pretty easy to do. We ended up searing them on the stove top for about 4 minutes each and then popped them in a 500 degree oven for an additional 6 minutes. They were very nice (preseasoned) boneless ribeyes that Carolyn bought at Novak's in El Campo.
Carolyn and Robin arrived mid-afternoon and we got started with the margarita machine. Robin and Chad got the 3-blender Margaritaville machine as a wedding gift. Brent gave Carolyn the same model for her birthday. A very nice machine...makes a great margarita! We washed potatoes and asparagus and toasted some bread for the baked brie appetizer. We should have set the tables and gotten a little more organized, but we neglected to do that. But, the margaritas were really good.
Wendy came as soon as Kelly and Gage got back from a birthday party. And then Brent, Kelly, Kenny and Kelly all arrived as soon as the babysitters got dropped off. And then it got really loud in the kitchen, which is where we all were.
Dinner was very good, although as I said, we could have been a little more organized. Once we finished dinner and dessert, a yummy pecan pie truffle, we cleaned up and then set up a Tripoley game on the dining room table. It had been many years since most of us had played Tripoley and Robin had to repeat the rules more than once. She bought the game on ebay. In case you don't know what Tripoley is, the game involves a poker hand and also the playing of money cards. It was a lot of fun even though Kenny was the big winner that night!
It was after midnight before the last of them left...all very tired, including us. It was a really fun anniversary party! Thanks, everyone!
Carolyn, operating the margarita machine. 
Robin, doing quality control on the margaritas. A dirty job, but someone has to do it!
Kelly, Kelly & Chad reacting to something funny
Brent & Kenny, just being cool
Celebrating 45 glorious years!
From the look on Chad's face, Robin must have said something shocking. Meanwhile, Wendy is busily stacking (or counting) her nickels.
Carolyn, listening carefully to the rules explanations
Carolyn, taking no chances that someone will see her cards
Kelly & Kenny, the big winners!
Robin & Wendy
Oh, my gosh! Nearly half a century...Thursday, February 18, 2010
No Time
Now that I have time (and the desire) to sort, clean, and organize, I don't have time to do it! I've got things to do for the next five days that are going to require make-up, real clothes and leaving the house.
Drats!
Drats!
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