the best laid plans...

I know that a picture is worth a thousand words but black against black just does not work.
Our trip to the Oregon coast started out smoothly until a mile outside of Bliss when the car just stopped in the middle of the freeway. We coasted to the side and Jim and Dad checked to see if they could find out the problem. No luck and so we called triple A, thanks to Aunt Linda. A tow truck was dispatched and we sat and waited.
It was my first ride in that type of vehicle and we headed to Boise at the speed of 80 mph at times. What a ride. We arrived at the GMC dealership about midnight parked the truck and headed home with Aunt Colleen and Uncle Lyle. Sleep was not easy to come by that night.
The next morning found us at the dealership anxious for a diagnosis. I don't understand cars but I do know it was not good, but that it was probably the fault of the repairs that were recently done or a faulty part.
We abtained a rental car and headed out. We were told it would take 19 hours to take the car apart and find out the exact extent of the problem.

enjoy

As I mentioned in a prior blog I got second place in the 4th of July cookie contest. I have had a request for the recipe which causes me some problems as I entered two cookies and I don't know which one won.
So here are both recipes:
The first is the hands-down favorite according to my children-
Cinnamon-Raisin Bars
1/2 C. butter
1C. b. sugar
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. rolled oats
Raisin filling
Cinnamon Icing
Cream butter and sugar. Add dry ingredients. Add oats and 1T. water. Mix till crumbly.Firmly pat half the mixture into a greased 13x9 pan. Spread with raisin filling. Mix remaining crumbs with 1T. water; spoon over filling. Bake at 350 sbout 35 mins.
Filling:
Combine 1/4 C. sugar and 1T. cornstarch in a pan. Add 1 C. water and 2 C. raisins. Cook over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cool
Icing:
Mix 1 C. powdered sugar with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Stir in enough milk for drizzling consistency.

Big Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 C. flour
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
3/4 C. butter
1 C. sugar
1 egg
1/4 C. molasses
2 T. sugar
Combine dry ingredients. In bowl beat butter to soften; gradually add the 1C. sugar; beat till fluffy. Add egg & molasses; beat well. Stir in dry ingredients. If batter looks really soft add a little more flour.
Sha pe into balls and roll in sugar.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

..onthe way

Last week I finished the running program I have been on and now I am on my own as far as what I do.
I am concentrating on being able to run a 5K without stopping or dying. So I am now able to run 1 mile (yes I know) only a mile but at my age I think that is pretty good, and I still have till September to get there. If I don't I am still so much further ahead of where I was last year.
No pictures, too sweaty.

I don't know what to say...

Some ideas when we want to say the right thing to someone who has been given bad medical news, or any thing like that.
Let me know if I can do anything is truly useless and not very useful or welcome.
Try some of these -
I'm going grocery shopping can I get you milk, potatoes, fruit...you get the picture.
Why don't I pick up the kids from school today so that you can rest?
I made an extra lasagne. When is the best time to drop it off?
I'm going for a walk, would you like to come?
Give me a list and I can call, friends, religious advisor, family and let them know the situation.
I know some of these would really have helped when we lost Trudi.

In case you were wondering...

I found this useless trivia (unless you plan on being on Jeopardy or Millionaire) and thought I would share -
The pencil which most of us have used at one time or another has been around since at least 1565, when it was first described in a book about fossils.
The bottle cap was first invented by Willaim Painter in 1892 because beverages sealed with cork loss their fizz.
The paper clip idea came from Samuel B. Fay in 1867. In the 1890's the double oval design was first produced in England.

citizenship

As I contenplate what this day represents I am so grateful for this country in which I live.

It is a country that I chose to live in and to become a citizen of. My country of birth is Australia but after Mike and I married I, in my heart, knew that if I was to live here and enjoy all the benefits I needed to be come a citizen.

I had been living in Canada prior to our marriage. We were married in the Salt Lake temple and returned to Canada for a wedding reception. We were returning to Washington state to live when the guard at the border informed us that I could not come into the US. It was devastating and we did not know what to do. We spent the night pleading with Heavenly Father to pave the way. The next day we talked to another guard and he asked us many questions. One was did I have any belongings still in Canada I did, a large mirror. He informed us that he would let me in the US because of that but never to try to cross the border again as I would them be required to stay in Canada.

I then started the process to become a permanent resident and then in time applied for and received citizenship in the US.

I know that many miracles took place to allow me to be here and I do not take my citizenship for granted.

In memory...

Several of Trudi's friends went together and bought three pear trees at Red Butte Gardens here in Salt Lake.
Mike and I finally got up there to see them and this is a picture of me and one of the trees.
Trudi loved just about all fruit and pears were certainly at the top of the list.
The trees are part of a group of several and there is an arbor going from one side of the pathway to the other.
To those who bought this memorial to a reality my thanks from the bottom of my heart. Knowing just how much others care about Trudi helps lift the grief. Grief is not as heavy when shared by others.
To all my love and thanks.

Coming events...

This is a teaser.
After thirty years, yes we are that old, the shower in our bathroom is leaking and we have several choices, move, (not really an option), leave it until the shower falls into the basement, shower down the hall in the other bathroom, or replace it.
If you chose the last option you are right. We spent time this morning at a local home store and came home with many ideas.
We are going middle ground as at our age we don't want to do the custom $$$ remodel, nor do we want the cheap done in a day style. The tile will be hard to choose from as I love many of them.
Keep checking the blog for the progress with pictures.
Any volunteers will be watered and fed well.

Water, water...

All good things must come to an end and that applies to water heaters. Thus one spring day day Dad and I were at Darin and Janae's to, "out with the old and in with the new."

This is most help that Janae and I offered. We left the work to those with more experience and muscle power.

The old...

and the new.

Great rear end.

Parade day

West Bountiful celebrates the Fourth of July the Saturday before. Em bought the kids out to enjoy the parade and the events in the park afterwards.
Syd had been the year before and knew all about the candy being thrown from the floats. It took Cedar a little while to catch on then he could not wait for the next float to come by.
We went to the park to see th vendor displays.
We took turns standing in line to finally get the balloon hat that Sydney has on. Cedar got a fishing pole with a fish on the end instead of a hat. They both got patriotic face paintings.

Thank's to my not so professional phot taking abilities you cannot really see what Cedar has on his face.
I entered a cookie contest and won second place. The prize was two free entrees to Applebees.

Play day

Grandma took a day off from work and spent the day at Liberty park with the grandkids. This is Sydney holding on for all she is worth at the Merry-go-round. After it was all over she wanted to go again. Cedar thinks horses are wonderful and he cried as I took him off and wandered back again before I caught him.


This is fun in the sun.

At the park there is an area called 7 canyons representing the canyons that feed in the valley. There are pools at the top with small creeks that lead down to a shallow holding pool. Everything is shallow enough for kids to have fun and cool off from the summer heat.

Sydneys favorite pose.

Nutrition 101

The above are some muffins that I made. The secret ingredient is Chia seeds. How I found out above them is to confess that I watch, not regularly Oprah. One day Dr. Oz was talking about these seeds that he had discovered on a trip to Peru. I checked them out on the web and this is what I found. They are known as the running food as Aztec warriors had these and nothing else during conquests. They are rich in calcium. I grind them up and add them to my muffins or my protein drink.

I am not yet breaking the 4 minute mile but who knows.

The web site suggests making a gel as follows:

Put water into a plastic container and slowly pour seed in while mixing briskly with a wire whisk. Wait a few minutes and whist again, then let stand 5-10 minutes. Whisk again before storing in the frig. Gel will keep up to 2 weeks. Add to jam, jelly, cereal, yogurt etc.

The ratio is 9to1.

It can be used as a fat replacer, for energy and endurance, or taste by substituting the oil in breads.

Here is my muffin recipe.

1T. chia seeds, ground

1 1/2 C. flour any combination, wheat, white, oat

2ts. cinnanom

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

16 oz. pumpkin

2 eggs

1/4 C. olive oil

1 C. pure maple syrup

1 T. vanilla

nuts (optional)

Oven 350 degrees

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and in another the wet.

Fold together & add nuts.

I add raisins, cranberries and such

Spoon into muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Store cooled muffins in freezer in plastic bags.

Enjoy.

My granddaughter loves them because of the dark color she thinks they are chocolate.

What grandmother would tell her otherwise.