So, the bedroom is done. Still have two little piles on the floor. One will go into the suitcase when I get it down from the attic. The other is coming out into the living room to be divided between cookbook notebooks and quilt/craft pattern notebooks.
Took me all week. I decided that little bites of my elephant would be better than trying to eat the whole room in a day or two. So I worked on areas and then took a break. Then would go back inside. But it worked well as I managed to get several things done that I had not managed to do in a while.
Last Christmas, my nephews had set up my new work computer. I was still recovering from my knee surgery and could not get on the floor to connect everything. Tommy thought I needed to get an additional router that I could use as an access point that would allow some of my stuff to use the "n" channel for a wireless connection. I had to set up my Verizon router as a "g" channel for transmissions of my wireless cameras. I had the router for quite a while, but needed some help in setting it up as an access point. So I emailed my brother this week and he called me and we got started. But he had to go to his other 'honey-do' tasks, so I finally had to do some trial and error, followed by a lot of Googling before I got things working. Even then, I had to revisit the setup as my Roku box was not connecting. I got that this morning and need to see if my Blu-Ray player in the bedroom can now connect. But my cell phone and the Kindle Fire TV were connected, along with my computer and cameras, so I am happy.
Now I start eating more of my elephant. The living room/dining room are next in my sights. I need to sort through all of the Fancy Gap fabric, set up some small project boxes and get my sewing area set up. This will take me much more than a week, but I will hopefully be seeing areas that I have not seen in several months. But I am proud of my efforts so far and hope to keep it going!! Wish me luck!
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
Eating An Elephant.....
I have been busy the last few days. No, not making delicious, smokey food. If I keep trying these new recipes, I will be a much more seriously large person. Besides, I have several leftovers in the fridge that I need to consume first.
Instead, I have started eating an elephant.
Those of you who know me, understand that my artistic talents make me more prone to clutter and gathering stuff for my projects which some would say borders on hoarding. Quilters call it a stash! It also has something to do with trying to combine the stuff from 20 years at Indian Acres with the stuff from 30 plus years of being here in this little house. And all while mourning the loss of my husband who was my inspiration for doing things and being motivated.
After getting back from Fancy Gap, things got unloaded from the van and just tossed into corners and wherever things would go. Then I had obligations to get into such as the PABA dinner silent auction, the Downton Abbey Tea Party, a dental appointment and prep time for my baked beans followed by attending the first Memorial Day Bash at Indian Acres since the one after Rudy died.
In between those things, I got clothes unpacked, sorted through the boxes that are packed for the week plus trips I take a couple for times a year with things to have just in case the house I/we rent do not have those items. But the rest of the boxes, totes and space bags are all over the place and I have really, really, really got to get a handle on all of the clutter.
BUT, when you sit and look at everything around that needs to be dealt with, it is OVERWHELMING... to say the least. Somewhere along in my life I learned how to eat an elephant. Being told to eat an elephant can be very overwhelming. It is a BIG project! It is how we all feel when we try to be all to everyone, try to do too many things at one time, think we are superwomen or men when we are only human. But you can eat an elephant by taking one bite at a time. You chew the one bite, chew it well and swallow. The you take one more bite.... chew it well and swallow, etc.
So, I have started in the bedroom. I start in one tiny area, make it look the way I want, throw things out, find homes for other things and decide what might get donated or sold at a yard sale. Then I move to the next area and repeat. Progress has been made. I can see things on my dresser, I have room to get into my closet, I have actually seen carpet that has not seen the light of day since I started moving things from Maryland. It has taken most of the week, taking time in between to eat and shop or just relax, but that room is almost organized to where my robot vacuum would be able to go all around to keep the carpet cleaned.
Next is the living room/dining room. I need to get my sewing set up as I have a project I would like to get done in the next week or so. Shortly, perhaps before or more than likely after I return from Alaska, I will be clearing out the wood working room Rudy had in the basement and making it into my sewing room, which will have me moving my sewing room into that space and allowing me to take the upstairs rooms back into just living room and dining room!
It will take some time... but that is how one eats an elephant.... one little bite at a time.
Instead, I have started eating an elephant.
Those of you who know me, understand that my artistic talents make me more prone to clutter and gathering stuff for my projects which some would say borders on hoarding. Quilters call it a stash! It also has something to do with trying to combine the stuff from 20 years at Indian Acres with the stuff from 30 plus years of being here in this little house. And all while mourning the loss of my husband who was my inspiration for doing things and being motivated.
After getting back from Fancy Gap, things got unloaded from the van and just tossed into corners and wherever things would go. Then I had obligations to get into such as the PABA dinner silent auction, the Downton Abbey Tea Party, a dental appointment and prep time for my baked beans followed by attending the first Memorial Day Bash at Indian Acres since the one after Rudy died.
In between those things, I got clothes unpacked, sorted through the boxes that are packed for the week plus trips I take a couple for times a year with things to have just in case the house I/we rent do not have those items. But the rest of the boxes, totes and space bags are all over the place and I have really, really, really got to get a handle on all of the clutter.
BUT, when you sit and look at everything around that needs to be dealt with, it is OVERWHELMING... to say the least. Somewhere along in my life I learned how to eat an elephant. Being told to eat an elephant can be very overwhelming. It is a BIG project! It is how we all feel when we try to be all to everyone, try to do too many things at one time, think we are superwomen or men when we are only human. But you can eat an elephant by taking one bite at a time. You chew the one bite, chew it well and swallow. The you take one more bite.... chew it well and swallow, etc.
So, I have started in the bedroom. I start in one tiny area, make it look the way I want, throw things out, find homes for other things and decide what might get donated or sold at a yard sale. Then I move to the next area and repeat. Progress has been made. I can see things on my dresser, I have room to get into my closet, I have actually seen carpet that has not seen the light of day since I started moving things from Maryland. It has taken most of the week, taking time in between to eat and shop or just relax, but that room is almost organized to where my robot vacuum would be able to go all around to keep the carpet cleaned.
Next is the living room/dining room. I need to get my sewing set up as I have a project I would like to get done in the next week or so. Shortly, perhaps before or more than likely after I return from Alaska, I will be clearing out the wood working room Rudy had in the basement and making it into my sewing room, which will have me moving my sewing room into that space and allowing me to take the upstairs rooms back into just living room and dining room!
It will take some time... but that is how one eats an elephant.... one little bite at a time.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Not giving up...
So, after the almost disaster that was the spare ribs in the smoker, I am once again firing up the smoker and doing a beer can chicken.
I found several recipes and just needed one or two things that I did not already have. I finally found one that called for ingredients that I had on hand.
So I cleaned out the smoker (and may have ruined a new pair of white socks in the process... I either need to wear shoes or go completely barefoot when cleaning up the smoker). The water pan was nasty, even though I had covered the inside with foil. It had loosened and some of the drippings had gotten underneath. Plus, the smoke gathered on the bottom, so it was grimy. But I cleaned it up, dripping on a sock, and have now covered the entire thing with heavy duty, wide foil and will see if that is better.
I scraped blackened remains off the grate and dumped the wood ash in a bag. Ready to go.
Placed the beer can holder in a disposable aluminum pan, made up a simple rub, shoved some under the skin and all over the chicken and then shoved the chicken's butt over the holder and placed it in a pre-heated smoker. It will only cook for about an hour and a half, I will check it every half hour to make sure the water does not dry up and spray it with some moisture to keep it from charring.
I will let you know how it turns out, in the meantime, this is how it looked in the smoker.
UPDATE: I started with it on a higher temperature. After 45 minutes I checked, spritzed and lowered the temp. After 30 minutes, I checked the temps and kicked it up some. After another 30 I checked the internal temperature and it was not quite there, so I kicked it up a bit more. After a total of 2 hours and 20 minutes, it was ready.
Golden brown, crispy skin but not burned. The meat was moist and sweet with just a touch of hickory and just a hint of heat from the rub. So one real victory. This is going to be fun!!!
I found several recipes and just needed one or two things that I did not already have. I finally found one that called for ingredients that I had on hand.
So I cleaned out the smoker (and may have ruined a new pair of white socks in the process... I either need to wear shoes or go completely barefoot when cleaning up the smoker). The water pan was nasty, even though I had covered the inside with foil. It had loosened and some of the drippings had gotten underneath. Plus, the smoke gathered on the bottom, so it was grimy. But I cleaned it up, dripping on a sock, and have now covered the entire thing with heavy duty, wide foil and will see if that is better.
I scraped blackened remains off the grate and dumped the wood ash in a bag. Ready to go.
Placed the beer can holder in a disposable aluminum pan, made up a simple rub, shoved some under the skin and all over the chicken and then shoved the chicken's butt over the holder and placed it in a pre-heated smoker. It will only cook for about an hour and a half, I will check it every half hour to make sure the water does not dry up and spray it with some moisture to keep it from charring.
I will let you know how it turns out, in the meantime, this is how it looked in the smoker.
UPDATE: I started with it on a higher temperature. After 45 minutes I checked, spritzed and lowered the temp. After 30 minutes, I checked the temps and kicked it up some. After another 30 I checked the internal temperature and it was not quite there, so I kicked it up a bit more. After a total of 2 hours and 20 minutes, it was ready.
Golden brown, crispy skin but not burned. The meat was moist and sweet with just a touch of hickory and just a hint of heat from the rub. So one real victory. This is going to be fun!!!
Sunday, May 25, 2014
A Nice Beginning.......
It was a nice beginning to the 2014 Summer Season. Mary and Fuji Jansen were having a Memorial Day Bash for the Glen 8 folks. The last one was the first one after Rudy died and after that one (in 2012) there had not been a big holiday get together.
So on Thursday, I put my navy beans in to soak. Friday I added fresh water, onions, brown sugar and some meaty ham ends and placed them in the oven to bake for close to 12 hours. Saturday I moved them into a crockpot, Debby Patton came over and we headed to Indian Acres.
We stopped at Fast Eddies in Northeast, MD to get a Pit Beef with fries and a drink. Once we were inside Indian Acres, we headed to Mary Davis's house but there was no answer... she had just finished a 12 hour shift at the gate, so we let her sleep and went to Glen 8.
There we found many of my old friends. They all seemed happy to see me as I ended up hugged and kissed a great deal. We went over to see Janet Flower. We also visited with Linda and Boo-Boo Morrison to get caught up. Boo had both hips replaced in the fall so we swapped a few war stories of surgery and rehab.
We went up to the ball field and watched the softball game, leaving early to go see Mary, who had finally awakened. After our visit we headed back to Glen 8 to find the food coming out and a mad dash to find someone who could let Marji and Danny in. Janet went down and got them in, so they joined the party as did Mary and the Flowers. To my surprise, the food began being cooked pretty much on time so Mary got enjoy some food before going back to work at the gate.
It was really, really fun to see everyone and to spend the time with Debby. I was home and in bed by 10:30 PM. I am wondering when the party ended. When Rudy and I were in charge, many parties went way into the next morning. But the new owners of my house were not there and it was the first time they had experienced a Glen 8 bash. I will be curious to hear how late things went.
Today I am using my smoker for the first time. I decided to do a rack of ribs on it I seasoned the ribs with a rub and some brown sugar. I wrapped them in foil as they got to room temperature.
At around noon, I started the smoker up to get to temperature.
The bucket is holding a combination of hickory and mesquite wood, soaking in water flavored with garlic powder. Once up to the temp, I cut the rack in two and put them inside.
Then I placed water in the water pan and wood chunks in the bottom pan and closed the door. I check the temp from time to time and added water. Should be ready by 5:00 PM, cooking at 200 degrees give or take a degree. It is my first attempt, but I really like smoked meats, so I am determined to get a handle on this to add a new layer to my cooking. Looking forward to some smoked turkey, smoked beef brisket and even some smoked beer can chicken. This is going to be a really fun summer!
UPDATE:
Not perfect but not bad.... they looked worse than they were. They were BLACK when I checked them, but the black on the top was due to smoke... the black on the bottom was a bit more dry/burned. But I got some lovely, tasty meat from the ribs, so I am going to call this one a fairly good learning day. Next time, the smoker will be at a little lower temperature, I will not cook them quite as long. If the smoker were full, it might have taken longer. Tomorrow will be the beer can chicken. Yum!!
So on Thursday, I put my navy beans in to soak. Friday I added fresh water, onions, brown sugar and some meaty ham ends and placed them in the oven to bake for close to 12 hours. Saturday I moved them into a crockpot, Debby Patton came over and we headed to Indian Acres.
We stopped at Fast Eddies in Northeast, MD to get a Pit Beef with fries and a drink. Once we were inside Indian Acres, we headed to Mary Davis's house but there was no answer... she had just finished a 12 hour shift at the gate, so we let her sleep and went to Glen 8.
There we found many of my old friends. They all seemed happy to see me as I ended up hugged and kissed a great deal. We went over to see Janet Flower. We also visited with Linda and Boo-Boo Morrison to get caught up. Boo had both hips replaced in the fall so we swapped a few war stories of surgery and rehab.
We went up to the ball field and watched the softball game, leaving early to go see Mary, who had finally awakened. After our visit we headed back to Glen 8 to find the food coming out and a mad dash to find someone who could let Marji and Danny in. Janet went down and got them in, so they joined the party as did Mary and the Flowers. To my surprise, the food began being cooked pretty much on time so Mary got enjoy some food before going back to work at the gate.
It was really, really fun to see everyone and to spend the time with Debby. I was home and in bed by 10:30 PM. I am wondering when the party ended. When Rudy and I were in charge, many parties went way into the next morning. But the new owners of my house were not there and it was the first time they had experienced a Glen 8 bash. I will be curious to hear how late things went.
Today I am using my smoker for the first time. I decided to do a rack of ribs on it I seasoned the ribs with a rub and some brown sugar. I wrapped them in foil as they got to room temperature.
At around noon, I started the smoker up to get to temperature.
The bucket is holding a combination of hickory and mesquite wood, soaking in water flavored with garlic powder. Once up to the temp, I cut the rack in two and put them inside.
Not perfect but not bad.... they looked worse than they were. They were BLACK when I checked them, but the black on the top was due to smoke... the black on the bottom was a bit more dry/burned. But I got some lovely, tasty meat from the ribs, so I am going to call this one a fairly good learning day. Next time, the smoker will be at a little lower temperature, I will not cook them quite as long. If the smoker were full, it might have taken longer. Tomorrow will be the beer can chicken. Yum!!
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Back to Reality
I have returned, reluctantly, from Fancy Gap, VA. I had gone there around the middle of April and returned some 30 days later. I had a friend with me the entire month and others who came and went from the Chalet I had rented. It was 30 days of heaven with stunning views, friendly people and an easy way of living.
I managed to create two beautiful quilt tops while I was there and made some cute table runners, several of which were left behind for future tenants. I found many lovely fabric shops, a delightful dress shop and discovered some of the wonderful and rich history of the area. I have a deposit already placed for another month next year around the same time.
But I am back among the reality that is my life. I immediately dove into the PABA dinner that was the Friday night after we got back, helping to set up the silent auction. Saturday was a Downton Abbey Tea Party at Beale Manor. Sunday was a vain attempt to help a friend get access to her Incredimail on a new Windows 8.1 computer. None of the passwords that she had written down for her accounts were working, so she is going to have to contact their customer services to get them reset.
Monday was a scheduled dental cleaning. Tuesday I took the quilt tops I made in Fancy Gap to my quilter in Delaware and then had lunch with my friends Mary, who I had not seen since last October. Today was going to the bank for deposits and then to Home Depot to rplace a gas grill that was falling apart and to buy a gas smoker as I really enjoy slow roasting ribs and turkeys/chickens while smoking them with delightful flavors.
I have a to-do list that I am slowly crossing things off of and in need of getting back to sewing.
SO, I am back and back to posting in my usual blog. There are lots of pictures and details on the travel web site, so if you want to see why I am reluctant to be back.
NOW, I just need to find someone to help me get the boxes with the smoker and grill out of the back of my van so I can put them together and start using them.....!!
I managed to create two beautiful quilt tops while I was there and made some cute table runners, several of which were left behind for future tenants. I found many lovely fabric shops, a delightful dress shop and discovered some of the wonderful and rich history of the area. I have a deposit already placed for another month next year around the same time.
But I am back among the reality that is my life. I immediately dove into the PABA dinner that was the Friday night after we got back, helping to set up the silent auction. Saturday was a Downton Abbey Tea Party at Beale Manor. Sunday was a vain attempt to help a friend get access to her Incredimail on a new Windows 8.1 computer. None of the passwords that she had written down for her accounts were working, so she is going to have to contact their customer services to get them reset.
Monday was a scheduled dental cleaning. Tuesday I took the quilt tops I made in Fancy Gap to my quilter in Delaware and then had lunch with my friends Mary, who I had not seen since last October. Today was going to the bank for deposits and then to Home Depot to rplace a gas grill that was falling apart and to buy a gas smoker as I really enjoy slow roasting ribs and turkeys/chickens while smoking them with delightful flavors.
I have a to-do list that I am slowly crossing things off of and in need of getting back to sewing.
SO, I am back and back to posting in my usual blog. There are lots of pictures and details on the travel web site, so if you want to see why I am reluctant to be back.
NOW, I just need to find someone to help me get the boxes with the smoker and grill out of the back of my van so I can put them together and start using them.....!!
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