For Today ... Halloween, October 31 2016

 

For Today ... Halloween, October 31 2016

Howdy.... Well. Today is Halloween.
I did not carve a pumpkin this year... I am trying to remember the last time I didn't carve a pumpkin for Halloween. Even when we lived in a motel room, I carved and placed pumpkins at the doorway. What can I say, I'm still very much a kid in my heart.

I have decorated for the season. I have up garlands of fall colored leaves, and scarecrows and such. I am looking toward putting away the "Halloween" decorations though. I have a few things that I'll be putting away on tomorrow, but I'll leave the truly "Fall" stuff up for a while longer. I will put away the Scarecrows and Spiders but leave up the leaves.

I'm even trying to make a few plans for next years' Halloween season. I want at least 4 pumpkins to carve, and more stuff Outside.

I'm ready to start focusing on Thanksgiving now. Even though I am not sure where we will spend the day. Heather has already said that she's planning on working as many hours as she can that day, cause it's time and a half. I don't blame her on that one bit. WE do need to get with David and Jamie to see if/when they want to come to Dunlap, of if we could some to their place for a day. Either way, I want their Christmas Gifts bought and wrapped to give to them. Because last year, we had planned on getting together on Christmas afternoon, but there was snow on their mountain and it was too dangerous for them to risk the trip to Dunlap. Plus I want to find a nice gift for Jamie's son.

I think I'll have to get out the printer and print off a few "Thanksgiving" graphics on some card stock and use them like posters on the walls and on the command hooks I have put on the wall just for this reason. About the only truly "Thanksgiving" item I have is a Puffy Turkey with a "Spinner" under it. I really don't have a good place inside to keep it and I don't want to ruin it by leaving it outside in the weather for a month.

This weather is just Crazy. We are set to break the record high of today (In Chattanooga that is) with a high of 86, with the record being 84. Here in Dunlap we expect to have a high of 84. I had to turn on the heat to break the chill this morning, and by this afternoon, I will have to turn on the air to be comfortable.

The dogs love this weather. They get to go outside and enjoy a few minutes doing what dogs do. sniffing the air. Looking around, Checking out the walk across the creek. Trying to find out what the birds and squirrel have been up to.. and just in general being dogs. Barney has been trying to sneak out a ball, then wants to play. His way of playing is to drop it just out of reach, then snatch it up if I get even remotely close to it, only to drop it again... if I stop reaching for it, he will get closer, or he will start dropping it on the toe of my shoe.  If we are inside and he keeps this up, the easiest way to stop him, is to just give the ball to Macon.  Macon does not want to play ball, but he will act like he wants to play and will raise his head as if he's going to catch the ball if it's tossed toward him. but what he is really wanting is for us to give him the ball. He will give it back, if we ask him to, but his "joy", is to keep that ball away from Barney. As soon as Macon gets the ball, Barney will glare at him, then look at one of us, as if asking for us to get it back for him, then will glare at Macon again.  After awhile Macon will give the ball back, and then Barney will go hide, with the ball, under the table.  Rocky loves to take the caps off of plastic bottles, but Barney is always trying to steal those bottles away from him.  Rock will go to a corner and turn his back on all of us while he's working on getting that cap, and the ring, off of a bottle. Once he's done doing that, He'll let Barney have to bottle and, again, Barney will just glare... because he wanted to take the cap off.. And it does no good, to try to put it back on the bottle, Rocky makes sure it won't fit any more. Some times, Barney will remove the labels  but he's not been doing that in the last few weeks.

Tonight I am going to make Chicken Alfredo for Dinner.
We will have a salad to start with, I'll be adding some vegetables to a bagged salad after Jerry goes back out.  I will cook chicken Breast in a Cast Iron Skillet, then pour a can of Cream of Chicken soup over the chicken when it's fully cooked and allow to simmer on a low flame. for at least 10 minutes. I will prepare a box of Alfredo Noodles and then serve the chicken on top of the noodles. I have a frozen package of "Steam in the bag" seasoned Vegetables that I'm thinking of fixing for myself and will Fix Jerry some peas. I'm just not all that fond of canned peas and Jerry doesn't like frozen vegetables.

I've been catching up on some old stuff we recorded a couple of weeks ago on the DVR. I even re-watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" this morning. I did  have on "Larry's Country Diner" from RDF TV, but just changed it to the news.  Did you read my face-book?  I had heard that there was going to be a Drill at the high school and told Jerry about it before he left for work last Thursday.. It was suppose to be in the morning and when he came in for lunch.. said he never saw or heard anything about the drill... well, it seams that one of the School maintenance  people had a medical emergency and the Helicopter  was needed to take him to the hospital in Chattanooga. The "drill" turned into a real thing.. The drill will be re-scheduled for in a few weeks.
Today I am wearing a Halloween/Fall hemmed T-shirt that Donna Gifted me a few years ago. I am trying my best to take care of it. I wore it to the last home game, a couple of weeks ago. I'll be putting it in with all our Halloween items, after I wash and iron it. I have on gray sweat pants, a orange bandana and black Rose earrings.  I love to try to "dress" a bit for Halloween.
A few plans for today... After Lunch, cleaning up from that, then straightening up the Dining room and Living  room. then I want to find a UFO (Un-Finished Object) to work on for the rest of the day.
A few plans for the rest of the week... Putting away the Spooky stuff, but keeping out the Fall stuff.  I may get out the printer and print off a few Thanksgiving things to decorate with.

 

 

 

 

 

Billie C.


Your hand and your mouth agreed many years ago that, as far
as chocolate is concerned, there is no need to involve your
brain.
- Dave Barry (1947-)




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10 27 16 notes

For Today ... October 27
Jerry is working today at the Church and I have gotten a lot more cleaning down.  I Still have the dining table benches and table to clear off, but that won't take me too long. I have swept the floors, dusted the walls and picked up and put away all day so far. I have washed dishes, made Chicken Noodle soup, then, after Jerry left made another batch of soup, to put in the freezer in two containers. I made pudding for our dessert tonight. I colored the bottom layer in orange, Middle is green and the top layer is purple.  I thought we could use a little fun with our dessert tonight.
I have had the air on all day. It's been a bit warm all day long.  Very unusual for the end of October. With every Breezy burst I hear more dry leaves hitting the top of the camper. The leaves are falling so fast the it still looks green instead of full of Oranges, Yellows and Reds of fall on the Trees.  I expect that, one morning soon, I'll walk outside and I'll just see bare limbs instead of any colors at all.  I have been wearing short sleeved tops all week long. Today I have on one with a horse on it.  (no surprise there)
I'll have to take the dogs out again soon. They are laying under my feet right now, after having spent almost all day either in the bunk room or on our bed.  Barney wants to play "Ball". He likes to bring it to me, then play keep-a-way with me.  He will do the same thing to Jerry.
I have been catching up with all the Y&R shows I have DVR-ed.  Many times over the last few weeks, we have left in the middle of each show and I can now catch up with it.  I still have about 8 shows to go before I am all caught up. 
I have been wearing my "Halloween" earrings this week. First was the Witchy Owls, then Yesterday, I wore Ghost with Bells and today is Black Cats.  I have at least two other Owl sets of earrings to find and wear.

 

 

Billie C.

Good Morning

Good Morning

 

 I have taken the dogs out for first morning potty

 

I have turned on the hot water tank so I can shower and do the dishes before he gets home around 11 for lunch. Jerry will get about and hour for lunch. and may or may not work 8 hours today. To say this is a very laid back job is an understatement.  To him, it's a JOB, to the others, it's their time toward their church. For me. It's Jerry getting a few hours out of the camper so I can catch up with the cleaning.

Yesterday, I cleaned off the table and put away things that had been out for too long. I don't know if I'm going to clear the bench on the otherside of the table or not uet... dpends on how I feel when I get that far.. Most of it is stuff that Jerry put there. He sits on the couch and just has to reach over the back of the bench to put things there. They end up out of sight, out of mind. To him, they are put up, to me, the are not seen so I assume Jerry is going to want what ever it is, soon.  (I'm talking myself into cleaning it up, can you tell?)

I put the fold up table by the dining room table over a week ago. I only meant for it to be there for one day... (15 days later) I cleared it off three times yesterday, then it was piled up on just as quickly.. but I think I can not clean it off and take it down until I'm ready to craft something. 

 

Wow.. Halloween is so close now. I now have so much more stuff that I'm thinking of putting all the fall/Halloween items into just one tub, to make it so much easier to decorate nest year. But where to store it for a year... I can put it into storage but if we move, that tub will not be put in the camper.  Which means I "could" buy more Fall/Halloween/Thanksgtving stuff next year.

Remember when I said we found a Chest of Drawers? Jerry put it in storage Saturday, while I was home cooking.... I went to storage with him yesterday.. and it's in the middle of the only walkway we have in storage. (sigh) I took an almost empty tub to storage and had planned on filling it with material since that is what I had in it. I just placed the tub inside, placed my jewelry making box in storage (Temporary for now) and then got back in the truck while Jerry was searching for things to use on this job. I had a nice short nap while he was searching.

 

After I clean up the "Living" areas of the camper, I need to sort through some stuff in the bunk room (Dogs room) and send more stuff to storage. Yeah, we both have a tendincy to just pile things in there.

 

Billie C.

Hello

Hello.  Halloween is just around the corner and I've been working at making our camper look ready for the fun.  Outside we have lights around both doors and an Owl door hanging on the front door. A Spider on the propane tanks were it can be seen. Inside I have Scarecrows, witches and pumpkins.. A Small display under the TV with a skull, a marble on a candle stick, a couple of fake gourd and  couple of candles. Along the upper edge of the slide out are two garlands of leaves. Above the small window by the couch is a rat with an orange and black bow on it's neck.A brown antique bottle is within the confines of it's tail. Above the couch, is a sequined owl A Fall wreath is at the Dinning room window and over the small window  small scarecrows, a Fun Foam Skull and a small leaf pick that Jackie sent me in one of her very lovely cards she sent me.

In the kitchen area are pot holders, a scarecrow's head and Halloween themed towels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billie C.

Billie's notes for the day...

Outside my door ... It's been very nice outside. I sat outside for a little while, after mopping the floors in here.  The rest of this week is suppose to just as nice. I saw an old grill when we went to the trash bins, but when we went back were told we couldn't have it because other stuff had been placed on it.  I would have loved that grill because we could have removed the legs off of it and turned it into a small fireplace that we could cover with the top to it.  Maybe we will see another one and Jerry can snag it if it's not covered with something else.  I know there is not dumpster diving allowed, but people are still allowed to pick a few things out.. If the woman is ther though, she gets a bit brusk if you ask if you can take something. So much so that I have been tempted to ask Jerry to go to one that is just outside of town.

 

 

 

The Dogs ... Loved it that I had them get on the bed when I mopped the floors.  I needed them out of my way.  Jerry took them for a quick walk before I mopped.  It's been so nice that the doors have been open all day long. I hate to have to turn on the heat and I'm thinking of not turning it on tonight but waiting until in the morning and turn it on if we need it, when I wake up. Barney has loved this weather and will run amok as far as the lead will allow a few times before he comes to the door to get back inside. Macon has been rolling in the grass and sand and has to shake off before he is allowed back in. Rock either turns around and around on his bottom or just finds a sunny plac and lays down in it.

 

From the kitchen... Well, it's a toss up between Hot dogs and fries and salad, Smoked Sausage and potatoes and green beand and salad or we wait for Faithe to call and set up a time to meet them at Pizza King, the local pizza place here in town. She is suppose to call me back and let me know about when to meet them there..
I am hearing... The fan in the kitchen area, and the fan under the tv that blows onto the couch and the dogs shifting from one side to another or Jerry snoring as he sleeps sitting up on the couch. No wonder he doesn't sleep at night but wants to read... he's sleeping too much during the day. still waiting for a phone call on a job...

 

I am wearing... Dark brown sweat pants and a yellowish Tshirt with a print of Native American's dancing around a fire.

 

I am hoping... That Jerry gets a phone call very soon on a job, anywhere close enough we can move there.

 

I am creating... I've been decorating for Halloween yesterday and today.  It was outside yesterday and inside today. I put some leaf garland around the top of the edge of the slid-out.

 

 I put a rat and orange lantern on the cornace over the small window in the living room area, and fixed the back of a silloette of a witch on a broom. The witch is black the bottom of the broom is orange as well as a band on her hat. I used hot glue to attach a wooden tooth pick on the back side where the end of her dress had folded over.

 

 

  I put a skull under the TV on top of the Dish Reciver as well as three plastic gourds and I put a large green glass Marble in a short candle stick to the side of the reciever.

 

I put up some pot holders and next is putting out the Fall and Halloween kitchen towels.

 

  

 

 

 

One of my favorite things... Is watching the animals around here. Today there was a squirrel chasing another squirrel and then a crow came down and chased both of them into the trees.
A few plans for today... Well, the day is almost over.  Only plans are still in the works for dinner plans. I may call Faithe in a little bit to see if they are going to come here and meet up for dinner of if they have changed their minds about it. Either way, we got it covered.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week... I need to deep clean the bunk rooms and send a few things to storage for a while. Praying every day that Jerry gets a phone call on a job to go to.  Find the rest of our Halloween stuff and either put it out or put it away.

 

Billie C.

Jack-O'- Lantern Cheese Ball

Jack-O'- Lantern Cheese Ball

 

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup pineapple preserves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large pretzel rod, broken in half
4-ounces cream cheese, softened
Dark rye bread
Red pepper
Black olive slices
Parsley sprigs
Assorted crackers

 

Beat cheeses, pumpkin, preserves and spices in medium bowl until
smooth. Cover refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until cheese is firm enough
to shape.
Shape mixture into round pumpkin, place on serving plate.Using a
knife, score vertical lines down pumpkin. Place pretzel rod in top
for stem. Cut bread into triangles for eyes, cut red pepper into
triangle for nose, and cut olives in half to make the mouth.
Surround with parsley.
Serve with assorted crackers.
Serves 8 to 10.

 

Billie C.

Maple Walnut Pie

Maple Walnut Pie
1 - 9" pie or 16 tarts

 

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup maple sugar or brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. flour
Pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 - 9" pie shell or 16 tart shells
Preheat oven to 425'F. (325' for tarts).
Mix filling and spoon into pie or tart shell/s.
Bake pie 10 minutes @ 425' and then lower temp to 375' and bake 35 minutes
more. (For tarts, bake 40 minutes at 325'F.)

 

Billie C.

Colors,, Colors ... every where..

I have too many boxes in storage and I need to go through them all. Big boxes, small boxes and tubs. We went to storage but I fell alseep in the truck while Hubby was sorting through his stuff.

 

 

Two packs of Fun Foam, missing a couple of sheets I had used on a craft so long ago I can't even remember what it was..

 

And all my color Sharpie markers. I will have to see if any of them have dried out or not.

 

You will be surprised how quickly this multiply when your buying one or two at a time.  And there are still some colors I want to pick up.

 

 

I needed One black Sharpie with a thick line and one with a thin one.  I now have more than enough to mark just about anything I need marked. And the bag under it is Tulip fabric markers and Sharpies for Fabric.

 

**************

 

I have gone through some patterns and put them in order of sizes... but Not the one I was looking for.  That's okay. I have 8 months to find and make the outfit I want to wear to our son's wedding. They are having a Hillbilly wedding.  I am looking forward to seeing them get hitched.

 

********************

I have about 4 boxes to take back to storage, because it's close. I have to go through the whole bunk room and sort it out.  Just not sure if I want to take most all of the craft things to storage or just a few things that are not going to be used in the near future.

 

***************************

 

 

 

 

Billie C.

Happy Birthday to Me

Hello. Today is My birthday. I am enjoying the day with my husband. I think that our daughter has made some plans for us to get together ,after her kids get out of school.

 

It's a great day and I'm going to enjoy it

 

 

 

Billie C.