Sounds of Rain

It is raining right now which is an oddity in Phoenix. The higher elevations in the state are expecting heavy snow and some flash flood warnings have been issued for the area. It reminds me of Indiana and winter storm warnings. You might think it is just rain for heavens sake but you have to know the area to understand why panic sets in when it does rain. When it rains very hard for a period of time, the run off has no place to go and all the "washes" fill with water and flood homes, etc. When you look for a place to live, one of the most important things to look for is there a "wash" close by and does it flood. There are canal systems in and around Phoenix but sometimes even those do not work when the rain is heavy.

Anyway, I am sort of enjoying the sound of rain. The rain is coming straight down so I can have my windows open. Makes me want to take a nap. The rain is forecast to continue overnight so maybe I will be able to hear that wonderful sound. On second thought, do I want to nap because of the rain or is it because I am getting older and need more rest. lol

A Prayer

This was sent to me by a very good friend.

Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.

Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God.

And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -- to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank you that I believe.

I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.

This is my prayer. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

My New Life

I am getting settled in my new place. Thursday we moved a couch and coffee table into my apartment. I am using the couch for a bed until I can get one. I got my computer moved. My son setup a wireless network in his apartment (right downstairs from me) and I get Internet connection in mine. Thank you God for that. I will not have to pay for the connection. Frank loaned me a television and I will get cable as soon as I can. Right now I have the local channels and that has been good. I may decide not to get cable because I hardly ever watched those channels anyway. We'll see. We went shopping Friday afternoon. Went to the 99 cent store and boy does a dollar go a long way. Nothing in the store cost more than 99 cents. I got supplies for the kitchen. We went to Tuesday Morning and I bought a coat (we need them at night now) and a mixer there. Hit the Family Dollar Store for a shower curtain, some snacks and condiments.

This morning, I got up, had coffee and toast, got dressed and walked to Walgreens, McDonalds and the grocery store. Came back home and turned on the TV, parked myself on the couch and watched football and snacked all afternoon. I managed to get in a nap. I just got dressed for bed and guess what, there is another football game and I am ready to lay back, cover up, get nice and toasty and watch the game. Probably will fall asleep but I can do that if I want. As you can see I am enjoying my new place and the freedom to do what I want, the way I want it. I am thankful for the things that I do have and for the new beginning. Thank you God.

Thanksgiving and New Apartment

I officially got my keys to my new home (condo/apt) yesterday. Moving was really quick since I do not have furniture right now. I have my clothes and some things for the kitchen and I have list a mile long. Thank goodness for the 99 cent store, Goodwill, St. Vincent DePaul and Family Attic Thrift Store. I am big on saving money and these stores here have really good things plus half price days, senior days and some make deals with you. My son is going to move their couch upstairs (it makes a bed) while they do some remodeling on their unit. The first major problem occurred this morning about 4am when I discovered the refrigerator was not working, neither is the washer and a couple of outlets in the dining area. We checked the breakers and they were tripped. I can live without the washer for a few days but the refrigerator is a must. We resorted to using a heavy duty extension cord and plugging into an outlet in the living room until the electric issue can be resolved. I slept there last night on the floor. It wasn't too bad but will be glad to get the couch up there and best of all a bed.

We have not eaten Thanksgiving dinner. There are guests driving up from Tuscon (they are on the way, thank you very much because I am starving). The menu is turkey, dressing, smoked brisket, mashed potatoes, gravy, potato salad, deviled eggs, rice with apples and cranberries, passion fruit cranberry sauce (homemade - will give the recipe at the end), rolls, pies, red velvet cake. I know I missed something and have made myself even hungrier than I was.

Recipe - Passion Fruit Cranberry Sauce

1 lb Fresh/Frozen Cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Passion Fruit pulp
3/4 cup water

Simmer 20 minutes

Passion Fruit

Yummy Yummy!!!!

I wrote this to Jeni but decided to use it as a post about dinner last night. I am including three receipes that are Yummy Yummy!!!!

We had turkey, dressing with chestnuts, gravy, mashed potatoes, yams with pecans and pineapple, green beans, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls, apple and pumpkin pie, fudge pie (my mother use to make this), pina colada cake. The other things were pretty much standard items. Needless to say, I ate too much.

Today my son is smoking a turkey infused with Cajun season, red beans and rice, dirty rice, greens and we still have a pina colada cake and fudge pie (made extra yesterday). I am so hungry I could eat a horse right now. lol Thursday they are cooking the typical Thanksgiving dinner and having a couple of people over to eat.

I met 5 new people last night and all of them were "normal". I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and fellowship for a change. Frank (he had the dinner last night) has things he is going to give me for the apartment ( I have a new place and will be moving shortly). A set of flatware, wine glasses, electric jar opener, Windex cleaner and he is going to let me use a TV he has in his bedroom that he does not watch. So it seems that things are beginning to come together.

Receipes You Might Like

FUDGE PIE

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Unfold pie crust; fit into 9 inch pie pan. Prebake crust according to package directions. Remove from oven.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Beat together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, butter or margarine, eggs and vanilla in a medium-size bowl. Spoon into pie shell.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can add some fresh fruit (strawberries, yum) on top with the other stuff.


Piña Colada Cake and Frosting

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 (approx. 18.25 ounces) box white cake mix
1 small package (4 serving size) coconut instant pudding mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup dark rum
4 eggs
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup flaked coconut

Drizzle:
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners sugar


Frosting:
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1/3 cup dark rum
1 small package (4 serving size) coconut instant pudding mix
1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip
coconut to taste, toast* if desired

PREPARATION:
Cake:
Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch pan or two round 8-inch layer cake pans. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix cake mix, pudding, oil, water and rum. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Stir in pineapple then fold in coconut. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.


Drizzle:
While cake is still warm, combine drizzle ingredients. Use a spoon and soak the layers with the mixture twice. May be extra drizzle. Just make sure the cake layers are wet.

Frosting:
Mix crushed pineapple, rum, and coconut instant pudding. Beat until it thickens. Fold in 1 container of Cool Whip. Frost cake and sprinkle top with coconut or toasted coconut.
To toast coconut: Spread coconut in shallow pan. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.

Yams with Pecans and Pineapple
Use canned yams and mash them up. Add pecans and pineapple to taste and heat as usual. His were not topped but you could put cool whip on top or melted marshmallows.

Weekend

Here's hoping every one has a good weekend. We are going to the next door neighbor's house for dinner tonight. He is having Thanksgiving dinner early because he is going to visit his sister next week. He is a good cook and I can hardly wait until it is time to eat. I cannot decide if I should eat any lunch (diiner will not be served until 7:30 PM) so I can have plenty of room for good food. lol I am so hungry right now thinking and writing about food, that the question has been answered, it is time for some lunch.

View From My Window

As of December 1st, this will be the view from my dining room window. Squaw Peak at its best. I am planning on getting a recliner so I can sit and enjoy the view. I may have to get a recliner that swivels since the view from the living room window is almost as good.

Aging Quotes

There is always a lot to be thankful for, if you take the time to look. For example, I'm sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt. ~Author Unknown

Youth is a disease from which we all recover. ~Dorothy Fulheim

There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age - I missed it coming and going. ~J.B. Priestly

I still have a full deck; I just shuffle slower now. ~Author Unknown

Age is a high price to pay for maturity. ~Tom Stoppard

I Am Getting Old - Part Twenty-six

I am getting old because…Somehow, I twisted my knee last Friday and being the optimist I am (when it comes to aches and pains and there are millions of them now lol), I assumed it would quit hurting, I could walk and everything would be okay. How wrong can someone be? It is now Tuesday afternoon and the pain has only increased. It hurts to walk unless I stiffen the entire right leg, then it only hurts a little bit and I look funny when I walk. (Shades of Chester from the old TV show, Gunsmoke.) I have been taking Ibuprofen and that is not working very well. The pain is starting to gravitate up my thigh to my hip, probably because of the funny way I am walking.

I just started to look for a doctor in the area and have not had much success since there are lots of doctors here who do not accept Medicare, which I find hard to believe and is a story of its own. This may just accelerate the search or else I will have to go to the emergency room, and I really do not really want to. A trip to the ER may have an up side since a doctor would probably want x-rays and that would mean a second trip to the x-ray place. In either case, I think I need to get it treated. When I put my hand on the knee cap, I can feel “something” moving inside and I can “hear” the movement. It is hard to explain.

Enough about the knee for now and on to the hunt for my next topic which is, WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR SKIN WHEN IT AGES?. I always wondered why my mother had so many scrapes and bruises as she got older. Now I think I know. It seems the skin must get thinner as you age and is easier to scrape and bruise. It only takes a small pressure to damage the skin. Most of the time, I am not even sure how or when it happened. I was shopping the other night and the side of my leg started to itch. I scratched the spot (through my slacks) and that night when I dressed for bed, you should have seen what had happened to my leg. There is an injury about 3 inches long, 2 inches wide with red marks (I call them blood blisters) and bruising. Evidently, I am not aware of my own strength. lol I found a small scrape on the side of my arm. There are so many of these “injuries”, I am afraid that the doctors will think I have been beaten if I make the trip to the ER and a few months ago that may have been true.

I am not complaining. I am grateful that I still have my limbs and my skin. A few aches and pains are nothing compared to what others must feel when they lose a limb or burn their skin. I am very fortunate.

This Weekend

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Mine was good. Bil, my son, and Larry went to a gumbo cook off on Sunday and I had the afternoon to myself. I watched football, took a nap, and cleaned the kitchen. The kitchen was a must since Bil had cooked all Saturday night and Sunday morning. Do you know how much 6 gallons of gumbo looks like and what a mess it is to cook? Bil makes his own roux which was a requirement for the contest and then adds everything but the kitchen sink. Just kidding, he did not put the in sink. Bil and Larry are both chefs and we have terrific meals. I am not a shabby cook but leave most of that to them since we tend to eat different types of food. I have tried more new dishes in the past months than I can count. Something must have happened to my taste buds because I am eating things I never thought would pass through my lips and believe it or not, I really like the taste. We eat healthy, lots of chicken and vegetables. Grilled, baked, steamed food, or dishes cooked in the crock pot. The dish last night was spinach and mushroom lasagna with a white sauce. Yes, it was as good as it sounds.

I cannot believe it is November 6th already. It is still very warm here and is deceiving. Makes it difficult to believe our fall is almost over because it is so warm. I saw the weather forecast for the midwest, cold and snowy. Cannot say I miss it at all. Maybe at some time I will but for now I enjoy wearing shorts in November.