didn't hear it raining

during the night, but the streets were all wet this morning.....no clouds and not much wind at sunrise....and not too cold really, just around 50 degrees......might get into the 60s for the high today.....I heated up the curry last night in a pan, put an egg in it to kick it up a notch.....going over to CVS shortly to look for a 2012 wall calendar for the kitchen.....that's where I've been finding them the last couple of years.....the kind with scenic views from national parks.....and I'll check and see if they have cashews at a good price like they do sometimes.....get some for my snack mix for this evening.....no movies again last night, was reading a library book some and also reading something on kindle.....not at the same time, but alternating if you see what I mean......I don't think I need to buy a cover for the kindle, since I never go anywhere so I probably won't take it out of the house much.....there's the Sun Bowl on a channel I get this afternoon.....haven't seen any bowl games yet with no ESPN.....maybe I'll stay awake long enough to watch the ball drop in NYC....for supper I'll do that bratwurst, potato, apple skillet.....I'll have a little piece of country ham with my french toast in the morning, and wait for the Rose Parade to come on.....

e-reader

Got the Kindle Touch in the mail, and as usual with any new tech toy I couldn't get it to work for a couple of hours since the instructions they give you with such things always assume some steps are obvious, when they aren't to me.......but eventually I got a couple of free books into it and am gradually getting the touch screen to work for me.....colder today than they said it would be, more clouds than they were predicting.....had the last of the smoked turkey for lunch.....walked over to a cafe on Musgrove to use their wi-fi and get a cup of coffee.....the owner there went to Helix High School in Le Mesa, so he never lets me pay for coffee, since Helix and Monte Vista were in the same league back in our school days.....his signal hits out on the sidewalk too.....I just wanted to see how the thing did wireless......I've got leftover pork curry for supper I suppose....just about finished a good Vernor Vinge book.....2:30 and it's getting dark enough from the clouds that I'll need to turn the lamp on to read some more.....

walked twice as far

as usual after lunch today....maybe make up for that day earlier when it rained.....according to the tracking number for the Kindle it is already at the Clinton Post Office, should get to me tomorrow I guess, a week earlier than their initial expected delivery date.....my wi-fi is "corrupted" according to phone company tech support, but the Kindle stuff says you can download content via the included usb cable, which is also the charging cable.....and the library has wi-fi and lends e-books .......we'll get this figured out..... I use ethernet cables for my laptop and roku box......the radio that CSX uses to trigger the crossing arms at the train tracks can blitz the wi-fi band anyway, so I was never very happy with the radio link idea even when it was more or less working.....there's a big CSX antenna a couple of blocks from here.....in theory this shouldn't happen, but there's always the problem of resonant frequencies, as I learned working with that kind of stuff at Radio Shack....FCC warning label: This device must not emit RFI , but may receive RFI (Radio Frequency Interference).....

Blue Hose Black Knights

not a song title.....PC beat Army last night, over there about half-way to the grocery store.....27 degrees here at dawn, heavy frost.....clear, calm.....we should all strive to be clear and calm.....so I'll wait a while before going on another walk, see if it warms up out of the 30s.....the weatherman is saying that a cold snap is coming with the new year, highs in the 40s next week, lows in the 20s Upstate....in the teens in the mountains.....tasty curry last night.....this morning it still had a curry smell in the foyer or entrance hall, where the down-draft is for the central heat....cooking odors always get sucked there ......didn't watch any movies last night, am trying to get through the library books stacked on the end table.....and next week I should get the Kindle Touch, and have all the reading material I desire, is what they advertise.....eight chili dogs for $2.75.....Bi-Lo had weiners for a buck, and buns for a buck, and that good chili-dog type chili for .75 a can.....not Texas Pete, but the east coast kind....forget the name at the moment.....I think I still have turkey for one more sandwich too.....so, cheap lunches this week.....

icy wind

must be coming over the mountains where they got a little snow lately.....so I'm going to sit and read the Clinton paper instead of going out walking right now....I did get the park walk done yesterday between spells of wind and rain.....and I got my shopping done fairly early today, including the gas station.....I've got food left from last week, so my grocery bill was lighter than usual.....got the stuff for New Year.....got a slice of country ham to flavor my little batch of black-eyed peas....today I'll use up the last pork chop to make pork rice curry with onion and garlic.....got a potato to make a skillet supper with sliced bratwurst, sliced potato, fried apples......got a can of corn chowder for an easy meal one day.....remembered more snack crackers so I can finish off the cheese-ball with champagne staying up late Saturday.....don't know how late, haven't made it all the way to midnight the last couple of years I don't think....so it's clear and bright today, but was freezing at sunrise, and not much warmer now.....

wet, cold, dark

two hours after sunrise and the street lights are still on....I think it started raining hard around two in the morning.....drove over to get the paper this morning, no cars or customers at the gas station/store.......so I'm holed up in the living room with all the lights on and the electric stove going.....tomorrow I need to go for groceries and gasoline.....actually I have food left for several days, but I would need to go before the weekend, so I may as well go my usual day.....maybe buy something for New Year, like the cornbread and black-eyed peas.....I might already have cornbread in the cupboard.....get some cheap champagne, like Andre.....I can have banger-and-mash this evening.....still making smoked turkey sandwiches for lunch.....still have at least half of that cheese ball, 'bout out of crackers, need to remember those at the store....still plenty of snax mix.....still raining right now, don't know if I'll get a chance to do much walking or not.....

why?

Of all questions, why? is the least pertinent. It begs the question; it assumes the larger part of its own response; to wit, that a sensible response exists. from Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance

jack frost

nipping at your nose.....folks dressed up like eskimos.....etc.....cold clear calm....the second day of Christmas....the Feast of St. Stephen? Boxing Day is a holiday on this side of the pond this year too....sort of....a federal holiday anyway.....yesterday went well with the relatives, pretty mellow, everybody tired out looking from the Season I think.....I ordered a Kindle Touch.....talked on Skype to David and Tree.....I'm getting behind on reading my library books.....after reading for a little while I find my eyes closing, starting to nod off.....I can renew a couple if I don't get through them I suppose......it rained most of the afternoon Christmas, and the next front will come after midnight and hang around all day Tuesday is the forecast....I didn't even fix a supper last night, having eaten my fill and then some at the gathering.....meat balls, little sausages in sauce, ham and cheese croissants cut into halves and quarters, pineapple sandwiches, pumpkin pie, hash brown casserole, corn casserole, cake, cookies.....I didn't eat all those things, just most of them.....I did eat more of my cheese ball too before I went on to bed pretty late.....even the dogs seem to be sleeping late today....

Christmas morning

some sun is coming out.....was clouded over early on.....empty streets, but the Gate was open as usual to get my newspaper.....saw one car getting gas, but the highway was empty as far as I could see in either direction right then.....can't remember if I've heard a train today or not.....Chargers lost again? The Panthers game was pretty good, but I fell asleep with the Cowboys on later.....the cheese ball is tasty, but it's going to take a while to finish that sucker off....can only take a little of that at a time.....I'll eat a turkey sandwich sometime this morning, and then see what's to eat later over in Mountville....I'm sure there will be a bunch of stuff....probably little smokie sausages and/or meatballs....dip....snack mix.....I'm taking bakery cookies....small chance of rain in the afternoon.....got cold enough overnight for the heat to come on.....the fireworks stands are open for New Year, so of course some firecrackers are going off from time to time already.....but mostly it's a quiet morning.....

three day work week?

I can't keep up with the work-day world, since I'm not involved in it at all really.....and the pro football games are on Saturday this week? At least some of them seems like, the paper says the Bucs at Panthers at one this afternoon.....at Walmart the other day I got myself a port wine cheese ball, for my wine and cheese Christmas Eve extravaganza....I think I still have enough snack crackers to use up some of it anyway....$2.78 for a cheese ball.....and Eagles-Cowboys will be on in the evening, late afternoon, whatever......my bangers-and-mash supper worked well, I now have leftover mashed potatoes and onion gravy, to use either with a pork chop or another bratwurst some time.....leftover peas too.....I need to sweep the kitchen floor, and vacuum the carpet in the other rooms, and take another walk I suppose....colder today, some clouds at dawn....it will probably stay in the 50s, drop to the 30s overnight.....

four day weekend?

I didn't realize that's what's going on for lots of people.....this town is deserted.....no traffic to speak of on the streets.....PC beat Navy last night.....it rained yesterday afternoon, and then a real storm came through later at night, about the time I was going to bed....some thunder involved with that one.....those pork chops turned out to be real thick, so I butter-flyed half of one last night and that was plenty of meat.....with mac-n-cheese, and curried baby carrots.....this morning is clear and bright, should be fairly warm again today.....I'm going over to Walmart for a couple of things, and I'll look for some kind of dessert to take to Mountville Sunday afternoon.....cousins coming down from NC to Addie and Ed's.....hopefully Walmart won't be too crazy .....I finished off the tortillas and frijoles for lunch yesterday, so today can be a smoked turkey sandwich....supper can be a bratwurst, mashed potatoes, peas.....

warm Winter so far

fog, mist, 63 degrees ......was raining a little just before dawn, about the time of the Solstice....so 100% humidity and everything's damp .....I noticed those little carrots still in the vegetable bin....so I guess tonight's menu could change to sauteed carrots, pork chop, mac-and-cheese....I always used to make candied carrots, with brown sugar.....but I don't have any sugar in the house anymore....finished off the stew last night, with a piece of rye toast.....made a sandwich yesterday for lunch with that tasty smoked turkey breast, sweet onion, bread-and-butter pickle slices, a little swiss cheese, and mayo, on wheat berry bread.....two thumbs up .....had the last of the Australian merlot with that, so now I'm back to California burgundy.....should be able to walk again this morning, since the next rain isn't supposed to get here until later today.....in the form of thunderstorms maybe.....

raining when I went to sleep

raining when I woke up.....still raining when I went to get the paper, and when I went to get groceries.....raining right now....the windows are fogged up 'cause it's a warm system coming up from down in the Gulf.....on the radar it looks like there's plenty more on the way....so I'm going to eat an apple and read the Clinton weekly paper instead of trying to go for a walk....I got a bag of Gala apples this time.....and I got some "California" mix and some more Traditional Chex Mix and some peanuts and poured them together in a large bowl.....should be enough snack mix to last me until 2012 and beyond.....I also have orange juice, eggs, and bread enough for two weeks I think.....still some stew left, and I got a couple of pork chops, a package of brats, can of fried apples, mashed potato mix, country gravy packet......and such like.....I'll do bangers and a mash with peas for a couple of meals.....pork chop with fried apples and mac-and-cheese twice I suppose....I've got smoked turkey breast deli sliced to order for lunch meat.....they had a good price on that, 5 bucks a pound instead of 7....I asked for 1/2 lb. but ended up with 3/4.....oh well....

complications

As I was coming back from Laurens I was signaling to turn right but the guy waiting at a stop sign didn't go ahead and pull out....so I was wondering if my right front turn signal was working.....so when I got home and checked it, sure enough, it wasn't....so I went and got the bulb for $1.38 and followed the instructions in the Jeep manual for changing the bulb....but it was frozen in there so it broke and I had to get the base out with needle-nose pliers....I got the new bulb in after several attempts and checked to see if it was blinking....it was....then I put the whole assembly back together and checked it again.....it wasn't.....took it apart again and jiggled the wires, etc.....gave up and took it over to Carolina Automotive, where they had fixed an electrical problem one other time....it's over there now and they'll call me when it's fixed....hopefully some time this afternoon....the socket looked somewhat corroded to me .....I didn't think WD-40 was going to fix it either.....that bulb had been in there 8 years that I know of.....on another front, the Clinton City Facebook thing says that there will be no trash pick-up Dec. 26 or Jan. 2.....so the City takes those as holidays looks like.....but my library books are due the 2nd, so the County doesn't? But I can put my trash out on Tuesday instead.....

colorful sunrise

with those scattered clouds to the south and east.....I guess the sunrise is about as far to the south as it's going to get this year.....some moisture is predicted to come up through Georgia this afternoon and evening, it looks like things will stay dry enough this morning for another walk....and later in the day I might drive over to Laurens for some shopping.....gasoline came down ten cents overnight, at least at the Gate, where I go in the morning for the paper....I've still got 3/4 of a tank I think.....it won't use much to run over to Laurens.....I had leftover stew and the last biscuit for supper yesterday.....today I have the last of the pork steak and chili beans to use up, and then start all over with Bi-Lo shopping tomorrow.....Bi-Lo bought Winn-Dixie, a much larger grocery chain....the article in the paper says that this will improve logistics for both brands, or something.....for me it might mean starting to see whatever generics they sell at Winn-Dixie showing up here? The paper also said that two reasons for Bi-Lo's popularity are the senior discount and the fuel discount points.....exactly.....I mean those are big factors for me anyway....plus a couple of my neighbors work in there.....I'll look for some different lunch meat, since I'm down to the last of the corned beef.....maybe deli turkey?

35 outside

I usually go for a walk around this time of day, but it's still pretty nippy this morning.....I'll wait...maybe until the afternoon.....I stayed up late and watched the Chargers game all the way to the end, and then slept well enough.....you can count on the trash truck to wake you up plenty early on a Monday......the fun part of the football yesterday was that Carolina trick play....it's probably on Yahoo or You Tube or something if you haven't seen it.....that Stouffer's stuffed pepper was tasty.....I used to make those fresh myself but it's so easy to just microwave a frozen one, when you're only cooking for yourself anyway.....I would use cheese on top though, instead of so much tomato sauce....and put some onion in it.....wasn't a bad deal for $2.50......anyway, back to stew this evening.....the revised weather forecast seems to be calling for rain starting late tomorrow and going through Wednesday.....wasn't it raining the last time I went shopping?

Baltimore at San Diego

is the late game tonight.....maybe I can stay awake past half-time.....don't see many Charger games in this market.....and maybe I can see the Tebow Show too.....there's a Denver game around supper time.....haven't seen them this year either that I remember.....son-in-law Cory is a big Broncos fan......and the early game after lunch is Panthers-Texans.....maybe Carolina can win another game this season....maybe not......windchill of 22 at dawn.....streets were empty on my Sunday morning walk....the only traffic I saw on Broad St. was a gas tanker and the Krispy Kreme truck.....fresh daily I guess.....breakfast was french toast and two sausage links.....lunch might be a Rueben sandwich....and I'm thinking of the stuffed bell pepper in the freezer as an easy supper.....this clear-and-cold thing might go on until the middle of the week, and then maybe three rainy days before a clear holiday weekend.....they say no chance of a white Christmas, like we had last year....

last of the fruitcake

I ate it yesterday......one of those little $5 fruitcakes from somewhere in Georgia.....I'm tempted to get another one.....maybe they'll be marked down after Christmas....maybe two-for-one? The rain all stayed to the north and west of here, just clouds and colder this morning.....it got pretty warm Friday afternoon....I think I saw 72 once.....right now there's an east wind that's keeping it about 50 outside, so I'll wear a jacket I guess to go walk the park......I had a bean and cheese tostada for lunch yesterday, using up the last of that head of lettuce before it started rusting too much.....used up the olives too.....so now I have rye (with seeds) swiss and corned beef for sandwiches.....I've been eating that store brand party mix for snacks but I probably shouldn't buy anymore, I think it might be addictive.....there are these little things in it called honey-roasted sesame sticks.....

Shoe Goo

Last time I looked in Walmart they didn't have it anymore....at least not where it had been, with the shoelaces and shoe polish....but I found it this morning in CVS, which is close by.....I had checked on line first for Shoe Goo retailers, CVS was there.....I always wear out the left toe of any foot gear, because my left leg sort of drags.....old nerve damage or whatever.....stayed warm in the house overnight, around 60.....and it's mostly sunny again.....so I don't need to turn on the heat or wear a jacket out walking the park......the stew last night was delicious and hearty, and there's leftovers, of course.....this evening I think I'll iron skillet a pork steak with oregano and BBQ sauce, and have chili beans and a biscuit as the two sides.....I haven't found Ranch Style Texas Beans in my usual market, but these pintos in a chili sauce (the label says "just add meat") are close enough.....I don't add meat, just heat them up ......and then I can alternate stew with whatever up 'til next grocery day......senior discount day is on Wednesdays, because SS shows up on Wednesdays.....mine comes the third Wednesday of each month, which is the 21st this month.....and then after the new year there will be an SS cost-of-living increase.....won't amount to much, but any little bit helps, what with the rising food prices and all.....so Winter starts this Thursday too......

was misty early on this morning

now it's bright and clear, 46 degrees......predicted to get up to 68 in the afternoon.....chance of rain late tonight......the dogs were all barking a while ago, the city meter reader was walking around....so probably around Monday I'll get the utility bill.....it's going to take some months, but the City will eventually get new software from some company in Canada and put the utility bills online if you want to go paperless.....at least that's what it said in the local paper I got yesterday at the supermarket.....other projects include fixing the water intake point on the river to allow for greater capacity ......and upgrading the whole thing on the other end too, where the sewer plant is near Joanna.....so water can come in and go out in sufficient quantity to meet projected growth.....you can't expect any industry to locate here without a good water supply and sewer system....lots of wisdom in the paper.....Angus beef stew meat, packet of onion soup mix, diced bell pepper, diced sweet onion, half a bag of baby carrots, can of mushroom soup, oregano, black pepper, cup of red wine.....that's what I put in the crock-pot....in that order.....later I'll stir it up....I'll fix some biscuits too for supper....might make a Rueben sandwich for lunch, but with no thousand island dressing....since I don't have any....

fairly warm again today

didn't need a jacket for the park walk......I got fixings for beef stew at the market, I'll do that Thursday I guess.....slow cook it all day......I'm getting towards the end of the mexican food, beef and bean taquitos for lunch, probably a giant tostada for supper today.....the natural gas bill came in the mail, 50 bucks for the last two weeks in Nov. and the first two weeks of Dec. That's about the same as last year......That's all that was in the mail.....Besides the stew I've got a pork steak and beans for a meal, and a Stouffer's stuffed pepper for another.....I had a chicken pot pie yesterday for supper.....this warm weather should continue into next week they are saying.....I've got the front door open, with just the storm door shut right now, lets some light in the house anyway.....

turned out to be a lovely morning

for a walk in the park, pleasant conditions.....and when I got back the Tuesday junk mail had just been delivered.....two loan offers, two insurance offers, four different flyers for Dish, two for Direct TV, that thing you always see for custom books of checks.....who writes checks anymore? And the Fred's ad.....toys and Christmas candy, seasonal decorations.....the Tractor Supply ad.....an industrial air-compressor under the tree? The Bi-Lo ad is what I wanted to look at.....a good price on beef stew fixings, including those little peeled carrots, two-for-one onion soup mix.....might do a crock-pot stew this food week.....canned pearl onions.....small whole potatoes.....and I think I'll do swiss cheese and rye bread this time around....biscuits to have with the stew.....I need to remember oatmeal, and olive oil.....I'll look at their store-brand party snack mix.....they will have big displays of things like cheery cordials out at cheap prices.....resistance is not futile.....hopefully.....

today will be much warmer than yesterday

that's what it says this morning for Clinton on Weatherunderground.....it was 45, might get up to 65.....still chilly this morning, but that north wind isn't around anymore so walking for the paper wasn't too bad.....I made a taco salad last night, cut up a couple of tortillas and made chips for the bottom of the bowl.....the Taco Bell/KFC here doesn't have taco salads......remember when they had the Sea Food Salad, back in the 1980s? Shrimp and "artificial crab meat"......it was like $3.95 maybe, which was expensive fast food 30 years ago.....but it sure was tasty, with the tortilla bowl to eat, etc....I delivered mail for a while to Mr. Bell's mansion out in the orange groves south of Riverside......the Bell Estate sponsored that model farm and day camp thing out there on Cole Grade in Valley Center.....but they didn't serve tacos, just organic produce mostly.....so anyway I guess it's time for the park walk, or close enough.....corned beef sandwich for lunch today I think, with pickles and mayo......

they changed the forecast

now they think it might rain here today.....but the storm down around Columbia seems to be moving to the east, and it would have to move north to get to Clinton.....clouded over and cold though, with that pesky north wind still blowing......I didn't watch anything but football yesterday, and just one little spot of local news in there somewhere.....went to bed at ten, half-time of the Sunday Night game.....the library will open in a few minutes, so I'll head over there and turn in my books and look for some more......I don't think I need anything at the store while I'm out that way.....I can keep working on the tortillas, for lunch and supper I guess.....I've used up the pintos, but I have a can of frijoles refritos still......probably enough cheese to last 'til Wednesday.....

Atlanta at Carolina

in Charlotte at one this afternoon.....I liked that Army-Navy game, with all the running and almost no passing......well below freezing overnight, and the wind is keeping it cold again this morning....but blues skies and no rain in the forecast ......I should attack this living room with the feather duster, the sunlight through the south window is highlighting cobwebs and just plain dust build-up......I had three tacos and some beans for Saturday supper.....for lunch today I might do something not mexican, like a corned beef sandwich......and I could do huevos rancheros for a Sunday breakfast-supper, I've got everything for that.....we'll see, I might feel like something different by then.....I think Nick's birthday is this Wednesday, but Facebook didn't remind us of that?

tacos and pintos

were pretty tasty, and there's plenty left over.....watched a samurai movie from 1964 last night.....north wind this morning is keeping it in the low 30's , frost on the early walk again.....I'll go walk the park shortly I suppose.....I could make a tostada for lunch to use up some lettuce......yesterday's lunch was two small white corn quesadillas and some olives....I forgot to get the olives out last night at supper...oh well.... Army-Navy is on this afternoon.....the school district says that schools will have a half-day Friday the 16th......and then I think school is out until the day after New Year's.......I saw some hunters out on my walk, six guys had three large pick-up trucks, three vehicle trailers, and three ATVs.....seems like a lot of equipment.....I wonder if they found room to park all that at the Waffle House, or if they were just going to drive through Mc Donald's.....carefully.....

another morning

where you could see your breath and smell wood smoke from fireplaces on the dawn patrol.....high clouds, pink and orange around the edges on the horizon......right around freezing....I finished off the enchilada pie last night.....in the afternoon I had a snack of cornbread spread with marmalade.....this evening I'll cook up some taco meat with ground beef, onion, cilantro, garlic, and chili powder.....I'll do pintos with onion also.....I've got Old El Paso taco sauce....I'm going over to the store later today for wine and laundry detergent ......yesterday for lunch I had grilled cheese on wheat with grilled corn beef and sauerkraut in there too.....just a half sandwich of all that.....so it's 34 outside now, and I guess I'll bundle up again and go for a walk.....

that'll wake you up

stepping out of the warm house into the bracing dawn air.....with the sun just coming up through the bare trees ......32 degrees, some wind.....never did get any walking done yesterday, rain and wind kept coming and going.....snow on the NC mountains.....read in the paper that Harry Morgan passed away.....so long Officer Gannon.....I saw some old black-and-white movie a while back where he and the other Dragnet dude were the mobsters instead of the cops....they were robbing a race-track I think, but of course got shot down in the end.......the mini enchilada pie worked out well.....with olives all around the edge in my smallest Corning Ware casserole.....enough left for another supper.....I guess I'll do quesadillas for lunch today.....white corn tortillas, got lots of 'em to use up.....the walk around the park this morning will be cold, but doable......

pretty good storm

went through earlier....the power flickered once during the heaviest part.....looks like it has blown to the East now.....cold air should move in by morning, down to freezing.....I've got the smallest enchilada pie I've ever made in the oven, might be enough for supper and a lunch tomorrow.....and then I've got taco fixings for more meals.....and I got a can of corned beef, since there is still sauerkraut in the fridge.....

might rain all day

and on into the evening.....and then clear off in the middle of the night and drop down into the 30's as the actual cold front gets here.....so no walking today probably.....pretty soon I'll drive over to the supermarket, shouldn't get too wet doing that......saw a movie last night about Napoleon on St. Helena....that was interesting.....I need to remember to get eggs.....and the grocery ad had Chex Mix two for one......it got up to 70 Tuesday by supper time.....was 60 in the kitchen at breakfast this morning, with rain blowing against the window over the sink.....

68F, overcast

so when I got back from Walmart I opened the front door and cracked a couple of windows open a bit.....it was colder in the house than outside.....I was looking for jeans and fish-oil at a good price, and knew I could get both at wallyworld....so I walked up to the men's jeans table and the first pair I laid eyes on I bought....20 bucks for Wrangler 38X30, straight leg relaxed fit, slightly distressed style....perfect.....it's hard to find the 30 length sometimes, and I have to settle for 32 and roll up the cuffs.....my legs must be too short, is why the unusual size? And the fish-oil was two bottles for the price of one.....I did get my walking done before lunch.....which was the next to last kraut dog.....I'm looking at tacos or quesadillas for lunches the new food week coming up....I'm down to my last library book, but it's sort of hard to follow.....it's the sixth book in a series ( which I didn't notice when I got it off the shelf ) so it would probably make more sense if I knew what they were referring back to.....sometimes you can Google a series and get a synopsis.....maybe I'll try that......I think I'll go sit out on the porch for a while, since it seems a shame to waste such warm weather in December sitting inside......

spin-off showers

is what the weather guy called them.....the warm moist air coming up from the Gulf is sliding along against the cold front coming from the West.....leading to periodic rain showers....it was raining during breakfast, let up while I went and got the paper, is raining a bit more now.....so I wonder if I try to go walking will it start raining again, like yesterday? You can't really see these events coming on the radar, they just sort of come out of thin air.....meeting thick air, or whatever......I could drive over to Tractor Supply and look for blue-jeans, for something to do other than walking.....could walk around the store, they have lots of stuff.....and Big Lots is right next door, they have lots of junk......the fridge is almost empty, and so is the cupboard.....I do have hash and eggs fixings still for today's supper....and now I have leftover cornbread too....cold cornbread is good for a snack, or a side with the supper I suppose.....it's in the 60's this morning, but as the cold front moves down this way they say it will drop into the 30's again overnight in a couple of days.....maybe tomorrow.....

monday, clouded over, but warmer

didn't need to bundle up as much on my newspaper walk, 54 degrees instead of below freezing.....the weather guy last night seemed to be saying that stuff was coming from both the West and the North today.....moisture from one way and cold from the other.....all to get here this afternoon or evening.....so maybe cold rain this time tomorrow......I had wheat toast with marmalade along with with hash and eggs yesterday....supper between football games......today I've got cornbread and chili on the menu.....garnished with chopped sweet onion and sour cream.....I'm looking ahead to taco time for the next grocery week.....I figure if you can make a personal pizza, you can make a personal taco pie too, instead of a big one that lasts for days.....and then with a package of tortillas you can have regular tacos one night, and a giant tostado one time....taco salad....I'll get a head of lettuce I suppose, etc.....I have enough cheese already.....

dem old blue jeans

I had the left knee rip out of two pairs of faded jeans in the last week.....don't know why the left knee.....one pair I got for $2 at a yard sale probably 2 years ago....the other pair were $3 at a thrift store, around the same time.....so the jeans I have on this morning are still relatively dark blue rather than faded blue....but the knees are more faded than the rest? Time marches on.....things just plain wear out.....so I guess I'll look in Walmart or Tractor Supply for more jeans, since I'm down to my last not-raggedey pair.....french toast with apple juice in the egg this morning, and two sausage links.....box of link sausage was $1 at the store Wednesday.....I'm already thinking breakfast for Sunday supper again.....half a can of corned beef with an egg poached in it.....with some Cajun hot sauce ......cloudy and cold this morning, north wind.....

Christmas Parade day

lots of towns around here have their Christmas parades today.....ours is scheduled to start at 10, but I'm not going over there until around 10:30, 'cause that's when it actually seems to start....judging from the last 3 years anyway.....hopefully it will have warmed up some by then, and the north wind will have slacked off a bit......windchill of 25 on the sunrise walk today......looking out at the back yard, the wind is still blowing pretty good at the moment.....so I need to vacuum it looks like, and sweep the kitchen floor.....that will take up a little time until the parade starts......

no Walmart trip

I just went over to Bi-Lo after lunch instead.....got the two things I'd forgotten last time; apple cider vinegar and sour cream....the sour cream is for my baked potato tonight, and maybe to cool down the turkey stew some.....mellow it out maybe......and I went ahead and got one of those little fruit-cakes from Georgia that they have out this time of year....those suckers are really good.....just eat a small slice at a time, about a two-inch square.....at lunch time I steamed some sweet onion with the sauerkraut and wiener.....and steamed the bun.....the onion and kraut work well together.....got that idea from an article about a hot-dog place in Greenville or somewhere that mentioned they did their kraut dogs with onion....they also had deep fried wieners as an option.....and bacon-wrapped and iron-grilled....like the street-dogs at the Swap Meet.....don't know that I'll ever get around to looking for that place or not.....I did a fairly long session with the SG, jamming with "Deep Purple Radio" on Pandora.....the "kill-pot" on that guitar is a strange thing.....either awesome or plain silly.....depending on your use of it I suppose.....it warmed up enough after my park walk to sit out on the porch in comfort.....they were saying into the 60's today, but in the middle of the afternoon it's 55....but pleasant enough, no wind......

sun's been up for a couple of hours

but it's still right at 32 degrees outside.....the frost persists......sunny and blues skies.....with no clouds in the night and low humidity I've been able to see Orion from the kitchen window before dawn when I go and get a drink of water.....I guess the trees bare of leaves help with the star-gazing too.....the turkey stew came out pretty spicy, and filling.....I have another helping of Wednesday supper I can heat up tonight.....ribs, potato, butter beans.....watched a movie last night about the RAF in Germany....the Baader-Meinhof Gang? Was it Red Army Faction or Red Army Front? Anyway, a somewhat scary reminder of those years, late 60's early 70's......or is it Meirhof....or something......well, it was a good movie....seemed realistic.....last time I went to Walmart it was getting pretty crazy in there, a couple of days before Thanksgiving.....so I may or may not make a run over there today.....I don't really need to I guess......

December

and it felt like it on the early walk.....below freezing, heavy frost.....I've got the turkey stew going in the crock-pot, should make the house smell good today.....last night I fixed baked country style pork ribs with baked potato and butter beans.....lunch today will be a kraut dog.....I got a 3 lb. bag of Granny Smith apples instead of the Rome which are a dollar cheaper per bag, because the Rome just don't have the same crunch.....I have one Rome left for today.....I finished watching the "Dragon Tattoo" trilogy last night.....and overslept with strange dreams.....got started on the day about 1/2 hour late.....stopped at the bank while I was walking and got cash out of the machine, since I forgot to get cash back at the grocery store yesterday.....the cash is for the newspaper every day......it looks nice outside right now, but it's still pretty cold and windy for more walking....don't know if it will be much better if I wait an hour.....