Random Number One:

The forecast thru next Tuesday.  I know what most of the images are, but what on earth are the squiggly lines for Thursday?  Weird!

Random Number Two:  I forgot to do my 52 Week Challenge on Sunday!  That is the Second week in a row!   I am going to do ANOTHER I.O.U and promise to catch up next week!  Yikes!

Random Number Three:  The auto payment for May came out of my checking account. It’s official, I’m in auto payment now.

Random Number Four:  My kids C02 car did really well and didn’t fall apart.  I was able to be raced 2 times per the instructions!  We half expected it to fall apart!  Yay!

Random Number Five:  Books I am currently reading.  I have a few going!

This one I pick up at home when I can:

This one I will probably finish in the next day or two on break at work:

This next two I bought last weekend because I need to figure some personal issues out!

and:

I have to tell you, having a chronic issue or two sucks!  I am still trying to figure it all out!

Random Number Six:  I love my new grill pan!

It’s the small things for me!

In other news, not a lot going on lately.  Just keeping my head down and trying to make it thru the first year!

I wish you good health reader.

Now you probably don’t get too excited over a new pan.  But I’m beyond excited to try this!

I stopped at this store this today:

I felt so extravagant!  A brand new pan!  Have you ever been to this store?  It’s a cooks dream, every single gadget you could want! 

I cook very simply, but I do think that having good equipment makes all the difference.

And getting rid of a trashed, beat-up grill pan that was given to me, used, years ago  is just the ticket to make our meals better at home.

The grill pan I use almost daily is trashed and not only that, it’s not right for my stove top!  It has ridges on the bottom!  I did not know that until the woman at the store helped me find this new one!  (It was also warped).

It’s beautiful and it is flat on the bottom.    It’s smaller but I can make two batches.   Oh and I won’t need Pam!

I got out of that store with with just my pan!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

So Friday my kid decided to tell me about a science project that is due on Monday.  Great.

After a bit planning, we found a solution that meets all the requirements.

We got to work!

You know me and decoupage!

We turned a water bottle into the body of our hot car using the material from my jar project.  My kid is obsessed with every thing Pacific Ocean~!

We used straws, tea lights, material, paint brush handles and just about anything we could find to turn that bottle into a real C02 car! 

It really has to work!  After we figured it out, she customized her ride with stickers!

She added a surfboard to the top with a surfing dolphin too!

It really came out cute!  Love the wheels!

The bottom is the front of the car, the back where the  hole is,  holds the C02 that the teacher will pierce to make it go!

Cross your fingers it works!

Happy Friday!

How are you doing? 

As you know, I base my life these days on monthly payments and the countdown (60 payments) to financial freedom!

This month seems so long because I made a trustee payment early in June for May and next Monday they are taking ANOTHER payment out for May!  So basically, two payments.  Gah!

I always look forward to making another payment because its one more step in the right direction! 

To make time pass as pleasantly as possible, I try to stay busy, do very inexpensive or free things, be as creative as possible for someone with no talent and I just try to be happy and grateful for the life I have.

Today, I want to focus on the beautiful things that I am grateful for at home and on the web.

(Because in reality my life consists of cat poop and litter,  hairballs, dirty dishes, laundry, stopped up toilets, work stress, teen drama, health, financial, environmental issues, … Pinterest, take me away!)

Let’s get out of here if only for a moment.

***

One of my coworkers is from Vietnam, it is so pretty.  She’s going for a month in February.  Lucky!

 
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Ahhhh Oregon, home sweet home!

 
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Oh my gosh, check out the following website.  Does this person really get to travel all over and take these beautiful pictures? Who is that lucky?

 
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This is one kitchen that I could walk into and just feel completely at ease.

 
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It’s a little classic meets country. Minus the ducks with blue bows!  Love the plants in the window,  Beautiful.

How can I not include flowers?

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Abundance!  That is a beautiful thing.  Especially in Spain!

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Southern California Baby?  Maybe!

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Okay, I can’t resist this pic!  More flowers. 

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Okay, I don’t know if this is “beautiful” but it sure is cute!   On second thought, I actually think whimsy is a thing of beauty.  It gives your mind time to relax!

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Must add some Zen

 
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Me thinks I have posted that pic before.  I must love it!

I am going to leave you today with More Oregon!

Back to reality, the cat box awaits!

Have a great day!

Wow, it happened today!  I was minding my own business, walking down the farm road.

And I noticed a bunch of  squirrels scampering all over the place and chirping. 

Then I looked over and there IT was:

This bad boy was half coiled and ready to pounce.  A real opportunist, just sitting by the hole in the ground waiting for the unsuspecting squirrels and rabbits.  Oh.. and ladies out taking an afternoon lunch hike!

Look at that Tail: 

I made sure I got a picture of the whole thing!    IT was huge!!!

Now let me tell you a story I just learned myself the other day from my mother, who is in her 90s.

I was out walking and I called her and told her I could hear rattlesnakes in the bushes.  Then she told me something I had no idea ever happened.

It happened in the 1800s to my Great, Great Grandmother Sophie.  She lived in Easter Oregon, which is very desert like and it happens that she was putting the reins from her horse in a bush and she got bit by a rattler!   That’s  what killed my Great, Grandmother! 

We come from strong, sturdy stock out here in the wild west, but even one of those bad boys can bring you down.  Back then I think it was a common killer!

Beware of the snakes!

Hello!  It’s cooling off here!  Yay!

I have a friend who gives me lemons and sometimes I have quite a stash!

Last night, I decided to cut them in half and freeze them!

I squeezed one lemon per bag!

Now I have premeasured lemon juice available for the Linguini and Clams that I like to make!

Quite a few actually!

…And that is how you save lemons from going bad!

Have a  great evening!

Yesterday, my car registered:

Can you believe it?  Me thinks it’s gonna be a long, hot summa!

And I am using the Air Conditioner as little as possible!

Getting out the fans tonight!

Is it warming up for you too?