A Handy Kitchen Helper

A long time ago when I was  a teenager, my Mom, used a kitchen device designed to keep scrap food in rather then putting in it the trash, especially if you don't have a garbage disposal under the sink.  It was a metal frame with a small trash bag that  fit over it.  The only problem was that it didn't have a cover, so after a while the flies would get to it, so you had to change the bag daily, which lead to a lot of cost, even back then.

I have come up with a solution to that by utilizing the same concept but with a Folgers coffee container.  You can dress the container up with contact paper or whatever you can come up with in your decorative colors.  My kitchen is done in red, so the red can goes well.  I only use the Folgers can because it it basically round on the inside and has small handles for better gripping.  The Maxwell House can does not work as well because the handle is separate and it's harder to get the filled bag out ( chance of tearing the bag).

Watch the video and see what I mean.

A GREEN THING

Being Green Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the much older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days." The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations." She was right -- our generation didn't have the 'green thing' in its day. Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day. Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. But too bad we didn't do the "green thing" back then. We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the "green thing" in our day. Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day. Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the "green thing" back then. We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the "green thing" back then. Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's $45,000 SUV or van, which cost what a whole house did before the "green thing." We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint. But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the "green thing" back then? Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart mouthed young person... We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off...especially from a tattooed, multiple pierced smart mouth who can't make change without the cash register telling them how much.

YOUR GONNA MISS THIS!!!!

I had to make a trip down to Hudson today to go to the bank. On the way back a song came on the radio...I've heard it a hundred times before, but I guess because today is Jamie's birthday, it hit me kinda hard and I almost had to pull over, I was crying so hard. It was Trace Adkins song...Your Gonna Miss This!!! It made me start thinking back to when the kids were little and life was a lot simpler. The words go something like this... You're gonna miss this You're gonna want this back You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast These are some good times So take a good look around You may not know it now But you're gonna miss this! And you know what? It is so true. I miss the smiles and tears on little grubby faces. I miss being wrestled to the floor by three little ones. I miss school mornings trying to get them to school on time. I miss blonde hair, blue eyes and buck teeth laughing so hard he can't stand up. I miss red hair, freckles and brown eyes not being still for two minutes. I miss brown hair, brown eyes screaming "my brother hit me"! I miss the look on Bo's face the first time he held Ambre. I miss the look on Jamie's face that said I don't like you..you stole my Mommy! I miss the skint knees, bruised elbows, haircuts, baths, Christmas mornings and most of all I miss the little bitty kisses that said, "I love you Mommy, your the best"! Yep..I really do miss this!!!!

A New Project

Well, I have been working on fixing up my bedroom...it's taking longer than I thought. Gonna do the painting this weekend. But this a project of a different color ( so to speak ). While shopping at the Habitat for Humanity Store in Leesburg a few weeks ago, I noticed a table top standing over in a corner. I checked it out and it was very pretty and only 5 dollars. And...it was only a table top with no base...so I didn't buy it. We went on to visit with Joan and Tony and went to their Easter presentation of the Passion. We had a great time but for some reason I just couldn't get that table top off my mind. This was on a Saturday and we went through Sunday and I just couldn't stand it anymore and I called Tony and asked him if he would mind going back out there and getting it for me. It was already 5 PM, so I told him it could wait until Tuesday. Well, he didn't get back out there until Thursday and he finally found it hidden by some rolled carpets. Yeah! I was talking to him on the phone and guiding him to it and for a few we thought it was gone. Joan called a few minutes later and said Jen, the table isn't 5 dollars, it's 25! I was fixing to say well, I don't care, buy it anyway and she said, No, I'm just joking, it's beautiful, I want it too. We went over to Leesburg the following Saturday ( cause we had to anyway to pick up some plants at Home Depot ) and picked up the table too. This is it below.

The pic on the bottom is more the true color of the wood. I can't wait to get started on the bottom. I have it designed in my mind. It's only a 30" across table, so it's kinda small, but that's OK 'cause I'm trying to downsize some things anyway. Our apartment is not very big and with all this really big stuff...well, you guessed it...it looks over stuffed. I will try to post pictures as I progress with the transformation of the table.

AN OLD WISH!!!

Since I was a young bride, I have always had a dream of owning my own home. A quaint little house on a city street with a picket fence in front and a wrap-around porch. Well, I'm almost 61 and I guess it's never going to happen to me. It would have been nice though. To be able to do the things to it, that would have made it mine.

I guess we begin to think more about things like this when we get older and feel like time is running out on us. Life goes by so fast. Everything is all in a rush, all the time. One day leads to another, mostly just the same. Until one day you realize that "hey, where has all of it gone?" It's not going to come back either. So you just take one day at a time and share it with those you love and do the best you can to live your life the way God intended...for after all...He is the great provider and he only provides what he knows you can handle........just saying!!!

MAKEOVER PART 1

I have been looking for something to do in my very small bedroom here in the apartment. My room only measures 9.5 X 9.5. I think the first thing I really need to consider is downsizing. My bed is a queen size, so I am in the market for a double size mattress and boxspring ( the thick kind with pillow top if possible). I have already decided on the colors. My base paint is seafoam green from BHG (Walmart). I love it, it is just the right shade. The I will add some blues and browns. The headboard for the bed is in the lower post. I am going to have to turn my closet into much more than a closet for clothing. It is going to have to double as storage space for a lot of other things. Looking into trading my large dresser for a smaller version and maybe getting rid of my sewing center and combining that into my closet area. The closet runs the entire width of the back wall. Here are some before pics. I want the try and document everything as I go along.
Please don't pay any attention to the Christmas quilt on the bed. It was cold here last night. I am really looking forward to getting started. So watch for my posts and keep me in your prayers for a modicum of success.

TIRED OF THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD

Have you ever gotten so tired of the way your decor looks. I hate my bedroom. It is kinda small and has a queen size bed. I am looking for a double with a think pillow top but so far, no go. Anyway, I found a picture of a headboard on Pinterest and fell in love. I am going to do it. I bought some paint ( I know I'm not supposed to T, but I just can't take it anymore. I have got to have some color. So, therefore, I bought a can of paint (Seafoam Green) and I picked up some materials for the headboard and pillows. Found some pillows at the Thrift store $1.50. I am going to re-cover them. I am posting the picture of my future project and a pic of my materials and paint color. Tell me what you think. As I go along I will post may progress. Wish me luck.




Can't make out the color too good in the future picture, but they are beautiful together. I really love the color scheme too. Can't wait to get started.

The 7 Dangers to Human Virtue

1. Wealth without work.
2. Pleasure without conscience.
3. Knowledge without character.
4. Business without ethics.
5. Science without humanity.
6. Religion without sacrifice.
7. Politics without principle.
Ghandi