Tuesday, July 24, 2012

2nd misc. in a row

Do you like root beer?   I do to an extent.  How about diet root beer?  In my opinion nobody has made a good diet root beer and since they want me to leave sugar alone = diet is the only possibility.    So I was in Atwood this past week (you can look www.atwoods.com on the net - farm & ranch place with lots of other stuff....last week they had diet root beer in these big brown bottles that look like a quart of real beer - I have seen them in the past.  


I bought 2.   Took them home and told wife we would open them during our next Netflix festival.   Finally remembered to pop the cap (unscrew the plastic lid off a soft plastic bottle)   It is good root beer.  The bottles are so large that neither of us finished it.  Go to Atwoods and get urself a bottle $1.19.   I spelt urself that weigh for mi cousin Barbera since shee implied that I hav acutally made grammmmaticale errors in my blug.  (The preceding was to rass my cous cause she was so nice in the way she said it._)


Today:   my new tires for the Gorilla Cart are here.  Tomorrow they will be in use.   Took the motorhome  to a place in town and had the oil changed.  Those are the good days.   Went to the courthouse and voted.   While I was at the courthouse, got my license updated for the M.H.   And now I sits.  Sometimes I sits and thinks; othertimes I just sits.  This evening I sits.
m

Nuthin' in particularrrr

Here are a few thoughts of minor importance.  Sidebar:  I reread the below writing and have decided that not one giggle is present.  I'll try harder next time.
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1.  For those who have kept up with the garage mouse:   He/she/it/they/them are somewhere.  There are 5 traps in the garage, various locations, all loaded with creamy peanut butter.  Nothing.  Nothing.  The traps are not even spring, but my Liesl (white spotted dog) knows that we have garage company.  She hunts the garage every chance she has.  Nothing.  Nothing.   The search continues.
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I put these lines in between stuff because it helps my emails look better and read easier.
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2.   Yesterday I had this email which advertised a cooking show in Dallas with guest appearances by Paula Dean and Bobby Flay.  Now that sounded interesting - coming sometime in September - perhaps I could pass tickets off as a birthday present for my wife.
        I went to the website:    http://www.metrocookingdallas.com/


Navigating the page is a pain for the computer illiterate.  After much to do I discovered that metro cooking dallas is a cooking type show on the floor of a building with booths - maybe you pay to taste.  I  don't know; don't care really.  Found a line that said something about the theater show being extra.   I clicked on it.
          Reducing this stone to fewer lines, let me just say that I was able to find ticket info for Flay and Dean. With Paula's face shining out to me, I clicked and discovered you can buy special tickets which will let you meet the twins and have a photo op in addition to the special seating for the show.   Only 38 of these special tickets are left.  That's for me.  Special.  Photo Op.  Shake hands and make chit chat.  Thassss me.
$400 a ticket.   Some things are worth repeating.   Four Hundred Dollas a ticket and there are ONLY  38 of these tickets left.  Whoop-de-doo !!!  I better get right on that.  $400 for me and $400 for the wife....could that be ONLY  $800 total (plus taxes and fees)?
           So I ask myself.   Shall I buy two $400 tickets or shall I spend this money on a cemetery plot - or buy 240 gallons of gas (today's price) - 400 new mice traps - 2500 refills for my 44 oz big drink - enough, you get the idea.  I'm staying home.   but, wait,  they have another big deal.  
          They are doing a show in Houston on the preceding weekend with Giana - I can get a special deal for that 2 shows for a reduced price.   Sure.  I did go see what regular tickets cost for Dallas.  Their computer program wouldn't let me search for the cheapest price....Mid auditorium were $135 per ticket.   Staying home - watching TV.
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3.  Voted early in the Texas runoff election today.  Those voting machines are simply fascinating to me. My age shows.
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4.   We are getting the grand-girls next week for Grammy Camp.  G.C. updates will follow as time goes by.
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5.   Last:  I have a small John Deere riding mower.   It is good.   When we moved out here I bought a 4 wheel Gorilla Cart for moving stuff here in the wilderness.   This cart can hold up to 1200 lbs of stuff.  I love it.  Last year as I backed the trailer attached to mower, not paying enough attention, I bent the handle 90 degrees.  Contacted Gorilla Cart folks and got a grumpy guy - but we bought a new handle.
     This year the front tires have started to fall off.  Sometimes these tires ride at a 45 degree angle to the cart.  We sludge along.  I emailed Gorilla Cart folks and got a very nice sweet lady who helped me order the tires (wheels)....the bearings are just shot.  I sit here today waiting for a delivery truck and my 4 new wheels. Then, once again, I shall attack the back yard moving dirt, rock, sticks, twigs, mountains of limbs - or the world if I must.  









































Saturday, July 21, 2012

yum yum

12:15 Sat afternoon.   In the oven right now - in the oven - 25 jalapenos, stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and 12 of them wrapped with bacon - in the oven -   I know many folks like cream cheese or other cheeses - but, that matters little to me.  We have Monterey Jack here right now and the peppers to cook.


In our trips to Canton and other points of interest, we have purchased devices to seed and devein peppers. I used all 3 today plus a small knife with a cute curved end for digging deep - also have a tool to stuff cheese into the bottom of the pepper.  Forever I have used my pinkie finger for that.  This tool is better - really stuffs the peppers good.   


The wife, spouse, BJ, Bren, Brenda Joy, gir, Ernie's big sis = whathaveyou  = is in the process of slicing potatoes and onions to be fried into a wonderful mass.  On TV we saw a special on Napolean - he is said to love onions and potatoes fried together - even had his favorite meal the night before Waterloo.  I figure that I am Napolean reincarnated - at least when it comes to fried potatoes and onions.  Wanna decorate them a bit, sprinkle a bit of paprika and cayenne on the final product.  My mouth waters.


This morning same wife mentioned above put a pot of beans on in the slow cooker.   Next, going into the oven will be a pan of cornbread.


Now let's see if you understand our luncheon menu:  
Beans - slow cooked
Cornbread muffins
Fried Onions and Potatoes with a slight sprinkle of red
Baked jalapeno peppers stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese wrapped in bacon
Peach Tea


and all the time, my boy Fritz is laying on the floor hoping we drop just one small morsel.   I think the boy (and his brothers and sisters)  need a chew stick.


Y'all take care now - I am looking forward to a fairly long nap this afternoon followed by a Netflix movie of the spouses choosing.
m

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Mouse Wars #2

Let's review.   
#1   fire ants in motorhome cover.   Problem solved.  Critters are gone/ dead/ kaput.  Rolled up the cover today and stuffed into its bag.  Originally, the bag was about a foot or so high - now, with my rolling skills, it is over 3 ft.  Big bunch of material stuffed into a too small container.  But over and done with.


#2   As you may remember, I gave up on the Victory mouse traps with plastic thingy.  Frustration with mouse traps does not become me.  You'd think at my age, I could make a mouse trap work.  You'd think.


To town.  Got haircut.  I am cute again.


Drove to Atwoods  (you can find them online).     Mouse traps are hard to find in a Farm & Ranch store.  I get lost looking at the shelves of great farm stuff.   Atwoods has more than one style of trap.   I bought 3 styles (some were on close out).   They are fab.    Made a trip to grocery and bought creamy peanut butter - that extra crunchy just won't work for me.


I brought them home = headed for the garage - my boy (dog) Fritz followed along to visit his personal restroom in the dog pit.   I worked away.   One trap was positioned followed by a 2nd - differnet style.  These were against the wall.  I built a barrier to keep dogs at bay.   Gave my attention to traps 3 & 4 for the far corner.  Done.


It was time to leave - bundled up my equipment when I hear a noise.  Fritz had moved the barriers and was finishing off the peanut butter on those traps.   He got the job done without injury.  How did he do dat?   I don't know;  I just don't know.   Boy, Fritz got fussed at and chased back into the house.   He moved pretty fast for having such short legs.


Re-did the first 2 traps.   That was 6 plus hours ago.   No dead mice yet.   I hate to think that a mouse is smarter than I.   And that's a fact.


m

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Mouse Wars

Let's review from a few days back.   I had two dilemmas:  fireants in an old motorhome cover  and  a mouse in the garage.


#1  The cover has now been rained on 4 times.  The cover has been spread out on the driveway and turned and changed and altered over the same days.   I have sprayed portions of the cover with bug spray.   Most of the ants have left the building.  I am pleased.  With luck and no rain, the cover will be rolled up and hidden in the garage away from mama fire aunt.


#2  The mice are winning.  Bought two traps at HEB.  They have a plastic piece in which the long metal rod is placed...similar to the old ones but plastic piece.   I put cheese on it.  Many of you suggested - and I think you for your suggestions - that I replace the gourmet cheese with peanut butter.  I did.  All we have is extra crunchy peanut butter which will not spread on a piece of plastic.  Then the plastic sticks to the bottom wood and won't move to push in the metal bar.


I put the two down with peanut butter.


Yesterday I started the lawn mowing process - takes 3 days including the weed eating - Two of my dogs roamed the garage as I mowed.   I don't know which one - I can guess it is Greta the Snake Dog - but one was able to squeeze and squirm in a most tiny area and get one of the traps.   When we found it - no peanut butter - the plastic piece was gone, never to be seen again.  The other trap was secure in its hiding.  Lucky for that mouse that it is hidden just so finely.


Walmart tonight:  bought more mouse traps.  They have ONLY the same brand.   I bought creamy peanut butter, a small jar.   Let's cut to the chase:   The old trap I sprung - the plastic piece flew off and has gone into hiding.  That makes 2 in the trash.  The four new ones:  I worked for 30 minutes to get just one of them to set.  I could not.  The metal piece won't fit in the plastic and catch.  The creamy peanut butter oozes through the holes and sticks the plastic piece to the wood like glue.


I had to stop and come into the house for a sweat band for my brow.   I was drenched in sweat.  Made me mad.  I took all four traps and the peanut butter into the kitchen and plopped them down to stay.  Tomorrow I will go to Tractor Supply and Atwoods looking for a mouse trap that will work.  Can't use poison - poison, in case you didn't know - will kill the mouse but it will also kill the dog that finds the body and mauls it.


With this I close.   Tomorrow?  I may report on a fund raiser attended tonight.   Interesting adventure.


luv and ksses
May the mouse be with you.
m3

Bushel and a Peck

On Dallas radio  770 AM  - play good music - they are playing a Doris Day song:  "Bushel And A Peck."  That was such a nice happy song:  "I love you -  a bushel and a peck - a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck...."


What I remember is many years back visiting my Uncle Jack and Aunt Doris.  The had 5 boys and one girl.  The girl (Vickie or Vicky) was half of a set of twins (Victor being the other half).  


We visited them one time when the twins were quite young - toddlers.  Vickie sang Bushel and a Peck for us during that visit.   Everyone thought she was so cute.  I assume that Victor was singing too - but he was just another one of the boys.


That was a fun place to visit.   Maybe I will ramble about some of those memories later.
m

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Vinegar Pie (100 year old)


I had a request for this pie recipe from someone - out of the 1986 Navarro county sesquicentennial cookbook. Well, I had to type it - so you get it too.
Nyah Nyah mtz3
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vinegar pie recipe!!!
100 YEAR OLD VINEGAR PIE
2 T. Butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. flour
1 egg
1 c. water
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 T. vinegar
1 pie shell
Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and spices. Add to cream mixture. Then add egg, vinegar, and water. Cook on top of double boiler until thick. Bake pie shell 2 or 3 minutes then add filling and bake at 350 degrees until done.
by Joyce Morris

2 dilemmas


2 dilemmas
part one: My dogs have been hunting in the garage. I didn't know what fer. Day before yesterday, I saw the backend of a mouse scurrying across the floor. A trip to H E B and 2 mousetraps. They are making them out of plastic now of course.
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I set the traps w/ cheese--good cheese, not this cheapy stuff. Found a corner away from dog "huntings." Planted. Waited overnight.
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Checked the traps this morning; no mice. No cheese either. The mouse took the cheese and left the traps un-sprung; yes, the mouse did both traps. Plastics!! Re-cheesed the two traps and have set them out. Last time. If this doesn't work, go somewhere else and buy traps; write nasty message to mousetrap company (yep, their web address is on the trap); and we shall try again. Stupid little beggard.
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part two: I had a cover for my old motorhome. The MH was 34 ft long - the cover is the same plus front, back, and sides. When the old MH left us, I rolled the old cover up and put it outside on a trailer - At the time it was to be temporary because the cover's COVER (BAG) was in garage filled with boat life preservers.
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time passed.
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Day b4 yesterday, I got the energy to take care of the cover. unroll it, dry it out, re-roll it properly, put it in the bag.
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Driveway. I started unrolling the cover to dry. It is invested with fire ants. What did I expect? Of course it was going to have spiders, crickets, and bugs (Oh my) - but not fire ants. I spread it out on the driveway using thick gloves and killing ants as I went.
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I tried to wash them off with a hose. That didn't work. Too many nooks and crannies to catch them, and the little twirps can hang on under 5,000 lbs of water pressure. I spread the cover out to the best of my abilities. Last night it rained. The cover is wetter. Where did the ants go? into the nooks and crannies and under the tarp. Flipped it over; tried washing off more; stomped a bunch. I didn't make a dent.
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My plan: leave it on driveway for afternoon heat. Turn it over in time. Turn it over again. Stomp. Wait. Stomp. Rotate. Give it up. Roll the little jerks up in the tarp and stuff in the bag. Strap it to the top of my car. Take it to Houston and find a place that can immerse it in poisonous liquid. Go from there to one of those automobile pressing places and have it squashed. Southwest of Houston is one of those Nuclear power plants - loan it to them for a month. Drag it behind a fishing trawler in the Gulf - preferably near a BP oil derrick. Book it on the next Chinese rocket ship. Hang it out to dry in outer space. Bring it home and repackage for further use - assuming the ants are gone.
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open to suggestions.
Mtz
Visit www.mikemetze.com when you can.
(Number 3 - is dilemma spelled:   delimma or dilemma? Naturally it is not spelled as it sounds.....trying this larger font one time just to see how it goes...see ya)




Sunday, July 8, 2012

tank fantasy

I read the newspaper daily - I read most every word - sometimes some words twice - depends upon my distractions.
Today:  dallas morning news - Section K, page 1 at the bottom - the Travel Section.


FULFILL YOUR TANK FANTASY  by Jeff Baenen, The Associated Press


I'll abbreviated even thought the article didn't.  Bottom line:  You can go to Kasota, Minn.  and rent a tank - big army type tank.  You can drive around a while and shoot the machine gun.    If you pay extra, more perks.


Prices:  Basic package that includes driving a tank and shooting a machine gun is $399.   More expensive trips if you shoot other weapons such as assault rifles.  If you want to smash a car - pay an additional $549;  for about $3,500 you can drive you tank through a trailer house.  Think of yourself as a tornado on a mission, merely $3,500 more.   the article has more.


They have sold more than 600 packages this year.  


A quote from the last paragraph:  "To have that much weight on just two brake handles, it's awesome," said Ostling after the tank rolled over a car and rained glass around his head.  The car "was like a tin can," he said.


Drive a Tank is in Kasota, Minn. about 75 miles southwest of Minneapolis.    Reservations are accepted.  507-931-7385.


Now was that worth a read or not?
over and out
Bang Bang Crash Boom THUD!!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Quickie - movie

Thanks to U.T. Johnny, my wife and I have an Apple TV box which allows us to watch Netflix as much as we want, whenever we wish.  It is really an interesting box. I know there are probably other TV boxes out there too.   I like this one.   I might point out that the box uses the HDMI cable which is plugged directly into the TV.  The the box communicates with my WiFi to get the movies - blogs - and lots of other stuff.
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 Before the Box, we received one Netflix DVD at a time - averaged about 3 or so every 2 weeks.  When it came in the mail, that night (afternoon) it was watched immediately so "back into the mailbox" it could go.  We selected our list off the Netflix website via our computer.
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The AppleTV Box eliminates that bit and Netflix costs the same - box or delivered DVD..  One problem I have with the box is the selection of movies process.  It was certainly easier to find DVDs on the computer to order for future watching.  There is probably a way to use the computer with this box too - probably should spend some time to figure it out.   Probably.
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This evening we watched a pretty good older type movie - James Cagney was Admiral William Halsey running the war in the Pacific --  that would be  W W  II  for the novice reader.  Some of the movie was obviously hokey (maybe spelled hokie) but the story line was okay and James Cagney was true to his form. . . but he didn't dance or sing once.  Chester from Gunsmoke had a goodly part in the movie too.
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What I enjoyed about the movie ---  THE  GALLANT  HOURS  ....   was the music.  From my college days, the great choral group to hear was the Roger Wagner Chorale.  They were fine.   My younger wipper-snapper readers who enjoy choral music, should watch this movie with the sound up.   It was good stuff.  As a band person, I missed that great opening march which accompany most war movies -  the Roger Wagner Chorale made up for it.   There is something about a Men's Choir that is stirring.  There were SATB songs too.  I really enjoyed the opening Men's Choir presentation.
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The movie ended before I could figure out if we won the war.
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Reminds me of a TV series years ago about the war in the Pacific.  The theme song was the Navy Hymn.  If I had been in the Navy, I would request that song to be sung at my funeral.  Maybe I still can....along with Carmina Burana & In The Mood & & &.
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Final bit - in my stuff in the living room is the complete copy of the TV Series:  Victory At Sea  with all that great Richard Rogers music.  It is VHS, still wrapped up in its original packaging.  Never had opened them.
see ya
Mtz

Friday, July 6, 2012

cookbook & estate sales & ...


The wife and I have been going to Estate Sales of late. You see a lot of stuff that nobody wants. You see stuff that people should want, but it has been left behind to be pawed over by strangers: things like: old family photos, cosmetics in the bath room, clothes of all sizes, a book collection with questionable titles - you get the idea. But what we enjoy the most ( I think it is we ) is looking at the houses.
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Some are old - some fairly new. We were in a 3 floor house last year that was amazing with lead glass stained windows. We were told that the grandchildren use to roller skate in the attic (3rd floor) - big room.
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Today we ended up in a 1970s single story ranch type house with over 5300 square feet of space and a 4 car garage plus guest house and more. In the kitchen was a built in BBQ cooker, right there in the wall with a chimney going out the ceiling....briquets, the whole shooting match. it was quite a house.
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We bought two things today. One was a bottle. Green glass with the words American Bicentennial on the bottom side and Corsicana on the other. one side with an eagle and 200 & an American flag -- the other side says: "Texas First oil Well" with the oil derrick on the bottle. These are not painted on - but actually part of the glass bottle. the top takes a cork to close. I love this bottle. oh, on the bottom are words CHATTANOD GLASS CO 75 YEARS
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The wife found a loose leaf cookbook: Navarro County Sesquicentennial Cookbook 1836-1986. It is your local cookbook with recipes from the locals. Thought it would be fun to have since it has recipes from people we know.
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Pay Attention Now - This is exactly how it is found in the book.
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Page 215
GRANDMOTHER WELCH'S COCOA RECIPE
2 c sugar 1 T. flour
2 T. cocoa 1 c. milk or water
Mix ingredients together and cook until thick. Pour over Mama-made biscuits and serve.
History: This recipe came from my great-grandmother. Daddy was raised eating this; I was raised eating this; I raised four children eating this; now they are raising their children on this. I know of four generations.
Nell Crum
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A RARE RECIPE FROM A SLAVE COOK
Gather your pees 'bout sun down. The folrin day, 'bout leven o'clock, gowge out your pees with your thum nale, like gowgin out a man's eyeball at a kote house. Rense your pees, parbile them, then fry 'em with sum several slices uv streekt middlin, incouragin uf the gravy to seep out and intermarry with your pees. When modritly brown, but not scorcht, empty intoo a dish. Mash 'em gently with a spune, mix with raw tomaters sprinkled with a little brown shugar and the immortal dis ar quite ready. Eat a hepe. Eat mo and mo. it is good for your genral helth uv mind and body. It fattens you up, makes you sassy, goes throo and throo your very soul. But why don't you eat: eat on. By Jings. Eat. Stop? Never, while thar is a pee in the dish.
History: This was found in an old church cookbook. Fropm the 1800's and published in 1879 in "Housekeeping in Old Virginia".
Peggy Garner
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couple more:
WIENERS SUPREME
Select the number of wieners you plan to serve. Cut in half each weiner, leaving one end intact. Place strip of cheese and thinly sliced onions inside each wiener. Wrap a strip of bacon tightly around each wiener. Place all wieners in shallow pan or Pyrex dish and cook at 350 degrees until bacon is done.
Elizabeth Slater
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KING RANCH CHICKEN (I knew it had to be in here, page 113)
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100 YEAR OLD VINEGAR PIE page 202
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that's nuff for now.   Y'all keep the faith now;  Y'hear?
mike