storyteller

     Before I start today I must apologise for not writing sooner I have been so busy, trying to work more on my Kitchen……All the Cabinets cleaned out, and rearranged What a job that was.  Two Garbage bags of junk went out of here not to mention the two bags/boxes of stuff for a yard sale!  WOOHOO!  I am making progress.  Now for the better stuff….A lot to catch up on this past week.  I also got in 5 days at work instead of my usual 3 which is another subject all it’s own.  I haven’t been to the store because I am afraid of what I will see…….LOL. 

     I am sure that Chaos has ensued since Monday morning, remember the Lottery came to town.  I am sure it has been more than a three ring circus.  You see we had no training at all, the system wasn’t to go online until Sunday night/Monday morning at 12:01 AM.  They made a big deal out of this on the news too, which for a state that has so many that didn’t want the Lottery I guess it is a big deal.  I haven’t gone by to see what I am in for come Thursday when I go back to work.  We already had people paying for their Cigarettes, and Tobacco products with change…..loose change.  I can’t even imagine what the girls have been put through this past week.

     The last report I heard was that $1.4 Million in tickets had already been sold……and the payouts are around $740,000……so far.  I don’t really know if that is good or bad.  In just 2 whole days this is what has been sold so far.  My Hubby called me when he left for work on Monday morning and got to the store he usually stops at to get Ice, and a drink.  He said they were lined up all the way outside and their was nowhere to actually park. And this was at 5:30 AM  PEOPLE that is just too darn early to be gambling….LOL. He had to park in one of the fuel isles in order to go into the store.

     That is just plain CRAZY…..the tickets are not going to go away, not anytime soon.  They will keep selling them from now on, and this was just the Scratch off tickets here.  The other Power Ball won’t be put in place until October 31st………JUST CRAZY!! 

     I am proud of him, he waited until he came home and only bought 10, and split them with me…..AWWW.  He is good to me you know……we won $7.00 not bad, but I just don’t think I will be able to take that Alaskan Cruise I want to take on that amount.  I told him he needs to do better, and Dammit be picking winners with some good amounts!  More than a $1, at this rate we will be in the poor house by the time we get enough for the both of us to take that cruise.

     I will keep everyone up to date on this ongoing development, I wonder how many people have won anything from our store?  I guess I better go  by there when I go to the lumber store.  I am going to be busy building a table for my kitchen…..I sure could use some money….I might just have to buy some tickets while I am there.   Oh I just can’t wait till I have to go to work…….LOL

Have a good day

storyteller

 $$$$$$$$$$The Lottery is coming to AR…..in a week or so the scratch offs will be here.  They came into our store and put the Satellite.  I can’t wait to be able to play the lottery.  And yes I voted for it, I believe that there has been too much money leaving the state all because of the NO GAMBLING clause.  I have gone to other states to gamble myself, and the one thing that always struck me was that most of the cars in the parking lots were cars from Arkansas. 

My honey and I went recently over to Oklahoma to the Casino at the 325 exit the 2nd one just over the line.  As we made our way into the casino we were looking at the car tags………..5 out of 7 cars had Arkansas plates.   That was overwhelming to me, that only 2 out of 7 were locals or from that state.  We weaved in and out of separate rows just so we could see more cars.  And again he on his rows and me on my rows counted at least 5 out of 7 were AR plates. 

So what that  tells us is that it is time for Arkansas to get that money back into the state it belongs in.  It also tells me that we are way too ready for the first steps.  Oh and by the way there is already gambling inside the state even though they do not want to recognise it.  At the dog tracks, in Memphis they have machines in a separate room for casino type gambling.  Of course it is all tied in with the dog track races that no one wants to admit to.  In order for you to win on the machine it goes by the dog race that is going on simultaneously.  If the dog wins you win,  It also goes on down at the the Horse races in Hot Springs.  They too have a separate room with casino type games and machines set up in the same way.  We have been to both and did quite well at both places.   But now starting Sept. 28 the Scratch Offs,  I am torn with how I feel about it.  It is going to be a lot of work for us at the Store, and there may be some really ticked off people waiting in lines.  I know that after the newness wears off things will get back to normal, whatever that is.  The Scratch off games can be a lot of fun, I have played them from time to time.  I did win $100 once, and $50, and all kinds of freebies over the years, and a couple of $20 prizes too.  I will keep you all updated on the state of the matter,  on this from time to time to.  I am anticipating a booming business from this, and am sure I won’t be disappointed.

The real big news on this is that the real games will start sometime in October, and we will be in on the bigger games and super jackpots.  That is really going to boost the revenue $$$$$ for the state and it will go to the Scholarship programs which is needed in this state.  Students will benefit from this and I for one am all for it.  If they had these programs when I was a student I might have tried harder to get an education and would have become a teacher, or computer programmer, or something.  That is what it is all about giving the less advantaged a leg up into another aspect of life.    It will give Hope to those who are looking at student loans, grants, and other ways to help pay for their education.  And all in all it is a good thing in the end and that is why I voted for it.  To all those who live in AR happy playing and play in moderation, be responsible.

Have a good day!

Storyteller

I have been busy, I have been on Facebook trying to catch up.  I signed up on it months ago and never did do anything with it.  I don’t know if it is me but there just isn’t enough hours in the day anymore.  It seems that all I do is stay on here at the computer with not much work getting done.  That is on the days I can stay on here.  I just keep thinking that it is because I have Dial up service instead of DSL. 

It just might be wishful thinking that it is because of my service, and not that I might have  the attention span of a gnat.  Oh that is an interesting word….you see that GNAT that is such a weird looking word.   I would really like to speak to the folks that designed our language, and ask them “What you just ran out of ideas for the words we use?”  That brings us to the word of KNIFE, what is that?  Why not just write it just like it sounds…..NIFE  that is so much easier and it rhymes with Wife…..Oh there we go another one RHYMES what is that? Does the H in that word have anything to do with the word or the Y …..why is the Y in there?  I think it should be RIMES…..that would be just as easy.   How about the word GYPSY that would be changed to GIPSIE there that is easier too.  The Y wasn’t of any use in that word anyway, see there are a lot of words that we could change.

And to make matters even worse I find that there are words that I really do not use at all or ever have…….probably because I can’t figure out how to put them in an actual sentence to use them.  Like the word GYVE  not only is it a weird looking word if we change the spelling  it changes the meaning totally.  Boy what a dilemma our language is so messed up.  That word GYVE -definition is  Shackle or fetter , especially for the leg. Great word as it is for the Scrabble game but if we spell it the way it sounds then it becomes ordinary GIVE which means something totally different.   Just don’t know how we can fix this,  but I know that the Dictionary used to be just the dictionary and now there are so many different kinds of reference books to our language.  I still think they only make up new words just for the Scrabble game…..I say that because that is the only time I use those words, when I want to baffle my opponent in scrabble and make them look up the word.  I like saying “I told you so, I told you it was in the dictionary”

 That is it folks, I am calling a meeting in Washington for an overhaul of the English Language immediately!  Forget the health-care system we need a Language CZAR….and while we are at it, I am putting it on the floor that it be called the North American Language, we are not English any more and haven’t been since the Pilgrims’ left England.  What do you say are ya with me?

Have a great day, hope I made you giggle

Storyteller

In Their Memory

Today is 9-11 and bells will toll, wreaths will be placed

This is the day that  started it all, it set the pace.

Many were just starting the day the sun on the horizon

Little did we know the Devil was rising

The news echoed around the world and back

The Twin Towers were hit, Planes used to Attack

Smoke, Glass,  Steel, and Tears of loved ones waiting to see

In horror watching them collapse of what is to be.

So many running, wounded, bleeding covered in debris

Firemen, Police, Ambulance,  All were on the scene.

The horror of the loss, not knowing how many

Glued to the TV for the updates, weighing heavy

Watching, waiting, crying for all those perished

Seeing them in better times their family’s would cherish

They are all gone the news did say, and cleaning up now underway

You can clean up the debris, and haul away the steel

The souls who were lost can never appeal

A final Goodbye is in order today but 9-11 will never really go away

I wrote this for all those souls  lost  in 9-11 and for all those who lost someone in 9-11.  The world needs to find a middle ground to come together and live in harmony if we are to make it.  I only hope that we will find a way, sometime in the near future for the sake of the children of the world. 

Storyteller 

Today I went to my Oddly Enough news at yahoo, just to see what I have missed in the past few days. Boy oh boy you just can’t leave them alone for any amount  of time. Some times I just roll with laughter at some of the stuff they write about.  Just last week they were having a rash of thefts concerning Legos, particularly the  anatomy of a Large Lego Giraffe. Yes it seems they were stealing the Giraffe’s manhood!  That was the article that caught my attention and laughter…….as well as giggles There was more than one article on this subject but it seems that the tail went missing……so much for giggles.     Very,very strange if you ask me, the burning question I have is WHY? It was reported that  the particular item had been stolen several times. I just love the Odd news it is so …..Odd ! There has been a few more stories reporting that the tail has gone missing now. Even after they were building a large steel cage to protect the manhood! Imagine that……..LOL   Go figure that one out. My guess would be that they probably need to put this  Giraffe in a room with safety glass and alarms to keep it intact and keep the thieves out…LOL.

         Hello All ………     Have I got a new recipe for you.  It seems that my Hubby planted a couple of Pepper Plants back in the spring and now they are putting out!!  We have been over run with Bell Peppers.  I am running out of space to put them in the freezer as you can imagine.  There is only so many that 2 people can use and the plants are producing at least 6-8 every other day.  So I got online and looked up Stuffed Pepper recipes. 

      There are so many and they all call for some elaborate ingredients some of which I have never used.  And you know by the time you buy everything you need it cost a fortune to make the dish you might as well go eat out.

Simple Stuffed Peppers

6 large Green Bell Peppers  (cored and washed) set aside

1 lb. Sausage (I use mild)

1/2 to 3/4 lb. of Ground Chuck

1 med. onion chopped

3 C. Rice and 3 C. water- Minute rice made to the directions

1 can Tomato Sauce 8oz size

Barbecue Spice, Cayenne Pepper, salt and pepper

1 C. Shredded Cheese (I used Fiesta/Mexican type Cheese)

1 Large oblong Glass Baking dish sprayed with cooking spray                                                        any kind you like

Preheat oven to 375*

In a ex-large skillet set heat at med-low use a table spoon or so of cooking oil or spray and put in onion to start, add your sausage cutting it up or breaking it up into small chunks. Cover and let cook about 5 min.  I put that to one side of my skillet, then add your ground chuck breaking it up too.  Cover and let it cook another few minutes.  While that is cooking you prepare your rice in a large sauce pan, cover and let it sit, do not let it totally get done.  Use your own judgement on time.  It will still have a little bit of water in the pan, that is ok. 

 Stir up all your meat mixture, add salt and pepper to taste.  Now drain off the fat and liquid.  Turn off the heat to that burner so you do not burn it.  In the ex-large skillet mix in your rice/water mixture, add as much of the barbecue spice and cayenne pepper as you want adjust to your taste. Stir in 1/2 of the can Tomato sauce.  Now you are ready to stuff your peppers. 

Do them over your glass dish that is already prepared that way any stuffing that falls off falls in the dish you are baking them in.  I layed my peppers on their side with the stuffed end toward the middle of the dish.  My peppers were more long than squatty. Take all the unused stuffing and spoon it down into any holes around the peppers and into the middle using all of it.  Take the last 1/2 of the tomato sauce and drizzle it all over the peppers in the dish.  Cover with foil and bake 20-30 minutes.  Check them about 1/2 way through to see if they are done…..you do not want them too mushy, nor crunchy.

Take them out of oven uncover and quickly sprinkle the cheese over them and watch it melt.  They are ready to serve as the main dish or with other veggies of the season. 

         These turned out absolutely delicious and it was really fast and filling.  My husband said they were the best he has had….and it is hard to compete with his moms’ cooking she is from Russia, raised in Germany.  He suggested that I use the same recipe for stuffed cabbage except to put chopped up pepper in the stuffing for that.  I did not use chopped up peppers in this because It is just enough pepper taste and not overwhelming with the peppers you use to stuff.  But to each his or her own.  Hope you try it and enjoy!

Storyteller

  Good morning all…..I am trying to get into a routine to where this becomes easy and I do not forget all that I need to do.  I am probably the most disorganized person I know.  I did not used to be this way, I think back on when I had children at home and underfoot.  I lived in a small house, smaller than the one I live in now, and lets put it this way Cracker box, with doors and windows.  The kitchen in that place was the size of my master bathroom now.  So maybe I thought I had a lot of things and really didn’t.

I just keep collecting things, and making things, never throwing things away.  Just in the past 2 years I have bought a lot of yard sale treasures.  Now comes the real reason I lead up to this.  I was watching my morning show a couple of days ago, maybe a week ago.  They had the 10 best websites up for discussion, I think it appeared in one of the magazines that is why they were talking about it.  Well anyway, they mentioned Goodwill, and all the fine work they do.  Well it seems that they have a site that is set up just like e-bay.  It is an auction site, and you bid on stuff, they offer up a lot of Antiques, One of a kind items, Nostalgic items, Art, Collectors items, and there are some really interesting things on there. As well as useful things that need homes.

They seem to use the words, Vintage a lot, and they tell you things about the items with pictures and all.  I have been spending my time cruising the site…..and I have won several items.  The site is http://www.shopgoodwill.com  and it is set up for all the Goodwill Inc.s’ across the country to get on there and offer up their stuff.  And the money made goes to help with education, and training, and placement for people with disabilities.  It is a cool site and I have won several items that have already come to me and I am satisfied with them so far.  I am collecting Plates now and I got 2 beautiful plates that are made in Germany and hand painted with gold edging….They came yesterday and WOW they are prettier than they were pictured.  I also won a Logic 3 ipod station….I asked a few questions before I bid on it….they answered really fast too.  I got it for $5.00 and was told that it worked fine, they checked it out before offering it up for bid.  The shipping is a little steep depending on which Goodwill you are dealing with.  But I do not mind paying for the shipping or a handling fee knowing it is going to Services for Goodwill. 

I will keep you all updated on this, because I have several bids in on other things  and I will see in the next week or two how they take care of business.  Well I have to go for now, I have way to much to catch up on today.  And I work on Thurs., Fri., and Sat.  So  I won’t have much time to waste like I have been.  I try to get meals planned, shopping done, clean the house, and get laundry done before I have to go back to work so I am not stressed the days I am away from the house.   You all know that If I don’t do it no one will.  My old man’s arms are broke, and he doesn’t know how to cook.  His favorite pass-time is exercising his drinking arm in front of the TV, Not figuring out dinner so we can eat when I get home from work at 8PM.  You all have a great day, and check out the site.

Storyteller

  storyteller — Today.com

This is how you turn something useless into something useful, You let your mind look at the item and imagine what you would do to change it.  I do this all the time and have found out that I am quite good at it.  I can take something someone else would throw away and make it into something useful.  I told you all that I work in a Tobacco store well my manager has these displays that are cardboard, and sturdy.  They come in all kinds of sizes, and some are quite colorful.  She gave me one that was a pretty sturdy Tops Tobacco  display.  It is just a 2 shelf one large tall shelf and one narrow.  It did not go with anything in my home, so I took it home and decided where I could use it. 

Ha..Ha..not where you would think, I hung it on a wall in my newly painted kitchen.  I have been saving these grid like plastic inserts from our air filters for the AC intake they are sturdy.  I cut one   to be inserted inside the fold-able display for the backing to make sure they will hang on the wall without collapsing.  Put that inside first to fit it snug. Then paint  the cardboard display whatever color you want and let it dry totally overnight preferably.  Then I measure where the studs are on the wall I am hanging it on to see how far apart they are.

Now you put the measurement on the backside of the display you are going to hang, poke a hole into the cardboard to put pull ties you know the ones they use for automotive, or electric wiring the ones that when you pull them they lock.  They come in white and black all lengths. I run the end into the hole and wrap it under the griding and back out the hole.  So the tie is actually holding on to the griding through the cardboard.  It will make a loop which hangs out the back do not pull it tight yet. 

You get a second tie and run it through the loop of the first tie, and pull that one to make a loop about the size of a nickle. Now on the first loop that is holding on to the griding pull it tighter till there is almost nothing left and cut the excess off of it.  You now have something that looks like a paper chain the kind we made as kids except it is made of the ties.  Cut the excess off the loop you are going to use to hang it up with. The loop should still be about the size of a nickle or dime.

You are now ready to hang your shelving made of cardboard on your wall.  I put two nails into the studs I am going to use and hang the shelf…..It is handy.  I am using this one for paper plates, cups,napkins,  Baggies, and sandwich bags.  Keep in mind that these displays are not for heavy items or glass although I have one in my craft area that houses a variety of items I turned it on its side and hung it on the wall.  It is very useful.  I keep craft foam, unfinished ceramics Small pieces, Ribbons, Lace and wicker baskets  in the cub-by holes and I even put some lightweight finished flower baskets and a small portable stereo on the top.

Just a quick  and nifty idea if you are looking for cubby’s’ for a child’s room they would work instead of buying them just ask your local stores if you can have them when they are done with them.  Recycle and Reuse.

Hope this is helpful