Hmmm...

This morning I decided to do something I never do (at just before 7 am. I'll do it sometimes at like 9 or 10, but never 7!)... I made breakfast. Now, my thought was rather than holler at Hal in the shower "Would you like me to make you breakfast? How do eggs sound?," I'd just make some. If he wanted it when he was done showering, he could have it, otherwise, I'd just claim it was all for me! :)
I was thinking maybe some scrambled eggs would be yummy...

So I went downstairs and got out the eggs... and my impromptu breakfast rapidly turned itself into something yummier! (This is about as close to retracing my thoughts as I can get...)
I thought runny yolk eggs sound better than scrambled, with maybe some toast to go with it? So I got out the potato bread (Hal likes potato bread) that we got Saturday and made a couple of pieces of toast to go with the couple of cooking eggs.
And then I thought... I'd like some cheese! I LOVE cheese!
So I got into my cheese drawer to get the cheese to cut myself a piece, and saw the sandwich ham I have in there. And I thought "I wonder if that's still good?" So I got it out to check (it was).
and then it occurred to me...
Instead of just eggs and toast, I should make something better! I've got toast (well, mostly bread 'cause my toaster seems to be dying), eggs, cheese, and ham! (Hal came in about this time and said he'd like one.)
I flipped the eggs over, added a cheese slice to each, a piece of ham, and then when the cheese was melted, slid the egg onto my bread slathered with mayo...

Maybe I'll make myself another for lunch... it was pretty good!

It really surprised Hal that I'd made breakfast. He said that he could tell I made it for myself, and not actually for him, as I seemed too happy to have actually made it for him. "??"
Apparently I only get that excited to cook something when it talks to me... Boy does that sound nuts. I just mean that when I get started and whatever I'm making evolves into something else, something yummy! I enjoy cooking more.

And yet I don't actually cook like that for Hal, because well... it doesn't always evolve into something yummy... I have funky tastes (in shoes, clothes, decor, pets, and apparently food) and Hal doesn't always agree with my culinary tastes... So, rather than subject him to forcing down something rather distasteful I just don't get carried away. I follow a recipe. Except when I don't...

Example:
I was making meatloaf. Following my mom's "recipe" (I'm sure she actually does have one, but I just make it like I remember her making it. Unfortunately, hers always turns out better 'causes she's better at it than me... I NEED to measure!) Anyways, it went like this. Some defrosted hamburger (I had just under a pound I think), a handful of rolled oats, some bread crumbs (I had some stuffing filling), a small handful of dried onions, an egg, some salt and pepper, (so far so good) and about half a can of tomato sauce. Now I didn't have tomato sauce so I substituted... tomato paste. They're both red! And gooey! And tomato! My meatloaf ended up a bit sweet. Hal said that it probably would have been better if I'd used ketchup instead of the tomato paste. Anyways, I liked it! I thought it was yummy! Hal ate it. But did not want seconds...

Another example (of my funky tastes, and why I don't "assemble" food for Hal):
(typed up into almost recipe form for added fun... If you have a sensitive stomach, don't think about it too hard...)
One of my favorite things to eat when I was very first out on my own, fending for my own food, was (probably still is delicious) this:
Combine in a bowl (or on a plate, but it stays together better in a bowl):
A cooked hot dog or two (the Bar S kind is the best here... and the cheapest), cut it into bite sized pieces,
some pineapple (chunks are best, but crushed works too),
some corn (I always used the kernel kind, because I don't like cream style, so I don't know how that would be),
add some salsa to add some color and more flavor,
And ta da! yummy! You can also add cubed cheese for extra yummy.
Additional notes: Green beans go well in this "dish" as well as, or instead of, corn. Mandarin oranges do not mix well with the salsa. Nor does ranch dressing. Canned chili (or just kidney beans) does mix in quite well.

Anyways, Hal always seems a bit leery when he comes into the kitchen and I'm grinning from ear to ear and say "do you want some?" Understandable? I think so...

Hmm...
I seems to have gotten distracted...
I made breakfast today, and it was yummy!!!

A new toy!

This is a post I meant to blog about like a month ago, and just didn't, so I'm writing it down now!

When we moved into this house, our lawn was almost dead. (Which, while it may be ugly, at least means we don't have to worry about mowing it or hiring someone to mow it.) Shortly thereafter, it started raining. And raining. And raining. I like to say it's either hot or pouring rain. Which while not being strictly true -- it's like 78 degrees right now and almost noon, not really hot -- does seem to convey how I feel.
Consequently the lawn grew and grew...
We arranged to have someone come mow it, and I told them to cut it really short. When they were done, and it was, in my opinion, too tall still, they told me that that's as short as they could cut it with all the holes and uneven ground I have. Apparently I have "rocks" (I have to tell you, I've looked and there's not so many rocks!)
Anyways, a couple of weeks later when the jungle effect was going again, I tried to hire someone to come mow again... I had multiple people look and got quotes from $35 to $50 ("$50 at least maybe more, we'll figure it when we're done") ... And I thought... Um "no"...
So, we decided I could mow it! My wonderful husband got me a new mower!

It's a self propelled mower and you know what? It's seriously like the coolest toy ever! It's even better than the weed wacker! (And that's saying something, 'cause boy, is that thing fun!) I went out to try it out after we got it, and mowed the whole front lawn having a blast! I think my neighbors thought I was a little nuts... I was grinning and laughing...
By the time I done with the back as well, the novelty had worn off a bit, but it's still awesome! It makes me feel so TOUGH!!! I just squeeze the trigger and off it goes! Vroom!!! How wonderful! :)