“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label January. Show all posts
Showing posts with label January. Show all posts

Saturday, January 13, 2018

January Thoughts, It Could Be Worse

Hello friends. Well here we are once again, the beginning of a new year. I started preparing for the new year back in the old year during the month of November. My computer was almost 9 years old and seemed to be really slowing down, so my Christmas present to myself was a new PC and it was lightening fast!

I moved all my images and files over to the new PC and customized everything the way I wanted. And loaded all the programs and browsers and etc, etc. I started to feel at home and thought how much progress I would make by being ready to really get going on loading new listings on my online shop, it took no time to upload photos etc...

And it worked great!! For about two months... and then Christmas eve day I was checking some emails and all the sudden it just blinked. Then it gave me the blue/black screen with the weird message about go to HP something or other... and of course I thought oh it's some spam thing. So I googled on my phone and sure enough it was a valid Hewlett Packard message that basically told me how to run a couple of tests on my PC, which I did. Sadly it told me that the hard drive was dead, well it didn't say dead, but that's basically what it meant. I have to say, I almost cried!

Fortunately it was still within the 90 day return period and Costco took it back and refunded my money. Of course I then promptly turned around and bought another HP, slightly different but almost identical to the other one.

So I had to start all over with moving the files etc. It was not nearly as much fun as the first time! I have most everything moved over and customized again and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't just quit on my again. A tech friend of mine says that it happens now and then. Guess I've been lucky all these years!



My best laid plans have been derailed temporarily but I'm starting to get  back on track again. Besides it's been too cold to do much else than work on indoor projects so I'm trying to make the best of it. If anything catastrophic happens with this PC I will be saying goodbye to any more HP computers.

Sorry to complain, I know that some of you have been going through much worse things than just technical failures. Chuck Lorre, one of the producers of the Big Bang Theory always  writes a little post after each of the shows, I of course have to pause our DVR and read them.  He wrote one not long ago about Complaining, and I tend to agree that it's our human nature to complain. Even though we sometimes say "I can't complain." in response to "How are things with you?", we generally then follow up with a list of complaints anyway. We are flawed and whiny humans....
xo Diane

So, how are things with you?



Wednesday, January 27, 2016

New Year Resolutions on Hold

Have you all been keeping your New Year Resolutions? Maybe you don't make any, I know that I gave up on them quite awhile ago. Actually not true, I make resolutions about every month. Some I keep and others... eh... not really.

We've been trying to eat better around here, lots of salads and lower carbs and fat.  It's been a struggle, I grew up on a farm for goodness sake, and every day there included comfort food. I still miss my Mom's home cooked meals, she was a fabulous cook! 

One thing I'm already tired of is no dessert.... that lasted about three weeks and then these yummy blueberries were on sale and then I saw some lemons,  and well here is the result....



Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake




 





This is a pretty easy recipe and it's luscious, plus it feeds about twelve people, so it's great for a crowd. The entire recipe and directions are at the bottom of the post.


 

Start by making your crust, it's just butter, cake mix and an egg.  Remember to spray or grease the pan so it doesn't stick.

 

 

I've already creamed the butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs and juice... now I've added those delicious blueberries.
 


 
 

Stir in the blueberries and lemon zest, gently! Don't crush your berries! OK, I actually forgot to add the lemon zest.... too caught up in taking pictures and conversing with our house guest! 
Oops! 
It's much better with the zest. 
Don't forget like I did!



 

 
Smooth your batter over the unbaked crust.



 

Bake until golden and puffy, but don't over bake, it still should be gooey.  Jiggle the pan and if the center is still really loose bake for about 5 more minutes and check again. 



Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

Crust:
1 box cake mix, white or yellow
1 stick butter, softened
1 whole egg


Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 whole eggs
2 lemons (zest removed and then juiced)
2 or 3 cups of fresh blueberries


Directions:
 
1.    For the Crust:  In large mixer bowl blend the cake mix and butter to combine.  Add the egg and mix until it forms a soft dough. Spray a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Press the dough evenly into the dish. Set aside and make the filling.

2.    For the Filling: In large mixer bowl cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the sugar and mix well.  Then add the eggs and lemon juice and mix until well combined and smooth.  By hand, stir in the blueberries and lemon zest.  Pour over the crust.

3.    Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.  Center of dessert will be gooey but not runny.

4.    Cool at least 20 minutes, cut or spoon onto serving dish and top with whipped cream.
 






Wait for your dessert to cool until you can't stand it any longer and then scoop into a bowl and cover with massive amounts of whipped cream.... and then fall into a sugar stupor! Yay! What else is there to do in January?  Except then I remember we're going to be going somewhere soon where the weather is tropical and shorts and swim suits are a possibility ..... then it's back to the salads!


Desserts are my one weakness! 
Want to share yours?

 ~xx Diane xx~

 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

What People Do Here For Fun!

This is what people do in Minnesota for fun! Not me, I'm not crazy or brave enough! Look at this posted on YouTube. I had to laugh when I saw some of the East Coast Plungers the other day, they didn't even get their hair wet!  Now this is a Polar Bear Plunge! There were many other videos posted from previous years that included the screaming as people jumped in, I found this one for this year. Just use your imagination for what they were saying as they got out of the water! By the way, the ice they pulled out of the hole was about 20 inches thick.

Published on Jan 1, 2013
Nearly 800 brave souls jumped into frigid Lake Minnetonka today. Air temp -5 Fahrenheit, -21 Celsius. Several exchange students and friends jumped with the group. The first jumper is on his 23rd year. Bill Wenmark is one of the founders of this great event.







Have any of you brave souls ever done anything like this!??!!