Basil loving his new home in the yard...love love love fresh basil.
READING: I know you all think I am going to write that I am reading some piece of literature or historical fare here, but you guessed wrong this week. Here is what I am reading: all those little instruction booklets that accompany the products we have purchased over the past few years. Seriously. I have all these appliances, etc. that I just removed from their packaging, plugged them in, and started using...I figured it was time to pull out all the little booklets and read what else these things can do (for instance, my iron has a button named "auto clean" on it and I have no idea what that is supposed to do...I will let you know when I get to that booklet). It all started with Matt giving me his old Motorola RAZR phone when he got his new iPhone...I know how to make a call on it and that is pretty much it, so for those of you who have left messages for me, know right now that I have not a clue how to get those off of there at this point. (You all know about me and the phone anyway, so you are probably not surprised or had any real hope that I was going to do anything more than what was absolutely necessary in regards to all of that...don't give up on me...I am working up to it.)
LISTENING TO: Spanish I tapes...a little of this goes a long way.
COOKING THROUGH: Crockpot recipes...I am TRYING to arrive at healthy versions of all these crazy crockpot recipes...what is it with these anyway: do they have some sort of tie-in contract with the cream of whatever soup companies? I was thinking that being able to roast a chicken in the crockpot would be a good thing because of the new and different swim practice times ending with us arriving home by 6:00 p.m. each evening (wow, who knew that would ever happen?) and I was thinking that if I could somehow manage to cook with that crockpot it would simplify matters in getting dinner on the table at the very early hour of 6:30 (I am not even sure we would know what to do with a 6:30 p.m. dinner hour, but I am willing to try and find out to free up the rest of the evening). ANYWAY, all these recipes seem to think you need to add copious amounts of fats...cream of whatever soup, sour cream, lots of cheese or milk or cream, etc. and I am not interested in any of that. I have the roast chicken figured out and that was really moist and good and did not contain anything but chicken, spices, and a little bit of water or broth. I have a few that require tomatoes and or tomato juice that fit what I am looking for. I need more options...this family will not be happy with chicken and tomato based dishes forever. (Please, if you have some nice healthy versions, Email me your suggestions or recipes...we will be forever grateful! Healthy versions only with no fake ingredients.)
FAV NEW FIND: Today is the launching of the Big Ten Network...mostly sports I hear tell, which I am thinking is a fine thing (more reality shows, based on say dorm life or whatever, we do not need)...however, the cable stations have yet to reach an agreement, so will not be available to cable subscribers just yet. Those lucky satellite subscribers, however should be sitting fine in time for the basketball season openers.
FAV THING TODAY; Starting the holiday early...Blue Bernice talked me into it. Guys are on their own here for a few days...I can't wait to see the finished men den!
SCRAPBOOK PAGES THIS WEEK; Six.
GOING TO: Am going to post this and then shut down Clarice for the holiday...see you back here on Tuesday!
PRAYING FOR: Safety and well-being for all the holiday travelers this week, please join me.