Come Back Rudolf

RUDOLF COME BACK

Happy Holidays to each and every one of you.

Mary

Chicken, Potatoes and Spinach With Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce

And, it is Very Good.

This recipe is from the website Damn Delicious. Check it out. This is a better photo. It is not a very good photo taking day here where I live.

I am very happy to tell you that I have NOT had anymore trouble with the computer scam. Everything has been "very quiet" and that is the way I like it. I have not been doing very well, however, with my motivation to work with learning Windows 10 and my new compute. I'll get there eventually. Buy the way, I really like the new wireless printer. 

We have had a couple days with sunshine. However, another rain storm is "on it's way".  Hopefully, our snow pack higher up will start to increase so our drought problems won't be so serious.

Very little Christmas decorating going on here in my home this year. Here is a little reminder of days in the past.

I look forward to next year when hopefully I will be able to decorate like I have in the past. Because I really like decorating. I just have not been able to do it this year.

I'll be back when I have something to blog.

Happy Day to You.

Mary

No Really - All Is Good

You can find some of the craziest pictures on this thing called the World Wide Web !!! She looks pretty upset to me . Thankfully, I did NOT get to that point with my recent  foray .

In fact , I am hopeful that the incident is a closed chapter . But , first of all I want to say it was the most bizarre and different type of scam then I have ever heard of . The specifics are to lengthy to reiterate .  Sometimes our current circumstances make us more vulnerable then usual . Thankfully, we are not talking about a lot of money - but any amount is too much . I think the only damage will be my singed pride. 

I took action by doing some homework on the matter and immediately called my bank and put a stop on any related transaction . I have been receiving emails and telephone calls from the "offender" that I did not respond to until I thoughtfully prepared an email to send. I am blogging the email that I sent to them only in the hopes that my experience may help someone.

My email said, "This email is to notify you that the payment for this transaction has been terminated . According to the Federal Trade Commission and California State Law 3-Day Right To Cancel I am within my legal rights to cancel .  Your business tactics have been misrepresentative and fraudulent . There is no way that a New Computer (two days ownership) was in need of your fraudulent services . I will not go into detail as I am aware that you have had numerous contacts/complaints from other individuals who have filed reports of displeasure about your business services . I will be diligent in surveillance of all of your activities that may have impact on my personal business  This is a final notice to you . I will not be responding to your phone calls or any emails ."

And that was that . The emails and phone calls have stopped . I am optimistic that this chapter will be closed . Time will tell .

We have been having slow pleasant rains for days . The snow levels are getting lower, that meaning closer to my elevation . But it is time that I leave the house and run some errands.

Hope your weekend will be a Pleasant one.

Mary

Stepping Away

But - - - just for a little time until I get comfortable with my new Laptop (windows 10) and Printer. You know how it goes with all the Internet connections, transferring files and data, moving the old and setting up the new electronics. I have spent  most of the day with activity related to new electronics.

Unfortunately, I encountered a drop-down message this morning soon after I turned the computer on. It stated that it was urgent to call a certain phone number to ensure that my computer would not be damaged by unsafe software. Without going into detail. I will say that the activity caused me great aggravation. The long and the short of it is - It was a scam. And, it has taken a lot of time to reverse unwanted activity on my new computer. I did a lot of google information gathering and found that  there have been many complaints reported to the Better Business Bureau. If you are interested in more specifics just leave me a comment or email.

To say the least, I am very tired tonight and do not plan to blog until my computer learning curve is further along.

With all the things that are taking my attention and energy it is going to be just fine that my Christmas holidays are going to be quiet. But, don't be surprised if something comes up that I want to blog about. Like, maybe winning the lottery! HA-HA.

Mary

Today Is The Big Delivery

Yes, my new laptop and printer are expected to arrive today in the afternoon and I really am excited. I think it is my Christmas present to ME. Pretty nice one at that. However, I am not very excited about the whole set-up thing. It would be nice to have someone around to help or answer the many questions that I know I will have. In my limited contacts with people I must find someone who knows more than I do about computers.

It is chilly outdoors and I have to go out and clean up a lot more leaves. On Friday, my neighbor blew all the many many leaves off my roof for which I am very grateful. I told him I would clean up all the leaves and mess. I wasn't able to get it all finished so out I go to finish the job. I filled 5, yes, 5 more large trash barrels with leaves and pine needles.

I also was able to clean the leaf covered new Iris Garden Bed. Iris are subject to fungus, so I thought perhaps good drainage along with good air circulation may help to avoid unwanted conditions.

It looks light everyone of the newly planted are doing well. Weeds are starting to come up. If it isn't one thing it's another. One thing about the drought was that the weeds weren't much of an issue. With the rains, which are very good, means more weeds.

AFTERNOON UPDATE - - - The computer and printer arrived. I know what I will be doing tonight.

Hope your week is starting off nicely.

Mary

A Little Cyber Monday Shopping

It seems as though during the past few months everything in my house of any significant dollar value is giving up and saying "I quit" or "I'm going to make your life miserable". Granted it has been several years since most of the "offenders" were purchased. But give me a break, not all in the same year!

Well anyway, even though I had the hard drive in my laptop restored, life in my computer world just isn't what it should be or what I want it to be. The desktop computer is very old with Windows XP which makes it almost obsolete in my book.  And the printer is old, big, clunky, heavy and acting up. And, not wireless. Do I sound happy? NO.

I really hate spending what little money I have on things like this. But, there comes a day when my frustration forces me to make these decisions. 

After-all, the range, microwave, garbage disposal, all started fighting with me and demanded that I spend some money. Thankfully, they seem happy now. 

So, now I should let myself get excited and tell you what I am getting. 

The laptop is Hewlett Packard ENVY x360, 2 in 1, 15.6 in TouchScreen Intel Core i5 12GB Memory 1TB Hard Drive. I think I got a very good price with $200 off and free shipping.

And, the printer is Hewlett Packard ENVY 4520 wireless All in One Instant Ink Ready. It is not as fancy as my last printer but I am sure it will meet my needs. And, this was $50 off and free shipping.

No longer will I have a desktop PC. But that is fine. The new laptop is larger than I have had in the past and it has anything I might want. I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 that was a gift a few years ago. I can use it more often if I learn a little more about the many options. 

So, when the new electronics arrive in a couple days I will be embarking on a pretty steep learning curve. It seems as though there is always so many things to learn in this day and age of technology.

I never like making these decisions on my own but I have done it for years and usually come out OK with what I finally decide. Wish me luck.

Mary

Sending A Little Yarn Love Your Way

Are you working on any yarn projects for Christmas/Holiday gifts? Before long, I think I will be pulling out some UFO's. I certainly have enough to choose from. No need to go shopping for Yarn. Unless, I want to take the attitude of this sad little bear.

But, I won't nor do I want to!

When I saw this -  all I could do - was laugh. Because, I have been there!

I hope all of you are enjoying the holidays. 

Mary

A Dream Came True

This past Tuesday my Granddaughter phoned to say that their Thanksgiving plans to go out of town were canceled due to illness of the host. Then she asked if she could come and pick me up on Wednesday and spend Thanksgiving with them and then she would drive me back home on Friday. I do not know if I can put it in words how thrilled and grateful I felt. I was so excited!

In the process of getting a few things together to take I decided to prepare some Chicken Honey Lime Enchiladas that we could have for dinner Wednesday evening. I had grocery shopped the day before.

I did not get a photo of the finished dish but it looked very nice with the browned melted cheese on top. I also baked some 7 Layer Bars that seem to be popular on the blogs lately. Yummy!

I did not take many photos but after our great Thanksgiving dinner I had to take a photo of this sweetie helping mommy to load the dishwasher. This was the first time I was able to meet this little gal. She and her brother are so much fun and sweetness. They were always busy, busy and busy. There wasn't a quiet moment unless they were sleeping!

Mommy and Daddy are constantly teaching such things as please and thank you which I think is so important but it sure takes a lot of effort. And the little ones have a zillion questions. They truly have great parents. Thankfully. 

The Great Grands are the same age difference as my boy and girl were. But they sure seem to be more advanced because of all the technology. It is certainly a different time ! ! !

And Friday she brought me home, two hours-plus drive each way. So much driving but she was so happy to do it. Little Carter kept us company riding in the back seat on all four trips. He was such a good boy. And, I had such a wonderful time. And, I felt very loved!

Upon getting home I was greeted by my Holiday Cactus putting on a beautiful show of lots of different color.

I hope all of you had a Great Thanksgiving. We have had a rainy weekend which is lovely.

Mary

Operation Christmas Child

My Granddaughter is the most wonderful mama. Just a little Grandma bragging - she is only 24 years old and has her BS degree and two precious little ones.

She took the children (my Great Grandchildren) to the workshop in their area to pack Operation Christmas Shoeboxes. And, they had a great time!

The comment she wrote  was - One of the greatest things we can do for our children is to teach them to be selfless. 

This fine boy is certainly growing up fast. He just finished his first season of playing soccer!

For more 40 years Samaritan’s Purse, an international nondenominational organization, has embraced the story of the Good Samaritan and reached out to children in need around the globe with its Operation Christmas Child program.

Often referred to as Operation Christmas Shoebox, the program sends the holiday boxes filled with stuffed toys, school supplies, crafts and toiletries, to children of need around the world.

Once packed, boxes are collected nationwide and shipped to more 100 countries and 12 million children, where they are distributed by local pastors. Some pastors use the opportunity to reach out to orphanages and other areas where children are at risk

OperationChristmasChild Website Maybe next year if not this year.

Are you Holiday shopping?

Take care.

Mary

7AM - What Is That Horrible Loud Noise

Oh! The tree trimming service guys are here and there are a lot of them with their red hats. Here is a man in the bucket with his red hat.

I took these photos from my garage side door. They are working at the house across the street from me.

They are trimming along the driveway that goes up the hill to the main house and behind the building you see in the photos. This is not the first time that I have seen tree trimmers up close but this project is like something I have never seen before. There are about six very large trucks/vehicles lining the street including the telescoping bucket truck, shredder truck and others. See the red hat in the next photo?

The trees are huge and I have never seen trimmers bring down large portions of the tree in this manner.

And, I don't think I have ever seen trimmers at the top of fully extended telescoping equipment. At least not this close!

That's a long, long, long way up into the sky.

See all the red hats at the base of the tree on the ground.  This process went on for hours and I occasionally went out to watch. And, each time I watched with amazement.

And, now, a little look at my fig tree as the leaves are falling and winter is setting in.

Hope your day is going well. Please send positive energy to the tree trimmers that they will be safe and finish the work without incident. It is such dangerous work!

Mary

It's Raining Cats And - - - But No Dogs

What a darling little girl! And, she is with a precious cat that looks very similar to my last cat, Puff.

Please meet Puff, a sweet and gentle gal that I was blessed to have from the time she was 8 weeks old.  She brought so much joy, love, fun and comfort to me for 18 years. In May 2008 she left to join precious Pixie (Yorkshire Terrier) at the Rainbow Bridge.

WOW, we are getting lots of wonderful rain. It started yesterday. And, after a few days of sunshine more rain is predicted. I love it other than the fact that my roof is covered with lots and lots of leaves. Thankfully, the down spouts are flowing well.

Yesterday I put the crockpot on and tossed in the ingredients for an old standby Polish Sausage Stew with sauerkraut. I have posted this a few times in the past. It's just so easy and sauerkraut is good for me.

I prepared single servings for the freezer. All it will need when I take them out to cook is some shredded Monterey Jack Cheese. Oh, also I will probably get some apple sauce for a side.

This is really good as a "rainy weather dinner" along with some warm Artisan Bakery Bread.

Unfortunately, I am still having great difficulty with Photo Editing and getting my photos onto my Blog. I think I need a one-on-one tutoring. My frustration level is not helping me to focus and wrap this transition up.

Hope your weekend is going nicely.

Mary

Late Coming To The Party

But, maybe not. I did not know that there are three different kinds of holiday cacti. They are Thanksgiving Cactus, Christmas Cactus and Easter Cactus.

These photos are from my home from years past. This year all three plants are setting buds and there are three blossoms that are open. OH, SO BEAUTIFUL! This years photos to come to you when the plants are in full bloom.

Some of the following information is from the website, Gardening Know How

The three common holiday cacti, named for time of year the blooms appear, include Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus and Easter cactus. All three are easy to grow and have similar growth habits and care requirements.

Although these familiar cacti are traditionally available in shades of red, today’s holiday cactus varieties come in magenta, pink and scarlet, as well as yellow, white, orange, purple, salmon and apricot. Although all three are native to Brazil, Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus are tropical rain forest plants, while Easter cactus is native to Brazil’s natural forests.

The three types of Christmas cactus plants (holiday cacti), are primarily recognized by the time of bloom. Thanksgiving cactus blooms in late autumn, about a month before Christmas cactus. Easter cactus displays buds in February and blooms around Easter.

Different types of holiday cactus are also differentiated by the shape of their leaves, which are actually plump, flat stems. 

I have not been able to distinguish the type of cactus that I have by the leaf shape. They all look the same to me. And, maybe they are all the same!

 Thanksgiving cactus is often known as lobster cactus because the edges of the leaves are hooked, giving them a claw-like appearance. Christmas cactus leaves are smaller with smooth edges, and Easter cactus leaves have a more bristled appearance.

Unlike regular, desert-dwelling cactus, holiday cacti are not drought-tolerant. During active growth, the plants should be watered whenever the surface of the potting mix feels dry to the touch. Drainage is critical and the pots should never stand in water.

After flowering, water the holiday cactus sparingly until the plant completes its normal dormant period and new growth appears. A period of relative dryness is especially important for Easter cactus, which isn’t a tropical plant.

Holiday cactus prefers dark nights and relatively cool temperatures between 50 and 65 degrees F./10 and 18 degrees C.

Holiday cactus is easy to propagate by breaking off a stem with two to five segments. Set the stem aside until the broken end forms a callus, then plant the stem in a pot filled with a mixture of sand and sterile potting mix. Be sure the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom. Otherwise, the stem is likely to rot before it develops roots.

I hope you enjoyed this little info post about a lovely holiday plant. I sure enjoy my holiday plants.

I also have 3 Amaryllis Bulbs that are starting to "show some green".

Do you have some holiday special plants?

Mary