Another Week

I am still around. Things are happening but no pictures this period.

Mike has the keys to his new home and is now getting it ready to move into in a couple of weeks. He has installed a new chandelier and I guess Shawna likes it. I hope so -- this is a special home for them and the area with this light fixture promises to be a high traffic area I think.

Mike has appointments for carpet installation and hardwood floor work to be done. I think most of that will be starting on Tuesday and keep going from there. It sounds like the home will be a new home by the time they finish.

Don and I are thinking of going up to see the house next weekend. I believe Phillip is thinking of going also as that is his short week. It should be fun to see them.

I have been excited to finally learn how to make my own mayonnaise. I have always been afraid of it but found it to be very exciting -- besides now I know exactly what I am eating.
It was really easy to do and it truyly surprised me.
I opted for the blender recipe which is:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 clove garlic
10 ounces olive oil -- poured slowly in blender as other ingredients were blending
1 teaspoon vinegar very last
Salt and Pepper to taste if desired

I followed the recipe and probably would not put the garlic in again for regular mayo.

Some options listed that sounded interesting to me were:

1. Add 8 ounces blue cheese at end for a blue cheese dressing
2. Increase mustard to 1 Tablespoon + add 1 teaspoon Worchestershire + a few drops of Tobasco Sauce for a Spicy version
3. Add 3-6 cloves garlic for a garlic mayo -- may be a good spread for a garlic bread
4. Add onion slice and herbs for a salad dressing

Because there is raw egg in the recipe it should be refrigerated and used in a short time -- not for a long storage time even in the refrigerator

I had fun -- hope you enjoy

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Just a Quick Update

Just letting you know that I am not forgetting to talk here. I have just been busy doing another blog which I hope will help the family out. I have been learning lots of things about computers and the world of "social networking". My head is very full.

I have started another blog just to try some things out. I have learned how to copy and paste better from one program to another program -- I do not know how many times I was very frustrated getting extra lines in my pastes into new programs -- this is getting better.

I am trying to figure out how to make a header for a website from several pictures that I want to put together. I guess the trick will be to get them so they do not look funny. I seem to have a problem with some of the pictures looking right when I upload them to the sites.

I have decided to try and put the cooking cards that Dale took on his mission up thinking that most of them were good old "family favorites" but there were some new ones he wanted also. They were supposed to be quick and easy but make him feel more comfortable with familiar foods. They will be going up in division groups he had. Those cards were originally printed on 1/4th size sheet of cardstock and Dale poked 1 hole in them. He put a big ring through the hole and then just flipped to the recipe he wanted. He could make notes on the backs of recipes if he decided to. The original cooking cards he had never made it back home when he returned from his mission. It did not matter because I had the file still in the computer and I am not sure if I will keep it after I enter it into the blog.

I may go back and insert comments on some of the recipes -- I have not decided yet. Maybe you have a suggestion as to what I should do.

I have also started entering a copy of the "genealogy cards" Dale wanted while he was out. He kept asking questions about our genealogy and for a birthday gift while he was on his mission I sent a copy of these cards out. I fixed them like he did the cooking cards. I have not seen them since he got back either. Anyway the information is still pertinent to our family and is in bite sized pieces. I welcome any comments and will include them with the files if you make any.

Just letting you know, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I am still here.
Love,
BJ

Mike' New House To Be

Mike got the word today that his last counter offer on a house he was working on is going accepted. They have been working on this particular house seriously since Friday when the price dropped $50,000.00. They arranged a walk through immediately and made an offer and went through several counter offers. Today an offer was accepted. It will be his!!!

Here are a few pictures although Michael has more on his blog. If you visit Michael's blog be sure to enlarge the pictures.

This is probably my favorite -- the stariway is beautiful and the special place on the landing looks beautiful.

This is my next favorite, what a stove.

You are right, it has a double sided fireplace between the master bedroom and the jetted two person bathtub.

Check with Mike for further details, I am sure he would appreciate your comments.

Still Around – Getting Back in the Groove

      It has been quite awhile since I last entered a post.  A lot has happened but I will be brief about what is happening.

     We have been having a great summer.  Tanya and Hallie came  to visit – they arrived in the Washington Oregon area on July 5th and left July 21.   Michael arrived in Portland on July 11th and left on July 19th.  Sam got into town on July 15th and left on July 20th.  What a great treat to have all of my living children here at the same time. 

     Tanya showed off our grand daughter, Hallie and helped me a lot.  We went to Fabric Depot with Jill Harris, Tanya’s mother- in-law and to IKEA.  I am more impressed with the wonderful woman Jill is and am very grateful Tanya has very wonderful in-laws.  I do not really know Jill’s husband as well but my exposure to him has left the impression he is a humble, great, hard working, talented man.

       Michael came down to see us while Tanya was in town and managed to fix, update, or redo our computers in the house.  What an experience that is, watching my three boys do so many amazing things and working together and having fun.  I am very grateful Michael came down – his wife had to stay up north to work and to hold down the fort as events were moving quickly in the upcoming sale of their home.  (Thank you so much Shawna for letting us share Michael)

     Sam blew into town with all kinds of exciting news.  He will be changing apartments August 22.  He went on a unique double date where he and his friend built a huge cardboard chess set and played a game of chess with their date partners.  It was a great success and I am sure he had a good time.  He is working in Provo and seems to be enjoying it.  He was in town to support the annual Forest Grove to Coast (Cape Lookout)  2009 bicycle ride.

     While the children were here we were able to have my sister Donna and her husband Charlie over, and my brother Ken with his wife MaryLouise over.  It was  really nice.  We were concerned Phillip would not be able to be here because of work but when he was riding on the MAX Train a child had a problem and Phillip had to change and the MAX  had to be changed and Phillip had to come home and be with the family.  Talk about Blessings in Disguise.  It was great.

     After Tanya, Michael, and Sam left Portland – Phillip left Portland for a few days.  He went down to San Diego to a Comic Convention.  He flew down with Alex Tippery ( a friend) and came back with lots of video, some memorabilia, and a few stories of a good time.

Bye for now, BJ

My 1st MAX Trip

Don asked me if I wanted to ride Max on Saturday -- I have wanted to for a long time but was unsure I wanted to by myself. The family knew it and so on Saturday Don asked me if I would like to ride MAX out to Hillsboro. It was so much fun, but when he asked I forgot to pick up the camera -- I figured out a way to get some pictures by trying to use the cell phone and in a moving MAX -- that was interesting!!

Above is a picture of a transit stop -- the best picture I was able to get -- this one happens to be downtown Portland -- the tents in the background are some of the activities preparing for the Starlight Parade that would take place that evening.

The above picture is the best I got showing Saturday Market -- a place I usually like to go but it was so busy Saturday we did not stop here.

You can see part of the parade route being staked out for places to view that parade already -- the parade would be much later in the day.

This is a wierd picture, the MAX is underground in a tunnel where it stops for the Washington Park Zoo -- and from inside the MAX through the windows with the cell phone I was amazed at how good the picture actually came out. Don was sure I would not get anything because we were in the tunnel -- the reflection of Don in the window is also interesting to me.

This is a restaurant in Beaverton -- probably the sharpest picture of all the ones I took. I am amazed at how well the camera did for me and am very grateful I had it. We did make it to Hillsboro -- we passed where Phillip gets off MAX to go to work -- we did not remember which stop it was but when we asked about it later we remember seeing the stop -- it is ORENCO -- for future reference.

We had a great trip and I was home about an hour before I went to Stake Conference -- Saturday evening was really great and on Sunday we had a new counsellor called because President Peacock and family are moving to Indiana this month. The new 2nd counsellor is President Jack Powell.

From an earlier post on my daughter and son-in-laws blog I got some information about Berret's great-great grand mother -- Amorett -- where Hallie's middle name came from. It was interesting to try tracing the genealogy in a descendant form -- something I do not usually do -- I usually go for ANCESTORS. I am fairly confident I have the right line but the interesting events of life are missing -- I was just gathering the line at the time. My ususal interest in genealgy usually runs along the stories the people lived, the events and challenges they met. Some of that will come in the future for me. I like knowing what qualities people have that helps them be reverenced by their descendants. She must have been a wonderful woman, she had 12 children and the heartache must have been great when she lost a little girl four years after her birth while her youngest daughter was only about 5 months old -- in addition to all the adventures the other 11 children must have been involved in. She must have been a wonderful woman.

All in all it has been a big weekend, hotter than I am used to, but we will continue building memories. May the memories be exciting, prosperous, and educational.

Lawnmower from Michael -- THANK YOU !!!!

Michael gave us a lawnmower when we saw him last weekend. It is a battery operated lawnmower that has the electrical parts away from my defibrilator so I can run the lawnmower. It has been charging since we got home and I got to try it out this morning. It started with no problem, runs without having to worry about a cord being drug around, and goes up and down for height adjustment real easily.
Above is a sample of the grass I would cut and below is a picture of the front yard after cutting the first time. The grass was so long I did not think I could push the mower when it was as low as I like to keep the front lawn. I will wait a day and cut the grass again at a lower setting. Did a pretty good job for the old lady doing the mowing --
I am happy -- Thanks again Michael and Shawna.

Not a golf coarse but it will be better as I work on it. I am so happy.

The first strawberry starting to get ripe -- looking forward to that day. Need to get out and get those weeds again at the bottom.

Below is a picture of a raspberry plant I put in the ground this year, it is still alive and has some green starting to grow -- this could be a very good year.

And the pansy I got on Mother's Day at Church is Still ALIVE!!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!