This and That Week in Review:

Well, let's see.  You have seen a lot of what I have been doing by the most recent posts, but I just feel like writing this morning so I'll tell you more. We have been really busy around here, and believe-it-or-not, even though I got so much done, I wasn't feeling well through most of it.  It was some kind of crummy virus thing that did not keep me all the way down.  I kept pushing through it, but I wasn't always very nice about it.  Just ask my dogs, who were yelled at more than normal, and my husband too.  Sorry guys.  I don't know why I felt as if it were necessary to redo the bathroom when I didn't feel good, but that was how it was.  We are enjoying it, now that it is all done.  I've decided that my next step in the bathroom is fish.  Live ones.

Source: Wikipedia

On Sunday, my MIL Darlene came over for dinner.  Cary and Kylie made us tacos, and they were delicious.  After dinner, we sat around and watched "Benny and Joon" with Johnny Depp.  I love that movie.  Have you seen it?  Well, if not and if you see it at the mark-down DVD basket at Walmart, I suggest that you snag it.   

I didn't take a picture of dinner, but this is how Cary makes his tacos: 

Brown one pound of hamburger with chopped onions and drain off the excess grease.  Add a packet of taco seasoning, but don't add any water.  Add a can of Green Giant "Mexi-corn"  and heat everything up until hot and blended.  

In another pan, heat up some cooking oil and deep fry enough corn tortillas for everybody.  Put them on a plate with paper towels to get rid of some of the oil.  Top the tortilla with the hamburger/corn mixture and add your favorite taco toppings ... onions, cheese, olives, sour cream, avocados and taco sauce.  Yum!

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Our grandson Casey came over on Monday and stayed over night.    He is always so nice, and is such a big helper.  We ran errands the next day.  I bought him some school supplies, including a neat binder that had file slots built right into the cover.  Hopefully it will help him remember to turn in his homework (he does it, but it somehow doesn't always make it to the teacher's desk).  I made a big pot of Macaroni and Cheese, much to everybody's delight.  Kraft even.  I guess that we were into comfort food this last week.


On Tuesday evening, we went to Darlene's and visited with Cary's cousin, Gary from California.  Gary had taken all of his family's home movies to Costco and put them all on one DVD.  They were from the late 40's and early 50's, and he even included some cartoons.  It was so neat to watch them, even though they were silent. I loved seeing Cary as a baby, and then at 18 months or so ... he was so cute and looked like this picture below back then.  I didn't take any pictures that night either.  Dang.  I guess when I don't feel well, I don't take very many pictures.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

My late FIL, Troy was in many of the movies, and Darlene was in a few of them.  How fun to see them all so young.  In one of the movies, both Darlene and Troy had on boxing gloves and were messing around.  He kept bugging her, and she hauled of and really threw a strong punch; good thing Troy ducked!  That lady was strong, and a good fighter.  This is what they looked like in the movies:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

I brought over dinner that night ... didn't take a picture of that either.  Sorry Gloria!  This is what I made.  I took a bag of raw frozen chicken wings and legs and put them in the crock-pot with BBQ sauce for around four hours on high.  The sauce was too thin, so I added a couple of cups of brown sugar, a cup of ketchup and some Worcestershire sauce.   I cooked up a bunch of frozen corn, drained it and added butter.  I brought a can of beets, a can of olives, green salad and garlic cheese bread.  It was a hit!  And, I fit all of  that  into this cool hot/cold zippered bag:

 Source: Picnic Fun.com

The rest of the week just kind of flew by.  I spent a lot of time reading on the patio, and as I felt better, cleaning the house.  Kylie is a big help at work, and has been busy with her cousins, new friends, and some babysitting too.  It is great having her with us, but we worry when she is not right beside us.  Good thing for cell phones.

I talked with my son Nigel and he is doing well.  I love that boy.  I had a nice long chat with my BFF Sue Ann ... it had been a year since we had talked.  I have a bit more catching up to do with my others, but I feel as if I am getting on top of my correspondence.  Yay!  When I am feeling low, getting in touch with my peeps: family, old friends and new friends really helps.  Tomorrow, I'll see my mom, brother and sister-in-law too.  I am so thankful for reliable cars, and for enough gas money to do all of this running around.


Yesterday, I was able to join some of my family having fun hanging out and doing a bit of swimming.   

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

We are trying to figure out what to do with ourselves today.  One idea is to go up to Paulina Lake with the boat.  That would be fun.  Summer is winding down, and we haven't done that yet, nor have we camped this year.  We are breaking tradition these days, it seems.  Really, we have just been busy with other things, and that is cool.

Oh, last weekend, at Kristin's birthday party, I was given my Grandma J.'s pressure cooker (my sister Angie gave it to me).  Thanks, Angie!  It is old and I'm a bit afraid to use it, but I'll use it somehow ... maybe for a plant or something.
 

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Well, I hope that you all had a great week, and that the upcoming week will be wonderful for you!

~ Kathy M. 

At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot!  All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.