Thursday, December 27, 2007

Giambotta


Giambotta
Originally uploaded by Marti515
In the words of Winnie the Pooh, it's a cold and blustery day. So, I made Giambotta, or Italian vegetable stew. Doesn't it look scrumptious? Comfort food at its finest. I tried to get my son and the neighbor boy that's spending the night with him to try some, but they opted for pizza instead. Mmmm, they don't know what they're missing.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Ice Storm 2007


Poor Tree
Originally uploaded by Marti515
Here are three pictures of the ice storm that I was able to salvage from my old digital camera's memory card. There were so many trees that looked just like this one, split right down the middle and opened up like a blooming flower.

Drooping Limb


Drooping Limb
Originally uploaded by Marti515

Ice Storm 2007


Ice Storm 2007
Originally uploaded by Marti515

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!


Cousins at Christmas
Originally uploaded by Marti515
I hope everyone got everything they wanted for Christmas. I got a new camera yesterday. Well, it's' not actually new, but it's new to me, and it wasn't for Christmas. For some reason, my old camera stopped working the day of the great ice storms. Then, about a month ago, my ex-husband said that he was going to send me a camera that he has never really used for various reasons, so I called him and told him my camera went kaput and could he please send me the camera he was talking about. He said sure. We got it in the mail yesterday afternoon, just in time to take pictures on Christmas day. It's a Canon Powershot A630. A MUCH better camera than my old one. Now I just have to figure out how to use the thing.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Blackout!

I have electricity! I have been without power for a week due to a severe ice storm that swept through Oklahoma last Sunday/Monday. Here are some tips (lessons learned the hard way) in case you are ever stranded without power for a long length of time.

1. Candles, candles, candles: These are a must have during a blackout. However, make sure they are unscented, or you will have one hell of a headache.

2. Lighters or matches: Your candles will be no good to you if you have nothing to light them with now will they?

3. Don't worry about stocking up your refrigerator/freezer with food the night before a reported ice storm is about to blow through, choose non-perishables instead.

4. If you do stock the refrigerator/freezer and don't want to loose $$$ in spoiled food, just stick your food outside. It's an ICE storm remember?

5. If you have an electric stove, how are you going to cook? You don't. You find a restaurant and eat there along with the other 50,000 people in your area without electricity. Luckily we have a gas stove, so we did have that option.

6. When you run out of money to eat out, or just get sick of eating out and fighting the crowd, have a winter backyard BBQ, (yes, vegetarians can BBQ too. They just do it meatless).

7. If birds have built nests in your wood burning fireplace year after year and you have not had a chimney sweep clean your fireplace, EVER, don't build a fire. I repeat, DO NOT build a fire.

8. If you have a gas stove/oven. Thank your lucky stars and use it to try and warm at least a couple of rooms. To do this, turn on all the burners and the oven, open the oven door and hang a sheet from the ceiling to the floor to block off the back part of the house, so that the front part stays toasty warm. Don't forget to crack a window so unwanted gases don't build up and kill you.

9. Flashlights. Flashlights are just as important as candles.

10. Batteries. Batteries are just as important as lighters/matches. Stock up on Size D batteries. After the second day of a blackout, you will NOT be able to find anymore. I promise. Nope. None. No where. Yes, I'm serious. Nada.

11. For entertainment you can make S'mores, tell ghost stories, listen to a battery powered radio, play board games by candlelight, stare at each other, go to bed early, knit, tease, I mean play with the dogs, flashlight tag, shadow puppets, tell jokes, lie in the middle of the living room floor and whine, jump rope, learn some new yo yo tricks, play cards, pretend you are studying for finals (Hey, I couldn't see very well even with flashlights and candles), jump out of dark places and scare the bejebus out of your nine year old, call the electric company and listen to their prerecorded message until you memorize it, color in all of the coloring books you can find in the house, find a place that has power like a Starbucks or Panera so that you can charge your computer, cellphone, and personal DVD players then go to Blockbuster and rent some DVD's.

12. Dogs put out a lot of warmth. If you don't let them sleep with you any other time, let them sleep with you now.

13. Blankets, blankets, blankets

14. It's okay to sleep in your coat, hat, gloves, and scarf even though you are inside your own house.

15. Want to take a nice hot shower, well you are SOL if you have an electric water heater. Boil water, mix it with some cold water and have yourself a bath. Have an electric stove too? Boil your water in a fireplace or on a charcoal grill (do this outside of course).

16. Vow to buy a generator when you can find one which will probably be next summer.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Christmas Tree 2007


Christmas Tree 2007
Originally uploaded by Marti515
This is the last year I'm putting this Christmas tree up. It's about fifteen years old and it's starting to look pretty scraggly. I left off half of the ornaments that we have, because I'm even tired of them. It's time for a new tree, new ornaments, and a new color theme. Also, have I mentioned that I'm really sick of looking at that bright yellow wall?

My New Favorite


Cherry Kisses
Originally uploaded by Marti515
If only they came in dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. They're still good though.