Showing posts with label The way it should be. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The way it should be. Show all posts

Sunday, September 28, 2025

WAY IT SHOULD BE - CONDO FOR 6 - HUMMINGBIRDS - CHICKEN SOUP - CRACKER TINS - CHAT GPT PHOTO PRODUCTION - JIBBER JABBER

The way it should be!!

Why does fishing make me so happy?

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NEW CONDO FOR 6 

 

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STACKED UP AT PINEY WOODS INTERNATIONAL
 


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KITCHEN SINK CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
 

A cool morning inspired leftovers-bowl of soup for lunch. I get as much pleasure throwing leftovers in a pot to make a meal as I do sitting down and eating. Often, it seems that the less I fuss over preparing a dish, the better it turns out. Such was the case here.

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1955 era family photo

My aunt is pictured in the middle and neighbor friend is sitting in the back. I can remember her friend vividly, but cannot remember her name. The families spent a lot of time fishing the Willapa River, all the way out into the Willapa Bay. When the salmon were running, they were on the river. 

Dad and I inherited this boat and turned it into a ski boat during my high school years. While looking for more photos of that project boat, I came across this photo. 

I think that is an old Sea King outboard motor.  

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COMMON PLACE

These brands sold in tins were commonplace through the 1960s to the 1980s. Sleeves of crackers in metal cans. The lids fit snug and kept the crackers fresh. Neither of these cans are rusted on the inside and continue to serve as storage for our crackers.

Today, these cans are found at estate sales/garage sales. Quite often, they made their way from kitchens into garage workshops storing a myriad of parts, pieces and tools.  And yes, also as a way of hanging on to our/the history.

We shop weekly at several Hispanic markets and grocery stores. We find some produce is much fresher and different products are offered. GOYA still packages crackers in everyday use tin cans.They serve other global markets and the tin can still offers a proven packaging method for airtight storage. They are functional and decorative in the kitchen.

A quick war story:

In 1967. I was flying helicopter gunships in Vietnam. Several teams of 2 helicopters were stationed for a one-day gig away from our main base. We were near a small village with dirt roads and a makeshift runway. Fuel and ammo were air-lifted in to us for that day's operations. 

During a lull, we found ourselves sitting on an old wooden fence awaiting a "fire mission" radio call. We were watching folks coming and going from the village and children playing. A young girl approached from a distance on a bicycle with a front basket loaded with fresh warm rolls just out of an oven. She stopped to sell and we bought. Warm bread is a universal comfort food and the moment was a special treat for us far from home. 

As we opened the fresh-baked rolls, we noticed that ants had also been baked into the rolls. Not a lot, but enough to notice. We laughed and ate the rolls without hesitation, joking that the ants were added protein. Had this particular "baker" been able to store flour in airtight tin cans like those pictured above, the flour would likely have been free of ant pests. 

Regardless, the fond memory of that fresh-baked bread still plays in me after all of these years. 

Airtight tin cans are a good thing for storage of food goods.

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CHAT GPT AI PRODUCED 

A good friend of my wife sent in a photo to Chat GPT and asked it to reproduce the photo in a style similiar to that of Iris Scott.

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 JIBBER JABBER

It is the time of the year for both of us for annual doctor visits. Blood work and checking on anything new we need to address. A few days have been spent on the road to get these visits completed.

Bottom line, if we are worse for wear, it appears that all of it is within normal operating ranges for our ages. A few more aches with some noticeable creeking in our movements. But we appear to be "ok" with no engine warning lights.

Each week brings more news that should send shivers down my spine. News of war, and war, and violence of people on people. My head is not in the sand, but neither am I running around yelling "the sky is falling, the sky is falling."

We do what we can do, watch out for each other, keep close to neighbors and friends, try to eat healthy and squeeze each day for goodness. Folks hold doors open for us, say good morning, have a nice day and God be with you. I cannot remember one encounter or passerby this past week that has not acknowledged us with a wave, or just pulling off the driveway to sit and visit about the weather and east Texas weeds and seeds. All offering kind words of wellness.

My wife tells me she loves me often each day and that is a two-way street.  After 25, years the woman still loves me and I her. A good way to end this week's blog and extend to you a "God Bless." Appreciate the visit. 

 

 

Sunday, July 27, 2025

THE WAY IT SHOULD BE - NO MUSS NO FUSS - ON THE GRILL - ELSBETH SERIES - DAD OF THE YEAR - JIBBER JABBER

 What to do on a hot summer night and the kids are restless?

The way it should be.
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CHUCK ROAST IN A SLOW COOKER OVERNIGHT. 

One sliced onion, salt, pepper and a 1/4 cup of beef broth. Nine hours on low. Plenty of broth for a boat load of homemade gravy too. No muss, no fuss! Four dinners for us. 

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GRILLING 

This photo from a friend, makes me want to pick up a cold beer and stand there watching the grill. A man thing?


 All the bases covered!

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OR SOME SALAD AND STEAK FOR DINNER

Keto friendly.

or

HOMEMADE 
 

Olive oil, fresh lemon, garlic, salt, pepper and some dill salad dressing. I could not fit any more in the dish. The sweet pickle was, like the whole salad, not planned. Surprisingly, the pop of the sweet pickle worked well with the homemade dressing. 

 JIBBER JABBER

A quiet, hot week. Same same story. Heat and morning humidity drains my energy and attitude in an instant. At least another month of days like this. Not complaining. Well, maybe a little bit.

ELSBETH , the 2 season series.

My wife came upon this quirky, lighthearted series a couple weeks ago. We finished the two seasons last night and I was surprised that I so enjoyed this series. Usually, anything fluffy like this is not my kind of entertainment. But, this is mindless entertainment, good actresses, actors and a wonderful array of guest/support actors in each episode. The stories are well-written and there is talent in the behind-the-scenes folks producing this series. I am also not a fashion person, but my wife is and brought to my attention the high-end designer wardrobes worn in each episode. Many fashion designers are also real life characters in a few of these episodes. Still do not know why I did enjoy this; maybe the bright colors, flash and the degree of absurdity that were an integral part of the lead actress's character. 

I did not like the first two minutes of the first episode opening though. But that never happened again in the following episodes. Give the series a try on Paramount.

DAD OF THE YEAR from Bustedknuckles 

You will enjoy this short video. This fellow knows how to be a dad to his son. His son will never ever forget these times together and they are just beginning. 

Appreciate the visit this week.