Weird Winter

   This winter is weird. We moved up here from Lancaster, CA, in the Mojave desert. We lived there for about 18 years and we only had snow a handful of times. This year, they have had snow a few times. Snow when we lived there would have been nice. It doesn't stick around long there, but still, it's a break from brown.

   We have had over 60 inches so far this winter, but it doesn't seem like that much because it has melted and snowed again. Several times. I haven't been keeping track of the snow fall amounts too much this year, like I have past winters. It's snowing now and we are suppose to have more snow for the next couple of weeks. I thought that groundhog said we weren't having 6 more weeks of winter. I know, it's only February. A week ago, or so, we made it up to 52. I saw kids in shorts and barefooted playing outside. That is about shorts weather up here.

   Last week was so cold, the dogs froze when they went out. I put socks on Chip's feet so his poor little feet would be a little warmer. Both Jake and Chip don't like what is called champagne snow, the fine powdery snow that is good for skiers. They like the fluffy, big, wet flakes, which also seem warmer. Putting socks on Chip reminded me of putting socks an babies, except by the time I thought I had socks on all 4 of Chip's feet, he managed to have 2 of them off. They did make a difference, though. Jake's foot with the 3 toes is the only one that seemed to bother him. We really do need to find the do boots. Jake has a pair and the other pair is way too big for either dog, since we bought them for Dixie, who weighed 150 pounds.

   We are trying to decide how much bigger to make the garden and what to plant. Doing that. just makes us wish it was May or June already. The rule of thumb up here, is, you plant after Mother's Day. Sometimes, that is still too early.

   Today, I'm working on the Christening afghan, washing clothes and making french bread to go with our spaghetti, and watching the snow fall. Life sure is rough.

What's With The Weird Real Feel Weather?

   I have noticed on the Accuweather thing I put on my blog, that sometimes it has the real feel as being warmer than the actual temperature. I can honestly tell you, I don't agree with it. If it's 29 outside and it says the real feel is 34, to me, it really feels like 29 and sometimes colder. I live here, I should know how the temperature really feels.
   Right now, as I write this, it says the temperature is 20 with a real feel of -3. Yes, the wind makes it feel at least -3, if not colder. I'm sure the blowing snow in the wind as it hits your face is much colder. That's why my face isn't out in it. Now, if I could only convince the dogs to go out quicker, it would be really nice, since we don't have a fenced in section for them and we hang out the door waiting for them. We don't want Jake and Chip to be predator food.
   Hanging out the open door lets in some real feel cold air, too. What? The thermometer says it's 68 in here? I don't think so. It really feels like 63. We never have the door open long enough for the inside temperature to drop that much. It just really feels like it.
   In the summer, should we feel cooler if the real feel is 89 when it's really 92? To me, 89 or 92, is still hot.Or if the temperature and real feel are the same, are we supposed to feel hotter or colder?
   I'll tell you how the weather really works. If my mother is cold you have to put on a sweater or coat. That's just how it is and always has been. Luckily, if she's hot, we don't have to take any clothes off. That would be a truly scary sight. I guess some mothers have real feel settings built in. As a kid, we'd leave the house with our coats on and take them off as soon as we were far enough away from the house so she wouldn't see us, and if we froze, we sure weren't going to admit it.
   So, what does all this prove? If you really want to know what the real feel temperature is, go outside. If you're hit with a blast of cold, icy wind, it's cold, and if you're hit with a blast of hot air, it's hot.
   In case no one guessed, this is not to be taken seriously. I do know about why real feel temps feel different than actual temps.

New Toys Update

   Well, I've had my new toys for a week and thought I'd let you know what I think of them.    The new Verizon wifi hot spot works so much better than the broadband we had. Some of us have a hard time remembering to turn it on and off. It really does work so much better if we turn it on. I guess we should check into upgrades more often.
   I really like the Nook Color. The more I play with it, the more I like it. By reading one of the 3 owner's manuals last night, I discovered I can change the color of the screen from white, to gray, black, butter sepia and mocha. The black says it's for night reading and it really made a difference for me having white letters on a black background last nigh. Right now, I have the screen set to butter, which is an off white.
   I have downloaded several epub books from different sites. Today, I think I will download a library book to read. I downloaded a Mahjong game that said it work on the Nook Color, gut it doesn't, and now, I can't figure out how to get it off. I also haven't come across how to but the epup books into the book file. I do know how to add them to my bookshelf and archive them when I'm done reading them.
   Going on the internet is easy. It's nice you can turn the Nook Color and have the screen landscape. You can also make the images much larger.
   All in all, I think both were good investments, especially living out in the sticks. Ok, they'd be good even if we lived in town, but for me, I can get books and not have to drive to town to buy one or check some out at the library.
   Last weekend, when we went to Barnes and Noble, I ask about their membership card, and the very chirpy, chipper, girl working there explained that they are $25.00 a year and the whole family can use them. I almost told her I just got a Nook Color and didn't need to go there anymore. I wonder what she would have done if I did say that?
   There is a down side to the Nook Color. I had to get a bigger purse. For years, I've been trying to carry less and use much smaller purses. All of mine are too small, so I just had to go and get a bigger one. I ordered it from Amazon and I should get it in a week. Mail ordering is more convenient, too. I like purses made by Baggallini because most of them have really nice built in wallets. I ordered one called the Everything Bag, and it actually looks like it might be. Tim has finally come to realize, I will probably find the perfect purse. Looking at the pictures of this one, it just might be the perfect purse. I guess I'll know soon enough. This will be my third Baggallini.
   Today for excitement, we are going to get the oil in the truck changed and I'll bring the Nook Color to read. Now the question of the day is, what do I want to read?
   The cracks in my fingers are healed again, so what I should do when we get home from or really exciting weekend outing, is crochet again. Times going by fast, and I don't have that much done.

New Toys

   I got 2 new toys this weekend. Well, ok, one is mine and the other is ours. Mine is a NookColor. I really like it. I was beginning to have my doubts about using it up here in the sticks.
   To start with, it had to be registered and you can only do that through wifi. We don't have any wifi out here, so we were going to town to go to Barnes and Noble and use theirs.
   On the way there, we stopped by Best Buy to look for a TV antenna, since we don't have cable or a dish or anything, since we're cheap. We found one, and then we stopped to look at their ereaders. One of there continuous, overly helpful  until you need them, staff came over and I told him about no wifi and not being able to register the Nook. He mentioned being able to get our own wifi for home and sent us over to the computer department. When the man helping us found out we were using broadband, he sent us over to the cell phone department. The employee we had there was very helpful and told us if we just got a new broadband thing, we still wouldn't get any wifi, but he showed us this little thing that was wifi.
   Verizon,  and probably other companies, make a portable wifi hot spot. We looked at Verizon because our broadband is through them. This neat little gadget is the size of a cell phone, plugs into the wall and we can run up to 5 computers on it at the same time. You can use it unplugged for as long as the battery lasts, as well. Now, my Nook works and the old computer is faster than it has ever been. You can even get a car charger for it and use it in your car. It's range is 54 feet, so you don't need to really worry about anyone getting your signal. I have since discovered we can get the signal for more than 50 feet. I hope no one is using our signal and using up our allotted air time, or what ever it it.
   Another thing we were going to do yesterday, was get an upgraded broadband device at the Verizon store. Now, we didn't need to. The guy at Best Buy told use were were eligible for an upgrade 3 years ago. So, we're a little slow. Anyway, this little gizmo is our upgrade. We did have to sign a new 2 year contract to get this thing free, and our bill is $10.00 a month cheaper. If we didn't sign the 2 year contract, the gizmo was $249.99 plus tax and whatever other fees they could dream up.
   One of the most important things I did get yesterday, is some more O'Keefe's Working Hands. It works great on my poor cracked fingers. Now, in a few days, I will be able to crochet again.
   The NookColor is great. I can get the internet, gazillions of free books, play internet radio on it, download Mp3's and play them on it.  I read that eventually Barnes and Noble is going to make it so you can get apps and download programs for it. It is the only ereader out there, besides an iPad or some such, that has color. It's kind of like an iPad. I can also read at night if the power goes of since it is back lit. I'm going to have to play with it a lot to figure it out. It's a good thing we bought cookies yesterday, too, so I'm not baking today.
   The antenna is great also. It makes everything look high def, like our converter box was suppose to, but now, it really does, and the picture is so much clearer. There is still nothing to watch on TV, but at least it comes in clearer.
   Also, yesterday we made it up to 52. A heat wave. It is so muddy here. You sink and slide in the mud and then you manage to track it all over the house even after taking off your shoes. The wind really blew hard last night. At least there was no snow. There is rain and more snow in the forecast, just so we don't get too excited about the heatwave.

My Mom's Cookie Recipes



Christening Afghan

    I know, I said in the last post I'd put my mom's cookie recipe on here, but I've been busy. I thought I'd put a picture of what I've been busy with.
   Here it is. The Christening afghan for my sister-in-law's brother. It's crocheted with thread, and I have 5 whole inches done. Now, I have 31 more inches to do, and then the border.
   Now for the information on the cookies. My mom got this recipe in 1955 from a Wesson Oil cookbook, that she sent for and paid a quarter for. It has a lot of good recipes in it.
   I don't remember having cookies often as a child, and that could be because it was a loooong time ago, but I remember watching my mom dipping the bottom of a glass in oil, then sugar and stamping the cookies.
   I've made these a lot lately for Tim's lunch. I don't know if the Canola oil I use is healthier for you than the butter or margarine in other cookies, but, that's my reasoning, and I'm sticking to it.
   I never did dip the glass in oil and then sugar, since I have an official Ryecraft cookie stamp. I think they are sweet enough with out the extra sugar on top, also, so I've been leaving it off, as well. I figure it saves us a few calories.
   For some reason, one of the recipes comes out with too much oil, even though you use the same amount for all three recipes. The only thing different is, one has all brown sugar in it, and the other one has all white sugar in it. The one with all the white sugar is the one that comes out too oily, so I use less. I couldn't tell you how much less. Also, I always double the recipes, since the recipe doesn't make many.
   I hope you like the recipe and give the cookies a try. You'll find the recipe in the recipe section. Just scroll down to the end of the recipes. Once again, I really wish I could put the newer recipes on top instead of at the end. Oh, well.