Look What I Won Today!!!!

Posted by: cheryl



Aren’t they pretty?!? Today I attended a meeting/luncheon for ladies in the Agriculture field at Cowboy Junction near Vinita. Since Ritzy works for the USDA helping farmers and ranchers, his office said I was more than welcome to come. I am so glad I did. I am guessing there were nearly 100 ladies present.   The information, entertainment, food and fellowship was wonderful.  After the entertainer "Willamae" finished her skit , which was about how the women are the backbone of the farm family and how it is to deal with husbands and kids, there was an older lady that asked if she could comment afterward and they said sure.  She said that after hearing all that  "Willamae" had to say about the life of a farm wife, that she was so thankful for her life.  "Willamae"  asked her to elaborate and we were all expecting this serious answer when the lady said ---- After hearing all this I am just so  thankful that I do not have a husband or kids!"  Everyone just busted out laughing...........including "Willamae"..... 
 There were a LOT of door prizes and this was the last one to be given out. I could hardly believe I was hearing my name. Ritzy is also known as “Pondman” at his USDA job. The young woman handing out the prize said – “Oh, Pondman’s wife gets these, haha…”



I cannot believe what just happened as I was typing this. My son, who is in the kitchen getting his lunchbox ready for tomorrow just threw something through the window that separates the living room from the dining room. I felt something hit just below my chin and asked what in the world that was. He just started laughing and proceeded to tell me it was a green bean he saw in the refrigerator. I asked why he did not throw it in the trash and he said “the lid was closed”….I told him that my robe was closed also, but that did not stop him from throwing it my way. I am gonna have to think of a way to get him back. He better sleep with one eye open ;-)


When I first started posting tonight everything was ok, then before I knew it everything I had posted was gone, arghhhh !!!!!!!! As if that wasn't bad enough in itself , we are having a little bit of rain move in and the satellite is down. Let me tell you, satellite is not everything it’s cracked up to be.


Yesterday evening, Ritzy, the son and I went to Tulsa to have a meal with the daughter and her boyfriend. Had a wonderful time. Ate some fish (crappie) that my brother caught Saturday. Mmm mmm good!!!!! Tomorrow his wife,(my sister-in-law), Granny and I are meeting the daughter at Olive Garden for lunch. Boy, Ritzywife sure has had a lot of “meet & eat” this week, huh???


I am writing this on my computer and gonna try to post it to my blog when the internet returns . Hope it works..


Yea,,,,,it worked!!!!!
It's now getting late and I am getting tired so with that Ritzywife is out.................................






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{{{OUCH!!}}}

Posted by: cheryl

Ouch is exactly how I  felt after being stung tonight.  I was out in the garage looking for my Fall decorations.  I picked something up and must have put my finger right on that darn wasp.  He proceeded to show me just what he thought about it.  I let go really fast and proceeded to tell him just what I thought about what he just did. (Had to repent after that.) 
After getting over the shock of being stung, I went in the house to wash my finger, then put cider vinegar on it, then made a paste of baking soda and water and put that on it.  I was doing anything I could think of  to neutralize that sting and the pain it was causing........Now my finger is just swollen to just about twice normal size and it's just annoying.
The last time I was stung was about 20 years ago by the same kind of wasp. I was picking up a pop bottle.  (I guess I need to stop picking things up, huh?)  The wasps were the large  red and black kind.  Believe me..................they hurt.  I sure am glad I am not allergic to stings.  I was home alone at the time.  Ritzy was up the road cutting wood and the son had gone to town.
I gave up on looking for those decorations.  I will either let Ritzy get them or I will get my leather gloves before I try again.
The weather has been wonderful so far this week here in Oklahoma.  It's about time!!!!
I drove to Claremore today to get me some tacos for lunch and just drove with the windows down cause it felt so good.
I tried sitting outside in the swing tonight, but those darn mosquitos were eating me up.  I think Ritzy and I will start a fire in the pit tomorrow to help keep the pests away.....while we enjoy the cool evenings.
I don't have much to do this weekend.  I will just piddle around I guess.  I really want to get those Fall decorations out.  Maybe I am rushing the season a bit. 
I have a new dishwasher to put in.  I have had a portable one for 8 years and have loved it.  I chose that one because I did not want to give up my cabinet space.  But now I want a built in one.  I am trying to de-clutter my kitchen. I guess I am  tired of walking around it and tired of hooking and unhooking it from the faucet, plus, with my new faucet I can't leave the adapter on the faucet like my old one.  I have to change the aerator and adapter everytime I do dishes. I am afraid it will ruin the faucet.    My brother is coming over sometime to help Ritzy install it.
It will be so nice to have.........
I think I feel an ice cream craving coming on, and with that Ritzywife is out.......................

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Finally, Some Relief from the Heat!!!

Posted by: cheryl

We finally got some relief from this heat that has been in Oklahoma for the past 3 weeks.  This evening a front moved thru that produced some rain.  It cooled the air down 30 degrees.  WOW..... It was sooooooo nice!!
It was actually in the mid-70's instead of the mid-100's.
We did not have church tonight so Ritzy and I drove to Nowata to the Sonic to grab a burger and fries.  It was finally pleasant enough to sit and eat and just enjoy the evening. 
I actually heard the AC kick off this evening.  It has been working hard this past few weeks. 
After eating lunch at church, I came home and took a nap in the bedroom. I like it in there because it is dark and quiet...... I don't have any idea what Ritzy was up to. 
I was telling Ritzy on the way home that I actually do not have any plans this week.  NICE!!!!  Although I did talk to the daughter later and we discussed meeting at Olive Garden on her day off.  Sounds like a winner to me.  I look forward to that kind of "running around"...
I guess it is about time to go to bed for the night.  Don't think that nap is going to hurt anything about my getting to sleep tonight ;-)
Ritzywife out..........................

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Geez, It's Hot!!!!!!!

Posted by: cheryl

Good Grief, it's been hot here in Oklahoma the past 3 weeks.  We have been under excessive heat warnings most of that time.  It's so hot that we have to wait until the sun almost sets to be able to sit outside and enjoy (if that's what you can call it) the outdoors.  I don't even want to turn on my stove or oven because  I don't want it heating up the kitchen.  The poor AC is working hard enough as it is....
I told Ritzy that we were going to pick up supper tonight.  I called Rib Crib and ordered a pound of sliced brisket and a pound of boneless chicken and some potato salad. Had some Grillin' Beans to heat up at home.. We drove over to pick it up and brought it home to eat.  Sure was good.  I love barbeque!!!!!!
Upon returning home we noticed some commotion on the east side of our property, but we just pulled in and came in the house.  Pretty soon the doorbell rang and it was a young man saying that only 15 minutes earlier they were driving by and saw someone and thier "bike" in the ditch.  They stopped and the guy was in pretty bad shape but he refused to have them call 911 because he had been drinking.  So he had a relative come get him and the boys were watching the "bike"  til someone else could come pick it up.  That is the 3rd time this kind of accident has happened in that spot since we have lived here.  These crazy people need to slow down and quit drinking and driving.  Ritzy went over there and said there was stuff everywhere, but I guess they got it all picked up.  I sure hope that person gets medical attention if it is needed.  No need to mess around with that kind of thing....
Speaking of not cooking, I have to confess I did turn the oven on tonight.  Baked some banana bread with some really ripe bananas.. We have pot luck dinner after church tomorrow and that is what I am taking.  On the subject of Banana Bread.......the family usually gives Ritzywife the ripe (rotten-as they call them) bananas.  I try to tell everyone that they are just ready for bread when it looks like they should be put in the garbage.  That's why my bread always tastes good....(my little secret, til now)...Put the bread in the oven, went to take my bath and just about the time it was done, so was I. 
I have just finished studying my lesson so I am in pretty good shape for the rest of the night.
Ritzy, the son and I laid new tile in both bathrooms over the weekend.  It looks good.  It lookes like wood flooring.  Has a natural finish and not a glossy one, I really like it. 
I think I have finally "cooled off" enough to think about going to bed.  I cannot be hot and get in bed cause I will never get to sleep.  I turn the thermostat down about 2-4 degrees before I go to bed so it will be nice and cool while I am trying to sleep and I have told Ritzy to not say a word about it!!!  Hard to keep a 50-something woman cool enough -- I hear ;-)
With that said Ritzywife is out...............................

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STILL AT IT....

Posted by: cheryl

Plum butter cooking on stove
Plum jelly

Yes, I am still at it.  We (Ritzy & I ) picked the rest of the  plums from Dad's tree today.  It is 1:49 am and I am waiting on the butter to cook down.  It's been cooking since 8:30.  I think it's about ready.
The jelly making was interesting tonight.  Everything was going fine until I poured the first 4 jars, I was getting ready to tighten the lids when I must have pushed the board too far and it fell into the sink, sending 1 jar full of HOT jelly in the floor and one in the sink.  I managed to save 2 jars.  I was just standing there looking at the mess and pretty disgusted when I realized that I ought to be thankful that the jar of HOT jelly did not fall on me.  It would have been very painful.  So.................I commenced to cleaning up the mess.  I think I mopped the floor at least a half dozen times to get all the sugar off it. It was nasty...
I cannot believe I am still up at 2 am.  I have studied my Sunday School lesson while waiting on the butter to cook down.
I loaded the dishwasher and washed a load of dishes while I took my bath.  I also had to put my kitchen rug in the washer to wash all the jelly off it.  It is laying in the laundry room drying now. 
I have had a very busy day today.  I made the daughter something for her and the boyfriend's apartment.  I also made him something to put in the bathroom.  He has it decorated in a John Wayne theme.
After finishing those little projects I started in on the jelly making.  I had not been outside all day, so while the plums were cooking on the stove I went out and sat in my swing for a few minutes.  It was about dark and by that time it had cooled down enough to be comfortable outside.
Well I am going to see how close that butter is to being done, because Ritzywife is about done................
Ritzywife out....................


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Jelly Making

Posted by: cheryl

Wild Plum Jelly
4 hours of work.. (4 batches)

This is how I spent my morning and early afternoon.  The 4 hours doesn't even count picking and preparing the fruit.  Ritzy and I picked the wild plums last night.   It was a lot of work considering they are about the size of marbles.  We picked about 3-4 gallons of them.  I had Ritzy back the truck up to the trees and I stood in the back to pick the fruit.   At 8:30 I prepared the fruit and let it drip all night.  Got to bed at midnight........whew.........Early this morning I started making the jelly.  On an earlier post I had made some tame plum jelly, but this jelly turned out clear and beautiful.
It turned out that way cause I let the juice drip all night instead of just straining it like I did with the other plums.  I just finished eating  some on some buttered toast and it tastes wonderful!!!!! (I sure wish I had some of those english muffins made.  Guess that is something to do tomorrow.  I don't see them lasting long, because the son eats them about as fast as I can make them. )  I take advantage of the wild fruit because it isn't here every year.  Most years a late freeze will get the trees.  I don't think we had any plums last year.  That's ok cause Ritzywife is making up for it this year.  I still have another picking up at Mom & Dad's.  I am going to make some more plum butter.
I tried something today unsure of how it would turn out, but everything turned out fine.  I made this jelly without Sure-Jell.
I noticed the juice was very thick due to the natural pectin in the fruit, so I thought why waste a $2 box of Sure-Jell.  I just measured out the juice that my pan would boil safely  and put in however much sugar I wanted and cooked it to the "jellying" stage, which turns out to be about 20 minutes after it began to boil.  Each batch took about an hour by the time I cleaned up the pan and utensils and got the jars and lids ready for the next batch. 
After finishing the jelly today I had to make out the church report for tomorrow night's business meeting at church.  I am finally finished with my tasks for today.  I think we will do leftovers tonight for supper.........It's a good thing Ritzy isn't a picky eater, hahaha!!!!!
Ritzywife out..........................



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