Bigger World & Other Random Bits

I’m not even sure what to name this post, so I won’t. happy

It has been an exceptionally busy, stressful couple of weeks at work. Trying to get the last details of a second business up and going, as well as some things for a new website for the construction company I work for. And then this week we had a week of meetings, which were great and not to be missed, but man, am I tired. I was so delighted to just be able to come home tonight and just do nothing!! Nothing, that is, besides watching BBC’s Little Dorrit. My, but Charles Dickens has such eccentric characters. Mr. Pancks looks like Jiminy Cricket on Pinocchio. And poor dear John Chivery, who pines after Amy Dorrit: “She may never be mine, but I will always be hers” and “Here lie the mortal remains Of John Chivery, Never anything worth mentioning, Who died about the end of the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six, Of a broken heart, Requesting with his last breath that the word Amy might be inscribed over his ashes, which was accordingly directed to be done, By his afflicted Parents.” Oh, and the Circumlocation Office. And I thought a lot of papers crossed my desk!!!

Thank God for weekends!!!! I’m really happy too, that the weekend rains we’ve been having for the past 4-5 weeks, came and went tonight and the rest of the weekend should be sunny. We’ve been way behind in rainfall for a year or more and in the last 4 weeks we have gotten 8 or so inches, most of it happening on weekends. Last Saturday, the same tornado-ridden weather hit here, although it mostly stayed pretty calm. For a few minutes that morning it got real windy and the rain came down in sheets. After that it calmed down and then it rained/drizzled all.day.long. Sunday afternoon the ground was still quite saturated and the rain gauge showed the results of the previous day’s weather.

 

 

The azaleas and dogwoods are starting to bloom.

This weekend happens to be a Peaches to Beaches weekend. The one in which there are garage sales and other booths set up in towns from western/central Georgia to Brunswick and the Golden Isles, along Hwy 341, which happens to also be called the Golden Isles Parkway. I hope to go out and about tomorrow after not getting up early. happy There aren’t many Saturdays in my week and I really am not needing anything, other than things for the kitchen at work.

Speaking of the kitchen at work, it’s been getting a bit of use. Let’s see, there are the occasional mid-morning break foods to be enjoyed, as well as weekly employee meetings, in which yesterday I was quite cruel and didn’t make anything besides lemonade! Mind you, there was no lack of snacks in the cupboard to go with it.

Let me throw a little salespitch, and introduce you to a product, which I learned about through my friend Tonia Ebersole.

 

 

They are made by Sanyo. They are superior to other rechargeable batteries because they hold their charge for a very long time – months to years. Most other rechargeables lose their charge quickly when they’re not being used. I believe they are made in Japan, and are not any more expensive than other rechargeables. I have the 1500s, meaning they are guaranteed to recharge up to 1500 times. However, their warranty is a 1-year warranty and it’s very unlikely you’ll recharge them that often! They can be purchased at Amazon.com and if you have enough Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks, you could get them for free. Need a refferal to Swagbucks, let me know!

Also!

I don’t mean to get into a my-world-is-bigger-than-your-world argument, but I will venture to say that I’m pretty sure the world in my living room is bigger than the world in your living room.

 

 

 

 

 

See a year or so ago, I told my sister that I almost bought a wall map. She asked why I didn’t and since we have to pounce on ideas that we both agree on (not a completely foreign event but certainly not a daily one) I said I would next time they were on sale. So, we’ve had it kind of taped on our wall for months and finally my mom, a professional wallpaper hanger, came over and hung it for us. It is around 9.75 feet wide and over 6′ tall. It comes in three panels that are to be hung like wallpaper. It even came in earthtones that completely match our living room. It is from National Geographic, in case you’re interested in a bigger world (in your house). happy

And if you’re like me you’re one of those who finds fun ideas but doesn’t find time to accomplish many of them. I “stumbled” across these purse patterns. If you happen to make an extra one, send me one! happy It’s Sew Easy. I want the second one down on the left, the Phoebe Bag. The blogger actually designed the fabric herself. Another dream of mine to accomplish someday.

And so, I shall end this nameless post. Happy Weekend to you!!

Only 2

I wish I had time for more, but this week’s been a booger, schedule-wise. This morning I’ve been editing school portraits that should’ve been taken months ago but got bumped to February instead. This afternoon I’m heading out to take photos of houses for a website.

Last Sunday it was very warm and I enjoyed a full 2 hours of basking in the sunshine in my backyard. I had a little bit of company:

backyard 1b

backyard 2b

Vegan Burgers

or patties. Whatever you want to call them. I have yet to eat them in a bun with lettuce and tomato but it just might be good that way. And if you are going to compare them taste for taste with a hamburger, don’t! Unless having a hamburger is not an option for you for whatever reason. This is the recipe that I’ve been making. There are many other ways you could make them. If we were only doing vegetarian right now, I would add an egg to the recipe to help them hold together better.

Mix 1 small can (8 oz) of tomato sauce with 1 cup quick oats.

Vegan Burgers 1

Mash 1 cup of cooked and drained black beans. I used a mini food chopper.

Vegan Burgers 3

Saute 1 medium chopped onion and 1/2 cup of fresh chopped mushrooms in olive oil.

Vegan Burgers 2

Throw the beans, onions/mushrooms and oatmeal/tomato sauce into a bowl. Add seasonings and mix well.

Vegan Burgers 4

This mixture is a little on the sticky side and doesn’t form patties quite as neatly as I’d like. Drop a pattie into fine bread crumbs.

Vegan Burgers 5

Coat on both sides and drop into 2 T. olive oil in a frying pan.

Vegan Burgers 6

Fry until golden on both sides. I made them with and without the bread crumb coating. I preferred the non-coated but my sister preferred the coated.

Vegan Burgers 7

We have a recipe to make a sauce out of tofu. It is called tofu “mayonnaise” but quite honestly it tastes closer to sour cream than mayonnaise. That is what the white stuff is on the burger pictured below.

Vegan Burgers 8

I like also to spread the “mayonnaise” over it and then some fresh salsa. Quite tasty once you have gotten used to eating meatless foods. I thought they were better the second day than the first. Maybe for the same reason that we enjoy eating food we have not cooked. Anyone know why?

And one of these days I will post a non-vegan recipe again. I have one for Penne Rustica waiting in the wings. It has shrimp, chicken, cream and cheese in it.

Vegan Burgers Recipe

 

EDITED TO ADD: I think it may be a 6 oz. can of tomato sauce instead of 8 oz!