The Oasis of Australian Television

Say what? When winters are dismally dull, I turn to Australian television. I have seen a lot of criticism for various shows and I am not sure some people are snobby or that they're overthinking it a bit. I'm not saying that all Australian shows are brilliant but I have found a few gems that profoundly alter my mood depending on the show and my mood. I think this all began when I was quite young. In the early 1980's HBO had slim pickings when it came to movie selection and availability. So when they got their hands on a movie they would play it and play it to death. One such example is the movie Dot And The Kangaroo. I constantly watched that movie whenever it was on. About a decade ago I was able to snag it on dvd. Watching the movie again as an adult I could see why I loved it. The movie has action, a little girl as the main character and kangaroos! That movie made me obsessed with kangaroos. I would watch Dot and the Kangaroo over Winnie the Pooh any day when I was a kid. The movie, based on a children's book is a classic just as the book the movie is based on. I love that it has a cartoon drawn over actual footage of the outback. I actually learned a bit about Australian fauna when I watched the movie. To this day, I am still creeped out by the Bunyip scene.
In adulthood, Netflix, Hulu and Tubi became treasure troves for Australian guilty pleasures. The first began with McLeod's Daughters. It was a bit like CBC's Heartland, which I love. I was all about seeing the sunshine on the "Drover's Run" ranch on a bleak winter's day. Then, I discovered Doctor Blake Mysteries on PBS. That show was a mix of Murdoch Mysteries mixed with House. Set in Ballarat, the period show has fantastic costumes and props and that is right up my street. Also, that show rarely featured a rainy day and how could you not love Doctor Blake's relationship with his inherited house manager Jean. Next, I discovered on Netflix the show "Glitch." I think it was recommended to me because I watched the show Les Revenants.  This show was equal to Les Revenants in the way that it was eerie and mysterious. I couldn't stop watching this show, I had to know why the characters dug their way back to life. I loved that with each episode you learned a little more about each character's backstory, again very similar to Les Revenants. What separates this show from the French feature is the lack of subtitles (French is not my first language, though still learning) and the sunshine. Les Revenants was filmed with a bit of blue tone. The show had a lot of mist and fog, which added to the creep factor, but Glitch being located in such a sunny seemingly happy place, it was a stark contrast and created mixed emotions.
I forgot to mention the show Up To The Rafters. I found that on hulu and watched that every day when my husband and I first moved in together before we were married. I watched it while I settled into our rental home and it was a nice silly show that didn't have any mystery about it, just a sort of sitcom that helped me giggle. I thought the parents were great and they had a cute house. It isn't my go-to anymore but it served its purpose. On occasion, I will watch Miss Fischer's Murder Mysteries because I love period mysteries.
Lately, though, I was hooked and I mean HOOKED on the show Puberty Blues. I discovered this one day while searching through shows on Tubi.  The show was set in the 1970's and was based on a book of the same name that I assume was a bit like the Judy Blume book "Forever" which was basically "Lady Chatterley's Lover" for tweens in the 80's. I love the main characters "Sue" and "Debbie." The parents were great, too. I like that the series shows the parents experience juxtaposed with the teens. It proves that being a teen is rough, but being an adult is challenging and once more, being an adult with your own adult world while being a parent of a teen when you were a teen not too long ago can be very complicated. As rough and a cringe-worthy as some scenes were, the setting was in a sunny beach town which lightened the mood. Surfing played a huge role in the show; so did drug use, drinking, and awkwardly bad sex. However, I loved the friendship between Sue and Deb, they were not Anne and Diana, but it was very real. I loved the wardrobe of the show and the mid-century modern houses featured were fantastic. Would you ever be able to pay me to be a teenager again? Heck no, and this show proves why, but I still loved the show.
Between most of these shows were many actors that overlapped between the shows over the years, their recognizable faces made me want to watch the shows even more. Kind of like watching Canadian television. No, I have never been to Australia and due to my paralyzing fear of flying I hardly doubt I will ever go, sadly, but thank goodness for Australian television- it offers a lovely escape. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Mildred Hubble (the Housecat) Is A Mum

Proud Millie with her babies.

When we brought sweet little Millie home last October, she quickly became my cuddle bug. That first weekend she stayed on my lap most of the time while I binge-watched the entire second season of Stranger Things. Mildred was always meant to be my companion but was also intended to be a partner in crime for Paddy Murphy, Murr for short. Once Murr became comfortable around a new ball of fluff in the house, he never left her side. He was so happy to have a friend who was like him, rather than the dogs who seemed to love Murr but played too rough for his liking. Millie proved to be a fantastic companion and she grew up quickly. She is a delightful queen who grew up to be a very beautiful lady cat.

Then, the change came. One Friday night I had begun a frightful binge on the show Glitch I was up into the wee hours of the morning and when I woke up the next day, I turned the show back on and devoured it....my love for this show has little to do with Millie other than the fact that I was so engrossed that I overlooked Millie's insatiable need to breed moment. Now, as I said before, Millie was adopted so that Murr could have a family of his own. He has an appointment to be neutered this week. However, my husband thought that it would be a good experience for me to witness the birth of a cat or two or three in Millie's case. He also thought that it would be good for Millie and Murr to procreate before being fixed, as it would help them be calmer the rest of their lives. For a while, there was a lot of speculation as to whether Millie was "heavy with puppy" or not. As time passed the distinct feeling or furballs in her belly was prominent.
I was a nervous cat mum, to say the least. I had only witness kitten birth in the movies and I had a feeling that it wouldn't be as quick as had been seen in the movie The Adventures of Milo & Otis. I made certain to do my research so that I knew what to do should Millie need assistance. I don't know if there is a "What To Expect When Your Cat Is Expecting" book, but it would have been nice.
When it came closer to her time, I paid close attention to her activities. I didn't want her to give birth in the crawl space or in my closet, so I made a birthing box in my office for her. Having a birthing box/nest for her in my office ensured that she and her kittens would be safe from inquisitive dogs and would put her at ease. One day I observed that she had been going behind my books on the bottom shelf of my bookcase. I saw that as a warning that her time was near. The night before the birth she spent the entire night at my side. It isn't unusual for her to sleep with me, but usually, she would sleep with me for part of the night, get a snack, play downstairs, then up with me again for a sunrise snuggle. This time, however, she slept curled up next to me the whole night, never leaving my side. The next morning I was having my coffee and I noticed that she was once again behind the books and scratching the shelf. I asked her to come out and she refused, so I removed the books, scooped her up and immediately placed her in her birthing nest. I left my coffee and cell phone in the kitchen.

(L-R) Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Bumblebee.

When Millie got in the box and didn't jump out of it, but instead curled up into a ball I knew something was up.  I quickly ran to the kitchen and grabbed my coffee and phone as I wanted to document the birth as well as keep my husband up to date on the progress. Then, poor Millie started panting. This was when her "Blue Lagoon moment" began. She didn't know what was happening, but her instinct told her what to do. I turned on some soothing nature sounds on Youtube on my phone to help her relax. With the sounds of a bubbling brook and chirping birds playing I became my kitty's doula. With some serious fidgeting and probably the worst cry that I ever heard come out of Millie, Optimus Prime was born...breach. About half an hour or so later Megatron and a few minutes after that out came Bumblebee. Optimus Prime was the only boy born. He looks a lot like Murr, Megatron is all stripes with a white belly and Bumblebee looks like a perfectly fluffy cow, she is the perfect mesh of Murr and Millie.

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee

The kittens thrived and in a week they will be off to new homes, with the exception of Bumblebee (whom I call "Bumbles". Fear not, all the kitties will be staying with the family. O.P. will be going home with our oldest and his girlfriend. Megatron will be going home with the younger two kids to their Mom's house so I know that the kittens will be loved and well cared for.

Murr had proven to be a very good father. At first, I was very nervous about introducing him to his children. I was afraid that he would eat them after seeing horror stories online and from having my mother tell some gruesome tales. Happily, Murr is very doting on his children. He protects them from the curious nudgings of Rory and he gives them baths. I have found that he is very much back to his old kitten self in terms of having a very loving nature towards his humans and I think that he is much happier now that he has a complete family. Am I a crazy cat lady now? No, I don't have enough cats, turtlenecks or sweater vests for that. I have just enough cats and dogs to make life interesting and less lonely when my husband is away at work. If you follow me on Instagram you've likely seen a dozen posts of my kittens already. If not, check me out to stay up to date. I post on Instagram and Twitter far more often than I do on Facebook or the blog. I want to blog more often, but summer tasks make that more of a challenge. I think I might have found my groove though, so maybe there's hope for me yet? Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Rory snuggles with Optimus Prime

P.S. Megatron is a bit more shy than the other two kittens, but she is healthy, cuddly, and very sweet.

Muggy Morning Musings

Ugh, friends, this summer is moving by so swiftly! June was overtaken by graduations of nephews and friends, which brought on graduation parties and typical teenage melodrama. Also, Mildred gave birth to a small litter of adorable kittens, more on that in another post.  I have been dodging thunderstorms and insane heat waves, trying to work on the house. Since we bought the house nearly two years ago, it seems like we are still settling in. We bought the house in late summer and with all the work that needed to be done to it, we couldn't move in until October, which meant any yard work that needed to be done had to be put off until the following spring. Last year I began working on a vegetable garden, a wildflower garden, and a flower bed. It is still a work in progress. Last year, my father kindly tilled a large patch of the lawn to be our vegetable garden. The yard hadn't been tilled for a garden there before, so the grass eventually grew back and took over the garden, not leaving much space for the vegetables. This year, my dad tilled the spot again and my husband spread weed killer/blocker sheets on top of the soil before we began planting. This has made weeding the garden a breeze and the vegetables are doing great. We have peppers, tomatoes, squash, beans, cucumbers, onions, Swiss chard, beet greens, two types of romaine lettuce, mesclun mix, and buttercrunch lettuce. With all the vegetables, I will have plenty of salads and I will be able to make my own salsa!
I have also been putting a lot of work into the wildflower garden and the flower bed. I have spent a substantial amount of my summertime battling weeds. I have also been doing a lot of pruning, aside from planting new perennial plants. The roses that had been planted by the previous owners needed a lot of tlc. So I am hoping that my hard work will pay off and by next spring my garden will look fantastic!
Aside from gardening, I have also been working on minor home improvements, which is hard to do in this summer weather. Sometimes, it can either be too hot, too humid, or rainy and trying to find a happy medium is tricky. I have scraped and re-painted many of the window sills and I will need to do more at the end of summer when the weather is more forgiving. I also have plans to fix the front doorstep and clean up that door. I also want to put up gutters in September, fix the mudroom to make it cozy for holiday dinners, and get the garage cleaned up in time to store the truck in the winter months. At some point this late summer or early fall, we are putting in a woodstove. Since we are getting a stove, I have been getting wood and I need to get that stacked and stored for the winter too. Some people vacation in the summer this housewife spends her summer preparing for winter. At least I am getting a lot of fresh air and a suntan. Each night I sit down to watch some tv and all I can think is that there are never enough hours in the day! I have my fingers and toes crossed that come October, I can rest up a bit and dive into some more crafts for the holiday season. Heres to hoping! Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Why I Thrift and The Tricks I Use To Win The Thrifting Game

The entire contents of the bag cost less than $8.00.

If you admit to someone that you love to shop at thrift stores, you get a variety of reactions depending on the person. Some people think that it is a brilliant idea and they love the thought of saving money. Others wish they could shop at thrift stores, but they either don't know how or where to shop. While there are others out there that are entirely repulsed by the notion of wearing previously loved clothing. Thoughts of all kinds of unsavory things come to mind and they can't get past it. 

I began shopping at thrift stores way back in the 1990's when I was a teenager. At the time, I didn't go to the Salvation Army and I rarely went to Goodwill; but when I did go, I was with friends and we always had a lot of fun. Back then, grunge was the fashion, so I loved the idea of buying old flannels, cardigans, and jeans and refashioning them to make them look edgy. I also LOVED the vintage clothing that could be found. Over the years I've collected some amazing handbags and gloves. I think my favorite aspect of thrift store shopping is the surprise finds and I especially adore accessories. At first, the thought of wearing someone's old clothes made me a little nervous, but then I remembered that I grew up with hand-me-downs. While yes, I certainly wore new clothes, I also got a lot of hand-me-downs from my older sisters and cousins. This was not at all unusual for mothers to do. It was a way of saving money and helping each other out. Back when I was a little girl my aunts ( and for a while my mother) used patterns and built dresses by hand for their daughters. After putting in so much love and time into making those dresses, they weren't about to toss them in the garbage once the dress was outgrown. So, the dress was passed on to a niece. I wore many handmade dresses, something that happens less and less these days.
After considering that I basically grew up wearing a lot of previously worn clothing, it simply didn't bother me to dive right into thrifting.

One pair American Eagle shorts, one Gap denim skirt, and three pairs jeans- Ann Taylor Loft, Levi's, and Style & Co.

The world of thrifting has certainly evolved over the past twenty years and my approach has certainly changed as well. These days, there are so many different types of thrift stores or charity shops. Some are mass chains, like Goodwill and others, are privately owned. Every store has their own method of pricing and they also donate the proceeds to various causes. What I really like about thrift stores is that the clothing is not piling up in a landfill, it is a form a recycling where money can be raised to help others and you save some money too. Since my taste is far more expensive than what my budget allows, I indulge in thrift store shopping.

Five sweaters some wool blends, some cotton. American Eagle, Aeropostale, Ann Taylor Loft, St. Johns Bay, and a brand I've never heard of before.

 Some shopping trips are dedicated to finding items for craft projects, some I focus my energy on finding material to build costumes, sometimes I need to find a last minute outfit for an event and can't be bothered to go to a larger store and sometimes, I just want to update my wardrobe without going broke. That being said, I should add that while I do buy a significant portion of my clothes from thrift stores, I still get new items at places like TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory, and a local warehouse discount store. For special occasion items, I buy online using gift cards.

Four t-shirts and a blouse. Izod, Forever 21, Arizona, Lucky Brand and Fat Face.

 I'm in my late thirties and I have never been into super trendy styles. I prefer a more classic look, which is best for thrift shopping. When you stick to classic looks, you're going to get more bang for your buck. At the same time, I like to add flair with accessories and key items. For example, when I was in college, I purchased a 100% Wool Fairisle sweater from TJ Maxx for around $20.00. I paired it with a dark blue mini skirt that had built in shorts and I finished the outfit off with knee high chunky biker boots that I bought from Delia's catalog. The skirt and the boots are long gone, but nearly twenty years later, I still have that sweater and it still fits! Like I said before, I stick with the classics.
Which brings me to another essential topic, fabric care. This is a big deal when purchasing clothing. If you don't closely inspect the tags, carefully examine the item or are shopping in a poorly lit shop, you might find some surprises when you get home. A very pilly sweater is easy to spot, but a small hole or a tear, a nickel sized spot or the dreadful dry clean only tag can be a bummer. However, don't be too worried about these little hiccups. I've found that spot cleaning is an easy fix and light mending is easier than you think. If you don't know how to fix a tear or get out a stain there is a wealth of information online to help you out. Careful care of clothing makes all the difference!

One Gap knit dress for the Fall.

Here are some of my rules and tricks that I've developed over the years.
1) Just because it's inexpensive doesn't make it a steal. It could be more trouble than it's worth.
        -How often will you actually wear it?
        -Do you love it enough to overlook the dry clean only tag?
2) Certain items I won't ever buy at a thrift store...ever!
       - No lingerie.
       - No swimwear.
       - No leggings, tights or socks.
       - Usually, no shoes, unless they are barely worn leather boots (clean the inside with disinfectant and a rag) or boots with the tags still on.
3) Avoid any sweater with excessive pilling.
4) Don't bother with brands from local shops. I can buy it new for nearly the same price.
5) Invest in a decent sewing kit.
6) Have on hand: 1- a drying rack, 2- a sweater shaver, 3- Woolite* or Dreft* 4- Dryel* (**NOT SPONSORED)
7) Another good thing to have handy- some sort of leather cleaner or a saddle soap. These are useful for handbags, belts, and boots.
8) When purchasing handbags, I always examine the outside first. I look at the bottom for any wear and tear or dirt. I check out the threading and look for any loose threads. I look at the handle and see if it's still clean and sturdy, Then, I look inside and check out the liner. Is the fabric clean, free of damage, or soft? Old or poor quality fabric will be a bit stiff. I do look at the label, and look to see if it is real or a knock-off. To be honest, even if it's knock-off as long as the bag is in good shape and made with some decent material, it's likely nicer than a bag that you can get a local big box store. Since I'm paying a thrift store price and not being deceived and the money is going to a thrift store and not a dishonest vendor, I can overlook it. Generally speaking, I rarely encounter knock-offs.

My love of thrifting has not died, and I still have a tremendous time when I shop. I usually go to a store in my hometown, when I visit my parents. They are one of those small thrift stores that let you fill a bag for a few dollars. Some specially marked items cost more and accessories are priced individually. I've found a few cute leather handbags there, over the years. It allows me to have the thrill of shopping while keeping my wardrobe fresh, without spending a lot of money. I have a nice stack of cashmere sweaters that I've collected over time. I love cashmere, but could never afford it. Even if I could afford it, the sticker shock would be too much to justify the purchase. That's the great thing about thrift stores, there's no such thing as sticker shock.

My husband thinks my quarterly shopping trips are a hoot. He knows that I like to be frugal and he understands why I do it. In fact, when we were going to go on our first date, I ran to the thrift store to find a nice handbag and a cute blouse to wear with a skirt that I already had. I spent less than $5.00 and felt adorable!  The kids would likely think it was weird. They love the mall, which is totally normal. However, if I can update my wardrobe for less than $10.00, then I don't feel guilty about getting something for myself. My clothing certainly doesn't look raggedy. Unless I told the person standing next to me where I bought my shirt, they'd never know the difference, nor would they care. I think that is the key to thrifting, your attitude towards it all. If you look nice and put together and you feel great, why worry what others might think?

So, if you like to save money, have an open mind and are a creative thinker, I think you'd love thrift shopping. It's a lot of fun for crafting and finding holiday decor. If you have a sewing machine, a glue gun, and some paint you could find a craft project waiting for you at any thrift store for any weekend project. It's all about saving money and having fun. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Hello Summer, Goodbye PLL

You know it is officially summer when you're able to finally get fresh strawberries and rhubarb. My father cut some rhubarb from one of his plants and he bought some strawberries from a local farm. I could wait to make a strawberry rhubarb pie, one of my favorite pies to make and eat! I discovered last summer, that the trick to a perfect rhubarb pie is the addition of an egg. I found this by accident when I was looking for a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe and the one I used happened to include an egg. What makes this so essential, compared to other recipes that omit the egg, is the way the fruit and sugars bake. The egg absorbs a lot of the juices and makes a thick sauce. I have had many strawberry rhubarb pies that tasted wonderful but were incredibly runny. By simply adding an egg along with the sugar to the fruit and mixing thoroughly, you get a nicer pie in the end. I had so much fruit, I ended up making two pies, one for my parents and one for myself. This is one of my favorite things about summer, all the pies that I get to make!

I repurposed pallets to make a compost bin.

Now that summer is in full swing, I have been putting a lot of energy into the house and the garden. It can get pretty exhausting, but it will be well worth it once winter arrives. The weather has been so gloomy lately. The week before was perfect weather, the week before that was nothing but humid and horrid. This past week, the weather has been partly cloudy with a chance of showers, almost every day. One day, I was trying to clean and organize my garage and that was tricky because the rain kept coming and going. in between rain showers it would be nearly sunny, then it would rain again. If I were just cleaning the garage, it would be fine, but I like to keep my dogs in our fenced in area of our yard. That way, they aren't left inside where they can get into all kinds of mischief. My goal for Monday is to get the garage cleaned.

I was very happy to finally get my compost bin built. It was very simple to do. I looked up a number or ways to do it on Pinterest and Youtube. I decided to take an easy way. I had my husband help me move the pallets to rest behind the garage. Then, I stood one next to another and tied the sides together using a thick yarn that is meant for macrame. I found that tying the upper and lower corners of each side was the easiest way. Then, I tacked a mesh material to the bottom and I used scrap wood slats to weave through the front and side of the bin and that created a brace for the mesh. The point of the mesh at the bottom was so that air could circulate all around the compost and allow it to break down properly.

Once the bin was built, I took all the leaf piles that we had throughout the yard and transferred them to the bin. I also added the extra apples that I had in the basement over the winter and the compost from the kitchen. While I'm tidying the garage, I hope to create a special area for the recycling and I'll be one step closer to getting the house organized. All of this is to help the household function better in the colder months.

What happens to abandoned dolls. It hardly seems dignified.

PLL SPOILERS! If you haven't watched the final episode, don't read this!

So, after seven years of faithfully watching Pretty Little Liars, the show came to and end. I have mixed feelings about this. It's bad enough that my beloved Orphan Black is heading towards the sunset, this was just too much. The only reason I started to watch PLL, was because House wasn't on one night. With nothing to watch, I found myself channel surfing and stumbled on Holly Marie Combs, so I assumed that a re-run of Charmed was on, so I settled on that. What I thought was one show, turned out to the pilot of the new show Pretty Little Liars. The show had a bit of intrigue and being the sucker for Agatha Christie that I am, I couldn't stop watching it. The show had its hooks in me. After that, I couldn't miss an episode. As an adult watching the show, I thought that many aspects of the story line were disturbing. "Ezria", for instance, was very creepy. I don't care about the fact that the teacher was fresh out of college, it was beyond inappropriate and also totally illegal. Yet, most fans wanted those two love birds to make it. Was it because he was charming and had a baby face? The relationship was a bit reminiscent of The Thorn Birds, but also a bit Lolita. It was very toxic and the relationship continued to grow more and more disturbing. Yet, in the end, fans gushed when they finally made it down the aisle. 

Poor Wren, that's ll I have to say about him.

The final episode was long and the first part of the episode seemed to drag a long bit. I honestly think the show would have been better if it had ended back when CeCe was revealed, but I don't think they ever should have made her A, in the first place. If the show was going to end, I think that it would have been okay to end the show on episode 19 with AD driving away. It would have really angered the fans, but if they had AD look into the rearview mirror, revealing their face, that would have been enough for me. However, the writers wanted to tie up loose ends and explain it all. The problem is, it seems like there were a lot of holes throughout the story, The never explained why their therapist had an existing file on Aria, or why AD favored Aria over the other girls. They tried to make three different A's, one picking up from the other. Also, when AD was revealed, it wasn't too shocking as many fans had picked up on clues from previous episodes of the final season. However, when it was revealed, they actual character, was annoying to me. As much as I like the actress, the character felt too much like a rip-off of the Sarah Manning character from Orphan Black. A London punk, grifter, with cockney accent takes over the life of a woman who looks exactly like her, taking her boyfriend and her friends. It wasn't direct theft, as this is a common story used in books and film, but the similarities were enough to irritate me. At the end of it all, I was glad it was finally over, not because I hate the show, but because I didn't like the way the story was going. I'm glad it had a happy ending, but I just wish it ended differently. I did love the last bit with Mona, she was a fantastic character. That part of the ending did have a bit of a Hitchcock flair.

With the show done, I will be a little bummed when winter comes and there won't be a new season. However, there is always Netflix and the books to read. So, if I ever need my fix, I can turn on the show while I bake cookies.  I will look forward to watching Lucy Hale in her new show, this Fall. It actually looks kind of cute and it would be nice to watch to balance out the emotions endured after watching Supernatural. 

That pretty much sums up what's been happening in my world. Gardening, cleaning, watching tv and trying to build a quilt. It may not be crazy exciting, but this is what happens when the weather isn't reliable. Also, the end of the school year was tremendously hectic, so I'll take the boring for a while. Things will be picking up again, soon, it is summer after all. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Super Easy And Fast Cinnamon Buns

I"m going to be straight with you readers...I LOVE bread! I love homemade bread, homemade yeast rolls, scones and, especially, cinnamon rolls. Now, I'm not some high baker snob. It is NOT beneath me to crack open a can of cinnamon rolls when the moment strikes me. Heck, I even buy generic rolls, that just my way. However, nothing beats baked goods made from scratch. I do have my favorite recipes that I've tried over the years. I have one recipe from a 1960's baking cookbook which is very involved and takes hours, but the end result is worth it. Once in a blue moon, I'll indulge and a bake those. I've been craving cinnamon rolls, lately, but it's also 90 degrees (fahrenheit), so I need another option. 

This summer, I discovered an amazing recipe for homemade hamburgers buns. I found it after being dissatisfied with store bought buns and not being super excited to go to the store. The buns can be made in less than and hour! I know and they make gorgeous buns. I wish I hadn't deleted my photo of my burger buns, but this isn't so much about burger buns and more about how I made cinnamon buns, but I needed to include my story about burger buns, because it's important to the story.

So, after making the buns a few times and craving cinnamon buns during a heat wave, I decided to experiment and see if I could adapt the recipe for cinnamon buns. The end result was beautiful! So, you begin with the original recipe for hamburger buns, which can be found on the Taste Of Home webpage. I'll include the link here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/40-minute-hamburger-buns?keycode=ZPIN0414. Side note: I adore the Taste Of Home website and magazine. I have one of their cookbooks, and it is fantastic!

So, following the burger bun recipe up to the point where you form the dough into balls, here is where you use the dough for cinnamon rolls. Rather than forming the balls, I rolled the dough out into a 10x12 rectangle. Then, I added 1/4 cup melted butter and spread it over the dough. Then, I sprinkled 1/2 cup of sugar (white, but brown would work nicely). Next, I sprinkled ground cinnamon over the sugar and then topped it off with 1/2 a cup of raisins. Then, I rolled the doll into a log and cut the cough in eight pieces. I placed the buns onto a prepared cookie sheet, leaving enough space for expansion, and I covered the buns to rise for 8-10 minutes. Finally, I baked the buns according to the hamburger bun recipe. It was THAT easy! They came out beautifully, huge and tasty. You might need to bake a few extra minutes so the centers are fully baked, just keep an eye on them.

 I love recipes like this that are so versatile and can be adapted to use for a number of treats. If you need fantastic hamburger buns for a bbq, or you really want to impress your friends, make the hamburger buns, you won't be disappointed. I'm going to pull some out of the freezer to have for burgers tonight! Until Next Time~ Toodahloo!

Maine Girl Doesn't Like Lobster

Two weeks ago, my husband and I decided to take a day trip down to the coast. We felt that a trip to a coastal town for an overnight followed by a mini road trip up the coast, finding lighthouses would be fun. It was tremendously fun, but exhausting. Ever since childhood, I"ve visited at least one lighthouse each summer. The first lighthouse that we visited happens to be my favorite. It is at Pemaquid Point. I was very surprised to see so many seagulls present. It made me think of my mother, who is terrified of birds; I knew she would not be happy with this picture (above). When I was a child and a teenager, it was nothing or me to walk along the rocky edge, the huge granite the leads to the Atlantic was always fun to walk on, although I always used caution. Now that I'm older and disabled, I kept a safe distance. It didn't matter, I still enjoyed myself.

This is the lighthouse at Pemaquid Point, it is still open to the public to view. I didn't bother, since I've seen it so many times, and I still had a lot to do that day.

The next lighthouse that we visited was in Owls Head, you can almost see the lighthouse in the photo. I had a very hard time getting a picture of the lighthouse without snapping a random tourist in the picture, too. These lighthouses are very popular with tourists during the summer months. After visiting this lighthouse, we went to the lighthouse in Rockland, but I didn't get any photos of that. There were far too many tourists that would have landed in the picture. Also, the breakwater, leading to the lighthouse is a bit difficult for me to walk, so I really needed to pay attention to my steps and keep my eyes on my feet. That made it tricky when it came to photographing the lighthouse.

One final box from my summer bucket list needed to be checked. My husband convinced me to try a lobster roll. Now, I should explain, I've never had a lobster roll before. I know that might sound strange, considering I'm a New England girl. However, growing up, I was never big fan of seafood. The occasional whitefish is okay, but I don't like shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, oysters, squid, octopus, and most certainly NOT lobsters. I know that sounds terrible for a lot of people. I have tried lobster several times throughout my life and I've never liked it. So, I thought that I would give this a try. The last time that I'd tried eating lobster was back when I was in college. Since my husband made the lobster roll sound so alluring, I decided to try it out. The Maine lobster roll is a VERY popular summertime treat. We searched a few towns and looked online to find a reasonably priced lobster shack. We located one that was nearby and made our way to it. I was very happy to see that it didn't have a huge line, so I would need to wait long, I was hungry. I stepped to the window and placed my order.  I had a bit of a palpitation when I saw that the sandwiches were $15.00 each! I've never spent that much on a sandwich before. However, since this was meant to be about an experience, and less about lunch, I let it go and decided to enjoy myself. After we were handed our lobster rolls, we sat on a bunch that overlooked the harbor and began our picnic.

 My husband delighted in his sandwich the moment he sunk his teeth into the mayonnaise/lobster blend. The crispness of the lettuce crunching between his teeth made it all seem so delicious. So, I took a deep breath and took a bite. With the Mr. looking on, eagerly awaiting my reaction, I chewed. He asked me what I thought of it. I grinned and nodded my head, but he could tell that it was a nightmare, for me. I was determined to enjoy the lobster roll; it was $15.00, after all. After consuming about $7.00 worth of the sandwich, I handed the rest to my husband, who was more than happy to eat the lobster roll. So, it wasn't the sandwich or the lobster shack that made it that was at fault. I just don't like lobster, it's gross. I love whoopie pies, blueberries, potatoes, red hot dogs, and Moxie, but I just can eat lobster. I hope that doesn't make me any less of a Mainer. Sigh.

Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Not Enough Hours In The Day

I love these sweet, tiny wildflowers.

As the title of this posts states. there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Summer months contain the longest days of the year, and yet I need more time. The problem is, I get tired very easily. which was a huge problem when I worked at an elementary school, I was always worried that I would fall asleep on the job. That is not a good thing to do, obviously, but when you've had a head injury like mine, sometimes sleepiness becomes as much a part of your life as learning to adapt to a weaker body. The big problem is, I am a very determined woman who wakes up each morning and sees all the tasks that I want to complete in order to keep a household running. This summer, for instance, I have my own veggie patch ( rather than relying on my fathers) and that takes up time, even more so the yard. I have a large yard, which needs to be manicured, regularly. I have completely overcome my fear of lawnmowers and I actually find mowing the lawn to be very relaxing. However, all of that takes a lot out of me and by the time I'm done, I need to nap. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's my reality.

The sun made these look brighter, but they are such a pretty pink.

 The problem with napping, is that it cuts into a very important time of day, time when I could get more tasks done. However, if I ignore the need to nap, I pay the price. I work had in the winter, but even more so in the summer, as that is the time in which I prepare for winter. Also, soccer season is back and that is a busy time and it will get even busier, once school starts in the fall. Whats a woman to do? Like I said, there's just not enough hours in the day.

My new favorite cookbook.

Yesterday was very busy. Today, I've taken it easier, as I'm recovering from yesterday. However, that did not stop me from mowing part of the lawn, even though I mowed another part, yesterday. I also need to make a jambalaya and bake gluten free cornbread before tonight's soccer game. After which, I have to go grocery shopping. Tomorrow, might be s lighter day, and it will be a Friday, so that's a plus! Lately, I've been doing a lot of baking, using recipes from my trusty Maine Rebekahs cookbook. I love this cookbook, the recipes are old and they remind me of classic recipes that my grandmother would have used. Although, I am not a fan of the recipe for whoopie pie filling. The whoopie pie recipe, itself, is perfection, but the filling, not how I'd do it. This is why you adapt recipes to your own taste. So, the next time I decide to make whoopie pies, I'll remember to use another recipe for iling that I prefer.
My garden is now providing me with many greens. We;ve been using our lettuce a lot and, the other night, we cooked some swiss chard....it was delicious! I can't wait to try the kale! We also have a tremendous amount of tomatoes coming, which will be fantastic for blt's and panini; especially when paired with fresh basil. When the tomatoes grow plump, I'll take pictures and share them as part of a garden update. I hope your summer is treating well. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Putting In The Garden

About a month ago, my father pulled into my driveway with a rototiller in the back of his truck. He very kindly tilled a nice patch in my backyard so that we could start a veggie garden. I already have numerous perennial flowers and flowering bushes along the side of the house. I also dug up some of the irises from my parents' yard and planted them along my back fence and around a tree. The flowers really take little to no effort to maintain, aside from a bit of weeding here and there. What I really wanted was a nice veggie garden. I love the idea of being able to walk into my backyard and fetch my own fresh produce. I love the idea of knowing what went into growing my veggies and knowing that they were picked only when they were absolutely ready to be plucked. I also like being able to save a lot of money on my grocery bill, while providing nutrient-rich veggies for the family.
We've planted squash, onions, tomatoes, beets, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, swiss chard, kale, cabbage, green beans and sunflowers. I also hope to plant a winter garden, in the fall. We will enjoy many salads, BLT's and a variety of casseroles.  I selected greens that I knew would be plentiful and grow easily. I hope to make pickles and fresh salsa, as I also have a miniature herb garden.

Those coffee canisters are bottomless. They are being used to support the tomato stems, as they grow.

Each morning and each night, my husband checks the garden to monitor its progress. I check in on it, mid-morning and mid-afternoon when I water it. It's amazing to see how quickly everything is growing! I'll be even more excited when I start to see blossoms on the plants. It is very relaxing, spending time in the garden. My mother always told me how much time her father spent tending to his garden when he wasn't at work. I can see now, why he enjoyed it so much. I'll keep you updated on the progress of the veggie patch. Hopefully, I'll be able to share some recipes of the tasty dishes that I make with my garden delights. In the meantime, I have a few craft projects that I've been working on. I'll share more about that at another time. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Settling In

I know that I haven't been tremendously active on this blog for the summer. I was taking some time off to enjoy the warm season. This was especially important after such a difficult winter. Over a week ago, I moved house. This is never a small undertaking. I hadn't moved in a decade and it was a lot of work weeding through my possessions and deciding what to keep and what to discard. It was a very freeing experience to unload some cargo.

However, with the change brought additional challenges, like what to do with my makeup stash. Previously, I'd been using a shelving system which also stored my art supplies, dvd's, games and held up my tv. I used my desk not only as my work space, but also as my vanity. I wanted to keep my desk in an office/ hobby room, so I needed an alternative for my vanity. Then, I remembered that my sister had acquired two sewing desks and offered to give one to me. My other sister picked up the desk at our sister's house and brought it to me on the day that I was moving into the new house.

The desk was a lot heavier than I'd remembered and a different color than I'd remembered, too. I cleaned the desk up and gave it a few coats of fresh white paint.

After it dried my Mister carried it upstairs for me so that I could unpack my boxes of makeup and other beauty supplies. The sewing desk was the perfect solution for organizing and storing my modest stash. The shallow drawers with dividers are fantastic for keeping everything neatly organized. The deeper drawer houses my larger palettes.I spent an entire morning organizing my new makeup center. It was very satisfying to complete that chore. When you are surrounded by stacks of boxes, it is a relief to see the pile shrink.

Over the week, I slowly worked on unpacking and making the house look more like a home. It is amazing what some curtains and art work can do to make a house more homey On Sunday I baked a caramel apple pie and that was what finally made everything come together for me. Once I actually baked something, from scratch, I then felt completely settled in. Now that Fall is near, I am looking forward to the new season and it will be fun to share it with you! Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Time For A Big Girl Room....Doctor Who Style

On this extremely hot day, I have decided to cool down a bit and write a new blog post for you. The other day, I began a craft project which took an evening to do. It involved a bit of paint, sand paper, sheer frustration, friction and blisters...oh, my!

This wall clock has been at my house for a number of years. It has never left the original box in which it came. I will soon be decorating my room with a Doctor Who theme.Now, I'm not trying to say that I will have a massive TARDIS in my room, but I will have touches of Doctor Who inspired style throughout my room. I decided that this wall clock would be a nice place to start. So I grabbed some fine grit sandpaper and some acrylic craft paint in the color "English Navy" and I went to town.

I first sanded down the clock with fine grit sandpaper and removed as much glaze as I could. Then, I made a blue stain mixing 2 parts water to one part paint. At first, the stain wasn't sticking. So, I decided to sand even more with a grittier sandpaper and the stain still wouldn't take. After a lot of frustration, I decided to stop trying to stain the wood and to just paint the clock with the stain. This worked out, nicely.

Now I have a lovely TARDIS Blue wall clock that is ready for my room. As the decorating progresses I will share a bit more of the decor. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Summer Is Here!

So, summer has finally arrived! I have been spending the month of June, trying to do some projects here and there. However, I have been occupying my time with other things, other writing projects and I have had a hard time focusing on crafts. I did try to do a repurposing project, which went terribly wrong and I had to abandon the process for the time being. I'm not certain if I'll ever pick that project back up, but that still remains to be seen.

The back yard garden is lush with floral delights. The frequent rain showers are making everything grow rapidly, including the lawn. Did I mention in a previous post that I learned how to mow the lawn this Spring? I can't say that I was a total success at the task; in fact, the mangled blade would prove that I am not skilled at all things. I think for now on, I'll leave the lawn maintenance to someone better adept at the chore.

While I was cleaning up the yard, one Saturday, I made the foolish decision to move 70 pound bags of sand from one part of the yard to another. Ever since then, my upper back and my right arm have been quite sore, which makes typing for an extended period of time a bit painful. Not to mention, sewing is a source of pain. I have discovered how therapeutic painting is. I began a painting project last week and I've found that my body hurts less after the exercise. Perhaps, by the end of summer, I'll have a nice new painting and a healed body. We'll see how it all works out. If I don't have many posts over the summer, it is simply because I am working on other things that may not be all too topic worthy. Fear not, I haven't abandoned my little blog, I'm merely transitioning to something different and I'll share those projects as they come. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Adjusting To Sudden Changes

I don't have a lovely photograph to jazz up this post. This just isn't that kind of post. I just wanted to catch up before I resumed my posting. I needed to take some time off from blogging and now I am ready to start again. The time has flown by this summer and now the nights are getting colder. Soon, the garden will be abundant and I will have the opportunity to test my culinary limits. These are the times when one becomes Julia Child and MacGyver all in one. I do enjoy the challenge, though. Towards the end of summer, I will be scrambling to preserve my produce in fun and creative ways. I will continue work on my quilt and will post on that soon. Also, since the weather will be cooler, I will be able to use my oven again and bake an assortment of treats that will be fun to eat, even if it requires more exercise. Life is short; far too short to be regretting that whoopie pie that I ate during a day out with my best friend. It's okay to enjoy homemade cookies and lattes and I hope to share these you. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

I Made This

I made this laundry soap. I have been on Pinterest for a few years now. My sister turned me on to it and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I am one of those people who can lose an entire afternoon pinning. Sometimes,  log on looking for a recipe and hours later, it's after midnight! Some of my favorite pins are household cleaning tips and recipes. Last year, I discovered the soap Zote at Family Dollar. It cost a little more or less than $1.00. I had never seen it before, and now I can even find it at Walmart! Intrigued, I bought some to make into detergent. I love this stuff. I've made the liquid soap that your let set overnight and it looks like a bucket of mucous. I'm not really into that. I do like a powder detergent.
Zote is great, it's pink and it smells like citrus. .....and it's pink, did I mention that it's pink? It's pink!

It is a large, soft (PINK) bar that is very easy to grate. I'd compare to grating cheddar cheese. One bar produces a lot of shavings.

I add 1/4 cup of washing soda and 1/2 of Borax and (in a container with a lid) shake it all together. I use this detergent for my linens. Since I always wash my linens in hot water, this is perfect. A little goes a long way. I use a 1/8 cup scoop, and I usually use two scoops (or 1/4 cup). I could get away with one scoop, but two scoops seem to make me feel a bit more confident. I don't know how this would work in cold water, as I've never tried it. I just know that I love this for linens, it cleans and freshens them.

I also like to make linen spray. I reuse an empty spray bottle. One of my favorite scents is the ocean. I developed my own formula for a scent that mimics what I think that smell is like. I start by adding two tablespoons of baking soda, because baking soda neutralizes odors, to the spray bottle. To that, I add one tablespoon of sea salt. Then, I add 6-8 drops of peppermint essential oil, 4-6 drops of lavender oil and 4 drops of rose oil. Last, I fill the bottle with hot water and shake. I use hot water to better dissolve the salt. This is great to spray on the curtains, upholstery, etc. It's a light scent that is not overpowering.

I'm still perfecting my liquid detergent formula, I need to do more research on Pinterest for that. I've tried many, but have yet to find one that I really like. When I do, I'll share it. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Making A Quilt Pt. 1

A few weeks ago, I washed my "Anne Shirley" quilt and I hung it out on the clothes line to dry. When I pinned the quilt securely on the line, I couldn't believe what I saw. My quilt was in such a state! In a specific area, many patches were either threadbare or practically gone. One reason the quilt was damaged was because some of the patches were made from inferior fabric, while others were ruined by dogs. I decided two things: 1) I need to repair the quilt with better material and 2) it's time to make a new quilt. Now is the time to start constructing my quilt if I want to have a one by October. So, I pulled out some fabric, some old shirts and some of my quilting books. I spent Saturday morning pouring through my quilt books, looking for some inspiration. I think I know what I want to do.

I have a pile of old flannel shirts that my Dad no longer wears. I never let him get away with tossing out his shirts. Even though the shirts might have been worn out for shirts, they still make excellent material for projects! The next step in the quilt project is preparing the fabric.  I cut up the shirts to get as much workable fabric as possible, and waste as little as possible. I even save the buttons, I never throw away good buttons.

These flannel shirts are soft and are made of excellent material. They are meant to be washed regularly, so they can stand up to the washing machine. They will also make a very warm quilt.

I cut a cuff from each shirt to repurpose as a coffee sleeve. They have buttons and finished button holes already! These are great to keep in my purse. That way I have them handy whenever I order coffee from the coffee shop.
Next time in the quilt series, I'll be cutting and making squares. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Enjoying The Beauty Of A Summer Day

New Englanders have been very fortunate with the weather this summer. We have experienced a nice balance of rainy days and sunny days. This enables us to have a fantastic time playing outside, working in the garden, walking the dog or spending an entire day travelling from one yard sale to another. The garden seems to really love this summer weather. Already, I've been able to enjoy garden vegetables. It is so nice to be able to go to the garden an find produce for that evening's meal. Seasonal eating is the best!

 I am really looking forward to the Fall when I can bake my pumpkins and make a sorts of treats! It is August now, the summer is quickly fading fast. I still have a few weeks before school resumes, which means another visit from my nephews. This weekend, I will work on a few projects that I want to complete before my nephews arrive. They visited two weeks ago, and I am still recovering. It's a lot of work being Auntie Toesocks; brownies and fudge don't make themselves. Not the mention, the late nights watching Merlin, the early mornings making pancakes and days spent at the lake. This is what summer is all about.

Next time, I'll fill you in on my latest projects. Until then~ Toodahloo!