Need to Moderate Comments...Sorry!

Dear Readers: I am getting tired of having my blog attached to SEX spam! So I am going to moderate comments.

Sorry friends.

I do believe in freedom of speech, but I don't believe in attaching sexual links to someone else's creative work. I want my children (or nieces, nephews, friends, in-laws, etc) to be able to check out my blog and NOT have inappropriate links visible.

Hootie

Searching for Extracts

First, I will admit that I LOVE coffee.  Second, I will admit that I might be a coffee snob.  There are friends of mine who are tea drinkers and they can tell you there is a correct way to brew tea.  The same thing goes for coffee.  But I am not going into those details.  

During my "recovery" time two months ago, my husband did a bit of our shopping and he needed to buy some coffee beans for us.  I do not shop exclusively at Starbucks, but I do admit they have several beans that I enjoy.  We have a local shop that roasts their own beans: Stone Cutters.  Besides having fantastic coffee they have scrumptious homemade cinnamon rolls.  My husband happened to shopping at Target and decided to pick up a different brand of coffee.  I hate to talk badly, but after my first few sips of this coffee, I told my DH I was pouring out the pot he brewed and making a different flavor of bean.  This "different" bean he'd purchased left an aftertaste in my mouth that seemed like cigarettes.  I am not a smoker.  In the end, these beans left our house without being brewed again.  

Shortly after this incident my husband and I went to Stone Cutters to grab a coffee and a cinnamon roll.   We needed more beans and decided on two different pounds.  The owner, Greg, assured me that one we chose only had hints of a fine cigar smell.  I was apprehensive but trusting.  Stone Cutters Espresso Roast was superb.  

One of the reasons I head to Starbucks now and then is to purchase their Hazelnut Syrup.  At home I like to add this flavor to my coffee.  It's frustrating when sometimes they will sell me a bottle and other times they won't.  It all depends on their supply.  Lately I have been thinking I should learn how to make my own syrup.  

After searching the web and not finding anything to my likings, I came up with the following recipe.  This may be my new fav for adding to my home brews!  

Hootie's Hazelnut Syrup for Coffee

2 Cups water

1 Cup white sugar

Mix together in small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Cool then add 1 TBSP of Hazelnut Extract.  I have stored my concoction in an old Starbucks bottle; one that I have a pump for.  

The trickiest part was finding the Hazelnut Extract.  Thank goodness for specialty stores. 

*****

As an added funny, I must tell that I have been using Starbucks Hazelnut syrup for at least the last 15 years.  When I would vacation with my husband's family on our annual beach vacation, I would always take a bottle of syrup with me.  One morning one of my BILs commented that he'd probably add some alcohol to his coffee too if he was a coffee drinker and wasn't related to this bunch.  I hated to burst his bubble that this was alcohol free.  :)

  

By George, Where's George? and Something is better than Nothing

Have you heard of or seen this project?  

I have a dollar bill in my wallet right now that has this stamp on it.  If you log in to the Where's George? website, you can see where George has been!  I've run across two of these dollar bills in the last six months.  The idea is to take the bill, add the serial number to the website, put it back in your wallet, use it and then sit back and see where George goes!

In today's economy I wonder if George will do much traveling?  My George started out just 8.3 miles from here; south of town.  When the next game person 

decides to log in with George, I will receive and e-mail detailing his travels.  

Kind of fun!  

------

On a completely different note:  I know an older person who lives close to me who has purchased this Exerciser 2000 Elite:  

Passive Exercise?  Did you notice that nothing is checked off?  I have tried to offer my treadmill as a safe way to get some exercise while the weather is cold.  Independence can be a stubborn trait!  

Maybe this machine works.  I found the ad in my Reader's Digest magazine.  I am re-thinking my opinion of that read.   Does this not prey people's better judgement?  I know the situation could be worse; at least something "usable" was received for the money spent.  Whether it works or not might not be for me to judge.  Doing some thing IS better than doing nothing.  I just don't want people I care about to be taken advantage of because they are older.   I mean, if this was in Reader's Digest it must be good, right?  

NOT!

Differences...

Recently I was reminded that my siblings and I were raised by two very generous souls.  And like those two generous souls...we each have some of their generosity that creeps out of us periodically.   That is a very good trait and I am glad we each have some of it inside our beings. 

As I watched another family try to empty a house full of "treasures", the judgmental part of my soul was poked.  The feathers on my back were ruffled.  I am trying to be opened minded, or accepting, not sure what the right term would be.  Maybe "enlightened" is really the proper word.  I was enlightened that even though people can be raised by someone others may see as a generous soul, that doesn't necessarily mean they were influenced by that generosity.  Also, siblings can be very different from one another.  

While my brother, sister and I emptied our mom's house two summers ago, it was common for any one of us to see something that belonged to our mom, dad or step-dad and say, "You know who should have this?"  Then we'd make sure that person had those things.  I recall us being visited by others too during our purging and saying, "Is there anything you could use?" or "Do you know someone who could use this?"  

We did sell large items.  Looking back, I don't really know why we felt we couldn't just give what we didn't want away.  Oh, hind sight.  

I just know in my heart, had any one of my mom's long time friends come over to see me while I was sorting through her old treasures, and even hinted that they would enjoy a keepsake, to remember my mom, I would have given it away. 

But that's just how I am....and my brother is...and my sister too!  Hopefully all of our children will continue our family generosity.  

Regifting 101

I was just checking out this site and thought I'd pass along the information:  

Regifting 101

I was checking out this site because I think something that I purchased this Christmas for someone was regifted all ready.  I'm not 100 percent sure.   I bought a gift, something wearable, for someone and that person actually wore it and was photographed in it and then just this morning, while checking out another mutual-family-connected site, I noticed someone else wearing an identical item in a very recent picture.  All three of us - who seem to have this same piece of clothing - are connected by that middle person.    

I know it could be a coincidence.  I am struggling by thinking that my gift was not a good choice.  I really thought about what I was buying.  I wanted the gift to be a special thing because I bought a matching item for myself.  

I feel like I am in an episode of Seinfeld.  I'm obsessing and worrying.  The pleaser in me is really struggling.  

A Note to the silent reader...

Dear Silent Reader:

I know you have read my words. At least I KNOW you have read some of my words, maybe not all of them. I know you have shared this Blog too with others. Hopefully you will have the time to read EVERYTHING posted here. Because I have read my words from the past and been transported right back in time, and I know you will be too. Anyone who is a "survivor" of losing someone to GBM will understand most of the raw feelings listed in this blog.

As for the personal "family" comments, those are ours alone to fully understand. Any person who reads this and has a family can most certainly relate in someway to the family comments. No family is perfect. Have untruths been written here? Not in my opinion, and this blog is just my opinion. In fact, I think all my comments here have been verbally spoken too. If they hurt, welcome to life. As I have commented before, I am a "pleaser". In life I try to make people happy...that's who I am thanks to my parentage. When you share this with others you cannot form your own opinions. Some people in your life have been hurtful and mean as long as I can recall, and that goes back to my very early childhood (actually pre-birth, but my memory is a little foggy from that time).

The day that my father died my life completely changed. I was totally pushed away and set free to face the world alone. I would say the same thing happened to my brother too on that day. Fortunately for us we stuck together. Not everything has been smooth for us in our relationship, but no matter what I would do anything for him. I truly feel I could call on him at anytime too and he'd do anything for me. We have an unspoken bond.

To my silent reader, just remember, Love is not something that can be bought. It is always around and sometimes we don't realize how strong it wraps around us.

To any silent reader wondering in life what is around them I offer this suggestion: Look back at old pictures. Look at the smiles on the faces of those around you when you were little. Maybe you will happily see the truth in your life of those people who love you more than you know. There are people in all our lives who loved us when we were too small to care for ourselves. As we grow, if those people haven't died, they still love us deeply. We, in our growing, have become independent and have pushed away. It's what is suppose to happen. Sometimes too many negative and hurtful opinions get stated in front of small ears. How unfair to those small ears. Those small ears aren't able to make their own opinions and they trust the adults around them.

Again as a "pleaser", I try to always balance out stories told in my household. There is good in all of humankind. The young ears in my household will have enough challenges to face in life as they grow. Life is not fair. I think we all need to know there are people who you can always count on, who have loved us since we were born.

Later I will comment on my latest adventure: saying good-bye to a house from childhood.

Any reader who feels brave enough is more than welcome to leave comments. But, if you just want to continue as a silent reader, so be it.