Family

Visits aren’t just about seeing old people.  It’s also very much about family.  I didn’t realize I was so hungry to visit family and get caught up with everyone.  Time flies so fast and the little ones I knew are now grown up. 

This is my brother-in-law with his Texas barbecue pit

The family barbecue was so nice.  My brother-in-law is the best barbecue man in the world but this was also a time for family and the main reason for the barbecue was my great niece who was turning one on the 25th of May.  Of course she had no concept the celebration was for her birthday. 

 Here is my sister, Bonni, and Mama enjoying the festivities

 

Tables were set up in the barn with giant fans to keep us comfortable.  The humidity was never a problem the whole time I was in Texas.  The only humidity we had was the morning of the barbecue because it rained.  As anyone from the south knows, when it rains and then stops, the ground steams.  But it was still doable.  I think a great time was had by all.  

 The reason for the barbecue was my great niece turning a year old.  This is her with the proud parents.  I hope they won't kill me for posting this pic, but I think it's adorable

 

 I have no pictures of the food table but it was loaded with everything you can imagine would be on a barbecue table.  There were giant roasters (like you’d use for Thanksgiving) to keep everything warm.  There was more meat than I can even describe because when my brother-in-law barbecues it’s an all-night affair with him staying up all night to attend the pit of assorted meat. 

This is four generations - my niece, Jodi - my sister, Scherri, holding her granddaughter, Abbie, and Mama

Everyone else brought side dishes, which included ranch potatoes, beans, bread, onions, barbecue sauce, pickles, etc and there was a whole table of just homemade desserts.  Who can resist all that?

 This is four generations again with Abbie's other grandmother in the background

 

I rarely eat anything like this so it was a treat indeed.  I had great company besides so it was a great day.  The guests played horseshoes and other southern sports after the barbecue while others of us had a nice visit.  Of course we went and got Mama so she could participate in all the festivities.  I think the family outings do her good.

A good time was had by all.  I took it all in because I know I won’t be participating in anything like this anytime again soon.  This just isn’t a happening in my everyday life.

 This is my niece, Reesa, and her two kids, Rae and Riley.  It astounds me that my nieces are such good parents.  These kids have great manners.  That's something you don't see often these days.

 

It was so good to catch up with nieces and their kids who are growing up and to see everyone again.  And it’s the first time I’ve met my great niece, who will probably be in first grade by the time I get back for a visit. 

Mama was tired afterward and more then ready to get back to the nursing home.  We all took home leftovers.  My sister, Tedo, and my nephew-in-law, Chris, are helping her in the car while my sister, Bonni, is holding the leftovers.

 

 

Speaking in public

This is something I hate to do.  I never took speech class in high school for this reason.  When I was asked to give a speech at our graduation from the citizens’ police academy, I didn’t know what to say.  I was shocked that she asked me because we had lots of people there in the class, but I was also flattered.  She said she asked because I was writing a mystery series of books and wanted my perspective of the academy once it was over.  I have a hard time saying no too, so I told her I’d do it.  I had one day notice and was a bundle of nerves.

I sat down at my computer that night to type up something I had roughed out earlier in the day.  I was going to use bullet points and then speak letting those jog my memory, but in the end I ended up writing a two page double-spaced speech to read.  I figured I’d probably get tongue-tied and it was better to have everything written up that I wanted to say.  And I didn’t want to leave anything out.

The next day before class I went over it again and printed it out.  My neighbor was my guinea pig and good enough to listen to it beforehand.  I was grateful for that.  I got a bit emotional while reading it to her.  I thought I’d be a basket case at the graduation.  After all, the mayor, chief of police and deputy chief would all be there, along with a few of the officers.  However, I tried not to think about all this as I drove over.  I do speak to strangers at Costco all day long, day in and day out, so I tried to envision my audience in that way.  I have no problem at all talking about my demo all day long.

The mayor spoke first and then the police chief.  I thought “oh no!  I’m next.”  But as it turned out another older man and volunteer at the department was called next and then I was last before our completion certificates were handed out, along with a class picture we took a few weeks ago.  We were called up in alphabetical order and had to walk to the front, much like any graduation, except there was no cap and gown.  Afterwards we had to go down the line and shake hands with the mayor, police chief and deputy chief and the officers there that got in that line.  The officers were all gracious and thanked me for saying such nice things about them.  I meant every word.

 Our binder of info, the graduation certificate and class picture

 

I did become a bit emotional as I told them how sorry I was the class was over, how nice and prepared all the officers were and how passionate about their jobs they are.  I wanted to thank them all because I learned so much and I know it took a great deal of their time to prepare all the presentations for us.  We had power point slides and handouts.

After that we all had snacks that were nicely laid out on two big tables in the back of the room.  There were sandwiches, chips and dip, veggie trays and fruit platters.  The water was in big, clear glass dispensers, one with lemon slices and the other without.  It was all very nice.  We formed small groups and talked about the class as we ate with our fellow classmates.  Of course we joked about not knowing what to do on Tuesday and Thursdays nights now that the class was over.  We decided we might need a support group, or an advanced class. 

A few of the class members have stopped by for some samples at Costco since that night.

I’m still looking for the right frame for my diploma and class picture and will hang it proudly on my office wall.  

Kalamata Olives

I had to demo these about ten days ago and wondered about them so I did a Google search, as I do all the time when I’m doing research. 

I learned these olives are all handpicked to avoid bruising.  Harvesters can also shake the trees and the ripe olives will fall off into a net set up below the tree.  The olives are grown in Messenia and Laconia on the peninsula of Peloponnese in the southern part of Greece.  Kalamata olives cannot be picked green and are intolerant of cold weather.  The leaves on these trees are twice the size of other olive varieties.

 Kalamata Olives from Wikipedia

These trees are slow growing.  The fruit ripens between mid-November and early January.  An amazing fact about these trees is that they can stay alive for thousands of years but most farmers graft them about every fifteen years to ward off diseases that can affect fruit production.  The root system of these trees extends widely beyond its base to optimize moisture in the arid region on which they grow. 

The olives are packed in water and brine for about a week and then drained and packed in wine vinegar and brine with a layer of olive oil and lemon on top.  All this processing is to debitter them, but even after all this they have a slightly bitter taste due to the polyphenol in the olives.

Polyphenols are antioxidants found in extra virgin olive oil.  This group of antioxidants may fight against aging-related diseases diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol and certain types of cancer.

Kalamata olives are table olives with a salty and tangy taste.  They’re one of the most important food items imported from Greece all over the world.  They also pair up nicely with feta cheese and are good in recipes, such as sandwiches, pizza, rice and salads.

Wastefulness

This was definitely one of the hardest things to get used to in the job of food demos.  You probably don’t know this but doing demos requires you to be very wasteful.  That really caught me off guard because I was always taught not to throw away food.  Growing up the way we did, on a farm in a sharecropper's shack, food was a precious thing not to be wasted for any reason.  It about killed me to dump good food into the trash at the end of the shift.  I’m used to it now, which is probably awful to say, but after a year and a half these are the rules if you want to work there.  I see new people we hire struggling with this idea now.

The main reason to throw food away is for sanitation reasons.  Some food has to be refrigerated and we have coolers with ice to keep it fresh all day.  Some of this can be returned if it’s not opened,  but much has to get tossed and it can’t be returned and put into the coolers for sale again once we've had it out on the floor for demos.  This is so wasteful.  But one good thing is we're allowed to give unopened can products and dry goods to the homeless shelter.  At least someone is getting the benefit of this food and it isn’t ending up in the landfill.

We try to salvage cooked food and give what we can to the guys on the loading dock when it’s possible.  That way it doesn’t go to waste either and end up in the trash can.  But we still have to throw away LOTS of food.  I never realized this about the food industry.  It seems so sad when there are so many hungry people out there in the world.  You would certainly think there was a better way of doing things with all the other kinds of things we can do these days.

Did someone throw me a life raft?

My breakfast frittata and smoothie

Ha!  Not exactly but that’s what crossed my mind when I put this great breakfast on a plate.  Wow!  Not that I don’t always eat real food, but things like this are a treat.  My usual fare is cereal, kale and fruit smoothies, big salads and peanut butter and rice cakes.  When the scale said 106 this morning, I thought I would splurge.

I love eggs scrambled up frittata style with onion, peppers, carrots, artichoke jalapeno dip, cheese and tomatoes.  Wow!  It’s so good but most of the time I don’t have the time to indulge in stuff like this.

The bread you see on the side is an Indian flat-bread called Naan.  It can be heated in the toaster and is great with anything.  You can even make mini pizzas with it or wraps.  I discovered it a year ago at Costco when I was doing a demo for it.  And it’s such a bargain at 18 pieces for $4.99.

Anyway as stated, I’m not one to eat much but I thought, I’m home sick and starting to feel better so I better eat a little more and as always, something nutritious.  I’m back at work while you’re reading this today.

 Have you ever seen a bottle this size?  I think I have enough for the whole city.

 

I’m sure after this big bottle of antibiotics I’m bound to be well from anything that ails me.  All these antibiotics do have me a bit worried about my immune system, as antibiotics aren’t a lot of good for that.  I’ve never ever heard of this many being prescribed before.  I almost wanted to call the doctor to see if he made a mistake in giving me 84 capsules!  I do have asthma so maybe he thinks this sickness might evolve into bronchitis or pneumonia.

So today I’m running down to the herb store to get something extra to boost my immune system.  It can’t hurt and I sure don’t need any additional sick issues.

There’s always something new to learn

These are the potatoes and they are really good

Yesterday I was doing a demo for scalloped potatoes. I served over 900 samples.  The potatoes are excellent and taste homemade, plus they’re on sale.  I’m not sure how many I sold yet, but I know it was a lot because they had to come and refill my case once.

You can never work fast enough to keep samples out no matter how much you try.  Sometimes this gets to be frustrating, but all you can do is get into the rhythm and keep going, making sure you put a new pan of potatoes in the microwave every time you take one out.  They take eight minutes to cook.

Of course everyday I meet some interesting people.  But I actually didn’t know what to say when a lady asked me if I was serving funeral potatoes.  I’ve never ever heard that term before.  She went on to explain to me that Mormon ladies make scalloped potatoes for funerals.  Hmmm…Of course I’m not Mormon so I didn’t know this. 

It was good to learn something new because I love learning things I don’t know and always have been this way.  However, I don’t know if I’ll ever look at scalloped potatoes the same way again.  I’m sure that conversation will always pop into my head.

It was such a busy day with a never ending line of people so it was good to walk out of the store and to my car parked in the south forty.  I didn’t even want to get up out of the seat once I pulled the car into the garage.  It felt too darn good to sit down.

Enjoy the Indian food because the ham is coming

From Maya Kaimal website

This is quite a true statement at work.  None of us are thrilled about doing a demo for the vindaloo and coconut curry but this is easy compared to the ham demo.  For those of you who don’t know, this is an Indian simmer sauce that’s good over rice or with chicken.  Serving with naan bread is a great way to enjoy this meal.  It’s quite messy and usually you go home with a stained apron and smelling like an Indian restaurant.

Last year we all had a stab at the ham at least once during Nov and Dec.  What a messy, intense demo.  Talk about people standing three-deep to get a sample of this ham.  You would think that people are absolutely starving at times and haven’t seen food for a week.

Last year between hubby and me we sold over 15,000 pounds of ham during the holidays over a two-day demo.  That’s a lot of ham and we had this demo running daily for at least two weeks at a time, off a day or two and then back on again for another two weeks.  I’m not looking forward to this year.  I can seem to get ham in all the places it doesn’t belong due to pressure from customers when we must work fast and furious all the time to keep samples on the trays. 

But then I’m not looking forward to winter and the holidays at all.  Didn’t we just have them?  It sure seems like it.  I hate the shorter days and the cold weather with a passion.  I wish we were on the other end and spring was beginning instead.  But we can’t do anything to change Mother Nature, can we?

Me and my cats

A very happy Halloween, Samhain, all Hollow’s Eve to all of you.

When food is marked organic, do you believe it?

We have a lot of organic food at work where I do demos.  We’re receiving more all the time, which I’m happy to see.  I do a lot of organic, gluten free, etc demos.  Most people are happy to have those foods to choose from, but sometimes I get people who want to argue with me over what’s written on the label.

Last week, I had a demo for organic salsa and two different customers asked me if I really believed it was organic.  Then they scoffed when I told them of course I did.  We get a few things on a list we can say about our products, but we refer the customers to the labels because everyone who comes in is looking for different information about what they want to consume.  Usually this has to do with food allergies, or sometimes different diets or health needs.

 Some people don’t believe it, even if they read the information on the label.  Case in point is these two different guys.  The last one proceeded to tell me that we would have nothing in this country to eat if the fields weren’t sprayed with pesticides.  He said he was a farmer and he knew about this first hand.  Well, I was raised on a farm and while it’s true the cotton crops were spayed every year, as far as I know we had an organic garden full of vegetables to eat.  Our grandmother would use all sorts of old fashioned remedies to keep pests at bay, such as placing old shoes in the cucumbers and sprinkling coffee grounds around the base of plants.  She always had tons of unconventional ideas.

My neighbor also has an organic garden and hasn’t and never will spray anything on the food she grows in there.  She’d rather take care of the pests in a more natural way.  It seems to work because she has enough veggies in there to feed all the neighbors and her friends and they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.  I know food can be grown without using chemicals.

Of course, I don’t argue with people about this.  You could never change the mind of someone that is bent on believing whatever it is they believe.  I would never argue with a customer anyway because that’s not my job.  My job is to keep the customer happy so they shop in our store.  I won’t agree with them though when I know they’re wrong.

So how many of you believe the labels you read on the food you buy?  Do you think we have organic, gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free food available to us today?

All photos are from my neighbor's garden.

Whoops! Do I have that many wrinkles?

Yesterday I was working and serving street tacos, which were a big hit.  Of course my tray was always empty and I had the microwave running non-stop all day.  They were hot when they came out and had to sit a minute before I could serve them.  People can be very impatient when it comes to food – even free samples.

Most of the customers were nice yesterday and that doesn’t happen all the time.  I tried to stay focused and not become frazzled as I filled my trays as fast as I could.  I knew my coworkers were in the same spot because as I walked around on my break they didn’t have trays out either.  It’s not so fast when you have to cook things first.

Later in the afternoon a man was waiting patiently at my station with his two little boys.  Another lady stood nearby, not wanting to miss a bite when I put the tray out.  I told the gentleman that they were still warm.  I also told the little boys they were too and I picked up a sample in a napkin for each of them and handed it to them, telling them to blow on it a bit before they took a bite.  They beamed and thanked me.  The father thanked me too.

 Grandma Clip art

 

Then the lady came over and told me, “You’re such a wonderful grandma.”  What?  Me, a grandma?  Did I look that old to her?  Then she told me how most of my coworkers weren’t that nice, especially to the children.  Oh my.  I know the little ones can get irritating and sometimes we do have to ask parents if we can serve them.  I thanked the lady for her friendly comment because I know she meant it in a nice way.  But I also made sure she knew I had no kids or grandkids.  Perhaps that’s why I’m nicer having never put up with all the shenanigans children can put you through.

After I got home I did look at myself closely in the mirror though to see if, indeed, I have more wrinkles than I think I do.  That’s the first time that’s ever happened to me.  Now I guess I’m at that stage where that will become the norm and there will be no more asking me for ID.

Life marches on and we can’t stop that ticking clock.

Personality Differences of the Feline Variety

It’s that time of year again when I’ll be watching people’s cats while they’re away.  I work this in between my part-time job.  Thankfully most pet owners don’t have a set time for me to look in on their animals and give them fresh food and water.  I like to play with them too and squeeze in as much extra time as I can just for this.  The little darlings miss their humans and want to be petted and loved as well. 

Cats have such different personalities from one another.  Sometimes the only thing they really have in common is fur and four legs. 

A couple of months ago, I signed up with SitterCity to watch pets in my spare time.  Of course by pets I mean cats, because I don’t think I’d take a dog walking job.  I’m a cat person all the way.  The extra money comes in handy if work is slow and the place isn’t too far off the beaten path.

Over the weekend I got to take care of the sweetest little angel.  Of course, I know black cats have the best temperament.  They are mellower than other cats, or at the least the ones I’ve known.

 Bella

Now I have to say that even though Bella and I didn’t know each other we got along great.  She would meet me at the door and let me know she was happy to see me.  This is definitely a lap cat.  She sucked that up and purred constantly while I petted and talked to her.  We also played with a feather toy and I think she really had a good time.  I hope the opportunity presents itself again later, so that I can take care of her in the future.

Snuggles

This week I have a different cat altogether.  This one is rambunctious and a bit wild. Now maybe it’s the age difference, but I don’t think so.  This yellow cat has a very bold personality.  She loves to bounce off the walls and “go crazy” after she lets me pet her for five minutes max.  She isn’t quite the lady that Bella is.  Snuggles tries to trip me when I’m carrying her water dish.  She’s definitely not a lap cat.  But I love taking care of her anyway.  I watch this one a dozen times every summer.  I’m sure there will be more cat tales to come.  Until then, I’m off to see a crazy cat.

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread - Wikipedia

Irish Soda Bread

This bread is an Irish staple you can make in a skillet, easy and simple.

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

¼ cup of sugar

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 large egg

8 ounces of sour cream

1 stick (8 T) of very cold butter, cut into cubes

1 cup of buttermilk

2 cups of raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the egg and sour cream to the flour mixture.  Using a pastry blender cut in the cold butter.  The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. 

Stir in the buttermilk and raisins.  Mix until a sticky dough forms.  Transfer the dough into a well-buttered cast iron skillet and gently form the dough into a mound.  Score a large X on the top of the mound. 

Bake in a 375-degree oven for an hour, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Eating isn’t all I do

I thought I’d post pics of some other meals.  I like to treat myself after working hard all day, so I usually make a nice meal for dinner.  The rest of the time, I snack mostly if I eat anything during the day.  Food taste so good when you’re starving!

Ham and cheese omelet with tomatoes, spinach and onions - and a side of potatoes

Enchiladas, Rice and Black Beans

   

I’ve had several salads and a ham and cheese omelet.  I did break down one night and had Mexican food.  My whole family seems to like it.  None of us go long without having some.

Besides all this, construction is continuing on the house two doors down the road.  It’s actually taking shape nicely now.  I walked through and took several pictures, but I won’t post all of those.  They had the plumbers in there today.  The house is 2710 square feet.

Street Scene

I drove around the big loop three or four times, looking for a parking space. It was 1 pm, which is my preferred time for going out to things, and certainly a lot better than hauling all my stuff in to set up at 5 am. This time I was going to the street faire as a spectator, instead of a vendor. Parking was in short supply, promising the street would be busy. I locked the car, threw my bag over my shoulder, and was off, cutting through the alley toward Grand and the semi-annual Escondido Street Faire. Although it was October, the day was a warm one and the sun felt good.

Sunni's Photo's

Once on the street, it was all abuzz, a sea of people meandering here and there, like all street faires. It was noisy with chattering, laughter, and the squeals of kids as they ran through the crowd with some trinket.

People stopped to look at the wide variety of wares for sale in the booths that lined both sides of the street and the center median. The peaks of tents in all colors spread out as far as the eye could see.

Sometimes I was walking against the flow of the people, as they pushed past with strollers, or pulling tots by the hand. Dogs walked alongside their masters, some with brightly colored bandannas around their necks. Ever now and then, I could hear a yelp and barking, as a skirmish with another dog ensued, passing to close for comfort.

Music blared from several stages, Mexican, rock and roll, blues, and jazz. Some people danced in the street.

Sunni's Photo's

A million smells wafted in the air, grilled onions, sausages, hamburgers, burritos, Chinese and Greek. People walked by with hotdogs, the pungent smell of mustard catching my nostrils. Some of the crowd had roasted corn, the blackened shucks hanging down, some had big soft pretzels, ice cream cones melting in the sun, or funnel cakes dusted with powdered sugar.

Ice cream stands and lemonade vendors set up shop on the corners, along with people selling fruit smoothies, bottled water, and soft drinks.

Adding to the revelry was the sound of vendors shouting over the crowd to sell their wares, or giving demonstrations on some new fancy chopping, dicing appliance. Fair-goers indulged in getting their sneakers cleaned, their bodies massaged, their palms read, or inked up with temporary tattoos. Kids were getting their faces painted, and teens having ribbons woven and braided in their hair.

People tall and short, fat and thin, waited in long lines for lunch from one of the many food vendors. The aroma of grilled onions lifted on the breeze and carried to the end of the block, making me hungry.

Sunni's Photo's

The breeze felt delightful. The pavement was hot, as the sun beat down, causing people to look for shade in the vendor’s tents. The booths went on and on, block after block of clothing, gold and silver jewelry, and crafts in wood, glass, and ceramic. There were booths filled with wind chimes and windmills, birdhouses and figurines and quilts. Kids riding llamas were coming down the street and on the side, others doing acrobatics on padded mats laid out on the pavement.

I stopped for a while to listen to a group perform music from the Andes on flutes made of reed and cane. When they stopped for a break, I walked briskly and then meandered among the crowds in the heat of the sunny afternoon, pushing past sweaty people in tank tops and shorts, ever now and then a whiff of perfume or essential oil coming from a booth, or passer by.

I always enjoy being in the frenzy of a street scene, but usually I go alone, if I’m not working it, so I decide my schedule. I can take my time, hurry up, or meet old friends and get the latest news. I like to inspect and admire the work of fellow artists. It never ceases to amaze me at how ingenious some people can be.

I found my old friend, Rena, in her space in the median, her old maroon and white tent overflowing with scrunchies and other hair adornments. We chatted awhile and then I left to find Henry’s booth, a dear old friend who makes and sells his own incense and incense burners, along with essential oils.

Henry invited me in and I welcomed the shade as we sat and laughed for an hour, in between his customers. Naturally, he looked great in one of my handmade tie-dye tee shirts. It surprised him I wasn’t participating in the faire because I always do, but this time Stan was here, and he was selling my product. His tie-dye booth was a few blocks down, and I had already gone by to see how he was doing.

Sunni's Photo's

I was thoroughly enjoying my time as a spectator after slaving over the dye buckets, and washout sink over the last week. Henry totally understood because he had spent the whole week stocking up on incense. I bought some of his three-hour sticks to take home and left, as things were wrapping up around 4:30 pm.

I was tired and sunburned, as I walked back down the alley to my car. I had walked the entire faire twice, which was probably about two miles long. I enjoyed myself so much that I was looking forward to the next one.

I wrote this article because years ago I used to do many street faires, the most being 75 in one year. It was a way of life for me over a number of years when I lived in southern CA. My next post will be about the tie-dye business. Thanks for reading.

What’s going on? It’s been Slim-pickings in the Food Department Lately

Tootie - Sunni's Photo's



I’m sure this is exactly what is going through Tootie’s mind, as she begs for food every night at dinner. The last few days we’ve had soup, or hummus and flatbread. This is nothing she would want. I’m sure that she is wondering where the piece of chicken or fish is.


Our vet in CA years ago used to say it was okay to give the cats people food, as long as it was lean chicken, fish, or meat, not fried or spicy, so we got in the habit of giving them a few bites. The other two cats rarely want any, but Tootie has always been the gourmet, even since she wondered up to our door. I think she’s had “people food” all her life and she expects it. However, this cat will eat about anything. She is particularly fond of Italian food. One time we had spaghetti and she gobbled up big chunks of stewed tomatoes. I’ve never seen a cat eat tomatoes, but it didn’t seem to hurt her. However, I am careful about what she gets and how much.

Lately, she has just had this dejected look thinking she is deprived. But it is cold here again, so soup is back on the menu. Things froze again last night and the wind was awful, slamming things against the house all night and howling under the eaves and around the corners. It is still blowing today, but not as bad as last night. It is very chilly out and you would never know it is almost the end of March around here, if you didn’t look at the calendar. I hope it gets nice soon. This is unheard of for where we live.