We had a nice Halloween with our usual chili bar and cocktails while Halloween movies played in the background. I can't believe I used to enjoy scary movies and now I don't, but I guess we all change. TBG did a simple pumpkin this year because he left it to the last minute, but it still turned out really cute. Luckily despite the trick or treaters we had a great night because we only had a total of 4 trick or treaters. We have NEVER had that little and I was especially shocked because it was a Friday and the weather was decent. I think because of the downtown trick or treat on Wednesday and so many trunk or treats at local churches a lot of people aren't going door to door anymore. It's a bit sad to me but like I said, things change.
The last few weeks have been unusually
Saturday, we ran a few errands and had lunch out. We decided to check out the new Ollie's. Neither of us had ever been in one before and honestly, we weren't very impressed with ours other than the book section. I found two cookbooks I've been eyeing for less than I would have paid for one so that was worth going in. I have to say ours has a really nice book selection for kids and adults.
We haven't had a frost here yet and this week the highs are expected to be in the high 60's low 70's so the herbs are still doing well. I will cut them all back next weekend. I dehydrated the last of the cayenne peppers, so we have enough for a number of months. Everything else has been cleaned up, the garlic and wildflowers are planted so it's all ready for winter.
Firefly Lane is a really good book by one of my favorite authors, Kristin Hannah. A couple of years ago Netflix made it into a series. I started watching it then but only finished one season. Over the last week or two I finally finished and I highly recommend it. It makes me cherish my best friend of 40 years even more. It is funny with long term friendships how they can remind you of so many things you have forgotten. An old friend truly is priceless.
Dinners this week...
LO chicken soup and a Baggett with garlic butter
Big Salad
Chicken Tika Masala with rice and naan
Big Salad with chicken
Chili and ALL the works (why are oyster crackers so good with chili)
Fried chicken sandwich and small salad
I have a pot roast in the crockpot for tonight (it smells SO good) and we'll have potatoes and green beans with it.
The elephant in the room everywhere seems to be the SNAP issue and for good reason. I really don't know how I feel about it. But I think it is about much more than the left or the right, so please don't make this political. Thankfully, I've never needed it and hopefully never will, but a friend of mine did need temporary help probably 30 years ago when her husband cleaned out their accounts and left her with two boys, the house and a car. She had a job, but she just needed a month or two to help her get ahead. They offered her $30.00 a month. She was told that if she needed more, she should sell her house and or car. Ever since then, I've been a bit bias about that system. I hope American citizens that need help will receive it whether locally or from the government.
I don't know about you, but I cook dinner on the fly many times every week. I saw this meme and realized we have had this exact conversation.
I hope everyone is doing well. Times are a bit harder for a lot of people, and we need to pay extra attention to our friends, family and community to help out when or where we need to. I saw a wonderful commercial last night about paying it forward, but I can't remember the company or organization it was for. But it was a wonderful reminder.
Enjoy your Sunday!!
Sounds like a good week. What a cute pumpkin. I love Ollie's books - the have the best prices on books around here.
ReplyDeleteHad that conversation with G many times - he would love something, and well, I just winged it!
Hope you have a good week.
Ollie's does have a great book selection, but I didn't see much else I would get. Yes, you cook like I do and when something comes out really good, it's sad I can't always remember what I did. TBG now always says 'did you write this down.'
DeleteHi Lori! I was so happy to see your post pop up on my reader. I've missed you so much! I'm back to blogging for NaBloPoMo this month and will hopefully stick around once I'm back in the swing of things. It is so great to catch up a bit with you. Big hugs!
ReplyDeleteOMG Hello Martha!! I've missed you and hoped you're doing well. I will visit you today.
Delete(It’s fun to see you know Martha, too!) I don’t know how many kids were in our neighborhood because we went to my daughter’s to trick or treat with the grands. There were tons of kids there. We have one Ollie’s here and I was never impressed, but I guess I do remember a big book section.
ReplyDeleteSheesh on the SNAP requirement your friend faced. Reminds me of when we tried to get Middle Child any sort of govt help for her disability. It was a joke.
I do. She lives in the same area I used to live in. I was SO excited to see she is back. I wasn't impressed with Ollie's either except for the book selection. My friend went through so much, but she thrived after a month or two. Why would anyone want to sell their car or house to just make them even more dependent? She only needed a little help for a month or two. It was really eye opening to me.
DeleteThe pumpkin is cute!
ReplyDeleteI cook on the fly too and have had that same conversation.
I like Kristen Hannah too and will have to check out that series.
Good thoughts on SNAO and we do need to keep an eye out for our friends and neighbors.
I thought the pumpkin turned out pretty cute too. Yay, another person that cooks on the fly and knows what I mean. I love Kristin Hannah, and the series was really good. I am glad I finally finished it. I try to always keep an eye on friends and neighbors. One unexpected thing can really put a lot of people behind, and we all need to be there to help them out.
DeleteI love spooky movies but not horror, horror is that makes sense. I like ghosts and spooky things that go bump in the night. Love that. For me, it's been holiday season since Summerween. To me is a holiday season but I get that some folks really don't count Halloween. I do! Always!
ReplyDeleteWow, wow, reading about your friend. That's terrible he cleaned out her accounts. So sorry she went through that.
Spooky movies are ok but yes, horror movies I won't watch.
DeleteYes, it was a big shock that he did what he did but she thrived after a few months.
100% same. I cannot with those I dunno even know if I'd call them horror more worse than that. Those movies. NOOO. Just no.
DeleteWas Binx in the spotlight I hope?
ReplyDeleteBinx demands to always be in the spotlight.
DeleteGood for him!
DeleteI only got about seven groups of trick or treaters here, but then that's pretty normal as I live in a smallish village. Fine by me but I'm wondering what to do with all that leftover candy! And the Big Guy's pumpkin is great!!!
ReplyDeleteWe usually get a lot more, so I was a bit surprised. I am having him take all of our leftover candy to his Tae kwon do school tonight. Thanks, I thought it turned out pretty good too.
DeleteI like your pumpkin. Simple yet perfect.
ReplyDeleteThe SNAP program is a sore subject for me. It's a great program that is widely abused. I saw senior citizens trying to make it on 20 or 30 a month and young healthy people with over 2000 and they give the card to the kids to go buy pop and candy. Like I said a sore subject.
I thought it was cute too. It is a sore subject for me as well for exactly that reason. People that really need help can't seem to get it while people that know how to work the system are bankrupting it and not using the resources wisely. My friend did not wake up that morning knowing she was not only going to lose her husband but all of the money they had. That was hard enough, but then she had two young boys that she had to tell. It ticks me off as much today as it did all those years ago. She is a strong woman though and she pulled herself up and did great after just a couple of months.
DeleteI feel so bad for the billionaires that are suffering at this time. I'm so glad we don't judge them on the government handouts they receive like we do to the people on SNAP. I am sure those SNAP people would gladly help out a billionaire pay for a tax deduction on another plane or yacht. They really need to do their part and stop complaining about being hungry.
ReplyDeleteI don't measure things either.. if it's good I will try to make it again and pay more attention to what I put in.. if I manage it a third time then I'll write it down but even then I just take the recipe as a general guide and still end up doing a lot of variations. lOL.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me. I am always changing or substituting things.
DeleteI haven't had a trick or treater at my door since Trump's first year in office. I don't even bother with buying candy anymore. As for the SNAP deal, there's people who genuinely need it while there are able bodied people who use those funds at the beauty salon. Their TikToks don't lie.
ReplyDeleteWe usually have quite a few but not this year.
DeleteThat is what upsets me about SNAP, it seems people that really do need help can't always get it while others are living off of the taxpayer dollar.
I know you literally can have nothing before you qualify for any assistance in Idaho. So why even try? I would rather work harder. It is a system I don't understand.
ReplyDeleteThat was the way it was in Florida also. I do not understand the system at all.
DeleteSNAP is $6 dollars per day, for 3 meals. I challenge you to live on that daily amount for a month and tell me how people are abusing the system. No one gets $2000 a month in food and you can not buy anything other then food! Stop spreading lies about going to the salon with SNAP money. Stop believing the bullshit the billionaires are telling you to believe so they can steal all your cookies. Food for though?
ReplyDeleteI had 75 trick or treaters. This year I asked them to tell me a joke or riddle before treating them. Since I give full size candy bars they were happy to oblige. Evidently it made the rounds because before the night was over instead of saying trick or treat they would just start telling me a joke. I think I am going to continue so instead of just being "The Big Candy Bar Lady" (what kids who don't really know me call me) , I can be The Big Candy Bar Lady who wants a joke.
ReplyDeleteTheHub and I are going shopping tomorrow exclusively for items to donate to the food pantry at our church. They hold a drive by food bank every other Wednesday an are expecting a much larger crowd this week.
As to the person who commented about living on SNAP benefits, several years ago I called our local office to see what the benefits would be for 2 adults. TheHub an I lived on that amount for a month. It was not easy, and it certainly was not what we wanted to eat, but it was doable. It does however require making everything from scratch and a lot of concessions, like buying day old bread, and slightly over ripe or ugly produce. I was very interested at the time volunteering to hold classes to teach people how to get the most out of their benefit dollars, along with meal plans, simple recipes including cooking demonstrations.
That is so cool that you will now be known as the big candy bar lady that wants to hear a joke. I love it. There was no one walking around trick or treating in our neighborhood and that is the first time it's ever been like that. Our neighborhood has always had tons of trick or treaters.
DeleteI know in Florida there was a program like you described and it didn't last more than two or three months because no one was interested in the class.
When places like McDonalds accepts EBT cards (at the time I was interested in doing it they had $1 small hamburgers) it lessens the incentive to learn how to make the budget go further. Plus cooking takes time.
DeleteI find that I do like to be busy. I thought when I retired that I should just relax, but I found I am bored. So, like you, I have lists of things to do and love it. I can relate to the recipe making. Most of the time I just look at what I have an make a recipe out of it and don't have a clue how I made it for next time. I am watching Nashville on and absolutely am loving it.
ReplyDeleteI like to stay busy too. It is a bit frustrating when something comes out fantastic and you don't remember half of what you put in isn't it?
DeleteI haven't seen Nashville, may have to check it out.
Love the pumpkin! I worked on Halloween this year but normally we go with the boys in their neighborhood. I looked on Netflix and apparently I watched half of the first episode a while ago. I'll have to give it another shot!
ReplyDeleteI thought it was cute for a last-minute carving. That's what I did and I'm not sure why. It is a good movie.
DeleteHalloween came and went before I even realized it was here. I set my Halloween table so far in advance that, to me, that was Halloween. Doesn’t matter though really I never get trick-or-treaters.
ReplyDeleteYour table was gorgeous! Time does fly by quickly. I don't think we'll do trick or treaters anymore. They seem to have found other places to go.
DeleteThe SNAP situation is quite sad. I've not experienced it myself, but back in medical days ran into many people in need so I hope this doesn't last much longer. People are really going to be hurting if it does. Cute pumpkin. We've not carved one in a good number of years and haven't had trick er treaters in over 5 years. I think you're right about stuff at churches, schools and other means than going door to door. I think for many busy parents it's simply easier and perhaps they feel it's safer as well. Such a shame, I have fond memories of my childhood days........even though it was back in the dark ages, lol. I've never like scary movies. The cooking meme should come with a spew alert. I was taking a drink of water when I read it, lol. It is soooooo me. I never use recipes except as maybe a idea. Hubby calls me a refrigerator cook. I stare in and in the cupboards and put stuff together. That's the way I learned to cook. Never saw my Mom use a cookbook, not sure she even had one. Popped in from a mutual blog friends blog. It's always fun to meet new bloggers.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very sad situation, and I hope it doesn't last much longer either. Our community is really coming together to help, and I hope that is happening everywhere. We still carve a pumpkin every year even if it is just for our amusement. TBG usually does some pretty creative ones but this year the day snuck up on us. You sound like me looking in the refrigerator and pantry to figure out what to cook. Thank you for stopping by, I always enjoy meeting new people.
DeleteCute pumpkin! I hope you are excited for the upcoming holidays as I am. Stay warm and stay safe!
ReplyDeletethanks. Yes, I am very excited.
DeleteHalloween is quite the thing here in australia these days, and as we have several primary schools near us, we get quite a few kids. But i agree, this year not so much. I think because the library and bowls club nearby have events. But we still had fun!
ReplyDeletecheers
sherry (yes terrifying how close christmas is!!)
I think they are doing so many things at churches, schools, downtown and the library that they don't walk neighborhoods much anymore. It's a bit sad to me because I remember doing that as a kid. But things always change, don't they? I'm glad you had fun, we did too.
DeleteThank you for the visit. Your menu for the week looks wonderful. No kids at Halloween but there never have been here.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I found your blog. We used to have them but not many anymore.
DeleteMade some Chicken Tika Masala this week too :-)) I am not a fan of horror films either...
ReplyDeleteChicken Tika Masala really hits the spot doesn't it?
DeleteI suspect that your TBG is much like my TG: whatever I cook and offer him for supper, he eats it with enthusiasm and compliments me on how good it was! And I do lots of things that some would consider wonky, hahaha! I am fine with folks who really need it receiving assistance, but they are not the problem. It's the hundreds of thousands of dead people whose family members are still fraudulently receiving their dead relative's assistance, that I object to! It needs to be sorted out. xoxo 🏴☠️
ReplyDeleteTBG will tell me when he doesn't like something, but he isn't picky at all. I totally agree on helping the people that truly need it but yes, the system needs to be looked at closely because too many are receiving it that do not need it or like you said, aren't even alive anymore. Big hugs my friend.
DeleteGot your comment about the carrot cake. YUM. That is my fave of all the cakes.
ReplyDeleteCarrot cake is one of my favorites also.
DeleteHi there. Well, I also enjoyed the part about your garden and herbs still growing. And your thoughts on friendship and helping others were very touching. Overall, it’s a lovely update full of honest feelings and little joys. To be honest, Your November story feels warm and real, like a cozy Sunday chat. Happy weekend
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Delete