Day 2 Day radishes

October 3/Levi Strauss Buyer Alert not

  When I was a girl I lived on the San Francisco Peninsula.  One of the most famous businesses in San Francisco was Levi Strauss. If you do not know it, blue jeans were made by a man who brought a roll of canvas to San Francisco.  His intent was to make sails and tents.  As it turned out, what was needed was pants for the gold miners.  He brought fabric from France which we now call denim, added the gold stitching and the grommets for added strength.  While I was young the Strauss were on the society pages all the time and they contributed heavily to charities and new structures of the city.  In any case I think these people would roll over in the grave if they knew this ad existed.  For sure I am too old for it.here This must be a joke  and I have missed the place that tells me.  I will not be too embarrassed if you tell me I have been duped. 

December 6/ Lists

Daughter, NoName’s, Real Simple Magazine came and I read the article about online organizing services.  These are billed as free, unless you want the update, which of course you do, as it is impossible to print your todo list unless you have the update.  Mostly these are calendaring programs that are able to schedule for families.  And if I had older children, I would spring for the advanced service, because it could be a valuable color coded calendaring system. 

I am a list kind of person, so I went to a site with Listas in the name.  But the font was too small, and not changeable.  I think a list sight is an good idea, if it is free, because besides a todo list there other things you need to have in one place, where you know what it is, and won’t crash.  A list of my medicines is enough reason.  I have tried many sites including Universal Village and Famundo.com that were recommended by Real Simple magazine.  I have settled on a Calendar service, Cozi Central, but there are plenty of sites which would serve for just a calendar.   Many of the sites you can use your  phone to see what is on your calendar.  Or you can put your grocery list on your phone. 

But for me, until things improve, I guess I will try to remember a hard copy, and use my Microsoft Works word processing, where I can add pictures, change the font, color and size. 

October 17, Tulips

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Martha Stewart invariably has  a April issue with a thousand tulips and all the ways that you could use them.This always perturbed me. Her planning in this case only works out for the southern hemisphere when there is time to do something about it.  By April it is always too late to plant them and who, aside from the few of us that live near the fields, can afford to buy them.  I,with your interests at heart,  am reminding you now to plant your tulips.  And don't forget the crocus.  I always thought they were rather inferior, but this last winter they sprang up near my driveway and were treasures. 

August 2/cookbook

Some would say that I am a cookbook junkie, but I prefer to think of my self as a collector.  After I had my accident, I joined The Good Cookbook club.  Four books for a dollar each and only needing 2 further purchases in three years.   I thought I could do that, even though the club does not have my upscale cookbooks.   One of my purchases was Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook.  I have not cooked one thing yet, but I can not wait to try the recipes.  Currently I do not have a cooker that will feed this crowd.  And everyone goes, "Slow cooker, Yuck". This book shows great promise. 

I have and used many of the authors recipes from her bread machine cookbook.  Those recipes work out well, especially I love making artisan dough in the machine and baking it in an oven.  In addition I have ordered their Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook.   These contraptions are so interesting to me.   I have ordered the simplest medium sized Crockpot for $17.00, plus shipping and handling.  To think you can make a real meal out of something that costs that little, is a wonder.  You can make porridge, soups, risottos, pilau's, grains stews, chili's, puddings.  Here is a cookbook you can sink your teeth in.   

And . . .  my fancy $2000.00 refrigerator is being swapped out as being close to a lemon.  I think of $17.00,plus shipping and handling, and I know that goofy pot is going to work.

June 6/Microplane

Attempting to be at the top of the Buyer Alert game, I have ordered a Microplane foot file kit.  Microplane is a company started by a woman who was grating apples, and out of frustration, picked up a new tool that her husband had just brought home from the hardware store. Anyone, who has a microplane for cooking, knows that it is the only way to zest a lemon, or grate Parmesan cheese. Anything else is the dark ages. 

I am willing to spend $43.00, including shipping and handling, in order to test this product for you.  Their advertising says to "expect a miracle".  Calloused feet become soft like babies. I generally do not expect a miracle from advertising, but with Microplane, it might be true.