Smoked sausage and potato bake

I had been seeing this recipe float around on Facebook.  So I actually had the ingredients on hand and so I got busy and  made it.    It turned out really good and it was all ate in one meal.  This recipe is a keeper for our house.

1 package of sliced smoked sausage
1 diced onion
6 potatoes diced
1 diced red or green pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp of olive oil
2 tbs butter


Preheat oven to 375
In a pan place sausage, potatoes, peppers and onions. Place butter over the ingredients.  Drizzle with olive oil and season.
Bake covered 40 -50 minutes till potatoes are tender.

Snail mail!

I'm so glad to be writing letters again.  Feels good to get back to nourishing the friendships I have made thru snail mail.  I probably lost several pals due to me not writing much this past year.  I am going to blame it on being depressed.  In all reality I do believe I should have went to my doctor for some help.  Which I wouldn't do.  Not because I didn't have insurance or time, but because I didn't want to acknowledge why I was depressed.

So here is another blog post about my outgoing mail! Yes mail does make me happy and all fuzzy feeling.  I do want to be a good pen pal but sometimes real life has a way of getting in the way.
Sent off letters to my cousin Daisy, Andrea and Jenn B. I also sent my secret sis a card.  She is going to be way surprised to get another card from her secret sis.

How many pen pals do you have? What amount of pen pals do you think is way too many?  My threshold for not getting overwhelmed is around twenty five pen pals.  More than that I just can't seem to manage.  I have a few pen pals that only write a few sentences and I think I will just let them go with a nice break up letter.

Thanks for reading my post today.  If at possible would you leave a hello or question in the comment for new?  Starting to feel a little lonely right now...lol
Till later my friends,
               Karen

Flip book

Oh my goodness my latest obsession is pen pal flip books. I'm enjoying putting these together for my pals.  Here is the story about how I found these little gems.  I hate to admit that I was not a YouTube fan, only because I thought it was only for music.  Yes this will for sure tell you that I am going on 50 years old.  Not great with modern technology at all.  So anyways in the search I entered pen pal mail. Let me tell you I was amazed at how many videos came up.  Watched several on flip books and that is all it took for me to dig out my project life cards and washi tape.   So far I am happy with the results of the few I have made.  Now I want to drive 45 minutes to Lawton Oklahoma to Hobby Lobby and buy more project life cards.  I would like to make at least 25 of these for my current pen pals.

So what are you guys currently creating? Please share photos,ideals,or even links with me.  I thought Pinterest was the bomb but it may take a back seat to YouTube.

Outgoing mail

I've been busy trying to get back into snail mail. This took me about two weeks to write all these letters.  One package is a journal to Moira.  The other package is to my cruise buddy Turtle. She will be surprised because I didn't tell her I was sending anything to her.  It will be waiting on her when she gets back home from vacation.  Sent off 15 letters on January 17th 2017.  

Ice Storm

For the last week we had been hearing about the ice storm that was going to cripple our state.  Everyone was buying milk and bread and  gas for generators.  Seeing as we don't have a generator we was hoping that we wouldn't get ice.  I've been begging Luther for a generator for many years, with no results.   So Thursday night we filled up the tub with water so we can flush the toilet if our electric went out.  I went to Walmart and bought stuff to drink and lunch meat. Then we hunkered down at home. In fact I didn't go to work Friday at all. Sure didn't want to get caught away from home and had to stay on someone's sofa.  Plus I am a big ole baby and do not drive on ice or snow. So come  Friday afternoon just a little bit of sleet.  So when I woke up Saturday still nothing.  Oh what a let down but one that we were glad to have.  Our house is all electric and I would have froze to death with no heat.
So glad we were kinda ready but yet didn't have to use any of our back up plans.  One day I will talk Luther into a generator but till then I will hold my breath every winter.

This was a few years ago when we were without electric for 15 days.  Looking back at that seems like forever ago.

Small town living

Living in small town in Oklahoma can be a blessing.  Although not everyone will agree with me.  For instance this morning when I made my gas and coke stop at my favorite convenience store Sarah asks how everyone is doing and updates me on her family.  Her mom and I was friends from grade school.  In fact our parents were friends.  Growing up in Marlow Oklahoma hasn't been a bad thing considering everything.  Such as small town gossip, where if they have nothing to say they will make it up.  Growing up back in the day if I did something bad my mom already knew before I got home.. That is still crazy scary to think about today.  In fact now that I'm a parent it still happens, for which I'm grateful to be aware of what the kiddos do.  Ok so they really aren't kiddos anymore.  Blake turned 25 years old, Aaron is 21 and  Trevor is 18.  Amazing how time has flown for me.  Another good thing about living in a small community is knowing that there is someone who can give a helping hand in need.  The other morning I had a blow out in Aaron's truck.  In less than 10 minutes I had a ride to work and Aaron went to change my tire.  Thankfully because it was on a bitter cold day. I also like the fact when I run into a elderly person they will not hesitate to ask who my parents or grandparents are and go down memory lane.  I enjoy hearing stories from way back in the past.  Makes my soul happy. 

I sure miss both my parents. So many times I would like to call mom or dad with some exciting news and realize nope can't do that.  With the boys getting older they sure are missing out on how much they have matured thru the years.  Some days the pain and hurt of them passing way to early hurts my heart.  Dad was 62 and mom was 64.   I hope to live a bit longer than that myself... I feel like 60's is hardly old.  Especially since I am  fixing to be 50 years old myself.  

I've always heard age was just a number and I totally believe that is how we should live each  and every day.  Thru  the years I've heard older family members say when I retire I want to do more camping or fishing or even traveling.  They retire and somehow they never get around to doing what they dreamed of doing. 

Daydreaming about next cruise!

The weather here in Oklahoma has been snowy since Friday.  I took a snow day and enjoyed being home on the love seat with a warm throw and a mug of hot cocoa.  So then I got on the Carnival site and started daydreaming.  I would love to be able to afford more than one cruise a year.  Although that isn't going to be possible in the near future.  So therefor I will settle for one cruise a year.

My next cruise is scheduled for October 7th 2017.   Am hoping Aunt Kathy, Janet and Turtle will all go on this cruise.  Going back to Cozumel and Progresso Mexico.  So many things I want to do but haven't yet.  This year I may do the Cozumel Island Hightlight excursion.  I wouldn't mind doing another Mayan Ruin excursion.  Not sure this would interest the other ladies but I don't mind going by myself.

I need to get my budget figured out and start putting some money away for this trip.  Am thinking I want $100.00 for photos,  $100.00 for aa few cocktails,  and $300.00 for spending on board.  I like to have $150.00 for each port.  Can I cruise cheaper absolutely but I don't really want to do that unless it's necessarily.  I will want some money for the casino as well.  I enjoy going to Casino to play the penny slots on occasion.

This next cruise I will NOT overpack.  I had bought a HUGE suitcase and a carry on.  Way too much stuff.   Although I did wear nearly everything I bought.  I did change several times a day.   I do enjoy wearing a dress to Main Dining Room.  I never wear dresses so that part was very nice.

I have always taken a bottle of wine but never opened it and took it back home with me.  Guess that means I would rather have a Miami Vice or A Kiss On The Lips from the bartender.  My goodness you can't go wrong with a yummy frozen drink.

Hurry up October 7th! I will be ready for another cruise!!

Cheers
            Karen

Happy New Year 2017

My goodness can you believe it's a new year already?  May everyone be blessed this year and every year.  I did not make any resolutions this year.  First off I need peace and happiness for myself.  So am going to focus on what makes me happy.  One thing I know is this blog and my pen pals make me a better person.  Am sure your wondering how can that be possible? Well when I write pen pals or jot down a entry it's as if it lifts the weight on my shoulders off.  Tension is a mean and nasty thing for your body.  I'm not always good about communication with my boys or Mr. C.  I never stop worrying about being judged.  Yes even at my age I still feel like people are judging who I am and what I have done thru the years.  So this year is my year to let me be me.  I'm going to focus on the inner me as well as the outer me.   I'm ready to have a healthy life and until I make much need changes that will never happen.

I do have goals for this year.  Some simple to some that might be out of reach.  Spending more time with family members.  I say this time and time and then it's like I just don't feel like going and visiting.  Blake and Jessica just bought a beautiful house with a huge shop.  I've only been out there a couple of times.  Yes I know shame on me.  I just get caught up in my world and forget to be more involved with others.

Everyone I'm sure has heard of The Pioneer Woman? Well she had got The Mercantile in Pawhuska Oklahoma.  This would be a perfect road trip with several other ladies.  It's about 4 hours from where I live.  Am thinking we could make it a over night trip and stay at Tulsa at the Hard Rock hotel and Casino.   Which is something I've been wanting to do for awhile.  

Organize my life!  Planner, new organization skills, and figure out how to control paper clutter.  I don't know about you but I love paper of all kinds.  It's to the point the paper clutter is taking over in my craft room.  Yikes!!!

My yearly cruise!! Scheduled for October 7 2017.  Carnival Valor here I come!

 

It's a sister ship to the Freedom, so am looking forward to exploring her. She is a beauty by the pictures I have seen! Can you tell I'm super excited!