Week of January 14th through January 20th, 2024 (beef stew and dumplings recipe)

 SUNDAY:    I woke up a little before eight a.m. to find that we really got a LOT of snow overnight.  Someone posted this on facebook. 

Betty said she saw on TV that we had 14 inches, but it might not be quite that much.

  I turned channel 2 to find out about cancellations.  There was a LONG list, but Freedom Church was not on the list.  I was sure that church would be cancelled.  I tried to reach Jan by phone since she asked me to call her in the morning regarding whether or not church was closed.  By nine a.m. Freedom was on the list and I tried to call her again.  I don't think her answering machine is working.  The closure was announced on Facebook.

I was able to find it fairly easily. Jim Randall gave his testimony and it was really powerful.  The sermon was very good. The service was LIVE from Freedom South, and even offered a small worship group!  During the worship part, I wrote out the questions that I will need to answer for the Life Group homework on Tuesday.   I called Glenda and we talked for a while. She has been sick since the day we all got together at the WOODLANDS for Chance and Donna's event. 

Plow guy (Bob Pagan of Lockport Lawn Sharks) came at 12:45 p.m.  I called Chuck around the corner and he will do my sidewalk this year.  Peggy called to give me the news about Stacey Roessler.  She is in ICU on a ventilator, and her lungs refilled with liquid.  This is not a good situation at all.  Chuck came and snowblew my sidewalk at two thirty.  Before he came, I shoveled a path from the bottom of my steps to the driveway and dug out my garbage can and put this past weeks garbage in it.  Also, I shoveled a bit in front of the garage, since the plow left a ridge of snow.  I had a much needed nap.  In the evening I watched MISS SCARLET and ALL CREATURE GREAT AND SMALL on PBS.  

MONDAY the 15th:  I went to CUTTING CREW and got a haircut and a conditioning treatment.  Maureen was there alone as the other worker could not make it in.  She cut off more than I asked her to but I think it will be OK.  I went to WalMart, The Dollar Tree, and Aldi and picked up the items I needed.  I went through my coupons and found one for a meal deal at POPEYE'S, so I went there for lunch.  It was two pieces of chicken, coleslaw, a biscuit and a drink.  Their chicken is pretty good, maybe better than KFC, but the coleslaw and biscuit are not as good.  I spent the rest of the day at home.  I called Linda in the evening. She seemed to have forgotten that we agreed to talk once a month, but oh well.  She is exhausted from helping to take care of one of her patients who had to be hospitalized for ten days.  I found (on YouTube) an Israeli representative is presenting Israel's case at the International Court of Justice in the Hague in the Netherlands (Holland).  And then a man named SHAW, who putting what the previous man said, "in context".  Personally, at this time, I think Israel will make out OK in the international court. 

TUESDAY the 16th:  there were only five of us at LIFE GROUP this morning:  Cindi, me, Marlene, Glenda and Linda.  It went very well, and we finished up at 12:15 or so.  When they started to discuss going out to lunch, I explained that I am going to have a spaghetti dinner later on and only wanted something small such as a slice of pizza.  Nobody seemed interested in that, so I left and went to Molinaro's and got a slice of pizza and took it home to eat.  I laid down on the couch and fell asleep for a while and when I woke up, I watched a bit of the International Court of Justice.  I went to SOLID ROCK CHURCH in Gasport and picked up two spaghetti dinners and took them to Elaine's house. We had supper together and I taught her how to play SCRABBLE.  She did good!!!   After we finished our game, we shared the two deserts from Solid Rock.  She gave me her grocery list and I will shop for her tomorrow morning. While I was at her house, her cousin Jill texted her. Jill is concerned that the weather will be bad tomorrow when she is supposed to supply a ride for Elaine to EXCELSIOR for her afternoon appointment.  I told Elaine that if Jill cancels out, I will take her.   I got home  in time to watch LAW AND ORDER SVU.   Christa and I messaged back and forth about how their dog Oliver is doing.   He is getting radiation treatments and goes every day to a clinic in Boulder, where he stays all day until Christa picks him up.  

WEDNESDAY the 17th.   When I woke up, I realized that it IS Christa's and Carrie's birthday.  Christa  is turning 39.  I will call her tonight and send her a card.  I did not get much sleep last night.  I got up and dressed and then did Elaine's grocery shopping.   I went to both Aldi and the small Niagara Produce.  I took Elaines groceries and also picked up her mail.  I put my car in the garage when I got home.  I had lunch, put beef ribs in the crockpot and took a nap.  Peggy called and she is still planning on coming over tomorrow after her WW meeting.  The ribs turned out pretty good.  I had them with butternut squash and "grains" from Trader Joes.

  My plow guy came at seven p.m. and plowed the driveway.  

THURSDAY:   in the morning, I started beef stew in my large crockpot.  Peggy came over around lunch time, an we watched DAYS OF DECEPTION featuring Amir Tsarfati.  We got about halfway through and had to quit.  Peggy worked upstairs a bit before going home.  

I browned some stew meat and put it in the crockpot, over two onions cut in half.  Then I added several carrots cut into small pieces.  For sauce I used one can of BEEFY MUSHROOM soup with some water added, a small can of tomato sauce, a can of Progresso Onion Soup, some ketchup (I think), a bit of chili sauce, some zucchini relish, a dash of hot sauce.  After a while, I added small red potatoes.  When everything was cooked, I thickened the sauce this way.

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons  flour in a 

 small bowl, mix water and flour; gradually stir into beef mixture.

BEFORE adding the dumplings

This is the recipe for the dumplings, but I cut it in half.  (this made four small/medium dumplings

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick™ mix

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed.

1/2 cup milk

In small bowl, mix Bisquick mix, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and the sage. Stir in milk just until Bisquick mix is moistened. Drop dough by spoonsful onto hot beef mixture.

Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of dumplings comes out clean. Serve immediately. (they were done after 25 minutes).

It turned out really good.  I showered and watched new episodes of LAW AND ORDER, and SVU, both were excellent.  I finished reading LOST IN SHANGRI-LA before going to bed.  What a story!!!!!

January 19th:  I didn't sleep all that well but I got up before seven to get ready to go to MILLARD FILMORE HOSPITAL.  I was concerned about the weather because it was snowing, on top of the bunch of snow already on the ground, but the roads were not too bad. I stopped at McDonalds and purchased  medium Dr. Pepper, hoping to get some extra energy from that!  I had to park a long way away from the main entrance where I was supposed to meet Carrie and Zoe, but I got there a few minutes before nine.  After using the restroom, I heard Zoe call my name.  The rest of the day seems like one long blurry W A I T.  Carrie's procedure did not start on time, it was well over an hour before they came and got her.  After that, I went to the cafeteria.  It was kind of confusing, and the line for sandwiches was long, so I bought some jello and dark chocolate almonds as well as another Dr. Pepper.  I think Zoe got lunch at Tim Hortons, but she threw most of it away.   We were finally able to leave around three p.m.  I got a bit disoriented on my way back to my car, but I didn't mind since walking and getting some fresh air felt pretty good.  

SATURDAY January 20th:  I met up with Cindi at the Visitors Center for the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge for the eleven a.m. POLAR ORIGAMI class.  Ten people participated but I think a couple of them just happened to be in the Visitors Center when they realized something was going on.  Cindi and I sat at a table with a woman named Debby who was very pleasant.  All supplies were provided. Cindi had to leave early and I decided to leave with her.  I accidentally deleted my photographs of today, but one of the other participants put these on facebook. 

                                                    Snowy Owl

                                                          Polar Bear

                                              Penguins

Mine did not turn out as well as Jennifers.  
On the way home, I stopped at SUB DELICIOUS ON 31 and had a two dollar WLVL burger, which was very good.  I spent the rest of the day at home. I scanned a few pictures into Peggy's flickr account and my account.   Pictures that Peggy came across while working upstairs.   This is me with the Ruben's kids.  I think maybe it was when Marcia gave me a small party when I graduated from the RBI. But I don't think I owned that dress when I graduated, I think I would have purchased it later on when I worked in a lawyers office in Rochester.  The dress was a real pretty green.  I don't recall having my hair that long, but apparently I did.

I was younger in this picture which was taken in front of the house I live in, in the winter, when I was wearing my "pea jacket", which I loved.

I think this picture was also taken here at the same house.  From left to right is my Grandmother Bowler, Aunt Lois, me sitting on the arm of the sofa, my Aunt Linda (Anders) Gail, Peggy on our mothers lap and my Grandfather Bowler in the front with his head turned to look at the camera.  I think it  has to have been taken at Christmas 1968, I would have been 19.  Gail would have been 17, Peggy age 7.  My Aunt Linda was only a year older than I was, having been born after my mother (her sister) got married.

I remember the dress I am wearing in this picture.  It was lilac colored.  I wonder why I am wearing a dress and Linda is wearing a skirt. Lois and my grandmother probably always wore dresses. This photograph must be associated with a particular event, but I can't figure out what that event could have been.  I was still living with the Rubens family in Rochester and would have come home for Christmas but unless there was something particular I needed to dress up for, I would not have brought a dress with me.  I remember the dress well, it was a light purple (or orchid).  I emailed a copy to Linda and she does not recall either.