JAN 9-15

Guess I can’t complain about spending $13 for the roast. Monday I was still eating off of it. Monday brought some much needed rain. My lungs aren't nearly has happy as the rest of me about it, but they so desperately need the rain down here! Been up since about 4 AM listening to the bands of rain come across. Wonder how much SNOW they got in north TX!

Living in the ol' folks RV park, I have come to a definite conclusion. Some ol' ladies can get by with wearing jeans; others should just forget it! They need to stay with their cute little seersucker pedal pusher sets!

Met Deryl & Elke at Jaliscos for supper. Love my combo loco platter, always enough for 2-3 meals, depending on how many chips I eat first!

Temps started dropping FAST and the winds really picked up. Was over 70 degrees at 4:30, at 7:30, it was 55 degrees! Definitely going to be soup weather.

Bought one of those roasted chickens from WalMart awhile back. Ate some of it, froze the rest. I pulled the breasts off to save for sandwiches and put all the bony left over parts in the crock pot with some chicken bullion, carrots and celery. Didn’t have any potatoes - I survived! I made some dumplin’s!

Woke up Tuesday AM to 43 degrees - 18-20mph winds - wind chill 34. Why do I always run out of propane in the middle of the nite! Out in all that wind in my jammies flipping tanks! Sure am glad I just have to open and close the knobs and flip the little lever and run back into bed!

I didn’t even try to walk up to Ladies coffee in the AM – not in that wind.

I do so enjoy my lunches in town with Donna when she comes in during the week. Tuesday HuDat's, 11:30 and Kathy met us. She pulled in from Iowa just about a month ago. Not staying in this park this winter so I don’t see her often. Glad I like the food at HuDat's! Brought home enough shrimp, veggies and fried rice for supper. Still had stuff from Jalisco's the night before. Ended up putting the soup from the crock pot back in the freezer. Can’t say I’m not stocked up with soups for the winter!

Propane guy comes to the park on Tuesday and Friday so I was right there waiting for him with my empty tank...and right behind the propane truck was Cleo on his bicycle -- as soon as my tank was full, Cleo put it in the compartment and hooked it up for me! YIPPEE! Bring on the cold!

WEDNESDAY 11TH Ah- F*#&!!!! Woke up coughing and hacking. Sorry folks but this is getting damn depressing. Thought I was on my way to recovery! 45 sunny, not too windy degrees. No plans for today. Really need to start making a list...can't seem to keep up enough energy to get my little jobs done around here. That's kinda funny - always have enough energy to go out and EAT!

Lots of sirens headed north on the highway when I had the dogs out in the AM - figured it must be a fire, private vehicles with 'whoopy' lights like the volunteers have. Just a parade of vehicles but with the fencing, can't always see what the vehicles are. Heard on the news it was a major accident, 2 trucks head on, 3 died, burned beyond recognition. I did learn one thing - loud-mouth Caleb, the dog that barks incessantly at other dogs and people on bicycles, doesn't howl or bark or whine at sirens! That's a point in his favor!

Made it up to 78 degrees but another cold front was on it’s way. Weather alert for 30 mph winds from the north gusting to 40. Moved my plants under the RV.

By Thursday, I was extremely glad I had plenty of propane! With the winds constantly blowing from the north, the furnace was going non-stop! The extra room I get with the 3 slides is really nice - unless it is cold and windy! No way to stop the wind from blowing in around those slides!

45 degrees, winds sustained at 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. At least the sun was out but it didn’t get above 50. What kills me is the darn wind. It was all I could do to catch my breath outside with the dogs - not so much congested as the wind just sucks the air out of me. Another good day to stay in and on my list of stuff to do was find my tax stuff and get it all in one place.

Guess who had to go out and empty the sewer in this wind and cold! While I was out there the wind chill went right down to the bones so I decided not to even try to make it to the Friendship supper. And to think, I was raised in the midwest and used to live in Chicago! I've turned into a real WHIMP!

Happy Friday the 13th! 32 sunny degrees but very little wind. Definitely had to get up and get moving and get some laundry done! Too cold to go naked! Left here in the AM with the furnace going and came home a couple hours later and opened the vent and the front door.

Took the last of my Christmas money and ordered a Kindle e-Reader. I have looked at ‘em (and the Nook and the i-equipment) but just can’t get used to reading books on the computer (I have an e-reader program on my laptop.)

BUT… I've heard from another 'recipe collector' there is a way to transfer word doc and PDF file recipes to the Kindle. Sure is cheaper and more versatile than that MyDemy thing I was thinking about. Cooking in an RV can be “cramped” experience! I think that is a nice way to put it! There isn’t even enough counter space for a cookbook! So, I’ve been printing off recipes as I need them, but what a waste – I just toss the paper when I’m finished – not enough storage space to keep them all, so I end up reprinting the next time I need it. Can't wait to get it and see if it is going to be as good as I hope for saving recipes!