...oh, and by the way, her cast is neon pink...

While we were away from civilization, several questions cropped up. So while I'm waiting for my already-super-missed-FIL to send me some great pix to post, I figured I'd offer some answers to some and comments on others.


Starting with the hunting post.

* I was raised surrounded by hunters. It was Idaho after all. What have I shot? Only deer, pheasants, ducks, rabbits, rock chucks, and crows. Do the kids hunt? No. They are just getting their first taste of BB guns thanks to my dad, Grandpa-in-Connecticut. You can enjoy that experience here in "You'll shoot your eye out!"

* My sweet girl Eula Mae did not ever get a driver's license because she is from the long ago era when wives didn't really leave their houses or neighborhoods. If she went some where or needed something her sweet hubby Norman did all the driving.

* You may (or not) have noticed I edited the music. It is no longer Auto Start. From now on, if you'd like to listen to it you'll need to go to the bottom and turn it on. Thanks for all your comments and opinions about it.

* The update on Big Shooter's Crackberry is that he has a "new" one. However, it is not new new. It is an older version like he had before the "new, shapely, racy and CURVY girl" he fell so hard for. His withdrawals have been curbed, but they are not cured. I think the only cure will be a shiny, new Redhead.

* The update on Big Shooter himself is Dr. Kangaroo said he is no longer experiencing any more side effects from surgery. So the nausea is caused from some thing else. He suggested we go back to the GI doctor who diagnosed the cancer to begin with. So we are waiting to see him now. BS is eating this time around. Just very small amounts. That's better than before.

* No, Big Shooter did NOT go to Silver Dollar City with us! He still gets worn out very easily. He got left behind to find his own mischief...more on that later.


Now that we are back to civilization (Internet) I will be able to post some pix of the past few days visit from our already-super-missed-FIL...

and by the way, Girl Child broke her arm at 6:30 AM the first morning we were gone.

It involved the Brain Dead Pug and 3 different doctors' offices...

Love Note to my Big Shooter: Thanks for putting up with me when I have a horrible case of self-imposed Sleep Depravation with a side of the Meanies. You are a Prince of the Highest Order.

Wish you were here...

enjoying this

and this

and this

and this with us today!

http://www.bransonsilverdollarcity.com/

What's for dinner?

We have been blessed beyond scrumptious these past weeks! The Shooter Family has been in Hog (Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Dessert, You-name-it!) Heaven!

Thank you from me seems so small a token for the act of love and support these dear Sister-Friends have shown.

Yet, that is all my heart keeps singing ~ Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU GIRLS!

For:
committing to a meal
planning a meal
shopping for a meal
preparing a meal
cleaning up after a meal
delivering a meal
making me smile from ear to ear when I remembered you were coming to my rescue!
loving us and supporting us in such a helpful, meaningful way

You all have ROCKED our limited culinary worlds. So guess what people? I have asked (begged in some cases) for each of them to submit their recipes so I can share with you.

I wanted to put them on in order...but, that's not gonna happen cause I seem to have a few shy friends that forgot what I'm like when I want something real bad...like a recipe. You listening Sister-Friends? I'm coming to your kitchens to get those recipes...or you can just email 'em to me and save us both the blubbering I can so easily resort to in times of emergency.

This was from my friend Jen.

Here’s the recipe for Chicken Enchiladas. This is a large recipe (2 - 9x13 pans) and it can be halved. We make the whole thing and freeze half.

For the Enchiladas:

2 pkgs (8 ct.) flour tortillas
3 lbs chicken, broiled and chopped fine (I use frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
2 lbs Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Lay all the tortillas out on the table and evenly distribute the chicken and cheese between them. Roll them up tightly and place 8 in each 9x13 ungreased pan.

Sauce:

1 cup butter (not margarine)
1 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth (I use water off of broiled chicken)
2 cups sour cream
Jalapenos, chopped fine to taste (*I also use some of the juice off of the jalapenos for flavor without adding more chunks of jalapeno)
1 to 2 tsp salt (**taste while adding salt. It will take more than you might expect to get the right flavor. Don’t be afraid to add more. I usually do it one generous pinch at a time tasting after each addition)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large sauce pan melt the butter and add the flour. Mix well and pour in all the broth. Bring to a boil and stir continuously until thickened. Add the remaining ingredients noting * & ** above. Evenly distribute between the two pans of enchiladas using a rubber spatula to separate the individual enchiladas and allowing the sauce to run between them. Cook in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Allow to cool a little before serving. They will be quite hot but VERY good!!!!!

Thanks Jen! Very good was an understatement!

Thanks Coach!

#1: "Awwww...it's the eeennd.

Mom: "Ahhhh... it's the eeennd.

Hey, batter, batter...

...Swwwwiiing!"

It's over. It's over. Momma's doing the Happy Dance.

Boy Child is not.

"Do you smell that?"

After a long afternoon of errands, Big Shooter walked in the house, through the living room, set some mail on the table in the kitchen, turned to me with a questioning look and asked, "Do you smell that?"

I thought, "Here we go. What smell could he be referring to with his Bionic Smell? Let's see could it be the bug bomb from yesterday, the burnt popcorn, bacon from breakfast, garlic at lunch, lingering fragrance of my perfume as I walked by him, or the Smelly Pug?" All of which, by the way, I cannot smell over the normal smell of the air freshener in the wall.

I said, "Sorry. Doesn't smell any different than normal"

"You're serious? You don't smell that?"

"Sorry Love. What's that smell like?"

"Like some one's been in here...painting with fingernail polish...but, we weren't here...soooo...", he finished as he got that I'll hunt down the intruder and make them pay for breaking into this house and painting their nails while we were away look.

"You're serious? You smell fingernail polish?" Wow. I continue to be surprised by this phenomenon. "Sorry to burst your bubble Love. But you aren't going to find any scary intruders with nicely painted nails in the closets or under the bed...I painted my toes in the bathroom before we left the house...about 4 hours ago."

Wow. (yes, again.) The disappointment. After weeks of being couped up & taken care of (read: bored out of his gourd), the prospect of finding an intruder with a feminine flair being yanked out from under him was a Huge Disappointment.

Mind you, not quite as big as having his Crackberry run over...twice.

But, a huge one none the less. So he went back to Lowe's to console his caveman soul.



Love Note to my Big Shooter: I love you Caveman. I love it when you beat your chest. I love it when you grunt. (well, kinda) I love it when you cook meat over a fire(ish). And I love it when you drag me to the back of the cave.

Who'd a thunk it?

Our precious friend, Eula Mae.

She's 85.

She spent all Sunday afternoon watching her favorite sport.

Indy Car Racing.

She's never had a driver's license.



Love Note to my Big Shooter: I'll still have red, hot racing blood when I think of you at 85 Big Guy.

Full Disclosure...or another Confession

I'm so not a politically correct PETA lover, Green Peacer, or Hippie Doobie Smokin' Flower Power believer either. (Although, I really am a Tree Hugger if that helps.)

Just thought you should know all this before the Political Drums start vibrating in my ears. I'm liable to put my foot in my mouth a time or two, cause a ruckus in the comment section, have to apologize a few times for my behavior or attitude, or God Forbid vow my undying love of this great country we are blessed to call home.

Just thought you should know this about me beforehand.

That. And FIL sent this picture to me today to remind me of my past...Yes, that's me 20 years ago. Nature Killer. Which of course led my brain down the whole PETA, Green Peace lane.

And made me miss Idaho.

How do you like my Coors Light hat? I wasn't even legal yet. 20ish if I recall correctly. Big Shooter was away at college. I'd just had all four wisdom teeth pulled and it was Opening Weekend of Hunting Season. I told my future FIL, "No. So sorry. I have dry sockets. I can't go this year." That was back before cell phones. So thirteen minutes later when I called back and couldn't reach him or Big Shooter's momma (Who should be there. She didn't partake in the bloodletting.) to tell them I'd been taking pain meds and didn't know what I was saying because, "Oh course I was going! Miss out on getting up at 4am, drinking coffee with a bunch of Good Ole Boys while they made our game plan, hiking up and down mountains, always riding in middle b/c my legs were shortest so there was room for the gear shifting required when gunning up a steep, treacherous path on the side of a sheer cliff? No way am I missing out!" I freaked. Had they really left without me? I packed for a hunting weekend in under 14 seconds and arrived at their house approximately 4 minutes later than that. Therefore, I cannot accept responsibility for the hat, hair, giant shirt or anything else really. I think the only thing I put in my little Chevy Chevette (yes, really) was my rifle, ammunition and my boots. Seriously. What else could a girl possibly need?

To my girl readers: Yes, it's real. Yes, I shot it. No, I did not gut it. There were always too many Good Ole Boys who worried I'd knick the wrong thing. And, trust me, you don't want to knick the wrong thing. Eeewww.

To my guy readers: Yes, I know it's not a real buck. I found those antlers while hiking up over yet another ridge. And why yes, she is as big or bigger than your average white tail down here. Thankyouverymuch.

Love Note to my Big Shooter: Wow. Your family still welcomed me after all my silly antics...I'm not sure if that's meant as a compliment for them or sympathy.