OJ gave a suggestion in the comments on my last blog about how to use some of those fresh tomatoes from the neighbor. I expanded on it just a bit, adding rice and beans. Soooo yummy! Plus chili powder, and it goes so well with the corn muffins!
It does not take a lot to add excitement to my life. I got a jury survey in the mail on Thursday, which indicates they could pull me to serve in the two weeks beginning November 7th.
The last time I had to do this was probably ten years ago. I was asked to report, and got to sit through jury selection, but I wasn't pulled from the random list. Still got to listen to the questions they asked the jurors, and the judge's explanations, which was fascinating. Since they got enough acceptable jurors from the first draw, the rest of us were given the "thank you for your service" exit speech and sent back to our regular lives. The whole thing took maybe an hour and a half. At the time I worked within walking distance of the court house, so it was an excuse to get outside and walk, both to and from.
Friday was laundry day. And grocery day... with the change of seasons the idea of firing up the oven to warm the house has started to enter the calculation of what to buy. I did a check in with the niece and she waved off doing garage sale this weekend, as she's still feeling after effects of the covid. Wise woman. Get fully recovered first!
I've had check ins from the Florida cousins in the Tampa area, and from Marsha down in Lakeland, and the people are all OK (the trees are not, the fences are not, the power is not)... but where they were they did not suffer the ravages of the storm surge or flooding, thank goodness. I even heard a brief "I'm OK will write later when I get internet back" from Debra T who lives in the Naples, Florida, area, and an e-mail from Sandi who used to go by some form of ThatGirl (7, maybe?), in Tampa Bay.
Prayers continue for those who were not as fortunate, the news is scary. And for that matter, prayers for the rebuilding efforts.
Saturday morning I listened to some of the coverage of the clean up in the aftermath and they mentioned not knowing the counts of the folks who might have hunkered down in some spots due to: part-year residents! I had known about this particularly Floridian "feature" because I used to live across the street from a couple of "snow birds" in our little village in the Southern Tier of New York. They would button up their house about the first of November (they liked to stay around to see the trick or treaters at Halloween) before heading south, then show up again when the blossoms appeared in our corner of the state in April or May. The TV commentators mentioned that for many of the part-year residents, Ian was early in the season. While their property could have been damaged or destroyed, the people who haven't yet arrived are probably fine. People first... that would indeed be a blessing, wouldn't it?
Rubia hopes things are well with all of you out there in blog-land, and of COURSE firmly believes that this table was put here just for her, nothing to do with it being an organizing space!
Take care of yourselves, get your rest, and be kind!
Life is good. Spark on! 🔥✨✨💖
Corn muffins..mmmmm. Now I will have to have some, and of course, a pot of ham and beans.
ReplyDeleteOn my 21st birthday, I immediately registered to vote. Back then, in the dark ages, in the state of Illinois, you had to be 21 to vote. Jury duty was my goal, since potential jurors were selected from voter registration. Decades pass, we settled in Missouri after DH spent 25 years with USN, and I was finally selected for jury duty. I had just had a total knee replacement 3 weeks prior, so of course, I was dismissed as a choice. C'est la vie.
This morning I read that many of those who rode out the storm did not have the resources to evacuate. To lose what little they had is beyond imaginable! To be one of the richest nations in the world, many of the poor in our country have it worse than some in third world countries. How very sad.
There will be other days for the garage sale. Wise woman indeed.
Have a sparkly week! ;-)
I agree... so many of those who did not evacuate did not do so because they COULD not. They stayed behind because of pets or mobility issues, etc. And then of course, not to have the resources to even call for help! We have become so dependent on technology.
DeleteA sparkly week to you as well!
Well, now, cornbread and chili! Fall is in the air.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the thought picture with the 'mater cooking suggestion!
DeleteOkay, now I need some corn bread and chili on my fall meal menu.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that our country can't figure out how to get those vulnerable to safer areas. I was watching the footage and its so heart breaking seeing all the destruction and sadness.
Enjoy your Sunday!
Oh, it is heart-breaking for sure... I have to stop watching... so many elderly... and then contrast with the young Floridians ready to just clean up and re-build... there is resilience amid the sadness.
DeleteYup, put me in for corn muffins and my baked beans too please! Cool this morning and perfect for baking and cooking some comfort food. My cat hangs her head down too, I wonder if it feels good for them which is why they lay like that on table tops.
ReplyDeleteMy mom used to cook up navy beans and ham hocks to go with cornbread. I wonder about cats, but will probably never figure them out completely. I imagine her watching for bugs or mice!
DeleteOh your dish combined w/corn muffins soulds absolutely delicious!
ReplyDeleteGlad that things all wored out w/your jury duty.
Glad your niece is taking the time to recuperate from Covid. It knocks the stuffing out of you and takes time for the body to heal itself.
Glad your loved ones in FL are all ok, despite properte damage and no power. As you say, people first!
Rubia looks totally comfy on HER table! LOL They know what’s theirs!
Here’s to a good week.
Hugs
Barb
1crazydog
There's no negotiation with a cat, is there? We'll see about this NEXT jury duty. Step 1 is now done on line with the survey.
DeleteThe meal looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteI've been adjusting to having crossed the line into Diabetes2 and checking blood sugar number twice a day. Sadly, corn, rice, and mashed potatoes + many more foods drive the numbers way up.
Glad you shared brief news from Naples -- have been wondering how Deb & Joe & Edison fared.
We have a niece, her spouse + 4 sons that moved from Jacksonville FL this summer to a small town in Central TX where their new house is being built. Both are retired career Navy and had already had extensive storm damage to their first Jacksonville house that led to their second Jacksonville house.
FINALLY have some reasonable weather here. This year high temps in the triple digits kept breaking past records.
Been browsing casserole recipes here attributed to the season change.
Oops, had not signed into g-mail.
DeleteBet your niece's family is glad to be away from Florida, at least for THIS week. Not sure how they'll like the Texas power grid in mid-Winter. Guess every place has its plusses and minuses.
DeleteI was glad to get an e-mail back from Deb. Lucky we had swapped e-mails in the end of Spark. Actually we'd done that earlier as I did get down to visit her there in 2012.
Managing that diabetes really takes some effort, but I've heard it's worth it. Kid sis you might have known as SpinningJW on Spark deals with it.
Here's to a good month ahead!
Corn muffins! Yum!! I have to get the gluten-free mix, doubt it’s ever on sale for anything under $1😁
ReplyDelete-RunKeeper Dee
They always charge more for those gluten free options. Interesting is that the kids have planned for both vegan and gluten free to be in the mix for their Wedding reception next April.
DeleteThat is very thoughtful of them. I am lactose and gluten intolerant and some people think the vegan label covers both, it doesn’t.
DeleteMy favorite gluten-free bakery closed and went to the online option. I have yet to place an order, but I figure I should soon so they don’t go completely out of business.
-RunKeeper Dee
We have a few folks in the family that have food sensitivities, so it makes sense to offer the options. My older sister has to be ever so careful. Supporting those businesses that offer options, especially through the pandemic, so important! I was proud of my son and his lady... they made a list of the places they really didn't want to go under, and patronized them more during that toughest time!
DeleteI also live at the beach in the Tampa Bay area and am very grateful to have been spared the horrible wrath of Ian…..Very scary time for all Floridians….and so very tragic for those suffering right now.
ReplyDeleteYour muffins and chili look yummy…I always enjoy reading about your activities! Eissa7
Glad you're OK! Hope the recovery goes smoothly for you, as well as for so many I connect with down in Hurricane country.
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