It's a why kind of day..

Why do so many people wait until the last minute to do their taxes?? I have never understood that, makes no sense to me. If you owe, I could see waiting to pay them so you had the money..And another thing..Why is it that I claim Single, Zero, and still manage to owe the State of Utah about $120? Oh, I’ve already paid it mind you..and I guess if the taxes are guessed that close (about $10 per month) it’s ok..Why not just put a flat tax in place? It comes out of your check or earnings each month, no need to file a return, no need for the IRS or state governments to collect money..especially in this day and age where virtually all finances are online. Wait, that would make too much sense…Same could be said for government. Spend within your means…each month..period.

The US sends billions of dollars to countries that hate us..why? I would think they could hate us without our money just as easily. Yet our government continues to send vast amounts of money abroad, all the while touting the need to raise taxes. Children go to be hungry every night in America…Why? I’m talking about reducing the foreign aid to other countries by 90% or more. Take care of America…FIRST!

Ten  Weapons you won’t believe it’s perfectly legal to own…

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Media/Slideshow/2013/03/28/10-Weapons-You-Wont-Believe-Are-Legal.aspx

Kitchen Tip - When you buy lettuce, let it air dry for 15 minutes on the counter. Then wrap each head individually with paper towels and put them in a grocery bag. They’ll last a lot longer in your fridge!

Decided to postpone the soup until tomorrow. We usually feed the Father in Law on Sunday, I know soup is one of his favorite meals. I’ll “accidently” make too much, so he’ll take some home with him. It’s a game we play each Sunday as he won’t accept help..

Nine days left until I get this $#%@#^%&% cast off, and see if/how my foot is healing. If all goes well I won’t need another cast. Yes I know it won’t be 100% right away, that is to be expected. Not sure why but these pain pills make my skin itch and the Bone Strength supplement makes me queasy. Taking both with food is helping, though I’ve noticed that I don’t really have an appetite lately. Not sure why, other than severely reducing my activity level. I think I will start geocaching again, gives me a good excuse to walk, kind of like a hike with a purpose…

www.geocaching.com

Later……

Daily Goods

Daily Goods…

http://www.dailygoods.com/

That’s how I get most of my groceries these days. It’s tough to carry in groceries with a broken foot. You can sign up on their website for a free two week trial, then after that it’s only $9.95 per delivery or $99 per year. You go to their website and place your order, I usually keep adding stuff for a few days. The website is easy to use and has a great selection. Their pricing on most items seems very comparable. I don’t like their fresh meat section, imho it’s overpriced and low on selection choices, but most stores are any more (That’s why I buy my meat at Costco and cut it myself).  Every order has been perfectly picked. They had to substitute one item, but they gave me a more expensive item as the replacement! The frozen stuff arrives frozen, all in one bag. Bakery items are fresh..Here’s a secret for you..the produce is fresher than you can buy from the actual store, because they pick it from the coolers BEFORE it’s put out on the floor = Wonderful Produce (yes, I am picky).After you’ve decided what you want, complete your order and give them a delivery window of one hour. Every order I’ve had has been on-time, except for yesterday’s, and he was EARLY!! Can you believe it? Called me, said is it ok if I deliver early??! Awesome…Minimum order is $20 Give them a try, you won’t be disappointed. I have some $10 off coupons, if you use them I also get a $10 store credit. So far as a bonus they’ve given me a $10 off produce coupon, a free ice cream coupon and a free gift with my first order. They don’t take coupons…yet….They are affiliated with Winegars but also have some other local vendors as well.

Ended up not needing a new cast today so I celebrated by trying a new burger place, the Habit Burger Grill at Station Park in Farmington. Their Signature is the Char Burger, char broiled on an open flame, so that’s what I tried. It’s a toasted bun, tomato, lettuce, grilled onions, pickles, mayo..all for $2.95! You can also add cheese, mushrooms, bacon or avocado for a small additional charge.  And you can get fries and a drink with it for $6.20. They give you a pager so you can go sit down while they make your burger from scratch. Fry sauce and Ranch dressing is available at no extra charge for your fries and onion rings. Their fries are shoe string, but slightly larger than usual. Sandwiches, salads, kids meals and shakes and malts round out the selection.  There is also a location in Sugar House. Get there early..and HUNGRY!!

Downtown Salt Lake Peregrine Falcon update..one egg so far..She laid the first egg last year on April 12^th as well!

Link to Camera:

http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/learn-more/peregrine-cam.html

Have a GREAT weekend!

Peregrine Falcons

Peregrine Falcons…nesting in downtown SLC?!! Yup, and there are two camera’s that you can watch them on…

 http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/learn-more/peregrine-cam.html 

This is my third year watching these magnificent birds set up housekeeping. Peregrine falcons don’t really build a nest, but they create a “scrape” where they put the eggs. They will take turns keeping the egg(s) safe and warm while the other feeds. 

 I can honestly say I have never sat around this much in my entire life. It takes so much effort to do anything, leave the house, go to the bathroom, you name it. Not complaining, just stating a fact. Even getting the groceries delivered means more work, they still have to be put away. Friday I get the cast replaced, not convinced at this point if I should let them recast it but I guess so. This hopping around on one foot sucks.
I did order some extra veggies and other items to experiment with cooking this weekend. That always seems to cheer me up.  I’ll keep you posted on that…

 Netflix has helped to pass some of the time at night. I’ve been watching the original Battlestar Galactica, loved it in the late seventies, watching it today I have no idea why. The dialogue is horrible as are the special effects, but I still can’t tear myself away. After I’m done watching those episodes I plan on watching the remake…

 Made the Homeowners Board meeting last night. Wasn’t a full meeting where all the residents attend, but it was five or six people sitting around deciding if we want to be the Board. Non paying position, so I wanted to talk to the other people to make sure they wanted to make a difference, not just rubber stamp everything. So now we have a board, and I’m the Secretary. We’ll see how it goes. It’s either be a part of the community or move as far as I’m concerned.

Today's Kitchen Tip:

Always keep a staple of go to items in the pantry, in particular those that you're comfortable cooking with, and have a long expiration date. Then when you're struggling to figure out what to make for dinner you can look to your pantry for inspiration... 

 Strange day today, doesn’t seem like a Thursday.  Though in retrospect I am not sure what Thursday is supposed to feel like…
Ttyl

Induction Cooking

Induction Cooking

I’ve been using a NuWave Induction Cooking Station and cookware for a couple of months now.  The base is on sale right now at Shopko for about $90, normally $130. And remember that you need to use special cookware, it has to have a steel bottom on the pan. The Shopko deal right now includes a 9” fry pan.

Pros:

Fast fast pan warmup, digital heat control at your fingertips.More energy efficient than a gas or electric stove. Excellent when you need lower exact temps for sauces, etc.

Cons:

Cooling fan on the base unit is a bit noisy. I didn’t have much use for the controls that will let you time the different stages of cooking. You need to use a different type of cookware.  I suppose you could use this cookware on an electric or gas stove, but only use it on the NuWave base.

This sounds crazy, but I swear food tastes better cooked on the Nuwave. I still boil water on my electric stove, but mainly use the Nuwave now for most of my cooking needs. I will likely buy another one.

Cooking tip:

Don’t just blindly cook your food like you’ve always done, or like it says on the package. Use common sense, and also remember to TASTE it.

Kids belong to the State..What a Skadouche!

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/politics-blue-collar/2013/apr/7/msnbc-our-kids-should-belong-state-not-parents/

Going to meet with the rest of the wannabees for the Homeowners Board tonight, should be interesting…I am pretty sure they’re not going to like me..lol..more to follow on that.

Later.

Don't settle...

Have you noticed the tendency for people lately to go the easy path (not necessarily the path of least resistance)..And I’m not making this a political issue either..because they ALL do it..stay with me…

Guns..let’s target law abiding gun owners, because they’re the easiest to find. Let’s target people’s income and savings instead of reducing spending, like foreign aid, or the 5 BILLION dollar bribe (per year) for the Dairy industry.

It happens to you every year when your local taxes go up.  Where is the onus for local government to spend less money..there isn’t one. What they don’t spend out of their “budget” they lose for next year.

I live in a condo, which has a Homeowner’s Association. Instead of keeping track of the cap on renters, and keeping out the dogs, they focus on what someone has on their porch..easier to see and track. Never mind the problems that too many renters and dogs create.

And I’m not surprised. This is an age where everyone who shows up is a winner, they actually teach that in the schools. Everybody gets a gold star.. What, you graduated from College, oh well then you should be the President of the company, yes you’re entitled.

Don’t SETTLE in life. Take the RIGHT path.

Worked on my first computer this weekend that had Ransomware on it. Comes up with an official looking page that says it’s from the Department of Justice, and that you need to pay a fine or they ‘ll come arrest you. The best part is, you can buy a “moneypak” from Kmart or other stores..lol..Took a while but finally got it fixed.. Moral to the story..two fold, one make a backup regularly of stuff that is important to you, and two, have anti-virus software and keep it up to date. There is even free anti-virus software out there (AVAST) that you can use. If you need advice on either let me know and I will gladly help you.

Food Tip - Don’t know what made me think of this, but do you like S.O.S? Even know what it means? Costco has some canned beef that is really good to make it with. Use about half the liquid in each can (add water to the correct amount on the gravy package) and ENJOY!

And remember…Rub Some Bacon On It.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55X6XA21ng4

Remember, wherever you’re going, there you are.

Rog

Monday Musings

Monday…

Had a great lunch with Tiffany Smith and Heath Johnson. Heath is someone I met through Facebook but had never met in person. It seems we have a great deal in common. Also great meal and customer service at Sizzler in Bountiful.

Speaking of Customer Service, what a joke today at Marquee Body and Paint in Bountiful.  Here’s what I posted on Facebook:

Dear Marquee Body and Paint in Bountiful UT,

“ I need some body work done on a Taurus, so I called you to find out if I needed an appt to get an estimate. You replied no... So I arranged for someone to take time out of their day to drive me (as I cannot drive myself) and came over about 12:45. Your person in the office was quite rude, demanding to know what kind of insurance I had, and telling me that all of the estimators are out of the office until 1 pm. No problem, I went down the street to the Paint Spot, who was happy to have someone come right out, take a look, take some pictures, collect my email and cell phone number and let me know they'd get me an estimate this afternoon. No problem, you evidently have more business than you need. I understand. Thanks for letting me know. I will be sure to let everyone else know.”

**Post Note..The Paint Spot has already called me twice to make sure they were getting the right parts, etc.***

Yes, I know it’s not a huge job, not even a blip on their radar, but it is important to me.

Hilarious watching people run in the rain today, like they’re going to get any less wet… Don’t worry people poo floats…

Sad to note that Margaret Thatcher and Annette Funicello has passed away..two great people lost to time.

Yet another reason why I won’t fly..these airlines are completely power hungry in the air.

http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/united-flight-diverted-after-family-complains-about-movie-1C9254726

Really looking forward to cooking for the Ronald McDonald House on April 20th. Will still have the cast on, but I am going anyway. I will have to find someone to drive me though.. We’re doing another Soup night, not sure what I’ll make yet but I am leaning towards a hearty potato soup.

Spring Rolls

http://www.kutv.com/recipes/features/fresh-kitchen/stories/vid_352.shtml

 12 Crazy Hot Dog Toppings

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/the-best-hot-dog-toppings_n_1791611.html#slide=1389850

Talk to ya later

RogerB

Moose Lasagna?

What a great laid back day today. Haven’t really got much accomplished today…

Watched some TV, will certainly be glad when March Madness is over, worse than watching paint dry. 

Cancelled all appts this week except for the Dr. visit on Friday.  They’re going to recast my foot. This was expected as some of the swelling has gone down.  Then wait two more weeks and have them xray it to see if it’s healing.. Will be interesting to do a side by side comparison of the old and current xray. Got the Bone Strength supplement in the mail and started taking it. No side effects so far..lol…

Interesting that history was made today by Jean A. Stevens, the first woman to give a public prayer at an LDS Conference..right after all the hubbub about women being able to be in the priesthood…

Do you use Itunes? Might want to rethink it…

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/itunes-out-date-out-touch-so-whats-next-1B9232131

More behind the story of the Colorado Movie Theater shooting

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/46979745/vp/51457610/#51457610

IKEA has Moose Lasagna – and it’s tainted with pork??

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ikea-halts-moose-lasagna-sales-after-finding-traces-pork-1C9255043

Poached Turkey Breast

Boneless Turkey Breast

Chicken Stock

Roughly chopped celery

Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio Wine

Sliced lemons

Mix up the chicken stock, celery, wine and lemons.

Rinse the turkey breast and put it into the pot. Cover, bring o a boil, then reduce to a medium simmer.

Cook until the center reaches 160 degrees.

Remove from pot, let sit for 10 minutes while covered loosely with aluminum foil

Slice and serve!

If you feel like it leave me a comment.

Thanks,

Rog