Saturday 31 January 2009

Saturday This and That



Food For Thought:
  1. Most important six words: I admit I made a mistake.
  2. Most important five words: I am proud of you.
  3. Most important four words: What is your opinion?
  4. Most important three words: I love you.
  5. Most important two words: Thank you.
  6. Most important word: We
  7. Least important word: I

I found the above this morning in a book that I have. It's just chocker block full of little quotes and poems. I thought this one was pretty good! I changed the fourth one. It was supposed to read, "if you please", but I thought "I love you" was way more important. We should still say please though, even if it isn't on the list!

The other day I was thinking . . . I do that a lot. Every day I get at least three e-mails asking me for help from these rich people in Africa that have millions of dollars in the bank that they have not been able to access. All they need is my help to get it. Just yesterday I got a request from a woman who has been recently widowed, has no children and has no need of her husband's millions for herself, because . . . alas . . . she has terminal cancer herself. What she needs though, is the help of a good Christian, such as myself, that she can transfer this money to, so that I can start up an orphanage or some other charity in the name of God. All she wants, poor dear, is my bank details so that she can transfer this money into my account. Other days, I get notification that I have just won the Spanish Lottery, amounting to millions of pounds, or even the Euro Lottery. I have to ask myself the question . . . how can I win something I have never even entered? Luck must indeed be my middle name!!

I wonder though, how many people actually get taken in by these scams? It beggars belief that anyone would . . . but, then again, they must or these people wouldn't be taking the time to invent them and spend so much time e-mailing people all over the place. One of these days I just may e-mail one of them back and offer them something in return . . .





We have a busy day planned here today. I am off to the shops early this morning and then I have promised Todd that I will clean out the larder . . . *grumble *grumble. I don't know how it always gets in such a mess. I think it's caused by someone moving things around in there to find stuff and then taking things out and not putting them back in the right place. I guess that someone must actually be me, so . . . *sigh* . . . it's only right that I put it straight. Todd is definitely a place for everything and everything in it's place kind of a guy.

I did some really nice sketches yesterday, actually I've done a few nice ones over a few days, but I only have one piece of water colour paper left so I better get me some more. I do hope to have the chance to do a painting this weekend though, and some baking and cooking. A girl at work wanted a card this week for a little boy's Birthday party so I did her up this and called it Snaps and Snails.



Todd is always telling me I need to do more little boys, instead of just little girls all the time. I did a sketch of a little boy with his dog this week as well, so maybe I should, do more boy pictures that is.

I was ever so pleased to get that news from my son last evening. God is indeed good, and prayers do get answered. I have experienced answers in my life over and over again. Sometimes I like the answers, sometimes I don't . . . but they are always the right answers for me, even if they are hard answers to cope with . . . well I am prattling on now so I will leave you with a quote I received the other day that I thought was amazing.

"I can't believe that God put us on this earth to be ordinary." ~ Lou Holtz

You know what Lou? I can't believe it either!

I mde up the most amazing recipe for Brisket the other day. We had it for supper along with some colcannon and steamed carrots. It really was delicious.






*Marie's Casseroled Brisket*

Serves 4

Brisket is one of the cheaper cuts of meat that truly benefits from a slow braising in the oven. It turns out meltingly delicious this way, with a wonderful gravy that goes really well over potatoes or rice.

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

1 4-pound piece of rolled beef brisket

2 TBS beef gravy mix

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 (10 3/4 ounce) tin of condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups water

Pre-heat your oven to 160*C/325*F. Place the beef gravy mix, garlic powder and black pepper in a little bowl and mix it well together. Rub this mixture into your beef all over. Place the sliced onions into a small roaster with a lid. Put the seasoned beef on top of the onions. Mix the soup and the water together in a jug and then pour it around the brisket in the roaster. Put the lid on and then bake in the heated oven for about an hour and a half to two hours, until the meat is really tender and the gravy is nice and thick. (Check it occasionally to make sure that it is not cooking dry. Mine didn't and I didn't need to add any more water, but better to be safe than sorry.)

Remove from the oven and remove the meat from the roaster to a platter to let rest. Let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve thickly sliced, along with some of the gravy from the roaster spooned over top. Delicious!


17 comments:

  1. Ohhh, I'd love to see some more little boy cards, as I have a little one of my own.

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  2. Yes those e. mails are a pain Marie.I think we have all had them from time to time.I hope the pantry hasn't had any visitors like last year when you did a tidy up LOL!! I am like Todd got to have a place for everything and put things back where they belong.Happy to say Rooster is the
    same as Todd and I.So it's three to one Marie come on get that pantry tidied LOL!!Love the card it's wonderful.OH! how I adore little boys.The recepe as usual looks yummy.Have a great shopping time.Take Care God Bless Kath xx

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  3. Guess what.... I just got notified that I won the Spanish lottery too.... I am so excited... now we will have plenty of money to spend on our trip together.... who would have thought that we both would win the same lottery when neither of us bought a ticket!!! Are we lucky or what!!!

    Actually, I do feel like I've won the lottery I am so excited to meet you my friend.

    I loved todays post.. now I that I've read it I must get to bed.

    Have a good weekend. Love, Lura

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  4. That is a great list of important words. I'll be thinking about that all day.

    And keep coming with the little boy drawings.

    It may be a pain to put the larder to rights, but luckily you have a naturally tidy person in your house -- I've four (including me, because Rose doesn't count yet) in my house that find tidy-up "boring" & putting things away tedious, so at least things don't get out of control for you!

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  5. I was glad to see you mentioned those bogus e-mails. A very good warning to others not to reply to them in any way. They come to my in box all the time. Sometimes they are in the junk mail box but all the same there is always one. I do hope no one falls for their line. Good to remember never to give out personal info on the internet. I hope your day is a great one with shopping and cleaning. Saturdays are the day most of us do that. The trouble is one day is really not long enough for it all. Take good care.
    'On Ya'-ma

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  6. It sounds lovely! I love your new card!

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  7. What a lovely verse starts your entry today ,and the the important words ,good luck with the pantry ,I have to defrost one of my freezers yuk Ahh well ..love Jan xx

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  8. Sometimes those e-mails make me mad Marie and then other times I think what a sad life to lead if you're continuously trying to cheat people. Sigh. Why can't everyone just be nice! I need to clean out my pantry too - but not today. :) blessings, marlene

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  9. Marie, enjoy your weekend of drawing, cooking, baking and pottering around.

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  10. i get those emails too. makes me very angry. lol.
    have a great day!
    tina

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  11. I seem to not get those emails anymore. Maybe they gave up on me. Althought I tightened the filters on my computer so maybe that helps. I know since I did that I get up to 20 or 30 emails, daily in my "Spam Email" which I always check because sometimes a real legitimate email slips into that section. I love your little boy card. So very cute. I just love all of your drawing...such a precious talent God has bestowed on you. I know your departure day is getting closer & you're getting more excited. Have a blessed weekend. Linda in Washington state

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  12. Hi, Marie! I'm late getting here to see you too! It's been a busy couple of days lately...LOL! Hope so much you've been having a nice day out shopping and such, and making ready for your trip--so exciting! We've been out ourselves today on a fun outing, which I hope to post about after the weekend. LOVE your new sketch--that little boy is sooo cute! Todd's right--a few more boys in the cards would be great! ;o) Looking forward to a chat before you leave for American...So happy for you!! LOVE YOU HEAPS!! ((BIG HUGS))

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  13. That little boy is darling, Marie. He reminds me of Alfalfa on the "Little Rascals". Boy, am I dating myself with THAT comment! LOL! I have to have a perfectly ordered pantry. Edwin's the one that puts things out of order and it niggles me a bit. The rest of the house could be as cluttered as can be and it doesn't even bother me. There's just something about that pantry . . .
    Love, Susie

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  14. oh, i loved the "food for thought" at the top of this post. definitely something to think about...hey, i gave you a little something over at my place. you may already have received it before, but oh well! i wanted you to know i think you have an awesome blog full of gratitude and i really admire you!

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  15. That little boy picture is just precious! I hate cleaning out the pantry. It just gets messy so quickly around here.

    Your brisket looks tasty!

    XOXOXOXO
    Jen

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  16. Marie I love your posts. I had to chuckle at the lottery stuff and all everynight I tell Joe hey, honey we're millionaires where would you like to go visit. It's amazing that people have that much time on their hands. I guess if all you do is scam then you can come up with all kinds. I love your brisket recipe here in South Texas brisket is quite an almost everyday item great on sale but I like to buy the butcher's choice a lot less fat. Great foods for thought.

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  17. Look at you quoting Lou Holtz!! I LOVE LOU!!
    xx

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