The Simple Woman's Day book

FOR TODAY, March 29th, 2011...

Outside My Window...
It's clear and cool. The day promises to be very nice. We best enjoy it as it won't last. It is supposed to turn to rain by the end of the week. It is hard to believe, but this is my last day book entry of March! Is it just me, or is this year already racing by at the speed of sound???

I am thinking...
It will have been a year in just a couple of days since we moved back to Chester. A lot of things have changed in that year. Last year, at this time . . . our heads were just reeling at all that had happened to us in just a few short weeks, loss of job, home . . . Jess . . . we were really standing on the precipace of the unknown and it was so very frightening. We didn't have any idea of what the future held for us, but we had our faith and each other. Really that's all anyone needs I guess . . . faith and someone to love. So here we are a year later . . . we have our faith (still!). We have each other (still!). We've got Mitzie (a joy!). We had to give up our new car, but we were blessed with a really good second hand one at a really decent price. We lost Angie, which still breaks my heart, but Lura and John have been preserved, a real blessing. No full time job, but I do have my rubber stamp thing, which while it doesn't provide a ton of money for us, it's a start, and I get to be creative. The year has been a happy mix of good and bad, which is all anyone can ask for in their lives.

I am thankful for...
Well the thing that I am most thankful for this week is that Lura and John are still here!!! I spoke to her again yesterday via the telephone and she sounded even better. She has her computer in her hospital room now so she is able to read and your messages mean the world to her. You can leave one anytime you like on Grammy's News. It is expected that she will be in ICU for at least another week. She is still in a lot of pain, which is to be expected, but she is here and she is alive and she is oh so loved by oh so many! Please continue to pray for her as she needs your prayers so very much. Her friend Sil has updated her page again with more news and was flying out to Utah to be with her last night so that she can stay with her in the hospital during the week. What a blessing that will be for Lura. If you read this Lura. WE LOVE YOU!!

From the kitchen...
There are some scrummy bars I made yesterday, but other than that not alot. The missionaries are coming for their tea tonight and I promised them a Pecan Pie, so I will be baking one of those today. I am also making a lasagna. Did you hear Todd groan . . . ugh!!! Never mind, he'll eat it and enjoy it anyways! (Coz I said so, that's why!)

I am wearing...
A blue nightie, white jim jam bottoms, my blue robe and my slippers. I know, an odd combination, but very comfy and so me!

I am creating...


This is my latest creation. I quite like her. As always she is available as a print or a notecard. I also continue to work on designing new stamps. If you would like to see the ones that are already available you can check them out here.

I am going...
It's a very quiet week this week really. We have a Relief Society extra meeting on Thursday evening which I am going to. We are supposed to bring in a jam jar and some of the extra special acts of service we have been the recipients of. It sounds like it will be an interesting evening. Then this weekend is our church's General Conference. I love General Conference. I love listening to our leaders speak and the wisdom they have to share with us. I love listening to the Tabernacle Choir. It is always so very inspiring from the beginning to the end.

I am reading...




Tatty, by Christine Dwyer Hickey

I am still reading and still loving this book. As the story begins, we are in 1964, and Caroline, known as `Tatty' to her family, is 4 years old. Her nickname is a play on the words tell-tale-tattler - she earns it because she's unable to keep secrets. She lives near Dublin with her Mam and Dad and her sisters - Jeannie who is two years older than her and Deirdre who has learning difficulties - and her two younger brothers.

Tatty's parents are drunks who have a volatile relationship. Tatty is particularly close to her Dad, and at times her Mam is very jealous of this closeness. As her parents' relationship breaks down, her mother's drinking becomes steadily worse, and she becomes more aggressive towards her children as they witness their parents' unhappiness.

Warm, sweet, funny, sad and unsentimental. A great read thus far!

I am hoping...
My greatest hope at the moment is that Lura continues to improve and that John stays well, and that things get back to normal for them as soon as possible.

I am hearing...
Early morning sounds . . . the house cracking and snapping as it comes alive. The birds are singing loudly in the back garden. We noticed yesterday that they have been stealing straw out of one of our planters, so they are definitely nesting. The tadpoles in the pond have hatched so with any luck the bird song will soon be joined with the ribbeting of frogs!

Around the house...
Ironing. Ironing. and more Ironing. Because we don't have a clothers drier we end up having to iron just about everything. sigh . . . One day I will have a clothes drier.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
Not a lot really. It's a pretty quiet week. I might be able to crack on with my spring cleaning then, which actually sounds like a lot of fun to me! Tis good to clear out the cobwebs and get things sparkling again, don't you think!


Here is picture thought I am sharing...



Saw this and fell in love with it. I think it will look quite nice framed and hung in our bedroom. Who doesn't love Mr Darcy! It just ain't human not to!!

And just as a closing thought for today . . .

Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.... Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.
~Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1811

I love Jane Austin. So prim and so proper and so wise. I think I shall dig out my copy of Pride and Prejudice and watch it later on today . . . sigh . . . I just love Colin Firth.

And there you have it . . . my day book for this week. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!

Here's a delicious pork chop recipe that I adapted from an old cookbook of mine by Taste of Home, called Country Pork. You can't beat Taste of Home for good and tasty recipies! It's good old home cooking. The original recipe called for cooking the pork chops on a barbeque grill (covered). Todd is not a barbequer person. He doesn't really like it, so I adapted the recipe to cooking it under my oven grill. It's delicious!


Photo from Taste of Home

*Cordon Bleu Pork Chops*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Pork chops marinated and then stuffed with ham and cheese and grilled to delicious perfection! Oh so tasty!

4 bone in pork loin chops, cut 1 inch thick
1/2 cup of tomato ketchup
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of white vinegar
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
2 TBS minced dried onion
1 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of dry mustard powder
4 thin slices of fully cooked ham
4 slices of part skim mozzarella cheese

Combine the first ten ingredients in a plastic shallow container with a lid. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture to use when grilling the chops and set it aside. Cut a pocket into the side of each pork chop. Add them to the marinade, turning them to coat. Cover with the lid and then place in the refrigerator to chill overnight, turning them occasionally.

When you are ready to cook them, remove them from the refrigerator. Drain well and discard any marinade left in the container. Place a cheese slice on top of each slice of ham. Roll up jelly roll style. Insert one ham/cheese roll into each pocket in the pork chops. Secure with toothpicks.

Heat up the grill in your oven to medium. (Broiler) Place the chops onto a grill pan and grill, turning and basting occasionally with the reserved marinade, for 25 to 35 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and all the juices run clear. Remove the toothpicks and serve. I like to serve salad and escalloped potatoes with these. Delicious!



Over in The English Kitchen today, some very tasty Nutell-O's!!