Bad Stoves!

I'm very excited today.

See the apartments we live in have a rule that you can only have gas stoves/ovens. So when we moved in, that's what we bought. A brand new one.

I didn't really grow up with gas, because it was expensive, and my parents and grandparents were always afraid of the leaks, etc you could have. So I wasn't too sure about how things were supposed to be with them.

So basically our oven/stove has been faulty ever since I bought it-10 years ago, if I had known it was bad, I would of returned it, and got something else.

But, first I thought, because my husband fried a lot of foods, that he was making the greasy oily mess that was all over the kitchen, and was so hard to get clean. Like trying to scrape off super glue or something!

Any way, my mom came and visited me, cleaned every thing up, and then boiled eggs......just boiling eggs the sticky super glue like orange oil was every where again! My mom told me there was something wrong. My husband concluded we had bad gas lines. But, again didn't know much about it, so I went with that. And if you have bad gas lines, and there's a rule that you can't have electric, I lived with it all these years.

Come to find out others, on message boards, who have my same oven, said the same thing. It's a bad oven/stove!

Now it doesn't even work, and every thing in the house basically has a thin layer of this sticky crud on it!

I've been wanting a vintage oven for years. My mom has one from the 50's that I LOVE! I mean LOVE. It's a GE hotpoint, with above range oven. I like hers also because the above range oven door, opens out and up.....on a hinge, trying to think of something else that opens like that, but can't. Any way.....I'm very short and have been wanting a oven above for a long time that the door didn't go down, because I am at risk for being burned as I can't reach back that far as short as I am, with the door in the way, even if I'm at the side, I'm only 4'8.

I also wanted a vintage one, because of quality. I hate the shoddy workmanship, and quality of new things today.

Well, I found a vintage one. It's not a hotpoint, and doesn't have a above oven like my mom's, but it does have a above oven. It opens like a microwave though, instead of up. But, it's a double oven! I do like my mom's a bit better cause below is a cabinet for storage, HUGE! and hers is that pretty retro robins egg blue, even to having the blue pinstripes painted on the glass door of the oven. BUT, I've always wanted a double oven too! And now I will finally get one. They are so expensive at stores today, and I doubt very good quality. They are thousands of dollars, and have to be built in. This one isn't built in. In my opinion a plus, so it can easily move with us! It's a 70's style, so not my favorite decade. I like 40's-50's better. But, better then the stuff I see today.

So I'm super excited! I'll finally be able to cook and bake again!

Here it is!
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To top the day off a good friend of mine was cleaning and found a digital Weight Watchers food scale, and remembered I had wanted one. So she is giving it to me. I use a food scale every day at every meal. But, mine has a sticky layer of gas on it, from the bad oven. Since the face plate is plastic, I can't get it clean! I can only get the gas off glass, or metal, with a lot of elbow grease and brillo!

So I am getting this at just the right time. It won't get ruined by our old gas oven. And is something I have been wanting for a while!

Her Leg!

Vince's poor grandma had her leg amputated Wednesday. Poor thing, has been having leg pain and trouble since Vince and I got married 9 years ago. They have done many surgeries and it just got worse and worse, till the last time it got gangrene.

We went up to see her yesterday but they wouldn't let Lela go up! Grrr NYC! In Kansas they would of let her see her.

We took her a new lancet so hopefully they can start using it instead of butchering hands with those hospital lancets.

She said she is feeling so much better already. She didn't realize how sick she was, till now that she is feeling so much better.

We are sad for her loss of her leg, but very happy she is finally out of the pain she has been in all these years! She said she didn't even need pain medication yesterday. So she's very happy and feeling so much better.

We're hoping she continues to just get better each day.

I won this!

I won a beautiful photograph from a sister who has a wonderful Etsy shop and takes awesome photos that she sells. I can't believe I won, and it's beautiful. She had so many beautiful photos it was hard to pick the one I wanted, but decided since we are leaving NYC, to choose the one of the Brooklyn Bridge, where you can see Bethel in the back ground, I have always loved that scene, even though I usually do not like "city" photos and am usually into nature photos. I know I can always get more nature photographs later in life. Getting a great picture of Bethel, taken by a sister may never happen again, so that's how I finally decided.

Any way, I'm super excited to get it! And I'm sure, I'll be displaying it proudly in our home, when we get one! Until then, I'll try to keep it stored nice and safe. As we don't have very good walls for hanging stuff here.

Other then that, we are still having cat poo problems, which I don't understand, since we have had her over a month and it just started last week. I just don't know what to do.

Fun Times

Had a wonderful day yesterday! So many scores!

The day started off with finally a hot bath, as our building often lacks hot water. Then the cat fell in the tub with me. Funny to me, not to her!

Due to gift certificates from Mypoints, I was able to get a new outfit, and a new skirt all for less then 22 dollars.

Then I went to lunch at Ikea, and got 15 meatballs, gravy, lindenberry sauce, and fresh steamed new potatoes for 4 dollars, I was stuffed! Not too stuffed though, not to try a fresh from the oven cinnamon roll for 1.00. Only a few bites though.

Then it was off to the garage sales, where I scored! Vintage Mirro, that I have paid 25 dollars or more for on Ebay! I got for 1.00! So happy! I also seen jewelry I personally made in high school there, along with my classmates jewelry she made. We made it for NFTE-National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, which was based here in NYC. It was a mixture of odd and neat to see my jewelry there, I didn't buy any of it though. Didn't have the money really......but gave me a little thrill, wish I had had a camera and could of taken pictures though.

Then on the way home, I seen a great curb find! A play kitchen for Lela! FREE SCORE! hahaha So now Lela has a kitchen! She has been wanting on so badly!

Then hurried home, made my favorite Layered Party Pea Salad, bought ingredients for my favorite party punch, which were all on sale. I have been looking high and low for lard, because I need to season my skillets again, and I have been wanting to experiment on making popcorn on top of the stove in the whirly pop with it, but haven't been able to find it any where. When I have asked store clerks they have told me they don't know what I am talking about! And never heard of it. I explained it to a young woman store clerk the other day, and she wrinkled up her nose, and said NO I have never heard of that! And we don't have it. (in a disgusted tone!) So of course when I seen it, I had to buy it! Then we headed off to a brother and sister's 44th anniversary. When I got there, I forgot I had bought the lard, and just brought all the groceries into the kitchen. Sisters started unloading my bags, because I was doing other things. And they found the lard, one yelled Heather I put the lard in the fridge, um...how is lard used in the punch? hahaha it's not!

Any way, the punch was very well like as it was gone with in 10 minutes, and I had to send Vince to the store for stuff to make more! Needless to say it was all drank up too, and every one loved it. Thank goodness the VFW provides a bar tender, as he was able to keep making the punch, or I wouldn't of been able to keep up with the punch and have fun at the party! hahaha Had a great time at the party.

It was so cute, as it was a surprise party for the brother and sister (we barely made it in time, but we made it before them! YEAH!), and they were so shocked they went running back out the door when we yelled surprise! hahaha Then they were both crying. They were so touched. They are such a sweet and loving couple, it felt good to be part of giving them something, that we could tell and they told us meant so much to them.

Lela danced her pants off! haha And when we got to the car, she said that was a good dance. She was also ecstatic they let her bring home balloons too. It was Lela's kind of party, all her favorite things were there-dancing, cake, and balloons.

And surprise surprise, Lela likes Jamaican food, she ate a whole lot of Jamaican beef patties, I wish I had had one...but I was trying to wait in case there was other carbs I wanted there. But, there really wasn't, and by that time, all the tiny appetizer size saffron pastry wrapped beef (beef patties) was gone!

The rest of the menu consisted of salad, ox tail over rice and peas, curried goat, more rice, ham, turkey, fresh fish-I believe sea bass, green beans, cabbage, fried chicken, and stewed chicken. The stewed chicken was VERY VERY spicy. Note to self...avoid stewed chicken, unless I have gallons of water to wash it down with! hahaha

Deer Park

We did our bimonthly shopping. Went to Deer Park outlet, I had a 5 dollar gift certificate for visiting the Branson outlet, Vince had a 5 dollar gift certificate for visiting Branson, and he had a 10 dollar one for his yearly anniversary complimentary gift certificate. We went to buy a popcorn popper from Le Gourmet Chef, between all the gift certificates, and the 20% off coupon that came with our outlet membership, needless to say it was free, plus we had money left on one of the gift certificates!

A good/bad thing-my favorite children's dress apparel shop has went down in prices, by at least half, and most of it only a 1/3 of the price new used to be. But, also in my opinion this years clothes just don't look as good of quality as before, even though they say it's the same. I don't know. There was no thick clothing this year for fall, all very light weight materials. Last year, I got Lela a nice thick chocolate velvet dress, with a heavy color (the weight of the fabric went with the weight of the velvet), and a nice heavy thick corduroy dress with a ton of embroidery on it. This year it was all thin cotton stuff. Some very cute, some a little on the skimpy side of quality I think, I am not sure yet. I'll have to go back a few more times, and look things over some more.

And on some HUGE news! Lela ate ketchup on her french fries today at Red Lobster. She has dipped her fries many times in ketchup but never eats it, she always makes Vince or I. She's not into mixing foods. Well she finally tried it, and liked it! And continued to eat them like that the rest of the meal! It's something small, but maybe she will try a few other "mixed" foods now!

Over the Moon

I'm still over the moon! Yesterday I found out, that with Windows Media Player we could read the lyrics to all the new songs! Boy was that fun. There is not one song that has been left untouched. This is going to be hard to learn new words to old melodies, but should be fun. We plan on practicing during our Family Worship Night. Hopefully by November the society will have the study Watchtower uploaded and we'll know what songs we are assigned for January and work on those extra!

For now, Lela and I have been singing our hearts out with the new songs. I will have to take a photograph of Lela cause she likes to use a lincoln log as a microphone, while singing them!

New Songs

I woke up at the crack of dawn this morning excited about our new Kingdom song downloads. I was so excited! Finally a little after 8 am I was able to begin downloading.

It's going to be a TV and other audio free day today. Today is dedicated to Jehovah and the new songs he has provided us with. I love them!

So far I think my favorites are, This is the way (it's been redone), Now we are one (obviously one of our new wedding songs, absolutely breath taking, had me crying!), Sowing Kingdom Seed (redone), and I think my absolute favorite right now is Jehovah's warm appeal: "Be wise my son"-it's as if Jehovah is pleading with us to just accept him and obey him. It's so heart warming and touching!

I was so touched by them, I was literally crying listening to them the first time.

All I have to say is thank Jehovah for these new songs today, because in other news, the cat poo'd three times in the bathroom and hallway. First time ever not in her litter box, and I've had to give her two baths today! She and I aren't very happy with one another this morning! hahaha

My diabetic educator also called this morning to check on me. She is so nice to me all the time! She always remembers me! Even how we met on DLife. So refreshing to know some one who remembers people! My endocrinologist I've been going to for nearly 10 years, never remembers who I am! I've only known Marie for 4 years and she always remembers me, how we met when she was doing a segment on DLife with Nichole Johnson-Baker (former Miss America) on type 1 diabetes and pregnancy, and every thing about me. So that was sweet of her to call and check on me this morning.

I am keeping my focus on the new songs, and how beautiful they are, and just loving and endearing, a true gift from Jehovah. They are going to keep me on a high for quite some time!

Convention

We finished up the rest of the convention a couple of weekends ago and it was wonderful. The assembly hall was beautiful too. In the loveliest sitting in the mountains. It was breath taking driving back to the hotel each evening-fog all around the mountain, beautiful lake, just awe inspiring.

We watched the new DVD as a family and it was a really nice production as well. It's words about how creation can also bring you close to Jehovah sure does coincide with the breath taking views we had each evening after the convention.

It's finally fall, and my favorite time of year. We've been eating the bounty of the harvest and loving every bite-zucchini, corn on the cob, watermelon.......it's been yummy!

I think next month we will find a apple orchard and take the children apple picking at least I hope so, that or a pumpkin patch. Anything to get outside in the fresh air around nature.

I got a new recipe program called Living Cookbook, and having a lot of fun learning to use it.

I also found some of my closet friends I had growing up, online a few months ago. Sadly their father died a week and a half ago, he was only 60. *sigh* I feel so sad for my friends. It's hard to imagine, people my age are already losing their parents and I worry for the day I lose mine.

Lela is growing up so fast, she is so funny. I told her she turned three the other day, and she said, I didn't turn around and be three! I grew up and am three. lol haha

And huge news! We got a kitten. She is beautiful. A seal point Himalayan Persian. She's been a wonderful pet so far, and Lela of course is loving her to death!

I was looking at houses in Baxter Springs thinking about moving there, and showed Lela one of the houses, and she was very excited it had a swing set, she said that was the one she wanted! The one with a park in the back! haha

On another sad note though, Vince's grandma has been having leg problems for years now. And they may have to amputate. Which will be very sad, since she is so independent. I don't know what she will do!

Hate to end on a sad theme, but must go. I'll try to update again soon.