"Best By" dates

I got sick again the other day. This is the third time in about two months that I've had what I consider symptoms of food poisoning. So this got me to thinking about what I have in my cupboard. I have received emails warning of out-dated foods, but never pursued the labels in my cupboard before. Here's a little look at mine, with an admonition that you go look in your own pantry. You might be surprised at what you find!

Here is one of three cans of pineapple tidbits that pass inspection. They expire in January '09. Looks like I need to fix a fruit salad pretty soon!

A can of ripe olives also passes the test - I have another two years to open this one up.

Adrian is safe too - this rice cereal and another box of oatmeal are both safe - thank God.

Notice this one says "better" if used by 14May08. I guess it would have been best if I'd used it at the beginning of '08. Too late now - it's going into the trash!

Here's a real corker. This box of Lipton noodle soup is what I used to make myself a bowl of soup the other night when I was feeling sick! Yikes! It's more than two years out of date! What was I thinking???

Here's one that is particularly troubling. The emails I have read are specific about mixes that contain yeast. Well, doesn't "Hot Roll" mix contain yeast? Maybe there's an individual packet of yeast in the box that could be thrown out and replaced by a fresh one, but who wants to take that chance? And this one expired on my 40th wedding anniversary! That's right, in 2007!

Here's another that is going into the trash. Even though the cookies are already prepared and sealed, I don't want to even taste a two-year old cookie!

This is particularly sad. Each of these bread mixes costs around $4 and two of them have been in my cupboard well over two years. And those were the Cheese-Herb breads! I can't believe I am that absent-minded. I may look inside the '08 box and see if the yeast packet is separate. I have half a mind to make a loaf of that one with some fresh yeast.

Not only is this Minute Rice expired, it is opened! Egads!

Just to show you that Treasure gets equal billing with humans in this household, her Barley Dog nutrients are expired too. This is definitely an equal-opportunity pantry looking for a victim.

I bare my cupboard to you as a way of warning. I found out yesterday that even "fresh" food can grow moldy. I'm going to be much more vigilant from now on. And, yes, tomorrow I'm cleaning out the cupboard!

Pumpkin doughnuts!

I saw a recipe in my Cuisine at Home magazine about a month ago for pumpkin doughnuts and it looked pretty easy and very seasonal. So I've been waiting for the right time to get all my stuff out to make them. Just one trip to the store for buttermilk and I was all ready!

I found that as long as I was prepared, meaning I had everything all out on the counter and the dough was cut, then the process ran very smoothly. They cook up quickly, so I had no time to waste!

The recipe called for both a cinnamon-sugar coating and a glaze made from apple cider and powdered sugar. We're not counting calories, just flavors!

Right now my little grandson is taste testing for me and I hear lots of satisfied "ummmm's"! Now all I have to do is clean up my mess!

Playtime!

Adrian continues to discover the world around him. He has one toy that rolls and makes music and he gets lots of mileage out of his Grandpa with that one! Here they are enjoying the game of "roll the toy". And guess who wants to get in on the action?

My normally docile little Treasure has now learned that Adrian means business when she gets too close! The other day he pulled her fur one time too many and she turned to him and barked loudly, as if to say "Stop it!" We are going to have to be very diligent hereafter!

Keep Off the Grass!

When Treasure and I go walking we always have one of two options: we can go to the right and walk toward the community pool, or we can go to the left and head up to the boulevard that runs alongside our division. We try to mix it up, going to the right in the morning and the left in the evening. Makes life more interesting!

Treasure, being the sweet little girl that she is, surprised me with a habit that I had attributed only to boy dogs, that of "marking" her territory! She sniffs and checks to see who's been around, then marks that spot to let her friends know she was there too! And that, as you know, requires grass, preferably green, soft, St. Augustine grass!

Imagine her dismay when we rounded the corner to find this very unwelcome sign! They couldn't mean Treasure! One little dog with barely a thimble-full of pee (which we are grateful to be able to expel, thank you very much - if they only knew our story!).

So now comes the Terrier tug-of-war: it's "me against the masses" and with all the strength in her compact little frame, she forces her way toward the prize. That's when the Terrier in me had to pull and prevail, dragging her coughing and choking off the grass and onto the cold, impersonal pavement, devoid of the scent of her canine co-conspirators.

"Cough! Cough! Wheeze!"

Cousins and Stairs

Okay, I finally found the picture I had been looking for, showing the front porch steps of the house on Guenther Street. Judging by the looks of my kids I would date this around 1979 or 1980. Three families represented here are grand- and great-grandchildren of Joe McAuliffe (as well as two of his children).

Anyway, I brought out the picture to show that there had been steps up to the porch and I believe there was (is?) a door leading into the dining room from the porch. It certainly made a great backdrop for a bunch of cousins!

Here you can see where the steps were removed and railing extended all around the porch.


Here is another picture from that same day of the cousins sitting on the steps inside the house. This is just a glimpse of the workmanship that was involved in this house. These stairs, of course, wound up three floors to the top level, and behind this landing were the steps leading to the basement. If walls could talk... well, you know the saying! Some time I must get the siblings to share their tales and record them for the next generations.

Walk Down Memory Lane

I've been looking through boxes of old photos of the kids growing up and I guess that has made Graham nostalgic. So this morning he wanted to go eat breakfast at the Guenther House at the Pioneer Flour Mill, which is just across the street from the house where he grew up.

So after a nice breakfast we set out for a walk down memory lane, or more accurately, Guenther Street. This is the house where he spent his high school years and college summers. It's a magnificent, historical home, three stories and a basement, built back at the turn of the century - maybe even before that.

His parents lived there when we married and we spent several nights in it before moving to San Antonio ourselves. I remember stories about the "Wilson ghost" who would turn the lights off and on in the dining room! And the "tales from the crypt, er, basement" were all about the antics of four kids living on the lowest floor of the house. What fun it must have been, listening in on ghost stories and other scary happenings!
The house was up for sale about a year ago. We picked up a flyer, just to see what changes had been made and how much the asking price was. Would you believe just under a million dollars!?! Graham's daddy bought it back in the early 1950's for around $25,000! This is an indication of the neighborhood renewal movement in downtown San Antonio. Lots and lots of houses in this area are being bought and restored and increasing the value of the area.

The house looks pretty much the same on the outside. The porch has been reconstructed a bit and a large concrete step was removed from the front of the porch. Most of the upgrade has been done inside, especially in the kitchen. And a nice deck was added at the back of the house. Right where Graham's elbow is where the concrete steps were. I know there is a picture in one of those boxes of all the grandchildren sitting on those steps. If I find it I'll scan and post it here.

Needless to say, this home has been designated as "historical" by the San Antonio Conservation Society. Graham's mother was active in that club for many years. She would be happy to know that her efforts were rewarded. You can see the placque right there on the porch rail.

So, I guess these memory walks are good to take every so often. I know when I go back to Wichita Falls I love to drive down Speedway where I grew up, or over on Taft where I went to grade school. Sometimes I like to trace the route between Zundy and the old high school and smell the bread baking at the little bakery on the way. And then I'll check Montego and see if the new owners have made any changes to Mother and Dad's house. It's just in our nature to go back and remember.

I'm studying the Psalms of Ascent in my ladies' Bible study and learning the importance of remembering our past, but also remember where our help comes from, who holds our present and our future. And that's a very comforting thought in these days of uncertainty.

Feeling Puny

Treasure's feeling a little puny today. She did so well last week taking her antibiotics, so I suppose they have finally caught up with her. Her appetite waned a little yesterday, and today I can barely get her to eat cheese. And she's had diahrrea this morning. So she's just going to take it easy for the rest of the day and chill out behind the sewing machine.

The good news is that Adrian and Meredith are on the good side of their tummy troubles. Meredith brought over some delicious homemade chicken soup for lunch today.

Penicillin for the soul!

UPDATE**

It's now 10 p.m. and Treasure has made a total recovery! She ate some kibble and has been chewing/playing with her rawhide strip!

Ludee's Box

I mentioned that I had purchased a nice wicker box for Adrian's toys that are at my house. Treasure was the first to recognize the benefits of the box (see post below) as a nice perch from which to observe the goings on in the house. I thought it would also serve as an ottoman for the wicker chair (my usual posture is feet up). Then it was time for Adrian to check out the box for himself and see what treasures it held.

It's a good sized box, roomy enough to hold lots of books and blocks, and even a couple of larger toys. But it's not so big that this little man can't tip it toward himself and see what's inside!
Look, Ludee! Look, Mommy!
Adrian is very good at taking everything out of the box. Recently, though, he has learned how to hand each of his toys to his Mommy or Ludee to be placed back in the box!

But before anything goes back in we have to enjoy playtime and maybe find something new in Ludee's Box!

Revisiting Old Tricks

Murphy came over after work today to get the latest doctor report on Treasure. He is her biggest fan and loves to play with her every chance he gets. And she responds to him more than to anyone else. So he always starts off by demanding a "Westie roll." And she immediately plops on the floor and begins to roll back and forth, laughing and smiling until he is satisfied.

Today was no different. She assures us she is still a happy dog and feels great!

Over and back... over and back!

Ha ha ha ha ha! Don't tell me dogs don't laugh!

There are happy sounds accompanying the smile!

So now we are wondering if Treasure remembers how she used to stand and beg for a treat. It had been a while since she's even had a treat, as so much of the pet food has either wheat or corn in it and Treasure is allergic to both. Last week I was strolling through a Home Store and came across some natural dog treats with no wheat or corn and brought them home for her to try.

So Murphy calls her over and starts the routine.

First she has to "sit."Then she's supposed to "sit up." Wait, Treasure, you have to sit up first!

Good girl!

So maybe you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but old dogs can remember their old ones!

It was a very good day!