Angel Food...

With Christie living on such a limited budget in Georgia, I decided to enroll her in the Angel Food Ministries program for August. Just to see what it's like, I enrolled as well. I wanted to see what she was getting for my money.

I went this morning to pick up my order and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of food I received. All the meats and vegetables in the Signature box were flash frozen. I was amazed at the quality of the fresh vegetables and fruits in the Veggie box. The peaches are big and juicy. I plan to make a peach-mango-onion salsa to go on my chicken. I also got a box of 12 seasoned chicken breasts for $22 as we love to grill.

I paid $52.00 for Christie's boxes of food, $2.00 extra for being an Internet order. And $74.00 for our Internet order. For all that I got, I feel like it's a lot of food.

Angel Food is open to participation to anyone of any income level. It would be a great deal for RVers and I'm sure lots of full-timers take advantage of it. This morning I saw college students, single mothers and dads, families with little ones in tow all helping to get the food to their cars.

I was told the local Angel Food group was trying to get more participation as the more that is ordered, free boxes of food are added to the total order so the church group can offer those free boxes to the local food bank and homeless families who could not otherwise afford them. This program is all across the US. I was pleased that I participated and hoped I made a difference in someones life.

Another nice feature is you don't have to purchase the signature box before you can purchase a specialty box. You can pick and choose what boxes you would like. Just be sure to take shopping bags or a box in which to put your food in.

I talked to Christie after she picked up her order and she was commenting on how much food there was and she seemed pleased in what all she got. She was in the process of thawing out the hamburger meat to make spaghetti for dinner.

If you've not tried the Angel Food program yet, click on the link and check it out. I think you will be pleased. I know I am.

Happy trails....

P.S. I have new followers, welcome anonymous and Mountain Born. Glad to have you aboard.

Move In Day...

Today started like any other day at our house, getting ready for work, feeding the dogs, making coffee and heading out the door to go to work. Except what I forgot was, that it was move in day for thousands of students with their parents in tow, helping them move in over the next 4 days.

The line-up of cars was unbelievable just to find a parking spot to unload the necessary things for dorm life, the all important mini refrigerator, the rolling 3 drawer storage unit loaded with who knows what. Mattress, bedding, suitcases, on and on it went. Then everyone heads to Wal-Mart afterwards to pick up those all so important items to finish out their move, once again with Mom or Dad in tow "the purse strings", to purchase a hefty supply of the oh so needed study snacks, paper plates, toilet paper and the ever so important bottled water. Heaven forbid if one should forget the bottled water.

Trying to get me to work was a feat in itself. We had to figure out detours and round abouts to avoid the mayhem less than a half a block away from where I work.

From my fourth floor office window, the students moving into housing looked like an army of ants hurrying and scurrying to get their cars unloaded. Oh so many trips to accomplish this. To top the day off, the power went down across the campus due to an overheated air-conditioning chiller. We were down for about 30 to 45 minutes. One of our employees was briefly stuck in the elevator but luckily she was able to get out in spite of her short lived panic.

Tents were set up so parking and transportation employees could inform not only the students but parents about parking procedures at the school and if your student who is not an Honors dorm student parks in an Honors dorm students parking spot, he or she will get a ticket and a hefty one at that. All sorts of kiosks were set about between the housing towers with tons of information spewing from them to the waiting hands of the wide eyed but unknowing new incoming students.

When I left work today at five, it still looked like an army of ants on the move. I would have to say another school year has started and the City of Norman wipes the summer sleep from her eyes and prepares for another 9 months of college life and football Saturdays.

Hopefully when we go to work on Monday we will be able to get our parking spots back.

BOOMER SOONER!

More Clutter Cleared...

A few weeks ago I wrote about clearing clutter while Dave was gone to Georgia. Today we resumed our endeavors and cleared and moved furniture, removed more pet hair, got the potato crop harvested and corralled the dust bunnies. It's amazing how stuff multiples when your not looking. We moved the piano (which is for sale)over toward the window and the credenza from under the window to where the piano use to be. Boy does it make a difference in how large it makes the room look. I also got the bookcase cleaned and moved under the window. Christie did not take her Harry Potter books so they now have a place to reside. I've been looking at trailers, my friend Bobbie steered me toward Jayco trailers and I found the one that I'm interested in. It is a Jayco Eagle 322FKS. I like the fact that it has a King bed and the shower is separate from the john. It's got a larger than normal kitchen and I know I won't feel cramped working in it. Now we wait for a year or so, so the price can drop some more on a used trailer and we will be set to go.

If you've ever read the comic strip Zits you know that Jeremy is a teenage boy whose parents are electronically challenged and trying to fit in with texting and such. Well that is us. We have managed to not text until this week when we upgraded our phones. Guess what! We like it. I can now get instant pictures of the our grandson. Both Dave and I got the Samsung Sunburst ,for a free phone it sure is a nice one. We are having a ball learning how to use it, however it is nice to actually talk to someone in a long conversation, but for that quick question texting is ok. Old dog learns new tricks.

I have a lot of recipes hanging around and another RV friend suggested that I scan them and put them on a flash drive so...that is what I did this evening. While cleaning out a basket of papers I came across recipes that dated back to 1995. Ya never know what you'll find lurking in the shadows.

Well...clothes to fold and showers to take, another work week awaits us.

Happy trails.

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy days of Summer

Bring on the soda, pretzel and beer. I sure could use some iced tea or water though. I am not a beer drinker because I'm allergic to the hops that is used to make it. I can have a sip now and then but to drink a full beer will make me swell up like a toad. Sodas...I can do without the sugar but will have one once in a great while. Wine, I can drink and I like it.

I like summer, I really do especially if I am in a cooler spot than where I am now. Another 103+ day here and suppose to be 104+ tomorrow, keep in mind that is with the heat index. The heat is oppressive due to the humidity and the tropical storm that is moving ashore in Louisiana is not helping. Our section of the United State is locked in under a high pressure dome and the heat is miserable. We may have a chance of rain Sunday or Monday but I wouldn't hold my breath. Everything is drying up and shriveling on the vine so to speak.

The OU pool looks inviting and I just may partake this weekend since I can swim for free.

I've asked Dave to get my bike out so I can get it tuned up and start riding it this fall. Last week I borrowed a bike to get back and forth to work while Dave was gone and I could tell that it really helped my leg and knee. The only draw back was that I was drenched by the time I got to work.

Need to mow the yard as the dogs are starting to get lost again in the growth. It never ends unless your out on the road.

Happy trails...

Georgia on my mind update...

Christie got her car back yesterday evening after some additional work on the car and it's running great. The mechanic decided to wash the engine on the car because it was so greasy and discovered a pin hole leak in her radiator hose. He called her and asked if she wanted it repaired, cost $50.00, of course she said yes. When she went in to pick the car up she found out that he had gone ahead and flushed her radiator as well, no extra charge. She checked into having it flushed before she left at a local business here in Norman but they wanted $148.00 to do it and she decided not to have it done at that time. The mechanic in Marietta said her radiator had mud in it. Mud? Yes you read right, mud. He said it was a miracle that the car did not overheat on the trip over. I said it most likely was the mud that was plugging the hole in the hose. She also has an oil sensor plug that is not working which causes the light on her dashboard to stay on. He said that if she brings her car back in next Saturday he will fix it for $20.00, it should take about 2 hours. So it sounds like we have a mechanic lined up for the Jeep. Someone up there is looking out for her and I thank Him.

Dave is on his way home this morning and I will see him sometime tomorrow evening. Ah Pizza night.

Happy trails...

Georgia On My Mind.....

Well not really, more like my hubby and daughter on my mind. Dave was all set to come home Monday when Christie's car broke down. Missing fuel filter, no where to be found, and an out of service fuel pump. Thank goodness there was not much gas in the tank, so not a huge loss there. However, she has an older Jeep and from what they are telling me quite expensive to repair. I really can't complain as she's had the car since 2003, it's a '97 Jeep Cherokee, and the only things we have had done to it is a tune-up, two sets of tires, one set of brakes, some air-conditioner work and a fuel pump. So really we have been very fortunate not to have had more pumped into this little car. It has been a good fit for her but I think it is time to upgrade to something newer. She's wanting a Ford Edge, so time to start looking I guess.

I'm glad all of this happened before Dave left to come home as he's been taking her to work and getting her back home in the evenings. Depending on if she gets her car back today he will start home tomorrow. He sounded really tired on the phone last night. They have been having a good time looking at antique shops in the area and going to the specialty grocery stores near her apartment. I can't wait to see pictures of her apartment, it sounds really nice.

I signed her up for the Angel Food Ministries food service. So that will help her out some. August's food box looks good, she is getting the standard box plus the fruit and vegetable box for $52.00. I signed us up for one as well. I wanted to see what it was she was getting and if it was good or not. They say it is enough food for one person for a month. If she's careful she may be able to stretch it out that long. Her daddy took her grocery shopping and spent about $100.00 on the basics for her. So when she picks up the box in two weeks she won't have to shop for things like peanut butter, ketchup, mustard etc...

She's making friends at work and says it will be an interesting year. She's going job hunting this weekend to get a part-time job to supplement her income if she's to survive.

I on the other hand have been dealing with 3 dogs, big, medium and small. They have decided that they need to sleep in my room so I now have 3 roommates. They are great protection and I really don't mind them being there. I'm doing all the things around the house that Dave would deal with and in general being on my own for a week. It's been somewhat of an experience since I've been without motorized vehicular transportation and I'm ready for Dave to be home. I've been very fortunate to be able to work with a great bunch of people. My boss loaned me a bicycle to get to and from work. One of them has let me borrow her truck so I can get home at noon to let the dogs out and not ride the bike in the 103 degree heat we are having at the moment. How can I repay them for their kindness? I will think of something.

I have poop patrol this afternoon when I go home for lunch as our neighbor is going to mow the dog's pen for me. The grass is now taller that the smallest dog and that is not good. I would mow it but I've never used our new lawnmower and Dave doesn't want me to do it until he shows me how to work it. Today was trash day and recycle day. I managed to get everything out before the pick-up time. So as Dave would say, I did good.

I have to finish up the living room mess that I started and do a few more chores before Dave gets home so I will be busy tonight and tomorrow night. Ah...so much for being by ones self. Until the next post...

Happy trails...