Mom is coming today, Delta to Detroit.  We're ready!!

It's not Halloween!

Noel wanted a facial too!  What a hoot!

New East Lansing Burger Joint

We had supper tonight at a new East Lansing burger joint called Bagger Dave's.  I had a BLT and I believe it is the best one I've ever had.  It was served on sour dough bread and in addition to the usual BLT and mayo, it also had guacamole in it.  I added a side of very thin and crispy sweet potato fries. Yum yum!

Too Good To Be True

I went to Meijer today to buy a vegetable scrapper.  I expected it to cost 79 cents.  Ha!  $7.79!!!  While I was debating with myself whether I really needed a vegetable scrapper, I saw and was intrigued by a small rubber kitchen thingie.  It was labeled as an egg poacher.  I love poached eggs but hate the messy protein cleanup in the pan.  It was less costly than the vegetable scraper so I bought it.  I washed it and decided poached eggs sounded great for supper.  The directions on the package were in French.  I did have a couple of years of high school French and the Latin roots should have helped me translate,  but NOT!   As near as I could tell, the eggs went into the yellow thingie and and yellow thingie went into boiling water for about 5 minutes.  After 12 minutes, the eggs were still very slimy so I gave up with the yellow thingie. 

So, So Sorry, Shirley

We had an empty seat at our sewing group today.  Our friend, Shirley, was called urgently to California this week.  Her seven-year old grand daughter had cancer surgery.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.  We miss you but know what a comfort it must be to your son and daughter-in-law to have you there.

OK, I am an Apple convert!

I have had my Droid HTC phone for nearly two years.  I have loved it from the moment I got it - the internet access, the calendar,and all of the other features I use.  I recently received an email from Verizon reminding me that I would be eligible for a phone upgrade on April 14th.  They also very kindly suggested a new iPhone.  I looked at iPhones several years ago, but because then you had to use AT&T, I said no.

Several weeks ago, my grandson became the owner of an iPad.  I have played with it and love the intuitiveness of operation and the camera and graphics.

So.......while I was at the Verizon store (only to browse) at new phone options, I was directed to the new iPhone with its voice-activated messaging plus many other options. The salesman went so very kindly through the finer points of the phone. Needless to say, I now own a new iPhone, without AT&T, and with a lower monthly cellular bill!  I am a so impressed with this phone and the iPad that I imagine my next computer may be a Apple product!

I'm Smokin'!!

Today, although very chilly, the sun was out, so.......I set up the smoker and smoked salmon.  I had a few rough bumps with the smoker (directly related to my ability to read directions). The smoker works by feeding wood bisquettes onto a heating creating the smoke.  Each bisquette will smoke for 20 minutes.  I did not add enough bisquettes to the chimney and for about 20 minutes, there was not smoking going on.  The salmon turned out pretty good.  I am not sure what I will do with it.  I smoked two huge fillets!  It tastes pretty good.  Tomorrow night, I will make smoked salmon pasta salad.

My Bradley Smoker

I completed my chores and shopped for my meat. By Friday, I was absolutely ready to season and use my new smoker for the first time.  I planned to smoke salmon and chicken for my trial run.  Mother Nature has not been cooperative.  It has rained every day since I put the smoker outside.  I ended up roasting the chicken for dinner Sunday and will need to have the salmon today or tomorrow.  It can't rain forever, right?