Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this lovely first Wednesday of August? I’m still playing the waiting game for my Medicaid renewal approval. Apparently, they’re also trying to decide if I’m cripple enough for my long term care services (paying Dad to take care of me). That can take 30 to 90 days. Whatever. Anyway, I decided to post pictures of the grow room! There’s still some lettuce and herbs and bok choy that Dad keeps in rotation on the rail system. He’s giving up on the arugula because it refuses to do anything. Not sure if spinach will stay or become a once in a while thing or what. We’re still trying to figure out what and how much to grow so we eat most of it. Dad’s also started some strawberries (not pictured because these pics are a week or two old), so we’re hoping those grow well. We both love berries. In the bucket system with the cages, there are three tomato plants (a Black Krim, a San Marzano Roma, and a Sweetie) and a jalapeño plant. The Sweetie seems to be doing well. The Black Krim has a nice amount of fruit too. The Roma is being weird, so Dad’s going to try a different type if it doesn’t start producing. And the jalapeño is doing well. If only the fruits would start ripening so we can eat them! Can’t wait for a proper tomato sandwich. Mmm…
Hello, hello! How’s everyone doing this lovely Wednesday? This is your yearly reminder that Dad is getting old. His birthday is tomorrow (July 18th)! If you have his number, you know what to do. Otherwise, leave your birthday love here or on my social media pages and I will pass them on! The plan thus far is dinner from Sunday Morning Catfish. Fried porkchop, catfish nuggets, shrimp. Mmm! You already know Dad’s the bestest. So, happy (early) birthday, old man! Love you!
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? Things here are good. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so happy turkey day to those who celebrate! Happy Thursday to those who don’t! I slacked off and waited until the last minute to write this, so it’s going to be a little short. Just a reminder of the stuff I’m thankful for even if I don’t say it enough.
1. Dad. First and foremost. Always. I’m thankful for everything he does, which is everything. He does literally everything. Thank you isn’t really enough, but it’s Thanksgiving, so thank you! Danke. Arigatou. Gracias. Grazie. Merci. Asante. Spasibo. All the thank yous. Also, we need more pictures of you.
2. The Minion and the besties. Yeah, you guys are all right too. Joel, Jenae, and Danielle. I’m glad you exist at the same time as me and that we somehow ended up meeting. Tell your respective parents that I’m thankful they had sex since you exist because of it!
3. Squeaky toys that make Mardi happy! The pupper gets cuddles as thanks for being our whiny little roommate who entertains us all the time.
As always, feel free to share your thoughts and comments and questions here or on my social media pages!
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this wonderful Wednesday? Things here are okay. I’m managing to write and read and all of that fun stuff. It’s been a little hard, but I’m doing it. The writing is fine, it’s just the forcing myself to do it that’s hard. For some reason, I still struggle with opening the document in a timely manner and finishing early. Instead, I procrastinate until 6, 6:30, then get annoyed when I’m not done until 8, 8:30. It’s a vicious cycle. Oh well. Anyway, as I’m typing this, it’s Valentine’s Day! That basically just means it’s Tuesday since I don’t celebrate. But, I thought I would use it as an excuse to remind some people that I love them!
1. Dad! It’s us against the world. I love and appreciate you.
2. Mardi. It counts. She’s a four-legged people.
3. The Minion. I tolerate you so much. Love to the family, though!
4. Lil sis (art is hers). You deserve all the glomps.
5. Danielle. Miss your face!
Short post is short, but that’s okay. These are my peoples. I love them.
Howdy, howdy! Welcome to October. How’s everyone doing? Things here are quiet for the most part. My minion rescued Dad when his truck broke down (and of course it was the one time Dad had forgotten to take his phone), but even that wasn’t all that exciting. Anyway, I realized it’s been a long time since I’ve done a food post, but that’s because we haven’t been anywhere. Stupid plague. So, I decided to brag on some of the stuff Dad’s been cooking lately. I have no pics because I never think about making Dad take any. But you can still be jealous without them. It’s okay.
1. Pastrami. It starts as a brisket and over about two weeks, it magically transforms into pastrami. Okay, it’s not magic. Dad knows what he’s doing. I only know the basics. It has to cure in some kind of solution for a while, then gets coated in a bunch of yumminess, and eventually gets smoked for a really long time. It’s delicious. Pastrami on rye with some mustard and maybe a little provolone. Mmm… my second favorite thing ever. Sorry, pastrami. I don’t think anything will ever top lasagna. But you’re a very close second.
2. Brisket. Dad can’t smoke just one thing when it’s going to take 18ish hours anyway, so when he made the pastrami last time, he also smoked some brisket. It’s soft and juicy with little pockets of melty fat. There’s a nice crust too. We had it with a salad and Dad made hash with some of it for breakfast. We’ve got some saved (and pastrami too) for future meals. He always makes enough to portion it out and freeze for later.
3. A ham. A bone in ham, but it wasn’t spiral sliced this time. Dad smoked it to imbue it with more flavor goodness. It was surprisingly soft (we ended up with a different brand than usual) and juicy and actually tasted like ham. It was good. There were grilled ham on rye with cheddar and mustard sandwiches. But the best part about a ham is yet to come. Beans. Pintos with lots of meat and sausage and general goodness on corn chips with some cheese and crema (Mexican or Salvadoran sour cream depending on what we have. It’s a whole delicious thing. And yes. A lot of the ham will end up frozen.
I’m sure I’m forgetting things. And I haven’t really touched much on breakfast (sausage gravy, home fries, scrambles with various goodies). But food is not lacking just because we aren’t trying new restaurants. I have Dad. Who needs other chefs? Be jealous. It’s okay.
What kinds of goodies have you been enjoying lately? Anything you’re craving? As always, feel free to share your thoughts and comments and questions here or on my social media pages!
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing this week? Things here are quiet. Spent most of last week vegging and watching TV with Dad. He wasn’t feeling too well. We think it was just an inner ear infection. He’s mostly better now, so huzzah! Anyway, Sunday was Fathers’ Day and his birthday is July 18th (a Monday), so I figured I’d write a short post to say “I appreciate you!” As he knows, I’m bad at this. Please excuse the awkwardness.
As most of you know, I am my dad’s daughter. I get my inappropriate sense of humor from him. He’s the one who taught me that pretty much anything can be turned into something dirty. You can also blame him for the puns. So many puns. And he’s the reason I got into horror. He gave me Stephen King books when I was like 12 or 13, including The Stand (uncut). Is it any wonder I turned into a weirdo? But he loves me anyway.
And, of course, I have to mention the food. He’s the bestest cook ever. The pastrami and pulled pork and brisket. Mmm… there’s also the rare lasagna when he makes sauce from scratch and has the rest of the ingredients. Or baked ziti. And there are pots of beans with meat and he puts them on corn chips with a little crema agria and cheese on top. Can’t forget breakfast. Home fries with bacon. Sausage gravy and biscuits. Chorizo nachos. Everything with two eggs on top. Be jealous. It’s okay.
An old picture from Stonecoast because we obviously don’t take many.
He also takes care of me 100% of the time, even when he doesn’t feel well. So… I know I don’t say it enough, but I love you and appreciate you, Dad!
Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone doing today? I’m still struggling with productivity and all of that. And I have no idea what to ramble about in these posts, since I can’t complain about current writing problems. Can’t have problems if you’re avoiding it. But, since it’s November, I guess I should write about things I’m thankful for. Thanksgiving is next week, but so is my book review post. It’s now or never, I guess. I know most people announce one thing a day for the entire month, but I’m too lazy for that. So, in no particular order, here are thirty things I’m thankful for at the moment.
1. Dad. Of course he starts off the list. This should be no surprise to anyone. He takes care of me, annoys me, and cooks me good food. What else do I need?
2. Little sis (Jenae). Chosen family is the best. You’re always there to listen and commiserate and just be random together. Love you, sis.
3. Danielle. For much the same reasons as Jen. Hugs!
4. Stonecoasters. We might not talk often, but they’re there when I need them.
5. Old Interwebz (Yahoo chat) friends. I still can’t believe I’ve known most of you like 15 years and you still keep me around. You’re weirdos and I love it.
6. Borden’s eggnog. Because eggnog. What else is there to explain?
7. Ghirardelli peppermint bark. See above.
8. Books. I just like reading, but I can also say they’re for work and not be lying. They don’t even have to be boring books. I can read all the genres and say I’m studying tropes and character development and all that jazz.
9. Medical technology. Wheelchairs and ventilators and patient lifts and suctions and pretty much everything that makes my life possible. They’re all great. It’s a pain in the ass to get them through the government (or absurdly expensive out of pocket), but life would suck without them.
10. Music. What would life be without it?
11. Anime. I liked it before it was cool.
12. X-men. Just heard Disney’s rebooting the ’90s cartoon and I’m cautiously excited. If it comes to fruition, I guess we have to get Disney+ in 2023.
13. Bats. They’re adorable.
14. Wombats. They’re adorable and poop cubes.
15. Octopuses. They’re just awesome in general.
16. Let’s make this easy and say most animals. I just like animals.
17. Computers. I wouldn’t have most of my friends without computers.
18. Grocery deliveries. Sure, it’s not ideal, especially when the packer doesn’t read your requests or has zero idea how to pick produce, but it’s made pandemic life easier. It means Dad doesn’t have to go to the store as often.
19. Doctor visits via webcam. I despise the trip to UT Southwestern, so these “telehealth” visits have been awesome. I don’t get to go to a restaurant afterwards, but with Covid, I don’t know if I’d want to stop anywhere anyway. I also like not having to get up early just to get there on time.
20. Pretty people. I know I’m not supposed to objectify people and all that, but whatever. I don’t harass people or make inappropriate comments to strangers. But I can still look. Cripples can be creepers too! I’m only creepy sometimes. I swear.
21. The fact that my friends accept my creepy side. You know who you are.
22. Spiked coffee. I haven’t had one in a while, but like knowing it’s an option.
23. British murder mysteries. They can be weird, but tend to be enjoyable.
24. All things rainbow. Contrary to popular opinion, my love of rainbow stuff has nothing to do with the LGBTQ+ scene (that’s just a happy bonus). I just like ridiculously colorful things.
25. Notebooks. I don’t use them, but love having them. It’s weird.
26. Boxes and baskets. Decorative storage. It’s another one of my weird likes because I don’t actually need them.
27. Cheese. That needs no explanation.
28. Pasta, bread, carbs. Again, no explanation needed.
29. Seafood. Actually, food in general.
30. That November only has 30 days, because I’m totally out of things I’m thankful for at the moment. I’m sure there are things hiding in the back of my brain, but they aren’t helping me out.
What are you thankful for? As always, feel free to share your thoughts or comments here or on my social media pages!
Hello, hello! How is everyone doing today? Things are pretty good here. This week, I’m just writing a short post with lots of pictures to brag about Dad. He finished his room! Mostly. He still needs to make a vent cover and nightstands. But it’s looking lovely and ready to show off! As many of you know, pretty much anything with wood in our house was made by Dad. His room is no exception. Most of the wood (cabinets, bed, etc.) is pecan from the Trinity river basin that was super rough. He planed it into usable boards and built/stained/etc. everything. The ceiling has MDF that he painted. He even made the doors. Also, he sewed the curtains himself a while back, but they’ll eventually be replaced by shutters when he makes those. He put up the grasscloth wallpaper and the mural too. Basically, he designed, built, and/or installed everything himself. Just wanted to let you all know how talented he is and show off his room. As always, feel free to comment or ask questions or whatever here or on my social media pages!
Howdy, howdy! How is everyone doing this week? November is speeding along, much like the rest of this year. I have no idea where the time went. I’m still stuck in April or May. Is it just me? Yeah? Okay then. But Thanksgiving is only eight days away, so I thought it would be a good time to make a list of things I’m thankful for this year. I know I should probably do this closer to Thanksgiving, but next week is my book review post. Anyway, in no particular order, here are five things I’m thankful for this year.
We’ll get a new picture of us eventually.
1. Dad. I know it’s sappy, but I am thankful for him. He does everything for me. Even the gross stuff no one wants to know about. And I don’t say thanks enough. Mostly because I don’t really know how to express myself well (my social skills suck, even with family). But I know he’s reading this. So, you are appreciated. Even if you’re a dick sometimes. That’s as sappy as I get.
Replace cleaning the house with writing and it’s me!
2. Tunisian/Afghan crochet hooks. They’re super long and designed for a special type of crochet, but I just use them for regular crochet so far. My discovery of these earlier this year has allowed me to be creative in a whole new way. And they prove my hands can still do cool things if I set my mind to it. I’m not entirely useless after all!
Unless the title has nothing to do with the book and you’re just disappointed.
3. NetGalley. I’m not usually thankful for specific websites, but I admit that this one is pretty cool. I’ve been able to read a bunch of books that I probably wouldn’t have tried otherwise. I even found a couple of authors that I’m still following. Plus, it gives me something to blog about each month, which is super helpful.
Or maybe because I already know too much. My friends are crazy. Don’t deny it.
4. Friends. Again, sappy. But it’s true. Especially the ones who randomly check in on me even when I’m in full hermit mode and being a shit friend myself. You know who you are. You’re all appreciated. And sorry I am such a hermit. I try not to be, but it never works out.
5. The Interwebz. It’s where all my friends live. But really, because it simultaneously lets me stalk people and keep up with their lives while helping limit my need to use the phone or leave the house. Need to activate that card? Do it online! Want to buy something? There’s a website for that. It’s basically an introvert’s dream. But never read the comments.
What about you? What are you thankful for this year? It can be small or large. Serious or funny. Or anything in between. Feel free to share your lists and thoughts here or on my social media pages!
Hello, hello! Can you believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving? Where’d the time go? Next thing you know, it’ll be Christmas, then a new year. Time really needs to slow down. Anyway, since my favorite holiday is just a day away, I thought I would take this opportunity to share five things I’m grateful for this year!
1. Dad. I know I don’t say it out loud to him, but I really am thankful to have someone like him in my life. He has always shown me that just because life doesn’t go the way you expect doesn’t mean that you have to be miserable about it. You don’t have to let toxic people bring you down. Sometimes, you need to make changes if you want things to go a certain way. It’s okay to be blah occasionally, but mostly you need to try to find the happy in things. But most importantly, he taught me to look in the mirror and take responsibility for my actions, which I try to do. He also gave me my twisted sense of humor and enables my darkness, so you can blame him for all of that (okay, sometimes I deny all responsibility and blame him, but that’s what dads are for).
2. The people who take the time to check up on me. You know who you are. I have been an increasingly crappy friend, especially lately. I don’t text or message people as much as I should, if at all. I know that and I’m struggling to break free from the contentedness I find in being a recluse. But I really do appreciate the messages asking how I am and giving me updates on your lives. I do stalk most of you on social media, though, which makes me the creepy crappy friend.
Amateur mistake. Lurk, don’t like.
3. Seeing my words in print and getting paid for them. I was starting to think it wouldn’t happen, so I’m thankful to E.R. Bills and Hellbound Books for choosing me to be in their awesome collection alongside other talented Texas writers. An occasional acceptance really does help to overcome the feels that a long list of rejections brings up.
4. Peppermint chocolates. After waiting for all things pumpkin spice to start winding down for the year, I get the reward of all things peppermint for a month and a half! Just had my first Ghirardelli peppermint bark square of the year. It made me weirdly happy. It always does. Judge me all you want, but at least I have goodies to comfort me.
I might have just gotten lost down the boozy peppermint coffee rabbit hole of Google for a minute there.
5. A dad who’s good with tools. I didn’t intend to add him twice, but my armrest on my new wheelchair decided to come loose a little while ago and he got everything put securely back together. If it breaks, he can usually fix it. That’s something to always be grateful for!
What about you? What are you thankful for this year? Feel free to share your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!
Shawna's Blog of Doom 