Total Fail

Well, I finally decided what to make for the first meal in the new slow cooker. 

I Googled, I researched, I poured over recipes and finally decided to try this one: 

Slow Cooker Short Ribs

Aaaaaand…..it was a total fail!

Well okay, not a TOTAL fail. We ate what we could. The short ribs were edible, just a bit on the rare side….the vegetables were crunchy and the potatoes had hard centers!

I followed the recipe. 

I went with the low setting for an all day cook.

Big mistake.

BIG.

HUGE! 

Still, it takes a nice picture don't ya' think?

But it begs the question….is my slow cooker defective?

I did everything exactly like the video showed……I even cranked it up to high for the last several hours when it looked like things weren’t going well…..

  

Where did I go wrong?

I see there will be more experimenting in my future, but right now I’m off to rummage around in the kitchen for a snack…....

Punny Monday

He drove his expensive car into a tree and found out how the Mercedes bends.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Ever since THE GREAT FOOD POISONING DEBACLE of 2015 I haven’t been able to bring myself to use my old crock pot.

It brings back too many bad memories…..just looking at it makes my stomach roil…. (I got sick as a dog from leftovers of our annual cheese fondue cooked in the big yellow crock pot.)

So with all this remodeling going on (and ordering stuff for the remodel) I snuck in a little something for my birthday.

The super deluxe model!

Not only does it slow cook, it roasts, browns, sautés, and steams!

Oh the possibilities!

Now….what to make first?

(materials used in the making of this masterpiece: Uniball Vision pen, Plumchester brush pen, Sargent Art Liquid Metals watercolor. You can't tell from the picture but the grey is a metallic (shiny) watercolor. It came in the last Art Snacks box. I didn't like working with it, but it gives a nice finish to what should read as metal. I may have to re-evaluate my opinion.)

Throwback Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Fairie or Fairy?

Either way I think there is one caught in my garden!

From my desk I saw this spider web lit up by the garden lights. I thought I’d take a few pictures….. just because.

I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary until I looked at them in the camera!

OMG!

There’s a faerie caught in a spider web in my garden!

Is that a good or a bad omen??

Punny Monday

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

Punny Monday, redeux

Throwback Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

I’m Sorry Tabley

No Tabley, I didn’t mean you personally. I meant the system!

It has come to my attention that my rant last Tuesday hurt Tabley’s feelings and he’s been showing me in no uncertain terms he is not happy.

So I am here to publicly apologize and show my heartfelt appreciation for all that he does for me.

I hope this public act of contrition appeases your frazzled circuit board and you’ll be back to performing in your usual competent way very soon.

Please……?

Punny Monday

I used to be addicted to soap, but I'm clean now.

Flash Fiction Friday

They were on their third date when he told her, “I can’t ever marry you. I’m already married.” He emphasized the ‘ever’.

She looked at him and blinked not sure what kind of response he was expecting. Her mind racing with all the things she wanted to say and knew she couldn’t. It would bruise his fragile male ego too deeply. 

So she replied the only way she could given the circumstances, “Well, that’s convenient,” all the while thinking she just dodged a bullet. 

Throwback Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

The Harder the Battle the Sweeter the Victory…

I don’t often feel ‘old’.

I mean I feel the same as I always have since I was about twenty-something.

Until I look in the mirror….but that’s a WHOLE ‘nother post…..lol.

I’ve managed to keep up with most of the technology that has come along. I guess it helped it’s what I did for a living. But I’ve managed to keep up with ‘messaging’ ‘texting’ ‘Facebooking’ ‘surfing the web’ etc...….

Not bad for an old fart, if I do say so myself.

I’ve chosen not to participate on all the platforms because I don’t have enough time in the day to fall into the abyss that is the ‘interwebs’ (as we old folks call it, or so I’m told that’s what we call it. I never have, but then I’m obstinate!)

My point is I’m pretty competent when it comes to my devices.

Mostly……..

Until it comes to borrowing a digital book.

It used to be so easy and straight forward. Go to the Overdrive site and download said book.

But they’ve changed something and now I can’t even GET to my account at Overdrive!

I try and sign in, I try and navigate the site, I try and remember my account number (okay, so this one’s on me, I didn’t write it down. I told Tabley to ‘remember me’ and apparently he hasn’t!)

I keep trying to come at it in a different way or even set up a new account….nope, not letting me.

I’m getting frustrated, and we all know that leads to nothing good, ever…

Until…….I remember that when I’m finished reading a digital loan I have to go to Amazon to return it. (I have no idea how Amazon got involved in all this but who am I to question?)

So I log into Amazon on Tabley….can’t even get to ‘manage your devices’ on him….hmmmm….

I’m not going down without a fight!

I log into Amazon on my PC, go to my devices and there it is!

I download the book to Tabley.

Success!!!

Take that you insensitive inanimate object you!

Victory lap around the living room! 

Punny Monday

What do you call a snarky criminal going down the stairs? A condescending con descending! 

Pet Peeves

Is it just me or does it bother anyone else to see exposed outlets and tangled electrical cords just hanging out in plain sight and not discreetly tucked behind furniture?

I realize they are a part of life but…..it just irritates me this cord dangles untethered! 

Throwback Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Phase Two......

Or is it phase three......? or four.....?
I've lost count. 
We haven't finished the bedroom yet and we're starting on the living room. 
Because demolition doesn't cost anything except blood, sweat and tears (mostly.)

So after re-routing the electrical lines that ran through the plant shelf Husband is ready to tear it down!
I'm helping by chanting  'Tear down that plant shelf'.....à la Ronald Reagan when he told Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin wall. 
Husband doesn't think it's helping..... :-/
Oh well. I do what I can!

I've never understood the fascination with plant shelves. They're nothing but dust collectors and they obscure the view! What's the point? 

Once this comes down it's REALLY going to be an open floor plan!

Ta Da!!!

Punny Monday

What do you call a long necked pink bird with a hacking cough? A phlegmingo!