BBQ SPAGHETTI

DON'T LET THE NAME FOOL YOU!!  THIS DISH ADDS A NEW FLAVOR TO PASTA!! 
THE FRESH BASIL IS A MUST. TOSS IN WHEN THE DISH IS COMPLETE!!


2 LBS. MEAT...( SAUSAGE IS RECOMMENDED) 
1/4 lb. SPAGHETTI
2 ( 14.5 oz. ) CANS DICED TOMATOES
1 ( 14.5 oz. ) CAN TOMATO SOUP
4 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH
1/2 CUP KETCHUP
1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR
1/2 TSP. OREGANO
1/2 TSP. CUMIN
1 TSP. ONION POWDER
1 TSP. GARLIC POWDER
1 CUP FRESH CHOPPED BASIL
1 TBSP. BUTTER

ADD ALL INGREDIENTS EXCEPT.. FRESH BASIL, SPAGHETTI, AND MEAT. BRING TO A ROLLING BOIL  IN A SEPARATE SKILLET BRAISE SAUSAGE IN BUTTER UNTIL BROWNED. ADD TO SAUCE AND SIMMER COVERED FOR 1 HOUR.
ADD SPAGHETTI..( BROKEN IN HALF )  STIR IN  UNTIL WELL COVERED WITH SAUCE. SIMMER ON LOW FOR ABOUT 45 MIN.TO 1 HOUR . STIRRING A COUPLE TIMES TO KEEP FROM STICKING.... LEAVE LID ON POT AND LET STAND UNTIL THICKEN.  STIR IN BASIL AND SERVE!!!!

IF YOUR LUCKY YOU HAVE 90 SECONDS TO REACT!! ARE YOU READY??

                    COULD YOU SURVIVE BEING LOST IN THE WOODS, MOUNTAINS, DESERT.? HOW ABOUT BEING LOCKED UP, OR BEING KIDNAPPED. BASICALLY DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU WOULD REACT IN ANY SITUATION? HAVE YOU PLAYED IT OUT IN YOUR HEAD? IF YOU HAVEN'T MAYBE YOU SHOULD. THESE SITUATIONS HAVE NO AGE LIMIT. THEY CAN AND WILL HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANY AGE AT ANYTIME!!  THE SMARTEST COURSE OF ACTION IS PREVENTATIVE ACTION. NEVER FINDING YOURSELF IN A BAD SITUATION IS ALWAYS THE BEST, BUT NOT PREDICABLE. BUT KNOWING CERTAIN BASIC THINGS WILL ALWAYS INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL ANYWHERE.  THE FIRST 24 HOURS IN ANY SITUATION IS THE TOUGHEST AND THE MOST IMPORTANT.....  I LIVE IN L.A. AND  EARTHQUAKES AND FIRES ARE THINGS WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH. MAYBE A LITTLE TO FAMILIAR!! YOU CAN'T BECOME TO LAID BACK AND FORGET THE PICTURES!!

THE LOST ART OF LISTENING

                 WE HAVE ALL DEVELOPED BAD HABITS WHEN IT COMES TO LISTENING, AND IF WE FEEL SOMEONE IS BEING CRITICAL OF US WE TEND TO TUNE THEM OUT, WHEN WE NEED TO LEARN TO STAY TUNED IN!! BUT FIRST WE NEED TO LEARN TO SHUT UP. WHAT WE HEAR WHEN WE'RE TALKING SOUNDS NOTHING LIKE WHAT WE HEAR WHEN WE LISTEN.  WE NEED TO LEARN TO GET PAST HEARING ONLY WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.  LEARN TO HEAR WHAT SOMEONE IS SAYING INSTEAD OF JUST LISTENING TO THEM TALK..  BODY LANGUAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROVEN TO SHOW A PERSONS TRUE INTENTIONS, WHICH IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT SOMEONE WHEN THEIR TALKING TO YOU. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE LOOKING AT YOU FOR YOU TO SEE!!

STAND BACK CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!

                              WE HAVE TALKED AND READ ABOUT HISTORY FOR SO LONG NOW THAT WE CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRUTH AND THE FACTS RIGHT?? YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID..THE TRUTH FROM THE FACTS... IF WE ARE TO BELIEVE WHAT WE READ IN OUR HISTORY BOOKS!! THEN DON'T WE BELIEVE IT AS FACT?? WELL GUESS WHAT, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "FACT AND TRUTH !!    "FACT ", IS WHAT THEY, ( "ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT, RELIGIOUS RIGHT,TEXAS BOARD OF EDUCATION")  WANT YOU TO BELIEVE!!  WHO BTW  BUYS ENOUGH HIGH SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS , THAT THEY CAN DICTATE THE CONTENT OF THE HISTORY CURRICULUM NATIONWIDE!! SO KNOWING THIS AND BEING OF SOUND MIND!! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!!  NOW I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE "
 DUMMIED DOWN".. NOW I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE " STUCK ON STUPID"...   BUT WASN'T IT TEXAS  WHO JUST HAD A MENTALLY  RETARDED MAN PUT TO DEATH, LET'S NOT FORGET WHERE KENNEDY WAS SHOT!! WHILE DRIVING BY THE BOOK DEPOSITORY''..ALRIGHT IT'S A STRETCH BUT COME ON!!  WAKE UP AMERICA,.....TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!!! LET US TELL THE STORY!! WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER!!!  THE TRUTH!!!!!

WE JUST HAVE NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT

                  I GREW UP THE IN 50'S AND 60'S IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.. I LOVED IT AND HAVE SO MANY GREAT MEMORIES. BUT ONE THING I DIDN'T APPRECIATE UNTIL MUCH LATER, WERE THE TABLE MANNERS MY MOTHER INSTILLED IN MY SISTER AND I. FOR EXAMPLE, NOT LEAVING THE TABLE UNTIL EVERYTHING WAS OFF YOUR PLATE. (  OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE ON YOUR BREAKFAST PLATE IN THE AM)  ALWAYS ASKING TO BE EXCUSED FROM THE TABLE WHEN YOU ARE DONE. ALWAYS INCLUDE EVERYONE IN THE CONVERSATION OR KEEP IT TO  YOURSELF. DINNERTIME WAS FAMILY TIME. OF WHICH WE EAT AT THE SAME TIME EVERY NIGHT. I KNOW WHAT YOUR THINKING...SHE WAS LUCKY TO HAVE A FAMILY TO SIT DOWN WITH.. OR IT WAS A SIGN OF THE TIMES..IT WAS THE  50'S . " FATHER KNOWS BEST".. "I LOVE LUCY".. "LASSIE" FOR GODS SAKE!!BUT BY THE TIME I TURNED 12 MY BRADY BUNCH LIFE CAME TO A SCREECHING  HALT WHEN MY MOM AND DAD DIVORCED. NO MORE FAMILY DINNERS. RIGHT WHEN I WAS GETTING TO BE THE AGE WITH SO MANY QUESTIONS!! I HAD TO FIND MY ANSWERS ELSE WHERE. LETS NOT CONFUSE ANSWERS WITH TRUTHS!!  THEN AS THINGS AROUND YOU CHANGE SO DO YOU.. MOM WENT TO WORK AND MY SISTER AND I BECAME THE FIRST LATCH KEY KIDS!!!LOL> NOT SO FUNNY. I THINK IT WAS THE START OF ,"THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY", AT LEAST AS WE KNEW IT. HECK EVEN THE T.V. SHOWS WERE REFLECTING THE SIGN OF THE TIME.  WHEN IT BECAME ACCEPTABLE FOR PARENTS TO SPLIT UP AND BOTH BE FORCE TO WORK BECAUSE DAD COULDN'T AFFORD TO SUPPORT 2 HOUSEHOLDS. THEN THE COURTS WENT  "LEFT" AND DECIDED 50/ 50 ...WHICH WAS REALLY ONLY DECIDED ON AFTER IT BECAME ACCEPTABLE FOR WOMEN TO LEAVE THE HOME AND GO TO WORK.. YOU SEE WHERE I AM GOING HERE. ONCE YOU MAKE AN EXCEPTION  IT BECOMES THE RULE. BUT ALL IN ALL EVERYONE WHO GETS MARRIED AND HAS A FAMILY ALWAYS WANTS THERE TO BE A.. FAMILY THIS AND FAMILY THAT, AND NO ONE PLANS ON GETTING DIVORCED, AND OUR INTENTIONS WERE GOOD.   BUT WHAT DO WE TEACH OUR KIDS THEN. THAT YOU GET MARRIED SETTLE DOWN AND HOPE FOR THE BEST??  MAYBE WE OUGHT TO BE REALISTIC AND JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST!!!...LOL...

THE FAMILY DINNER..NOT JUST ON HOLIDAYS!!!

 HOW MANY OF US ARE OF THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION?? WELL DOES IT MATTER?? WHAT I WANT TO ADDRESS IS THE FAMILY DINNER >> THE DINNER THAT WAS ALWAYS SACRED!!! AS A FAMILY MEMBER YOU ALWAYS FELT THAT YOU WERE SAFE IN THE FAMILY UNIT, AND THAT YOU WERE UNTOUCHABLE!! WRONG!!~ THAT ONLY APPLIES IF YOU KEEP AN OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FAMILY 24-7.. WHY WAS IT SO EASY TO TO START HIDING THINGS FROM THE FAMILY IN THE BEGINNING
THAT MADE IT EASY TO CONTINUE TIL NOW?? NOW IS THE TIME TO REALIZE THAT IT WAS ALL A LIE RIGHT FROM THE JUMP!! YOU DON'T WANT TO HIDE THINGS FROM THEM!!! SO STOP IT!!!
    TALKING WHILE YOU HAVE A GOOD MEAL IN FRONT OF YOU  MEANS YOU CAN RELAX AND ENJOY THE FOOD AND TAKE IN THE VIPE!!! REMEMBER TO BE IN THE MOMENT  .... SLOW DOWN!! and chew!!...  SO FROM HERE TO THERE I WILL BE CHANGING THE FORMAT OF THIS BLOG... "THINGS YOU SHOULD TALK ABOUT OVER DINNER", WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT SO MANY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS THAT I MAY NEED HELP IN COVERING ALL I SHOULD!!! SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GIVE SOME ENERGY TO THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES...THE DINNER TABLE HAS NO BOUNDRIES!!!!

 

ALASKA.....ALASKA....ALASKA.....2012

JUNEAU, ALASKA

JUNEAU, ALASKA

  HUBBARD GLACIER 

CRYSTAL BLUE POOL ATOP THE TAKU GLACIER WHERE I LAID MY DAUGHTER SHANNON TO REST.

GLACIER WATER AT THE SOURCE

MOM AND ME GETTING ON THE HELICOPTER

FLYING UP TO THE TAKU GLACIER

KETCHIKAN ALASKA

ABOARD THE CELEBRITY

LAST LOOK AT KETCHIKAN. 

 

MOM 'S 95TH BIRTHDAY

                     A CELEBRATION OF LIFE                    

                                                   GRAND DAUGHTER KRISTIN

                                                           DAUGHTER BARBRA

   GRAND DAUGHTER JULIE

                                                       MOM'S FAVORITE SUNDAY

                                                  MOM'S FAVORITE RESTAURANT

                                                   MOM'S FAVORITE WAITRESS

 

     MOM'S FAVORITE CONDIMENT 

     MOM'S GREAT GRAND SON DRAKIE

                                                       HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!

YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT A LAP BAND!!!

                                           40LBS.. LIGHTER ....6 MONTHS LATER!!!
                                                    NOTHING TO EAT AFTER 7PM....