Pilot in Training

My grandson Zach takes lessons to become a pilot.  I'm not sure when he started, but his Mother says she remembers when he could stand upright under the wing of the plane and he needed to sit on a cushion to see out the front window.  He's grown some since then.

Zach isn't quite 14 years old yet.  He has had a love of flying since he was small.  His Dad has a pilot's license and I suspect that may have had something to do with his wanting to learn to fly.

I love this photo of him, taken a couple of days ago.  It reminds me a bit of the old photos of barn storming pilots back in the day.  He just has that look about him.

I don't care that much for commercial flying, but I love riding in the small planes.  My Dad wasn't a pilot, but he loved that kind of flying and he passed that along to me the first time he took me to go for a ride in one of the planes that gave tours in Bemidji, Minnesota.  I was just a young girl, but I was hooked.  One of the most fun birthday presents I ever received was when Zach's parents (my daughter and son-in-law) rented a plane and I got to go for an hour's ride.  I loved every second of it.

I hope that when Zach gets his license, he will remember that his Grandma dearly loves to fly.

It's Official

Spring is here.  I can tell by the sound of the neighborhood kids skateboard wheels on the street.  And by the long legged teen aged boys doing tricks on little bikes in the alley across the street.

Actually, it's kind of fun to watch them.

Think About the Pets

I got to thinking the other day about how we are so accustomed to having the services we need only an email, text or phone call away.  But what would we do if this changed.

In my case, it concerned the care of my dogs.  Twice a year I take them next door to my friend, the dog groomer.  They are given baths, hair cuts, the excess hair is removed from inside their ears and their nails are trimmed.

One of my Yorkies, Jessie Jane, has weird nails.  The quick (the part inside the nail that has nerves and blood vessels) grows unnaturally long, so her nails can never be trimmed short.  Cutting into the quick causes pain and bleeding.  So as her nails grow, they curl sideways.  This doesn't seem to bother her or slow her down any.  Until yesterday.

Jessie Jane was holding up one of her front paws when she came out of her kennel for her morning cookie.  So as soon as she ate her treat, I picked her up and checked her paw.  Sure enough.  One of her nails had gotten so long that it was poking the adjoining pad on her foot.

Like most people, my first thought was to call the groomer and make an appointment to get Jessie's nails cut.  But then I got to thinking, what if I didn't have access to a groomer.  What would I do?

I don't have a proper nail trimming tool, but I do have a small wire snipper.  So I got it out and carefully trimmed the offending nail as well as the rest of them on that foot.  It wasn't a professional looking job, but she could run without pain, and that was what I wanted.

I am big on having a variety of foods on hand - store bought, home canned and dehydrated.  I have extra water stored.  I either have or plan on buying in the near future, alternative methods of cooking, heating at least one room of my apartment and light sources.  But, shame on me, aside from stocking up on food and water for them, I hadn't thought ahead for the care of my fuzzy buddies who share my life.

So this weekend I will do the research to see what I should have on hand for their proper care.  And next week I will go to a pet supply store that I trust to have good quality merchandise, and buy a nail trimmer, a good quality clipper for hair cuts, and whatever other supplies I need.  There may come a time when I won't have a veterinarian three blocks away as I do now, so I need to think along the lines of what to have on hand should they become sick, as Lily was the past couple of weeks, or injured.

Our pets give us so much.  They love us even when we are not lovable.  They are glad to see us even when we are cranky.  They only ask to be fed, have clean water and occasional pets, snuggles and belly rubs.  I will still take them to the vet when needed.  But if the time comes when that's not possible, I want to be able to do the very best for them that I can.  They deserve no less than that.

Sometimes No News is Good News

I think I need to stay away from news reports for a little while.  Both mainstream, although I pay little attention to it anyway, and the alternative news sources I read daily.  I think my brain is on overload.  And about to explode.

The Democrats are sniping at the Republicans and the Republicans are taking pot shots at the Democrats.  Neither one is doing anything constructive.  But they are blowing enough hot air to bring on real global warming.

There are Congressional Investigative Committees questioning various and assorted witnesses about many of the latest scandals.  The Congressmen thump their chests, pound their desks and make speeches designed to make the public think they actually care.  After which they stand in front of the news reporters and pontificate, throw stones at the other political party and express outrage.  But nothing changes.  Next week most people, whose attention span is similar to that of a gnat, will have forgotten all about that particular scandal and will be more interested in their favorite TV sitcom character or sports team than they are in the fact that everything they say or do is now recorded and stored.  To keep them safe.

The king of America who lives in the White House continues to thumb his nose at the Constitution.  The pundits continue to offer up their opinions on panel discussions.  And promote their latest book.  Nobody dares call the President out on his lawlessness for fear of being labeled racist.  Or audited.  And nothing changes.

Although once in a great while there is a glimmer of hope, as in the state of Georgia, where legislation was passed that contains pro-gun reforms.  But then there is my state of Minnesota, who is working to pass legislation to take guns away from those involved in domestic abuse.  Those promoting this bill say that abusers "don't deserve to own a gun."  Now, I have no sympathy for abusers of any kind.  But my question is this:  Who will be the next group who "don't deserve" gun ownership?  Will it be the bloggers who write articles that question this country's leadership?  Will it be the veterans who, while in service of their country have seen things that now give them nightmares?  Will it be the person who has been under a doctor's care for depression?  Who is next?

And then there is the Obamacare train wreck.  And don't forget the Russians who are busy rattling their sabers.

I think I will, for a while, confine my reading to the blogs listed on the right.  Even though many of those folks address issues concerning the horrors going on around us and the major loss of our freedoms, they also provide helpful information on how we can survive this mess.  Some have offered good advice on various problems that have come up in my life.  Others show me tasty foods and how to prepare them.  Some take me on wonderful trips down memory lane or show me the beauty of nature in their corner of the world.  And still others just make me laugh.

Yep.  I think that is the game plan for a while.  I will never bury my head in the sand, for I do need to be aware of what's coming at us.  And I will never be like so many who blithely skip through life, pretending that everything is just fine and of course, nothing bad could ever happen here.  But sometimes I just need to back off for a time.  Before I become totally overwhelmed.  And completely frustrated with government insanity.  Or at least until my head is no longer in danger of blowing up.

I'm Ready

The blinds are down on all of my windows.  I refuse to watch at any more snowflakes falling.

The ingredients for peanut butter cookies and molasses cookies are waiting on the kitchen table.  The first pot of coffee of the day is steaming and delicious.

The Kindle is charged and ready to go.  The fuzzy blanket waits on my recliner.

Chicken soup is cooking in the crock pot.  Hot ham and cheese sandwiches are planned for lunch.  Soup and cornbread for supper.

Bring it on, Mother Nature.  Throw a temper tantrum.  Dump icy rain and snow on us.  See if I care.  I'm ready for you.  You can't wreck my day.  I'm going to have a good one in spite of you.

And This Girl...

loves to dance, too.

Best. Bread. Ever.

I know I wasn't going to do any more posts about bread making.  But I just had to share one more recipe.

Take any other white bread recipes you have, whether they are Grandma's or mine or from anybody else, and toss them.  Yesterday I was digging through an old recipe box of mine, looking for something else entirely, when I stumbled upon the following.

Amish Bread

2 Cups warm water
1/3 Cup sugar
2 packets dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons bulk yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or melted shortening)
5 1/2 cups flour

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water.  Stir in the yeast.  Let it sit for 10 minutes.  Add the salt and oil.
Beat in 2 cups of flour until smooth.  Then stir in flour, one cup at a time.  Turn out on a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.  (Don't cheat.  10 minutes.)  The dough should be fairly soft but not sticky, and should be smooth and satiny to the touch.
Grease a large bowl.  Place dough in bowl, turning so all sides are coated.  Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in size.  Punch down.  Form 2 loaves and place in greased bread pans.  Let rise again until doubled in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a deep golden brown.
Turn bread out onto cooling racks.  Brush sides, top and bottom with melted butter.  Let cool completely.  (Except for the heel of one of the loaves.  Cut that off while the bread is still warm, slather it with butter, and enjoy!)

I doubled the recipe and got four nice sized loaves.  Three went into the freezer and part of the fourth was for supper.

That bread came out just as soft as any good bakery bread.  The crusts were soft as well.  Often homemade bread will be a bit dry the next day.  This stayed soft.

So this morning I used the same recipe, doubling it, and made buns and cinnamon rolls.  As with the bread, I brushed the tops with melted butter as soon as they came out of the oven.  I froze most of them, but kept out enough for a couple of meals.  Both the buns and the cinnamon rolls are soft and delicious.

I can see no reason to use any other white bread recipe.  I am just amazed at how good this bread is.  I'm going to experiment a little bit and see if I can't adapt the recipe for wheat bread.

Thus endeth the bread making posts.  Amen.