rum balls

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I received a new food processor. I have never had one and have never used one. It was a little intimidating so I thought my first recipe should be an easy one. Rum balls. My dad has been taking about these and wanting some. He got the bourbon. No, we never put rum in rum balls. He was a little concerned about the strength of the bourbon. He said he was looking for 80 proof but they only had 114 proof. I thought it would only make them better.

I got the vanilla wafers. In the past, we always used Nilla Wafers. But they now add HFCS and I try my best to avoid it. I got some organic cookies from Whole Foods. 

I crushed up the cookies using the food processor. This was much easier than putting the cookies in a ziploc baggie and using a rolling pin. I always get bored and the pieces end up too large.

I mixed everything up and added the corn syrup then the bourbon. I always start with the measured amount of alcohol but have to add more because the mixture is too dry. I thought it said 1 1/2 cups of alcohol and decided to just add two cups now. Oh my! This stuff was strong. I was getting a buzz just mixing the batter. 

Uh oh. This batter is too runny. I cannot even form a ball to roll. Oh crap. I add more cookies but it is still runny. I look online and suggestions were to add cocoa powder or powder sugar, basically any of the dry ingredients. Then I look and see my mistake. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of alcohol. I added 4 times the amount. Oh crap indeed! I put it in the fridge hoping things will thicken up.

The next morning the batter had thickened up but I knew the cookies would be too strong so I got more powdered sugar and cookies and ended up doubling the batch. There is a reason why the recipe calls for mixing the dry ingredients first. It was a pain in my arm and wrist to mix them extra ingredients into the batter.

I rolled the cookies and ended up with 8 dozen. I put some in a glass pyrex in the small refrigerator for dad. The rest went into a tin to be given to friends and neighbors. The cookies are strong but good. As they mellow, the no longer burn my mouth but give me that nice warm glow in my tummy.

roderick on the line and architecture

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John Roderick and Merlin Mann discuss architecture and other things on their podcast.

I wish I knew enough about urban planning and design to talk about this on a podcast. I think we could have a great discussion.

John mentioned Chicago Style but it should be Chicago School.

Here are some books that I have read or have meant to read.

Modern Architecture

Modern Architecture: A Critical History (Fourth Edition)  (World of Art)

Towards a New Architecture

I had better get reading so I am ready for our discussion when John calls.

here comes the sun

/ linnefaulk@gmail.com/

Back to Work with Merlin Mann & Dan Benjamin. Merlin was talking about light therapy and seasonal affective disorder. I had heard of SAD years ago but didn't really think much of it until I moved to Florida. When I lived in Michigan, I had a lot of headaches. When I moved to Florida, they went away. I still get headaches but not weekly or even monthly. And my mood is so much better. I credit this to the weather and the abundance of sunlight in Florida.

I recently read about the benefits to Vitamin D which is essentially sunshine. As a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors and seem to be happy. As adults, we spend most of our time indoors and in artificial light. Instead of spending $100 or more on a light that will mimic sunlight, I go outside most days to walk. I also take Vitamin D3 supplements. My energy has improved.

As much as Merlin & Dan complain about Florida, I am happy we moved here. Yes, there is still a lot to complain about, but the sun isn't one of them.

sad

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Listening to Back to Work with Merlin Mann & Dan Benjamin. Merlin is talking about light therapy and seasonal affection disorder. I had heard of SAD years ago but didn't really think much of it until I moved to Florida. When I lived in Michigan, I had a lot of headaches. When I moved to Florida, they went away. I still get headaches but not weekly or even monthly. And my mood is so much better. I credit this to the weather and the abundance of sunlight in Florida.

I recently read about the benefits to Vitamin D which is essentially sunshine. As a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors and seem to e happy. As adults, we spend most of our time indoors and in artificial light. Instead of spending $100 or more on a light that will
Mimic sunlight, I go outside most days to walk. I also take Vitamin D3 supplements. My energy has improved.

buy nothing day

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I am seeing posts about opposing Black Friday. I agree with them, mostly.

I don't go out on Black Friday. I can't stand the crowds. 

I know some people who start shopping at midnight on Thanksgiving Day. It is their "tradition." My mother's idea of family outing was going to the mall. But there are better ways to spend time together with  family.

And really, the ads are a come on to get you hyped up and in the stores.

If you have the day off, enjoy it with your family. There will be other times to find a good deal.

housework

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I hate housework. 

I don't know anyone who likes it but a few who do it knowing it has to be done and that they want  to make their home the best it can be. 

Growing up, we had to clean a room in the house each week. We earned 50¢ for our effort. For some reason, I remember getting stuck with the bathroom way too often. I hated having to clean that room. The floors had to be mopped and I did it on my knees. Our bathroom was small and all seven of us used it. Yep, it was gross. 

As we got older, the boys moved out and all the housework fell to my sister and me and then finally just me. Our mom was not a taskmaster regarding housework. We only got paid when we did the work. She was lazy too. The only times we had to do chores was before holidays. Everything got cleaned before Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. During those times, mom was busy in the kitchen cooking up a storm so didn't help with the work. And the mess she made in the kitchen!

I don't remember the whole family cleaning except a few times when mom wanted all the windows cleaned. The screens were removed and I had the job of scrubbing them clean with a brush and a hose full of very cold water. 

I do enjoy a clean house. I am not crazy. But I am lazy and hate to do with those little things that are so easily ignored. I have no problem doing the dishes and the laundry on a daily basis. Dusting, vacuuming and mopping are last on my to do list. 

Gail liked a clean house. He felt that a clean house was the equivalent of telling him "I love you." I didn't know this until after he died. After each boy was born, he put up with the mess and clutter for about three months. Then one day he would snap and yell. Gail did not mind doing the floors and I happily let him do them.

After Gail died, I had lots of free time once the boys were in school. I started really cleaning the house. I picked a room each day and did a big clean. This lasted for a few months. Until I joined the YMCA. And discovered scrapbooking. I went back to doing a crazy clean before I hosted a scrapbooking evening. 

When I began my online business, I got very lazy with housework. I cringe when I see old photos and the boxes and boxes and crap all over the house. I did a major clean in 2008. My siblings were coming to celebrate my dad turning 80. I let things go again after that but not nearly as bad. 

There were times when I read posts like How to Clean Your House for 20 minutes a day for 30 Days. But I had to do a big clean first. And I kept putting it off. Then my sister planned to visit. My sister is good at housework. I think she likes cleaning. With her husband working from home, she couldn't sit around like Peg Bundy eating Bon bons and watching tv.  Not that Nancy is anything like Peg Bundy. But I think Charlie expected her to be home and cleaning. Anyway, she is picky about a clean house I knew I had to do something. 

So a month ago, I started cleaning. I cleaned so much I broke my vacuum. The house is not spotless. I just can't work that hard. But it is good and I feel good. Now is the time to start a good routine and keep it that way. 

I looked for some cleaning routines to adopt. I found a few check lists and saved them. Then I remembered about seeing an iPhone with cleaning routines. I checked a few out and downloaded HomeRoutines. 

HomeRoutines comes with some tasks already loaded and suggested room zones. I did some modifications and started using the app yesterday.  Then I realized this was just another to do app with repeating tasks. I already have an app like that did I really want another app to open and keep track? Nope. So last night and this morning, I entered those tasks into Reminders. 

HomeRoutines is a good app if all you want it to get working on good home cleaning tasks and don't want to think about how to set it up in Reminders or Things. 

The added tasks make my to do list look long. But they don't take much time to complete and I feel very good when I check them off. Without anyone to keep me accountable, Reminders helps.

Here are some more posts about house cleaning routines:

Better Homes & Gardens Setting Up Cleaning Routines

Organizing Made Fun 15 Minutes Day?

My 3 Monsters Housekeeping

24 7 Moms Clean Your House in 15 Minutes a Day!

Real Simple Daily Quick Cleaning Checklist

Angela Says A 30 Day Cleaning Challenge

world wide photo walk

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Saturday was Scott Kelby's Fifth Annual World Wide Photo Walk. This is my fourth year. On the day it was announced, I went to sign up and found RC's walk already full. Scott Kelby was not going to be Tampa that day so all of his fans joined RC's walk. I signed up on the wait list. I checked daily until Matt posted his walk for Dunedin and I switched. I emailed my friends but no one responded. 

When I talked to Bridget, she told me she forgot to sign up. I said she should tag along. Anyone can go but only those who signed up can post photos and enter the contest. Neither one of us are interested in that. I talked to Doyle earlier in the week but he was unsure if he could go. He is usually his daughter's chauffeur on the weekends.

Bridget picked me up and we went to Dunedin. Doyle called on the way and said he would be joining us too. 

The meeting place just said "benches" so we had to guess which benches Matt was referring to. I thought it was the Dunedin Historical Museum next to the Pinellas trail. Soon others joined us. Matt showed up and walked over to us. He seemed nice but is not chatty. Matt did his spiel and used his iPhone 5 to take a panorama shot of the group. Matt's spiel was much shorter than Jeff's. Matt wasn't trying to sell anything.

The three of us walked around. In the four years since my first photo walk, they have painted a few of the buildings. There is still a lot of good color. 

We didn't take that many photos but that was fine. We had a good time. I sort of felt like an old pro since we had many of the shots others were taking. We walked up to the old oak tree held together with large steel cables. I could find any I information about it online. 

We walked back towards the shops and saw Matt. He said lunch had been changed to Casa Tina. They were the only place willing to accommodate us. 

We walked down to the water and walked around. Doyle was dressed for cooler weather and was hot. At 11:30 I suggested we go to the restaurant and he a drink. Bridget was all for that. 

We walked past other restaurants and they were already full. Casa Tina was fairly empty. They had an area set up for us and we grabbed one of the round booths. Bridget got a sangria and I got a margarita. Doyle stuck with tea. 

We were not the first ones for long. Service was a bit slow but the food was good. We tried to take some panos with my iPhone. It is not that easy. 

Doyle did not take many photos. Be never laid down on the ground. 

We left and drove back. Bridget & I stopped at Yogurtology.

I posted images at Flickr.​

​I made a digital layout.

podcasts

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I am still enjoying podcasts. Way too many of them. I am lucky if I can get through all the ones I download in a week. I am learning to be more discerning with my time an fast forward through ones that do not interest me. I am a child of limited TV channels and no DVRs so I tend to listen to things I find boring hoping to get to the more interesting stuff soon. I have to keep remembering that there is so much information and entertainment. So much content, that I can be choosy. 

I only listen to one podcast since I started listening was back in 2003 or 2004. MacGeekGab is still going strong and is still relevant.  I now listen through Instacast on my iPhone. I tried to listen with my iPad but it tends to crash with Instacast. Instacast allows me to have playlists. 

My playlist called safe is my most used playlist. This includes most of my NPR podcasts and all of my tech podcasts from networks like 5by5 and 70 Decibels. 

My humor playlist contains all the podcasts that may contain swearing. I don't always wear headphones and need to be aware of who might also be listening. I don't worry about my kids hearing such language. They know they cannot repeat these words. They listen to George Carlin and know which bits to repeat. It is my father who objects to poor and filthy language. I understand him not like the swearing but he also objects to hearing "Oh my God!" and when a podcaster uses such phrases as "you know" too often. Several times he has counted how many times that phrase was said and told me after the podcast was over. I tend to tune that out so I can enjoy the podcast. It is difficult when dad points it out. Most of these podcasts are listened to with headphones while I am walking. 

My third playlist is called music. Several of the NPR podcasts are about music. I tend to listen to this playlist last if I have time at the end of the weekend. The quality isn't so good listening through the iPhone speaker but I am listening to learn about new music or the artists.