Time to get back in touch with some things!

I have a very bad habit of getting so focused on stress and what needs to be done that I do believe I hamper a good many things. I am trying to change this. It keeps me from enjoying a lot of things. So I did something yesterday that I hadn't done in a long time. I put on a pot of beans to cook instead of buying canned beans. It is the first time I have cooked black beans though. I had forgotten the simple pleasure of the smell of them cooking as you walk back in the front door after being outside for a bit. I can come up with all kinds of reasons why I haven't done things like this, but when it comes right down to it they are only excuses not valid reasons. Then I made my homemade red chili for burritos. This time I put the chili on then topped it with freshly cooked black beans(w/sea salt) and topped that off with shredded cheese and sour cream. Oh boy, was it good. Mike told me a number of times how good the burrito was and that I had outdone myself this time. Reading Lisa's posts and some of her friends post made me realize how much I really do want to get back to basics. I kept telling myself how hard it sounded and how time consuming it seemed to be. But really, how hard was it to cook beans? Yes, it takes a while, but the only thing I have to do is check on them and stir them. hehe Then the best part is I made up four bowls of black beans and topped them off with the leftover chili and froze them. Now I have also started another thing I have wanted to do. Freezing up portion sizes for my lunches or quick evening meals when I don't want to cook. This is so much cheaper and better for us than ordering in. I think my next thing is going to be homemade chicken noodle soup. I don't like canned soup for a number of reasons. Here are the main 3 reasons: 1. Way too much sodium. 2. Not enough protein in it for me. 3. I don't like the vegetables they put in it. So, I am going to make it like I did in Clovis when the girls were little. It turned out really thick, almost like stew instead of soup, but oh was it good. I used broccoli in it. So, I may make that next Saturday. Mike doesn't like soup, but this way I can make it up and freeze it for myself. Who knows, maybe he will try some. I just found out last night that he likes posole though. So guess what else I will make?

I haven't wanted pets for a long time. I have used excuses for this too! They are too much trouble, who will care for them if we aren't at home, I am allergic to their dander(which is true, but I am allergic to alot of other things I can't get away from) and on and on. Deep down I have known the reason for a long time. I have lost so many pets over the years, dealt with dogs and cats of the girls getting run over, wounded in fights with other animals and so on. The last pet I lost though we believe was from someone being vindicive. Lisa and Laura, I am sure you know I am referring to Midnight. Laura gave me this black lab mix because she didn't want me to be lonely since Lisa was already gone and Laura was gone alot of the time. Midnight mysteriously got off our property(which he didn't even like to do when I would try to get him to.)Lisa, Lawrence, Laura and I kept looking for him and Lisa and Lawrence found him just off the main highway. He had been struck by a vehicle and died. We will leave it at that, other than I am still grateful for Lawrence's help in taking care of the matter and Lisa, Lawrence, and Laura's support in dealing with the loss. It still makes me cry as I am typing this blog. But it is time to move on. Loss is a part of life and I can't avoid that without losing pleasure in other areas. So, I will be coming the owner of a cute little kitty named Buddy. He is the runt of the litter that Laura & Pat's cats had. They are keeping him for another week or so then Mike and I will bring him home. I have always preferred cats over dogs. When we bring him here, I will have Mike take a picture of Buddy and I and I will post it for you to see.