Today's Post is Sponsored by the Letter S

If you recognize that phrase in my post title you too watch Sesame Street on a regular basis! :)  The letter S today means sinuses, stress, silly, sugar, sunshine, spring, sewing, storm.

     Just watched Dr Oz---I love that guy!  This weekend I had a sinus headache that just wouldn't quit so my ears perked up when Dr Oz mentioned this method of helping sinus problems...

http://art-ayers.suite101.com/humming-a-natural-cure-for-sinusitis-a83593   Dr Oz says hum for an hour a day. Doesn't cost you anything and has no bad side effects.

    I am just stressed out, but that is the story of my life. No point into going into why....mostly the lack of money and the ever raising cost of living. Between Disability check and my little retirement my income is equal to living on minimum wage and I am sure everyone who lives on minimum wage is stressed in this economy. SS Disability check did go up $39 starting in January and that is a blessing, will almost pay my water bill.  I just refinanced my house to lower my interest rate so that will help so there is light at the end of the tunnel.

   My silly dogs! I do not know what I would do without them!! I miss my Max Schnauzer terribly...he was my constant companion for 11 years and had a personality that was just awesome.  Gee, I loved that dog.  He was more human than dog.  Zoe and Gracie are good dogs, just not like Max.  They do make me laugh though.  I had $23 in my checking account this weekend to last through the end of the month and I should have saved it for groceries but I spent $10 of it on the girls (my dogs) and it was money well spent.  My daughter needed to go to PetSmart for a new leash.  She lives in an apartment thus has to walk her dog and his old leash broke.  I went with her and while she was looking at leashes on one side of the aisle I looked at dog collars on the opposite side.  They had $11.99 collars on sale for $5.  Zoe has grown so much she really needed a collar.  Gracie is just little and will always wear a size small but her old collar was kinda ratty so I bought them each a collar.  These silly dogs!  When they get new collars they act like kids at Christmas!  New collars = excitement personified!  They love doggie toys but they don't react nearly so much to new toys as they do new collars!  I don't know what they think! It starts the second they see new collars come out of the shopping bag.  They jump and bark and dance around. They actually get big doggie smiles on their faces. When I take their old collars off and put the new ones on they prance around, bark, smile like LOOK at me and my new clothes!  They are just goofy children.  Actually I call their collars "clothes"...as in when I give them a bath & dry them as much as they will let me I get their collars and tell them "let's put your clothes back on, you look naked!" and they want them on and make sure the other dog is getting hers too.   Too funny!  It was worth the $10 to laugh as much as I did at them. 

   I don't know what is up but I am craving sugar like I can not believe.  I hardly ever have cake or pie in the house....I can't even remember when I have had a cake, other than birthdays, since last summer when I made strawberry shortcake real often.  I didn't even make pies at Thanksgiving, I sure don't remember when I last made a pie.   Breads? Pumpkin bread, banana bread, cinnamon loaf bread...I doubt I have made one since D-B day (depression-break down).  Suddenly, I want pie, cake, sweet breads, cinnamon rolls, brownies --- something with SUGAR that you have to chew!!  You know what it is?! I just figured it out --- Pinterest!  I am addicted to Pinterest and while I seldom repin any recipes I see all of those photos of desserts.

   The black cloud of depression has been looming over me for the past few weeks.  I know what I need is some exercise and some sunshine.  I love being out in the sun and it has been a long time since I have been outside.  Today we have sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.  Too windy for me to be outside.  Between the cold temps and wind I haven't been on a walk outside since I am guessing October.  I need a walk and I need some sunshine. There may have been times I could have taken a walk early in the mornings before the wind gets up but I have been so depressed for months I just want to stay in bed. I remember last summer spending 3 or 4 hours easily out in the sun and that is what I need. Sunshine and fresh air and no wind.

   I am just sick over my yard.  It is just dirt.  When I put the trailer house here I had the back yard sodded and the cost of fescue sod in the house loan.  It was absolutely beautiful until the drought and horrible heat we had last year...which was the worst year since they started keeping records.   I just hope my crepe myrtles and lilacs survived and am anxious for spring to see what comes to life.  Spring is typically our windiest time of the year so I dread that but I just love to plant things and see flowers bloom.  This year I just can't afford to spend much on bedding plants and nothing on grass but I am going to fix just one flower bed and concentrate on that bed plus try to get my morning glories to live this year.  The first summer here my chain link fence was covered in Heavenly Blue morning glories and made me so happy.  Last year I planted about 300 seeds in dixie cups in the house and then transplanted outside.  The months of 100 degree weather eventually killed every single one of them.  It was so heartbreaking.  I need color and flowers.  And I need to plant something.  Just wish it could be a yard full of grass. sigh.

     I used to sew 30 or 40 years ago ... dang, I am old ... and I wish I still had my sewing machine.  I want to make some bigger bibs for Taylor.  She is 15 months and those baby bibs of hers just don't cover enough.  Pinterest...I'm blaming you for the urges to eat sugar and sew! :)
   News just came on and a dust storm from the high winds caused zero visibility on a highway near us just a little bit ago. 5 tractor-trailer rigs and multiple cars wrecked.  So far in the short 2012 we have had bad wrecks from visibility problems due to dense fog, wildfire smoke, snow, and now dust.  I think we have it about covered.

  Now I need to get up and get my hands in some dish soap, clean up the kitchen and I think I will go to the store and get ingredients to make Taco Casserole.  I think everyone in the world makes this but if you don't it is an easy casserole to throw together and is my kind of comfort food.  Serve with salad, guacamole & chips

Taco Casserole (which I guess should be called Enchilada casserole but taco is what we have always called it)

1 lb or so of ground beef

1 can Old El Paso Red Mild Enchilada Sauce

1 onion, diced

1 can chopped green chilies

1 dozen corn tortillas

salt & pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 can pinto beans

1 cup milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup  (truthfully, if I have soup I add it, sometimes I leave it & milk out, sometimes it is 1 can of mushroom and zero chicken)

lots of grated cheddar cheese

1.   In a large dutch oven brown the salt & peppered ground beef, drain.  (Pinterest tip...line a cup with foil, put your drippings in there, let it get cold and solid, then wad up foil and toss)
2. Add onion & garlic to beef and saute til onions are transparent.  Add green chilies, enchilada sauce, soups, milk and beans.  Heat and stir until well blended.  In a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray layer: tortillas, meat mixture, lots of cheese. Repeat layers.  Bake at 350 for 15 or 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

If I have the ingredients I make this corn side dish ..
Indian Corn
In a saucepan saute 1/2 cup diced onion and 1 zucchini, peeled and diced, in some butter or oleo until zucchini is tender, stirring often.  Add 1 can cream style WHITE shoe peg corn, and 1 can WHITE whole kernel shoe peg corn, drained . Add salt and pepper, heat until corn is hot and serve.