The Kindness of Strangers....

 

I have heard before, the phrase, "The Kindness of Strangers."  Well, I truly experienced it today. My husband and I drove to town to run some errands. After those were completed, he dropped me off at the Goodwill store to look around and he drove about a mile away to a farm supply store called Bomgaars in our town. It was cold and rainy and a bit windy and he didn't want to come into Goodwill with me, so he went to the other store to window shop. I was supposed to call him on his cell phone when I got done and he would come pick me up.

Well, I ended up not buying anything, and was going to call him to come and get me, but I had left my cell phone in my library bag IN THE CAR. So, I couldn't call him.  And since my phone is way smarter than I am, I couldn't even remember anyone's phone number to come and help me. 

What to do... what to do... I decided to walk to Bomgaar's. Not long after I set off, a very kind woman opened her car window and called out, "Do you want a ride?"  I replied, "Yes!", and she drove me to Bomgaar's I went in and walked the whole store and my husband was not there. I went out into the parking lot and our car was not there either!

What to do... what to do... I decided he probably had gone back to Goodwill to wait for me. Once again, I took off walking and this time was walking down a rather dangerous highway. There are no accomodations for pedestrians there. At one point, I carefully ran across the highway to the other side, and shortly a very kind man came across and asked, "Are you okay?"  So I told him what was going on.  He asked "Can I walk with you?"  and I gratefully agreed. He walked with me all the way back to Goodwill. It was cold, It was windy and misting hard. But I was not alone! He wanted to make sure I got back there safely. Fortunately, my husband was there waiting in the car. He had no idea this had happened and was very sorry. The man who walked with me said I looked "Scared" and I was, a little.  I am 75 years old.

It was not the most pleasant experience, but I will always treasure it because of the two angels who came to my rescue. God bless them, please.

I have heard before, the phrase, "The kindness of I sI have heard before, the phrase, "The kindness of strangers...." Well, I truly experienced it today. My husband and I drove to North Vernon to run some errands. The last thing we were going to do - he dropped me off at the Goodwill store and he was going to go to Bomgaars and I was supposed to call him when I was done. It was cold and rainy outside, and he didn't want to come into Goodwill, so he went to Bomgaars to window shop. I looked around and didn't end up buying anything, so I was going to call him. Oops. I had left my phone in my library bag, IN THE CAR. So, I couldn't call him. What to do... what to do... since my phone is way smarter than I am, I couldn't even remember anyone else's phone number to call to help me. I decided I'd have to walk to Bomgaars, so I started out from Goodwill on foot. Shortly, a very nice woman named Nancy opened her car window and called out, "Do you want a ride?" "Yes!" I said, so she took me to Bomgaars. I walked the whole store and my husband wasn't there, so I went out to the parking lot and our car was not there either. Oh... great... I guess he drove back to Goodwill to wait for me. So... I decided I'd have to walk back to Goodwill. The highway is not exactly pedestrian friendly, but I had no choice. Fortunately, it wasn't raining hard, just misting hard and a bit windy. After a bit I crossed over to the other side of the road and a man came across the road and asked, "Are you okay?" I told him what was going on and he said "Can I walk with you?" And I gratefully accepted his offer. His name was Michael. He walked me all the way back to Goodwill and my husband was there waiting in our car. I am 75 years old. Michael said I looked scared, which I was, a little. It wasn't the most fun experience, but I will always treasure it because of the two angels that helped me today.

trangers...." Well, I truly experienced it today. My husband and I drove to North Vernon to run some errands. The last thing we were going to do - he dropped me off at the Goodwill store and he was going to go to Bomgaars and I was supposed to call him when I was done. It was cold and rainy outside, and he didn't want to come into Goodwill, so he went to Bomgaars to window shop. I looked around and didn't end up buying anything, so I was going to call him. Oops. I had left my phone in my library bag, IN THE CAR. So, I couldn't call him. What to do... what to do... since my phone is way smarter than I am, I couldn't even remember anyone else's phone number to call to help me. I decided I'd have to walk to Bomgaars, so I started out from Goodwill on foot. Shortly, a very nice woman named Nancy opened her car window and called out, "Do you want a ride?" "Yes!" I said, so she took me to Bomgaars. I walked the whole store and my husband wasn't there, so I went out to the parking lot and our car was not there either. Oh... great... I guess he drove back to Goodwill to wait for me. So... I decided I'd have to walk back to Goodwill. The highway is not exactly pedestrian friendly, but I had no choice. Fortunately, it wasn't raining hard, just misting hard and a bit windy. After a bit I crossed over to the other side of the road and a man came across the road and asked, "Are you okay?" I told him what was going on and he said "Can I walk with you?" And I gratefully accepted his offer. His name was Michael. He walked me all the way back to Goodwill and my husband was there waiting in our car. I am 75 years old. Michael said I looked scared, which I was, a little. It wasn't the most fun experience, but I will always treasure it because of the two angels that helped me today.

Do you ever "tweak" recipes?

I bought this Fannie Farmer Cookbook in 1969 in Spokane, Washington.  I was 20 years old and had a summer job working for the United States Forest Service in Sandpoint, Idaho. My co-worker and I visited Spokane and went into a book store and I spied this book. I had never had one before. I wish I could remember what I paid for it. My mom used it for a year or two and then when my husband and I got married, she gave it back to me. By that time she had used it so much that the binding was failing and she put duct tape on it. I have added to that over the years.

Our daughters and I referred to this wonderful, basic, cookbook constantly. In fact, this book is how I learned to cook. My mom had taught me how to bake when I was growing up, and so I knew how to follow a recipe, but I didn't really know how to cook

This morning I had some bananas that were hopelessly ripe.  I didn't want to throw them away, so decided to make banana nut bread. The best recipe I've ever had for that is the one in this cookbook because it does not call for any oil.  Here it is. (Notice how dirty the page is!)

In order to use the recipe, I needed to "tweak" it because I no longer can eat wheat, and don't use eggs. Here is what I came up with:

BANANA NUT BREAD

3 ripe bananas, well mashed

6 Tablespoons aqua faba (the liquid from cooking chickpeas)

2 cups whole grain spelt flour

1/2 cup honey

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup finely chopped English walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F

Using an electric mixer, mash the bananas well.  Use the mixer to also beat the aqua faba until it is foamy and add that to the bananas. Add the honey and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the spelt flour, salt and baking soda.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined well.

Stir in the walnuts.

I used olive oil spray on my loaf pan and poured the batter in and smoothed it out. Bake for about 50 - 60 minutes until the loaf tests done with a toothpick.

It's delicious and nicely soft and moist!

Do you like Rice Pudding?

         I have tried, many times, through the years I've been married (52) to make "Rice Pudding."  It has NEVER turned out very nicely and I have used several different recipes. But now, I finally have a way to make it that is EASY and it WORKS!!! 

SLOW COOKER RICE PUDDING

I made this in a small slow cooker (a.k.a. "Crockpot"). 

Combine in the slow cooker:

1 cup rinsed white rice

2.5 cups milk (I used homemade soymilk)

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup rasins

Stir that together, put on the lid and cook on "high" for about 3 hours. 

Stir, and taste and see if the rice is nice and soft.

Add 3/4 cup of additional milk and

1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

Stir well

This is wonderful warm, but also really yummy cold.

I am so pleased. I'm only 75 and finally learned how to make good rice pudding.  :)