Bread Pudding!

I really enjoy reading the blogs but I am bad about writing my own.Peder is really good about writing -so is Donna & Sarah--& it is fun to read them--so I will try to do better! We are all looking forward to another wedding (Amanda's) on the 25th.Jerry, Janet, Donna Pat & I are driving to Libertyville Il.(which I believe is north & west of Evanston) on Fri. We will come home on Sun. The weekend before that-16,17 18 I am going to Ely Mn. to a camp with Pat Pudge, Bryan & family, &Kari & family. WE have been to that camp before. Nice cabins & good fishing(which I could care less about!) & the kids love it.
Pat is having a garage sale with her teacher friends thiis Thurs. so I have been getting some stuff together for her to take there.t is at her friends house.She came over on Sun. & cleaned my carpets.I was surprised that they weren't dirtier as they have in for a little over 5 yrs.but they sure look better!!
Last week I had some stale cinnamon bread so decided to make some bread pudding which I have not had for ages.Barb Hulback had given me a recipe for microwave bread pudding & it is so good & so easy--Here is the recipe--usually plain bread is used but the cinnamon bread was really good.
Microwave Bread Pudding


6 slices bread , cut up
2 cups milk
1 tblsp margarine
2 eggs,beaten
1/2 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c raisins

Heat milk & margarine in 4 c. measure on high for 3 min.Stir small amount ef hot milk into b beaten eggs--Add sugar,salt cinnamon,vanilla& raisins. Pour mixture over bread mixture.
Cook on high for 7 min. Cook 2 min.longer if center is not firm.Good with cream.

bits & pieces

I had a great time using my new camera the week of Jill's wedding--then Linda showed me how to put them on the computer-she wrote down the instructions-which is a good thing! I really enjoyed the company who came for the wedding.
The cruise--so far we have Janet, Liz & Linda in a room ,Pat & Donna together, Jerry & Denny together then Donna told me Heidi & Chad have a room(with a balcony?) Ginny & Allan have booked---also Jim & Lil. That is all that I know about.
My neighbors across the street-next to Denny-had a yard sale yesterday & I bought an answering machine-do not have it plugged in yet-got it for $3 so I thought it was worth that . Donna -I liked the pix from R.I. Those kids are SO cute!! Gemma & I & her 2 granddaughters went out to eat last night.WE went to Old Country Buffet which the kids really like-especially the ice cream table!!I had not seen her for a couple of weeks. She said her niece is coming from Ireland next Aug so she will not go on the cruise. .

General news

I have'nt been on the blog for awhile & I forgot how to get to it to write but after a few false starts I got it right! After all that I forgot what I was going to write!!!Go ahead laugh all you youngsters--Your time is coming!!
I am looking forward to this weekend when Ginny & Allan & other members will be together for Jills wedding.The weather has been HOT but it is supposed to cool doen by this weekend. I do not go out much when it is so hot --stay in the air conditioned house --come to think of it I don't go out much in the cold weather either!! Fall & Spring are good.
I booked a cabin for Janet & I for the Alaskan cruise & Donna booked one for her & Pat. Pudge does not want to go on a cruise as he said he cannot play golf on the ship!!
I got a new digital camera & now I am having to learn how to use that--They say keep using your brain when you get older & I sure am trying!! No comments on how frustrating all this new technology is --wonder what that does to the brain?!

More about the "GOOD OLD DAYS"!!

I remembered afew other things about the 30s--We did not have running water -we had to pump all our water and heat in in the wood burning cookstove in the kitchen. We had a heating stove in the living room which also burned wood. In winter unless you were right by the stove it was cold. Also we had an outdoor toilet(outhouse) That was cold in winter too!!As kids we wore long underwear to keep warm. We had no electricity so we had kerosene lamps and lanterns. I have a kerosene lamp now in case the electricity goes off. It is neat to have lived thru these times but I am glad we do not have to live like that now!! Think of all the changes just in my life time--TV ,Computers, cell phones,micro wave ovens,digital cameras & that is just a fewthat I can think of right off the bat!!
Last week I decided I wanted to make some scones so I looked thru my cookbooks & could not find a recipe.!It was not a good day for me that day. First ,I did not get my daily paper delivered which makes me cranky and then I decided OK I will watch Price Is Right and Pres Bush was on with a speech --in the morning yet!! Well I finally remembered the computer & I got the recipe for scones-- then I did not have butter or cream that the recipe called for! By this time it is afternoon so I just gave up and took a nap. I did make some scones the next day after going to the store and they turned out just great!!

Life in the 1930's

Last week my great grand-daughter, Abby, now 11 years old, emailed me saying she was assigned a project at school to write about someone living in the 1930's and wondered if I would write a little article about it and send it to her. This is what I wrote:

I lived on a farm in the 1930's. The country was in a depression when many people were out of work & were very poor. Living on a farm was better as we always had plenty to eat--my mother had a big garden so we always had fresh vegetables. She canned a lot in the summer so we had lots to eat in the winter also. We had cows, horses, pigs, & chickens. We would go to town in a wagon drawn by two horses & my parents would take eggs & cream & trade them for cheese, flour, coffee, sugar & other staples that we couldn't grow. We kids always got a nickel to buy an ice cream cone.

My mother churned her own butter. It was a glass churn with wooden paddles that turned. It took about an hour to get butter. We did not get fruit like bananas & oranges, but we had apples & plums from our own trees. At Christmas we would always get an orange in our stocking--what a treat that was! My mother made candy for us on special days. She baked cookies, cake, pies & bread so we had plenty of sweets.

I went to school in a one room schoolhouse with one teacher for all grades. There were about 15 pupils in 8 different grades. I walked to school -about 2 miles - & carried my lunch in a tin bucket. Lunch was usually a peanut butter sandwich & cookies.

news from Liz

I spent last Thurs. & Fri. at Kari's house. Fri was Grandparents Day at Travis' school & I was happy to go. It was at 9:45 AM so decided to go there the night before so I would be on time!! The 2nd graders put on a program in gym -All the boys were dogs & the girls were cats. It was a darling program. 175 second graders in that school.The school is just across the pond from Kari's house . They have a robins nest under their deck & you can see the nest thru a crack in the deck--there are 3 baby birds in nest. This is the 2nd year she has come back to nest. Then Travis found a ducks nest by their driveway in some bushy trees. Charlie said there were 5 eggs in it.
Pudge has been busy trying to get my yard into shape.He just sprayed WeedBeGone this AM. There is a mole who really digs around & makes lots of tunnels-Pudge has tried just about to get rid of him but nothing has worked.
One other thing about Grandparents Day-- Grandchild takes you to his room & introduces you to teacher & they had a folder with a picture they had drawn of themselves & their Grandma--It was th cutest thing Wish everone could see it!!
I just got my invitation to Sarah's baby shower--another great deal with the computer!!
The lilacs are all in bloom now -so is my bleeding heart bush.

cont. news from Liz

I almost lost all of the last post (news from Liz) I hit something & the letter disappeared! but somehow I got it back but not sure what I did. I did that a couple of times with email & never did get nit back --so frustrating as I can not type very fast so it takes a long time if I have to do it over!!
I love reading everyones blogs . LOVE TO ALL LIZ

News from Liz

Donna-I love all the pictures you are sending of Josiah & Annika. I have now had my 82nd birthday GOOD GRIEF! I do not feel that old (& it is Old!) except in the morning!! We did not make it for the cruise to Panama but did not give up hope until late Tues .The ship was sailing on Wed night . I would like to book another one to Panama in the fall-will have to talk to Mary Beth about that. Anyway now I will be able to go to The National gymnastic meet in St Cloud to watch Abby compete.It is on Sat.&she will be on at 4:30 pm.That will be exciting. Then Amaya (Gemmas granddaughter asked me to come to grandparents day at her school on 27th.
Today is Bryans Birthday & tomorrow is Abbys.Then Annas is next Thurs. Kari &Charlie & kids came out last Fri & we all went out to eat ---Pat ,Pudge me & Karis family ---For my & Pats & Karis birthdays.


















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exciting news!

exciting news in our family!! Abby Soderberg won state championship in gymnastics (in her age group) on Sat. Now she will be representing the state in National Championssip meet in St Cloud on Apr. 20th & 21st. I am dissappointed that we did not go to the meet on Sat but Pat forgot they were on Sat.BUT ,I am sure going to St. Cloud unless by some miracle we get to go on the cruise to Panama. We are on a waiting list for the 19th of April & last week the travel agent said we were 20th on list-so I am not to excited.
Thurs Mary Beth & I & neighbor Barb Parent went to the casino in Hinckley. I came home with $8 less than I started with --Not bad for a days entertainment & lunch at the buffet!! Barb P. drove --she has one of the new Toyotas that use electricity & gas.It was plenty roomy & was smooth riding. The car itself changes from gas to electric & you cannot tell when it does. She said we got 49 miles to the gal. on that trip. Amazing!
It seems like Easter snuck up on me ! Will have Easter dinner here --Am not sure how many will be here --I have't heard from Shannon or Bobby or Matt.
Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!!

weekend & more

sat eve Pat & I went to Anna's dance competition.It was at the U at a concert hall. I didn't recognize her with all the makeup they put on them!!but when they are on stage you can't tell they have any on.She is a good dancer & she loves it . Then Sun eve we went to Abby's Gymnastic meet which was in N St Paul. She is really,really good & gets high marks on all catergories .She was in Denver a couple of weeks ago for a competition & she did really well for her age group.
I had to email Donna yesterday to tell me how to get Janets blog in my favorites-I know she had told me how before but I had forgotten.Now I put the directions in a folder--hope I don't forget that it is there!!!Donna-Sorry about your Tweety bird.
I made some corned beef & cabbage Sat. & today I had a Rueben sandwich GOOD!
Pudge is going to DesMoine tomorrow wih a couple of friends to play golf. He was in Alexandria over the weekend for a hockey tournament --His White Bear team lost so he came home early & went with us to Abbys meet. Bryan had been in Indianapolis & was stuck there for 9 hrs on Sat because of the snow farther east.He was glad to get home!

Weekend

It was a good thing Sarah left directions to get into my blog as I did not remember how to do it. Janet and Linda came Fri afternoon & so did Barb Hulback. We went to Tiny's funeral Sat at noon--she will be buried tomorrow at Fort Snelling cemetary She was cremated as was Dean.
Then a really great time with Diane & her kids(well not such kids anymore!) Donna,Peder & Sarah. Donna has some good pictures on her blog. Ginny -I will try to use email also. I sure am getting some new toys--first the computer & now a blog!! I started a letter today on this site-then Mary Beth came so I put the letter in draft box but I could not get it out so I could finish so this is a whole new letter. Mary Beth & I are on a waiting list for a cruise to Panama Canal leaving on Apr.18th. Hope we can get on that one!! Love to all!!!

Welcome to my blog--this is my first post & might be my last if I can't figure this out!!!