7 degrees

It's currently 7 degrees. It hasn't risen out of the single digits in at least 24 hours. I'm beginning to feel like Laura Ingalls (Wilder) during "The Long Long Winter". But I am grateful that I do not have to live off of brown bread and potatoes or twist hay for heat. Although that did give a person character and strength when you were pushed to your edge to physically survive. Laura lived to be 90 years old! I would be lying if I said I wish I didn't live back then. I'm convinced that I am part 1880's child and 1950's housewife. I would have loved to live back then at a much simpler time!

    Train Stuck in snow 1881, Wikipedia                                   

So what is one to do on her day off when it's only 7 measly degrees outside? Grocery shopping. Kid you not that is what I did this morning because it was the only time this week I would have to go do it and boy was I glad to be back home! I have beef stew in my crock pot for dinner. This is only the second time I've made beef stew and I really hope it comes out better than my first. There are so many recipes out there for beef stew so I kind of took three of them and just winged it.

I started out with browning my beef before putting in the crock pot. This is something I learned from my mother (and some recipes DO say to do it - others do not) that it starts the cooking process so the beef can get good and tender while the potatoes and carrots cook. I then took the drippings from cooking the beef and made a flour gravy and added it to the crock pot of goodies. I am tempted to add some tomato sauce and paprika since some recipes call for it but others do not. I only want to add it because right now my stew is looking and smelling the same as my first time around - good but not great. Recipes say to let the stew cook and an hour short of it's finishing time to taste it and adjust seasonings etc then so that is what I shall do.

Yesterday the husband and I spent a few hours doing our own separate thing in the same room. He choose to research trucks and watch cartoons. I chose to make some more cards for my Etsy shop. I made 6 cards in 4 1/2/ hours. I never think it's going to take me that long to make cards but especially when my mind gets blocked I have a hard time making a specific card. And I'm not the creative type either. I know my cards show some sort of creativity but I mainly get inspiration from Pinterest and re-create the cards I find on there. But no matter how many I make and how blocked my mind gets I always come back and make more. Even if they aren't being bought like I hoped they would.

Speaking of the olden days I've finally confessed my favorite Judy Garland Movie. No not Wizard of Oz, that movie really scares me to be honest. Flying monkeys? *shudder*
My favorite Judy Garland movie is "Good Ole Summertime".

 

This movie along with "Shop Around the Corner" inspired the 1990s movie "You've Got Mail". I simply love finding out newer movies were inspired off of old ones. Like my other favorite movie "The Women" was a remake of the same movie from the 1930s. How amazing!

Well anyway I'm going to go fix myself something hot to drink so I can get warm again. Cheers!