Catching Up

WOW!! It has been almost 2 years since my last blog post.  I guess because nothing terribly exciting has happened. 
We have had 3 cousin's weddings, and a few funerals.

Charlie got a puppy, Ike,  in September 2014, Ike.  He's a border Collie Blue Heeler mix.  

and Boston is still around, but showing his age. (11 Years)

I retired  September 4, of this year (2016)  after 25 years at Jackson District Library. 

I decided I needed to find something to do, so I am volunteering at the Elementary school 2 days a week and I have started painting again.  To see those and other hobbies, go to my hobby page.    "Daffodil Patch Creations

I have had some people tell me I should write down some of the stories I have acquired at work and home.  So watch for those soon.  

Rural Library Conference.

I spent the last 3 days at the Michigan Rural and small libraries conference.  At least I spent a day and half at the conference.
We left at 5:15 AM and arrived in St. Ignace at 10:15 AM to catch the 11:00, waiting a a huge line with about 200 other librarians, who had planned on the same thing. and were told it would be 2:00, which turned into 3:00.
On Monday April 28, there was still 3 feet of ice on the lake/straitts, which limited the ferry companies preperations.   We spend the next 4 hours walking in the rain, and wind (I think it was 34 degrees) to the restaurant for lunch,  geocaching, at least Danah and I did, notice the ice in the background.

 and setting in a very crowded waiting room.with another 200-300 librarians to find out we would be on the 3:00 ferry (they only had one running ) We finally boarded Sheplers "barge," yes barge, seats for about 60, and two Mackinac City transit buses strapped to the deck. 

This is what it looked like from the barge/ferry.

We finally made it to the Hotel  ab out 4:15. 

 

in time to stand in another line to check in, and go to our rooms for a very few minutes before dinner. 

This is how my room was decorated.  They were all different.  It is good thing it was dark at night because i thing this wall paper would have kept me awake.

 

The service was wonderful.  The waiters pulled out our chairs, and put our napkins on our laps.   The food was wonderful.   

The keynote speaker Jessymn West talked about the 21st century Digital Divide, she was fantastic.

We attended lots of workshops in Thursday and met lots of new people by late afternoon the fog had cleared enough to be able to see the view from the famous grand hotel porch.

 

 The Mackinac bridge is in the distance, (really it is)

I think we all had a great time, can you tell.

Thanksgiving - Crab snack recipe.

We had a great time with most of the family  at niece, Michelle's yesterday for Thanksgiving.  As usually we ate too much.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures.

I tried a new recipe- Crab Cream Cheese Snacks.  I had a couple of requests for the recipe.  I was going to post a link but I can't find it now.  Originally Charlie found it posted by a friend of a friend by Rose Kanneg, on Facebook.  I looked for it and guess what I can't find it I found some similar recipes but not the one I have printed so here it is.  With Thanks to whoever created the original.

Crab Cream Cheese Snacks

1- 8 ounce tube crescent roll dough

3 oz cream cheese softened

1/4 cup mayonaise

3/4 cup cooked crab-meat chopped (I used Louise Kemp Crab Delights)

2 green onions chopped 

1/8 -1/4 cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste (I didn't use any) 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough on work surface. Pinch seams to seal and roll with a rolling pin to create an even rectangle.  Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows to make 24 squares. 

In a small bowl mix cream cheese, may, crab-meat, onion and red pepper salt and pepper to taste.  Divide crab mixture evenly among the squares dropping it by  that are 1/2 inch from 1 corner of each square.  Starting with same corner, fold dough over filling and tuck tightly underneath filling;  continue rolling to within 1/2 inch of opposite corner.  Roll opposite corner of dough over roll; press to seal.  Place on cookie sheet.  Brush with egg white if desired (I did not) 

Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from cookie sheet.  Serve warm. 

 

Ahhh.  I just found the recipe.  

http://cookingwithgilmore.blogspot.com/2013/08/crab-and-cream-cheese-snacks.html

What I did on My Vacation

First we actually, Charlie scraped and painted and popcorned (?) the kitchen ceiling.  The two skylights would leak every time it rained  We finally had to take them out all together.  The ceiling was stained and started to peel so  he had to fix it.

He wanted to do something with all the apples we have so he started making cider and apple sauce.

This is what I did

 I have a few others on Etsy (go to etsy.com look for betzja and can be purchased through Etsy.  I will sell most of these directly if anyone is interested.  Contact me through facebook or leave a message on this blog or email me at cr82learn@gmail.com

Busy productive weekend

I spent Yesterday making jewelry:

 I spent today cleaning and switching 2 rooms.  the frist room that is (was) Shonda's that we have trouble getting heat and air conditioning to is now a craft room.

The smaller room that was a messy craft room and had good AC and heat is now Shonda's (the guest) room

This rocking chair is from a great grandfather.

This quilt  top was made  for me by my great grandmother when I was born . My mom had it quilted for me as a Christmas present several years ago.