Today's Blog

It’s going to be a hard day to be positive. I have gotten nearly no sleep. If it wasn’t my body then it was the dogs or Chris coming home. Every time I would start to actually fall asleep something woke me up. I can only hope I get some tonight.

The storm watch has once again turned into a storm warning. The length has been extended several hours. 7 am is the start time. Instead of a twelve hour window it will last sixteen. We seem to be in the edge of everything lately so it probably won’t be a big deal.

Yesterday’s walk was ok. Stella was not listening by the time we made to the end 1/2 mile loop so I just loaded the kids in the car and came home. It’s like she is purposely doing things to get in trouble right now. Archie did a very good job despite it all.

I got several photos yesterday so Monday I will try to clear some more space so I can share them with you.

The clock tells me I need to stop typing and get going. Thanks for reading and be safe!

Despite the sun being out it is very very cold. Way below freezing cold. So no walk unless it warms up. It is supposed to get up into the 40s this afternoon so maybe then. And I think I am ok with that. I have been working on the novel. I laid in bed this morning thinking things through and when I got up I made a few notes. So I may putter around with that today.

So if my mind seems distracted, it is. I am also trying not to think/worry about what happened yesterday at work. There was a big blow up (verbally) in the back of the store between two coworkers and things have escalated to a possible lawsuit. Without giving details I had a coworker punch out and leave without explanation only to find out she wasn’t coming back and why from someone else. And it snowballed from there. The person that caused it will be talked to this morning. I have no idea what will happen. I am privy to information on all sides and the situation is not cut and dry. So.

We also have another possible storm brewing. I don’t think any of us are really worried. The last “storm” wasn’t much more than a few scant inches of snow. But humans being what they are will start to get into panic mode.

Both pups are in and curled up asleep. Archie is usually outside or looking for something to do in the house. He came in and curled up in/on my chair. Stella is gently snoring behind me. Hmmm.

Looks like I have been included on a coworker’s “good morning’ list. She sends out little good morning posts to people. And since we aren’t working together this morning…

Sorry, my mind is elsewhere. Namely my novel. So I guess that is my cue. I haven’t taken any photos because I need to go through and delete some of what I have. And that will take a little time. So repeats today again I’m afraid. Thanks for reading and stay safe!

So today is technically two posts. The recipe I found was too long to add to a regular post and I figured if someone just wanted the recipe it would be easier. I might try it tomorrow and see if it is like I remember. All the ingredients are the same.

I’ve told the dogs and myself that I just have to get through today. Tomorrow is my day off. Hopefully next week I am back to my regular schedule. Monday through Thursday is supposed to be the redo of our store’s interior (they call it a reset). It will be interesting since the store will be chaos and I’m pretty sure they will also take up all of the employee parking which leaves us ???

I think I will stop home and grab the pups after work. Archie is out of kibble and both are out of canned food. They could use a little road trip. I hope to go for a walk tomorrow morning as well. We’ll see how things go.

I got a beautiful stained glass butterfly from a customer yesterday. He and his wife are in almost every day and we chat. He calls me the Butterfly Lady because of the tattoo of the Monarch butterfly on my hand. I will try to remember to get a photo of it to share tomorrow.

I see that I need to wrap this up and head out. Thanks for reading and stay safe!

Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe

Here is a recipe that is very similar to what I remember. Enjoy! Let me know how yours turn out!

Use this Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe as a base for many sweet breads, dinner rolls, muffins and other baked goods. Hints for storing and using up the sourdough starter.

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: amish sourdough, friendship bread starter, herman sourdough, sourdough starter recipe

Servings: 4 cups

Calories: 337kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup warm water about 110 degrees
• 1 package active dry yeast* (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk (2% or higher fat)

Instructions

• Pour the warm water into a small glass bowl.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let this stand for 5-8 minutes to allow it to dissolve.
• In a larger glass bowl (or plastic bowl. Don’t use metal bowls or utensils for sourdough), mix together the flour and sugar with a wooden spoon.
• Stir in the milk and then the yeast mixture.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow it to stand until bubbly.
• Once the mixture is bubbly, pour it into a gallon-size zippered plastic bag and seal. Do not refrigerate. Allow the sourdough mixture to sit out at room temperature. This counts as Day 1.
• Day 2: Mash the bag.
• Day 3: Mash the bag.
• Day 4: Mash the bag.
• Day 5: Mash the bag.
• Day 6: Add 1 cup each of flour, sugar and milk. Mash the bag until it is mixed well.
• Day 7: Mash the bag.
• Day 8: Mash the bag.
• Day 9: Mash the bag.
• Day 10: Pour the sourdough into a glass (or other nonmetal) bowl. Add 1/2 cup each of all-purpose flour, granulated sugar and milk. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
• Divide out 1 cup portions of the starter, placing each one-cup portion in separate zippered plastic bags. You’ll get about 4-5 bags. 
• Seal the bags, and give the starter away to friends along with the instructions, keeping one for yourself if desired. The starter then goes back to Day 1.
• Keep one starter for yourself.
• Click here for the instructions to bake the bread.

Notes

*Instant yeast will work as well.

**Calorie count shown above is for the friendship bread starter only and measures the calories in an entire cup. You use 1 cup of starter per two loaves of bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal

The morning has dawned dark and just above freezing. Rain is in the forecast. I had to send out text messages to both my bosses yesterday as I had rumors being spread about people losing their jobs. Hopefully they will talk to everyone about all the changes soon. Next week is our big change over so things will be getting interesting. It seems as though some of our actual floor plan is changing as well. It’s not the change so much as that some of it is not right for the area we live in.

I thought about making some Amish friendship bread to share. But then I thought about how many people I would be sharing it with. I’m not sure I would have enough in a single batch. For those who don’t know Amish friendship bread is a recipe you make and let it sit. You give a cup (usually) to a friend so that they can make their own friendship bread and pass it on. I did it when I was little. You give the person a small jar with some of the batter in it as well as instructions. If I do decide to do it I will share the recipe here so if any of you would like to try it you can.

I have pulled out a collection of travel writing edited by Anthony Bourdain from 2008. I am trying to expand my reading and thus by proxy my writing. Way back when we were still going to the MotoGP in Indianaoplis I had ideas of being a travel writer. I did try for a while but nothing really came of it. I always enjoy reading travel pieces from the past. So much has changed! And as Anthony Bourdain points out in his introduction, as soon as you start telling people about this fun little out of the way place you found suddenly it is changing because people now want to experience what you wrote about. I see that where we live. Every year more and more people start not only visiting but buying up property and building houses. It’s going the way of Traverse City. TC has become way too metropolitan. Everything that people claimed they wanted to get away from has now moved up here.

I think I will curl up and read for a bit before work. Archie is in and out while Stella is still in bed with Chris. I hope you have a good day! Thanks for reading and stay safe!

The sun seems to be staying out. Thick clouds were coming in as I was headed home from my appointment. The sunrise was beautiful. I almost pulled out the camera but I was running a little late. For some reason I cannot seem to stay awake this morning. Coffee is not helping.

I thought about doing our walk after my appointment but I just can’t. The weekend just took too much out of me. My friend texted me last night and asked if we were going for a walk. I said we would see. Part of me wants to invite her over since after today she will be working 6 days a week but she is very busy and needs constant attention. I had that yesterday with my event (which turned out very very well!) and I just want to do a whole lot of nothing today. I have Friday off so I plan to go for our walk then. I just need some down time.

My event went well even if I got no help from the brewery. We sold all of our back stock and have limited supplies in the cooler. I was looking at the beer cave and I need to move things around. I will double check but I think that is my prerogative. There seem to be set plans for stocking but I am not sure who decides what. Time to find out. I introduced people to a new way to drink their Oberon too. Many people don’t realize that you can make it like a mimosa. Half orange juice and half Oberon. That was a big hit.

When I watered my plants yesterday I noticed that my lemon pips seem to be sprouting. I hope so. According to my research if I grow citrus from seed it can take from 5-10 years for it to bear fruit. I hope it doesn’t take that long (there were a few sites that suggested a normal cycle once the tree was mature) but if it does it does. I enjoy growing things so they will be here regardless. The pineapple is going strong as well.

It is almost time for Chris to get up so I had better wrap this up, Thanks for reading and stay safe!

Yesterday was craziness. I am wiped out. My closing manager did not arrive until after 4pm. I punched in at 5:25am. Things turned into a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Today is my big event. I hope to get some photos to share. But we’ll see. It may be busy enough that I don’t. I think we will have a good turn out.

Tomorrow is my doctor’s appointment so I might write this after I get back. I really don’t want to get up earlier than I have to and my appointment is one of the earliest. I tried to sleep in this morning but my brain started waking me up at 3am. I finally gave up at 8am. Stella is asleep behind me but Archie has been outside for about an hour now. I am looking forward to being able to leave doors and windows open again.

I need to water my plants before I head out to work today. I think I pulled everything together last night so I should just need to load things into the car. I have a few fresh items that I need to pick up once I get to work. I hope that the food prep goes smoothly. I don’t know how much to make of anything. I planned for a double batch of everything. If something is popular I might be able to whip together another batch.

The battery on my laptop is almost done and I am really not up to writing more today. Thanks for reading and stay safe!

The winter storm has been rather uninspired. It is more like regular winter. But ok. I guess since it is supposed to be one of the last “storms” it needs a title.

Today will be long. I’m just not sure how long. My replacement night manager has to drive a grandchild about an hour (one way) away after church. Hopefully she gets to work before 3pm. I have been awake since 2am for some reason. I can’t sleep in bed but I can fall asleep typing this.

I have everything ready to go for tomorrows event. I will try to get to bed early and thus hopefully get some sleep. I will try to get some photos to share for Tuesday of the event. I have no idea what I am doing but I think it should be fun.

And it is that time. Hope you have a great day. Thanks for reading and stay safe.

This morning is not much better than yesterday. Work will be interesting as I have no one opening my gas/courtesy counter today. No one until noon. My opener has been going home sick the past few days. I finally talked her into staying home. I worry about her. If she still isn’t good tomorrow I may end up working a very long shift.

Things are as done as I can get them for Monday’s event. I have even gotten a few more people stopping by to check things out after work. I am hoping we will be busy with the event. If this goes well then I will talk to my reps about doing various events featuring their brand as the season goes on. I am already talking with one brewery for the end of May/ beginning of June for a event for them.

We are currently under a “winter storm warning” that has barely brought any snow. It’s just cold. We’ll see what they day brings. I need to get going for work. Thanks for reading and stay safe!

Things feel like they are snowballing again. I really don’t have anything positive to share so I don’t think I will post this morning. Thanks for reading and stay safe.