Monday 26 April 2010

Marie's Monday Pips!



Everyone needs to vent once in a while, right? I thought it would be fun this morning to share a bit of the things in my life that can really be annoying, just to show you that things are not always light and sunshine in my little corner of the world! Sometimes I get the pips too!



Toilet paper that shredds instead of unrolling. Occasionally you get a roll of toilet paper that just will not unroll properly, and you can't find the end of it. It comes off in shreds and layers and you just can't get it to work proper like! Not quite as bad as what is depicted in this picture, but you get the idea!! I end up wasting half a roll before I can get it to come off the right way. Does anyone else have this problem, or is it just me???



People who think that because they appreciate listening to their head banging rap disco music at full tilt, I will automatically enjoy it as well!! This usually happens on a beautifully sunny day when all you want to do is sit in your back garden and read a good book, or late on a Saturday Night when you need to get to sleep coz you got to get up early Sunday morning to go to church. Me, I love music, and I love music of all kinds. I just want to listen to it when I choose to listen to it, and I want to listen to the kind of music I like to listen to, that brings me joy and pleasure . . . no offense to those that happen to love head banging rap disco music . . . love it, love it, LOVE it! Just not so much that I have to listen to it with you, ta!



People that think that it's ok to throw their rubbish around and spoil this beautiful world we have been given. That is anything from fly tipping to candy wrappers! Any kind of littering at all really annoys me. I have to pick it up when I see it. I just think it is so disrespectful to the earth and to the other people that share it with you. Don't you have a pocket that you can put that gum wrapper in?



Okay, I just have to say it . . . people that don't clean up behind their dogs. That is really, REALLY annoying, especially when you are the unlucky sod that happens to step in it. I love dogs as you know. We often took Jess for walks, but we always carried a bag or two with us to clean up behind her. In Brenchley, a public footpath ran right past the front of the cottage. You would not believe the number of people that walked their dogs past our doorway every day and allowed their dogs to mess right in front of our house. I am sure it happened at least once a day! I would not have minded if someone came to the door to ask if I had a plastic bag they could use, that would have been ok. What I minded was stepping in it on the way to work, or . . . well, you get the picture. I think it is a very naughty habit that people have. It's not the animals fault. Please, please clean up after your pets.



Plastic Blister Packaging. I understand totally the need to prevent people from shoplifting the merchandise. But when you need a jackhammer to get into the packaging of something you have purchased . . . something needs to change!! I sure wish that manufacturers could come up with a reasonable substitute! Not only is this blister packaging very hard to get into, but it fills up our landfills as well! Have you ever cut your finger on a blister pack that you have had to use scissors to cut open (with great difficulty I might add!) ?? I have, and it really smarts!



Okay, it just needs to be said. Pill bottles that are so hard to get into that you end up wanting to hammer them open with a sledge hammer really annoy me as well. I understand fully the need to keep prying little hands away from things that may hurt them, but these containers are not just child proof . . . they are aging, bad eyesight, arthritic hand proof as well!! There has to be a better way!



One last pip for today. People who think it's okay to drive so close to the back of your car that they are practically in your trunk. I find that very annoying. If I am going that slow, then just pass me. I promise you, I won't mind at all! It's very nerve wracking to have you so close to the back of my car. If I had to brake suddenly you would likely smash into me. Also when you do it at night, your lights shine into my rear view mirror and practically blind me! I would not like it if we were walking down the street and you walked so close behind me, and I do not like it when I am driving and you are on top of me either! I think it is very poor manners, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. In fact I would dare to hazard a guess that you people who tailgate don't like it when someone tailgates you either!!

And that's my complaints for today. Whew!! That feels better!!

This is an old fashioned rib sticking soup that I am sharing with you today. My family always loved it when I made this for our supper and Todd loves it too. It does make a lot, but it also freezes very well. Just leave out the rivels and boiled egg when you are going to freeze it. Take out the amount of soup that you think you are going to eat right at that meal and only add the ribbles and egg to that. Boiled egg and rivels don't freeze very well. You can add them when you thaw the soup out at a later date. This is a meal in and of itself and a real tummy filler! I often use leftover chicken and the carcass from when we have a roast chicken instead of using fresh chicken. It makes good use of the whole bird and you end up with no waste at all.





*Chicken Corn Chowder with Rivels*
Makes 8 servings (freezes well)
Printable Recipe

Rivels are tiny egg dumplings that are added just a few minutes before serving. This is a very old recipe of mine that I got fromone of those grocery store checkout magazines some 20 years ago. It is chock full of old favourites! If you like you can also use a meaty leftover chicken carcass. I often do with great success.

3 to 3 1/2 pound chicken cut up
6 cups water
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
3 medium stalks of celery, with leaves, finely chopped
(about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
(about 1/2 cup)
2 tsp salt
1 can (17 ounces) cream style corn
2 hard cooked eggs, finely chopped
Egg Rivels (see below)
pepper to taste
My additions: 1 tsp summer savoury, 1 bay leaf, 6 to 8 peppercorns



Remove any excess fat from the chicken. Place the chicken into a large pot. Add the water, onion, celery, carrot, salt, summer savoury, bay leaf and pepper corns. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, skimming off any foam that may rise to the surface. Cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours until the thickest pieces of the chicken are done and the meat is very tender. Remove the chicken from the broth along with the bay leaf and any peppercorns you can find. Let cool until you can handle it comfortably While it is cooling, remove any fat from the broth that you can scoop off. (I wad up some paper toweling and use it to skim the surface. It works like a charm!) Remove the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the bones and skin. Cut the meat into small pieces and return it to the broth. Stir in the corn and the eggs. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat and sprinkle with the egg rivels. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes before serving. Delicious!



Egg Rivels

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg

Mix all the ingredients together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.



Over on The English Kitchen today, Potato and Ham Pie with Ham, Peas, Cheese and Chives! Delicious!!

My good friend June, lost her husband Dick to cancer yesterday, after a very brave and long battle. If you could spare a few happy thoughts and prayers for June I would very much appreciate it, and so, I promise you, would she.


13 comments:

  1. hello again dear
    I was just able to read your Sunday Six and left you a comment when this post popped up. I have had so much trouble getting to your blog that I thought I'd better read it while I was here... even if it is 11:30P.M. Who knows if my crazy computer will let me visit with you tomorrow.

    I have never known you to have gripes or pips as you call them before. I am relieved.... now I know that you are really human. I was beginning to believe that you are an angel. It is comforting to know you are human just like me... well better than me but kind of like me.

    All those same things annoy me too. Life surely gives us many opportunities to learn patience doesn't it.

    Are you not doing your day book anymore?... or is it just on hold while you let out a little steam? I think it is good for you to vent a little.... goodness knows that that you have had a lot to build up inside. It is good to let a little of it out before you burst.
    It is amazing to me that it took you this long to vent a little after all you have been through.

    Well, take a deep breath dear and enjoy the rest of your day. I am sending you lots of hugs across the pond. Love, Lura

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my dearest girl,

    I totally agree with the gripes. Today I have two. One of the girls has lost every last prescription and for me they are vital. Fortunately I have a doctor's appointment this week.

    Then I hope the last will make you smile......my Philippa regularly gives me the PIP as she thinks that lying is acceptable.

    Hugs and love and thank you for being brave enough to show us another side to you.

    I hope your Monday has a delightful moment or two. I drove to the sea today and promptly fell asleep.

    Suzan

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Marie,

    I haven't been reading in a while. But this post was the perfect, happy-in-reality post for me to start with.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I so agree with everything in your "pips" list! Those horrible plastic things are especially annoying! i always get cut on them and often end up tearing the paperwork inside.

    The soup looks great btw!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, dear Marie! This post was so funny... But I agree with you on all these points and then some! Even us sunnier folk do get the pips! ;o) People who litter and don't pick up after their dogs drives me batty. We live near a small supermarket, and for some reason people walk by and just drop their ice creams wrappers, cigarette packets and other used items outside our fence...we have to clean it up! Plastic packaging annoys me to no end--it's an environmental hazard, unnecessary, and you can't get to the package open! LOL! Patience is a virtue... ;o) So great to get a chance to chat with you at last last night--wonderful to catch up. Oh, but your soup reminds me of something made back home--what with those rivels...very PA-Dutch! Hope you're having a good Monday, and not too many pips today. ;o) LOVE YOU HEAPS!! OXOXOX ((BIG HUGS))

    ReplyDelete
  6. There's an answer to the pill bottle problem at least. Just tell the pharmacy when you take your prescription that you would prefer just an ordinary lid as you have no kiddies, are quite compos mentis but have finger probs. They will do it.

    As for the loo rolls, I find that Asda's Shades paper is exactly as you describe all the way through the roll. You can get yards and yards of the stuff that has a hole in every piece! I only get Andrex now and have never had a problem.

    I agree about the dog poo too, though it used to be much more of a problem than now. The biggest thing is catching the human perps. Our local council is generally quite good with dog poo issues so yours might be too, specially with a general election coming up.

    Our council is also red hot on fly tipping and always clear this away. They shouldn't have to though, should they?

    Blister packs are a dangerous nuisance, I agree, but also I find most clear wrapped stuff - edible included - is hard to get into these days. There's such paranoia about people sneaking nasties into our food through the packaging that even getting into a packet of crisps is a work of art!

    There, now we've both had a whinge!

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am sorry Marie...I understand how you feel, really I do, but this made me laugh! So, did you really dance naked?! LOL Thanks for staring my day off right! :D

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Marie:
    I really love this post. First off I was diagnosed with pneumonia on Sat urday and today I could use some humor and you fullfilled that wish. Lots of smiles here. I love Maxine and I know just how you feel about toilet paper,doggie do, tailgaters and of course packaging in our day. There really was a time that you could get into a package without wanting to scream.
    Last but not least; I must try your soup recipe. I was thinking that maybe I could con my husband into making it for me since Chicken soup is good for the soul and for health.
    Have a good day; you made mine.
    LeAnn

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, Marie! Long time no write..but here I am and I'm glad I stopped by for a visit. Loved your entry and the soup sounds so good! I enjoyed listening to your music too...although my machine kept putting in pauses in the middle of the song.... Your pips, what an interesting word, were great. You are right..even the most positive person has to show they are human sometimes and have a pip or too! I'll keep a happy thought for June. Sorry to hear of her loss, it must be very difficult. Thanks again for the fun! Smiles to you! Maria

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your pips are our peeves...love the differences in our language! The one that hit home to me was the one about littering. We were at the Oakland Temple this weekend for our Stake conference and someone had dropped a bag of orange peelings on the ground in the parking lot. I'm sorry but that took nerve! On the temple grounds not 20 feet from a rubbish bin (did you like how I said it the UK way instead of trash can?)

    One of my pips is stickers on fruit. Do you guys have that over there? Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  11. LOL- those are all great "pips"! So true. We have some neighbors that love to have crazy parties outside in their pool. And in the summer we like to sleep with our bedroom door open on our deck. So when they are out there til 3 in the morning it can be quite annoying.

    And the same neighbors like to keep their trash on the side of their house so we have to look at it all the time.

    ANd they also like to keep their garbage cans out all week long.

    Can you tell I just love them - lol?

    XOOX
    Jen

    ReplyDelete

Your comments mean the world to me, and while I may not be able to address each one individually, each one is important to me and each one counts. Thanks so much!