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CV&T Lifestyle Editor
Tish King |
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Angela's Anecdotes
by
CV&T Staff Writer
Angela Stepp
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June 5 , 2008
Lifestyle Columns
Whooooaa boy!
By Tish King, CV&T Lifestyle Editor
I have never ridden a horse in my life. We bought a small horse for our kids one time and I sat on him, but I never rode him.
But I like horse races and horse shows and rodeos. We used to take our girls to the rodeo at the Kentucky State Fair every year. I think we got just about more fun from that than they did. That’s the closest I ever came to a bucking horse.
I’ve seen those mechanical bucking bulls that could substitute for a horse I guess, never rode one though.
Well, I had an experience the other day that came pretty close to that action.
I started to Lexington in the truck loaded with a lawn mower and extension ladders. However, I didn’t make it to Lexington. I got just a little bit out of town on the Richmond Road and I heard something go “thump-a, thump-a, thump-a.” I looked around thinking it must be one of those souped-up cars kids drive today with the decibel level out the top on their woofers.
I soon realized it wasn’t another car at all--it was my truck! No, I didn’t have the stereo on, it doesn’t even work, so it wasn’t the sound level from that. Soon the truck started bucking and jerking like a bucking bronco. Suddenly I was back in time at the rodeo, but only I was the rider, not the spectator of the show.
Now, I certainly had never ridden a bucking horse before and I hardly knew how to handle this one. I tried pulling in the reigns but it just bucked right on. I can’t ride tame horses, I sure can’t ride a bucking horse, and I am not a bronco buster and I sure couldn’t handle this team of horses. I was at my wits end--I didn’t know what to do.
I whoa’d up my horses onto the side of the road to regroup and try again. Nothing doing these bucks were not going to behave. They really had me buffaloed and I couldn’t tame them.
I finally circled the wagons and headed them back home, and luckily made it in one piece before my team fell apart. Now, we took this team to the stable to have them checked out, but I still don’t trust them. I’m afraid they will run away with me and the cops may have to take things into their own hands.
Meooooow!
By Angela Stepp, CV&T Staff Writer
I have heard of bats in the belfry. I’ve even heard of chicken in the bread pan. But, kittens in the insulation is a new one on me!
My momma cat has had another litter of kittens under my house. I guess I might as well claim her...she’s been there since she was a kitten herself and I feed her.
But, that’s not the end of the story by any means...she not only had them under the house, she had them inside the insulation! Over the weekend I heard kittens meowing from the vent in my son’s bathroom.
I was concerned at first that she wasn’t going to them because they were crying so much. So early Monday morning I ventured underneath the house to find the kitten(s). I got so far and saw how many spider webs were in my path so I headed back out to get reinforcements and spider web gear.
Actually it was so early and I was still sleepy so I laid down on the couch first...I fell asleep and when I woke up I could hear kittens meowing again. So I figured I had better go back and try to find them again.
I put on gloves, hat and geared up with a dusting wand to clear my path and grabbed a flashlight. I got to the point where I could hear the little creature(s) pretty loudly and thought they should have been right in front of me...but they weren’t!
Guess what? They were over my head somehow, somewhere...what the heck!
How did that cat have kittens inside the insulation? That’s what I would like to know.
I had no idea how to get them out of there and what if she wasn’t going to them? I just kept thinking what if they die in there? The smell would be horrible! Maybe that sounds a little insensitive...but you have to admit that would be pretty bad.
But, now it is obvious that she is going to them because if not they would have been dead by now and they aren’t...right? Believe me every night and every morning we can hear them meowing very loudly. Only sometimes they are the loudest in the kitchen vent and sometimes they are back to the bathroom vent.
How are they moving around like that? I have no idea about such things...I don’t really think it is a good thing for them to be inside insulation either. But, I don’t know how to get them out.
After writing this last week, I had another development. Now I am really confused! As I was heading to work Monday morning I noticed three little kittens, not new born I might add, poking out from under the building. They were so cute!
I had seen the cat make several trips back and forth from that building and now I know why. But, what about the kitten(s) under the house? Is that the same litter? Did she move some of them and leave one behind? I have no idea what to think about it now because the one(s) under the house sounded like such a small kitten...I thought they were new born?
That might explain why it or they move around under there huh? I guess this will be an ongoing story as I watch them emerge and try to figure out about the one(s) under the house. I wonder if it knows how to get out of there? Or it may already be out and with these little ones because I didn’t hear it meowing ever since these guys came out.
To be continued...
READER'S RECIPES
White Diet Cake
Mrs. James Neal, Irvine
1 white cake mix
14 oz. diet Sprite Zero
Mix together and bake in 9x13” pan at 350º for 35 minutes (brown top of cake under broiler) let cake cool. Punch holes in cake, spread 1 pkg. strawberry glaze on top. Put 1 bowl (8 oz.) of Cool Whip on top and refrigerate until cool. Eat and enjoy.
Banana Bread
Mrs. James Neal, Irvine
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3 bananas
Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and mashed bananas. Add salt and soda to flour. Mix and bake at 250º for one hour.
Chocolate Royale Cheese Cake Squares
Mary Shuler, Irvine
24 Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pkg. (squares) Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 325º. Mix crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of 13x9” baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition, just until blended. pour over crust. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until center is almost set; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Cut into 32 squares to serve. Store leftover dessert squares in refrigerator.
Leftover Turkey Soup
Mandy Richardson, Alabama
Trimmings from turkey
1 1/2 quarts water
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1 bay leaf
3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup rice or noodles
Combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Old Fashioned Banana Pudding
Mandy Richardson, Alabama
3 cups sugar
6 egg yolks, beaten
1 heaping cup flour
dash salt
7 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
7 bananas
1 (12 oz.) box vanilla wafers
Mix milk and beaten egg yolks. Combine sugar, salt and flour; stir into milk and egg mixture; cook until thick on low heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Line bottom with wafers than a layer of bananas. Pour pudding over wafers and bananas than make a second layer. Add remaining pudding. Cover top with meringue and brown in 350º oven.
Apple-Cranberry Salad
Linda Stepp, Irvine
5 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 medium unpeeled apple, diced (1 cup)
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)
1/3 cup refrigerated poppy seed dressing
In large bowl place lettuce, apple, cranberries and green onions. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
Chicken Fried Rice
Linda Stepp, Irvine
1 teaspoon oil (olive)
1 diced onion, optional
2 stalks diced celery, optional
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 can chicken, drained
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon pepper
1 can peans, drained
1 can carrots, drained
In a saucepan heat the onion, celery and rice in oil for about 5 minutes (the rice can be heated alone if the onion, celery are not used). Add chicken and seasonings of choice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cover. Reduce the heat to a low setting and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the vegetables of choice and heat for about 5 minutes.
Spiced Nuts
Robert Cox Jr., Irvine
1/2 teaspoon margarine or low-fat spread of choice
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
1 cup nuts of choice (halved or chopped)
1/2 tablespoon pancake syrup (sugar free)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
In a skillet, melt the margarine or low-fat spread. Add the pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Pour nuts in and continue to heat about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and heat and stir in the syrup and vanilla. Spread the nuts on the plate and allow to cool. Serve and enjoy or place in a covered container in the refrigerator. If covered tightly, this treat will last for several weeks.
Pudding Fruit Salad
Robert Cox Jr., Irvine
1 container (4 oz.) refrigerated vanilla pudding
1/2 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup (11 oz.) mandarin orange segments, drained
1 cup (8 oz.) pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
In medium bowl, mix pudding and whipped topping. Gently stir in grapes, marshmallows, oranges and pineapple. Add strawberries, toss gently to coat. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator up to 8 hours. |
