An Awesome Day

Posted on by kathousekelli70

A late wake up this morning, I got up and did the usual yoga workout and thankfully having seen 'Granny Annie's' post on Facebook was able to flick the tv over and take in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Amazing! The floats had so much detail, good choices in entertainers and music, the marching bands, massive balloons and finishing off with the gorgeous Santa and reindeer float at the end.

 

So then it was time to get ready and go visit with friends – Melody and J.R.. We were welcomed into Russell and Vicky's (Melody's step sister) home, full of wonderful smells, wines, and their friends and family.

 

Wow! Made feel so welcome, an awesome home. I learnt the rules of NFL during the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions game. Thanks Russell now I'm up with some of the plays! I have always been fascinated by grid iron but could never quite understand the rules. It's actually pretty easy – well for what I know now. I'm sure I have more to learn and still want to see a live game!

Anyway, the food was fabulous, like a large family Christmas at home in Australia. All the women in the kitchen, lots of laughter, the men sitting in the games room. Just amazing.

We had turkey – light and dark meat (yes apparently there is a difference and a preference!), cranberry sauce, dressing – or stuffing but called dressing when it's not IN the turkey, like cubed bread, celery etc, very good! Green beans and/or a green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potato, gravy and rolls. Sides like devilled eggs, celery with cream cheese, Bleu cheese, walnuts and cranberry. Cherry coke salad – which was sensational! Sweet but not overly sweet and another creamy dish which tasted good but can't remember what was in it.

 

And that, my friends, was just dinner/lunch. Dessert was a whole other experience! Pumpkin pie – traditional and a spicier version (I tried the traditional version and it was better than grammer pie let me tell you!), pecan pie, fruit pie, apple and cinnamon pastries, and an Italian decadent cake!

 

Yes we are stuffed by now! Oh and the cookies were a hit!

I'm so glad we were given the opportunity to experience a traditional thanksgiving. Thankful for such wonderful friends and thankful for this lovely family for welcoming us into their home.

Ahhhhhh feeling happy and content

Love Kat xo

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Now, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia…..BUT…,everyone has something to be thankful for throughout the year, so Happy Thanksgiving to all!

We were invited by friends to attend their family thanksgiving lunch tomorrow. Not having done this before, when asked what we should bring the response was a bottle of wine.

Well me being me and not content with that, I wanted to take a “thank you” gift for having us and for being such good friends.

So what was I to do?! Research began….maybe I could make something but what!? I found on Pinterest a cookie/biscuit recipe which seemed appropriately festive for a Thanksgiving Gift – Apple Cider Caramel Cookies.

I managed to find all the ingredients after the checkout chick at Crest asked if we had found everything today, ahh not quite, do you have Spiced Apple cider drink mix powder sachets? and one guy says yes on aisle 1! Dah dah! Now I can make these cookies!!!

I still have no clue as to what I'm doing but they damn sure sound like they should taste fantastic

So here's the ingredients.

 

I set about to creaming butter and sugar NOT in my kitchen aid but my ninja, ehh seems to be mixing okay. Not exactly creamed.

 

Next, after unwrapping numerous individual caramels we are ready for rolling said dough and enclosing caramels inside.

 

Do I have too much dough around them? No idea.

 

15mins in the oven later and they smell absolutely divine! Partial success for now.

 

Of course we will have to try them with a cuppa later just to make sure the pass muster.

SO next thing is how to present these? I was looking for a thanksgiving type harvest theme and came up wih these raffia lined decorative plates and some fall/autumn leaves for decoration but not content with that decided to use some of the Aussie fabric (which still hasn't made it to a shirt and corset yet after a year or so) and made two napkins to line the plates.

 

Then it's cookies placed, and wrapping with the added touch of more leaves, raffia ribbon, thank you tag to complete. Voila!

 

We will see how that goes down tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Love Kat xo

P.S. They were bloody delish!! Gooey caramel deliciousness in the middle. Happy!!

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/11/apple-cider-caramel-cookies-recipe.html

 

 

Powdery Stuff!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Mesmerising, I mean I've seen snow before but not really experienced the delight of waking up and watching snow fall in your backyard. I can hear some of you groaning now as you have had to shovel driveways already and have what seems to be a long winter ahead.

Some places see it in Australia, in the Blue Mountain foothills near Sydney and certainly in Victoria and Tasmania where snow is plentiful in different areas, well and the occasional freak occurrence in Canberra but not for me!

It started at 9am and is steadily increasing. I'm like a little kid, I can't stay away from the windows watching it and yes I do have much better things to do with my time!!

The outdoor table is now beginning to look like a lattice work pie topped with a dusting of icing sugar!

 

The roofs of houses have snow settling on the shingles and it is building up round the bases of some trees, edges of the footpath and on the leaves of the magnolia tree.

 

Sigh, looks amazing but I better get to some work!

 

Kat xo

P.S. Since typing this and playing with photos that don't look like much – the flakes are getting bigger and there's more white stuff!!!

 

Baby, It’s Cold Outside….

Posted on by kathousekelli70

From warm sunny days to the odd mild chill, this week sees some dramatic weather changes in Oklahoma albeit somewhat early!

Today, Monday, was a glorious 80F/26.6C. This evening however has dropped down to 40F/4C says it feels like -1C!

Tomorrow we are looking at a top of 5C through the day! Think we will be playing inside! Haa haa haa.

 

And if that's not enough for Autumn we may actually expect snow sometime towards the end of this week??!!

…….I'm dreaming……of a whiiiiite….Christmas!

Stay warm my friends (or cool for those in Aus enjoying almost Summer)

Kat xo

 

New Colours On The Board

Posted on by kathousekelli70

It's time to get stuck into some sewing again and pump out an array of gorgeous outfits!

 

This is only what's on the go at the moment, there is plenty more in the book to still acquire fabrics for but for now it's concentrate on these ones that I do have already.

The focus at the moment is on a gorgeous recreation of an Annie Oakley outfit. Lots of bling, fringing and pushing the creative limits to do it justice! I think Lil McGill will be very happy with it and I know she is excited about seeing and getting to wear it!

 

Here's to focus, determination and making people smile!

Love Kat xo

 

Farewell Party Comin’ At Cha

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Saturday was second day of the South West Regional and it was cold cold cold. Everyone was rugged up, hand warmers and all, taking off layers as we took our turn to shoot. Ahh the joys of the early shift!

 

Still, Posse 14 – Big Iron Buster, Evergreen Rose, Bill Carson, Cassalong Hopidy, Cherokee Sergeant, Dew R Dye, Mr Black, Lead Ringer, Miss Behavin, Koda Joe, Safecracker Solon, Georgia Slick, Dr Slick, Slicks Sharp Shooter, Prestidgitator, Jackaroo and myself had an absolute fabulous time and we didn't let the cold get to us!

 

Shedding layers as we took our turns to shoot we got through on time and then of course the breeze dropped to nothing and it warmed up a little.

As usual the Dooley Gang put on a good show, the guys were blinged up in their coloured and sparkling suits! Awards were commenced with Outlaw, Plainsman and Wild Bunch.

 

I took out 1st Place Ladies Traditional this time with Brazos Belle taking 2nd. Congratulations to all other award winners for these categories!

 

On to main match awards – Jackaroo 4th in Senior. Congratulations to I Reckon 1st, Blind Bob 2nd, Aberdeen 3rd, Jackaroo 4th and all other Senior winners including fellow Okie, I B Slow!

Congratulations for Lady Wrangler category winner Dew R Dye 1st, Missouri Mae (Okie as well) 2nd, Kathouse Kelli 3rd and all other LW winners!

 

Regulars at the OKC club who placed also included, Roy's Creek Dan, Highland Scottie, Flat Top Okie, Green Hills Bart, Fast Fingers Green, Scott Wayne, Marley Belle, and C R Hicock – Buckaroo winner!

Overall Men's Champion was Side Kick and Ladies Champion was Dew R Dye with the Southwest Regional Champions being Men's, Oklahoma Dee and for the Ladies, Missouri Mae! Yayyyy!! Congratulations to a fabulous bunch of shooters!

 

With the buckle, the first place prize for category winners was a pair of chaps with the category stamped and painted into the belt and had the Bar 3 brand on the leg of the chaps. What a thoughtful and unusual prize!

 

Following this was a fireworks display over the lake which lasted for about 15-20minutes. Sensational, love fireworks!! We left at that point as this little saloon girl was getting cold but for those wanting to see it through the party continued on in the barn again after the fireworks.

 

Thank you to T-Bone Dooley, Ellie Gant for your hospitality and an awesome shoot and to all your many helpers and other Dooley Gang members that worked tirelessly – Nuttin Graceful, Honey B Graceful, Ringo Fire, Dirt Dart, Daisy Dee, Whiskey Creek Johnson, Iron Maiden, Copperhead Joe, Miss Bo, Mose and Bella Spencer to name but a few.

Kat xo

 

CAC and The Kings Feast

Posted on by kathousekelli70

A little cooler for Halloween, a change is on it's way through for the weekend. It it's a clear sunny sky.

We shot the first 5 stages today – 1 through 5 – clean and easy, not so bad, had fun, chilly towards the end. In fact the gloves stayed on for the most part!!

 

Posse 14 is a good working posse with everyone getting in and doing something at some point through the day.

It's Halloween and Slicks gang have brought chocolates, Halloween add ons to their hats and dressed up their gun carts! Very cool guys.

I had a go at the 'shoot and scoot' side match after. What a hoot! You had the whole 3 bays to run down, 6 or 7 pistols, a rifle, 3 shotguns – a side by side, double trigger, an 87 lever and a hammered shotgun! Woo woo! All with them yelling wise cracks, cowboy abuse etc as you are trying to shoot. All I could do as giggle!

I won Speed Pistol and the Ladies shoot and scoot. Missouri Mae won Speed 97 and Derringer? Other side event winners, C R Hicock, Highland Scottie, Still Smokin, Tail N Kid, Lady Gaitor, Little Dipper, Prestidgitator, Sidekick and Slicks Sharp Shooter to name a few. Congratulations to all!

The Kings Feast was indeed like medieval times. Soup in your, to keep '2014 Farewell Party Comin at Cha', purple mug, roll, then corn, chicken piece, potato and a turkey leg, throw in a Danish to finish (or not, more like bring home for later).

 

There were crowns to be worn, jousting, sword fighting, archery and general hollering at the tables and see who could make the most noise! Sensational!

 

The Durango band followed all that up with dancing and tunes. Yee haa good job Dooley Gang!

An early start tomorrow for our Posse, catch ya when the suns shinin' again.

Kat xo

 

Comin At Cha!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We made it into Paris, Texas yesterday and chilled for the afternoon.

This morning up and ready to roll for today is sign in for the match. Handed off 'Goldie Lu's' new corset! One happy lady.

Wild Bunch safety meeting commenced at 12 noon and we were set for 4 stages – 30 pistol rounds in each!

 

Good fun and finished in time to have a really quick crack at speed events.

Jack got a quick rifle repair done, visited with a few old friends and headed for the motel.

Tomorrow is the commencement of the match with 5 stages – for us in the arvo – followed by 'The Kings Feast' tomorrow night.

Here's lookin' at ya!

Kat xo