Tater tots and nylons

This morning, I headed to the Dollar Store, the Post Office and then right across the street from the PO, to the Golden Pantry to get some tater tots. Life is good.

photo credit: Renée S. Suen via photopin cc

Last time at the Pantry, they were out of the tots. Of course, I never get fast food, (literally, never. I haven't been to MacDonald's in 5 years and I've only ever been to the Pantry twice). The one time this year I did get a hankering for a Pantry biscuit and tots, they were out. I remember, once in Maine, I went to Mr. Bagel. I said to the lady at the counter, "I'll have a bagel." She said, "We're out."

This morning the Pantry didn't have the tots but they had the hash browns. The lady behind the counter

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was struggling to get her latex gloves on to dig out the hash browns and we got to laughing. I said 'it reminds me of trying to put on nylons in summer for church'. We got to chuckling real hard about that, I mean, ladies, you can relate! The other lunch lady in the kitchen poked her head around to comment also. We gravitated to reminiscing how our moms used to wear girdles, and we made the hip motions. The men in line weren't too impressed, but the Pantry is usually a Testosterone Zone anyway so it could do with a little shot of estrogen once in a while. So instead of tots I got lols. A good trade.

I bought black beans at the Dollar Store, They have a great price for the large cans for $1. Black beans a re a great and mostly overlooked food. This website explains, "They are protein rich, as well as containing calcium, iron, and other minerals. They are also a good meat substitute as far as flavour is concerned, being rich and almost “meaty” in flavour and quite dense and meaty in texture too. In general, beans of all sorts are quite good as a substitute for meat too. Consider making at least one of your meals each week based on beans (black beans or other beans). You’ll find it easy, tasty, and really not lacking anything your diet requires."

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They are high in fiber and protein and are apparently good for your colon, but the website I read that explained that was a little to happy about the colon stuff so let's just leave it there.

My usual recipes have been black bean and quinoa patties, black bean soup, and black bean Mexican salad. That last one is really easy. It's open can of black beans, rinse, dump in a bowl. Dump in canned Spanish rice, also from Dollar Store, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and lettuce. Voila, serve with taco chips. You can add avocados, green peppers, and/or sour cream if you want.

Recently the grocery store has been selling avocados for either 89 cents, 99 cents or $1. It has been about a year and I've been waiting for the price to go up. Sure enough, last Saturday they were $1.99. No more avocados for me!

Summer has been good so far. Today I fixed a hummus-garden tomato-lettuce sandwich for lunch, accompanied by roasted cauliflower and chilled water. I haven't had to use the AC every day and I've really enjoyed the mild nights. Nothing has gone wrong so far, the car is still going and the body is still going and the cats are still going. Church has been good and my studies have been productive.

My cats are just the best. They have really settled down and become the cutest little cuddle-bunnies. They are 6 years old now, I guess in middle age. They are learning the joys of sedentary life.

I love the cartoon Simon's Cat on Youtube. These short videos make me laugh so hard every time! The creator really is named Simon and he really does have a cat. What he draws about are things any cat owner will really identify with, and the cartoon doesn't go too far into exaggeration to make that happen. Well, also on Youtube are several real-live action videos of cat owners videotaping themselves sleeping at night and we can see what the cat does- acting exactly like the cartoon of Simon's Cat.

In one video (which is played fast forward, so it's 3 or 4 minutes of an 8 hour sleep compressed) a guy starts out in his back, all splayed atop the covers, and by morning he is huddled in a fetal position with two pillows on top of his head and the sheet covering his face. LOL!

Sometimes I wake up with cat toys on me. I guess they had wanted to play during the night...thinking if they plop down a milk ring on my face I'll jump right up and start throwing it for fetch. Apparently they are unaware of the sleep of the just.

Anyway they are great cats and super company.

I finished a book called Mortal Prey, about a CIA guy and an assassin...and I'm still in the zone where I don't want to start another book yet. I wish I hadn't read all the Grisham books twice or three times. I'd read them all day one after another all summer long. On second thought...

Enjoy the day!