Not only is a good budget impossible to approach in our current society, but whatever that thing is in the image… you don’t want to get close to that thing either.
The art program I’m using was just as frustrating and disappointing as a budget I didn’t agree to, what with offering me a rabid African deer instead of a roaring lion. Typical budget, these days!
I had to give up on budgeting about six years ago, when Covid landed on our country’s shores. When you lose everything you own, fall through every crack in the fabric of society, and wind up homeless at the bottom of the proverbial human pile… a budget no longer helps.
With my husband back in college gaining a new career path, my health has kept me homebound, and alone. Mornings are spent in scripture and prayer, then to my writing… that’s the only budget I’m approaching.
God willing, my book will fall into the hands of a competent publisher, and perhaps then I’ll have need of approaching a budget. One needs to have actual dollars in hand if they’re to do anything, really.
I used to say that you can’t leave home without spending money, but that’s changed since Amazon. Now you can spend money without even getting up out of your bed. Isn’t that a hoot!
That’s what I love about baking virtual cookies… they’re free! No budget needed here.
Honestly, if one tries hard enough, they can learn something new every day!
I know this may sound silly but I’ve just discovered something hidden in plain sight, so to speak.
I’m fairly certain that you’re well aware of many different words in the English language, carrying two meanings that are only separated by a single letter.
Take the word compliment, for instance. Were you aware that it’s not the same as complement? I’m only aware because I asked Google. Don’t I feel like a silly ant! How many times have I used this word with the wrong spelling? Check this out…
Key takeaways:
Compliment refers to praise or a positive remark. It’s something you say to appreciate someone or something.
A complement completes or enhances something else, making it more complete or better.
A compliment is used when expressing admiration, flattery, remarks, or praise, either as a noun (“She gave a compliment”) or a verb (“He complimented me on my work”).
Complement is used when something enhances or completes something else, either as a noun (“The sauce is a perfect complement”) or verb (“The new features complement the product”).
Now, I’m not saying that anybody else missed this little tidbit of knowledge. Maybe it’s because I’m an ant, and this truly is my literary education stage. I mean, I did say that I wanted to learn to write better so I could become a journalist one day, right?!
Since that means I’m off the hook for not knowing a thing, maybe I’ll keep things short and sweet this morning. Instead of a long drawn out language lesson, which I’m nowhere near qualified enough to instruct… I’ll make you virtual breakfast!
This is to make up for Wiwohka not baking you cookies…
However unlikely it may be that anyone would write a book about me, I’ve chosen to go the extra mile this morning.
Not only did I come up with a snappy title for the prompt, but since it’s Saturday, I offer you the Title, the Cover Image, AND any possible illustrations needed for the book in its entirety…
Against All Odds
Additional Illustrations –
Doesn’t this prompt make you wonder what might be written of your journey from the eyes of someone else? I bet the book would read as an Action/Adventure story. What about yours?
Don’t forget to grab a cookie while your thinking of an answer…
Eustace is determined that I should get Valentines cookies that won’t hurt my stomach, so he spent the whole of yesterday baking dairy-free, Gluten-free, and low sugar/sodium cookies… Oh, Joy!
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that they looked and tasted kind of like Playdough.
While I could show you a video of my own very excited, and amazingly fantastic news dance, I’ll show you the video of how I learned to do it. No one does it better than Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska…
Seriously though, I really do dance a bitty Jig when I get really happy. You should’ve seen the crazy dancin that went down at the birth of each of my grandbabies. I could have been a star (not really).
The next best thing to do with good news is to bake cookies, and I’m very good at that! Well, at least I think so…
There are so many activities to choose from when it comes to the Olympics, right?!
Just add a bit of honey to a cup of chamomile tea, and put on your favorite pair of night goggles, and then let the games begin!
There’s Snore Skiing, Dream Car Driving, or Powder Puff Pfootball… ok, that one was reaching a bit.
Well, what about 40 Wink Figure Skating? Or Siesta Skating? No?
Ok, ok… how about Dozing Dragon Dancing? That’s a tough sport to enter though, just saying…
I don’t like to brag, but I’ve actually earned my wings in this sport, so to speak.
If you’ve never tried Catnapping, you really should. It’s the rage, right now!
(I wouldn’t recommend this if you’ve an allergy to the little furballs, though. No worries, because they’ve a competition that’s adjustable for those with kitty boo sensitivities…
There’s even a Bedtime Baking category…
How’d you think I was able to keep up with all these cookies that I bake for you each morning? You better grab one before I roll on them.
While most may assume the lottery to mean cash money, there are a number of other possibilities…
Such as peanuts! Why can’t there be a lottery for a lifetime supply of peanuts?
Or flowers, perhaps…
What about a lifetime supply of all the most beautiful spring blooms? Wouldn’t that be heavenly? Well, at least the fragrance would seem sent from above, in my humble opinion.
Then there’s babies…
Ok, so maybe that’s going a bit too far… but you can’t blame a girl for trying!
Now, books as a lottery?
SOLD!!!
Since the likelihood of an All-You-Can-Read book lottery isn’t that high for me, at this moment, how about we settle on a Cookie Lottery…
If one wants to answer this prompt adequately, we must first come to a clear understanding of what we consider clutter.
Essentially, the word clutter refers to a bunch of things laying about in a mess. That means that it’s going to look different, depending on whose looking, and in my opinion, isn’t limited to one or two categories.
Since the word clutter is classed as a noun, it has the potential to represent anything from a person, a place, OR a thing! Bearing this in mind, I considered what my tidying up checklist might look like…
Clutter Clean-up Checklist!
Too many people cluttering my doorway… nope… Check!
An overfilled laundry room, with no available working machines… nope… Check!
A library of unread books… nope… check!
A closet full of unused dirty clothes… nope… check!
Cupboards full of old, unused household items, outdated cleaning supplies, and moldy hamburger buns from behind the cabinet… nope… check!
Expired food in the back of the refrigerator… nope… check!
Shelves filled with trinkets, toys, bits and bobs from over the years… nope… check!
The only clutter I’m really dealing with is that of the mind. Stacks of broken dreams, and painful memories, lay strewn along the roadside of the mind. That’s where the real clutter is for most, and it’s far more destructive that a pile of dirty old boots, or an overflowing Tupperware drawer in ones kitchen.
Whether one is referring to physical clutter, or that of the mind, I think that the bible speaks of both…
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
Oddly enough, sometimes Google’s AI does a fairly decent job of explaining a thing, and today was one of those times…
“Store up treasures in heaven” means to focus on eternal, spiritual values rather than temporary earthly wealth, investing your life, resources, and heart in acts of generosity, faith, and love that have lasting significance, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21. It involves shifting your priorities from material accumulation to spiritual riches, knowing that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.
Though I’m somewhat at a disadvantage when it comes to baking, what with only using ingredients that won’t hurt my stomach, I refuse to let it stop me from doing what I love.
Fortunately for me (and Squagon), one of the few things my stomach agrees with, are nuts. Did you know that nuts are classified as a fruit? Who knew? Not all, but most nuts have been a life saver to me, as they’re a great source of protein, as well as, healthy fats. My two favorites are almonds and peanuts, though I’ll not be able to pass up a handful of cashews, here and there.
Back in my early baking days, I created a recipe for Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies that were to die for, so to speak. I’ve never given the recipe out, only because it made the cookies more valuable, lol.
Unfortunately, I currently have a severe aversion to anything chocolate. I miss baking cookies, and my husband’s been starved of his favorite treats, so where does it leave me?
This is where our Squagon comes in handy, as this little guy knows peanuts like no other! Between the two of us, we’ll soon come up with an all new secret cookie recipe… it’ll just be healthy, that’s all.
So far, I’ve found that Reese’s Pieces work for a good replacement for the chocolate morsels. I don’t want to attempt any chocolate alternatives, at least until I’ve mastered the rest of the ingredients. The cookies need to have the right consistency, first.
I will be attempting a re-write of my original cookie recipe, only replacing or removing what might offend my stomach. I’ve been able to bake with eggs, though only as a small ingredient, but that should be alright. I already know that the flour is the 1:1 gluten free flour from Red Mills. They say that you can simply swap it with the normal flour, without any problems. I tested this by baking those muffins, remember? It worked then, so I’m willing to trust it in this case.
What could be the problem, you ask? The liquids are the problem. Specifically, the milk and butter. The butter can be experimented with, what with finding one that browns the cookies to my liking. The milk, however, has had both successes and failures. I’m fairly certain that it has something to do with being too watery, or too creamy. My suspicions tell me that it has more to do with adjusting my dry ingredients, rather than changing up the Oat Milk, which is one that my stomach can tolerate.
If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them, as it’s always good to troubleshoot a thing, when you have help. My goal is to have ingredients in hand next Saturday, along with a group effort sort of recipe, and I’ll post my step-by-step experiment, as I bake.
Journey With Me! 