Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

Kimberly A Cook

Time To Spring Into Action?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                (Twitter@    WarriorTales)

It’s official, Spring is here. The hyacinths have bloomed! These little bulbs pushing their way up into the sun and blooming always feels like Spring and Easter and bunny time to me. Granted, we are having an early Spring and the poor East Coast folks can’t even find the ground, little lone bulbs blooming, so we will celebrate for them.

This truly, absolutely means it is Spring!
This truly, absolutely means it is Spring!

I got all excited with the nice weather last weekend and went out and downsized my extra garden pots. Since we recycle, reuse and up cycle everything we get our hands on out here in Portlandia, I had to find a home for my used potting soil. Luckily, a co-worker at the day job volunteered to haul it home and till it into her garden.

This involved me using my fabulous 18 gallon Rubbermaid heavy totes I love and filling three to take to work Monday. We transferred the full totes in the parking lot and all is right with the world. I did ask her if we could do it as soon as possible in the morning because I didn’t want the worms to make a break for it and commandeer my Subaru. Or take up residency inside. Worms relocated. Excellent.

Now my sidewalk is clear and looking pretty spiffy. Also cleaned up the bird bath, refilled the feeders and cleaned the garage a little. Best reward? Able to bring out the table and chairs to sit in the warm rays of the sun with family in the afternoon. Perfect! Then took the table and chairs back inside since it will rain on Wednesday. Works for me.

Now, if I could just get as excited about cleaning inside the house and finishing my taxes. Somehow it doesn’t seem as much fun. Got Spring cleaning on your mind?

 

 

 

Got A House Project In Mind?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                  (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

One of my favorite tv shows is “Rehab Addict” with Nicole Curtis. She’s been rescuing and rehabbing old homes for more than twenty years. It’s the sixth season of her HGTV television show and you can watch it on YouTube. She is a rehabber and an artist. She not only rescues and knows her way around power tools and forklifts, she has an amazing design sense and uncovers each house’s story.

This weekend we have sun and I am going to attempt to downsize my garden pots in the backyard. And maybe even re-wire a lamp. Not sure about the second one; electricity is magic and can kill you, but I saw somebody do it on tv. The last part of that sentence must be the start to a lot of emergency rooms visits. My goal is to be safe.

Got home projects this weekend? Enjoy a quick peek with Nicole and Happy Quirky Friday!

Do You Need A Stash Of Tea?

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by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

Friday I went on a tea adventure to one of my favorite shopping spots, the Stash Tea Store in Tigard, Oregon. Since I buy English Breakfast decaf tea by the ton, this fabulous shop located inside their warehouse always has new treasures for me to find.

Back by the miniature tea sets for sale, you can peek a look in the warehouse. Tea heaven!
Back by the miniature tea sets for sale, you can peek a look in the warehouse. Tea heaven!

Tea drinking came to me after the Army, when I was on a three-month camping trip in Europe. My boyfriend would bring me black tea with sugar and cream and a piece of toast with jam for breakfast. It seemed quite decadent since I was usually still in my sleeping bag.

That hooked me on the power of tea. Then having high tea at Harrod’s when we got back to London took it to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I never acquired a taste for coffee, even in the Army. I was a hot chocolate girl in those days. Coffee smells great but doesn’t deliver as far as taste for me.  When I transferred into headquarters supply with the 4th S&T Battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado, my new Staff Sergeant told me I needed to make the coffee.

Need a tea pot? Or mug? Or tea bag holder? You might be able to find one here.
Need a tea pot? Or mug? Or tea bag holder? You might be able to find one here.

In 1976 we were sneaky about asserting our women’s rights, so instead of telling him I didn’t drink coffee and didn’t think I should have to make it, I made it. Using three times the coffee grounds required. I think it beat Navy coffee since you could barely get a spoon into the cup.

 

“What did you do to the coffee?” he bellowed.

“Did I make it wrong? ” I asked. “I don’t drink coffee, so I wasn’t sure.”

“You’re never making coffee again,” he yelled at me.

“Okay,” I replied. Mission accomplished. I did get a hot water pot for us hot chocolate, soup and tea fans, but I hadn’t ventured into the full romantic realm of tea.

I love everything about having tea; the tea pots, linens, golden spoons, China cups and saucers, scones, clotted cream, jam, steeping and most of all, time to relax with friends and family and chat. Such a civilized snack time. Or curling up with a good book and a hot cup of tea? Priceless.

Knew you wanted to see the miniature Peter Rabbit tea set close up. It's bunny time!
Knew you wanted to see the miniature Peter Rabbit tea set up close. It’s bunny time!

And it’s good for us too, antioxidants! So for anyone who hasn’t been to the Stash Tea Store, you can shop online and enjoy yourself.

P.S. I had to buy the Manatea tea infuser by Fred. Fill the manatee’s body with loose tea and his (or her) flippers hold onto your mug. Too cute!

Happy shopping!

www.stashtea.com

www.fredandfriends.com

 

 

 

 

Time To Unleash Your Inner Pancake Chef!

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by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

There are few things I love more than pie, cake and cookies, but pancakes are right up there – fighting with French Toast of course. Today is a very special day because it’s National Pancake Day Eve! That’s right bakers, tomorrow is National Pancake Day! Break out your whisks!

So in honor of this mega holiday, the following video. HOWEVER, beware of the typo in the video, it is 2 TEASPOONS of baking powder, not 2 tablespoons. HUGE difference in a recipe. My favorite is blueberry pancakes, so feel free to throw in some berries too. Then there are the syrups to ponder. Maple or blueberry? Yes to both! Pancake toasts all around!

And because I could not resist the singing husky pup video, you are getting a two-fer today! It’s a pancake and puppy palooza! Happy Quirky Friday and have a great weekend!

 

 

Who Says Machines Are In Charge?

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by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

Rant Alert: Does anyone remember volunteering to be our own tech support? At what point in this global digital age did some engineering genius decide us lay folk consumers not only knew enough to fix our own electronic products, but that we wanted to? Not me, I just want the darn things to work.

Social Media Old School - Classic Underwood typewriter at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum in Madras, Oregon
This does not need a battery, a cable, a modem or an electrical plug-in. It’s a classic Underwood typewriter at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum in Madras, Oregon. Sigh.

Kept getting calls from my cable provider that I needed to change out my modem. They said I needed to upgrade so I could get faster speeds and more fabulous things. I can barely use the basic package of channels as it is. If it wasn’t for the PAC-12 and NFL Channels, I’d be on budget cable because all I need to survive is HGTV, Hallmark, Food Network, Animal Planet and the Weather Channel. I don’t really NEED new channels or quicker download speeds; I don’t surf that fast.

But they made it sound like the universe would explode if I didn’t do it soon, but I ignored the phone calls. Then one day while logging onto my computer a whole series of cable company messages flashed on the screen about how I must get the new modem before a swarm of locusts attack my computer. Really? You’re now intruding on my computer since I have a tv, phone, Internet “bundle?”

Fine! I logged onto the web site and they were sending me my amazing, free new modem. It arrived like the next day on my front porch, complete with simple instructions to install myself. Why do I have to do their work?

The “simple” instructions are a tad confusing since I also maintain my own router due to paranoia. Mix my military background with my imagination and you can’t convince me big brother cable isn’t trying to use my home as a W-Fi hot spot or the next landing zone for the colonization teams from Tron. While I’m paying the electric bill for it all to boot.

The fabo new modem is still sitting in its box. I will get to it when I’m ready. It’s personal. The day they put those self scan check out machines in my grocery store I drew the line in the sand. I tried it one time and the machine kept yelling at me about moving my plastic bag at the wrong time and that was it.

Now I snub those self scan check out lines, I push my cart right over and wait in line for a human checker. I get to read the gossip magazine covers, scan for new snacks and candies and find out what my fellow shoppers are buying. It’s a bonding experience with a real person talking to me without yelling instructions. And I don’t even have to touch my bags, they pack my groceries too. Simple is best. Hear that cable companies?

You can’t convince me we aren’t close to designer pick only your fav channels packages or else  everyone will dump cable and head to Amazon video. Somehow I’m betting Amazon wouldn’t make me install my own modem; they’re getting delivery drones!  Take back your channels America!

Ready For Some Ferret Fun?

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by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

One of my apartment roommates in the Army was Debbie and she had a cat named Kitty and a ferret named CB. Having never lived with a ferret, I soon found out they are like cats on steroids; three times as curious, smaller and faster with the brain power of a Border Collie.

CB loved my shoes so I quickly learned to be wide awake when dressing in the morning. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried to stuff your foot in a loafer filled with sleeping ferret at O dark 30. CB also loved to play in Kitty’s litter box which did not amuse her one bit.

So in the interest of Quirky Friday, here are some ferrets having fun with packing peanuts! Have a great weekend!