Luna's Journal

90 questions

1. If you could change one thing about your personality or behavior, what would it be and why?

When I was young they called me Pollyanna. Because I always looked for the good in people. Like this was a bad thing. Well, I never did change. And I won’t either. But I was taught that it was a weakness. If I had to change something about me , it would be to help other people see the good in people. I’d rather be in a world of Pollyanna’s than the other extreme. Have you all heard this saying? You’re a Pollyanna? It was taken from a Disney movie.

Crunchy questions

Are there any children's literary classics you never read, but wish you had? Have you considered reading them as an adult, or have you already done so?

You mean like Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys? Or even little women? I love classics. So I not only read them but made sure my children read them too. Or do they mean Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Beauty and the Beast? Because I love them too.

Jokes

* What do PHD students eat when they're hungry? Academia nuts.
* Why should you always knock before opening the fridge door? In case there's a salad dressing.
* Why couldn't the sesame seed stop talking? He was on a roll.
*
* What’s the smartest insect? A spelling bee!
* Where do cows go on Friday nights? The mooovies.
* How do you make a baby snake cry? Take away its rattle.
* What do you call a chicken that makes jokes? A comedihen.

Crunchy questions

If you could visit any time period, what would it be and why? 

I would love to have seen my grandparents when they came to America. They wanted to be here so badly. I could have told them to let their kids learn Greek, instead of telling them you’re in America now, speak English. We all wished we had learned. Same with my grandparents from Italy.

Topics for talk

Things I'm Grateful For:

I’m so grateful that I’ve lived this long with all my medical problems. I keep proving the doctors wrong.

I’m grateful to hubby for eating all of the new recipes I keep making.

Jokes

* What do you call a vicar who becomes a lawyer? A father-in-law.
* What kind of cheese doesn't belong to you? Nacho cheese.
* How did the phone propose to his girlfriend? He gave her a ring.
* Which month of the year has 28 days? Um, all of them.
* Why was the broom late to work? It overswept.
* What does a pig use in the shower? Hog wash

Crunchy questions.

What are some commonly held beliefs about the place you call home? Are they accurate? Inaccurate? How do you generally respond to media depictions - or do few to none exist? (You can answer for your country, the region you live in, town, or a combination.)

I call Tucson, Az home. People always think it’s huge, but it’s not. I think we have 899,000 population. Phoenix has 3.5 million population. Now that’s a big city.

Our Sheriff department sucks. As you all can tell from the Guthrie abduction. They fucked it up from the start. The FBI should have been on it. It’s really a shame.

Arizona is filled with Trumpsters. This is true. But we’re hearing any more people not liking him any more.

The summers are brutal. True. We have triple digits for all of June, July, and August. Usually 110 most days. But it’s a dry heat. Not much humidity. We love it here. September-November are gorgeous days. I love the fall. December-March are very nice warm days. Our winters rock.

How to Make Crock Pot Shipwreck Stew

Ingredients You’ll Need:
* 1 lb ground beef (85–90% lean)
* 1 large yellow onion, diced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
* 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
* 2 celery ribs, sliced
* 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
* 3 cups beef broth
* 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar if tomatoes taste very acidic
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Brown the beef and aromatics
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until mostly browned, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more, just until fragrant. Drain off excess fat if needed.
2. Layer everything in the slow cooker
To the slow cooker, add the potatoes, carrots, celery, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Spoon the browned beef mixture over the top and gently stir to combine. If your tomatoes taste sharp, add the optional sugar.
Cook low and slow
Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours(preferred) or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender and the broth has thickened slightly. Avoid lifting the lid too often, which can extend the cook
4. Adjust and serve
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Garnish options: chopped parsley, a dollop of sour cream, or shredded cheddar for a cozy finish.


I made this Thursday night. I was so good. We loved it. I’ll be making this again.

March not quite 365 days questions.

21. It’s National California Strawberry Day. What is your favourite way to eat strawberries?

I love fresh strawberries over cheesecake. 2nd favorite-strawberry shortcake. With lots of whipped cream.

Crunchy questions
From author_by_night. Thank you.


What is a reboot that has happened in recent years that you think actually works? What is a reboot that you think was absolutely unnecessary? If you had to reboot something, what would it be and how would you want it to go?

Can we say Equalizer, with Denzel Washington? Also, the new Reacher series from the movies. It is so much better than the movie one with Tom Cruise. The series makes you believe in Reacher and fall for the show. Alan Ritchson is his name, I believe.

One that was unnecessary was the Roseanne reboot. I didn’t like her show the first time.

I would love to see a new Pretender made. I don’t think people were ready for it. But now, I think it could be a killer show.

Thank you, author_by_night