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 Life, Adventure, Family, Writing what else is there? Random thoughts. |
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WELCOME TO: GEMINI RISING   UPDATED INTRO 30 JUNE 2025: Just a little about me. I've been married for 33 years this past NOV and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire. I've got 2 boys who are young adults. I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot. Still. If you can believe that. I love to write. Thankfully both of my boys achieved Eagle Scout. My Scouting days are over and I'm back to focusing on my writing. I like to get out in nature, drink coffee and watch football. Here's a little bio about my zodiac. GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless. Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts. Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers. BLOG ACCOMPLISHMENTS: SEPTEMBER 2025:
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Thank you for your successful completion of 13 Poetic Days of Halloween *^*Heart*^* Lyn](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/genre-Ghost-700.gif) Big Thanks to Witchy Woman  for hosting the contest!Find me at: WEBSITE: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart YOU TUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee  WARNING I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare"  check out the "Gemini Rising..." 
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| Well, the Thanksgiving Prep continues.... Today I got up at 1030, took Joey to school, then went back to sleep and got up at 2. Then it was non-stop! I put the dishes away, cleaned the sink and prepped it with cold water. Had Andy get the turkey from the garage frig and brought it. Plop it went right into my sink water. Checked the butt - clean. Took out the giblets, neck and disgusting stuff and chucked it. I rinsed that bad ass 18 pound off, dried it, (it did look a little freezer burned) and then sunk it in my brine. Then Andy and I brought that huge ass bird back to the garage frig to soak in all that wonderful salt and spices.  Got my fufu body wash soaps from Bath and Body today. Cucumber Melon is a favorite of mine, but I also like Spearmint Eucalyptus. Then I went shopping for my charcuterie board. I picked up 6 different meats & cheeses, some almonds, friend fruit, olives, raspberries and mustard. This board is gonna rock. After that, I went to Walgreen to get Joey's med, Toppers for Pizza, then picked up the kid from school. It was 5 pm. Went home, ground some coffee beans then a power nap before going to work. Usually I go bowling, but I can't be up that long. It's exhausting. Tomorrow is Day 3 of Thanksgiving prep. Andy and I cook pies...  |
Well the Thanksgiving holiday adventures have been begun! Today I cooked my brine. This is my standard brine receipe I've been using for years. Seems to work. Every time I use it, the inlaws gush the turkey was delicious, but I'm game to try to new things. Richard 😀🎵  mentioned a BEER brine that I'd be willing to try next year. I was a little short on the sea salt and almost send Andy to the store to get more but then I found regular salt and course ground salt so I called him off and mixed it up so the speak. I used a gallon of veggie booth - mixed herbs - thyme, majorium (because I couldn't find savory) rosemary and sage and A LOT Of salt. Brought it up to a boil, simmered and now it's cooling. I need cool brine for when I stick the turkey in the brine tomorrow. We got an 18 pounder. Personally, I think it's too much, but the husband wanted a bird on the bigger side. Going to work on my Lodestar story a bit before power napping for work. smiles Steph |
| My friend, Lori, who retired last year from Dispatch and now lives in Arizona, came to Burbank to do an Arts and Crafts show with another retired co-worker, Lorena in Burbank. It was called the Burbank Wine Walk. Well, Andy and I cleaned house in the morning and then at 1 pm headed down to Burbank to visit and check out the Arts and Crafts. Lori and Lorena sell homemade repurposed clothes and Lorena sells really nice fluffy styled Mickey Mouse Ears. When Andy and I got there it wasn't that busy, but I saw some more co-workers had come to visit. Lori is definitely missed. She's known for being a big "Grinchmas" fan and she loves the Minnesota Vikings. She also told one of our Air Units to "Shut the Fuck up" over the air. Very ballsy (and unprofessional) but everyone got a laugh out of it. Yes, she was highly embarrassed. Andy and I walked around the crafts. He good some pokemon cards and I got some Star Wars memorabilia. I also picked up some hot sauce for my husband and I got some honey sticks for work for the coffee club. Andy and I had a late pizza lunch and it was nice, casual time. I put some pics up on Facebook. If I have time tomorrow, I might post a pic or two here. I really do poking around a good arts and crafts fair. As for the Wine Walk, it started at 4 and we left around 4. Not sure what it was about, but I did see some venders setting up tents. I think you paid a fixed price and then went wine sampling. Q for you: Have you been to an arts and crafts exhibit? What do you look for? I like looking for offbeat things, soaps, nuts, honey, candies, some clothing items if original. |
Well, Andy and I went shopping for Thanksgiving. We did a lot of shopping at Walmart (because Dad wanted us to get a roasted chicken from there for dinner). Found a nice sized 18 pound turkey for $15.00. Good price!! In fact, we only spent $115.00 at Walmart. It was raining though. If anything, it put us in the holiday spirit.  Heck Southern California could use a little rain. Then we went to the local grocery store and got the rest of the items we needed. Let's just say the refrigerators and the pantry is STUFFED - like a  |
| It was soooo cold in California. How cold was it Steph? Well, when Andy woke up this morning he found ants in the pantry making a beeline to the dog food!! I was proud of that boy, too. While Brent and I were at work, he took apart the side of the pantry that was affected and sprayed the raid killing the ants. He got rid of the old bag of dog food and cleaned everything up. I had no idea there was a crisis until I came home and told me about it. I told him I was very proud of the way he handled it. That said it got down to 45 degrees Fahrenheit last night. Mind you, that's cold here in SoCal, but in New England you'd see ppl wearing shorts claiming it was rather comfy, considering. Personally, speaking, 45 degrees F is jacket weather. Turns out Hubby had the temp set for 67 before the heat kicked in! I was freezing in bed last night and that's WITH the next blanket. I bumped it up to 70 degrees. But Steph, it's ONLY 45 degrees.... It's cold enough for the ants to find a path into my pantry and go for the dog food. So let's hear it - is 45 degrees Fahrenheit cold or comfortable? |
| Well, the hubby is ALL EXCITED to be hosting Thanksgiving dinner at the house. Me? I'm not so excited but hey, I'm doing my best to be supportive. Too many in-laws coming over if you ask me. I'm going to find a good football game and thieve oxygen on the couch. That said... He's been working on the menu: -- I usually brine the overstuffed bird, so I'll be making/cooking my brine on Monday and putting the bird in the brine Tuesday for a min 24 hour soak. Then he's going to prepare the bird like Claudia does:
However, last year, the came out not so good. Mind you, I'm not trying to set hubby up for failure again, but he's insisting he wants to do it Claudia's way... POTATOES He's going to make mashed potatoes from real potatoes. We'll see. The boys think he's going to use Instant. I'm taking bets. STUFFING This year he's making Gina's Italian stuffing with sausage and cranberries. Honestly, beats his grandmother's recipe which I politely decline every year. PIES Hubby wants Andy to make his famous pumpkin cheesecake pies. Two. Andy's game for it. I'm going to make a blueberry pie because that's what I ate when I was growing up. CHEESE and CRACKER Board I've been put in charage of the charcuterie board since I went to a class for it. I'm thinking fancy Italian meats, cheeses, grapes, crackers, olive spread, jam.... The possibilities are endless. DRINKS Hubby bought Lambrusco, Riesling and Gerwurstermlner. I'm going to have some Malibu rum, pineapple juice and sprite. What are the in-laws bringing you ask? I have no idea..... Andy and I go shopping on Thursday. |
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| Thought I'd go ice skating: |
| Well, I was supposed to go to the USC Game BUT it's raining cats and dogs and I had no desire to sit out in the rain and watch the game so I ate the cost of the tickets and stayed home and watched the game on TV. At least USC won but it was a nail bitter all throughout the 1st half. Hopefully they'll get a bowl game and I can go! Since it was raining, today was a soup day. I decided on meatball soup and after shopping at Costco and Ralphs, it was time to cook! First I put the meatballs together with hamburger, rice, seasoned salt, oregano, and garlic powder. Then I chopped onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, corn on the corb in to small quarters, cilantro and cabbage. I sautéed the onions, celery, carrots, in some olive oil and minced garlic. Once softened, I added a can of diced tomatoes, and 3 boxes of veggie broth. I brought to a boil, then a simmer and added the meatballs, zucc, and corn. Cooked for about 20 mins until everything was soft and then added cilantro and cabbage. Perfect! When it's raining what's your go to soup? |
Well, it's been 34 years since I married the hubby. 34 years. That's a loooong time. To celebrate, we went to a local steak place called "The Backwoods Inn" and had a nice dinner despite the rain. I had surf and turf and he had a prime rib. What I liked about the restaurant is the ambience. I've really come to appreciate that in a restaurant these days. It's nice to get out and escape. We went here to celebrate our 33rd last year, too, but haven't been back until now. All those years ago, we were married by a justice of peace in Nykobig, Denmark. We spent a week in Denmark and visited Copenhagen and Legoland. The ceremony was simple. Nothing fancy but I did wear a nice white suit. It was raining that day, too. Gotta have some rain on the anniversary or it aint the same thing! That night we went back to the hotel, had a nice meal and passed out we were so tired. Tuborg will forever be my favorite Danish beer. We really plan nothing for anniversary because there's like no time. We bounce from Sept to October and Halloween then Thanksgiving! Oh, that first thanksgiving! Talk about turkey novices trying to cook turkey in Germany. Would have helped if we took the gizzards bag out of the cavity... ah, the stories a young married could tell... |
Sometimes I wonder why ppl reinvent the wheel but only reinvent a crappy product claiming it's better when - right away you, the consumer, realize, the product is not better, it sucks, and I had to pay how much money to feed your beast aka money machine? For example. I have a night guard. I was diagnosed with TMJ about 15 years ago and the dentist said I needed a night guard. He made a "homemade" appliance that I snap between my two front teeth that I've been using now for 15 years. I've only had to replace it once. It's a sturdy piece of plastic. My TMJ has been managed and the grinding of my teeth is very minimal. The dental assistant who cleans my teeth never mentions it well, because the night guard keeps me from grinding my teeth. So I go for my cleaning about 3 weeks ago and my dentist says I need a new night guard and the one I've been using for 15 years is no good. I'm like, huh? Says I need a new guard that covers all my teeth when I sleep. Okay, I said. I got fitted and picked them up. What a waste of good plastic and money. This night guard is very much like a retainer. Hard plastic molded to my teeth that I uncomfortably snap on and off with much effort. I've tried putting them on twice and it activates my gag reflect and they're uncomfortable as hell. Cost $880.00 dollars. Thank goodness I have insurance! But still. This was a waste of my time, dental insurance money, and plastic because I'm not ever going to wear it. Why? simply because It's not practical for day to day wear. If anything I made my dentist happy by getting it. And that's another thing. He swore by the appliance I wore for years, an appliance that works very well and all of sudden it doesn't work well? Please. Which gets me on another rant - my washer and dryer. Hubby replaced then about 2 years ago, But there's no agitator in the middle just a sensor and the dryer's heat even on full blast sucks. It's supposed to be green energy compliant and use less energy and it sure does. In order get to my clothes washed to previous washers quality of work I have to use 2 scoops of laundry detergent and only load the washer to half it's capacity. If I don't the wash is inconsistent and the clothes still smell dirty! And the dryer - instead of putting it on 1 cycle I need to cycle it 1 and half times to get the same dry quality as before. So, if you think it about it - I'm spending more time and energy (and money!) to get a result I would have had with the old stuff. Sometimes new isn't better. I've been thinking of hitting up the facebook market group for 1980's and 1990's appliances. -- as for my night guard I'm using the same old one until it falls apart and then I'll super glue it. |
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