Sleeping Better At Nights Now....

I have no real explanation for it but I am sleeping better at night now and not sleeping until noon or so.  I still get up at least twice to use the bathroom but I can go right back to sleep afterward.  It's actually kind of nice.  I haven't done that in ages.

What it means to me is that I really need to start doing my blog before I feel the need to get some sleep, however.  Most of the time I remember this unless I am on Facebook.  I have so many relatives (mostly cousins...we ARE an Irish family after all), that keeping in touch with how their lives are going takes me hours.  I also have my girilfriends that I like to know how things are going with them.  Some post a lot, others not so much.  My sister, Bratfink, tried to warn me about this problem but I didn't really believe her.  Now I know she was right.  However, she is on it, too.....LOL.  

I had another really good day yesterday.  I think I really did have a light case of the flu that put me down for almost a week.  True to form, I slept most of the time while my body fought the good fight to get me over it.  Right now, I am just in pain from my back and my back brace doesn't seem to be helping much.  At least, not like it use to.  I don't believe that copper in a brace really helps but I am tempted to get that Tommy Copper back brace that the athletes swear helps them just because I would love anything that got rid of this pain.  Even coughing is painful.

The Beast found a kit and instructions on how to make *real* tamales online and sent for it.  It gets here on Wednesday.  I watched a sister-in-law makes some once and I know it's not really tough, just time consuming.  As long as you have the corn husks, you can make them by the bunch once you get the hang of it.  I'll let you know how that works out.

Freddie is finally getting some feathers on his rear end and it seems to give him some kind of confidence.  He's crowing more now.  He looks much prouder, too.  He also won't take any abuse from the girls and is always the last one in the coop.

I guess winter is the time of year that egg production is more spotty than during the summer.  We are lucky to get three or four eggs every day.  Of course, we only have six hens left since the one was killed by something unknown.  We've had days when we got just two.  I know that the hens don't lay eggs every day.  I think 280 eggs each year from them is about the norm.  That's a lot of eggs but it doesn't add up to an egg every day.  We use a lot of eggs and give some away to friends.  My friend, Diane, is almost the only one that returns the cartons, however.  She and Dennis use a surprising amount of eggs every week.  I think she makes eggs for their breakfast every day.  

I decided that it's time for me to make some tapioca again since I have it in the house once more.  The Beast got me some when I made my cherry pie.  I use tapioca to hold the cherries inside the pie so it doesn't ooze out when you cut a piece out of it.  It firms it up nicely and you don't see the tapioca once it's baked.  It doesn't take all that much either.  Just about a half cup of it, cooked up a bit then added to the cherry filling.  I just wish I could find the pearl tapioca to use for tapioca pudding.  I like it much better but none of the stores around us have it.  You need to  go to a specialty store in Huntsville and I am not going to make that trip just for that.  It's not that important to me.  I'll use what I have.

I'll use half-and-half for the milk to make a richer taste to it.  I have always loved tapioca, although I know a lot of people who don't.  I can't imagine why.  

Well, I think I will go get that done now.  Love you all.  Be good and be sure to tell those you love that you do.  Life is short and it's best to do it now rather than regret an opportunity that you let pass by.  ***Hugs***