A Simple Way to Cook

Fixing dinner is a boring, difficult thing for any folks. Here is an easy, cheap and flexible way to handle it.

Cook some pasta, any type. While that cooks, chop veggies,  say onion, peppers, carrots, celery, whatever you want, anything. Pan cook some meat, burger, sausage, or add ant leftover meats. Your choice. Add yurt veggies and cook until done. Add cooked, drained pasta and some grated cheese and, quock as that, you gave dinner.

Add what you want. A can of beans works. Use any cheese/ Substitute left over gravy for pasta sauce. Use butter or olive oil in the sauce. Use rice or potatoes instead of pasta. Any herbs or seasonings you want.

You end up with a tasty, healthy, cheap meal, enough to feed any family and you get a bonus. Save any left overs and they are better the next day.

Winter is On the Way

Where I live bow, it is hot and steamy. Tropical weather is still drifting around and California is blazing. But, like it or not, winter is coming

The Practical American will be ready when the cold wind blows.

That wind is an issue. Be sure that your weather stripping is in good shape. . That cold air will find every little gap and your heating bill may soar. Just checking that stripping may help keep you warm and save you a bundle.

Look at your winter clothing. If you need new jackets and caps and globes, buy them now. In the fall, stores have a large winter selection. Once the cold hits, the selection thins. This is especially true of thermal underwear.
Make sure your heating system is in working order. If you wait until the freeze hits, you may wait days for service.

Finally, is you live in the lands of snow and ice, make sure you have the needed attachments for your tires, such as chains and keep some rock salt to prevent slipping and sliding around your property/

Then, enhot the new season

Stay Cool

Well, all hell seems to have broke loose in America. What can the Practical American do?

Stay cool, di nit panic and do not despair. This too will pass. If you five in to panic and despair, you will lose. It is essential for all of us to keep a cool head..
Admittedly, 3 major hurricanes and a mass shooting are extreme, but we must keep working, keep smiling and keep having fun.

Go out, be fearless, but use your head. We will prevail.

Take Stock of uoir Life

Here and there, from time to time, It is a good idea, a practical idea, to take stock of your life. Where you're going, where you've been and the routes you need to travel can all get blurry over time.

It may be time to sit down, alone  or with the adult members of your household and check the books, financial, physical and spiritual. Be honest but be fair. Stay calm and remain open. Hide nothing. Clear the air. Don't ne dead serious but avoid silliness.

It is a good idea to rake stock of your life. You will function more efficiently. When done treat everyone to ice cream and a drink

Watch the Weather

At the risk of sounding alarmist, let me say that things are a might strange of late. How strange? Well, in a very short period the UA has been hit by 2 Category 4 hurricanes. Now, Puerto Rico is being hammered by yet another Category 4 storm. Category 4 storms are rare, very rare. The Eastern Islands have also had to deal with Jose and, yes it too was Category 4.

The Atlantic and Gulf Waters are generally in the low to mid 80s this tome of year. Now they are near 90. And storm season runs until December 1. They are rare after mid=October, but this year, who knows?

In addition, Mexico just got nailed by a strong earthquake. It seems that Mother Nature is pissed at us. Can'y blame her. We have not been good stewards.

The Practical American will note all of this and have emergency plans and supplies. Don't go nuts. You don't need to become a survivalist, just use your head. And. maybe try to get on better terms with the Earth.

Stay Prepared

At the risk of being redundant, I want to remind everyone to stay prepared for emergencies. Keep supplies and have a plan. Then, pay attention to news and weather reports. Never panic. Simply be ready.

Tge nightmare occurring in Houston is an act of Nature. These will grow more frequent as the climate continues changing. Sorry, that is just the way it is.

Be ready and you will get along fine. Get caught unprepared and you will have an awful problem

Pray for those on Texas.

Use Your Braib

The old saying goes, 'use it or lose it.' Well, that applies to your brain. Things are changing and changing fasr and the Practical American knows that he ot she will need that brain.

It is all well and good to sit around on occasion sipping beer and watching sports but that should be a treat, not a habit.

Use that brain. Work puzzles, read, study. Learn a new skill, walk the neighborhood observing everything closely. Keep a journal, learn a language. On short, so anything to keep your mind active.

The brain gets used to patterns and, over time, grow reluctant to leave those patterns. Then, when you need to learn something new, it will be very difficult. And rest assured, to survive the next few years, you will beed to leatn. Believe me. Things will move fasr and you will need to be nimble.