Pancakes, Chili and Cornbread!!

Yesterday was cleaning house and changing oil in the car day, today it is cooking! I got an easy chili recipe from a gal at work, she got it on the Food Network. Also, baking cornbread as I write. I made Duane pancakes for breakfast, I used a new pan and they didn't get done enough. Taking note not to use that pan for that again!! Will walk the dogs, cut Dad's hair, get cleaned up and take Dad out for a while, he gets cabin fever. I need a few things at the store and dread it, all those Thanksgiving shoppers will be out in force. I am going to Albertson's and staying away from Fred's today, will have enough of that tomorrow. We have a new one hour machine and I will have to open it for the first time in the morning, I am not looking forward to it. I tried to run some photos the other night before we were supposed to go live with it, and it had a jam that none of us could find and had to call a tech out, so I am afraid of the thing now! Oh well, the worst that could happen already has, so maybe it will be okay, right?

Here is the recipe for the chili:

1 jar Paul Newman's marina

1 pkg chili mix

1 pound lean ground beef

2 15 ounce cans kidney beans

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 14-15 ounce can diced tomatos w/jalapeno's

1 medium yellow onion

Fry chopped onion in a little butter, cook and crumble ground beef. Rinse and drain kidney beans, add all ingredients together and simmer for a couple of hours, enjoy!! I used stove top

kettle, but would probably be ideal in the crock pot!!

It's been 4 weeks?

I guess the novelty is over, or I am on facebook more than I am here these days!!
I can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here, and "Black Friday" is looming and lurking once again.
My boss tried to hire 3 people for the holidays, hoping to keep at least one of them after. The first flaked out when they told him he had to cut his beard off, the other 2 made it through register training and orientation. The second one was terminated today under "mysterious" circumstances, they wouldn't even tell my boss the reason. The third guy is Andrew, he is a substitute teacher in Vancouver, is about 6ft. 8 or so, nice guy but kind of "goofy".
What is the deal? I figured we would be flooded with prospects looking for work, instead, we seem to still be scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel. We are at least getting another employee, she is a transfer from Scapoose, OR. She recently moved to Vancouver, and has been commuting to keep her foot in the door. She has worked CCK mostly, and has worked in photo a few times, so is familiar at least a little bit... Jen talked to her manager and got a good reccomendation, we will see. Ugh, she can't start until week after next, so next week we will be short hours again, so that means I have to work more once again. No rest for the wicked!! Duane has to bid for his next 6 month schedule next week, and we have to plan our vacation schedule as well for 2010. I hate that, it's written in stone, how can you know exactly when the best times are to take your time off a whole year in advance? Oh well, it's not like we are doing much right now anyway. We want to concentrate on getting our loan for the property paid off in the next 3-5 years. If we can do that, or better yet get moved in that time frame, it will be worth sacrificing a couple of expensive vacations!! I wanna get on with it and get to Central Oregon!!