Pharm Cooking: Time for fall cleaning
By LOU GREENHAW
Contributing writer
Are you ready for fall house cleaning? I have a tip for improving your ability to get rid of things. All you have to do is to help other people move! We have just moved my mom and my mother-in-law to new living accommodations.
After moving my mom to Oklahoma, I came home and put a box in my closet and started filling it up with clothes that I don't wear. I quickly filled one box and started on the second one. That's just the summer clothes and I bet I still can fill another one before getting the winter clothes out!
I don't know why I keep things I don't use. Now that I have an eye on moving in the next few years, I am getting more critical of what I keep and I am making boxes to give away and boxes for garage sales. My husband has no problem with getting rid of things — especially my things! He isn't very sentimental about the boys' art work from kindergarten. By the way, neither became artists so it is of little commercial value but I still like them.
I am the same way about packing. We recently were gone for two weeks and he packed everything he needed in two carry-ons and used some of the space for things we were taking to our son in Florida. I, on the other hand, checked two bags — one of which was large — and had a carry-on and my purse. But I really do need four pair of shoes — dress shoes, tennis shoes, walking shoes, and sandals. Plus it's hard to pack when it is cool here and warm in Florida. We stopped overnight in Chicago where it was cool and then went on to Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale where it was warm.
When we travel overseas, I concede to his wishes but for United States vacations and business trips, I need more clothes. When we are in Europe, we are in a different place almost every night so no one has seen what I wore the day before so I can wash it and wear it again.
Our trip combined business and pleasure. We visited our son and daughter-in-law for a week and then went to a pharmacy meeting. Most of the meetings were about the new Medicare Part D drug benefit. We have been to lots of meetings so I hope we have the answers to the questions all the people have. It is in full swing now. At least we will probably sell some backache pills to the mailmen after all the promotional information gets mailed to all the Medicare folks!
Coming home to cool Kansas after warm Florida made crock-pot cooking sound good. Here is one easy recipe that is very good. Crock-pot cooking will give me more time to clean out closets. Plus it will give me time to hide the wedding pictures before Steve starts cleaning!
Crock-pot Beef Tips
1 pound sirloin beef tips in bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
Black pepper
1 can French onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Place the beef in the crock pot. Sprinkle with garlic. Sprinkle generously with pepper. Combine soups and pour over. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Serve over noodles or rice.
