SAMMY BALDWIN

We lost one of our own last night.  Sammy Baldwin died last night of a heart attack.  We will miss him very much.  If or when anyone finds out about arrangements for him, please let some of us  know and we will post them on the blog. 

CHICKEN RECIPE YOU MIGHT LIKE

Sheet-pan recipe an easy chicken dinner . Sheet pan: Meet spotlight. 

Sheet-Pan Supper 2 lemons 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for pan 1 'cup' pitted olives, spicy or not 8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 2 sprigs fresh thyme 6 chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), bone-in, skin-on 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice points off lemons. Cut into 1/3-inch thick slices. Quarter each slice. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the olives, garlic and thyme. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Toss chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus the salt and pepper. Spread out chicken, skin-side down, on the pan. Slide into a 425-degree oven and let roast, 25 minutes. Scatter on the lemon and olives mixture. Continue roasting until chicken skin is crispy brown and flesh is tender.  About 20 minutes more. Makes 3 servings.

ALEXA AND THE ECONOMY

Amazon marks "biggest" holiday season with lots of Alexa The company's voice-activated devices are everywhere this year.  

The Echo Dot was a best-seller this holiday season.  Amazon seems to be having little trouble getting Alexa into people's homes. The giant e-tailer said on Tuesday it had sold "tens of millions of Alexa-enabled devices" around the world during the holiday season, making it the voice-activated digital assistant's best yet. The Echo Dot, a hockey-puck-shaped smart speaker, was the best-selling Amazon device during the holiday season and "the best-selling product from any manufacturer in any category across all of Amazon," the e-tailer said. Amazon, which said this year marked its "biggest holiday season," also reported sharp growth in its services. More than four million people started free Prime trials or bought memberships to the two-day shipping service in one week alone, the company said. The growth of Alexa devices buttresses Amazon's lead in the smart speaker market, where Google and Apple both want to make their mark. In addition to Amazon products, Alexa is being built into a host of other products , including cars , phones and DVR s. As is typical, Amazon's press release was light on hard numbers. Still, the holiday season appeared to be merry for Amazon, with small businesses and entrepreneurs receiving orders for "more than one billion items," a record. The company also listed its Amazon Music holiday earworms, reporting " Christmas " by Michael Bublé was the most played album during the season and " All I want for Christmas is You " by Mariah Carey was the most streamed holiday song. 'Alexa, be more human' : Inside Amazon's effort to make its voice assistant smarter, chattier and more like you. 

JUST A FEW LAUGHS

The New Shawl
I've always wanted a beautiful shawl to wear with my winter dresses. So when I opened the present from my sister Wanda, and saw that it was a white-and-silver shawl, I squealed in delight. "I love it!" I told Wanda that evening. "I wore it all morning." "You wore it?" she asked, smiling. "It's a skirt for the Christmas tree."

New Year's Observations

• A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
• My New Year's resolution is 1080p.
• I have only one resolution: to rediscover the difference between wants and needs. May I have all I need and want all I have. Happy New Year!
• May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions.
• Every year I make a resolution to change myself -- this year I'm making a resolution to be myself!
• New Year's is just a holiday created by calendar companies who don't want you reusing last year's calendar.

Grandparents' Answering Machine

"Good morning. At present we are not available, but please select from the following menu items:

•  If you are one of our children, dial 1 and then select the option from 1 to 5 in order of "arrival" so we know who it is.
•  If you need us to stay with the children, press 2
•  If you want to borrow the car, press 3
•  If you want us to wash your clothes and ironing, press 4
•  If you want the grandchildren to sleep here tonight, press 5
•  If you want us to pick up the kids at school, press 6
•  If you want us to prepare a meal for Sunday or to have it delivered to your home, press 7
•  If you want to come to eat here, press 8
•  If you need money, press 9
•  If you are going to invite us to dinner or want to take us to the concert, start talking — we are listening." (Beeeeeeeep...)

HOW DO YOU CLEAN YOUR GAS STOVE

How to clean your gas cooktop with just a few supplies Even burnt-on gunk is no match for dish soap and a scrubber.  

How to clean your gas cooktop without harsh chemicals Marathon cooking sessions can leave your gas cooktop pretty gross. But cleaning a gas cooktop isn't as easy as just wiping down the surface. Here's how to safely and effectively clean your stovetop. Supplies Paper towels or lint-free cleaning cloths A big bowl or bucket Dish soap Dish gloves A gentle scrubber A spray bottle of water A toothbrush Glass cleaner.  How to clean your gas cooktop 1:59 Steps Make sure your cooktop is cool to the touch. Remove the grates that cover the burners. Check your cooktop manual to see if your grates are dishwasher safe; if so, clean them in there. Otherwise, wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse and let them dry completely. Newer gas cooktops have caps over the burners. Remove them, wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse and let them dry completely. Use a paper towel or cloth to wipe away any stray crumbs from the cooktop. If food is stuck around the burners' ignition, use a toothbrush to gently clear away any blockages. Squeeze a generous amount of dish soap into a big bowl or bucket, and fill it with hot water. Put on your dish gloves, dip your scrubber in the water and clean the cooktop surface. Make sure you're careful around the burners. Clean the burner knobs with the scrubber. Spray the surface down with clean water, and wipe it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Use a glass cleaner and paper towel or cloth to wipe down the control panel. After everything's dry, replace the burner caps and grates

IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY

MERRY

CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS EVE

On this Christmas Eve, all of us at the OIB project want to widh you all a very Merry Christmas.  We hope you have plenty of time to spend with those family and friends who are most important to you.  Always remember, though, that Jesus really is the reason for the season and without Him there would be no Christmas.  Hold your loved ones close to your heart and always be thankful.

 

Merry Christmas