VAL'S HH CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE; Fortuna-AZ

Today I made a boxed supper … with added ingredients to give more ooph to it 😉

I can provide my improvised recipe - but no pics; we had had very little to eat all day long, so we fell on it like hungry wolves as soon as I dished it up; it was good, filling, and spicily satisfying 😁

I also steamed a couple brussels sprouts as a side dish 👍

VAL'S HH CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE ~serves 5

1 boxed Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni mix * 1-lb. ground Hamburger * 1 med. White Onion, sliced * 1/2 cup Mushrooms * 1-1/2 tsp. dried Oregano * 1/2 tsp. Salt * 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper * 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder * 1/2 tsp. grnd. Cumin * dash Garlic Powder * 1/2 tsp. Parsley * 1 fresh Basil leaf, chopped * 1-1/3 c. Water * 2 c. Milk * large cooking pan with lid * steamer pan with lid * brussels sprouts

##NOTE: Have the water in the steamer pot underway to the boiling point. Trim ends off brussels sprouts & cut a shallow X in the bottom of each sprout. When the casserole below is to the boiling point … add the brussels sprouts to the steamer pot and cook: the brussels sprouts will be done in roughly the same timeframe as the casserole 👍

Steamed Brussel Sprouts side dish; 10 minutes boiling steam time.

1. Break 'burger into eatable bits, and place in the cooking pan. Slice onion - add to hamburger.

Cook over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink, and onion is tender; stir occasionally to keep 'burger from sticking to inside bottom of pan.

Brown 'burger & sliced onions.

2. FOLLOW PACKAGE DIRECTIONS … while adding the extra spices & mushrooms (I chopped my mushrooms into bite-size pieces).

Spice additions …

Add mushrooms: Beech mushrooms are frown in tight clusters called "bouquets" - they are native to East Asia; these tiny capped mushrooms have a crunchy texture and a savory, nutty flavor, when cooked. Beech mushrooms are a good source of protein and fiber, and contain B vitamins, potassium, zinc, and copper.

SOMERTON-AZ, MAHAR, & CROCHET RUFFLED PLANT POT COVER; Fortuna-AZ

Yesterday afternoon, we started with "a quick out-of-house drive" through Yuma … and ended up in Somerton-AZ - I asked, & my husband complied.

If we are not going to be coming back to AZ, I wanted one last drive through the small community, mere minutes from the Mexico border. Trump's Border Wall is a bit beyond Somerton, but we'd already been to the Wall several times: so, we turned back towards Fortuna.

Somerton-AZ, was established in 1898 and incorporated in 1918. It's located in Yuma County, about 12 miles south of Yuma. It's also the native region of the Cocopah Tribe.

The Cocopah: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocopah & https://www.tribeact.com/Tribe/Profile/3/CocopahIndianTribe

We both liked the way trees along Main Street had been trimmed - this shape is common with lower land bushes, but it was different up so high: we liked it 😁

Fortuna-AZ parking lot.

Somerton-AZ from Fortuna-AZ. 30 min (23.6 mi) via I-8 W and E C

Main Street, Somerton-AZ

Different - but we liked the curbside appeal ;-)

And … as usually happens (no matter where we are in AZ) … somehow we ended up in CA on our return loop to Yuma-AZ 🤔 The roadways here, somehow always loops back via CA. It happens so much, we just laugh about it, now.

A.l.w.a.y.s.; without fail ;-)

Back home, I started supper … and a plant pot cover; while listening to some short reels.

One reel, in particular caught my attention: Bill Mahar commenting on the CA wildfires that have laid entire communities to waste because of nonsensical political drama.

I haven't given Mahar an ear since the 1st obama coup: he went overboard with praise for that moronic "black messiah".

It was refreshing to hear him talking logistics again without the trump derangement twaddle:

It's refreshing to hear Bill making sense, again.

It would appear he is done with the obama nonsense, and is truly and logically {woke} now ;-)

Supper was deliciously easy-peasy … 

Supper was started; quick & easy.

VAL'S HH CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE:  (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/01/vals-hh-cheeseburger-casserole-fortuna.html)

And a new crochet design was satisfactorily worked out. The colors are out of season, but that's what I had to work with, so that's what was used.

MOD Ruffled Plant Pot Cover; Fortuna-AZ

Now that I have worked my creation, and written the notes down: I can make more. In solid colors 👍

A MARRYING MAN; Fortuna-AZ

Bob & I were married 4 months into our relationship (he was talking marriage and kids in 2 months time): our marriage lasted 44 years - it ended when the Grim Reaper came calling.

Holland and I were married a little under a month following our 1st Coffee Date: he was talking marriage right off the bat … but, we'd known each other 18 months before that first date - and he'd been waiting for me, 33 years, to arrive on the scene 😍. He figured he'd waited long enough 😉

Marrying men want to get married; they don't want to wait … too much can happen in a year - 2 years - 3 years. Men who want to set up house to "see if we're compatible", are never going to get married to the woman they are shacking up with: they don't have to, they already have her in their corral. They just want a secured bed mate while they keep shopping for the illusive 'perfect woman'.

Illusions aren't reality.

A marrying man; proposal 6 mos or less …

Marriage is the 'getting to know' phase - that's where marital growth & unity takes root; where loyalties are forged.

Clint & Lisa Black - “When I Said I Do”: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgalAdgEd-E)

A procrastinator is not a marrying man.

I never stepped out with anyone I didn't consider marital material, so when both men proposed early in the Game, I didn't mind. I didn't mind because I am not a stupid person - I know that people put their best foot forward and show only the best sides of themselves when stepping out … it isn't until they get married and start showing ALL of themselves 😳🤬😭💔 that wrinkles show up and need to get ironed out 🙏✌️ to make the picture perfect 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨😉

We're still hanging tough❤️‍🩹

We both made a commitment 💘; loyalty is important to both of us. Loyalty is not always an easy, paved, road. There are a lot of obstacles, rocky roadways, and heavy loads involved in loyalties.

The first 7 years with Bob were hard ones due to alcohol and drug addiction. It wasn't until 1981 that Bob sobered up and won the victory over addictions; that was the year our marriage really became the one we'd hoped for when we pledged our lives to each other in 1974.

Holland and I, have admittedly, had a rough 2 years. But love was never the issue between us … and the issues are 1 by 1 being dealt with. We both have every confidence that should Elohim bless us with 20 more years, we'll sail through them - enjoying the marriage we both came into this union believing we could have together 😘

Blake Shelton - 'God Gave Me You' lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGXHWqlH_dc)

2024's VICTORY happened in Woodland-WA - started with a major blow out over Vicodin addiction; and wrapped up, here in AZ, with Holland saying "No" to drugs in any form. MAJOR, major 👏👏 I'm so proud if him 😘

And, Elohim has new Friends - TRUE friends - waiting for him: he just has to be open to those new friends with new Life concepts. It will happen 🙏☝️

Marriage means new friendships - new boundaries. Commitment to your spouse. We're still wading our way through this one, but I think Holland is beginning to realize Past {friendships} do not serve him beneficially in the Present. A New Life requires a New Mindset.

Elohim has been very favorable to me the majority of my Life. He has twice blessed me with good men than have been for the most part, good for me. I am a strong-minded woman with a strong will to match - I need a strong man to keep me grounded. I've been highly favored with the choices Elohim made for me in that regard.

A strong man is a marrying man.

Clint Black - "Something That We Do" song: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQE3DiWbIwY

A marrying man knows what he wants - and he'll do what he needs to do to keep it 😉