Random Thoughts and Texas Heat

Just a bit of random-ness today. We got these automatic nightlights at Dollar Tree...

They automatically come on when it gets dark and go off when it gets light. They also have the kind with an on/off switch. I bought one for the guest bathroom and one for the laundry room because that's where the litter box is. 

I've always had one of those green LED nightlights in the laundry room, but it doesn't put out a lot of light. I wanted to be sure the cats could see well enough to use their box at night, so I bought this one. 

You can see their box to the left. I think the felines approve. :) I always feel like I have to apologize for the garish color in here. I promise it's not that bad in real life. 

These would also be great for a hallway or a child's room, or really anywhere you want to have a lighted path at night. And for only $1, you can't go wrong. 

I've been obsessed with this new cozy mystery series. It's the Izzy Greene Senior Sleuths mysteries by Sylvia Selfman. I got the first four books on Amazon for my Kindle for only .99¢ It's one of those series that I can't put down. Like if I have to do anything other than reading (making dinner, laundry, etc) I get annoyed and start counting down the minutes until I can start reading again. They're really good mysteries too. Keeps you guessing until the last minute. 

Here's a description of the first book "Murder She Typed"

Two best friends solving a mystery in Palm Springs, CA. It's such a good cozy with a lot of humor sprinkled in. Palm Springs is almost like another character in the story. These books remind me of the Southern Sisters Mysteries by Anne George, one of my all time favorite cozies. 


I made my favorite cake-like brownies again the other day. Do you like cake-like or dense and chewy? I like both, but prefer the cake-like. 

This is the recipe I always use:

And yes, these are pics of my personal clippings in my recipe book, hence the smudges. :)

***My notes on this are: Definitely line the pan with foil and spray the foil. Use a whisk to mix it up and bake for exactly 32 minutes. Comes out perfectly every single time. Also, this says "4 squares" of chocolate. One square used to be one ounce, for a total of 4 ounces. But they've since changed the size of the squares. So you still need 4 ounces but that's now an entire package, or 16 pieces. 

And here's the variation for cake-like:
(just add 1/2 cup milk with eggs and vanilla and increase flour to 1 1/2 cups)

Here's the package of unsweetened chocolate squares I buy. You'll use the entire package, which is now 4 ounces. 

Got my passport in the mail and oh my...it's the worst picture of me, ever. And...it's good for 10 years. Nice. You're not supposed to smile in your passport pic...well, they say you just can't show teeth, so I tried a closed mouth smile and well...not good. Same with my driver's license pic. Not pretty. And that one is good for 12 years! Lord. 

It has been so hot here lately. I put a thermometer on the patio and look what it registered...

And THAT'S why Texans can't wait until fall. ;) This is also why they warn us not to walk our dogs until the sun goes down. Can you imagine walking barefoot on 134º sidewalks? Nope. 

Did y'all see my post on gun safety? If you missed it, click HERE to see how you can get a FREE cable-style gun lock. This is always good to have, but especially important if you have children in your home or have children who visit your home. And it's FREE! 

Up next...my new streamlined decor posts. Happy Saturday!

~Lisa