Sunday, March 17, 2024

St Patrick's Day...Greener Pastures, Gumbo and Love



Top of the morning to you, friends...It's St Patrick's Day and I'm behind in blogging and visiting, again!   This past week was not a good one.  So sick this week!  Leaving out details (in case you're having your morning toast) it was pretty rough.  Since the release of Covid, there's been all sorts of strange, mutated viruses dancing around our planet.  I was violently ill early Monday morning around 3am...it lasted maybe 30 minutes...then I ached all over...had fever for the day...ending with a headache for about three days...then by Friday, poof!  Gone!  Super strange!  I'm fine now...with a little weakness but generally, okay.  







Ann sent a super cute, handmade card!  I love getting "real" mail!  Larry came in with it saying, "I'll bet it's a card..."...lolol...anyway, she can do pretty much anything she sets her mind to...I love her.





Saturday morning came and feeling chipper, I took a ride down to visit our daughter, Crystal...who had come up to keep Sloane for Samantha and Everett.  Sam had a wedding to work and Crystal visits as often as she can to keep the baby.  They live in the country and after all the rain, the fields were beautiful.



Sloane loves gumbo...lol...first time eating it and couldn't get enough.





Saturday's breakfast...hashbrowns, toast and two, easy-over...mine are a little cracked...lolol










Lunch...roast, mashed potatoes and green beans...




Ever hopeful something hits the floor...and yes, sometimes...it does.



I had to get a gift for a new mother and baby boy...a busy shop had just what I needed.  



Crystal had flown to Arkansas to meet up with her son and our granbaby, William (Air Force).  They went shopping for Will, a new set of recliners.  He and his girlfriend, Alyssa, broke up...and she took her sofa.  They'd been together three years so it wasn't a happy weekend.... just sad...but he'll be alright.  Such a gentle soul.
Meanwhile, his sister...




Samantha (left) and friend began a side business for weddings.  They both have full-time positions as stylist but are doing weddings on the side.  Hair and make-up.  So busy!  They're doing great.



Another of Larry's wood projects...You can change out the months to years...the name...grades...by turning the dial...ingenious.




Me?  I finally got back to my quilt.  I've gotten about a third of it quilted...straight line, stitch-in-the-ditch.  It's big enough to be hard on the shoulders...pushing, pulling...tugging it through the machine.  No hand quilting for me! lol




Well, I've bent your ear long enough this morning.  Hope you all have a sweet St Patrick's Day!
So...until next time...




Friday, March 8, 2024

Apple Fritters...Chicken, Catfish and Hugs

 


Good morning, Friends.  Just checking in.  It's really not been a very busy week...again.  But believe me, I'm not complaining!  Less is more.  
We had a sweet visit with our good friends, Bill & Wanda Coker.  They live in a small town, Medina, Texas...near San Antonio in an over 55 community.  They love it...live in a tiny house...which they are expanding...lol
We all went to high school together in the '60s.



I made apple fritters to enjoy with coffee, while we visited.




We told lies...laughed...and talked about old school memories.





Earlier in the week, Larry fried up some catfish filets.  I made a salad to go with it.










Our Greatgran, Sloane lining her babies up and teaching them how to be sweet babies...lol



Taking a break from a grueling morning of teaching...



But she always makes time for her Gamma.  I love her so much...



Well, I did say it had been another slow week.  Other than cooking...running errands in town, it's been slow.
I hope you all are doing great...keeping warm or cool, wherever you are.  So...until next time...



Friday, March 1, 2024

Fragrance...Bubbles, Cookies and Kisses



Good morning, Friends.  It's been another unremarkable week...I think I'm going to just be grateful for that.
I went to my eye surgeon's appointment yesterday.  I go every six months.  I had a macular hole repaired.  He now is saying it looks like I have the beginnings of macular degeneration...I don't need injections...just a high-powered vitamin,  PreserVision AREDS 2, twice a day.  I hope it helps.  I don't want to have to get the injections into my eye...uggg




I love this thing!  I got a large jar...dropped in a string of tiny lights that you plug in (they get hotter and diffuse the fragrance better) poured in one of those large bags of fragranced flowers, wood shavings, etc.  I know you've seen them.



Then I topped the jar with a lace doilie...and ribbon.  Then plug it in!  YUM!!
The scent last for years!  I made this jar about 30 years ago!  It's still putting off a sweet scent...not as strong as in years past but still a scent that is filling my dining room, as I type.










Larry (Gampa) and I (Gamma) gave Samantha (our granddaughter), this buggy for her work.   She does weddings and needed a method of transporting all her supplies from her car to the venues.  Sloane, (our greatgran) decided it must be for her...and refused to get out of it...Lolol
The only way we could get her out, without creating a scene, was using bubbles.  Samantha has a bubble gun and started loading it and spraying it...lol...well Sloane decided that was wonderful and she had to be part of all the excitement!  














Mom and Dad took her to the zoo...and Samantha said the buggy also came in very handy there, as well.






Lolol...Don't get it?  Think a moment...




I made some shortbread cookies.  I sprinkled sugar crystals on them before baking.  I also added 1 CUP of powdered sugar instead of the called for, 3/4ths cup, to the dough. 







Larry made us some Teriyaki chicken leg quarters for our lunch yesterday.  We'll enjoy them today.  I'll simply re-heat along with a side veggie.



This is one of my favorite little poems about your children and how fast time flies by...When I first read it, years ago, I almost cried.  I miss being that young mother...I know you probably do, as well.
So...with that, I'll close for this week.  Hope you all are having a sweet and blessed day.
Until next time...


 

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Birthdays...Buns, Bugs and Baby



Good morning, Friends...
It's been a crazy week.  The kids were all going to go on a ski trip to Telluride, Colorado beginning today.  Well...Sloane has fever again so the trip has been cancelled.  The doctors have run every test they can think of for her symptoms...nothing.  I'm thinking there's a low grade infection in her ear. They say there is redness in her right ear... :O( 
But they won't prescribe anything...she has medicated ear drops that should take care of it...!!!  Well it hasn't yet!
Send prayer I don't over-step my boundaries and call that da#n doctor's office! 
UPDATE: 2/22 - It Was Her Ear!




Anyhow...It's our SIL's birthday on the 26th.  I made a Strawberry Mousse cake, thinking they'd be here this afternoon to drop off their dog, Bo, so Larry and I could take care of him while everyone's on the ski trip...not happening...and a mousse cake doesn't keep over about four or so days...I doubled the recipe and made two...one for us and one for Tim...Now, they're not coming...Gotta' think of someone to give Tim's to...Guess our friend, Henry, will be the lucky winner.






 
I made hamburger buns to go with the pulled pork I made.  Worked out great...I used my bread machine for the kneading...then shaped the dough into buns.



 
They turned out really good!
 



Can someone tell me what the heck this is?  Found it on the internet.  Never seen anything like it around here.  Alien?





It's also Samantha's birthday on the 23rd.  She wanted a Lambeth cake.  They seem to be the upcoming thing these days.  So I did my best to decorate the strawberry cake.  It was work I must say and not something I would look forward to doing again in my small kitchen.  But you do for your babies, if you can.  She loved it.








I also made a spinach, tomato and cheese quiche for breakfast on Tuesday...seriously good!















Okay!  Tell me what's creepy about the above photo!!  There are two things...Do you see them??


We picked Sloane up from daycare because of her fever...breaks your heart when they are sick!




It was 79F  (about 26C) here yesterday.  After about noon, Sloane was feeling a lot better, no fever.  But this morning our daughter Crystal, called to tell us she had fever and the ski trip was cancelled.
I got to open the windows...it was so nice and Sloane really enjoyed herself.  (It was warm or I'd never have opened the windows).

Well, guess I'll go get breakfast going.  Hope you all are staying well, warm or cool, wherever you are.

So, until next time...