It's been quite a while since I've posted anything and I'm feeling the need to write...but I've been a little "blocked"....child care and travel (not the pleasure kind) have dominated my life since July. I'm helping my daughter with her children (Grace 5 and Asher almost 3) as she completes a 5 month-long school course. The challenge has been that I live in Louisiana and they are in the Nashville, TN area!
So....I'm traveling with them back and forth between homes each month.....not too bad considering it's a 10 hour long drive with 2 kids. They have really been troopers and it's a good thing I don't mind road trips!
Also, what makes the stay with them at their home not too bad is that it's located in the hills of Brentwood, TN....lovely area....with great people! I'm loving the opportunity to live and work (what little time I have to spend sharing my Mary Kay) in such a beautiful place. Another plus...it's the beginning of Fall and the leaves are changing and the weather is definitely cooler and less humid than southwest Louisiana!
Hopefully, I'll have some pictures for my next post....another daughter and her family are coming up to Brentwood in October to see the area...so we will be getting out and exploring more....can't wait.
Till then....
I
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Cut Cut Cut!
I need to rant, I guess. I'm sick and tired of hearing all of this debate on cutting medicare.....social security....entitlements as the media calls it. Oh, if the Republicans mention cutting medicare (10 years in the future) then the Democrats scream "you want to kill grandma". How disingenuous! The Democrats are the ones who voted for the "Obama Health Care Bill" (now known by another name) where seniors WILL have their health care rationed....that's a death sentence if there ever was!
It's really not medicare that is the issue as far as I see.....surely it's not Social Security....why that is our own money coming back to us....well, it should have been. The politicians in Washington have raped it for so many years that now it's teetering on the brink of bankruptcy! Something I never hear about is MEDICAID....that's medicare for young people having babies with no insurance. Don't get me wrong...I believe we should help those who are less fortunate or who found themselves between jobs with no insurance or in a job with no insurance. However, baby after baby is being born to mothers who are on drugs and welfare (which probably pays for the drugs) with no other means of support and certainly no means of support from the baby's father....if in fact the father is even known!
One baby to a drug mom is acceptable.....but....the same girl goes back to have multiple babies....crack babies which NICU's all over our nation spend millions to save! Yes, I care about those precious little babies who didn't ask to be born...however, the girl/woman coming in time after time to have these babies should be cut off from all government assistance. How do I know about this.....I have a daughter who has worked in NICU's from California to Florida and especially in Louisiana! It's an epidemic of misuse of our Medicaid system. THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE CUT!!!!
Now, my rant about SS benefits.......Seniors who have paid into the system for 20-30-40 years...deserve their little monthly checks. However, BIG $$ are going out to recipients who have NEVER paid into the system. This is NOT what SS was meant to be. It's just another "welfare" system which is being used as a tool by the liberals....ohhhh....don't mess with SS....or you will be branded a callous, uncompasionate, "only worried about the rich", mean-spirited conservative.
You know....all of these programs could be saved for everyone if the fraud is found and taken out! Unfortunately, much of the fraud is perpetrated by the folks in the bureaucracies in Washington D.C. Speaking of which....why do we need .so many people on the Government payroll.....Billions of $$ are spent on dead-head jobs with big benefit packages and even greater retirements...... those are entitlements that deserve some cuts! Can anyone say Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Did you hear the news this week?
Let me not even get started on the Billions that are sent overseas. Billions that funnel into the hands of people who hate us and use it to kill us or to nations whose officials take the money and pad their own bank accounts! Let's do some cuts in this ridiculous habit we have of throwing our tax $$s to our enemies. We really don't have alot of friends overseas and the ones we do have have been insulted in the last 18 months by our President.
So, there.....I feel better....at least for the moment. I got it off my chest and on to my keyboard.
It's really not medicare that is the issue as far as I see.....surely it's not Social Security....why that is our own money coming back to us....well, it should have been. The politicians in Washington have raped it for so many years that now it's teetering on the brink of bankruptcy! Something I never hear about is MEDICAID....that's medicare for young people having babies with no insurance. Don't get me wrong...I believe we should help those who are less fortunate or who found themselves between jobs with no insurance or in a job with no insurance. However, baby after baby is being born to mothers who are on drugs and welfare (which probably pays for the drugs) with no other means of support and certainly no means of support from the baby's father....if in fact the father is even known!
One baby to a drug mom is acceptable.....but....the same girl goes back to have multiple babies....crack babies which NICU's all over our nation spend millions to save! Yes, I care about those precious little babies who didn't ask to be born...however, the girl/woman coming in time after time to have these babies should be cut off from all government assistance. How do I know about this.....I have a daughter who has worked in NICU's from California to Florida and especially in Louisiana! It's an epidemic of misuse of our Medicaid system. THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE CUT!!!!
Now, my rant about SS benefits.......Seniors who have paid into the system for 20-30-40 years...deserve their little monthly checks. However, BIG $$ are going out to recipients who have NEVER paid into the system. This is NOT what SS was meant to be. It's just another "welfare" system which is being used as a tool by the liberals....ohhhh....don't mess with SS....or you will be branded a callous, uncompasionate, "only worried about the rich", mean-spirited conservative.
You know....all of these programs could be saved for everyone if the fraud is found and taken out! Unfortunately, much of the fraud is perpetrated by the folks in the bureaucracies in Washington D.C. Speaking of which....why do we need .so many people on the Government payroll.....Billions of $$ are spent on dead-head jobs with big benefit packages and even greater retirements...... those are entitlements that deserve some cuts! Can anyone say Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Did you hear the news this week?
Let me not even get started on the Billions that are sent overseas. Billions that funnel into the hands of people who hate us and use it to kill us or to nations whose officials take the money and pad their own bank accounts! Let's do some cuts in this ridiculous habit we have of throwing our tax $$s to our enemies. We really don't have alot of friends overseas and the ones we do have have been insulted in the last 18 months by our President.
So, there.....I feel better....at least for the moment. I got it off my chest and on to my keyboard.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Florida for a Month!
I have been wanting to chronicle our trip to Florida which took place in March and April. We left out on March 11 and returned April 12. Things have been going non-stop since we returned and I have not had the time or the inspiration to sit down to write this blog....until tonight. I felt the urge to write and decided, before this trip is a distant memory, I'd better put down on paper our experiences and events that are due a mention!First of all, let me say that Florida came about for us because of a wedding invitation to Wayne's nephew's wedding. It was to take place on March 26th....on the beach in Sarasota! Ummm...nice...we wanted to attend and since we had a 5th wheel parked in our yard with only one short weekend trip under our belt....this would be a great place to start our "extended" trips. So, we decided to accept the invitation and plan to pull the Paradise Pointe to a camp ground close to the wedding spot. Now, plans got extended when we were invited by my daughter and her husband (Alicia and John) who as travel nurses were finishing up their last month of assignments in the Orlando area., to camp next to them. So, as planning would have it....a two week camping trip to a wedding extended to a month! I mean, really, a two week stay next to them cost the same as a month taking advantage of the monthly discount! So, with a phone call we were booked for a month's stay. We would be parked next to our daughter and her family who had been in Florida for 4 months living in a KOA in Davenport.......close to the entry gates of Disney World (they have 2 kids and love Disney). Alicia worked at Tampa General and her husband worked in a hospital in Cleremont. They only worked 3 shifts a week...so that left plenty of time to play and with Mimi and Paw Paw living next door for a month we could help out with the kids so they could work shifts together. We were anxious to be with Julia 9 and Joshua 6....they had been traveling with their parents for nearly 2 years so we had not been around them very much. They are home schooled....or as they call it "road schooled"!
On Friday, March 11 at 9:00 AM we were ready to pull out of the driveway...loaded with everything we thought we'd need! Darn...with my check of the lights....back lights and turn signals not working on the trailer. Ok, no big deal....the RV place is close by and it was on our way out. So off we went, staying on the frontage road....going slow....we made it to the shop. Luckily they jumped on the problem quickly....the wiring for the brake plug in in the back of the truck was not wired correctly....so ....with a $65.00 charge and 1 hour of lost time....we were back on the road.
Headed east on I-10....wow....the traffic....bumper to bumper....all the way to the beach turn-off at the east side of the Florida Panhandle...why all this traffic??? FIRST WEEKEND OF SPRING BREAK! Well, we didn't time this trip correctly! So, other than the brake lights and the traffic the trip was smooth so far and uneventful. Until.....40 miles from our intended campground for the evening we decided to pull off for a fuel stop....not yet learning that we should only go for "truck stops" and "travel centers" we were looking for "cheap" fuel and stopped where it was less and sometimes found ourselves in a bind....as we did this one last time. After fueling the truck...we were in a situation that required us to turn right out of the station and then make a u-turn....oh oh......don't turn too sharp.....yep....trying to avoid a big hole in the road....Wayne make a sharp left turn and the next thing we heard was crashing glass and metal grinding. YIKES....our back window was being busted out by the front end of the trailer!!! To make matters worse.....we were approaching a red light....both of us looking behind to see the damage that was unfolding.....and to see our boxer (who was laying on the back seat) being pelted with glass....I noticed the red light...screamed....husband applies the brakes and Boxer goes flying onto the floorboard. I think my blood pressure spiked 50 points at that moment.
Phew....after catching our breath....assessing that the Paradise Point did not sustain too much damage...we continued on wind blowing in through the back window....temps were dropping as it was now dusk and we were freezing......yes, it's March in Florida...but the cool weather was still hanging around. I won't bore you with the conversation to our night's destination...but the enjoyable trip had just turned into a nightmare. Well, maybe I'm being too dramatic...but my thoughts were: how in the world would we fix this.....get parked for the night....hoping it would not rain and would Wayne get disgusted and cancel this trip before we even get l/2 there?
Well, I know, as RVing people will tell us.....this is nothing in the whole scheme of things....life happens and we were unhurt....no serious damage....it's just a lesson learned the hard way...and these lessons always come with a $$ price!
We arrived at the Arrowhead Campground after dark...another lesson learned....too hard to set up in the dark. We had originally planned to stay hitched....but now with the broken window and the glass covering the backseat and floor....something would have to be done to the truck that night. Thank goodness the spot was a pull through....that made it easier.....Wayne worked like crazy to get us level, set up and in doing all of that in the dark...I learned another lesson.....make sure you check the position of the trailer as to the distance of the slide outs from any tree, etc. Only after he had all hook ups done did I notice I could not extend our living room/dining room slide. I was not about to say a word!!
Now let me stop at this point and let you know that my Boxer, Coco, had never been on a trip before much less living in a camper....out of her familiar environment....she hated when we'd go into our trailer to pack or work in it....she never wanted to be in there with us and here we are this night in a very tight situation inside of our living area! Also another tidbit of info.....she's 45 lbs. and has arthritis so she cannot climb into our truck or into the trailer.....she must be lifted every time! So, lifting we did and we introduced her to "camping" in a not so wonderful way (broken glass and tight quarters) ....oh well, when we did get to our destination she will think that the trailer is a mansion compared to this night!
Wayne returned from vacuuming the glass out of the truck and he visited WalMart for supplies to cover the back window... He had bought rubber car floor mats and duck tape and there you have it....waterproof, windproof, and looking like a big boo-boo!!.
The first night in our camper was just a quick bite to eat, showers and bed......trying to convince Coco that she would have a place to sleep...remember...we only have two slides and the largest one was not extended! It was tight....but we found a place for her bed and we and she made it through!
So, that was the first full day of our long-awaited trip. The second day was uneventful....being careful and also being amazed at our Boxer. Coco is a great traveler....she slept almost the whole trip each day and when we would stop she was more than happy just to stay in the truck. In fact, when we tried to get her out to potty....she would be very anxious to return to the truck. Stopping at truck stops seemed to make her very nervous with the engine sounds, etc. She just didn't quite know what to make of what we were doing or where we were taking her! Thank goodness the weather was cool....so leaving her in the truck was OK.
At about 5:00 PM March 12th we arrived in Davenport....with happy hugs and greetings from the family awaiting our arrival. Now for the next "problem" to solve.....the campsite was not very level. Backing the trailer in was tricky to say the least and then.....mistake #3....unhitching BEFORE you know it's level....so hooking back up pulling forward....putting down boards....backing onto the boards on one side....whew...thank God my son-in-law John was helping....I think for a second time Wayne would have wanted to pack it up and head back home! The KOA was nice, but we were in the "extended" stay part and the sites were not level and there was a definite lack of trees!
As you can see....Coco was getting adjusted to her new "home". She fell right into the routine of leash and bathroom walks 2 - 3 times a day. She loved being out with us and when we had to be gone she was perfectly OK with being left inside to sleep until our return. The Fleetwood Discovery is what my daughter's family has lived in for the past 2 years as they have been travel nursing from California to Florida!
For the next two weeks we settled in to camper living and visited family south of Orlando in a town called Lake Placid....a quaint little So. Florida town known for it's murals painted on the sides of the downtown historic buildings. Julia and Joshua look like they are painted right in!
With the help of my insurance company we did find a great collision shop to put the truck for repairs to the back window and also the roof of the cab....it had a little, no , a big dent. They only kept it a week...didn't have to remove the whole roof top...just worked out the "kink" and replaced the window...and we just had to pay $250!! Yeah! Keep in mind...hubby is still feeling badly for what happened and it will take him about a week to relax and enjoy this trip.
Saturday, March 26th was the beach wedding in Sarasota....so we took the 2 hour drive down south to that beautiful town and beach...I think it's considered the most beautiful beach in USA.....and it certainly was a beautiful day:
On Friday, March 11 at 9:00 AM we were ready to pull out of the driveway...loaded with everything we thought we'd need! Darn...with my check of the lights....back lights and turn signals not working on the trailer. Ok, no big deal....the RV place is close by and it was on our way out. So off we went, staying on the frontage road....going slow....we made it to the shop. Luckily they jumped on the problem quickly....the wiring for the brake plug in in the back of the truck was not wired correctly....so ....with a $65.00 charge and 1 hour of lost time....we were back on the road.
Headed east on I-10....wow....the traffic....bumper to bumper....all the way to the beach turn-off at the east side of the Florida Panhandle...why all this traffic??? FIRST WEEKEND OF SPRING BREAK! Well, we didn't time this trip correctly! So, other than the brake lights and the traffic the trip was smooth so far and uneventful. Until.....40 miles from our intended campground for the evening we decided to pull off for a fuel stop....not yet learning that we should only go for "truck stops" and "travel centers" we were looking for "cheap" fuel and stopped where it was less and sometimes found ourselves in a bind....as we did this one last time. After fueling the truck...we were in a situation that required us to turn right out of the station and then make a u-turn....oh oh......don't turn too sharp.....yep....trying to avoid a big hole in the road....Wayne make a sharp left turn and the next thing we heard was crashing glass and metal grinding. YIKES....our back window was being busted out by the front end of the trailer!!! To make matters worse.....we were approaching a red light....both of us looking behind to see the damage that was unfolding.....and to see our boxer (who was laying on the back seat) being pelted with glass....I noticed the red light...screamed....husband applies the brakes and Boxer goes flying onto the floorboard. I think my blood pressure spiked 50 points at that moment.
Phew....after catching our breath....assessing that the Paradise Point did not sustain too much damage...we continued on wind blowing in through the back window....temps were dropping as it was now dusk and we were freezing......yes, it's March in Florida...but the cool weather was still hanging around. I won't bore you with the conversation to our night's destination...but the enjoyable trip had just turned into a nightmare. Well, maybe I'm being too dramatic...but my thoughts were: how in the world would we fix this.....get parked for the night....hoping it would not rain and would Wayne get disgusted and cancel this trip before we even get l/2 there?
Well, I know, as RVing people will tell us.....this is nothing in the whole scheme of things....life happens and we were unhurt....no serious damage....it's just a lesson learned the hard way...and these lessons always come with a $$ price!
We arrived at the Arrowhead Campground after dark...another lesson learned....too hard to set up in the dark. We had originally planned to stay hitched....but now with the broken window and the glass covering the backseat and floor....something would have to be done to the truck that night. Thank goodness the spot was a pull through....that made it easier.....Wayne worked like crazy to get us level, set up and in doing all of that in the dark...I learned another lesson.....make sure you check the position of the trailer as to the distance of the slide outs from any tree, etc. Only after he had all hook ups done did I notice I could not extend our living room/dining room slide. I was not about to say a word!!
Now let me stop at this point and let you know that my Boxer, Coco, had never been on a trip before much less living in a camper....out of her familiar environment....she hated when we'd go into our trailer to pack or work in it....she never wanted to be in there with us and here we are this night in a very tight situation inside of our living area! Also another tidbit of info.....she's 45 lbs. and has arthritis so she cannot climb into our truck or into the trailer.....she must be lifted every time! So, lifting we did and we introduced her to "camping" in a not so wonderful way (broken glass and tight quarters) ....oh well, when we did get to our destination she will think that the trailer is a mansion compared to this night!
Wayne returned from vacuuming the glass out of the truck and he visited WalMart for supplies to cover the back window... He had bought rubber car floor mats and duck tape and there you have it....waterproof, windproof, and looking like a big boo-boo!!.
So, that was the first full day of our long-awaited trip. The second day was uneventful....being careful and also being amazed at our Boxer. Coco is a great traveler....she slept almost the whole trip each day and when we would stop she was more than happy just to stay in the truck. In fact, when we tried to get her out to potty....she would be very anxious to return to the truck. Stopping at truck stops seemed to make her very nervous with the engine sounds, etc. She just didn't quite know what to make of what we were doing or where we were taking her! Thank goodness the weather was cool....so leaving her in the truck was OK.
At about 5:00 PM March 12th we arrived in Davenport....with happy hugs and greetings from the family awaiting our arrival. Now for the next "problem" to solve.....the campsite was not very level. Backing the trailer in was tricky to say the least and then.....mistake #3....unhitching BEFORE you know it's level....so hooking back up pulling forward....putting down boards....backing onto the boards on one side....whew...thank God my son-in-law John was helping....I think for a second time Wayne would have wanted to pack it up and head back home! The KOA was nice, but we were in the "extended" stay part and the sites were not level and there was a definite lack of trees!
With the help of my insurance company we did find a great collision shop to put the truck for repairs to the back window and also the roof of the cab....it had a little, no , a big dent. They only kept it a week...didn't have to remove the whole roof top...just worked out the "kink" and replaced the window...and we just had to pay $250!! Yeah! Keep in mind...hubby is still feeling badly for what happened and it will take him about a week to relax and enjoy this trip.
Saturday, March 26th was the beach wedding in Sarasota....so we took the 2 hour drive down south to that beautiful town and beach...I think it's considered the most beautiful beach in USA.....and it certainly was a beautiful day:
The James Family
we were "burning" with no sunscreen
Happy Bride and Groom
Wade and Laryn
For most of the time we filled up our days and nights with Disney. We decided to purchase an annual pass since we were so close and could go every day. Also, we had planned to return in December for the Christmas lights and decorations.
It's very enjoyable to visit the parks when you don't have a "time limit".....when you don't have to worry about seeing and riding everything in 3 or 4 days.....it's a good thing because it was Spring Break for the entire time we were in Florida and DisneyWorld was crowded every day. One day I just had to leave and retreat back to my little abode in Davenport just to "decompress" from so many people....babies and teens on their spring break trips! This Epcot picture is of the last evening we were in town....we decided to close out our trip with a leisurely trip to Epcot and the world Showcase....this one evening the crowds were light....and the weather was fabulous.....we had a very relaxing stroll!
Speaking of weather....for 99% of the trip the weather this time of the year in Florida was excellent...warm days and cool nights. Just 3 of the 30 days we were there we were confined to the trailer because of rain and sometimes tornado warnings....well....this was another lesson we had to learn...where to go in the event of threatening weather....thank goodness we were close to the bathhouse....we took that little trek twice! Luckily both of the storm fronts that threatened central Florida were during the daylight hours and the tornados went north and south. For the future....and in case of nighttime storms....I will be purchasing a weather radio!
This is how it looked from our back window during the day of the 18 hours of rain! We got to experience how the close quarters would feel in bad weather....I have to say it wasn't that bad!! :) However, after two days we did get a little "cabin fever"!!
The last week we were in Florida my oldest daughter Natalie and her son Hunter (almost 3) came to visit and do the Disney thing. We had a great time with the family reunion and enjoying watching Hunter experience Disney for the first time! He was quite the little trooper with all of the lines, etc. Here he is patiently waiting for the tram!
As the time was coming to a close for our stay in Florida....we had some visitors to our little condo on wheels.....Wayne's brother who lives in Lake Placid drove up for lunch and to see our home away from home:
We actually had room for everyone to sit and enjoy a nice afternoon! They were impressed with the storage we had in our 5er. I've looked at several larger rigs and have to say for the size we have....the storage inside with the cabinets and the pantry are plenty....I didn't even have everything filled!
We pulled out of the KOA in Davenport on April 11th and planned to just "wing it" for our night stopover.....the traffic was much lighter going home and we decided to stop over in DeFuniak Springs, FL at the Juniper Lake campground. Now I know this picture doesn't look too great...but it was a private campground with a very quiet and serene feeling...the lake was beautiful and the campers meet each evening on the deck for drinks and snacks and each morning for coffee. We joined them around 6 PM to meet them and enjoy a little social. This is something we didn't experience in the KOA in FL....mainly because the section we were in were full timing and mostly younger families who worked and kids in school....but the camaraderie we love was not there.
I really regret that we could not have stayed a few days in this lovely little campsite....the owners were lovely and the people were friendly. But.....we had appointments to keep at home and so our month-long trip had come to an end. We did experience one last "cool front" coming through the state that night....however, the weather didn't get too bad...so that was fortunate.
Here are the things that we learned from this experience:
1. Don't travel on the first Friday of Spring Break! :)
2. Only look for travel centers when needing fuel.
3. DO NOT MAKE SHORT U TURNS while towing.
4. Bring leveling blocks and ramps!
5. Have a weather radio
6. We could live in close quarters! This is probably the most important!!
7. I could live with a small kitchen ( I love to cook!)
8. Living w/o a bathtub was not as bad as I thought it would be! :)
10. It's best to arrive BEFORE dark
I'm sure there are other lessons...but I guess I'll end with that....hope you have enjoyed my recap!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Easter Week
This has been a very busy week. Hit the ground running after the re-entry from a month-long trip to Florida (next post will be the recap of that exciting month). Then, appointments with clients, my Nail Girl and my hairdresser....I was a mess from cleaning my RV top to bottom, inside and out....getting my house back to normal after being closed up for a month and then of course not having my nails done from a month of hand washing dishes...ughhhhh, I needed some pampering! By Thursday I was off on another road trip...this time only to New Orleans for an over- night slumber party with two dear friends. Barbara McKneely from Virginia picked me up on her way down from Alexandria, LA, where she was visiting family and we drove to Debbie Cerise's home in Metairie, LA. We had the best time catching up and eating, and visiting New Orleans and eating and shopping and eating! On Thursday afternoon we had lunch at a fabulous seafood restaurant in "Old Metairie" on Metairie Road. I had the Shrimp Salad Stuffed Tomato.....wow, was it good!
Then we drove around, ending up at Lakeside Mall where Deb took us to a great new gelato and sweets place called SUCRE'. It is a precious, happy place to have gelato, chocolates, coffee, pastries, cup cakes to die for.....who la la....I have never tasted ice cream quite like that! Then we were back to Deb's where we rested. Eddie, Debbie's husband had been fishing all day and came home with 30 trout from Lake Pontchartrain....cleaned them, filleted them, and then fried them for supper....absolutely awesome fish....couldn't get any fresher then that!
On Good Friday morning, we woke late, had coffee and more talk...then after getting dressed we headed out the door to Magazine Street in New Orleans...a quaint, "uptown" street filled with shops and great cafes and restaurants. We shopped a little....then had lunch at GOTT GOURMET CAFE....I had the curry chicken salad....and I can tell you...I usually don't like curry, but this was excellent. It was cool enough, so we ate on the sidewalk table:
Mel, Debbie, Barbara
After having dessert at the Magazine Street SUCRE' (you know we had to get more of that gelato) we loaded in the car and headed for a tour of St. Charles Avenue and the Garden District and then on to Lakeview....to see the progress that has been made since Katrina. The city is bustling and the weather was perfect!
We drove back to Lafayette Friday night and after saying our "goodbyes" Barbara and her daughter, Maggie were heading back to Alexandria. We had a busy and fun-filled two days.
On Saturday I got to do some catch up on work, laundry, and shopping for groceries for our Easter Sunday dinner. The gang is coming over for their favorite: Roast, Rice and Gravy and all the extras that go along with it.
Natalie and Alicia and their families will be here....and we'll be missing Jena and her family since they are in Nashville. They have had a busy week, too, with celebrating Passover, Feast of Unleaven Bread and then the Festival Celebration today....
Asher and Gracie
They dressed up for the celebration! No they are not Jewish....their Christian Church celebrates all of the Feasts and Festivals which are in the Bible. Wish I could have been there with them.
Easter Sunday was perfect...the weather stayed nice....I had a great time in my kitchen cooking and baking...and then the "gang" arrived....none too soon as Wayne (hubby) was pacing the kitchen dying to attack the roast before it could be carved for dinner. We were to sit down to dinner between 2 and 3 pm...well, I guess you could call that "late lunch", however, since I served on the "good china" we'll call it dinner! :)
Hunter with his
Easter Egg Hunt in Mimi's yard
It was a good day with family and remembering that we are celebrating the Risen Christ who gave his life for us so that we can be saved to live with Him in Heaven!
Then we drove around, ending up at Lakeside Mall where Deb took us to a great new gelato and sweets place called SUCRE'. It is a precious, happy place to have gelato, chocolates, coffee, pastries, cup cakes to die for.....who la la....I have never tasted ice cream quite like that! Then we were back to Deb's where we rested. Eddie, Debbie's husband had been fishing all day and came home with 30 trout from Lake Pontchartrain....cleaned them, filleted them, and then fried them for supper....absolutely awesome fish....couldn't get any fresher then that!
On Good Friday morning, we woke late, had coffee and more talk...then after getting dressed we headed out the door to Magazine Street in New Orleans...a quaint, "uptown" street filled with shops and great cafes and restaurants. We shopped a little....then had lunch at GOTT GOURMET CAFE....I had the curry chicken salad....and I can tell you...I usually don't like curry, but this was excellent. It was cool enough, so we ate on the sidewalk table:
After having dessert at the Magazine Street SUCRE' (you know we had to get more of that gelato) we loaded in the car and headed for a tour of St. Charles Avenue and the Garden District and then on to Lakeview....to see the progress that has been made since Katrina. The city is bustling and the weather was perfect!
We drove back to Lafayette Friday night and after saying our "goodbyes" Barbara and her daughter, Maggie were heading back to Alexandria. We had a busy and fun-filled two days.
On Saturday I got to do some catch up on work, laundry, and shopping for groceries for our Easter Sunday dinner. The gang is coming over for their favorite: Roast, Rice and Gravy and all the extras that go along with it.
Natalie and Alicia and their families will be here....and we'll be missing Jena and her family since they are in Nashville. They have had a busy week, too, with celebrating Passover, Feast of Unleaven Bread and then the Festival Celebration today....
They dressed up for the celebration! No they are not Jewish....their Christian Church celebrates all of the Feasts and Festivals which are in the Bible. Wish I could have been there with them.
Easter Sunday was perfect...the weather stayed nice....I had a great time in my kitchen cooking and baking...and then the "gang" arrived....none too soon as Wayne (hubby) was pacing the kitchen dying to attack the roast before it could be carved for dinner. We were to sit down to dinner between 2 and 3 pm...well, I guess you could call that "late lunch", however, since I served on the "good china" we'll call it dinner! :)
 |
| Joshua and Julie waiting to open their gifts |
Hunter with his
Dessert that was "spiked" and oh so good
Easter Egg Hunt in Mimi's yard
It was a good day with family and remembering that we are celebrating the Risen Christ who gave his life for us so that we can be saved to live with Him in Heaven!
Monday, April 18, 2011
TAX DAY!!
I'm so glad that we've got our tax papers compiled, given to CPA, completed and in the mail before today!
I had to get it done early this year since we were leaving in early March for a month-long trip in our RV!
It was to be our second trip since December, 2010 and we were excited.
I wish that I would have updated this blog as we were in Florida, however, didn't have access to my computer....was borrowing my daughter's (who was in an RV besides us) just enough to do my Mary Kay business and keep up with bills, etc.
We are back home....getting caught up on work, organizing, and getting back into a "home" routine. I'm getting the nudge to write, so I'll be compiling an overview of what we experienced in our first extended trip.
It was not without....let's say....lessons we all have to learn!
Till then....
I had to get it done early this year since we were leaving in early March for a month-long trip in our RV!
It was to be our second trip since December, 2010 and we were excited.
I wish that I would have updated this blog as we were in Florida, however, didn't have access to my computer....was borrowing my daughter's (who was in an RV besides us) just enough to do my Mary Kay business and keep up with bills, etc.
We are back home....getting caught up on work, organizing, and getting back into a "home" routine. I'm getting the nudge to write, so I'll be compiling an overview of what we experienced in our first extended trip.
It was not without....let's say....lessons we all have to learn!
Till then....
Friday, February 18, 2011
Perplexed - don't read if you are PC and are offended by religious talk
Like most people I have watched the events that have unfolded in the past month on the news. Namely the Egypt Revolution as well as our country's budget crises. Even if you are not a news junkie you would have to completely have your head in the sand not to have heard or seen what is taking place in the Middle East.
However, on the budget crises....that's another story. You may be bored to tears by the discussions the news channels are having with the elected officials in Washington.
Let me share some feelings I have on the coverage of the Middle East events. No matter what news program is on...no matter what radio talk show is being broadcast....the discussions are about the uprisings in the Middle East and what is driving them. Religion is discussed. Yes, even on Meet the Press, CNN and MSNBC....they are discussing religion. Don't you find that ironic that in our country where God has been banned from everything possible.....now we are forced to talk about "that" religion. In fact, the very people in our country who proclaim separation of Church and State....who ridicule those of us who are God fearing...they are the ones who are defending this other religion....they are the ones who want to protect their religious freedoms. Wow....what a convoluted society we are living in. Now that prayer is out of the schools and the 10 Commandments are not to be revered in the halls of public buildings....now where our children and grandchildren have been stripped of any "religious freedom" in the market place....we are subjected to another religion and their freedoms and customs are protected.
I had a thought last night.....maybe God is using these events to bring us back to talking about Him.
On the budget crises...and the demonstrations in states where the Governors or trying to balance their budgets....don't look at this at face value. There are people and organizations behind the protests....there is no way that thousands of teachers called in sick in one day independently. This had been organized for weeks and months. There are those who want chaos in the streets. Isn't it ironic that the very thing that the Tea Party protests were falsely accused of is the very thing that was going on in Madison Wisconsin yesterday. Signs depicting their Governor as a ruthless dictator. Wow....only because he wants to attempt to protect their jobs, their health insurance coverage....and ultimately their salaries. If our elected officials do not make drastic cuts in the state and federal budgets we will cease to have a country with jobs etc. 50% of my husband's retirement income is taken for health insurance. Gov. Walker in Wisconsin is only asking for state workers to pay 12% towards their coverage... I would gladly take 12%! My husband retired on 30% of his salary. State and federal workers look forward to a retirement of almost 100%. Wow. Can this be sustained? They cannot be fired....and when they retire they will receive 100% of their salary and free health insurance for the rest of their life on a Cadillac plan I must say!
There is an end to the gravy train. God bless the officials who are standing up and following through on their promise to "balance the budget"!
Haven't we heard this at the federal level.....over and over...only to have a budget presented this week from our President which was bloated beyond comprehension. We don't need more money for ANY federal program. What is needed is for the corruption and the waste to be stopped. What we need is for the ones responsible for such waste and corruption to be FIRED!
Our governments (federal and state) are so bloated and top heavy. We could do with 1/2 and still succeed. Oh, and how about NOT sending any more foreign aide to our enemies? Dictators and War Lords all over the world are billionaires with our tax-payer dollars while their people are living below poverty.
GREED....IDOLATRY....follow the Dollar! Greed will turn a good person into an evil doer. Power corrupts. When we focus on anything else but God we fall in love with that which we focus on. God was removed from our schools and market place many years ago and He was replaced with greed, idol worship, and self- focus. Our people demand "what's in it for me, me, me". Our kids are selfish and demanding. Look at what has happened in our schools, cities, towns. Crime, murder, theft. Bullying....shall I go on?
Now you may be thinking..."we don't have idol worship". No, we may not whorship a statue...a likened imagine of a person place or thing. However, do your kids live for TV, XBox, food, stuff? Anything that is adored, or put first in our lives is an idol. I know that sounds extreme....I thought so too until I started studying what God says about greed and idols in the Bible.
We need to turn back to God. We need for our officials to define who are the TRUE enemies of our country. Not Sarah Palin, not Newt, not the Tea Party people.....the TRUE enemies. Those from within and without.
Those who want to kill us....destroy our country and it's people. Call it like it is. Get rid of PC. We have enemies within our own borders plotting our demise. What are we afraid of? Enforce our laws. We can only survive with the "rule of law". Our founding fathers wrote the Constitution to be followed for our own protection and freedoms. Which by the way....our right to freedom is from God....not the government.
If you read II Chronicles 7:12-22 you will see God's promise and warning to a nation....to His people. We must take heed and believe this for us today!
However, on the budget crises....that's another story. You may be bored to tears by the discussions the news channels are having with the elected officials in Washington.
Let me share some feelings I have on the coverage of the Middle East events. No matter what news program is on...no matter what radio talk show is being broadcast....the discussions are about the uprisings in the Middle East and what is driving them. Religion is discussed. Yes, even on Meet the Press, CNN and MSNBC....they are discussing religion. Don't you find that ironic that in our country where God has been banned from everything possible.....now we are forced to talk about "that" religion. In fact, the very people in our country who proclaim separation of Church and State....who ridicule those of us who are God fearing...they are the ones who are defending this other religion....they are the ones who want to protect their religious freedoms. Wow....what a convoluted society we are living in. Now that prayer is out of the schools and the 10 Commandments are not to be revered in the halls of public buildings....now where our children and grandchildren have been stripped of any "religious freedom" in the market place....we are subjected to another religion and their freedoms and customs are protected.
I had a thought last night.....maybe God is using these events to bring us back to talking about Him.
On the budget crises...and the demonstrations in states where the Governors or trying to balance their budgets....don't look at this at face value. There are people and organizations behind the protests....there is no way that thousands of teachers called in sick in one day independently. This had been organized for weeks and months. There are those who want chaos in the streets. Isn't it ironic that the very thing that the Tea Party protests were falsely accused of is the very thing that was going on in Madison Wisconsin yesterday. Signs depicting their Governor as a ruthless dictator. Wow....only because he wants to attempt to protect their jobs, their health insurance coverage....and ultimately their salaries. If our elected officials do not make drastic cuts in the state and federal budgets we will cease to have a country with jobs etc. 50% of my husband's retirement income is taken for health insurance. Gov. Walker in Wisconsin is only asking for state workers to pay 12% towards their coverage... I would gladly take 12%! My husband retired on 30% of his salary. State and federal workers look forward to a retirement of almost 100%. Wow. Can this be sustained? They cannot be fired....and when they retire they will receive 100% of their salary and free health insurance for the rest of their life on a Cadillac plan I must say!
There is an end to the gravy train. God bless the officials who are standing up and following through on their promise to "balance the budget"!
Haven't we heard this at the federal level.....over and over...only to have a budget presented this week from our President which was bloated beyond comprehension. We don't need more money for ANY federal program. What is needed is for the corruption and the waste to be stopped. What we need is for the ones responsible for such waste and corruption to be FIRED!
Our governments (federal and state) are so bloated and top heavy. We could do with 1/2 and still succeed. Oh, and how about NOT sending any more foreign aide to our enemies? Dictators and War Lords all over the world are billionaires with our tax-payer dollars while their people are living below poverty.
GREED....IDOLATRY....follow the Dollar! Greed will turn a good person into an evil doer. Power corrupts. When we focus on anything else but God we fall in love with that which we focus on. God was removed from our schools and market place many years ago and He was replaced with greed, idol worship, and self- focus. Our people demand "what's in it for me, me, me". Our kids are selfish and demanding. Look at what has happened in our schools, cities, towns. Crime, murder, theft. Bullying....shall I go on?
Now you may be thinking..."we don't have idol worship". No, we may not whorship a statue...a likened imagine of a person place or thing. However, do your kids live for TV, XBox, food, stuff? Anything that is adored, or put first in our lives is an idol. I know that sounds extreme....I thought so too until I started studying what God says about greed and idols in the Bible.
We need to turn back to God. We need for our officials to define who are the TRUE enemies of our country. Not Sarah Palin, not Newt, not the Tea Party people.....the TRUE enemies. Those from within and without.
Those who want to kill us....destroy our country and it's people. Call it like it is. Get rid of PC. We have enemies within our own borders plotting our demise. What are we afraid of? Enforce our laws. We can only survive with the "rule of law". Our founding fathers wrote the Constitution to be followed for our own protection and freedoms. Which by the way....our right to freedom is from God....not the government.
If you read II Chronicles 7:12-22 you will see God's promise and warning to a nation....to His people. We must take heed and believe this for us today!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Happy Birthday Julia!
Ah...what a life. I'm so happy for her and Joshua her 6 year old brother who lead a very special life traveling with their parents, being homeschooled (or roadschooled). They are trully enjoying a life of freedom along with education!
 |
| Joshua James |
We will be traveling to see our JuJu and Josh in March and enjoy some of their time in Florida. We have other family there and we all will be going to a wedding on the beach in Sarasota (my first beach wedding!) and of course getting in some "Micky Time".
Have a great time today Julia and know how blessed you are!!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Little Mikey
I experienced something this past weekend that I had never before. We had to put our Yorkie to sleep.
While I was out of town in Houston, Wayne called to tell me that Mikey was not doing too good. He was laying in the same spot in our bedroom and had not moved. That did not sound good.
Mikey had been with us for 15 l/2 years and in the last 2 years he was showing signs of deterioration and old age. He had lost his spunk, was aggravated with the grand kids, was not going outside very much, etc. He had developed a stomach condition and threw up quite a lot. He had lost most of his teeth.
He was starting to relieve himself in the house (we changed most of the flooring to tile for that reason), and he was getting blind. We knew the day was coming for the dreaded trip to the vet.
At that point, I picked him up and held him wrapped in the blanket, and said my goodbyes. It was sad. He had not really been an "active" participant in our family for some time...but he was with us for so long that Wayne and I both felt sad and moved by the way he looked.
So, off to the vet.....I had a meeting to attend that I could not miss....so I didn't go....I don't think I could have watched the procedure....even though I knew it was painless and he would no longer have to feel bad.
It's taken me a few days to write this....to document the last days of Mikey. I've tried to find a picture of him...I guess he never came out of his cave long enough for us to snap a picture. He was cute in his day...a little big as Yorkies go...so the girls had named him Yorkzilla.
We still have Coco who is our female Boxer....she is 13 years old...so getting close to her end. However, she still has some spunk....sleeps most of the day, but has a great appetite and is loving and great with the kids.
I'm trying to get her used to getting in our 5er and feeling comfortable there...so we can take her on trips with us. We'll have to see....she's pretty set in her ways!
While I was out of town in Houston, Wayne called to tell me that Mikey was not doing too good. He was laying in the same spot in our bedroom and had not moved. That did not sound good.
Mikey had been with us for 15 l/2 years and in the last 2 years he was showing signs of deterioration and old age. He had lost his spunk, was aggravated with the grand kids, was not going outside very much, etc. He had developed a stomach condition and threw up quite a lot. He had lost most of his teeth.
He was starting to relieve himself in the house (we changed most of the flooring to tile for that reason), and he was getting blind. We knew the day was coming for the dreaded trip to the vet.
We got up and I tried to offer him water (he had not gotten up to eat or drink in over 24 hours). He just turned his head away from me.When I returned from Houston on Friday night...Mikey was still laying almost lifeless in the middle of the walkway into our bedroom. It was almost like he didn't want to go to his normal spot under the dresser...like perhaps he wanted to let us know that he was not well. The vet had told me that dogs do not show their pain...they hide it. I wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in his bed.....he didn't move. We went to bed knowing that the vet was open l/2 a day on Saturday and we would take him if he wasn't better in the morning. Early in the morning, I heard him moan....well, that was it. I didn't want him to be in pain.
At that point, I picked him up and held him wrapped in the blanket, and said my goodbyes. It was sad. He had not really been an "active" participant in our family for some time...but he was with us for so long that Wayne and I both felt sad and moved by the way he looked.
So, off to the vet.....I had a meeting to attend that I could not miss....so I didn't go....I don't think I could have watched the procedure....even though I knew it was painless and he would no longer have to feel bad.
It's taken me a few days to write this....to document the last days of Mikey. I've tried to find a picture of him...I guess he never came out of his cave long enough for us to snap a picture. He was cute in his day...a little big as Yorkies go...so the girls had named him Yorkzilla.
I'm trying to get her used to getting in our 5er and feeling comfortable there...so we can take her on trips with us. We'll have to see....she's pretty set in her ways!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Fun Day with Family & Friends
We had an extension of our Christmas Celebration with the arrival of our daughter and family from Tampa, FL where they are travel nurses. They came home on their 5 days off to see a new baby born in John's family, to celebrate Julia's birthday with family and to exchange Christmas presnts with everyone since they could not be here in December.
I was requested to cook Julia's favorite meal....Roast Beef, rice and gravy and Joshua's yeast rolls. I added a family favorite of Broccoli covered with white sauce and cheese. I had a ball in my kitchen cooking a 10 lb. sirloin tip roast as per "Emeril" and it came out excellent if I must say so myself! Nana (the other grandma brought fresh fruit salad, cajun rice dressing and 2 KING CAKES....yes, it's that time. Alicia had of course brought the Birthday Cake decorated in "rock star" motif and Julia dressed like Hannah Montana. It was a fun day, complete with Miley Cyrus music!
I did the tradtional (my family) stuffed roast ....stuffed with garlic and green pepper...cutting slits in meat I season with a rub....into the slits and all over then stuffing with the garlic and green pepper...now this was a 10 lb. sirloin tip roast so I used about 5 or 6 toes of garlic and about l/2 pepper...the rub I used was Emerils Essence which I made up from Emeril's recipe which he posts with many of his recipes. After seasoning and stuffing I dredge the whole thing with flour and then brown in a large skillet.
After browning I put into a large roasting pan (I needed my oven for other things), I love the Nesco Roaster for large roasts, turkeys, etc. I baked at 325 degrees for about 4 hours (l/2 hour per lb.) If cooking in a regular oven I put in granite roaster and bake at 350 degrees...see earlier posts...(The Way Momma Did It)
added grated cheese
Josh is on the left, Lindsey (neighbor) is in back and Alexa (cousin) is next to the birthday girl, Julia.
I was requested to cook Julia's favorite meal....Roast Beef, rice and gravy and Joshua's yeast rolls. I added a family favorite of Broccoli covered with white sauce and cheese. I had a ball in my kitchen cooking a 10 lb. sirloin tip roast as per "Emeril" and it came out excellent if I must say so myself! Nana (the other grandma brought fresh fruit salad, cajun rice dressing and 2 KING CAKES....yes, it's that time. Alicia had of course brought the Birthday Cake decorated in "rock star" motif and Julia dressed like Hannah Montana. It was a fun day, complete with Miley Cyrus music!
Julia James (9 years old)
Here's the progression of the food...
this is a 12Qt. roaster and the 10 lb. roast and a 12 lb. turkey fits perfectly
While that was baking I started on the white sauce for my broccoli casserole:
added grated cheese
poured over steamed broccoli and topped with more grated cheese
and of course the "Joshua" rolls.....rising to to be baked
Josh loves bread and rolls and especially these yeast rolls...so we call them "Joshua" rolls
Another cousin, Jacob, has his back to the camera helping with opening the presents!
The youngest at the party...twins Jessica and Katie had a good time too!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Beautiful Day
This overhead was empty except for a rack from the refrigerator which probably banged up to it in the ride. Oh Oh! So, upon checking Wayne found that all of the glass inserts were loose....so he took the time today to secure and glue all of the overhead glass inserts
We also are thinking about taking our Boxer with us on our next trip. Now Coco is 13 years old and has arthritis. When we go into the RV for any work or packing...she stands at the door and cries for us to come out. She doesn't seem to want me in the RV....so we thought we'd invite her to come in and "check it out".
We have a wonderful neighbor who takes care of our pets when we travel. But for an extended trip...we just don't want to impose. We have to find a house sitter or take Coco with us...so...up in the rig she went. Now...she cannot climb up the steps any more....so we worked with her and tried but she just would not do it. So here we go lifting 45 lbs. of stiff muscle....and long legs...into the "Pointe"!
She acted very nervous....went around the whole rig sniffing....made it upstairs without much effort....but she was as anxious to get out as she was about us being in there. She went to the open door and jumped out landing on her face....I screamed....she twisted....didn't know if she would be able to walk....but jumped up apparently OK. We cleaned her off, and lifted her back into the rig. We tried to sit with her and make her comfortable, but she was not a "happy camper"! Don't know if this is going to work....but we'd love to bring her with us. She is old, but still has some spunk. Maybe she is too old to teach her some new tricks or another way of life! We'll see!!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Happy New Year!
Out with the Old....In with the New! That's a favorite saying of mine. I cannot believe another year has flown by...can you? Time used to drag....when we were younger. Now....whew....the days, weeks, months and years are like a mouse on a wheel.
I am looking forward to a new beginning. So much I still want to accomplish, even though many people my age are looking at retirement or have already "retired". What is retirement really?? Certainly not sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch watching the neighbors drive by.....or complaining about every ache and pain...or bugging your kids for a visit. That was in the prior generation. No, today things are different. We want to be active and healthy and keeping up with what's new and happening. We still need to make money...even in retirement...thanks to the downturn in the economy, inflation, and the diminished 40lK.
Wayne and I brought in the new year watching back- to- back funny movies on the big screen TV in our media room....well, really, we're not that rich...but we do have a rather large bedroom complete with not only bedroom furniture, but also a table & chairs, recliner, entertainment center and of course the HD TV. It feels like a media room when we lower the lights and settle back to watch....I love it. Don't get to do it very often but that's one of my choices for the new year.....watch more movies that make me laugh and cry.
Now, as we were finishing up with the last movie the clock was nearing midnight....the weather has been rainy all day...so the fireworks were few and far between. What a let down....not one big boom for the stroke of midnight.....what?? Where are those people who would spend $$$$ on the beautiful and loud fireworks? Maybe the rain and stormy weather got to them....or maybe it was the 2010 economy. In any event, we had a quiet ending to the old year.
My prayer is that January 2011 will usher in a stronger economy complete with more jobs, more home sales, more cash flow....etc. Also, with God's guidance I want to remember and reflect on who and what is most important in my life....to savor the moments and happiness and not take anything or anyone for granted.
This past year was marred by family tragedy and friends who lost loved ones. Also some of us had health issues to deal with....I don't want to take health for granted anymore. We need to preserve it....take care of yourself and those close to you. I love to cook....as you all know by now....but I commit to cutting down on the butter (sorry Paula), the salt and cooking and eating more fiber, fruit and veggies.
Life is so precious...we should relax, have fun in work and play, appreciate more, laugh more, cry more (and with those that are hurting) and eat less.. Be vulnerable. Be spontaneous. I love the song "It's not the breath you take, the breathing in and out...but the moments that take your breath away"!
I want more moments like that...or at least I want to be available for them...be aware of them. I want to visit my kids and grandkids when they can't come to visit me...(buying the RV will help with that). I want to visit family and friends that we rarely see....also spend some time with lonely people who no one visits.
It's now 1:30 AM Jan. 1... an hour and a half has already been taken from 2011....I thank all of those who read my blog. It's amazing that anyone would be interested....but I know that I love to read about others and their lives...it's a new phenomenon....this blogosphere....I love it...it's therapy for me.
When I'm feeling up, or down, or anxious...I can express through the keys and it makes me feel more at peace.
I wish for you peace....love.....joy and a wonderful, successful, happy New Year!
I am looking forward to a new beginning. So much I still want to accomplish, even though many people my age are looking at retirement or have already "retired". What is retirement really?? Certainly not sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch watching the neighbors drive by.....or complaining about every ache and pain...or bugging your kids for a visit. That was in the prior generation. No, today things are different. We want to be active and healthy and keeping up with what's new and happening. We still need to make money...even in retirement...thanks to the downturn in the economy, inflation, and the diminished 40lK.
Wayne and I brought in the new year watching back- to- back funny movies on the big screen TV in our media room....well, really, we're not that rich...but we do have a rather large bedroom complete with not only bedroom furniture, but also a table & chairs, recliner, entertainment center and of course the HD TV. It feels like a media room when we lower the lights and settle back to watch....I love it. Don't get to do it very often but that's one of my choices for the new year.....watch more movies that make me laugh and cry.
Now, as we were finishing up with the last movie the clock was nearing midnight....the weather has been rainy all day...so the fireworks were few and far between. What a let down....not one big boom for the stroke of midnight.....what?? Where are those people who would spend $$$$ on the beautiful and loud fireworks? Maybe the rain and stormy weather got to them....or maybe it was the 2010 economy. In any event, we had a quiet ending to the old year.
My prayer is that January 2011 will usher in a stronger economy complete with more jobs, more home sales, more cash flow....etc. Also, with God's guidance I want to remember and reflect on who and what is most important in my life....to savor the moments and happiness and not take anything or anyone for granted.
This past year was marred by family tragedy and friends who lost loved ones. Also some of us had health issues to deal with....I don't want to take health for granted anymore. We need to preserve it....take care of yourself and those close to you. I love to cook....as you all know by now....but I commit to cutting down on the butter (sorry Paula), the salt and cooking and eating more fiber, fruit and veggies.
Life is so precious...we should relax, have fun in work and play, appreciate more, laugh more, cry more (and with those that are hurting) and eat less.. Be vulnerable. Be spontaneous. I love the song "It's not the breath you take, the breathing in and out...but the moments that take your breath away"!
I want more moments like that...or at least I want to be available for them...be aware of them. I want to visit my kids and grandkids when they can't come to visit me...(buying the RV will help with that). I want to visit family and friends that we rarely see....also spend some time with lonely people who no one visits.
It's now 1:30 AM Jan. 1... an hour and a half has already been taken from 2011....I thank all of those who read my blog. It's amazing that anyone would be interested....but I know that I love to read about others and their lives...it's a new phenomenon....this blogosphere....I love it...it's therapy for me.
When I'm feeling up, or down, or anxious...I can express through the keys and it makes me feel more at peace.
I wish for you peace....love.....joy and a wonderful, successful, happy New Year!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Christmas Gumbo
So, every Christmas Eve I would get going with the preparations....making potato salad to go along with it and of course crispy french bread! We would eat the gumbo...and then in a circle, with gifts given to each child, they would open them one by one in an orderly fashion savoring every exciting anticipated moment!
Advance ahead about 20 years and you will see 3 daughters who have produced 5 children ranging in age from 8 to 2....3 spouses and of course Wayne and I.....the candle-lit Christmas Eve dinners are a thing of yesteryear...and forget any type of orderly opening of the presents! By the time you get the kids situated around the table...and then you serve yourself and your spouse...the kids are through...or spilling, or trying to get down and run around the tree, etc. etc. I think you get the picture.
Well, the gumbo still is good. I still take out the fine china....the candles are lit...however, Gracie (the 4 year old) cannot stand to see one burning and wants it put out...Hunter (2 years old) wants to chew on them....but with a promise that we will pick up the tradition maybe by the time they are 10 or 12....we do enjoy the gumbo!
I thought I'd give my step-by-step guide to how I make a Southern Creole-type Gumbo in this blog. By the way, you may have noticed that I use "creole" a lot when describing certain dishes that I prepare....what I mean by that is NOT just a Cajun using cayenne pepper....but a recipe using the "trinity" of seasonings:
ONIONS CELERY BELLPEPPER
Step 1:
Get out the gumbo pot and boil the sausage which has been sliced (this year I had forgotten to purchase my LaPlace Aundouille ahead of time, so I had to use a local smoked sausage....not as much flavor.
Get out the gumbo pot and boil the sausage which has been sliced (this year I had forgotten to purchase my LaPlace Aundouille ahead of time, so I had to use a local smoked sausage....not as much flavor.
Step 2:
Season (with Tony Chachere's) the chicken and brown in a skillet
I use thighs since my family likes the dark meat
Step 3:
Start your roux which is equal amounts of flour and oil which is browned to a deep caramel color
I do my roux in the microwave...cooking and stirring every 3 minutes, then 2 minutes, then 1 minute then down to 30 sec. between stirring to get it to the right color and NOT burn it
you can see the natural progression of the color
At this point you will throw in a bag of Picksweet frozen seasoning (onions, celery, bellpeppers) and about 3 toes of minced garlic and you will fry it down in the roux mixture until soft.....then it all goes in the gumbo pot
which has the water, sausage and the chicken pieces from the fry pan
Let it come to a boil and then turn down to medium heat and let cook....finally to simmer (covered)...one thing about gumbo..the more it cooks the better the flavors....you will also want to add more cajun seasoning (tony's)...or salt and pepper to taste
You may notice that I don't give measurements except for the roux....this is not a scientific recipe...it's one I watched my Mother do and just tweeked it for my lifestyle....i.e., frozen seasoning and using the microwave to make the roux. My Mother and Grandmother would chop all of the seasonings and cook that roux in a black iron skillet on the stove!
In a few months from now...I'll share with you my Shrimp and Okra Gumbo.
Before I leave you.....here's some pictures of 2 of our grandchildren playing on Wayne's display in the yard on Christmas Day....
Grace and Hunter who love to follow their paw paw out in the yard and play with the wooden lighted displays! By the way, our two oldest Grandchildren Julia and Joshua were already in Tampa for Christmas, but they are coming here in 2 weeks for us to celebrate the holiday with them and Julia's 9th birthday celebration....maybe a candle light dinner will be manageable for that dinner.......I'll keep you "posted".
Till tomorrow when I'll share some thoughts on 2010. See you then!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Rain Is Coming Down
I'm feeling very cozy in my home office room behind the computer and the writing desire is taking over....especially listening to the rain coming down, the flashes of lightening and rounds of thunder...ummm...besides wanting to curl up in bed...the fingers get the itch to type! Thought I'd share the experiences we had on our short RV trip as I stated in my last post.
We were going to Mississippi for Wayne's family reunion and my daughter and two grandchildren were going to come with us. Ah...let's take the Paradise Pointe and try it out by staying in a campground (Percy Quin State Park) which was about 25 miles from the event.
So, loaded up...buckled in Gracie (4 yrs. old) and Asher (2 years old) along with my daughter, their mom, Jena. We pulled off, not knowing how the truck would do, or the trailer, or me...not to mention Wayne driving (and our nurves!)
Well, the truck towed like it was designed to...the trailer followed and we got there 2 l/2 hours later (140 miles) in tact and with enjoyment. The only learning curves were:
1. The hitch is a little hard to unhitch unless the truck is pulled forward a slight little bit to disengage...should not be that way...but it is what it is.
2. Got a very pretty site, however, the sewer connection was further back then normal so we needed the extra hose length Wayne had prepared for...the only problem...forgot the extra fittings..(lesson learned)! We did know not to unhitch until all connections were measured and sure they would fit!
Everything else worked great....had hot water in no time...did find that we had a slight overload with heater and coffee pot going at same time...had two overloads...but quickly learned where the fuse box was!
We did have a little issue with the furnace not working all the time when we wanted it to (temps got down to 30 degrees both nights) however, we had brought an electric blanket and little electric heaters.
The kids really had a great time...inspite of Asher developing a fever and a bad cold...oh well, such is life.
We are looking forward to going back to this park...it's very pretty and has a beautiful lake.
Even though we did not put out our awning for this trip (too cold to stay outside) I'm posting a picture of it...it's brand new a replacement from the RV Dealer when we purchased!
So, we made it back in an uneventful trip...just a few mishaps inside: One glass front to the overhead fell out (did not break) and one cracked. Don't know what could have caused that to happen since nothing was in the cabinet...however, some of the roads in Louisiana are so bumpy maybe that is what caused it. Who knows.
I do know this....loved the experience and can't wait for our next trip!
Speaking of next...I will share some of my Christmas Eve cooking in my next post....till then...listen to that rain... I wonder what that would sound like in the "Pointe"??
We were going to Mississippi for Wayne's family reunion and my daughter and two grandchildren were going to come with us. Ah...let's take the Paradise Pointe and try it out by staying in a campground (Percy Quin State Park) which was about 25 miles from the event.
So, loaded up...buckled in Gracie (4 yrs. old) and Asher (2 years old) along with my daughter, their mom, Jena. We pulled off, not knowing how the truck would do, or the trailer, or me...not to mention Wayne driving (and our nurves!)
Well, the truck towed like it was designed to...the trailer followed and we got there 2 l/2 hours later (140 miles) in tact and with enjoyment. The only learning curves were:
1. The hitch is a little hard to unhitch unless the truck is pulled forward a slight little bit to disengage...should not be that way...but it is what it is.
2. Got a very pretty site, however, the sewer connection was further back then normal so we needed the extra hose length Wayne had prepared for...the only problem...forgot the extra fittings..(lesson learned)! We did know not to unhitch until all connections were measured and sure they would fit!
Everything else worked great....had hot water in no time...did find that we had a slight overload with heater and coffee pot going at same time...had two overloads...but quickly learned where the fuse box was!
We did have a little issue with the furnace not working all the time when we wanted it to (temps got down to 30 degrees both nights) however, we had brought an electric blanket and little electric heaters.
The kids really had a great time...inspite of Asher developing a fever and a bad cold...oh well, such is life.
We are looking forward to going back to this park...it's very pretty and has a beautiful lake.
So, we made it back in an uneventful trip...just a few mishaps inside: One glass front to the overhead fell out (did not break) and one cracked. Don't know what could have caused that to happen since nothing was in the cabinet...however, some of the roads in Louisiana are so bumpy maybe that is what caused it. Who knows.
I do know this....loved the experience and can't wait for our next trip!
Speaking of next...I will share some of my Christmas Eve cooking in my next post....till then...listen to that rain... I wonder what that would sound like in the "Pointe"??
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)