I Am No Baker

Remember the old days when you'd ask someone for a recipe and you quickly jotted it down in the margins of the latest copy of Good Housekeeping?   No Internet back then for every recipe in the world with reviews no less.  No, you'd jot down "about a half cup of flour, mix with m, add s, add sug, cr ch, and eggs. 


That's how a lot of my favorite recipes are written; just come over and look for yourself.  So when I pulled out the old cornbread recipe the other day, I realized I should have gotten more specific instructions.  Salt - more to taste.  (How in the world do you adjust salt in a cornbread?  You wouldn't know until after the bread was done.  Buttermilk - ?  That was what was written; just a question mark.  Was buttermilk an option or was the amount needed optional - to taste???? 


I had everything needed except the bacon grease so I decided to substitute oil.  I remembered when I used this recipe a few years back that it was dry so I increased the oil by one tablespoon.  What could it hurt?  Well, let me tell you.  The texture was somewhat dense.....think brownies.  Maybe next time I won't use so much oil.  Oh, and I didn't have buttermilk but I used the old substitute, milk with vinegar. 


Hmmmm, not such a good cornbread.  In fact, the next day the hubby crumbled the leftovers for the birds.  He came back in and showed me his hands.  He said he didn't realize cornbread had so much oil.  I will stick to Shawnee Mills Yellow Cornbread Mix - the best on the planet.  And if I don't have any I will send the hubby to the store......gonna throw this recipe away.  Twice in the last few years, and both times the bread was inedible. 


I would say my problem with baking is inadequate instructions.  Nope that isn't the case.  I used the recipe on the back of the Nestlé's package yesterday to make White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies.  I must have been drunk or something.  I decided that there was something missing.......something more was needed to bring this up a notch.............something more than just plain old delicious white chocolate chips........something more than macadamia nuts..........hmm I am thinking butter brickle chips (are these going to be good or what).  After I put the first batch in the oven I realized that I had used 1/4 cup more butter than called for.  Then I noticed I added one too many eggs.  I just stood there and stared at that uncooked cookie dough and finally decided I couldn't "fix" it at this point.  Surprisingly, they were delicious; however, they were thin, but very chewy.  I think I am on to something. 


It appears my disdain of baking is justifiable.  I can make a mean savory appetizer, but I make a mess in the baking department.  Next time I will just call Shawna and tell her I need cookies.  Looks like she is going to inherit a lot of baking ingredients in the next few days.  Coconut, butter brickle bits, white chocolate chips, white chocolate coating mix, chocolate chips, red cherries, green cherries, dates............{why do I buy all this stuff at Christmas time?} 


I may be a lot of things, but I am no baker.


I love you.










  

More

Good morning all.  It is almost noon here in Oklahoma.  Time for a little bite to eat and I do mean a little bite.  This morning I hit an all time high on the old scales!  I don't know what happened.  Could it be the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies?  Could it be the tamales?  Could it be the guacamole?  Could it be the White Cheese Dip?  Maybe it was that one lone carrot I ate yesterday.  Yeah, that is it!  At any rate, I will be eating fruit for lunch today.


Even though I have told you about my weight, I am going to get better.  You see I have a new magazine coming, More.  I took this magazine a few years back so when I got this two-year offer for $15 I thought I would try it again, besides I am getting More.


Just by the brochures with the offer, I know I will get More.


I know I will stay young with Yoga.


I know that guavas are a source of potassium which will keep my blood pressure in check.....since it is always below average, I might not want to eat guavas.


I know that getting caught in a style rut will make me look old.  Hmmmm, is that all it is?!?  Hold on to my wallet, I am going shopping!


I know that I don't need Botox.  I need a cold probe.  (Stop laughing.  Some people have thought that for years.)  You literally freeze the nerves.  Don't worry, the nerve ending will gradually grow back.  Yeah, let's hope so!


I know that Retin-A cream is the gold standard when it comes to combating sun damage, fine lines, sagging - and large pores.  You notice they didn't mention large line and craters.  Goodness knows, I need to combat those fine lines (that are inside the craters)!!!!!


I need to wear color so it will brighten my face.  Since I cannot turn back the hands of time, I should do this.  I am thinking lime green.


I know that just by removing all my makeup from my face before bedtime every night and moisturizing my eyelids, the aging of my eyelids MAY NOT be so obvious.  Notice they didn't use the words WILL.  Notice also that they used the words "so obvious".  Yeah I am thinking there isn't anything that's going help this area of my body. 


Yep, this magazine says I deserve More inspiration, More substance, More style.  In just a few short months, I expect to be a More me.  I expect that Chico's will be seeking me out for their fashion magazine.  I will probably run for Congress.  I will probably be crafting so expect to see me at the next art show with my vases made from cream corn cans. 


If you think all this sounds like I work for More you'd be correct.  I have been hired as their new Editor in Chief.  Yea for me!!


I love you.


P.S.  The first paragraph of their "come on" letter reads "Throughout your life, you can count on a few special girlfriends who really get you.  All of you.  Your silly side and your serious side...your fashion-conscious side and your practical side.  Your curious, romantic, confident, and shy sides."


That paragraph really resonated with me.  No, it didn't inspire me to buy the magazine, but it did make me stop and think.  I hope we all have someone who gets us.  If you see the humor in this post, you get me. 

Maybe Love is All That is Needed

Good morning everybody.  Since I have been drinking hot tea instead of coffee, my mornings start off kind of sluggish.  The good news is I don't have jitters at 10:30 in the morning and I no longer run to the kitchen scrounging around to find something to counteract those jitters.....like Cheez-Its.  The bad news is that I no longer have that 2 hour spark of energy.  (Hand me that pillow.)   


Over the past year, I have gained a few readers, and each time I hear of someone reading my blog, I begin to question what I am writing.  I think of one person and think they don't want to hear that so I change my post.  Then I think of someone else and think that they would like to hear something nostalgic.  Then I think of the next person and think they would want me to write something humorous.  It's a hard life...............being a writer.  (Gee, I hope you don't take me serious.  Everything I write is tongue-in-cheek.)  So with that in mind, I am going back to when I was writing totally for myself; the time when no one, not even my daughter, knew I was writing.  So.....


Have you ever wondered how you got to be the person you are?  Just like everyone, a lot of baggage has been piled on me over the years, some good and some not so good.  I guess all that has made me who I am today.  I am somewhat skeptical about a lot of things.  I don't think that is a good thing.  I tend to worry.  I don't think that is a good thing.  I am so a control freak.  I don't think that is a good thing.  I am also very practical.  I don't think that is a good thing.  I also have the ability, or should I say disability, to see things played out to the very worst scenario.  I, for sure, don't think that is a good thing.  In fact, that one is particularly horrible and can be debilitating. 


Some where or some time along the way, I became an adult.  I became a mother.  I became a grandmother.  Now I am the person others come to for advice.  Really?  How did all this happen?  I am still that little 9 year old girl, still afraid of my own shadow, still hiding behind my mom's skirt.  But.........I have to pretend like I am strong.  Maybe I am.  I have to pretend like someone else can take charge........ooohhhh that one is hard......giving up control???.....  I have to close my eyes to all those worst case scenarios.  I can keep all those worst case scenarios to myself for they tend not to ever happen anyway.  The easy one and the most fun thing will be to give up practicality.  Occasionally (she says with an air of practicality) it will be fun for me to just buy something just because I want it.  I associate practicality with spontaneity so it will be fun to wake up one morning, throw a couple of pairs of jeans in the bag and head out to places unknown.


I guess we all reflect back when we get to a certain age.  As I do so, I often wonder if my mom did.  Did she ever want to tell us kids that she didn't have ANY of the answers?  Did she want to tell us she was just a kid, too?  Did she want to tell us to find our answers from someone wiser than her?  I fear that my wisdom is NOT WISE.  I don't feel like I have any of the answers.  Maybe there are things in life that have no answers.  Maybe we have to just let God work with us in his own mysterious way.     


Here's the good news.  I remember my mother having all the answers.  I remember her giving the best advice.  I remember loving us five, then 10, then 8 more, then the greats..........loving us.  Maybe that is all it takes.  LOVE.  Maybe that is all that is needed. 


Just this last minute, I feel lifted.  Maybe love is all that is needed. 


I love you!!!!


.            

Stay Warm

Hello everybody.  What a cold day it has been and a cold night is settling in.  It is a cold 17 degrees out there right now with a strong wind and a possibility of a dusting of snow tomorrow morning.  .............and would you believe that tomorrow I am going to the doctor with my daughter, the only day this week I have something planned..............and I wouldn't have it any other way............except maybe no snow, no ice. 


Tonight I have settled down to look at the Talbot's and Cold Water Creek catalogs which came today, wishing and dreaming.....not unlike looking at Pinterest except I cannot enlarge the photos in the catalog and, when one is of a certain age, that can be a great tool.  Pinto beans are in the crockpot for tomorrow night's supper.............., the dog is asleep in his bed, and all is right with the world.


Isn't it nice that on the cold, bitterly cold, winter nights, we have a tight, warm home?  Isn't it nice that we have food, even if it is pinto beans?  Isn't it nice that we can run a warm, even hot bath?  I take so many things for granted.  God's blessings are great.


My Aunt Geneva told me a while back (and I have written about this before) that her cousin was born on a cold snowy night.  Grandma told her that on that cold night, the snow was blowing through the cracks of the walls and piling up on the covers.  Can you imagine the snow blowing in the house?  Now imagine snow accumulating on the covers while giving birth.  Yes, we are blessed.  Stay warm!


I love you.  Stay warm. 
















   

Just Another Trip to Trader Joes

Good evening.  You know what they say, a mother is only as happy as her unhappiest child.  I am here to tell you that is true, but I am here to tell you that, tonight, I am one happy woman.  My daughter called me, laughing, to tell me about her day.  Then, not more than five minutes later, her brother called, and he, too, was laughing and telling me how good he was and how he had missed me.  He even called on my phone, my private phone……..not the hubby’s, but my phone.  He called to talk to his mom……….the prodigal son…….aw.

 

So now I feel like blogging.  (laughter inserted).  I haven’t blogged in a while due to various things, among them being a trip to Dallas.  And since it is my blog and since I have nothing interesting to write about tonight, I am going to bore you with the details of my grocery shopping trip. 

 

It is a good thing I went to Texas because I was starving to death………..there are no grocery stores here in Oklahoma you know.  Yes, we were pretty hungry on Blackjack Ridge Road.  Good thing we found Trader Joes.  Now we shall have food for a week.  I say all this with tongue in cheek, but seriously, have you been there………Trader Joes?  If not, you must hit I35 and head to Preston Road.  It is a destination!!!!!!!!!  When we drove up, it was ‘TA DAH’.  We have finally arrived!  Everybody had their favorite thing about the weekend, but I must say that Trader Joes was my favorite shopping spot. 

 

Just look at those goodies.  Left to right (sort of):  I have already tried the Lavender Salt Scrub.  It smells so good, and feels even better on the skin.  And the dryer sheets………haven’t used those yet, but I have read that they really are good to put between your linens.  That is where I will use them first, between my towels.  I don’t know about you, but after my towels have been stored for a while, they need refreshing.  If company comes and I have time in advance, I rewash my towels even though they haven’t been off the shelf.  I love my lavender soap and my lavender hand soap…………I think I have a lavender weakness.

 

The Cookie Butter and the Cookie Crunch butter is so good………..so good that I cannot have it in my house so it went to the pregnant girl.  She gets the Sesame Seed Sticks, too, but the dark chocolate covered fruit bits are MINE!  And who doesn’t get a tube of polenta when they visit a grocery store in another state?  And Lemon Curd?  I don’t even know what I am going to do with that, but it looked like something I needed at the time.  And Coconut Oil…….everybody needs coconut oil.  And oh my gosh……………you will have to go to Trader Joes just to get these delicious, and I do mean delicious, milk chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels.  Oh my gosh I ate that whole bag myself……..me, ALONE.   

Look at the bottles of olive oil I got……..touted to be a consumer favorite according to the Wall Street Journal and who can argue the Wall Street Journal?  I have used some already and, while I like it and the price was great, I have had better tasting olive oil.  This is a bit peppery, but to be honest, I was told that either on the bottle or on the sign at the store………..so I got exactly what I was expecting.  See the jars of crushed garlic………I will find that handy since I tend to let fresh garlic ruin before I finish a pod.  Of course I had to get a couple jars green enchilada sauce.  And……….chocolate chips………..had to see if they were better than Nestlé's Chocolate Chips………..they aren’t.  And look at all that cheese…………I HATE BLUE CHEESE and I don’t care who knows it…………..BUT I had to try the Blue Castello………….oh my, I will never like blue cheese, but I LOVE THIS CHEESE.  In fact I ate the whole wedge with a spoon.  It is creamy like butter, but very salty and tangy.  The hubby ate the entire block of Stilton with apricots.  All the others are still here waiting on someone to cut them open.  We will probably try those with that block of pâté on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Well that was my trip to Trader Joes….just another trip to Trader Joes, but it was a lot of fun.  Who knew that just four short aisles could hold so much pleasure for me.  And as much fun as Trader Joes was, being with an old friend and a couple of new friends was even better. 

 

Hope you enjoyed reliving my grocery store finds…………..try to go to Trader Joes just once in your life, but go with an open mind……….yes, it is only a grocery store, but lots of fun.  Next time I am taking some dry ice just to bring home some pot stickers.

 

I love you.  See you later………….

I Hit That Rock

This morning I had a sinking feeling over something that happened 48 years ago.  We were driving down 29th Street and pulled along side a large white truck with barbed wire stenciled down the side.  Hubby said, "Who in the world would want a barb wire stencil on their truck?"  That led me to tell him about an incident that happened in 1966.


Turn back the clock.............there I am.............right in the kitchen...........1966 ............the year my parents bought their first brand new car.  1966 Ford Galaxy.............the body style was beautiful.  It was the car I got to sport around town once in a while, my senior year; the car we were all proud of especially my parents.  Mom and Dad were across the pasture doing some chore, I know not what.  It was just about dusk.  We kids were there at the house doing homework and cleaning up the kitchen after supper.  All of a sudden the faucet blew up.  I mean exploded.  Water was spewing everywhere.  I jumped in our brand new car to alert Mom and Dad.  You'd be surprised how fast you can back up, turn the car around and head up the old gravel driveway.  I had no time to loose.................  Oops, I totally forgot about the electric barb wire fence that was strung across the driveway..............until I had totally run right under it.  Yeah, that one string barb wire fence didn't break, it just rode right over the top of the brand new car.  Yes, you are right.  There were scratches from the hood right over the windshield, over the top and right down the truck............on our brand new car.


To this day, I feel horrible recalling this story.  I knew how much they sacrificed to finally get a new car.  They were upset about those scratches, and I remember them talking to me about it.  I also remember them forgiving me because I was on a mission to stop the flooding in the kitchen, not to mention trying to stop the well from running dry.


Another little memory happened on the way home from church one dark Sunday night.  I was 16.  I was driving, Mom was in the middle, and Daddy on the passenger side.  "Watch out for that rock.  Don't hit that rock!  Don't hit that rock", dad exclaimed!  "Regina, why did you hit that rock?"  I have no idea what happened to me that night.  I saw the rock in plenty of time to avoid it.  I heard Dad tell me not to hit the rock.  I even saw him flinch and grab the dash, but for some reason the die was cast.  I was going to hit that rock. I was going to hit it no matter what.  I had no control over that car.  It was like I was in a slow motion dream.  I lined up to hit that boulder square between the front two tires.  It made contact just about the middle of the car.  I was going to hit that rock.  I hit that rock.  (I might add that it was the car prior to the 1966 Ford Galaxy.  I might also add that the car was out of alignment after that incident............all due to me being sucked up in some sort of 5th dimension on that dark Sunday night.) 


I hit that rock!


I love you. 

Did We Eat

Whew.............Did we eat????????????


A few days ago my favorite people spent the night with us.  They are such a delight.  I have wondered over their brief years on earth whether I would or even could love them more than I did when they were babies.  Would they become just pesky little boys?  Would they be smart mouthed?  Would they be annoying?  Would they play together?  I am here to tell you that I love them much more than I did when they were babies which I was pretty sure would not be the case.  They are the sweetest children.  I give credit to God, my daughter, and my son-in-law for my well-behaved, sweet grandchildren.  And yes, they play together.


The boys came over with the idea and desire to go to Long John Silver's for dinner.  That afternoon while they were playing with the vinegar and baking soda...........try it, especially if you have boys, I teased them about going to Golden Corral instead of their beloved LJS.  Now let me explain.  I was teasing them expecting them to turn up their noses and give me a little flack about not going to LJS.  My first thought was I would tell them we were taking them someplace they would NOT like, but the first thing out of my mouth was Red Lobster and they were all over that so I ate crow and said, no not tonight.  I then thought I would say some Chinese place, but what came out of my mouth was Golden Corral.  That is what happens to me these days..........something very foreign comes out of my mouth than what I thought in my mind.  I tease.......but it isn't too far from the truth.


You know where we went?  Golden Corral.  Once they looked online at the menu, they were determined to try out the chocolate cake.  Yes, we took a 6 year old and a 9 year old to eat buffet.  I know there are plenty of folks out there that would let children this age free to forage their own dinner, but not this Nana or Grandpa.  Both wanted to fill their plates themselves, and they did, but not without up close supervision from their grandparents. 


By the time we got our own plates filled, they were finishing up.  How can a 6 year old eat a slice of pizza and a taco that quickly?  We kept them at the table for a while so we could eat a bite, but the dessert bar was just too much for them.  All those pies, cakes, cookies, mousses, cheese cakes, Jello, fruit, ice cream, both soft serve chocolate, vanilla, and swirl, and 8 different dipped flavors were very tempting to my little boys.  BUT FORGET THOSE!  Bring on the chocolate fountain, the white chocolate fountain, the caramel fountain, the strawberries ripe for dipping, marshmallows, apples, and COTTON CANDY.  Don't all restaurants have COTTON CANDY?? 


Who needs to eat anyway?  Let's get dessert; let's get them sugared up. 

They had us hopping that night, but I am not complaining.  We didn't need to eat.  It was much more fun just watching them...........all that food just waiting for them..........all that CHOCOLATE!  They were so excited and sugared up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  They laughed all the way home.  And we laughed, too.  On the way home, the hubby looked over at me, laughed, and asked "Did we eat?" 


Moral of the story:  Don't take little boys to the buffet and expect to eat yourselves. 


They are still talking about the "chocolate water fountain", and the McNana they had the next morning for breakfast.  Who knew that a homemade breakfast sandwich from Nana would be such a treat?  We will be going to Golden Corral again! 


Did we eat?


I love you.

This Cold?!? It's Not so Bad

It is cold out there!  My thermometer read 9 degrees just a few minutes ago, but now it is a balmy 12 degrees.  Warming up fast now.  Aw, I remember the "good old days"............sometimes the not so "good old days", especially those cold winter night days.  If you lived at our house you might hear:

"Go to the well house and turn on the light."  That little lone light would make all the difference between water in the morning or none.  It was a inconvenience, but a slight one when compared to turning on the water and nothing, not even cold water........

"Get your coat on, we have to go break the ice for the cows."  Usually this was a chore for Robert and Daddy.  A cold one for sure, but when you raise cattle, it has to be done.  I remember Mom and Robert doing this many times before Daddy came home from work.  My mother was a saint, a blessed saint and she loved my daddy. 

"Make sure you have on your gloves.  I need all of you to help feed the cows."  Yes, this is another chore that has to be done if you have cattle.  No getting around it because there is definitely no grass for cattle in the winter especially on those bitterly cold days; like today.  And it seemed to me that there was always a baby something out there that needed our attention; baby pigs, new born calves, a puppy....something that needed to be wrapped and protected. 

"Turn on the heater in your room, Regina."  Yes, I had a gas heater in my room, lucky, lucky me.  My room and the bathroom were the only two rooms with a heater besides the living room stove and the gas cooking stove in the kitchen.  It was so nice to have a toasty warm room especially when your feet hit the floor at 6:30 in the morning.  Again, I was lucky.

"Leave the cabinet doors open and let the water drip."  The weather forecasters still us to leave the cabinet doors open.

"We have to wrap the pipes."  Without even a thought of guilt we kids would be snug around the stove while my folks would be off in other parts of the house and outside wrapping those pipes.  I now have a greater appreciation for all that my parents did to make our lives comfortable.

It's not pleasant............all this cold..........but I remember a time when it was much more unpleasant than today.  I am blessed that I can go in any room of my house, day or night, and be comfortable.  I have soft cushiony carpet so that my feet don't hit the bare floor.  As I type, I hear the soft whir of warm air surging through the vents.  I have a nice fireplace on those cold night when we might loose power.  My oven is ready in an instant for the quiche I plan to make later. 

No, we don't nave to open the cabinet doors.........or let the water drip.........or turn the light on in the well house..........or chip ice for the cattle to drink from the pond.........or wrap the pipes.........or turn on the heater in the back room.  But I kind of miss not having a stove where I can raise my night gown and back up to warm my legs.  Beat red warm legs...........now scamper off to bed.  And I miss that old iron that Grandma Dawkins had.  On winter nights when I'd stay with her, she'd warm that old cast iron on the stove, wrap it in a towel, and put it in the bed for our feet.

This cold?!?  It's not so bad.

I love you.       

Hand Me a Dust Cloth

Good morning all.  I have been checking out Pinterest this morning.  I am going to lay it on straight right here and now................TERRACOTTA POTS ARE NEVER GOING TO LOOK GOOD PLACED IN RUSTED BED SPRING COILS.  NEVER, NEVER, NEVER.  Just because you found some coils underneath the garage you are tearing down doesn't automatically make them an item you should use for decoration.  PERIOD.  Wow, I needed to get that off my chest.  I love Pinterest for interesting ideas or tips, and even love the old rusted architectural details that a lot of the bloggers use; however, some of these need the helping hand of an actual decorator before actually being pinned on Pinterest.  Everyone to their own taste I guess.  By the way, I AM NOT the decorator police.  My opinion means nothing so go ahead and do your thing.   

Speaking of taste, I am one of those people who embrace new styles just as they are going out of style.  I was in on the end of the shag rug era.........therefore, I was left with the ugly shag rug long after it went out of style.  I embraced darker wall covers just as lighter walls became the rage.  Just yesterday I read where lighter cabinets and lighter flooring are changing over to darker, wood stained colors.  And........I am holding my breath in protest..........granite countertops are going by the wayside in lieu of less maintenance options.  What's next, stained woodwork?  Carpet instead of wood flooring?

So I hang my head in shame remembering the old shag carpet and I don't want to repaint my dark bedroom a lighter color.  That would give me NO excuse to sleep late.  My newly decorated kitchen will remain.  I doubt the hubby would embrace the notion of redoing it again.  And my granite countertops.............NEVER.  PERIOD.  NEVER.  I may take a little longer, however, making the decision to paint my stained woodwork.  Carpet...........I guess we are married for life.

That's enough of me yammering this morning.  I have things to do, like maintaining my granite countertops.  It's a labor of love.  Hand me a dust cloth.

I love you. 

Twenty-Fourteen - Here We are!

2014!  Can you believe that?  Even in the year 1999, I couldn't imagine how we would pronounce these 2000 years.  Would we say......Twenty-Fourteen, Two Thousand and Fourteen???????  Nonetheless, here we are in the year 2014!  Twenty-Fourteen.  And not one person is wearing the Jetson costume I envisioned back in the 60s.  Remember that cartoon, the Jetson's?  Grandpa Dawkins always watched it. 

The new year began sometime around midnight last night, right before the fireworks around my neighborhood.  Now it is time for the resolutions.  I never have kept a resolution.  Have you?  But in the spirit of the new year, I am going to spell out a few things I am going to try.  Notice I said going to try.  In no particular order of importance (OKAY, nothing I write is ever important), I am going to try to:

1.  be a nice person.  This is something I have tried to do all my life, but the year I retired I wanted to make a point of being nicer.  I never want to be one of those cranky seniors I often see.  You know what?  Life is much easier this way.  Clerks CAN be sweet if you are sweet to them first.

2.  eat more healthily.  Notice I did not say loose weight, but just eat more vegetables and fruits.  I have decided that I look pretty good for my age so now I am in that maintenance stage.  I wear rose colored glasses.   

3.  be a more fun Nana.  I am going to put on a clown suit and blow up balloons.  Just kidding!  My kids think I am nuts anyway so I won't have to go crazy here.

4.  not be on the computer, iPad, or iPhone as much as I was in 2013.  I am realizing that looking fourteen times a day at my email account may not be healthy. 

5.  be a comfort to a special friend who needs me.  Sometimes I feel very overwhelmed as to how to help someone when they need comfort.  I don't know what to say or what to do.  A few day ago, I had an epiphany.  If I can distract someone from their constant pain or sickness, then I need to do that....be with them for a period of time.  The pain will not be lessened nor the sickness gone, but maybe they can be distracted from them for a little while.  

6.  give myself manicures more often.  I love beautiful nail polish and if not now, when AM I going to try purple or maybe turquoise?

7.  try a new recipe every couple of weeks.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not going to try every recipe in Julia Child's cookbook, but when I see something interesting I am going to turn on the heat.

8.  stress less.  So many things are out of my control or none of my business or the horse is already out of the barn.  I hope to let these things go.  God just has to be in control. 

9.  go to more movies.  I love to go to the movie theater.  Love it!  So why don't we go more often?

10.  walk a little bit.  I bet you thought I was not going to include exercise at all.  Here it is, exercise or walk or perhaps just get up once in a while.

So there are ten things I am going to try.  Nothing life altering, nothing that will be much of an exertion on my part.......well maybe the walking. 

Twenty-Fourteen - here we are.

Remember when there were only four or five bowl games and they were all played on either New Years Eve or New Years Day?  Rose, Sugar, Cotton, and Orange bowls were all I remember back in the day.  Now we have four or five a day for ten days. 

Memory:  I remember going to one of my aunt's house for New Years Day every year as a child.  We'd watch the bowl games together.  One particular time, we were at Aunt Wilma's in Shawnee.  She had French Onion Dip and I ate so much that I got sick and didn't eat French Onion dip for at least 20 years after that.  Now I love it again.

I love you.