Updates

I get a little weary of clicking on different websites only to learn they haven't been updated since the last time (maybe last month!) I was there. I don't know how you feel, but I bet it's about the same. So rather than chastise my faithful few, whoever you are, I figure I ought to act rather than speak.

How are things going here, you might ask. How are we spending our time? I have a simple answer for that second question--sitting in the recliners and watching basketball. No, it really doesn't matter that there is neither a Kentucky team nor a SEC team still in the tournament, the television at this house automatically tunes itself to basketball. It doesn't matter that UK lost in the first round (hey, it was a miracle that the team even made the tournament, admit it!), nor that Chris Lofton, who should have been playing for UK in the first place, couldn't win the big title for TN, nor that now UNC has a chance to break KY's record in total tournament wins, nor that UCLA (who had the audacity to call the beloved Hilltopper's mascot a pregnant Elmo) is making the gap of total wins even wider, that despite the fact we trained their coach, UL couldn't pull it off...we're still watching the basketball games. (Or at least one of us is...)

What else is going on up here? Not a lot. This past week, I did a couple of stints of volunteer work at the hospital "emptying bed pans" (or at least that's what I told one of my coworkers at Friendship). The second stint, my coworker didn't show up, so I didn't bother to take the refreshment cart around. I felt guilty for a couple of minutes when the nurse called from ICU, or wherever she was, asking if "the cart with the crushed ice and soft drinks" was going to come around...for a couple of minutes, I did feel some guilt over that. Only a couple of minutes, though. I get a chance to redeem myself tomorrow, since this is one of those months when we have both fourth and fifth Mondays. But I probably won't run the cart, since my coworker is going to be gone...and I do hate that hair net.

Friendship was quieter than usual this past Thursday. We had a pretty significant rain coming down when the bus drove over to Cooperstown, UK student housing, so three of our renowned soloists in the art of operatic crying were absent. Another mom said they had called for a back-up ride but it never materialized. This week, we will be on spring break. I hope someone tells those ladies before they go to wait for a bus that doesn't show up.

This week I have the volunteer stint tomorrow followed by a coming-of-a-new-age party at Casa for one of the DTA members. That should be a pretty good time. I've already had an email asking if I was going to be there--of course. It's one more day I don't have to cook! Tuesday, I have an appointment for my "pedicure" with Dr. Rodes, not a day before it's due. Wednesday, the ad hoc shower committee is meeting to see how we are progressing toward a social event later in the month. Also, my faithful Pancho is going to be here to "clean" the house again. David asked her today if she knew how to run a vacuum cleaner, which brought a laugh.

Speaking of vacuum cleaners, I have a real aversion to ours, all three or four of them. Back when I was a child, I guess I must have been spooked by one or something. Anyway, floors have NEVER been my favorite part of the cleaning process. Look out--the following is a blatant plug for the vacuum I don't own: I remember when one of the ladies in my mom's circle of mothers bought a new silver pig. That vacuum was the talk of the town! Ladies who just barely knew this woman were quick to call her and ask to borrow that silver pig when they were going to be entertaining. Mom even borrowed it on several occasions, until she got her own. It was the thing for several years. I didn't understand why, back then, but now I'm sure that it has to do with the fact you aren't pushing that heavy machine around, rather just pushing the little nozzle part. I don't remember who got Mom's silver pig when we divided the contents of her house, but I do know it wasn't me. I have a big red jackass (one complete one and several others that we cannibalize for parts) that takes a man's strength to push around. I sort of feel like Roseanne. I'll vacuum when Sears invents one you can ride--and in my case, it better be a zeeter, with a zero turn radius.

Okay, now you know what we've been up to and what our plans are for the immediate future. I might suggest that if you haven't posted in the last couple of weeks, you go out and do the same thing! Love to all, and God bless.

Family recipes

People have been blessing me with memories lately. Just this morning, I read a post from my cousin Linda, who remembered spending the weekend with me beau coup years ago. I know it was before 1964, for sure. We spent an afternoon with my Grandmother Sleadd, in her little upstairs apartment near the school in my hometown. "Apartment" might be a stretch--it was probably a bedroom and bath, with a little bit of a kitchen.

Linda remembered Grandmother teaching us how to make a lemon meringue pie, and that it was the best lemon meringue pie she ever ate. That would be true, for sure, because Nanny did make the best lemon pies in the world! The "teaching" part, though--unfortunately for David and the rest of mankind, unless Linda learned, that was a huge overstatement. I know I didn't learn how to make that pie, and now the recipe is gone.

As far as I know, Grandmother's recipes weren't written down, more's the pity. They were recipes she knew by heart, so she didn't need the references. And, as is so true of many of our family recipe treasures, you decided how much of an ingredient to add based on "until it looks right", or "about this much". Unfortunately, there are no measuring cups with those measurements on them!

I do have a transcript of my mother telling me how to make hot-water cornbread, another of Grandmother's specialties, and how to fry the best (as far as I'm concerned) chicken in the world. I've not had success at either of those endeavors, but David can turn out a pretty good facsimile of the hot-water cornbread. He got his recipe, written down, in a cookbook from Shelby County, KY. That seems to be the origin of the recipe, as far as I can tell, at least that part of the state--Shelby, Franklin, Anderson. I haven't found hot-water cornbread outside that area.

Well, now I'm hungry, not just for that food, but for those two much-loved cooks. Love to all, and God bless.

Have mercy. My grandbaby thinks she's a rock star! Apparently being the mother of a budding Mariah Carey is hard on a pregnant woman, though. Thanks, Geron, for sharing this on your blog!

Enough

As I said yesterday, I have entirely too much time on my hands, which is what led to my discovery of this humbling post. I guess this woman agrees with the apostle Paul--she has learned how to be content. Love to all, and God bless.

Delightful Easter craft

Yes, I'll admit, I have entirely too much time on my hands. Otherwise, how in the world would I have located this treasure? I will also admit that I do not intend to attempt this, possibly because I don't own a dremel.

If you are wondering why I have too much time on my hands, it's simple: While I was waiting out the inevitable at Kroger's this afternoon, an announcement was made that UK's regular basketball season had come to an end. (Being the stalwart UK fan that I am, I chose not to stick around and watch, especially when Georgia had a double-digit lead within the first five minutes or so.) So now, rather than sit with my spouse and scarf down Fritos while we watch yet another SEC team bite the dust and kiss their season good-bye, I am surfing the net. Once again, 'nuff said.

Love to all, and God bless.

What? Another holiday?

Happy Pi Day!

It's March 12!

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!
I am so glad that my mama had me!

And happy birthday to everybody else who was born today. Love to all, and God bless.

We're recovering, and I'm in withdrawal.

I miss BawBaw. I didn't know how much I'd miss him, but miss him I do. Today when I looked outside and saw all the snow, I wondered if BawBaw had boots. I told David it would be fun to take him out into the snow. Then I pondered that thought about a second and said, "Well, it would be interesting to take him out and see his reaction; then if he liked it, it would be fun to take him out in the snow."

Things we know BawBaw likes: dirty rice (some of the time), vanilla soy milk (all the time), apple juice (once in a while), corn pops, Kix, a mixture of the two, granola, peanut butter on crackers, chicken McNuggets--yes, I'll admit, we broke down and bought McDonald's one night, French fries, noisy toys...

Things BawBaw does NOT like: baths, having his pants changed, the idea of going to sleep, apples and bananas in any shape or form, backing up in the car, having his clothes changed, stuffed animals...

Things we know we like (no, make that love): BawBaw and his family. Thank you, Lord, for letting us keep this precious little boy in our home.

Love to all, and God bless.

How's it going?

Let me put it in a nutshell: I'm definitely not planning on having any more children any time soon.

Love to all, and God bless.

One night down, three to go

A little three-year-old sweetheart was at our house yesterday, from 9 in the morning until 12 last night (actually overnight, but his daddy was here then). We had a good day for the most part. He played pretty happily, but he was aware that his mommy and daddy weren't there, especially when it was time for otherwise routine things like diaper changes and baths, and especially at the times when "Grandma Susan" thought he ought to be taking a nap or going to sleep for the night. Grandpa David and I enjoyed watching him playing with toys, and he was more than willing to snuggle up with one or the other of us at times. It was interesting to watch how he handled being told "no", how he took out his frustrations by pitching toys around, and how much fun he would have doing things like rearranging all the pots and pans in the cupboard or all the cans in the pantry. But guess what? Following a little one around all day can wear you out!

We have another go at it tonight, after he comes home from preschool/day care, and then again on Wednesday and Thursday. It's a really great experience--I recommend it to all who are considering another child!

Love to all, and God bless. A special birthday wish to my dear brother today, if he is reading. Love you, Bob!