Mothballs DO NOT deter snakes!

      No, folks, they don’t. If you are under the mistaken – and let me repeat that again – MISTAKEN – assumption that mothballs deter snakes, I am here to tell you that they do not! Repeat – DO NOT!

 

        After lifting up one of the dog’s blankets and finding a coiled up snake, I was told by many to scatter mothballs around my Garden House and the dogs kennel to deter snakes. So, out I ran as fast as I could to purchase a box of mothballs. As soon as I got home, I scattered a number of them – ok, a gazillion – of the mothballs under and around my Garden House, which also serves as the dog kennel. For good measure (loads of good measure), I scattered more than my fair share inside of my Garden House as well. I will just mention here, that at this point, it is not a good thing to walk inside of my Garden House.

         Well, all was fine and dandy for about three weeks and then today Hubby found a snake in the kennel! This is what transpired.

         I was listening for the dogs to bark to let me know the mail-lady was at the front gate because I was expecting a package. Instead, what happened was my phone (which of course was on the charger in my office closet) rang and I was in my clothes closet and heard it somewhere near its last ring. By the time I got to the phone, it had stopped singing. I saw that Hubby had called so I called him back. No answer.

         Meanwhile, at the same time (and unbeknownst to me) Hubby had come home and was in back of the house trying to get the dogs in the kennel so he could let poor Mr. Nick (whose is mostly blind and can’t hear) out of his truck while he hooked up his trailer (taking a breath here). The dogs heard the mail lady blow her horn and took off just as he almost had them to the kennel where he then saw the snake. He had the dogs running off, me not answering the phone, the snake in the kennel, Mr. Nick in the truck, and the mail lady at the gate blowing the horn.

        Just the sort of dilemma he doesn’t like. By then I heard the dogs barking and was going out the front door when I saw Hubby running down the long driveway to the gate. At this point, I am still oblivious (my usual state of being) to what is happening.

         As Hubby is walking back up the drive he starts telling me all of the above and of course, I have all of my questions (the sequence of events) which to him are not that important. When did you see the snake? Is it dead? Is it alive? Were the dogs in the kennel? Did you kill it? How did you see it? There are thousands of mothballs, why is there a snake in the kennel? Yes, the ramblings of a freaking out me!

         Eventually, I did get all of my ridiculous questions answered, but not before having to follow him to the kennel where he proceeded to get the shovel to kill the snake.

         Don’t worry. I was wondering the same thing – was the snake just sitting quietly all this time waiting for Hubby to kill it? Turns out, in the course of answering some of my barrage of questions, Hubby (who fortunately had his white shrimp boots on) had stomped it enough that it was well stunned and paralysed from the attack. So, yes, I guess it was just sort of waiting for Hubby to return to finish it off.

         Then, after killing the snake and picking it (up) and a bird that the dogs had managed to catch and that was now deceased as well, and disposing of them, I kennelled the dogs and Hubby let poor Mr. Nick out of the truck – who had no clue what all the commotion was about. Then, Hubby had to explain the entire fiasco to Mr. Nick.

         Just another typical day on the farm with “Lucy”; although sometimes, it’s more like an episode of Green Acres. 

How to host a successful Cookie Swap

     Every year for the past eight years, I have hosted a Cookie Swap. This year was no exception.

 

 

     I thought I’d write about it in the event that someone else may wish to host one, but the mere thought overwhelms them. I am telling you right now – do not let the thought even enter your mind. As long as you have a plan and stick to it, things will work out – or you wing it like I’ve been known to do (or maybe my friends have never caught on! lol)

My sister & I were following each other’s progress

 

     I always try to send out a “Save-the-date” the first week of October. This, I send my email since everyone who is invited has email. If some of your guests do not have email, then send a little note in the mail or give them a call.

      I also have a spreadsheet that I use each year. It consists of four columns with the headings of: No., Name (which includes name, address, phone, email), Yes/No (attending) and last, Cookie (or treat bringing).

     I use the number column, because at a quick glance, I can keep track of how many people are on my list. This way, if someone has been added/taken off, I know I can add someone and still keep the number within reason for the size of my house.

      Then, I try to mail out the invitation the first week of November with the RSVP date. Sometimes I write something cute and rhyming, and sometimes I use one I have found on the internet. Some years are more of a theme than others are.

 

     In 2011, I did a Candy land theme where I scattered the board pieces around the table and used the matching plates and napkins. It was really cute. That takes care of the invitation portion.

     With Pinterest, it is so easy to find new appetizers to serve. I started a board named Cookie Swap Ideas so I could quickly pin cookie ideas and appetizer ideas so I could come back later and explore. I also use Evernote. This app proved to be invaluable in many ways. Once I finalized the appetizer list, I clipped the recipes, complete with pictures to Evernote. Evernote syncs the recipes to my phone and Kindle Fire. It made grocery shopping and cooking a breeze. I pulled up the recipe at the market and quickly scanned the ingredients and added those items to my cart.

    Throughout the year, I am always scouting for new cookie recipes and appetizer recipes so with Pinterest and Evernote, it makes finding these recipes a snap. I am already clipping and pinning for next year! It’s never too soon!

      The week before my Cookie Swap, I sit down with the recipes and figure out what can be assembled ahead of time and my baking time frame. It seems that no matter how carefully I organize and schedule, I am still last-minute, and the first guests there generally help with setting everything out. For me, especially this year, it was enjoyable. Judging from the remarks, I think this year was everyone’s favorite so far and I think it was because everyone was helping to get things on the buffet and it made the party – literally – everyone’s party. My sisters and a friend from high school that I was so fortunate to reconnect with last year – were the willing participants in the last-minute rush this year. It was so much fun laughing and talking and rushing around.

A dear friend gave me a cupcake teapot.

     So, you can see that in my case, not having everything ready and waiting on guest is part of the fun – for everyone. So don’t stress out. Cookie Swap is all about fun.

 

     Let’s talk cookies now. I have read that many cookie swaps have a lot of rules and it works for them. I came up with my own set of “rules” based on my guests. I have friends who cannot bake, and some who make candy. My only die-hard rule is the treat MUST be homemade. Each year, we have a mix of candy, no-bake (for those non-bakers) and baked cookies. No one ever feels left out because everyone puts a lot of effort into their products (we are quite the competitive bunch!)

      After the RSVPs come in, I then email everyone with the number of treats to bring. I keep the number of participants down to a reasonable number and we bake and package six treats for each person coming. I have noticed that many cookie swaps ask that the person bake x amount of cookies and bring them on a platter and then they are distributed among those attending. I wasn’t particularly crazy about that idea (nor my guests) so we package our treats for each individual person. My friends are very creative and the packaging is one of the highlights. We also have the option of using our six cookies for the taste testing contest (more on that later.)

     I provide a huge Christmas gift bag for each guest, which I set up in the living room. As each guest arrives, she distributes the treats among the bags first, and then places their treats on the platters on the table for tasting. Since each guest may leave at a different time, she can just grab her bag on the way out. I find that this method of distribution works great for my cookie swap.

      Let’s see. So far, we have discussed invites, food prep, and cookie distribution. Next on the list is entertainment!

      It has become a tradition (because Hubby loves to be involved) that we have a story. The stories have ranged from Christmas to Candyland to baking, etc. Everyone looks forward each year to see what Jeffery has in store. This year, he did a story that contained Christmas songs and lyrics from Christmas songs. I’ll include it as an example. I am the one who gets to read the story and I must say that trying to establish a speed is difficult. I want to give everyone an equal chance to pick out all of the information, but not too much time – how else would we have a winner. But, it does work each year and it’s a lot of fun.

 

Word Game Story 2012

(It is easier to view the parts on my other blog. I have it done in different colors - My Life. One Story at a Time.: How to host a successful Cookie Swap

It came upon a midnight clear, when away in a manger a child was born. There were no jingle bells, frosty the snowman, or Rudolph. But it was a silent night and even more, a holy night.

 The people of that era were deep in despair and had very little hope. They cried out” o come o come Emanuel”. And He did. He came as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes to silence the cry of the poor, to build a city of God, and to bring joy to the world.

 Although He was not born in a beautiful setting like a winter wonderland, He did bring the first white Christmas to the little town of Bethlehem. This was brought about by His birth and sacrificing His life for ours, to free all humankind from sin and e’re pinning. So hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king, Christ is born in Bethlehem, and the world has never been the same. May God wish ye merry gentlemen a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

      We always have a best tasting treat contest. It is based NOT on how the treat looks, but how it tastes to the palate. This can get pretty intense at times. This year a chocolate oatmeal no-bake cookie won the honor. It provoked childhood memories for many of us, a taste of nostalgia. Do you remember as a child, the day the school cafeteria served those scrumptious chocolate oatmeal no-bake treats? I do, and so did many others. It was deserving of a prize this year.

      We have enjoyed many games throughout the years and enjoyed every one. Our last game this year was a new addition. A friend told me of a game that she had played at another cookie swap and it sounded like loads of fun so I added it this year. I asked everyone to bring a wrapped cookie cutter for a “Swap and Steal” game.

      I have to admit at this point, it was kind of a make it up as you go game and it ended up being so much fun that I am going to include it next year. The first round of the game, each person pulled a gift out of the basket as I called her name. The second round was where the fun began.

     As each name was called, you had the chance to keep your chosen gift or “Swap and Steal” someone else’s gift. There was a lot of cheering and yelling of “steal” going on because there was one gift everyone seemed to want – it was a beautiful gift bag! After much hooting and hollering, everyone had a gift of a new cookie cutter.

Games are another place to add loads of fun to the party. Let your imagination go wild: Prettiest Christmas outfit (or hat or shirt, etc.), craziest Christmas outfit, first to RSVP, # of gum balls in the jar (or jelly beans, etc.), best cookie packaging. The ideas are endless!

      Food – what can I say about food? I (and my friends – especially book club friends) DO NOT subscribe to the old adage that you do not try out new recipes for the first time on company. That is EXACTLY when we do it. In the food department – I say do what is comfortable for you. Either stick to tried and true recipes and maybe be adventurous and throw in one new recipe for a thrill.

      Up until this year, I always tried to do a new soup of the year, but not being much of a soup person, I have to admit, that got old. I did, however, discover that the ladies all love my chicken potpie. That has led me to use it several years in a row, but with a new twist each year.

      One year, I used my shell maker (I love gadgets) and made biscuit shells for the sauce (chicken potpie filling). The next year, I used little individual pie shells and last year I used Pepperidge Farms puff pastry shells (my all time fav). This year I used biscuits again, but used an idea I saw on-line. I lined muffin tins with rolled out biscuits. I then filled each one with the sauce and then folded the dough over the top and baked. Have I mentioned how wonderful they tasted? AND, what a hit!

      Also on the menu were little sausages in a cranberry sauce, the old standby of cheese and sausage balls, along with a pizza muffin/dipping sauce (again – on-line), a fantastic warm Caramelized onion and Gruyère cheese dip, an oriental salad, and can’t forget the Shrimp Dip (this is Southern Louisiana after all!)

      For beverages, I have a great Pineapple Punch that is additive – no kidding, cannot have just one glass – ask all who dare! And, this year, I found a Jingle Juice. I just loved the name and the taste wasn’t bad either! It made more than one lady a little too happy! lol (Did not let anyone leave tipsy.)

 

     Now – for question time. Do you host a Cookie Swap or have you attended one? Have you blogged about it? AND, do you have any questions that I can help with? I invite you to share your experiences, questions, and of course – your FAVORITE treat for the rest of us (cookies, candy…)!

 Leave  a link and I’ll add it to the end of my story for others to read.

This post was originally seen on My Life. One Story at a Time.: How to host a successful Cookie Swap

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And, then there was the time I spoke out on gun control…

Gun control means hitting your target (Photo credit: Malingering)

I was contacted the other day and asked to review a book on the 2^nd Amendment – gun control. It was from a Democrat and he was very anxious to have this little book read and reviewed. It was about enacting gun control and to me that means taking away rights, my rights.

I normally keep my opinions to myself, except for when I don’t. I responded (and I am still trying to figure out if an alien had taken over my body – I was definitely having a Gracie moment that day!) I told him that I did not think gun control was the answer to all of the violence. Drugs are against the law and they are still readily available on the streets for anyone willing to break the law to purchase them. It would be the same with guns. You can find anything against the law on the black market.

In my opinion, gun control will only penalize the law-abiding citizens who use their guns responsibly. I told him that I grew up with guns in the house. My father is a retired State Trooper. My Hubby is a retired State Trooper, and an avid hunter. He also fishes and fishing twine could definitely cause some damage if wrapped around someone’s neck. Are you going to make that against the law? I went on to tell him that I agreed there was a huge problem, and I did not have any ideas on how to even begin solving it, but I definitely did not think gun control was going to make a difference.

I also told him I felt I could give his book a fair review – I still do. Inserting something here about my personality – don’t you love when I do that – I am someone who is able to view both sides of an issue and judge it fairly.

I cannot figure it out. I haven’t heard back from him. I may have mentioned that I vote Republican too. That might have been the decisive factor. As I said, I must have been having an out of body experience that day, because I even surprised myself.

I actually do have a few ideas on how to solve the world crisis. In my humble opinion, I think it all goes back to family values and teaching good, old-fashioned respect for one another. It is as simple as that. When we respect each other, we allow one another the right to have an opinion and we respect that opinion. We use manners. We pray. We say the pledge. Respect has disappeared and the world is going to pot. That’s my opinion.

What about you? What is your view on Gun Control? Make believe you are a beauty queen and tell me how you would achieve world peace?

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit today!

Be sure to follow so you don’t miss the adventures!

Related articles

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Stalking my prey

       I, for some strange reason – because I don’t normally explain myself – felt the need to explain myself – stranger things have happened – to someone that I had been surfing around the internet visiting their site and such, because they had requested I review their book. My explanation - needed work because as I explained I do not feel the need to explain myself – came off sounding like a stalker – at least to me. Anyway, the person thought it funny and did not in the least think I was stalking and even friended me on Face book - which by way has punished me again, suspended my friend requesting for a month. I can accept requests, just not send any.

 

 

       So, getting back to the topic on hand, I decided to come clean. I do investigate those sending me requests to review their books. For me, it is part of the process in deciding whether I review a book.

 

       First, and foremost, the book has to be a genre I enjoy reading. Second, if you would read some of the requests I receive, you would do some investigating as well – perhaps even hire Sherlock himself. Just a hint here to any authors or would like to be an author requesting book reviews. A request has a better chance of being accepted or even taken seriously, if you actually take the time to address the person by name and send information rather than just links. A book reviewer’s time is as valuable as yours is. And, you are the one asking for the favor of a review. Think of it this way – would you just walk up to someone and toss a book at them, no explanation about what the book is about, and expect them to catch it and read it? I bet you never thought of it that way.

 

       Back to the subject – not being a rude person and therefore just hitting the delete button – I admit that sometimes I do – I grab my magnifying glass and slap on my Sherlock Holmes hat and surf the net.

 

       I check out the links they may or in lots of cases may not have included. I check Amazon for the book and sometimes read the reviews. I check out their website to see how they are handling the promotion of their book. I also like to read some of their “other” writing. A person’s website tells a lot about a person. I also check out their face book page and other sites that they have indicated they are on to see how they are promoting themselves.

 

       I guess in a way, I do stalk those who request I review their book. Hopefully, they have been “stalking” me as well. After all, I hope they have read my Review Policy along with some of my book reviews to see if my style of reviewing and my blog are compatible with the audience they are trying to reach and if my review will help them sell their product.

 

       What about you? If you are a book reviewer, how do you make your decisions on whether or not to review a book? If you are an author, how to make the decision to contact a reviewer; and once you find a reviewer, what type of letter writer/information giver are you?

 

       There you have it. My name is Donna, and I’m a stalker, and you read it here first.

 

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit today!

Be sure to follow so you don’t miss the adventures!

 My Life. One Story at a Time.: Stalking my prey

Hurricane Isaac – “Lucy’s” Disaster

     Part 2

       The storm has passed and the bayou is attempting to return to normal. Hubby was out and about andchecking on our rental houses and as luck would have it, part of husband duty was trying to find milk for wife. After passing many still closed markets, he happened upon Wal-Mart, which, just his luck, was out of milk. Hubby didn’t panic, even though he knew I would no doubt go through milk withdrawal at any moment. Being the person he is, he lost no time spinning around and heading for the soda department where he found a six-pack of IBC Root beer in the bottle. He knew without a doubt, what would make his wife happy. Now, THAT is what love is!

Ryka got excited and jumped on me.

Hubby did a pretty good job.

It was looking better until it opened back up. Now

the lines don’t match. Oh well.

It is not only the actual hurricane that causes distress in our lives; it is the personal aftermath. It is the moments in the week following the storm as you are trying to re-establish your routines. Case in point; today. Hubby was helping to fold up Ryka’s metal petcrate, which is quite heavy. I normally do this by myself, but I’ve been having problems with the arthritis in my hands so I asked for help. BIG MISTAKE!

        He kept telling me I was doing it wrong and I kept telling him I wasn’t. The crate ends fall in and then the bottom, sides, and top sort of fold down into place -kind of have to be there – like an accordion. As men will do, he told me to do it myself. He let go as I began folding and as the pieces fell into place, my pinky became caught in between two pieces of the cage. The crate was too heavy for me to lift back up with one hand and my pinky was either going to stay stuck or … -it could only stay stuck.

       So, I screamed. Yes folks, I resorted to screaming – in pain – until he figured out that he had to lift the crate to release my finger. I can’t blame him for his confusion. After all, he is not an –sighing - INTJ. I enjoy using that excuse – except for when he laughs and throws it back at me.

       I now have a black and blue pinky and it is quite sore. It is still crooked from when I fractured it and misplaced – dislocated – it during a fall. Still whopped; just a pretty shade of blue whopped now.

      Alas, but that was not the only mishap. My feet look like they have chicken pox from the many ant bites. Instead of piles in the yard, they have scattered everywhere and they are looking to hurt. I am not trying to sound paranoid, but they seem to want to hurt me. Hubby said I needed to wear my white shrimp boots -yes, I am mortified to admit I have my own pair- but then, it would just take longer to notice the ants had crawled up the boots.

       Ants are not the only little nuisances I have had the bad luck to find myself up against. Going back to trying to re-establish a routine, I went out the back door to ring the bell to alert the dogs for dinner and dang, if a wasp didn’t reach out of the bell and sting me on the same hand I hurt this morning dismantling the kennel! That bell has been hanging at our house for ten years and NEVER once has anything built a nest in it.

       And, I’m not through! As if that weren’t bad enough, Hubby wasn’t around to come to my rescue, so I had to call him on the phone so he could tell me what to do – did I mention I’m not too handy in a crisis? After lots of cold water and then cold Benadryl gel, the sting finally subsided. Now, it is just a hole in my hand. And, for the record, whoever said – and Hubby repeated – that bee stings alleviate arthritis pain in the joints – doesn’t work. Take my word on this.

       I wasn’t the only one to suffer from this mishap. Calypso ended up caught in the bee fray. I couldn’t find the wasp spray so I figured the flying insect spray would work. After all, wasps fly. I took aim and sprayed into the bell. Nothing happened. I had checked and there was a wasp in there, so I sprayed a second time. It finally fell, disoriented from its perch.

        BUT, it didn’t fall to the ground in death, it continued flapping around, so I went inside to locate a shoe. I came back out just as it took flight and landed on Calypso’s back. I am horribly chastened to admit that I popped Calypso on the back with the shoe. Poor thing did not know what was going on. She will probably need doggie therapy from the entire trauma. The little buzzard got away and I think Calypso finally realized I was not trying to hurt her. Who can tell? She is still watching me with a funny look on her face.

       Speaking of therapy, Ryka and Calypso could probably use a good doggie therapist by now. Well, knowing that under normal circumstances, their “Papa” expects them to realize that they are dogs and therefore should remain outside; they were a little confused when the kennels came out of the shed and were put into the garage.

       With tails wagging and hearts full of hope, they got excited. They were running in and out of the garage, at a loss as to what to do. As soon as the rains came, they were all too happy to come inside and ran straight for their kennels. Each time I opened the kennel doors and asked if they wanted to potty, they ran to the back door. Once I opened the door and they stepped out, they immediately turned around and went back to their kennels. Knowing that “Papa” does not let them inside, they were not taking any chances on being left outside. Those poor dogs didn’t potty for almost twenty hours!

       Then, to confuse the poor little souls even more, their “Papa” would sit out in the garage each morning and drink his coffee. He would sit in the rocker right next to them. Before Ryka and Calypso could truly understand what was going on, the hurricane passed and they were once again, banished outside.

       We ended up being without power for about five days, had uprooted trees, with another poor tree sheared and no longer looked like a tree, and shingle damage. No one is any worse for wear, but I hope that we do not have to go through that again for a few years.

       Just when you think the story is over, “Lucy” has another hurricane adventure! I had blood work done on Friday -looks like a vampire bit me. I had to show the tech where they normally stick me. She stuck me on the side of my arm. I do not like needles and that made no freaking sense to me at all. I had it done at the local hospital and then sent into New Orleans. I told Hubby, next time, New Orleans. They get loads of practice and know what they’re doing.

       I received the results a couple of days ago and my platelet count and red cell count are both continuing to rise. This brings me to Hubby’s reaction to the news.

       We were having lunch and I told Hubby about the blood results. After much contemplation, his response -and I’m still baffled- was that people -me?- need to exercise more and work out in the yard and do more things and then they wouldn’t have all these diseases. I’m still trying to figure that one out.

       But, I went out and “exercised and worked in the yard with him clearing branches” and that worked out real well. I sliced the knuckle on my thumb wide open. The blood was flowing, just like a faucet – not a dribble – running. It would not stop. Hubby had walked to the barn and was sharpening his saw. I made a detour through the house to get a towel for my finger.

       Then, I went to the barn to find him. As I walked up to him with a soaking wet red dishtowel I said, “I did something.”

       In calm Hubby fashion -he’s used to bandaging me- he pulled out the first aid kit, dumped hydrogen peroxide on it -now there was a puddle of blood and hp on the concrete- and he proceeded to wrap gauze around and around my thumb and then taped it up. So much for curing my blood disorders. I guess that will have to wait for another day. Now, he did a really fine job bandaging my thumb, but the thing is, I am allergic to anything that contains the least little bit of sticky or latex. Are you getting my drift? That’s right. The finger is all nicely bandaged and itching like crazy.

       -Sighing- it’s just another day in the life of “Me”.

       Feel free to jump in here and add your own comments. How is your day going?

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit today!

Be sure to follow so you don’t miss the adventures!

Related articles

• Hurricane Isaac rears his ugly head (mybookofstories.wordpress.com)

Printers, screaming, and wailing

       My printer finally died. Actually, I had been expecting it for some time, especially with its habitual ink leaking.

But, with its death, that meant I had to begin searching for another printer. Running a business from my home office meant that I was sorely in need of a multi-purpose printer/fax/scanner and whatever else magic it might want to bring to the table.

The printer arrived this morning and the unpacking commenced. Just the magnitude of the number of cords, cartridges, and books was overwhelming. I unpacked and set all the items in order and began the arduous task of connecting printer to computer via wireless connection.

Screenshot of Lucille Ball from the trailer for the film Stage Door. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This task is not for the faint of heart. When I researched the printer, all of the ratings agreed that it was an easy set-up. HA! HA! HA! I don’t know what printer they speaking of, but it definitely WAS NOT this one!

After a couple of calls to my cousin in Georgia and reading and r e-reading the manuals, and having the monitor tell me one thing and the readout on the printer telling me another, I did manage to figure it out.     I don’t know if I wanted to wail to Ricky as Lucille Ball would have, or whine, as Gracie would have done to George – or perhaps both. But, now I am set up via wireless to print. The fax setup may be something altogether different. I’m saving that for another day!

As always, thanks for taking the time to visit today!

Donna

What do you do with old underwear?

Ladies’ underwear advertisement, 1913 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m having fun today.

Do you ever throw yours away?

No matter how many holes there are?

       I am here to confess – and my sisters and anyone else who knows me well, will be looking around thinking – where is my sister and what have you done with her because SHE doesn’t talk about these things – back to confessing – I actually threw a pair of underwear away today. The kicker is – they were clean, but none-the-less full of holes.

       Seriously, do you throw underwear away, or are you like me? I see that it needs to be trashed, but then who throws away dirty underwear? Yuck! I know, who is going to see it? So, I wash it, and then I think – I’ll just wear it one more time, it is clean after all and so the cycle continues. The underwear never makes it to the trash!

       Today, I threw away a pair of clean underwear. Now, I am asking all of you to fess up – do you throw away underwear – and if you dare – clean or dirty? I am throwing down the gauntlet. Leave your confessions below and know that we’ll keep them in the strictest of confidence.

Be sure to follow my blog.

You never know what subject will come up next!

Donna

Gracie takes a turn on the treadmill

Yes. I’ve been walking on the treadmill.

AND, hanging on for dear life I might add.

       Since the heat down here in the South is so hot it’s makes you want to just sit on the porch with the fan going with a tall glass of iced tea, and nothing much else; I came to the conclusion that this Southern gal wasn’t going to be doing much walking.

       Then, on a trek through the garage, I looked over my shoulder and spotted the treadmill. I began thinking that walking might not be so bad if I turned on the air conditionerand walked in the sweet coolness rather than 1000+ degrees outside.

       Having never used the contraption, it took me a while to figure out that you need a key to turn it on; and you have to plug it in. After I managed to turn the treadmill on, I began to walk, slowly, VERY SLOWLY. Then, I thought, this isn’t so bad, but it sure is boring – and I hate being bored! The first time I used it, I walked a whole ten minutes before I just couldn’t stand theboredom anymore. Then, my mind started to wander and I remembered seeing people on television using their headphones. The light bulb went off and I thought, “Yes! Music!” should help keep me from being bored.

       Yesterday, I managed a whole sixteen minutes – 3 songs on the iPod. AND, I graduated from 2 to 2.5 -that is very slow to slow- in my speed. Today, I walked for twenty minutes at 2.7! And, if that wasn’t enough to brag about, I actually walked with no hands today instead of hanging onto the bars for dear life! It was a little iffy a couple of times as I envisioned myself being hauled off the end as I missed a step.

        I have a habit of hitting random play on the iPod, so it is always a surprise what song comes on next – sort of like having your own radio station. It is amazing that the last song I end up listening to is a Gospel Song, no matter how long I walk. What a way to end my workout and start my day!

       Then, when I got off and started up the steps to the house, I had to back down the steps and get my land legs back. I may never walk outside again. Who ever invented the treadmill, I thank you!

Don’t forget to follow my blog. You never

know what I’ll be up to next!

Donna

My Crazy Life – A good old-fashion Southern wedding and Boucherie

March 21, 2012

            I had the privilege of being asked to create (that’s stretching it a bit) the wedding cake for a friend of mine. Since the arthritis in my hands prevents me from doing intricate work, I was happy that it was an outdoor wedding and she would be happy with a simple cake. I also made cupcakes (my favorite – my OWN piece of cake) and my famous bread pudding with praline sauce (no, you may not have the recipe).

Bread pudding from the oven.

As I have written before, food is a way of life here in the South and when we celebrate, we celebrate big. The wedding was no exception. But, first, we had to find the venue. Baking and transporting a cake for two and a half hours turned out to be the easy part (almost). The back of the suburban was full (we had removed the back seat) of cake and bread pudding which we hoped we had secured enough for the trip. Our first scare was about twenty miles from home when a truck came skidding to a halt as we were approaching on the four-lane highway. The driver did not look as though he had any intentions of stopping before entering the highway. Instead of seeing our life flash, Hubby and I were seeing cake flying before our eyes. Thank goodness all the layers were safely in their own boxes and on a rubber mat.

We continued on our journey and that is a story all by itself. We live in South Louisiana and we were on our way to Mississippi for the wedding. What we had no idea about was we were on our way to no man’s land. The directions were interesting as they offered a number of ways to get to our destination (the middle of nowhere). It was quite interesting to meet up with friends once we arrived and to listen to the different stories of how they had all arrived. It seems we all took different routes, all claiming to have taken the “easy” route.

We took Interstate X to Street Y to Highway Z to Lane A (we had to begin the alphabet over – there just wasn’t enough X,Y,Z to make this trip happen). I have to admit, even though the mileage wasn’t quite accurate, the landmarks we were given were. We turned down a two-lane road and almost had our second mishap of the day. The driver of a pickup truck stopped at a stop sign and then started to pull out – in front of us – and once again, we saw cake flying. Luckily, with a lot of horn blowing and braking, we managed to escape harm.

We were bumpity-bumping along the last leg of our journey and Hubby and I both burst out laughing about the same time (turns out we were both thinking the same thoughts). Originally, we were unsure if we would be making the trip to the wedding and if we hadn’t, then the bride would have been transporting the cake; and that may not sound like much of a big deal but you have to know her. She is full of energy, always going at a hundred miles an hour. We were thinking of M.J. transporting an assembled cake – all three layers of it. We were both picturing her be-bopping along the very bumpy country road, forgetting all about the cake until she reached the house (get the picture). Between laughing and wiping his tears, Hubby said she could have offered everyone a spoon! Well – that inspired more laughing. Hubby and I travel well together. We talk and laugh, never even turning on the radio.

Digressing to earlier in the week (the day before), here are a few pictures of the cake baking process. M.J. and I had originally discussed a two layer cake, but then the basket I found to hold the cake just needed something more so I added a third layer. Hubby has always been my frosting guy. I don’t have the patience it takes to work the icing to a smooth finish. I had to give him credit for icing my cakes when I was taking cake decorating classes. He compares it to finishing concrete. He just uses a spatula instead of a trough.

The shopping process was so much fun. I am not one to go out shopping, but when I have a mission, I can really get into it. I needed baskets to house the cupcakes and the cake. It was an outdoor country wedding and one of my favorite and in my mind, I knew exactly what I needed. I wanted a square basket in a darker natural twig color large enough to house the cake and the magnolias that I planned to surround the cake with for decoration. My only dilemma being – would I find what I had pictured in my head.

I also wanted to find two shallow rectangle baskets to serve the cupcakes in as well. It was a pretty tall order, but I had confidence that I would find exactly what I needed at Hobby Lobby (I am infamous for projecting what I want- always good to hedge your bets). Imagine my excitement (no I did not run through the store shouting I found them, although I was tempted) when I found exactly what I was looking for.

The next items on the list were the perfect cupcake papers. Anyone who bakes knows that once the cake comes out of the oven, you cannot tell what the original paper looks like. I wanted these to look special for my friend, so I was looking for an outer paper to set the cupcakes in once they were frosted. It has been a while since I have ventured out shopping and I was excited to view all the new products that available. I found a parchment colored toile with a brown design (how perfect is that – it matched the baskets) and a plain parchment paper cup. I was beginning to want this wedding to be my own!

M.J. loves peach and wanted peach ribbon. What happened to peach?! There was no peach ribbon in South Louisiana (at least in Houma). My plans were to wrap each layer of the cake in a beautiful peach satin ribbon – so much for that idea! I did find beautiful coral ribbon as a back up in the event we could not locate peach ribbon. I ended up purchasing cream satin ribbon as a base to go under the too thin coral ribbon – yeah – no wide ribbon. I did not find peach ribbon at Michael’s but I did find the beautiful coral ribbon (as a backup) there.

After a stop at the local cake shop for flavoring, I was on my way home content with my purchases – after a trip to Wal-Mart, that is. I did need cake mix and pans for the bread pudding and LOTS of good ole Southern sugar – the base to all of our fine desserts! I admit – I do use a bought cake mix, simply because I haven’t found one from scratch that is as moist. Sometimes the box is best. I do make all of my icings from scratch though – none of that fake stuff for me.

For anyone wishing to make a wonderful cake icing, the flavoring is Crème Bouquet not Almond as most people think. It smells a little like almond and has a touch of that flavor, but it is not Almond extract. The flavoring is worth the stop and the cost at the local bakeshop. For the chocolate icing, there is none better than the old-fashioned Hershey’s Chocolate Icing off the back of the container of Hershey’s Cocoa. It is sinfully good. You don’t even need cake to enjoy it!

Getting back to the wedding, there was also the old-fashioned Boucherie or Cochon-de-lait – the roasting of the pig. There were many other goodies that are found at almost every Boucherie – Blood Stew (doesn’t that want to make your toes curl?) and pork stew and grilled grillades. Guests also feasted on potato salad and baked beans, and of course, no Southern meal is complete without white beans and French bread. And, as you will find at any Southern gathering, a table loaded with desserts. I am happy to report that my bread pudding was devoured in record time and, yes, I am human – I just loved all the comments it was receiving!

Roasting the pig.

Did I mention that there had been a rainstorm the day before? It was a bloody, muddy mess! Instead of the wedding taking place by the pond, the couple exchanged vows under the porch (thank goodness for those Southern porches!) It also presented problems with parking as you can see by the pictures. The friends next to us were stuck and need to be pushed out of the little ditch. In the process, they came very close to sliding into our car. There were a few white-knuckled moments there.  Needless to say, they decided to let Hubby pull out first. I was waiting up the drive because trying to cross that muddy ditch was like a “Lucy” moment just waiting to happen. And, when I say up the drive, I mean WAY up the drive. I certainly did not want to wear mud home! Hubby gunned the engine and sailed through the ditch with mud flying everywhere. I think the burb brought home about a truckload of Mississippi mud on the sides.

Muddy mess!

I also ended up being the “unofficial” photographer of the wedding and with the permission of the bride, here are a few photos for you to enjoy. Congratulations, M.J. and Sean on your wedding and thank you for inviting us to be a part of it.

Wedding Cake

 

A toast to the couple

 

The cake shot

You can view additional pictures by clicking on this link:  My Life. One Story at a Time.: My Crazy Life – A good old-fashion Southern wedding and Boucherie

I’m a writer, NOT a numbers person! Help!

I have been tied up for the past couple of weeks working on the accounts for our business. With tax season upon us, it was time I finished putting things in order. It’s not that I don’t keep up with expenditures and such on a daily basis – I do! It is just that five years ago when we started the business and went into the construction of four houses, I didn’t know didly squat about accounting. I’m a writer – not a number person (thank goodness, some people are number people!) I did what comes naturally for me – used my common sense! That is how I set up our accounts. 

THEN, the accountant tells me that, “Oh, that will work for now, but once the houses are completed, it will need to be changed over to Fixed Assets.” Then, he proceeded NOT to explain Fixed Assets to me or how to do them. In fact, he did not seem to have any time to do anything I needed done. This is not an accountant I choose, but the one who handles the accounts for our business partners. 

So, I tried to figure out Fixed Assets on my own (remember – not a number person). I did the best I could and then things kinda got screwed up – big time. I had a different accountant “fix” things but that, in the end, turned out to be an even bigger mess. THEN, I found Lynn. She is an accountant that trained in Quickbooks and what she taught me in six hours helped me regain my sanity. I found out that I could do numbers. She set up Class Codes for me and explained them. So easy peasy. It is almost (I said ALMOST) a joy to sit down and do my accounting.

But, that also left me with the huge project of transferring all expenditures for the past five years into Class Codes so that we could have a true picture of the business. As all of you who follow me know, I have ZERO, let me repeat that – ZERO attention span and that is why it has taken me months to do this project. I had to go line by line, through every transaction, to put things to rights. It’s almost finished.

I am sure my regular accountant will have a coronary when he sees the accounts – and then again, maybe not. I’ve deleted General Journal (sounds too much like General Chicken at the Chinese buffet) entries – I have a call into Lynn to find out if that is good or bad – hopefully she won’t shoot me. And, I have deposits that do not belong anywhere. I hope that she will answer my SOS soon and put me out of my misery. Lynn has been such a blessing to me. I now understand Quickbooks (at least, much better than I did.) It is almost exciting – not quite.

Maybe now I can catch up on my reading and my writing. Today I am one of the featured writers in the Love of series that Terri Guiliano Long is having on her blog. My story is on the love of food. I hope you’ll all stop by and read it. It is so exciting to be invited as a guest author. Here’s the link:

http://www.tglong.com/blog/2012/02/for-the-love-of-love-19th-february-love-of-food/#comment-15753

On March 1st, I’ll be guesting on Southern Writer’s Magazine’s “Southern T” website. 

 I also have a book giveaway for “Empty Arms” going on here: Empty Arms by Erika Liodice