My Life in a Nutshell

 Some time back one of the bloggers, Brenda, asked if I would give some info on myself like where I live, favorite place and where I grew up etc. I'm at a total loss as to which blog Brenda has so if you are reading this, Brenda, let us know where you are.

Well, here goes. 

I was born in 1934 in Alabama to a newly widowed mother. We lived with my grandparents because Mom had to work and heaven forbid she have her own apartment in town! A single woman. That was unheard of back in those days. 

Me with my grandparents and hen that was wandering around. 

I married when I was 16 to a Navy man! Handsome, the most kind, gentle and happy person ever. We were married 60 years. 

This picture was made shortly after we were married.

20 of those years I followed him around, when I could, to various bases so I've lived in a lot of places. All of my babies were born in different states.

I had 5 children, 3 girls, 2 boys. One of my sons died when he was 3 months old. I was all of 20 years old when we had to bury our baby. That was tough.

My husband retired from the Navy in 1969 and we moved back to our hometown. Stayed there 30 years and then moved to Wakefield, Virginia where a daughter and her family lived. ( I now live in a nearby town)

My husband died in 2011 after years of battling Alzheimers. 

As for favorite places: We lived in Honolulu, Hawaii for awhile. That was a cool place and could be classified as a favorite! 

my two daughters standing outside our apartment in Honolulu

Then we moved on to Midway Island. That was not a favorite place but one that was so different and unusual that I  had to mention it. 

We are about to board a plane bringing us back to the U. S. after our stint on Midway Island.

If I could have, when I was younger, I would have lived for awhile in Paris, France. My favorite place!! I've been twice on short visits and if I had the energy I'd go back again. I can just imagine going out every day, grabbing a pastry and some tea and sitting at one of those sidewalk cafes for hours maybe reading a bit, watching passersby and listening to music being played out on the street. Scents of flowers fill the air. They are in big bins lining the sidewalk. But, alas that is just a fantasy! 

1986 Susan and I are in Paris.

I've always been involved in learning, going to museums, etc. I paint, I write, I enjoy classical music and I used to quilt all the time. Nowdays I blog, I watch tv, read, paint and just putter around in my apartment alone. 

                   Glad I have my blogging buddies to keep me company. 

                                                                                                                   Latane

German Chocolate Cake

                  Guess what I have been doing? 

I have been scanning and then saving my recipes to my pictures on my computer. I already had several but decided I needed to do the rest of them. Goodness knows I need another project!! 😉

My daughter asked me why!! Good question. But, when someone wants a recipe from me I can just email or message it. When I want to share a dish with all of you... I just load it into my post. 

Even though I don't cook like I used to I do enjoy trying new recipes. Some I keep... some go right into the trashcan. 

All of my recipes are on file cards and I store them in a file box. 

Then when I am ready to use one, I clip it in my duck's beak so I have it handy to refer to as I cook. 

Oh, golly,  my duck needs a bath!! and it would help if I painted an eye on there!

I picked up that cute little duck years and years ago at a yard sale. Good buy!

So, today I will share one of my recipes with you. 

It is sooooo good. Wish I had a piece right this minute. 

We were living on Midway Island (back in the late 1950s) the first time I ever heard of German Chocolate Cake. My step-sister sent me the recipe and it is still a family favorite. 

Finding Yourself

 We gals have all led lives that were and are filled with giving and caring. When my husband died in 2011 after 11 years of Alzheimers, I rattled around in our big house just wondering what I was supposed to do next. It was very unsettling. 

I'd been a wife, a mother, a caregiver, a caretaker, a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker... Whoops got off on a nursery rhyme tangent there! But, you get the picture. 

I did not know who I was supposed to be. Some months of therapy helped. Then I started reading self-discovery books. The ones that helped the most were "The Artist's Way" and 'The Original me". 

It's been quite a journey and one I would not have missed for anything! Every day, through every new door opening to me I became more aware of who I was as a person. The real me!! and I am still seeking and searching for new and exciting facets of my life. 

I am ticked that all this happened so late in my life. But, there is a time and place for everything under the sun. And, this was my time. 

I hope you girls will start on your own journey to becoming your authentic self. You just might be surprised at what lies deep inside of you.

A Fun Saturday

 Wow, yesterday was fun!

The family couldn't get together for Easter so one week later we met at my granddaughter's home for a taco party! Complete switch from the traditional ham and potato salad, wouldn't you think! It was delish! 

We always get entertained by my great-grandson, Dylan. He taught himself to play the piano when he was about 11. At 14 he won the National Beta Club instrumental contest in Orlando, Florida. So, the entertainment is delightful and we are so proud of him.

As we headed home we stopped at Quail Cove Farm Store in Machipongo, Va. Oh, my gosh... I could have spent a fortune in that place! They are organic farmers and besides their produce they carry all those things you can't find in a regular grocer. I wish that place was right around the corner from me but alas it is about an hour and a half drive from my apartment. 

I bought 2 chicken pot pies, a jar of local honey, a bag of red lentils (I have a recipe I want to try), colby cheese (that's my favorite and oft times the grocery store's brand just doesn't taste much like Colby). I haven't tried it yet but I just know it's gonna be great. I found some German bologna and of course, I had to have that. I used to buy Garlic bologna at my grocer but they quit carrying it. I had a sandwich when I got home and YUM! seems like there was something else I bought but it doesn't pop into my head at the moment.. 

Here are some pictures from the place: Not mine. I 'borrowed' them from Quail Cove website. Hope they don't mind. 

I have to go visit my granddaughter more often. Or perhaps I can get her to pick stuff up for me. 

Y'all take care... have a great week coming up. 

My Fill of Breakfast Food

 Hi there,

Long time no see! I am struggling so much with what to post so I just don't post. I'm gonna have to come up with something.... let's see. 

I have a lady that comes once a month. I am not sure what her title is since dau. Susan was the one who found her. Bless her heart, Susan thought I needed more help. This lady does a ton of different things but I do my own cooking, laundry, straightening up (have a housekeeper come in to do the rough stuff) This gal  also is a pseudo-therapist/life-coach.

I like her company so much that I just couldn't tell her no so I finally said, "you can be my life-coach. Keep me focused on what I want out of life". I think we do more just visiting than any thing else but that's alright, too. We all need someone who loves to listen as well as talk. 

Anyway... we went to First Watch the other day for a late breakfast. I said, when they opened that place, I was going to go until I had tried every item on that menu and I am well on my way. 

I got the Chile Chorizo Omelet... So good.

             My friend/life-coach had the Eggs Benedict. 

I wonder what I'll order next time. 

Well, now, wasn't that just the most boring post you've read lately? Like I say, my post "well" has run dry! But, I'll keep posting something!! 

Happy Easter

Sending a very blessed and happy Easter to each of my blogging buddies!