My Good Friday

                                                            Good Friday!!

I woke up this morning and jumped outta bed. I had places to go today. Well, just one place but it's one I have participated in on Good Friday more years than I care to remember! 

                                          It was Shirley's Easter Bake Sale. 

She's been doing it for around 40 years and yes, she retired the beginning of last year. Ha Ha.  Couldn't stand not being in that kitchen so she is doing a much scaled-down version now. 

She added two new vendors to her show. Her daughter, Brittany, that makes cheesecakes in a jar, Fig preserves and several different 'heat' selections of Pepper Jelly. A very successful day for her today. I got a cherry cheesecake and chose a mild pepper jelly. I like it served atop cream cheese on crackers. 

And, there was a young lady named Madison who is just starting her business. She makes sour dough bread, dinner rolls and cookies. My selections from Madison were cookies and dinner rolls. Can't wait to heat a couple of those up and slather them with butter. That may be my supper tonight! 

People were lined up down the sidewalk waiting for the doors to open. Madison sold out in about 30 minutes!! Brittany had more products than Madison but she sold a lot and of course, Shirley sold all her chick cookies and people were still asking for John's fudge long after it was gone. I didn't even get any of theirs! 😞

I saw several people I had known when I lived in Wakefield. Couldn't remember their names!! But, I hadn't seen them in forever so I will blame that and not my age on my forgetfulness!. Isn't it funny how you forget things you don't think about often and it happens so much more often at this stage of my life. But, hey, I drove up there (30 miles), made myself useful, saw some friends, ate lunch with my family after the crowd of customers dwindled down and then I drove home. I got here, piled up on my bed and read my new Southern Living Magazine. 

                                            It was a good day! 

I think I will go in the kitchen and heat up a couple of those dinner rolls.... 

Easter Door Wreath

 I finally got around to adding my Easter stuff to my front door wreath. Sometimes I just put things off but I've been busy, y'all.. 

I've gone through every shelf, drawer, closet you name it, I been through it. I have tossed out 2 garbage bags full of just junk. Why do we hang on to things that we can't use, don't want (but somebody gave me that, they might wonder where it went) etc. etc. etc.  

So, yes, I have been busy. And, in my dragging out I ran across a couple Easter items and added them to my wreath. I mean, Easter is one week away! But, I'll enjoy them that one week and perhaps anyone else passing my door will too. 

it was the lillies and the eggs that I added. Makes it look more Eastery. 

What are y'all doing for Easter? 

I'm not sure just yet. 

Enjoying Our Surroundings

 It's cold this morning. We had a bunch of rain yesterday so it's not a good idea to plan on sitting on the balcony today. Wind has picked up, too. Makes for a miserable time. 

I do enjoy my balcony. I love to sit there and watch all the things God has given us to enjoy. The other day I noticed a couple of Mallards on the pond. I think it is so odd that in most of nature the male outshines the female. But, as a human, and a woman I think we outshine the men!! Right, girls? 

Sometimes late in the afternoon, a black cat will come creeping out of the woods and sits on the bank of the pond to sun herself. I am not sure who she belongs to.. there is a church and a school on the other side of the woods so perhaps she is the rat catcher for those places. She'll sit there for ever so long and then she just casually strolls back through the trees and is gone until the next afternoon. 

I hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday. I hope your day is sunny and bright.... and warm! Take good care of yourselves. See you again soon. 

Choosing Healthy over not so Healthy

 I couldn't help but drool over these photos as I was scanning through some earlier pictures. I mean, who could resist these pastries! I am afraid I have a sweet tooth when it comes to certain things that I shouldn't eat. Is it because I shouldn't have them that gives me such a craving or am I just a nut for sugary things?

Who knows.... But, just look at these. Could you forego any of them? 

At least I ate something healthy last night. Tried a new recipe. I just don't know how food photographers make food look so good! Compare the pictures. First the one I discovered on facebook...

Then here is mine. 

The pictures may not look the same but it was a very refreshing, tasty salad. I'll have to make it again sometime. 

Oh, in case you are wondering. It's chicken, avocado slices, blackberries, strawberries, crispy-fried goat cheese, candied pecans on a bed of lettuce and drizzled with balsamic vinargrette. 

Parties Galore!

 It's Tuesday Morning....

Oh, I guess you already knew that. Just thought I'd say so if you didn't. hehe.

Things are going well. After all I've been through for the past 10 months I am feeling MYSELF again. Ready and raring to go! And, go I will... but darn... it's another doctor appt. This time it's a checkup with the oncologist. 

But, first I will stop in at the March Birthday Party going on at noon today in the Commons Room. 

Sunday a small group met to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. We had all the Irish we could take. 😋The corned beef, cabbage, sauerkraut to make a rueben if you wished. Irish potatoes. Pies galore. I made a big bowl of green beans and they were soon gone. We wore green and just had a grand ole  time. 

A golden coin or two was hidden under the hats at each seating. If you got one .... you were lucky!! 

You got on the clean up crew! 😠

                                                                      It's Spring!!

Make it a happy one!

St. Patrick's Day

 I always thought I was probably of Irish descent. Just felt it in my bones so in 1996 I went to Ireland. I felt right at home so my assumption must be correct!!

                                                                   NOT...

Did my DNA and there's very little Irish in me. I'm mostly English with smatters of Scotch, German and maybe a drop of other things here and there. Well, durn!!

                                                              HOWEVER...

I still celebrate St. Patrick's Day. That wee bit of Irish blood in me (although it is centuries old) speaks loud and clear to this day. 

           To all my Irish friends and those like me who think they are Irish..

Happy St. Patty's Day

Joy, Joy, Joy!

It's been a good time, a fun time, a time of loving and learning....

Susan and Owen (he's 30, 6'5" tall and has severe autism) spent some time with me this week. Owen doesn't travel well so he had not been down for 12-13 years. Of course, I'd go spend time with him and he kept asking his Mom, 'Go to Virginia. See Grandma'. 

Yes indeed, Owen, and we had a wonderful visit. Not much picture taking but here one of him and his Mom taken elsewhere.

He loved going to Sonic for cheese tater tots and strawberry milk shakes! The tater tots I could do without but those milk shakes are too good to pass up.

Too soon it was time for them to go. Shirley came down to say goodbye to them as well. Owen took my picture with my two sweet daughters.

My week also included two doctor visits.

Had my 1 month 'after radiation' checkup and it went super. My next appointment in this clinic is not for 6 months!! Yippee

I also had two Plantar's warts taken off my left foot. 

Just a week filled with so many joys and I'd even list that foot surgery as a joy. 

I'm just one happy camper. 

Missed you guys. I'll try to catch up soon. 

Can't Beat An Old Country Store!

 Sometimes GPSs are more trouble than they are worth!! 

On Tuesday Shirley and I was trying to find a little country store about 15 miles from my apartment and I've never seen so many twists and turns on this little bitty narrow country road. There's no way I could ever find it on my own and the GPS wasn't too much help.

This place is well-known, lots of people go there. It's small, crowded, not a lot of space but crammed full of all sorts of things to eat. 

I don't or won't cook much just for myself. So, I am always on the lookout for ready-to-eat stuff I can warm up. 

I bought some home-grown sausage. Can't wait to try that. I sure hope it is good.

I bought a home-made frozen chicken pot pie. Way too big for me but I have company coming!! 

I got some chicken salad which was pretty darn good. 

And, a dozen deviled eggs. Gee, it's nice to be able to just open the fridge and get one out when I want it.  I didn't have to peel one single egg!! Yippee!

And, I got Hoop Cheese.

For those of you who don't know what hoop cheese is... Hoop cheese is farmer made, not produced manufacturally and can be difficult to find because it has a short shelf life. It used to be a common cheese product in the Southern United States in the early to mid 1900s. It's dark yellow, a bit chewy, stringy when heated. I was thrilled to see it and got 1/4 lb. should have gotten more. Had me some Hoop Cheese Toast this morning. Yummy.

Now, there is a story behind my excitement in finding it. When I was a teenager, my mom and stepdad owned a dry cleaning establishment. When I would go with them for a day my stepdad would drive up to a nearby store and buy hoop cheese and crackers plus stuff for us to make a sandwich for our lunch. I don't think I've had hoop cheese since that time. 

Seeing it in Darden's store was like walking back into my youth. 

Tea and Phil

Some time back I got this adorable box of assorted tea bags from a sweet friend. Never had seen anything like it! Each bag was triangular with a leaf attached to the end of the 'string'. Easy to lift out of a cup, that's for sure. 

So, this morning I have been enjoying some jasmine tea. I really ought to be getting ready for an outing with daughter Shirley but here I sit in front of my computer telling you about my tea! Sometimes I surprise myself at how caught up I get with blogging, other times I am MIA. 

I have been enjoying a new season of  'Somebody Feed Phil' on Netflix. I love the cuisine of different countries and the interesting things Phil gets into... and how he fusses at his brother who is either a director or producer (anyway he's in the background) when brother Richard has him do ridiculous things, like don a warm suit to go into a pool when it's 1 degree temp outside. I find this entertaining and educational. Love being both. 

I tried a bit of a twist on my breakfast... oh darn... I didn't make a picture of it and it's long gone! But, I sliced up some gruyere cheese 

and chopped onions into my scrambled egg. Added some dried basil and served it alongside some tomato salsa. Pretty tasty. 

Now, I really must get up from here and get ready for my outing. She's gonna be here and waiting if I don't get off my butt. Can't have that happen. I think we are having lunch and then go to a farm market... I will remember to take pictures!! 

You all have a fabulous day! Enjoy every second of it. I intend to. 

Life Is A Gift

 Call me weird, call me crazy, whatever... but I follow the obituaries in my home town paper. I haven't lived there for 24 years and I am finding that just about everyone I knew back there are gone now.  Sort of sets you back a bit, knowing they aren't here but you are. 

The other day I was scanning down the list of the departed and I got to noticing the ages. Yes, I know people are living longer these days but for some reason that particular day the ages were: 64 - 57- 72- 19 etc. 

And, it hit me. I could have been gone long ago so I have received a gift from God to live all these extra years! 

I just wanted to share that little thought with you on this Sunday afternoon. We all are given gifts of life. Some are short, some are long. God makes that decision. It's how we use that life that is important. 

I just want to thank God for my life ...

and, man, I hope He doesn't have me on the check-out list anytime soon!!

The Golden Goose That Laid the Golden Egg

 Mid-February we held our activity planning meeting and came up with a few great ideas for the residents here at The Commons at Centerbrooke to enjoy. 

This one lasts all month long and how cute it is!! A golden egg will be hidden each day. The resident who finds it gets a prize. 

I couldn't be happier that a good, good friend of mine found that golden egg on March 1st. 

Her name is Evelyn. She's a retired nurse, a good Christian woman, a good friend and has such a sweet, giving heart. 

I got the biggest kick out of her gift to me on my birthday. It was a card with a fake million dollar bill inside. (along with some real money) 'cause she said I was worth a million dollars to her. Now isn't that the sweetest, and so clever! 

I have made such good friends since moving into this 55+ apartment complex. Don't see the younger ones much since they are off working or shopping or whatever it is younger folks do. I've forgotten what that is like!! But, those closer my age, now we have a good time. Yes, we complain about our aches and pains but we are there for each other through thick and thin. And, we know how to party when it's time to party!!