WK 30 HODGE PODGE

JOINING JOYCE AND GROUP, PUTTING MY TWO CENTS ANSWERING HER QUESTIONS:

1. The Summer Olympics officially begin this Friday night...AND I'LL BE WATCHING...WILL YOU? I'D LOVE TO SEE THE GYMNASTICS EVENTS IN PERSON

2.  Lazy days make ME FEEL RESTED, WONDERING WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING

3. July 25th is 'officially' Threading the Needle Day...I CAN SEW SOME...NOTHING TOO DIFFICULT. 

I ONCE MADE A CIVIL WAR CONFEDERATE UNIFORM FOR COLLEGEGIRL TO WEAR IN A 4TH GRADE CHORUS SHOW...

AND A TEA COZY FOR A GIRLFRIEND. 

I'M PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND A 5 ON THE 1-10 SCALE.

4. 'Threading the Needle' can also mean to walk a fine line between two things or issues (think awkward social situation). The last time you had to 'thread the needle' ...WHILE PUTTING OUT THE GARBAGE LAST NIGHT AROUND 9PM, MY HEART ALMOST JUMPED OUT OF MY CHEST AFTER A LARGE, BLACK DOG CHARGED ME FROM OUR DARKEST SIDEYARD! 

I KEEP A VERY LARGE WALKING STICK IN MY GARAGE, SO I GRABBED IT IN CASE HE CAME WITHIN HITTING DISTANCE. 

CARRYING THE STICK WITH ME, I CONTINUED TO ROLL THE CANS TO THE STREET.

HE BACKED OFF...MEANWHILE, HIS OWNER CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET WHILE YELLING FOR HIM TO RETURN TO THEIR FENCED BACKYARD.


EVERY PART OF ME WANTED TO ANNOUNCE TO MY NEIGHBOR THAT MY NERVES HAD JUST BEEN SHATTERED
BUT I DECIDED TO 'SPEAK TO MYSELF'...
MUMBLING: "IF I HAD BEEN PACKING, HE WOULD HAVE 'BEEN NO MORE!"

SO GLAD I DIDN'T BLURT OUT MY GUT REACTION
HIS SCARING ME TO DEATH
AND MY UNHAPPINESS OF THEIR NOT FOLLOWING OUR LOCAL LEASH LAWS. 
BUT IF THERE IS A NEXT TIME, WE WILL BE HAVING A NEIGHBORLY DISCUSSION.

5. Kidney, pinto, black, or navy...BEING FROM THE SOUTH WHERE MANY BEANS ARE IN SEASON, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CHOOSE A FAVORITE. 
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT IS A TIE BETWEEN GREAT NORTHERNS AND FRESH LIMA BEANS
(WITH SOME PORK FOR SEASONING, OF COURSE)!

6. Have you ever hosted a garage sale?  THROUGHOUT MY YEARS OF HOME OWNERSHIP, I HAVE HOSTED TWO GARAGE SALES...
ONCE WHEN I WAS RENTING MY SISTER'S OLD HOUSE ...
I MADE OVER $500 IN ONE DAY, MY BEST SELLER: OLD STEREO ALBUMS, OLD POTS/DISHES. 

THE SECOND SALE WAS AFTER MY DAUGHTER STARTED SCHOOL,
AND I SOLD A LOT OF HER BABY THINGS. 
THAT SALE WAS NOT AS SUCCESSFUL ONLY $300,
GETTING RID OF LOTS OF MATERNITY CLOTHES, BABY TOYS AND UNWANTED FURNITURE.

7. MY EYES BEGIN TO ROLL IN MY HEAD:  WHEN I GET TO HEAR MY HUBBY MAKE COMMENT ABOUT HOW MUCH STUFF I HAVE IN THE BASEMENT...
THAT DIDN'T SELL AT THE GARAGE SALES, HAHAHAH!

8. MY RANDOM THOUGHT:   TODAY I BOUGHT A BOAT-LOAD OF VEGGIES AT A LOCAL SIDE-OF-THE-ROAD MARKET ...
purple hulled peas, corn, okra, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, sweet potatoes, zipper peas, pink-eyed purple hulled peas, crowder peas, lettuce, a pint of strawberries and two cantaloupes. 
I LOVE SUMMER-TIME VEGGIES! 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VEGGIE TO 'OVER-INDULGE IN' THIS TIME OF YEAR?

John 8:31  "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

REALLY RANDOM

Randomness...
there is no plan to this blog

probably opposite of what next week is going to be 

I did buy some groceries today that will help me shorten the amount of time in the kitchen next week.  Food Lion had bread cubes buy one get one free, so I got those.  And, their 'pre-made' cornbread was also BOGOF...so I got two of those.  

This WILL greatly decrease the amount of time when making my southern dressing.  I'll be able to leave the bread cubes out overnight on a baking sheet and then combine them with the cornbread and spices, oil, eggs and other items on Wednesday, to let them meld together before baking off the dressing.  

(Hubs is having some 'day surgery' next week, so I'm not sure how much extra time I'll get to have in the kitchen. )

Other than the breads, I got several 'last day' manager specials (pork loin, pork chops). Pop Tarts were on sale, so BabyGirl will like that I have those on hand for her home visit.

Picked up and dropped off shirts at the laundry then headed home and vacuumed.  

'Our team' wasn't being televised this week, so I wasn't as compelled to watch the college games.  

Just thinking outloud...maybe I think I'll get BabyGirl to choose a dessert she can make for Thursday...she's coming home tomorrow afternoon and i might as well get her involved, too.

Sunday afternoon is going to be this week's laundry day for me (it usually is on Mondays).

I've got to make an appointment to 'cut these hairs on my head'.  I've let it get too long...I sure hope Jaimie is cutting sometime next week.

There's work for me to do at the church on Tuesday morning; shouldn't take long; I'm glad it's not too big of a job.

Oh, and the furnace man is coming sometime Monday to do a 'general maintenance' before the weather turns colder.

My Bible study class is NOT meeting next week, so I'll have a few more days to work on the study and the outline for our next time together.

Finished another knitted hat today...not really sure what I'm going to do with it.  

I've got to start thinking more about Christmas...I only have a very few things bought and/or made...maybe this will help...BRASSY APPLE has 52 neighborly gifts listed for Christmas...thought you might like to download it, too.

and


Miss Gracie's House is hosting a giveaway...Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts...go check it out before the drawing is closed.


Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." 

Blessings,

RANDOMNESS...and cold meds

LAST NIGHT I:

 Blessings,

RANDOM DOZEN returnzzzzzz

JOIN US over @ 2nd Cup…she has all the questions spelled out verbatim…I've trimmed them just for “reading quickly’s sake”

Share your random dozen answers and link up at Lid's today!!


1.fav fair food:  grilled turkey leg
2. need to let go of:  2 many 2 decide
3. favorite gift:  teen talks
4. tried something new: made stuffed pabalanos…YUM!
5. fav/least book genre:  Political Intrigue...gag
6.Silver...has to match my hair now.
7. makes me sigh: good advice being taken & good advice being wasted
8. If I didn’t know my age, I’d claim: 45
9. break a law to save family: probably not
10. teach: American sign language
11. friends ‘dissing’ another friend: listen and wonder what they say about me
12. Love Language: Words/Affirmation

RANDOM...please come play, too!

What color are your socks right now? No socks ...just me toes-ies.

What are you listening to right now? The fan beside my chair as it 'whirs' round and round next to my recliner as I type...hearing the little clicks, too.
What was the last thing you ate? I ate leftover 'chessmen' banana pudding for breakfast...having rolled very late out of bed this morning.

Can you drive a stick? Yes...my Daddy required me to learn sticks before I could drive the REAL car. Yep, it looked like this:

Last person you spoke to on the phone? Hubby...his doctor's office called to confirm and appointment and I had to pass along his message to him at work.

How old are you today? 51 is my blessed number...and an 11-year colon cancer survivor

What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? NCAA FOOTBALL!

What is your favorite drink? RECENTLY found 'blue coconut' slushies at SONIC ;)...guaranteed brainfreeze EVERY time!...that's what I'm talkin' about!

Have you ever dyed your hair? Can't count the number

Favorite food? I love thin, extra crispy pizza...artichokes, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella...yum!

What is the last movie you watched? Pearl Harbor...

on cable.

Can't remember what I saw at the movie theatre last...will have to ask dearestDaughter when she gets home...her memory is better than mine.

Favorite day of the year? EASTER...He IS RISEN!

How do you vent anger? "sometimes"...it's according to what time of day it is and whether or not my 'mones' are causing me to struggle. My 'lettuce' moments (as my bloggin' buddies and I call them) are fewer than more, though. Go here for a "lettuce" moment explanation, hahahaha!

What was your favorite toy as a child? Always loved me ViewMaster ... seeing pics from around the world or cartoons...it didn't matter to me...I loved them all. Guess that is part of my love with my camera today.

Favorite Season? Fall!

Cherries or Blueberries? blueberries...and BLACK CHERRIES!

Living situation? Paying a mortgage, married, readying for college expenses and hitting every thrift store I can find

When was the last time you cried? I believe it was day before yesterday.

What is on the floor of your closet right now? A myriad of craft items needing to be put back in their 'stacked' drawer container that had to be used for toiletries during the bathroom renovation. Did you have to bring this up?

What are you most afraid of? "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:18-19)

Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? cheese!

Favorite dog breed? schnauzers

Favorite day of the week? ditto...Sunday - there's nothing better than worshipping the Risen Lord with your church family!

How many states have you lived in? I'm a tried and true Georgia Peach

Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds!

What is your favorite flower? Tulips...and daisies that don't stink.

Did you get an H1N1 vaccine? Nope

So I got this from CARRIE...who got it from Amy, who got it from Marsha, who got it from Meredith, who got it from Melissa ...

Come on! You know you want to join in, too!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

RANDOM DOZEN: calling ALL dozenettes!

Last week Liddiehad a milestone, 92 Random Dozenettes...such fun we have...Here are her questions for this week:

1. Hosting a party gives me two GREAT things...a.) getting my house CLEANED UP and b.)GETTING to SET THE THEME for the fun time...the graduation party for DD has REALLY taken its toll on me; I'm exhausted from head to toe.

2. My most memorable party was my 50th (that I thought was a 'youth counselor-spouse party') but in reality it was my surprise party...I surprised them by showing up in the house without their knowing I had come in...I surprised them all by saying "I got the time wrong again, ya'll are already eating and I'm just now walking in the door...did you start at 7?" The hostess's eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw me...they didn't get to say 'surprise' because their talking was so loud they couldn't hear hubbie's call ringing(letting them know we were pulling in the driveway). hahahaha! They celebrated the beginning of my 'jubilee year'giving me all the 'normal, over-the-hill, things: rhinestone reading glasses, a tiara, mints in prescription bottles; fans for hot flashes; and tons of my 'old pictures' sitting around the room, reminding me how I 'used to look'!

The BEST thing about my birthday this year...it SNOWED!

3. What is one thing you hope for in the after-life? Getting to finally be in His presence...WOW!

4. What do you enjoy most about sunshine? seeing it shine through the clouds forming rainbows and rays across the horizon...this is a RAINBOW standing over our church as we were coming out from saying 'goodbye' to our seniors...another reminder of His blessings for them.

5. When you attend a bridal/baby shower, do you prefer to bring your own gift or chip in with others to buy a larger gift? chipping in is certainly easier for me and gets the 'larger' items that they might not have gotten

6. Would you rather have a FREE week of having your house cleaned or all of your meals cooked for you and your family? being cleaned gets my vote...i don't have any trouble throwing meals onto the table. I keep enough in my freezer to whip up two or three dinners at any given moment, and they usually only take 30-45 mins...piece of cake.

7. What song describes your mood today? THANKFUL, Kelly Clarkson

8. What is something you received for your own bridal shower/wedding you still own or use? Used the large, silver tray my mother-and-father-in-law gave us with the coffee/tea service...dd's graduation cake sat on it during her "Romanesque Italia" party!

9. Your favorite flavor of ice cream is? BLACK CHERRY in a waffle cone from Bruster's

10. When was the last time you felt "tested?" Holding my tongue a couple of weeks ago when friends were trying to talk hubby into letting DD take her car to school in the Fall. (she's got a good driving record; FINDING OTHERS TO DRIVE HER may NOT, I prefer she HAS her car)

11. "Soy Crisps" are one of my FAV snacks in a small bag...it is DEFINITELY a food once I start eating I find really hard to stop munching." They're baked and made from soy, so they count as a 'protein'.

12. "Visitors coming to my house" is the best motivation for 'ramping up' my cleaning; it's just NOT as important as it used to be when DD was younger.

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

RANDOM DOZEN...Wk20

Current date info
Today's date is:	Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Week of the year:	20 of 52
Day of the year:	138 of 365

Questions	ANSWERS
1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?	Rice-a-Roni Jambalaya (low salt), shrimp, red beans, cumin and cilantro, canned diced tomatoes w/ mild green chiles
2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)	Distance glasses and reading glasses…yes, I HAVE to have them.
3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?	The seashore…under an umbrella with a good book, sunglasses and my camera and a tall, cold drink taking in the sound of the waves and gentle seabreezes
4. Share one factoid of your family's history.	My grandfather had many jobs throughout the years: farmer, mailman, and saw miller.
5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...."	…was fainting many times in a day; so I got to go to St. Joseph’s hospital at the age of 3 to have an EEG. The nurses were nuns who wore habits; I had never seen a nun before that day. It probably helped keep me occupied watching them…they seemed to glide across the floor. Anyway, they determined I had EXTREMELY low blood pressure and did not have epilepsy. I outgrew as I got older, but then later found out I had a slight heart murmur.
6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?	Manuka Honey…a miraculous, God-given, honey able to right my wrong digestion issues, heal skin abrasions and sweeten my tea.
7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."	bizarre, off-the-wall, weird…hhhhmmmmm: I like to eat wasabi on my sandwiches
8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?	Probably…something at the thrift store on a Monday…it’s half price day!
9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...."	…getting to be with our youth and enjoying their spontaneity, especially on long bus rides.
10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?	Have my hair cut/highlighted before 100 or so people descend on our open house so the pictures won’t look like I just crawled out from under the refrigerator…which I probably just did do.
11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?	Smile and mean it
12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?	My yard will be getting the ‘once over’ tomorrow…and it WON’T be me doing the work. Bushes trimmed, edging, lawn cut, trees trimmed, new pine straw…getting prettied up for graduation week

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

RANDOM DOZEN

Today's date is:	Wed., May 12th, 2010
Week of the year:	19 of 52

COME JOIN IN WITH ALL OF US "DOZENETTES" AND LIDDIE:

1. Please share one memory of your high school graduation. Pics would be great!

I REMEMBER HATING THE COLOR OF OUR ROBES...WASHED ME OUT, YES, IT DID!

WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION AWARDED ME WITH 'THE I DARE YOU' AWARD OF LEADERSHIP...THERE WAS A GIRL AND A BOY AWARD. MY LIFE-LONG FRIEND, CAM, RECEIVED THE BOY'S AWARD. THE BOOK I'M HOLDING HAS A SPECIAL SPOT ON MY OFFICE BOOK SHELF STILL.

2. What is one "emergency use" item you keep in your vehicle at all times? A WINDOW-BREAKING HAMMER IS IN MY GLOVE BOX...AND JUMPER CABLES ARE IN MY SPARE TIRE WELL.

3. In your region, do you celebrate graduation open houses? Addendum: (If so,) how many open houses/bridal showers/weddings are on your upcoming events calendar? WE'LL BE HAVING ONE OF THESE AT OUR HOUSE...AND SO FAR, WE HAVE SIX OTHER INVITATIONS IN HAND. WILL PROBABLY RECEIVE 5 OR 6 MORE BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK.

4. Tell me one truth you believe about motherhood. THE RICHEST BLESSING I'VE EVER RECEIVED.

5. What was the last thing you broke? WHILE WARMING A BAKED CHICKEN IN MY TOASTER OVEN ON SATURDAY, MY MOST FAVORITE OVAL PLATTER FROM MY EVERYDAY WARE POPPED RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. IT IS NO MORE.

6. On average, how many pieces of junk mail do you receive daily? PROBABLY AVERAGE AROUND 4-5 PIECES PER DAY...THEIR PAPER MAKES NEAT CRAFTS WITH FOR OTHERS.

7. Do you like to shop by catalog? USED TO SHOP BY CATALOG, NOW I SHOP ON THE INTERNET...EBAY, AMAZON AND OVERSTOCK ARE AWESOMELY QUICK.

8. Is lawn maintenance at your house a "his job," a "her job" or "his/her job" or "that's why we have teenagers" job? SPREAD IT AMONGST ALL OF US...SOME WEEKS ME, SOME WEEKS HUBS, AND SOMETIMES DD

9. Which room would you like to redecorate in your home? MY DEN/BREAKFAST ROOM PLEASE...ARE YOU GOING TO SEND SOMEONE MY WAY TO HANDLE THE PLANNING AND FINANCING? WOULD SO LOVE TO WAVE A WAND AND HAVE IT COMPLETED BEFORE THE OPEN HOUSE...BUT, HEY, WE CAN ALL DREAM.

10. Do you read a newspaper regularly, or do you read most of your news on line? READ NEWS MAGAZINES, INTERNET SITES AND WATCH THE EVENING NEWS WHEN I'M READY TO PUT MY FEET UP FOR A BIT.

11. Do you believe everything happens for a reason? GOD'S PROVIDENT; LOTS OF THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND AND HAVE TO JUST TAKE ON FAITH THAT HE KNOWS BEST...THE BIG ROBERT YOUNG IN THE SKY, HE IS, EXCEPT EVEN BETTER!

12. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? MY DADDY ALWAYS SAID DO THE RIGHT THINGS THE RIGHT WAY...ANYMORE QUESTIONS?

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Blessings,

FLASHBACK FRIDAY#9 and FILL IN#175

#175

alt="fridayfillin.gif">

And...here we go!

1. Salsa and _very thin tortilla chips make be very happy while I'm eating them; however, the weight they bring doesn't bring that same emotion. So, I eat "soy crisps" and salsa...awesomely crispy and they're baked, not fried!

__.

2. _One of my favorite memories as a child was the first Krystal hamburger I ever ate...steamy buns, small burgers __ and you've even got mustard.
3. By the time I get home _from a day of thrift store shopping I'm yearning to grab an ice coffee, kicking back in my recliner and letting my legs catch some zzzzzz's_.
4. _Seeing what kind of deals I can find with the 'manager's specials' on items close to their disposal date (usually I get GREAT meat deals)_ is what I look forward to most when grocery shopping.
5. And I was dreaming _about our first trip to southern California when dd was eight years old; we enjoyed phenomenal fresh fruits and time on the rocky beaches while her Daddy was working during the day__.
6. _Hugs and love from my daughter_...is there anything else better?!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _hearing about the happenings at RELAY FOR LIFE (taking place at our fairgrounds; it's usually one of the LARGEST money generators of all the walks for the American Cancer Society). With all my senior-itis stuff to do, I'm taking a break from the walk this year but I'll be back representing the survivors next year, God willing_, tomorrow my plans include _more throwing out clothing and stuff from the maze of things out of my large master closet...they are are NOT GOING BACK into the closet. Tomorrow will include a lot of boxes and large garbage bags_ and Sunday, I want to _enjoy celebrating Mother's Day and Senior Sunday @ church...DD and all her classmates' pictures will be in the bulletin ...this is REALLY happening__!

IT's TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK...Tell us about the teachers from your school days. (Just share about favorites this week; we'll visit the not-so-stellar teacher memories another day!)

MY FLASHBACK:

Who were your favorites & why?

high school band teacher (young, energetic, liked doing things outside the box, challenged us to give 110% and to ALWAYS be "on")

How did they influence your life, your occupation, or another aspect? His believing in my to be drum major, sending me to a two-week school at FSU (field directing, conducting, writing half-time shows, verbal/whistle commands) taught me hard work, concentration and being fully committed makes you VERY successful...I won BEST in camp (out of 60 drum majors)...I was excited. My ability to interact with adults and students changed after this experience because my confidence level was busting at the seams. Those same work principles helped me succeed in college and throughout my career in communications. I still enjoy playing my horn and several other instruments (every now and then)...they give me lots of comfort.

Have you ever gone back & seen a favorite teacher to express your appreciation? I went back a couple of times after graduating...I referred my band teacher for a job with our communcations company later, and he's still working there today :).

Do you still keep up with any of your teachers? I 'Facebook' with my band teacher and have run into one of my college professors at a local sandwich shop...he lives close to my house. They're both 'grandpas' now and it's fun to hear life from that perspective, and "they look mah-velous", hahaha

Was Teacher Appreciation Day/Week celebrated when you were in school?

Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only; then National Educators' Association continued to observe Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. SO, it wasn't recognized in my time in school; but, I remember my Mom ALWAYS had gifts and cards for me to give to my homeroom teachers at the end of each year and on special holidays.

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

RANDOM 'BAKERS' DOZEN...added one!

Joining Liddie @ 2nd Cup of Coffee...

My last procrastinated thing: getting ALL the addresses ready for the upcoming high school graduation. You'd think it would be easy to locate the latest/greatest address information with today's digital, online information...but, it took longer than I thought it would take. And truth be known, we're still holding a few announcements waiting on feedback from emails I had to send to be sure (now that stamps cost and arm & a leg...) DD sat last night assembling envelopes with all the contents...signature card, senior picture, open house invitation, formal announcement, internal envelope.

Falling asleep is a rather easy thing for me...in the chair, on the couch, driving down the highway sitting in the car at a red light...however, sleeping through the night is somewhere buried in my past...sometimes, I'm fortunate to get five hours in a row...(sorry, I was yawning)...but, usually only four.

The classic 50's/60's decade exemplifies my favorite fashion styles. DISCLAIMER: One MUST realize One LOVEs these; BUT, ONE DOESN'T have a body for these. Dreaming is a lavish theatre in ONE's mind !! :)

4. Skoots1Mom's personal best dish to feed a crowd is from SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE's 2005 lineup. Her small group asks for it each year before the NEW YEARS' gathering...YUMM to the O! Traditional Southern food is a must at this house, and in reality, I started making these when hubs and I first married. The best recipe found throughout these 22 years IS Southern Living's recipe below...it is laminated and under lock and key in my kitchen, in fear of loss.

Garlic Shrimp and Grits Prep: 20 min., Cook: 15 min. (for buffet dining: serve in crock pot, set on low) 1 pound peeled, medium-size fresh shrimp(size 26-30) 3 cups water 1 cup whipping cream 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup quick-cooking grits, uncooked 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 2 garlic cloves, minced Garnishes: chopped fresh chives, peeled and cooked shrimp, freshly ground black pepper Peel shrimp, and de-vein, if desired. Bring 3 cups water, cream, butter, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in grits. Cook, whisking constantly, 7 to 8 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Stir in 1 pound shrimp, cheese, and garlic, and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. I garnish the top with 5/6 shrimp and parsley Yield: Makes 4 servings (multiply all ingredients if serving a crowd) Southern Living, APRIL 2005

5. Impulse shopping is certainly my bag...and throw in THRIFT on top of all those things in that bag, will ya? Thanks, 'cause I can't survive now without going to the consignment shop at least once a week now. It's like a new love affair, this thing between ONE and ANY thrift store within 10 miles of my house. Can you say hooked? I know that you can...(Did Billy Crystal just flash through your brain, too?) ha

My last purchase while feeding my THRIFTY impulse addiction:

6. One wish I have for my funeral is for it to be a praising-the-Lord celebration of what the 'body' of Christ has meant for my life, my work, my family and my family's legacy...it's ALL about what He did for us.

7. Joy is in found in the simple things in life...and today joy looks like 'chick's honors night ceremony':

8. ONE can't possibly choose a favorite type of bread, I mean, really? OK, I've got it: ALL....yep. ALL. 'nuf said!

9. ONE fears developing negative traits as ONE gets older...especially while dealing with the onset of so many "physically unchangeable" things. Therefore, ONE's vowing NOT to be 'the relative with the hairy upper lip & bright red lipstick'! Yes, ONE's struggling...almost daily struggling, reducing those 'clear and blonde' pricklies ONE's seeing reflecting in the sunshine or in that 10X mirror...yuck.

So, ONE's keeping ONE's "facial Nair" in stock for attacking and conquering each little hair, quickly wiping it away. And don't forget: a fresh tube of Maybelline mauve residing in ONE's purse (instead of the "SANTA CLAUS RED, can't-blast-it-off-with-a-blow-torch" ONE's great, hairy aunt wore when ONE was a child)..so, both are remaining on ONE's shopping list.

10. In that neuroticism hits many in the latter days of their existence, ONE wants to completely avoid all of those nasty traits and develop ROMANTICISM daily(goodness of humans; knowledge gained through intuition rather than deduction; awe of nature/art/language; recognize achievements of the
misunderstood/heroic/outcast)

11. Describing ONE's personality reflecting in one of the house's rooms brings first to mind: THE KITCHEN. The space constantly changing and yet staying the same...rather schizo, huh?

Constantly changing because ONE's always looking for new recipes, ideas, products to use in our meals or for outgoing care packages for friends, family and neighbors. In the kitchen, being FREE to be cooking WHAT someone else wants or needs.

Getting comfort when preparing healthy, tasty meals...making comfort. Receiving comfort by preparing recipes the family takes '2' helpings of during the meals...yep, those go on the 'keeper' list.

Staying the same by: remembering sweet mornings in 'Granny's kitchen, learning to make tea cakes' , putting things in 'their place' as they're coming out of the dishwasher, and ALWAYS have HEINZ ketchup on hand...these things do reflect.

12. Maintaining balance in life regarding family, church and blogging: is it possible? ONE continues balancing/moving the weights on each of these items daily; sliding family to the right-hand scale for a little while during youth activities then sliding it back once done. Blogging has to be put to the side occasionally because ONE will let it grow to penicillin levels, like the science experiments found in my refrigerator last month while purging the 'to go' containers, to remedy ONE's living online. HHHmmmmm, has ONE made it an 'idol'? Keep it real.

13. Have you ever pondered why there's a second envelope inside wedding/graduation invitations? Could it be: There's a conspiracy to cause the envelope to weigh more so the post office will get more income

or you could save money by going ahead and including the next birthday card with the invitation

or it's just another ploy by society to force you to get writer's cramp while teaching your child how to write cursive on the inside envelope ''using the graduate's voice' in writing the names who are invited

or maybe even...your last chance to write what you forgot to write on the first envelope that you sealed by mistake. hahahaha, can you tell ONE's giddy from working on graduation invitations? :)