String of Pearls

Cranberry Cobbler

2011-12-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Here it is, in all its beauty. And it tastes good, too.

Cranberries Rule!

2011-12-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I hoard cranberries at this time of year.
Everytime I shop for groceries, I pickup two bags of cranberries to store in the freezer.
This month I've made two batches of cranberry scones, two cranberry walnut cobblers and about eight half-pint jars of cranberry ketchup. I gave all but two jars away. Later I'll make cranberry bran muffins and who knows what else? So you see, cranberries rule!

I was going to display a picture of the cobbler but alas I haven't figured how to upload it from my ipad2!!!!! $&@$&&@@@!!!!!

The ABC's of Me

2011-04-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a blog I read so I thought I'd give it a whirl. For my one follower, maybe you'll learn something else about me.

Age: 61
Bed Size: Queen
Chore you hate: spring cleaning
Dogs: Love them; maybe I'll get one when I retire
Essential start to your day: a good night's sleep
Favorite color: currently sage green
Gold or silver?: silver
Height: 5 foot, 10 inches
Instruments you play: piano, HAH!
Job title: Bond accountant
Kids: 1 grown
Live: in a house in Lexington
Mom's name: Bessie
Nicknames: Wilt the Stilt (from my childhood days, because I am tall); Camel and Wide-track Pontiac (from college days because of my figure)
Overnight hospital stays: three (one for childbirth)
Pet peeve: Whining
Quote from a movie: "Something vexes thee?" From Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves
Right- or left-handed: Right
Siblings: Two, alas, only one living
Time you wake up: varies; I sleep like an old person - I wake up a couple of times but then go back to sleep
Underwear: Old lady type
Vegetables you dislike: Only boiled okra
What makes you run late?: Nothing, unless I oversleep
X-rays you've had: Lots, mainly for my knees
Yummy food you make: Strawberry shortcakes with home-made whipped cream
Zoo - favorite animal: penguins

Hey, Am I Still Here?

2011-01-25T13:45:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know it's been awhile. I have a lot of excuses. Shall I list them?

1. I moved my laptop from my dining table in the greatroom to a desk in my office, "where a computer belongs." Trouble is...out of sight, out of mind. I don't blog, check my e-mail or follow my friends on Facebook. I am totally behind in what's happening.

2. I have absolutely nothing to say. Hard to believe? It's true. Most of the time I'm quiet. But if you kick my bucket, I'll talk your ears off. Now why can't I just pretend you've kicked my bucket every day? Alas.

3. I got distracted by the holidays and a visit from my daughter. We took a trip to Cincinnati one Saturday; got in IKEA but Trader Joe's was closed.

As far as weight loss goes, I kinda stalled. No excuses there, really. The Weight Watcher plan changed a little and I am still trying to discipline myself to do what's necessary to stick to the plan. My knees have been a little achy for a few months now which puts a damper on most exercise. But don't worry. I will win.

Thanksgiving Is Only One Day

2010-11-29T13:41:00.000-08:00

Remembering that holidays last for only one day is one of the things to remember when trying to lose weight. I love turkey and if I had cooked one, eating it would have gone on for days. Gone are the days of turkey sandwiches until there is nothing but bones left on Tom's carcass. My sister cooked the bird this year and it was quite moist. Fortunately, she fixed stuffing balls instead of stuffing the turkey so I only ate a tiny bit of stuffing. (I prefer stuffing from the bird.) I ate a little of my favorites - green bean casserole, greens, creamed peas and onions, mashed potato casserole, sweet potatoes and cranberry salad mold. I ate no rolls and only about a tablespoon of gravy. My plate was very modest compared to the heaping plates of the relatives. Later, I ate a tiny sliver of chess and pecan pies. No seconds and no "take-out." And glory, halleleujah, I lost 0.2 pounds last week.
Weight-watchers is launching some changes this week so I'm excited to hear about them. The little bit I was able to glean on-line sounds like what I'm already doing - eating a ton of vegetables and fruit. The counting game and points plan have changed, though, so stay tuned for more information.

The Slowest Loser Update

2010-11-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Yayyyy! I lost again this week, 1.2 lbs. I've lost a total of 16.8 pounds now. Lately, after reading "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, I've been eating fruit and vegetables, mostly. I veered off last weekend when I took a friend out to lunch after church. I let her choose the restaurant and she chose Red Lobster. If I didn't order fish, I wasn't going to get anything to eat. I definitely would have lost a little more if it hadn't been for the scallops and the few shrimp passed to me by my friend's son who had ordered endless shrimp.

This week I've got the challenge of getting through Thanksgiving dinner especially since all I've been thinking about is dressing. I love that stuff. Pray for me!! I know I won't be able to resist.

Weight-loss Update

2010-11-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

I keep forgetting to tell you. I lost 0.8 lbs. last week even though I was not on my best behavior. The week before that I lost only 0.2 even though I followed the diet to the letter. Go figure! So thus far, this slowest loser has lost 14.6 lbs. I am reading, "Eat to Live", by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, so I expect I will be making some more dietary changes - ones geared toward disease-prevention and weight loss.

The Day Trip to Savannah

2010-11-08T10:16:00.000-08:00

While vacationing at Hilton Head Island, I decided to drive to Savannah which was about only about 45 minutes away. I selected a trolley ride to get a quick look at the city. When you bought a ticket, it was good for the entire day. You can get on or off at several stops or simply keep riding it all day. I chose to get off at the Riverwalk. Most of the pictures I took was in this area.

This shot was of a hotel on an island across from the riverwalk. I don't remember the name of the hotel but it was one I had considered when I thought I might stay in Savannah. It was clear in the description of the hotel that you would have to drive over the bridge or take a ferry to get to it. It's huge but I imagine quite lovely.

This little market is where I bought souvenirs (is that spelled correctly?).

Now in spite of the fact that I rode the trolley around Savannah twice, I didn't get any pictures of the beautiful squares (there are 23, I believe) nor much of the other sites. However, as we were passing Paula Deen's restaurant I attempted to get a shot. Alas, Ladies and Sons is smaller than I thought and this picture doesn't do it justice. She has her own store next to but right before the restaurant. I didn't eat there; I wasn't in the mood to stand in long lines. You can see the trolley in the reflection off the window.

Vacation 2010, part deux

2010-10-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

First of all, I am correcting an item from yesterday's post. The name of the public beach was Coligny Beach; at least I knew the name began with a "c".

Today's pics are of the sights at my hotel. These first two are of the pools at Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa. I'm told the water was cold and I had forgot my goggles, so I didn't get in. What a waste? Right?

These views are from my balcony. Lovely!!!

Vacation 2010

2010-10-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

As my fans know, I visited Hilton Head Island recently. Today, I am posting pics from two beaches there. I think the first one was Codicyl Beach. It's a public beach located near a shopping tourist trap-type of place. It was very pretty and well-kept.

This second beach is what I'm calling the Lighthouse Beach but it's in the Sea Pines area. You had to pay a $5.00 entry fee to drive into the area. I'm told because it was a private residential area. There was a marina and once again, some shops willing to accept the tourist's money. (They didn't get another dime from me!! Not a surprise to my fans.)

I'll post some more pics soon. Thanks for visiting.

Weight-loss Update

2010-10-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

My apologies to my fan(s) but I've been preparing to go on a vacation trip, driving to Florida and Hilton Head Island and back, and then recovering, unpacking, de-bugging the car, etc. I just haven't had time to write. Anyway, I weighed in on Saturday and discovered I lost 1.4 pounds during my vacation. I assure you, I did not weigh, measure, count points or intentionally exercise. I think, however, that I end up being more active on vacation and I don't eat by the clock. I eat when I get hungry but very little when I'm driving; food plus driving equals drowsiness. Not a good combination driving the curves of Tennesee and North Carolina.

I'll post some pictures of my trip shortly.

Oh, my total weight loss thus far is 13.6. Slow but steady.

World Equestrian Games

2010-10-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

Lexington hosted the WEG this year. I think this was the first time the games were held in the U.S. This city has been gearing up and gussying up for about two years. Streets were "remodeled" and replanted, the Kentucky Horse Park had a new indoor arena built and of course, businesses and hotels prepared to be overwhelmed. Well, we weren't overwhelmed but it has been interesting.

I was fortunate to get two tickets and chose to go the the "Reining" event. The riders took there horses through a certain routine without any noticeable tugging/pulling on their part. The most astonishing was when the horse was galloping at full speed ahead and was "reined" to a stop much like a man sliding into home base but only in a shorter distance. Amazing. Here are a few pictures.

I just discovered many of the pictures were too dark. Sorry.

The Slowest Loser, Week 9 Update

2010-10-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, remember last week I didn't weigh in at an official meeting site; they were closed. So this week accounts for two weeks of loss...3.8 pounds. Whew!! Now I have lost a total of 13.4 lbs. That doesn't seem like much to me but due to the wisdom of the WW leader, I know that is a LOT. For the last two meetings she has passed around bags or sacks of can goods totalling various pounds. Last week the bag weighed 11.6. You won't believe how heavy that is until you try it.

Additionally, I passed a milestone - I've zoomed past my 5% weight-loss target. At various levels of success, WW awards the members with recognition and small tokens. Each week, members are recognized and applauded for losing 5 lbs. or simply resisting temptations or making lifestyle changes. My next big level of recognition is at 10% target, then 25 lbs. Other milestones are attendance for 16 weeks (indicating those who stay that long usually meet their goal weight), reaching goal and obtaining lifetime status. Corny, but reaching each level of recognition is a boost to my resolve. I am definitely on my way!!!

The leader always asks, "so what's working for you?" Good question. I always answer, " coming to meetings." Why? Accountability. I seem to need to answer to someone to make me stay on target.

Last week, I also enrolled in a community weight-loss/fitness challenge. We weighed and had our B/P, height, waist, and body fat recorded. Late in December, we get another set of readings to track our progress. There are several free exercise classes and coaching sessions, so no one has any excuse. I'm going to attend Zumba sessions on Tuesday and Friday, low-impact class on Thursday and aqua-fitness on Saturday. I'll walk on most days as far as my stiff knees will allow for now. I am so stoked for this. Stay tuned!!

Weekly Update

2010-09-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to weigh in at a meeting. After driving all the way over there, there was a sign on the door - no meeting at the regular time. One of the other WW's said she remembered the leader stating there would be no meeting today. I did not hear that. So anyway, I think I lost around 2 lbs. according to my scales. I pretty much lived close to the edge this week again, so I'm happy with what I got.

A Blessed Cook, I Am

2010-09-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

I told you about a good friend of mine who died recently. Well, her daughter called me recently asking me to cook her family dinner just to relieve the stress of cleaning out her mother's house and doing other things to get everything in order. Of course, I said I would but I was not able to do so for several days. Anyway, when I got around to it, what I thought of was to cook something I hadn't made since I was in my twenties - Exotic Pot Roast. I remember making it and sharing the recipe for a fund-raising cookbook. But, I couldn't find the recipe the day I made the roast. So...you know me, I winged it. Well, today, I found the recipe and there were only four (in my opinion--nutmeg, chocolate, oregano and wine) essential ingredients I left out. Wow!!! I am blessed. I am publishing the original recipe here, sans meat tenderizer. I made it with pork loin and omitted the wine, chocolate, nutmeg, oregano, almonds and grated orange peel. I was afraid of adding the chocolate because I didn't remember the proportion. And I used about 1/2 cup of orange juice, not because I remembered that element from the original recipe; I was just trying to add a sweet, exotic element. I also used tomato paste (small can)instead of tomato sauce and beef broth which the pork simmered in a crock pot all day.

It was awesome, even if I have to say so myself. Her husband made a special effort to tell me how much he enjoyed it and her oldest son (3 years old) asked me what was in the sauce. You gotta love kids who appreciate food!!

Exotic Pot Roast

4 lbs. boned and rolled rump or top round of beef
3 T. vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 t. salt
2 cans ( 8-oz. each) tomato sauce
1/2 c. dry red wine
1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 t. chili powder
1 t. grated orange peel
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. crushed oregano
1 can (1 lb. ) onions
1 can (1 lb. ) carrots
1/4 c. blanched, slivered almonds

Brown meat on all sides in hot oil in heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Pour off excess oil. Add garlic and chopped onion; sprinkle with salt.
Combine tomato sauce, wine, chocolate, chili powder, orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oregano; pour over meat.
Cover; simmer until meat is tender-- about 3 hours.
Drain onions and carrots; add to sauce in kettle. Cover; simmer until vegetables are heated through.
Place meat in center of platter; surround with vegetables in sauce. Sprinkle with almonds. Makes 6-8 servings.

I made this with pork tenderloin (I think about 3 - 4 pounds). The vegetables were all fresh so adjust accordingly. I also added fresh green beans because I simply cannot abide not eating green vegetables every day.

Week 7 and Counting

2010-09-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

I gained .6 lbs this week. No wonder; I ate two buffet-style meals this week. One was after church and one was at work. I showed some control at both but I ate seconds at the work buffet. It's okay - I learned during the last weight-loss adventure that lapses occur. I'm just going to keep swimming!!!

Week 6 and Pumpkin Bars

2010-09-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

I lost .2 lbs. this week. No wonder! I had another trying week with a different type of allergy, leaving me with a lump in my throat which has now moved to my chest. I paid little attention to what I ate. I just wanted to be well.

I made pumpkin bars today for my home group. The original recipe called for sweet potato but you know me...I substitute. I doubled the recipe because I thought the blondies were too thin. Here's the recipe:

Sweet Potato Blondies

(Makes 16)
Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp canola oil'
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Blend all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until top of blondies begin to brown. Let cool before cutting.

Week 5 of the Slowest Loser

2010-09-04T12:29:00.001-07:00

Last week I gained 1.4 lbs. I wasn't too upset; I had under-calculated points and exercised very little due to a tough schedule. This week, I lost 4.6 lbs. Wow! All I can say is since I had a steroid shot for an allergic reaction, I wasn't feeling any usual stiffness or discomfort so I walked and exercised like a much younger woman. Yahoo! Bring on the drugs! NOT!

Memory is a Good Thing

2010-08-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine died this week. Whenever I thought of her this week, I smiled. She was a lot of fun. She was a blessing to me and my family. Today was her memorial. Late yesterday afternoon, one of her daughters asked me to speak; I was relunctant to do so. What on earth could I say that would do justice to her memory? Well, God is good. Some things came to me, I said them and I believe (especially after feedback) that I said all the right things.
We are blessed to have a memory because through memories the dead live on. I will miss my friend but she is still alive in me.

The Slowest Loser, Week 3

2010-08-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

Okay. Wahoo! I lost 2.6 pounds this week. Hmmm. What I instantly felt was awe and wonder. How did I lose 2.6 this week but only 1 last week? I ate more of my allotted points this week and exercised one less day. I don't know the reason for the success but I'm just going to keep going. I am thankful.

This Week's Menu

2010-08-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

I made roasted red pepper hummus yesterday, sort of the traditional way with tahini and chickpeas. This is a go-to afternoon snack for me, alternated with Laughing Cow low-fat cheese wedges with crackers or crudite. I skipped the extra oil and garlic ( more by mistake) and substituted lime for lemon juice. I added my favorite new spice - smoked paprika (I'm in love). Today I made smoked turkey tenderloin ( marinated in vinegar, smoked paprika and poultry seasoning), pickled beets from my garden and brown rice. I was thrown off by a forgotten lunch meeting after church and an overly busy Saturday. So I have to cook something else tomorrow to last me through the week. Preparation is definitely key to success in weight loss.

Reality Bites

2010-08-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

I examined the photos of the last post and realized what some overweight people deal with - a warped view of reality. I didn't think of myself as fat; I didn't see the rolls of back fat between my upper arms and shoulders. Wow! I am amazed at the level of self-deception.

The Slowest Loser, Week 2

2010-08-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

I lost 1 lb. this week. That's to be expected for the second week, even though I really should be weighing on Sunday since that's when I started this diet. Anyway, I also thought it would be good to snap a few "before" pictures to encourage me along the way and to cement in my mind where I do not want to return. All in all, I feel good about my progress.
I apologize for the orientation of the photos; I don't know how to rotate them.

The Weight-loss Countdown

2010-08-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, mea culpa. I started this blog because I was going to share random thoughts and pearls of wisdom with you, but alas, it seems I don't have much to say unless you make the mistake of asking me a question. I keep telling myself to repent to little avail. I am once again promising to do better.

Toward that end I am exposing some very personal information. For those of you old enough to remember, Clairol used to have a commercial with a tag line of "Only her hairdresser knows for sure," referring to hair dye. When it comes to my weight, only my doctor knows for sure, well, up to now. Now you and my Weight Watcher staff will know as well.

I weighed in last Saturday, July 31st. My weight was.....wait for it, wait...218.6 - that's pounds not ounces. In December 2002, when I weighed in I weighed 222. I obtained Lifetimer status in April 2004 after losing over 50 pounds. So in 6 years I have regained nearly every one of those hard-earned lost pounds.

I have a co-worker who has done so well with weight-loss lately that it encouraged me to get back up on the horse. But this time I am sharing my journey with you. Every loss and perhaps every gain.

So today, I weighed in and have lost 3.4 lbs. my first week. That's not as good as I expected for the first week, but, hey, I'll take it. Perhaps, zumba classes and aqua fitness helped.

Anyway, I am going to be here at least once a week. I promise. This is more for me than you, I suspect. But if this helps someone, pass it on. Stay with me. I need you.

Ms. Fix-It

2010-04-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

I attended a Ms. Fix-it Fair today and it was awesome. It was held at Bluegrass Community & Technical College from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm today (April 24, 2010). Wow!! I'll just tell you up front that we can do what the guys do in so many circumstances. One vendor I met there was Tomboy Tools. All the tools had pink handles; the first thing the woman said was, "they (men) won't take these tools from you." Michelle Bernard offers all kinds of tools for ladies and even has in-home parties. How cool is that? Now that's a party I'd attend. And yes, I am entertaining the idea of hosting one.

I attended:
Simple Electrical Repairs
Granny's Home Remedies
Measure and Install Blinds
Caulking Tile and Tips
Introduction to Doors and Hardware
Home Repair Basics

Granny's Home Remedies gave a lot of home cleaning and yard ideas that use natural solutions. One idea that none of us believed involved keeping flying insects out of your house. Hang a plastic baggie filled with water near your doorway. I know! What???

It's tough to pick a favorite so I'll just say that the doors and hardware one was a little above my pay-grade but the other ladies asked some in-depth questions, so even that session was worthwhile. And I learned one small thing about the "floor-plate" that I didn't even know existed.

There were lots of give-aways and door prizes. My sister won one. Darn. Since I was the second person to arrive, I think my name was too far to the bottom of the jar.
The hit among the give-aways was a caulking gun; you would have thought the jam-packed room of women had received a bouquet of flowers or a new pair of shoes.

I also got a ruler, measuring tape (the retractable type), tools apron, a see-through ruler and lots of tips.

This fair was the fourth one held, so if you get the chance you must attend.

Spring Break, Part One

2010-03-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

My daughter came home for spring break but before coming she gave me her menu requests: cranberry bran muffins, cheese and salami loaf, and quiche. Keep in mind she is capable of cooking these things for herself. Alas, what's a mother to do? I guess it just tastes better if mom cooks it.

She brought a friend home with her - Jessica, who is originally from Columbia (the country not the city in Kentucky). Jessica is just a slip of a woman as you can see.

I took off the Friday before and the Monday after she came. I made the muffins on Friday, cooked paella for a welcome home party on Saturday and made the s&c loaf on Monday. Anyway, Jessica wanted to see a few sites around town on Monday, but everyone was moving really slowly Monday morning. So while I was waiting for them to get ready I made one loaf. After spending most of the day site-seeing and getting pedicures, we returned home. While I had my back turned making a salad, the two young ladies ate nearly all of the loaf. I barely got a slice. Jessica who is just a slip of a woman, ate the most!!! Oh well, I take that as a compliment. I had to make another loaf that night.

Playing Catch Up

2009-12-20T10:26:00.000-08:00

Today's post is a hodge-podge of information because it's been so long since my last post.

My nephew got married in St. Louis on November 7th. The day was unseasonably warm so the trip and the day was a pleasure. My Aunt Bettye wanted to make the trip with my sister, my niece and me so we drove from Lexington to Owensboro to pick her up, first, and then we drove from there to St. Louis. It was a fun trip because anytime you get my sister and Aunt Bettye in the same room, it becomes a segment of "The Queens of Comedy." We even entertained at the rehearsal dinner and reception. We were the talk of the wedding. Here are a few pictures from the event.

My sister-in-law(mother of my nephew) and friend of the family.

From left, my niece Becky (sister of the groom), me, the bride's mother and Aunt Bettye. It's pictures like this that reveal to me how badly I need to lose a few.

My sister and the bride.

Another niece with her back to my camera, taking pictures.

The groom and his nephew.

Lena, aunt of the groom along with the bride and groom.

Proud mother and groom.

The wedding site. I think the hall was a tribute to American Indians. It resembled the structure of domed meeting lodge and there were artifacts in few places within the hall.

Then there was Thanksgiving Day. I cooked homestyle green beans, roasted brussel sprouts, cranberry mold and caramel apple layer cake. The cake is a Rachel Ray recipe and it is to die for. There is applesauce in the cake but the middle layer is sauteed sliced apples, brown sugar and cream. Yum, yum.

Our office decided to have grazing on Thursday, December 17th, to celebrate Christmas. I made cheese and salami loaf. This stuff is just plain ol' lip-smacking, finger-licking good. Guys particularly love it and it's pretty easy to make. Here are pictures and the recipe.

Cheese and Salami Loaf

1/2 lb. Swiss cheese
1/2 lb. Genoa salami
1 pkg. yeast (not fast-acting)
1 cup warm water
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar, salt and flour ( 1 cup at a time) using an egg beater. Knead dough until it is no longer sticky. Let rise 1 hour.
Divide in 2. Knead again. Roll out with a rolling pin. Brush with beaten egg. Spread salami and cheese. Roll up and tuck ends. Let rise 15 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes on a cookie sheet.

Note: I rarely make the bread anymore. Just buy frozen loaf dough, let it thaw and proceed from there. What could be easier?

October Vacation

2009-11-14T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is my vacation in reverse. It's in reverse because when I'm importing pictures I find it hard to think about the last one I import will be the first to appear on this page. So there!!!
These first pics are of Carlos and Sue, my friends in Jacksonville. We're playing Scrabble and Dominos on this night and Carlos is pretty serious as you can see. He always wants to win. Sue helps him way too much. I think he won one and I won one before his sister, Agnes, showed up and walloped us good.

These next pics are of Charleston, SC. I've always imagined this as an ideal place to visit/live. I realized after I returned home that I hadn't taken many pics. I think I kept thinking I'll wait until I can get a better picture or angle. Alas, that didn't happen. So I have very few to show of that lovely place. There are a few of me in at the waterfront and my hotel room. The hotel room was quaint and beautiful. However, it was across the street from the main building and up two sets of stairs and down 1/2 flight to my room with no elevator. I would stay there again but just not on the second floor across the street. The name of hotel was Vendue Inn.

Should you decide to visit Charleston and take a tour I would recommend Gullah Tours. The guide is funny and excellent in narrative. He's been written up in Southern Living as well as other magazine. I had also taken a carriage tour (which is one reason why there should have been more pics) but this guy was heads above the rest; plus you got to see everything from an air-conditioned bus.

In this pic, we were at this famous iron worker's shop. That's Alphonso, the tour guide telling us a few tales. Go to gullahtours.com for more pictures and information.

I recommend Charleston. The food is good and the city is a must see.

Aunt Bettye - The Life of the Party

2009-09-07T09:41:00.001-07:00

My dear Aunt Bettye called a few days before Rejane was scheduled to come home for a visit. Ring, ring. "Hello, Aunt (pronounced Ant) Bettye. What's up?"
Aunt Bettye: Nothing. When is Rejane coming in?
Me: August 22nd. Are you planning a road trip?
Her: No, uh,uh.
Me: Are you hinting we need to plan a road trip to see you?
Her: Yeah, that's right. (Try to imaging a cackle here. She knows she has got her way.)
Me: Okay, I"ll get with Re' and plan a trip. See you soon.

Aunt Bettye was always my favorite Aunt. She was the youngest of my aunts and uncles and always acted young at heart. Still does. When I was in college and home for a visit, I would go to house to let my hair down. All my college friends thought Aunt Bettye's was a nightclub rather than a person, because of the stories I told. I laugh now just thinking about it.

I apologize for the picture quality. Whenever I learn how to use the photoshop on this computer, this all will be much better. She is an attractive lady.

This is her oldest daughter, Kaye. She is the only sibling still living in Owensboro. Her brothers live in Hawaii and Louisville; her sister lives in Georgia.

My niece Dani rode with us. She never misses a chance to visit Aunt Bettye. Aunt Bettye will keep you laughing from the time you enter until the time you leave.

And last but not least, here is the whole reason for the trip - Diva Re' - my favorite daughter.

Now one more thing you need to know - another big reason to ride to Owensboro is for the barbeque. I skipped breakfast and we all were looking forward to a trip to Moonlite BBQ for the buffet. Alas, Aunt Bettye cooked lunch for us and we pigged out on two casseroles and green beans. But don't cry for us, we stopped by Moonlite on the way out of town and brought some bbq mutton home for me and my sister. Yum, yum, yum.

And in advance of my daughter's birthday this month, I had two pounds shipped to her. Enjoy, dearie.

Diva Re' In Action

2009-09-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Rejane, came to visit in August. What a woman she has turned out to be - very wise! It was a delight to have her home.
To the left is Re' and my nephew Jordan who came to church with us, just to spend time with her and hear her sing.

Here she is singing. Normally, no one sings unless he/she has practiced with the band and choir. But they know her and she cannot show up for church and not sing. Ain't happening.

Here she is with Pastor Don. He is so funny. He pronounces her name the way it is spelled, Re -Jane. He's just kidding; he just tries to keep up his country-boy image.

A Budding Artist?

2009-08-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hey! Check it out!
A few months ago I created 5 artful canvasses using a mixture of free handed brush strokes and a stencil. I hung all five on the same wall over my bed but they looked a little lost, like they needed some kind of anchor to really "set" them in place. Finally, I thought I'd paint a "frame" for them. Then just because I move so slowly on decorating projects, it took a few more weeks for me to put hands to the vision. This is the result. Like it? I guess you can see I didn't rehang all five; three seemed perfect.

Yard in Bloom

2009-08-02T16:15:00.001-07:00

Here's what the yard and porch look like at the end of July. My house plants are thriving on the front porch where they get morning sun and afternoon shade. The two hanging chimes are new; my old one finally bit the dust. I just love the sounds of these guys; they are manufactured in the keys of E and C. They sing to me.

Here are the painted rockers again. I just love the color.

These lilies were a gift from a friend because she doesn't like this type; her loss, my gain. Note, they are so tall that they come to the top of the deck rail.

This is one bed with chard, green beans and herbs. I let dill and cilantro go to bloom so I had to pull them up and start over. I really miss the cilantro.

This bed just has beets right now. I had just pulled out spent green bean plants.

And finally, tomatoes, bell peppers and yellow squash. I am really disappointed in the pepper plants; they bloomed but have not produced peppers yet. I have cherry, plum, heirloom and yellow tomatoes. YUM.

My roses and crepe myrtle are showing off. It's okay, beauty is hard to hide.

These guys are volunteers. If I had planted them they would not have done well. Normally, I sow cosmos here but I didn't get to it this year.

I love my yard. I am so blessed to be surrounded by beauty and bounty.

God is Up to Something

2009-06-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I started this blog with a number of the initial posts concerning scriptures. Well, that theme is returning. Not to say I won't write about my garden, my daughter, a birthday cake that took two days to make or some other random thought. But today, it's all about Him.

Last week during church service, I went up on stage during praise and worship to seek permission from my pastor's wife to give a word I believe the Lord wanted me to share. It concerned His name, who He said He was. Remember in Exodus when Moses was talking to God and he asked God how he would answer when the people of Israel asked who sent him (Moses) to rescue them? God said tell them, "I Am." Well, that's what I encouraged the congregation with...to remember that's who God is. He's not an I Was God, although He was; He's not an I Will Be God, although He will be. He is an I Am God, ever present. Later, as church was letting out, my pastor's wife announced I would be speaking on Wednesday night. You could have scooped me up with a shovel!

Well, on Wednesday, I just shared how simply God communicates with me and gave examples from over the last 24 years. So many people have told me, giving specific examples, of how the message helped them.

Well, today, I felt He wanted me to exhort the body once again. This time the message was on how we would behave if we really believed what God says in His word. I related it to a frustrated and easily riled co-worker who vented about dealing with long delays in refinancing his mortgage. I went over to his desk and just said, "you are getting upset because you don't believe you'll win." He got the message instantly. And the congregation got it today, as well. When God says, the battle is His and the victory is ours, it's the truth. Christians have to start behaving like victors not victims.

I don't know specifically what God is doing but I definitely know He's up to something. As my friend Sam said, I went for years barely speaking in church and now I've spoken three times in a week. Wonders will never cease.

A Good Deed

2009-05-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

My sister usually cooks and entertains during all holidays but now that her nest is rapidly emptying out, she is painting rooms instead of cooking. What? Alas, I took up the charge and took dinner to her today. I made roasted pork loin, which I had dry-rubbed with a brown sugar mixture, mushroom sauce, pasta salad and dessert pizza. The dinner was a hit. There was way too much food for me to bring home (she claimed she didn't have room in her refrigerator) so I packed up some for me and some for her husband's secret fridge (it's in the man-cave). The dinner was a hit and well-timed since they both needed a break from painting and staining quarter-round.

Here are some of my knockout roses. They are such a show-off.

My Daughter's Graduation Ceremony

2009-05-23T14:42:00.001-07:00

Here's Rejane clowning before the ceremony begins. I had her purse and she had forgotten to apply lipstick. Ever the diva!!
Here she is on the second row at the bottom of this shot just to the right of the man snapping a pic in the blue shirt.

Here they are marching in to the arena. Re' is about
10 rows from the front. Look for a short person.

She has just received her baton. Sorry, I'm still getting used to this hand-me-down camera from her.

Rejane and a friend Wendy Cruz after the ceremony. They both had donated their gowns and were required to turn them in right away so I didn't get a close-up of her in the gown.

We (my niece Dani, Re' and I) went out to eat afterwards at a place called Charleston's Restaurant. It was late and one late arrival demanded we rearrange the tables to accommodate her family. She then relocated her family to another room!!! We were tired. It was about 10:30 p.m. in this pic.

Front Porch Revitalization

2009-05-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here are two before and after photos of my front porch. The rockers are about 6 years old and were showing the wear of being out in the elements, albeit sheltered, for those years. I decided to spray paint them (the color is celery) to give them a face-lift; I like the result. Don't you?

Gardening Update

2009-05-11T12:17:00.000-07:00

I thought you'd like to see how my garden in growing. In this box are the leaf vegetables(swiss chard, spinach, mesculin mix and romaine) along with herbs. That's dill and cilantro to the left of the lettuces; just below the cilantro you are not able to see basil and parsley but they are there. My photographer is a novice but free.

Tomato and pepper plants are in this box. I am considering planting zucchini here also.

To the left of the box are red knockout roses which are just beginning to bloom. One week from now, they are going to be absolutely gorgeous.

A Little of This, a Little of That

2009-04-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

For you few people who read by blog, I offer my apologies. It has been a month since I last confessed, er wrote. Forgive me.
I fell off the raw food diet. I was enticed by my need for variety. I still eat raw foods each day but not exclusively. I noticed a change in my fingernails, so I am continuing to experiment for optimum health.
I now swim 35 laps at least four days a week and strength-train 2 times a week. I am amazed that at 59 years of age that I can swim for 45 to 50 minutes continuously. Last week a woman in the next lane called me a "swimming machine." I was flattered especially considering I was swimming very slowly that night.
My garden is coming along well...just tiny lettuce leaves and herbs. Can hardly wait to eat from my garden.

I am posting pictures of the redbud in the front yard along with the matching tulips beneath it. One of my neighbors loves these tulips so much she took a picture and put it in my mailbox. She teases me about selecting tulips to match the tree.
The first picture is of some tiny bulbs I planted years ago; their names are so complicated that I saved the labels in case someone ever asked me what the were. Well, wouldn't you know...just this week my neighbor to the back asked me what they were. I had to trek back to the garage and find where I had hidden (stored) the labels.

Later today I am experimenting with drying cranberries. Anyone who knows me well knows I always have frozen cranberries on hand. I buy about 10 bags around thanksgiving, throw them in the freezer and use them in recipes throughout the year. They usually end up in muffins. Today, I am trying something different. I buy dried,sweetened cranberries to sprinkle in salads or oatmeal. I suddenly thought I could make my own. I bought a dehydrator a few months ago so I am going to put it to good use today. Stay tuned for the result of this experiment. I guess I am still a scientist at heart.

My next post will probably cover decorating my front porch. I have houseplants ready to go, I am planning to paint the rocking chairs and I need a new wind chime. The old one is falling apart.

Raised Beds, Part Deux

2009-03-26T18:01:00.000-07:00

Well, the beds are filled now. I could have borrowed a friend's father's truck, gone to Con Robinson, got soil and compost, come home and made hundreds of trips between the truck and the back yard to fill the beds. I could have had 4 cubic yards dumped in the driveway and made hundreds of trips between the dirt pile and the back yard to fill the bed frames. Or I could just pay someone to do it for me. I chose the last option. It was a bargain. When I got home Monday, all my landscaping had fresh mulch and the boxes were filled with organic soil and compost. Yeah!!
Of course, I immediately planted seeds - mesculin mix, bibb and romaine lettuce, spinach, two types of swiss chard, dill, cilantro, basil and parsley. Now don't worry...I didn't plant a lot of any of these; I'm still learning how much I need to plant to feed mainly one person. Well, and some very close friends. Here are some pictures:

The herbie-looking plastic tub to the right in the top photo is a modified herbie compost bin. The raised bed to the right in the one containing my first seeds.

And these photos are of two of my freshly mulched flower beds. The small tree to the left of the front porch is a redbud which is just barely budding. It will be gorgeous soon. The beds in the back yard contain knockout roses among other plants; I'll take another photo after they've bloomed so you can see how lovely they are.

Life is good.

Bobbette the Builder

2009-03-10T06:11:00.000-07:00

I completed the project last night. It took about 1 1/2 hours to complete one and a half 4' by 4' bed frames. I had already built 1/2 of a bed Sunday when my drill started to run out of power. So I finished the rest Monday. I probably could have shaved a few more minutes off the project but I had to stop to address "inquiring" neighbors. How's that for being tactful?

Just as I was pounding in the last stake, my rubber mallet broke. I suppose it was worn out, too. I didn't want to get out of bed this morning and my right bicep grew overnight. I think I can arm-wrestle any man in the office today and win. Whew! Now all I have to do is haul about 2 cubic feet of soil and compost to fill it in. Any volunteers?

Gardening with Raised Beds

2009-03-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I took the plunge on Saturday and began to build my first raised bed. I was following instructions given by The Pioneer Woman on her blog site, using 2' by 6' untreated wood. The job looked totally simple to me but what was supposed to take about an hour took me about 2 1/2 hours, even with my brother-in-law's help.

You see, the first problem was getting the screws to cooperate and go through one 2' by 6' and into another one. Whew! I was using a 18 volt power drill and the screws still weren't cooperating. Oh, and let me mention I had predrilled the holes.

I knew I needed help so I called Super Chuck, who arrived shortly with his own drill and two battery packs. This man was serious, y'all! He backed out the uncooperative screws, drilled larger holes and then reinstalled the screws. From that point on, the job went a lot faster. Bless him. If I had the materials to contruct another bed he would have stayed to help. Here are some before and after pictures of my first 8' by 4' bed.

This is what my garden looked like before I began the project. The "bushes" are herbs. They look dead but they aren't.

This is Super Chuck doing all the work.

Voila' - the finished project. Isn't it pretty?

On Sunday, I started building two 4' by 4' beds. The next step is filling the beds with soil. Any volunteers? Keep in mind - those who don't help don't eat.

Fiber One/Spa Giveaway

2009-03-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

My friend is giving away a prize package on her blog site. It involves chocolate spa products and Fiber One. Go to danielledeskins.blogspot.com and register. Good Luck.

Progress Report

2009-02-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

It's been a few weeks since I've checked in. For the most part, my life has just been coasting along. I've had a few "falling off the wagon" episodes which has led to a weight-loss stall and a return of some stiffness. One Friday, I gave into the pizza monster; on another occasion, it was the Chinese food demon. AND as if that's not bad enough, I have a co-worker who is making up cookie recipes and I am one of her guinea pigs. I keep thinking, "just step back away from the cookie."
The pool at the gym had heating problems which kept me from swimming for two weeks until I realized I could use the pool at another location. You see, when I joined they said I could only use one location but after two weeks I was about to throttle somebody so I called to seek a waiver. After initially answering NO, she then said "they" probably won't even notice. She was right. I flashed my card and went right in. The good part is I had the pool entirely to myself and it was a few degrees warmer. Anyway, I'm back up on the wagon and dropping weight again.
Concerning my raw diet, this week's lunch treat was veggie roll-ups. I bought a package of Flat-outs (a long tortilla-type of bread) which are low in points (1 for you weight-watchers) and high in fiber (8 grams per flat). I made a zucchini hummus to spread on the flat and then rolled raw asparagus, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives and onions. Absolutely delicious. Can't get enough to those this week. I also made some dehydrated veggie bread this week in my dehydrator but I haven't even tasted them yet.
I've been volunteering to prepare taxes again this year, so my Saturdays are half-gone before I can return home to experiment with recipes. Bear with me. I promise to do better with this blog and with photographs of my efforts. After all, I now have a hand-me down digital camera and a hand-me-down Mac. All I need now is a little more time.
This spring I plan to build raised vegetable beds in the back yard. I have a small plot but I don't care much for it because it has been difficult to amend the soil (my tiller was broken last year) and it's right up against a fence which makes working/weeding it difficult. By raising the bed I can put in a couple of feet of amended soil and move it away from the fence so I can reach it from all sides. I am excited but I know initially it will be hard work hauling soil and compost to the bed. I've investigated whether to build it from lumber or to use those wall stones. I'm going with the stones. It's a little cheaper and I can just place the stones and be done with the job. Pray for me and volunteer if you like.

Just Keep Swimming

2009-01-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

I swam 30 laps again last night. It didn't feel quite as good as before but it was still light-years ahead of what is now "the olden days." I attribute this new-found stamina to my diet change. There has been a drastic change in stiffness, or rather the lack of. It used to take me about a minute to adjust once I stood up from sitting a long time. Not so anymore. Hallelujah!! My co-workers were beginning to make old-folks type of comments.

Some of the recipes I have experimented with lately have been egg-less egg salad (with lots of tumeric to give it the deviled egg appearance), cauliflower couscous salad (bear in mind, there was no coucous in the salad; you process the cauliflower to look like couscous), tomato basil soup (yum-mo), and raw almond milk ( 1 cup of almonds made a little more than four cups of milk).

I will be learning how to post pictures along with recipes thanks to my daughter sending me her hand-me-down digital camera and to my patient friend, Danielle.

I will also be posting better pictures of me as I progress in my weight loss and improved health. Stay tuned.

Swimming Like a Champ

2008-12-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

I swim 25 laps at least three times a week normally. During the past few weeks, I've usually only made it to the pool once. On Sunday, I swam 21 laps (that's continuous, no breaks). I discovered I had a cheering section once I had showered and changed. A sixty-five-year-old woman and her husband were walking the indoor track which is on the floor above the pool. The walkers can see the pool from one part of the track. Anyway, she and her husband were impressed, assuring themselves that I must be in excellent shape. (I'm not, in my own opinion.) She has had both knees replaced and needed encouragement to switch from walking to swimming.

Okay, back to my point ... I swam 21 laps on Sunday. Last night I swam 30!! I could have gone on and on, if it weren't for a slight discomfort in my right shoulder ( I had done strength training the night before.) I am attributing the increase in stamina to the switch to raw foods. When I got home, I still had lots of energy; I never felt sleepy. I just finally turned out the light around 11:45 pm., just because. This is really great!!

Raw Food - Progress Report

2008-12-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

Are you wondering how I'm doing? Well, just great. I've lost 2.2 pounds since Friday morning and I don't have any cravings, yet, oddly enough.

What do I eat? Well, so far, I usually have a green smoothie for breakfast (more later on that), then for the rest of the day I eat salads, fruit, mock tuna or live burgers (more later on that, too) as a sandwich with raw soup or packed in a tomato. I've only drank tea and water so far except for a wine cooler Saturday night.

I don't miss coffee or meat. This is really too good to be true.

Oh, as far as the stiffness I was experiencing...I haven't had a bit of problems. No stiffness at all!!! I haven't taken an anti-inflammatory since last Friday.

I'm spending a lot of time reading recipe books right now and I am excited about trying new recipes. As soon as my daughter sends me her hand-me-down digital camera, I be able to take some pics of my creations. Stay tuned.

Going Raw

2008-12-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

I've been experiencing stiffness in my knees and then all over for the last three months. In September, my knees felt like they did when I tore my meniscus a few years ago. Something was whacked.

At the time, I had been taking some herbal supplements (prescribed by a naturopathic doctor about one month before onset of the symptoms), so I stopped and concentrated on supplements for joints. The condition improved, so I started the herbal supplements again. It really is a long story so I'll just cut to the chase.

My naturopathic doctor interpreted one of my blood test as indicating kidney damage; my GP repeated the test and said I'm fine. He ordered me to stop taking the herbal supplements to which at this point I was in total agreement. I suspect the supplements contributed to what's going on in my body.

Anyway, I'm still experiencing stiffness so after some thought, I've decided to switch to raw foods. I've read a lot about it and believe I can relieve this stiffness by changing my blood pH through this diet change. I will be experimenting with different recipes and will share those that I think are delish. Here's one, so far.

Mock Tuna Salad

For the salad:
3 cups of soaked raw sunflower seeds, ground in a food processor
3 to 4 stalks celery, diced
1/2 bunch scallions, diced
2 tablespoons dulse flakes
1/4 cup dried dill

For the dressing:
1 1/2 cups Thai coconut water
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups raw macadamia nuts, cashews, pine nuts, or a combination
1/2 cup stone-ground mustard

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the salad ingredients and toss to mix.
In a high-speed blender, combine all of the dressing ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to mix well and serve.

Serves 4.

Notes: Soak the sunflower seeds in water for 2 to 4 hours. Drain and dry.
Dulse is a sea vegetable and can be found at Good Foods Co-op.
I didn't have any scallions and used a little diced onion instead.
I think scallions will be better.
I made half of this recipe using half of the garlic; I would use less garlic
next time. I used cashews for the dressing. It is absolutely delish.
I used coconut milk since I didn't find any coconut water.
And finally, even though I like dill I did not and would not use as much as
the recipe recommends.

I had this on a bed of salad greens and sliced tomato for lunch. Excellent.
At another time, I made a sandwich. It was as good as tuna salad for me.

Giving Thanks

2008-11-26T06:09:00.000-08:00

I try to remember during this time of year to give thanks and reflect on the reasons for our celebrations. It is easy to get lost in preparation decisions, such as to brine or not to brine the turkey, what sides should I prepare, do I dare to plan to exercise on Thursday, etc. But today, sitting in front of my computer and prompted by a friend's blog, I am pausing to give thanks:

For a loving family and loyal friends

For a good-paying job and friendly workplace

For a good church and pastors who preach the uncompromising word of God

For being born and living in this country, where I can and do vote, where I can walk the streets without threat of armed troops and bombs, where I sleep soundly in peace

For my daughter (whom I was sure I had failed to raise to be a decent, responsible human being) who has proved me wrong a hundred times over in the last year

For Jesus Christ, my savior. Yeah, corny, isn't it?

Take time to give thanks. It's the pathway to the gates of heaven.(Ps. 100:4)

They Called Him a Drunk!

2008-10-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who chastises me for not posting more frequently. Sometimes, I just don't have anything to share; other times I just want to keep my thoughts to myself. So why have a blog?, you ask. I have no good response. I think I'll just have to get over myself. My biggest fear is being labelled a heretic because of my musings on scriptures. Today is one of those days.

Many times, I have heard preached from the pulpit that Jesus did not drink wine. Each time I heard that, certain scriptures would come to mind that seemed to contradict that judgement. Last night I read yet one more - Matthew 11:19 - where Jesus, himself, said, "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners..." What was he drinking that would have others call him a drunkard? It wasn't Kool-Aid. Another scripture is John 2:9-10, describing Jesus turning water into wine, "When the host of the wedding tasted the water that had become wine (he didn't know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew) he called out to the bridegroom, 'Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings the cheap stuff. But you've saved the best till now'" Again, I say, he is not describing Kool-Aid.

So what's my point? I think we need to read scripture with the understanding Jesus came to earth as a man. He was tempted in every way we that we are, BUT without sin.(Hebrew 4:15)He came to earth to show us how we may live. (John 10:10) But I think we'll miss all He was trying (and is still trying) to teach us if we look at the scriptures through eyes of a Pharisee. We make rules about drinking wine and then make Jesus conform to that rule. I've always thought it rather humorous that drinking is not permitted but gluttony is. Ever noticed how many overweight Christians there are? One "sin" is not worse than another. There is no hierarchy. Besides if you are going to live your life by The Law, as soon as you break one law you are guilty of breaking them all.(James 2:10)

Did Mary Really Know?

2008-09-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

As I read Luke, chapters 1 through 3 today, I paused to reflect about Mary. In the second chapter of Luke, I read that Mary and Joseph were fulfilling purification laws dating back to the days of Moses. They presented Jesus to the priests, offering him back to God as required of firstborn sons. There was this guy (named Simeon) in the temple who had been praying and awaiting something spectacular. When Mary and Joseph appeared with their baby, Simeon "knew" his waiting was over. He prophesied over Jesus; Mary and Joseph were amazed. Why were they amazed?

Gabriel himself had visited Mary to tell her what was going to happen to her. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to marry Mary in spite of her pre-marital prenancy. Mary's cousin, Elizabeth (while pregnant with John) calls her the "mother of my Lord." Shepherds visited Mary and Jesus while he was still a baby, led there by heralding angels. Scholars, led by a star and confirmed by Herod's inquiry of high priests and scholars, brought gifts when he was a child, presumably close to two years of age. And then, Mary and Joseph were "surprised" once again when Jesus himself (at the age of 12) told them he was tending to his "Father's" business.

How can all this happen and yet have a mother not really know who her son was?

I'm trying to put myself in her place. Okay, so an angel comes to me telling me I am going to get pregnant without intercourse. Okay, so I don't argue with the angel. If my old cousin Elizabeth can get pregnant, so can I, if God says so. Besides, the angel said in so many words, this son of mine is going to be a ruler (think worldly, not spritually). So what do I do now? I know! Run! So I go to visit my old pregnant cousin for 3 months. When I return to Bethlehem, I've got to realize by then I'm pregnant; I've missed three periods. I tell Joseph. He seeks to put me away privately until God tells him in a dream it's okay to marry me because my pregnancy is His idea.

So from this point on, I have to imagine being pregnant but not by the man I've married. I imagine a kind of loneliness. Think about it! Who can I discuss this with? Joseph married me, but does he share my joy and uncertainty? When the baby kicks in my womb, do I run to him and place his hand on my belly? Surely, the neighbors are talking and counting the months on their fingers. We just got married; how can I be so big with child?

So comes the time to give birth. I am still in wonder. Is this really going to happen? What is this baby going to look like? Will Joseph love him, too? The baby is born. He looks normal. Shepherds pay a visit. Angels told them about my son? Why? Have I forgotten the angel's exact words by now? Maybe. Because a few days later when we go to the temple and Simeon prophesied over him, I am amazed. My son is really going to be great?

So now, fast-forward through a fearful move to Egypt; dealing with sleepless nights with a crying, pooping baby; endless "diaper" changes; teaching him to walk and talk; weaning him; and dealing with a pre-teen runaway. I think just like us, Mary got lost in the day-to-day cares of living. I think, because she was mothering a human being, not a "God with us", she could only partly "know" who Jesus was. I think day-to-day concerns overpowered what little she understood of the words delivered by the angel.

It's easy for us in our day and time, sitting comfortably in our easy chairs reading the gospels to clearly "get it." But Mary didn't have scripture from the New Testament laid before her to read and examine. And I believe her revelation was limited. So, I've decided to cut her some slack.

I wonder what revelations would unfold if I had the opportunity to read the gospel of my life.

Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. Luke 2:19, 51

Strawberry Torte

2008-09-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

My daughter called me a couple of weeks ago to get a recipe that I could not find - Strawberry Torte. I haven't made this dessert in over five years. Why not? I have no idea. It would have helped if she had requested it sooner. Maybe it's because I had moved and lost the paper copy of the recipe. Anyway, I searched and searched through all my printed recipes to no avail. And I was disappointed; this was a knock-out dessert. So she punted and made a reasonable facsimile of it.
I'm on vacation this week. Out of nowhere, a thought came to me directing me to search for a disk that may have the recipe on it. Voila!! Here it is! As I told my friend today, this is what retirement must be like. My brain is free to think of things like this. You must try it.

But first, I must tell you I've had this recipe for a few years. I would modify it somewhat according to my current dietary "laws." I would make whipped cream from scratch - sue me!! The original recipe called for margarine - an absolute no-no in my house. Secondly,some amounts of ingredients are not specified. I'm guessing at the amount of strawberries needed and I don't know the amount of glaze. Get a small container. And I'm guessing the total amount of Cool Whip needed must be a small container, because some gets mixed into the cream cheese layer and some goes on top of the strawberries. And finally, I don't recall ever using coconut. It still is delish!!

I know. I know. For you precise cooks, this is somewhat unsettling. One of my friends says that she expects one day my kitchen is going to explode. I am not afraid of experimenting.

Strawberry Torte

1 cup flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 T. sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Mix together and spread in 9x9 pan. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 F. Let cool.

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup Cool Whip
1 cup powdered sugar

Mix and spread on cool crust.

Mix fresh strawberries (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups) and strawberry glaze. Spread over cream cheese layer. Spread remainder of Cool Whip on top of strawberies. Sprinkle with coconut. Let chill several hours.

My "Baby" is 28.

2008-09-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Yup. It's official - I am getting old. My daughter is turning 28 on Saturday. Just this morning, as I was driving to work, I thought, "Wow! Twenty-eight years ago I was still pregnant, ready to give birth and get on with being a Mom." I had no idea what I was in for.

You see, my daughter was a non-compliant child. She was good-natured and a good baby, really, so I was unprepared for the radical changes that began at around age 4 and continued until she was about 19. That's when she woke from her mom-defying stupor and discovered what I had been saying to her for years: "I'm on your side," or "I am not your enemy."

When she was a toddler and going through her there's-a-monster-under-my-bed stage, I would comfort her with,"Don't worry, dear. The only monster in this house is me." Now, for those of you gasping right now, know that she got the message. No harm would ever come to her on my watch.

She finally left the nest last year to attend Rhema Bible School. The first night we slept on the floor of her unfurnished apartment. While she lay sleeping, I realized I was the same age(26) when I left Kentucky for the new frontier of New Jersey and the adventures of a new life. I cried. I am so proud of her. She is a star; her nickname is Diva.

Happy birthday, Diva!!

On Life and Death

2008-09-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law nursed my brother during his illness and was with him (along with my nephew) when he drew his last breath. That may sound dreary or depressing to some, but it wasn't like that for either of them. It was peaceful because he was at peace. My sister-in-law, OJ, said you try to imagine what it's going to be like but death is not what you think. One last sound and the person is no longer there. "Where did you go"?, she asked as she kissed him one last time. A body is just a house.
When you hear the word CANCER, your biggest enemy becomes FEAR. When they heard the diagnosis nearly two years ago, my brother and OJ prayed right away and put their lives in the hands of God. My sister has been diagnosed with lung cancer twice so she knows full well about overcoming fear, too. Eighteen years ago, about a month after my mother died of cancer, I heard the word TUMOR. Strange as it seems, I could feel fear attempting to come in but I remained at peace. The doctor looked at me strangely, waiting for me to break down. I never did. Why? Because almost instantly, I remembered something God spoke to me years before: "Take care of your daughter." I took comfort and firm assurance in those words sitting in the doctor's office. I wasn't leaving this earth just yet; a dead mother cannot care for her daughter. And since God told me to take care of her, I knew He was taking care of me. The tumor was benign.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me." Psalm 23:4

2008-09-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, so back to me.
I am the middle child, whatever that means. I've read books about birth order and I still think I behave more like the oldest daughter than the middle child. My brother was the oldest; unfortunately, he died in August of 2008. So now, I'm the oldest. That is just too strange.
I have a "much younger" sister (her words, not mine; we are only 13 months apart in age) who is a journalist. She already blogs but this is all new to me.
My brother was an engineer and pretty much behaved like one. He was a computer geek of sorts, too. He was the hub of the family wheel, keeping everyone in touch with everyone else in the event of birthdays, anniversaries and the like. After his funeral, three of us decided we'd better step up to the plate. Hence, one reason for my blog.
My good friend Danielle just nudged me and told me I was falling behind with this blogging business, so I'm trying to do better.
Please stay tuned.

Just a Little About Me

2008-09-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

I am a single, 58-year-old woman, the mother of one. I am now working in my second career, bond accounting, after having a successful 25-year career as a blood-banker. I decided to start a blog because I was so impressed with the blogs I've read that are so well-written and so very informative. It's a way of leaving my comfort zone, of not spending so much time alone - my favorite pasttime. I decided to call my blog, "A String of Pearls" because I hope that that is what I will be sharing with you - pearls of wisdom. Whenever I have been consistent in my prayer life, I prayed more for wisdom and revelation than anything else. I hope that doesn't sound conceited because I certainly am not. You see, wisdom comes from the Lord. I cannot take any credit for simply listening and obeying.

I enjoy crafts, cooking, exercising and researching natural health issues. My favorite exercise is swimming laps, but Michael Phelps I am not. I read a lot of recipes but then go in the kitchen and create my own thing. I still cook too much; I've yet to adjust to my empty nest.