I Hope Everyone Reading the Obituaries Today has a Big 'Ol Smile on Their Face

Leave it to my Mom.

Even in death she can make people laugh.

Remember the pic' I posted of her a few days ago?  Please scroll down two posts.

THAT one.  Seems it was her final request that it be used for her obituary in the Washington Post and Sun News in Myrtle Beach.

It was probably because she couldn't find the one of her doing a beer bong with a bunch of frat boys a few years back.

That's my Mom.

Nice Move Mom

I have to hand it to my Mother.  She got even in the end.

The second line of her Will reads:  "I wish to disinherit my son, [his name], from my estate."

Now please don't go thinking my Mom was a vindictive woman.  She was just fed up with my brother and his shenanigans.  And by "shenanigans" I mean that he is the biggest jerk I know.

I swear if he comes near me at the funeral I will whack him with my cane.

That is IF he shows up.

I Don't Know How To Title This

 Always the life of the party.
She would be happy I posted this picture.

My Mother passed away on Sunday.

I don't really know what to say except I will be leaving on Wednesday morning to help my sister. [I know that sounds incredibly selfish and I should write lovely things about my Mom - she deserves it and I will.  Soon.]

But can you feel like an orphan at 44?

I think so.
Thank you for all your kind words. I can always count on you tadpoles.  Thank you.

I love you my Momma.

Not Quite Emergency Room Worthy, But.....

Yes.  Wallene.  Again.  When isn't it this kid?  Please go check out what she has done now.  Thanks.

She had to change her blog because it was interfering with mine - you can find her here:

If You Knew My Mother You Would Understand Why

Catchy title, eh?  The Will is being rewritten as I type this.

Now You Might Understand Why....

.....I love my In Laws so much.

Pooldad, Wallene and I drove over to their new home today to help unpack a little more. My beloved MIL was there but Daddy O was out and about at a KOC function and wasn't expected for a few more hours.

We finished unpacking and placed all their lovely collectibles in their glass curios.

[Tadpoles?  They have some sweet pieces - delicate, old world pieces - I was a wreck at the end of it, afraid my hands would drop something.  She could not have cared - she was more worried about my pain than [then?] the china.]

We sat back to relax on the sofa when the phone rang.

Wallene picked it up and handed it to me and I asked my MIL if she would like me to answer it - we knew it was Daddy O.  She said sure, so I did.

Skippy:  "Hello?"

FIL:  "Hi Honey."

[I just about melted - because he thought I was my MIL. Awww he calls her honey! eek! Sweet! Oh and they have been married 55 years this month. Go Mom and Dad!]

Skippy:  "Hi Daddy!"

FIL:  Recognizing my voice ...."Oh I get to hear this lovely voice today do I?"

Skippy:  "Yep.  Hi Dad.  How are you?"

FIL:  "Even better now.  I am on my way home.  Tell your Momma I will be home shortly.  Love you."

Skippy:  "Love you too Dad."

Is it any wonder why?

Before Digital Cameras Existed

My wonderful husband has been excavating the garage this past weekend - truly there is no other word - and here are some of the charms he has come across.  You can begin your laughter at the second picture, continue onto the third but then...no laughing at my kids. :D 'Kay?

My Dad circa 1962.
Isn't he so handsome?
I miss him.

My first job.
Polyester rules baby!
[I always smelled like a Big Mac after a shift.
That material retains all smell .
 And please, dig the hat.  Styling.]

The caption on the back of this picture says "Best Friends" and we are.
1986
We were also quite tipsy.  Especially my buddy in the middle.
It explains his shirt choice.  24 years later?  He is still getting hell for it.

This lovely woman is Mrs. Smith.
She played the organ at my first wedding.  She was 78.
I was so happy to find this photo as she passed away this summer [at 98].
I am lucky to have her memory to cherish.

Pooldad and I married at last.  YAY!
[He found my wedding dress and shoes too!]
This was at my parents' home.
Mom did the decorating. :D
Daisies!!  Love em'.
[This picture is in really poor condition.  Sorry]

Wallene.  Halloween.  2 months old.
Pooldad and I took her to his work that evening [he was deejaying.]
The one costume I did not make.
I was busy nursing my lil' pumpkin.

My Dad with Wallene.
I think she is around  1 year old.
She loved her Papa.
He was a good Grandpa.

JR at about a year old.
My baby sweetheart.

Tee-man at two years old.
His smile is still THAT sweet.

Our princess, Dee.  4 years old.
Those boots were made for walking.

I started her at an early age cooking in the kitchen didn't I?

Pooldad at his 40th birthday party in our backyard.
My sister made the cake. :D

Because I love her red hair.

My first Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Love you Rudy.

New Year's Eve [at home with the kids]
1998
We did it up right!
[He still takes my breath away.]

Melts my heart.

Not found in the garage but sent along to us:

This actually is digital.
Squirrel and her friends in the JMU Royal Dukes Marching Band.
Aren't they gorgeous!  Love them.

Well?  That is my little walk down memory lane.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Have a great Thursday!

Sunday Adventure In Pictures [Sort of]

Seems these two....

....were missing this one.

So these three....

....packed up this one

....into this thing but...

....we had to leave that one behind.

We hit the road at ...

....and drove this many miles.

We arrived here!

To deliver this....

Not her actual box - ours [because of yout help] was cooler

....to her.

Then we took her to....

For the favorite....

....sides....

....more sides....

....and dessert.

Of course we all had the refreshing....

....with none of this for Momma.

Then we made a pit stop at....

....seems somebody needed this.

Then they...

....decided THIS would be fun.

Actual rock climbing wall at JMU URec

But then it was time to go....

....and so we drove the same miles...

....in this.

We tried to make up for the long ride with a treat....

It worked. DQ!

We arrived home in the PM....

...and promptly....

I was so proud of myself for remembering my camera.  

Unfortunately? I forgot the memory card. Duh

All the pics [of us] are ones you have seen before and the rest are stock photos.

Hope you all have a fantastic Monday!

You Don't Need To Knead

If you have one of these!

Admire the bread.
And no cracks about my crappy stove.  It's old.

Years ago I gifted myself with a bread maker.  They were all the rage and although I knew how to make bread and rolls and had been doing it for a long time I thought "Well, let's jump on that band wagon."  So I did.  When I first purchased it I made a lot of bread but due to space constraints I finally stopped pulling it out of the closet to use and just went about making rolls and such from scratch.

Then we moved.  And it came with us.

Then we moved again.  And so did it.

Then we moved a third time and by now my husband was grumbling about my purchase.

After our fourth and final move into our current home the bread maker was relegated to the garage.  Honestly I don't know why because this is the biggest kitchen I have ever had, but I suspect Pooldad was tired of looking at the dang thing.

Then I got sick and there were no more rolls to be had on Thanksgiving. :( We resorted to buying the frozen dough and making them that way and although they are good they still aren't quite what we were used to.

So Wallene [the finder of everything] mentioned that she knew exactly where the bread machine was and how about it be released from the confines of the garage and find a new home on our counter?

As you can see there it is.  It is still a honker big appliance but it fits nicely in the place formally held by my coffeepot.  [Which, if you remember, is now off to college.  Smarty pants Cuisinart 12 cupper.  We miss you!  Please write. sniff.]

The neatest thing about it is that you can make bread from start to finish in it or you can simply make the dough and finish it up in your own oven.  This particular model makes all kinds of dough too - pizza, bagel, french, white, etc.  The amount of actual prep time in either method is about 10 minutes total - and no kneading in either method.  Awesome!

I understand from reading a lot of message boards that people are selling these at yard sales for as little as $5!  I know I paid $100 for this one back in 1998 [?] so that sounds about right for one in good condition.  You don't even need a manual if you buy a used one [I lost mine eons ago. hee  Pooldad found mine today while cleaning out the garage.  THAT is tomorrow's post. egads.] because you can just go on line and find a recipe to fit what ever you want to make.

Which is what I did yesterday.

See how easy and inexpensive this recipe is:

Basic Bread Machine White Bread

1 cup warm water [110 degrees F - I just run my tap until the water is comfortably warm]

2 tbsp sugar

1 packet [.25 oz] of yeast made for bread machines [the reviews said you could use normal yeast and I believe it]

1/4 cup of oil [vegetable or olive]

3 cups of white, all purpose flour

1 tsp salt [some reviewers used 1.5 teaspoons - but you know me.  Both work.]

Put the yeast and sugar in the bread maker pan.  Pour warm water in**.  Let set 10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients.  Set machine on Basic - White bread setting - medium [crust color].  Walk away. :D  In about 2 hours you will have warm bread. **Even if your bread maker or yeast says not to let the yeast touch the liquid, trust me, this does work.

Or if you like you can set it on the dough setting and when it is finished just pop it out, put it in a bread pan [I used two mini loaf pans] let rise for about an hour then bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Brush with butter.  YUM!

From the two little loaf pans [pictured above] I had 20 slices of bread that [duh] makes 10 sandwiches, which we ate one whole loaf at dinner last night with Pooldad's killer chicken salad.  So good.

I am going to substitute the sugar with honey and half the white flour with wheat flour today because I really like whole wheat bread better. I also want to experiment with whole wheat in our pizza dough because I think that would be healthier.

Anyone else have a good bread machine recipe?  [Amy - I still want your wheat bread recipe. Please!]