All Quiet on the New Market Front

Hey, Y'all,
It is a very quiet day here in New Market, TN. I actually slept in until 8:45 this morning (if you can call getting up about 3 times during the night sleeping in, ha.) This day is supposed to be rather rainy and grey outside. According to the weather man (who doesn't always know what he is talking about - he needs one of Granny Clampett's weather beetles -"Beverly Hillbillys") in order to predict the weather, I am thinking.

Actually, the last few days have been kind of quiet and peaceful. I did get out yesterday for a while to make my weekly trip to get groceries and stuff at Walmart. Whilst I was there, I saw a friend of mine for the first time in years. Of course, you know that Walmart is where you always are seeing friends that are long-lost. Ruth Ann was tellling me that she keeps in touch with several people on Facebook that we both worked with. It was really great to see her again and hope she will keep in touch.

So far this morning, I have folded and put away 3 loads of laundry (washed and dried yesterday and the day before), had breakfast, read some from my present murder mystery, and that is about it, but not too bad for a morning's labors. I still have my kitchen to clean up, but that can wait. ha ha.

I still have intentions to balance my check book today, along with some more working on Will's quilt. I spent several hours last evening working on additional flowers for his quilt. I decided I needed six more flowers to balance out the design for his quilt.

I am hoping to chat online with my daughter, Teresa, some time today, and if not today, then tomorrow. Well, that is about it for now. I think we are supposed to have some snow showers this evening into the morning hours. My pansies in the flower bed out front are standing a little taller since it has warmed a little during the days past. Unfortunately, they are going to be hunkering down again in a little while, trying to avoid the wind and cold.

This is Blabbn' Grammy signing off for now. More tomorrow, maybe, and if not, then soon. Are you keeping up with American Idol contestants? It is fun to see who will be in the final twelve and who will be knocked off each week. That is about it for today. Love to you all. I hope each of you have an opportunity to worship at your church tomorrow, and if you can't, I trust you will keep the Sabbath in your hearts. Bye for now.

Just Hangin' Out

Hey, Y'all,
Yep, we got up this morning and headed out to Knoxville at about 9:15 a.m. In the meantime, I contracted with a paver yesterday to pave our driveway with asphalt, to be done today while we were in Knoxville. I asked him to pave the driveway down to where our driveway joined with our neighbor's. When we got back today, I decided I wanted him to pave the driveway all the way down to the road. He just laughed and said of course he would do it. One of the workers said he knew we would want it finished all the way down when we saw it. (pictures forthcoming when the job is finished completely).

We proceeded on to Knoxville this morning and decided to have a Hardee's breakfast consisting of biscuits/gravy and coffee. (yes, I know, it is bad for us, especially me, but we don't do Hardee's very much any more. It has been months since we have done so).

After breakfast, we went on and picked up Mae and then went on to Imazo's. We left Gramps at Imazo's and then Imazo, Mae, and I went to the Mall and did some shopping. By that time, my back and Mae's shoulder and back were all in the "killing me" mode. I don't know about Imazo's, she never complains. We went on then to Wal marts (a super walmart), and depended on the buggies to help us contend with aching joints and muscles. (Thank goodness for those buggies)!

Upon arriving back at Imazo's, we switched cars and gathered Dub into the car, and headed for Litton's Restaurant. Dub and I shared a chicken salad sandwich, and Mae and Imazo each got one and took leftover halves home. Mae ordered a piece of coconut pie for dessert, but couldn't eat all of it, so she took the remainer home to eat later. Imazo and I shared a piece of Italian Creme Cake, and Gramps (Dub) had a huge lemon cookie. Yum, full tummies all around (and we were rounder when we left there than we were when we arrived. ha ha.). While we were there, I suggested that the next time we go shopping, we take a wheelchair, and then we can take turns riding and pushing. We had a good laugh over that one.

We got back to Imazo's and just kind of lounged around and patted our full tummies and yearned for a nap, but resisted (at least for the time being). We were just hanging out (literally, we were so full) and sat around talking about all kinds of stuff. After a while, I took Mae home and came back and got Gramps and we headed home.

It looks like we are going to have some rain tomorrow, and maybe snow showers on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Another lost weekend, maybe. ha. Tomorrow, I will be going in to Jeff City to pick up some groceries I need and Gramps will probably sleep in while I do so. We are going out on Monday evening to celebrate Allie's 50th birthday anniversary. We plan to be eating at Puleo's at Strawberry Plains.

Well, it is time for me to end this Epistle for the night. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Bye for now. Love to you all.

Just Hangin' In There

Hey, Y'all,
A very quiet morning is here, and Gramps is still in bed. He was up early yesterday morning, saying he was getting ready to go to school to teach. I told him that it was a school holiday, and he said, "what holiday?", so I tried to distract him by telling him it could be President's Day. So he went back to bed, and a couple of hours later, he got up and started putting on his outer wear clothing and I asked him why he was getting dressed that early. He said he was getting ready to go to work. I told him, "Honey, we are retired. We don't have to go to work any more. Isn't that great?" He agreed that it was great. but he did stay up and we had breakfast together.

It seems that lately he has been focusing more and more on "going to work" in the mornings. He has been making the beds over the past week or so, and that is good. He also has been doing more in the kitchen, (putting trash in the trash can, heating a cup of coffee in the microwave) and also grazing when he feels hungry, and has gone back to daily reading of the Bible. To me that indicates a growing awareness of daily routine.

The weather was pretty enough yesterday that we were able to get out and go to Morristown and have lunch at Captain D's. We both really love the fish dinners there, and yes, I know it is greasy, but every once in a while a person needs some good greasy southern-fried fish. We don't eat there very often, so it is always a treat when we do.

Last evening, I worked on Will's quilt, still piecing together the flowers for the squares, and it is progressing very nicely. While I was working on the quilt, Gramps was watching the President speak and going through his closet looking for his black suit. After the speech was over, I watched the Republican rebuttal to the speech, and was quite impressed by the Governor of Louisiana's rebuttal.

Gramps went to bed after the speech, and I switched channels to watch Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry in "Magnum Force". That wasn't over until 1 a.m., so consequently, I was in bed this morning until 8 a.m.

Ooops, it is 11 a.m. and I hear Gramps up moving around, so I must close for now. We have plans to go into Knoxville tomorrow to spend some time with Mae and Imazo. Will report on that later tomorrow evening. I know how very lonesome they both are. I need to get Gramps breakfast and get him settled for the day. We probably will be in all day today.

This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Love to you all. Bye for today.

Catchin' Up

Hey, Y'all,

Well, yesterday was a very quiet day. We woke up to snow on the ground, and didn't know what the roads were like, so we just didn't go anywhere. Gramps was happy to sleep until noon, and I was happy to kind of snuggle in as well. I looked out about 1 p.m. and a lot of the snow was melting. There was still some in the shade this morning, but it was mostly all gone by five p.m. yesterday.

I did get to chat with Teresa for a while, poor little gal, she has a stomach virus, but today I got an e-mail from her that she is feeling a little better. Thank the Lord!

This morning, I got up and cleaned the kitchen, and vacuumed the house, so it wouldn't look like it had never been cleaned. I prepared the apple dumplings to cook for tonight's supper, by peeling, and coring 7 Granny Smith apples, placing each one on a half circle of pastry, then I put some sugar, cinnamon, and butter in the center of the apple. I then folded the pastry up over the apple and baked the apples for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

I prepared chicken also for tonight's supper, according to a recipe sent to me as a comment on my blog the other day. It was rubbed with miracle whip (mayo), then dipped into a mixture of grated parmesan, some ground rosemary, some dry mustard, some garlic powder and cornflake crumbs, and placed in pans and baked at 350 for 45 minutes. It was wonderful tonight.

Also, I baked some sweet potatoes for our supper, and opened some cans of green beans. Our neighbors, Scott, Laurie, and their children came for supper. Needless to say, we had a really good supper and after supper we cleared off the table and played Chicken foot with dominoes.

Oh, yes, this morning, while I was busy on the computer, Gramps came out of the bedroom wearing one of his Sunday suits. I asked him why was he wearing his suit. He told me he thought it was Sunday, so when I told him it was Monday, he said, "Oh, I guess I don't need my suit on then," and I said, 'Nope, not today."

A realization came to me recently....many of the memories that I have of growing up and in later years that I shared with my siblings and parents, are now only my memories, and there is no one left who has those same memories. I alone have those certain images and words. It is a lonely feeling. I will continue to try to convey those thoughts and images to you, my readers.

Well, it is about 11:30 and I need to get to bed. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Bye for now. (picture above is of the apple dumplings after they were baked).

A Hen Party

Hey, Y'all,

This morning about 6 a.m. I heard Gramps get up and head for the bathroom. Then just as I looked up, down he went into the floor. He was not hurt, and I helped him get up by moving a chair where he could pull himself up (with a little assistance from me - with what he would let me help). He then proceeded on to finish what he intended when he got out of bed.

A few hours later (after he and I had had a couple of more hours sleep) we had breakfast, and got ready to head into Knoxville to visit with Imazo, and her sisters, and niece. We got there about 11 a.m. or so, and found that Dorothy, Barbara, and Joann (Barbara's daughter) were already there. Then we had us a regular Hen Party. (With one old harmless rooster)

After the hugging took place, we all sat down in the living room and talked for awhile. It was really great to be able to visit with them again. After an hour or so, we decided it was time to have something to eat (of course), so Joann and I took ourselves on down to Burger King and ordered from the drive-thru. I ordered Six Chicken sandwiches, and proceeded on to the first window.

The girl at the window asked, "Did you have six chickens?" I replied, "No, I didn't have six chickens, but I did order six chicken sandwiches" (ha ha). She looked at me kind of funny, (wonder why?) and said, "that will be $24.25". (Here, my two sons-in-law are groaning over my pun, and my two girls are saying 'what a smart alec remark'. ha ha)

I paid her and we proceeded on to the next window to pick up the sandwiches. We took them back to the house and we sat down around the table, while Imazo got our drink orders and Barbara helped her fix the drinks (no, no alcohol), just tea and soft drinks, thank you very much.

Barbara had baked two cakes and brought them with her; they were yellow layer cakes, and one was frosted with a white frosting and coconut, the other was frosted with chocolate frosting. Of course, we all had to have a bit of each.

We were all feeling like ticks on a puppy (full of food) and went into the living room. Imazo brought out a bunch of shirts that had belonged to Hugh so that we could choose from them some that could be worn by our menfolks (and us, too).

Then she called us ladies into her bedroom and showed us some clothes that she was getting rid of, and so we began to try them on, and each of us chose some that we could wear. Of course, we had left Gramps sitting in the living room, and reading a National Geographic. He was perfectly happy

It was soon time for us to leave, and after some more hugging, and picking up our bags of clothing, Gramps and I left and headed down to Mae's house to visit with her for a while, and Imazo's relatives left for Monroe county.

We visited with Mae for awhile, and then left, after promising to be back down there tomorrow after church if weather permitted to take her and Imazo out to lunch. (You know, that eating rates right up there with sleeping, ha).

Gramps and I were heading home and I asked him how he felt among so many women, and he said, "Cautious". Ha. he is so funny, isn't he? He has a wonderfully dry wit.

Pictures above are: Barbara, and Gramps, (2) Joannn and Dorothy, (3) Dorothy, Imazo and Barbara and the edge of Gramps face. (I was behind the camera in each of the pictures, of course)

Well, this is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for tonight. More tomorrow, I hope. Love to all of you. Bye for now.

Coconut PIe Recipe

Hey, Y'all,
It has been requested that I print the recipe for the coconut pie that I made the other day....so here it is.

One note before I begin the recipe: I like to use a double boiler when I make cream pies, but if you don't have one, you can just use a regular pot, just monitor carefully so that the mixture doesn't burn.

Ingredients:
Pastry for a single crust 9" pie

1 cup sweetened flaked dried coconut

1 and 1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 and 1/4 cups whole milk

3 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. With a fork, prick bottom and sides of unbaked pastry in pan of about 1" intervals. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack.

2. In a 2 or 3 quart pan, mix 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cornstarch, milk, and egg yolks until well mixed. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils and thickens, 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and coconut.

3. In a small bowl mix 1/3 cup sugar and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch.

4. In a deep bowl, with a mixer on high speed, whip egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until egg whites are very foamy. Add sugar-starch mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, every 30 seconds, and continue to beat until meringue holds stiff glossy peaks.

5. Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling. With a spatula, spread meringue evenly to rim of pie shell.

6. Bake in a regular or convection oven at 325 degrees until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

7. Let pie cool on a rack about 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve or invert a large bowl over pie (dont' let sides touch pie) and chill for up to one day.

ENJOY!

Oh, one more thing.. Don't wait until you have poured the pie into the shell to start looking for your mixer and egg beaters. I had to search all over my kitchen for the beaters before I remembered where I had put them. You should have seen me flipping through drawers and in the pantry trying to find them. Or maybe it is a good thing that you didn't;;;you would probably be still laughing.

Tomorrow we will be going in to Knoxville to visit with Imazo and her sisters who are coming in from Monroe county. I look forward to seeing them all again. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for tonight. Love to you all. bye for now.

This and That, I Reckon

Hey, Y'all,
Today is one of those days that I just couldn't decide what I wanted to write about and decided to just do a smattering of different subjects.

Lately, Gramps has been talking a lot about his school days of teaching. I think he has been reliving them in his dreams. Yesterday morning, about ten a.m., Gramps got up and (picture this), kind of staggered out of bed, with his hair all tousled up, and his baggy-seated sweats, and said, "I'm going to be late for school this morning, I guess." I thought, "oops, what can I say now?" So I said, "Today is a holiday, and school is out". He said, "Okay." Thus, he was kind of detoured and then, I guess, forgot about school for the time being.

We had a very quiet day yesterday and I got a lot of laundry done and put away, I also got my bed linen changed and washed. Last night about 11 p.m. I was putting the fresh linens on my bed. His gets laundered today. It is difficult to find a good time to do his bed, because he spends so much time in it. ha.

This morning, I was up about 7:30 and came into my multipurpose room, and looked at the top of my computer desk, (the table part of it) and decided it was time to clean out my filing cabinet and begin my new year of files. I spent about two hours on that, and finally got finished with it. It is wonderful to have that done and not be concerned with it anymore.

While cleaning up my files, and the top of the computer desk, I ran across the poems that my sister had written, and thought I would put one of them on today's blog. It is called, "Winter Woes? And Wonders!". Here it is:

I woke up this morning and what do you know?
I saw a big frost that resembled a snow.
I put on my robe and turned up the heat,
And then I put wool socks on my feet.

The need to go out, I really did dread-
Such thoughts made me want to jump back in bed.
But down by the river was a beautiful sight -
A fog had frozen on the trees in the night.

And now as the sun was beginning to gleam,
A more beautiful picture you never have seen!
We often dread the cold and the ice,
But listen to me and take my advice...

God made each season for man to enjoy,
Some like the heat and some the cold,
And each has a beauty that all can behold,
So Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall-

Remember that God made them all.

Margaret Elizabeth Campbell. 12-8-2004

I hope you enjoy reading and thinking about her poetry. She had an eighth grade education until her later years in life when she achieved a high school diploma through a GED. I have always been proud to have had her as a sister.

Well, that is my posting for today. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Much love to each of you. Bye for now.