The Famous Eugene

Here's my newsworthy sweetheart teaching a bible study aboard ship.  Strangely the paper changed his name to Eugene. Please continue to keep Lee and the crew of the San Antonio in your prayers as they prepare for the long float in the fall.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Memory :: loss


2. Original :: unique


3. Exclusively :: yours


4. Listings :: telephone


5. Bucket :: leaky


6. Knight :: in shining armor


7. Dusty :: books


8. Choice :: lunch meat


9. Sunlight :: bright


10. Change of plans :: interruption

 http://subliminal.lunanina.com

Sunday Suppers

Todays Sunday Supper recipe hails all the way from the great state of Texas.  One of the favorite places we have lived over the past 18 years.  My friend Joy gave me this yummy recipe and it has been a regular in our house ever since that time.  I call it Texas Pecan Pie.  What's the difference you ask between a Texas pecan pie and say a Georgia Pecan pie?  Well, for one thing it's a little bigger (as most things from Texas are) and for another it uses plain ol pancake maple syrup rather than Karo syrup.  Also the pecans are chopped into tiny little pieces rather than left whole.  I buy mine from the store already chopped.  Even if you are not a huge pecan pie fan, give this one a try.  It has never once let me down by being a dud at a pot-luck dinner.

Texas Pecan Pie

1/4 C melted butter (1/2 stick)

2 eggs

1/2 C sugar

1/4 C maple flavored pancake syrup

2 C finely chopped pecans

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1  heaping Tbsp  flour

1/4 C milk

1 large pie crust 

***Mix all of the above ingredients together and pour into an unbaked pie crust.  Bake at 350 degrees until brown all over and firm in the center, about 45 minutes.  

As for the pie crust.  You could just go the easy but pricier route and buy an already prepared crust from the grocery store.  OR you could use this easy, tried and true recipe that makes 4 pie crusts and is much more pocketbook friendly.  

Perfect Pie Crust

4 C flour

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 3/4 C Crisco (not butter or margarine)

1/2 C water

1 Tbsp white or cider vinegar

1 large egg

*** Mix altogether with a fork the first 3 ingredients. Mix in shortening until crumbly.

In a small separate bowl mix together the water, vinegar, and egg.  Combine the 2 mixtures stirring until all ingredients are evenly moist.  

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Shape into patties and store them in freezer bags for later use.  Can be frozen and thawed easily.  Or if you need to use right away, chill your crust for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before rolling it out. When ready to use, flour your work surface generously and roll dough out to the thickness and size needed.  

Recipe yields 4 -10 inch pie crusts or 20 tart shells.  

4th Of July Visit

Just a few days after we moved in to the country house Mimi and Papa came for a visit.  I guess they wanted to check out our new digs.  Well, maybe seeing the 4 granddaughters had a little to do with it too.  So off we went to the Norfolk airport to pick them up.

We had to get there just a little early so that we could have a Starbucks treat.  Our priorities are in perfect order.

Just look at that patriotism!  It was 4th of July, so these 2 felt obliged to wear their colors. Caitlin's shirt says "Navy Brat"

Silly sisters!

And here is Mimi, fresh off the plane from Florida.

We don't know who that guy in the back is talking about corneal flaps.  I should have photoshopped Papa's face over his.

This is what we did alot of while mimi and papa visited.  We sat around and chatted, ate eggrolls and played cards.  It was fun.  I love my new kitchen for this reason, everyone feels comfortable to just sit down around the island and I'm not left all alone in there.

 The second night they were here we accidently discovered a great pizza and pasta place up the road in Franklin.  The power went out at the house and stayed out for hours.  Our group got hungry, so we ventured out to town in search of food.  I'm glad we did because that place was delish!  They make their own pasta and sauce and even the cheese is homemade.  I can't wait to go again. 

Moving Day

We are so thankful for our church family. They came in like pros and helped us get everything moved. Without them this process would have been much harder. Our day started bright and early, so of course I had to go get everyone a little fuel in the form of Dunkin Donuts and coffee.

Caitlin shows us how to get the day started off right.

It's a good thing she had that coffee. She needed the energy for chasing down this little escape artist. He was determined that he was not going to be left!

There's our couch and dining chairs riding down the road in the back of Pastor Ben's truck.

Here are our beds and dressers aboard what Mr John calls his Sanford and Son truck.

The fellas taking a water break after a long day.
All of our moving pictures (courtesy of Holly) can be seen in our Picasa Web album.

Cow Appreciation Day

What some people will do for free food, I tell ya! If by chance free food is being given away if you dress up like a cow then maybe, just maybe, my girls would be all for it. Dressing up like a cow when chocolate milkshakes are involved is especially appealing.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Flicker :: Photo


2. Styling :: hair


3. Episode :: Gilmore Girls


4. Sexier :: than my shirt?


5. Studious :: Not me


6. Mushroom :: Fungus


7. 8 minutes :: In heaven


8. Bald :: Eagle


9. Immunity :: Lucky 


10. Sectioned :: Grapefruit

I'm not sure what the above says about me but I am appalled after reading over the post below!

There are SO many spelling errors.  Let's just chalk it up to the stress of living without a computer for 21 days, shall we?  The Good, Wonderful, Glorious news is that I am officially back online here at home!!!!   Hurray!  It has been funny trying to work out getting an internet connection out here in the sticks.  I was told that DSL was an absolute impossibility.  Next the cable guy came out and said " Nope, you live to far from anything" so a cable modem was ruled out. Next I thought I'd just install the dreaded dial-up until we could get a clear understanding of what satellite internet involved.  I had it all set up through Verizon but could not connect for some reason.   I called tech support only to be told that my Mac computer was too new for dial-up.  Ha, can you believe it? Too new; she said it would be like me trying to plug an cassette tape into my Mac. Whatever.  So strike the dial-up.  I can't say that I wasn't actually a little relieved.  In the end we are up and running using a satellite dish.  It's not a lightning fast connection but it's leaps and bounds better than dial-up.  So here I am back aboard the blog train.  Stay tuned, I have a lot to catch you guys up on.  

Clean, Cool and UNconnected

Water Pressure and plenty of hot water- check
Air Conditioner cooling at arctic levels- check
Internet up and running- UNCHECK!!!!

Once again I am forced to post from a remote location and my time is limited. Not being online is trying my patience in unbelievable ways! How am I supposed to keep up with the all the important stuff in life like, the antics of the pioneer woman and the farm diva?? How am I supposed to know what knew and creative things my ultra talented Aunt and Cousins have created? And what in the world shall I do with out my news from the best island in the world where the 3 cutest little boys in the worls happen to live?
UGH!!! Pray for me!!!!

Where The Wild Things Are

Thats where we live now, where the wild things are. We've seen countless numbers of bunnies in our yard and deer in the peanut patch. We've seen a fox and last night I really thought I saw a badger but Lee says it was a cat. I am posting from the little public library here in town. You did not think I could stay away that long did you? We are researching the internet possibilities for the country house. They are few, but hopefully we will be up and running in another week or so.
It's very interesting living in a small town. Our little area of the world has only 1 blinking light. I wandered over to the tiny little post office this morning to mail a couple of things and the folks in there were so kind. They asked if I needed anything. I said no but, that I had just moved to the area. The gal behind the desk called to another gal behind the wall who was sorting mail. Turns out they both knew who I was and which house I had moved into. Weird eh? The gal behind the wall was my mail carrier and she said she would look out for my forwarded mail. They also told me the names of the folks who had lived in the house before us and what to do if I happened to get their mail in my box. Me thinks there will be no secret keeping in this little community. Small town living, its going to be interesting!