Biscuits

2 Cups self rising flour
1 stick butter, frozen
1/2-3/4 cup buttermilk

grate the butter into the flour, and stir around with a fork until the bits of butter are distributed evenly throughout the flour. Add the butter milk and stir until mixture leaves the sides. Turn out onto floured surface and knead a few times. Cut out and bake at 400 until brown. If I am using convection, it takes about 12 minutes. Regular bake tends to take longer.

Can it really be that I haven't posted since March? About the time I last changed the calendar in the kitchen. So much has happened since then! Patrick is a sophomore now, Jon has changed jobs and received his CWI certification, Liz is student teaching. I have had major surgery. I guess Sid is the only constant in the equation! Good thing! I can always depend on Sid for that! It is almost fall and feels so good outdoors. The Lord blessed me with the most gorgeous sunrise this morning on my way to work. His gifts are absolutely the best!

Spring! Beautiful spring!

What an absolutely gorgeous perfect spring day. The sun is bright and warm, and the breezes are cool and refreshing. Daffodils blooming in the yard are white and yellow and pink. Yes, I do have some pink ones! they are white with pink trumpets. I have other varieties that will bloom later that have ruffly centers and they are pink~! I planted petunias in the pots on the porch today. I just could not resist them yesterday. I bought yellow, purple (of course), pink and red ones and mixed them up in my porch pots. The aroma is heavenly.

I am 50 years old. I don't feel 50 years old, but here it is. I did the math. 2011-1961=50. My family was so good to me on my birthday! I got a surprise party at the Hometown restaurant, so I got to see Liz. Jon, Julia, Patrick, G-maw and Sid were all there too as well as special guests Danny and Sherry Holliman--Old friends that we spent many a summer day with on the lake or at the beach or just hanging out at their home watching movies. Jon wouldn't stay with folks when he was little and surprised us one night when Danny said, Jon you coming home with us? He jumped in their van and headed to Itta Bena. No problem! We taught the kids of Itta Bena to waterski right in front of Danny's parents home on Roebuck Lake. We took several vacations together to Panama City Beach with the Hollimans. Great memories like Sid and Andy parasailing and Sid and Danny shaving their mustaches for the first time ever will have us saying "remember when" for years! Maybe I won't tell what Jon did to Sherry when he was just a little fellow while Sid and I went to dinner! shhhh!!! Anyway, it made turning half of a century very painless! It was neat to get over 100 facebook messages as well wishing me a happy birthday.

This summer since our class is turning "fabulous and fifty" we are having an off-year reunion. I didn't make it to the first organizational meeting, so they elected me treasurer. I will be sure to go the next one, next friday night. I really am looking forward to seeing old faces! (specially since I have lost a ton of weight!!!)

WE have been busy with baseball since my last post. I just haven't had time to keep up, even though I said I was going to start blogging again more frequently. Facebook is fun to communicate and keep up with folks, but this is a little more personal. I like writing my thoughts down. It is fun to go back and read what was going on in my world at a particular time.

The Tigers are doing really well so far. Patrick is Junior Varsity, but has gotten a little varsity time in the one sided games. The JV is undefeated and the Varsity has only lost 2 games and they were only by one point each. Tomorrow night will be a test, since Water Valley is supposed to have a very good baseball team. It is an important game since it is a district game and it is at home. Coach Surrell is encouraging the town to come out and support the Tigers.

Jon has retaken the CWI exam again last weekend. He feels pretty good about it. I hope for the best. He should be hearing something from them in the next couple of weeks. He has learned so much. I have been surprised at what a great student he has become and how much knowledge he has retained since beginning his journey.

Liz should be winding up classes soon, I guess. I hope she can stay well so that she can finish and do her student teaching in the fall.

Spring break was last week. The week started off nasty, cold and rainy, but by Wednesday had changed to a beautiful week end! The super-moon on Friday night was so pretty.
It is too pretty outside to be in the house typing on a computer. I am going outside!
BYE!

What a busy week. what a busy year so far. Next week is the last week of February, and it was just Christmas! Well, let's see, so far this week was Valentines day, GA's, Beta Club Induction, field trips, lots of cooking and wondering when I am going to get a birthday cake finished for Sidney. (don't tell, but it's cooling right now. I have to wait til it gets cool so I can ice it! Chocolate on chocolate, homemade icing with real butter, sugar, cocoa and vanilla-His absolute fave! Of course, I must not forget to buy some Luvel vanilla ice cream to go with it. Nothing else will do. I am thinking the Crystal Grill might be the best choice for a Birthday lunch celebration! He can get a fillet Mignon! I thought about buying some and cooking them myself, but I am still waiting on my vent-a-hood, which is on back-order. I don't dare broil steaks without an exhaust fan. Great excuse to let them do the cooking and I don't have to clean up!

Ok, that is what has occurred thus far. Tomorrow is the first day of baseball season for the Winona Tigers. They are playing a jamboree in Ethel. Their first game is at 10:30, then 11:30 and then 1:00. They are just playing 4 inning games. Then we must come home and get ready for the Winona Junior Auxiliary Charity ball. I have never attended this gala before, so it will be a new adventure for Sidney and me. Mr. Patrick Knox Morrison will be escorting Miss Brittany Lynn Hardin in the presentation of the royal court! I will of course be the camera hound--the paparazzi! They have a practice run through tonight at 5:30, but I am sure that Patrick will be late, since their baseball practice has not been getting finished until about 6:00. He is a smart boy, so I believe that if he does miss it all, Brittany can fill him in on his duties.

The Beta Club induction ceremony was nice last night. I am so very proud of Patrick. He has been so blessed- smart, cute and athletic!

Jon and I have been preparing for the CWI exam again. He is so smart and knows this stuff. I just can't understand how testing can throw him off so badly. I never had trouble with testing and always did very well on standardized, timed tests. I am trying to help as best I can. He is very determined and I am determined to help. I fell badly that I wasn't able to help him last night. Elizabeth came home and commandeered the house. She was working on school stuff until around 5:15 this morning. She then had to get up, get back to Cleveland and get to class by 9:00 this morning. I talked to her earlier and she was grabbing a nap before she had to go to work tonight. She had me looking online for pictures to go with her lesson plans. She had Patrick coloring the parts of a plant and cutting them out. He finally told her that he had to stop and study for a geometry test. Poor Jon didn't say a word, but I was sad for him. I will help him tonight for sure. He is trying so hard. He wants so much all at once! I told him to finish one thing before he started on another! He is so precious to me-so sweet. I love them all! :)

Guess I'd better go check and see how that cake is cooling! I'll have to go to Winona before the banks close!

A new Year

A new year, new beginnings... I don't make new year's resolutions because I know myself. I know that I will not keep them! I hope to grow this year as a Christian. I hope to be able to suppress my childish thoughts at times and put others first. I hope to be able to get more exercise and to stay focused on eating healthier. I am not resolving anything, but trying to stay on track!

We had a very nice Christmas. It was relatively quiet; we stayed close to home. The older I get, the more I enjoy staying at home. I am still hoping to get away with Sid for our "honeymoon trip" that we missed out on this past August! It was so hot, and with Patrick playing in the band for football games every weekend until almost Thanksgiving it was not really possible to get away. I don't know where we'll go this time. I have enjoyed all our little getaways. Natchez was really cool! I guess baseball will be starting up pretty soon. They start practicing on February 1 and their first game is February 19. Charity ball is also that day, so Patrick will be very busy! He has the honor of escorting Miss Brittany Hardin that night! I know he will be so handsome. I guess we'd better go get him measured for a tux soon. I'm sure his measurements will have changed since he's grown 2 inches since he was last measured! I guess Sid and I will have to make this Charity ball, since we have one participating in it. I was told that church clothes will be appropriate. I can do that. Don't think I'd like to do a more formal thing, or rather to get Sid to do it. He hasn't worn a tux since he had to escort Elizabeth in the Carroll Academy homecoming Court back in 1997!

Wow, this year flew by. It is always hard for me to start writing the new year. 2011. Doesn't seem right!

Went and took advantage of Sid's Christmas present to me Sunday afternoon. It was wonderful. I believe that I could lay there and let someone rub on me 24/7! I was a little nervous about a guy masseur, but he was great. Very professional and not real chatty once he got started. I just closed my eyes and almost went out! Really helped my right shoulder. He put something hot on my upper back while he was working elsewhere and it felt so good. Then he really rubbed my back! I know I felt elbows! Wish I could afford to get one more often.

Wow, a year ago, I was preparing for my trip to Rome. It was the most awesome trip! Went with 3 wonderful ladies and we all got along famously. I told one the other day that we needed a reunion! I still pinch myself and think. Was that really me? Did I really throw coins in the Trevi fountain? Did I really see the Coliseum? The Pieta? St. Peter's? Did I really eat gelato every night and learn to love cappucino? So fun to relive the memories. I think that I will go back and look at my pictures!

I am going to have to take Patrick to school tomorrow, so I guess I'd better be off to bed. I have missed writing to you, Mr. Blog. I guess I just have to be in the mood to write. and tell you all my thoughts! I guess not ALL my thoughts! Some are better kept to myself! Until later!