10 THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK!

20 June - 27 June, 2010

"It will be fine in the end.  If it is not fine, it is not the end."  unknown (at least to me)

#1  Mark has been accepted into the Medical Assistant program at Salt Lake Community College.  He has decided what he wants to do, and has a started his plan to get there.  We are proud of you, Mark.

#2  We have our picnic lunches ordered, that give us good seats, at Disney's California Adventures new water show, "WORLD OF COLOR".  Leslie, Hilary and Christy saw it opening week-end, and LOVED it!

#3  Happy Birthday, Mom.

"One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life, is I think, to have a happy childhood.  I had a very happy childhood."  Agatha Christy and ME!  I love you very much, mom.

#4  Doug and I had a real date night this Friday.  We enjoy being home together more than going out.  But, there are a few hamburger places we ((mainly me) have wanted to try.  This week we tried "SMASHBURGERS".  We both got the 1/3 lb. (smallest) "Classic Smashburger" and split a "Smashburger fries".  (Sides are $1.oo cheaper when you buy a sandwich.)  We really enjoyed our burgers and the fries were GREAT!  (rosemary and garlic.  The rosemary was mild.  I am going to try an adaptation this week.)  Our total was $12.53.

We came home and watched "The Fantastic Mr. Fox".  (Thank-you for leaving it here, Christy.)  Doug thought it was o.k.  I would say 1 1/2 stars.  It was only barely o.k.  Still there is rarely a movie we both will see.  Thank-you for a fun evening, honey.

#5  I have $5oo.oo saved for the trip.  (I want to get $13oo.oo by myself.)

#6  I love my shower.  I like having my own bar of soap.  I like the shelf with candles.  Every time I take a shower it makes me happy.  And now when I think that I am happy with my new(ish) bathroom, I also am happy that David and Debbie have a new bathroom, too.

#7  I am happy that Leslie likes books on tape.  VERY HAPPY.  Leslie is happy to take her "book" outside and weed.  She had some time off this week and weeded the whole front strip of our house.  And spent 2 evenings weeded at the house that David and Lindsay are buying.  THANK-YOU SO MUCH, LESLIE.

#8  SWIMMING!!  The best part of summer.

#9  I tried a new, and very simple, recipe for our movie on Saturday.  I saw the idea on a Food Channel  show on fairs.  It was really good.  And I do not even like lemon aid.  It is called "Shaken Lemon Aid", and here is what I did.  For 1 serving squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into a 12 oz. (about) glass.  Add 1/4 cup sugar and throw in the (washed) 1/2 lemon rind.  FILL the glass all the way with ice.  Then fill with water, cover and SHAKE.  Honestly it sounds like regular lemon aid, but it was really good.  And quite refreshing.

#10  Last Sunday my mom-in-law sent some extra baby back pork ribs home with us.  (Remember our Father's Day dinner?)  I have been wanting to try something for quite awhile, but there would never be left-overs.  Last summer at the Sandy (Utah) "Rib City", Doug got sloppy joes made with ribs.  They were so good.  I have wanted to try it since.  On Monday I spent 1 1/2 hours pulling the meat off the bones and cutting it very small.  I put it in the crock pot with a whole bottle of Rib City sweet BBQ sauce, and cooked on low about 4 hours.  I was not disappointed :D  Lindsay and David came by for dinner on the way to work on the house.  (The side dish was great, too.  I will post that recipe soon.)

 UGH!  It is only Tuesday and all 3 new recipes I have tried this week were not what I wanted.  1. S'more Brownies,  2. Sticky Chicken,  3.  Island Angel Food Cake

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE TRIFLE - "Guest Post"

Ashley is my newest daughter (-in-law).  She and Mark have married for almost 3 months.
For Mark's and Ashley's birthdays  (in May) Ashley made a chocolate brownie trifle.  She brought it to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the big May birthday celebration.  Lots of the relatives asked for the recipe, so I asked Ashley if she would "Guest Post" the recipe for me.  (I picked this week to post it since I have not posted as often as I should since watching children full time for the past 2 weeks.  One more week to go.)


Hi. My name is Ashley Johnson. I heard that Mark's family liked

this recipe :)  It is one of Mark's favorites, and mine, too!
Hope you enjoy this yummy and easy recipe!

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE TRIFLE

1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix

1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (1.5 ounce) bar chocolate candy

Directions

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool
completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed
milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no
streaks remain.
In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies,
half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of
whipped topping. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for
garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Thank-you so much,  Ashley.  There are no pictures because it was all eaten :),

10 THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK!

The Japanese eat little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.  The Italians drink a lot of red wine and they, too suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
Conclusion: ...Speaking English is apparently what kills you :)

13 June - 20 June, 2010

#1  Lindsay and David have found a house that they are getting ready to buy.  Uncle Michael found the house and helped by giving them an amazing deal.  Thank-you so much, Michael.  Lindsay and David getting a home makes us very happy :D

#2  ...and the yard has a rotten shed.  So when I saw that a local t.v. show ("Good Things UTAH") was having a contest for a new shed from "A-SHED"m I told David.  And Lindsay.  Emily brought Logan over to the house (They were working on the yard) so she gets 2%.  I told Lindsay to put Logan in front of the shed for the picture (Good idea, huh?)  Then I wrote the paragraph that explained why they needed a new shed.  Lindsay and David got it actually entered, so they get 5%.  Hilary watched the show the next day, AND SAW THAT THEY WON A $1200.oo SHED, so she gets 2%.  I get 91% of the new shed credit.  (Plus favourite mother-in-law.)

#3  I got something really special from my Uncle Rob and Aunt Carol this week.  It was a 2 minute DVD.  I LOVED IT!  It was me at about 10 months old.  With my Mom and Dad, my Grandma and Grandpa, my teenage Aunt and Uncle, my cousin (about 16 months old) and her mom and dad (my aunt and uncle.  I crawled and stood and clapped.  It was so fun.  THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU.

#4  I love "TOY STORY 3".  (We went to see it on Saturday)  (I loved "TOY STORY 1" and  "TOY STORY 2", also.)  ***** (5 stars)

#5  Tuesday was Leslie's birthday.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!, my sweet girl.  You are such a happy helper.  I love you.

#6  Tuesday was my father-in-law's birthday,  (Yep.  He and Leslie share a birthday.)  Happy Birthday, Dad.  You and Mom are great examples of grandparenting.  (And parenting).  We love you.

#7  Thank-you so much Michael and Kate for sharing your pool.  (When we swam on Wednesday I got a head injury from the wind storm.  The swim was still worth it.  Way worth it.)

#8  Family California trip plans have started.  We have our reservations for "CLUB 33"(Walt's private club/restaurant).  Thank-you so much, Lincoln's Uncle David.

#9  I had an easy cooking week.  (Thank-you, Dear.)  Not many new recipes tries from my list, since it was a busy week.  I am so grateful for a husband that likes left (planned)-overs.  (If he liked the original;)

#10  Father's Day.  I love my dad.  And miss him, too.  (He died of cancer 22 years ago.this month.)  He was a wonderful dad.  And I was his favourite.  I love my Father-in-law.  He is a great dad, dad-in-law and Grandpa.
And my mother-in-law planned a super Father's Day dinner.  Grilled shrimp (I don't eat shrimp), grilled chicken (I did not eat that either because...) grilled baby back pork ribs (lots and lots.  That is what I ate:)
We all brought the side dishes which were plentiful.  Homemade ice cream and lots of June birthday desserts.
One of the salads that I took is one of my favourite salads.  I could , and sometimes do, eat it frequently.  It's an easy salad and full of variations, and no official title.  I call it...

SPRING STRAWBERRY SALAD
recipe from my mother-in-law - Susanna Johnson

pre-packaged spring salad mix OR variety of lettuce (not iceburg) (I used spinach/romaine mix)
fruit -  pick a couple - chopped strawberries, chopped apples or pears, grapes, craisons, mandarin oranges (canned or fresh)
candied (or not if you run out of time) almonds, walnuts or pecans
thin red onion slices
crumbled bleu cheese (I don't use this very often now.  Lots of people hate it.  And 1 time I ate some, not realizing it was moldy.  The blue/bleu threw me off.)

The nice thing about this salad is that you use what you like.  Just mix everything together with the dressing, just before serving. 

DRESSING
1/2 bottle "BRIANNA'S BLUSH WINE" salad dressing
1/2 bottle "BRIANNA'S POPPY SEED" salad dressing
Just mix together and pour over salad.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY SPINACH DRESSING
adapted from http://kitchenscoop.com and Jeanne Jones' "COOK IT LIGHT" column

1/4 cup white vinegar OR 1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/3 - 1/2 cup honey
1/2 teas. salt
1/2 teas. dry mustard
2 teas. dry minced onions OR 1-2 table. chopped onion (I use purple)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 table. poppy seeds
4-8 strawberries

In the blender mix, honey, vinegar, salt, mustard and onions.  Drizzle oil in the top as blender is running.  Add poppy seeds and strawberries just until blended.

SPINACH SALAD
recipe from Susanna Johnson

spinach or spinach/romaine mix
16 oz. cottage cheese- drained (rinse if necessary so you only have the curds)
cooked crumbled bacon
grated Swiss cheese
sliced mushrooms

Mix together just before serving.  Use the same dressing.  The "BRIANNA'S" mix or something similar. 
Neither of these salads work as left-overs.

10 THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK!

6 June - 13 June, 2010

"Thank God for the joys of family life.  I have often said there can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from a good home.  The sweetest influences and associations of life are there."    President Ezra Taft Benson

#1  Having said that ;), Doug and I were home practically alone for the week-end.  Hilary, Leslie and Christy went to Disneyland.  Emily was here, but she lives downstairs.  Happy, fun week-end.

#2  A neighbor gave me a wonderful antique rocking chair.  I wish I could say that I re-did it, but all that it needed was a mini make over.  It was a bright spring green.  I rubbed it with stain, wiped it off and sealed it.  I recovered the "box spring" with some fabric I bought at the estate sale.  I liked the fabric on the cushion, so I just unpicked it, washed and fluff dried it and sewed it back on.  I really like it.  A lot. (Can you see the cool carved wood and wicker?  The pillows were just some I had.) Thank-you, Elaine. 

#3  On Friday and Saturday I helped a friend do an Estate Sale.  (It was not a cheap project.)  I ended up buying new chairs for our living room.  (Odd word since we "live" in our family room, and "walk" thru the living room.)  I have not liked the living chairs for several years.  The new ones, while not just what I want (not sure what I want), are much better :0)  And I enjoyed the estate sale project.

#4  YEA!  I got my Blog packages mailed.  I am so happy that I got that done. (No points for me.  They should have been mailed several weeks ago.)

#5  I am happy we got a new stove.  (Not happy that I needed to get one.)

#6  I want to pay for the California/beach house trip.  (Gas, Disneyland, food, other stuff.)  I am happy I got a part-time babysitting job.  A three year old girl and 3 month old girl.  I work every day from 6:45-12:oo.  And 6 hours on Saturday. 

And I (finally) picked the yard sale date.  July 9-10 from 8:oo a.m. - 2:oo.

#7  Lightning makes me happy.  She is such a funny cat.  She sleeps on the end of my side of the bed.  (If she is not there when I go to bed, I go find her.)  She loves it when I crumple paper into balls, and throw them for her to chase.  I tossed her one the other day and it went under the t.v. table.  I pulled out 10 newspaper balls.  (I dust under there about once a month.)  Silly cat

#8  I am happy that I know Doug loves me and that he knows I love him.  It's the little things.  And the bigger things.

#9  On Saturday I enjoyed a Johnson family bridal shower in Grantsville.  I went with my mother in law and sister in law.  It makes me happy to be part of the extended family.  I am happy to be a Johnson.

#10  I am happy that I found 2 new keeper recipes this week.  (Also 3 throw away recipes:(  The Parmesan dressing was so bad it never made it to the table.)

The first recipe is an easy and fast chicken.  The second one is a side dish using orzo.

SIMPLY GREAT CHICKEN

from http://foodforahungrysoul.blogspot.com/

4 defrosted  boneless skinless chicken breasts - rinsed and dry

1 package DRY Italian dressing

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

THAT IS IT!

Spray your cooking pan.  (Can line with foil and spray.)

Mix the dressing and brown sugar.  Dip the chicken in, coating both sides.  Sprinkle extra sugar mix over the chicken.

Bake at 350* for 30 mins. to 1 hour (Depending on thickness of chicken.), turning over to coat chicken, occasionally.

This was supposed to end up a thick, sticky glaze.  Mine did not, so I broiled the chicken about 3 mins.  It really  good.  And simple.

PARMESAEN AND BASIL ORZO

from allrecipes (slightly adapted)

2 table. butter

1 cup orzo

2 cups water

2 heaping teaspoons chicken base

1/2 cup grated Parmesean cheese

1/8 - 1/4 cup chopped frsh basil OR about 2 table. dry basil

Melt butter in shillet and add orzo.  Stir until lightly browned.  Stir in water and chicken base.  Bring to a boil and cover.  Simmer about 20 mins. 

Stir in Parmesean cheese and basil.

I like orzo, and this was a new side dish.  I will try it in my rice cooker.

MAY ODDS & ENDS!

Just a few ideas and thoughts from May.

#1  SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS
When my children were in elementary  and middle school, we were always on the look-out for science fair projects. 
O.K., I never quit.  When Logan was born we started measuring Doug's ear every new year.  It seems that men's ears grow, so we decided we would collect the data for grand kids science projects.

One year Mark did all of his science project during the summer.  We set out to "Confirm, Bust or Plausible" (Myth-Busters)  the "crickets chirping the temperature"  theory.  Every night at 10:oo p.m., he counted chirps during 1 minute (for 1 week).  He did the math to get predicted temperature, and then checked our yard thermometer.  We drove to a nearby bank and read their electronic temp.  He also called the "time and Temp" number, and watched the 10:oo weather.  He had all the data (and an iron cricket boot jack;) ready for school science experiment time.

Why am I telling you this?  I have a summer experiment we are trying.  It is simple, and cheap.  Start with this;

The info. is on the "noisy" package of Sun Chips.  "They" say the bag will bio-degrade in about 3 months.  The projected outcome is on the bag. 

First, we'll eat the SUN CHIPS.  Then, we are burying the empty bag in a pot of dirt.  (We will put some basil in too.)  We will water and care for the Basil - and dig up the bag every few weeks for pictures.  (Documentation needed for good grade.)  The projected results are on the bag of SUN CHIPS.  Easy summer project even if your kids don't need a science fair project.

#2  CREME FRAICHE

I have had a couple of people ask me about making this.  Or buying it.  I am not a fan of it, so I have never made it. (Creme Fraiche is a very creamy soured cream.  It is pronounced crem fresh.)  The process of making it takes a couple of days.  Do you want/need some ready made?  In the Salt Lake valley I know of 2 places that carry it.  (I am SURE there are more.  Hilary thinks she saw some at a Super Walmart.)  I have seen it at "The Store" in Holladay (Aisle 8), and Harmon's (near the cheese deli - $5.99/8 oz.)  Be sure you call before going out of your way to get it.  Creme Fraiche is is perishable.  Hopes this helps.

#3  FRIDGE INFO.

Do you have one of these? 

(A small thermometor.  Mine is a vintage teapot.)

Summer is a good time to make sure your fridge is keeping your food fresh and safe.  I just put the thermometer in different parts of the fridges throughout the week.  Here is what you are looking (hoping) for:

FRIDGE  41*  (36^-46*)

FREEZER  -4*

MEAT DRAWER  32*

VEG. DRAWER  50*

Great time to clean the back and bottom of your fridge, too.

#4  PREPAREDNESS

I discovered this by accident when we had a "neighborhood disaster" (simulated) a few summers ago.  The goal (we added some of our own challenges) was to not go to a store for 1 week, not use water (except for bathing/cleaning), no utilities...

I loved the experience.  Doug enjoyed it.  Kidults "moved out of the affected area".

There are some things I learned.

A.  We have tons of light sources.  Lanterns, flashlights w/ lots of batteries, candles...  HELLO!  It was the middle of summer.  Lanterns and candles give off heat.  So, I discovered solar lights.  Leave them in the yard for the day and bring them in for the night.  They give off great light and I just set them upside down on a counter.  Now I have several just set in a pot outside for candles.

B.  We had lots of flashlight.  But every time I ran downstairs for something... I had to run back up for a flashlight.  As soon as we got the "disaster all clear" (the week was over) I bought several small but powerful flashlights that we can wear around our necks.  They are hanging on lanyards in closets.

C. We have several 2 1/2 gallon - 5 gallon thermos'.  We filled these with water and put them at each sink for hand washing and drinks/cooking.

I would love it if you shared a preparedness tip that you like.  FYI - I did record things to watch after the "disaster".  And, we ran the swamp cooler.  We had to.

5.  DELETED POSTS

People keep asking me why some posts are deleted by blog author.  Yep.  That's me.  Sometimes I get a posted Asian comment.  When I click on it, there are inappropriate pictures (I can not read the word) so, delete.  I won't advertise for them.    

10 THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK! and a little contest

"A home without books is a body without a soul."  Cicero

Easy week to find 10 things :)

#1  I am reading "Small Island".  Not captivated, yet, but...  Leslie has put me on the hold list at the library for a new John Grisham book.  I love it when I have a stack of books I want to read. 
I am looking for the perfect book to take to the beach house for our Newport trip.  (I have 2 "back-up books.)  THE HELP would have been great except, #1 prefer paperback for beach/trips,  #2  must own book for trip/beach.  Other criteria for perfect book - hard to put down, BUT easy to put away because there are so many other things to do besides read on the beach.  Characters I like, and new era or location is good.  Not too long, but for sure not short.  I like mysteries, but Agatha Christy types. (Later this week I will share my current favourite.)  Already done the "Rabbi" books, "The Cat Who..." books, and Margaret Truman Washington, D C books.  (I have all but 1 of them.)  Also read all John Grisham.
I do not like the BONES books (weird, huh?), Patricia Cornwell, and the "A is for..." series.  (I do not like violence, gore, vulgarity, swearing or seriel killers)  I do book series (I get comfortable.)  I have not tried any cooking mysteries.
If you come up with my perfect trip book you will win a summer prize.  JJust post your suggestions on the most recent post.  And, thank-you.

#2  Michael and Kate had a big family BBQ/swim party for Memorial Day.  I was really tired from my week-end with my sisters, so Doug and I stayed home.  Just the two of us for the whole evening.  It was so quiet and nice.  We watched "Bones".

#3  Emily brought Pizza Hut pizza home for dinner on Tuesday.  (Emily ordered it and paid.  Leslie picked it up.)  Since the new oven is not in, it was GREAT!

#4  I went swimming for play group on Wednesday.  I love swimming at Kate and Michael's pool.  I really love it.  Thank-you, Michael and Kate.

#5  Over the course of the week (really tired and pulled my back) Doug rubbed my back (not exaggerating) for FIVE hours.  (He kept track ;)  Thank-you, dear.

#6  Book club always makes me happy.  It de-stresses me.  (Five of us read "The Help".  Four (including me) really liked it.  One did not.)

#7  Friday I hosted my estate sale/yard sale lunch.  I served My Favourite Taco Salad (See last Throw Back Thursday) and a pasta salad.  For dessert I made one of my favourite summer desserts, Margarita Key Lime Pie (see recipe below),  and Lindsay cooked my peanut butter brownies, as cupcakes, for me.  (I made the cupcake dishes.)

#8  I bought "Caruso Steam" curlers.  My hair will not hold a curl between perms.  This works great for me.  (Still practicing.)  The funny thing is that when Leslie saw them she told me she used to have some years ago.  To bad I did not try them then.

#9  We celebrated Ashley's birthday on Sunday.  She picked waffles... and bacon.  (I added fruit and juice and made my blueberry syrup from last week.)  We are so glad to have Ashley in our family.

#10  Yard sales make me happy.  They are my treasure hunts.  Leslie went with me on Saturday.  First we went to Ashley's sister's cheer sale.  I found a great old piece of furniture.  Leslie figured out where I could put it, so I bought it.  (My rule.) It is in my laundry room.

Then, we found out it was the CRANBERRY HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD sale.  Whoo Hoo!  Other than sunburn, we had a great time.  Now I have my beach chair ($2.oo)

Margarita Key Lime Pie
From Susanna Johnson - my mother-in-law

CRUST
1 1/4 crushed pretzels - not pulverized, but very small pieces and crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 table. melted butter

FILLING
1 can SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
1 pack UNsweetened lemon-lime KOOL-AID
1/2 cup KEY LIME juice There is a picture of what I use on the Throwback Thurs. Key Lime Bundt cake recipe.)
1 container COOL WHIP (8-12 oz.)

Crust - Mix the pretzel crumbs, sugar and butter.  Press into bottom and up the sides of your pie dish.

Filling - Stir until well mixed, sweetened condensed milk, dry kool-aid and lime juice.  Fold in the cool whip.  Fill the crust and freeze.  Remove from freezer when ready to serve.  This is a nice cool summer dessert.  Thank-you, mom.
                                     
Crummy picture, I know.  But great pie.  And I don't care for lime or sour.

THROW BACK THURSDAY - Taco Salad

Actually it is Friday;).  One Friday a month I have lunch with friends that I yard sale/antique with.  It was at my house and (since my stove is dead) I served 2 salads.

One of the salads I served is this Taco Salad that we (me especially) really like.  This recipe was served at one of my bridal showers in 1978.
It is good and lots of it can be made ahead.  I love summer salads.

My Favourite Taco Salad
from one of my bridal showers  1978

Toss together
1 large head lettuce - torn
4 chopped tomatoes
1 chopped onion - yellow or purple
grated cheese - at least 1 cup - your choice of cheese (I use cheddar or Colby-jack)

Mix together and heat
1 pound browned ground beef
1 can rinsed kidney beans
1/4 tea. salt

Dressing
mix equal parts of
La Victoria Green Taco Sauce and
French Dressing (the very orange one)
I know, this sounds weird.

Toss salad mix, beef mix and dressing.

Stir in
1 bag broken Doritos (or tortilla chips - not as good;)
1 chopped avocado

So good.  This salad  does not work as left-overs.  (Way too soggy.)  I keep all ingredients separate and mix what I need. 

Yes, this is really what it looks like.  But we love it.
I was so busy I only took a picture of the salad all made.

10 THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY!

"Well done is better than well said."  Benjamin Franklin

#1  I had a great visit with my sisters, Karyn and Debbie.  We crammed as much as we could into their 36 hour visit.  Cafe' Rio, thrift store shopping, Costco, family BBQ, some craft projects (Thank-you, Hilary and Lindsay), 3 DVDs, pedicures (Thank-you, Leslie), lots of food and visiting.  I had a fun week-end.

#2  It made me happy that Debbie really liked one of our favourite recipes.  It is a make ahead Blueberry French Toast.  I will post the recipe below.  The bad part?  (SO SAD!)  I forgot to put one of the pans on a cookie sheet.  The blueberry topping spilled onto my oven heating element and started a fire.  Now the oven is broken.  Because we have a weird size (27") drop in oven, there is only 1 model, made by one manufacturer.  Cost? $1200.00.  UGH!  And, it looks the same as my 15 year old one I have now.  UGH!

#3  I finished a really enjoyable book last week.  Called, "THE HELP", it is a first book by Kathryn Stockett. .  I really enjoyed it.  I finished it in less than 2 days. It is a fictional story set in the south, about black household help and white women in the early 1960s.  I really enjoyed the book.  I learned about another time and set of circumstances.  There was humour, as well as surprise and sorrow.  I enjoyed the characters and the writing.

Thank-you, Christy for borrowing the book (from Brynn-thank-you) for me.  I did not want to wait 4 months to get to the top of the library hold list. 

After reading the book, I went to Amazon and read some reviews.  The majority of the readers loved it (like me).  There were some that felt is was too surfacy, poorly written, inaccurately written times and characters, too well wrapped up and were annoyed that only the help used the dialect/accent.  Many of the reviews were readers from the area and/or time.  I read it as historical fiction.  It definitely kept me involved and reading, and made me think.  Let me know what you thought if you read it.

#4  My mom got to go home after being in the hospital, and then a re-hab centre for the past 1 + month.  I am happy she is home.

#5  I got this idea to build a pantry in my old downstairs laundry room.  (It will be tons of work, so the idea and completion will make me much happier than the work.  and work.)

#6  The weather was nice enough and dry enough that we could eat outside.  I LOVE EATING EVERY MEAL OUTSIDE! 

#7  Only 1 more week of morning carpools.

#8  THE POOL IS OPEN!  Thank-you so much, Michael and Kate for your generosity with your pool.  And everything else.

#9  Yes.  My spray ironing recipe makes me happy.  But sometimes you simply must iron.  (I find it relaxing.)  I am very picky about my irons.  I only want to use ROWENTA.  Thank-you very much, Wendy for my new iron (from an estate sale).  It is in brand new condition and better/newer than mine.

#10  Leslie picked up my beach umbrella for me.  ($10.oo at Smith's Marketplace.)  Thank-you, Leslie.

(Here you are, Debbie;)
BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST and SYRUP
from GOURMET magazine June 1999

Step 1
1 day old loaf of unsliced bread-french, baguette
6 large eggs
3 cups milk-I use 1%
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tea. vanilla

Slice bread into 1 in. slices.  Layer in the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 pan.  Mix eggs, milk, brown sugar and vanilla well, and pour over bread..  Cover (I use a cookie sheet.  Then I can stack 3 in the fridge.) and chill for 8-24 hours.  (I have never chilled past 12 hours.)  Turn bread over at the 1/2 way point, or anytime after 4 hours.

Step 2

2 cups blueberries-fresh or frozen

1 cups walnuts or pecans-toasted optional

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

When ready to cook, sprinkle berries and nuts over soaked bread.

Melt butter and brown sugar together until well blended.  Drizzle over bread.

Bake at 400* for 35-40 mins.

BLUEBERRY SYRUP

I love this part of the recipe!

1 cup blueberries - fresh or frozen

1/2 - 1 cup maple syrup

That's all.  Heat over med. heat about 3 mins.  Until syrup is warmed and fresh blueberries have popped a bit.  (I do 1 smash with a potato masher.)  You can use any berries with this simple recipe.  Easy way to dress up pancakes or waffles.