Hello August!!

Gosh, where does the time go???? Today is the first Monday in August, kids are preparing to return to school, summer is winding down and today I had a ROOT CANAL!!!! Yes, I know none of those things have anything to do with the other--sometimes I talk in circles!



I had today off & tomorrow also, then the calendar is full. Don't you just love a day off? Just the sound of it is relaxing!!




So, not much going on--except the ROOT CANAL. I must confess, it wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated. Well, that is, after the injection! Since the tooth was a lower one, the entire nerve had to be blocked---ouch! Then it had to be "renumbed" as I felt something! Ouch!!! After that it was smooth sailing. The Dr appeared to be something like 15 years old. It's sad how young the drs are looking these days.




So now it's evening---I have tomorrow off---and I'm enjoying life!



You have a good evening & I'll post more later.

Down Time

I found some pictures taken last year during our Colorado vacation & thought I'd share them--perhaps again? I don't remember! Anyway, today I have a day off. And I'm running around trying to do anything and nothing. I start one thing then decide to go to another. So, as usually happens, nothing will get finished!!! Our days are so filled with timelines, committments, meetings, etc., that we have totally forgotten how to just "be". Just sit & relax. Try it---bet your mind's voice will start to tell you the house is dirty, the laundry needs folded, dinner needs planned, projects need finished, the lawn needs mowed. And on and on and on it goes. Until sometimes one just has to say STOP!!! And see the flowers!! (Nice seguey, huh????) I'd love to be looking out the front window and see this--it was soo cool (temperature) there. I'd like to just take it all in once more. Guess in my mind's eye???

And these beautiful poppies---we were so enamored with the colors of the mountain flowers. With all the 100 temps here, the flowers are spending all their energy here just surviving! But up in the mountains, where the days are cool and the nights are cooler, and streams flow around each and every corner, the flowers can take the time to work on those gorgeous colors!

Aren't these lush? They remind me of velvet. Maybe a Valentine's flower, or a Mardi-gras flower. Love those combinations of Mother Nature!!! She's certainly not afraid to combine the most vibrant of colors in the most unusual of ways. Extravagance of the eye!

And now, I'm thinking of a couple of other things I can run to. Oh right! Relax!!!

Have a great day!

But It Relieves Tension. . . . . .

My name is Pam and I am a tooth grinder---is there a Grinders Anonymous? I grind my teeth in my sleep, when I'm pressured, and sometimes when nothing at all is going on!! If not grinding, then I can sure put a "lock" on my jaw. So anyway, I guess I have been grinding my teeth while sleeping, and now one of my teeth is uber sensitive. It hurts to the touch--it hurts for no apparent reason. So badly that I must take a pain pill daily (and I don't like taking pills, thank you Jefferson Starship).

Let me describe my day yesterday & perhaps you'll join me in a good grind. Hubby called me from the kitchen at 6:15 AM yesterday to let me know the filter on the ice machine had sprung a leak. Water all over the floor--he needed to go on to his "other" job, so I rushed down with the shop vac to sop. When I saw the leak hadn't slowed, I called my father-in-law (bless his heart) who brought his industrial sized shop vac & came to help out. We sopped and mopped til we nearly dropped, then we stopped! I had food to deliver--we sat a pan under the leak and rotated turns emptying it.

Proceed with the morning: I left for a delivery 30 minutes away, Karen left for a delivery 45 minutes away and we left father-in-law to deliver 15 minutes away for a bank board luncheon. As I drove away from my delivery, he called & informed me that the luncheon was not this Thursday, but NEXT Thursday. After calling the gal who scheduled it (and being told, "but I told you in my email"), I just smiled (read gritted my teeth) and told her we'd sure be there next week.

As I pulled into a supply store I looked over and realized I had not taken the hot rolls into the delivery---back to the clinic at break neck speed to get those rolls in. After all, the delivery was for 35 & some of them would have missed the rolls.

So, as I was driving home with the toothache, I broke down & called my dentist's office only to receive a recording that he wouldn't be back in the office til next Monday. Egads!!! Pop another pain pill. No, I won't go to another dentist---I am terrified of them all & this one has "proven" himself to me, so it's him or nobody.

Well, at this point I was as low as a snake's belly and the phone rang. I started to let the voicemail get it and ignore! But being the responsible woman I am, I answered. And I'm glad I did! It was the secretary at the bank telling me the mix-up was indeed her fault & they wanted to go ahead & purchase the food for an ill employee! Somehow, things always work out. Somehow the silver lining shows up just before the trigger is pulled--ha ha.

And that, my dear friends, is why I am a tooth grinder. Not an organ grinder, which has no painful affect on the body, but a tooth grinder. And I shall remain in pain until next Monday. Oh heck, it's not unbearable--not with the "magic pills" but it's there.

Now another silver lining for today--I get to attend Affair of the Heart w/my BFF & Hank is coming to the house tonight. See why the grinding stops????

Now, you go and have a great weekend and keep the teeth apart!!!

Sizzle!!!!

Wowza---it is hot, hot, HOT here in Oklahoma!!! Like in the 100's hot. Like eggs cooking on the sidewalk hot. Like --- well just trust me, it's too hot to move!!

I'm going to share some family pics with you today--we had yet another dinner (we love to eat!) this past Saturday evening at my sister's house. And all the fam came out. Gotta love those family gatherings. Gotta love that food-- Anyway, here's one of my son and his precious girlfriend. They have been dating for -- hey I think it's been about a year now--- and we have certainly been smitten with her. She's a real doll--inside and out.
And this--well need I say this is my favorite little man in the whole entire world????? He's learning to swim and must have his goggles. And his mommy. He loves his mommy---he loves daddy too, but he LOVES his mommy. I never knew I could love another little one as much as I did my own two, but it happened! He stole my heart and I am besotted with him. Can't stand it when he's away for too long---then I find ways to get my "Hank fix". And now we're going to add another one----happy dance, happy dance!!!

Oh, how sneaky of this cake to jump in!!! It was ordered for a baby shower Saturday morning. The top layer is chocolate and the bottom vanilla. They were greatly pleased with the way it turned out.

Well, after the pic of the sneaky cake--back to the fam--here's Hank's mommy & daddy---my darling daughter & her hubby. She's the best mommy a kid could wish for. And she's a doting wife. And a wonderful daughter----couldn't love her more!!

I, like all other parents, are sooooo proud of my kiddos. They have each turned out so very well---hard working, compassionate, funny, loving, thoughtful---all those things you want to see in young adults. So, I wanted to share them with you. I don't do that too often, but today is the exception.

Now, about these HOT days----hard to believe that in 90 days --- just 3 months---it'll be fall, the leaves will be turning, football will be in full swing, the holidays will begin!!! But today it's just HOT!!! And when you work in a kitchen, the heat is monstrous!!! Business is hopping--I've been so busy that I don't have time to think about anything else. Well, almost--

Enough for today--my brain is baked, and I must recline!!! Have a great week.

A Happy 4th!!

My goodness! It was a day for sitting (lounging) around with family & friends at Granny's annual 4th of July cookout, swimming party & fireworks show!! Above is my nephew's son, Tucker, who just turned 2, but knows how to kick back!!

The morning started out with thunderstorms, lightning bolts & torrents of rain, but by 1:00 the sun had come out, the storms subsided & it was off to the pool. Above is Hank the Tank having a moment of total glee in the pool. With 3 little ones under the age of 5 one can only imagine the giggles & silliness that was had!

Tucker, Hank & Natalie, along with Uncle Nate, played and played in the pool. Natalie was the big winner in the swimming pool--she can swim without a life jacket and dive off the board. Tucker & Hank splased around in the whirlpool where they could walk around the step from side to side. I didn't get the picture of all the kids (30 and under) playing with the mega shooters Granny supplied. Boy, did we have fun and get wet. I've never heard so many happy laughs!!

Uncle Alex showed Hank the proper (???) stance for golfing---we only let him hit the used smoke bombs. Golf balls are toooo dangerous in large groups!! But Uncle Alex is Hank's "look up to" guy & the little smoke bomb holders were great for this!!!

And no visit to Granny & Grumps' house is complete without the golf cart ride. Natalie lives next door, but she'll jump at the chance to get on the cart with Hank & Grumps to drive to her house. Granny & Grumps live on a cul de sac, and golf cart rides around the area are one of the favorite pastimes!! Hank will to any time anyone gets on the cart & is happy with any length of ride!

Sof after all the swimming, we "dived" into hamburgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, coleslaw, pasta salad, fresh tomatoes, apple dumplings, blackberry cobbler, chocolate cake, home churned ice cream, lemonade & iced tea. Yummy!! So much to eat it took the entire day & night!! Sounds like alot of food no? Well, there were around 20 people there --so alot of food was required!!! Oh, forgot to add the fruit pizza made with fresh strawberries & blueberries!! Even the corn was fresh! Love summer's bounty!!!

The sun finally went down, and the fireworks began. Everyone in the cul de sac had their own loot, so we got 4 times the show for one price!!! ha ha ha And several neighborhoods on acreages within the mile area were adding to the send off. Booms & blasts & colors galore!

Would you believe---we cleaned up the carport, took down all the folding chairs, moved all the food indoors, picked up all the trash, shut down the happening AND the rain began once again!! Just as we arrived at home--safe & sound!!! We didn't have to wash off the drive way on Sunday after all---

Hope you all had a joyous 4th---we sure did. Thank you Lord for our family with all their quirks and our friends. We are soooo blessed!!!

What's A Gal To Do?????

Blogging, facebook, twitter------email, IMs,-----wow--one could spend all day & all night on the computer just commenting & posting. Do you suppose we will begin to talk like robots, with no voice inflection whatsoever? Will we become so used to the computer scene that we forget expressions of the face, body language, etc? Say it ain't so!




I am as guilty of the next about sitting down to check up on all my cyberfriends & ready my fav blogs. BUT don't ya just miss seeing those sparkling eyes across the table from you? And aren't friendly hugs great? And the ups and downs of the human voice when excited, tired, angry, and so forth?




I love cards--real paper cards. Could spend hour after hour in a card store just picking out cards to send to friends and family--for no reason at all. I love writing with a pen or pencil; love to receive snail mail and send it too.




Hey--make a deal with me--no matter how cyber intelligent we get, let's not forget good old Hallmark---or Bic for that matter.





I love looking over the letters received from years past --- especially those of long gone relatives. Great Aunt Sophie, Granma Tommy, Granny Mae---looking at that handwriting reminds me of a time which I long to return. Somehow, I don't think printing out emails will have the same affect on my spirit.





So, tho I love checking the posts, let's not forget to take pen in hand.




And read more real books!!!





Have a great one!!!

A Brand New Me!!!

Hey friends & foe---I have another blog! It's all about the kitchen, so go over to: threesisterskitchen.blogspot & check it out.



Now remember, I haven't had alot of time to customize this site--bear with me & it'll get better & prettier with time.



I'm still keeping up with this blog-but it's going to continue to be my "personal therapy" while the kitchen blog will be "scenes from a caterer's life".



Come on over!!!