HALOS...

HALOS

At the bottom of this page is a YouTube video about this organization, HALOS. It was brought to my attention through my youngest daughter because her best friend since 2002 is now working for the group in Charleston, SC. It touched my heart, please watch it and the others included there, it will touch your heart, too. Listen to your heart and do what it is telling you to do. HALOS is ... Charleston HALOS (Helping and Lending Outreach Support) provides resources and special opportunities to abused and neglected children and their caregivers, involved with Charleston County ... Thanks. Have a blessed day...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2010

Hump Day...

is on Wednesday. Add to that the wintry weather, and all workers look forward to making it to "Hump Day" because it is downhill to the weekend! Everyone calls Wednesday "Hump Day", but does anyone know what caused the 'label'? Wednesday is the third day of the week and ls between Tuesday and Thursday with three days in front and three days behind, thus it's 'hump day'. This is an American-English idiom, a reference, as expressed earlier, to making it through to the middle of the 'work week' as getting 'over the hump.' And, for this week, each of you made it - over the hump! Which makes this Thursday and us much closer to the 'weekend.' The weather is cold and brisk today in SC. Once again tonight the temperature will drop into the low twenties. For all outside activities, bundle up and enjoy the sunshine! On Sunday, it might rain - get the outside 'stuff' finished before Sunday. Sunday will be a good day to start off in Church, comfort food for lunch and a good book snuggled in front of the fire, or watching a good movie with the family in the comfort of your home. Another choice could be getting ready for the big day - SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! This year it falls on February 6Th. Plan your snacks, get them from the store and be sure your guest list is complete. Keep it simple, the focus will be on the game, so finger foods are a must. Here are two recipes for your consideration: BLOODY MARY MIX for a CROWD 3 qt tomato juice 1 tsp Pickapeppa Sauce* 1/4 c Worcestershire Sauce 3 tsp sugar 1 1/2 T fresh lime juice Salt to taste 3 c vodka small celery ribs In a gallon container, mix together all ingredients, except vodka. Refrigerate until chilled. Add vodka and stir well; adjust seasoning. Server cold in chilled glasses without ice. * Pickapeppa Sauce is Jamaican and is found in supermarkets, near the ketchup and steak sauces. Makes about 1 gallon MARINATED SHRIMP 2 lb. jumbo or large, boiled 2 red onions, sliced 1 red or green bell pepper, sliced 1/4 c chopped fresh tarragon 1 T capers 2 1/21 c olive oil Dash of Tabasco Salt and black pepper to taste Peel and de-vein shrimp, boiled Place shrimp in a bowl with onions, peppers, tarragon, and capers. Place oil, vinegar and Tabasco in a jar and secure lid. Shake vigorously until well blended. Pour oil and vinegar mixture over the rest of the ingredients and toss well. Salt and pepper to taste. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight. 12 to 24 shrimp per pound Remember, enjoy the weekend, but "y'all come back, real soon ya' hear! Still Sexy at Sixty...

Catching up...

How quickly the last 30 days passed! I did not pass my class, number one. We enjoyed a wonderful visit with our youngest daughter, from Maine, over Thanksgiving, number two. I did not cook for Thanksgiving. Our third daughter with help from two of her sisters, cooked. It was delicious! I took the class over and passed, but my GPA fell to a 3.50, sad. I enrolled in the second concentration for my Bachelor of Business Administration degree with Health Care Management and Management. Say a prayer! Mill Run looked this way in November. It, still, looks this way in December; however, the temperature at night is in the thirties. It feels like Christmas! Will we have a 'white Christmas', probably not. My oldest and youngest, one in NH - one in ME, certainly will! Neither one is coming home for the holidays. The house will feel empty. This weekend will be spent putting up the tree, the house is divided on where to put it. I will try and upload a photo of it and its location and post here. My wish for you and your family is a warm, wonderful, respectful, and peaceful Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus! Merry Christmas from my place to yours!

Monday, good morning sunshine!

Monday, another beautiful day out in the 'boonies'... The weekend was simply gorgeous, a little warmer than normal and some rain showers - a perfect break before beginning another week. One week from Thursday is T- Day, our youngest daughter is flying in this Friday from Portland, Maine for the Thanksgiving holiday. This is a first in a long while; normally, the girls gather with us at Mill Run for Christmas, but it will be a Thanksgiving feast this holiday season. We are hoping it will be less stressful and less hustle and bustle. We will decorate the Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend and get the Christmas decorations out, which will give a longer time to enjoy them! It seems we have put it off in the past and would be trying to decorate the day before Christmas! Not good for the blood pressure or the family dynamics... My favorite hunter, my hubby, had a good weekend with his huntin' buddies. He and one other buddy bagged a deer on Friday, so the weekend was successful! If you are wondering if the photo above was taken on the farm (my hubby wishes it was!), no, it was not, but I am sure this is the vision dancing in my hunter hubby's head! For those pondering why I haven't gushed about my graduation from AIU - a 'slight' glitch in my academic plan - internet hell and not getting assignments completed and submitted by Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 11::59:59 pm, CST soooooo, I am still in MGT485... with a new completion date in December.. Sure, I am disappointed, but God's plan is my plan and I am at peace with the delay. My new professor is very good and extremely funny! A nice change from the previous one. I hope your Monday will be filled with Thanksgiving plans and thoughts. Be safe and remember... "Y'all come back, ya' hear!"

Friday the Thirteenth...

Today was Friday the Thirteenth. I am not superstitious, but ... knowing it, does make me stop, listen, look over my shoulder, and then hurry to where ever I am going! Why? I am not quite sure, probably because you hear the tall tales and see the people who are superstitious go through their rituals. It may be that Halloween was only a couple of weeks ago. It could be the current state of our world - poor economy, unemployment rising, older folks worrying, a tenseness in the air - but, I am not superstitious! Yesterday was my birthday. I am now sixty... it was not that long ago that I would have said sixty was OLD. Well, not anymore! I am a believer now - you are only as old/young as you feel. To be sixty feels pretty darn good on Friday the Thirteenth. I bet you wondered how I was going to connect those two thoughts, didn't you? My girlfriend turned sixty the day before I did. We celebrated today with a yummy lunch at Applebees and a coffee at Starbucks. It was a nice birthday. Sixty may be all right after all. Oh my, 1:00 AM ... and still, much to do before I can sleep. I hope you have a great weekend! Remember, "Y'all come back, ya' hear"

Fall is here...

well... Almost! We did have a taste of cooler weather, crisp nights, feel of football in the air, and then... 86 degrees today! Is this "Indian Summer"? And what the blazes IS Indian Summer? Indian summer is H.U.M.I.D.I.T.Y - warm - confusing for plant life - irritating, for sure! The calendar says Autumn arrived September 21, could someone tell me where? Today is October 9 - with temperature near 90, come on that is Summer, not Autumn temps! I have waited patiently. I have saved my fall wardrobe - all three outfits. I have not put any fall decorations out. I have not purchased a pumpkin. BUT... I want to! Now. Today. I hear the Farmers' Market calling me..." Come, please come and buy our pumpkins, fall veggies, crisp apples, and a variety of our orange, yellow, rust colored Mums..." So, I will wait a little longer, but I do not like waiting - I may grumble and complain, but what choice do I have? Remember, "Y'all come back, ya' hear!"