Thursday, July 28, 2011
Planting An Egg
(Published on iSurf News on July 28, 2011)
I once heard a lady in a grocery store talking about an eggplant and then heard her small child, who looked approximately five or six years old ask her, “Mommy, why would you plant an egg?” We all know that you do not plant an egg but how did the eggplant get it's name when it does not look like an egg or taste like an egg?
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Coming Out Of Your Ears
(Published on iSurf News on July 21, 2011)
This is the time of year when everyone's garden is producing so many goodies, they are literally “coming out of their ears”.
I always seem to perk up when I hear someone say this phrase because I know there is a 90% chance that they are talking about their garden.
I always seem to perk up when I hear someone say this phrase because I know there is a 90% chance that they are talking about their garden.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Jamaica Mon!
(Published on iSurf News on July 14, 2011)
I have been so blessed to have opportunities to do all the things that I've wanted to do. I went to college, then did the things that 20-Something's do. I landed a good job, got an apartment and was living it up.
Then came the years of settling down and getting serious about life. The 30-Something's brought me a marriage, a baby and the process of making a house a home. I thought I had it all. I thought I had done it all. But I had forgotten about going through the big “D”. After going through a divorce and trying my hand at being a single parent, I then decided that, now....I have done it all. Now, I'm 40-something and I'm thinking about making the last laps of life and heading across the finish line. My thoughts are filled with pushing my baby bird out of the nest (yeah, right), grandchildren (but not too soon), and retirement from my job so I can do all the fun things that I want to do.
This is where my “Before I Kick The Bucket” list comes into play. I am very concerned that my bucket list is not very long and I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. In a way it could be good because, like I said earlier, I have been blessed to do many things in my life. There was never a question of if I could do them, I just did them. But, in a way, it could be a bad thing. This short list could tell me that I am in for a boring last few years.
One of the things on my bucket list is to go on a cruise. I would love to go to Jamaica, see the famous Dunn's River Falls and shop in Ocho Rios. I want to eat real Jamaican food while being serenaded by locals playing Reggae music. The closest I have ever been to my trip to Jamaica was when I was in college. I discovered a restaurant in Nashville called Rainbow Key. I fell in love with Caribbean cuisine while enjoying my conch fritters amongst the fake palm trees, stuffed parrots and Jimmy Buffet music being piped through the speakers. Rainbow Key has long since closed it's doors, but I can still remember the wonderful times my roommates and I had there.
Jerk Chicken. Jerk Pork. Conch Fritters. Coconut Shrimp. Hey.....it's five o'clock somewhere. Put on some Jimmy Buffett music and enjoy these Jamaican recipes.
Then came the years of settling down and getting serious about life. The 30-Something's brought me a marriage, a baby and the process of making a house a home. I thought I had it all. I thought I had done it all. But I had forgotten about going through the big “D”. After going through a divorce and trying my hand at being a single parent, I then decided that, now....I have done it all. Now, I'm 40-something and I'm thinking about making the last laps of life and heading across the finish line. My thoughts are filled with pushing my baby bird out of the nest (yeah, right), grandchildren (but not too soon), and retirement from my job so I can do all the fun things that I want to do.
This is where my “Before I Kick The Bucket” list comes into play. I am very concerned that my bucket list is not very long and I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. In a way it could be good because, like I said earlier, I have been blessed to do many things in my life. There was never a question of if I could do them, I just did them. But, in a way, it could be a bad thing. This short list could tell me that I am in for a boring last few years.
One of the things on my bucket list is to go on a cruise. I would love to go to Jamaica, see the famous Dunn's River Falls and shop in Ocho Rios. I want to eat real Jamaican food while being serenaded by locals playing Reggae music. The closest I have ever been to my trip to Jamaica was when I was in college. I discovered a restaurant in Nashville called Rainbow Key. I fell in love with Caribbean cuisine while enjoying my conch fritters amongst the fake palm trees, stuffed parrots and Jimmy Buffet music being piped through the speakers. Rainbow Key has long since closed it's doors, but I can still remember the wonderful times my roommates and I had there.
Jerk Chicken. Jerk Pork. Conch Fritters. Coconut Shrimp. Hey.....it's five o'clock somewhere. Put on some Jimmy Buffett music and enjoy these Jamaican recipes.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
I'm Bored
(Published on iSurf News on July 7, 2011)
July is “Anti-Boredom” Month. I do not have to worry about this affecting me because I do not have time to be bored. I would not want to be bored even if I had time to be bored.
There was a time, many, many years ago, when I was bored. I remember not caring who knew it. When I was a teenager my favorite saying was, “I'm bored.” Until the day came that I said it to the wrong person.
On one of our regular visits with her, I was in my usual, teen-aged, bored and mouthy mood. Betty had held her tongue for as long as she could and when I said “I'm bored” for the ump-teenth time, she spoke these words that I will never forget. “People who say they are bored are just too stupid to find something to do.” For the first time that day, or maybe in my life, I was totally speechless. From that day on, when I would get ready to say “I'm bored”, I would stop myself and find something to do.
As the years went by, I removed that phrase from my vocabulary. Any time I would visit Betty, she would always laugh and ask me if I was bored. I would always respond, “Not now!”
It broke my heart when Betty passed away but I have such wonderful memories of an amazing lady that taught me such simple words of wisdom. Very few times in the past 30-plus years have I found myself bored. And if I was bored, I would never admit it.
So, do not let me hear you say that you are bored. I just might tell you what Betty told me.
There was a time, many, many years ago, when I was bored. I remember not caring who knew it. When I was a teenager my favorite saying was, “I'm bored.” Until the day came that I said it to the wrong person.
On one of our regular visits with her, I was in my usual, teen-aged, bored and mouthy mood. Betty had held her tongue for as long as she could and when I said “I'm bored” for the ump-teenth time, she spoke these words that I will never forget. “People who say they are bored are just too stupid to find something to do.” For the first time that day, or maybe in my life, I was totally speechless. From that day on, when I would get ready to say “I'm bored”, I would stop myself and find something to do.
As the years went by, I removed that phrase from my vocabulary. Any time I would visit Betty, she would always laugh and ask me if I was bored. I would always respond, “Not now!”
It broke my heart when Betty passed away but I have such wonderful memories of an amazing lady that taught me such simple words of wisdom. Very few times in the past 30-plus years have I found myself bored. And if I was bored, I would never admit it.
So, do not let me hear you say that you are bored. I just might tell you what Betty told me.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
The People's Princess
(Published on iSurf News on June 23, 2011)
Do you remember where you were on August 31, 1997? More specifically, do you remember what you were doing when you heard the news that Princess Diana had been killed in a vehicle accident? I was on vacation, sitting in a restaurant in Florida when I heard the news. I could not believe the images I was seeing on that television hanging on the wall. How could someone so beautiful, so giving, so caring, be taken away from the people?
She was called “The People's Princess” because she because she could sympathize with the people and she insisted to be treated just like them, even telling people not to call her 'princess'.
Diana helped with many causes and charities and helped bring awareness to many issues in society. Her most notable work was with land mines and her work on behalf of AIDS patients. Diana was one of the first celebrities to be photographed touching AIDS patients and she is credited for helping remove the stigma associated with AIDS.
It is so hard to believe that nearly 14 years have passed since that incredible lady left this world. I know her memory will live on forever. Rest in peace My Princess.
She was called “The People's Princess” because she because she could sympathize with the people and she insisted to be treated just like them, even telling people not to call her 'princess'.
Diana helped with many causes and charities and helped bring awareness to many issues in society. Her most notable work was with land mines and her work on behalf of AIDS patients. Diana was one of the first celebrities to be photographed touching AIDS patients and she is credited for helping remove the stigma associated with AIDS.
It is so hard to believe that nearly 14 years have passed since that incredible lady left this world. I know her memory will live on forever. Rest in peace My Princess.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Brusha, Brusha, Brusha
(Published on iSurf News on June 23, 2011)
Right after my high school graduation, many moons ago, I decided to put my entrepreneurial skills to work by opening up a booth at the local flea market.
I was given a spot right next to where the bunny rabbits and chickens were sitting in their cages waiting to go to their new home. I sat up my table and put all my wares on display, which was mostly health and beauty products with a few pieces of clothing that I didn't want any longer.
A regular visitor, which I had known all my life, stopped each week to see what I had for sale but this particular week, my friend, Wayne Neal noticed my stockpile of brand new, still in the plastic, toothbrushes. Each time he walked by my table, he commented that I had not sold any toothbrushes. Later in the morning, Wayne stopped and said he had a sure-fire idea that would help me sell out my toothbrushes in no time.
He proceeded to tell me that I needed to whip up a batch of cookies, but in the mix, to throw in a little chicken droppings, which I could get from The Chicken Man right next door. He then proceeded to tell me to bake the cookies, then bring them to the flea market and put them on my table with a sign that says “Free Cookies”. (At this point, let me say this. For anyone that knew Wayne Neal, rest his soul, you probably know where this is going.) As soon as someone takes a bite of their cookie, they will say “This cookie tastes like crap!” At this point, Wayne said I should say, “Yep, it is.....wanna buy a toothbrush?” He guaranteed that I would make a mint selling my toothbrushes.
Last week, I was reading about how the toothbrush was invented in China on June 26, 1498. Needless to say, I immediately thought about Wayne and this conversation we had. It amazes me how we remember certain things about a person and of all things I remember about Wayne, a toothbrush brings a chuckle to my heart.
Here are some calcium rich recipes to help take care of those pearly whites.
I was given a spot right next to where the bunny rabbits and chickens were sitting in their cages waiting to go to their new home. I sat up my table and put all my wares on display, which was mostly health and beauty products with a few pieces of clothing that I didn't want any longer.
A regular visitor, which I had known all my life, stopped each week to see what I had for sale but this particular week, my friend, Wayne Neal noticed my stockpile of brand new, still in the plastic, toothbrushes. Each time he walked by my table, he commented that I had not sold any toothbrushes. Later in the morning, Wayne stopped and said he had a sure-fire idea that would help me sell out my toothbrushes in no time.
He proceeded to tell me that I needed to whip up a batch of cookies, but in the mix, to throw in a little chicken droppings, which I could get from The Chicken Man right next door. He then proceeded to tell me to bake the cookies, then bring them to the flea market and put them on my table with a sign that says “Free Cookies”. (At this point, let me say this. For anyone that knew Wayne Neal, rest his soul, you probably know where this is going.) As soon as someone takes a bite of their cookie, they will say “This cookie tastes like crap!” At this point, Wayne said I should say, “Yep, it is.....wanna buy a toothbrush?” He guaranteed that I would make a mint selling my toothbrushes.
Last week, I was reading about how the toothbrush was invented in China on June 26, 1498. Needless to say, I immediately thought about Wayne and this conversation we had. It amazes me how we remember certain things about a person and of all things I remember about Wayne, a toothbrush brings a chuckle to my heart.
Here are some calcium rich recipes to help take care of those pearly whites.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
My Little Daddy
(Published on iSurf News on June 16, 2011)
I have always been, and always will be, Daddy's Little Girl. While most little girls were in the kitchen with their mothers, learning how to cook and how to be a “Susie Homemaker”, I was out of the garage with my dad working on cars.
Before I learned to cook, I learned how to sandblast paint off a car and put a rear axle in place and bolt it up. During my senior year in high school, instead of going on the senior class trip to Florida, I decided to spend that week with my dad finishing up our latest project, restoring a 1963 Chevy II Nova SS. We had worked nearly 14 months on this project and I was so proud when it was finished. My Nova was white with a black vinyl top, black interior with automatic shift in the floor. It was not a brand new car that my dad drove off the lot and just handed me the keys. I worked for this car. Literally.
Before I learned to cook, I learned how to sandblast paint off a car and put a rear axle in place and bolt it up. During my senior year in high school, instead of going on the senior class trip to Florida, I decided to spend that week with my dad finishing up our latest project, restoring a 1963 Chevy II Nova SS. We had worked nearly 14 months on this project and I was so proud when it was finished. My Nova was white with a black vinyl top, black interior with automatic shift in the floor. It was not a brand new car that my dad drove off the lot and just handed me the keys. I worked for this car. Literally.
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