Boots and Tractors

 Colt wearing Uncle Jonathan's 25 year old Kenny Roger's boots by Justin.  I have been corrected - I originally typed "35."  However dear son has informed me that I must be getting senile.  He's only 28 years old.  He's such a smartie! ;-)

 They are a bit big, but he will definitely grow into them.

 Riding with Pawpaw on his tractor.

A Poem

Brother Joey found a poem Mama had copied down.  He handed it to me.

Sea Fever

by John Masefield

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sails shaking,

And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume and the sea gulls crying.

I must go down to the sea again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,

And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Another Margarita!

THIS is the photo I've been waiting on.  I now have everyone's camera card downloaded to my computer.  I'll make a CD for each person.

Wasting Away in Margaritaville :D

Rough seas the first couple of days...

Jimmy Buffets Cozumel Margaritaville - weeellllll.  We did have a coupon for a free margarita!

Just like Edith Ann - and that's the truth!  pffffttttt

 Just waiting on one more camera to download her photos - she has a photo with all 5 of us in the chair. :D

I tried my hand and towel folding!  With the help of a book Nancy bought.  We left this for the room stewards to enjoy.

Inheritance

Mama dealt in antiques for many years.  She always had a love for them.  And, of course, she saved her favorites to go in her house.  Over the years she gave me some items.  I've purchased others from her.

These three pieces were in her guest room. She wanted me to have them.

Baby brother wanted me to go ahead and get them.  We put them in the garage after all was said and done.  After returning from my cruise, yesterday Sam and I got the old stuff moved out and the - ahem - older stuff moved in.

(I wish the carpet was hardwood flooring - some day...)

Portraits

Formal night

At Progreso

 
 

Sea Cruise!

 Our even year women only get away!

Beckle, Earlene, me, Nancy, and new cruiser Rosemary

A little line dancing to get things started.

Food on this cruise was just so-so.  Our "friends" laughed at Earlene and me when a bowl with about a quarter-size bit of guacamole in the middle of the bowl was place in front of us.  Just the dab of guacamole.  That was it. Since we'd both ordered "chilled avocado soup" I wondered WTH?  Leaned over and looked at Earlene's, then noticed the two little pitchers placed on the table on the other side of Earlene.  I patted Earlene on the knee with a "Whew! He's not through.  He's going to pour the soup out of those little pitchers over this."

Yep!  Don't tell me that we don't know how to cruise!

Primping for our formal evening.

Um...guess what I purchased in Progreso?!  Almond liqueur.  DELICIOUS!!

Then there was the repeat "guest" appreciation event.  Rosemary and I shared a table.  In the center was a blue margarita.  The pink stuff in the back - rum punch.  I don't know what was in the mini flutes, but that stuff was good.  Thank goodness each had a thimble-full or less of booze.  They would've just had to go back to the cabin and get a blanket if the alcohol content had been higher.  We also had free drinks the last night of the cruise.  They were stronger so I just had two...or three.  I lost count. :D

Two Carnival ships at Cozumel...ours was the one in the back.

R&R

Sam will be holding down the fort as I head south tomorrow. Five women will board a cruise ship at Galveston headed to Progresso and Cozumel. Returning back to the real world next Thursday and work on Friday.

If anyone is leaving on the Carnival Triumph Saturday - look me up! :D

Today was not good

Wednesdays - at noon - I spent visiting with Mama. I didn't rush in and change sheets...sneak in to do her dishes...dust anything while I was in the bathroom. I did those things on other days. On Wednesdays, we sat and we visited. I hugged her March 28. Kissed her on the cheek. Told her I loved her. She told me she loved me.

Today was Wednesday. From lunch on...was not a good day.

Mama was found in bed March 30...which was my parents' anniversary. We got the death certificates yesterday and the date was set at March 29. She didn't suffer. Someone asked me if it was unexpected. I replied that it was an unexpected expected thing. With her health problems I thanked God for every day that we had her. That I had her.

This morning I tried to call my aunt - Mama's younger only sister - to check on her. Her line was busy every time I called so I called her daughter-in-law. Aunt had been rushed by ambulance to Longview yesterday (Tuesday) with a possible stroke but was stable with no lingering affects - most likely a TIA. And most likely the phone was left off the hook at her home.

So really, from mid-morning on...this was not a good day.

Now - helping baby brother (executor) deal with the estate (he asked me to meet him at the lawyer's). I'm the type person that when it's time to deal with something I want it dealt with. This is not going to be fast. It is going to be slow.

It is lingering too long. It is moving too fast.

Rejuvenating Weekend

The long a-waited photos. Let me introduced Cain Martin - my wonderful new grandson who came into my life at just the right moment.He has such a sweet mother to let me commandeer him to love and hold and smell that sweet baby smell. To feed him and rock him. To burp him and change his diapers. So glad he's a breast milk baby!

Big brother, Colt, will be a wonderful example and role model. The two of them will get into more trouble together than either one could dream of separately. Girls (big and small) just wanna have fun! Sweet Isabel. I gave her the very first lemon wedge she's ever had. She tasted it...made a face...and looked at me with a "You gave me that to eat?" look on her face. I missed that photo, but got this one. Haven't you just fallen in love with those eyes?

Saturday was Erin's birthday. John had nothing planned so I told him I wanted to bake the cake...since I haven't been sleeping well and was generally up at 3 a.m. every morning. Then he said she really liked my chocolate lava cakes. They have to be eaten shortly after baking. So I took the ramekins and fixin's and baked them there. The candles and little banner were Sam's idea. I told Erin to save the candles and we could use them again next year. And the year after...and the year after that...and...well, you get the idea.

Having step children is one thing. But no one can deny that this little boy is my grandson! ALL MINE! Chocolate mouth and all. Remember Serenity, Harmony and Kaylee from December? These girlies are the other three kids in my life. Looking forward to seeing them this summer!

Recipe time!
Molten Lava Cake

1 6 ounce package Baker's bittersweet chocolate
10 tablespoons butter (YES! TEN tablespoons!)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup flour
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks

Spray 6 small ramekins or 6 custard cups with non-stick spray.
Put chocolate and butter in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes. Whisk until all chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla, powdered sugar, and flour until blended. Lightly beat eggs and yolks and stir into other ingredients until completely incorporated.

Pour into baking dishes. Set filled ramekins/custard cups on a cookie sheet. Bake only what you want to serve/eat right now at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Middle should be wet! Do not overbake or you will have some really good cakes without a molten middle. Run a skinny knife around the inside edge of the baking dish and carefully because the dishes will be HOT, dump out on a dessert plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. (I set a dessert plate on top of the dish and very carefully with a hot pad or cup towel folded several times, turn everything upside down.)

OR Cover each dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator and remove plastic. Bake as needed - or wanted! - according to the above directions. These will last a couple of days in the refrigerator without baking.

I generally bake to order, popping the required number in the preheated oven before sitting down to eat. When they get done, set on the counter to cool a bit while I finish my meal. Then plate. DIG IN!