!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!!

Feels like ages since I've posted, but it's only been a week. After working the 25th, 26th and 27th, I was bushed and slept most of the day Friday. BUT, as my brother and sister-in-law were driving up from Alabama to spend the weekend, I spent most of Friday evening clearing out the sewing room so I could put up the inflatable queen-sized mattress. There are some exceptions, but the majority of fabric that is NOT on my bookshelves ended up on the back porch.

Other items are in the guest room, which, unfortunately, only holds a double bed.

Saturday we took them to lunch at a Chinese buffet, then to Main Street to wander through some fun shops. While there, we bought a game Apples to Apples and stayed up til after midnight playing it. What a fun game! If you haven't played it, you have to find a way. I will never think of cockroaches in the same way ever again! lol


My SIL, who loves old hurricane/kerosene/oil lamps as much as I do, bought four at one of our local antique shops and was able to find one of them listed in my books. It's a sewing lamp, larger and heavier than most old lamps, and very appropriate, as SIL is a genius with a sewing machine.

They also found a wonderful handmade wooden rocking horse for their grandchild-to-be at a great store in a nearby town, O.P. Taylor's. There are no digital games in this store, just good old-fashioned games to stimulate the imagination. Seems my nephew and his wife are having a baby in June! It'll be the first grandchild for my brother and SIL, and as SIL's brothers and sisters all have boys, also, everyone's hoping for a girl. We should know something next month.

ANd, oh, my brother brought his famous ambrosia--the 7th large jar he made this year! My dad used to make this for New Year's and it's heaven in a jar, for sure. There is maybe one bowl left in the fridge, and the J-Man and I are both eyeing it. I think I'll beat him to the punch and divide it up into two containers before we come to blows!


I think I cooked more this weekend than I have in a while. I steamed the last of the tamales and we had those with chicken enchilada casserole and spinach enchiladas like our family had on Chistmas one night. For breakfast one morning, we had ziploc omelets with toast and bacon, and this morning we had an easy breakfast casserole with some tangerine sections on the side. I found the recipe in a Pampered Chef cookbook I bought at a yard sale:

Denver Egg Strata

6 eggs
1 3/4 C milk
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste
6 slices bread, cubed
1 C (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 C cubed ham
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped green bell pepper

In large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, mustard, salt and black pepper. Stir in bread, cheese, ham, onion, and bell pepper. Pour mixture into greased 9' baking pan or glass dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour or until set in center and golden brown.

Makes 5-6 servings.

They had planned to leave yesterday morning, but as I don't have to go back to work until Wed. night, they decided to stay one more night. We grilled steaks indoors with baked potatos and salad, and watched the ball drop--AFTER the Auburn/Clemson game.It almost took all weekend, but Tandi finally warmed up to the two of them. My brother fed her bits of bacon and the remainder of the scrambled eggs one morning, and scratched her ears every chance he got. My SIL snuggled her and scratched her ears, too, winning Tandi's affections, UNTIL last night when SIL flopped one of Tandi's long, curly ears over the top of her head like a toupee. I think Tandi's expression speaks for itself:


Tandi might not miss them much, but the house sure seems empty right now. It's almost enough to make me want to move back to Alabama. Almost.

Hope you all are having a wonderful start to this New Year.