Bits and Pieces from the Past Week

1.  My laptop contracted a virus 11 days ago and has been at Computer Helper for a week. This is not good. Typing a long post with one fingertip on my iPad is not fun.

2.  I was fortunate to be in my car tuned to 750 AM this afternoon when Republican Governor Nikki Haley made her speech about the events in South Carolina over the past few days. Her eloquent speech acknowledged and respected the opinions of all South Carolinians on all sides of the Confederate flag issue. She called for the flag to be removed from the grounds of the Capitol by July 4. I appreciate her leadership and the way the people of the state have handled the recent tragedy. As a daughter of the south and a descendant of men who fought in the Civil War, I think the flag should not be on public property. I want no part of a symbol so many see as oppressive. Thank you, Governor Haley.

3.  What is wrong with this picture?  Hobby Lobby has Christmas decorations out. It was 95 degrees this afternoon. It is June 22. Help.

 

 

4.  Remember my review of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up?”  I’m continuing to chip away at my “stuff”– de cluttering and employing a new way of folding clothes and finding a place for everything. Loving Hands has been the recipient of my many possessions that no longer spark joy. And I wrapped up all the loose coins in my house and went to the bank and came home with $138.72. My friend Jonl is a believer too and said the book has given her a healthier way of looking at possessions.

5.  Don’t you just love this flower arrangement?  It was on the altar at church yesterday and made me happy. It’s such a beautiful summer arrangement. I wish I knew whom to credit.

6.  I’ve had the pleasure of celebrating the birthdays of two special ladies in the last few days. My sweet mother turned 93 and we celebrated at my house. I’ll post recipes and more pics later.

Today I celebrated the birthday of my amazing friend Sonya with a few of my besties. We enjoyed lunch at JCT Kitchen. Sonya is amazing for many reasons but one is that she recently battled breast cancer with such grace and a positive attitude. Last October she organized a group to walk in the 60 mile Susan G. Komen 3 Day to raise money for breast cancer research. Not only did Sonya walk those 60 miles, but she also was one of the top fund raisers. I’m in awe and proud to call her my friend.

Have a a wonderful week from The Happy Empty Nester and if you have the urge to buy Christmas garland in June, you know where to find it!

From Pre-school to the Altar

Random thoughts about Dallas

1.  The sky is really big in Texas. I told Kirk I felt like I was in a snow globe with the sky all around.

2.  Abuelo’s makes a wonderful frozen drink called Sangria Swirl.

3.  John grills a delicious steak and Kim is a terrific hostess. Old friends are the best!  And I think I helped her with her vicious animals and their barking problem.

4.  The Bush Presidential Library and Museum is worth visiting. I also enjoyed seeing the campus of SMU where the library is located.  I’m going to make a point to visit more presidential libraries when I’m in nearby towns.

5.  Jason and Kristy recommended lunch at Campisi’s, a quaint and delicious Italian restaurant founded in 1946.  Here’s a good quote from the menu about the history of the establishment:

My grandfather Joe, who raised me as his son, taught me a lesson in business.  He said, “Baby, Campisi’s was built on handshakes and hellos,” and that’s what we’re still doing today.  

I think this is true of most successful businesses.  The personal touch and recognition mean everything.

6.  Chandler made a beautiful bride and friends can move away but still stay close to your heart.

7.  We enjoyed the Sixth floor Museum which is located in the Texas School Book Depository building.  This is the site from which Oswald assassinated Kennedy.  The museum is full of information about Kennedy’s life, presidency, death, and conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination.

8. I got to see my girl!  She loves Washington and her work this summer.

Obama at the Congressional Baseball Game

Until next time, Dallas!  From the Happy Empty Nester

Off we go!

The hubby and I are leaving for a fun weekend in Dallas that involves longtime friends and a wedding. And I’m having a good hair day. It’s the little things.

I thought I’d make you aware of a good deal for airport parking. I always get my car serviced at Lexus South Atlanta. It’s due for a service, so we parked at Park and Ticket, left our key with the attendant, and took the shuttle to the terminal. When we return, our car will be serviced, washed, and waiting for us back at Park and Ticket. And it’s covered parking. And Lexus covers the parking charge. Sweet. I noticed that other dealerships/service centers near the airport offer this deal, so you might want to check it out.

We just volunteered to be bumped to a later flight for $500 credit. Fingers crossed this works out. We’ve never done this before.

Have a wonderful weekend from The Happy Empty Nester!

Book Reviews

 

 

I love having a little extra time in the summer to read for pleasure.  Currently I’m reading “Ghost Boy: The Miraculous Escape of a Misdiagnosed Boy Trapped Inside his Own Body” by Martin Pistorius.   I read an article about this book a few  months ago and it popped up in my  email as an Amazon Kindle bargain at $3.99.  (It’s so easy–maybe too easy– to press that one-click feature to order a book!)

The title of the book really says it all.  It’s the author’s own true story of falling ill at the age of 12 and eventually losing speech and the use of his limbs.  He has no memory of a few of those years, but he eventually comes back to consciousness although it’s quite some time before anyone realizes that he is aware of his surroundings and has thoughts he wants to communicate.

I’m enjoying the book because it gives me a glimpse into the mind and life of someone with a severe disability and no way to communicate the most basic needs.  His book also demonstrates the love and commitment of family, the cruelty of some caregivers when they know the victim/patient can’t communicate the abuse to others, and the compassion of other caregivers as they work to give the Ghost Boy a voice.

I’m not sure how the book is going to end (obviously pretty well since he wrote the book), but at this point I’ll give the book three stars out of five.

 

 

Last month my book club read one of the best books I’ve read in a long time —“Some Luck” by Jane Smiley.  It revolves around a farming family in Iowa and follows the family from 1920 through 1953.  I loved learning more about the historical background of this time period, and I felt like I knew each character personally.  This is going to be a trilogy, and the second book is out now.  I can’t wait to read more!  I give it five stars out of five.

 

        

For June, my book club is reading “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion.  If you want a laugh-out-loud book, this is a good choice.  The main character reminded me of Sheldon from “The Big Bang Theory,” which in my opinion is the best comedy on TV.  Think of Sheldon, with all his idiosyncrasies, going on a search for a wife.  Funny  stuff.  I give it three stars out of five.

 

 

 

 

The next book I’m looking forward to reading is the recent Pulitzer Prize winner “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr.  Can’t wait to get started!

 

 

Happy reading from The Happy Empty Nester!

 

What’s to drink? Mango margaritas!

My sister-in-law Beth is a great cook and a wonderful hostess.  We were treated to dinner at her house a few weeks ago to kick off the summer.  The most memorable thing about the evening were the tasty mango margaritas.  They were so delicious that we all drank a few too many and let’s just say I’m glad we were among family and friends.  She got the recipe from The Pioneer Woman.  It’s a keeper.  I just need to remember that tequila in large quantities is not my friend 🙂

You will need:

• 2 whole limes
• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar (decorator’s sugar)
• 2 jars (20 ounce) mango chunks, drained
• 1-1/2 cup tequila
• 1-1/2 cup triple sec
• 1/4 cup sugar

Zest the limes and put the zest on a plate. Let the zest dry out for ten minutes or so. Pour the coarse sugar over the zest and toss it around to combine.

Throw the mango chunks into a blender. Pour in the tequila, triple sec, and sugar. Squeeze in the juice of the limes, then top off the whole thing with ice. Blend it until it’s totally smooth.

To serve, cut a small wedge in one of the juiced limes and rub the lime all over the rim of the glass to moisten. Dip the rim of the glasses in the lime sugar to give it a pretty, crystally rim.

Pour in the margaritas and serve immediately!

For dinner we had a low country boil — one of my favorite things!  I’ll include directions in a future post.By the way, have I mentioned how much I love summer?  And nothing says summer like a good pedicure.  My toes are going to match my dress this weekend.  I highly recommend Signature Nails on Chapel Hill Road next to Publix.  They have great customer service.

Enjoy this beautiful summer evening from The Happy Empty Nester!

 

 

What’s for Sunday lunch? Grilled chicken

I love to make a good Sunday lunch when the kids are home.  Here are a couple of recipes from yesterday.  Bon appetite!

My brother Bill gave me this marinade recipe years ago.  It gives grilled chicken a tangy, zesty flavor.  You will need:

1 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup cooking oil

4 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (had to look up the spelling on that one!)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4 teaspoons salt

Mix all these ingredients together and pour over bone-in chicken breasts and marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.  Yesterday I had five large breasts, so I doubled this marinade recipe.

Here are the chicken breasts, soaking up the marinade!

Grill the chicken for about an hour until cooked through.  I like mine a little charred on the outside.  You can also use any kind of chicken pieces or boneless chicken breasts.  Just adjust your grilling time.

We also had roasted sweet potato bites.  I just mixed a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little ground red pepper for a little kick.  Then a diced the sweet potatoes into small cubes and tossed in the olive oil mixture, spread on a pan covered with aluminum foil, and roasted in the oven at 400 for around 40 minutes.  I tossed the potatoes a couple of times.  I like them a little charred too.

Here are the sweet potatoes, ready to cook!

Nothing says summer like a cucumber, tomato, onion salad.

Toss with a little vinaigrette dressing!

Add some corn on the cobb and watermelon…

For dessert, I used a recipe I found on Facebook and made once before — chocolate cobbler.  Here you go:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided

1 cup all purpose flour

7 tablespoons cocoa, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups hot water

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir together 3/4 cups sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Stir in milk, butter, and vanilla, mixing until smooth.  pour into an ungreased 8-inch square glass baking pan.

Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 4 tablespoons cocoa.  Sprinkle evenly over batter.  Carefully pour hot water over the top.  Do not stir.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set.  It will still be jiggly and that’s okay.  Let stand for 15 minutes, then serve.  Use the chocolate sauce in the bottom of the pan to spoon over servings.  I added a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.  Yummy!

It was a great meal.  Here are my boys enjoying the pool with their full tummies!

Happy cooking from the Happy Empty Nester!

Justice is getting what you deserve.

Mercy is not getting what you deserve.

Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.

                            –Dr. James Dobson

I probably don’t agree with Dr. Dobson on everything, but I like this quote I saw on Facebook this week.  It dovetails nicely with the Andy Stanley series my Sunday school class has been studying:  “Christian:  It’s Not What You Think.”  The last couple of weeks we have studied what John meant in John 1:14 when he said that Jesus is “full of grace and truth.”  I recommend the series for a small group study.  You can order it from Amazon or you can watch some of the videos free on YouTube.

Happy Sunday from The Happy Empty Nester!

Christian Participant’s Guide with DVD: It’s Not What You Think

 

Product Review — Sunscreen

Today is a beautiful day to be by the pool.  As someone who had a small melanoma lesion removed 16 years ago, I try to take care of my skin by using sunscreen.  It would be safer to avoid the sun altogether, but I enjoy the beach, tennis, and the pool way too much for that.

Last week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Clark Howard reported on sunscreens and their rating by Consumer Reports.  I read the article but didn’t pay much attention because after years of using sunscreen, I have a favorite.

I love Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch lotion sunscreen.  I use SPF 30.  I like it because it goes on so easily.  After years of trying to rub in other products that go on like glue, I was delighted to find something that goes on smoothly and easily and doesn’t leave that white, pasty look on my skin.  It is non-greasy, oil free, and water resistant for 80 minutes.  It works for me.  I use it on my face and body.

You can find Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch at Target and most other places for around $7.99 for an 8 ounce bottle.  I had a coupon at Publix back in the spring and stocked up.

As an aside, I have included below a picture of the three pairs of glasses I have to take with me any time I’m out in the sun.  Ridiculous.  I have to have a regular pair of sunglasses to just look around, a pair of sunglasses/reading glasses for when I’m reading in the sun, and a pair of regular 2.0 reading glasses in case the sun goes behind a cloud.  Getting older is hard work.  I guess I should just be thankful I don’t need contacts or any kind of glasses for vision other than $3.00 reading glasses.

Enjoy this beautiful weekend!  Be sure to use sunscreen and plenty of it 🙂

What’s for dessert? Pound Cake

I think a pound cake is about as southern of a dessert as you can get.  My husband and father-in-law like pound cake so much that I quit making them for a while because I got tired of them.

I had to provide dessert for my ALTA (Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association) match Tuesday night, and I opted to make a pound cake.  I thought it would be a good option because it would be sitting out in the heat and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything melting.  I love pound cake made into strawberry shortcake or peach shortcake or blueberry shortcake, but sometimes I like them just plain.

As you’ll see from the recipe below, there is nothing light about this pound cake recipe.  But that’s okay.  It’s dessert.  Unless it’s breakfast, in which case I put a few pats of butter on a slice and toast it in the toaster oven for a few minutes.  I call it Butter on Butter.  Try this with coffee to make a complete meal 🙂

I have several good recipes for pound cake, but I like this one because it calls for ingredients that I always keep on hand.  That’s good when I remember at 6:00 at night that I am supposed to provide dessert for an event at school the next morning.  Or when I remember at noon that I have to provide a dessert for my ALTA match in a few hours.  With this recipe, I don’t have to make a special trip to the grocery store for cream cheese or sour cream that so many recipes call for.

You probably noticed that I did not make this cake in the usual tube pan.  Oh, no.  I used a fancy pan.  I admired a cake my friend Debbie brought to book club a couple of years ago and I went out the next day and purchased one for myself.  I got it at Williams-Sonoma.  It’s called the Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt Pan and it’s available on their website for $36.  It makes a plain old pound cake look a little more special.

Okay, here’s the recipe.  It’s super simple.

4 cups all purpose flour

3 cups granulated sugar

1 lb. (4 sticks) butter, softened  (I warned you about the butter.)

3/4 cups milk  (I use skim because that’s what I keep on hand and it works fine.)

6 large eggs  (Eggs have protein, so this is a healthy recipe :-))

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 325.  In mixing bowl place flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat at low speed 1 minute.  Beat at medium speed 2 minutes.  (Note — I’m a little old school so I still mix the butter and sugar and then add eggs, etc.  Make sure your butter is softened.  I have given up sifting flour for most recipes and now just fluff it up with a spoon before measuring it.  I think the correct term for this is aerating.)  Pour batter into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.  (Note — I use Baker’s Joy to spray the pan.  It’s one of my favorite things.  If you use a bundt pan, be sure not to overfill it.  Leave at least an inch for it to rise.  If it rises too much, it’s hard to get out of the pan.  You can put any leftover batter into another small container and bake it alongside the cake.)  Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  I let the cake cool for 15-30 minutes before removing from pan.  Run a knife along the top of the pan and turn it over onto your cake stand.  Voila!

It’s Movie Time!

I’m so excited!  I already knew that Hollywood is in Douglasville for the summer.  The picture above shows the 1950’s era McDonald’s now under construction in downtown Douglasville that will serve as a set for the movie “The Founder” about the life of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc.  What I didn’t know is that this movie is also being filmed in my hometown of Thomaston, Georgia, at the legendary Piggie Park.  The Upson Post published several photos yesterday with Michael Keaton and other actors filming scenes at the drive-in restaurant.  I don’t think they had to do too much to make Piggie Park look like it’s from the 50’s except bring in some old cars 🙂  Below are some pictures of Piggie Park so you’ll know it when you see the movie.

Other movies that have filmed in Thomaston are “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” which was shot at the old Martha Mills and “The Walking Dead” which was filmed at Sprewell Bluff, both in 2013.  Coincidentally, a scene from “Mockingjay” was also filmed at Sweetwater State Park in Douglas County, and the opening scene from “The Walking Dead” with the tanker truck accident was filmed in Fulton County right across the line from Douglas County near our home.  Kirk and I were driving back from Thomaston on a late Sunday afternoon when we came to the intersection of Hwy 92 and Campbellton-Fairburn Road and saw a dreadful accident and policemen just milling around like nothing had happened.  We figured out pretty quickly that a movie scene was being filmed, but it was a couple of years later when we realized that was the opening scene for the “Walking Dead” series.

I read that one of the reasons Douglasville was chosen for “The Founder” was because of our Old Douglas County Courthouse which features 1950’s era architecture.  See below for a picture of the Old Douglas County Courthouse so you’ll recognize it in the movie.  I’ve also included a picture of the ruins of the New Manchester Mill at Sweetwater State Park where a scene from “Mockingjay” was filmed.

I always enjoy seeing a movie that is filmed in a familiar location, so I can’t wait to see “The Founder.”  I’ll get to see scenes from my hometown and my new adopted hometown!  And you’ll know a little more about the locations, too!