Happy Birthday, Cowboy!

Happy birthday Cowboy (on the left and Vern Pluhar on the right, summer '09).  There isn't a day goes by that I don't think about you, and breathe a prayer for you.  You were my best friend while we were growing up, and I guess we sort of kept each other alive during those years.  After all, we did have some close calls. I just wish we weren't so far apart, but until the distance gets closer, just know that I love you, and care for you just as much as ever.  Have a good day, and a utterly fantastic, and exciting year.  See you when I get there.  Your sister.  Rosie 

P.S.  I couldn't find the picture I really wanted to put on here.  Things are chaos.  I am moving next door.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Here is the birthday girl!  Always doing, always in the middle of the action having fun, helping, giving her time and energy to make others feel welcomed and loved.  Happy birthday.  May the Lord bless you with great health and many more birthdays.  Just in case you don't know--Sweetheart is the one in the red.  Farmer's Wife is in pink and her sister, Jen, is in black.  The picture was taken spring break '09.

OOPS! Now I Have Done It!

I have committed myself to an impossible task, just in hopes that I will get some of it done.  I found this cute blog on Sew Retro.  The English girl (http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/2010/05/join-me-self-stitched-september.html)  is forming a group of seamstresses who will get serious, and really try to make what they wear.  My theory is--if my name is on the dotted line, I am at least semi-committed and might even get something done!  So, I have taken the following vow (not in blood, mind you).

I, Rosie O'Grady,  sign up as a participant of Self-Stitched-September. I endeavour to wear as many handmade (at least one piece of clothing, preferably a whole outfit) every day for the duration of September 2010'.  If I can just finish what I have started, the challenge will probably have been accomplished.  First, I will attack my Koos Van Den Akker skirt, even though I don't like the fabric I bought (choices are limited in Midland).  I am going to do it!!!!

And now I just have to tell you about the fashion world that  Mark Twain described  when he went ashore to visit Constantinople.  "Ashore it was--well, it was an eternal circus.  People were thicker than bees in those narrow streets, and the men were dressed in all the outrageous, outlandish, idolatrous, extravagant, thunder-and-lightning costumes that ever a tailor with the delirium tremens and seven devils could conceive of.  There was no freak in dress too crazy to be indulged in, no diabolism too fantastic to be attempted.  No two men were dressed alike.  It was a wild masquerade of all imaginable costumes--every struggling throng in every street was a dissolving view of stunning contrasts.Some patriarchs wore awful  turbans, but the grand mass of the infidel horde wore the fiery red skullcap they call a fez.  All the remainder of the raiment they indulged in was utterly indescribable."  The Innocents Abroad 

I just hope that we can produce clothing that is just half as exciting as this!

The Cactus is Nearly Done Blooming, and School is ...

OUT..!  The seniors graduated from high school Friday night , and are now part of the real world!  Welcome!  I hope they find love, adventure, success and security in our Lord. 

I monogrammed towels for seniors that I had in class.  I don't have a monogram machine like Marina, but just do it the old fashioned way.  It's my tradition.  In fact, a couple of them asked me if I was going to give them something, "Like last year.  You gave them towels," (they have no raising).

I have so many projects going that I can't calm down and get a good night's sleep.  Thank God for air conditioning.  It was 111 degrees yesterday.

And the Winner is....

...not anyone in the Two Bit Pit bunch placed in the top three in this year's Barbado cook off. 

Folks doing a little bit of Latin dancing before the awards ceremony.  Cumbia is better with beer!

I made Cheese Herb Rolls and placed 7th.  Bummer!   Oh well, better luck next year.  Here is the recipe in case you want to try.

CHEESE HERB ROLLS

2 Tbs. sugar

1 1/2  tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. oregano

3/4 tsp. basil

I add a shake of chipped red pepper, too.

2 pkg. yeast

1 C milk or potato water

1/4 C oil

1 C mashed potatoes

2 eggs

2 C shredded cheese

1.  Combine yeast, salt, sugar, herbs with milk.  Stir to dissolve the yeast.

2.  Add the oil, eggs, mashed potatoes, and the cheese and stir until blended.

3.  Add 2 C of flour and begin mixing.  I use bread flour.

4.  Add enough flour to make a dough that can be kneaded.

5.  Knead for about 10 minutes.  Let rise.  Make into rolls.  Let rise.

6.  Bake in 400 degree oven. 

Roberto's chili was absolutely the best--spicey, hot with amazing flavor.  The judges just don't know what is good.  Back to the drawing board to study for better results.  It was fun.

World Championship Barbado Cookoff...

is being held in Rankin, Texas right now.  So if you hurry on down you can join the fun.  Roberto cooks chili, and has won in the past.  Check out the pictures.

Cookers come from all over, and have various types of pits.  Some of them are pretty fancy, because they compete for the showmanship prize.  The amount of teams doubled this year.

Here is Two Bit Pit (computer talk).  Roberto cooks with these folks; he is always in charge of the chili

and has not won in several years.  I say he makes the chili  too hot for the average gringo who  judges for beer or wine.   Dang!  Leave the Maria Sharp's habanero sauce in the pantry.

Here is some of the Two Bit Pit crew staying cool after all the food was turned in to the judges.  The work is done and now for the fun!

That's a pit up under the porch.

Lots of flags flying for Memorial Day.

And live music. 

Good luck tomorrow with the chili Roberto.  It is not too hot for me and has a wonderful spicey flavor.  I just hope the judges like it warm!  I will post results tomorrow.

The Joys of Teaching High School...

with a full moon and 3 and a half days to go!  Today was wild.  We are having a three day weekend, and the kids are tired of school, have no intentions of working, aren't going to work and that is that.  I have my sources, and today one of the teachers was reviewing, and of course these two boys were talking, so the teacher chewed them out and went on reviewing.  Later one of the same boys, we will call him Johnny, was sprawled out in his chair, turned completely around--talking.  Teacher called him on it, and the kid says, "I'm looking at you," meaning he really wasn't turned--the teacher was imagining things.  So then one of the other boys, says "Johnny is gay," and then one of his buddies says, "Literally, and then Johnny responds that he totally is (gay).  The kids reported that these three upstarts went to the office.  Then I saw two of the same in the office again a couple of hours later because they had their belts off swatting each other.  Some folks think that teachers get paid too much.  I would love to trade places with them the last week of school so they could get a taste of this high paid junket.  I would especially like a few congressmen and women to sub in some of these schools.
P.S.  This may be a risky thing to talk about, but to my knowledge only one  person  from "my town" knows this blog exists, and she is a teacher, and she ain't talkin'.    Three and a half more day!!!!!!!!!