86 Years

A few weeks ago, I was making burgers - again.  I'm trying to use up the last of the beef, as it's time for a new haul.  Thankfully, at the time the beef and pork had dwindled to nothing, my freezer (bought used when we married 35 years ago) began to spew and sputter, giving every indication of kicking the bucket.  Have I said it here?  If not, let me say, I hate buying new appliances, as in this long marriage one thing after another has given it up, originally lasting, oh twenty years, to be replaced with something that lasts five, if your lucky.  Really, I mean everyone knows transitions are NOT my strong suit. It takes me a year to stop missing the old one (or longer in the case of my stove) and another to get used to the new one. This big freezer was the last ol' gal to have been around as long we have and I was not the least bit happy with the notion of giving her up.
Ahhh, in comes my knights- Gwanfader with his amazing refrigeration and cooling expertise and a Handy Man willing to help.  Sadly Gwanfader reported that the identification number was lost to wear and time, but he had a man you know, that if the parts could be pried off,  his man said he might be able to match them.  So, off they came with the freezer remains crammed into the refrigerator's freezers.
That old freezer is running like a song and I am so very happy not to have to part ways with her. I said if she goes as long as I do, just bury me in that box.  That brother of mine knows his away around all things that cool, and my heart as well.
Whoa, I've gotten way off track- imagine.  Anywhoo, Handy Man still had cabbage in the garden and I had these hamburgers- again.  I know Big Boys are made with tartar sauce and Big Macs with kind of a Thousand Island sauce and I've heard of slaw burgers, so I thought I'd see what I could do.  I asked Handy Man if he thought I should use the cabbage for sweet slaw, or with tartar sauce.  He voted for the latter.  So I made a little homemade tartar sauce, extra dill pickle, stirred it up and we ate it on the hamburger.  Wow, creamy, crunchy, yummy.  As soon as I took a bite, I knew it was something my Mama would love.  At least she would have.  These days so many meds keep her stomach rumbly, anyway, I wanted to give it a whirl, and her birthday seemed like the perfect time.
In a side story, a date night was cancelled after all was in order and Handy Man had bait that needed using, so I called Rae to see Giddy-Up might be interested in a date.
I served my version of slaw burger to Mom on a toasted pretzel bun, with rainbow colored cottage fries from the garden.  She was in hog heaven, proclaiming it the best she'd ever eaten.

 It was another glorious September day so dinner could be served on the porch and she could watch the chickens peck the dust.  Handy Man retrieved a little Cinderella chickie girl for her to hold.

 She was thrilled that her date coincided with Giddy-Up's date.  As he prepared to head to the fishing hole, we were left to smooch a little sugar smack- ahhhh.

 Giddy-Up  was a little unsure about the whole fishing thing, but warmed up quite nicely to the notion.  That boy transitions about as well as his Gramerly.  All smiles now.

 Pappy needed both arms full of sweetie boys.



Earlier in the day, Rae made these pictures.  I bought these outfits for Mr. Smiley's adoption day, but they were too big.

 Seriously, they both inherited their Gramerly's wild knotty hair as well.

Love, love, love me some precious grandboys.
Off to cook for a friend's daughter's wedding.  Go figure, on Rae's December 27th wedding, it was in the 80's. Right now it is in the 40's.  Prayers for a little warm up, blessings on all things wedding, including the cook.