A Little Bit of Mama

 If the subject of food and my Mama comes up in conversation, it is usually about biscuits, fruit cake cookies or pound cake. She was known far and wide for those tasty treats.  I found her recipe that she sent us as a Christmas gift one year in her card.  I wanted to make it.  I remember it was during the Gingerbread House Party because I used the icing recipe to make Miss Linee's gluten free  caramel rolls.  But it disappeared.  Recently Drummer Boy asked for it and I asked Aunt Tish if she had it.  So this evening I gave it a whirl.  Mama Fail. I guess my angel food cake pan was smaller. It said to cook it an hour, and I could see it wasn't done then, so went twenty minutes longer. It looked okay. I took it out and pinched off an uneven edge. Yummy!  Then I turned it out in the cake taker and it collapsed.  Ugh.  So, I just piled it back in the pan and baked it longer.

Her icing was always darker.  Did she use brown sugar, dark corn syrup?  I don't know.  This part in the picture is what I remember.  Her spooning the caramel up and over, up and over, till she got it all cooled and covered.

So it's ugly, but the cake is good and the icing too, so perhaps when it is sliced it won't look so pititful and the taste will supersede the looks. 

 Jimi continues to be in rehab, on a pureed diet, allowed no visitors as he finishes this course of antibiotics. 

Sadly, he will spend his birthday there.  If you would like to send him a  little greeting for his March 12 birthday, I'm sure he would appreciate it, as would I. 

James Hollins F5 

Lincoln Hills Rehab

326 Country Club Drive

New Albany, IN 47150

I got out for  a bit today to just look over things, scatter a few seeds that likes these mild, cool temps.  I won't be too upset if bitter cold has finished its course. 

Wow, What a February

 It has been a way long time since we've had so much winter weather.  I'd forgotten how much I dislike "Snow Days."  Well they're not even that this week, they are e-learning days for some of my students and no-learning days for others.

I've always known I am not good for long by myself.  I ponder this a lot more as I age, because it is likely one of us we'll someday end up on our own.  Thankfully, I am able bodied and can do a lot of different things.  This morning, after doubling up on clothing, I had to venture down into the bowels of our old farmhouse to try and get past the missing bottom step and to the furnace, which was not working, and bang around and flip switches, and then back up the scary, questionable steps to flip more switches and after multiple tries, finally heard that sweetest of winter sounds, the furnace kicking on.

Next, I undertook to do my own taxes online.  You know there are not too many people as plain as the Handy Man and me, though he did have two jobs last year and we did have to change insurances.  Don't you love that my income tax is tied to my insurance?  So, I actually did manage to get it done, but it took a very long time and my nerves were spent by the time I finished.  Interestingly, I find all things bank, tax, etc. unnerving, even if I take it to someone.  Numbers are not my strong suit.  

I texted my principal to see if she thought we might get to go back to school tomorrow and she said we might. I figured I'd better get my car cleaned off and the side walk scraped, so I did that.  Of course, I also check my school e-mail every twenty minutes to be sure I am not needed. 

I did a load of laundry, got the tea ready for the morning, cleaned up more Valentine debris from Sunday and what I brought home from the big school party (parents can't come and do parties anymore). 

I am about to finish a Bible study on Isaiah that I really enjoyed, so ordered another one by the same author.

I read a magazine.

Yeah, all that and still I am as restless as I can be. 

Sunday, we were few in number, but had some Valentine fun.

Last week, I started these two knitting. It certainly is knitting weather. 

They also like games so we played one I did at school. A Minute to Win It game.  

I rarely can talk Handy Man in to a game, but he did this one. 

And he won!

I have had my students two years now. One sweet little guy is ever bringing me a gift.  He gave me the fluffiest, snuggliest blanket that has been in constant use this freezing winter.  He made me a homemade valentine that included a gift card and a ceramic ladybug with a miniature rose in it.  Wow.  

Then I get a message Sunday morning that when he went with his dad to get their Valentine donuts, he wanted to bring me yet another treat, which I found outside my door.  So sweet!  

I surely needed a pick me up.  We didn't get any of our choices for Jimi's move to rehab, he had to have a picc line before leaving the hospital Sunday evening. He'll have to be at the new place for at least three weeks.  The current infection is still causing him delirium, he can't even feed himself.    

Stay warm. Surely we're headed to spring soon.

Winter Wears On

 Oh my, it has been awhile since I've stopped by.  Life still moving along through this pandemic.

Jimi hit upon a perfect gift for me through the years. He would find a calendar he thought I would love and not only fill it in every birthday, but lots of fun trivia as well and cutest stickers.  I know most of the world has moved on to Google calendars and the like, but I never have.  Sadly, he is no longer able to keep his tradition.

He is in the hospital again, day ten this time with more blood and more tests and now a bacterial blood infection that has caused a vegetative growth on his heart valve.   I believe it has also added to his confusion.  His situation breaks my heart six ways from Sunday. He's managing, at best, ten days to two weeks home, before it all starts again. He won't be going home anytime soon I'm afraid, as this bug requires days of IV antibiotics.

It was funny, to sit down with the calendar and have so very little to put on it.  As is the case for many, I find this pandemic much more wearisome in winter.  Vaccines are still not available for my age or my occupation in my state. 

I did finally give in and get my very long witchy-poo hair cut today. My friend/beautician has had Covid and the vaccine.  I believe she literally cut off half of my hair.  Consequently, feels like part of head is gone.

We've remained in session since Christmas break, though one kid after another is ever out - quarantined from exposure somewhere else.

I have never attempted to teach eight year olds to knit, but I decided to give it a try.  If my hair weren't already white, it would have been after the first week.  But, finally, one after another begin to get it, and could help with the ones that couldn't. As of Tuesday of this week, all had completed an ear band, and started a scarf.  They are thrilled.

Boy howdy, this is a busy picture. It was Pajama Day, then art behind and masks and yarn of every make and model. That's how we roll in third grade. 

Lost an old friend this month, younger than me.  It wasn't Covid, but pneumonia originally. A very long terrible time.  She appeared to finally be on the mend and was moved to rehab, where they found her unresponsive and she died in route to the hospital.  

Courtney's grandma got Covid and managed it fairly well, especially when you consider she is past ninety.  More and more people I know personally have had it.

Two more friends diagnosed with cancer.  Ugh.

Let's just say I am so looking forward to spring.