Fudge Guilt!!

Fudge. I love fudge. Good fudge with lots of pecans. Friday at school we had early release for spring break. Anz and I went to the city to the city's largest garage sale. We had never been so didn't know what to expect. We saw the good, the bad, and the ugly......then there was the really ugly. As we walked up and down the isles, we came across a girl selling fudge. After several samples, I purchased some. Upon arriving home that evening I needed another sample or three. It really is good. Bedtime came around and I went to bed and fell right to sleep...until about 3:00 am. Then, wide awake. Was it fudge guilt? I had been on a diet for several weeks, so did the guilt awaken me from a sound sleep? Or was it one of the many little gifts that come with menopause? Whatever it was, do you know what is on TV at 3:00 am?

First I watched a celebrity model's skin care line and just knew I needed her cantaloupe inspired skin system. I could look 10 years younger! Then I felt sure I could use a home silk screen Tee-shirt making system. Oh, the XXL Tee's I could make with this beauty!! Next was a wonderful body girdle system that redistributes the muffin top to give you a smoother look and better posture. You can look up to 2 sizes smaller with this little under garment. My only question is what area of the body gets the redistributed muffin top? Personally I don't want it under my arms and my rear-end has it's own share of plumpness. Does anyone know where the muffin top is sent, if so please share your knowledge. The last item I was so sure I needed was an exercise machine guaranteed to slim you down in 6 weeks. I fell for this once and it made a great clothes hanger, but my weight never disappeared. Thank goodness I got sleepy and fell back to sleep. I saved a lot of money. Saturday morning came and in the sunlight those offers didn't look near as inspiring as the night before. I think it would be cheaper to give up fudge and take a Tylenol PM.

As I think back on the past night, I realize how the enemy preys upon us when we can't rest. Worry, anxiety, pressure, fear, doubt, all the things that can seem so big and scary in the dark are really so small and worthless in the light. We just have to let God be our light at all times and shine the light of his mercy and grace on us 24/7. It's a choice you know? Do we face the dark by ourselves or do we stay in God's presence and light? He's always there with us, we just have to choose the right path. Have a restful and peaceful evening and may you always choose the light. Blessings,

Time to Think About Flowerbeds!

Last Saturday was a perfect day to start planning the flowerbeds for spring. I decided to enlarge the bed by the drive, so I drew out the area I wanted to be tilled.

I also cleaned out the existing beds and got them ready for spring. I know we will still have some cold weather, so I left some covering for the new plants, but I took out a lot of old growth. Now to the seed catalogs to decide on plants &/or seeds. Oh, by the way, I had a cheering squad as I planned the new bed. M3 and her babies came to watch the planning and contribute some ideas. She also had to have her own "tweezers" to trim the old growth out of the existing beds. What a helper she was!!

Have a great day!

Ivey

Ivey is our Basset Hound. She is the latest in a long line of Bassets. She is the baby now that all the kids are gone. She loves the grandkids, but she gets so excited to see them that she can't control her bladder. Now that the snow has melted she is really enjoying laying out in the sun. Hopefully this summer she will keep out of my flower beds. Last year I though it was because she was a puppy. We'll see how this spring and summer goes now that she weighs 50 lbs and is definitely not a lap dog anymore.

"The" Salad

Many years ago a cousin of Da-Da's gave me a recipe for a salad. The top of the recipe read Salad. I thought it reminded me of a Ceaser salad. It called for a seasoning that I had only used when stewing a chicken--Beau Monde. I never cook a chicken without using it. It was hard to find for a while so I keep several jars in my freezer. It just gives the chicken and the broth such a good flavor, not that just cooked in water taste!

Back to "The" salad, when my girls started cooking in their homes, they served this salad or took it to a dinner and people started raving about it. I knew it was good but didn't realize how much people loved it. Now we refer to it as "The" salad and we know what we or others are referring to. I have never seen another recipe for this salad. The only problem with this great salad is that it does not hold over very well. So once you toss it, eat it all!! One friend makes up the dressing and keeps it in her frig and uses it for her everyday dressing. Hope you enjoy this salad as much as our family and friends have enjoyed it.

(click to enlarge)