My Sister's Christmas Rum Cake

I found this HERE and had to share...especially since a lot of us are up to our ears with baking. Enjoy!

My Sister's Christmas Rum Cake

Every year around this time, my sister makes an attempt to create what she says is her masterpiece of culinary delight (in fact, she usually makes two or three attempts) but alas, I have yet to sample even a tiny morsel of it.

Here is the recipe she uses:

1 or 2 quarts rum
baking powder
1c. butter
1tsp. soda
1tsp. sugar
lemon juice
2 large eggs
brown sugar
1c. dried fruit
nuts

Before you start, sample the rum to check for quality.

Good, isn't it?

Now go ahead.

Select a large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc.

Check the rum again. It must be just right.

To be sure rum is of the highest quality, pour one level cup of rum into a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat.

With an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 seaspoon of thugar and beat again.

Meanwhile, make sure that the rum is of the finest quality-- try another cup. Open second quart, if necessary.

Add 2 arge leggs, 2 cups fried druit and beat 'til high. If druit gets stuck in beaters, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Whatever.

Sample the rum again, checking for tonscisticity.

Next sift 3 cups of pepper or salt (it really doesn't matter which).

Sample the rum again.

Sift 1/2 pint lemon juice. Fold in chopped mutter-oops-butter and strained nuts. Add one babblespoon of brown thugar, or whatever color sugar you can find. Who cares about the color of the freakin' sugar?

Wix mell.

Grease oven and turn cake pan to 350 gredees. Now pour whole mess into the coven and ake.

Check the rum again, and bo to bed.

Now you know why.....

Peace.

It's Not A Misprint

September 10, 2001.

Anyone remember THAT day?

The day BEFORE our world changed, as we know it?

What were you doing on September 10th, 2001?

I remember September 10th.

I remember driving home from a glorious, fantastic, absolutely-near-perfect 4-day weekend in western Colorado with my hubby. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison had been our destination, and it was stunningly beautiful.

The weather had been absolutely beautiful...skies were blue...the mountains were majestic...the aspens were starting to turn...

As hubby and I drove the long stretch of lonesome highway through Colorado and Kansas, heading east to our home and our children, we talked and reflected on how fabulous the long weekend had been...

We talked about how just beautiful parts of our country were...and how lucky we were able to live here and able to hop in a car and drive where we wanted to.

Freedom.

We talked about our freedoms...to travel, to talk, to DO.

Little did we know that the very next morning, our country would be attacked because of those freedoms.

On September 10th, 2001, I was innocent. Naive. Trusting. Full of hope. Fearless.

On September 11, 2001 - I was forever changed. No longer innocent. No longer trusting. Realizing that our country could indeed be attacked from within. Scared. Helpless.

And yet - determined. Determined to not let a few men and their misguided beliefs affect my children and their dreams.

A new reality.

In the sad & heart-wrenching days that followed 9/11, how I sometimes longed to go back to those sweet, innocent days before...how I ached for the feelings I had on September 10th, and how I wondered if I would ever have those feelings back.

Where were you on September 10th, 2001?

Do you remember?

On the 10th anniversary, I've given pause to how I've changed over the years.

I'm not as naive. I'm not scared. I'm not as trusting. I'm more skeptical.

And my determination? To protect my children and my country?

Even stronger.

Peace.

A Story of Christmas

"Tell me a story of Christmas," she said.

The television mumbled faint inanities in the next room. From a few houses down the block came the sound of car doors slamming and guests being greeted with large cordiality.

Her father thought awhile. His mind went back over the interminable parade of Christmas books he had read at the bedside of his children.

"Well," he started, tentatively, "Once upon a time, it was the week before Christmas, and all the little elves at the North Pole were sad."

"I'm tired of elves," she whispered. And he could tell she was tired, maybe almost as weary as he was himself after the last few feverish days.

"OK", he said. "There was once, in a city not very far from here, the cutest wriggly puppy you ever saw. The snow was falling, and this little puppy didn't have a home. As he walked along the streets, he saw a house that looked quite a bit like our house. And at the window..."

"Was a little girl who looked quite a bit like me," she said with a sigh. "I'm tired of puppies. I love Pinky, of course. I mean story puppies."

"OK," he said. "No puppies. This narrows the field."

"What?"

"Nothing. I'll think of something. Oh, sure. There was a forest, way up in the North, farther even than where Uncle Ed lives. And all the trees were talking about how each one was going to be the grandest Christmas tree of all. One said, 'I am going to be a Christmas tree, too.' And all the trees laughed and laughed and said: 'A Christmas tree? You? Who would want you?'"

"No trees, Daddy," she said. "We have a tree at school and at Sunday school and at the supermarket and downstairs and a little one in my room. I am very tired of trees."

"You are very spoiled," he said.

"Hmmmmm," she replied. "Tell me a Christmas story."

"Let's see. All the reindeer up at the North Pole were looking forward to pulling Santa's sleigh. All but one, and he felt sad because," he began with a jolly ring in his voice but quickly realized that this wasn't going to work, either.

His daughter didn't say anything; she just looked at him reproachfully.

"Tired of reindeer, too?" he asked. "Frankly, so am I. How about Christmas on the farm when I was a little boy? Would you like to hear about how it was in the olden days, when my grandfather would heat up bricks and put them in the sleigh and we'd all go for a ride?"

"Yes, Daddy," she said obediently. "But not right now. Not tonight."

He was silent, thinking. His repertoire, he was afraid, was exhausted. She was quiet, too. Maybe, he thought, I'm home free.

Maybe she had gone to sleep.

"Daddy," she murmured. "Tell me a story of Christmas."

Then it was as though he could read the words, so firmly were they in his memory. Still holding her hand, he leaned back:

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed..."

Her hand tightened a bit in his, and he told her a story of Christmas.

Written by Bill Vaughan...from the Kansas City Star

Seriously?

One of my favorite movies EVAH is “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” – hey - no laughing; it's a true classic! There are dozens of very clever and witty quotes from that epic cinematic adventure, but one of my favorite exchanges – to this day – is the following:

Buffy is confronting “Amilyn”, a very bad Vampire-dude, who has recently lost an arm.

Amilyn - in his one-armed creepiness....

Amilyn: “We’re immortal, Buffy. We can do anything.”
Buffy: “Oh yeah? Clap.”

OMG, I would roll on the floor every time I watched that little exchange… such a classic.

So...imagine my surprise when I came across the following headline in the newspaper:



Bwahahahaha! Seriously?

This was an actual headline in Tulsa World….and it does make you wonder…how DOES a one-armed man clap??!

Peace.

Pearls of Wisdom #1

Today is Wednesday Wisdom Day….what's that, you say? You haven’t heard of that one? Actually, neither have I – I’m just making it up. But it sounds sort of catchy, doesn’t it? “Wednesday Wisdom.” Where the Drama Queen dispenses some worldly and profound wisdom on her dear readers…..okay, that made me laugh. I'm full of something, but I don't think it's called wisdom. I'm sure my hubby could tell you what it is...but I digress.

So - how about I just dispense some of the “words of wisdom” heard around my house? None of these are my words – but I thought I’d share them with you anyway. Maybe you’ll laugh – maybe you’ll even learn something. Or maybe – just maybe – you’ll thank your lucky stars you’re not part of our wild and wacky family. Lucky you.

Our first bit of wisdom is courtesy of Hubby. He spent hours looking for the outside Christmas lights the other night – he couldn’t remember where he’d packed them. After several fruitless hours of turning the new house upside down in his hunt, he offered up this pearl: “If I’d known I wasn’t going to find them – I wouldn’t have bothered looking for them.” I just sat there in awe at the pure wisdom behind this statement. I'll have to remember that next time I start searching for a lost item.

My oldest son, who is now 20, was quite the philosopher when he was younger. When he was around 5 years old, he offered up these two bits of wisdom:
“Cemeteries are where you plant people for heaven.”
“Ponds are just giant puddles that have never dried up.”
To this day, every time I drive by a cemetery – I think of all of the people planted there for heaven. ☺ Such wisdom out of the mouth of babes.

And then there’s the two short stories from my younger son...although he's now 16 years old, both of these exchanges occurred when he was much, much younger.

Exchange #1:
Me: How was school today?
Son: Why do you ask me that every day when you already know the answer?
Me: How would I know the answer?
Son: You always say that Moms know everything.

Exchange #2:
While driving in the car one day, I hear a commotion going on in the back seat.
Me: What’s going on back there?
Son: Is this a test? Cuz’ you always say you’ve got eyes in the back of your head – so you can SEE what’s going on back here.

Do you detect a bit of a smart ass in my son? Yeah – I do, too. I wonder where he gets that from? Certainly not from me. Nope. Mr. Sassy Pants most certainly took after his father, as these conversations clearly prove.

Well, that's all today, folks. I know - not much, but the Drama Queen is a very busy lady today and must get to work. Tomorrow is the BIG SHOW - we'll blog about it on Friday - so off to get the house ready. It's almost like Prom - for my house. How funny.

Have a great Wednesday - and feel free to offer up some of your own pearls of wisdom!

Peace.

A Somewhat True & Heavily Twisted Tale of Thanksgiving

…with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore…..

‘Twas the day before Thanksgiving,
and all through our cabin…
We’re surrounded by chaos,
So cooking’s not happenin’.

We’ve got workmen downstairs,
installing tile and grout –
There’s an electrician in the closet –
and contractors running about.

Our kitchen is a disaster;
We don’t know where anything’s at…
Pots and pans still in boxes,
so no chance of getting fat.

I in my work clothes
and hubby in his jeans
had just settled in…
to start cooking the beans….

When out in the driveway
there arose such a noise –
I looked out the front window
and saw my teenage boys.

They’re home for the holiday!
And they’re expecting a big meal.
I go to greet them and say,
“Uh….so here’s the deal….

“We’ve been remodeling this house
…since way before June…
and I honestly thought
that it would be done pretty soon.

"But that’s not the case
as you can plainly see…
I hate to break it to you, boys,
But we don’t have a turkey.”

“No turkey!” they exclaim,
“Ridiculous!” they shout,
And then they proceeded
to have a good pout.
---------------------------------

It was just about this time
that my phone began to ring…
My mother’s on the line,
and she proceeds to sing…

“Happy Thanksgiving to You”,
she warbles with glee…
and I cry out, “Mom – stop!”
“It’s a disaster! Can’t you see?!”

I tell her our woes
and how we can’t cook…
She listens for a while,
and then she says, “Look-”

“I’m calling to invite you
& the whole gang to our house!
Pack up the kids, the dog,
the cats – even the mouse!”

“Come on over tomorrow -
Don’t worry about food.
It’s YOU we want to see!
And in a good mood!”
-------------------------------

Aren’t families wonderful?
My mom is especially neat…
She’s cooking & baking for us
and that’s where we’ll eat.

We’ll have turkey and stuffing,
green beans and pie…
And then we’ll have seconds,
because, of course, we’re not shy.

So thank you for indulging me
On this pathetic little rhyme.
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving,
And I’ll see you next time!

**Okay, confession time: I took poetic liberties with this tale…

1. My boys want to point out that they don’t “pout.” They may sulk, but they most definitely don’t “pout.”
2. We don’t own a mouse. And if we did – we wouldn’t take it to Grandma’s.
3. My mom didn’t have to do all of the cooking. My mom always does the turkey and I always do the veggies – so, I was able to find enough pots and pans to make all of the side dishes. And I even made a Pumpkin cheesecake. I love to cook – and I love to cook for Thanksgiving, especially!

Everything else is true. ☺

Peace.

Beauty or the Beast

So – what’s your perspective in life? Are you a glass-full or a glass-empty type of person? Do you see the good? Or the bad?

Our new house is coming along – we’re hoping to move in by the end of this month. I was out there this morning for a few hours, and took some photos. It struck me that I could either focus on:

….the beautiful view out of the hearth room windows….

….or the mess....

I could focus on the beautiful backsplash in the kitchen that takes me back to Italy….

….or the mess....

I could focus on the beautiful view from the living room windows…

…or the mess....

In each of these cases, I choose the beauty. If all you're seeing in your life is the mess - or the "beasts" - move! Step back. Change your focus. Change your perspective.

Choose the beauty. Lose the beast.

Peace.

Lazy Sunday Musings

I’m lounging in my sitting room and glance out the window…

…the sun is valiantly trying to poke its rays through the stubborn clouds…

…raindrops leftover from this morning’s shower glisten brightly on the green leaves of the trees…

…and I can’t help but wonder if the leaves know what lie in store for them....

Do they know they only have a few weeks left to live? Do they know they’re going to go out in a “blaze of glory” – bright reds, brilliant yellows, awesome oranges – each vying to outdo the other in a last gasp of autumn beauty? Do they know they’ll have a “last dance” as they break away from the tree and go swirling, spinning, twirling to the ground?

I enjoy being lazy…watching the leaves…knowing that I have a few weeks of respite before the raking begins.

Enjoy the day.

Peace.

Shiver Me Timbers

Ahoy, maties!

Today is “Talk Like A Pirate Day.”

Who THINKS of these things, anyway? And, more importantly, why??!

Anywho, pirates have always fascinated me. When I was a little girl, I secretly wanted to be a pirate when I grew up. I wasn’t sure if there were “girl” pirates, as I didn’t remember ever seeing them at Disneyland. But I knew they were pretty freakin’ awesome with the black clothes, the swords, and the “bling.” I loved the bling.

I know – don’t lecture me about how evil pirates were – I know, I know. I didn’t see that as a child. All I saw was the treasure they always seemed to be surrounded by. And I saw living on the high seas, sailing under a cool flag with a skull and crossbones. And I saw intense sword fights. Blimey - I wanted some of that action!

My children have grown up with Captain Jack Sparrow – and of course, to them, he’s the ultimate in cool. To me, he’s Johnny Depp – and who doesn’t like Johnny Depp, for heaven’s sake?! Johnny Depp could portray the Devil and I'd be mesmerized.

So, in honor of Talk Like A Pirate Day, I have a pirate joke to share:

A pirate and his parrot were adrift in a lifeboat following a dramatic escape from a valiant battle. While rummaging through the boat's provisions, the pirate stumbled across an old lamp.

Secretly hoping that a Genie would appear, he rubbed the lamp vigorously. To the amazement of the castaways, a Genie came forth. This particular Genie, however, stated that he could only deliver one wish, not the standard three.

Without giving any thought to the matter the pirate blurted out, "Make the entire ocean into rum!" The Genie clapped his hands with a deafening crash, and immediately the entire sea turned into the finest rum ever sampled by mortals. Simultaneously, the Genie vanished.

Only the gentle lapping of rum on the hull broke the stillness as the two considered their circumstances

The parrot looked disgustedly at the pirate and after a tension-filled moment spoke: "Now you’ve done it!! Now we're going to have to pee in the boat!”

Arrrrrrr……wasn’t that fun?!

Peace.

What Are We Supposed to Eat?

Someone sent this to me – I think they’re telling me something. Whatever the case may be, I have to agree that this is PURE genius:
------
What Are We Supposed to Eat?

Can’t eat pork….swine flu.

Can’t eat chicken…bird flu.

Can’t eat beef…mad cow.

Can’t eat eggs…salmonella.

Can’t eat fish…mercury poisoning.

Can’t eat fruits and veggies…insecticides and herbicides.

What’s that leave?

CHOCOLATE!
------
Now, seriously….who can argue with this wisdom??? Be healthy. Eat more chocolate.

Peace.

When A Woman Lies

When A Woman Lies

One day, a seamstress was sewing while sitting close to a river, when suddenly her thimble fell - right into the river. When she cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, "My dear child, why are you crying?" The seamstress replied that her thimble had fallen into the water and that she needed to help her husband in making a living for their family. The Lord dipped His hand into the water and pulled up a golden thimble set with sapphires.

"Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked. The seamstress replied, "No." The Lord dipped into the river and pulled out a golden thimble studded with rubies. "Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked. Again, the seamstress replied, "No."

The Lord reached down again and came up with a leather thimble. "Is this your thimble?" the Lord asked. The seamstress replied, "Yes." The Lord was pleased with the woman's honesty and gave her all three thimbles to keep, and the seamstress went home happy.

Some years later, the seamstress was walking with her husband along the riverbank, and her husband suddenly fell into the river and disappeared under the water. When she cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked her, "Why are you crying?" "Oh, Lord, my husband has fallen into the river."

The Lord went down into the water and came up with George Clooney. Is this your husband?" the Lord asked.

"Yes!" cried the seamstress. The Lord was furious. "You lied! That is an untruth!"

The seamstress replied, "Oh, forgive me, my Lord. It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said "no" to George Clooney, you would have come up with Brad Pitt. Then if said "no" to Brad Pitt, you would have come up with my husband. Had I then said "yes", you would have given me all three. Lord, I'm not in the best of health and would not be able to take care of all three husbands, so THAT'S why I said "yes" to George Clooney."

And so the Lord let her keep him.

The moral of this story is:

Whenever a woman lies, it's for a good and honorable reason, and in the best interest of others.

That's our story and we're sticking to it.

How To Avoid the Swine Flu

CDC Warning: ***DO NOT DO THIS!!!***

I know the flu virus out there is serious but I couldn’t resist this one...with thanks to my friend, Dwayne...

I'm Not Coming Into Work

A woman calls her boss one morning and tells him that she is staying home because she's not feeling well.

"What's the matter?" he asks.

"I have a case of anal glaucoma," she says in a weak voice.

"What the hell is anal glaucoma?"

"I can't see my ass coming into work today."

Birds Twittering & Squirrels Flittering

Another beautiful day today.

Yes, it's cloudy. And it's raining (just a little). But - it's that wonderful, amazing "spring" rain that I love. Spring is so close - so tantalizing close - I can feel it, I can taste it, I can almost touch it.

I love this time of year.

I love the spring showers...I love the grass turning green...I love the days lasting longer and longer...I love baseball season starting...I love the buds popping out on the trees...I love seeing more and more birds flittering about in my backyard...I love seeing more and more squirrels twittering about in the trees...

I love the kids starting to venture back outside again, after being cooped up inside all winter long. I love to see more and more joggers, walkers, and pooches hitting the sidewalk, bursting with energy and anxious to get back into shape. I love to see couples lounging on the grass at the parks, absorbing the sunshine, absorbing each other.

I hope you enjoy the spring weather, too. Go outside and breathe in - everything is fresh, new, hopeful....feel the spring, taste it, touch it. Enjoy the moment.

Peace.

I've Discovered the Secret to Longer Life

Yes - I confess. I've found that elusive secret to a longer, happier life. The secret actually involves four things...are you ready?

#1. Let the sunshine in.
Two recent studies found that people who have a positive outlook on life when they're younger live longer than those who don't. Simple, huh? Even at the age of 50 - which is fast approaching for me - just feeling upbeat about getting older can snag you an average of seven more years of life. So - cheer up - chin up - be sure to always look at the glass as half-full, rather than half-empty.

I know that, having done extensive travel now through the American Red Cross as well as mission trips, I have seen how "the other half" lives...and I have come to the realization that my life is definitely blessed and I am VERY lucky. It's easy to get caught in the "woe is me" attitude, until you get out there and experience true suffering - whether brought on by poverty, natural disasters, or illness.

#2. Say a prayer.
A study done by the University of Texas found that people who regularly attended worship services averaged a longer life span of 7-14 years. Attendance alone is not the key - it's the underlying belief system that provides comfort and improves health.

I confess that I wasn't always a regular church-goer. I think that after I had children, it became more important to me to raise them in the faith. However, what began as a belief in going "just for my kids' sake", became a journey deeper and deeper into my own faith. Now - I can't image a Sunday without being at church. It's what keeps me centered and balanced the rest of the week.

#3. Socialize
Another study found that people with strong social connections enjoy better health - which translates into longer life. But - the relationships must be good - and healthy - to benefit you. And marriage is the best relationship of them all - studies have found that married people live longer - 4 more years for women, and a whopping 10 more years for men!

I could have saved a study and told the researchers that friends are definitely important. I love seeing my girlfriends - whether it's for a quick lunch or a long, leisurely dinner - I like the laughter, the fun, and the joy of sharing stories and advice with a strong circle of other women. And, I know it keeps me young - I sometimes feel like a 10-year old girl again when I'm giggling over something funny that a friend said - especially if I accidentally snort my drink through my nose from laughing so hard!

#4. Do Good Works
Ahhhh....the best for last - my personal favorite - the one near and dear to my heart. People who volunteer at 2 or more organizations have a 44% lower death rate than those who don't do any charitable work. I'll repeat that - 44 percent!!! 44% is comparable to exercising four times a week...seriously! Like working out, helping others seems to boost antibodies.

Although I "dabbled" in volunteerism for many, many years - it wasn't until the last 5 years or so of my life that it became more than a hobby and became a way of life. And it has been truly life-changing. When I put myself out there for others, it's me who benefits - as these studies show.

When I had an epiphany many years ago and realized that life wasn't all about me - but was about others - that's when the secret of life was revealed to me....it involved putting feet to my faith and putting God's love into action.

Be sure to do YOUR part today to make a difference in the world by doing one thing at a time, one day at a time. You'll live longer - and happier!

Peace.

4 to Survive...12 to Thrive

So, this Friday is "Free Hug" day...I grew up with the old, it takes "four to survive and twelve to thrive" mantra on hugs....are you surviving? Or are you thriving? How many hugs did you get today? How many hugs did you GIVE today?

Do you part this Friday and pass the love...and watch this video - it's pretty amazing!

Be sure to do YOUR part today to change the world - one hug at a time.

Peace.

Confirmation

If somebody complains to you that nobody ever listens to what he says, don't respond.