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NATIONAL BLACK CAT DAY

Today is

Don’t be superstitious!

black cat GIF

October 27 is National Black Cat Day, and it is all about celebrating the beauty of these sleek creatures.

And the fluffy ones too!

“While this time of year black cats may decorate many thresholds for Halloween and windows for spooky decor, these felines deserve the love and attention just as much as their tabby counterparts.  Old notions have given these furry critters a bad reputation.  National Black Cat Day is about turning that reputation around” (source).

HOW TO OBSERVE

If you are a cat lover and considering adopting, don’t overlook the sweet little black cats looking for love.  There is no rational reason to be afraid of black cats, so open your home to the dark side!  Take a picture and post on social media using  #NationalBlackCatDay to share (source).

Stories about my black fur baby Elvis Cat Starling can be read here and here.

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National Dessert Day

October 14th has been declared

National Dessert Day!

The NationalDayCalendar suggests: observe National Dessert Day by going out to a dessert shop or restaurant and indulging in a sweet treat.  Post photos on social media using #NationalDessertDay

It must have been women’s intuition because I set into dessert making mode before I knew about the celebratory day.

I’d lost that lovin’ feeling for the apples that I had been taking to work for lunch

and decided I would make them into something LB couldn’t resist.

This is an EASY dessert recipe and there’s no easier way to make something LB cannot resist than creating dessert!

At bettycrocker.com I found this recipe for

Apple Dump Cake

by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Thank you Betty Crocker!

Aside from pumpkin, apple is the flavor of the season. While baking, the fragrance of apples and cinnamon wafted through the kitchen creating an atmosphere of autumn.

This dessert is delicious served warm and topped with cool whip!

Apple Dump Cake

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print
Ingredients
6 cups chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Spray 13×9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In baking dish, mix chopped apples, walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Spread evenly in pan. Top with dry cake mix;  shake to distribute evenly. Pour melted butter over top, covering as much of the top with butter as possible.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until top is light golden brown and bubbly around the edges.
Cool 15 about minutes before serving.

It is apparent that the apple dessert is not going to last all week.
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Friday Favorites

Today is

FRIDAY

WOO HOO!

and it is also National Good Neighbor Day!

My definition of good neighbor is minding my own business but keeping an eye out for anything suspicious in the neighborhood.  I consider myself to be a good neighbor.

WHO is the BEST Neighbor you know?

Only one name comes to mind:

Fred Rogers!

Last week Google shared one of the cutest google doodles I have seen…

Favorite # ONE

The Mr. Rogers Google Doodle

To celebrate National Good Neighbor Day, do something nice for your neighbor today.

Use #GoodNeighborDay to post on social media.

(source)

Favorite # TWO

Bring the Salon Home KISS Revolutionary French Nails.

aka Fake Finger nails

Last Monday I glued these to my fingernailsThey may be permanent.

Luckily they look pretty good!

Favorite # THREE

Being awakened by my fur baby Elvis.He loves his Mama!

Favorite # FOUR

The last of the Limes

Now that pumpkin is the star of the show, it is necessary to use the bowl of limes.

It was a Lime Bundt Cake recipe that got me started. 

It took about eight limes to make this cake.

And I’m still looking forward to the LAST of the limes!

 

Favorite # FIVE

On Tuesday the company shared the glorious news that there is [once again] an overtime mandate for all employees.  Boy was I mad.  I appreciate the slightly inflated paycheck, but I do not appreciate leaving the office an hour later and spending an extra bit of time in rush hour traffic.

My attitude is in check.  I’ve decided to grit my teeth and bear it.

My resolve has reminded me of a story I once heard:

A mother was driving to school one day, and her youngest child was standing in the seat beside her. Realizing the danger, she said to him, “Sit down, dear, I may have to stop suddenly and you’ll be thrown against the windshield.”

“No!” the little boy refused.

“Please sit down, dear, I don’t want you to get hurt,” the mother insisted.

“No!” came the stubborn reply.

Finally, she reached over and pulled him down. He sat there sullenly for a moment, then said, “I may be sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.”

(source)

 

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Island Hopping

Saturday was National Fajita Day and the plan was to have Mama and my kids over for fajitas.  Schedules could not be coordinated to make this happen so LB decided it was time to take a trip.  Saturday afternoon we set out for a destination favorite…

St. Simon’s Island

After checking into the Hampton Inn it was time to find a Mexican Restaurant.

After all, a celebration was in order…

for National Fajita Day!

La Plancha

was the place!

And the fajitas were anything but typical.

The Spanish to English translation of  la plancha means ‘the iron’.  The adjective (in Spanish cookery) means grilled on a metal plate (source).

Dinner was not bad, but Not Served on a Seasoned Cast Iron Pan, and slightly lacking in flavor.

And where was the guacamole?Hopefully that review wasn’t too rough.  On a positive note, the decor is lovely.

Next stop

Ziggy Mahoney’s

Once upon a time, Ziggy’s was a nightclub that an older man hosted as a means to snuggle up to college girls and take selfies.  These days it has become a hot spot for seniors displaying dazzling dance moves. And suddenly I’m feeling a little more comfortable.Imagine that!

Before heading back to Jacksonville the next morning, I thought it would be a good idea to shop for a birthday gift for my sister.

The shops at St. Simon’s Island were closed which was a good thing as White House Black Market is more temptation than I am able to withstand.

Jekyll Island

proved to be the place to shop for a birthday gift.Tonya’s is the name of the boutique where I lingered.  I was able to find a sweet little gift for my sister

and

something that I wouldn’t mind having myself.

A purple (eggplant) Hobo handbag Yes, LB… this would make a lovely Christmas gift!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Sisters

Sister (as defined by Merriam-Webster)

1 : a female who has one or both parents in common with another
2  a : a member of a women’s religious order (as of nuns or deaconesses); especially one of a Roman Catholic congregation under simple vows.  b : a girl or woman who is a member of a Christian church
3 a : a girl or woman regarded as a comrade. b : a girl or woman who shares with another a common national or racial origin
4 : a member of a sorority

Today is

 

In My world, sisters look like this:

 

National Sisters Day is observed annually on the first Sunday in August.  Like many other special days, it is a day of opportunity  to show appreciation for that unique bond only sisters can understand.

All sisters may have the odd argument here and there, but deep down there’s little way to break the strong bond shared by female siblings.  The natural connection between sisters is like no other.

  Sisters are forever.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Cherish the memories and make plans to create new ones.  Reconnect or patch up any misunderstandings.  Make this day a special celebration of your sister.

If you don’t have a sister, you can still celebrate the friendships of sisterhood by having a girls’ night out!

Post on social media using #NationalSistersDay to encourage others to do the same.

(source)

 

 

 

Miss Celie’s Blues (Sister)
Sister,
You’ve been on my mind
Sister, we’re two of a kind
So sister,
I’m keepin’ my eyes on you
I betcha think
I don’t know nothin’
But singin’ the blues
Oh sister, have I got news for you
I’m somethin’
I hope you think
That you’re somethin’ too
Oh, Scufflin’,
I been up that lonesome road
And I seen a lot of suns goin’ down
Oh, but trust me
No low life’s gonna run me around
So let me tell you somethin’ sister
Remember your name
No twister,
Gonna steal your stuff away
My sister
Sho’ ain’t got a whole lot of time
So shake your shimmy,
Sister
‘Cause honey this ‘shug
Is feelin’ fine
Songwriters: Quincy Jones / Rod Temperton / Lionel B. / Jr. Richie
Miss Celie’s Blues (Live) lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group
Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is observed annually on August 4th.

According to National Day Calendar, this is a day to enjoy those tasty bits of chocolate in your favorite cookies.

I don’t need a special reason to bake cookies, but I’ll take it!

Because chocolate chip cookies are a US favorite, we thank Ruth Graves Wakefield for her creation of chocolate chips, and also celebrate her name on National Chocolate Chip Day in May.  For if it weren’t for her curiosity and invention, there wouldn’t be any lingering in the kitchen waiting for the oven timer to ding.  If Ruth had never wondered what chunks of chocolate would taste like mixed into a sugar cookie dough, we would not know the joy of chocolate chip cookie dough.  Nor would we know the ecstasy that is to taste a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.  If it weren’t for Ruth Graves Wakefield, entire generations would have been denied the bliss that is a chocolate chip cookie.

Thank you Ruth!

It may be that she is equally responsible for all those other nuggets of goodness.  Morsels of butterscotch, peanut butter and white chocolate enjoyed in much the same way we enjoy our chocolate delights.  Nothing, though, rates quite as high as the chocolate chip cookie that Ruth Grave Wakefield brought to us in 1937.

No… Nothing.

(source)

HOW TO OBSERVE

Make your favorite chocolate chip cookies and throw some extra chocolate chips into the mix! Give this recipe a try. Post on social media using #ChocolateChipCookieDay.

 

LB and I endured Hurricane Irma in 2017 with these Chocolate Chip Cookies.

 

Today I used a recently discovered Pinterest recipe for Soft Batch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

It is posted on my Pinterest COOKIES! board and also on the site from which it was found: Averie Cooks.  If you are looking for a quick chocolate chip cookie fix, it is important to note that these cookies require refrigeration for at least 2 hours before baking.

 

 

 

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