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Fifty Two Facts

About ME!

No I didn’t just pull the number fifty-two out of the air.

I remember when I turned 30, my mother-in-law joyfully told me “in 20 years you’ll be fifty!”  Apparently I didn’t think it was possible.  It must have been that I was still in the invincibility stage that most people experience during youth.

Today I am going to engage in an exercise of self-awareness and share…

52 Very Random Facts About Kim

Here goes…

  1. I’ve lived on the Westside of Jacksonville all of my life.
  2. I was born on the same day as Marilyn Monroe, different year, of course.
  3. I used to have a problem with sleepwalking.
  4. My tonsils are long gone.
  5. Mexican cuisine is my favorite…
  6. However I could live on rotisserie chicken and diet orange soda.
  7. I fainted when I got my ears pierced.
  8. My Aunt Linda pierced my ears with two giant needles.
  9. Autumn is my favorite season.

  10. Peanut M&Ms is my favorite candy.

  11. I graduated from Edward H. White high school in 1984.
  12. As a senior in high school, I joined the girls Cross country team.
  13. I have successfully completed a half marathon.
  14. With just a few credits short of my bachelor’s degree, I stopped taking classes.
  15. I have an Associates degree in Interior Design Technology.
  16. When my son broke his arm, I fainted in the ER.
  17. I auditioned for and joined the Chancel Choir at First Baptist Church Jacksonville.
  18. At one time I was a bank teller.
  19. My first job was a proof operator at the bank where my Daddy was the Executive Vice President.

  20. The first time I took my drivers test, I failed.

  21. Red-orange is my favorite color.
  22. I’m terrified of reptiles, and sticks that look like reptiles.
  23. I’ve read the Bible from cover to cover, excluding the index.
  24. Although I took lessons for many years, I cannot play the piano.  Much.
  25. As a little girl, I signed my Mama up for piano lessons.
  26. I was the first one in my family to beat BOWSER [Super Mario World]!  When it happened, everyone screamed.
  27. I’d love to manage my own bakery.
  28. One of my favorite activities is baking.
  29. Every morning I drink a cup of warm lemon water with cayenne pepper.

  30. I have a giraffe collection.

  31. My house was built on property that has been in my family since 1912.
  32. I DO NOT LIKE water chestnuts.
  33. At one time, rollerblading was a favorite past-time.
  34. I home-schooled my children.
  35. When I was young I wanted to be Marcia Brady.
  36. I played softball positions pitcher, catcher, and second base for my church softball team.
  37. I’m a shopaholic.  It is bad.
  38. I eat vegetables for breakfast.
  39. As a victim of the Backmasking era in the eighties, I burned all of my records.

  40. I’m obsessed with my cat.

  41. I’ve maintained an exercise regimen since 1983.
  42.  I believe I can do anything that I put my mind to.
  43. I polish my nails just before I board the treadmill.
  44. While engaging in regular treadmill time, I watch the TODAY show with Hoda and Kathie Lee.
  45. I have worked as technical support resolving DSL connectivity troubles.
  46. The first movie I attended was a showing of “Bambi”.  I was six months old.
  47. Eighties music is my favorite.
  48. My worst habit is grinding and tapping my teeth.
  49. I’ve owned three white Nissan Altimas (2004, 2007, 2014).
  50. My eyes are green.  My Daddy used to call me Green Eyes.
  51. I do not have any tattoos.  You wouldn’t put a bumper sticker on a Bentley.

  52. Today is my birthday.  I was born on a Wednesday in 1966 at 7:52 AM.

One day I’ll look back at this post, and will hopefully still be able to remember most of these things.

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

Party Animals

Memorial Day

is a federal holiday in the United States set aside to remember the people who died while serving in our country’s armed forces.

Most Americans, including myself, use this holiday as an opportunity to gather with family or friends and celebrate the unofficial start of summer.  I took a poll of members of my family last week to see who might be interested in a pool party and cookout.

Crickets.

Nevertheless, I prepared.

On the menu was pulled pork, Cole slaw, rolls, potato salad, deviled eggs, and

Desserts

This is my pre-baked version of an American Pie also known as a Berry Cobbler.I neglected to take a post-baked photo.

You can find the recipe HERE

… however I made my own pie crust.

This is called Strawberry Shortcake Lasagna.  It is extremely tasty, although oddly named.  We will have to come up with another name for it.

And

(for a splash of healthy)

green beans.just in case Lydia was able to join us.

All of the recipes I used are pinned on my “Bring to the BBQ” Board on Pinterest.

I didn’t realize that the Jacksonville forecast called for thunderstorms and rain for the entire weekend, which would not have been good for a pool party.

But later in the day Mama came over and she, LB and I enjoyed a Memorial Day cookout… inside.

There we are…

Party Animals

enjoying BOTH desserts

engaged in deep conversation

and having a lovely time!

We talked about the Vietnam War, President Lyndon Johnson’s draft, and the marriage of Richard Reid and Mary Duckworth.  Then we discussed Grandpa Joe, the land he owned, a trip to Pennsylvania, Grandma Perrins, her recipes and the book she pasted them into.  It was a walk back in time and a precious moment in time that I was able to enjoy with my Mama.

 

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

Jacksonville Jazz Festival

The 2018 Jacksonville Jazz Festival on Memorial Day weekend was a great opportunity to experience the sounds of jazz!  Although the weather in Jacksonville did not cooperate with the city’s plans [for the most part], the Jazz Festival went on as planned on May 24-27.  Several blocks of downtown Jacksonville featured the festival and included live music, food, drinks and shopping.

And admission was free!

(source)

If ever an opportunity presents itself, bring a blanket or a couple of lawn chairs (recommended), find a clear spot on the lawn (if you can) and enjoy the jazz music of the annual festival.

This year the big stage was on the lawn in front of the new courthouse.This is an LB panorama pic from Saturday night.

LB and I had the opportunity to attend on that night when the weather was cooperating the the breeze was wonderful.

We enjoyed the sounds of

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Although I enjoy a wide variety of music, LB has a much broader range of music appreciation than I do.  That said,  he knows how much I can tolerate and is always thoughtful to expose me to what I can handle.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is okay by me.

One of the selections performed by the swing band Saturday evening was a song featured in the film(s)

The Jungle Book.

This brought a smile to my face.

 

I love that song probably because it evokes memories of one of my favorite childhood movie soundtracks!  Disney’s 1967 version of The Jungle Book features the song by the exuberant orangutan King Louie, voiced by Louis Prima.  It is featured again in the 2016 remake and stars Christopher Walken as the voice of King Louie.

Although Walken gives an excellent vocal performance, my favorite will always be…

 

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

Friday Favorites

You Can’t See John Cena

john cena nickelodeon GIF by Kids Choice Sports 2017

But the weekend is in sight!

And it is once again, time to share my

Friday Favorites

Favorite # ONE

Making the best of Monday

Might as well.

Ashley was on my “team” at work before I moved to a new position.  Still she “messages”  hello every morning.

This past Monday morning I sent this as a reply hoping to make her laugh:

She messaged “LOL” (so I’m assuming she did).

And this little guy made ME laugh every time I looked at him!

Favorite # TWO

Amazon Prime

Priming on Amazon this week is the newest addition to my collection of Glambaby paraphernalia.

Since Lydia enjoys having tea parties, I thought it would be a good idea to make sure she has a Lydia sized table and chairs to use when she comes to Glammy’s house.

I purchased it on Sunday.  The package was delivered on Tuesday.  LB and I (mostly LB) assembled it that evening.  It is all set up and ready for Lydia’s next visit… which I am looking forward to.

Favorite # THREE

Music by the Sea

began again this week.

LB and I were able to make it there by 5:30 and secure a spot in the pavilion.  Entertainment was provided by the 80’s Party Band SLANG.  Dinner was catered by Scooby Q BBQ.  This was their first time catering the event and apparently they were not prepared for the number of customers as they ran out of pulled pork in 30 minutes.

LB was able to partake of their smoked wings, a bag of chips and a cup of banana pudding.  I snapped this picture of him while he was enjoying his wings (without his blessing).  Since it reminded me of John Cena’s ‘You Can’t See Me‘, he let me post it.

Favorite # FOUR

Long Weekends

Monday I posted about things to do on Long Weekend Celebrations to link up with TBB and I offered suggestions for what to do on long weekends…

The truth is, what I do with an extra day off doesn’t matter to me one bit.  I am a homebody and content to stay home. LB is the adventurer who won’t go without me.  So we compromise and are happy either way.

Favorite # FIVE

Lifelong Friends

There was a time when LB was a BellSouth phone tech and many of the fellas that started out as his co-workers became his good friends.  Many of those same good friends have remained friends for the past 30+ years.  LB, Randy, Dave, Bruce

Today was a sad day as we met to remember and say goodbye to Randy.

Last October Randy began expressing concern over some discomfort he experienced while breathing.  It was determined to be cancer.

LB continued to meet him for “break” to have coffee.  He would tell me how Randy would always have an optimistic perspective.  From what LB shared of their conversations, and from the texts that Randy sent, it was apparent that he was an optimist and a fighter.

Today his friends and family gathered to remember him.  There were many great stories shared and I’ve heard many personal stories myself.

Randy and his wife Evelyn were avid RV’ers and would invite LB and I to join them at cookouts and biking when they camped nearby and specifically to the Festival of Lights at the Stephen Foster State Park during the Christmas season each year.

Randy will be sorely missed.

His Lifelong Friends who met in his honor today agree.David, Bruce, Tim, Mickey, LB

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

 

In Loving Memory of

Randolph Scott Speakman

Date of Birth

December 9, 1948

Date of Death

May 10, 2018

Long Weekend Celebrations

This weekend was nothing remotely close to being long.  As a matter of fact, it seemed shorter than usual.

With clouds and rain as the weekend theme, I encountered only a few minutes of clear sky on Saturday to get outside.I needed to dispose of some weeds and put out four more bags of mulch.  Afterward a visit to the treadmill was in order (sorry no treadmill picture).

It was, for the most part, a stay at home weekend with the exception of an excursion to Downtown Jacksonville.  On the way there was an opportunity to appreciate some of the art that reflects the local culture.  This work of art should be titled “Multi-colored Beaked Mortals Mingling”.

The musical Chicago was playing Saturday night at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts.   LB and I met some friends there and enjoyed the show together.

 

Then all of a sudden…

It is Monday Again!

This month for Monday Link-ups, The Blended Blog is focusing on an Entertainment Theme.

Today the theme is

Long Weekend Celebrations

 

What do you do when you have a long weekend?  There are several ways I can think of to best use my upcoming long weekend.  Here are a few:

Tackle a Big Project

I have multiple scrapbooks to work on, closets to clean out, a back yard to landscape, and a kitchen to paint.  Where to begin?

Throw a Party

Because a long weekend is an ideal time to invite friends or family over to celebrate something.

Fast approaching is the Memorial Day weekend which is a great reason to have a party.  I took a poll from members of my family and have received only one positive response.  If a Memorial Day party is in my long weekend future, it looks to be a small party.

Also important to note: if the long weekend includes a Monday, this is in itself a reason to party.

 Catch Up on Sleep

My Fitbit tells me that I don’t get enough sleep… and I concur.  Most nights I sleep 6 hours.  I NEED 7 hours, and sometimes more.  A long weekend is a happy opportunity to turn the alarm clock OFF and sleep in for several lovely mornings.  This option brings me to the next which is

Do Nothing

My house is a great place for a staycation.  I have the pool to lay out by with the hot tub that’s not hot.  In the evenings there is the TV room to escape to for a good movie with surround sound or light the torches around the patio and listen to some Eighties music under the stars.

That said, the most important thing to do is make sure to take some time to

Relax GIF

 

 

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

LB’s Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

Also Kim’s Favorite Oatmeal Cookies!

Sometimes you have a craving for a small bite of sweetness.

Sometimes You

JUST NEED A COOKIE!

 

Or several.

And since you are always on a diet, there are no cookies in the house.

Desperate times call for desperate measures…

It is Time to Bake!

These Oatmeal Cookies are soft and chewy but also crispy on the outside.

They’re also very hard to resist!

To make these cookies you will need:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 2 cups flour, 2 cups oatmeal, 1/2 cup coconut, and 1/2 cup pecans (pronounced pee-CANs) which are optional.

This is what to do:

Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Brown sugar contains more moisture than white sugar. If you’re like me and you enjoy tweaking recipes, remember… it is important to include brown sugar as it lends itself to softer, chewier cookies.

Whisk all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Whisking will aerate the flour and thoroughly mix the salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.

Measure cookies using a tablespoon and roll into balls.

Then lightly press onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350°

for 8 minutes.

My recipe makes about 6 dozen.

Pictured is slightly less than 6 dozen because I’ve already enjoyed taste testing.

Here’s the Recipe:

 

LB's Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups flour

2 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Directions:

Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.

Roll into balls 1 Tbsp and lightly press onto  parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

prettyis.me

 

I’ll be referring to this recipe again.

 

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

Friday Favorites

Favorite # ONE

This morning as I sat in my car, waiting for the last possible minute to pass before I absolutely HAD to go into the office, I was flipping through my Facebook and saw

This Post by Vicki

 

‘Cause you know you’re still “a snack” made me LOL.

Pictured is Olive Hoover.

She is the main character in a film that I have chosen as

Favorite # TWO

Little Miss Sunshine

A 2006 comedy/drama which takes a family on a road trip like no other.  It is hilarious, disconcerting and strangely heartwarming.  Little Miss Sunshine features Abigail Breslin as Olive and also stars Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, and Alan Arkin.  Olive’s pursuit of a beauty pageant crown is the engine that drives the dysfunctional family on a road trip across the country.

(This is possibly a PG-13 Trailer)

If you haven’t already, you MUST see it.

Favorite # THREE

From Amazon my

New Mules

by Kenneth Cole (REACTION).

One of the things I “Primed” this week.

They go with everything and I love them!

 

 

Favorite # FOUR

Personalization Mall

I’ve made several purchases from Personalization Mall over the years.  Most recently was the gift that I dubbed the “Controversial Mema’s Blessing” plaque.

It is actually named “Our Grandchildren Personalized Long Canvas Print” and you can see the options online here.

I had one of these customized as a gift for my Mama on Mother’s Day and listed all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the order that they became part of the family (which is mostly birth order with the exception of the two that married into the family).

Apparently a UPS person thought it would be a good idea to lean it up against the garage door.  When LB left home that afternoon, he got into his car, opened the garage door, and it fell.  At that point, he promptly drove over it.  When I came home that afternoon I drove passed it as I pulled into the garage.

There it lay embossed with fresh Ford tire tracks.

I had already contacted the company about the “damage” prior to learning about all the mistakes I had made when I personalized the canvas print.  They agreed to refund the cost of the frame.

Personalization Mall is a great company.

I’ve ordered a replacement and this time it will be correct.

Favorite # FIVE

One of the newest members of the family on that list and her

 Sweet Little Smile

She is three months old and beautiful!

Rory

Glammy loves You!

 

 

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

 

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