Only in the South

I have to make salad for 15 people to serve at a church luncheon tomorrow. Never having made salad for 15, I called my mother for her advice. Now let me stop here and ask you to picture--visualize--a salad. Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, maybe cucumber and croutons, right? Yeah, me too. My mom--and I love her for it--suggested I make a "congealed fruit salad." Yep--Jello with fruit! Only in the South would anyone call that delicious, sweet treat a salad. It's not just my mom--I think it's all Southern moms--in their minds, anything made with Jello is a salad. You gotta love it! : )

Choco-nutty

As some of you readers may know, I am diabetic. Not that I am always that good about following the diabetic diet, but lately I've been trying. Primarily because my doctor fussed at me, but that's another story. So, as you know, sweets aren't really allowed. Which puts a huge crimp in my major need for the vitally important chocolate food group. I'd been craving chocolate--and sweets--something fierce the last few weeks, but I've been good and haven't had any. I still haven't, but my choco-nutty needs have been satisfied!! I have found a great new snack that I just had to share with my faithful readers--you know, in case you want some--'cause I'm not sharing my stash! It's this new flavor by Emerald Nuts (http://www.emeraldnuts.com/) called Cocoa Roast Almonds. Let me just tell ya--these are AWESOME. It's almonds--which are healthy (they lower cholesterol) and delicious--that are roasted in dark chocolate. It's not a sticky candy coating, either. It's like a cocoa powder kind of thing. They are so good--try them. There's no sugar and they're good for you AND they're chocolatey!! I'm choco-nutty in love!

The Trash Fairies

For five wonderful years we had trash fairies. I'm not kidding. Every week, we'd put out our trash, and every week it would disappear in the night. At first Jer and I thought the other one of us was paying someone to remove our trash. But we soon realized that neither of us were paying for nocturnal trash removal and neither of us ever saw our trash fairies.

The trash fairies came at a time when we most needed them. In the beginning, Jer was in school full time and I was making my piddly government wage to support us both. Then Jer was working in a piddly job of his own while I stayed home with Lydia. The trash fairies were wonderful. They never made a peep. They just efficiently removed our trash each week. We were blessed.

After Evelyn came along, Jer was finished his graduate degree and moved into better paying positions. I guess the trash fairies knew and moved along--hopefully to someone else in need of a trash fairy. I miss my trash fairies--I like my new paid trash men well enough--but the trash fairies were a wonderful mystique that I enjoyed for so long. Wherever you are trash fairies--thanks--and we miss you!