It's June ALREADY!

I can't believe May has past...during which time my niece graduated from Medical School and we can legitamately call her Doctor Lacee...and my grandson, Logan, turned 7...amazing...still praying that hearts will be softened and we'll all get along again...the month also brought a little bit of a scare with a "shadow/spot" on my mammogram and subsequent biopsy...which "Praise the Lord" was benign...also played in a Scrambles Tournament that is put on every year for the Little League...since my Logan plays in the LL I always try to support...and since I love golf...it was easy and fun to help...played with my dear friend...her son...and a young man from the local high school team...we didn't win...or even come close...but we laughed a lot and had a great time...

Here is my little "golfer doll"...(I haven't named her yet)...her face is the 'skin' of a golf ball I found on the course...someone must have really hit that ball hard to peel off the covering...hahaha...hope they made an eagle! Her hair is...naturally...green...like the grass on the golf course...she is holding a golf ball in her left hand...and once I make one with the polyclay...she will be holding a golf club in her right...ready to play!
Lots going on this month...and can't believe it's already here! We've had a lot of rain...which was sorely needed...but it brings up some interesting 'characters' on the golf course...this gator was at least a 12 footer...don't worry...I zoomed...then cropped...so he looks closer than he really is...the video I took the other day...after all the rain there were several new "ponds"...and in this one there was one of our local Osprey having a grand time playing and bathing in the water...it was fun to watch...but I didn't want to get too close or I would scare him away...

Hooray for yard sales! I was driving home from the grocery store last week and there was a 'yard sale' in the parking lot of the laundrymat...I looked as I drove past...and saw just the very top of this chair...hmmmmmm...I wondered...is that a chair??? I thought about it til I was nearly home...then decided that I'd turn around and go back and look...what could it hurt...right??? Well...by golly it was a chair...and it was only $10...of course it has no cushions...so I'll have to get busy and make some...but there are no cracks or wobbliness...a very sturdy chair...so I'm happy I turned around! Yesterday I saw an end table out in front of an antique store that is made with the same type of curved bamboo...$155...OUCH...needless to say...it's still at the store!

A group of us went on a Kayak Tour last Thursday...(I think I mentioned it before)...we had a great time...saw manatee, bottlenose dolphin and all sorts of birds and fish...we stayed out on the water about 2 hours...and probably would have stayed longer but it started thundering and lightening...TIME TO GET OUT...I am pretty sure I'm going again...not sure when yet...but I really liked it...

Saturday evening was "Hot Night in the City"...which is a fundraiser that is put on each year for the Freedom 7 Sr. Community Center. This year there was something new to add...they sent out word to the community to find 8 folks over 80 years old to honor for the celebration of their life and their service to their communities. One of the 8 was my wonderful father...33 years of service in the school system as a principal...all in the same town...where we've lived since 1961...here is a picture of him receiving his award...

Beading...well...been busy with several things...going to do a Round Robin with some ladies...the theme is "Birthstone"...of which mine is a Ruby...so here is my little doll that will lilterally be sent around the world for other beaders to bead...when she returns home she will be completely beaded...

Also...a swap for "Independence Day"...made the first one and my husband really liked it...so I decided to make two...will swap one and keep one at home...standing on his head in his "Uncle Sam" style hat...he declares his independence...

My son in law just celebrated a birthday...my niece that lives here celebrates hers tomorrow...and my niece...the new doctor...will be getting married Saturday...and I'm sure we will have a wonderful time...who knows what's in store for the rest of the month of June...but whatever it is...I'm sure "It's all good"...

Have a blessed day!

Back To School!

Tomorrow is "Back to School" for my sister. No...she is not 40 years younger than me and in grade school...she is a teacher...high school mathematics...and an excellent one. Every time I go to the store and there are CBHS students standing out front wanting money for one sports group or another...I always ask..."Who's the best math teacher at the high school...they always say Mrs. Laufenberg...she's excellent.

She comes by it quite naturally...both my parents were educators...many of my aunts and uncles on both sides of the family were educators...and I have a slew of cousins that are teachers in some form...whether it's public education...church...or industry...they teach others. Even I was a teacher for about 16 years.

My father...who used to be principal of the elementary school here in Cocoa Beach for 35+ years...called me yesterday and asked me if we wanted to have a "Back to School" supper for my sister. "Why not", I said...so tonight everyone is going to come to my house for Chicken Alfredo on Linguine, fresh asparagus, some couscous my dad made and a new cake recipe I tried out...thanks to one of the women's magazines I got at the grocery store yesterday...more about that later...

The picture above...it's our centerpiece for the evening. The flowers I had on the table were dropping petals...so I knew I needed something. I was headed back to the store to get my sis the requested asparagus and stopped at the local Family Dollar and found this cute little coffee mug with apples on it (perfect for back to school)...I got her mechanical pencils...dry erase markers...and of course...what every teacher needs...4 RED pens. I found some green tissue paper and when I got home I put this little centerpiece together. (For those of you who like to throw little gifts and/or decorations together for little or no cost...the cup was $1...2 pkg of dry erase markers $4...Mechanical Pencils $1...Red Pens $2...tissue paper $1...Centerpiece/Gift for my sis...less than $10.) And if I do say so myself...downright cute in the middle of the dinner table!

Now for the dessert...it's from the magazine "All You"...August 1, 2008. It's on page 102. It's called...drum roll please...

"Banana-Coconut Upside-Down Cake"

Made similar to a pineapple upside-down cake only instead of pineapples with a cherry in the middle it's bananas cooked in butter and brown sugar with coconut...I didn't follow the recipe exactly...it has a recipe for the topping and for the cake...I just used a butter cake from Betty Crocker...but I can't wait to finish supper so I can have a piece...it looks really scrumptous...next time you are at the grocery store...see if you can find the magazine. I'm guessing it's going to be really great.

Time for company...the doorbell just rang!

Happy back to school for all teachers and students!

AFTER SUPPER: The cake was great!