Awesomeness Again!

Like most people these days, I have some friends I've made online. And I'm here to tell you, I have some super awesome ones! Look what I got today from another one:

That, if you can't tell, is a coaster. And it soooo fits me because if you are reading this, you probably know that I do a lot of online writing games. Interactive fiction, collaborative writing, Role Playing Games (only the kind you write, you don't need a console for), whatever you'd like to call them. That's where I meet most of my online friends, when they join one of my games.

Also a coaster is appropriate because of my Friday Night Happy Hours, ha ha!

So here's the other one, just because well, I am also an English teacher, ha ha! (Warning, a bit of foul language here, lol)

All I can say again is THANKS, and well, I have the greatest friends.

:)

Jammin'!

Heck yeah, that's just what it looks like - Blueberry Jam!

It seems I have jam fever. It really is so dang easy, when I found blueberries on sale for super cheap, bought up a bunch to try with blueberries. 

Here's another picture - doesn't it look good? And it is awesome. I followed almost the exact same process/recipe as I did with the mango jam. I added a little more sugar since all the blueberry jam recipes had a *lot* of sugar in them. 

So there was a bit more sugar than the proportions used in the mango jam, but otherwise, it's all the same. 

Yummy!

:)

Bakin' Biscuits

So called "7 Up Biscuits". Yum!

I like biscuits. They can be pretty tasty, and they can be super convenient when you get them out of the little tube thingy. Then you just have to put 'em on the baking sheet and in the oven. "Homemade" biscuits are pretty easy too, since the invention of Bisquick. If you can really call those "homemade". They sort of qualify in my opinion, lol. 

Anyway - when I saw a 4 ingredient recipe for biscuits that sounded good, I decided to try it. Today. This morning in fact. The recipe (and there are a gazillion versions of it out there) is something like "7 Up Biscuits". 

Here's the gist of the one I made:

4 Cups of Bisquick
1 Cup of sour cream
1 Cup of 7 Up
1/2 Cup of butter

Mix the first 3 together, pat out and cut out into circles. Melt the butter on the backing sheet, then put the biscuits on it. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes.

Well... let me tell you. What I figured out after looking up other recipes after this one had some... issues, was that this should first and foremost be a drop biscuit recipe, not a roll out and cut recipe. And this made a *ton* of biscuits. I adjusted, but that's why I ended up with so many, I think. But they seem like they'll freeze well.  :D

Most of the other recipes had smaller proportions of Bisquick, for one. There really isn't a lot of other variation, but I'll still look for another one when I make these again. Because I definitely will make them again!

The second batch. They got left in the oven
just a *little* too long, but still yummy!

The butter made them crunchy on the outside and they were really tender and not dry on the inside. Super good!

So there's my latest cooking adventure!

:)

Post Card Saturday!

So here we are again - Post Card Saturday! The best day of the week! Haha - maybe, guess it depends on your week and weekend, right?

But here is the next in the series.between May and Elizabeth. These actually go over the New Year, with some gaps in time, as well as May traveling some longer distances. None of these are from Connecticut, either. I have no idea who she was traveling with, but there is a mention of a "we" in the second card. Most of what she refers to, though, is all "I", and no one else. How would I even go about researching this, do you suppose? It would be so amazing to know more. Or at least I think so, lol.

Anyway - onward! here's the detail of what the card is:

The back...

And the message that says:

Wednesday, Sept. 12
This a a huge university -- they are piling in to Syracuse every day, registering, although classes do not start until the 24th.
Weather continues perfect.
May

Our next card was then sent from Washington, DC. That's probably a bit longer of a drive than those all over CT, lol.

Here's the close up of the name. Sorry the "D.C." is cut off. I couldn't get all the text *and* have it not be incredibly blurry.

The back

And the message  :)

Tuesday, Dec. 18th [Note: this is *4* months later!]
Her I am! Do not think we will come to Washington. This is the hotel where I am stopping.
May

And then hit "Read More" to, you know, read more, ha ha!

It's Taking Over!

Perhaps you recall several mentions of my watermelon plant not just coming back from almost-death, but taking over.. I'm here to tell you, or rather show you, that's no exaggeration!

Here is just a general view. It's not just over it's three tubs, but the sweet potatoes, too. And getting into a couple of tomato plants, and some basil...

Here's another of it in the garden. not much there not but watermelon vine, basil, and bee balm... Since it's not growing season here yet, I'm just letting them have their way since they are, you know... growing, lol

Here it is from the "back" of the garden, flowing down onto the ground and maybe trying to make an escape? Yikes! Should I be worried?




:)

Rainy Day and Trivia Night

It's been one of those days where if it's not raining (or at least sprinkling), then it looks like it's about to. (And here comes the thunder...) Super hard to fend of the urge to nap in that instance, don't you think? Haha! And other than the

watermelon taking over everything, and the bee balm, nothing much to report in the garden. Some pictures of that tomorrow, hopefully.

And with our Trivia team getting back in the groove again, even more reason to possibly, you know, indulge in a little bit of a nap. After all, I wouldn't want to hold the team back because I'm not sharp and on my game, right? Right?!

So not all that exciting today, but hey, it's something. Wish us luck tonight!

:)

More Bonus Post Cards!

Some truly awesome things come my way, they really, really do. Like funny stories from my sister (Go here to read it, lol), and The Best Mail Lady In The World!

Yep, she really is - would you look at that picture?

Those are postcards - again! She is so awesome! She sent me seven, yes *7* postcards while she was on vacation!

Here's another look at 'em.

They will get their own Post Card Saturday in the near future, but for now, just wanted to share the awesome.

Enjoy!

:)

Birthday Loot II

As promised, here's the rest of the awesome loot I got a week and a half ago. I'm telling you - I have the most awesome friends!

These are all from an online friend of mine who knows a lot of stuff I like, too, hehe. 

First off, it all came in these awesome boxes! Aren't these pretty? I love boxes. Something I get from my mother. I'll have to tell you about that sometime.

And inside one of them was - this!

Haha! It did have this note on it, lol.

And also - this! Because for someone who has Happy Hour every Friday, she couldn't believe I didn't have a flask, lol. Sorry the picture is so fuzzy.




Then last, but oh-so-definitely not least... TaDa!

Yes, that's exactly what it looks like - more awesome old postcards!!! I mean *old*. Some are from 1906! I'll feature one of those on Post Card Saturday once my current series is done  :D

So there it all is - told you I have awesome friends!

:)

Post Card Saturday! On Saturday!

How exciting! It's time once again for Post Card Saturday! And not just any postcard Saturday, but the next in our May / Elizabeth installment. Three postcards, all in the same month (June), all in the same year (1934), same state (Massachusetts), different cities. Still no closer to knowing the relationship between these two, or what May was doing tooling around all over. But it's fun to speculate, no?

So of course, the top one is the first card of the evening, from Northhampton, as this detail shows.

Here's the back. 

And the message (Bless May for having such good handwriting! Lol)
Saturday, June 9th
Isn't this beautiful? This place is full of spots of beauty -- sure am getting to know this section of New England!
May

This next one is dated 11 days later. Was May busy? The message itself is fairly short, so maybe so. Who knows, but here's the card.

The detail, from Holyoke this time.

The back.

And the Message:
Wednesday, June 20th
Isn't this lovely? When you drive in the residential district of Holyoke it is very beautiful.
Some magnificent estates.
May

And click Read More to see tonight's last...

Birthday Loot I

I realized today that I never did get all the awesome birthday loot up here! And as I was taking pictures and stuff, I realized - dang, I am one lucky person! I think there is just too much for one day. So I'm going to split it into two posts. Today, then tomorrow is Post Card Saturday. Then Sunday I'll show you the rest of the awesome, amazing stuff.

First up - Breakfast and a bag.

A friend of mine invited me for an awesome breakfast - arepas with various fillings, followed by quessillo (the Venezuelan version of flan - that's the picture at the top). It was yummy! 

And the gift (as if homemade breakfast wasn't enough!) - Venezuelan chocolate and this!

Haha - yep, it's an awesome bag of the flag of Venezuela. I've had so many students from Venezuela and learned so much about the country's culture, history, politics, they tell me I am an honorary Venezuelan. I've been carrying this bag, and it's the perfect size, good and sturdy, too. My friend's mother made it.

Have not used the cookie cutter yet, but soon!

And here we have more awesome stuff from one of my best friends of all time - Flamingos!

Headgear for Trivia night, don't you know!

Yep, way before I moved to South Florida, I collected flamingos. It's a not-so-long story I might relate sometime, ha ha! I have loads of 'em, and obviously still love and collect them. So she found these amazing flamingo things that I have been enjoying.

It's too pretty to put outside, though it might
make it under the covered patio area...

So there you have it - Round 1. What can I say - I love my friends because I have the best ones ever!

:)