"People can have the Model T in any colour--so long as it's black."
Henry Ford

Wow - My whole family has been passing around a bug and I was running back and forth between my home and my grand kids. I finally caught it so I haven't posted for a long time. I hope it is over for all of us. I haven't done a thing to my house, but have read a fun book. Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy. I looked at her web page and found a link to her daughter's blog. Both Mother and Daughter have blogs and Robyn Hyzy does wonderful illustrations. I was just blown away. I need to find out what it will cost to have her do a water color of my grand babies. The book is the second in a White House Chef series and I just loved it. I think the first book is called State Of The Onion. A murder mystery in the White House with a lot of fun characters. Easy read and very entertaining. A great read before bed at night. She even gives recipes that look easy and delicious at the end. Julie Hyzy has written a couple of non White House books so now I have to read them as well.
My hubby has been home from DC this week so we have been looking at beach houses. I have always wanted to live at the beach and we found a couple we liked. One because it is in such good condition and we wouldn't have to do a darn thing but move in, decorate it and enjoy. Walking or biking distance to the ocean or the river. Back yard is all pool and pool deck so no work back there and the front lawn is perfect if I could just keep it that way. The other house was more our style but has been badly neglected and would be a money pit. I love the style and floor plan, but I don't think I am up to all the major repairs and neither is my pocket book. Decisions, decisions, decisions. The house that is in good shape is a little tract house and they all look pretty much alike so it is nothing special but has potential and has a great Florida Room. Maybe it will work out one of these days. Being able to ride my bike to the beach would be a dream come true and I think a modest home would be a price I might be willing to pay. Agathamae

This story was sent to me by a dear friend and relative. She is the same age my parents would be and it is worth sharing.

"Great reminders of that era. I was living with the Snyder's, teaching at the little school about a mile from their farm. Gene had enlisted in the Navy after trying college and finding that his favorite subject was football. His boot camp was completed at San Diego and he was assigned to the Saratoga aircraft carrier out of Pearl Harbor. Lucky for him and the crew, they were assigned to take some Marines to Guadalcanal just days before the attack at Pearl Harbor. Paul was secretary of the rural school board where I had applied to teach. I was 19 and couldn't afford to continue college so went out on a two year temp. certificate...$75.00 a month for nine months. Paid Helen $35. of that for room and board each month. She rented Gene's room to me. When Gene had his first leave he was not exactly thrilled that I had taken up residence in his room because he had sleep in the a spare room, not as comfortable. There were many community events put together to support the war effort and they usually happened at the school where I taught. Feelings were indeed high in support of the war and especially the local boys who were off fighting for us. Yes, the posters were very popular and effective. Don't think people today would stand for that kind of visuals, but we were in a different culture, lifestyle and had limited communication.Anyway, thanks for your reminder."

I received an e-mail showing some war posters from the WWII era. I am a post war baby (1947)so I remember hearing about victory gardens, ration stamps, blackout curtains, military mail being censored. My mother worked in a defense factory and every relative who could not go to war because of health, age or gender did something to help the war effort. I forwarded the e-mail and I received a number of stories back from friends who had remembrances from that time and started to think about how today's children won't ever know about the personal stories of the people at that time. I am so grateful that I am old enough to have that perspective and have decided to save these stories for my grandchildren. I realize we live in a different culture now and our enemies are from a different culture. I also realize that war is very different now, but everyone can learn something from the people who stood strong and I am trying to collect as many personal, brief stories as I can get. The Greatest Generation was a tremendous book, but it told stories of people who are known or who have had some notoriety ie: congressional medal of honour winners. I am looking for personal recollections from average people holding together during a difficult and challenging time. Something more personal than the history books tell. I am going to post some of the stories I have received and hope some of you will share yours. Most gratefully, Agathamae

Here is a great recipe for a dish my aunt made for us as we were growing up. It is easy and low carb.

SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS

Quality olive oil to cook sausage in
6 (4 oz links) sweet Italian sausage
2 T butter
1 sweet onion - I prefer vidallia, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1/4 C white dry wine

Cut the sausage into bite sized pieces and place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat and brown on all sides in olive oil. Remove from skillet.
Melt butter in the skillet and stir in the onion and garlic - cook two or three min.
Add bell peppers herbs and wine. Cook until peppers are tender.
Add sliced sausage pieces and cover. Cook until sausage is hot. Add a little more wine while simmering if liquid is needed.


"I was always taught to respect my elders and I've now reached the age when I don't have anybody to respect." George Burns (1896 - 1996)