Last posting until Monday...

I'll be in FL for a couple days and probably won't have time to log in for an update but rest assured I'll fill you in on everything upon my return. I won't have much time for socializing since the visit is for another doctor's appointment but I'll try to see as many of you as I can.

Mom had her knee surgery on Monday and she's coming along as well as can be expected. Naturally there is some pain and then there's the delectable hospital food that she gets to enjoy daily. I'll be stopping in for a visit to her as soon as I get in town.

After that, my schedule is somewhat open until my Friday doctor's appointment. Then Friday evening I'll be visiting with the kids and Aunt Karen and Uncle Dee. Saturday I fly back to Tennessee where the temperature is expected to reach only 84 degrees. That will be pretty darn nice if you ask me.

So I was reading Connie's mom's cookbook and came upon this section which describes a sandwich loaf which is something the homemaker would serve at lunchtime or provide in a lunchbox meal. I never heard of this before and I don't know whether or not you have but I thought it was kind of appealing just because it's something no longer made. I should say, no longer made that I'm aware of. I posted a picture and you can actually see the colored flowers of cream cheese. Here goes:

"Sandwich Loaf: Slice an uncut loaf of day old white bread (I have heard of that but you rarely see it anymore) horizontally, making 3 or 4 long slices 3/4 of an inch thick. Remove crusts. Spread each slice with creamed butter (not sure how that's different from regular butter?) and stiff mayonnaise (I have no idea what stiff mayo is?), then each with a different chopped salad or sandwich mixture. Chicken, shrimp, salmon, or tongue (yep - that's what it says!) salad. Stack and cover the top and sides with soft cream cheese,garnish with flowers of colored cream cheese, paprika or chopped parsley. Chill."

Truthfully, how many of you have ever had "tongue salad?" I'm on a mission. I've cooked beef tongue which several of you tried and actually enjoyed much to your own surprise and delight but I've never heard of making a tongue salad. Wouldn't Wally be surprised to hear me say, honey - lunch is ready - we're having a tongue salad." ha ha ha ha ha oh I crack myself up sometimes. :) I'll keep you posted on my research. I knew this book was going to provide me with some interesting things to look into!

I have to tell all of you what a wonderful customer service experience I had last night while picking up a few things at Publix. Every single associate was polite, professional, smiling, helpful and knowledgeable. I was so impressed that I wrote a long letter to the corporate offices letting them know about it. I know Publix is sometimes (not always) more expensive but I'll tell you what, it was worth it to be treated so decently. Keep service in mind when you're shopping and by all means, let someone know when things go wrong and also when they go right. The management people love to hear from their customers.

Tonight I'll be packing what little I'll need for my trip and I'll also be putting up some food for Wally to eat while I'm gone. Top on the list is "Lizard's Amazing Meatloaf." I know I mentioned this before and it's always such a big hit. I figured it would last Wally a couple days be he says he likes it so much, it might not make it through one day let alone two. That's a pretty high compliment :)

I'm also leaving him with Garlic and Herb (Lipton seasoning packet) chicken breasts (thanks to Jessica for leading me to it), green beans cooked with chopped onions, a cantaloupe that I cut up last night, sugar-free chocolate pudding and the recent favorite, soft serve banana ice cream. He should be okay until I return.

He told me about a festival that is being held this weekend in Columbia (where we went for the Mule Pull). This is one celebrating all foods fried. Doesn't sound very healthy but it sure does sound good. I'm thinking we might just have to make the trip for this one - lol - maybe I'll try the fried "Little Debbie" in honor of me Diz :)  ha ha ha In reality, my stomach probably can't handle one single thing on the menu but I'd still like to see what it's all about.

I'd like to fit in a horseback ride upon my return but we'll have to see how the days go by. I'm not sore anymore from the ride we took this weekend but I do still have some lingering stings that itch like crazy. I think I might even have a stinger or two that the little bees left behind. Remember when I thought chiggers were bad? LOL  not anymore :)

I never made the shopping trip with the girls. Claudia had her grandson over and I was sore from riding all day so we cancelled. You can imagine my disappointment - he he he We said we would do it another time but I think I'll just go by myself over to the Goodwill store in Dickson. It's kind of close to the Walmart which doesn't really tell you anything unless you've been here but Walmart is about 20-30 minutes away from the cabin. I hear they have their winter inventory out already so maybe I'll find just what I'm looking for - whatever that might be. Jeez where's Neccy when I need her? She did all my clothes shopping for me when I was in FL. That was so nice.

Fortunately for me, my new edition of Southern Living magazine came in the mail yesterday. Now I have something to read on the airplane! woo hoo!! I simply can not fly without reading material any more than some of you can go to the bathroom without it. Reading makes the time go by and since this issue has all the fall decorating ideas, I'll just be in hog heaven looking through it the whole way there. I intentionally left it in my car so I wouldn't be tempted to get started on it before my trip. That magazine actually makes a two hour flight sound appealing.

I remember a funny story Dizzy Debbie told me about her flight to Orlando. She was all hyped up (as usual) and when she got to her seat on the plane, the lady next to her was reading a book. Everyone knows that's like a universal sign telling you that the person isn't interested in conversation with you or anyone else. Do you think that stopped Debbie from talking to her? Nope, not a bit. She talked and talked and talked the whole flight and likely drove that lady up the walls. LOL I'm sure it was funny and I would have loved to have seen the lady's face. Better yet, to hear her conversation with whoever picked her up from the airport... ha ha ha!! Just thinking about it makes me laugh to this day. Aren't you smiling just picturing it in your mind?

Darryl brought me a big old mess of turnip greens yesterday. When I got home they were soaking in water in both sides of the sink. Lots of greens I tell ya! I rinsed them a couple times and then we put them into the biggest pot we could find. We added some ham bouillon, some black pepper and water to cover. Once they came to a boil it didn't take them long to cook down to a little tiny mess of turnip greens lol We did have enough put back to go in a freezer back for another day but we're eating the other ones for dinner tonight.

We'll have white beans with that creamy white gravy that comes naturally from them, ham steaks that the pretty piggy gave up and those tender, salty turnip greens. I'm making some cornbread and fresh brewed tea and to top of the greens, some homemade pepper vinegar that Sherry's dad gave me years ago. Sounds like an episode of Hee Haw when everyone hollers out "Hey Grandpa, What's for Supper?"  LOL

The time has come for me to depart for the day. Sorry for the shortness of the posting but you can bet I'll have lots to write about upon my return. Until then, enjoy your time away from this part of the internet :) and maybe I'll see you in the next couple days. 

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow." ~Lin Yutang