AND THE WINNER IS...

MAMA (AKA: Mama Kate)!!!! This is unbelievable because she is legally blind.

My niece had a baby shower and one of the games was to estimate how big around she is at almost nine months pregnant.

Before the party began one of the ladies took a yellow roll of tape (without inches) and measured her. So, the tape was passed around and everyone measured off the distance they thought it was around Liz's belly. When it got my Mom I asked her how much tape she wanted measured off. She said, "give me the tape." She took the tape and measured a length from the tip of her nose to the end of her out-stretched arm and told me to add eight inches.

If you extend your arm out full-length it is approximately 36 inches from the tip of your nose to the end of your finger. My grandmother always measured fabric and string this way because she didn't have a yard stick.

Back to my point. So the lady started comparing every one's tape to the tape measured around Liz. Most people had over estimated the measurement by as much as a foot. When they got to my Mom, who is the great-grandmother, her tape was only 1/4 of an inch short of the actual measurement of my niece. She won the prize!

I DID NOT VOLUNTEER FOR THIS

We love 18th century American history. This is the century in which our nation fought and won their independence from England. Since the early 1970s we have participated in Revolutionary War (Rev War) living history. We have managed to acquire (make) more than just a few pieces of period clothing to facilitate this unusual hobby. In the past we have participated in reenactments in some of the original colonies, to include the surrender at Yorktown, VA in 1982 which was the granddaddy of all reenactments. There were over 4,000 participants and was a really big deal. In addition, we have had the privilege of speaking to school groups, church groups, scouts and senior citizens about the role of the American soldier (and his wife) during the American Revolution. Along the way we have learned a great deal about our country's early history and the unbelievable odds and hardships that faced the men, and in some cases women, fighting for America's independence.

So. Hubby decided he wanted an all black hat. He has two hats trimmed in white, but decided he wanted the all black. I don't have a clue what uniform requires an all black hat. Anyway, these hat blanks are expensive and we are known for being frugal, so he had been shopping for a hat blank. We were in Target, of all places, and he found a black wool felt hat for under $20, so he bought it. It is a woman's hat, but it met all the requirements to be made into an 18th century military hat.

He had all these grand plans to turn that hat blank into a military style hat. Some how I managed to get involved in yet another one of his projects.

The first step he needed help with was putting wire around the edge of the hat so when it was cocked it would keep the desired shape. Then ribbon had to be hand sewn around the edge of the hat, a band placed inside to allow a perfect fit to his head and then a cockade made. All of this had to be done by hand, because using a modern sewing machine was just not appropriate for this particular project.

As I finished each phase of this hat project, I kept thinking he would complete the next step, but that didn't happen. I finally finished all the required hand work and he was ready to cock the hat, which I refused to do, because I didn't want to mess up the hat if I punched a hole in the wrong place, so I deferred that task to sweet Hubby. So he ties the hat in place and I thought the project was finished.

Oh no, now he wants a cockade to place under the cording on the hat. I didn't have a clue how to make a cockade, so Hubby Googles that subject and found instructions on the internet. He produces four pages of instructions consisting of mice type print with a few photos and expects me to follow the steps necessary to produce a cockade. It took me a couple of tries, but I did manage to made the cockade. It wasn't easy, but I did conquer that spool of black ribbon.

He now wants me to put one of my sewing tags in the hat, THEN the hat will be complete.

SUNSHINE

Guess what I got to do Christmas Day? Love on this beautiful boy. His English name is Sunshine, but his staff (dogs have owners, cats have staffs) call him Sunshine, but in French. Don't ask me, I don't recall. If you speak French, then you know his name. He's only eight months old and is huge.

THINGS IN THE ATTIC

Are there areas of your house that are driving you absolutely crazy even though you can't see it?

Well, that was the case with our attic. I knew this mess was up there. I could almost hear it! What is all that stuff, anyway? What a mess!

Our attic has been needing attention for a long time, but summer is just not the time to deal with what looms in the attic. Just look at all that stuff, I couldn't even get in the door! I knew I couldn't ignore it much longer, because we are going to put away our Christmas decorations soon, hopefully today.

The hard part was pulling all that stuff out so it could be sorted and put back in some kind of order. It took a while to get it all out so I could decide what would stay and what would go and then start putting it back. How many cookie tins do you need? And I still didn't find my glass nativity set, even though every box and tin was opened to check the contents. I don't know what happened to it!















I did purchase a metal shelf, which Hubby assembled for me. Thank you Sweetie. It took a while for him to get that cheap shelf together. I also purchased some of those semi see-through drawers.

How was it possible to have all that stuff out in that small area of the attic?

Once I had all the stuff removed I discovered I needed more of those plastic storage drawers, so off to Wal-Mart I went. I hate that place.

Then all the sorting and rearranging began. The hardest thing I did was taking my cat carriers apart. I refuse to part with them, because I know one day I will have another cat, or two or three. I also refuse to part with the glass food dishes and basket and pillow and litter box. I just can't part with those items. I digress. Let's move on. I also deflated that exercise ball. I suppose I should part with that thing. The last time I attempted to use that thing I just about killed myself. I probably need to start using those hand weights I keep moving around in the house.

After the project was finished I had four of those very large plastic bin empty and two of the smaller bins. Now we can actually get to everything stored in the attic. I think I hear noise in the basement. Oh. my. goodness! That will be a major project which will involve building shelves requiring power tools. I can operate the tools, but I want Hubby involved in that project. That might be like moving Stone Mountain.

CROCK-POT CHOCOLATE CANDY UPDATE

I've had several people ask about the almond bark in the recipe below. I wasn't able to find it so I substituted the vanilla candy coating. The candy is still delicious. I've included a photo of all the ingredients used. One reader's crock pot was too hot, even on low, so the second batch she only cooked it an hour and one-half and it worked well. Enjoy

Seven Days and Counting

It's only seven days until Christmas. There are still many things that need to be done, but we have managed to put up a Christmas tree. This year we are reverting back to our childhood and have only bubble light on the tree. Did you ever have those? Hubby and I both loved them as children. So our tree looks like the 1950s. We love it.

We have a couple of special gifts for special people in our lives. Hubby has been busy in his workshop making some tin pieces. The large sconce was a gift for someone at the Docent's party at Stately Oaks, where he volunteers.

The smaller one is for a classy lady that we have known for many years, but moved to Florida. She has a beautiful home that the exterior is a typical Florida-looking house, but once you step inside you are surrounded by beautiful antiques. It's amazing that someone would depart from the beach-type decor in exchange for the wonderful traditional antiques. She is getting a hand-made tin sconce.

Then there is a special concert in some one's future. They are going to love it. So are we, because we are going as well. We have been to one of these concerts at Spivey Hall. Sprivey Hall is a music/concert hall built by Dr. and Mrs. Walter (Emily) Spivey. They left the money, but they both died before the construction of the hall was completed. Mrs. Spivey, who was an organist, designed the hall. It was sad, because they both had lung cancer from the asbestos in their home.

Mrs. Spivey was a very classy lady and quite wealthy. They owned Lake Spivey that used to be an amusement park of sorts. They had a man-made beach around the lake and a train ride through the woods surrounding the lake, a pavilion where you could dance and a concession stand. They eventually closed the park and turned the area into a gold mine by selling lots, expensive lots, very expensive lots and now there are million dollar home surrounding Lake Spivey.

We met Mrs. Spivey through Homer, our builder. He wanted her to see our house because he wanted to build one similar on one of her very expensive lots as a "spec" house. She was a very gracious lady and agreed to partner with Homer and build the house. The fun part, we were allowed to help with the selection of every thing in the house. It was so much fun, because we didn't have to worry about the cost. After we met Mrs. Spivey, we saw her in town one day stopped at a traffic light. It was in the mid 90s that day and she had all the windows down in her Lincoln Town Car. We shouted to her, "HEY, MISS SPIVEY HOW ARE YA?" She replied, "I'M FINE, DARLIN." Then we asked, "MISS SPIVEY, WHY ARE YOUR WINDOWS DOWN?" She laughed, "DARLIN, I JUST LOVE FEELING THE WIND THROUGH MY HAIR." The light changed and we both drove off. How did I get off on this tangent about Mrs. Spivey? Oh yes, Spivey Hall.

Tomorrow my family will be gathering at our house for our annual party. Hubby will be cooking a ham on the Big Green Egg, which is wonderful. We will enjoy some of the green beans out of our garden, which I canned this summer. Because of the picky eaters in this group we will have regular green beans and then pickled green beans. Pickled beans are, well, pickled with salt and vinegar. They are so yummy. Hubby requested glazed carrots. Why I don't know, but they are so simple to prepare. Steam the carrots, then put some butter and brown sugar in a skillet until the sugar has turned kinda syrupy and coat the carrots. Your finished. I'm making some lemon bars and some chocolate chip brownies. There are other dishes being brought as well. I've asked my niece to bring her mac and cheese, which is wonderful and my sister-in-law to bring her sweet potato souffle. Maybe we will have a pie or two as well.

I better get going or the above menu will not be prepared or the house cleaned for our party tomorrow. Merry Christmas to you all.

CROCK-POT CHOCOLATE CANDY

This is not my recipe. I found it over at Southern Hospitality who found it in Patricia Yearwood's Cook Book.

CROCK-POT CHOCOLATE CANDY

Layer the ingredients in the order listed.

2 lbs. (36 oz.) salted dry-roasted peanuts
4 oz. (4 squares) German's sweet chocolate
1-12 oz. package semi sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 lbs. white almond bark

1. Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the chocolate chips, and then the almond bark. Set the temperature on LOW and cook for 3 hours. DO NOT stir the mixture.

2. After 3 hours, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into mini cupcake liners, using just enough mixture to fill the mini cups liners. (The recipe called for regular cup cake liners and 2 tablespoons mixture, that is a big piece of this candy.) Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners. I was able to get 92 pieces of candy out of the mini cupcakes liners and I left the liners on the candy they are easier to store. The method using 2 tablespoons of mixture makes 30 to 40 pieces.

This does require a 4-quart slow cooker and it will be almost over flowing by the time you place all the ingredients in it.

Enjoy.