Awww.....

Dick met me for lunch Friday afternoon and handed me this card....I went to mush.

My 40th high school reunion was later that night..

No matter what happened that night....

I knew there was a guy that loved me,
a guy that even though I never made Prom Queen,

( Dick has always hated I didn't get to go to my prom,

back then preacher's daughters didn't do the prom thing...

no dancing allowed)....

thought I was his queen.

I survived my 40th High School Reunion....

Thanks to this movie and going to Dick's 40th HS reunion several years ago, I had high hopes for my 40th HS reunion. We had a wonderful time when Dick's class got together, wonderful venue and band, great food fun and laughter...can't wait for the fiftieth. Romy and Michele's ended up turning out great and at least had some excitement to it.
 Decided on wearing some bling, after all....I survived 40 years after high school 40years...that should be something to celebrate.

Hindsight, maybe I should have given that some more thought.

I used to look like this....era 1970...it was a bad hair day

It was a bit scary walking into the Captains Quarters restaurant .....

 Buck up!

Oh no!

I was WAY overdressed...couldn't hide, already spotted

had to go in...besides Dick pushed me

It was crowded and hot

I'd teased Dick on the way there that someone would know him
 within 15 minutes even though
he graduated from another school in 1966.

Sure enough...Steve N. from my class was thrilled to see Dick

knew him from a golf club their parents belonged to years ago,

Steve said he didn't remember me....sigh

Truthfully, in no time I found some old friends to catch up with.

Then something caught my eye....

a poster...
I grabbed Vivians hand and we walked over to look at

pictures of 30 or so classmates
that passed away much too soon....
oh dear

James, Brenda, Cathy..oh no! I'd loved them!

sad

Going in I knew one of my best friends in HS,

Peggy, had tragically passed away in 1997

I always thought I'd see her again...(she had moved to Florida)...never did.

Her picture was there...how could it be?

So pretty and alive

forever young ....

 a reminder

Live life everyday to the fullest...

love your friends, cherish them....stay in touch...life is so short.

I had loved school....loved choir and drama, loved my friends

Glad I went.

Real Simple Hangers....

Bed Bath and Beyond has an exclusive on these awesome hangers....

It's 29.99 for a box of 50 Real Simple hangers ....

with the 20% off coupon that saves $6.00

I got introduced to these type hangers through HSN...

It was the daily special,

(no shipping and on sale)

I bought 60 hangers that came with an organizer and hooks and clips for $42

They are much more than that now plus shipping

I LOVED them, since they are flocked, and take up 1/2 the space in my closet

but thought them so expensive

Sooo I was waiting for the HSN hangers to go on sale again when I came across these.

Real Simple hangers from Bed Bath and Beyond are actually better,

because they have a hook included and a place to put your jewelry or belt.

( Note: I saw a different brand at Cosco today 50 for 19.99)

We have an older house and lack of closet space that goes with them

Now I have room for all my clothes since these hangers take up less space and double up.

 A whole lot less than closet organizers....

Happiness!

Gratin Potatoes

I make this gratin from time to time.... the recipe is in my head.
I was able to find it printed here at recipe zaar

It's from Rosie Daley's cook book.

For a time she was Oprah's chef.

It's delicious and low fat.

Ingredients:
cooking spray


3 medium baking potatoes, thinly sliced


2 tablespoons flour


1 medium onion, thinly sliced


1/8 teaspoon cayenne


1 teaspoon paprika


1/2 teaspoon black pepper


2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated


1 small zucchini, thinly sliced


1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


1/2 teaspoon spike seasoning


12 ounces evaporated milk ( I believe the original had fat free evaporated milk)


2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped


Directions


1 Preheat oven to 400ºF.


2 Coat a 10-inch gratin dish or glass pie plate with 3 sprays of the vegetable oil.


3 Layer 1/3 of the potatoes over the bottom of the prepared gratin dish, overlapping the slices in a spiral  pattern.


4 Over the potatoes, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the flour and arrange the onion rings.


5 Dust with the cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika.


6 Layer another third of the potatoes, adding the remaining tablespoon of flour, the black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the parmesan.


7 Scatter the zucchini, dusting with the nutmeg and Spike seasoning.


8 Top with a spiral layer of the remaining potatoes.


9 Pour the evaporated milk over the gratin and add the remaining paprika and parmesan.


10 Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.


11 Remove the foil, lower to 350ºF, and bake for about 15 minutes more, until the top is golden brown.


12 Remove the gratin from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.


13 Garnish with the chopped parsley.

At summers end we'll be at Lands End...

It all started with a phone call a month or so ago from my friend Nicki......

"Would you like to go to England with us?" she said

"Well yes, yes we would!" I heard myself saying....

knowing that Nicki and her husband Rick who are British, had been to England

many, many times....what an awesome opportunity I thought.

Nicki went on to say they wanted to go to Cornwall and stay

 in a cottage on the ocean.

Sigh....a cottage on the ocean...in England.

Visit St Ives

maybe meet the guy with seven wives....

As I was going to St Ives

I met a man with seven wives

Each wife had seven sacks

Each sack had seven cats

Each cat had seven kits

Kits, cats, sacks, wives  How many were going to St Ives?

 see St Michael's Mount...

travel back in time...

Learn to drive on the wrong side of the road....  

"Think left! think left!"

 Finally ending up in in London

Big Ben

Buckingham Palace

Westminster Abbey

Trafalgar Square

Tower of London

Fish N' Chips......here we come!!

There she stands

II Chronicles 7:14

"If My people who are called by My name

will humble themselves,

and pray and seek My face,

and turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin and heal their land."