Writer’s Workshop: Bad Burns

Let me take you back…

I was a senior in high school.
In Panamá the Ocean-To-Ocean Cayuco Race (used to be a Boy Scouts of America event) was/is a HUGE deal.  It’s what we Atlantic-siders lived for.  The chance to show up the big Pacific side with our natural athletic abilities,  meet cute boys people from other towns, a huge party at the end, what’s not to love? 
Let me explain.
A cayuco is a hollowed out log canoe.  Most of the ones that were used then (not sure about now) were handed down from many years before and changed and perfected each year.  They held several people (think it was 5 or 6) and you sat on your knees or little rods and had to paddle simultaneously or the boat would totally flip.  Much more sensitive than a canoe, not as fancy as a crew boat.

You practice forever, then race from one ocean, through the locks and lake to the other ocean.  A major deal.

I REALLY wanted to race.   

I was really athletic then.  I’d swim, play raquetball or tennis (badly,) body surf, lift weights, and run usually every day if I could.
My on-again/off-again boyfriend at the time had a crew and a boat, but they of course wanted an all-boys boat.  They asked me to be their queen and I said “yes.”  The queen brought snacks, looked cute, got sponsorships etc. for the team.  Boy, was I dumb.
(But hey, they all looked like Jacob from “Twilight” and I was 17, so cut me some slack.)
Then, another friend asked me to be on her all-girl crew.   I wanted to say “yes”but I’d already accepted the throne (ha) so I agreed to be an alternate.   I practiced with them and with another co-ed crew when they needed an alternate for practice.  I LOVED it.  Of course, as Irish as my skin is I burned even with Zinc Oxide smeared on me.  I didn’t care.  Mom covered me in vinegar to heal the sunburn.  I smelled like a red pickle but it was okay.
Then, my guy dumped me and picked another queen.
I was now officially just an alternate.

Much worse burn.

Hey, the practice was fun.  The party wasn’t, but that’s okay…
Lesson WAS Learned.

Thinking about going back to really race this time.  Think I could practice in the Arkansas River?  Anyone for a team?

Mama's Losin' It

Come join the fun!

This week’s assignments are:

1.) It was a bad burn. Tell about the worst sunburn you ever received. How did that happen!?!

2.) Write a poem for your furry friend.

3.) Describe a memorable camping trip.

4.) It happened on a motorcycle.

5.) Post a vlog that shows you playing with your kids.

Remember to link up  this Thursday, July 29th!!

Millions of Peaches (Peaches for me)

We have been enjoying summer’s bounty in the form of beautiful peaches from Clarksville.

We picked quite a bit week before last, then mom brought me some more this weekend.  YUM!
Nothing is better than fruit off the tree.  I still can’t eat bananas or peaches from the store.  Not the same!  I made my sweet mom-in-law’s peach pie recipe twice with them.  Once for us (sorry to say we ate it before I took a picture) and once for the awesome staff at school (still, no picture.)  It is a super easy pie and so tasty!  Normally I make jam, but since I still have some from 2 yrs ago that I probably should throw out I’m thinking “Hey, my family doesn’t really eat jam.”  Maybe I’ll can a jar or two.

Peach Custard Pie
2 cups of sliced or chopped peaches (peeled of course!)
1 cup sugar (I use raw sugar)
1 1/2 Tablespoons of flour
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons of butter
vanilla or almond extract (to your liking)

Fill an unbaked pie crust with peaches.  *I use the two cups, then add more to fill up the crust after the rest has been added. 
Mix sugar, flour, beaten eggs, melted butter and vanilla and mix ’til it looks nice and yellow.  I like to add a little cinnamon too.
Pour in crust over peaches and add more peaches if you want to!
Bake until done!

I made Peach Ice Cream last night and it is delicious.
I sort of made it up from about 3 recipes.  Think this is what I ended up with:

Peach Ice Cream
1 pt of cream
6 cups of milk
3 cups of sugar (I didn’t have 3 so it was like 2 1/2 of raw sugar)
vanilla
6 eggs
10 peaches

I put the peach slices I’d cut up earlier in the blender.  Think I had about 6 cups, maybe less.  Mix til smooth (less if you like chunky.)
Add eggs and sugar and blend
In large pan heat heat rest of ingredients over med. low heat until warm.
Add peach/egg mixture to this and mix.
Cook til fairly warm.
Put in ice cream maker and mix according to directions.  (Mine is small and didn’t make all this.  I need to make it MUCH smaller next time, but guess we will have some tonight too!)

Entering this in Alicia’s Tasty Tuesdays, per request!  Come join in the fun!

Gonna Strip!

Sew strips that is…
I found a new fabric store while the kids were at dance last week…
Probably not a good thing.
This store has ONLY beautiful, adorable, marvelous fabric.  They are tiny and know how to sew (unlike the chain stores I usually shop at.)  They smock and have the most adorable baby girl dresses you’ve ever seen.  Too bad my baby girl is a teenager!
I found it AFTER I’d made Jac’s nap-mat (which did end up very cute) but they had some even cooler material I could have used. (The one with the forest animals was too cute!)
This is what I ended up with:

Cool pattern by Fig Tree Threads!
1933 Vintage Material- Chloe’s Closet by Moda
The material will make 5 aprons, so I’ll have enough for gifts.  
I’m scared to start because I’ve never used a rotary cutter and was informed that 
I was living in the dark ages.  Wish me luck!

Dog Days of Summer

I thought I would be floundering a bit more this week since all my babies are in school.
No such luck.
We bought a fixer-upper to flip or rent and having crying fits so much fun cleaning, fixing, and dealing with contractor mistakes that I’m still sick about.   On top of that, fundraising joys for school.  I got six hours of volunteer time in already this week, probably more.

Yesterday, after feeling completely stressed out, I took Cole to the lake that is by the little house- the only redeeming quality I can find in it today.   The lake was beautiful but very dirty.  Kids hang out there and I found *whippits and other great things floating around.  I think I’ll have my scout troop do a clean up soon. 

Swans
Happy Dog (before his swim)

I have to keep telling myself all my stresses are self-inflicted and I have total control of that.  Next week will be better.  I say so.

*FYI- Whippits are where people suck the gas from the whipped cream cans to get high.  

Pardon the Dust…

I am having to redo my blog design for the moment due to a loss of the template I was using.
Hope to get it done this weekend, but with
kids
houses to clean
other houses to fix
I don’t promise anything!