Tomorrow is Friday and Tuesday is Monday

Life's been crazy round here. In other words "same ole same ole." I kinda like having a crazy life, beats the heck out of a dull one. Work was pretty slow today, Falcons game at one killed the brunch business but walked out with more money  than I walked in with and that's all that matters. Packed up a box of stuff for  Massey  to mail tomorrow and made another pot of the soup I made yesterday. I swear it's amazing, and SO easy.

Turnip Green Soup

1 large can of Margaret Holmes seasoned turnip greens
1 can chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can of black-eyed peas (drained) I used Black eyed peas with bacon and jalapenos
1 can of navy beans (drained)
1 can of kidney beans(drained)(or any beans of your choice)
1 lb. smoked sausage (I used Chorizo)
1 large onion



In a large pot add the first six ingredients, Then Sauté 1 lb smoked sausage chopped into bite size pieces and 1 large chopped onion until sausage is browned. Add sausage and onion to turnip green pot. Heat for 30 minutes or longer to let it cook and the flavors blend.

By far one of the best and easiest recipes I've ever found.

House work has fallen to the wayside with my work load. I keep  the laundry up with help from Zach and Tim and we all help do the dishes but mopping a floor has turned into a laughable offense. I prefer spraying Mr. Clean with Febreze on the floor and mopping up whatever needs to be cleaned with my foot on top of a beach towel. It's worked pretty good so far.

I got home from work today  around four and sat on the couch next  to Zach for a few minutes before he left for work. I could have just nodded off then but still had to go grocery shopping and wanted to fix another pot of soup.

When I got back, Zach was leaving for work . The old lap top Tim uses for  job searching was on the fritz and he had his buddy who is a computer whiz on the phone trying to fix it. Tim isn't very  computer savvy so I told him to let me talk to Rick. (our personal IT and Tim's best  friend) I got on the phone and told Rick that Tim had trouble trying to play PONG on the Atari. Tim let that one slide as he stood behind me while I downloaded the program for Rick to take over our lap top and fix the problem. Tim said from behind me "Ask Rick where he was twenty  three years ago today?" I just ignored Tim, thinking it was probably a concert they both went to. Ended up, Rick had to come over to our house to fix the problem and Tim asked Rick  the question again. I looked at  Tim like he was an idiot and almost said as much when he said "You were at our wedding, we've been married twenty  three years today."

Oops...who's the idiot now?

Poor Tim has put up with me and my big mouth for twenty five years, been married to me for twenty  three and lived to tell the story. We had  a great nineteen year run, then hit the skids but did it together and have remained  together. That's why they ask "For richer or poorer?" At least I was listening then!

I have finally realized that all  the sayings my parents taught me as a child are oh so true. Take the good with the bad. What goes around comes around. Remember the Golden Rule. Never prejudge. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Choose your battles wisely. And most of all...I love you and always will.

I was a really ugly kid, looked like Beaver Cleaver in drag, and what are those bangs doing?

I didn't improve much in five years but at least  had a pretty sister and an older brother to stand up for me.

I had the best childhood a kid could ever dream of. I had the best parents a kid could ever want.

I have the best  brother and sister.

My parents were just as in love the day my momma died as when they were when they married.

We all grew up together knowing nothing but happiness.

My Momma was a beauty inside and out, my Diddy  adored her and they had three lucky kids. I was fortunate enough to be one of them.

I had so much positivity around me as a kid that I'm still good now, thanks to my parents.

I've been with Tim over a quarter of a century. We've been through  all the vows.

Groom: I, Tim take thee Kelly to be my lawful wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.

Bride: I,Kelly take thee Tim to be my lawful wedded Husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to  cherish,  till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.

Well we've been "throthing" along for twenty three years now and there is certainly something to be said for that!

He loves me and I love him. We have three kids together and are all so different it makes a nice mix.

If we've made it this far, no telling how far we can go.

Guess I'll go let him out of our walk in closet where he is probably sitting in a fetal position banging his head against the wall screaming "Why me?"

Life's tough, nobody ever said it wouldn't be. You have to roll with the punches and come up swinging.

“It's not about what it is, it's about what it can become.” (Thank you Dr. Seuss)

Here's to twenty three more!

Til next  time...COTTON

I Want Winter AND Football GONE!

Massey took this picture of me when I got home from work one night and was blogging, still in my trench coat that comes down to my ankles, scarf  hat and gloves still on.

I'm not a fan of winter and not a fan of football play offs...it kills business at  the restaurant (unless you are a bartender) and I'm not interested in any of the teams involved.

Once again the tipping gods blessed me.  I waited on just four tables but walked out with over fifty bucks. I didn't get anything on my work shirt so I can wear it again tomorrow...Talk about a win!

Massey has joined the work force and opened an account at a local credit union. With her money and my excellent banking skills, the possibilities are endless!  I am totally kidding (kinda) but  very proud of her. She is sixteen. I started working when I was fourteen and have been working ever since. I can remember going to Greenbriar Mall after cashing my paycheck from the East Point Swimming Pool and buying clothes from Ups and Down...the coolest store in the mall and thinking I was an adult. Throw in my babysitting money and I was a "Teen with the Means."

On another note...I've started "Tough Love" with my husband. He works really hard but has two days off a week. I have NO days off a week. I finally just let the laundry pile up until he was forced to wash a load so he didn't have to go into work in pajamas. Once I got the ball rolling with my clever idea... he totally took over. Every laundry basket in the house is empty, all  clothes are clean, folded and put up.

So  what he's pissed at me? I've been ticked at him for three years! I love him to death...or maybe that was HIM  saying "You are killing me." Whatever!!

Twenty four years ago I met and fell in love with him and since we have raised three kids together. We had twenty one good years...the last three kinda sucked but looking back those are pretty good odds.

The thing with men is...you meet them , fall all in dreamy love and start taking over. "Oh,  baby I can do it don't worry, you just relax and watch  the ball game."
Ten years later it's  like "I thought you said YOU would do it?" Twenty years later it turns into  "Whatever...YOU try pushing a kid out of a hole the size of of a dime and THEN  we'll talk!

I am fifty one, almost fifty two. My Momma died when I was seventeen. She treated my Diddy like a king. He never did laundry but that was the seventies.

I am fifty one, almost fifty two. Times have changed.

I'll admit I am a hard case. I have a mouth as wide as the Mississippi  and it all comes out of a now wrinkled face with facial hair I never knew was possible. Don't even get me started on the hot flashes.

The good thing is  "I said I Do." For richer for poorer, in sickness and in health til death do us part.

If Tim can put up with me, he wins the prize. Unfortunately that prize is ME!

Heading to bed and doing it all again tomorrow.
Til next  time..COTTON

At Least He is Handsome and Hardworking...

I have been married to Tim for over twenty years. He is handsome and hard working but knows his weaknesses. "Fixing anything or even attempting to try."

Me...I'll attempt anything and usually get the job done with a minimal amount of duct tape. I have replaced the faucet and pipes in  the kitchen sink, fixed ole Johnny Boy on numerous occasions and fixed our dryer several times. My next door husband has taught me a lot and I learned a lot by trial and error. I have unstopped drains and replaced the innards of toilets. I have fixed ceiling fans and I have replaced many a vent hose. Lawn mowers seem to be my "Forte" I feel like I could build a John Deere from the ground up.

Our microwave quit turning about a year ago and was just aggravating. The food never heated all  the way through because the table didn't turn and  burned popcorn every  time for the same reason.

I work in a restaurant which means we are in our "Beach Season." We have from Thanksgiving to New Years to pack our nuts for the Winter. Massey was at work with me one day last week and as I counted my tips said "Let's go get a new microwave when I get off."
 A co worker said "Can you wait three days?" Of COURSE I can wait three days...I have been using a piece of crap microwave for over  a year. She owns a house in South Carolina she is trying to rent and had an extra microwave in it. She was driving up  to check on the house and said she would bring the spare one back for me.

Just like my email address says, we are "The Clampetts." She brought it to work with her a few days later and I stuck it in the trunk of my car when I left after a lunch shift to go pick Massey up from  the high school. When Massey  came out and popped the trunk to throw her book bag in she squealed "OOH a Microwave!"

We took it home and you would have thought I brought a new puppy to the house. Zach came into the kitchen and commented on how much bigger it was and toted the carcass of the old one out to the garage to die.  Massey immediately wanted to cook some Ramen noodles and I took a picture of her using the microwave for the first time and we sent the pic to my co worker on my phone.

Some people may think that is pitiful..we call it "Stinkin' Grateful!"

Massey and I went to the grocery store and while there picked up some microwave pop corn in  celebration. I asked Massey if we should get big bags or  mini bags? She voted for the mini bags so we chose them .

I got home from work the next night and Massey  told me when she asked Tim how he liked the new microwave he  said "Well the POP CORN button doesn't work, it burned the crap out of it."

I think microwaves are spooky too from the get go. They move molecules around and cook things. But they aren't smart enough to know if you put in a mini bag or regular size bag of pop corn!!  I guess Tim thought they did.

Yes, he is my "Homer Simpson."

But if he can put up with me I guess I can put up with him...

Til next time...Marge COTTON