Inspiration.

This is the first time in over two years that I have opened my blog. I’m amazed that I could even get this far after taking such a long break. We’ll see if I manage to actually remember how to publish a post. I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember and starting this blog in 2008 was a joy. So, at the request of my niece, here I am again. Does anyone even read blogposts any more? Best Niece assured me that she does. Bless her darling sweet heart, she asked me to begin again because she liked reading my posts. She’s not much for social media. That’s admirable in today’s world. Scary stuff out there. I’m glad my boys are adults and I don’t have to worry about that. One less worry in a world full of worry. I even self-titled myself a serial worrier once in a blogpost so I will leave it at that So, thank you for the inspiration, Best Niece. I promise to do my best. Or at least try!

A Book.

Finding Fraser by KC Dyer… I just read this one and when my niece and I were chatting a couple of days ago (while sitting on the sand at the “pond” pictured above where she and her husband will soon be living- well, not in the pond, but in the house on the hill above the pond which is really a lovely lake) she mentioned the Outlander series of books. Well, I didn’t know she is also a fan. Duh. We are related after all. I read the first book years ago and fell in love with Jamie. Who didn’t? So when Finding Fraser popped up on my Book Bub reading list, I couldn’t resist. Your copy should arrive today, Best Niece. Men in kilts. When I was in Paris in March with my group of ladies, the Scottish rugby team was in town for a match against the French. Sister Moo and I were treated to a view of several players while eating lunch near the Catacombs. Oui, they were wearing kilts. Enough said. Great fun read. Now I will probably binge on the Netflix series. Nope, I have not watched a single episode. And seven seasons already? Oh boy.

My new normal.

I retired. After 45 years of teaching middle school French, I taught my last class in May and took my last student trip to France in June. It is September now, although in my head, it is still July. This is the first time in 60 years that I did not start a new school year. Well, to be honest, in August 2008 I was on sabbatical living in France for the fall semester, so I can subtract one year. It hasn’t really hit me yet (although I am sitting comfortably on my sofa on a Monday morning, still in my pyjamas, writing this and drinking coffee). I am tutoring and plan to begin volunteering at Duke Hospital very soon. The Ex-Ex retired a year ago and has been faithfully volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House. He introduced me to the woman who is overseeing the Family Room at Duke and I will volunteer there as soon as it opens. Until then, I will help with the Comfort Cart– my dream has been to be the Snack Lady somewhere, so this is going to be my new MO.

A recipe for you.

So in the interest of keeping my promise to Best Niece and actually publishing this, I am going to keep up my tradition of leaving you with a recipe. Then I will go to Pilates class. Not a bad life, I must admit. I have been baking for the Ronald McDonald House here in Durham once in a while. It is fun to go over there loaded down with all of my ingredients and pans and make the house smell like my version of heaven. Vanilla. I will be there tomorrow making a mess and firing up three of the four ovens and filling them with pound cakes. The last time I was there, a young woman was helping make lunch at the same time. She started sneezing like crazy and, come to find out, she has a wheat allergy and I had covered the kitchen with a huge cloud of flour dust… I hope to avoid that tomorrow.

Classic Pound Cake from Even More Special (Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties)

16 servings

2 cups butter, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, at room temperature

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 8-ounce carton sour cream, at room temperature

1. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar well. Add 2 eggs, beating well.
3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter alternately with the 4 eggs until all is added.
5. Stir in vanilla extract and sour cream. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
6. Place pan in the middle of a cold oven. Set temperature for 325˚F and bake for 1-1/2 hours. Do not open the oven door for the first hour of cooking time.
7. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan.

Bon appétit!

**Edited to include that my pool partner (Best Niece’s Handsome Husband) and I won at least 15 games (the number keeps growing) and I made at least 4 shots!! They have a pool table in the their new house– it looks out over the natural area yard (many trees fell during Helene last September). And we watched a baby Bambi eat corn. A fun evening with family in Spruce Pine.