Friday, January 23, 2009

An interview

I think I am like many of you and enjoy the revival of black and white photos and sketches.......just a nice change of pace once in awhile.

Dawnie at http://dawnieslifeifbythesea.blogspot.com/ had an interesting post the other day....she was interviewed and then offered to do the same to others..........I of course waved my arm like some dis-jointed robot on it's last burst of batteries..........not a pretty sight, huh? So here are her 5 questions in the interview and my answers.........


1. How is your family feeling affects of our economy or if not--why would you say its not?
At the present time I don't think we are really being affected in a true sense. No job loss (daughter is an officer in the military and my sil has the type of job that can take him just about anywhere). I don't see them changing spending habits. Me, well the gas alone hit me hard, as I am responsible for the driving for all of the boys activities.......and I pay for gas for the mini-van. I have also not been able to offer to pick up misc. groceries as much as I use to. So I think we are a house divided........
2. What would be one thing in your life that you would consider a dream to come true if it were to?
To find someone to share the autumn of my life. A man that would laugh with me, like to do quiet things, but also enjoy a movie or a meal out. A person that wouldn't mock my opinions, but first would actually listen to them. I am not on a hunt for a partner, but if it were to happen and be a good meeting, I think it would truly be a dream come true for me.
3. What is your favorite part of the day and why?
I am not a ray of sunshine in the morning, but I do like morning the best. Whatever gets accomplished before noon, seems to be better in form and thought. When I was in college I took the earliest classes possible and my staff use to pray that I did their evaluations in the morning too.......tee hee.

4. Post one of your favorite recipes and the ingredients to make it!
This is going to be hard for me, as I just throw this together..........I do stick with a recipe for the sauce, but other than that.........I have no set amount of potatoes or ham to use.........so here goes my attempt at sharing

Ham and scalloped potatoes

WHITE SAUCE

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash black pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
Directions
1. In a small saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Stir in milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly . Cook and stir 1 minute more. Makes 1-1/2 cups sauce.

Now I triple this at least.......we like our potatoes creamy, not glumpy.

I then slice as thin as possible potatoes (I do use a shredder type gadget........took me forever to master it without cutting myself.......not a pretty sight at all)...as many as I think we will need for the amount of people I am feeding.
I then chop up the left over ham. Usually fix this after we have a ham for dinner.......if not, then I go to the deli and but a large chunk of ham and dice that up. I then slice at least one large onion.
I very very lightly grease the casserole pan.....not a whole lot tho'. Pour a think layer of the sauce on the bottom of the greased casserole dish or whatever pan you use, add a layer of potatoes, then onion, ham......some salt and pepper.......I do like to use white pepper, but regular is fine. Keep doing this over and over until everything is used up. If you do run out of sauce, trust me, it's worth your while to make up another small batch......if not, then just pour some milk over the mixture.
350 for the oven
I bake 1 hour covered, then uncover for usually an hour too......seems like a long time, but when I followed a recipe, the potatoes never seemed to get done........all ovens are different, so just keep testing.
This is what I take to some one's home for a death or birth meal, along with a salad and a plate of brownies...........no one has ever gotten sick..........tee hee.

5. Share one childhood memory that always makes you smile and why!
Now you knew it would involve the ocean, didn't you? Each year my parent's would save and save so that we could go to the beach for at least a few days. They would rent a small cabana type apartment.......nothing fancy, as we spent the day on the beach or the boardwalk, used it for sleeping and fixing easy meals. One year, my mum and daddy asked my aunt and my uncle to come for a few days........well they weren't married yet, so the ladies slept together and the men folk slept together and I have no idea where I slept..........I do know that it rained. Oh it rained from the minute we arrived until the day we were packing up to go home..............now imagine, four adults, the sleeping arrangements, a child who normally was content to color or play babies, EXCEPT when there was sea water available...........we are talking some tense moments here ladies. I can remember this as plain as if it happened yesterday..........I was holding my daddy's hand getting ready to get into the car to leave............I jerked away from him and took off like I had a hive of bees in my coveralls..........never looked both ways when I crossed the road, ran down the cement steps to the beach (all the time it is raining) and ran into the ocean. I was laughing and laughing with the sheer joy of being in the water.............I know that I had four scared adults and I am sure that daddy had quite a hunk of his buttock removed by my mum, but I do remember them, since everyone was soaked already, wading with me for a wee bit. Of course we had to drag out suitcases and change.............but golly, it was one of my most daring adventures. The total abandonment of not obeying rules - knowing if I could just break loose of my daddy's hand and run like no tomorrow, I could reach the ocean and be free............I am sitting here right now with the biggest smile on my face.............

Thank you Dawnie, good questions and it was fun to do.............as part of this interview here are the directions that go along with it.........sure hope some of you want to try this:

Here's the directions:1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
Pretty easy peasey and fun...........hope to hear from some of you.............
Smile, I hope my ocean adventure brought you a smile or giggle.........

2 comments:

Dawn Marie said...

I loved your answers. That is a great and funny memory as a child. Your right--no rules--just RUN! That I think is what we miss so much about being adults--we forget to just say--GOOOO!

I long to live near water also..not sure how that will be.

I will take that recipe-i honestly have been wanting one, thank you!

And for the Autumn of your life, what a neat thought. Sometimes I think i want baldyman gone--like a golfing trip for 25 years..lol but then I hear things like what you say and I know i'm lucky he's around. I do hope God brings someone into your life that is a gift to you, a true friendship and partner.

Maryjane-The Beehive Cottage said...

Great blog you have here! Enjoyed my visit!

Hugs,
Maryjane