Rest in peace precious boy

Shadow August 2, 2000 - November 29, 2013

We have lost a dear member of our family....and we are heartbroken. Our little 12 year old shih tzu is lost and keeps trying to find him. She is blind, and many times Shadow would guide her. Shadow was as close to perfect as you can get. He was a cuddle bug, funny, playful and loyal. He never met a stranger. He loved to play ball and in the sprinkler. He loved his stuffed duck and literally sucked on it as he would fall asleep. We have been through this hurt many times over the years. Each time we swear we will never put ourselves through the pain of loss again. But I know that is not true. All the joy he brought to our home outweighs the hurt we are feeling. We will focus on the precious time we were blessed with.
Grief is the price we pay for love.

Fried Green Tomatoes

The movie "Fried Green Tomatoes"  is one of my all time favorites. It is based on a novel  by Fannie Flagg starl about a little cafe her great- Aunt Bess owned in Irondale, Alabama. The movie is really about life long friendship. The scene where Evelyn brought Ninny some fried green tomatoes for her birthday... just like they made at the cafe.... always makes my mouth water!

Recipe
3-4 green tomatoes
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
milk
vegetable oil
Mix together flour, cornmeal, salt & pepper. Add enough milk to create a thick batter. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet. Batter each tomato slice, and wipe off excess. Carefully place in hot oil, browning on both sides. (may or may not need turning, depending on the amount of oil) To cool, drain in a colander to keep tomatoes from becoming soggy. Salt to taste. Tomatoes should be green and firm. Best time to pick green tomatoes is in October. Any red spots and they won't fry or taste as good.

You can also purchase a batter from the "Whistle Stop Cafe Website" It makes perfect fried green tomatoes every time. It makes the tomatoes crispy, but not greasy. Try frying some dill pickle slices while you are at it.

"I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends."
~Ninny Threadgoode/ Fried Green Tomatoes

Junk 2 Joy Etsy Shop

Kudos to my precious friend Becky over at Holiday In The Sun! She has opened her very first Etsy shop! I know she is thrilled...Junk 2 Joy has been a long time dream for my dear friend...don't you just love when dreams come true!

Becky is a treasured friend to all. Her blog...Holiday In The Sun always contains a warm, friendly message and many times I have felt like the message of the day was meant especially for me. I hope you will pay her blog and brand new Etsy store a visit.
http://holidayinthesun-becky.blogspot.com/2010/09/junk-to-joy-fun.html

I wish you the best of luck with your new business...Becky...I hope it is a HUGE success!!!

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1.02.28

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1.02.28

Forgive & Forget

"I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one. "~ Henry Ward Beecher

But I that is not always how it works...

Just because I tell you that I am sorry...doesn't mean that you will accept my apology. Just because you accept my apology... doesn't mean that you will forgive me. Just because you forgive me... doesn't mean that you will forget.

I can say that I am sorry and I can mean it sincerely...but I can not make you believe that it is genuine. If it is your choice to not believe in me...then I guess I have no other choice but to accept.

I will forgive myself for allowing this hurt control me...and for hurting others out of my pain. I choose to no longer punish or to be angry with myself and I promise to move forward and make a positive difference in the future.

"Forgiving ourselves does not let us off the hook, it does not justify what we have done, and it is not a sign of weakness. Forgiveness is a choice that takes courage and strength."