Happy Thanksgiving

7-Up Pound Cake

10 oz. 7-Up soda

2 sticks margarine

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups flour

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla (or 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp lemon)

Cream sugar, margarine, shortening together. Add eggs one at a time. Beat. Then add flour, vanilla (lemon). Add 7-Up soda. Beat. Pour in greased and lightly floured cake pan. Round cake pan or Bundt pan works best. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Turn out of pan immediately, cool and enjoy.

It just wouldn't be right if I didn't tell you my story behind this wonderful cake. I developed the joy of cooking when I was very young. My father James Henry Phillips gave me this sacred recipe when I was maybe 16 years old. I charished it for a very long time. Its famous and a favorite amoung my family. Well, my father died in 1985 and a few years later I lost the recipe. I had no idea where it dissappeared to. So, I started calling Phillips family members, only to be told that no one had the recipe. I searched from the oldest of members to the youngest. I was heart broken to find out my father had never shared this recipe with anyone except me and now it was lost. For ten years we didn't have this cake. I was heartbroken and then one night at work as my coworkers and I were sitting around the nurse's station we were talking about the holidays and cooking and cakes and I told them this same story, the story of the lost cake recipe. One of the nurses said the cake sounded like a cake her grandmother in West Virginia baked sometimes. She called her grandmother the next day and low and behold it was the same cake. She sent me the recipe and I've held it close to my heart every day. However, one thing I'm doing differently than what my father did, I'm not keeping it a secret. I want the whole world to know what a wonderfully delicious pound cake this makes. Enjoy!!!

Help wanted.

This is why some people should not be put is certain jobs. Some people should stay in non customer service positions and some people should definitely NOT be given certain jobs that come with a small amount of power over other peoples lives or livelihood. These new TSA/home land security checkups are getting out of hand. Don't get me wrong, I am all for keeping me/us/mine safe. I don't mind the long lines. That's why I always get to the airport early. I don't mind taking my shoes off. I don't mind unloading my carryons. I don't even mind strange people going through my suitcase, as long as they put my stuff back in my suitcase and not in their pockets, and I don't even mind the full body scan. Hell, what are they gonna see. My skeleton and an intestine full of poop. But come on now. What happened to training the TSA employees. As a registered nurse, I've been trained to be mindful, compassionate and watchful. I'd like to think I can spot a vengeful old lady to a gang leader. I can tell you what's right and wrong. And my Lord and parents taught me compassion and respect toward one another. But to read that a TSA agent told a breast cancer woman that she needed to remove her breast prostesis at the pat down and in another TSA incident a bladder cancer man was left in his own urine after TSA compromised his urostomy bag is a bit much. Why are people being humiliated in public because TSA does not have the training or education or compassion or anything to say, (here's a thought) "we will need for you to come with us to a room where a gender appropiate agent will need to inspect your prostetic device. Go figure. I think some of these people are enjoying their jobs just a little too much. My answer to them, a triple H enema. For those of you not familiar, think High, Hot, and Hell of a Lot. Do you get my drift.

Really???

Has chivalry really gone to the way side. Has the role really reversed. Yesterday, my hubby and I took a trip to JCP for a little shopping. Hey, I had three coupons and you can't let a good coupon go to waste. Any how, I'm searching for my husband and remembered he told me if I couldn't find him he would most likely be in the car. Well, I went out to the parking lot to check the car and he wasn't there. I decided to go back into the store and there was a man who had just loaded some merchandise into the trunk of his car. He was heading back to the store as well. He approached the door ahead of me, but when he reached the door, he stood there and waited for me to open the door for him. Really. Really. Not even on a cold and rainy day in the dead of winter. Now, don't get me wrong. It would have been one thing if his hands were full or if he was challanged in some way, such as no hands or blind and that's pretty much my limit on opening the door for a man, but why would he think it was okay to do that. It is so, not okay. Not yesterday, not today and definitely not tomorrow. I don't care what anyone told you. SO NOT OKAY. And in case you're wondering, I opened the door a crack only wide enough for me, slid in and pulled it shut behind me.

Woo hoo

What's a girl to do? Its been a couple of few days since I've been able to blog, but I have a great explanation. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. I've been pulling my hair out trying to get the project done. There is so much on my plate, but it's a good fullness Like the kind you get after eating Thanksgiving dinner. Even though you know you should stop, take a breath, you still want a piece of pie. I wouldn't have it any other way.
I acturally went to the library today with good friends Felicia Mason and Cathy Welch. Got a good three hours in with the editing. We closed out the library and I was still in the writing mode so I came home, set up writing space at the dining room table (office still very distracting for some reason) and I got to writing. I found the perfect recipe. Lap top, glasses of wine. Yes I said, glasses. And R&B artist Jaheim on the Ipod speaker.
Between the mellow wine and his voice crooning me I finished the book. Woo Hoo!!! 7 hours later and the last edit was done. Now off to my beta reader and then the editor. Can I get a moment of silence please. At least a couple of seconds before I have to go to the next project. Red Sage edits are sitting in computer waiting for me and then edits from Sleeping Beauty with Parker Publishing. Did I say I was busy?