Living in Long Beach

I love collecting and reading old cookbooks. So last month I created a challenge for myself to make one recipe a month for a year from old cookbooks. You can read my original post here . I also said that if anyone wanted to send me an old cookbook, then they could chose the recipe for me to make. Well, a few days after that post I received a cookbook in the mail from my aunt. Here she is with me and my cousin (her son) on a vacation we took to Savannah, GA in the 70’s. The book she sent is the ABC of Gourmet Cooking that she got as a present from a close family friend back in 1963. The book is copyrighted in 1956. She selected the Quiche Lorraine recipe for me to make. She says she has made it (and many variations of it) many, many times throughout the years. (Click on picture to bigify it.) I was very pleased that she picked a recipe with few ingredients and that looked relatively easy. Plus, I have never made a quiche before! But before I get to the quiche, I’d like to...

I wish I could be with you today Father. I found this old picture that I took of you (circa late 80's?) Besides how cute you look, I think one of the best things about this picture is this mug...do you still use it? We need to find you a new one with a white beard!

It has been a great first week at my new job at Lakeshore Learning Materials . I have never felt so welcomed before at a new job!! The picture above was waiting for me and another new employee when we walked in on Monday and has been up all week. Several people have taken me to lunch. We celebrated a birthday with carrot cake that rivaled Publix (I am serious & if you know me at all, you know how I feel about Publix carrot cake!!) Fridays are "snack days" where people alternate as a team to bring in all sorts of goodies to eat. Today one girl brought 4 different quiches that she made herself! Plus, there was doughnuts, mixed fruit, a homemade pasta salad, a homemade casserole (yummy), brownies, etc. THEN...for lunch today there was fried chicken and all the fixin's brought in for everyone for Memorial Day. Yes, this is all in the same day! One thing I know for sure is that I am going to start working out every day after work. Did I mention how close the office is to ...

My Mother is the best. She routinely lets me celebrate Mother's Day later in the month (May 31 or should I say 31 mai?) via Fête des Mères (French Mother's Day!!) Since she is still waiting for my very thoughtful gifts to arrive in the mail in time for Fête des Mères, I thought I would post some pictures of Mothers... I took this picture of Mother and Grandma  in our front yard in Marietta, GA in June 1987 when  Grandma was visiting for my high school gradulation. I took this picture of Mémère in a cafe in La Samaritaine when I was vacationing in Paris with Jessica in July 1981.  Back then, it was not part of the LVMH group. 

Instead of complaining that it was a little warm today (high 80's), I thought I'd let my friends and family in Georgia know that every time I look at my bunny calendar this month I think of them!! ( Click on calendar page to see picture up close.) If April showers bring May flowers, then what do April snow flurries bring? Just wondering...

As many of you know, I went to Ohio to visit family with a sad detour to GA. The trip to Ohio was very quick and brief with little sleep (though I got way more than Jessica who works crazy long hours). All this is to say that I didn't take any pictures in Ohio. I only took pictures with my camera once and that was of Desmond on the sofa bed at my parents' house after showering (him, not me). I took two quick blackberry pictures of Jessica and Desmond on the tram at the ATL airport because Desmond was so funny every time the tram started. He wasn't so much scared but very startled. Too cute. (Did you notice the sa-weeet diaper bag in the corner?) I plan to go back in a few months and will take pictures then. Really, I will.

I came across this picture today and had to share...I hope Jessica doesn't mind.

Click the picture to see several other pictures in a quick slideshow from our Thanksgiving together in Vinings, GA 2001. There's even a picture of Jessica showing Jack how to uncork it. Unfortunately, I didn't capture on film the famous mold disaster in the parking lot!