The year I turned 30 I was in London.  That was pretty amazing, wonderful, awe-inspiring and plain old magical.  This year I will be turning the big 4 OH!  I don't like things like that to be downward dragging.  So what wonderful thing would you, could you do for your big decade birthday?  Your arrival at middle age?  (What?!) I have a few ideas, but right now I have to tell you that this year is knocking me down and dragging me out.   I don't want it to be that way, but sometimes things just are.  So think about it and let me know.  Will you?  Thanks.  Oh and I'm going to give you some time, I need to take another blogging break.  It may not last, but for now I need to be a little quiet.

Sometimes I need something a little different.

How about Greek Lemon Soup? 

If you like lemon and a creamy texture without any cream then this is your soup.

Saute the following in butter or olive oil (1-2 TBS) until soft or translucent:

1 Medium Chopped Onion (I think the original recipe calls for 1/2 Cup)

1/2 Cup Chopped Celery

Add 1/4 Cup plus 1 tbs of flour.  Cook approximately 5 mintues

Add 8 Cups Chicken Broth 

1/2 Cup Shredded Carrots (3-4 sliced carrots make it feel more substantial)

1 Cup Diced Cooked Chicken

1/2 Cup Rice, white, brown, wild or mixture (can be cooked or uncooked--adjust cooking time as suggested below)

1/4 Tsp Thyme

1/2 Tsp Marjoram

1/2 Tsp Basil

1/4 Tsp Pepper (white if you're concerned about appearance)

Simmer covered for 30 (with cooked rice) to 60 mintues (uncooked rice)

Just before you're ready to serve, take 3 beaten egg yolks and ADD SOUP a small amount at a time, (stirring constantly) to the yolks until they reach the temperature of the soup.  Then add the mixture to the soup.  Add 1/4 cup lemon juice.  Serve.  Note:  if you add the eggs to the soup instead of the other way around you will get egg drop soup.  The same is true if you add the egg white or whole egg to it. 

I learned that the hard way.

We can usually get about 2 meals out of this and my children don't care for it.

In a recent visit with some loved ones I asked them to do something to send to Granny.

So here's to you Granny!

I think she's copying the dance moves of some bigger girls.

I know she is!  Although it may be safe to say she has her own moves

A bit of a wipe out, but they were dancing around like crazy 

and it's the only shot I caught of Mowg

A 2fer

Some had a hard time knowing what was going on.

See my eyes Mom?  Just for you!

Big Hug!

Hiya!

Cheese!

This is mid-dance--the girl can swing it!

Love ya!  Isn't she pretty?!

So is she!

This just proves that persistence will always win

....some people didn't want their pictures taken.

Two somebodies to be exact. 

Ironically the server rejected this one the first go round--

but again persistence wins.  Sorry Man--but I guess not sorry enough.

There you go Granny.  A big hug to you!

Look what we made Granny! 

Raggedy Ann wasn't quite as cooperative and I ate her first.

Just wanted you to know that the cookie cutters aren't going to waste.  Thank You!

This is what it feels like I turned into this last week.

(Thanks to my young relative who can only be called Balloon Man for the picture)

My dearest and I took turns "maintaining" and being flat down sick.  It really puts things in perspective to have a week like that.  On a day when Tiny and I were feeling better I started a project I've been meaning to for quite some time.  I started cleaning up an old Underwood Manual Typewriter that my dearest has been carting around.  It's a Two Ton Tillie which makes turning it over a challenge, but it's sturdy.  What's even more exciting is I think (hope!) that once I'm done it's going to work.  It's an old newspaper typewriter so it has lots of ink on it.  My focus ended up being on cleaning up keys. Though I did spend some time on the type with a needle tool and dusting out the guts some.  I didn't take a before picture, but here's what it looks like after:

I couldn't see most of the white on the keys when I started.  I'm pretty pleased.  The fun part was having Tiny help me.  She'd dip a q-tip in some warm water and swirl it on the keys I wasn't working on.  Then she'd get tired of that and go bring me something hot from her tea basket:  like marbles in a cup.  "Is hot Mom!" she'd say as she'd hand me the cup from her hot mitt covered hand. 

I love shared projects like that!

My heart is so sad tonight.  As I look at the horrific news from Arizona and the ridiculousness that seems to spin off of it all I can think is people died.  Good people.  No matter what your particular political view may be, no matter what soap box you might want to stand on.  Stop it.  Be still.  There are still people fighting to live and others trying to figure out how to keep going without someone they love.  Shh.  Give them some room.

We have 4 square sickness at our house (we're all sick).  So it may be next week before I post again.  I'm so glad we have a pot of turkey soup already in the fridge!

I wanted to talk a bit about the toys I showed you in my last post.  The patchwork dog comes from here (and it's a free pattern).  I didn't do patchwork on both sides (I used some super soft minke fabric on the back).  I would recommend that you do patchwork on both sides as my dog almost didn't come together.  It does have a slight twist in it's neck as it is.  Anyway, there's the pattern should you decide you would like to do it.  The instructions were a little intimidating to look for me, but once I started doing them it was really pretty simple and worked well.

Then there's Wee Wonderfuls.  I love this book.  I've made a little inchworm as well and so far everything turns out close to what it looks like in the book.  As to the book every kid it's been around has paged through it studying the pages....girls, boys.  It's just fun to look at.  One of my nephew's found something he wanted to make his brother (this was 3 days before Christmas)--it got nixed, but still nice to have such a variety.   Some of the projects that I especially like:  Sleepover Pals is a set of 3 dolls in a "Sleeping bag" roll up.  Each doll is tucked into a pocket.  I'm about half way through with the dolls on that one and I really am pleased with how they're turning out.  Then there's a topsy-turvy doll.  It's on the cover the orange haired doll.  You flip the skirt over her head and there's another doll on the other side.  I'll be making that one as well since I have what I call an Awake and Asleep Doll my Mother made me when I was little.   I've made some attempts at making one for nieces and my kids with really sad results.  I'm excited to have some direction.  Two more favorites and then I'll stop with my gushing.  A pillow "paper doll" with a pocket in the back for the doll's clothes.   I love the idea of paper dolls but they would never last at my house, so a fabric one is very exciting and it won't even bother me if the clothes get served at a tea party.  :)  And my other favorite is a Hansel and Gretel pair that are made from wooden spoons.  As for the one my nephew wanted to make for his big brother?  Koji (a little creepy/cute monster).  Truly one of the best craft books I've ever gotten.  Great to look at, clear directions, great results.  Can it get better than that?!