20 Years Ago Today...

20 years ago today I went through a life-altering event.

I gave birth.

At 8:28 a.m. Julz will be 20 years old.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

It's here! It's here!

It is finally here! The May edition of All You magazine (available exclusively at Walmart) that features my recipe!

I was so excited when I got it that I wanted to show someone. Usually our Walmart is crawling with folks I know, and the worse I look the more of them there seems to be. I practically had a class reunion over on the cold & flu aisle last winter when I arrived at Wallyworld in my pj's at 1:00am to purchase the coughing-sneezing-stuffy-head medicine.

Would you believe, at this time I did not know a soul ?! So I shared my happy news with my cashier who seemed somewhat impressed.

At any rate, you can see me at the bottom of page 26. They "flipped" my picture (meaning the right-facing photo was reveresed so it appears I am facing left instead) and it looks funny. ...well I think it looks funny.

Kat was kinda undone because she is the one who loves to cook this recipe and they of course called it "Joy's pasta bake." My little chef has gone on strike.

I thought I'd try some of the other reader-submitted recipes and I can recommend the "Taco Soup" on page 25 but it makes a lot. I swapped from my largest sauce pan to my stock pot before I was done. I was looking at the "Pizzadillas" too...they look fun and easy.

Bon Apetite' ! or as I like to say

En-JOY

April 15th is upon us

The Buckets Comic strip by Greg Cravens courtesey of comics.com http://comics.com/the_buckets/2009-04-15/

I had to share this comic strip because it's exactly how I feel every year paying taxes.

I heard on the radio today that 90% of the taxes are paid by only 40% of the population.

My best bud/partner in crime Cyn and I are even thinking about checking out the local Tea Party ( http://www.taxdayteaparty.com/). I have my tea bags hanging from my rear-view mirror in support. Radio hosts Rick and Bubba will be reporting from it on Sean Hannity tonight.

Also on the radio, was a local blue grass group "Three On A String." I am very familiar with them as they were really popular in our area for the past 30+ years and at one point, Andy McGinniss, the dad of my friend Ben, played with them.

Every year, on tax day, the Rick and Bubba show have them on to sing their wildly popular "Tax Song."

My favorite line is " If ten percent is good enough for Jesus, it ought to be good enough for Uncle Sam."

Indeed!

Happy Times

These are my 4-k and 5-K graduation photos from Valley View Kindergarten, circa 1971 & '72 respectively.

These photos are proof of two things

1) I was blonde as a child

and

2) I've favored only two hairdos my entire life...extremely long ponytails and chin length bobs.

I remember I loved that yellow dress and the part about it I loved the most, a yellow satin rose, my mother refused to let me wear.

I loved Valley View and many life long friendships were forged there.

When my baby brother was old enough to attend kindergarten, my mother went to work, so it was necessary to not only find something to do with him, but something to do with me after school as well.

Enter Happy Times.

Happy Times was a magical place with a large play yard that had several school-style swingsets, a jungle gym and slide. The yard overlooked the Little Cahaba and there were always mother ducks and ducklings waddling about or playing in the creek, just beyond the chain link fence. There were tons of toys and activites and everything was child size, including a special group of toilets.

The best part was that I could play with my friends until my mother came to collect us.

The worst part was Mrs Grimes.

Mrs. Grimes owned Happy Times, and you didn't dare cross her. She was a stern disiplinarian and the sound of her voice struck fear in the hearts of all who crossed the threshold at Happy Times.

In the three years I spent there only once did I ever face the wrath of Mrs. Grimes and to this day, I maintain it was not my fault. (Thanks Russell!) I remember her taking my face in her hands and bringing it close to hers and sternly telling me that I would behave or else. I just knew she hated me.

In the summer, we would go to the city pool for swimming lessons and then swim until lunch. We'd go on field trips on the big bus and generally have lots of fun.

When I was a life guard at the city pool in my late teens, I always looked forward to the Happy Times kids. Yes, there were a ton of them, but because of Mrs. Grimes, they were always well behaved. Heck, I was an adult and she scared the bee-jeeseys out of me.

By the time my own children were ready for daycare, there was only one place to go. Mrs Grimes had long since retired, but sold the business to her cousin, who ran it with the same passion as she did.

One of my best memories of Happy Times, was not while I was a student, nor while my children attended there. It was the summer I turned 21. My 21st birthday to be exact. My last year as a lifeguard at the city pool. Just before I got my "real job."

The last bus-load of Happy Timers had just arrived and everyone was to be on the pool deck, waiting for their swimming teachers. Usually this part of the morning was very noisy and busy, but as I stepped out of the pool house onto the deck, it was deathly silent.

Assembled on the pool deck, was the entire group of Happy Timers, waiting patiently. Mrs Grimes, grinning from ear to ear, lead the group in "Happy Birthday" in as perfect a unison as one can orchestrate with several dozen children, ages 3 to 12. When they were done, I was mobbed, everyone trying to give me a birthday hug.

But most special was one from Mrs. Grimes. She put my face in her hands and brought it up close to hers and said "I'm proud of you."

Happy times, indeed.