One Aspect of Womanhood

Women are "anticipatory" creatures by nature.

I don't know if that's a real word or not.

Sometimes I make up words to express myself...

that's my point here...

Men see things or people as they are.

Women see things or people as they can become.

Men check things off their to-do list.

When finished, they watch t.v.

A woman's to-do list is never done.

There is always something or someone that needs cleaning,

straightening, "fixing"...

Women anticipate...

they can walk in a room and in 30 seconds

figure out how to "be of help",

how to "speed things up",

how to "make things prettier".

I once had an employer who called me a butterfly.

At any social event, he said I was always fluttering around.

My response was (and still is)...

"That's what women do...they flutter...they see a need

and try to make it better."

It's not all we do, but it's what we do best.

Sometimes our "anticipatory" mode gets us in trouble.

We tend to worry a LOT.

Now I know that it's not a good thing to worry,

but we do.

We know an oncoming train wreck when we see it coming,

and we want our loved ones to avoid it at all costs.

(By the way, men see it as a light at the end of the tunnel.)

Regardless of your lot in life,

99.9% of women are great at spotting needs

 and doing their best to fulfill them.

We women are complex creatures.

But where in the world would the world be without us?



Angela

Treasure Broker

There are many benefits to being a Treasure Broker (words used by Cari...Cash for Cari on HGTV). I like that title. It sounds exotic...but that is exactly what I do for a living now. After retiring from teaching, I took on the occupation of someone who searches for "treasure", cleans it up and presents it to others for their enjoyment.It is more fun than I ever knew.

 This week I have not only found special treasures, but have met the most interesting people. Thursday a young man entered the shop and stayed quite awhile. He was quiet and unassuming but once engaged in conversation, was fascinating. He is a maker of mid-century modern furniture; he lives in an Airstream; writes fiction and has a great appreciation of all things vintage.

Then there is the "Toy Man" as I call him. He drops by the shop every week to see if we have any new toys to add to his massive collection. His dream is to find a curator and a town to house the toy collection strictly for others to enjoy. My son's old record player is now in the collection!

There is the lady who is about my age who enjoys collecting to help re-kindle "good times past". I so look forward to her visits (whether she buys anything or not!)And the younger woman who LOVES furnishing her house with as many vintage items as possible. She has a VERY understanding husband.

 Due to our location, we meet people from all over the United States every day. They are so different, yet so much the same.

I have divided our customers into several groups:

1. People who are on a mission. They enter, survey and either buy immediately or leave. I call them the "Tunnel Vision" folks.

2. People who are bored at home or need a break and come in just to browse and may or may not find some little something to purchase. Potentially could become Hoarders.

3. Hard Core Collectors, the purists, who put narrow constraints on themselves and don't look to the right or left...they only want what they want....period. Price isn't really important..they buy what they treasure. They want their purchases to be in v.good to excellent condition.

4. Then the group that is the most fun of all...the people who really "get vintage"... "The Visionaries". They make a round the shop once, twice, maybe three times. They "take it all in", they start bringing their finds to the counter...they ask questions, make comments, and tell stories. They may or may not be purists...but most are folks who love "the old ways"...dovetails, square nails, rusty enamel, gears, old screens...the items don't have to be perfect. As a matter of fact, they like a little chip or dent or scratch. Perfection isn't their goal...their goal is finding a treasure that will evoke fond memories for both themselves and their family.

This week I sold a wheat penny album to an older gentleman. He was delighted. We also made a gentleman's day who was looking for an old hoe with a wooden handle.

I bought a yellow push reel mower because it reminded me of a friend's daddy who mowed his lawn every week with an old mower like it. A good friend's husband picked out his birthday present...a vintage oak ice box...I've never seen him smile so broadly.

Yes, I think I like being a broker of treasures. Even broke treasures...lol. To hear people tell others about how "grandma used a dipper just like that" and then take it home with them to re-kindle memories of days gone by is something I am enjoying very much!

Happy 85th Birthday, Daddy!

Today, eighty five years ago,
my daddy, Robert Alexander,
was born!

Wow! 85 years!

That's a very long time ago...

imagine all those decades

and all that has

come to pass in them.





Here he is as a Naval Aviator.

Of all the things he enjoys,

 remembering his Navy days

and his Navy Pals

is one of his top "likes".

He left Tulane University for the service.



When he was gone in the Navy for my first birthday, he sent me this drawing.
I still have it!



My favorite remembrance of him was in my eighth grade year.

He had been taking pictures

 (he has been a professional photographer for over 60 years)

somewhere and while driving through a town he spied a department store

with a mannequin in the window.

The mannequin had on a pink dress.

Long story short...

he bought it for my eighth grade graduation dress!

Right size, right color...hit the bullseye dead center.

I was delighted!



Here's the dress, second from the right.



When I was a senior in high school, I was co-Editor of the high school yearbook.

I was also taking a Home Economics III course,

and in those days we had "home" projects that were due every six weeks.

Another long story short...

I had an annual deadline AND a reversible vest due the next morning.

We had both completed at 8 a.m.

Daddy sewed the vest.

(I hope my home ec. teacher, Mrs. Davis, isn't reading this.)

Daddy gets up every morning with something to do.

He never just sits (I think that's genetic.)

After a Burger King breakfast...he's out and about.

Always on the computer, taking pictures, doing something..

He just purchased a saxophone (he played many years ago)

and has formed a quartet to entertain his friends at his apt. complex!

I could go on and on, but I will part with this...

Daddy, thank you for all you have done for us over the years.

We love you and wish you a wonderful day today!

Happy, happy 85th Birthday from us all!

From Light to Light...with help from Annie Sloan

Look what I spied in a dusty corner of the shop!
A vintage light fixture!
I had a vision of something better.

Even after her transformation, she can still be rewired and used
as a ceiling fixture.



After cleaning, a coat of Annie Sloan Coco was added.
Then clear waxed followed by a dark wax...uh, oh...
too dark.
So I re-painted the fixture Coco
and rubbed off enough of the paint to let the brass show through.



Better.



The detail is so pretty.



What about some candles instead of light bulbs?



Or maybe some pretty crackled glass ?



Maybe some feathered candle rings?



The early morning hours were spent trying on new toppers!
I loved these etched glasses..



What else could be done with this dusty old thing?






* Hummingbird or Bummingbird Cake?

I promised I'd post a blog revealing my Hummingbird Cake adventure..so here goes.

And I can make this snappy and to the point.

 My enchantment with The Bummingbird...er Hummingbird Cake began here:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/35th-anniversary-hummingbird-cake-50400000127091/

(We southern girls consider Southern Living magazine the "go-to" place for great recipes.)

I read about the HB cake for years...so I thought..."How hard can it be?"
And after all, it was its 35th anniversary!
The most sought after and requested recipe in Southern Living history.

I decided to make the cake layers Friday since they needed to be refrigerated. 

Tip: a wise decision.

(I was slightly "ticked" when I realized I needed another cake pan and the hubster

had ruined a perfectly good one by Pamming it to death for his biscuits.)

So I used a slightly larger aluminum throw away pan I had on hand.

Tip: Do NOT make one layer a different size from the others.

Plus, it called for 4 layers and I crammed it all into three.

That was a very big NO NO!

Early Saturday morning I made the "custard" filling.

It was delicious...how do I know that?

I ate all the leftovers..

I then proceeded to layer and ice with custard and got so

carried away that I forgot and iced the top layer.

Which BTW was the oddly sized layer and kept sliding toward the back.

Tip: Do NOT ice the top layer. The real icing will slide off.

No problem: I just took off that custard and ate it too.

Sometime before 6 a.m. Sunday:

When I began getting the table ready, I decided I needed to go ahead and ice the cake...

with Browned Buttercream Frosting.

Sounds great....omgosh.

Centerpiece in place: "Check".



China, silver and placemats ready. (Triple "Check")



Now, on to the icing (time: 6:00 a.m. Sunday).

Browned Buttercream Icing...hmmmm, never done anything like this before.

Oh, well...how hard can it be? Fast forward...

Time lapse: 9:30 a.m.

Burned the butter the first go round...did it say Burned Buttercream or

Browned Buttercream?

Next try:

Stir 1 cup butter until it turns light brown..

is this like golden brown, light "burned" brown,

how light? Uh, oh...guests arriving at 11:15 a.m.

Stir constantly for 8-12 minutes.

Tip: When it says light brown that's what it means.

When it says stir 8-12 min.on medium heat,  it doesn't mean 5-ish on high.

When it says to pour into a SMALL bowl and cover and chill,

it does NOT mean large bowl, uncovered in the freezer.

(I laid down only for a second to rest my aching knees...

but when I woke up the browned butter was frozen.)

I pulled out the big guns...my Kitchenaid mixer

and beat the living daylights out of that frozen blob....all the while

adding powdered sugar alternately with 1/4 cup milk...ending with sugar.

When the husband walked in he remarked,

"Looks like a bomb went off in that side of the kitchen."

Tip: the cake must chill for 1 hour before serving...oh, no.



I know, I know..you are being kind...saying "It doesn't look so bad."

However, if you zoom in, you will see that those pretty yellow flecks

are NOT pineapple, but rather frozen browned butter...ugh.



Everyone raved, but I was too tired to notice.

I went back to Southern Living's website this afternoon, following my 2 1/2 hour nap
and guess what?
The original recipe was really quite simple...
it  had Cream Cheese Frosting.

Then I read the comments on this year's cake...they were hilarious.
We should have been on a conference call...
they had some pretty awful comments.

Anyhoo..
My Unconventional 2013 Easter Menu

Rotel Chicken
Deluxe Green Bean Supreme
Green Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Almonds
Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette
Texas Toast
AND
The 2013 Anniversary Version of
Southern Living's
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE!

Yes, I think I will just have a carrot tonight...nibble on.


A joyous Easter to you,