Friday, July 25, 2008

T G I F and Awards!

It's Friday. Oh thank you Lord, another week is coming to an end and I have almost caught up with the laundry, the weeding and the canning. Notice I said "almost". Yesterday rather than blog, I canned spaghetti sauce. I canned spaghetti sauce because Mac brought in over a bushel of tomatoes and I have canned salsa, plain tomatoes and tomatoes and peppers and I needed something new. When I've done, I'll take a picture of all the jars of goodies lined up in my wonderful pantry that my beloved had built for me for Mother's Day. What did he get for Father's day I heard someone say? Why, he's already got me and like a fine wine, I get better every year. What more could he ask? So, anyway he's out there right now mowing the grass. Yesterday we pulled watermelons and cantaloupes, removed the spent squash vines and planted the collard seed for a fall crop. I'm thinking of snow peas for fall, too. Oh, and turnips! Now I'll have to make a run into town and get turnip seeds. Drat! I have been trying to catch up with y'all and will definitely spend the afternoon doing just that. In the meantime the lovely Vee (http://ahavenforvee.blogspot.com/ )has given me this lovely award:




Here are the rules for this: The rules: SHARE THE LOVE!!! Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog. **All I ask, is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipient to do the same** Visit (Memoirs of a Mommy)for the awesome story behind this award. You know this is going to be hard because each of the blogs I read I read because I love you...the list is to long to name and to leave anyone out would be just wrong. So, if I am a regular visitor to your blog, and you know who you are...Sandy, Kat, Mary and Sarahs...yes, I said Sarahs...the Brit here and the Brit still there...Adla and Rhoda, Penny and Jayne...Cath and Kari, Jodie and Janabanana, lets just say I believe you all deserve this...SusieQ and Jeanne, MariNanci and Pat...all of you...I say again, IF I AM A FREQUENT VISITOR AT YOUR PLACE, THIS AWARD IS FOR YOU! And when I play catch up, I'm gonna tell you to come pick it up, okay Jo, both of you, Mima and Lee...San and David, Jeff and Hadriana, Brenda and Wanda, Cassie and Joan, Pam and Christine, Sophie and Carol, Donna, Lib, Cowgirl and Jamie Dawn, Terri, Abbie and Jeff B. ,Sandy and Sandy and oh yes did I say Wanda? How about Allison? just all of you,and I know I've left some out, I can't help it! I love you all or I wouldn't waste my time going back again and again. So, if you don't see your name but you know mine and I mention to you I have an award for you...this is for you!




Also, the sweet Hadriana at http://hadrianastreasures.blogspot.com/ has given me the "Just Plain Fun to Read" award and I do prize this one, too. I'm going to come back with this one later on so I can think about the ones I want to pass it on to. I'm going to pick three of you, and I hope you will be as honored as I was. And an EDIT here, when I went to visit with San Meredith, I found that she had also honored me with this award! To visit San go to http://alifewithaview.blogspot.com you won't be disappointed there, either!


Now, on to other TGIF things. First, my "on returning from England" series (saga) will continue on Monday with the final chapter on our return to the States from our Duty Service with the Navy in London which ended in 1983 (the time period someone wanted to know). I haven't made up a thing, or embellished for editorial purposes, it's exactly as it happened...which proves that there are things so bad that you can later look back and laugh. But now you know why I decided to make Law Enforcement my career. I needed backup. I'd also like to tell you that my (former) Department, Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office, lost one of it's own on Wednesday night when his vehicle was struck head on by a drunk driver. Darryl Quick, who had been with the Department for five years, and with Chesterfield PD before that, was 42 years old and left a wife and four children and one grandchild to face life without him. All because someone couldn't manage to grasp the concept of "if you drink, don't drive and if you drive, don't drink." A good Law Enforcement Officer will no longer be able to help keep the streets safe. Unfortunate for us, tragic for his family. Our prayers go out to them.



Brenda's Photo Challenge for tomorrow is about numbers and I have to get my butt in gear and do something about it...first of all go back and look to see who the host is (I'm telling you, my brains are scrambled with heat and humidity today!) I want to have fun with it, and plan on doing just that!



Cowgirl over at Riverdale Ramblings has tagged me with a 6 random things about me meme...you really need to go visit this fine young miss from New Zealand, you won't regret it and you may find a new vacation spot...go to http://cowgirlat.blogspot.com/ and check out her site. Okay, 6 random things...



1. I love to read, I read cereal boxes and newspapers, books and magazines...I just flat love to read.



2. I have two sons, of whom I am so very proud. My older son is a Newspaper Editor married to my beautiful DIL Charity and my younger son is a Computer Networker married to my lovely DIL Anna and they have one child the precious Arianna who will be 9 on the 28th of this month.



3. My mother was a master gardener who knew the latin name for every plant that grew in her gardens and even in most of everyone else's gardens.



4. My husband is a retired Navy Chief who discovered that he was a farmer all along...imagine our surprise! (And I know I have mentioned mostly my family in this meme, but you know it's hard to separate them from me...they're part of me...)



5. I really hate news shows. They mostly never get it right, they are prejudiced in a country where prejudice is supposed to be avoided at all costs, and they think to much of their own opinions.



6. I have a temper. A terrible temper. I have learned to control it, but sometimes like a coiled spring it erupts and injures the target of my ire. And then somehow, it reverberates and injures me on the return trip.



And there you have it...all the news that's fit to print...see you tomorrow!







40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been canning figs here. You can do the main coarse and I will do dessert hehe.

Unknown said...

Im going to can Rasberries and Apricots for jams! Hubs wants me to learn to can more.. :)

THANK YOU for my award :) Your a sweet friend!

Sandy McTier Designs said...

Hi Sandi,
Thank you so much for that award! You are so super sweet!
Have a lovely weekend and I'm working on being a better blog reader and poster!hehehe
Smiles,
Sandy

Pam said...

Aw, thanks for the award!

I look forward to hearing your next "moving from england" installment.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Georgina said...

OMG, my sister reads labels and cereal boxes and it drives me nuts. It takes her hours to shop. You sound like you are very proud of your family. Great meme Sandi. Bon weekend.
P.S. I've just done my tag

Lib said...

Hi,
All your canned veggies will be great this winter:o)
I agree 100% NO drinking and Driving!
Look forward to MOns. post.
Have a great wk.end!
Blessins',Lib

Stacey said...

I don't believe you, you cannot possibly have a bad temper, no way! You're too sweet and kind. Of course, me, very very scary, no doubt about it!

Thank you for the award, Sandi. I am quite honored to be your friend. And now onto the important stuff--I think you should send me samples of your canned salsa. LOTS of salsa samples, actually, okay? Great! xoxoxo

PS--I'm sure you left it here because I'm a loser blogger. Usually if I'm over at NiCoAl, I'm off to find something digi and forget to return, lol, so probably a wise decision. BUT I'll try harder, I just simply forget things. A lot. Pathetic, am I not?

Justabeachkat said...

Happy Friday Sweet Friend! Thank you so much for the award. Another special one, for sure. Congrats to you for receiving two well deserved awards.

I'm so saddened to read about the death of the officer. It's so sad how one person's stupidity can devastate a family. I have just stopped and prayed for the family.

Yum...I'm so jealous of all your canned "treasures". If we lived closer, you'd have to put a lock on that pantry door!

I enjoyed reading your meme. Temper...you???...I don't think so.

Hugs!
Kat

PAT said...

Happy Friday Sandi!
I'm doing a bit of visiting today, since we're going back to the lake tomorrow evening.

I always enjoy my visits here!

Congratulations on your awards and thank you!

I'm saddened to hear of the officer's death. A young St Louis firefighter lost his life, this week, due to gunfire in one of the old neighborhoods, Maplewood. The "sniper" held the neighborhood hostage most of the morning.

I'm looking forward to seeing all those jars. I used to do that every summer and commend you, because I know how hard it is to plant and harvest a garden and preserve the food. And oh my goodness, the benefits!!

Have a great weekend.
Pat

Jeni said...

WOW -Here you are already canning tomatoes and I'm here, reveling in the fact that my tomato plants actually have more blossoms on them now plus I spotted three actual tomatoes on a couple plants today! I'm thrilled beyond belief cause this is the first time I've planted something that, so far, seems to be thriving and producing something we might actually eventually be able to eat! (I have "black thumb" syndrome, ya know!)

How true too about the don't drive if you're drinking advice. Such a shame that some innocent person pays the price for another's foolish deed and the family -they'll pay interest on that price for years to come too.

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

Thank you for the award. I'm going to have to start posting those things, one of these days. I'm horribly lazy about it and don't mean to be!!
I'll let you know next week if the Great Boiled Peanut Hunt in Florida bears fruit (so to speak. lol).
And I think the host for tomorrow's thingy is Karen M. She's on my sidebar. Can't wait to see your pics!!
Talk to you soon,
Love ya'll,
Sissy

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Hi, sweet Sandi! Thanks for the award, I'm very honored you gave it to me too. Canning, oh that is some good stuff. My mama still cans tomatoes & they are the best.

xo,
Rhoda

Theresa said...

ohhh homemade salsa-I'll be right over with the chips.

Congrats on the award:)

I agree on the news stuff, they seem to spin it the way they want, and so I don't always believe what they say- and then sensationalizing stories - I can't watch it either.

Jeanne said...

Thank you so much Sandi. That is an amazing award and I'll be talking about it on my post tomorrow night. Got the Brenda Photo Challenge going up in the am and we'll be at the shore. {{HUGS}}

San said...

Share the love. Again and again. Sandi, I gave you that JUST PLAIN FUN TO READ AWARD today. And you already had it!

Now you have bookends. For all your other awards.

Donna said...

Can't wait to see the sauce photos!! I'll be winging my way here to see your Brenda Challenge photos!! Happy night sweetie!!hughugs

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

What a tragedy about your colleague Darryl Quick. Another fine young life snuffed out by senselessness.

I am thoroughly enjoying your return to England trip.

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

WHERE'S YOUR PHOTO CHALLENGE PICS???

CatHerder said...

I havent canned for over 10 years since we lived out in the country...im dying to can spaghetti sauce, the only recipe i like is an old friends, and i dont have it...i emailed her a couple times but she has not given it to me....any ideas?

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Sandi, thanks for the award and I read labels and cereal boxes too.

And blimey, I've just read the gunbattle blog. That's some tale!

Diva's Thoughts said...

Thank you so much!!!!!! I appreciate the award.

Vee said...

You have a temper? Who knew? (Here's a shocker for you, so do I!) :D

I am so sorry about your community's loss of an officer in the line of duty. It's beyond tragic and so easily prevented as you say.

More wonderful awards for a wonderful gal...I do hope that award season peters out here soon, though, say what?

Terri Steffes said...

Thank you for sharing the award with me! I will pick up the pace, as I have been in KCMO WITHOUT internet for a week!

Sally said...

Can't wait for the next installment!! Get some rest first, though, 'kay?

Congrats on the awards!!

Lee said...

Awards up and link is included. Hope it was the right link. Thanks ever so much Sandi!

Hugs!
Lee

Too bad I can't use the new signature in comments. :D

Jeff B said...

Thank you for including me. Ya just made my whole day!

Cath said...

Oh wow! So much packed into one post! No wonder you are exhausted. ;0)

First, well done on your awards.
Second, thank you so much for my award and also for all those visits to mine and your lovely comments.
Third, sorry to hear about your colleague. It is a mad sad bad world sometimes.
Fourth, I love your 6 things meme. I have a temper too that if unleashed, can backfire! lol

I think that's it. Did I forget anything? If I did - you know I love you anyway. Happy canning.

ancient one said...

You are so busy and still you manage to come and make us all happy with your comments.. thanks for coming to tell me that I have an award... You are too good to me...I'll be back about Monday to get it... I wonder how that tomato with the 8 happened... most unusual...I'll be back...

Sorry about your friend on the police department...

Unknown said...

Ooooh Thank You! What a nice surprise on my return!

Georgina said...

P.S. Thanks for the awards Sandi. Debs x

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Hi Sandi Very many thanks for the award! I love it a lot. y76h (I'mf fdtyshutvgfggvfg getting helpl lhere from my nearly five year old Princess on the keyboard so will be quick.) I agree with everything that CrazyCath says. Very sorry to hear about your colleague...very sad news.
...big thanks and hugs once again. Hadriana xx (www.hadrianastreasures.com)

Jo Beaufoix said...

Congrats on the awards Sandi and thanks for the award too. I'm hoping to get an awards age on my new look blog so I can display my bloggy bling.

And so sorry about your colleague, what a terrible tragedy. My dad was a policeman and has seen many sad and terrible things but losing one of your own is just so awful and my heart goes out to them.

Now, your 6 random things was fab. I can relate to all the family ones as mine are so special to me. I also read anything, and I also have a temper that bubbles away under the surface for a while then occasionally explodes dramatically. I work on it though. :D

Anonymous said...

Aunt S, thanks for the award!! I really feel honored.

I'm so sorry to hear about the Officer that passed. My heart goes out to all his family.

You? a Temper? No!

Merisi said...

What a terribly tragic loss, for your collegues, your community and this young police officer's family. I grieve for you all.

Congratulations on the award, your blog is truly special! :-)

Love Bears All Things said...

Thanks, Sandi! Hope you got all your produce put up. We've had a few showers but not enough to keep us from watering the tomatoes every day. Still very hot and humid. I'm going to have to spend another few hours out there this week, though.
Mama Bear

i beati said...

Thanks for the awards last night i wrote a lengthy fun note to you but its not here ho hum anyhow I'm trying hard to get that cute little girl one ha ha seriously it made me feel so good because i do try to share the love and some thoughts as you do . i pased it on to some who already have them hahahaha my life is a bit dodgy at the moment This brightened me considerably thank you heart heart

Country Cottage Chic said...

Thank you for the lovely award! I have been a bad, bad blogger of late but I have a good excuse - school holidays are upon us & the DH is on leave- my time is not my own! ooh what fun!;-)

merry weather said...

Thanks for this Sandi - what a nice looking award!

My mouth is watering reading all about your preserves and canned sauces. Yum :)

Temper like a coiled spring hey, me too. I like your description of the return, very apt.

Unknown said...

Congrats on your award. I'm playing catchup again also. Hey, I am a reader like you are. It always seem like I have to reading something even when I'm eating etc...

Mima said...

Thank you lovely Sandi for the award, and sorry that I haven't been around, but thank you so much for all of the support that you have given me over the last few weeks when I have needed it, it has been really appreciated.