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My Three Day Weekend

Category: Family and Everyday Life | Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:42 pm

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This is only the second time in three months that I have had more than one day a week off. Needless to say I didn't get much rest, or much accomplished around the house.

Saturday: We went to the mall and several other places shopping. Sarah got a new dress and a short fur jacket for a wedding we attended that night. She also got a new school jacket. I bought a really nice black blouse for the wedding. It was a good deal, half price, so I got it for $16.99. Regina was shopping for her New York trip and couldn't find anything she wanted, as usual. By the time we got home it was time to dress for the wedding. It was about 60 miles away and Sarah and I rode with friends. Richard's back was hurting so he did not go. While I was gone he did some housework, which was really sweet. We didn't get home till 11:30 because we got behind a really bad wreck and had to turn around once we got off the bridge and detour. On the detour we ran into a flooded road which was scary in the dark, but we made it through ok.

Sunday: We went to church and had our fifth Sunday dinner, got home about 1:30. I cut some grass and rested about an hour. Then I had to finish up some jewelry for an order. I worked on that for most of the evening. I was tired so I didn't get much done around the house.

Monday: That's today. We are going to Baton Rouge to look for a stove. Our oven went out a while back. It is about 8 years old and we figured it is not worth the repair bill. They charge an arm and a leg to come out and work on them. The warranty expired about a year ago. I guess I should have extended it. When we get back I will finish up the grass. Hopefully this will be the last time this year it needs cutting. I like to keep it cut bc it is easier to rake the leaves that way. And I will have to cook supper. Don't know what yet, something that doesn't take a lot of time. Then it's is back to work tomorrow. C'est la vie'.

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Joie De Vivre

Category: Cajun Sayings and Stories | Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 2:22 am

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Joie De Vivre(zhwa-de-vee) a joy of life, more of an attitude of life.

My Grandmother, my Dad's mom had an attitude of life. She was a small woman. She had 13 children and raised 11. She lost two when they were young, I don't remember how. I can never remember her saying a cross word to any of us. She was always happy, although she worked very hard. I remember how she would talk to the people on tv like they could hear her. She loved cowboy shows. When someone would be sneaking up on another person she would tell them to watch out he is behind you with a gun, or something similar. Most of the time she would talk to the tv in French. One day she went into the washshed and came out cussing in French. She went onto the back porch and came back with the shotgun, and told us to get out of the way. She went back into the washshed cussing all the way.We heard the shotgun go off and she came out holding up a chicken snake longer than her. She said he won't get anymore of my eggs. The last time I saw her was when Sarah was a baby. She had reverted back to being a baby too, body and mind. My aunt wheeled her out in her wheelchair and told her we were there, not that she understood. My aunt and I were talking to her, without getting a response of course. Sarah started talking and cooing her baby talk. Grandma perked right up and starting cooing back at her. I often wonder what they said to each other.

Last edited: Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:43 am

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Cajun 102, Ahnvee and other Words

Category: Cajun Sayings and Stories | Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:47 am

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In my gumbo blog Pondlady asked "What is an ahnvee." Ahnvee is Cajun for a craving or a hankering. I had and ahnvee for a gumbo, that is why I made one and ate it for 3 days. Here are a few more:

Bouree' (boo-ray) a Cajun card game in which the loser of the round must match the pot whether anyone has won it or not. BTW, I have made grown men weep playing this card game.

Fais Do Do (fay doe doe) a party featuring Cajun dancing usually in the street or outside. The literal translation is "to make sleep", but you won't find any snoozing at a fais do do.

Beignet (ben-yea) a square shaped donut, deep fried, and generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Mom made them from scratch using yeast bread dough.

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Cajun 101

Category: Cajun Sayings and Stories | Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:18 am

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boucherie (BOOSHREE) butchering When we were children boucherie time was really exciting. Several local friends would come and help Dad butcher the hogs. We knew that special treats were in store, such as boudin, a savory sausage made with rice, pork meat,and seasonings; hogheads cheese, another savory dish made with the head and other meat, cooked down and poured into loaf pans. When it cooled it was unmolded and sliced. Cracklings, fried hog fat, were also a favorite. It was like a big party and we all passed a good time.

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Gumbo

Category: Cooking | Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:14 pm

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Definition: A thick soup/stew made with meat or seafood, served over plain rice. It can be thickened with roux, okra, or file'. File' is a powder made from ground sassafras leaves and definitely an aqquired taste. I prefer to think of gumbo as a mixture. The old Cajuns made it to use leftovers to keep them from spoiling. Mom always used roux and file' and sometimes okra also depending on what type of gumbo she was making. File' was not used in seafood gumbo, only in chicken and andouille, or duck and other wild game. If she used okra she did not use file'. She also did not use andouille in her chicken and okra or shrimp and okra gumbo. Basically, it just depends on what you like and what flavors you like to taste together. I have eaten it with everything in it, chicken, shrimp, okra, roux, file', chicken livers and gizzards, and probably a few things I had no idea of. Most people make it during the winter, I make it whenever I get the ahnvee for one.

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Rainy Days and Mondays

Category: Family and Everyday Life | Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:28 pm

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Well, it is raining. We really needed the rain so I am not complaining! We were going to make a raised bed for vegetables. Richard has all of the wood cut. We are using the electric service pole that Hurricane Rita broke, and the 2x4's we used to shore the new one up while the dirt settled in. It will be a good size, 6ft. 7inches long by almost that wide again. I think it is a little too wide, but that way we won't waste any of the lumber. Richard made me promise I will not take it over for flowers, but I think it will need some marigolds planted around the edges to help keep the bugs away, and I will also plant some on the outside of the bed. We are thinking of doing the lasagna method. We have oak leaves, oak leaf mold, grass clippings, and compost. We will use the cardboard liners from the meat cases at work for the bottom to kill the grass. We can also haul a couple of wheelbarrow of dirt from the back. We are going to try to get some manure , either horse or rabbit. If we get it done in time we will put some mustard green seed in, if not we will cover it with plastic for the winter and plant in the spring. So I guess since we can't do yard work, it will be house work today, which really needs doing. I have to go bath Mom sometime today and clean her bedroom and bathroom. A lot of the cats are in bc of the rain. They have places to get outside, but would rather be in with us. OK, enough computer time I need to make the roux for the gumbo and finish getting everything in the pot.

Last edited: Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:22 pm

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Cool Front and Cats

Category: Pets | Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 1:49 pm

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Our land is set up with our mobile home and Mom's facing one another with a good size yard inbetween. We have a security light for when I have to go back and forth at night.

Last night we had a cool front moving through. It was nice and breezy with no mosquitos buzzing. Well the cats decided it would be a good night to play. There must have been at least a dozen of them running around, climbing trees,and chasing each other. They are so fun to watch with their antics. Tiny can jump 4 feet straight in the air from a standing still position. He is quite the acrobat. Big fat Bubba will hide behind a blade of grass, peeking out, and he really thinks no one can see him. Of course, the others play along and let him pounce out and "attack" them. Ms. Kittle, the youngest and smallest of the pride, is also the toughest. She cuts no one any slack. And when it is time to eat, guess who eats first, Kittle. She will get in the middle of the food and growl. All these big tomcats just sit back and let her eat. Then there is Bobbert with no tail and his long back legs. It is so funny to watch him run. When I got the inside cats in for the night they were still romping and stomping. I wonder if the others stayed up all night playing.

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