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"CooCoo"

Category: Childhood Memories | Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:17 pm

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My Grandmother on my Father's side was pure Cajun French. She was from back Vacherie and so was my Grandfather. Darrow, where we lived, was about 30 miles from Vacherie. One of her sisters had a son named "CooCoo", that's all we ever knew him as. If my life depended on it I could not tell you his real name, or why he was called "CooCoo". Well "CooCoo" would come to visit Grandma several times a year, he was obviously sane enough to get a drivers liscense. After we got telephone service in Darrow, Grandma was always forewarned of "CooCoo's" visits. What they did before the telephone I do not know. We were always told of these coming visits and were given a very stern warning, dished out in a very heavy French accent, "Now Sharon, whaever ya do, don' git in the ca(car) wit CooCoo. He's gon axe ya too go git icecream at "Nonc" (uncle) Robert's store, {pronounced row bears}, but don' git in da ca wit CooCoo." I was not particularly afraid of CooCoo, until one day when I was at Grandmas when he showed up. The call must have come late because he was pulling in the driveway before I had a chance to get home. She made me stay right in her sight, but I finally had to leave for home, which was nextdoor, but with a little distance between us. Sure enough, I was halfway home, on the other side of the ditch, when a car came up behind me and stopped. I turned around and there was "CooCoo" and the exact words out of his mouth were, "Sharon, git in the ca, and we will go git icecream at Nonc Robert's." All I can remember was running as fast as I can and "CooCoo" laughing his head off. I always made sure I was not at Grandma's when "CooCoo" came to visit again.

Last edited: Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:18 pm

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The Bravest Person I Ever Met

Category: People Who Have Blessed My Life | Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2006 1:43 am

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Britney was just a small slip of a girl when I first met her. I had already heard of her health problems and I knew that her chances for survival were slim. But I also knew that miracles did still happen. I work with her grandmother, who is probably the strongest person I have ever met. Britney had a brain tumor, which was hereditary and it developed at the age it was predicted to. She was nine years old when she was first diagnosed. I only met her several times, but she was the type of person who's inner strength showed through at first glance. Even if I had not known of her illness I would have still seen it. I think through the two year ordeal she was more worried about her family than herself. I have a small picture of her hanging on my inspiration wreath on the wall behind my desk. She has no hair because of the chemo, and a pink headband on. It is a beautiful picture. Britney's grandfather passed away from a heartattack, her grandmother woke up one moring and he was gone. No warning, no signs that anything was wrong. Britney said it was because he didn't want her to be alone in heaven and he went first to wait for her. In less than three months Britney went to be with her grandfather. Her grandma said she never complained. She fought the good fight and she went home in the end, at 11 years of age. Whenever I get down about anything I think of Britney and of her bravery. I know then that there is nothing that I cannot overcome through the inner strength that can only be gotten from Jesus.

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1st Freeze Tonight

Category: Flowers and Vegetables | Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:07 am

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Tonight we get our first freeze, a bit early at that. Goodbye butterfly ginger, I cut the last of it to bring to Mom along with some roses. Goodbye impatiens and moonflower vine, no more until next year. Bye, bye thunbergia vine, it did far better than I thought it would and hopefully I will get some more started for next year. No more zinnias, lantana, cannas, or morning glories. I do feel blessed to get to enjoy these plants and many others for such a long time, but I am always sad to see them go with the first freeze. But I will still have the roses, they usually have a flower or two at all times. And I already see signs of spring, new irises coming up all over, and daffodils popping up their slim green blades. So while others rest for our short winter, these are gearing up to bloom, and the seed and plant catalogs will be coming in the mail. I can wile away those winter blues with dreams of next years beauties.

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The Long Pond

Category: Childhood Memories | Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:26 am

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I grew up on the Mississippi River in a very small rural town named Darrow, Louisiana. We lived on two and a half acres and Dad had a real mini farm going on. We had chickens, rabbits, hogs, and he raised beagle dogs to train and sell. Our favorite thing to do was to go on picnics at the Long Pond. The pond was located about 5 miles from our house and was behind the levee. Sometimes Dad would cook a jambalaya over an open fire and sometimes Mom would get up at four in the morning and fry chicken and all the fixings to go with it. We always had friends along and always fished. We would run to the top of the levee and roll down to the bottom, making sure there were no cowpies or other dangers in the path. Down a small road that led to the river was a sandbar. When we were older we were allowed to go there and swim. I can remember the river shrimp pinching our toes, more of a tickle than a pinch. I can still smell the smells and feel the river breeze on my face. I can remember the scary thrill of going down the levee at an angle in the car, always afraid we would tip over. But what I can't do is ever go back to the Long Pond, nor could I take my kids there when they were growing up so they could experience the things that I did. The Long Pond no longer exist as I knew it. Someone, in the name of progress, saw fit to dredge it out to the river and make a dry dock for tug boat repair. We were the last generation of children to enjoy all of lifes simple wonders at the Long Pond.

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How We Met

Category: Family and Everyday Life | Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:10 am

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I am putting this in Everyday Life, although it is something that has happened only once in a lifetime for me. And I thought I would tell the story before Richard does because he tells it entirely different.
It was September 1972 and I was in my third semester at college. I was getting up at 4:30 in the morning to catch a bus and not getting home until 7:00 at night. I was exhausted so I talked Mom into letting me move to Hammond. That move changed my life. The first time I saw Richard was at my roommates boyfriends house. We went over there and he was sitting on the front porch. He said no one was home, not the real talkative type, but I knew as soon as I saw him that we would be together the rest of our lives. The next time I saw him was sitting in the yard at his house, I was riding a bicycle and he sicced his dog on me to try and get me to stop. I kept on going. The third time I saw him was at the local bar when he poured me a glass of beer from his pitcher. I, of course, asked my roommate who he was and she just said a friend of Skips, her bf. Well one day I was hanging around my apartment and who should show up, my roomie, with Richard in tow. Her exact words, "This is my roommate Sharon, Sharon this is Richard, bye I gotta go to work." I was dumbfounded, but we got to talking and we went out, and I guess something clicked because we have been together ever since.
Now for his side of the story, "She pitched a tent in my front yard and my Mom said I'd better go out with her so she would leave." Likely story huh.



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Ooey Gooey Cake

Category: Cooking | Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 2:03 am

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This is a great cake and so easy, and of course it is calorie free.

1 box butter cake mix
1 egg
1 stick melted margarine

Mix together throughly and pat firmly into bottom of 9x13 inch pan.

1 8oz. block cream cheese, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 lb of powdered sugar
2 tsps vanilla

Mix together until well blended pour over crust and bake in a 350 degrees preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until firm in center. Cool completely and cut with a wet knife.

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Charity and the Garbage Truck

Category: Pets | Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 1:12 am

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While we were saving for a place of our own we lived in a ratty trailer park by a stinky swamp. The trailer park had a garbage hopper that was emptied weekly by a very large truck with the arms over the front to pick up the hopper. Well, Charity hated this truck, she really wanted to do it bodily harm. Now remember she only weighs 11 pounds. I guess she was about 2 years old when she finally got her chance to get the big bad truck. I thought it had already passed through the trailer park and wanted to walk down to Mom's trailer. I opened the door to peek out and that was when Charity heard it gearing down to turn in the last drive to the trailer park. Zoom, right between my legs at the speed of lighting. I was right behind her yelling at the top of my lungs, to no avail. The driver saw what was going on so he stopped the truck for me to catch Charity. When it came to a stop she ran over there barking and grabbed the front tire and started shaking her head back and forth. I thought this man was going to split a gut laughing at her. I tried to grab her, but she just ran under a trailer. I had to stay between her and the truck while he emptied the hopper to keep her from trying to attack again. I just bet he still talks about the garbage truck killing dog.

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How We Got Charity

Category: Pets | Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:14 am

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There was a food closet at a church we used to attend. The food bank gave out food and we would donate our time when we went to pick up the food. Then we would head back to the church to unload the food. Very routine. Except this time. We got to the church, unloaded the food, but it in the room used for the food closet and went to leave out of the side door. There sat this very tiny black and brown puppy. I looked at her, and then at Richard and said NO, we do not need another dog. I walked up the side of the church to the car, turned around to get in the car and here is Richard with the puppy, "We can't just leave her here, she is too tiny and something will happen to her." Me, "No, we don't need her.", Richard, "Well I'm not leaving her here." So that's how we got her, and I named her Charity.


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Richard Is Soooooooooo Happy

Category: Family and Everyday Life | Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:07 am

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I have lost my voice. Him and the kids are delighted. It is their favorite time of the year. It usually happens twice a year. My sinuses act up and I totally loose my voice for a few days. They are so happy they don't know what to do. I can't fuss, give orders, or any of those other nasty things. I, however, do manage to squeak out "I love you's."

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Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Category: Cooking | Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:37 pm

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This is real easy and good.

Four boneless skinless chicken breast
1 head broccoli
1 cup grated american cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Boil chicken, cool and cube. Steam broccoli until not quite tender. Layer chicken, chopped broccoli and cheese,in a 3 quart casserole dish, making 2 layers. Top with mushroom soup. Bake in a 350 degree oven until bubbly. I usually put just a little of the chicken broth in the bottom, maybe an eight of a cup, it comes out a little creamier that way. This should serve 4 people easily. I, of course, have to double this recipe.

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