Going home, coming home

Windows down, I inhaled the familiar scent of Nebraska soil. It will always be home. The rolling hills. Less humidity. Friendly faces. Warm welcomes. Hugs and back scratches. Visiting school and spending time with my young friends and their families. Watching baby squirrels play in my sister's tall trees. Filling my trunk with books to give away. Cooking with my sister and laughing lots. She made a cream cheese cake that didn't make it to the picnic. I made Southern cheese grits with shrimp they loved. I must return often; it fuels my soul.

Old Fashioned Cream Cake

I yellow cake mix
1 large egg or 2 smaller ones
1 stick of soft butter
   Mix and pat into a 9x13 pan or dish

Mix together:
3 eggs
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring
Spread over cake mixture in the pan

Bake 350 degrees, if a metal pan, 325 if glass, 30 to 40 minutes  The top should be slightly brown.
See how fast it disappears for you.

On my return to MS, I stopped in Nebraska City at the truck stop on I29  and sat at the counter for faster service. A breakfast burrito was delivered to the man on my far right. I only noticed because he was upset about the sliced black olives on top and refused to eat any of it.  Since I do not have "olive anxiety", I offered to take them. He relaxed and ate his burrito. I enjoyed my olive topped omelet while he talked and talked. Among his other problems, he hated boiled yellow squash, too, after having to eat it three times a day at the babysitters. The poor guy is a hostage of his negative feelings.

I took a side trip to visit friends at Mt Vernon, MO. Moore, OK, had already been demolished. We were in a new tornado warning and took refuge in a friend's basement. When Joplin, MO was destroyed by a tornado, x-rays from their hospital blew more than 30 miles into this Mt. Vernon yard. Our evening was uneventful. Thank God! As they say in the South, "You must have been prayed up."

Tornado warnings continued through Tuesday keeping me in Mt. Vernon an extra day. No problem! If you like fresh ground coffee, go to Keen Bean. Enjoy their pastries, sandwiches, soups and cold drinks, too  Eighth-grader Skylar and I made the cream-cheese cake that did not make it through the day, either. He made the chocolate and oatmeal boiled cookies, monkey bread and Alfredo. His little sister, Adalyn showed us all up by winning numerous games of UNO. Tawnya Krempges is near becoming a National Sales Director for Mary Kay. Go Tawnya! I love MK"s new "TimeWise Repair Volu-Firm". My face feels firmer in just a few days. What will months do? Contact me here or on facebook if you're interested in trying it.

New routes can be interesting, challenging, or just plain dull. In pre-dawn and light fog, I discovered Arkansas has mountains on its west side with high-off-the-ground bridges connecting them. It reminded me of driving in Belgium. I hugged the left lane here, too.

Mississippi greeted me with humidity that slows my steps, proof of mice in the house and two cats doing nothing about it.  I would prefer not to use poison. If you know of a saint who drives out mice, I'd appreciate the info.

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

New Moon pull it to me!

In the Mary Kay business consultants are encouraged to put up a dream board with pictures and imagine driving the car,living in the house etc. My sponsor is Teresa, AKA as Glitz she is so charming and beautiful. Cadillacs are earned rewards. She put a picture of a Cadillac CTS on her frig and forgot about it.

She didn't work the plan or even set a goal. Her 'food nose' takes her from city to city following her husband's work. When she tells me what she ate or cooked, there is passion in her voice. Food is more than satisfying hunger, its a sensuous experience. I look forward to making her grandmother's chicken pot pie recipe with fresh sage in the crust.

Glitz's parents have been married 60 years. When she came home, her Dad asked her to come outside. She grew panicked and nervous. "What's wrong?" He just kept walking to the garage and opened the door.
"WOW. You bought yourselves a Cadillac CTS. Good for you!" She exclaimed.
"It's for you," her mother replied.
Glitz was speechless. She tells me, "It's red, cherry red, a trollop car." I love her laugh. I can just see her in it. She will turn heads twice: once for her beauty and once for the car. We have so much fun together and gobs to visit about, if we went on a road trip, or a trip to the store, there's no telling when we'd get home.

Glitz's dream board put the "intention" on the wind. The Universe did the rest. A lesson to unlimit our possibilities. Today is 1/4, the New Moon. Put your intentions out and let the gravitational pull of the moon bring them to you. Be aware that your negative thoughts will bring a harvest also. We can manifest our needs. Go get'em!

2011 Red Convertible Travel Series

Not cable, heart connections

When we lived and worked in Springfield, Missouri, a tall, lanky, former professional Nebraska cowboy, Brad Pitzer, came looking for work. His real love is pencil drawings of horses. The slightest mark on the eye tells the viewer the horse's state of mind. If you're interested in his work, leave a contact number in my comment box.

Through Cowboy Brad I met Teresa. At first glance I noticed her beautiful skin and more cleavage than is legal. I commented just on her skin. She said she was a Mary Kay consultant. If I could have skin like that, I would be, too. Enter Tawnya Krempges from Missouri who is a long-time Mary Kay director with a mile-long title. She also has beautiful skin, a ready laugh, and a wonderful positive manner. She signs her email: with unflinching belief in you. What a friend. When the two of them are together they break into song without warning. I wish I sounded that good.

While Tawnya and Teresa were here we did dream pillowcases. I dug out the stamps and pads, and colored pens. Our dreams and wishes in writing, we sleep on them. I have used this method for years on a sheet of paper slipped into my pillowcase that sounds like sleeping on potato chips. About once a year I take it out, read it, and am pleased to check off results. Miracles are expected.

If I had stayed within my comfort zone, I never would have traveled for work and made these three new life-long friends.

copyright 2006 Red Convertible Travel Series