New Roosters
Yesterday, while taking our morning walk, a neighbor hailed us and asked if we would like a rooster or two. We were thrilled at the offer, we have been wanting to get a couple of roosters and here were two grown, beautiful roosters just waiting for us to take them home. We, of course, said "Yes" and that we would return today to pick them up. We needed to prepare a place for them to pass thier first day with us. We set up a temporary home for them next to the hen's run.This morning, bright and early, we set off to the neighbors, with a couple of big boxes, and picked these two roosters for our own:
They have been named, the Buff Orpington has been named Andre, the Rhode Island Red is called Inigo Montoya, from the book The Princess Bride, a favorite book and movie, here at our home. The roosters have been spending today getting acquaited with the hens and getting used to us. We will put them in the hen's run tonight and hopefully tomorrow all will be on good terms.
We are hopeful that these roosters will help increase our flock and give us a few more laying hens.
God is so good to provide for our needs.
Home Again
Robert and I made a whirlwind trip to Phoenix at the end of October. We rented a van on the 24th, took the kids to town for some fun on the 25th, and on 26th we headed for Phoenix. It takes us about 10 hours to drive, I am always glad to rent a vehicle because we, usually, get satelite radio. Since I am always the passenger, I hardly ever get to drive, I need to be entertained.While in Phoenix, Robert worked and I got to catch up with a dear friend. She and I went for tea and then spent hours wandering around an antique mall that was close to my hotel. Oh, I had such a great time catching up with Cindy. She has been a good friend to me and my family for so many years.
She gave me a gift too, this lovely tea cup:
I am so thankful for the work that we had, that we are home safe and that I had such a lovely visit with my dear friend.
Now I have to get back to sewing and other craft projects and getting the house ready for the cold weather.
I am a Slacker
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Robert has changed my OS to Slackware!!
Busy Times
I celebrated my 50th Birthday on 24 September! Seems incredible but it is true. My oldest had his 21st birthday on the 26th. It was a great party around here for a few days, and we all had a marvelous time. My brother and sister-in-law called to chat for a bit. A dear friend, Miss Robin and her little girlies called to wish me a Happy Day, it was fun to hear from them. My Aunt called me a few days ago, I always looked up to her when I was a little girl, still do as a matter of fact.
We have also been walking a mile every day, the weather is perfect for being out and getting some exercise. Then there is the all the exercise we are getting by putting the garden to bed. The corn stalks are all pulled out and they are being chopped up to feed to the wood stove. Pumpkins are gathered in and waiting to be made into pies and other goodies.
I am working on a couple of projects too. The coal bucket is being painted and I am working on doing a little decorative painting on it, waiting to get my nerve up to work in oil paints again. Also, I am getting ready to paint the master bathroom. This has been a year long project, I haven't been making any great strides but the family is getting a little pushy about me getting it finished now that the weather is cooler.
Last but not least is sewing. Nightgowns are in process for the girls, one is finished and another is waiting to be cut out and sewn up. Jennifer has put in an order for clothes for her birthday, so I will be working on that over the next month too.
So these are the little things that are keeping me busy these days, but it is a nice busy and that is good.
First Day of Autumn
Nature XXVII, Autumn
by Emily Dickinson
The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.
The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on.
Baby Blanket
My youngest cousin and his wife are expecting their first baby in November. I made this little blanket for him.Here is a close up of the border:
Friends from the past
I did a search for Jan on the internet today. I was so excited to find that she had been written up on the ESPN site. I would like to share the article with you all.
Duncanville building on tradition
August 15, 2008 3:50 PM
By Christine Jinbo
This year's theme for the Tournament of Champions at Duncanville High School is Building on Tradition. The tournament begins today and features the top teams in Texas, particularly Amarillo and Austin Westlake, as they compete for the championship crown. The Duncanville volleyball program and tournament have a tradition of success built on the back of retired head coach, Jan Briggs.
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| Duncanville High School | |
| Jan Briggs has a winning tradition. |
The journey began at the Jr. High School level, followed by 34 years at the High School level. From the junior high level at Monahans (Texas) and Crane (Texas), Briggs moved up to the high school level at Midland Lee High School in 1965. She led the program to district championships each year, State Runner-up in 1968 and became the first athletic team to win the State Championship in 1969 at Lee High School.
During the late 1960's and early '70's, Briggs served first as the Vice President then President of the Texas Volleyball Coaches Association, while she also served as the representative for the National Federation Rules Committee for the University Interscholastic League (UIL).
In the summer of 1969, Briggs settled at Berkner High School (Richardson, Texas), a new school that had just opened where she coached the Freshmen, Jr. Varsity and Varsity teams. As the program developed, Briggs took the school to the UIL State Championship finals five times.
Briggs' final stop found her at Duncanville High School in 1975, where she coached for 23 years.
After teaching and coaching for 40 years, Briggs retired in 1998 and handed the reigns to Lyn Evans, who she mentored as a player and a coach. Evans played for Briggs at Duncanville High School and coached with her as the JV coach and Varsity assistant in the 1990's when the Panthers won the state tournament. Evans, now in her eleventh year as head coach, looks forward to the kind of successes Briggs enjoyed, not measured in wins and losses.
Briggs reflected on her life of coaching and teaching.
"Volleyball has always been my love and passion. I feel very blessed that I was able to be a small part of such a great sport and had the privilege of coaching so many talented and great young ladies. It has given me a rich family of friends who, through sharing our love of this wonderful sport, has meant the world to me."
Jan Briggs Coaching Career
1969 West All Star Coach
1971 Texas Volleyball Coaches Association First Vice-President
1972 Texas Volleyball Coaches Association President
1972-75 UIL Representative to the National Federation Rules Committee
1975 West All Star Coach
1976 Coach of the National AAU Junior Olympic Volleyball Champions Team
1977 Kellogg's Coach Of The Year
1978 Kellogg's Coach Of The Year
1990-91 11-AAAAA Coach of the Year
1993 West All Star Coach
1994-95 9-AAAAA Coach of the Year
1995-96 6-AAAA Coach of the Year
1996 Volleyball Coach of the Year - Texas Girls Coaches Association
1996 Volleyball Coach of the Year - Dallas All Sports Association
Midland Lee High School Volleyball Records
1967-68 4-AAAA State Runner-Up
*1968-69 4-AAAA STATE CHAMPIONS
*4-AAAA was the largest class then
Berkner High School (Richardson, Texas)
1970-71 State Semi-Finalist
1971-72 State Semi-Finalist
1972-73 State Runner-Up
1973-74 State Semi-Finalist
1974-75 State Runner-Up
Duncanville High School
1987-88 5-AAAAA District Co- Champs
1988-89 5-AAAAA District Co- Champs
1989-90 5-AAAAA Regional Semi-Finalist
1990-91 5-AAAAA District Champions
1991-92 5-AAAAA Area Champion
1992-93 5-AAAAA Area Champion
1993-94 5-AAAAA Bi-District Champion
1995-96 5-AAAAA STATE CHAMPIONS
1996-97 5-AAAAA Area Champions
Dangerous Chocolate Cake-In-A-Mug
My Aunt emailed me this recipe a few days ago, my daughter and I tried it out a little while ago. It isn't too bad at all.We experimented with adding some salt and baking soda to the second mug we mixed. The additions improved the flavor but it made the cake spill over the edge of the mug and make a bit of a mess in the microwave. It tastes fine without the salt and baking soda, but better with. Our additions were 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, mixed in with the dry ingredients.
We also topped the cake with a spoonful of carmel glaze.
DANGEROUS CHOCOLATE CAKE-IN-A-MUG
1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp. cake flour (plain, not self-rising)
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
Small splash of vanilla
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips, optional
Add dry ingredients to mug, mix well with a fork.
Add egg, mix thoroughly.
Pour in milk and oil and vanilla, mix well.
Add chips, if using.
Put mug in microwave, and cook for three minutes on 1000 watts.
Cake will rise over top of mug--do not be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little; tip onto a plate if desired.
Eat!
(This can serve two if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.)
***And WHY is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only five minutes away from chocolate cake any time of the day or night!!!***
Good bye, Sophie
1992 -2008
After a month of declining health and knowing that the quailty of her life was not going to improve, we took the decision to put our Sophie cat to sleep last night.
Sophie had been with us for 16.5 years, she was such sweet little cat and hardly ever got into trouble. Her last years have been difficult, but that didn't lessen the love that we had for her.
Robert was so wonderful through this, he let me take care of almost everything, even let me put her in her little grave, on the pillow that the girls had made for her years ago. I brought her home, she was my cat, I felt a deep need to do these last little kindnesses for her, and despite his concern for my hurt, he let me.
Today is a difficult day, but I know that she isn't hurting any longer and that our pain will lessen as the days go by.
Fire
About 3:00pm
I must tell you that I am heart sick at the destruction that this fire is causing. It is the largest fire that I have seen since living here. I am thankful that it headed south east, away from our little valley but still looking toward the mountains and seeing the smoke from the fires still burning and knowing that parts of the mountains will be black and scarred makes me very sad.
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New RoostersHome Again
I am a Slacker
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First Day of Autumn
