Equally Mindless Tuesday, Apple Butter Cake, Blog Linkage

Good Tuesday morning!

I told you I would be back! Everything is fine and dandy. I just needed Monday to finish up the long weekend with Mikie and whatever kid was hanging around at the time.

RANDOMNESS #1 - Austin Update - The Boy/The Man worked his first Donoho Football Game Friday night... and loved it. Not only did he get a new WVOK shirt, but Donoho WON!

And the next day, he produced the JSU game. Not only did he get to work in a place he loves, but JSU WON!

Needless to say, Austin had a very good weekend.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Josh Update - Josh arrived home Friday night and took The Chicks in our family (Roxie and Katie) to the movies. A good time was had by all, but he told me before he went to bed Friday night, "I'm going to sit in the recliner and watch football games ALL day tomorrow. Nothing else. Just football from the time I get up until the time I go to bed."

That didn't bother me... until I saw he wasn't kidding.

Josh watched seven football games back-to-back. He got up to get food and go to the restroom.

Mike joined him for five of the games, which kind of left me to my own devices... and that was good.

And Auburn WON!

RANDOMNESS #3 - Roxie Update - Roxie spent a little time in Troy with her friend, Sweet Taylor. She spent the night with Taylor in the dorm, shopped in Troy, ate in Troy and had a mini-college experience in Troy.

She went to the football game in Troy.

And Troy WON!

In other news... Samford (The Lovely Melia's school) WON and The Gardendale Rockets WON!

I'm telling you, The Faulkner Five were "golden" this past weekend in football.

RANDOMNESS #4 - Mike and Belinda Update - Mike and I went to The Fish Market Friday night. We've been to The Fish Market before, and we've always enjoyed it, but Friday night was a little special for some reason.

Our food was so delicious (crab claws for me and scallops for Mikie). Our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly. The air conditioning was turned to just the right temp for a menopausal nightmare such as myself (60 degrees OR lower).

And the best part... there was live music, and right in the middle of our dinner they sang Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon."

I'm telling you, if there had been a dance floor, I would have been all over that thing!

We had a lovely, lovely night.

The Labor Day Fishing Trip I had tentatively planned for Mike and The Brothers was cancelled due to both boys being called into work. After they left, Mike and I decided to go mattress shopping for Josh. Mike and Josh had already been to the two mattress stores in Gardendale, but he wanted to check out what Sam's had to offer.

While he was checking prices (it doesn't take two of us, you know), I stood in front of an 80" flat screen TV.

Oh... my... goodness. The money we could save NEVER going to a movie theater again as long as we live because the movie theater would be in our home... Well, it's just mind boggling, I tell you.

Once he saw my interest, he tried to drag me over to a scrawny little 50" flat screen.

I laughed at him. Why would I want a 50" flat screen when they make an 80" flat screen that is so, so much better?

He tried pointing out the price difference, but it was too late. I was about to call a Sam's employee over to lug the thing to The Big Gold Van when Mikie took my arm and dragged me out of the store.

(We're going back after church Wednesday night with our camp chairs and watch Duck Dynasty. I can hardly wait.)

RANDOMNESS #5 - The Buttered Shrimp Blouse - I bought the following blouse two weeks ago to wear with a new pair of cream dress pants. I thought it was the perfect combo of rich color and soft, swingy material which would be flattering... and yet it wouldn't touch me anywhere. (I like that in a garment.)

I wore it to church, and when I came home I started preparing my go-to Italian Shrimp recipe for Sunday lunch. It's an easy recipe and the majority of my family loves it, so I got to work before changing my clothes.

The trick to the Italian Shrimp recipe lies in putting an entire stick of butter into the baking dish in the oven before adding the shrimp and seasonings.

Once the butter is completely melted, you remove the pan and add the peeled, deveined and frozen shrimp directly into the hot liquid.

And sometimes, the hot butter pops.

And sometimes, if you're wearing an Auburn t-shirt or an apron or even a nice shirt with a busy pattern on the front, it doesn't bother you if a little butter pops.

However, when you are wearing a solid colored, brand-new, dark teal, flowy shirt which does not touch your body anywhere and the butter pops ALL OVER THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SHIRT, it can be a little upsetting.

I immediately changed clothes, treated the shrimp butter stains and washed it while I finished preparing lunch.

But to no avail.

There are still five very visible shrimp butter stains on my new shirt.

I thought about taking it back to the store, demand to talk to the Manager and ask him/her why they thought it was okay to sell a shirt to a customer when it obviously had shrimp butter stains all over it...

But I had just been to church, and I was convicted about not telling the truth.

I then called Roxie in and we tried to camouflage it with a scarf.

We decided it was not the kind of shirt one pairs with a scarf.

Roxie advised me to just keep "moving" when I wore the shirt. The stains were practically undetectable as long as I "kept moving."

This is now my "Sunday morning only" shirt. I wear it to Sunday School where I appear to be very animated and caffeinated the entire hour. I then hurry to our church sanctuary (which is very, very dark) to rest and worship.

Being animated and in constant movement for an hour that early in the morning takes it out of a 52 year-old chick.

But the shirt looks divine.



RANDOMNESS #6 - Houdini... A Dog Tale (or, Copper Got Out Again... and Again) - For the record, Copper (a/k/a Houdini) has been happily enclosed in our backyard fence for over two weeks now without an escape incident.

All of that changed Saturday... and Sunday.

I wish I could tell you about the nice, new families I met when I finally found and retrieved Copper, but the truth is Copper has learned to come home on his own.

On Saturday, I left for a 45-minute search and rescue in The Big Gold Van, and as I was returning to my street, I saw him waiting for me at the STOP sign. I was thrilled.

Mike went out and bought the necessary supplies to patch up the fence once again.

On Sunday, we left for church and upon our return, we were relieved to find him still in the backyard with Sparkle.

Mike planned on fixing the fence after lunch, but by the time we finished lunch, Copper had left the building.

Mike went one way and I went the other. After 45 minutes, I returned home to find Copper across the street waiting for our return.

I called Mike back to the house and he commenced to working on the fence.

It's Tuesday morning. So far, so good.

But who knows what tomorrow will bring.

I'm just happy he's finally figured out where he lives!




Crazy, crazy dog.

RANDOMNESS #7 - I like jewelry as much as the next female, and I have a few pieces I call my favorites.

I love my wedding ring Mikie gave me a little over 25 years ago.

I have a beautiful tennis bracelet Mikie gave me on our tenth wedding anniversary.

I have diamond stud earrings Mikie gave me for Christmas one year.

And then I have favorite costume jewelry I wear until it absolutely falls apart.

This past week, I received three new pieces of jewelry, and I think I'm going to have to add them all to my "favorites" list.


I showed you the white cross Jenny gave me week before last. (I took a few pictures of her in her wedding gown at The Botanical Gardens, and she gave me the cross as a "thank you" gift.)

Well, attached to the cross was this initial pendant necklace.

Isn't it lovely?


I also own a Pandora bracelet. I received the Pandora bracelet the Christmas after my 50th birthday, and one day when you are beyond bored and I have nothing else to offer, I will tell you the complex and intricate workings of my Pandora bracelet.

Today, I just want to show you the glass bead I purchased with some birthday money last Monday at Jeff Dennis Jewelers.

Guess what?

Anything purchased last Monday at Jeff Dennis Jewelers was FREE if it rained ONE INCH ON LABOR DAY!

IT RAINED OVER AN INCH LABOR DAY!

I'M GETTING A REFUND ON THE GLASS CHARM!

LIFE IS GOOD!


This necklace is incredibly special for three reasons.

1. My Favorite Patrick (this week), Joan, made it for my birthday with her own two hands.

2. The chain is in the brown/copper family. (I love the brown/copper family.)

3. She engraved "Enchanting Belinda" on the charm. I have never owned a piece of jewelry with "Enchanting Belinda" on it... and I think it is about time!

Blog Linkage

Go to "Dating Divas" under My Blog List and read yesterday's post entitled "50 Fun Fall Date Ideas." (You will need to type the title in the space under "Search Website" on their sidebar and it will take you to the correct post.)

Just look over the dates, please. There were a couple I thought were very good and different!

Apple Butter Cake

I made a particularly horrible Sunday lunch this past weekend. Not only was it particularly horrible, but it was supposed to be really good, and I spent a small fortune on the meat.

I made Pork Tenderloin Wrapped in Bacon and marinated in an oh-so-complicated marinade sauce I made from scratch.

Not only was the tenderloin pricey, but I bought the really expensive thick-cut (pepper on the end) bacon to wrap it.

And I overcooked it.

And it was dry.

And it tasted a lot like a very expensive jerky product.

And we were all very, very sad.

I mention the Pork Tenderloin Wrapped in Bacon under the Apple Butter Cake heading because I want you to know I made up for the particularly horrible meat recipe by baking a particularly wonderful cake.

You will need the following:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose baking mix (Bisquick)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
4 tablespoons melted butter (divided)
2 cups apple butter
1/3 cup each sweetened flaked coconut, chopped pecans and sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease an 8" x 8" baking dish.

3. In a mixing bowl, stir together the baking mix, milk, sugar, egg and 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

4. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the baking dish.

5. Cover with apple butter.

6. Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls onto apple butter layer.

7. Combine the coconut, pecans and sugar with remaining melted butter and sprinkle on top.

8. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

EXCELLENT dessert if (and only if) you like apple butter!

Have a tremendous Tuesday. I'll be back Friday with a new Seasonal Tradition, Randomness, pictures and more.

Take care, and I'll talk to you the end of the week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda