Beautiful sunflower, do you see the bees? Made me smile...

Maybe I should do a blog challenge, because I haven’t felt like blogging lately, the only problem is I haven’t wanted to do much lately. So, a challenge wouldn’t work for me. I finally scheduled some post of the recipes I had done awhile ago, so by the end of the week I just didn’t feel like being random and I had book club Saturday, so I figured I would blog Monday. Well Monday came and went and I still didn’t feel like blogging. Plus, my allergies are acting up causing me headaches and such. So here I am this Friday, about to be totally random and rambling and probably boring.

My first bouquet.  Beautiful...

I will not be blogging about Trayvon Martin’s case on this blog. My anonymous blog has my feelings, thoughts and what I feel needs to be done. I will say this, we as African-Americans need to start valuing our males so no one can devalue them any longer. Every day that I am in contact with a black male is an opportunity to see how much they are appreciated and I need to make it happen not sometimes, but all the times. A simple thank you with a smile to a young black male can make them feel a least for a moment special.

Speaking of book club, on discodiva’s blog I went to rambling in the comments about my book club. We have been together 14 years and folks are always impressed with the idea. However, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing and if you have read this blog long enough you know there were moments where I wanted to disband. Several moments. One reason I didn’t was I didn’t start my book club for any other reason but I loved to read and wanted to share that love with others and those not onboard with that mission are no longer a part of our book club. We currently have 11 members. We will be recruiting new members very soon. FYI – our members are found through our website and member and friend referrals. They go through an application process and then they actually attend three meetings where they can actually see how we are run and whether we are a good fit for them and we as members get to see if this person will be a good fit for our group. I always say, everyone wants to be in a book club, but aren’t willing to put in the work needed to stay in get the value from it as well. I have gotten some nasty emails from folks who are appalled they can’t just drop into a meeting and not be “vetted”. We are a bonded group and we don’t want someone to come in and fracture what has been built. If we were a transient group, bonding would not occur because folks wouldn’t be comfortable discussing issues that come about from our books. My feelings still get hurt from the emails, but somehow I am able to shrug it off and say thank you Lord because they weren’t going to be bringing the right energy to our group. My sister tried joining a group in California, but the group was transient and every meeting or outing there were different faces attending. Only the founder and her friend were consistent.

Smiling before book club meeting...

Our meeting Saturday was wonderful. We had a great time discussing Eric Jerome Dickey’s, Decadence. Although a few of us, including myself weren’t enamored with Dickey’s latest, we have to give him credit for broad vocabulary and his ability to write a woman’s voice. We also have some upcoming bonding excursions coming up as well and I can’t wait.

I have two more Creative Cooking spots to write up. I am so lazy this week.

Asian Turkey Wraps

Apple cinnamon muffins with a crumb topping...

I need to retightened and wash my hair. I started and then I stopped because I just didn’t feel like it. I need a vitamin or something. I told The Guy I needed to teach him how to retighten my hair. He responded, “Never had anyone want me to do their hair and I always wanted to see what you go through to do it.” I took that is yes he will learn to retighten my hair, but don’t hold your breath because I am still asking him to wash my hair.

I wished the treadmill was working again. The belt always needs lubing, which is ridiculous when it hasn’t even been a month since the last maintenance was done. Back to the elliptical and weights.

I guess I will walk/jog the neighborhood.

Does God show up for you and show out? He did that this morning. I am so Thankful!

My brother isn’t talking to me. It is my fault. Shrugging. I say what I mean and mean what I say. He recently went into the hospital and he posted on FB he had a sickle cell crisis. First of all, my brother has the sickle cell trait not the actual disease. He supposedly was re-diagnosed with a form of sickle cell that is in between the actual disease and the trait. However, him posting it on social media had my folks calling and it is so difficult explaining he doesn’t have the disease, but form of it that even he can’t explain to you. I learned about what his says he has and can explain it better than my brother and he is the one with the condition. But he isn’t mad about that I called him on posting things of that nature on social media, he is mad because I told him to not have his married girlfriend call me. I don’t care who he loves, but I don’t live a life of drama and I damn sure ain’t going to be in the middle of such drama. Whoosah!

My sister has finally given up the idea of going to New York for her 40th birthday. Thank you! Now we are looking at doing a family vacay in New Orleans where we do some community service while we are down there. Much more my speed. You know why I didn’t really want to go to New York, besides the number of people and small quarters? Bedbugs.

I just finished a pretty good book for review, The Goody Box by Valerie Coleman. It was pretty good until the ending. I do not like books that leaves so much open in order for there to be a sequel. It is 2013, and this book was done in 2010. I forget about the book when there is a long span of time before the sequel. And author’s every book doesn’t need a sequel. Please and Thank you!

I have been having a rash of turnovers on my 2nd job. Folks will put in a two week notice, but only work one week. WTF? I have a lot of interviewing to do for the next two weeks. And I have to take the Servsafe test as well. So not cool.

I am so vain...

Losing weight isn’t going well at all. I am so sorry I allowed the stress of my break in and the identity theft to make me not eat, because my metabolism is in the pits.

Just because...

My garden is at its end. I still have tomatoes, so I will have fresh tomatoes until about September. But the cucumbers, well they are some still out there but unfortunately worms are finding their way into them. Okay, if you have been reading my blog I am scared of worms. And I will abandon the plants if I see a worm. I can’t beat them. So I pulled three cucumbers last Thursday in between the rain, because it has rained everyday for a month. So I put them in a colander and thought nothing of them. On Sunday, I was making a tomato and cucumber salad and I started cutting a cucumber and it had a brown spot through it, the second was the same way and the third one when I went to cut it I looked down and there was a worm on my hand. Well, pandemonium ensued and I was trying to get the creature off me and throw the cucumber in the trash. Nothing was wrong with that cucumber, but I knew I was done with the damn things after that. Full disclosure, I ate one the other day after I made sure there was nary a hole on it. And the zucchini, forget about it. I got one good one and the other one I had some animal ate it so, whatever. No doing those again.

My cousin wanted to get some of my grape tomatoes for a salad they were preparing for a party. Guess what? I didn’t have but a few because I gave them away and I know freeze them for soups this fall and winter. Last year when they were coming out my azz, she didn’t need any. Oh well…

The other morning when I was talking to my sister, she had me on speaker phone and Lala was growling on the phone. Seriously?

How can such a pretty smile child, resort to growling?  If you have an answer, please let me know!



Hunny Bunny had a new hairdo, that I so loved. She didn’t care for it.

If Hunny Bunny would just get so vain, she has model potential.  Love the hair...

My sister did her own Senegalese twists. Now if she would learn to do retighten my hair.

Great job, now if she would stop saying no to retightening my hair...

Caitlyn goes to WSSU very soon.  Her mama is going to be a mess.  Me...I ain't about that crying life.

Caitlyn...she has a lovely, well paid for smile!

Just got back from Baumhowers’ for lunch. It was okay. I am about to go workout because those were wasted calories. I was trying to be a team player. Wings and curly fries. I wish I had eaten my salad because I feel yucky!

No big plans for the weekend unless you call working the 2nd job a plan and interviewing folks. Otherwise, I will run a couple errands on Saturday and rest when not working. I ain’t cooking anything, except my Sichuan wontons, but I am feeling light sandwiches.

Speaking of sandwiches, I made my chicken salad differently this time. I roasted my chicken instead of boiling it. OMG! The taste and texture and flavor took it to a new level. Thank you Barefoot Contessa for that tip!

I am so glad I feel great today, because yesterday was a bummer. The headache was aggravating. But when I got home and tinkered around in the garden, with some OFF on I felt better. Weird. I didn’t even have an appetite either. Allergies…no and stop!

We now have a place to go and take pole dancing classes, at Her Moves Dance Fitness. I am so looking forward to that and chair tease. They even have erotic aerobics. If I can get the Ciara chair moves, man I will be on fire. LOL! Don’t expect to see any pictures.

Hope you have some great plans for the weekend! If not, be sure to give yourself permission to do nothing if you want to!

And no post would be complete without a picture of my clubbing partner, Carson...w/his dad.

P. S. This post almost didn't get posted because Blogger and photobucket are on crack...!

Happy Saturday Randoms...

I have a wonderful smile...I know I amVain

I don’t really have any excuses on why I haven’t really blog this past week, but the truth of the matter is I have been busy this week at work. And when I have a moment to think, I become busy again. Geez, I clean my desk off only for it to be covered in files, questions, answers and frustration. However, it makes for a quick week. So I really can’t complain.


And you know when I take too long to do some randoms these posts are filled with pictures.

Okay, taxes are due on Monday. You have done your taxes right? Well, everyone knows I wait until at least Easter to even look at my taxes. I use a program and punch in the numbers and Viola! I owe folks. Well this year I decided to wait until April 6th to do my taxes. I was having a pretty shitty day on Saturday so I decided let’s just make it worse since I am already in a funk. Well, I don’t owe anybody. Praise God! And I am so glad He heard my prayers. So, I wait until Thursday to print out the taxes and do a final review. Why oh why did my printer act a fool? I was so mad because I couldn’t save the info to a flash drive and print on another printer. I had to bring my entire laptop with me and find the forms online and punch in the numbers. I was so mad. Seriously, it was like doing my taxes all over again. They were finished. I refused to buy cartridges for my printers. I buy cheap ones, because I rarely print at home. Seriously, the cartridges cost $50 to 60 dollars. I can buy a printer for $30. You do the math. A printer and its cartridges last me at least 2 years. Seriously, do the math. My taxes are ready to mail. On Sunday night, because I am ratchet like that.

I know a new Creative Cooking posted this week. But just for the record I had 2 Creative Cooking fails. No real pictures. Just know they failed. I tried to make a Strawberry Cake, that thing was so heavy and dense and the icing I wasted butter on that thing and it was awful. I threw the whole thing in the garbage, well except the slice I tasted, which incidentally tasted like grass. And I tried to make soft pretzel bites. Failed. The things were so nasty I just was like ugh! Tasted like grass too. Seriously, I thought they tasted a bit like parsley and I do not like the taste of parsley.

Strawberry Cake Failed!

I am still making smoothies. They help when I am feeling a little hungry. However, I have been trying to eat every 2 or three hours, nothing big, just light meals to increase my metabolism.

Strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, yogurt smootie

This week I worked the 2nd job Tuesday and Wednesday and was off Friday night. I didn’t know what to do with myself. Friday I went to the grocery store then went home and washed, moisturized, dried, braided and styled my hair all before 8 pm. Then I was sitting there like, what the hell do people do on Friday nights? I have to work on Friday night or I am out of town, I was bored. I mean I painted my toenails, waxed and shaved. And it still wasn’t bedtime. And nothing and I mean absolutely nothing was on TV after SVU went off at 8 pm. I watched, Why The Hell They Got Married Two. I know that isn’t the title I just call it what I want to.

For Easter, the owner’s mom and sister gave me and the other manager a plant. I was thankful for the plant, but ya’ll I do not seem to keep houseplants growing. The last peace lily from my aunt’s funeral is on its last legs. The other manager assures me I can maintain it. Wish me luck.

My new Easter plant...

Well I have gotten most of the items I need for gardening. Got up early this morning to head to Home Depot to get stuff. Ya’ll if they didn’t have seeds for my Moss Roses; I was going to leave my buggy in the middle of the aisle and leave. I really didn’t care they didn’t have the particular raise garden I wanted and I forgot to get garden hose, I wanted my flower seeds. I love those flowers. Lucky for everyone, I found them when I found the racks on top of racks of seeds. I almost started turning around in excitement and I remembered I ain’t got time to do all that damn planting. I am traveling this summer.

My seeds...I also got two Grape tomato plants

I wrote this wonderful Editor’s note for my book club’s newsletter about Acts of Kindness and Paying it Forward and Sunday night I watched Joel Osteen and his message was about the same thing. How wonderful was that? I still get goose bumps thinking about it. I should have the site updated on Thursday so you can check it out. Especially since Scandal will not be on.

**Spoiler Alert***Okay, did you see the last episode? Why was I so piss with Olivia? I get she is a flawed woman. I get her personal life is flawed. But can she have some standards? I was so not happy she was in bed with Jake I was mad, actually. My texts to my sister went like this:

Shonda is on my nerves. I can’t deal man.
I am mad with her dumb ass.
OMG!
I am scared.
Bullshyte…3 weeks.

Since I didn’t have Scandal to watch on Thursday, I decided to watch the premiere episode of Hannibal. OMG! That show is amazing. It really is good. But, if you are opposed to violence and a lot of blood, this may not be for you.

My niece posted a video on FB of her singing this song. Love her voice. But I had to tell her, “Sweetie, you know your Aunt Nana loves you right? I love the song, but what is going on with your hair? We don’t appear anywhere with our heads looking rough.” She assured me she had a hair appointment. See the results below.

Lawd, she is growing up.  She goes to college this fall.  Damn, her mama is old.

Easter was spent at my cousins, very low key. Good dinner and then nice quiet night.

The Guy is under the weather right now. I keep asking him if he is allergic to gluten because this has been an issue for him since the holidays. So he was in the ER all last night until this morning. Sighing…I had no idea. He left his phone at work and couldn’t call me. Shoot, I would have had something to do on Friday night.

Lala has made it abundantly clear she does not want to come to Alabama to stay with me. And she is walking up a storm and talking gibberish up a storm. The other morning when her dad was getting ready for work, she called out, “Daddy!” He responded and she said, “Um, I want my breakfast.” Quite clear. My sister was like at least she knows her mama doesn’t cook breakfast. LOL! She is also banned from the movie theater.

Enough said!

Carson has a serious side-eye.

Carson side-eyeing his dad.  Side-eye proper!

I also got sick the week before Easter. The damn carpet on my 2nd job. I woke up on Monday feeling ugh so I called in saying I would be late. I woke up an hour later feeling worse than before. However, I made it to work on Tuesday, but I knew I was getting a sinus infection. Well, Wednesday I called and check my account balances and went to the Primed. I got my antibiotics and Mucinex and although I felt like crap I still made it to my eye appointment. You know I haven’t had a sinus infection since before we went to Myrtle Beach in 2011? I know my eye doctor hates to see me coming because what happened last year. However, things went magnificently. In fact, the vision in my left eye improved a little bit and the prescription changed slightly to a lower number and my right eye looks good. Only thing is I have to have pictures taken of both my eyes every year for now on.

Rick Ross’ lyric to whatever the damn song is should have been changed before it was ever recorded. Date rape is not to be taking lightly.

I love how Dallas is going this season. Even though I miss JR, the storylines are truly captivating.

Okay, I watched the last 10 minutes or so of Southland this week. And my nerves were so tore up I was in tears. I had no idea what lead to the scene I was watching but the violence was just too much. I mean I was crying ya’ll. I love Southland and the grittiness of the show, but this week’s episode affected my core. Really. The season finale is next week. I don’t even know if I can watch it.

I am going to try to enjoy the rest of the weekend, because next week is going to be quite busy. I have to volunteer for the Joy to Life walk. Nope not walking again. They are still doing the same route and I refuse to do the route again. However, I will be there to volunteer.

I am currently reading Leslie by Omar Tyree. I have had the book since it came out in 2001, but just now getting to it. I finished our book club read; Sinners and Saints can’t discuss the book with you all here because I have to for our meeting in two weeks.

Happy Saturday!

Carson's school Picture

Ya'll ain't ready

This is the same little girl who is banned from the movie theater

Yep, the same little girl...

Black Water Rising...A Book Review

I am almost, but not really shame to say I have had this book since 2010. I purchased it the last time I ventured to the National Book Club Conference in Atlanta. It took me a while to get to the book because I forgot I had it because I have a huge TBR (To Be Read pile) and it took me a while to realize I was in need of something different and instead of ordering something new, I decided to shop my TBR pile. And I came up with this gem.


Black Water Rising by Attica Locke is a suspense mystery set in Houston, Texas during the early 80s. We have this African-American attorney who is struggling in his practice and he knows his family needs money because his wife is pregnant with their first child. At first glance, Jay Porter seems like a meek man who is just pushing through life and taking the knocks as they come, but we soon realize Jay has a history which during the riotous and black power days of the 70s he was very much part of the college protests of the times. He also has a felony arrest record. To celebrate his wife’s birthday he plans, albeit a cheap surprise for her to take a boat ride and enjoy some food and each other’s company. What started as a good faith effort ends up with the couple rescuing a young woman from the murky waters and from here Jay’s life gets crazy. He relies on his former days as an activist to help him figure out who the woman is and what does it all have to do with him. This is a whodunit which has you questioning quite a few folks all the while dealing with a labor crisis in Houston, Jay trying to protect his family and what big oil is doing to America.

I enjoyed every minute of this story. When I like a book and I see myself reading it too fast, I will slow my pace down because I want to savor every word and portion of the book. There are quite a few characters in this novel, but essential for the tale and mystery to unfold. Locke does a good job of creating a flawed, but believable character who is dealing with unusual circumstances. The meshing of the time periods was seamless and important in the development of Jay’s character. She describes the time period and era with great honesty. This was an attention grabber from the opening pages and I was sad to read the last few pages. A well-written, complicated and thoughtfully done suspenseful tale with an engaging cast of characters. Well worth reading.

Cashana...2013

Do You Have Your Copy, Yet?

Have you gotten your copy of Z-Rated:  Chocolate Flava III edited by Zane with a story by my sister, Tiffany?  Out officially today, go on and get your copy...I will be waiting for you to tell me how you like it! 

P. S. I'll will be later this week with some randoms on what has been happening in my life.

The Help...The Movie...

Since I do not want to give away too much about the movie let me tell you about the screening and a few tidbits about the movie. A couple of weeks ago I received an email from a Disney intern asking would my book club be interested in attending the screening of The Help in Montgomery. I received the email the day before book club meeting, which was great and of course members jumped at the opportunity and a couple vowed to read the book before the screening. Not me. I knew about the book, the controversy and the effect it had on readers and reviewers. Plus, I just didn’t want to rush to read a book just because it was coming to the big screen. We all know they have to take some dramatic licensing for the movie to play well to an audience.

Now getting the passes to the screening I felt like I was jumping through hoops. The intern promised to FedEx them that Wednesday, which meant they would get to me on Thursday and no later than Friday. And since they were coming from Atlanta I figured no big deal. Want to guess when I finally got the passes? Wednesday before the Thursday screening. I had to contact the intern about the passes a couple of times and found out she supposedly sent them by mail, I still haven’t received the mailed ones. All I am saying is someone wasn’t being upfront about sending the passes. And if the book club members weren’t so hyped about the outing I would not have followed up as I did. I mean the family vacation would commence the very morning after the screening. Thank goodness they came in time and I emailed my members and told them, you can’t be late, no video cameras and seating was first come, first seated. For once, the members heeded my notice.

I was there well in advance and from what we could tell, the film folks had done their research on women’s groups and book clubs in Montgomery in order to fill the screening. And it was full. The “security” for Disney, Sony and some other film companies was this big, tall African-American guy with the personality of Will Smith, totally witty and fun to converse with.

The film started a few minutes after 7 pm with no previews. Straight screening. LOL! It takes place in 1961 Mississippi during the early happenings of the civil rights movement. A young white college graduate comes home to Mississippi and wants to be a novelist or journalist and after a particular incident decides she wants to write the stories of what is like to be a maid for white women. The movie is funny, insightful and there are moments when you must have tissue ready. I barely recognized Sissy Spacek, “I’m gone have a baby.” I am sorry that is like my favorite line and I say it all country too! You will see Cicely Tyson and will be awed by her appearance. However, the main characters Aibileen and Minnie played by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer respectively give this movie heart and character. FYI – the guy I date (yeah I am still dating) went to high school with Ms. Spencer. I wish I could tell you my favorite line from the movie, but I would be giving too much away. On August 10, find your way to a movie theater and check out this movie, I am sure you will enjoy it!

BTW – One of my book club members told me I embarrassed them with all my damn crying. Whateva!

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones  (Possible Spoilers)

Love this story and our book club discussion is going to be very interesting!

One of the things I like about Tayari Jones’ writing is the voices she gives her characters and how authentic they seem. In all three of her novels, I can picture her reading in those voices and making the story truly come alive. FYI – I met Tayari when she was promoting Leaving Atlanta and she was at local independent bookstore here in Montgomery. To this day, the one thing I remember is the animated voice she gave to her characters from that novel; she is one author who does a great reading.



This story is broken into two parts Dana and Chaurisse. The opening line was poignant because it propelled you towards a story we may have already seen play out or know someone who has been in similar circumstances. I don’t want to give away too much of the story but know it deals with bigamy, infidelity, self-worth, legitimacy and other deeply rooted issues. Dana’s character gave me a real insight into how a child, who must be kept a secret, deals with the choices her parents made and its effect on her emotionally. I felt for Dana’s character on several levels, but mostly the feeling of wanting the security in knowing her father loved her unconditionally. Chaurisse’s character was also strong because she had to face some unpleasant truths about the life as she knows it, I loved that she was angry and defiant and I could empathize with what she was dealing with.

When I finished this story, I was in tears and very angry with James. Somewhere between the last pages and remembering my own life the dislike of my own father trickled within me and I understood so clearly how much Dana hurt, because I do not understand the inability of a man to not acknowledge his child. How does a real man sleep at night or teach his son’s to be a man if he has never “manned up”?


The characters grew up during the same timeframe as I did so of course I could identify with the music, television and clothing of the time. Jones had me relieving my school years with the authenticity. The story moved in an exacting pace and built up to its climax, which I wasn’t quite sure how it would go, but I knew a revelation would come and Jones did it right. Silver Sparrow is well-written, with lyrical moments and poignant truths and no unrealistic fairytale ending.


Rating:  4.5