PENSIEVE

Saturday Shorts & Shout Outs

Because I'm one of Paula Deen's BFFs, she "offered" me use of her Tybee Island beach retreat.  In fact, she trusts me enough that she allowed me to pass along her rental information to my awesome readers (and in case you suspect, this is NOT a sponsored post!!).  Three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, a five-minute bike ride to the beach, 25 minutes to The Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah--what's not to love?  

Good gracious--renters also receive a welcome gift full of Paula Deen's products, a personalized Paula Deen Cook Book, reservations at Uncle Bubba's Oyster House and The Lady and Sons restaurant.  But I'm thinkin' there's a wee bit of "bait and switch" on their "pictures" page--there's no way Bobby and Jamie can greet everyone who visits!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ever since I wrote The Southern Way, I've been craving homemade ice cream.  I've found a few electric models (a Holmes Ice Cream Maker and a model by Rival) but I'm thinkin' if I pulled the trigger to buy one, I'd HAVE to get a hand-cranked ice cream churn (if you get one and I get one, we can make LOTS of flavors!).  I had a bit of sticker shock, but considering my nostalgic childhood memories attached to it?  More than worth the price!

~~~~~~~~~~~

That sneaky Classic Housewife...she thinks she can talk about me behind my back and me not find out??  She dared to suggest how I'd respond when I read what she had to say, and daggum it....she was right.  S i g h...I didn't realize I was so predictable....

{Kidding aside, Amber has shared a list of blogs that inspire her and why they do, and I'm honored to be included in this company.  Thanks Amber!}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wish I caught it everytime someone links to a post of mine, but I don't.  Google alerts haven't been unreliable and people don't always use trackbacks...and I'd love to be able to thank those who share the link-love.  Like A Simple Walk; she linked to my "Swimsuit Shopping Tips for Moms" post and introduced my blog to her readers.  I'm grateful for that :).

{If you read this and have linked to a post of mine and I haven't thanked you, will you please knock me upside my head and let me know???} 

Lori at Lori's Reflections is one of those I **forgot** to say thanks to, at least publicly.  She shared her thoughts throughout our Compassion Bloggers trip to India, and I was so grateful for her support (prayer and otherwise) I can't believe I didn't think to do this!  If you aren't familiar with her blog, start with her Compassion International posts (several of those linking to Compassion bloggers' posts), then bounce around her archives.

Intertwined, To Be Good News & Other Important Information, Looking back, 70 More

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last but hardly least, are you planning on attending the Type-A Mom Conference in Asheville this September?  Before you take your next breath--mark your calendar for the 24th-27th!  Devoted to excellence and with great focus and intent, Kelby Carr  {aka @typeamom} is designing an event that will help you "take your blog to the next level".  Billed as "The ultimate power mom blogging conference," please don't let that intimidate you from attending; instead, let it infuse energy and passion into your writing.

Plus...selfishly I want my readers to attend...sweet mercy, I'm speaking and I NEED you there!  Please...check out the site for details, and then register here {that let's Kelby know how you learned about the conference}.  If you register by the end of June, you'll save $100 off the conference price, so no dilly-dallying, k?

Love Paula Deen? THIS giveaway is for YOU!

Paula Deen 's people have been gracious enough to offer me something truly special for this quarter's giveaway:  an enlarged copy of her magazine cover, mounted on foamcore and personalized by The Lady herself!  This is a treasure for the true Paula Deen fan, a collector's item since only a few are produced!

To be eligible to win:  Read any of my Paula Deen posts (it's fun to see how our "friendship" has developed and how she now counts me as one of her stalkers most intimate of girlfriends) and leave a comment here about any of them.  Make sure to express your enthusiasm about WHY you should win this giveaway, and you might just come away with this prized possession from one of the top Food Network divas!

Thousands of dollars are being given away at the Bloggy Giveaways carnival this week--click NOW for you chance to win!

(Please see my main giveaway post for a listing of all giveaways and eligibility guidelines). 

This giveaway is open to domestic delivery only :).

Blogger, Interrupted

Is it just me, or have you mentally written about two dozen blog posts that haven't found their way out of your head and onto the page because they're obstacled by shopping or cooking or family time or visiting or cleaning or eating or traveling or everything-ing lately?

I do think "obstacle" makes a nice verb, don't you?  And "everythinging"?  It should definitely make Webster's New Words of 2009 next year (or Urban Slang--will one of y'all submit that for Word of The Day?  Is there even such thing as Urban Slang Words of the Day???).

I mean, you're missing fabulous stories about The Great Christmas Irony of 2009 and The Day We Found Out Bananas-the-Baby-Bunny is a BOY and How Paula Deen Tried To Kill Me AGAIN which might have as its companion post This Morning I Ate Sin For Breakfast (thanks to @CPAMom for the suggestion). 

This hasn't been an intentional blogging break, but it's been a full one :).  We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming (or something like that) soon.  In the meantime?  Peace and joy and love and life to you and yours.

xo

Uh, oh: Our Thanksgiving Day Disaster

"Need" is a relative term, don't you think?  How often do you begin a sentence with the words "I need..." when the truth is "I want..." would be more accurate? 

No irony is lost as I pen those words on Black Friday (**wink**).

While I'd love to explore the distinction between needs and wants, this post isn't about that exactly...perhaps a qualifier would help me express my current state of "need": 

Because I've grown accustomed to the convenience it provides and everyone in our family uses it every day, I need a new microwave.

"Why?" you ask.  Well, yesterday while heating the packet of glaze that accompanied our Smithfield Spiral Sliced Ham (recommended by my beloved Paula Deen), it exploded.

It wasn't pretty.

Glazing the ham and popping it back in the oven for 15 minutes was one of the last tasks to complete for our Thanksgiving feast.  When I checked the glaze packet's progress at three minutes into the heating cycle, I was already too late.  To my shock and horror, as I peered through the glass, I saw the a disgusting brown goo effervescing (<---SOooo the perfect word because it WAS bubbling, hissing and foaming as gas escaped!) over the sides of the dish the packet was in.  Upon examination of the packet, we realized it was nearly empty and the bowl was encrusted with a brown sugar resin that wasn't coming off without a fight. 

The microwave fared much worse.

It took mere seconds--SECONDS, I TELL YA!--for this stuff to harden into an amber second skin that nothing--NOTHING--could remove...not an SOS pad (though clearly I was distressed), not a chisel, not a blowtorch, not a beltsander...m a y b e some C-4 explosive, but typically we don't have that on hand. 

After an initial inner "AGGGGHHHHHHH--NOW WHAT?!?!" I calmly regrouped and remembered I've made homemade glazes for ham before the "convenience" (ha!) of a pre-made packet (using a mixture of brown sugar, yellow mustard and orange juice for thinning to pouring consistency).

Given that I have one oven, had the turkey in at 7 a.m. so there'd be time to get everything else cooked (the ham, sweet potato and squash casseroles, macaroni & cheese, rolls), and there was tons of multi-tasking going on, I'm thankful that was the only disaster.

It made for a memory, no?

Plus...that microwave was left behind by the previous homeowners when we bought our house five years ago, its interior was tinted a permanent stain of dinge, and I've been wanting to replace it for years; because it still worked, I couldn't justify it.

Perhaps I owe Paula Deen and Smithfield Foods my gratitude.  Perhaps they owe me a microwave ;).

REVISED: 

a)  Ummm...oopsie!  We just found the directions for heating the glaze and it seems "user error" might be involved; it was 4-5 minutes if heating in a pan on the stove, 45 seconds if microwaving {{blushing}}.

b)  Paula?  Smithfield?  mea culpa for pointing a finger...apparently at least three were pointing back at me :D.

Comment. Win stuff. GOOD stuff!

This is the week PENSIEVE "gives back", which is kind of like "Idol Gives Back" without the millions. 

It's time for the quarterly Bloggy Giveaways, and if you've never participated, you're missing the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in giveaways.  From my site alone, prizes are valued at over $200!

I'm not exaggerating. Most of the time you don't have to be a blogger to win, and I promise, these are legitimate giveaways and "someone" will win--it might as well be YOU! 

Monday ~ 2 giveaways sponsored by Paula Deen (included below with this post): 

• $100 gift card to use in Paula's online store
• Signed copy of "My First Cookbook", $21.99
• Scroll down for details!

Tuesday ~ Sponsored by Stampin' Up Demonstrator, Paige Batten - POSTED!

• $50 prize pack including stamp set, ink pads & more!

Wednesday ~ A gift to others, Compassion International ~ POSTED

• A Christmas donation made in your name for a special Compassion child

Thursday ~ From my library, choose from dozens of titles ~ POSTED!

• a wide range of authors from John Grisham to John Piper, Jodi Picoult to Jan Karon

Friday ~ a random assortment of a few of my favorite things ~ POSTED!

• approximately $25.  I'm not tellin' but if you read me, these will be a few treats I've mentioned during the life of my blog.  (o k a y...one hint...me likey Bath & Body)

PLEASE READ GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS to qualify for my giveaways! I'd hate for your comment to be selected, only to be disqualified because you didn't follow a few simple instructions!

1. You may enter all my giveaways as often as you'd like; separate comments count as separate entries. :)
2. Some winners will be selected randomly, others will be chosen by comment creativity and adhering to giveaway guidelines :).  Unless there are TONS of creative comments, and then I'll enlist the Random Integer Generator to choose from a narrowed field of entrants.
3. As a courtesy (to me and any blogger hosting a giveaway), please actually read the post!
4. Make sure to leave a working email.
5. Unless noted, only U.S. and Canadian bloggers are eligible.  I'm sincerely sorry for this, but International shipping rates are outrageous (she says from experience!).
6. While I enjoy reading your comments for giveaways, due to sheer volume, I'm only able to reply to comments this week on non-giveaway posts.
7. You must be willing to provide your snail mail address.
8. Commenting ends Friday, October 31st at 11:59 p.m.; winners announced by Monday at 4:00 p.m. EST.

That's about it!
Thank you so much for visiting PENSIEVE,
and if you're a new visitor,
I hope you'll make it a regular stop :).
To my loyal readers?  This week's for YOU, too!
Be sure to enter daily!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Up for grabs a $100 giftcard or an autographed cookbook--read more!

I'm a fan of Paula Deen and her darling sons Jamie and Bobby; if you've read me for any length of time, you know I speak the truth.  During last quarter's Bloggy Giveaway, I had readers swarm Jamie's blog to tell him he needed to fly me down to Savannah so I could live-blog dinner at The Lady & Sons restaurant.

Okay, not that second part, but I did send thousands hundreds a bunch of readers his way.  Because my now-good-friend, Phil-the-webmaster moderates Jamie's comments, I figured I'd give BOTH of them a break this time, and ask something different of you.

Paula's site has a new recipe section you have GOT TO CHECK OUT (by clicking this link)!  It's extremely easy to navigate, and in addition to her wonderful repertoire of recipes, she has:

• very helpful kitchen tips
• a conversion table that is reallyreallyREALLY useful
• and a basics section that covers... w e l l ...the b.a.s.i.c.s.

My favorite new features of her recipe section are being able to register, rate recipes, and maintain an on-line recipe box of your favorites! No googling, no scrounging around trying to remember where you put that hard copy--it's all right "here", keystrokes away!

Would you like to win an autographed copy of Paula's newest cookbook, "My First Cookbook"?  Or better yet, a $100 gift card to use in her online store?

• If you aren't a PENSIEVE subscriber, would you take a minute to request FREE email notification (left sidebar) or subscribe in your preferred reader;
• Visit the new recipe section and snoop around a bit;
• Return to this page and let me know a) a favorite recipe you discovered, b) that you registered so you can begin compiling your OWN box of favorites, or c) all of the above. 

ThAnKs for entering today's giveaway and be sure to check back daily for the rest of the stash; remember, there's no limit to the number of times you can comment for eligibility, but they do have to be "real" comments :).

She's trying to kill me, but I still love her

This afternoon, I planned to do two things I rarely do:  watch daytime TV and iron. I figured one made the other endurable, though really, I'm not sure which one I disdain more. 

Some friends of ours were on Rachael Ray's talk show today, and since I knew I was going to be out during the segment, last night I asked my son to record it for me.  In the midst of doing all things house and home, I set up the ironing board, rounded up a stack of wrinkled cotton, and scanned the DVR for my show.

Instead of finding Rachael Ray's talk show, however, Thomas had recorded $40 a Day.  Because many things In My Real Life mirror Seinfeld moments, "The Doll" episode popped in my mind--if you're a fan, think Kathy Griffin and the wrong barbecue sauce, and if you aren't a fan, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! never mind.

But I digress. 

This is about pre-meditated murder; the weapon of choice?  a stick of lard.  Why does EVERY RECIPE "SHE" USES include at least ONE STICK of BUTTER???  I'll get to that shortly....

I had already had one glitch in my domestic intentions when I discovered after cleaning the "trap" for our front loading HE washing machine, I HADN'T SCREWED IT BACK IN CORRECTLY AND THE ENTIRE LAUNDRY ROOM FLOOR WAS FLOODED WITH AN INCH OF WATER, but that's another story, and just cleaning up the mess nearly did me in, adding two extra loads of laundry to tend.

I was bummed about not getting to see Chip and Tracey (thanks to the internets for bailing me out on that one!), so I scanned the guide to see what else was on--there was no way I wasn't going to iron SOMETHING and I needed a distraction to keep me going.

Well, la-di-dah, my BFF PAULA DEEN was on, cooking up a breakfast that had my mouth watering almost as much as my washer.  And though I haven't had time to try them out myself, I was compelled to share my favorite with you--a true taste of the South: 

Baked Garlic Cheese Grits

Ah....just the sound of them has me livin' at altitude again (name the movie reference?).  I'll be fixin' these for breakfast the next time we have company...and if I don't live to tell ya about it, a) you can find Paula in Savannah, and b) I will have "passed" fat, dumb and happy. 

Enjoy!

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups regular grits
• 16 ounces Cheddar, cubed
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 8 ounces grated sharp white Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 4-quart casserole dish.

Bring the broth, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in the grits and whisk until completely combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the grits are thick, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cubed Cheddar and milk and stir. Gradually stir in the eggs and butter, stirring until all are combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with the white Cheddar and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Note:  check out the episode link for the other Sunday Brunch recipes:  applesauce bread, creamy apple butter and sausage balls.  Click the graphic for TONS of great ideas at Rocks In My Dryer-hosted WFMW.

Photo credit:  About.com (I couldn't find an exact photo, but this is a good representation).

Cookin' up a little somethin' special...!Bloggy Giveaway #3, and it's a GREAT one, y'all!

It's no secret I'm so tight with The Lady and Sons they're probably gonna call me later today to invite me for Sunday dinner.   The mere thought of anything whipped up by Paula, Jamie and Bobby Deen has me sloppy-droolin' like a baby cutting molars.

I know what I'm talkin' about--earlier this summer we enjoyed dinner at The Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah. Though the Deens were traveling elsewhere, we weren't disappointed; Phil and his lovely bride, Julie, took good care of us. 

For those of you newer to PENSIEVE, Phil-the-webmaster discovered my blog when I was making up stories about Paula a while back and it was fast friendship from the get-go. 

(You can thank HIM for the wonderful giveaways I'll tell ya about in a few!!)

If you'd like a true taste of the South, you must visit The Lady and Sons!  Dinner starts with complimentary hoe cakes and biscuits--if you aren't careful, you could make a meal of those!

It was a difficult choice, but in the end, we opted for the buffet rather than ordering from the menu--it was a feast for the eyes...the nose..the TONGUE !  Mountains of fried chicken, a shrimp boil that made me long for the low country, country fried steak and gravy (so worth the heart attack), and the sides and veggies?  DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THOSE!  Creamed corn, butter beans, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, perfectly mashed potatoes...it's a blessing we don't live closer 'cause just TALKIN' ABOUT THIS made me gain five pounds--the button just popped off my shorts!

I couldn't wait for today's Bloggy Giveaway--not only is it a chance for me to share my love and affection for all things PaulaDeenY'all, it's my most expensive offering of the week--over $100 from PaulaDeen.com.  Let's get to it:

The giveaways ~

$50 Paula Deen Giftcard
Country Cookbook Set (RV:  $32.90)
Paula's Seasoning Set--nothin' says DE-licious like Silly Salt and Butt Massage! (RV:  $29.90)

Y'all, these are such FABULOUS GIVEAWAYS, be sure to follow the simple entry requirements to be eligible ~

• All you have to do is visit Jamie's blog, READ, then COMMENT to any of his posts telling him you came because of Robin @ PENSIEVE, and in your own words "encourage" him to check out my blog.

OR

• Look around pauladeen.com and end by commenting on her contact page that you appreciate today's giveaways at PENSIEVE.  Feel free to tell her how much you adore my blog and she really should be reading...I'm just sayin'.

Optional:

• If you're on twitter or plurk, mention today's giveaway with a link back to this post (follow me on twitter @pensieverocks)

• If you're writing about Bloggy Giveaways, mention this giveaway in your post. 

THEN, let me know in comments which of these you've done; people who do more than one thing earn additional entries :) (do all four?  4X the chance of winning).

Last thing, I'm on the fence as to whether or not to award one BIG giveaway or divide this into three giveaways so more people can win.  If you have an opinion, please vote...you'll find out my decision by Monday at midnight when I post winners of my giveaways :) (NOT required for giveaway eligibility...just a fun thing!).

So what if I'm stalking Paula Deen?3, 2, 1...The "Fireworks Finale" of Atlanta's Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show

aka So what if I'm stalking Paula Deen?

Concluding my Top Ten Highlights from the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show

[3]  Rubbin' shoulders with Paula Deen.

When you spend even a few minutes with Paula, these are the things you discover:

She likes to talk...a lot...

She likes to laugh...a lot...

She loves her baby boys--who aren't as much "baby" as they are "boy"--a lot...

She loves her husband, Michael...a lot...

And she makes me look like Miss Congeniality to her Miss America.

a)  I need a personal stylist, and b) HOW COME NO ONE AT MY TABLE TOLD ME I NEEDED LIPSTICK???

Paula is b e a u t i f u l up close, her eyes are even more bluefully amazing in person and her teeth?   So perfect she makes dentists weep.

[2]  Thank the Lord, Phil-the-webmaster is a) NOT my imaginary friend, b) NOT an axe murderer, c) actually employed by Paula Deen, d) as delightful in person as he has been on the blog.

In just an hour's time, we covered all things Paula Deen, how badly he wanted one of our pet baby bunnies 'cause for goodness sakes he had a PET SEAL as a child (!) (and a barnyard full of animals now), his parents' cattle ranching operation, our religious affiliations, and secret insider information about Paula Deen like she's beginning her own talk show in September '09 but you didn't hear it from me!!

I really need to thank Paula for giving reason for mine and Phil's paths to cross; he's one of the "good guys"--smart, generous, and insightful regarding blogging.  Meeting him would've been THE highlight of the ME&CS e x c e p t for...

[1]  A Girl's Day and Night Out with my big sister.

Five kids, two husbands, jobs and miles may separate us, but nothing can sever the tie that binds--sisterhood. 

We've lived difficult times together--our mother's death when we were practically babies, her own cancer scare ten years ago, and an excruciating 14-month watch of my father's mental ravaging by Lewy Bodies Disease--yet, somewhat miraculously, good memories outweigh the bad.  In addition to not-to-be-taken-for-granted God's grace in our lives, I think that's due in large part because I had a sister with whom to share life; maybe that WAS a manifestation of His grace. 

Lora didn't "understand" my blogging until fairly recently; one of the most precious things to me now is her advocacy.  Case in point--the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show.  She pushed me to the front row of Paula's and the boys' cooking show, she treated me to the book signing and lunch with Paula and Michael, she never grew weary from all the ridiculous pictures I took, and she was quick to grab the camera and capture shots of me when she could. 

We were silly (and for the record, she's pointing at P-A-U-L-A, not my she-parts)...

We were indulged...

There's nothing else like a princess bed with mountains of pillows, turndown service with orchids and chocolates, and 800-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets.  Mmmmm...!

We were gluttons...

It was my distinct pleasure to introduce my sister to Huey's beignets (hellloooo luv-ahs!).  When breakfast starts with those, how can it get better?  Omelettes and strawberry pain perdue, that's how!

 

But mostly, we were just sisters...

In a season when it requires intention for us to spend time together, I realized it's worth whatever the cost.  Not without our ebb and flow, our relationship is one I appreciate more with age, not less. 

And I don't hold it against her AT ALL that she used to sit on top of me, hold me down, and threaten to spit in my face.  As evidenced by my NOT publishing the OTHER pictures of her in bed!

I love ya, Loretta!  From your eternally YOUNGER sister, Roberta :).

Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show Highlights 10-8
MC&ES Highlights 7-6
MC&ES Highlights 5-4

Sometimes, good "treats" are more than just "eats"

[5]  Crinkly-eyed smiles and dimples you can get lost in.

I've seen Bobby and Jamie Deen on television and in print, but never in person before Saturday; let's just say they're "beautiful people" and be done with it. 

Okay, I'm not done with it...I wanna say more.

One brother is chasing 40, the other is winking at it over his shoulder.   One is married with a two-year-old, the other was a 2006 People Magazine's "Hottest Bachelor".  Both s i z z l e.

My sister and I just happened to walk in to the MC&E Show when they walked onto the floor.  In a flurry, my sister snapped a picture of me and Jamie while I quizzed him about Phil-the-webmaster.  Jamie assured me Phil was real, brilliant, they were fortunate to have him in their organization, and he most definitely was not a machete-wielding murder-rapist-er. 

When I bought tickets for the Viking Celebrity Cooking Theater to see the Deen brothers and their mama, I didn't realize it was such a large venue.  I was thinking an up-close-and-personal cooking demo like the ones at Fresh Market; I might as well have been lickin' toads to be so misguided!  Their session was entertaining; it just wasn't what I expected (they talked more than cooked).

Bobby and Jamie have great chemistry, infectious personalities and a high regard for women.  No wonder they charm women from 16 to 96!

[4]  Crazy celebrity-chef fans.

If you've read me for any length of time--heck, if you just take a look at my left sidebar!--you know I notice feet.  The insane thing about this picture is this lady didn't think it was odd at.tall. that I wanted to photograph her feet--she was VERY proud that Paula asked her to "plop her foot right up on the table" so she could get a closer look. 

Then there's Charles-the-Pastry-Chef.  He wanted to create something spectacular... memorable...an original work of culinary art for his Kitchen Princess.  So, he married two of Paula Deen's favorite things--butter and Elvis-- and voila!  An Elvis-Impersonated- by-a-stick-of-butter cake!  At the show it made p.e.r.f.e.c.t. sense.  Now?  Well...you be the judge (click his picture for a close-up of the cake).

Do you think stalking having my picture taken with cutie-pie Celebrity Chefs Jason Roberts and Jon Ashton makes ME a crazed celebrity-chef fan? 

Both of 'em have killer accents and me thinks they're comfortable with the ladies.... 

Stay tuned...my top three highlights are coming soon :).

Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show Highlights 10-8
MC&ES Highlights 7-6

I had a secret...and now I get to TELL!!! Can you say BIG APPLE??

Wanna win a trip to New York City?

Wanna win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City valued around $4,500?!

Wanna win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City valued around $4,500, including round-trip airfair, three days and two nights in one of Manhattan's finest hotels, a personal meet and greet with one of my close, personal friends* who happens to be The Diva of Dish???

Well, then, what in the world are you waiting for?!  CLICK THIS TO ENTER!!

And with that, ladies and gentlemen, I just decreased my own chances of winning.

S i g h...

Sometimes it ain't about me at all ;).

P.S.  If you win, will you take me???  Please?

P.P.S.  Hey y'all...nevah mind what I had as the previous PPS--THANKS WITH ALL MY HEART TO ALL OF YOU who so kindly and thoughtfully entered either "Robin at PENSIEVE" or my URL in the referral blank for the "How'd you hear about the contest?" blank.  That blows all kinds of air up my skirt while simultaneously giving me the warm fuzzies, and lemme tell ya...not much feels bettah than THAT! :)

* "close, personal friend" perhaps better described as "imaginary close, personal friend" ;).