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January 21, 2025 -- The 103rd Wedding Anniversary of my Grandparents

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 Today is the 103rd anniversary of the day that my grandparents were married in a small town in North Carolina. Atlas and Veda Freeman, my maternal grandparents. To me, they were Grandpa and Grandma Freeman. It is really quite amazing to stop and think about how different North Carolina (and the USA as a whole) are now from that January day in 1922. It amazes me to think of the changes that they witnessed in their lives, one born in 1892 and dying in 1982; the other born in 1898, and living until 1990.  Of course, in my own lifetime, I have seen a lot of changes happen, good and bad. It just seems to me that the ones that my grandparents saw were far greater and life-changing that those that I have seen. I suppose it depends on your perspective. I think that about my parents, as well, one of whom was born in 1937 and died in 2010; the other born in 1934 and still living.  Technically, my grandparents were married during the Roaring Twenties. My parents were both born duri...
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Arroz con leche Cubano

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  I just made my own version of Arroz con leche Cubano (Cuban rice pudding). I learned from a family friend, who emigrated here from Cuba in the 1940s. Her husband was a WW2 GI, stationed in Cuba during the war.  I used white rice, a cinnamon stick, a whole nutmeg, and some lemon peel and juice, as well as a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Once the rice was cooked, I added regular evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, half and half, white sugar, ground cinnamon,  ground cloves, allspice, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and some cream of coconut, and cooked on low heat until thickened. 
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My Artwork

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Thomasville Public Library Adult Summer Reading Program and Book Sale

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 Yesterday was the first day to sign up for the Adult Summer Reading Program at the Thomasville Public Library, and so I did. There are weekly prize drawings, scavenger hunts in the library for additional prizes, free movies, free craft classes, and book clubs. There will be a kickoff party for all of the summer reading programs (adult and children) on June 15.  While I was there, I also went to the library's current book sale, which runs through June 15. I found a Great Courses class on Suspense and Mystery Fiction Writing for $3! 
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Thomasville NC Power Outtage

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 From 9:15pm on May 24 until 1:33pm on May 25, my power was out in my residence. It appeared as though it was out throughout my entire neighborhood, as well.  Around 11 am, I went to the nearest grocery store for some bottled water and tea, and a bag of ice, and it was closed during to the power outtage. Some stoplights were out in town, and several other businesses did not have power.  It got really hot in our house as the day went on, so I opened the windows, and spent time under a patio umbrella outside with my dog, Ellie. 
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My Walmart and Straight Talk Iphone buying experience

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  https://twitter.com/StormoftheSouth/status/1771629271892557990?s=19 Buyer beware! Do NOT let a Wal-Mart employee tell you they activated your Straight Talk phone and assigned it a number! It is not true! Hopefully no one else will be out money and without a phone like I am. 
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Wednesday with Camille

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 This morning, I finished the final cooking of a batch of mixed citrus perl that I am making into candied fruit peel. once it cooled, I drained the sugar syrup liquid off and put it into a container. It is wonderful for flavoring teas and cocktails, as we!! As sparking water. Then I placed the peel on a tray covered in wax paper to dry, and covered it with granulated sugar.  Around 11:30 this morning, I started cooking some homemade Cuban black bean soup. I had soaked the dried beans in water overnight in preparation.  I spent this rainy day inside, enjoying the company of my animal family: my terrier dog, Ellie, and my two birds, my grey cockatiel, Ric, and my blue crowned conure, Earl. Such pleasant time! For dessert tonight, I made lemon pudding with fresh blueberries and banana in it, rimmed with miniature vanilla wafers. I used the banana peel from the banana to start some banana water, which is very good for green houseplants. I made an interesting gin and tonic wit...
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