Know the time, your name, and the right temperature.....

I think today's entire debacle started last night, when I watched the weather on the wrong television channel. The high, for today, was supposed to be only 53 degrees so when I dressed to go to the doctor, I put on a sweater......yes, a warm winter sweater.

When I left the house, it was pouring down rain so it was a little chilly. As I drove down the road, I noticed it was 69 degrees. It definitely wasn't winter sweater weather, but it was too late (I thought) to turn around, go home and change. I had been praying for warmer weather.....my prayer had to change!! Instead of a heater, I needed air-conditioning!

I drove through some "can't see the car in front of you" rain and arrived at the doctor's office about 20 minutes early (I thought). I signed in, found a seat and proceeded to read the new true mystery "The Legs Murder Scandal" book that I had bought, on Saturday, in the neat little Hattiesburg family bookstore.

In just a minute, the receptionist motioned to me to come back to the desk. "Mrs. Gorrell, you do realize that your appointment isn't until 1:45?" (It was now about 11:25.) What!!! Most people are late and here I am, two hours early. Why hadn't I checked the calendar before I left home? (And I had to rush to get dressed!) The doctor was running late, so "No, they can't work you in any earlier." It had taken two months to get this appointment rescheduled, so "No, he has nothing open anytime in the near future. I suggest you go have a leisurely lunch, and keep this appointment." said she, with a nice "I'm sorry" smile.

I went to the Pet Store, and bought a surprise for "the girls", and then to my favorite 'Books-a-Million'. Might as well get coffee and catch up on my reading of the latest Genealogy mags.

At about 1:10 p.m. (13:00 if you do military time), I reappeared at the doctor's office and signed in, once more.  In 10 minutes (I hadn't even read one full page of my book), the nurse opened the door and said "Miss Sarah" (I thought). She was a different nurse than the one he usually had, but this one might just be filling in for her (I thought). I also noticed that her badge didn't have my doctor's name......nope, I didn't say a word! They were probably just helping each other out (I thought).

She had weighed me, measured my tallness (made me grow 1/2 inch......that, I questioned!), checked my blood pressure, and questioned why my heart rate was so low. About that time, the door opened and the "regular" nurse looked in and said "You've got my patient!" The 'fill-in nurse' got a panicked look on her face and said "No, I don't!" Sherry (my doc's nurse) said (very emphatically) "Yes, you do!" At that point, I spoke up and said "I'm Sarah Gorrell" and she said "I called Tara!"   Sarah/Tara, it all sounds the same. (As it turns out, Tara was a new patient so this nurse had no idea who I was supposed to be!)

As we were leaving the examining room to go to my doc's room, the other doctor (had a Hispanic name but looked Asian), came in looking very confused. Where was his "new" patient going? Maybe the "new" nurse explained, I just smiled and kept going. I had already caused enough confusion for one day.

Finally, I saw my own doctor, and his first question was "Did you try to change your name?" Do they tell everything!!!

When he heard I had been in the hospital with heart issues, he said "I didn't cause it." I responded with the first thing that came to mind "they said you might have". Now, he looked panicked....so I quickly said "I'm joking!" I don't think he has much of a sense of humor, he didn't smile.

I'm still going to blame the weatherman it never did get cool enough for that winter sweater........

Kodak Moment.......

This morning was truly a "Kodak moment", and thank goodness there was no camera.

Bob and I went out to walk the dogs, and just as he closed the door (too late), I asked "did you unlock the door?" Of course it wasn't unlocked, and the "hidden just for emergencies like this" key wasn't where it was supposed to be. (Granddaughter Olivia had warned us about that one!)

Living in the country, as we do, everything is locked up tight. The only thing unlocked was the small window, above the kitchen sink. It sits several feet above our back deck and isn't easily accessible because of a gap between the deck and the wall.  I had turned the cooler that I found in the carport storage on end, to make it a little taller, but it was very unsteady.

I wasn't at all thrilled with the idea of Bob climbing onto that cooler and trying to get through the window, and I was even less thrilled about doing it myself! I was actually relieved that he couldn't manage it. I climbed onto the cooler and there I hung, suspended in air, head above the sink and the rest of me, outside.  Bob was telling me what to do with my left leg, and I was thinking "does he not realize that I'm 72 and these bones no longer move like that!" (they never did!)

About that time, the little black dog came into the kitchen and looked up at me......with one of those "what are you doing, now?" looks.  I wondered why I hadn't taught her something more useful than bringing me a toy to throw. The keys were on the counter......if only she could reach them!

It was at this point (actually it was when I climbed onto the cooler) that I knew I wasn't going into that window. I suggested it was time that I go next door and awaken my much younger cousin. Brian didn't seem to mind being awakened early, on a Sunday morning.

He came over - looked at the open window and commented "Piece of cake!"  And, quick as a wink, he was onto the cooler ....through the window, in the sink...and the door was open!

Thankful for sweet, younger, agile cousin/neighbor Brian Tom Sullivan!! This wasn't the first time he has helped us, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 package Devil's Food Cake Mix                        

1 5.9 oz package Chocolate Instant Pudding
1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Vegetable Oil
4 eggs - beaten
1/2 cup warm water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together dry ingredients (cake mix and chocolate pudding). Add all other ingredients to the dry mix, in a large bowl.

Bake for 50 - 55 minutes in a well-greased Bundt pan or until a toothpick, inserted into the cake, comes out clean.

Cool completely before turning onto plate.

Dust with powdered sugar, when cool.

My Recipes.......

(To view all Recipes, hover over Recipes and click on the various category and sub-category.)


I usually, almost always....okay, always.....use Self-Rising flour.

Most of my cake recipes are made with Cake Mix. I often add Sour Cream and/or Instant Pudding.

I create my recipes "the easy way" whenever possible.

I often find recipes, online, but make them my own by adding (or subtracting) ingredients.

My cooking oil, of choice, is Olive Oil.

I never knew that I loved to cook - until I retired!

Enjoy!!!