Saturday, March 7

I got up very early this morning, dressed and put on my makeup, and then came down to the kitchen to cook lemon pudding for the lemon pudding cake for Mother's birthday party. The pudding had to cool before I put it on the cake and added meringue topping. Mother came over as I was cooking the pudding and insisted on putting the two beef roasts into the slow cooker with carrots, onions, garlic, and a variety of herbs and spices.

Once we had everything under control in the kitchen, Mother, Sis, and I went to the fairgrounds for the Extension Homemaker annual fundraising yard sale. Temps were predicted to be warm today, but it was windy and therefore a bit cool. We spent an hour or so touring the yard sale booths both indoors and outdoors, but didn't find a lot that we wanted.

Sis bought a card with a hand-embroidered design to give to Mother as a birthday card. One of the EH ladies creates these lovely cards. Mother and I have done this craft in the past, too, but we are not as handy at it as this lady is. Still, the card Sis bought makes me want to try my hand at it again.

Mother bought a couple of cookie cooling racks that were priced at only twenty-five cents for both. I got a hardbound book..."Prey," by Michael Crichton...for fifty cents, and two new net tents for covering picnic dishes for a dollar apiece. So even with the admittance fee of a dollar each, we didn't spend much.

When we got back home, Daughter was here with ten-year-old Great-Grandson. Soon Son and Daughter-in-Law also arrived. I finished putting the lemon cake together, set the potatoes to boil (Hubbie had peeled a big pan of them while we were gone to the yard sale), and did other things to get ready for lunch.

Our roast beef lunch, with mashed potatoes, gravy, onions and carrots, and asparagus, and brown and serve rolls was delicious. Most folks wanted the lemon cake for dessert, but since I am allergic to yellow dye, I had a chocolate cupcake (minus icing) and fat-free ice cream instead.

After that, Mother opened cards and gifts. she got several really pretty, sparkly cards, along with a gift card from Son and Daughter-in-Law, and a cute elephant-themed windchime from Daughter. Daughter also brought me a hummingbird windchime.

About 3:30 p.m., we set up a jigsaw puzzle, which Mother, Sis, Daughter, Great-Grandson, and Daughter-in-Law worked on. I worked on it intermittently, too, while Son and Hubbie watched SEC basketball on TV.

Daughter and Great-Grandson left around 4:30 p.m. I sent grapes, fresh oranges (peeled and pulled apart) and cupcakes with them to snack on as they traveled home. I offered to make sandwiches for them, too, but they declined.

At suppertime, I put sandwich makings on the table...a choice of deli turkey or cold, sliced roast beef, with sliced cheese, and cottage cheese, tortilla chips, and pickles and olives. Dessert choices were the same as for lunch, except this time, Sis and I chose a cupcake topped with fat-free chocolate pudding, light canned pie cherries, and fat-free whipped topping.

Later, Nephew and his friend came to pick up Sis. Mother, Daughter-in-Law, and I continued with the jigsaw puzzle, which we finished this evening. Then we decided to play a few games of Duo. Son has played the game before, but it was new to Daughter-in-Law. Just as with everyone we have taught the game to, they really liked it. So when I order the game for myself this week, I'll get one for them, too.

By 10 p.m., Mother, who'd had a very big day, was ready to go home. We were all ready to hit the sack, too. So Hubbie set the clocks forward for Daylight Savings Time, and we went to bed.