Don't Give Up Hope

Life is not like a box of chocolates, it's like a game of charades.  You're given clues and need to follow them to find the answers.
Saturday 4/23/2011
 A splendid day it was.   Splendid???  Did I really just use the word splendid.  (I must be watching too much NCIS  however, that's just not possible.)
Yup, I did because it was, even though the sun hid most of yesterday and again today, and I had an annoying headache from the weather.  I made my (Saturday) morning delivery of Carrot & PJ Signature BabyCakes and actually sat on the sofa of the coffee house with VaJJ like we were customers.  As I sipped my Latte, we talked about recipes and costs of materials, we firmed up our plans for the evening with some friends and discussed what we were bringing to the "table", and reflected on the week.  Still on the sugar high of the sweet's success, we had to cut the visit short because the shop was getting busy and I promised 2 of my sweeties their own coffee and chai upon my return.
After returning home with hot stuff in hand, I was visited by my good ole buddy Murph.  She brought me a lovely pot of purple tulips and the sweetest little book on friendship.  I am such a looser.  Would I ever think of something like that?  Maybe but that's all it probably would be---a thought.  How kind.  She deserves so much better then me.  But I have a plan and one I know she will like.  (Can't reveal it here or she might see it.)  She saw the 2 PJ BabyCakes on the dining room table waiting to be joined by several other flavors for the nights events and absolutely loved them.  She was one of my biggest supports pushing me to bake for the last several years.  And now Murph, here I am-BAKING!  Basically all of the baking and experimenting is largely due to her and her Sweet 16 to be, Jenna.  I am helping her with---guess what?? ?  Oh yeah, the cake and cupcakes.  It's going to be very exciting.   Thank you Murph--I love you.
So as I chatted with Nick & Dee and started to bake, I asked them for thoughts and ideas on flavors.  We decided on a Spiced Vanilla Chai BabyCake topped with Chai liqueur Buttercreme with a sprinkling of Cinnamon (my favorite so far), Dee's favorite--Peanut Butter Chocolate stuffed with a Reese's cup topped with Peanut Buttercreme and a mini Reese's on top, and Lemonade BabyCake topped with Tequila Rose Buttercreme.  Yummy goodness!

The Easter Trilogy (Poor lighting)
Needless to say this new venture is seriously cutting into some of my "wanna get done" jobs---Oh well!
That being said, I had the greatest evening tonight.  VaJJ picked me up and all the way to Mark's house I nagged her about her driving and if she killed the BabyCakes there would be hell to pay.  We all arrived safely with BabyCakes in tacked…and we even got there before the "Petite Filipino", Tish.  We were greeted by Noah or "Noisy" as he has more commonly called, a rather substantially large Great Dane.  (Let's just say it he lived with me, I'd be sited for have a horse living in a house in the city limits.)  He has the personality of a big old mush, a gentle giant.  He makes Scooby Doo look scary.  He certainly knows how to work a room and never once tried to snatch up the cheese or pate from the table or the remaining lamb roast from the cutting board on the counter (which to him was eye level).
I met a few new friends (Rosie & Tammy, Elaine, and Tish's Hubby too) and felt very at ease right away.  We took a quick walk around the property to see the out buildings and future projects; came back and sat down to dinner.  Again, way out of my zone, to what else but that classic Easter tradition of---LAMB--Blah!  But I was a good guest and tried it.  I guess when you're eating at a person who has a cooking shows home, one should trust that the fare will be lip smacking.  It didn’t smell like it had been scraped up off the side of the rode after 4 days in the middle of July's 100 degree heat …that is why it was likely so edible.  With everyone's contribution thoroughly enjoyed, it was time for the sampling of some BabyCakes.  Not to sound boastful but they were good.  My new favorite is the Spiced Vanilla Chai but the texture of the Lemonade BabyCake was lovely and Coop's favorite.  Those left were packed by Char and taken home for Hecky.
Then we chose teams 1 & 2 for a friendly (aka--fiercely-ridiculously-competitive)  game of Charades.  5 TV shows-5 movies.  Team 1-Coop, Tammy, Robin, Tish, Char (talk about a stacked team) and team 2-Mark, VaJJ, Elaine, Ed, & Me.  I haven't heard so much whining about who was on which team since I was little and played Monopoly at Gramgram's with my cousins. 
Some of the highlights I will remember are that Ed was the first to act out "Mystic Pizza" in 1 minute 30 seconds,  Char trying to act out "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"    And then Tammy, the wringer , got team 1 to guess what we thought would be impossible,  by strumming an air guitar (we knew we were screwed) for "Avatar" and a point.  We also tried to sneak in a Telemundo Novella in Spanish but were accused of cheating  (Who? US?? Cheat???) so a new clue was given.
I was 50% in my skill of the acting out part and scored 2 points for Team 2.  The first one was for "Hope Floats" when I guessed Elaine's float charade and in the end it was yours truly who guessed the movie "Soylent Green" to take the lead and win the game 6/4 for Team 2.  Ahhh, the thrill of victory and the sight of the agony was beyond words.  The belly giggles and friendly exchange of colorful comments  were never ending.  Funny that all along (and with $h1tty $h1tty Bong Bong) the motto of the evening was---Don't Give Up Hope!
Easter Sunday 4/24/2011
And now in the season of rebirth, I have found a new drive of sorts for life;  New focus, new friends, new ideas, and new hope.
Until the next episode, TTFN.  Jeanmarie