February 6, 2014

An Evening With Friends - 

Old Ones and Newer Ones

February 6, 2014

My boss (also known as my husband) offered me the day off today to get ready for the Sunday School party at our house tonight.  If the truth is known, he was kind to allow me to stay home, but I think he didn't want to go out in the cold today and if I wasn't at the office, he couldn't go out. 

Late in the morning I did go to the grocery store.  I had forgotten a couple of items for tonight, so I got those and of course found a few more things to buy.  I baked the cookies I mixed up last night and made a Coca-Cola Cake.  I have enjoyed eating them but it took me a long time to figure out who was bringing them to church socials and then to find out the recipe.  It turns out I had the recipe all along, I just didn't know what it was.

I should do a "What is this?"  But doubt you will get it.  I was making the frosting for the Coca-Cola cake.  You put coke, butter, and powdered cocoa in a pan and heat it to boiling.  This is the bubbles in the coke trying to get through the powdered chocolate floating on top of the coke.  That is the stick of butter in the foreground.  Delicious cake!!

This is how the cake looks coming out of the oven.  Interesting recipe.  Yummy results. 

The rest of the day was spent cleaning, sorting, and getting out serving dishes.  We had such a nice bunch at the party.  As I suspected, several of our locals didn't get out in the cold, but the Winter Texans were here along with some of the locals.  We had a great time laughing, sharing, talking about the Winter Texan Banquet, and getting to know each other better. 

 Most of the Winter Texans who come to Brownsville come almost straight south to spend the winter.    There are a few exceptions, but most are from almost due north.  Most are retired, but some are farmers who can't work the land in the winter. 

We had way too much food, but it was a wonderful variety.  We all enjoyed it. 

Two of the couples stayed later than the others and we had a good time getting to know them better.  Both couples are Winter Texans.

There was a lot of food left, but one of the Winter Texans was able to take it and will give it to someone who works with the poor and it will be put to good use.  I am so glad when we can do things like that and the food doesn't go to waste.

It was so nice to visit with the two couples who stayed a while.  I could hear better in the small setting.  When it got noisy, I was at a loss.  One of the couples headed back north last year before knowing I was getting the Cochlear Implant and they didn't realize I had it.  They thought I had gotten my hearing back.  They also didn't know about the broken elbow, so there was a lot of updating to do.  We found out a little about their children and grand children.  Really nice people.  We would be happy to have them here all year - not just the winter.