Last thing that made you smile?

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My smile has finally settled down and it's been pasted on my face since Tuesday morning.

Background: Right after Glenn and I married I prepared roasted Cornish hens for him. He went nuts and they became his new favorite food. He'd never had them. At that meal I related to him the first time I'd had them.

I was 13-years-old and my daddy had taken my mother and me for a week's trip to New Orleans. The city was magic to me and I marveled at everything I saw. I can still see the beautiful John J. Audobon prints.

One of our meals was in the beautiful Blue Room of the Roosevelt Hotel. The dining room was something straight out of a movie set. Padded and curved banquettes, long white tablecloths, sparkling glassware, shining silver, real flowers on the tables. The whole nine yards.

My dad was a true lover of food and when I perused the menu I was simply overwhelmed and asked him for a suggestion. He recommended the wild rice-stuffed Cornish hens, which I ordered. OMIGOSH!!!!! Triple yum.

My mother wasn't much of a participant, which was too bad because daddy loved to enjoy himself. Her behavior was nothing new. So...he and I danced our feet off to the live orchestra and hummed to and tapped our feet to the performance of the Andrews Sisters for the floor show.

The night was magic and I think of it every time I eat a Cornish hen.

Okay, 'nuff background. Fast forward to last Tuesday.

I normally get to visit with my youngest brother every Tuesday when I go to "town" to do our grocery shopping. He owns a business there and I usually stop in to see him for a few minutes.

He's in the middle of making a life change (possibility of moving to Nashville) and has been going through stuff and thinning out his personal world.

As things have played out over the years, he wound up with much of what was left of our parents' goods. Not much, mostly photos, letters, etc.

He told me to close my eyes, hold out my hands and...

When I opened my eyes, there was a huge manila envelope. I opened it and inside was a beautiful blue folder with a photo of me and my parents, sitting in our beautiful padded banquette at the Blue Room.

It was all there, the brilliant white tablecloth, sparkling glasses, silver, the flowers...all of it. Even though the photo was in black and white, I knew exactly the dress I wore, the necklace, bracelet, all of it. It was as if I was transported back to that magical night 50 years ago.
 
That's wonderful Katie! My last smile came from a picture too. My step mom sent me a framed photograph of herself with the most precious grin. She looks like she's just bursting with something good, her eyes filled with love. I find myself grinning every time I walk by.
 
I have always told my kids that after keeping their children safe from harms way, their next job was to give them happy memories to carry them through life. Looks like your dad did a bang up of job. :):)
 
I have always told my kids that after keeping their children safe from harms way, their next job was to give them happy memories to carry them through life. Looks like your dad did a bang up of job. :):)

Yes he did, Addie. My heart has volumes of wonderful memories he left there. I left home to get married when I was 19, but the few years I did have with him are carved in my heart. He died when I was 24, so I didn't get to have him very long.
 
Rocklobster said:
I'm smiling 'cus I got a new job today. Foodservice Manager/Supervisor at a Whitewater Adventure Resort. I will be overseeing operations at a large pavilion kitchen and three satellite lunch stations at various points on the river. One requires delivering food by boat every day. Looking forward to the challenge. Wilderness Tours - Facilities

If you look in middle of the photo you will see a round building called the PQ Pavillion(Presqu'ile). That's my kitchen. Corporate picnics, weddings, family adventure programs, parties, etc....

Congrats!
 
Wow, Rocklobster, Katie & Zhi. I'll bet there are some great big smiles on lots of faces after reading your posts! Those are terrific smile-makers for us, too.
 
My granddaughter was 3.5 years old. She attended daycare. In the summer we would take a walk together to Dairy Queen. One day I found a small piece of tissue in my pocket. I tossed it on the ground. "Grandma, don't spoil the earth for me." Today, I again had a small piece of tissue in my pocket. I was going to toss it and thought of her with a smile. The tissue went back into my pocket. She is approaching her 30's today. :)
 
Yes he did, Addie. My heart has volumes of wonderful memories he left there. I left home to get married when I was 19, but the few years I did have with him are carved in my heart. He died when I was 24, so I didn't get to have him very long.
I am finding so many memories while going through my Dad's room. He kept EVERY card that we every gave him and I cried and laughed going through the pile seeing the ones I made by hand and the bought ones right back to when I was little!
 
I am finding so many memories while going through my Dad's room. He kept EVERY card that we every gave him and I cried and laughed going through the pile seeing the ones I made by hand and the bought ones right back to when I was little!

I know just what you mean, Laurie. When my brother and I went through Daddy's desk drawers in his office, the large bottom drawer had nothing but our letters back to Santa/Rudolph, our baby teeth we left for the Tooth Fairy, handmade cards of all manner. It was bittersweet but lovely.

I took the nicest of the Santa letters that each of my siblings wrote and decoupaged them and gave them to them as a Christmas gift the first Christmas after Daddy died.

I was only 24 the, the oldest, and the rest were 10 years or so younger, so they have had those little tidbits of their affection preserved forever.

I have my baby teeth in a small velvet pouch in my jewelry box. They'll have been there 40 years next year.
 
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I'm smiling just like the Cheshire Cat because our Kentucky Wildcats just won the NCAA Tournament. I can smile, but I can't speak because I've spent the evening shouting, yelling, cheering, and (yes) cursing. I'm a nut when it comes to round ball.

The first half was a real bunch of excellent playing and ACTION and the second quarter was a barn-burner of mixed plays, sloppy playing (on both sides) and close plays. I'm spent.

Go Cats!!!!!:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
 
My son came by with a picture he had of mt Maxi boy my little doxie who died in 2001. I'd forgotten about it there were tears at first, but the memories came back of lall the fun things I rmember about him. how dear he was so good and loving now I'm smiling. Thanks Mikie
kades
 
I'm smiling just like the Cheshire Cat because our Kentucky Wildcats just won the NCAA Tournament. I can smile, but I can't speak because I've spent the evening shouting, yelling, cheering, and (yes) cursing. I'm a nut when it comes to round ball.

The first half was a real bunch of excellent playing and ACTION and the second quarter was a barn-burner of mixed plays, sloppy playing (on both sides) and close plays. I'm spent.

Go Cats!!!!!:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:


as it turns out, the real barn-burner was the after party
 
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rioting in the streets with untold mayhem and destruction. i just don't understand why we can't celebrate sports victories without torching, vandalism and brawling in the aftermath....
 
rioting in the streets with untold mayhem and destruction. i just don't understand why we can't celebrate sports victories without torching, vandalism and brawling in the aftermath....

It's sad. I saw the news reports of the problems in Lexington after the Cats won the game before the BIG one.

We have a daughter and her family who live in Lexington and she reported all the carryings on. She related that if and when the Cats won the BIG one, the Lexington police were ready for any mayhem that might transpire.

Too bad folks can't just enjoy a victory and have a trouble-free good time.
 
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