It's Charlie's Birthday!

Whoa! Could it be? Charlie's fifty-three?

March Madness Monday Mayhem

Hello all! How did St. Patrick's Day treat you? I made some potato-leek soup which was mildly festive. I also watched "The Irish in America" on PBS on Saturday afternoon. Andy had a Guiness and Lexi's just Irish all the time.

Last week I submitted a big proposal to the Navy and got to take Thursday and Friday at the river. It rained and was cold, but I actually liked the last gasp of winter. Then Sunday was gloriously sunny and we had a nice pretty drive back to the city.

I think I am knitting an afghan, though I'm a little phobic of committing to such a big rectangle.

Never Fear, Cook with Beer

Back, by popular demand! I am keeping all these recipes in software called Big Oven. It can then be published in a cookbook or exported to "all y'all". LOADS of Granny's recipes come from magazines and the back of packaging so I've saved quite a bit of time by Googling the recipe name or key ingredients and finding the same recipe already typed up all purty on the web. There's a "French-Canadian Beef Tart" that she had several recipes for that I still need to input.

Bavarian Beef

Recipe By: Helen Burns Ewing
Serving Size: 0
Cuisine: American
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Ewing, Main Dish

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. stew beef
3 cups sliced onion rings
1 1/2 cups water
2 beef bullion cubes
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. garlic powder ; (?)
1 1/2 tsp. parsley
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
12 oz. can of beer
1/2 tbsp. corn starch
1/2 tbsp. water

Instructions
Brown beef in Dutch oven. Remove meat from pan. Add onions. Cook until limp. Remove onions. Add remaining ingredients. Add beef and onions back in. Pour in beer, thicken if necessary.

Granny's Savannah Red Rice

I have been archiving Granny's recipes. Here's one to share, good for this chilly Sunday!

Granny's Savannah Red Rice

Recipe By: Helen Burns Ewing
Serving Size: 4
Cuisine: American-South
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Side Dish

Ingredients
1 can whole tomatoes
1 cup white rice
1/2 medium onion ; chopped
4 -6 bacon strips
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash ; of garlic powder

Instructions
1. Fry the bacon. If you use 6 strips, remove two or three teaspoons of drippings.
2. Remove the bacon, add the onion to the drippings and cook until the onions are soft, about 2-3minutes.
3. Crush tomatoes well, by hand if you like.
4. Crumble the bacon.
5. Add the crumbled bacon, garlic powder, salt, and onion to the cooking onions.
6. Bring to boil, then simmer for five minutes.
7. Add rice, bring back to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Let stand five minutes.

When is your birthday?

When is your birthday?
Sadly, I'm not sure of the exact date you were born and it's time for me to find out!
Are you wondering: is she talking about MY birthday???
Yes, I'm talking about YOUR birthday! (Okay, I'll admit I know when a lot of your birthdays are, but a nice little confirmation wouldn't hurt anyone.)
Please list your birthday and the birthdays of those in your household. For that matter, list slacker parent's birthdays, siblings and the pizza delivery guy!
Maybe if we get them all on a Google calendar you will get a cheerful birthday shoutout from everyone-(or at least one or two peeps)!
My household:
June 21st- Jennifer
July 2nd- Matt
August 26th- Joe
unknown- Ophelia

Happy Birthday Julia!

Hope your day is wonderful!

Amusing Ewing Children, Part 99

I am transcribing a letter written by Laura Smith when Grandpa was very young and his father was still alive (but in poor health and the children were staying with Laura and Lee).

Thursday Charles asked the blessing and this is what he said, "Mr. thank you for this food and I like it and it's good - for Christ's sake, Amen."

Grandpa always did have a way with words, didn't he?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! I hope your Christmas and New Year were good. We had a nice long break at the river and are now back at work.

I have been scanning and entering data into the Family Tree software and am probably most excited about the organization. Mmmmmm organization. Andy will tell you that I am all about sorting stuff into binders and the labels, ahhhh the labels. I even ordered some spiffy photo storage stuff to organize the negatives and slides that I'll also get around to storing. Right now I'm looking for good software for digital scrapbooking to share this stuff with y'all.

I think everyone heard that we finally sold our extra house! That was a Christmas present that came just in time. We went to closing on December 21st and had cash in hand the very next day. We are rejoicing at having only two mortgages instead of four.

Also in December, I got roped into writing a Congressional Report which took just about every waking minute of the month. Thankfully, yesterday our client took the report up to the Secretary's office so we should be at the finish line.

I am yearning to adopt another dog, but Andy thinks that is crazy talk. We'll see.

Oh But Here I Am

AAAHHH...to have my laptop again. It was simply hideous being without it. I just got the cord I needed in the mail, so I'll be around more often. Laura, I did get your reminders and thanks for asking. Also have a cell phone now, in case you didn't get my mass email, but I guess I shouldn't post my number on a blog.So as far as work goes, what used to be known as Grey Advertising, then Mediacom, is now merging with Young & Rubicam the first of the year to be known as GroupM, which incudes all the big old-time agencies like Ogilvy & Mather, etc. It won't be too much of a change for me, but our office will be moving to (rumor has it ) One Fifth Avenue, which wouldn't be too bad for me. Also I get better benefits that cost less. And I do get to keep my present Doctor John Handsome Montana. Sorry, his real middle name is Buscemi.I'm starting to get some motivation again, but still taking things pretty slow when I can. Last weekend I sang "Look To The Rainbow" and "A Quiet Thing" at my piano bar, Marie's Crisis, and was happily surprised I didn't sound as weak as I thought I would. Plus I dodged all the rotten tomatoes afterwards...I had a friend pass away just a couple of weeks after Margaret, but he was in is late eighties and had been ill a long time. He was an actor in old B movies and has some great showbiz stories. Almost married Lee Remick. We're having a memorial service and all kinds of theatre luminaries will be performing or attending. I don't particularly like this custom of memorials where people get up and do a musical number, one after another. It distracts from the beloved when somebody's up there doing "Bie Mir Bis Du Schoen". IMHO.It's late. More later from the Manhattan Ewing contingency. So glad to be back in touch with y'all.

Charlie

Welcome Y'all

Well, it's been an eventful week in Lake Wo - I mean Arlington, VA. I've just sent the "Join the Blog" emails to William and Judy, so hopefully we'll see them around here soon. And I re-invited Uncle Charlie for the gazillionth time so hopefully one of the invites will make it through his spam filter.

On Saturday, I set about scanning many more family photos from Margaret's collection. Many of the ones I've just scanned are square and not of superb quality because they are Polaroids - but many of these are cool candids that made it worthwhile to scan them. I also haven't used software to clean up most of the images yet, since I'm just trying to get something to look at on line. When I actually publish them to DVD you'll get a nice big pretty file that can be printed.

I have made some progress in the process of sorting and labelling photographs and in wrangling a huge amount of paper. We are blessed to have an enormous cache of articles about our family that I'll be compiling and sharing as well. For example, in the 1960's the Washington Post ran an article by Grandpa Ewing detailing the family's Christmases from 1943 to 1966. I mean who has this kind of stuff??

When Granny Ewing was engaged to marry Grandpa, there was a big write up in the Savannah newspaper's Society section complete with a large photo of Granny. (This is not the actual photo, just another of her in the online album.) Even Grandpa getting the news of the Washington Star's demise is documented in the Savannah paper, since he was in town writing an article about, what else but Savannah and our family for the Star at the time.

On the genealogy front, I am curious about a marriage connection Margaret had traced to President Andrew Johnson. That's the curiosity crossing my fingertips at this moment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA!

32...geez, that's old...
And Happy Belated Birthday to Kaiya!
And Happy Birthday to Andy, again!

Happy Birthday Kaiya!

Oh Boy! Look who's three!

Happy Birthday little one!

Just another blog post

Hello all. I wanted to post to say hello and let you know that I've posted more Ewing pix on Flickr which you should be able to access by clicking on the photo collage on this page. I scanned them high-res and reduced the quality a little bit for online posting.

Love,
Laura

Hey You Guuuyyyss!

Hey so I was thinking about how we are all sooo bad...yes we are... for not ever getting together and I was thinking we should pick a date (a concrete one) and all get have a shindig. We could all go to Laura's Rivah house- you'll volunteer, right? tehhee

So any time is good for me ... I know its hard for the people who live very far away like Dad, Charlie and Aunt Margaret- hopefully they could come too but at the very least us cousins need to get up. So Shannon, Laura, Jenna... we all need to figure out when we can hang out. Hopefully some others can come too. I don't care if we plan on March of 2009 but we need to pick a date and plan plan plan.

Laura~ if you can't do it or would rather not everyone is always welcome at my place even though it's a tad on the small size. Okay well I'm excited- hopefully you guys are too!

The Latest

Yeah, so I know Mom let some of you know, but I guess I'd better tell everyone else that
yesterday I was diagnosed with MS. I've been having some numbness in my fingertips since I became pregnant with Joe and about 2 weeks ago I began losing vision in my right eye. I went to the eye doctor and he told me my eyes were fine and that I needed to go to a neurologist (that was scary). I went to the neurologist and was put on IV steroids for retro bulbar neuritis. I looked that up and realized that it was very common in people with MS. My vision has cleared up considerably. Last Friday I had an MRI and yesterday my neurologist met with Matt and I and confirmed that I have MS in it's early stages. My doctor is very upbeat about the treatments that are available and is encouraging me to be involved in my treatment. Unfortunately for now all of the medications (there are only 4) are injections. Only two of the medicines are useful in delaying the progression of the disease. I'm going to try one of them next week and hopefully will be able to tolerate it. The medications commonly cause flu like symptoms, but hopefully the side effects will subside with continued use. It is possible that the medication will help me to lead a normal life with very few setbacks. I am looking forward to starting my treatment and getting on a path of healing. This is a lot to deal with, but I was shocked to learn that 1 in 2,000 people has MS! That's a lot of people! There are a lot of medical dollars connected with this disease and there is a lot of research being done. So, sorry to bombard EwingUniverse with some unfortunate news, but I know you all love me and want to hear how I'm doing. I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable discussing this with me. I love you all and appreciate your thoughts and prayers.
Jennifer

Uncle Charlie made me do it...

What's new? We have moved into our new house, but still aren't unpacked. We have all new paint and flooring so the place is sparkling! I love this house! And we have lots of room for family to come visit...hint, hint... Oscar (our dog) hurt his back and is on muscle relaxers and steriods. So, he's buff, but chill... I won a case of Corona from my boss! He bet me, years ago, that I would have a baby before 29. I might have made it to 32 if it was a keg... :) Hmm... what else? Oh, I learned to knit, but am not nearly as obsessed as Laura. I think we may have to stage an intervention! Love and miss you all! xoxoxo

Latest from Arlington

Hello all! Sleepy summer, eh? Everyone off having fun? Andy and I are still holding down 3 forts and eagerly awaiting the day when it's only 2. Our N Arlington house has been for sale for, hmm, a while 6 weeks?, and it's getting traffic, but no offers. Still keeping the faith. Meanwhile we take every chance we can get to spend time at the river. This weekend Andy drove the speedboat (again) and cruised right into the boat lift right on target.

I made French Vanilla ice cream from scratch a couple of weeks ago and it was utterly decadent. (You know it's decadent when everyone passes on chocolate sauce and whipped cream.) I've also started knitting like a feind and can't stop reading about knitting and finding excuses to shop for yarn. Just like a fashion plate in front of her bulging closet, I've been known to complain to Andy over a mountain of yarn, "But I've got nothing to knit."

pics

Hello Everyone!

Well it has been a while! Everyone over here is doing good. I am enjoying my job even with the Army's horrible funding problems and budgets getting frozen one after another- it just means more time to catch up with you guys lol. I am feeling better and getting fitter everyday, down to a size 12! YeeeHooooo!! :)

Kids- Anthony is doing great and reading his little heart out.... 8 weeks until Kindergarten, I am scared to death but I know my little man will do great! He has lost 2 teeth (bottom front) and is handsome as ever. He has been going to an Orthopedic Surgeon for his infamous toe-walking and hopefully, one way or another, that will be resolved soon- OUCH! He's getting smarter everday and his comments keep me entertained.. "Mom why don't you want to eat the corn because you'll get another baby???" Huh.... "Well that's what makes a baby in your belly right? Corn?" Whew...

Kaiya is doing great as well. She has learned her colors and is quite a little smarty pants herself. I cut her hair into a little Shirley Temple bob and it is adorable. She is in her 2 year old phase still but is coming along nicely- we were worried for a while... but she has come out of the monster stage just fine. Always willing to help and VERY friendly. She just loves anyone she can get her hands on; strangers, dogs, cats, BUGS! Her current obsession is squirrels, she is quite adimant on catching one... I am not so excited about that. She also asked me yesterday if she could go fishing with Little Bear... he is on Nickelodeon.

More pics to come!

Land Ho!

Well, this image should give you some idea of what our basement was like last night. When we bought this house a year ago the seller said the basement "leaked a little" with "really bad storms". Ha!

'scuse me.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Lol! There were no fewer than eight SPRINGS gushing into the basement last night. Andy worked tirelessly sloshing water into our two sump pumps. We had about a 10 gallon trash can under one spout and it filled almost instantaneously. Andy sloshed out to the garage in ankle deep water to discover slightly deeper water.

This morning I was surprised to learn that it wasn't just our crappy little house that got soaked. The federal government had liberal leave today. (I think this administration calls it "pinko commie slacker leave" though.) We'd already decided today we'd be off and so we made a bee line to Home Depot. At 7 am the place was seriously hopping. Andy waited in line for a water pump. It's a little thing so I'm surprised it does something productive...afraid we shall soon see. We already had a wet/dry vac and mega fan of course, but we got a serious dehumidifier and hydraulic cement repair goop. On the way back from Home Depot, we stopped at our "old"house, currently on the market (excellent timing). I'm not gonna say anything was wrong with the house, I'm definitely not going to say there was anything amiss. Not with our house that we're trying to sell that is perfectly good and has NO issues whatsoever. We just felt like visiting for a while and hanging out there in the basement for a while. Yeah...

Back here, Andy mashed the hydraulic cement into the walls today. I cleaned the rest of the stairs and went grocery shopping. We're having steak for dinner. We have worked up an appetite.

Edited to add a link to video of the torrent on YouTube:

Andy & Laura's Basement Pool