Blue Heron

This is the painting I just finished. My very first bird painted in oil that was not a reverse glass painting.

Does anyone else procrastinate?

I must say, it is so easy for me to procrastinate. I have been trying to get out of my house and start back walking in the mall but after eating breakfast out I just cannot seem to make myself put those hot socks and shoes back on; until today. This morning I went to the mall before I had breakfast and walked 2 rounds inside the mall and then went and had 2 eggs and toast and coffee at Coram's. At first I didn't think I was going to be able to even make one round, but I guess I got my 2nd wind and made the 2nd round. It's a good thing I didn't try to make it a 3rd time though because I noticed instead of walking a straight line I was weaving from side to side. Good thing I wasn't driving that way. ;<) I have done nothing else today except read and wait for bed time to get here. I am so tired I can hardly sit up straight in my chair. I hope tomorrow will be easier. Excuse me. I hope I can make myself do it again tomorrow and not find excuses to stay home.

New paintings

Here are two new paintings I have completed. I got sick Sunday and wasn't able to start a new one and probably won't paint for a few days. Albuteral makes my hands shake and that's not real good when you're trying to paint or even type. I hope you like them. Maybe someone could give me an example of what you would like to see me "try" to paint. ;<) May God Bless.

Movie: Cowboys and Aliens

What a great movie! At least I think it was a great movie. I'm not real sure because from the time the three women sat down behind me they never stopped talking. They talked through the previews and the commercials. I kept telling myself they would realize their voices were carrying but they never did. It was like being in a party where everyone is trying to talk over everyone else and you aren't sure who asked the last question so you can answer it. I kept thinking after I turned around and gave them "a disgusted look" they would stop, but I guess my "disgusted look" wasn't disgusted enough for them. Finally a theater employee did their "door check" and they stopped talking; only to resume once he/she had left the room. When the movie was over and the credits started I picked up my popcorn container which I had sat my coke in on the floor; I turned toward the three women who were getting up also and I said in a loud clear voice "I hope you three ladies enjoyed the movie, because you sure ruined it for me." As I walked away I heard the lady who talked the most say quietly "I'm sorry." I kept walking, but I said, "No You Are Not." I walked out to my car and drove away. I was not a happy camper, but I will go back and see the movie again. I also heard the women say they wanted to see it again and believe me, if they are there next time I will get the manager and ask him/her to ask them to be quiet or ask them to leave.

Here is a Blog I recommend...

Check this out: http://windowoftheskyacupuncture.blogspot.com/

This is my daughter's blog where she is going to acupuncture school and next year will do her internship in China. She is beginning her blog now and will later add info from her trip to china with pictures. I think you will find it interesting and she will have lots of great info on it to improve; mind, body and spirit.....May God Bless.

I also recently finished these two pictures; I hope you might like them. The Magnolias are 24"x30" acrylic and glass texture medium on canvas and the fish are acrylic on water color paper.

I finished this 24"x30" painting for my cousin. Now I only have the 36"x48" to finish for her.

Happy 4th to Everyone!!

A great breakfast. A good friend. A soft breeze. A bright sun. A loving pet. A quiet neighborhood. Police keeping my town safe. Soldiers keeping my Country safe. And God smiling down on it all. What more can a person ask for in one life time. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE IN THE PALM OF HIS MIGHTY HAND...until we meet again.

I am a "Wanna Be" Artist...

Yes, I'm self taught and a "Wanna Be" Artist. My mother use to tell me it was a waste of my time, so I didn't do much during the 3 years I spent in art class in high school, but my first husband (God Bless Him) bought me my first oil paint set (I recently gave my daughter the original wood box) and I'm not sure how good or bad I was back then, but I did take it to Scotland with me when my 2nd husband (God Bless Him) was stationed there. I did a painting of a green plant in a pot and sent it to my parents, but their house burned and the only image of that picture is captured in a photo that was made of my mother standing in front of it holding one of her nephews. The painting looks pretty good from what you can see, but I became allergic to the cleaning fluids, etc... and in 1997 (approximately) I started painting ceramic pieces and decided I wanted to be a watercolor artist. I read books, watched painting on TV, etc. and bought my paints, etc. I like watercolor except I wasn't able to get my colors as dark as I like them (being use to oil), so when I moved back to Panama City to take care of my parents I decided to try Acrylic Painting. Once again I've been reading books and watching videos on my computer. My greatest wish is to be rich enough and have enough talent to get into a real art academy. Yeah, I still believe in fairy tales. Ha! Ha! So....here is my latest work in progress...tell me what you think, but please be kind. My blood pressure is already over the hill....LOL

Breakfast Buffet?

Yes, I tried again to find a decent breakfast and usually don't have a problem when I go to Granny Cantrell's, but today was an exception. I got there before the buffet opened so was in hopes of just ordering a couple of pancakes, but the young girl that waited on me, took one look at me and "automatically" assumed I was there to eat all I could eat (just because I'm obese does not mean I eat everything I see). Anyway, she took my coffee order and told me to help myself to the buffet, so I didn't correct her (I wasn't sure you could order from the menu when they had the buffet), anyway, I knew they had pancakes on the buffet, so I preceded to get a plate and two pancakes and syrup and returned to my seat. I usually cut up about 1/2 my pancakes and only pour syrup over that half but when you have to get syrup off the buffet it is all over anything you put on your plate, so my two strips of bacon were soaked too. I was drooling by the time I got that first fork full in my mouth and then something was not right in taste-ville. The pancake had a sour taste. Like butter milk or regular milk gone bad. Anyway, I took a second bite and pushed my plate away. The girl came by and I told her there was something wrong with the pancakes. She looked at me like I was crazy and had just threatened to hand her a snake on a platter. She said, "Like how does it taste?" and I said, "Like something, maybe milk is sour. Don't worry, I'll find something else to eat." She walked away. I went back and got their French toast, it's always good, and then I went back and got their scrambled eggs with onions, green peppers and ham. All in all breakfast was good, but I hate spending $10 for breakfast when I could have gotten 2 pancakes elsewhere for half the price. OH Well! One more lesson learned.

The Rose Lyrics - Bette Midler song

The Rose Lyrics - Bette Midler song

Some say love, it is a river

That drowns the tender reed

Some say love, it is a razor

That leaves your soul to bleed

An endless aching need

And you, its only seed

Some say love, it is a hunger

I say love, it is a flower

It's the heart, afraid of breaking

That never learns to dance

It's the dream, afraid of waking

It's the one who won't be taken

That never takes the chance

Who cannot seem to give

And the soul, afraid of dying

That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely

And the road has been too long

And you think that love is only

for the lucky and the strong

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snow

Lies the seed

That with the sun's love, in the spring

Becomes the rose

Lyrics and Song Music by Amanda Mc Broom

What is Normal?

What is Normal?

Is it the jogger running down the street, face all red and no smile to be seen?

Is it the young guy walking around with his pants below his butt, his underwear showing and

holding up his pants with one hand so they don't completely fall off?

Is it the old man who shuffles his feet because he can no longer pick them up and put them down?

Is it the old woman who cuts her hair short; like thousands of others, because it too hard to take care of when it's long?

What is normal?

Is it the young child of 3 or 4 who still carries a baby bottle?

Is it the teenager who goes from ear piercing to nose, lip, eyebrow and tongue?

Is it the man who fell off scaffolding at 20 feet, broke his back and now has to wait in line for a welfare check?

Is it the young man who is fed up with the world telling him what to do; so he does nothing and draws unemployment?

Is it the young woman who just wants to be loved, but the world only sees her beauty, so she believes all the lies and ends up in lots of men's beds?

What is Normal?

I use to think Normal was what they now call the Cinderella Complex. You know, Girl dates boy, they fall in love, get married, raise a family and live happily ever after. I see you smiling.... Yes, you are right, I'm smiling too. That is definitely not the Normal thing now, is it?

So I ask you, What is Normal?

I want to be Normal. I'm not normal. I'm invisible. You read it right. Invisible. Most people don't see me. Can you guess why? Unless I am assertive and speak first...Good Morning! HI! How are you? Nobody sees me. Maybe you guessed it; maybe not. I'm invisible because I am one of those Obese people that nobody wants to look at. If they don't look at you, you aren't there. Did you see the movie Shallow Hal? Gwyneth Paltrow had to wear a "fat suit" and she wanted to get the feel of how it would be to actually walk around the lobby of her hotel wearing this fat suit. So she did. I remember an interview where she said it was the most horrible feeling she had ever had in her life. She said "Nobody would look her in the eye." You see, people wanted her to be invisible.

Went to movie today....

Got off my diet today. My girlfriend got me hooked on popcorn at the movie, so had to eat corn, which is strictly a NO, NO, on this new diet. Went to see "Super 8". It wasn't fantastic, but it was pretty good. If you go see it, wait until the end credits are over because they show the movie the "kids" made during the end credits. I thought the space ship at the end was the best one I have ever seen in a movie. They should make more like it...shows intelligent life. ;<)

my new blood type B diet

Lamb	(2-3 x wk)
Turkey	“
Veal	“
Flounder	(3-5 X wk)
Salmon
Sardine
Tuna	(Neutral)
Catfish
Perch, Snapper, Tilapia
Eggs	(3-4 X wk) Neutral
Cheese 1. cottage, mozzarella 2. butter, cheddar, Monterey jack, Swiss	(3-5 X wk)
Yogurt	(2-4 X wk)
2. sherbet, sour cream, half & half
Milk	(4-5 X wk)
Walnuts, black #1	(2-3 X wk) handful
2. almond, macadam’s, pecan, brazil, English
Kidney bean, Navy, Lima	(5-7 X wk) 1 C. dry
2. red, snap, string, fava, green, white, green pea
(1/2 C dry grain/pasta, 1 muffin, 2 slices bread) 5-9 X wk
1. Essene, Oatmeal, Rice bran
2. Grape-Nuts, Wheat (refined, unbleached, white flour products), Rice (white/brown)
1. broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collard, mustard, eggplant, sweet potato, yam	(1 C. 3-5 x Daily)
2. asparagus, celery, cucumber, garlic, kelp, lettuce, Portobello mushroom, okra, onion, pickle (in brine or vinegar), white potato, spinach, squash (except pumpkin), string bean, turnip
1. bananas, pineapple, cranberry, grapes, plums, watermelon	3-5 oz or 1 fruit (3-4 x daily)
2. apple, apricot, date, blueberry, fig, cherry, honeydew, lemon, lime, prune, raisin, nectarine, orange, strawberry, peach, tangerine, pear,
Juices from fruit & vegetables recommended	(8 oz 2-3 x daily)
Water	(8 oz 4-7 x daily)
1. cayenne pepper, curry, ginger, blackstrap molasses, parsley	NO B/W pepper
2. apple pectin, basil, bay leaf, caper, caraway, chili powder, chive, chocolate, clove, coriander leaf, cream of tartar, cumin, dill, fructose, garlic, honey, maple syrup sage, sea salt, marjoram, molasses, sugar (white & brown), spearmint, mustard (dry), nutmeg, oregano, paprika, peppercorn, red flake pepper, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, tarragon, thyme, vanilla, vinegar, wintergreen, yeast (baker’s & brewer’s)	In Moderation
2. jam & jelly (from acceptable fruits), Mayo, mustard, pickles & relish (all) Salad dressing (acceptable ingred.)
1. ginger, ginseng, peppermint, rose hip,	Herbs & teas
2. chamomile, mulberry, sarsaparilla, spearmint, St. John’s wart, Strawberry leaf, Valerian, Elder, Echinacea,
1. Green Tea 2. Beer, Coffee, Tea, Wine

FAT, FAT, FAT

I'm tired of being FAT. How many diets have you been on in your lifetime. I have tried them all!! You read right! I've tried them all and I am still Obese. That's not me saying that, my doctor says that!! So, now I have found another diet. This one goes by your blood type. Since I am blood type B+ there are a lot of things I can have, but a lot more things I CANNOT have. Starting Monday I will give you (I hope) a blow by blow of what I'm eating and if I loose any ounces hopefully you will celebrate with me. My Friend (Cindy) says we have to go the the movie before I start because I will no longer be able to eat corn products; therefore, no popcorn...I may quit before I get started. I cleaned out my shelves and gave a lot of stuff away, so now I have to go grocery shopping. It will be a lot harder to eat out, so I hope I'm not chewing my nails before I loose any weight. Wish me luck! I'm going to need all the help I can get. LOL

P.S. No, I will not tell you how much I weigh, but I will tell you how much I loose...if any.

Wonderful Breakfast, decent price...

My friend and I went to the Waffle Shoppe on 23rd St again today for breakfast. I got there about 8am and it was full. I saw a waitress cleaning a table so I hurried and sat down before someone else could walk in. The coffee was hot and I asked if I could wait until my girlfriend arrived to order and the waitress said, "Not a problem." About 4 minutes later my friend arrived and turned in her drink order and we talked a few minutes, we're both interested in herbal remedies, so that is a deep conversation. We both ordered the 2-2-2 (2 eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 slices of bacon) and it was very, very good! She got her eggs scrambled with cheese and I got mine over medium. Let me tell you, I was NOT disappointing! I remembered to take a picture but now I've forgotten how to add it to my blog....hope I can figure it out after I post this. I give them 5 stars *****

Shakespeare said it perfectly...

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

Roses are Red

Roses are Read

Violets are Blue

Nothing to Say

Nothing to Do

Lost in deep Thought

Paintings to Do

Water is Wet

Snow is Too

Mountains are High

Birds sometimes Sing

Cats like to Stretch

Dogs like to Bark

If I were Noah I could build an Ark

If I were Methuzal I could live thousands of Years

Hair falls Out

Skin Rots

Baby kittens Die

And So Do I

Breakfast Buffet

A friend called me last night and wanted to know where my "search for the perfect breakfast" was going to be held this morning. I told him I was thinking about going to Granny Cantrell's as I had heard the Saturday Buffet was really good and their tomato gravy was "to die for". So, he said he would join me if that was OK and I was happy, really enjoy his company and really hate eating alone. I had been to Granny Cantrell's twice before and both times the food was really good so I wondered just how good their buffet was going to be. It was very good. I did discover that I really don't care for vegetables at breakfast, so even though the tomato gravy over my biscuit was good, it really isn't my thing. Now the scrambled eggs, grits, sausage, bacon, home fries and French toast was fantastic. I feel like a stuffed bell pepper and look like one too. LOL I figured I won't be able to eat again for at least a couple of hours. I give them 5 stars *****

Incompetent computer tecks

Thursday night I tried to scan a picture I had just finished using my All-In-One HP Photosmart Premium C410a scanner. It would not work. I bought it in February 2011 and had not had one single moments problem. I almost went ballistic. It was too late to call HP so I waited until I got home from breakfast Friday morning (06/02/11). I called HP, went through the menu and finally got a service tech on the phone. I explained to "Sam" (probably not his real name) what the problem was, he connected with my computer and for 2 hrs did all sorts of "unnecessary" things; for example; he changed my complete computer set up including the fonts I prefer to use and my color scheme. After 2 hours he said he needed to check something and could he call me back in ten (10) minutes. Well, 1 hr and 40 minutes later I called HP back. Went through the menu again, got hold of a new guy named "Debrook" who said he was in India (no surprise there!) I spent over 2 hours on the phone with him and he finally told me it was my computer. That my computer was too old. It not the scanner, it your computer. I told him, "It is not my computer. It has worked fine up till now and it will still print but not scan, so it's your product where the problem is." Anyway, he finally said he would need to have a case manager call me in 24 to 48 hours, gave me a case number and hung up the phone. Oh yeah, he also said that if I bought Windows 7 it would speed up my computer and do away with the problem. This morning I sat down at my computer, tried to scan, it didn't work. I deleted some stuff. Put the CD back in to see if it would load again. Clicked on some stuff I had no idea what it was, it took me to two HP websites and I downloaded "stuff", went through running those, deleted the entire program again, rebooted my computer, reinstalled the CD and it works just fine... See! It was not my computer and it looks like I'm smarter than the HP technicians in India.

A bad night...

Twice last night I woke up feeling like I could not catch my breath. The last time it happened I had been having a terrible dream. When I woke up it was 2:06 am and I had to sit on the side of my bed and force myself to breath through my mouth until I could feel normal again. I remember part of the dream: I was in a room that was totally void of light. You have never seen anything as black as this, a total absence of light except for one small window. There was no light coming into this room, only light on the other side. The window was large enough for me to crawl through, but I could only get my head and arms through, I could not lift myself through this window and there was nothing to pull up on. I tried and tried, but only succeeded in exhausting myself, that is when I woke up. It has been a long time since I've had a dream that frightened me as much as this one, and I have never had a dream that affected my body before like this one did.

Continuing my search for the perfect Breakfast (Part 16)

I think this has gone on long enough, I'm sure nobody wants to hear about 2nd and 3rd visits to the same places when they can go and judge for themselves if they like the service or food. I had hoped in my search to find "greener pastures", but you know what they say about that. Most of the time, you already have the best if you only open your eyes and figure out why you are looking for "greener pastures". I know why I started this search and I did what I could to correct what I saw as potential problems in the green pastures I was already enjoying; however, I have no idea if my words fell on deft ears or not, only time will tell. Now, to get to today's menu... Once again I returned to my most favorite place to eat: Charlie Coram's on 23rd St. I only wish I could still get up at 5:30 am like I use to, but without setting my alarm (which I never had to do previously) I just cannot seem to get up that early any more. This morning it was 6:15 when I finally got up (I had a really bad night, more about that on my blog) and by the time I put my face on and get dressed, feed the feral cats, it was 7:45 am and I knew all my friends would have already eaten and left, so I took my time, drove over to Dunkin Donut, got a dozen donuts (variety) and carried them to Coram's (I like to surprise the waitresses, cooks & other helpers). I asked for coffee, 2 eggs over medium, grits & whole wheat toast. Everyone was friendly as usual and Jeremiah stopped by and Thanked me for bringing the donuts. I didn't tell him I did it to make them all fat as me. I just smiled and told him he was welcome and to take two...he laughed.) Just goes to show how "down home" this place is and my food was perfect. My eggs were cooked the way I like them, whites done and yellows runny, the grits were great, they were thick enough to sit on your fork and no lumps and my toast and coffee were both hot. Actually I got a treat not usually afforded to most customers. Mr. Vansickle had brought one of his wife's pumpkin cakes in for the workers and Barbie cut me a slice to enjoy with my breakfast. It was fantastic. For any who is reading this; I hope to see you at Coram's, because I really haven't found any place that can beat them for Customer Service and good food. I give them 5 stars (again)...*****

Continued search for the perfect Breakfast (Part 15)

May 30, 2011...I figured with today being Memorial day all the eating places I would go to for breakfast would be packed, so I decided the sooner I got out of the house the better. I'm not so sure leaving as I did at 6:15 am was any better than it would have been at 7 am because there was hardly any traffic on the road, so I decided to go back to Flapjacks on Hwy 77. At first I thought they were closed, but then noticed the lights were on and their sign said they open at 5:30 am, so I went in. There were 4 men sitting together at a table to my right and I went to my left and took the 1st booth. I noticed a woman at the grill and a woman through the doorway in the back. It took a couple of minutes then the woman at the grill brought me water and utensils and asked what I wanted to drink. I told her coffee please and she left. When she returned she asked if I needed more time and I told her yes. I remembered I had pancakes the last time I was there and gave them 4 start, so this time I wanted to try their Pecan Waffle. Two more people came in and sat behind me and they knew what they wanted so she took their order then asked me what I wanted. She hung the tickets and walked down to the door where the other woman was doing something in the back room. The woman in the back room turned out to be the cook and she had to wash her hands and put on gloves and when she started cooking I noticed she had a long pony tail that kept switching back and forth every time she took a step or turned her head. For some reason I thought cooks had to tie down their hair or wear a cap...maybe I dreamed that. Anyway, I had to ask for my 2nd cup of coffee before I got my Pecan Waffle, but the waitress anticipated my wanting a refill on the 3rd cup when I was about half way through my waffle, so I didn't have to ask again. The Pecan Waffle was very good although the batter was not as sweet as they usually are and a little grainy. About the time I was almost through eating (7:15) two young men came in with Flapjack shirts on, but it didn't seem to improve the service any, so I don't know what they were doing. I give them 3 stars ***

My Continued search for the perfect breakfast (Part 14)

May 29, 2011...Usually on Sunday I stay home and eat cereal, feed the feral cats and then go to Sunday School, today I was very lazy, got up late, fed the cats and went to Coram's on 23rd St. This is Old Home Place to me, usually see lots of people I know and everybody so friendly you just feel like you're home. I sat with an older couple that I consider a close friend of mine and ordered the 1,1,1. Ken, the head cook came out about that time and made my breakfast. My overeasy egg was perfect, my bacon was crisp and tasty and my pancake was very good. Linda Coram brought her grandbaby by our table for us to see. She is such a beautiful little girl, of course Linda is beautiful too, so you can't go wrong if there's anything you want, just ask for Linda or Charlie. I give them 5 stars *****

My continued search for the perfect Breakfast (Part 13)

A close friend took me to Bob Evans today for Breakfast. Of course this makes my second time and I must say, "This has to be the best place in Panama City for Breakfast, if you don't mind paying a lot and eating a large amount of food. If you think I went back and got the exact same Sausage Biscuit Bowl breakfast that I got last time, you would be correct. I think there is something in it that is addictive. The eggs, onions, cheese, home fries, sausage and grave (I left that out last time) is just to die for. Today it was really crowded, but still, we only had to wait a couple of minutes before we were seated. The waitress was quick to bring us our coffee and we placed our orders. It did take a while to get our food, but it had been a while since I'd had a chance to talk with this particular friend, so I really enjoyed being able to sit and chat with him. I heard an older couple complaining about having to wait for their food and then a younger couple also was saying how they would not be back because it took too long. Heck, if you're in a hurry, go to one of the Waffle Shops or McDonalds. Neither of us had any place to go and I think I may have had diarrhea of the mouth because I don't think my friend got to say very much. Sorry Friend, if you're reading this! Next time I'll buy! Anyway, I keep promising myself I'll try something different next time, but that Sausage Biscuit Bowl is huge and I take half home and enjoy the second half for Supper. I just don't know if I can make myself try something else, unless, I come for lunch or Supper instead of Breakfast...Now that's an idea...I give them five stars (again)...*****

Continuing my search for the perfect Breakfast (Part 12)

This morning I decided once again to return to a place that I had previously given a low star rating to, in order to see if there was some way I could improve what I had previously thought of the place. I went back to the Waffle House on 15th St. next to Hyundai. This morning there was two waitresses and one cook. The older of the two waitresses said, "Good Morning!" and I responded back in like manner. I sat behind a gentleman seated alone and I knew I had eaten a waffle when there before so wanted to try a regular breakfast this time. The older of the two waitresses brought me utensils and I told her I would like coffee please and she went to get it while I looked over the menu. When she sat my coffee down she asked me if I needed more time and I told her, "No, I would like 2 eggs, cooked medium, that is with the white done and yellow runny." She said, "Yes, grits or hashbrowns?" And I said, "Grits." She wrote it down and walked away. Now, the menu said: 2 eggs, toast or Texas biscuit, grits or hashbrowns or tomatoes @ $3.15, Coffee $1.50. She did not ask me if I wanted toast or biscuit, so I wondered which I would get. Not much of a surprise there, I got white toast (which I never order). She brought me one pad of jelly (grape, but it was very light in color). The grits had a large amount of butter in the middle, like a ladle had been used to add it to the grits (might have been yellow grease for all I know). A man came in and sat behind me and I heard him ask about the grits and the cook said the grits were "a little lumpy today", she got that right. Had I known before hand I would have ordered hashbrowns. My eggs were cooked as one large piece and as I began to cut them up I noticed the 2nd egg white was not done, so I stopped and made sure I did not touch it again, eating only what I had cut up before that. I ate around the lumps in the grits because they were not small lumps and I ate 1 slice of toast with the jelly and left the rest. Half way through eating my waitress asked if I wanted more coffee, which I did, but what she brought me was lukewarm, not hot. I will definitely NOT be going back. Although I will say the waitress I had, called a lot of people coming in by name, which I thought was a very nice (down home) touch (she needs to find a better place to work). I give them NO stars...<

My continued quest for the Perfect Breakfast (Part 11)

May 26, 2011...It is a terrible thing to have the burden of choice. Oh, you laugh and you smile and you say, "I wish that was all I had to do.", well, you have to remember; this is America and we all have our own special quest, whether it be our jobs, our relationships, our kids, our toys (some never grow up), or in my case...food; particularly, breakfast food. I did my time sitting in places like McDonalds with all the kids screaming and having fun, I don't have to do that anymore, so I decided the "sit down" fast food places were not for me. I also decided (and my doctor would agree) that sitting down at the donut shop and eating a box of donuts will not help my obesity. I also truly dislike having to cook anymore as I did that for many years (and it was never appreciated), so staying home and fixing breakfast, even cereal is just not a choice I like to consider. So, back to My quest...as I have visited most of the places that serve breakfast within a six mile radius of my house, I decided to backtrack and order something different from a place I had previously visited to see if I could up or lower the number of stars I had previously given them. This morning I went back to the St. Andrew's Hen House, on the North side of Hwy 98 W, previously known as the Steak & Eggs (the sign is still up). I could not remember what I had ordered, so I told the waitress (only one on the floor) I wanted the egg special (2 eggs, grits & biscuit or toast $ 1.75), I told her I wanted my eggs, over medium, with the whites done and yellows runny, and whole wheat toast. The woman that was cooking had long blond hair almost to her waist which she had in a pony tail and it was going everywhere. The cook also had on white shorts and at one point she bent over to check the flames under the grill and not only could you see her white panties, but almost the cheeks of her butt, also, the waitress was tall and her shirt was not tucked in so every time she bent forward you would see her shirt ride up in the back showing skin (not what I want to see when ordering food). I was totally surprised the owners would let her cook like that, well, I realized later when the "real" cook came in that this was either the owner or manager, not a cook. I was given my cup of coffee, but no utensils and no napkins on the table. People who know me well, know that I bring my own saccharin to add to my coffee, but I have to have something to stir it with, so about the time I started to ask my waitress for a spoon (she had walked to the opposite end of the building) she brought me utensils and a napkin (I also like to put a napkin under my coffee cup or glass so that any drips will not drip on me, I'm strange that way.). Everything is cooked on the grill, so the eggs are not greasy, which I like, but it is hard to get them off the grill without breaking the yellow, so the new cook asked me if I wanted them re-cooked and I told her no, they would be find. I added butter to my grits and asked for grape jelly which the waitress brought to me (There is no napkins or jelly on the table). The toast was buttered well, which I like and the eggs tasted good. The grits (after I added butter) were good, I could taste salt & white pepper, which made them very tasty even though they had a lot of black specks (hull from the milling process) I thought they were very good and ate all of them. The one waitress did refill my coffee and even came back the third time which I refused. A man sitting ahead of me ordered fries and they were almost burnt, but the man ate them anyway. The wife had gone home for malt vinegar to put on his fries and when she got back she ordered a 1/2 pound burger & fries. The cook fixed a 1/4 pound burger and gave her almost burnt fries too. A cook once told me that if grease is new it will not brown anything as crispy brown as I like it (I like fries very crisp), so I'm wondering how "old" the grease was that they were cooking fries in....just a thought. I believe I gave this place one star before and I see no reason to change that. Unless things improve dramatically I do not believe they will be in business long. I give them One Star again *

Continuing my search for the perfect breakfast (Part 10)

May 25, 2011...This morning I decided to go back to Granny Cantrell's because I wanted to compare their pancakes to others I have eaten in the past (I had eggs, grits & toast last time I was there and gave them 5 stars). Once again the waitress was prompt, and pleasant (always smiling), the coffee was hot and tasty. I asked the waitress how large the pancakes were because they had 1, 2, & 3 listed. She indicated they were about the size of a breakfast plate so I ordered 2 even though she said there was a special that included eggs, pancakes and meat, but I told her there was no way I could eat that much food. I'm sure looking at me (an obese woman) she did not think that was true, but it is. My problem is snacking while watching TV at night. Anyway, I drank my coffee, and watched the toy train circling the ceiling, and soon the pancakes were sitting in front of me, piping hot and golden brown, and not 2 but 3...the cook made the first one too small and gave it to me with two that were as large as my plate. I added butter, which was in it's own container and there were 4 containers in a saucer for me to use. Then I cut up about 1/4th of the pancakes and added maple syrup over what I had cut up. Wow, melt in your mouth good. Light & fluffy with a creamy texture. It was really good. I did my best to eat 1/2 of what was on my plate, but it was way too much for me to eat. I finished my 2nd cup of coffee and wasn't sure I could haul my fat rear up to the counter, I was so full. Two pancakes $2.90, Coffee $1.00, Tax .19 cents, total bill $4.09. I give them another 5 stars *****

Continuing my search for the perfect Breakfast (Part 9)

May 24, 2011...This morning I actually got up earlier than I have in the past two weeks since starting my morning trek for the perfect breakfast. Some of you may not know that since returning to Panama City (4 1/2 years now) I have been hanging out at Charlie Coram's on 23rd St (my Dad liked to take me there). The cooks, waitresses, regular customers, and even Charlie and Linda themselves are all terrific people and once you start going it is very hard to stop; however, I had forced myself to do this exploration for my own selfish reasons and particularly to make myself stop being so introverted. It seems to me, that no matter where I go I am continually comparing the people I have left behind to the people I am meeting and there is certainly no contest there. In order to "recharge" myself and see some more welcoming and pleasant faces today I ventured back to Charlie Coram's for breakfast. At some point while I was gone it looks like they have gotten another new cook, but a lot of my old friendly faces were still there and once again I felt like I had "come home". I drank several cups of coffee (unlike a lot of places, they don't seem to mind) and then ordered the special (2 eggs, grits, toast for $1.90; coffee is $1.45) I ordered 2 eggs, poached, asked them to leave off the grits ( all those waffles are putting pounds on), and whole wheat toast. It was great. My eggs come in a bowl so I can smush them up and sop them with my toast. May not sound good, but it is awesome. So, I got to enjoy the company of a good many people I had missed with good food and great coffee. I give them 5 stars *****

My continued search for the perfect Breakfast (Part 8)

Today's breakfast was a special treat, not because it was a place I had not eaten before, but because a friend of mine decided she wanted a breakfast outing too and went with me. We decided to try the new Bob Evans which opened about a month ago and serves, breakfast, lunch and dinner. They open at 6 am and close at 10 pm, Monday thru Sunday and only closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. We did not arrive until about 8:45 am, but there was still plenty of seating available. We were greeted by a young man at the bakery counter when we walked in and we asked for a booth and was seated by the receptionist. The waitress was quick, pleasant and helpful. I ordered the Sausage Biscuit Bowl which was a little larger than a saucer and piled high with scrambled egg, potatoes, onion, sausage and cheese. It was so much food I could only eat half of it, but I could find no fault with the flavors, nor how it was cooked, nor the amount. My friend ordered the Rise & Shine, which was 2 eggs, home fries, link sausage and two slices of blueberry bread (bread & meat of your choice). The over medium eggs were cooked harder than over medium, only slightly runny yellows, but the remainder was cooked correctly and she said tasted great. My friend had also ordered the "apple pie fries" which were out of this world good! Crisp, hot and sweet. My Sausage Biscuit Bowl was $6.99, coffee $1.89, tax $.58 for a total of $9.46. My friend's Rise & Shine was $7.79, coffee $1.89, apple pie fries $3.99, tax $.89 for a total of $14.56. My friend gave the waitress $20 and told her to keep the change and I left her $3.00. So, although the food was higher than I would normally want to pay every day, it was OK for a special outing or if you just want some really terrific food for a change and don't mind paying extra for it. I give them 5 stars *****