Today’s blog is about housekeeping issues.

First of all, a portrait of an American hero – a woman who spent years supporting her husband, the famous Sarge Charlie.  Of course, I am speaking of the beautiful, vivacious Empress Bee.  And, she likes red hats, to boot.

Now, Bee has simple tastes – she absolutely loves cake.  My guess is that she is a decendant of Marie Antoinette of the famous “let them eat cake” comment.  So, to be sure that Bee does not go hungry, here is a chocolate cake recipe.

Ingredients	Preparation
2 Cups Flour	Preheat Oven to 300° F (This is not a typo! This is a slow bake chocolate cake recipe.) Use Crisco Shortening to lightly grease and flour the 9 x 13 in. Baking Dish. (It’s a one layer chocolate cake!) Place all the ingredients on the left into a mixing bowl. Mix at medium or medium high speed until all ingredients are blended and smooth. Pour into greased and floured baking dish Bake for 1 hr. Test by sticking with knife. If it comes out clean, it’s done! Allow to cool. Scroll down this page for the simple Recommended White Vanilla Icing…
2 Cups Sugar
¾ Cup Hershey’s Cocoa
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Eggs (I use large eggs)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup ButtermilkRemember that you can freeze buttermilk so you have to make another buttermilk chocolate cake recipe.
1 Cup Mazola Oil
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Boiling Water

Recommended White Vanilla Icing
Obviously you can use whatever you like. But I have found that the simplest icing works best on this cake.
Ingredients	Preparation
¾ Bag of Powdered Confectioners Sugar	Place the powdered sugar, softened butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add a little milk. Mix at high speed until smooth and creamy. Add milk as required to get the right consistency.
¼ Pound Stick of Butter (Softened)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
Milk

If prepared correctly, the result should look something like this:

Now, this particular cake has birthday candles on it – the birthday being celebrated was Phannie Compost Heap, our cat

Phannie is quite the little Princess.  She EXPECTS to receive treats each and every time I walk by.  She has her own little doll (Baby) that she sleeps with and otherwise rules the roost like the Royalty that she clearly is.

Now, Phannie and Aurora, our other Princess

never actually get to physically go on a cruise.  Rather, they go to sleep away camp when the Mrs. and I are cruising – at least when the daughter isn’t around to take care of them.  They both love the sleep away camp – it is held at their doctor’s offices and the ladies there dote all over them when they are around.

As for cruises, I am hoping there will be a cruise in our near future – specifically, the two day Cruise to Nowhere out of New York in October.  John Heald will be on board, as will Todd and Just Du’et (John & Diane).  It would give us a chance to catch up with all of them, even if only for a few days.

BTW, have I ever mentioned my big brother?  He and I look reasonably alike, but more amazingly, he and our orthopedic surgeon (and my back doctor) look like they could be fraternal twins.  As a result, Dr. M & I have been mistaken more than once for siblings.

So, what is left to discuss?  Well, I guess I could mention that we lived in New Jersey for about 11 months in the early ’90s.  The Mrs. was not working, so I guess she could be referred to as a Real Housewife of New Jersey, not those TV created debutantes.

So, enough housekeeping for now.  Hopefully, this blog will find you all happy and full of life.

Until next time.

JustJon