Good News Minute ~ A Special Story

McKenna
as
Miss Fancy Nancy

Dear Readers, 

My Good News Minute today is about 

a story that changed my life.  

In the 70's we lived in Idaho in a 

small farming community.

Every time that I felt defeated, 

I'd get out this story and hold my head up high 

and bake my bread and make yummy food 

with the bulk items I had on hand.  

It was a very difficult time for my husband 

and me financially. 

My fifth baby was only six weeks old when I decided to babysit two extra
little boys to help out a little with the budget. 

They were the age of my oldest boy so I thought it was a fabulous idea 

until my stomach screamed that it was not. 

The doctor gave me medicine and said that I needed to take away some of my stress. 

Well I couldn't take away the bills and I couldn't take away our other concerns 

so the only thing I could think to take away were 

those two little boys that I baby sat. 

One of the little boys would stand at the window and stare with a broken heart 

because of his parents were getting a divorce. 

It was too much for me. 

My husband asked permission from his boss to work at 

a potato plant on a shift that started at

four in the afternoon. 

So he taught Seminary until three thirty and then loaded box cars with frozen spuds 

of all kinds until 12:30 in the morning. 

He would bring me home frozen hash browns that went so good with the 

home made bread toast, bacon and eggs that I fixed for him to eat at 

1:00 o'clock in the morning.

I would put my little one's to bed all comfy cozy and I'd keep my house spotless 

so that when he walked in the door at 1:00 o'clock he could feel at peace 

and comfortable and was better able to get up at 

6:00 o'clock the next morning and 

start all over again. 

He did this for four months until we could get on our feet again. 

As I look back on those times I realize that if I would have gone to work 

and been gone all day we would have had a dirty messy house with a 

mad husband and sad little children. 

Because of
"When Queens Ride By" 

it turned out just right. 

So read the story young mommy's 

and see if it might help you get through 

a little better too. 

Love,
Grammy T.

Coconut and Lingonberry Friands In

From a wonderful cook and baker Nami-Nami

Coconut and Lingonberry Friands
(Pohla-kookosefriandid)
Makes 8 regular-sized friands

100 g unsalted butter, melted
125 g icing sugar/confectioner's sugar
30 g plain flour/all-purpose flour (50 ml or 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp)
50 g finely ground almonds
50 g grated/desiccated coconut
3 medium-sized egg whites
a very generous handful of lingonberries

Preheat the oven to 200C. Generously butter eight non-stick friand or muffin tins.
Sift the icing sugar and flour into a bowl, add the almonds and mix.
Whisk the egg whites in another bowl until they form a light, floppy foam.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the egg whites, then lightly stir in the butter to form a soft batter.
Divide the batter among the tins. Sprinkle some berries (I used about a tablespoon for each) and flaked coconut over each cake.
Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 200 C oven for about 20 minutes, until just firm to the touch and golden brown on top.
Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. To serve, sprinkle with more coconut

Enjoy.

Love,

Grammy T.

Fireworks And The Peeping Tom

When I was little like Caitlin I lived on 2nd Avenue in Sacramento California.

My house was a cute little white house with two bedrooms, one bath, 

a single car garage, pink azaleas and a huge tree in the backyard. 

My street was close to the old fair grounds so during the state fair I had huge fireworks every night right up in my same sky.

I got in a lot of trouble in those days and often found myself playing 

in my backyard alone. 

I was always given the same instructions: 

don't climb on the fence and don't pick the neighbors cherries. 

So as soon as I found myself bored silly the best thing I could think of to do 

was to climb that fence and pick the neighbors cherries.

One night during the fireworks my Papa King came off of the front porch 

where the grownups had been sitting and told me to come in the house. 

"Why Papa, the fireworks aren't done?" 

"Because there is a bad man hiding behind the telephone pole." He explained.

I came in the house. 

Papa followed the man and made a citizens arrest over by the County Hospital. 

My Papa was awesome, he was a California Highway Patrol Officer 

and he knew his stuff.

I guess Papa had arrested the same man that had been peeking in my window at night. 

Papa called that man a "Peeping Tom."

I could smell Toms cigarette and see the glow of it in the dark. 

I kept telling my daddy about Tom but when he would come in my room 

he said he couldn't see or smell anything. 

My window was always open to let fresh air in but I think that because my daddy smoked he couldn't smell as good as me.

I sure am glad my Papa caught Tom.

Papa never bawled me out for being naughty. 

I think it was because he was just like me.

Love,

Grammy T.