It's a HodgePodge Kind of Day

1. What does productivity look like to you? Productivity is “getting things done.” I am a list maker so a productive day is a day where I have marked everything off my “to do” list.

2. What was your fondest (or one of your fondest) memory of High School? Even though my mom died when I was a Sophomore in high school, I can look back on many good memories of High School. I mentioned one of those events in a recent blog. Another family in our church hosted a surprise 16^th birthday party for me. I was also in the school beauty pageant during my senior year and placed in the top 15. I was in the color guard and LOVED it. I made All State Choir in high school – I sang alto. I can’t sing at all anymore. If you don’t use it, you lose it.

3. What did you do the summer after High School? I actually went to work at South Central Bell on the morning after graduation. My 18^th birthday was about two weeks away from my start date so my daddy had to sign a “minor’s release” form in order for me to go to work! Throughout that summer, I dated my boyfriend from my senior year of high school.

4. June 14th is National Strawberry Shortcake Day...are you a fan, and if so will you celebrate? How do you make yours? Have you been strawberry picking? If so what do you do with all those berries? June 14^th is also Flag Day and more importantly June 14^th is my birthday! I used to love strawberry shortcake but I don’t eat sweets anymore. I do still eat strawberries and I love them!! My mother-in-law taught me to make her Strawberry Shortcake. I grew up eating those little round cakes (dessert shells) from the grocery store. I didn’t know there was a recipe for Strawberry Shortcake until I became an Elliott. We use our basic waffle recipe but add more butter and sugar and bake in an 8 X 8 pan. After cooking, slice a square and then split the square horizontally. Put fresh sliced strawberries in between and strawberries and whipped cream on top. My husband likes to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and THEN add the whipped cream. You can decorate the piece by placing a whole strawberry on top of the whipped cream.

5. What's something you always splurge on? I probably splurge on food/drink items more often than anything else. I do splurge a little on shoes – I prefer good sandals with arch support. I splurged a little on the glass knobs for our new bar we are having built in the house and we splurged on having our bathroom re-done even though it was the only room in the house with no damage.

6. Insert your own random thought here. Matthew McConaughey is in Birmingham filming a movie. On Monday, the "in charge" person showed up at our church (remember I'm on staff at our church) and asked to rent our parking lot and a large inside room for Tuesday in case of rain. When we got to work this morning, our parking lot was covered with catering tents and make up trailers, etc. We were told that we could even eat lunch with the crew (not cast . . .but crew!). I even wore mascara to work today (I rarely wear eye make-up . . .or much make-up at all to weekday work). It didn't rain and they had moved on before lunch. We didn't get to meet Matthew nor eat with the crew but it was still a little exciting knowing some of them were in our parking lot. Matthew has been spotted at several restaurants around town - very local ones! - and according to all reports has been very nice. We were so close . . .(just FYI - none of us saw him so we don't know if he was here or not). I had planned to run out and take some pictures of all of the trailers, etc. but didn't. This is all I have: