Me And Martha!!!

My doctor has put me on new medicines to try and help me feel better. My quality of life has been different. Between the bowel issues, the bone pain, the fatigue and the generally ill feelings, life has been different than it was pre-cancer. With these new medicines and advice from friends, my bowel issues have been resolved...so far...knock on wood...yeah!!!!....best news ever!!!! My fatigue is even getting a little bit better, the bone pain is still a big issue. Mornings are difficult for me because of this pain, it is hard to get my day started. But these new medicines really do seem to help me feel better and function better once they are in my system and I am able to start my day!!!!

About a year or so before the ugly "c" word entered my life, I wanted to take a cake decorating class. Even though there are definitely two gifts I was not given...creativity and rhythm. No chance there is any black in my blood!!!! I couldn't boogie if I tried!!! I also have absolutely no creative ability!!! I have always been the "tom-boy" in the family. I remember playing as kids with my cousins, and while Teresa and Bonnie fought over the coveted spot of playing Jane for the day, I would give Cousin Ron a run for his money over who got to be Tarzan!!!! I was not about to be stuck in the "kitchen" stringing leaves or making mud pies!!! I had much rather have been found swinging from the tree limbs, making my way through the "jungle" in search of an unexpecting animal to kill for dinner!!! Of course the second place option wasn't too bad either, I mean after all, there were plenty of benefits to getting to be Cheetah!!!! (for those readers too young to remember, what was one of the greatest TV shows ever, Tarzan ...Cheetah was the family pet.... monkey!!!) Oh, those were the days!!!! The days when, as kids, our imaginations were over used, are bodies were tanned from playing outside, not laying in a bed made of light bulbs, our hands were used for such things as carving knives out of sticks or grabbing limbs as we made our way up the tree, not pushing buttons on a controller. We never spent our days in front of the TV, after all what would have been the use...the only day time programming back then was soap operas, cartoons could only be found on Saturday mornings. Boy, those were the days!!!! I remember the same scenario playing out early every Saturday morning in the summer when I would be blessed with the wonderful gift of getting to spend the night with my Granny. Her neighbor, whom we called Granny Freels, (she was not our real Granny but she was a wonderful addition to our young lives!!) would cross the street and head up the driveway on her way to have breakfast and coffee with my Granny. She would always stop, shade the sun from her eyes as she looked up to the top of my favorite huge oak tree that lined the drive, and every Saturday morning would say the same thing..."I think I see a squirrel in the top of that tree!!!" Then she would let out a little giggle and continue on her way. Corney, I know, but somehow she always made me giggle too!!!

Anyway...I guess I have gotten carried away...my point was I have no creative ability...back to the original thought...I wanted to take a cake decorating class...

I don't have the confidence to try anything new on my own. I have to have an accomplice. I have been blessed with two people in my life, that if I get a desire to do, or try, something new, they are always game!!!! These two people are my wonderful husband, who if I get a whim to go somewhere or do something, he is always ready and willing to go along and even help plan the experience!!!! The same goes for my wonderful, OLDER sister, Teresa!!! I told Teresa of my desire to take a cake decorating class and even though she could decorate cakes pretty well already, she was willing to go and even did the research to find such a class and signed us up. We ended up taking the Beginners and the Advanced cake decorating classes that year. Now anytime, after taking the classes, that Teresa or I take a cake to a family function where we are both present, I always feel the need to explain, in a whisper, of course, how... if Teresa brings the cake "she does fairly well , even though she failed the class."... if I make the cake, I have to explain to everyone how "I had to make the cake, it's such a shame, after all those lessons, Teresa failed to receive her diploma"!!! Of course everyone is always shocked to hear this, knowing when it comes to most "domestic " activities Teresa could go head to head with Martha Stewart!!! I guess I just can't help myself, you see everyone "expects " that perfectly decorated cake from Teresa, but after all my years in the "jungle", it seems they don't expect much from me. I just can't help it, you don't know the pressure and anxiety that exists when growing up side by side with Martha Stewart!!! Now, not to sell myself short, I could build the table that Teresa or Martha sit their beautifully decorated cakes on, or, I could wire up the mixer they use to mix the batter for their beautifully decorated cakes!!!! All those years of playing Tarzan had it's benefits!!!

Anyway, once again I have gotten carried away. Back to my original story....

I decided I wanted to take a fondant class. The act of covering and decorating a cake with fondant, (for those who may not know, fondant is like play dough for big girls!!!) was not covered in the beginners or the advanced cake class. So... I called Teresa, and true to form, she researched it and found a class and signed us up!!! Yeah!!! Play dough, once I got past the smell, was something I was fairly good at playing with as a child. We have now had two of our four scheduled classes. They are every Tuesday night from 6:00-8:00 pm. We have had a great time, once again playing together!!!!

Teresa and I, last night, all set up and waiting for class to begin.

The main reason I wanted to take this class was to learn the art of bow making. Guess what we accomplished in our very first class? Yeah!!!! I made this one!!!!

After coming home I wanted to practice, so I made this one last week when I had some free time.

Last nights class, (we made the center for the rose in last weeks class, but we were not told that was what we were making...it would have been prettier if the center had matched the rose.) We were taught to make the Rose, the Cali Lily, and the Carnation. We also learnt how to make the leaves and the stamens, the green leafy parts of the flowers.

Even the backs of the flowers are made to look realistic.

The difference between Play Dough and Fondant are these flowers are completely edible!!!

For our last class, we still have two more classes left, we will be required to decorate a cake, utilizing our newly acquired skills. I hate this part. I hate being judged!!!! And like I said, I have absolutely no creative ability, thus I have no idea what to do. Any ideas? This will, in a way, be our "test", where we will receive our diploma. (I'll let you know the day before so you will be able to say a little prayer for Teresa, you know she struggles with the passing part!!!) heeheeehee!!!!!