For once, I wish they'd leave that poor groundhog alone.

I think we should just stop observing Ground Hog's day.  We know we're going to have 6 more weeks of winter... the first day of spring isn't until something like April 21st.  Dragging a poor sleeping groundhog out of his den isn't fun for him and it's like gum in our hair for us when they say "he's seen his shadow!"  If you don't bring him out he WON'T see his shadow!

Freddie was cookin' in his Fronchard again yesterday, so we took a little drive up to Cumby, Texas.  It was cold and dreary, the weather men lied again. Wednesday morning I heard one say "we'll have a nicer weekend than we had last weekend.... it'll be sunny and in the high 60's..."  LIARS!!!!

But that didn't stop Freddie from smoking brisket, beef ribs, chicken thighs, and pork ribs, and his signature red beans (pintos... in Texas we only use pintos.) There was also pasta salad, scalloped potatoes, broccoli rice casserole, cornbread, pico de gallo, home made pickles, and lots of sweet tea. 

I would have taken pictures of it all but once the meats are brought in off the smoker it gets a little rowdy and people don't like waiting.  They also get a little defensive in that part of East Texas about having candid photos taken.  (I wonder if any of them have something like their where-abouts to hide?)  There were even some holding their styro-foam plates during the blessing.... as Freddie said in the blessing "bless our shenanigans here today..."

Freddie and Judy have come to expect Jody and I to bring the sweets.  Being so close to Valentines Day I decided to make my Mom's Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet cake.  I know everybody and their brothers (restaurant and grocery store bakery) makes a Red Velvet cake at this time of the year.  But believe me, none can compare to my Mom's recipe.  This cake is SO moist and the French Frosting is so much better than cream cheese frosting.  I love cream cheese frosting, but once you have this cake with this frosting, you will never be satisfied with the store bought cake again.  It's heavenly.  

I had made my cakes the night before, I wanted them to be nice and cool before putting the frosting on. 

Finally... I used that huge Kitchen-aid mixer that Jody gave me for Christmas.  I'm going to have to start making more 'scratch' recipes. 

The recipe for the frosting was a little confusing the way Mom had written it on the card.  I had to email the Barefoot Kitchen Witch for a consultation on the meaning of "cook until thick."  I had looked up French Frosting on the internet and gotten all kinds of vague answers. 

I was glad Jayne had agreed with my idea of 'thick' and I pulled the frosting together.  I will use Mom's recipe from now on and not try to combine the internet and Mom's.  What I did was good but not near as 'excellent' as what I remembered having as a kid every Valentines Day.

With the cakes frosted, off we went to Cumby.  It was Freddie's son, Collin's 18th birthday and I was glad to see him eating cake 3 times that afternoon.  I told him he was welcome to take the second uncut cake home to Oklahoma with him when he left, if there was any left when that time came. 

Freddie's house was packed with people as usual, bluegrass music pouring out every time the door was opened for a kid to run in and out or an adult to step out for a breath of fresh air or a smoke.  (That's Collin in the picture on the buffet.)

Judy danced with first one grand child and then another until they were all tuckered out, well at least the 3 year olds were. 

Here's Sara with one.... he's almost gone.....

I managed to get the little girl down for a nap before we left for home.  We waltzed in a chair for about 5 or 6 minutes then I subjected her to the patented Cruzan sway.  She was a gonner after that.

They were all still jammin' right along when we headed home around 6pm. 

Not long after we got home my brother Mike called.  He and Di were at her Mom's and were going to zip over to see us.  They were in town for the Dallas Boat Show before leaving to the USVI and to be married next Sunday on the beach in St John.  It was great to see them and give them their Christmas gifts and to give Di her Honeymoan gift.  Here I am again... the horrible blogger, no pictures of Di trying out her socks, the ones on the left in this picture from last fall.

Or pictures of her taking the socks I'd made for Michael...

Remember them??? The nightmare felted socks that Jody refers to as 'Porn Sox'....  They fit Di and she'll wear them for slippers.  Mikey gets the pair I'm making for him now and his plan B Christmas gift of a homemade Kalulah Kit.  Who needs socks when you have Kalulah?  They sure won't need socks were they are going, but I hope to have the socks waiting for him when he gets back home to West Texas in about 15 days...  we'll still be having winter because someone won't leave that poor groundhog alone.