So... today I got my Buc~A~Buc taxes FINALLY done, the form filled out (itemized w/ prices) for replacing the lost food from the ice box debacle, and a whole bunch of other mind numbing paperwork DONE and ready to go out in the mail.  We also picked up a new to us chicken tractor which Rebekah has already claimed for those ding dong (kill me now) Silkies of hers AND we cleaned house.  YIKES!  I'm tired.  House still needs more cleaning (big surprise) and I need to do a bunch of cooking tomorrow.  Hoping to still make it down to pick up Grammie before Easter.  She's still holding out which is odd.  I guess she got a better offer!  LOLOL!!!  I can't IMAGINE not wanting to join the insanity that is Willson for Easter!  Oh well.  :)  Grandmar and Grandad are still coming as well as some friends we've not seen for a while.  YAY!  Can't wait!

The Great Cake Adventure

Sooooo... I've never been much of a baker.  Sure I've made a few cakes over the years but very few, and they were always out of a box.  Recently my friend Lee (who can throw a rotten tomato and match stick together in a pot and come out with something wonderful) invited us over for supper. I brought the meat, she made the sides and desert.  We had a wonderful time and the cake she made was beyond delicious.  I wish I had taken a picture because along with it being insanely tasty it was just beautiful.

My family LOVED it and my husband was particularly pleased when Lee sent him home with a large chunk of it for another day.  I think he managed to get three slices out of it, which he ate with gusto.  There was no question throughout the family that they'd best leave Daddy's cake ALONE.  And so finally I decided I should at least TRY to make this cake.

I even ran into Lee at the local Wal-Mart and she helped me find all the ingredients she used - I insisted on using EXACTLY the brands she had used so it would taste the same.

And so I took it all home and about a week ago finally had the time to actually make it. Rebekah was my assistant, and really, we had a great time making it.  We followed all the directions including for the icing.  In the end, apparently...  something went wrong:

Yeah.  Like I was saying.  Something went ... wrong.

But still... it tasted good.  But... oy.  The presentation definitely left something to be desired.  

And so I tried again and this time... May I have a drum roll, please...

With a little help from Lee...

and a recipe from Joanie...

BEHOLD the KEK!

RARE Lavender Orpington Cockerel for Sale. Only $20.  Should probably not go to a home w/ small children.  My daughter is afraid of him, though we've never witnessed him being aggressive.  My guess is she is timid around him and he acts "cocky."  In any event, she is scared of him so he must go.  He's a pretty, pretty boy and less than one year old.

"Pic A Pic A Peanut Butter"

This is what my daughter calls him.  I have no idea...

We are sad to report there will be no puppies this spring. Precious was due 1 March. We realized she was not "showing" but held out hope since she typically "hides" her pregnancies until about ten days before delivery. As her due date approached we became more concerned but hoped it was simply she did not have many in there. Sadly an xray reveled today NO puppies. Besides the blow to our customers and our heartstrings, this is a serious financial blow to Buc~A~Buc - having thus far invested over $1700 with no refund or puppies to show. SO. Oh well. God has a perfect plan in all of this. Perhaps the timing was just not correct. We will make one more attempt this summer for Fall puppies. If you are on the waiting list, check your in basket for more details. Hugs. Cindy Lou