Girlfriends........

Today I had to attend a funeral.......I hate funerals!!!

It was celebrating the life of a friend of ours, John, I had worked with his wife for over 20 years. We all became friends attending the obligatory Christmas parties and assorted company events. When I first began working at "the office" they invited my husband and I to their home for dinner, and were wonderful and gracious. It was the beginning of a long and true friendship.

It was a typical Catholic Mass celebration at the church where he was baptized and where he and his wife had married in 1976. As difficult as it was to celebrate his life and the end of his life, and seeing his wife, children and other family members in pain. As funerals do often times, it brings people together. In this case it was a group of us girls who worked together in the same office on and off for more than 20 years.

We all were able to sit together for lunch after the service and enjoys some laughs together like old times. We all had been together for so long we experienced pregnancies, raising our children, the birth of a few grandchildren and even some losses together.

We had worked in an office that at the most at one time had about 16 employees. It was a high stress, long hours kind of business. And the most men we ever had in the office at one time was 3...typically they couldn't hang around for long. But us women did, and we bonded....sure we all had ups and downs...mood swings, jealousy issues...it wasn't all rainbows and kisses. At times there were some not speaking to others. But the one thing we all knew and still know to this day is that we got each others back. I could call anyone of these ladies for anything and without a doubt they would come thru. And I would do the same for them...anytime...anywhere.

I have never really been part of the "girlfriends" thing. There is no one that I talk to everyday other than my husband and daughters. I don't really share private moments with anyone other than family.

But today I learned that I have "girlfriends" if that is what you want to call them.....but to me it is much more....they are my support system, and I hope that they consider me a part of theirs.

Today was a sad day, but it was also a very special day.

How about a Friday fill in....sounds fun!

1. Halloween decorations are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.

2. Sometimes I take a bubble bath with my granddaughter.

3. I never thought I would have the time to take care of my grandchildren while their mama works, but now that I am not working....I get to and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"!

4. When I'm down, I like to go shopping.

5. Home is where you'll find me most often.

6. A rainy day is good for baking cookies and making soup.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching The Dog Whisperer (the bulldog sits in front of the tv, intently watching the entire time), tomorrow my plans include not sure yet, but hope to go fishing and Sunday, I want to definitely take the boat out and go fishing!

And if I don't get to go fishing I might do this.....

Time for a recipe! Carrot Cake with cream cheese/mascarpone frosting

Ok...this has been a terrible week....and I have been ranting a little this week, just to let off some steam.
But forget all that...it is time for a recipe!
This is absolutely, without a doubt, indisputably the very best Carrot Cake and it has an incredible cream cheese/mascarpone frosting.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese/Mascarpone Frosting

2 c. all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 c. finely grated carrots
1 10 oz. can crushed pineapple (undrained)
1 c. chopped nuts (I used pecans, but walnuts or macadamia would be good also)

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir in the sugar, then the oil, slightly beat the eggs and add to mixture. Stir in carrots, then the pineapple, then the nuts. Stir each item until mixed, but do not over beat. This is an easy cake to mix by hand...it actually turns out better.
Place in two greased and floured cake pans and bake at 350* for 35 to 40 minutes until just done, do not overbake.
Remove cake from pans and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese/Marscapone Frosting
2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter
1 8-oz. contained of marscapone cheese, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Beat butter and cheeses together until fluffy. Add vanilla and slowly add powdered sugar. Beat until creamy and fluffy. This recipe makes alot of frosting, so don't skimp between the layers.

ENJOY!

Oh, and for the record....I really do plan on posting recipes other than desserts...it's just that desserts really do rock my boat.