Case in point? It’s killed once. Chances are, according to some, it will attack again.

Surveillance cameras snapped this shot a few weeks back, so take a look and see what you think. Cat, lion, cougar? Housecat? Killer at large?

The first victim was an 85-pound collie – attacked not once, but twice. The dog died nine days after the second attack. Many community members fear the next victim will be a child. But, in a effort to keep the county calm, the search for what I now refer to as man-bear-pig has ended.

In fact, many believe this is nothing more than someone’s pet cat. But the collie’s owner would beg to differ.  And it might bear noting that the collie’s owner is, in fact, a preacher. And surely if anyone can be trusted, it’s him. Right?

Alas, it appears the world – much less the residents of Harrison County – may never know.

But if you hear a meow/roar and find banana peels in your yard, I’d refrain from calling, “Here, kittie, kittie.”

-Liz

While there I couldn’t help but notice some quaint and quirky observations about the differences between my current state of Utah and my former state of KY.

Observations:

• I’ve noticed the famous KY rolling stop is still the accepted, and preferred, means of stopping at a stop sign.

• When you are done drying off after a shower, you still feel completely damp.

• In the battle between my hair and the humidity, the humidity is clearly the victor.

This is kind of what my hair looked like in KY…

• There are so many nicknames for grandma and grandpa…mamaw, nanna, nan, papaw, popsa, pops are a few that I heard while there.

• When I was a kid, some kook decided to build a castle just outside Versailles, Ky. I suppose because of the name of the town this guy had visions of royalty. The thing is, he never finished it. Upon my return I see that the unfinished castle on the way to Versailles is now a finished castle called CastlePost, a stately hotel for rich-type royalty wannabe’s.

• Cold drinks really sweat here…a lot. I did learn a trick from Liz. Just sprinkle some salt on your drink napkin and your glass won’t stick.

• Lightning bugs still exist…my kids have never seen one. I am seriously considering catching some in a jar and taking a pic for the kids.

• You don’t have to put lotion on your hands every hour in KY.

• The people here are so, so friendly and welcoming, especially in the smaller towns. I saw many a head nod and steering wheel wave while there.

It sounded simple enough, until I read the phrases:

Works well without instruction. Needs supervision to finish assignments. Flourishes in structured class. Works independently. Adapts to Change. Doesn’t like change. Prefers a more flexible environment.

You get the point. I, however, didn’t. Enter my problems with this “questionnaire.”

First, I do not observe my child in the classroom. I am not a teacher for a multitude of very good reasons. I know how he is at home – one on one. Based on that, I would have checked every box – because each box could apply on any given day.

It’s just like the weather in Kentucky. If you don’t like it, wait a day. It will change.

Which brings us to my other issue with this survey of sorts. They are essentially asking me to label my child. To stick him in a specific mold within which he can be squished and manipulated as need be.

By checking desires flexibility and needs structure, for example, he could be labeled unruly or hyper. Next step? ADHD.

By checking works well independently, he could be labeled a shy, backward introvert. Next step? Psychological evaluation.

Think back to your school days. There was always a bully, there were kids who struggled with reading and excelled in math, others who claimed the title of class clown or nerd. Kids label themselves without any help from their educators. And unfortunately, those labels tend to stick, whether or not they are accurate.

Each child learns and acts/reacts differently than the next. Because no two children are alike. That’s the beauty of the individual. Sure, teachers have various ways of teaching, according to the learning patterns of students, just as parents interact differently with each of their children. There is no “set way” that can be applied to every child, all the time.

Unless of course you slap a label on them. Stick them in the ol’ mold and decide for them what they are to become. Which makes me wonder who all this labeling really benefits. How easy I suppose it would be to label and mold kids into a certain group. Because kids are quite adaptable.

They wouldn’t notice the loss of individuality – at least not right away. Maybe they wouldn’t notice until they reached adulthood. But one day, they’d notice.

Labeling, classifying our kids seems very dangerous. When they find themselves within a certain group, they begin to believe they truly are members of the group – and that their abilities or opportunities are limited to those of the group.

I guess it should come as no surprise that I checked every box. Because each one applies at one time or another. And I am not about to label him as being one way or another. I’m more than content with letting him just be Colton.

Liz

*As always, just leave a comment on this post, or any other post for that matter, and be automatically entered in this week’s giveaway.

Kentucky Hot Browns.

Being two Kentucky girls, we think it’s high time we share this good old southern dish with the rest of the world. And true in Liz and Kate form, of course we had to figure out a cheater way to keep the same yummy flavor, while cutting the time and effort spent in the kitchen.

Right about now most of you may be saying, “What in the world is a Hot Brown?” Here’s a brief history of the origins of this delicious dish.

In the 1920′s, The Brown Hotel (in Louisville) drew over 1,200 guests each evening for its dinner dance. In the wee hours of the morning, the guests would grow tired of dancing and retire to the restaurant for a bite to eat. Diners were growing rapidly bored with the traditional ham and eggs, so Chef Fred Schmidt set out to create something new to tempt his guests’ palates. His unique creation was an open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and a delicate Mornay sauce. Exemplifying our unending dedication to serving our guests, The Hot Brown was born! ~The Brown Hotel in Louisville

So without further ado, we present…

Cheater Kentucky Hot Browns

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Ingredients:

• Texas Toast style bread (one slice per serving)
• Deli ham (2 slices per serving)
• Deli turkey (2 slices per serving)
• Mornay or Hollandaise sauce mix (I used 3 pkgs. for 6 servings)
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Bacon, cooked

Directions:

Toast the slices of bread and place in casserole dish coated with non-stick cooking spray.

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Top each slice with 2 slices of turkey and 2 slices of ham. Add tomato slices.

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Make sauce mix according to package directions. Pour sauce over all.
Place under broiler until nice and bubbly and slightly browned.
Top each serving with 2 slices of bacon.

Enjoy!

Other Cheater Recipes!

Not that I hadn’t been there before. Oh, I had. Two years prior. Which could be the reason I can’t remember – or choose to forget – which state I’m in.

The last time I went to the reunion, the first thing I saw was a giant statue of Jesus, on his back and strapped to a trailer in the lodge’s parking lot. So I’d ask you: do you really want to know what state I was in? Wouldn’t it almost be better if you didn’t?

Anyway, back to this year’s reunion and my quest for a double blood line back to the Revolution. Wait. First I have to tell you that, while we were there for several days, the reunion itself is about six hours of family registration, a mixer (I’m not even going there…), lunch, (which, of course, has an agenda of its own), and planning for the next year.

We – as in my children and I – were there for about two of those six hours, thanks to the thoughtfulness and cover-up of my dad, bless his heart, and my mother, bless her heart (“You all don’t need to stay for the rest of this…”). Hello pool, playground and paddle boats!

I really wanted to hear the stories and see the old pictures, though. It was the only way to get to the blood line I knew would show itself.

Until the stories started.

Seems like at least one relative – Bad Devil John (no, I’m not kidding) – was a real rebel of sorts. Married to at least seven or eight women at once, God knows how many kids, and a killer of sorts. You know, the kind of killer who’d kill ya for looking at him cross-eyed.

Then there was Bad Blind Noah. But he wasn’t blind – at least in sight. Oh, no. He was simply blind to the number of people he’d killed. In fact, he’d killed so many people for whatever reasons he might have had, that he once asked a group of men if they’d ever heard of Bad Devil John. When they answered in the affirmative, he then informed them that Bad Devil John was a real wimp in comparison to him.

Must’ve asked them just before he killed them. I say that because Bad Blind Noah lived to be about 87.

With that, I’d heard enough, thank you.

As I replayed the events of the reunion and accompanying stories, I questioned why I couldn’t have the bloodline I’d so come to discover.

After a little thought, I realized I encompass just enough of every ancestor to be exactly who I am. Mixed with enough of me to pass along to future generations, I guess I’m simply thankful I won’t be there for the reunion in 2209. I’d like to think they’ll be talking about me though – and Bad Devil John and Bad Blind Noah.

Although they didn’t prove to be my connection to a double line descendant of the Revolution, I think Bad Devil John and Bad Blind Noah would say the same thing I’m saying now. Talk about me all you want. Just spell my name right…

-Liz

Enjoy your Coffee Break!

Want to submit your own story to be considered for the Guest Headline post to run on Friday’s????  Just send your story to: lizandkate@live.com and check back on Friday to see if your story was selected.