by toogie ( edited 19 Oct 2023 ) 19 Oct 2023

Happy Birthday to me! Yesterday the 18th was my birthday and we spent it on a trip to an Army buddy of my husbands. They had planned for us to come sometime this week for quite a while. It just so happened that the 17th and 18th worked for them and us. I didn’t want my husband to mention to them, but I never voiced it to him, that it was my birthday. After I got about 8 text or phone calls, someone remarked how funny/odd it was that the phone never rings at home but the minute you’re away it rings and rings. That’s when my husband said it was probably someone calling to wish me Happy Birthday.

Anyway, we enjoyed our little trip 4 hours one way, so not too far. We had never been to Dolly’s house. The buddy’s wife that we knew too, died about 10 or 11 years ago. Anyway she lives close to a waterway and as I love the water, she took me to it on her golf cart. Her sister was there too so just us 3 girls went. Loved seeing the water and the water spill over the locks. So peaceful to me.
She had porches on 3 sides of her house which we were able to sit outside and enjoy. One was uncovered with a roof but was covered naturally with huge oak trees for shade.
Of course, we had to play Farkle as we learned the game from them. I think we all won at least one game and I was high roller with 5,000 points in one turn. Even though I didn’t win that game it was fun to score that much in a turn. Just old people having a nice peaceful time-lol
Also,when we got there it was about 10 am the 17th. Dolly had a seafood gumbo with shrimp and crab but because she knew I was allergic she had made a sausage, chicken and okra dish which she called stew. It was seasoned well and I enjoyed that. Also had potato salad and a few deserts.
The morning of the 18th we woke us to the smell of bacon. It’s funny/odd how people differ in their eats or foods. She had tomato gravy and rice, along with oven baked bacon and biscuits. I had never ate the tomato gravy for breakfast nor any rice for breakfast. In fact, we never eat breakfast at home. I just like my coffee in the mornings. My husband ate the bacon and biscuit he said but I can’t eat in the mornings. When I asked him if he tried the tomato gravy he said no. I told him I only ate it once before and I remembered it was good.
Her son was there off and on and he came in and fried fish for lunch on the 18th. He is a shrimper and she says he keeps them supplied with seafood. She said his last haul was 2,500 pounds of shrimp! I told her I used to love it but can’t eat it since having an anaphylactic reaction. I’m allergic and my oldest daughter Marsha and her daughter Lanie. Lanie spent a weekend in ICU from eating shrimp etouffee.
Anyway we came home last night. Hubby rather drive at night and avoid the day traffic. They wanted us to wait until this morning to leave, but we were both ready to come home. We were well treated but I told my husband I didn’t go there for her to stay in the kitchen cooking all the time.
Anyway, that’s how I spent this years birthday. I submitted my birthdate a couple years ago ,so I did look on Cute on the way home, for my birthday wishes. There weren’t any-lol-so…Happy Birthday 🎉🎂🎈❤️to me!

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Comments (15)

by sebsews 20 Oct 2023

Happy birthday my dear friend Toogie! You are unforgettable so now we know when your special day is. Sounds like you had and amazing day. Never heard of tomato gravy, or rice for breakfast. Actually, never heard of tomato gravy. Spending time with friends is always the best time. Sounds like she enjoyed the cooking and your company. I have been down with bronchitis since Oct 5, went to the doctor on the 9th and18th and got meds so I am on the mend. Hugs and flowers, Suzanna

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Wish I could see the picture!
Sorry you have been and still are, under the weather. Hope you get over it soon. It’s bad when you can’t breathe for coughing.
I ate tomato gravy and rice at a friends house when I was in 5th grade. I had never eaten it before and haven’t ate it since. I don’t remember if I liked it or not, but we had it for supper/dinner, not breakfast.

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by awesome1 20 Oct 2023

Happy belated bday, Toogie. Re tomato gravy here in middle TN, it is a bkfast staple…a treat with biscuits and fried eggs & country ham, sausage, or bacon. At my house, we only had the (canned tomatoes) gravy…it began with the first snow of winter. However, I learned from a friend who moved from Memphis, that they made the gravy from GREEN tomatoes. I have never tried that!

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Did y’all eat the red tomato gravy on rice? We like rice and gravy but it’s never been served around here for breakfast. When we went to Canada we were all surprised to see pork & beans on the breakfast buffet. That started a topic of conversation among all of us. Dolly told me she used her homegrown canned in glass jar tomatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper and simmered it down. When her bacon was done in the oven, she poured the drippings into the tomatoes and served over white rice.
Thank you about belated bday.

by awesome1 21 Oct 2023

Our tomato gravy is eaten over biscuits. I don’t think rice is served for bkfast here…except when I was a child my granny made like oatmeal..with butter, sugar, milk for bkfast. It was almost like rice pudding for us kids. Oh, she also canned her own tomatoes for use all year. She made tomato cobbler as a special dessert treat. Wish I had her recipes, tho they were all in her head!

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by mrskiki 20 Oct 2023

Happy Birthday Toogie. I know you were well treated by (I assume) those wonderful Cajun people! I have many Cajun friends and they love cooking and socializing. Enjoy this wonderful weather we are having right now. Hugs. Nan

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Yes you assumed correctly and yes southern people are known for great hospitality and cooking. Her house is at Pearl River around La/Mississippi line. This is called Pearl River Canal that goes into Pearl River. Thanks for bday wishes.

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by bemara 20 Oct 2023

Happy Birthday Toogie, I hope you will have a lovely sunny day with your Family ! Greetings from Germany, Hugs Maria

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Thanks Maria

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by orao 19 Oct 2023

Happy Birthday look like you have great day Wishing you many many more Maria

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Thank you Maria

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by shirley124 19 Oct 2023

Thanks for sharing your Birthday adventures with us. Glad you had a great time. Anyway Happy Birthday for the 18th.
My daughter and son-in-law are travelling around with their friend in a rather large caravan in Queensland, Australia. They are having a great time. They spent sometime with their daughter first and will have a couple of days with her before hey return home to Tasmania.

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

That sounds nice. My son-in-law keeps saying he wants to go to Yellowstone and they too have a large motor home. I’m not sure if they would drive it or fly. I think he’s hoping that will be this years Christmas trip gift-lol

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by graceandham 19 Oct 2023

So, belated happy wishes. Sounds like a great visit and nice views. AND Farkle.

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Thanks it was!

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by maleah 19 Oct 2023

Happy birthday Toogie, Hope it was filled with love and laughter.

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Thanks, it was!

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by basketkase 19 Oct 2023

Happy birthday, Toogie....looks like you had an amazing time!

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by toogie 20 Oct 2023

Thanks it was nice.

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by dragonflyer 19 Oct 2023

Happy Birthday Toogie!

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by toogie 19 Oct 2023

Thank you very much.

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by asterixsew Moderator 19 Oct 2023

toogie I am so very sorry that we forgot your birthday here. I will look into it. I love reading what you have been up to and this trip sounds a excellent one. Your food sounds super, now tomato gravy is a new one to me. I will look up recipe's later to find out more. Yes, east, west home is best. take care and keep enjoying yourselves

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by toogie 19 Oct 2023

Don’t bother looking into it, but thank you. Yes always good coming home.

by zoefzoef 20 Oct 2023

toogie, I'm sorry we forgot your birthday .. for sure it is now on the list of next year !! :-( Linda

by toogie 20 Oct 2023

I know I won’t have as many anymore, so I gotta appreciate each one!

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by anitapatch 19 Oct 2023

Happy birthday to you. Hope yopu had a good time

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by toogie 19 Oct 2023

Yes thank you

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by malemb 19 Oct 2023

Happy birthday! So glad you enjoyed the day with family & friends. The waterway looks very peaceful. Is it a bayou?

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by toogie 19 Oct 2023

Thank you
They called it a canal. It had old locks that are no longer operational.

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by dlonnahawkins 19 Oct 2023

Happy belated birthday, Toogie. It is great to be with friends, and spend time with them. Today is my hubby's birthday. October is a very busy birthday month for us here.
Hope you and family get together to celebrate your birthday too.

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by toogie edited 19 Oct 2023

Happy Birthday to your man!
Thank you, September and October are lots of birthdays in our family. By the time it’s mine, I might get a text or phone call, I guess they are tired of cake and partying by the time mine comes. That’s why I didn’t mind being away.

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by 02kar Moderator 19 Oct 2023

A very happy belated birthday to you. What a wonderful way to spend your special day too. I’m glad you got to spend it with good friends, good food and had a good time. But I know you both were glad to get home too.

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by toogie 19 Oct 2023

Yes I just text and thanked them for their hospitality and sent them a few of the pictures I took.
Thank you for the birthday wish.

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