Well I made some lumpy ass gravy tonite. Had to break out the whisk on it. But a good batch of biscuits, a pot of beans and some homemade tomato relish my brother brought up from South Georgia made it alright. Tim's still standing in the kitchen dunking biscuits in the skillet. He's wearing boots and a flannel shirt. Love that man.

Today we fooled around and started putting tracks on a hip hoppy song I've written about an El Camino. I swear I don't know where this stuff comes from. Accepting free evaluations.

I do know that I am feeling overwhelmed with work. Weeks at a time on the road last year left a lot of stuff undone and now that the smoke is clearing, I'm seeing the damage and attempting to salvage opportunities. I'm standing over my desk with a whisk staring at "invoice this" and "forced compulsory license that" and "administration agreement with your bad self". Shit.

Let's get on with it then, cause I do love my blog. Here's notes from last week's Apron Strings, my Sirius Radio show that I'm doing. It's a little close to a real job but I am enjoying it.

WHAT I'M WEARING: Pencil skirts, two in particular, one tan, one black. I got them months ago at Target. I took them to a seamstress and had the mock pockets removed. Ya know it's like the sexy secretary thing and is good on most all shapes, anytime of the month. I put the skirt on with a tee shirt and cowboy or fuzzy boots so as to not appear overly serious. I think it's workin.

Ya know I told y'all last week spring fever had done struck early. And that also applies in the kitchen. We couldn't stand it and on super bowl weekend, along with the Buffalo wings, mama made some of her POTATO SALAD and I made a coconut tart. Tim says it's the best he's ever had, potato salad that is. Goes like this. Boil potatoes til tender with skins on. Set aside, peel and cube when cool. In a large bowl mix ¼ to ½ cup (depending on how many potatoes you need for the occasion) diced white onion. Same amount of diced celery. Couple of tablespoons of sweet pickle relish plus a dash of the juice. Two boiled eggs, peeled and diced. Start with 3 or so TBsp. of Hellmann's mayonnaise, and two teaspoons of mustard, look and taste (potato salad should not be bright yellow, ever. The grocery store deli is wrong.) Add salt and a little sugar. Mix in cubed potatoes. Make sure moisture is right, not too goopy. And don't over-stir, that's why you mix everything but the potatoes together first, as potatoes will break down. Sprinkle top with paprika. Pretty.

Now to more serious culinary matters discussed on the show: BBQ Sauce. There are four hundred million recipes. This is one of the thin, tangy variety and makes for a good marinade. 1 cup of yellow mustard. ½ cup of cider vinegar. 1 ½ oz. of chili powder (that's right!). 1 tsp of cayenne pepper. Salt to taste. Shake together really well in old salad dressing bottle or Mason jar. Add water to make about a pint of sauce. Add more salt, hell brown sugar if ya want, whatever til it taste good to ya. Really right on chicken and ribs.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Still Whale Season by N.M. Kelby. It's an easy and entertaining read. Might be a movie gettin made out of this one. Just sayin.

HOUSEHOLD TIP: It's a two for one. This one emailed to me on the Sirius site. WD-40 is good for your animal's ear mites and the mange according to this fella. Seems like it could kill just about any living thing. So WD-40, not just for the truck door and porch swing anymore. OH! He also said good for arthiritic knees. I say just make sure you do it sitting outside on the porch steps and don't forget to wave at your neighbors. I'm sure they won't think a thing of it.

Second and dear to my heart, purchase a Styrofoam mannequin head from your local wig store. Use it to place earrings all over so you can keep them together and neat, ready to go. If it feels creepy just consider it ghetto acupuncture.

I'M JUST SAYIN: Rachael Ray was on the View last week. One of the talking points provided I'm sure by her people was that she has invented a word. That's right. Hold on to your haunchos and bleu cheese gravy. The word…drum roll…"yummo". Thanks Raytch. With global warming, the decline of the dollar and the state of country music, we really needed that. I've got a new word too. It's "lame-o".

I'm gonna lay off the CMA board for today but there's a rumor going around that "Fan Fair" now known as the new brilliant catch phrase "CMA Music Fest" may be considering a new city in which to hold the event. Do you think there's any chance that the fans, who have already been dissed out of the event title, might like to visit the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Lower Broadway, The Station Inn, maybe Johnny Cash's grave while they're in town? Nahhhh, probably not. Go ahead and move it to Ohio or Kansas, or I got it, Utah!!!

Alright sassafras, signing off.

Y'all have a good week.