BeaufortBelle: Friday Free for All.....

and boy do I have much for you today! First off...my Celebrations for May:

BIRTHDAYS

May 12: Aunt Alease

May 13: Brad

May 15: my beloved granddaddy (R.I.P.)

May 20: Ricky

ANNIVERSARIES

May 24: Rob & Ashley

May 31: Jeff & Melissa

Happy Birthday and Anniversary to you all!!

Now: Yesterday was May Day!! And I forgot to wish everyone Happy May Day.

May is a month of exciting events:

Did you know there is a National Etiquette Week?? According to Miss Janice, "It was established by Sandra Morisset in 1997 and starts the second Monday in May. During this week, I ask that you all examine and improve your etiquette skills."

Here’s a list of Miss Janice’s top five etiquette faux pas:
~Failure to R.s.v.p.
~Not sending a thank-you note
~Talking while chewing your food
~Using a toothpick in public
~Forgetting to say “Please, Thank You, Yes Ma’am/Sir, or Excuse Me”

and I must say, many of these are my pet peeves and pet peeves to many of my friends, especially not RSVPing and not sending thank-you notes!

Well, tomorrow is the BIG DAY in the south....it is the 134th Kentucky Derby.

Run for the Roses
And they’re off! On Saturday at 6:04 p.m. E.S.T. it’s post time for the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. In the world of sports, there is not a more moving moment than the one when the horses step onto the track for the Kentucky Derby post parade

and the band strikes up “My Old Kentucky Home.”
Those ladies decked out in their spring outfits and gorgeous hats, what a fashion parade! On Derby Day it’s time for mint juleps*. It’s not surprising that mint juleps are popular in the South, mint is a symbol of hospitality and this drink brings forth the ideal image of genteel gatherings sprinkled with that sweet Southern drawl…

*Recipe for Mint Julep
1 tblsp. granulated sugar
8 mint leaves
1 tblsp. water
4 oz. good Kentucky bourbon
Crushed ice
Sprig of fresh mint

Place sugar and mint leaves in a small bowl. Bruise mint well and muddle with sugar until they from paste. Add water and stir well. Add bourbon; pour into julep cups (which have been frosted in the freezer) and fill with crushed iced. Insert sprig of fresh mint and a silver straw.

Each julep should be made separately.

Note: It is considered proper to drink mint juleps with a sterling mint julep straw/spoon. Simply use the spoon to stir the julep and sip your beverage through the tiny hole at the end.

This is one of the very few times a lady should use a straw to drink a beverage.

It’s also acceptable to use a straw when you are drinking a coke out of a can or when you’ve “taken ill and are in the bed.”

Can you possibly get more Southern?

All above information & pictures on Manners Week and the Kentucky Derby came from

Miss Janice's newsletter.

http://www.missjanice.com/

I will have more from Miss Janice this week to help you prepare for Mother's Day on May 11th.

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SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2007

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school,

pulls into school parking lot with shot gun in gun rack.

1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and

gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counsellors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1957 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class,

sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD.

School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his

Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college,

and becomes a successful businessman.

2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang.

State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.

2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations.

Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum.

Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living

because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1957 - Ants die.

2007 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called.

Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list

and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

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Have not checked out the following with snopes.com nor on my on cell phone because I don't have one, but the info sounds good and you may try it out on your own:

5 Things You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Could Do

For all the folks with cell phones.

(This should be printed and kept in your car, purse, wallet. Good information to have with you.)

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival.

Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST

Emergency: The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND

Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!'

THIRD

Hidden Battery Power: Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370#. Your cell phone will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell phone next time.

FOURTH

How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: *#06#. A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone is stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back,

but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either.

If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

And Finally....FIFTH

Free Directory Service for Cells: Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem.&nb sp; When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800)FREE411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

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I just wanted you to know I have entered the snapdragon part of my life.