Back when Mr. Virgo and I lived in Denver, we had the kids over for Christmas and I made our traditional chili and cinnamon rolls. I decided to use one of those disposable aluminum baking pans for the rolls. I rarely baked with a recipe back then and I suppose I made mor dough than I actually needed because when I pulled them out of the oven, they were all sticking out of the pan like cork screws! We laughed till we cried. 

Yesterday was baking day here at Marshmallow Ranch. I tripled the King Arthur recipe for Japanese Milk Bread and it was PERFECT. But…the rolls peeked up out of the top of the pan like “The Rolls That Ate Denver!” I had to take a quick picture and send it to Daughter #1 with “Look familiar?” I knew that would give her a giggle. I love when we share the lighter moments of life. There were far too many hard moments and I want my girls to remember the happy memories.

Something else happened yesterday that took me back to that same time period. I was only working three days a week and Daughter #1 was working for the school district. She told me they were looking for Special Ed. paras to help in the severe needs classroom. I have a lifetime of experience with special needs kids with my brother, so I figured it would be a good fit. I’m not sure I lasted two weeks when I had to admit defeat. SpEd teachers are angels walking this earth and deserve to be paid the highest salaries. ALL teachers do.

I received a letter this winter saying I had money in my PERA retirement account and I needed to withdraw it or it would be sent to the Colorado Lost Money Department and I’d have to deal with them. I finally got around to filling out and mailing the papers and forgot all about it. Well, yesterday was PAYDAY! I opened the envelope and started laughing. My retirement fund amounted to $57.24. I could hear my grandma’s voice saying, “Don’t spend it all in one place!”

Mr. FixIt was on “drain watch” with all this rain. Our storm drain out back tends to overflow when the ground is completely saturated and if it gets too high, we have to run a pump in the stair well to keep it from coming into the utility room downstairs. We feed root killer down there to keep the forsythia roots from blocking the drain pipe and I don’t know if we started early enough this spring to stay ahead of it. It didn’t come in the house so I’m thinking we’re ok.

So, the bread and rolls turned out great, the drain didn’t flood the house, and I am $57.24 richer! It was a pretty good day!

🩵🌷🩵

“Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

***Gratitude Journal***   
Today I am grateful for good memories to tide me over through difficult times. And bread…I am grateful for bread. Bread cures a multitude of ills.