I would like to share these pictures with you so let’s have a look see.
My granddaughter Sarah Drake traveling in Europe.
My last real estate card before I retired in 1998 when I was 75 years old.
My most recent photo here in Sarasota Florida taken a couple months ago. November 2nd I’ll be 94 years old.
At Sharkeys restaurant on the Gulf of Mexico Venice Florida at lunch with Pam and Tracy.
HOW DID I GET SO OLD SO SOON??????????
FRF❤️
My mother-in-law Dale Shoup made the best sugar cookies I have ever tasted by far. So……I decided to use that cookie recipe for raisin filled cookies.
This is her recipe handed down through her family.
I add a tablespoon of butter to make the cup of crisco shortening. I add a tablespoon of vinegar then finish filling the cup with regular milk as a substitute for sour milk.
Beat sugar and shortening until creamy add egg and beat again. Mix all dry ingredients together and add alternately with milk starting and ending with flour.
Place bowl of dough covered in fridge for 2 hours to chill. Makes it easier to handle when rolling out.
I make the raisin filling and allow to cool.
Roll out the dough, use round cookie cutter and with a spatula place cookie on a baking sheet about an inch apart. Spoon raisin filling in the center of each cookie then top with another cookie pressing down around the edges. Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar. I make my own sugar with cinnamon mix and keep it in a large shaker.
I make the filling by first boiling two cups raisins with one cup water until tender, to make a white sauce mix together one half cup sugar, one
tablespoon cornstarch,a little cinnamon then add one half cup cold water plus one tablespoon lemon juice, add this mixture to the raisins and boil until it thickens. I don’t put it in my fridge but allow it to cool on my counter. It may still be warm when you add it to the center of the cookie.
These cookies are delicious eaten while still warm. I like to give them to neighbors very soon after baking them.
My children have good memories of eating my baked cookies, cupcakes and pies etc while still warm from the oven.
Much thanks to my mother-in-law Dale Shoup for her family sugar cookie recipe. I never learned how many generations that recipe came down through, it would be interesting to know.
Share with family and neighbors. They also freeze quite well.
FRF❤️
They have a condo winter home in Bird Bay Village which has over a thousand condo homes of many description. Two three story buildings, bay houses, villas, houses, several two story condos.
Winding roads run through this beautiful area with many trees, bushes, and flower beds. And there are several swimming pools and lakes here and there.
Debbie and Tom where my neighbor’s and lovely friends for several years before I moved to Ohio to be close to my daughter Pam and her husband Tracy Drake. After nine years in Ohio I am now back in Florida and my friends come too visit this 93 year old, much to my delight.
This is from their condo on the third floor of the same building I lived in.
Throughout the year, when they are residing in Venice Florida or their beautiful lakeside home in Tomahawk Wisconsin I continue to receive cheerful cards and emails from them.
Here are the pictures I just received from my friends.
And this is their beautiful Tomahawk Wisconsin home.
And looking out to the lake
Here you see my wonderful friends as they live the beautiful life. Even though she is legally blind, her signature is on the cards they send me.
This is my latest one
And inside
Have you ever seen a card made of wood? Well…….have a look see at this one they sent me.
And the reverse side
You can understand why I treasure these dear friends. I AM VERY FORTUNATE!!!!!!!
FRF ❤️
It all started with a family practice by Dr Peter Drake in Richwood Ohio. He and his wife Barbara, a nurse, had three sons…..two became doctors Kelly whose practice is in Georgia and Cody in North Carolina. The third son Tracy is an attorney who is married to my daughter Dr Pamela Drake.
But now we have a new Dr Evin (Drake) Bender as of this month of May in Ohio.
Here you see her receiving her match for residency in a little town in north east Pennsylvania where Evin and Matt will be moving.
Dr Evin Bender with her proud husband Matt
And now the graduation from medical school day have a look see:
Dr Evin Bender with her mother Dr Pam Drake
Sarah, Pam, Dr Evin Bender, Tracy Drake
A happy ending to BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!!!
FRF ❤️
FRF ❤️