My cell phone died earlier this week. I never really understand what happens to make their batteries konk out, some more quickly than others...but, mine did. Now I do not turn the thing on often unless I need it or I'm on the road. But, I have to admit, I felt very vulnerable without a good working cell phone. This one was only about a year old so I figured it would be around for quite sometime. I had it all programmed and lots of names and phone numbers stored on it and now it had died.

I did the only thing I could, I called my cell phone provider, told them the problem and they said they would send another one out right away. It would have more bells and whistles, they said. I started to feel a little nervous. I had just barely been able to learn the bells and whistles on my dead phone. I told the nice lady that I would be very happy to have another one just like the one that broke. "Humm", she said, "they don't make those anymore. You'll love this phone, I promise. The battery has a real long life between charges. It has a camera, so you can take and send pictures. There is internet access too. Plus the usual games and extras."

Okay, I did start to get excited. I decided to take this as an opportunity to grow and become more technically comfortable than I am.

The phone arrived in a day or so and the message on the phone said to charge it for a full twenty-four hours. I did. And then it said that I was to call a particular number to activate service. I tried about twenty times and got nothing...no dial tone, nothing. So, you are thinking that I really am a dolt but wait, I'm not alone. I finally used our landline to call the number and a nice fellow laughed and said not to feel bad because they get thousands of calls a day from people not getting at first that you have to use another line to activate the new phone.

I won't bore you with the rest of the story except to say that this phone while awesome is not an easy guy to get to know. I tried to take a picture and called the only phone number I'd been able to enter into my phone book instead. That happened twice and then I took a picture of Bailey quite by accident.

It is cute and small and I know it is a whole lot smarter than I am but I'm hoping we can come to a meeting of the minds and that it will allow me to use at least a few of its features without continuing to call my friend Pat's number.

And now for something totally different. Georgia is all about peanuts and pecans. Can't get enough of them. Lots of people have recipes for them and the following is one of the best I've ever had. It comes from a good friend and Georgia resident for over twenty years. You will inhale them, they are that good.

CANDIED PEANUTS

2 cups raw, shelled peanuts (skins on are okay)

½ cups water

¼ teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 degrees (yes, at 250 not 350)

Mix all ingredients together in a large non-stick fry pan, Cook and stir over medium heat until crystallized. (All the liquid will be gone and the peanuts will be covered with sugar. Place the nuts on a non-stick baking sheet and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

This recipe is easily doubled and you can substitute other nuts for the peanuts.

Enjoy.

The pictures today are of my yard. The picture at the top on this entry is a pear tree and it almost glows and shimmers when it is in bloom.

I love this place!