Six Word Saturday - with muffins!

A perfect day for blueberry muffins!

There is nothing better than starting the day with fresh blueberry muffins and a mug of tea. We really like this recipe from the Gluten Free Goddess, her Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins. They always bake up well and are great leftover. There's something so peaceful about baking first thing in the morning, the smell carrying through the house, slowly waking up all the senses. Love it.

My poor laptop got a bit covered in flour this morning, but it was totally worth it :)

This post is part of the Six Word Saturday blog hop. Stop by showmyface.com to join the fun!

wHooligan feature! LuAnn Braley

Today our wHooligan feature is the grrrrrrreat LuAnn Braley! She is also active on Twitter. 

LuAnn is a super-involved writer, reader and book reviewer. She's participated in loads of blog fests and seriously, you should go check out all the reading challenges this lady is participating in. How does she have enough time to do all that reading and be an excellent blogger too? I dunno, but I'm lucky to have her on my side this April!

Each of my wHooligans is answering some of the questions posed to the A-Z Co-hosts over at the A-Z blog and here are LuAnn's responses!

If you were a contestant on the CBS show "Amazing Race" and could pick ANY movie character to be your partner, who would it be and why?
I would pick the character of John Patrick Mason from "The Rock".  Or maybe Armand from "Interview With the Vampire".  They are both bad-you-know-whats with whom I would not mind running around the world (and/or hiding from the cameras).  ;)

What makes life worth living?
My family, my faith and the possibility that I might one day be able to visit Scotland.

What is your "Thing". i.e. do you have a non-professional hobby or a particularly acute preference for something that you feel defines a large part of who you are?
I love to act in live theatre.  I've done everything from Lady Bracknell in "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde to Susan in "No Sex, Please, We're British" by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, to Winnie in "Happy Days" by Samuel Beckett.  I haven't done so since before my first child was born in 1996, but would like to get back to it at some point.  Of course, I'd probably  have to go to a city, and this gal is happy in the country.

When was the last time you were slapped, and what did you do to provoke it?
A couple of years back, I was working with adults who have MR/DD (mental retardation and developmental disabilities).  One day, I was assigned to work with a woman, whose favorite method of getting what she wanted was to physically attack the people she believed could get it for her.  She was non-verbal and mentally and medically really could not be held responsible for her actions.  Before I met her, it has been said she used to climb up onto an overhang in the doorway to her room and jump down on people - although I never experienced that personally.
So that day, I would not let her run amok in the kitchen, and she proceeded to slap me at least 40 times on the right forearm.  There were so many h-a-r-d slaps that a large, swollen palm mark appeared on my arm.
Still, today, if I were to see someone abusing this woman or any of my other charges, I would jump in the middle of their you-know-what.

If you could sing any song with the artist who wrote/performed it, what would it be and with whom?
"Amazing Grace", sung a capella by Patsy Cline.

Thanks for stopping by, LuAnn!

wHooligan feature! Elsie Amata

Hello and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Elsie's favorite beach -
isn't it lovely?

It's time for another wHooligan feature! Joining us today is Elsie Amata. She also has an active Facebook account here.

Elsie has been an assistant for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. That alone is enough cred to know she's amazing! But there's more! This woman writes extremely honest posts from time to time that will make you catch your breath. Her self-reflection and honesty is just.. great. Definitely check her out.

Each of my wHooligans has answered a few of the questions that participants posed to the co-hosts over on the A-Z blog, and here are Elsie's answers:

You're on a crowded train, and the person across the way from you (who is probably 20 years your senior) finishes a bag of chips, and throws his trash on the floor. Do you speak up and tell him to pick up his trash, or just let him go?

The teenage me wouldn’t have even noticed.  The impatient me would have said, “Dude, really?” accompanied by an exaggerated eye roll. Today, I would pick up the garbage myself, and refrain from comment.

What makes you cry? (Emotional reasons. Onions don't count.)

Military homecomings.  Doesn’t matter if it’s a news story or some blasted dog food commercial (you know the one!).  I tear up every time.  Of course, it may have something to do with being married to veteran.  Just my guess.

Where do you go to "Get away from it all"?

My go to place is the beach.  If I’m stressed, I visit the coast.  If I want to spend quality family time with the kids, we play in the sun and sand.

If you could sing any song with the artist who wrote/performed it, what would it be and with whom?

I know I should pick someone cool, like, I don’t know, Jimi Hendrix.  But, the moment I read this question, I thought of Prince.  Before he turned his name into a symbol then back again.  Any song from Purple Rain will do, as long as he’s wearing those high-heeled boots!  //whew//

Make sure you stop by to say hello to Elsie today!

Anyone do anything fun for St. Patty's Day?