What a GREAT day!

Mondays have always been a good day for me, not that I always look forward to them. Who wants to let go of a Sunday? Everyone together, no work, getting to go to our Sunday meetings, starting fresh... Mondays always mean, "Okay, here we go again!" But for me it also means, no piano lessons or other obligations, getting the wash caught up (which I don't mind), a day for ME... So what could be better than waking up to a rainy, cloudy day with nothing to do but get my kids off to school, do wash, run some errands, read, and sew? Not much...unless it involved grandkids. So today that's what I did, with some warm, Baked Potato Soup thrown in for dinner. AND I got Connie's table runner done. That was the ONE thing that I really wanted to get done today. Probably the best, most relaxing, most enjoyable part of MY day was in the afternoon sitting on my family room couch, listening to Amy Grant's Greatest Hits, hearing Kevin typing away on his computer in the other room, knowing my children were safe at home, and hand sewing the binding on my new finished project! And I DID get to buy some birthday presents for little Marcelus, so grandkids were part of that fun too. Wow...Happy Good Day to you too!

BAKED POTATO SOUP

(this is a great way to use leftover baked potatoes)

3 bacon strips, diced

1 sm. onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbs. flour

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 cups chicken broth

2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup half-and-half cream

shredded cheese

In a pot, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper, mix well to make a roux. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and cream, heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley. You can add a little hot sauce too if you want to.