I often call Paul a Texan to watch his nose wrinkle.

He was born there (Beaumont/Port Arthur area), and lived there until he was three. He's also the only one in his family without even a hint of a SE Texas accent.

(The majority of the Marcontells in the world are in Texas, as the spelling is a regional variation from when some of them crossed the border between TX and LA and switched religions. However, the ex-Texan Marcontells don't really talk to the Texan Marcontells, on account of the ex-Texan Marcontells being considered ung-dly heathens by certain of the Texan Marcontells. No, I'm not kidding.)

I think that picture of ED was taken at a very bad angle. I'm not sure anyone would look good in a picture taken at that angle. (Now 100s of you will link to pictures of people looking good at that angle.)

Yeah, but the pictures of her at better angles haven't looked much better.

Yes. I've seen other pictures of her in that gown though, and it was a poor, poor choice for her.

She's not a kid. She's almost getting too old to make it big. She probably doesn't have another cheerleader movie in her, because they can find someone younger, easily. So far, she's best known for being sexy second banana on a cult hit, and the lead in a failed show. She needs to work what she has (and she's totally lovely and sexy and has a lot).

xpost

Plei, what religion change happened?

Plei, what religion change happened?

Catholic to Baptist, I think. I'd have to ask my FiL, though it happened in the 19th Century sometime. (I'm sure on the Catholic part-it's the other I'm blanking on.)

I know that the Texas side of the family pretty much lives up to almost all of the bad stereotypes re: the conservative Southern Christian, though I think that's partly a recent thing. (From what I hear tell from FiL, growing up, it was just a bunch of other Texas stereotypes that they lived up to.)

Wow. I still can't get ahold of Delta. I've been trying on and off since about 9am. I'm getting a busy signal. This is frustrating.

When did the Episcopalian change happen, or is that just Paul's immediate branch?

When did the Episcopalian change happen, or is that just Paul's immediate branch?

Just his branch, and 1997/1998, I think?

Oh, really recent, then. That's like us being Congregationalists, although 300 years ago, parts of my family who were in North America (of the ones that weren't driven out of Mass. and down to Rhode Island, or that didn't flee to Canada because they were loyalists) were probably Puritan-flavored Congregationalists, too.

Foodies, I have a question...

When I make beef stew, I usually make dumplings, but always use Bisquick. I have no Bisquick, but am going to start my stew.

Does anyone have a good a flour/baking powder sort of recipe for the sort of dumplings you just cook atop the boiling stew?

Cindy, I've never done the stew w/ dumplings thing, but this recipe seems to have gotten really good feedback on Epicurious.

Forecast for this afternoon: drifting snow

Forecast for tonight: blowing snow

Just so we don't get bored, I guess.