I am married to my best friend and better half, Dennis, soon to be 33 years. I own a flower and gift shop and have a wonderful staff. I have been a license florist for over 25 years and have won Louisiana State Designer of the Year. I was blessed in having 2 wonderful grandmothers, that were advid gardeners, as well as the best cooks in the family. We have 2 kids, and have twin grandbabies that are 4 years , by our son and his wife and our daughter and her husband just had their first child, a little girl, 4 weeks ago. My husband and I are certified scuba divers and enjoy also hunting and fishing. My belief is "Life is too short, so get up and explore the world." Thank God for all our blessings. I enjoy cooking casseroles, desserts and simple fast dishes. Getting together at family reunions were my favorite traditions, as we could share recipes and taste an array of different foods. I have made a few appearances on television programs, on cooking shows. In 2007, I won the Grand Prize Peach Festival Cooking Contest in our hometown. This June, 2008, I won first place in my main dish using peaches, and miss the grand prize by one point. Also, my flower shop, created a cookbook, " Ruston Florist Friends and Family Cookbook". Great recipes. My Mother is an excellent cook and is known for her homemade chocolate and coconut pies. She submitted the recipes in our cookbook and my daughter was upset, saying "She had planned to inherit the recipes and sell them for lots of money." Hehehehehe. It's hard for me to follow a recipe as noted. I'm always changing an ingredient or making notations along the way. My husband, now retired, has pitched in and starting to experiment in cooking. He said, I couldn't retire for another 10 years......WHATEVER! So, I told him, "Start cooking my dinner, when I come in for a hard days work".