Coconut Cream Pie and MJ

It's been TWO WEEKS since my last confession! : ) Ha ha! : )

OK -- Actually, I confess -- it's been two weeks since I last wrote in here, AND in my journal! I've got a LOT of catching up to do!

So -- I DID make that coconut cream pie -- AND brownies! : ) Both turned out really good! But the brownies took a LOT less time to make than the pie did!

And with the pie, it almost turned out to be a vanilla cream pie, (I know -- all of you Facebook people have already heard the story.....) -- because I forgot to add the coconut to the pie filling! But I remembered JUST in time! I was about to seal the meringue on the pie, and I remembered about the coconut! So I quickly took all of the meringue off of the pie, and put a cup of coconut into the filling, stirred it around and then put the meringue back on. Phew!

It turned out wonderful! And so yummy!

But making a coconut cream pie (for me) took THREE HOURS! Why? I don't know -- there was a lot to do! I had to keep flipping back and forth on the pages. I used one recipe to make the crust. One recipe for the filling. One recipe for the meringue! And with the filling and the meringue, I had to use a "variation" of the recipe, which was BELOW the original recipe! So that's why I forgot to add the coconut! The vanilla cream filling doesn't call for coconut -- obviously! So I didn't put it in! : )

Let's see -- Um.... Yes -- This past Tuesday was the memorial service for Michael Jackson! It was really good. I'm really glad I was able to watch it at my friend's house! Thanks, A! : ) I took lots of notes about the service.

(This part of my post is mainly for me, so I can remember what happened!) : )

Lionel Richie sang a song called, "Jesus is Love". Very pretty.

Berry Gordy spoke. He was the founder of Motown. He spoke of Michael's "knowingness" -- being special and beyond his years.

He said that MJ's first four albums were number 1! : ) And that when the Gordy's played against the Jacksons at baseball, the Jacksons normally won!

He said that in 1983, after the "Billie Jean" solo at the 25th Anniversary show, that MJ "went into orbit".

He said that MJ made some "questionable decisions", and I thought, "Doesn't everyone make 'questionable decisions'?!". And "A" pointed out -- "....yeah -- they're just not made public!". Good point, "A"!

He mentioned that off-stage, MJ was "soft-spoken and child-like". (Editor's note: And while I was doing more research recently, I heard a former photographer of MJ's say that once the music starts, "...everything changes...". : )

I agree with Mr. Gordy that MJ is [one of] the greatest entertainers that ever lived. (or at least that we know about)

He got a standing ovation for that statement.

MJ's brothers all wore yellow ties and a sequined glove. : )

John Mayer played a very cool guitar solo of "Human Nature".

Brooke Shields spoke. She said some great things. She talked about laughter, the "glove", a flame on a lamp and "...the most important part [of a person] is invisible." Look with your heart, not your eyes. Eyes are blind.

Jermaine Jackson sang, "Smile".

Martin Luther King's 2 children spoke. The daughter said that Michael called their Mom when she was dying with cancer and said he had been on his knees praying for her, and he asked if she had music playing in her room, because it has a calming affect.

Usher sang, "Gone Too Soon". And he walked up and touched MJ's casket.

Marlin asked MJ for one thing -- to give his twin brother a hug. So apparently, he had a twin brother that died. I did not know that.

Paris, MJ's daughter, spoke. She said, "Ever since I was born, Daddy was the best Father you could ever imagine..."

Then the arena darkened and a spotlight shone on the microphone for a few minutes. I thought that was a great idea -- to emphasize that he was gone, and that there was no more music coming from him.

During the whole memorial, except for a few times when someone cried out, "Michael, we love you!", it was quiet. Everyone showed the family lots of respect.