The Founders and 2004 MJQs met for lunch and planning today and reached some decisions.  (Leslie was in Thomasville, Stacy had a Telfair deadline, and Cathy had family matters that called. ) Founders, Mary, Carolyn, Becky, & 2004 Queens Annie, Sue, Dottie, Dee and Linda attended.  We had a little shrimp and crab salad that consort Stephen prepared and My “6 P Salad” that is my recipe. Also Fab cookies from Back in the Day Bakery and brownies. 

First, we will cap our membership, for the time being at 30 Sovereigns.  We may change this cap as we see fit in the coming years, but for 2008, this is the top number of members. Maybe we can have our Royal arms twisted and we increase to 32. We sahll see.

Next, a collection to stock the Royal Treasury will be enacted.  Each MJQ will be asked to pay $50.00 per year to cover certain needed expenses.  A yearly assessment will be sent out to note this collection.  Postage, paper, trolley, banners for New Queens and photographer are the accepted expenses. If you find that at this time membership in this group is just not a priority, at this point, please let me know since we have a waiting list of Ladies that want to join us for flouncing. Look for snail mail note with deadline for submission so we an see how many openings we will have for new royal members, should you be unavailable.  The next Coronation date will be April 12th.

On Coronation matters, every Mint Julep Queen will be required to wear green evening clothes and tiara.  Some of our past royal choices have been white evening pants and Thai silk jacket, rebuilt prom dress, or Bella Mia neon chiffon.  Do you have to wear green evening attire and tiara? Yes. Any concerns or questions will be directed to Sue, Annie, Carolyn, or myself.  All the MJQs need to look like Queens at Coronation. Get advice from Sue if you need help deciding what to wear or finding the right look.

Another topic was attendance.  If you are interested in attending only parties with your consort, then you need to excuse yourself from MJQ Reign.  You have mistaken our group for some other organization. Please let us know how busy you are so we can invite a Royal that has time to flounce.

Our next gathering will be for all Queens and Friends of Queens.  We will go to Alligator Soul and then to the Mercury Lounge on Congress Street and flounce in Boots, Jeans, and Tiara.  Dee says the jeans & dress shirt with cowboy hat is called a “Texas Tuxedo. ” What should we call our Lounge-Look? Watch for the The MJQs Leap Year Lounge Party invitation and details in an invitation to be sent by Feb. 14th.  Oh, and by the way, what happens at Mercury Lounge stays at the Mercury Lounge.  Queen Linda even uses a stage name when there:)  

On travel plans, the trip has been postponed until October or so.  More on that from Carolyn and Sue.  

A suggestion was made that we get julep cups that we would bring to bars for cocktails.  Ross Simmons has sets 6 cups at of silver plate at good prices.  Then we have them engraved with our name and maybe our logo.

MJQs lunch tray was re-newed when dear Vernice had lunch for 4 at Savannah  Quarters Country Club last Friday. Ya’ll, have the grouper tacos if you are invited. The tangerine sorbet was luscious! Conversation fun.  Honeys, I gotta start reading more. Terri and Vernice were up on some novels I have got to read. I just don’t know when I will fit it in.  Terri had the tray passed to her so she will host the next luncheon.  Thanks Vernice for a fun, delicious lunch.

Reign On!

Erica’s 6-P Salad

1 lb. bag frozen, small green peas

1 can white acre peas drained, rinsed,

1 small to med onion chopped and sauted

1 can field peas, rinsed and drained

6 oz. chopped pimento, drained

1 cup pearl pasta, (aka Israeli Couscous) cook according to package directions

½ cup shaved parmesan cheese

½ cup olive oil

½ cup salad vinegar

Chopped fresh cilantro (¼ to 1/3 cup)

Salt to taste

 2 Teaspoons of sugar

Cajun seasoning to taste

Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl and add drained hot pasta. Stir Gently.

Chill and marinate at least 24 hours.

Mix in shaved parmesan cheese serving.

Serves 8-10 as side

 (Click) This how a queen should look when she gets Coronated. Queen Tricia,  one of newest MJQs recognizes the extreme thrill of the moment!

(click) Queen Mary Ann

Today is darling Mary Ann’s birthday.  The MJQs sent her a cute card and I also sent a card from me.  Yes and special one I made on Kodak Gallery.  Seems spell check doesn’t happen when you do a personalized photo card on Kodak’s site and late one night after a looong day, I worked on her card.  I spelled Birthday, “birhday” on one part.  Lovely.  It is the thought that counts though,  n’est pas?

Mary Ann has missed many a queens event in 2007 due to a crushing work schedule and hopefully she will have more time this year!  If you haven’t met M.A, she is a fun-loving, super smart, gorgeous voiced, multi-talented MJQ with a Fab attitude.  I met M.A. almost 18 years ago (or more) when she and I were in a little production of My Fair Lady.  I was in the chorus and she was Professor Higgins’ housekeeper. I hope she and consort Fredrick had a lovely weekend in the Realm and celebrated her Royal day!

 (click)Queen Tricia and Queen Cathleen our charming and Royal Queens attend their first Coronation,  November 30th. 

Cathleen’s birthday was January 22nd and I plead ignorance since I missed it! I know her Consort, Gene planned a big celebration.  We love that about him. 

Hey. Obviously I can’t keep up with a blog post about Meet a Queen a day. The plan was to make all of January about meeting the MJQs.  Plus, I missed Cathleen’s birthday.  January 22nd was her big day, Queen Dee reported.  Uh-oh.  So look for Cathleen and Mary Ann (Feb. 9) in a blog post this week.  I have forgotten how to re-size images since it has been several weeks since I tried! Yikes. Seems if it is a skill or a name that is new, and I don’t practice using it, I forget it within weeks, days, or even hours. Images to come.

Queen Dottie is a stunner in the a dress she had altered from a size 12 to a size…what? Zero or 2! She found this Fab dress on Tybee at a little consignment store and saw its potential.  How like Queen Dottie.  Always up for fun, flouncing, and sees the inner Royalty.  Queen Dottie never misses a gathering (unless her realm demands her attention.) She is originally from Savannah and grew up in Ardsley Park!  Her son and daughter live in Savannah and she has two grandsons.  Dottie loves good wine, good friends and fun travels.  She loves going to France and adventuring.

(click) Mary and Consort, Howard (aka Bubba)

Queen Mary is one of the 5 MJQ founders. I met Mary through her consort, Bubba, (aka Howard).  Mary is so regal and fun. She is positive, up-beat, and cheerful and always ready to flounce (unless her realm demands her attention.)  She lived in Atlanta for years where her two children were born and just moved to Savannah  about…what 10 years ago? She has 3 grand-children.  Her son and daughter-in-law live in Savannah. Her daughter and son-in-law live in Atlanta.  One of Mary’s many causes is the Savannah Music Festival. Mary loves gardening and getting on her rider lawn mower and cutting the grass. Yep. It’s true.

Consort Stephen and I. (and then Me being a Royal Hamm.)

Hi.  Born in New Orleans. Lived in N.C., N.J. and moved to Statesboro as a kid.  Lived in Savannah for years after college and met my consort, Stephen here. I was introduced by my mother-in law. We got married and moved to Tampa and then to New Orleans.  Two princesses at SCDS. Job? What a strange and hard sounding word.  Ex-art teacher, Speech-language Pathogist which is just a 50 cent word for speech therapist and now I am an aspiring artist.

(click-Queen Stacy and Consort Mark)

Stacy and Mark moved here from NYC. Stacy has a background in art direction and graphic art.  Stacy still does freelance work here in town.  Stacy is taking tennis lessons at the Yacht Club and she is a runner. She is originally from Philly and has lived in Miami. She has two little ones, Zoe and Caleb that attend SCDS. Consort, Mark is a director and does a lot of work for the Weather Channel amoung others.

Stacy is one of the 5 founders of the MJQs and designed the invitation for our very first Coronation in spring of 2004!

(Click Carolyn and Brooks, the attorney and real estate agent and below, dressed for Halloween.) 

I think we have 2 real estate agents that are MJQs. Carolyn is with Elaine Seabolt/Harry Norman. Carolyn is not FROM Savannah but has lived here for years. She’s from North Carolina and went to UNC.

Carolyn has re-done many a house and finally is back living in Ardsley Park. She is a Queen of Technology and all things Power tool related. Cats and Children love her. Brooks and Carolyn got married in 1992 and just celebrated 15 years of wedded bliss. Carolyn can throw a party at the drop of a hat and fix your Universal remote. Multi talented and fun-loving, she loves seeing Broadway musicals, and singing along to the soundtrack.