Metcalf Family Mews

It’s New Year’s Eve! All the excitement of starting a new year, sharing the moment with friends and family, and reflecting on the year past… this night is truly a magical moment. So wherever you are tonight, here’s to a New Year and many more magical memories. Let the countdown begin! 10… 9… 8…

The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands. ~ Anne Frank

Instructions

* 1 tsp. salt, plus more for the meat
* 8 limes
* 2 cups pico de gallo style salsas
* shredded cabbages (for garnish)
* 3 tbsp. canola oil – plus 1/4 cup for frying the tortillas
* freshly cracked black pepper
* 12 corn tortillas
* 1/2 lb. queso cotija (aged Mexican cheese) or mild feta cheese
* 1 1/2 lbs. beef skirt steak, trimmed of extra fat and sinew
* 15 oz. refried beans

Making the Carne Asada

1. Cut the limes in half crosswise and squeeze the juice into a glass bowl.
2. Cut the meat into lengths about 4 inches long. Place the meat in the bowl, making sure the juice covers a good amount of the meat’s surface.
3. Let the meat marinate in the lime juice for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 4 hours. If possible, turn the meat every 20 minutes.
4. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Liberally sprinkle the meat with the salt and pepper.
5. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is quite hot, add the meat, without crowding the pan, one piece at a time.
6. Sear the meat for 1 to 2 minutes per side depending on your preference for doneness. 1 minute will give you rare; 2 minutes will give you medium.
7. Remove the meat from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with any remaining uncooked pieces.
8. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, place it on a cutting board.
9. Cut the meat into thin strips. Cut across the strips so the meat comes out in small pieces.
10. Keep the meat warm on a plate in the oven at the lowest setting while you prepare the beans.

Assemble the Tostadas

11. Heat the beans, 1 tsp. salt and 2 tbsp. water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking.
12. Heat the remaining oil in a small sauté pan over high. Using tongs, fry each tortilla until golden and crisp.
13. Quickly sprinkle a little salt on each tortilla as soon as it comes out of the oil. Put the tortillas on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess grease.
14. Put 1 1/2 large tbsp. beans on a tortilla and spread evenly, as if you were buttering bread. Next, sprinkle 2 large tbsp. carne asada on the tostada. Garnish with the cheese first and then the cabbage and salsa.
15. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Hi Sheila,
I rediscovered an Archives that my nephew set up for me, forgot I even had  it.  Below is DAVID ADKINS, thought you would be interested in this document.  Carolyn

David Adkins

David lived in the Snow District of Lunenberg (Franklin) County, Virginia until his mid thirties. In 1777, David and his brother, Mark swore allegiance to America. David served in the Revolutionary War two terms of 18 months each. Mark was hanged as a spy by the British.

Mary and the Earl of Oxford had two other sons: Sherrod married Sarah Lucas and settled in Wayne County, Virginia and Jacob married Phoebe Bradshaw, first settling where Huntington, West Virginia is today, and later moving into the Wayne County area.

This family is called the royal branch of Adkins’ because they are realted to an Earl and Mary suposedly descended from the Queen of Scots.

David married Judith ___ in 1784 Henry County, Virginia. This marriage record can be found in the ministers returns which have been edited and published by Virginia Dodd Anderson. One year after their marriage in 1785, this area became Franklin County. David Adkins records can be found in six counties because the counties kept changing names.

David received three land grants because of his war effort, one in Cincinnati, Ohio; one in Louisa, Kentucky; and one in Boone County, Virginia, which later became Lincoln County, Virginia. He received three thousand areas in Boone County, Virginia which he gave to his sons: Mark, Luke, and John. These sons came to Mud River from Franklin County, Virginia in 1805. They built the first cabin in Union District at the mouth of Slash Branch in 1806 (see Hardesty Book). This land is still in the family. It belongs to Hal Adkins, age 93, of Sias, West Virginia, a descendant of Luke.

David lived his last years and is buried in Louisa, Kentucky. Children of David and Judith were: David Jr. b. 1785, Franklin County, Virginia; Aldelphia (Delphia) b. 1786, Franklin County, Virginia, married Joshua Adkins; Susan b. 1790, Montgomery County, Virginia, married Thomas Tuncil Adkins; Mark b. 1792, Montgomery County, married Catherine Lovejoy; Luke b. Feb 1794, Montgomery County, Virginia; John b. 1798, Montgomery County, Virginia, married Lovey Plumley; two daughters, names unknown; Hamilton b. 1806 Giles County, Virginia.

After Judith died, David married Sylvaneous (Sylvia-Celia Adkins) in Greenbrier County, Virginia. Children of David and Celia: Enoch b. 1806, Giles County, Virginia, married Sally Burchett 1833, Lawrence County, Kentucky; Fanny b. 1812, Giles County, Virginia; Goldsbury b. 1814, Giles County, Virginia; Martin b.. 1817, Floyd County, Kentucky; Elliott b. 1822 Lawrence County, Kentucky; LaFayette b. 1826, Floyd County, Kentucky, married Anna Adkins; Daughter, name unknown; Benjamin Franklin Thomas b. 1831, Lawrence County, Kentucky, married Kizzie Adkins.

Goldbury and LaFayette joined their brothers on Mud River at Sias after 1830 and lived the remainder of their lives there. Three other sons of David and Sylvia settled in Wayne County and married their Adkins cousins.

John Adkins s/o David and Judith married Lovey Plumley, d/o John and Catherine (Kaylor) Plumley, their children were: James Adkins, Andrew Adkins m. 1. Saran Adkins, m. 2. Catherine Plumley, m. 3. Ellen Hauldren. Judith married Matthew, s/o Joshua and Delphia Adkins. Mark married Elizabeth d/o Arch Adkins. Emily married Mathias s/o James and Sarah (Willis) Adkins. Clarissa married Caleb, s/o Mark and Catherine Adkins. Matthias married Octavia Turner. Kennas married Emazetta Plumley. Sarah married a Sharp. Catherine married Harrison McComas. John Adkins was killed during the Civil War at the mouth of Fez by horse thieves.

Matthias, s/o John and Lovey, married Octavia, d/o David and Betty (Merritt) Turner. David Turner was a doctor. He deserted his family and went back to England. Matthias and Octavia had the following children: Anna, married Charlie Adkins (one son, Earl). Elizabeth, married Ryland Adkins, (one daughter Myrtle, who married Otto Canterbury and had a daughter, Ruth). Minnie Flora, married Ira, s/o Goldsberry and Mary Susan (Egnor) Adkins. (Goldsbury was the s/o David and Judith Adkins and Mary Susan was the d/o Aarchibald and Lahoma “Massey” Egnor from Monroe County.)

Children of Ira and Minnie were: Roy b. 12 January 1892 married Anthelia, d/o Calloway and Sally (Adkins) Bragg (see Calloway Bragg and Mathsias Plumley stories). Ulyssus b. 1893, World War I verteran died age 26. Don Rosco, b. 1896 m. Lovetta Adkins. Hallie b. 1892, m. Veturia Cooper. Matthias b. 1899 m. Dollie Dequasie.

Children of Roy and Althelia are: Orville (b. 20 Feb 1922) married Lena, d/o Charles and Sarah (Smith) Honaker, children: Steve (b. 19 Dec 1947), Keith (b. 26 Jul 1966), Hope (b. 1 Apr 1949) married and divorced from James Merritt, children: Scott (b. 15 Jan 1970), Celina (b. 11 Oct 1971), Chuck (b. 18 Dec 1973). Verna (b. 28 Jan 1953) married Leroy, s/o Donald and Donna Adkins, children: Linda (b. 10 Jun 1972), Roy Lee (b. 5 May 1973), Mark (b. 30 Jan 1975). Five of Orville’s children died in a fire 19 Apr 1971: Patton (b. 14 Jul 1951), Charles (b. 19 Sep 1952), David (b. 7 Jul 1955), Rosa Lynn (b. 24 Mar 1957), and Roy Albert (b. 3 Jan 1960). They are buried at Goldsberry Cemetery, Sias, WV.

Mildred (b. 22 Dec 1918) married Elba Adkins (b. 19 Sep 1914), children: Charles, Mary Ann, Brenda, Elba “Butch”. Charles married and divorced from Marie Beane, one son, Alex. Mary Ann has two children, Angela and Michael.. Brenda (b. May 1951) married Kenneth Dyke Tully, s/o Charles and Freda, one son, Lancen “Lance”. Elba “Butch” (b. 1 Jan 1959) m. 1. Rita McClure; m. 2. Melanie Brumfield, two daughters, Ashley and Amanda; m. 3. Melissa, d/o Ralph and Lou (Adkins) Adkins, one daughter, Heather Rochelle (b.. Oct 1988).

Betty married Lancen Baker, s/o Isaac and Ellen. (See Morris Elkins story.)

Darles (b. 22 Dec 1928) married Meredith (b. 14 Oct 1936), d/o Willie and Erey (Smith) Dotson, three children: Wendell (b. 31 Mar 1963), Joseph Darles (b. 7 Feb 1974) and Clyde (b. 24 Jul 1964) married Janet, d/o Bobby and Anita (Smith) Cooper. Clyde has one dauther, Brandi Gale (b. 1 Sep 1985).

Jewell (b. 24 may 1933) has two daughters: Susan, (b. 19 Apr 1955) and Charlotte (b. 14 Jun 1952) m. 1. Michael Tully (divorced), two children, Celeste (b. 25 Jul 1970) and Tiffany Shawn (b. 10 Sep 1976); m. 2. Jackie Lee Thomas. Sally (b. 15 Sep 1941) married Creed, s/o Spencer and Bell (Mullens) Adkins.

Christmas is over, the food is eaten, the gifts are all opened…so I have to ask: What are your thoughts on regifting?

Share your stories about the food, friends, family and gifts!

Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response. ~ Mildred Barthel

• adkins/shawnee families of montgomery county,va
• ”adkins-land of york, surrey co., england to beech fork, wayne co., west virginia by ronnie adkins
• william adkinson adkins-land of york, surrey co., england to beech fork, wayne co., west virginia by ronnie adkins parker
• archelous craft genealogy
• “william adkinson” “pike county” ohio

Set positive goals and reasonable expectations. ~ Steve Strasser

Don’t get me wrong I LOVE Christmas and everything that goes along with it, but some things I really wish I could master or at least get a good handle on.
I’m trying to find more efficient ways to deal with the mundane chores that get in the way of fun.

I was kicking myself this morning, when I realized that I had forgotten to get out the new Christmas bowls I bought two years ago. The same bowls I forgot to use last year. I got them on sale a few days after Christmas three years ago and couldn’t wait to use them. But somehow, I manage to forget to get them out of the dish pantry, every year. I just served them right out of the bag. Sad, isn’t it? I worked like a fiend getting ready for the holiday’s these past few weeks and had forgotten more than I could remember.

I had forgotten to get my nephew Brandon and his girlfriend Emily a gift this year and I also forgot to get my nephew J. J. address to mail him a card; just one thing after another.

I had borrowed my friend Kathy Reamy’s card table and chairs for the party and the foot broke off the table on the ride to my house so I never even got to use them. Now, I have to offer my “apologies” and try to make amends for the damaged table. I had asked Anthony for two card tables & chairs for Christmas this year for which he obliged, but Target only had 4 chairs in stock so I needed 4 more and had borrowed Kathy’s. I guess I should have listened to that old adage, “Never a borrower – nor lender be.” Not sure how to fix it. It just needs a new dowel put in the foot, just not sure how to go about that. I just can’t win. She has my deepest and most sincere apologizes for that.

I had bought Christmas cards twice last year (after Christmas sale) and they’re still in their boxes. My sister Shirley brought over extra two boxes that she had and I used some extras from the year prior. I’m not sure if it’s the stress from the holidays making me forget or I’m just getting that forgetful???

Hey, Anthony and I spent two days arguing whether or not I even made Christmas dinner last year. I know I did, but Anthony kept insisting that I didn’t. Trust me… I did. So I win.

Anyway, we had a few fiascos this year like in every year past. But I think they’re really what we remember more than the 100 or so things that went right. Anthony always says, “It’s just a thing” and/or “we’ll laugh about this tomorrow.” I’m sure he’s right, well half sure anyway. All I really care about is that its Christmas and we’re all together.

Anthony made me buy myself some stuff for Christmas to go under the tree. I didn’t need or want anything really so shopping was a real chore. I got a really good deal on a triple slow cooker buffet/server. I hope it works; some woman had bought it and took it back. It was the only one Beerman’s had so I took it. I got a 15% discount and that was a big gift. So I’m crossing my fingers that it works.

I have a friend whose bucket list included making Figgie Pudding. LOL I tried to talk her out of it but she made it anyway. She said, “It wasn’t all that!” I could have told her that. But I guess if you have the time, you should give it a whirl. She put up 14 Christmas trees and decorated every inch of her house. Not sure where she found the time. She got up early this morning and took her family Christmas caroling. She’s my hero. (I’m going to steal her toilet paper caroler’s idea for my garage scene next year.) LOL

My granddaughter Trinity spent half her evening last night redecorating my tree; moving the ornaments and collecting the ice cycles and hanging them from a bead garland off one side. I have to admit, I thought it was pretty. Just don’t have enough to do that to the entire tree. Sorry Trin.

Granddaughters Avery & Allie were sheer delights to have for the weekend. I do regret one of the girls left without taking her new cabbage patch baby home with her. I hope she isn’t too upset when she finds she has forgotten it.

Mandy had the boys all dressed up in beautiful… sorry handsome burgundy dress shirts with black ties and suit pants for the Christmas play at church and she changed their clothes when they came for dinner and she forgot those here as well. I guess, she can pick them up later. I’m not going to attempt to wash and iron those shirts tomorrow with the Christmas linens; nope… nope… nope.

Today was a fold as well… on the dinner part anyway. My hands are swollen and raw from week’s worth of serious cooking and decorating; my body is stressed and totally exhausted. I was falling out, big time. Anthony took 3 naps himself today. Lucky him… I wish I could have. I really needed it. He wouldn’t let me make another big dinner today. He said that I just couldn’t handle the work load and I’m thinking he was probably right.

I need to plan a little better for next year. I thought I had all my bases covered until I sat down this morning to pack up the decorative gift bags and gift tissue paper to reuse next year, and I realized I hadn’t opened half of my gifts from the night before. I’m not sure where my head was at. I was having too much fun watching everyone else open theirs I guess. That’s when it hit me… I had forgotten Brandon’s gift. Sorry Brandon. Mandy had Brought Alex to the party and I had no gift for him either. Note to SELF: Buy some extra gifts and place them in the closet for next year; can’t go wrong with a few extras.

Don’t take any of it too personally; it’s been like that most of the year. I’m still feeling like the Grinch since this was the first year that “Santa” didn’t come for Steven. He’s nineteen now and a college student. So really… why? No, I didn’t forget – just decided against it. I’ll give him so monies to take back to school with him. He should be happy with that. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway. He didn’t deserve it anyway since he got an air rifle last night and kept shooting everyone. My crazy sister Shirley kept saying, shoot me… shoot me… (as if he would) just to see if it would hurt. What??? I’m still shaking my head over that one.

Today, I have spent most of my day wishing friends and family Merry Christmas and Happy New Year on Facebook. I like those “well wishes” but to be honest, I love the cards and letters I got in the mail. I’m guess I’m just old fashioned that way.

Things to remember for next year: Christmas bowls are in the dining room pantry. Buy extra gifts to keep on hand (keep w/ bowl in the pantry). Put back $250 per month for Christmas. Just do it. Catch every garage sale I can and buy Thanksgiving and Christmas serving items.  You can never have too many. Get 24 more folding chairs to have on hand for parties and size 52 inch by 52 inch square table clothes. Remind everyone monthly that the Metcalf family Christmas party will be held at my house the Sunday before Christmas from 2-6 with an immediate family movie, popcorn and slumber party to follow and I have boxes of extra cards – use them.  DO NOT FORGET!

I’m sure there is tons of stuff I’ve forgotten here, but it will come to me later and I’ll just make another note. I have lists for my lists at this point. I just forgot where I put them (with head in hands and shaking it back and forth, so I don’t lose it).

Have a great New Year and I hope a memorable one. Merry Christmas everybody!

It isn’t success after all, is it, if it isn’t an expression of your deepest energies? ~ Marilyn French