Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Day 345 - Midweek and Midlife - Oh, Joy!
Greetings, Bloggy Readers!Pick your crisis, Midweek or Midlife?
You know what I did last night?
I googled something and got back a link to my own blog!
HOW COOL BUT SCARY IS THAT? Oh my gosh...
I should write a whole blog contrasting midweek and midlife, but I don't have time today.
I've been doing some emailing early these past few mornings and using up my blogging time!
It is 10 frigid degrees this morning and we're expecting snow overnight tonight. Brrr....
Go get milk and bread everyone, and if you're not already in your midlife crisis, watch out for the midweek one!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Day 344 - Twofer Twosday
Greetings, Bloggy Doublers!It's Twofer Tuesday (yes, I intentionally said Twosday above).
So - what do I have double of this morning?
Double Layer Formations?
Double Chins?
Double Trouble?
Double Dog Dare ya?
Double entendres? (By the way, I always have a double entendre or two hanging around.)
I have been running a bit slow on the blog these last couple of days - maybe I am doubly slow or maybe my double-digit age is showing?
Quote of the day:
I'm not the greatest; I'm the double greatest. Not only do I knock 'em out, I pick the round. Muhammad Ali
Anyhow - have a double-nice Tuesday, hope you have double-good-luck today, and if you're going to cause trouble, make it double-trouble!
TTFN!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Day 343 - Superbowl Countdown Week
Greetings, Bloggy Couch-Potato-Quarterbacks!
I was busy in email this morning doing Superbowl Sunday planning, so I'm just going to say Hi and Bye today.
You readers will be busy catching up on the weekend blogs anyway!
What are YOU going to be doing for Superbowl Sunday? We've been invited to TY and SY's house to watch the Superbowl on their new Hi-definition flat screen TV, and we're already looking forward to it!
I've promised to bring biscuits and jam to work this morning, so I've got to run.
TTFN and have a nice Monday!
I was busy in email this morning doing Superbowl Sunday planning, so I'm just going to say Hi and Bye today.
You readers will be busy catching up on the weekend blogs anyway!
What are YOU going to be doing for Superbowl Sunday? We've been invited to TY and SY's house to watch the Superbowl on their new Hi-definition flat screen TV, and we're already looking forward to it!
I've promised to bring biscuits and jam to work this morning, so I've got to run.
TTFN and have a nice Monday!
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Day 342 - Wedding Recuperation
Greetings again, Blogregation!
Charlie was so tense yesterday that he had a difficult time sleeping last night - he'll recover, though! One of his sons is on his way here to visit, so I'll just say hello and tell a couple of things.
First- a wedding story from swimming yesterday. One of the health club members has a daughter who is getting married next weekend. The groom picked the date - 2/4/7 because he says he's going to love his wife 24 x 7. Is that the cutest thing ever???
Mile-high recap of the wedding yesterday... I think around 250 showed up vs. 350. They had so much cake left over that we have piece of wedding cake on the dining room table that looks like a cement slab. I hate to say it, but I don't think we're going to eat it!
The wedding went pretty much as planned. Charlie's daughter shook like a leaf during the entire ceremony - we were worried she was going to faint. By the way - I was the matron of honor at one wedding in the 90's and the bride cried for half an hour before she could walk down the aisle. Everyone waited patiently until she was composed enough to proceed.
There was a singer and a 'brass quartet' for musical accompaniment. Thankfully the brass quartet wasn't too loud, as they were set up right next to where we were sitting.
The groom's father forgot to come back down the aisle and escort his wife at the end of the ceremony. Of course he was BUSY TALKING TO CHARLIE at the time...
The reception was very nice and the food was healthy and good. There were a lot of cheeses, fruit, several different punch stations, finger foods, and of course CAKE - both vanilla and chocolate. I ate way too much so I am going to have to swim it off over the next several days.
Guess I'd better get ready for company - TTFN!
Charlie was so tense yesterday that he had a difficult time sleeping last night - he'll recover, though! One of his sons is on his way here to visit, so I'll just say hello and tell a couple of things.
First- a wedding story from swimming yesterday. One of the health club members has a daughter who is getting married next weekend. The groom picked the date - 2/4/7 because he says he's going to love his wife 24 x 7. Is that the cutest thing ever???
Mile-high recap of the wedding yesterday... I think around 250 showed up vs. 350. They had so much cake left over that we have piece of wedding cake on the dining room table that looks like a cement slab. I hate to say it, but I don't think we're going to eat it!
The wedding went pretty much as planned. Charlie's daughter shook like a leaf during the entire ceremony - we were worried she was going to faint. By the way - I was the matron of honor at one wedding in the 90's and the bride cried for half an hour before she could walk down the aisle. Everyone waited patiently until she was composed enough to proceed.
There was a singer and a 'brass quartet' for musical accompaniment. Thankfully the brass quartet wasn't too loud, as they were set up right next to where we were sitting.
The groom's father forgot to come back down the aisle and escort his wife at the end of the ceremony. Of course he was BUSY TALKING TO CHARLIE at the time...
The reception was very nice and the food was healthy and good. There were a lot of cheeses, fruit, several different punch stations, finger foods, and of course CAKE - both vanilla and chocolate. I ate way too much so I am going to have to swim it off over the next several days.
Guess I'd better get ready for company - TTFN!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Day 341 - Walking Down The Aisle
Greetings, Blogregation!I know I usually say that on Sundays, but today is Charlie's daughter's wedding, so we'll be back at the church today for the wedding and reception.
I believe the guest list is around 350, by the way...
The rehearsal and rehearsal dinner went fine last night. Charlie had a successful day 'helping', and is making himself some breakfast right now for endurance through the day today.
He and one of his sons picked up tuxedos yesterday and let the lady at the rental place 'priss' over them until they fit 'just so'. Charlie attempted to put the several-layers-of-rental-tux back on the various hangers and in the bag. The lady at the rental place took one look and shook her head - 'Tsk tsk - you poor thing - you need help!' He won't argue about that!
I need to go swim right now, but I'll have a few stories to tell at the end of the day! TTFN!
Back again - it's 9pm and everything went fine today!
The bride and groom (and their parents) made it to and from the altar and through the reception before they left for their honeymoon night.
They leave early tomorrow morning for Florida and a week-long cruise.
More tomorrow! TTFN!
Friday, January 26, 2007
Day 340 - Get Me To The Church On Time
Greetings, Bloggy Vow-Exchangers!It's Friday, so stand in a circle and hold hands.
Those of you who know Charlie will want to wish him well this weekend - his daughter is getting married tomorrow!
Charlie's taking the day off work today to help out, get the church ready, run errands, etc, and the rehearsal dinner is tonight after the rehearsal. I'll meet him over at the church after I get out from work.
Family members are arriving from a few different states, but we don't have any sleep-over company coming (that we know of).
It's a very large wedding. Best wishes to the bride and groom, and hang in there, Charlie - it'll be all over tomorrow night...
I'm going to make this short - take care and have a nice Friday!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Day 339 - Shine on, Shine on Harvest Moon-age
Greetings, Bloggy Glow-worms!I woke up at 4:30am this morning and watched the neon clock-radio readout gleam over Charlie's arm and shoulder... Not exactly moonlight, eh?
I got chatty after that and kept Charlie awake until the alarm went off at 5. Sorry, Charlie!
Dreamland update: I had a most interesting dream last night (not!) about wanting to put away lawn chairs and not having a place to store them or hooks in the garage for them, etc. The garage was actually my sisters garage, by the way.
Tell me, Doctor Bloggy, what does that dream mean?
Well, it's obvious, Karen - you need some additional organization in your life right now. That'll be $150, please see the receptionist on your way out the door...
He's right, you know. (Good grief, I just agreed with a fictitious character that I invented.) It's not spring, but I need to do spring cleaning because I didn't do fall cleaning.
Charlie is going out to lunch today with a buddy of his. This buddy leads a very conservative, quiet life, but he throws it all away when he goes out with Charlie - by going to Hooters for lunch. If his wife only knew she'd womp his butt... ;-)
Personally, I think that is hysterically funny - Charlie is his 'ogling excuse'.
Gotta go! Have a nice Thursday!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Day 338 - Midweek and All is Well
Greetings! It's midweek, of course!How's your week going? Fair to Middlin'?
Here is some 'Wednesday' art for you - what CULTURE you find on this blog!
This looks like a piece of a fishnet stocking over a tile, with a carelessly glued button on it. Soon to be the latest fashion rage...
You know, I actually WORE fishnet stockings a couple of times, years ago?
Changing subjects...
It's turned cold here, and parents drive their kids to the end of the driveway and wait with them until the schoolbus comes.
I see the 'minivan dance' as the schoolbus stops for a child, the bus moves down the road, and Mom or Dad backs the car down the driveway to the house. Then I get to see the next stop, where the exact same thing happens. Pick up child, wait till the bus leaves, reverse gear to the house.
They look like bugs in reverse. I can't describe it to you accurately, but it's fun to watch because it is a 'morning pattern'. I don't always get behind the schoolbus - I've been leaving the house at different times. When I'm ready to go to work, I go.
And I'm ready to go now, so BYE! TTFN!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Day 337 - Twofer Tuesday - Again!
Greetings, Gentle Readers! Monday is gone and Tuesday is here.
Yesterday should have been a Tuesday, because I double-dined. I went out to eat for lunch at a place called 'Baja Fresh', and went out to eat for dinner at Cracker Barrel. I am in big-scale-trouble - get it? Big Scale-Trouble? Har Har.
I am going to bring my swim stuff with me and try to go swim after work. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna...
Today's entry is going to be short, because I am running a little bit behind schedule. I try to get 'blogged' by 6am or so, and it's already almost 6.
Quote of the day:
Creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday. Ray Kroc, founder of McDonalds.
Maybe I can get creative today and knock out some of the stuff I'm working on! TTFN!
Yesterday should have been a Tuesday, because I double-dined. I went out to eat for lunch at a place called 'Baja Fresh', and went out to eat for dinner at Cracker Barrel. I am in big-scale-trouble - get it? Big Scale-Trouble? Har Har.
I am going to bring my swim stuff with me and try to go swim after work. I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna...
Today's entry is going to be short, because I am running a little bit behind schedule. I try to get 'blogged' by 6am or so, and it's already almost 6.
Quote of the day:
Creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday. Ray Kroc, founder of McDonalds.
Maybe I can get creative today and knock out some of the stuff I'm working on! TTFN!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Day 336 - GONE Pats and GONE Saints! Oops.
Greetings, Les Bloggy Miserables! Are you sad about how the playoffs turned out yesterday?
Well, the two teams I wanted to move on to the Superbowl aren't moving on. Sheesh. Maybe my blog entry was bad luck? If you want to blame me, that's fine, I can take it.
Well, I am sure the Tennesseans are happy about the Colts winning because their quarterback, Peyton Manning was the UT college quarterback... Mr. Laser-Rocket-Arm himself...
Actually, if you think of it, New Orleans folks shouldn't mind Peyton going to the Superbowl either because his father's house is in the Garden District of New Orleans, I saw it when I was on a tour there...
Changing subjects... We have a new guy starting on our team today, another person starting in a few weeks, and another one leaving in 2 weeks. Rapidly changing group, eh?
I am going to start reporting to a new director today (same manager), and I haven't even met him yet. The IT industry is an ever-changing one. Just let me do my work and leave me alone, ok?
My daughter tells me that my son just got a computer - that means I can send him email again (I used to be able to send to his cell phone) so I am happy. Heather - does Evan have email yet?
Guess I'll make this short because I need a coffee refill. I've been enjoying some 'Creme Brulee' coffee my friend CD gave me for Christmas, it tastes like dessert! (go figure). Thanks, CD!
We're off to Cracker Barrel tonight for catfish, AND I'm going out for lunch today. BAD diet week...
TTFN! Go Colts!
Well, the two teams I wanted to move on to the Superbowl aren't moving on. Sheesh. Maybe my blog entry was bad luck? If you want to blame me, that's fine, I can take it.
Well, I am sure the Tennesseans are happy about the Colts winning because their quarterback, Peyton Manning was the UT college quarterback... Mr. Laser-Rocket-Arm himself...
Actually, if you think of it, New Orleans folks shouldn't mind Peyton going to the Superbowl either because his father's house is in the Garden District of New Orleans, I saw it when I was on a tour there...
Changing subjects... We have a new guy starting on our team today, another person starting in a few weeks, and another one leaving in 2 weeks. Rapidly changing group, eh?
I am going to start reporting to a new director today (same manager), and I haven't even met him yet. The IT industry is an ever-changing one. Just let me do my work and leave me alone, ok?
My daughter tells me that my son just got a computer - that means I can send him email again (I used to be able to send to his cell phone) so I am happy. Heather - does Evan have email yet?
Guess I'll make this short because I need a coffee refill. I've been enjoying some 'Creme Brulee' coffee my friend CD gave me for Christmas, it tastes like dessert! (go figure). Thanks, CD!
We're off to Cracker Barrel tonight for catfish, AND I'm going out for lunch today. BAD diet week...
TTFN! Go Colts!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Day 335 - Go Pats and Geaux Saints!
Greetings, Blogregation!
I forgot to mention yesterday that 'Geaux Saints' was written on the menu board, I thought that was pretty cool. However, being from New England, I have to root for the Patriots. We'll be watching this afternoon.
Just a click and a promise, because I am hitting the road to go swim. It's raining so it will take even longer to get there.
I just finished sneezing a bunch of times, I wonder if I'm catching my first cold of the winter. Hope not.
Charlie and I were kept awake last night by caterwauling cats - what an awful sound! The sound of nightmares if you ask me!
Church sign of the week:
Have long-standing problems? Try kneeling!
Who thinks these up? Is there a website for that?
Gotta go make a breakfast sandwich and hit the road.
Hey - waist watchers out there!
Thomas's English Muffins has just come out with 100 calorie English Muffins (5 grams fiber) and they are DEEE-LICIOUS! The only trouble with them is that I've eaten 4 or 5 of them since Thursday. This is not a good diet week for me - Pizza Wednesday, Cajun Friday, English Muffins in between. Oops.
TTFN!
I forgot to mention yesterday that 'Geaux Saints' was written on the menu board, I thought that was pretty cool. However, being from New England, I have to root for the Patriots. We'll be watching this afternoon.
Just a click and a promise, because I am hitting the road to go swim. It's raining so it will take even longer to get there.
I just finished sneezing a bunch of times, I wonder if I'm catching my first cold of the winter. Hope not.
Charlie and I were kept awake last night by caterwauling cats - what an awful sound! The sound of nightmares if you ask me!
Church sign of the week:
Have long-standing problems? Try kneeling!
Who thinks these up? Is there a website for that?
Gotta go make a breakfast sandwich and hit the road.
Hey - waist watchers out there!
Thomas's English Muffins has just come out with 100 calorie English Muffins (5 grams fiber) and they are DEEE-LICIOUS! The only trouble with them is that I've eaten 4 or 5 of them since Thursday. This is not a good diet week for me - Pizza Wednesday, Cajun Friday, English Muffins in between. Oops.
TTFN!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Day 334 - Post Cajun Blues - a.k.a. Heartburn
Greetings, Bloggy Gourmets! Our visit last night to Papa Boudreauxs Cajun Cafe in Santa Fe, TN was a complete success.
Yes, this is really what it looks like - just a one room cinderblock 'house' with a horse in the back yard and a 4-wheeler in the front yard (hmmm - both conveyances if you think about it).
I didn't need a heartburn tablet until about 1:30am...
Here is their website if you want to peruse the menu or read about the musicians that play there.
I'm not going to blog for long right now because I need to go swim before the pool gets busy. I'll write more later about what we ate and how it tasted.
I can say that I tried the gumbo, red beans 'n rice, etouffee, and chocolate bread pudding. Our friends had crawfish/shrimp bisque (to die for) and chicken/andouille (sp?) sausage over angel hair pasta that looked outstanding.
The portions were IMMENSE, I'll tell more about that later. Our tab came to about $20 per person, and I brought a bottle of wine (it is BYOB) for us to share. (Cajun cabernet sauvignon - not!)
Gotta swim off all the BREAD I soaked up the food with... TTFN!
It's 6:41pm and I'm back...
I want to tell a couple more things about Papa Boudreauxs Cajun Cafe... I ordered three 'appetizer' portions for my dinner, because I wanted to try several items, not just one.
The appetizer portions would have been a meal (in my opinion) if I could have had a side salad with one. Each appetizer was a large bowl-full (for around $5), and the meal portions were big enough for two people (around $13)
We ate about 4 baskets of freshly baked baguettes (free), and really didn't need any dessert, but we wanted the chocolate bread pudding! It wasn't exactly what I expected, as I am used to a bread pudding served hot, and not being chocolate! This was made up of baguette bits immersed in a deep chocolate pudding - very rich. It was served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top which offset the deep chocolate a bit.
So again, gumbo, bisque, red beans and rice, chicken and sausage - all outstanding. The etouffee wasn't quite as good, in our opinion. I didn't try the 'creole' appetizer (no room!). They also sell gumbo to go for $13 a quart. Made me want to make some gumbo myself - I do occasionally.
TTFN again!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Day 333 - Cajun, Here We Come!
Greetings, TGIF-ers!It's Friday AGAIN! Do you think that might happen, er - once a week or so???
Charlie and I are going out with SY and TY to a 'backwoods' cajun place tonight - a little hole in the wall place in Santa Fe, TN (it's pronounced 'Santa Fee', by the way).
I'm going to leave work an hour early so we won't be too late, and can get a seat.
Make way for the red beans and rice, jambalaya and etouffee (and gumbo and crawfish etc. etc.).
In New Orleans, there are hotdog stands everywhere that are shaped like a hotdog, and say 'Lucky Dog' on them. If you don't have much money and can't afford the wonderful cajun food - you go there for some 'Lucky Dog etouffee' - which is just a hotdog. It's a JOKE.
On one trip to New Orleans, Charlie and I were on a Mississippi river cruise, and there was a cajun buffet dinner (not great, but acceptable).
The buffet server refused to put my etouffee on top of my jambalaya (where I had indicated I wanted it) - because it just isn't eaten that way. I let the server put it NEXT to the jambalaya, and I then I mixed it myself. Hey - some foods need to be over RICE, in my opinion.
And then there was a trip to New Orleans with 'da gals' from work - we hardly had cajun food unless you want to count Popeye's fried chicken (which I love dearly). I did get gumbo and a lot of pralines!
Quote of the Day: In America, I would say New York and New Orleans are the two most interesting food towns. In New Orleans, they don't have a bad deli. There's no mediocrity accepted. Mario Batali
Well, Mario (from the food channel - you know, 'Multo Mario'), mediocrity exists on all the tourist-throughput lunch and dinner cruisers, unfortunately! Don't know about now, after the hurricane and all.
GOTTA GO! Have a great Friday and a great weekend! Bayou-all! (Bye, you all!)
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Day 332 - Thursday is Here, Friday is NEXT
Greetings! You are looking bright and bloggy this morning!
I looked on the web for 'ice art' this morning, and found this beauty on the nasa website.
Don't ask me what it IS, except it's ICE and it's lovely. ;-)
Awesome.
Let's see - the week is flying by, and as noone commented on yesterday's blog entry, I imagine it was dull. Apologies for that, but I have limited blog time nowadays...
Weather update - we are actually having cooler temps this week, feels like January instead of JUNE.
Quote of the day:
Style's not something that you decide on on Monday and photograph on Thursday. You've been developing that for your whole life. Simon Le Bon
Hmmm - is having 'style' a good thing, or something to obsess over?
[Fade to psychiatrist couch...]
Doctor Bloggy - am I afflicted with 'style'?
No, Karen, your affliction is in the region of your brain, not your clothing.
Doctor Bloggy - is there anything I should DO about that?
Yes, see my secretary on the way out, that will be $120.
TTFN folks - gotta go earn some bucks to pay Doc Bloggy with! Have a nice day!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Day 331 - Midweek and Happy to See It
Greetings, Bloggy Midweekers! How is your workweek going this week? Mine has been good, although I'm running late on one thing.
I woke up this morning with a little headache and feeling kind of 'puffy' - I thought to myself - 'PMS follows me around like the Grim Reaper', so today's picture is of the Grim Reaper, alias Homer Simpson. ;-)
Yesterday I overheard one of my business users compliment me to my manager, so that makes me happy.
I brought in SY's peanut butter chocolate chip cookies yesterday for our team member's last day. THANK YOU SY, THESE ARE SUCH A HIT AND SO EASY! Two people asked for the recipe, and a few other people happened to drift over from other departments to scarf one up. Have I posted the recipe for them? I'll look back and check.
I brought 24 cookies to work and brought ONE home - people were too polite to eat the last one.
A new guy at work says he and his wife have the perfect relationship - she loves to cook and he loves to eat. I thought that was really sweet.
Well, it's 6am and to keep on my morning schedule I need to GO. TTFN and have a nice day!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Day 330 - IDOL is BACK!
Greetings, Bloggy American Idol-Lovers!
Don't forget - Idol is BACK and it's TONIGHT! I don't know why I like that show, but I do. I wonder what Elliot from last years show (one of my faves) is doing now, I hope he got a contract.
I really don't have time to blog this morning because I spent too long in email working on stuff for the summer reunion conference I lead (see veggie carving in August). Oops.
I also don't have time to blog because I am making a double batch of peanut butter, chocolate chip, walnut cookies to take to work for another team member's last day. They are dropping like flies, I'll tell you.
So - dearest readers - Apologies - 'puny blog' today and I've gotta go. TTFN!
Don't forget - Idol is BACK and it's TONIGHT! I don't know why I like that show, but I do. I wonder what Elliot from last years show (one of my faves) is doing now, I hope he got a contract.
I really don't have time to blog this morning because I spent too long in email working on stuff for the summer reunion conference I lead (see veggie carving in August). Oops.
I also don't have time to blog because I am making a double batch of peanut butter, chocolate chip, walnut cookies to take to work for another team member's last day. They are dropping like flies, I'll tell you.
So - dearest readers - Apologies - 'puny blog' today and I've gotta go. TTFN!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Day 329 - Older But No Wiser!
Greetings, Monday Celebrants! Today is the MLK day holiday, but my company doesn't get that day off.
Charlie does, lucky thing! He has a list of errands to run today, and since it's going to be a rainy day it won't be a good day to 'play outside'.
Now that I'm older, I made a good decision and a bad decision yesterday.
Good decision: To go to Outback for coconut shrimp and prime rib.
Actually, 2 margaritas, a salad, bread, baked sweet potato, coconut shrimp, and a 16oz prime rib that had practically no fat on it. YUM-O! I did bring home a little prime rib for 'snackage'.
Bad Decision: To go see 'Children of Men' at the movies. It was extremely violent, dark, miserable, and deeply disturbing to me! I was upset even after the movie! I needed that margarita after seeing that movie. I can't recommend it at all, though I should say that I like Clive Owen and his performance was good.
Sans movie - a very nice birthday celebration, nice cards, nice gifts, phone calls, etc. My mother sung Happy Birthday to me over the phone, my daughter did too, and my brother and his whole family did as well! (Pay up the Happy Birthday royalties, folks!)
Well, that will do it for 'The Day After' Birthday Blog. TTFN and have a nice MONDAY!
I left a note to myself on Friday at work reminding me what I need to work on today in case I GOT OLD over the weekend. ;-)
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Day 328 - Happy Birthday to Me!
Greetings, Blogregation! Happy Birthday to me!Thanks to all the family members who have sent me gifts and cards, I opened some of them this morning.
Yes, the photo to the left is me, but not on my birthday (notice it's summertime).
Also notice that my sister behind me has bare feet - in the 'good ole days' kids ran around barefoot all summer. I am still barefoot in the house (most of the time) and avoid socks like the plague.
I went to swim kind of late yesterday morning, and the pool was full of young, shrieking kids. Of course they were having a blast, but my serenity suffered for it. I had a great time with 'da gals' from former work, and Thank you, Debbie for the new scarf, it is lovely!
Endorsement: I loved the movie 'Night at the Museum' yesterday, I thought it was just great. Especially if you can take a kid or two with you to see their 'glee'. A little kid in back of me was so anxious for the movie to start that at the onset of each preview he'd say 'Here we go, Dad!', 'Here we go, Dad!' I won't comment on the kids that kept kicking our seats though...
I'm going to go swim as soon as I've blogged, then come back home for more birthday celebration, then out to dinner.
I've been craving Alaskan King Crab and had planned to go to a Chinese buffet that served it - HOWEVER, I've decided that taking a chance on a new place and driving 60 miles to it just doesn't sound like a 'birthday dinner' to me.
I think I'll have a 'surf and turf' kind of dinner instead, maybe to Outback for coconut shrimp and filet mignon or prime rib, or maybe Texas Roadhouse.
Sound YUMMY? Yes!
Well, I'll go finish my coffee in the kitchen, and write more later as I have more to tell. TTFN!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Day 327 - Birthday Eve!
Greetings, all of you readers who have ever had a birthday!Tomorrow is the BIG DAY, and don't even ask which number.
Can you believe I found a photo for 'Birthday Eve'? I guess if you're turning 80, you need to celebrate as soon as possible because you might not remember it the next day!
Did I tell you about my team at work?
HALF OF MY TEAM HAVE CONSECUTIVE BIRTHDAYS.
Interruption here - the new, improved Blogger release is screwing up my sentence spacing again. I should never have upgraded, I had a feeling it would be buggy.
Apologies if this doesn't look perfect, but I don't have all day to play with whitespace.
Yesterday was one team member's birthday, my manager's birthday is today, my birthday is tomorrow, and the guy I sit next to is Monday! Can you believe it? I sense another luncheon out coming on...
I went to have wonton soup yesterday, by the way. P.F. Changs has the best wonton soup I know of, they put in a few extra vegetables and a few shrimp as well.
Second interruption - Charlie has gotten really good at cooking breakfast - he made himself eggs, bacon and PANCAKES for breakfast while I have been blogging! Good job, Charlie! I can't eat all that food, so I'm having a simple breakfast sandwich on the way to swim.
I'm meeting 'da gals' from work at Opry Mills Mall, we're going to an IMAX movie then out to eat at the Caney Fork Fish Camp catfish place I've mentioned several times. I'm looking forward to it!
TTFN and have a great Saturday!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Day 326 - My Favorite Workday of the Week
Greetings, Ladies and Gents!Guess What? It's Friday! F-R-I-D-A-Y! This picture really doesn't have anything to do with Friday, but I thought it was cute.
Scamper in a circle, if you wish. The weekend is almost here! I've had a busy week and am ready for the weekend.
Chinese buffet was yummy yesterday, and I didn't eat too much. One thing I didn't get that I miss now - my wonton soup!
You have to ask for it separately at this restaurant, and I didn't bother, so now I'm craving it and probably won't be satisfied till I go have some.
Quote of the day:
There will be a rain dance Friday night, weather permitting. George Carlin
Dreamland update - Nuthin'! I couldn't have a memorable dream right now if I went to sleep with headphones on. Must be brain overload.
Tomorrow I have a big day planned with the gals from former-work, plus swimming and shopping. I'm SO looking forward to it!
I've gotta go for now - have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Day 325 - Hooray for the Buffet!
Greetings, Bloggy Diners! The week is flying by.I had a nice workday yesterday and my new report was well received.
Today is the last day at work for one of our team, and I need to remember to bring a card in for everyone to sign. I should have done this already, but didn't think of it. Oops.
We're going out for 'Chinese Buffet' at a place I haven't been to yet in Cool Springs. As you know, gentle readers, I love Chinese food so I am looking forward to it. Could their wonton soup be better than my homemade wonton soup? Dunno, probably!
I should state for the record that one of my most wonderful and memorable Chinese food experiences was going out for Dim Sum in San Francisco, and Aunt Nancy treated me to it. Thank you, Aunt Nancy!
Did I tell you about the Chinese Restaurant in Massachusetts that was fined for catching and serving the ducks from the local lake/reservoir nearby? It's closed now, of course. I used to take the kids to feed the ducks at that lake! Not very funny, but it's TRUE so I'm telling it.
And WHY is it so fun to go feed ducks anyway? It is WAY fun for the kids and for me!
Oops- trizzle trizzle trazzle trone - my time is running short so I'd better get a move on.
Have a great Thursday and Away to the Buffet!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Day 324 - Ain't No Town Like Motown!
Greetings, Bloggy Music Lovers!My daughter and son-in-law sent me a 4-cd set for my birthday (which is on Sunday) named 'Motown Legends' - I can't wait to listen to it at work today. Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Temptations, etc. Goody! Thank you thank you thank you!
I love music and I spend quite a bit of time at work with my headphones on, when I'm not running over the cord with my chair and getting a whiplash, that is. Yesterday I pulled my chair back - snagged the cord, the headphones turned into a lasso across my desk, and knocked over my bottled green tea, all in a split second. Good job, girl! Thankfully the tea had the cap on.
I have some other items set aside to open on Sunday.
No, I don't like to get older, but I love 'events' and reasons to celebrate!
Dreamland update - Nuthin' - I haven't had a blog-worthy dream lately - I must be getting all my neural networks exercised during the day.
I have a business meeting this afternoon to show off my latest development effort - I hope they like it! I had a performance problem earlier in the week - this report I wrote was running DOG slow - taking a half an hour to run. That is totally unacceptable. Do you know WHY? My disk needed to be defragmented! Brought the runtime for the report down to 10 minutes or less. Sheesh. You'd think with a 150 gigabyte disk it could find space for a contiguous file, maybe?
My manager called me 'Wonder Woman' yesterday at work. I'll take it, thank you very much.
Well, I think I'll call it a wrap for today and go exercise for half an hour.
Confession: I planned to go swimming yesterday after work and I was tired and it was cold and I just didn't go do it. Oops. Apologies, body 'o mine.
TTFN! Go listen to some Motown music today!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Day 323 - Return of the Cornbread Dressing
Greetings, Gentle Readers.Monday is over and done with - hasta la pasta.
We have a new person starting on the team today at work, and one leaving the team later in the week. The turnstile of business, I guess...
I have a personal question for you - do you freeze? Joe - you're going to return my CONTAINER with no homemade cornbread dressing for ME? (Insert whiny voice here saying - 'What about ME?')
Our upright freezer in the garage looks a lot like this one - but ours is much more full! I expect we could live for months on the contents of our freezer, but it wouldn't be a very balanced diet!
Kitchen tip on little-known freezable items - crackers, potato chips, pretzels etc. freeze wonderfully and they don't go stale.
I dehydrate summer squash, and then freeze it dehydrated. It lasts a LONG time, and is great in soup and casseroles and such.
I freeze chopped green peppers, mushrooms, etc. so I can take a handful and toss them into whatever I am cooking. I do buy canned mushrooms too, the kind with no salt added.
Uh-oh - I just realized I've talked about FOOD for most of this blog - apologies. Take two TUMS and call me in the morning...
A big Thank You to SY for giving me a 2007 tracker yesterday to log my swim schedule. That will be so helpful, and I am going to go swim after work today.
TTFN and have a nice Twofer Tuesday!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Day 322 - Buddy, Can You Spare a Blog?
Greetings, Bloggy Moan-Day Commuters!I added my photo, expecting Blogger to double space everything. Now it won't add any whitespace at all between sentences. Go figure. Ok, I've taken out and put back the whitespace. Sheesh.
THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. Thanks, Blogger.
Here's a lovely Cappuccino photo to get you started for the day. The pattern looks a little like a heart...
I hope you think it looks like a heart - because to ME it also looks a little like a derriere - can I say that on the blog without offending anyone? Apologies if you'd rather keep the 'heart' thought in your head.
I just made lunches - turkey pastrami. I love real, New York pastrami, but I can stand turkey pastrami because it is a tad more healthful (I tell myself). It is still loaded with salt, but it's pastrami for heaven's sake, it has to be salty.
Would someone agree with me that packaged lunch meat is always WET, especially if you've frozen it first? I have to blot our lunchmeat with a paper towel before I make sandwiches, so they won't be soggy. I lay out the slices on a paper towel (Viva, of course) and roll it up, sometimes lovingly pounding on it with my fist to dry the &^%$$# stuff out.
Sigh - enough sweetness and light on this Monday morning. I am going to make this a tad short and go do some EXERCISE this morning before work.
I made those crabmeat appetizers again yesterday (the cheese and crab on english muffins) and Charlie and I ate the whole batch. Oops.
Roll sound clip of the seven dwarfs singing Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, it's to the scale I'll go....
Love you bye!
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Day 321 - A Relaxing Sunday
Greetings, Blogregation!I know that when I load pictures into today's blog, it'll double space everything. I am adding this section at 4:45pm, and I hope it isn't too confusing.
Sorry!
I am going to add to the beginning here instead of the end, in case I don't feel like fixing the double spaced lines.
Hey - I can be lazy on the weekend if I want to!
Aunt Nancy - eat your heart out - I got a CHICO's TRAVELLER hooded jacket/overshirt for $2.15, this is worth approximately $75.
It is in perfect condition, is washable, and my favorite - black and white.
I estimate 1/3 of my wardrobe is black and white.
Coming up next - just as lovely but I have no idea what it cost originally, somewhere between $50 and $100.
This is a microfiber-style faux suede jacket-shirt, light gray in color, fully lined, with beautiful ginko and oak leaves scattered on it in a darker gray.
This is a microfiber-style faux suede jacket-shirt, light gray in color, fully lined, with beautiful ginko and oak leaves scattered on it in a darker gray.The brand is Norton McNaughton Petites, and if you know me you know this is totally what I like if it has leaves on it and is any neutral, earthy shade. It looks like an ultrasuede suit I used to have.
It is in perfect condition, is washable, and just STUNNING. Also $2.15.
I got several more items, but nothing quite as spectacular as those two. I put back 2 L.L. Bean items (a vest and a fleece jacket) and I put back an Ann Klien top, that was hard to do but I did it.
Charlie and I are going to run out for a little while to Target, but even that is optional.
Let's talk about what 'doing nothing' at home entails...
My 'nothing' day has included:
Two mugs of coffee.
Two loads of wash. (my second one just finished drying, as I heard the dryer stop)
A HUGE breakfast of eggs, biscuits with homemade preserves, country ham, bacon, and sliced tomato. (Now I've run out of eggs and I need more to make another batch of meatballs. No, I skipped the biscuits, they were for Charlie.)
Exercising for half an hour.
Shower, etc.
We'll run our errands and I'll come home and make 2 lbs of meatballs - my last batch was awesome.
Let's talk about what 'doing nothing' at home entails...
My 'nothing' day has included:
Two mugs of coffee.
Two loads of wash. (my second one just finished drying, as I heard the dryer stop)
A HUGE breakfast of eggs, biscuits with homemade preserves, country ham, bacon, and sliced tomato. (Now I've run out of eggs and I need more to make another batch of meatballs. No, I skipped the biscuits, they were for Charlie.)
Exercising for half an hour.
Shower, etc.
We'll run our errands and I'll come home and make 2 lbs of meatballs - my last batch was awesome.
TTFN!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Day 320 - Weekend 1 of the New Year
Greetings, Bloggy 2007 Weekend Warriors!Ahhhh, two short work weeks in a row, but now there is a price to pay - very few holidays between now and summer.
However, I did notice yesterday when leaving work that it wasn't pitch dark out - the days are getting longer and I am looking forward to spring. (It didn't help that yesterday was in the 60's and felt like spring anyway).
Is your tree still up? Decorations still hung all over the house? Mantlepiece covered with bits and bobs? Time to get all that stuff put away for another year. (I'm really reminding myself, not YOU, gentle readers.)
I've got plenty of shopping, cleaning, and laundry to do this weekend, but overall, a pretty relaxed weekend schedule. If I feel like it, I can do it, if I don't, I won't.
Did I tell you that my friend SY has turned me into a Goodwill archeologist? SY is a patient, diligent, and extremely selective researcher, uncovering treasures that are hidden to the average shopper. She only buys items that appear brand new, that also have a designer label.
Applying her 'clothes mining' principles, I have found (unbelievably) that in a Goodwill store I may uncover a Liz Claiborne, Talbots, Ann Klien, or other expensive item for a couple of dollars. I am shocked, actually - with all the folks doing eBay full time, you'd think the bargains would be gone. They aren't. And TODAY I have a 50% off coupon! Awesome.
So - if you see me 'dressed to the nines' in something expensive looking and classic, you can be sure I spent next to nothing for it. Not bad if I do say so myself...
TTFN and Have a Nice Weekend, Everyone!
Friday, January 05, 2007
Day 319 - Hey! It's Friday Already!
Greetings, Bloggy Marchers! It's the First Friday in January.March in an especially big circle, chanting 'FRI-DAY! FRI-DAY! FRI-DAY!'.
Now, doesn't that feel good? Yes it does!
I am having nutmeg in my coffee this morning. I guess I haven't gotten over the holidays quite yet. I also have more holiday 'stuff' to put away around the house, but I'm not in a hurry.
I got my tax return packet from the IRS in the mail, but I have to wait for all the other stuff before I can do my taxes. Remember, over the last year I've had two employers and also had unemployment compensation to deal with. Joy of joys.
I'm logged into work at the moment too, waiting for an overnight job to finish ('cause I made a change to something yesterday and I want to be sure it didn't explode).
Let's see - I'm organizing a lunch out with the gang at my new work to say farewell to someone on the team. He is leaving for another job that pays more. He's got kids, do I need to say anything else? I don't think you can have a salary big enough when raising a family. Anyway, we're doing the 'Chinese Buffet' thing next Thursday, and I am looking forward to that!
Ok - my overnight jobs (there are two) just finished, so all is well with the world. Sigh of relief.
I don't have much else to talk about except this:
Do you think the tips of most Q-tips are too big for your ears? I had to buy a different brand with smaller tips (and they have real wooden sticks, not plastic) because my ear canals are small. My doctor used to use the 'kiddie' ear scope thingy because the 'adult' one was too big.
(Yeah, yeah, delicate thing that you are, girl)
Charlie is upset because the paper isn't here yet - that is a normal thing on a Friday, our paper guy just can't seem to get it in gear. Maybe he goes out on Thursday nights with the boys or something...
Well, I'm gonna get a move-on. TTFN and have a great Friday!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Day 318 - Cornbread Dressing - YUM-O!
Greetings, Bloggy Dieters! How about more FOOD? (No! Not THAT!
My blog is responsible for eating binges across the galaxy).
We now interrupt this food blog for a Celebratory Message:
Happy Birthday to Tiff,
Happy Birthday to Tiff,
Happy Birthday, Dear Tiffany,
Happy Birthday to Tiff!
I have great affection for other folks who were also born in January. Capricorns ROCK!
Have a wonderful birthday, Tiff, and a wonderful 2007! Hugs!
We now return you to your food blog, already in progress...
Now that the holidays are over, we probably won't be cooking a turkey for a while, but you might be cooking poultry of some sort!
That said, while our buddy Joe was over for New Years, I asked him for his grandmama's recipe for cornbread dressing for 'da blog'.
New Englanders might never have HAD cornbread dressing, by the way...
When I was growing up, we always had bread stuffing, and it was always cooked in the bird. I have learned that if you want to control the calories of your stuffing, cook it out of the bird.
Please note - this recipe feeds a crowd, so adjust quantities or plan to freeze some!
Grandmama's Dressing
3 batches (skillets) cornbread
1 loaf toasted white bread
1 quart onions
1 quart celery
6 eggs - not beaten
1 stick butter, softened
Broth from 1 chicken
Drippings from roasting Turkey - save enough to also make gravy
Broth from cooking giblets - about 2 cups
Salt, Pepper
Milk - about a pint or more
Crumble corn bread and loaf bread
Add onions and celery and eggs
Mix cut butter in chunks and spread over bread mixture
Pour hot broth over mixture and Mix
Add salt and pepper and milk
Mix with hands until right consistency - add more milk if needed
Put into buttered casserole dishes
Bake at 400 about 40 minutes
Well, I'm hungry now, so that will about do it for today's blog.
BTW - Bragging rights - I fixed an issue at work yesterday that was no less than a bloody miracle, so today I feel SOOO relieved. TTFN!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Day 317 - License Plates - Vanity or Insanity?
Greetings, Bloggy Drivers!The first day back at work is history - everything I touched yesterday broke, but I am slowly gaining ground.
I saw a really cute vanity plate yesterday - 'REINMAN'. I assume it was a horse trainer, horse owner, or horse lover.
Yes, I have a vanity plate - does that mean I'm vain? I dunno - maybe!
I was behind a car last week with a TENNESSEE vanity license plate that now says NYORKER. I found that offensive, actually. More like insanity to inflame the locals...
Apologies to all you New Yorkers out there, but MY experience with New Yorkers has not been good, considering my layoff and all...
Speaking of experiences - the New, Wonderful Blogger I upgraded to overlaps the comments (you've all noticed that), and when I add a picture after I've written something, it double spaces it all and I have to go back and remove all the whitespace it added.
(My patience is a thin white line that I dare you to cross...)
I've told you about my horrific fortune cookie that said 'You are plagued with constant worry' - which I was, AFTER I read it.
Yesterday at work, I mentioned that my middle name is Marie. Do you know what 'Marie' means? 'Sea of Bitterness'. Good Grief! Moooom, whassup with THAT? I want an additional middle name that negates the Bitterness one. Is there a name that means 'Land of Sweetness' to offset 'Sea of Bitterness'? I hope so.
Well gang, I guess that's just about enough rambling for this psychiatric session, ISN'T IT? ;-)
(Oh no, she's gone off the deep end - call Doc Bloggy and see if he'll do an online web session)
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Day 316 - Time to Write the Wrong Year on Your Checks
Greetings, all you folks who are returning to WORK after a lovely long holiday. *sigh*Time to write '2006' on your checks by mistake (even though I really don't write that many checks anymore, mostly at the *&^% grocery store I seem to go into every day).
I'm running out of laundry detergent now, and 'cheap' gallon bags. I get the expensive zipper-style gallon bags for the stuff that NEEDS it, and the cheap-o gallon bread bags for stuff like lettuce, 'shake and bake' bags, etc. I did stop at Wal-mart yesterday for green beans and paper napkins. It seemed like everyone was buying diet dinners (Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine - New Year's resolutions at work folks, you read it here first!)
There is a long, dark void ahead - no holidays till King Day (and I don't get that one), then another void before any other freebie days off from work.
But lo, in the east - a light shines forth with great candlepower... What could it be? Why, the days are getting LONGER again! Spring is on the way! When the daffodils come up in February I *might* have all my holiday stuff put away. ;-)
We wrestled the Christmas tree out of the stand yesterday, and pulled the ceremonial burial covering (Christmas tree disposal bag) over it with great reverence- it was way past dead, unfortunately.
Charlie's comment: 'I don't see any needles in the bag, only on the floor. '
It will lie in state forever in the ditch out back where it will join last years tree and compare notes about my housekeeping prowess (or not).
TTFN and it's BACK TO WORK, FOLKS!
P.S. - I've made lunches and frothed the milk for my coffee this morning, I've got time for a little EXERCISE before I have breakfast. Joy, bliss!
Monday, January 01, 2007
Day 315 - Welcome, 2007! Happy New Year!
Greetings to all, the Bloggy New Year has arrived!I've already broken my New Year's resolution to avoid the scale. I gained 3 lbs this weekend. Gotta go swim!
Buddy Joe's New Year's resolution is to read the books I lent him last year. ;-) Thanks, Joe.
Charlie's New Year's resolution is for a year without drama. With a daughter getting married in a few weeks time, lotsa luck.
We (me, Charlie, Buddy Joe) stayed up till midnight, and ate and drank all we could stand. We polished off a bottle of eggnog liqueur, some Irish Cream liqueur, some southern comfort, and some beer. We ate crabmeat rangoons with duck sauce, chips and dip, and homemade meatball sandwiches with tomato sauce and provolone cheese.
The highlight of the evening was watching the claymation 'Creature Comforts' DVD that Joe brought with him.
This is a show in the UK, where they interview 'regular people' and use the dialogue in situations using animated claymation animals. For example, there are two old ladies that they kindly turned into 'old bats' (go figure), and are shown at all times hanging upside down. They are hilarious because they can't hear what has been asked, and have important questions like 'is it time for lunch?', and funny things like that.
This DVD set has a special DVD devoted to Christmas, where a lot of their 'regulars' are trying to sing 'the Twelve Days of Christmas'. Way funny.
I realized this morning that I won't have my reserved parking space anymore at work. Crap.
I realized this morning that I'll be able to do my taxes soon. Goody.
I know there's a lot more to talk about THIS YEAR, but for now I'd better go get some exercise. TTFN and Happy New Year!
