Ladies, I know you are with me on this. What IS it about the placement of the toilet paper dispensers in public restrooms? Sometimes they are so close to the commode that you can't even sit (or squat) without it cramping your style - stubbing your shoulder or elbow, or forcing you to sit instead of squat on that nasty seat. Other times, they are so low to the ground that you practically have to do yoga reaching down there, and then you only get little shreds and pieces that wouldn't be worth the effort if it weren't such a desperate situation! And heaven forbid any of those bits of paper touch that nasty, disgusting public restroom floor. Certainly, whomever installed the contraption(s) wasn't thinking about how the placement might affect anyone other than Kate Moss or the Olsen twins. Or perhaps, THEMSELVES.
Then again, men probably don't spend a lot of time sitting down in public restrooms.
All I'm sayin'...
Friday, August 15, 2008
This Cooken is Chicked!
So, anyone who has ever spent any small amount of time around my family knows that sometimes what goes through our brains, doesn't necessarily translate correctly into words - a touch of dyslexia, if you will. This evening, I was munching on some leftover chicken casserole, and thinking to myself that the chicken was getting a bit over-cooked after having spent a bit of time in the oven over the past two days staying warm, and then reheating. (Yeah, sometimes I like to do things the "old-fashioned way" and skip the microwave.)
So, as I was eating, "this chicken is cooked" somehow came out "this cooken is chicked". Other notable minced words (since we are on the food theme this evening):
By my sister, Karin, when telling her daughter, Stephanie, that she had left a CD on her bed, "Leftanie, you Stephed your CD on the bed".
Or, my personal favorite from the man of few words... my younger brother, Kraig, when asked what type of barbeque sauce he'd like with his chicken fingers at a fast food restaurant, "I"d like the bunny-roasted harbeque sauce".
I don't care foo you are, that's hunny right there.
So, as I was eating, "this chicken is cooked" somehow came out "this cooken is chicked". Other notable minced words (since we are on the food theme this evening):
By my sister, Karin, when telling her daughter, Stephanie, that she had left a CD on her bed, "Leftanie, you Stephed your CD on the bed".
Or, my personal favorite from the man of few words... my younger brother, Kraig, when asked what type of barbeque sauce he'd like with his chicken fingers at a fast food restaurant, "I"d like the bunny-roasted harbeque sauce".
I don't care foo you are, that's hunny right there.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Oh, the 80's...
A walk down memory lane...
Here's one of me and Karin at her wedding in June 1988. Her dress was Gunne Sak (Jessica McClintock) and I made mine. WOW.
And here's a senior pic of me in 1989...
Personally, I love the hair. Let's bring back the perm!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!
Here's one of me and Karin at her wedding in June 1988. Her dress was Gunne Sak (Jessica McClintock) and I made mine. WOW.
And here's a senior pic of me in 1989...
Personally, I love the hair. Let's bring back the perm!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!
The Evil Cookie
I was experimenting in creating a recipe for M&M cookies while Steph was here. I took a bite of one, and this is what happened. In the words of Jenny, "Man, that cookie has fangs!"
Weekend Update - July in a Nutshell
How did I get into this nutshell? Help!!!
Sooo, it's been quite a while since I have posted. The month of July just breezed on by, as time seems to churn faster and faster.
Steph arrived on June 30 and stayed for just over two weeks. We really enjoyed her visit. We were able to take her out on the lake once while she was here (the weather decided to be flakey and rain most of the time she was in town), and David let her help light the big fireworks on the 4th following our neighborhood block party. (Okay, so who knew she'd turn out to be a pyro... ha ha!) We also finally made it down to Carolina beach one Saturday afternoon. As it turns out, Steph had only been to the beach once before in her life, and that was also with me but on the left coast about 8 or 9 years ago. It was a quick day trip, but we still enjoyed it and the beach was PACKED! I have never seen so many people on a beach. In fact, we had tried to start out at Wrightsville beach, but unfortunately the entire town was so packed with people that we couldn't even find a place to park!
I also taught Steph a few different things to cook. She's 18 now and will be out on her own soon. We had several good conversations as well. We got massages and pedicures also. It was nice to spend some quality time with her and get to know her better. She will probably be irritated at me for saying this, but man, she reminds me of my sister (her mom) in so many ways. Yet at the same time, there are also some very distinct differences in their interests and personalities. Not many, but a few. :o)
In other news, two days after Steph went home we had an HOA meeting at our house. David has been on the board since the beginning of 2007, and I am now on the board for the rest of 2008 and 2009. It should be interesting. I will be performing the secretary/treasurer role, so I will basically be managing the books and all of the paperwork. I bet you're jealous, right? (Ha ha! Yeah...)
Work also took a turn for INSANELY BUSY, which is a change (for me) from the past few months. We just went through a system implementation and that was LOADS of fun. Not to mention business suddenly picked up as well. This is great news for us because more business means more money and added stability for my job, but it also means that I don't have a lot of free time right now. David has also been swamped with work, which really isn't anything new. He has taken on keeping watch over the Clinical group while their manager is on extended leave. That has certainly added some adventure to his plate. He also hired a new recruiter three weeks ago, so they are working on getting her up to speed. That is always a fun thing.
In personal news, David is still running about 5 times a week as he pursues his goal of completing a marathon this fall. Personally, I think he just wants to be equal to me (ha ha). I'm sure he will SMOKE my completion time... And hopefully he won't end up with more knee problems like I did. He's been very diligent with his training, and our treadmill has certainly seen better days as a result. (We'll see if it makes it through to the end.) As for me, I started physical therapy for my back last week, and after 4 visits it's starting to feel a teeny bit better, and I can actually get dressed in the morning without wanting to cry. I start in the pool on Monday, and although I'm not looking forward to squeezing into my suit and flaunting my (ahem!) "curves" in public, I do love the water and I am hopeful this will help get me back on track (no pun intended).
One other kind of neat thing that happened last month was reconnecting with a childhood family friend from our days in Indianapolis. I found one of the kiddos my mom used to babysit back in the day on myspace. His older sister was one of my really good friends back then and I was really excited to hear that they are all alive, well, and happy. Of course, I was only 10 years old when we left Indy, and he was my younger brother's age - so he's now 32 - and a radio DJ! It was so funny when I saw his picture on his myspace page - I totally knew it was him. I think he was only about 5 years old last time I saw him, so it was really cool to see pictures of him now, as well as his wife and kids. Just kind of a neat little thing.
As far as recent events, last night was an outing to a Durham Bulls baseball game (of the movie "Bull Durham" fame). We didn't get to stay for the whole game because I had to get home to do Owen's insulin shot - which was three hours late. But in spite of a raging tension headache that came on at work that afternoon (on my part), we still had a good time. I do enjoy a good live game of baseball every now and then. Even though it's almost an hour's drive, we'll have to make a point of catching a game more often that once a year.
So, coming full circle, July has come and gone. It's August 1st. It's hot. Summer seems like it has been really long this year already. I'm actually quite glad we've had a pretty fair amount of rain this year after all of the panic over last year's drought. The lakes are up and the trees and grass are healthy and green. Our lawn actually looks like a lawn. I really love living here in NC. It's taken some getting used to - small town life is very different than what I've been accustomed to most of my life - but it's definitely a beautiful place to be. I'm looking forward to fall, with the leaves changing colors and the cool, crisp air - something I really didn't get to experience in California or Texas. We get to experience all four seasons here, which is nice. Before we know it, it will be Halloween, then Thanksgiving and Christmas... and another year under our belts. Time just keeps moving faster and faster it seems.
Oh, and yes, my Starbucks opened shortly after the last post, and boy, has it been great. :o)
So, maybe I should blog more often so these posts aren't so darn long, huh???
Sooo, it's been quite a while since I have posted. The month of July just breezed on by, as time seems to churn faster and faster.
Steph arrived on June 30 and stayed for just over two weeks. We really enjoyed her visit. We were able to take her out on the lake once while she was here (the weather decided to be flakey and rain most of the time she was in town), and David let her help light the big fireworks on the 4th following our neighborhood block party. (Okay, so who knew she'd turn out to be a pyro... ha ha!) We also finally made it down to Carolina beach one Saturday afternoon. As it turns out, Steph had only been to the beach once before in her life, and that was also with me but on the left coast about 8 or 9 years ago. It was a quick day trip, but we still enjoyed it and the beach was PACKED! I have never seen so many people on a beach. In fact, we had tried to start out at Wrightsville beach, but unfortunately the entire town was so packed with people that we couldn't even find a place to park!
Carolina Beach
I also taught Steph a few different things to cook. She's 18 now and will be out on her own soon. We had several good conversations as well. We got massages and pedicures also. It was nice to spend some quality time with her and get to know her better. She will probably be irritated at me for saying this, but man, she reminds me of my sister (her mom) in so many ways. Yet at the same time, there are also some very distinct differences in their interests and personalities. Not many, but a few. :o)
In other news, two days after Steph went home we had an HOA meeting at our house. David has been on the board since the beginning of 2007, and I am now on the board for the rest of 2008 and 2009. It should be interesting. I will be performing the secretary/treasurer role, so I will basically be managing the books and all of the paperwork. I bet you're jealous, right? (Ha ha! Yeah...)
Work also took a turn for INSANELY BUSY, which is a change (for me) from the past few months. We just went through a system implementation and that was LOADS of fun. Not to mention business suddenly picked up as well. This is great news for us because more business means more money and added stability for my job, but it also means that I don't have a lot of free time right now. David has also been swamped with work, which really isn't anything new. He has taken on keeping watch over the Clinical group while their manager is on extended leave. That has certainly added some adventure to his plate. He also hired a new recruiter three weeks ago, so they are working on getting her up to speed. That is always a fun thing.
In personal news, David is still running about 5 times a week as he pursues his goal of completing a marathon this fall. Personally, I think he just wants to be equal to me (ha ha). I'm sure he will SMOKE my completion time... And hopefully he won't end up with more knee problems like I did. He's been very diligent with his training, and our treadmill has certainly seen better days as a result. (We'll see if it makes it through to the end.) As for me, I started physical therapy for my back last week, and after 4 visits it's starting to feel a teeny bit better, and I can actually get dressed in the morning without wanting to cry. I start in the pool on Monday, and although I'm not looking forward to squeezing into my suit and flaunting my (ahem!) "curves" in public, I do love the water and I am hopeful this will help get me back on track (no pun intended).
One other kind of neat thing that happened last month was reconnecting with a childhood family friend from our days in Indianapolis. I found one of the kiddos my mom used to babysit back in the day on myspace. His older sister was one of my really good friends back then and I was really excited to hear that they are all alive, well, and happy. Of course, I was only 10 years old when we left Indy, and he was my younger brother's age - so he's now 32 - and a radio DJ! It was so funny when I saw his picture on his myspace page - I totally knew it was him. I think he was only about 5 years old last time I saw him, so it was really cool to see pictures of him now, as well as his wife and kids. Just kind of a neat little thing.
As far as recent events, last night was an outing to a Durham Bulls baseball game (of the movie "Bull Durham" fame). We didn't get to stay for the whole game because I had to get home to do Owen's insulin shot - which was three hours late. But in spite of a raging tension headache that came on at work that afternoon (on my part), we still had a good time. I do enjoy a good live game of baseball every now and then. Even though it's almost an hour's drive, we'll have to make a point of catching a game more often that once a year.
So, coming full circle, July has come and gone. It's August 1st. It's hot. Summer seems like it has been really long this year already. I'm actually quite glad we've had a pretty fair amount of rain this year after all of the panic over last year's drought. The lakes are up and the trees and grass are healthy and green. Our lawn actually looks like a lawn. I really love living here in NC. It's taken some getting used to - small town life is very different than what I've been accustomed to most of my life - but it's definitely a beautiful place to be. I'm looking forward to fall, with the leaves changing colors and the cool, crisp air - something I really didn't get to experience in California or Texas. We get to experience all four seasons here, which is nice. Before we know it, it will be Halloween, then Thanksgiving and Christmas... and another year under our belts. Time just keeps moving faster and faster it seems.
Oh, and yes, my Starbucks opened shortly after the last post, and boy, has it been great. :o)
So, maybe I should blog more often so these posts aren't so darn long, huh???
Friday, June 27, 2008
TGIF
(Niece Jenny and Me at Steph's Graduation.
)
)So, it's Friday evening and boy, am I glad this week is over. The last few weeks have been non-stop it seems, and I am ready to relax a bit (although I doubt that will actually happen). Back on June 5 (again, I am behind on the updates), I flew down to San Antonio to attend my oldest niece, Stephanie's, high school graduation. We were all very proud of her for meeting that goal. The graduation was held at a stadium and there were over 600 kids graduating, so it took quite a while. As far as the family attendees go, it was me, Mom, Barry (her dad), Jenny and Hayley (little sisters), and aunt Kathy and cousin Deborah (Kenny's wife and daughter). We got there about half hour before it started, but it was already packed to the hilt so we had to sit waaaayyyy in the back in the very top row. So, in other words, we couldn't see much.
I spent the weekend visiting the family, and that was really nice. We had everyone come over for dinner at Mom and Dad's that Saturday evening and it was fun to spend so
me time together. (Here's one of me and niece, Hayley, at the graduation.) We all sat in the living room and played Catchphrase, and I cooked a barbeque brisket and some settler beans, while Mom grilled some hot dogs for the kids. Of course, we also had a bunch of sides, including Mom's homemade potato salad, and I sliced up a huge watermelon and some fresh pineapple. We had quite the feast, and it was so good to see all my nieces and nephews (who are growing way too fast I'm afraid). Of course, I also enjoyed seeing my two brothers, siblings-in-law, and my parents. Sometimes it is hard living so far away, but I always cherish and enjoy my visits home.
me time together. (Here's one of me and niece, Hayley, at the graduation.) We all sat in the living room and played Catchphrase, and I cooked a barbeque brisket and some settler beans, while Mom grilled some hot dogs for the kids. Of course, we also had a bunch of sides, including Mom's homemade potato salad, and I sliced up a huge watermelon and some fresh pineapple. We had quite the feast, and it was so good to see all my nieces and nephews (who are growing way too fast I'm afraid). Of course, I also enjoyed seeing my two brothers, siblings-in-law, and my parents. Sometimes it is hard living so far away, but I always cherish and enjoy my visits home.When I got back from that trip, I started a new experience... riding to work in a Van Pool. This has been a MAJOR adjustment for me, because I have to BE at the parking lot and in the van by 6:45am every morning, and it takes between 10-15 minutes to get to the parking lot from our house. And if you know me.... you know that I am a serious night owl and I am soooo NOT a morning person (nor am I one to be "on time"). Getting up at 5:15am has definitely been a struggle. However, I am doing it, and it's really nice to not have to drive the 40 mile commute to work every day. Not to mention I am saving a ton on gas. The van only costs $76/month to ride, so I am saving probably about $400 a month on gas with these outrageous prices we've got to deal with. So I guess the dark circles and bags under my eyes and the endless yawns are actually worth it. And I am REALLY excited to say that our little town is finally putting in a Starbucks! Even better - it's right down the parking lot from where I meet the van! Soo... maybe those early mornings will soon become a bit more bearable when I can sit and relax while sipping on a peppermint mocha on my way in to work. (That is, if I can get my lazy butt in gear early enough to stop and pick one up in time!)
Anyway, we had planned on bringing Dad out to visit us for July 4th (he actually would have arrived today), but due to some health issues he has been having we have had to postpone his visit. We were really looking forward to having him here, and I know David really wanted to spend some time with him since he hasn't seen Dad in quite awhile. So, since he wasn't able to come see us right now, we decided to bring Stephanie out to visit for two weeks - kind of a semi-graduation present. She will arrive on Monday afternoon, and I will be spending this weekend finishing up the guest room and cleaning the house. I'm planning on teaching her a bit on how to cook since I'm sure it won't be too terribly long before she is out on her own trying to fend for herself. I have no doubt we will also spend some time out on the lake boating and fishing, and we have a neighborhood block party/barbeque on our cul de sac for the 4th. We also will be doing the big fireworks display out on our street for the neighborhood, so that should be fun. Maybe we will even take a quick trip out to the beach... we'll see.
As for me, I'm looking forward to the short work week next week. I have a lot to do to get ready for the 4th, but it will be nice to have the extra day off. I am sure we will make the most of the long weekend and enjoy Steph's time visiting with us.
So, kind of a boring update this time, but honestly that's all of the excitement going on here. David has been busy as usual working his tail off. When he's not at work or out on the lake fishing, he's either in the yard working on his garden or the lawn, or he's upstairs in his man-room playing Xbox Live or watching TV or a movie. He is also training to run the Outer Banks Marathon in November, so he runs on the treadmill about 4-5 times a week. Pretty soon, he'll be starting his "long runs" outside. While he's doing his thing, I am usually flitting around the house between the kitchen, laundry, cleaning something, and sitting here goofing off on my computer. A very exciting life we lead. And I wouldn't have it any other way. :o)
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
I'm corny
Yeah, that's right. Corny. I'm all about corn. Corny jokes, corny food. What is with this rabid obsession? Corn on the Cob, Corn Tortillas, Corn dogs, Tamales in Masa (corn flour) wrapped in a corn husk, the corn salsa at Chipotle... Tonight it was corn chowder. Speaking of which, here is the best recipe for corn chowder I've ever tasted, straight from Mimi's Cafe!
Corn Chowder
Yields 2.5 quarts
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 tablespoons onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, large dice
2 1/2 cups hot water
3 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 cups raw potato, peeled and cut in 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pinch white pepper
1 quart Half & Half
3 tablespoons flour
Method
On medium heat, melt butter, then simmer onion and celery for 5 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add water, potatoes, corn and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are barely tender. Whisk the flour into 1 cup of the Half & Half, and stir into the soup. Add the remaining 3 cups of Half & Half. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the soup has thickened to a creamy consistency. Correct the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. In order to correct the consistency or the soup you may add a little milk to make it thinner. To make the soup thicker, simmer another 5-10 minutes.
Bon Appetite!
I used light half and half, which doesn't give it the same thick consistency as the fully loaded variety. However, you can whisk and additional 2 tablespoons of flour into a 1/4 cup of milk or half and half (or even water) until smooth, then add the mixture to your chowder while continuing to cook it down a few extra minutes. Serve this with some warm french or sourdough bread, and voila! You'll be in corn heaven!
Corn Chowder
Yields 2.5 quarts
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 tablespoons onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, large dice
2 1/2 cups hot water
3 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 cups raw potato, peeled and cut in 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pinch white pepper
1 quart Half & Half
3 tablespoons flour
Method
On medium heat, melt butter, then simmer onion and celery for 5 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add water, potatoes, corn and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are barely tender. Whisk the flour into 1 cup of the Half & Half, and stir into the soup. Add the remaining 3 cups of Half & Half. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the soup has thickened to a creamy consistency. Correct the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. In order to correct the consistency or the soup you may add a little milk to make it thinner. To make the soup thicker, simmer another 5-10 minutes.
Bon Appetite!
I used light half and half, which doesn't give it the same thick consistency as the fully loaded variety. However, you can whisk and additional 2 tablespoons of flour into a 1/4 cup of milk or half and half (or even water) until smooth, then add the mixture to your chowder while continuing to cook it down a few extra minutes. Serve this with some warm french or sourdough bread, and voila! You'll be in corn heaven!
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