You Stink!

An open letter to the perfume wearers of the world.

Dear Perfume Wearers:

You stink.  Why do you cover yourselves in perfume to the point where I smell you before I see you?  Why?  I don't understand.  And of course, you people that cover yourselves head to toe in this cloud o-smell-good don't even have the kindness or taste to pick something that is pleasant!  You pick the stinkiest, smelliest, muskiest perfume in the world.  Does your nose not work?  Maybe you have damaged your "smeller" by wearing such noxious fumes all day every day all your life.  Please don't kill my "smeller" by subjecting me to your stink a/k/a perfume.

I'm pretty sure you were never told this but perfume is to be an intimate fragrance...smelled only by those that are in close contact with you.  I don't want to smell you on my furniture after you have left the room...or the house!  GAG!

I am seriously contemplating faking an allergy to perfumes!  I have a co-worker and any strong smells (lotions, perfume, candles, etc.) give her a headache.  I can totally fake that!  Don't make me start faking that!  Please!?  Just two squirts of your nastiness will do us all.  One on the throat and one on the wrist.  And it will save you money.  If you don't spray fifteen or more sprays a day think of how long a bottle will actually last you.  And if you buy that junk at Walgreens or CVS how good can it be anyway?  I'll give you a new "signature" fragrance for Christmas if that's what you want?  I know it's what I want!

I guess I'll need to add obnoxious perfume wearers to the ever growing list of pet peeves along with the slurpers and the fork biters.  Please...don't make your presence know by an act that I can hear or smell without actually seeing you.  Please!?

Weekends are Never Long Enough!

There have been plenty of songs about the weekend and I think they are probably all true.  There is nothing better than a weekend...except it could be longer.  It rang true again this weekend.  After a long, stressful, emotional, week Friday finally arrived and I was able to go where I wanted to go...be with my friends and family!  We went to Dyer and it was a special trip because it was Uncle Nathan's birthday.  Sometimes in life there is a place of peace...well, I find that peace every time I go to Dyer.  The people, the place, the memories.  It is somewhere I can go and everything else fades away and I know that all is right in my world. I never say it enough...mainly because I am my mother's daughter and if I tried to actually verbalize that thought I'd tear up, cry, and everyone would make fun of me and I'd never say it but it's true none the less!

We had to drive home on Friday night because I had signed up for a women's conference at church.  Of course I wasn't excited about that because I would have rather stayed in Dyer longer or even stayed in bed longer on Saturday but I drug myself out of bed and went.  I was SO happy that I did!  I got to experience the day with great friends and my favorite sister-in-law!  The speaker was fabulous.  She was inspiring and motivating and showed me that I am not alone in the world and by that she showed me that I'm not the only contradicting person on the planet that does and says so many things...but in the end I still want to do better and be better.  I don't always achieve that but hopefully I can get better if I keep trying.  I'll keep trying.  And to all my friends: "Eshet chayil!  You are a Woman of Valor!"  Please check out Rachel Held Evans if you get a chance!

After that I went home and went to bed.  I had dreams of cleaning but I was too tired.  Sometimes I'll lay on the couch for a quick nap.  Saturday I knew it was a deep sleep type of day so I put on pajamas (hear Gabby singing, "P-yamas!  P-yamas!") and got in the bed, put my blanket over my eyes and slept for two hours.  It was WONDERFUL!  Jeff and I seriously debated staying home, cooking dinner and being lazy on Saturday night.  I was so close to doing that but my friend Julee told me what she had made for the symphony and it was all the motivation I needed to get out of bed and over to Pine Tree!

Saturday night we went to the Starlight Symphony.  The weather was perfect!  It was cool, a breeze was blowing and a few sprinkles helped everyone stay cool.  We went to the symphony with Jeff's co-workers and our good friends and their kids.  We got to see lots of other friends at the symphony and even got to hold our very over-stimulated and very unhappy nephew.  And we got to see his parents, too.  It was a great Saturday night.  If you ever get the chance you should attend the Starlight Symphony in Jackson!  It was a treat...except for the cannons!  Saturday night I fell in the bed good and tired after another great day with friends and family!

Sunday morning we went to church (the late service for those that missed us and thought we just slept in).  After church Jeff went to the grocery store with me (GASP!  I know!) and after putting the groceries away I made some chicken salad for lunch and started our mound of laundry (we're only two people.  How do we have so many dirty clothes?).  We decided to head to our friend's house for a visit with them while they were in town from CA for a little while.  It was so great to see them, their kid, and the rest of their family.  After a good visit with them we headed back home.  After a little golf watching for Jeff and reading time for me we cooked dinner.  It was an interesting new recipe and it was AWESOME!  After dinner we watched a movie and then I played on the computer before finally heading to bed...and reading more.

I just love weekends like this.  I hope we have many more in the future!  Thanks to all our friends and family.  You make our lives fuller and happier and I know we are blessed to have you in our lives.

How I Know I Love My Job

I think I had to work in hell before I could appreciate what a great job and a great boss I have.  So, as you all know I work at a law firm as a paralegal or legal assistant or secretary.  I've been called all three and at my small law firm in a small city in TN I perform all three duties.  So, my past jobs that I equate to being hell have given me a fine appreciation for where I am now and what I do now.  And as of today, at this very moment, here are the three top reasons that I know I love my job.

A.) I feel like do-do.  I went to the doctor today and got a shot. I have a fever and my inner-ear infection is making me dizzy but I'm at work.

B.) My boss and I have the same sense of humor and to help me feel better he put his big "banana fingered hands" (as described by my hubby) on my forehead (to see if I had fever which I do) and then to be funny he  tried to cast the demons out of my body.  We had a good laugh.

C.) He told me to go home.

Days like today make me appreciate the great place I work and the great people I work with.  Yay...now home to bed.

A New Measurement of Time

I think a lot of things in our life will now be marked by B.H. and A.H.  Before Hank and After Hank.  He was one special puppy.  I really am still heart broken.  I still wonder what did I miss.  Why didn't the vet in Jackson catch this and all the other things that go along with this and logically I know that it just happened.  Logically I know that the vet in Jackson probably did her absolute best...her best just wasn't up to the standards of our beloved Dr. Gordon.

Saturday I spent three hours at the vet with Hank and a friend.  Dr. Gordon ran every possible test imaginable and truly did everything she possibly could do in her small town clinic.  So, when she couldn't figure it out she sent us to a specialist.  We went to the specialist on Monday and had our worst fears confirmed.  At Easter I told my mom that I thought Hank had cancer but that the vet in Jackson didn't seem to think so and since she's the certified professional then I need to trust her.  Anyway, we finally figured out the cause of all of Hank's problems.  He had lymphoma and sarcoma (lung cancer).  The specialist in Memphis was actually shocked that he had two types of cancer.  She said typically a dog only has one.  Well, that's our special boy!  Always exceeding expectations.  The specialist informed us that chemotherapy wouldn't work on the lymphoma because he had been treated with steroids.  The mass in his chest was so large and problematic that he might not survive the surgery.  Jeff and I had thought that it might be time but we were willing to try anything to save our boy.  We went back to Dr. Gordon on Tuesday night with the knowledge that we'd try or we'd go home alone.  When we got to the vet she examined him again and reviewed the report from the specialist and agreed that he was ready to go.  On Monday night when we got home from the Memphis specialist Hank was just restless.  He didn't want us to touch him and he didn't want to stay inside.  Jeff and I both thought he wanted to go outside and wander off to die.  My grandmother said that and so did my mom.  Dr. Gordon confirmed our suspicions and said that's an ingrained trait that dogs have...to want to go curl up in a dark place and go to sleep.  Monday night the light and life just seemed to go out of his eyes.  When Dr. Gordon said we were making the right decision it really helped us.  It sucked.  It hurt.  But it seemed to be what he needed.

We buried Hank at my parents house on the hill with the rest of the dogs.  You know you have a great vet when she asked if we were going to take Hank with us and I told her yes and that he would go out with the rest of our pets and she started naming off everyone that is up on the hill.  She remembers.  She cares.  Like Jeff said on Saturday, "She's like Henco.  She's worth the drive."

So, now that our boy is gone we're trying to adjust to life without a dog.  That SUCKS!  I've always had a furry friend.  Last night we sat down to watch a movie and I missed having that big lug lay on the couch with me.  Yesterday and today I've walked into the kitchen to fix my morning green tea and he hasn't been in the dining room laying in the sunshine.  That has broken my heart.  I still expect to see him stretched out in there just getting all warm and cozy.  I didn't sleep very well last night and in my sleepy/awake haze I could hear pops and creaks in the house and I thought, "What is he doing?"  Then this morning I remember that it was just the house that Hank isn't there.  Last night I was picking up sticks in the yard so that Jeff could mow.  As I was picking up sticks I was remembering how much Hank LOVED to chew on the little sticks in the yard or he'd even chew on the acorns...weird dog.  I know everything I see is going to bring back a memory of him for a while.  I'm really trying to remember and cherish all the good memories that we had.  I'm trying to block the feelings of guilt that try to creep in because our boy was sick and we missed it for so long and then when we suspected we just went along with what the doctor said instead of going to Dr. Gordon first...or asking for a specialist or anything else that my mind is beating me up about.

And I'll try to wrap up this rambling post.  Tuesday we buried Hank.  After we buried Hank we ate dinner with my parents out on their back porch and had a really great time trying to talk about anything but dogs.  After dinner Jeff and I decided to head back to Jackson.  We walked through the house, out the front door and just stopped on the porch.  It was honestly the most beautiful sunset.  We all just stood there not talking, just looking.  And finally Jeff said, "Dyer skies.  Nothing like 'em."  And in my own mind I think that gorgeous, perfect sunset was a sign...from Heaven, from Hank, from God.  He's in Heaven and he's healthy and happy and better for it.  It was like a sign saying that we did the right thing.  He needed to go Home.  Help me remember that!

A Wish on a Friday

So, I've been having some deep, introspective e-mails with a friend about life, love and family.  Maybe they aren't deep and introspective for her but they have been for me and they have really helped.  She's one of the few people that I feel we really talk, deep down, nitty gritty, and still walk away smiling and happy and maybe better for helping me understand other people's perspectives.  I don't share my feelings a lot.  I try to be funny, smile and go on my way.  And like everyone I wonder and worry what other people will think so I usually just don't say what's going on with me deep down.  So, for one time only, I will put this here.  Where I really don't think people will read it anyway and it won't be in every one's face like it would be in an e-mail or on Facebook...

I want a birthday party!  Yes, I know my birthday is in January and I know it is June but for the last few years I feel like I've been jipped in the birthday department.  Granted, this year I was sick but no one wanted to do anything for my birthday after I was better and I felt silly and childish being in my...30s and saying, "Can we get together for my birthday even though it's February?"  Well...it's June and the feeling hasn't passed.

I miss all those great kid birthday parties at McDonald's and Burger King and skating and bowling.  I even miss the college birthday parties with drinks at a restaurant, or an apartment, or the shop or wherever we could find!  I wish I could get a bunch of friends together for a really great time.  Sad part is really great, fun, memorable nights aren't usually planned...they just happen.  And with everyone spread out, working real jobs and having kids and sick dogs, and busy, full lives it just doesn't happen.

But maybe one day I can have a cool, fun birthday party with all my favorite people and it will be a night to remember!

Or maybe just a random night that Toby Keith once sang about, "I'm as good one as I ever was."  One day maybe all the stars will align and we'll have a great night like that.  Maybe.  One day.

P.S. No comments or suggestions please.  This is just a random post to the oblivion...

Lesson Learned At Work

As you all know I work at a law firm.  Specifically, I work in the real estate department at the law firm.  Yes, occasionally there are some juicy and entertaining cases in real estate...but not typically.  Most of the time we just buy, sell and refinance residential and commercial real estate.   There are eight people on my hallway.  Six of us work in real estate.  Two work in family law (mostly divorce).  And yesterday I learned the BIGGEST lesson probably of my whole time as working adult.  DO NOT EVER send a picture of yourself topless, naked or suggestive...because one day that picture could end up in a divorce case and four or more women will be huddled around the file of your "sweetie" laughing at you.

Sad truth, this girl thinks the guy is single and maybe she thought she was safe sending him a picture of herself and that only his eyes would get to see her goodies.  WELL, SHE WAS WRONG!  And now she's evidence in a divorce case...and we ALL got to see her goodies.

Note to self: DO NOT EVER take topless, naked or suggestive pictures of yourself.  You never know where they will end up!  Thanks for the laugh skank.

Obsessed & Drive

UGH!  We watched Drive last night.  If you happen to have that in your movie queue I would totally recommend deleting it.  I could tell the style/type of movie they were going for but they totally missed in my opinion...on everything.  Ryan Gosling is not a BadA$$.  Just not.  Go back to The Notebook (of which I have never watched. Stupid Nicholas Sparks crap).  There were only minor moments of violence but the violence was so gruesome I almost couldn't finish my Nutella Rice Krispie Treat.  And I literally sat in the chair with my eyes covered asking, "Is it over yet?"  It was not "COOL" Pulp Fiction violence it was gratuitous violence that was not worth the time and cinematography.  UGH!  (Spoiler Alert!) He literally stomped a guys head flat.  I've never watched American History X or whatever the movie is where the guy gets curbed...but I imagine this being worse than that.  If you're curbed you still have a face... Two thumbs way down!  


On the flip side...I am OBSESSED with The Lucky One!  OBSESSED.  If I could find someone to go watch it with I'd go every single night (if I didn't think Jeff would flip about me spending $9.00 every night to go watch that movie over and over again).  I think I have watched the movie trailer for The Lucky One at least three times a day.  That is now my new fantasy.  What girl doesn't want to hear some (smoking hot) guy say, "You should be kissed every day, every hour, every minute."  Yeah, I think this movie is going to run dating for single guys and gals for YEARS!  Every girl will be looking for her personal Logan.  Sorry guys.  Someone needs to get Nic Sparks to stop writing all these books!  


Side note - Personally I have hated Nic Sparks for YEARS because the first book I read was The Guardian.  I bought it because everyone was buzzing about the author and there was a Great Dane in the story.  The dog got killed.  I've been on a boycott of his ever since.  How can you kill a dog?  Even if it is in a book?  Anyway, I haven't read anything of his ever since.  I've never watched The Notebook mainly because it came out right at the same time my grandfather died of Alzheimer's so...no, I haven't seen it.  The most recent movie I watched was The Last Song and I could probably win the award for the loudest cry in the theater because the dad dies of cancer and my father-in-law died of cancer.  I just wasn't expecting that.  So, again I was wary of anything related to Sparks but he has TOTALLY redeemed himself with The Lucky One.  I'm in love. I'm obsessed.  


And can I just say...I now have a growing list of my top sex/kiss movies and The Lucky One is now # 2.  Forever there was never a list because there was only one movie that guaranteed an evening ending in the bedroom...that was The Departed.  (Don't judge).  When Leo goes to Vera's apartment and is so sexy and vulnerable...have mercy.  That scene does it for me every time.  What girl doesn't want a hot, brooding, moody guy (a la Mr. Darcy) to open up to them and for her to be the only one that was able to break through that hard outer shell to the softness inside.  Yeah, that was it for YEARS.  Until October.  Back in October we skipped Halloween (see previous post about that) and went to watch The Rum Diary with Johnny Depp.  In that movie he has a great scene with his leading lady.  That movie went to # 1 and bumped Leo & Vera to # 2.  Until Monday night.  Now Johnny is still at # 1 (best on screen kiss I've ever seen) and Zac Efron is now at #2 and Leo has fallen to # 3.  The whole scene with Zac & Taylor and the outdoor shower...have mercy!  If you ever come over to my house and there is now an outdoor shower on our patio for no reason why (no beach or pool at our house) then you'll know it's because of this movie!  I'm still thinking about it 3 days later.  Last night was my only free night at home and we watched our Netflix movie (Drive - BLAH!) and some DVR'd shows but I totally could have gone to see The Lucky One again.  


Friends...if you want to go see The Lucky One please let me know.  I will go with you!  

I Am That Girl and I Blame Jenny Lawson!

I did something today that I have never done before.  I went to the eye doctor.  Shocking, I know.  Well, I'm  -- years old and I've never had any eye problems so I've never had a reason to go.  My husband, who has terrible vision, thought it was the strangest thing that I'd never been before and decided it was time I started going.  Okay, fine.  So, this morning is my first ever eye exam and I've never met these people before in my life...but they know Jeff (nerdy, uptight, banker, mother f---er - quote from $5 Yo about bankers and Jeff in general - Ah-hahahaha!).  So, I guess if you know him you wouldn't expect him to be with "Mouth of the South Tori"...but he is.

And let me interject here that I LOVE Jenny Lawson.  She brightens my days and makes me laugh and entertains be beyond any other blogger and writer, to date.  Her first novel came out on Tuesday and I received my copy of her book yesterday.  Well, I didn't get to read much yesterday because we went to a Jackson Generals baseball game last night and got home late.  Well, I thought sitting in a waiting room and exam room would be the PERFECT time to start reading her book!  Well, the thing about Jenny is that she LOVES cuss words (yes, in the south they are cuss not curse words).

And back to today's eye exam.  So, I've read the Introduction and the first chapter and I'm plowing through the second chapter when the nurse comes in to do the "work up". I put my book in my purse and I'm all business.  I have great vision and I'm ready to amaze these ladies with my ability to read the fine print...and boy, do I!

She tells me to hold that little cup, wand thing of my left eye and read the smallest print I'm able to read and then she told me to hold it over my right eye and read the smallest print I'm able to read.  We went through about 4 or 5 screens of letters before we hit "that one".

Interjection # 2.  Have you ever seen that e-mail that has all the words with all the letters in the incorrect order but you can still read it?  And it says that the brain is able to figure out the word because the first and last letter are in the correct spot?  Well, think of that e-mail as I continue.

And back to the story...so, she hits the button and the next screen pops up and there are 6 letters across the bottom.  I've had 100% success rate so far so why would this slide be any different?  Well...it was.  And I blame Jenny Lawson.  The first two letters were random and don't really matter but for the sake of having something we'll say it was A and D.  Then the letter F...then the letter U...then the letter C...then the letter K.  Yes, I spelled out F-U-C-K to the nurse!  And she DIED laughing because...I was wrong!  It was F-U-O-K!  Again, I blame Jenny Lawson for making me see the word FUCK because I had just read it a million times in the first chapter and a half of her book.

So, now I'm "that" girl at the eye doctor.  I'm sure they can't wait for next year so they can see what other words I "see" on their magic screens.

In case you're wondering I have wonderfully healthy eyes.  My left eye is 20/20 and my right eye is better than 20/20.  And the only random thing in the whole experience is that I learned I have a freckle in my left eye!  So, maybe it's true I have freckles everywhere...or almost everywhere.

Can't wait for work to be over so I can get back to reading Jenny's filthily hilarious book!

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless & skinless

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced onion

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1 cup converted long-grain white rice

1 package (4 ounces) wild rice

6 ounces brown mushrooms, * wiped clean & quartered

3 cups hot chicken broth, or enough to cover chicken

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

* Use "baby bellas" or crimini mushrooms. Or, you may substitute white button mushrooms.

Directions:

Microwave bacon on HIGH (100% Power) 1 minute. Transfer to crockpot. Add olive oil and spread evenly on bottom. Place chicken in crockpot. Add remaining ingredients in order given, except parsley. Cover; cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours, or until rice is tender. Uncover and let stand 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with chopped parsley.

WE LOVED IT!!

Yum & YUM!

So, this weekend I had a poor, sickly hubby so we had a long, lazy weekend. Being the good southern girl that I am I cooked all day on Sunday. I made three casseroles, 2 batches of cookies and a crockpot meal. No, that is not typical and that's not normal for me but it's what good, southern women do when friends are in need. The crockpot meal and one casserole were for us. The cookies and the other two casseroles were for friends that are having a hard time.

So, I made Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole in the crockpot and it is really good! I'll post the recipe next! That is my first yum!

My second YUM is saved for the one and only Matthew McConaughey! Last night after my cooking extravaganza we watched The Lincoln Lawyer. LOVED IT! I was talking to one of the attorneys I work with and I told him I was game to start practicing that kind of law with him. He agreed that law is "much sexier" than real estate. We laughed, but it's true. Real Estate law is needed but it sure isn't ""sexy". I don't desire to work in criminal defense but there are times where some excitement in the work place would be fun, especially if Matthew McConaughey was my boss...and none of my attorneys are Matthew. If you're looking for a good movie and/or your a fan of Michael Connelly then definitely watch this movie!

THIS, TOO, WILL PASS

I can not begin to tell you how many times I've heard my mother and Suzanne McCurdy (another of my mothers) say, 'This, too, shall pass." One of my favorite movies is Hope Floats. All through that movie that strong, southern, Christian mama kept telling Birdie (Sandra Bullock) that, "This, too, shall pass."

When you're feeling low, weird, wired, or just not yourself it seems like a flippant answer or a cheesy platitude. I can remember being in high school and my mom saying "This, too, shall pass" and thinking, "Whatever lady" but you know what? She's right. They all are and I found a poem in a book that says exactly that. Thought I might share for anyone needing a little bit of hope...because according to the movie, it floats (wha-wha - super cheesy but whatever!).

This, too, will pass. O heart, say it over and over,

Out of your deepest sorrow, out of your grief,

No hurt can last forever - perhaps tomorrow

Will bring relief.

This, too, will pass. It will spend itself - its fury

Will die as the wind dies down with the setting sun;

Assuaged and calm, you will rest again, forgetting

A thing that is done.

Repeat it again and again, O heart, for your comfort;

This, too, will pass, as surely as passed before

The old forgotten pain, and the other sorrows

That once you bore.

As certain as stars at night, or dawn after darkness,

Inherent as the lift of blowing grass,

Whatever your despair or your frustration

This, too, will pass.

Grace Noll Crowell

Being Like Aibileen

Have you watched or read The Help? One of the main characters is Aibileen Clark. Aibileen doesn't think of herself a strong person or as a game changer but she becomes both of those things. Well, one of my favorite things about Aibileen is that she writes her prayers every night. Last night I decided that if that worked for Aibileen then maybe it would work for me. I had to go to Kroger to buy yet another prescription (more on that in a sec) and I decided to see if they had any notebooks. Well, wouldn't know you that Kroger has a very cute variety of notebooks and journals. I found a small notebook with HOPE on the front of it and knew instantly it was mine. Last night Jeff and I watched a movie and after the movie I went in the bedroom to read and I took my notebook and decided to give it a try.

HAVE MERCY FOLKS! Have you ever tried to write your prayers? I think I could have stayed up all night long thinking of people and things to pray for. And a side note, when I wrote my prayers it was a VERY different feeling than trying to say prayers! Writing is very specific. What I am praying for exactly for these people in my life? Wow, that was definitely a lesson for me. I think so many times a person, name, situation would pop in my head and I would give it an "Oh Lord, please" and kind of fade off. Writing prayers is VERY different. And...it felt good! It felt really good. I dated last night's entry and hopefully this is a good habit I can keep up and it will be very interesting to go back and read what I prayed for, who I prayed for and how my writing and my prayers will change over time. I'm pretty pumped about this. I would highly recommend giving it a try. And above all I really do feel like I gave a lot of my worries and troubles over to God to carry for me and I don't the weight of them with me today. I hope that's a feeling I can continue, too.

As for the medicine I was really at Kroger to buy...I've got acid reflux. No biggie, right? WRONG! It's been tough. At first I was gagging every morning when I woke up and at every meal and I was barely able to eat anything (If you ever want "fab abs" I can tell you how to get them!) after two trips to the doctor so far we've decided it's acid reflux that may or may not have been brought on by...anxiety! That's a new feeling for me, too! I am happy to say that today I am feeling myself and I've been on a upswing since Sunday night and I hope it continues. In no particular order I know that faith, determination, hard work, and support will really go a long way towards helping me deal with anxiety. I won't bore you with details but I will say that I know I'm not alone in dealing with anxiety and I hope you know you're not alone either and as my mom always told me, "This too shall pass."

Hope that wasn't too cheesy for you. I'll try to get back to "regular" stuff soon!

Movies, Books and More

Last night we watched our most recent Netflix movie: Ray. Totally pass on it. The music, like in every movie, moved me and it was absolutely amazing to know what all he was going through while he was creating soul stirring music...but I didn't enjoy it. Did you know that Ray Charles had 12 children by 9 different women? Yeah, neither did I. Cheating is one of my major unforgivable things so I just couldn't be happy for Ray Charles overcoming all he did because he loved music. Being a great musician or a blind man doesn't give him the right to do all the things he did. He was an amazing man because he was blind and poor and still made it to the top. As the tag line for the movie said, "A man who fought harder and went farther than anyone thought possible." That's very true but I still wouldn't recommend it. It was just "eehh."

I'm in the middle of book two of The Hunger Games trilogy. I am miserable here at work. I would so much rather be at home reading than here at work. Yesterday I was pathetic and today I will be, too. We don't have any plans tonight or this weekend and I have a feeling I may be staying up late tonight and tomorrow night reading the second and third book. I've got a long list of things to do but I'm afraid I may be too wrapped up in these books to do anything else. Hopefully I won't. I would HIGHLY recommend these books! If you haven't read them then do yourself a favor and start today! They are unlike anything I've ever read. And if you're like me and you like to read the book before you watch the movie then you should hurry. The movie based on the first book comes out in March. That gives you about 2 months to read these books before the movies. Since I'm stuck at work and would so much rather be at home reading I console myself by watching the movie trailer...every once in a while.

And as for everything else, I tried a new recipe, Balsamic Chicken, PASS! It was so blah that I actually threw away the recipe. Jeff liked it better than I did...I didn't like it at all. I thought maybe it might be better as leftovers the next day after the ingredients had time to blend together...not so much. Okay, honestly, I did leave out the garlic and that might have helped it but even with garlic, I don't feel like trying it again. We've only cooked at home one night this week. We've been surprisingly busy this week. We found out on Monday night we are going to have a nephew! We're very excited about that. I feel like I need to start a betting pool. I think the baby will have a "J" name. Any suggestions for "J" names? Julia and I have started a list (must like Allison did with Samantha). We are also blank on middle names. I'm stuck on one (Daniel, for our father-in-law) but that doesn't have to be used. There are plenty of others but apparently my brain can't think of any! Suggestions?

I hope to get back to my cleaning up and clearing out this weekend but who knows if I'll be able to put down a book long enough to do that! We'll see! TGIF folks and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients
4 medium parsnips, peeled & halved lengthwise

4 medium turnips, peeled

1 medium sweet potato, peeled

3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise

2 medium yellow onions

8 leaves of fresh sage, slivered

3 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup honey

2 leaves fresh sage, snipped

Directions

Cut vegetables into 1" pieces. In a large greased roasting pan combine parsnips, turnips or rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, onions, and the 8 leaves of slivered sage. Combine oil, salt, and pepper; drizzle over vegetables in pan. Toss lightly to coat. Roast, uncovered, in a 425 degrees over for 30 or 35 minutes until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Drizzle honey over vegetables. Stir gently to coat. Bake 5 minutes more. To serve, sprinkle with snipped sage. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition/serving: 143 calories, 5 g fat, 0 cholesterol, 66 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrates; 43 g fiber; 2 g protein.

YUMM-O!

A little of this and a little of that

Well, last night I did something that I've never done before. I took a cooking class! Basics of Healthy Cooking: Learn to Chop, Measure and Plan Healthful Meals. It was fun. I actually learned some stuff and I actually plan to use what I love.

By the way, I'm currently watching The Chew and Paula Deen is on there and she's getting on my nerves...sorry.

But I digress, Jeff has cholesterol issues. Nothing so major that he needs medicine but we want to make sure that it doesn't keep going up and do some things now so that he doesn't have to take medicine in the future...and we just need to eat healthier. He gets mad and says I eat like a truck driver. It's probably true. I grew up with Mema always serving a meat and 3 for lunch and dinner, dessert, and sweet teat with every meal. Those are HARD habits to change! But dang it, I'm trying! So...when I saw this class advertised I knew I needed to sign up. We broke up into two small groups and met with two different teachers for two different sessions. At the first session we were taught how to chop, dice, peal and work with vegetables in an easier way. I will admit that at first I thought it was silly but it really helped. If I can chop an onion or celery faster and easier, I'll be more likely to use them in recipes. The other lesson in that session was measuring and learning how to eyeball something. I am such an exact person when it comes to recipes. If it calls for a 1/2 teaspoon of something I will measure out an exact 1/2 teaspoon instead of pouring it in until it looks right. I'm getting better with that but it's still so easy to go by the recipe for me. As the teacher said last night, "A recipe is a suggestion, not a direct order." Okay, okay!

Our other session was with a nutritionist. She talked with us about the new food pyramid, what our plate should consist of (more fruits & veggies, less meat). She also talked about substitutes that we can make to make a comfort food dish a little less comforting and a little healthier. It really helped me, seriously. One thing that was mentioned over and over again was to read and compare labels. I have never done it and I really need to get in the habit.

I took one of her suggestions to heart and tried it. I wanted spaghetti. Spaghetti isn't the worst food in the world but it's not the best either. How could I make it a little healthier? Well, I bought wholegrain noodles and bison meat instead of ground beef. Bison meat is leaner and contains a lot less cholesterol! SO, I got to eat a favorite food in a slightly healthier way!

Oh, and I will share one recipe. We got to try all the recipes last night but this one was my favorite. It looked the best, smelled the best and I think it tasted the best and I can't wait to try it on my own!

This same class is going to be taught again next month and she's going to have a new class in March about cooking with fruits & vegetables and I think I will definitely be signing up for that one!

As for everything else, I'm still working on my cleaning out. I haven't done anything in almost two weeks because I've been sick. I'm actually feeling better and almost normal but we've been busy all this week so I haven't had a chance to do anymore deep cleaning. Hopefully I can get back on track this weekend.

Pass The Tissues

I need some deep consoling. Martha Stewart's TV show got cancelled. She was originally syndicated in 2005 (right after she got out of the joint) and has been floating around to different stations before finally finding a home on Hallmark for the last two years. Hallmark announced earlier that they were going to cancel the show.

I have loved watching her. I have gotten so many great gift ideas from that show. I seriously don't know what I'm going to do without Martha! I've stepped out of my comfort zone and actually canned food! I've finally started cooking with my Mema's cast iron skillet. I'm actually COOKING people! Seriously, what am I going to do without her. I dont' like Rachel Ray. Her voice just gets on my nerves and I can't think of anyone else that has a program like Martha.




She's my favorite domestic goddess and I really am sorry to see her go! I will still get her wonderful magazines (yes, plural - I get two and trying to stop myself from ordering another) and I supposed I'll keep an ear out for her appearances on the Today Show or other morning programs but it just won't be the same when she's gone.

Seriously, this is a sad day for me.

Girl, Yes I Did!

**Ever watch Bon Qui Qui at King Burger from MadTV. When you read the subject line of "Girl, yes I did!" Please hear it in Bon Qui Qui's voice. That's how proud I am of this meal!

Ummm...I would like a parade in my honor because I cooked my most involved meal to date! No, it wasn't hard but it was something I'd never tried before and I did it all by myself. Last night while I was cooking Jeff kept trying to come in the kitchen and I kept having to kick him out. Alas, it was a success and drum roll please....




















Walnut Crusted Chicken! Yes, I even took a picture of my creation. I've become one of "those" people. This was so good and so easy. In the past I would have been intimidated by this type of recipe but I did it. Okay, so what this involved was drying the chicken (never done that before) then dipping it in egg whites, then coating it with the walnut/bread mixture and then browning the walnut/bread mixture for a few minutes. Once the outside layer was browned then put the skillet in the oven and cook for about 12 minutes. Easy, peasy! We ate it with a lovely side salad. I will admit that chicken is a main staple at our house but I've gotten bored with grilled chicken. I would only eat maybe half of it, my vegetables and go on with my night, only to get hungry later and go snack on chex mix or something (not very healthy!) but last night I ate every single bite of this yummy chicken. Maybe I'll even get brave enough to cook it for guests! I'm just so stinking happy with myself for trying this new recipe! And it's healthy and came from my new cook book.

As for the everything else. I'm going to be saying a lot of breath prayers this weekend. I'm home alone. Jeff has gone to Indiana to visit a friend so I've got to put my big girl panties on and stay home. I usually take the opportunity while he is gone to go stay with my parents or go visit girlfriends in a different town but I'm dog sitting this weekend and so I'm going to continue my cleaning up and clearing out. Maybe I'll wear myself out enough to sleep.

Hopefully we all have a wonderful weekend!

Fattoush!

Fa-wha? Fattoush, it's what's for dinner. It's really a salad but that's the name of it. Toasted pita, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, chickpeas, mint leaves, parsley leaves, red-wine vinegar, EVOO and a little salt n peppa = YUM! Yay! To quote the cookbook "The combination of vegetables, beans, and herbs is excellent for reducing high cholesterol." And it tastes good. Thank you, Julia for this cookbook!

And an update of where I stand on everything else. Today we did yoga when we got home. We you ask? Why, yes. Jeff does yoga. There is a great t-shirt out there that says "Real Men Do Yoga". Whatever. I can give you two simple reasons why guys do yoga, sex & golf. Nuff said.

So, we're trying to fit in exercising when we can. We obviously didn't get up this morning but we took time this afternoon. Yay us! We have eaten healthy Sunday, Monday and today. I don't count yesterday. I'm not sure what Jeff ate since I kicked him out of the house. The soup I made for bunko probably wasn't too bad but the two Sprites and cool whip cake wasn't good for me at all! And the snacks at each table? How can we possibly snack while we play? Don't know but we do! Especially if you make it to Table 1. Table 1 always has gummy candy! Gummy bears, gummy worms. Last night I served Gummy Lifesavers and we ate all three bags...UGH!

On to updates on the other goals...The very first step in the preparedness book I'm reading is to clean out the house. Check, I'm working on that! The kitchen is my next room to tackle. I'm kind of dreading it because I have two junk drawers but it needs to be sorted, cleaned and organized.

I'm not working on my project closet until all the other rooms in my house are cleaned up and cleaned out so that's not happening for a long while! As for the better neighbor, I have written three thank you notes for some recent things. That's a habit I kind of got out of for some reason. Time to stop neglecting good manners! I'm still working on that child like faith. That's going to be a long haul project. As for the childlike wonder for life and enjoying the small things. I think I was pretty darn successful about that last night at bunko. We've got a very diverse bunko group, 4 "girls" are my age and the other 8 are my mom's age (or older...shhh...don't tell!). But when you put all 12 of us in a room with 9 dice magic happens or should I say we try to break the record for laughing and loudness (yes, there are some ladies louder than me!)! It's a good time!

Hopefully I'll have another successful recipe to report about tomorrow night. Chicken...cross your fingers!

Whoa...One thing at a time!

Well, I think I have some ambitious goals for this year and while I do think they are all achieveable my body needs me to rest! I guess.

Saturday I cleaned up and cleaned out. Sunday I did the same thing. Monday I ran errands and got my house ready for bunko. I guess that's where the need for rest came in. I stayed up late on Monday night because I was still trying to get the house ready for 12 women and I just wasn't used to going to sleep early after staying up late all weekend. Yesterday I had to get up early and start my soup in the crockpot. I wasn't going to get up any earlier than that to exercise before I start the soup. I'm motivated...not crazy! So, last night was bunko and I think everyone was ready to play because we were a loud and rowdy bunch. So, after all the women finally leave I clean up the house, put away the tables and put the furniture back in place. After all of that I'm not sleepy! I'm still pumped from having a house full of people and winning a prize at bunko! I just watched the clock tick by last night. That's so rare for me. I'm usually asleep before my head hits the pillow. Well, I slept awful last night. I kept waking up for whatever reason. And of course, I wanted to be ambitious today so I set my alarm to go off at the same early time so that today I could get up and exercise...Yeah, that didn't happen! I slept for another hour.

Lesson learned: Maybe I should just focus on eating healthy first and getting the house deep cleaned. Deep cleaning, moving furniture and such is plenty of exercise. I can try to add in morning walks or yoga (or both) after I get done with the house, right? One thing at a time!

2012 Goals & Off to a Great Start

I really don't like the idea of "resolutions" I always feel like I've failed at New Year's Resolutions. However, I have set some "goals" for 2012 and I feel like I've gotten off to a pretty good start! Of course, my poor hubby has been sick so I haven't had much of a choice but find things to do around the house. So far I have cleaned out 4 closets and 3 rooms. I'm talking serious deep cleaning. I removed all the furniture from the room and cleaned the room from the top down (ceiling fan, door frames, shelves, etc.) and I've cleaned each piece of furniture before I put it back in the room. I'm trying to just clean one room a day so I don't get burned out. I've never deep cleaned my whole house before. I will even admit that I've never even cleaned the windows at my house. So...I'm trying to make some changes. I've already taken one load of stuff to Good Will and I'm working on a new pile now. I hope to have the whole house deep cleaned very soon!

As for my goals, they aren't that hard and maybe if I write about them on here I will be slightly more accountable than I typically am about goals. I want to eat healthier, I want to create a home emergency kit and the big things I want to do are: 1. Finish the many unfinished projects around my house; 2. Be a better neighbor; 3. have child-like faith; and 4. have a child's delight in the world.

What do I mean by this? Well, I'll tell you!

As for the eating healthy, I've already started! For Christmas I got the wonderful cookbook Power foods which says it has 150 recipes with 38 of the healthiest ingredients. I went to Kroger today and bought ingredients to cook out of this cookbook every night this week. Tonight I started slow and easy! Egg Salad Sandwich. Sounds simple, right? It was!! To quote the book, "Egg salad sandwiches are often loaded with mayonnaise, but this version relies instead on ricotta and yogurt for creaminess. Watercress and whole grain bread are other healthful updates. Eggs, of course, provide high-quality protein in addition to a variety of other nutrients, such as choline." And...it was YUMMY!! The recipe made enough for 4 servings. We each had a sandwich tonight and we'll both have another for lunch tomorrow. Hopefully this will help my confidence in the kitchen and with healthy cooking!

The second thing I mentioned was creating a home emergency kit. I know this may sound silly but its not. We now live in "dixie alley". The most dangerous tornado path in the US, even more dangerous than the original "tornado alley" in the mid west! In the month of May for two years in a row our area has experienced heavy rains and flooding and...ever hear of Reelfoot Lake? Yeah, that place was created by an earthquake and we live on a major fault line! Possibility of another major earthquake? Likely! I don't want to be considered a "crack pot" about preparedness. So, why the sudden change of heart? Easy, the tornadoes, floods & people constantly talking about the likelihood of another major earthquake in our area. Also...Decoded. Ever watch it? It comes on the History Channel. For anyone that enjoyed the book or movie "The Da Vinci Code" then you'd love this show! There is a crew that constantly investigate myths, rumors and legends much like the Dan Brown novels. So, a few weeks ago the episode was about the Mayan Calendar. The episode was freaky, I won't lie but I don't believe it all of that. However watching the show did make realize that no matter what emergency happens in my life we are grossly under prepared! So, I would like to make a home emergency kit. I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. So...that's on the to do list.

Okay now for my big four. First up was finish the projects around my house. I have a project closet in one of my guest rooms and it continues to grow! Since I am on a clean up and clear out mode I've got to take care of this! The most frequent "project" is making picture albums. Some other craft projects are in there, too. Once I get done deep cleaning the rest of the house I'm going to start on that closet. I'll try to take some before and after pictures when I finally start. Wish me luck!

My second goal is to be a better neighbor. That's my generic term. To quote a movie, "I want to give my highest self". And I don't always do that. To quote a great writer, Hunter S. Thompson, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right". So, I guess I better start living right. I used to do a lot more volunteering but for some reason I've gotten out of the habit. I've gotten out of a lot of good habits. I'd like to try to be a better friend, better volunteer, better donor, better person...aka better neighbor. Example: Today I was at Kroger buying a mountain of groceries (it's bunko at my house on Tuesday, too!). I was in the dairy section reaching for the milk at the same time as someone else. As I look up to smile and give an apology for getting in that person's way, I turn smile on my face to see a burn victim. My mind immediately wondered if he was a war vet. He looked to be about my age. For whatever reason, God was with me in this moment. I continued to smile, I didn't flinch or show any signs of sympathy. It seemed to be exactly what the guy needed. He smiled at me and HOLY COW! His smile lit up the place. We exchanged pleasantries and went on our merry way but I must tell you his smile, above and beyond his injuries has stayed with me. My small smile to a stranger did more for my heart and I like to think his than anythign else I've done today. That smile didn't cost me anything and our pleasantries did take any time away from my day. I hope to give more smiles in 2012 and receive a few, too!

My third goal is to have child like faith. Ever read the book, "Heaven Is For Real?" In the book the father is a preacher, a man of God, and he said that one of the best experiences he gained from his son getting sick was regaining a child like faith. I know it may sound silly but when my mind goes to panic mode I can stop myself by chanting over and over again, "Child like faith" and what I mean by that is to put it all in God's hands and stop trying to control my situation whatever it is. As soon as I do that I instantly find peace. I need to have more child like faith in my life, not just in my panic moments but in all moments and that is something I want to work on this new year.

My final goal is to find that child like wonder for life. All my friends are having or have recently had kids. For them I'm sure they all rediscover things through their children and I've gotten to experience some of that with them. Why do we have to become jaded, boring adults? When do we forget about the zest of life and just go with the grind? I want to find the joy in the small moments as well as the big ones. Right now I'm laying in the bed, watching a favorite show, sipping a mug of hot chocolate, my tummy is full and I've got clothes in the washer and dryer. That is a luxury that most folks don't have. Instead of thinking of my life as boring and I'm not doing anything exciting on a holiday weekend I am very happy to be warm, happy, full and blessed.

For the few that read this I hope I get to hang out with you all in this new year and that we create wonderful memories...and remind me to bring my camera so I can record all the great memories!