Thursday, December 31, 2009

2009 The Good, The Bad

I think 2009 was a crappy year for alotta people. Except for maybe, Taylor Swift. Other than that..? I wrote down 2 lists, one - the good and two - the bad of 2009. And really, the good much outweighed the bad. huh. How about that!

Here's my lists:

2009 - The Good!

- We got our pup Onyx in January!
(He doesn't like when I blog - he'll put himself in awkwardly uncomfortable positions and sigh loudly so I see how uncomfortable he is, because of my need to blog, it's all my fault don'tcha see.)



- I started going back to school this year. While it made for a very stressful year, it has to go on the good list because these are forward steps to a better career.

- After MONTHS of no kitchen, we finally finished phase 1 of renovations!

Before


After


- My family came to Charleston, Pops, Mommala, the family P, the family S, AoM! A great year of visits! And I expect y'all to come back in 2010 too.





- I started this here blog, which I luurve!

- For Christmas, we got the best gift ever!



Good stuff right? 2009, you've taken a lot of slack, but you know what, maybe you weren't so bad afterall.

But wait, there's still the bad list:

2009 - The Bad

- My bad list has a series of 3 things, all cause and effect related to each other, but listed separately. #1 - I hurt my back while moving into new house. (Resulted in weekly visits to the chiropractor all year)

- I got laid off my job. (but found another right away thankfully!)

- Stress due to getting laid off, work, school, back problems, kitchen renovations, etc. lead to WEIGHT GAIN - AAAAHHHHHHHH!!! Say it ain't so. Rewind, I need a do over! This was the #1 worst thing about 2009. Grrrr.

- Having to work Christmas. Which of course I resolved by wearing a sweater that made me laugh. See Santa? See dee beadie eyes? Haha! And it's a sweater VEST ala the Pete's Sweaty Balls skit on SNL - See HERE.



So there are my lists. All in all, the good still outweighs the bad, so while at first thought, I want to call 2009 the year of Bah! it actually was ok. Here's what I've discovered and all of you were probably waiting patiently for it to bonk me in the head: there is no way for this bipolar way to exist in harmony. I cannot have both my baking and being fit, at least not until I am fit first. Then maybe in moderation and only with self control and a serious workout afterwards.

But for now, I must give it up if I want to lose weight. Alright, so resolutions may be hokey, but here is mine: Finish what I start.

This past year I've started so many things and not saw them to completion, this is what I will vow to do. For starters, I'm going to be doing the Quantum Wellness Cleanse, a 21 day cleanse of body, mind, and spirit. I need a good kick start you see. The cleanse includes giving up caffeine, alcohol, gluten, animal products, and sugar for 21 days.



It's going to be tough, but it must be done. I need a swift kick to the hiney (Kick em in the left knee, kick em in the right knee, kick em in the H-I- neee!) to get going. I realized that it doesn't matter what you do to lose weight, all it really boils down to is willpower. I'm working on this. That's why I think this cleanse will be good, the book talks you through it day by day, hence the mind and spiritual cleansing in addition to body.

Wrong or not, I will be celebrating Tonight!! YEAH! I'm talking all 5 things I'm giving up tomorrow, I'm having tonight. My menu: turkey wrapped asparagus, chicken meatballs, veggie quesadilla, cheese and crackers, champagne, and THIS.

Photo and recipe from suite101.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!




Friday, December 25, 2009

A very Merry!

A very Merry Christmas to YOU!!!

I have not been blogging very much lately, I think after the semester ended I shut down completely. I hardly come on the computer at all, and I don't miss it one bit. I would like to report I've done nothing but relax but I've still been crazy busy, trying to get my grad school application in before it's rapidly approaching deadline.

BUT I have done a little relaxing.. I've been wanting and trying to get into a good book. I have stacks and stacks to read thanks to Mommala. I have about 5 started, then I found myself away from home one day, bored, so I picked up a paperback to pass the time. And wouldn'tcha knowit, that's the one I've been immersed in, "The Lovely Bones" I'm actually really enjoying it, and just about when I finish, the movie will be out!

Speaking of movies, there are soo many I want to see right now, I need to go to the theater every day for a week to see them all. My macho motorcycle man does not care for the chick flicks, so I will have to see most of them by meself. To celebrate getting all A's last semester (thankyouverymuch)we were going to see a movie. (I know- ca-razy celebrating right?) I really really want to see Did you hear about the Morgans, because those trailors crack me right up. (I love the part when they tell the Morgans they are going to Ray, Wyoming and Hugh asks if that's anywhere near Phil, Wyoming. Just about bust a gut at that) Anyodel, what did we see? 2012. Which was good, despite being almost 3 hours!

How bout this post, eh!?

Not very Christmasy, but I have to work. In protest of having to work, I am wearing an ugly Christmas sweater. The first reaction I got was great, just what I wanted. I was walking down the hall and someone smiled at me and said Merry Christmas, looking at my face. As I returned the sentiment, she looked down to the sweater and smile faltered, almost into a look of surprise, amazement, dismay, and bewildermint all in one fleeting moment before returning to my face and a sorta sympathetic smile in it's place. All of this took place in less than 5 seconds. HAHA!! This is great! It's just a little way I keep myself amused these days. Other people don't know quite what to make of it, I get some "NICE! SWEATER!"'s and some whose eyes betray their stoic faces, telling me they are laughing on the inside.

I will post a picture soon, very soon. :)

Hope everyone has a blessed, happy, safe, and merry Christmas!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Edumacation on Christmas

I was looking at some Christmas recipes and came across some pretty funky looking recipes that do not sound appealing to me one bit.. but the food is red and green so I supposed they thought it was Christmasy? It just seems wrong, I don't want to eat something red and green for Christmas, especially if it's savory, are you with me? Hmm.. I suppose maybe there may be some clever but delicious colored fare.

It got me thinking about why red and green anyway? So I googled and here is what I learned:

Red symbolizes the blood that Jesus spilt to redeem us from our sins.
Green is the color of life. Therefore, green symbolizes the potential for eternal life that Jesus' sacrifice made possible for all of us.
The evergreen tree is green all year round. So, it also symbolizes eternal life.
The flame of a candle, the lights on the tree and the star on top are all meant to remind us of the new star that appeared to proclaim the birth of the promised Messiah.
The bell is a reminder of the bells worn by sheep. They provide a means for the shepherd to find the sheep that has wandered from the flock and become lost. They symbolize our pleas to the Good Shepherd for guidance back to His flock.
The candy cane is shaped like a shepherd's staff. It symbolizes the responsibility that we all have to be shepherds, to help each other and guide each other back to God.
Finally, the bows on the top of the presents are symbolic of brotherhood. It should be a reminder that, just as the ribbons are tied together, we should all be tied together by the knowledge that we are all God's children and, therefore, brothers and sisters.

Interesting huh? In such a politically correct world,meaning seems to be slipping away. I am a bit ashamed myself that I had to google to learn!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

A cookie disaster



I've spent all day in the kitchen and have nothing to show for it! Tre disappointing and uber embarrassing. I mean, I let those cookies be the boss of me and know what? They won.

And so here I sit, covered in flour, dejected in spirits, and exhausted. AoM tells me I should have been drinking wine while baking and by golly, she's right. Perhaps some spirits right now will lift my spirits. Oh yes, cheap bottle of zinfandel in the fridge, I hear you calling.

And I am coming to get you.

I have never failed at cookies before. I just don't understand.



Check those out. If life was perfect, they'da turned out like these:



Embarrassing. Am I right or am I right?

I will conquer this cookie. Oh yes, dear cookie, you may have won the battle but you haven't won the war!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Chocolate Jubilees



Chocolate Jubilees

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 tsp almond extract
4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 jar (16oz) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 cup marshmallows

In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour, oats, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips, cherries, and marshmallows.

Roll into 1/2 in. balls and place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes until the edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes 5 dozen

Recipe from Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies magazine

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Smart cars make me giggle

You too?

Maybe it's because it reminds me of Mr. Bean, and not just Mr. Bean, who makes me laugh hysterically. But also remembering the first time I showed it to Pops, who wheezed and cried from laughing just as hard as I did. What a ridiculous man, that Mr. Bean is.

Pops too sometimes.

Here's the story. Yesterday I arose sleepily around 9am, and I coulda slept a whole lot longer but sleeping past 9 just doesn't feel right in the land of moral goodness. Dang it all morals. So, here I am - up, sleepy, 9 am, stumbling downstairs to let the dog out. When I take a real stumble, I mean, graceful. My foot slid down the side of the step and somehow something told me not to try to catch myself because I would make it worse, how weird an angle it was already. Besides, no one was around to see me, and O was taking a duex in the very back of the yard.

So, on my dupa I crashed. Eh, not bad, I thought to myself. Ungraceful, but, I think, I think I'm ok? Next thing I know O sees me on my dupa and comes charging. YAY! Momma's on the floor, it's time to PLAY!! In he comes and crashes me out of my dazed stupor with a million puppy kisses to the face. Ew.

To sum up, I spent all day yesterday on the couch with my foot elevated and iced. Today I visited the doctor and learned I sprained my foot. The worst part? First, the house arrangement. Kitchen/food/drinks downstairs, everything else, including bathrooms, upstairs. My foot isn't wanting me to do stairs at the moment so I have to make a crucial decision, be near the kitchen or near the bathroom? Decisions decisions. My husband was home to help me out, let me ask you - would you rather have your hubby help you with food or with bathroom duties? Um. Luckily, I have a super duper husband who brought me food all day.

Good news! Julie and Julia came out today! Of course I bought it, that's what made me want to blog in the first place. It just so turned out that I had to get a prescription for my foot, and my pharmacy just happens to be at Target.

Super duper hubby dropped me at the door of Target to get a head start to the pharmacy while he went and parked. As I hobbled in, this sweet old man was hobbling in right behind me. Aw. Sweet. Anyway, he called out to me --

"M'am? You ought to get in one of these electric scooters!"

"No, no," I smile real big to stop myself from laughing at the ridiculousness of the thought. "I'll manage. Thank you!"

And so off I hobble, and barely made it to the first aisle past the registers, hubby already caught up. Nevermind how slow I was going, I just couldn't wait to laugh with him over being told I need to be in an electric cart!

As he walks up to me I start to open my mouth to tell him but he speaks first.

"Why didn't you get in a motorized cart?"

I'm not quite sure but I think my mouth may have fallen open at this point. Really? Haha, right. Do you think I should? (I am, afterall, very indecisive) Nah, and off I hobble on to the pharmacy. Finally I get there, turn, and hubby is not right there, alas, I see him aaaaaall the way down the back row there, coming at me at a whopping 1 mph, in a motorized cart. I did a bit of a laugh, like a Mr. Bean type laugh, and then he got up to me and jumped out before I could get a good picture. Dang. That woulda been a keeper.

So, prescription is not ready and I start thinking to Julie and Julia on the other side of the store. Right-o then scooter time, yeeeah! I get to the back of the store, peering down aisles as though doing a drive by. Kind of like a Disney ride, you know, real slow so you can check everything out? And who do I see? The man who told me to get in the cart in the first place.

So, I give him a "I gave in, you were right" kinda smile and shrug, keeping on. Next thing I know, he's scooting on by me (He did get there first and grabbed the "fast" cart - I'm convinced!) and challenges me to a race!

Well that there just made my day. As he left me in his dust, he called back, "Merry Christmas!" And it just made me smile.

Then I got my movie and life was good.

How bout them smart cars? LOL. Man, do they make me giggle. Endlessly. They're like the size of a recliner. Like someone sat on a recliner and they put some walls and a floor and ceiling around them, attached some wheels.... SMART.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Butter my butt and call me biscuit!

A couple of weeks ago I went to a Pampered Chef party. I've known about Pampered Chef for some time, but have never been to a party nor bought anything. Well. Sucker for kitchen stuff am I, although I did show restraint because I wanted a lot more, we spent around $100. The majority of which went towards their deep covered baker, enter into exhibit A:


Exhibit A

This thing will cook a whole chicken, raw to ready to eat in 30 minutes! IN THE MICROWAVE. Whaaaat? For real! And you probably wouldn't believe either if I told you, it was the juiciest chicken ever. And you probably wouldn't believe it if I told you, I am not the best at making whole birds.

I mean, I can make chicken breasts and various recipes with ground meat, but the whole bird? I've made probably 4 turkeys in my life, and this was only my 2nd chicken. Of the 6, I've only made 1 that came out without a hiccup. By hiccup I mean, duh - you left the giblets in! Who does that? Me. I even reached in and pulled something out, apparantly it wasn't everything! This deliciously juicy chicken? I told my husband - I don't know what's wrong with this bird? I've never seen anything like it - I stuck my knife in to cut off the breast meat and it was just bone.. where's the breast? Somehow I pulled a few squibbles of meat to serve us for dinner, all in all, what's up with this bird? Disappointment.

After dinner, hehheh. I went to see if any other meat could be saved for later consumption, and ta-da! Flipped the bird over and there were the breasts!! Are you kidding me!? I was carving it upside down the whole time??!! I'd like to think that now, I've learned and done everything stupid that's possible, next time I will make a perfect bird.

Back to Exhibit A -- I wish I could buy this pot for everyone, it is miraculous! I highly recommend you find a Pampered Chef representative and buy this immediately! Now! I will wait until you come back.



Then click HERE for the recipe. I didn't use this recipe but I'll try it next time.

I've got to get my buttered butt back to studying. Happy Sunday!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Something looks different..?

A makeover bab-ay yeeeehahhh!!

I loooooooooove my new design so much I thought I would tell you about my day. I know you are dying to hear about it anyway, so wait no more!

Last night making my pot of yumminess for dinner was the only study break I took, so while I cooked I listened to the news. Aside from, you know, good ol cheating Tiger, the only thing I caught was 100% chance of rain tomorrow, leave for work early. Ok! I must go to bed so I can leave 10 minutes early! ~End Tuesday~

~Wednesday!~

5:05am - alarm goes off. Normally, I smash that durn snooze button like nobody's business. This morning my fist was centimeters from crashing down when I heard the ratatatat of the rain outside. Then the thump thump thump of the dog's tail. Boy, does he love mornings! (Says Kaloula with a grumble, but you know this) And thus begins my day.

It was business as usual getting ready. I usually leave by 6:10, today I put a little extra jaroobalooba in my step to be ready by 6:00 ~ Which comes very quickly but I am ready! But wait, where's my Id? Where's my umbrella, I have to walk 1/2 mile when I get there, and downtown FLOODS. I tear through the house like the animal, a big flurry tornado whizzing from room to room. No id, no umbrella, and guess what, it's 6:10.

After a harrowing drive to work, I waited about 20 minutes more to drive thru a foot of water to the parking garage. Brilliant. Wouldntcha knowit, voila! I find both my id and umbrella, in the car, while I waited. Anyhoosit, my story has grown tiresome to me. Long story short, by the time I got into work, late, I may have well have jumped in the ocean, I was that soaked. But you know what, by the end, the final street to cross into work had the deepest river of them all, half way up my shins, and I just had to laugh and splash through, because. Just because, what else are you going to do? By the way, if any of y'all want to give a girl some rain boots for Christmas, :) or if you know Santa please put in word for me. Size 9.5. Word.

Back to work
~~~I get inside, check my email, and see THIS bit of fabulous gloriousness of a makeover and life was GOOD. It's the little things afterall. ~~~

So then I went about my day! And then it was time to go home, reverse all the previous anxiety ridden commute. Why do people drive like morons in the rain? Just wonderin. You know? Because THEY DO. Not just, not slowing down or allowing a little extra space, but morons! I got cut off just as I was coming to a red light, which sucks you know because you've already judged the distance between you and the car in front of you, so you know precisely what speed and braking distance to go, next thing you know, some idiot cuts in, and you have to slam on the brakes, and all the crap in the car goes flying forward. To which, I think hard about what friendly gesture to bestow on this foolio, and settle on a little toot of the ol horn.

Now, the horn. A few words about the horn. I think the purpose of a horn is to prevent accidents right? But I pay attention to horn blowers, and it seems to be mostly women who use it. And usually directed at a man. Ever notice? Pay attention! I think it's a form of passive aggression. They want to yell, they want to be heard! There's no accident about to happen, but they want to let the men know, hey you. You really made me mad just now. Women, they plan ahead. They get in the proper lane, with plenty of time. I have to turn right in 2.2 miles, let me get over. Men, they like to get to the .15 miles away from their right turn, to get in front of as many people as possible, then swerve over, cutting off the women. Who lay on that horn, hey mister. I've been in this lane for 2.2 miles, and I'll be darned if you get in front of me.

Because of this observation, I try to refrain from using the horn unless I am about to be in an accident.

Today? Was a little of both. The **ahem** man who cut me off, I honked my horn because it's wet out and I almost slid into his trunk, but probably not. More likely, I was just thinking he was an idiot for not being in the correct lane, right before wanting to make a turn.

This isn't always true mind you. Just mostly what I notice. If you're from New York, they honk for entirely different reasons altogher.

They honk for entirely different reasons altogether. (Airplane reference)

LIKE MY NEW BLOG!?!?

Thank you to the blog fairy!

This blog was a little Seinfeldian, about nothing. But nevertheless, my new blog needed a new posting!! I have 1 week left of school then I'll get back to the cooking! And I'm **hoping** for a new camera from Santa so that I can start taking some beautimous photos to also post. Until then, wish me luck on finals and do you like my new blog!? Holla!