Prepping for Valentine's

Are ya'll getting ready for Valentine's Day? How can you not with so much of it already in our faces! I think I saw valentines coming out before the Christmas supplies were put away in the local stores. Geesh Louise!

I have to admit, I'm not all that into it. The hub and I know we love each other and would rather joke around than get all mushy and serious about our love (for the most part, anyway). That's why I had to crack up when I found this free download today at Little Brown Pen's blog. Too funny. So, of course, I have already printed it and will find the perfect spot to hang it so the hub and I can play. She also has some fab downloads for sale on her Etsy site. Of course, I got some of those too to make and send out. They were just too cute to resist.

Now, the next question is, are you getting ready for the Superbowl? Again, the hub and I aren't that much into football either. You may ask what in the world are we into? Well, just being us and loving it. But, I can give you a little trivia about us. We did have our first date on Superbowl Sunday way back in the day--1986 (or was it '85?). Did we watch the game? Uh uh. No siree. We were too busy making googlie eyes at each other and eating German food!

PS Wouldn't this be fun to post at work!

Wittamer Chocolate Winner!

The winner of the box of Wittamer chocolates fresh from Brussels, Belgium is . . . .

. . . . . . . . drumroll please . . . . . . .

Comment No. 15! Woooooot!

Which is none other than my newly found friend, through One World ~ One Heart, Lori Anderson at Pretty Things! Congrats Lori. I hope you have lots of friends and family to share with as this is a good sized box. (Please send me your mailing addy if you don't mind.)

Congratulations again. You're going to love this chocolate.

And a special thank you to all the other friends who left sweet comments on my Welcome post.

xoxo

PS If you happen to check out the Wittamer website, you'll find that they have made a special box just for ME! How cool is that? tehe

A Very Happy Birthday, Aim

Today I am packaging up all of my well wishes and sending my love to my very dear friend, Amy. Happy, happy birthday my oldest and dearest friend. I love you dearly.

May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

-- Bob Dylan

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

Have you ordered your King Cake for Mardi Gras yet? I just did. In fact, I didn't even order one for us since our household has shrunk by one this year. But I did send one to the teenager at University. How fun will that be?

I try and order from a new place every couple of years under the suggestions of Chowhound. I used to always order my cakes from Gambino's as that is where USA TODAY's New Orleans' office used to get them from and send to headquarters way back when. But in years' past, Gambino's would get my orders wrong and the cakes would come in looking like something the cat had drug in. The last couple of years, I ordered from Randazzo's and they have been very good. But this year, I found a bakery, also recommended by Chowhound, that makes the old traditional King Cakes with just the sugar on top--none of that goopy icing! Yay. So this year I ordered the cakes from Haydel's Bakery. I can't wait to see if the teenager likes it better than with the icing and fillings. The brioche bread doesn't need anything, if you ask me.

So what are you waiting for? Get on the ball and get that King Cake ordered before you forget! Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is on February 24 this year!

Welcome!

C'mon in and sit right down. It's time to relax. I welcome you all with open arms.

Let me make you some tea with little heart ginger snaps, if you like.

Let the tea warm you as you watch the rain drizzle on the trees. It really is a beautiful day, isn't it?

Forget about the time

as you watch the bamboo grow

and listen to the water droplets falling so peacefully.

Sit and meditate, or pray, forget or perhaps even remember peaceful times' past.

Curl up on the sofa with a hand full of magazines, poetry books and fun reads. Bella will be there to massage you into blissful peace.

Or, if you prefer, crawl into your bed and take a mid-day nap. Those are always welcome here.

I've left the light on for you in case you sleep through the night and awake startled wondering where you are.

Welcome to my little peace of the world. I hope you enjoy your stay. You are always welcome here. There is always room. I hope you are fond of my new little place.

Leave a comment and I will pick a name on Friday and send you a wonderful box of Belgian chocolates.

Shhhhh. Now, it's time to relax.


*Dedicated to my dear friend Pammy who needs a little peace right now.*

My new look is from Birdie Says!

Redecorating!

Please bear with me as I redecorate my blog. Ooooof.

IDK (I Don't Know)

My brother Jim's favorite saying this summer and fall was "IDC," "I don't care." Well, my favorite saying lately is IDK. I always seem to be lost doing something or another. Baking for instance. For those of you who know me, even through my blogging, know I can't bake worth beans. Now put me on top of the stove, and I can follow any recipe exactly and make some fine tasting vittles. I just DON'T KNOW why I can't bake. What's up with that?????

Today was Miguel's birthday. The hub made his infamous pasta sauce so I opted for a cake that was a little lighter than the normal chocolate cake I make for the boys. And since Miguel knew our dear friends Tony and Florence, I decided to use one of Florence's cake recipes she served us one time. It's named "I Remember" cake and she said she baked it for her daughter's first birthday. I just remember it being so delish.

Once it came out of the oven, I began to have my doubts. It smelled really eggy. Hmmmmm. After putting the second batch of custard on it (I curdled the first), I decided it just wasn't right. I then ran to the grocer's and bought an angel food cake and remade the custard. OMG. IDK! What in the world is wrong with me and baking!

Regardless, Miguel enjoyed his cake. It tasted fab. (I also forgot to put the bananas on top--geesh.) We all decided it was only his 47th birthday today. Happy Birthday, mi amigo!

Mi Casa es Tu Casa

We have a dear old friend in from Mexico City for the weekend and I decided to jump on the bandwagon and make some salsa and guacamole for him. First time for both.

The recipe for the salsa came out of the America's Test Kitchen Country cookbook. A little heavy on the onion for me. I think next time I will use sweet onion instead of the red. It's the "One Minute Salsa" which uses canned tomatoes and canned jalapenos which was A-OK with me since I, again, waited until the last minute to do it. Of course.

I found a bottle of "Guacamole Starter" at Williams Sonoma--which is where the idea of making that hit me.

They also had this fancy schmancy avocado slicer which I had to buy. Probably will never use it again.

I couldn't get a whole lot of flavor out of it, so I kept adding more lime and jalapenos.

It's ok. Nothing to write home about. I'll have to get a better recipe from Val who I'm sure knows her stuff.

I'll add the recipe for the salsa when I get a little more time. I snuck out for a bit to post. Shhhh.

An Oopsy by Mrs. Obama

At least I think so. This post should have been written yesterday while everything was still fresh in the minds of us aging folks, but somehow yesterday got lost. I don't, for the life of me, know where it went. At any rate, poor Mrs. Obama in that gorgeous one-shouldered ivory silk chiffon gown. It was to die for, no doubt. It looked absolutely stunning while she walked down the stairs. But what was Jason Wu thinking when he designed it for Inaugural Balls? Did he know the woman was going to be attending at least ten balls and doing, at least, one dance at each? Perhaps he figured she would be free styling it with funk (and thus the one shoulder so the girls wouldn't come flying out). But no slow dances in the arms of her husband, the newly elected president? C'mon. After the first dance with Beyonce singing At Last, I felt kinda bad for the president stepping on the train. A train? For dancing? Hmmmmm. Even wedding dresses have a tab to hold the bottom up for dancing. Well, I tell you what, after the second and third and fourth At Last dance, I just wanted to run with my pinking shears (not so dangerous) and cut the entire bottom off. Do you think Mrs. Obama felt the same? I'm sure President Obama was whispering towards the end "I am SO SICK of this dress!" Ya think?

I wish I could find a detailed photo of the dress but there wasn't one to be found. I' read that it was appliqued all-over with a silk flowers and crystals. Oh my. They could have worn knapsacks and still looked like a million bucks. What a gorgeous couple. The love just ooozed out of 'em. I couldn't get enough! Sniffle.

And what about the bling? Check out the bauble of a ring by Loree Rodkin. Ooohlala. And look at that skin. Just like silk. Does it get any better? (The earrings weren't too shabby either, btw.)

And what did you think of the lemongrass Isabel Toledo number she wore for the inauguration? I for one adored it. I thought it was so fresh. While some mumbled about the jeweled neckline for day time, that didn't bother me too much.

I loved the detail. Mmmmmm. Scrumptious.

And I loved the mixing of the J.Crew olive leather gloves also. They almost had a metallic sheen to them. Who woulda knew? The Jimmy Choo's looked like every other pair of pumps I've seen. I'm not much of a shoe person as you can tell?

And those two precious little girls. How sweet are they in their little custom J. Crew outfits? Pretty darn sweet. That little Sasha looks like she can be a little mischievous. I saw her mom give her some strong looks in the viewing stand and then the President cut his eyes over to her with a stern look. I had to giggle. Life.

Oh, and how sweet would it be to come home (to your brand new home) and have everything in its place? I would sooooo love that!

I'm already loving our new First Family. So refreshing. I can't wait to see what's in store.

The Times, They Are a Changin'

It's up to all Americans to step up and make the change. Congratulations President Obama!

One World * One Heart

And, they're off! Lisa, a Whimsical Bohemian, is once more hosting her baby "One World, One Heart" giveaway which introduces folks from across the globe to one another. I was a participant last year, and it was great fun and I met a lot of wonderful artsy people. It's an amazing turnout.

Here's the deal. If you comment here on this post, on this one only, you will be entered to receive a little something from me. Last year, I actually pulled three names, while Bella policed the scene. Not quite sure how many I will pull this year.

Again, since I am notoriously a "wait 'til the last minute" kinda gal, it will be a surprise as to what I'll send. I don't believe my recipients have ever been let down though. At least, I hope not.

So, off with you. Sign up here and click on the link (or HERE) to see who else is participating. Maybe even YOU want to get involved and give something away.

The deadline for comments is February 12. And you don't have to be a participant to enter!

Now, shoo!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

If he were here with us today, how proud he would be to see how far we have come. We should never forget his sacrifice.


Print by Shepard Fairey

Pink Sky at Night

Sailors' delight.

I sure hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday. Mine was uneventful, as usual. It was a lot warmer today, almost 50ºƒ. The hub is on his way home from Kansas City so that will be nice. He had actually just taken off from one of the NYC airports on Friday just before the plane crashed into the Hudson. The hub said he would take sitting on the runway for over four hours (which he did) over taking off and crashing! As if! We have a lot to be thankful for; and how 'bout that pilot! Woooooot!!

Beth introduced me to a new blogging friend over at Lolly Chops. I have already added her to my favs. She has a Sunday Recipe Sign Up and then gets the recipes all pretty in a file that you can then download. How creative is that? And she is just as sweet as punch. Beth had told me about a download for a calendar she put together for the year; and boy it sure does look like something I want to do. You must go visit Lolly if you haven't already. You won't regret it, I promise. Honest injun.

And speaking of gracious, talented folks, look at what Saucy, of Bloggedy Blog Blog, sent me attached to a little note. Now she is wildly famous throughout the land for her fabulous miniatures from Club Little House; and I am so honored to have one of her tiny little masterpieces. I want to make a tiny little doll to go with the jamin' minute ipod! To give you a perspective on the scale of this baby, the ear pods are beads! Thank you Saucy!!

With so much talent surrounding me, I couldn't help but go upstairs and begin a little something at my desk.

I had gone to Michael's and bought some more goodies--like I needed more goodies. But these caught my eye. I got a little "work" done before getting terribly hungry and having to come down for dinner. More salad and more chicken. Yum.

And, I have yet another amaryllis blooming. I don't think they will ever end. Which is just fine with me, of course. They are truly magnificent to watch shoot up from an ugly bulb, don't you think?

Is everyone preparing for the inauguration? What I would give to be home in DC right now. Pout. Oh well, I probably would have sat at home there too. giggle.

We're Having a Heat Wave

. . . . a tropical heat wave.

Now, I know some of you are thinking "WUSS!" But gee whiz, we are in the South by golly. There is no sun today and the wind is whipping up. I actually went outside to take the teenager's battery out (for storage) and it was just too dang cold, even in the garage. Why I chose to wait for the second coldest day of the year to do so is beyond me. Needless to say, I finally just closed the hood after I couldn't find the right wrench to use (he didn't put it back in the case!). I was chilled to the bone in a matter of minutes. Pfffffft.

I also went out to take a picture of our corkscrew willow which looks delightful this time of year. This pictures doesn't do it justice though. I just love looking at it from the house.

Even the pond is saying burr. It's half frozen! Wha???

Well, both the kid and I have colds which he lovingly brought back from NYC last week. So, we've been drinking lots of OJ. He took this pic this morning. I love his framing.

Other than that, the hub is still gone, mom is fine (other than being mad at me for not allowing her to feed the dog her food), and we're all bundled up inside with the heat on 71ºƒ. I never make it that warm in here! Perhaps my hormones are finally kicking in and I'm not a walking furnace any longer? Let's hope.

You've Got to be Kidding Me

Do-di-do. The kitchen idiots strike again! OMG! If anyone had told me before I started this kitchen renovation that it would take over a year and a half, suing, being sued and making me lose much faith in human beings, I would have left the damn thing alone. This renovation has taken me to dark places that I am still trying to pull out of. Yet, the saga continues.

After replacing the countertops, only because they were court ordered, they cracked the soapstone sink. Do-di-do. They finally got around to ordering a new replacement and it finally arrived. So today was the day it was supposed to be installed.

The idiots came in, took all the plumbing fixtures out, undid the caulking on the countertops and were bringing in the new sink. Do-di-do. Wrong sink. Mine has all rounded corners, the new one had straight corners. Of course, they tried to talk me into keeping the new one. No go.

But get this, the owner calls me and tries to talk me into keeping it. He says they can't order another one. Well, I think you can. It's not a custom sink. He then had the gall to tell me that they would fix the crack then. Uh, I don't think so. THEN, get this, HE HUNG UP ON ME. Now if there is anything that gets me going, it's being hung up on. Uh uh. Momma taught me better than that. Yes, of course, I have hung up on boyfriends, LIKE WHEN I WAS 14! OMG. You almost had to tie me down. All the idiots were just standing there, including the idiot's son, idiot jr. They could tell he hung up on me (not only because I said it when he did, in utter disbelief), but because they heard the entire conversation. Of course, I got on the phone right away with our lawyer. This madness has to end. It has to end. Dear Lord, please, make it end.

Deep breath. On a sunnier note, here are some photos of my latest flowers. I lurve daffodils. They just smile up at you. And how can you not smile back?

They arrived in buds, a big ol' bunch of buds.

But this morning, they were all open and having a party.

If the kitchen idiots hadn't shown up, I would have joined in. Maybe later.

And, this is the very last of the amaryllis. Doesn't it remind you of a candy cane? Or peppermint. Or something like that.