RTT - Christmas recap

Doing a little random thing here today. On the correct day and all. For others that are writing random thoughts posts please go visit Stacy. She's hosting this little get together.

 
Our Christmas was just the way Christmas should be; filled with fun, food and family.

Fun:
It all started with our oldest boy and his wife showing up on Saturday evening. It has been a year since JR had seen the kids (I was lucky enough to see them last April). We both have decided that it had been too long. Unfortunately, with us living so far away once a year may be all we can expect.

Food:
The girls and I put together a terrific Christmas meal. We had a really great time working together. The guys sat around and watched TV but it didn't bother us too much since my kitchen is so small anymore bodies in there would have been a disaster. I think that the girls (Val and Candace) learned a little bit but more importantly I got to boss them around.

Here is the menu:
1. Pan-roasted salmon & steamed clams (for everyone but me. As you all know, I don't eat meat. Yes, fish is a meat. That fact freaks some folks out)

2. Curried creamed sweet corn (this was awesome!!! Hands down one of the best dishes. I say one of the best because there was another that rivaled it. I will be making this again very soon and will actually post the recipe. I'd do it now but I didn't take any photos and it is gone already.)

3. Curried quinoa (this was in place of a stuffing. Quinoa has a ton of protein and vitamins. I've never been big on quinoa before but adding curry took it up from meh to yummy.) 

4. Mashed potatoes & kale (adding kale makes the mashed potatoes with all the butter and sour cream good for you. It doesn't, you say? I beg to differ. Kale is a vegetable so obviously it is good for you. That's my theory and I'm sticking it. Why? Because I feel the need to justify the massive quantity we made and ate and are still eating.)

5. Vegetarian meatballs with a mushroom veggie ragout. (this was a first for me. I've never made my own meatless meatballs before. They turned out really well and the leftovers went into the shepherds pie the next day. Booyah! a two-fur. Next up? meatless loaf. I think I remember that Jan has a meatloaf glaze that everyone is raving about. I'll have to try it.)

6. Broccoli w/caramelized garlic and pine nuts. (yum! I pretty much love anything with garlic in it but it was the pine nuts that took this dish beyond steamed broccoli.)

7. Sweet potato squares with lemon-garlic mayo (this is the dish that rivaled the curried cream corn. It could not have been easier. Roast 1 inch squares of sweet potato. Fry up Italian sausage (I used veggie Italian sausage, of course). Skewer a potato square and a piece of sausage. Make lemon-garlic mayo. Dip in mayo and eat. And eat. And eat some more. These were Yummy with a capital Y.)

8. Curry stuffed eggs. (basically, deviled eggs with curry in the yolk. As you can see curry was the theme for this meal.)

I had planned on a 9th item (sauteed zucchini, yellow squash & eggplant) but decided that we just didn't need it. There was too much already. I did cut it all up when I did all the chopping prep so I'll use it up today in a fritatta or a souffle.

Do you prep all your aromatics and veggies at once?

I do. The day before a big meal I will chop a boatload of onions, garlic, peppers, celery, carrots and anything else that needs to be processed. Usually I chop more than I need by a lot. This doesn't really worry me though because I use it during the week. It sure does cut down the time I spend in the kitchen. Need a cup of chopped onions? No problem. Just scoop out a cup from the ziptop bag of pre-chopped onions. Couldn't be easier. I'm thinking that every weekend I should chop up a bunch of veg just to free up some valuable week night time.

Family:
Even with all the crazy work schedules around our house we all got to sit down at the dinner table at the same time. It was so great. We ate, talked, and laughed. It was truly wonderful to slow down and share a meal together. 

I hope that your Christmas was filled with fun, food and family. Now, we get to end this year and start a new one.

Wishing all of you a wonderful 2012.

Love,
M

Happy New Year everyone!

Happy Holidays

Usually I feature one of these historic postcards ever day until Christmas day but I've negligent this year. I've been busy and really distracted.
It happens.
So I thought I'd just put them all into one post.
You know
To get it over with To give you the joy of all of them at once.
Yeah
That's it
And, while I may be behind on most everything Christmas related I want you to know that all the sentiments in these cards rings true. They are all my hopes for you holiday season.

Here is wishing you the joy of the season and blessings on the new year.
Love,
M

Because I forgot Random Tuesday Thoughts

I took this week before Christmas off work and am thinking that I'm the smartest person ever. I've been able to get a lot of Christmas planning, wrapping, decorating and cleaning done a little bit at a time. No stress. 

With all this extra time on my hands I've come to some realizations; about myself and Nessa.

Here are a few things I've realized.

1. I tend to go a little crazy when it comes to buying gifts for JR and the kids if I have time on my hands and money in the checking account. 

2. Nessa is gorgeous after a bath, brush (teeth and hair), pedi, and ear cleaning. And, I can't tell you how much better her breath smells. 

3. Paying the groomer $30 was money well spent.

4. I don't enjoy wrapping gifts. As creative as I think I am this is one activity that I just don't get creative with. I tend to slap paper and a pre-made bow on the gift and call it good. Not sure why.

5. I'm too lazy for self-analyses.

6. Realized that I must have gotten an outrageous after Christmas deal on wrapping paper because I haven't bought any for the last 6 Christmases and probably won't have to for another 6.

7. That Nessa will never be a guard dog. She is afraid of the mop. JR is sure that if anyone ever tried to attack me she would come to the rescue. I'm not so sure. What I am sure of is that she loves me, she's a happy dog and she has great decorative value.

8. Nessa does not honor the "I've got a computer on my lap so your head can't go there" rule.

9. I feel no guilt over the fact that after I get up at the crack of dawn to make JR breakfast I can go right back to bed after he leaves. 

10. Nessa feels no guilty either.

11. I need more personal space than Nessa does. To say that she is in my face is an understatement. Makes that $30 an even better investment.

So there is you have it. I'll be heading off to do the last of the Christmas food shopping. I also need to get a menu together, stop buying stuff, get the studio ready for the out of town kids, stop buying stuff and paint a bit. I'm hoping to have all the details and chores done so we can have a very relaxing Christmas weekend.

As the drunken Santa says; "Merry Christmas"

M

Just a couple of things

 A while back I bought this apron from a blog friend. I met Dana at Blissdom last year. She and some friends were wearing the greatest hats. I love hats. Which meant I had to meet Dana and her friends. Turns out she makes these gorgeous aprons (please do not judge the apron from my awful photo). You tell her what colors you like and what style you want and a few weeks later you start receiving photographs of fabrics and styles. It is so much fun. Then she sends you the goods.

JR thought I was kind of nuts. I have plenty of aprons but her designs are so pretty that I couldn't resist. Plus I think it is important to support other artists. Her being a blogger and someone I've met is a bonus.

 You can find Dana at Reading Rosie. 

Go check her out.

I finished the painting for Mama Badger in plenty of time for Christmas. She was so excited that she didn't even wait until Christmas morning to give it to Papa Badger. That makes all my angst all worthwhile.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Love,
M

10 Blog posts sitting in my draft section

I don't know about you but I tend to start posts then save them as a draft with the thought of getting back to them later. I'll write a few sentences or paragraphs maybe add a picture or two then run out of steam, time or words. Or I get bored with the subject. Or I get lazy. Or a combination of all three.

A little after that I forget that I have even started them. They slowly make their way off the page as I add other more meaningful, thoughtful, stupid, redundant, silly posts. Just like the third page of a Google search results page they are forgotten and ignored.

Every once in a great while I filter my "edit posts" page by drafts just to see if something interests me. Something I can expound on. Something I can finish up in record time, without a lot of fuss, without becoming bored by the subject. Something I think ya'll will find entertaining. I would have said provocative or socially redeeming but you would have known I was lying. I don't tend toward social activism on my blog.

So today I thought I would give you a glimpse of those half (okay, mostly all) forgotten posts because if I can't finish them I might as well taunt you with them. Titles are in bold.

1. Things I've never done. This is the start of an idea that I misappropriated borrowed from Gretchen who borrowed it from someone else who borrowed it from someone else and I've forgotten who all those someone elses are. I got to number three and got flustered and depressed. There are too many things I want to do but never will.

2. I have been redeemed. This is a post where I gathered scholarly reports about the health benefits of wine. I think I needed to do a bit of justification at the time. Then decided that I do not need to justify my wine consumption. Thank.you.very.much.

3. Things my father use to say. My daddy had some funny sayings and little ditties. See that motto in my banner? Yep daddy's. My daddy was a funny funny man. I thought that someday I'd give you the benefit of his funny.

4. Misspent Youth - quicksand as a playground. This is another post about my Girl Scout camping experience in the wilds of Oklahoma. It is full of danger, rule breaking and 10 year old girls. How can I not finish this one?!

5. Misspent Youth - white jumpsuit + red wine = you do the math. A story about an early twenty-something girl at a star-studded party in the Hollywood hills, a set of sweeping stairs and a glass of red wine. It is not pretty.

6. Misspent Youth - how I met Peter. Another reminiscence of my life in Los Angeles while in my early twenties. This story involves a really bad MacBeth, an eccentric director and my experience as a sculpture muse. Not sure I'll ever finish this one.

7. Misspent Youth - movie musing. Yet another Los Angeles story all about a gay movie theater, wine in brown papers bags and two crazy kids.

8. Misspent Youth - bored teenagers are never a good thing. The story of two bored high school students deciding that a road trip sounded like fun. Has international intrigue.

9. Misspent Youth - Hollywood Hills. The last of the Los Angeles stories that I can tell in public. This one includes horses.

10. Celtic Crosses. Just some postcards with Celtic crosses on them. I think I envisioned doing some research then lost the mojo needed to finish.

Do you feel taunted?
Have you got half finished posts waiting for inspiration?

Love,
M

RTT- let's just recap

 Random Tuesday Thoughts participation brought to you from Stacy. Check it out.

After last weeks heartbreak, general busyness and the last day of class (for my student anyway) I have high hopes for this week. Really high hopes!! I should really lower my expectations for this week. It may not be able to live up to them. Then again, last week was so horrendous that this week doesn't have to do much to go up in my estimation. So I guess it's all good.

All but 3 Christmas presents have been bought and I didn't leave my house to do it. Online shopping is the only way to go. Those last three will be ordered online tonight. I will have to go out to get some stocking stuffers but other than that I'm done. With the shopping part anyway. There is the wrapping part to go but that will be next weeks project.

Tree is up. 

Tree is up and decorated. 

Tree is up and decorated with only half of my decorations.

I got lazy. Maybe, I should re-qualify that statement.

I'm always lazy. I just choose to be lazier this year. 

I'm calling it minimalist. 

Why, Yes! I am going there.

For a week the tree had nothing on it and I actually thought about leaving it that way for the season.

As you can see I didn't.

Usually we have a 8 foot artificial tree but it died (not literally of course, since it had never been alive to begin with.) last year. The poor thing was falling apart. Bits and bobs were falling off. Pieces that stuck into other pieces didn't stick or couldn't be found. Branches were drooping. It was pitiful. So, this year we sprang for the big bucks and got a real tree. We were hoping for the wonderful fresh tree smell. We were robbed. This tree doesn't smell much if any but it looks good so that should count for something.

I will say that our old kitah has found that place in the corner under the tree to be a wonderful place to sleep. He first needed to pull off a bit of the lights and a few ornaments that were either in his way or their placement were bothering his decorating sensibilities. Now, if you go looking for him chances are you will find him under the tree.

I'll be shipping out a few things today. A Christmas gift for my mother that we picked up at Disney (don't worry my mom doesn't read my blog. She knows it exists. It is bookmarked on her computer. I know this because I did it for her. I have sent her numerous links to it but even with all this she still doesn't know how to get to it. She's special like that.), a few books for bloggers (Jan, you should have a taste of Texas before the holidays), and the painting that I finished. 

I'm taking all next week off. Combine this with the week that we get off between Christmas and New Years and that makes 2 whole weeks off. 2 whole weeks People! This is big! I never take this much time off at one time.

You might be asking yourself what I plan to do with all that time? Nothing! I plan to do nothing. Okay, that might be an overstatement. I will tidy the house, read something besides work stuff, string garland for the hand-railing of the stairs, take Nessa for a walk, paint. Lots of painting.  If you want something painted this is the time to tell me because I'll have more than just weekends and evenings to do it. Can you tell I'm excited?

Well,da,da,ell That's All Folks

Love,

M

I totally had to lighten myself up

What do you do to start feeling better after losing one of your furry family? I'm not sure. I just know that I can't keep crying at the drop of a hat. Taking that in mind I decided that a little retail therapy was in order and since I hate to go to the mall or fight the Houston traffic I took my business online.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; I breed geeks. Our boys are both really geeky. It's okay, they will rule the world someday. But, what do you get a geek?

My first stop on the internet was ThinkGeek. And, because I am cheap I go straight to the sale section of their site.

I liked the sentiment of this mug.This is information that a geek needs.

Caffeine Molecule Stainless Travel Mug

 

This plush sushi is adorable. My youngest geek loves sushi.

Plush Sushi

 

While this totally creeps me out I think Dr. Boy might find it amusing.

Human Blood Caffeinated Energy Potion

 JR will want one of these. For those of you that might not understand the significance of this gift please run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and buy Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 

Don't Panic Towel

 My Oldest Boy might like this since he would understand it. 

  

more beer

 

I've got a baby shower coming up for twins, one boy & one girl. The dad is a geek. This should be perfect. 

Illuminated JetBib Feeding System

 

I seriously need to get this for my friend. The description alone will force me to buy it.

Noobs for Noobs

The birth of your child - what a miracle! But then you bring the little creature home and you realize that you have no idea what to do with it. "Why didn't this thing come with an instruction manual?" you cry out in vain. You try moving it up, down, up, down, left, right, left, right...but where are the B and A buttons? Why is it screaming? How do you get it to stop? And what, oh all that is holy, is that horrid smell? STOP!!! Take a deep breath. You have a copy of The Baby Owner's Manual, and everything is going to be just fine.

The Baby Owner's Manual

Looks like I need to get my credit card out.

Love,

M

Love,

M

R.I.P. Little buddy

  We lost our beloved Tripper.

 He had a very fast growing inoperable cancer. 

 We will miss him very much.

He had the sweetest doggie smile.

Rest in peace my sweet sweet boy.

RTT - It's been awhile

 

It has been quite awhile since I participated in a Random Tuesday Thoughts, hosted by the indomitable Stacy but I have a few things rattling around. So let's get right to them.

1. I've been freaking swamped. Work, home, holidays, travel, troubles, you name it and it has happened in the last month. I also want to say; "enough already!" According to a co-worker (and I have to say at first I wasn't buying it but with more crap being dished up to us lately I'm starting to) Mercury is in retro-grade and that is why crazy shit is happening. I'm not exactly sure what retro-grade means in this instance but she is sticking by her statement. Something about the stars telling me that these are times to make changes in my life. I'm not exactly sure what those changes are and how I'm supposed to be making them when I'm barely keeping things together as it is but there you have it. The good news is that I only have to put up with this constant barrage of crapoliousness until the 15th. Then I guess all is goodness and light. We'll see and it can't get much worse.

2. The winner of the Houston 175 book goes to Jan! Seems totally appropriate since she is from Texas. I'd wanted to pull Vince's name out of the hat just to see how long it actually takes to mail something to Ireland but it wasn't meant to be.  Jan; I think I still have your address.

3. I finished the painting. Well, I thought I had finished it and then I decided that I don't like the oldest boy's eyes. I can't work on it tonight but I will mess with it a bit more tomorrow. I really don't like messing with a painting too much. It just buys trouble. And, of course, there is that whole retro-grade thing.

4. Tripper, our beautiful barky Pembroke Welsh Corgie, is very very sick. We've been taking him to the vet but it doesn't seem that anything they do it helping. I'm terrified that we are going to lose him. He caught some sort of a bacterial infection that antibiotics just won't cure. I'm calling the internist today. Damn You Mercury!!!

5. Remember the little fender bender I had a couple of weeks ago? Well, it turns out that when your car is 16 years old and a POS having a chunk of your rear bumper torn off totals your car. We were given 2 options; 1. surrender the car and take a higher amount of money then promptly go into debt for a new car or 2. take a lesser amount of money and continue driving the car until we can afford a new one. We took option 2. The car is perfectly drivable it just looks like crap but since it looked like crap (just not quite as much) before we figured what the heck. Also, by August things should smooth out a little and of course I need the money to pay for the dog. Sheesh! Trying to get ahead of the bills just doesn't seem to be in the cards for us.

6. We started to Christmas up the house a little. And, I mean a very little. We bought a tree, 2 poinsettias, 3 huge pine cones and some red and white carnations. We set the tree up on Saturday. It has no lights, ornaments or tinsel on it. I keep telling JR that I'm going for the minimalist look. 

So now that I've been Debbie Downer or Betty Bummer or Calamity Cathy I'll leave you all to go seek out others that will brighten your day. 

Love,

Misfortune Michele

Sharing. It's such a beautiful thing

Nessa wanted to play last night and couldn't find any of the people in the house that were willing to play with her. Obviously the next best thing was the cat.

Here kitty. I know you want this.

Throw the ball, kitty!

Hey!

WTH?

Stop bogarting the ball.

Nessa was sadly disappointed in the kitty's participation. What does it take to get a cat to throw a ball? It seems quite a lot.

Love,

M

Book Give Away!

Last week I mentioned that I had an extra copy of this book.

I thought I'd give one of them away.
This book is pages and pages, about 216, of black and white and color photographs of Houston. It's big and kind of heavy.

If you want a book chock full of photos of Houston leave me a comment. I'll draw names over weekend. And send it right out.

Love,
Michele