Valerie's Vacant Lot

Singapore Part One

2011-06-22T06:57:00.003-04:00

I'm sitting in the hotel on my last evening in Singapore. Amanda and I have been here since Sunday night (local Singapore time) and will be showering and heading to the airport shortly for a long ride home.

This trip started at 2am ET on Saturday, June 18th. I woke up at that time to get a shower so as to be as fresh as possible for as long as I could. Upon finishing my shower, I received an email that my 6:20am flight from Cleveland to JFK was canceled. I called Amanda but we agreed that we didn't have many options except to drive to the airport and battle it out with Delta. The battle was long as there was a flight canceled the previous night and everyone was rescheduled on the, now canceled, 6:20am flight. People were angry and lines were long. We talked to Joel and decided that our best bet was for him to rebook us on a 8am flight to LaGuardia where we could then take a cab to JFK and pray that we would make our 11:30am flight to Dubai. Since we brought larger than carry on size bags, this plan would also mean we'd have to wait for our luggage at LaGuardia before catching a cab.

Incredibly, we made it. It cost us an extra $25 cab ride but the driver was going about 100 mph to get us to JFK. We rechecked our bags, got through security and arrived at the gate just as our flight was boarding. The plane was huge so it took quite awhile to board but we did not have much time to spare!

After a 12 hour flight, we arrived in Dubai. We did not have much time here so we just freshened up in the restroom (as best as we could) and boarded our next 8 hour flight to Singapore. When arriving in Singapore, we got a cab to our hotel and crashed for the night. We woke the next morning and enjoyed a complimentary breakfast at the hotel and then took off for sightseeing. This was to be our only "free" time so we wanted to make the most of it.

We took a cab to the humongous fashion mall on Orchard Ave called Ion. This mall contains every high end store you can imagine. Just a couple of examples are: Jimmy Choo, Harry Winston, Dolce and Gabbana and more. We obviously didn't do much shopping here. We headed down Orchard Ave toward the Visitor's Center.

This was my first taste of Singapore. My feelings were very mixed. The juxtaposition of high end fashion with "Condom World" and food courts (which contained only local food) nestled in the middle was odd. The architecture is odd. It's not like any other city that I have visited. I'm not sure what I expected, but this wasn't it.

After taking some photos and dawdling around in some stores, we made it to the Visitor's Center where we purchased a day pass for the "hop on, hop off" bus and a river cruise on the Singapore River. Our first stop was the Singapore Flyer. The Flyer reminds me a great deal of the London Eye but our bus driver was sure to point out that the Singapore Flyer is 5 meters higher.

After walking around the "Flyer" area, we hopped back on the bus. Our next stop was the Marina Bay Sands. This is one of the world's most expensive hotels/casinos to build. It is an amazing complex with a "Sky Park" on top of three towers. It's connected to another huge, high end fashion mall. This one with an ice skating rink inside. We decided not to pay the $20 fee to go up to the Sky Park - we'll do this next time!

When we were done touring the Marina Bay area, we headed to Clarke Quay. This is mainly a night club area so it was very quiet at this time of day. We found a spot on the river to have some lunch. After lunch we did a little more shopping - in a "lower" end mall this time - and then took a 30 minute river cruise. The river cruise allowed us to see a different view of the city, especially the Marina Bay area.

Following the river cruise, we hopped back on the bus to Chinatown. We bought the requisite "cheesy" souvenirs here and looked at all the fun "medicine" shops. The last bus of the evening was getting ready to run so we took it back to Orchard Ave.

On Orchard Ave, we decided to partake in a Foot Reflexology session. It was very interesting. Of course, the idea is that every area of your foot connects to different areas of the body and the "reflexologist" can determine where your problem areas are by manipulating your feet. Go figure that the VERY first thing out of my reflexologist's mouth was something to the effect of "That's your liver. You drink too much." Great. The rest of my "diagnosis" was pretty much that I have bad circulation, I don't drink enough water and I don't exercise enough. Perfect.

By this time, we were hungry so we ate at the Food Republic in the mall we were in. I had the national dish of chicken and rice and fresh lime juice to drink. Following dinner, we returned to the hotel to get some sleep. We'd be training the next day.

Abu Dhabi Part Seven

2010-10-16T16:08:00.002-04:00

Alright. Time to try to finish up the posts about my Abu Dhabi trip. My last post finished telling about the Desert Safari. The following day was our first training day at Al Ain. This is a much more rural town (in the desert!) and more traditionally Muslim even than what we had seen in Abu Dhabi. We trained at the University where they have a U shaped facility. One side is women only and the other side is men only. The bottom of the U contains a lecture hall that allows each group to stay on their own side but still hear a single speaker present. The sides are mirror images. Both have their own library as well as their own mosque.

Our class was on the "women's" side. Our group was wonderful to work with. They were extremely appreciative that we were there but they are, obviously, fighting a lot of political battles that are keeping them from achieving credentialing as quickly as they would like. They are very passionate about their jobs and their programs. They were a pleasure to work with!

Following training, we just spend an evening enjoying the resort. Amanda and I wandered around, took pictures and had a "romantic" dinner at the hotel buffet under the stars. Afterward, we wandered over to the Sheesha bar where we enjoyed some more sheesha and just relaxed.

The next day was our last day of training. Following training. We went to the Bawati Mall. We shopped for several hours and didn't even make a dent. The stores were mostly "western" stores but there were a few local and European shops mixed in.

After arriving back at the hotel, we packed for our long journey home. The following morning, the airport transportation picked us up at 5am for the drive to the Dubai airport. Our 16 hour flight took off at 9am.

Travel home was uneventful (except for the screaming baby that they took off the plane from Houston to Cleveland!) it was just LONG!!! Due to the time change, our Friday was 32 hours long and 28 hours of it was spent in cars or airports. The first/business class travel arrangements were super luxurious but 16 hours on a plane are still 16 hours on a plane. I will be spending the rest of today and tomorrow recovering!

Abu Dhabi Part Six

2010-10-13T13:48:00.002-04:00

Where did I leave off? Oh yeah. The Desert Safari. Following all of the activities in the sand, we entered the "camp" where tables were all placed around a large stage. The tables were very low to the ground and they were surrounded by large pillows. This is where we ate dinner. But there were still more activities before dinner. We drank more Arabic coffee, tried on Abayas and Burkas (and took pictures) and got henna "tattoos." Dinner was a large buffet. I can't say that the food was fantastic but I have filled up on humus, tabbouleh (I might have to fix this spelling) and pita bread at every meal!

Following dinner was experiencing a sheesha. This is a water pipe that produces a flavored water vapor. Next, was a belly dancing performance and then sitting in the pitch black for 10 minutes to look at the stars.

Overall, although it was a bit touristy, this was a magnificant experience and a wonderful evening!

Abu Dhabi Part Five

2010-10-12T14:34:00.002-04:00

Wow. This day will have to be divided into several parts because it is entirely too late for me to be able to write about everything tonight! For the first time during this trip, I got a really good night's sleep last night. Previously, I hadn't totaled even 10 hours of sleep for the first three nights but this morning, I woke up completely refreshed and jogged for about 40 minutes on the treadmill. Soon after I returned to the room, Amanda and I learned that Dr. Blackwell needed us to go with him to SEHA, which is the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi government health services, to do a demo of New Innovations. While there, we met several of the most important people of this department including the CEO, CIO and others that I'm not sure of their title or position but they were important! During our meeting, a waiter came in and took drink orders. They served cappachino (I'll fix the spelling later) with fancy decorations on top as well as tea and water. During the course of the meeting we learned that the CIO of SEHA actually grew up in Stow! Ohioans really are everywhere!!!

Next, we packed our luggage and traveled to our next location which was about a 2 hour drive. We're now in the city of Al Ain. It's beautiful at our hotel. Our hotel is on the top of a mountain overlooking the city. We checked into our rooms and headed back out to drive about an hour back the way we came to go to a desert safari. This safari was amazing!!! The first thing we did was drive off road in a group of about 15 Toyota Landcruisers. When I say "off road," they actually call this Dune Bashing. We were up and down HUGE sand dune at really high speeds. Sometimes we slid sideways down the dunes and other times road the crests of the dunes. It was like nothing I could ever imagine. Along the way, we stopped to see a herd of camels and then stopped to take sunset pictures. Eventually, we made it the "camp." Next up were camel rides - these were just a couple minutes long. They were really just meant for photo opportunities but it was still great fun! Amanda rode a snowboard down a huge sand dune. They also had 4 wheelers available but I'm not sure if anyone in our group rode on them.

That's where I'm going to end for the night. We train at our second and last location tomorrow and Thursday and I'm going to try to get another good night's sleep tonight!

Abu Dhabi Part Four

2010-10-11T14:12:00.004-04:00

Today was our second and final day of training at our first venue. Overall, it went really well. After training, we went to a Heritage Center where they had some small displays about what life used to be like for the people living in this area when it was all dessert. It was about 103 degrees and about 110% humidity. We had our suits on from training and we were all completely drenched after this stop! I can actually see the Heritage Center from my hotel window. If you compare pictures, you'll see the big UAE flag from the window of my hotel room and then again when I took it while we were at the center.

Next, we came back to the hotel, changed out of our wet clothes and then Amanda and I went to into downtown Abu Dhabi. We went shopping at the Madinat Zayed Shopping and Gold Centre. Wow! This was DEFINATELY a taste of local culture. We were just about the only non-muslims shopping here. The Madinat Souk was filled with textile stores where you could buy already tailored Abayas or just the fabric to make them yourself. They had other things as well, such as tableclothes and bed linens.

The Gold Souk had - you guessed it - GOLD! Probably at least 150 gold and jewelry vendors. The prices were good but even good prices for gold were too high for me. We sure had fun window shopping though!

Tomorrow is our day off from training. We transfer to our second location which is about 2 hours from here. It is further inland and in the desert. Our guide is telling us that it is much less humid. Our tentative plans are to visit a grand Mosque on the way and then after checking into our new hotel, we're off to a desert safari.

Stay tuned. More adventures to come!

Abu Dhabi Part Three

2010-10-10T14:19:00.002-04:00

Whew...

I really need to get in bed. It's going to be another EARLY morning and another crazy, busy day but I really want to get caught up here before I forget everything!

So, we got up early this morning - 5:30am local time. If you're keeping track - that was 9:30pm ET so, yes, I was getting up for work before most of you even went to bed! No one rally wants to hear about the work part so I'll keep it short. I'll just say that we didn't get off to a very good start. We were almost two hours late to the training because of a ride situation. But, we're professionals ;-) We recovered rather quickly. By lunch, we were back on track. But I had to tell this part mainly to emphasise how wonderful the people are here. There were about 30 people in our class and they were SOOO patient and kind. At the end of the day, one of the men even apologized to US for the difficulty that we experienced?!?!?!

After training, we rested up a little. Amanda and I ate dinner together and then went with 4 others in the group (Mel wasn't feeling well and stayed behind) to the Emirates Palace Hotel http://www.emiratespalace.com/en/home/index.htm

This place was amazing! I have never seen so much gold and crystal! One of the most fun things was the gold vending machine. Put in some money and get out some gold! It's right on the beach with amazing pools and restaurants. We saw all the plans for the new "island" that they are building off of the coast here. Unbelievable! I also tasted Arabic coffee which is made with cardamon and tastes like licorice.

I'm exhausted now and it's another 5:30am wake up call in the morning. As I remember more details about the last few days, I'll be sure to do some editing!

Abu Dhabi part two

2010-10-10T09:32:00.002-04:00

Wow! Ok. I finally navigated the Google.ae site and figured out how to make a new post. So where did I leave off? Oh yeah. Several days ago (was it really only two?) when I boarded my business class flight on Emirates Air to Dubai after doing quite some damage in the VIP lounge at George Bush airport.

Upon boarding the flight, we were greated with champagne. We located our "pods" which consisted of a huge seat that fully reclined into a bed. Pillows and blankets were waiting for us. As we were settling in, the flight attendants brought us puffy mattresses for our seats, a pouch that contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, cologne, comb and brush combo, mirror and I forget what else! Next, they brought socks and eye shades. Then came the food. I saved the menu so here's what I ate for dinner:

First course was a "selection of cold canapes"
Second course was "Marinated shrimp - marinated in ten different spices with a corn and jicama salad, drizzled with cilantro oil and fresh lime."
Third course was "Goat cheese tortellini - with caramelized onion filling, fresh pomodoro sauce, a drizzle of Alfredo sauce and parmesan cheese."
Dessert was a slice of red velvet cake.

After dinner and a bottomless glass (and it WAS glass mind you) of wine, we watched some movies (on our individual TVs) and then they turned out the cabin lights and with stars projected on the ceiling, some people slept. I barely dozed.

It was only dark for a couple of hours on the flight so all of the window shades were lowered but in the morning, as people started arousing, the flight attendants brought around coffee and breads and then gradually lightened the cabin. We had breakfast (yes, I still have the menu!) I had: Yougert, fresh fruit, croissants and a cheese omelette "served with sauteed fresh mushrooms, grilled tomato, fried hash browns and chicken sausage."

Several hours later, we landed in Dubai. It was just about 7pm local time but it was already dark. Riding in the dark car for about an hour to Abu Dhabi was when the exhastion first started catching up. By the time we got our rooms, luggage and a bite to eat, it was 10:30pm local time and we had to be up this morning at 6:30am to begin training.

Stay tuned for the next installment!

Abu Dhabi Part One

2010-10-08T16:26:00.002-04:00

We're on our way! We completed the first leg of our trip. It was our first class flight to Houston. We're now, comfortably seated in the Emirates VIP lounge typing up this blog.

When we got to Cleveland, we were hungry for lunch so we got a sandwich to eat before our flight. As soon as we got on our flight, we were seated in the front row and greeted with cocktails. I had a Bloody Mary and Amanda had an Amaretto and Sprite. Then, the food came. Our snack was FANCY whole cashews (not those crushed, unrecognizable nuts that you get in coach) and another drink. This time, we both had water.

Lunch followed. Amanda had a hot chicken wrap while I had a ceasar salad with shrimp. Both meals came with bread and butter, corn chowder fruit a brownie type dessert and wine.

Now, we're in this lounge with food as far as the eye can see and we're stuffed. We have a couple hours yet until we board our 15 hour flight to Dubai though so I'm sure we'll find something to munch soon!

Abu Dhabi pre-trip

2010-10-07T17:30:00.002-04:00

This blog doesn't get used very often but I'm hoping to spend the next week posting about my business trip to Abu Dhabi.

A short version of the back story is that the company that I work for maintains a web based software suite that helps medical residency programs meet their common program requirements for accreditation. The ACGME is the accreditation council. The ACGME has recently launched an International branch to accredit foreign residency programs. Several International clients have begun using our software to track their requirements. Our latest International client is the UAE - specifically, four institutions in Abu Dhabi are going to pilot the software. Two of us who work in training and support will be traveling to Abu Dhabi tomorrow to work along side with 5 people from UTMB in Galveston, Texas to educate the Abu Dhabi clients about the ACGME-I and our residency management software.

I'm excited and nervous all at the same time! My co-worker, Amanda, will be picking me up at 9:30am for the first leg of our trip. We'll drive to Cleveland Hopkins Airport where we'll board a Continental fight and fly First Class to Houston's George Bush Airport where we'll meet up with the 5 others from Galveston.

As the song says... my bags are packed and I'm ready to go! Just a few last minute details and before I know it, we'll be on our way!

Verizon

2010-08-25T19:07:00.002-04:00

After almost 3 weeks of complaining nonstop to family and friends (and even numerous perfect strangers all over the Internet) I finally ventured into the Verizon store after work today to see what gives. I have had intermittent to NO service and when the service WOULD come back, none of my email messages or texts would update until I rebooted my phone (take out the battery and then put it back in).

BTW... I have a Blackberry Pearl that I got in December 08. I know it's outdated and I was sure that it was on its last leg. So after a 40 minute wait to see a "representative, I found out that thankfully, that wasn't the case. It seems that my relationship with Alltel was the problem. I was a product of the Verzion inhalation of Alltel. As I learned today, Friday, August 13th (rather ominous - wouldn't you say?) Verzion switched all of Alltel's towers to Verizon. Hmmmm... Wasn't that the weekend when I had NO service for 4 days??? OH YEAH!!!

I guess what Verizon failed to publicize was that now all the "old" Alltel phone would be out there roaming for a signal and frequently, not finding one. What I did learn is that there is a relatively easy fix that you should be able to do on your own. I'd love to save someone else a painful 40 minute wait in the store!!! If you too are a victim, you can dial (when you have service) *22800 and then select option 1. This action should update you to the "new" towers. IF you still are receiving spotty service, you can dial *22890 and this will force your phone to a new PRL. (I forget what this is. I think its a Preferred Roaming Location or something like that.)

I sincerely hope that this solves someone else's problem with Verizon's service. Let me know what kind of experience that you have!

NEW reinvented Dove®, with Fiber Actives

2010-06-29T19:58:00.003-04:00

I am just winding down another BzzAgent campaign for NEW reinvented Dove®, with Fiber Actives. This is a new hair conditioning treatment from Dove. My hair is very short. I am a little leery of most conditioners because they usually weigh my hair down and make it look greasy. I have actually been using Dove's "regular" conditioner for some time now but I only use a tiny bit. I was interested in this new conditioner but was a little afraid that it is marketed as a treatment. I was worried that it was going to be very heavy.

I was wrong! This conditioner comes in a tube. Even as I was squeezing a small bit into my hand I was thinking about how oily my hair was going to look but, surprisingly, it rinsed clean away and my hair actually appears to be stronger and have even more body. The OPPOSITE of being weighed down! My hair can tend to get frizzy on the ends during this extreme heat and humidity that we have experienced so far this summer but I have not noticed my hair becoming frizzy at all. Even during a business trip to hot, humid, New Orleans!

I will be traveling to Orlando for business in two weeks. I'll be really anxious to see how my hair holds up to THAT heat and if NEW reinvented Dove®, with Fiber Actives can keep the frizzies away!

Covergirl and Olay Simply Ageless

2010-06-21T19:53:00.003-04:00

Another BzzAgent review to post!

I was in a campaign for Covergirl and Olay Simply Ageless makeup. I received a foundation, blush, color corrector and eye concealer. I have been using (and LOVING) Bare Escentials for about 4 years now so when I received these products, I really didn't think I would like them at all. Especially since it is now summer and that is when I really appreciate the lightweight of the Bare Escentials. But, I'm in a campaign. I said I'd try it and I did (well, most of it!).

I used the foundation first. My first try, I just used my fingers. I've never really been a fan of an applicator, other than a brush. But it seemed to stick to my fingers and not go on my face. So, the next time, I used the applicator. It truly was flawless! The makeup goes on really smoothly and with only a hint of color. When using the applicator, it feels much like a very lightweight tinted moisturizer!

I have also been using the eye concealer. I have been using my fingers for it since I only use a very small amount. I have not yet tried the blush or color corrector but I still plan to.

I would have to weigh the costs and how long the product lasts a little longer to decide if I want to permanently switch but I really was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the Covergirl and Olay Simply Ageless makeup.

Covergirl Blast

2010-05-15T09:06:00.002-04:00

My blog is coming out of hiatus to share a product review. I am in a new Bzzagent Campaign for Covergirl Blast. I received a Shine Blast lip gloss and a Smoky Shadow Blast eyeshadow.

I rarely ever wear eyeshadow and have not yet had an opportunity to try the Smoky Shadow Blast but I wear lip gloss every day. This lip gloss is very lightweight - almost too much so for my liking - and has very little color. For work, I typically put a lip gloss over a lip stain and I have to use a lot of the Shine Blast lip gloss to get "coverage." I, actually, think this will be a great shade and weight for the summer, though, and am really looking forward to trying it out at the beach in a few weeks. I post an update to my review at that time.

I'm Not a Soccer Coach

2009-09-02T20:24:00.004-04:00

Ok. So, I'm not a soccer coach (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once)!

It's soccer season AGAIN. Taylor has been playing soccer since she's been 5. Now, she's 21. It's her senior year of college. Since there really is no other "team" to go on to, this is her LAST soccer season.

I'm a little bit bittersweet. Taylor loves the game. She eats, breathes, drinks and sleeps soccer. She plays every opportunity that she gets and then some. She always has. But I hate soccer season. I hate every bit of the drama and heartache that goes with it.

I believe in natural born talent and while Taylor loves the game and is a good player (the mom in me thinks she's the BEST EVER) she's not an Olympic or World Cup caliber player - and she knows it. But she works her TAIL off during practices and games. She was a 3 year letter winner in high school and is a 3 year letter winner in college.

But something happened Taylor's sophomore year in college. I have no idea what. One thing is, they got a new coach that year. Her stats from her freshman year are: Posted one goal. Appeared in thirteen games …Sophomore year: Played in sixteen games and started ten. But the started 10 came early in the season. The 2 games that she didn't play in, were the last 2 and one, the coach didn't even let her travel to.

No one seems to know what happened. The coach suddenly wrote her off as if she didn't exist. Last year's stats: Played in nine games and starting three ... Posted one goal. She was worse her junior year than her freshman year? But how bad? She scored a goal in one of the few games that she got to see the field! And the "leading scorer" on the team scored 6 goals for the entire season! I wonder how many Taylor would have scored if she got to play in all 19 games?

So far this year, she's the leading scorer on the team. The first scrimmage, she scored the only goal. No one on the team has scored since. The first season game was last night. Taylor sat the bench. Never saw the field. And, although only 2 starters graduated last year, the coach started 5 freshman last night.

Now, they have a JV team. I guess I always thought that JV was meant to give freshman and underclassman an opportunity to play together instead of throwing 17 1/2 year olds on a field with 22 year olds after only playing together for a week. Apparently, that's not the case on this team.

One might also think that if you are down in a game 1 (or 2) to 0 that you might want to put the only girl that has scored a goal so far this year on the field.

Hear we go again. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, "It's like deja vous all over again."

I won't be completely heartbroken when this season is over.

Band Woes!

2009-08-28T21:42:00.002-04:00

Boy. What a bummer of a couple of days! Yesterday, I took my car in to have a routine service done to find out that I need $800 worth of brake work done. I escaped yesterday with a $600 bill but I need to take my car back in two weeks to have the remainder of the work done.

This is Son's senior year in band. Last month, we went to visit him at band camp. Usually we would get a preview of the year's show while there. This year, however, it was pouring down rain so they didn't get to march on Parent's Night.

I was actually really excited to go to the first football game tonight to see the band march. I EVEN gave up HAPPY HOUR (which NEVER happens!) About 12 minutes into the game, we had our first 30 minute lightning delay. The team came back out and played almost the rest of the first quarter - 25 seconds to go - when we had our second lightning delay. This time, the storm moved in shortly afterwards and the game got suspended until tomorrow.

They won't be able to mobilize the band (kids in other sports/activities, busing etc) for the game tomorrow so now it will be Tuesday (at the Fair) before I get to see the band show! Please pray for no rain on Tuesday!!!

Aeropostale

2009-08-23T15:39:00.002-04:00

Just a quick blog post to give some kudos to Aeropostale.

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered Son two pairs of jeans online during their Friends and Family sale. They arrived last weekend and since Son has lost quite a bit of weight, they were too big. The jeans arrived just as I was going out of town for business. I asked him to return them to the store to exchange them and explained that he was going to have to talk to the cashier about a possible price difference. That ended up being too big of a request for an 18 year old - actually TALK (and speak CLEARLY) to a STRANGER??? Needless to say, the jeans were still in the spare bedroom when I got home.

Today, I made him go with me to try on a smaller size to be sure that they fit so that I wouldn't have to make yet ANOTHER trip to the mall. The store was PACKED! Everyone must have suddenly realized "OHMIGOSH! School starts TOMORROW and I have NOTHING to wear!" A VERY nice clerk helped us to find the jeans that we were looking for and, surprise of surprise, they were NOT on sale. I explained the situation that I had purchased them online and the clerk shared that she could take 30% off the price. That still made them a few dollars more than I paid but I was quite happy.

When we got to the register, I explained to the cashier what the clerk had said and the manager was standing there. She said, "Oh no. We'll just override the price and even exchange them!"

YAY!!! Thank you, Aeropostale, for being reasonable and kind. Especially in light that the store was a mad house and I'm SURE that everyone working was extremely busy. For whatever reason, I have not run into too many kind hearted store workers anywhere lately. I suppose that is one reason why I do so much of my shopping online now-a-days!

Lexington, Kentucky

2009-08-20T19:02:00.003-04:00

I have just returned from a business trip to Lexington, Kentucky. I have posted a review of our hotel, the Hilton Lexington Green, here: http://sharedreviews.com/r/45513-hilton-lexington-green-lexington-kentucky.

Upon some recommendations from friends, while we were in Lexington, we had some wonderful meals! The first evening, we went across the street from our hotel to the Fayette Mall Plaza and had dinner at Saul Good. I had a Cob Sandwich with fries which was VERY good! Since the weather was so beautiful, we ate outdoors so I can't really comment on the atmosphere of the restaurant but the food and service were very nice.

The second night, we ventured into downtown Lexington and ate at DeSha's. Prior to eating, we walked around Triangle Park and to the Rupp Arena and back. Dinner was HUGE and delicious. We started with the potato chips which were smothered in cheese, bacon, onions and barbecue sauce. Then I had the mushroom ravioli which came with a salad and cornbread. I was stuffed full by the time I was halfway through the salad but continued to eat until I thought I would burst!

We headed back over to the Fayette Mall to try to walk off some of the food but it didn't really help!

The last night, we walked right out the back of our hotel to the Regatta restaurant. You couldn't possibly get any more convenient than that and the food was, again, delicious and extremely fresh and reasonably priced for seafood. I had a combo platter that consisted of grilled salmon and a crab cake. This meal also came with salad, mashed potatoes and biscuits. So, once again, I completely stuffed myself!

After dinner, we explored the Joseph Beth Bookstore and before we returned to our hotel, we had a drink and listened to live music at the bar that is next to the Regatta restaurant. It was a warm, beautiful night and the bar and restaurant have outdoor seating that overlooks a cute pond.

We had a great trip to Lexington and I am happy and grateful that everything went so well - including the drive there and the training that we conducted at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

2009-08-17T08:18:00.002-04:00

What a horribly (yet luscious!) lazy weekend we just had! Friday started with our usual Happy Hour at Don Pablos but this time it was just Hubby and I. Two other friends stopped by briefly but we didn't have 12-16 people joining us that we usually have. Not that I don't think that is GREAT fun but just Hubby and I was very nice. We stopped at Home Depot on the way home and splurged on new outdoor furniture. We were replacing a 20 year old set of treated lumber furniture that we loved but didn't find terribly comfortable to sit on and therefore rarely used. We used our anniversary last weekend and Hubby's birthday yesterday as an excuse.

Saturday, we got the furniture all set up and tried it out with coffee while waiting for the grass to dry. Hubby mowed while I straightened up the house and then we spent the rest of the day at the lake. We stopped on the way home and picked up some fresh corn and grilled corn and hot dogs for dinner.

Sunday morning was our usual church service and then breakfast. After that - a day at the lake! Summer took a long time to get here but this weekend it was sunny and almost 90 both days. Perfect lake weather! The corn was so good on Saturday that we picked up some more yesterday and grilled it again with some chicken.

We plan to celebrate Hubby's birthday next weekend with Low Country Boil (Frogmore Stew) and cake and ice cream. He was willing to postpone it for a week so that we can celebrate with friends and family. Everyone was busy this weekend!

Wear Sunscreen

2009-08-10T20:54:00.002-04:00

This is one of my favorite speeches/columns of all time. It was originally written by Mary Schmich on June 1, 1997 for the Chicago Tribune. I am posting it the way I came across it years ago - as a commencement speech.

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2003:
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.
Oh, never mind.
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.
But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future.
Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy.
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.
The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive.
Forget the insults.
If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters.
Throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives.
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees.
You'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't .
Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance.
So are everybody else's.
Enjoy your body.
Use it every way you can.
Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it.
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your livingroom.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines.
They will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents.
You never know when they'll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings.
They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise.
Politicians will philander.
You, too, will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund.
Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse.
But you never know when either one might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia.
Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-08-09T19:51:00.002-04:00

Today was Hubby and I's 23rd wedding anniversary. It seems impossible!

We spent an interesting anniversary weekend. This year it corresponds with our community's Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival so yesterday morning we got up at 4:30am to go see our parade. It is the last year that we'll have a child march in the parade as our son is a senior in high school this year.

Last night, as we were deciding about cleaning up and going out to dinner, we opted to just crash at home and order a pizza - how romantic huh?

Today, it was just about our only 90 degree day of the summer so we decided to spend the day on our boat. We've hardly been out at all because this summer has been so cold and rainy. We came home and grilled hot dogs and hamburgers in the backyard.

As romantic as all that sounds, we've had some wonderful anniversary celebrations. We just chose to make this one low-keyed and laid back.

Hopefully, we'll have plenty more opportunities to have big, wonderful, romantic celebrations!

Meatloaf

2009-08-02T20:14:00.002-04:00

After finishing the coldest July on record, I'm REALLY hoping that August will bring us REAL summer weather. Here we are at day two and it's not looking good so far.

This week is our community's Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival. Starting with this past Friday, there are activities every day. We went to the Balloon Fest last night but there were storms too close by so the balloons, sadly, did not lift off. We did stay for a great fireworks display. We headed out to the lake for a bit today but it was too cloudy and chilly to even have our swimsuits on so we never did swim.

We came home and since I had some time on my hands, I made a meatloaf. This is my husband's favorite meal and he always begs me for it. I am not such a fan and even worse, I hate "handling" raw meat and I hate that, since I make a 3lb meatloaf, that it takes almost two hours to bake so I really only make it when I have plenty of time.

There is no recipe. I use 3 lbs of hamburger, two eggs, some grated Romano cheese, a grated onion (I hate big chunks of onion in my meatloaf) some minced garlic, oregano, basil and bread crumbs. All amounts are just eye balled.

I make this into a loaf that often looks more like a log. I bake it for 1 hour at 400 degrees and then turn it over in the pan. I use Mid's meatless spaghetti sauce to spread on top (what used to be the bottom!) and bake it for 30 - 60 more minutes, checking occasionally to see if it is cooked through.

My son is beginning to take after his dad, he had, at least, a one pound helping on his plate for dinner tonight!

As a side dish, I marinated a diagonally sliced zucchini and two yellow squashes from my garden in Italian dressing and threw them on the grill for a few minutes.

This will probably be our only home cooked meal this week as we have plans every night this week - either appointments or participating in Festival activities.

Tilapia Experiment

2009-07-26T18:53:00.002-04:00

I'm not a very good cook. And since I have virtually no imagination, I'm even less of a good cook if I don't have a recipe to follow! But, I thought I would give it a try as I had 8 nice pieces of tilapia to cook and I wasn't sure what to do with it.

So, I picked a zucchini out of my garden and quartered it and then sliced it very thin. I placed that in a bowl with a diced tomato (sadly, not from my garden YET!). I added some minced garlic, olive oil and some fresh basil from my herb garden. I combined these ingredients and put them in a baking dish.

I oiled, salted and peppered the filets and layed them on top. I covered the pan and baked it at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. The filets turned out tender and really flavorful! I really surprised myself that I could come up with a tasty (ok, but really simple) dish with no cookbook!

England Trip

2009-07-25T17:21:00.002-04:00

I've been meaning to do this for awhile now. Since it's a chilly, rainy Saturday, I guess it's time!

We recently had the opportunity to travel to England for the International Rotary Convention and to do some sightseeing. I really intended to journal while I was there but just couldn't find the time. The next best thing are the daily e-mails that I sent to my mom while we were there. I want to use this space to compile them into a "diary" type format:

Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 10:18 AM
Subject: We made it!
Got in about 8am local time (3am home time). Checked into the hotel and slept for a bit. Just got to the covention center and found a computer so I thought I'd say HI!

Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2009 7:56 AM
Subject: Re: We made it!
It's cold and drizzly here too for day two. We just got done with Opening Ceremonies. Pretty amazing, actually. There are 50,000 people here from 154 different countries. And, of course, I met a lady in the restroom (ok, the Loo) from Toledo, Ohio. Go figure.

Stonehenge isn't on the list this time. They said on the news this morning that they are expecting 30,000 people there for the sunrise, despite security concerns :-O

We explored "downtown" Coventry last night. Isaac ordered a Guiness with his dinner. Most of the shops closed at 6pm though so we didn't get to do any shopping. Tonight, we're headed for Warwick Castle - 1000 year old castle- for dinner, tour and shows. Could be hokey, could be authentic. I'm not sure!

We're going to try to get to Stratford on Avon tomorrow, if possible.

Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 6:04 AM
Subject: Re: We made it!
Well, the sun it out today and I don't have my jacket on!!!

Warwick Castle was a little on the hokey side but it was neat to see - none the less. The kids said it reminded them of Yankee Peddler.

Stratford-upon-Avon was really interesting yesterday. We toured Shakespeare's birthplace, deathplace, and a house that his daughter lived in. I wish we would have had more time to see Anne Hathaway's cottage and (oh, I forget the other one that is nearby). We just can't fit it all in but we'll do what we can!

Stratford-upon-Avon is an interesting town. All around Shakespeare's house are these really fancy stores and restaurants. Then, down the street is a food co-op/post office/bank building thing. There is also a huge, school there so in the evening, all the kids in their uniforms were all out and about.

Remind Isaac to tell you about the apparently drunk group of boys (rugby team) who were sinking the boats and swimming in the Avon river in their boxers and/or various forms of undress - quite the scene just across the street from the Royal Shakespeare Company's courtyard dining area - where we paid $60 for lunch yesterday - two sandwiches and a meat and cheese platter.

Everything is outrageously expensive!

Tonight, we're off to Birmingham to eat, shop and watch a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 7:28 AM
Subject: Re: We made it!
Yes, we're enjoying the trip.

Yesterday was sightseeing/shopping in Birmingham. It's a really great town with closed streets for shopping. They are having an International Food Fest there so there was tons of food (and beer) all over town. It's the second biggest city in England so it was packed with people.

One of the other suprising thing is that all the shops here close at 6pm. I can't understand how anyone gets any shopping done but they're not doing it in the evenings! Of course, yesterday we were in Birmingham about 1pm and everything was CROWDED - maybe no one works?

We're going to attend closing ceremonies for the convention today and get ready to head for London early in the morning. By the way, it's daylight here by 4am so we won't be traveling in the dark no matter how early we need to leave!

Enjoy the weather. It was sunny all day yesterday and so far today but highs are still around 72ish so it's not hot.

Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: We made it!
Just another quick hi since we found wifi on our iPods. We killed a couple hours visiting Cadbury World today. There's actually a really cool story behind the founding of Bournville. It was worth the trip! I'll check in again tommorow when we reach london.

Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 6:11 AM
Subject: Re: We made it!
We made it to London and got all checked in. We're off to visit the queen!

Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:12 PM
Subject: Re: We made it!
It's interesting! Taylor says it looks like a really old DC. Everything is so BIG! I don't have a wide enough lens on my camera to capture everything!
Here's the walk we just took. All thousand or so miles of it:
Buckingham palace - caught the tail end of the changing of the guard
The Mall
Trafalgar Square
Scotland yard
Walked across the Thames
The Queen's Walk
Saw the London Eye but didn't ride
Walked back across the Thames
Big Ben
ParlimentWestminister Abby
Walked along the river back to the hotel to die!
Not sure what the plans are for the rest of the evening but tomorrow we take the tour bus to see some more sights

Sent: Friday, June 26, 2009 4:01 PM
Subject: Re: We made it!
We had a little bit of a fiasco trying to figure out our London Day Passes but after we figured that out, we took a boat on the Thames to the London Tower and yes-we saw the crown jewels as well as watched some military people do a fancy ceremony shooting this fancy cannons over the river because today is Vetern's Day. We walked across the Tower Bridge, the kids rode the London Eye and we shopped at Harrods - where they were playing only Michael Jackson music.
It looks like we need to leave our hotel about 5am to catch our train to Paris. I'll be headed to bed soon!

Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2009 5:30 PM
Subject: Re: We made it!
There were ENTIRELY too many people to see any ghosts yesterday. I actually did buy a purse at Harrods, my third bag this trip! Turns out that hundreds of steps in thousand year old buildings are really hard on handbags!
We, relativly successfully did Paris today. We managed to briefly see everything that was on our list. Notre Dame was closed because of something big going on. Looked like a bishop type person and hundreds of priests. We couldn't read the sign or find anyone who spoke English to tell us what it was so I took pictures of the sign so that maybe Doug can translate for us.
We also saw the Louvre, champs elyesse (spelling-I know), arc de triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower.
For any number of reasons, we all like London WAY better than Paris but I'm glad we saw it!
Heading home tomorrow. We should be in Cleveland around 3:30. We'll call shortly afterwards to check in!

Garden Harvest!

2009-07-20T20:00:00.002-04:00

I have had a REALLY crappy year for my garden so far. The nights have not been warm enough to ripen my tomatoes and the rabbits ate all my lettuce and beans. I did FINALLY get a ripe, yellow squash so I picked it tonight and used it with dinner. I made some penne pasta and then made a "sauce" of olive oil in which I sauteed garlic, the squash, some mushrooms and tomatoes (not from my garden :-( ). This is one of my favorite, easy, quick, summer meals.

Son is at band camp so I didn't have to hear him complain about vegetables and Hubby just picked out the pasta and left the vegetables.

I hope everyone else's garden is doing better than mine!

2009-07-13T07:48:00.002-04:00

We had a wonderful, busy weekend! Three of my cousins, and their significant others, joined us for Happy Hour on Friday night. That made a group of 10 of us and we had a wonderful time! The weather was really warm and we were able to visit outside until 10pm with short sleeves on!

Saturday started off rainy but cleared up in the afternoon. Mom, Dad, Daughter, Hubby and I took Grandma to the Italian festival. She's 87 and really looks forward to this every year. She enjoyed seeing some of her friends and listening to Italian music.

We started off Sunday with church and breakfast. Then, we spent a couple hours on the boat. We came home to celebrate Son's 18th birthday with some chicken sandwiches and an ice cream cake.

I'm starting off the week with a business trip to Vermont. I'm excited as I have only been to Vermont once and I was about 14 so I really don't remember it! I'm hoping the trip is uneventful in terms of traveling and training but I hope I get to eat at some great restaurants and do some shopping!

Creamed Chicken Sandwiches

2009-07-06T19:38:00.002-04:00

The last several weeks have been simply crazy! It started with preparing for, and then taking a trip to England (with a day spent in Paris) and ended with a huge Fourth of July picnic. I actually cooked dinner today utilizing some of the leftovers from Saturday's picnic.

Creamed Chicken Sandwiches
5 or so pounds of chicken breast meat
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 cup milk
small bag of potato chips
buns

Cook the chicken, soup and milk in the crock pot for about 8 hours on high. Shread the chicken breasts. Crush about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of potato chips and add to the mixture. Stir well until chips are mushy and integrated into the mix. These should soak up most of the liquid - use more or less chips to get to a consistency that can be eaten in a bun.

Enjoy!

L'Oreal Revitalift

2009-06-14T20:51:00.004-04:00

This review has been relocated to: http://sharedreviews.com/r/44864-loreal-revitalift

Machaca

2009-06-11T20:37:00.002-04:00

I've been completely horrible at both cooking and posting on my blog recently. I do have a new recipe that my friend and co-worker, Jeff, shared with me. It is for Machaca:
Pot Roast
2 cans of Chopped Green Chiles
2 cans of Rotel Tomatoes
1 jar of Herdez Salsa Casera
1/8 cup Chopped Cilantro
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
Water to cover

Cook all day on low, and then shred with forks 20 minutes before eating.

At Jeff's recommendation, I served this over rice. It made a giant batch and I froze some as well. Thanks for sharing, Jeff. And I hope others enjoy it as well!

Windex Outdoor All in One Glass Cleaning Tool

2009-05-31T16:55:00.003-04:00

I have relocated this review to Shared Reviews: http://sharedreviews.com/r/44137-windex-all-in-one-glass-cleaning-tool

New York City

2009-05-13T13:35:00.003-04:00

I just finished spending 6 days out of the past two weeks in New York City. Last week (5/5 - 5/7) I stayed in Brooklyn and conducted a training at SUNY Downstate. The administrator responsible for arranging our training is familiar with our software from a previous institution where she was employed. Another trainer and I stayed at the Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. We were fortunate enough to be in the newly renovated section which was quite nice!

The traffic getting from the hotel to the training each day was a nightmare. We didn't leave early enough either day and arrived at the training location at the last minute which always starts off training on a shaky note. But the training group that I had was wonderful! Lunch was provided to us and the administrator in charge even drove us back to the hotel the first night so that we were able to avoid another cab ride.

Amanda has spent a great deal of time in NYC and was very familiar with how to navigate the subways to get us where we wanted to go. We spent the first night in and around Rockafeller Center, Chinatown and Little Italy. The second night we spent around Times Square. We ate at Ellen's Stardust Diner which was really fun!

My second trip was a solo. I stayed at the Park South Hotel which was really cute! The rooms were TINY but it was very clean, free wifi and wonderful, free breakfast. The training went very well. The group that I worked with was wonderful! I ventured out and about to Macy's flagship store, Madison Square Garden and even took the subway by myself to Chinatown and Little Italy.

Here's a few of my observations about New York:
1. Traffic - supposedly no one owns a car yet the streets are FULL of them and they sure don't go anywhere quickly!

2. Communication - no one speaks English. Even people who think they speak English have such a think, East coast accent that it's difficult to tell that it's English.

3. Juxtaposition - the randomness of it all. The Transfiguration Roman Catholic Church in the middle of Chinatown?

4. Fashion - everyone - men and women - wear scarfs and carry handbags!

I anticipate that I will be spending a fair amount of time in NYC in the future as we have MANY clients in the city. Please leave me a comment as to what I should see and do and where I should eat at during future trips.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2009-05-04T18:11:00.003-04:00

This was a busy weekend so I didn't get to post as I would have liked. We have been working really hard over the past year or so not to eat out so much. We are down to Friday night Happy Hour and Sunday morning breakfast during most weeks. Occasionally, we order a pizza on Saturday night but recently, if we don't have some function to attend, I've been making Buffalo Chicken Pizza. It's quick, easy and satisfying! Here's the recipe/instructions:

I brown about 2 to 3 pounds of chicken breast that is chopped into small pieces. I remove the pan from the heat and add about 1/4 cup of butter mixed with about 1/2 cup of Franks Hot Sauce and let it soak for a bit.

On a greased baking sheet, I spread out a pizza dough (I usually make 2 pizzas at a time). Son works at a pizza shop so sometimes I use theirs, sometimes a store brand or sometimes Pillsbury - what ever is handy. On top of the dough, I spread about 1/2 to 3/4 of a bottle of blue cheese salad dressing. Then I sprinkle chunks of blue cheese on top of that. Next, I add the chicken and hot sauce and then cover with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for about 17 minutes and dinner is served!

I hope you enjoy!

2009-04-28T19:07:00.003-04:00

Whew! What a busy week! We had two Rotary events and Son came home from the Bahamas with an ear infection. I'm getting ready to travel to New York two times in the next two weeks so I am still not doing any exciting cooking. Tonight was beef and noodles. We have that a couple times per month! I'm not sure what else is on the menu for this week. I think tomorrow will probably be taco salad. I'll be posting new review for L'Oreal Revitalift in the next day or two.

2009-04-19T21:25:00.002-04:00

Not much cooking for me recently! I spent last week at a conference so Hubby and Son had to fend for themselves. I had plenty of meals made and in the freezer for them but, of course, they ate out most nights!

I did make 6 pounds of barbeque pork (the recipe that I previously posted) for Daughter's alumni soccer game yesterday. It was gone in about a minute and a half!!!

This week, Son is in the Bahamas with his Marine Biology class so it is just Hubby and I. I am making a big crockpot of barbeque beef tomorrow (same recipe as pork only with beef ;-) ) and will put the leftovers in the freezer. I have beef roasts coming out my ears here. They had been BOGO at the grocery store for many weeks so I have TONS of them that I need to get cooked up!

I also work the 9-6 shift at work this week so if I make anything else, it will be a quick pasta or something else very quick and easy as I HATE to eat too late at night.

More recipes and reviews to come soon!

Afrin Pure Sea Review

2009-04-07T18:54:00.003-04:00

This review has been relocated to: http://sharedreviews.com/r/44863-afrin-pure-sea

Sausage Sandwiches and Stuffed Peppers

2009-04-06T19:59:00.002-04:00

So, yesterday I meant to take some hamburger out of the freezer and make a meatloaf for dinner. Well, I didn't take it out until very late and it was still frozen solid when it was time to make the meatloaf. When I put it back in the refrigerator in the garage, I noticed the freezer door ajar. Everything was still frozen except some Italian sausage had started to thaw. I immediately put that in the fridge to use up this week.

Fast forward to me organizing my coupons. I found a "$6.00 off your next purchase" coupon that was expiring yesterday! Good thing the grocery store is open 24/7! I quickly put together my shopping list and headed out the door.

The thawing hamburger was weighing on me because I don't have time to make meatloaf during the week. I usually make a 3lb meatloaf and it takes at least 1 1/2 - 2 hours to bake. So, when I was picking up a couple peppers for the sausages, it dawned on me to pick up a few more and make stuffed peppers!

I woke up this morning to find that my wireless router had bitten the dust. So I went straight from work and picked up a new one. I came home and made sausage sandwiches (recipe to follow!) then hooked up the router then put all the ingredients together for stuffed peppers to cook in the crockpot tomorrow (recipe to follow!) That's enough excitement and exhaustion for one night! Here's the recipes:

Sausage Sandwiches
Brown the sausages in a pan with a small bit of olive oil. Remove them from the pan and set them aside. Saute thinly sliced onions and green peppers in the oil and sausage drippings. Add the sausages back to the pan and cover with spaghetti sauce. I use locally made Mids Meatless as that is my favorite! Warm through and serve on thick, crusty, hoagie rolls with a slice of provolone cheese if you wish (I do!)

Stuffed Peppers
Brown ground beef and a large onion in a pan. Add about 2 cups of cooked rice. Cut the tops off of green pepper and stuff with the beef/onion mixture. Place in crockpot. I always make extra filling and heap it on top of the peppers in the crockpot. My son is 17 but still likes to eat the filling with no peppers! Top with any tomatoes you have on hand. I sometimes use tomato puree or crushed tomatoes. This time, I got a deal on Italian Sauce a couple weeks ago so I used a can of that. Cook it in the crockpot for about 8 hours.

I hope you enjoy!

Easter Bread

2009-04-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

I usually spend my Saturdays clipping and organizing coupons, running errands and doing some light cleaning. Today, I am adding baking Easter Bread into the mix. It can't be Easter without having several loaves of Easter Bread on hand to enjoy. I'm sharing this recipe here but it is my grandma's recipe. If you use it, please do so with love and respect ;-)

I will probably make 2 batches today. Each batch makes 3 loaves. My first batch is on the first rise right now. Hubby saw me kneeding the dough and asked why I didn't just use my bread machine :-O This is my GRANDMA'S recipe!!! One of the reasons why it tastes so good is the love and sweat that goes into making it BY HAND!!!

So, here's the recipe but PLEASE adhere to the rules - NO BREAD MACHINE - LOVING HANDS ONLY!

2 packages of dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
Mix these ingredients together and let the yeast "proof" for 30 minutes

To the proofed yeast add:
1 pint (2 cups) of milk
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
5 eggs
1 tablespoon of anise extract
1 teaspoon of salt
about 7-8 cups of flour - enough to make a good bread dough

After combining and kneeding, let rise for 1 1/2 hours
"Punch down" and then let rest for 10 minutes
Divide dough into 3 lightly greased loaf pans
Let raise in pans for 1 hour
Lightly brush the tops of the loaves with beaten egg
Bake for 1 hour at 300-325 degrees

It's not easy or fast. Those would normally break all rules of my kitchen, but this is Easter Bread! Enjoy!

Wednesday

2009-04-01T18:36:00.002-04:00

What a gorgeous day today! I woke up to rain but by lunchtime, the sun was shining and it was in the 60s! I just walked 2 miles with Hubby and Dog. I used to do that walk every single day but haven't done it for 7 months. I can NOT get on a good schedule since starting this job 7 months ago! That is my new goal - to get back to walking two miles EVERY day!

Tonight's dinner was Creamed Chicken Sandwiches. We had a bunch of rolls left over from the party on Saturday. Here's the recipe/instructions:

2 1/2 - 3 pounds of chicken breasts (I used about 1/2 of a 5lb bag of tenderloins)
2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup
About 1 cup of milk
Cook the above ingredients in the crockpot for about 8 hours
Stir the mixture until the chicken breaks into small pieces
Add a couple of handfulls of crushed potato chips. Stir and continue adding crushed chips until all the liquid is absorbed and the chicken mixture is a consistency that will stay in a bun.

Have a wonderful evening!

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-03-30T20:24:00.002-04:00

I had a really nice day today. Lots of birthday wishes from my co-workers, dinner (at a restaurant - no cooking!) with hubby and kids and cake with mom and dad.

Tomorrow is dinner out with friends so I won't be doing too much cooking this week! If I don't have recipes to share this week, I'll sneak in another BzzAgent review - I am in a total of FOUR campaigns right now!

Have a wonderful week!

Weekend Recipes

2009-03-29T15:57:00.002-04:00

It's been a pretty typical weekend around here. Friday night was spent with family for Happy Hour as we do each Friday. Saturday I held my first House Party for Land O'Lakes. It was a small but lively turn out! In addition to having cold cuts and cheese and crackers (after all, the ideas was to spotlight Land O'Lakes products!) I also made barbeque pork. I'll include the recipe at the end of this post.

Today, was our regular church and breakfast and I've spent the rest of the day lounging in front of the TV. I especially enjoyed watching "It Happened One Night" on TCM. It always amazes me that I can enjoy a 75 year old movie more than I enjoy most of the current releases! I also took some time to put some chicken breasts in the oven. Here is the recipe that I used. I haven't eaten them yet so I can't give a verdict!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts--placed between waxed paper and pounded until 1/4 inch thick. Melt one stick margarine and add one tbs worchestershire sauce and 1 tsp dry mustard. Crush one can Durkees French Fried Onion Rings in a plastic bag. Dip chicken in butter mixture and then in onion rings. Lay flat in baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining onion rings before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Barbeque Pork:
I use a large Boston Butt (or pork shoulder) placed in the crock pot.
Place 1/2 of a large or all of a small sliced onion on top.
Cover with a liberal sprinkling of Emeril's Essence.
Cook on low for at least 8 hours
Drain as much of the liquid as possible, remove the bone and stir to break up the meat.
I pour in Ray's Sweet Baby Barbeque Sauce to coat thoroughly.
Serve on fresh bakery sandwich rolls.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Glade Sense and Spray

2009-03-26T18:57:00.003-04:00

Not much going on today so I thought I'd give a review to bzz one of my BzzAgent products. I had a great lunch with Dad today. He met me at work and took me to a local pub for Buffalo Chicken Salad. Nice way to break the monotony. I also picked up all my free items for my Land O'Lakes House Party for Saturday.

Now for the review...

I've relocated this Glade Sense and Spray review to SharedReviews: http://sharedreviews.com/r/44115-glade-sense-and-spray

Please visit and comment!

Wednesday

2009-03-25T17:50:00.002-04:00

I cut through SOME of the red tape today and got Son an appointment for a checkup so that the doctor will write an order that I can take to the Immediate Care Clinic to get a tetnus shot. They couldn't believe that he hasn't been seen in 6 years - and he DOESN'T need to be seen now! We are very blessed that our kids have been so healthy!

I also found out that having his wisdom teeth pulled in June will cost a small fortune. $500 deductable on the medical and the dental has a 12 month waiting period ?!?!? I'm NOT waiting for a year to have this done. One is already partially in and the dentist is afraid if the others come in that it will throw off his bite and THIS one escaped have orthodontics so I DON'T want to go there now!!! He sure is EXPENSIVE for being so healthy!

Dinner is "fend for yourself" tonight - whatever leftovers you can find. I'm looking forward to American Idol tonight and vegging out in front of the TV for a bit.

Happy Tuesday!

2009-03-24T18:59:00.002-04:00

What a day! I love bureaurcracy! Son needs a tetnus shot for his Marine Biology trip. I call the local Immediate Care Center a couple weeks ago to ask if they can do it. They tell me, "Sure. Any time Monday - Friday before 6pm." I take him after work today to have them tell me that his 'primary care physician' should do it. Great. I don't know HOW I'll get him an appointment there let alone find time to BRING him to the appointment. Guess I know what I'll be doing on my lunch break tomorrow - phone calls!

It was smoked sausage and pierogies for dinner tonight. Fast, cheap and easy!!!

My party packages came for my Land O'Lakes House Party (http://www.houseparty.com) I'm still not really sure how to throw this party but my way of thinking is that anytime friends get together with food and drink - it's a party! I'll have to take another look at the "suggested recipes" and decide what to make. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday!

Beef and Noodles

2009-03-23T18:16:00.002-04:00

I'm home from a busy Monday at work. Tonight's dinner is beef and noodles. We have, recently, been eating this about every other week. It is one of the easiest, and cheapest things that I make and the kids seem to really like it!

Our grocery store has been having beef roasts on sale BOGO quite often lately so I can get about a 3 pound roast for $7 or so. Noodles are about $1.50 per bag but there have been manufacture's coupons lately that bring the price down to about $.50 or so. Here's the directions:
Place the roast in the crockpot. Dice a small onion and put on top of the roast. Mix together 1 envelope each of Good Seasons dry salad dressing mix, dry ranch dressing mix and dry brown gravy mix. Pour mixture on top of roast and onions. Put about 1 1/2 cups of water in the bottom of the crockpot. Cook for about 8 hours on low. Just before you serve, boil the noodles and mix with roast (which falls apart into small pieces).

I know some say that you shouldn't freeze noodles but I always freeze the leftovers of this and I think it tastes just fine!

I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine! Have a wonderful Monday evening!

Typical Sunday

2009-03-22T12:14:00.000-04:00

Today is a typical Sunday. We go to church and then out to breakfast. I organize my coupons, make my grocery list and, time permitting, do my grocery shopping.

Today, I also took Son to the mall to pick up a pair of jeans (Aeropostale Friends and Family sale: http://tinyurl.com/d5koau) and a family friend is over helping Hubby hook a humidifier up to our funace. We just spent a winter of avoiding touching everyone and every thing for fear of being shocked!

Have a great day everyone!