"My Toes Are Claustrophobic"

Sneak Peek...

2012-02-11T18:12:00.002-06:00

I must tell you, I am so dang excited! The paint is complete, the blinds are hung and the beautiful cut glass fixture is installed. The bedding is in place minus some accent pieces. There is still much to be done but here's a little sneak peek of the fresh new guest room at Casa de Reaves...

Pinning Away = Pining Away...

2012-02-03T16:07:00.008-06:00

The makeover of the guest room is about to be in full swing. The room has been completely cleaned out - minus the bed and a shelf that will require assistance from the Señor in order to be moved.

The painters are scheduled to arrive Tuesday morning at 9:30. This happens to coincide perfectly with the Señor's upcoming travel schedule. This occurred by sheer coincidence but is a good thing as 1) the Señor doesn't enjoy construction projects and 2) the Señor doesn't like having strangers in his house.

I on the other hand am ready. Bring it on. I'm like a kid with a giant box of crayons and I'm ready to color!

I've been told the painters will take three days to complete their work. Day one the yucky popcorn mess with be removed from the ceiling in the hallway and guest bedroom. Once that is complete the ceilings will be textured and painted. Finally the "surfaces" in the hallway and guest bedroom will be painted. "Surfaces" include the baseboards, cabinets, doors, etc. So by Friday we should have clean, fresh new paint.

As I have said before; patience is not one of my strong suits. The past few days have included a lot of waiting. Again, not one of my strong suits. So what's an impatient girl to do while waiting? Well, shop of course! And that my friends is where the greatest time suck of all time enters stage right. Pinterest.

Ah, Pinterest. I do believe in the past week or so I have combed over every bedroom picture ever "pinned" to Pinterest. Some possibly twice. Yes, I do love me some Pinterest. With that said I will just come right out and state that whoever came up with Pinterest deserves a seat right next to that famous Facebook genius Mark Zuckerberg. Yes, Mr. Zuckerberg proudly sits first chair in the competition for the "Greatest Time Suck Of All Time". Mr. (or perhaps Ms.) Pinterest sits second chair.

So, with the help of Pinterest, a little imagination and the wonders of on-line shopping I have put together what in my mind's eye is a dreamy guest room. Who knows, it might even end up on Pinterest.

The Blues...

2012-01-27T15:13:00.006-06:00

After loads of research and several trips to my local paint store I have finally decided on a wall color for the guest room make over.

Before revealing the color I have a confession to make. People I LABORED over this decision! It was ridiculous. I actually found myself lying awake at night weighing the finalists in my mind. Too light, too dark, too nursery-like? I discovered something about myself during this time. I hate to say the words aloud but I'm afraid it's true...those people with OCD aren't that much different from me. You notice I'm not saying that I personally am OCD, I'm just merely saying that I understand how one could have those tendencies. Especially when it comes time to choose a paint color. There. I've said it. There will be no need to speak of this subject again!

In the end it came down to two colors...

Benjamin Moore's Glass Slipper

Benjamin Moore's Palladian Blue

Ladies and Gentleman, without further adieu, I present to you the winner of the guest bedroom paint decision...

Glass Slipper!

Don't you just love It? I love it. Actually I love them both - very much - but for a bedroom I decided Glass Slipper was the best choice. It has a grayish tone that I find very relaxing. One description I read said "the color of a washed out sky after a storm". Sounds perfect to me. I want the room to feel fresh and clean.

Now I am in the waiting mode. Waiting to hear back from the painter with his bid and schedule. Waiting for the folks who are taking the dresser and night stands to come and haul them away. Waiting for the painting to be done so I can have the carpet cleaned. Waiting...waiting...waiting.

In the meantime, I think I'll ponder on the perfect space to use the Palladian Blue!

This Madness Must End...

2012-01-23T13:01:00.005-06:00

Something strong has come over me. A deep, nagging need.

It consumes my thoughts.

I lie awake at night and think about it.

I long for the day the dream becomes a reality.

What is it you ask?

It is the need to purge. The need to remove all the junk from my life.

The need to get organized.

This news could surprise those of you who have been inside our home. You see, on the surface our home appears to pretty much have it together. It's neat. It's clean. Clutter drives me crazy; therefore you will rarely see it here.

And there my friends is the key phrase - you will rarely see it.

Yes, we have clutter but it is hidden clutter. In other words, there are certain spaces in our home that should you attempt to enter you would immediately hear me shriek, "don't open that door"!

I think this may be the point where I am supposed to stand up and say "hello, my name is Kim and I'm an closet clutterer".

We have a hidden secret. We refer to it as Bryan's room; however, in its current state Bryan couldn't get in there to do anything if his life depended on it. Thank goodness he has his own lovely home where he can comfortably lay his head at night!

Yes, there is a bed in there. Somewhere. Buried beneath anything and everything that I simply don't know what to do with. The only time we open the door to this room is to quickly toss in a piece of luggage, the Christmas wrapping paper or some other random object that doesn't have an assigned seat in another part of the house.

This past Friday I began the daunting task of cleaning the room. I was ready. I was set. I was singing a little song that sounded like something out of a Dr Seuss poem -

I've made up my mind.
This crap has to go.
I'll donate, I'll trash it, I'll give to a friend.
I'll store it, I"ll sale it, this madness must end!

I was off to a good start (or completely off my rocker!).

I thought surely I could finish the clean-up phase by the end of the weekend. It's now Monday, mid-day, and it's still not finished. I decided a few minutes ago that I was to the point where I had to either

1) find a therapist or

2) blog about it!

So here I am.

I have great plans for the room. Once the clean-up phase is complete there should be nothing left but the existing bed and book shelf. From there the room will be painted a calming shade of robin's egg blue. I plan to add a small dresser, new white blinds and accessories. It will be a place people can actually sleep. A room where I actually leave the door open!

Okay, I believe I can once again face the challenge. It's back to the room for me! I thank you lovely readers for allowing me to confess my clutter problem to you. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will be able to share photos with you of the new and improved "Bryan's" room.

Until next time...I'm running along...I'm singing a song -

I've made up my mind.

This crap has to go.
I'll donate, I'll trash it, I'll give to a friend.
I'll store it, I"ll sale it, this madness must end!

Someone help me!

2012-01-19T09:14:00.005-06:00

With the start of a new year as incentive, the Señor and I decided to make an attempt at healthier eating. With the help of www.loseit.com we are journaling our food which in turn tracks the number of calories we consume each day. The application is very user friendly, is free and allows the user to establish a profile which based on age and weight determines the number of calories the user should eat in order to experience weight loss. The application also allows you to track your daily exercise and; of course, your weight. Seems so simple, right?

I'm going to be honest. I do great during the week. Not so great on the weekends. Breakfasts are easy. Lunch? I do okay. I might even have an afternoon snack.

Control calorie intake at week day breakfasts, week day lunches and week day snacks - check.

Control calorie intake at week day dinners and weekend meals - let's just call those a work in progress!

Oh, dinner! I try. I really do. I read cookbooks. I research the Internet. I put a lot of thought in to finding meals that are pleasing and don't taste like cardboard. Some of them turn out okay. Some of them not so much. A couple have gone straight to the garbage.

It would be different if the Señor and I didn't enjoy good food but the fact of the matter is we do. We love to cook, we love to eat and we love restaurants. Thus the challenge. Finding tasty dinner options that don't leave us feeling as if we are being punished merely for eating.

So lovely readers, will you help me? Do you have any yummy low-cal recipes or meal ideas you are willing to share? I'll go ahead and share a couple with you that I like - www.eatingwell.com and www.cookinglight.com. If you are not familiar with them you should check them out. They, in my humble opinion, have some nice low-cal recipes.

So, come on. Work with me people. Send me some low-cal love!

The debate goes on...

2012-01-16T12:46:00.002-06:00

What is it about men and the toilet?

Seriously, what is it?

Is it so difficult to lower the lid?

Up or down? That is the question.

I feel quiet certain this dilemma dates back centuries to King Minos of Crete who, according to history, was the proud owner of the very first water closet.

Or perhaps it started a few 100 years later when the Godson of Queen Elizabeth the First invented and built a flush toilet for her.

Odds are the King preferred the lid up. Even greater odds say the Queen preferred the lid down.

And here we are in the year 2012 and the debate goes on.

Up versus down?

Male versus female?

He believes the lid goes up. She believes the lid goes down.

Beyond a doubt this subject has sent many a female into fits of rage. In fact, I personally know of one mild mannered Mrs who upon discovering her husband had once again left the toilet lid up slammed the lid shut so hard she actually broke it.

Rumor has it the incident also caused a few choice four letter words to pass her lips but as I did not personally witness the incident I cannot state it as a fact.

In her defense I believe any female who has made that dark, stumbling, 2:00 AM journey to the toilet only to experience the icy-cold baptism of her own derriere can relate to her rage.

It's a rage that could possible hold up as a valid defense in a court of law.

And the debate goes on.

It's a debate that has played out in our house.

A subject that has been discussed amongst our family and friends.

And it's always the same.

It's the boys against the girls.

Yes, it's a gender thing.

And if you doubt it just ask our grand daughter who, after discovering her Papa had left the toilet seat up, shook her finger while reprimanding him in her most stern two and a half year old voice and said "no Papa".

The city of New Orleans...

2012-01-05T13:48:00.007-06:00

Looking back over the last quarter of 2011 I realize I spent a few fabulous October days in New Orleans and never shared them with you. I couldn't imagine why but then I remembered I had come home with a nasty ear infection. I actually acquired it while sitting in a bar watching game 6 of the World Series between our beloved Texas Rangers and the St Louis Cardinals. The company that night was amongst some of the best, the game a real nail-biter and I had to leave and go back to the hotel around the 4th inning because my ear ached so dang bad. Perhaps I should have known then that karma was not on our side as our Rangers suffered a heartbreaking defeat that night and went on to lose game 7 and thus were not crowned the 2011 World Series Champions. And, no, I'm not bitter - no sir-ee.

Despite the earache I did my best to make the best of my time in the Crescent City. And what do I consider to be the best use of time - why, I ate of course! New Orleans is a gastronomical wonderland and I take full advantage of its offerings whenever I have the opportunity to be there.

As with most of my trips to New Orleans I managed to finagle a ticket on the tag-a-long express. In other words, The Señor was going on business and I batted my big blue eyes and begged until he agreed to let me accompany him. Okay, it wasn't quiet that dramatic. He knows how much I love NOLA and invited me along without my even having to ask (well, maybe I asked but I didn't have to beg!).

At the last minute our travel plans got a little convoluted. The Señor was delayed and unable to make our originally scheduled flight. I was on a non-refundable ticket. Long story short - I arrived in NOLA, alone, several hours before he did. So what's a girl to do on a random Wednesday morning, alone, in the spectacular city of New Orleans? Why, shop and eat of course.

I wandered Jackson Square, stopped off at St Louis Cathedral for some quiet time, strolled the streets of the French Quarter and enjoyed a long, leisurely lunch at John Besh' Restaurant August. I took advantage of the Prix Fixe Menu and although the meal was lovely I believe I enjoyed the room, staff and that one single glass of champagne most of all.

Following lunch I headed to the hotel. You see, I arrived in NOLA mid-morning, much too early for check in. The cab driver dropped me off at Jackson Square - sans bags I might add - as The Señor had our luggage and would be checking it on his flight. I must admit it felt sort of odd what landing in a city thats not your own - alone, no car, no luggage and no where to lay your head until that illusive 3:00 PM check-in. So come 3:00 PM I made my way over to the Iberville Suites, checked in to our room, hung the Do Not Disturb sign, donned the complementary bath robe and proceeded to nap until The Señor arrived some time later. Yes, it was certainly my kind of afternoon.

That evening we caught up with some great friends for a cocktail at the world famous Carousel Bar at the Hotel Montleone. Afterwards we took what turned out to be one scenic, not to mention entertaining, cab ride to Pascal's Manale Restaurant.

This was my first visit to Pascale's Manale and it was absolutely everything I had been led to believe it was. There were six of us and let's just say we had a feast! We started out with two appetizers - the Stuffed Eggplant (a combination of eggplant, shrimp, crabmeat, ham and seasonings) and the Combination Pan Roast (shrimp and crabmeat chopped with a decadent blend of green onions, parsley and seasonings with whole oysters). These are the restaurants descriptions and do not even begin to explain what the dishes really are. I believe the Stuffed Eggplant should read something along the line of "the closest thing you'll get to heaven on a plate" but, of course, that's just my opinion.

As an entree I chose the dish the restaurant is famous for - The Original Pascale's Barbecue Shrimp. This dish is over the top spicy, tangy, messy and finger-licking-good. Sop it all up with some good 'ole New Orlean's French bread and you have yourself one amazing meal.

For the life of me I can't remember what the others ordered that night. Flashbacks of the Stuffed Eggplant, Barbecued shrimp and French bread have left me in such a stupor that I can hardly think of anything else.

The following day I decided to check out Cochon Butcher. I had read all kinds of great things about this little sandwich shop and wanted to see what all the buzz was about. The articles mentioned the lines could be long at lunch so I arrived just at 11:00 and was able to walk right up to the counter. The shop is is small and has the obligatory butcher counter along with a sandwich counter and four high-top tables with chairs. There is also a counter built along one wall where diners can pull-up a chair. All in all I would guess the place could hold 20 diners. By 11:15 there were at least 20 patrons lined up and waiting to place their order. A big shout out to those Yelp subscribers who warned me about the lines!

The menu is small in size but packed with unique and yummy choices. They also offer daily specials that are not a normal part of the menu. I went with the Pork Pelly Sandwich and a side of cucumber salad. The combination of pork, mint, cucumber and alioli was totally unique. To this day when I think of it my mouth will water. I am now an official member of the Cochon Butcher fan club.

Okay, at this point my ear was really starting to bother me but I was determined not to let it ruin my trip. So, I hopped in a cab and headed down to Magazine Street and checked out a few shops. About now the ear was really starting to annoy me so I stood at a bus stop for what seemed like forever in hopes of a quick ride back to the Quarter. Seeing no bus; nor cabs, I decided to take a short walk over to the garden district and take the St Charles Trolley back up. I'm so glad I made this choice as not only did I see some awfully cool houses along the way but I also got to experience the loveliness of St Charles Street. Of course, I've seen it several times but each time is special and full of new sites. As it was the week before Halloween the lawns of the glorious mansions were decked out in their best Halloween wares and were quiet the site to behold.

By the time I stepped off the trolley my ear decided to let me know it meant business. I ducked in to a Walgreen's, bought some decongestant and headed to the hotel. To bed I went for the remainder of the afternoon.

Okay, folks - Thursday night, October 27th - game 6 of the World Series. The group gathers at Storyville in the French Quarter. The crowd is a nice mixture of us (Ranger fans) and them (Cardinal fans). There is fun banter. There is cheering. There are ooh's. There are aah's. There is an unhappy, middle-aged woman with an earache. Unhappily she makes her exit - leaving her husband and friends to cheer on her team to victory. Back at the hotel she watches as her Texas Rangers suffer the greatest loss in their history. Her husband; heartbroken and not to mention ticked-off, joins her back at the hotel. Game 7 lurks in the not so distant future!

Friday morning the Señor and I took a short trip to the world famous Gourmet Butcher Block and stocked up on andouille, stuffed chickens and shrimp dressing. Then we met our dear friend Angie at Sun Ray Grill for wonderful conversation and a little lunch.

We left the lovely Angie with a hug and a kiss and headed back to the city. Along the way we stopped off for additional decongestant and a new box of Posh Puffs. The Señor then promptly deposited me back at the hotel where I heavily medicated myself and napped for several hours. The Señor took one for the team by leaving me to sleep in silence. Yes, it was tough but he hit the streets of the French Quarter - wandering from one establishment to the other, partaking of cocktails and listening to live music. It was quite the sacrifice but he was willing to do it for little 'ole me!

That night we had an early dinner at K-Paul's. A meal at K-Paul's is always special. I love the room with its exposed brick and fun recipe-inspired art. By this point I had admitted to myself that I was truly sick so I wanted something light to eat. I went with the Roasted Pear, Pecan and Bleu Cheese salad and Fried Green Tomatoes. The Señor had the Blackened Louisiana Drum and Spinach salad. We both came away happy. I went straight to bed and The Señor sadly watched our Texas Rangers lose game 7 of the 2011 World Series.

Saturday morning - "going home day" - I'm never a fan of going home day and today was no different as I was scared to death what might happen when I placed my ear drum in a pressurized airplane cabin.

Being true to myself I decided I should have one last amazing meal just in case I should die from a ruptured ear drum. Besides, The Señor had not experienced Cochon Butcher and how could I keep such a glorious culinary find from him? Simply put, I couldn't.

We got there right at 11:00. There were already a couple of folks in line. He ordered the Cubano sandwich and a side of Hot Boudin. I, true to form, had another Pork Belly sandwich and another side of cucumber salad. And it was good.

While there we purchased more andouille and a couple of other items as I recall. And it too was good.

The Señor's impression of Cochon Butcher is the same as mine. It's a perfect little sandwich shop, with the perfect little butcher counter, who offers the perfect little wine list and some perfect sounding cocktails. The only thing that could make it more perfect is if it were ours.

Back at Louis Armstrong International Airport I said a little prayer and loaded up on Benadryl before boarding the plane. Thankfully the flight was uneventful. According to the doctor I was one lucky girl. Of course, I already knew that. I had just spent four fabulous days in the city of New Orleans.

El Camaleon...

2012-01-04T10:20:00.015-06:00

While staying at the Fairmont Mayakoba The Señor and I spent a couple of half-days enjoying the Fairmont's golf course, the El Camaleon. The course was designed by Greg Norman and is home to Mexico's only PGA event. If the idea of attending this year's tournament appeals to you (I know it does me) mark your calendar for February 23rd through 26th. I wish I could say I would see you there but, unfortunately, it won't be happening this year!

The course is spectacular and was designed similar to the Mayakoba in that Norman took full advantage of the indigenous landscape by incorporating the land's limestone canals, jungle, mangroves, cenotes and; of course, beautiful oceanfront.

I should go ahead and admit in the spirit of honesty that I am not a golfer. I would love to be a golfer but I simply am not. If you ever saw me swing a golf a club you would understand why. I am however a golf-cart driver. I enjoy driving the cart. So, The Señor golfs, I drive and we in turn spend quality time together on the golf course.

A word about El Camaleon's golf carts. They are top of the line and equipped with GPS. This feature is extremely handy for the golfer as not only does said golfer receive yardage and hazard information from the system it also records each players score and will email score to said golfer should he wish to receive it. Yes, that is all fabulous if you are a golfer. However, what if you are merely a golf cart driver? Well, maybe not quiet so handy. Along with providing yardage information the GPS system tracks the location of the cart at all times. Should the cart perhaps travel in to an area the course hoo-ha's believe a cart should perhaps not travel then the #*#* cart shuts down and forces the driver to back out of said area. To add insult to injury the cart beeps incessantly much like a garbage truck until it is once again moving in the forward direction. I will just go ahead and tell you, this driver did not find that feature to be the least bit charming.

Here are a few shots of the course. If you're wondering why there aren't more it could possibly have something to do with that incessant beeping and the effect repetitive sound has on my nervous system.

The Clubhouse...

The Senor, preparing to conquer the game...

Not sure what I was shooting here - perhaps the pretty green grass!

He must have been asking for my expert caddying advice!

An empty cenote on the course...

And a second shot...

Oh, and I have got to tell you about this guy! He lives in some rocks on the side of the fairway. Just hangs out in the rocks over there and enjoys the sunshine. You have probably heard said that animals don't use the bathroom where they have to sleep. Well, let's just say that this guy was working on proving the point. Yes, he sauntered over on to that beautiful grass from his sunbathing area and we'll just say "used it" and sauntered back. I guess I have a sick sense of humor because I found this to be quiet amusing!

This shot is from a green that overlooks the ocean. The structure is one of the resort restaurants.

Serious concentration...

If only you could see those lovely water birds I was admiring...

A better shot of the restaurant from the green. Look closely and you can see a sliver of ocean to the left.

That's our very own casita in the background! Well, at least it was while we were guests of the resort!

And again...

Service at El Camaleon was top-notch from the moment we stepped on to the property until their representative delivered us back to the beautiful Mayakoba entrance. The El Camaleon staff were friendly, professional and attentive. I liked the check-in folks, I liked the pro-shop staff, I liked the service cart girls. I even liked the attendant who came and showed me the way when I took that one wrong turn that landed me in what their main hoo-ha's apparently considered to be a "non-cart" area. My favorite staff member of all though was the cart boy who upon my returning the cart handed me my very own ice-cold, cucumber-scented hand towel. After all, all I did was drive the cart!

The Señor Turns 50 Continued...

2012-01-03T09:00:00.052-06:00

Okay, so where were we when last left off? Ahh, yes. The Señor and I were hopping into a Tulum cab and heading to the Fairmont Mayacoba. Well, first of all let me say that the cabs of Tulum have much to be desired. Riding in a Tulum cab is much like riding in a tuna can - and a generic tuna can at that! I was very relieved when after an hour of swerving and swaying we pulled up safely and without incident to the beautiful gated entrance of the Fairmont Mayacoba. The cab driver briefly spoke with the security guard who verified The Señor and the Mrs were scheduled for arrival, the gates opened and we were suddenly driving through roads of lush and perfectly manicured jungle. The driver of our tuna can pulled in to the lobby entrance and I bailed out as if I were arriving at a life boat! We were immediately welcomed by a handsome gentleman who greeted us by name, offered us each a scented, ice cold hand towel and a fruity welcome drink from a silver tray. Oh my, it were as if we had just landed on fantasy island!

The lobby of the resort is breathtakingly beautiful. It is completely open air and is decorated in calming neutral colors and beautiful, exotic floral arrangements. We checked in and immediately settled in to the big comfy chairs for a cocktail. I was so excited when I realized the resort was also fully decked out in her Christmas attire - there were beautiful Christmas trees placed throughout the resort with this being the grandest of them all.

This tree was the view from the lovely verandah where The Señor and I enjoyed refreshing beverages such as Mojitos, the occasional Corona and even a champagne cocktail. Very chi-chi indeed!

We stayed in a Deluxe Casita. It was situated right on one of the relaxing lagoons that run through the property. We were able to sit on the patio and enjoy the beautiful fish and birds who live in the wildlife paradise that is the property.

Here are a few shots of the room. You will notice that the bathroom comes first because 1) I adore a good bathroom and 2) I loved this particular bathroom!

Notice the glass wall and the window behind the tub and shower? They look out to an absolutely fabulous enclosed atrium area. Garden lights are strategically placed in the atrium and make it an absolutely wonderful addition to the room. I don't think I let a day go by that I didn't take advantage of a soak in that tub. We also slept with the atrium lights on which gave the feeling of being outside all night long.

Here is the view to our room from the yummy bathroom! I wish I had taken pictures of the closet area. There was a hallway between in the bedroom and bathroom with large closets on each side. Yes, his and hers closets come in handy when vacationing. Ha!!!!!!

The room also had a lovely desk area in case you might need to do a little work (not!) or possibly have a Words With Friends addiction!

The patio was fabulous and looked right out to one of the golf greens. The fish swam right up to the water's edge when you stood at the rail. Apparently they were accustomed to being fed even though the resort does ask that you not feed them in order to maintain the eco-systems of the resort.

Speaking of eco-systems - there are actually five within the property - mangroves, tropical forest, lagoons, water canals and coastal dunes. The resort offers tours of the property on water taxis such as this one.

The tour takes about an hour and is a great way to see the entire property and a few of its residents (take a look!)...

Yes, not only is the resort home to beautiful water birds, fish and turtles - it is also home to the crocodile. And he, along with all the other wildlife who reside on the property live in a protected area. No alligator shoes in the future of those guys!

One thing I haven't mentioned is that the resort is huge! So huge in fact that they offer transportation via golf cart shuttles 24 hours a day. This is one of the cute little huts designated as a drop off/pick up station on the property. Of course, being Christmas, each hut had its very own Christmas tree!

Another lovely addition to the lobby bar is that all food and beverages are delivered on, you guessed it, their own silver tray! Yes, this was a first for The Señor and I and we found it quiet comical knowing where we came from and all!

The property has several pools but we didn't really spend much time at them as the weather wasn't really conducive to pool time and we spent two days on the property golf course, The El Camaleon. The El Camaleon is gorgeous and I will share some pictures of it with you the next time we get together.

These pool pictures don't do the main pool area justice as it is actually huge. There are several pool areas linked together with small water-ways. There are also lots of lounge chair areas. Some are under private pergola areas and some are out in the open. Fabulous pool area really!

The resort is home to several restaurants. The La Laguna Grill and Bar offers a wonderful breakfast buffet each morning; as well as, lunch and dinner.

We had dinner one night at Las Brisas (the properties AAA Four Diamond Restaurant) and one night at El Puerto Restaurant (their steak and seafood restaurant). We enjoyed both meals although we agreed they didn't fall in to the Hartwood or Posada Margherita categories of "something to write home about"!

Of course, we had to go in to Playa del Carmen one afternoon and visit our old "home away from home"! For this journey we requested a cab from the lovely folks at the Fairmont and from that request we found a true treasure - Alberto. Alberto might just be the greatest cab driver ever. No joke! Not only is his cab a brand-new SUV but he speaks very good English and is Johnny-on-the-spot when you call him for transportation! He dropped us off in Playa and we asked him if we could call him directly for pick up when we were ready to return to the resort. He said of course and asked how long we thought it would be because he was on his way to the gym to work out and wanted to make sure he would be available when we called. Okay, I found that funny! When we called several hours later to arrange pick-up he answered the phone by greeting The Señor by name. I found that funny too! Anyway, our rides with Alberto were calm, comfortable, clean and did not include one scary tuna-can moment. As it turns out Alberto is now our official Playa del Carmen cab driver. He delivered us safely to the airport on going-home day, we have his card and plan to contact him in the future for all our Playa del Carmen cab needs.

Here's a couple of obligatory Playa pics just to prove we were there. For those of you familiar with Playa, yes that is the Carboncita's chips and salsa platter and it was just a yummy as ever.

Stay tuned dear readers...tomorrow we golf!

The Señor Turns 50...

2012-01-02T11:24:00.013-06:00

The Señor turned 50 in early December so he and I hopped on a plane and took off in search of a few days of Caribbean paradise.
We found it in beautiful Tulum Mexico.

As you can see Tulum is a beach lovers dream with its smooth, pure white sand and dreamy palm trees.
We spent three nights at a cool little spot called Cabanas Tulum. Our room was on the second floor right on the beach. As you can see from the pictures the room was cool and the balcony was even cooler!

They have a fun little restaurant and beach club called El Bistro at Ziggy Beach. The restaurant has some great offerings and the Tuna Nachos are something I dream of! They even offer a class (on the beach I might add) on how to make a Coco-Loco and two types of ceviche. A mid-day snack of Coco-Loco and ceviche is always a welcome idea in my book.
Tulum has some amazing culinary offerings. The two we chose for this trip were Hartwood and Posada Margherita. Both are locally owned and what The Señor and I term "something to write home about"!

Hartwood is the creation of a Eric Werner and Mya Henry. You can check out their story in Bon Appetit magazine. The skinny of the story is this - NYC chef and his girlfriend vacation in Tulum. They, like most visitors to Tulum, decide they should live there. They, unlike most, go home, develop a business plan and six months later are official citizens of Tulum. Shortly thereafter they purchase a plot of land in the jungle, build an incredible outdoor kitchen and open one of the most magical restaurants I have had the pleasure of experiencing. When in Tulum, visit Harwood!

Posada Margherita is actually an Italian owned beach resort who just happens to boast an incredible Italian restaurant. Their pasta and bread are hand made daily and are, quiet frankly, off the charts good. Tulum is home to a large Italian population and Italian was being spoken by most of the patrons at the surrounding tables on the night we were there. The Señor says a dinner at Posada Margherita is worth the plane fare back and I agree.

We spent three lovely, laid-back days in Tulum. We read, we slept, we ate, we drank. It was truly a beach lovers paradise. The fourth day we hopped in a cab and headed north to the Fairmont Mayakoba to what turned out to be some super upscale pampering. Do tell you say. Of course, I will! Stay tuned!

Reflecting on 2011 and looking to 2012...

2011-12-31T12:28:00.004-06:00

Well, here we are folks. It's the morning of New Years Eve 2011. Another year passed. The year 2012 is less than twelve hours from making its grand entry.

It was a year filled with joys, sorrows and celebrations. There was work time, travel time, home time and family time. There were some good times and a few not-so-good times.

There was life. And, it was all good.

As I write these words I reflect back on a post I made on a similar New Years Eve morning a couple of years ago. I feel the same today as I did then - Full Of Possibility. And blessed beyond measure.

This year; however, I am going to deviate a bit from my "no resolution" lifestyle and make what I choose to call a few "deals" with myself.

No, I will not call them resolutions.

I have never known of a resolution that was kept and; therefore, refuse to term these "deals" as such. Tomato/Tomato - Potato/Potato!

So here goes.

In the year 2012 I will attempt to...

1) Live a healthier lifestyle - a lifestyle that includes more exercise and fewer plates of fat-laden food.

2) Spend more time doing for others and less time doing for myself.

3) Remember that I don't have a soul - I am a soul. Nourish my soul through prayer, meditation, reading and writing.

4) Not neglect "toes" for weeks/months at a time (see 3)!

There you have it. In writing. My "deal" list for 2012.

Now, here's my "will do" list for 2012:

I will:

Live, Laugh and Love. A LOT.

I will cherish The Señor, my family and the life God has given me each and every day.

I wish the same for each of you.

Happy New Year and may God bless you and yours.

Reasons I love fall (Number 3)

2011-10-19T20:34:00.003-05:00

Comfort food.

Tonight I made one of my all time favorite comfort foods - Chicken and Dumplings.

This recipe is quick and extremely easy (I use frozen dumplings) and oh-so-yummy.

Chicken and Dumplings

Step 1 - Poach Chicken

Ingredients:

chicken, 5-6 lbs with skin and bones (I used 4 breasts and 8 thighs)

2 teaspoons salt

2 carrots, each cup in 3 or 4 pieces

1 onion, quartered

4 springs parsley

2 stalks celery, quartered

water to cover

Place chicken into a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and add all other ingredients. Cover pot and simmer for 45 - 50 minutes or until done. Let chicken cool in broth. Remove chicken from pot, discard skin and remove meat from bones. Shred or cut meat into desired size pieces and store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Strain broth and store for another use (broth may be frozen for up to 1 month).

Step 2 - Prepare dumplings

Fill pot with 90 ounces of store-bought chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Add 2 packages of frozen dumplings (I prefer Reames Homestyle Flat Dumplings or Mary B's Open Kettle Dumplings) and cook; following package directions, until done.

When dumplings are cooked to desired consistency slowly stir in one can of Campbell's condensed Cream of Chicken Soup to dumpling/stock mixture until dissolved completely.

Add chicken to dumpling mixture and simmer slowly until desired consistency (25-30 minutes).

Reasons I love fall (Number 2)

2011-10-14T13:02:00.006-05:00

Mums.

Seriously, need I say more?

Reasons I love the fall (Number 1)...

2011-10-06T17:52:00.014-05:00

As has been well documented here, here and here I adore the fall.

I honestly can't understand how anyone could not.

After all, what is there not to love?

I suppose I should mention that I live in Texas. Anyone who has survived a Texas summer knows that we Texans welcome the arrival of cooler weather with great adoration.

As the change in temperature occurs and the earth begins to cool down it is as if Mother Nature breaths a great sigh of relief, relaxes and reveals her true colors.

And what spectacular colors they are. Deeply intense colors of golds, amethysts, reds and orange.

Just imagine it.

Can you see the colors in your mind?

Can you feel the freshness in the air?

Can you imagine it?

Just for a minute, close your eyes.

Imagine you're walking down a country road on a crisp fall day.

Each side of the road is lined with towering trees.

Each tree adorns its most glorious fall wares.

Now, take a deep breath.

In through your nose and out through your mouth.

And another.

And should you choose, take another.

Think about those breathes.

How did they feel?

Were they cleansing?

Did they invigorate you?

Did they add a little perk to your step?

I'd be surprised if they didn't.

Those breathes, they are just one of the things I love about fall.

I love the fall colors and the fall air and the way they cleanse my soul.

The Real Difference...

2011-09-15T12:15:00.003-05:00

Source: secondhandwithstyle.blogspot.com via Maryann on Pinterest

"The real differences around the world today are not between Jews and Arabs; Protestants and Catholics; Muslims, Croats and Serbs. The real differences are between those who embrace peace and those who would destroy it; between those who look to the future and those who cling to the past; between those who open their arms and those who are determined to clench their fists." PARSIMONIA

Beautiful words...

A Green Chile By Any Other Name Just Isn't A Hatch...

2011-08-28T11:05:00.011-05:00

We in the South love green chile peppers, especially Hatch Green Chile peppers. And to quote one of the lovely "Foodies" from foodie heaven (aka Central Market), "we will put a Hatch green chile in anything". And that they will.

Central Market is currently offering products such as (just to name a few) Hatch Green Chile corn bread, Hatch Green Chile hamburger patties, Hatch Green Chile tortilla chips, Hatch Green Chile sourdough bread, Hatch Green Chile popcorn and Hatch Green Chile gelato. Yes, you read right, Hatch Green Chile gelato. And I'll just tell you, don't knock until you try it!

A little history on Hatch. Hatch chiles come from the small village of Hatch, New Mexico. The BBC World News claims Hatch is the home of "the world's best chile pepper". If that isn't enough Hatch is also known as the chile capital of the world and is home to the annual Hatch Chile Festival which is held every Labor Day. With an average population of approximately 1700 people the festival has been known to bring as many of 30,000 visitors to the village for this event.

Coinciding with the Hatch festival is Central Market's Annual Hatch Chile Fest. This is their 16th annual and as our visit yesterday proved, it is in full swing.

Lined along the outside of the front of the store were three or four huge chile roasters and hundreds of boxes of chiles ready to be blistered in the flaming-hot barrels. It was 105 degrees in our neighborhood yesterday which seemed quiet cool compared to the roasting area. How those poor folks doing the roasting were able to bear the temperatures in front of the roasters is beyond me.

Central Market's roasting area...

Check out this super cool old truck they used as a part of their promo....

For those of you who are interested in roasting your own chiles you can simply roast them under the broiler. However, if you wish to become a die-hard-chile-roaster you will need one of these (no, not the man - the roaster!)...

Or you can buy them already roasted by the nice folks at Central Market which is exactly what we did.

Our purchase complete we brought our chiles home and the Senor quickly commenced to cooking.

On the menu, Chile Rellenos with Ranchero Sauce, Pork Chile Verde, flour tortillas and guacamole. There were two variations of the Rellenos, stuffed with chorizo or stuffed with Colby-Jack cheese. I must say, he out did himself on all accounts.

Here's a shot of the Chile Relleno with Ranchero Sauce for your viewing pleasure...

And the Chile Verde...

Let me tell you something, that man can cook!

The Relleno crust was light, fluffy and golden brown. The peppers perfectly roasted and the cheese hot and gooey. I prefer a cheese Relleno to a chorizo but our guests loved the chorizo. It's all a matter of preference! I consider myself a Ranchero Sauce aficionado and for the Senor's first effort it was very, very good.

The Chile Verde was pure perfection! Yes, I realize by saying this he may become near impossible to live with! He said he tweaked a couple of things in his recipe and it was pure, creamy, spicy goodness. The - Perfect - Comfort - Food.

So this my friends is my very own homage to the Hatch Green Chile.

If you're fortunate enough to live near a Central Market head on over and sample all the goodness they have to offer. Or, perhaps your local market is having a Hatch Green Chile festival of their own. Check it out! And let's not forget that Labor Day is just around the corner. Have you ever been to Hatch New Mexico? You might want to check it out!

Bottom line is this. If you've never had the pleasure of tasting a Hatch Green Chile I suggest you add it to your bucket list.

It Doesn't Have Me...

2011-08-25T19:05:00.003-05:00

I am one of the approximately 400,000 people in the United States and 2.5 million people world-wide who have been diagnosed by a doctor to have Multiple Sclerosis.

This elite club is not one I ever wished to join but, like it or not, I am now a lifetime member.

I must say that I am one of the club's most fortunate. I live in the United States and therefore have access to fabulous health care. I have a top-notch Neurologist who actually hears what I say. I am able to have an MRI when there are questions about the progress of my disease. I have access to a disease modifying drug that works for me and the most fabulous husband a girl could ever wish for who injects that medication in to my leg every week whether I'm overjoyed by the idea or not.

My MS has been quite for the past three years. Oh sure, on occasion it reminds me that its there with its buzzing and tingling and numbness and burning-pain but I have experienced no blurred or double vision, no blindness, no paralysis or spasticity, no loss of memory or speech issues. If there is such a thing as a blessed MS patient then I'm your girl.

For a few weeks now I have experienced some symptoms that made the doctor question the progress of my illness. He ordered MRI's and within five days I was lying in the tube. (Without getting on my political soap box I will tell you that this would not be an option if I lived in a country where there is socialized medicine.)

As the time for the MRI approached I tried to prepare myself for the results. After all, the likelihood of no new lesions over a three year period seemed pretty remote. I admit that even with my little internal pep talks I was still quiet apprehensive to get the results.

But guess what?

To quote one of my favorite sayings,

"I Have MS - It Doesn't Have Me".

The MRI's show no new lesions on either my brain or my spine and the existing lesions are much improved since the last MRI's.

Thank you Lord! Thank you Avonex! Thank you Senor!

We are fighting the good fight - and we are winning!

One Of Life's Most Perplexing Questions...

2011-08-24T18:19:00.009-05:00

While channeling one of my most favorite heroines...

"I couldn't help but wonder"

Do people hate class reunions?

Thanks Carrie Bradshaw, you're always good for a chuckle!

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

2011-08-22T16:30:00.001-05:00

It's About That Time...

2011-08-17T11:28:00.003-05:00

"As the summer of '11 comes to an end, our plans for Dove Days are about to begin..."

I actually wrote those words 21 years ago, albeit the line went , "as the summer of '90 comes to an end, our plans for Dove Days are about to begin"...

I am amazed at the speed of life. It's definitely true, the older you get the faster time flies by. We are currently preparing for the 27th Annual Duncan Dove Days. Twenty-seven years...wow, what a ride!

A few years back I wrote this tribute to our Dove Days "founders" and the effect they have had on my life. On this, the occasion of the 27th Dove Days, I find it appropriate to share again.

Our Lovely Girl...

2011-07-24T15:51:00.006-05:00

Happy 14th Birthday McKae!

You have brought more joy and pleasure to my life than I could have ever imagined.

You are simply lovely - both inside and out.

Stand strong in who you are and never forget to dance...Mim

Ladies and Gentlemen...

2011-07-24T15:08:00.022-05:00

I am pleased to introduce our son Bryan and his lovely bride Micah...

And a few members of their entourage...

An Introduction To NYC...

2011-04-18T19:31:00.003-05:00

Did you happen to see the Disney movie Tangled?

There is a precious scene where Rapunzel, relishing her newfound freedom, swings by her hair around a tree and happily declares...

"THIS - IS - THE - BEST - DAY - EVER!"

Her heart danced with joy.

During our recent trip to New York City I felt as if I were Rapunzel!

My heart danced with joy.

There I was - with the Senor - in the most amazing city in the world.

I just wanted to fly through the air and sing...

"THIS - IS - THE - BEST - TRIP - EVER!"

New York City is a place like none other - a fact that anyone who has been there knows.

For anyone who hasn't been there it is simply impossible to comprehend.

The sound of car horns, sirens and traffic never stop...

even in the wee hours of the night...

and oddly, the combination of those sounds morph in to a music all their own...

and form a song...

so pleasant...

that this girl found the need to sleep with the window open all night long...

not wanting to miss out...

on a single note to the song.

Godspeed my dear friend...

2011-04-06T09:51:00.006-05:00

May you dance with the angels...

Linda Leigh Hobbs

1964 - 2011

Welcome Spring...

2011-03-23T22:15:00.004-05:00

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. ~Nadine Stair

Como Como

2011-03-06T12:38:00.005-06:00

Not sure how I managed but I somehow failed to document our dinner at Como Como.

Como Como came highly suggested to us by several people - not to mention is raved about on playainfo.com. We attempted to have dinner there the evening of day 2 but were turned away for lack of a reservation. Having secured a reservation for the next night we set off down the street to La Bodeguita del Medio - a great second choice.

We arrived at Como Como Saturday evening at 8:00 and were seated immediately.

We ordered a nice bottle of Pino Grigio and the tuna tartare to start. The tartare was truly one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. It in and of itself is reason enough for a return visit.

As a main course the Senor ordered the seafood spaghetti, BIL the roasted chicken and I the ravioli with ricotta and spinach.

We snacked on the tartare, visited about our afternoon at Akumal and Xpu-Ha and had a glass of wine...

we snacked some more, visited some more and had another glass of wine...

the tartare gone we had another glass of wine and visited a little more...

the nice folks next to us (who not only arrived after us but waited a bit to order) received their entrees...

we ordered another bottle of white, had another glass of wine and, well, you get the picture.

Finally, concerned that we might finish the second bottle of wine without ever seeing our meal we decided we should probably inquire about our order.

Upon inquiry our entrees were immediately delivered by three very frazzled looking young men. One of them apologized saying the chef was very busy although that seemed hard to believe as two tables had emptied and waiting for the next reservations to arrive.

Famished and slightly intoxicated we devoured our food and, let me tell you this, it was oh so good! The ricotta in the ravioli was so light and fresh and the pasta was honestly like none I have had before. BIL raved about his chicken and the Senor enjoyed his seafood spaghetti with beautiful muscles, clams and shrimp very much.

Perhaps they were having an off night but from what I saw the service at Como Como leaves much to be desired. With that said, the food is spot-on so perhaps folks will be willing to overlook lack of service for to-die-for tuna tartare and scrumptious ravioli. I know I'll go back.

Going home day...

2011-03-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Oh sadness - day 5 - otherwise known as going home day. We got up and started trying to gather some of our things but decided pretty quick that breakfast had to come first (of course!).

We walked down the beach to our old breakfast stand-by, Playa Maya, for some chilaquiles rojos. Well, I had the chilaquiles rojos - The Senor and BIL had bacon and eggs or pancakes or something - I was much too focused on my chilaquiles rojos to worry with what they were eating. Breakfast at Playa Maya is always good. It's simple, the service is good and there are always some interesting characters hanging around regaling folks with stories of the night before.

After breakfast we walked back to the condo and went about the business of packing our bags. Even though it would be several hours before the van would be there to pick us up there were new guests arriving that day so we needed to vacate the condo by 11:30. We decided to take this opportunity and spend a few hours at Cannibal Royal. The BIL had never been there and The Senor and I love its funky vibe so we grabbed a taxi and off we went.

Cannibal Royal was as funky as we remembered it (although their furniture has become VERY weathered) so we settled in and enjoyed the ambiance for a couple of hours. While there The Senor and I discovered a new smoothie that is out of this world. From what we could gather is consists of guava puree, mint and lemon (which I feel sure means lime) juice. Very refreshing! We decided to try to duplicate it at home so I searched our local specialty food store for guava puree but struck out. We went ahead and tried it using guava juice, lime juice and mint and although it wasn't exact it was pretty dang tasty. I love it when things work out that way!

We decided we should have a little snack before heading to the aeroporto so we ordered their yummy sashimi tuna flatbread and papas fritas (I swear the reason they are so good in Mexico is because they are fried in lard!). I had been craving the flatbread since our visit LAST February and it was just as good as I remembered it to be. The flatbread is crunchy and super thin, the tuna fresh out of the sea; it is sprinkled with purple onion with a chipotle aioli sauce drizzled over the top - oh my, a tuna lovers dream!

Our pick up time was drawing near so we headed back to home base to pick up our bags and meet up with our driver. As always I said goodbye to Playa with a heavy heart but happy knowing I would be back again (I just took a peak at my vacation counter and we only have a mere 125 days to go!).

We got to the airport and breezed through check in because - woo-hoo - WE GOT OUR UPGRADES! I failed to mention in my day 1 trip report that not only did we get our upgrades on the way down but we flew a 767 so we were in high cotton with the 767 seat/beds and all. Loved it! The plane on our return flight was a 757 so no fancy seats but we still got our upgrades both ways - yea us!! Entry in to the good 'ole USA was quick and painless and we were back home and on our sofa by 9:00 PM.

Whew, what a trip!

Shock...

2011-03-03T23:29:00.000-06:00

Day 4 - We wake up Sunday morning to the realization that we only have two more breakfasts until we have to get on a plane and head back to Texas. Oh my, decisions - decisions! I was really wanting to try Nativo but we hadn't made it to La Queva del Chango yet this trip - we discussed it and the monkey cave won out.

La Queva del Chango is booming on Sunday mornings, packed with both locals and tourists alike. There was a 20-30 minute wait and I visited with the most delightful 5 year old during our wait. Turns out she lived in New York City and was in Playa trying to escape the cold. Yes, she and everyone else from the good 'ole US of A!

Without going in to too much detail about what happened next I will just say this - about half way through breakfast our trip took a real sharp turn from laid back fun in the sun to dead-stop serious. From this experience we learned the following:

when in tropical climates one should drink a lot of Gatorade to ward off possible dehydration - water does not have the same effect as it does not contain electrolytes and escapes the body quickly

the wait staff and manager of La Queva del Chango are some of the kindest people I have ever met

orange juice with lots of sugar added can help to bring a person out of shock

pure honey can also assist in this effort

very low blood pressure is a symptom of shock

Dr Carlos of Xcaret not only wears great shoes but is a really good doctor

Needless to say with what little you now know about our breakfast at La Queva del Chango we spent the remainder of our day back at the condo napping and if there was any drinking going on it involved shots of Gatorade.

That evening we took a stroll up to Don Mario's for dinner. BIL had the Fettucini Alfredo, The Senor a pizza and I the Caprese Salad. I had recently read some not so flattering things about the food and service at Don Mario's and was very relieved to find that our meal was, as always, fabulous.

Following dinner we headed back to the condo where we sat on the patio and listened to the sound of the surf. As I sat there I said a little prayer and thanked God for the beauty of Playa, for the kindness of its people and for my family whom I love.

to be continued...

Just another day in paradise...

2011-03-03T11:56:00.012-06:00

Day Three...

We started off the day with a hearty breakfast at El Bistro at La Tortuga. I have read rave reviews of El Bistro - especially of their Eggs Benedict - and let me just say, we were not disappointed!

The Eggs Benedict were dreamy (in fact I would LOVE to have an order right now) as were the coffee and orange juice. Brother In Law (going forward to be known as BIL) says the guacamole was the best he has ever had. The sad thing about that is that up until then MY guacamole was known as the best he ever had! Oh well, El Bistro is definitely not a bad place to be beaten out by!

It turns out breakfast at El Bistro was just what the doctor ordered for a little self-inflicted case of the "virus"! Chris and I must use the same doctor because we ran in to she and Josh while we were there and she said she had a little case of the "virus" too!

With breakfast behind us we were off to meet Jerry; our taxi driver for the day. Jerry picked us up at 11:00 AM sharp and we headed south for some relaxing time on the beach in Akumal.

The Senor and brother in law found themselves a couple of stools at Lol-Ha and I found myself a perfect spot for a siesta (is that a view or what?!).

After a few cerveza's for the boys and a nice siesta for me we located Jerry (who had parked himself under a nice tree as well and was enjoying his own siesta!) and headed for my happy place - Xpu-Ha. My motto, a day at Xpu-Ha is a day in paradise.

We settled in at The Beach Club at La Playa and had some lunch - yummy!

My darlin' BIL had the shrimp brochette and The Senor had the fried fish. I personally do not care to eat anything that has fins and is staring back up at me from the plate but he swears by it and orders it every time we're there!

I didn't get a shot of my food as I my favorite thing to eat at La Playa are the papas fritas and guacamole and I had scarfed them down before I thought about the pictures so you'll just have to take my word for it that they were, in fact, yummy.

The Beach Club at La Playa has live music these days so we hung out, listened to some music and basically spent a few hours in this beach lover's paradise.

to be continued...

Day 2 - a wedding planner, a beach and a little Havana dreaming...

2011-03-02T00:01:00.003-06:00

Our second day in Playa we slept a little late, enjoyed the view from our patio and set out about 10:30 to meet with what turned out to be one delightful lady!

Our son and his fiance are planning a July wedding in Playa and asked that we meet with Maria of weddingsinplaya.com. Our assignment was to check out Maria, the proposed wedding venue and sample the venue's culinary offerings.

We met Maria at Fusion for a quick smoothie and then rode with her to The Beach Club at Grand Coral.

Before I tell you about the beach club I must say this, riding with a local in Playa is an adventure. Maybe even more so than riding in a taxi. Also, it should be mentioned that Maria is Italian. And, to quote Maria (imagine hand gestures moving dramatically through the air!), "the Italian in me comes out when I drive".

With this said, Maria took a "shortcut" to avoid the highway construction. The "shortcut" gave us the opportunity to see several Playa sites we had never seen before including a gentleman carrying two chickens by their feet. The chickens had apparently just met their demise and were off to what was surely a large pot of boiling water.

On our return trip I would bet my bottom peso we actually collided with another car. The other driver and Maria exchanged words through sign language without ever slowing down.

Just when I wasn't sure what might happen next our delightful Italian lady gestures to him as only she could and says, "oh, **** off"!

The Senor, brother-in-law and I sat in silence willing ourselves not to laugh. All I could think was, well, all righty then!

Back to the mission at hand...

We found The Beach Club at Grand Coral to be the perfect venue for the upcoming nuptials.

Our report back went something like this:

Maria is (I'll say it again!) delightful!

The venue is spectacular!

The food was muy excelente!

Let the festivities begin!

We spent that afternoon at the beach basking in the beautiful sun, sand and atmosphere that is Playa (oh - and I had a massage!).

The beach was crowded and I enjoyed listening to the various accents from around the world. Dutch, French, German, Spanish, English and some we didn't recognize.

To quote the song, it was a "lovely day...lovely day...lovely day...lovely day"!

We had dinner that evening on the north end at a very cool Cuban restaurant, La Bodequita Del Medio.

The food, the service, the atmosphere and the band were all top notch. La Bodequita Del Medio is now on my "highly suggested" list.

Like most of our nights in Playa we ended up at Fusion...

watching the moon...

and the stars...

listening to the waves...

and trying to solve the worlds problems...

Crawl...

2011-03-01T08:12:00.001-06:00

The Senor, brother-in-law and I took off for a long weekend in Playa.

Note to all, February in Playa is fabulous!

We decided this trip would be all about trying new places and with the exception of a couple of old standbys we kept to our word.

Day One...

a little beach time...

a little Carboncita's...

and...

a "bar crawl" with a bunch of "peeps" from Playa Info...

The "peeps" were from various parts of the US and Canada and a really fun group of "peeps"!

Chris, our leader, is darling. The rules were simple, Chris had a list of 11 places to visit. We would spend 15 - 20 minutes (or one drink) at each stop. When it was time to go Chris would blow her handy-dandy whistle and the group would then follow her like a flock of ducks to our next designation. Simple enough!

We started out at Luna Blue.

Luna Blue is owned by a couple of ex-pats from San Francisco who sold everything and moved to Playa to follow their dream. They run a funky little motel and bar in Playa that people rave about. The Senor and I stayed there once and, quiet frankly, weren't all that impressed. With that said, they have added the bar (with swings) since our stay and I will admit it turned out pretty cool. Tony, one of the owners, stopped by the bar and was very friendly. Perhaps the Senor and I are willing to give them another chance!

Next we went to a new place called Reina Roja Hotel and Bar or as some call it "the red bar". All I can say about this place is it is "different"!

I'm glad we went so I can say I saw it but I doubt I would go again! Someone spent a tremendous amount of money on the decor (which is the weird part!) and the place is huge. It has a very cool roof-top pool that wouldn't be a bad place to spend a few hours. We didn't see the rooms but I understand they are very different but in a cool way. The place is definitely aiming for a younger and more "progressive" group than the three of us!

After leaving the Reina Roja we headed over to Kitxen on 5th Avenue. We have walked by this place many times but never stopped in. So glad we did. The bartender was super friendly and band was great. We will definitely drop back in the next time we're in Playa.

From Kitxen we headed around the corner and down to 1st street to Martini Bar. The Senor and I have been there before and this place is TINY but very popular with the ex-pats. It adjoins a really cool hotel with an outside lobby and a bunch of us planted ourselves on their sofas (that is until they told us we had to leave!) and never even attempted to get inside Martini Bar. Before long the whistle blew and we were once again on our way.

Next stop Basico on 5th Avenue. This is a rooftop bar that overlooks the pedestrian walk-way so is a great place to watch the world go by from up above. Our group were the only ones there when we arrived and we enjoyed checking out the cool layout, people watching and taking advantage of a few photo ops.

From Basico we headed to my favorite spot in town - Fusion.

Fusion is on the beach, is very bohemian, has great music, is right next door to our home base and just all-in-all a great place to hang out. It is also where the "bar crawl" ended for the Senor, brother-in-law and I. It was midnight by then and, let's face it, we're not really what one would call "bar hoppers". We did have fun though and it was good for the three of us to "crawl" out of our comfort zone!

to be continued...

You can take the girl out of the country...

2011-02-01T11:53:00.008-06:00

I am told there are people who believe all Texans ride a horse, live on a ranch, own a herd of cattle and a flock of chickens. Of course, that's not really true but if those folks had spent a recent Saturday with the my brother, the Senor and me a few weeks ago they might could have never be been convinced otherwise.

We spent a recent Saturday afternoon at The 115th Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

Their catch-phrase this year was "This Thing Is Legendary" and let me tell you folks - they're right!

Let me start off by saying that I absolutely LOVE a stock show. It takes me back to my teenage years. You see, some 35 years ago my brother and I began participating in stock shows. We were raised around livestock; our Father is a rancher and we were both members of the Future Farmers America (FFA). We raised and cared for livestock throughout our high school years. My brother carried it even further and continues to raise cattle to this day.

Luckily for me two of my favorite young men were showing lambs on that particular Saturday so I loaded up my brother and the Senor (at 7:00 AM no less!) and to the stock show grounds went!

Even though it has been 30 years since I was last a participant in the Fort Worth Stock Show it felt like yesterday as we walked through the barn doors. I realize this will sound crazy to most but even the smell brought a feeling of nostalgia over me. It's an odd mixture of hay, cotton candy, funnel cake and corn dog with the not-so-subtle hint of manure!

The first barn we walked through was a cattle barn. What beautiful creatures show cattle are. Not to mention pampered - show cattle are very pampered! Their owner provides them with something similar to a spa treatment before every show. They receive a bath, a cut, blow-dry and style. Not a hair is left uncombed. As their crowning glory the bottom of their tail is finished off into a perfectly coiffed ball!

Next we went to the lamb barn. The show was underway and there were kiddos and parents everywhere grooming their lambs. The lambs receive a similar spa-type treatment to the cattle as they are prepared for their time before the judge.

As you can imagine this requires a lot of time, work and money on the owners part. The interesting thing is that these owners are anywhere from 8 (or under) to 18. Stock shows are a family affair. Parents and FFA teachers alike work side by side with the kids to feed, groom and care for their animals.

Responsibility for an animal is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week job and the lessons learned from the experience are ones that are carried for a lifetime. As my Daddy once said to me, "those hogs don't care that its Christmas day - they want to be fed"!

The FFA teachers I have been fortunate enough to be associated with are selfless individuals who have dedicated their lives to teaching young people to become responsible adults. They sacrifice their time, not to mention commit to careers that are often not too lucrative, to provide these kids with skills that will help them throughout their lives.

We had a ball during our visit to the stock show. We saw livestock (including the biggest dang rooster this girl has ever seen!), checked out the exhibits, watched the kiddos show and visited with dear friends (including one of our old FFA teachers who had a huge impact the lives of my brother and me).

They say you can take the girl from the country but you can't take the country out of the girl and I guess they are right because a day at the stock show was just the right medicine for this girl-from-the-country.

Have You Seen This Child?

2011-01-27T18:40:00.002-06:00

Heart Strings...

2011-01-23T21:04:00.002-06:00

A Letter To My Grandmother On The Occasion Of Her 90th Birthday...

Happy, happy birthday to my Grandmoma, my Granny Hot-Rod, my Grommie and my friend. Throughout my life you have been a constant source of support and an inspiration. I was your first Grandchild - and a girl for you to love after raising all those boys! Our heart strings were immediately tied to one another.

My life has been filled with fabulous Grandmoma times - trips to Seven Seas, Lion Country Safari and Six Flags. Waking up all snug and happy at your house on summer mornings to a special breakfast of fried eggs, sausage patties and your fabulous “homemade chocolate milk”. And oh how I loved sharing “eskimo kisses” with you! Those lazy summer days we spent in Granbury with Ma Maw and Pa Paw playing on the lake, swimming and fishing. Being a kid with you was fun!

Then I became a teen-ager and even though I was a silly young-girl you always listened to me and treated me as if whatever drama was going on in my life at the time was important.

I am so thankful for the time time we spent together in Haltom City after Jim’s accident. As difficult as that time was it gave us the opportunity to to share our hearts with one another in a way we never had before. I can remember sitting in the living room sharing stories of joy and heartbreak and getting to know you through the eyes of a adult rather those of a child. That experience brought us even closer and made even stronger ties in our heart strings.

And, of course, let’s not forget a few years later when you took, not only me, but my shaggy dog in to your home. You not only fed and cared for both of us but loved us when we were often very difficult to love. During that time I experienced a broken heart and you supported me, shared my tears and helped me heal.

The years since then have passed so quickly. As a family we have celebrated new lives and been forced to say goodbye as other lives have ended. We have experienced incredible joy and unthinkable sorrow along the way and through it all our heart strings remain firmly bound to one another. For this I say thank you. Thank you for loving me and for allowing me to share this special bond with you. The influence your love has had on my life lives firmly inside my heart - as does my love for you.

Merry Christmas To All...

2010-12-22T11:01:00.002-06:00

To Satisfy A Craving...

2010-12-13T22:41:00.004-06:00

Last week I got to craving Chicken and Rice soup - and not just any Chicken and Rice soup but THE VERY BEST Chicken and Rice soup I have ever eaten (do I sound like I'm auditioning for Food Network's "The Best Thing I've Ever Eaten" or what?!).

Well, unfortunately, THE VERY BEST Chicken and Rice soup I've ever eaten is prepared in a small restaurant south of the border and I won't have the culinary pleasure of crossing its threshold for a while.

So, what's a girl to do? Go recipe hunting of course! And folks, I've got to tell you, this stuff is pretty dang close to perfect. Absolute comfort food with zing!

Spicy Chicken Rice Soup

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2/ teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice and vegetables are tender.

**If you really like spice I recommend you stir in a small amount of finely chopped Habanero pepper (this pepper is VERY hot so use sparingly) and top with shredded Jack cheese.

Pure Joy...

2010-11-22T21:45:00.000-06:00

Sharing Some Blues...

2010-11-01T23:38:00.001-05:00

The Most Precious Little Pirate...

2010-11-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

If The Broom Fits, Ride It!

2010-10-31T11:05:00.012-05:00

Happy Jacks and Sad Jacks

2010-10-30T21:15:00.008-05:00

The "Season of the Pumpkin" is upon us!

Today I am proud to share photos of one of my most treasured possessions with you. This beautiful "Happy Jacks and Sad Jacks" quilt was crafted by our dear aunt, Beth Perdue.

Aunt Beth was a very talented quilter and seamstress; not to mention one of the finest ladies one could have ever had the pleasure to know. We treasure her memory and her handiwork as we welcome fall and the "Season of the Pumpkin".

Cathedral-Basilica of St Louis King of France New Orleans

2010-10-27T17:37:00.020-05:00

Sitting in a pew in the St Louis Cathedral, surrounded by beautiful stained glass, ornate murals and angelic music filling the air I am always overtaken by a feeling of peace and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

St Louis Cathedral has the distinction of being the oldest operating cathedral in the United States. The people of New Orleans have worshiped in churches on this site since 1727. The depth of nearly three hundred years of worship; the marriages and the mourning, the celebration of baptism and the horrors of war. The joys and the heartbreaks all linger in the air of this beautiful space and do not escape me. I say a prayer for those who came before us, those who are with us now and those who will come after we are gone.

To learn more about St Louis Cathedral go to http://www.stlouiscathedral.org/

N'awlins...

2010-10-27T10:48:00.013-05:00

New Orleans, Louisiana...

The Crescent City, The Big Easy, The City That Care Forgot, N'awlins - whatever you prefer to call her she has a charm and uniqueness all her own.

To quote the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau...

"Here, in this little corner of the American South, where European traditions blend with Caribbean influences, the history is as colorful as the local architecture; the food is the stuff of legend. Haitian and African Creoles developed an exotic,spicy cuisine and were instrumental in creating jazz and Zydeco.

A cultural gumbo, we celebrate our differences. In fact, we celebrate almost anything in the Big Easy. We have a saying: LAISSEZ LE BONS TEMPS ROULER -- LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL. A reminder of our french heritage, a way of life that began three centuries ago."

To step in to the French Quarter is to be surrounded by almost 300 years of history. The Quarter has been a continual residential neighborhood since 1718 and has withstood hurricanes, floods, fires, yellow fever epidemics, war, neglect, industry and commercialization.

For me, walking through the uneven streets, strolling through the shops and galleries, stopping to listen to the amazing street musicians share their talent and admiring the centuries old architecture is my idea of the perfect day. In fact, one of my biggest regrets is that I never took a break from the real world back in my younger days, packed my bags and experienced life in the French Quarter for a few months.

New Orleans proudly proclaims, "We Live To Eat" and why wouldn't they? I can honestly think of no more decedent food than that offered in New Orleans. My five day food orgy just last week included (oh my, I should be so ashamed!) Shrimp Po' Boys, Oysters, Shrimp and Grits, Red Beans and Rice, Smoked Salmon Beignets, French Toast, a Soft Shell Crab Po' Boy and Cafe Au Lait and Beignets. It was "Foodie" heaven! We visited Felix, NOLA, Bayona, Deanies, Mr. B's, K Pauls, R & O, Cafe Du Monde and Pat O's. We were gluttons and we loved every minute of it!

New Orleans is home to Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, St Louis Cathedral, "cities of the dead", Jackson Square and historical plantations. With each of them comes more history than one can imagine.

I snapped a few images while roaming the quarter. Of course, they could never do it justice, so my suggestion to you is that you pack a bag, head on over, and Le Bons Temps Rouler...

Captiva Island Is A Paradise...

2010-10-16T16:22:00.015-05:00

JR's Grill

2010-09-20T12:29:00.005-05:00

If you live in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and, like the Senor and me, enjoy a sports restaurant with quality food, spot-on service and a cool and laid back atmosphere I suggest you give JR's Grill a try.

The grill is home to no less than 25 flat screen TV's (no, I didn't actually count them but I bet I'm close) showing all your favorite sporting events. There is a main dining room and a bar area and both boast comfy booths, low and high-top tables; as well as, an expansive bar. There is a separate room off the bar that is home to a couple of pool tables and video games. Additionally there is an outside patio seating area.

The Senor and I have eaten there on three separate occasions and each time the food was exceptional. JR's Grill offers a variety of sports bar type favorites such as appetizers, burgers and sandwiches. They also offer larger items such as killer Chicken Fried Steak and Smoked Baby Back Ribs. To see their complete menu just click here.

I'll just go ahead and admit it, I fell head over heels in love with their Fried Cheese appetizer. I thought as far as JR's appetizers are concerned I would never stray from that crispy, gooey, cheesy goodness; that is right up until I tried their Smoked Wings. Oh my, they are a wing lover's dream. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and smoked to perfection. Upon ordering them we realized they average about a dollar a piece. After eating them we determined they might just be worth a dollar a piece.

In the burger and sandwich department the Senor and I have sampled the JR's Burger with cheese, the Prime Rib French Dip sandwich and the Smoked Bourbon Chicken Salad sandwich. Here's a little bit about them...

The burger is beautiful! It is 10 ounces of in-house ground beef, never frozen and flame grilled. A word of warning, they cook their burgers to a medium temperature so be sure to let the server know if you prefer your burger a little more on the medium well to well side. This burger is served on a Sour Dough bun with all the fixings and a healthy slice of Cheddar cheese. JR's offers many varieties of burgers and I imagine between the two of us we will try them all before Super Bowl 2011 rolls around.

The Prime Rib French Dip sandwich is my idea of comfort food. The Prime Rib was tender and juicy, the bun grilled and buttery-crisp and the au jus was, as my niece calls it, the perfect "dipping sauce". Perfection even if comfort food is not what you're searching for.

The Smoked Bourbon Chicken Salad sandwich is a light and refreshing sandwich although too sweet for my taste. (Mind you this is personal preference and not a reflection on the quality of the sandwich.) The chicken is mixed with apples, grapes, celery, onion, toasted pecans and mayonnaise and is served on toasted Sour Dough bread. My only critique would be that the salad is a bit runny and therefore the sandwich is messy.

Each of the sandwiches are served with your choice of French Fries, Cole Slaw, Ranch Beans or Smashed Potatoes. A side note, the fries are some of the best I've had in our neighborhood.

As for the larger entrees, the Senor tried the Chicken Fried Steak and Smashed Potatoes on our first visit. Boys, this isn't your run-of-the mill, recently thawed hunk of toughness. This is much akin to your Mama's Chicken Fried Steak. The crust is crispy and fried to a golden brown. The steak is pure tenderness. Just simple country goodness. The smashed potatoes and, of course, white gravy rounded out what some might call the perfect Chicken Fried Steak meal.

So, if you find yourself hungry and ready for some football this is the place for you.

I've never been good with math...

2010-09-15T00:01:00.002-05:00

Today, during my daily visit to one of my favorite blogs, I ran across a youtube video.

I watched it once, and then again and then I watched it again.

You see, it immediately transported me back to a third grade classroom where a small version of me was told I would never be good with math.

The video made me consider the influences we meet in our lives and the everlasting effect they can have if we allow it.

The people discussed in this video proved beyond a doubt that we can overcome the negative influences and even excel above and beyond what we can imagine.

I wish every kid could see this video...maybe even every adult. I certainly wish it had been around when I was in third grade because, as it turns out, I've never been good with math.

A hankering...

2010-09-13T19:27:00.006-05:00

I found myself home alone for dinner tonight and with a hankering for Chinese food. I remembered seeing a new Asian restaurant in our neighborhood and decided to do what some people consider the unthinkable and check it out as a party of one.

The restaurant is called Gingerine Fresh Asian and, as it turns out, is a Thai restaurant rather than Chinese but I decided to give it a shot all the same.

Let me start off by saying the decor is cool. The walls are a wonderful shade of lemon and there are punches of green, purple and red thrown in as accent colors all around the space. The booths, tables and chairs are white, very modern and resemble modular furniture. Everything is crisp and clean and I found it a pleasant place to be. At one time the space was home to a Red, Hot and Blue barbecue restaurant and there is not a single trace of barbecue vibe left behind.

Okay enough with the pleasantries - about the food.

Before I go any further I must throw out a little disclaimer, I am not a Thai aficionado. In fact, my experience with Thai food goes no further than Tom Kha Gai (coconut chicken soup) and Pad Thai. With that said I have eaten much of both of these items and, when they are well prepared, I love them!

Since I had originally started my quest in search of Chinese food I had my heart set on an Egg roll so I settled for what I thought would be the next best thing and ordered a crispy vegetable Spring Roll as an appetizer. Boy was I wrong - that Spring Roll was the bomb! The vegetables and the shell were cooked perfectly. The only problem was I thought I was ordering a single Spring Roll and I was presented with three. Turns out a half order is available but the waitress did not offer up this information when I placed my order for a vegetable Spring Roll and an order of chicken Pad Thai. Yes, my party of one was presented with three vegetable Spring Rolls and a huge plate of Pad Thai.

About the Pad Thai. I'm sorry to say it was uninspired. I can't say anything bad about it - nor can I really say anything good. I guess tasteless would be the way to put it. And who wants to eat tasteless Pad Thai? Long story short, those extra Spring Rolls sure came in handy. There's even one tucked away in the fridge in case I come up with another hankering - for a midnight snack!

It's squisita...

2010-09-12T20:10:00.004-05:00

The Senor discovered this salad in the October issue of Food & Wine magazine and served it for dinner tonight. He added a couple of "Senor" touches such as tiny rolls of salami and mortadella and a crisp glass of Italian wine and; voila, dinner was served!

Big Italian Salad (October 2010 Food & Wine magazine)

1 garlic clove, smashed

Salt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

1 large romaine heart, chopped

1 small head of radicchio-halved, cored and coarsely chopped

1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped

1 tender celery rib, thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup pitted green olives, preferably Sicilian

8 peperoncini

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (1 cup)

In a large bowl, mash the garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Whisk in the mayonnaise, vinegar and oregano, then whisk in the olive oil. Season with pepper. Add all of the remaining ingredients and toss well. Serve right away.

Blessings...

2010-09-11T23:06:00.003-05:00

Two of the greatest blessings in my life...

Reflecting...

2010-09-10T20:32:00.004-05:00

I sit here tonight reflecting on a not so distant morning some nine years ago.

Yes, a morning nine years in the past but that somehow seems like only yesterday.

A morning that changed the world as we knew it forever.

On that morning every man, woman and child in our country was attacked by evil. By a group of extremists who use a twisted version of Islam to perform unthinkable acts of violence against innocent people.

Tonight I pray for those who lost their lives on that tragic morning and for their loved ones who grieve their loss.

I pray for our country and for the soldiers who work each day to protect us from future attacks. I pray for their families and the sacrifices they make.

I pray that the president, our national and local government, the judges, the policeman, the business leaders and those who are in leadership positions in our country seek the Lord's guidance as they make decisions that impact the future of our nation.

I pray for those who have lost their lives protecting our country and for those they have left behind.

I pray for an end to human injustice, hunger and abuse.

I pray for peace.

I pray I will never forget.

Won't you join me?

In Need Of A Farmer's Market...

2010-09-09T16:57:00.006-05:00

In case you haven't run across her before, you guys and gals have got to pay this girl a visit...

http://www.abountifulkitchen.com/

Her blog is absolutely darlin' and full of fabulous recipes. In fact, the Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad recipe posted on 8/30 has me scheduling a trip to my local farmer's market first thing in the morning!

Check her out!

Tiny Dancer...

2010-09-09T10:52:00.005-05:00

That girl can dance!

In Need Of A Little Cheer?

2010-08-10T11:24:00.003-05:00

Look what you can do with a single hydrangea and bundle of baby roses! (This particular hydrangea was $10.00 due to its size and unusual color but you can usually get them for around $5.00 The bundle of baby roses were a bargain at $3.33!) One of the great things about the hydrangea is that if you cut the stem on a very sharp vertical angle and keep the stem immersed in water it will last two to three weeks not to mention they are large and "showy"!

To put together this pretty little arrangement all you need to do is cut your hydrangea stem (on a vertical angle) to the appropriate length for your vase, clip the rose stems (make sure you leave enough length that they are able to reach the water through the hydrangea) and stick them through the hydrangea in the pattern of your choice. There are no rules - just do what makes you happy. This is a very simple, affordable and pretty addition to any space that needs a little cheer.

Decadence In A Bowl...

2010-08-08T16:16:00.004-05:00

If you're looking for the most decadent dessert ever then give this one a try. It is a Paula Deen creation so you know it is mmm-mmm-good and not mmm-mmm-good for you! Don't even attempt to calculate the calories as it might send you in to a calorie induced coma!

Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding

Ingredients
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions
Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

She's Got Her Toes In The Water & Her Head In The Sand...

2010-08-08T13:03:00.004-05:00

Heaven's Newest Angel...

2010-07-28T10:21:00.005-05:00

There is a new angel playing amongst the heavens today...
She sings and dances and tells fabulous stories that mystify those around her...
Our hearts break knowing our time with her on this earth is no more...
Those who have gone before us rejoice to have her with them once again.

The following is a tribute I wrote to my Aunt Eva several months back. I publish it again today as a memorial to her glorious spirit and to the privilege each of us were given by having her as a part of our lives. May she rest in peace.

Privilege

As children my brother and I lived a very "privileged" life. We spent many hours entertained by a jester, a magician, a clown, a musician, a body surfer and a professional story teller...just to mention a few.

We searched the "mountains" for arrow heads and went on great adventures through the "forest". And hidden in this "forest" was our own personal wishing well where we tossed pennies, made wishes and had no doubt they would all come true.

We were regaled by fairy tales and stories of "Little Black Sambo" and we knew beyond a doubt that the "hokey-pokey" was really what its all about.

Some children have a favorite stuffed animal, a doll or a blanket. Reece and I? We had Aunt Eva!

Aunt Eva was sheer entertainment. There was nothing she wasn't up for. Whether it was hiking the lake roads, a ride in the back of the pick-up, body surfing the lake "waves" or just "one more story".

Our "privileged" life included hours spent in a simple old house turned daycare or a frame lake cabin complete with wood burning stove and an outhouse or maybe just hanging out at home.

We thought Aunt Eva was all ours - because she made us feel like she was. What we didn't understand at the time is that she made everyone feel that way. She wasn't just an Aunt - she was a Nurse, a day care operator, a Wife, a Mother, a Grandmother, a sister, a daughter and a friend among many other things. And in each of those roles she made the people she interacted with feel like they were the most important people in the world. I would love to know how many births she participated in in her career. How many children she cared for. How many nursing students she mentored. How many lives she touched.

Aunt Eva recently celebrated her 85th birthday. She's no longer tracking through the woods or body surfing the waves. Her days of birthing babies are long since past but her eyes still twinkle and seeing her smile and hearing her stories fills my heart with joy.

We had the opportunity to see her over the summer at our family reunion. She and Reece were discussing her health and she told him the doctor had told her that her heart was just "no good". Later Reece told me about the conversation and we chuckled knowing "no good" was probably not the description the doctor had used.

In truth Aunt Eva's heart is tired and doesn't work like it used to but we know there's not a better heart out there. It's a heart of gold. A heart that has touched an innumerable number of lives. A heart that has nurtured imaginations, loved unconditionally and spread joy to whomever it touched.

Yes, Reece and I led a "privileged" childhood...privilege that no amount of money could have bought. We were loved, shaped and cared for by an exceptional lady with an exceptional heart - a heart weathered by time but ever strong in spirit.

Beach Baby...

2010-07-13T19:06:00.017-05:00

We found Playa as we last left her...charming and beautiful.

Playa is truly my "happy place"!

The summer's trip included the usual cast of characters plus a few new additions.

The "newbies" included...

Reece, Sandra & Taylor (not his first trip!) & McKae...

Haley (not her first rodeo either!) and Buck...

And, of course, Cate.

This photo of Cate's "Abuelo" introducing her to the beach absolutely melts my heart...

Cate is the quintessential beach baby.

She loved everything about it.

She loved the water...

She loved the waves...

She loved the sand...

Oh, how she loved the sand!

I've Got Mexico In Mind...

2010-06-30T16:44:00.003-05:00

Adios realidad...

Hola lugar feliz...

El tiempo de vacaciones esta' aqui'...

Hasta que nos encontremos otra vez...

Our Own Little Mermaid...

2010-06-23T17:01:00.004-05:00

Cate's first swim...

For good...

2010-06-06T21:15:00.000-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of seeing the musical Wicked performed at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas. It is a fabulous tale of friendship, sacrifice and love. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it filled my heart with appreciation as it reminded me of how blessed I am to have some special girls in my life..."Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

For Good - From Wicked

I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit

As it passes a sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder

Halfway through the wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

I have been changed for good.

Well, it may never be

That we'll meet again

In this lifetime

So let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a hand print on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have rewritten mine

By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring

By a wind off the sea

Like a seed dropped by a skybird

In a distant wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

Because I knew you

I have been changed for good.

"He" Didn't Deserve The Credit...

2010-06-06T10:13:00.000-05:00

Well, it turns out the eye problem was not autoimmune related thank the good Lord. I simply had a good old fashioned eye infection.

It started out in the left eye and ended up settling in the right eye too before it was all said and done.

Seven days of drops and gel, three trips to the Opthamologist and I'm good as new.

My immediate decision that the redness had to be autoimmune related is a great example of my never-ending fear of that dang 'ole tenant of mine.

I really must learn not to give "him" so much credit!

A nagging tenant...

2010-05-24T19:40:00.000-05:00

As most of you know I am the proud owner of an autoimmune disease...or two...well, okay, probably three but the jury is still out on that last one. You see, once one is the owner of one autoimmune disease the body will sometimes decide the more the merrier and allow others to join the party.

Just as an FYI this is what Wikipedia says about the autoimmune disease..."Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells."

Sounds great, huh?

For some people every day with an autoimmune disease is a challenge. For some it is an actual nightmare. I however am one of the lucky few whose diseases usually lie low. In fact, other than your occasional buzzing and numbness mine don't mess with me much. With that said I feel terribly guilty when one does rear their ugly head and I act all whiny about it - which is what I am doing today.

Today my nemesis is Sjogren's Syndrom.

Sjogren's is a chronic autoimmune disease in which a person's white blood cells attack their moisture producing glands. Although the hallmark symptoms are dry eyes and dry mouth Sjogren's can also cause complications throughout the entire body.

My symptoms always occur in the left eye. It has probably been two years since the last "flare" but I woke up this morning with a blood-red inner part of the "white of my eye" and swollen lid. Looks like I'll be visiting with the Opthamologist tomorrow.

Here's the thing. It's not that these symptoms are so painful; they are more irritating than painful. The real issue is the reminder they bring. A reminder of the unknown possibilities that lurk within my body. And, yes, I understand we all have unknown possibilities. The difference is my possibilities occasionally knock on the door...they knock to remind me that they have already taken up residence and will be a nagging and unpredictable tenant the remainder of my life.

A bit over the moon...

2010-05-22T15:23:00.000-05:00

Just finished spending several days with Cate...

I am constantly amazed by her...

Check out those eyes...

And her smile...

Her serious look...

And her profile...

Okay, so I'm a bit over the moon when it comes to this baby...

Fairies flitting...gnomes dancing...

2010-05-15T17:50:00.000-05:00

At any moment I expect to see fairies flitting across the front lawn.

Or perhaps a family of gnomes dancing among the shrubs.

It's as if Mother Nature waved her magic wand and created a new little world full of mystery and magic.

A world previously known as our front flowerbeds.

It's quiet precious if you have a rather vivid imagination...

and can get past the idea of an invasion of the fungi...

A day, or more, at the spa...

2010-05-11T17:10:00.000-05:00

The bathroom is complete and all I can say is, we love it! The colors, the textures...it all turned out very zen-like. Come check it out...

The Senor's sink...

My sink...

The walk-in shower...

And shower seat...

The cabinetry...

And the flooring...

It is just perfect for the Senor and I and now, when I need a little spa time, I don't have far to go...

I'll Just Say This...

2010-04-21T22:38:00.001-05:00

I'm hanging with Cate this week.

Okay, so I could be one of those grandmother's who gush on and on about what an amazing grandchild I have.

I could regale you with story after story highlighting her intelligent behavior...

her witty sense of humor...

her adorable laugh...

her smile.

But, I won't...

I'll just say this...

Can you believe those lashes?

Patience Is A Virtue...

2010-04-07T15:34:00.001-05:00

Which I guess means I'm not too virtuous!

After what seems like MONTHS Mr. Contractor started on the master bathroom remodel this morning. As I mentioned yesterday I am in Lubbock this week hanging out with Miss Cutie-Patootie so the Senor is at home dealing with all the mess and confusion. Mr. Contractor estimates a three to four week completion time. The wreck-out should be finished by the time I get home Sunday evening. I'm hoping this means I will avoid the worst of it. Probably wishful thinking on my part but oh well...the completion of our spa-like bath is out there on the not-too-far distant horizon.

Miss Cutie-Patootie...

2010-04-06T20:39:00.000-05:00

Okay folks, I'm in Lubbock this week hanging out with Miss Cutie-Patootie. While here I had the privilege to witness this...

http://hoping-to-fall.blogspot.com/2010/04/pitter-patter.html

Talk About Short Lived...

2010-03-27T15:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, after a week and a half of making what turned out to be "cold call" after "cold call" and discussing my hourly contract rate with our CPA I am, once again, officially unemployed. "Cold Calls" are not my gig and it turns out I wasn't making enough money to make it worth my while to begin with. Not to mention that my my precious Cate needs me to hang out with her some between now and the end of May. So, to sum it all up, the part time job is history. As my Daddy put it, a busy girl like me just doesn't have time for such things!

Now To Go Out And Do Something About It...

2010-03-25T12:50:00.000-05:00

My friend BJ has this quote on her blog today (if you haven't checked her out, please do! http://sweetnothingsbj.blogspot.com/).

These are words which inspire soul searching...

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". Edmund Burke

I need to consider these words...

To consider them the next time I turn my head from wrong-doing or read of human injustice or of the simple fact that more people die from drinking unsafe water than do from all forms of violence, including war.

You see, I am as guilty as anyone of doing "nothing". Life is so much more pleasant inside the "bubble" where I like to live. The question is, do I want to live a life of "me, me, me" or do I want to leave a positive imprint on this world prior to making my exit?

I definitely know the answer...now to go out and do something about it.

My New Mantra...

2010-03-12T11:43:00.001-06:00

"Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free."

Those are such poignant words.

The line is from the movie The Shawshank Redemption. If you haven't seen it, you must. It is one you will never forget.

"Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free."

My friend Bets has posted these words as her Facebook status a couple of times lately. I haven't had the opportunity to talk to her about it yet but it is my hope that her use of these words means she is overcoming a fear - soaring above it with all the strength I know she has.

Fear can be the devil. It can keep you awake at night. It can prevent you from sharing your most precious talents with the world. It can cause you to hide the truth from even yourself.

Fear has been a frequent visitor of mine lately. There are a couple of things lurking in the darkness. Today I shall share one of them with you. You see, I'm about to embark on a new part-time adventure. Yes, I'm taking a part time job!

I haven't worked in well over a year. When I did work I was so cuddled in to my comfort zone that each day was just one more "groundhog day". This is a whole new business and a whole new world - not to mention that I will be expected to be somewhere five days a week at 9:00 AM! Oh, the horror!

Seriously, what if I fail? What if I am not successful? A large portion of this position involves telephone sales. Not "cold calls" but still telephone sales.

I am not a fan of rejection. Hell, I'm not a fan of constructive criticism! I am however a "people person" and I am very good on the phone. This is only a small snippet of the conversations that go through my head. And yes, it can get a little crazy inside my head!

"Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free." This shall be my manta. I will repeat it each day as I brush my teeth, peddle that dang exercise bike, drive to my new job and oh, let's not forget, during those times in the night when fear knocks on the door and wants to be my companion.

MS Awareness Week...

2010-03-11T16:15:00.002-06:00

March 8 - 13, 2010 is MS Awareness Week.

The motto or catch phrase for this event is "Move It" and I guess it made an impression on me because I'm back in the gym this week.

Whether you're like me and have MS, or not, the message is a good one. Exercise has a positive impact on us all - whether we are wanting to lose a few pounds, to lower our cholesterol, lower our blood sugar, are fighting a case of the blues, or are battling a potentially debilitating disease...

exercise is the key...

the message is clear...

"Move It".

The Contractor Is Scheduled...

2010-03-03T20:49:00.000-06:00

Over the past several years we have pretty much taken our house, one room at a time, and gutted it. It has been a labor of love. You see, when the Senor moved in, our home was like a neglected child. Fabulous soul, wonderful bones...but with the *&#* beat out of it!

Seriously, mere words can't describe the hideous layers of wallpaper, paint colors and other various atrocities we have discovered along our remodel journey.

And now, we are about to embark on the final frontier - the room that is hidden in the furthest most crevice of our home - the master bath.

Now before I go any further I must ask, don't you just love a beautiful bathroom? I'm not talking about something reminiscent of the shower facilities in your high school gym - I'm talking a peaceful, comfortable, spa-like bath that makes you wish you could spend all day there.

Okay, so I'm in touch with the fact that I am limited on space and don't live in the Ritz Carlton Hotel - there will be no steam room, hot tub or eucalyptus seating area but I do plan to create a beautiful bath all the same.

The color scheme has been determined, the cabinetry ordered, the shower design is under way, the contractor is scheduled...and this folks is where the craziness begins...

Out of touch...

2010-02-24T20:15:00.002-06:00

I have been so out of touch. Between allergies, snow storms, and a couple of quick jaunts to west Texas I have completely neglected Toes. So, first things first...Toes, I apologize for neglecting you. I've missed you and promise to do better. Forgive me please!

This will be a hodge-podge of info so hang on!

We saw our oldest nephew a couple of weeks ago and I learned he did the most thoughtful thing for me as a Christmas gift. He purchased www.mytoesareclaustrophobic.com for me. So now, rather than folks having to enter the whole blogspot address (www.mytoesareclaustrophobic.blogspot.com) they can simply (simply?!) enter www.mytoesareclaustrophobic.com and will be auto-directed to the longer address without having to type it in. Wasn't that sweet and thoughtful? I thought so too. Thank you Cody!

My quest for the perfect Mexican Chilaquiles recipe continues. To date I have only found the time to prepare one recipe and although it was tasty it was NOT up to the standard I have set for what will someday be my "house" chilaquiles recipe. The search continues.

I mentioned a couple of recent trips to west Texas. The first trip afforded me the opportunity to spend time with our precious Cate, her Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Bryan. The second allowed me to spend some much needed time with my wonderful parents. Both warmed my heart and reminded me of what a very lucky and blessed girl I am.

Have you seen the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal? If not, I highly recommend it. Both the movie and its theme song (The Weary Kind written by Ryan Bingham) are beautiful and moving. As I am a lover of words I will share a few of Mr. Bingham's with you.

...and this ain't no place for the weary kind
...and this ain't no place to lose your mind
...and this ain't no place to fall behind
...pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try

Quest...

2010-02-08T14:31:00.001-06:00

One of the greatest things about visiting Mexico is experiencing the comida (food!). Wonderful meats, soups and sauces filled with lively flavors that are hard to forget.

One of my very favorite items is Mexican chilaquiles. If you're not familiar with this lucious dish it is corn tortillas cut in strips, fried and then simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and served with eggs, shredded chicken, beans, cheese or a combination thereof. From what I understand in order to create the perfect chilaquiles one must have stale tortillas, moist and spicy pollo (chicken) and authentic Mexican crema. However, don't let anyone fool you - this dish is really all about the sauce.

And so, once again, I'm on a quest. The quest my friends is to locate the recipe and then prepare the perfect Mexican chilaquile.

Let' ¡cocinero de s!

My Heart Strings Sing...

2010-02-02T09:05:00.001-06:00

In my mind's eye I awake...

the door is open and the morning Playa air caresses my skin.

Before me lies white sand...

and multiple hues of beautiful Caribbean waters.

The sound of the sea rocks me as I slowly greet the day.

In reality,

I can no longer see it...

hear it...

or feel it.

My heart strings tug as I accept that another Playa adventure is behind us.

My heart strings sing knowing another lies ahead.

Final Countdown...

2010-01-27T20:51:00.000-06:00

Countdown...

to toes in the sand...

See y'all in a few days...

Countdown Continued...

2010-01-26T20:33:00.001-06:00

Countdown to all things Playa...

countdown to sun and sand and sea...

to tacos al pastor and frozen margaritas...

to a lazy way of life and the afternoon siesta...

countdown...

Countdown...

2010-01-26T11:37:00.001-06:00

Countdown to Playa del Carmen has begun...

"Privilege"...

2010-01-21T17:18:00.001-06:00

As children my brother and I lived a very "privileged" life. We spent many hours entertained by a jester, a magician, a clown, a musician, a body surfer and a professional story teller...just to mention a few.

We were regaled by fairy tales and stories of "Little Black Sambo" and we knew beyond a doubt that the "hokey-pokey" was really what its all about.

Some children have a favorite stuffed animal, a doll or a blanket. Reece and I? We had Aunt Eva!

Aunt Eva was sheer entertainment. There was nothing she wasn't up for. Whether it was hiking the lake roads, a ride in the back of the pick-up, body surfing the lake "waves" or just "one more story".

Our "privileged" life included hours spent in a simple old house turned daycare or a frame lake cabin complete with wood burning stove and an outhouse or maybe just hanging out at home.

How I Do Love A Taco...

2010-01-18T14:18:00.000-06:00

Okay, I love pork. And, I love tacos. Give me a pork taco and I am in "hog" heaven! Okay, so I'm not that funny, I get it , but I just couldn't resist! Anyway, you guys have got to try this recipe. It is fabulous and comes from the cookbook of one super-neat lady - Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman. If you haven't checked her out - you must. She not only has an incredible blog but a cookbook full of scrumptious recipes like this one. Check her out. Oh, and be sure to have these tacos soon and let me know what you think - in my opinion they are to die for!

Cynthia's Spicy Shredded Pork

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

Ingredients

4 pounds (up To 7 Pounds) Pork Shoulder
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
Pepper To Taste
3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) White Wine Vinegar
¼ cups Brown Sugar
1 whole Onion
Lime Wedges

Preparation Instructions

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.

To begin, just throw the dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and brown sugar into a food processor or blender. (I happen to love brown sugar in my cooking, but you can decrease or omit it if you like.) Cut one onion into quarters and put it in the food processor with the spices. Blend mixture until totally combined and then pour it over the pork shoulder.

Now rub it into every nook and cranny of the meat, tucking it under folds an in crevices. Let no stone go unturned. Then place the pork into a roasting pan or Dutch oven and add a couple of cups of water. Cover tightly and roast pork at 300º for several hours, turning once every hour. When it is fork tender crank up the heat, remove the lid, and roast it, skin side up for another 15 to 20 minutes to get the skin crispy. When it’s done let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Shred the pork shoulder (two forks work well). When it’s all shredded be sure to pour the juices all over the meat. Serve with warm tortillas, lime wedges, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole & tomatillo salsa.

Crud...

2010-01-12T14:10:00.001-06:00

I have had what I term to be the "crud" for six to eight weeks. My cough sounds like a honking goose and when people hear it they stare at me with a look of fear - like I might possibly be a TB patient. I've been through two rounds of antibiotics with no sign of positive results to date.

During the past week we like much of the country have had a little "cold snap" and it didn't get above the freezing mark for something like four days. During this so called "cold snap" the Senor was basking in the sun in beautiful Los Cabos Mexico. It worked out well for the "crud" and I as I never got out of my pajamas and spent most of the week in bed.

Yesterday I broke down and went back to the doctor. Dr B's office is on the second floor of his office building. One day soon I hope to share with you the very funny story of how as I walked in to the elevator I twisted my ankle and fell flat on my face; however, today the story is just not that funny so I'm keeping it to myself.

After spending an hour with Dr B I am now the proud owner of nasal spray, a bronchial inhaler and a new round of antibiotics. Oh, and Dr B is the proud owner of a couple of updated pictures of my lungs.

Looks like it is a really tough version of bronchitis - and maybe some kind of asthma. "Crud", bronchitis, asthma, I don't really care what you call it - it just needs to go! I'm scheduled to depart for sunny Mexico in a little over two weeks and it is not welcome on the trip.

And The Winner Is...

2010-01-07T11:41:00.000-06:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in my very first give away!

And now, for the moment we've all been waiting for...

the winner is...

BJ at http://sweetnothingbj.blogspot.com/

Congratulations BJ, I hope you will enjoy your new rolling bag!

"Allez Cuisine"

2010-01-05T13:34:00.000-06:00

As some of you may have read I recently attempted to make homemade marshmallows.

If you know me you know that the fact that I tried to make marshmallows is in and of itself pretty dang scary.

What was even scarier was about half way through the process when the transmission on my handy-dandy stand mixer passed from this life and onto where ever worn out and obsolete electric kitchen appliances go when their work in the kitchen has ended.

The old girl was up to the task of cake batters and such but just couldn't hang with something as oohhy-goohy as a marshmallow.

It was a sad moment in life when I saw the Senor place my old friend the mixer on the curb for the garbage men to take away...

however...

I got over it pretty dang quick the moment I set my eyes on...

Her...

Ladies and Gentlemen...

I introduce to you my new, up-to-any-challenge, beautiful, shiny-red friend...

the Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer...

With her the mixing possibilities are endless...

And the available attachments...

the juicer, the ice cream maker, the pasta roller, the grinder...

I could do it all

I could truly become my very-own-kind-of-Betty-Effing-Crocker!

Okay, perhaps I should smack myself with a rolling pin and back to reality!

Reality is this...

my new shiny-red friend looks beautiful on my counter...

and has inspired me beyond belief...

so look out folks...

in the words of the Food Network "chairman"...

"Allez Cuisine!"

My Very First Give-Away...

2010-01-02T16:15:00.001-06:00

I am super excited to be offering my very first give-away!

I am teaming up with the nice folks at CSN Stores to give one lucky reader an awesome Travelers Choice Rome 20' Hard-Shell Rolling Upright Bag in black. This bag has a retail value of $59.99 and it can be yours absolutely free if you are the lucky winner. Seriously, all you have to do if you are the winner is give me your shipping address and it will show up addressed to you a few days later!

I don't know about you guys but now that the holidays are over I'm thinking it is the perfect time for little long-weekend getaway and this bag seems perfect for getting my stuff there.

I actually have a long-weekend getaway planned for the end of the month but was suddenly hit with a huge surge of generosity and decided rather than keep the bag for myself I would share it with one of you. How's that for sweetness!

You can check out all the details of the bag and lots of other awesome products at http://www.csnstores.com/. The product number for the give-away bag is TC3900K20.

And if you're in the market for any type of living room furniture check out http://www.livingroomsdirect.com/ for all kinds of awesome furniture and home accessories. I found several items there that I think I may just have to have!

Now for the really important stuff...there are three ways to enter (yes, you can enter three times!) so here goes...

1 entry - Simply leave a comment on this blog post

1 entry - Place my blog button on your personal blog
1 entry - Become a follower of my blog (join followers on the left-hand sidebar)

Please leave a comment for each entry and don't forget to include a valid email address so I can notify you if you are the winner.

The deadline for entry is midnight, Wednesday, January 6th so cast your entries, start planning your weekend getaway and help make my very first give-away a huge success!

Full Of Possibility...

2009-12-30T15:08:00.000-06:00

Well, it's almost that time. Time to close out this year and welcome a new one.

The time of year when some folks reflect back on the previous three-hundred-sixty-five days with pleasure, some with disappointment and then there are some who don't give it much thought at all.

Some set resolutions.

Resolution...to resolve.

Do you set resolutions?

I can honestly say I don't recall ever setting one.

Probably because I know me and I know that I am more likely than not to break it.

What is it about a new year that causes one to make resolutions?

Better yet, what is it about a new year that causes some to acutely analyze the previous 365 days?

We sure don't put that much stock in a week or a month.

So why do we put so much focus on a year?

I don't have the answer but for whatever reason the summation of 365 days gets a lot of attention from some people.

I once had a dear friend who told me each year on December 31st that the new year had to be better than the last because the last was the worst year of her life. I never understood her fascination with those cumulative days - the year. Each new year was a daunting thing to her - so daunting that one January day she took her own life.

A few days from now will mark the 20th anniversary of her passing. There were no words then and are no words now to describe the devastation brought on by her actions.

She had an illness...

and as her illness progressed she became unable to see past each day...

and although there had been many happy days in her past she could no longer see them in the rear view mirror...

she saw no joy in yesterday and no hope in tomorrow...

and no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't help her to see.

I don't know for sure but I'd say there aren't many days that slip by me that I don't think of her. And it might sound odd but when I do think of her it is no longer with sadness for my rear view mirror does work and I can clearly see our happy days. I also clearly see tomorrow and know that there is a great big world out there just waiting for me.

Yes, a new year is on the horizon...

there will be no resolutions from me...

there will also be no looking back regretting what might have been...

Her memory reminds me to live my life one day at a time...

I will say my prayers and try to make each day the best it can be...

and if its not...

there will be tomorrow...

clear and full of possibility.

I Am My Own Version of Betty Crocker...

2009-12-23T13:21:00.001-06:00

I am a magazine junky.

I just love opening my mailbox and having a new one or two there to greet me.

I especially love cooking magazines.

Prior to Christmas the lovely folks at the magazine companies like to taunt people like me with pretty pictures of their "simple" candy recipes.

And then there is my cooking hero Ina Garten. You might be familiar with Ina - she prides herself on getting "back to basics". Ha!

Well folks, in my opinion there is nothing "simple" or "basic" about cooking anything that requires my arch nemesis the candy thermometer.

You see, I fear the thing.

Any recipe that says something along the line of "insert candy thermometer and bring the mixture up to 245 degrees and then lower the heat and bring the mixture to 295" scares the *@^*@% out of me!

Anyway, Ina makes marsh mellows. Yes, MAKES them. No marsh mellow from a plastic bag for Ina. And they are very pretty - and after watching her make them a couple of times I became envious and decided that I too could make a marsh mellow.

So, I gathered the ingredients, dug the candy thermometer out from the back of the gadget drawer, brought out my handy dandy stand mixer and got to work.

Step 1:
Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment. Let it stand 30 minutes.   

Step 2:
Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup of water in a small heavy saucepan; place over low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. Clip on a candy thermometer; raise heat to high. Cook syrup without stirring until it reaches 244 degrees (firm-ball stage). Immediately remove pan from heat.   

Step 3:
With mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully pour syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase speed to high; beat until mixture is very thick and white and has almost tripled in volume, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla; beat to incorporate.

I should mention that sometime around the beginning of step 2 the Senor came in from the office. He sat down at the bar and we chatted about the day as I monitored the candy thermometer. We hit 244 degrees, removed from heat, added to gelatin mixture and began to "beat until mixture is very thick and white and has almost tripled in volume, about 15 minutes". YES, SUCCESS, I have overcome my fear of the candy thermometer!

The mixture began to thicken...it turned white...it became thicker...

We were about seven minutes in to our 15 minute process when...

Suddenly...

The mixer made a large thud...

There was a familiar smell...

A burning smell...

Surely not...

Yes, the mixer was DEAD.

Burnt up...

I have a large blob of half-way beaten marsh mellow mixture and a DEAD mixer.

I immediately go in to something along the lines of panic.

The Senor, being the Senor, is calm and goes in to "fix it" mode. We discuss the hand mixer option. We don't think it will work but, hey, what is a girl to do?

This my friends is when when the Senor began snapping photos and through much laughter informed me that I am my own "Betty-Effing-Crocker" and that I could quote him on that!

As you can see getting the beaters and mixture AWAY from the stand mixer got interesting and things with the hand mixer were a complete disaster. I believe I had as much marsh mellow on me as I had in the bowl!

At this point we decided we had done all we could do and poured them in to the pan, covered them in roasted coconut and called it good.

The next day I cut them, coated their edges in powdered sugar and I guess for my first effort they turned out pretty good. I'm sure they aren't as fluffy as Ina would like hers but after all she has an endless amount of stand mixers to burn through!

We did continue on that night and make Hazelnut Crunch (the Senor handled the candy thermometer portion of this recipe as I was covered in marsh mellow and still a little traumatized by the mixer situation!) and Holiday Biscotti. They look holiday-eee, don't you think?

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve - may you and yours have a joyous Christmas filled with love, family and friends and may each of us never forget the true meaning of Christmas.

Santa Has Nothing On The Senor...

2009-12-20T14:00:00.002-06:00

I am in shock!

The Senor and I exchanged gifts over the weekend and YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE what he gave me - a MacBook; Yes, you read me right - a Macbook!

I am loving it! I have never used a Mac so I have much to learn. There seem to be many differences in my new friend Mac and my old friend PC but I make friends easily and know that we will soon be best-friends-forever!

After all, the keyboard rocks, the screen rocks, the graphics rock!

Yes, I realize I'm 47 years old and probably shouldn't be using the term "rocks" but hey, if it rocks it rocks!

Then, I opened another package and it was a fabulous Na Hoku flip flop necklace. It is absolutely precious!

From the first time I saw it I thought it was the perfect adornment for a girl whose toes are claustrophobic.

It is a rare occasion when this girl is speechless but I really am. All I can say is this...yes, I am rotten...and so very blessed...not because of the gifts but because I have the love of this man. He is thoughtful, considerate, handsome, generous to a fault and is the person I will spend the remainder of my life with - and that folks is the greatest gift of all.

Feast of Seven Fishes...

2009-12-18T13:19:00.000-06:00

Last night the Senor and I attended a cooking class at our local Central Market. We have talked about taking cooking classes for years but somehow never found the time. How we suddenly found the time during what songs and fairy-tales term "the most wonderful time of the year" but we in the real world know is the most HECTIC time of the year escapes me but we did it and it was a nice break from hectic.

The class was put on by the Central Market cooking school and was an Italian Feast of Seven Fishes. Now, a side note on the "class" - it isn't really a "class" per se but more a presentation put on by chefs as they prepare their dishes and then serve them to the attendees. The presentations are full of great tips but there was no "hands on" participation.

A little background on the Feast. Many Italians and Italian Americans follow the tradition based on La Vigilia di Natale, the vigil of the holy night, and do not eat meat on Christmas Eve, the night of the birth of Christ. Because the day is sacred, no meat is consumed, so the typical dinner includes fish. For Italians and Italian Americans, especially those from the southern regions of Italy, the Christmas Eve dinner includes at least seven fishes but has been known to include up to as many as twenty-one fish dishes. (On a personal note, I was stuffed after seven!)

Why seven fishes? My research shows there are many theories but the most popular explanation is based on the seven sacraments - Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick.

The menu of fish varies and is based upon what is available at the time but usually includes calamari, clams, mussels, cod and shrimp.

Our feast started off with a wonderful Italian-Style Crab Cake. To put an Italian spin on the cake the chef added Parmesan and Ricotta cheeses and coated the cake in Italian-style bread crumbs. The cheeses really added an Italian flare and was a nice touch.

Next the chefs prepared Sauteed Mussels with Leeks, Garlic & Wine, Broiled Salmon with Green Olive Tapenade and Skillet Shrimp Scampi. When it comes to cooking fish I sometimes find it a little intimidating and I was surprised how quick and easy the recipes came together. Each dish was very good but the star of this plate was the mussels. The Senor and I both really enjoyed the mussels and the leeks were a wonderful addition to the recipe. I've always been weary of cooking both mussels and leeks but after seeing them prepared one-on-one I am up for the challenge!

The last course consisted of Pasta with Clam Sauce, Calamari Fritto with Tomato-Caper Sauce and Sole with Vegetables and Artichokes. Each of these dishes were also enjoyable. I especially liked the Tomato-Caper Sauce. I LOVE fried calamari and hoped seeing it prepared would help to overcome my aversion to cooking it but I can already tell you that it didn't! There is just something about the look of raw calamari that I find very unappealing!

The only real negative to the evening was the quality of the wine they served. We were poured a glass of white with the appetizer and first course and a glass of red with the last. The white was passable but the red was just bad.

Overall the experience was was fun, the food was good and we learned something new about the Italian culture...and, a little fun, food and culture never hurt anyone.

What a Sweet, Sweet Santa!

2009-12-15T12:45:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'm sure you all think you had THE most sweet and thoughtful Secret Santa of them all...

and I'm sure YOURS was sweet and thoughtful...

BUT it turns out it that it was I

who had THE most sweet and thoughtful Secret Santa of them all!

I mean just look at what this girl did for me!

First, she went digging through my blog and learned that I am a complete Muir Woods LOVER.

She then found a BEAUTIFUL photo of Muir Woods and had a nifty little spiral notebook made for me with the photo on the cover.

She then went EVEN one step further and had this gorgeous inscription that I love inscribed on the inside cover.

I mean REALLY, can a Secret Santa be more THOUGHTFUL?

Then, she took it even further by sending me this precious mug stuffed with yummy biscotti and chocolate covered peppermint sticks. Santa really MUST know everything because THIS girl LOVES her some biscotti!

And check out these PRECIOUS note cards with my initial and the SEASHELLS. I ADORE all things paper and, of course, I LOVE seashells!

So yes, it is WITHOUT A DOUBT that I do have the SWEETEST AND MOST THOUGHTFUL SECRET SANTA of them all and I THANK HER from the bottom of my heart!

Oh Christmas Tree...

2009-12-08T13:07:00.000-06:00

This Precious Little Ornament...

2009-12-08T09:35:00.000-06:00

The decorations are out...

and the tree is up...

but none can compare...

to this precious little "ornament"...

An Award? For Me? Woo-hoo!

2009-12-03T18:03:00.000-06:00

A big thanks to Tammy over at The Fly On The Wall for honoring me with my very first blogger award! I have to say I was very surprised at the mention and it just made my day!

So, as I understand it I am now supposed to do the following:

Pass the award on to 5 deserving blog friends.
Link to the Superior Scribbler who gave me this award.
Display the blog and link to this post, which explains the award.
Add my name to the McLinky list on that blog post.
Post these rules on my blog.

So, here are five of my favorite blogs to visit (in no particular order). I hope you will check them out - they are all fabulously fun!

Deep South Dish

That Girl Blogs

Sweet Nothings

Thrifty Decor Chick

The Style Sisters

Thanks again Tammy, as I said, YOU MADE MY DAY!

Peace...

2009-12-03T13:49:00.001-06:00

The tree is up and almost complete but I need a few more items from the attic (darn those attic stairs - the ones that it is best I don't climb!)

I love this ornament on my tree.

Peace.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace goodwill toward men." Luke 2:14

As our country prepares to deploy an additional thirty-thousand solders to Afghanistan please remember to pray for peace this Christmas season and always.

That Ho, Ho, Ho Kind Of Spirit

2009-12-02T16:03:00.002-06:00

I'm so excited! It's 45 degrees outside and, although not in my neighborhood, it snowed nearby today! Yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The cold weather and the mention of snow put me in a Ho, Ho, Ho kind of spirit so after I did a little on-line Christmas shopping at Macy's (using the FABULOUS savings code "macysff" and receiving 25% OFF PLUS FREE SHIPPING on orders of $99 and up!) I ran up to my neighborhood MJ Design's and grabbed a couple of $3.99 Christmas floral bunches came home and got a little crafty!

Now, you remember that $5.95 Southern Living bucket I bought at the junk store a few months back? Well, I disassembled the fall arrangement I put together back then, clipped the Christmas floral bunches apart and made like an elf. Ta-da! What do you think?

Tonight, when the Senor gets home, he is going to once again brave the attic steps and bring down the trees and all the trimmings. Tomorrow, I deck the halls!

Ours...

2009-12-01T08:54:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone for another year. Ours, like most American families, was packed with the three F's - Family, Football and Food! It started Wednesday night and went full throttle until late Sunday morning and I loved every second of it.

Those of you who know the Senor and I know that we are all about family. (A shared blood line is not always required to be a member of our family - but that's for another story on another day.) Now, back to Thanksgiving...

We were blessed to have the kids, the grand baby, the brothers, the sister-in-law (who I love as if she were truly my sister), my parents, my grandmother, the nieces (plus one boyfriend and a Morky!), the nephew, my Uncle and a bunch of awesome cousins! At one point the scene in my kitchen resembled that of a Chinese fire drill - it was sheer chaos and I thought my heart might explode with joy! The families mix and mingle as if they are one - it is a rarity and an oddity and it works perfectly!

So, another Thanksgiving is behind us and once again I give thanks for the blessing of family...

his...

plus

mine...

equals

ours...

Give Thanks To The Lord...

2009-11-25T08:51:00.000-06:00

On this day before Thanksgiving a few things I'm thankful for...

God's never ending love.

The Senor - he amazes me daily with his love, support, kind heart and sense of humor. With him I have learned it is possible to fall deeper in love each and every day.

The tradition of making cornbread dressing with Dede which has now been passed along to Mom, Sandra, McKae and me.

Family - the one I was born to and the one I married.

The Armed Forces of the United States of America.

Taylor, McKae and Cate have never had to go without health care and have never been truly hungry or thirsty.

Friends from Mrs. Curry's Kindergarten, Elementary school, Intermediate school, Junior high school, High school, the twenty-somethings, the thirty-somethings, the forty-somethings and those who have spanned some or all of those times. What blessings they are.

Eating raw cornbread dressing with Mom, Sandra and McKae.

The honor of being a Mimi and a Step-Monster.

Health care, health insurance and access to the medication needed to treat my illness.

I was born in to a family who lives in a country where there is freedom of religion, freedom of speech and where human injustice is against the law.

I was diagnosed with a chronic illness and not a terminal illness.

My parents. They love me unconditionally. Through example they taught me the value of work ethic, respect for self, respect for God and respect for others.

And of course, let's not forget the cornbread dressing with gravy!

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

I Will Play (Or Work!) For Gumbo...

2009-11-20T14:20:00.062-06:00

Boy, I do love me some gumbo!

And it hit me from out of the blue yesterday that I had to HAVE some gumbo before the day had ended!

Well, those of you who know the Senor and me know that he is the gumbo cook in this house.

You see, I can follow a recipe with the best of 'em. But to create something from scratch is a whole 'notha story!

But, for some reason yesterday I was feeling a bit brave so I did a little reading...

consulted with the Senor via telephone...

dropped in on grocery store heaven - aka Central Market...

and here's what happened next...

Step 1

Poach Chicken

To a large pot add:

3 cups water

1 chicken breast (with skin and bones)

5 chicken thighs (with skin and bones)

1 onion, quartered

1 celery stalk, quartered

1 small carrot, quartered

1 teaspoon salt

2 springs of parsley

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. When chicken is done remove the chicken pieces from the pot and place the on a plate to cool.

Step 2:

Strain the broth through a sieve and discard the vegetable/herb mixture.

Step 3:

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bone from the meat, shred or chop the meat in large pieces and set to the side if using soon or store in airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.

(This recipe can also be done using a whole chicken. It is my favorite way to poach chicken and can be used a million ways!)

But, back the gumbo!

Step 4:

Measure the broth and place it, along with enough canned broth, to equal 4 1/2 quarts in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil.

Step 5:

In a skillet melt a pat or two of butter and add:

1 green Bell pepper (chopped)

1 onion (chopped)

3 stalks of celery (chopped)

(Known by those amazing chefs, the Cajuns, as "the trinity")

Saute over medium heat (do not allow to brown) until very soft.

Step 6:

Add 1/3 cup of jarred roux (I used Kary's Roux which is available in most grocery stores) to the boiling chicken broth and stir constantly for 10 minutes or until it is completely dissolved in the broth.

Step 7:

Chop 1 link of Andouille sausage (don't use regular smoked sausage. Andouille is a Cajun sausage and can be purchased in specialty meat shops or from the Internet) in small pieces and brown in a skillet over medium heat in order to cook off as much fat as possible. Remove sausage from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Step 8:

To broth/roux mixure add:

Softened combination of onion, celery and Bell pepper (trinity)

Shredded chicken

Browned Andouille sausage

1 Bay leaf

20 turns of black pepper grinder

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 2 - 3 hour or until broth has reduced some and gumbo is of a thickened consistency.

Serve over cooked white rice and with crusty French bread. Garnish with green onions if desired.

And if I do say so myself...

Laissez les bons temps rouler

Let The Good Times Roll