Small Town / Smaller Town

I had a purpose yesterday...to find the books I needed for the three reading groups of which I am a member. All three meet in January. I started at the local library, a mere 6 blocks from my home. They had none of the books I sought. I went next to the used bookstore around the corner and came up empty again. So I drove to Mount Pleasant, 11 miles southwest of my small town. Mount Pleasant is officially tiny. I stopped at the Sugar Shack for a diet soda and directions...turn left at the traffic light, it's on the right.

And sure enough, there it was. On the corner. At the very edge of the commercial district, next door to a lovely craftsman style home with a blow up snowman in the yard. The library was small but very well organized. I was the only patron and had the assistance of both librarians in tracking down all three of the books.

I left with The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz for our General group which meets the 2nd Monday of the month, The Book of Lost Things by John Connoly for the Fantasy group which meets the last Friday of the month, and Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben for our Mystery group which meets this Thursday.

The rest of my week-end was spent writing thank you notes to friends and family for the lovely gifts and kindnesses I have received of late, reading, cooking, and basic cleaning. I became somewhat involved in the Coben novel and forgot about some bacon I had frying. I smoked the place up a bit.

Then, tonight, I turned on a Lifetime movie and finished wrapping the gifts for the BGFs. We will be having dinner tomorrow evening at J Alexanders. I am so very pleased with the "pretties" I have for them, I was very tempted to keep at least one for myself. And I am seriously considering tracking down one just like it.

Prissy and I drove to the post office and mailed the thank you notes and rode around a little bit. I live in a very picturesque town, full of historic old, beautiful homes, lovely churches, and classic architecture.

Today I played with my new camera. I took a picture of my Christmas tree and of the wreath on my front door. I love that wreath...I made it myself.

I must go now. 5:00 a.m. comes very early.

Like Herding Cats

I have four friends that I dearly love. We are "women of a certain age", never married, childless, and currently without significant others. Yet we cannot seem to find a time to get together.

We are busy with our jobs and our families. We have other friends. We have elderly parents. We have "stuff to do". My gosh! do we have stuff to do! How can we acumulate so many tasks? When are we to accomplish them?

Of course, I'm currently waking at 3 every morning, so I suppose I could use the two hours before I need to start getting ready for work for things like corespondence, cleaning, cooking, paying bills. I'm just so darn lazy...I'd rather curl up on my side with the cat beside me and pretend to sleep.

On a slightly different note, I must share the Christmas Miracle of 2007. Not a single cut or burn or fall. That's right--I am injury free!

The Ghost of Christmas (JUST) Passed

I spent Saturday evening with my girlfriends. We ate, we drank, we talked, we exchanged gifts. I received a lovely assortment of wonderful things, including triple milled soap and EVOO and vintage handkerchiefs and a photo album. It was a wonderful time. I gave everyone a wreath made of gumdrops (either red or green) a bottle of Kahluah and a bottle of amaretto and a jar of jam (all made by moi) on a Christmas platter.

I worked Monday morning and then headed out from the office to my folks' house. We had a lovely meal and played "Dirty Santa".

I gave my folks a digital camera and memory card. I gave a niece a digital camera. I received a digital camera. It was a camera Christmas. Sis liked her non-stick frying pan and her hubby was thrilled with golf balls and a computer game. The nieces, being teens, were less than effusive, but seemed happy with the gifts they received. The thing they seemed to like best, each of them, was the pen with a cartoon character on top that lights up when you write.

For Christmas dinner, I made a herb crusted standing rib roast with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, Waldorf salad, and beer bread. Dessert was Molten lava cakes. It was a fine meal, even if I do say so myself.

I left the folks' house a little after 6 this morning and got to work by 9. My car is filled with loot and I'm so sleepy I can't keep my eyes open. And to top it all off, we are having systems issues today and there is no one in the entire company that can help.

A Day of Rest?

I worked until one yesterday, then went shopping. I got home around four and did very little after. Oh, I had plenty to do, but I was definitely motivationaly challenged.

But I've been up since four this morning. I've done five loads of laundry, cleaned house, watched a movie, made peanut butter crackers dipped in chocolate, cleaned the kitchen, been to Walmart, made meatballs, cleaned the kitchen, made chili seasoning packages, and cleaned the kitchen.

I've got to make a sauce for the meatballs and make a little something for Christmas gifts...something that has to brew for about a month...before I go to bed tonight.

My schedule for the rest of the week is:

Monday--work 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., run to Kroger, make photos for table decorations, frame pictures.

Tuesday--work 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., make peanut butter pies, clean litter box, pack car.

Wednesday--work 7 a.m to 3:30 p.m., drive to Birmingham, make squash casserole, make punch

Thursday--roast turkey breast, make sweet potato casserole, make pea salad, make ambrosia, set table, EAT, coma.

Friday--decorate church fellowship hall, chop & peel veggies, make sweet and sour sauce, make centerpieces, make dip, cook chili for supper, hem slacks.

Saturday--get food to church, finish set up, get Mom to salon and dressed, party from 2 til 4, clean up church fellowship hall, crash and burn.

Sunday--laundry, rest, drive home.

It doesn't seem too overwhelming when write it down. I'll try my best to stick to my schedule.

Let's be catty

I LOVE Wednesdays! I get my ultimate guilty pleasure, America's Next Top Model, Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, Life, and Project Runway. It's not the best season of ANTM...but I still watch because I get to see just a few minutes of Nigel Barker each week and that man is screamin' sexy. I watch as much Gordon Ramsey as possible...Hell's Kitchen, The F Word, and Kitchen Nightmares on Fox and on BBC America. I don't know why, but I love this guy. I can't define my attraction to Life, except that it reminds me of Law & Order CI. Please note that Nigel, Gordon, and Damien are all Brits...OMG! I'm an Anglophile!

The new season of Project Runway began last night and was great! First, the guy who makes costumes for drag queens reminds me of someone I know...he is a doppelganger of Mike. Last night when he said "Hal-lay-loo-yah" I almost fell off of the sofa. And just for the record, I won't learn names for a few weeks, but I really like the Israeli guy...fabulous stuff and hate the crazy little queen with the goofy do.

It all makes the midweek so much brighter!

A terrible night

Last evening my dad called while I was cooking my dinner to tell me that my Uncle Acy had wandered off. Uncle Acy is Dad's oldest brother and has Alzheimer's. He was found about a half a mile from his home behind a barn wearing a pair of khakis, a long sleeved shirt, house-slippers, and a baseball cap. He is currently in the hospital being treated for hypothermia. The doctor said that if he had spent another two hours outside, he would not have survived.

My grandmother had what was diagnosed at the time as "hardening of the arteries" but was, quitle frankly, dementia. My Aunt Avis, who died two weeks ago, was in the early stages of dementia. And my Aunt Nellie is showing signs of it. I am so frightened for my Dad. I don't know if I could deal with the things that my cousins have dealt with so admirably.

One of my co-workers told of her grandmother pulling a knife on her mother before the family decided to put her in a special home for Alzheimer's patients.

Is it better to be healthy physically and live in a happy limbo while your family suffers or is it better to stay mentally sharp as your body deteriorates around you?

OH MY! I must shake this blue mood.

The Week-End from Hell!

I spent the week-end at my folks house. My dad and my sister had birthdays on October 25th, my BIL had a birthday on the 29th, Dad had a cataract removed on Thursday, and I'm up to my elbows in planning a Golden Anniversary party.

Of course, to hear my sister tell it, I'm a slacker who has done nothing. Oh yes, she has spent a lot of money. Not that she has made any special trips or gone out of her way...my sister does a lot of shopping. I, on the other had, was assigned designing and printing the invitations, which took about 30 man hours, a new printer/scanner, and some new software. Then, when I couldn't get it to work on my home printer, I went to Kinkos.

The gentleman at the nearest Kinkos to me was no help at all, so I went to on in Birmingham and the young man there was extremely helpful. I tried to send the file from my home program, but he couldn't open it. I then created a new document from my folks' computer but couldn't send it. Finally, I went to my sister's house and created a new document on her computer. She proofed it with me and I sent it off. I was told I could pick them up in the a.m.

Sis and her hubby picked them up Friday night and she called on her cell to tell me how great they looked. Saturday morning we began to address envelopes and Mom noticed that the date was wrong...2006. Yikes! Sis went home to try to edit my work and resend, but she couldn't find the saved file. Then she tried to recreate and couldn't. So I went to her house, created a new document, proofed it, and sent it off.

I went to pick up the invitations @ 4:30 on Saturday afternoon. I got home with them and began stuffing envelopes again and found a mis-spelled word. "Event" was now "even". My sister was red in the face and refused to speak to me. She called, however, an hour later to say that she had reviewed the original document and it was Kinko's error. She contacted Kinkos who promised to reprint and have new invites due in the a.m.. Sis and I were there by 9, but the invites were not.

Finally, we got the invitations printed correctly and mailed yesterday.

On top of this drama, I made 250 meatballs, 300 mints, 6 gallons of punch, and three meals. I also took my dad to the Piggly Wiggly, went to Sam's, Publix, and Academy Sports.

Then yesterday after lunch, I had my mom put on the slacks to the suit Sis had given her last year for Christmas so we could get them hemmed in time for her to wear the suit at her party. They didn't fit. Now Sis and I are in charge of finding her something to wear to the party.

I came in to work today and nothing was done while I was out on Friday, so I started the day 3 days behind.

I can hardly wait to leave this place today!

Anniversary Party Crazies

I'm going crazy with the anniversary stuff. But I discovered something new.
What do you think? Who is that hottie?

And this?

I'm pulling my hair out over invitations!

On another note, we had a Delicious Dish contest at work today. I didn't win, but I discovered the best recipe! I made Mexican Chicken Chowder. Not for the dieter, this dish included butter,half & half, cheese and corn. Mmmmmm. Good stuff!

VICTORY! AT LAST!

ROLL TIDE!

It's Official!

The doctor has finally, officially stated that my mom had a stroke. That's right, after 5 months, we now know (wink, wink) that she had a stroke. Not even a TIA...a full blown stroke. Gee! What was your first clue doc? The fact that she couldn't walk? Or talk? Or couldn't use her right hand? Sheesh!

Sorry, I don't mean to sound bitter. I am, but I don't mean to sound that way.

On a happier note, I went shopping this morning. I bought books, and sodas, and cheese.

I was at the bank at 9 this morning, and out by 9:05. Then I hit Barnes & Noble to pick up the book for group Friday night. I also bought the latest Kimberly Raye vampire dating service and California Demon by Julie Kenner. And I got Bear's Boys for Dad for his birthday--36 different men relating how playing for Bear Bryant impacted their lives.

After B&N, I hit Target. I've been cleaning out my make-up lately and needed to replace a couple of things. So I bought new powder and concealer plus three 12 packs of Diet Coke Plus and a new printer/scanner/copier. I had actually meant to get that at Best Buy, but they weren't open.

I so badly wanted to go to Off Broadway Shoes, but instead went to Wild Oats. I picked up some lovely flowers, some steel cut oats, and three different kinds of cheese. I was home by noon, where I had a Diet Coke Plus and some Stilton with apricots for lunch with grapes and a piece of french bread.

I now need to vacuum.

And sweep.

And mop.

And dust.

Funeral

My Aunt Avis died this week. It was not unexpected. She had been sick for while. Dad said that she had "the look of death about her" on his last visit. I saw a lot of cousins at the funeral...Martha--the adult (finally), Shirley--still surprisingly youthful, Ronny--looking more like his father every day, Curt--frighteningly frail. Larry--looking far too old, MaryNell--incredibly chic, Connie--elegant, and Barbara--sweet.

The preacher--pastor at the church were my Aunt Avis and my cousin Pat are members--did not deliver a fancy sermon. He spoke of Aunt Avis gone to be with God; in a better place. He praised her spirit and her joy and even addressed her failing mind. He delivered comfort as I had never heard before in a funeral sermon and I was so grateful that he did. You see, Pat and Jim (Aunt Avis's husband) had made the decision just a couple of weeks ago to put Aunt Avis in a nursing home. They were feeling extremely guilty.

And during the service the pastor looked at my cousin and said "Miss Pat, your mother knew she was loved and treasured in this life. You done right by your momma."
This should be said at every funeral. Funerals are not for the dead, but for those left behind. They should give comfort and hope. This young man succeeded in doing just that.

Before the funeral we gathered in the lobby of the funeral home chatting and catching up. Suddenly I found myself being addressed by a man in gray suit, asking me if I was going to sing. My eyes grew large, I shook my head violently and told him...."I love these people, I would never do anything like that to them."

All in all, it's been a rather sad week.

An Elegant Dinner

I love trying new recipes. Last night I made chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and herbs that I served with a grilled peach half and sesame cucumbers. I made a lovely presentation on one of my girlier glass plates and sat at the table with a linen napkin an a glass of iced tea.

The food was amazing!

I mashed the room temperature goat cheese and added chopped chives, tarragon, and oregano. Then I cut holes thru the side of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and stuffed the holes with the cheese mixture. Then I refrigerated the breasts for about 2 hours before coating in flour, egg, and bread crumbs and baking. I cooked the peach halves on my trusty George Foreman.

I tried duplicating a cucumber dish I had had at PF Changs, and I think I succeeded. I sliced English cucumber and marinated it in a dressing made of soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds.

So excuse me for patting myself on the back...I just can't help myself. And I have left-overs for lunch!

My Halloween Scare Came Early

Since I moved, I've not found a comfortable place for putting on my make-up. I have a pedestal sink in the bath and nowhere to spread out. The mirror on my lovely antique dresser needs re-silvering. So I bought myself a magnifying lighted make-up mirror.

YIKES!

I saw some rather frightening things. So I went shopping for a new face care regime. My lovely, dewy, peaches and cream suddenly disappeared and left me with dry patches, age spots, and a chicken neck. And I am not going to talk about the wrinkles.

I picked up some sort of thermal dermal abrasion and couldn't help but laugh as I read the instructions.

"Wet face and neck. Squeeze product the size of a quarter into hand and dab on cheeks and forehead. Spread into skin. Re-wet to increase thermal experience. Rinse. Best done at sink or in shower."

Does anyone else find it odd that a product that suggests wetting your face three times during usage would feel the need to tell you to do this at the sink or in the shower? Just where else might one perform these tasks? Driving down the interstate? In an elevator? At the drive-thru at McDonalds?

I've been frightened twice now...once by the horrendous change that happened to my face overnight and by the dumbing down of America!

Ah, The Ragweed

My eyes are watering, my nose is burning, my throat is itching, it must be ragweed season. Yeah!

Yesterday was my birthday. It's a really sucky day for a birthday. It used to be a great day, and my Mom insists it is still one of the happiest days of her life. Seriously. This from the least sentimental person I know. She sent it to me in a letter a couple of years ago that I saved.

Even more sucky than sharing a birthday with one of the most devastating dates in American history, I was sick yesterday. I left work by 11:30 and spent the day holding down my sofa. Daytime TV is the pits, even with almost 200 channels.

Oh, well, at least it's not Monday!

As the Spirit and Two Men and a Truck moved me

I moved last week. I tried to de-clutter first, but find myself throwing away things that I moved. My kitchen, while larger than the one I had before, has less counter, cabinet, and drawer space. I realized that once I had my dishes in place, I had nowhere to store food. So I am on a quest for a small pantry.

The new place is old, but has all new stuff. New carpet, new cabinets, new appliances, new toilet. Very nice.

And while I almost never saw anyone I knew while out and about in Nashville, I ran into two co-workers while running errands this week-end.

My priorities for the move were simple:

Line up movers.
Arrange for power to be turned on.
Move.
Arrange for cable to be turned on.
Arrange for phone service/cable.
Get a library card.
Rent storage space.

So I spent the week-end unpacking and watching movies. I also read Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner. It is the story of a soccer mom with a past. She used to hunt demons for the Vatican. Now she spends her time with a teen-aged daughter and a two year old son and drives a mini-van. But demons are after her and she needs to get back into the groove of things. Very entertaining.

I am embarrassed to say that I watched Phat Girls while unpacking. Mo'nique is funny. She is not a great dramatic actress and should not try to be.

I NEED TO FIND MY POTS AND PANS! I'm living off of fruit and cheese, but really need to do some cooking. The good news is that I found my sheets and have been able to sleep in my bed the last two nights, and not on the couch.

And it takes me 15 minutes to get to work in the mornings. It should take longer, but my fellow drivers will not abide any maintaining the speed limit.

I hope to have my home computer up and running soon.

Visiting with the Family

I took some time off of work and am visiting with my folks. I have been a lean, mean (DO NOT LAUGH) cooking and cleaning machine since I got here. I've cleaned out closets and cabinets and drawers, and believe me...its been a fight every step of the way.

So here is how it's gone.

Saturday morning I accidentally opened a can of sweetened condensed milk, so I decided to make lemon bars and not waste it. This involved a trip to the Piggly Wiggly for lemons and butter. I came back and shelled peas and washed them before putting them on to cook. Then my sister called and wanted to go out shopping. We hit TJ Maxx, Target, and Publix. Back at Mom and Dad's, I made the lemon bars and put some squash on to boil with an onion. And made a meatloaf. Then made a squash casserole. So for supper we had meatloaf with squash casserole, peas fresh from the garden, and sliced tomatoes, also fresh from the garden.

After supper I met up with my sister and her family to go to the Alabama Theater in downtown Birmingham. It is magnificent and I am so proud of the efforts made to presserve this amazing venue. We saw a Tom and Jerry cartoon, and yes, I laughed. Then the curtain closed and the music began. Up from the floor came The Might Wurlitzer and we were treated to a brief concert and then a sing-a-long. The movie is not one of my favorites, but it was such a lovely experience. I thought of my friend Kim when I saw that on the 18th and 19th of August they will be showing Gone with the Wind.

Yesterday was quiet. I fried okra to go with the left-overs from Saturday and made zucchini bread later in the day. I also washed Mom's hair and styled it for church.

I started cleaning house at 7:30 this morning and am only now taking a break. I started in the guest bath before moving into the kitchen. I cleaned up Mom and Dad's breakfast dishes and then started scrubbing countertops. I pulled out the silverware divider and emptied it, putting it to soak in Clorox water. I was allowed to toss one of the three oven temperature guages Mom had in a gadget drawer, but was not permitted to get rid of the handles that convert Corningware casseroles to skillets. (These were last used in the late 60s.) I found 7 pairs of scissors.

Then I moved into their bedroom. While it no longer looks like a sick-room, it was still a bit of a mess. I dusted everything, including Dad's change. Then I scrubbes their bathroom.

During all of this, Mom had her final visit with the home-health pysical therapist. She suggested Mom was dishes to build up her endurance. Hmmmm. After she left, I fixed a snack for the folks, bowls of watermelon, before swinging back into action.

I had done all but the vacuuming when it hit me it was one o'clock, so I decided to fix some lunch. Mr. Peoples had come knocking on the back door this morning with corn from his garden, so I decided to grill it, with some onions and some smoked sausage. I also made cornbread and sliced some tomatoes and cucumbers. I think my Dad was as happy as I had seen him in a while.

I have to admit, I'm pretty full and happy myself at the moment.

Morning News

A few years ago, ABC created a niche by advertising news for insomniacs. I used to catch it around 3:30 in the morning and Aaron Brown hosted. In those days I lived in an semi-rural area and didn't have cable. Local television channels used to air stories from 6-7 before the network morning shows. Then they went from 5-7. Then 4:30-7. Now they start at 4:00 with local news. How many times can a news person read the same story in a 3 hour period.

One local channel starts with news from 4-7. Then mid-day news from 12-1. Then another broadcast 5-5:30, followed by network news 5:30 to 6. Local news from 6-7. Again from 10-10:30. This is rebroadcast from 1-1:30. It is the NBC station, so there is also a 3 hour broadcast of the Today Show.

There is more "entertainment" on CNN than on the local NBC station.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Michael Vick.

What is the appeal of dog fighting. Can someone please explain this to me? I just don't understand.

Lindsay Lohan.

SOMEBODY SEND PATTI DUKE TO TALK TO THIS GIRL!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I still haven't read the latest Harry Potter. Hope to get to it over the week-end. I've also got to read the book for mystery book group and I can't find it.

Speaking of HP, one of the upcoming fall series, Pushing Daisies, will feature narration by Jim Dale. If you get the chance to listen to the HP novels, do. Jim Dale is the most phenomenal reader.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hell's Kitchen

Sad to see Julia go. I have felt for weeks that the final two will bee Roc and Jen and had been secretly rooting for Roc. Until the last two episodes. Now. I. Hate. Roc. Really, really, hate, hate.

The Next Food Network Star

Yeah Amy...The Gourmet Next Door. I hope you shine.

Lunch Lady Strikes Again

So I opened the fridge at work yesterday to put in my small plastic container and there sat a bowl with rice in it and another with a half eaten burrito. Not plastic, covered bowls. Regular, uncovered bowls. Also, there was a box of instant rice sitting on the counter.

Now let me take a moment to describe the "kitchen" area in our office. There is a small fridge and a row of cabinets approximately 8 feet long. One one end of the countertop is a small sink. Hanging from the wall beside the sink is a paper towel dispenser. Approximately 1 foot from the sink is a microwave. Beside the micro is a large coffee cannister, a large container of powdered coffee creamer (yuk!) and a large container of sugar. Then comes the commercial coffee maker. All in all, not a lot of room on the countertop. Certainly not enough for leaving dirty dishes, groceries, making a salad, or preparing a meal.

We work in an office of 30 people. A little consideration for the rest of us is all I ask!

Things My Mother Taught Me....

1. Cover left-over pizza with a damp paper towel and microwave on moderate heat to prevent turning the crust into cardboard. (Seriously, this makes left-over pizza taste like the Dominoes guy just backed out of the driveway.)

2. To remove the smell of onions or garlic from your hands, rub them on a piece of stainless steel. (I used to just rub the faucet while washing my hands, but then I got brushed nickel. Now I use a spoon.)

3. Make your bed every day. (This never, ever happens. Ever.)

4. Put tobacco on a bee sting. (It really does ease the pain.)

5. Don't bring your work home. Nobody else cares.

6. Fight back. I'm really not much of a fighter, but my mom was always rather irritated by my meekness. She does not advocate martyrdom.

7. Read your Bible every day. You'll be surprised at the insight there.

8. Housework is a necessary evil. Do not become a slave to it. NOBODY CARES!

9. Learn from your mistakes. These lessons are invaluable.

10. You don't have to say you love someone, as long as your behavior reflects that love.

11. Dance, even if you can't.

WHY I LOVE GEORGE W BUSH!

This has absolutely nothing to do with politics and everything to do with traffic.

George W Bush will arrive at 10:30 this morning, visit a local business, attend a luncheon and be on his way by 3:00.

The former President and/or VP would arrive in time for the motorcade to leave the airport around 7:30 in the morning to go to a local hotel for a few hours before whatever event was scheduled. The motorcade would then head back to the airport sometime between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.

If you've never been sitting in traffic during a Presidential motorcade, God Bless You. If you've never been sitting in rush hour traffic during a Presidential motorcade, you have truly been blessed.

I suppose the fault is my own, for choosing to live east of the airport and by the same respect, east of Nashville. Even worse, I used to work near airport...I had to pass under two runways to get to work each day. So when the President or VP would come to town, things would get interesting.

One morning our FAX machine had died and the boss had run out to buy a new one. Standing in the parking lot that morning helper her unload the new FAX, we were suddenly overwhelmed by cacophony created by helicopters overhead. I looked up to see men with guns hanging out of choppers. It seems one of the braintrusts in the maintenance department had decided to watch Air Force 1 land from the roof of the building...which happened to be directly across the street from the runway.

This is not sanctioned by the good people at Homeland Security.

So Georgie, for making your trip brief and during the middle of the day, I salute you!

Yikes!

More observations on traffic.

I saw one of my favorite things happen this morning. A white pick-up truck driving 70 in the far left lane of I-65 when he shot across four lanes to exit. My question is, why are you in the far left lane if you are near your exit? Or, if you don't know where your exit is?

Tourists. On I-65 at 6:30 this morning. Driving over 80 in a construction zone.

Did I mention that I hate traffic?

The Things I Forgot

I am in the process of cleaning out one of my closets and have been quite suprised. I have found two pairs of shoes and a coat that are brand new, never worn and that I don't remember buying. I now have in my rotation a pair of casual sandals in lime green and a pair of white canvas Mary Jane Keds. I love the Keds. I have always loved Keds. Why don't I remember these?

The coat is black cashmere. Tags still on it. Something I obviously bought on sale at the end of the season one year. I tried it on. It fits. Quite elegant. But ot as pretty as the aubergine cashmere with black velvet cuffs and colar that is my favorite. I suddenly have a wealth of coats. Dress coats. And it is hot. out. side.

I also found a desk chair cover that massages still in the box. A bunch of decorative bottles I bought for the vanilla extract I make, come Christmas lights, and a whole lot of candles. Hmmm.

Oh! and an electric blanket. And an electric mattress pad. You would think that I get cold at night.

HELL'S KITCHEN

Ding. Dong. Melissa's gone. And my girl Julia remains.
I've been a fan of Rock until last night's episode. He was bitter, angry, and childish. Things I do not find attractive in a man. I do expect it to be Roc and Jen in the final two. .

*************NEWS FLASH*********************
John Lovitz beat up Andy Dick! It somehow just seems right.

Harry Potter and Romance Novels

I went to see the latest in the HP series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It was not the best yet. I like all of the movies, but this was my least favorite. And the shortest. It lacked the terror and suspense I felt in the book and in the previous movies.

The theater was full, lots of kids. Lots of teens. Lots and lots of teens. Do teen-aged girls have smaller bladders than they used to? Seems to me that I could go all day without having to go to the bathroom when I was younger (now is quite a different matter) but the girls in this theater were constantly up and down. And they moved as a group. 4 or 5 at a time.

Then this week-end I found myself with nothing in particular to read so I picked up a romance novel a friend had lent me. Let me first state that I have reached the point in my life in which romance novels do not necessarily appeal to me and I will really only read one author, Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I cannot remember the last time I read a series romance. But I picked up a Harlequin Blaze Romance by Julie Kenner and found myself laughing out loud. I will definitely read more by this woman.

I'm off to see the doctor today about the pain in my shoulder. Not looking forward to this.

Friday the 13th

And I burned my forehead with the curling iron. It is going to be a great day!

Blonde or Blind?

As I stated in an earlier post, I'm experiencing some pain in my right shoulder, do this morning I grabbed a bottle of Aleve from my medicine cabinet and threw it into my purse. I popped two while sitting at a traffic light on my way to work.

But once I got to work, I became very sleepy. I had three big cups of coffee and a 20 oz Diet Dr. Pepper. I've taken Aleve before and it never made me this sleepy. But I was a bit perkier and later in the day and thought, "It's been about 5 hours, I should probably take some more Aleve." I pulled out my purse, reached inside, and pulled out....Tylenol P.M. Can you believe it?

It remind

Book Group and a Mysterious Pain

I went to book group last night in which we discussed The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. We had a lovely selection of nibbles and then could either make tacos, taco salad, or burritos from an assortment of ingredients. Everyone liked the book, but it did promote interesting debate. It is the story of a doctor in 1964 whose wife goes into labor during a snow storm and he delivers their twins with the assistance of his nurse. The daughter is born with Downs Syndrome and he makes a fatal mistake in believing their lives would be better if she were institutionalized. He sends the baby off with the nurse and tells his wife that she died. The book deals with the consequences of this decision.

I have a severe pain in my left shoulder and down my left arm that has become increasingly uncomfortable. It began last week but today has been miserable. Hard to say if it is stress, arthritis, or something else altogether.

Because I had finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter, I was able to start Murder in Chinatown, the latest by Victoria Thompson. I've waited a year for this one and would really like to savor it, but I'm already 1/3 of the way thru. I should have it finished by tomorrow...unless I go see Harry Potter.

Tallying Up

The results of a week-end with nothing in particular to do. The only shopping was a brief stop at Publix. And it is scarry!

Pedicure $25.00 + tip $30.00
Oil change and car wash $63.00
Movie and snacks $18.00
Chinese take-out $14.00*
Trip to supermarket $35.00
Brief visit to eBay $40.00
Tank of gas $37.00
Book from library 0.00

Total $237.00

Yikes! I'll have to carry my lunch all week to fit in a trip to see Harry Potter.

Paris Je'Taime

A friend and I went to see this yesterday and I highly recommend it. If you've not heard, it is a series of shorts by different directors...love stories set in Paris. Eighteen stories, sweet, sad, bizarre and all with amazing performances.

My favorites included the young English couple in the cemetery looking for the grave of Oscar Wilde, the Cohen brothers tale with Steve Buscemi, the vampire story with Elijah Wood, the old married couple with Bob Hoskins. There is the bittersweet tale of a nanny who abandons her own child at day care to tend for the infant of someone else. And the older couple saying good-bye with Ben Gazzara and Gena Rolwands. But the most poignant is the story of a man who has fallen out of love with his wife, ready to leave her for his mistress, when they discover she is dying.

The best line from the entire movie...In pretending to be a man in love, he became a man in love.

Now I must vent. Do you remember when the matinee price of a movie was $4.00 and was for movies showing before 6:00. It really hasn't been that long ago. The matinee price kept going up, and the last matinee I saw was $6:50. Still for movies showing before 6 p.m. Yesterday, the movie showtime was at 3:05. The matinee price was $6.50....FOR MOVIES SHOWING BEFORE 3:00. How can you possibly charge $9.00 for a movie that starts at 3:05? The good people at Regal Cinemas may have just seen the last of me for a while.

Hello Carmac!

How Could This Happen?

I stopped by the Food Lion near the office this morning. I was feeling frisky
and decided to bring my co-workers the makings for root beer floats. First, they were out of Diet A&W. I picked up a 2 liter of regular A&W and a 2 liter of the store brand diet root beer. Then I picked up some Solo cups and a cheap scoop before heading over the the freezer section of the store. And guess what? No vanilla ice cream?! No vanilla bean, no sugar free vanilla, nada. Bryers, Mayfield, Purity, Blue Bell, and the store brand and no vanilla. How does a supermarket not have vanilla ice cream?

So I put everything back and headed into work...no treats today!

Fireworks, Sunday Gravy, and George Clooney

I went with a couple of friends on Tuesday night to see Ocean's 13. It was good...not gread. Quite forgetable. Better than the last, not as good as the first. But George Clooney looked good. So did Brad Pitt. And Ellen Barken. Wow!

Oh! and great previews! I really want to see Vantage Point. It looks like the kind of movie that will make my leg jiggle all the way through it.

Yesterday I slept in...I didn't get up until 6:30. I was at Publix by 7:30 and I purchased the things I needed to make Sunday Gravy. My lack of ethnicity has started to grate and so I've decided to become Italian. I used Vita Grecco's recipe and let it cook all day. I ate about 6:30 last night and it was excellent. And I'll have more today for lunch, and tomorrow for lunch and ....

Bookgroup tonight and we are discussing my book, so I dug in last night to read it. Red Leaves by Thomas Cook. What a downer! So well written, but the topic is heart-breaking. Eric Moore is an average guy who as made a nice life for himself. A happy marriage with one teen-aged son who is, like most teens, sullen and quiet. When the child his son was babysitting turns up missing, Eric's world falls apart.

And finally, last night my neighbors celebrated the birth of a nation by getting drunk and setting off fireworks...outside my window. Luckily, I had taken precautions yesterday and soaked my grass. I wonder about the mentality of someone who will ignite fireworks in a residential neighborhood in the midst of a drought. Hmmmm.....

Traffic

The day before a holiday. Traffic should be light, but it was rather heavy this morning. Lots of out of state plates. My guess is folks headed for the gulf.

I admit that I drive far too fast. But I've been trying to slow down some and save a little gas. And I always slow down in the construction zones. I pass through one construction area each day on my way to and from work. There is one of those signs on the side of the road that flashes your speed as you pass by...I knew that I was going too fast at 70, but then a gold Impala with so many Mardi Gras beads around the rear view mirror it had to limit visibility flew past me at 98 mph. What was the blond bimbo driving this thing thinking?!

Then, in the quieter portion of the trip, past the mall and into a more rural area, I noticed a two toned car in my rear view mirror. The left of the car was lavender, the right was robins egg blue. It was coming on fast. I was in the middle lane, it was in the left so I felt safe, until he seemed to be aiming for me. Twice. Eventually he found whatever it was he was looking for in the floor of the car, managed to get control of the vehicle, and moved on.

I got to work a little grayer today.

BTW--what is the deal with the Mardi Gras beads lately? I see more cars with them draped over the rear view mirror...from three or so to 30 or more. I remember the trend from when I was in my twenties but I hadn't seen them in years. Why the resurrection of such an annoying trend? They make noise and get limit visibility. OMG! I've turned into a grumpy old lady. How long until I start complaining about the youngsters and their music?

Beauty Shop

Not a hair salon, an old fashioned beauty shop. I took Mom Saturday to have her hair done. She got a cut and a perm and caught up on the gossip. She was, possibly, the youngest patron there. And her walker was not alone in the corner. I remember the days of going with her to have her hair set on Saturday, reading the trashy magazines and drinking soda from a returnable bottle. Quite a trip back into time.

Then, today Dad called me at work. I was terrified. But he just wanted my opinion on something. Seems the big stereo my dear sister and I gave them for their 25th wedding anniversary has become a nuisance. It is big with tall speakers, a turntable and a dual cassette. I think it may be Pioneer. Anywho, Dad wants to get rid of it, but doesn't want to hurt our feelings. He asked if I wanted it. I do not. I assured him that the fact it is still in good condition after 25 years and that they did get pleasure out of it for most of thse 25 years was enough for me.

Now what my sister will say....

Live Free or Die Hard

So I'm a sucker for Bruce Willis. This is one sexy man. And even dirty and covered in blood he makes my heart race. Add to hot, middle-aged sexiness of Mr. Willis the teddy bear cuteness of Kevin Smith and I was in heaven.

For the record, I was one of only three XXs in a theater full of XYs.

Of course this movie is over the top, and one sequence of stunts seemed excessive and a bit ridiculous, but what is a Die Hard movie if not excessive and a bit ridiculous. And there was a very bad cut-in of a mismatched stunt double. The double had long salt and pepper hair and a dark complexion. The actor he was doubling for was fair and blond.

Oh! and the Vulcan from Voyager was in it and I was constantly distracted looking for pointed ears.

All and all I enjoyed this one as much as the previous three. I really liked the relationship between John McClane and his daughter. And I found the premise quite frightening.

TMI Alert!!!!!!

I'm having a bad morning. My routine was somehow thrown off and I drove to work wondering if I had put on deodorant. Luckily, I keep some in my desk drawer. Also, I find myself wearing laundry day panties. I am completely miserable.

Can you say Adult ADD?

Lean Mean Thirteen

I waited a year for this book. It was soooo worth it. I love this series. Stephanie Plum rocks!

The good news is, she is developing, and growing. (Finally) And she is becoming a better bounty hunter. Especially since she couldn't get any worse. Joe Morelli and Ranger are still hot stuff. Grandma is still crazy, but she manages to pick up a man at the funeral home. The funniest scene in the book is when the boyfriend comes for dinner.

I'm No Stranger to the Rain...

Well, actually, I am these days. We've been suffering thru a drought. Nashville drivers are not the best in the world in good weather conditions, but we've been having these summer storms and, well, it get bad. So while I was stuck in the parking lot knowns as I-40 last week because there had been water on the road, this line from an old country song came to mind. I could hear it in my head, but for the life of me couldn't remember who sang it.

I love the internet! Here are the lyrics to an incredible song. If you've never heard it, it has a rolling melody and Keith Whitley was a marvelous baritone, taking the deep notes and rising with ease.

I'm no stranger to the rain.....Keith Whitley
i'm no stranger to the rain
i'm a friend of thunder, friend is it any wonder
lightning strikes me....

i've fought with the devil
got down on his level, but i never gave in
so he gave up on me....

i'm no stranger to the rain
i can spot bad weather, and i'm good at finding shelter
in a downpour....

i've been sacrificed by brothers
crucified by lovers, but through it all
i've lived through the pain.....i'm no stranger to the rain

when i get that foggy feeling, when i'm feeling down,
if i don't keep my head i may drown....
but it's hard to keep believing, i'll even come out even,
while the rain beats a hole in the ground,
and tonight, it's really coming down.......

i'm no stranger to the rain
but there'll always be tomorrow, and i'll beg or steal or borrow
a little sunshine.....

but i'll put this cloud behind me
that's how the Man designed me
ride the wind and dance in a hurricane.....

So the next time you hear thunder rolling outside, think of this.

Thursday, Thursday, Thursday

I've got to put down books, turn off the tv, and get some things done. I just have to. But my new Janet Evanovich, Lean Mean Thirteen, is sitting on my doorstep waiting on me. Oh my!

In other good new, Mom is doing very well. She has even been conversational, lately.

If you could see me, you would see me doing a happy dance!

Sad news---I didn't win the lottery last night. Sigh.

My Last Nerve!

I have a co-worker who can find my last nerve...without fail. Little things and big things, but mostly little things.

We have assigned lunch times because our phones are to be covered at all times. My scheduled lunch is 12:00, hers is 12:30. Every time I got up to go to lunch, she was at the counter preparing her lunch. So I switched times with her. So one day I was working another girl's shift and got up to take her 11:30 lunch and, you guessed, there was Lynne. At the counter. Making lunch.

That's right. She doesn't bring a Lean Cuisine or a can of chili or a sandwich or leftovers from home. Nope. She brings a head of lettuce, a loaf of bread, a cucumber, a bottle of dressing, a package of lunch meat, a jar of mayo, and a 2 liter drink. She procedes to make a salad or make a sandwich, fill a cup with ice, and pour a drink. Then she stuffs it all into the refridgerator shared by 40 people!

Even worse, when she is done, the dirty dish will sit on her desk for hours...and hours...getting more and more disgusting.

Then there is the way she starts a conversation in the middle of a paragraph. I'll be quietly doing my work and she will suddenly come out with something like, "Those crazy boys in Columbia. Wow!" And she will expect me to respond.

The problems with this are:
a) What the heck is she talking about?!
b) I spend my day on the phone. I wear a headset. 98% of the time, I'm on the phone.
C) I've lost hearing in one ear and I have a headset on the other. I CAN'T HEAR!

It makes me crazy. And today, I'm crazier than usual!

A Review

Greek Food

My girlfriends and I went to eat at greek restaurant Friday night. I enjoyed the food, but I'm afraid my friends didn't. But we were all highly entertained watching the participants in the drag show across the street arrive.

Then I was up @ 3:30 Saturday morning and couldn't sleep. I did a load of laundry, read, showered, packed, and was on the road by 6 to visit my folks.

Much Improved

It's true! My mom was eating, drinking, and lucid most of the day Saturday and Sunday. She's been taking laps around the house using a walker.

I was at their house by 9:30 Saturday morning and began cooking. First I made mashed potatoes for a shepherds pie. Then I made a sugar free Strawberry pie. Then I made the shepherds pie. Then I baked chicken breasts. Then I ate lunch.

And then I made creamy chicken noodle soup.

Sunday I cooked a pork roast that I served with peas and tomatoes and fried squash from the garden. Then I cleaned the kitchen, did some laundry, and headed home.

Do I need to tell you I was tired by the time I got home Sunday night?

Big Sexy Hair

I use a particular hair product. It is in a can approximately 15" tall and 3" in diameter and red. The name of the product is prominently displayed...BIG SEXY HAIR ROOT PUMP.

That's not embarrassing.

Tonight is book group...mystery. I liked the book but can't remember much about it now.

My cat is doing some crazy things now. I think I've been away from home too much lately, because when I put on my cologne in the mornings, she starts crying and rubbing my legs. I spray a light mist in her direction and it seems to make her happy. My theory is that she likes smelling like me.

But I could be wrong....wouldn't be the first time.

IN REVIEW

Knocked Up

Was not as good as it could have been. It had a few laughs, but was mostly guy humor. A guys version of pregnancy and childbirth. Gross stuff. Guy stuff.

Visiting My Parents

It was tough. Mom was very disoriented on Saturday. She kept asking for her mother (died in 1949), for her brother (dead for 3 years), and her older sister (died 10 years ago). She would ask where Dad was when he was standing in front of her.

Yesterday was far better, as was today. However, she is not urinating and I fear she is going thru renal shut-down. Today she ate better than she has and had visits from the home health nurse and the nurses aid.

Dad has asked me to move back. We had a long talk about it. I cried. He cried. My sister cried when she heard. It brought home to us just how ill Mom really is. I think I had made up my mind before I went for this visit, but it still hurts. I'm now job-hunting. Again.

On a happier note, two books that I've been waiting on finally came in. I plan on reading Alibi Man by Tami Hoag after Hell's Kitchen.

TV Cooking Competitions

Last nite I watched The Next Food Network Star. I think I liked this group. Hell's Kitchen is on now. Why do I love this show so much? Gordon Ramsey is loud, obnoxious, foul-mouthed and abusive. The contestants are whiney. Oh! I know. Scott Liebfried. Unfortunately, there is not enought Scott Liebfried.

I must see who goes home tonight and then curl up with a good book.

She's Home

Mom is officially home. She is still weak and disoriented, but she is home. Her cat was thrilled. She will have home health visits by a physical therapist and a nurse three times a week. She can walk some with a walker but tires easily.

I still can't seem to get enough sleep. And this week at work has been so crazy. I'm supposed to be "catching up", but I'm only treading water.

I wish I could go back to bed.

A Sign of Hope

So Mom did so well yesterday that she may be able to go home today. She will require home health care for a while, but at least she will be home.

I am extremely tired. It seems that no matter how I try, I cannotget more that 7 hours sleep.

I read the second Jack Kerley novel over the week-end...very good. Then I read a romantic suspense I found laying around by Jasmine Cresswell. The suspense was good, the romance mediocre.

I'm waiting on the latest Tami Hoag from the library, and for the release of the latest in two series that I read by Victoria Thompson and Janet Evanovich.

My mantra for today? It's got to be better than yesterday.

In Review

First, WAITRESS. It was one of those movies you left with a smile on your face. I immediately wanted to see it again. And I wanted pie. Kerri Russell was sweet and cute and Nathan Fillian was charming.

Second, movie night. Only one of my GF's had ever seen Rachael and the Stranger, so it was a treat to introduce it to them. William Holden was so handsome, Loretta Young so lovely. But all I could think of when watching Robert Mitchum was Matt LeBlanc. I had never before been struck by the similarities, but I kept expecting Robert Mitchum to say "How you doin'?"

Topper was masked by...go figure...conversation. We would occasionally turn to watch the movie, but discussions of the finally of Lost and Heroes, among other things, kept distracting us.

The food was good. I made Sloppy Joes and had bought a chocolate pie. Karen made a delicious bean salad and brought strawberries and bananas. Lesa came with an assortment of goodies including Chex Mix, mozzarella sticks, stuffed jalapenos, and cole slaw. Ruth brought a yummy lemon chess pie, and Kim made a wonderful lemon cake.

Then I was up early yesterday morning to go visit Mom. I left the house a little after seven but made a stop at Walmart before hitting the road. I made it to the hospital a little before eleven. Sis had spent the night and Dad had come to relieve her until I arrived. He stayed thru lunch and the went home to do some things around the house. Mom had a visit from friends during the afternoon and then Dad came back in time for dinner. He left before seven and I settled in for the evening.

I am quite frightened about Mom's health. Her speech is slurred much of the time and she has lost quite a bit of motor control. There is a slackness on one side of her face. And she is so confused. So I spoke to my cousin this morning. Emily is an OT and far more knowledgeable about such things than I. She said that without seeing her, it sounded as though Mom might have had a small TIA. The most reassuring thing she said was that if had been something else, the doctors would have been giving her brain scans.

Let's talk about the confusion....last nite I confirmed the time every 15 t0 20 minutes. "Is it 3:00?" "Yes ma'am, it is 3:00." "Is it 4 or 5?" "It's 4." Then there was the "Where am I?" Every few minutes she asked, in some form or another, where she was. Her feet were cold. Her feet were hot. Her hand hurt (the antibiotic IV), she wanted to sit up, she wanted to raise the bed, she wanted to lower the bed. Aren't those curtains pretty? Where was Harvey? Who was going to stay the night? All in a regular rotation.

I came back to Mom and Dad's to get a little sleep, but find that I am unable to do so. I think that the time has come for me to consider packing up and moving back. My heart hurts.

A Good Report

I had a long, good conversation with my sister tonight. Mom is doing much better. She seems quite relieved. So am I.

Tomorrow is movie day. I'm going to see Waitress in the afternoon and then will have the gang over tomorrow night to watch classic movies. I know I want to show Rachael and the Stranger but am torn on the second feature...All About Eve, Leave Her to Heaven or Dark Victory. I have, however decided to make Sloppy Joes. Ymmm.

I'm torn between crawling into bed and watching the Monk marathon or soaking in the tub with a book. I'm reading the sequel to the book I read over the week-end. The Death Collectors by Jack Kerley.

Decisions, decisions...

BLIND IN ONE EYE AND BLONDE IN THE OTHER

I broke my glasses this morning and couldn't find my back-up pair. So I drove to work this morning winking at the world.

Mom is in for another couple of days in the hospital. They are concerned that two weeks of inactivity will have caused some muscle atrophy and hope to give her some physical therapy before sending her home.

I worry about my dad, who is wearing himself out trying to stay with mom and maintain the garden and his yard.

Back to work...until the optical place opens.

Is this day over yet?!!!!!

I'm working the late shift tonight. I left the house the morning at 8:30 and headed off to have my car inspected before getting my new tag. It didn't pass. Now I've got 30 days to have it fixed.

Since I had spent all of my cash on the inspection and I was jonzing for some caffeine, I went to Walgreens to get a Diet Coke and some cash. There was a very punky young woman in line behind me, pierced and tattooed and extremely sad, buying a pregnancy test. Ooops! I got to the office in time to do about 40 minutes of work before we headed to a local park for our team-building picnic/potluck. We ate and played games for about 2 hours before heading back and tackling an accumulated mountain of work.

I am exhausted. I've decided I work too hard.

And allow me a moment to rant. I hate to do the potluck thing and spend hours cooking something and have it be neglected over store-bought options. I baked a banana cake with chocolate frosting and another co-worker baked a dessert. There was also a pie from the freezer sectin of the supermarket, a cake and some cookies from the supermarket bakery, and a package of Oreos. The Oreos and bakery cookies were gone. The bakery cake did not fare as well, but the pie was almost gone while there were plenty of left-overs of the home-baked goods.

It makes me feel that people think I cook in unsanitary conditions. I am the first to admit that I am a casual housekeeper, but I am fanatical about my kitchen. The counters and appliances get bleached daily and the floors are mopped twice a week. My hands get washed so much when I cook that they are raw by the time I'm done. Am I deceiving myself in thinking I am a good cook?

Anyway, my system is back up, so it is back to work.

Gee! My House Smells Terrific

We are having a "team building" picnic potluck at work tomorrow, and I signed up for a dessert. I had everything handy, so I made a banana cake that I will ice with chocolate frosting. This cake smells soooo good.

We have a new American Idol. Nyeh. I lost interest when Melinda went home. I did like seeing Taylor Hicks again. And Rueben Studdard. And I always love seeing Kelly Clarkson. I honestly think they wasted the show with other "special guest stars" like Gwen Stephani and Bette Middler. I would have rather seen the 12 finalists do more performing.

Mom had a stint put into her foot today and is in step-down until tomorrow.

I'm off to frost a cake.

Ugly Cars

I saw tow of the ugliest cars today I have ever seen. Uglier than the old car covered with bumper stickers. Uglier than the cars with four different colored fenders and mismatched doors. Uglier than the car made to look like a fish.

One was a Nissan Sentra. In hot pink. With tinted windows and L.O.L. in hot pink on the back glass.

The other was very new looking. A Honda....part red and part cream. A cream spoiler and a cream bumper, with a red decklid (trunk). From behind, which was my viewpoint, it looked like a cat walking away.

Think about it.

Do you have the picture in your head?

Now have a nice day!

Is this week over yet?

It's crazy at work. Really crazy. Psycho crazy. I am so glad to have the long week-end ahead.

Mom is much better today...she even felt like talking on the phone...briefly. She will have an artereogram tomorrow and may get a shunt in her foot.

OMG! Hell's Kitchen starts next week!

I cannot put together a single paragraph, so I will be early to bed tonite. But one quick thought...the clock radio that I got for Christmas over 30 years ago is still going strong. WOW.

Early Shift

I am on the early shift this week. I actually prefer it, but it means leaving my house around 5:45 in the morning. Yes, I could wait and get to work right on time, but I am relentlessly early. Always.

Mom seems better today but there are some problems with the blood flow to her left foot. The vascular specialist will visit her tomorrow. Her temp has been down today, so hopefully she will be home soon. I worry about Dad. He spends most of his days at the hospital and about half of his nights, plus he puts in time in his garden. He is frantic about the condition of his yard. There are country club grounds keepers who would weep with envy at the sight of my dad's yard.

Prissy Cat is not happy with me. I've been restless and she has been unable to curl up in my lap. I think I've been forgiven for going out of town for the week-end, or would have been if I could be still.

I'm at my desk right now, feet propped on the bed and the keyboard in my lap, watching Law and Order: Criminal Intent. Mike Logan is getting a love interest. I love Chris Noth, but much prefer the episodes with Goren and Eams.

I read a very good book this week-end. The Hundredth Man by Jack Kerly. It was an especially well crafted mystery for a first novel. Sick and twisted and dark. It is set in the very beautiful city of Mobile, Alabama and includes forays to Gulf Shores, Daphne, Robertsdale, Montgomery, and Talladega.

Well, damn! Mike Logan's love interest just bit the big one. Mike must have Dave Robicheax disease.

Can you hear it? It's the sound of my bed with a set of crisp, cool, sheets calling my name. Must surrender.....

Sick Mommy

I went to visit my mom this week-end. She is still very ill so I spent the week-end at the hospital. She has pneumonia which is complicated by her diabetes. While she was on the mend on Friday, she was quite ill yesterday and today.

Should I be bothered by the fact that my sister seemed reluctant to leave me alone in the room with our mother? Hmmmm.....

On the other hand, I had a great laugh at a couple of billboards I caught while driving. One was for DNA testing...just $395.00! Who's your daddy? And the other was for vasectomy reversal. Is this something one should consider while driving 80? And how reputable is someone who advertises micro surgery on a bill-board 50 miles from anywhere?

My niece graduates from high school on Thursday night. Then the whole family heads for the beach on Friday. Ahhh...sweet memories! To be thin and tan and blonde and 18 again. If I knew then what I know now I could rule the world!

I love Friday afternoon. After a week when I seemed to function at full throtle, I can relax and breathe on this quiet Friday afternoon.

I spoke to my mom and the doctors believe she may have pneumonia. Hmmm. Is that very much like a gall bladder attack? I'm heading out in the morning to visit, so I'll find out for myself.

I NEED SOMETHING GOOD TO READ! I can hardly wait until the new Janet Evanovich comes out. And of course, I'm on pins and needles waiting on the final Harry Potter.

I must visit the library soon.

Friday

Gas Prices
I filled my tank on Monday and paid $2.89 a gallon. Yesterday morning, the same station had gas @ $2.95 per gallon and then last evening it was $2.99. As I passed it this morning, I noticed it was $3.09. That is a 20 cent jump in less than a week. Even more remarkable, it was a 15 cent jump in price in less than 24 hours.

Traffic
So why is it that the guy behind me has it in his head that by riding my bumper, it will increase the speed of the 40-60 vehicles in front of me?

But why complain when the sun is shining, the temperatures are moderate, and it is, in fact, FRIDAY!

A Very Bad Night

It started with the phone call that my mom was in the hospital. She's been sick since Saturday and thought it was a virus, but now they think it's her gall bladder. Plus she had fluid in her lungs and had to be put on oxygen. I tried calling this morning and didn't get an answer. She's either asleep or out for tests.

Then the cable was out in my living room so I had to watch my favorite shows in my bedroom. And my desk chair is not the most comfortable in the house.

Okay, so here's the run-down...Melinda is gone from Idol. My heart is broken. Renee is not America's Next Top Model. And Tyson is gone from Sheer Genius. The justice in this is that he took the evil Tabitha with him.

Now I must work.

Goodbye, Old Friend

I just watched the season finale of Gilmore Girls. I've watched from the beginning, and despite the ecocentric behavior of the two main characters, I loved it. I was, however, less than happy with the series finale. It was sweet and sad, and I really loved the scene with Richard telling Lorelei how special she is. Luke and Lorelei were re-united, but there was no passion.

Oh, well. They will live forever in syndication.

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

By Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain is an adventurous chef. He has a show on The Travel Channel in which he visits exotic locations and tries the local cuisine.

In this book, he breaks down the life of a chef and compares it to a pirate's life. He runs a kitchen of rogues and minions and braggarts. They are rough and full of testosterone...even the women. These people were never meant for the 9 to 5 life. They live on the edge of society and like it.

Bourdain, himself, has endured a romance with various drugs and remains a very heavy drinker and smoker.

While I know that this book reflects the worst and most extreme circumstances of restaurant life, I found it enlightening and immensely entertaining . There is a disdain for wait staff and customer alike. Bartenders, however, are held in very high regard.

Just a few tips garnered from reading this book:
Never order fish on Sunday. Especially if you see some form of fish "dish" on a brunch menu.
Eat out on Tuesday or Thursday. Week-ends are busy and the only effort being made in the kitchen is to get the food out...quickly... and turn the tables.
Never, ever request sauce on the side.

All in all, a very good, light read.

The Conversation Was Good

The book group left my house around midnight. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the book and there was much discussion on dining out and restaurants. The beer bread went over well, as did the pie. The soup and salad not so much.

Oh, well. Live and learn.

Monday, Monday

I ache all over and I got almost no sleep last night. I'm in the process of finishing a 20 oz Diet Dr Pepper and will probably get a cup of coffee after.

A small rant about traffic
What is it with the people in this town? They drive 90 on the shoulder but will get in the far left lane and drive 5 miles under the speed limit. Oh! I saw a Ford Mustang with six (no lie, six) adult men in it. How? I've been pondering it all morning.

I'm not excited about work today.

I hear my bed calling my name

I've gotten very little sleep this week-end. I've made dinner for tomorrow, so all that is left for me to do when I get home from work is run the vacuum, set the table, and prepare my cheese platter. I've got Vichyssoise in the fridge, along with a mostly assembled Parisian salad and a chocolate truffle pie. And there is a loaf of beer bread wrapped in foil sitting on the counter.

My mom was very sick today. I called to wish her a Happy Mother's Day but she had been in bed for two days and couldn't hold anything down. She's going to the doctor tomorrow, but her blood sugar has been really low. I told her to eat some peppermint, it would settle her stomach and help to raise her blood sugar. I'll go to see her next week-end.

I missed part of tonight's episode of Blood Ties, but the parts I saw were great! And only one more episode? What a let-down.

I am doing something I absolutely never do...I am having a glass of wine while writing this. I had to open a bottle to make the Parisian salad, so I decided that a glass would assit my quest for rest. I froze the rest to use another day. Now I'm off to bed with How to Marry A Murdered by Amanda Matesky.

Beginning

It's early Sunday morning and I've just returned from taking my cousin to the airport. She arrived after midnight on Friday and I dropped her off at 7:15 on Sunday...a very short visit.

I'm now left to prepare for my book group tomorrow night. I'm trying to pinpoint a menu. Since the book is Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, I know that I'll serve Vichyssoise, but can't decide what else. A grilled chicken salad, perhaps? And what for dessert?

I went to my local cheese monger yesterday, so I have a lovely Cottswold and a Stilton with blueberries to serve with crackers, cherry tomatoes, and olives for appetizers and I plan on making a beer bread. I also picked up a couple of bottles of Little Black Dress Pinot Grigio.

This is one of three book groups in which I am a member...a "General" group, a fantasy group, and a mystery group. I need to make a selection for the mystery group to discuss in July. I've been contemplating Donald Harstaad's A Long December, something I read a couple of years ago. I like Harstaad. He's got a different take on the police procedural mystery.

Last month was my selection for fantasy and I chose Greywalker by Kit Richardson. It was the story of a Seattle based private investigator who was severely beaten and was technically dead for almost 2 minutes. When she came to, she could see the dead and walk between the dead and the living. It was the first in a series and well liked by the members of the group. That night I served a pot roast cooked in coffee with potatoes, carrots, and onions. A spinach salad with pears, walnuts and bleu cheese in a light vinaigrette along with yeast rolls, too. And dessert was Molten Chocolate Cakes with strawberries and coffee ice cream. It was very well received.

This is my first post and I will probably be posting random thoughts on life, books, food, movies, and tv. I hope you enjoy!