Golden Anniversary

So, it took a while, but here are some pics from the big anniversary party.

The happy couple, aren't they cute?

Willodean gave Mom her bridal shower.

Uncle Bill was the best man.

Mom, Dad, Sis, and I

Anniversary Party

GREEK CHICKEN AND RICE

Is even better on day two.

I'm trying to organize a soup exchange with my friends. You may remember how much fun we had trying to get together for Christmas, (i.e. herding cats).

Southerners and Cold

Do not go together. We either over-compensate or we freeze. On a 45 degree day, the chances are you'll see someone in a parka, ear muff, and thermal gloves. However, today's high was 23 and I saw people running around without jackets, wearing hoodies, and one guy in shorts.

Me? I was wearing long sleeves, jeans, Uggs, leather gloves, a cashmere full length swing coat, and a cashmere scarf. Boy, did I feel overdressed.

I'm trying a new recipe tonight...Greek Chicken with Rice. It looks amazing and I have all of the ingredients. Its a Pantry Party! This week-end I did five loads of laundry, scrubbed my bathroom to the point that operating rooms would be envious, and am in the process of doing the same in my kitchen. I am, however, motivationally challenged. I made the mistake of picking up the book for our Fantasy group on Friday night, and really want to soak in the tub and finish it.

I gave a friend quite a giggle today when I referred to the Dolly Parton chicken breasts I had set out to thaw.

On another note, I drank so much tea yesterday that I couldn't sleep last night. About 11:30 I took a Benadryl. Of course, it kicked in while I was watching Random Harvest. I missed the middle and caught the beginning and the end.

This afternoon I found a Lifetime movie I like. It is the story of a local woman who turned PI to get the skinny on her cheating husband. The reason I mention it is that I swear I heard Jonell Mosser in the back-ground a couple of times. I love to hear her sing. Smoky, smooth, and amazing. Then I spent an hour on the internet looking for credits. I did find out that Marty Stuart had composed the score for the movie. I loves me some Marty.

I'm off to start dinner. It may be going into the low teens again tonight, but I'll be imagining myself dining on the Mediterranean coast.

My Cousin Was Buried Today

She was 51 years old. There were very few people in attendance. I'm not even sure if her children knew she had died. I didn't cry for her because she had been lost to us all for a very long time.

My Uncle Jake and my Aunt Leila had four children. My Uncle Jake was a loving and kind father, perhaps blind to the faults of his children. As far as my Aunt Leila was concerned two children shined, her son Gerald and her baby girl Jenny. They could do no wrong. Not when they were arrested. Not when they lost custody of their children. Not when the left their parents in near bankruptcy. They were just misunderstood. Gerald eventually straightened his life out, almost too late. He had a stroke at 55 and has been an invalid ever since.

Jenny, on the other hand, did not. She lost a leg while driving high. She did jail time more than once. She died in her sleep Friday evening, probably of a drug over-dose. I feel for those who will grieve for her. I can't.

I AM THE QUEEN OF BARGAINS

You may worship me now.

I went shopping this weekend. I bought:

1 pr olive green GV jeans
1 pr tan Lee jeans
1 brown zipper cardigan
1 beige trench coat with a pleated skirt
1 cream long sleeved graphic knit shirt
1 10" tart pan
1 wooden appetizer tray in the shape of a leaf

Grand total..........$49.00

I finished reading The Spellman Files on Friday. I will probably read the sequel.
Then I pulled out a book my BFF Ruth gave me for my birthday (September) and read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I can't tell you how angry this book made me.

I've got a pot of tomato vegetable soup on the stove. I could hardly wait to use one of my ham bones. I think I'll make a pan of cornbread to go with and I'll have lunch for the rest of the week.

I'm on a huge citrus kick right now. I got some lovely navel oranges for Christmas and just finished them. I bought some tangerines at Kroger on Thursday and I'm almost out. I saw a truck on the side of the road by Walmart selling Indian River oranges....I may have to go get some.

Sunday in New York is on...I love that movie. Rod Taylor and Cliff Robertson are supremely sexy in it.

Oh well...I think I'll go make some iced tea.

Project Runway and Presidential Primaries

First, I was very disappointed in my new boyfriend, Rami. What was he thinking? That color was awful. The dress was beautifully made, but far too old for a 17 year old girl.

And then, the fact that they let Christian stay and sent Kevin home disgusts me. I was soooo tired of hearing him whine and moan and then he created that beyond ugly dress!

It's a good thing that I had taken some Tylenol PM earlier; otherwise I might have thrown something at the TV.

And now for something completely different......

I hate watching the news during the primaries. Why, you may ask? Well, it seems that only voters in Iowa and New Hampshire have any value. News commentators are convinced that only candidates who show well in these states can do well in the rest of the nation. And they have managed to convince the candidates of this.

Now the chances of me voting for Bill Richardson or Ron Paul are slim to none, but I might like the opportunity.

Ouch!

I've been fighting with a curling, curling brush, or electric curlers for half of my life. And I've got the scars to prove it. But this morning, I burned my eye-lid. It's not bad, but I do look like I've been in a fight.

On a slightly different note, there is a serious lack of anything good on tv since the writers's strike. I've really been able to catch up on my reading.

Where but in the south?

I went to a local Chinese restaurant with a co-worker the other day. It was a buffet, filled with lovely stuff. Long, beautiful tables of shrimp and crab and chicken on a stick. Garlic chicken, sweet and sour chicken, coconut chicken. Lo-mien and fried rice, fried wontons, and fried dumplings.

And fried okra.

Woman on a Mission

I'm back home and have a list of tasks for today and tomorrow.

1. Cook black-eyed pea casserole.
2. Clean bathroom
3. Mop bathroom and kitchen
4. Laundry
5. Make a pot of soup
6. Take down Christmas tree
7. Put my new bedding on my bed.
8. Rearrange bedroom

9. SLEEEEEEPPPPPP!!!!

Now, you know what they say about the road to hell....

Awwww....

Dorothy Hamill has breast cancer and is undergoing treatment. The prognosis is good. And look at Peggy Flemming!

Forget Y2K

Y2008 is off to a real suckfest!

We haven't had heat at the office this week. We called facilities, who called Detroit, who called a local service company, who may be able to get to us on Monday. Seems we're having a cold spell and demand is high. (DUH!) So I've layered up for work each day. Finally, someone contacted facilities to complain that we couldn't work in these conditions. We received a space heater. For 32 cubicles. We took it in shifts on Thursday. Yesterday, because it was sunny, was much better.

I'm working today. Alone. I usually like working Saturdays. But today it is cold (cloudy outside). Of course, I have the space heater under my desk.

And to make the day even more fun, we have a server down. So in the last 40 minutes, I've called India and Plano and I have received over 20 calls from desperate people.

I didn't sleep well last night, I was having foot and leg cramps. I'm on my 2nd cup of coffee. Y2008 is not my favorite year so far!

Day Care

I heard on the news that the Clinto campaign was paying for day care and babysitting services so that stay at home moms could go to the polls. They feel that vital members of the voting public are being prevented from voting.

Hmmm...

This strikes me on two different levels.


1...Should/would a parent leave a child with stangers for the hour or so it takes to go vote?

2...It may be an excuse, but I don't see it as a legitimate prevention of going to polls. I rember going to the polls with my parents and I remember them taking turns, Dad going on his way to work and Mom going after he came home in the afternoon. Granted, there were only two of us. And we were relatively well behaved.

A Special Treat

I wasn't invited to the big "New Year's Brunch" given by an acquaintance this year, so I treated myself to a lovely brunch at home. I made a marvelous quiche using left-over ham and havarti with dill that I had with a salad of mixed baby greens, toasted pecans, and orange slices with an orange vinaigrette.

I ate off of one of my lovely Winterberry plates and drank hot tea in a matching cup with saucer while sitting at my table covered with a festive red table cloth.

Ham & Havarti Quiche

4 oz Havarti with Dill
1 c chopped ham
5 eggs beaten
1/2 c sour cream
2 T grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Place thin slices Havarti in bottom of uncooked pie crust. Spread ham over cheese.
Whisk sour cream into beaten eggs. Add parmesan and salt and pepper. Pour over ham and cheese. Place more slices of cheese on top. Bake @ 350 until center is set...approx 25 to 30 minutes.