Realllllly?

I never talk poorly about my clients, but since this guy's decided to go somewhere else, I'll let you in on what he's done.

He called me on Monday morning asking about a masculine invitation that he wanted to use as an announcement.  I told him I'd be glad to help- and he should take a look around the website if he didnt want to come in in person- which he didn't want to do.  Later that day someone totally unrelated to him- a name I didn't know at all sent me an attachment.  Just a blank email with an attachment. 

Hello virus.

I deleted it from the phone before it ever got to my computer.  Then Dr. Strange love emailed later in the day asking if I had anything more masculine.  I sell wedding invitations. There's not much masculine about that.  I called him to see if I could be of help- this is all still on Monday.  He asked if I had gotten the text from the mystery lady- I said that I hadn't recognized the name and had not opened it... out to Google mail trash to find it...  I emailed him a link to a plain white card and asked him if he wanted to proceed.  Did not hear back on Tuesday.

He just called- it's 10 on Wednesday.  Wanted to know if I had printed anything- uh, no.  As I explained on Monday, I don't actually print anything that's what my printing factory is for- and that as soon as he choose a type style, I'd gladly submit his order and a proof would come in 48 hours and ship after that... all of which I explained on Monday. 

He said, and I am not kidding, "I need these this week."  I said I definitely can not do that.  I said again that I don't print anything here.  Even with overnight shipping we can't get them here this week.  He said, "Well I need them on Saturday."  Hello.  Then Wednesday's not a great day to start looking for them!

I totally understand rush orders.  I'm working on one for my college roommate now, but really?  Two days from now you want 75 fancy printed announcements with a really really long message on them.  I am really sorry- but there's nothing I can do to help. 

I wish I could- but unlike our Christmas Elf, Red, I have no magical powers.

It's like a lightbulb has come on...

I suspect many families have some sort of menu planning process. Until yesterday ours went something like this: I would go to the store a few times a month and guess about what I might make for dinners and buy ingredients accordingly.

Each day we would then have the same conversation:
Me: “What would you like for dinner?”
Peep: “What are my choices?”
Me: “Whatever we have here… take a look.”

Yesterday that all changed. It was magical really.

I said, “What would you like for dinner this week?” The Peep said, “What are my choices.”

I wrote on the back of a school paper a list of about 30 things that I either knew how to make or was willing to try. Luckily I had a copy of the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook sitting on the counter to help with list suggestions. I couldn’t have come up with 30 choices off the top of my head…

She picked something for last night, baked zitti, tonight fancy chicken, tomorrow traditional chicken pot pie, Friday homemade pizza and Sunday spaghetti and meatballs…

I am so excited to have a plan!

For those of you (my sister) who would like to see the list to get inspired... here you go...

Chili   Fancy chicken   Broiled steaks   Wild rice   Baked ziti   Salmons   Broccoli   Eggs   Spinach   Spaghetti and meatballs  Baked chicken   Pancakes   Pork tenderloin   Quesadillas   Chicken pot pie   Grilled cheese   Brisket   Chicken and dumplings   French toast   Beef burgundy   Meatloaf   Pan seared salmon   Risotto   Shrimp and garlic   Pot roast   Macaroni and cheese   Seared scallops   Pizza   Artichokes   Brussels sprouts   Corn   Cauliflower   Roasted potatoes   Sweet potatoes   Asparagus  
Corn pudding

Life lessons from a 90 year old.

Thank you Slick's mom for this article.  Take 3 minutes and read it.  It's worth it.


Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small sep.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29 What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

True and Funny

A friend sent this email yesterday and though I think I have read it before, and you have likely as well, I thought it was worth a refresher.

Adult Truths


1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.
17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?
20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

I hope you live happily ever after...  PaperGirl.

Ultimate Banana Bread

This is the BEST banana bread ever.  I love banana bread and I'm serious: This is the best ever.

It comes from the July/ August 2010 Cools Illustrated Number 105 "Ultimate Banana Bread" by Andrea Geary.

Here you go:

Use very ripe (black if possible) bananas.

You will need:
1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 large very ripe bananas peeled
1 stick unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 large eggs

3/4 cup ( 5 1/4 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar (I use dark)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup walnuts toasted and chopped- OPTIONAL and I OPT not to use them

2 teaspoons white sugar

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with non stick spray.  Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in large bowl.

2 Place 5 bananas in microwave safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut steam vents in plastic wrap with paring knife.  Microwave on high until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes.  Transfer bananas to fine mesh strainer placed over a medium bowl and allow to drain stirring occasionally 15 minutes.  (you should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup liquid.)
3. Transfer liquid to medium sauce pan and cook over medium high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan form heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth.  Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.

4. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir just until combined with some streaks of white remaining.  Gently fold in walnuts if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan.  Slice remaining banana diagonally into 1/4 inch slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf leaving 1 1/2 inch wide space down the middle to ensure even rise. Sprinkle white sugar evenly over loaf.

5. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean- 55 to 75 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes, then remove from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The next time I make it, I think I'm going to cook a little less because the ends are dried out on mine, but the second slice to the second form end slice are wonderful!

MMMM.

Lobbyist

I'm not saying who... but someone is lobbying to sleep in the big bed insted of his kennel.

Busy Day

So... Slick is often telling me I am up for Wife of the Year award.  Today I think I will self nominate.

Morning meeting at the Peep's school about volunteering in the library, trip to the Rec Center to walk a little on the tread mill, home to vacuum upstairs and down, brush out the little dog's fur, put away two loads of laundry, post on facebook, talk to the neighbor, shred a ton of old junk, pick up the Peep, home for homework and snack, trip to jazz, trip to Tom Thumb, pick up at jazz, cook pork tenderloin with sauteed spinach and wild rice, loaf of ultimate banana bread in the oven, kid into the bed and dogs on the lookout for whatever just made a crash on the back porch.
I sure hope it's not another suicidal squirrel...  two weeks ago on two separate days, we had little ones in the back yard.  One day it was as we were headed out to school- tiny thing- wasn't sure what ti was- but the dogs brought it to my attention, no the less- they didn't care that the carpool line was getting longer by the second, they wanted me to check out what they found... and then several nights later- about 9:30- pitch dark for these parts- another one winds up in almost the exact place.  That time, I happened to be talking to Slick on the phone and once again:  Wife of the Year nomination... luckily on our 12 year anniversary earlier this month, he decided something sparkly was in order...  award received.

I'm tired. 

Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Bacon, Onions, & Peas - Fine Cooking Recipes, Techniques and Tips

Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Bacon, Onions, & Peas - Fine Cooking Recipes, Techniques and Tips


Thinking of having this tonight at the beach house for dinner...

I'll let you know if it is as tasty as we think it will be !!!

Six or Sixteen

Slick is back at work and just called to check in. 

The Peep just asked him, "So what'ch doin' with your bad self?"

Six or Sixteen?  I'm not always sure.

Gus ready for anything

That little fuzz ball Gus...  he came into our lives quite by accident after Slick bid on him on a whim at an auction... and now we certainly love him to pieces... 

He jumps into the shower, runs up and down the stairs with us and runs outside to see what's up when ever we head out toward the car.

He's been chewing on old corks from wine bottles lately, Putter never so much as sniffed them, and I can't keep Gus out of the giant crock that they are in on the hearth.  I think that's what the brick part of the fireplace that comes into the room is called... any way - on the brick part of the floor- whatever that's called...

Mostly, he just lays on the floor wherever he falls and sleeps all day.  That dog life...  it's pretty hard.

A million years

It feels like a million years since my last post.  I am back up and running in place.   Just wanted to update everyone on what the Peep and I did for dinner tonight.  See, there's this resturant chain called Houstons.  We didn't go there, but we went to an 85% knockoff in the Big City.  The Peep decides she'll have the chicken and ribs combo, thank you very much.  Then she proceeds to power down the ribs- tastes the chicken- pronounces it "way too dry" and goes back to the ribs...  eventually asking for some of mine!  That girl is something amazing.  I just love her to pieces.  Forgot my phone at home or I would have taken a pic.  It was certainly something to behold.