Upside Down Cats

When you buy a statue to display in your home, it sits where you place it until you move it somewhere else.

That is so old.

Introducing new and improved sculpture for your home...

Continue reading "The Next Generation of Home ... »

As I mentioned in a previous post I've recently been spending some time outside, even though It's June in Illinois. Normally by this time of the year it is already too hot and humid for me to choose to leave the confines of Home Sweet Air-Conditioned Home unless absolutely necessary.

We have been privileged, however, to be the recipients of several gorgeously temperate days lately, so I have spent a few relaxing late afternoons sitting in the back yard.

On this particular day I was struck by the reflection of our Welcome sign on our house. Maybe it was the combination of the lucky vantage point of my lawn chair that day and the sentiment, welcoming balmy days in the yard - twice, even.

Whatever the reason, I felt compelled to capture the image for posterity - a reminder of a quietly lovely sight.

So, Welcome - and Welcome again - to a little corner of my yard on a late Spring day.

Another week, another menu planned in advance... Here's what I'll be cooking this week for my wonderful Scott and myself...



Beef & Cheese Quesadillas & Mixed Greens Salad

Burgers Topped w/ Artichoke Dip, Home Fries & Marinated Cauliflower Salad

Chicken Caesar Salad & Italian Bread w/ Herb Butter

Herb-Crusted Sea Bass w/ Lemon-Pepper Sauce, Rice Pilaf & Escarole Sauted in Olive Oil w/ Garlic

Homemade Fettucini Tossed w/ Butter & Garlic & Mixed Greens Salad w/ Fresh Mozzarella

Eggs In A Rye Bread Frame, Hash Brown Potatoes w/ Bacon, Fresh Fruit

Greek Shrimp Over Rice w/ Spinach, Feta Cheese & Walnuts

Breakfast "Burgers" w/ Sausage Patties, Eggs & Cheese on a Kaiser Roll & Hash Browns w/ Onion



Sounds pretty tasty, I think. Now all that's left to do is Get Cooking!

Anyone who knows us, or has ever met us, or has read my blog knows how I feel about my Sweetie, Scott. So I won't be redundant by writing yet another loving testimonial to my husband on the occasion of his birthday. However, should your memory need to be refreshed, I highly recommend you check out these posts from the past:

Sorry, Ladies, He's Taken

Fourteen Long Years...But Not Long Enough!

Synchronicity

Suffice it to say that I love my husband more than mere words can say and I want to express that sentiment to all the world on this particular day, his birthday.

Rather than reflecting (or lamenting) on how many years of one's life have passed, I believe that birthdays are for celebrating the person this day brought us.

So today I celebrate my life mate, my best friend and the person whom I admire most...coincidentally, they were all born on June 21!

Hey, You, I Love You!!!

If you'll indulge me in a little musical interlude, I believe this sums up my feelings on this special day and always...

I have been an uncharacteristically conscientious homeowner this week.

I am a fairly fastidious housekeeper inside the pleasantly climate-controlled walls of our house. It's funny, then, how it can look like the Amazon jungle in my back yard and it usually doesn't bother me one bit. Once Summer parks it's humid unpleasantness on us, I don't go in my yard if I can avoid it. The thought of just sitting in that muggy rainforest of a yard is enough to make me, nauseous let alone exerting myself with physical labor. Frankly, we are doing good by our standards if the lawn gets mowed on a fairly regular basis during the hottest months.

This year, however, we've been blessed by the weather gods with several pleasant days when I've actually enjoyed spending time sitting - and yes, even sprucing up - out in the yard.

Being outside has forced me to actually experience the leafy walls enveloping our yard... The horror movie they will undoubtedly make about our yard will surely be titled, Attack of the Honeysuckles! I couldn't stand the look of it! I dragged out the hedge clippers and the branch cutters - wishing I had a machete as well - and set about cutting and clipping the beastly bushes down to size!

The downside of this project is nothing surprising...

I expected the sore muscles and joints from the repetitive motion, bending and stretching.

I expected the multitude of scratches and gouges from immersing myself in the branches.

I expected to get leaves and sticks in my hair and clothing.

I expected to be inundated with insects... Perhaps you are aware of my revulsion for insects?

The upside seemed straightforward as well...

I expected to see my yard again.

I expected to like the improvement as I regained control over the foliage.

I expected to burn a few extra calories.

I expected that was all that was to be expected.

But I didn't expect to find this...

Continue reading "Serendipity In My Own Back Yard" »

Today's installment of Too Cute! is brought to you by a four-year-old girl in my daycare - and Disney.

We were watching the previews before the movie Pocahontas and she said, "Look, Gina, it's The Punchback" (of Notre Dame)!

I suppose the word punch is a lot more common in a four-year-old's world than hunch...and I'm glad for that!

In honor of Father's Day, I want to pay tribute to the Father Figures in my life.

My own father, Jim, was the finest father I can imagine. Dad to seven of us, he taught us about family loyalty, love and laughter. I have already written the ultimate testimonial to Dad back in November when I shared a series of posts on things for which I am thankful. Read Daddy's Little Girl to discover this daughter's admiration for the first man in her life.

Although I lost my dad nearly eleven years ago, I am so very fortunate to have in my life another wonderful man I consider my father as well - Scott's father, Marty.

Continue reading "My Two Dads" »

I'm back on schedule posting the meals I've planned in advance for the week ahead. Although I also pre-plan and often utilize many of the same ingredients in meals for my daycare children, these meals posted here are the ones I prepare strictly for Scott and me. Here's some of what I'll be cooking for us this week:



Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches on Toasted Club Rolls, Garlic French Fries & Mixed Greens Salad

Pasticcio* & Wilted Spinach Salad

Cheese & Rice Casserole & Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Shrimp Fajitas & Tortilla Chips w/ Salsa & Refried Beans

Waffles, Chicken-Apple Sausage Links & Fresh Fruit

Chicken Burgers w/ Bleu Cheese & Bacon, Beer-Battered Onion Rings & Raw Vegetable Platter w/ Ranch Dip

Bacon & Cheddar Omlettes & Bagels w/ Garlic-Herb Cream Cheese



*Pasticcio - Thanks, Kelly, for recently reminding me of a dish I haven't made in years! Greek food rocks!

Today's installment of Too Cute! is compliments of the two-year-old girl in my daycare. She is extremely verbal, even considering her age and gender! We commonly have riveting conversations, so I am accustomed to her being able to express herself with great facility.

But today she just made me laugh... Continue reading "Too Cute! 6/3/08" »

Before proceeding to the meat of the matter, I want to take this opportunity to exclaim in abject horror...

OMG, did I just type 6 for the month???

Inconceivable!

It can't possibly be JUNE already!!!

...OK, now I've taken a deep breath and regained my time-passage composure, so let us move forward to the subject at hand: Answering the (hopefully not) burning question...What's Cookin'?

My friend Kelly at kellementology recently complimented me on my organizational skills because I plan my meals for the week in advance. It gave me such a warm feeling to be lauded for my ability to not only make a plan and stick to it, but to prove it by posting it here for all the world (or at least my handful of readers) to see.

I felt so energized by Kelly's praise, in fact, that I proceeded to abandon the whole process the next two weeks...! Yup, it's true...I haven't posted an installment since Sunday, May 11!

Gee, Kelly, I didn't mean to make a liar out of you! I guess the pressure of your admiration was simply too much for me - and I caved! In my defense, I've had some computer and health issues in the past couple weeks. Nothing serious in either arena, just not conducive to blogging.

I have overcome these obstacles (for the most part) so I am here to make Kelly proud once again. Here's what I'll be cooking this week:



Grilled Greek Chicken Salad w/ Mixed Greens, Asparagus, Artichoke Hearts, Feta Cheese & Walnuts & Multi-Grain Bread w/ Honey Butter

Toasted Multi-Cheese Sandwiches on Whole Wheat Bread, French Fries & Ramen Noodle Coleslaw

Orange Roughy Marinated in Soy Sauce, Honey & Citrus Zest, Rolled in Sesame Seeds, Fried Rice w/ Almonds & Steamed Broccoli drizzled w/ Sesame Oil

Honey-Chipotle BBQ Chicken Wings, Macaroni & Cheese & Garlic Sauted Spinach

Linguine w/ Shrimp, Scallops, Calamari & Clams in a Garlic & White Wine Sauce & Mixed Greens Salad

Chicken-Fried Steak w/ Creamy Country Gravy, Mashed Potatoes & Collard, Turnip & Mustard Greens Sauted w/ Bacon & Garlic



That's better...now I feel like I'm living up to my obsessive-compulsive organized reputation!