Upside Down Cats

Yesterday I was faced with a long, boring car ride to Ravinia, a not-so-local music venue to see - well, to be honest - hear the fabulously entertaining Lyle Lovett. Scott's brother and sister-in-law gave Scott tickets to the concert for his birthday, and we had a wonderful time. We thank them greatly for a beautiful evening.

But that car ride is interminable! Thankfully I was merely the passenger, so I made the best of my ample free time by planning the meals I plan to cook this week. Behold the fruits of my labors...



Italian Chicken "Stirfry" w/ Broccoli Florets & Red Peppers over Penne Pasta

Beef Kabobs w/ Red Peppers, Vidalia Onions & Cremini Mushrooms & Couscous w/ Garlic & Walnuts

Hot Dogs, French Fries & Mixed Greens Salad

Sub Sandwiches & Homemade Potato-Corn Chowder

Orange-Honey Glazed Mahi Mahi, Rice Pilaf w/ Toasted Almonds & Oven-Roasted Asparagus w/ Garlic

Biscuits & Sausage Gravy & Fresh Fruit Salad



Not a bad use of some spare time, huh?

George Carlin and I share a birthday - well, the day, not the year. That fact has always made me feel a special kinship with him, as fellow members of the May 12th Club. It's silly, I know, but I feel the same connection to Emilio Estevez, Katherine Hepburn, Yogi Berra, Burt Bacharach, Tom Snyder, Stephen Baldwin, Bruce Boxleitner, Billy Squier, Gabriel Byrne, our dear friend Stacy and, of course, Florence Nightingale. It never ceases to amaze me how much I have in common with each and every one of these intelligent, charming and talented people!

George has been among my favorite comedians - and public people - all my life. What a multi-faceted talent! His blend of sharp, insightful and fearless comedy makes me laugh and think simultaneously. He is responsible for a large part of my sense of humor and world view. It should come as no surprise that he appears on the guest list for my fantasy dinner party along with a plethora of other fascinating people.

Continue reading "George On My Mind" »

Friday was impromptu movie day at my home daycare. The children had seen a commercial for the movie E.T. all week on a station we watch regularly. They were enthralled by the commercial itself and asked if they could watch the movie when the network showed it. Unfortunately, it was going to be on at 7 P.M. which is after my daycare closes.

But hey! I have E.T. on videotape. Yes, videotape. I refuse to be ashamed of still watching the gazillion videos I own, so don't even start on calling me a technology dinosaur...

I was glad to be able to indulge the children's desire to see the movie during the course of the daycare day.

Continue reading "E.T. Revisited" »

I am usually a bit insecure about expressing my musical opinions. My Sweetie, Scott, at his blog, My Thermos, posts about music on a regular basis and with well-deserved confidence. As for myself, I lack the brand of conviction he possesses in his musical knowledge and taste.

The truth be known, I am probably every bit as opinionated as he when it comes to music...I just don't feel I have the "cred" to back it up, so I generally keep my mouth shut...

Today all that changes.

I have - for the first time in my life - mustered the nerve to proclaim my own choice for...

The Greatest Song Ever Written...

Continue reading "While My Ukulele Gently Weeps" »

Before we get any farther into the New Year, I would like to acknowledge some of the celebrities who passed away in 2007.

This is in no way a complete list of celebrity deaths...it is merely a list of those with whom I am familiar and will therefore miss at least a bit now that they are no longer here to entertain.

Since I am youngest in a large family, I was exposed to television and movies that were considerably before my time by my older siblings, parents and grandmother. I come from a family of TV and movie trivia buffs, too. These things must have rubbed off on me, explaining why so many of these older personalities are familiar to me.

I can't think of a better example to illustrate the depth of my trivial knowledge than the following list of deceased celebrities with whom I am familiar:

Continue reading "Farewell, Familiar Faces..." »

I am sad to be the bearer of this grim news, but the awful truth must be told...

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is dead.

Continue reading "Requiem For A Reindeer?" »

This is the next-to-last day of NaBloPoMo! I'm almost finished with my month of posts on the topic of things for which I am thankful. When I originally made my list of 30+ things for which I am thankful to blog about, today's was one of the first I committed to writing. Since I'm choosing my topics - for the most part - at random from that list, I've been looking for daily inspiration as to which one to choose. I've been waiting, and waiting, and waiting...I'd nearly given up on this one altogether!

I'm happy to say, however, that the inspiration arrived last night, from the unlikely source of Law and Order: Criminal Intent... It was just a snippet of a song, but it was exactly the example for which I'd been waiting!

I wanted to include a clip illustrating precisely what I mean when I say I am thankful for soulful saxophone!

Continue reading "There's Nothing Better Than ... »

Yesterday my NaBloPoMo offering discussed my relationship with my family. Before I wander too far from the subject of family, I want to include my favorite lady in the whole world in my list of things for which I am thankful. Here on day 27 of National Blog Posting Month, I'd be privileged to introduce you to my Grandma Bessie.

Continue reading "She Was Just Grand(ma)" »

I'm baaaaack for day 26 of National Blog Posting Month!

The subject of being reunited is on my mind today. This is a topic I've wanted to address all month long. As NaBloPoMo draws to its end, I'm glad I've been inspired before my opportunity to include this subject in my collection of posts about things for which I am thankful had passed.

Why am I thinking that I am thankful for being reunited today?

Continue reading "...And It Feels So Good" »

Twenty-one days of NaBloPoMo...I am curious to find out if I will fulfill my promise to write about things for which I'm thankful every day throughout November.

I guess there's only one way to find out...

Continue reading "Curious Gina" »