Crisis Averted!!!

Totally over the purple!

Yep, that's chalkboard paint there.

I got chalk *markers* in fun neon colors.

The chalk goes on wet, 

dries and then can be removed with a wet cloth.

!!!!FUN!!!!!

I wasn't *moved* by any vanities I saw.

This antique(?) dresser in Amazing Grace's scary

room in the basement sang to me!

"Get me outta here!"

 So I did.

Yes, yes, those are goldfish. 

Yep, there too.

But I promise, 

THOSE ARE ALL THE GOLDFISH THAT WILL

RESIDE IN THIS ROOM!!!!

You hear that, Mom and Big????

....well, unless I decide that I HAVE to have a little 

fish bowl with a real one. 

The Beauty of Facebook

 I have been blessed with wonderful girlfriends over the 

course of my life.

I have had death defying adventures with many of them.

Some more so than others....

Teresa and I met while working in the kitchen of

 St. Anthony's Hospital in Rockford some time in the seventies.

We defied death by getting in a little prop plane 

with a few guys we had met on a ski trip to Colorado. 

Mom still talks about that phone call......

   

Teresa lives in Wisconsin. 

We would do the whole Christmas card thing

to stay in touch and then life happened. 

And then Facebook happened.

And then she called last Friday, she was in town for the weekend.

Hmmm, I think we look better!

But who doesn't, I don't think the seventies were

kind to anyone.

Indra and I met in the eighties.

We were both stay at home moms and just had enough in common

with enough different that we had a blast. 

We had a falling out.

We were young and dumb.

I learned a lot about how to be a good friend from that.  

Indra moved to Tennessee. 

A bunch of years happened.

And then Facebook happened.

We met half way in St. Louis and realized what a precious 

gift we had in each other. 

Sometimes friendships are made stronger by being

 put through the fire. 

Marci and I met in Junior High. 

Back when it was called Junior High.

I always told my kids that they were paying for my misspent youth.

I knew what they could be doing wrong because I already did it.

With Marci.

I moved to Rockford my Junior year of High School.

Marci and I would get in touch at random times.

We went to each other's weddings.

Our daughters were born just months apart.

But life happened. 

It was probably 19 years and then

Facebook happened.

This picture was taken at Marci's first born's baby shower. 

We used to borrow each other's clothes back in the day.

Nice to know we still have similar tastes.

There are roughly 30 years of friendships here.

Time and distance were not going to make reconnections easy.

Some people disparage Facebook and "social networking".

Not me. 

Who Knew A "Cookie" Could Cause So Much Strife?

I Fixed it!!!!!

Don't ask me how.

It had something to do with cookies and cache.

Whatever those are. 

As for this delicious dinner,

Aggie marinated some drumsticks in olive oil with

 5 spice powder and then cooked them with an Asian BBQ sauce that she made up.

She gave me the ingredients but no amounts (thanks, Aggie). LOL

I'm not big on drumsticks but I do enjoy pork tenderloin.

I marinated mine in some sesame oil and 5 spice powder.

I browned it on all side and then poured my rendition

of Asian BBQ sauce on it and popped it in a 375 oven

for 20  minutes. 

Yum.

A little quinoa on the side with an Asian dressing and sliced almonds and

some sautéed asparagus with red onions makes a meal in my book.

I'm a happy girl. 

Mike's a happy guy.

All is right in the world.

Mike also says all hell breaks loose when I say that.

I'll keep you posted....

I Think I Get to Name This One

I'm in Heaven.

I'm back in my kitchen.

I asked Aggie for an idea for something to "create". 

She had suggested a drumstick idea she whipped up for her kids.

This is what I did with that inspiration.

(insert photo here)

Ummm, It's coming up 

"Server Rejected"

What the HECK does THAT mean?????

Ok, was really happy to be cooking again, not so happy

to be Blogging again!

It won't let me upload images. I hope my IT guy's

wife reads this and he decides to help me :o) (son).

So, I guess I will suspend this post and in so doing leave you 

*in*

suspense. 

I will look into my technical difficulties and return to you.

Carry on amongst yourselves.....

Too Many Days, No Posts

So, I don't really have anything to post at the moment.

My life has been consumed by the "Floor Odyssey"

I guess I'll share this:

Aside from the new floor

($$$$$$$)

This transformation was made with 

2 gallons of paint. 

Take out the people and decorations, this is what 

my living room looked like one week ago. 

I love paint. 

Having a Crisis

I *had* a purple powder room.

I'm not *going to* anymore. 

(have a purple powder room)

But I think that back wall is going to be a giant chalk board.

I'll put a ledge with chalk at seat height.

If you know what I mean..

Sometimes people get bored and there aren't any

recent People Magazines, um, handy.

The walls behind the washer and dryer were never painted 

so a little purple there will help.

This is inside the entry closet.

It's actually been that color for a couple of years.

I just wanted to share.

I think I am sad to loose my purple powder room.

It's time.

Time marches on.

Time waits for no man. 

or Merry.

Chalk board will be fun, right?

Veteran's Day

My Dad was a Veteran.

My Dad was an Artist.

My Dad had a family.

My dad was many things.

 Mom says he was never really quite the same after the war. 

Unfortunately, he is mostly

remembered for what he became rather than what he was. 

I thank all the Veterans for what they have given for all of us.

My heart is heavy for all the families and what they have given.

It's their day too.