Grilled Corn on the Cob

You can't get any easier than this.....the final results warrant super easy shucking.....and sugary sweet corn!!!

Grilled Corn on the Cob
from Anne Fleetwood

You'll Need

• Corn on the cob - as many ears as you desire

Fill a large bowl or pan with water. Place unshucked ears of corn in water, and let soak for 3 hours or so. I've even soaked the ears for 8 hours!

Place the ears of corn on your grill, and cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Turn the ears over after 15 minutes, then cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from grill.

Let the corn cool for about 5 minutes, then remove husks and silk.

You are now ready to dive in and enjoy!!!

Friday

I think I've finally figured out why I'm having such a hard time coming up with blog entries.....I'm just too damn hot, and my brain isn't functioning properly.....and today is no exception. So today you get some photos of my favorite subject.....the Incredible Miss M!!!

McKenna and her great-grandmother, Nan (aka, my Mom)...

I wore the little angel out with visiting Nan, shopping, and lunch...

Back at the casa, it was pool time with a matching bathing suit...



.....and that's the end of the photo show. I understand.....if you can believe the weather gurus.....that the temps are dropping into the mid 90's.....if that's the case, hopefully my brain will cool off enough and I can jump back into blogging with a vengeance.....hopefully!!!

I'm Melting...

It's wickedly hot here in H-town!!! This crazy heat has been going on and on and on.....with no end in sight! Today I popped into the car and the temp registered a whopping 105 degrees. I know, it was probably still hot from sitting in the sun.....but I did recheck it after the A/C blasted for awhile, and while the car was whipping through the sweltering hot airstream.....then it registered a semi-whopping 103 degrees! Any which way you look at it.....it's still hotter than a witch's t*tty. I have full intentions to water my beautifully brown lawn and my drooping potted plants each evening.....but when your water bill goes from $54 last month up to $125 this month.....you have to put your sweltering foot down and say enough is enough! The weather gurus are talking of a "great" chance of rain starting tomorrow, and continuing through the weekend.....but when they tack on only 30% chance.....well, let's just say that I'm not going to start holding my breath in anticipation. So that leaves me a slave to my A/C and the 6+ fans that are peppered throughout this oven of a house. To top off this madness.....don't forget that I'm hot flashing like there's no tomorrow.....I'll just leave that one alone. There's just no relief.....no relief in sight. With that said.....let me just sizzle my hot ass out of here.

Over or Under

I've really never had an issue on which way the toilet paper comes off of the roll.....just as long as I can give it one good smack and get a nice supply of sheets at my disposal. That way of thinking was shot right out of the ball park when my cat Logray moved in. It was cute the first time we came home and noticed toilet paper snaked around the house.....the next time it brought a good chuckle to see it piled on the floor.....the third time.....not so funny.....the fourth time.....this was starting to get damn expensive! So after a confabulation of the minds.....meaning me, myself, and I.....it was duly noted that the toilet paper must be hung with the sheets coming from under. Okay, so that problem was solved. Now the thing that makes me go huh is what's with the pointy toilet paper sheet??? The first time I experienced this oddity was at a travel agency I used to work at.....agent will remain unnamed to protect her oddness.....and to all those toilet paper pointer people out there.....relax.....this is my issue only. Back to the agent with the pointy paper fetish.....I went to use the facility as is usually the case when you gotta go.....and noticed the pointy toilet paper. I thought to myself.....self, what the hell is this all about.....who in their right mind has all this extra time on their hands to point up the paper.....and who in their right mind would do that in this particular office full of people who don't give a flying flahoolick about pointy paper. Thinking that this was the act of an outside agent (who at this point had come and gone for the day).....I walk out and laughingly tell the tale of finding pointy paper in the loo. Well, you'd think I slapped ol' Miss Manners with a serious faux pas.....said agent got all indignant with me.....tossed up her nose into the air.....and walked away with these parting words, "I was just trying to bring a little class into this agency." Say what? It's a friggin' bathroom for the love of Pete! I guess she figured that I, along with the rest of my uncouth coworkers were helpless beyond belief.....and from that day forward all toilet paper came down without one itty bitty point to be found. The End!

Skating Babies

This is absolutely too cute!!!

The Odd, Odder, and Oddest of Cakes

I've been in desperate need to clean out my photo cache.....bad habit of mine saving odd pics from here and there. So today you're getting an eyeful of some of the oddities I've got on hand!

I'm really not saying that this is an odd cake.....actually it's damn near spectacular.....and I swear, it IS a cake...

Odd doesn't even cover this wedding cake. I think I snagged the photos because the Big Boober is a huge Peeps fan.....look closely.....the bride and groom's heads are Peeps...

Here's that close-up shot of their heads.....weird...

Something right out of the Godfather...

Huh.....sorry, but I don't get this one.....horse with a baseball in it's mouth???...

This is so cool.....look really close.....those are koi swimming all over the cake...

This one is wrong on SO many levels...

AWESOME...

Oreo Balls

This past July 4th I decided to try out a couple of new recipes for a party we were going to. This Oreo Balls recipe being one of them.....and this Oreo Ball recipe being a spot on hit!!! They are soooo rich.....but soooo delicious!!! Hurry out to your kitchen and make them right now!!!

Oreo Balls

• 1 - 18-ounce package Oreos, finely ground
• 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 package chocolate bark (you can also use white chocolate or almond bark)

In a food processor or blender, process Oreos until finely ground.

In a large bowl mix Oreo crumbs, Confectioners sugar, and cream cheese using an electric mixer, until well blended.



Roll into walnut-sized balls, place on cookie sheet, and refrigerate for one hour.

Bring water to a boil in a double boiler. Remove from heat and melt 3-4 chopped up chunks of the chocolate bark at a time in the double-boiler, stirring constantly. Make sure there are no lumps. Repeat process when you need more chocolate for coating.


Stick a toothpick into an Oreo ball and dip it into the melted bark. Let the excess drip off.

Place the dipped Oreo balls onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet and let harden (about 10-15 minutes).

ENJOY!!!

Brined Chicken

This was the first time I brined a chicken.....or anything else for that matter. Now I'm wondering why I waited so long, as this was by far, the absolutely most delicious chicken I've ever had!!! I'm clueless on where I found this recipe.....so if you recognize it.....then kudos to the creator!

Brined Chicken

• Whole chicken, clean well
• 1 gallon cold water
• 3/4 cup sea salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2-3 cloves garlic, smashed

In a non-reactive bowl mix thoroughly the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, pepper, coriander seeds, and garlic. Add chicken, making sure it is entirely covered with the brine. Chill in refrigerator for about 9 hours.

After chicken has been brined, rinse thoroughly with cold water for about 30 seconds. Rinse again, then pat dry (inside and out). Place the rinsed chicken in a non-reactive bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I refrigerated overnight until I was ready to cook it the following evening).

When I was ready to grill the chicken, I cut it in half down the middle of the breast.

I then grilled the chicken on my BBQ for 50-55 minutes at roughly 350 degrees. Additionally, I added some pre-soaked apple wood chips to the grill to impart additional flavor to the chicken. Delicioso!!!

My Anne

It's been 5 years since I've heard My Anne.....gulp.....this is going to be a hard post for me to type. Today is officially 5 years since my step-daughter Amanda was taken away from us by a senseless act of violence.....but I'm not going to talk about the murder.....today's post is going to be all good. Since I came along in Amanda's life when she was at the god-awful age of 13 (okay, ALMOST 14).....it was going to be a crapshoot on whether we hit it off or not. The stars were lucky and we bonded instantly.....it was like serious girl power. She was desperately looking for a female role model in her life, and I came along at just the right time. I'll never forget the first time I met her.....she was wearing a raggedy t-shirt, a bit plump, and had hair that was half-way down her back and looking like a rats nest. Oh how I wanted to get at her.....but I backed off and let the relationship happen. In no time there was a special something between us.....not mom/daughter.....more like a cool aunt/cool niece kind of thing. The trust developed.....and we just clicked. She was more than eager to take up my offer (her Dad's $$$) and visit a hair salon for that much needed make-over.....she looked FABULOUS.....cute as a button.....her self-esteem was phenomenal.....this make-over was good juju for Amanda. In '99 when Dan and I got married I told his girls that they could call me Anne or anything they pleased.....and that I didn't expect them to call me Mom if they didn't want to. Then I heard Amanda using My Anne when she talked about me.....I noticed it was happening more and more often.....then I realized that that was the name she wanted to call me.....my special name. I can't tell you how cool it was to be My Anne. Unfortunately, things began to fizzle between the two of us when she hit 16 (don't you just hate them at that age).....17 was no better.....then her world began to crumble around her when she turned 18, and life as she wanted it to be was just not going to happen. I always said that Amanda likened herself to Peter Pan.....she never wanted to grow up. We watched her bounce between two sets of friends.....and two totally different lifestyles. We knew that eventually she would make the decision that was right for her. Believe it or not.....she did! She had decided to move back home and get her shit straight.....we even spoke with the owner of a local Japanese restaurant about her, and he was wanting her to come in for an interview when she was back on this side of town.....she was ONE WEEK AWAY from giving herself a new start.....and then Saturday, July 10th came.....and ruined everything. My heart is breaking as I type this.....and I'm fighting to hold back the tears.....because this is supposed to be a happy post, damn it!!! July 10th became the day that she started a new life in Heaven being the Peter Pan that she always wanted to be.....to be on the computer from dawn to dusk and all over again.....never having to do a 9 to 5.....and hopefully getting the chance to visit Japan. I'm going to be honest with you.....I miss her hopping up on the kitchen counter and having a one-on-one bitch session about anything with me.....I miss her tattling on her sister and then taking a front row seat to watch her sister get in trouble.....I miss reading her poems (she'd never let on that she was proud of them).....I miss that annoying little voice she'd use when she talked with her friends on the phone.....I miss hearing My Anne.....but most of all.....I miss Amanda!

My Amanda.....through all the ups and downs we had.....I never stopped loving you! Sweet dreams my sweet angel!

Amanda Fleetwood

1983 - 2004

Baby Doodles

I got this picture from my mother-in-law today of my Honey Doodles back when he was Baby Doodles. That's all for today.....giving my brain a rest from all the slave labor my overseer of a husband has been putting me through this week.....just kidding Dan.....yea right! Tomorrow is the biggie post.....as a heads up.....some of you may need a hankie on hand. Have a thoroughly terrific Thursday!!!

Miss Purty

I snagged these pics of my sweet McKenna off of my daughter-in-law's Facebook.....just because they make me smile.

Nothing goes together better than a Star Wars t-shirt and a sparkly tutu! A fashion plate in the making!

13-1/2 months old and reads.....and that's with the book upside down to boot! Absolutely brilliant child!!! From the looks of those dirty tootsies, she's a rug rat too!

Stupid Criminal

A few months back I blogged about my mom ringing me up and saying, "car chase on channel 11".....then hanging up.....you see, we're both big car chase fans. Well, I got another one of those calls from her yesterday.....and we got what we've been waiting for.....a bonafide stupid criminal. Once I got the call I proceeded to sit down and watch this fool try to evade capture.....don't they know it's a whole lot easier to give in early on.....but as is usually the case, they don't and won't. The one yesterday made no sense whatsoever. So I sat watching this scenario unfold.....and wondering what this bozo was thinking as he made more turns and circles that got him back to exactly where he started.....I was getting dizzy with all the circling. Stay with me because this gets even stranger.....this brainless wonder turned into a 5-story parking garage! Woo hoo.....does he honestly believe that the avenues of escape are limitless.....I'm really starting to think that this boy is one card short of a full deck. Now they're reporting that the chase was still happening in the parking garage, and that the guy was now on the 4th level.....did he honestly think that there'd be an exit ramp up at the top? Cut to camera panning back to show the uppermost level of the parking garage and the building attached to it (a 1-1/2 story attachment). Out of nowhere you see three people running across this upper building. Where the hell did they come from.....you got it.....it's the suspect and two cops hot on his tail. So what do you think this idiot decided to do? He climbed over the wall, hanging by his hands, and dropped. End result.....stupid criminal.....broken leg.....jail. I've got to wonder if he really thought it was worth it!

Fireworks

Somebody asked me yesterday if I saw any fireworks on the 4th. Good question.....but you've got to be able to hear them first before you can see them. You see, on the night of the 4th I was laying on the couch watching ghostie shows.....don't you know that I was thinking this should be October instead of July.....but trust me, it was July 4th. I had a pretty good idea that there were fireworks going off with the occasional flash on the wall.....but for the life of me I couldn't hear one boom.....what with Miss Emily barking her fool head off.....dogs obviously hear sound before humans do.....at least in our house they do. This was what was happening in our house.....bark bark bark.....EMILY BE QUIET (that's me shouting).....bark bark bark.....BE LIKE YOUR BROTHERS AND DON'T BARK.....bark bark bark.....EMILY, SHUT UP.....bark bark bark.....I'M GOING TO GO F*CKING INSANE.....trust me, it didn't get any prettier. There was a lot of me slapping the couch (leather makes a good whacking sound).....a lot more shouting (more from me than Dan).....and a lot of rewinding (thank the lawd for DVRs) to catch what we missed thanks to Miss Em. This madness went on for three hours.....it may have been longer, but I think I lost my friggin' mind by that point. In my neck of the woods there is a no fireworks law.....which in better terms means that damn near everyone breaks that fine law.....but over in my friend Val's neighborhood there's a different class of people, those who don't break the law.....a much quieter neighborhood.....in other words, there are no dogs barking their fool heads off at something I couldn't hear even if I wanted to. I think I'm going to move.....

Pickled Carrots and Jalapenos

I'm always on the look-out for pickled carrot recipes for my pickled carrot loving husband. You'll notice in the photos that there are no jalapenos present, but trust me, they were added after the fact.....as Dan decided that this recipe would be just about perfect with a couple of sliced jalapenos thrown in for good measure.

Pickled Carrots and Jalapenos
from Anne Fleetwood

YOU'LL NEED:

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into coin-shaped medallions
• 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
• 1/4 onion, sliced
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2-3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dill seed
• 1-1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 2 bay leaves

Cut the carrots on the diagonal into coin-shaped medallions. Slice the jalapeno and onion. In a non-reactive medium-sized saucepan add lightly-salted water and bring to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, add the carrots, jalapenos, and onion and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and drain into a strainer, then rinse with cold water.

Using the same pot, add the water, cider vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill seed, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for two minutes.

Remove from heat and add the carrots, jalapenos, and onion. Cool until mixture reaches room temperature. Once completely cooled, pour into jar, and refrigerate.


The pickled carrots will last in your refrigerator for 30 days.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Roast

This is by far one of the BEST pork roasts that I've EVER tasted!!! The recipe calls for a 1-1/2 pound pork roast, but I altered the recipe to suit my needs for the 8-pound roast that I had on hand. Just make sure that you use a meat thermometer for whatever size roast you use.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Roast
from Simply Recipes

YOU'LL NEED:

• 1 pork loin (1-1/2 pounds) - (I used an 8-pound pork shoulder roast)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/4 pound bacon, thin sliced (I used a 1-pound package for my large roast)
• 1 cup white wine (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat (I used a large cast-iron pot to accommodate my roast). Once skillet is well heated, set roast in skillet and sear on all sides until browned. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove roast from skillet to a cutting board.

Rub pork on all sides with chopped rosemary.

Wrap the roast with bacon, overlapping the slices. Tie up the roast with kitchen twine, and set in roaster.

Roast in oven, basting occasionally with cooking juices, until internal temperature is 155°F on a meat thermometer. Remove from oven, and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Transfer pork to a serving platter.

(I omitted this step) To make the sauce from the pan drippings, place the roaster on the stove over low heat. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring with a wooden utensil to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Skim off any fat, and serve.

Serves 4

Dos Equis + Man + Woman

A bottle of Dos Equis changed life as Dan and I knew it till the end of time. Let's go back to a singler time.....yes, I said singler.....back to the winter of 1998. This was the journey of a fearless crew.....a crew and their partying maties.....sailing the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea aboard a humongous ship! This was the journey of two madly in love 40-somethings who were destined to do things just a bit askew from the norm. There was one particular day when said humongous ship dropped anchor on a pleasant little stretch of land called Cozumel. This fearless crew and their maties opted for a day of snorkeling and swimming.....along with massive quantities of Dos Equis. The very single yours truly was still in a leg brace from her brush with the concrete of a few months prior.....but ever the good sport.....decided to join her maties and give snorkeling a whirl. Did I mention that I was a good sport? Since I didn't have full use of my leg.....my equally single sweetie (that'd be the Big Boober) knocked heads with the dive masters on whether you could drop a cripple into the water and let her have at it.....after a bit of head-gnashing it was whole-heartedly agreed that I would be barracuda bait.....not really, but I'll get back to that in a few. Before you knew it, I was decked out in my own personal life vest.....fins to keep me from sinking.....and a tether.....for crying out loud - a TETHER!!! At that moment I saw all semblance of pride go sinking into the ocean.....I was being tethered to the Big Boober! So as he was snorkeling around checking out all the fishies.....I was being drug behind him like barracuda bait. NO JOKE!!! There was a 7-foot barracuda just hanging around under my crippled ass. Can you picture ol' Forrest Gump here tugging on my own personal tether trying to get Dan to notice that I'm soon to be his not so current girlfriend. Chuckle.....that'd be Dan's attempt at making me believe that this was a tame barracuda.....a lover of all things human. For the love of sweet geezus.....this 7-foot sea monster is floating below yours truly in a great big ocean.....and you call that tame. Hell no baby.....this is the wild.....the jungle of the sea.....this is SO NOT FUNNY. I guess I didn't look tasty enough.....and my new buddy decided to let me live and continue to be drug behind the Big Boober with my dented pride. So now it's back to the dive boat.....and MORE Dos Equis.....until we drop anchor at a topless beach of all places. So 'ol Forrest here is limping off the boat.....with just a thread of dignity left.....and now I've got to contend with a topless chick at the end of the ramp. So let me paint a picture for you.....perky boobs.....the Big Boober noticing perky boobs.....and me. Then here come our maties with more Dos Equis (you gotta love partying maties). Now something totally unexpected happens.....my sweetie and I wade out in the azure sea to a spot that feels ever so romantic.....and I hear.....will you marry me? YESSSSSSSSSSS!!! See that picture down below? That was taken by one of our maties moments after they heard me yell YESSSSSSSSSSS all the way from shore. So it was worth being barracuda bait just to have this special moment with my sweetie. For those of you who are wondering.....no, he didn't get down on his knee and propose.....though it would have made a great story telling how he had to be revived from a near-drowning proposal experience.....but the photo still paints a pretty picture of the Big Boober, me, and a bottle of Dos Equis. To this very day my smartass husband still says the Dos Equis made him do it.

F+ for Failed Farmer

Did you notice that photo up above? Wondering why it looks ever so dead? The answer is simple.....I failed as a farmer.....AGAIN. Some of you may remember when I had another one of my schmuck moments and decided to relent to that little voice way deep inside my cranium, and try my hand at patio farming.....again. So this season's cast of characters for my mad scientist experiments were cherry tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, and blackberries. I ate cherry tomatoes to my heart's delight until about two weeks ago when web worms decided that the plant was officially theirs.....so that plant now sits in a jumbled mess waiting to be plucked from its pot and on it's journey to the trash heap. The jalapenos.....the same ones that kicked my ass about three weeks ago.....are stubborn little cusps and remain prolific to this very second, but on a stunted little bit of a plant. These very jalapenos are determined to make my very life miserable. The bell pepper plant bit the dust who knows when.....and is now replaced with a new one.....yea, I know.....I'll never learn. Then there's what I thought would be my greatest accomplishment of all time.....the blackberries.....all FIVE of them look just like the one in the photo above. Unfortunately I don't have the heart to yank their scraggly bodies out of the ground and give them a proper buriel.....so they sit there all brown and dried up reminding me of why I earned an F+. I gave myself the + because there is one plant in my jungle of a yard that decided to be overly prolific.....my poor neglected fig tree. Yessiree Bob.....I'm an O-fficial Fig Farmer!!! Here's a sneak peek of some of my bumper crop. Aren't they beauts!!!

God help me.....won't I ever learn!

This Side of La Grange...

There's a running joke between Dan and I that my brother will be late for his own funeral. You see.....my brother is known for being late at least 90% of the time. Heck, there was one Christmas 20-some odd years ago where he showed up three days late! I was so ticked off about it that I put a sign up on the back gate saying "no room in the inn".....my Dad didn't see the humor in it, albeit of little humor, and made me take it down. So now you're probably wondering why in the name of Jesse James do I have a picture of a road sign for La Grange up above? Keep with me, this is still about my brother. There was a time not too long ago when my brother lived in Austin.....Keep Austin Weird.....and he would make occasional visits to H-town to visit the family. He always gave an ETA.....and when that time rolled around.....then rolled by.....I would give him a ring and find out where in creation he was in our Great State of Texas. His usual response.....this side of La Grange! We never knew if he was on the Austin or Houston side of that little town.....but he was always on one side of it. A few years back Dan and I were taking a ride out in the country, and it just so happened that we were coming upon La Grange.....so smartass here decided to give Ted a call to say howdy and that we were just this side of La Grange.....he didn't get the joke. To further add to this rambling story.....the Big Boober decided to join the Million Mile Monday a couple of days ago.....and on his ride he just happened to come upon the sign for La Grange. Knowing that I'd get the joke.....he snapped the photo for posterity and a good snigger.....and that's the rest of the story!

July Birthdays!!!

Valerie Mathieu - July 4
Jonathan Panto - July 5
Emily Fleetwood - July 7
Heather Althoff - July 8
Justin McLaughlin - July 26
Sara McLaughlin - July 29
Skyler Thompson - July 31

I'M BACK!!!

Okay, okay, I can't stand being away one more day.....I just HAD to come back a day early and let you all know that all's well.....that my brain is feeling refreshed.....and I'm ready to start blogging again. I've decided that I'm going to continue to blog Monday through Friday.....with an occasional day off here and there for anti-burnout sake.....then pop in a couple of new recipes every Saturday and Sunday. I'm still planning on doing a complete visual overhaul of this blog someday soon.....but that'll happen when I have the extra dinero. This past week I've tried out several new recipes that I'm so excited to share with you.....wait till you see the pork roast.....damn it's good!!! So with that said.....have a tremendously terrific Tuesday.....and let the blogging begin!

Taking a Break...Till JULY 1ST

Now that I have 10,000 hits, I decided that I need to reward myself.....and what better way than to take a mini-vacation. I'm not going anywhere.....though if I were transported to the Caribbean I certainly wouldn't complain.....then there's the 3 dogs, cat, and fish.....and let's not forget the Big Boober (he'd want to tag along too). Get the gist.....this gal ain't going nowhere!!! I'm just taking a mental break from Calamity Anne's Adventures. This blog is so a part of me, that I'd hate to burn out on it.....and I'm noticing that my creative juices haven't been flowing too smoothly over the past couple of weeks. My game plan is to lay low.....get a slew of projects done around here.....and come back refreshed on July 1st and be ready to spout off more of my musings. There's also the distinct possibility that I may go through blog withdrawal.....so I may slip in a word or two if the urge persists. Till July 1st.....stay out of trouble, but don't forget to enjoy yourselves!!!

10,000

Lookie here.....10,000.....count 'em.....10,000 hits to this little blog of mine!!! Now that's sizzling hot!!! That's a hell of a lot of folks who I would love to thank individually for checking out what's happening at Calamity Anne's Adventures.....but since I can't thank everyone individually.....then I'd like to send a great big group thank you!!!

Happy Birthday to Bern!!!

I caught wind from my sister Kathy that my niece Bern was none too happy about me forgetting to mention her birthday on the April birthdays entry. Problem was.....I never knew the date that our wonderful planet was graced by her birth.....by the way.....that would be April 7th!!! I swear up and down that I will never ever forget Bern Cabrera's birthday as long as I reside on planet Earth!!! For those of you who are wondering how in the world an auntie can forget their nieces birthday.....well, let me explain.....no, you don't need to pull up a chair and settle in for a long drawn out dissertation.....the matter of it all is I was adopted.....and in all honesty I haven't a clue when everyone's birthday is in my birth family. My sister Kathy is now helping me change that.....so I will never ever forget anyone's special day ever again. I was also asked about someone's birthday who had passed on.....sorry folks, but I honor those who've gone to the great beyond in a more personal way, and don't list them with living happy birthday recipients. You'll also see that I don't list anniversaries either.....I have a tendency to overdue it in the congratulating department (when I remember).....so that's why I decided to only do birthdays on this here blog 'o mine. So to my dear sweet Bern.....HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!! Will you ever forgive me???

I hope this very special birthday cake makes up for my grave mistake...

And for all of you out there...this is my niece Bern...

Happy Father's Day!!!

To My Trekkie Hubby.....hope this has been the BEST Father's Day ever!!! Live long and prosper!!!



Create your own FACEinHOLE

A Boy and His Dog...

This photo so reminds me of Timmy and Lassie. I can just hear Dan saying....."What is it Harley?"....."The bridge is out?"....."We must hurry and get help!" Man, doesn't this picture just tug at your heartstrings.....yep.....nothing better than a boy and his dog!

Pennsylvania Contingency...

My Pennsylvania relatives, cousin Eileen, and her boys, Andy and Mike, are in the Great State of Texas for the week, and we got the chance to hook up with them here in H-town for a couple of days. On Wednesday we gave them the whirlwind Houston tour.....as in zipping down the freeways going 65+ and pointing out the sites as we blurred by. It had to be the condensed version as our window of opportunity left us with very little time to see it all.....what with the big fajita dinner we had planned for later on in the afternoon. Back at the Gulch the Captain (as in Morgan) joined all of us, along with Justin, Sara, and McKenna, and my Mom and brother Ted. Thursday morning we started our day early with the prerequisite tour of NASA, then lunched at Hooters, and it was back to the west side so Eileen and the boys could pack up and head for Austin (to Keep Austin Weird). I know, I know.....this was a blink of an eye visit, but every second was a great time. Enjoy a few pics (26 if you're counting) of the Miller's visit.....

Andy, Eileen, and McKenna...

Mom and McKenna tickling the ivories...

Mike, Andy, Ted, and Eileen...

Mike, Mom, Eileen, and McKenna...

My good-looking son Justin, and brother Ted...

Sitting: Mike, Andy, Mom, and Eileen...Standing: Justin, Me, McKenna, and Sara...

Mike's telling McKenna how important it is to be a die-hard Longhorn's fan...

Andy plucked out a few tunes for us (he's a fantastic musician)...

Miss Patriotic...

On the tram tour at NASA...Mike, Mr. Pensive (aka Andy), and Eileen...

Saturn V...

There should be a really cool picture here, but the photo turned out crappy, it was a shot of us with Darth Vader (a living, breathing one at that...he even had that creepy breathing going on)...

This storm trooper was also living and breathing...

This is a prototype for a robonaut...

They say that this is an actual moon rock (I have to trust them on this), but it sure looked and felt like a tile that you'd buy at one of your super centers...

Taking A Day Off

I decided to take a day off from my blog since we've had relatives in town from Pennsylvania.....lots has been happening.....but I promise I'll be back tomorrow with hopefully something witty to say! Ciao!!!

What A Life...

You couldn't ask for anything better than this.....a comfy chair.....a soft blankie.....your own personal remote.....a bottle of your favorite beverage.....and good TV.....



.....aaaaaahhh!

How Hot Is It?

It's damn hot! It's hotter than a witch's t*tty! It's hotter than Hades! It's so damn hot that you could give me a squeeze and I'd be dry as a bone! Now that's hot! Houston is in the throes of some serious heat.....then top that off with our lovely humidity.....and you've got 2.3 million miserably hot people. Every person that I've bumped into over the past few days says the same thing.....it's pretty hot out there.....you think!!! Those wonderful weather people say there's no relief in sight for days to come.....no relief means no rain.....and man oh man, do we need rain! A/C is my new best friend.....it's not like I don't already walk through life with a fan on me at every turn.....thank you menopause.....but take menopause and top that with the heat.....and you've got a menopausal disaster waiting to happen. But keep me cool.....and disaster can be averted. I hope! I'm hot! I'm so damn hot!

June Birthdays!!!

Whoops!!! It totally slipped my mind, but I forgot to do the June birthdays. So here goes.....

Yours Truly - June 7

Mike Coats - June 7

Marina Cabrera - June 12

Bobby Sabol - June 26

Nicole Sabol - June 30

Luau

I wasn't quite sure how up I was going to make a luau Saturday what with a bodacious headache hammering away, and a set of pretty crappy feet that decided to make my life a tad bit miserable. So for all of my crankiness I decided to buck up and get off my ass and head out with Dan to the luau. So here's the poop.....Luau.....Big Woodrows.....lots of friends.....this past Saturday. My long face quickly changed after I had a couple of bottles of liquid medicine.....beer.....afterall this was a Miller Lite sponsored luau. I can honestly say that ol' Ben Franklin knew what he was saying when he penned....."Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy".....for beer made me happy that night.

Here's some pics of some of the usual suspects...









This smoker had two pigs a smokin'...
And here's one of those piggies...

Bon appetit...

Hot Fun In The Summertime

This is my ultimate favorite summertime song.....

What's Up With Us...

That could be a loaded statement.....but, seriously though, I thought I'd give you an update on what's happening with the Big Boober and his sidekick, Calamity Anne (that's me). Nothing.....end of post.....have a great day! Just yanking your chain.....having a little bit of TGIF fun.....with little being the operative word. Actually though.....life still goes on since that last day of April where Dan was served his walking papers. My message is still on the chalkboard.....We will get through this, and we will come out ahead!!! Dan's still on the job hunt looking for that elusive beast called employment. The jobs are definitely out there, but the qualifications are so precise.....in other words, they're not hiring just anybody. We're still taking into consideration that if a job entails us moving out of the area, then we'll do so. I'm not lying here, but my heart would be broken into so many little pieces if I ever had to be more than two hours away from McKenna.....so we're definitely not looking at moving as a priority.....but if need be, than so be it. I can't speak for Dan, but as for myself, I've learned to swallow my pride and accept the assistance that's out there. The crazy thing is, there's so much help out there, but it's a booger and a half finding it.....the finding part can be a full-time job in itself. Most of you know that I've already got an Etsy shop.....Sweet Pickles and Cream.....well, now Dan's opened his own Etsy shop.....Coyote Gulch Woodworks.....where he sells some of his wood creations. I know, I know, that was just a tad bit of shameless advertising on my part.....so sue me! Anyway, we're both newbies at this Etsy thing, and trying to get both our shops to look just right.....our ads sounding just right.....and our photos being attention-getters. All of which still needs tweaking.....all of which takes time. Moving on.....Dan's going back to school.....actually he's signed up to take a course in A+ Certification for computer repair. He'll be doing these classes a couple of nights per week, and when all is said and done he'll have a much-needed paper that'll open more doors for him. You see.....he's really wanting to put the wheel industry behind him.....or better yet, the auto industry.....and move into the computer field. I'm his #1 supporter.....so honey.....this is a good thing! I haven't been trying very many new recipes, which explains the serious lack of new recipes on the blog. Trust me.....but I've got a huge stack of delicious looking recipes right there on my kitchen counter just waiting to be whipped up.....but my heart hasn't been in the kitchen lately.....this too I SHALL overcome. There's lots of other little things that have been happening in our lives that really don't merit any mention.....and then there's a couple of others that would have your ears on fire that definitely won't be mentioned.....but a gal's got to have some secrets! With that said.....go out and have a fantabulous Friday!!!

What I'm Reading...

My current read is Janet Evanovich's "Plum Spooky".....a between-the-numbers novel. I'm so thoroughly hooked with everything that Evanovich has put out, that I can't even envision nothing but the best from her. Her characters are quirky at best, but they're guaranteed to keep the midnight oil burning well into the wee hours until that last page is turned! The zany cast of characters are back in all their glory.....wacky bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum.....her on-again-off-again cop boyfriend, Joe Morelli.....the fine and sexy fugitive hunter, Ranger.....and sizzling hot Diesel (of this world or not???). Check out this quick bit of info on Plum Spooky.....

"Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey.

According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys.

Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground.

Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree.

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel.

Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs.

Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys."

Walk-In Cocktail

I'm not quite sure what to make of this place.....it's on the cutting edge of something.....but still not sure what. It's a place called 'Alcoholic Architecture' which is located in London.....where they have the first walk-in cocktail. For about $8.00 US, the gist of this place is to pop on a plastic coat to protect your clothing (the ultimate in fashion dorkdom).....then enter the pub where there is a gin-and-tonic mist enveloping you.....forty minutes in the pub equates to one gin and tonic. Back in the day when my poison was gin-and-tonic this would have been a "gotta try it" kind of place.....today, just the thought of gin gives me the heebie jeebies. Yea.....I'll take my drinks the old-fashioned way.....in a glass.

Dreams

We all dream.....at least I think everyone does.....geez, even my dogs dream! Some dream more than others.....I'd be plunked down in that category. Some even have nightmares.....I had a mess of them back when I was a kid. I'm one of those people who goes to bed at night and wishes that I'd have a dreamless night.....as in nothing but peace......never happens. Weird as it might seem, most of my dreams are recaps of what happened to me during the day but with a twist.....kind of like taking a ball of clay, then adding a bit more, but of a different color.....you get pretty much the same thing, but with a bit of embellishment. Or as my son would say, "same monkey, different tree." I suppose since I've been cursed with having night-filled dreams, that at least I've been given the gift of being able to dream in color.....so there's the upside! There was a time not too long ago when I was having dreams that would wake me up with a start.....as in sit bolt upright.....and either choking or gasping for air. I thought it was sleep apnea, but no dice.....thankfully! It's possible it's a repressed memory of way back in another lifetime when I wore crinoline skirts, sported a bejeweled crown, and carried a royal sceptre.....which would definitely be in another century.....and yet again, had another calamitous event. The worst part of dreams are those pesky nightmares. My most vivid nightmare happened several times when I was a kid and was sporting a raging fever (I was a sick little bugger way back when).....anyway, I digress.....it was always the same nightmare.....me standing in this all white space.....the floor was covered with this moving mass of white bugs (you know, the skittering kind).....but these were big bugs, as in 3" round.....and there in the middle of it all.....sitting on his brilliant white steed.....dressed all in white.....was Mr. Clean! I guess that would explain why I hate housework so much.....what with the icon of cleanliness working his way into my inner being and doing a number on my psyche. In the past I've thought of keeping a dream journal and then having some "so-called" expert come along and interpret my dreams.....but that idea started looking like a novel in the making.....more work than I wanted to do first thing in the morning. Anyway.....I'll be the first to say it.....my brain can be a very scary place.....but in a whimsical sorta way! I'm still wondering why I decided to write this post on dreams.....I guess it was the little guy up above who comes from the land where the bad things live.....I better save that one for another day!!! Sweet dreams.....

Feeling HOT, HOT, HOT

Trust me on this.....but sometimes being a woman can really bite ass!!! Here's a bit of proof.....yesterday afternoon I found myself draped over the bakery refrigeration case at HEB trying to calm the raging fire that was coursing through my body. As I soon realized that I was enjoying this a tad bit too much.....I looked over at my husband and asked him if I was really draped over the case.....he said yes. I then asked him if this was considered full-fledged draping.....again, he said yes. It's a sad thing to see a full-grown woman hugging a cold display case chock-full of pastries and cakes as a means of getting instant relief from the fires of hell that have overtaken her being. There's no exaggeration here.....I was even informed that my face was a nice shade of candy apple red.....at which my husband suggested that I place my face on the glass to cool it down. Now I absolutely HAD to put my foot down to that.....there's no way that I would embarrass myself by slapping my glowing face on the glass and look like a silly fool.....afterall, I didn't arrive on the short bus! Then the whole sad picture came to mind.....I put myself as the viewer and not the viewee of this menopausal wreck of a woman (that would be me) and visualized the scene.....raging red-faced Amazon woman glued to the front of the bakery case who's willing to commit a serious crime if anyone dares attempts to remove her from said chilly case! Ain't that a sight for sore eyes! Gotta fly.....hot flash arriving on the bus from Hades.....hot, hot, hot.....

Peach-Riesling Sangria

I'm in LOVE.....madly in love with this sangria. This is NOT the same cheap bottle of sangria that kicked my teenage ass way back when. No.....this is something new.....something to fall in love with all over again. This is the sangria that my darling daughter-in-law, Sara, introduced me to.....a virtual liquid delight. She's made it 3 times.....count 'em.....3 times in the past 2 weeks.....and I've been right there each and every time with my cup held out in anticipation. Can you sort of get the hint that this is a damn good recipe!!! I can't think of any drink more refreshing for these hotter than Hades days! Sara took some liberties with the recipe, so I'll type those changes off to the side.

Peach-Riesling Sangria

from Epicurious

750-ml bottle dry Riesling (or use a box-o-wine in a pinch)
1-1/2 cups white cranberry-peach drink (she used a can of frozen concentrate)
1/2 cup peach schnapps
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar (she made a simple syrup)
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (she used about a teaspoon of bottled vanilla)
2 1/2-inch-thick lemon slices (she used several lemons, sliced thin)
2 1/2-inch-thick orange slices (she used several oranges, sliced thin)
2 peaches, cut into wedges (she used several peaches)
10 fresh raspberries (she omitted these because of the seeds)
3 cups ice cubes (she omitted the ice cubes, and put them in the glasses instead)

Mix first 5 ingredients in large pitcher (Sara used an extra large container). Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean and stir to blend. Mix in fruit. Cover and chill overnight. Mix in ice and serve.

Serves 8

Selfless Act of Kindness

This is what it's all about.....caring enough to do a selfless act for someone who so desperately needs your donation. Give it a second thought before you head out to get your locks cut off (10+ inches) and decide if you want to see your hair lying on the floor in a dirty heap, or being collected to send off to Locks of Love for a good cause. Quite an easy decision if you ask me!

There Was a Party

Today's post is for all those people who have been anxiously awaiting the photos of McKenna's 1st birthday party. Apologies.....for not getting them out earlier in the week.....to those of you who hit the editing room floor (I didn't even make one photo).....and for those non-flattering shots! This post is for those of you who have been itching to right click and save these photos to your own personal albums. There are a ton more pics that didn't make it to today's entry.....if you are interested in seeing those, then come on over to the Gulch and I'll plop you down in front of the computer for your viewing pleasure. To those of you who don't have a clue about who any of these people are.....then I'll be back tomorrow with my sometimes irreverent, but hopefully witty blog. Until then.....sit back.....get comfy.....and enjoy.....

Brain Fart

I had a brain fart yesterday.....you know.....one of those long lost memories that just pops out of your brain for no reason at all. I was reading a post yesterday from a fellow blogger that helped dislodge that memory.....a memory that I thought was stored way in the back of my cranium.....out of reach till the end of time. I was wrong.....I guess it was lurking just inside the back door, and when given the chance.....which was yesterday.....it decided to spew forth! Let me take you back to a more loving time.....a more peaceful time.....a more free-thinking time.....back to the 70's.....when yours truly was a hippie!
On this particular day, a quasi-rebound-kind-of-boyfriend, Thurston (not Gilligan's shipwreck-mate), and I decided to head into D.C. (as in Washington) and hang out. All this hanging out led us to the Reflecting Pool. You know.....that big mass of water that sits between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. You know.....that big mass of water that just begs you to come on in.....like the one down below.

That's the one.....the one where a 16 year old hippie and her quasi-rebound-kind-of-boyfriend decided it would be oh so cool to hop in and wade around in. So that's what we did.....we were something that most people didn't usually see when they strolled the Mall around the Reflecting Pool.....two hippies having a freedom-loving wading moment.....what a once-in-a-blue-moon photo-op kind of moment. I hate to admit it, but somewhere out there are a few photos floating around of me and that quasi-rebound-kind-of-boyfriend doing something that today would get our freedom-loving asses thrown into jail before you could even bat an eyelash. Was it worth it? Damn straight! Would I ever do it again? Hell no! Is this right up there with one of my odder memories? You betcha!

Peace out!!!

Free Stuff For Your Birthday Or Any Time Of Year!!!

Now who doesn't love FREE??? Not me, for one! You can give me FREE any day!!! In fact, the past few days I've been getting coupons for free meals left and right. Why? Because yesterday was the beginning of my birthday month!!! With MY big day being this Sunday the 7th!!! Woo hoo!!! So here's a rundown of the coupons I've gotten so far:

Texas Land and Cattle - FREE appetizer

James Coney Island - FREE hotdog

Azzarelli's - FREE entree

Rockfish Grill - $5.00 off

Joe's Crab Shack - FREE appetizer

Ruby Tuesday - FREE burger

Texas Land and Cattle (yep, 2 coupons) - FREE entree

Carino's Italian - FREE dessert

Cold Stone Creamery - FREE ice cream + 1 mix-in

PHEW!!! I'm stuffed just typing all of that. Plus the nicest part of this sweet deal.....I have a week to use the coupons before they expire.....so I don't have to gorge myself all in one day (I'm not even going to imagine that bacchanalia).

Come on folks.....all of you can get these freebies. It's easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.....all you've got to do is join your favorite restaurants mailing lists, and from time to time they'll send you coupons, or better yet, send you birthday coupons. In fact, I've also got a coupon for P.F. Chang's for FREE lettuce wraps that I'm hungering to use.....and it wasn't even my birthday coupon! These coupons are out there.....you just have to spend very little time on the computer and VOILA you'll be rewarded. In this economy you can't turn your back on FREE.

FREE is FREE.....you can't get any better than that!!!

Thank You One Pretty Thing!!!

I'm so honored.....my Princess Piggy Bank made One Pretty Thing's website!!!

http://www.oneprettything.com/?p=4074

Princess Piggy Bank

I wanted to give McKenna a 'made by Bebop' gift for her 1st birthday.....so I decided that every proper princess needed a princess piggy bank. I've been itching to put it on my blog ever since I made it, but didn't want to ruin the surprise since I knew her mom checks out my blog most every day. It was super easy to put together.....though the time-consuming part was creating the ruffles for the skirt.

Materials I Used:

All of the following items you can find at your local craft store

Ceramic piggy bank

Pink tulle ribbon

Polka dot ribbon

Lace ribbon

Pink rick rack ribbon

Pink satin roses (5)

Tiara (I found a package of 6 plastic tiaras in the party section for $2.49)

Gem embellishments (1 faux ruby, 2 green flowers)

Pink paint marker

White paint marker

Black paint marker

Hot glue gun

Hot glue sticks

Liquid Fusion

Pink glitter

The first thing I did was clean the pig really well to remove any smudges, and oils from the skin. Then I painted the nose and inside of the ears with a pink paint maker. I added eyelashes to the eyes with a black paint marker, then placed a white dot on each eye with a white paint marker. With my pink paint marker I placed dots all over the pig, then placed 6-7 white dots with my white paint marker around each pink dot to create little flowers. I painted little Mary Jane-type shoes on each of her feet, and added a flower-shaped embellishment on each of her front shoes with the Liquid Fusion. I then took my sparkly pink tulle, folded it in half (makes for a fuller skirt) and started making ruffles with hot glue (you can sew this if you want). After I got the length that I needed, I cut a length of the pink polka dot ribbon (with an extra 1/2"). I laid the polka dot ribbon design-side down, applied a thin bead of hot glue along length, and then centered the glued edge of the ruffled tulle on top of that. I then folded over the the polka dot ribbon over the tulle and hot glued that down (so now the ruffled skirt is sandwiched between the polka dot ribbon), then hot glue the edges in about a 1/4" on each end to neaten it up. Next I hot glued the ruffled skirt onto the pig (make sure you don't cover up the money slot or the hole on the bottom). I added a lacy ribbon on top of the skirt, making sure to leave some of the polka dot ribbon exposed. Then I covered the seam between the polka dot ribbon and the lacy ribbon with a pink rick rack ribbon, by hot gluing that in place. At this point I clipped back some of the tulle at the bottom to neaten it up. Next I took the tiara and cut off the attached comb, and then hot glued it on top of the pig behind her ears, then I glued a faux ruby embellishment onto the center of the tiara with the Liquid Fusion. I hot glued five little pink satin roses behind the tiara to give it a more finished look. Then I hot glued pink marabou feathers in front of the tiara. As a little surprise, I drew a heart on her fanny with a pink paint marker. After the heart had dried I applied some Liquid Fusion to the heart and sprinkled pink glitter on top of that, then let dry. Last but not least I signed the pig on her belly. TaDa!!!

NOTES:

Go light on the hot glue, you don't want big globs of it on your pig! If you prefer to use a different type of glue, just make sure that it is heavy-duty!

Feel free to use whatever colors, ribbons, embellishments that your heart desires! Afterall, this is your project!

Key Lime Pie

I was quite in the mood for a Key Lime pie this past week, and decided to try a new recipe. The pie was a tad bit too tart for me, but with a slight alteration to the amount of Key Lime juice, I am sure that could be rectified. All in all, it was right tasty!!!

Key Lime Pie
from My Recipes

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1-1/4 cups Key lime juice (from fresh limes) [will use 1 cup next time]
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream (I used the crème fraîche)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Garnishes: grated lime zest and lime slices

Preheat oven to 325°. Mix graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and butter by hand, and press firmly into a 10-inch pie plate. Bake at 325° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes.

I found that juicing the limes was the most time-consuming part, so give yourself extra time for that step. DO NOT USE BOTTLED LIME JUICE!

Whisk together condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs until well blended. Pour into crust, and bake at 325° for 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Chill at least 4 hours.

Combine crème fraîche and powdered sugar, and mix well. Spread evenly over pie, and garnish, if desired.

Serves 10

Mish Mash Friday

My mind's all a-clutter with the preparations for the BIG PARTY this weekend.....so I'm hard-pressed to pick out one witty bit of info to share with you today. Instead, you're getting a montage (nice word, eh) of some pics I snapped this past week of our adventures outside of the Gulch.

I fell in love with the colors of these pots and how they were displayed at Nelson Water Gardens.....one of our favorite places to wander and shop...



This reminded me of a coin my Aunt Eileen and Uncle Bill gave me waaaaay back when I was a kid.....the gold coin came from some casino in Vegas, and it had one of these Moai guys on it.....you were supposed to rub the nose for good luck. I remember rubbing the hell out of that nose.....not sure if I got any good luck out of it.....but it sure left a memory for me...



I absolutely fell in LOVE with these little guys.....so bright and sassy...



Of all the pictures I took that day.....this is the one that became my favorite. I'm so going to get this blown up, and frame it for display (yea, yea, I know Dan.....I'll find a place)...

Come on.....you can't tell me that you don't love these little mooshies...

Here's another day's adventure.....driving down a back alley (nefarious aren't we).....and came across these brilliantly blue flowers (the photo doesn't even come close to doing this flower justice)...




Back at the Gulch.....McKenna and her sidekick Emily...

PHEW.....I'm too pooped to ponder.....tata for now...

Something You Didn't Know About Me

I can probably count on one hand the people out there who know that I seriously considered being an archaeologist. I'm sure most of you find that hard to believe.....with me being into travel and crafts. Hard as it may seem, this dream has been in my blood for about 30 years now. There's no special reason why it never happened.....it just wasn't meant to be. I'd still love to have the opportunity to go on an archaeological dig......just the thought of being on my hands and knees and ever so gently picking and brushing in hopes of finding some treasure from eons ago makes my heart skip a heart. I can just imagine the rush of seeing something peeking through Mother Earth that she's had hidden, and just waiting for me to find. One word.....AWESOME!!! I have no problem focusing on one thing and staying at it for hours on end.....one on one.....just me and that object. Damn, how exciting!!!

Even though I love ALL the Indiana Jones movies.....this isn't the type of archaeologist I want to be. Like good ol' Indy.....I HATE SNAKES!!!

This is more like the archaeologist that I'd want to be.....like Zahi Hawass.....but without the media hoopla. He's way cool!!!

Considering my propensity for problems of a bodily nature.....hence my name.....Calamity Anne.....I'd probably be the archaeologist with all the bumps and bruises. With all the crawling around in tombs and archaeological sites.....it'd be a given that I'd be sporting my fair share of bandages.....but it'd be so worth it!!! Someday.....somehow.....it'll be Calamity Anne's Archaeological Adventures!!! Too cool!!!

Dogs Recycle Too

Here at the Gulch our dogs are great recyclers!!! In fact, they recycle every night before they go to bed. So nobody can say nothing about anything that we don't do our part! So here's the low-down.....you know those pesky little inserts that manage to travel all over the country inside a magazine.....then as soon as they arrive at their destination they fall out everywhere.....well, that's white gold to us! You will NEVER, and I do mean NEVER.....see us throw those bits of paper away.....nor will you ever see one of those inserts leaving Coyote Gulch and entering a landfill. Nor will you ever see those toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, or wrapping paper rolls leave this house. Where do they go, you ask??? To the dogs!!! Perhaps it's a puppy addiction.....or perhaps they really do want to do their part to "Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle." My three little monsters do reuse the inserts and rolls for their personal satisfaction.....they do reduce these papery delights to a mere shadow of their former selves.....so put all that together, and what do you get.....my magnificent canines do recycle. Now down to the how in the world do dogs recycle.....every night these three little pooches stare up at yours truly with those dewy 'we love you' eyes, and say.....please mum, more. Sucker that I am.....out comes one sugary sweet roll (I have to delegate the amounts to be recycled or I'd be up sh*ts creek without a paddle if I ran out).....and divide said roll into three fairly equal parts. BAM.....Mo snaps at his and drops to his belly to inhale his. POW.....Emily grabs hers and runs and hides to devour hers. Then there's Harley.....poor 'I think I was the king's food taster in a past life, and I ate something that didn't agree with me' dog.....he eyes that roll with such reluctance that I usually just drop it at his feet (don't get me wrong here, he does want his little bit of paper heaven, but he's still not sure if that's going to be his last meal or not). So there's the paper rolls, now to the inserts. Mo is the 'King of Insert Recycling'.....EVERY night.....and I do mean you're in big trouble if you forget.....because he will stare you down with those demon red eyes of his until you feel the searing heat of said eyes piercing through your very being and relent to his demands! So Dad gives him one.....then Mom gives him one.....then Mom gives him one.....then.....yea, you already know that I'm a sucker! Emily used to be a good insert recycler.....but she noticed that she was getting a bit full-figured and cut out the extra fiber. So there's another glimpse at life at the Gulch.....a family that recycles together.....will help save a wee corner of our Earth! So go forth and recycle!!!

Pork Schnitzel

I tried this pork chop recipe with extremely tasty results.....the sauce recipe I didn't have much success with. I found the sauce to be rather runny, and that's after altering the amounts. The flavor of the sauce was incredible, and I will definitely doctor the amounts to make for a thicker sauce next time. As for the chops.....INCREDIBLE!!!

Pork Schnitzel
from Simply Recipes

4 boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs (I used Panko breadcrumbs for a crunchier texture)
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup chicken stock (I used 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream [NOT lowfat or fat-free] (I used 3/4 cup )

Pound the pork chops to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut small slits around the edges of the chops to prevent the edges from curling.

Set out 3 pie plates. One with a mixture of the flour, seasoned salt, and black pepper. The second with the egg and milk whisked together. The third with a mixture of the bread crumbs, and paprika.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Dredge the chops first in the seasoned flour mixture; then dip the cutlets in the egg mixture; and then into the bread crumbs and paprika mixture.

Depending on your pan size (I cooked one chop at a time), sauté the chops for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the chops from the skillet and place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.

Add the chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. In a small bowl mix the dill and salt into the sour cream. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken stock. Heat and stir until mixture thickens (do not boil). If desired, serve the sauce with the chops.

Serves 4

Here's a photo of the pork chop with the sauce. As you can see, it's quite runny. Personally, I would prefer a thicker sauce.....but the flavors are spot on!!!

Memorial Day at the Beach

Practically the whole dang family met down at Galveston yesterday for McKenna's first adventure to the beach!!! It's been forever and a day since my tootsies have hit the sand.....in fact, it's definitely been before Ike roared into town. In my humble opinion Galveston is coming back with a bang.....but there are still some places that are in need of serious repairs. We never ventured to West Beach where a lot of the devastation took place. From what I could see.....there were crowds.....the beaches were packed.....life goes on.....Galveston is back!!! Here's a few or so pics of our day at the beach.....

First time McKenna ever set foot in the Gulf. By the way, that's her daddy, Justin (my big kiddo)...



Boogie Board Surfer Girl...


McKenna's mommy and daddy, Sara and Justin...

Yours truly, Bebop and McKenna...

Justin...



Those people waaaay out there.....that's some of our group...

The End...