Guess what?

I was on Facebook awhile back and I was looking around and I saw a picture of my oldest and dearest friend that I have not see in 20 years!!  Can you believe that?  We went to junior high together, high school.  She and I and another wonderful friend that I just saw this past summer used to spend practically every waking minute together.  During the week, weekends, rain, sleet, snow.  You get the picture.  

Of course, I emailed her immediately and she immediately responded.  We saw each other at a class reunion and then both of us got busy.  This is one of those huge regrets in life.  We missed volumes of good stuff.  Husbands came and went.  Kids born, grown, and gone.  Happy times and really hard times.  All this time is missing.  Twenty years!  1/3 of our lives missing.  Hard to believe. 

On the fantastic, fabulous, freaking unbelievable flip side is that she will be here tomorrow!!  With me!!  And Ralphy!!  She is flying in from Tucson to see us and stay with us a few days before she visits her sister that lives close by.  I can't remember when I was this excited.  I have been cooking and baking and chopping and mincing and cleaning like a mad dog.

Do you think I can lose 15 pounds by tomorrow?  Should I wear my Spanx?  

I'm dyin' here, girls.  More later!

Love

Are you ready for some chocolate??? Hang on!

This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe and the funny thing is that it uses a box cake mix.  Totally against my grain but, oh so dreamy.  I took this recipe from a favorite site of mine and I hope you try it.  It is kinda heavy, very rich, and extremely habit forming.

Here goes - get your engines started......

1 package dark chocolate cake mix (devils food)
1 small package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 16 oz. container sour cream
3 eggs
1/3 C. vegetable oil

Wait - it gets better.

1/2 C. coffee flavored liqueur (they mean Kaluha)
2 C. semisweet chocolate chips

*************************
Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour Bundt pan.

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, and coffee liqueur in large bowl.  Beat until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Batter is really thick.  Spoon into Bundt.

Bake 1 hour or until the cake springs back when lightly tapped.  I just use a cake tester or toothpick.  Cool 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make a pot of coffee.  After the cake has cooled, cut a huge piece and take a bite.  Close your eyes and chew slowly.  Take a sip of fresh coffee. Think. Breathe. Cake.  Coffee.  Cake.  Coffee. Think.  Cake.  Coffee.

Faint.

Love

I know, I know, I know.......

I have been very lax about posting.  I promise to do better!

Did anyone see Oprah last Wednesday?  It was a very enlightening program for me.  She did a show on women around the world and how some of them are living.  The ones she focused on were from Dubai, Japan, Rio, Copenhagen, and one other that I can't remember.  Anyway, I was most interested in the girls from Copenhagen and how they live there.  The first girl that was featured showed Oprah and us her home, the inside of her fridge, cupboards, etc.  Everything was pretty neutral.  There was nothing out on tables or counters.  Hardly any wall art.  In fact, I can only remember one painting in one hallway.  Everything - clothes, toys, anything and everything - was inside the cupboards with the doors closed.  She and her husband had two children and their room was literally a cave of sorts that you had to crawl up into and then it opened up a bit.  There were two beds made of just a wooden frame attached towards the top of the wall and one below, kinda like bunks.  There were just a few toys in the corner.  That's it.  The fridge contained milk, fruit, and meat.  Period.  No crap.  This was a very lovely home that was sparsely furnished.  The family's belief is less space, less things, more life.

Repeat after me............LESS SPACE, LESS THINGS, MORE LIFE.

Isn't that beautiful?  Do some deep breathing exercise with that thought.

Just to compare, Oprah went to another house which was pretty much the same.  Of course, most women there are tall and blond which really was aggravating.  One-third of the folks there ride their bikes everywhere - work, shopping, school, wherever.  There is hardly any poverty because the government takes care of its' people.  Their health care is paid.  If you lose your job, the government pays you 90% of your wages up to four years - and helps you find a job!!!  The government PAYS $500.00 a month to folks that go to college. There is very little crime and sexual crimes are practically unheard of. 

The government wants its' citizens to focus on health, family, and the environment. The people of Copenhagen are supposedly the "happiest" of all people.  Their work days are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00-5:00 p.m.  Period.  No nights shifts to eff up the family life.  Everyone earns about the same salary so there is not much of a lower class.  They work hard, they take care of their families.  They have very good health care, clean air, fresh food, no crime.

Folks - shouldn't we be ashamed of what's going on here?  Insurmountable poverty, a crime rate that is astounding, children and mothers with no health coverage.  Kids with no respect for their parents or teachers, or any sense of consequence.  Guns, drugs, children being murdered.  It's like nobody gives a shit.

Whew - I'm glad I got that out!  It really gets to be nerve wracking, doesn't it?  What we need is people actually helping people.  People caring, giving, doing the right thing.  Parents actually teaching their children how to live.  Families actually being what families are supposed to be.

Now I am all upset.  Tomorrow I promise to have an ass-kicking cake recipe.

Love

I think I am finally seeing the digital camera light!

My camera class went really well.  Actually, I hated to see it end.  Ya know all those burning questions like f stop, aperture?  What the hell is aperture?  What does the histogram tell me?  Am I holding my camera correctly?  This guy has a plethora of info - and it's all good stuff.  Not a lot of mumbo jumbo that no one understands.

I am in digital camera heaven.  And, guess what?  I have a homework assignment!  Can you imagine?  Me doing homework!  I have to bring in 10 photos so we can check for composition.  I am so excited about this.

Now - here's my problem.  I came home and immediately got my camera out and I can't even figure out how to get the photo to show up in the view finder.  My lovely daughter-in-law offered to help me this past weekend while we were in Atlanta but I didn't want to bother her as she is just moving in to a new home.  She would know, tho.  Her photos are professional quality.  Just perfect pictures - with seemingly no effort at all.  That's how I want to do it!  I just want to easily and correctly take a fricking beautiful picture.  This is going to be a work in progress, that's for sure.

On another subject, I have 170 more pages of Franklin and Lucy to read and tomorrow night is book club.  Do you think I will make it?  I need a big pot of Ralphy's perfectly brewed coffee.  

Also, we are leaving for Virginia on Friday morning and I need at least 3 dozen of my famous peanut butter cookies ready to go.  We are staying at Miss Aunt Sue's for a few days and I don't dare show up without my cookies.  On Sunday we will go over to see my brother who lives about 30 miles from Miss Aunt Sue's and he will definitely be sniffing around for the cookies.  I must make them tomorrow!!!  And package them so they will look nice when presented.  It's all about the presentation, ya know.

That's it, girls.  I am tired tonight and I just got my brand spanking new issues of Livng (Martha's mag) and Oprah Magazine.  I can't wait to sit in the corner and slowly devour them.

Be kind to one another.

Love

(I know my spacing is wrong - I am trying to correct this)

I am just wondering....

what the young kids of today know about Christopher Columbus?  Have they every heard of him?  Do they care?  Do they know the names of the three small ships that he commanded to the shores of the Americas in 1492?  I doubt it.  Have they every heard of Ponce de Leon?  The first European to set foot in Florida in the 1500's?  What about Vasco?  Does anyone give a shit?  I highly doubt it.  

Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492.  Us "older folks" know that.  We know the names of the ships - it was pounded into us in history classes.  Do you know that he was a mean SOB?  He and his brothers were responsible for many atrocities towards his prisoners.  He really ordered some nasty deeds.  Actually, I don't even know why I am going into this info.

My point is that Columbus Day, which is always celebrated on the second Monday of October in the United States, is a day in which Mattress Warehouse has it's sale of the year.  Kohls had another Grand Opening sale.  Halloween costumes and decorations are in full view in every discount and grocery store.

Why isn't there school today?  The kids don't even know what the day means?  So, if they don't know or care then why do I have to go without getting my mail?  Can someone explain this to me?  Isn't this "holiday" getting a little old?  Some mean bastard died 600 years ago and I don't get my mail.  This steams me.

On a very happy note - guess what?  I have a new camera!!!  It is a Nikon D40 with the works.  Two lenses, battery, battery charger, really nice case, lens covers, USB cords - everything I could possibly hope for.  And - the kicker is that I have a macro lens from my 13 year-old Nikon that fits this camera!!!  Can life be this good?  

On top of THAT, I have signed up for a Digital Photography class at our local community college and it starts - tomorrow!!  I am scared!  I have to bring everything that I have here so that we can take lots of photos, critique them, learn the camera settings.  I am really nervous!  I will let you know how it goes.

On a very, very, very happy note, we spent the last two weekends visiting five of our grandchildren.  Three in Baltimore and 2 in Atlanta.  What a whirlwind couple of weeks.  We haven't had so much fun in a very long time.  These kids each have such a special quality.  All different.  All delicious.  We love them more than life itself.

What books are you reading?  Let's share!  I am reading "Franklin and Lucy", a book about Franklin Roosevelt and his lady loves.  He was a hound.

Be kind to one another.


Love

Don't call us, we'll call you!

As you know, we went to Baltimore last weekend to see the grandchildren. I already told you about all that.   Now,  we are in Atlanta with the other two grandsons and helping our son and daughter-in-law move into their new house.  We have put a ton of stuff away, worked on the yard, took a walk to a park where I had to hang from the monkey bars.  I have walked around for two days already carrying a really big baby (only because he is delicious and hilarious). Tomorrow I get to stuff these little Halloween white things that are supposed to look like ghosts and you hang em' from a tree?  Ya know what I mean?  Then, we have to put a million decals on windows, do some Halloween coloring,  possibly make our Halloween cookies  to decorate for the weekend.  Walk back to the park, sweat some more, help Ralphy in the yard again, da, da, da, da, da.......I wouldn't have it any other way!!  I love these guys like there is no tomorrow!

My point is -  next Tuesday I am sleeping.  S-L-E-E-P-I-N-G.  And drinking my coffee and playing on my computer.  Then - Wednesday - I am posting all of my new pictures to Flickr.

All calls will be automatically forwarded to my secretary.

Love

Wait - just one more thing before I go.......

I am officially on Diet #106.

I am not kidding.  My pants are too tight, my tops are showing stuff I don't want to see.  I feel like that little sausage link right before you prick it and the water shoots out.  I am going to blow any minute.  And - what really makes me mad is that I did it all by myself!!  I know it's not a good idea to go back to the leftover spaghetti in the pan and stick my fork in there again........and again......................and again.  I know that chocolate chip cookies with the huge chocolate chunks (the kind that just ooze deliciousness when you bite in to them) are very dangerous.   I know that my killer chocolate cake is killing my thighs. 

So - I know all that.  But, if you are like me, you just do it anyway!  Now I am paying huge consequences.  And if these consequences aren't enough - I have two huge girl food fests coming up in the next month. OH GOD - what is a self imposed full-figured woman to do?????

I just ordered a Spanx Hide and Sleek Body Smoothing Camisole from QVC.  It comes down past my waist and I can tuck it into my too-tight jeans, put on my new V-neck tops and look like a fricking million bucks and forget about my troubled rolls!!


Oh yeah..........I forgot about Diet #106.  And - I wonder if I can return this body sleeking thing if it doesn't sleek?


Love

OK - now, where were we?

Oh yes - the last time we spoke I had seen this incredibly gorgeous hunk of a man at Target and then there was that other guy with the full body wax kit.  And - don't forget about my floor.   Remember how the floor in my kitchen is glued down and the idiots that installed it didn't fix the underfloor correctly, blah, blah, blah?  Well - that was 8 months ago.  Can I just say that I still don't have my new kitchen floor.  The thing is, with the weight that I have gained - I am really sinking in right around the refrigerator part of the floor.  I am not kidding.  This will all resolve in November - and I will photograph the entire job for those of you who give two hoots about it.

Now - for the rest of the year.  It basically sucked.

This past weekend, however, was great!  We went to beautiful daughter's house in Baltimore and while we were there we got to see our granddaughter's soccer game, go to a pumpkin patch, Ralphy went down a huge slide on a feedsack and scraped his entire can through the mud, we went on a Cub Scout outing to the park where we hiked and Ralphy and grandson biked.  Baby grandson caught a fish.  We went back home where I promptly scarfed two beers.  I can't believe how much energy it takes just to even tag along on these trips.  Good Lord - my feet are still aching and we had so much to eat there that I have to double up on my Metamucil.  You do remember that Metamucil is my best friend?

We just arrived back home and I have enough time to wash the underwear, throw it back in the suitcase and go to the airport on Wednesday morning!  We are going to visit our other two grandsons in Atlanta and to see their new house.  Then - next Friday we leave for Virginia.  I am going to be sprouting a fricking money tree here soon just to replenish our stash.

More on Atlanta later.

So, how about a new recipe for you?  Have you made this stuff called Pasta Vecchia Napoli?  Don't be scared.  I will walk you through it and you will thank me every day for the rest of your life.

 Ready??

2 T. olive oil

6 ounces smoked pancetta, diced (or, I used a thicker sliced Bavarian ham - it is not so costly, or some nice thick smoked bacon)

1/4 C. finally chopped onions

1 whole medium zucchini - cut into 1/2 inch dice

2 whole garlic cloves - minced

28 ounce can of tomato puree

1/4 C. chopped fresh basil (this is precisely why I have an herb garden)

salt and pepper

1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley (oh, yeah!)

1/3 C. heavy cream

1 pound pasta (I used fettuccine)

1/3 C. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (or, just not the stuff in the plastic shake thing)

Heat oil and add the pancetta.  Cook until just kinda brown and beginning to crisp up.  Add the onions until soft (the onions, not you).  Add the zucchini and cook until tender crisp.  Next - add the garlic and cook a minute or two.  Then, add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper.  Cook for 10 minutes or so.  Add the cream, mix and keep hot over low heat.

Cook the pasta, drain, add sauce fresh parsley.  Sprinkle cheese.  Pass out.

I will be back next Monday!  Try this recipe and let me know how you like it!

Love

Well - where the heck have you been????

I have been waiting for you since last February!  What's going on?  How is the family?  What did you do over the summer?  GEEEEEZ - we haven't spoken in months!

Well - as luck would have it - I am leaving AGAIN for the weekend but will be back on Monday to restart this conversation.  I have lots to tell you, as usual.  Lots of pictures, lots of recipes, more meat on my thighs - tons-o-stuff.

Please come back!  I have missed you.  Tell your friends that there is some crazy lady here that wants to see them.

Love, Cissy