I did it!!

I wrote about meditating on the beach at sunrise a while ago now, and finally I dragged le butt out of le bed and hauled hiney to the beach for sunrise!

It was so hot and damp at the beach at 6am, my camera lens kept fogging up on me.

The beach!

And....

The Sunrise!!

What you can't see, probably because they are so very aptly named..the no-see-ums!  I didn't anticipate them and now have several bites on my ankles and one particularly unfortunate bite on my middle finger, an odd place not only to be bitten but also to figure out how to scratch.  This thing itches and my finger is swollen because of it!  Yow!

Making it to the beach for sunrise was a huge step for me..but I didn't meditate.  I didn't tell hubs we were going so he wasn't prepared with proper footware, so he didn't even want to walk on the beach. 

I am very happy that we did that, I definitely would love to do it again, and maybe walk or even meditate next time.

What a fabulous way to start the day!

Sunday GTKY

I haven't been able to participate in Keely's Getting to Know You in a few weeks but today, it's Sunday, I'm on the computer, and I get to play along!  I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend..not me..I'm doing my third 12 hour shift in a row and I'm tired!

1. Thong or Granny Panties?
Those are extremes..I like to choose a middle ground panty, if you will.
2. If you see a guy with his fly down, do you tell him?
This hasn't happened to me, I'm not sure.  It depends on the guy I guess.  Most of them I would.  To be quite honest, this is a fopaux I don't really see anymore.   Is that how you spell fopaux?

3. Spanx or no Spanx?
The only day I had spanx on was my wedding day..but I'm all for smoothing out rumples and hiding the ever dreadful VPL. 

4. Do you sleep in your sheets?
Yes!  I need something covering me when I sleep.  Even if I'm just sitting on a couch watching tv I like to be snuggling with a blanket.

5. What is your favorite Disney character?
I thinked I stopped having favorite Disney characters when I left high school..and since I don't have kids now, I don't even know these Disney characters.

6. Dream vacation spot?
So many!!  Costa Rica, St. Thomas, Hawaii, Italy, France, Prague...

7. What is your dream job?
Travel writer

8. Who is your hero and why?
Enrique Iglesias.  No really... heroes to me are people who came from nothing, made something of themselves, and now are helping others do what they did.  People inspire me every day..but I don't have one specific hero, so..to put a name down..Enrique it is, since he seems to be up for the job!

Happy Happy Sunday to you and thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Sugar Love

I sold my first Sweet Sugar Love cake!  I've never made or decorated a cake before so it was a fun little challenge.

I found a fabulous cake recipe, which I'll post later.  After playing around with a few buttercream recipes, I finally finding the perfect one.  Find it here.  The only change I made was to use whole milk instead of heavy cream..I'm SURE heavy cream makes for a damn good frosting but I used what I had on hand.

Then I made my own chocolate shells and crushed up Pecan Sandies for the sand.  And then some pearl sprinkles to give Ms. Barbie Mermaid some bubbles.

Voila!  A Barbie Mermaid Cake!

Drank

Recently a friend said we should meet for cocktails and it sent me into a whirlwind of thought.

You know when someone says something on tv and you see everything they think

bam bam bam bam BAM BAM WHACK back to reality and no time has passed?

You know?

Ok, so here are my bams..and please forgive the randomness but hey, just blogging about what's in the brain, see?

Bam #1

The old commercial:

We got soda, purple stuff, SUNNY D!  Alright!  *high five*

Bam #2

Purple stuff, that's like "drank" We used to drive out to nowhere to a random convenience store, back in Detroit, to get some drank.  It was gross awful stuff, but memorable just in the fact we could sit on a curb in an abandoned parking lot and have drank.

Bam #3

Drank sounds so..cheap.  Cocktails sound so...sophisticated.

"The ladies and I shall be meeting at ten.  Join us for cocktails?"

Why!  That sounds absolutely lovely!

Bam #4

Cocktails?  What a curious word that is.  Combine "cock" with "tail" and it means..drink?

Huh.  Who came up with that one I wonder?

Sorta a Bam #5

Look it up on wikipedia!

Cocktail is a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters—it is vulgarly called a bittered sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said, also to be of great use to a Democratic candidate: because a person, having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow anything else.

Oh.  ehm. Ok.  Sorry. 

Not so sophisticated anymore.

WHACK

This is where I smirk, see, when people ask me a simple question and my brain immediately and simultaneously has these thoughts, I smirk and answer.

YES, Let's!

I've always wanted to do that!

Back when I was a flight attendant, at first I always liked when people would ask me what I do.  This of course being when I was at home or on a layover in plain clothes.  I LOVED telling people I was a flight attendant!  And the answer, when asked by women, was nearly always the same - Oh!  I always wanted to do that!

Later though it got old.  If people asked me what I did, I either said I work for the airlines, or else I would get a kick out of saying I was a stewardess.  Just cuz, you know, I love all things politically incorrect.  Like when people call really big guys "slim" or chihuahuas "brutus."  I also love "Toots"  As in - Hey, Toots!  Love.

Anyway I digress.  I never really understood that, people with that far away longing in their eyes, wishing they had done whatever something.  Why I wonder "had"?  You're not dead, do it now I say!

Then I stopped flying, feeling as though I got all I wanted from it, and it was time to move on to get a "real job."  Don't even get me started on the "real job" I ended up in.  But in between there and here, I worked at the airport doing customer service, another post altogether that one is.  I found myself caught up in a miserable job that didn't pay enough money. 

Then I had a coworker who quit, he was going to backpack Europe.  Immediately in my mind, I was a wayward traveler, with nothing but a backpack and gumption, I saw it all..freedom, excitement, adventure..

And I cannot believe the words that popped out of my mouth.  Yep, you prolly already know it's coming.

I've always wanted to do that!

He laughed, and I knew that he was thinking the exact same thing I always thought when people said that to me..well!  if you always wanted to then just do it!

I spent the rest of the week in a stupor at what had happened to me.  Actually, it's been about 4 years now and I still can't believe I said that.

Today!  My longing for travel and desire to break the boredom has once again reared it's pretty little head.  I have decided that hubs and I need to briefly move to Italy. Like for a year or so. I am not one to say..I always wanted.. even though I stinkin said it.  Living in Europe has always been a dream and I shall say the time has arrived.

Once I convince dear husband o mine.

In my mind, I already live here:

And stop here for delightful Italian fare...

...and hot dogs.  Apparantly the same in every language.

And go for nighttime strolls past here:

And weekend here:

The day shall come.

Chicken Marsala

I finally cooked again..it has been a long couple months of same old same old recipes and thrown together cans of beans, my go-to food.  I wanted something low fat and I turned to one of the first cookbooks I've ever owned: The ol red and white checked Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  What I found, with a happy little "Low Fat" stamp on it was Chicken Marsala.  This was relatively easy to make and I was really very happy with the results..hope you enjoy!

Chicken Marsala

1/4 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Marsala

In a shallow bowl, stir together flour, marjoram, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.  Lightly coat chicken pieces on both sides with flour mixture, shake off excess.
In a 12 in. skillet, cook mushrooms and green onions in 1 tbsp butter over medium high heat until tender.  Remove from skillet.  In the same skillet cook the chicken in remaining 2 tbsp butter for 5 to 6 minutes, turning to brown evenly.
Remove skillet from heat.  Return mushrooms and onions to skillet.  Carefully add broth and Marsala to skillet.  Skillet skillet skillet.  Am I overusing the word skillet I wonder?  Bring mixture to boiling, reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.  Transfer chicken to a serving platter and spoon mushroom mixture over chicken. Serve over pasta.

More and Less

Danielle at Dinosaur Toes originally posted this and being a thief of great ideas..here is mine!

The things I could use less of in life, or that could slip entirely from the planet without a tear from me include: war, fighting, and ignorance, bugs - only the ones that bite, but also those darn cockroaches.  Gossiping and cattiness.  Justin Bieber and that haircut, snow, heat stroke, dust, tumbleweeds made from my dog's hair lurking around every corner, greed, bossy people, cramps, cigarettes, and snakes.

What I can use more of!

Family time - disclaimer: this stand in family is not mine!

I could go on and on!  What makes you happy? 

Have a great weekend!!

Hello, Friday

Wait, is it next weekend already?  What happened to this past week?

Do you know what I did for the 4th?  I made patriotic strawberries!  They looked fabulous and I shall say they will be returning for years to come.  Who knew chocolate dipped strawberries were so simple to make but extravagant looking.  So I served them to some guests that came over.  Do you know what they did?  Ate em all right up!  And raved to my hearts content.  There were a few that didn't fit on the plate and so were hanging out in the fridge.  Do you know what my husband did?  Threw them away.  He said they looked like a diabetic coma. 

I mean really.  There were two.  And it was a strawberry.

Well I------------Never!  harumph.

Perhaps several months ago, I don't know, I don't remember, I mentioned stopping drinking sugary drinks.  But I didn't really mean coke.  I mean most sugary drinks.  I have a coke very very rarely, as a treat.  I had a few small bottles in the fridge, who were hanging out like cool cats next to the strawberries.  Guess what.  Also trashed.  I mean, such a waste.  I swallowed the big lump of irritation that was residing in my throat, and tried to remember he's looking out for me.  I appreciate it but reserve the right to grumble.

I've been thinking about this here blog recently, and how I'd like to be blogging more but what will I blog about?  I started wanting to keep in touch with family and friends, then immediately needed a food blog, but then took a few zigzags and ended up having no clear purpose for blogging.  I kinda like it that way.  Sometimes I like to cook, sometimes I like to exercise, other times I like to babble.  Lately, I haven't been cooking, haven't so much been exercising regularly - at least not on the weight loss train yet, and wondered by way of the babble what really to talk about when nothing is going on.  I wonder, is this a paragraph about nothing?  Ideally I would be cooking a whole lot more (healthy fare), and exercising a whole lot more, and doing more to blog about.  Crikey have I become boring?

I am now on a quest.  I don't wanna be boring!  I am going to start cooking more, and getting to the gym, and maybe, just maybe, a few nights on the town.  Almost all the pictures I've used on here lately have been from GOOGLE.  google!  Hows about I get out and get my own photos for a change huh?  So dear friends and fellow bloggers, I hope soon to have a LIFE and a more entertaining blog. 

I mean, don't hold your breath or anything.  This is just my mission.

photo from GOOGLE!

GTKY Holiday Edition

Head on over to Keely's blog so I can get to know you too!

1. What do you look forward to the most on the 4th of July?

Oh, I do wish I was in Chicago right now, I could be on my parent's boat, having some BBQ, and spending time with family.  Alas, here in Charleston, I don't have the slightest what we will be doing yet!  I do love the 4th just for the sheer summerness of the holiday!

2. Are you a hugger?

I enjoy a hug but I've never been one to go hug everyone in the room.

3. What is your favorite BBQ'd food?

Hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, asparagus...anything but fish really!

4. Do you like to watch parades?

Not particularly.  Does that make me unamerican?

5. Who has stinkier farts..boys or girls?

I just don't know how to answer this one. They either have no smell or they're stinky as hell!  No matter boy, girl, dog!

6. Vampires or Werewolves?

Is ANYONE on team Jacob?  Honestly?  Vampires baby!!

7. Do you read your horoscope?

Rubbish!  Not since high school.

 

8. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

I have lots of favorites!  From Cold Stone I like to mix cinnamon ice cream with strawberries.  From Publix.. I have 2 - French Silk Duo - combines french vanilla and french silk, and red velvet cake!  Anywhere else I go with the ol standby, chocolate chip cookie dough.

Have a happy safe 4th of July!!

all photos from here.

Happy 4th of July!!

Have a happy safe 4th of July!

Don't forget the reason we are celebrating and those who make it possible!

I, for one, cannot wait to make some of the fantastic blogger recipes I've been finding.  Several have posted Patriotic Strawberries, I have all the fixins and can't wait to try them!  Dip clean strawberries 3/4 of the way with melted white chocolate.  Then either get blue meltaways, dye white chocolate blue, or use blue sprinkles, and dip again 1/2 way so you see the red of the strawberry on top, then the white chocolate, and the blue.

Check out the cute pictures here and here!

A short poem to honor my favorite summer drink:

No matter if I'm happy or sad,

excited or blue,

MARGARITAS always pull me through!

Which makes me wonder, anyone have a great margarita recipe?  I think a margarita week is in order..margarita bread, margarita cupcakes, margarita chicken maybe?

Do such recipes exist?  I need to get to the bottom of this.

Please excuse the rapid change in subject, I was overcome with emotion at the thought of margaritas..

Thought process..

Mmm I'd like to grill tomorrow.  Hot dogs to be quite frank.  Just plain old yummy scrummy hot dogs to celebrate the 4th.  Beer would be nice but margaritas even BETTER!  YES!  Margaritas are definitely in order.  **Pause to text hubs to please if he would be a lamb and pick up tequila?** Ooh margarita cupcakes sound scrummy yummy.  Insert above text.  Random, see, but not really.

Please have a fun and safe holiday!!