Meet Georgette

Our little corner of the south has been all abuzz for the last week or so.  You see, there is a new lady in our lives.  I can understand why she caught Wonder Hubby's eye.  She is sparkly and looking at her just seems to make him happy.

Wonder Hubby and his dad have gotten a new boat and let me just say that the world economy could have collapsed and we would not have known it here!  I had no idea that there could be so much conversation over a boat!  It has been discussed for hours on in and required much input from all of Wonder Hubby's buddies.  I do believe there is less discussion with an arms treaty.

I wanted you all to meet the new lady in our lives because I have a feeling she could very well factor into some of my blog posts (okay, my attitude in some of the posts).  I hope I don't end up like the chick in Brad Paisley's I'm Gonna Miss Her song.

So, without further ado let me introduce you to Georgette the Guppy Getter.

Wonder Hubby and his Dad after their first day with Georgette

I do hope Georgette is the family type.  I know Wonder Hubby is looking forward to lots of quality fishing time with his dad and he is excited to get Mini on the water fishing as well. 

I hope she is a good influence and that the appeal of spending time with her encourages Wonder Hubby to get about the business of checking items off his honey do list! 

I hope Georgette isn't too self centered and high maintenance, requiring tons of time and money to keep her in shape. I hope she understands that Wonder Hubby can't spend ALL his time with her.

So I had a talk with her, and for that matter with him and I think we all can welcome Georgette with open arms if she can be a well behaved family member and not just a pretty lady!  Thanks for stopping in.

Super mutant Bloggers, I'm Calling You Out!

Nothing is more fun than having a rainy day and a ton of new posts from your favorite blogs to read.  I have days that I get caught up skipping through blogland and don't accomplish much else! Yeah, I probably shouldn't have admitted to that one.

I like to blog even though I have a wee following :)  It is a great outlet, I like making new friends through my blog and it is fun to share things I make, life issues/changes etc.  I can't tell you the amount of useful tips, great crafts ideas, recipes and beautiful homes and diy projects I have scrolled through and implemented variations of in my home.  That's fun right?

Well, MAYBE NOT so much.  Most days it is inspiring and I end up jotting down ideas or pinning to Pinterest (that is a whole other foreign object I will talk about at some point) for later use.  But, SOME DAYS it is just plain intimidating and a bit unbelievable and turns me into a HATER.

Okay people lets be real.  How many of us are as productive as some of these blogging super mutants?  I like to be productive, in fact sitting still doing just one thing, i.e. watching TV is something I just can't do, I need to be busy.  Sometimes seeing the level of activity of some of these mutants makes me crazy.  As crazy as I feel opening a Martha Stewart magazine to see her calendar and feeling like a loser because I didn't drain my washer hoses or sharpen my cuticle scissors in a timely fashion.

I mean I am living a real life here.....complete with a hubby and his crazy schedule, cars that need maintenance, never ending cleaning and upkeep of the house and a dog that requires WAY more attention than my kids ever did.   Most of the time I am a whirling dervish of activity and projects, but despite my best efforts I still walk through a room and see a dust ball, or a cobweb. 

I thought I had a good sized kitchen but when I look around I see "stuff" on the table and counters.  Not piles of stuff, just little stuff, a piece of mail, forms to be signed for Mini, a pie covered on the counter.  Then there is the stuff that I just can't cram into a cabinet....Mini's giant waffle iron, a cake plate etc.  What I am trying to say is this......how in the world do these mutants really cook/live in their kitchens and then have them looking like a magazine spread on their blogs?

I wish I could believe they were just kitchen people but unfortunately they are the same folks that show their living rooms, laundry rooms, bedrooms, perfectly organized garages and beautiful gardens.  Their homes seem to be filled with only the most perfect decor and diy projects.  When the heck do they find time to make these projects or shop for these perfect items?  When do they bathe for goodness sake?

They all seem to travel, care for kids who are darn near perfect, have great hair, cook gourmet meals and still have time to blog.  I am just in awe or disbelief, sometimes both.

Sheesh, I have items on my to do list that are older than some of you mutant bloggers!  People are always coming into my home and commenting on how creative I am and I know I am a thrifter but there are times when I read these blogs that I feel like such an underachiever. 

So, I'm calling you out.  Show us what a real day in your life looks like. 

 Do you people ever have dirt or dust?  Don't you ever have projects that are just epic fails (and I don't mean the ones you make work out in the end)?  How many unfinished tasks are you hiding in those 3 closets that aren't perfectly organized?

  Show me your burned dinners and desserts, your kids F in physics and the dead plants in your garden!  I know you have them.....so come on and show us you too are human!  I will get the ball rolling with an epic fail and a project that has been going on so long that I have to dust it.

I'm sure many of you have made the coffee filters wreaths.  I love them but they don't love me.  This looked simple enough and cheap, two of my faves, but in the end....I got a sagging mess, EPIC FAIL.

This is actually two elderly projects.  Number one is the kid's wall of fame....all their sports pictures, newspaper articles and memorabilia from middle school through college and now with BDJ, beyond college.  I started this (I can't believe I am telling this) a year ago.  I have commitment phobia so if Wonder Hubby isn't here goading me on, the pics just sit and wait.    I think the big problem is the sorting through 100's of digital photos to decide which ones make the wall, cause you can't use them all!  I end up overwhelmed with indecision and do nothing....except dust the ones sitting on the stairs occasionally! Number two is ripping up the carpet and painting the stairs....I just can't seem to take the plunge on this one yet.

Now that I have had my little breakdown.....I am actually headed to Michael's to pick up supplies for a couple of projects I saw on someones blog!  So, share em if you got em (and I know you do).  Hope everyone has a great (and/or productive) week!

Light, quick and Yummy Cajun Pasta

This time of the year is a real cooking challenge for me. It is so darned hot that appetites are all over the board.  One day everyone is starving, the next day one of us is hungry and the other 2 aren't. Do you have this problem? 

The heat/appetite issue is one problem.  The other is I would rather be piddling in the yard!  With the heat I end up starting yard and garden stuff late in the day.  You know, just about the time I need to start dinner.

I could literally exist on homegrown tomatoes alone, but I would have a revolt on my hands if I expected that of the family.  Today, I was having one of those, "what to cook days" and rummaging the freezer, fridge and cabinets for ideas.

 It was while I was assessing what I had on hand that I remember having a dish at The Merchants in Nashville years ago that just happened to use all the stuff I had (that never happens!). 

It has been years since I had this dish but I think that my version turned our pretty well (considering my memory isn't what it used to be).  This dish took 30 minutes from start to finish so I do believe I will be adding this little goodie to the dinner rotation.

Now, let me say that I was just playing around with this dish so I didn't think ahead to make pictures of it as it progressed, so I just have the finished product.  I didn't do any special styling....just tossed it on a plate and we dove in!  That being said, I didn't make sure the veggies were on top for color and didn't even consider which color Fiesta it would look best on so it looks a bit bland, buttrust me it is yummy.

Ingredients

1 Pkg. Uncooked Pasta (I used linquini)
1 Yellow Squash (washed and sliced thinly and then halved)
1 Zuchini (washed and sliced thinly and then halved)
1 Medium White Onion (chopped to bite sized)
1 Red Pepper and 1 Green Pepper (chopped to bite sized)
3 Boneless Pork Chops (I had these onhand, the original dish used grilled pork medallions, you could also use grilled chicken)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1  cup Chicken Broth plus 3 tsps.
1/2 cup White Wine
1/2 Tsp. Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp. corn starch
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced.
2 Tbsp. Olive oil.

Wash and Chop all vegetables.  I pre measured my liquids and spices and set those aside, just my preference.

Grill meat to just shy of done.  You can season your meat with salt and pepper and cajun spice if you desire.  The above 1/2 tsp of cajun seasoning is for the vegetables, so you would use additional to season the meat.  I didn't feel like digging out the charcoal (although "real" grilling would make this awsome) so I used the George Foreman.  Remove meat from grill and let rest 5 minutes then thinly slice.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  When draining reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. 

While pasta is cooking heat olive oil in large saute pan.  Saute squash, zuchini, onion and peppers until tender.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute.  Add 1/2 cup of wine and reduce by half.  When reduced add chicken broth, salt and pepper and cajun spice.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.  While this is simmering mix corn starch with 3 tsp. chicken broth until smooth.  Gently whisk into meat and vegetables and cook 30 seconds till thickened slightly. 

Add 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid and drained pasta to vegetable/meat mixture and mix well.  All done!

There are literally a million ways to tweak this dish to your own tastes.  I would love to hear your tweaks if you give this a try!  Thanks for stopping by.

Moody Blue Table for One

 Gathering together at the dinner table for meals has been one of the NOT NEGOTIABLE rules in our home.  So many times this is the only uninterrupted time in a day that we have to sit and share our day.   Many times dinner time opens up dialogue on a problem or issue the kids might not have broached without our full attention.  I am so glad we opted to hold onto this tradition.

Having said that, more and more our schedules conflict and the nightly gathering is not as possible as it once was.  With Mini in school and working and Wonder Hubby's ever changing hours there are times when I end up on my own.

If you have times when you dine alone you might as well make it pretty, right? It is a chance to use anything YOU want!  So with that in mind here is my recent Moody Blue Table for One setting .

The idea for the table came directly from more of my PVC napkin ring creations.

I used decorative stones glue to the trusty PVC to create the rings.....I just love the shades of blue.

I love clear glass and crystal candle holders and bowls so I used several of them accented with more decorative stones.

I used my Food Network white square plates and navy Corsica dishes, as well as my grandmothers blue floral glasses and blue Fostoria that were a wedding gift (years ago!).    The blue jars are just perfect for adding a touch more blue.

When all was said and done, it was hard to be blue when having dinner at this Table for One.  Thanks for stopping by.

I am linking up with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday please stop by.

More Big Dumb Jock Mayhem

For those of you that have bumped along the road of life with me for the past couple of years, you know I own a Big Dumb Jock (aka BDJ).  You also know that the term is one of endearment and is readily embraced by the BDJ.

 What you may not know is that he is a murderer.  That's right.....he hasn't managed to complete the job but he is definitely trying to kill me.  I would have never guessed years ago that he had a maniacal plan to worry me to death little by little, but I now know that I severally underestimated his ability to pursue this goal.

It all started out well, I managed to convince him to not get his clothes dirty (which by the way stuck because he always looks perfect, even leaving the gym), to be neat and organized and we stressed education first sports after that.  Somewhere along with way the wheels came off that bus and he became a big risk taking jock.

As a mother you worry about your child getting hurt all the time but that ratchets up with sports and can worsen with career choices.  We managed to get through baseball and basketball injury free and  11 seasons of football with only 2 surgeries.  BDJ would have me to believe that none of that was part of a larger plan to do me in.

When he graduated college, he moved across the country and went to work for one of the ABC agencies.  None of that should bother me either right?  The profession he has chosen will take him into some sketchy situations (if all goes the way he wants it too) and he never lets me forget he will choose to do the most risky of things.  He is an adrenaline junkie after all. 

The latest (and I wonder if final part of his maniacal plan) is yet another high risk adventure.  For months if he wasn't at work he has been training.  Training to go to Park City, Utah to the Olympic training facility for a combine to take a shot at making the US Bobsled and Skeleton Team.  These are the guys that ultimately are working to make the US Olympic Team.   My first question was "can you do that?" 

Our second question was "what is Skeleton?"  We have been quite relieved that we were not the only people that were not sure what it was.  Apparently it has been around in the winter Olympics but we were only familiar with Luge and Bobsled.  For those of you that do not know, Skeleton is the sport of hurling ones self face first down an ice track at speeds of 85 mph on a sled.  Yep, that's right only you on a little bitty sled with your face an inch off the ice at high speed!  Sounds fun huh? 

I suppose if you are inclined to risk life and limb for fun it is.....but let me assure you for a mother, Skeleton does NOT spell fun.

 What it means for me is that the few hairs that I had left that were only beginning to turn grey have now turned white along with the rest of my hair. 

It means being in the strange position of wanting your child to realize their goals and cheering them on while fighting the guilt you feel in wanting this insanity to not work out.  I know I am probably way to honest. None of this is news to BDJ, I tell him daily (or when he finally relents and answers his phone).

Two weeks ago today was day one of the combine.  After months of training he was more than ready to get started.

  Day one included sprints and shot put.  BDJ ended up being the only person to complete the combine for both skeleton and bobsled.

Getting ready for sprints.

Day two was in the weight room/ BDJ's favorite spot.  Who looks this happy about working out or lifting?

I hate to watch him lift....I can just see his knees blowing out!

Not to mention he makes really strange noises.

The second half of day two was instruction on pushing the sled and/or bobsled.  Day three it was off to actually push on the practice track.

I was most impressed with pushing the nearly 500 lb bobsled back up the hill :)

On the skeleton practice track.

He ended up with the best numbers at the combine and that was overall including being the only one that did both bobsled and skeleton and is classified as an Elite Athlete.

So now do you see why I say he is out to kill me?  If not, check out a You Tube video of doing this on the actual ice, it will make a believer out of you! lol

In all seriousness, I joke about him being a BDJ (and he is) but he is a very smart and very determined and very competitive.   I know the months of hard work it took to reach this day and I am very proud of him. 

 To be an athlete of that caliber is quite an accomplishment.  So now we wait and see.  His numbers will be sent to Lake Placid, NY and then we wait to see if he gets the invitation to compete in the push championships there in the fall.  After that, who knows?  Thanks for stopping by tolerating my bragging and sharing his accomplishment. Stay tuned for updates.

Summer Sabbatical/Failure to Function

How was your weekend?  Actually how has your month been?  Since I haven't checked in since early July I thought I would drop a line and splain myself a bit (okay the truth is I actually put "geez, post to your blog" on my to do list).  Thankfully, I have now accomplished one thing, which is HUGE.

I am not sure what has happened to me, but for a bit over a year now I have had a strong tendency to look instead of do, to sit instead of stir, to mope instead of live.

In my defense it has just been so darned hot!  So I know the last couple of weeks of June and the first of July I was justified in doing little to nothing.....everyone was doing it (or not doing it) don't you know? 

Then we took a little road trip to the gulf coast.....love me some time in Destin.  Nothing like the first look at that gorgeous water when you cross Destin bridge.

I enjoyed a week of lollying about on the beach.  I never seem to be more at peace than when I am near the ocean.  It is the equivalent of Pooh's thinking spot for me.  I generally use this time to clear my mind of junk, realign my priorities and dream up a zillion new projects I want to accomplish.  This year I just sat.   I had some hormonally sketchy days that I attributed the brain fog to, but overall I was good with just being.

Of course it didn't hurt that this was the view from bed!

The last morning we were there this was the first thing I saw.

Wow, what a way to start the day :)

 It did me so much good that for the first time in 26 years of beaching it in Destin, I didn't cry on the way home (I know, the family has learned to completely ignore me on departure day, I can't help it I just don't want to leave the peace I feel there to return to "real life")!

It really was a beautiful ending to vacation.  I was sure when I returned home I would be renewed and ready to get with the program. 

I can honestly say that I did get with it, in the yard.  We were blessed with 6 inches of rain while we were away, so I have mowed twice in 6 days.  I have surely enjoyed the new growth of everything since that rain, it all looked so brown and beyond help when we left.  I am so glad to have the flowers looking happy again and hopefully we will be enjoying them into early October.

My rejuvenated spirit seems to only dwell in the yard though :(  I cannot seem to accomplish anything else.   My endless whining about my lack of ambition has gotten on my nerves along with everyone else's. 

So as I wait and pray for this all to pass and to feel like the old me again, I have decided to look at it in a different light.  I have decided not to think I am unambitious....I have decided that I had taken a sabbatical (I just didn't know it).

Sabbatical (literally means a ceasing) is a rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year.  So here I was thinking I was just being sloth like when really I have been on a sabbatical (apparently, an extended one of just over 1 year and 3 months)!  Who knew.....I'm not feeling quite so bad now.  In fact I am embracing this hiatus......

With some mint iced tea, a book and several magazines!  Hopefully now that I have figured out my problem I will be back on track soon.   Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great week!

Cool Blue Country Tablescape

Welcome to my Cool Blue Country tablescape.  It has been so hot here lately that I wanted to create a table that "felt" cool and welcoming.  This table relaxes me just looking at it (I can't wait for it to cool enough to try it outside).  So lets take a tour.

This tablescape started with the tablecloth.  I found it at New Moon Antiques in Lawrenceburg, TN.  The price was right at 5.99!  I love almost any plaid and the cool blues and greens in this cloth just made me think of picnics.....had to have it.

Thanks to the tablecloth's color combinations I was able to use several of my favorites to create this table.  The dinner plates and salad plates are Food Network plates from Kohl's (gift from Wonder Hubby) several years ago.

The green glasses with the napkins are Chantilly Green from Indiana Glass Company (thank you to a sweet blog reader for that info).  The blue glasses were my grandmothers that I received when she passed away, good memories of drinking out of those :)

The little appetizer plates are from TJ Maxx as are the tropical spreaders.

Love my collection of clear bowl candle holders, I use them for sooooo many things.

The napkins are a blue and white gingham and a sea foam green linen layered.  I found these at New Moon as well.  The gingham ones still had the tags, $3.99 each at Kohl's....got them all for $5.00 and the green ones for $4.00.  It was a good day!

The table features some of my Fiesta Ware.  The cream and sugar set in Chartreuse, and bowls in Lemongrass and Peacock.  The cake plate is from Burton and Burton.

The centerpiece is a basket leftover from my retail shop.  The picture doesn't pick up the detail of the light blue on the fish that dangle all around.  Love the blue jars and the daisies. 

The white milk glass bowls were from my grandmother.  I just love them.  The ice cream spoons are a Garden Ridge find from years ago.

So now that the table is set.....what should we have for dinner?  I am thinking we shoud sip sweet tea or mint lemonade and enjoy a chilled soup (strawberry maybe?), a garden salad with homemade ranch dressing, lemon/garlic fish and garlic rice.....and for the finale.....homemade ice cream of course!  I hope you enjoyed the tour, thanks for stopping by.

I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday




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