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"A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?
-Albert Einstein
Weekend Assignment #312: Write A Culinary Review
It's no secret, I LOVE to cook! I love everything about cooking, from creating recipes of my own, to playing food detective to make all those yummy things that can be bought out in the world, except with my healthier approach. Tonight, Alan and I had homemade French Bread Pizza, and Organic Creamy Tomato soup for dinner, which doesn't sound particularly exciting, but it was TOO yummy. I was happy with how dinner turned out, but even happier with dessert.
I had made Low-Cal Biscuits and Gravy for breakfast, about 300 calories per serving. I made some biscuits which were generic "buttery tastin" and after breakfast I had about 5 left over, so I decided to make Berry Shortcakes. I had purchased some frozen mixed berries a couple days ago, with the intention of making some vinaigrette or possibly a topping for some ice cream. I decided to thaw them out but wasn't expecting them to hold up well, so I planned to make a hot compote. I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that not only did they hold their shape after thawing but they tasted as if they had just been picked! And there was very little liquid upon thawing. Nice!
So, here is my review; Europe's Best is a fantastic product! I will probably buy this brand exclusively from now on! Perfect for cobblers, or a topping for pancakes or perhaps for dessert such as the shortcake I made tonight! Great product. Great taste!
4 Berry Shortcake
Calories 185
Buttery Biscuit: 110
1/2 cup Mixed Berries : 45
2 tbs. Light Whipped Cream: 15
Dusting of powdered sugar: 15 (Optional)
Extra Credit: The worst meal I ever ate was probably the time my boyfriends mother gave me, Alan, her son, her husband and herself food poisoning... ON PURPOSE! LOL. But the worst culinary experience I have ever had at a restaurant took place in Los Angeles and LAX. I was 7 years old, and my sister and I had flown down to L.A. to go to Disneyland. We were on our way back home, when we decided to have lunch at the airport before we left for home. OMG. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE! Not food poisoning bad, but I swear I could still taste it 3 days later! UGGGGG! I didn't eat a hamburger for about 2 years after that incident! LOL. That's ok, I was probably healthier for it. :) Don't eat a hamburger at LAX, under any circumstances!
:)
-Carly
"The earth laughs in flowers"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
EMPS #83: YOUR FAVORITE THINGS. NOW CLOSED!
You know that song "A Few Of My Favorite Things" from The Sound Of Music, well, the other day I had it stuck in my head so I thought it would make a good subject for this week's photo shoot assignment. Simply grab your camera and show us YOUR FAVORITE THINGS. Raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens work, as do bright copper kettles or warm woolen mittens. It's all up to you. Maybe you just love whipped cream on hot chocolate, if so, show us. Or perhaps you prefer something much more modern... like your iPhone. If so, cool! I can't wait to see what you come up with!
Extra Credit: Show me something old fashioned and something modern that are among YOUR FAVORITE THINGS.
**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. So you have until that time to get your photo, upload it to your blog, journal or website, and comeback here with the link. Please remember, the link you leave must be a link which goes back to an entry specific to this week's photo shoot assignment, and you are responsible for it's accuracy. Please double check it. NO HYPERLINKS ARE ACCEPTED. Also, please include a link to the Monday Photo Shoot in your entry so your readers will be able to find the assignment and join us for the fun.
Linking List for EMPS #82: Goodbye Winter/Hello Spring 03/22/10
NOW CLOSED!
1. Freda
2. Jama
3. Sherrie
4. Sandy
5. Greg
6. Suzanne
7. Nesa
8. Karen
9. Duane
10. Jan (Link submitted by Email)
See you next week, with an all new Monday Photo Shoot assignment! :)
-Carly
Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.-Albert EinsteinQuestion: Is John McCain insane or is he simply showing his true colors?
What is John McCain thinking? Aligning himself with this hateful woman, and the raciest Teabaggers who follow her around salivating? Is he trying to cash in on the popularity she enjoys with that particular group, or has is he experiencing some sort of dementia? Either way, I predict that John McCain will be losing big this year. If he manages to win his party's primary, I doubt he will see a victory this fall. The republican party has turned into a specter of fear and hate, oh and let's not forget BLATANT LIARS. When was the last time you heard a truly positive message from them? Of course I suppose "positive" might be a subjective thing. If you are into throwing rocks through windows, and leaving threatening messages on the answering machines of elected officials, if that is your... ahem... cup of tea... then I imagine you are proud of the republicans. So sad for you. So very sad.
Senator McCain...Being the "Party of Hell No" is not something to be proud of. Indeed, someday you will look back on this and cringe, not just because you had chosen to put your pride before your service to your country, but because you SOLD OUT to fear. At one time I had respect for you and all you went through in Vietnam. I am sad to say, I have lost any little bit of that respect that I once had for you. Now sir, I pity you. I feel sorry for you, in that you have chosen to fall victim to your own party's fear mongering. You sir, have made yourself into a liar. You have aligned yourself with liars, such as Sarah Palin. You have aligned yourself with violence and hate. Tell me Sen. McCain, what are your values now? Still Pro-life? What kind of America are you asking these children to grow up in. One where they can have their health care cut off because of a pre-existing condition? America... the country where special interests trumps the general well-being of it's people. America... the country where big business trumps the well-being of it's people. America... the country where money stands between a sick child, and it's right to a healthy life. Shame on you.
Sen. McCain... you, sir, have jumped the shark! And I can't wait to see you fail this year! Welcome to the private sector. Check out Walmart, you would make a terrific greeter.
-Carly
"The woods are lovely dark and deep. But I have miles to go before I sleep."
-Robert Frost
RRC: Up To 5 Miles Away
Suggested by Me :)
Karen chose one of my suggestions for our current RRC. The idea was to go up to five miles away from your home, in any direction, and show us what you find. LOL. I was prepared to do that, but then this cold struck. LOL. I haven't been able to get out this week and get new photos, but I did have some archived photos that give you a really good idea about why I love it here so much. The top photo was taken at the Berkeley Marina, in the early evening. It had been an extremely hot day, and folks were out enjoying the gentle breeze off the bay. In the background is the Golden Gate Bridge. No matter how many times I see it, it always takes my breath away.
Now, here are some additional sights, up to five miles away...
The middle of Tilden Park...
Downtown Berkeley...
Sather Tower on the Berkeley campus...
What can I say, it's home! :)
Now, go see what the other Robins found on their journeys!
Linking List
Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!
Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!
Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!
Linda... Mommy's Treasures
Peggy... Holmespun Fun Memes and Themes
Posted!
Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
Posted!
Jama... Sweet Memories
Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!
Sandy... From the Heart of Texas
Posted!
Carolyn USA... Ford Family Photos
Manang Kim... My Photography in Focus
Duane... Meanwhile
Mary... Mary Tomaselli's Photos
Ruth... Scrabblequeen
Posted!
ellen b... The Happy Wonderer
Posted!
Freda... Day One
Posted!
-Carly
"The only time to eat diet food, is while you are waiting for the steak to cook."
-Julia Child
NOW CLOSED!
Weekend Assignment #312: Write A Culinary Review.
Your reviews can be about a favorite restaurant, or a specific item on a menu. Packaged foods, or something you created yourself. It's all up to you. Your take on it can be positive or negative, hey, it's your opinion! :)
Extra Credit: Write one paragraph about the WORST thing you have ever eaten.
If you haven't participated in the Weekend Assignment before, please take a moment to review our guidelines for participation...
1. Please post your entry no later than next Wednesday evening at 9:00 PM ET. I will be closing the assignment at that time, and no additional links will be accepted after that time.2. Please provide a link back to the assignment. Feel free to display the logo below, along with the link, so other folks can find the assignment and participate along with us.3. Don't forget to comeback here with the link to your entry.4. If you can, please be sure to visit your fellow participants. Let's encourage each other!5. Please encourage your readers to join us. The more the merrier... right?Linking List for Weekend Assignment #311: Cheese It!(Posted at Outpost Mavarin)
1. Karen (Original Assignment Entry)
2. Sherrie
3. Florinda
4. Carly
5. Paul
See you in two weeks!
-Carly
"The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."
-G.K. Chesterson
Weekend Assignment #311: What is your favorite kind of cheese and why? Do you have it often or just occasionally?
Extra Credit: Is there a kind of cheese you hate?
MMMMMM...CHeeSe! I count my love for cheese right there with my love for Alan and the boys! Yes, that's right, the way to this girl's heart is with a wheel of cheese! Gouda, Parmesan, Ricotta, Swiss, Cheddar, Asiago, they are all my darlings. My love of cheese is so great that had Alan not loved cheese as much as I did, it may have been a consideration for not getting married! LOL. Nah, it's not that bad, I would have married him, but in complete honesty, he loves cheese as much as I do! It's a good thing,. :)
Hey, we both like to cook, and we do a lot of cheese related recipes. You don't have to use a lot of cheese in a recipe for it to taste good, we believe in moderation, but it does give an otherwise bland meal a little extra help. :) I don't know if I have a particular favorite, I like so many different types. I guess it just depends on what kind of meal I am serving. An example, if I am having a bowl of Tomato soup for lunch, I might grate up some Prima Donna Gouda to sprinkle on top. Or if I am making Lavender Chicken in Puff Pastry, I usually put some French Feta in the pastry and do a light Lavender/White Cheddar Bachamel sauce for the top. Delicious! :)
Extra Credit: Nope. No cheese I hate. Although there are some I don't usually use, such as Limburger. But hate? Hate is such a mean word. LOL.
-Carly
This Weekend Assignment is from Karen, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin. You can join in the fun as well. Just hop over to her blog, and get all the information to play along. We love comments, but it's even more fun when you participate by posting your own entry. Look for this week's assignment here on Ellipsis Thursday!
"In health there is freedom. Health is the first of all liberties."
-Henri Fredric Amiel
It was needed. It was historic. It was about DAMN TIME! No doubt you have heard by now that we finally have health care reform in this country! I am rather happy about that, we have needed it for a long time. I am one of the lucky ones, I have health insurance, but there are others not as lucky as Alan and I. If you have ever had to watch a family, without insurance, try to make the difficult choices involved with having a lack of insurance, you know how heartbreaking that situation can be. Am I 100% happy with the bill? The short answer is NO. The more complex answer is YES, but I wish it had gone further. I wish it contained the PUBLIC OPTION. There are a few other points I wish had been done differently, but I will save those points for another time. In a nut shell, this is a positive step in the right direction. This is why I voted for Obama, and I am proud of him and all the democrats who voted with their conscience, despite being spit on, and having to endure racial and homophobic slurs cast their way.
Republicans don't really do much anymore, except yell, and obstruct anything the Obama administration tries to do to improve life.
Even as I sit here writing this, the news is reporting that 11 states are filing lawsuits to try about stop the bill, calling it unconstitutional. It's no surprise that all 11 attorney generals are REPUBLICANS!
If you are a republican, and you are reading this, ask yourself just one question...
WHAT ARE MY REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVES DOING FOR ME?
Are they actually doing something for you, or are they busy making sure something isn't done for others?They lost big in 2008 and their pride has led them to the sorry state they are in now. If they think that they will be getting some kind of revenge in the fall... well... we will just see about that! Nice. They are so busy seeking revenge for their wounded pride, they couldn't find the time to be a part of making America a healthier place for everyone. So very sad.
:(
By the way, I am celebrating HCR by making an appointment for a mammogram. My appointment with Mr. Squishy is next week. Wish me luck.
-Carly
Health Care Reform Changes Occurring First...
Small Business Tax Credits
Closing the Medicare Part D "Donut Hole"
Free Preventative Care Under Medicare
Help for Early Retirees
Insurance Rescission's Ended
Immediate Help for the Uninsured
Coverage for Kids with Pre-existing Conditions
Extended Coverage for Your Adult Kids
More Doctors and Nurses
More Community Health Centers
No More Lifetime Coverage Benefits Limits
More Bang for your Insurance Buck
Read all about these changes here.
"Summer makes me drowsy, autumn makes me sing,
winter's pretty lousy, but I hate the spring"-
Dorothy ParkerEMPS #82: GOODBYE WINTER/HELLO SPRING NOW CLOSED!It's a pretty simple one for this week folks... just grab your camera and say GOODBYE WINTER or HELLO SPRING! Show us what you enjoy the most about either season, or maybe even show us a picture that you feel accuately illustrates the changing seasons. If you don't happen to live in a place that experiences great fluxes in the seasons, then simply show us something representational of the season, such as a flower for spring or snow for winter.
Extra Credit: Show me something cold to represent winter or something warm to represent spring.
**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot assignment ends next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. As always, you have until that time to get your photo, upload it to your blog, journal or website and comeback here with the link back to it. Please leave the full link in the comment thread of this entry, and make sure the link you leave is both accurate, and goes back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. A general link to your site won't do, and NO HYPERLINKS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Also, please include a link to this assignment so folks who read your journal will be able to play along with us.
Linking List for EMPS #81: St. Patrick's Day 03/15/10
NOW CLOSED!
1. Carolyn Ford
2. Jama
3. Siromad08
4. Wammy
5. Sandy
6. Carly
7. Karen
Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to visit you this past week. I have a cold or the flu or something. On the mend, but moving slowly. I will be in and out all this week, so look for me to visit your entries for this week's assignment next Saturday, when I visit the Round Robin participants. In the mean time... play amongst yourselves. See you soon! :)
-Carly
An Irish Toast...
May you die in bed at ninety-five years, shot by a jealous husband (or wife).
St. Patrick's Day is a big deal around my house. My husband, Alan, is half Irish, VERY half Irish, so we never miss the holiday. This will be our 19th St. Patrick's Day together as husband and wife, and we always enjoy the day reminiscing about all the happy times we have had. It's kinda our thing. We never miss an opportunity to celebrate, it's just fun! This year was a little more low-key then in previous years, due to Alan's being under the weather. He is ok, just getting over a cold, so no green beverages this year, but we had all the other traditional holiday fare. I didn't make a dessert this time around, so I owe him a Key Lime Pie for Easter! LOL. Yikes... Easter is just a couple week's away! :)Did you participate in this week's Monday Photo Shoot? If not, there is still time. You have until next Sunday at 9:00 PM EST. Click here for all the details!-Carly
May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow,
And my trouble avoid you, wherever you go!
-Irish Blessing
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I am making a big Irish feast for dinner tonight, and I will post the photos tomorrow! :) Hope your St. Patty's day is filled with luck and love! Don't forget to wear green today! I have a beautiful green skirt and white sweater all picked out for the day. :) How about you? Do you wear green on St. Patrick's Day? Tell me how you celebrate! Better yet, why not participate in this week's Monday Photo Shoot assignment... "St. Patrick's Day!" You have until next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM to upload your photos, and leave me the link in the comment thread. Hope you can join us! Love for my entry tomorrow!!!
Have a wonderful holiday!
Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #81: St. Patrick's Day!
-Carly
"St Patrick's Day is an enchanted time... a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic."
-Adrienne Cook
EMPS #81: ST. PATRICK'S DAY NOW CLOSED!
Time for the "Wearing of the Green" and all things ST. PATRICK'S DAY. This week's assignment is to photograph anything related to the day. Leprechauns, shamrocks, four-leaf clovers, the color green, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Irish Soda bread... anything related to the day is just fine for the purpose of this assignment.
Extra Credit: Show me someone wearing the color green.
**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot assignment closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. That means you have nearly a week to get your photo, upload it to your blog, journal or website, and comeback here with the direct link back to it. Please remember, the link you leave must be a link which goes back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. A general link to your blog won't work, and I DON'T ACCEPT HYPERLINKS. Also, please be sure to include a link to the Monday Photo Shoot in your entry, so your readers will be able to find the assignment and play along with us.
Linking List for EMPS #80: Animals. 03/8/10
NOW CLOSED!
1. Freda
2. Spiderdama
3. Jama
4. Hip Chick
5. Sherrie
6. Suzanne
7. Carolyn
8. Nesa
9. Carly
10. Karen
11. Jr Cline
12. Mike
We had an awesome turnout this week! Thanks, once again, for your continued participation! I am so glad I have come up with subjects that you enjoy! :) I would love it if you guys would consider joining us for the Weekend Assignment. Our current assignment is #310: Create An Urban Legend!
Consider joining us this week. Wouldn't it be fun to try something new? You have until Wednesday evening at 9:00 PM ET to submit your entry for the Weekend Assignment! :) Just click on the above link to play along!
-Carly
"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later."
-Mary Bly
EMPS #80: Animals
The other day, I saw Dylan napping, and couldn't resist taking his picture. He is such a photogenic cat, and he is a little on the goofy side, which is evident in this photo, so like I said, I couldn't resist. He's a good guy, and an expert napper!
Hendrix... well... Hendrix is my little comedian. He makes me laugh out loud daily! He loves me, and so he loves to sit with me when I am working at the computer. He doesn't nap as much as Dylan does, he prefers to play, but he does so as to not disturb either Dylan or me. Yesterday, he spent the day with his daddy, taking care of him. Hendrix is our little caregiver. :)
Can you tell I love my boys?
-Carly
By the way, you have until 9:00 PM ET tonight, to participate in this week's Monday Photo Shoot assignment, "Animals." If you do decide to play along, please leave your information in the comment thread for the original assignment... NOT HERE! Just click the link below to be redirected. :)
Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #80: Animals.
"When I look down, I miss all the good stuff, when I look up I just trip over things."-Ani DeFranco
RRC: Look Up/Look Down
Suggested by Steven, author of the blog, Sometimes Photoblog
I miss Steven, and I wish he were available to join us, but I am sure he wouldn't mind if we used one of the many suggestions he gave us for a challenge. This one struck a cord with me, because as we transition from winter to spring, I feel myself looking up in relation to my photography, and my attitudes in general. Even on rainy days I feel that sense of hope that a warm spring day can provide. As much as I enjoy the autumn and winter for it's dark, shorter days, I am ready for spring and summer and all it brings... especially the summer fruits and veggies! :)
But most of all... I am ready to be out with the camera, and my quest for color! I am ready to see the flowers in bloom, the colorful kites at the Berkeley Marina, and all the public art I can find! Oh, and let's not forget, I have been on a quest to find the Mission Blue butterfly forever, maybe this will finally be the year! Cross your fingers for me!! It is an amazing butterfly, which due to man, has been on the endangered species list. But now, thanks to some magnificent work by some scientists and butterfly enthusiasts, their numbers have been on the upswing. It's exciting to think they are once again growing in numbers!
Here is my collection of Looking Up/Looking Down photos. Enjoy!
**The first photo was taken on my cell phone. :)
Looking Up At A Lone Gull...
Looking Down 6 Floors!
A Sweet Face Looking Up At Me :)
Looking Down On Point Reyes Lighthouse!
Looking Up at the Tulip Sculpture at Justin Herman Plaza!
Now that you have seen my photographs, why not see what everyone else is up to? Just follow the links below.
Linking List
Carly
Posted!
Jama
Posted!
Gattina
Posted!
ellen b.
Posted!
Linda
Posted!
Quiltworks (Posted Feb 28/10)
Posted!
Sherrie
Posted!
Karen
Posted!
Suzanne R
Posted!
Monica
Posted!
Carolyn
Posted!
Sandy
Posted!
Cathy
Posted!
Maryt/theteach
Posted!
Ruth
Posted!
Rita
Posted!
Duane
Posted!
Peggy
Posted!
Steven, if you are out there, thank you so much for the great idea. I really liked doing this particular challenge a lot!
-Carly
"A balanced diet, is a cookie in each hand."
-Unknown
It's pouring rain. It's cold. So, what lifts my spirits? BAKING! Who wants a Banana Snowball cookie? Go ahead... grab one... or two... even three! Rainy days are my favorite time to cook. I am at my most creative in the fall and winter months. Yikes, only a little over a week left of winter. Sigh. I already miss the short, cool days. How about you, will you miss winter? Share your thoughts with me over a cookie!
:)
-Carly
"The power of illustrative anecdotes often lies not in how well they present reality, but in how well they reflect the core beliefs of their audience."
-David P. Mikkelson
Weekend Assignment #310: Create an Urban Legend! NOW CLOSED!
Okay writers, this is your chance to have some fun! Search your imaginations and create a brand new Urban Legend! It doesn't have to be anything too elaborate, just have some fun with the possibilities.
Extra Credit: Show us your Urban legend! Hint: This is where your camera and your photo editing software comes in mighty handy! ;)
If you are new to the Weekend Assignment, please take a moment to read the guidelines for participation...
1. Please post your entry no later than next Wednesday evening at 9:00 PM ET. I will be closing the assignment at that time, and no additional links will be accepted after that time.2. Please provide a link back to the assignment. Feel free to display the logo below, along with the link, so other folks can find the assignment and participate along with us.3. Don't forget to comeback here with the link to your entry.4. If you can, please be sure to visit your fellow participants. Let's encourage each other!5. Please encourage your readers to join us. The more the merrier... right?
Linking List for Weekend Assignment #309: Get In Line!
(Posted at Outpost Mavarin)
1. Karen (Original Assignment Post)
2. Carly
3. Florinda
4. Mike
I have scheduled this entry to post at midnight, if you joined us late and you don't see your link here, or you posted after the assignment closed, no worries. I will double check the comment thread later this evening for any late participants. If you still don't see your link, send me an email, and we will see about getting you added!
Okie doke. I will be looking forward to reading your responses. :) Don't forget, the Linking List for this week's assignment will be posted at Karen's blog next week, along with Weekend Assignment #311. I will see you back here in two weeks with Weekend Assignment # 312!
-Carly
"Remember in elementary school you were told that in case of fire you have to line up quietly in a single file from smallest to tallest? What is the logic in that? What, do tall people burn slower?"
-Warren Hutcherson
Weekend Assignment #309: nobody likes standing in line, generally speaking, but sometimes you have to wait around to get what you want. Are you one of those people who avoid lines as much as humanly possible, even if it means doing without? Or do you accept the need for queues, and simply try to make the wait as painless as you can?
Extra Credit: Do you see the problem of waiting in lines as getting better or worse in recent years?
-Karen, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin
Lines? No problem, well, unless we are talking about the lines at the DMV. That would be my least favorite line to stand in, but you see, I have to twice a year to renew my Disabled Person Placard. I could make an appointment and avoid the lines I suppose, but getting appointments here in California can be difficult, especially since the forced furloughs were put into place by the governor. (Shrug) I don't really mind standing in line, the only time it really bothers me is when it's cold. My arthritis protests loudly when it's cold, but I can usually just work around it with some heat patches strategically placed here and there. It's warm and nice, and gives me a nice minty scent. LOL.
Lines are simply a part of life. I don't really worry too much about them. Besides, if I am in too much pain, Alan usually helps me out. He is such a sweetie! The only time I get bugged about lines, is when I have 4 or 5 items in my cart, and someone in front of me has 500 items, and they don't offer to let me go ahead of them. I ask others with less items then I have if they want to go ahead of me... so it would be nice to get that courtesy in return. (Shrug again). Like lines... it just is what it is. :) But it is nice, to be nice to the person next to you, or behind you as the case may be. Pass it on!
:)
-Carly
"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn."
-Quoted by Lewis Grizzard in, Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I love you!
Happiness comes in a lot of different forms. Earlier this week I wrote an entry about finally finding one of my favorite foods. Olga bread, from Olga's Kitchen. YUM! It was wonderful to find it, but it was even nicer to revisit old memories of gossiping... um... talking with friends over lunch at Olga's. I miss those girls. Some have moved away, I have lost contact with some, and one of those ladies passed away in the 90's. Sigh. Memories are such odd and personal things. Sometimes, even the sad memories can remind us of happier times spent with friends. Just when I really began to miss my friend, I heard a song on the radio she loved, and it was like she was right here with me. Hi old friend!
Ok, on to other things that make me happy! Like a big box of books from Amazon.com. Ok, so it wasn't such a big box, it only held two boxes, but I have been looking forward to reading them for such a long time. Finally I caved in and purchased some spring reading. "The Witches of Eastwick" by John Updike, and "Heat Wave" by Richard Castle. LOL. Yes, I know Richard Castle doesn't really exist, but what can I say? I am hopelessly in love with Nathan Fillion, who plays him on ABC's Castle. So, I will just live the fantasy a little bit. WINK. After I read them, I will share my thoughts about them. :)
I have been happy lately. The spring flowers are kicking up a big noise here in Northern California. Everything is either pink or purple with the occasional splash of yellow coming from daffodils, which seem to be popping up all over. :) I am hoping to get over to San Francisco next week to see what's happening in Golden Gate Park. It's usually amazing this time of year. :) The tulip garden, the Japanese Tea Garden, and the lily pond at the DeYoung museum. I love it there!
Small things make me happy. Dylan's warm little paw pads on my face. Hendrix eating treats out of my hands. Getting a really good photo, despite the arthritis in my shoulder acting up. Reading. Music. Oh, and finally getting a recipe I have worked really hard on, just right. I am working on my Spicy Orange Chicken recipe later today, and crossing my fingers once again! Keep a good thought for me, and Alan, who has to eat it! LOL. Alan makes me happy! But as long as I live, I will never understand what he's doing with me! LOL. Whenever I ask him why he is still with me, he just shrugs his shoulders and says, "I don't know, you just make me happy."
Happiness!
So tell me, what makes you happy? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment thread. :)
-Carly
"If people do not believe mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is."
-John Louis von Neumann
So tell me, do you see the number 3 in the sky? In my house there has been some debate. Is it a 3? Is it a "W"? Is it the head of a pitchfork? You decide. Personally, I see a 3, but a few minutes earlier, I saw a baby bear in the sky, so I could be wrong!
:)
There is plenty of time to play this week's Monday Photo Shoot. You have until next Sunday night at 9:00 PM. If you decide to participate, PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE YOUR LINK HERE! Please leave it in the comment thread for this week's assignment. You can find it here.
-Carly
"Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed."
-Storm Jameson
I probably should have made this my entry for last week's Monday Photo Shoot assignment, but I was to busy... ahem... eating! Ok, here's what happened. A LONG time ago, way way back in the stone age, known as the 1980's, there was this cute little place to get delicious food, most often on my lunch hour, called Olga's Kitchen. They had these amazing Greek-inspired Gyro type sandwiches on the best tasting flat bread I had ever had. I was instantly hooked on the Ham & Cheese Olga, with Curly fries. It was an obsession. My friends and I ate there probably 3 times a week, because of it's proximity to where I worked, afford ability, and of course... the food!
Well, a few years down the road, the Olga's near my job closed. POUT. God how I missed them, but all was not lost, as they opened a new Olga's in the Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton, a short time later. It was a bit of a jaunt, but because it was one of my favorite places to go on the weekends, and it gave me a nice excuse to walk the mall after lunch, I was happy to do the traveling. Bliss, bliss, bliss, bliss, bliss, bliss! LOL. Life was good, until the day... wait for it... they closed the only Olga's Kitchen in Northern California! OMG... we are talking serious withdrawals!
Ok, time went by, and I healed. But one day, I decided to to see if by any chance there might have been a GRAND OPENING of an Olga's anywhere nearby. No, no re-openings, but there was... SHOCK... an Olga's Kitchen in a mall in Thousand Oak's California. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Ok, it would take a bit of planning, but I could do that. It would be a matter of a simple drive down the coast. Oh, and maybe some gas money. Well, in another move I will never forgive George Bush for, gas prices went up to over $5 a gallon here in California. Thanks a lot, George! It would have meant that it would cost a little over $200 to make the trip to Thousand Oaks, just to have lunch. Sigh.
Ok, so finally gas prices came down to a reasonable rate, and I could make the case to Alan, that we needed a day trip. Things had been rough, Alan's brother had passed away, Elvis had passed away, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Type 2 diabetes. It was a yucky time. Ok, he loved the idea of a long drive, and I went to get the address of the Olga's Kitchen in Thousand Oaks and... wait for it... they had closed down. Now there was NO Olga's Kitchen in California, and the closest one was in Michigan!
Sigh. Weep.
Oh but all was not lost. I googled the restaurant and learned that they sold the Olga bread... on the Internet! Bliss, again!. I wouldn't have the full Olga experience of sitting in the restaurant, but I could do my best to duplicate it at home. I was all set... but wait for it... Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger decided it would be a good idea to steal 3 days pay from Alan's paycheck each month, equaling a loss of $700 a month! Sheesh... REPUBLICANS! As you might imagine, ordering flat bread was no longer a priority. Getting from paycheck to paycheck was.
Boo Hiss. Schwarzenegger... you THIEF! You FIEND!
Ok, the furloughs go on, but the sun is shining, at least a little. We got a nice tax return, and we have been able to deal with the necessary things, and pick up a few "luxuries" along the way. Like... wait for it... a case of Olga bread! 50 individual breads in all. I have frozen some, and eaten some, no make that, ENJOYED THE HELL OUT OF SOME! Honestly, I can't tell you how nice it's been just having a simple treat like this. I even got creative and made an originial special Greek sauce recipe.Plus, I made a lamb roast the other night, and of course we had it served in a flat bread. I made a version of their Peasant soup, not quite as good as theirs, but close, and we did some reminiscing about friends long gone, and all those lunches at Olga's Kitchen.
Happiness is a case of KICK ASS Greek flat bread from Olga's Kitchen!
Olga's Kitchen (Home of some really delicious flat bread!)
-Carly
PS... Later this week, I will share PT2 of my Happiness Is... series.
