Peacocks and cooking but not cooking peacocks

The simplest things make me happy. Today, my happiness came from seeing the neighborhood peacock crossing the road.  Of course I had to brake hard to keep from hitting it but that's ok.  This was the second time I have seen it so far this spring.  I've been wanting to shoot some photos of it but of course I have never had my camera with me or never been quick enough.  Today, I was lucky enough to be able to get this quick shot.  It's not the best but it was all I could get.  I don't know why I love seeing this silly peacock so much.  Last summer I had this grand idea that I wanted a peacock of my own.  I talked to my dad about building a cage for it to sleep in and everything.  Then I read about how messy and loud they are and that idea went out the window fast.  I will just claim this neighbor peacock as mine.  

Tomorrow is Easter.  I will, of course, be at my parents house for Easter dinner. For some reason I volunteered to make this green bean casserole and these buttered rosemary rolls that I saw on The Pioneer Woman on Food Network. I don't think either will be hard and her recipes are really good.  Every Saturday morning I make sure to be up by 10 a.m. so I can watch her show.  I've made several of her recipes and haven't disliked any of them.  Good stuff!


I'm happy to say that I'm getting a little closer to the bit of nonsense that I touched on in my last post.  I will post more on that when I know for sure.  Just put it this way....I am so excited and I am going to be one happy girl when it happens!!


Happy Easter everyone and stay tuned for more nonsense!!

Wasting time

One of my favorite fan pages that I follow on Facebook is Little White Lion.  I've never really taken the time to find out who writes for the page or their website but they are seriously funny.  My favorite posts of theirs are the cards.  Their cards are similar to bluntcard which can also be found on Facebook.  Little White Lion often posts cards that remind me so much of myself that I have to laugh.  The newest one that is spot on for my life is this one. I am all about finding ways to waste my time.  Cooking, crafts, gardening, etc.  You name it and I will try it. 

So it's April already.  April 2nd to be exact.  Almost 2 months until I will be 38.  I never imagined that I would be this old.  Where did the time go?  38, no kids, no husband/boyfriend/potential boyfriend/anyone who can stand to be around me longer than 11 months.  How did this happen?  When I was younger if anyone had told me at 38 I would still be single with no kids I would have laughed at them.  Girls like me where oddities.  Something was wrong with them. (sounds about right in my case)  I now find myself in the situation where more of my friends are like me than not.  Is that because there are more of us or because we tend to gravitate towards each other?  Whatever it is, it's nice to have friends who go through the same things that I do.  Maybe we will find the right person one day, maybe we won't.  Maybe we already found them but drove them away...who knows and I'm not spending another minute worrying about it.  I do know that for me, going forward life is about what makes me happy...not anyone else. 

I couldn't possibly end today's ramblings without some good ole nonsense.  For 3 years I have been wanting a Vespa.  Why?  I don't know but I want one.  Saturday I went to take a look at them and got this snapshot of me cheesing hard on this sweet Vespa GTS 250.  I've been teased relentlessly about the Speed Racer helmet ever since.  So much that I changed my Facebook profile picture to Speed Racer.  More to come on this random act of nonsense....

Life is funny...

How do you know when it's time to take your foot out of the door and let it close?  I've often wondered that.  Call me hardheaded but I never realized that it hurts less to let the door close than it does to keep getting it slammed on my foot.  Go figure. 

I'm starting to learn that, as Justin Bieber would say, "never say never."  Sorry, I know he didn't say it first but I just love him so much that I take any chance I can to talk about him.  Nonsense - I know this.  But back to the matter at hand.  Never say never.  Things I thought I would never do again I now find myself thinking about and considering.  Does this mean I will do them?  Not necessarily but you never know what the future will bring.  One thing about me is I'm not very relaxed about things in life.  If it's not definite or defined I panic.  I don't know why I'm like this but it's just how I've always been.  Maybe when I'm 80 I won't give a crap about anything and just enjoy life.  I just have to learn to let junk go and forget about it.  <sigh> If only it were that easy.

Nonsense has been in full effect for the past week or so.  I'm working on a huge piece of nonsense right now that if it comes thru I'm going to be the HAPPIEST girl in the world.  Something that I've been contemplating for 3 years may finally happen.  More on that if it in fact comes thru.  I don't want to jinx myself.  

More evidence of my thinking that I am the next Martha Stewart - the last bloom on my orchid finally opened today.  It's so pretty...I love it.  I love orchids - no matter what color they are.  They always make me giggle because the long stem is clipped to a stake to keep it from breaking or drooping and the clips that are used look like tiny hair clips.  I always say that they are wearing hair bows. 

I really need a life.  :)

Lean on me

When I decided to start this blog the purpose was to write about all of the crazy things I like to do.  From time to time it may get serious.  While the serious topics will be few and far between this is going to be one of them.  

Friends.

I have never been one to keep too many friends at once.  I've always been a shy girl and had a difficult time making friends because I'm not really comfortable talking to people I don't know.  Only my closest friends and family really know me.  They know how silly I am, they know how much I like to laugh, act goofy, cut up, and joke around.  Those who do not know never see that side of me.  

At this point in my life I would have to say that I am rich when it comes to the friends I have.  I have more friends in my life right now than I can sometimes keep up with and I love it.  Sometimes it is a little overwhelming because I'm not use to it but I wouldn't change it for anything.  More important than the quantity of friends is the quality of the friends I have.  These are people who I can say truly care about me instead of just being acquaintances.  I can say this because these people have been there for me through a particularly difficult time in my life recently.  

The end of a relationship is never an easy thing to deal with for anyone but I've had an exceptionally hard time dealing with one for the past 7 months.  Each and every one of these friends have been there for me with a shoulder to cry on when I needed it the most.  During these past 7 months I have found that people who were friends prior to this have positioned themselves in my life to be lifelong friends; some who were merely acquaintances have become close friends; old friends have become new friends; and non-friends have become friends.  One very important friend passed away 3 months ago and although he can never be replaced another has quickly stepped up to fill his shoes which is not an easy task.

I love each and every one of these people for what they have done for me and I owe them so much more than the thanks that I am able to give.  Most know that they have touched me but some may not realize what their kind words meant.  Some have no idea just how many times they talked me off the ledge while others simply made me laugh and brightened my day.  For all of these people I am very grateful and would like to say thank you to all of them.  

I am hesitant to list names for fear of accidentally leaving someone off but I'm going to give it my best shot...

Benny: You are always in my heart my friend.  I miss your big smile and your silly sense of humor. I know you are looking down on me everyday wishing you could kick my ass for crying so much.  Thank you.  I love you.

Nicole: You may think I don't listen to you but I do even though I go left when you tell me to go right.  Thank you.  I love you.

Dianne: I'm so thankful to have you back in my life.  You always listen, never judge and you come up with some funny as hell nicknames for people we do not like.  "Fiona" will go down as the funniest ever. Thank you.  I love you.

James: You are one of my oldest and dearest friend.  We've had our ups and downs but always find our way back to each other. Thank you.  I love you.

Jay C. (aka Sparklepuss): What can I say other than love ya!  Thank you.  I love you.

Cassandra: You always make me laugh with the crazy stories about your crazy husband and they are always laughs that I need. Thank you.  I love you.

Kimberlee: You've been one of my biggest cheerleaders and always been there to listen and give advice when I needed you.  Thank you.  I love you.

Amy: My oldest friend who has come back into my life.  You always know just what to say when I need you.  Thank you.  I love you.

Jamie:  Oh, Jamie.  It was a crazy ride for us and we lost a lot of time over something that should not have happened.  I'm glad to have you back in my life and thankful for your straight talk.  You've gone right back to being one of my biggest ass kickers just like you always were.  Thank you.  I love you.

Darrin: You always know how to make me laugh.  Thank you.  I love you.

Jay R (affectionately known as Big Poppa):  You started off with many strikes against you but quickly became a very good friend.  You make me laugh, you make me cry but more importantly - you make me think.  You have stepped up and filled some pretty big shoes that are no longer here to kick my ass.  I know he would approve and say he left me in good hands.  You have inspired me and encouraged me to actually do new things instead of just talking about them.  And don't forget that you owe me 12 Starbucks gift cards and some Cheetos and stop talking about my Pioneer Woman cooking skills.  Thank you.  I love you. 

Ty:  You made me see and realize things I couldn't see on my own.  Thank you.  I love you.

I only hope that I can repay each of you for the friendship you have shown me.

Hmm.  In typing this out I realized 2 things.  1) I better start saving now for "Best Friends" day gifts and 2) I know too many darn Jays - some of y'all got to change your name.

Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.
Aristotle

Just another manic Monday

Mondays are the worst.  Especially Monday morning.  Probably because I have to actually get out of my comfy, cozy bed and put on real clothes to go into the office instead of sitting at home in my pj's working.  Me no likey. 

Monday is when my coffee is especially needed.  This morning I made my usual stop at Starbucks and got a venti tuxedo (or black and white as my Starbucks calls it) with a triple shot and a double shot of peppermint.  Ahhh.  My morning treat reminded me of a poem that I wrote about my beloved coffee and I thought it would be appropriate to pull it out today.  Poetry is some new nonsense that I have taken up recently.

Ode to Coffee

I like you light, I like you sweet

I like you while I’m reading tweets

One cup or two I need of you

But with none I’m feeling blue

It's Monday again...the weather is beautiful...my toes are out...let's do this!

Gardening

If you are friends with me on Facebook then you have probably already seen this photo but I feel like it deserves more attention than what I gave it over there.

I ran across this last night at Walmart in the garden section while looking for a "grow your own herb garden" set.  Yes, I have decided to try my hand at growing herbs (the cooking variety).  Yes, a bunch of nonsense - I know this already.  I have this grand idea that I could be the next Martha Stewart so I have to try to do everything she does.  Well, with the exception of going to prison because I just wouldn't make it - I would be shanked on GP alone.  When I was young, my sister and I often watched a UK soap opera called Prisoner: Cell Block H and those broads were no joke.   Now I'm wondering where our mother was when we were watching this show because it seems as though there was quite a bit of lesbianism going on in it. We grew up in the country where we didn't get cable until 1996 so our viewing options were limited and it was either this or play the humming game which I always lost because I could only hum the jingle for the Kellogg's Corn Flakes commercial or the theme to The Walton's. Refer back to the fact that we grew up in the country. 

I know I was going somewhere with this...oh yeah...the pizza garden.

So anyway, this "pizza garden" is just one available garden from Growums.  The other garden I found most interesting was the taco garden.  They are marketed for children and while I'm all for teaching kids how to grow food because as a child we had a garden every year but let's be real here for a minute.  When I was young if my mother had told me we were going to grow a taco garden or a pizza garden I would have fully expected to grow tacos and pizzas that were ready to eat.  Do you know how hot I would have been if my pizza or taco garden came up looking like a bunch of grass?!?  I would have been like Whiskey Tango Foxtrot???  

Ok, little known fact about me.  I love to hear little kids curse.  It makes me laugh so hard.  Yes, I know that's a little twisted but I do enjoy it so.  Here is what I imagine the conversation would be between a parent and child who just grew a pizza garden.

Parent: "The pizza garden is ready!"

Child: "Really?  Can we eat pizza now?"

Child runs outside, eager to eat a pizza from his/her fully grown pizza garden only to discover that all he/she has is the herbs and veggies to make a pizza.  

Child: "You mean to tell me I have grown this shit all summer and all I got was some damn grass?!?!  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot???"

Moral or the story: growing pizza or taco gardens is a bunch of random nonsense and I would love it.  

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!  I will not be wearing green and if anyone tries to pinch me they will get punched in the throat.

White folks....

This morning as I was showering I was reminded of a random conversation I heard on a local morning radio show many years ago.  All of the morning show hosts were white and the discussion was about misconceptions that various races have about each other.  Someone called into the show and said that black people think that white people do not use washcloths to bathe.  Of course my first thought was "is this person crazy?" and "where do they do that at?"  But then, to my surprise, one of the female hosts admitted that she in fact did not use a washcloth for bathing.  When asked what she does her response was "I just rub the soap on my butt."  o_O

So, to all my fellow white people: If you come to my house for a visit do not even think about rubbing my soap on your butt.  I will cut you.

Love and coffee

I am an addict.  A self-diagnosed coffee addict.  My current battle with the addiction started about a year ago after being off the stuff for several years. 


My favorite variety is anything that comes in a Starbucks cup.  My drink of choice is a venti peppermint mocha with whole milk, whipped cream and mocha drizzle - extra hot.  However, I think I have found a new love.  Today a friend told me about his Starbucks drink - a tuxedo mocha.  I had never heard of this drink so I Googled it and found out it is half white mocha and half regular mocha.  Did someone say "mocha"?  Yes, please.  So off I go to my favorite Starbucks where I am warmly greeted like Norm on Cheers.  Yes, everybody there does know my name. I hesitantly order this drink thinking they are not going to know what I am talking about since it's not on the menu.  But as usual my Starbucks never lets me down and they happily make this drink for me despite their shock that I'm not having my usual.  


What happened next can only be described as the equivalent of seeing a rainbow farting unicorn.  This tuxedo is the shizz, the bomb.com, the thing dreams are made of, all that and a bag of chips.  You get the picture.  The combination of the 2 mocha's is pure heaven.  Sometimes mocha alone is a little too strong for me but this mix is perfect.  It's not too strong or too sweet. It still has that smooth mocha flavor and the whipped cream and mocha drizzle on top gave it the sweetness it needed.  It brought a tiny tear to my eye.  The only thing that would have made it better would have been a shot of peppermint.  I will try that next time.


So how do I break up with my beloved peppermint mocha?  He treated me like a princess for so long.  How do I tell him "it's not you it's me" when really it is him?  

Blogging

I've always had these grand ideas about blogging but never actually got started.  Why you may ask?  Well, for several reasons I guess.  I never had any one thing in particular that I wanted to blog about and I never thought anybody would be interested in anything I had to say.  Both of these reasons are probably still true but I'm going to give it a go anyway.