For My Favorite Redhead, and Fellow Cupcake Lovers Everywhere

If there is one thing I can be sure of, its that my fellow Sagittarius and Favorite Redhead loves cupcakes. In her honor, may I direct your attention to the following blog:

Cupcakes Take the Cake

Enjoy!

Friday Night/Saturday Afternoon

That's how I spent my Friday night: finishing off this bottle of yummy (albeit sweet) wine. I used a portion of it in the sauce for the pork chops I made (along with mustard, apricots, and thyme), then someone had to drink the rest. Me, me, me! I'll do it!

Today is Saturday and my Clean Living Routine is still going strong (3 days and counting). Breakfast every day, exercise every day, and keeping a journal of my food and exercise. I'm trying to train optimally for this next race I have yet to register for...we'll see...Katie and Kimmy have already registered, and so has Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force. Usually I'm the first to register. Loss of focus? No, I think I'm just focusing on the difficult part first (the training) and leaving the easy stuff (giving away my money) for a bit later.

Tomorrow I will update on the kitchen renovation (yes, with pictures) and let you all know how my first long run of the New Year went. Right now I'm going to get some coffee ready for The Devil, as she is coming over to knit! Have a great Saturday.

Bring It On

Oh, that's right: its already been broughten! Happy 2009. For this post, I'm digging out and re-vamping a "From the Editor" piece from my running club's newsletter, the January-February 2008 edition. Maybe you're not a runner- and that's okay (you can still be my friend)- you'll just have to suffer the running references. Enjoy!

I’m writing this after taking a break from the computer, after finally shoveling snow (not a nice surprise this morning), after grabbing a room-temperature soda (no joking- I prefer my soda this way), and after thinking about showering. A hot shower in the middle of the afternoon: quite a celebratory event!

What I had hoped for this afternoon was a no-interruption day of cleaning closets and a trip to Goodwill. What I got was laundry, recycled items organization, and that staple of UP living- shoveling snow.

While shoveling, I played that mind trick where you think about what you enjoy while doing something you don’t enjoy, in hopes that you’ll hate the task at hand less. It didn’t work (I still hate snow), but I did get to think without interruptions. Isn’t that a rarity this time of year, no interruptions? What I enjoy about this time of year is the chance we get to re-connect with what’s important to us on an individual level. If that re-connection happens shoveling snow, well then...

What I enjoy this time of year, what I re-connect with, is the concept of the “chosen family.” It’s often said “You can’t pick your family.” I don’t believe this for a second. You absolutely CAN pick your family, just not who you’re related to. How often have you described a close friend as “like family?" I do it all the time, and am so happy to embrace my chosen family at this time of year. They make the rest of the holiday season bearable.

And on the flip side, how many of us have “family” we haven’t spoken to this holiday season, or even in the past twelve months? I’m guilty of this, but looking ahead to the rest of 2009, I’ll have the opportunity to correct that, or to be reminded why I avoided those people in the first place.

The tail-end of this holiday season is coming around, and the cocktail hours, shared meals, air kisses, and gifts both treasured and tacky will become memories as in years past. What will you re-connect with these last few days of 2008? Holiday traditions from your childhood? A recipe you’ve avoided because of your cholesterol count or the number on the scale? A favorite song of the season, no matter if you’re tone deaf?

I’ve checked some things off my list, but first I need to get past December 31st and welcome January 1st with a smile. Maybe I’ll be able to ring in the new year with my chosen family. Maybe I’ll make some resolutions I’ll be able to keep. Maybe I’ll make it through the remainder of the holiday season without anymore surprises (and a special “thanks” to that semi on I-90 for the rock to my windshield last year for setting the tone).

Maybe by the time you read this, the last of the confetti will have been swept up and the champagne bottles gathered and tossed in the recycling bin. Another celebratory event, another mouthful of slurred resolutions just past midnight, another January 1st spent with aspirin, strong coffee, and a constant look of confusion on my face, wondering just what exactly I did the night before. (Who am I kidding? Two vodka gimlets and I’m a goner!)

Or maybe you’ll read this and smile at the great start you’ve got going on those resolutions (you remembered!), sipping some strong coffee after a weekend long run.

However you begin your 2009- hung over or runner’s high- I hope it is everything you hope for, with your own chosen family by your side, and with only pleasant surprises along the way.

Pretty, right? I thought so. So how has your holiday season been? Mine has been very relaxed and calm. Last night we had dinner at my mother-in-law's home. I bring the same thing every year: Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. It is delicious, and one of the few things I can eat there. I've come to the realization that even though many people know I'm a vegetarian, its not really something they keep in mind come holiday time. Not that I expect people to cater to me, but something more than mashed potatoes, crackers, and the crudites platter would be nice.

Today I'm actually cooking, and yes, its more than dessert. I'm making brisket, latkes, brussel sprouts, asparagus, and bruschetta. Its my own little bit of Jewishness during the Festival of Lights. I'm hoping that drinking coffee with Bailey's is kosher.

Santa did bring me some new boots and a new running top, and Sephora Santa (if you're not familiar with that Santa, go here) brought me a new Shu Uemura eyelash curler and Nars' The Multiple in Orgasm. I like Sephora Santa.

I had plans to go snow shoeing today, but I fell asleep on the couch after yummy Jet Potatoes and the afore-mentioned coffee with Bailey's. You don't know this Jet Potatoes of which I speak? Well, if you were at my "Run-n-Brunch" event this past May, you'd have eaten them and raved about their White Trash goodness. For those of you who either 1) ignored my invitation, 2) were not invited because I don't like you, or 3) don't fit into either #1 or #2, but weren't here anyway, below is the original recipe.

Jet Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 450.

In a large bowl, melt one stick of margarine (I use butter, but the original recipe uses margarine). Add to this one can of cream of mushroom soup, 8 ounces of sour cream, one bunch of green onions (chopped), 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. of black pepper. Add to this one 2 pound bag of frozen "country style" hash browns (these are the ones that are cut into cubes- DO NOT use Potatoes O'Brien that have the green peppers, they make the dish taste icky). Stir well until all potatoes are covered. Place this mixture in a greased 9" x 13" pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and a mixture of 4 cups crushed Corn Flakes and 1/2 stick melted margarine (I use the pre-made Corn Flake crumbs and omit the butter, for obvious reasons). Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the dish is bubbly and golden brown on top.

Traditionally, these are served at my mother's house with Sue Wallace's Monkey Bread and Peaches & Bananas (literally, canned peaches mixed with sliced bananas), and the beverage of choice is coffee with Bailey's, until my dad and brothers bust out the Chartreuse and get all goofy. Enjoy this with your own family, whomever they may be, unless you're in the neighborhood, then stop by and see us. Merry Christmas!

Which Ghost Brought THESE?!...

So, I have ghosts in my house. Seriously. There has been more than one occasion where the following has happened to me:

1. I am sleeping upstairs in my bed, with my body facing the edge of the bed, back to the bedroom door.
2. I am actually half-asleep, like in that dream state just before you really wake up.
3. I hear slow, deliberate footsteps coming up our stairs. It sounds like men's dress shoes (we have wood floors).
4. My husband has always been away at these times, and let me tell you, I lock those doors tight. I don't want to deal with any of his friends stumbling over to our house from the bar because they know I won't kick them out.
5. So the steps continue to my bedroom, and move around the bed to where I'm "asleep."
6. I feel- that's right, I FEEL- someone sit on the edge of my bed right next to me.
7. I try not to pee on myself, count to three, and with my eyes still closed, I flip over so my back is now towards the ghost on my bed.
8. Once I've flipped over, I open my eyes, look at the alarm clock, and the time is always the same: 3:33 am.
9. I can't make this shit up.

So, my point is this: was it that ghost who brought the Chupacabra of Cookies to my house (they are the Candy Cane variety of the Evil Lofthouse Cookies. They taste like butter mints.), or was it one of the Christmas ghosts? And if it was a Christmas ghost, was it the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future?

Let the debate begin...

Renovation Dirt Can Look Cool, Too.

Top photo is some dirt that was behind the old cabinets in the kitchen. The cobwebs and shadows give it that abstracted look. The bottom photo is the same photo as the top one, just with some iPhoto filtering. I like 'em. I'm always tempted to give art as a gift, but its just too personal of a medium for me to impose on someone as a gift: "Look! I created this, and I want you to treasure it as if it were my first born!" I just don't think its practical- and if I'm anything, I'm practical.

So, I'm thinking of creative ways to not spend mountains of cash on my friends this holiday season. My ideas so far include: 1) cookie exchange; 2) my W.T. recipe collection; 3) knit hats and/or scarves; or 4) handbags all around. In all actuality, it will probably be a bit of each of those.

And if you don't know what "W.T." is, then you get a hat. Knit out of icky acrylic yarn.

Out and About with My Peeps

Don't we look happy and well fed? My Peeps from the left: Susan (a new friend), me, My Favorite Redhead, and Lynnie Poo. By this point, My Favorite Local Celebrity had to leave us for her bartending gig (but she looked soooo cute in her new skirt/boots/overcoat combo!), and I had switched from vodka gimlets to bottled water. I was wearing my spankin' new green birthday coat (thank you, Mother-In-Law!) from BB Dakota , bought at the locally owned Gigi's Boutique. I did manage to get a good pic of My Favorite Local Celebrity at her bartending gig (below). She's on the right.


Anyhoo, I did get a bit of holiday shopping done, and I don't think I'm the only person with this problem: What do you get the kid who has everything? I struggle with this every year, and usually end up getting clothes, or- worse yet- books (at least from the kid's point of view). Now, I know that I would be geeked with nice clothes or a good book, but when you're seven, the aunt that gives you clothes or books is L-A-M-E. So I think I'm gonna get the kid this game I saw on the television called djubi . And maybe a cool t-shirt for good measure.

So that was Friday. Saturday and Sunday were spent getting creative with left overs, squeezing in a workout at the YMCA, and being surprised that I was not hung over. Really! Now I just need to start hiding all of the displaced items laying around the house (due to the Neverending Renovation) so I can decorate my house all sparkly like. I think I may even host a cookie exchange...

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday surrounded by people they love, and spent the rest of the weekend making themselves happy. Have a great week!