Yesterday, we took a little drive up the ocean for lunch.  Parked the car,

ran across the street, climbed some stairs and settled into our little aerie.  Look at this goodness

 

Joanie was the rebel with the fish tacos and the coconut shrimp.  Lee, Linda and I chowed down on the scampi with shrimp and scallops over linguini.  Let me crawl in a ball and just be happy.

Great food, great view, great friends, great day.

Robin and I never do things according to a preconceived schedule, so today we had our bi-annual birthday luncheon at the culinary academy of our local college.  I had never done this before but let me tell you, I will be on their doorstep again in the very near future.  Reservations are necessary and menu's change every couple of days:

Wednesday & Thursday

September 26 & 27 

French Onion Soup

Our version of the classic broiled with three cheeses

Antipasto Salad

Artisan Italian cured meats, cheeses, roasted vegetables and olives

French Dip Sandwich

Shaved New York Strip steak dipped Au Jus on crusty French bread and served with hand cut French fries

Bang Bang Shrimp Salad

Tempura fried shrimp tossed in a sweet and spicy chili sauce and served over crisp Asian style vegetables and fresh greens. Served with an Asian vinaigrette

Tomato and Fresh Spinach Tart

Layers of tomato, fresh spinach and three cheeses baked in a flaky tart shell. Served with fresh vegetables

Pan Roasted Breast of Chicken with Truffle Butter

Tender breast of chicken pan-roasted with truffle butter and served over mashed potatoes with natural gravy and fresh vegetables

Ask Your Server for Today’s Fresh Made Selection Prepared by our Pastry Students!

Let's just say that the french onion soup, the chicken with truffle butter and not two but three desserts were scrumptious!!!!

Pecan cheesecake:

Black Forest Cake:

Apple Pie:

Robin and I just before the our respective food comas set in:

But we weren't done, we hopped upstairs to the photography exhibit and wandered around looking at 1920's era photos of the area.

A great way to spend the afternoon.  Thanks, Robin.  You are a good friend and I am lucky to have you.

I love Greek salad so if I don't feel like cooking, I often pop down to Panera's for one of theirs with a hunk of fresh bread and a large iced tea.  Then I thought, how hard can it be to find a good recipe for the dressing?  If I make my own, I can slip in more feta and kalamata olives and nix the raw onion . . . and my tomatoes will be fresher.  Yep, I am picky. 

So I scrounged around and found this recipe.  I started reading the reviews and figured 1069 people couldn't be wrong.   The only itch was that some of those that used the recipe complained about the vinegary-ness of it.  And, I really didn't need a gallon of the goop.  Plowing on through the comments, some kind soul left her recipe, cutting the vinegar and rescaling the proportions to fit in a standard sized cruet.  Thank you kind soul, thank you. 

Greek Salad Dressing:

8 Tbs (4 oz) extra virgin olive oil,
1 tsp garlic powder,
1 tsp dried oregano,
1 tsp dried basil,
3/4 tsp pepper,
3/4 tsp salt,
3/4 tsp onion powder,
1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard,
 5.5 Tbs (2-3/4 oz) red wine vinegar. 

Kind soul #2 came up with these little words of wisdom and I was totally a happy camper.

 **For an extra-tasty Greek salad, put the desired amount of dressing in a small bowl, and add at least 1/2 the amount of feta you plan to use. Stir gently, then let it sit 15 minutes or more before adding to the traditional salad ingredients.

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When Kidlet was down earlier in the month, she went to the dermatologist for a checkup.  She wasn't happy with something on her foot and things on the skin make this household a little jumpy.  Friday, I got a call from the office saying that the biopsy they did on her back came back precancerous and they needed to do some more digging.  Then he put me on hold, came back and said, nope, they got clear margins.

I was clinging to the ceiling when I asked Sean to be very specific and explain once again what a precancer was . . . not like I haven't had a bunch removed along with Basil cell and Squamous cell cancers, but this was, after all, Kidlet.  His explanation was that if left untreated, the spot would have a 10 - 15% chance of turning into cancer sometime during her life time.  When I asked what kind of cancer, my stomach did a flop when he said Mel and his cousin Anoma.  My heartbeat is rising just typing that word.  She is now on watch every six months. 

Now rationally I know that a 10 - 15% chance of getting something sometime during a life time if not treated, is moot at best, but Kidlet and my views are a tad skewed. 

My next appointment is on the 4th and you bet I will be asking to see the results and asking pointed questions.  That's who I am.  Good thing they are used to me.

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When I checked to see how Les was doing, I read her latest post and cracked up.  I was so happy to discover I was not the only one who watched the "people" in her life.  I like to imaging lives for mine.  Most are quite happy and content but those who cut me off or screech past me way over the speed limit are granted lives of misery, going home to hovels, scabbering around for crumbs while growing warts of various sizes on the ends of their noses, even if they are driving Mercedes. Chuckle.

And, I stole this from Les as well.  Watch it!!!!!  That's an order.

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Made a trip to Lowe's for some spline.  It's clean and repair screen time.  One of the fall rituals that makes me know I will be able to smell the air once again!!!!

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Found another Photoshop tutorial.  This one is subtly magical.

Before:

after:

Check out that pop in color.  Happy, happy.

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And last but not least, Sue's been playing again and I love the results.  I think my October journal needs some major revamping.

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There was a definite snap in the air this morning when we walked.  Fall is around the corner.

food glorious food, part 7952 . . .

we have a local kitchen specialty shop which happily sends out monthly newsletters.  since fall is around the corner, the newest edition is focused on braising and roasting.  roasted cauliflower with brown butter.  OK, so a lot of folks aren't excited by this ball of white goodness but i am.  i can't wait to try some. slurp.  it also features the more normal roasted taters and squash.  i am in food heaven.  then there was the braising section.  of course that section was mostly geared toward carnivores.  me not so much.  want to know why?  this was a part of the article:

ACK!!!  now that is why i don't eat meat unless i've had at least two glasses of wine. 

since i finally went grocery shopping this morning, i made my new favorite sammie for dinner.  grilled marinated chicken, spinach, tomato, fresh mozzarella on a hot ciabatta roll with pepper mayo and balsamic vinegar reduction.  no wonder i am expanding exponentially.

on the more benign side and for Kidlet's edification, i went for my echo-cardiogram this morning.  and contrary to popular opinion, i do have one.  black and pitted to be sure but happily thumping away.

fall is in the air.  enjoy!

color me . . .

Monday night I looked down at my chipped toenail polish and muttered.  I really didn't feel like removing the old and doing four layers of new.  It was late and I had yoga the next morning.  Sigh.

I think it was the wine that made me do it.  In fact, I'm sure of it.  And I still had architect's tape from my washi project.   A little tape.  A little polish.  A little wine. 

missing chips!

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Two weeks ago, the air-conditioning man came to do a free check-up on the new unit we had installed in February.  It's still running well and saving me $100 a month in this summer heat.  Color me happy.

In 2000, we built the 9TS a man-cave.  Because of the ridge line of our house, it wasn't feasible to utilize the preexisting system and the cave got its very own a/c system.  It was wonderful.  The 9TS could go in his cave and turn it into a sauna or an iceberg while I could throw open the windows to the rest of the house.

Back to the future.  Having not turned on the cave unit since the sloth departed, I asked the serviceman if it was OK to not run it.  He marched into the cave, flicked the switch and nothing.  The air handler was shot.  Yikes.  While I was happy not running it all these months, it really was musty and the unit needed to be replaced so it could at least run occasionally.  The new system will have a Thermidistat to help control humidity as well as air.  Color me broke.

They arrived today to install the new unit and increase the size of the two bedroom ducts upstairs to get more air flow.  Thinking about the humidity control on the new unit, I asked if the main unit offered that too.  It does and it was never set.  Think I should have read the manual????  Color me stupid.

so you thought I could leave well enough alone . . .

not!

baby goodness . . .

Kidlet came home with some, oh so adorable, shots of this little cherub's first birthday party and I found yet another water color tutorial.  You know where this is going, right?

Could anything be any cuter?  Nope.  No way.  I really do love this photo.  Thanks, Jennie, for letting me share.

check . . .

new DMV stickers on both cars . . . check
new batch of Mediterranean salad made . . . check
eggs hard boiled . . . check
patch installed on Kidlets favorite jeans . . . check
littlest cat making bread on my neck . . . check
litter changed . . . check

it's a good start to a Sunday morning.

busy. busy. busy.

Kidlet came home in the wee hours Wednesday morning for my birthday and we have been running around like lunatics squeezing in as many appointments as we can manage in three days while i have my paws on her. Right now she is sleeping off the effects of dilated eyes from the ophthalmologist and sporting a band-aid on her back from the dermatologist.  We are stuffed full of Kentucky rolls and headed to Carrabba's tonight for dinner and then to Sears for a tool kit she is sorely needing.  Tomorrow is a surprise party . . . and a hunting expedition for a new screen for the back sliding glass door. 

But of course I am still enjoying my love affair with the water color textures in Photoshop.

This one at least shows the before and after but then I decided to pull out just a section of the water color and blow it up so you can really see it.

It doesn't take much to entertain me.

Shutterfly sent me an offer for a free hardback 8x8 book and I decided at the 11th hour to take advantage of it.  I am now waiting for it to be delivered.  Fingers crossed.

i made it . . .

i am officially another year older.  personally i think congratulations are in order.  i wouldn't have bet i'd have made it this long if you'd asked me back in my salad days.  so aging for me is an interesting conundrum.  on the one hand i rue the extra pounds, fading vision, slowing brain and bat wings.  on the other, it feels good to be able to put myself on cruise control, smell those proverbial roses and remember when.  what i haven't been able to do is see the future.  you know, the one that got off track seven years ago.

but i'm not worried.  it is what it is.

and i'll always have photoshop.  wink.  wink.

more water colors . . .

Doing a happy dance and having fun.

just another notch . . .

and so, it being Saturday, Joanie, Lee, Linda, their friend Laurie and I hopped in two cars and headed south to a restaurant on the river for lunch.  Each of our meals came with a wonderful cinnamon bun.  Not just any cinnamon bun but a ultra delicious, ooey gooey, warm from the oven, melt in your mouth, put a smile on your face cinnamon bun.  Yup, that good.

We were happily chatting, scarfing down food and having a good old time enjoying the day.  After three glasses of water and a full tummy, it was time for me to visit the home of the royal throne, which I proceeded to do.  Nice digs, by the way.  So as I was sitting there doing what comes naturally . . . aren't you glad I discuss these things on the net . . . I started to feel so not very good.  My brains started reeling, my body lurching and all I could think of was getting back to the table and my friends. 

No sooner did I sit back down, still feeling very, very, funky when next thing I know, everyone is standing around including the EMT's, half the restaurant staff and my buddies in crime.  Evidently I passed out cold at the table and let me tell you, embarrassment is leaving a crowded restaurant on a gurney.  EEK.

I threw Joanie the keys to the Miata and rode up the interstate with the sirens blaring.  Not sure if it was the noise, the excitement or riding backwards but my tummy decided to revolt adding yet another notch in my embarrassment belt.  And yes, we passed two other hospitals because I wanted to be on my own home turf.  Once a brat, always a brat.

The ER was fun especially after being joined by Joanie and Lee.  We harassed the nurses, a PA, the vulture who wanted more blood, the beautiful Isaiah Washington look-a-like who took me for a CAT scan, the xray tech, the EKG tech and finally the doctor on call.

Remember how your mother always told you to wear clean underwear in case of an accident?  Was it my fault that the only pair of black undies left in my draw had somehow jumped in the bleach with a white load and looked rather faded and tie dyed?  I think not.  

The fourth notch on my belt had something to do with forgetting I had a bobby pin holding down a still not grown out tuft of hair that refused to stay tucked behind my ear while having the CAT scan so that the tech had to ask me if I had anything else on my head since she wasn't having fun trying to figure out how said bobby pin got inside my brain.   Oops.

It might also not have been in my best interest to have told the doctor that he was not exactly inspiring my confidence as he asked me how to turn off the ever beeping machine reading my blood pressure, respiration etc.  But he was a really good egg and merely replied they didn't have them when he was in school.  I'm so glad he had a sense of humor.

They finally let me loose with a 24 hour heart monitor because that's what they do in unexplainable cases like mine along with papers for more blood work and an appointment with my own doc in the very near future.

Apparently, it was just one of those things . . .  the depths some people will go to for a little attention.

Side Note #1:  Kidlet came rushing home against my wishes even though I am glad she did.  So I was forced to share the free basket of cinnamon buns the restaurant manager sent home with Joanie for me as my gong show prize for my dead fish act.

Side Note # 2:  Since Joanie can drive a stick but had not done so in quite a while, one of the restaurant staff had to start the Miata for her.  Never fear though, she drives it better than I do and I love that she ratted herself out.

Side Note #3:  To the sweet young thing who was doing the paperwork to release me from the hospital, it might not be the most politically correct thing to tell me you 'hope I have great friends like yours when I get old', but you know what, I hope you do too!!!!

and yet another water color . . .

 

I need to work on my technique but any thing to keep me out of trouble and off the streets.

sandra revisited . . .

Kelli has a friend in my general neck of the woods who reads my blog . . .  jumping up and down and waving to C.  After reading about my, um, escapade with Sandra, she sent the following email to Kel who forwarded it to me.  If I thought little of Sandra before, I think even less now. 
 

"Wow, I was reading Jeanne’s blog about the letter she received from Sandra Edmonds about her house.

That’s the same VULTURE that came to my FRONT DOOR and rang the doorbell when Jordan was so sick and I was swamped in medical bills, and my mortgage was behind. I opened the door (and I had company over at the time), and there was this SANDRA  and she started in on how she sympathized about my misfortunes with the house and how she could help, blah blah blah (right in front of my kids and my company!!).

I told her she was pathetic, to get off MY property, and I slammed the door in her face.

I was soooo upset for weeks.

 She’s a piece of work."

You're right, C., she is a vulture.  I wonder how she sleeps at night.  I'm sorry you had to deal with her too.  There really is a special place for her.  just saying.

i spent the entire day playing . . .

photoshop.  paper and glue.  felt.  brads.  card stock.  ink. 

although the bulk of the time i spent playing with real life embellishments, that project won't be ready to unveil until October.

in the meantime, i found a new watercolor tutorial and came up with the above. 

paint me happy.

friendship is . . .

getting a call at 8 something in the morning to make sure you are alright since you hadn't put the garbage out yet.

getting a call from Publix with instructions on how to get the lemon out of the squeeze bottle you've been fighting with . . . because it didn't register that the bottle would even require directions but you weren't utterly estatic using a towel and a pair of pliers.

getting wonderful art goodies in the mail from across the state that brighten your day.

suggestions for a phone-a-thon . . .  I'm still giggling over that one. it made my week.

support from someone whose been there and done that and still has the heart to help you through it.

being dragged out of the cave to go kayaking, have lunch, or just lending an ear.

a kidlet who gets totally outraged on your behalf . . .  p.s. she is more than a friend.

to all the women in my life:  thank you for being here.  i love you.

dear sandra, you suck . . .

p.s. do you chase ambulances too?