slurp . . .

We are omnivores — carnivorous, chocolate-loving, bacon-hoarding, wineauxs, beer geeks, curd nerds and yes, even vegetarians. Together we are shamelessly unapologetic flavor crusaders and Datz is our playground. Served with ample sides of culinary education and entertainment in a spirited, ever-evolving environment. After all, we believe ordinary belongs in the dictionary, not in a restaurant. Especially ours.

And thus they describe the restaurant my friend Sue posted about a few days ago. Was it the verbiage that drew me in? Well, maybe but really it was this photo I lifted from her blog.

Slurp!

And since the 9TS and I are headed back to Tampa in another two weeks, I think we have to make a pit stop. At least I hope so. And check out Datz. I am drooling. We are actually spending the night since his tests start at 7:00 a.m. and the 9TS and I are not fond of trekking across the state at 4:00 a.m. No we are not. Sooooooooooo. YAY!

MHB's . . .

There's a lot of hoopla running around loose since Emily Matchar published her recent, Why I Can't Stop Reading Mormon Housewife Blogs, post on Salon.com. Considering Emily describes herself as "your standard-issue late-20-something childless over-educated atheist feminist" and Mormon women are well, Mormon women, it's shiny happy faces vs. the grumpleupagus. But it's an interesting article and certainly has stirred up some controversy. And, yes, I read Mormon Housewife Blogs on a regular basis . . . both Courtney Kendrick's and her sister, Stephanie Nielson and a couple of more where the flag waving is less obvious but after following for months, I discover those blogs too, belong to Mormon women.

And often times, when I hop from link to link, I realize that the women who fascinate me are often Mormon. Now that really isn't all that surprising considering I've been a scrapper for some 12 years and it could be argued that Utah is home to both the Mormons and the heart of the scrapping industry. We were bound to bump into each other. But I also cross paths with a plethora of writers/creators and I rarely become so attached as I do to the MHB's. So what is it?

Emily Matchar, if I may quote, says, "But the basic messages expressed in these blogs -- family is wonderful, life is meant to be enjoyed, celebrate the small things -- are still lovely. And if they help women like me envision a life in which marriage and motherhood could potentially be something other than a miserable, soul-destroying trap, I say, "Right on." I won't be inviting the missionaries inside for hot cocoa now or ever, but I don't plan on stopping my blog habit any time soon."

While life with the 9TS is neither a soul sucking trap nor are we Mormon, it is the happiness that radiates from these blogs. Whether it's Stephanie's upbeat take on life after a near fatal plane crash or Courtney's charmingly outrageous self absorption and flagrant self promotion, they suck folks in and in they stay. Even my lesser known favorite blogs, where the sparsely typed word "ward" is the only indication of their heritage, the tone is that of a cockeyed optimist.

Do I believe these blogs are planned and promoted propaganda by their church or just a creative outlet for these women home raising their children? Doesn't matter. They are just fun to read.

So if you find some extra time on your hands, try reading a MHB. It just might be that little ray of sunshine you didn't know you needed.

from my dyslexic friend . . .

"On this, my half birthday (which I shall forevermore celebrate!), I decided to lightly step on the scales. Once I got that whole dyslexia thing worked out, I wanted to see if there really was something to this MMEL system.

Now granted, I haven't been MM very much - although I did walk Lola for about 30 minutes yesterday until all the stray dogs and traffic got on my last nerve - I figure it was about 1.5 miles (ish). But I have been EL a whole lot better. And I was wrong, it is NOT a piece of cake. {wink} More like a piece of rutabaga or something equally boring.

But I digress.

I lightly stepped on the scale this morning and closed my eyes, held my breath and said a prayer. Then I considered that holding my breath might weigh something, so I exhaled deeply. Then I peeked with one eye at the result.

6 lbs gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOT!"

Kelli, you ROCK!!!!!!!

me, not so much

my bumble bee . . .

credits: all things Anna Aspnes

on the road again . . .

As mentioned, after exploring the Hickory Ridge website, a road trip was definitely in order. I asked the 9TS if he would like to go or if I he would rather I ask a friend. He said of course he would take me. So I rephrased my question. What would be your first choice: going with me or having me ask Joanie? His little twisted smile told all and Joanie and I planned our escape . . .

I loaded up my camera and since the weather didn't look all that promising, Joanie drove and off we tooled up the coast. Glory-oski! The sky cleared, the sun came out, the wind died down and all was good in my world.

See those brown blurry spots toward the bottom center? That's what sea oats look like doing 55.

First major stop was City Cat, Country Cat, which seems not to have it's own website. Harrumph. Anyway, as the name suggests, it is all things cat. I hope Joanie's dad's cat will be very happy with her new toy!!

A lot of the St. George Street stores have these wonderful backyard courts:

Finally at the far end of St. George Street, we found Hickory Ridge and I wanted to melt into my own little puddle of butter and live there forever. The wonderful owner gave me more in freebies than what I paid, for those things I bought. And so I came home with amazing stuff. Got the patchouli soap for my waitress, and shea butter for me. Love that stuff. Bought some cocoa butter chap stick. More good stuff. And then she gave me some shea butter refining soap, a butter balm for after shower and this butter thing you wipe over your skin and blend in and it kisses your skin with sunshine. OMG. I wanted the whole store.

And then to the Columbia House Restaurant for lunch. I had a huge bowl of their Spanish soup made with garbanzo beans, chorizo sausage, ham and chicken stock which was delicious but truthfully, I would have been just as happy with my own little loaf of hot bread and whipped butter that they left on the table. Slurp.

Next we waddled to a chain store called the Earthbound Trading Company and I found a panda bear hat and had to buy it. You know the kind, little knit hats with animal faces and long tassely ties. Then we wandered across the street to Materialistic and hit the mother load of animal hats. They had frogs, bears, dogs, cats, bumblebees, penguins, Elmo, and more. I bought a frog hat and texted Katie and we settled on a bumblebee hat for her.

[Katie came home yesterday and the three of us wore our hats in the kitchen while Katie scarfed down her dinner. And now I am going to wear one of the other two hats every time I drive with the top down until it warms up in April.]

Oh and one more shot. I love the red, red roof on this house. It sits on the ocean about half way to St. Augustine. It just makes me happy.

And so it was a good day. The End.

go here . . . go here . . . go here . . .

hyperbole and a half

but only if don't mind laughing so much, you might have a tiny problem with incontinence.

or if you don't mind your sides aching for a couple of days.

or if you have one of those odd laughs that makes people swivel their heads to see from whence the sound is coming . . . and you are noshing in Panera's.

And if you have a dog, or have ever had a dog, please read this. Because it is hysterical. And, it's hysterical because it is so true.

In fact, read that link before you go to the home link.

giggle, snort, guffaw, hee hee hee, LOL, snicker, cackle, chortle, chuckle, fall out of your chair.

how can you tell . . .

if it's homemade chicken soup? You find a bone in your bowl.

if you return to an oft frequented restaurant? They ask you if your want the usual.

if the weather is going south? Your television flashes tornado warnings until 6:30 p.m.

if your cats are hungry? They circle your feet, teeth glinting.

if you live in the south? Lemons grow in your backyard.

Thank you Tuesday, it's been a good day.