101 Excuses NOT to do the Laundry

I'm actually happy it's Monday. After last week, I'm glad to have a fresh start. I have a ton of laundry to get caught up on. I just couldn't get to it last week. I was gone Tuesday-Thursday. It rained all day Friday. I know, that one is lame. But you see, my washer and dryer are in the garage. The overhead fluorescent bulbs are burnt out and the only way to get light is to open the side door. With the heavy rain, there wasn't much light to speak of and the wind was blowing the rain right into the garage. That excuse is one of my best yet. I had to work all day Saturday and Sunday, at least until it was dark outside, and then it became a lighting issue again. Hubster is walking on a sprained ankle now from falling off a ladder on Thursday and I'm not changing light bulbs in the dark. Especially the 3 foot fluorescent ones. So, here I am. A beautiful, sunny Monday...doing laundry all day.

Today also happens to be the Hubster's birthday. It was tradition (in the old days) that even if he didn't get "it" any other time ( we're not talking regular "it" but a guys favorite "it"). He always got "it" on his birthday. He reminded me of such this morning and I politely responded by telling him I decided to get him a gift instead. It's a pretty cool gift too. I can't tell you now, on the (very) slight chance that he'll read this post but it's cool. Trust me. He'll be playing with it all night. Which was kinda the idea. So he won't be trying to play with me. He is injured after all. Amazing how all the aches and pains subside when "it" is a possibility.

On another note. This Friday is Girl's Night In. It's going to be amazing. We've been sent some new wines to try out and the menu is sure to create some excess belly fat , especially the desert. But it's going to be so good I don't care. I'll have a whole month before the next one. We're always looking for new drinks to try with our foods. Feel free to contact me about any drink ideas or about sending samples. Check back over the weekend (Monday at the latest. Depending on my work schedule) for all the great pics and beverage discoveries.

What the Hell Wednesday 3

Yep. This is my What the Hell Wednesday post...on Saturday. It's been a crazy couple of days and I'm just getting to it. Sorry. WTH. You forgive me, right?

I need to start paying attention to the weather. I used to check it all the time but it was ALWAYS wrong, WTH? So I quit.

My brother called me on Monday night to see If Puddin Pop and I wanted to come down (to Raleigh) to spend a couple days with him and his son. We planned on taking the kids to the zoo on Wednesday since my nephew didn't have Day Care and my brother was off as well. We left on Tuesday. We ran into a couple spots of rain, but thought nothing of it and heard nothing of bad weather on the radio that we listened to for the entire 3.5 hour drive.

When we got up on Wednesday, it was obvious we were NOT going to the zoo. We decided to go to Monkey Joe's (inside inflatables) instead. We didn't bother to think "It's Veteran's Day and the kids don't have school (although mine did have school) it's going to be a madhouse." Nope. Not us. We take our 2 and 3 year olds out to play with the big kids. We get to Monkey Joe's only to find a sign on the door that says "We are over capacity. Come back in an hour" WTH? AND the door is locked. Do we quit there? Nope. We head 20 minutes up the road to the Monkey Joe's in Cary. It's pretty busy (slammed) too, but they're open. We go in and PP takes off, paying no mind to the bigger kids. They don't phase her a bit. WTH? Her cousin, however, is not so brave. He never stepped foot on anything. After awhile, PP headed to a big giant maze and ran right in. When I realized it wasn't a simple obstacle course with only one way to go to get out, I started to look for her. I headed towards the back and looked through the netting on the sides. She came around the corner with a fretful look on her face. It was obvious she was beginning to panic with all the big kids just shoving past her. She saw me and said she wanted out. Another little girl near her (about 6) offered to assist her. I thanked the little girl and was getting ready to walk to the front when I saw a little boy, about 4, come around the corner with his face completely covered in blood. WTH? A "referee" nearby saw him and immediately went to clear the "ride". I went to the front and panicked that PP would get trampled by all the kids trying to get out. She arrived safely and we decided to leave. We picked up lunch on the way home and stayed in the rest of the day.

Later that evening, Hubster called to say that Boog's school would be closing early on Thursday due to rain and flooding. WTH? By 5:30 am they had decided to cancel schools completely. I know this because the school called my cell. WTH? at 5:30am? Anyway, PP and I decided we'd make the drive back anyway. It wasn't too bad. Traffic was minimal. When we were about 10 minutes from home we made the left to take the James river Bridge which takes us right to our street. WTH? It was CLOSED. Another thing I would have expected to hear on the radio. We go around another way and get home 40 minutes later.

We are met by my FIL who is going to meet Hubster at the house to see if they can get a tarp on the roof where we've sprung a leak. We actually had already contracted a company to put on a new roof, but due to the rain, they can't do it until next week. WTH? Anyway. My FIL decides NOT to wait for Hubster and decides he'll get started. In the rain. In 50 mph winds.

I sit down to check my email. I'm a little flustered with the multiple e-mails advertising human growth hormone. WTH? Do I look that bad? and how are these not going into my junk mail? Before I can ponder this too much, I hear a loud THUD. I go to the back window and see the ladder on the ground, one leg broken off of it. I see my FIL just looking at it. I open the door and ask him if he fell. He says yes and I tell him to come in. He says he'll go to the front door. He gets to the porch and is standing in the wind and rain asking Boog to get him a towel for a cut on his hand. I open the door and tell him to come into the house. He just stands there saying he doesn't want to get the floor muddy. WHAT THE HELL? I told him I didn't give a rats arse what he wanted and demanded he come in. Turns out he cut his finger and had a pretty nice cut on his leg as well. Just about that time Hubster gets home and questions why his dad didn't wait for him. We send FIL home. Hubster then decides it's a good idea to go try to put the tarp up by himself. WTH? He falls off a different ladder and ends up spraining his ankle. Now he has a brace on it and is hobbling around.

Thank Goodness Friday the 13th didn't involve anything other than doctor's appointments and staying home...inside...safe from rain, wind and injury.

Best Dinner in a LONG Time

I ventured off the beaten path yesterday. I was in the mood to cook and decided to try a recipe that none of us had tried before. It was a little adventurous for my non- flavor seeking boys (hubby and Son). It was kinda like putting Ferrari parts on the Camry. A little fancier, way risky, and probably NOT a good fit...but I was tired of the same 'ol choices. I wanted FLAVOR. Both boys are doing much better in trying new things and I just hoped that my timing was right.

I pulled out a cook book and found a recipe for Chipotle-Cinnamon Pork Cops with Pineapple relish. I then looked for a side dish and found Nutty Okra. Now. Everyone here eats pork chops and okra, so I figured I could pull it off.

The recipe claims "less than 15 minutes prep" per recipe. I'm betting Mr. Food never made dinner while doing homework and occupying a 3 year old. It took a little longer. I added to it some Uncle Ben's Long Grain Wild rice in Sundried Tomato Florentine flavor. Not sure if that's new or something I've been missing out on...it was super yummy and complimented the chops and okra perfectly. At least Puddin Pop and I thought so. As dinner was almost finished I happened to get a small tasted of the rub on the chops and quickly whipped up some mac 'n cheese thinking the chops may be too spicy for the little folks.

I was very pleased with my meal. The kids tried the pork chops, one thought it was too spicy (it was pretty hot) and the other ate half of one. They loved the okra. They had the pineapple relish, mac n' cheese and one had rice. Hubster, who is affectionately called "bland boy" ate two pork chops, tried the rice, loved the okra and the pineapple (which really helped "cool" the pork chops.

It turned out to be a nice family dinner. We ate (mostly) the same thing. We tried something new...together. I got to cook. I got the flavorful food I've been missing at most of our family meals.

Chipotle-Cinnamon Pork Chops w/ Pineapple/mint relish

1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbls plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided
4 (1" thick)boneless center-cut pork chops
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pineapple
2 tbsp fresh chopped mint
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1) Combine chile powder, cinnamon, salt and 2 tsp oil. Stir to make a paste. Rub paste over pork chops. Let stand while making relish.

2) Combine pineapple and remaining ingredients. Toss well and set aside.

3) Heat remaining 1 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add chops and cook 7-8 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with relish
4 servings

Nutty Okra

1 cup biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup finely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (16 0z) package frozen cut okra. thawed

1) Stir together biscuit mix, chopped peanuts, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add okra, tossing to coat. Gently press peanut mixture into okra.

2) Pour oil into pan (2" deep) and heat to 375 (medium heat). Fry okra in batches, 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
4 servings

*Recipes from The Best of Mr. Food, 15-Minute Recipes

Holiday Gift Ideas

I'm trying to come up with some crafty gifts the kids can make this year for the grandparents. My favorite, so far, are coasters made from ceramic tiles. I've seen several different forms of this project using supplies such as scrapbook paper, rubber stamps, permanent markers and then some sort of sealant. Each variety I've come across has been a set of four, put together with a festive holiday bow. I think the kids will really enjoy decorating them and the grandparents will enjoy using them. I would like a set myself and am in search of a wine print or possible grapes. If you come across that in a scrabooking paper please let me know.

I have my wine fermenting in the shed. I'll give it a try around Thanksgiving and then again mid-December. I hope to be able to send a bottle to my Parents, along with their coasters, I just need to come up with a nice name and label design. Any suggestions?

What are your holiday gift plans. Do you do anything creative you'd like to share or do you buy all your gifts?

What the Hell Wednesday 2

Is it legal to participate in a meme and switch up which blog you post it to? WTH, I'm going to do it. Spreading the wealth. File your complaints with the bloggers union.

The fun and sassy gals over at Blue Monkey Butt have come up with What the Hell Wednesdays. A way to vent all your weeks WTH moments to share with the world. I find it very therapeutic. If you want to join in, just click the logo above. Elle and Stacy would love to have you play along.

We have a ton of Halloween candy, WTH, I can feel my butt expanding beyond the confines of my jeans as we speak. Someone please come break in and steal it. Ignore the dog, she barks tough but she's harmless, unless you're thinking you'd like to steal more than candy, WTH? Then she is a ferocious attack dog that has done serious damage to dogs twice her size. You've been warned!

I'm happy that the weather is finally getting cold. I swear that during the warm months I get acne like a teenager, WTH? It's embarrassing. I didn't have it as a teenager. Someone is getting me back. The cold weather dries my skin like salicylic acid works for some...just not me. I need some good cold, skin drying weather, which means my face is clear about 2 months of the year, WTH?

I love to read. Last week I ordered some books from amazon. Why anyone would pay for new books when you can get them "slightly used" for a penny (plus shipping) is beyond me. WTH, I splurged and got 3. Cost me a total of $7. They supposedly shipped last Thursday...express mail...they're still not here, WTH?.

I've got some new wines to review in the near future so, WTH, come back and get all the juicy details. Now head on over to Blue Monkey Butt and see who else is celebrating WTH Wednesday.

I feel better already.

Holiday Drinks

I like wine for every occasion. It goes well with most everything and with nothing at all, but during the holidays I like to have festive drinks. I've been known to add Grand Marnier to my coffee Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. Just a splash...for flavor. Grand Marnier is my winter warmer. It's wonderful in margaritas, coffee, hot chocolate and by itself. A tiny sip warms me all over.

A couple Christmases ago my MIL gave me a Cocoa-Latte drink maker that makes the best hot chocolate with no hassle. It's kinda like a heated blender. You add all the ingredients and just turn it on. It continuously mixes the cocoa while heating at the same time. It turns off when it reaches the right temperature and will turn itself back on, to reheat, if it starts getting cold. The kids LOVE it and it's the most used appliance in the kitchen during the colder months. My favorite (adult) recipe is my ...

Grande Gourmet Cocoa

3 ounces of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ounce Grand Marnier

Put all ingredients into cocoa- latte maker and flip the switch.

Top with Whip cream and a sprinkle of Cinnamon after pouring.

Sometimes I add the Grand Marnier after so the kids can have some too...sometimes.

How Could it Get Any Better?

Tomorrow I will be up to my elbows in boating and electrical supplies with just enough time to get home,get dinner, get the kids ready for trick-or-treating but today...what a day.

I can't remember the last time I went out shopping...just to shop. A friend invited me yesterday to her favorite consignment shop and to lunch. I eagerly accepted. She then e-mailed me some Payless coupons courtesy of Oprah. 50% off Entire Purchase...Everything in Store. Now, I'm not generally a shoe person, but Puddin Pop is, and half price was a BIG motivator. So we shopped for shoes (4 pair) and headed to the consignment shop. I got 3 dresses and PJ's for PP and a couple sweaters for Boog. We had lunch at a favorite "dive" and headed home. Hands full, I headed to the door only to see a package waiting. I recently ordered some books, but this box was too big for books. I went in, put down my bags and went back for the box. A smile came to my face when I noticed it was addressed to Wine at Five.

2 bottles of CLOS DU BOIS Wine showed up at my door. You can bet I'll be telling you all about them in the near future.

Now I'm off to make sausage squares and get the kids ready for a Halloween Party. Could the day get any better?

Am I Reading This Wrong?

I was messing around on google this morning. I got so caught up in what I found, I can't even remember what I was looking for in the first place. Need more coffee. I came across a law firms page on the web containing recent verdicts they had received for their clients. Reading these had me scratching my head.

First of all. Who decides they want to be a Pleasanton motorcycle accident attorney, or an Injury lawyer? Do they actually specify which type of accidents they want to represent? Is this based on results after years of practicing or something they get into while studying law?

So I'm reading these verdicts, while scratching my head, a little sad for the families of the injured and deceased and a little confused. For instance. One family sued a rental car company when a tire blew during a trip from Texas to California. Most of the passengers walked away with scrapes and bruises, but a baby was ejected from the car and had severe head trauma causing hemiparesis and possible development delays. The rental company was found "at fault" for not repairing the tire correctly or not inspecting it after someone else did it. The thing is...the baby that sustained the injuries WAS SITTING ON THE MOTHER'S LAP. Now, I'm not saying that the company wasn't at fault, but couldn't this child's injuries been avoided if they had been in a car seat? I'd be interested to know how that played out in court and in the determination of settlement.

Another case that caught my eye was of a 19 year old that sustained major trauma to both hands when I wine press he was working on malfunctioned. OUCH!

Girl's Night In~ Mexican Fiesta

Another Fabulous Girls Night In was had by our group of four. This month's theme was Mexican Fair. It went over so well some were requesting it again for next month.

If you're new as to how we do this. I get together with three friends in our cul-de-sac. We have drinks and prepare food from a list of ingredients we all bring. The recipes are delivered ahead of time and everyone shops for either the entree, appetizer, side dish or beverage list. Then we get together (minus husbands and kids) and enjoy an evening of drinking, cooking, eating and talking. The entire event takes place in the kitchen and around the table and usually lasts about 4 hours. It's a great mini-get-away.

We started with Texatini's. Think Margarita meets Martini. Super yummy garnished with lime and jalapeno stuffed olives. I must say that olives soaked in margarita is a delicious treat. I couldn't stop at just one...or three. I think I ate everyone's olives.

We had a chorizo sausage and mushroom cheese dip with some chips as an appetizer. While it was delicious and the recipe called for chunks of sausage, I think it would be better and easier to serve up if the sausage was ground. But that's just me.



For our entree I dipped into my old bag of tricks (read: restaurant recipes)and preparred Twice grilled BBQ burritos. These are of Chi-Chi's fame and were a big hit. So good we forgot to take pictures until we were half way through...oops.



I'm going to start posting the recipes to my Recipe Swap FB page. If you are on Facebook and want to join, send a request and just say you came from Wine at Five. It is currently a closed group so we get participation from members and not just lurkers.

The conversation was fun as well. You know how these things go. We start with the usual pleasantries...How the kids are doing in school, who's been sick and with what, what we're up to, who's diet is working, what's a good natural acne treatment...that kinda stuff. By the end of the meal, it's less about the kids and more about us. Sex, who's having it and how often, who's had their yearly mammogram and how'd it go, tattoos, who has them and who would never...it's pretty much "anything goes" by the end of dinner.

I left this one completely stuffed...uncomfortably so...but...

I look forward to our next Girls Night In even more.

I've Had Enough

I'm not sure what's going on. I'm not the picture of fitness but am (until now) able to keep my weight at a stable number. I may fluctuate 2-3 pounds day to day, but it's always within the same range. Why in the hell has it jumped 5-7 pounds in the last week in a half? Why does it refuse to go back down? I swear every time I make a conscious effort to follow any weight loss diet, this happens. I get it in my head that I'm ready to shed a few pounds. I buy all the healthy food (mainly rabbit food, which I generally love) and then I either crave fast food, or despise salads, or both. It's completely mental. I need to pull the Wii Fit back out and start using it. I would like to start running...if anyone would like to join me. I need to stop focusing on the food and focus on the exercise part of it. I'm convinced that my body is rebelling and shutting down my metabolism. It's saying, "Ha, ha. This is what you get. It's been way too easy and it's time to pay your dues."

Message heard...loud and clear. Time to stop talking. It's time to start doing something to change the effects age is having on my once fit body.