Wizardry and Death

Apparently NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!!! Haven’t been around, but I keep looking out for you all! Send me a message, let me know what my peeps are doing!

ஜ~§ Book Of The Day §~ஜ

Wizards First Rule

Richard Cypher’s decision to help a woman in the Upper Ven near the Boundary between the Midlands and Westland creates more trouble than first appears. The woman, Kahlan Amnell, seeks the help of a wizard in the Westland, and she brings with her dark news from the other side of the Boundary: Darken Rahl, Ruler of D’Hara, has brought down the Boundary between D’Hara and the Midlands. This menacing ruler continues his dead father’s quest for control by pressing war on the now vulnerable Midlands. Kahlan is attempting to find the great wizard who had left the Midlands for the Magic free Westlands due to the corruption of the government in his eyes, so as to have him Name a Seeker of Truth. The great wizard turns out to be Zeddicus Zu’l Zorrander, Richard’s longtime friend, who then proceeds to name Richard the Seeker.

ஜ~§ Quote Of The Day §~ஜ

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Winston Churchill

ஜ~§ Question Of The Day §~ஜ

What does the word Jenga mean?

ஜ~§ Word Of The Day §~ஜ

jingoism pronunciation\JING-goh-iz-im\

DEFINITION

noun

: extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy

ஜ~§ Poem Of The Day §~ஜ

Poem of Life

For My Grandmother

Life is but a stopping place,

A pause in what’s to be,

A resting Place along the road,

to sweet eternity.

We all have differnt journeys

Different paths along the way,

We all wer meant to learn some things,

but never meant to stay …

Our destination is a place

Far greater than we know.

For some the hourney’s quicker,

For some the journey’s slow.

And when the journey finally ends,

We’ll claim a great reward,

And find an everlasting peace,

Together with the Lord.

ஜ~§ Recipe Of The Day §~ஜ

Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon mustard powder

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

4 small skinless, boneless chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds total), pounded to 1/4″ thickness

8 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lemon, halved

Preparation

Place flour in a shallow bowl. Beat eggs in a second shallow bowl. Combine panko, Parmesan, and mustard powder in a third shallow bowl and season mixture with salt and pepper.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to bowl with beaten egg and turn to coat. Lift from bowl, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Coat with panko mixture, pressing to adhere. DO AHEAD: Chicken can be breaded 3 months in advance. Place between pieces of freezer paper or waxed paper and freeze in resealable freezer bags. Thaw before continuing.

Heat 6 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet or a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook cutlets, adding remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan between batches, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Serve with lemon.

 

ஜ SPS ஜ

A Game of Grilling

HAH! My state was designated as the third Tax-Unfriendly State! Well technically it was for retirees, however, I’m feeling the sting personally!
In my recipe section I’ve decided to focus on some outdoor grilling recipes. It’s summertime, let’s celebrate it OUTSIDE!!! So you’ll be seeing a lot of grilling recipes for ya!

ஜ~§ Book Of The Day §~ஜ

A Game of Thrones

I’m sure by now EVERYONE has heard about either this book or the HBO series.  Fell free to discuss in the comments or link to a discussion blog of your own! Yummy goodness!

ஜ~§ Quote Of The Day §~ஜ

A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company. -Charles Evans Hughes, jurist (1862-1948)

ஜ~§ Question Of The Day §~ஜ

Would you rather be a vampire or a vampire hunter, and why?

ஜ~§ Word Of The Day §~ஜ

laodicean

PRONUNCIATION:
(lay-ah-duh-SEE-uhn)

MEANING:
adjective: Lukewarm or indifferent, especially regarding religion.

ETYMOLOGY:
After Laodicea, a city in Asia Minor, whose Christians were rebuked for their indifference to religion in Revelation 3:16 in the New Testament. Earliest documented use: 1633.

USAGE:
“How can we expect such vital realism from our pathologically Laodicean political class?”
Kevin Myers; An Irishman’s Diary; Irish Times (Dublin); Jul 19, 2005.

ஜ~§ Poem Of The Day §~ஜ

Messy Room
by Shel Silverstein

Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater’s been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or–
Huh? You say it’s mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!

ஜ~§ Recipe Of The Day §~ஜ

Sensational Serloin Kebobs

Ingredients
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper seasoning
4 fluid ounces lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
2 pounds beef sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 green bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
skewers
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 fresh pineapple – peeled, cored and cubed

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, light brown sugar, distilled white vinegar, garlic powder, seasoned salt, garlic pepper seasoning, and lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage. Reserve about 1/2 cup of this marinade for basting. Place steak in a large resealable plastic bag. Cover with the remaining marinade, and seal. Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add green peppers, and cook for 1 minute, just to blanch. Drain, and set aside.

3. Preheat grill for high heat. Thread steak, green peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and pineapple onto skewers in an alternating fashion. Discard marinade and the bag.

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Cook kabobs on the prepared grill for 10 minutes, or to desired doneness. Baste frequently with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Brightest Blessings!

~S~

Smokin’ Hot!

My mother is getting first crack at the new Evanovich book, but I’ll give it to you on good authority that if you’ve not been reading this series … you really should. (also for you guys out there, many of my male friends have read these and think they’re hilarious!)

Currently I’m re-reading a trilogy that is a pretty easy and fun read. I’m also re-reading Dune and I’ll start on A Tale of Two Cities when I’m done with the trilogy.  Sometimes … I look through my bookshelves and I think … I can’t decide which one i want to read again, because they’re all so deliciously good!

Tomorrow is grocery shopping day … good thing too, because right now I only have Oatmeal. Speaking of food, or lack there of, I actually have had the grilled bacon jalapeno wraps … and they are delicious.  I made mine on my stovetop grill pan.  You can actually bake them as well, just bake them until the bacon is crispy.

So … because I don’t have a whole lot of news today … I’ll go ahead and answer my question of the day … Which book do I find myself regularly re-reading and why?

The book I re-read most frequently is ‘If Tomorrow Comes’ by Sidney Sheldon

I just love the story of this book … desperate woman tries to get vengeance for her mother, gets framed by a hooligan, ends up in jail, heroically saves warden’s child, gets pardoned, and lives a life as a world class thief! Intrigue, suspense, drama, interesting characters. Excellent book that I highly recommend.  Actually I recommend anything written by Sheldon!

 

So that’s the lot for today … more on the morrow!

 

ஜ~§ Book Of The Day §~ஜ

Smokin’ Seventeen

Janet Evanovich ~ Stephanie Plum Series

ஜ~§ Quote Of The Day §~ஜ

I love criticism just so long as it’s unqualified praise.
Noel Coward
 

ஜ~§ Question Of The Day §~ஜ

Which book do you find yourself regularly rereading, and why?
 

ஜ~§ Word Of The Day §~ஜ

babel

PRONUNCIATION:
(BAB-uhl, BAY-buhl)

MEANING:

noun:
1. A confused mixture of noises or voices.
2. A scene of noise or confusion.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Hebrew Babhel (Babylon). In the Old Testament (Genesis 11:4-9), people united in an attempt to build a city with a tower that reached the heavens. This displeased god who halted the project by confounding people’s speech so they wouldn’t understand one another. Earliest documented use: before 1382.

USAGE:
"While an excited babel of Spanish, German, Japanese, and Hindi emanated from the dozens of television news crews in the street, the response to Charles and Camilla’s I dos among locals was mostly We Don’t."
Glenda Cooper; In Windsor, a Royal Pain; The Washington Post; Apr 10, 2005.

ஜ~§ Poem Of The Day §~ஜ

Song

By James Joyce 1882–1941 James Joyce

My love is in a light attire
Among the apple trees,
Where the gay winds do most desire
To run in companies.
 
There, where the gay winds stay to woo
The young leaves as they pass,
My love goes slowly, bending to
Her shadow on the grass.
 
And where the sky’s a pale blue cup
Over the laughing land,
My love goes lightly, holding up
Her dress with dainty hand.

ஜ~§ Recipe Of The Day §~ஜ

 

Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps

Ingredients
6 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (I don’t generally cut fully in half, I just cut off a sliver to make a little ‘boat’. Also I prefer red jalapenos and not green)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
12 slices bacon

Directions
1.Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
2.Spread cream cheese to fill jalapeno halves. Wrap with bacon. Secure with a toothpick.
3.Place on the grill, and cook until bacon is crispy.

Brightest Blessings!

~S~

Back on the Bandwagon Again!

People, I’m back again, getting back on the blogging bandwagon.  I know I’ve said that before, but it’s really time.  I’m also (as you can plainly see) getting back to my old blogging format, a little something for everyone.  I’ve also added a new category, book of the day.  This is going to run the gamut from children’s books to the classics and all those in between. You are all cordially invited to share your favorites in my comments section and I’ll work them in as well! (I’m all about blogger interaction!).  My next read will be Janet Evanovich’s ‘Smokin’ Seventeen’.

I have been terribly terribly lax in posting comments in all your blogs, and I hope to be changing that in the future as well!

I hope you enjoy!

ஜ~§Book Of The Day§~ஜ

Monkey Truck
by Michael Slack (Author, Illustrator))

Book talk: This paper over board book for toddlers has a silly monkey who is also a truck. Look at him go!

Snippet:
His overdrive engine
burns monkey gas.
REV REV
TOOT!

ஜ~§Quote Of The Day§~ஜ

Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.
Paulo Coelho

ஜ~§Question Of The Day§~ஜ

What childhood toy did you desperately want that your parents refused to give you? Do you still think about getting one?

ஜ~§Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Aceldama

PRONUNCIATION:

(uh-SEL-duh-muh)

MEANING:

noun: A place of bloodshed.

ETYMOLOGY:

The term is derived from the name Aceldama, a potter’s field described in the New Testament. It was purchased by the priests with the money Judas Iscariot received for betraying Jesus. From Greek Akeldama, from Aramaic haqeldema (field of blood). Earliest documented use: 1382.

USAGE:

"Mickelsson describes Philosophy Department as a ‘treacherous, ego-bloated, murder-stained hovel.’ Ah, the groves of aceldama!"
Margaret Manning; Book Review; Boston Globe; May 30, 1982

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

The Ragpickers’ Wine

In the muddy maze of some old neighborhood,
Often, where the street lamp gleams like blood,
As the wind whips the flame, rattles the glass,
Where human beings ferment in a stormy mass,

One sees a ragpicker knocking against the walls,
Paying no heed to the spies of the cops, his thralls,
But stumbling like a poet lost in dreams;
He pours his heart out in stupendous schemes.

He takes great oaths and dictates sublime laws,
Casts down the wicked, aids the victims’ cause;
Beneath the sky, like a vast canopy,
He is drunken of his splendid qualities.

Yes, these people, plagued by household cares,
Bruised by hard work, tormented by their years,
Each bent double by the junk he carries,
The jumbled vomit of enormous Paris,-

They come back, perfumed with the smell of stale
Wine-barrels, followed by old comrades, pale
From war, mustaches like limp flags, to march
With banners, flowers, through the triumphal arch

Erected for them, by some magic touch!
And in the dazzling, deafening debauch
Of bugles, sunlight, of huzzas and drum,
Bring glory to the love-drunk folks at home!

Even so, wine pours its gold to frivolous
Humanity, a shining Pactolus;
Then through man’s throat of high exploits it sings
And by its gifts reigns like authentic kings.

To lull these wretches’ sloth and drown the hate
Of all who mutely die, compassionate,
God has created sleep’s oblivion;
Man added Wine, divine child of the Sun.

ஜ~§Recipe Of The Day§~ஜ

Quick Dill Dip

Enjoy this flavorful low fat dip anytime.
Prep: 5 min – Total: 3 hr 5 min

1 cup MIRACLE WHIP Light Dressing
1 container (16 oz.) BREAKSTONE’S FREE or KNUDSEN FREE Fat Free Sour Cream
1 Tbsp. dill weed
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

MIX all ingredients; cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
SERVE with assorted NABISCO Crackers or vegetable dippers.

Makes 24 (2-Tbsp.) servings

Make-Ahead: Dip can be made a day in advance. Most vegetables can be cut up a day in advance as well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutritional Info Per Serving: Calories 45,Total fat 2g, Saturated fat 0g, Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 100mg, Carbohydrate 5g, Dietary fiber 0g, Sugars 2g, Protein 1g

Slainte

~S~

Sweet Crunchy Goodness

Heya peeps!!!

I’m nearly back to fighting form … and I’ll be heading back to the gym (finally) Monday morning.  WEET WEET!

I’ve pretty much been vegging out for the last week and a half … due to being ill … but I wanted to touch on a couple of products that you all might be interested in.

In the interest of health … I was trying to find some crackers that would be a treat to wolf down and didn’t taste like cardboard.  A friend of mine from work picked these, Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers, up at Sam’s a few weeks ago … they can also be found at Kroger stores.  You’ll have to look them up online  to see where to find them in your area otherwise. 

They are SOOOO delicious though … that I highly recommend them! They’re crunchy and taste salty even though they’re VERY VERY low in sodium.  I just love their crispness and the taste is amazing. Also … GLUTEN FREE!!! At 15 crackers a serving … very fulfilling too!

Give them a go why doncha?

On to the next product that I’ve been RAVING about recently.  Is the  Aveeno Shower and Bath Oil. I love love love this stuff.  It keeps my skin super soft even though I’m tanning.  I totally recommend it!

TV is starting to rotate a bit … the fall/winter shows are wrapping up and the spring/summer shows are ramping up. 

My summer shows are as follows:

Army Wives, In Plain Sight, Mad Men, Merlin, The Closer, Raising the Bar, Warehouse 13, So You Think You Can Dance, Leverage, Dark Blue, Royal Pains, Burn Notice, Sanctuary, Psych, and Eureka.

This summer I’m adding Memphis Beat and Rizzoli and Isles to my line up too.  GOOD watching!!!!

Okay … that’s pretty much it for tonight … I’m fighting a bit of a headache.  You know … considering how much healthier I’ve been trying to be lately … everything else seems to be conspiring against me … these headaches really have GOT to stop!!!

Brightest Blessings,

Surry

 

Buff n Tan, Buff n Tan

I’d like to start out by apologizing to my good friend for hurting her feelings with my post yesterday. That was not my intent. Mostly I’m pretty much facetious and unless otherwise stated my posts should be taken as a load of rot.

Moving on … it’s my FRIDAY!!! I’m sooo excited to have a few days off to catch up on my sleep again! WEET! (FYI This also means I likely won’t be posting again until Thursday morning!)

Health Care Reform seems to be banging right along, all I’m going to say on the matter is that I don’t want it, it’s going to ruin our nation, the people who passed it are morons, and this is just the next step of the long slow slide downhill for our nation. I do hope it’s worth it; I certainly hope I’m wrong.

However, I don’t put much faith in this ‘hopey changey’ stuff. The country plugged along for 230 years without such a socialistic/welfare nation power play (Social Security could be used as a counter-example, but that was supposed to be a short term program, HAH!) … I certainly think a less sweeping approach could have improved healthcare more efficiently, in a shorter amount of time, allowed for the free-market structure, and helped more people in the short term. *end rant*

It’s supposed to be sunny and relatively warm over the next few days … so I’m packing up my camera and heading out to take some pictures … dunno where, and I couldn’t say when the film will be developed … I’ll make sure to mark it clearly though when I’m done with the roll. I think I’ll ride my bike around and see what I see.

Also, I’ll be enjoying time with the doggies at the dog run at my apt building. Brilliant idea by the management company putting those dog runs in!

Hitting the gym again today, I did more reps yesterday than normal and I’m a bit sore … so I’m going to back off on the weights a bit, and treat myself to a long soak in the sauna! Tanning after that … really my new mantra is “Buff, Tan, Buff, Tan, Buff, Tan” and I’m liking it alot!

Now I’m off to continue re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! (cannot WAIT for the first film of the last book to come out!)

ஜ~§Quote Of The Day§~ஜ

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled.
Michael Crichton

ஜ~§Question Of The Day§~ஜ

The eighties were known as the Me decade. The nineties have been called the Electronic age. So far, what would you label this decade?
(loss of decadance decade!)

ஜ~§Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Steenth

PRONUNCIATION:
(steenth)

MEANING:
adjective:
1. Latest in an indefinitely long sequence.
2. One sixteenth.

ETYMOLOGY:
Alteration of the word sixteenth.

USAGE:
“And for the steenth time I wondered why he hadn’t phoned me.”

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

As Soon as Fred Gets Out of Bed

As soon as Fred gets out of bed,
his underwear goes on his head.
His mother laughs, “Don’t put it there,
a head’s no place for underwear!”
But near his ears, above his brains,
is where Fred’s underwear remains.

At night when Fred goes back to bed,
he deftly plucks it off his head.
His mother switches off the light
and softly croons, “Good night! Good night!”
And then, for reasons no one knows,
Fred’s underwear goes on his toes.

Jack Prelutsky

ஜ~§Recipe Of The Day§~ஜ

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart with Port Glaze

Ingredients:
For tart shell:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold water

For filling:
1 1/2 pounds strawberries (about 1 1/2 quarts), trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup ruby Port
1 pound mascarpone (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Equipment: a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or dried beans

Preparation:
Make tart shell:
Blend together flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Beat together yolk, vanilla, lemon juice, and water with a fork, then drizzle over flour mixture and stir with fork (or pulse) until mixture comes together.

Gently knead with floured hands on a lightly floured surface until a dough forms, then gently knead 4 or 5 times. Press into a 5-inch disk. Place in center of tart pan and cover with plastic wrap. Using your fingers and bottom of a flat-bottomed measuring cup, spread and push dough to evenly cover bottom and side of pan. Prick bottom of tart shell all over with a fork and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until shell is deep golden all over, about 20 minutes more. Cool in pan, about 45 minutes.

Make filling while tart shell cools:
Stir together strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Strain in a sieve set over a small saucepan, reserving berries. Add Port to liquid in saucepan and boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together mascarpone, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until stiff.

Assemble tart:
Spread mascarpone mixture evenly in cooled tart shell, then top with strawberries. Drizzle Port glaze all over tart.

Brightest Blessings,

~S~

Let’s Hear it for the Bentos!

I have been working on my bod lately, and let’s just say I’ve been horrible less than stellar at sticking to my diet.  However, it’s still working, even going off and on again.  Which is nice, because although the going is slow it is in fact … going.  I’m still at the 20lbs lost mark, but I’m still losing inches, which means with my (again less than stellar) trips to the gym, things are … shifting.  This is good news.  To tell you the truth I was right by the mirror on the treadmill Monday morning, and hell’s bells … my arse looked pretty doggone good, if you didn’t look at the hips above it that is. 

I have found the most amazing way to keep my food stuffs in check while I’m at work.  In general I usually eat about 3 meals at work.  Each meal consists of 2 oz of lean meat, 1/2 cup of carbs and 1-2 cups of veggies.  I was trying to find a better way than to haul around a pot load of tupperwear and still keep my meals organized and interesting.  I FOUND IT!!!

I came across these Bento Boxes at Laptop Lunches

What a lifesaver these guys have been. I pack three of them up, toss them in my lunch box and head out the door. It makes preparing meals at work super duper easy! Just so you have an idea of what my eating day is like, I’ll give an outline.

Breakfast: 2 Eggwhites, 1/2 cup Otmeal and 1/2 cup of fruit

Mid Morning Snack: 2oz of protein and 1/2 cup potatoes

Lunch: 2oz of some lean meat, 1/2 cup rice, and 1-2 cups of veggies

Mid Afternoon Snack: 2oz of fish (scallops, cod, shrimp, talapi..), 1/2 cup potatoes or rice

Dinner: 2oz of some lean protein, 1/2 cup carbs of some sort, 1-2 cups veggies

Pm Snack: 1/2 cup fruit

One of the breakfast, lunch or dinner meals I’ll have an extra 1/2 cup of carbs depending on when I’m heading to the gym.  And don’t get me wrong … none of the proteins or carbs are set in stone, I use either the above fishes, lean chicken or turkey and sometimes I go crazy and cook me up a porkchop!

In total … since the start of this adventure (sometime last summer), I’ve lost 23 inches from head to toe. (1 inch off my neck, 4 inches off my waist, 3 inches off my shoulders … etc etc)

Now … I just received my Bento boxes last week. They’ve been working exactly as I’d hoped! It’s so easy to divide the food up, put it in it’s particular bento area and head out! I love it!!!

This type of snack/lunch packing is certainly recommended for children’s lunches too, although there are some cuter boxes out there for kids, that run along the same nutritional ideas!  Im so pleased with my purchase because it does in fact make my life sooo much simpler. 

I’m really starting to feel a lot better about myself too.  I have a lot more energy.  I love working out.  (I work out at 7am with 70+ crowd which never hurts either!) 

Sidebar:  This one older woman this morning was amazing, I swear I think she runs marathons or something, she has so much stamina and strength I was in awe.  I want to be just like her when I grow up!!!

I just know that this is something I can stick with, even if I do go off the wagon once in a while. ie. Cheese enchiladas and Rice! Or a wine night! YUMMY!

If I can stick with my plan all this week, religiously … I should drop another 5lbs and when I do … I’m hitting my favorite Mexican restaurant as a bonus to myself! WEE! (I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but there’s no dairy in my diet, no milk, no yogurt, no cheese, no nuffink! Holly … I know the cheese ench’s gross you out, but hell’s bells … I have a weakness for them still, I suspect that will subside as I start feeling better and better though.  And for those of you concerned for my calcium intake, it’s proven that dark leafy greens provide more calcium than diary products!)

Now … you guys will be reading this tomorrow morning/afternoon/evening, but now … my dogs are settling down and I’m heading back to sleep for a few more hours.  Down below I’ve treated you to a Bento lunch from the above website.

ஜ~§Quote Of The Day§~ஜ

Indeed, history is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes.
Voltaire

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

Which character from any film, television show, or book would you most like to take on a date and why?

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Locum

PRONUNCIATION:
(LOH-kuhm)

MEANING:
noun: A person filling in for another, especially for a doctor or clergyman.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin locum tenens (holding the place), from locus (place) + tenere (to hold). The full form locum tenens is also used in English.

USAGE:
“Health authority CEO Bruce Quigley says they’re now able to offer higher rates for locums at both rural hospitals to fill vacant shifts.”

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

The Song of Despair

You swallowed everything, like distance.
Like the sea, like time.
In you everything sank!
It was the happy hour of assault and the kiss.
The hour of the spell that blazed like a lighthouse.
Pilot’s dread, fury of a blind diver,
turbulent drunkenness of love,
in you everything sank!

Pablo Neruda

ஜ~§Recipe Of The Day§~ஜ

Pasta and Salad Bento

Menu

* Fettuccine with Fresh Parsley and Kalamata Olives
* Arugula Salad
* Nonfat Cottage Cheese
* Fresh Organic Strawberries

Preparation Notes

This fettuccine dish is simple to make, tastes great, and keeps well overnight. Prepare it for dinner in the evening, and then pack it for lunch the following day. Add a nice, crispy green salad and two side dishes, and you’ve got a delicious mid-day meal.

Boil the fettuccine per the instructions on the package. In a large bowl, prepare a sauce by combining extra virgin olive oil, fresh minced garlic, fresh chopped scallions, fresh chopped parsley, salt, and ground pepper. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss gently. Add some kalamata olives and feta cheese, and toss again.

Prepare an arugula salad by combining fresh arugula, dried cranberries, and sliced red onions. (Pack some Dijon vinaigrette dressing in the dip container on the side.)

Add a scoop of nonfat cottage cheese.

Add a handful of fresh organic strawberries.

Brightest Blessings!

~S~

Heart’s Tide

Well, whatever is going on with the site, I can work around it. So … moving on. Today is going to be a relatively boring blog day. I don’t have any new stories or anything. I did regale my co-workers with the “Surry-ella” situation at my mom’s … they found it quite funny. So we’ll just be moving on with the rest for this afternoon.

BTW … today is another big awesome salad day!!! YUM!!!

~**~**~**~**~

ஜ~§Quote of the Day§~ஜ

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.
John Lubbock

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

Sometimes it’s the thought that counts, and other times it’s the thing itself. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received, thoughtful or otherwise?

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Remora

PRONUNCIATION:
(REM-uhr-ah)

MEANING:
noun:
1. Any of several fishes of the family Echeneididae that have a dorsal fin modified in the shape of a suction disk that they use to attach to a larger fish, sea-turtles, or ships.
Also called sharksucker or suckerfish.
2. Hindrance, drag.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin, literally delay, from remorari (to linger, delay), from re- + morari (to delay), from mora (delay).

USAGE:
“Ryder has been a remora to the Heathers but boils over and, with Slater’s crucial aid, kills one kind of accidentally.”

ஜ~§What I’m Reading§~ஜ

JK Rowling: Tales of Beadle Bard (I’m reading a single tale a day)

ஜ~§What I’m Watching§~ஜ

More Re-runs, Mid-season replacements don’t start until the end of January. I’ll post a list of the shows I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

Heart’s Tide
I thought I had forgotten you,
So far apart our lives were thrust!
‘Twas only as the earth forgets
The seed the sower left in trust.

‘Twas only as the creeks forget
The tides that left their hollows dry;
Or as the home-bound ship forgets
Streamers of seaweed drifting by.

My heart is earth that keeps untold
The secret of the seeds that sleep.
My thoughts are chalices of sand;
Your memory floods them and I weep.

Ethel M. Hewitt

ஜ~§Recipe of the Day§~ஜ

Roast Beef w/ Scallion-Caper Green Sauce

Ingredients:
1 (3-pound) bottom-round beef rump roast
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup thinly sliced scallions (from 1 bunch)
2/3 cup mild olive oil
2 tablespoons drained capers (in brine) plus 2 tablespoons brine

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer

Preparation:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.

Pat roast dry and sprinkle all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Roast, fat side up, in a roasting pan 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and continue to roast until thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 120°F, 35 to 45 minutes more. Transfer roast to a cutting board and let stand, uncovered, 15 minutes.

While roast stands, stir together remaining ingredients, a slightly rounded 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of salt.

Thinly slice meat across the grain and serve with sauce.

Brightest Blessings,
~S~

If you’re viewing in a reader … come on in and leave a comment, silly!

On the Grasshopper and Cricket

I’m back in my own place, done moving from place to place for a while. I took a 2 hour nap today, it was heaven being back in familiar surroundings (not that my Mother’s house isn’t familiar, but you know what I mean) and in my own bed.

My mother’s dog is a riot. I usually get up about 9:30 in the morning. (Unless I was up late late late the night before). I let her out in the morning, and then by about 10:30 in the morning she’s ready for her ‘nap’ and goes into her ‘box’ (crate). It’s like clockwork … she’s such a funny little dog.

Today is my Friday … YAY!!! Two glorious days off, and back in my own place. I have a LOT of TV to catch up on. I didn’t have my spreadsheet available to me at my mom’s so I completely forgot what was on and at what times. I’ll play catch-up tomorrow and Thursday.

That’s all the news, on to the rest!!!

ஜ~§Quote of the Day§~ஜ

Punishment is now unfashionable, because it creates moral distinctions among men, which, to the democratic mind, are odious. We prefer a meaningless collective guilt to a meaningful individual responsibility. Thomas Szasz

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

Field mice always sleep facing northwest. Kangaroos can’t walk backwards. Female hyenas have penises. Let’s face it, nature is weird. What’s the strangest thing you know about the animal kingdom?

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Intrepid
PRONUNCIATION: [in·trep·id] adj.
MEANING: 1. Resolutely courageous; fearless. Persistent in the pursuit of something.
ETYMOLOGY: 1627 (implied in intrepidness), from L. intrepidus “unshaken, undaunted,” from in- “not” + trepidus “alarmed.”
USAGE: “They were a team of intrepid explorers.”

ஜ~§What I’m Reading§~ஜ

Nora Roberts: The Pagan Stone

Synopsis: Shared nightmares, visions of blood and fire, and random violence plague the longtime friends andQuinn, Layla, and Cybil, the women bound to them by Fate. None of them can ignore the fact that, this year, the demon has grown stronger — feeding off the terror it creates. But now the three pieces of the bloodstone have been fused back together. If only they could figure out how to use it.

A gambling man like Gage has no trouble betting on his crew to find a way. And though he and Cybil share the gift of seeing the future, that’s all they have in common. Were they to take their flirtation to the next level, it would be on their own terms, not because Fate decreed it. but Gage knows that a woman like Cybil — with her brains and strength and devastating beauty — can only bring him luck. Whether it’s good or bad has yet to be determined — and could mean the difference between absolute destruction or an end to the nightmare for Hawkins Hollow.

I’m actually nearly done with this book and I’ll be moving onto a new one shortly. I’m looking forward to the ‘Final Battle’. I’ll write a bit of a review on the series once it’s completed.

ஜ~§What I’m Watching§~ஜ

Fringe, NCIS, 90210 and Eli Stone

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

On the Grasshopper and Cricket

THE poetry of earth is never dead:
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead;
That is the Grasshopper’s–he takes the lead
In summer luxury,–he has never done
With his delights; for when tired out with fun
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
The poetry of earth is ceasing never:
On a lone winter evening, when the frost
Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills
The Cricket’s song, in warmth increasing ever,
And seems to one in drowsiness half lost,
The Grasshopper’s among some grassy hills. (1816)

John Keats

ஜ~§Recipe of the Day§~ஜ

Easy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 of a medium head cabbage, cut into wedges (about 12 ounces)
1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 4 1/2-ounce jar (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 to 2 1/2 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks), skinned
2 cups purchased meatless spaghetti sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese
Hot cooked pasta (optional)

Directions:
1. In a 3-1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine cabbage wedges, onion, and mushrooms. Sprinkle tapioca over vegetables. Place chicken pieces on vegetables. Pour spaghetti sauce over chicken.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. If desired, serve with hot cooked pasta.

Brightest Blessings,
~S~

If you’re viewing in a reader … come on in and leave a comment, silly!