Another Month Gone By........

It's taking effort to blog now. Things to do and places to go. My trip to Georgia was nice. I have to say, we are great at wedding planning and implementing the plan. The food was the best. Our salmon was beautiful and everyone loved it. The decorating was pretty good too. Lots of beautiful fabric, lights and color. I would never do this as a profession but it is fun to do once in a while for all of my pseudo nieces and nephews.

We're in the process of furnishing our old house since it won't sell and we're going to use it as a seasonal rental. It looks pretty good so far but I still need to pick up a few more pieces of furniture and some art work. It's been a great way to use some things that I still like and even some that I don't. Remember Princess House crystal? UGH!!!! Whatever possessed me to buy any of that stuff years ago and then keep it until now is beyond me but it's useful for this purpose. And... if it gets broken, who cares??? Thankfully, my dear friend Pat loaned me some and has advised me how to create some of my own works, so the walls should look pretty good before long. I love the contemporary stuff now and it really works with all types of furnishings. Hopefully, we'll snag the four month renter that we're talking to. Our fingers are crossed.

Cards (hand and foot) at my house tonight so gotta run to the store for snacks. I picked up a carrot cake yesterday that is to die for but still need a few more things and stuff to drink. My fingers are crossed I'm a big winner again tonight. Tuesday night I came home with five whole bucks!

24

What a dilemma tonight. It started with the Braves and Mets b-ball game on ESPN. At the same time, the Cavs and Hawks game was going on. Then we went straight to the Nuggets and Mavs game. And finally, 24 was on. Unfortunately, everything overlapped so it was a constant back and forth to try to catch them all. I can't believe we're at the end of 24 with the two hour series finale next week and I hate the two hour shows. It is almost too stressful to watch. It was a good show tonight. I just wish Jack would have put a bullet straight thru Tony's head. And I loved the way Chloe put that idiot bimbette whatever her name is in her place tonight. Actually, I just dislike her intensely (hate) on principal (real life stuff) alone so the stuff Chloe put out there was good stuff. I even had a rotisserie chicken dinner delivered to me by one of my sweet neighbors who doesn't like the dark meat. How much better can a night get?

Actually, how much better can the week start. I'm headed to the beach this week. We've been invited to dinner and baseball on Wednesday night - Angels and Red Sox. Would've been better if they'd have been playing the Braves like last year's inter league series but this will still be fun. And so much cooler there than here. We are already breaking the 100 degree mark. I understand our pools are up to 80 degrees but I need close to 90 before I step in. Thankfully, I'm escaping next week too, headed to Atlanta for five days. I don't think I'll make a Braves game but it'll still be fun, fun, fun.

We're still here. We've just been busy. We had guests last week and I followed them and Riley to the beach when they left here so I've been keeping myself entertained and very well fed. When I check in on Wii Fit today, it will not be good. I'm sure I will get a tongue lashing. The sad part of that is that I can't even talk back. I'm done watching basketball now for the most part. Thank heavens for baseball season but I'm prepared for disappointment there too. Basketball and 24 (I was 3 weeks behind and had to catch up) were keeping me glued to the TV. All I can say to the Jazz' pathetic post season play is trade Boozer, Korver and Okur as fast as possible. They all suck big time. I'll try to end my Jazz rant here. Oh, Jerry needs to hang up his cleats too. Now I just want to see the Lakers and Rockets go down.

I'm having cards here at my house tonight. Eight of us play this game called hand and foot. I had never heard of it before but it's fun and it's for money! You use so many decks of cards that you need a tray to keep your cards in and a machine to do all the shuffling. I only lost a buck last week. I hate to lose so hopefully I'll be a winner tonight. Not high stakes so no great loss if you do lose but like I said, I HATE to lose. Now it's off to dust off the patio where we're playing tonight. I'm praying that we don't have wind.

Duplicity

I saw this movie tonight. I liked it and was still laughing on the way out of the theatre. You gotta pay attention to this one because it's jumping all over the place in different times and places and it gets confusing. Anyway, from a person who basically sees very few movies at the theatre, this was good and not a chick flick. Way better than "He's just not that into you" movie I saw a month or so ago. It was a really stupid chick flick and a waste of both time and money. I don't think even preteens would've even liked this one.

Greed vs gratitude

I was just watching TV and was thinking about what bratty behavior the one twin on Jon & Kate was exhibiting as usual. It's all about her, what she wants and when she doesn't get it, the fit that she throws. Just like the real world. Selfish people who think only of themselves. I want, I want, I want. There is nothing more annoying and it is rampant. This led me to my next thought about my friend Pam who died one year ago of metastatic breast cancer. Pam was grateful for life even with a grim prognosis for her personal future. She never forgot where her blessings came from and she didn't care if she had the latest, greatest clothes, shoes or trips. She continued to serve others and her family and her faith were the most important gifts in her life and she was thankful on a daily basis. I don't think I ever heard her complain or whine about her own health situation which I'm sure created economic hardships as well. She truly endured to the end. I wanted to write a tribute to her on the anniversary of her death but instead, I just looked at her picture and read the loving tribute her son wrote about her. I miss her. She was the definition of gratitude.

Fabulous sounding fresh shrimp dip recipe

Check out this dip recipe. I found it in Southern Living (April 2009) magazine. Anything with real blue cheese in it will be fabulous. I'm trying it out on Anne, my good friend from Atlanta, when she gets here in about threee weeks. Give me the verdict if you try it out sooner than I do.

Prep: 25 min., Cook: 7 min., Stand: 15 min., Chill: 4 hr.
Yield
Makes 5 1/2 cups
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp (21/25 count)*
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Assorted fresh vegetables
French bread baguette slices
Preparation
1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.
2. Sauté onion in hot oil in a skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Transfer to a bowl, and let stand 15 minutes. Chop shrimp, and return to bowl.
3. Stir in cream cheese and next 10 ingredients. Cover and chill 4 hours. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days. Serve with vegetables and bread slices.
*2 1/2 lb. frozen unpeeled, large raw shrimp (21/25), thawed according to package directions, may be substituted.
Amy Tornquist, Amy Tornquist, Southern Living, APRIL 2009

Darling birthday cake!!!!!

Is this the cutest cake you've ever seen??? Although if I would have posted her Fancy Nancy cake there may have been a little debate. This was done by my pseudo niece Michelle. Of course her little guy is darling as well. I just can't believe the talent in that Jolley family. If they ever all lived in the same region, the potential would be endless. No small detail is neglected. I am just amazed.

Who's watching the start of March madness???? It started this morning and there will be games until late into the evening and for days. I am so loving it. I've got the TV on with one game and the computer on so I can watch the other three games. Sorry all you Cougars but once again, they are blowing it (it's only halftime though). We didn't pick them on our draw sheets this year as they've disappointed too many times in the past years. I'm loving Memphis again.