Why I love living in South Dakota. [Old draft I never published]

When my husband first asked about relocating with the company to South Dakota, all I could think was "isn't that where Mt. Rushmore is?" then wait we haven't even been to Niagara Falls yet!!!  I of course have moved to South Dakota but did definitely require a trip to the Canadian side of the falls before we moved.  That however is another story I am not sure I can tell to the world (insert a Betty Boop face here)

South Dakota scared me the winters are going to be long and horrible I thought. I mean I love snow, don't get me wrong but Pennsylvania/Maryland don't really get that much. I was thinking of snow chains and being stuck in the house for weeks. I could not have been further from reality. Even though the year we moved here was the big October Blizzard and thousands of cattle died (really wasn't helping dispel that initial imagery any huh), It wasn't as bad as all that. We had some snow, we had random 50 degrees (f) and then we had -10 below. I was with the Chamber then and attended a grand opening for a Dairy Queen. Thank goodness the ribbon cutting was inside.  Then came spring warm weather the breeze (20+ mile an hour winds) slowed down, and then wait for it more snow and cold, then a real summer. It was beautiful rarely over high 80's, truly picturesque weather for being outdoors. Exploring the Black hills has been amazing.

Picking up the pieces..

Picking up the pieces after Greg died was harder than I ever could have imagined. I thought I was there in the past for friends who lost children; I thought I was there for my step-daughter when she lost her half sister. Now I feel like I let those people down, then again I know there really isn't anything people can do but lend a shoulder or an ear.

The changes in my world view were dramatic. Every employee at a ski resort suddenly was under suspicion of drug use in my mind. They all contributed they all are throwing their lives away. It took a long time almost a full two years to stop that line of thinking. I had to remember who I was at my core. I had to remember that I am a believer in people not a doubter or a nay sayer. I had to remember that people are generally good and that sometimes good people do bad things.

Every time I see a new place or even read of a new place I think of how Greg would have loved it. I think of how he might have seen it. I think of the life he could have had. I am not sure if that is the right way to think of it but it is what it is.

Now I focus on the positive I focus on being there when the wave of grief hits my parents. I think of helping others.

Life is on track for me again. Real Estate, healing from a car wreck, enrolling into college for a Bachelors degree at almost FORTY... is exciting, frustrating and scary all at once.

Life is one step at a time and we move forward coping how we can.

Addiction sucks, and I truly hope that those who seek help receive the support they need and reach out to love ones when they need more.

#addiction #recovery #death

Life Shattered

I don't even know where to begin with this post. I have moved several times, tried many new things and even have a new business venture. So I guess I will start with the hard stuff.

December 2017 my brother passed away from an overdose. It sucked and still sucks big time. He moved in with me three years prior and we found out he was using. Huge shock for sure... nothing like searching your grown brothers room. The intervention went strangely well he admitted it and then gave us no problems going into detox.

The emotions were raw- and to be honest the worst ones were the feelings of helplessness to make this easier on my parents somehow. I hated to see them struggling with the new revelation that really did change our lives.

Greg made it through detox, he made it through rehab and went to work in Europe. He stayed clean, his life seemed to be coming together he even had a plan to propose to his girlfriend- ring picked out location and date everything! It seemed he was doing so well, getting things together and really was gonna make it.

Then that phone call the one that had me saying the phrase I never could understand people saying:
 Greg's dead-- all I could say was "What?" over and over my poor mother having to repeat the horrific news- It was like a sucker punch to the heart like everything fell apart. I couldn't believe it I didn't want to believe it.

Maybe I will share my thoughts from that day in the future, but as my eyes are filled with tears even now as I type it will not be now.


That Christmas was on autopilot and I stayed with my parents for quite a while well into the new year. I couldn't leave them I felt like it would be abandoning them, I wanted to fix it but I couldn't change this I couldn't fix it.

Since then the family is slowly healing there are times when we all cry when the memories or the loss just hit hard. We all keep going though we have to we live our lives and think of him often everything a little different in our thoughts and our visions. The trajectory of ours lives changed forever.


Enough for now and not how I meant for this post to go but maybe someone needs to read it.

#addiction #family #death #lifechanges

The beginning of my Bargello

I love the Bargello quilting style. The bright colors, the ability to pick crazy fabrics you might not otherwise choose, the numbers oh numbers (I know I am a total nerd) all appeal to me. The monotony of the pick and re-sewing soothe me, the finished product delights me. The hardest part about a Bargello is picking out twenty(20) fabrics that coordinate enough. I can literally spend hours in the fabric store, this time I think I have gotten lucky. I took a friend who owns an embroidery store and has an eye for colors to assist me in the choices. (It has been a few years remember) It only took about an hour with his help. (no, he is not gay--Don't be judgy)

I have a lot of ironing to do... this is after washing and drying

The poor lady at the fabric shop "wow, what is she making looks like a large project" .. I only needed 1/2 yard of each  of them. Bonus was they were having a sale so most of them were only $4.00 a yard.  So I rushed home and threw them into the washing machine so I can begin my cutting into strips and sewing to cut into more strips and pick them apart and re-sew and then finally begin piecing the quilt together.  This is not a tutorial sorry! I will however show you pictures of my progress.

Here is the basic process:

Step 1 pick out fabric----sorry no photo though the stack of bolts was impressive
Step 2--patiently wash fabric, then dry fabric, then iron fabric
Step 3--cut fabric into strips
Step 4--number fabric and create a matrix
Step 5 --sew strips together in numerical order
Step 6--cut strips into thinner strips
Step 7-- pick apart and put together strips again, making really long strips in a pattern making                  sure to keep them in order(I sew them together as I go)
Step 8 --sew all strips together for final piecing
Step 9 --- add border
Step 10-- add second border
Step 11 - glue piecing onto batting
Step 12 -- pick out backing, wash back, dry back iron backing
Step 13 glue backing onto batting,
Step 14 buy tagging guy or a lot of safety pins
Step 15 safety pin or use fun tagging gun
Step 16- start quilting from the middle out
Step 17-- continue quilting... it is a big quilt
Step 18 cut off excess
Step 19 measure and prepare strips for border
Step 20 attach border
Step 21 Have a bottle of wine to celebrate.

NOT A BARGELLO--But it was my very first quilt!

Wow so it has been a long while... but I AM BACK

I hope to be back and writing on a regular basis. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's roughly three years ago now. If you don't know what it is or what it does google " A letter to Hashimoto's" It will sum it up pretty well there. I also found out last January that I am Gluten intolerant... I am NOT going to get into the debate on whether or not it is real. It is real for me and not having gluten totally changed my life. :)

On to better and brighter things. :) To catch you up life has been crazy this past year. I have become super involved with the city I live in, was a large part of the Chamber for a while and am now the proud co-owner of a fitness center... SWEET... but I haven't been able to quilt in FOREVER or so it seems. So the next few blog posts will be about quilting yay!

Thank you for those who subscribed and are still hanging around. :)

Talk to you soon!

Mrs. W

Thank you for contacting Good Weathers Travels. Pardon my short response from my BlackBerry 10.

How does your Garden Grow

Inspired by friends who are starting plants early indoors, I have decided to try it for my self; I cheated I bought the tray with soil pucks, though I didn't by the ones with the plants already in them! I am tempted however who needs 30 tomato plants? Why not mix it up a little?

So I have planted peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, chives, thyme, garden beans, Brussels sprouts all from store bought seeds, then apple(I know I maybe should have started it in the fall so it would be plantable by spring), cilantro, cantaloupe, habernos, banana peppers from saved seed and then the random allspice from my spice cabinet. I will be intrigued to find out it the last germinates. I still however find the tray only half full so I am off to buy some more seeds, have a mentioned this all has to fit in my two feet by fourteen feet garden?

Why I support the Fair Tax Act.

A flat rate sales tax (between 23 and 30%) on all purchases, no income tax, no corporate tax, no need to increase minimum wage even. This is what fair tax offers us.

We complain about a deficit; we complain about taxes. In general we want to have our cake and eat it too; while we have yet to invent the regenerating cake we can at least have a feasible solution to our country's financial crisis.

There are those naysayers who think this plan will favor the rich, I disagree as do many Americans. Let me ask you these questions: Who pays more sales tax the person buying the economy style car or the one who buys the Porsche? The honest person who reports all of their annual income and misses deductions due to filing themselves or the less truthful man who pays someone to find him the loop holes and hides some of his earnings from the IRS?

Then their is privacy, no matter which pasture you graze in (read political party) you want protection and privacy. Our taxes pay for our protection, but is the cost our privacy? The IRS knows more about us than our priests,friends and family in some cases. Wouldn't you like to keep that information to yourself? Fairtax would eliminate all federal payroll tax, the IRS and the yearly gathering and turning over of what you did this year. No need to inform the government that you got married, have a domestic partnership, had children, earn a bonus or bought a house...just think about all those deductions and the information they provide.


Wait some of you cry! I can't afford that... well just for those who are citizens, there is a probate check that covers the amount of tax you would pay if you are living below the poverty level. Just think my thrifty friends, you can buy a used car with no tax, used furniture no sales tax. Don't think we forgot about business owners either, purchases for corporations are tax free. ( note sales tax will have to be paid by the consumer, when it is sold used , if it is purchased by a consumer and tax has not been paid yet) ts lowering the pricing of consumer goods. There are many many more benefits!

A world of benefits!

What down sides do you see?

Real deals and fake outs

So real homemade bacon is awesome, the guy at the butcher was right seven days is a little too long, I will try five next time now that I know what to expect. However, I wrapped some smoked little sausages in slices of my bacon and topped with agave nectar and red pepper baked and they were amazing!

Now for the fake out, someone mentioned Olive Garden today which made me want the Salad....which lead to finding recipes for the dressing, http://www.food.com/recipe/copycat-of-olive-garden-italian-salad-dressing-18840 that website is the dressing recipe I used for a guideline, I substituted peach balsamic and canola oil and tart cherry instead of lemon and though it hasn't had time for the favors to meld it is already very tasty! Can't wait to make a salad!

Bacon!

So as we speak I have my second half of the pork belly in the oven. The first on I guess turned out ok, I had the temp a few degrees lower than it should have been so it took longer to get up to temp. Maybe that had something to do with it. The only problem with this book is I am not sure what it is suppose to look like....the edges look fully cooked. I am waiting on it to cool then cut into it. I did slice a piece off prior to roasting but other than being salty, it was good.


More to come!

Charcuterie and me

So Christmas before last my amazing husband bought me a meat grinder and a book called Charcuterie. I was so excited I read much of it picked out projects and then got busy with the travel agency.....sigh....so this year my goal is to be more balanced.

In a great first attempt at this I am starting my first project out if the book. Bacon! Who doesn't love it.

This book is setup kind of like a cooking course so I am going to try and work my way through the recipes as such.

Lesson one...make a dry cure...complete
Lesson two Bacon

So far this lesson has consisted of finding a butcher that sells pork belly....the first one was asking his supervisor where to get pig stomachs.......luckily I was able to correct the request and was sent to Horst Meats which is a farm that sells such items as they butcher their own.

While waiting on my pork belly I met a nice country looking gentleman who tells me I should only cure it five days or it will be too salty, so....I think I will check it at five days and see.

I have 8 pounds of pork belly so I am going to divide it in half and doone with just the dry cure and one either maple or birch maybe maple habenero ...yummmmmm
This is is what eight pounds of pork belly skin on looks like:

Then in the bag, I used flake salt instead of regular kosher salt...hopefully it will be ok....on has maple syrup in it.

Now I have to wait and tur the bag every other day.

Buzz agent item: Crunchy Nut Cereal by Kellogg's

Most of you already know that I am a Buzz Agent, to find out more about how I get to try things for free or how to join check out my first post.

Now on to the good stuff. So my box arrived right before dinner, so for dessert we tried the Crunchy Nut Honey Roasted Flakes. Delish! Everyone in the house loved it, from the two year old to the 46 year old. After dishing out a third serving the family said they didn't think there would be any left for the morning. Well good thing there was just enough left because our sweet bug wanted it for breakfast! Needless to say I bought two more boxes yesterday. One of the flakes and one of the roasted nut and honey O's.

Things to know:

Price 3.89at Sunny way
4.00 at food lion
Both cereals hold us well in milk and almond milk, however I love to eat it dry as a snack!

The cereals seem to be somewhat healthy.

Ideas of what to make with them:

Using the crunchy nut honey roasted nut flakes I am thinking those haystack things with peanut butter!

The crunchy roasted nut and honey o's I am thinking crispy treats with marshmallows or mixing it with peanuts and white chocolate and making Crunchy Nut drops!

Little projects

So I have been exploring Pinterest and found this woman who says that I can print pictures at staples as engineering prints well she is right, however my local Staples has some weird lines it put over two of the faces in my print, those these were fine for the abstract piece of a trunk somehow I think I will be noticable on the faces of children.

I may try and print the people one at another staples and see if it happens again.


ok so I printed it out at another Staples, I had the same problem but not as noticeable. So I decided to procede .....apparently I need to practice...... some of it transferred some did not and I rubbed off some......


sigh so much for that Idea!


Back to the quilt.

so Skinny Bitch is a waste of time...

Ok so I am on a new path to attempt to get healthy lose a little weight and generally improve my overall health.... in this new quest I decided to check out Skinny Bitch being as I thought it might be a great resource. So in my search for this book I found a combo SkinnyBitch/Bastard for less than the price of just Skinny Bitch...

Even if you like this Skinny Bitch book don't waste your money on Skinny Bastard as it is literally the same book with word substitutions such as.... man up.... really.... pathetic I was expecting similar information put forth in a way that is appeal to men.... not so...

But back to the was of time SB.... so the sole mission of this book is to turn you vegan, yep that is right it is not some healthy eating etc it is oh meat makes you fat, and by the way look what they do to the poor animals. Now I am not saying that the book in not factual I am sure they have done their research however, anyone can get research to back up just about anything.

I am only in the first chapter so maybe I am judging it too early... however I am an omnivore, as is most of the human race. They say humans where not meant to eat meat etc.... you get protein from tofu etc... well a couple hundred years ago I don't think tofu was readily available.

I will concede that we in general eat way more protein than we need, but meat in itself will not make you fat the amount you consume however will. They also mention that their are not a lot of people out there suffering from protein deficiency ... well I know of several well meaning vegetarians who had this problem starting out, losing hair etc because they were not eating a proper diet. I am not saying that in todays world we should not be vegetarians, because there are lots of wonderful resources to created to assist us if we have those goals, just don't tell me it is the only way to be healthy....


Anyway I see this as a pure vegan sponsored book.... so I will finish it and take what it says into consideration in the creation of my own healthy lifestyle. I feel however Clean eating will be more my style...


Stepping off soap box now....

Cauliflower pizza oh my....

Ok so I have created a bit of buzz about these "cauliflower pizzas" I keep talking about on my statuses. So I thought it would be a perfect post that might take my mind of the not so favorable Presidential election.....sigh any hoo


I found the recipe on Pinterest essentially you are replacing the bread crust with a cauliflower crust, not only does this create a gluten free option but it also creates a breadless option which hopefully will create a slimmer me....

So my version of the recipe is

1 cup mashed or riced or finely chopped/mushed cauliflower
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup parm
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic
1/4 basil
1/4 oregano

or you could just do a teaspoon of Italian bread seasoning.....

Mix this together and set aside. Now if you have a silpat like I do then you can skip the next step. If not continue reading this part :p

place oil on your cookie sheet, and place parchment paper on top.... No I haven't mistyped nor have I lost my mind. the goal is your non-stick surface doesn't move when you remove your crust or pizza.

Now form the cauliflower mixture into four individual size pizzas. (you could make one large one which is what I did the first time however it was difficult to get the slices without messing them up)

I just scoop it out onto the silpat and pat it down with my hand in somewhat of a circle.... 0 ....

I bake at 430 for 16 mins. the original recipe calls for 12-15 but I like a crispier crust.

Remove from oven. If you are freezing the extra crust remove them to another parchment paper line surface while they cool then place into freezer until frozen and wrap and store in freezer.

(i will let you know how mine turn out if you remind me!)

Now for those of you who are not freezing them proceed as follows:

place your pizza sauce (or spaghetti sauce in my case, what I use what I have on hand) onto the pizza as you normally would, then top with toppings and an extra layer of cheese.

Return to oven and cook until topping are at your desired doneness. (is that right?)

I cook mushrooms longer, onions less etc. just depends what I put on it.

remove from oven plate and enjoy.

I love this recipe and while no it is not exactly like pizza it is darn close and in my humble opinion better for me than regular pizza. It solves my craving without adding to my waistline hopefully.

Thanks for visiting. Until next time

T. Weathers

So it's been awhile...

My house smells so amazing right now!! ok so that is not even close to related to the title but oh well... IT DOES! I was on pinterest and came across a recipe for "habachi" style soup... So I put a little this and a little that in the pot...almost like the recipe said...you know me I kind of do my own thing in the kitchen

Here is my rough recipe:

three carrots chopped roughly
some celery
three garlic cloves crushed
a little fresh ginger
one onion chopped roughly
chicken bouillon
water to fill the pot

Turn on stove and boil then simmer...until ready to eat


It smells so amazing right now, once I am ready to eat it I will strain it then add fresh mushrooms YUM I forgot to get the french fried onions so oh well you can add those at home if you like.


As to why I haven't been on in a while...

Well I have been running my travel agency, and as most of you know I am hot or cold on a lot of things so I have been super hyper focused on it... to the point I now realize I need to balance out my life before I burn out!!!

So I have been making an effort to schedule in some time to socialize with my friends...though I told one of my friends that and they took it the wrong way......oops Love ya. I also scheduled in some time for sewing and signed up for a quilt class though this quilt scares me a little so we will see how that goes..... (20 different colors of fabrics)

Hopefully I can actually use my planner, and my skoach and my new tools I am creating to bring more balance to my life, my sweet husband has even been helping out with my wifely duties to keep me from being over stressed. It is a great man that will work all day then come home and do the dishes and help me out! I am so lucky

Speaking of lucky!!!
I have now officially been married for 5 years.

Five years ago...I was waiting for my husband to get back from a business trip so we could leave for our honeymoon.

Aww.....


Anyway

Until next time...

Little known flight rules and etiquette

Ok, so I will forewarn you this will be slightly sarcastic as well as informative (I hope!). I am flying out to Anchorage to begin a wonderful cruise tour escorting a great group. We are spending a few days on land heading up to Denali National Park ( though no where near the back country where the backpacker was killed, very sad, and thanks for your concern), before heading to Whitter to depart on a Princess Voyage of the Glaciers(cruiseline, I am not royalty though I sometimes like to think I am).


Now on to the subject at hand, I don't care if it is the easiest airport in the world you should leave you hotel, office or home in enough time to be at the airport at least two hours ahead. Yes I know it is boring, take a book or credit card, read shop entertain yourself and your family. There is always unexpected traffic, long lines etc that can cause you too miss a flight. If you are traveling with children, well let's just say that is stressful enough without a time crunch leave thirty minutes earlier so you have plenty of time for bathroom breaks, or total break downs.

I say all of this because.....just because you are in a hurry does not give you the right to make everyone else miserable. Crowding the  person in front of you is just rude. Leave some air between you, I promise that I nor anyone else wants to  have you in their personally bubble just because you think being there will make the line go faster. If you are in a hurry tell TSA at the first class line, most of the time they will let you through, or tell the person in front of you.

Strangers don't want to hear you complain, whether it is on your phone or to them. Zip it already who cares that the other line moved faster.

Speaking of faster, shoes that don't require two people to put on and take off as truly recommended. Don't where a belt put it in your carry on if you must have one, at some point and time you will forget to take it off. Liquid go in a bag, and not just any bag a quart size bag clear, ziplock works great! The contents of this bag should be 3 ounce or less containers, note I said containers here not amounts so no you may not take a tube of toothpaste that is half empty. (by the way can cheese is considered a liquid...sigh). Rules to remember, I the United States shoes come off I. Europe shoes stay on(trust me taking them off subjects you to screening); earrings, watches sunglasses, necklaces etc must be removed. You may not have anything in your pockets or wear a sweater or jacket through the new wave machines, you may always opt for the metal detector and a pat down.

Pack you laptops wear you can take them out an put them in a separate bin( by themselves nothing else in there, any by the way shoes are something else) Gather you belongs and get out of the way if you have chidren, take there stuff to a bench where you can sit and put them back together without pressure and rushing.


When boarding the plane, don't crowed the boarding lane, leave room everyone will get on board( well as long as you have a seat assignment pesky oversold flights). Bags go in the overhead bin WHEELS FIRST!!! Not sideways taking up a ton of room with baggage fees everybody has carry ons. And while we are on the subject, your coat doesn't belong up there or your purse, put them in your carry on, or under the seat in front of you. If my bag doesn't fit because your coat is up there I promise you I will hand it to you! In the event there is no room and you have to gate check your luggage, take out your electronics, and hand it over, oh well move on don't pitch a fit.

Now on to inflight rules, there are reasons you can not use your cell phones, and other electronics and most are safety reasons, and no not that you will bring the plane down. That myth was busted long ago. However in the event of an emergency if you are not paying attention it could be deterimental to yourself and others. There will be two sounds of a bell(for lack of a better wayto describe it) that indicates when you may turn them on, this is above 10,000ft where it takes just a bit longer to get down if something goes wrong. Speaking of above 10,000ft, you should also know that all bags should remain under the seat in front of you(for easy emergency exit) and your seat should remain upright(so the people behind your can exit easily in case of emergency).


Be polite,  book an aisle if you use the restroom a lot, and put children of the inside seats for their protection.



Ok stepping of my information/soapbox post.

Until next time.


Now onto the boarding process.

Please for the love of humanity to not start the mass crowding in front of the boarding area. Really you will get on if you have a seat assignment. Once in line again let's not squis

Wow I have been crazy busy...

Sorry guys, I have been slammed with the new business; which is great... However it hasn't left much time for writing!

So I thought I would just share a brief update so you all wouldn't think I had forgotten about you. We will start with my garden. Small as it is I have managed to squeeze in a ton of tomatoes plants (think 20 +) I am not sure they will all make it, though many started from seeds leftover from last years tomatoes. Four cucumber plants (one may be squash I can't remember) Lettuce, Sage, My Oregano is huge it stayed green all winter, two bell pepper plants, one Jalapeno and one habenero and I have attempted to plant two potatoe plants from the growth I had in mine in the house....

Hopefully it will be a good crop, the tomatoes in particular as they are my favorite food!

In the front this year I have changed things up I planted three hostas and four little red leaf things. Snap dragons are on the left, my mums have taken off again in the front, even the calla lillys are coming up again. I planted several smaller annuals and non -food items.

Oh! I forgot the random tree I took from across the street a couple of years ago... It is a mulberry bush! I am quite excited about it. Now I have two fruit bearing items in the front the peach tree, which is producing well, and the mulberry bush. I also planted an apple tree in the back (it actually has an apple on it!) needless to say I am excited about all the planting and hopefully the 10 lbs of grass seed I spread will also come up. :)

Until next time.

Westboro Baptist Church must be stopped.

I don't know how or where to even start stopping this "church" from hurting these grieving families more.

This is America and we have the right to free speech, to protest and do so many things. I have never disliked that  right or any others before, but recently I wish it didn't exist. Our troops go to war and fight, they are called to duty and they go. They know before they ever sign those papers that their "job" may require their life and they do it anyway. They know that not everyone will agree with what they are doing. They don't ask to be heros, they just want to do their jobs. They don't "do it for the glory" so to speak, and when a solider is called to make that Ultimate sacrifice, it doesn't matter what your opinion is any more. It doesn't matter if you approve of our war or our nation. What matters is that solider died protecting this country that gives you those freedoms.

So when this group of Satan possessed "church" members dare to preach, that God hates soldiers, and that they "thank God for IEDs" It breaks my heart. They sound exactly like the terrorist we are fighting. They are celebrating the loss of life, they are harassing grieving families who are having to deal with the reality of no more Christmases, no more family dinners, no more hugs or laughter; of never being able to see that smile again, hear that voice. They don't need someone to come and spread their hate, they don't need some one there to tell them their child, brother, husband, father is going to burn eternally.

I am not sure what can be done "legally" and I am not sure anything can be done, but I strongly feel that something should be done to give these families peace, to give them the respect of a uninterrupted memorial.

If you have any ideas please let me know.

So I am finally hive free....now to get back to everyday life...

So I have been hive free for days now! YAY! I increased my dosage this morning which is fantastic. Hopefully in the next couple weeks I will start having energy again and be back to my normal bouncy self. I have been slowly getting more and more back to normal life.

My travel business is doing well. I have a group going to Alaska, and several individual trips to plan. My biggest challenge is having enough hours during the day where I am not so tired I can not focus. I have been implenting a new online calendar designed for ADD people. I am still using the free trial right now but will report to you all on it soon.

I have managed to start having the house look less like a train wreck and more like my home. Though I believe my vacuum  told me it missed my living room floor -HA!

Ok well I am going to go take a short nap.

Until next time.....

No Hives?....could it be...

Ok so I didn't take any steroids yesterday..and I have been on the Levoxil for two days...well today is day two and so far no hives! While I am exhausted from I assume the low hormone (he lowered thw dose and said I could raise it if I had no hives for a week) levels...I am not wanting to pull my hair out! Or scratch my skin off lol yay me

Hope this continues

Until next time .....
Good Weathers Travels
"Take the path less traveled.."
Sent by my BlackBerry

Ok..So I have decided it must be the medicine....

So my husband and the pharmacist both agreed that I should not take the generic synthroid, while waiting for the name brand Levoxil to come in. Now I will preface this with the fact I have been on steroid for three days now.

But the hive are almost all the way gone.... I had only a few for only a few hours today!!!! so I am not sure if it is the steroid or the lack of thyroid meds, so if they come back within the next three days on my steroids while taking the Levoxil(I start again tomorrow morning) It will be the entire drug industry lol, but seriously i am feeling confident that it is the "provoid" that is in both the generic and name brand Synthroid...so maybe just maybe I can leave nap land and not itch from head to toe!!!!

Until next time....

HIVES!!!! and the stomach flu....Really!

So Synthroid gives me hives and I mean like all over as bad as Chicken Pox nothing works Hives!

So I went to see the family practioner who said it may or may not be the synthroid.... Then the allergist 8 days later who has this crazy Idea that they are not allergy related... and say zyrtec ..uh...how about your crazy.. Then the Endo the same day who switched my prescription to Levoxil which the pharamacy of course gave me generic .....Then the stomach FLU...ugh I haven't had the stomach flu since I was a wee one... and I don't want it again... Ironically after having hives for over 11 days.. I didn't have them that day... I call that a BLESSING.. but  the next morning the HIVES came back with revenge I mean all out I want to break down and cry craziness. My husband insisted I go to Urgent care so I did.....

Mind you he was very focus on the stomach virus I was not worried about... I am a big girl viruses suck..stay hydrated.. I know the drill... but finally he says the hives are allergy related in his opinion and gave me a steroid and said if they come back he would tell the allergist to look again.... LOL and sigh....


So this morning I was a rebel... I didn't take my medication for my thyroid... i still have hives but they are not as bad.... the pharmacy should have my name brand Levoxil in tomorrow around noon... We compared all the ingredients and the only non active ingredient that is the same in levoxil and Synthroid is Magnesium Sterate. so Hopefully I can tolerate it. As It is the Endo reduced the dosage when he changed the meds... i would really like to be back to myself.... So If this doesn't work I think I am going to insist we try the Armour I am tired of being tired and tired of being itchy...


I mean three packets of oatmeal powder in the bath and it only works for a little while. SIGH



I am so ready to be over this and just be better...please forgive any spelling errors etc as I am beyond caring to look for them right now SORRY
until next time...

Maybe this stuff is working...

So, I keep looking for that instant feel better moment, you would think that I would know better right lol..... However today I just looked at the little things, I seem to have more sustained energy, and I am hoping it lasts it is 4 o clock right now and i have not had a nap though I do have a headache.... I have managed to unload the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, take hubby lunch, and attend an online webinar outside of the house..... So here is crossing fingers that I haven't done too much and crash shortly!

In other news I am trying to maintain my travel agent work load with some success, though as I am typing this I realized I forgot to take care of hubby's hotel grrrr... I have some more work to do.... Until next time.....

Started feeling better or so I thought

I woke up early this morning not thinking that I was perfect but I was hopeful that I was feeling better.  I made it further today before needing a nap than any other day recently, but now I am feeling completely out of it and a little on edge. I hope this all settles out soon! Geez!!!!

in other news i recently wrote a blog article in response to the Costa cruiseline wreck, and had 45 views in two days!!!! and had another travel agent ask to use it WOW! Talk about making a girl feel talented :)

until next time

Coupons screams!

Ok so if you live any where near me, you might have heard a screeching sound this morning as I was quite frustrated with my Grocerygame.com and newspaper not agreeing again this morning. The point of paying the grocery game is to get my coupon deals quickly and easily without much effort!

So when it tells me I should have 2 smart source, 1 red plum, 1 target and another misc. and i only have 1 smart source I am not happy!

I had to ask my sweet neighbor for her coupon for the brita water pitcher as I did not have one! Grrrrrrr.

Until next time.....

Well I thought I was feeling better

ok, so I have been feeling pretty crappy for quite a while now, and while I had a fantastic Christmas i have had no energy no stamina no nada! I managed to get into the Endocrinologist early so i have now been on Synthroid for 3 whole days. This morning i wake up and i felt good....could it be... no way i thought I wouldn't feel better for 6-8 weeks, hmmmmm I do feel better lets roll!!!!!!! ................................................................................................................................................ Two loads of laundry and vacuuming the living room later I was in bed fast asleep apparently not quite feeling better sigh..... i so want my energy back this is not me!!!!!!

I know I know it has been a while again.

ok i have fallen off the blog wagon again, bad me. In my defense however I have been going through some ridiculous medical crap. In addition to the the hot flashes, night sweats i am now have absolutely no memory and am completely exhausted constantly. As in a load of laundry puts me in bed for a few hours.

Not only is this ridiculous but it is not at all suited to the duties of a homemaker, housewife or part time travel agent!!!! Geez, if i can't maintain a home, how am I a homemaker!!!! My sweet husband has more than helped out. i do believe my irritability is wearing him down. In fact i know it is, since he told me " they have got to do something before I have to kill you" ahhh men how sweet.

Hopefully however, since the endocrinologist has decided to put me on sythroid for my thyroid despite my T4 and T3 levels being in normal range, it will make a difference (insert crossed fingers here)

Until next time......

AHHHHHHHH CHRISTMAS!!!!!

I HATE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.......


ok ok, maybe I don't really hate Christmas shopping but I do hate Christmas shopping for my husband...ugh he is the kind of man who buys whatever he wants if it is reasonable, therefore that leaves me with nothing to buy him.....grrr so I give up I am going to buy the man a pillow for Christmas that is all......... until next time.....

NYC

Your Tastefully Simple Consultant
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

New York Trip

So the hubby surprised me and took me to New York this weekend! Despite the cold and damp weather, it was a great adventure. This was taken in Toy-r-us. Tell ya more later!
Your Tastefully Simple Consultant
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The making of Salami ---at home......

Well here I am on my HCG diet for many many days, and if you are familiar with this diet you are limited to a certain number of calories in the means of certain restricited foods 100 grams of lean protein,  serving of veggies and fruit and a Melba toast. So variety can be an issue to say the least!


So as I was ever searchig for things I can make at home  for way less than I can buy in the grocery store or really even just so I can make at home just because ! So as I performed a google search on homemade deli meats, I found a recipe for homemade Salami now this isn't a recipe for the stuff you can leave out forever, but it is close enough.

2lbs ground beef
2 TBS quick tenderizing salt
1/2 teaspoon each mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, pepper and minced garlic.

Mush all this together well. roll into logs in aluminum foil, (i did mine in 100 gram increments) place in your ice box aka the refridgerator for 24 hours. Then boil for 1 hour on the stove. Cool drain and rewrap ( i used new foil) and enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious and totally hcg diet friendly. I will definitely be making this again even when I am not on the diet!


The neighbors thought I had lost it boiling salami huh? They didn't quite understand that I was making it from scratch (maybe I should be more clear). So I made them try it, I gave them each a slice and they all agreed it is a hit!!!!!!! Happy cooking! Until next time....

My first quilt

Ok So the picture above is my very first quilt! I am so freaking excited!!!!!!! I really thought it was going to be very very hard. NOT AT ALL! this was so easy. Maybe it is just the pattern but I really liked it I even cut the strips in half to make the mini-version for a pillow! Talk about awesome so now I am on a home decor kick HA!

Okay so how in the heck did I get involed in quilt making? Who under 50 quilts? Well as some of you know I love to sew I had no plan to learn how to quilt however. I truly thought it would be too hard and really would try my patience. However my hubby's great aunt quilted and he likes her quilts soooo he asked if I would make one or learn how to make them. So while at the local store Stitch-n-time. I saw a class on beginners quilting for $25!!!! Talk about a bargain! Now that was only the instruction (always a hidden cost somewhere right?) Being the good folks that they are I was required to purchase the book the pattern was in so as not to violate copyright laws.(it really is how it is suppose to be done) So that was $27.95, then to get the yardage of the various fabrics I would need I spent about $30.00. Totally worth it since it came with service and i had enough left over to make the pillow cover! As I was trying to pick out fabrics (how is one suppose to automatically know what is going to look right together when in a pattern?) I asked the lovely ladies at Miram's Fabric store for assitance we spent probably 20 minutes looking at various colors and patterns until we picked my fabrics (which do go well together if I say so myself ;)) then there was the batting and the thread, oh and let's not forget the special foot for my machine or the hair clips ----I mean binding clips.(they really do look like hair clips I think they are) roughly another $35.oo so I spent $115.00 to make my first quilt but I did enjoy it I learned a lot and I can reuse everything but the fabric and batting so the quilt really only cost $40.00 to make a lap or crib size quilt.(now you know why those quilts at the fair are so expensive!) I did fairly well for my first quilt though  I may take the class again in order to refine my basics before I move up the ladder in quilting.

All in all it was totally worth the money and totally fun! Who would have thought a girl in her 20's (ok almost 30) would enjoy quilting!

Until next time.....

My new job! Travel Agent

So hubby and I have talked for ages about me becoming a travel agent. I always thought it was going to be way to much investment and not enough pay out etc. Well I finally decided to do it and while my head is swimming with cruiseline info and my days are filled with trainings and cleanings now I have to say I like it. It is MATCHMAKING in a whole new way.

Many people will just look at the bottom line price and not look at the value of the trip. Do you want the lowest price or the best vacation fit for you? My choice best fit for me. I wouldn't want to book a carinval cruise for me during spring break (believe me been there during the stepdaughters school years) way to many children for my taste, I like to sit back relax take in some shows sit on the balcony and read. Those are the things I like! Each person has a different taste and different want. I enjoy matching them up with there respective matches.


I will update you guys on what I learn as I go! Talk to you soon

Tricia

It's been a while!

Hi guys,

It has been a while since I have been on!!!  A long while I wish I could say I have some excuse but really I don't life just got busy and I forgot to update. BUT I am here now ;) I know you were all missing my update ha!

My husband and I went to Wilimington, NC on vacation a gorgeous spot that everyone should visit.  The diving was great we saw our  first SHARK! my reaction was not what I thought it would be It was get the picture not run away lol! It was really awesome to see this gorgeous animal that was not interested in eating me for a snack or meal, swimming around the ship on the bottom, they seemed more intersted in getting away from us. I will post a picture latter that my hubby took it is awesome!


Right before our vacay I signed up with a host agency and became a travel agent! I am so excited I have been booking travel for some corporate companies and a few individuals I am hoping to keep a steady flow of work, I don't need a ton of work but I would like a steady flow!

Being a travel agent is fun!  I like match making people with travel! I will write more on that and my recent explorations in sewing,and cooking as well. Until we talk again!

Tricia

Cover Girl Luxe'

Love it! It feels really good the Lip Balm is my favorite! The foundation is pretty good but like most "sunscreen"  included foundations it failed on this red head. But I do like the coverage and the way it feels. I will definitely be getting the lip balm again.

** I am a buzz agent check out how you can try things and tell others about them on my very first post!

Bzz Agent Has shipped my Covergirl Luxe

Foundation,. I hope I picked the right shade. It is natural which is nice. I will be check the mail in between the flood waters here n the next couple of days. I can't wait to try it! Keep checking back for more info and possible coupons!

Check out my first post in this blog for more information  on what a BzzAgent is!

CoverGirl Lip Perfection and Luxe

 So the Lip Perfection Campaign is still going strong at BuzzAgent.com they are sending me a new color to try since the others were not my shade. On top of that I am joining a New Campaign from Covergirl this is their Natural Luxe line, it will be a foundation lets hope I picked the right shade, Ever tried to compare your skin to a computer image haha! We will see! What do you guys think of CoverGirl?


For more information about BzzAgents and what we do Check out the very first post in this blog. :)

Update on my Grandfather

Well Grandaddy is doing better. He is now off the ventilator and breathing on his own, but he is also now on dialysis. So good news and bad news. I am feeling guilty about having to go home tomorrow. I feel like he wants me here and to be honest I am worried that when i leave and my parents leave that no one will come sit by his bed side at night. I mean they all visit him during the day, but right now he really doesn't want to be alone. I just want him to be happy I guess. He was talking earlier about the pickles, and asking about Tom(the cat and the only male "Tom" he has owned, since all his cats have been named "Tom"). He has had a hard time falling asleep the last couple of nights, last night they gave him benedryl  and Ambien, tonight they added to that fenigren (spelling sorry). While this has successful knocked him out, he now has been talking in his sleep, he apparently wants to go home and cut the grass, and at one point was calling Kevin I woke him up for that he was getting loud. His stats have improved and I have every hope that he will be out of ICU before the beginning of next week but we will see.  I love him so much. I guess that is all for now. Until next time....

The scariness of a love one facing death no matter what the age is a harsh and hard reality to face even when you are typically a happy go lucky person.  The instant pain in the chest the rush of emotions that hurt you physically and emotionally. The tears that pour either steadily or come in bursts, the moments of ok and then the sudden remembrance of the reality of the situation. I sit here now writing to you, well if there are any readers there, from the basement level of the Baptist Memorial Hospital. Watching on helplessly as my grandfather, Granddaddy as we call him, lies before me intubated and sedated. He seems to occasionally acknowledge my presence if I am holding his hand and talking to him, I swear once or twice he nodded and shook his head in response to my questions. Of course I am not sure if it is reality or if it is just my hopeful heart hanging on.

I am torn between feelings of guilt and resolution, yes I think that is the term I want here. Guilt of not coming to see him sooner, of not going to Georgia to visit when he and my cousins were at my parents, guilt of wanting him to hang on. I wonder if maybe I should instead want for him to be with his wife, my late grandmother, my Granna. I don't know what to pray any more. I am not sure whether to pray for him to stay or pray for him to go or what. I am sure that sounds quite horrible. Let me assure you that I want for him to stay I am not ready for him to leave this earthly world, I want many more years with him. However Grandaddy has been alive now for 89 years and counting. He has seen so much change in this time. He has lost a daughter, a wife, and a son-in-law all in my opinion long before there time. It makes me wonder if he wants to still be here or if he is ready to go be with those who have gone on before him.

My last visit down here, he bought me an entire huge jar of pickles because he remember how much I like them.

Ginger one of my favorites!

I love Ginger. The spiciness, the warmth the depth of flavor stands all by itself. It is used in all types of cooking. One of my favorite websites to shop is www.thegingerpeople.com They have a large variety of ginger foods, from candy to cookies to pickle ginger. One of my favorites is the Ginger Anzac Cookies. I attempted to create a recipe to make my own copy cat version.  I have not yet succeeded perfectly however these are yummy, warm and comforting. Here is the recipe let me know what you think:

1 cup flour
1 cup instant oats
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup chopped candied ginger
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 tablespoons Ginger Syrup (left over from making the candied ginger)
2 Tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

combine the first four ingredients. Melt butter with Ginger syrup(in a pan larger than you need). Mix the boiling water with the baking soda until dissolved. Add baking soda mixture to butter mixture(it will carbonate and rise) add this to the dry ingredients. Make about 1 tablespoon size balls and press down, Bake at 350  for 20 mins. Let sit on the pan for 2 mins, then cool. These are crispy cookies.


Now they have a little bit of a salty taste to me which I think comes from the baking soda, so I may try to decrease that a little next time, but that is what makes them so crispy.

I would love some feedback if any of you try them.

Cover Girl Lip Perfection-follow up

Alright Ladies, the claims are true, it does improve your lips, however no more than chapstick in my opinon. If you were lipstick everyday this is the way to go. If not well it does feel nice on your lips. I would recommend trying it if you are a lipstick wearer. I am a Buzz Agent check out my very first post for more information on Bzz Agents.

Life gets put into perspective when we look at others lives.....

Often we are told to mind our own business; not to be nosy. I disagree I think we should be nosey; in fact if you will allow this horrible rhyme, our outlook on life would be a bit more rosey!

As I was sitting and chatting after my Zumba class, one of the women and I were talking about my husband traveling and how hard it can be etc, she looked at me and thanked me. "For what" I said. "You just made my day a little bit brighter. I am thankful now that I can go to HomeDepot with my husband and argue over paint colors"  after laughing we began discussing home projects. I told her of my nightmare bath remodel where I discover layers of concrete were holding my tile to the walls. She again thanked me, she had been dreading the painting of a room, and I made her project look easy.

Funny how a little information about someone else can make your problems seem not so big.

Going through a recent company merger, oh the stress that entailed! My husband perchance not having a job, maybe no severance, a landlord who is new to the world of landlording, no money to move back to our house, no money to eat if we paid the bills. The apparent decline of our careful filling in of the hole we call debt; about to be dug right back down to the bottom maybe even worse than before. Then a story of a family who lost it all who didn't have a home to go to. Who would have no money to choose between bills or food. Suddenly I was thankful for what we had.

All the rain we have had in Pennsylvania the minor floods and general sogginess; seemed to be something to complain about. The earthquake and subsequent Tsunamis, changed that...... Thankful that our houses and cars and lives are still here, Thankful my child is not stationed in Japan, now am I. Before where I saw reason to complain I see reasons to be thankful.

All things in life can give us call to complain about our strife; but if we are just a little nosy, just a little, we may find that no matter how bad things are in our lives, we are still blessed to have what we have. We still have much to be thankful for even when life isn't going our way. God still has blessed us.

Oh the Joys of Spring

The joys of spring seem so far away. The cold still lingers in the air, the chill still reaches through my windows and pushes it's way into my coat. How to combat this evil? Well maybe I don't have a world thermostat that I can turn up to at least sixty but I can go ahead and prepare my house for spring. Today I started my spring cleaning, and while I don't spring clean as a general rule, this year living in the upper mid-east where it is much colder than its Georgia counterpart, I have decide I would get my message across to God and mother nature via cleaning.

I have started with my front entry way. I have scrubbed those gremlin's fingerprints off the switch plates and doors (who else's fingerprints could they be lol). I dusted baseboards and trim. I organized coat closets and linen closets, which seem to collect various items throughout the winter. Gloves, ear muff things, camping supplies, picture frames, light bulbs; well they had all decided to gather together on my shelves, so they were sorted and sent to their homes. I swept, I mopped, I even orange glowed. (is that really a word? wow spell check hasn't said anything about that one) The result my entrance looks fan--tab--bu---lous! LOL now if I can just extend this to the rest of the house. :) Until next time...

Mrs. W.

If your gonna be a landlord....

If your gonna be a landlord let me give you a few tips. 1) Work with your renters, especially if they have been there for two years. 2) Never threaten a renter who has come in and asked for a month to month lease after renting for 26 months, because of a possible international transfer. 3) Know what the legal system will actually allow you to do, know the laws in the areas your property is in not just where you live. 4) Never accuse a renter of a problem without trying to find out the truth.

Now number 1 and 2 go hand in hand. My husband recently found out he might be losing his job or transferring to Europe, being as we have been with this company

for 2 years, I went into the office to discuss my options. I was told they would garnish my wages "ummmmm yeahhh I don't think so" so I told them good luck if Europe. Geez people. Then you start in on number three they say they can charge me for 12 months if I break the lease. I am not sure they realized that they are in the United States and that there is not a judge out there that will allow that unless they were going to leave the unit empty but even then the most you will get is three months. Oh yes and if they rent it before then they would have to refund it as they can not double dip and collect two rents on one property. As for number four, if another renter says that a renter has done something like oh I don't know not pick up dog feces maybe you should have more truth as I do pick up my dogs waste. hhmmmmm so you can shove your $150.00 fine up your rear. A--it is not in my lease B--- ummm yeah not me.


****Stepping off soap box now******

Cover Girl Lip Perfection

So I got my Bzz Kit Saturday and i got not one but two lipstick colors to try. Hypnotic and Rich. The Hypnotic is in a neutral tone, the rich is a red. Scary lol as I am a red head. So I posted a pic on Saturday of my lips before Lip Perfection, and I will post again on Tuesday if I remember. I put it on and wow! It felt so sweet soft and luxuriantly on my lips. I definitely feel like I am treating my self to something special and high priced. Though according to my buzz kit it retails at roughly 6.50 a tube.  It feels really good. I can't feel the rough spots on my lips at all. :) I will keep you updated!

Ok so "rich" is not my color but it feels good ;)

I am a Bzz Agent, Check out my First post in this blog to learn more about what I do! and how you can do it too! *BzzAgents are not paid

My lips before lip perfection

Your Tastefully Simple Consultant
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Pasta Making at home

So if you have been reading my blog, you know that I took a pasta making class. FUN! I totally recommend it.  However I decided to make some at home without a machine, never mind you that I am a horrible homemaker who does not have a rolling pin in the house (hysterically freaking scream here). I decided to use a wine bottle :). The dough worked out quite well. I made my little volcano cater of flour added my egg, salt and olive oil, beat it with a fork just like Chef Rochelle and it came together nicely, I did not  this time, however add too much flour. Yay me. so I start rolling it out over and over and over and over again. Have I mentioned this is by hand with a wine bottle. I eventually just got tired of rolling it out and decided that I could see my hand through it if I held it up to the light it should be fine   or    not ha ha. While my ravioli were good the pasta was definitely too thick I will have to roll a little thinner next time. I am not discouraged though, I will make it again perhaps even this afternoon :) I must perfect my pasta making skills as I am obsessed with becoming a better homemaker :). Until next time


Update! I did own a rolling pin I over looked it like 5 times Sigh!

Mrs. W.

Dehydration

I have a bad habit of not drinking enough fluids. I am just rarely thirsty. This leads to Doctors thinking I am unable to keep fluids down when I am sick and apparently today to my legs and head hurting. While I have no official diagnosis, as it seems this pain came on after a couple days of drinking wine with friends I feel that must be what it is. If only I knew how to run an IV and could run a couple of bags of saline through my system for the night. I am sure that this pain in my legs and head would go away quickly. Sigh, maybe I can find someone to teach me :)

The Importance of Routines

Routines are often talked about when we are referring to children. Structure and discipline seem to benefit them  tremendously. Ironically no one discusses these matters when referring to adults. Well if they do I haven't seen it. The closest I have come is FlyLady.net, with her routines are necessary, as they are with me.

As a child my mother always had routines for us, reminders each and everyday. While I loathed them, as most children do, I look back now and see how I thrived; how productive and creative my life was. When I was unleashed unto the world, my independent self, thinking I no longer needed my mother or her structure.  Hard headed to say the least, I was failing. I failed at house work, organization, and even socially at times. Forgetting appointments, homemaking tasks well they seemed unachievable, and finding something well forget it. It took me a while to realize that this was not the result of the many excuses I gave, from being to busy to it will just be messed up again in a few minutes or days. It was hard to admit that my mother was right, routine and structure are the only way to keep things in your life straight.

While I am not my mother with her born organizational skills. I can achieve my own routine and structure with a little help. Flylady.net that I mention before has been a large help. My ADHD, which I did not feel affected my life at all until I started paying attention, does not allow me to focus as long as I would like. Her idea of creating a routine, and working on items for just 15 minutes at a time was a revelation to me. At first I scoffed, "yeah right" I thought there is no way. Then day by day little by little my house started becoming my home, I could find things my patient and loving husband started coming home from work saying wow the house looks great. I was making my appointments and social engagements and keeping them. WOW

Routines are simply the way our minds works, from those who need the strictest never varying to those who need a basic do it in this order. While I may not always stick my my routines they are familiar and comfortable enough that I can now pick them up and start again with ease. My life has become easier, my role as a homemaker feels more complete. I am proud to have you come over for a cup of coffee, because well my house may not be up to my mothers standards but I am proud of the way my house looks today. :)

Me on a normal routine day lol

Your Tastefully Simple Consultant
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Nikki

Nikki was my best friends daughter. She was my step-daughter's half sister. Nikki or Sara to some was an amazing person. Her kindness unsurpassed by anyone I know. As it has been said before she had a kind word for everyone even if they didn't have one for her. I met Nikki just a few short years before she died. A true kind spirit she always greeted me with a smile. She loved my more eclectic clothing, in fact some of my favorite photographs of Nik are in some of her clothing. She was a smoker as was I back then, I have a picture of her smoking and while some may view it as taboo it is the only one I can say I Love, because I feel that it is a true memory for me. I can still see her sitting on that front step, smoking her cigarettes, I can see her on the computer typing away to her friends, I remember her random IM messages and her ever changing screen names that always had me freaked out at first wondering who this person was that knew so much about me lol, it was like jumping out to scare someone but on the computer. :)

I remember the night we found out that she was no longer with us, though she had been gone for twenty four hours or so at that point. We had just arrived at the hotel after the Dayton 500. We were exiting the car, we paid some random person to drive us back because our cab driver was no where to be found. Andy answered the phone, the tone in his voice told me something was wrong. I ran to the hotel room, threw our sandwiches on the bed and open the laptop I kept refreshing myspace hoping and praying it would say she was online, I kept waiting for her to be there online for it not to be true, I tried to get my husband to let me drive back that night, I didn't know what to do, My heart broke for not only myself, but for my child and her mother. How could this have happen? This can't be real. I alternated between disbelief and shock and hysteria. How Why and How could you God? were all going through my mind, I never ate the sandwich. My husbands coworker drove my car back and the company allowed me to ride in the plane back to GA. I will never forget that plane ride, the fake smiles the forced conversation and attempts to get each others mind off the thoughts that wouldn't stop coming. Thank goodness for the rough air at least giving us some nausea to think about. It seemed like the flight took forever. The only flight I think I have not enjoyed with my husband. I just wanted to be there. Not that there was a thing I could do All the good intentions in the world couldn't bring her back to us. I still feel guilty to this day for having fun that evening when she was no longer here to do so.


Notes:
Nikki's mother published a journal from the year after Nikki's death, the book is titled Mom is 23 old? by L.S. Rockel.

Pasta Making-Another homemaking skill checked off the list.

Tonight I took a class on pasta making at the Kitchen Studio in Frederick, Maryland. It was so much fun. My friend and I went together. Our menu was a shrimp filled ravioli with Butter herb sauce, and a Braised Pork Ragu with fettuccine. So Yummy and easy!!! The pasta dough is simple to make and if you over flour it you can still recover it. (yes of course I added too much flour lol) I have to say the experience of watching this lump of dough go from frumpy to silky and "supply" to quote Rochelle, was awe inspiring. We went from nervous to excited in a matter of seconds, especially with the second half of the dough so neat! As a homemaker this is one thing I have never attempted. Now I can check is off the list of items i can make at home for less. Fresh Pasta is so much better than store bought and is totally worth the time it takes to make it!

The ravioli  filling recipe was so simple and delicious, but that ragu; it is something else. I will be making it over and over and over again. Here is the recipe for the ragu:

Pork Pasta Sauce
Adapted from Epicurious by Rochelle Myers

2 TBL olive oil
4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta or bacon, chopped
2 lbs. Boston Butt (pork shoulder) cut into 1 1/4 inch cubes
1 lb Italian Sausage, casings removed
2 cups chopped onions
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
6 large fresh thyme springs
6 large garlic cloves chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 cups dry red wine
1 28 oz can plum tomatoes in juice tomatoes chopped, juice reserved

In a heavy pot over medium heat, saute` the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to a dish , leave the drippings in the pan. Working in small batches, brown the pork in the fat. Reserve pork and saute` sausage in the dripppings in the pan. Add onions, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and red pepper saute` until vegetables are tender. Add wine and bring to a boil. Return the meats to the pan and boil 2 mins. Add tomatoes. Cover and Simmer gently over low heat until pork is tender, about 2 hours.


Until next time!

Mrs. W.

Covergirl Lip Perfection! EXCITEMENT

ok, so I don't know if you have seen the advertisements for this product yet. I saw one early today, hmmmm I said that sounds pretty cool I might have to try that as my lips have been chapped lately, and I can't seem to get them unchapped. LOL So then I see an email on my crackberry and it is an invitation to a new Bzz Campaign! Would you believe it was for Covergirl Lip Perfection! How Freaking Awesome is that?!? So I of course immediately signed up I can't wait to try this stuff out I asked for the hypnotic color, (I hope it looks ok on me! I am so bad with colors).It will be here within three weeks! Super Excited! I will take before and After pics as the campaign suggests, but I wont take or post those till my product comes in.
Until it comes in!

Mrs. W.

P.S. I am a Buzz agent see my very first post to see what this means! 

My Contribution to the Recovery of our Economy

Staying home! Yup! That's right I view my job as a homemaker and wife. As perserving our economy. I could be out working, at that high powered law firm. Bringing home that income, letting us take our vacations to where ever, whenever. I could be, but I am not. Instead I skimp and save each day, so that I can stay home. Letting someone else, take that position. Letting someone else feed their family. I know it may seem small to alot of people, they think they can't live without two incomes, but if it wasn't for the extras we all crave. I think alot of us can live on one income. Once we've paid off our debts, we will have money for those vacations, and do what we want when we want to; and we will do it on one income. Maybe just maybe if more families would go to one income families, then maybe there would be more jobs for those who are wondering how they will pay for food for their families, how they will get through the day. :) 

Bad Business Practices

Why are people so unprofessional. If you are going to own a business you should at  least have an idea of what business ethics are. Sneaking around to try and out do others, or try and schedule events last minute because you are apparently afraid of losing customers is going to lose you customers. I personally will move on to another business, if I feel you are being underhanded and petty. I prefer to work with those who choose the right way over the wrong way. In my mind honesty and integrity will bring you more business at least of my business than any trick you can come up with.

I miss the old days! 

Cold heartedness

Some people I swear. I know we all have our band wagons, our major dislikes and so forth. But when I am reading about a parent who has lost their child and you imply it is their fault, just because you do not agree with a stituation or a choice really really really I think you should go somewhere where your toes nails can be pulled out. I have seen too much death, too much pain. How can anyone regardless of how they feel about a choice tell a woman who has lost a child it was their fault? Especially when it wasn't, she is lucky it was over the internet and not in person I might just have gotten myself arrested on assault charges. Anyway off to finish my coffee and set my maids a working :)
Until next time
Mrs. W

Cancer

Cancer seems to have gone rampant at least in my life. My father's sister died from cancer over 20 years ago, her husband just a few years ago, my step-child's grandfather, her cousin only 11 has been diagnosed with a rare cancer, her aunt had a brain tumor. Even my online friends their children, their fathers. It seems that it is everywhere. My heart breaks for my family and my friends. Everyday there are new reasons why cancer is here. New causes, from foods to chemicals. Yet what doesn't happen everyday is a cure. They focus on foods, they focus on ways of life, but I don't hear of cures I don't hear of huge advances at least not in the medical world. It makes me wonder.

While watching on of those CSI type sex crime investigator shows, I heard of a medical advancement for a 24 cure for heroin addiction. "hmmm wonder if that's real" well after a few well worded google searches I found out it is. It works, unlike methadone that just hooks you on a different drug, it resets the brain, no withdrawals no cravings. So if someone wants to fix their life and are willing to stay away from the things that took them down that road the first time, one dose one pill and  no more addiction. Mind you it is a hallucinogenic drug, and you have a "trip" for several hours but it does work. This drug is only illegal in 3 countries the US being one of them.

I tell you this because it make me wonder if there is a cure out there, if there are advancements that would cure AIDS/HIV Cancer and so many other diseases. I am not much of a conspiracy theorists but on this one I truly wonder. Until next time...
Mrs. W

The Homemaker a.k.a the home repair woman

Well as we all know, from time to time things break in the house. We homemakers have three choices call a repairman, ask our husbands to do it, or fix it ourselves. Well I am wanting to pay off our debt to live debt free, so I would rather not pay the capable repairman. Sweet husband, well he works all day long I don't want to bother him when he gets home, and well he would probably call the repair man anyway. So I leave myself with the fix-it myself option. This topic comes up as my dishwasher decided to rinse my kitchen floor, I have been placing towels in the bottom since, trying to absorb the water out of it. Several bouts with the Super Shammy I resorted to plain old towels, 4 towels later I think this last one will get it all out so I can take a look. I have a feeling I have brought this on myself as I don't rinse before I wash all the time. WHAT I was spoiled in our old house I had purchased a dishwasher with Garbage disposal in it. This house doesn't have that and well I forget. Any way once the water is gone I will be slowly taking apart the dishwasher (taking pictures as I go so I can put it back together right) then cleaning it out I am sure using the before mentioned pictures to put it back together. Would anyone like to tell my brain to rinse the dishes first or just wash by hand??? Just saying. :) Till Next time Mrs. W

Half-time

SO that sucked, the sounds were off some songs should not be done by other people and well the glowing people at least provided excellent choreography entertainment.......

Covergirl 50th Anniversary

ok I know I said it would be a Chevy commercial, but I thought I would post this first. Covergirl is having their 50th anniversary click the link  to check out the activities including a chance to be in an Ad. :)
 <img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/covergirl.png?Type=activity&Activity=0493515942&Campaign=7010289794&Uid=449968&token=638dd8698960513ab3966f54643a1637" alt=""/>

if the link above doesn't work try this one directly links to face book. Lets spread the Bzz......http://www.facebook.com/covergirl?v=app_160134610689223

*I am a BzzAgent this is my Bzz, you can read about it in my first blog post.

BzzAgent

I am a BzzAgent. I get chances to review items and share what I find with other people. I let you know the good the bad, and the you can find it cheaper. All honest, all the time. now that I have disclosed that. The next post will be about a commercial for Chevy they are looking for opinions on these. I get a chance to review the Flip Ultra HD if I get a lot of hits.

Talk to you guys soon.

T.Weathers