While on vacation Niel and I got to see the coolest band, Off Kilter. It's a four man quartet who play Celtic Rock. They have a lot of fun with their music and can really attract a large crowd.



Here are all the vacation pictures.

In the past I have been drawn to patterns that depict nature or some would call country. After some thought I discovered that I enjoyed these patterns because they reminded me of my childhood vacation spot. And when I had a place of my own I wanted to surround myself with comfortable memories. But lately I have been drawn to patterns that have just shapes in them. And the shape is always accompanies by some bold color. Below are some of my favorites.

This reminds me of Everyday Food magazine.
 


This I saw on Giao's blog and found it on sale at Kmart. Woo hoo!
 


Today is also Vincent Van Gogh's birthday. He is one of my favorite artists. I have a small print of Starry Night at home.

Things have been very busy lately. There was Easter, special occasions coming up, a business trip, and getting ready for all of that has taken up a lot of my time. I haven't had much chance to do anything else like work on my site. I hope by Summer it will be up.

Spoke with my grandma again. I am calling her every few days instead of weekly, and some days are better than others. Still have my cold. It is now a bad cough, my chest hurts when I sneeze and a bit of stuffiness. Still a whole lot better than Pneumonia.

Two quizzes I recently found. Play along if you like.

 


You're Ireland!

Mystical and rain-soaked, you remain mysterious to many people, and this makes you intriguing.   You also like a good night at the pub, though many are just as worried that you will blow up the pub as drink your beverage of choice.  You're good with words, remarkably lucky, and know and enjoy at least fifteen ways of eating a potato.  You really don't like snakes.
Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

 


You're Connecticut!
You have a great deal to do with whales and, when an observer squints, even look a little like one. Even though you don't play hockey anymore, you've got an icy personality and prefer social climbing to most other activities. If you live in a small town, you're absurdly wealthy, and if you live in a big city, you're probably stuck in a dead-end factory job. For some reason, you call cities "fords". GM can't be pleased about that.
Take the State Quizat the Blue Pyramid.

It was a nice weekend. Hope everyone had a nice Easter. Although I was fighting a cold during most of the weekend. My nose went from leaking to being stuffed. My throat felt like it was being scrubbed by steel wool. Now the cold is also in my chest. I doused myself with as much Vitamin C as humanly possible and also am taking cold and flu meds. Hope the cold goes away soon. Although all the extra attention is nice.

We went to see a movie and had dinner Friday night since Niel didn't have a troop meeting because of Good Friday. Yay date night.

We saw Lipstick and Dynamite a documentary on female wrestlers from the 1940's to 1970's. Except for the fabulous Mullah and May Young making asses of themselves on the WWE, female wrestlers are a forgotten lot. It's sad. Female wrestlers paved the way for the likes of Trish Stratus, Lita, Molly Holly, and Ivory and yet there is no recognition of their achievements besides this movie. The film showed black and white footage of matches as well as interviews. One particular sad person, was 83 year old Killem Gillem. She now is this small framed lady, but man can she shoot her mouth off. Wooo Woooo. That wasn't the sad part though. She was basically broke and living with her wackadoo son. Unlike some of the other wrestlers she didn't have a retirement fund. I wish the fabulous Mullah would have made the retired lady wrestlers home the film gave a rumor about; instead of pushing around an obvious mentally challenged littler person and May Young in her North Carolina estate. You would think that an industry controlled by greed and plucking young naive women off the trains, that Mullah would have banned together the women when she became a promoter. Instead of giving up her integrity. But I guess she too had to survive.

The Mexican restaurant we ate at was near NYU. I forget the name. It was Niel and my first time eating there and is an obvious popular college hangout. The food was given in large portions (except for the toppings) and was so so in the flavor department. I had to add two different varieties of hot sauce to give it some flavor and heat.

Saturday we ran errands and did laundry. Then I came back and started the cooking process for Easter since we were hosting it again this year. I learned not to do everything on the day of the event otherwise I would be very stressed out. Our friends Dave and Holly came over in the evening. And that was real nice. It's great they can stop by when they can, when they are in town. We appreciate it and enjoyed ourselves.

Sunday our parents and brothers came over for Easter dinner. I went through two and a half dozen eggs this weeken! Cripes. We served Country baked ham. I was very happy when Niel found Country baked ham a local meat market. I had been wanting to serve it for Easter ever since I ate some at Cracker Barrel a few years ago. I found Country ham a bit saltier and I love salty food. Although last year's coke and pineapple baked ham was surprisingly delicious and not at all sweet as I expected. But the instructions I found said to soak the ham for 24 hours or cook as is. Stupid me cooked as is. It was so salty!!!! We had to serve cranberry sauce on the side to break some of the salt. It was funny even though it was so salty we couldn't stop trying the ham. Wierdly enough when it got cold a few hours later the saltiness disappeared considerably. We gave some of the ham to Mike to take to Ripley who apparently likes salty meats. Plus I broke our gravy boat when I heated it up in the microwave. I couldn't stop the trail of crazy Easter mistakes. And in the end all I could do was laugh. Niel reassured me by saying to think of all the other good meals I had made and it was a learning experience. Plus the cupcakes I made for the production department today were a hit so I do feel a bit better. I just want to be as good as my mom is with cooking. The side dishes were Easter Pie (cheese & cold cut filled), double stuffed potatoes, mushroom and green bean casserole, salad, Easter eggs, and for dessert Pineapple cake and jello. My mom made Balenchik, a savory crepe with ground meat, eggs, and spices, Baklava, and brought Easter bread. People could not stop eating the Baklava and Balenchik. Niel's mom brought over Tiramisu and Grain Pie. I thought it would have grain in it like the name, but it was filled with dried fruit and sweet ricotta. It was neat to have a Venitan dessert table of sorts.

I can't wait one day to have a large enough dining room table so we won't have to put the food on a separate table and eat on another table, like we do now. And a dishwasher would be nice too. LOL. Here are the pics.

HAPPY EASTER!!! PEEP PEEP!

 

There are also some very good eats at the Disney parks. Most notably at Epicot in the World Showcase. I always tell myself I will try some of the other places to eat such as Canada and Japan, but end up going back to the same places. Such as Alfredo's in the Italy showcase. Eating there is a tradition in my husband's family and one that we have continued together. This year we did try some Mexican. And the shopping district(ha all of Disney is a shopping district) has a great sandwhich shop called Earl of Sanwhich. Their bread is soft and flavorful; and they combine the perfect blends of cheeses and meats. Click on pics to enlarge.

My grandma is out of the hospital!! Woo hoo!!! She is at her home resting. Luckily she lives with my uncle, aunt and their three kids so she is not alone. That is a big relief for us in NYC. My aunt was the one who found her in distress last Sunday and called an ambulance. She saved her life. Anyway her doctor suggested to her that she not get too many visitors right away; so she asked me if I could come in the early Summer as I originally planned. And that she was sorry that I had to change my plans. I am so torn. I want to go now but if her doctor feels she is not strong enough for too much activity then I will wait till she is a bit stronger. I usually talk to her every week but now have been speaking to her every two days.

I don't know what is happening with Friday Forum now that Lisanne had her baby boy! (Congrats Again!!!!) We didn't really finalize who would be doing the Friday Forum for her and when. So here are pics of our Steak and Shake dining experience. I ordered a Chili Five Way. It's Chili on top of pasta with cheese and onions on top. Really good. I had heard about it on the blogs and was happy to have had a chance to try it. Niel ordered a Texas Patty Melt again. He enjoys them! Glad they are not difficult to make so we can make them at home. Have a happy holiday weekend all! Click on pics to enlarge.

I just want to make sure that it is actually Spring. Because its still snowing in New York.

This is Niel and my traditional turkey eating picture. If you have never eaten a giant smoked turkey leg in Disney, it's a must. It truly is an experience.

 


 

Did anyone out there watch American Idol last night? Wow. The contestants were soooo much better this week. My favorites were Kerry Underwood, Bo Brice and Jessica Sierra. Woo hoo! Crazy thing happened on the elevator. I work on the fifth floor and I needed to go to the lobby of my building. From floors five to three the elevator is moving at a normal speed. Then from the third floor to the lobby, the elevator drops like some thrill ride. I so do not like thrill rides. So I am screeching. Finally I land with a thud on the lobby level. My head is pounding and I tell the lobby guy. And his response is "We know". Nice. Put a sign or something. Now that I am ok and am writing about it, it was pretty funny. Anyway on to food.

This pic was taken in NYC as we were waiting for our plane. We flew AirTran. It is ok. Our favorite airline is Song. Normally I make breakfast at home, but I was worried we would miss our plane (it has happened before) so we ate at the airport. I had a jalapeno bagel (love spicy) and a blueberry yogurt. Niel had a blueberry yogurt and we shared a large bottle of water. Mmm tummy full. Ready to fly.

 

The pictures below were when Niel and I ate at the Waffle House. Not once but on two occassions. I had a Texas Patty Melt with hash browns (they were like potato noodles. So soft!) Niel had the steak and eggs. The second time we ate there, I ordered waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. Niel had the Texas Patty Melt. The food is well made and so flavorful. I highly recommend it.

 


 


 

Niel and I had a wonderful time in Florida. It really is nice to get away for a few days just to regroup. Our last weekend vacation was four months ago and our last long vacation was about a year and a half ago so we both needed some time to relax desperately. Granted our lives are not very difficult but they can be a bit stressful.
The trip to Florida was my husband's 30th birthday present. I know how much he loves the Mets and I thought it would be neat for him to see some Spring Training games and go to Disneyworld as a side trip. The areas of Florida we visited were Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie and Lake Buena Vista. The weather for the most part was warm but always sunny. Luckily we had missed rain coming in. Both of the hotels were also very good. The Best Western has very nice rooms that includes a fridge, microwave, free internet access, coffee maker, pool and a safe. The second hotel was the All Star Music resort and also had all the amenities plus free buses to the amusement parks. Can't beat that. Niel had fun seeing his beloved baseball team. The first game was a tie and the second the Mets won. Woo hoo. Before the second game we drove over to Dodger Town, a part of Vero Beach that hosts the Dodgers during spring training. We watched the Dodgers as they practiced. Niel got a big kick out it. It was nice seeing some other parts of Florida besides the Lake Buena Vista/Orlando area. We sort of had a mini road trip with all the places we got to see. I would like to see some other areas of Florida like Saint Augustine and Key West. Someday. Our rental car (Nissan) was so cool. It drove well, had good gas mileage and all these neat compartments. I think getting the chance to rent cars is a great way to find a new car. There was so much land, a lot of cows and of course orange groves. We also ate really well! There were also so many Cracker Barrels, Perkins and Dairy Queens, but we had eaten at those places in other states. So we decided to try Waffle House or as Niel enjoyed calling it "Der Waffle House" and a Shake and Steak. My husband had seen the signs for the Waffle Houses previously and we had finally gotten around to eating there. The food is fantastic!! I ordered a Texas Patty Melt. A food item I had been wanting to try! I highly recommend it. It is so flavorful. The food totally makes up for the lack of service and cleanliness. Trust me, its worth it. Shake and Stake was also another great place to eat at! I got to try a Chili five way. Being in Disneyworld was also neat but I think some of the employees and other guests regretted encountering all the teens on Spring Break. I know we sure did and are never staying at Disney the same week during Spring Break. The only proof that I have of our of our weekend getaway is a sun burn and our yet to be unpacked suit cases; otherwise it felt like it to be a lovely dream. We unfortunately came back to some really bad news. My grandmother has been hospitalized with walking pneumonia. She has water in her lungs and is 84 years old. We are all pretty worried about her. My mom didn't want to tell us in fear of ruining our trip. I am looking into airfare to try to visit her next week, after Easter. I really want to sooner than later. I was planning on visiting in the Summer during my cousin's graduation, but cannot really wait that long. My mom said that my grandma is in good spirits and was joking about how a burly male nurse gave her a sponge bath. But that is just the way my grandma is. And when I spoke with her she did sounded great. A bit hard of hearing but that comes with age. The next few days will be busier for me so I will probably just post pics of some of the foods and places we enjoyed.

 

Blogger erased my original post. Really not liking blogger right now. Can't wait to finish my new web page so I can have less accidents happen. Had to remember my original post. I didn't even relist all the artists I enjoy! TGIF. Thank goodness. Niel and I will be going to Florida for a few days for some rest and relaxation. Hope all of you have a good weekend!

Another Friday Forum brought to you by Bathtub Junkie! As always great questions!

1] Would you consider yourself a good singer? Not at all. I don't have a the tone. Why/why not? Were you
ever in choirs, musical groups, musicals, voice competitions, etc.
while growing up? School plays in elementry school. How would you describe your singing voice? Umm passable and I am being kind to myself.

2] Do you sing in the shower? All the time. What about in your car? Yep! Around the
house when you're by yourself? YEs then also. Do you sing along to the radio/CDs a
lot? Oh yes! Do you prefer singing when you're alone, or do you belt out
tunes at any time? I will sing infront of Niel or along with Niel. I enjoy singing I am just not very good at it.

3] Who is your favorite singer at the moment, and why? That is so hard to choose so I cannot answer that very well. I have a variety of musicians I love. Do you ever
watch the show "American Idol"? All the time. Why/why not? To see the competition and the talent out there. If so, do you have a prediction for who will win this year's competition? I hope the farm girl. I forget her name.

4] What are some songs that you remember fondly as a child? Anything from the 80's. Whether it was new wave, punk, rap, rock. I loved it as long as it was from the 80's! Are there any songs from your high school years that you particularly loved? I can give what bands I loved. The list is long. The Cure, Level 42, Aerosmith, New Order, Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, Poison, Depeche Mode, Crowded House, Europe, Abba, Run Dmc, Aha, Nirvana and that is just to name a few.
What songs absolutely annoy you? I like so many different types of music that I don't have anything that really bugs me.

5] Name a song that accurately reflects the way that you're feeling
right now. If you could choose *one* song to describe your life up to
this point, what song would you choose?

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all that celebrate it! (That's for the 1/8th in you baby!)I like looking forward to holidays (even if they may not be mine) and trying different the foods the variety of cultures offer. So for breakfast today I cooked up some traditional Irish breakfast pudding. I mentioned previously we had eaten some breakfast pudding at a local diner. Nielfound some at a neighborhood shop. Not much work involved but very yummy results.

This is what they look like in the package
 


This is what they look like cooking with some eggs
 

It's so very nice to be part of the blogger community. I have met some really neat people and are involved in great projects and surprises. It's wonderful that so many people can meet this way. My favorite part is that many people are involved in a variety of things and is not exclusive.

I want to thank JustJenn for allowing me to be a part of Leslie's surprise internet baby shower. I am very happy it was a success and thank you very much for the shower favors!!

 


Thank you also to Sweetpea for asking me to be a part of a Journal's Journey. It has been wonderful to try to come up with ideas for my page and seeing all the other participant's lovely pages.

 


And also thanks to Tammy for your neat Haremail project! I had a lot of fun looking for goodies. Thanks also for my cool exchange partner! She rocks!



I also can't wait for Gifty Round 3 created by talented and kind Leslie!

I am not much of a drinker. I do enjoy a daquiri at special events, but normally don't go out of my way to drink. All who attended my bachlorett party stop laughing. That evening was an anomaly. Anway when I found out there is Vodka out there named Effen I thought it was pretty funny. What is next Freaking Gin??

 

Another nice weekend. Too short as always. Did some chores, laundry and errands. Helped out Niel with his troop pancake breakfast. I am very proud of Niel. The dedication he has to the scouts, never missing events or meetings. It's amazing. I made baked goods and helped man the baked goods table with the cub masters wife. Niel also walked his brother's doggie. What a lucky doggied. Saw a commercial for Sin City on TV. I really want to see that. We saw Underworld on Cable. Visually it was very appealing but the story line was all over the place.

I am always on the lookout for new recipes breakfast recipes and I find its even better when any new recipe has me working with ingredients I already have at home. So I was pretty happy to find a recipe for Bacon and Cheese strata.

 


8 slices of bread
8 slices of cooked bacon
1 cup of shredded cheese
1 14ounce can of diced & drained tomatoes
3 chopped scallions
3 eggs mixed
1.5 cups of milk

Heat oven to 325. Butter the pan you will be using and mix all the ingredients. Let it cook for 45 minutes and then bon appetit!