It's Time

It's time I got back to scrapping.
I haven't done any in 2 years!

My sister-in-law gave me a $10 gift
card to a scrapbooking store in MA.
(we spent Christmas there)

That's all it took.
$10.

Well, I spent that ten bucks, and a few more
and picked up some gorgeous paper and some
little things that caught my eye.

I'm ready to dive back in!

Julia

I was having a crazy day at work -
lots of phone calls, trying to track
people down, lots of paperwork-
crazy - my head was spinning-
then I look up and see this:

two little eyes belonging to Julia, a first grader who
isn't even tall enough to see over my desk.
She made me smile.
I love my job.

Smells So Good, It Punches You In The Face

I made an awesome meal last night.
I caught a bit of it on the cooking channel and
decided to give it a try.

Pork Loin and Chunky Apple Sauce
I paired it with garlic mashed potatoes
from Cooks Kitchen.
The aromas in my house were so strong
they could punch you in the face.
So good!
Ingredients
2 sprigs rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
2 sprigs sage, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper
Salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 (6-chop) pork rib roast
2 large onions, sliced
1 bundle thyme, tied with string
3 bay leaves
2 quarts apple cider
Chunky Applesauce, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine the chopped herbs with the garlic, crushed red pepper, a generous pinch of salt and enough olive oil to make a paste. Brush the paste on the outside of the pork rib roast.

Toss the onions with olive oil, and salt, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the thyme, bay leaves and 2/3 of the cider. Place the pork on top of the onions and place in the preheated oven. Roast the pork at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork has developed a lovely brown crust. Check the pork, stir the onions and cider if they are starting to burn. Add more cider when the level starts to go down.

Lower the oven to 375 degrees F and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F. If the crust on the pork starts to get too dark, cover it with foil. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the cider from the bottom of the roasting pan and reserve for the applesauce.

Let the pork rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. When ready to carve remove the pork from the bone and cut the loin into thin slices. Serve with the onions braised in cider and Chunky Applesauce.

Chunky Applesauce:
3 tablespoons butter
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (toss the apples in lemon juice if not using right away)
1 1/2 cups of the reserved cider from the Roasted Pork Loin with Cider
1/4 cup apple cider
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Melt the butter in a saucepan large enough to accommodate the apples. Add the apples and saute over medium-low heat until the apples start to soften. Add the reserved cider, apple cider and cinnamon and cook over low-medium heat until most of the cider has evaporated and the apples are cooked and very soft.

Add the heavy cream and walnuts and cook until the cream has reduced by half. The end result should be a very chunky, sweet/savory applesauce.

Scratch It

I'm taking steroids to bulk up.
No, no, seriously...
I'm taking steroids for a bad cough and
I
Am
So
Freakin'
Itchy
All
Over
From
Said
Steroids.

I'm scratching my back with scissors, closed, but still.
Can't
Take
It.

Gotta
Go.

Gotta
Scratch.

I Have a Teenage Son

I now know why some animals eat their young.

What The Heck Is That Noise?

It's my stomach growling.

The New Old Me

So, last week I was coughing up a storm
and my boss said I had to see the doctor.
I called the doc's office, told them what boss said,
they asked me where I worked. When I said "a school"
they took me right away. Pretty responsible and cool,
wouldn't you say?

Anyway, got some antibiotics and just as the doc
was about to leave I said............
"Would you put me on a diet?"

There.

I said it out loud.

My doctor, whom I love, sat down and we talked.
He said, "No, I won't put you on a diet but I will help
you create some new habits. I'll help you as much as you want."

Will you slap food out of my hand doc?
-no, I didn't say that.

So, we talked. I know all the right things to do.
I just choose not to do them.
Doc went over some things for me to do and
in 2 months, I'm going back for a physical
and to get
WEIGHED.
He said, if I want, I can come in every week to get weighed
and talk to him.
Love this man.

So, this is week 2.
Week 1 was a piece of cake, oh, bad analogy.
I have no trouble at work.
I seem to have trouble on the weekends.
And Halloween, well, it's over.
Bring on Thanksgiving. Ugh.
Nah - I can do it.

As for the title of this post, I'm going
back to who I used to be, just older and wiser.
Oh, and check out these shoes I got to
wear with my new short skirts:

I used to wear stuff like this, heels,skirts.
I'm on my way back.

Lovin' this.

Check out the newest addition to my wardrobe:

It's from Boden.
Velvet.
Very cool.

I'VE HAD IT!!!

I've had it.
I am sick AGAIN!
Another cold.
The second cold in a month.
I never fully recovered from the first.
Ugh.
I am so sick of being sick.
At least this one isn't as bad as the first one.
I just want to feel good.

Toasty

So three of our major small kitchen appliances died within
weeks of each other. A conspiracy, I know, discussed
in an earlier post.

Well, two Saturdays ago, the family set off
in search of new stuff. We, of course went to
Sears.

Now, the Sears of my childhood was all
goofy photo studios, and Toughskins, but a lot has changed.
Ours carries Land's End so it has become a favorite haunt
of mine........but I digress.

So we go to Sears and in 30 minutes we purchase
a new microwave
a new coffee maker
and THIS

(can you hear the chorus of angels singing??!!)
It's a TOASTER!
Not a toaster oven, but a REAL HONEST TO GOODNESS TOASTER.
and
it's
RED!!!!!
We've never owned a REAL HONEST TO GOODNESS TOASTER.
Well, let me tell you, we've become toasting fools!
We've been toasting up a storm.
I even went to the store to purchase things specifically
for toasting - like bread!!
"Dylan would you like a bagel....in the toaster??"
"How about some toast? How about some MORE toast?"
"How about some raisin bread - toasted??"
"Eggos anyone?"
"A glass of water, sure? May I toast that for you?"

This has got to be the best thing we've ever purchased!!!!
AND
IT'S
RED!!

3 Days

I've been home sick for
THREE DAYS!
I miss work.
Going back today - finally.
I really like my job :-)

I'm sick.

'nuf said.