The Drink

Around 4:30 today I found myself saying "I could really use a drink!"...then I thought, wow, "I could really use a SHOT of something". Needless to say, no shot, but I do have a nice cold drink in hand while typing up my blog with my kitty cat blocking the computer.

It was an interesting day ...big meeting with what I've coined "The Big Boss" (ie - my boss' boss). My Boss wasn't there, so it was just me and the Big Boss. The meeting went well, but I was a wreck.

After it was over, I got kudos and compliments. I sat back down at my desk and thought about that drink. I left early so I could get home and clear my mind. Yes, I left early so I could get a drink. At least I'm not like Don Draper from Mad Men, and have one stashed in my desk drawer.

Thank god for Absolut Boston. It is Mmmmm, Mmmmm, good! It's a limited edition, so for today, I said hello to it, but I also said goodbye, it was the last pour of the bottle. BUT, good thing I have a back up bottle waiting for another day! Helllloooo!!!

Timing is Everything and a Little Bit of Luck

My FH and I were commenting on how lucky we were today - the weather was perfect for our engagement photo's. Here's a sneak peek...

We set this date about 3 weeks ago. Since then, we've seen a hurricane and a tornado on the East Coast. Lucky us we picked this 75* perfectly sunny day to do our Save the Date/Engagement photo's.

Of course then we went back to how we met...a mutual friends birthday party - I almost didn't go, he stopped by on his way to another party (he never made it). What would have happened if we turned left instead of right? We probably would never have met.

We got engaged and found our site by chance, and they just happen to have our desirable date available. It was the ONLY date available in May. We are lucky to have found it. The site is gorgeous, the Wedding Coordinator caring, funny, and knowledgeable. What if we had waited a few weeks to look at the site? We probably wouldn't have found it and had to go somewhere else. Timing is everything.

The Southern Part of the USA

I recently found myself in downtown Nashville...home of the Grand Ole Opry. I guess Nashville can be called "Music City".  If you know me at all, you will know I am not a Country Girl...

Although I don't look too bad in my country hat and studded purse. It's purple afterall! Both items stayed in the store, although I was tempted to get a real pair of authentic cowboy boots!

I'm also not a fan of country music, but then of course I do like some Shania Twain and Taylor Swift. Apparently she will do autographs for HOURS and not complain. At the store where this was taken, they had TONS of Opry tshirts, shot glasses, toys, the list goes on and on. AND a huge video screen with the latest singer du jour in Music City...and yes, I kind of liked it. My sister would have the look of "WHAT, YOU'RE kidding right?" look, but it really wasn't that bad. Apparently it was Keith Urban, and NOT Elvis...Although I did have a sighting of him..

The south is kind of nice to visit. They move at a slower, but nice pace. No hustle and bustle. Just a bunch of people doing it the southern way..full of kindness and twang. 

Game Day!

I currently have the Monday Night Football Theme in my head. And John Madden's voice too. Although he really doesn't have anything truly meaningful to say, football season hasn't really started until I hear the theme and Madden streaming through my TV.

For most of us, today is opening day. Fantasy Football teams have been picked. Bragging rights instituted, and the smack talk has already begun. It's a good excuse to have people over, meet at bars, dig out your jersey's, and put your flags up on your car.

I grew up watching football. It was the time we spent with dad on Sunday. I may not have understood the game back then, but I clearly remember picking teams because I thought their uniforms were pretty colors. Minnesota for their purple (my favorite color), and the Houston Oilers for their light blue. Now they are the TN Titans. Times change, but the game is the game.

I was a San Francisco 49er fan for most of my life. Joe Montana was the man. "Montana to RICE!!'.
Now it's "BRADY to MOSS!!!" Will Brett Favre retire, will he not. How can anyone even sign Michael Vick? All the drama surrounding the GAME.

But for today, I say hello to Week 1, and goodbye to the drama. May your fantasy football team win big, and just let the games begin!

The three B's!

I've learned a lot from my parents. But one of the THE most important thing I learned in life was how to cook. I'll never be as good as my dad, but sometimes I try. The one thing I do preach to all my friends about cooking are the THREE B's.

The secret ingredients to almost any recipe are:

 

1. Butter
2. Bacon
3. Booze

Repeat!

If you can name something that doesn't taste good with one of these ingredients, BRING IT ON!

You may not like one or all, but then I'm certain I don't know who you are either!

The hit recipe I made over the weekend while hanging with some good friends:

Slow cook bacon with onions. Caramelize the onions.
In a separate pot, par boil the string beans (1/2 cook them).

Crank up the heat to almost high on the bacon and onions.
Add the string beans, and butter.

Saute until done, and serve it up.

Mmmmmmm, Mmmmmm good.

Experiment with the 3 B's and let me know how you do!

Postcards

I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately...wondering what the next blog should be about, and it seems as if at just the right time, my inspiration comes friends.

Today, I received a "Hello" postcard in the mail from my friend that is living in England. She travels EVERYWHERE from there. For fun, and for work. This just arrived in the mail today:

Doesn't it look LOVELY? I don't know about you, but I love getting mail. And I don't mean email, or voicemail, but good old fashioned snail mail.

I know that she selected this particular postcard with me in mind, and she takes the time to write out a long message to me, signing off with her "XOXO Miss you!" I know this because I have traveled in Europe with her, and she is one of the very few people I know who is like me when it comes to postcards.

I love to send postcards too. Not to say "ha ha, look where I am", but because I want to share my experiences with those I care about. I want them to know I was thinking about them, and for them to see how beautiful the place and the people are wherever I am. I hope to inspire them to travel there, or to revisit the magical location if they have already been there. 

Thanks to my friend(s), my "MUST VISIT BEFORE I DIE" list keeps getting longer.

So, when you go somewhere, take the time to send a postcard to the ones you miss and love.  I know I will appreciate the gesture, and I'm sure others will too!

the Grid and the Smartphone

What exactly is the GRID. I read a book once where the main character went off the grid. No credit cards, no trace of the guy at all. No cell phone!

In the last 5 years or so, we've all become accustomed to our smart phones. We're connected to...cyberspace. My FH will instant message me when I'm in the other room...I never get it because he's more connected to his BBerry than I am.

At first I refused to get a smartphone, now I can't really go anywhere without it. I went on a 2 week vacation to Europe last year, and updated photos to facebook every day. I couldn't wait to post them and read comments. They helped me to stay "connected" to my friends and family.

Tomorrow I leave on a nice 4 day vacation, hopefully away from the Hurricane (Earl) and my Smartphone. I see my friends are still connected, and currently have a love hate relationship with my Smartphone(s). Yes, I have 2. One for work and one for personal. Oh, and an itouch too!

Yesterday's conversation went something like this:

ME: "do you remember if we get service?"
FH: "no"
Me: "hmmmm"
FH: - no comment

Which is funny since I think his phone would grow into his hip if it could.

So, I'm wondering if I will be off the grid for the next 4 days and not get any service. It would be nice, but then you wouldn't get to see sunset's like this until Tuesday:

photo credit Deanna Briggs who is already there

Until tomorrow then, or until Tuesday....

The Wave and a Smile

Where I'm from, you let a driver cut in front of you, you are returned with kindness, by the gesture of a wave and a smile.

Where I live now, I might get 1-2 waves for every 10 acts of kindness.  Maybe. On a good day. What happened to the wave? Did it say goodbye and I didn't know it?

When stopping near a crosswalk, I hope to get a wave from the pedestrian. I know what you are thinking; I'm supposed to stop. I'm pretty religious at stopping at a crosswalk for a pedestrian. But a nice wave is a nice gesture. 

I always wave. I was in a cross walk tonight, and someone stopped, and I waved AND smiled. I got a nod in return. Can't complain about that.

I pull over on the side roads if a car is coming right at me. I never get a wave or a smile.  I sigh, become the better person and wave anyways even though I'm the one with the nice gesture. 

Driving to work, I always try to let at least one or two people in. About 10% of the time I'll get a wave. 5% of the time I might be lucky enough to get a wave and a smile. Whoo hoo!

And that brings me to the work parking lot. I work in a building that holds anywhere from 2000-5000 people on any given day. At 5pm sharp, it's like Fred Flintstone time! The whistle goes off, and it is a gridlock to get out of the parking lot. One would think there existed an unspoken common courtesy to your fellow coworkers in regards to parking lot etiquette. Every other car should go, even from 3 directions. Ummm, yea, it's every car for themselves. East Coast mentality at it's finest.

So, remember to give a wave and a smile to that nice driver who stops for you in the crosswalk, or let's you cut in front of them. I appreciate the wave, and I always smile and wave back!