The Kids On My "Frig"

                                Emma and Abby   
                   My brother Carl's granddaughters

                                                                       Miles
                                     My brother John's grandson

                                Callie and Booker, Kobe and Kash
             My nephew, Al and JoLynn's children
                          and the family pets

                                                       Miles, once more.

                                 Evan and Elliott 
                      My cousin Ron's grandsons                

About Adele

I'm a very poor judge of singing voices!

A day or two before Adele won all those Grammy Awards, I heard her on the radio at work.  She was singing "Someone Like You."  I turned to my coworker, Angela, and said "whoever is singing that song doesn't have a very good voice."  Angela told me the singer's name, Adele.

Shortly thereafter, I watched the Grammy's.  You know the rest of the story!

I slid down in my chair in front of the TV, feeling like that animal pictured above.

Me and Major Peters

I first met Major Peters during our vacation in Florida in December.  I met him in the refrigerator.  He was sitting on the bottom shelf in the door.  I took him out and fell in love with him shortly thereafter.  I spent time with him every day of our two-week vacation.

I'm back home now.  Although I'm a happily married woman, I don't think I'll ever be able to live without him.  That's because my Major Peters is hot and spicy!

Okay, okay, enough already!  It's time to come clean.  Major Peters is a bloody Mary mix.  With a glass of this mix and a shot of vodka, I'm good to go anywhere and do anything, except drive.  After work, instead of enjoying a glass of wine, I fix myself my new favorite drink. 

Making meals when I get home is a whole different experience.  I actually ENJOY being in the kitchen!!  I'm getting adventurous, trying new recipes and resurrecting the old.  My husband and son don't know what to make of me lately.  Sure I stagger a bit when I bring food to the table, but the meals are absolutely fabulous.  Just ask me and I'll tell you. :)

Just so you know, Major Peters Bloody Mary Mix is available in three varieties:  Original, Hot & Spicy and The Works.  I've moved on from the Hot & Spicy to The Works.  It's officially my current favorite.  I love it because it packs a punch with every sip and swallow.  I'm buying it by the gallon!

Of course, the name Major Peters on the label assures me that we're destined to be together.

P.S.  If you liked this, scroll down for more about silly Shaddy.  If you weren't at all impressed, never mind.

In the Kitchen with Shaddy

I've been in the cooking mode lately.  After reading my friend, Sarie's, oatmeal cookie recipe on her blog, I vowed to make some myself.

I picked up these ingredients at the grocery store this afternoon.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Firstly, I got the wrong brown sugar.  I shouldn't have bought this bag of light brown sugar.  Secondly, I almost put a bag of bread flour in my cart instead of the all purpose flour.  Thirdly, I had to be careful to get the old fashioned rolled oats rather than the several other types available.  Lastly, I hesitated in deciding which baking powder to buy.  The Clabber Girl brand was double action.  I took the leap and put it in my cart, opting to live on the wild side and to risk that my cookies might explode.        

  

I needed a drink after my stressful stop at the grocery store.  I had all the ingredients in the house for a Bloody Mary.  That's right.  I've been enjoying a daily drink but no cookie baking lately. 



After a slug of my cocktail for courage, I started to make oatmeal cookies.  First, I mixed a few of the dry ingredients in a small bowl according to the recipe.    



Here are the butter and the brown and white sugar.  I was told to mix them together but the room temperature butter wouldn't cooperate.  I guess that's because I've turned the thermostat down to conserve on energy.  :)  Room temperature in my kitchen is 63 degrees!  I put the bowl in the microwave, thinking that a few seconds would soften the butter and make the mixing easier.  

Yikes!

Sparks flew!

Oops!  My mixing bowl sports a gold decorative design that's allergic to microwaves.  I switched gears and put the bowl in the oven instead.  

In no time, I had a wonderful mixture of butter and sugar.  Phew, that was an adventure!

Thank God for some vodka to help me cope.  :)

I added eggs, vanilla and the small bowl of ingredients I showed you above to the butter and sugar.  The oatmeal and flour completed the cookie mixture.  It's kind of an ugly mess at this point, but I had high hopes.

I'm surprised the cookies didn't slide off the cookie sheet.  Aren't you?  Maybe I shouldn't have had the drink after all!?

Now do you see why I think I should have used darker brown sugar?  These cookies are slightly on the pale side, but then we're all a little pasty at this time of the year, aren't we!

Here's the finished product, hanging out on a cooling rack.  Aren't they cute?  I left these in the oven longer so they've got better color.  (That reminds me.  I need to get to the tanspa). 

After supper this evening, Lon, Jared and I put away several of these oatmeal cookies with milk for dessert.  You know what?  We liked them.  We liked them a lot, just exactly the way they were.

THE END

Me and Major Peters

I first met Major Peters during our vacation in Florida in December.  You're going to think I've been drinking when I tell you that I met him in the refrigerator.  He was sitting on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator door.  

I took him out and fell in love with him shortly thereafter.  I spent  time with him every day of my vacation.  I'm home now.  Although I'm a married woman, I don't think I'll ever be able to live for long without him!  

You see, Major Peters is hot and spicy.

Okay, okay, enough already!!  It's time to get real.  Major Peters Bloody Mary Mix is hot and spicy.  With a shot of vodka, I'm good, .    

After work, instead of a glass of wine, I'm relaxing with a bloody mary.  Making supper is a whole different experience now.  I actually LIKE being in the kitchen.  I'm getting adventurous, trying new recipes and reviving the old.  My husband and son don't know what to make of me anymore.  Sure I stagger a bit when I'm putting food on the table but the meals are absolutely fabulous.  Just ask me and I'll tell you. 

Just so you know, Major Peters mix is available in three varieties:  Original, Hot & Spicy and The Works.  I've graduated to The Works.  It's officially my favorite.  It packs a "major" punch with every swallow.  

(Why wouldn't I be taken in by the familiar name on the label?) 

Oatmeal Cookies Coming Right Up

I'm going to make cookies this afternoon.  My wonderful friend, Sarie, posted an oatmeal cookie recipe on her blog yesterday.  After work this morning and a workout in the early afternoon, I'll stop at the grocery store for the ingredients.

Making cookies will brighten this dreary day and bring smiles to Lon and Jared's faces when they come into the house after their work day.

(I took the above photo at The Grand Balsam's Resort in northern New Hampshire in autumn of 2009). 

Flavored Coffee Anyone?

Do you drink flavored coffee?  If you brew your own, I'd love to know the brand and flavors you enjoy.

Lon and I are stuck on Cameron's Razzberries & Cream, Cameron's Southern Toasted Pecan and Cameron's Chocolate Covered Cherries flavors.

I love all of them but I'd like to try something new.  

I hope your week is filled with a splendid balance of work and play, that is, a little work and a whole lot of play!

(The photo was taken on Lake Vermilion, Minnesota).

The Only Shovel I Need

I know. I know.  You think I should put this away.  Christmas is long gone, but listen up.   There is a good reason for keeping this lightweight, decorative shovel near the door. 
Our winter has been very, very mild.  I'd be exaggerating if I told you this is the ONLY equipment I've needed to clear the snow we've had all season.  Although, I wouldn't be too far from the truth.    

I'm very thankful for the lack of snow this year.  I'd much rather push this little fellow than try to control the monster snow blower that hangs out in our shed.



  

 

Smile

An unexpected smile is heart-warming.

Let's give out lots of them, unexpectedly.

What Has Made You Smile Today?

              
                        This did it for me this morning.

God Morgen. Feest e Daag.



I bought this mug at Epcot.

The backside of the mug taught me how to say "Good Morning" in Norwegian.


I'm half Norwegian.  My grandfather, Tom, a full-blooded Norwegian, loved his whiskey.  He'd say "Feest e daag (first one today)" as he took his first swig of the day.  That works for my first morning sip of coffee too.

So if you see me tip my coffee mug and hear me say, "God Morgen!  Feest e daag," you'll know exactly what I'm saying.

(I'm guessing at the spelling of "first one today" in Norwegian).

  

Ready or Not, February Is Here

2/1/12.  Two, one, one, two sounds like a dance step to me.  Grab your partner, round we go, doecy, doecy, doecy doe.  Roll out the barrel...we'll have a barrel of fun...

Sorry, I got off track.  I flipped the calendar page late yesterday and this is what I got.  Excuse the photo angle; shooting straight on I got a big gold blotch from the flash.  Oh, yeah, there's Valentine's Day, I can dig that!

Regarding the quote, I'm all for it except for the swim in the sea.

I shouldn't but I bet I'll wish February away, longing for March and another vacation on Siesta Key.

What's on your February calendar?