NeetsBeat

2011-02-23 Chocolate Cake Pops

2011-02-23T20:52:00.001-05:00

Weeeeeellllll....I said I would try to do something in chocolate that I've never tried before, and I'm not sure I'm going to repeat this one, but it was interesting to try!

For February's cooking challenge, the theme was to make something unusual or different from anything you've ever made with chocolate. So, I decided to make Cake Pops.

Cake Pops have largely been made "famous" by a cooking blogger and writer called Bakerella. If you go to her site and compare my efforts with her masterpieces, you may slightly pee while laughing at my Pops. So maybe you should take a bathroom break, and come back to me....OK, ready now?

Good. I don't want to be blamed for you ruining your undies.

So, first, I made the balls. Balls are made by baking a chocolate cake and crumbling it into a bowl. You mix the crumbed cake with a can of cream cheese frosting. Using a melon-baller or cookie scoop, make -- oh, I don't know -- about 50 balls.

But you cannot eat these balls yet. Because they're naked. And no one likes naked balls. First you must freeze them for several hours (or over night) to get your balls firm. (Yes, I am enjoying all the ball double-entendres!) PS, I decided to keep about half the balls frozen to be candied at another time.

Now after several hours you have firm, frozen balls. Melt some "candy melts" in your color of choice. I chose red, because we all know that, universally speaking, red is the best color. I dipped them and rolled them around in the bowl using a spoon to facilitate the smothering process. I stuck a stick in each one. It was messy, but I lined them all up in a row on wax paper.

I wrapped up my little red balls and brought them to a get-together, where they were gobbled up.

My Pops don't look perfect, but they tasted good.

Out of 5, I give it 4 for taste and 5 for degree of difficulty. Dipping your balls is the hardest part...

Oh, I give up! I don't have any other ball jokes! Except this: Make and eat these Balls!

2011-02-11 Chocolate Weekend

2011-02-11T12:32:00.000-05:00

I've got a big weekend of chocolate cooking coming up...this month's theme is to do something new with chocolate. I've several ideas floating around...I've never made mousse or souffle, or actual candy. I'm also thinking of doing something which requires piped chocolate, too. I'm going to narrow it down today, and run out for supplies this weekend. I know I'm going to buy a set of piping tips, for sure, and I might take a run at something I can make and hand out at a meeting I have on Tuesday. We'll see.

In other cooking news, a friend of mine had a catering company that she is shutting down, and she had a liquidation sale, so I toddled down there last weekend and got myself some new "presentation dishes." Pretty, eh?

I'm looking forward to displaying my wares pretty soon, but for now, the challenge is making room in storage for these new plates. Booooo.

This weekend is also going to be a "theah-tah" weekend. I'll be seeing West Side Story on Sunday night, with a few friends. A do love a musical! Can't wait for the fun to begin! C'mon, 5 o'clock!

2011-01-28 February's Flava'

2011-01-29T00:22:00.000-05:00

In the 2nd of this year's 12 blog specials, the theme is "Do Something You've Never Done...with Chocolate!" So I, and my friends Maria and Supergoodnumberone are going to venture into new chocolate territory.

The rule is not to make anything you've ever made with chocolate...no brownies or cookies or cakes, unless you've never attempted the like before.

I'm thinking of a couple of options, but right now the front runner is a chocolate souffle. I'm kind of panicked about the possibility of it falling. I'm also kind of interested in chocolate drinks.

Let's see how it goes in February! Stay tuned.

2011-01-27 Eggplant-o-rama!

2011-01-27T18:20:00.002-05:00

This month's food adventure starts with Eggplant! I wanted to pick something I haven't worked with much to see how I would best introduce it into my normal eating routine.

It took me a while to find something I would eat. Most eggplant recipes seem to be Eggplant Parmesan, Eggplant Lasagna or Fried Eggplant. I finally found something I wanted to make!

Grilled Eggplant Salad

The star of this show is grilled eggplant...

Followed by grilled red peppers, baked garlic cloves, tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, kalamata olives, salt, pepper and fresh basil and oregano. Mix it all together and you've got a tasty salad with very little fuss.

Just don't forget when broiling the eggplant in the broiler that you should probably NOT burn the eggplant. Good think I had a backup. Always have a backup.

Here are my friends' Eggplant dishes for January 2011.

Maria makes Eggplant Empanadas, not just once, but twice...and...

Supergoodnumberone makes a bangin' Baingan Bartha.

2011-01-27 Blogging Break and Re-Start

2011-01-27T11:12:00.000-05:00

I took a few weeks off from blogging after the hard-core photo-a-day project in 2010. I've been very happy to just think my thoughts to myself and not capture them in photo or text form!

But for 2011, I'd like to have something driving me to the occasional blog, so my friends and I are going to be doing some cooking and blogging. We're going to pick an ingredient or theme and cook the item and blog about it.

January's theme is eggplant. We're each going to make something fun with eggplant...

I'll have mine uploaded this evening and will tag both my buds so you can see what they did, too.

2010-12-31 A Melty New Year

2011-01-06T00:44:00.001-05:00

A Melty New Year
Originally uploaded by NeetsBeat

Sometimes my friends are very smart. You'll see why...

I usually spend NYE with a specific group of friends, but this year, they were taking their newly widowed Mother away for New Year's and I thought perhaps I'd just do nothing but watch Dick Clark slowly break down as Ryan Seacrest continues to take his job.

But then one of my friends called and said her husband will be out of town, and wondered if I would like to go to the Melting Pot with her and another friend.

See...she's extremely intelligent. That was the smartest thing I'd ever heard of.

We had a blast...stuffed ourselves with cheese and boiled a half-dozen meats and dipped them in sauce.

Then I took everything on this place and dumped it into a pot of melted chocolate.

Followed that with a champagne toast, and I gotta be honest, it was awesome. I made it home in time to get int my jammies and whisper Happy New Year to myself as I got in bed.

And just like that, 2010 was over....I almost forgot to take off my party hat.

2010-12-30 The Shame

2011-01-06T00:34:00.001-05:00

The Shame
Originally uploaded by NeetsBeat

I'm showing you my darkest home-related secret. My office.

Over the last year, I have piled my office high with the crap I don't know what to do with, or don't want to throw away. It's gotten to the point where I can't really work in it, and it's making me crazy.

So, it's one day from a brand new year...guess what my resolution is?

You got it.

Pray that this time next year, this picture will be very different.

2010-12-29 Good Friends Bring Pie

2011-01-06T00:30:00.001-05:00

Pies
Originally uploaded by NeetsBeat

Had a late Christmas with my friends and their kids...my job was to bring dessert, so I brought a couple of pies to the party, aaaaand my offerings were accepted. Hoorah!

We had a great spaghetti dinner and topped it off with a choice of peanut butter or key line pies from Perkins.

Really. If all else in life fails when you're responsible for dessert, but there is Perkins nearby, then all is not lost.

We enjoyed our evening and it was great spending the time with pals. And pie.

2010-12-28 Slow Cooking

2011-01-06T00:26:00.001-05:00

Pot Roast
Originally uploaded by NeetsBeat

I received a Slow Cooker for my birthday and I've just been having a whale of time deciding what to christen it with. I finally settled on a Pot Roast.

It doesn't look that great in the pic but it was pretty tasty. I could tweak it a little for flavor next time.

2010-12-27 Gym Rat

2011-01-06T00:23:00.001-05:00

IMG_2923
Originally uploaded by NeetsBeat

Like many people I know, I will be making a more concerted effort to exercise in 2011. My first goal is to unlock the Gym Rat foursquare badge! LOL!

But seriously, I've been trying to get into the gym over the last month and only made it once or twice a week in December. Not a great record. But I've got to make my move now while I still have some waning interest in spending my evenings at the gym.

The sneakers are out and ready. I'll go tomorrow.

2011-01-01 Lessons Learned

2011-01-01T10:02:00.016-05:00

It's taken me a while this year to absorb the huge step of having finished the 365 Project.

Last year on Dec 31st, I ran across an article about someone who had the idea to take a picture every day during the year, and some kind of light switch went off for me. I desperately wanted to do it, too. So, I did. And the first half of the year came pretty easy. I took a photography class and it helped focus my energy on my pictures. I took little road trips so I could take pictures. And the pictures were plentiful.

But sometime along the mid-way point, the "stuff" to photograph became harder to conceive of, and the project started to feel like a chore. I took another photography class, which re-energized me but I began to stumble again after it was over.

I made it all through the year...365 photos, 1 photo per day. What did it mean? Well, I think what I've learned is this...

-I'm proud of the accomplishment. I'm not sure I've ever actually completed a New Year's resolution, and this was definitely the first time I can recall ever completing a resolution. I don't think I've ever done something so consistently, and I do feel like it reaffirmed my ability to accomplish a task if I really want to.
-I do a lot more than I think I do. Looking at many of my photos, I saw tons of days filled with events, parties, festivals, family get-togethers and more. I thought I led a fairly quiet life, but a lot happened in 2010!
-My photography quality is directly related to how much time I want to put into it. All my best photos are ones where I have the time to think clearly about the subject. Sometimes I have been in places where I am just too embarrassed to haul out my big camera and take a photo. But it's worth my while if I want a really good picture.

The next project for the year is coming up. I am excited to get started but, be aware, the stress levels on this next project will be low. I've got a lot of stuff on tap this year....let's get to it!

BEST OF THE 365 PROJECT

2010-12-26 Christmas Redux

2010-12-26T21:01:00.000-05:00

Today, we get to get the whole family together, except a few members who are out of town. We've planned a lovely brunch...

...and a few hours of opening gifts and hanging out.

The gifts were fun...and the family was funner! Here's my mom, my brother and my nephew.

My sister got some yoga stuff...

My dad and brother-in-law watch others open gifts...

My niece gets a cuban coffee maker with cups and all the fixin's...she's going off to college and needs the caffeine!

And of course, my brother received the traditional Christmas harpoon...what? Yes, it's a harpoon.

Well, it was a great day!

2010-12-25 Sorta' Cuban Christmas

2010-12-25T23:27:00.001-05:00

Christmas is here, and I have arisen from my designated sofabed to prepare for our Christmas lunch. We ordered a paella which is to be reheated slowly this morning while my parents hie themselves off to church. Paella is not a traditional Christmas dish, but it is a traditional Cuban one, so we started off the day in Cuban style.

I mixed up a Christmas punch of cranberry/pom juice and vodka, and my dad made a little concoction of rum and fruit juices. We'll need the alcohol.

We sat and had our lunch and it was a lovely day, but the smallest Christmas gathering I can remember in years. My sister and her husband awoke for the first Christmas with "empty house syndrome," having just married off their youngest in July. But we made a day of it and watched old movies on TV.

Of course, paella is not a super-filling meal, so we called over to the local Cuban restaurant to see if they were open. Score! They were...only the take-out window was open, but the full menu available. Now we can end the day Cuban-style, too.

And we weren't the only ones who had this idea, because right after we arrived, about 7 other parties made their way up to the window.

I had a Cuban sandwich, 2 croquettes and some chicharrones ("real" pork rinds). My brother had the same, except he had Papa Rellena (mashed potato stuffed with picadillo and fried). Oh my tummy was happy.

And, with a rotund belly, I fell back into my sofabed after watching "White Christmas" for the thousandth time.

2010-12-24 O Pippin Tree

2010-12-24T22:40:00.000-05:00

Mmmmm, Pippin likes the smell of a fresh Christmas tree. He's been sniffing it for a while, but poking himself in the nose when he gets too close!

I've arrived at my parents' place and I'm getting settled in for about 3 days of ups and downs. I'm sure everyone has certain moments during Christmas that they wish could pass them by...moments that you have to endure because of family or friends or because of memories or whatever. I am one of those people. I am incredibly merry on the way to Christmas, but getting through the actual holiday is only what I can call a "mixed bag" of great and not-so-great times. Eventually, I find myself happy to be headed home.

For now, the plans are to have a small Christmas lunch for those of us family who are in town. We're having a lovely paella, which I'm looking forward to. Then on the 26th, another portion of family comes into town and we do a gift exchange. Now that there are no little kids left, this tradition is a fun time for me, and I enjoy this most of all. Not for the gifts, but for the joking and relaxed atmosphere.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

2010-12-23 More Baking...with Varied Results

2010-12-23T22:31:00.000-05:00

OK, today has been a mixed bag on the baking front....

The peanut butter cookies? Whoops, forgot to set the timer. Hm. Not so good.

The maple walnut tarts? No picture, but let's just say tasty, but a bit crumbly.

OK, but the chocolate-covered pretzels are a success! Definitely making these again sometime.

I've got peanut butter chunk, peppermint, white chocolate drizzle and walnut crusted. Oh, yeah!

The last thing I have to make is the peppermint bark, which I will now make at my parents' house, and the cinnamon bread for Christmas brunch.

YAY, baking! Oh! I'd better get packing, too.

2010-12-22 Baking Begins

2010-12-22T21:57:00.001-05:00

My Christmas baking jag has begun. I have plans over the next couple of days to make all the tasty goodies of the season. This year it's cookies and candies, starting off with the good old chocolate chip.

OK, success! Now, I only have to make 4 more varieties of cookies and I'll be done. No problem!

2010-12-21 A Christmas Carol

2010-12-21T21:54:00.000-05:00

I've got tickets for the theatre with a friend tonight. We're going to see A Christmas Carol.

What a lovely show! Great costumes and a really nice set of songs. Again, these little holiday events just make me feel Christmassy and I have to admit, I also like getting dressed up and going out during the holidays. At this point, I think I like the Christmas build-up more than the actual day!

2010-12-20 Lunar Eclipse

2010-12-20T21:47:00.002-05:00

Tonight (or technically tomorrow) is a lunar eclipse, the likes of which humans shall not see for many generations, apparently. So I have decided to stay up to watch. I now see that my camera is truly unable to capture the light from so far away at night.

You can see there's a slight indent showing the first effects of the eclipse. The height of the eclipse was around 3am, so I stayed up and watched it, popping out every half hour or so to see what was going on. Eventually, a reddish hue passed over the moon and finally, it looked like someone had just attached a dimmer switch to the light of the moon and a moon shape laid in the sky. Neat!

I'm glad I stayed up but sorry I couldn't capture the event. Oh well, Google it if you want the real, professional pics.

2010-12-19 Not Long to Go

2010-12-19T21:38:00.001-05:00

My friend invited me to a Christmas concert and dinner. We ate at a lovely place that had an amazing deal. 2 people eat for $41, including soup or salad, two entrees, a dessert and a bottle of wine. Not too shabby. We loved it!

On the table were champagne glasses touting their New Year's Even Prix Fixe menu. That reminds me...only 12 days to go until this 365 Photos Project is done! Honestly, I will be happy when it's done. I've learned at lot but it's a struggle to have something to shoot every day (as the general banality of this blog can attest to). But in the next few days, I'll really be thinking about what this project has meant to me, and hopefully I can summarize everything at the end.

The concert was great by the way. Christmas spirit is in full swing!

2010-12-18 Christmas Babies

2010-12-18T21:31:00.002-05:00

In the past few years, I've met quite a few people whose birthdays are worse off than mine...they are actually on or around Christmas day. My friend JS is one of those...but we're having a party for her a bit early, by doing some bowling!

The local bowling place gives the birthday boy or girl a pin, which the attendees can sign. Isn't it cute?

We ate a butt-load of barbeque and cupcakes, and then made our way, in rented shoes, to the lanes. I can be a pretty sorry bowler and I think I've only ever broken 100 once. I have a wicked hook...no matter what I do, my balls go straight down the center and then near the end, they veer off to the right.

Oh, well, I was in pretty good company, and even though I was sure that just one more beer would help bring up my average, I ended up in the bottom half of the pack. We adjourned to a nice cigar bar for a while and then, reeking of smoke, I made my way to bed. This is the first weekend of my vacation! YAY!

2010-12-17 Palm Christmas Trees

2010-12-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

As I previously have mentioned, some people like to incorporate the concept of Florida Christmas into their decorations. Many many palm trees are strung with lights throughout the holidays. And though this picture was taken with my crap phone camera, it's another way to see Floridians enjoying the spirit of the season.

2010-12-16 O Christmas Tree

2010-12-16T21:22:00.000-05:00

As I draw up to the front of the store, I can smell the pine scent permeating the air. Dozens of beautiful and varied Christmas trees line the entry way, and I must say, the sight and the smell are making my Christmas bright.

I have decided not to put up my tree this year. I know, I know. It's kind of lame, but I have a fake tree and I hate putting it together. This year after the holidays I'm plumping for a pre-lit tree which I will surely find on sale for 70% off! Fingers crossed.

So next year, I will certainly not be lame. A tree shall be had!

2010-12-15 New Job Celebrations

2010-12-15T21:16:00.000-05:00

My friend (on the right) got a new job!

You may recall from last week, we were doing some interview clothes shopping. Well, the job came through so we're toasting her re-entry to the world of work this evening.

It's so good to heard good news...

2010-12-14 Holiday Party

2010-12-14T21:13:00.001-05:00

Mmmmmm, parties. Food, drink, friends, chit-chat, new top, extra time on my hair, application of eye shadow...it's a good time all-around.

We had our Junior League party tonight at a local Italian place. Yum! It was soooo tasty. We announced our slate of officer for the coming year, of which I will be a member, and we generally had a good ol' time.

In my to-do list for 2011 is to go back to that restaurant for a real meal!

2010-12-13 Warm Atmosphere

2010-12-13T21:12:00.000-05:00

Walking through the Bell Tower Mall in my warm track suit and sneakers, I came across a restaurant rocking these awesome space heaters.

Not only are they functional -- so functional that I keep making excuses to walk by this restaurant -- but they're cool looking. They're kicking out thousands of BTUs of warmth for the patrons who wish to sit outside but do NOT wish to freeze their patooties off.

I'm staying warm by walking from store to store. Hm. Not as fun.

2010-12-12 Pippy Pillows

2010-12-12T20:57:00.000-05:00

I bought new pillows! Hurrah!

Pippin discovered the pillows! Doggy hurrah!

I put them on the couch while I washed the sheets and he immediately buried himself between the pillows and the couch...until I came over and disturbed him, that is.

I made a terrible mistake with Pippin, you see. Pippin grew up using a crate, which is great. He loves going in there to sleep or to feel safe. I used to buy those fleece pads for the bottom of the crate, but annoyingly Pippin would often get into a playful mood and pull his sleeping pad out of the crate and bring it to me to play tug-of-war with.

So one day, when his pad got manky enough to replace, I decided I would take an old pillow, which I was about to throw out, and cover it with a cheap pillowcase and use it for his bed. It was literally the exact size of the inside of the crate. Well, he loved it. And it was a little too big for him to haul out of the crate, so it stayed firmly in its place.

However, dogs are smart animals. Once he started sleeping on a old pillow that smelled like me, he thought, in his doggy brain, 'All pillows must be my bed.' And so a battle has begun. When he sees the couch pillow, he lays on it. When he sees my large body pillow, he lays on it. And infuriatingly he occasionally tries to lay on the pillow I use for my head. Arrrgh! Everytime I see him on it, I tell him to get off. It makes me furious, but then again, I created this monster. I thought I was saving some money, and now I've got a pillow-loving doggy.

Oy.

2010-12-11 Lunch with Jen

2010-12-11T20:51:00.000-05:00

What a lovely day! I went down to Naples and met my friend Jen and her daughter Carly for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.

We had a super-buffet of appetizers and exchanged Christmas gifts while we ate and watched Carly play. It was one of those days where the sun was fully warming up a slightly cool day. Perfect weather for sitting on the patio. And the best part was only one other group was out there so we could just lounge around talking for as long as we wanted.

Carly enjoyed her fries and cheesecake!

We both left cheered by the holidays and a great couple of hours with a friend!

2010-12-10 Sweet Herb

2010-12-10T20:35:00.001-05:00

I'm loving the way the grocery store displays these beautiful herbs...

I'm getting into that holiday mood where I like to cook and want to make things I've never made. I've always wanted to grow herbs but my yard is just not conducive to the idea. I've only got space in full broiling sun or complete darkness and shade. No spaces with nice access to morning sun...there are just too many large trees on the property.

But I've always thought it would be amazing just just open the kitchen door to a small garden of herbs and select vegetables, but alas, it's not to be. I will be among the hordes at the grocery buying stalks of basil and rosemary for one dish, just to throw the rest of the package away. For this reason, I always cringe when the recipe calls for fresh herbs. I do hate to waste them.

Ah well, maybe I'll be a gardener at my next home.

On a sad note, today my friend's sister-in-law, whom I also knew well, died after a protracted battle with cancer. She was a beautiful lady, undeserving of her fate, and I hope she is now resting comfortably in eternal bliss. Godspeed to O.

2010-12-09 Florida Christmas

2010-12-09T20:26:00.000-05:00

While we in Florida associated Christmas with the usual images associated with the cold -- sledding, snow, happy families wrapped up in coats and sweaters -- it is, of course, not our Christmas reality. Some years, like this one, are cold and windy, while others feel intensely tropical.

For years, my Christmas tree has been themed, "Florida Christmas." It includes ornaments associated with Florida...shells, Santa in swim trunks, and holiday flamingos! I love that some of my neighbors do their yard decorations to reflect this traditional Holiday in the Sun...

Holiday imagery is amazing...even we, in a tropical environment, buy decorations and ornaments fit for a completely different latitude, but it's what we're trained to think about when we think of Christmas time. Of course, the vast majority of the northern hemisphere does experience Christmas in this way. But I have long felt that Christmas in shorts is just as fun as Christmas in a turtleneck. Many have commented to me that it would not feel like Christmas if it wasn't cold. Well, I promise, Christmas feels like Christmas no matter where you are. It's all in what you're used to. : )

2010-12-08 Colored Taters

2010-12-08T00:14:00.000-05:00

Well, coming off my birthday week high, I'm doing some cooking. I had to snag these gorgeous multi-colored potatoes at the grocery store...

I tossed them with seasoning and olive oil and roasted them in the oven. They really are delicious and interestingly, the different colors have different textures. Try them!

2010-12-07 Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-12-07T00:09:00.002-05:00

Well, all I can say is...

Today's the big day -- the big 4-0!

Having an awesome and relaxed day. Did my usual of having lunch with friends at a local Mexican place that gives a free birthday meal...and they take a picture of you in a sombrero. Hm. Doesn't sound as exciting when I typed it in, but it's fun, I swear!

It's a work night, so no further partying was done, but I feel I've extended my birthday fun across the whole weekend. Now, I'm back to paying attention to work and Christmas.

However, I will say that as I leave my 30s, I'm feeling hopeful for a continued happy life. I'm not scared of the 40s. I'm planning on making 40 my bitch.

2010-12-06 Work Duds

2010-12-06T00:05:00.001-05:00

Helping my friend shop for clothes for a job interview...

She's wanted to work in particular organization for quite some time and now she's had a call for an interview so we're out looking for some work-style duds.

We've got just a little time, so we hit Kohl's and Ross and Dress Barn, just to keep the cost down. Found some cute options, so she should be all set to re-join to workforce!

2010-12-05 Having a Lie-In

2010-12-05T11:16:00.000-05:00

As the Brits say, I'm having a bit of a lie-in with my little munchkin...

We had a great night last night and today is all about spending Sunday in bed with a book and a little warm puppy.

I LOVE this time of year! Shopping is done...only a few days of work left in the year, so most projects are going to bed. Mmmmmmmm, me time!

2010-12-04 Party Night

2010-12-04T11:05:00.010-05:00

Had a great early birthday celebration with some friends at a lovely local restaurant. Oops, did someone mention shots of Patron?

Yowzer!

I had the most perfect buzz after my few drinks, and no hangover! We loved the dinner and cake and I had a super-nice time with my friends.

I had a smile on my face the whole night!

Of course, true to form for the year (as I mentioned in a previous post), we received a call in the middle of dinner that one of my friend's step-father finally succumbed to his months-long illness and died peacefully in his home. It had been expected for some time, and at this point there was just relief that it was over.

Despite the sad news, we enjoyed the evening, and I marked my 40th birthday amongst friends, even if it was not the huge blow-out I had planned.

2010-12-03 Fluffing Up the Holidays

2010-12-03T10:59:00.001-05:00

I went to have my brows done, and found our local brow pixie had fluffed up her digs for the holidays. Only the most glamorous stuff was on display!

It made me feel really festive. We made an appointment to do a Sugar Plum Fairy facial next time I come in.

I'm gonna hum some Christmas Carols, now...

2010-12-02 Abandoned

2010-12-02T10:49:00.001-05:00

I went to get some take-out sushi and drove by this old store that went out of business last year, but that sign is still glowing...

We only had one real heath food store in town. If you drive about 45 minutes you can go to Whole Foods, but if you need immediate access to anything in that arena, you're stuck. You used to be able to go to this fully healthy grocery store. Now, there are one or two small storefronts that sell oils and powders, but don't have a lot of the stuff I used to get at this place.

A lot of the regular groceries are doing better in adding organic lines to their shelves, but I think most of the things I like to buy from these places are the personal items, like toothpaste and cleaning products.

I find it kind of ironic that a store that used to be really into saving the planet now has its sign on 24 ours a day, just wasting energy.

2010-12-01 Compulsion

2010-12-01T10:42:00.001-05:00

OK, now I think the shopping is becoming compulsive. I just walked into Old Tyme Pottery today "just to see what they have." I mean, I didn't even need anything, but I fear that the thought of a bargain that I haven't taken advantage of seems to haunt my brain. Pretty colors pull me down aisles I don't even need to go down. Who needs this crap? Oh, no, I don't have a bottle to squeeze mustard from!! (How about the bottle it came in?)

Oh, Christmas shopping!

2010-11-30 No Pass-port

2010-11-30T10:33:00.003-05:00

Looking back, this was a bad year for travel for me. I had the worst travel karma, and in face, if you were traveling with me, or even to see me, it seemed plans were ruined.

I made only one successful trip, which was a business trip to NJ. However, during this year, my trip to Europe was canceled by a volcano and a sick person. My big party-trip to the Keys with friends was turned into an I-guess-I'll-go-by-myself-since-I-already-paid trip, due to illness in the family of my friends. And now, my annual time shared with one of my friends in December will probably be canceled due to really tragic illness in my friend's family.

A lot of sad situations have come up this year and have really put me into a somber mood as we approach the holidays. I had planned a big birthday blow out for next week, but now, it seems a more modest get-together will be appropriate. I'm hoping for peace for everyone.

2010-11-29 The Haul

2010-11-29T10:24:00.008-05:00

Well, it's been a few days since Black Friday, and my excellent haul of goods is still sitting in the place where I collapsed under the weight of the bags...

I know I have to review and wrap all this stuff...most of it is kids' gifts and some of them have to be evaluated. This year, the kids' gifts were quite hard to get. Some of the smaller ones are in that category of "they have everything already!" So, when I was out buying and thinking of things they would enjoy, I was cursing the grandmothers and parents who spoiled all my potential purchases by saying, "Hm, I think he already has that."

But I think I found some cute stuff. I hope...

2010-11-28 Pretty Paper

2010-11-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

This is the new batch of wrapping paper for the year...

I still plan to use up the old paper, but it's always a surprise to see how long it will last and how many presents the old paper will cover before I can bust out the new paper!

2010-11-27 More Shopping? Eh, OK...

2010-11-27T12:21:00.001-05:00

I'm ready for one more round of shopping. I've got a little more energy left in me!

Well, not a shred was left by the end of the day. Wow. I think I'm done. This tree was the last thing I saw before I gave up, turned around and headed to the parking lot.

2010-11-26 Black Friday

2010-11-26T11:50:00.000-05:00

Yep, I'm turning Black Friday into um....White Friday?

I shopped from 8:30am to 7:30pm...and just about finished all of my shopping! The crowds were pretty good, and overall, we had a great time under the bright lights and sales signs...c'mon Christmas...I'm ready.

2010-11-25 Tiny Little Birds

2010-11-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

No turkey for me! Just the tiniest little game hens from Cornwall!

We decided to go a different way with our little Cornish Game Hens, and it was a welcome break. I found I didn't even miss the turkey.

But once we dispensed with the eating, we had to find things to do to entertain ourselves.

First, a family picture...

OK, check. Next, let's watch Pippin interact with the new kitten!

OK, that's done. Now...hm....what should we do? Oh, I know, my niece said...let's all take a picture with our faces sticking through a poster board with a Thanksgiving scene, just like I made my 1st graders do last week!

Yeah. That's how we roll.

2010-11-24 Sugar on Fire

2010-11-24T11:16:00.000-05:00

Nope, that's not a brush fire in the distance. It's a sugar cane field being harvested.

I grew up in a sugar town and in a sugar family, so please, next time you see me, let's have discussion about sugar production!

Anyway, I saw this out in the distance and thought I would share what the skies looked like every fall as the sugar workers would go out into the fields and set them on fire in a controlled burn. The smell, a mixture of burned vegetation and caramel, permeated the air. Sometimes if the field was especially close to the house, a light snow of ashes would rain down through the air.

Once the field was burned, the men would move into the fields with machetes and pile up the giant stalks of cane onto the trucks. The trucks trundled their way into town to dump their contents into the never-ceasing mill. On the other side of the process, a huge warehouse began to fill to bursting with 2-story mounds of fresh brown sugar.

2010-11-23 Hair Did

2010-11-23T22:56:00.005-05:00

Got my hair did today. My hairdresser was doing two heads at the same time. She has some lady's hair color on her desk, and while the lady was swept away to another location for the color to soak in, my hairdresser came back, and just created a hairstyle from a picture that I offhandedly showed her. She's awesome!

She did a fab job...just exactly what I wanted.

2010-11-22 Don't Mix These Up

2010-11-22T22:47:00.001-05:00

I've gotta get some baking done this week for Thanksgiving, so of course, I have to make a list of the weird esoteric items I have to buy in order to make my dessert. This year it's pure maple syrup and bourbon. Well, don't mix these suckers up! The bottles are so similar...

I just picture myself pouring a shot of maple syrup for my guests in the future! Then pouring bourbon all over my pancakes...mmmm bourbon pancakes!

2010-11-21 Bloomin' Onions

2010-11-21T22:42:00.001-05:00

I love a Bloomin' Onion...

Out to dinner with a friend after a meeting. Thanksgiving is coming up and here I am going out to eat. Why? Because I have to cook a ton this week and will be eating a lot of home-made leftovers soon, so I feel like having someone cook for me.

2010-11-20 Pippin and Jeff

2010-11-20T22:37:00.006-05:00

Pippin loves to cuddle...

Jeff is trying to enjoy a nice evening of TV and Pippin needs to cuddle with anyone who is laying on the couch. (Don't be freaked out by the eyes -- the picture had red-eye and when you fix it, he looks like a zombie!)

2010-11-19 A Night at Bern's

2010-11-19T22:27:00.004-05:00

Went out with my pal Jeff, who is visiting, to Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa. It was my 2nd time this year, and when Jeff came down, I just had to make an appointment for us to eat there.

We finally got to see the wine cellar...there's about half a million bottles on the property. The oldest is from 1791.

The wine stewards are amazing...he talked us through all the sizes of wine bottles...the big one is called a Nebuchadnezzar!

I love the dessert room the most, since you sit in these giant wine-cask-style rooms.

I had a beautiful dinner and can't wait to go back!

2010-11-18 30K and Rollin'

2010-11-18T22:12:00.000-05:00

I just happened to catch my car turning over to 30,000 miles...

I've had it almost 3 years, and it had 5k on it already so I haven't even put 10k per year on it. Sigh. Only 2 more years to pay if off...

2010-11-17 Foggy Bottom

2010-11-17T22:05:00.000-05:00

A somewhat foggy day in Fort Myers...it's kind of unusual here.

On my way to have eyebrows done as I am having an old friend into town this weekend! YAY! Fun!

2010-11-16 Blue Skies Again

2010-11-16T21:53:00.001-05:00

I love fluffy angelic skies...

2010-11-15 I See You

2010-11-15T17:20:00.000-05:00

If the sun hits my dashboard just right, you can see through the storage units...

I guess I'll stop hiding my cell phone in there...

2010-11-14 Hairspray

2010-11-14T17:16:00.002-05:00

Enjoyed a great night of dinner theatre with the girls..."Good morning, Baltimoooooore!"

I was surprised at the quality of the show. The guy they had playing Edna Turnblad was so great he almost reminded me of Divine.

Also I ate three desserts. So, all in all, it was a good night.

2010-11-13 Fragrant Balls

2010-11-13T17:13:00.001-05:00

They're selling these yummy fragrant bath balls at a salon I go to.

I definitely need to plan some tub time to enjoy the lavender and chamomile smelliness!

2010-11-12 Signing My Life Away

2010-11-12T17:03:00.003-05:00

Since I've started as Board President of a local maternal health care charity, I've done nothing but sign checks!

Today, I signed the payroll and about 50 other things, including the lease on our new thrift shop...it feels very strange to sign someone's paycheck. That just doesn't seem right!

2010-11-11 Explosion! Dinner Go Boom.

2010-11-11T12:54:00.000-05:00

Had a meeting tonight and we decided to go out for a late dinner at Carraba's. Imagine my surprise when we got there and found it practically empty. Why, you may ask? Apparently and gas line exploded in town and there was no gas service to most of town.

Tonight I realized most restaurants run their stoves on gas!

Carrabas was using their wood-fired oven to make pizza and of course, they had cold items like salad. Everyone else mostly left after they heard the news, but we decided, 'Hey, we like pizza and salad...'

But eating out this weekend is not looking good...

2010-11-10 Clean Floors Coming Right Up

2010-11-10T12:50:00.000-05:00

I bought a new mop:

OK, I know the excitement levels should not be that high for a mop, but I love this one. Totally replacing my Swiffer. It comes with 3 microfiber cloths which are washable. And they come with two different solution containers which you can use to mix your own cleaning solution, so you're not tied to their branded solution. YAY! Loving it...

2010-11-09 Free Cuppa

2010-11-09T12:47:00.000-05:00

If you plan your visit to Starbucks right when they run out of the key ingredient to your Green Tea Lemonade, then you will always drink free!

2010-11-08 In Recovery

2010-11-08T12:44:00.001-05:00

Took the morning off to recover from yesterday's fundraiser. My body usually needs a few hours in the morning to get started...however, I should have known better when I tried to refill the dog food container. I wasn't quite recovered enough to hoist the bag, and here are the results...

Not even showing you what the floor looks like...but that's what Pippin is for!

2010-11-07 Taste-y Day

2010-11-07T12:40:00.000-05:00

Well today is our biggest Junior League fundraiser, Taste of the Town. This does not even show a hint of the more than 10,000 that came out to enjoy the day...

More than 40 restaurants offer little tastes of their best dishes while listening to music and hanging out in the park. We little JL workers each pull a 10-hour shift to manage the event. My job this year was to work the counting room for the tickets, along with my colleague and friend Shirley...

I got to taste a few things while I took my break and visited with my sister, my niece and her husband...

Super-great day!

2010-11-06 On the Road

2010-11-06T12:33:00.001-04:00

This has been my view most of the day...

I've been on errand patrol all day...from store to store and place to place. Just holding onto the wheel! When can I get home? I have to rest for Taste of the Town tomorrow! It's going to be a huge day, so I'm out and about enjoying myself since tomorrow, I will be working a 10-hour shift at our Junior League fundraiser...

2010-11-05 Sunsets in the Rearview

2010-11-05T01:04:00.000-04:00

If only I didn't have to drive the car, I could have made a super-cool shot here...

Seeing the sunset in my rearview felt somewhat meaningful -- though I don't really know whay. It's like it should have been accompanied by the swells of "Tramps like us....baby, we were born to ruuuuuuun!"

2010-11-04 Doggy on My Back

2010-11-04T01:00:00.002-04:00

Well, I don't know what the hell my dog things sometimes. I was laying there working on the computer, and my dog came over and very delicately climbed up on my back and laid there. You know...no big deal. Just laying on my back. Like you do.

"Now, I think I'll sit up here and groom myself for the next 10 minutes. Wow, yeah, I like the view..."

2010-11-03 Short on Ribs, Long on Taste

2010-11-03T00:57:00.000-04:00

I've never made Short Ribs before.

But now, I know, I'm clearly good at it. Now, having said that, there's a few things I would change for next time. I was using some grass-fed beef, and to be honest, I don't think there's enough fat on grass-fed meat. But the wine sauce was tasty.

As much as I liked these, they don't taste as good as those served at the Flamingo Deli in Jersey City, NJ. I'll never be able to make them like that, and that makes me a little sad. 'Cuz I ain't moving back there...

2010-11-02 Yes I'm an Awesome American

2010-11-02T00:53:00.000-04:00

Look what I did! Yeah, I'm awesome. You're welcome, America.

2010-11-01 Red Skies at Night

2010-11-01T00:49:00.000-04:00

I continue to enjoy trying to capture weird skies on film. So far, I'm not quite capturing the mood. This shot especially doesn't capture the eerie strangeness in the air.

The clouds would occasionally reveal a pinkish, red ball of mist during sunset. Weird. Creepy. Going back in now.

2010-10-31 Hello-ween

2010-10-31T00:39:00.000-04:00

I don't have a lot of interest in Halloween. I don't have a child and I don't care about dressing up as something in an uncomfortable costume, and spending the evening sipping my drink through a mask...but I often spend Halloween with friends, walking the neighborhood with them and their kids and enjoying watching OTHER people dress up in uncomfortable costumes!

Spent the evening with my friend Shirley and her neighbors and nephew...we had a blast...that's a pun that goes with this picture! Enjoy...

2010-10-30 Rushin'

2010-10-30T00:36:00.000-04:00

I'm rushing home today so I can pick up my dog from the kennel before they close. We had a super day at Epcot, followed by a delicious Spanish paella at Columbia Restaurant (a favorite of my dad's).

Now, in the pale morning light, I found myself driving near a bunch of air balloons that have just been launched....

They all seem to be advertising hotels, but they dotted the sky beautifully...

2010-10-29 Eating Epcot

2010-10-29T00:23:00.000-04:00

Got up bright and early to head over to Epcot to experience the International Food and Wine Festival. I've wanted to go for a few years, and I thought it might be fun to take my folks. Disney knows how to welcome you right!

I could go on an on about the great food and drinks...I love the format. You enter the World Showcase around 11am, and from there you wander through sampling dishes from each country on display.

My favorite thing was the Lamb they served at the Australia booth...this is how much I liked it:

Second place was the escargot in France...I could have eaten about one metric ton of snails that day.

Third place goes to the mussels in Belgium.

Gotta say, I really loved it...can't wait to go back! Cheers!

Here's the album...

2010-10-28 Watch Out for Gators!

2010-10-28T11:48:00.001-04:00

We're in Orlando today, getting ready to attend the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. And there's nothing like spending time in a real tourist trap to make you remember you live in one of the most visited states in the country.

Alligator stuff is incredibly popular, and I saw a couple of foreign families thoroughly examining these alligator items. One family, from England, had a little girl who sort of looked at the table in shock, saying, "Mummy is that real?"

Meanwhile, my dad walked around looking for a new hat. My dad has a thousand ball caps but he thought he'd check out the tacky tourist caps...oh thank God he didn't buy one.

OK, making my tummy ready for Epcot tomorrow.

2010-10-27 Say Cheese

2010-10-27T11:41:00.000-04:00

There is no reason for me having taken this photo except to say that I have been attempting to re-create the delicious queso from Moe's, and I think I've got a decent recipe.

I'm taking a pre-made queso and mixing it with salsa to heat it up. It's good.

2010-10-26 Happy Vets Day

2010-10-26T00:59:00.001-04:00

No, it's not Veterna's day. It's the day we go to the vet annually and get my little Pippin all his shots!

Hm. He did not know, when we got in the car, that this was going to be the destination. He made it in the door, just to take a sniff of the office and decide to turn around and try to go back where we came from. Sorry, Charlie, we're in here for good.

Nothing major happened...he's happy and healthy. But I arrived and left annoyed by the front desk girl.

Apparently my vet had moved locations since the last time we were there, but I never received a letter or an email, so when I pulled up to the old location, I found it empty! Um. Crap.

For whatever reason, I forgot my phone, so I had no way to call. I pulled out of the lot and just as I was going to make my way home, I saw a sign for a vet in another part of the shopping center. YES! They only moved to a larger space in the same center. SCORE!

So when I went in, I asked how long they had been here..."Oh, about 4 months." Well, did you send out a letter letting people know you had moved? "Ummmm, yeah I think they did. I wasn't working here then." I see. Well, it might be a good idea to remind people when they make their appointments that you're in a new location. "Oh...right."

No apology. That makes me furious. I'm a customer. You moved locations and when I made an appointment, you couldn't even mention you had moved. SAY YOU ARE SORRY!! You are only LUCKY that I saw you moved in the same shopping center. I can't stand a business that cannot admit they've made an error in service. I just can't.

Oh man. Somebody get my pills...

2010-10-25 Messy Girl

2010-10-25T00:53:00.002-04:00

I'm a messy girl sometimes...I take off my accessories and drop them on my dresser...

...I kick off my shoes in the living room, barely throw my dirty clothes in the hamper.

But then, in a frenzy of cleanliness, I wash, I fold, I replace, I clean, I dispose of, I tidy, I shred...until I'm at peace again.

Why not just be tidy in the first place? Good question.

2010-10-24 Happy Handbags

2010-10-24T00:48:00.001-04:00

Yeah, so I've really been buying a lot of purses. But this one, I could not stop myself from buying...

My friend had one of those parties where you someone sells you stuff from a catalog. This company is called Thirty-One, and they make cute handbags you can embroider with your initials.

Oh I can't resist when they let me put my initials on stuff...it's like a tractor beam.

I'm weak. And there's no denying it. The first step is to admit you are powerless over purses...

2010-10-23 Covering Billy

2010-10-23T00:42:00.001-04:00

My friend is on the board of the local community college's foundation fundraiser. It's a concert on the campus of the school, and this year that start of the show was Michael Cavanaugh, the "star" of the musical "Movin' Out." Movin' Out is based on the music of Billy Joel and the dance of Twyla Tharp. Michael sang all the Billy Joel songs. He does a great job of covering Billy's music...

About 10 of us sat at my friend's table and just listened to some great music and we each brought food for a picnic. I made this ham...

The moon was so huge people were just standing around staring at it...

And we had a great time...

2010-10-22 Moonlight in the Trees

2010-10-22T00:38:00.000-04:00

Oh, I will never be able to capture how the moon looks with this camera...

It's huge and enormous! And through the trees, it just looks like it would make a beautiful shot, but I haven't yet mastered photos at night.

It's my favorite time of year to see the moonrise. : )

2010-10-21 Eat and Tweet

2010-10-21T00:24:00.000-04:00

We're eatin' and tweetin' at Subway...

Talk about multi-tasking. Nowadays it's not enough to go out with your friends, but you also have to incessantly check Twitter and Facebook and your email. Ugh.

I do try not to do this. But obviously, I have photographic evidence that it happens! So, I think I need a resolution. An end-of-year resolution to not dis people I'm out with by checking my phone.

OK. Starting....now!

2010-10-20 Halloween Decorations

2010-10-20T00:16:00.000-04:00

I am not one of those people who loves Halloween. I just don't care about it. But many people I know just LOVE it...take, for example, Brooke at Browtopia. She loves it! And she does a super job decorating her place in the Spooky Spirit...

The countdown to H'ween has begun, I guess. I need to figure out where I'm going to hideout for the day. I don't like being home alone handing out candy. I know it sounds stupid, but I just think it's strange that there's a holiday that brings total strangers to you door...it's very invasive. Is that wrong? I just don't want random people coming to the door.

I generally go out, either to a party or to someone else's house. Well, I've got 10 days to figure it out...

2010-10-19 2for1

2010-10-19T00:10:00.001-04:00

OK, it's 2-for-1 night at Chili's after our JL meeting. MMMMMMMMargaritas...

Is that why this picture turned out so shaky?

Nah.

2010-10-18 Ye Gourds!

2010-10-18T23:50:00.000-04:00

It's gourd time...

I don't know what the hell people do with these other than decorate? Can you eat these?

2010-10-17 Scouting the Competition

2010-10-17T23:43:00.000-04:00

Our Junior League has a huge fundraiser coming up in November which is a food festival. We've done it for 28 years and it's the bulk of our budget. I've noticed a few towns nearby are sort of trying to create the same kind of event. Locally a mall had their own similar event, to showcase their restaurants, so a few of my friends and I went down there.

They had a couple of dishes from each restaurant and a few kids games.

It wasn't too much to look at, but we had fun. We liked the food!

2010-10-16 One Ringy Dingy

2010-10-16T23:40:00.000-04:00

I forgot to mention when I got those cute purses the other day at Charming Charlies, I also got this cute ring!

I am loving huge giant rings right now.

OK. News bulletin over.

2010-10-15 Bingo Night

2010-10-15T23:32:00.001-04:00

I don't think I've ever done the traditional church bingo night. We didn't have it at our church growing up. But, my friend runs a bingo night at her church, so I headed over for a little bingo action.

Well, it turns out bingo...has a lingo!

I only thought bingo could be like up, down and diagonal. No, you silly twit. Get hold of yourself! You could have...

-a kite
-a crazy L or H
-a small diamond
-a large diamond
-four corners

And get ready when it's time for the "full card!"

I sat with these old ladies and sadly they just did not explain this process to me until about halfway through the game. I think I finally figured it all out while they were cleaning up the bingo hall. OK. Will have to come back and try this again.

2010-10-14 Eye-Fi

2010-10-14T23:27:00.001-04:00

Oh, a new gadget has arrived at the Neetsbeat household! After my little incident with my old SD card, I purchased a new, faster card, but I also got this little thing...

The Eye-Fi card has wireless built in, so all you have to do is turn on your camera and put it in the "play" mode, and it senses my network and uploads all my pictures to Flickr! You can also manually upload photos using the USB thingy (shown here) or directly into any SD card slot.

I'm really enjoying this...when I don't feel like turning on the computer, but I want to make sure my photos are uploaded, this sucker really works!

2010-10-13 Beads Beads Beads

2010-10-13T22:55:00.002-04:00

I done made some jewelry!

A bunch of us went out for the evening to a local beading store called Potomac Beach Company. We all picked out beads and just created ourselves some accessories! It was soooooo fun! Check out the store...

I decided I wanted something in the brown family, but I also wanted a little silver, so made a nice combo...a necklace, bracelet and earrings!

Some of the ladies beading that night are football fans and they made themselves a little game-day accessory!

Aren't the little footballs cute?

2010-10-12 Just Training

2010-10-12T22:51:00.000-04:00

We're still having fun training new JL members this year...

I love sharing the mission with the new members and watching our committee engage with people.

Plus, someone brought the most amazing fruit tarts that night for our potluck meal. Holy mackerel. It was a good night all around!

2010-10-11 Nerd Fail

2010-10-11T22:47:00.000-04:00

For a rather nerdly computer person, I have trouble burning CDs.

(Apparently I also have trouble focusing the camera.)

I tried doing one and am still undecided as to whether it was my fail or the computer's but nothing happened. But then I realized burning a CD was so 2001. I just passed the files on Dropbox. Boom...done.

2010-10-10 A Quickie

2010-10-10T22:43:00.000-04:00

Remember back in the 80s, when Quiche became a popular food for the first time? It was sort of a yuppie lady lunch food...

I remember lots of people calling it a "quickie" or a "kitsch" or something similarly ridiculous.

Anyway, I made two of them. One, spinach and mushroom and bacon, and one with asparagus and cheese. They were delish.

2010-10-09 I Slip, Go Boom

2010-10-09T22:33:00.000-04:00

My bathtub is a death trap. When I had it put in, I should have had them sink it into the floor a couple more inches. Now, my legs are bit short for my height, so every once in a while, when I get in, there's a little slippage.

Well, not to get to specific but a couple of nights ago, I woke up really sick. And let's just say, whatever I ate, I could not keep down. After the worst had passed, I just felt like I needed a shower, but I was so debilitated from throwing up, I slipped and almost fell, and banged the crap out of my leg on the way in the shower. The result:

Yeah, a bruise about 3 inches in diameter just flowered on my leg and it looks heinous. (Ignore the little hairs that need shaving!)

I'm going to have to get those little strips installed in the shower.

2010-10-08 Good Morning. Feed Me.

2010-10-08T22:28:00.000-04:00

I do this thing where I usually don't feed my dog until I have eaten. We have a very, um, dominant dog in this house, and I have read that dogs pay attention to who eats first, so you should never feed them and then yourself. So that means that most mornings, this face...

...just stares at me until I've had my eggs or cereal or whatever.

But he usually has a nice stretch while he waits...

"C'mon mom, eat up!"

2010-10-07 Face Paint

2010-10-07T22:16:00.001-04:00

I never seem to wear a lot makeup...mostly because I feel like most makeup doesn't match my coloring. But I have a few basics I love. First, I never wear liquid foundation but I do wear tinted moisturiser and powdered mineral foundation...and here's my baby mineral brush:

My sister started selling these cosmetics called Arbonne a few years ago and I really like their makeup, so now, when I just feel like I need a little something, I get my baby brush out and "fix my face."

2010-10-06 Accessories Are Good

2010-10-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

I've been shopping! Tee-hee!

My eyebrow lady had a special shopping night at a local accessories store, and I went to town, buying three purses, a pin, and a necklace/earring combo. I had to lay everything out and look at all my pretty things.

Charming Charlie's is a chain of stores in the East and MidWest focused on women's accessories. It's like a less schlocky version of Claire's Stores. I love the fact that they organize the store by color. It makes everything logical and attractive, and I can go right to the stuff I want. Yippee! A new store I like!

2010-10-05 White Out

2010-10-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

Between Pippin and my bedding, it's a white-out today!

2010-10-04 Walking the Dog

2010-10-04T10:24:00.000-04:00

Walking with Pippin is always like this...

My standing there staring...
The line of the leash pulled as taut as possible without snapping...
Pippin's nose in the ground, sniffing out a bug, or food, or the place where another dog peed...

I'm afraid that when he was little, we used to walk around a lake, and I stopped a lot to look at things, and never really got him used to walking without stopping to sniff extensively. He may look like a Bichon on the outside, but on the inside, he's a bloodhound. He cannot stop investigating and sniffing the ground.

So, many times when we go for a "walk", it's about me going, "C'mon Pippin...keep walking!" and about him thinking, "Wait, wait, I just wanna smell this one thing!"

2010-10-03 Dancing Dad

2010-10-03T10:18:00.007-04:00

After I came back from Jen's today, I headed over to the Italian Fest over at the Alliance for the Arts. We walked around sampling some Eye-talian food...my fave of the day being the calamari and spicy sauce! I had some zeppoles but they weren't great...

Best shot of the day...

They had some band playing and this dad was having some kind of "dance-off" with his son. They were so funny. One would do some kind of crazy dance move, then the other would try to repeat it and make it crazier. The dad's enthusiasm was almost funnier than the kid. I was pleasantly surprised at how they just didn't care who was watching. Super cute.

2010-10-02 Jen Time

2010-10-02T10:10:00.000-04:00

Having a little Jen-time over in Fort Lauderdale today....the best part of this picture is the pirate in the background!

We went and caught a movie and hung out over at her place. We are both huge junkies for our iPods, so we spent some time sharing playlists and watching the first season of Glee on DVD. I love to get Jen hooked on TV shows, so I was really happy when she rented it because, with her knowledge of music, she should love a show like Glee.

Funny story...I drove into Jen's driveway and started thinking about bringing my suitcase in the house a little later, when I realized...I forgot my suitcase! Yes, it was sitting in my garage, 2 hours away from where I was now parked. What a joke! I literally forgot my suitcase at the house. Yeah. No brain.

2010-10-01 What's Left?

2010-10-01T10:40:00.001-04:00

Only three months left to finish the 365 Project...I am seriously struggling to take a picture every day.

I mean, what's left? My undie drawer? The space under the bathroom sink? Outside of the mundane, I'm not really getting a lot of time to get out and shoot. It's going to be s struggle...but it's only three more months, so I'm gonna bear down and get it done.

I'll tell ya what...in 2011, I'm going to blog like a normal person. Once or twice a week maybe.

2010-09-29 Peace, Love & Five Guys

2010-09-29T14:41:00.000-04:00

I'm loving the Five Guys Burgers & Fries franchise...so when I saw this on their bulletin board, I had to take a shot:

I had a single with bacon and cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and a small fries, in case you're wondering.

2010-09-30 The Card, The Card!

2010-09-29T10:36:00.001-04:00

Finally, my new photo card is here!

I just got one of my new cards delivered, and honestly, I am so happy to have it, because the other one was going kaput and I was scared I was going to lose pictures. Whoopie!