Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Discoveries

One of the things I wanted to do this year is to read through the Bible. Many times I would pick up one of those schedules each church hands out in the beginning of the year, arm myself with sticky notes and special highlighters and, full of enthuasism, embark on that journey. Then I would fizzle out by the end of January, start putting the readings off and eventually I just gave up on the whole thing. It bothered me that I could read any book in Twilight series in a day or day and a half but I couldn't read through even half of the Bible. It was all about priorities. So this year I waited until it was middle of January (not intentionally) when I discovered a very neat reading plan in the back of my ESV Bible. It goes like this: every day you read couple of chapters from the Old Testament, one Psalm and couple of chapters from the New Testament. That plan allows you to read through the Old Testament once, through the Psalms and New Testament twice. I am still playing catch up but I discovered something amazing today: by reading different parts of the Bible in one day I always manage to find a verse that I need to hear that day. And to me, that one thing alone is enough to keep me going. I am hoping that by putting it on my blog it will help keep me accountable.
Peanut

Friday, January 15, 2010

Betty Crocker would be proud...NOT

Last night my husband got a hankering for some spaghetti, salad and garlic bread. Since I can eat wheat and gluten again I was all for it and made a dash to the grocery store since we haven't had pasta in the house in several years unless it was Gluten Free variety. I had the pans boiling, sauce simmering (thank you, Ragu) and to top the meal off I slid the bread slathered with butter and sprinkled with garlic salt under the broiler. Now, when I cook things get spilled a lot, stuff gets on the burners and occasionally you get a whiff of something burning. I kept getting those whiffs rather persistently. As my husband was making his plate, I told him to just ignore the smell because I figured that something must have gotten on the burner. "Babe, that smell is coming from the oven." Bread!!!! There was also smoke coming out of the oven. I pulled out the tray. Instead of a mouthwatering garlic bread there was this:


Now, you might ask why the bread is lying on the bushes. I did the most logical thing: I picked up the tray, took it outside and dumped it on the bushes. There was so much smoke coming off ot it. As of this morning the bread is still there intact. Even the birds don't want it.
On a different note, I love my new house shoes:

And I just had to put in one of Zeus looking annoyed

Peanut

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Why do we do that?

How many women out there ever cleaned a shower while taking it? I am talking about "while conditioner is working I am going to Ajax this shower something fierce." Why do we do that? You never see a man do that. I never even think of asking my husband: "Hey babe, while you are in there would you mind inhaling some green cleaning powder while polishing the walls?" Why do we do that?
Peanut

Monday, January 11, 2010

A few of my favorite things

Not that anyone out there care but I wanted to list some of the things that make me happy at this moment. My moods shift often and I go from happy-peppy to quiet and thoughtful in 2.3 seconds flat. But some of these things bring me joy in all my moods. They are only material possessions but you gotta find happiness where you can.
1. Long Pretty Lashes Mascara by Clinique. I can feel drab and washed out but once I put it on I feel better.

2.Bare Escentuals Foundation. I have rosacea that becomes highly pronounced during stressful times. Imagine one of those Russian nesting dolls and their painted cheeks. Yeah, that's how it looks like. Bare Minerals is a miracle worker.

3.Diet Cherry 7UP. Yummy, delicious.

4.Cathy Holton "Beach Trip." Awesome book about friendships, forgiveness and letting go.


And that's it for now. What are some your favorites?
Peanut

Friday, January 8, 2010

Suddenly Shrunk?

So I am making pasta salad for a large gathering tomorrow. Large as in 50-60 people. I bought three boxes of the old trusted "Suddenly salad" because it never let me down in the past. I boil the water in a big pot, rip open the bag and stare at pasta in disbelief. They shrunk the shells. Not just shrunk them, but made them so tiny that if hamster was eating them it would look proportional to the size of that hamster (best analogy I could come up with). My optimistic husband suggested that maybe they will increase in size once they are cooked. They didn't. It looks like pasta salad for babies because it is so tiny. I know that economy is tough and many products are getting shrunk but still get sold for the same price. But shrinking something in half is insulting. Betty Crocker, you suck.
Sincerely,
Peanut

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

It had to be done




Today was the day that I took down our Christmas tree. Our awesome skinny slight tilt to the left perfect for apartment tree. Last year we kept it up till March (we are classy like that). We put it up very early this year: October 31 as an early birthday gift for me. It was so rainy and dreary and I really wanted something cheerful and sparkly. Christmas tree always lifts my spirits. But it was time to find something else (didn't want to wear that sparkly feeling out). I lovingly wrapped the glass pickle that was the first ornament to break my "we will only have elegant ornaments" tradition. My favorite foods are either pickled or dipped in ranch. Then went the hermit crab wrapped in christmas lights. We bought it in St.Augustine making the sales lady's day since we also bought pirate crab standing on a treasure chest waving a sword. He does all that with a seagull on his head. To finish the trio we got a shrimp sitting on an anchor waving his whiskers somewhat tipsy like. I was sad to wrap a pair of starfish wearing matching snorkeling outfits. I will put up the pictures so I can look at them through the year and smile.
My lovely pickle (I believe it's from Target)







Hermit crab:





Shrimp:


Thank you, Melis, for advice on how to work around putting in pictures!
Peanut