Trivia

If you are ever on a game show and you are asked "How long does it take to drive from Boston to CT while driving 10 miles an hour the entire way?" the answer is: 8 hours.

Yup. 8 hours. That is how long my 2 hour drive too me today. It was horrible. Not only were the roads treacherous (I didn't see 1 snow plow on the main highways!) but I was hungry & hot. My driver's side window is broken and in order to see out of my windows, the defroster had to be blaring the entire time. Holy cow-my face was bright red!

I keep counting on my fingers to make it stick that it really took 8 hours. I thought about stopping at a hotel once I got to CT but the exit ramps were in a horrible state of repair and I did not know how the side roads would be. Not to mention, I don't have the money to just randomly stay in a hotel.

Once I got to the rents house, I was unable to get up the driveway. Growing up in this house, I've dealt with this problem my entire life. It's frustrating but I've learned that if you have persistence (and an empty road) you can keep backing out of the driveway and you can try again. Each time you get a little farther and finally you make it up the tiny hill. However, once up the hill, you have to go around a bend, and then up another little hill. This is almost always where I either have to call for help (as I did tonight) or walk up the rest of the way until someone pushes me out.

Needless to say, I was spent when I got here. I was greeted by my most favorite person in the entire world (who looks more and more like a little lady every time I see her) like this: "Trey broke up with me but now he wants to marry me again." Yup. She's only 5. Her "boyfriend" and her have been in love for a couple of years now.

Once I ate some (nasty) pizza and stretched my legs a bit (I didn't dare stop to do that on my trip!) I dove right into starting my desserts for Saturday. Rye Bread helped me juice the lemons and crack eggs for my lemon tart filling and after she left to go home I made 2 orange cheesecakes. The plan was to make 2 more (the blueberry ones) but I didn't buy enough eggs in my quick run this morning, so it'll have to wait until I shop tomorrow to do that.

In additon to picking up the dishes and buying all of the food (oh-and making it all!) I am bringing my car to be fixed in the morning. AND it's my Mom's birthday, so we are going out to dinner at 7:30. This is good. I work better when I have deadlines.....oy. I'm going to be one tired girl!

YAAAAWWNNNNNN...I.Am.Sleepy.

Nite!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things I'm Making 4 Saturday(HUGE Catering Event)

Hi everyone! Saturday is my "big event" and I'm going to be frantically cooking from today until then. Boston is supposed to get hit with about 8 inches of snow beginning late morning/early afternoon, so I am heading down to CT (where the party is) shortly. I'll try to take a break and make some rounds today and tomorrow, but if I'm completely MIA until Sunday night-you'll know why. My stats have been really crappy lately, telling me that everyone is mad that I can't leave comments during the week. :( They haven't been this low since my first year! (Could it have to do with Google Rank?)

Anyway...without further ado, I give you: Thursday 13!

1. Salmon Tartare

2. Horseradish Encrusted Beef Tenderloin w/ Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

3. My favorite Tuna dish EVER (Coriander Encrusted Tuna over White Beans with Cilantro Pesto and Balsamic Reduction)

4. Chicken Saltumboca w/ Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5. Tortellini with a Rose Sauce w/ Mushrooms and Spinach

6. Spaghetti & Meatballs

7. Chicken Tenders & Fries

8. Blueberry Cheesecake

9. Orange Cheesecake w/ Chocolate Crust

10. Chocolate Covered Strawberries

11. Lemon Tarts

12. Tiramisu

13. Salad with Roasted Beets & Goat Cheese

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

Randomivity: Part 2

Normally I would simply go into my "Edit Post" function in Blogger to update a post mid-day, but I can't do that here from work.  So...here are some other things I want to add to my randomivity list...scroll down for Part 1 today. 

 

*Did you know it is impossible to lick your elbow?  Go ahead.  Try it.

 

*I bought $400 worth of alcohol last night in a package store in NH.  It was fun.  Now-let's hope my car doesn't get broken into tonight!

 

*If I'm buying a headboard from you and then you email me asking if I need a tv stand and I say "yes" and ask you some questions, it's weird that you would reply back saying "I will soon place an ad for the tv stand."  Why did you ask me if I was interested?  Wouldn't you rather just save your time by answering my questions since I'm already buying the matching headboard from you?  This seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

*Sometimes you can't help who you hate.  Yes.  Hate is a very strong word.  I know.  Thanks, Mom.

SCROLL DOWN!

Randomivity

*Volunteering for a project at your new job sounds like a good idea-until your ear falls off.

 

*No matter how much fun I have after work with friends-the going home part always ends the day with crap.

 

*It's nerve racking when you think you will run out of gas while looking for a parking spot.

 

*I didn't mean to scare you all with the post I wrote before this one.  I'm not leaving-and if I was leaving, I wouldn't just go without goodbyes!

 

*Finding a headboard for $25 is exciting.

 

*Having to accept someone else's terms because you are desperate really sucks the big bologna pony.

 

*I wanted to write "pogna" instead of "pony".

 

*Remember that although I can't leave comments on your blogs while I'm at work, I am still reading and try to go back when I get home to comment. :)

 

*I have more of a social life here already that I did in CT where I grew up.  I don't have any plans this week because of money, work and my catering job, and I feel like I'm missing out on cool stuff.

 

*Having a visit from Megan on Sunday will make up for it. :)

 

*A 1-winged fairy can still grant wishes, right?

 

*My Disney stuff brings me great joy every time I walk into my cube at work, but also a little sad when I realize that at least 2 people on it have passed away.

 

*I can't wait to eat my favorite tuna dish of all time on Saturday.  I secretly am only making it so I can eat it. :)

On Blogging & Friendship: Leaving

Over the years I have grown to love some of you and I have found comfort in seeing your names pop up in comments or by reading your emails.  I've always been the girl who gets attached to people who either don't exist (Dawson's Creek/Real World New Orleans) or people who I don't know in real life.  And when I start to think about how crazy it might seem that I get emotionally tied to you all, I remember how harsh this world really is and that support and friendship comes in all different shapes and sizes-and forums. 

 

And then I don't feel weird about it at all.

 

I have met some of you in person.  Through Mo's BlogTalk Radio show, I have heard your voices, your laughter-your tears.  I have received mail from you, gifts from you and in some cases I have written your address on gifts of my own and sent them all over this world.  And it brings me great joy to call you friends, even if we will never hug other than like this: (((hug))).

 

Some of you are new friends, others I have known through blogging for years.  And just like my IRL friends, I would be sad if you were to suddenly disappear.  It's a real concern I have, being friends with bloggers-that one day you will up and leave without a goodbye, without a story, and without a forwarding address.

 

There used to be 2 bloggers in particular who's friendships I deeply valued.  One of them turned their back on me last summer when I was going through a very rough emotional time-prior to getting medicine.  More than hurting me, it angered me and I now realize what a fake he really was.  The other, however, was one of the sweetest people I have ever heard of-so innocent and pure with a silliness that tickled my love of randomivity. 

 

And then one day he stopped blogging.  And then he was back.  But then-gone again, this time without explanation.  It made me sad to not see his comments or to read his thoughts, but I knew that there was a lot going on, and that everyone moves on at one point or another.  I understood while I missed him, and that was that.

 

Until today when I sent out an email and included him-like I have many times before.  And received a message that said: "Please remove me from your list and do not contact me again."

 

Ouch.

 

Now, I know that I have not done anything to warrant this response.  I know that he simply must be leaving the blogging world-and that is OK.  (Both of his blogs no longer exist)  But it's weird and hurtful to me to have gotten such a response-especially after 3 years of having a "friendship" with this person. 

 

Leave, disappear-stop blogging.  Fine.  Stop befriending strangers from across the globe.  Also fine.  But to write a one line email asking to not be contacted again after all these years is just weird and strange, and quite frankly-out of character, and it hurts my feelings. 

 

And perhaps it is my fault for caring.  But I can't just read your thoughts for years and years without feeling, and in turn, can not simply walk away without wondering what is going on...

Toosdae ?'s

1. When you buy presents do you: wrap them yourself, have your spouse wrap them or pay a sales person to wrap one?


2. When most people think about the holidays (especially Christmas) they think: Food! What is your most favorite food during the holidays in your family?


3. When you were little, did you have a specific kind of cookie that you left Santa every year? Did you ever leave anything for his reindeer?


Bonus/Curiosity Question: Do I have any Jewish readers?



1. I always wrap them myself, and have since I was little. I love wrapping presents and making them look pretty for the people I give them to. Except for those pesky crazy shaped ones that you can never make look pretty. I hate them.


2. What I love the most about my Christmas Eve (the biggest holiday we celebrate in my family) is the never ending rotation of food. Fresh Manicotti & meatballs, marinated pork or beef tenderloin, stuffed artichokes and clams on the half shell. Plus all of the side items we all bring and the desserts...I especially love honey ribbons-a ribbon of crispy fried dough drenched in honey...mmmmm.....


3. I don't remember ever insisting on a specific kind of cookie, but I think it was almost always the sugar cookie. I think it was the easiest to make and we typically had all of the ingredients to do so. As for the reindeer, I did insist that we left a carrot for them-though in hindsight, I realize that I should have left more than one!

Manic Monday: Ornament

Monday's are MoMoLicious!



The colors of my youth: gold, maroon, green-proof that I was born in a decade full of corduroy bell bottoms and ribbed turtleneck sweaters. These colors were not simply used to blackmail the children of the 70's-they spilled into other areas of our lives.



The sofa in my living room was a deep green hue emblazoned with orange and gold flowers. Maroon spilled into my mother's wardrobe in leather high heeled boots-my favorite to step into during the many hours I spent paying dress up. Yes, these colors more than any, remind me of the first five years of my life, and when I think of my New York Christmas's, gold creeps into the memories.



Each December my Mother and I would open boxes and boxes full of ornaments in preparation for our annual tree decorating. Buried under the silver and gold tinsel and big colorful lights were the ornaments wrapped in silky golds, reds and blues. These were the first balls I always reached for.



Perhaps it was their soft texture or the way they seemed to shine even without the lights-but they were my favorite, and I insisted that I should be the one to place them lovingly on each branch. When the tree was full of these fabric ornaments, my mother and I would step back and admire my work. I'm certain she must has re-arranged them once I was tucked in for the night; after the lullaby's and Rockabye babies were sung and sugarplums were dancing in my head. But while I was awake, I was allowed to feel the pride of creating a beautiful 70's Christmas tree all by myself.



Today, only a couple of those ornaments are alive-they've long since unraveled or been lost-but every time I see them, I remember the excitement I felt standing in our living room on the 2nd floor of our New York apartment, on the verge of decorating a masterpiece.