home alone

When you are home alone on a Friday night
this is what you can have for dinner.

All Bran crackers, pepperoni, basil cheese, kalamata olives,
grapefruit, dark chocolate, Nero d'Avola.

Wish you were here to share it!

snow people

The winter invasion of the snowmen . . .

missing my daughter

Only 530 days (!) until this lovely young lady returns

from Cambodia to once again lounge on my sofa.

I wonder how many days she'll stay before

she and her husband are off on their next adventure.

today's front pages

My new favorite web site.

The Newseum displays

daily newspaper front pages

in their original, unedited form.

What's going on in your neighborhood?

lacura

A friend of mine recently discovered

Lacura Skin Care and Beauty Products

sold at our local ALDI discount store.

. . . the gorgeous beauty brand that’s been picking up awards, out-performing big names and causing a storm across Europe. It’s hard-working, feel-good beauty at prices you really won’t believe.

. . . full of all the same fabulous, luxurious ingredients you’ll find behind

more expensive labels, making it one hot beauty secret.

Val, Leslie, Marty and I have been using these products
for several months now and really like them.

The good news is they are incredibly inexpensive and
the better news is they will be on sale this week.
Read more details here.

things that nourish us

". . . That’s because sharing the things that nourish us helps to fill an empty place. Sometimes that place is the stomach. Sometimes it’s the heart. And sometimes, the best times, it’s both." (From Real Simple Magazine January 2010 The Honest-to-Goodness Friend)

Thanks Debbie and Dave for "nourishing us" with a delicious dinner Saturday night.

engagement

We knew in our hearts that this young lady
would someday be part of our family.
Now it is official, he has proposed. We are overjoyed.

the moment in the middle

Hold your breath.
Here it is.
Christmas Eve.
My favorite time of the Christmas Season.
The perfect moment between all the preparations and all of the celebrations.

All is done yet all is yet to come . . .

"It was a moment of perfection he would probably not find again this year, and he sat without moving, almost without breathing. There was the upside of a garden, when one was digging and planting, heaving and hauling, and then the downside, when it was all weeding and grooming and watering and sweating. One had to be fleet to catch the moment in the middle, the mountaintop, when perfection was as brief as the visit of a butterfly to an outstretched palm.

From the book : Out to Cannan

by: Jan Karon

buffalo chex mix

A new tradition has been started with the discovery of this recipe . . .

Buffalo Chex Mix Recipe

4 cups Rice Chex® cereal
4 cups Corn Chex® cereal
2 cups Parmesan-flavored tiny fish-shaped crackers
2 cups mini pretzels
1 cup nuts
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Chicken Wing Sauce
2 teaspoons seasoned salt 2 teaspoons celery seed

In large microwavable bowl (or brown paper grocery bag cut to fit in microwave), mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and fish crackers; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir (shake) until evenly coated.

Microwave Directions: Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring/ shaking every 2 minutes. If using a paper bag, put the cut off top piece under the bag to absorb grease. Spread on newspaper to cool. Store in airtight container.

from me to you