Granpa Shuffelin' (Original)

• Why are we "women-of-a-certain-age" only dancing with each other?  It sure would be nice to dance and chat with someone who has a deep voice, an Adam's apple and whiskers sprouting out of his face (and I mean males and not your usual post-menopausal female). 

• Just where are these gentlemen of a Saturday night on the South Shore of Nova Scotia? Not at Petite Riviere or the Waldorf School or any of the local legion halls. 

These men know how to move!  I love the spontaneity; they just can't help themselves -- kinda like me when I hear music. 


Sigh!  

I'll just keep dancing with my girlie friends.
And I'll keep my eyes open for my Mr Bojangles.
  

(Perhaps if I wore plus-fours and mis-matched socks?  Wadda ya think?)

Getting Shot!

I always take precautions when I know there's shooting!

No -- not that kind of shooting!  

Shooting photographs silly!

The girls and I went to a "Winter Garden Party" Saturday night hosted by my lovely friend Laura and her 2 beautiful daughters (lower left & far right middle pics in the collage below).  Women only!  And we were to dress to the nines!  The company was marvelous, food phenomenal, and atmosphere divine.  There was also a semi-professional photographer present and we were encouraged to sit and/or pose.

She captured sweet moment like this family picture of Elly, Natsumi and I. 

Family Feet -- guess which ones are Ellys?

And she captured silly moments like this one of me with my 2 old buddies and comrades-in-arms, Laura (our hostess) and Dale.  

This is entitled "Menopausal women unsuccessfully looking sensual whilst licking their lips"!

And  many more pictures of happy, gorgeous women enjoying each other's company.  It was a night full of fun and laughter.

Here's a photo for over the mantle .... if I only had a mantle!

I hope your weekend was fun too.

Sample a Go-Go!

I went dancing Saturday night.  I didn't see anything like this on the dance floor, but most of us were "mature" enough to remember all these moves.  Ya gotta love a good 60's dance sampler!

Little biddy num-nums!

It started off simply enough .....

and then this was found ...

so the chef went to work and mixed and colored and baked and colored .... and elicited the help of a very pretty Japanese girl.

The table was a riot of colors and sweetness ...

and by the time she was finished, she had created 80 "little biddy num-nums" in most vibrant, happy colors (and taste). 

 Lucky for me, cake mix and fluff are pretty low in calories.  And lucky for me, I lost 4 lb my first week at Weight Watchers; so, I could use some "extra points" and try them out tonight with my tea. 


Lucky for me they were delicious!


Lucky for me, I have a pretty creative daughter who likes to share!

My sad Valentine's Day :(

Yesterday, I presented the girls with little Chinese take-out boxes containing chocolate kisses and caramel hearts and hot lips (my favorites).  I sent my away-daughters Valentine cards containing cinnamon hearts and money for a big, decadent latte.  I dressed in red for work and wore the little heart earrings that I've worn for 26 years (the cheap little ones I love because I bought them on my trip to London and it reminds me of high teas at 4 pm and Kensington Palace and pints of bitter at The Friends Pub).  And then I made spaghetti with tomato sauce & meatballs and strawberry parfaits for dinner.


But alas, alack, alow!  I didn't get any valentines in return!  None in the mail; none on my dresser!  No kisses, no hugs!  

And I refrained from using my stun gun or my amazing choking powers on the ungrateful little wretches!

But that wasn't unusual; and I know that they love me.  But what really made me sad was the fact that I couldn't console myself by eating any of the chocolate-that-I-always-buy-for-myself-because-I-deserve-it.  I didn't buy any chocolate-that-I-always-buy-for-myself-because-I-deserve-it.  I was not allowed to eat real chocolate!

Exactly how I reacted!!!!

You see, last week I decided that I'd had enough of my muffin top and my mood swings and my ill-fitting clothes and my lack of motivation.  And I went back to: 

Twelve years ago I became a life-time member after successfully losing 25 pounds.  It's taken me 12 years to put it all back on.  So, let's see how long it'll take me this time to get it off again!


I love the organization and support of WW. (And me and Jennifer Hudson?  We're like this - we're like "tight" man!  ..... Well, she's tight because of her abs and butt; and I'm tight because of my pants and shirts!)  I like having an organization that will hold me accountable and help me through the difficult times.  I'm fine with meal planning and drinking all that water, etc etc.  But what is hard for me is not having something sweet 'n' chocolatie after a meal; and although there are a myriad of low-points chocos out there, I can't eat a lot of artificial sweeteners  because they give me headaches and/or interfere with my sleep.

• But it WAS Valentine's Day!
• And I ain't got no man!  
• And my kids are mostly still in the take-and-not-give phase!  
• And TV viewing was lousy last night.
• And my book-club book is tedious!

So I did what I had to do:  I ate 2 of these

Yum, yum, yummy!

And I had a large cup of delicious tea.  And I reminded myself that in a few months, I'll be even hotter than I am now.   I know:  hard to believe! 


But ya know -- that was sweet enough for this Valentine!

Valentine Love

My favorite subject in high school was literature, and my favorite part of literature, prose.  When I first read this poem, I fell in love with it.  Then a little later, my first boyfriend Lloyd gave me a Valentine's card 42 years ago with the poem on the front. 

We were very much in love; and yes, I still have the card.  

And after all these years, this is still my favorite poem.  I guess it's because I really am a romantic at heart.

I'm linking up today to Ricki Jill Treleaven Art @ Home for more favorite love poems.  So, I'm gonna scoot over there now and get me some more love.


Happy Valentine's Day!

A souper surprise!

I love freezer soup!


You know ..... the small leftover portions of soup that the kids won't touch with a barge pole and you just can't bring yourself to throw good food out so you freeze it in an unmarked plastic container to take to work sometime in the future for your own lunch.  

Everyone does freezer soup, right?

 So, the night before, you take your individual-sized soup out of the freezer and pop it in your thermal lunch bag to thaw.  


"What kind of soup is it?


Who knows!  It's been frozen for anywhere from 2 to 4 (or 6 or 8) weeks.


It's soup!  Warm, comforting, delicious soup."

At noon, you pop the top and stick it in the microwave to heat.  Then you take it out and lift the lid off and begin to eat.

Yummmmmmmm!

Ohhhhhh!  What's that?  A bean?

What kind of bean?  Wow, I love those kinds of beans!

Ummm!  There's a carrot .... and some onion.  Hey, I put celery in this one.  Celery's good!

Lentil soup!  How come no one finished the lentil soup?  We all love lentil soup!  Oh well, one up for me, y'all! 

Oooo!  Lookie there!  It's a piece of chicken (beef/ pork)!  Whooo hoo!  Times are high at my house!  Real meat!  

What's that little yellow thingie?  Ahhh, corn!  And do I detect a certain southwest flavor?  


Num num nummies!
Slurp, slurp!

Soup is good!

Soup is always good!

But sometimes the best soup is ..................

I'm a dreamer

I'm supposed to be an empty-nester.  This little house was chosen because it was the perfect size for me and my plans.  But things don't always turn out the way you think they will.  So, I host international students and have a daughter living in my basement.

Ahhhh!  The best laid plans of mice and men!

I adjusted to this change in plans.  I love all my children; and I have loads of fun with them.  But I still dream of being an empty-nester.


I dream of:

• my house remaining clean when I clean it
• my refrigerator still having the same food in it at 5 pm as it did when I left for work at 8:30 am
• I dream of smaller loads of laundry being washed once a week

• I dream of the freedom to walk naked through my house & to eat when and if I want
• I dream of being sooooo bored because the chores are all done, the cooking is all done, and no one wants me to pick them up or drop them off
• I dream of one spare room being a library/TV room -- the perfect place for my daybed

• I dream of the other spare room being a sewing/craft room - perhaps I'd start another quilt or get around to finishing my hooked rug (the one begun 32 years ago!!)

• I dream of the basement being the seldom used spare room
• I dream of becoming "the crazy cat lady" (I'm half way there ...... Guess which half?)

But I don't dwell on my delayed dreams.  After all, God wants to give me the desires of my heart.  So, I say a little prayer for tomorrow, and I come up with a happy alternative today -- be it snuggling alone with a glass of wine and a good book or baking cookies and choosing the perfect film to watch with the girls.

Notice I said delayed dreams?  Cause I can still see in my mind's eye ----- me, my house, a comfy chaise lounge .... and a hunky octogenarian slipping off my support hose so he can rub my feet!

Ladies and gentlemen, I know how to dream!

Sunday with Shef Sandy!

Today was meal prep day for the week.  (Well, not all the meals, of course.  We can eat chicken nuggets and/or grilled cheese some nights, right!)  And my little Japanese daughter - who's never seen or tasted any of this food - is my new cooking sidekick!   

On today's "Sunday with Shef Sandy" we prepared:

• a deep, dark, delicious, warming chili with a healthy dose of minced jalepenos (minus 8 temps call for heat)
• a lovely help-clean-out-the-fridge soup with minced bacon, chopped ham, black beans, rice, veggies and a dollop of tomato sauce 
• Ambrosia for dessert; and these yummy double chocolate banana muffins for school lunches (and sneaking while I blog!)

And then there was this new dish for dinner:  Chicken Adobo.  I found the recipe online looking for crockpot recipes.

Easy recipe:

Marinate 3-5 lb of chicken (4 thighs for me) in 1/4 cup soy sauce, lots of minced garlic, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or regular), 2-4 bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Marinate for a good long while:  7 hr for me; recipe says overnight. When ready to bake, the chicken gets baked on a bed of shredded carrots (1-1.5 cups) and an onion sliced in rings.  Pour the marinade over this, cover with foil and bake for an hour to 1.5 hr (or cook in the crockpot on low for 7-8; high for 4-5).  

I served this with rice and a simple spinach salad.  And it was absolutely delicious!  The chicken was tender and infused with flavor; and the carrots and onions had a sweet 'n' sour flair.    

A definite YES recipe! 

Pyjama Party Tonight!

Yup! It was a wild Friday night here in Bridgewater with the first International PJ Party of 2012!

Japan, Korea and Canada were represented. Refreshments were served: hot buttered popcorn, brownies and rhubarb spritzers. And on the venue for the evening? Ponyo.

I love that little movie; and I had such fun.

Well, perhaps we didn't rock the house like Annette. But it sure was fun to be with my girls.


.....

(PS -- I can so still move-it like some of those "Funicello-ians".  I just don't because I don't want to displace a hip joint!)

Groundhog Day Musings

February 2nd - Groundhog Day.  I never pay much attention to Punxsutawney Phil, Wiarton Willie or our very own Shubenacadie Sam.  I figure that we will get as much winter as we will get.  

But it's a fun exercise and a good excuse to wish you an especially good day.


What I do like about February arriving is that it means January is over and done with.  I like the fact that February is the shortest month and that the middle of the month brings Valentine's Day .... and that, of course, is another great excuse to hang red hearts all over the house and eat something chocolate.  (Did you also know it's Condom Day?  Not much call for those in my house!)


The 21st is  Pancake Day as it's known in our house.  That brings back such sweet memories of my childhood and looking for the "prize" in your pancake.  Would it be a toothpick? (I'd marry a carpenter.)  Button? (I'd marry a tailor.)  Money?  (I'd marry a rich man.)  

And while I was reading through your posts this morning, bj at Sweet Nothings got me thinking of molasses cookies; and that brings back sweet memories of my childhood and being at my Nanny's house next door.  Nanny always made the best molasses cookies:  big, flat discs that were full of gorgeous tangy, spicy ginger/cinnamon/cloves flavor ... and even better when you sandwiched two of them together with butter!  I think I'd better make those very soon!  

Before the 22nd comes (Ash Wednesday) and Lent begins and I do something foolish again this year like giving up cookies or chocolate or ice cream!