Post written at 10:33am
Brrr! It’s a whopping 9 degrees outside, and iGoogle assures me it actually feels like - 5. It’s snowing, of course… and only supposed to get worse as the days go on. Someone smashed into PDP’s car (it was parked) the other day, and I’ve already seen a wreck or two over the weekend. Yesterday I drove to my Grandma-in-law’s house, and she lives out in Medical Lake where there is even more snow… and the whole way I sat ramrod straight, hands tight on the wheel and shoulders shaking. It’s worse today…

I staggered out of bed to move the car to the street (our driveway is not plowable) and then came up to the house and called PimpDaddyPain (at 8:39am) to explain that I was a little scared. Snow, ice, and stupid drivers do not mix well with the dark. I’m fine getting myself to work, but sunset is before 4pm, and when you factor in the Severe Weather Warnings for after 1pm… I’m chicken. Surprisingly, it wasn’t hard to tell him I’m scared of driving home… I thought it would be, I’m quite proud and the last thing I want is to be ribbed for my driving ability…

He was gracious about though, and offered to have his uncle/boss drop him off (he’s been getting rides with coworkers since his car is ruined) at my work when he gets off…. my knight in crusty Carharts and worn Wolverine boots. He’s going to drive home, and then brave the freeway not once again, but twice… to come pick me up and bring me home. And he didn’t say anything mean, or teasing… just… “don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”… awwww.

A lesson to be learned on my part… trust him to be a grown up.

/edit
10:56am
I went to the store for Clorox Wipes, an orange, a water bottle for my desk at work - because I’m finally back to having one I can sit at -every- day… before I went I scraped my windows, when I got back in the car after the store, I scraped my windows… as soon as I scrapped all the windows, they were covered in snow again. I pull up to the street in front of the house, pondering… should I just call in? It’s snowing pretty bad… I call Chris, I tell him again that I’m scared to drive… especially now that the snow is worse. He reassures me that it’s all ok, to just go slow, shift gears, brake slowly, use the ebrake if I have too.

So I get on the freeway, slowly… I leave space between myself and the vehicles in front of me… I shift down, I brake, I use the ebrake… I still slam into the car that stopped in the middle of the freeway. To be fair, she stopped because the car in front of her spun out of control and she would have hit it if she didn’t.

I call Chris (at 11:01 - 5 minutes after I told him I wasn’t sure I could do this!), and someone nearly slams into the back of my car and then comes close to hitting my left side as she spins out… luckily she only swipes off my drivers side mirror. We all meander to the side of the road… exchange information, freeze our asses off… Chris’ uncle/boss comes and leads me home (I’m scared shitless and shaking, no way I would have made it to work)…

I should have followed my gut instinct and just called in, because thats what I ended up doing anyways.The damage is very little, I didn’t even scratch the bumper of the car in front of me, and all I have to do is replace the mirror on my car, and go lay down and relax my muscles in my back… I’m all tense and shaky.

This is one of the best foods known to man, friends. I made a double batch tonight, and had to share. They are that yummy… I could exist off these. They are relatively easy to make, and bring back wonderful memories of Kentucky and Corona.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to throw a beer bottle against the wall? I always find myself wondering that too… the last time, or the time before… one of the two, I was visiting Mary Dawn I made these for her and family… we ate them all, and Sidney, her wonderful husband, very lovingly took the Corona out of my hand so I wouldn’t act upon my desire to know.

I no longer drink beer, or eat flour tortillas, but these are just as good. They are my “go to” for impressing friends, and at one point, prospective men.  I made them for a guy once, who was having dinner with my family and me… and I pulled them out of the oven without using a mitt. Impressive, oh yeah. He laughed, and laughed, and forgot to explain how the house wiring worked when he left. I like to think that it was because my food was that good, and not the fact he’d watched me nearly drop an entire pan of heavenly manna due to sheer idiocy. Humor me, ok?

Now this dish was created using this recipe. I have changed it, using corn tortillas, canned jalapenos & carrots, pepper jack cheese along with monterey jack, more garlic, taco spice, cumin, onions, and uhm… more chicken, and more cream cheese. I make a huge pan of the filling, dump some in a bowl to eat with chips, and make enchiladas with the rest.

This is one of those things you twist and make your own… no recipe really needed. And yes, that’s old (I wouldn’t say vintage) Pyrex. I collect it. Just because. I don’t have a favorite pattern, I just like the teal on white, or white on teal versions… or just the plain white/clear stuff. I pick it up at garage sales for cheap. What doesn’t have lids goes into my office for storing things, and what does have lids gets washed and cooked with… a lot.

Enjoy!

I picked up 7 more Christmas gifts this morning, and PimpDaddyPain took care of two last night. We’re down to like… 10 people, 5 of which live out of town and understand it’s going to be a while. I still have to mail Mary Dawn her birthday present, at this point I’m just going to wait and send it with the goodies for her kids at Christmas. This is the first year I’ve done “serious” Christmas shopping, when our list totaled a rough 30 (after paring down), I just about died.

Part of me really wants to be responsible, and make them all candy or something… but I’m lazy, and my schedule at work has been all over the place… so I couldn’t commit to time in the kitchen like that. As it is I’m making like 7 scarves, two blankets, and a set of kitchen stuff. Thank goodness I can crochet at work! We even seriously discussed gift cards, and then vetoed the idea. As much as we love receiving gift cards (hint hint hint!), PDP and I both deplore giving them for reasons that are personal and silly.

Anyways, the point is… I am nearly done Christmas shopping… and have yet to even buy cards, or put a tree. We raided The Dollar Tree last weekend and got ornaments and ribbon, I have a few Superman ornaments (it’s tradition, my Mom has given Becky and I one every Christmas since my dad died), a few of my Dad’s snowmen ornaments (he collected them) and a few we’ve picked up randomly throughout the year… but otherwise, everything is cheap, and thankfully plastic. My cats are awful, and have broken several things in the past few weeks.

I’m rambling again. It’s cold, and I feel like I talk more when the temperature drops. Perhaps to keep my hands warm? Who knows. I am off to cuddle up with Chris and a book. Comment, dang it! I miss hearing from you guys.

While in the Centralia area a few weeks ago, I gave Nicole the blankets I had made for her little baby boy. Luckily they went with a jungle theme for the nursery (you should see the dresser she painted, it’s super cute and wild!), and the predominant color yellow blended in just fine. I gave them to her just in time, too! Orin Luke arrived early Thanksgiving morning, weighing 9pounds-5ounces, and measuring 20 1/2 inches long! The sweet thing about his delivery date is, 23 years ago on Thanksgiving, Nicole’s Mom went in to labor with her… although she was born on November 30th, yikes… long labor!

So, welcome to the world, sweet Orin Luke, I can’t wait to meet you! Soon enough he’ll have a little cousin to play with… Becky’s ultrasound came back, and she is having a boy, two weeks earlier than originally though… March 30th! She’s over half way through.  On Thursday my sister-in-law is having her sex check ultrasound, although she isn’t due until some time in May.

Back to the point… I wanted to share the blankets I made for Orin. Keep in my mind the mainly white one was my very first crochet project. These aren’t the best ever, but I had a blast making them, and can’t wait to make more for all the little nephews and nieces in my life.

I got up early this morning, and fussed around in the bathroom forEVAH, in hopes of looking nice for today’s photoshoot. I even plugged in the curling iron and brought out the tweezers, it was serious… we left early, and waited… and waited… and finally the photographer, who was obviously upset… sent us home. We were supposed to be using the college’s studio for the shoot, and no one ever showed up to unlock the building. The day was pretty, it would have been misty and wintery if we did the shoot outside, but there was no sun, and with the studio locked… no way to get to the lighting equipment.

So we rescheduled for next week, in the tiny living room of my house. The photographer is bringing her own lights and equipment, all we have to supply is ourselves! That means I have a week to get the house in picture perfect shape…Girl’s Night this week is at my house anyways, so now I just have double the excuse to scrub scrub scrub. Thanksgiving Dinner preparations are well underway… cream of mushroom soup is being cooked, the onions for french fried onions are soaking, the pie crust will soon be assembled, the bread for stuffing is rising, and PDP has been put to work peeling potatoes for a new mashed recipe I am trying tomorrow.

I’m taking advantage of this massive cooking to put things into the freezer, we have extra pie crust, so I will definitely be putting together a turkey pot pie, and since I’m making Cream of Mushroom soup, I’m going to make tater tot casserole, and put one in the freezer…This is the first year I’ve cooked Thanksgiving gluten-free. Although I’ve known about my issue with gluten for years, I never stuck with the diet, citing cost and inconvenience as reasons. With our income stable, and a kitchen that is all mine… I can’t justify cutting corners anymore, and have been gluten-free for months now…I tried to find an actual date somewhere, but don’t have one… I’d like to say April or May… the change in my health is drastic.. Although the weight loss has slowed, I -feel- good, and that’s something to be thankful for.

Part of what I’ve learned in the past few months, is batch cooking makes everything easier. I make lots of soup when I can, toss 6 chicken breasts in the crockpot instead of 2, make two casseroles, one for eating, one for the freezer, and save anything that’s leftover… it all comes in handy. I eat a lot of soup and leftovers for lunch, and PimpDaddyPain, bless his heart, will eat cold leftovers, so I don’t even have to make him something different.

There is still so much day left, and it feels like I’ve been up forever. Back to the kitchen, I suppose.

xoxo

A day late, I know… but we’re not doing our Thanksgiving until Sunday, so I’m still technically on time. And oh man, I am really looking forward to Sunday… we’re going all out, even though it’s only the two of us… a 22lb bird (leftovers for weeks!), green bean casserole, roasted asparagus, biscuits, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, brownies, and mint chocolate cookies. We may have friends stop in later in the day, but even with feeding them… there will still be tons of leftovers. My step-dad gave me a bunch of salad containers (the type you get at the deli) a while back, and I am going to pack them full and eat them for lunches for at least the next week…plus turkey and rice, and turkey soup, and turkey sandwiches…

Yesterday we went to dinner with family, I ate very carefully, and actually need to give my Aunt-in-law props, she knows about my reaction to cloves, and made sure to only put them on one half of the ham… and she made her yams w/marshmallows from scratch, because she wasn’t sure if I could eat the canned kind. I enjoyed the ham, the turkey, the yam casserole, and some deviled eggs and cheese. It was difficult at first, to trust the situation and eat, but she kindly answered my questions about what she cooked everything with, and how she made things… and I enjoyed what I could.

Unfortunately I was sick, and swallowing was difficult, so I didn’t eat much. Went into work today, and had to come home… can’t work in Telesales if you don’t have a voice! It hurts to talk, swallow, breath, move… it’s all in my neck and throat… I do have a bit of a couch and a stomach ache… oh, and the headache.. It’s gross. Luckily I took tomorrow off, and already have Sunday/Monday off, to get better. So Chris and I went to the store and spent the grocery gift card we got from his Boss for Thanksgiving on the rest of the things we needed for Thanksgiving, and then went to Fred Meyer for Wall-E, and Hancock… and came home. I slept until about 6…

There’s enough snow on the ground we have to park down on the street now instead of behind the house, which sucks… but it’s a good thing we did, because some idiot got stuck in the driveway earlier and we had to pull him out. I guess slicks and our driveway are not a good combination. Although Chris said when he took the cars down to the street that my car went straight up and down with no problem, I guess those studded snow tires that cost a fortune were worth it. We plasticed off the windows in my office (it looks tacky, but whatever, its warmer!), and we’re doing the rest of the house tomorrow… looks like the snow showers are here to stay, so we’re trying to get the house warm before it gets really bad. It was so cold last year I slept with a blanket over my face.. We’ve since replaced the bedroom windows (yay for having a glazer for a husband), so it stays warmer… but the rest of the house still needs weather proofing.

Anyways, the entire point of this post was to put up the pictures from yesterday… I will have some more for you in a few weeks too, tomorrow morning we have an appointment with a local photographer who is going to do a shoot with Chris and I. It’s a Christmas present from Chris’ Uncle and his girlfriend (who is my friend), and I’m really looking forward to it. So for now, here is Thanksgiving 2008, Part 1. (you can find the whole set on my myspace : )