Then it's time to refuel...

http://nataliedee.com/

My fabulous weekend with a frenchman

I've got so many things running through my head it's hard to keep them all straight. That being said I decided to jump ahead of myself again. Originally when I made my Frenchman cross stitch chart I also made one for Boh Kitty - and one for Jeremy and myself. Family portraits in silhouette...

I went to Salty Yarns, my local needlecraft store in Ocean City, and bought linen for each piece. Of course when I dug into my stash this weekend to get started outlining the cat I had already lost my $20 worth of fabric. The plan was, since Louis is almost finished, to outline Boh and then take both pieces to Michael's and look for frames. So, Jeremy and I got up bright and early and drove to OC to buy more fabric. Luckily they had something very similiar, heavier weight but same count and color. I bought a little piece to stitch the cat. But needleshops are like my candy store so I looked around and found a few more things. I got a bookmark chart to stitch, a scissor "sheath", and The Auction chart (a gift for someone who is probably reading this blog, so hush). Take a peep at the end product in my "In the Works" section - it doesn't really do the piece justice but... Whoever stitched the model at the shop was so creative. Instead of stitching the design as-is she stitched some of the quilts on seperate fabric and sewed them on to the piece so they looked like they were blowing in the breeze. This is going to be good.

So then we headed to Salisbury to grocery shop - and buy floss and fabric for my new project! Sometimes chain stores are just cheaper -thank you Michael's. Anyway, when I got back to the house I set up my new project in its home for the next few months - a very tricky velcro scroll frame (sooo much easier than the kind with split rails). I even got a few stitches layed down. I love new projects. The rest of the weekend was dedicated to cranking out as much of Louis' over-one as possible. Here are the results!

Recipe Exchange

This morning I got a chain email from a friend and thought it was so clever. The instructions were prefaced by two names and their email addresses, #1 is the person who sent the email to your friend and #2 is the friend who sent it to you.

Step 1: Please send a recipe to the person whose name is listed in the #1 position above. It should be something quick and easy, without rare ingredients. Actually the best recipe is one you know by heart and can type out and send now.

Step 2: Then copy this letter into a new email and move my name to the #1 position and put your name in the #2 position. Only your name and mine should appear in this list when you send out your email. Send this out to 20 people you know.

You should receive 36 recipes. It's fun to see where these recipes come from!

I don't know the person I sent my recipe to - that's part of the fun - but give it a try and see what tasty dishes fall into your lap[top]!

Below is my recipe for the tasting...

Yummy [Americanized] Picadillo (feeds a bunch - normally 1-2 servings of leftovers for 2)

picture credit: http://www.latinastyle.com/

1 onion, garilc, + olive oil

1 lb lean ground beef

a few small tomatoes or canned, diced tomatoes + green pepper (basically anything salsa-y, or just chunky salsa!)
1 cup black beans (more or less)

1/3 cup golden raisins (more or less, I normally opt for more)

Optional: tortillas, rice, poached eggs

Find a large pan - this is a one-pan meal! Season the pan w/ onion and garlic then add the ground beef and brown. While that's going on get all your add-ins ready. I normally drain the black beans and cut up the veggies. Once the meat is browned turn down the heat to low and add the black beans and raisins. Add veggies, salsa, or a combo of both (my fav). Stir it all up. You want everything to be nice and juicy. Simmer everything, covered and stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes or so, until all the flavors are mixed. That's it!

This is really good wrapped up in a tortilla with your favorite fixin's. You can even serve it over rice. If you're feeling brunchy poach some eggs and serve that on top.

Enjoy!

Heebeegeebees

n. the feeling of adrenalin rushing up your spine when scared.

Example: Get it away from me its giving me the heebeegeebees.


I was just checking out Craig's List (like I do every day around 4pm - hmm, curious) and I stumbled upon this beaut...

Adult Magazines, VHS Tapes & DVDs (Westover, MD)

Reply to: sale-783872163@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-08-05, 11:05AM EDT

I have alot of Adult Magazines, VHS Tapes & DVDs for sale. I will take any resonable offer. Will not ship, you must come and pick them up.

Come and pick them up?? I feel a case of the heebeegeebees coming on...

Yoda vs Louis

I think Louis Dog wins.

Apparently there will be no haircuts given on Mondays

Jeremy and I became first-time homeowners a few weeks ago. Hooray for debt! We moved from a rental home in Salisbury to a beautiful old house - late 1800's old - in the small, rural town of East New Market.

We made an offer back in early May, the offer was accepted a few days later and we were hoping to be in by the end of June. However the sellers weren't ready to move yet - with this horrible housing crisis they figured the house would be on the market at least a few months before it sold. So we set a closing date in late July which gave the sellers plenty of time to find a new place. It also gave us plenty of time to sit, twiddle our fingers, and dream about our house. Any idea how long 3 months is when you're waiting for something huge? So of course Jeremy and I dragged packing out the entire time. We were so busy getting ready for the move that I didn't find time to do much else. My hair was getting angry.

I have what most would call "wild" hair - thank you Mom. It is super thick, super frizzy, and grows like a weed. I like to keep it pretty short so that it actually looks like I have some style. Since the big move my hair has been unmanageable and every girl knows that when you don't like your hair pretty much everything else starts to suck too - from clothes, to "I'm gaining weight", to just a general bad attitude. Yesterday was the breaking point for me. I was going to find someone to cut my hair or I was going to do it myself.

So after work I drive to a little place in Cambridge that I know takes walk-ins. I park the car around the corner and walk over to the door. Locked. Hmmm, it's a week day. Why wouldn't this place be open? Maybe they're not open on Mondays? Well shit. So I get back in the car and figure out my next plan of action. I remember that I saw a hip-looking little place down the street when I was looking in town for houses. So I drive past to see if its open. But I guess the West End swallowed it and spit it back out because all the shades in the windows were drawn and all the lights in the place were turned off. There isn't even a sign anymore. So much for urban renewal. As I'm driving away I figure there has to be some place on Rt 50 to get a stinkin' haircut. I see a sign for a place called Tresses - awesome. I'll get my hair cut there. I pull in the strip mall and head towards the sign except I can't find the door. The business underneath of the "Tresses" sign is a family services office? The stars are against me today. Three places and no luck, I decide to just forget it and drive home.

As I'm driving down the road stewing I remember that there is one last place I can check but I don't want to. If you saw it you'd know why. It looks like a fancy salon that a bleached blonde California grandmother would frequent to get her toenails painted. The parking lot is circular with a large fountain in the middle. There are street lamps along the perimeter. Big, Victorian iron street lights painted white. There is a Hummer and a Cadillac parked outside at all times. And the place is called, wait for it... Sassy Scissors. Ooh la la. So fancy. It may fit in perfectly somewhere on the western shore - maybe even the western coast - but here in Dorchester County it's a little out of place. Did I mention it's completely surrounded by farm fields? To tell you the truth I'm afraid of what I would find in a place like SS - or how much "product" would be in my hair as I walked out the door. Needless to say, I stopped - I was getting desperate. I knew it was another no go as soon as I took the keys out the ignition. There was an open sign on the door, the Hummer and the Caddy were both in the lot but the salon looked like it hadn't been touched in ages. There was a wreath with a big red bow hanging on the door. The lights were out but I could still see a decorated Christmas tree set up in a corner. The place creeped me out. Obviously someone was maintaining the property but who was keeping shop? And why were those cars in the lot when not a soul could be found? I felt like I was being watched so I high-tailed it out of there, threw my hands in the air, and finally went home.

When I got home I told Jeremy all about my stupid quest to get a haircut - and asked if I looked fat (I needed a haircut bad). Jeremy told me to just suck it up and drive to Salisbury where he knew a place that would be open. So I drove to Salisbury, told them to chop it off and they did.

Thank you Supercuts.