today's photo

challenge is "what you're reading".  Easy.

I'm rereading Breaking Dawn and on Sunday I picked up Most Talkative by Andy Cohen.  If you don't watch Bravo then you have no idea what I'm talking about.  I read so many things about it and had to get it.  So far it's... meh.

Now for the good part, my next recipe from Pinterest.  I made zucchini tots aka zucchini bites with sliders last night and they were good.

I felt like they'd make good hors d'oeuvres once I tried one but my only problem is they were a pain to get out of the muffin tin (which had been sprayed with canola oil).  They were grated zucchini, diced onion, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and salt/pepper.  You know how squash casserole is a little sweet?  This was like savory squash casserole bites.  Tonight's mission is cauliflower cakes with steak.

I should have had zucchini bites this morning but oatmeal sounded so good.  When I started the kettle I realized I was out of my oatmeal.  In a hungry fit I turned to the pantry, then the freezer and grabbed the first thing that sounded easy and tolerable.  White Castle. 

I don't know.  When your taste buds are set on cinnamon oatmeal, White Castle doesn't seem like the answer.  It wasn't.  I still wish I at least had a bite of oatmeal.  After I ate, I realized I should have just pulled a leftover slider out along with some of the grilled onions.  Looks like today's going to be one of those days where I act before I think.

I probably mentioned this before but the burgers reminded me of us driving through New Jersey a few years ago and wanting to stop for White Castle.  When we finally got there and it was Mom's time to order, she requested an order of burgers with no bread.  The lady wouldn't do it.  She said she'd get fired.  I don't know what's crazier, her being so unwilling to make the customer happy or Mom's request for White Castle with no bread.  It's not like a burger patty.  It's like asking for a ham sandwich made with a few slices of Buddig lunch meat, minus the bread.  Almost nothing.

and here is

love.

Four products I love and use almost daily: Chanel No. 5, Coke, Revlon lipstick and ketchup.

the word for the day

is love.  I don't have anything yet.  I do have to go to Lowe's so maybe I'll find something there.  I'll get back with you on that one.

Sunday I decided I wanted to try to do a Pinterest recipe each day this week.  Then I got realistic about it and picked a few I want to try.  Last night I made one and I really liked it.  It was simple and good.

It called for 1/2 c of the blend of grated pizza cheese but I just picked up the Italian blend.  It also said to bake it and then sprinkle another 1/2 c of pizza cheese over the top.  I didn't.  So basically, it's 2 medium zucchini, 2 medium squash, about 2 TBS of chopped basil, approximately 1/2 tsp of dried thyme, approximately 3/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 c of the Italian cheese mix, 1/2 c grated Parmesan and salt and pepper.  Mix it all up and bake it.  It's definitely something I'll make again.  Tonight I'm trying zucchini tots.

Speaking of good things, the girl that does my nails will sometimes bring me treats.  It's been Vietnamese noodles for Eric or candy for me.  Last week she brought me these things.

She didn't know what to call them in English and I don't remember the Vietnamese words but they're good.  They're like cookies, crumbly, flaky and not very sweet cookies.  I took a picture of them in case I ever need to go to the Asian market to buy some.  I'll just pull the pictures up and tell them that's what I want.  Easy enough.

and all of a sudden

I decided to try to finish the May photo challenge.  Today's word is grass.

Two weeks ago we went to the PALS banquet.  It's where the new PALS come in and any graduating PALS are featured in a presentation and dinner is served.  Each incoming PAL is represented by an existing PAL or two.  The current pal decorates a table for the dinner.  Last year Eric decorated our table in A&M and welcomed our cousin Sam in.  This meant that I decorated a table for about 12 of us.  Oh yeah, the current PAL also makes a dessert for the table.  This year was a little different.  After the PALS leader retired last year, the new one made a few changes.  There was no candle ceremony (which I didn't miss) and she had a set theme for the tables (that makes it so much easier).  What made it even easier was that Eric teamed up with Paige in welcoming a new PAL.  Paige took care of all the decorations.  WOOHOO!  I asked Eric if I still needed to make a dessert and he said yes.  As usual, he requested banana pudding.  Here are a few pictures from the evening.

The table setting.  Oh yeah, Mrs. Miller set the night's theme as Dr. Suess.  Paige did a really good job, everything was so cute.

Hmm, I remember Eric telling me I needed to make a dessert for the table.  Apparently I didn't because Paige's mom made cupcakes.  I guess Eric wanted some banana pudding.

Eric and Paige look thrilled.  The picture's blurry but it was all on my phone.  (Yes, my camera bag was on the floor right beside me.)

See the guy behind them setting up the food?  He's from The Jay Cafe in Needville.  They have good food and delicious pies.  A while back I stopped and picked up a piece of coconut cream pie for Dodo and delivered it to the nursing home.  It was funny because even though she has Alzheimers, I talk to her like I used to.  She said the pie was delicious and I told her that Texas Monthly even had a write up on how good the pies are there.  She said, "Well they know what they're talking about."  Wow, pie sounds really good right now.  Dodo might need a visit in the next couple of days.  Oh, as for the catering, they served us tea... sweet tea.  I haven't had sweet tea in FOREVER.  Sure I drink tea, sometimes with and sometimes without artificial sweetener, but straight up tea with sugar?  Wow, that was a jolt.

i haven't been

doing the photo challenge.  There's this nasty bug I caught and apparently it lasts about three weeks.  It's really just a cold or something.  I thought it was allergies but then I had to take Mucinex for all the coughing and then came the ibuprofen for the aches.  All I wanted to do was sleep and yesterday was the first in a few weeks where I actually had a little burst of energy.  On the plus side, I've had almost no appetite during it all, including no desire for Coke.  I tried to take advantage of the lack of taste to drink more water.  I was feeling quite a bit better on Friday but then we went out and that knocked me down pretty hard.  I won't get into that but all I will say I have no desire to go out for a while.

Here's one thing I've been up to.

Pictures.  Between style shows for Madeline's and senior pictures, my camera's been busy.  If you want to see more senior pictures, go to Lens Captured and check them out.  There's not anymore of Eric but hey, I was doing good to get one.  But go look at the others.  The girls were more willing.  They're in the PORTRAITS section.  There's only a few but you can get the idea.

i think i'm

almost over my funk.