before the shower on Saturday

I was looking for hostess gifts.  I went to the farmers' market to see if there was anything there.  I didn't find hostess gifts but I did find a booth with natural remedies.  I've been hearing a lot about elderberry syrup fighting off colds and flu and this booth had some.  I went ahead and picked up a bottle.

Yesterday when I woke up feeling less than awesome, I started off with the usual sinus solutions.  Nothing was really working.  I remembered that syrup and as much as I didn't want to try it (scared of how bad it would taste), I did.  I kind of like it.  Along with elderberry, it's got honey, cinnamon, ginger and other stuff.  I don't think it's a miracle quick fix but at 1 TBS twice a day, I wasn't expecting that.  I'm going to keep with it and see if it helps keep this junk from turning into anything worse.  I already have the diffuser going with lavender, peppermint and today, a little orange for some oomph.  Oh, I also took a nasal decongestant.  I'm all for trying the natural stuff but if you've got the good stuff, take it. 

Today is starting off better though.  My throat isn't sore but my head's still draining.  I guess I'll just keep taking everything I get my hands on.

i've been wanting popcorn for about

a week now.  I was going through a list of movies yesterday and it's like my brain started chanting "popcorn, popcorn, popcorn".  My popper quit working towards the end of last year and I haven't replaced it.  I thought about a big pot in the cabinet that would work and make a lot.  This pot has never been used for popcorn and is bigger than the one I used to use so I wasn't sure about the amount of oil.  I guessed and made it.  It looked a little oily and I knew I shouldn't eat very much but I did.  I kept going.

It was delicious.

We'll call this picture Too Much of a Good Thing.  Or maybe Stop While You're Ahead.  I knew I needed to stop and I just couldn't.

Oh well.  I figured it wouldn't end well and it didn't.  But I will tell you this, I can sit here and talk about how I knew I shouldn't overdo it and predicted the outcome but looking at this picture has me wanting to do it all over again.  Popcorn does that to me.  There are leftovers so who knows, there might just be a repeat today.  I'll sample a little right now.  Maybe moderation is the key.

Oh my gosh.  I can't just sample.  It's so good.  I'm making myself stop.  I don't know how many handfuls I just had. 

One more.

Fine.  Two.

I'm done. 

Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

I'm really done.  I'm not looking at this or talking about the popcorn anymore.  I'm going to find something to do that is far away from the popcorn.  I'll go fold clothes.  I'll put the bag of popcorn in the pantry.  Out of sight, out of mind.

I hope.

we had a shower for

Eric and Paige over the weekend at the beach.  It was fun.  This picture was taken the next morning.

Once we got home yesterday, we crashed.  I started laundry and planned on getting stuff done but my eyelids had other plans.  Cosme had the tennis channel on but was passed out so I changed it to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and did the same thing.  We woke up a little later saying we were hungry but went back to sleep.  We woke up around 6:00 and made sandwiches and continued to lounge.  When the alarm went off at 4:30 this morning, I had to tell myself I wasn't tired because I got enough rest yesterday.  I wasn't buying it.

Seriously though, I think it'll be like this until the wedding.  I haven't even been sticking with the photo challenges very well.  Other stuff is just happening and I'm preoccupied.  I told Cosme when the wedding's over I'll need a vacation.  I told him I probably wouldn't even care if it was a staycation with no phones, just home on lockdown with plenty of food and tv.  After we watched Ghost Adventures on dvr last night though, I'm having second thoughts about a staycation and thinking about Vicksburg.  Cosme said we could stay in an old place with ghost activity. I told him he can forget that and I'll be at a Holiday Inn.

Oh well, no time to think about that now.  I've got to catch up on other stuff so I can take advantage of Mom's craftiness while she's down.  Back to wedding stuff.

i don't really have much to share

today.  I need a Benadryl but I don't want to get drowsy.  My eyes are watery and my nose is sniffly and I have some pressure in my head with a little bit of drainage and sneezing.  Wow, after reading all that, drowsiness doesn't seem like that big of a deal.  I don't have a ton of things on the to-do list today so I guess being sluggish wouldn't hurt much.  Dinner is made.  I remembered to put the lasagna in the refrigerator last night.  The only thing I planned on leaving the house for today was voting.  It's done.  Oh, if you want to avoid any crowds, take advantage of early voting... in the rain.

So yeah, that's all that's going on.  I guess I'll just take a Benadryl and deal with whatever happens.

Oh, there is this

in case anyone was wondering what I'd look like as a man.

Is there a thing to show me what I'll look like after taking Benadryl?

on Saturday I was busting

my butt to get chicken spaghetti made.  I couldn't find the recipe so had to wing it and I had about 13 other things going on while I was trying to figure it out.  The plan was to get it made and that would save me from having to make or pick up dinner for at least three nights.  I did it.  It came together and I liked what I sampled.  I had to stop Cosme from eating it, telling him he'd get burned out by the time we were done with it.  We went on with our stuff and when Sunday rolled around, we had some chicken spaghetti.  When Tuesday came, I thought I'd make a loaf of french bread to go with the spaghetti.  The recipe I normally used was too much trouble to get (something about now having to sign up to be a member of the site or something).  I said forget it and found another recipe.  I wasn't sure with it being a new one and all.  I used this one HERE.

I was hoping it would taste half as good as it smelled.

After it cooled I tried a slice.

Then I had another slice.  I'll definitely make it again.  It's really good.  That reminds me, I need to pull another stick of butter out to soften.

So last night we had chicken spaghetti with french bread and salad.  We both enjoyed it.  I got the dishes washed and knew I needed to let the chicken spaghetti to cool down before putting the last of it in the refrigerator.  I was totally on top of things.  Even if we didn't have the french bread, we'd still have about two more dinners of chicken spaghetti.

We watched some tv and eventually went to bed.

I woke up at 4:30 this morning and remembered I never put the chicken spaghetti in the refrigerator.  I've been disappointed with myself ever since.  I hate doing stupid stuff like that, stupid little things that could've been avoided.

Oh well, maybe I'll write down the recipe so I'll at least have that going for me next time.

i went out to pick up the

dog mess yesterday.  Here's a picture of Maggie.

She likes returning the ball after I throw it.  She gets that she can't chase it again if I don't have it to throw.  Archer, on the other hand, he likes to pretend like he's about to give it back and then he runs like he wants me to chase him.  I've got news for him.  That probably won't happen. 

Now speaking of picking up messes.  I went outside to bring the garbage can in and had to pick up some trash.

I posted it in the neighborhood fb group.  I don't really think one person is being sloppy but I think it's the new trash system.  They've changed us over to those trucks that just pull up to the can, grab it and dump it upside down to unload.  Now, knowing how that process works, I think it is somewhere down the line blamed on a person.  If they would put their garbage in bags before putting it in the can, it wouldn't be loose for the wind to catch and blow into my yard.  Not only do I not enjoy picking up other people's trash, but it's disgusting.  This didn't just start with the new truck system but this is definitely the biggest trash so far.  We've had it all though and trust me, it's no fun picking up old, dirty puppy pads.  At least I tell myself it was from a puppy...

I'm stopping there before I lose my appetite.  Cold pizza, anyone?

a while back I thought

Walmart's store brand cinnamon oatmeal was my favorite and when I couldn't find any I had to get Quaker.  Once I couldn't find Great Value or Quaker I bought a box of HEB's store brand.  I've gone through two boxes of HEB and was at Walmart when I saw they had their Great Value brand of Cinnamon Roll on the shelf.  Instead of going to HEB for one thing, I picked up the box of GV at Walmart.  It was my favorite, after all.  It's not my favorite anymore.  I hereby declare HEB Cinnamon & Spice Instant Oatmeal the best in the land.

It was a busy weekend.  I cooked, I cleaned, we pulled weeds and we made two trips to Houston for church stuff with Paige.  I saw a car on one of those trips but I'm not sure what it was.  It's not that I loved the car but OCD kicks in when I don't know something and I have to find out.  I searched what I remember the car having on it.  I'm pretty sure one emblem was "F class" and the other side was what I thought might be a logo that had an F in it.  The license plate frame was from a dealer that sold Fiat and Maserati.  Searching those things, I learned this:

F Class: a Mercedes model and this car was not a Mercedes.  Now I'm wondering if maybe it was "F Series" which would make me think Ford truck but it was a two door, possibly a hatchback.

F logo: I thought there was a little bit of green next to the F but looking at logos I didn't see that

Plate frame: I searched and there is a dealer in Houston who does sell Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo.  While I knew the logo wasn't Fiat or Maserati, I looked up the Alfa Romeo logo.  Did I see the F next to green correctly?  Was it actually a green squiggle that resembled an F from two car lengths away?

Obsessing and continuing my search just now, I see that it was actually an F Type and it was a green F on the other side.  I couldn't see the large Jaguar logo on the trunk because there had been a big spoiler (is that what they're called?) in the way.  One more reason to get rid of the spoiler.  Anyway, now I'm happy and will stew in the satisfaction of having one more bit of useless information.

I also worked on my Dogwood52 photo challenge and just as I was about to give up on posting the image that I couldn't find, I realized it was in another file.  Awesome.

Week 7- Composition: Fill the frame

I plan to use these flowers again tomorrow for the FMS photo challenge.

I also plan to call to get the yard done today so I need to pick up towels and boards from the yard.  You know, typical dog toys.  One of our conversations from the weekend went like this:

Cosme: Don't we have a weed eater?
Me: No. Maggie ate it.

Now I'm off to get into the swing of spring.

i stuck to the plan

yesterday.  I had my remoulade made bright and early and the shrimp were cleaned.  I headed to Katy for Cosme's lunch break and we went to a church near his office for ashes.  I knew if we waited until 6:00 to go here that we wouldn't have waited for me to cook and would've ended up ordering something to go.  So, we stuck with it and he came home and dinner was ready.

Shrimp po boys with sliced fries.  Chips?  I used Emeril's recipe that I found HERE.

Mine was missing tomato because I don't like it.  Oh, I also accidentally put twice the amount of creole seasoning in the marinade.  oops.

As soon as I finished I told Cosme we should have just gone to Popeyes.  That was a lot of work.  I'm serious. 

I have to get out and pull weeds today.  The flower beds look HORRIBLE.  It's been cold and wet and I haven't wanted to bother with it.  Today it's still a little dreary but the temps are in the 70's so I just have to do it. ugh.

You know those nights where a bad dream ruins it for you?  Like you wake up and it ruins the rest of your sleep and then when it's time to wake up, you're still thinking about your dream?  That's me right now.  I had a dream I went to the doctor and then a friend told me I have some incurable cancer.  I don't know where that came from but I wish it would've stayed where it was.  Thanks for nothing, dream state.  Let's hope this is one of those dreams that doesn't come true. 

I guess I'll go pull weeds and try to forget about that nightmare.  Then again, maybe I'd be better off going back to bed.

sometimes you just need a little

alone time.  When that time comes, you bark while you and your buddy are together in a cage to make it seem like you need out.  When the owner opens the cage and your buddy heads outside, you stand in the back of the cage acting like you don't know where that bark came from.

Not only was the bark too deep to be Maggie's but Archer refused to make eye contact with me.  He hung his head and stared at that really interesting wall.

I know it was you, Archer.

And just like how you sometimes need a little alone time, sometimes you just need some gravy on your chicken fried steak.  I never put gravy on my meat, unless the gravy is homemade and turned out to be what might be the best batch of gravy I've ever made.

Look at that.  Look at how thick that gravy is.  Don't look too hard though.  No meat today.  Remember?

Speaking of no meat, for dinner I'm making shrimp po boys.  It'll be a first for me.  I prefer shrimp alone.  The texture and consistency don't seem right for tacos or quesadillas or anything.  We'll see.  But first, I need to make the remoulade so it can sit in the refrigerator all day and taste better by this evening.

Time to start dinner... at 6:00 am. 

AT&T replaced our router

yesterday so now we have faster internet.  At least that's what the numbers say.

I just made a big breakfast.  I made eggs with spinach, mushrooms and feta.  I also fried up some bacon.  Today's Fat Tuesday so you eat a lot before fasting tomorrow, Ash Wednesday.  That doesn't really make sense because the day before fasting seems like you should be halfway trying to wean yourself in some way.  If you pig out today, it seems like it'll be that much harder to go without tomorrow.  I guess though, if you eat so much you make yourself sick today, you won't want as much tomorrow... which kind of seems like cheating.  Oh well, whatever.  With Ash Wednesday there will be fasting and what little food is allowed isn't meat.  That means no steak dinner for Valentine's Day, which is also tomorrow.

I saw this at Tractor Supply.  It doesn't have any meat in it.

I'm also scared of Bit-O-Honey now that I have crowns.  And how can I like Bit-O-Honey as much as I hate honey?  One of the great mysteries.

I got this recipe of my great-grandmother's from a cousin.  There's no meat in it but I think I'll just enjoy fasting and go without.

Yum.  Norwegian Fish Pudding. 

I also didn't share my Dogwood52 pics.  I was a little behind.

Week 5- Wildcard: Photographer's choice

I asked Cosme if he liked the front view I had in color or from behind in black and white better.  He didn't like either.  I went with black and white.

Week 6- Vision: Alternating Rhythm (this one was hard for me)

I couldn't think of a way to alternate patterns of light.  I was stumped and this is what I came up with.

I guess I'll go stuff my face so I won't want any food tomorrow.  Or maybe I'll work on the Dogwood prompt for this week, fill the frame.  But first, bacon grease for the dogs.

remember when I got the notice that

the dogs were out on Thursday?  Well, they busted through two pickets on the fence.  I went to get new pickets and some nails before I went to get Dad's work boots.  Mom said she was packing up that day and wasn't leaving until the next day so I told her to come help.  I didn't feel comfortable walking around in weeds with standing water nearby while leaving my car wide open on 288.  I went back to the house and decided to go on to the fence and see what I could start on while I waited on Mom.  I couldn't do much.  There were too many weeds and I could barely maneuver.  I drove back around to the house and told Mom I'd also need to borrow the chainsaw.  She went back for the chainsaw and a cordless drill while I went to buy screws.  She came back with extra pants so she could do it for me.  Hey, I wasn't about to argue with that.  It's not like I'm the handiest person around.

First she had to take down the boards I started to put up.  That wasn't too hard because the nails were barely in.  I didn't bother trying to get the nails in all the way earlier because they were already going in crooked and also, it was hard to get to.

When weeds become trees.

This is after we were able to cut a few of the weed branches out of the way.  I also need a board or two replaced in the other direction.  I told Mom I wasn't going to worry about it until it dries up some.

She got the two boards up.  One man stopped because he thought we were having car problems (the back of my car was open with my hazards on).  I went over to his truck and explained that no, we were just replacing boards where my dogs got out.  He said okay and left.  We laughed because don't most people, when they have car problems, take a chainsaw over to the nearest fence and start cutting things down?  Although, he could've just been a good samaritan, thinking he was stopping two would-be crooks.  Maybe.

This song was on one of the stations when I was scanning the radio on my way back from the hardware store.

I had to take a picture of it.  I wasn't really driving nails but more like destroying them.

Anyway, the boards were replaced and I left the extra pickets in the car for a couple of days because they smelled good.  If there was a candle called "fresh cut wood" or "sawdust", I'd probably buy them.  Add "cedar fence pickets" to that list.

After that we sat around and watched a movie and picked weed debris out of our hair and clothes.  I stayed in the next day with a bad sinus headache, not thinking to diffuse peppermint oil until late in the day.  Way to go, Melanie.

We took pictures of the weeds because they shouldn't be like that.  Keeping those weeds trimmed is TxDot's responsibility.  I've always had problems with them keeping it clean back there, not the neighbors, just me.  I also raised a stink about it when we first moved and had the local state representative call them.  They've hated me ever since.  Now, do I say something about it with my pictures for proof because it does look bad?  Or, do I leave it because once things start turning green again, we'll have a lot more privacy with it there?  I just don't know.  If I do keep my mouth shut, there are definitely a few more boards we should replace before all the green grows back.  Also, it only adds to places for critters to hide or set up residence, causing the dogs to bark and want to get out again.  Decisions, decisions.  (I think privacy might win.)

Now I'm going to go do some chores and run some errands.  AT&T is coming this afternoon to change out the router.  Maybe then we'll actually get our 75 Mbps.  Fingers crossed.

can banana bread be

frozen?  Well, I'm sure it can.  Let me ask a different question.  If I were to stick a loaf of banana bread in the freezer, would it be just as awesome if I take it out to thaw next week?

I've got too many bananas that need eating so bread is my only answer.  Cosme and Eric are going to Las Vegas and I'd rather not spend the weekend with two loaves of banana bread.  If I could freeze some, it would make things so much better.  I guess I'll try it.  What have I got to lose?  If I don't make the bread, the bananas will end up in the garbage.  If the bread sucks after freezing, the bananas will end up in the garbage.  I'll try it.

I wonder how all our dinner leftovers would hold up?  I'd already planned on meatball subs for dinner tonight so that means the ribs and baked squash I made last night will be left for me this weekend, instead of using them as a dinner on a weeknight.  That sucks because I'd be fine opening a can of chili and having Frito pies or a can of beans with rice.  I'm simple like that.  I guess it's just a menu planning fail on my part.  Oh well, looks like it's ribs and squash and meatballs for me this weekend... and maybe movie theater popcorn.

I'd planned on working on wedding reception centerpieces but it looks like I might be able to knock out most of what I had planned before then.  I started painting the book sale books yesterday.

I think I'll wear gloves today.  If you didn't know it was only paint and not dirt, you wouldn't want to shake my hand.  On second thought, you might not want to shake my hand regardless.  Today shouldn't be a problem though.  I'll get my gloves on and I don't even think there are 15 books left that need painting.  If the weather wasn't so cold, wet, and dreary, I could paint the two birdcages that are left in the to-do section.  Oh well, maybe next week.

Change in plans.

Maybe the books won't get done today.  Luckily I read the fb notification from the neighborhood page.  It's the post I've been dreading and expecting.  Someone was letting us know a black lab mix and brown and white dog were loose in the neighborhood.  Now I'm going to the hardware store to buy fence pickets to replace the ones that were busted out.  You know, the busted out pickets along the HIGHWAY.  I'm so angry right now.

i came really close to

throwing my computer through the window last night.  I wouldn't have done it because I didn't want a broken window but the thought of it felt really good.

I've never claimed to be a high tech person.  From day one in that first computer class we had in junior high, I knew things would never be awesome.  Things were a lot different and not so basic and self explanatory like they are now.  c:/, d:/, ram, rom... UGH.  At least now I have a fighting chance.  click here for this or that...

For the past few days my computer has been thinking really long and hard about whether it wanted to go to websites.  At first I figured it was the actual websites.  Then I started to think it was my internet connection.  I finally realized it was the laptop.  Long story short, I found a fix.  Somebody gave step-by-step directions and it works.  I had to open my library and preferences and put something in the trash bin and restart.  That's what it came down to.  I had to do something similar for another thing.  I don't remember what the issue was but I'm sure I'll panic and find the instructions I saved once it happens again.

While I was still under the impression it was my internet causing the problems, I got on my phone to look up AT&T.  (The first clue I had that maybe it wasn't the internet, my other devices had no problems.)  I saw that we're paying the same amount for 45 Mbps that it would cost for 75 Mbps.  And just before I wanted to throw my laptop out the window, when I hated AT&T and wanted to break up with them, I saw I could get 60 Mbps with Xfinity for less than either of the AT&T options.  I almost broke up but Xfinity isn't available.  I called AT&T to change a few things within our bundle, one being the speed.  We tried a few years ago but it wasn't available.  The guy on the phone last night said it was and he changed it so now we wait.  He said to give it 24-48 hours so of course, I checked 30 minutes later...

And then 12 hours later.

Still no change.

I'll keep checking and if after 48 hours there's no difference, I'll know that guy really didn't know what he was talking about.  Then I'll want to break up with AT&T again and call to go back to 45 Mbps.

Still nothing, unless you count the numbers getting lower.

Except for that ms number but I really don't know what that is.

Enough technology for now.  I'll think about it tomorrow.

Now, what's for breakfast?

it's time to crackdown on wedding

stuff.  I went to the library's used book sale last week or so and now I have a box of books that needs to be decorated for the wedding.  I also have to cover up all the edges of the paper where somebody went stamp happy with "WITHDRAWN".  I also need to save all the covers because some of these will be read... by several of us.

I think I might make a list of titles/authors so that we can look them up for details/reviews and see who exactly is interested in what.  That might be one less cover I need to save.

I also think it's funny how everybody notices the Johnny Cash book and requests it but nobody has noticed the Willie Nelson one.  What about a book about somebody else from Texas?  That Steve Martin book could be interesting.

And how's this for a story...

There is a cookbook that I have always associated with Dodo, well, actually there were a couple but this one in particular because not only did she have it and give a copy to Mom but she was also active with the group.  It's from The Bluebird Circle of Houston.  A little info about Dodo, she was all about a top notch presentation and party.  If there was a dictionary at the book sale, I could've looked up hostess with the mostest and there would've been a picture of Dodo.  Now, keep in mind, I'm looking for books to work on a wedding reception, you know, the ultimate party.  So I'm at this book sale in small town Texas, the morning after Dodo dies and there, in the mix of all these regular old books is The Gathering, Dodo's cookbook.  (Well, it wasn't her actual cookbook because I have that on my shelf but you know what I mean.)

I'm all about the signs and I definitely think that was one.  Now what I'm hoping that sign meant is that Dodo is watching out and will help this party be awesome.  So come on, Dodo.  Prove me right.

i was on my phone's calculator

and noticed this little ruler.

I clicked on it.

I had no idea it could do that.  And once you pick what you want converted, you can get more specific.

I don't know how often I'll use it but it's there when I need it.

I ended up going on my walk yesterday, big cats and all.  I usually walk three times around, which is 1.5 miles.  I was on my third lap and Cindy called.  I just kept walking, not paying any attention.  We hung up and I called Lauren to fill her in on the conversation.  I finished the lap back around to my car and my app notified me that I just completed 2.04 miles.  Look at that.  I was talking and distracted and added a whole extra lap in there.

In case you were wondering, that's a total of 328,306.176cm, 10,771.2ft, and 3.28306176km.  I think instead of saying I walked 2 miles, I'll say 3km... not because I like the metric system but because it sounds like I accomplished more.  Or, maybe I'll say I put in my 10,000 feet before noon.  People will just assume I'm confused and meant steps.