SPRING FLUFFING, SOME FUN SHOPPING, A CHICKEN RECIPE & OUR VANCOUVER TRIP

It's been a busy week, some business and pleasure combined.  That's the way it should be, balance.  I still have a ton of doctor appointments everywhere I turn.  Blood tests ordered at my last physical in December (gulp, a wee bit late) done a few days ago.  A Bone Density test which I should have starting getting years ago.  The annual gynecology appointment which I actually reschedule twice.  I'm just very uncomfortable with that sort of thing.  I think I once wrote that I'd rather go to the dentist.  So now the waiting for the results and to schedule the mammogram and then wait for that.  Just not a breezy sort of thing for me.  Geez, isn't it great to start reading a blog post that is filled with such uplifting thoughts? 

On Monday I had a great time with Emily doing a little shopping.  We haven't gotten together in so long.  She does a lot of work on her days off, meeting with clients and doing design work.  When she is in the showroom she needs to be available to customers and potential clients.  It was great to get out together.  We went to HomeGoods.  I didn't need one darn thing for myself, in fact I'm trying to organize the space downstairs where I keep all my seasonal stuff.  I did need to get a birthday gift for a friend and Emily found a gorgeous and huge pasta bowl and picked out some fancy pasta, olive oil and jars of sauce.  She is so creative in picking out gifts like this.  I would have simply bought the bowl!  

I also became a little nutso in picking out essentials for Abby's new apartment.  I have to backtrack a little.  Her lease with her three girlfriends in their coachhouse ends in a month.  They are parting ways after a fun filled year together and she and her longtime boyfriend, Tom, have decided to take the leap and get an apartment together.  It will be on the Northside.  They are hunting for a place right now.  Each of the girls will take what they brought.  I know she and Tom have a lot of shopping ahead picking out furniture, rugs, curtains...all sorts of major pieces.  We know there are baby showers and wedding showers, but sadly there is no such thing as 'living in sin' showers, so I hit the kitchen aisles knowing that wouldn't intrude on her particular taste and style and it would check off a few things on her list.  I had a ball.  Coffee cups, towels, napkins, a cute canister and all sorts of spoons and spatulas and those crazy things you never think you need until you need them.  She was quite touched.  I got my retail therapy done and didn't add anymore clutter to my own home.

Except this cute bunny you see above.  Just one.  One per year.  Truly.

This bunny banner was found in the dollar bin (but one of the $3 bargains) at Target a few weeks ago.    It was sort of funny, I didn't like the way it was hanging and I mentioned it to The Husband.  The next morning I got up and he met me in the living room, excitedly pointing to the bunny banner.  "Look, Jane!  I think I solved the problem.  I pinned the middle bunny up higher and now it looks like they're running and leaping!"  How clever.  He was so darned pleased with himself.  I have to bring the rest of my spring things upstairs when I get a chance.  I'm a little afraid I'm going to wake up one morning to find everything rearranged.  

We've had some nice warm weather here but also our fair share of gloom.  I guess when the spring-like temps tease us, it's harder to accept the cloudy rainy days.  Today was dark and misty.  Warm enough to have some open windows but a little too damp and humid.  Funny how the weather affects our moods.  Is it just us women?  We seem to talk about the weather a lot on our blogs.  For me, playing with vignettes here and there helps me focus on things I can control, ways to bring some prettiness indoors.  I try to find inexpensive bouquets when I can, especially just before spring arrives when it feels like we haven't seen a living thing in months.  To the left you can see a little jar.  I made some cuttings from a Baby Tears houseplant and I really hope I get some roots.  I love this plant dearly.  Spring.  Growth.  ;-D

Playing a little on the kitchen counters.  I'm really lucky to have a lot of space and I guess I will never be the type to have clean, sleek counters.  I think I just like to be surrounded by what I like.  Things rarely make sense...I mean a box filled with all sorts of string?  And the dog treats right smack next to my flour and sugar canisters?  Yep, that's me.

I promised the recipe for Roasted Chicken Provencal.  I was just too pooped to write it out in my last post but I hope I left you with a good teaser.  This goes together so quickly and easily yet it would make for a wonderful Sunday dinner.  I'm having a love affair with chicken thighs.  I've never cared much for dark meat but I really love how it stays so moist and tender when cooked in a broth or sauce.  The key is to trim the fat very well.  In this recipe the whole garlic cloves turn soft, fragrant and melt in your mouth with each bite, as do the shallots.  Never think French cooking is terribly difficult.  Some of my favorite recipes are all about simple ingredients meant to be savored and remembered.  

Roasted Chicken Provencal

8 skin on chicken thighs, trimmed of fat

2 T of sea salt

1 t pepper

1/2 to 3/4 c flour

3 T canola oil

2 T herbes de Provence (easily found in your grocery with the spices)

1 lemon halved and then quartered

8-10 whole garlic cloves, peeled

4-6 large shallots, peeled and halved

1/3 c white wine

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Season chicken with S&P.  Put flour in a shallow dish and lightly dredge chicken in it, gently shaking to remove excess.

Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan and add chicken.  Pour the wine over the chicken thighs and surround them with the lemon, garlic and shallots.  Top with the herbes de Provence 

Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes.  Baste with the juices and then lower heat to 350 and bake another 25 minutes.  The skin on the chicken should be browned and crisp.  Remove to a platter and spoon the juices,  lemon, garlic and shallots over.  This is delicious served with a light salad and some good French bread.  

Let me know if you try this.  And if you have any questions, ask away.  Its a real winner!

*****

I have to get to bed early.  A visit with a friend early and after, my first appointment at a dermatology clinic nearby where I will start light therapy for my skin.  Its not the dangerous sort of rays you have in a tanning bed and it helps heal the rash and its inflammation.  I'll have to go 3 three times a week but it's only about 20 minutes away.  I've been on the meds almost 2 weeks and I'm just starting to see some improvement.  The side effects are pretty much gone other than a bit of feeling chilled after it first kicks in.  Nothing bad, the headaches are gone, too.  Fingers crossed.  

Our trip to Vancouver is fast approaching.  We leave on April 8 and come home on the 13th.  We have a busy itinerary,  a cocktail party the night before The Husband's presentation, then two free days of shopping and our hotel is smack in the middle of the best shopping area.  We are also driving 2 hours north to Whistler, a beautiful town waaaaaay up in the mountains.  While neither of us ski we are looking forward to staying in the village which looks like something straight out of Switzerland.  I'm so excited!

 Not a great picture but this is where we will be staying overnight in Whistler.  It's right in the village as we have no need to be near the ski lifts or anything remotely unrelated to shopping and dining.  ;-D

I'm off to bed now.  Thanks for visiting.  See you soon!

Jane x 

SPRING DECOR TOUCHES, SKIN PROBLEMS & A FANCY SHMANCY GROCERY STORE

I'm so happy to be back earlier than usual.  I didn't think I had much to share but I think most of you know by now I can take a small event in my life and run with it.  I thought this would be a slow week, I would loll around and get further in my book, take a nap here and there...just sort of take advantage of some free time and the many weekly errands and what seems like a zillion doctor appointments. Nope, keeping the Ponderosa clean and running smooth requires a lot of time and energy.  With yet another snowstorm predicted tomorrow, I made a trip to our corner grocery for a few small things and I treated myself to these tulips.  I really love yellow flowers, from tulips to roses to daisies.  I decided to change out my dining table with an old metal tray and a cute little wire container with jars that have flower frog lids.  I love how yellow compliments blue.  These placemats are pretty beat up, I've used them on our patio table outside and they've been exposed to the elements on more than one occasion.  Okay, here I go with the running dialogue. ^^ 

I also pulled out some dessert/salad plates I use for Easter dinner.  Why not display them?  I've had this linen tea towel for a couple of years.  Sometimes I see cute irresistible ones when I'm at my favorite stores but I really love this baby with embroidered carrots.  So these are on my kitchen island.  I think I found the plates at Pier 1 several years ago.

I talked about seeing a new doctor in my last post for my really out of control eczema.  It's not easy to talk about.  It's unsightly, up and down my arms and legs, my chest and now on my face.  A very, very red inflamed mess.  It goes from itching and burning to being so sore.  But my post brought a few fellow sufferers and one anonymous person to comment on their struggles with this affliction.  For those of you who have zero issues with regard to this disease, scroll on down.  I just wanted to share what I learned at this appointment with a doctor who specializes in eczema.

Above you can see his beautiful office.  Its not far from the business district of Chicago where buildings are being rehabbed left and right.  Look at that wall of shelves and the light fixtures.  I just couldn't resist taking a few snaps!  And the doctor, Peter Lio, M.D. was sincerely THE best.  He has dedicated a huge amount of time researching and treating eczema and you don't find too many physicians like this.  

With one look at my sore, red and inflamed skin, he didn't hesitate to tell me I was suffering from an auto immunity deficiency.  In my own online searching I had pretty much known this.  For so long I thought my problem was a result of pets, using fragranced laundry soap, burning scented candles, you name it.  I was grasping at straws in my desperation.

A look at auto immune disease:

Auto immune disease develops when your immune system, which defends your body against disease, decides your healthy cells are foreign.  

...as a result your immune system attacks healthy cells.  It can affect one or many different types of body tissue and changes in organ function.  The skin is the body's largest organ.

That said, the doctor put me on a very potent medication mainly used for individuals after organ transplants so the body doesn't reject the organ when the body might attack the healthy cells.  It's a little scary taking this drug.  There are side effects.  In the days I've been taking it I have had tingling and extreme cold in my feet.  Headaches as well.  I never get headaches and I'm taking Tylenol every 6 hours.  Small price to pay for what I'm going through.  It takes awhile for the medicine to kick in so my skin remains unchanged at this time.

I was also advised to use CereVe healing ointment...you can find this at any drugstore.  It's on the expensive side but well worth it.  My skin was so bad and every topical product I used caused incredible itching so I gave up.  This works to an extent. For those of you who wrote that you have eczema here and there, this would be a great start for healing.  Photo light therapy will start 3 times per week.  And with the inflammation I currently have, I need to take a ten minute bath several times a week with lukewarm water mixed with a 1/2 cup of bleach.  Yes, sounds scary but it's much less than the chlorine you would encounter in a pool.  This kills staph and toxins that may get into my system.

That's the long and short of it for now.  For those of you who commented on your own skin issues and some of your remedies, thank you.  I would highly recommend the CereVe ointment.  It protects and nourishes the skin with mineral oil and hyaluronic acid among other ingredients which helps the skin retain moisture.  I'm taking a Probiotic supplement to kill the bad bacteria internally.

Let me know if you have any questions.  There are a few more steps I'm following but I don't want to talk much more about my journey.  I pray I get results soon.  So far little has changed but I trust it will.  This doctor is incredible.   

After my appointment, and The Husband was so nice coming with me, we Googled some of the restaurants in the area, and there were many.  We decided on this French bistro called Troquet.  It was outstanding.  Not a huge menu but different and delicious and I loved the casual atmosphere.  Although there will be many restaurants to choose from this up and coming area close to the business district in the city, I think we will make a few return visits here.

  

We had a few funny conversations in my last post when I wrote about my fancy grocery store.  I was there Saturday for my 2 weeks grocery shopping and it was a perfect time to get some shots to share.  As The Husband has been working from home a lot lately, he was feeling a little stir crazy and offered to come along.  Very strange indeed.  I mentioned the piano player to you guys.  Well, here he is.  

There are a few little cute areas like this fine chocolate bar.  The also offer popcorn and the smell, like in a movie theatre, has your mouth watering.  In addition to the cool areas I mentioned last week, there is a sushi bar, and in the meat/seafood space, a person who mans a huge grill and will cook up steaks, burgers, fish--whatever you've bought to bring home and  devour.

This is the international aisle (of three) that I really love.  You can truly find anything you need for a recipe here.  Love it.  Couldn't get a better picture of the countries from which they supply hard to find ingredients...I have to get a little more sneaky.  lol!

And finally the bar.  I was pretty clueless why there was a bar in a grocery store as were you guys.  Well, I have a whole new perspective on it now.  When we arrived The Husband and I grabbed our own carts.  I told him in no uncertain terms that I wasn't going to tolerate or pay for his random purchases of Hostess Cupcakes, Doritos and 8 bottles of apple juice because they were on sale.  So we went our separate ways.  After my shopping was done, I strolled up and down aisles trying to find him.  No luck.  I pulled my phone out of my purse to call him and found a minimum of eight texts, most of them, "Where are you Jane?"  "Call me Jane."  "I've been looking everywhere for you, Jane."  So I called him.  Where are you?  Sitting in the bar naturally.  Ah ha.  Now I know why it's there.  "Hurry up, Jane.  I have a drink lined up for you".  As I stood in line while the gal rang up my groceries, I instinctively put on my lipstick. After all, I was having a drink with my love.  I would have brushed my hair, too, but you know it was a grocery store after all.  I do have my limits.

I finally broke down and bought curtains for Abby' room/guest room.  Gosh, curtains are so expensive.  As much as I want to finish up this room, its the last thing on my list of priorities.  I had a set of curtains picked out at Target.  At $24.99 a panel and needing two panels per window, it made me shudder.  I put them back.  And then on my trip to Marshall's last week I found not only curtains I loved but they were in packages of two panels for $19.99.  Wow, a half price difference.  The rods were a steal at Home Depot.  I wanted black as the drawer pulls on the dresser I painted are black.  I never thought I would ever buy anything black but I'm finding it to be a really nice contrast with my neutrals.  How about you?  I also switched out some of the pillows to blue/green sort of patterned pillowcases I've had forever but never used and they went perfectly with the throw that I had in another room.  

We had a minimal amount of snow last week, but it came down more like sleet and was pretty dangerous for people driving.  And then we had a huge storm warning yesterday but it, too, amounted to more slippery roads than usual as the temps dropped.  And we now have another snowstorm predicted for tomorrow.  We'll see.  Its also supposed to get below freezing tonight so we might have those terrible roads again.  The irony is, we had warm temps just a few days ago, and by warm I mean mid 50's.  I wanted the dogs to get some exercise so I decided to do some backyard clean up.  So many tree branches, large and small.  I made a huge pile but was too lazy to haul them out to the curb. Ha!  And I picked up dog do do that had accumulated over the past 3 cold months.  Nasty job.  But Milo and Layla are just ecstatic to have me in the yard with them.  They ran and jumped and frolicked and sniffed their way along the ground which no longer had that covering of snow or lack of scent due to the cold.  They have both gotten so overweight. I can't wait for warmer weather to get them (and me) in shape.     

A sure sign that they are out of shape is that after we have a little fun in the fresh air, they collapse like they ran a marathon.  

Oh, how they love their soft throws.  Spoiled for sure. ;-D

I'm one of the many who loves Pinterest.  95% of what I Pin is recipes.  If you ever see something you like on this blog, just hover over it and click on the red Pin image.  Very much as I do with cookbooks, I have good intentions to make new dishes.  And then it becomes a forgotten memory.  A few weeks ago I was feeling a little stuck with the unimaginative dinners I was making and decided to sit down and pick out 3-4 recipes to try in the following week and when I went to the store, I would pick up any essentials I needed.  So far I've made three new recipes since Saturday and they have all been hits.  Above is a Roasted Chicken Provencal which was unbelievable.  I took this photo before I popped it in the oven so you could see the vivid colors of the shallots, whole garlic cloves and lemon.  The skin on the chicken turns crisp and tasty and the best thing?  I thew it all together in about ten minutes and it cooked in the oven about 50 minutes with very little help from me.  Alas, I feel like this post is way too long and I'm feeling that dreaded headache coming on.  I'll share the recipe in my next post.  You are going to love it.   

I'll end here.  Did you watch the Oscars Sunday?  Very interesting.  I think Chris Rock handled the huge elephant in the room very well.  And The Voice came back (as well as Blindspot which I love) and I'm getting a huge kick out of this season with the bantering of Adam, Pharell, Christina and Blake.  They are so much more playful and funny and the talent of the contestants is incredible.  Do you watch?  And I missed Fixer Upper last night so I'm going to have to replay that.  Totally love that show and how Chip and Joanna relate with each other.  As the lakehouse is being built from wall studs to sub floors up, it's interesting to see demolition and the beginning to end progress.  

That's it for now.  Have a great remaining week, and thanks for visiting! :)

Jane x

FLOWER LOVE, SOME FUN AT MARSHALL'S, WINDY CITY WEATHER AND A RECIPE

My pretty tulips finally shed their petals and I found these lilies at the grocery store.  I think a lot of you might think it's funny (or sort of strange) that I mention in most every post about one trip or another to my grocery store.  It's sort of a two fold situation.  Number one is that I'm restless and I feel that getting out each day is something that gives me fresh air and a clear mind.  Sometimes when I'm doing my grocery shopping,  I might think we are a little low on something perhaps like dog food or paper towels.  Then I think, "Nah...I'll come back in a day or two".  So strange.  It gives me something to plan on.  This is more of a winter/cold weather habit.  In the warmer months I get my fix just working or sitting outdoors.  

Another aspect: a long time ago it was so interesting to see my in-laws plan their food shopping around the newspaper store inserts.  I know my parents did the same before they left the city shortly before I was born.  Certain stores---mostly the 'Mom & Pop' types were known to have the best meat, fish or bakery.  So to make it even more involved, people would make separate trips to these individual stores do get the best price and finest choices.  I can still do that but so many of our huge stores have the best of the best.  The store I currently shop at has a food area that has an array of pizza made to order, fresh squeezed fruit and smoothies, a bakery that serves up bread right out of the oven, an area with cheeses from all over the world, a bar that serves anything from wine to elaborate mixed drinks and...a grand piano and player.  In a grocery store!  It may be 'over the top' but I really love all of it, especially the three aisles of international foods with signs that lead you down the pretty little walks with names such as Singapore, Brazil, Tokyo, San Juan...so fun!

For someone who loves creative cooking, being in stores like all of these may be similar to what a knitter or person who loves to crochet feels like in a yarn shop.  Or a reader in a great bookstore (and I fall under that category as well!).  It's mesmerizing and has our creative minds churning.  Ever feel that?

I have several plants I brought in to try to keep over the winter.  I've always had a lot of luck with geraniums.  These are the annual type and although there is a perennial, these are doing well.  I love their scent as well as a few blooms near a sunny window.  I also have a little Norfolk Island Pine I bought three years ago.  It's probably only grown 2 inches in all of this time but I haven't the heart to toss it.  I have two Boston ferns that should  be put out of their misery but I feel a sense of responsibility to help them through until warm sunny days outdoors.  So I have this whole corner of my family room filled with greenery.  It's actually very pretty and 'alive!'

First pair of frivolous boots for 2016

I made a trip to Marshall's yesterday.  I mentioned The Husband has been home a lot working on his paper to be presented in Vancouver.  Loads of work.  Today was his eighth day here in the home office in the last ten day.  Can you say T-O-G-E-T-H-E-R-N-E-S-S?  I can't say it's terribly annoying, he rarely comes up for air.   Yet sometimes he makes me see red with remarks like, "What's for lunch?"  "We're out of juice".  "Is this all you do all day?"  So yeah, it's not a walk in the park.  Retirement looms ahead...God help us!  I may get a job. 

Much like I escaped to Target last Monday, yesterday I had no appointments or lunches with friends, visits with the pope or jaunts with Emily, so I did the little trip to Marshall's as I needed soap.  Yes, soap.  

Can I sing the praises of these hand pump soaps?  For around $4.99 to $5.99, you can get about 24 oz. of soap to keep in your bath or kitchen.  We go through it like crazy and you can't beat the prices, even if you were to buy economy size refills for high end brands such as Soft Soap.  I stock up every 2 months or so and always enjoy the scents. They switch brands around a lot so it's a little frustrating to consistently find something you've loved.  Still---a tremendous value and the ingredients are usually much more natural and plant based than most on the market.     

Not playing Show and Tell here, I just love a good deal and think it's cool to pass it on.  I found this darling of a bunny for $9.99.  Her right leg is a little wonky but so is my left arm.  Maybe she fell off a chair.  I may give it to a certain little girl but we'll see.  The Husband thinks I'm going to creep her out and give her nightmares when she sees all those bunnies I've accumulated over the years.  All those beady eyes and long ears everywhere you look.  Anyway, I have so many fun ideas for an Easter gift.  Being a grandma is so much fun.  I try to curb on the spoiling...love is what's important.  Signs of our love that last forever don't hurt either.  ;-D  

I also found these mugs at $1.99 a piece.  Wow!  I love the way they are sort of wavy like something pulled off a potter's wheel before becoming perfect.  I remember when I had a ton of mismatched mugs; different colors and sizes, a few that said things like Las Vegas or Chicago Blackhawks, and I thought I really needed matching mugs to be a grown up.  So I had them, they came with my last set of dishes.  Well, time went on and I slowly wanted to see some color, something different, variety.  Now  I have these and a couple of florals that you see at the likes of Anthropologie.  Just a few matching but something to grab for my morning coffee or tea fix that suits my mood.  I think that's most important, go with your own flow. :)

We had huge warnings for a winter storm and it did start quite heavily this morning.  It was however, a big mix of rain and snow.  The winds were huge and created what we call 'White Outs'.  The snow blows so heavily you can't see either way, walking or driving. I went out to shovel twice, simply trying to stay ahead of any huge accumulation but it was mostly slushy.  The wind was wicked though, the heavy wet flakes hitting my face like little needles.  This is why we are having slippery roads, many car accidents and spin outs.  Right now the horrible snow has moved under and around Lake Michigan and into Indiana and Michigan...I wonder how close it is to our lakehouse.  Say a prayer for Northwest Indiana..it looks bad.  Abby came here after work and I love that.  Wet towels on the floor, her books and bags and laptop dropped randomly in the living room.  Forages through the refrigerator that come up empty depending on her mood for junk or something healthy.  Always fun. 

This is a very cool recipe that Peggy, my partner in crime/Elsie's other grandma made recently and shared with me.  You HAVE to try it!  No matter how la-de-dah and "Oh, I've had something like this before"...TRY IT.  I have way to vary it but I want to give you the original recipe from Peggy which has no name other than, 'Rita's Salad'.


                                                                ****Rita's Salad****


5 slices of bacon, cooked and drained
2 types of lettuce--I used romaine and iceberg---3 cups each
2 pieces scallions (green onion) chopped
4 oz. slivered almonds
3 T Sesame seeds
2 T butter
1 small can Chow Mien noodles

Dressing~~~

1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c white vinegar
1 t. each S&P
2 T Italian herbs (oregano, basil, rosemary...your choice
_____________________________

Quite simply... in a large bowl, mix lettuce and add scallions.  Set aside.  In a small saute pan heat the butter over low and cook the almonds and sesame seeds until just starting to brown.  Add to bowl with lettuce and mix quickly so lettuce doesn't wilt.  Add bacon (crumbled) and chow mien noodles, toss.  Make dressing.  Shake well and add to salad just before serving.  Best at room temperature.  

I may make this as part of my Easter dinner and I know it will be a mainstay this summer not only for our al fresco dinners at the lake but for company as well.  We truly loved it!  Thanks, Peggy.  And Rita.  Whoever you are.

                                                                          ~~~

Finally, I want to announce the winner of the book, Romantic Prairie Style.  I was very surprised by how so many of you do have it...myself, too.  I ended up with an extra because I've never learned to read the fine print.  Still, I was so happy to give a follower my extra book and this goes to Kerry at Sea Washed Living.  Send me an email with your address, my friend!

I'm off to the 'Less Windy-er' city tomorrow for an appointment with a skin specialist.  My eczema is beyond bad and this guy has done a lot of research in this area of dermatology, that makes him a hero to me already.  I truly have my fingers crossed that it won't be the same routine of oral steroids and topical ointments.  I wish I could just have a needle stuck in my arm to make it all go away but life wasn't meant to be easy.  I do mean to have The Husband take me to a nice, warm, heavenly place for lunch no matter the outcome.  That'll give us something to smile about.

That's it for today.  See all of you soon!


                                                                     Jane x

SOME TARGET LOVE, GOOD READS & ANOTHER GREAT RECIPE

Hey everyone.  It's been a pretty good week in the Land of Blonde.  No, not perfect but it's the little things, right?  Like these tulips.  They gave me a week of pleasure and I even loved them when they started to drop a few petals.  My grocery store has a Five for Friday deal...a little bouquet for $5.00  Love it.  Today I bought some dwarf lilies.  I like to get them before they open so you will have to wait, with baited breath I'm sure, for a pic.  

It was 64 degrees and sunny here in Chicago today.  Amazing.  I opened windows in every room and let the breeze blow in to clear out the air and the dust rats.  Milo and Layla could not sit still.  They leaped around with their sniffers in the air and did their little dance to go outside every 20 minutes.  Maybe they think this is spring, who knows?  But they were happy.  I was happy and all was good.  Except the wind.  Far beyond what the Windy City is accustomed to.  Streets downtown were closed as windows broke, construction sites became dangerous; debris flying all over.  Everything and anything taking off into the wind.  I made a trip to the grocery store (I know, by now all of you think I live at the grocery store but it is what it is. :) and I was hanging on to my cart for dear life.  Other than that bit of excitement it was a sunny week and we all need that in February.

The Husband spent the most part of last weekend and then Monday and Tuesday working at home on the project he will be presenting in Vancouver this April.  We did go out for a nice Valentine's Day dinner Sunday and had a wonderful time.  I have to say, by Monday I had a little too much togetherness.  What can I say?  I'm used to being alone 5 days a week and although I never knew how much I was accustomed to it, well, I guess I am.  I escaped to Target Monday and other than a few food items, I was just wandering.  You know me too well though, I have a love for shower curtains.  Switching them up by season or just a whim.  I wanted something spring-y and this fit the bill.  At $19.00 I was pleased.  Maybe a little premature but a girl can dream, right?  I have the window open and you can see my little birdhouses swaying in the breeze.  So encouraging!

The only other thing I needed to make a soft feel was a pale pink hand towel for the shelving I have in this bath.  These are simple pieces of pine I had cut to the dimensions I wanted at Home Depot a few years ago.  I painted them a soft creamy color and they give me space and a way to display pretty soaps, towels and glass containers of essentials.  How fun it is to change a bathroom around so inexpensively.  

I really love the book section at Target.  Losing Border's was a real disappointment to me.  Barnes and Noble is about 50 minutes away and I've noticed it's filled with a lot of eye catching items I can't begin to count, nor need.  I think you know what I mean.  But...I have to avoid the book section at Target...I'm a sucker for the best sellers and pretty covers.  I did see this and when I read the back cover I was intrigued.  I thought it would be a sort of generational novel going back and forth from the times I really love--the early 1900's and 1960's.  It was but what didn't prepare me was how well written and...

...hysterically funny it is!  You'd never know.  Switching back and forth between two eras can be a little too common in so many novels, and though you can read the jacket cover (which you might want to enlarge to read above), you'd never know how charismatic these characters are and how life plays out in such comical, suspenseful and heartfelt way.  I'm eating up several chapters in a sitting.  I'm also enjoying a slow and enjoyable read of Stillmeadow Seasons by Gladys Tabor.  I savor her gentle rumination, almost meditative.  Before bed is the best time for me to relax and enjoy her writings.  Her times on the farm are a bit like my time at the lake, I get her need for solitude and simple life.  

I got wise after all of my appointment mishaps that I wrote about in my last post.  I never thought I needed any sort of calendar beside the good old wall type with pretty pictures of puppies.  But I finally broke down and bought a simple little planner and I'm getting pretty good at transferring all of those little appointment cards I usually stuff in my purse in to this little guy.  At the end of each month is a larger space for daily notes and I'm keeping a daily meal diary there.  I hear that tracking your meals helps in your diet.  I find it terrifying but heck...who knows?  I may or may not let you know how well this works.  ;-D

And on to another recipe with an awful picture as per usual.  We don't eat meat during lent and as I'm not a huge fan of seafood, nor do I eat eat many carbs such as pasta, potatoes or anything relatively white,  I have to be creative to make fish taste a a little better.  I peruse recipes all the time and I happened to find a great recipe for Cod Cakes published by the New York Times.  Of course I changed it.  The poached fish involved a lot of herbs and spices that I felt would simply get diluted in the process so I eliminated them in my recipe.  I also have specific ideas as to how to create a cake that doesn't fall apart.  I hope you enjoy this and feel free to modify your ingredients. 

Cod Cakes

1 lb. fresh cod fillets

2 T butter

2 stalks celery, diced fine

1 carrot, diced fine

1 medium onion, diced fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 heaping T mayonnaise 

2 t Dijon mustard

2 eggs

S & P

1 T Italian herb blend

1 T sweet paprika

1 c Panko bread crumbs

1 c. plain bread crumbs

1/4 c canola oil

****

Poach fish in 1/2 c water in a small skillet about 10 minutes until opaque.  Remove and let cool.  Drain skillet and melt butter over medium heat.  Add all veggies and garlic and saute about 6 minutes until soft.  Transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl combine mayo, mustard, eggs salt and pepper.  Add herb blend and paprika.  Add this to the large bowl of veggies.  Stir in the bread crumbs 1/2 cup at a time.  The batter should be moist but firm.

Flake the cooked cod both finely and in small chunks.  Add to the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill at minimum 30 minutes.  

Heat canola oil over medium heat.  Form patties of the cod mixture and cook about 4-5 minutes on both sides until heated through.  For a crispy surface, spread a bit of mayo over each side before cooking.  A lemony vinaigrette is a nice topping as well.

ENJOY!!!!

Well. that's it for now.  We have zero plans for the weekend but that may change.  I'm feeling very on top of things lately.  I handed in my first newspaper article of the year 5 days early.  Yay!  This is the year I want to be a non procrastinator.  If that's possible.  

I also want to say that I'm keeping the book giveaway open another week (see my last post).  If you want to be entered, please let me know in your comment.  

Have a great weekend!

Jane x 

HOME FIRES, MISHAPS, MY MAIN MAN & ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!

Hello!  Happy Weekend although when I publish this it may be Sunday morning.  I have a tendency to proofread a thousand times.  How are you guys weather-wise?  Our warmest day was Tuesday at 28 degrees but the wind was so bad I felt like I had windburn on my cheeks walking from the parking lot into the grocery store.  The Husband has been so good about making fires...we have a ton of wood from the lakehouse piled up in the garage.  We also use a Duraflame logs to keep it going a little more effortlessly.  Our living room and the direction it faces gets a lot of the cold wind so the fire truly keeps  us warm as well as cozy.  We have snow predicted tomorrow--3-6 inches which is truly not terrible for us.  In fact, I'd love to see the beauty of the white stuff.  Still, not crazy about anyone having to drive in it.

In spite of the cold we had many sunny days.

 Milo and Layla usually play games with this chair in the living room which faces southeast and gets that mid morning sun.  I truly think they love each other, they share the same food and water bowl, sometimes at the same time...but Milo seems to have owners rights as he is two years older and was the king of the roost.  To see them on the same chair is quite a phenomenon.  Toleration?  Brotherly/sisterly love?  I have to grab it when I can.  They are precious and even more together.  And lets not forget that sun, it makes me smile.

   

Thank you for all of the compliments on Elsie's party and the pics.  She is so beautiful and with her walking...what a game changer.  I sometimes feel very far away from when my children made these milestones and at other times I still feel that instinct from having four kids so long ago. That instinct never leaves us.  I'm so glad I get to do this over again!

We celebrated her true birthday on February 10th.  Kevin and Mary Clare had both sides of the family over for pizza.  So fun.  I made a little cake...man, I need to stick with cookies and cupcakes.  I frosted the bottom layer on a piece of cardboard so it wouldn't smear up the cake pedestal.  My best and most honest critic, Emily, asked why the bottom of the cake was odd.  It was a chocolate cake and that was obvious along the bottom.  Well, I ended up tinting more frosting and fixing it but didn't take a revised picture.  Still, I'm a perfectionist and until I take a cake decorating class or simply practice, practice, practice...I'm leaving cake decorating to the experts.

I mentioned in my last post that we were making progress at the lakehouse and picking out so many new things.  I think it would be a big mish mash to show you little bit by bit things.  Just let it be said, I've chosen the kitchen floor and lower cabinets (see above and more about the stain below).  I'm doing reclaimed wood shelves above.  I am going to stay with subway tile for the backsplash but will use a darker gray grout to make it pop a bit.  I picked out a porcelain floor that mimics wood.

Above you can see the stain that will be used on my lower cabinets.  It's called 'Rye",  I want nothing with an orange or honey shade.  They will be glazed in a shade called Sable that will get into the grooves.  I'm going to have black hardware that will also be used in the brackets of the open shelving.  I have a bit of a rustic/country theme going.  I can't wait to share it all.

I had a little mishap, mistake, not too pleasant experience when I ordered this book.  I was really excited when I pre-ordered it and maybe I neglected to read the fine print.  I received it, even posted positively on IG, but once I settled down to read it, I realized it was all very familiar.  I have the original from 2011 and this is simply the same book with a different cover.  What?   Well, I could return it to Amazon but seeing how many people on IG responded that they'd love to read it, I'm going to give it away.  Yes, another giveaway within three months.  Just leave a comment to be in the drawing.  And spread the word around with a link if you'd like. ;-)

This week was a string of mishaps and although I was terribly frustrated, it's always great to look at it from the humorous side.  Here goes...

I feel like all I've been doing is going from one doctor appointment to the next.  Seriously.  My annual exam with my GP a few weeks ago, 3 visits with my audiologist, the second opinion with an orthopedic specialist on my arm.  Blood tests, bone density and a colonoscopy ordered (whoa boy...hasn't happened yet).  

So here's the real unadulterated poop...

~I was driving to the suburbs to one doctor and as I pulled into the parking lot, realized I was at the wrong doctor, 6 miles out of my way.  And wondering if I had completely lost my mind or just jamming to The Weeknd and Justin Beiber.  

~Went to another clinic (another day) a mistaken hour before my appointment.  After complaining a bit, I pulled the appointment card out of my purse, realized my mistake and of course felt guilty.  I directed my anger to the wall rack of magazines,  Parents, Highlights for children, Prevention and Woman's World.  It made the green vinyl chairs and rubber plants seem appropriate.

~This goof up had to be the worst of them all.  I tried to prolong my gynecologist appointment for so long--I even rescheduled once.  And on Tuesday I was wallowing in self pity that I had to go.  This sort of exam for me is similar to how some of you dread dental appointments.  I'd rather have a tooth pulled.  So as I sat that morning with my coffee contemplating rescheduling my appointment, I pulled myself up by the bootstraps, took a three hour long bath and headed out into the 17 degree weather.  I arrived at the office thinking the waiting room was quite empty.  Yay, no wait.  When I announced my appointment... well long story short, they couldn't find me on the computer and then voila, I was actually scheduled for the next day.  I had the date wrong.  What????  And I have to do this all over again???  So I rescheduled and now I have to go through the same anxiety, loss of sleep and three hour soak in the tub.  Shoot me.    

~And finally.  I had to renew my passport for our upcoming trip.   The Husband was nagging and a little inpatient about me doing this.  So I was in Walgreens one afternoon and it was quite empty.  Considering many of us do not want to pose for a picture in the busyness of a store, I seized this moment, had the photo taken, and had the proper papers printed.  Once home I methodically filled them out and then  smugly presented them to The Husband along with the photo of my beaming face.  And then he said, "Oh, Jane.  I forgot to tell you that I looked at our existing passports and we are good until 2018".  Again, shoot me.  

I'll end with a funny moment here.  One of our grocery stores has a promotion which involves getting little tabs/stickers based upon how much you spend.  It's sort of a Monopoly game where you stick those little babies on and you can win win over $500,00 dollars or a $2.00 coupon. Or nothing.  I never play and usually give my little stickers to the customer behind me.  When The Husband found out he shared warm and fuzzy moments about his father collecting S&H Green stamps  Remember those?  It was a part of my life, too, and I remember my mother winning a set of  pots and pans.  So...here is the man totally involved with the stickers.  My life was threatened if I dared to give them away again.  The funniest thing here is...The Husband can rock a suit and tie like nobody else, but little do you guys know, he dresses like someone from Archie Comics when he's relaxed at home.  Well, not always.  Hubby, if you are reading this somewhere in 2027, forgive me.  He is truly a man I'm proud to be out and about with.  And maybe you should see me on downtime! :(

Happy Valentine's Day to all.  I bought myself some cheap tulips yesterday...this guy is absent minded but that's just another thing I love about him.  :)

Jane x

ELSIE'S 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY

****BIRTHDAY GIRL****

I absolutely want to start out by thanking everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes.  You are all such good friends.  It definitely makes getting older much sweeter!  After celebrating the night before, I met with my friend/partner in crime/fellow grandmother to Elsie, Peggy, the next morning for a trip to a second hand bookstore that we both love.  Nothing like being friends with another reader.  After a lot of browsing and some purchases we headed off to a little cafe near the Metra station to downtown Chicago.  Just a small place but it has the most delicious soups, salads and burgers.  Since it was my BIG day I indulged in a hamburger (ask The Husband, other than the very occasional Quarter Pounders when we are on the road and desperate, he's never seen me order a burger at a restaurant nor do I make them at home).  This one was special...sautéed spinach on a 1/2 pound Angus burger with feta cheese and grilled red onion.  That's all I needed besides my Diet Pepsi, no fries or chips, it was plenty.  I stopped at the grocery on the way home and picked up a container of chicken that's made up fresh everyday and a container of broccoli cheddar soup-- this was our simple no fuss dinner.  Great day. :)

Elsie's first birthday party was coming up on Saturday and although I had contributed a bit by getting the paper items like plates, cups and napkin, at the last minute I wanted to do more.  The party was being held at the home of my son and daughter in law, Jeff and Deirdre.  They have a ton of space.  One day I'll give you a tour.  So I had a few last minute ideas and made the mason jars filled with candy (see above) the day before.  Even more last minute I decided to make some cookies for the kiddies to snack on before cake was served but when I found some cute little glassine bags, I made little favors with them.  I think poor Elsie is in for a heart shaped/borderline Valentines Day theme for many birthdays to come. ;-)

Emily texted me pictures as they set up.  She and Mary Clare are very creative and have so much energy.  I have a fear of standing on chairs after my near fatal fall in June (ha ha ha!), so it was so neat seeing all of the decorations hanging everywhere.  Can you believe you are looking at simply the foyer?  Behind is the open living room, kitchen and dining area.  His home is unbelievable.  

The hearth was decorated with cute pictures of Elsie on doilies as well as a framed pictures for each of her 12 months in our lives.  I can't remember how it was before her!

Beautiful cake and I love how you can now get the separate one for the birthday girl/boy.  That's simply the sweetest part, watching them dip their chubby little fingers into the first really sweet treat they've ever had.  Isn't that cake precious?  Peggy contributed this.  

Here are the proud parents and grandparents around our girl...

...and another I just saw in one of our shared family albums on my phone, a great picture of my kids and their loves.  Clockwise:  Elsie, Abby., Mary Clare, Kevin, Mike, Emily, Tom, Jeff & Deirdre. 

Finally a picture of me and our birthday girl.  I posted this on FB and IG so if you are tired of seeing it, apologies.  Neither of us will ever be this young again...lol!  We really had a great time.  Friends, family...this little girl has a lot of love all around her.  Again, it's hard to imagine life before her and it make me look forward to our family expanding even more, soon I hope!!! ;-)

We had a quiet day today.  Abby was here for the party and left to go home and then The Husband and I slipped out for dinner.  We've been doing that quite a bit I think recently in spite of my claims to the contrary in my last post (!!!).  I just know that we never have much time together during the week.  He works long days and I really like to create good meals for us in the evening.  He likes to read in bed and go to sleep early and I like to stay up until at least after the 10:00 news.  But I really need some getting out and with temps consistently in the 30's of late, I'm feeling a little housebound.  

We are working on our 2016 Travels (I feel really important wording it that way as we usually don't go far or long).  I am really excited about trip to Vancouver in April, The Husband is receiving an award for a paper he wrote with a doctor/colleague and it's very exciting, I'm so proud.  We are pencilling in a lot of sightseeing.  Stay tuned.  We hope to get to our place in Asheville in June and I need to map out a fun route to take in some new states/cities/towns/ to see along the way.  The lakehouse will fill our weekends soon and then we will take our usual 2 weeks stay in August which I know will be very busy.  Hopefully we can get away to some of the  Lake Michigan shore towns for some change of scenery.  Yet, the lakehouse will be perfect enough.  I sometimes wonder how Milo and Layla will feel to be back inside and out.  Work has been going on for over 8 weeks now and is moving along quickly.  In my next post I'll share some of the things I've picked out for the new kitchen, bath and loft area.  

Thanks for taking the time to read this post (if you are still here with me).  I may have been long winded about the party but if you know me well, then you know that family is something I hold very close to my heart.  I'm fortunate to have a big one but no matter the size, we all have a lot to be grateful for...love and perfect moments spent together.  :)

See you soon!

Jane x