Drat, I just spilled tea on myself. I cleared my throat just before I took a sip, Zoe (sitting at my side on the couch) took that to mean something in her squeaky twittery alien cat language, butted my elbow with her head while uttering her weird "prrrowt?" (always questions with that one), and thus I sloshed on myself. And just now Oz tried to jump up to snuggle with me, Zoe growled at him, he jumped back down, and now he's sitting on the rug with his back turned and his ears expressing his disdain.

No snuggling in a patch of sunlight and giving mutual tongue baths for these two.

I have a load to do today, which is my penance for not having to work when Calvin does. I'm hoping to have the house clean, the groceries purchased, and the potato soup in process before he gets home. We never go out on New Year's Eve - too many drunk drivers, and neither one of us are fond of crowds. I usually make up a load of munchies that we can graze upon throughout the night, we mix cocktails galore, and watch movies until midnight.

Tonight's munchies include chips and veggies and dip, baby roast beef sandwiches on potato rolls, the aforementioned potato soup, cheese and summer sausage and crackers, and maybe I'll do up a batch of deviled eggs. If I could do "appetizer meals" every night of the week, I would. In fact, Calvin and I frequently order several appetizers at restaurants in lieu of actual meals. I guess our palates have ODD.

Tonight's movies include Shrek The Third (I do not have high hopes) and Stardust (I do have high hopes). Tonight's cocktails include the standard Fat Tire and 1554 brews, tequila, vodka, and possibly oatmeal cookie shots.

We're going to go out of 2007 the way we went into it... buzzed.

I'll probably post again later, but if I don't, Happy New Year you guys!!!

Labels: holiday, journal

Posted by Laura at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments

130 books read in 2007:

1. "Lady with a Black Umbrella" by Mary Balogh


2. "The Famous Heroine" by Mary Balogh


3. "Truly" by Mary Balogh


4. "Silent Melody" by Mary Balogh


5. "Simply Love" by Mary Balogh


6. "Slightly Married" by Mary Balogh


7. "Slightly Wicked" by Mary Balogh


8. "To Rescue a Rogue" by Jo Beverly


9. "Slightly Scandalous" by Mary Balogh


10. "Slightly Dangerous" by Mary Balogh


11. "Promises" by Lisa Kleypas


12. "Rose in Bloom" by Stephanie Laurens


13. "The Lady Chosen" by Stephanie Laurens


14. "A Gentleman's Honor" by Stephanie Laurens


15. "In the Prince's Bed" by Sabrina Jeffries


16. "To Pleasure a Prince" by Sabrina Jeffries


17. "One Night With a Prince" by Sabrina Jeffries


18. "Pacific Vortex" by Clive Cussler


19. "The Mediterranean Caper" by Clive Cussler


20. "The Seducer" by Madeline Hunter


21. "The Saint" by Madeline Hunter


22. "The Ring of Fear" by Anne McCaffrey (again)


23. "HP and the Order of the Phoenix" by JK Rowling (again)


24. "HP and the Half-Blood Prince" by JK Rowling (again)


25. "The Charmer" by Madeline Hunter


26. "The Sinner" by Madeline Hunter


27. "The Seduction of an English Scoundrel" by Jillian Hunter


28. "Dark Prince" by Christine Feehan


29. "Dark Desire" by Christine Feehan


30. "Dark Gold" by Christine Feehan


31. "Dark Magic" by Christine Feehan


32. "Dark Challenge" by Christine Feehan


33. "Dark Fire" by Christine Feehan


34. "Dark Dream" by Christine Feehan


35. "Dark Legend" by Christine Feehan


36. "Dark Guardian" by Christine Feehan


37. "Dark Symphony" by Christine Feehan


38. "Fear the Darkness" by Sherrilyn Kenyon


39. "The Wizard of London" by Mercedes Lackey


40. "Lover Revealed" by J. R. Ward


41. "And Only to Deceive" by Tasha Alexander


42. "A Poisoned Season" by Tasha Alexander


43. "The Dream-Hunter" by Sherrilyn Kenyon


44. "The Last Templar" by Raymond Khoury


45. "The Last Voyage of the Valentina" by Santa Montefiore


46. "Dark Descent" by Christine Feehan


47. "Dark Melody" by Christine Feehan


48. "Dark Destiny" by Christine Feehan


49. "Dark Hunger" by Christine Feehan


50. "Dark Secret" by Christine Feehan


51. "Dark Demon" by Christine Feehan


52. "Dark Celebration" by Christine Feehan


53. "Moon Called" by Patricia Briggs


54. "Danse Macabre" by Laurell K. Hamilton (again)


55. "The Rest Falls Away" by Colleen Gleason


56. "Stolen" by Kelley Armstrong


57. "The Secret Pearl" by Mary Balogh


58. "The Harlequin" by Laurell K. Hamilton


59. "Witch Fire" by Anya Bast


60. "Blood Bound" by Patricia Briggs


61. "The Scent of Shadows" by Vicki Pettersson


62. "The Taste of Night" by Vicki Pettersson


63. "Lady Beware" by Jo Beverly


64. "The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever" by Julia Quinn


65. "Not Quite a Lady" by Loretta Chase


66. "Love Only Once" by Johanna Lindsey


67. "Tender Rebel" by Johanna Lindsey


68. "Gentle Rogue" by Johanna Lindsey


69. "The Magic of You" by Johanna Lindsey


70. "Say You Love Me" by Johanna Lindsey


71. "A Loving Scoundrel" by Johanna Lindsey


72. "Captive of My Desires" by Johanna Lindsey


73. "Dangerous Desires" by Julia Templeton


74. "Night Fire" by Catherine Coulter


75. "Night Shadow" by Catherine Coulter


76. "Midsummer Magic" by Catherine Coulter


77. "The Offer" by Catherine Coulter


78. "My Lady Notorious" by Jo Beverly


79. "The Companion" by Susan Squires


80. "Beware a Scots Revenge" by Sabrina Jeffries


81. "My Steadfast Heart" by Jo Goodman


82. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by JK Rowling


83. "A Matter of Scandal" by Suzanne Enoch


84. "The Countess" by Catherine Coulter


85. "The Heir" by Catherine Coulter


86. "Never Lie to a Lady" by Liz Carlyle


87. "Charming the Prince" by Teresa Medeiros


88. "The Bride and the Beast" by Teresa Medeiros


89. "Shadow and Lace" by Teresa Medeiros


90. "Heather and Velvet" by Teresa Medeiros


91. "Yours Until Dawn" by Teresa Medeiros


92. "A Whisper of Roses" by Teresa Medeiros


93. "The Obedient Bride" by Mary Balogh


94. "Thief of Hearts" by Teresa Medeiros


95. "An Unwilling Bride" by Jo Beverly


96. "Indiscreet" by Mary Balogh


97. "A Visit from Sir Nicholas" by Victoria Alexander


98. "In the Company of Secrets" by Judith Miller


99. "The Mad Earl's Bride" by Loretta Chase


100. "Devil May Cry" by Sherrilyn Kenyon


101. "The White Dragon" by Anne McCaffrey (again)


102. "The Stolen Bride" by Jo Beverly


103. "Let it be Love" by Victoria Alexander


104. "A Lady of High Regard" by Tracie Peterson


105. "Dime Store Magic" by Kelley Armstrong


106. "A Lick of Frost" by Laurell K. Hamilton


107. "The Wyndham Legacy" by Catherine Coulter


108. "The Nightengale Legacy" by Catherine Coulter


109. "The Valentine Legacy" by Catherine Coulter


110. "Warrior's Song" by Catherine Coulter


111. "Stitch in Snow" by Anne McCaffrey (again)


112. "Devil's Bridy" by Stephanie Laurens (again)


113. "A Rake's Vow" by Stephanie Laurens (again)


114. "Scandal's Bride" by Stephanie Laurens (again)


115. "A Rogue's Proposal" by Stephanie Laurens (again)


116. "A Secret Love" by Stephanie Laurens (again)


117. "All About Love" by Stephanie Laurens (again)


118. "All About Passion" by Stephanie Laurens


119. "The Devil's Love" by Julia London


120. "Saving Grace" by Julie Garwood (again)


121. "Castles" by Julie Garwood (again)


122. "Ransom" by Julie Garwood (again)


123. "The Heir" by Johanna Lindsey (again)


124. "Devil in Winter" by Lisa Kleypas (again)


125. "Scandal in Spring" by Lisa Kleypas


126. "The Taste of Innocence" by Stephanie Laurens


127. "Midnight Angel" by Lisa Kleypas (again)


128. "Prince of Dreams" by Lisa Kleypas (again)


129. "The Devil Who Tamed Her" by Johanna Lindsey


130. "Defy Not the Heart" by Johanna Lindsey

Labels: books

Posted by Laura at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments

Corned beef and cabbage with potatoes
AKA "Boiled Dinner"

Cooking time 3 - 3.5 hours, plan accordingly!

1 corned beef brisket, 3.5 - 4 lbs.
spice packet (contained with beef, or use 2 tsp. peppercorns and 2 bay leaves)
8-10 gold potatoes
1 large onion
1 head of cabbage
1 12-oz bottle of dark beer (Guinness, 1554, or similar)
1 large bunch of fresh parsley
1 stick of butter
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, place the beef brisket fat-side down. Add spice packet (if no packet is contained with the brisket, use 2 tsp peppercorns and 2 bay leaves). Pour in bottle of beer, then add water to generously cover the brisket. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover.

Simmer brisket for two hours. Stir occasionally to turn beef for even cooking.

Meanwhile, wash and quarter potatoes, place in a large bowl and cover in cold water. Set aside. Remove outer leaves of cabbage head and quarter, retaining the stem/core to hold the leaves together. Set aside. Peel onion and cut into eighths. Set aside. Chop parsley leaves (not stems). Set aside.

After the brisket has simmered for two hours, add potatoes and enough water to cover. Return to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

At this point, add cabbage and onions. Add water to cover if necessary, return to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes.

Ensure potatoes and cabbage are tender - if not, add cooking time in five minute increments. Remove brisket and cut in slices against the grain. Remove cabbage and place in a covered dish to keep warm - dot with butter if desired. Place potatoes in a large bowl, add parsley, butter, and garlic, and toss to combine and melt the butter.

Serve corned beef with spicy mustard. Leftovers make great corned beef hash for breakfast the next morning!

Labels: recipe

Posted by Laura at 7:22 PM | Permalink | Comments

I stole some pics of the boys from Lilly's MySpace page and posted them on Flickr. God, I MISS these little guys.

Labels: kids, photography

Posted by Laura at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments

Next, three more wins, a Lombardi Trophy, and celebrations galore.



Pic courtesy of NFL.com.

Labels: best things, sports

Posted by Laura at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments

This is the first time I've felt like writing since, well, the last time I wrote.

I came down with a Bug of Misery on Christmas Day night. After all of the cooking, cleaning, further cooking, family stuff, more family stuff, yet MORE cooking, wrapping, eating, and more cleaning, my body did indeed decide to "collapse in a heap" as I had previously envisioned. My preferred "heap" would have been a pyjama-wearing book-reading festival of laziness. The actual "heap" ended up being a pyjama-wearing pillow-drooling medicated celebration of mucus.

Deee-lish.

I owe many people phone calls (hi Heather!), e-mails (hi Jayne!), and instant messaging (hi Jen!). I love you all. Really, I do. I have an excuse, nay, a reason for not responding to you all. I have been completely off-line - Internet, telephone, or any contact with the outside world whatsoever - since Tuesday.

It was kind of refreshing, in a medicine-induced coma sort of way.

At any rate, I'm better today. Well enough to work out for the first time in, well, forever, even. Tonight Calvin and I are going to Dark Horse to watch the Patriots celebrate their victory over the Giants and record the fourth undefeated regular season in NFL history. Them's my boys. And I am SO not jinxing it. It WILL happen. Mark my words.

Anyway, I'm back. So, hi there.

Labels: health, journal

Posted by Laura at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments

We're enjoying cocktails (orange juice and vodka, here) this evening while Calvin prepares to cook breakfast for dinner - steak and eggs with homefries and yummy goodness.

Calvin's playing DJ and I'm doing this entry while Marie is getting ready to go over to her maternal aunt's for the evening. Michael may or may not show up this evening - we warned him to call ahead, heh.

Calvin cleaned the kitchen - twice - while I wrapped presents and did laundry and got the grocery shopping list together. Then he and I went to Home Depot to pick up a thingamabobby to fix Marie's shower, then to Pet's Inc. for Kali's Christmas rat, then to the grocery store. He has been hugely helpful today AND he's cooking dinner. I just love him to little bitty bits.

It's a quiet evening, which will be followed by a day of furious cooking and present opening, and probably mimosas. Cuz that's just how we roll.

If I'm not around to say it tomorrow, I wish all of my friends, my readers (who are yet more friends!), my family, and any and all strangers that happen to stumble upon this modest little website a very Merry Christmas.

Labels: booze, Calvin, holiday, home

Posted by Laura at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments

Calvin and I are getting ready to go somewhere to watch the Patriots/Dolphins game (GO PATS!), so I don't have time to do the entry I was planning. That's forthcoming, but for now you can entertain yourselves with some new pictures.

See ya!

Labels: holiday, photography

Posted by Laura at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments

Related to this entry, which I linked to earlier, I have a lot of respect for John. I bet Calvin would benefit from reading that entry.

Hint, darling.

Labels: headspace, pimp

Posted by Laura at 8:49 AM | Permalink | Comments

Today is the last day that I physically have to be in the office until January 8th. I "work from home" (picture air quotes on purpose) tomorrow, which really means I will be logged into the network and will periodically check for new e-mails or IM's, but really I'm going to be cooking, waiting for the FedEx guy to deliver the lobsters (de liver de lobsters de sooner de better de later de lobsters de madder I getter!), and wrapping presents. All without getting dressed. Because that's just how I roll. Then I'm on vacation for two glorious weeks. Weeks which will be filled with, well, glory. At least, they better be.

Yesterday was a Very Bad Day. I was Stressy McStresserson at work and had to work until 6:00 when all I wanted to do was get busy on the stuff piling up to be done at HOME. Calvin was not having a good day either, so what prompted him to go Christmas shopping for me at the MALL at 5:00 on the Wednesday before Christmas is beyond me. He rode off on his motorcycle while I was on a teleconference (having come home in time to take it in my jammies). I finished up and was in the process of making Walnut Chews in the kitchen when he came exploding back into the house. And I do mean EXPLODING.

While trying to pay for my gift, his card was declined at the counter -- in front of everybody. Now, nobody enjoys this particular experience, but for Calvin it's just about the worst, most embarrassing thing that can possibly happen. The card was declined because the bank detected fraudulent charges against his debit card number, so they shut off the card. Without informing us.

How rude. I mean, I appreciate them putting the brakes on after a whole three dollars and seventy-four cents got charged against our account from someplace in Maryland. But they could have at least called us to let us know. Especially since its, you know, Christmas, and the use of our primary method of, you know, paying for shit, should be, you know, accessible.

So Calvin comes busting into the kitchen, grabs the phone and dials up the bank. He gets the automated "press or say x" fuckbot nonsense that for some reason automated telephone system developers think actually makes things easier. More convenient. Faster. Except that all of that? Not.

He goes through several machinations, loud repeats, and cursing which confuses the automated phone fuckbot. He finally gets a representative. Who tells him to repeat all of the information that he already told the fuckbot. What followed was not pretty. Calvin kind of went off on the customer service chickie. Or maybe it was a guy? I'm not sure. When he was asked to confirm a bunch of charges and continue to repeat himself, he said, "This is bullshit."

The customer service chickie hung up on him. Calvin held the phone away from his ear, looked at it, looked at me. He turned red. He turned white. He started breathing in huge heaves. I could hear the dial tone from where I was standing on the opposite end of the kitchen.

Calvin very, very carefully put the phone down on the receiver. He turned around, walked across to the patio door, and exited the building. I have no idea what he did out there in the back yard to calm down, but five minutes later he came back in. Breathing normally.

Duuuuuuuude. I thought his head was going to pop right off his shoulders.

We have both decided that we hate Christmas, more and more with every year that goes by. This whole year has been a pisser, and we feel like we're just going through the motions of the holidays for the kids, who take turns between being deserving and being not particularly so. Next year we are going to be COMPLETELY OUT OF THE STATE when December 25th rolls around.

Fuck this noise.

Labels: Calvin, holiday, home, journal, wtf

Posted by Laura at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Monday: Grocery shopping, clean the kitchen, do laundry, make Bleu Cheese Spread, finish decorating the tree and put away the Christmas Crap.

Tuesday: Make three batches of Magic Cookie Bars, clean the bedroom, put away laundry.

Wednesday: Make a batch of walnut chews and a batch of vanilla rum balls.

Thursday: Make a batch of Hershey's Kiss cookies and a batch of chocolate coconut snowballs.

Friday: Make a batch of chocolate chip cookies, make Baked Potato Soup, kill the lobsters.

Saturday: Wrap the presents for the family get-together, put together the cookie tins for the aforementioned get-together, go to the aforementioned get-together.

Sunday: Wrap the rest of the presents.

Monday: Grocery shopping. Stuff stockings.

Tuesday: Gift opening extravaganza. Make turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggie casserole.

Wednesday: Collapse in a heap.

Labels: listy goodness

Posted by Laura at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments

Bleu Cheese Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
6 oz. bleu cheese
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated onion
1-2 tbsp. mayonnaise (to taste)

Mix all ingredients together, adding the mayo 1/2 tbsp at a time until mixture is creamy. Serve over crackers or use to stuff celery stalks.

_{This stuff was a fixture during holidays at Grandma's. I will be the only person in my household who will eat it, and I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.}

Labels: recipe

Posted by Laura at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments

Okay, this is all Jen's fault. This video is NOT work friendly, NOT child friendly, and NOT for people squicked out by the ekksplissit language of modern romance novels.

However, it is HYSTERICAL. I laughed my ass off. The title is "How do YOU read romance novels?" which will give you a hint at the subject matter.

Labels: video

Posted by Laura at 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments

I can't call my truck a lemon. The strict definition of a lemon is a vehicle that has been serviced multiple times in a given timeframe for the same issue. My truck has been serviced multiple times for multiple issues.

I shall call it... a pineapple.

Off the top of my head, it has gone in for A/C issues, a weird squeaking sound coming from one of the vents, battery issues, molding separating from the door frames, stereo/speaker issues, and starting issues. To that, I must add...

POLTERGEISTS.

So late last week when I got into the truck to drive it, like I always do, it dinged at me, like it always does. Usually it's because I haven't buckled my seatbelt fast enough to satisfy it. But the belt was buckled. I looked at the dash, and the message said, "PASSENGER DOOR AJAR". So I got out, circled the truck, opened and FIRMLY shut each door, climbed back in, buckled up, and put it in reverse.

"DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!" (There are always 8 dings.) "PASSENGER DOOR AJAR." So I got out again, circled the truck opening and shutting doors again, got back in, buckled up, hit reverse...

"DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!"

So now I realize there's a sensor problem with one of the (NOT ajar) doors. Because the truck thinks one of the doors isn't closed, the auto locks don't work properly (they usually lock when the truck is put into drive, and unlock automatically when the truck is put into park).

Along with this issue is a stripped gear in one of the rear passenger windows, thereby leaving it stuck in the "down" position when utilized and necessitating manual levitation to "roll" it up again. So I figured I was going to take the truck back in (again) anyway, and would have this additional issue to add to the list.

So, that was last week. Fast forward to today, when Jen and I went to lunch at Red Robin. The truck did its ding-thing when we got in to drive off, but otherwise acted normally on the way to the restaurant. We had a nice lunch with an EXTREMELY attentive waitress who kept taking my half-drunk Coke away and replacing it with a full, new glass of Coke because she couldn't stand the thought of me drinking watered-down soda. Jen's tea got refilled four times. We finally had to leave before we floated away.

We got in the truck. It had its usual identity crisis when it identified its door as a jar. I ignored it, until about halfway back to work. "DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!" The truck decided to remind me that the door was ajar, having previously been satisfied to just tell me once, right when I got in the truck. Then, "Shh-click! Click. Shh-click. Click. Shudder shudder shudder shu shu shu shhh-click!" "DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!"

The doors started locking and unlocking themselves furiously. The dinger dinged over and over and OVER AND OVER. The message center lit up with the "PASSENGER DOOR IS AJAR" message, then disappeared, then re-appeared, then disappeared. As we were driving along, this chaos erupted that prompted Jen and I to completely lose our shit and crack up laughing.

"The truck! It's possessed!" Jen cried.

"Poltergeists!" I yelled back.

"Shh-click! (DING DING DING) Click. Shh-click. Click. (DING DING DING) Shudder shudder shudder shu shu shu shhh-click! DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!"

By this time I could hardly see the road, I was laughing so hard. Jen was all, "Don't hit that truck!" I'm fairly sure we looked a sight driving along bawling laughing, weaving along on the road.

We're supposed to get our Christmas tree tonight. THAT should be fun.

Labels: friends, humor, journal, work

Posted by Laura at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments

Jen sent me a link to a website into which you copy and paste verbiage from your blog, click on the "genre" (in this case "blog entry") and click on submit, and it tells you if you're masculine or feminine based on what and how you wrote. My results were:

Female Score: 269
Male Score: 264

I am nearly exactly half-and-half. With only a slight leaning toward the feminine side (results based off of this entry).

Then I did the test again and used this entry from 2003. My score:

Female Score: 1450
Male Score: 1052

Apparently I am becoming more male as the years go by. I wonder how Calvin is going to feel about that.

Labels: wtf

Posted by Laura at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments

She took the words right out of my brain.

Labels: headspace, pimp

Posted by Laura at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments

moar funny pictures

Labels: humor

Posted by Laura at 8:48 AM | Permalink | Comments

I am, on occasion, dumb.

I've been sitting here for a few minutes, contemplating my excessively wired condition. I feel almost buzzed, except that I haven't indulged today at all. In alcohol, that is.

I had a cup of coffee this morning, and two diet pills. A cup of Irish Breakfast tea mid-morning. A Coke with lunch, and two more diet pills. And another cup of Irish Breakfast tea beside me right now.

Hello, caffeine buzz.

My friend Jen is a very very good friend. Her Christmas gifts to me included a clock to replace the one that was stolen from my desk at work, and a Chuckles, the Former Congressman 2008 Calendar (Dooce fans unite!). She also made an itty bitty pet photo album of my Flickr photos, on Snapfish. I heart Jen.

The clock has a temperature gauge. When I got to my desk this morning, it was reading 66.6 degrees. An ominous temperature. Right now it's 72.6 in my cubicle. And barely fifty degrees outside. Sweater weather has graduated to coat weather. Hallelujah.

I handed out packets of fudge to my co-workers yesterday. It has been proclaimed by many to be the richest, creamiest, sweetest, fudgiest fudge they have every had. Go forth and make some.

Lilly still hasn't sent me updated photos of Robert, Devlin and Roman. It looks like I shall have to drive over to Texas myself and beat her about the head and shoulders. Lilly, if you're reading this, consider yourself warned.

I have to make six tins of cookies to hand out as gifts next week. I want to have a variety of types; does anyone have any favorite Christmas cookie recipes that they'd like to share? I'm already making Magic Cookie Bars, Walnut Chews, Vanilla Rum Balls, Hershey's Kiss Cookies, and Chocolate Coconut Snowballs.

Hmm. On second thought, maybe I have enough variety. OH! I know. I'll make a batch of chocolate chip cookies... and I just hunted around on my website because I could SWEAR that I posted this recipe before, but I can't find it. Calvin, who is excessively picky about his cookies, raved over these (recipe courtesy of RecipeZaar):

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

36 cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 (4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Combine flour and baking soda.
In a large bowl beat brown sugar, sugar, butter, shortening, pudding mix, vanilla, and almond extract.
Mix until well blended.
Add eggs and mix well.
Beat in the flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonful and bake 10-12 minutes.

Do not overcook! The cookies will still be soft when you remove them from the baking sheet, transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. There are limitless possibilities with this recipe - use chocolate pudding and caramel chips (our favorite), coconut pudding and white chocolate chips, or vanilla pudding with peanut butter chips. I also used a full cup of butter instead of 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening, and it turned out just fine.

Labels: journal, recipe

Posted by Laura at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments

Today is the day that I catch up on the crap I didn't do on the weekend, because I would rather spend my time snuggling on the couch with Calvin. So, in addition to doing my day job, I always have a pile of other crap that make my Mondays exceptionally busy. And that's also why you guys tend to get a "to do" list as a Monday entry. So I can remind myself of what the hell needs to get done around here.

Today I get to do laundry, clean the kitchen, go grocery shopping, go to Pets Inc. to get critters for the critters, make fudge (hi Jen, female fudge!) (no nuts), crank out the Christmas cards that need to be mailed, put together the packets of fudge and cards for my co-workers, and dig through the Christmas decorations. Oh, and work out.

And work. Hello day job that makes all of this joy possible.

It's overcast, rainy, cool, and quiet. All of my inclinations are severely steering toward laying in bed with the cats.

I'm getting up. NOW.

Labels: home, journal, listy goodness

Posted by Laura at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Labels: video

Posted by Laura at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments

To the left, a pint of Strongbow (Irish hard cider). To the right, the best Irish whiskey around, Jameson.

Labels: booze

Posted by Laura at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments

Finances have been stressing me out lately. Well, forever, really. So today I spent some time working up some figures and making a plan to resolve some of the problems I've been having. And I think I have it all figured out. Of course, part of the plan involves my motorcycle, you know, actually selling. That would be terribly helpful. But beyond that, the other part involves just being a little patient, and by the end of February we should have more breathing room. And three completely paid-off credit cards. Which will then PROMPTLY AND IMMEDIATELY be cancelled. And cut up. And perhaps set on fire.

The truck should be paid off by the end of next year, at which point I shall womanfully hold Calvin at bay with his slathering desire to buy a new car, and use what I would have paid for the truck payment to pay off our remaining debt.

THEN Calvin can have a car. Or another motorcycle. Or whatever motorized vehicle is causing his little heart to go pitter-pat. But the debt payoff comes first. Because I am BOUND AND DETERMINED to go to England on my next Sabbatical, and that shit ain't cheap. According to my sidebar countdown, I have 668 days until I'm eligible, and a couple of months after that before I actually take it, since I'd rather go on a two-month vacation in the spring/summer than the fall/winter.

Lo, my somewhat down and Grinchy mood has turned right around, after putting thought to head and pen to paper and fingers to calculator. I am a big fan of having A Plan.

Labels: journal

Posted by Laura at 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments

... my worst pet peeve, made humorous.

Labels: blogs

Posted by Laura at 3:32 PM | Permalink | Comments

I worked from home yesterday (translation: I fought several fires in between drug-induced naps). Remember this entry? Yes, well, I succumbed to the inevitable. I mean, with odds like that, and an immune system like mine, the outcome of the crap shoot was a foregone conclusion.

So, I'm feeling ookey, but I'm at work today. I figure I'm all incubated and shit, so I'm no longer contagious. Of course, I'm as far away from being a doctor as a person with a Google MD can be, so what the hell do I know.

Calvin was extremely nice to me yesterday, and brought me food and drinks and medicine and hugs while I lolled around in bed and complained. A lot. I threw together some Minestrone Stew in the crock pot so that we would have steamy nummy goodness for dinner. Opening cans and frying up burger meat was about as much thought as I was prepared to put into making dinner.

Some random thoughts, the only kind my brain is capable of holding at the moment:

• This writer's strike is really irritating me. Not that I don't support them, and not that I don't think all of their points and needs are valid. No, I'm totally selfishly bemoaning the fact that all of "my" shows are over for the foreseeable future. The one I miss the most? Big Bang Theory. _{Hah! You thought it'd be Gray's Anatomy, didn't you? Shows you what I think of the current season.}


• All of my Christmas "shopping" is done, in that I have purchased one gift each for four whole people and everybody else is getting money, and that's it. Well, okay, I have one more person to buy for, and then I'll be done. This will be the CHEAPEST CHRISTMAS EVAR, which is totally in keeping with my Grinchy spirit this year. Not to mention my budget.


• Sliders are my new favorite food.


• I have added several new journals/blogs to my list of "regular reads". I recommend for your enjoyment the following: Cracked, Daily Coyote, FemMarine, Running in Wellies, and Vespa Vagabond (who is the same author for Daily Coyote).
  

To steal a line from Nance, I'm outta here.

Labels: headspace, health, home, journal

Posted by Laura at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments

moar funny pictures

Labels: humor

Posted by Laura at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments

December 3rd - Place Christmas present order with Amazon
December 4th - 7th - Decorate house
December 10th - Mail Christmas Cards
December 14th - Acquire tree
December 15th - Buy stocking stuffers
December 16th - Make fudge
December 17th - Distribute fudge and cards to co-workers
December 18th - Make magic cookie bars for White Elephant gift
December 19th - Obligatory work-oriented celebration with aforementioned White Elephant gift exchange
December 21st - Lobster Dinner with Baked Potato Soup
December 22nd - Wrap presents
December 25th - Christmas/Turkey Dinner

December ? - Some family oriented event with food

December 21st - January 6th - 17 days of vacation bliss

Labels: holiday, listy goodness

Posted by Laura at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments

Believe it or not, this actually makes me MORE homesick.

I have a webcam image of Acadia National Park on my Google homepage. When I booted up my computer this morning and launched the Net, this is what I saw:


No, that is not a faulty webcam image. THAT, my friends, is the whiteout conditions of a good old fashioned Maine Nor'easter.

So I logged onto the Portland Press Herald to check out what was going on.




_{(Pics and images courtesy of the Portland Press Herald.)}

The entire state is under a thick blanket of snow, with more (and the worst of it) to come. Man, I would LOVE to be there right now. Crazy as it sounds. But snow days are what epitomizes all things good and peaceful and safe and wonder-filled of my childhood.

This entry is SO not going to nudge Calvin closer to my cause.

Labels: Maine

Posted by Laura at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments

According to the thermometer outside on the patio, it's 49 degrees.

Gypsy and Gadget, having been let out for the morning for their constitutional, are currently curled up in balls, cat-fashion, in a patch of sunlight. Zoe is warming my feet on the couch and occasionally butting my mouse-hand for attention, Oz is in the bed snuggling with Calvin (who Ozzy calls "The Daddy", what, can't your cat talk too?). Kali the snake is lounging across the length of one of the ledges in her vivarium, directly underneath the heat lamp. Cheeto and Lucy are in semi-brumation (a form of hibernation but not as deep) and nap most of the day, but deigned to stir this morning to chomp on some veggies. Portia is thumping around in the side yard in her usual destructive manner.

We have a lot of frickin' animals.

This house is a disaster. The kitchen is destroyed, there's clothes all over the bedroom, the stack of newspapers on the fireplace is threatening to topple, and there's clutter on the bar and on the kitchen table. Kali's pond is in desperate need of cleaning, the floors could use a good sweep/mop/vacuum, and the wind from yesterday blew in a metric ton of dust.

Obviously, I'd rather write about the condition of my house, rather than actually do something about it.

I will get to it today, I will. There's cooking to be done and decorating to begin (I am trying to do something about my Scrooge attitude, at least). Neither of those things can happen while the house is in the condition that it's in.

But first, I think I'll have another cup of coffee.

Labels: home, journal, pets

Posted by Laura at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments

Watch this:



Then, watch this (trust me, they're not the same):

Labels: video

Posted by Laura at 9:52 PM | Permalink | Comments

It has been a wonderful couple of days, weather-wise. Most would not consider two straight days of raining to be all that wonderful, but this country girl stuck in the desert sees the blessing in the blah. We attempted to open up all the doors and windows today, but the rain showers were precipitated (no pun intended) by a gusty insistent wind that, at one point, simultaneously SLAMMED shut the front door, the living room door leading to the patio, and the bedroom door also leading to the patio. Calvin in the bedroom, myself in the living room, did a simultaneous (we discovered) painful start of a jump. I went seeking him out afterward for a heart-slowing hug.

Last night we were invited to a party at the home of a gentleman that I've worked with since I started at Acronymco 12 years ago. I think he'd be an outside-of-work bud to Calvin and me if we hung out. Anyway, the rain didn't figure into the plans of an outdoor house party in Arizona (the benefit to living in the desert is that you can pretty much guarantee at most times to have excellent weather for any planned outdoor activities, even if such activities are planned months in advance), but luck wasn't with him and last night proved to be the first rainstorm we've had in months. Not to be deterred, he put up a 40-foot tent in his back yard, that extended to the overhang of the patio.

Open bar, catered food, a dance floor in the back yard, a hired DJ, and a basement boasting a pool table and pinball machines. I can't even begin to estimate how much all this cost him and his wife - there were at least a hundred people there (including the neighbors - smart of them). MAN, did we have a good time, though. We brought Calvin's sister (middle, not youngest, for those of you keeping track at home). I dragged her out to the dance floor once (I think it was KC and the Sunshine Band), she dragged me out once (that line dance song where you "stomp one time... stomp two times... sliiiide to the left... sliiiide to the right... now cha-cha..."). The rain (well, humidity, really) destroyed all the ladies' hairdos, but at a not-too-far-into-the-night point, nobody cared. I danced with a gent from work that until this point had been very staid and proper in my mind... but he can jitterbug, so how stiff can he be? Calvin became fast friends with a couple that he'd never met before (I do appreciate his ability to jump into a party). Calvin and his sister traded jibes and shots at each other throughout.

We left near midnight and parted ways with Calvin's sister. The drive home is a little vague to me. What happened when we GOT home is not. Heh.

We've been slouching around the house all day today (no, we're not hungover, thanks for your concern), watching TV, reading, surfing, munching, napping. The ASU/UofA game is on right now - ASU has the better team (I think) but UofA is currently ahead. I watched a little of the Army/Navy game earlier, too. Funny to see all the dress uniforms in the stands. Ozzy is snoozing next to me, I have a shot of tequila awaiting consumption at my side, and a cool breeze is coming in through the window next to me.

Life doesn't suck right now.

Labels: Calvin, home, journal

Posted by Laura at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments