Ode to Denise

This will officially push me over the line from stalker to creepy stalker but it's my blog and I'll stalk if I want to.


One of us lives in the wrong city.

I'm addicted to Ticket to Ride, I play it far more often than most, you can even play it online (not as dorky as it sounds), ever played Carcassonne?

Often you start a box set a week or two after I've started the same box set … Veronica Mars, Samantha Who, HIMYM (you should check out Lipstick Jungle, it's mindless and girly)

More than once we've ended up at the same concerts, Jimmy Eat World, Sarah Slean.

We just need to fix the distance and we're best friends for sure
L

(I'm behind on my posts and there are more to come there just hasn't been any time)

What'd You Do This Weekend?

I know Brad posted this on Facebook but it seemed appropriate to put here.
The problem seems to be fixed, we'll just keep an eye on it.
L

Over Explaining

I'm good at my job, I've been doing it for a while now. So when people come by and give me ridiculously specific and dumbed down instructions it makes me annoyed. The rational side of me realizes that they're only trying to help but the unrational bristles immediately and gets defensive and not so pleasant.

I've done this a lot, I know what I'm doing, leave me your work and I'll complete it, if I have problems I'll call you. Stop Hovering!!

Finally it's Friday
L

Never to Early

I think the Christmas music starts a little earlier every year. This might be a new record but yesterday I decided it was time and loaded all my music back onto the iPod.

I've enjoyed a day full of MOTAB and I'm looking forward to rediscovering all the gems I found last year.

It's never too early to feel the Christmas spirit.
L

View from the Top

The bright orange trees are gone and we've come to the stage where everything looks brown and dead. All that's left now is the waiting for the snow to come.
L

Take it to the Polls – A kind of Boring Story

Brad and I have been looking forward to this election, interested to see how it would all turn out, so yesterday we headed over to our polling station. All interest faded as we saw the long line winding out through the church door and along the sidewalk.

We could have skipped the line if we'd had a polling registration card or knew our polling station number but we didn't so we dutifully got in the cold line thinking, "How long can it take really?" 20 minutes later I was whiny and cold, wishing for a warmer jacket.

There was a nice looking girl in the line behind us who pulled out her cell phone and called a friend for her polling station (brilliant!) and I was just about to ask her to look up ours as well when she snapped shut her phone and headed in side. About 45 seconds later she was back, finished and on her way home.

Well now I was really frustrated, we were officially going to be late for our evening plans, voting is not supposed to take 45 minutes, there must be a better way. The brilliant idea to call my Mom for our polling station would have been helpful earlier but we finally got inside, found our station and cast our vote.

Moral of the story, next election we've vowed to go to the early polls and skip the unpleasantness of busy election day.

I hope you voted, and that you're experience was better than ours.
Shame on Canada for it's poor, poor voting turnout.
L

Thanksgiving and the Foods I Skip

My brother James is a chef, and not just a run of the mill chef, he makes these incredible dishes and is fun to watch and is really good at what he does. A couple of years ago he managed to make it home for Thanksgiving with his wife and we ate ourselves silly.

Unfortunately there have been some side effects from that one year.

The dinner was especially great. James had improved on Grandpa's stuffing so it was even better than usual. I'm sure there was pecan pie and all sorts of vegetables and the usual turkey and potatoes. I definitely did not stop at pleasantly full.

I don't know who decided it was a good idea but that weekend also included Ribs. These weren't just any ribs though, they were fall off the bone, juicy, yummy ribs, and probably the best I've ever had.

These two meals were eaten very close together.

All would have been fine had I not been hit with the worst case of the flu I've ever had.

To this day I can no longer eat ribs or stuffing.
L

Pajamas, the Official Uniform of Thanksgiving 2008

It's possible I did something this year that I've never done before. Something that I think you'll all be proud of.

I was lucky enough to have two Thanksgiving dinners, one with my family and one with Brad's and they were both so different and so yummy!

Here's the amazing part, at both of those large turkey dinners I ate a very normal amount and came away feeling pleasantly satisfied, not ridiculously stuffed. I even remembered to save extra room for all the desserts at the Hudson's. I think it's a great accomplishment.

Things I’m thankful for this year

1. Possibly the best part of the Thanksgiving season is that my favorite pie finally makes an appearance. I'm not sure who decided that it should only show up this time of year but every year the Pecan pie makes an appearance and I end up wanting more.
2. The opportunity to vote
3. Family
4. Friends
5. On-line Ticket to Ride

I hope your Thanksgiving was full of family and friends and sleeping in.
L

Mac & Cheese

I've recently come to realize just how much I love this dish (the homemade variety of course). It's my new favorite because of how versatile it is. It can be a basic cheese sauce thrown together in a few minutes when I have nothing but cheese and milk or it can be elaborate and baked with lots of yummy extras thrown in. However I make it I always think of my Mom because it's something she loves, I always think about the particular variation and what she would think of it.

Last week I came up with something new and I've been craving it ever since so I thought I'd post the recipe here. It's super yummy so make it for dinner tonight and enjoy! The secret is the extra aged cheese.

Sharp Rotini Mac & Cheese
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups rotini pasta

3 tomatoes, diced
4 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled

2 cups extra aged cheddar cheese, grated

Cheese Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp of dried mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste

Place the bread crumbs into a small bowl and mix well with the melted butter; set aside.
Heat a pot over medium-high heat. Add butter and onions and cook 4-5 minutes, add flour and cook another minute. Whisk in milk and broth and bring to a bubble, season with salt, pepper and mustard. Lower heat and add cheese, stirring to melt, one minute. Stir in tomatoes, bacon and rotini.

Pour in casserole dish, top with bread crumb mixture. Bake until the top is golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy, from my kitchen to yours.
L

At Least the Coughing is a Workout for the Abs

A week of lying on the couch sick does not make for good blog entries. I am finally starting to feel better and just have this wheezy cough to get rid of.
I did learn one important lesson this week though.

If you're really stuffed up and are having difficulty breathing, don't watch Steel Magnolias. By the time you get to the cemetery scene the tears will have choked you up nearly completely.
L