Did everyone get married in August?

Our anniversary is coming up and so it seems is everyone else's!  Lora just missed the August date, she always has to be different.  But I have two other close friends who got married (to separate men of course- this isn't a Big Love situation) on August 3rd.  Can you guess which one had her reception at this beautiful place?

Busy, Busy, Busy

This must be sung to the tune of "Money, Money, Money" from ABBA.  Saw Mamma Mia the other night with Lora.  It was a gorgeous mess of a movie.  The ages and times were all messed up.  But you could forgive it all for the beautiful Greek scenery- especially the church on the top of a little rocky island- amazing!  And the exuberant Meryl Streep who just went wild through the whole movie.  It was very fun- reminded me of a classic movie with lots of singing and no sense.  And we saw at least one woman completely dancing in her seat, shimmying her shoulders and everything- alone no less!  

This week I am completely busy preparing for Hazel's 7th birthday party.  Started out simple, got complicated fast! Well, actually I have to say I am the most organized I have ever been so far.  Already have all the stuff purchased, except for food.  On a tight schedule to make sure I get it all done on Friday, since the party starts at 10:30 AM on Saturday.  I had to have it that early to beat the heat.  Plus everyone will be gone by the afternoon and I can take off to Greece, just like I planned!  I wonder if anyone will notice if I leave for a few days?

Happy Anniversary L & A

Happy Anniversary Lora and Andy!

I can't believe a whole year has passed, cheers to you both!

Happy Birthday Donya!

Here are the lyrics- I've never quite been able to make them out- sing along! 

(but don't try to figure them out)
Happy
happy birthday in a hot bath
To those nice
nice nights.
I remember always
always I got such a fright.
Seeing them in my dark cupboard with my great big cake.
If they were me
if they were me
And I was you and I was you -
If they were me and I was you
Would you have liked a present too.

What a neat place this is

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust

Okay, I'm not going to lie and pretend to know much about Proust. Even though I graduated with a Humanities degree- somehow Proust was missed. I'll be sure to look him up soon. I actually found this quote on a card that I bought at my dear friend Diana's shop. I intended to give it to someone as a proper thank you card, but of course I never did and it is hanging on my bulletin board instead. But I do like the quote- very simple. I thought it was appropriate for the way I'm thinking at the moment.

I've enjoyed so much putting together this blog and it's been quite a fun diversion- maybe too much! But it has helped me establish and sort of organize my identity a little bit. You tend to get lost in the everyday housework, the kids overwhelming life forces, things pulling you in every direction. You become someone's mom, whose name no one ever remembers or who isn't recognized without a child attached. I do enjoy this life as mom and household engineer, but it's nice to blow off steam and have some fun here.

I also have been so excited that my friends have been enjoying this place. I do it for you too. I'm excited to be able to have these chats- even if they are one way a lot of times. I know you're out there! I miss you all that are so far away, and even the ones that are right down the street. We are all so busy these days it's hard to make time for each other. The internet is such an amazing place. You hear all the bad stuff regularly, but I think it's a wonderful and amazing thing. Imagine, you read a book and enjoy it- you feel as if you've become the author's friend. So you find her blog and leave her a note- and amazingly enough she writes you back the next day! What a cool little world this has become!

Thanks for being my friends, old and new.

Banana cake not bread

Banana cake, originally uploaded by bossamama.

Okay, I've gone on a bit of a dessert mania. I made dessert last night and tonight. I rarely do that. Last night I made blueberry cobbler, using the recipe from Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone" - that I've had for a thousand years. Her recipes always are a bit complicated, or maybe I just have a hard time reading them. I was reading and re-reading and really it was just a simple recipe. It turned out very good, but mostly because of the marvelous blueberries, who doesn't like warm, gushy fruit? 

Anyhow, I decided tonight that I had to absolutely use up the dying bananas, instead of throwing them away as usual. I used to have this amazing banana bread recipe, it tasted more like cake, it was smooth and light- not dense like most banana breads. But, I can't find that recipe, so I Googled 'banana cake." I soon discovered this recipe and website, which of course was calling to me across the ether to find it! The author is David Lebovitz- who I had never heard of but should have. He has a very, very nice website with some fantastic recipes and beautiful photography and he lives in Paris! I'm very excited about it, can you tell? So anyhow- I printed up the recipe lickity-split and stood in my kitchen and churned this baby out. Wow! What a nice texture, firm, not dry, very spongy. The addition of the chocolate chips and the whipped cream sent it over the edge. We all enjoyed it greatly, even Lilah who ate some of the cake instead of just licking off the cream!  I used the Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips- they are divine- be sure to use very little, they pack a powerful wallop of chocolate taste- not so sweet. I thought they would be better than the super sweet waxy ones I had in the pantry and not add to the super sweetness of bananas. I was right! 

Please try it if you like banana bread- it is very easy and you will not be disappointed. And as the author points out, these are not high in fat or other bad stuff. I do love his take on the difference between muffins and cakes and how people insist muffins and sweet breads are healthier- but really just the same thing in a different form.

True Confession

The big mess, originally uploaded by bossamama.

Lest you think I have a really neat house, this is what it looks like for real. That last picture was an extreme close-up. This is all the laundry from last night unfolded and exploded all over the living room and the lunch dishes still on the table at 5 pm. Now it will be a mad dash to get it all back in order before Mark gets home. Don't want him to think I spent all day on the computer!

Take a peek

Birdie S & P, originally uploaded by bossamama.

You know, I still think like a merchandiser. Even though it's been a million years since I did windows at a Hallmark store and a Linens 'n Things (Hello, this is Linens 'n Things, we have lots of nice things at lots of nice prices!- they made us say that when answering the phone.) the merchandising bug stayed with me. (As well as all my best friends that I met at both of those work places!) I have certain areas of my home where I have things on display as if it was a store. Nobody ever touches these things, they just sit there and collect multiple layers of dust. But occasionally, I'll remember to look at them and think- oh, yeah, I have some neat things! Here's a few...

My favorite birdie S & P shakers from Missouri, a very old mixing bowl and wisk from my Nana, a Swiss trivet from Alex and Kendra, a 1944 edition of "The Joy of Cooking" from my Grandma Betty, a hand painted wood Hawaii S & P shaker from the Ritzie's, and a rubber pea-pod dog squeeze toy that I could not resist from the lean days in college. Oh, and the blue book is called "The Way to a Man's Heart- Your Gas Range Cookbook" from a trip to Kansas. It's a real hoot, I'll have to scan it in separately soon, along with a few recipes.

French by Heart

I am reading the most enchanting, wonderful book right now.  It's called "French By Heart" written by Rebecca S. Ramsey.  It's a memoir of her time spent living in France with her 3 young children, husband and old cat.  It takes place in the early 2000's.  I totally relate to it in so many ways.  First off she is obsessed with France and the charming villages, the history, the culture, etc. Her French isn't great and she is speaking it with a South Carolina accent (can you imagine?) Then there's the travails of school, but this time mixed with the language barrier and the chain smoking, snobbish teachers.  What I most relate to is her older neighbor, who is constantly watching her house, dispensing advice and generally bossing her around.  I laugh the hardest at those moments.  She is admonished for her gardening and housekeeping (check), given so much advice on raising children the French way (check- but different culture) and surprised to have strange pills forced into her mouth without warning (I have had strange food pushed into my mouth without warning.)  She is poked and prodded and her house is invaded by this neighbor- she is constantly subjected to rants about the right way to do things.  The big difference is that her neighbor is across the street, with full viewing privileges of her house. Mine is next door and I am only on display as I enter the yards.  I have been known to take a step out, see activity in the next door yard and hightail it back inside.  The author can't even walk around in her house without being watched!  I got this from the library, but I think I might buy it- I can see myself wanting to read it again.  

Ye Olde Malle Shoppe

I loved these little containers, they had sweet little ceramic spoons inside. I can't buy things like this anymore. I have too many trinkets and my house is quite size restricted.
I love these aprons and the colors. It's the prints and the edging that get me. I would want to wear these all the time and that just might look silly.

Went to Anthropologie for an injection of inspiration the other day. Is it sad that I am inspired by a company's well thought out retail plan? I realize that there are people who sit around in a room and try to decide how to appeal to a certain population who will fall for this concept and spend lots of money. I don't actually spend money at Anthropologie- so I guess I'm not being completely hoodwinked. But boy, if I did have money, I would spend it there for sure! They pick out the most amazing fabrics and designs for their clothes. I am totally enchanted by their whole vintage/world market style, I'd really like to live in the store itself. The creative displays are a reason enough for me to check out the store. Once there was a huge pile of mattresses loaded with all their latest bed coverings- a la Princess and the Pea. Another time there were hundreds of bars of Ivory soap nailed to the wall in the shape of a wave. Unfortunately, there were no exciting displays this time, as they were getting ready to start new ones. There was even a note on the door apologizing- they obviously know some people come to see them. I was so excited last year that I got to buy my maid of honor dress for Lora's wedding there- the only time I paid full price! Otherwise I limit myself to trinkets that have been marked down. I bought nothing the other day- couldn't find anything in my $5 limit- but I did take some pictures. I was having a good time in the store- you might say I was in sort of a reverie. Until I was rushed back to reality when I heard a giant splash of ice and drink and turned to see my daughters with shocked looks on their faces. Thank goodness nothing got hit with sticky Coke and the sales clerk was very nice about it. I was trying to find ideas for my house. I'm really tired of my red dining room. It's been almost 8 years and it's starting to wear on me. Stay tuned, we'll see if I actually do anything about it.

I'm tired, but Betty Hutton isn't

If you stopped by my house in the late 90's, you would know that I was fairly obsessed with this song.  I'm so excited to have found it on Youtube and to present it here for your enjoyment-or maybe just mine.  I think that this week disappeared in some sort of elaborate magic trick, I don't know where it went. I haven't blogged all week and this evening I am very tired. I had lots of ideas for things to write, but they all flew out of my head as soon as I got out of the shower each day.  So, here's Betty, she's a real doll.  If you'd like to see her in full comedic action, check out the movie "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek."

Yummy Fish

Yummy, originally uploaded by bossamama.

I used to be a full-on vegetarian. But during my first pregnancy, I had this uncontrollable urge to eat fish. Ever since then the whole family has eaten fish along with me. After many years and many freaked out moments (I still have a hard time with the whole this was once alive thing) I have learned many ways to cook tasty fish. My darling husband tells me he likes my fish more than any restaurant's. It's actually the easiest thing to cook, now that I know how. Here is a recipe I have been stuck on lately, you can use just about any kind of fish, I think. I usually use tilapia or salmon. I got it off the internet, but adapted it a bit and now just do it from memory. I changed it enough to make it my own. If you can even call it a recipe, it's so simple.

Panko Fish
You need a fish filet of some sort or several if small
Also need:
Panko bread crumbs (panko are better than regular-trust me)
Dijon mustard
Olive Oil
Trusty S +P
All you have to do is stir about a 1/3 cup of panko crumbs (adjust according to size of fish) up with some S+P and about a tablespoon of olive oil (or enough to coat the panko nicely) in a small bowl. Next, spread a layer of mustard over the top of the fish which will be nestled in some sort of dish. Put the panko/oil mixture on top of the fish, mush it down in a nice thick, even layer over the fish that is facing up (don't worry about the bottom.) Then put it in a 400 degree oven for however long your particular fish needs to cook. (Could be 10 minutes or 20- depending how thick.) You can check by inserting a knife into fish to see if it's done. The layer of mustard leaves the fish very tender under the panko and has a nice flavor. You can also mix various spices in with the mustard or panko. Experiment! You can also substitute mayonnaise for a different taste and more calories.

Let me know if you try it!

I married a mad scientist

He's crazy! But really, he was just awarded another patent (along with colleagues) for a very complicated laser contraption that is already in use. If you want to see his official patent click on the link above. I'm very proud of him, even if I don't quite understand the things he makes. He can always answer my math and science questions with ease!

Falling Down

It's always scary when a child falls and hits her head.  But two times within a few days?  Sunday, we decided to check out our friends' church.  We were leaving and chatting and Lilah was toddling down the sidewalk with Spiderman in one hand and two tiny panda bears in the other. Suddenly she tripped and fell flat on her face, not letting go of her toys.  We all heard the smack as her little head hit the sidewalk!  Immediately a huge blue bump appeared on her forehead. It was a panicky moment- Lilah screamed, ice was found and people buzzed around.  I was afraid to let her take her nap that afternoon, fearing she had a concussion.  She was fine of course, and the next day the bump and bruise were hard to see, crisis over! 

Yesterday, I put her to bed for her nap, was walking back to enjoy my lunch and heard a strange thump.  Mother radar caused me to run to her room, where I found her laying on her back in front of her crib!  Her mouth was open in a silent scream, that was slowly forming into a shriek heard round the world.  She had leaned forward in her crib- with the side down- and I guess did a total flip to land on her back.  It was a scary moment for both of us.  Again, I was worried about concussion and didn't want her to go to sleep.  I didn't know if she lost consciousness, even for a second, since I wasn't there.  But after she calmed down, she seemed fine, except for a bitten lip.  

But still, I looked up head injuries in books and online. I talked to Mark on the phone, who was not worried. I knew if I called the pediatrician, it was going to end up in the ER.  When she was about 9 months, she fell out of a chair and landed on the ceramic tile face first.  I called then, and they said they could only send us to the ER.  There, she was strapped to a table for a cat-scan, held down for x-rays and irritated beyond belief by having to wait for hours.  And of course, everything was fine.  After her fall yesterday, after she turned into Monster Lilah for lack of a nap, I put her back in her crib to let her sleep. (With the side pulled up!) She woke up later, fine and dandy.  Babies and children are built for falling I guess. Mom's just aren't built for not worrying and for always fearing the worst.

Am I really 40?

Went to the library today and ran across a book called "40 over 40." It was all about how to dress when you pass 40. It just freaked me out a bit. I know I'm not supposed to wear what teenagers are wearing, but do I really have to change my whole wardrobe now that I'm 40? Is 40 really middle aged? (I guess I'm not going to live to be 150, so yes.) But middle age has such a connotation- crisis and all that. Am I to be lumped over the 40 hump now? No longer able to commiserate with my under 40 friends? I have young children. I still feel young, I don't feel like I fit into that category yet. I still feel slightly hip. I don't know if I look very hip, but I like to try, without being silly. Maybe I'm just fooling myself. I hate being pigeon-holed according to age. But hey there's always Sarah Jessica Parker, I bet she never read a book like this.

Vote for English Gardens!

If you know me, you know Lora, so why don't you vote for her business as Best Wedding Venue? She's a swell gal and she deserves it for knocking herself out every weekend for the last 16 years putting on the best weddings and parties in town!  Click on the title above to vote.

Take a smoke break with Jacques

I haven't blogged all week!  Been busy overhauling the house. I've been listening to French 60's music. Mostly women, but then this guy showed up-Jacques Dutronc, who manages to stay very cool in this video while surrounded by ridiculousness. So 60's, so very French, so not 4th of July.  IF you have not discovered Scopitones (videos for jukeboxes from the 60's) for yourself, let me introduce you.
You can find more here: http://scopitones.blogs.com/

My yard, not so pretty

I think this about a third of the giant oak tree that was cut down today, it was very tall.

Half a grapefruit tree anyone?  I don't know why they just cut half and moved on to the other.

This is your cue to start humming the theme song to "Sanford and Son."

Ah, it's been a trying day. Hearing massive limbs hit the ground and the constant whir of chain saws does tend to wear on you. The guys left for the day and what a mess they left behind. Two massacred trees and the junk that was in our fallen shed. We get to spend the weekend with it. Thought about taking that little claw fellow for a joyride around the yard, but I would probably end up clawing the side of the house and getting trapped. 

The oak went down with a huge thud- the diameter of the trunk was 4 feet. There were a few sacrifices as it fell, some flowers, some hedges, a possibly maimed bird and some eggs. (The tree guy felt bad.)  But it was a dangerous tree. Any minute it could have come to life and rampaged the neighborhood. Sorry, that just came to mind when I said it was dangerous. One of its huge limbs fell a few weeks ago and broke the roof on our nice neighbor's shed.  And it certainly wasn't a beautiful thing- it had been chopped in half years ago by us in an attempt to rejuvenate it, which didn't work. There are so many trees around that area, that you can't even tell it's gone. Except for the giant carcass laying in our yard. 

The not-so-nice other neighbor had requested that his fence be rebuilt over the tree stump (which they already did) and he left town this week, so when he gets back he'll see nothing. It will be like it never happened for him. Meanwhile, our yard looks like a bomb hit it. He's right about us having a sh*t yard now. (Yes, that's one of the nice things he said in one of his rants.) But we shall persevere and get things back into shape. We have so much space now! Plus a little justice was served when the rats living in the shed (the whole reason we were getting rid of it and the grapefruit tree- their food source) probably scattered into his yard away from all the ruckus in ours. 

We, however, were mightily prepared for a possible invasion with a pest control service who put our house on rat-lockdown and set out traps along the perimeter of our yard. Unfortunately urban Florida is a haven for them, they love the citrus and warm weather- I guess.  We've never taken a stand with them in the past, live and let live we'd say.  But they were out of control and living in our shed like it was their own personal condo.  I was afraid to go back there.  They were not my friends.  I'm very thankful for our cats right now.  In fact, just to prove her prowess (and perhaps calm my fears of an indoor unwanted visitor) Minnie caught a black snake in the garage for me! Which I had to sweep up and carry outside, lest it get loose in the house. Joy!

I've had enough of snakes, rats, and noisy tree men for the day.  I need to visit a very pristine, quiet place with no nature for a few hours.

P-nut Butter Cookies

P-nut butter cookies, originally uploaded by bossamama.

Made these last Thursday from a great recipe from Martha. They have the best texture, fluffy and crunchy at the same time.  And it's fun to make the crosshatches!  Watch out, this recipe makes a lot of cookies! I freeze half of the dough after rolling them into little balls. (You might also cut the recipe in half.) Click on the title to get the recipe. I didn't get it from martha. com because all the recipes listed were different from the one I had. There are many different ways to make a peanut butter cookie, my friends. This one matches mine from the magazine, even though she doesn't credit Martha. She'd better watch out! You don't mess with an ex-con.

LEGO

As those who know me may be aware, my husband is a reformed LEGO enthusiast. We have a closet full of bricks and catalogs to prove it.  He does still enjoy building occasionally and has supplied the girls with a nice amount of their own bricks- but has not remained as dedicated as his best friend, James.  James has turned his enthusiasm into a successful sideline.  Click on the title above to read his latest delightfully written article on LEGO trains. Keep on brickin' James!