Southern Style Quirks

The weather has been glorious lately. I mean to the point that you just  want to find a deck or patio about 2 pm and commence the ordering of adult beverages...or so I've heard.

Let me preface this post by saying that I do not wear street length dresses or skirts. I haven't work a traditional skirt suit since my fathers funeral, January 10 , 2004. I haven't worn a street length dress since Len and Crystal ( Hisselfs nephew and wifey) wedding.

I WILL NOT WEAR PANTY HOSE UNLESS IT'S BELOW FREEZING..AND ONLY IF IT'S GONNA BE FREEZING RAIN.

I do not wear anything but either pant suits or heavily coordinated separates for work attire  because I have some noticeable scaring and birthmarks ( Or liver spots the size of the Crimea...I kid...wink) so I cover my legs.I wear jeans on the weekends and save the shorts for yard and housework.

I have great colorful jackets from  Coldwater Creek and Chadwicks, cardigans and tank tops from Target ( their Merona amd Mossimo just rock out for price and quality ya'll) plus shoes, scarves and such so I am not at all adverse to wearing COLOR !

COLOR       COLOR    COLOR     COLOR    COLOR    COLOR !

And I think I am the only one . I kid you not.

Yes, Easter has come and gone and it's in the low 80's..and not raining.

LADIES...WHY ARE YOU STILL WEARING GRAY AND  BLACK AND BROWN ???????

Yes, I wear black and brown suits..but in the spring...I blow it the f up with color.

COLOR    COLOR    COLOR    COLOR.

Now I am not saying it's time to break out the white or bone shoes and bag, it's not the  Memorial day weekend to Labor Day period also known as SUMMER .

AND NO...nude color shoes and bag are fine now..they are NOT the same thing as white or bone.

This is the South...it's Spring...

Wear some friggan color, y'all are depressing to look at 5 days a week in this glorious weather ! Betty Crocker and I are the only two that I know of at work that constantly wear COLOR year round.

Maybe it's a redhead thing but I doubt that .

I'm wearing  a coral  jacket that is ombre'd with gold and purple tomorrow .

Tastefully with taupe dress pants and heels ..I am a grown up after all.

Grab your sunglasses because I am embracing SPRING !

Oh and for the record, if any of y'all can't tell which dress in the photo would be appropriate for work with a jacket or cardigan...we'll take that up another day , m'kay ?

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~ Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Just when I think that things are getting better with the allergies..............KAPOW !!!!!!!!!!

I never used to  pay any real attention to the issue because I have been plagued by sinus issues since I was a child and discovered that the Forsythia that grew rampant on Hunters Point base in San Francisco was in fact not my pretty friend , it was my arch nemesis. This of course mattered to my parents as they were both of the opinion and generation who assumed that " She will grow out of it." .In all fairness and hindsight , my headaches were probably nothing compared to their " morning after " angst.

So I learned to ignore them.

When the folks finally realized that their oldest kid was horribly nearsighted after a teachers intervention, it was again assumed that the cause of the headaches was eyestrain and for the most part, this was largely true.

When the sinuses got bad I took what ever over the counter was in the house, God forbid I pinch one of Mothers RX Ornade provided by her brother the doctor..until AMA rules began to tighten up on RX via USPS.

AS I got older, I coped as best I could and ignored the rest because it seemed silly to make much of a fuss over it, by this time I was also a smoker and so some of the problem was ( I was certain ) self induced.

I managed it for years quite nicely but this last year , it seems like it's taken over my life again. Last night I was crashed out by 8 pm and Gordy call simply tell by the look on my face how the day went. Co-workers are also miserable right now with the elevated grass and tree pollen so we all nod at each other as we sneeze and hack our ways though the day.

I am determined not to let this rule my life, I am fighting back with meds and an acute awareness of what I can and cannot tolerate .

I will have my deck time and be out in the garden this weekend, it's only going to be in the 80's which for the Gulf Coast is a miracle.

It's Spring Damn It and I am going to enjoy the hell out of it..even it it kills me.

Have a great weekend .

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Post Easter Sugar Coma Y'all.

All things considered, it was a lovely holiday and by that I mean that I got the day off for Good Friday but sadly or not the spouse had to work. Now before anyone thinks that they are getting picked on, I also did 4 loads of laundry, hoovered, dusted and generally caught up on a lot of cleaning that I had put aside due to allergies..........and I ain't done so do not fuss at me.

In my ideal world, I would have been able to sit on the deck and read " The Mayfair Witches " all day by Anne Rice..and then been unable to breathe. SO I opted to stay in with the standard NCIS marathon in the back round ( so predictable) and tore into it. Granted , the house is a lot easier to manage with the wood floors, but that also means more to dust ( baseboards, crown molding ) and it the allergies are flaring up there is no way in hell that I am going to take that on.


The weather is nice for right now so I may be able to actually sit out on the deck to enjoy the solar lights that I finally got in the ground..yeppers...me...and I only had to have hisself relocate one.

GO ME !

One thing that I have also become hyper aware of is the price of beef right now .; Forget trying to even find a decent 6 lb roast...I know that sounds silly for just 2 people...leftovers/brown baggin lunch y'all . By the time we get home after work, it's literally 7 pm and  I sure as hell am not going to cook a full meal. Thankfully my hubby is self sufficient so I don't have to worry about that . I like to cook a big meal on Sundays and more often that not there is some sort of baking that has gone on so while it can be labor intensive on the cleanup,  it's right up there with digging in the dirt  as therapy for me .

Every Wednesday the local Kroger ad comes out and they had strip steaks on sale for $3.99/lb ,  marked down from $8.99/lb.

BAZINGA !

It was worth the time to stop the night the ad came out and I told hisself basically to spend ..oh $35.00 worth on it.  Now , because I am moderately OCD , I am one who will do the math to see what I saved. Yes, I hate, loathe and detest math ( just ask anyone who has every PBP'd or gamed with me..." GAH ! Resource sheets !  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ) . But........I am also the one who will do a happy dance to the tune of " $76.00 worth of steaks for $37.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

F Yeah I'm good.

Snoopy dance.


And no  , I am not one of those extreme couponers. I mean really folks, how many jars of Prego do you need ?  Isn't gluttony still considered a sin ?

Just wondering.

Anyhoo....the girls came over for Easter dinner because even though I told hisself it would just be the 2 of us,  it was a holiday and they had no plans and I am weak.

On the upside , the dark chocolate ice box pie was a winner.

On the down side, I only allowed myself 2 bites thus to avoid stomach issues..


I hate being a grownup !

Have a great week !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Happy Friday ~Bruce Of The Day ~ !

Happy Friday and Good Friday Y'all.

I am hopeful that I may have turned a corner on the allergy issue...knock on wood/head.

Over the last few MONTHS, I have suffered with the worst allergy flare up that I can ever remember . Pollen is every damn where down here in south Texas and it has frankly kicked my voluptuous ass.

I have a new respect for anyone that suffers from a chronic illness. I really , sincerely mean that .

Chronic pain , I get. That is a part of my daily life with polio.

But feeling f'd up and puny every day ?

Not so much.

Until now .

Some days it is so bad, I sleep on the way home, clean my face and teeth and by 7:45 pm or so I am in bed..........sound asleep. Those are the days when it is the worst and the only thing that gets me through my day at work is the promise of sleep when I get home.

I am taking meds and I try not to take  them unless I need them because I really don't want to build up a tolerance for them, I've been down that road and the Walgreens/Kroger knockoffs just don't cut it .


The ultimate irony is that this time last year , the only thing that got me  through the renovation was the simple idea that next year/now , I would be able to enjoy the deck that we finally have . Gordy built me some wonderful shelves and I decorated the deck with the metal birdcages that I have collected and the potted plants that I planted with love and sweat .

This year, it's been lovely...lovely yellow green with pollen.

Yep.

I am hopeful that I can get out there later today and enjoy it a bit since it seems less greener than usual..lol.

Mama has a raging case of cabin fever but if it gets bad, there is plenty of housework that I can tackle..it's a glam life your Aunty lives..yes indeedy.

Have a wonderful weekend and a blessed Easter if you celebrate it.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol

This Is So Our House

Just keeping it real folks.

Click on the cartoon to biggify.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Roasted Greek Potatoes 2.O

Lets try this again.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/07/roasted-greek-potatoes.html

I found this over at Plain Chicken and it is a much better recipe than the one that I have.

Rarely have I met a spud I didn't like...okay..AuGratin and Scalloped come to mind because the only way that I had them served to me at home was ala the Box Oh Betty Crocker .

Results:

1: Heartburn
2. Enhanced gag reflex in 3...2...1...

Hisself and I share a love of spuds.

Baked, fried, hash browns, roasted, mashed, boiled, tots...you name it , we nom it.

For years , one of our go to, okay to serve at the dinner party standbys has been the classic ( tongue in cheek ) housewives stand by.." Liptons Oven Roasted Potatoes  ".

Yep, guilty as charged ossifer.

We've tried variations and we are over all pretty happy with it but are continuously challenged.." How to get them crispy on the outside and soft on the inside without baking the living Jeebus out of them.

Mind you , this quest has in no way stopped us from making the damn'd things.


Anyhoo, I saw this on Plain Chicken and then it hit me.

Bazinga !

Bake them covered for 45 minutes and then uncover then and bake for 20 - 30 minutes more.

The old way always took longer than the " Bake uncovered for 20 minutes , stir to flip over and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

I have been craving lamb again and if I can find Lamb steaks down here..no easy feat I assure you , this is going to be my side.

Yum !

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

I Have Mixed Emotions And I'm Okay With That .

I really was not at all surprised to see that Stephen Colbert has been chosen to replace David Letterman. I am a huge fan of his and more often than I should stay up too late on a school night to watch him right after the Daily show. I should state that I am pretty much given a pass on this during any election coverage because that malarky just drives the husband and I bat shit crazy pants.


What does surprise me is the number of people who just don't get it or are out and out pissed about it.

REALLY ???????????????????????????????

The Colbert Report is an hour long program that stays in character.

Character.

Role .

Persona .

It is a role based on a certain lifestyle and political viewpoint which some may not see as funny as others including myself do...but then possibly those folks don't get the self mockery that is at the heart of it all .

One of the things that I have loved the most about the CR is the variety of guests that he has on the show . Writers , Supreme Court Judges, Scientists...yes there have been entertainers and musicians but they have been there for things other than the obvious ego stroke. Like George Carlin, the CR makes you think.

Would this be a good for the Late Show ?

Oh Hell no.

Different idea, different premise , different show.

Will it work  ?

Only the magic eight ball can tell.

Will I be taping or ( shhhh...watching depending on who is on ?)

You betcha !

Will folks get it ?

Other than his carry over fans, hard to say .

I sure hope so .


Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Another Winner From Smitten Kitchen

I am just gonna have to go and buy her cookbook.

http://smittenkitchen.com
 check this out.

I love the idea of using extra melted chocolate and sweet coconut for this .

It seems that since I have every Sunday to putter about since hisself is either golfing or with the motley crew, I might as well take advantage of this free time to start baking again. I didn't really do any of it for the last year like I did before because of renovations , out of town trips and the fact that there is a certain point here on the Gulf Coast where the very idea of using the oven at all is hell no...well, I just didn't.

I've started it up again recently and I am amazed at how much I missed baking. Some folks like my husband like to bake early in the day and more often than not I have woken up to one of his baking binges on a Sunday..me ..I need coffee and paper and time to gather my thoughts . My day schedule as far as other things will depend on what I am baking . For example..if it's a bundt cake , I have time to process a load of laundry and hoover while it is in the oven. Quick bread..same thing. Cupcakes..pick up the clutter or start a load of wash or bring the basket in to fold. Or maybe set or move  a sprinkler..nothing I can't break away from. But cupcakes = time for one of the above, not all. Cookies..forget it . they don't take as long since I rotate 3 sheets at a time but it's a fast process once they are prepped.

If they are ready, this weekend is more banana bread..

One thing occurs to me.

I think I'd better check the pantry.

I have no idea what he has used all of or what is left.

Onward.

Ciao,
Aunty Pol

Timing Is Everything.

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/CustomerService/InvestorFAQ

I don't know if the above link will work or not, I suspect not but anyhoo....


If you shop at Coldwater Creek as I do ( DOH ! ) , you know that the best way is to watch for whatever makes your heart  go pitty pat and then with Kryptonian resolve , wait for your precious to show up in the outlet.

Bazinga !

Jackets regularly priced $125.00 and up can be snatched for $29.00 to $50.00.

For real y'all.


I told a friend at work and we realized that we had seen the signs and weren't aware of it at the time. Frequent CC shoppers would get coupons and catalogs at home .  Magazines such as Real Simple and Southern Living always had print ads and tear away discount coupon cards....haven't seen any of that in quite a while but as the cost of these print items increased over the years , it is not unusual for retailers to let that part of their ad budgets fall to the wayside.

If you see something at CC, grab it .

Your shopping therapy advisor,

Aunty Pol

Outstanding !

I guess I did miss a bit while I was out of the office last week.

One of the nicest gals that I have ever had the genuine pleasure to work with just made my jaw drop.

She is in her exit interview.

Wah !

But..........

She is about to embark on her own adventure.

She is going to begin pastry school in the quest to open her own shop one day.


I couldn't be happier for her and while I will honestly miss her , I am always super happy to see people with the strength to believe in themselves and their dreams.


Rock On Mama !

Stay in touch.


Hugs,

Aunty Pol

Mother Nature Is Having A Hissy Fit !

They said that the weather was going to change and they were not kidding.

Of course when I was off last week for my birthday ( it's a birth week and not a birthday and because I can ) the weather was less than stellar. On the one hand this gave me no excuse not to get some stuff done that I wanted to ( what ..me not have a plan so that I can over schedule myself...hahahahaha...yeah , right .) so I did get some of the inside stuff done but it really shortened the window to plant stuff.

I know that I pushed it but it seems like Easter is so late this year that I was having a fit. We lost almost all of the potted plants on the deck because of the unusual freezing temperatures and there is a certain point where I cannot bear to look at the debris one minute longer. Now , I did wait a bit because there just wasn't a whole lot to choose from a few weeks ago but I did manage to get some stuff and finally finished it up last night...sorted, potted and mulched. I do have some pots left but they can wait until closer to Easter when the selection open up. Of course everyone  else will be at the nursery but I've gotten a head start and only managed to lose one glove this  year.

I did manage to soldier through Wallyworld  with Southside Johnny on Friday to get some stuff which was fun because we did it after lunch and Wallyworld is always better after adult beverages. Anyone who knows me knows my tolerance for the emporium so this is almost the only way that my happy ass will cross that threshold. The purpose of this jaunt was simple. Every damn year I wait to long to buy new solar lights for the back yard and by the time that I actually slap myself over it all, they are all gone.I refuse to make the same mistake that I did years ago by over paying at Lowes for a beautiful ( $$$ bazinga) copper set which did not last more than one year , thank you lawn dudes...And then again I had to get new chair cushions for the deck furniture, WTF I was there already and odds and ends so in the end once again I impressed the youngest brother with my commando shopping skills....I gotz skillz y'all.

Other than that , not a whole lot else went on..hubby got me the entire BSG series on blue ray so I am a most happy camper. 

And I am back to work and it is the usual mayhem a week before the tax deadline but bam bitch !

Ours are sent off and the CPA is paid for .

Go us !

Have a good one.

Ciao,

Aunty Pol