EEEEEEEEE!!! The excitement begins!

This evening, I met with the bride and groom (and their BEAUTIFUL daughter) about catering their reception.

This is the menu that they've chosen, and I must say, they've made some GREAT choices!

• Pulled pork BBQ sliders with slaw
• Philly cheese steak sliders
• "Pigs" in a blanket, with caramelized onions
• Sweet & Sour meatballs
• Red-skinned potato chips with homemade ketchup
• Soft pretzel bites with beer cheese and spicy mustard

I have a little more than 5 months to perfect my pretzel skills, but I KNOW I can conquer it!

Wish me luck, folks.  This may lead to something bigger!

Guess who "HOPEFULLY" has another wedding reception to cater?

That's right - ME!!

Meeting with the bride and groom tomorrow night to discuss food ideas for their reception.  The bride has informed me that the groom wants "bar" food, so.......

Here's what I came up with:

• Pizza Roll-Ups with Marinara
• Pulled BBW Pork Sliders with Cole Slaw
• Dates stuffed with Ricotta and wrapped in bacon
• Spicy Chicken Wings 
• Caramel Popcorn with Cashews and Chocolate
• Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
• Little Smokies with Caramelized Onions wrapped in Puff Pastry
• Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara
• Homemade Potato Chips with homemade, FRESH ketchup
  

And, although it isn't a "bar" food, a hollowed-out watermelon filled with fruit and a chocolate fountain.

I'm giving her these options to choose from and I've priced MOST things out.

Thoughts?  Suggestions???

I tried to get away from all the politics.....

....but I can't.

And I shouldn't.

I have a voice.  And MANY more like me do, also!

THIS is NOT the time to sit idly by and hope that someone else will speak for you.....because they WON'T!

The turning away of people who have every legal right to BE here, is appalling!

This is NOT America!

STAND THE HELL UP!

AARGH!!! ANOTHER plumbing project!!

It was bad enough that I spent HOURS fixing plumbing leaks LAST weekend.  NOW, there are leaks in the kitchen!

So, in between taking Merlie-Poo to get his nails done, I'm going to have to fix THAT!

WHY can't stuff just WORK?

Dinner Plans!!

Tonight, we're having "soup beans" and cornbread!

Now, for those of you that don't know what "soup beans" are, you take a bag of dried beans (can be any kind, but tonight, I'm using "Cranberry" beans), soak them in water overnight, then put 'em in a crockpot with a big slab of salted pork.  Cook on low all day and the starches release and the beans get "soupy" and thicken.

And nothing goes better with soup beans, than cornbread!
And fresh onions.
And a "relish" of some kind - I use homemade zucchini relish.

Yeah, you may poot a bit, but it's pretty damned good.

REALLY FOOD CITY??

After I bought my groceries at INGLE'S, I went to Food City (the new one) to use up my gas points.....

Well, this GUY was telling the man in his "cube" his phone number so he could get his reward points.
329-6687.  Over and over again.  And the poor clerk could not find this man's rewards.  So, the customer says he'll go look for his card in his car.

I'm ready to pay for my fuel ($1.81/gal with rewards!) and the clerk tells me he can't do ANYTHING until this prior customer comes back to take care of his transaction.

REALLY, Food City?  You're going to make your customers stand and wait - with cash in hand - because someone needs to look for their Value Card?
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Is it just me? Do I attract this kinda service?  Or am I too critical?

I've been in MANY service-oriented jobs in my life, and taking care of the person standing RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU WITH $$ IN THEIR HAND has always been paramount!

What's changed?

Another Day. *sigh* But we're getting some new Whiskey's at work!

What a dreary morning it was.....all overcast.  Gloomy.

Much like the mood in this country.

Well....A LOT OF IT.

The sales rep. from the company that shall not be named came in with a merchandiser!  He wanted to hang some "shelf talkers" - and here was my clue to go into MY rules at the store:

1)  No hanging, placing, or distributing material on the shelf fronts UNLESS they have our selling price on them.
2)  No "self-adhesive" promo material is to be used.  If you want to tape it up, that's ok.
3)  No promo material that blocks the shelf prices.

Merchandiser-boy got to work and put up a few things and sure enough, he did just as instructed.

"Good boy...*pat-pat*.....good boy"

Then, we got to sample some new Ole Smoky whiskeys - Mango Jabanero and Root Beer!  Also, Ole Smoky is coming out with a new flavor called "Outsiders", based on the TV show.  It's a ginseng/ginger flavored moonshine - quite good, actually!

....................................................

After work, I went to Ingles - the new one.  And I LOVE that store!  Sorry, Food City, but they have you beat on prices AND selection!  Why didn't anyone tell me this earlier?

Tonight for supper, we're having meat-filled ravioli in marinara, steamed veggies, and garlic knots.

And.....I'm still weaning myself off facebook.  It's difficult.

Running the wash cycle on an HE washer

What do I throw in the dryer?

Got into it with the bossman....WHEN will he learn?

After BUSTING my butt the past week or so, CLEANING UP AND ORGANIZING HIS STORE, the boss says to me...."Let me ask you something."

BOOM!  RED FLAG!!!  I've known this man for over 10 years, so I KNOW where this is going.....

"You know that singer, Lady Gaga?  The one that's performing at the Super Bowl?"

"Yes.  She's also an actress."

"No.....not her.....it's someone that looks like her.  MADONNA!"

(I see no physical resemblance, but anyway......)

"Oh, yeah!  What about her?"  (I KNOW where this is going.....)

"Over the weekend during all those marches, she said that the White House should be burned down or blown up!  Doesn't that count as domestic terrorism?"

My blood begins to boil....

"Well, considering that we've had to listen to the SAME thing for 8 years....NO!"

"WHO said that?"

Me, pointing around in the air...."YOU ALL DID!"

He was quickly silenced.  I then told him that people like him have ruined my experiences on facebook, watching the news, etc.

.............................

For me, it's about baby steps and fighting the INSANE mentality that is right in front of us!  Will he change his mind?  Hell no.  But at least I have taken MY stand.

And I encourage each of you to do the same.

Make America Free Again!

What A DAY! *WHEW* Plumbing 101

After laying around the ranch most of the morning, we finally decided to make ourselves presentable to the public and go visit the new Pet Sense we have here.  AND do a little shopping.

Made our purchases, went back home, put everything away, and we TRIED to take a nap.....didn't work for me so much.

ANYWAY......

Hubster had found a leak under the vanity in the main bath.  I pulled everything out from under there (WHY is there so much hair gel under there?) and got to looking.  At first, I thought that the leak was coming from the cut-off valve for the hot water supply.  After drying everything off and looking with a flashlight, I found out it was the supply line.  No problem....the leak seemed to be coming from the connection to the valve.  I proceeded to turn off the hot water at the tank (as the cut-off valve has NO handle!), dismantle the supply line, and apply some plumbers tape to the threads.  I then went to turn on the water to the hot water tank and guess what.......THAT CUT-OFF VALVE BEGAN TO LEAK!

I turn off ALL the water to the house and head to Lowe's for that valve.  Get home, install it (no drips) and turn the water back on.....

THE BATHROOM LAVATORY SUPPLY LINE WAS CRACKED - water was spewing EVERYWHERE!!  So, back to Lowe's I go.

Get home, installed the supply line, and now everything is good.

My father (we won't go there NOW) was a plumber, so it was a good thing that I learned a few things from him.

My tip?  Learn basic plumbing!  It's really not that difficult.

It's Time To Wake The Dead!

With the current political environment, I feel the need to revive my blog and better express my thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

With that being said, it's going to take me awhile to get used to the changes Blogger has made, so please be patient!