Kiss and Make Up

OK - the dough and I are getting along better now. For awhile there, anything involving flour and ending in gh was acrimonious.

Last week I made kickass scones (more a batter, I guess), pie dough and now my pizza dough. Yes we are rolling in the dough now.

I have to thank the mediators: Cuisinart and Silpin.

Later this week, we'll actually go back in time with the cabbage pockets.

Pump Your Money Honey

I received my gasoline bill today. There was a notice in it that my gasoline credit card could now be used as a cash card. I was on line with a friend and said - guess you can pump more than gas now. His reply was priceless. "I guess so... thats cuz the gas companies have all the money now". Ain't that the truth?

Spice Girl

Today I took a field trip. I drove into St. Paul and went to Penzeys. My friend and I have been in search of Fenugreek, an Indian spice. They had a wonderful store with fabulous prices. I'll list the yummy's on Oh Oh!

Banner Day!

I found the Mall today and managed to get back to work....but not without getting turned around again. But I went back tonight because now I've got it down. And I didn't go to Williams Sonoma. (Tonight - I'm sure I'll be "called" back). Getting to work is seriously easy so now I can get adventurous with the "other places". The Minneapolis area is highway after highway after highway. One wrong turn lands you on a loopdeloop to lala land.

Two great things happened today.

1) I worked 8.5 hours...which for most people is considered normal...for me it is a 2/3's day. So I rejoiced and celebrated it.
2) I had some yummers, out of this world, sari-wearing co-diner Indian food tonight. And have enough leftovers for two more days.

Lost Again

Once again I got lost between the airport and my hotel. I was soooo close. But, also per usual, I found my way and a little more.

Just after missing my exit there was a sign for the street I needed to go to work tomorrow. I decided to go to work first and then back track to the hotel. That worked.

Now, being in the land of 10,000 lakes means that I'm in the land of wild rice. And where there's wild rice there's Byerlys. And Brueggers Bagels. And Caribou Coffee and Indian food.

Yes, it's nice to be "home".

Lovely Sunday

What a wonderful day!

I had a couple of friends over for dinner today. One of the IS guys who is also friend, made a special trip to me to update my Treo. We made it into an event!

I made Pork Enchiladas and Spanish Rice. The Mouton Cadet Bordeaux was smooth and rich and took on a sassy spicy flavor when paired with the enchiladas. Further matched with the chocolate cake my friend brought....mmmm mmm good!

Tomorrow morning....buttermilk scones. I'm giving them a little boost with some cranberries and orange zest.

Kelly

Kelly is a long time dear friend and co-worker and I managed to track the dude down yesterday. Still love his voice, still miss him silly. Still would love to work with him again. Ahhh the wonderful people I know!

Life Wish #38 - Drive a Forklift

Yes, folks, it happened. I got to drive a forklift. I drove it 6" and was satisfied, but my wonderful wish maker made me drive it way forward, turn it around and come back and do it again. And it was inside and there were forky things on the front and I could have speared a paper roll and I didn't.

My magical wonderful spirited life. YEAH!

Indiana Jones

Yeah!

Mebebitchalittle

OK - today I heard that some airlines want to charge $15 for suitcase. C'mon folks - we gotta take our clothes. Fine charge me for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th, but please - let me take one.

With the liquid restriction it's nearly impossible NOT TO CHECK ANYMORE!

Here's an easier solution...charge everyone $10 more on their ticket. Then you'll get $10 from the frequent flyer -carryoner. You'll make the bucks, we won't have to fly naked (and boy oh boy will that be nice for everyone involved) and I can brush my teeth when I get there.

Kwitcherbitchen

Right now I can fly cheaper than I can drive. I can get there today instead of tomorrow or in a few days. I can sit back and gaze at the clouds, read a book, watch a movie or browse a magazine. Down a soda or sip on a plastic glass of wine. It takes less time to book a flight than fill my gas tank with gasoline.
I've only once had a "rude" attendant and well - she didn't just pick on me. Yes, services are reduced - it's that or NO RIDE. Let's pick our battles carefully OK?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080520/ap_on_bi_ge/airlines_customer_satisfaction

Din-in-g Room

Teri's become a hotel room gourmet - with just a little help from her friends. Tonight was salmon stuffed with a crab/dill mixture. My friend tonight was Trader Joe. My salmon rode "home" from Oregon in my purse. I worried a little when I read that to microwave it, it was to still be frozen (that was sooo yesterday!). I nuked it for half the time and it was perfect. A hastily chilled pinot grigio, my balcony, a perfectly still and perfect temperature balcony, a tempered sunset....a perfect setting.

Tomorrow?

A fig and carmelized onion pizza. And yes, it too was in my purse. I may have to bribe the cookie guy to use his oven. I'll worry about those directions tomorrow.

Obama

Before going to the airport yesterday we went to downtown Portland for lunch. There were lines, upon lines, upon lines, upon lines of people heading to see Obama. As we left the city, heading for the airport, from the higway, we saw the 80,000 that made it into the stadium. It was truly amazing.

And this was cute as can be - it was across the street from Julie's Grandma's House:

No Burr Here!

Perfect

Another perfect slice of my life.

I started to blog about it and found my friend, Julie, already did.

So....I'm going to just go with the flow...she knows me so well. And we did have a fabulous wonderful, nothing less than perfect weekend.

The Perfect Day During A Pefect Weekend

If you know the NW Pacific Coast at all - you know that at water's edge - 70 degeree air is a miracle.....the beginning of the week was so cold where I was that I had a shirt, sweather, coat, hat and gloves and Saturday.

Julie talked about my "yes"! - I don't think she realized just how much of "Teri" she had visiting. All of ME. I felt whole, complete and very much at home. Such a nice feeling...to be me.

Thank you Jules!

Teri, You're Not In Utah Anymore

WOW - I've found myself in a place where sleeveless summer dresses are appreciated. And therefore walking 3/4 of mile in heels is absolutely worth it. (I have various buildings I'm working in). And....working in a production plant, wearing said summer dress is even better. I've always wanted to drive a forklift....indoors :-)

Vino What Happens To You

My friend Jules had a really hard time getting and staying pregnant.....and then one loosey goosey night, credited to a bottle of Merlot, she and Brian made Nora. I get to meet Nora tomorrow. I can't wait. Little Miss Nora has made a whole pile of people happy.

I've always called Nora Merlot.

And now she tells me that Shiraz is her new love.

Is she trying to tell me something?

Now What?

My company fixed some email things tonight - they fixed me good.

I was very very careful to be off the system...but I wasn't not working. I was working, working, working, working, saving all my email.

After the designated time, I did the designated tasks...and they wouldn't finish. OK, fortunately to howl about it was through a website and not via EMAIL.

Then it came time to do the little task on my trusty Treo. Ooops, the instructions call for a hotsync. I don't think I've done it in over a year....I haven't a clue where that cord is. And, well, I don't have an opportunity to look for it for quite a while.

I checked web access for my work email, but it has the 100 or so emails sitting in there that I filed and responded to....and what I responded is just sitting here on my computer.

Then, I go to check my bank account....it doesn't recognize my computer.

I deemed this weekend computer free - since I'm GOING TO THE BEACH!!!!!!!

I think mine already left...and without me.

Mom's Rhubarb Pie

Mom made the best rhubarb pie I've ever tasted. I used her recipe tonight for the first time. It was comforting to work on a recipe from a piece of paper written in her familiar script. I didn't make it from a cookbook, a magazine, or a website. I made it with her.

It's the first time I've ever made a top crust pie crust and much easier than the last time I tried doing a single layer. (Thank you Cuisinart!)

Yes, times have changed and so have I. But, not everything has to.

I love you Mom!

Recession Proof Your Business

How? Listen.

Listen to your customers.

Here are some things businesses have done and haven't done that have impacted my personal shopping habits. I make a good living, but not everyone has the same freedoms I do. So take what I'm noting here and think how it might apply in more constrictive scenarios.

Bed, Bath and Beyond. They send me coupons ALL the time. I save them. They expire. I still save them. The coupons have expiration dates but......they will honor them no matter what date you try to use them. They will take more than one per visit - up to five. They will apply the coupons to the items that will save you the most. Expired, multiple, caring. I shop for 99% of my kitchen items there. I tell them every time I visit - how much I appreciate this service. Chef Kent apparently feels the same as he plugged them frequently last week.

Bath and Body Shop. I found out today they will allow usage three days before the start date (at least - I don't know about the end date) on the discount cards they send out. Before today, a few times, I've received the card in the mail, tucked it into my purse, headed out for my "shopping day" and found I was too early. Usually the card has drawn me in so sometimes I leave without buying anything. And today I had a freebie card. I had selected something complementary to complete a set, but they were out of the freebie. Before I was even told of the outage the clerk told me she'd substituted the other item already.

At the mall, for BABS, I went past a kiosk that has attracted my attention for while. I finally asked about the costs for their items and really took a look at what they had to offer. The clerk was friendly and attentive - not like the usual type who are busy texting and doing their scriptures or schoolwork. She told me about her products, the packages and additional things I could get if Iwanted to. She handed me a brochure and said I could get the product there or on line. And then she shut up. I'd been interested, but it wasn't my goal for today. But what she'd told me was good. I stared circling the kiosk and my "packages" came together. I'd decided to buy today. And then...she mentioned two more accessories she wanted me to know were available if I had a preference. Sure enough....she'd hit the mark on that one....based on what I had with me today. Interest, information, choices, silence, service = sale.

The other kitchen store I use now and again manages to fry my bucket every time. The staff is gossipy. Whenever I'm in the store they're talking loudly about another customer that's been there and what their "uniqueness" was. Today, I'd made a special trip for a set of single serving spring form pans I knew they carried. I haven't seen them offered at BBAB. The store was out of stock. After breaking up a gossip fest in asking about them I was told that a man had come in recently, purchased them all and wanted more. (OK, and that interests/benefits ME how?) I asked if they were able to order more. "Probably we did". I asked if I could leave my name and number to have them call when/if they came in. I was told it was probably just better if I just stopped in and checked now and again. I had an armload of stuff (that I wasn't going to get my 20% off - BBAB). I debated in putting it all back. There were some things that I knew I wouldn't get nearby without going to SLC for them so I went ahead and headed up to the counter. There I found the owner. She asked if I'd found everything, said "no" and added that I wish I could leave my number so they could just let me know when they came in. She took it. Let's see if she does. At $3.50 a gallon for gas or 2 hours of walking I'm NOT going to "check in". And I shouldn't have to call them when I've offered them my business. They have a phone, they have people obviously with time on their hands to do it. My loyalties are with BBAB.

As I went out the door this morning I called out to my daughter...."See ya baby, I'm off to stimulate the economy". Her response: "Gonna buy gasoline 'eh?"

Just For Me

I did a "just for me" morning. I did something I've never done before. I learned so much. I'll share more later. But I say it again....I'm damn near nirvana.

'Cept for my homemade pasta. I need some practice. Not bad for a first pass.

Smooches

Spring Breezes!

It is Spring! The sun is warm, but not hot. The breeze is flirty cool. Everything has a tinge of green or tiny buds erupting.

I (don't pass out) started to clean the car, but realized I'd parked it in the sun and that wouldn't do for cleaning. I'd been thinking about multitasking - tanning and car cleaning. Opted for doing some yard work. I'm torn between the yard and the kitchen today. I decided a little of the former and a lot of the latter - I've had heaps of exercise and sunshine this last week, but it is challenging to cook good food with a microwave, which was all my hotel offered. I'm betting though I'll be able to talk the staff into letting me in the big kitchen next trip :)

The kidlets are at the amusement park. I was IMed with the following hilarity: My grandson is on the roller coaster: "Mom - I think I left my stomach back there - I might be needing that again soon." I'm still laughing.

OK - I have my groceries. I still have a couple of recipes I still need to track down. Here's the run down for today: Watermelon granita, hummus (the best recipe found in India so it says), Naan, pasta (yes, homemade past) and two sauces for it, jambalya, macadamia/coconut/pinapple muffins and brussels sprouts. Yes, brussel sprouts. There's a guy at work that has them in his lunch all the time. I'm about to find out what the fuss is all about.

I'm hoping that by freezing some of these recipes I can haul them on my next trip and avoid some restaurant visits. I'd rather spend the time exploring the forests and hills where I'm working.

I'll post the "pleasers" on Oh-Oh.

Speaking of Oh-Oh. I had a visitor from India checking out my kheer recipe. That makes me laugh.

I'm counting the hours until I find rhubarb in the store...I have it growing now - but it isn't doing it fast enough for me!

Such A Pretty Place

I'm exhausted. Two 70+ hour weeks back to back.

But as always, it is always worth it. Every day here, I find another piece of beauty. Today it was a magnificent hill. I hiked it at lunch for a bit and then tonight a co-worker and I did "a stretch". Trees and rocks and meadow flowers. Water and birds. Yesterday it was a beach. Most days I get to stoll past a timber plant dodging lumber trucks and taking in the damp pine scent. Everyday the river.

I've probably walked 8 miles today...probably 30 -40 this week. I'm in my element.

And the added bonus? Thai food.