Upside Down Cats

 

















And you thought it was cold in your neck of the woods!

I would have worn a warmer jacket!

I am inspired to share a photo I took today of our Winter Wonderland. We are currently situated inside an "ice sandwich" - packed snow on the ground covered in a tasty solid layer of ice from last night's ice storm, topped off with a fresh dusting of today's snow. I am so moved by the weather in fact, that I am finally going to put the finishing touches on the following Holiday post and share it already!

There are several subjects I won't broach here on Upside Down Cats, namely, religion, politics and sports. Simply stated I have nothing good to say about any of them and Mom always told me" If you can't say something nice..." and well, you know the rest.

I do believe, however, that a person's Christmas song preferences are every bit as personally subjective as her opinions on the aforementioned subjects. Yet in the spirit of the season I am perfectly willing to divulge my favorites, knowing full well that they are likely to spark as much controversy as my opinions on those other highly-charged topics of discussion.

Sadly, an appreciation of Christmas songs is not a memory Scott and I can share. Not having been raised celebrating Christmas is a bulletproof excuse though, so I really can't fault him for not waxing nostalgic when it comes to the seasonal tunes. Recently Scott has posted an awesome list of his favorite Non-Traditional Christmas songs on his blog. Although he has developed an appreciation throughout the years for songs about Christmas, Scott would be the first to note that it is different than the songs being ingrained in one's psyche since day one.

It's OK, though...fear not for our shared cultural reference quotient. We'll always have Trilogy of Terror and Caddyshack, so we've got that going for us...

Continue reading "It's Beginning To Sound A ... »

When I went grocery shopping yesterday I finally found some acceptable prices on certain meats. It seems like for months and months I've been returning home from the store having refused to pay outlandish prices for even modest cuts of beef, for instance. This week's menu includes some Porterhouse steaks which I bought for what I now consider a bargain price. So without further ado, I give you the meals I've planned in advance for the week ahead...

 

Pan-Seared Porterhouse Steaks, Baked Potatoes w/ Sour Cream, Bacon & Green Onion & Oven-Roasted Vegetables

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese & Oven-Roasted Broccoli Spears

Steak Quesadillas & Spring Mix Salad

Shrimp & Broccoli Stirfry over Steamed White Rice

Chicken Caesar Salad & Garlic Bread

Classic Pub Burgers, Onion Rings & Assorted Vegetable Platter w/ Ranch Dip

Bacon, Cheddar & Hash Brown Omlettes & Texas Toast

 

Maybe eating is becoming affordable again...that's one thing that is not a luxury - especially in this house!

It's been a busy and productive Sunday at home. Among my accomplishments today was planning the menus for the week ahead. Looks like good eating is in our immediate future...

 

Breaded Tilapia Sandwiches, Fried Potatoes & Spring Mix Salad

Shrimp Egg Foo Young, Steamed White Rice & Oriental Broccoli & Celery w/ Almonds

Cheesy Chicken, Pasta & Broccoli Casserole

Italian Sausage w/ Bow Tie Pasta in Vodka Sauce & Spring Mix Salad

Chicken Souvlaki in Pita Pockets & Greek Potatoes w/ Spinach, Garlic & Walnuts

Pancakes, Sausage Links & Clementines

Beef Sandwiches w/ Cheddar Horseradish Sauce, French Fries & Assorted Vegetable Platter w/ Ranch Dip

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel Sandwiches & Hash Browns

 

It sounds as if we're in store for another cold week, so I'm glad to be able to stay out of the weather and home in my nice warm kitchen!

I wasn't planning to participate in NaBloPoMo this year. There was too much reality clogging up my mind, sapping my creativity...or so I thought. At some point mid-October I was reminded of it and quickly dismissed the prospect of it for this year.

Then, on the fateful afternoon of November 1, Scott asked the question, "So, are you going to do NaBloPoMo this year?" To my surprise, my negatory answer did not slide effortlessly past my lips as I was certain it would. Instead, somewhere between his question and my pre-determined answer I managed to play out an entire scenario of guilt and remorse for missing the NaBloPoMopportunity this year. I actually answered, "Maybe...I'll think about it..."

Continue reading "The Official NaBloPoMo ... »

I've been uncharacteristically paranoid that I will somehow forget to publish a NaBloPoMo post today, thereby failing my National Blog Posting Month mission to post every day of November about a person I know/knew in exactly thirty words. Well, I just finished writing the last one at 12:20 PM so there's little chance of any mishaps: Vignette #30...here it is...

Fake Lame Guy in NYC

You walk briskly down Broadway along with the rest of us every night toward the Beacon Theater. As we approach you gradually transform into crippled homeless guy, begging for handouts.

*Victorious NaBloPoMo Participant's Note: I did it! Whew! Yea!

Click.

With my four day weekend nearly behind me, I am reminded that, in fact, today is Sunday - the day of the week I traditionally post the menu I've planned for the week ahead. So here 's the plan...

 

Homemade Turkey Barley Vegetable Soup & Three Cheese Semolina Bread Dipped in Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Chili-Cheese Nachos & Spring Mix Salad

Turkey, Cornbread Stuffing & Broccoli Bake w/ Creamy Gravy

Kielbasa, Macaroni & Cheese & Creamy Coleslaw

Spinach & Sausage Calzones & Spring Mix Salad

Eggs Fried in a Whole Wheat Bread Frame, Hash Brown Potatoes, Thick Cut Bacon & Clementines

 

If this had been a four-day vacation, I'd definitely feel sad to see it end. Although the change of pace and priorities has been nice, I'll actually be glad to return tomorrow to the land of the (somewhat) gainfully employed. Here's to a great week ahead!

Wow...once I publish this post I'll have only one more day of participation in National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo)! That means I have only one more opportunity to share a thirty word portrait of a person I know/knew. Here's a little thing I like to call Vignette #29...

Eddie

You were our paperboy and the older brother of a girl in my class. Mom thought you liked me. I thought you were a nerd. So was I but still...

We're definitely in the home stretch of National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) now with only three more days to go! Here on the twenty-eighth day of writing about a person I know/knew in exactly thirty words, please meet Vignette #28...

Our UPS Delivery Man

You're friendly, conscientious and quick with a smile. You wave to the daycare children who watch at the window. Once you cut your finger and I cleaned and bandaged it.

In the interest of putting my actions where my mouth is, I give you an "off the top of my head" list of things for which I'm thankful today and always.

Continue reading "A Spontaneous "I'm ... »