Annual Christmas Gift Exchange

For the past 5 years in my boyfriend's family there is a White Elephant gift exchange. At first it was cheap like $20 but then it rose to $40 after the first year and then the following year it was $50 and has stayed at $50 for the past few years. But this year because of the economy I told my boyfriend's mom that we couldn't contribute two gifts (one for each of us) and that we would only be exchanging one gift as a couple. Yesterday she called to say that they had decided that instead of a gift exchange this year that everyone could contribute money toward getting a cow or a goat for a family in Africa. Cool! I guess it costs about $5 for about 20 chickens so it must be pretty reasonable for a cow or a goat. But it makes me think about the people in this country that are starving or homeless, which could include myself very soon, since I am jobless and have exhausted my disability and am currently living on the last of my cashed out 401k. Somehow I'm not comforted by the gift to Africa when I'm starting to see more and more people lose their jobs and homes here. I can't even begin to imagine what is more right.

Five years ago I was relieved with the idea of a gift exchange as my first Christmas with my boyfriend's family cost me $1,100. I had gone out and purchased gifts that I put a lot of thought into and then I was given a list from them where I had to go out and get more stuff. I spent my Christmas bonus on his family. In the years since I have been with him my own family has been left behind in comparison. I put together care packages with stuff I make or stuff I find on sale during the year like scented soaps or candles and mail it off to them. The response from my family is so thankful for all these little things I'm so glad I make the effort. This year I would just like a nice Christmas without any pressure as to who I buy for or who I contribute money to. Funny thing....when I told my boyfriend's mom that we might be homeless soon she said, "Oh that's too bad." I'm thinking about packaging myself up and sending myself to my sister who would love nothing more than to have me for Christmas....no strings attached. Oh and by the way this year my family is getting bacon pecan brittle for Christmas. Yummy!

The Hitch Hiker

This past weekend I drove up to my brother's house in McKinleyville, CA. It's almost a 7 hour trip. I was really dreading making the trip alone so I posted on MySpace and Facebook that if anyone wanted to ride up with me to visit family or friends I could take them. A few people responded saying they wish they could go but no one was really serious. So then I got brave and checked Craigslist to see if anyone needed a ride and I found one girl that listed her number so I gave her a call. No answer so I left a message, but she never called before I left so I'm guessing she found a ride. So I made the trip alone thinking I would check Craigslist while I was up there to see if anyone wanted to ride back with me to San Francisco. Well as usual, I got busy and totally spaced checking Craigslist so every time I passed a hitch hiker I felt this impending doom for not helping someone out. But hey, I didn't feel like taking a risk. You might not think about it but there are quite a few people hitching on the 101 between Humboldt County and San Francisco.

On my way back to the city I stopped in Willits to purchase some gasoline and then headed South out of town when I spotted this little hippie girl with a cardboard sign that said San Francisco on it. My head was swimming with thoughts on whether I should stop or not, so by the time I decided to stop it was too late to pull over so I just kept on going. Then I started feeling bad for her, thinking, what if some weirdo picks her up, so about 5 miles out of town I turned around and headed back to pick her up. My thoughts within the few minutes it took to go get her were...well if it's not meant to be she'll be gone which is my way of convincing myself that it will all be okay and I'll get through this and we will both be better off from the experience. When I stopped to pick her up the smile on her face made me realize I did the right thing. The two hours or so that I spent with her went by super fast compared to the first four. I guess we both did each other a favor. Now normally I would never pick up a hitch hiker and believe me I passed a few yesterday without so much as a second glance, but I felt like this one girl was in need of my assistance, so heck I did it.

I wish we didn't live in a time where we have to be cautious of helping one another out. Otherwise I'd have had a whole truck load of people yesterday. Well if you ever feel like trying this please be careful. I don't suggest that you go out and pick up any hitch hikers, I'm just telling my story which has a happy ending.

Things I have done...(Part 2)

- Was sent to college in Walla Walla, Washington to get my "Mrs." Degree. My Grandma forgot to tell me and well it never happened. I definitely showed the religious kids how to party.
- Got stuck in a ditch while spinning donuts in the snow on a 6 lane highway. Also left the engine hanging by one bolt. I thought my Grandma's Toyota Corolla was a 4 wheel drive.
- When I was 21, I was supposed to move to Seattle but while visiting my family in Chico I lost my virginity and fell in love with a guitar player with a dream and moved to San Francisco. I followed that dream for 7 years.
- Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) asked me while signing an autograph if I give head. 10 minutes later I saw him leave with a tall blonde.
- Was voted best Receptionist in San Francisco by the Bike Messengers. Second best was anyone with candy.
- Once I recognized Peter Noone's voice when he called my work. He was frequently on KFRC the oldies station. Apparently he was a personal friend of one of the lawyers I worked with. He was overwhelmed and called me "Love."
- The first time I rode my bicycle to work on "Bike To Work Day" I was doored by a parked car and spent a month recovering.
- Someone asked me to take on a job booking bands for the Covered Wagon in San Francisco. I accepted and worked there for 3 years and met some really awesome people.
- I once took another job as a lap timer working for an SCCA racing team out of Sears Point. When our driver took first place I got to ride around the track for the Victory Lap waving the checkered flag going 120 mph around curves. I had no helmet, no seat and definitely no seat belt.
- Another time I was pushed down between the safety walls as a race car flew right over my head, rolled back onto the track and across the center then burst into flames. I love the phrase, "burst into flames."
- I met Sky Saxon in an underground basement club. To this day he is my friend and contacts me out of the blue. He once took me backstage at a Cramps show and we partied like rockstars!
- I've owned a 1964 Chevelle Malibu, a 1968 Barracuda, a 1990 Mazda 626 and now a 1995 Ford Explorer. I prefer the classics although I really like riding up high.
- I recently received my first traffic violation....but not for speeding....even though I drive like I just robbed a bank.
- I once stole a piece of candy at a Circle K and was caught. Humiliated I never went back and I never stole anything again.
- I have never been in jail.
- In 2001, Billy Human found me on classmates.com. He told me that every girl friend he ever had was told that if I ever came back into his life they would be dumped.
- In December 2004 two of my friends died. I hadn't seen them in 3 years. I made it my 2005 New Year's Resolution to get out more and see my friends. It was the first resolution I ever kept.

Things I have done...(Part 1)

- Asked my Mom permission to run away from home and still got in trouble. I even double checked before taking my sister with me.
- Danced naked on a beach in Mexico and ate flour tortillas with butter for a week.
- Was stabbed in the head with a knife by my sister.
- My Grandfather used to take me fishing. He said I was a better fisherman than him because I once caught 2 fish on the same line, something he never did.
- My baby sitter decided to teach me how to drive when I was in 3rd Grade. I slammed on the brakes and she hit her head on the windshield cracking it. She told her alcoholic husband that he did it the night before.
- I played Dorothy in the 6th Grade production of the Wizard of Oz.
- My best friend told me that every time she punched me in the arm I had to kiss Billy Human. Her third punch struck a nerve and I gave her a bloody nose. She was kicked off the bus and had to walk home.
- I was in Pascoe, Washington the day Elvis died. I lived in California.
- I fell off the roof of a barn and broke my nose while trying to retrieve the only arrow we had for shooting. My friend laughed at me because he said I looked like Superman as I was falling. I of course ended up with two black eyes.
- I clog danced at Disneyland in front of hundreds of spectators.
- I was the high school Mascot (a Bruin Bear). Kids from the other schools thought I was black because I could dance so well.
- I was kissed by Jeff Conaway (Kenickie from Grease) at a wedding. He had whiskers and smelled like whiskey.
- I received a standing ovation from my classmates while trying out for the part of Sandra Dee in my High School's production of Grease. I got the part.
- When I was 17 my Mom's friend dressed me up and took me drinking in a bar. I ordered a Coke. Later we met 2 guys in the parking lot and went home with them. I spent the evening listening to the good looking guy play piano. I wreaked of being under age.

Perfect Turkey Gravy

I know it's a little late in the game but last night we had turkey gravy that was more like broth and ended up soaking everything on the plate, so I realized that making the perfect turkey gravy is something that needs to be addressed as it is so important to the Thanksgiving feast. Here is a tried and true recipe for turkey gravy that I always use when making my own turkey, plus you end up with enough for leftovers as well.

Turkey Gravy

3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

3/4 Cups of Fat from Drippings plus Melted Butter if needed to make 3/4 cup.

8 Cups Total of Drippings & Chicken Broth

_______________________________________________________

1. Pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heat proof glass bowl or large measuring cup.

2. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat that has risen to the top.

3. Measure 3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if needed.

4. Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.

5. Place the roasting pan on two stove burners over low heat and add the turkey fat.

6. Whisk in the flour, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

7. Whisk in the stock.

8. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy has thickened and no trace of raw flour remains, about 5 minutes.

9. Transfer the gravy to a warmed gravy boat.

10. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy.

Sweet Red Pepper Soup

This year for Thanksgiving we were invited to my boyfriend's parent's house. When I asked what I could contribute to the dinner they told me to bring my Sweet Red Pepper Soup. I was happy to be able to make something I'm good at making. As always it was well received. Everyone loves it! It's very time consuming to make but worth every last lick from the bowl. My friend Charlotte came over to help me make the double batch of soup that I thought would be just enough to feed 20 people. Plus Charlotte wanted to learn how to make it herself. While chopping the onions I teared up so much that mascara was running down my face and while having difficulty seeing through my tears I ended up cutting myself. I'm so glad Charlotte was there to bandage me up. Chopping the onions is a necessary step....in the past I made the mistake of just putting them in the food processor but doing so broke up the sugars in the onion and made the onions pulpy and strong to the taste, not sweet. Lesson learned there. Also I forgot that if you put lemon juice on the cutting board and some on the knife it will keep you from crying. So here's the recipe that wows everyone at the table:

Sweet Red Pepper Soup

10 Large Red Bell Peppers (4 lbs.)
1 Large Onion, chopped
1/2 Stick of Butter
4 1/2 Cups of canned Low-Salt Chicken Broth
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tsp. Sugar
Dash of Cayenne Pepper

Place whole peppers in broiler until charred on all sides. Remove from broiler and place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let steam 20 minutes then remove skins and take out seeds. Cut into medium sized chunks.

Saute onions in butter in a 5 to 6 quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir in peppers and broth and bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Let cool. Working in batches, puree mixture in blender. Return to sauce pan. Mix in cream and sugar. Season with salt (if needed) and a dash of Cayenne Pepper.

Serve soup plain or top with a dollop of sour cream on top and crumbled bacon or parsley.

Also if you can find jarred already charred and peeled red peppers it can diminish the time by at least an hour or more. When I use jarred peppers I have to add a couple more tablespoons of sugar.

Afterall was said and done I decided that a double batch wasn't enough so on Thanksgiving morning I sent my boyfriend to the store for an onion and this time I had him sharpen my knife so I wouldn't cut myself and I used the lemon juice. I had plenty of soup for some people to have a second helping and also enough to bring some home to my boyfriend's other parents who told me if I didn't save them some I would have to make a batch for them. Whew! Oh and Bon Appetite!

Week 12 Football Picks ATS

Last week I went 8-7....not as good as I was hoping. But I did good with my picks for San Francisco and Denver. Okay here's my picks for this week...

San Francisco 49ers
Denver Broncos
Cleveland Browns
NY Jets - I might regret this but I hope not.
Miami Dolphins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Philadelphia Eagles
Chicago Bears
Minnesota Vikings
Carolina Panthers
Washington Redskins
Arizona Cardinals - This was a toss up. Had to go with the home team.
Indianapolis Colts
Green Bay Packers

Week 11 Football Picks ATS

Niners over Rams
Dolphins over Raiders
Broncos over Falcons
Giants over Ravens
Texans over Colts
Titans over Jaguars
Bears over Packers
Eagles over Bengals
Saints over Chiefs
Lions over Panthers
Vikings over Buccaneers
Cardinals over Seahawks
Steelers over Chargers
Redskins over Cowboys
Browns over Bills

Yep I suck so we'll see what happens. I do feel good about most of my picks this week though. Last week I went 6-7. Overall I'm 60-142...So bad, but I'm feeling a bit luckier this week as I won tickets on the radio to a Guns & Roses listening party in SF as well as a t-shirt and the new Guns & Roses CD. Go Niners! Go Broncos!

Week 10 Football Picks ATS

I'm hoping to improve on last weeks 8-4 record. That is 8 wins and 4 losses in case anyone wonders. So getting these in before 10 a.m. kick off time:

My Picks:

Carolina Panthers - The Raiders have got to be one of the worst teams this year. Disappointing!
Detroit Lions - I'm giving Daunte Culpepper a chance here, but with score averages should be ok.
Tennessee Titans - 8-0 need I say more? That and Kyle Orton is injured for the Bears.
New England Patriots - Iffy, but I do love Randy Moss.
New Orleans Saints - Drew Brees has a great record in Atlanta.
NY Jets - St. Louis is pretty bad this year and the Jets average score is 26 to their 16.
Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins are on their way up again.
Minnesota Vikings - No explanation...just hoping.
Kansas City Chiefs - The 15 point spread...The Chiefs are bad but not that bad.
Pittsburgh Steelers - C'mon Ben....hoping he'll play despite the injuries....game time decision.
NY Giants - I may regret this decision, but I hope not.
Houston Texans - This is a pick this week so I'm taking the Favorite.
Arizona Cardinals - Hard to face but the Niners are only getting worse even with Mike Singletary.

Okay, again I will check back and post my results after the games are over. Wish me luck!

Week 9 Football Picks ATS

Let's see how I do this week. Sorry I've been losing and too bummed to write about it.

Here we go:

Atlanta Falcons - Way better than last year.
Houston Texans - Getting better as the season progresses.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Iffy.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Thank God Jeff Garcia is back.
Baltimore Ravens - Gotta beat Cleveland.
N.Y. Jets - C'mon Brett
Arizona Cardinals - Kurt Warner going up against his former team....should be good.
Chicago Bears - Surprise surprise surprise over last years Rex Grossman.
Tennessee Titans - 9 and 0 Baby....let's go!
Miami Dolphins - A contender for sure this year.
N.Y. Giants - Not a sure bet but close.
Philadelphia Eagles - Apparently quite good in Seattle despite the loud crowd.
New England Patriots - Who knew the team would be this good without Brady.
Washington Redskins - I never think too much about this team but they are good this year.

Thankfully the 49ers are on a bye this week, so I don't have to worry about that outcome.

Well I'll check back later and let you know how I did. (Crossing my fingers).

Results: I went 8-6 this week. My strategy from the week before has improved but you don't know that because I was too embarrassed to post my picks. Believe me it was bad.

I heard polar bears can swim...

Please take 5 minutes to follow this link and watch this video compliments of MySpace.com:

Register to vote!


Please check the following list to find the last day to register to vote in your state. To register to vote go to: www.rockthevote.com.

Alabama - Fri, Oct. 24

Alaska - Sun, Oct. 5 (postmark by Sat, Oct. 4)

Arizona - Mon, Oct. 6

Arkansas - Mon, Oct. 6

California - Mon, Oct. 20

Colorado - Mon, Oct. 6

Connecticut - Tues, Oct. 21

Delaware - Sat, Oct. 11

D.C. - Mon, Oct. 6

Florida - Mon, Oct. 6

Georgia - Mon, Oct. 6

Hawaii - Mon, Oct. 6

Idaho - Register at Polls

Illinois - Tues, Oct. 7

Indiana - Mon, Oct. 6

Iowa - Fri, Oct. 24 (or on Election Day at polling place)

Kansas - Mon, Oct. 20

Kentucky - Mon, Oct. 6

Louisiana - Mon, Oct. 6

Maine - Tue, Oct. 21 (or on Election Day at polling place)

Maryland - Tue, Oct. 14

Massachusetts - Wed, Oct. 15

Michigan - Mon, Oct. 6

Minnesota - Same Day Registration at polling place

Mississippi - Mon, Oct. 6

Missouri - Wed, Oct. 8

Montana - Mon, Oct. 6 (or same day at elections office)

Nebraska - Fri, Oct. 24 (mail by Fri, Oct. 17)

Nevada - Tue, Oct. 4 (or in person until Oct. 14)

New Hampshire - Same Day

New Jersey - Tues, Oct. 14

New Mexico - Tues, Oct. 7

New York - Fri, Oct. 10

North Carolina - Fri, Oct. 10

North Dakota - N/A

Ohio - Mon, Oct. 6

Oklahoma - Fri, Oct. 10

Oregon - Tue, Oct. 14

Pennsylvania - Mon, Oct. 6

Rhode Island - Sat, Oct. 4

South Carolina - Sat, Oct. 4

South Dakota - Mon, Oct. 20

Tennessee - Mon, Oct. 6

Texas - Mon, Oct. 6

Utah - Mon, Oct. 6 or in person Tue, Oct. 28

Vermont - Wed, Oct. 29

Virginia - Mon, Oct. 6

Washington - Sat, Oct. 4 (or until Mon, Oct. 20 in person)

West Virginia - Wed, Oct. 15

Wisconsin - Wed, Oct. 15 (or on Election Day at polling place)

Wyoming - Can register at polls

Kitchenaid Mixer

When I was a little kid my Grandma had a super cool house. I used to love to help her in the kitchen. She even had a special cupboard close to the floor where she kept kitchen stuff just for me. Once when I was super little like 1 or 2 years old my Mother had to run away with me to get away from my abusive father, no really she did because he would beat her up. While we were in hiding I got super sick so my Mom had to call my grandparents to come and get me. So my Grandpa (still my hero) came to my rescue and I guess I was so traumatized by all the events the first thing I did when I got to their house was make sure all my stuff was where I left it. I went to the desk where my Grandma kept my toys in the bottom drawer, opened it made sure my toys were all there, closed the drawer then headed for the kitchen where I went to my cupboard, opened it, made sure my kitchen stuff was still there and then closed it, then I went and hugged my Grandma hello. I know all this because my Grandma as she says gets a kick out of that story and has told it to me many times over the years. She has also made it quite clear to the rest of the family that she is leaving that desk to me when she passes on because she says it reminds her of me. I would probably get the cupboard too except that they sold the house about 30 years ago. Anyway, I have pretty fond memories of my Grandma's house back then and one of the most memorable aspects of it is that her kitchen was pink. She had a pink stove, a pink refrigerator, pink counters, she also had a pink washer and dryer. I think pink was a popular appliance color back in the '50s, so my Grandma had a hip setup. As a result I love pink in the kitchen myself because it reminds me so much of her. I don't have a lot of pink in my kitchen but I have a few accents. I have three pink melamine bowls and some pink spatulas that I purchased at Williams Sonoma a few years ago. I saw them and had to have them. My Mom also loves to buy pink stuff for me whenever she sees it like pink kitchen towels and also some pink pot holders. When Kitchenaid came out with the pink mixer several years ago, I told my Mom that I had to get one someday. I knew it would take years because I never have that kind of money to spare. So for my birthday this year a surprise came in the mail. My Mom got me the pink kitchenaid mixer! Yay!!! I have to say I had to use it right away and wow what a difference it makes. It is much gentler than a hand mixer so I didn't have brownie batter splattered everywhere and it was even easier to clean because it has a large paddle that stirs at an easy speed, not those metal beaters that are difficult to clean. I absolutely love it! I also love that $50 was donated to Breast Cancer because my Mom bought it in the color pink. Thanks MOM!

Think Pink

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! I urge you woman or man to get tested. This disease is more common among women but can also affect men. I am scheduled to have my second mammogram in November. Yes I am at that age where testing is crucial. But breast cancer is happening to people at an even younger age than 40 which is the age where hospitals start to test unless you have a genetic reason to start earlier. Although cancer does not run in my family, environmental aspects do play a part and living in the San Francisco Bay Area apparently also makes it more possible according to news reports. Although I have my own ideas about why that could be....a lack of Vitamin D, which is best absorbed through direct sunlight. With all the awareness of dangerous UV sunrays and the constant media blasting of sunblock usage, cosmetics containing SPF ingredients, etc. I think that we are not getting enough of the best blast of Vitamin D available. Yes we can take supplements and drink milk fortified with Vitamin D, but it is not the same and with the amount of fog we have to endure on the coast it is easy to figure why the Bay Area has it's breast cancer cases. Apparently the numbers of breast cancer cases are higher in the North Bay (Napa, San Rafael, Sausalito, etc.) which is attributed to the possible large amounts of Napa Valley wine consumption up there. They are saying large amounts not that it's Napa Valley wine. I say do what makes you happy but try to get a little sun, I read we need 10 minutes of sunshine a day without protection. If you can just close your eyes and turn your face to the sun for 10 minutes a day that would be enough for each person. I also like to open my blouse a little so my chest can absorb some too. I guess it's not a good thing to keep "your girls" in the dark all the time; let 'em breathe a little.

If you would like to donate to Breast Cancer and don't have any money to spare you can go to: http://www.thebreastcancersite.com

Clicking on the designated area will ensure free mammograms to those in need.

You can also click on other areas on the same site to:

1. Help give food to the hungry
2. Help a child in need get healthcare
3. Help a child in need attain literacy
4. Protect the Rainforest
5. Help to give free food and care to rescued animals

You can also sign up to get a daily reminder for all of these programs. Again I urge you to be aware and get tested also do your monthly exams on yourself.

The Tempest

Not the play by William Shakespeare. Although I suppose my new favorite bar in San Francisco could be named after it.

So yes, I used to go here once in awhile to see my friend's bands play back in the days when I lived in San Francisco, but never made it for "Happy Hour" because I actually worked at another venue called the Covered Wagon Saloon putting on a Happy Hour show of my own. But that's another story. As of late I have been meeting my friend Jen almost every other Friday at The Tempest and have come to enjoy the atmosphere very much and run into quite a few of my old friends as well as having the company of Jen, Proj, Parte and Bok Choy at any given time. Most of The Tempest's charm revolves around Eric who owns The Tempest. Eric is extremely intelligent and his humor quite dry, he makes you want him to like you. I think I have but he would never let on. You know the type. His wife Darla is an absolute doll, I can't help but adore her. Another one of The Tempest's charms are their rock bottom prices. $2 for a PBR and $5 for a PBR/Shot of Jim Beam. Thankfully, Eric and Darla are not trying to kill me with enormous double shots. I don't get wasted drunk just happy like "Happy Hour" should be.

A side note on heavy shots, why? why? why? It is very difficult to turn down alcohol so why do bars over pour? Charge a little less and keep the customer there for awhile rather than sending them out wasted and a danger to themselves or others.

So if you are ever in San Francisco or already live there, check out The Tempest at 431 Natoma, also you can watch your favorite sports game on one of their several TVs. Oh and if you go please tip Eric and Darla because they rock!

Week 5 Football Picks

I'm too embarrassed to publish them. Actually I didn't even try this week. If I keep winning I risk the chance of being kicked out of the football pool. It has happened many times in the past to other members that won too much. I was hoping to at least do better than I did. Hopefully I will make a comeback next week. All I have to say other than that is the 49ers really do suck!

Congratulations to Steve Young one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history whose number "8" was retired yesterday. It's too bad that the 49ers had to spoil the festivities with a loss. The records show that the 49ers usually win on a day that a former player's number is retired. Apparently this 49er's roster of players weren't told.

One more thing to say... The Miami Dolphins conquered yesterday in a game against the San Diego Chargers who were favored by 6 1/2 points. I'm not a Dolphin's fan but after a terrible 2007 season...one win against the Baltimore Ravens on December 16th last year I'm glad to see they are doing better.

Creekside Smokehouse Signs

I never considered myself an artist and still don't. I just love to do art. There is a lot I don't know and thankfully whenever I asked anyone a question they had an answer for me. I decided to take on a project that was bigger than I could imagine. What I thought would take maybe a couple weeks turned out to be 4 months. Being a perfectionist sucks big time. What most people think is fine and great I am never happy with at least in the case of my own work. But it was time to let it go and put the signs out for the world to see and hopefully not judge too harshly. I am an amateur afterall.

All the signs are tattoo style art. My friend Danny Boy a tattoo artist in San Francisco at Mom's Body Shop on Haight Street helped me with the designs. Their website: www.momsbodyshop.com. I chose a nautical theme because we are on the coast and I wanted the signs to add to the scenery not detract. Here is the first of four signs that I painted for the Creekside Smokehouse. It is of a salmon swimming upstream:



The second sign is a Heart and Banner style in keeping with salmon being healthy for your heart because of the Omega 3 oils:



The third sign is of a lovely whimsical mermaid who loves cheese:



The fourth sign in the series is of an anchor which advertises our salmon jerky which is the anchor of our business:



So that is all for now. I have other signs that need to still be made. I will post pictures as I finish them. For now my hope is that people driving down the highway will like the signs and be encouraged to visit us at The Creekside Smokehouse. For information please visit: www.creeksidesmokehouse.com.

Week 4 Football Picks

After this week I am definitely not claiming to be an expert at picking against the spread when I only won 7 out of 13 games. Although, I did win the pool again. Yay! It was just a weird week. Apparently it was a week for Home Teams.

My Picks Against the Spread:

San Francisco over New Orleans - No excuse for this bad pick.
San Diego over Oakland - I was right about San Diego winning last week and had to pick 'em again.
Denver over Kansas City - Bad choice! Apparently Denver sucks when they play in K.C.
Cleveland over Cincinnati - I figured Cleveland was just sleeping the first 3 weeks. It panned out.
Houston over Jacksonville - I knew Houston wouldn't win but I chose them because of the 7 point spread.
Arizona over NY Jets - I gave up on Brett Favre way too soon.
Atlanta over Carolina - I am starting to rethink the Panthers.
Tennessee over Minnesota - The Titans are kicking booty. If it ain't broke...
Green Bay over Tampa Bay - I'm just not a fan of Brian Griese.
Buffalo 0ver St. Louis - The Rams are last years Dolphins except the spreads are covered.
Washington over Dallass - Uh no it's not a typo. I just had a feeling.
Philadelphia 0ver Chicago - I thought a seasoned quarterback would do better than a rookie.
Baltimore over Pittsburgh - Honestly I thought the Ravens would win. Happy for the 5 1/2 spread.

Week 3 Football Picks

It's finally football season. It's been a long off season. It is Week 3 and I would have started writing about this sooner except that I just started my blog. Well there wasn't much to report in Weeks 1 and 2 anyway because I did awful in the football pool. I have a system of making my picks that I can't actually go into detail about because if my fellow poolers find out, well then I won't be a winner anymore. In 2007 I won a total of 4 weeks and also won the overall pool making it a grand total of 5 wins. Nice for a girl, a girl who's in a pool with all guys. Well after two bad weeks of picks I had enough stats to actually make some decent picks for Week 3. I am happy to report that I won the pool today.

My picks "Against the Spread":

San Francisco over Detroit - Easy pick since the game was in San Francisco.
Oakland over Buffalo - Oakland lost but not by 9 1/2....who set this spread?
Atlanta over Kansas City - Atlanta is over Mike Vick! Not a Superbowl contender but not asleep.
Tennessee over Houston - Tennesee is 2-0 and Houston has been upset by a hurricane.
Cincinnati over NY Giants - The Giants are good, just not good enough for a 13 1/2 spread.
Arizona over Washington - Honestly I didn't think Washington had it in them. My bad.
Miami over New England - Miami you make me proud! Randy Moss grow up!
Tampa Bay over Chicago - One of two exciting matchups today....luckily I took the underdog.
Carolina over Minnesota - I under estimated Minnesota's need for a win.
St. Louis over Seattle - It was hard for me to believe Mark Bulger is that bad. Well he is.
Denver over New Orleans - The 2nd of the exciting matchups. Denver couldn't cover spread.
Philadelphia over Pittsburg - Philly was tired, Pitt very Defensive...a win...I'm not complaining.
Jacksonville over Indianapolis - Peyton is injured....not much else to say.
Baltimore over Cleveland - Cleveland is just not the team they were a year ago.
Green Bay over Dallas - Dallas is tight. It will be hard to bet against them again.
San Diego over NY Jets - San Diego was robbed 2 weeks in a row....waiting to see what happens.

New Converse Sneakers

Today I went to Stonestown Mall in San Francisco to purchase my new Converse sneakers which is actually a birthday present from my boyfriend but he doesn't have time to shop so he just gives me the $.

So everything was great! It was a nice day. Stonestown Mall has two Footlocker stores. One for men and one for women. I checked out both and settled on a black/white pair of low top All Stars with pink ribbon laces and pink satin lining. Perfect for me since I normally wear my Converse with pink laces anyway, and sometimes red laces. But they were out of my size, so I ventured over to another store which I believe is called Champs also owned by Footlocker and purchased a very basic black/white pair of Converse which when all was said and done came to $48. Apparently Converse are considered high fashion now. Well all the Footlocker stores in this mall no longer carry shoe laces and I can't have white laces so they sent me over to the Vans store where I found some black laces with white skulls on them. These will have to do until I find pink laces. Then I thought I should check out Hot Topic because they might have some cool laces and sure enough they did so I bought some cool tattoo style laces with swallows on them and nautical stars. Very cute! But I also noticed that they have Converse low tops and high tops for about $5 cheaper. Unfortunately I had worn the new pair out of the store so I couldn't take them back now. Funny thought actually....I had asked the salesman at Champs if they recycle old tennis shoes, thinking maybe they do that now. He said, "oh sure we can throw them out for you." I said no thanks and threw out the thought that maybe they could actually recycle them. He then told me that Nike recycles old tennis shoes but no other companies do. Upon returning to my computer I have looked up the information on Nike recycling and here is the info: http://www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe/overview.html. Nike recycles old tennis shoes and turns them into playgrounds, etc. You can either send the shoes to the address listed on the above website or look for a location near you in which to drop them off. Nice!

So then I decided that I would go to my favorite Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. I haven't been there in about 8 or 9 years. It's called Mandarin Villa and is on Oak Street at Franklin. I have been craving this food for years and usually when I'm in the city it is a Monday and they are closed. So I made a special trip over there. I noticed right away that the original owners were not behind the counter so I asked if it was under new ownership and the new people said yes that they had bought it. I then asked if they still use the same recipes and I was told that they do so I ordered my favorite chicken fried rice and mongolian beef. I couldn't believe that I was actually going to get to have some of this food and could hardly contain myself from bursting with delight. Well the new owner lied, they do not use the same recipes at all. The rice was white, barely fried and had frozen peas and carrots in it. The mongolian beef which was sweet and savory served over crunchy white noodles was now smothered in onions, not sweet and savory and no crunchy white noodles. These two items cost me $17. Quite high for not getting exactly what I wanted. So I thought, oh well, I'll just doctor it up later for dinner and hopefully it will be yummy.

So I left the city and made my way down the coast to meet my boyfriend (Dave) at work so we could ride home together. Traffic was moving along fine and I was following behind a blue Ford Explorer most of the way. Suddenly the blue Ford Explorer kicked up a rock that cracked my windshield. I actually saw the rock fly up and there was no avoiding it. Ugh! I did find out that if I take it to a windshield repair shop they can put some goop on it and fix it before it spreads. I have to get to that right away!

When I got home I threw the rice in a fry pan and began the process of browning the rice, then I added the onion and beef mixture to it and stir fried it for a few minutes. I took a spoon full of it to taste and it was so hot (heat hot not spicy) it burned the roof of my mouth and now I have a huge blister on my palate. So I drove down to the store and bought my favorite ice cream to make all my wounds feel better.

Oh and did I mention that I only got 6 games right in the football pool today. It's been a helluva day.

Bad Cough?

My boyfriend and I both caught a really bad cold and a cough that would not let up. I'm talking about a cough that would stop you in your tracks. Then I found a product that I want to let you all know about. It's called ClearLungs. ClearLungs combines homeopathic lung decongestants with a Chinese herbal formula for free breathing and lung health.

The product claims that it gives fast temporary relief of lung congestion caused by colds & flu, allergies, smoking, pollution, athletics, or similar causes. Results are usually felt within hours and increase longer with use.

We felt results within 30 minutes. The effect does wear off after a few hours but keep taking it because eventually at least for us the cough went away in a matter of a few days.

To find where ClearLungs may be available in a store near you go to www.ridgecrestherbals.com or call them at 1-800-242-4649.

This stuff really works!

Favorite Soap - Panier des Sens En Provence

My new favorite soap can be found at www.panierdessens.com. I purchased this soap in two fragrances: Lemon Verbena and Mandarine Grapefruit and they are both oh so nice and cost $5.95. The soaps contain shea butter and are 7 oz. so they are a little larger than a regular bar of soap. I like citrus scents but here is a list of all the scents:

Almond Flower
Cherry
Cinnamon/Orange
Country Lavender
Lemon Verbena
Fresh Milk
Green Tea
Green Tomato
Honey
Honeysuckle
Linden Flower
Mandarine Grapefruit
Patchouli
Peppermint
Provencal Fig
Red Berries
Sandalwood
Sea Mist
Tuberose
Vanilla Nougatine
Vine Peach

Walking In Provence

If you decide to go to their website they also have other scented products listed such as: liquid hand soap, hand cream, body cream, shower gel, foaming bath, 100% shea butter, dry oil, eau de toilette and linen care.

It has made showering an experience not just a daily task.