Friday, November 21, 2008

Good News

I have a new laptop that I am getting connected to the internet on Sunday - do you believe Time/Warner is doing this on Sunday!!! - and I can't wait!!! I will finally have a computer working at home - and Kik is going to give me a tutorial on doing links and all kinds of good stuff!!!! I feel like I have been a little kid with their face pressed against the gate watching everyone have a good time at the party and I am finally coming to the party - for real!!!! Kik and Ken are coming over for pot roast tonight that has been in the crockpot all day - she is bringing the already done baked potatoes and I made homemade lemon cookies for dessert. It is a perfect night for a cozy supper - chilly and windy!!!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Cooking with Claire

I love recipes - cook books - and I have to say that after cooking for a family of six for many years and all their friends that seemed to arrive at dinnertime I can still say I enjoy cooking! But - now I live alone and work full time - so a lot of short cuts have become my way of life - though I am trying to lose weight so there has to be a balance.

Wednesday night I invited my Mom and sister over for a quick dinner - and I mean quick - as my sister had to go shopping at WalMart and my Mom and I were going to hang out together while she went shopping. So - I had two packages of Smart Ones Three Cheese Ziti dinners and a package of hamburger meat - I crumbled up the hamburger meart and browned it with my Aunt Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt and my favorite basic seasoning, Spice Islands Beau Monde. When the two dinners were done for the first go round in the microwave I scooped them out into a cassarole - mixed the hamburger meat in with it - sprinkled grated sharp cheddar cheese and parmesean on top - popped it back in the microwave - opened a can of green beans - nuked them - set the table and we sat down and enjoyed our meal! - less than 30 mins. with the table set and the candles lit! Bring it on Rachel Ray!

I'll try and share a more serious recipe another time - love all the recipes I am collecting from the rest of you!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Movie Night

Saturday night my friend, Kelly, and I went to see The Secret Lives of Bees and then out to dinner. We were celebrating her birthday which was in July so that shows you how bad we are about getting our time organized!!

Anyway - what an excellent movie - the book was really good - and I really enjoyed the movie - Queen Latifah is really perfect - the whole cast was - and we got popcorn with "butter" (we don't really want to know what it is) all the way through it - Kelly asked the girl to stop and put butter on it as she was filling the bag. We both got Diet Cokes - trying to be good. You know how sometimes Diet Coke just tastes like medicine? Well this was the best Diet Coke - started thinking that maybe they gave us real Coke! We went out to dinner afterwards and just enjoyed catching up on all of our news - she used to work at the newspaper with me.

Sunday my Mom, sister and myself went to hear the Long Bay Symphony - it was really great - the performers were excellent - violinist, Asmira Woodward-Page - the whole event. We all had a good time!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Friends

Monday morning I was leaving my home early and got in my car only to have it do that ominous "click click" as I turned the key in the ignition. I immediately tried to call my sister who lives nearby to catch a ride with her but she had already left for work. I then called Kik at work and explained what had happened and she said she would call her husband right away. I hung up and then thought to call my friend, Kelly, who also lives nearby and when I got a hold of her she immediately told me she would be right over. I called Kik back and told her Kelly was coming - and Ken who was going to come to help me didn't need to.

Kelly arrived in her brand new Hyundai Sonata - drove back to her house with me - handed me the keys and told me to keep the car for the day - she didn't need it - and that her husband, Dana, would be over to look at my car later (she took my car keys). I drove her great car with fabulous pick up!!! and when I got home that night they came over - he had a charger to charge my battery - then went back to his office and got a battery tester so he could test my battery and make sure that it wasnn't something more serious - he said I apparently had left the dome light on inside the car - and did I mention that a light rain was falling this whole time?

One of my daughters said that Kelly never stops at square one when she is helping a someone - she always goes right to the limit - without any hesitation. Dana was once driving past our house when he saw that April had a flat and immediately stopped and changed the tire for her - then went and got her new tires on her car!!! They come running everytime someone needs help - no matter who you are - she once noticed an elderly woman in the supermarket and she began helping her and visiting her at her home nearby - there are just countless stories of their willingness to help you when you're in trouble.

Friends like Kelly and Dana are pure gold.