Karebear Central

My mother is a really really hard person to buy gifts for.  She is as picky about her jewelry as I used to be with food.  The one thing I know she loves are Tahitian pearls necklaces as far as I know right now.  The only catch is the clip needs to be easy to latch and see and it cannot be too tight.  She gets a suffocated feeling when it is too tight.  I do not think that my mother has ever had real pearls.  This site offers free appraisals.  They cut out the middlemen and go directly to the pearl farms.  This is why they can offer such low prices.  

Andy’s friend called tonight to vent.  He is getting married in about 6 months and he stuck his foot in his mouth again.  The bride is trying to lose weight for the wedding.  I have told the groom regardless of what he thinks, he needs to keep his mouth shut.  They were out to eat and she wanted to order chocolate cake.  He said I don’t think that’s a good idea.  She obviously was upset by this comment.  At least Andy knows when to say something and when to totally agree with me. 

I have no patience.  As I sit here waiting for the trick or treaters to come, I keep glancing at my non existent Audemars Piguet watch.  I do not wear watches because as I have confessed on earlier blogs, I have an issue reading non-digital clocks.  I do not like digital watches because they seem so bulky and unlady like.  So I just don’t use one and rely on phone for the time.  Plus, since I am addicted to my cellphone, I always have it on me.  But back to the patience thing.  I do not know how I will ever handle being pregnant when the time comes.  Maybe no one should tell me until the 9th month.  Maybe then I wouldn’t be so impatient! 

Today, at work while walking to the restroom, I started to think.  I never consciously choose a stall, I always go to one side and normally the one right next to the wall.  Nine times out of ten I use this stall.  I wonder what the psychology behind that is?  And if I do not use that stall, I use one on the side.  I think the reasoning behind that is I get disoriented if I go to the other side.  I tend to start walking further into the bathroom, rather than out!  Oh, the stuff we think sometimes.

Funny thing is, Andy and I are adjusting our schedule so we can hand out candy.  Its not like we dress up or anything, I just like to see what the little kids are wearing.  When they are so young, they are so cute!  I just hope the rain stays away today that they predicted.  As far back as I can remember, we never had a rainy Halloween.  Hmmm, I think we need a scary movie before bed tonight!

I love food.  I love to be around it, eating it, savoring it.  There is nothing I like more than to find an interesting restaurant.  More now since I am beginning to like more food.  I would love if there were an abundance of choices, but in the Green Bay area.  But in St. Augustine, there is an overabundance of restaurants, even ones that Andy can get paella from.  I have even heard there are quite a few places to find some good wine.  There are also a bunch of Events in St. Augustine especially on the last Saturday of the month, including October 27 and November 24th. 

Ever since we went to Europe, I love history and old buildings.  We could visit the Oldest Schoolhouse in the USA or even the Cathedral Basilica, the oldest catholic congregation in North America.   I would be willing to fly down and spend a Saturday night takes place from 5:00 pm to 9:00.  I can get Andy to get down there by promising a visit to the A1A Ale Works, a microbrewery.  I know Andy loves micro-brews and I know he loves a good time.  Plus, it would be a place new to both of us.  Andy has been everywhere, so its hard to find someplace neither of us has been.

We bought a pound of asparagus at Sam’s on Saturday so we needed to figure out what to do with it before it went bad.  I didn’t want anything that we normally have, so Andy found an interesting recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 2 in pieces

3/4 stick unsalted butter

1/2 pound finely chopped shallots

 1/4 pound fresh morels (Andy couldn’t find any at the store, so he just got portabella mushrooms, which worked fine)

1 TBSP chopped fresh tarragon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Cook asparagus separately in a 5 quart boiling pot of salted water, uncovered, just tender, about 4 minutes.

Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water, then drain again.  Pat dry.

Heat 3 TBSP butter in a 12 inch skillet over moderatley  high heat until foam subsides, then saute shallots, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add asparagus, tarragon, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and saute, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.  Serve immediately. 

We paired this with just marinated chicken that Andy picked up at the store.  It was a really tasty meal and it contained vegetables that I like.  I like when I can eat healthy. 

Now that I am married and getting more mature, I think our house needs some more adult decorations.  I am thinking that we need to start looking at grandfather clocks.  I think it would add a little more maturity to our house.  Right now there is no style.  We need some type of clock in about 3 of our rooms.  I normally like digital because I have a bit of a problem telling time.  I have always been one to like the sound of Grandfather Clock Chimes as long as there is only one clock going off.  But even if I don’t get a grandfather clock, a mantel clock would really dress up the mantel. 

But, where would I put it?  A grandfather clock would probably go in our front room.  Since there is no television (a rule I hope to never break), there is space to be used in this room.  Plus there is no other clock nor electronic device that enables one to tell time in this in room. I usually have to walk to the kitchen when I need to know what time it is.   The reason I picked this one is that you can also display knickknacks. 

On Sunday, I finally got to see the entire The Glass House.  This movie is with Diane Lane and Leelee Sobeski.  Two kids go to live with their guardians (friends of their parents) who are a bit strange.  They live a glass house.  As the movie goes along, you learn that the couple has set up the situation for the movie the kids have.  Its an okay movie, not one I would go out of my way to watch.  But it got me thinking, I haven’t seen LeeLee in any movies  recently.  But I guess she is coming out with some movies this year.  Andy doesn’t agree with me that she looks like a younger Helen Hunt. 

Next weekend, we have to start winterizing.  One of the first things we need to have a garage storage system.  If we would have one to begin with, we wouldn’t have to clean the garage.  We use both the garage and basement as storage because my lovely husband is a pack rack.  We have one shelf in the garage, but I think it would be helpful if we had more shelves to put stuff on.  It would be especially helpful when we have get-togethers and we use the garage.  It would be so much cleaner.