Karebear Central

Last night, my best friend had a Passion Party.  I have been to these parties before so I knew what to expect from it.  They have a lot of products and toys.  As I was sitting there, pa-rousing the book to find something small to buy (because you feel obligated! and I mean small in price), I was looking at the outfits and clothing which I think one was leather lingerie.  I am amazed at how expensive some of those items were.  You almost need to take out a loan to afford some things.  I ended up getting some Gold Dust which was about $12.00.  The nice thing is if I would have went to a Pampered Chef party, I probably would have bought a paring knife or something that I would probably just through in a drawer.  The Gold Dust I can wear when we go out to make me shimmer. 

Karen Rose just keeps pumping out these books.  I love her for it, because her books are entertaining, and I am amazed.  I love to write myself and wish I could be like that too.  Anyway, this book is about Vito Ciccotelli, who was introduced in I think the book Don’t Tellwith Tess and Aidan. This continues the story with Vito (with an appearance from his sister Tess) and Sophie Johannesn.  Sophie is an archaeologist who is brought in by the police department (Vito and company) to determine how many bodies are buried in a filed outside of New York.  Because she becomes entangled up in the mystery and murder, she herself becomes the hunted. 

This book had its ups and downs. Again, Karen introduces the killer in the beginning of book which I love.  Andy is always complaining about watching shows and not really having that guessing game to figure out who it is, like Without a Trace.  But Karen keeps you guessing.  The love story between Sophie and Vito is believable.  The attraction they feel for one another seeps off the page.  The only thing I didn’t like was Sophie’s character.  She was too bullheaded and kind of snobbish at times.  I like to associate with the main character and up until the middle half of the book, I really didn’t like her that much. 

This book was pretty good. I’d give it a 7.  I would say if you are looking for suspense and love, this is the book for you.

I love unusual gifts, I really do. I like stuff that no one else will think of to give someone and when you look at it you go, man I really could use that. Yesterday, I had a couple of gifts in the mail from Vat19. I absolutely love the different products that I received. I got the Insta Snow, 1 Smencils Gourmet Scented Pencil, and Color Flame Colored Candles. I searched their site and found I could even order a Wind Chime Clock. These are not items you find everyday. When I talked to my sister, she told me save the candles for my nieces birthday. She is three so she will find the candles awesome. I’m 26 and I find the candles really awesome. The snow I am also saving until next weekend so my niece can play with the insta snow some more. I am such a nice aunt. But the smelly pencil, that I’ll use. But probably not when I am making a grocery list. My smell is root beer, and I’m trying to quit soda, and just smelling the pencil makes me want to drink some! See look at all I got!

One of my biggest pet peeves is when you go shopping and go to check out and the checkout person is having a conversation with another coworker and never says anything to me, the customer except for what I owe.  It happened to me twice yesterday, once at work in the coffee store and at the grocery store that night.  When I worked in the service industry I always paid attention to the customer. 

This morning my mother and I went to another craft sale. (Which my husband still does not understand.) I trusted my mother to check the time of the craft sale, which she said it was 9. I got up early (7 in the morning) to get ready and drive to my parents. For me, lately this was sleeping in. Actually when I woke up at 7, I started to freak out, thinking I was late for work. Anyways, on the way to my parents, I had to stop at the ATM and take some money out of my checking account.   We get the craft sale and get a really good parking spot and we think this is weird.  We decide to go in and no line.  I finally locate a sign that says it doesn’t start until 10.  So we went to Linens and Things and got some gifts and then went back!  This is what I bought for my Grandmother:

Andy and I are trying to figure out when to come back from his parents for Thanksgiving.  He wanted to know why I wanted to come home Friday night.  I said because there is a craft sale.  His next question was aren’t you going to one this weekend.  I just stared at him.  Does he not understand that every craft sale has something different?  Men…..

As I have said before, I like to buy things on sale.  A couple of months ago I saw Cream of Asparagus soup.  I do not remember what the deal was, but I assume it was good.  We have a bunch of cream of soups.  Anyways, the other night we actually made the recipe off a soup can.  It was fairly simple (or looked simple, I was feeling under the weather so I just let Andy cook). 

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 can Campell’s Cream of Asparagus Soup

1/4 cup milk

1/8 tsp black pepper

 Heat oil in skillet.  Add chicken and cook until browned.

Add soup, milk, lemon juice and pepper.  Heat to a boil.  Cover and cook over low heat for about 5 min or until done.  And voila, you are done. 

 Since we are trying to be healthier eaters, we also had grilled squash and green peppers.  Surprisingly, I loved.

My sister posted about Men and Underwear yesterday.  Ironically, when I went to bed last night I noticed that my bra was starting to split.  So you know what I did, I threw away the bra.  Ahh, men are strange. 

But it got me thinking.  Good thing I don’t buy mathing sets.  I think I may only own one matching set.  One of friends from high school has like 50 matching sets and only wears matching sets.  In college that meant lots and lots of laundry for her each week.  I reuse. I wear my jeans as well as bra mulitple times.  Its not like I run a marathon everyday or sweat profusely. 

Yesterday after work, I made Andy stop at Shopko because I saw a sale on box set DVD’s.  I love Remington Steele (I know I’m strange) so I got season 2 and 3 for $20 each.  I like to walk on the treadmill while watching the show.  It helps pass the time.  I didn’t need these box sets, but I like spending money. Hopefully one day I do not come home with Chrysler 300 accessories just because they are in the checkout lane.  I have a tendency to do that with magazines or stuff that just looks like I may need it at some point in my life.  Everyone needs a lint roller and batteries! 

Today we had a 4 hour seminar at work about Perfect Service.  That is what the insurance company I work for is striving towards.  I think we can get there, but it does involve an engaged consumer.  Prior to working for an insurance company, I knew nothing.  Now, it could be dangerous how much I do know. My sister seems to have no luck with her insurance, but from the issues she has been having, the real cause of the issue is the providers.  Her providers are billing wrong.  I know because she calls me to ask what she should do and I can tell almost immediately what happened.

I used to look at my job as a job.  But I look at it as more really.  Maybe not a career because I would really like to be a stay at home mom once we have kids.  But for now, I am making a name for myself in my department and other departments.  I make sure to fix a problem, not just put a band-aid on it.  I make sure to teach others, not just keep stuff to myself.  I figure if I fix a problem, that will make less phone calls, and happier customers.