HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
WHITNEY !!
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Kitchen Dilemma: Please Advise
I don't really like Chinese food all that much, but every now and then I'll make a stir fry because it is pretty easy, and a good way to get my vegetables. I usually make lemon chicken using a spice packet for the sauce. It's not very good. Last night, I made a chicken stir fry by marinating the chicken in the sauce from the Noh Stir Fry sauce packet, and then used a bottled stir fry sauce from Central Market Asian aisle for cooking. (I use packets and bottles because I don't think I have enough understanding of Chinese food to try to do my own sauce). Anyway, it was very bland, and not at all satisfying to eat. I felt sad after dinner. Dinner time should not make people feel sad. I mean, it'll never be as happy as breakfast time (unless Kev makes eggplant parm or gumbo), but still. Is there a secret to stir fry sauce? Is there a good packet or bottled sauce out there, or do I need to just make my own? Do you have a recipe for a good stir fry sauce? Do any of you know how to make a good Vietnamese coconut curry sauce?
Maybe I should just stick to grilled cheese sandwiches. I almost never mess those up.
Maybe I should just stick to grilled cheese sandwiches. I almost never mess those up.
Tulips continued...
So, the tulips are doing well and continuing to grow. More and more are blooming each day, and they are getting taller. I really need to get in there and pull up some weeds, but my belly is in the way and it's hard to get back up once I get down on the ground. I wonder if the Peanut will like gardening.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Nice Try, Marty
Commenting on the last post, the Peanut's Long Island Uncle Marty suggested that I poll the LRHS readership with our name choices. A fine idea, but you see, we ain't tellin'. We've decided to keep the whole thing just between me and Kev until the day she arrives. However, please feel free to make suggestions, as we value and respect all of your opinions. And maybe, just maybe, you'll give us a great idea that we haven't thought of yet. Please don't be offended if we don't comment on your ideas. My parents are (not very subtley) trying to get their hands on any possible clue, so we try not to respond positively or negatively to anything anyone says. Not so much because we are afraid they will guess, (they won't), but because if they start thinking they know what it is, they'll start asking even more questions to try to figure out if they're right. And because it is kinda fun driving them crazy with the fear that we're picking some kind of wacky koo-koo name. Anyway, I reckon no matter what we choose, some of you will like it and some of you won't. But it'll be too late to change our minds by then, and as long as we like it and it fits the baby, that's all that matters.
Since you guys have all been so nice and supportive, here is one little exclusive: She will NOT be named Beula, Bertha, Mildrid, Hortense, Cleopatra, Struedel, or Gladys. So you can go ahead and cross those ones off.
Since you guys have all been so nice and supportive, here is one little exclusive: She will NOT be named Beula, Bertha, Mildrid, Hortense, Cleopatra, Struedel, or Gladys. So you can go ahead and cross those ones off.
Monday, March 20, 2006
March Madness
It has been a little stressful around here the last couple of weeks, as I have had some minor medical issues to deal with related to the pregnancy. All is well though, and the Peanut and I are both doing just fine. I am feeling good and only have 10 or 12 weeks to go.
On Sautrday morning, the skies opened up, and it rained almost non-stop for 48 hours. We spent most of the weekend on the couch, talking and playing music and reading (I read a whole novel on Saturday!) and it was great. We usually have errands or projects or chores or decisions, but this weekend, we just took it easy. I needed it. By Sunday afternoon, our street was like a river and our backyard was like a swamp. I'll bet there was at least 5 or 6 inches of water covering the back yard. Something went wrong at the lake, and it flooded the surrounding area. It finally stopped raining late Sunday afternoon, and we were stir crazy, so we went to the coffee shop and played canasta for a while. On the way, we saw a few abandoned cars that had been flooded out, and some road blocks set up by police. It was pretty wild, especially by the lake. When we got home, we watched a cheesy Sherlock Holmes movie and had a baby name discussion. It was a very relaxing weekend, not very productive, but relaxing.
The baby naming is quite a difficult thing. The problem is, I have a favorite name that I love but Kev only kinda sorta likes. And Kev has a favorite name that he loves, but I only kinda sorta like. We have a few names that we both like, but they are a few notches down on the list. And we can't put the two names we love together because they don't sound good together. Besides, if we did that, one of us would get stuck with the middle name, and it would disappear into oblivion. No one ever knows your middle name unless you are walking across the stage at some sort of graduation, filling out a form of some kind, or getting in trouble by your parents ("Tallulah Peanut Holt, don't you make me have to stop this car!"). So you could have the coolest middle name ever, and it would just be wasted.
That reminds me of one time when I was a kid and I was going around town with my cousins in my Aunt Sarah's gremlin and my cousin Curt was being bad, so Sarah stopped the car right in the middle of the main drag in our little town and just sat there. It was really embarrassing. When you're a kid, you always think that the stopping the car thing is just an idle threat, but some people actually haul off and do it. And it just seems extra bad in a gremlin for some reason.
Anyway, I went to the library today and got a couple of different baby name books. I intend to sit down tonight, armed with some antibacterial gel and a pen and paper, and look through them. The search goes on!
Today it is beautiful, so I just took a walk around the neighborhood to survey the flood damamge. It isn't too bad really. And I have some very happy tulips in the front yard. It was a little too windy for my liking though, and this did not help my hay-head. I now look like a cross between Roseanne Rosannadanna and that witch from the Bugs Bunny cartoons who loses all the bobby pins when she flies around on her broom.
I wonder if my hair will ever go back to normal.
On Sautrday morning, the skies opened up, and it rained almost non-stop for 48 hours. We spent most of the weekend on the couch, talking and playing music and reading (I read a whole novel on Saturday!) and it was great. We usually have errands or projects or chores or decisions, but this weekend, we just took it easy. I needed it. By Sunday afternoon, our street was like a river and our backyard was like a swamp. I'll bet there was at least 5 or 6 inches of water covering the back yard. Something went wrong at the lake, and it flooded the surrounding area. It finally stopped raining late Sunday afternoon, and we were stir crazy, so we went to the coffee shop and played canasta for a while. On the way, we saw a few abandoned cars that had been flooded out, and some road blocks set up by police. It was pretty wild, especially by the lake. When we got home, we watched a cheesy Sherlock Holmes movie and had a baby name discussion. It was a very relaxing weekend, not very productive, but relaxing.
The baby naming is quite a difficult thing. The problem is, I have a favorite name that I love but Kev only kinda sorta likes. And Kev has a favorite name that he loves, but I only kinda sorta like. We have a few names that we both like, but they are a few notches down on the list. And we can't put the two names we love together because they don't sound good together. Besides, if we did that, one of us would get stuck with the middle name, and it would disappear into oblivion. No one ever knows your middle name unless you are walking across the stage at some sort of graduation, filling out a form of some kind, or getting in trouble by your parents ("Tallulah Peanut Holt, don't you make me have to stop this car!"). So you could have the coolest middle name ever, and it would just be wasted.
That reminds me of one time when I was a kid and I was going around town with my cousins in my Aunt Sarah's gremlin and my cousin Curt was being bad, so Sarah stopped the car right in the middle of the main drag in our little town and just sat there. It was really embarrassing. When you're a kid, you always think that the stopping the car thing is just an idle threat, but some people actually haul off and do it. And it just seems extra bad in a gremlin for some reason.
Anyway, I went to the library today and got a couple of different baby name books. I intend to sit down tonight, armed with some antibacterial gel and a pen and paper, and look through them. The search goes on!
Today it is beautiful, so I just took a walk around the neighborhood to survey the flood damamge. It isn't too bad really. And I have some very happy tulips in the front yard. It was a little too windy for my liking though, and this did not help my hay-head. I now look like a cross between Roseanne Rosannadanna and that witch from the Bugs Bunny cartoons who loses all the bobby pins when she flies around on her broom.
I wonder if my hair will ever go back to normal.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
A Peanut Crib for the Peanut
So, there has been a rare flurry of decision-making around our house recently, including picking out (finally) a crib. Here it is. We like it a lot. Kev put it together on Sunday, and I put the sheets and stuff on. The bedding we chose is from Target, and it is called "Peanut" so we couldn't pass it up. If you can't tell from the picture, there are little elephants on the bumper.
Another big decision we have made is that we are moving forward with plans to put an addition on the back of our house. We'll be adding one fairly large room with a big closet. The room will be used as an office / guest room / music room. It is going to create chaos around here for a while, but it will be so great when it's all done. We are hoping it will be finished before the baby arrives, but it's gonna be close. We are pleased with the builder and architect we chose to work with, so far anyway. The architect is named Paul Frank, just like the monkey guy.
In other news, last night I went with my brother and his friend to the Granada to see the great Belle and Sebastian. If you don't know who that is, you ought to go to Amazon or someplace and check them out. They are a band from Scotland, and I will go out on a limb and state that it is not possible to have sad or mad feelings when you listen to their music. They are probably the happiest band to come along since the Housemartins. The opening band, the New Pornographers, were really good too, in spite of their unfortunate name. The show was really good. It was sold out, standing room only, but when I told the nice bartender I was six months pregnant, he went and got me a chair. I couldn't see a thing, but I could hear. Every now and then, I stood up to watch the funny dancing of the Belle and Sebastian guys. So, check them out, especially if you need some happy.
I noticed at the show that the bed-head style for boys is still going strong. Let's go ahead and try to move on from that. There is nothing fashionable about not showering and wearing clothes that are a size or two too small. I have to admit though, that I do sort of like the corduroy blazers.
Meanwhile, I have my own fashion problems. Pregnancy chemicals are really doing a number on my hair, giving it the texture of hay. I intend to stay away from horses, as I don't want to be mistaken for a snack. Plus some of my shoes hurt my feet now because I think my feet are being forced to spread out under the weight of my belly. So, I have hayhead and bigfoot, and I still have about 12 weeks to go. Small price to pay for a peanut, I reckon.
Finally, I noticed that my germophobia has gotten a little out of control. I went to the library the other day, and really got the willies from touching the books. Being obsessive has paid off though, because I haven't been sick in over a year. Hope I didn't just jinx myself.
Gotta get started on my day. More blogs to come...
T's First Tulip
The tulips I planted in February are starting to come up, and a few are blooming already. I hope they will get tall, but even if they don't, I'm just happy they are growing. It was a lot of work to plant them, and it is starting to pay off. Tulips are very cheerful, and the daffodils and hyacinths have already died. Also, new leaves are coming in on the Japanese maple, and the pear trees are flowering. Spring is apparently here.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Foiled by Meat (And Other Sad Tales)
So, the weekend started off pretty good. The weather was beautiful, so after going for coffee, Kev and I went for a walk at the lake. We saw lots of good birds and dogs. Saturday night, I hung out with my brother while Kev went to soccer. Sunday, I washed and put away all the Peanut's clothes, and started trying to organize our new baby accessories. Then, it was time for dinner, so we decided to grill out since the weather was just right for grillin'. I went to the store to get some meat while Kev got the charcoal going. When I got back and started making the burgers, Kev said, "Uh...That is some pretty lean lookin' meat." I said it was 98%. How was I to know you are supposed to grill a fattier ground beef burger? I added some flavorings to the meat and made the patties anyway, and they proceded to fall to pieces on the grill. I was defeated. Kev managed to save some of the meat somehow, and so we ate the salvaged burgers, on English muffins because I forgot the buns at the store. I was forlorn. About 5 minutes into the "meal," Kev said, "Well, the ketchup is good." This at least made me laugh. It was perhaps the worst hamburger I have ever had.
Yesterday was better because I went to see the GREAT Van Morrison, and he did not disappoint me as I was concerned he might. He sounded great, he looked great, and he was backed by a fantastic band. I loved every minute of it, in spite of the over-cologned gentleman in the Hawaiian shirt next to me who kept checking his cell phone and singing the wrong words loudly along with Van. The show began at exactly 7:30 and was over by nine...perfect for people like me who can't stay awake late. Problem was, it took us 45 minutes to get out of the ridiculous parking lot at the Nokia Theater, but I was still home by a little after ten. Early for a rock show.
Today, however, has not started well. I was at the bank asking about home equity and explaining to the pimple-y bank dude about adding a room to the house because we're having a baby. He was making small talk as he led me to his desk, and he said, "So, you're just now...uh, I mean is this your first baby?" Now, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I know he was expressing surprise that someone so old was just now having a kid. Stupid bank dude. He started telling me about the two kids he already has, and I was smiling, but I have to admit I was thinking mean thoughts on the inside. Then I went to the grocery store, where the nice cashier asked how my pregnancy was going. She asked if it was my first, and when I said yes, she said, "REALLY? " as if this was the most shocking thing she had heard all week. This all after finding out last week that apparently there has been discussion between people in my family behind my back regarding my need to start using anti-aging facial products. OK, everbody. I have silver hairs. I have some very fine lines under my eyes (from smiling, mind you). I'm old. I get it. But I am 4 days away from my third trimester, and I am hanging on to my groove by a thread, so give me a break.
I have managed to not become completely defeated by asking myself, "What would Mister Rogers say?" And he would say he likes me just the way I am. Thanks, Mister Rogers.
Yesterday was better because I went to see the GREAT Van Morrison, and he did not disappoint me as I was concerned he might. He sounded great, he looked great, and he was backed by a fantastic band. I loved every minute of it, in spite of the over-cologned gentleman in the Hawaiian shirt next to me who kept checking his cell phone and singing the wrong words loudly along with Van. The show began at exactly 7:30 and was over by nine...perfect for people like me who can't stay awake late. Problem was, it took us 45 minutes to get out of the ridiculous parking lot at the Nokia Theater, but I was still home by a little after ten. Early for a rock show.
Today, however, has not started well. I was at the bank asking about home equity and explaining to the pimple-y bank dude about adding a room to the house because we're having a baby. He was making small talk as he led me to his desk, and he said, "So, you're just now...uh, I mean is this your first baby?" Now, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I know he was expressing surprise that someone so old was just now having a kid. Stupid bank dude. He started telling me about the two kids he already has, and I was smiling, but I have to admit I was thinking mean thoughts on the inside. Then I went to the grocery store, where the nice cashier asked how my pregnancy was going. She asked if it was my first, and when I said yes, she said, "REALLY? " as if this was the most shocking thing she had heard all week. This all after finding out last week that apparently there has been discussion between people in my family behind my back regarding my need to start using anti-aging facial products. OK, everbody. I have silver hairs. I have some very fine lines under my eyes (from smiling, mind you). I'm old. I get it. But I am 4 days away from my third trimester, and I am hanging on to my groove by a thread, so give me a break.
I have managed to not become completely defeated by asking myself, "What would Mister Rogers say?" And he would say he likes me just the way I am. Thanks, Mister Rogers.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Showers and Thunderstorms
So our visitors from the north have come and gone. The weather was crummy, cold and damp, almost the entire time they were here. On Friday night, there was a huge Texas-style thunderstorm with lightning that shook the house. Normally I love those storms, but this one kept me and most of my guests awake and flooded my back yard. Luckily, the bad weather didn't put too much of a damper on our visit with Kev's family though. We still had a lot of fun, and a lot of good food, including tapas one night, and barbeque another.
On Saturday, there was a baby shower, which was really nice. I was glad we could do it while Kev's mom and sisters were here, and it was cool that they all came down for it. My aunt came from Indiana too, and was a lot of help. In spite of having to be in the spotlight for over two hours, I had a really good time, and I appreciate all the hard work that went into making it so nice. I had some help too...Whitney's girls brought me gift after gift, and helped me open them, which was funny, plus it took some attention away from me. I got a lot of really nice gifts, which I also appreciate, and I think I am just about ready for the peanut to arrive now. I've got everything but a crib and a name.
The only down side to the shower is that, as usual, I felt like I didn't get to talk to everyone enough. I really tried to make the rounds and talk to people, but just like at the wedding, there were some people I barely remember even saying hello to. I'm sure people understand, but I still feel bad.
On Sunday, the sun finally came out, so we got to spend a little time outside. We took the whole crew to the lake, where we fed the coots and ducks, got chased by some geese, and played on the playground with my nephew. After the New York group left, we went to lunch with the Boston people, and actually ate outside. It was lovely.
Yesterday was a perfect day (70) and today it will be 80. You just never know about February in Texas I guess. Good news is, it's March now.
I will try to post some pictures soon.
On Saturday, there was a baby shower, which was really nice. I was glad we could do it while Kev's mom and sisters were here, and it was cool that they all came down for it. My aunt came from Indiana too, and was a lot of help. In spite of having to be in the spotlight for over two hours, I had a really good time, and I appreciate all the hard work that went into making it so nice. I had some help too...Whitney's girls brought me gift after gift, and helped me open them, which was funny, plus it took some attention away from me. I got a lot of really nice gifts, which I also appreciate, and I think I am just about ready for the peanut to arrive now. I've got everything but a crib and a name.
The only down side to the shower is that, as usual, I felt like I didn't get to talk to everyone enough. I really tried to make the rounds and talk to people, but just like at the wedding, there were some people I barely remember even saying hello to. I'm sure people understand, but I still feel bad.
On Sunday, the sun finally came out, so we got to spend a little time outside. We took the whole crew to the lake, where we fed the coots and ducks, got chased by some geese, and played on the playground with my nephew. After the New York group left, we went to lunch with the Boston people, and actually ate outside. It was lovely.
Yesterday was a perfect day (70) and today it will be 80. You just never know about February in Texas I guess. Good news is, it's March now.
I will try to post some pictures soon.
Revenge of the Nerd
OK, you guys know me well enough to know that I am all talk and no action when it comes to revenge. I would never really declare war on the trash men or insurance people or anyone else. I just get mad, blog about it, and try to move on. All of these minor inconveniences are opportunities for me to practice patience and tolerance. Life is good, and I shouldn't complain.
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