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Saturday Night Alive

LB is always looking for new and different ways to provide weekend entertainment, especially on Saturday night.  He is also very gracious and will offer several options before making a final date night decision.

Yesterday LB gave me

Four Options:

  1. The Cellar Upstairs at San Sebastian to hear “Ain’t to Proud“.

2. Jerry’s Sports Grille to hear “Spektra“.

3. Whiskey Jax to hear a new band called “Fat Cactus“.

All three are great places.  The bands I’ve heard are great fun.  I haven’t had the opportunity to see Fat Cactus yet, because LB also mentioned that we could go to the never before seen

4. Outerbanks Sports Bar & Grill to hear the very talented “Bluff 5 Band“.

We decided to check out the Outerbanks Sports Bar & Grill.  This little restaurant is in Kingsland, GA and takes about 40 minutes for us to reach via I-95N.  From the outside it looks very nice.  Inside was dimly lit, and my eyesight is waning, so I’m not sure how it is decorated.  There is a LARGE television positioned in front of the “stage” area (thus the “sports bar”).  But the memory that lingers most is the fact that it was filled with smoke.

At the advice of my sweet LB, I try to stay positive in all of my blogging remarks, so I will continue on that path…

This restaurant is perfect!  Lets say you are hungry, in the mood for good music, and in desperate need of a smoke.  Upon entering Outerbanks, if you need a nicotine fix, but have no cigarettes on hand, just step inside.  Problem number three is immediately solved.  LB and I were Not in need of a nicotine fix, but were ready for dinner.

Dinner hit the spot

We split one of these:We each had a taco, 2 jalapeño poppers, and chips with salsa, and, of course, little packets of taco sauce!

About the Bluff 5 Band…  we heard them first during the Shrimp and Grits Festival last year.  Four guys accompanying a lively lead singer.  She’s cute, animated, and extremely talented.They are a GREAT group.

Although we enjoyed the entertainment, we didn’t stay long and made it home safe & sound.

Still breathing!

 

 

Friday Favorites

It’s Happy Time People:  Friday Favorites!

Favorite # ONE

Halo Top

Every day is a reason for Halo Top. #ScoopItUp #ThePerfectPint

sweetened with organic Stevia, Halo Top ICE CREAM is low in calories and high in protein, and my new favorite dessert!

Last Sunday night, LB and I enjoyed a pint of vanilla bean.

This morning on my way to work, I stopped by Winn-Dixie and picked up four pints of Halo Top to celebrate Wendy reaching her first weight loss goal. I chose Pistachio, Black Cherry, Birthday Cake, and Mocha Chocolate Chip.

When I asked Wendy if she had reached the goal she responded with “I didn’t check, I’m going to wait until Tuesday”

So we celebrated anyway…

Like this:

Saturday Night Live snl saturday night live nbc cake GIF

JK

Black Cherry was my favorite

Favorite # TWO

these jeans

Embroidered jeans are a Fall trend and these hit the top of the list of jeans I’ve shopped.  Vera Wang is an awesome designer and I love her work.  Although the pants/jeans in her collections are a bit curvier than I’m accustomed to, these were snug enough to convince me to take with.  I have lopped off the hem and have worn them once.  Yes, they do stretch, and I will wash and dry them to see if they shrink appropriately.  But the jeans are most assuredly cute and I will continue to enjoy them, I’m sure!

Favorite # THREE

my Breakfast Smoothie, which I took notice of when I discovered the Cave Woman Diet last year.  It wasn’t until earlier this year that I started enjoying my own version of that smoothie.Mine contains ½ banana, ½ cup mixed berries, 1 T chia seed, 1 T Stevia, ½ t cinnamon, a handful of spinach, ice and water.  It amounts to about 120 calories.

I enjoy it Every Day!

Favorite # FOUR

Fajitas… because Today is

National Fajitas Day!

so we went out to enjoy Fajitas! This Amigo was there with UShe is MY BABY and going to be a Daddy for the second time.

I adore him.  Always have.

Family is important.  The Most important thing!

Favorite # FIVE

Life as we know it is about to change FOREVER… For ALL of us!  Trust me on this one.

My Glam-baby is going to be a BIG SISTER… just like her Glammy.  I knew we would have a lot in common!

This morning I got a text from LB telling me my Mama wanted to know when I would be home from work today, as she needed a few minutes of my time.  Obviously I was DISTURBED and sent her a message inquiring about her well being.  She’s fine, of course, and just wants me to “meet someone”.

Really?

Lord Have Mercy.

I KNOW she hasn’t adopted a pet or began a new romance.

She wants to be a buffer for the news to come:

GLAMMY, the SEQUEL.She’s excited.  She’s happy.  Her Glammy is too!

We just couldn’t seem to get her to sit still for a picture of the shirt

 

 

 

Gina

There is a special bond between sisters that is unlike any other.
This I know from personal experience because of my sister Gina.  I can’t imagine what my life would have been without her (thank you Mama).

Today is Gina’s birthday

and this is for her:

 

You are my little sister and my forever friend
You’ll always be a part of me, on that you can depend.We started out together, were besties from the start;
We’re similar in many ways, my younger counterpart. We share family, the same parents, several secrets and good looks,
fondness for little kitties, You’ve Got Mail and Disney books.We’ve shared each other’s happy times, we’ve also shared our dreams.
Our life is filled with memories of laughter (and it seems)

Although our times together are not as often as before,
meet with me at Mama’s, and we’re back in time once more.Time and space may separate, and though we’re oft apart
You’re never very far from me, you’re always in my heart.Other friends have come and gone, but heartstrings know no end,
Your sister will be here for you, on Me you can depend.You are my little sister,
I hope that you can see…How very precious that you are
and how you’ll always be.

Happy Birthday Gina!

Venus Fall Preview

If you have read many of my posts, or looked at my Pinterest “My Style” board, you know that I like Venus.  My favorite skinny denim is from Venus and I have these pants/jeans in 8 colors.

Yesterday the

Venus Fall Preview

catalog arrived.  It should come as no surprise that I’ve already picked out some favorites!

A few items in a shade of Pantone’s warm and quintessential fall color Autumn Maple

Burnt Orange Cold Shoulder DressBoat Neck A Line TopV-Neck Boho Dress

 

Stylecaster calls this 2017 fall trend Crazy Cozy.  Apparently cozy is just now trending.  Cozy is a trend I’ve been enjoying for a long time and this cardigan looks just like something I want to get into.

Cozy Color Block Cardigan

We typically call it burgundy, Pantone named it Tawny Port.  It is supposed to be a trending color this fall.  To me, it is the only color I don’t have in my collection of jackets.

Faux Leather Lace Up Jacket

This dress was one of my Friday Favorites on the cover of the last Venus catalog I received.  Recently I discovered it is also a blouse!  Elle Magazine would include this in their 2017 fall trend they call Couch Florals.  Prints inspired by your fancy aunt’s living room sofa.  I call it cute!

Paisley Boho DressV-Neck Bishop Sleeve Top

Although it is one of my favorites from my fall preview catalog, this long vest has not fallen under any fall trend category that I’ve come across, although it does come in Red (Grenadine, according to Pantone) which is THE color for fall 2017.  Apparently.  Personally, I like the black cold shoulder long vest.  And I think it would come in handy on those days when you have something to hide.

Cold Shoulder Long Vest

Because Fringe, slogan tee shirts, and metallic shoes are trending this year, I’m including this ensemble.

Fringe Jogger Sweatpants

I think it is really cute, but if I wore it, I’d likely Not leave the house.

Shearling is an NYFW fall trend.  This cardigan is a perfect addition to that category.

Shearling Knit Cardigan

I’ve only just begun to peruse this catalog.

I’ll have pages dog-eared before long and LB will be looking through it to see what to get me for Christmas.  Hee Hee.

Happy Shopping!

Wistful about the Weekend

It is a bittersweet thing to say goodbye to the weekend

And Hello to Monday.

But right now I am smiling as I reflect on the past two days and how I enjoyed myself.  Especially Saturday.

 

Saturday Morning I made my way to the kitchen to make coffee, then enjoyed a cup while watching the Cooking Channel.  I take pleasure in starting my day slowly and this is one of the reasons I love weekends, as most of my days begin by jumping out of bed, throwing myself together and rushing out the door. One of my happy places is in my living room chair with Elvis perched on my lap and a cup of coffee in my hand.  I love this part of my life.

But I’m a busy person and it wasn’t long before I was back in the kitchen being creative.  There has been a container of cinnamon rolls in my refrigerator for way too long.  It was time to get rid of them.  So I made cinnamon roll waffles.  LB was delighted and he ate two.

Saturday Afternoon

I showed some love to my front yard flowers, spending about 30 minutes weeding.  LB spent several hours in the yard mowing and edging.  I jumped in the pool.  Later in the day, after he came in and recharged, we decided to go out to dinner.  One of our regular places is Jerry’s Sports Grille which is LB’s favorite place for steak.  Jerry’s didn’t work out, so we headed back to Whiskey Jax.  LB and I shared a burger and a salad

The featured band was

Sidewalk 65

and they were very entertaining.

 

Also entertaining, as always, were the dancers showing off their moves

VERY ENTERTAINING.  We enjoyed the show.  There are some “extras” singing in this clip.  The band was actually pretty good.

 

As usual, it turned out to be a nice Saturday.  I’m looking forward to the next one!

Sunday Mornin’

Every Sunday I like to start the day by presenting LB with a special breakfast or brunch.  Typically I will fry shredded hash browns laced with red pepper flakes and serve them with a soft cooked egg and pumpernickel toast.  Today I decided to do something different.

My obsession with the Food Network and Cooking Channel has inspired me to try new things.  For brunch today LB and I enjoyed Eggs Benedict.  That’s right… I made it myself!

This is how I did it

Eggs Benedict for two

Ingredients

  • 4 pieces of bacon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 2 English muffins
  • Butter

for the Hollandaise sauce

  • 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Process

1 Slice the bacon

into 3 pieces.  Set bacon on a plate atop the toaster oven.

I used sliced, precooked bacon because it is less mess and much faster that frying bacon.  If I had smoked salmon in the house, I would have used it instead.

2 Bring water to a boil

in a large saucepan two-thirds-filled with water, then add the vinegar. Bring the water to a boil again, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.

3 Make the Hollandaise sauce

in a blender.  Melt 5 Tbsp unsalted butter and set aside.  Add 2 egg yolks, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender, blend on low for 20-30 seconds.  On lowest setting, slowly drizzle in the melted butter, while continuing to blend.

4 Poach the eggs

one egg at a time, obviously.  Crack an egg into a small bowl or cup and slide it into the simmering water. Once the white begins to envelope the yolk, add another egg, until all four are cooking.  Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for 2, 3, or 4 minutes. The timing is dependent on how runny you like your eggs.  This typically calls for  experimentation until you figure out what to do to have the eggs exactly the way you like them.  Remove the poached eggs with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

5 Slice the English muffins and toast

until lightly crispy and golden brown.  Butter the English muffins and set them on a plate to assemble the Eggs Benedict.

6 To assemble

top buttered English muffins with bacon slices.  Place a poached egg on top of the bacon covered muffin.  Pour  Hollandaise over the top.  Garnish with parsley (or whatever greenery you like) and serve at once.

Happy Sunday Mornin’!

ENJOY!

7 Hit the treadmill

You may have just consumed 900 calories!

In honor of the late Glen Campbell

National Middle Child Day

“Each year on August 12th, National Middle Child Day is observed across the United States. This day gives special recognition to the middle child in the family” (source).

Amanda

is My Middle Childand she is a delight!

I searched google to find a National Day for the Oldest Child/First-Born and Youngest Child and I could not.  It is possible that Middle Children are given a special day because they sometimes experience

Middle Child Syndrome

There was no middle child in my family when I was growing up, only myself and my sister Gina.  Being the first-born in my family, it is difficult for me to imagine a disorder associated with birth order.  Therefore I am puzzled by the Middle Child Syndrome being a reality that some children experience.  The first-born is many times considered to be the leader, while the youngest, or “baby of the family” has his own special place.  Does this leave the middle child without a special place or role?  I have three children and happen to know that the middle child does in fact have a special role.

But research indicates that this syndrome is very real.  These children may feel they are given scant attention and that their siblings are recognized more than they.

Amanda

in my opinion, is an exception to the rule!Amanda is special for so many reasons.

For example:

she is a natural born leader and adventurer.This picture was taken during a tour of the United States Capitol in 2007.  Amanda was the tour guide.  She took the initiative to go to Washington D.C. and serve as an intern for Senator Mel Martinez while she was “just a baby”.  And isn’t she lovely?She also gave me a tour of the city, and obediently posed with the flowers for this picture.

Amanda is very imaginative and a lot of fun to be with.

But she also has a serious sideand beautiful blue-green eyes.

She has a Master’s Degree; graduating from UNF with honors.

I am very proud of her and hope that she is only teasing when she calls herself “the forgotten child”.

At this point she must know that she is anything but forgotten.   Maybe we should start referring to them as the “Central” as opposed to the “Middle”.

Happy Central Child Day Amanda!

Note to Stephanie and Richard: Be forewarned.  Even though there is no National First-Born Day or National Youngest Child Day… I’m a Blogger, and I’ll embarrass you too.

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