Robbin's World

Red Neck Wine Glass

2011-02-20T00:39:00.002-05:00

Here is Aunt Jackie using her glass =)

I don't know if I am late for the party or early, But I haven't seen these out here in Blogland yet, so I thought I would show you mine. I went to a SuperBowl Party and my Aunt Jackie came in with one. She received it as a gift. Other people told me they have seen these in gift shops. I knew immediately how to make it - so here goes.

Dollar Tree Glass Candle Stick
Pint Size Canning Jar
E6000 glue

Turn the Canning jar upside down. Run a line of E6000 around the edge of the candle stick and center on top of jar bottom. Wipe away the excess glue. I put a book on top to give it a little weight and ensure a good seal. Let it set for 24 hours.
Jackie's glass had the wide part of the candlestick glued to the bottom of the jar. I did mine just as it was so the "stem" of the new wine glass looked like a real wine glass.

Cheers Everyone! =)

Valentines Container -recycle

2011-02-19T20:30:00.003-05:00

How do I spell Broke? ROBBIN. The lack of JOB has finally caught up with me. So I decided to Make some gifts, instead of purchasing them. I started out with the some empty Crystal Light containers, and one Store brand container that I got from my son('s trash -You have to be careful when I am at your house - I will be digging through your garbage saying - hey can I have that - lol) I had this awesome music book, printed in 1892, that I picked up at a thrift, and I got this page of graphics from Karen the Graphics Fairy. ( I don't know what I would do without her awesome sight)
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2011/02/antique-valentines-printable-collage.html

I cut the graphics out then got out the Mod Podge.

I applied a sheet of the antique music to the containers with a thin layer of Mod Podge.

I let it dry a bit and then added a top coat and positioned the graphics on top. I let this coat dry then added another. Once that was dry I used my Martha Stewart glittering glue and added a fine line of it and sprinkled on some Martha Stewart fine glitter. I loved the way they turned out. I filled them with candy kisses and hot glued some ribbon to the lid. I printed out a Happy Valentines Day and put it in the center of the lid.
(I failed to take a picture of the first two, before I gave them away)

Obviously I don't have a eye for centering because the blue one was way off!! I kept that one =)

Sugar Coated Peanuts

2011-02-19T19:39:00.003-05:00

I found this bag of raw redskin peanuts at a Wal-Mart in Kitty Hawk, NC and picked them up to make Hubby a batch of Sugar coated Peanuts. Very Old School recipe that I have never tried before, but have eaten throughout my life. So tonight I a gave it a whirl. So easy too. I wished I had been doing them for years, because they are really good.

Sugar Coated Peanuts

3 cups of raw redskin peanuts (the coating won't stick to the ones that don't have the skins on)
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon of red food coloring, (optional)

Preheat oven to 275.
Put sugar, water and food coloring in a pan and bring to a boil. Add peanuts and stir to coat, continue to slow boil, stirring constantly, until all liquid is absorbed. (you are essentially turning the mixture back into sugar)
Cover a baking sheet with foil, pour peanuts out into an even layer. Bake for 1 hour at 275.
(There is a recipe on the back of the bag that uses the entire bag. 32 oz. of raw redskin peanuts, 1 1/4 cups of sugar and 3/4 cup of water. Prepare them the same way. I wished I had seen this first)

So yummy - you have to give them a try. You won't be sorry.

Gary says: Highly Addictive! You really can't eat just one.

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Swirled Brownies

2011-02-19T19:07:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe on the net at Christmas time. I made 2 pans of them and they rocked. I am going to bookclub tomorrow night and I have dessert so I am going to double the recipe and put it into a 9x13 pan, as opposed to the 8x8 listed. I am sure it will turn out.
***It worked out just fine, I didn't add any to the cooking time and they came out perfect in the 9x13 pan**

Red Velvet Cheesecake swirled Brownies

Red velvet layer
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon red food coloring ( I used a whole little bottle for the double batch - didnt' measure)
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 eggs
¾ cup all-purpose flour
( I used Swan's Down cake flour - add 2 tbls more flour for all recipes you use this in- so says the box- and so says me)

Cheesecake layer
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour an 8 by 8-inch baking pan, and set aside.
Melt the butter, then pour it into a large bowl. Add the following ingredients, in this order, stirring after each addition: sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, salt, food coloring and vinegar. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and then stir into the cocoa mixture. Fold in the flour just until combined. (Don’t overmix!)
Set aside ¼ cup of the batter for the top; pour the rest of the batter in the baking pan, spreading evenly across the bottom.

For the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.
Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter in the pan, then plop spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese. Drag the tip of a knife through the red velvet and the cream cheese to create swirls.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner - OWOH

2011-02-17T14:53:00.000-05:00

I am so excited. I had some computer problems that are still not fixed on my computer this morning and I finally gave up and borrowed Hubbies so I could announce my winners! I am using this web site to pick:
http://www.psychicscience.org/random.aspx

So here we go........Drum roll please:
Winner of the Grand Prize Potato Chip scarf is:
Gale Varland

First Runner up for a surprise prize:
Carolyn Kight

Second Runner up for a surprise prize:
M. Estes Zywar

Thanks so everyone who stopped by my blog to say Hi and special Thanks so Lisa Swifka for hosting. This is such an awesome way to meet like minded people and see what they have been up to.
I love BLOGLAND.

PopArt

2011-02-10T11:57:00.000-05:00

I found this cool site, I thought I would share. You can turn your photo into a Warhol PopArt picture. Check out what I did with Baby Roxie.

If you don't like the colors they come up with, use the shuffle link above the photo, and it will generate another set for you. I am going to print this out on printable canvas and give it to my son, for Father's Day. I think he will like it.

http://bighugelabs.com/popart.php

OWOH 2011 Let the fun begin!!!

2011-02-03T20:19:00.001-05:00

http://awhimsicalbohemian.typepad.com/a_whimsical_bohemian/2010/12/annoucning-the-fifth-and-final-one-world-one-heart-event-.html

YEAH! It's finally here. The One World One Heart Blog Hop. This was so much fun last year, I could hardly wait for this year. So sad that this will be the last year, but I can't imagine all the effort this must be for Lisa, so I totally understand.. So let's make this last one the BEST one.

Just for stopping by my blog, I will be giving away 3 fantastic Gifts. Just leave a note saying you stopped by and I will be using the random number thing to pick the winners. The first will be a Potato Chip Ruffled Scarf.((This is a stock photo on the pattern, Not sure what color yet, but it will be one solid color, as opposed to the two featured.))

The next two give away's will be surprises. Everybody loves a surprise don't they?? They will probably be ATC's or Bookmarks as I am an avid Swap-Bot participant and love making them.

Let the One World One Heart begin.

***Update*** I have 101 comments!!! WOWZA I think this deserves more give aways! I don't know if I will have time to make 2 scarves (since I haven't finished the first one yet) but I have some other surprises in my bag of tricks =)***

RobbinB

Mystery Trip - Part I - Hot Air Ballooning

2010-08-01T16:07:00.000-04:00

BFF and I took off on a trip to Pennsylvania on Wednesday. She really needed a break and is changing jobs, so we had a small window of opportunity. She wasn't up for planning, so I got to provide a "mystery agenda". You might think this is no big deal, but BFF and I are both Libra's, which means we can't ever make up our minds! Always weighing things out. Libra is the Scales, don't you know. But I managed to come up with something, after a suggestion from Hubby. She didn't know where we were going until about an hour before we arrived. She is a trusting BFF, isn't she? I have been a few times before, so I knew what good things to do there but she had never been. I told her Husband, where we were going, and he ordered a list of things. Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie, Shoo-Fly Pie, and an Amish Jenga game. I said Whoopie and he said OK. When she got home with his Whoopie Pies, he said, what is this, I never heard of these before.    I am sure he must have thought I was losing my mind or hitting on him, one or the other, or both.
We went on a Hot Air Balloon Ride. It was pretty spectacular. You don't have a sense of motion when you are up there, because you are moving at the same speed as the air. It was HOT up there. They recommended you bring a hat and thank goodness we did, because every time he blasted that propane sweat would start dripping off of you and it was crazy hot. I am sure we would be bald if we hadn't have had the hats. So up we go, Susan and me, and another two people. One was the Mother and the Daughter was celebrating her 21st birthday, and our Pilot. They blew the balloon up with two industrial fans, and you carry propane tanks inside with you. We floated along over Amish farms and fields and you could see all the perfectly square corn, tobacco and soy bean fields. The hues of green varyings.  We could see the cows and goats and dogs, and when we got low enough they would see us and look up. The dogs would bark and chase us, and the cows and horses would look up. One big bull was checking us out and he just RAN out of the blue and got his whole little herd moving and they went into the barn. I saw a German Shepherd that reminded me of my Beau, and he barked and ran, chasing us. And we saw lots of Amish people, who all stopped and waved. Two ladies were barefoot and they both came out and waved. I could hear small children giggling. The men waved too. It was pretty amazing to see how neat and tidy all of their houses where, the outsides and the fronts, Rows and rows of flowers planted, everything just seemed so peaceful and serene and surreal.
When we took off, it didn't occur to me that we had to land. And that landing wasn't planned. You just land where you can. The pacer car is down below and we can see it at times following us from the ground.   They communicate with the Pilot via walky talkys. So we are looking for a spot to land and we clipped a tree, and missed out spot, so then we find another one. Basically you land in other people's back yards. Well we didn't do too bad, but we had to crouch down and he said we were going to tip over, but we didn't. Some Amish girls on bikes had followed us for awhile as did their Mom, and an Amish boy had followed us for miles. They were very curious to see the landing, and I guess I would have been too, if I had seen it from the ground. Susan and I had skinned up knees but nothing too bad. When we got back to our launch site, we had a champagne, cheese and crackers, and our pilot gave the toast:

The winds have welcomed you with softness

The sun has blessed you with its warm hands
You have flown so high and so well
That God has joined you in your laughter (HA-HA)
and set you gently back into the loving arms of mother earth.

Blog Swap ???

2010-07-25T17:04:00.001-04:00

I must be totally stupid, because I happened upone someone's blog a bit ago who was participating in a Blog Swap. Ok soounds good to me, I'm in, but I can't figure out how to get my partners. Anywho, maybe someone will help a Sister out over here. I am cutting and pasting what I got from someone else's blog with the instructions.

http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/66825#comment-317115

I participated in a swap on Swap-bot called Be my blog follower on Blogger. To sum it up it was a blog swap only for those of us with blogs on Blogger. It was a chance for us to get more blog followers. There was a total of 29 people to sign-up :) We each got 10 partners that we had to checkout their blogs and follow. Yay, that means 10 more followers for me and 10 more awesome blogs I get to read!! I loved all of the partners I was paired up with.

Stay tuned folks. I hope I get 10 Partners from somewhere, and Sorry to those that get ME. LOL

Thrifty Pillows and other Fabulous Finds

2010-07-01T16:31:00.000-04:00

My Sister, doesn't really believe that Thrift Stores sanitize stuff. Well I am of the school of thought that, what I don't know, won't hurt me. I mean I sleep in hotel rooms and God knows what happens in them, and lay my head on those pillows. So which is safter, do you think? I am voting for the Thrift Store pillows. So here is what I have gotten lately:

The Blue one is aRalph Lauren. I am totally in love with it.

Don't you just LOVE it when you find something you really need. How about a food scale that I was going to buy from Weight Watchers and there it was in the Hot Line Store in Kitty Hawk NC. Along with this vase of Peony's for 2.98.

Got this beauty for 99 Cents! I can't wait to redo it for my kitchen. I like the trellis on the side. so I am thinking vintage fruit prints. Got this one at CHKD in Williamsburg. They had GOOD stuff in the Williamsburg Thrift Stores. I got 2 original watercolors of some of the shops in Colonial Williamsburg that were professionally framed for 4.98 a piece. I can't leave real art work in the stores even though I had no where to put them. But My Brother in Law Jack, wanted them bad, so I sent them home as a surprise for him by way of Leslie. He loved them.

My Bff Susan is really into redoing bowling bowls lately. I had seen 2 in a local store and she said she wanted them, so I went back in there today, just to pick those up and look what I found! It's a real pottery dish. It's pretty big but you can't tell it from there. I think its beautiful. It was 8.25 which is more than I like to pay at the GW, but I couldn't let it get away. I also picked up an altered book of fairies someone had started. I have been wanting to try one out, so now I have no excuse. I will just pretend it's like a Round Robin and I am next. Amazing what some people don't want.

I am off to OBX for the next 2 weeks. Can't wait to see what the Thrift stores down there have for me =)

Adventures in Canning and some Psycho Babble

2010-07-01T16:12:00.000-04:00

Being unemployed definately has its perks. Aside from the lack of $$, I get to do things I have always wanted to do, and never had the time. For instance last week, I snapped a couple of pounds of snap beans and cooked them with potato's in some nice fat bacon side meat, I borrowed, (it's not really borrowing if you have no intention of returning it, is it?) and while I was snapping, I kept thinking, this is me. This is who I am. This is the authentic me. This is what I love doing. Simple things that soothe the soul. I guess I got caught up in the rat race, and you just push aside all those things, that make you happy and you just......exist. Ok so enough of the psycho babble.
I got to spend the day with Nana, canning her famous sweet pickles. I can't hardly cook without them. Ham Salad, Deviled Eggs, Tuna Salad, I wouldn't even bother making them if I didn't have her pickles. It turns out Nana is a very good teacher. She told me step by step what she was doing and why, and some things she said, I do this because this is the way my Mama did it. I was totally afraid, then she said, here you do this one, so I did. Then I said, here, you do the rest, then the phone rang and I just proceeded. It's a fairly simple process, but it is time consuming and as Nana says "It's Hot work" and that it is. Standing by a boiling pot at the stove is definately hot work. So I felt adventurous and got some stuff do can on my own. I made Pepper Jelly and Strawberry Jam. Definately more Hot work. I had a little snafu with both of them. The Strawberry Jam didn't set as well as it could. This is totally my fault as I used a pan that was not quite big enough so when it came to a full rolling boil if I didn't keep stirring it was going to bubble over, so I squeezed the Certo out with my left hand and thought it was all in, but later I realized I had not gotten it all out, at all........ hence super sloppy jam that tastes awesome. The Pepper Jelly, I didn't chop up the peppers fine enough. So then I decided I should strain it out, then hubby comes along and says it's supposed to have some in, so I put a little in each jar and it's too big, and it all floated to the top. What's up with that. All my jars pinged after their hot water baths so now I am hooked. I am searching for recipes and want to can everything I see.
I had lunch with Donna, who had canned peaches last year, and she said she didn't use the hot water bath but turned all the jars upside down. I had never heard of this, but I found it online and they said it's not a sanitary method for canning. But I ate a jar of her jam and it was fine some 6 months later. I am afraid to poison folks which is why I was afraid to can to start with. So I took the safe route. And as it happened I had a canner with a rack in it, in my attic. I am pretty sure it was my Great Aunt Frances' who has been gone many many years. She used to make amazing food. Chow Chow and Cherry Preserves. And Fruit Cake with a whiskey soaked piece of cheese cloth wrapped around it. And I remember her back screened porch with boxes full of apples from her apple tree out back. Little green apples with little black spots on them. And her pantry in the kitchen. See this really is who I am. It's in my blood. =)

Ta Da!!!!!

The Oprah Magazine Deconstruct

2010-06-20T00:35:00.003-04:00

Ok,   I clearly have way too much time on my hands. But I think being unemployed agree's with me =)   God works in mysterious ways, because while I was still employed I subscribed to 4 or 5 magazines, that were, only $5.00 a piece on Amazon.   Oprah is one of them. I have never seen the Oprah show that I know of. I was always at work. But the anniversary issue came and it was so awesome I hated to throw it out. That picture of Oprah in profile that was on the back cover, brought tears to my eyes, it was so breathtaking. So I challenged myself to find ways to recycle it. Here is what I came up with:

1. I cut an article for hubby on motion sickness
2. Cut an article for me from Dr. Phil about life lessons
3. Cut out the book section to take to my book club
4. Clipped some recipes
5. Clipped some coupons
6. Made a scrapbook page out of all the quilled titles that were used for the features.
7. I made cards. Lots of cards. I channeled my inner child and cut, pasted and glued like a mad person. It was so much fun. I used the Martha Stewart fine glitter set that I had just bought with a half off coupon and man do I ever love that stuff.

My Dear Darling son, Jesse, brought home a baby raccoon, that was just a few weeks old. When the Mama didn't come back, he decided he needed this little screaming thing, as his new pet, to raise. (you have no idea how LOUD a tiny little raccoon can be, when it's hungry and the bottle you have isn't cutting it) Well I had other plans. That little guy wasn't going to die on my shift! I found a wildlife rescuer, and took that baby right to her. While he was at work. Boy was he mad at me! I made that raccoon card special for him. His birthday is not until January, but I am sure he will appreciate it just as much then. BTW, Jesse is 26. I don't want anyone to think I took a baby raccoon from my 12 year old while he was at work. LOL

Enjoy!!

The Butterfly Project

2010-06-20T00:05:00.000-04:00

I saw someone else's blog using the MS butterfly punch. I had just purchased it and was punching out everything in the house. I even (accidentally, I swear) punched a coupon for an oil change that hubby was saving. There was a pretty picture on the back, what can I say. So after seeing what others were doing, I decided to give it a whirl, but I personalized the ones I did, to suit the recipients. The first one is for my BFF, Susan. I don't remember all of the things the butterfly's represented, but I wrote them down for her, so she would.

Some of the things that represent Susan: A Salad, Swimming Pool Water, Some Metamucil, A round Brush, A mani/pedi, Campbell's Soup, Sand, A pair of jeans, The Outer banks, An Owl, Ummm maybe some Vagisil, (it's a looonngg running joke, she doesn't really need it....lol) Hearts, and some other craziness, that only she would understand.

This one was for my sister, Leslie. I got better as I went along, clearly. She got some Prilosec, The Outer Banks, Pringles, Brad Pitt, Starbucks, A panty liner, Hair dye, A pair of jeans, A kitty cat, The sun, A reese cup, A Bible verse, A ham sandwich, Some high heel shoes, a golf course and an Oreo Cookie. I have no idea what some of these are now.

I currenlty have 3 more in the works. What a great gift for someone special, no?

BFF Love

2010-06-19T23:45:00.000-04:00

I love my BFF, Susan. I don't know what in this world I would do without her. She is one of the most compassionate, caring and thoughtful individuals you are ever likely to find. Plus she is tons of fun. And nope, you can't have her. God sent her special to me, I have no doubt. We made this pillow tree together. We saw it and knew it was a project just for her. The pillow from a thrift store,(hope it really was sanitized, as the tag said) the buttons at Wal Mart (yes one of the last surviving Wal-Mart's with a craft/sewing section - of course it was North Carolina ) and Aleene's Patch and Applique glue from Michaels. It was a little messy but worth it, because she loved it and we had fun together. She just happened to pop over after the gym and the next thing you know, I had that pillow on her lap and we were crafting and talking, and laughing. Did I mention that I love my, BFF?

Yep, thats her, behind the pillow, looking just like her Mother. LOL

See that glue oozing through the botton hole's? It eventually dried. (We used felt for the trunk, same glue.)

Lamp Reveal

2010-06-19T22:57:00.000-04:00

Finally I got around to downloading some pictures of what I have been up to. This lamp was my Nana's Mother's Day present. I saw some online and thought I could do it, but I attempted one at Christmas and I totally messed it up, so I gave up for a while. I got this lamp base at the Thrift Store for $3.84. The lamp already had a crackle finish, and I thought it looked good, so I left it and then I got all of the sea life from the internet, printed and cut out. Then mod podge'd them to the lamp. I sprayed it with a sealer, once I was done. I had to buy a new lamp harp and shade. I really wanted a dark shade but Nana said she preferred this, due to the light factor. The shade came from Wal Mart for $10.00. So I invested a total of less than $25.00 and you can see by the article I clipped from house beautiful that these babies sell for (choke, choke) 2 grand. I LOVE it, and so does Nana. I made it for her bedroom at the beach cottage but she insisted it go in the living room for people to see. I think she loves it too. I am currently working on a few others and will post once I finish. I soooo wish I had taken a picture of the lamp before I started. So here it is........Ta Da.......

Our family loves Crabs. We get them steamed by the bushel, then all of us sit around and pick and eat and talk for hours. Couldn't leave this guy off, and boy was he a challenge to cut out!

There is also a flounder for Nana, who loves fried flounder, and a horse shoe crab, in memory of my Pops, who was once pinched by one, when I was small, while we were crabbing. Good memories, for sure.

Give Aways

2010-04-24T22:57:00.000-04:00

So I finally found a link in a magazine, Real Simple, That gave me the address on how to find give aways out here in blog land.
http://www.bloggiveaways.blogspot.com/

Here are some of the cool things I have been entering.

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This is so awesome! I am loving it!

Martha Stewart Bib Necklae

2010-02-27T22:50:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone. I got this idea, from Martha Stewart. (I heart Martha!) I made it in one night for a party the next night. I couldn't find any fancy flat gems, at my local craft store, so I worked with only the round ones. I thought it came out awesome! The picture doesn't really do it justice. The gems look flat, but they were sparkly in real time.

Here is the link to Martha's Instructions.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/sparkling-bib-necklaces

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner - OOPS

2010-02-15T20:22:00.002-05:00

Wow has the magic carpet ride been fun. This was my first year, and I just happened upon it, and boy am I glad I did. So many creative people out there, and some very unusual things, and I was so inspired by so many. I have always wanted to try an altered book and I saw so many great examples. I even followed several blogs to Etsy and will definately be back to shop there. Love handmade things. So without further ado I went to the Random Number Generator and picked two winners!
A little drum roll please for:

GPC from Michigan - The lighted wine bottle

Lolly from Virginia - The mystery runner up prize

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my page. I have to really be able to go back and look at some of your awesome blogs, now that the craziness is over.

Bloggers Really Rock!!!

Soooo I very lovingly wrapped up my gifts for th eprice and then I just checked my comments and GPC got the wrong prize! And at this point in the game I don't know if I typed it backwards on this blog, or if I made the switch up on the piece of paper I was working off of, when I packaged the things up. So all I can say is I'm sorry GPC and Lolly. Did I at least have the right names on the cards? I mean how hard could this have been. lol. Ok, let's see what I can blame for this OOPS. My husband, I can usually blame him for something, or maybe it was some wine, or maybe it was those silly Chantix pills that make me have zero short term memory, the dogs, are usually good for a dose of blame, or maybe I just didn't pay attention and screwed up! Please ladies, accept my humble apologies and enjoy your gifts.

Thrift Store Finds

2010-01-31T23:02:00.003-05:00

I found these awesome things at a Thrift Store in December. Every once in a while you go in and find mad stuff, then others you come out empty handed. So here they are.

A wonderful cabbage bowl for .99. Can't beat that. It says not for food use, but I used it for food already. No one seemed to suffer any damage from the dip.

Also for .99 we have this fabulously vintage deviled egg dish. The turkey thing in the middle has little holes for, I assume, toothpicks. I gave this lovely to my Nana and she felt like the indentations on either side probably held matching salt and pepper shakers.

Ahhhhhhh Who was I to turn down the Blue Willow coffee cups. They did not have saucers, but I just wanted them. They were .98 a piece. So I get them home and think, what to do, what to do. I had some crocus bulbs so I started them in there. They are sprouting now. About 2 inches worth of growth.

There is more to come so stay tuned. I need to take some more pictures.

OWOH

2010-01-25T23:42:00.003-05:00

ONE WORLD ONE HEART

What a fabulous idea to get folks together. I was wondering how to meet fellow bloggers and just didn't have the time to figure out how to do this.  I am grateful to A Whimisical Bohemian for picking up the ball and running with it.

I have a really cute wine bottle with lights and stained glass grapes, as the my give away. Hubby drills the holes and I do all the rest, including draining the bottle before hand.    Turn your head to the left to see the picture =) Leave a comment on my blogspot and I will draw a lucky winner from them. Good Luck and thanks for stopping by.   Can't wait to meet everyone.

PS After visiting so many other pages I have decided to give away another gift for every 100 posts.   I think the joy of this is the visiting and the inspiration and the giving.
I hope I have so many posts I run out of paint =)

UPDATE: Well I just checked and I have over 100 comments so I will be sending out a second mystery prize to another lucky winner. Sadly, it won't be another wine bottle, because I am on the wagon. JUST KIDDING! Hubby burned up the drill bit on the last one, and I have to order another so it will take awhile, But it will be a good gift I promise. I'm a crafty kind of girl. =)

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by my blog and I hope many of you return.

Here is the link to A Whimsical Bohemian.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-31T12:56:00.001-05:00

I know they are silly, however, I have found that if you write somethign down you are more likely to make it happen. So here goes:

1. Read the Bible and pray more.

2. Quit Smoking - again

3. Lose Weight - Yep, I am writing it down, maybe that will help

4. Blog more - Good for the soul

5. Pout less

6. FINISH CRAFT PROJECTS = Lamps, chair, scrabble tiles

7. Paint more.

8. Be Patient

9. Be Frugal

10. Be Kind

OMG PETA's gonna get me

2009-12-30T12:33:00.005-05:00

Ok I don't know how this thing happened, but I purchased these cute little frogs for Gary for Christmas at Brookstone. A FrogOsphere! Two tiny dwarf frogs and a piece of bamboo. They are very interesting to watch and I was without a good present so I got them. Now I am reading online where PETA has investigated the place where the frogs are farmed and they are less than stellar conditions. Not being fed, eating each others legs off, diseases etc etc. They die as soon as you get them home, then you send away for more. So what do all of us masses do, now that we have found out our frogs have been abused? Why we love our frogs and feed them and talk to them and nuture them back to health.
Why does PETA do this stuff? How was I supposed to know. I am heading to Norfolk now, Maybe I will stop by PETA headquarters and drop my frogs off to them, so they will feel guilty for owning them.
sheesh

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate - Recipe

2009-12-29T22:18:00.006-05:00

Writing the year in Review Blog got me dreaming about that awesome Frozen Hot Chocolate, Susan and I had at Serendipity, in NYC. I did a little research and guess what I found. THE RECIPE. Here it is along with a picture of Susan enjoying hers. I am planning on making a batch for New Years. So much for the diet. lol

Frrrozen Hot Chocolate
Recipe created by Serendipity 3 restaurant

Ingredients:
6 pieces (1/2-ounce) chocolate , a variety of your favorites
2 teaspoons store-bought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings
Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Place it in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar. Stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and slowly add ½ cup of milk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.In a blender, place the remaining cup of milk, the room-temperature chocolate mixture and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

The Year - In Review -2009

2009-12-28T19:31:00.003-05:00

Some really great things happened this year, and some really bad things. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. Shall We?

My sweet Little Mama died. She was getting rehab and getting stronger and then she took a turn for the worst, as they say. They sent her from the SNF to the hospital, Leslie went to the hospital and spent the night and in the wee hours and scared the crap out of me and told me I better come. So I got up and got dressed and was 3 miles down the road and she called again and said it was a false alarm but to come on anyway. So I did and I was teasing her that as soon as she got home and laid down I was going to call her and wake her up, and Mom was up and laughing with us. She was hot all over though and kept yanking her sheet off. She was very agitated. Her body temp was low but she was hot. I asked the nurse for something for pain, and she said, if we give her anything it might take her out of here, I did not want her to suffer and even at this point didn't realize the severity of the situation. I called Leslie to come back. No joke. The morphine did nothing for her. The nephrologist came in and said the dye they used in the ER 3 days before had shut down her kidneys and she was septic, and not a candidate for dialysis. My sister said, how long are we talking? I was waiting for a week or something, I don't know. He said, 24 hours. She was gone 4 hours later. Am I angry. Yes. No one told us anything. We were totally clueless. Her stomach was distended and I had gone to a nurse on Saturday and said, look she is a little teeny person, her stomach does not usually look like that. They kind of blew me off. This dye thing we hadn't heard of until that moment either. We were in shock. She was dying and we didn't know it. I still can't think about her being gone. It comes in little spurts but not the emotional let go that I need. I am afraid it is going to happen in the grocery store or God forbid Walmart. But you know, I am blessed to have a family full of Christians and we all believe what the Bible says. And I know my Mama is with Jesus and the time in heaven is nothing like it is here. I will see my Mama again. Not here, but in a so much better place. I remember My Mama saying this to me after Gary's Mom, Janet died. I am so jealous that Janet gets to meet Jesus before I do. My sweet little Mama is free at last. And without Faith in God and Jesus I would truly be lost. She died on June 9, 2009. Just short of her 70th birthday. I will miss you Mama. Every single day.

It wasn't long after that, that my beloved German Shepherd, Beau, had to be put down. He had been sick for a long time and I just couldn't deal with it. There had been many family conversations about, is it time yet, and Gary kept saying, I can't say for you, because he is your dog. He was going downhill and losing weight, and I knew he was miserable. I didn't go, but Ronnie and Gary and took him, for me. He loved Ronnie, second best, and I was at peace with him going. Gary, he tolerated..... anyway, Ronnie took a picture with him there at the vet's office, and told me how kind the vet was, and that he said, he was sure it was cancer, and we had done all we could for him. He had never seen a case that bad..... We gave him hamburgers before he left, because he was having to eat special food that he didn't like for a couple of years. I felt good about that. Ronnie said, the vet gave him a shot to relax him and he fell against Ronnie's legs. Ronnie got in the floor with him and the vet came in knelt down and gave him his last shot. He was the best dog. He was loyal and true blue to me. He was hard headed and stubborn and determined beyond belief, and so very smart. He protected me totally. Even against Gary and the boys teasing me. He always got between us and gave a warning growl. They loved to pop me feet as they went by if I had them up over the arm of the love seat and he would get so mad at them. He wouldn't let Gary get close to my side of the bed if I was asleep and there were many arguments between the two of them. (lol) He was my good and handsome boy and I will forever miss him. I still dream about him.
For a month I mourned my Beau. I watched every SPCA sight and was looking for me a new baby. I wasn't sure what I wanted but I knew when I saw it, I would get it. Gary was opposed to this but I didn't really care. My heart hurt and I needed something to love. One Monday I was at work and my sister called with this story about this couple splitting up and they couldn't get an apartment until they got rid of the dog etc etc. So I said, Ok lets go take a look. I met her after somewhere I have never been before and as I turned down the street I could see this bullet of a golden blur running like a mad thing. She is a golden retriever (supposedly- but she had no papers and they have repeatedly not responded to inquiries and she sure doensn't look like a golden but has the personality of one. mixed maybe?) named Brandy and she was 7 or 8 months old. Well they wanted $200.00 for her so I pulled money out of every nook and cranny I my wallet and car and bra (just kidding) to come up with it, So I packed her in the front seat and off we went. I looked at her and said "this is the best day of your life that I came to get you" Her hair was sort of dull and dandruffy and she was skinny as a rail her ribs were sticking out. It was storming like crazy and lightening and thundering and she just laid in the front seat and didn't move around. I get her home and we come through the garage where Candy's bowl of food is by the door and that puppy gobbled up the entire bowl! She was so hungry. I had dinner plans with Leslie and another friend, Mike, I left the dog at home with Jesse and Gary and went. When I came back home, there was Jesse and Brandy all cuddled up on the sofa. She was laying all over him. He goes off to bed, and she goes with him. He gets up for work in the morning, she goes to work with him, and that is the end of the story. I bought Jesse a dog named Brandy. They love each other. It's insane. But she doesn't mind hanging out with us. She is sweet as pie and very flexible. she just lays all around and has to be with people constantly. She and Candy love each other too. When Brandy comes home for work at night you should just hear the huffing noises they make. (That huffing is dog laughter, or so The dog whisperer says) I still have no dog, but I am ok, for the moment.

On to some more good news. My son Ronnie's, girlfriend became pregnant this year. I was NOT a happy camper, but my Little Mama was excited. She said, If that baby is a girl I think you should name her Roxanne and call her Roxie. I just think that is the cutest name ever. Mom's middle name was Carroll (apparently there was a movie star in the 1930's named Nancy Carroll and that is who she was named after) Our Roxie Carroll was born on November 1, 2009. She is perfect in every way. And such a good baby. She hardly ever cries and is not cooing and smiling at us. She got to spend the night with BB (that's me - My name is Robbin in and I have been saying BB while spelling my name for people my whole life) two weeks ago so they could go to a party. I didn't sleep all night long. I wanted to make sure she was breathing etc. We love her. Being a BB ROCKS.

We went to Italy on a cruise this year for vacation. We left on Sept 30 and got back on October 15th. Flew to Rome spent a few days there then caught the cruise ship and went everywhere. It was simply amazing. I never thought I would be so blessed to be able to take a trip like that. I missed my Pops a lot while we were gone, because we usually cruised together. Nana, I know missed him. She was reluctant to go ona cruise with out him but this was a trip she couldn't pass up. We did so much in such a short time. We ate amazing food, saw amazing sights, I still can't believe we were there. I want to go back. Here are the girls at the Trevi Fountain. we threw some coins in, Not sure what's supposed to happen next. We had a fabulous driver that Jack found, through a company called BOB's in Rome. Lol His name was Salvatore and we all loved him. He was a character and nearly got arrested while picking us up, parking illegally and refused to show his documents to the polizio. Held us up an hour, but I have good pictures, to chronical the episode. We told him all about Thanksgiving and when he comes next year, we are going to cook for his family! There was a small incident on the cruise ship, with a can of Oust, that I might have sprayed in Gary's face by accident in the middle of the night, when I thought that a foul odor wafting in the cabin was him. The stench woke me up, 3 times, so I got the Oust from the bathroom and had it by my bedside and then it woke me up on the 3 time I just squirted and all of a sudden out of the dark I hear this voice say. "why did you spray me in the face with the Quest" Oooohh he was mad. And stomped out of the cabin in the middle of the night and slept on the deck. He got Ok though and we laughed about it the next day. In fact I am laughing now typing about it. He called it Quest instead of Oust and every now again one of us will make reference to Quest. As it turned out the stench wasn't him, after all, but some strange odors that would come through the pipes into our room. One day it was garlic. Nana and Jackie could smell it in their room too. The cruise portion of the trip actually sucked, as we were right about the Caliente Disco which boomed all night long. We didn't get much sleep. After complaining they compensated us for it, but it was still bad. They knew the rooms we were in were bad and they put us there anyway. Leslie and Jack were a mile down the hallway from us and he was in a wheelchair. Not conducive to a nice family cruise, but we managed. We really wanted the adjoining balconies but Carnival wouldn't accomodate us after they made the error. And then they lost a piece of our luggage on return. Then suddenly 6 weeks later it appears on my doorstep. My favorite jeans were in there so I was happy. We went to the Amalfi Coast which was simply breathtakingly beautiful. We had the best meal there too. Mussells for me. Just awsome. Prosecco and Limoncello and bruschetta de buffalo. Pizza, was to die for in Italy. Don't let anybody tell you it's not good. It's beyond good. I want some right now. Gelato. we tried to eat some every day. Also amazing. Leslie and I both got choked up at the Vatican. We went into that room you can pray in, and we both just walked right in, and I had tears just streaming down my face. We both got choked up at the catacombs. too. I missed Pops and I thought about all the Christians who died for what they believed in, and their bodies were RIGHT THERE. I cried again at the Sistine Chapel. I was overcome by it all. I never thought in my lifetime I would actually see those paintings and it was so unbelievable beautiful. Ok we are cry babies. I love my sister and don't know what I would do without her. I was so grateful to be able to share this trip, with her and her husband Jack, My Nana, and Aunt Jackie and my wonderful husband Gary, who has put up with my antics for the past 27 years and still loves me. ((Or at least he did, till I Quested him.))

Oh and here is some other big news of the year. Gary Retired after 34 years in the Shipyard. I was so proud of him when he brought home is plaque and flag that they flew in his honor on December 11, 2009. He has been home burning off his sick leave for the last few months. Its really nice having a house husband. He changes the sheets on the bed and does the laundry and runs errands and whatever else needs doing. He has been offered another job, but he is on the fence about it. IMHO he is way too young to retire, but if we want that lake house...........

Gary and I bought that lot on Lake Gaston. It is another dream come true. It has a boat house with a party deck on top. We got such a good deal. We had been looking and looking for years. Here and at OBX but could never find what we wanted at the price we wanted to pay. This was a, well lets look at this lot after a day of dragging all around the lake looking at everything. We offered something so low we couldn't believe they accepted it. Our real estate agent is the bomb. (Lynn Raynor at Sunset Realty in Littleton, NC) My only regret is that My Mom and Dad aren't not here to enjoy it with us. But wait, Enjoy what? Yep, we haven't even come up with a house plan we can agree on, so who knows when all this will take place. Hopefully in 2010 but you never know what the future holds. I always think about this Bible verse:

James 4:13-14Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Oh and of course this one

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I haven't been to church since the spring time. I am lazy and I don't want to get out of bed on Sunday's and since Mom died I don't want to go and have a break down or something there. Me and my BFF Susan are going to read the Bible all the way through this year, together. Attempt it at least. I made it through one year, I can do it again. It's not as daunting as you might think. And I need to get in touch.

Susan, and I did lots of fun things, this year. I heart my BFF. She is wonderful to me, and I don't know what in this world I would do without her. She is kind, and considerate and always there for me, no matter what, and to top it all off. She's FUN. We have so much fun together and we laugh and act like we are 12 and it's all good. This year, we went to the Parrot Head Ball, where I proceeded to come down with the Norovirus and she had to get a wheelchair and get me out of our hotel room with a hurt back and drive me home and get me in the bed and get me ginger ale with a straw. Poor Susan. We went to OBX a couple of times. We stayed at her Mom's place once and we played bananagrams all weekend. And got awesome sandwiches from the Stop and Shop to eat on the beach. We went down for girls weekend and stayed at Nana's cottage with Leslie, Tracy and Donna. Drank lots of wine and laughed and laughed. Made some prank calls to ourselves using the text to land line feature. How mature was that? It was hysterical. The way that mechanical voice interprets words..... lmao. You will have to ask them what we said, because my lips are sealed. I went on all the holidays, Memorial, July 4th and Labor day and spent that with Nana and the family. In the fall, the same girls, went to Donna's Mom's house on the Eastern Shore. We took a ride around the Harbour on Capt Dan's Charter Boat out of Chincoteague. Again, lots of wine and laughing. My dear sister, and Tracy, her accomplice decided to scare Susan and I, so they waited until we got into bed then snuck outside and took one of those decorative scarecrows out of the ground and tapped it on our bedroom window! OK Even I will admit it worked, They scared the pooky out of us. Revenge my friends. That's all I am saying. We took our annual trip to New York City before Thanksgiving. We went to see a play called Oleanna and then we waited outside the theater and saw Bill Pulman and Julia Stiles up close! star struck. Yes we were. We walked 10,000 miles and went to Serendipity to eat, frozen hot chocolate. It was the best thing on the planet. Went to see the Rockettes, Magnolia bakery, Hell's Kitchen Flea Market, China Town. (got massages there) We were everywhere and had a blast. I was so tired I was actually ready to come home. Those 7 hour bus trips will kill you though. Went to Richmond for a Christmas party and then shopped all the next day. ((We only got lost a little bit, this time)) We both got Garmin Nuvi's for Christmas so I am sure we will have much better luck getting around in either car in the future. We had Cupcake Day, where we wrecked my kitchen and make cupcakes all day. And Gingerbread House Day, They were good this year. Gary built us a base out of boxes ( I know that cheating but I don't care, I just want to decorate not build) and we could just go to town this way. We started way early, and it took us 2 days, but it was worth it. Love Gingerbread Day!! We had lots of other little projects going on too. Hopefully this year, I will really blog and keep up with all these activities.
So that's my year in reveiw. Big stuff, Bad stuff, Good stuff, Life altering stuff. By the grace of God, I made it through and am grateful to all my friends and family who have supported and put up with me through this emotional roller coaster that was 2009. I am looking forward to 2010. If anybody is actually reading this blog. May God Bless us all, Everyone!!

Lake Gaston Homes for Sale. Real Estate on Lake Gaston, North Carolina & Virginia

2009-09-27T12:13:00.000-04:00

Lake Gaston Homes for Sale. Real Estate on Lake Gaston, North Carolina & Virginia

Stealing Stuff

2009-09-25T11:20:00.001-04:00

This is a true story. The names of the innocent have NOT been changed.

I suppose I should backtrack in order to make this story sensible to anyone that knows me. Gary and I bought a lot on Lake Gaston. I will write a blog about that another time, but We are going to be broke, soon. So I am on a decorating from Yard Sales and Thrift Stores and Craig's List kick. 2 weeks ago I was in Virginia Beach working and I went around the corner to BK to get some lunch and there was the CHKD thrift store. Ahhhh So I pull in and begin to think about what I was looking for, so I wouldn't waist too much time. I have been SUPER stressed at work. And life in general, but that day in particular I was about to blow a gasket. I thought my eyes were going to bug out of my head. ( I have since learned that I have high blood pressure, probably from stress, but who knows) I am wandering around the thrift store and I find a pyrex 4 cup glass measuring cup and a lamp. I go to pay and I have to wait because somebody in front of me is buying a big screen TV and is going to have to come pick it up later. People are standing in line behind me. So it's my turn and my stuff comes to 7.31. Of course I have 7 dollars and no change and no more dollars, because my purse is in the car and I have my wallet in my hand. So I have to search out my hidden 50 bill stash that is folded into a tight little square, so I will forget its there and not spend it unless its an emergency. I have to break my 50 for 31 cents. great. I tell the clerk You are going to hate me, but this is all I have. She said no problem I have plenty of change. So she puts my lamp in a brown grocery bag and then takes my money and I am still fiddling around with my money. She gives me back all this change and then brings a bucket out from behind the counter that is for donations. She says would you like to give to the CHKD. I am thinking. Didn't I just give to CHKD by buying this stuff that you got free? But nice person that I am say SURE and I dump all the coins I had in my hand into the bucket got my money in my wallet and grab my bag. And then the bad thing happens..... My other arm, which was apparently not attached to my body but had a mind of its own, GRABBED THE MONEY BUCKET. I yanked it and it didnt come because it was chained to the counter! Money jangling around in there. I turned around still confused and the clerk said, You must be out of your mind today and laughed. I said, I think your right. I have no idea what I was thinking. She said probably that it was your pyrex glass. I said, yeah thats exactly what I was thinking, while thinking to myself OMG I have no idea what just happened. OMG GET OUT NOW. I was completely humiliated. Couldn't get out the door. Got in my car still thinking. What the hell just happened? I pull out of the parking lot in front of somebody who had to slam on breaks. All I can think is. I just tried to steal the money bucket that CHDK thrift store! How embarrasing and insane is that. Well I laughed and laughed and laughed at my own craziness, so I at least had some comic relief from it. Thank God some security guard didn't slam me on the ground or something. The clerk was really nice, She knew I wasn't really trying to steal the bucket but still. My life ROCKS doens't it.

And didn't Suan and I go to Wal Mart Saturday and I was apparently Shopping in some one elses CART on the sale aisle. I just can't be let out of the house anymore. No telling what will happen.

coffee cup cake?

2009-08-01T14:36:00.000-04:00

You betcha. Gary brought home this email from work and gave it to me 15 minutes ago. I said, ok let's try it out. Guess what. It worked. It's not the same consistency as cake. little denser maybe but it tastes ok. Needs some icing or some ice cream. Give it a try.

Most Dangerous Chocolate Cake Recipe in the World

5-MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour (that's plain flour, not self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
some nuts (optional)
Small splash of vanilla
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix
thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high. The cake
will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (This can serve 2 if you want to share!)
And why , is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any
time of the day or night!

Feeling Lucky

2009-05-22T20:40:00.000-04:00

Well I have had a heck of a month. Mom being sick and in the hospital all of April and Pris being out on leave and me filling in, but I made it through. Mom still in SNF but on the road to recovery. Thank goodness. I am soooo tired though. I just want to chill on the beach, which is where I am going in the morning. Getting a bushel of crabs and a nice long quiet weekend with the family. I got Nana a sign for the cottage that says, If your lucky enough to be at the beach, your lucky enough. So here's to being lucky! Cheers All.

Time Flies

2009-05-04T22:14:00.000-04:00

My Nana has always told me that the older you get the faster time moves. Well it's true. I am old and time is zooming. Seiously. The other week I couldn't even remember what season it was. How scary is that. It's been a stressful month to say the least. Poor little Mom in the hospital all month long. Just got word that she is going to be transferred back to Bay Pointe again. HURRAY. She has been in Virginia Beach General for way too long. They just poke and prod and haven't really come up with any answers. so Now she can go get some rehab and get strong again and get back home. I have been filling in for Priscilla at work. Problems abound. I don't know if I am coming or going and I am getting fatter. How can this be? Eating strange hours and no routine lately.
Oh I did do something weird. I got eyeliner tattoo'd on my lower lid. I don't know why really. Natauni's Mom did it for me. She is certified. It kind of hurt and it was way sore and red and swollen the next couple of days. It only lasts about 3 years because it goes only to the second layer of skin where a tattoo goes to the third layer. I have to get a touch up in about 3 weeks. Its hard to not wear make up underneath for 10 days and keep vaseline on it, but vanity vanity. I will take a pic and post it soon.
Oh and Me and Gary are looking at a house in OBX. It's going up for auction again. He went down to see it this past weekend, but couldn't get in. He is going to try to get a key for this weekend. It's really big. 7 bed rooms 6 baths. Pictures to come of that too.

Locked in my own car!!!

2009-01-30T23:23:00.000-05:00

This can only happen to ME, and it really happened I swear. I even took a picture of myself inside.

I'm off to Boston on Tuesday morning for a meeting Wednesday and Thursday. It snowed, so pretty, and was so cold and I was trapped in an office and couldn't enjoy it, but all was well. We had a nice group dinner and then hung out in the lobby afterwards with a board game and wine. Which I have a haiku for. Thursday, Priscilla and I leave. She drops me at that airport and returns her rental car, then she and Jason are off to NYC for a nice long weekend. I have a nice long wait. Get there at 4:30 or so and my flight is out at 8:30 pm. I go down to my gate then decide that I am hungry and have passed all the hot food in the center of the airport and am stuck eating a horrible cold icky tuna sandwich bag of chips and bottle of water that set me bag 13 bucks. Love airports. The plane left EARLY. isnt that unheard off? And the plane is half empty so I get to spread out. Unheard of again! Took a picture of that too.

We arrive back in about 10:15 or so to Newport News. I get my bag, which has miraculously appeared on the baggage carasel (sp?)and is waiting for me when I get downstairs. (another, unheard off, espeically at that airport) This is the best travel experience EVER, save for the tuna sandwich. I should have known right away that something bad was going to happen. I get my bag and go to the garage and it is cold outside. 30 degrees. I am parked on the top of the garage and as soon as I get out of the elevater I click the auto start. I was the first car in the lane. nothing. I do it again. nothing and I hear a clicking noise as I get closer. I load the suitcase in the back and then get in the car and put the key in the ignition. and clickclickclickclickclick. dead, nice. except that it keeps making this electronic cycle, from the door to the panel to the ignition switch and then back again. clicking all the way. even when my key was out of the ignition it just kept doing it and guess what. I was LOCKED in the car. I tried everything to get out, but no luck. Thank goodness for cell phones. I called Jesse and he had to stop by walmart and get some jumper cables and then drive all the way to Newport News to get me. It was really, really cold in the car though. I found some socks in my glove box, and I had gloves and a scarf and I also had one of those ear wrap things, and a blanket I threw in the car last week when I thought it was going to snow. Kinda funny. I am just glad that my last trip had been to Boston and I had cold weather gear instead of to Florida. I don't think a bathing suit wrapped around my head would have provided much warmth.

The Rolling Brie Incident and a Recipe

2009-01-11T09:39:00.000-05:00

I was shopping at Sam's club on Friday without Gary. We usually go to the club stores together and every body knows how cheap Gary can be, and he always says, Oh you don't need that. Well he is in Atlantic City so I was forced to pick up the meds on my own. MWAHHH HA HA... I am shopping around the cheese and they have some items marked down after Christmas. I found this giant wheel of Brie that is about 8 inches across and the price is $3.81. Well who am I to turn down such a deal and I don't have G saying,. Oh you don't need that, so in the cart it goes. I spent $259.00, not including the meds. I did buy some stuff for work and I am quit sure that is what ran my total up. I ended up with 2 boxes full and one of them had 2 bottles of wine in it, I am thinking, how am I going to get these out of the cart. Well I hauled the first one out and got it in the car, no problem. The second one, I got half in the car and then stuff started falling everywhere, Lunch Meat, cheese spread and the Giant wheel of Brie dropped and I saw it go in slow motion........the cask, opened right up, the lid fell at my feet and the brie itself and the bottom rolled, in tandem, under the Ford Explorer parked beside me. Great. My first thought was I should get my camera out because no one would believe this, then I thought, well I should just leave it there. But nooooo. I got down on my hands and knees in my work clothes, in the cold and tried to retrieve them. I got the very edge of the brie paper with my fingernails and ripped the paper off in a little spot then I finally got the bottom and then used that to scrape the Brie towards me. Then I hauled myself up by the back of the Explorer and went over to my car, laughing all the way. No sooner did I get back to my car then here comes a man with a cart and he went right to the back of the Explorer. And what did I do? I said, OMG my wheel of Brie rolled under your car and I had to go under there and get it. And he says, very dryly. Yeah, I saw the end of it, I thought thats what I saw. I said, Oh I am sure the part you saw was LOVELY. I almost left it there. He said, I know you were calculating the cost of that. I said Yes thats exactly what I was doing. Thinking in my mind that I lost my dignity for a mere $3.81!! Then he took my cart to the return for me. You want to know what this guy was wearing? A black CHEF's coat. With embroidery on the sleeve and a thermometer in the sleeve pocket!! What are odds that a chef emerges from Sam's club, to see a crazed woman under his car chasing a wheel of Brie? I certainly hope he was inspired. So with all that being said, here is my favorite recipe for Baked Brie. Bon Apetit

Baked Brie with Brown Sugar, Bourbon and Pecans
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon bourbon

1/2 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff-pastry sheets, thawed

1 round Brie (not the giant size I chased under the car, but probably an 8 oz wheel)

Directions:
Stir together first three ingredients.
Place puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface, roll out fold lines. Spread brown sugar and pecan mixture in a 5 inch circle in the middle. Place Brie round on top of sugar mixture. Fold in corners and rub seams tightly to prevent leaking. Turn upside down so the folder portion is on the bottom. Make sure Brie and sugar mixture is sealed to prevent leakage. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and cheese is melted.
Let cool 10 minutes. Serve with crackers, french bread, sliced apples or pears.

**Robbin's notes. I seldom follow directions. I put the Brie in the center of the puff pastry, Pack on some brown sugar, sprinkle on some bourbon and sprinkle on the nuts. bring the puff pastry up the sides and make a little bundle shape on top. Just make sure its sealed. Comes out great and everybody loves it.

A Bug among us

2009-01-04T23:22:00.000-05:00

Been awhile Since I blogged, so I have much to talk about and yet......no time. The holidays were a big blur as usual, but I might come back to that. At the moment I have something MORE pressing on my mind. Ronnie, Natauni, Miah and there little bulldog puppy Dora (who is cute but not nice and has no manners) moved in, temporarily until her parents arrive next week and then they are moving in with them. Ok stuff is everywhere, the house is not big enough for all of us, christmas crap still out everywhere, Gary couldn't take off work during the holidays like he normally does and he takes down Christmas so we are piled in here, in a mess of leftover presents and wrappings, If i took a picture of my den right now, everyone I know including me would be appalled. With that being said, we now have a virus here in Blowville. Miah got it from her Nana. She came down with it Friday and Natauni had to pick her up from the babysitters because she was throwing up. then she threw up spaghetti'os in the car, then last night Ronnie and Natauni came down with it. They were in the bathroom every 15 minutes, yacking away. Once they were both in there at the same time. they barely moved today so I managed Miah who woke me up early to tell me it wasn't dark outside anymore. Miah speak for GET UP B.B. Now Gary has it. He says he hasn't been this sick since he had food poisoning years and years ago. I am holding my breath. I prayed as soon as I heard Miah had it that I wouldn't get sick. And then I have been washing my hands like a fanatic and spraying the house down with stuff. I hope it works. Jesse is now not feeling well. I told him not to come home at all, but he did. So I am the last hold out. Thank goodness dogs can't catch people stuff or we would be in a world of trouble over here. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Random stuff

2008-06-10T22:10:00.000-04:00

It's really hot here in Virginia. 100 today and yesterday. Too hot to breath. I just saw on the news that the average temp for this time of year in our area is 75. So I was outside at Harbour Pointe today and there was this squirrel on the patio concrete just laying there with his little legs stuck out on the sides and his belly on the concrete. Just chilling. It is that hot. I wished I had a camera. I got a peanut from a resident and squatted down and he got within inches of my hand but I got scared and dropped the peanut. It was all kinda funny. Lori thought it was going to attack and she backed away. I saw some birds with their little beaks open today too. I wonder whats up with that? North Carolina is burning again and the smoke has blown our way. Its so smokey outside you feel like you have been standing by a bon fire.

I took this watercolor class, this is the second one I have taken. I don't seem to be inproving and if you like watercolors that look like a 6 year old did them, then I am the artist for you. At any rate the Suffolk Art Museum is having its annual member show and since I signed up and paid my dues to be a member I thought I should submit something. I was more than a little embarrased but bit the bullet. I took in a tiny tiny lemon that I painted last year and had given it to my sister and I was struggling to find something to put in the show and I was at her house and I snatched it off the wall and said Give me that!! She fussed and said she wanted it back because it matched her kitchen. I got Gary to put a wire hanger on it and I trotted my little lemon to the Museum today. When I get there it wasnt as intimidating as I had anticipated. However, I named the tiny little lemon, Leslie's Lemon but when I got there I had to put a PRICE on it. LOL. I thought hell's bell's what in the world. So I wrote out $50.00 LMAO That's the funniest thing I ever heard of. I talked to Becki and she told me that when she was in art school her teacher said, count your time and supplies and then times 3 with whatever you come up with. If you value your work, others will too. Well my renderings are somewhat of a joke and only my family wants them, but I do enjoy it, and thats what counts.

BOOK BLOG

2008-06-08T23:51:00.000-04:00

I am trying to keep up with the books I read so I thought I would start a blog.
The book club I am in reads one a month but I usually read one in between. So here we go so far this year:
June 2008
The Memory of Running by Ron McClarty
This book had a great character development. I twice found myself crying. Not like boo hoo crying but just tears streaming down my face. It was sad and full of hope. I like hopefull. Oh and I loved the 2nd sentence of the 2nd paragraph. I will find it and type it in. We havent had bookclub yet and I just finished this afternoon.
The guy that wrote it was supposed to be in some movies but I can't place his face.
Odd Hours by Dean Koontz
Ok I LOVED Odd Thomas. Then the next one was was a little worse, Brother Odd was a Little better but this one has you set up to never find out how poor Odd Thomas turns out. On and on and on. But this pregnant girl appears and he goes off with her and I think she is giving birth to some sort of saviour. but i don't know of what. I guess I will tune in again and again. The thing I hate about Odd Thomas's character is that he is so nice all the time. All these nice manners and it is completely unrealistic. Even if you do see dead people all the time I was sitting at Mount Trashmore one day reading. The same week that someone had DROWNED in the lake there chasing down his remote control speed racer boat. and I thought what if that dead guy just rises from the lake and starts walking towards me. All drippy and dead. Ok if the book made me think that then I guess it did its job of scaring me a little. or it could just be my overactive imagination. or it could be the book inspired my overactive imigination.......hmmmm

How come I can spend so much time reading and then can't remember what I read? Does that mean reading is a waist of time??

Frankenstein City of Night Book 2 by Dean Koontz
Well it took me 3 months to read this. off and on. Here we go again with the sequels. Apparently it is not going to end here. Book one scared me a lot. even though I read it several years ago. This one did not hold up at all. I doubt I will find Book 3. I have taken to buying books used on Amazon or at yard sales or whereever I find them. Books cost so much money now, like everythihg else. I only buy new books when It is one I can't wait for. Like Odd Hours.

Oh yeah while I am at it. Amazon has shorts!! Yeah. they cost like a buck or something. You can down load them to your reader or to your laptop. I tried to get some but they were having technical difficulties.

Speaking of shorts. I read the last issue of Tin House. That should count. Lots of stuff in there. The most memorable one was essay about the Bathrooms in Paris. lol. An essay about the Utopia camp in Louisa Virginia. I like the essays. They are most interesting. The only thing i didnt read was the one about skate boarding......Just couldn't make myself.

Plum Lovin by Janet Evanovich
Love me some Stephanie Plum novels. lol This was an in between. No sex in this one, either.

Duma Key by Stephen King
Ohhh how I do love Stephen King. He has a way of making you just fall in love with the characters. And then there is a monster or two for good measure. That's how I found Tin House magazine. I read that he had written a short and it was in there, so I subscribed. It comes out quarterly and its not cheap. So the story he wrote for Tin House was about Edgar Freemantle, and Edgar was the main character in Duma Key. All I can say about this book is that I hated when it ended. I wanted MORE. I wanted more of Edgar. It was beautifully written and it was chilling and haunting and all the things you expect from Stephen King. Plus some. I had the same feeling when I read Bag of Bones. I read that twice in fact. I might read Duma Key again, soon. Or The Stand, my all time favorite. I read that he has an audio only you can download called the Gingerbread Girl. I haven't downloaded yet.,as I am having technical difficulties. Did I ever tell you that I once was visiting my Grandfather in Maine where he lived on Moose Head Lake and my Uncle lived in East Corinth and Me and my Mom went and gawked at Stephen Kings house? I feel bad about that now. Everyone should have privacy. My uncle says he is a regular guy. You see him in the drug store or wherever around town. This was many many years ago. I have since reformed from gawking status. But when I finally get to the Sundance Film Festival its going to be all out gawking I can promise you that, but no autographs.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Piccoult
This was our last months book club selection. It was about a kid who was picked on his whole life and then he just went to school one day and opened fire. I felt so sorry for everybody. Him too. His parents, it was just horrible all the way around. The ending was such a cop out though. Nothing good could really come of the situation but it just didn't end well.

The Heroines by ?? I forget
Book Club selection. Nobody liked it. Including me. We didn't have much of a discussion about this one.

Cross by James Patterson
Who doesn't love a good James Patterson and who doesn't love Alex Cross? Since all the movies I can not think of him as anybody but Morgan Freeman. I hear his voice and see his face as Alex.

Mary Mary by James Patterson