Happy Halloween!

Getting ready

First and foremost - Happy Birthday to my dear friend Shaunna!   I hope that the year brings her deep belly laughs like we have gotten this year from the exploits of Beyonce and friends.  She has been a great ear for me through some tough times and I value her as my friend. 


In other news.......I have found that if I spend a couple of hours on Sunday doing a little cooking and prep that the week will go smoother for me.   As a result I spent the morning in the kitchen cooking up a storm.  

I made Enchilada's (dinner for Monday - leftovers on Wednesday), got the crock pot fired up with some Beef Barley stew, stuck some apples in the oven on low to dry (second batch of the weekend), made some egg muffins after the apples were done,  prepped some veggies for lunches for the week, froze the last of the corn (I just blanch it and freeze it in containers - worked great last year to have for soups and stews), made some oatmeal for breakfast if that sounds better than eggs - always good to have options.   It only took a couple of hours and the week will go more smoothly as a result.

Here are some pictures

No finished picture of the Beef Barley Stew as it's still cooking!

Here is the "recipe" of sorts.  I combined a bunch that I saw on the web.

1 lb stew meat

3 stalks of celery - chopped

3 carrots - chopped

1 can of diced tomatoes

a couple of shakes of paprika

4 cups of beef broth

3/4 cup of barley
1 can tomato sauce

1/2 onion  - chopped

1 ear of corn - shucked off the ear raw

Just threw it all in on low and let it simmer away all day.   Going to serve with some yummy bread that I got at the whole paycheck and perhaps a green salad.  

Whidbey pictures are coming soon......I have them downloaded just need a minute to organize.   Maybe some night this week.  Also saw The Rum Diaries with Johnny Depp.  If you love Johnny go if not then I would stay home or rent it.

Here's to a great week!

Update:  The Barley stew was delicous and a hit!   Made enough for two dinners and some for future freezer lunches.  

Aloha Friday

via Pinterest

I've downloaded the pics from our wonderful and relaxing trip to the Island now I just need to get some of them organized to post.  In the meantime......hello Friday!   I tell ya' the first week back from vacation always seems to be extremely long doesn't it?   Got a wonderful present from my boss this week as a thank you for some work I've done lately.  So nice to be appreciated.  I adore that man and feel blessed to work for him.   In other news......no big plans for the weekend.  I LOVE that.   Will watch the game tomorrow, catch up on the laundry and housework, and hopefully get out in the yard.

A hui hou kakou malama pono

Counting

Needless to say this has been a wonderful week!   Thought I would just do a quick check in.

4 - hour long walks on the beach
1 - encounter with wild sea life
3 - days of reading on the deck in the sunshine
1 - winery visit
14 - games of gin rummy
6 - rented DVD's
2 - metal chicken sightings
1 - Christmas present bought

Once I get home I will post some pictures.  

Top Ten for Fall

As promised here is my top for Fall.  If you remember my Top Ten for Summer you will notice some repeats but you see they will be new even though they are repeated.  Make sense? 

1. Try a new restaurant (really this is my goal to do every month)
2. Take a cooking class
3. Clean out the flowerbeds for winter (didn't get to this last year and I paid for it in the spring)
4. Make something on the sewing machine
5. Paint the kitchen
6. Play cards with my husband
7. Go on a ferry ride
8. Make whoopie pies
9. Go wine tasting
10. Finish the photo wall in the family room

Aloha Friday

Ok so the official countdown is on.   Not that I 'm packed.  Not that the laundry is done.  Not that the house is clean.  But soon, very soon, I will be on a ferry w/ G and the furry one........

Not a very "aloha" picture I know but it is aloha in the since of goodbye, farewell, a hui ho and all that good stuff.

via me!

A hui hou kakou malama pono

Wednesday Wisdom

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In other news.....today is my 9th wedding anniversary!  

9 years ago I put on a very pretty dress with a swishy skirt and walked down the aisle to start my life with a wonderful man who I adore and love more each year.

And for anyone he knows my G they know that he does make me giggle.

I love him with all my heart and I'm so glad he found me standing  by the palm 11 years ago,  took me dancing and then to Taco Bell.

Aloha Friday

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I hope you have had a wonderful week and that your weekend is all you hope for and more.

A hui hou kakou malama pono

Apple

Steve Jobs 1955 -2011
pic via Apple

I have to admit I was a little late to the Apple party.   I had a iPod that I got a while back but I never really used it that much.  However, when I was gifted an iPad I was hooked.   And then about a year ago my contract with my mobile provider ran out so I was able to get an iPhone and needless to say - I was an Apple cult member.  Steve changed the way I view things.   In some ways he has made my life easier and in others I fear I'm too connected.  Also, because of my job I understand more the mind of the engineer and how it works so I think I have some insight into Steve's mind.   I love all the quotes that everyone is posting on fb.   It just goes to show how many lives he touched.   Lets face it (no pun intended here)....facebook has blown up to what it is partly due to the man pictured above.   He did make it easier to access and tweet and such.  I am interested to see what will happen moving forward.  I guess the only good thing that has come out of this is that is was not sudden which hopefully allowed Apple to prepare.   It will be interesting to see if Wozniak will play more of a role now?   Most importantly my thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time and I hope the out pouring of admiration for him will help to ease the pain they are feeling.

Wednesday Wisdom



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You are missed

Just wanted to take a brief moment to say Happy Birthday Luba!

I love you and miss you.  More than I probably thought I would and I know my mom misses you as well.  You were the closest to thing to a sister she would ever have.

Life can be ugly and take people away too soon - this is a lesson learned yet again with you. 

Unfortunately I don't have a picture to post of her but I do have one up in my house that I love.  She is loaded down with Nordstrom shopping bags with that big classic Luba smile - you can almost hear her laughing in it.      

Today lets remember the things about Luba that drove us all nuts that we look back on fondly now.

She was the Queen (oh yes she would like that) of taking pictures.   Wherever Luba was there was a camera and she was in front of it instructing the picture taker (usually Joe in later years) as to how it needed to be taken.   I must say however that she rarely took a bad picture.  

She was also the one person you could count on to drop everything and be there for you in record time.   When my dad had his heart surgery she swooped in to take care of my mom.   She made it all easier for me as well as my mom.  And when I graduated from college she showed up for my party with a US Post office bucket full of hard alcohol.   After all it was cheaper in California right?  We didn't argue with her - it was just easier.  Those US Post office buckets were always with her when she came to visit.   With everything from alcohol to zebra tomato plants.

Childhood memory --- driving in downtown Portland.   On a one way street.   What's memorable about that you might say?  Well you see the one way was going to the other way.  But that never stopped Luba.

Another childhood memory --- coming home for Hawaii (as we did every Christmas) to cold, rainy Portland.   Luba would be at the airport waiting for us with our car and hot things to drink and hot food to eat.  

And another --- when I was little every time she came to visit she had a new job - or so it seemed.  My grandfather said he was going to wall paper a wall with her business cards. 

She truly was a force of nature. 

One day I hope they find a cure to ALS.........

What I'm Reading



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So far so good.....

 I also recently finished....


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I liked this book.  Easy read which is what I'm into lately.  

Update: Top Ten for Summer

So as you know I made of list of things I wanted to do this summer.   Found here.

1. Go to the Drive Inn - nope  We just never made it over to Newberg.  I have to say that our movie viewing really slows down in the summer which I never noticed before.   After all its kind of a rainy day thing to do.
2. Learn to make cheese - check.  Sadly I have not done it since.  Really should - as it was super easy and super fun!  
3. Go on a bike ride - check (and got a new bike to boot!  I don't think you've seen her so I must take some pictures and do a post soon)
4. Try a new restaurant - check.  Lunch at Braeburn at Whidbey (will be a regular on our list for visits to the island).  Drinks at Trader Vic's in The Pearl.  Bday lunch with Heidi at Manzana Grill.  Breakfast at Zeppo's (love this place and can't wait to go back for lunch or dinner)
5. Play golf - nope.  Now I did step foot on a golf course more than once and had many trips to the driving range but never swung a club.  
6. Dip my toes in the ocean - check and double check.   I even dipped my toes in the Sound.
7. Can something - check.  Dill Pickles!
8. Re-organize my closet - check.  Although sadly it is time to do so again.  
9. Go see Packy - nope
10. Make homemade bread - check.   This has turned into pretty much a weekly occurance now. 

So 7 out of 10 - not too shabby.  I will strive to do better however in the Fall.  I'm in process of doing my Top Ten for Fall..... stay tuned!