The weekend sure did fly by! I stayed at a steady pace the whole time, yet I still didn’t come close to finishing everything I needed/wanted to do. I’ve had paint downstairs for weeks ready to paint the bedroom, but we keep having super nice weather every weekend dangit! And “I”, being “me”, can NOT stay inside when it’s that nice out. It’s a curse. How wacked am I that I blame nice weather on my own procrastination?

It was calling my name. I couldn’t help myself.

I DID get one major thing accomplished though, but it really only scratched the surface. I organized a small part of my office. I uncovered piles of paper that I’d printed out over the last several months “to read later”. . . recipes, Photoshop How-To’s, Etsy How-To’s (for my mom), webpage How-To’s (cuz I’m always trying to find ways to improve my site), lists of blog ideas, more recipes, and the list goes on. I put all of these in a binder with tabs separating each category. I took THIS outside with me and read through it all while soaking up what will possibly be the last great weekend of warm sunshine. The entire 2 1/2 inch binder. All as a means to justify my “lounging” in the sun. I don’t know why I feel I have to justify myself TO myself on how I spend my time. That’s another curse. I hate wasting time.

I feel good about my partial organization. I feel good about what all I learned as I read. BUT I now have a new list of To-Do’s which only overwhelms me more because they’re just added on top of the list of things that didn’t get accomplished this weekend. Aaaahh! Does it end? Hell, I wanted to stay busy. (hence the Snowball effect) I’m the one who asked “What do I do now that the kids are grown up?” Well, I’ve thrown myself in so many different directions with so many new projects to learn and piddle with that I’m feeling like a snowball rolling downhill. I’m starting to feel like I used to when the kids were here – running like Hell. . . but in a good way.

I love staying busy. I can’t stand NOT to be busy. But sometimes, I think I should be careful what I wish for.

One thing I didn’t wish for was Fall. Everyone knows that I worship Summer. I do not welcome Fall, even though it’s so gloriously beautiful.

Here are the first signs of Fall here on the East Coast. Much unlike the Midwest that was hammered with snow. I’m glad I don’t live there. But maybe if I did, I’d get this dang bedroom painted.

Anyway, the FOOD question: Name something you would eat more of if health, cost, allergy, and caloric intake were of no concern. You can see why that got my attention. Anything related to food catches my eye and tugs at my heartstrings. I know I’m not right. But seriously what would you choose to eat more of if there were no consequences?

Being someone who has had to limit my food intake my entire life because just thinking about food makes me gain weight, my thoughts were all over the board. My mind was racing around like a kid in a candy store. What would I eat if I could a) afford it and b) wouldn’t make me gain weight? Hmmmmm. For a Foodie like me, this was more difficult than I’d imagined it would be.

First, my mind ran immediately to seafood – Lobster, more specifically. I heart seafood.

Then it ran to homemade vanilla ice cream. Then to french fries, to delicious warm donuts, to wine. (I’m all over the place) But I already eat little bits of all of these all the time. Well, except for the lobster. I can’t afford lobster. So that’s what I’m going with. Lobster/seafood. Plus a glass or three of wine, with some homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. Yeah, I’d be rollin’. . . literally like a ball down the street. PLUS I’d be broke as a joke. One can dream though.

So since I was fantasizing about my favorite foods, my mind wandered over to my favorite restaurants. Plus I just got a Hampton Roads Dish magazine in the mail at the office that got my thinking cap rollin’. It’s the first time I’ve ever read it, but it was very interesting SINCE in addition to my freakishness for recipe books, I also have a freakishness about restaurant menus. (I dated a guy once who used to steal the menus of the restaurants we went to – like it was a game cuz he knew how crazy I was about them. Yeah, we didn’t date long.) This magazine was my golden ticket. It has menus of all the nicest restaurants in the area. Being on the oceanfront, we have a plethora of seafood restaurants. So I totally enjoyed perusing the collection of menus. I was in my glory.

Sadly though, out of all the restaurants they displayed, I’d only ever eaten at one. I don’t get out much. But I found where I WANT to go (one that’s leans toward the less pricey but still constitutes a “splurge night out”. . . A place called Mahi Mahs – a seafood restaurant and sushi saloon where I would order a bowl of their Seafood Bisque and their Asiago & Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with a lovely glass (or three) of Pinot Grigio. **sigh**

A girl can dream.

What’s YOUR food of choice should you throw abandon to the wind? And your favorite restaurant should you strike oil like Uncle Jed in The Beverly Hillbillies. **okay, I’m dating myself with that one** But seriously, I’d love to hear what you dream about.

Although I haven’t been to the beach this entire summer, I love the beach! But with gas prices being what they are and the fact that my spiffy Jeep only gets 12 miles per gallon, I’ve pretty much just walked down the sidewalk to the pool every day during the summer. My contribution and sacrifice for the sinking economy.

I had the best time at the beach. I went by myself because. . . well. . . I’m the only person I know (family included) that loves the beach like I do, so I didn’t feel like torturing anybody by guilting them into going with me. I had such a grand time all by myself. Nah, no need to cue music for that one. I carried my chair, my cooler, my books and my camera and I was happier than I can tell you.

I started on a book that was in a box of books that DeWitte and Jamie gave me called “Bitter Is The New Black” by Jen Lancaster. So far, it’s really pretty funny. She’s a tell-it-like-it-is kind of personality and I like that. I didn’t get horribly far into the book though because I was so busy people watchin’.

And bird watchin’. Or is he watchin’ me?

And helo watchin’. This happens around here since we’re surrounded by military bases and it ALWAYS gets everyone’s attention.

It was a great day overall! So relaxing. My idea of perfection. Let’s just hope we have a few more nice days left around here.

In the meantime, The Last Day of Summer also happens to be my friend’s birthday. DeWitte is catching up to meeeeeee!! Heehee! Anyway, Jamie, his wife, called me this morning and invited me to their house for Birthday Fondue. Not everybody gets fondue for their birthday. So I accepted. What a way to wind up the end of summer! Party!!

Tell me – Are you going to miss Summer?

I don’t know these people, but they came and grilled out and were having a blast.  They were so very nice.  The three guys are in the military, but I’m not sure which branch.  And the girls were all just beautiful.  I took this picture of them just because, to me, they were an ideal picture of what a FUN holiday at the pool is all about.  Plus, you don’t see a six person pyramid everyday.  Aren’t they all just beautiful?  I got their email address and I’m sending it to them.  I think they’ll be impressed with themselves. 

Then as the sun went down over top of the condo aside the pool, I held a Moment of Silence while saying Good-bye to the pool for the summer.  So sad to see you go.

Good-bye Sun.  You were awesome this year.  We had such a good time together. 

Good-bye Pool.  Even though you got a little chilly towards the end of the summer, you were there when I needed you most.

Good-bye chair.  Lots of books read, many cold beers consumed, and lots of relaxin’.  I’ll miss you most of all.  Good times. 

I have never been one of those girls that went all weak in the knees over a celebrity, a musician, or an athlete.  Nope – not even Tom Selleck got me excited back in his Magnum PI days or John Travolta either while he strutted his stuff in Grease. 

I’ve just always been of the mindset that they’re just people too. . . they put their pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us. . . that they’re not any better than any of us.  They’re just popular.

I think it goes back to when I was little and I was playing dolls with my little neighbor girlfriends.  We were just sitting in the driveway playing Barbie and I accidentally tooted.  I really didn’t think much about it cuz heck, my daddy tooted ALL THE TIME.  But Oh my Lordie did they LAUGH and LAUGH and LAUGH at me.  I may as well have poo’d my pants right there the way they laughed at me.  I was mortified, totally embarrassed and ran home crying in shame.  My mom asked what my problem was and when I told her, she said, “Donna, even the President toots.  He just doesn’t do it on TV.”  Hmmm.  That made perfect sense to my little eight year old brain.  THEY toot too!  Ha!  But they had to act like I’d committed some gastly crime and make me feel bad.  The little bitches. 

Anyway, I say all that to finally get to my point.  Yesterday morning, I heard that Obama was going to be speaking in my little city AND that he would be speaking at the high school that I live right next door to.  Hmmm.  They said you had to have tickets but that there were none left.  So I thought, “Wow – right next door, huh?  Cool.”  Then it LEFT MY BRAIN.  Elvis left the building.

Then I’m driving down my little road going home from work yesterday and I passed an unmarked police car sitting up over the curb at an intersection.  (They call them ‘unmarked’, but you can spot one a mile away)  And my thoughts immediately went to my ghetto next door neighbors (yeah, there’s always ONE ghetto neighbor to screw up a perfectly good neighborhood) and I thought, “They’re looking for my ghetto neighbors!  I need to tell them that he got a new car!!”  (This is truly a whole post of its own someday)  But I keep rollin’ on home.  I change my clothes, stock my cooler, grab my book and head to the pool because it was a crystal clear, beautiful day.  I get out there and I see this Sheriff’s helicopter hovering over top of my house sort of in the front of it.  And it just hovered there for a LONG time.  Again, my thoughts went straight to my ghetto neighbor and thought “They’re watching him now! Yay!”  (I tell this story and everybody cracks up because they know how disturbed I’ve been by my local drug dealers, but now they’re thinking I’ve gone all obsessed on their asses.) 

Well, this helicopter just hovered for over an hour.  At first it was very annoying, but then I sort of got used to it.  A friend of mine showed up about an hour into the hovering and said, “That’s not toooooo annoying, is it?” with a hint of sarcasm thrown in.  She said, “You know WHY they’re hovering, don’t you?”  I said, “I’m hoping they’re trying to catch my drug dealer neighbor.”  She laughed and said, “NO silly!  It’s for Obama!”  Holy crap!  I forgot.  You see?  I knew about it that morning, was mildly impressed that he’d grace our little city, then TOTALLY and COMPLETELY forgot all about him.  Nope – no swooning over a ‘celebrity’ here.

But let me tell you something. . . there were plenty of people who were.   They were acting like they were going to a Jonas Brothers concert.  Fans, you might lightly say.  There were people parking all over the place all in my neighborhood walking, trying to get in, but all the tickets were gone.  I heard stories about people begging to just shake Obama’s hand or have a picture taken with him as he exited the building.  It was crazy!  Now I see why he had all that security.  But to me – he’s just another man.  Who just happens to be interesting, charismatic, and running for President.  Just that.  I guess that sort of thing blows some people’s skirt up.  Just not mine.

One thing I DID notice though. . . my little drug dealer buddies next door were nowhere to be seen last night.  Not with all those policemen around.  Marked or unmarked.  A little too close for comfort, I think.

CHILI COOK OFF

Notes from an Inexperienced Chili Taster named Frank, who was visiting from the East Coast:  “Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a Chili Cook Off.  The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing at the judges table asking directions to the nearest beer wagon when they asked.  I was assured by the other two judges (native Texans) that the chili wouldn’t be all that spicy, and besides, they told me I could have free beer during the testing.  So I accepted.”

Chili #1 – Mike’s Maniac Mobster Monster Chili
Judge One: A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick.
Judge Two: Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
Frank: Holy crap! What the hell is this stuff?  This stuff could remove dried paint off the driveway.  Took me two beers to put the flames out.  I hope this is the worst one.  These Texans are crazy.

Chili #2 – Arthur’s Afterburner Chili
Judge One: Smokey, with a hint of pork. slight Jalapeno tang.
Judge Two: Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously
Frank: Keep this out of the reach of children. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich Maneuver. They had to rush more beer when they saw the look on my face.

Chili #3 – Fred’s Famous Burn Down The Barn Chili
Judge One: Excellent firehouse chili!  Great kick, needs more beans.
Judge Two: A beanless chili, a bit salty, good use of peppers.
Frank: Call the EPA, I’ve located a uranium spill.  My nose feels like I’ve been snorting Drano.  Everyone knows the routine by now, get me more beer before I ignite. 

Chili #4 – Bubba’s Black Magic
Judge One: Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.
Judge Two: Hint of limes in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili.
Frank: I felt something scraping across my tongue, but I was unable to taste it. Is it possible to burnout taste buds? Sally the barmaid, was standing behind me with fresh refills. That 300lb bitch is strting to look HOT, just like the nuclear waste I’m eating. Is chili an aphrodisiac?

Chili #5 – Linda’s Legal Lip Remover
Judge One: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.
Judge Two: Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit, Cayenne peppers make a strong statement.
Frank: My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can no longer focus my eyes. I farted and about four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage.  It really pisses me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming.  Screw those rednecks!

Chili #6 – Vera’s Very Vegetarian Variety
Judge One: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice and peppers.
Judge Two: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions and garlic. Superb.
Frank: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames. I farted and I’m worried it will eat through the chair. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that slut Sally. She must be kinkier than I thought. Can’t feel my lips anymore and I need to wipe my butt with a snow cone.

Chili #7 – Susan’s Screaming Sensation Chili
Judge One: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
Judge Two: Ho Hum. Tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. I should take note that I am worried about Judge #3. He appears to be in a bit of distress as he is cursing uncontrollably.
Frank: You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn’t feel a damn thing. I’ve lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava like crap to match my damn shirt. At least during the autopsy they’ll know what killed me. I’ve decided to stop breathing as it’s too painful. Screw it, I’m not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I’ll just suck it in through the four inch hole in my stomach.

Chili #8 – Lester’s Last of the Red Hot Lovers Chili
Judge One: A perfect ending. This is a nice blend chili, safe for all, not too bold but spicy enough to declare it’s existence.
Judge Two: This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge #3 passed out, fell over and pulled the pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he’s going to make it. Poor Yank. Wonder how he’d have reacted to a really hot chili?

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While I can handle the heat. . . in my food, however, I found THIS experience very similar to how Frank handled the Chili Cook Off. . .  just a wee little bit out of his element.

Yep – that would be yours truly there in the center being CRUSHED by the 225lb man in front of me. . . and I can barely swim.  Bless my soul.  I survived. . . Just like Frank.

I guess you all figured out that we were NOT supposed to hit that rock.  Funny – they call that Pillow Rock.  It didn’t feel so “pillowy” to me.  If you want to give this a shot, by all means call these folks.  Aside being totally terrified, it was truly good fun.  Plus they give you beer at the end.