House update.

The painters are cleaning up on the main floor. Everything looks so clean and fresh! We didn't do anything too exciting...just an antique white on the walls and a linen white on the ceiling. My flooring guy is coming tonight to give us an estimate on hardwood for the upstairs. We will probably go with the Brazilian cherry again so everything connects with the stairway and downstairs. We also ordered a new couch this week. It'll show up sometime in July. I sold the couch and love seat to a local college kid that works for me, so we are pretty much sitting on the floor for the next month and a half. It's already getting a bit steamy outside, so my garden seems to be getting neglected again this year. If it cools off a bit this evening, I'll go out and do a bit of weeding in the front and deadheading in the back.

Spring cleaning

Things are feeling a bit stale and we've decided to get some painting done. Neither one of us feels like sanding and painting the ceiling in the kitchen so we are currently getting estimates from some recommended painters. I have this vague feeling that the process will be very annoying and dust filled. Anyone have pointers or advice?

Bacon Explosion

Maybe I missed this when it first made the internet rounds, but I have it now and I'm not giving it up. We can get decent smoking action from our little Weber grill. As soon as we both have a whole weekend off to digest we are making THIS!

Baby Project

No! Get all your dirty minds out of the gutter. I am not with child despite everyone's fervent wishes and hopes. Two babies, two different sets of friends. Gifts must be created. I bring you:


Hot pink angora baby booties! I think they are super cute. Super easy as well. Each one takes about an hour each to knit up. Pattern is thanks to Purl.

More about my Valentine's weekend

I'm heading into a huge crunch at work....minimum 6 months, but for now with no end in sight. C and I decided to have an over the top vacation to make up for it. We also really needed to escape the cold, cloudy weather here. We made it simple and stayed in the continent states. We ended up in Key West, Florida and spent most of our time at Little Palm Island. It was warm. It was wonderful. It ended all too soon.
We did a lot of lounging, reading, and soaking up the sun. I went on a snorkeling trip to Looe Key. It was the first time I had been snorkeling in "open" waters that were not near shore. It was a bit nerve wracking and I quickly got used to it. I was also out there by myself, as C decided to stay on the boat and chat with the Captain. I got to see a lot of barracuda, yellow snapper, many types of coral and a baby blacktip reef shark.


The sunset from Little Palm Island.


Many things to do on Little Palm Island.


Sunset from Key West


Key Lime Pie...on a stick...dipped in dark chocolate. YUM!


Tropical refreshment for a tropical vacation.

What I did on my Valentine's Vacation

More to come later when I'm not working crazy hours.

Pictures from the Long Inauguration Weekend.

No pictures, however, of the actual inauguration. We are locals. We are too smart to be caught up in the maddening traffic, numbing cold and overwhelming crowds. We will, however, provide good eats for anyone who wants to visit. We met up at Fogo de Chao for wine, conversation and copious amounts of meat.


Tom prepares to dig in.


Carrie, well into the face stuffing.


Jon, caught red handed in the midst of gluttony.

Martinis and wine kept us well lubricated.


Chocolate mousse cake....nomnomnom

What's for dinner?

Herbed lamb chops with onion compote and balsamic reduction
Parmesan polenta
Wilted spinach with garlic and lemon

Dessert: More chocolate cupcakes and peanut butter frosting.

Yum!

NomNomNom

Thank you, Martha Stewart, for the delicious recipe for chocolate cupcakes and peanut butter frosting.

Post Christmas Review

C and I had a lovely Christmas at home...just the two of us, quiet, peaceful and full of food. We picked up a virus in Oklahoma and the quantity of snot being produced in this household is amazing. C is feeling a bit better...mine has progressed to a full blown ear infection with a ruptured eardrum. I'm on oral and topical antibiotics so things seem to be getting better slowly. I'm headed into a long run of overnight shifts and will be working on New Year's Eve, always a fun time to work. Inauguration is fast approaching and we need to get the house ready for our guests who will be visiting then.

December updates.

We had a lovely early Christmas in Oklahoma. We got to spend a few days with each half of the family, opened presents and ate way, way too much food. Unfortunately, we left the same day my sister arrived....by a completely different airport and town, so we missed seeing her. Hope she likes the prezzies we left for her! My allergies have flared into a full fledged viral snotfest. Someday, my ears will clear and I will be able to hear again.

The Christmas countdown.

Time is speeding past. We have the Christmas tree and wreath up. All the Christmas cards are mailed. Still haven't gotten around to putting up lights....makes me feel like the Scrooge in the neighborhood. Even the older gentleman across the street....who is about have a leg amputated (literally) because of a chronic infection has been up on a ladder stringing lights on his house. Since we have to fly back to OK for an early Christmas, things are piling up fast and I don't seem to be getting much done. A big dent has been placed in the shopping list, but I really need to finish it today or tomorrow so everything can get shipped in time. Thank goodness for the internet. I haven't ventured into a single brick and mortar store to go shopping. Another bonus is Ebates. Sign up, do all your shopping online and you should get a tidy bonus check in a the next quarter.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

My entire day yesterday was taken up with cooking. I'm not sure how...there was only two of us. It was super tasty, however. Here was the menu:

Brined, herb encrusted turkey breast
Cornbread dressing
Creamy mashed potatoes
Gravy
Wilted spinach salad
18 hour bread
Zofia's cranberry salad
Pumpkin pie with whipped cream
Beaujolais Nouveau

YUM!

T-day countdown continues.

I just finished putting a pate brisee into a pie plate. I'll freeze it until tomorrow when I will make the pumpkin pie and cranberry salad. I still need to pick up wine and a few last minute perishables as well.

Thanksgiving is coming!

Cornbread is baking in the oven and the french bread has been cubed for the dressing. A chicken is simmering on the stovetop for stock...so I can make gravy. A turkey breast is brining in the refrigerator. I will make pie crust tomorrow and cranberry salad on Tuesday. What have you done to start getting ready for Thanksgiving?

Back from Travels

I spent part of the past week in Chicago for a conference. I stayed at the beautifully restored Palmer House.


My best bud from residency and I got to meet up with our friend, mentor and the grandfather of emergency medicine, Dr. Ron Krome.


C met up with me in Chicago and we drove to the wilds of Wisconsin to hang with Mark, Astrid and munchkins.


A cute little bat and kitten went trick or treating with us.


This tree was still in blazing fall foliage dress. Lovely tree and a lovely time.

Lame-O

Here I am in Chicago, one of the coolest cities to visit I might add, with K, my best bud from residency. We have spent all day being good, going to classes and filling our heads with learning. I have obtained two VIP passes to a private party at House of Blues. After a full day of conferencing, we are excited to get out and have some fun. We head to the hotel to change clothes and promptly lose all steam. We ended up ordering room service and vegging in front of the tv....VIP passes laying on the side table taunting us with our lameness. Bleh.

I'm leaving on a jet plane

Heading to Chicago this afternoon for a four day conference. C will be meeting up with me later this week and we will be heading to Bristling Acres in Wisconsin for some fun in the forest. Happy Halloween!

Funny and on point

I'm not very political in the public arena. This, however, is too funny not to share. It is the best description for Rush Limbaugh I have ever read: an overfed, thrice-divorced, prescription-drug-abusing blatherskite who rode anal fissures to a military deferment during the Vietnam War-

Zzzzzzz

Just started night shifts. I'm off to bed now. Hopefully, I will sleep most the day away. Then, I'll have dinner with C and head back to work. Fortunately these only come around about once every 2 1/2 months.