So we're getting the winter back again this week - and last week's 70s had me fooled into thinking spring was here.

Oh well - time for stoup.

 Stoup is an old family tradition - from a time when mom made the stew too thin, and didn't have time to… Read full post »

Today's Foodie Tuesday is brought to you courtesy of my sweetie-pie, who was craving Mexican last night when I wasn't really ready to cook. It turned out WAY better than expected. Enjoy!

 Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 can tomatoes/onions/peppers (they call this 'chili-ready' at Kroger)

1 can… Read full post »

This is my favorite morning meeting potluck dish. It's easy, not too expensive, bakes up yummy and looks like you spent a LOT more time on it than you did.

1 dz. eggs

1 lb. sausage OR bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, shredded or in small… Read full post »

I was just out at Coupons.com, looking for coupons to try to stretch our tiny grocery budget. I came across an ad for a new contest that Hershey's is doing... win 2 weeks with a necklace.

 HUH???

It seems that there was a group of well-off women, who pooled… Read full post »

This one is my mother in law's recipe. The first few times I had it, I wasn't nuts about it, but I've kicked it up a bit and it's amazing.

1 whole chicken (skin on, bones in)

3 quarts water

1 Tbsp granulated garlic

2 tsp. black pepper… Read full post »

So I apparently had the worst taste in women ever. I only dodged it with my current partner, who is wonderful, and everything I never thought I wanted. But some of the people I've been with... oi vay.

My first girlfriend was a sweet girl - pretty, tiny, sweet,… Read full post »

We have Chinese food regularly at our house - since we're broke, I make it from scratch at home. It's easier than you think, and doesn't take many 'exotic' ingredients.

Szechuian Beans

1 lb. haricots verts (fresh green beans will work, too)

1 tsp. red pepper paste  or flakes… Read full post »

I read the cover story about the $8000 wedding and thought to myself - pfffft, amateurs! I did two weddings for less than $1000!

 We had one ceremony in our home city in 2005, which was meant originally to be the 'real' wedding, but ended up being a 'preview' of the… Read full post »

So here it is, the middle of the month, payday a week off and the account overdrawn (again!).

It wasn't supposed to be like this. I went to school. I got my B.A. I went back. I got my M.B.A. I got a job at a good company. I… Read full post »

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?

Amanda, my bestest friend at the time - I was a junior, she was a sophmore, neither of us was really into the prom thing but we wnated an excuse to get dressed up. 

2. Who was your FIRST love and do… Read full post »

I was a substitute teacher for a year, and lived to tell the tale.

 I started out in my home district, in Florida. I taught only middle school and elementary school after my first high school assignment, when I was asked for my hall pass no fewer than six times… Read full post »

Here's my response to OES (darn you!)

1. At one point, a couple of years ago, the ages of the two adults and our DD at home were 14, 28 and 56. (neat little number game there)

2. While I can say I've 'kissed a girl' many times, I've never kissed… Read full post »

(inspired by TeenDoc's lovely post on her own not-always-tranquil marriage)

I've been married for five years as of October. Happily, blissfully married I'll tell you - and at its heart, I am. But when the little rough edges of reality build up, as they have the last few months, it's… Read full post »

25 things I can honestly say I'm addicted to.

1. Air. With apologies to my high school friends (and possibly Denis Leary), one breath and you just can't live without it! 

2. Diet Coke. I have to have it. If I don't, I get headaches (yes, even with coffee and… Read full post »

I'm weary today. Not just tired, which I am, but weary of it all - the cold, the stress, the worry about money and health and relationships and family and child and the ex-wife and her shenanagans... I'm weary of it all.

DD came over this weekend, and even though… Read full post »

So the company I work for is laying off people today and tomorrow, in advance of a merger on Friday. All I can think of is ohgodnotme. 

 I got here because of a layoff. Laid off my job of just shy of three years, which was for a company that appeared… Read full post »

So we had snow this week here in Little Rock - well, realy it was ice and sleet and FREEZING FOG (who in the world ever heard of this madness?).

I left work on Monday when the sleet started coating the cars in my parking lot. Until then, I was… Read full post »

My college, in its infinite wisdom, assigned me my first roommate. I think we were chosen to live together because we were both 'big girls' - I am a plus sized girl, and so was she. She was also emotionally immature, uncouth, unhygenic, and just plain sad.

I tried to… Read full post »

Have you ever been so lonely that you'd do something stupid if you thought you'd find some affection?

 I was. 

 I had been talking to this woman online for a few weeks. She lived in Atlanta, and was coming to Florida, where I was, for a few days with some… Read full post »

One of my closest friends in high school died five years ago. He had cancer - it started in his knee, and eventually ended up in his lungs, where it killed him, before he turned 25. This isn't the story of his cancer. … Read full post »

My first week at a small private women's college (who dare not speak its name), and I'm summoned to tea with the president of the university, along with others from my major and a few other majors. For the record, I was a 'straight' theatre major - meaning, not a musical… Read full post »