I HAD TO COME BACK......I FINALLY GOT THE OTHER GOVT AGENCY AND I JUST MAILED OUT A PAPER THEY SAID I DIDN'T SEND! BUT I CANNOT ARGUE WITH THEM. THE SAD THING IS THAT I TRUSTED SOMEONE IN OUR OWN OFFICE TO PUT A LETTER IN MY ENVELOPE AND SEND THE PACKAGE OUT. VERY EXPENSIVE LESSON IN "TRUST".... $625 WORTH!
NOW ALL I HAVE ARE THE 2 PHONE INTERVIEWS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY ON THE 16 & THE 23!! YAY!!! I FEEL CALMER ALREADY. MY DUCKS ARE LINED UP IN A ROW ONCE AGAIN.
JEN JUST FINISHED HER INTERVIEW ON FRIDAY AND WE FAXED OUT HER PAPERS TODAY. NOW WE WAIT TO SEE IF ANYONE CAN THINK UP SOME MORE STUPID AND USUALLY UNNECESSARY QUESTIONS!!

ANNIE~ GLAD YOU ALL HAD A GOOD TIME AND SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE TIRE. THANK GOD ALL ARE SAFE AND SOUND AND HOME!!! IF I HAD A CUSS BUCKET IT WOULD BE EFFING OVERFLOWING!!! I DON'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR TO COVER THAT EXPENSE! i HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY BD DRINKS

HAPPY~ I WILL SEND GOOD THOUGHTS TO THE DH FOR HIS SURGERY. GOOD LUCK!! AND NOW SOME GOOD THOUGHTS FOR YOUR "BREATHING". HOPE ALL WILL GOW WELL WITH THE TESTS. THE BIRDS ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE SUCH GREAT AIM!! WHY IS THAT?? DO THEY ALL GO TO DIVE BOMBER SCHOOL AND LEARN ABOUT TARGETS?? WTF!!! HAPPY CAR WASHING!

Happy Monday ladies -

I'm tired. Still not adjusted to DST, I guess. I had to be at work at 6 am today....but the good news is I get to leave in a couple hours! Yay! Then I'll be going to the gym and coming home to cook dinner for me and DH (leftover pot roast from yesterday). We got a lot of rain over the weekend, and around 2 pm yesterday, it turned to a wet snow. Luckily we only got a couple of inches, and the roads weren't too bad at all today.

Mel - Sorry to hear about all the seniors falling over the weekend. I'm glad there were no serious injuries. We're supposed to be having big time winds tomorrow night. Time to batten down the hatches! That sucks that you had to endure that very expensive lesson in trust, but I'm glad your ducks are in a row (for you and Jen) again!! As for an overflowing cuss bucket, I've got one too.

Annie - I'm so glad you had a nice time in St. Louis and with Ms. Olivia! How scary to blow a tire! Phew that you all got through it safe and sound! Good that they got the tire changed so quickly (too funny about looking like a pit crew!!). So since your 3 hours behind in sleep, are you gonna relax this evening??

Happy - 78 degrees?? I'm so jealous! I'd be happy with temps consistently in the 50s at this point. And yes, while I am eagerly anticipating spring...I know the warm weather is just a teaser and Mom Nature has more in store for us for at least a few more weeks. I'm glad your physical went okay. Sorry the birds turned your car into a guano pile. I don't mind spending a few hours on the weekend cooking....if it means that during the week I don't have to cook at all, and I can go to the gym or relax or whatever! Sending : and good thoughts to DH for his surgery. I hope your cardio appt goes well.

Shad - I hope you had a fun weekend and got to see lots of penguins!

A big to all!

Love and hugs,

Chicken With Mushrooms and Green Beans

Makes 4 servings

Hands-on Time: 0hr 20m

Total Time: 1hr 20m

Ingredients

1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, plus 12 whole cloves, unpeeled
1 small navel orange, halved
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed
1 10-ounce package button mushrooms, caps quartered
Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.

2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a roasting pan.

3. In a small bowl, combine the thyme, red pepper, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.

4. Brush the chicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with the chopped garlic and spice mixture. Arrange the whole garlic cloves and orange halves around the chicken. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, place the green beans and mushrooms on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining oil and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Roast until the mushrooms are cooked through and the beans are lightly browned, stirring once, about 15 minutes.

6. Divide the chicken and garlic among individual plates and squeeze the roasted orange halves over the top. Serve with the green beans and mushrooms.

Tip: You can use this recipe to roast a whole chicken―just leave it in the oven for at least 20 minutes longer.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories 127; Calories From Fat 78%; Fat 11g; Sat Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 865mg; Carbohydrate 6g; Fiber 2g; Sugar 3g; Protein 3g

Real Simple, March 2007

Mel

and I think I just might be making me some of that yummy looking chicken this week. I can't believe you posted a recipe that DIDN'T have olives in it.

Mel
I'll help you do the happy dance. Your recipe sounds easy enough for me to fix.

Annie
Glad you are okay. Blown tires are frightening. I had one once going 70mph on the interstate. I thought some one shot me. Luckily I didn't wreck. It was on the driver's side.

michelle
I like the DST too once I get used to it. It's hard getting up in the dark again.

Happy
Yes, I found that stink today. We had a water leak under the bathroom sink. Some paper got wet and soured. It's been fixed.
Hope the DH does well with his surgery. Let's pray that there is nothing wrong with your heart.

Good grief it's almost 9.30p.m. and that was suppose to be my bedtime.
Night Night.

Morning all,
Actually it is afternoon.

Had a good weekend, but we decided to go and see the Ballarat Begonia show instead of the Penguins. I'll post some photos as soon as I can. The begonias were good, but not as magnificient as the begonia and dahlia show I saw at Nabano no Sato in Japan. Actually I mean the display was not as magnificent but the flowers were. We also went to a place called Echuca which is the inland port on the Murray River and was a busy town in days gone by. The paddlesteamers which go up and down the river now take tourists rather than trade and the river is exceedingly low these days due to the ongoing drought in the area.
I'll post photos later.

Haven't got time at the moment to post personals, but will get to it later tonight I hope.

checking in now - going to be another warm uncomfortable evening - not sure I'll get enough of the sleep I really need. Gotta get to work early tomorrow so I might not be able to get here until later.

Sounds like the flowers were pretty Shad even if it wasn't the best display. Look forward to pictures.

Glad you found the stink Ceejay - mildew - ewwwwww Sometimes that can fester for a long time.

Thank you again for the recipe Mel. I had cod to make tonight but the chicken is definitely on for this week. I'm sooooo very glad you wrassled your money back. Next time hide it in the mattress. Sure aren't getting any interest in the bank.

Madcat - if you're lurking for you and sis

Carla, Carla - show your face too, 'k? We miss you.

Michelle - maybe we should trade dinners with each other so we don't have to cook but every other week Sorry to hear you got more snow. It should be melting faster and faster tho.

Annie - I like amaretto sours too. and amaretto and lemonade and amaretto and orange juice and now I really have a taste for a Harvey Wallbanger tho I can no longer remember what it tasted like. No wait, I was a tequila sunrise kinda chick. If I asked for one in a bar would they know what to make?

Ok, getting goofy. Time for bed. I'm not staying up waiting for the dryer to finish. I'll just have to run an extra fluff tomorrow. G'night all.

Okay, some pictures. Well two anyway. I'm uploading the rest to webshots and will post the addy later. The first one is some of the paddleboats which live and work on the Murray. Some of them are privately owned and the others are business ventures.

The second is a part of the begonia display at Ballarat. This connection is very slow and it is taking forever to get the pictures loaded to Webshots, so you won't see them until tomorrow (my time)

Happy Tuesday ladies -

I had a busy but fun evening. I went to the gym and did a great cardio workout. Then came home and fixed dinner, and then went and checked in on 3 dogs that I'm pet sitting for in the evening. When I got home, my doggies were sniffing me and wondering what other doggies I've been petting! But they were happy to see me, so they quickly forgave me.

I've got a lot to get done today at work, and then after work, I'm going to the gym to an Abs/core workout class, and a Yoga class, and hopefully some cardio too. I want to get this weight off because I know I will feel so much better and be so much healthier when I do!

Mel - That's wonderful that the Social Security put the missing $$ back in your checking account!! I'm so happy for you!! Thanks for posting the yummy chicken recipe!

Ceejay - I agree, it is hard getting up and getting to work in the dark again, but it's so nice at the end of the day. Of course, we're having big time rain here, so it's a bit dreary anyway. I'm glad the cause of the stink was discovered and fixed.

Happy - I hope you were able to get some sleep last night. The trading dinners sounds like a good plan. And you're right, the snow did melt pretty quickly due to all the rain we got last night (and it's still pouring today)....but rain is easier than snow, that's for sure. I'm wishing DH all the best for his surgery, and you all the best with your cardio appt.

Shad - Thanks for posting some photos. The begonias are beautiful, and the paddleboats are very interesting looking...I haven't seen any quite like them before! I'm glad you had a nice time.

Annie - I hope you have a great day at work!

Speaking of work, I'd better get started on mine....as I said, lots to do, but I'm not complaining.

Love and big hugs to all,

Jeanette~ glad you found the smelly stuff and they got rid of it. pu!!!

Happy~ I started to bring another one and then found the olives!! too bad you didn't stay up and watch the clothes dry...ranks right up there with watching the clock Good luck tomorrow with dh!!!

Shad~ The pictures are beautiful as always. Looking forward to seeing the rest of them. Maybe over the weekend i can Pedal up and down the Murray! Welcome home!!

Michelle....great workout. with summer on the rise we will all ber fit and trim for the good weather. You and the doggies cracked me up!! Bet they were wondering Where the heck has she been!!!

It's pouring outside so i just cancelled the shopping. i can go end of week. All is well here. Just tired mentally so I'm taking a mental health day. Tired of thinking!
HAPPY TUESDAY

Good morning chicks,

I sure am having a hard time getting up in the pitch dark in the morning! I don't remember it being this dark in previous years.

The rains haven't come to the mid south yet but they are near. I washed all the guano off my car yesterday and helped DH wash his too so if that doesn't entice rain, don't know what will.

Thank you all for the good thoughts and prayers for DH. I know he is nervous about this but is also looking forward to it being over as he is getting very frustrated with the fuzziness in his eye already.

Mel - now that you have all that cash, where are we going with it? What's that - you're paying BILLS and buying FOOD????? Party pooper - Don't forget to buy OLIVES

Shad - the begonias are gorgeous. Such lovely colors. I may have to swipe ... um borrow another potential avatar If you are stressed out on the job, you are hiding is well

Michelle - that's funny with pets - they sure don't take a shine to us looking at other critters You are doing great on the gym. You go girl. I do good on food but bad on exercise, although washing 2 cars gave me a good hour's worth of movement.

Time for me to get out of here. Hello to Annie, Ceejay, Ruth, Patty, Rose and the rest of the crew.

Hi Happy - I'm just the opposite...I do good on the exercise, but not as good on the food. Sounds like between us, we stick to the program perfectly! And you definitely got a workout washing the cars! Have a great day at work!

hang on - just going to find the link
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/570455121sipImF

Now to see if it works for me or I will have to get happy to get the right one again! Klutz