Hell's Kitchen

Watermelons from our garden last year
I find it particularly funny that there's a show called Hell's Kitchen...esp. since that could describe my kitchen. I've never watched it, but then I'm not into cooking.

I'm no chef. In fact, I wouldn't even call myself a cook. I can't stand cooking...though I greatly admire anyone who does like it. I'm more of a survival cook, i.e. I cook to feed us. I do enjoy experimenting though. I see recipes as a bit of a jumping-off point. I know flavors that I/we enjoy and like to mix them together to make yummy concoctions. Most of the time it works.

Here's a keeper (Serves 4):

4 hotdogs/sausages (depending on how healthy you want to be)
1/2 package of tri-colored spiral noodles
1/2 package of baby carrots (I really enjoy the petite baby carrots...as if baby carrots aren't small enough)
Any flavor salad dressing (we enjoy Italian or Honey Mustard)

Cook the noodles as per the package instructions and drain. Steam baby carrots in water in the microwave for about 5 minutes and drain. In a skillet, cut hotdogs/sausages in half length-wise and width-wise to get about 4 pieces per "dog." Fry until brown on each side. Put all the ingredients in the skillet and mix with about 3/4 to 1 cup of salad dressing. Let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, and enjoy!

Well-chuffed

I just recently began writing again -- hence, my stilted style and mixed metaphors.

I had a brilliant storyline hit me this weekend, so I grabbed a pen and a notebook and...well, my hand hurts now as a result. (Not bad for someone who hasn't written in years but used to write nearly 24/7 when she was younger. My mom never understood why I had to carry a notebook with me. I never understood why I shouldn't.)

Anyway, the pen I grabbed proved to be a "holy grail" of sorts for me. It was magical. It was wonderful. It felt good in my hand and the ink flowed with a smoothness I hadn't felt in years. For me, writing is all about the pen and paper, really. If the two go well together, then the words spill out of my brain onto the paper with the greatest of ease. (My roomie from college would understand!) My daughter had a birthday party to attend, and I spent the hour-and-a-half waiting for her just pouring out my ideas.

Then it happened....

The pen ran out of ink! I was crushed. I was mid-thought. I had to get the rest down before it jumped back into the shadows of my brain. I looked around my various drawers and pen-cups to find another one. I found plenty of pens and pencils, but none that compared with this one. I finally settled on a "Holiday Inn - Italy" one that had a fairly smooth flow...though after writing for about 10 minutes my hand began to hurt...and my brain began to hurt...and I closed my notebook and ceased feeling creative. Silly, really.

* * *

My hubby came home for lunch today, much the same as he does most days. He greeted me at the door, we kissed, and then he became my hero....(not that he isn't already that). He presented me with another pen exactly like the one that helped spur my creative thoughts this weekend. I kissed him again. Then he held up four more! Can you say, "Well-chuffed?"

Changing Tastes

My mind is all about the show 24 at the moment. The 2-hour season finale happened on last Monday evening and left us all on a....cliff hanger (something the creators/producers at one time promised not to do...). Now we have to hang on for the next seven months while Jack -- a political prisoner -- is flat-out/beaten up on the bottom of a ship bound for China. Egads! As if it isn't enough to wait a week for each new episode.... Oh, well. In the meantime, we'll appease our 24 appetites by watching the previous 4 seasons on DVD and Season 5 as repeats.

It's funny how this show became a favourite. There was a time when I couldn't watch it without worrying about the various occurrences on it. At one point, I was nearly in tears, sick with worry, as I headed out to the post office. The president's plane had been shot down. I was so worried about him....the president on 24, that is. A little too real, perhaps?

Goodbyes....

Life is filled with hellos and goodbyes.

We bid goodbye today to our favorite storytime reader at Barnes & Noble. She has decided to move on and find another job. I didn't realize until today that we've been going to storytime with her for 5 years...nearly all of Edward's life. The kids were very sad, as was I, but we all respect her decision.

But now I am saying hello to a new blog. I have a blog on homeschooler.com, but I decided to try keeping one on blogger.com, too. I'm not very faithful, hence the name "Writer's Block." Perhaps doing this will free me from this "block."

I look forward to musing here...hopefully creating something worth reading. So for now, goodbye, Miss Erin, and hello, new friends.