Desperately Seeking Gina

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…Giving Thanks & Goodies

I spent a few hours in the kitchen tonight making cookie and muffin doughs for the rest of the week. I signed up to bring an assortment of cookies for the store’s Black Friday potluck. I also agreed to bring some veggies and I have a cute plan for the veggie display {seen on this blog} but I’m not sure that I a.) will have the energy to put it together and b.) will have the funds to do it.

I spent some time putting together some goody-thank-you boxes for Thom’s nephew and his bestest friend. They were extremely helpful with my car-less situation these last few week. I bought the little goody boxes at The Container Store {I LURVE that place!}

I used my fave Thickers and fall ribbons {didn’t get a detail shot-there is ribbon attached from one side of the box, around the back, and along the other side} from American Crafts I actaully broke out stamps and ink pads too. Feeling quite ambitious, I guess!

I’m filling the boxes with mini pumpkin spice muffins, soft sugar cookies, and mini-chocolate chip cookies.

I haven’t even done the food shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. I was so gung-ho to be prepared this year and have it all done by now, but it just didn’t happen. I’m still searching for a deep dish pecan pie recipe for Thom, deciding what kind of pie to make for myself, and looking around for some kind of different side dishes to make for dinner. I was going to attempt to make pie dough but didn’t get around to it. I’m toying with the idea of making yeast rolls….I suppose I should decide soon, eh?
So, anyway. What are your plans, menus for Turkey Day?

…When the clouds part, watch for falling spirits.

The sun finally came out again down here in Ark. It’s been so rainy and dreary {again} and it gets so dark SO early. It’s been a bit depressing. So, today, when the clouds parted and the sun made it’s grand appearance, my mood lifted and my spirit floated away.

The store’s music system started playing Christmas songs, a tad bit early in my opinion, but I was cool with it. It made me feel happy that I’m getting to go home for the holiday.

And then. Suddenly. My mood crashed back down to Earth with the super depressing news that my car is dead. Gone. Shot. Basically, it’s just a pile of scrap metal with wheels {which, by the way, are pretty worn anyway}. Yeah. So. No car. And now I’m miserable again. Perfect timing to start out {another} three day weekend. Guess I’ll be spending that extra time-off trying to figure out how I’m going to buy another car.

And…I’ll make these again. They make me happy. Get the full recipe here. Go ahead. Go now. I’ll wait. Click, click. The filling is definitely worth leaving me. I’ll be here when you’ve finished licking the bowl…. since I have no car and all…{sigh}.

…The Day Before Friday, the 13th

It’s been a couple of crazy days around here. Yesterday, on the way to work, Thom’s engine light came on. I started to panic slightly since his is the only vehicle we have right now {Thom’s good friend has loaned us his old [i’m sure Thom would call it vintage] beater truck so that he can tool around town if he needs to}. I turned around immediately and headed back home, called work, and took a vacation day.

Then, just after midnight, Thom’s mom was taken to the hospital by ambulance. She’s had problems breathing all week. Thom was at the hospital until 6 am. His mom was transferred to Little Rock. She’ll likely be there the whole weekend.

Today we’ve said goodbye to a couple of fixtures around the Scenic house. My car has finally left the driveway, via another tow truck. It’s on it’s way to ~hopefully~ be fixed.

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this on the blog, but we’ve had a couple of parakeets for just about a year. Thom’s good friend {of aforementioned vintage- truck- loanage} so graciously gave us the pesky birds cuz they were annoyingly loud. They were a lovely addition to the household for about a week before they annoyed us too. We’ve endured Para’s and Keet’s noise a long time, in my opinion. It just got to be too much though…so they’re on their way to a new home. I told you Thom was starting a menagerie. Two birds and a fish at the Scenic house…and the two kitties at the Lake house.

I’m working a few hours on Saturday and all day on Sunday…so I’m getting in some baking while I have the where-withall. Is that the expression? Hope y’all are well and feelin’ fine. Would love to hear your weekend plans!

…Rain? What Rain?

Just checking in to report the weather…it’s 74 and awesomely sunny 🙂 I worked a few hours this morning and am hanging out with the kitties and Thom for the rest of the day. Hope y’all are havin’ a great weekend!

…Sunny days chasing the clouds away

Happy 40th anniversary to Sesame Street!
It’s starting to dry out down here….and the sky is a glorious shade of blue during the afternoon. We pulled the boat home yesterday…and I cooked up my first ever batch of homemade tomato soup. I’ll post pics later in the week. I wasn’t crazy about it…but it tasted okay after some tweaking.


This is Thom’s Zyliss Garlic Press . He’s had it for over twenty years. Love this thing. Just pop in your little clove of garlic-paper and all- and it presses out the garlic. Genius! Especially since I’ve turned into a garlic freak. I love kitchen gadgets!