Poppy mi Poppy...

CAVED and I win the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Challendge!!

Who needs dinner when you have your Archie-Hikers!!!



Okay, so Depression-Era-Poppy didn't really cave, she just wanted me to have them for our trip to the snow...and she found them at some random internet site for $140! Recall, you can't fund them anywhere for under $217.

Now, cause I couldn't wait to show people I sent a pic around last night of my Archie's. One of the responses was "You brat." Well, thinking about that, I'm not a brat, I deserved these shoes according to the Trophy Wife Agreement between I-Don't-See-Dirt-Poppy and me. The agreement is I get a $100 dollar dinner (or shoe equivilent) per month for doing all the cleaning of the Kasa Kecky. Since it's just about February, she owes for the last two months and that's a lot like $200! Not only that, she owes me $60 if I did the math correctly, and I'm 99.9% sure I did.

So there you have it. Seeing that box on my chair last night and wondering why she put a box on my chair and then realizeing what it was...was the best feeling in the whole wide world!

P.S. My calves really aren't that fat, it's the angle of the picture. Swear!

Have a great weekend!

The Pots!

Hot-Pot-Poppy and I just found the low-carbohydrate-eaters dream restaurant. The Pots on Judah. Sort of like Shabu Shabu, but with way more choices. Like this...



This is a boneless duck foot. Not bad...kind of a textural thing. The rest of the dinna was all good. It's all you can eat for $22 (during the week). They have a large choice of broths in which you cook your low-carb favs in. We chose the pork bone soup. We ordered prime rib, lamb, these little tofu pillows, shrimp balls, shrimpies, black fungus, enoki shroomies, bok choy and Napa cabbage. I can't wait to go back!

I'm becoming a little tired of the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Shoe Challenge.

So here's Day 13:



Almost looks like the Lord Your God is shining down upon my blue shoes. No story with these, I just wanted a pair of blue shoes and they were on sale.

More Kecky's Kurb Art. I call this "Gimme A Hand:



Okay, I'll admit I'm not feeling 100% today and Typhoid-Poppy is home with a cold and we're leaving for Donner Lake tomorrow. So there you go...

Speaking of, I'll be taking a break for a few days so have a great weekend!

Chow!

Pickle Juice...

This morning I had the worst craving for some pickle juice. I was practically salivating just thinking about it. I didn't even need any vodka or ice to go with it, but that's only because it was too early in the morning to drink it like that, not to mention a work day.

I mean, I'm just standing there staring at the open jar and the spoon thinking "Is it weird I just want to stick that spoon in and slurp it like a soup?" So I did it! I dipped that spoon in that jar three times and I liked it!! I started fantasizing about getting out a little glass with an ice cube, adding some of that NOMMY pickle juice and drinking it. But I didn't. I thought about putting that pickle juice in a ta-go container so I could drink it at work. But I didn't. Then I read the ingredients on the back of the jar and saw Polysorbate 80 and that jolted me back to reality and I poured it all down the drain.

But then I had a scathingly-brilliant idea...Piggle-Poppy and I canned pickles that first year we were together and we have a recipe for the pickling liquid. Said recipe doesn't have any of that Polysorbate 80; I could use sea salt instead of pickling salt. I could make it and have it whenever I wanted! YES!

I emailed Longtime-Very-Dear-Friend-Jeannie and asked her if it was weird I was having this craving for pickle juice. She replied that obviously I was pregnant. I said the only way that would happen was if the Lord Your God had something to do with it. Things that make you go hmmm.

Let's go to Imelda land...

Day 12:



I just wanted a classic pair of Adidas. No, not classic lesbian, either. Do you know that in the past I've been accused of buying a new pair of white shoes every time one of my white pairs would get dirty?

Mean people suck!

Not much to talk about today...

Oh don't be silly...SHOES, GLORIOUS SHOES!!! Time for another check in with the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Shoe Challenge.

Day 10:



These Dansko's are quite a departure for me given they are clogs. But since they are worn by a lot of professional chefs, I had to have them cause when I grow up, I want to be a chef! Turns out, I really like them. The more I wear them, the better they get.

I remodeled my cube at work about a month or so ago into a stand up cube. I did this after I read some articles on how bad sitting is for you. So, I'm on my feet about 80% of the day. These are pretty comfortable.

Day 11:



These are what I like to call my classic lesbian loafers. They're Bass Weejuns; tassels included. I said this to a fellow Donner-Mae and blog follower, Amy-Mae-Not-My-Friend; she felt the need to comment that all my shoes are "classic lesbian". Suppose she's right. Even my Archie-Hikers will be considered classic lesbian.

I guess everything I wear would be considered classic lesbian. I'll draw the line at the classic lesbian haircut though. You know the one that looks like a mushroom cloud on your head. Sort of poofy on top and mullety on the bottom.

I forgot to tell you that I changed my mind on the color choice for my Archie-Hikers. I've settled on Burnt Red.



I figure as they age, the patina of the red will look better than the spice. That's important stuff when you're dealing with a classic lesbian boot such as the Archie's. By the way, I'm not even halfway though my shoe collection!

A couple of years ago, MomJean gave me a traveling knife bag. At the time, I was traveling up to Dad-n-Shirley's quite a bit and doing most of the cooking so it really came in handy. I was totally bummed I couldn't take it to Kansas with me cause we were carrying on our luggage. It has a place on it, where you can put your business card. So I figure I needed a business card. Here it is:



One of these days, I'm going to buy my blog name a real dot.com. Guess I should do that before the Internet runs out of space. Also need to trademark it and the Kecky's Brand too. Okay, truth be told, I did buy Kucina di Kecky a dot.com, but I spelled it wrong and didn't notice until after I bought it. DOH!

Okay, so on to another exciting episode of Keeping Up With The Kecky's! Back in October when The Aunts were visiting. Aunt Kathy suggested we recaulk the kitchen sink because it looks like we're getting a little water damage between the sink and the wood counter top. I'd put this task off long enough so decided I'd do it on Sunday.

I used the handy-dandy-useless tool that's made to remove the old stuff. I ended up using a box cutter and a razor blade. Yes, I still have all my fingers. Anyway, I'm not known for being able to draw a straight line, but with Garage-Organizer-Poppy's help I gathered up the confidence, the caulk and the gun and put down a bead on a piece of cardboard so I could get the feel of it.

Simple enough I thought...until I started on the sink. I quickly lost my confidence and made a pretty good mess; also went through about a role of paper towels. Ack! I had to hide those in the bottom of the garbage so Depression-Era-Poppy didn't see them.

I dejectedly went downstairs and fest up to Perfectionist-Poppy that I'd probably want to do it over. She said "Did you use the smoothing out tool?" I replied "What smoothing out tool?"

Call me crazy, but don't you think Perfectionist-Poppy should have supplied me with the magic tool before I did the job and completely botched it up? Just sayin...



Oddly enough, Perfectionist-Poppy said it looked okay once I told her I could scrap off all that excess stuff.

Chow!

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Well, what a spanker of a weekend weather-wise! Not only that, but the swells have been huge at the beach!



Well, let's start with Friday. Figured we'd take Dad to Joe's of Westlake since it's a very old school kind of place and maybe he could find himself that chickie he's been waiting for. Strike 10 in the quest to find Dad a lady-friend!

This is the original Joe's and what I call a "No" bar/restaurant. You can't do this and you can't do that. No substitutions, no traveler's checks, etc. Also, no fun! We went to the very crowded bar. Sat down at a table and ordered a round of drinks from the cocktail waitress who looked like and had the personality of Bette Davis from the movie Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (But-cha are Blanche, ya are in that chair!). Only difference between the two was that our cocktail waitress had a peg-leg, I think. Oy! Just so you know, "Oy" is the sound a pirate makes...according to Netty-Mae when playing charades!

Anyway, Baby-Jane-Hop-Along comes gimping back to the table with our drinks. Fiscally-Minded-Poppy whips out the credit card (gotta get those miles) and Baby-Jane-Hop-Along says "I'm sorry (but she really wasn't) can you pay cash?" Dejected-Poppy says yes. I ask if they take credit cards given it's a pretty $$ restaurant. She says yes, but we were supposed to tell her before we order cause she pays cash for the drinks. Now that's a step back in time.

Now it was time for another round. Baby-Jane-Hop-Along was taking forever, so I figured it's time to grab the bull by the horns and go to the bar and order. I knew that was a mistake, but the alcoholic in me wanted that drink and now, damn it! Baby-Jane-Hop-Along caught me. In a very unpleasant, crackling voice I hear "Do you need something?" I wanted to run away, but I sucked it up and gave her our order. Designated-Driver-Poppy ordered a Diet Coke.

Baby-Jane-Hop-Along brought the drinks. DD-Poppy tastes the Diet Coke and it tastes like regular Coke. Given we're on our low-carb diet, this is pretty much carbohydrate suicide if Carb-Depleted-Poppy drinks it. I take it back to the bar and Baby-Jane-Hop-Along happens to be standing there. I tap the large hump on her shoulder and tell her. The disgruntled-bartender-lady hears me and gets all kinds of pissed and says in her gravelly-I've-had-too-much-scotch-and-cigarettes-in-the-past-50-years-and-I'm-ready-for-the-iron-lung-voice "IT'S DIET COKE!" I say "Well that's the best Diet Coke I've ever had!" and then I ran away. Not like she could catch me; neither could Baby-Jane-Hop-Along, for that matter!

We were #82 to be seated for dinner and when we got there, they were calling numbers in the sixties. Oh yeah, NO RESERVATIONS, damn it!

Dinner was terrible, but really, what were we expecting. Not sure we'll head back there or not.

Saturday was another project day. Since the Donner-Mae's will be heading up to Donner at the end of the week, I wanted to clean up the truck since it's full of dog hair. So I completely detailed the truck, including waxing it. I think it's only about the third time we've washed the truck.



Here's Dad in one of his usual positions:



Flame-On-Poppy had decided to spit roast a leg-o-lamb. Dad just loves a fire pit.

Ever see that movie with William Hurt, Altered States? Doesn't this look like him when he starts morphing only covered in herbs?



So this isn't exactly Kecky's Kurb Art, but check it out...



Poppy asked me what I saw in the wood. I said it looked just like Father Death. She laughed at me and said "Don't you mean the Grim Reaper?" She said I had Father Time and the Grim Reaper mixed up. Whatever!

So, still don't have my Wedgie, so I cooked some cauliflower on the grill and then mashed it. Tasted just like mashed potatoes...not really, but was still really good! Check out that hunk-o-meat!



I forgot to participate in the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Challenge this weekend. I did send a picture of one of my babies to Poppy. Maybe she won't recall that I didn't actually wear them.

I will leave you with Yin-n-Yang:



Have a nice week!

Thank Cod It's Friday!

I have good news...remember that project from H.E.L.L. I was working on for the last several years of my life? Well, the case has settled. This is very good news, but it also means that all the work that Co-Worker-And-Family-Member-Laurie and I did was for a big fat nothin! Litigation is stoopid!

The lawyer I've been working with, Andrea has been working on this case just about 24/7. Here is her office...I told her all we had to do was light a match and it would all go away.



Now, Andrea is a retired Air Force Colonel so you know she's orderly. Neither Laurie or I wanted to try to clean it up cause Andrea knows exactly where everything is.

I guess it's Day 9 on the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Shoe Challenge.



I've had these for years. Very classic and will never go out of style. That's all I've got to say about that.

This is a Dad weekend, so Poppy and I will go fetch him after work. We're going to take him to Westlake Joe's for drinks and dinner. This is a very old-school place so we're hoping there will be some older ladies there looking for Mr. Right or even better, Mr. Right-Now. Friend and fellow SF native, Jody tells me they break out the piano at the bar. I can't wait to hear a rendition of Mr. Piano Man! Play me a song, Mr. Piano Man...

Later!

Shoes, Glorious Shoes...

Let's talk about shoes today. Really, what else is there? Backpacks, that's what. I'll get to that little obsession some other time.

So check out the original Archie-Hikers:



These are Depression-Era-Poppy's Depression-Era-Hiking-Boots. I love them and have been looking at them for years. I decided to clean them up. She wore them to work today.

Here's the weird thing, I went down to Graphic-Poppy's office today to get some cheese product and what did I see???



I tell you, not only is it mean and cruel torture, it's a sign from Cod!

Where did I leave of on the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Challenge?

Day 7:



I bought these shoes for Adventurer-Poppy and my trip to Spain a few years back. The perfect summer walking shoe...they just wick that moisture away!

Day 8:



These are a real-almost-live pair of Blundstones (aka Blunnies). The original Australian work boot. I also have a pair of brown ones that will be coming out to visit soon. I had the brown ones first and just had to have the black ones.

So I guess I'm 8 steps closer to my Archie's!!

How about a viewing of some Kecky's Kurb Art? The subject matter is kind of disgusting, but it's art so it's okay. Notice how "art" rhymes with "fart"?



Depression-Era-Adventurer-Poppy wanted her foot in there to show scale. We're both pretty sure this is some kind of pooh-pooh. I think it's bear or Bigfoot; Euell-Gibbons-Poppy thinks it's dog or horse. What does she know?

It was a very pretty walk too!



Say, let's have another episode Keeping Up With The Kecky's...It's been 8 days now we've been without our Wedgie. I called the home warranty company yesterday and the gal was kind of snotty. She told me to call my BFF-Oven-Guy to get status. She said it's just a few day turn-around, but again, that depends on when BFF got the part to A1 Stove Hospital. So I sent BFF and email. Here's the conversation:

Hi Mike!

I called Fidelity to get status on the valve. They told me it all depended how fast you had it sent to A1 Stove Hospital. Do you know if A1 Stove Hospital received the valve yet? Thanks!

Kelly

BFF’s response:

Delivery confirmation # 03100480000136488891

Thank you
Mike

He's not much of a talker really, I guess that's why he's such a good BFF.

I'm becoming quite the microwave cooker. Last night I nuked mustard greens.





Here's what I did...

I thinly sliced half an onion and a clove of garlic and lined the glass dish with it. I put the greens on top and then about 1 cup of chicken stock. Cooked for 3 minutes on high. Took them out and stirred them. Cooked again for 3 minutes. Took them out and added about a tablespoon of Dijon and stirred that around. Cooked for another 3 minutes. Took them out, stirred a little red wine vinegar, some Kecky's Southwest Seasoning and a little salt. Cooked again for 3 minutes. Took them out, stirred them again and then cracked some pepper on the top. In again for 3 minutes and then sat for about 5. NOM!!!

Chow!

The Incredible Unedible Egg...

Project failure on my nuked hard boiled eggs. Poppy tried to crack one open. They are apparently soft boiled. Oh well.

Party-Poppy and I went out yesterday to a restaurant supply place. Like a kid in a candy store. Look, Poppy and a giant ladle!



After that, we hit an Irish Pub for some Black-n-White Pudding. NOM!!! After that we ended up at the Lexington for a few no-carb libations...which turned into a few too many for Droopy-Drunk-Kelly. Okay, not droopy drunk, but I think I sang a lot on the way home. Poppy kept telling me to drink water so I wouldn't do something nasty later. We'd brought Jax-I-Have-Issues-With-Pool-Balls-Clacking-Together with us to the bar. I'm thinking of getting her some professional help.

Happy dog:



So not happy dog:



Okay, Day 6 of the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Shoe Challenge!



I'm sure I will say this more than once, but this is another very favorite pair. I picked these up at a tack shop in Seville, Spain. Who needs to ride a horse to have horse riding shoes? Not me! These are also handmade. I like to smell them...a lot.

Happy Tuesday!

The Incredible Edible Egg...

Carnivore-Poppy and I are sick of the meat. Never thought I'd see the day; yes, even bacon! Over the last bunch of days we've had copious amounts of meat...steak, chicken, pork, salami, bacon and ham. Not just any ham either, country ham!



So today is "egg" day. You may ask yourself how those eggs are getting scrambled and hard boiled given I don't have a stove? Yep, the microwave. I've scrambled eggs in the micro before, but never hard boiled an egg. But like most things, you can find out how on that thar Innernet. The only kicker is to try not to explode one of the eggs. I was successful!

How about a few more works from Kecky's Kurb Art?

I call this one "Anne's Forgotten Ornament."



I took Jax-The-Cheese-Connesewer for a walk to the beach. I found Anne's Ornament peeking out of the bottom of the tree. So I put it to the top of the tree so Anne can have her ornament back.

Ollie-The-Owl



Saturday was what I like to call the party of the year...Amy and Charlie's Annual Bourbon Tasting Party. It's very hard to get an invitation to this party. Once you're in though, it's hard to get kicked off the list, but it has happened to two folks that I know of.

Walkie-Poppy and I live in the Sunset. Amy-n-Charlie live up by Mt. Davidson. We decided to walk to their house and then take public transport back to the house afterwards. Amy-n-Charlie are very conveniently located to the L Taraval. Anyhow, we found Ollie on our walk. Oh, took us an hour-n-a-half to get there.

Tree in El Fogo:



This was taken on our way to the Muni Station after the party of the year. And yes, we drank bourbon and it was good...also has no carbs! It's hard to make the pic out, but it's so cool. Photoshop-Poppy is going to see if she can get a better resolution on it. I'd like it framed.

Let's check in and see how the First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann Archie-Hiker Shoe Challenge is going...

Day 3:



These boots are one of my favorite children. I know, I'm not supposed to play favorites, but like you're own children, there's one that just stands out. I know you'll deny it, but both you and I know it's true!

Cowgirl-Poppy, Friend-Tank-Girl and I went to the Grand National Rodeo at the Cow Palace some years ago. They had lots of vendors selling belts, boots, dead animal skins, etc. I happened upon these beauties. They're made by Ariat and are made from oink oink skin. They were on sale from $40 something down to $20. How could I possibly resist? Do you find it odd that I can remember everything about my shoes? I don't.

Day 4:



Not much to tell about these hikers. I saw them on sale at Landsend.com. I liked the green color so they were welcomed to the fold.

Day 5:



These are one my children that I thought about giving up for adoption, but couldn't. Some years back, I did spend a lot of time on BFF-Crin and her Hoosband-John's boat. Fun times too! These are the real deal boating shoes...even bought them at West Marine but that was long after my boating days. But Laid-Back-Poppy loves the boat shoe for the summer so I had to have them cause I want to be just like Fashion-Trend-Setting-Poppy. They will be perfect for when we go island hopping...I'm just not sure when that will be.

I'm trying to wear my less stylish shoes on the weekend, which is why I am sporting my boating shoes in my weekend work outfit. Although, technically it's not the weekend, except Holiday-Poppy and I have today off thanks to Martin Luther King, Jr.

This is also a national day of volunteering, but really, what's in for me? Speaking of, I actually know someone who "volunteered" on MLK day and then put it on the timesheet and got paid. This is one of the same folks that has been black-listed from Amy-n-Charlie's Bourbon Party. Oh Snap!! (See, I know hip lingo.)

What else...Oh, took Dad on Friday for an appointment with the Audiologist. It was all going well until he started flirting with the 12 year-old doctor. One of the few times in my life I was left speechless. But the good news is, he's a prime candidate for hearing aides. He's been wearing one of those As-Seen-On-Tv amplifier things that looks like fake bluetooth. This will be much better for him. Unfortunately, it requires a series of many appointments to get the things fine tuned. It's almost like he's just like the Bionic Woman, Jammie Summers. But if that means we don't have to yell or have him get all irritated cause he can't hear us, it's worth it.

Sometimes Poppy and I will have conversations about people we think are attractive. Things like "I wouldn't kick her out of bed" or "Do you want to be her or be with her?" are said. In Dad's case, I think he'd like to be with Jammie Summers!

Well, Poppy has spent a lot of time in her spending-chair this weekend. That means, by next week all that she has ordered will show up at my Seester-n-Bro-In-Law's house. We can't have stuff delivered to our work cause it's a violation of the Standard of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. So mi familia has graciously offered to be our dumping ground of all we purchase.

Okay, I'm out. (More hip lingo.)

What's your sign?

Now that our Zodiac signs have changed, I'm afraid that Used-To-Be-Love-Of-My-Life-Poppy and I are no longer combatible...I mean compatible. So, after I get my Archie-Hikers, I'll be kicking her to the curb.

Gosh, that reminds me of a story...I try not to talk about religion or politics on the blog cause who wants to hear about that? But this is fun...Seester and I were brought up in a very religious environment. We were Lutherans. Well, I was Lutheran; Seester may very well still be. Dad now considers himself a Baptist. I can't remember why, I think he said the Baptists were more fun.

Growing up, it was considered the work of the Devil if you read your horoscope or played with, or even looked at a Ouija Board. But speaking in tongues was considered being touched by the hand of God; not the right hand, mind you cause he did other things with his right hand...wink, wink, nudge, nudge...say no more. Although they upgraded that tongue thing over the years and now it's considered the work of the El Diablo.

I remember going to friend's house who had the Ouija Board and secretly playing with that Ouija Board. Why, why, why did that little thing your fingers were resting on ALWAYS move?!

By the time nightfall would roll around and it would be time for bed, I'd be so nervous and wrought with guilt that I'd be on my knees praying to the Almighty for forgiveness.

My Mom had this 3-D picture of Jesus that sat on the Hi-Fi (what a crack up) cabinet. It was in a cheap gold metal frame. It had a light that would illuminate 3-D Jesus. But the best part was when you walked back and forth from 3-D Jesus, the picture would change to 3-D Last Supper. Man, I still wish we had that!

Hey, that's weird, there's smoke coming out of my computer!

Uh oh, this is reminding me of more stories. Sorry, gotta let them out...Seester and I were part of our church's youth group, The God Squad. Stop laughing! Why we even had t-shirts that said "God Squad" with a big cross on them. Sure wish I still had that shirt.

Anyway, one time we went on some bus trip to some religious I-don't-know-what in Spokane, Washington. (Seester, no telling the farting story either!) Now the big thing back then (the 70's) in our give-everyone-a-warm-fuzzy-evangelical-church was to be born again. I'm not sure what that meant exactly, cause I was maybe 10, but I knew if I wasn't born again, I wasn't getting through no pearly gates.

I recall we went to some sort of seminar thing where there were lots of people all sitting in bleachers and some guy on the stage was proselytising. I remember crying because I was so wracked with guilt about not being born again. But at the time, I thought I was filled with that Holy Spirit so I started waving my arms back and forth and all that other stuff you do when you're overcome by the Lord-Your-God. I remember looking at my Mom and she was so happy...her daughter would definitely be going to heaven. Holy shite, how messed up is that?



I also remember having a migraine headache (wonder why?) and barfing outside of The Old Spaghetti Factory. Go figure.

I don't know why I've tried to block out my childhood.

Alrighy, how about day two of The First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann's Archie-Hiker Shoe Challenge?

Here the are:



Yep, these are the real deal. Chippewa motorcycle boots. Why do I own these? That's right, I used to ride a motorcycle. In fact, Biker-Poppy and I used to have a great time taking road trips up through the Sierra's stopping at every winery. Of course we spit when we tasted...Duh!

I used to be the almost proud owner of a 2004 BMW R1150R. I called it my trick-bike because on several occasions, when I would take off from a stopped position, the engine would die and I'd fall boom-boom and so would my 450lb bike. Yeah, bruise city.

Even though I was a seasoned rider, the bike was German and different from any of the Japanese bikes I'd ridden. That was mostly due to the riding position so really had nothing to do with my skill. Nonetheless, I started to question my ability as a seasoned rider. I had to go so far as to buy engine guards (aka, bumpers) so when I dropped it, I wouldn't keep marring engine covers.

Well, months went buy; maybe even a year. It started to become a joke how many times I dropped that bike. Then I got a recall notice from BMW that said there was a wiring glitch that could cause a short and the engine could cut out without warning. Brought it in for the recall and never dropped it again. Confidence Restored!



Remember Biker-Poppy and I bought Stella-4T Scooters last summer and they were returned to the factory in India to fix some stupid thing required by EPA? Word on the street is that we'll have them in February. I ain't holding my breath though.

Picture this...If Fatass and LuvBacon get down to their old riding weight, you'll be seeing those bad-ass' on their scooters all dressed in their motorcycle boots, chaps and leather jackets. Don't mess with them!

Have a great weekend!

I sure hope you're sitting down...

On the way to work this morning, while I was talking about shoes, my true-love-Poppy came up with a challenge.

Here it is...I am to photograph each pair of my babies and send her the photo. She then catelogs each photo. I then have to wear each and everyone one of them once and send her a picture of them on my feets. I can only wear one pair per day. This doesn't apply to athletic (cleats and bike shoes) or slippers. I am allowed to give any neglected children up for adoption before the games begin. Mi-Poppy will check off each pair that I wear from her catelog. Once I complete this challenge, I'll get my Archi-Hikers, size 7 in Spice! Of course, I'll be taking you with me on this daily shoe odyssey. I don't want you to miss a minute! I will also tell you the story behind each and every one of my children.

As for giving up any of my babies for adoption, I have one pair in mind but really, it's like cutting off one of my arms. I don't think I can do it.

So let's begin with day one of The First Annual 2011 Imelda Dallmann's Archie-Hiker Shoe Challenge:

As you might guess, Depression-Era-Poppy just loves going to the thrift store. One day we were in the Mission and stopped into one of Thrift-Shoppy-Poppy's favorites. She was looking at the shoes and spotted these:



Wouldn't you know, they fit Imelda's foot perfect! So, for $8.00, they were given a new home. There is no name on these boots, but there are some initials. So I looked them up and it would appear that they are basic industrial work shoe. The are ANSI certified protective footwear. They have steel toes and if I happen to walk into an electrically-charged puddle of water, I won't get electrocuted. How cool is that?!

All I can say is Imelda Dallmann is on cloud 9.

Let's move on to last night's dinner. Since we're doing the meatetarian diet, last night was steak and salad. South-American-Poppy wanted a chimichurri sauce for her steak so we made one and was it NOM!

It's basically an Argentinian pesto. This is the parsley, garlic and oregano.



This is the finished product:



This is what you put that chimichurri on:



Now, I don't want you to think that I ate all that steak. Fatass and LuvBacon, begged us but we said "No!" We each only ate half and will have the other half tonight.

Here's the recipe. It's courtesy of SimpleRecipes.com:

Chimichurri Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems
3-4 garlic cloves
2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Method

1 Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.

2 Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.

Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.

Fatass and LuvBacon are still waiting for the pounds to start dripping off. Everyday, Fatass wakes up hoping to be a sin Fwench woman, but so far, she's not. There's always tomorrow tomorrow!

Let's move on. I'm thinking of starting a new series called "Kecky's Kurb Art". This is my first submission. I call him Scary Santa:



Yeah, I know, pretty sick and twisted but we live in a pretty sick and twisted world.

Have a great day!