Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Check out who is in the current addition of Ultimate Magazine!!!

Yep, that's Nephew-Lucas!  How cool is that?  If only he could get paid to play!

Well, October 31st is Poppy and my 9th anniversary.  A very thoughtful Poppy started the celebration early...

Dia De Los Gigantes!  The likeness is our favorite, Sergio Romo.

Then, when I opened the cabinet this morning to get a glass, look at what tried to kill me:

Actually, for a minkey, he's really cute! His name is Tricks.

Yesterday, we had the Donner-Maes over for a BBQ and slide show of the Shasta trip.  Porky-Poppy did her famous ribs and chicken.  I made beans and BBQ sauce and the rest of the girls brought sides and dessert.  We had a feast!

I took some before pics, but then nothing after that...

The cooker:

Feng-Shui-Poppy setting up the seating:

And Jax, resting up for the evening's events:

That's all I got...

It's Bye Bye Baby!

I know some of you will remember this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_jopBXcbxk

Since last night was an off night for our Giants, I consulted with Seester and suggested that since it was an off night that I could repaint my nails...and she agreed!

Before:

After:

Enjoy your weekend!

Cold, Schmold...Let's go Giants!

They need to sweep this series cause I can't take much more of my trailer-trash-looking nails...

 

 

So, in the veggie box we had an acorn squash and some fingerling potatoes...so I cubed them and rough chopped an onion and to that 3 peeled gloves of garlic.  Roasted all of it on a baking sheet at 400 until soft, then I mashed them with some warm milk and melted butter; sauteed some kale and served it along side my favorite bockwursts.  Looks like "baby couldn't help it" all over the plate but so NOM!

 

Chow!

Cold, Day Three...

This is annoying.  Not just that, but I had to get my sick fatass to work today.  Payroll and my shift at the front desk.  Still not feeling great and then, then...after I got out of the shower I was minding my own business (well, taking care of business) when I feel this weird kind of pulling sensation going down my neck down my shoulder blade and then the pain started and is still there.  I think there's a knot about the size of a golf ball somewhere around my trapezius or my sternocleidomastoid.  Bites!

So the Giants' are headed to the world series.  Everyone is so into it...

Yep, even Jax!

Recall, I had my fingernails and toenails painted Giants orange.  At the time, the Giants needed to win a game to stay in it...and they did, so now, according to Seester,  I can't repaint my nails!

The paint is starting to chip.  It's going to be another week, before I can take this off.  Not only that, I-Bleed-Orange-Poppy said she's going to wear her orange undies until they take the series.  Ack!

Go Gigantes!

Cold, Day Two...

I'm getting really bored now.  I did manage to take the dog for a walk and go buy a few provisions.

Kodochrome-Poppy continues her project. As of this moment, the slide show froze up on her. Last time this happened she ended up losing all of it and starting from scratch.  If Other-Mutha ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

Well, last night's dinner was another award winner (in my mind, at least).

The beans, sweet potato fries, onion and beets came from the veggie box.  That very large piece of cow is a beef rib steak.  It's really amazing how different grass-fed beef tastes to grain-feed beef. 

For the fries and onions, I tossed them with olive oil, salt-n-pepper and about a teaspoon of red wine vinegar.  Cook 'em at 375 for about 45 minutes.  The beans I boil with salt until tender.  Then toss with 3 chopped cloves of garlic, olive oil and salt-n-pepper.  The beets were also tossed w/olive oil s-n-p.  The steak gets a dry rub of Kecky's Steak Shake and Grill-Masta-Poppy takes care of that.

Tonight will be the same only I'm going to saute the rest of those damn Gypsy peppers with onions and an assortment of mushrooms.

After dinner, we had a guest from the garage...

Not bad for 18!  Thing is, it takes a lot for her to come up stairs and stay for a while cause she hates Roger and lives in fear of being attacked by her.  But once she's up here and relaxes, she loves it.  So much so that in the wee hours of the morning, she comes in through the doggie door, stands at the bottom of the steps and ME-OWS really loud.

Okay, another shot of our strange little dog:

Well, at least she's entertaining as well as, cute!

Hope you had a good weekend. Stay dry!

What do you do when you have a cold and a fridge full of veggies?

You find things to do with them, that's what.  I had a large bag of the Gypsy Peppers so I pickled them.  I have no idea how they will come out.  I used pickling spices and three different kinds of vinegar cause I only had one cup of white wine vinegar...so, I added cider vinegar and sherry vinegar.  Recipe called for a stalk of celery.  Got lots of veggies, but no celery so I substituted some beet greens.  We'll see what happens in 8 days.

Speaking of beets...In the box were some Chiogga beets.

If I weren't sick, I'd go to the store and get some goat cheese.

You'd think that Picture-Poppy would go to the store for me, but she's engrossed in making a slide show of all the Donner-Mae's pictures from Shasta.  They'll be coming over next weekend for the show.  Even if I begged, I don't think she'd do it.  All I hear over there is "Damn it why aren't these pictures in order?!"  Lots of heavy sighing too.

Florance-Poppygale did bring me some soup last night.  Very sweet!  Well, we ordered Chinese so all she had to do was put it in a cup, stick a spoon in it and hand it to me.  It's the little things...

Okay, next up: a bunch of Kale.  I decided to do the recipe in the veggie box which was Kale Chips.

Pretty! Not sure I like them and I don't think I'd make them again.  Whatever.

So last night, Salt-N-Pepper-Porkchop-Poppy and I were sitting on the couch after our Chinese take-out.  Poppy says "Look!" I look over and this is what I see:

She's just not a normal dog.  What dog sits like that?  Not just that, but notice how she's daintily covering her lady-bits.  If she could talk, I wonder what she would say to us?  Let's see...

Treat, now!
Why do you laugh at me all the time?
Why do you leave me home alone so much? I don't like it.
Can you send that fuzzy black thing you call "Roger" somewhere else. I don't like her; she scares me.
Treat, now!
I like the other fuzzy thing in the garage, the one you call "Meeko".  Her butt smells really good.
Why is Other-Mother on her computer all the time?
Why do you stare at that big black box all the time?
Can I have a baby brother?
If you loved me, you'd take off all your clothes...
Treat, NOW, GODDAMN-IT!

Hmmm.

Later.

They say it's your birthday...

Yep, 18 years ago today, Seester was born...Okay, it was a few more years than that, but who's counting?  As usual, FMM-Laurie and I took Seester to A16 for lunch.  We always sit at the Chef's Counter.  Why?  Because there's a show to go along with lunch.  This is where they breakdown any meaty bits for the dinner service.  Today it was piggy...

 

We watched this young man (just a little older than Seester, I think) break down this whole side of pig.  Very, very cool!  Seester and FFM-Laurie were a little bothered because the piggy had teets.  Didn't bawda me!  The girls ordered a pizza and the burrata/prosciutto plate.  I had the chicory salad and the rabbit sausage.  NOM!  I asked the girls if they wanted a bite of Thumper, but they didn't want nothing to do with that.

As we were leaving, we said thank you to the chef's for the wonderful lunch show and they wished Seester a happy birthday.  Very nice...

To be continued...

I'm back and two days have passed since the day of Seester's birth.  We had some fun last night after work...

First, time for the Seester's to have mani/pedi and because our Gigantes are having a rough time:

GO GIANTS!

I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd say those were the hands of a zombie but they're not, they're mine.

Then we went to Nick's for dinner.  I grossed Seester out and got the chicken livers.  She had the Beefeater.  It's a take on a French Dip only on sourdough bread w/Swiss cheese.  Seester couldn't finish it so lookie what I just had for breakfast!

Now, if you think about it, it's really just meaty French toast.  Freakin infinity NOM!

So that's the end of Seester's 32nd birthday celebration.  Much fun was had!

Shout out to Nephew-Lucas' GF, Kelly (I know, kind of confusing and we look just like each other too), she and Nephew brought baked Ziti for Seester's birthday dinner.  I had a sample last night...Seriously NOM.  Nephew best watch his P's and Q's cause Niece-Kelly is a keeper and not just because she can cook.  She's a nurse too and a looker to boot.  Say, she's a nurse...that means I might have to kick BK's daughter's Sydney and Annie to the old-age curb.  That would be wrong though...they can be my traveling caretaker-companions!  Win, win I'd say...

Aw...

Say, remember a week ago yesterday I had my carpal tunnel surgery?  Well, guess what I got to do today?

 

I got to take out my stitches...Just like last time, only this time they gave me a suture removal kit.  How cool is that?  I was wondering how much those scissors and forceps cost so I consulted my Internets...they're about $10 each!  Cool.  I think the total for surgery on both hands was $15.  I love me some Kaiser!



So check it out after one week:

Pretty amazing, I'd say and all symptoms vanished right after the surgery.

Mama happy!

Have a great weekend!

It's Carpal Tunnel Time Again...

Yep, had me a little surgery on Thursday. Here's my Frankenhand:

Think that ought to do it for all my hand and wrist problems and injuries.  Seester said to me the other day "I've never known someone who has so much done to their hands."  Me edda!

I've not been writing of late, but I have been cooking and eating.  Here's what I've been up too...

You know we've been getting that veggie box, so it's a challenge to find things to cook.  Last week, we got a sugar pie pumpkin so I made sugar pumpkin pie beef stew:

It was tasty, but my Worst-Food-Critic and I agreed that the pumpkin didn't add much to the stew.

Okay, now for the good stuff...We have grass fed burger meat and some recently acquired grass feed lamb burger meat.  So I mixed them together, added plenty of Worcestershire and Kecky's burger seasoning and Propane-Poppy grilled them up. I sauteed some onion and peppers for the burger. I made a little sauce of sour cream, a touch of mayo, some whole-grain mustard and salt/pepper.   Also, got some arugula in the veggie box, along with some beets so I made a salad of arugula and beet greens.  Oh and some Nantes (who is Nantes anyway?) carrots on the salad too.

Seriously NOM!

Did you know if you go to Denny's you can build your own burger?  Yeah, they give you a little form to fill out.  Oh so NOMMY...come to Mama!  Behold Kecky's Primal Patty:

It's two patties with Swiss cheese (okay, extra Swiss), lettuce, tomato, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed onion, mayo and pickle. Oh alright...and a fried egg on top!  Eating primal is good!

Okay, how about another episode of "My New Office"!

I knew it was just a matter of time before I'd have to print a letter and an envelope.  In fact, I live in fear of it now.  Since I had to take two days off for the carpal surgery I stuck labels on the printer showing how to print on letterhead.  I couldn't possibly show someone how to print an envelope cause there are just way to many steps for that.  I had to send them back to old school handwriting.  I'm thinking of buying an electric typewriter!

Okay, so I printed the letter without a problem.  Now it was time for the envelope. I did it the way the Magic-Xerox-Guy did it, but no luck.  Kept getting the error about needing "job resources" the resource it needed was paper.  But I had paper...an envelope just waiting to be printed.  Not just that, it doesn't let you correct the error, you have to delete the print job.  After about 10 more seriously frustrating attempts (I'm sure at this point BK thinks I'm a raving loony), I decided to go pay a vissy to FFM-Laurie so she could give me a refresher, even though I know I'm doing it right.

Upon arriving at her workstation and asking her how she prints an envelope, she replied "I'm not sure, evidently, you need to be a magician".  There's that sinking feeling again.  So, she went through the same exact steps that I had done before.  I guess the Xerox-Gods were shining down upon her because it worked.  Just one glitch though...these printers run so hot, it seals the envelope before it spits it out...

How professional looking is that?  It's not!  I'm embarrassed to send something out looking like this.  I had to put adhesive tape all over it just to get it shut.  Still better than my messy handwriting on the envelope.

I can't tell you how irritating this is given my work ethic.  I can't believe that I'm sending stuff out looking like this!  We are in a three year contract with these Xerox folks and nobody wants to fight to get these crappy machines switched out.  Seriously, I'm thinking of going back to carbons and my old IBM Selectric.  I can just about hear the little bell ringing that tells me I need to hit "return".

Ebay has a vintage one for $319!

Suddenly, I feel vintagely old!

Well, it's a lovely weekend time to go enjoy it!

What's for dinner?

Where's-The-Beef-Poppy made some brisket some weeks back.  We had leftovers in the freezer.  I had made some roasted broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potatoes the other night.  Friend-Stoney-Mae gave us some of her homegrown tomatoes...so I got to thinking...Brisket Tacos!  Just happened to have some tortillas in the freezer too.  Added a chopped onion to the mix and some chili sour cream and there you go:

Most tasty-nom!

Say, how about we check in on My-New-Old-Office...I'm curious, what is it about a person who when you ask a question or need some guidance, they just won't cooperate?  I had a most frustrating exchange with someone...let's call her Feline.  Evidently, I submitted some paperwork that wasn't quite right.  Feline sent me an email telling me it was wrong, but in this really vague way.  So, FFM and I revisit the calculations and we just couldn't figure it out.  After four more frustrating emails with Feline and my trying to guess what I did wrong, she finally sent me an email that said one of my guesses was right and that if I had any more questions on this, I needed to call Feline cause she didn't want to keep doing this back and forth.

Yeah, that's what I looked like.  I just don't understand unhelpful people!

Remember my Stupid-Machine?  Well, I finally got tired of telling everyone when it was working or not so I've resorted to a sign system:

Yeah, happy face or sick face.  Not sure if you can see the yellow tag towards the top that says "Kernel".  That's Stupid-Machine's new name.  Why you ask?  Because one of the last errors I received said "Kernel has made an illegal application."

That's all I got.