Happy New Years!

@ http://sweetpeasurry.wordpress.com

Who doesn't love diamonds?

Who doesn't love diamonds.

This givaway by Braja.

I'll be back soon with a regular post!

(odd ... it seems the link works ... but the image doesn't ... that's really not a shocker with my blog though!)

I'd like to inform ya'll that I am migrating to Wordpress and my new link is Http://sweetpeasurry.wordpress.com

Thanks for playing!!!

Sleepy Potato Latke's in a Snowbank

Okay ... so I have a fair few updates to give you, which is why I'm actually writing a full post. As my regular followers know, my schedule does not follow the 1960's model of Monday-Friday, 9-5. I am, in fact, working Wednesday - Sunday 11pm-7am, and even that changes from time to time. So ... armed with that knowledge ... on with the adventures in driving story.

On Wednesday night, I was heading into work, through the snow and the muck. Hmm ... for those of you who don't know ... here in Omaha NE we got around a foot of snow Tuesday night. So I'm tooling down the road, I hit the on ramp for the expressway and halfway down the ramp I spun out. Now, mind you, I have a 4x4; it's a baby 4x4 ... but still. However ... when I landed front wheels into an embankment of snow, I was unable to push, pull or prod my little Suki truck out. I was thinking to myself ... 'hell's bells, I'm gonna need to call my dad and have him come out in the cold'.

Alas and luckily some VERY excellent sameritans stopped to help. One of these fine fine people had a truck with a winch and pulled my little Suki truck right out!!! Oh good times. Adventures abound. Needless to say I was tense and on the verge of an anxiety attack the entire rest of the way to work. I did get there, without further incident.

I have been pretty blessed and have avoided being sick this fall and winter flu season. *knocks wood* However, this evening (after my evening nap before work) I woke up achy from head to foot. I'm hoping it subsides after a good and fair amount of sleep.

Speaking of sleep, mah doggies do not let me sleep more than 4 hours at a time. (Which has likely contributed to my illness here folks!) Saturday morning when I get home ... I'm playing with them for an hour, locking them back in the kitchen and closing my bedroom door to sleep for at LEAST 6 hours straight. I must do this, sorry pooches!!!

Another note on the Pooches ... Kadee is a loverly doggy ... Sookie can now be renamed 'destructo'. Oh yeah ... if there's a scrap of paper or plastic somewhere ... ANYWHERE ... she'll find it ... and rip it to shreds. My vacuum is getting a workout.

On a final note, I do believe I'm going to take some photography classes at the local community college this coming spring. Hopefully, you'll be seeing more original photos from yours truly. I'll keep you up to date on all that.

Now, I'm going to crawl under my desk and take a nap, do not disturb.

ஜ~§Quote Of The Day§~ஜ

It is by the fortune of God that, in this country, we have three benefits: freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and the wisdom never to use either.
Mark Twain

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

What’s your favorite movie quote of all time?

My favorite? It's still, "Yipee ki ay, Mother F*&$er" Gotta love Die Hard.

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Lentiginous

PRONUNCIATION:
(len-TIJ-uh-nuhs)

MEANING:
adjective: Covered with freckles.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin lentiginosus (freckled), from lentigo (freckle), from lens (lentil).

USAGE:
"I realised that my freckly Celtic complexion wasn't a curse I had to endure for life, and my offensively lentiginous skin could be smoothed into picture-perfect ivory."

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

Archaic Torso of Apollo

We cannot know his legendary head
with eyes like ripening fruit. And yet his torso
is still suffused with brilliance from inside,
like a lamp, in which his gaze, now turned to low,

gleams in all its power. Otherwise
the curved breast could not dazzle you so, nor could
a smile run through the placid hips and thighs
to that dark center where procreation flared.

Otherwise this stone would seem defaced
beneath the translucent cascade of the shoulders
and would not glisten like a wild beast’s fur:

would not, from all the borders of itself,
burst like a star: for here there is no place
that does not see you. You must change your life.

Rainer Maria Rilke

ஜ~§Recipe Of The Day§~ஜ

Tasty Potato Latkes



Typically served for Hanukkah, latkes are a traditional side dish beloved by people inside and outside the Jewish culture. Grated potatoes are held together with an egg liason and fried for a crispy potato cake made silky from the olive oil. Non-dairy sour cream keeps this dish kosher, but if that's not part of your tradition, try this cake topped with real sour cream or with plain yogurt. Latkes are a crowd-pleasing side dish, but they also make a delicious base for appetizer dips and spreads.

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cloves garlic (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Non-dairy sour cream

Directions:

Peel and finely shred potatoes. In a mixing bowl combine potatoes with olive oil, eggs,garlic (if desired), and salt. Using 1/3 cup mixture for each latke, press mixture into patties about the size of the palm of your hand, squeezing out excess liquid.
In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Carefully slide patties into hot oil.
Cook over medium-high heat about 2 minutes or until latkes are golden brown, turning once.
Repeat with remaining batter. Add cooking additional oil during cooking, as needed.
If necessary, reduce heat to medium to prevent overbrowning. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Serve with non-dairy sour cream, if desired. Makes about 10 latkes. (Nutrition information is given per latke plus 1 teaspoon non-dairy sour cream.)

Brightest Blessings,
~Surry~

The Holidays

Okay … so the Holidays are upon us.  You might have noticed, I haven’t been blogging much.  Honestly, it’s not that I’m so busy … but I am highly addicted to Facebook games at the moment. 

I know I know … I’m sort of a dork.  I am however, doing things for the holiday too, got my tree up, got some presents and wrapped them.  So it’s not all FB all the time.

I actually only have a few more things to pick up and wrap for Christmas and then I’ll be done. 

I’m planning on being back more regularly after the first of the year, until then my blogs will be pretty sporadic. 

In the meantime, a short tug-o-war video for you.

I’m thinking I probably should have put it to music. 

Testing 1 2 3

I’m testing out windows live writer, to see what it does on my bloggy blog … YAY!!!

Oh … super easy to add piccies!

I think I’m diggin’ this!

My President, always on TV

Sometimes it's hard to be human
Sometimes you have to have empathy

But not always

My President doesn't have to be on TV all the time!!!

Could he be doing something better? Like LEADING the country? YES he could!!!

Some Canine Kid shots ~ edit

Hah ... I got them playing tug!!!!

Napping together, earlier I had missed a shot of them playing tug with the rope. I need to be quicker on the draw. Plus my camera is SUPER DUPER slow!


Here are Kadee and Sookie waking up from naptime!

More of the two of them, playing with their respective toys, atop my 'big dog' jammies!

Ode to Sookie, Kadee and Solitude

Hullo folksies and bloggers and whatsiwhositers!!! How's your weekend going so far? Mine was pretty fantastic!!! I have Thursdays and Fridays off ... so the beginning of my workweek is Saturday at 11pm. Really not too shabby but there's always something wrong with starting your week on a Saturday. *sighs*

Such is life when you live in a world that's 24/7/365!!! I know you all are happy for your produce, pampers, scott towels and such ... which is why I LOVE to come to work on the weekends!!!

I'm so freakin' pleased that I've installed Windows 7, I can't even begin to tell you how much better it is than Vista!!! I love love love it!!! *end gush*

My kidlets were pretty playful this weekend. I got a couple of shots of them ... but they were rather supine at the time. Hehe!!

Sleepy Sookie Bear sleepin' on da bed

Kadee Belle Burrowing in da laundry basket

I have no more news ... so here's a bit of a funny for ya ... and then on with the show!

What is Generation Y? I've wondered this myself... Now I know.

- The Silent generation , people born before 1946.

- The Baby Boomers , people born between 1946 and 1959.

- Generation X , people born between 1960 and 1979.

- Generation Y , people born between 1980 and 2009

Why do we call the last one generation Y? I did not know, but a cartoonist explains it eloquently below...Learned something new today!

ஜ~§Quote Of The Day§~ஜ

Come to the edge, he said. They said: We are afraid. Come to the edge, he said. They came. He pushed them, And they flew...
Guillaume Apollinaire

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

If you could go back in time to another decade, which decade would you choose and why? Would you want to return or stay there? What if you could bring one other person with you?

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Nihilarian

PRONUNCIATION:
(nih-i-LAR-ee-uhn)

MEANING:
noun: One who does useless work.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin nihil (nothing).

USAGE:
"You may find yourself worrying that you're turning into a nihilarian."

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

Ode on Solitude

Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,
In his own ground.

Whose heards with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire,
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.

Blest! who can unconcern'dly find
Hours, days, and years slide soft away,
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,

Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mix'd; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please,
With meditation.

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me dye;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lye.

Alexander Pope

ஜ~§Recipe Of The Day§~ஜ

Stuffed Shells w/ Arrabbiata Sauce



Ingredients:
12 ounces (1 box) jumbo pasta shells (approximately 36 shells)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing baking sheet
6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, diced
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups marinara sauce
2 (15-ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
Lightly oil a 12 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside. Lightly oil the baking sheet and set aside.

Partially cook the pasta shells in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly tender but still quite firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. You will continue cooking the shells in the oven after they have been stuffed. Using a slotted spoon, drain pasta shells and place on oiled baking sheet, spreading them out so that they don't stick together and allow to cool.

Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often.

In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolks, basil, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spoon 1 1/4 cups of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons per shell. Arrange the shells in the prepared dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the mozzarella.

Bake in the lower third of your oven until the filling is heated through and the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Brightest Blessings,
~Surry~

Sookie the Terrorist of V-Day

I really am around folksies ... AND I have some excellent news too!!! I finally upgraded my home laptop to Win7 and it's speedy fast now. What does that mean, you ask? It means that I can read and comment on blogs from home now. I can upload piccies and whatnot too. I can do a lot more on blogger than I could ever do before!!! WOOT WOOT!!! I love that!

Other than that ... I have been reading your blogs. I haven't really felt very good the last few days, sort of addled in the brain due to sinusitis ... so nothing clever is coming to mind.

I'll tell ya a little bit about Sookie and Kadee though. Sookie of course always wants to play ... and sometimes Kadee does and sometimes she doesn't. Kadee backs herself into a corner and Sookie won't let her out. I've resorted to using the water torture method for curbing this behavior. Sookie is now shooting me quizzical looks at this new phenomenon!

However, on Tuesday night ... the two of them were tearing after eachother through the apartment ... Kadee was chasing Sookie, it was good to see.

I was a bit afraid that Kadee would feel tortured yet again by another dog. (The reason she was at the shelter was because her original owners had her and her sibling. Kadee's sibling was a bully, and Kadee isn't very good at sticking up for herself)

My food plan is a bit shot again because of my schedule change, but I'll get back on track with that next week. I'm maintaining the loss I've had though, and being sick this week will probably help a bit too. *winks*

I will be settling in on my Sunday Book Stroll and I'll be doing that once a month. Probably the last Sunday of every month. I'll give you notice before it goes up though. The next one will be on The Lovely Bones

I'm going to be super sleepy Wednesday morning (I'm writing this on Tuesday but you'll probably be reading this Wednesday night so this will be in the past tense then. I sort of feel like I'm Hiro from Heroes ... travelling through time and such)

I only got four hours of sleep today, owing to the fact that I had to pick up my pc, get on the horn to the cable company, and then reformat my harddrive. Which by the way is EASY PEASY LEMON SQEEZY with Win7. Win7 is my NEW best friend!!!

That's all ... on we go with some other stuff ... *sneezes and sniffles*

I'd like to extend a special thanks to all of our veterans. Thanks so much for ensuring our freedom. It's certainly more than our government does for us! Bless You!

ஜ~§Quote Of The Day§~ஜ

All blame is a waste of time. No matter how much fault you find with another, and regardless of how much you blame him, it will not change you
Wayne Dyer

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

If you had one night left to live, what would you do? Would you prefer to spend your final night with a loved one or alone? What would you choose for your last meal?

(wow this one is kind of morbid!!!)

If I had one night left to live ... I'd spend a little time with my family ... and a lot of time getting it on with someone ... really ... nearly anyone would do! LOL

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Daymare

PRONUNCIATION:
(DAY-mayr)

MEANING:
noun: A terrifying experience, similar to a nightmare, felt while awake.

ETYMOLOGY:
Coined after nightmare, from a combination of day + mare (an evil spirit believed to produce nightmares). Ultimately from the Indo-European root mer- (to rub away or to harm) that is also the source of mordant, amaranth, morbid, mortal, mortgage, ambrosia, and nightmare.

USAGE:
"Reports like these give me a deep and sickening feeling, somewhere between a daymare and deja vu."

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

Will V-Day Be Me-Day Too?

Over There,
World War II.

Dear Fellow Americans,
I write this letter
Hoping times will be better
When this war
Is through.
I'm a Tan-skinned Yank
Driving a tank.
I ask, WILL V-DAY
BE ME-DAY, TOO?

I wear a U. S. uniform.
I've done the enemy much harm,
I've driven back
The Germans and the Japs,
From Burma to the Rhine.
On every battle line,
I've dropped defeat
Into the Fascists' laps.

I am a Negro American
Out to defend my land
Army, Navy, Air Corps--
I am there.
I take munitions through,
I fight--or stevedore, too.
I face death the same as you do
Everywhere.

I've seen my buddy lying
Where he fell.
I've watched him dying
I promised him that I would try
To make our land a land
Where his son could be a man--
And there'd be no Jim Crow birds
Left in our sky.

So this is what I want to know:
When we see Victory's glow,
Will you still let old Jim Crow
Hold me back?
When all those foreign folks who've waited--
Italians, Chinese, Danes--are liberated.
Will I still be ill-fated
Because I'm black?

Here in my own, my native land,
Will the Jim Crow laws still stand?
Will Dixie lynch me still
When I return?
Or will you comrades in arms
From the factories and the farms,
Have learned what this war
Was fought for us to learn?

When I take off my uniform,
Will I be safe from harm--
Or will you do me
As the Germans did the Jews?
When I've helped this world to save,
Shall I still be color's slave?
Or will Victory change
Your antiquated views?

You can't say I didn't fight
To smash the Fascists' might.
You can't say I wasn't with you
in each battle.
As a soldier, and a friend.
When this war comes to an end,
Will you herd me in a Jim Crow car
Like cattle?

Or will you stand up like a man
At home and take your stand
For Democracy?
That's all I ask of you.
When we lay the guns away
To celebrate
Our Victory Day
WILL V-DAY BE ME-DAY, TOO?
That's what I want to know.

Sincerely,
GI Joe.

Langston Hughes

ஜ~§Recipe Of The Day§~ஜ

Spaghetti w/ Pinot Grigio and Seafood

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cup Pinot Grigio (or other white wine)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pounds clams, washed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arugula

Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until tender but not brown. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add the wine, shrimp, and clams. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the shrimp are pink and the clams have opened, about 7 minutes.

Add the spaghetti to the seafood mixture. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the arugula. Stir gently and place on a serving platter. Serve immediately.

Brightest Blessings,
~Surry~

Hark Hark ... the new schedule is barking rediculous!

Okay ... I have a really quick funny about Sookie Bear. The other night, I was getting ready for work, and she was sitting on the edge of my bed. From her location she could see herself in the vanity mirror. She went ballistic on herself ... barking and carrying on, until I took her to the mirror. I'm not quite sure if she's gotten that she was barking at a reflection of herself. It was pretty funny thought.

I'm starting to get used to the two of them barking, I guess I had just gotten used to it being so quiet in my apartment for so long. But it's easy to fall back into ignoring the craziness that small dogs have with the barking.

Sookie is learning how to entertain herself ... and is getting to be a bit less of an attention whore. Although, I still need to pick Kadee up and give her personal snuggles so Sookie isn't always attacking us during our snuggle time.

They're both getting into the feeding and walking schedule, however with my personal schedule change, I'm not diggin on it so much ... heh!

You know ... when I get into the swing of things ... I have my Quote, Question, Word, Poem and Recipe of the day ... I'd love it if my readers (if I still have any) would let me know if they make use of the word of the day or the recipe of the day at all. When I post the WOTD I usually try to use it in a sentence that day or the next ... sometimes it can be a challenge! Anyway ... let me know!

I'm going to be off work the next three days ... so I won't be posting again until early Monday morning ... I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!

ஜ~§Quote Of The Day§~ஜ

What a blessing it would be if we could open and shut our ears as easily as we open and shut our eyes!
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

If you could change one major thing about your life, whether a relationship, your job, your living situation, your school, etc., what would it be? Are you currently working toward a serious life transition?

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Acnestis

PRONUNCIATION:
(AK-nist-uhs)

MEANING:
noun: The part of the body where one cannot reach to scratch.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek aknestis (spine), from Ancient Greek knestis (spine, cheese-grater).

USAGE:
"In what has to be the longest post-election season in living memory, the last five months have felt like an acnestis upon our collective soul; like that little patch of skin on our backs that we just can't reach to scratch ourselves. It's irritating. It's annoying. It's left us reaching and spinning around in circles."

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

Hark! Hark! The Lark

Hark! hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings,
And Phoebus 'gins arise,
His steeds to water at those springs
On chalic'd flowers that lies;
And winking Mary-buds begin
To ope their golden eyes;
With everything that pretty is,
My lady sweet, arise:
Arise, arise!

William Shakespeare

ஜ~§Recipe Of The Day§~ஜ

Rosemary Chicken and Balsamic Ravioli

Ingredients:
Chicken:
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces each
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it, just enough to coat chicken lightly
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 tablespoons
Salt and coarse black pepper
4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin with a whack against the flat of your knife

Ravioli:
1 package, 12 to 16 ounces, fresh ravioli, any flavor filling
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls

Spinach Salad:
6 slices pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, eyeball it
1 bunch, about 10 ounces flat-leaf spinach
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for ravioli. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. Cook 8 minutes or until raviolis expand, float to top of water, and are al dente.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

When the chicken is 2 or 3 minutes away from done, heat a second skillet over medium low to medium heat. To the second skillet, add butter to the pan and let it begin to brown.

Remove chicken from the first skillet and transfer to a warm platter. In a skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits, about 2 or 3 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain and return pan to heat, reducing heat to medium. Add oil and shallots to the pan and let the shallots saute 2 minutes.

When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook a minute or 2 longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. The vinegar will become thick and syrup like. Add cheese, parsley, salt and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.

To the sauteed shallots for the spinach salad, add sugar and cook sugar with shallots 1 minute. Add vinegar to the pan, scraping up pan drippings. Add spinach to the dressing and turn to wilt and coat it evenly in sweet vinaigrette. Add crisp pancetta to the salad.

Serve chicken along side ravioli and spinach salad, all on the same dinner plate.

Brightest Blessings,
~Surry~