Not only am I addicted to various crafts now, I've found that entering Sweepstakes is my newest venture. Can this be considered a job?
Awhile back I worked with this great guy, Eric, his wife won stuff all of the time. It was amazing the things she won. It was pretty impressive.
I thought what the heck, I'm sure I can win something. I had won radio contests and a refrigerator when I lived in Paso Robles (that was eons ago).
Let's just say I don't enter religiously. I don't enter every contest. Can't see entering for something I would never use or giveaway just to have the thrill of winning. I don't want to win a trip if it doesn't include transportation. I don't enter to win skinny jeans. Come on, me and skinny jeans? I'm laughing now at the thought of it. Or just the thought of me trying to get into them. Sorry, TMI.
So far--nada, zip, nil, nothing.
The bottom line is--I would be grateful to win anything, no matter how small or how crazy. Even if I can't use it I'm sure I know someone who can.
I always tell Mike, "If you don't enter you can't win." So next time you see a contest that peaks your interest, go ahead, give it a try. Maybe you will be the next big winner of something great or something that just makes you feel good.
If you don't win, that is okay too. Why do we have family and friends? They make us winners everyday!
Ciao!
P.S. Make sure you read the official rules and remember taxes are involved.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Isosceles
Isosceles is an excellent wine from Justin Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles. Mike and I had been holding on to a few bottles. Saving them for that "Special Occasion." I guess last night was a regular evening that turned into a special occasion.
I asked him to pick a bottle of wine because I needed a cup of it for the recipe I was whipping up. Out he comes with a 1998 Isosceles. "What about this?" I'm thinking he has lost his mind. Then I got to thinking what the heck. Twelve years is a little long to have a California wine sitting around.
After opening and aerating for a tad. Mike poured a glass for both of us. I poured a cup for the recipe. Let me tell you, waiting 12 years was worth it and I do not regret for one moment that we opened this bottle. I had the urge to drink the other bottles, but I wanted to savor and remember this bottle.
Maybe everyday in some way should be a special occasion. Who says we need to go out to dinner or wait for a birthday or anniversary. By having this wine, it made the evening special and my recipe quite tasty.
I think we waste too much time waiting for a special day. Let's make everyday special. Do what you have to do to achieve something special. Nothing big; a hug, a kiss, try a new recipe, be grateful, say something nice to someone. All of these things are special and we can do them everyday.
Now back to the wine. Isosceles is a blend of 65% Cabernet Saugivnon, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 16% Merlot (unfiltered). Here is their description:
A rainy winter was followed by a cool spring. As normal summer temperatures returned, we removed leaves around the clusters for additional sun exposure. By the end of November, three to four weeks later than most years, we had harvested twelve select vineyard blocks. The long hang-time produced fruit with ripe berry aromas, balanced tannis, and acidity and a lower sugar concentration than typical years. Unusually slow extraction required a month long maceration with two to three pumpovers per day. Quarterly rackings over the 26-month 100% French Oak (35% new) barrel aging eliminated the need for filtration. Jeff Branco, Winemaker (www.justinwine.com)
If you ever get a chance to check out the Paso Robles wine region, go for it. Justin may be quite a drive, but oh so worth it. You need to spend at least four days. Don't try to go to every tasting room and winery, you won't be able to. Pick a handful, and spend the extra time getting to know the area. Here are some of our favorites: Justin, Opolo, Four Vines, Turley, Pipestone, Booker.
Oh and if you are down to Paso Robles and heading out to Justin, you can also stop at Pasolivo Olive Oil. I would be more than glad to go with you and show you around!!!
Ciao!
I asked him to pick a bottle of wine because I needed a cup of it for the recipe I was whipping up. Out he comes with a 1998 Isosceles. "What about this?" I'm thinking he has lost his mind. Then I got to thinking what the heck. Twelve years is a little long to have a California wine sitting around.
After opening and aerating for a tad. Mike poured a glass for both of us. I poured a cup for the recipe. Let me tell you, waiting 12 years was worth it and I do not regret for one moment that we opened this bottle. I had the urge to drink the other bottles, but I wanted to savor and remember this bottle.
Maybe everyday in some way should be a special occasion. Who says we need to go out to dinner or wait for a birthday or anniversary. By having this wine, it made the evening special and my recipe quite tasty.
I think we waste too much time waiting for a special day. Let's make everyday special. Do what you have to do to achieve something special. Nothing big; a hug, a kiss, try a new recipe, be grateful, say something nice to someone. All of these things are special and we can do them everyday.
Now back to the wine. Isosceles is a blend of 65% Cabernet Saugivnon, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 16% Merlot (unfiltered). Here is their description:
A rainy winter was followed by a cool spring. As normal summer temperatures returned, we removed leaves around the clusters for additional sun exposure. By the end of November, three to four weeks later than most years, we had harvested twelve select vineyard blocks. The long hang-time produced fruit with ripe berry aromas, balanced tannis, and acidity and a lower sugar concentration than typical years. Unusually slow extraction required a month long maceration with two to three pumpovers per day. Quarterly rackings over the 26-month 100% French Oak (35% new) barrel aging eliminated the need for filtration. Jeff Branco, Winemaker (www.justinwine.com)
If you ever get a chance to check out the Paso Robles wine region, go for it. Justin may be quite a drive, but oh so worth it. You need to spend at least four days. Don't try to go to every tasting room and winery, you won't be able to. Pick a handful, and spend the extra time getting to know the area. Here are some of our favorites: Justin, Opolo, Four Vines, Turley, Pipestone, Booker.
Oh and if you are down to Paso Robles and heading out to Justin, you can also stop at Pasolivo Olive Oil. I would be more than glad to go with you and show you around!!!
Ciao!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti and with the people providing assistance. This is so tragic.
My husband asked why I was crying when the pictures of Haiti were shown on last night's newscast. I tried to explain to him that I am a tad on the intuitive side and things like this are absorbed into my soul. I know this is hard for him to understand. I am like this during any tragic event. I have the feeling of extreme sadness and helplessness as do a lot of others.
Even though I am unemployed and times seem hard, these times will never be as hard as the people that struggle everyday just to survive. I have a supportive husband, a roof over my head, food and wine in my pantry, and family and friends that I can turn to in a time of need.
I wish I had the means to be in Haiti, I wish I had a pack of search and rescue dogs, I wish I had medical training. I could go on and on, but I do have the ability to pray and you have the ability to pray. Do what you can, it doesn't have to be monetary. Help your church or community center with food, blankets, clothes, etc., see what they are asking for. News channels are telling us where to donate or where help is needed most.
It is sad that even in a time like this you have to be aware of frauds, criminals, and just plain scum of the earth jumping on the bandwagon to use this disaster to their benefit. Make sure your donations are going to a legitimate entity. Be suspicious if you have never heard of a certain relief fund. And keep your fingers crossed that these people get a good knock in the head and realize they are doing the wrong thing. Unfortunately, I think that would only be in a perfect world.
This disaster is first in our minds right now, but please remember our soldiers and their families also.
Ciao!
My husband asked why I was crying when the pictures of Haiti were shown on last night's newscast. I tried to explain to him that I am a tad on the intuitive side and things like this are absorbed into my soul. I know this is hard for him to understand. I am like this during any tragic event. I have the feeling of extreme sadness and helplessness as do a lot of others.
Even though I am unemployed and times seem hard, these times will never be as hard as the people that struggle everyday just to survive. I have a supportive husband, a roof over my head, food and wine in my pantry, and family and friends that I can turn to in a time of need.
I wish I had the means to be in Haiti, I wish I had a pack of search and rescue dogs, I wish I had medical training. I could go on and on, but I do have the ability to pray and you have the ability to pray. Do what you can, it doesn't have to be monetary. Help your church or community center with food, blankets, clothes, etc., see what they are asking for. News channels are telling us where to donate or where help is needed most.
It is sad that even in a time like this you have to be aware of frauds, criminals, and just plain scum of the earth jumping on the bandwagon to use this disaster to their benefit. Make sure your donations are going to a legitimate entity. Be suspicious if you have never heard of a certain relief fund. And keep your fingers crossed that these people get a good knock in the head and realize they are doing the wrong thing. Unfortunately, I think that would only be in a perfect world.
This disaster is first in our minds right now, but please remember our soldiers and their families also.
Ciao!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Wine, Port, and Turkey Meatloaf
Well last night my math was seriously off. I was making ground turkey meatloaf. I measured out all of the other ingredients thinking (or not thinking) I had five pounds of ground turkey. WRONG! Once I had it mixed together,it was kind of soft/mushy, then is when I realized I didn't have enough turkey. Needless to say it still worked out just fine.
You would think with turkey I would want a white wine. There are no wine rules in the house. Mike picked out a Four Vines Martinelli Vineyard 2007 Zinfandel. It was yummy. Four Vines is one of our favorite wines from Paso Robles.
Here is the write up from the bottle:
Nonna Martinelli planted her vineyard in 1932. The 75-year-old, head-pruned, dry-farmed vines have survived fires, drought, and hard times. In the end two things always remained; Nonna's food and one of the best Zinfandel vineyards in Paso. The vines produce small quantities of bright and intense fruit. The wine was aged in French and American Oak for 14 months. Thanks Nonna...
I wanted something for dessert. What could we have? Ahha... exceptional, tasty, organic dark chocolate and a glass of Four Vines 2001 Zinfandel Port. Talk about yummy, this was a great dessert and hit the spot. It has just a splash of Petite Sirah, is aged in French oak barrels for twenty months.
This was a good end to a foggy, uneventful weekend. Thank you Four Vines.
Ciao!
You would think with turkey I would want a white wine. There are no wine rules in the house. Mike picked out a Four Vines Martinelli Vineyard 2007 Zinfandel. It was yummy. Four Vines is one of our favorite wines from Paso Robles.
Here is the write up from the bottle:
Nonna Martinelli planted her vineyard in 1932. The 75-year-old, head-pruned, dry-farmed vines have survived fires, drought, and hard times. In the end two things always remained; Nonna's food and one of the best Zinfandel vineyards in Paso. The vines produce small quantities of bright and intense fruit. The wine was aged in French and American Oak for 14 months. Thanks Nonna...
I wanted something for dessert. What could we have? Ahha... exceptional, tasty, organic dark chocolate and a glass of Four Vines 2001 Zinfandel Port. Talk about yummy, this was a great dessert and hit the spot. It has just a splash of Petite Sirah, is aged in French oak barrels for twenty months.
This was a good end to a foggy, uneventful weekend. Thank you Four Vines.
Ciao!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Bracelets
These are my latest beaded bracelets (I'll post a better pic later). Two are missing, those are the ones I made my mom for Christmas.
Thank you Nikia Angel and Annette Shirley for teaching me that I still love beading after all these years. Follow Nikia at www.buythekit.com, http://buythekit.blogspot.com, www.nikskits.com, http://www.etsy.com/shop/nikia. For Annette www.theholeaffair.com. The first designs (turquoise/brown and silver/black) are Nikia's designs; the last three I learned from Annette.
This is how I am not going insane while being unemployed. Although it would be nice to have money to support my bead addiction.
Ciao!
Fog, fog, fog, and binge eating
I am so done with this fog. Where is the sun? I want to go there. It makes me sad and cold. The photo is of our lovely foggy sky.
Yesterday, was a stay at home day watching a movie and the Cowboys (they are Mike's team). I finished knitting my second hat, well it looks like a hat. I need to practice more. AND, it was a horrible day of eating junk food. I haven't been eating a lot of snacks lately, maybe here and there, but yesterday was an all out binge. Ruffles and onion dip, popcorn slathered with butter, some Pillsbury appetizers, celery with peanut butter, and a large Pepsi (I haven't drank that much Pepsi in a whole month). Dessert was two Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. BTW the Pillsbury things were gross, but I still ate them.
The bottom line was I felt like crap the rest of the night and I could hardly get to sleep. I had the feeling I had washed up on a beach somewhere, maybe an elephant seal or whale. Where was my willpower? Can I blame this on the fog because it is dismal and depressing?NO!!! This is all about me. I really don't even like most of that stuff anymore, just because it makes me feel like a lard ass. So, why do we eat or do things we know are bad for us? I have asked this question many times in my life, but I don't think I ever really had an answer. Should I ask Dr. Oz, Oprah, Dr. Phil, the Doctors? Someone has to know, or will at least push their opinion on me. I think I'll see what the counselor says at my next appointment. I'll keep you posted.
Luckily, today has started out better. I had my oatmeal w/walnuts, a little brown sugar, a small (really) pat of butter, and a splash of milk along with a cup of coffee (no, I didn't put the coffee in the oatmeal). I also had one piece of bacon, which is really odd because I can eat a whole pound of it. Who can't? Well, I guess you can't if you are a vegetarian or vegan. You don't know what your are missing. Pork fat rules!! I digress.
Well, I guess I will go knit or work on some jewelry so I keep my hands busy. Can't have greasy hands when you are doing crafts. The Patriots are on, my team, and from the start of the game it was bad. Oh, well I can always hope. I am making ground turkey meatloaf tonight, with a salad, and an excellent glass of wine. I plan on sleeping better tonight.
Ciao!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Has not working helped me to find me?
Okay, I'll admit it I have been overweight most of my life. I've been on most diets with no success. Lose it, gain it back, lose it, gain it back, and on and on and on. I did crafts and sewed for years, but could not find time (or maybe I just didn't feel like it) in the last decade
I've joined gyms and I do like working out. It's the sticking with it that is a problem.
Well, since I've been unemployed (April 2009), most of the time I sat around wondering what the heck I was gonna do. I'd surf the net, watch Days of Our Lives, and feel sorry for myself.
I've worked since before I got out of high school. I will not divulge exactly when that was, but it was awhile back. I changed jobs a lot and could never figure out what I really wanted to do. It took me six months before I started thinking. "There are things I would like to do, so why in the heck am I sitting around doing nothing when I could be using my brain?" DUH!!!
One day I decided I needed to learn to knit, so I took a class, then I took a jewelry class, I went back to counseling, and yes, in November I joined a gym.
That gym is Anytime Fitness. I love it because I can go when ever I want to, 24/7/365. I work out at my own pace. There are no prima donnas or massive weight lifters, just people like me. My friend Janet goes there also. I have really noticed the difference, I've lost inches and 25 pounds. That is amazing for me. While I was working I couldn't get the motivation to do this and I'm still trying to figure how why that was (can you say "Counselor").
I made all of my Christmas presents this year and felt good about it. So do I feel that all of this happiness is due to unemployment? I would say yes as scary as it is. Now don't run out and quit your job in hopes that you miraculously start doing new things. It took not having a job and some soul searching to motivate me.
I'm sure I'll go back to work one of these days, mostly because I don't like being broke. I do know now that as long as I don't have a job I'm going to keep learning new things and maybe that will lead me to my dream job. One can always hope!
Ciao!
I've joined gyms and I do like working out. It's the sticking with it that is a problem.
Well, since I've been unemployed (April 2009), most of the time I sat around wondering what the heck I was gonna do. I'd surf the net, watch Days of Our Lives, and feel sorry for myself.
I've worked since before I got out of high school. I will not divulge exactly when that was, but it was awhile back. I changed jobs a lot and could never figure out what I really wanted to do. It took me six months before I started thinking. "There are things I would like to do, so why in the heck am I sitting around doing nothing when I could be using my brain?" DUH!!!
One day I decided I needed to learn to knit, so I took a class, then I took a jewelry class, I went back to counseling, and yes, in November I joined a gym.
That gym is Anytime Fitness. I love it because I can go when ever I want to, 24/7/365. I work out at my own pace. There are no prima donnas or massive weight lifters, just people like me. My friend Janet goes there also. I have really noticed the difference, I've lost inches and 25 pounds. That is amazing for me. While I was working I couldn't get the motivation to do this and I'm still trying to figure how why that was (can you say "Counselor").
I made all of my Christmas presents this year and felt good about it. So do I feel that all of this happiness is due to unemployment? I would say yes as scary as it is. Now don't run out and quit your job in hopes that you miraculously start doing new things. It took not having a job and some soul searching to motivate me.
I'm sure I'll go back to work one of these days, mostly because I don't like being broke. I do know now that as long as I don't have a job I'm going to keep learning new things and maybe that will lead me to my dream job. One can always hope!
Ciao!
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