8:52 Looking Up

I have seen all kinds of things this week that I have thought

appropriate for Project Fifty Two this week.

I managed to miss the palm trees covered in snow yesterday.

I've loaded a number of pictures onto my computer

this week that I've titled Looking Up.

At least one person out there 

will get a good chuckle out of this one.

Not the glass dishes.

Those came to me just recently as a gift.

Aren't they just darling?!

Marimekko Iitala hand delivered from Finland.

Ooohh ... I'm a lucky girl.

Things are certainly Looking Up around here.

Easter is around the corner and

Cadbury Mini Eggs have hit the stores.

Maybe if I tuck a few of these in my pocket I'll find

enough energy to ride my bike around the cul-de-sac.

Then again, if I just keep plowing through the bowl and refilling it,

I might have a few more things Looking Up around here!

 

Next up is Marcy in our circle this week.

Enjoy your weekend!

We will be incredibly busy and lovin' it!



normal stuff over here

We're having fun over here.

Visiting with Mom & Dad who are in town for a bit.

They're enjoying some warm weather .. for as long  as it lasts!

 

We've been getting a few things ready for a wedding next week.

Getting excited to see even more family in town and to

celebrate the special day with the special couple.

 

Class started today after a week off and I think I might have time to look at it

on Wednesday.

No choice in the matter. I WILL have time Wednesday.

 

The couponing is still going on.

Saved more than I spent on Friday!

Makes me grin big.

 

E-filed another tax return this evening.

 

Our favorite dog and family protector is having health issues.

Makes me sad.

 

I am going to get chewed out big time tomorrow at work.

I promised a patient that I would take my bike out of the garage two weeks ago.

I haven't made had the time to even go for a cruise around the block.

I think I might just open the garage door and at least spin around the cul-de-sac.

I don't need to tell him that I've only gone 1/4 mile or so.

At least I'll have taken the bike down!

 

Enough of the normal.

This picture got my funny bone just a bit.

Jari has a fit if I even try read my map on my phone while I'm driving.

The other day we were on our way home and guess who was actually driving down the road

and logging into Skype at the same time.

Like really?!!

 

Next thing I know he'll be listening to an audio book or something!

Have a great week and I'll be back on Friday with Project Fifty Two.

7:52 cabin fever

Cabin fever is our theme for this week.

You're looking at this and saying, "Whaaat? She's lost it!".

You're thinking I don't have a clue what cabin fever is.

Oh ....  but I do.

Merriam Webster defines cabin fever as extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time.

I don't have that problem.
I really don't remember when I ever had that problem.
It could be that memory thing is getting downright sketchy somedays.
Oh, sure, I can be downright irritable and occasionally would even call myself restless.
Cabin fever?
It is actually something I frequently yearn for.
A chance to be locked away in a cabin, snowbanks piled up so high I can't get out.
As long as the coffee is stockpiled and a load wee bit of chocolate is handy,
I'm standing in line for cabin fever.
Oh, and the power should stay on so I can sew or craft to my heart's content.
I'll read by candle light if necessary.
The scene above might be the cause of an entire different type of irritablility or restlessness.
It might even qualify for claustrophia.
Freeway fever?

The rest of our Project Fifty Two Circle might have an entire different version of Cabin Fever. I'm pretty much betting they do! Can't wait to see what the rest of the gals are up to this Friday, starting off with Marcy's cabin fever!

needing my blankie

mondays are painful

mornings come too early

and the day lasts too long

i really should just find a blankie

and climb into bed.

the world isn't going to stop turning if I should

ignore the dust

let the laundry sit in the dryer

wait one more day to file the taxes

hold off on filling out the course evaluation

stop staring into space

and

go find my blankie

 

this is an upaid advertisement

for Zenni Optical.

 

Some of you have used their service, others have never heard of it.

Brock did have glasses.

That is until his car got cleaned out and the glasses

ended up in the trash along with everything else on the floor.

As is typical, the oops wasn't discovered until it was too late.

He really can't see to drive at night ...

can't see anything if he is riding either.

He is due for another eye exam, but for the moment

the most pressing thing was to get him a pair of lenses.

I had the prescription from his last exam.

The only thing missing was his pupillary distance

which the website will show you how to figure out.

They do send you a nifty little measuring tool with your new glasses.

Maybe just in case you didn't know how to read a tape the first time?

Oh, yeah, that's right.

You were blind the first time around!

I had the eye folks measure mine the last time I was in and

recorded it for me .... for just this purpose.

 

I hopped on the website, got myself signed in with an account

aaachhhh ... yet another user name and password

and uploaded a picture to the site.

This one should have been straighter on, but it worked.

 

 

Next ... you try on glasses in the comfort of your living room!

 

 

We went for it.

Within 2 weeks they were in our mailbox.

The guy could have smiled for this lovely shot.

He does have a rather charming grin.

I had about 3 seconds to grab it as he was on his way out the door.

Not bad, hey?

 

Photo quite obviously has none of the things in it that I learned at that photo workshop.

 



$23.95 included shipping and he can see.

I know that if you start adding things like tint and graduated lenses the price starts to climb,

but the price of these can't be beat!

I cancelled the eye glass coverage on my insurance at work.

I've decided it just isn't worth it if you can get deals like these.

Imagine if you could get the $9 glasses and your budget allowed for extras.

You could have one in every color!

 

I upped my life insurance instead.



6:52 work of art

Can you believe this is week six already?!
Time is just flying along!

Somedays this project qualifies for stressful. I spend the entire week or two prior to this post pondering what I think best represents the title for the week. "Seeing" things that I haven't necessarily seen in the world around me. The fronts of buildings, grafitti or artwork on walls along the street. Pretty much anything in my line of sight. Then I start the "what if I do this ...." thing. I start snapping pictures here and there and not really loving any of them. Before I know it, the pressure is on. Thursday at work I'm starting to stress about it, knowing that this must be posted tonite. On the way home my brain kicks into gear and comes up with something completely random. I don't know where it comes from, but thank goodness it does.

This week's theme is Work of Art.

My paternal grandmother passed away when I was in high school. With the exception of the first year of my life, I lived in very close proximity to her. In her home for a few years as my parents built our own home on the same property. I was very blessed to be able to spend time with her. Although my clearest memories of her all revolve around the kitchen, she also had a very special talent that she passed on to one of her daughters. I think it is probably one of those lost arts for the most part.

After she passed away, I received this table cloth as a special momento. It is embroidered with pastel shades of flowers and edged with tatted lace that is pale yellow in color. It has graced the table at each of my childs' baptisms and at other special family functions. I consider it not only a special treasure, but a work of art as well.

Next around the bend this week in our circle is Marcy ... enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Pizza

It feels like it has been forever since I last posted food.
Today is that lovely Wednesday.
Week half done.
Day of the week when I have the morning off.
That means that laundry spins, school work gets done, and the mail pile gets sorted ....
all in my pajamas.
Love it.
Today it also meant that dinner made it into the crockpot before I left for work.

This recipe doesn't work well for 8 hours in the crockpot.
It doesn't work at all. I've tried it. I know.
When the recipe says 3 to 4 hours, it means it.
So if you have a busy afternoon and can get it cooking about noonish ....
it is perfect.
Go shopping, take a nap, or go to work for a while if you're like me.

Gather your wonderful ingredients which I'll list at the end.
The recipe calls for 1/2 box of rigatoni cooked.
That is actually the hardest part of this whole experience,
unless your ground beef or sausage isn't already browned and in the freezer.

While your pasta is cooking, cut up a green pepper and an onion.

Assemble the concoction by layering everything in the crockpot,or slow-cooker, as directed.
(I ran out of cheddar cheese so it became heavy on the mozzarella.)

Turn the crockpot on low.

 

Go get your hair done. Read a book.

Get your hair done while reading a book.

Whatever your little heart desires.

3 to 4 hours later, although it ended up being 5 hours over here,

grab your plate and start piling it on!

There really should be a salad or vegies on this plate.

I was too hungry to take another minute to wrestle up something green.

For your cooking pleasure, compliments of the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook:

Slow-Cooker Pizza

1 1/2 lbs ground beef or bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
7-oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained  (I skip these.)
3 oz sliced pepperoni
16-oz jar pizza sauce (I added a wee bit more spaghetti sauce to the mix.)
10 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
10 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef and onions in saucepan. Drain. My ground beef was already browned with onions. I still added another onion to the crockpot when I layered everything.
Layer half of each of the following, in the order given, in slow cooker: ground beef and onions, green pepper, noodles, mushrooms, pepperoni, pizza sauce, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.
Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.

Note: Keep rigatoni covered with sauce so they don't become dry and crunchy.

Recipe variation: Add a 10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup to the mix, putting half of it in as a layer after the first time the noodles appear, and the other half after the second layer of noodles.

Anita's variation idea: Make this with chicken and alfredo sauce. The thought makes my mouth water!

dallying downtown

Friday I had the opportunity to spend a few hours downtown.

I found a parking meter and pushed in every piece of change I had in my wallet.

It bought me about an hour and a half to walk around.

I was thinking that I had about a million things I should be doing instead ....

but it didn't last long.

I hung that camera strap on my shoulder,

filled the purse with another lens, locked the car door and took off walking.

Almost 2 hours of meandering. 

I found another parking meter with time left on it after mine ran out.

I haven't been downtown Phoenix in years.

I don't think I've ever just wandered around down there ...

and I only saw a small piece.

Another day I'll go find another parking meter

in another section of downtown and do it again!

The Sandra Day O'Connor United States Courthouse.

A vision in glass with her likeness gracing the top of the staircase.

It has been a few years now, but I had the pleasure once of sharing

an evening with Justice O'Connor and her family as they

celebrated a very special wedding anniversary.

Sort of makes me think of Dr Seuss' Oh the Places You Will Go.

This last picture made me stop and whirl around in my tracks.

I work in a Pain Clinic and prior to that in primarily a Postoperative Surgery setting.

Pain and pain medication is my game.

Well, at least when I'm not playing around on blogger!

Norco delivery service?!

Who on earth came up with that name?

Even better that it is a 7pm pickup.

Maybe you place your order and it gets picked up at 7pm.

Kind of like drive thru drug service.

Do they then deliver it to you?

Like seriously.

My funny bone may need some straightening after seeing this one.



To be fair, I googled Norco before hitting the publish button.
They've been around since 1957 serving the needs of California businesses.
I'm guessing that they were around loooonnnng before the pain medication was.
Still makes me chuckle.

Today if you have a moment, stop and say a prayer for my SIL Machelle. She has been hospitalized for over a week now with pneumonia (she's getting better!) and could benefit from a collective hug and prayer. Thank you!

5:52 black and white

When I first saw the title for this week's Project 52, my mind immediately went to piano keys.

Black and White

Ebony and Ivory

I have a Craigs List find piano in my living room.

It isn't any family heirloom, but it is well loved and played.

It makes sound .... and lots of it.

Lately my piano sounds are mixed with the tinkling of flute sounds.

Music to my ears.

 

 

This next photo sends my resolution to only contribute only one photo each week out the window.

While the piano is what I love most in what I imagine to be my world of black and white,

this next shot happened this past week.

Anna was cooking for a houseful of guys and, when things were at a stage where I felt comfortable doing so, I skipped out for about 20 minutes to catch a glimpse of the sky. The clouds were hanging low and it had been raining for several days.

It looked like the northeast part of the valley was dark with cloud cover, with the exception of that one strip of earth reveling in the bright rays of sunshine. 



 

That was my world in Black and White this week. Head on over here for a peek behind someone else's viewfinder!
Thanks for stopping by!