Yes, we've had a little visitor this weekend. Bonnie, the Barbarian is staying with us while Brent and Lindsey celebrate her birthday in Savannah and Charleston. They ate at Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House, and Elizabeth's and at Paula Dean's restaurant, But, I'll let her tell about this adventure on her blog. It's been fun having Bonnie here, (although, I'm not sure Maddie would agree), and tomorrow, I'm taking them both to Judy's to be groomed.

Friday was my last day of teaching. The 8th grade graduation was held on Friday morning and it was really something to see about a hundred horses and carriages angle-parked around the baseball diamond. I really enjoyed my teaching experience there, and it gave me a new appreciation for the Amish culture.

It's time for the daisies to do their thing and it's a pretty good year for the rhododendron.

Hey! Look what I found in your yard. A rib bone. This is some place.

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Recipe of the Week: I was watching some cooking show on PBS and this guy was talking about the great hearty meals his mother used to make on a limited budget. He said many of her tried and true dishes started with a pound of ground round. He was making a Shepherd's Pie, and although this is not his recipe, it contains the one pound of ground round, and Bob and I both liked it. (and that Bob, he just hates peas). So, this is a real TET recipe. Enjoy!

Easy Shepherd's Pie

1 pound ground round

1 onion, chopped

1 cup each - chopped carrots, corn, peas

2 pounds potatoes

8 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Peal and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a frying pan.

Saute onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 minutes) If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put carrots in with the onions, but add corn or peas at the end of the cooking of the onions. or after the meat has initially cooked.

Add ground round and saute until no longer pink. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add the beef broth and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Mash potatoes in bowl with the remainder of the butter and season to taste.

Place beef and veggies in a baking dish and spread mashed potatoes over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Broil for the last few minutes if necessary to brown.

"Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at that word itself. MANKIND. Basically it's made up of two words, "mank" and "ind." What do these words mean? It's a mystery and that's why, so is mankind." Jack Handey

So, after teaching step aerobics at the Y for fourteen years, I've decided to throw in the towel, so to speak. This Wednesday evening will be my last class, and I'll be looking for new fitness opportunities. Several of us Biggest Loser Buddies have decided to try Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred program. The idea is to maximize your workout and get big results in a minimum amount of time - only twenty minutes a day!


I'm telling you this because it's leading up to a rant. I know I haven't ranted about anything in a long time (maybe not since the evils of the Pitbull and other mean dogs) but I feel the need to rant and my ire, this time, is directed at Barnes and Noble. That's right, Barnes and Noble, a VERY LARGE bookstore. You see, I wanted to give all of my longtime step aerobic peeps a 30 Day Shred DVD, as a parting gift. They were very reasonably priced online, but I knew I'd have to expedite the shipping to get them here on time, with the holiday and all, so I decided to drive into Fort Wayne and buy them at a BIG bookstore, such as Barnes and Noble. I told the clerk there what I was looking for and she took me right to them and handed me one. I told her I needed several more than that, and she said "Oh, we only have this one, but I can order them for you."

"No, thanks," I said, "I can order them myself."
Then I walked back to the children's department because I wanted to buy a certain somebody a boxed set of books for her birthday.

The clerk told me she would have to check to see if they had it in stock. This was right after she told the woman in front of me that they didn't have what she wanted either.

"We don't have that boxed set in the store," she told me, "BUT, we can order it for you."


"Well, I can order it myself. This same thing just happened to me over in the DVD section," I whined. They only had one copy."

"Oh, ma'am. We only carry one copy of most everything. We just don't have the room to store them all."

So, I drove over to Target and got all the 30 Day Shred DVD's I needed. And for you Barnes and Noble, Maddie, the Amazing Barking Dog remains completely mute. Good grief!







From the Archives: Blonde cousins Megan and Lindsey in May of 1985. Last Thursday, Megan turned 30 and next week, Lindsey will be 26. Happy Birthday girls!

Recipe of the Week: Stormy came through and mailed me this recipe. I fixed it for supper tonight. It's low in fat and good for you, if you follow the recipe. I, of course, will not allow low-fat mayonnaise in this house, but each to his or her own.

Stormy's Favorite Chicken and Spinach Casserole

2 cups cooked, skinless chicken breasts - diced

1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise (whatever)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Light coat an 8 inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine spinach and chicken prepared dish. Whisk together remaining ingredients. Add about 1/4 of the mixture to the chicken and spinach; mix well and spread evenly in the pan. Top with remaining mixture and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until top is nicely browned.

"Probably the biggest fear of a pharaoh was being mummied alive." Jack Handey

Landon tagged Maddie, the Amazing Barking Dog for her 8 things list, and here is her response:

8 Things I Did Yesterday (Monday, my favorite day)

1. Barked at the trash guys - both of them - two different companies

2. Barked at the school bus

3. Barked at the FedEx man

4. Got a pupperoni treat and she said "keep barking" or maybe it was "stop barking" - I get those two mixed up

5. Napped

6. Ate some Mighty Dog

7. Stared at dead bird on the front step. It flew into the front door

8. Barked at dead bird on the front step

8 Things I'm Looking Forward to

I just live in the moment and don't really think about tomorrow - It's all good

8 Programs I watch on TV:

Huh?

The purple allium is putting on its show out in the front yard. I hope it is not affected by the cold weather we're expecting tonight - a possible freeze warning! We are pleased as punch to report that there are actual bluebirds living in our bluebird house!! Success! I've seen Mr. bluebird sitting on top of the house and also perched in the front, talking to someone else inside. Yesterday, I saw a squirrel climb the pole and stop to look inside. I bolted out the back door screaming "Git! Git! Git! at him. And, he got. I bet he's wondering why I turned on him.

We finished reading the Diary of Anne Frank play in language arts. Tomorrow, they'll be writing a literary response to the play in the computer lab. We've got a couple more things to do to wrap it all up, then we'll watch the movie on Thursday and Friday. Here is a picture of the cast from the 5th period class - the one with all the guys, who really embraced their roles as ladies. Great kids.

I know I haven't been posting any exciting recipes lately. Stormy is supposed to be sending me a great one for a chicken and spinach casserole, so I'm looking forward to getting that and trying it out and then, sharing it with all of you. Hopefully, I'll be a little more productive in the kitchen once the school year is over.

"If you think a weakness can be turned into a strength, I hate to tell you this, but that's another weakness."

Jack Handey

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers, grandmas, and wanna-be moms out there. I had a wonderful Mother's Day because my children went with us down to Roanoke to enjoy a delicious lunch at Joseph Decuis restaurant. Lindsey and Brent came up from Indy, and Brent's parents, Larry and Diane, drove over from Lafayette. Rob came along too, but Candace had to work. Bob and Rob had the rack of lamb, Larry and Diane had the Maryland scallops, and Brent, Lindsey and I ordered the Wagyu beef with barbecue sauce, greens, and sweet potato puree. Wagyu beef is the restaurant's home-grown version of Kobe beef. Delicious! Rob gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure and Lindsey and Brent gave me a hanging basket. It was a great day. I, as usual, forgot to bring a camera, but here's a picture that Diane took of half of the table - the half with me and my two cupcakes.





Just a couple of side notes from last week: Yes, I did weenie out on the mini-marathon. I just didn't have the energy, but Lindsey finished that marathon in 2 hours and 35 minutes and Brent's time was 1 hour and 35 minutes. So from Maddie to you guys - Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof. Also, about my missing crown dilemma - my dentist said that it truly was a dental emergency, if ever there was one. And, Lori and Dan, were at Carbondale High School last Friday when that inland hurricane went through the area. Winds reached a speed of 106 miles per hour. Power lines were down everywhere and kids had to stay at school until parents could get there to pick them up. Some stayed as late as seven o'clock, I believe. Anyway, Dan and Lori's house was not damaged, but they have no power and are in Effingham tonight. They don't know when, or even, if, they'll get back to school to finish up the year.

Speaking of school, The Diary of Anne Frank is moving right along. I couldn't find a fur coat for Mrs. Van Daan, but my neighbor, Cathy, had these two minks that clipped together and we've been using it, instead. In one class, I have only four girls, so boys have to assume the roles of ladies. I asked one big strapping lad to play the part of Mrs. Van Daan, and he really embraced the role, insisting that he be Mrs. Van Daan throughout the entire play. He is hilarious, and makes me laugh and laugh. Here's Bob modeling the minks, and wondering why he's being asked to do this.

Also, I had a flat tire this week because I drove over a horseshoe nail - one of the hazards of teaching in an Amish area.

Recipe of the Week: I love to fix this dilled chicken salad and serve it on croissants. It's kind of an iffy recipe. I would advise you just to experiment with it until you get the desired taste. It's always best to let it sit in the refrigerator for a day or so before serving. And do remember that mayonnaise and Miracle Whip ARE NOT THE SAME THING. So, if a recipe calls for mayo, you should use real mayo, darn it. not salad dressing, (which is Miracle Whip)

Dilled Chicken Salad

4 cups chicken
3 green onions, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dill weed
2/3 cup MAYONNAISE

Mix together and store in fridge until serving time.


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"Anytime I see something screech across a room and latch onto someone's neck and the guy screams and tries to get it off, I have to laugh, because, what is that thing?" Jack Handey

You know, I'm just not in the mood to blog this week. Perhaps it's because last week was pretty crappy, plus, I'm spending all of my creative energy trying to come up with three lively weeks worth of Anne Frank activities. I will share this one anecdote from Thursday evening and then you'll know what kind of week I had.

8:20 pm - I take a bite out of a bacon/lettuce/tomato sandwich and my crown falls out. I'm talking about a tooth RIGHT IN THE FRONT!

8:22 pm - I start to melt down - I look at Bob and make those noises that Bonnie the Barbarian makes when she's frantically looking for someplace in the living room to bury somebody's sock.

8:25 pm - Call my dentist - he's not home. Call his brother, my other dentist - he's not home either. Call my neighbor, their hygienist/niece. She tells me to call dentist #2 again, because she's pretty sure he'll be home soon.

8:40 pm - Still calling and no answer. I leave a message

9:00 pm - I go into the bathroom and play around with the crown, trying to see if I can stick it in there with, oh, I don't know - gum. While I'm messing with it, I DROP IT DOWN THE DRAIN!

9:01 pm - I yell for Bob and tell him what I've done. He says "You didn't turn the water on after that did you?"

Yes! Yes, I did. I'm a total idiot and I thought to myself - "What should I do now that I've dropped this one thousand dollar crown down the drain? I know - I'll turn the water on full blast and blow it clean to the septic tank!"

9;15 pm - After much huffy and puffing, Bob takes off the pipe and gives me back the precious tooth.

9;30 - Still calling

9:45 - Still calling

10:00 - Still calling

Bob walks by and tells me, that, really, it's hardly noticeable.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10:20 - Called the dentist again and HE'S HOME!

He'll meet me at 7:00 AM at his office. (They're closed on Fridays, by the way)

I didn't have students until almost 10:00 AM the next day, so it all worked out, but it was stressful. Yeah, having all of my teeth - I'm kind of fussy about stuff like that.

I'll try to get to that tag list a little later this week.