Am…musings

I’ve decided to take a break from Match.com. It’s just been slow and frustrating in the last two months, and I remember the holidays were deadly quiet last year so I figure why not save the $20 a month.

I’m an over-thinking, “what if” kind of girl so reaching that conclusion took some deliberation. Just today I asked a friend, “What if Prince Charming comes along during my break?” Her retort, “I hate to be the one to tell you, but Prince Charming only exists in fairy tales.”

Life … and my recent experiences … confirm that. And while the image of that kiss makes my heart flutter, it really isn’t the perfect fairly tale romance I’m looking for anyway. Nevertheless, I am also an optimistic kind of girl with high expectations who wants (and think she deserves) a man who feels this way about her … shameless. So while I’m taking a break, (to quote Billy again) I’m “keeping the faith” that we’ll find each other soon.

It’s official … Trooper has a forever home. He’d been on two home visits before and ended up back with me so I was on pins and needles for several weeks. I finally got the “we’re going to adopt him” call last week. Yippee!

After having him for more than four months, I was ready for a break from fostering. There are a lot of dogs in need, but when the adoption wasn’t final, I had a good excuse. Now … not so much. Chewy is also driving me a little crazy (the BIG reason behind me fostering … a playmate for him).

I’m just not sure I’m up for it. Plus, I’m traveling for Thanksgiving and Christmas and finding dog sitters isn’t easy. So I’m thinking it’s not in the cards at the moment. I am thinking about a kitty foster though … not sure what Stray Rescue’s needs are when it comes to cats and whether it’ll solve my Chewy challenge, but it might be a fun change of pace.

For five years, my bedroom has been a gorgeous shade of cool light blue. I was familiar with feng shui and knew that blue wasn’t a good bedroom color when I chose the shade. But I ignored the tips in favor of aesthetics … much like wearing the awesome 3 ½-inch, red patent, peep-toe pumps even when I know I have lots of walking, standing or dancing to do.

The shui was always in the back of my mind and recently, I decided the blue was definitely putting a chill on my love life and had to go.

Feng shui recommended bedroom colors are skin tones … pinks and peaches. I found a lovely pinkish peach.

I love that it’s called “romance.” Ironically, when I went downstairs to grab the paint supplies, I found the old can of bedroom paint named “Icelandic” … chilly indeed.

A friend showed me this tear-jerker last night.

Lots of people ask me why I foster. Yes, it’s time consuming, messy and breaks my heart a bit when they leave, but my usual response is that it’s rewarding. Not to mention the puppies I usually take in are like crack to me … addictive … I crave the fix of sweet, cuddly goodness, silly antics and unconditional adoration.

But after seeing this video, the longing in these babies’ eyes for their angel … someone to just love them … pretty much says it all (and makes me cry like a baby).

If you’re able, try fostering (in St. Louis, Stray Rescue is always in need and there are similar organizations every where). And if you or anyone you know is looking for a feline or canine addition, please, please, please adopt from a shelter and consider older, less-than-perfect pooches or kitties.

I live in St. Louis County about a stone’s throw from the city line and 10 miles from the heart of downtown. I’m continually surprised by all the wildlife around here. It’s mostly of the small variety … tons o’ bunnies, oodles of squirrels, the occasional possum and raccoon, and scary bats (I just keep reminding myself they eat my arch enemy … mosquitoes).

Today, I had an up close and personal encounter. Chewy was freaking out so I stuck my head out the back door. About 6 feet away, engaging me in a crazy staring contest with its glowing yellow eyes was an enormous hawk, perched just above my gutter. I had seen it before, but usually mid-flight and fairly far away.

I was so stunned and awed I said very much way out loud, “holy f*cking sh%t.” I tend to have a bit of a potty mouth so it wasn’t entirely out of character, but I try to be careful so as not to shock the elderly neighbors. I had to break away from the staring contest to verify that luckily, no one was around. Even with my movement (and foul mouth), it didn’t seem at all phased by how close I was. But about the time I thought, I should go get my camera, it gently and gracefully flew away.

About 10 minutes later it was back, balancing on the electric wire behind the house.

I got that shot as I was going out to collect Chewy, who was frantically barking and circling below it. Chewy weighs about 15 pounds … a little too big for hawk cuisine, but he’s annoying when he barks incessantly and I’m guessing those crazy claws or beak could wreak a little havoc.

Even knowing that … it was incredibly awesome and impressive, and I’m looking forward to its return.

I have a history of being a bit of an airhead.

It started in junior high, most notably when I dropped a TV on my head. It really wasn’t my fault. It was perched on our fridge and had shimmied its way to the edge one day. When I opened the door … kaboom. Being a teenage girl, I was on the phone … I haven’t seen my friend Jimmy in ages, but I bet he’d still razz me about it to this day.

Some of you may recall the most recent episode … getting completely lost in the subdivision across the street.

I’ve definitely topped it with tonight’s incident … my keys have been missing for two days. I’d looked high and low and was perplexed about where they could be. Found them a few minutes ago when … I turned on the garbage disposal. Yes, my keys were in the kitchen sink drain. Luckily, they aren’t too mangled, and even more magically, the remote still works after getting soaked a few times.

Really? I’m even asking myself. How is that even possible? I guess anything’s possible when you’re a bit of an airhead.

Inspired by my first food post last weekend and the mention of Katie’s food blog, I decided to give a shameless plug to her mom and my friend, Pam’s cookbook – Culinary Confessions of the PTA Divas. Pam and Anne-Marie Hodges joined forces to create this cheeky, fun collection of easy, yet yummy and impressive dishes and excellent tips – and the photos of Pam and Anne-Marie in beehives and cool ’50s garb are fun too.

Pam and I worked together in publicity at Disney. She is an amazing and fantastic person. When we first met I was a 22-year-old intern and Pam fueled my belief that I could indeed have it all … a creative, high-profile career, amazing kids, fabulous house, great husband (or not – Pam raised the equally amazing and fantastic Katie as a single mom until she met her husband Steve).

My life hasn’t quite turned out the way I’d pictured it at 22, but perhaps the PTA Divas can help me wow my dates … the following recipe was a big hit with the last guy I cooked for. Another plus – it was super simple and quick to make. I served it with warm French bread, a tossed spinach salad and fresh berries with homemade whipped cream (a nice, saucy touch for a date).

SHOW-off SHRIMP and PENNE

1 pound peeled and deveined frozen shrimp
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced (fine as long as you and your date are partaking!)
1 (14-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons dried basil
Course salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
½ pound penne pasta (I used wheat)
½ to 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons fresh chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley

Put salted water on to boil.

Thaw shrimp under running water for 2 to 3 minutes; drain and set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil, then sauté the garlic for one minute. Pour in the tomatoes and wine, seasoning with the dried basil, salt, pepper and bay leaf.

Bring this sauce to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the olives and cook for 2 minutes; then add the shrimp and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf.

Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining. Combine the pasta with the shrimp and sauce, adding a few teaspoons of the pasta water as necessary.

Toss mixture with the feta cheese and fresh herbs and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

I love hot sauce … a lot.  If you agree and have never tried hot-sauce popcorn, you really should …

Place popped popcorn (low-fat microwaved works great) in large bowl with a lid.  Drizzle with a generous amount of hot sauce (of course, the first rule of cooking applies … you can always add more, but can’t take it away if you go overboard).  Quickly place the lid on the bowl and shake it up.  Enjoy!

And the thing I love most about hottt corn … it proves Chewy really is my dog.  It’s covered in hot sauce and … he loves it.

I feel a little lame re-reading books, but I was not inspired by my stack of mags a few nights ago. And because I read before bed I couldn’t run to the library to grab the political page-turner I’ve recently promised to peruse.

Eat, Love, Pray was handy and I loved it so much when I devoured it in early May that I decided it was worth the second look. I typically prefer fiction, but Elizabeth Gilbert is such an amazing and funny story teller, I almost forget this isn’t. She has a very dry and self-depreciating sense of humor that makes me giggle out loud (and turn a little pea green with envy at her easy writing style).

Last night it was this ditty where she talks about her gorgeous language partner in Italy …
Giovanni doesn’t always get my jokes. Humor is hard to catch in a second language … He said to me the other night, “When you are ironic, I am always behind you. I am slower. It is like you are the lightening and I am the thunder.”

And I thought, Yeah, baby! And you are the magnet and I am the steel! Bring to me your leather, take from me my lace!

Not quite as good as this line delivered by Rhett Butler in one of my favorite reads (that I admit I’ve plowed through a few times) …
“You need kissing, badly. That’s what’s wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.”

but enjoyable nevertheless (or at least for me … maybe because Stevie and Don are singing about leather and lace on my iPod at this very moment … cheesy I know, but I love it!).

Two posts in one day? Crazy I know, but I just had to share that … I’m sitting on my back porch (on a glorious day no less) blogging on my very own wireless network. I know all the cool kids have been doing it for ages, but setting it up has intimidated me. With a little goading, product advice and assurance that it was as easy as popping in a CD and hooking it up, I did it. Yippee!