KirstenL4W

I love roasted garlic. And now everyone in the office knows it. I just had some Chicken Crostina from the Olive Garden that I originally had the other night - “Potato-parmesan crusted chicken breasts sautéed with roma tomatoes and roasted garlic. Served with linguine tossed in a creamy garlic-butter sauce.” - and it was absolutely delish. But after the salad, breadsticks, and Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip, it was all I could do to get the rest of my dinner down without exploding. So, to-go box it was and to-work it went.

I’m also reminded of another one of my favorite Italian restaurants - Vinny T’s. At Vinny’s, the bread basket is nothing short of spectacular. The bread itself is focaccia bread, but it’s the way it’s served that makes it what it is. They give you - get this - a whole head of roasted garlic to spread on your bread and taste the garlicky goodness! Oh yes! It’s worth it to go there just for that.

I myself am a bit lazy to roast garlic, since I spent most of my adult years cooking for 1. I usually keep a jar of the minced, roasted garlic in my fridge, and it’s great to just plop some on some pasta with garlic-infused olive oil. That, some fresh asparagus and fresh grated Parmesan cheese are a wonderful meal that combines the best of yummy flavors and comfort foods. These days I cook for Boyfriend as well as myself, and lucky for me he likes roasted garlic as much as I do. I even spied a garlic roaster in his kitchen, which will have to get dusted off and used one of these days. One thing’s for sure - he doesn’t mind kissing me when I have roasted garlicky breath!

I don’t consider myself a particularly creative person. I do appreciate creativity, though. One job I had for a few years was as a receptionist in a graphic design studio. I loved going to work every day and seeing the work the artists were producing. I loved that the creative mind carried over into the decor of the office. And I loved that I was able to express myself however I wished.

In high school, I was in the Art Club. I didn’t produce much, but it was a lot of fun walking around the art rooms, seeing what everyone was doing, and talking to them. I did a few mediocre paintings and made a pinch pot with pottery (since trying my hand at the spinning wheel wasn’t exactly successful). I think my mom still has that pinch pot somewhere.

I’ve tried my hand at various crafts. For quite some time I’ve found myself drawn to paper crafts - particularly card making. I don’t care as much for stamping, just paper. I love feeling papers, with all the different textures, materials, and prints. I used to work in a wallpaper store, but that’s another post. Right now, I have some card-making materials and I need to make a card for someone who is having babies (yes, babies. Twins!)

I also love photography. I don’t think I’m very good at it, but some people (including VegasRic, who is a professional photographer) have told me otherwise. And Boyfriend mentioned today that when he gets his tax return he wants to buy Photoshop. I can just see myself spending hours and hours and hours on there playing with it to see what I can come up with. Adobe Elements has been on my list, which is a much less expensive and watered down version of Photoshop. It’s more to my budget. I’m already imagining the possibilities. I’ve been participating in quite a few mix exchanges lately, and trying to make the cover art has been difficult without some sort of software to manipulate photos. Thank goodness for VegasRic and his mad skills for the V-Cat Version 2.07.

I’ve also been thinking about pursuing a more creative field of work. I’d love to study graphic design. I think I’d be better at the more technical aspects of it rather than the creative. I really appreciate creativity and know good work when I see it, but I am pretty much incapable of producing it myself. The technical aspects I tend to pick up right away, so I’d like to learn that. Someday, perhaps, someday. For now I’ll just wait for Boyfriend to get Photoshop and play with that, then see what happens.

Quote taken from Creative Juices website.

One can only hope. After a hectic week and weekend, things should be settling down a bit. I have not had much time alone with Boyfriend since we got together. First he was away on business and this past week, along with the weekends that bookend the week, for a grand total of 10 days, he has had house guests from out of town. Add to that all the things we had going on this week - my concert, his concert, a mutual friend’s birthday, etc., and we are exhausted. It will be so nice to sit and do nothing together tonight. And, there is the strong possibility for thunderstorms forecast for today, so sitting with his arms around me during a thunderstorm will be even better.

Despite all the busyness, guests and crazy schedules, things have been going very, very well with Boyfriend. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Well isn’t this an interesting turn of events. A short time ago, Bobby promised to make good and get his site back to being the link exchange heaven it used to be. But he slacked off once again, and it seems that someone, or someones, got upset and reported the blog to Blogger for TOS violations. I don’t know how it will turn out, but for now I’ll leave the link in my blogroll until there is resolution. What that resolution is will determine what my course of action is regarding Bobby’s link.

I went to see Chantal Kreviazuk tonite. She wasn’t touring on her own, but opening for Five for Fighting, but that doesn’t bother me. The ticket price was reasonable, so going to see her for a half hour set was very worth it. She played a few familiar songs, including the one you see above, and then played some songs from her new album, Ghost Stories, and the best thing is that I got to meet her after the show and get it autographed.

Actually, I lied. My boyfriend was dropping me off at Mandalay Bay to see that I got into the venue ok. Then, as I was being my boring old self standing there at the House of Blues all by myself waiting for the concert to start, I was checking the time on my cell phone and saw that there was a voice mail. I called Boyfriend back and he told me to go to the stairs by the bathroom. So I do, and there he is. He bought a ticket to see the show with me because he knew how much I enjoy Chantal’s music. Now is that the sweetest thing ever or what? He did enjoy the show, and said that she is a very good performer, even though generally that’s not his style. He’ll be back at HOB tomorrow night for the Type O Negative concert, which I will not go because loud raucous music is not for me, especially in concert. I’m just not into crowd surfing, ya know?

So I just had to type up this post and 1. share Chantal’s music with everyone and 2. let you all know that I have the Best. Boyfriend. Ever.

So there.

You’re sweet as green apples, you must be the one

Ok, so you probably know by now that I have a new boyfriend. He is absolutely wonderful. No need to go into details, really. I just don’t feel like getting intellectual about it. We were talking last night and I think it was he who said (I can’t remember exactly because we were talking about deep stuff and we both feel the same way) that it feels like we’ve known each other forever. And you know what? He’s right, we have known each other forever. I was beginning to think that he was just all in my head, but he was real, out there somewhere, so yeah, we have known each other forever.

One of my favorite singers, Chantal Kreviazuk, (who I’m going to see in concert Wednesday night when she opens for Five for Fighting, who I am not going to see) has a song called Green Apples. In it she sings of a love, and compares him to all the sweet and comforting things that can be found in everyday life.

(taken from Chitowngal who took it from Poi who took it from Henna)

aprons - y/n?
nope, I don’t have any, therefore don’t wear any. Perhaps I should though.

baking - y/n?
If I can cook it in a toaster oven, sure.

clothesline - y/n?
No, nowhere to put one. But I do have clothespins.

donuts - ever made them?
Nope, but I might have to start because there are no Dunkin’ Donuts here.

everyday - one homemaking thing you do everyday?
Homemaking? Daily? You’re kidding, right?

freezer - do you have a separate deep freezer?
I live in a studio apartment. That should tell you what you need to know.

garbage disposal - y/n
Now this I have. I like using my disposal.

handbook - y/n?
Well, my mom brought me to see this show for my First Annual 29th Birthday, and I bought the DVD after the show. It came with a handbook. I can’t do anything in it though. Cuz I’m a girl.

ironing - love it or hate it?
Hate it. I avoid it to the point that I wear mostly knits.

junk drawer - where is it?
I don’t believe in junk drawers. Everything should have a proper home.

kitchen - design and decorating?
One of these years, yes. But right now I live in a van down by the river studio apartment. I can try to give it all the love I have, but it’s still gonna be a tiny, horrible kitchen.

love - what is your favorite part of homemaking?
How about “home - what is your favorite part of lovemaking?” to which I answer NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!!!!!!

mop - y/n?
Mop? I’m confused.

nylons - wash them by hand or in the washer?
I live in the desert. It gets very hot here in the desert. Hotter than the sun sometimes. Nylon has a very low melting point - about 420-430 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, I don’t wear nylons because I don’t want them to melt onto my legs.

oven - do you use the window or open it to check?
I don’t use the oven. I use a toaster oven. I live alone, don’t forget. No sense firing up the big old oven to cook a little something for myself. Did I mention that I live in a studio apartment?

pizza - what do you put on yours?
Sauce, cheese, and sometimes I like sausage and onions on it. Just as long as it’s not spicy. And it’s not on me.

quiet - what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
A quiet moment during the day? Nothing, it’s too short. But if there are enough of them all strung together, then I take a nap.

recipe card box?
I have a bunch of cookbooks that I don’t use because I’m rarely home to eat. Does that count?

style of house?
Dumpy, needs to be renovated 20 year old studio apartment. But it’s a good size for a studio.

tablecloths and napkins - y/n?
Tablecloths no. I tend to drag them off the table with my thunder thighs when I sit down. Napkins are a necessity. Can’t live without them.

under the kitchen sink?
cleaning supplies and tools. Neither of which I use very often.

vacuum - how many times a week?
I vacuum semiannually. People actually vacuum multiple times per week?

wash - how many loads do you do a week?
1? 2? It depends on how many clothes I wear.

x’es - do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off?
I am a compulsive list maker. I am not, however, a compulsive list-crosser-offer.

yard - who does what?
I live in a VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!! The landscapers take care of all that.

zzz’s - what is your last homemaking task for the day?
I may or may not be home for my last task of the day. And it may or may not have to do with homemaking.

It is windy today. I knew it would be, because the company I work for gets wind advisories and I have to let everyone know. But man, over the course of about 5 minutes the wind whipped up something fierce, the temp dropped about 15 degrees, and I can barely see Mandalay Bay from here, which I should be able to see because I work very close to it. At least I wore a long sleeve shirt today, but I should have brought my parka.

My shoulders and neck on my left side are a bit painful right now. I slept very well, too well in fact, because I didn’t move and it all got knotted up while I slept. I have a heat patch on it right now but it doesn’t seem to be making a difference except that I’m not freezing my butt off. I wish my new gentleman friend were here right now. He did an excellent job of taking care of the foot cramp I got the other day, so I can only imagine the magic he can work on my neck and shoulders. Sigh. Soon enough, and as much as I’d love to feel his big strong hands on my shoulders I do hope this pain is gone before I see him again. Anyhoo.

Photo of current weather map from The Weather Channel 

There are just not enough words in the English language (nor any other language that I have limited ability to communicate in) to describe how I feel right now. But I do feel good.

I was recounting this anecdote to someone :-) over the weekend, and thought I’d post it here - especially seeing as how Crowjoy posted pics of yummy looking appetizers made with quail eggs.

When I was a kid, my dad used to like to do silly things to amuse us kids. By silly, I mean lame. One time we were having Deviled Eggs, but Dad kept calling them Eggs Deviled. In trying to correct him, the conversation went something like this:

Dad: Mmm, these Eggs Deviled are pretty good!
Me and/or Sis: Daddy, they’re Deviled Eggs.
Dad: That’s what I said, Eggs Deviled.
Us: Nooooo, it’s Deviled Eggs.
Dad: Eggs Deviled!
Us: Dad, say ‘Deviled’.
Dad: Deviled.
Us: Say ‘Eggs’.
Dad: Say eggs.
Us: Now put it together.
Dad: Deviled Say Eggs.

I have not eaten another Deviled Egg since then, but I have eaten many, many Deviled Say Eggs. Perhaps now someone outside of my household will enjoy the delicious wonders that are Deviled Say Eggs.

Photo courtesy internet search