Big Day

Well. I have a big day tomorrow.  Appointment in Nashville to see my doctor about my infections.   I'm ready to get done whatever has to be done.  This situation is tiring and trying at the same time.

Limiting

I've been limiting my intake cheeseburgers, fries and cokes.  But I'm having serious cravings for a Lamppost burger, or a burger from Bradley's BBQ or a one from Davis' in Sweetwater.

Mustard Dog

Wanna lil mustard with that there hot dawg?  This is what you call a mustard dog.  The alternative to a chili dog when there is no chili. Course with me there'd still be a ton of mustard. Even on a chili dog.

Winter Olympics 2014 and Sports Moms

Absolutely love Winter Olympics and cannot wait until February 6.  Watched this video today which is a tribute to sports moms.  Love it and wanted to share.  I am having trouble loading the You Tube video but here's the link:

Pick Them Up Mom -Winter Olympics

Falls and Mom-in-Laws

As we were walking across the salt, sand and ice combined pavement on the bridge at Bald River Falls it hit me.....what if Chris's mom fell and broke her hip ?!  Then realty sank in.  The person most likely to slip and fall would be me.

Way too cold to sit outside and eat by the river! But that didn't stop us from a cheeseburger, fries and a hot dog!  Who can drive by The Beach on the way to the mountains without one of those???  I was terribly craving something sweet from Tellico Grains but they were closed.  Oh well.  That just means we'll have to repeat the day when they are.

The Frozen Falls

After work this afternoon I picked my mom-in-law up and we went to see Bald River Falls.   You know it's cold when rushing water and a river are froze!

The falls were still mostly frozen but breaking free.  Wish we could have gone up yesterday.  Chris and I talked about going with friends but I just didn't feel up to it.

The falls were crowded!  I miss the days, twenty years ago, when Chris and I would drive to the mountains.   We went every Sunday and when mom was alive come home and eat supper.

Chris and I mostly went to Citico. But sometimes we'd drive the loop down and around to Tellico.   Those days were wonderful!  No traffic.  No people.  Not even fishermen because all the trout had been caught at 4 am Saturday morning.   (Along with daddy and his friends help.)  We'd see a few camping holdouts in the summer months.  Kayaks?  Never.  Horses.  Rarely.  No horse camp back then in Citico.  Mountain bikes? What were those?  The only place bikes were ridden around here were on gravel back roads. Or where Chris was concerned, in town or on BMX trails.

I miss those days.  I miss late Sunday afternoons with no one around except me, Chris and my ole trusty four wheel drive Toyota with no air conditioner.   Man.  I miss that truck too....

Shoot Out

• I'm one of those who hope the NHL will do away with the shoot out.......please...
• Hybrid icing?  Undecided if I like it. 
• Fighting?  Hate the staged stuff.  Hate the ones that go on too long.  Like the ones built from emotions in front of the net and in scrums.
• Cheerleaders?  No place in hockey....
• The "You Suck" song at the Predator's games?  Absolutely hate.  Sounds like you're telling your team who just scored or win that they suck.  Corny.
• Popcorn?  A staple..............

Thoughtful Gift

I received the most thoughtful gift today from Angela Tallent from the County Clerk's office.  Angela came over and apologized for thinking I was on a cruise and not knowing I'd had surgery a few weeks ago and am still dealing with complications.

Angela had made for me a Nashville Predators bag by hand.  So thoughtful.   Thoughtful in that she gave me a gift.  Even more thoughtful that she took the time to make it special to me.  She remembered I love hockey and the Nashville Predators.   She just didn't pick up a gift or flowers but was thoughtful enough to make something related to a passion of mine.

Thanks Angela.  I will always remember and be reminded of your kindness toward me when I carry the bag.

The Bachelor....again

I'm watching "The Bachelor"?  Another season? I hate this show.  I believe I've watched four seasons. Maybe. Chris? Every.

I'm afraid I have rather grown to enjoy being catty like the girls on the show.  Especially the first episode with the limos.  (Which, by the way, I'd want my own limo.  Not share with others.)  I love the red carpet part and rolling my eyes and using my fashion sense to judge the women's dresses.  (Yeah. Right. I know. Like I know anything about that.)

After the first night the catty'ness is gone and the real Marna appears which says things like this when they go on dates:

"Oh no. I'd never do that", when they bungy jump.

"No. No. No. Not me", when they scuba dive.  When they add sharks to the mix?  "Ummm...no.  I don't have a death wish."

"Never. No way.  Nada.  I would die", while holding my breath as they climb the San Francisco bridge.

Jump from a helicopter into The Great Blue Hole in Belize.  "Never.  No way.  Nope.  That's nuts".

Swim through a dark tunnel on some island to hike over a cliff then repel to a hidden lagoon to swim under a waterfall?  "Yeah. Right. Don't think so."


To which Chris always replies, "Marna. You wouldn't be a very good contestant on The Bachelor."



I always think to myself when he says that: I know how to have fun.  I'd love to....

*Go on an African safari.   (But only if the guide has a gun to put an attacked animal out of it's misery. I'm used to having a remote control at home as I watch NATGeo.)

*Visit Alaska to sneak up on a grizzly.  (Scratch that. Not sneak up on.  Watch with binoculars

about ten miles away when I have bells tied to my shoe strings and bear spray around my neck.)


*Tour the Galapohos to see an albatross sea gull.


*Take a ship to see real whales in the real ocean.

A real ship.  No silly kayak amongst the pod.  Throw some sea turtles in as well.  Would love to see those in the wild.




*Hike Rawanda/Congo on a gorilla safari.
(But only if the guide has a stun gun in case we are charged by a huge silver back.)



*Fly to Ireland and Scotland to tour castles.


*Gaze over the Grand Canyon. Just for a minute and not near a ledge.  I don't like heights, would never ride those donkeys, and really, how long can you look at a crevice in the earth before it got boring saying "wow"?  But I dunno.


*Fly, of course, to New Zealand. It looked gorgeous on "The Lord of the Rings".  ( I think the movie was filmed there.)

*Spend Christmas in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to see the antler arch with snow and Christmas lights around and go dog sledding. (No skiing.  Dog sledding is dangerous enough for me.)

* Go to Seattle. Mountain area.  Been to the city.  Loved the Farmers Market .  It was great but want to see the outdoors.

*Drive all over the Blackfoot Mountains.

*ahhhhh.... "Misty"....
              Chincoteague Island Pony Swim

*Watch the Kentucky Derby in person.  Chris has and loved it.


*Look over Niagara Falls.  Just for a minute.  

How long can you look at a waterfall and say "wow" before it gets boring. But I dunno.

*Tour Washington, DC-Arlington, Holocaust Museum and all other museums.  Been to those but hurriedly.

*Watch Bald eagles on safari (as I call it) at Reel Foot Lake.

*Explore Yellowstone.   Would love to see elk and moose and mountain lion and beaver and bear and so. Except wolves.  I hate wolves.

*Mountain bike in Whistler.  On a one way trail
  With no one ever coming up behind me.

*Ride the Virginia Creeper Trail in the fall.  Beautiful leaves and cool weather.  I hate to sweat.  Ruins fun.

*Relax in Hot Springs, NC.

*go to hockey, hockey, hockey games. Everywhere along the way.




See!!!  That's a pretty long list.  I know how to have fun.  I could produce the greatest season of "The Bachelor".  Ever.

I'm sure I'll think of some more exciting adventures.  Maybe I'll start a bucket list on my blog.....

January 4, 2014 part 2

Continued Chris's birthday.....Jump Jam.  Planned to go at 6 before hockey game but the organized chaos was worse than normal so went after game.

Jump Jam'n wrist bands.

Jump Jam'ers.

Coat keeper.

January 4, 2014

Chris's birthday. Ice Bears hockey game with cousins Jeremiah and Sarah and friend Packy.

Trying to get Jeremiah and Sarah addicted to hockey like we did boating and wake boarding.  Sarah loved "Chuck a Puck".

Cousin Sarah. One of the most beautiful people I know.  Inside and out.  So thankful she met

and married my cousin Jeremiah.

Yum.....what's a night without popcorn........

Ice Bears won!!

Me and Packy. He was Chris's best man.

Me and birthday boy.

Pat and birthday boy.

ky.

Happy 41st Chrissy!!

January 3, 2013

Day started at work celebrating Bridget's birthday then to my great niece Chelsea fixing my hair to the hockey game to end with stopping by Bridget's 50th birthday party at Wild Wings for a quick minute to wish her happy birthday.

Bridget's work birthday in office. 

Love Chelsea's messy buns!

Colton made the cupcakes for him mom.

Me and birthday girl.

Chris and sis 

Dave and Tonya. Chris and Bridget's cousins.

Dessert for the Night by Chris

Chris made dessert after we had the meatloaf and mashed (whipped) potatoes.  No Bake Cookies-that is what he calls them.  They are peanut butter chocolate oatmeal cookies.  Not my cup of tea.  After tonight he has had plenty of oats!

Chris's ingredients for his No Bake Cookies

All cooked up and ready to cool on paper

Licking the bowl

Meatloaf and Mashed Potato Kinda Night

I don't cook meatloaf and mashed potatoes very often.  I eat toooo much when I do.  Yummmmm, mashed potatoes.  The one food I could live on.  Besides cheeseburgers.

Meatloaf ingredients. Onion and ground chuck in the bowl.

I don't use a lot of different ingredients.  Kinda like my cornbread.

Momma never used a lot.  I guess it's how she grew up?  I'd say, more

than likely there weren't a lot of ingredients to use.

All mixed up and in the pan!

Add some good ole ketchup to the top!

Time for the potatoes

This is mom's knife.  Not sure how old it is.  It's older than I and 

I'm....over 40.  This knife has almost had it.  Time to learn to use another.  

And when I mean learn to use I really mean learn to use.  I've never

been able to peel potatoes well without this knife.

Mashed potato ingredients

Well, what I make aren't really mashed potatoes in my book.  This is

what mashed potatoes are made with.  I use a mixer now.  So make

whipped potatoes in reality.  I never knew you could make mashed potatoes

with a mixer until I met Chris.  And never started making them with a mixer until

about 3 years or so ago.  When mom's mashed potato masher broke.  

The one above just doesn't quite cut it.  So, I went to the mixer.  

The key to good mashed potatoes with no lumps?  Mixer or mashed by hand?

Mash the potatoes well before ever adding any of the cold stuff.  

Works almost every time.

Never ate gravy on our potatoes growing up.  So I never really learned to 

make good gravy.  I buy a can for Chris.

Yum, finished meatloaf!

Meatloaf and mashed potatoes (whipped potatoes).

One of my favorite meals.