...musings of the self-proclaimed spajunkie...

As Told To Me In A Dream

I know you struggle to believe I'm watching over you but I am.  It isn't logical and you don't like those things which are not black and white.  I was very worried to leave you sleeping but I knew how strong you are and that ultimately you are a survivor. I know others see you as cold and unfeeling but the truth I know is that you feel things so deep inside of you it is almost impossible for it to surface and rarely is that in front of others.  I did take pause at the number of times you slept in my closet because it was so heartbreaking to watch you.  I wanted to put my arms around you and carry you back to bed.  I've been happy to see what you've done to the house and yard - you've always been so talented at making a beautiful home.  I'm admittedly a bit alarmed at your continued weight loss and lack of eating but maybe this is just because I loved your curves and I really loved having dinner with you every night.  It was never dull or boring.  You had a talent for making even the ordinary extraordinary...or maybe that was just for me.  I like to think that it was.  I can sense your apprehension at going to Europe by yourself.  My darling wife you are nothing if not adventurous!  Go and have fun!  I will be watching over you and leave you with this thought until we talk again~

P.S. I still love you.

 

 

 

"...I Had the time of my Life..." The Last Letter of Love, Page 2

When we last left off I wrote a letter of love to Mr. Ken while he was under the care of hospice.  Now almost three months later I can bring myself to post this, page 2.  I won't lie the words just wouldn't come, won't come.  I searched through the blog and realized this last post from KL says almost everything I would have said....although admittedly the only dancing theme is the title song.  I have to say though you can finish each paragraph with ...and we danced...

Up until the very last dance and on to today Mr. Ken was, quite frankly, the love affair of my life.  I am not sure I will ever be that lucky again but I am sure that the memories I hold of him will stay with me for the rest of my life.  

and here is "...I Had the time of my Life..."

It is the song phrase that keeps running through my mind as we are about to close this adventure and go on to the next or maybe it runs through because this month Patrick Swayze would have turned 60, but I digress, as usual...after hearing first thing this morning that the DES made it safe and sound to Houston our first stop was to tell Rogielyn goodbye.  That was hard, she means so much to us!  Our second stop was for a 90 minute massage, then back to the hotel for burgers and for me a two hour bath.  Feeling all relaxed and ready for the trip our driver will pick us up at 4 p.m. and we will begin the long flight(s) back to Houston.  By the time this posts we should be sitting in the business class lounge at Changi airport sipping wine!  Now for the rest of the story...

 

Dear Kenny,

When we flew here in November 2009 on a house hunting expedition I admit I broke down and sobbed that this would be my new city of residence.  Then when Ken moved here in January 2010 I have to say I went through a seemingly endless number of thoughts and emotions.  Should I leave my career, sell my beloved family home, fly my even more beloved pet, and ship all of everything we own 10,000 miles from what I thought was our life - to live THERE?  I will never forget my last phone call in the airport was with our realtor in Houston.  He was letting me know that the paperwork for the house we sold and had signed off on had been inadvertently sent to Fallujah, Iraq for the buyers signature, by United States mail, instead of Federal Express.  This did not make for a pleasant flight!  (Side note - two months later we received the final signed documents and the money...until that time our house in Houston was neither sold nor for sale!)  But, I digress...again!

My sweet (almost/soon to be) niece coined it this way - "What would you do for love?"  (Hi Ashli!)  I guess the short answer is leave my career, sell my beloved family home (or at least I thought it was sold!), fly my even more beloved pet, and ship all of everything we own 10,000 miles from what I thought was our life -  to live HERE.

Then when I arrived here in June 2010, Desi arrived here (unscathed), later on the shipment arrived here I went about settling in to a very - how to say - unfriendly, poorly thought out and executed, house with three floors of marble, and a kitchen separated out on two different floors.  A house that had a contractor in it weekly because so many things didn't work.  But, I persevered.  I learned to decorate in a whole new way and to cook in a totally new way!  and, we danced....

Separating the bathroom from the bedroom so the view from the bed wasn't of...the toilet!

Carrying things up and down, down and up the stairs in order to prepare dinner!  after which we truly did dance, often!

Rogielyn came to live with us which I believe was quite possibly the best decision we ever made!  She is certainly the person I love most that I've come into contact with here.  Leaving her is very difficult.  Though I am sure she will be glad to stop washing my endless amounts of china, crystal and serving dishes!  (Inside joke.)

 

 And with her arrival, we traveled...ALOT.  From August to September 2010 we hit Miri, Bali, Singapore and Western Australia.  We ended up with some very dear friends in Singapore - Hi Jen & John - and some very dear friends in Perth - Hi Deb & Jack - who we visited often and had some great times along the way.

Then, October 5, 2010, we crashed down to earth with news of cancer.  So, off we went to Houston for a few months.  Thank (Praise!) God we are just shy two months to be two years since the news and Mr. Ken is still doing great!  this is heart breaking to read but I have to say through it all we still remembered to dance...

We came back from Houston in early December 2010 with the added addition of our (first) broken ankle...his.  Poor Des waited oh so patiently for us (and a haircut!) for two and 1/2 months!  

I began to really find my way around KL and enjoy being here, driving, shopping, etc.  We persevered through a few months of chemo and did quite a bit of traveling from February to April 2011.  This time it was Western Australia and Singapore (again), London, Italy and Switzerland.  where, we, of course, danced...

 

Then, Lauren arrived in April 2011.  She hung out with us for eight months.  We traveled to Western Australia, Singapore, Melaka, Cherating, Genting Highlands, and Langkawi while she was here. This trip to Perth, and our trip to Langkawi were perhaps two of the best vacations we have ever had.  We had the added fun of meeting two long time dear friends in Langkawi, hi Mindy and Elod!

 

And sometime during Lauren's eight months here I broke my ankle!  What are the odds of that seriously?  Two in less than a year...We also had a lot of mischief at our complex with break ins and attempted break ins and alarms going off all night long...snakes in the house.  But we persevered.  Never a dull moment that is for sure!  I loved every minute of it even if I didn't sleep much because, let's face it - it was great blog material!  You just can't make this stuff up!  and, no we didn't so much dance with the broken ankle...I couldn't manage the crutches or the stairs as it was!

When we got back from Langkawi in late October 2011, we found out we had to move to a different house, and we were SO happy about that.  But first!  We made a trip to Singpore and Western Australia in December to visit the aforementioned friends again.

 

 We came back and got moved in a record 7 days start to finish!   Being able to take Mr. Ken to the train every day and pick him up in the evening made his days much more pleasant, gave me a car all day every day so I improved my skill at getting around even more - AND Des got to ride in the car each way to the train, twice a day!  An extremely, extremely good quality way of life....in a house we LOVED.  We have ALL enjoyed this house if even only for nine short months! But probably no one more enjoyed it than the DES.  (sorry, I realize this picture was in a recent post!  I've been writing this last post from KL for about a week or more...at any rate I love this pic, clearly!)  we had more fun in this house than anywhere ever...

Next, we took our long awaited and put off leave to Houston in February 2012.  It was fun, but a bit too long to be gone.  

My friend Sandra came from Ireland to visit in March!  We had a great time...my one and only guest here in Malaysia!  So, all the rest of you MISSED out!

We headed to Singapore and Perth (WA) yet again....

After that I hung at home and enjoyed the pets while Mr. Ken traveled...

Then we were off to Phuket in May 2012.

We received the news about coming back to Houston in June...And, now here we are (having just returned yet again from Singapore this month - dinner was great Jen & John!)...  Packed and ready to move back.  It truly seems like yesterday, and yet it seems like 10 years ago, I was on the plane worrying about the house sale in Houston.  When we leave Mr. Ken will have been here 2 years, 8 months and I will have been here 2 years, 2 months.  

If I had it all to do over again, knowing what I know now:  I would have done my best to have been here in January instead of June 2010.  I would not have worried so much about if what I was doing was the right thing or not.  I would absolutely without a doubt have brought all of our things - despite the fact this is the third move in less than three years.  And, I would have so sincerely rather have spent those six months dancing with Mr. Ken than fretting in Houston.

I guess when you sum it all up, I took a leap of faith based on letting my heart instead of my head decide, which is a very difficult thing for a person like me to do as I prefer all things logical...not emotional.  And, well, it ended up that ...

Cue the music....

"...I had the time of my Life...and I owe it all to you..."   Thanks Mr. Ken, I Love you. 

To sum it all up.  I have to say I did, truly, have the time of my life for 17 years.  I saw the world with the man I loved.  We had ups and we had downs but mainly we LIVED and we DANCED like no one was watching.  

I feel assured Mr. Ken is enjoying his new adventure and I've decided I am ready to start mine.  Knowing in my heart that he would want nothing more for me, I am secure in my wish to find happiness in this new chapter of my life.  

To that end it is time for the spajunkie to retire.  This will be her last post.  I've enjoyed this blog and all of you more than I can say....

I ultimately wish that at this juncture I could write a blog called "Sex and the City Over 50" but in all reality that isn't going to happen!  LOL.  But some day soon my new blog will begin.  It will be attached to this blog so that the spajunkie and her adventures with Mr. Ken will live on...

Look for "What the duck is up" coming your way soon!

All my love, spajunkie.   

 

 

 

The Last Letter of Love (Page One)

Dear Kenny,

When we met 17 years ago I never considered that someday I would write my last love letter to you.  In fact, do you remember how everything stood still and the room seemed to spin around us, outside of us?  How everyone present said there was electricity in the air ...that several commented the back of their necks tingled while we danced.  Fate, kismet, serendipity - something was involved that night.  Whatever it was I am forever grateful for this most incredible journey the past 17 years.  

Oh, it wasn't always easy, but I think two people as passionately in love as we are spend a good amount of time passionately hating one another as well.  But, in all reality, who remembers any of that at this juncture?  I don't.  All I seem to be able to remember are all the times we danced.  Do you know that we randomly, often, music or no, danced for no reason at all?  I never really put that together until I started looking through all our photo albums and remembering so many different things we did together.

One evening we stopped the car and in a bank parking lot on Memorial Drive we got out at 2:00 am and danced while on the radio INXS played "Elegantly Wasted".  I am sure that we were, in fact, just that (the elegant part being questionable), but obviously we lived to dance another day.

No one can hold a candle to you, my dear, when it comes to traveling in style.  Mr. Platinum SPG, British Airways Gold, Singapore Airlines Gold, driver here, driver there....nothing was ever too out of reach when it came to how you traveled first class, all the way.  And I, by luck, was able to tag along...."anything for Madam".  LOL.  Our funny joke that lasted a lifetime.  Your car awaits Madam.

In London, on one trip, we had that really quaint (barely held our luggage and us) hotel room.  We went for drinks at the Swallow hotel...then promptly booked a three room suite and the concierge went to the other hotel and collected our things and brought them back to us.  You went out to "run an errand".  When you came back you asked me to go downstairs and get you a scotch and water.  When I came back up I was met with a trail of rose petals from the door to the bubble bath you had drawn for me and a bottle of Vueve chilling on the side.  And we danced and danced that night - with the full moon shining straight in the windows overlooking Brompton Road, Knightsbridge.  The next day we went for the first time to Notting Hill where we danced through the weekend market made famous in the movie of the same name.  We never made another trip to London that we didn't visit Notting Hill, it was certainly a favorite of ours.  Many years later I was able to show Lauren our Notting Hill, what a joy that was.

Once, in Dharan, Saudi Arabia, at very first light prayer call, when we had yet to go to bed, we made a beeline for the Tammimi Safeway, bought coffee and croissants, then went to the Corniche and watched the sun rise while we danced on the shore of the Persian Gulf.  I wore no abaya, in fact had on only a bathing suit, which in hindsight was probably not that great of an idea... but it sure was fun.  And romantic.  And exhilirating.  

One night we stopped randomly in some desert sand, got out of the car and danced.  When we got back in the car you let me drive back to the compound.  I guess my baseball hat didn't hide the fact that I was female since we were followed by a rabid group of young men who didn't stop until the Al Zamil guards met them at the gates as they closed behind us and we were safe within the walls, laughing our heads off at our foolishness.  

Bahrain.  I can't even think of Bahrain without smiling.  Our honeymoon.  All twelve pieces of my luggage lost by British Airways.  Our suite filled with flowers from BA to apologize for losing my luggage...seven days I was with one T-shirt and my traveling outfit.  Room service coming by and very respectfully asking if they could please have some of their tables back. ..It never even occuring to us we might go and buy me some clothes so I could leave the room.  Crazy love.  Funnier still when all the luggage finally did show up and we had to fit all of it, six vases of flowers and us in the Toyota Corolla!! Those Saudi border guards just waved us right on by.  

The most memorable trip to Bahrain was when we were at Senor Pacos one night and by chance in attendance was the Admiral of the Navy fleet assigned to the Persian Gulf.  There were many Americans there, many friends of ours, and the Fillipino entertainer strummed...."Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie".  We all stood on tables and chairs and sang every, single, word, with tears running silently down our faces.  It became our anthem in a way...it was the first song we taught Lauren all the words.  To this day we've been known to sing every, single, word when we hear it.

Doha, Qatar.  Maxims.  Need I say more?  Private elevator from our suite to get there...went so often we had our own table, waiter, and after the first visit never actually ordered again...they just brought food to us.  While we danced.  People thought we were crazy but we weren't.  Just passionate.  Just in love.  Just no one but us existed.  

Oh, and you certainly played several great rounds of golf at the Doha Country Club.  Haha...The fact that I kept score is a secret we've kept for many years now!  You are welcome of course for that stellar score you posted.

I could never forget Oman.  One of the most beautiful places in the world.  Remember the Sultan's Palace?  Only one way in and one way out.  A "G-30 summit" (I think that is what it is called) happened there because from a security standpoint it was thought to be one of the best locations in the world.  We cared nothing of security while we danced on the grounds overlooking the Gulf of Oman.  The only security I needed was you.

 

Stateside in Key West was certainly memorable.  We got stone crab claws, mustard sauce, fresh bread and wine,  then sat on the floor of our hotel room and had a picnic feast!  It was so delicious we did the same the next night.  After dinner we strolled on the beach and danced while overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

Christmas in New York City.  That was a dream come true for me...for all of us really.  Remember how I went online looking for tickets to "Wicked" and we ended up with some hotel "package".  We never ever expected the "package" would include a five room suite at the Waldorf Astoria overlooking Lexington and Fifth!! Amazing experience...me, you and Lauren all danced as soon as we got inside and saw our digs for the week!  I think we had room service several times just so each one of us could have "waldorf salad".  And we pass the crazy on to Lauren! 

 We all went to Ireland in 2005 ... we tucked Lauren in one evening, grabbed two glasses of wine and danced in the garden here.

What a fabulous trip!

 In fact we enjoyed it so much, we went back for Christmas 2007 and brought mom and Jim along.  Now that was quite the trip!  Remember how much we loved the Dunraven Arms in Adare?  And the huge full moon that looked over the field behind our suite....and the beautiful fireplace that took the winter chill out of the room while we danced at midnight on Christmas Eve.

Dancing...always dancing...

(To Be Continued ~ ) 

All my love, spajunkie

 

 

Chasing Butterflies

Sometimes you just need to refill your soul with something lovely.  I've had so many butterflies in the yard...it has made me very happy to chase them with the camera.  Because sometimes it is better to be behind the camera than in front.

 

 

 

A dragonfly that likes to follow me around the garden.  He is so lovely but very hard to capture on film.

 

The passion vine is finally in bloom.

 
 

 The caterpillars are back!

Last - a new face in the crowd.  This beauty has taken to sitting on the fence and just surveying the perimeter as a sort of sentinel.  He makes me feel protected.  I love him.

  Truthfully the world can be a beautiful and wonderful place you just have to be observant of your surroundings and of the people who love you.

Love, spajunkie

Because Happiness Makes the World Go Round

Today after making a meal plan for the week, and attending to some doctor appointments for Mr. Ken, I set off for errands and grocery shopping.

I was about half way into the shopping when I ran into a friend, actually, a high school friend's mom, who is friends with my mom and is by virtue friends with me.  Got it?  We chit chatted and she said some really wonderful things to me that got me to thinking.

Mainly I am thinking how impactful our actions and words are on others.  One of the things she said to me was something on the order of how much she loves to read this blog (and she is truly a loyal spajunkie fan) and even beyond that how in the evening she sits down with her computer and catches up on Facebook...and how she enjoys seeing anything I post because it is happy or silly or uplifting.  I am paraphrasing right now but in general that was the gist of the conversation.

That really got me to thinking.  You never, ever really know what other people are dealing with in their lives.  They might be poised for a magnificent change in the realm of a wedding  - a life changing event; they might be on vacation with their significant other; they might be dreaming of a vacation because they can't afford to take the time off to actually have one; they might be dealing with serious medical conditions.  The point is, and I do have one, you never really know what other people are going through or how they may view the world from their own paradigm.  Maybe they are stressed out, maybe they are unhappyily married, maybe they have a sick child, or maybe they just had a crappy day at work. 

Here is the thing.  I went and grabbed a bite of lunch today real quick on my way to shopping.  I was behind a really lovely woman paying for her lunch at Casa Ole.  She smiled at me when I walked up.  A big smile, a lovely smile, a have a fabulous day smile.  She further approached the cashier and said "hey - how are you this wonderful day?"  The cashier actually looked up, and responded "oh, not good, sick of work."  No smile, no consideration of the gift that was given by the customer to make her day better.  The lovely woman with the smile just said, "I'm so sorry I hope your day gets better" and gave her a megawatt smile.  I have to admit at this point I'm happier just standing next to this woman with the smile and I'm super unhappy with the cashier.  I mean, isn't part of her job to be NICE to customers?  I decided to follow the lead and I also smiled widely and said cherrily "how is your day" to the cashier.  She didn't even answer me...but in all honesty I felt better having just thrown it out there.

The point, and I have the same one, choose nice....choose a smile...choose to just make someone's day happy.  Because you just never know what the person you are encountering is going through outside of the realm you may encounter them in.

I have to say if even one single thing I posted on Facebook made my friend from high school/my mom's friend/my friend too smile or be happy, that was a super good day for me.  In return today she in further conversation said to me ..."you are so accomplished."  I don't think she has any idea the impact that sentence had on me and how it changed my entire paradigm for the afternoon.  It made me feel happy ... and accomplished!

There were several encounters and conversations that really made my day today and I thank all of those who offered them freely.  It really made my day and my week.

Words can be kisses, they can be arrows.  Sentences can be hugs, they can be bullets to the heart.  Let's practice kisses and hugs.  Truly it makes the world go round.  Trite, maybe.  I don't care though.  Practice random acts of kindness, you will be so surprised at the results.

Much love, kisses and hugs to all of you, and especially my friends who made my day whole, spajunkie

 

 

 

Throw Down Meal

It's funny when I don't blog for awhile and go back and look at the stats - number of hits - and find of the no blogs numerous hits on the old stuff....kinda makes you wonder who is reading at four a.m. anyway!

Otherwise, yeah, so don't we all have a throw down meal or two in our arsenal?  Like the tried and true or the quick and easy?  Just throw them together in a jiffy and rock on?

I made one today/tonight.  It was so dang easy and truly very tasty.  I totally stole the way to cook the chicken from my cute hair stylist on Saturday when she sat through my seemingly never-ending quest to plan meals and make a grocery list while having my hair highlighted and cut.  In fact, she was a little amazed at the amount of work that goes into the whole process!

Anyway, here is what I made and it was tres easy!  Seriously crunchy, tasty, and light - just in time for summer.

Ingredients:

Chalupa shells

Boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 jar of mild picante sauce (I use Pace, so shoot me...but if I were cooking only for me I would have used hot, not mild - you be the judge, whatever you like and any brand that floats your boat.)

1 cup of chicken broth

A handful of monterrey jack cheese (if you like that, I don't, he does!)

1 package of pre-chopped cole slaw greens/carrots (do not need the cole slaw dressing)

1 avocado

2 limes and 1 lemon

Some olive oil

A few cherry tomatoes for garnish (optional)

Several on hand seasonings - I used garlic salt, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, black pepper, sea salt...but really you could use whatever!

In your crock pot, place the chicken breasts, pour over the picante sauce and chicken broth.  Cook on low for six hours.  

When you get home, preheat the oven to 350.

Prepare the cole slaw = cole slaw, two limes halved and squeeze juice over cole slaw, add two twirls of the bowl of olive oil, sprinkle liberally with chili powder, salt, pepper.  Add cayenne pepper to your personal liking.  Set aside.

Cut the avocado, spoon out, mash with a fork.  Add a liberal amount of garlic salt, lemon pepper, black pepper and cayenne pepper to your personal liking.  Set aside.

In the oven (once preheated)  heat the tostadas with a bit of cheese on them (if you like that, I don't, he does).  They heat maybe three to four minutes.

While this is going on, take the chicken from the crock and shred with a fork (yep, it is that tender).

Take the hot tostadas (and cheese if you prefer, I don't, he does) out of the oven.  Place shredded chicken on top, then a layer of the cole slaw, then a healthy dollop of the avocado mixture and a couple of halved cherry tomatoes for garnish.

Viola!  Dinner.

Easy, realtively healthy, crunchy, spicy, and super easy!  Summer is on.

Love, spajunkie

(apologies for lack of pictures...it was over in a flash) 

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to, first of all, my lovely mother!  To my sweet Mother-In-Law, Janie, to all my girl friends and to me!

But, this blog isn't really about Mother's Day per se ...so much as about my step-daughter...Lauren.  She is the most wonderful blessing to ever come into my life (besides her Dad!).  I thank her mother so much for allowing me to have her in my life and to have the chance to watch her grow into the beautiful young woman she is now.  The road hasn't always been bliss - it's been rocky, I won't lie, but the overwhelming point I always remember is how much she means to me...and, of course, to her daddy.

It happened that I met her when she was four years old.  Her Dad and I picked her up to go out of town to his family lake house.  She had never met any "woman" in her Dad's life except her mom so I was pretty apprehensive as to how it would all go.

As soon as she was in the car she wanted to sit in my lap and from there we spent the two hour drive playing games, putting on make up and generally being girls.

 

I was smitten.  I was in love with this darling girl.  After a rather tragically timed arrival (dead deer hanging in a tree), she stuck to me like glue.  I was no happier about the dead animal situation than she was and opted for salad that night!  Nonetheless, later as we tried to get her to go to sleep those big blue eyes just would not close so I scooped her up and took her outside.  We watched the stars and the moon and I told her stories.  She fell asleep on my chest and when I went back in the house I laid down in bed with her still sleeping on my chest and she slept that way all night.  (I, on the other hand, didn't sleep a wink - but I could not have cared less!)

Oh, I have many, many memories of the 17 years I've watched this darling girl grow into this amazing young woman but that one is the clincher, the one that sealed the deal.  I thank God every day that her mother is gracious enough to share her with me.  I will forever consider her my daughter and the day she walked into my world changed me forever.  I got to be a "Mom".  The one thing I was told most of my life would "not be possible".  (Well, except for the one psychic who told me all about her before she was even born but that is another story for another day!)  

Lauren.  One of the never ending and enduring loves of my life.  Thank you for making "Mother's Day" something special to me...every year for 17 years and counting!

Random pictures through the years...

The very beautiful, grown up  (and fun) Lauren Nicole Oliver.

And her "other" Mom....doing what we do when we are together.  Have fun!

Because we are just silly that way.

Love you to the stars and the moon and back again, Lauren!  Thanks for letting me be your other "Mom".

Love, spajunkie




 

 

Dinner Party

I love to have dinner parties.  I was trying to remember the last time we had a proper dinner party with all the things I love to have - beautiful food, tablescape, wine, and great company.  I started planning last weekend, made the menu and grocery list on Thursday, shopped Friday after work.  Bright and early (sort of) on Saturday we headed out to Froberg's to pick some strawberries for shortcake.  But before we left I went for a walk through the garden so I could plan the flower arrangements for the table.

I ended up with a great assortment of cut flowers and herbs.  Herbs make a great green backdrop for arranging cut flowers!  How pretty is that?  Simple but lovely.  Yes, I realize it is two weeks past Easter and still there are bunnies on the table.  I left those out on purpose because my friend Thelma and I share the love of the bunnies...all year round.

While piddling around with flower arrangements I got carried away with the views and snapped some random photos...

I just adore all the windows bringing the outside in!

I really did at some point get ready for the actual dinner.  Everything was prepped and ready to go the kitchen was just waiting on the chef!

I made this beautiful antipasto platter - all store bought items but still delicious!  Panera sourdough bread, dipping sauce (olive oil and seasoning), olives, fresh mozzarella, pecorino romano, provolone, hard pepper salami, breadsticks, heirloom cherry tomatoes and some fresh rosemary for visual effect.

It could not have been a prettier evening for enjoying this on the patio!  Mr. Ken and Shane.

Mom and Dad

My delightful and gorgeous friend Thelma

Here is the tricky part of blogging about recipes and a dinner party...

You are supposed to take pictures of the food.  I never made it past the appetizer with the camera!  However, I will give the recipes - the Menu:  greek salad, shrimp scampi with linguine, and sourdough bread followed by strawberry shortcake for dessert.  For the greek salad (my recipe):

In a bowl layer the following in bite size pieces (serves six) - a large head of romaine lettuce, a handful or so of purple cabbage, three pickling cucumbers, one stalk celery, one red bell pepper and a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half.  Then top with as much or little of pitted calamata olives and peppercini (note, peppercini are better if you cut them open and drain the juice first) as you prefer.  (At this point if you make it ahead of time, and I always do, refrigerate - don't put the feta on or it will make the salad soggy.)  Before serving top with as much or as little feta as you like.  I mix my own dressing in a small mason jar with the juice of one to two lemons, that much olive oil (1/2 and 1/2) a lot of dried oregano, salt and pepper.  Shake well, pour over the salad just before serving.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine (this was the best scampi recipe I've ever made - but Tyler rarely disappoints!)    Tyler Florence Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Strawberry Shortcake by the Pioneer Woman herself - Strawberry Shortcake  You might note I only use strawberries in the recipe but it would be delicious either way - the main thing I love are the bisquits...also, I use this for the whipped cream on top - one cup heavy cream whipped until frothy, add one TBSP powdered sugar and one tsp vanilla until peaks form...I just like it better than the yogurt version! And a little tip on making the best whipped cream - put the beaters and the bowl in the freezer for a couple hours before you make the cream...this ensures it will peak perfectly!  Same recipe picture is from last year!

 

You know you've had a wonderful time when it is almost midnight before the kitchen looks like this!  (yeah, snapping photos at midnight but just not of the food...I think some wine may have been consumed...)

 I hope everyone enjoys this fabulous weather - and try the recipes, totally delicious!!

Love, spajunkie

 

Beauty

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.  There are many people, things and ideas I keep close to me because I find beauty in them.  And beauty makes me happy.  

When we decided to landscape our yard we tried to think of the top 5 things that we would want the yard to be ~ 

1.  It would be what we wanted it to be, not what our professional landscaper talked us into, or out of, as the case has been before.

2.  It would be hummingbird, butterfly, bird and squirrel approved.

3.  It would be frilly and the plants and flowers would seem to dance in the breeze.

4.  It would be a retreat, an escape, an outdoor space of tranquility and grace.

5.  It would fill the heart and soul with beauty.

Having laid out the vision, you have to see what we started with (bearing in mind this really cold winter we had which just decimated the yard of last summer).

The before:

I think you get the idea....basically good bone structure is the starting point for most beautiful things.  This was no exception.  

The plan was to use native Texas flowering plants when at all possible.  I went with roses, azaleas, iris, plum delight, indian hawthorne, lantana, agapanthus, day lilies, black-eyed susans, mexican heather, hibiscus, jasmine, honeysuckle, passion flower, butterfly bush, wisteria, white ginger, hostas and various potted seasonal color.  Oh, and an herb garden, of course.

The after:

The front yard:

 The patio:

 

The backyard (you have to have a little vision to know not every single thing is finished yet...like the banana trees that are behind the fence...they will go away!)

And, of course there had to be this view from the dining room:

 

 

 

Beauty!  Oh my.  I believe the vision was indeed realized.  Thank you so much to our friend, Shane, for the invaluable input, help, and most of all extreme hard work without which none of this would be possible.  

Everywhere I look I see something beautiful.  Just while sitting on the patio writing this blog I was able to capture these images ~

 

 Whether it is people, nature, or ideas in your head, find the beauty in your life ~ and enjoy it today!

Love, spajunkie

 

Some Friends are Forever

My lovely childhood friend, Tami, sent me the sweetest little gift.  Thank you darling!  I love it.  I really, really do.  It is a notepad which says:

Sometimes in life, you find a special friend:

Someone who changes your life by being a part of it,

Who makes you laugh until you can't stop,

Who makes you believe there really is good in the world.

This is forever friendship. 

I love that.  I am so lucky to have so many wonderful friends in my life.  Friends who talk.  Friends who listen.  Friends who are there, whether in person or in spirit.  Friends who sustain you for your life even if you don't see them or talk to them every day.  Some of my favorite friendship quotes:

Anna Cummins:

Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; Do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead.

Anais Nin:

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it’s only by this meeting that a new world is born.

Edna Buchanan:

True friends are those who really know you but love you anyway.

Christina Baldwin:

Friendship has no civil, and few emotional, rights in our society.

Dorothy Parker:

Constant use had not worn ragged the fabric of their friendship.

Edith Wharton:

I suppose there is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one’s self, the very meaning of one’s soul.

Edna Buchanan:

Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.

Emily Dickinson:

My friends are my estate.

Fran Lebowitz:

[Friendships] are easy to get out of compared to love affairs, but they are not easy to get out of compared to, say, jail.

Grace Metalious:

Funny, you don’t look like a friend – ah, but they never do.

Anais Nin:

What I cannot love, I overlook. Is that real friendship?

Jane Austen:

Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does.

Katherine Mansfield:

I always feel that the great high privilege, relief and comfort for friendship was that one had to explain nothing.

Louise Bernikow:

Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other to belong to themselves.

Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach:

In meeting again after a separation, acquaintances ask after our outward life, friends after our inner life.

Marie de Rabutin-Chantal:

True friendship is never tranquil.

Marlene Dietrich:

It’s the ones you can call up at 4:00 a.m. that matter.

Nancy Spain:

There are people whom one loves immediately and forever. Even to know they are alive in the world with one is quite enough.

Phyllis McGinley:

Relations are errors that Nature makes. / Your spouse you can put up on the shelf. / But your friends, dear friends, are the quaint mistakes / You always commit, yourself.

Queen Elizabeth I:

Prosperity provideth, but adversity proveth friends.

Sophie Irene Loeb:

A friend is one who withholds judgment no matter how long you have his unanswered letter.

Susan Ferrier:

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

I am blessed enough to have a long list of forever friends and each one has their own special quote in my mind.  So, to those women I hold in my heart - you know who you are!  Much love from me to you.

 

So, think about your forever friends, give them a call - talk or listen.  They will love you for it.

 

Love, spajunkie

 

Will Winter Ever Go Away?

As a new storm is making its way across the US, and we in Texas get prepared for yet another week of cold weather, I made the decision that spring is (almost) here and I couldn't survive another minute without at least starting to get prepared for it.

It all began with a daffodil.  I love daffodils.  

It really all started yesterday when I took a little road trip across town...the weather was so balmy and nice.  I wore a new spring outfit I recently purchased and well, just had a good time enjoying the weather and the company of friends and family all day long.  Even though, yes, I do watch the weather, yesterday you could never have convinced me we had to have another winter storm come through tonight.  We also started getting our flower beds cleaned out in preparation for planting flowers soon.

 

I just love the frilly plum delights!

 

When I got up this morning there was a Pier 1 catalog someone had left open to a page with bunnies.  (Thanks Mr. Ken for the subtle hint that you were tired of the Valentine's Day tablescape!)  That was it, time to shop.

So, if you've read my blog before you know that spring, Easter, bunnies, chicks are all very near and dear to me...in fact, it is my favorite time of year and holiday all rolled into one.  This year, however, I took a different approach to my tablescape.  I went with some primary colors instead of pastels normally associated with spring.  I guess I took the inspiration from the carrot.  Yes, orange.  I spent a lot of years hating orange because it was required to wear for so long and I just got burnt (orange...burnt orange...haha) out on it. Now, it really is one of my go to decorating and wardrobe colors.  With just a few select purchases at one of my favorite stores ever, I came home and pulled out the spring/Easter stuff and went to town.  Did I mention that I really would like to work at Pier 1?  What a happy place!

 

 Rick-rack and gingham...be still my 4 year-old heart!

It's a little more bold...kind of rustic in a way.

I'm totally in love with this wreath...

I might be pushing spring but its better than pushing up daisies!  (Does anyone remember that show?  I loved it.) It's all about what makes you happy and this room makes me smile every time I walk into it!

I may have to bundle up for the outside this week but inside my home, heart and mind - IT IS SPRING!

 

Love, spajunkie