Map of potholes in Greater Boston - Boston.com

We knew that potholes were bad this year, but my goodness...

Map of potholes in Greater Boston - Boston.com

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Crispy Salmon with Lentils du Puy and Two-Mustard Crème Fraîche

I was on a fish kick this weekend after coming across two interesting recipes last week. I made tilapia with a herb butter sauce Friday night. Last night was Crispy Salmon with Lentils du Puy and Two-Mustard Crème Fraîche.

 

Yum yum!!!

What did you make this weekend?!

Beautiful Day

We had a beautiful day yesterday. Our crocus are starting to bloom and look so pretty.

I can't wait to see what comes up next! I'm thinking the dafodils will be up in a couple of weeks...

We took a ride to Rockport in the new car to see how it does on a long trip. It was fabulous! The temperature was about 15 degrees cooler on the coast than inland (so, about 42 degrees) but still a nice day.

Today has been rainy off and on, but we are getting tidbits done. We put away ski clothes and got out camp stuff. After a few errands, we paid bills and are thinking about dinner.

Hope your day has been fabulous!

Yummy, yummy in our tummies!

We had a most delicious dinner last night: Sauteed Tilapia in Herb Butter Sauce. I adapted the original recipe from Sole to Tilapia (the store didn't have Sole) and used salted instead of unsalted butter (I didn't end up having unsalted). It was so very yummy... My tummy is growling just thinking about it. The best part? It was super easy to make!

Smiles

New Design for April

Yup, I can see it on the calendar, too... Today is the 27th day of a month that has 31 days. But you all know how excitable I am... I love the new blog style so much that I had to roll it out early. If you are reading by email/RSS aggregator, check it out at http://tlhorgan.blogspot.com.

Best Friends

I saw this video yesterday on a St. Martin blog I read, An American in SXM (embedded below). It made me cry happy tears.

Happy Friday!

The week has drawn to an end. Woo hoo! We're looking forward to nice weekend. We will take the car out for a drive and enjoy the wonderful weather that is forecasted for tomorrow. [Happy sigh]

Update on Fiona: She was released from the hospital on Tuesday. They did a barrage of tests on her, but none found any irregularities. That part is good, but we wish we knew what happened in the first place... Thanks to all you for your thoughts and prayers!

Happy weekend!

From Old to New

After almost 7 years with our Volkswagen Golf GLS, it was time for a change. And we made a change all right. Welcome home to our 2009 Honda Accord V6 Coupe.

The thing below is a link to an album. It requires Flash, so may not work on an iPhone. *Please note: there are several pages. Use the green arrows above the word Smilebox (at the bottom) to continue to the end.







Have a happy day!

Poor Mattie

I feel I owe an explanation about my FB status update last night... Here's what it said, "Tracy feels guilty. I accidentally locked Mattie in the closet all day because I thought he was outside (I didn't think he was in the coat closet!!!)."

So, here is the back story. Mike and I were in a rush to leave for work yesterday morning (I had done something to hold us up, as usual -- this always happens). I looked all over the house for Mattie so I could put him up in his room. I looked all around: in the bedroom closet, on the couches, behind the couches, between the pillows on the bed - you name it. I did a last minute check in the coat closet, feeling around for him in the dark, because he tugs the door open sometimes and goes in there. I swear, he wasn't there!!!

I went outside with his food bowl and called his name several times. We finally had to go, so I just assumed he was outside. I sat at work all day thinking of work things then rode home from work with Mike talking about other things. I didn't remember that Mattie was missing until we pulled in the driveway. We went into the house, I called him twice, then bundled up and went outside. I called his name in the driveway, in the yard, in the neighbor's yard... I walked down the side of the street, calling and looking on each side of the road; then I repeated the whole thing while walking up the other direction. No sign of him.

Then, Mike was calling me! "Tracy! Tracy!" I walked back to the driveway to see Mike holding Mattie. Mike said, "Just wait until I tell you what happened." Back in the house he explained that he heard a meow after I went outside. He went outside and walked around the back of the house looking for Mattie. A light bulb went off in his head when he glanced at the coat closet door through the window. In the mud room he heard a meow. When he opened the coat closet door he found Mattie sitting by the door on a big plastic container of cat food.

Obviously I did not do a good job feeling around for Mattie before we left. I closed the closet door -- just in case he was in the house -- and trapped our poor feline friend inside. The little guy was stuck in the cramped, dark, overstuffed closet without water. He had plenty of food: there was a big plastic container with food that should be thrown out along with a half full bag and two brand new bags of his favorite kibble. The only thing was that all that food was sealed up.

Ooops.

After Mike explained the extent of my cruelty while Mattie clung to me purring, I felt I needed to try to make up for my oversight. We started with treats. Mattie got 5, like he always does. Then he looked in the cabinet where I keep his canned food and I took the hint that canned food was another good step. He got a full can all at once (usually he gets 1/2).

Fortunately for me, Mattie is the sweetest, most loving and forgiving cat we've had. He just wanted to be held and sleep on the couch for the rest of the night.

You can bet your bottom dollar I kept my eye on him this morning and he is safely tucked in his room today!

Smiles

Tea Time

If you are a golfer, you'll think that I do not know how to spell. But, if you really know me, you know that I am all about my tea. I have been on the tea train in a bad way for the past 4 or 5 months (forget coffee, it does nothing for me).

Mike got me a couple of great tea infusers a few years ago. It is a spoon that you fill with tea leaves and pop into a cup. Easy peasy.

Unfortunately, one of the spoons completely fell apart last week and could not be repaired. Turmoil ensued. You know that I must have a backup for everything... This began my quest for the perfect infuser.

Bed Bath and Beyond has a few choices... But I didn't like them.

The one above is made of polycarbonate. I was worried it would not stand the test of time. I also don't like the way the holes look on the infuser...

This in-mug version may have been ok, but I had issues with it, too. It looks like a bug, it is too round, and I don't like the way the infuser part looks.

We decided to cut to the chase and go directly to our local tea store, Specialteas. Their solution was not exactly what I was looking for (though I don't know what I was looking for), but it ended up being perfect! The Finum Brewing Basket can hold enough tea for an entire pot, if desired. It is made of stainless steel mesh, just like the gold-tone filters many people use for their coffee makers. It didn't occur to me until I was typing this that the basket can be used for coffee, too (ingenious!).

I picked up some delicious teas while I was in the store, too. I had to have the Mount Everest Breakfast Tea .

The Scottish Blend (that name may be a little incorrect) sounded delicious, so I picked it up, too. A photo of it brewing -- for exactly 3 minutes -- is below.

I am to-tea-lly happy!

Spring Clean Up

We have been enjoying the improving New England weather this past week. Snow is finally melting and green shoots are coming out of the ground. Last week I shared a daffodil picture from last Spring. Here are how the little guys looked on Sunday:

They should bloom in a couple of weeks.

We took some photos while we were outside in hopes that something would be good for next month's blog design. I wrapped the design up on Monday. I didn't use the photos below but why not share them anyway?!

The skillful observer may notice that despite my claim the weather is getting better, I am wearing my down coat. I have two responses to that: 1) I am always cold so I bundle up, and 2) "Nice weather" in March in New England means we have not had a snow storm for a week.

Mike always looks handsome. Man, I did good!

We spent some time doing yard clean up. The ice storm hit us fairly hard in December and we had branches down all over the place. Mike did a lot of clean up while I was in Kansas City but there was still plenty left on Sunday. We moved two felled Birch trees and a 30' section of a Cedar tree up into the brush pile, in addition to general twig and branch removal. It was a job, but the yard looks great now!

Happy Spring!

Testing 1-2-3

Miss Fiona is having a bit of a stay in the hospital. Possibly through tomorrow, maybe longer. She had an episode in the car on Saturday that began with an upset stomach and escalated minutes later when she lost consciousness, all color, and her lips turned blue. Pat and Deirdre were unable to awaken her and fortunately an ambulance from the nearby fire station arrived quickly. The paramedics brought her around with oxygen and transported her to the hospital. She is at St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach undergoing a bevy of tests, including a MRI and EEG, which I think are scheduled for today.

Being the little princess she is, Fiona is in high spirits and seems to be viewing the experience as an adventure. I'm sure this is due in large part to her very positive and supportive Mommy and Nana. Connor misses his sister a bunch but is visiting the hospital every day and spending some nice one-on-one time with Nana at night.

Hopefully the tests reveal what caused Fiona to pass out. She is certainly being well cared for in the hospital. Thanks to all who got an inkling of this on Facebook and have already sent well wishes. I'll do my best to pass updates along here.

As an aside (related to the hospital), my co-worker is still in the hospital undergoing dialysis and treatment for a septic staph infection. Hopefully he will be out soon, but there is no timeline as of today.

Smiles

Happy Spring!

Today is the official first day of Spring! The photo above is from last year, our daffodils are only 3" greens right now, but we are really looking forward to them blooming soon! Warm days are coming, and all that nasty snow should be melting away...

Have a Happy Day!

dis not what it looks likes

Some things just strike me as funny (especially when I am in a particularly good mood, like today)... For some reason, this picture made me think of Connor and Fiona...

Have a happy day! 

Kansas City Visit

I had a great time visiting my Mom and Brian in Kansas City last weekend.  I arrived at nearly midnight on Friday night. Mom and I stayed up talking until 2 am, when we figured we should probably turn in. We did a little of this and that on Saturday, including some computer maintenance and creating some ringtones for Mom's iPhone. If you are using a PC and not a Mac with your iPhone, iRinger is an easy application that turns your music into ringtones for free. A couple of her songs gave us trouble, so I made them into ringtones using Garage Band. Easy Peasy.

We celebrated Mom's retirement dinner at Piropos. Their Argentinian cuisine was delightful, and we ate a ton of food. Mom had a great time catching up with a former co-worker, while I had fun visiting with people I hadn't seen for a while. The evening was a great celebration of my Mom's accomplishments at AT&T (formerly Southwestern Bell) for 31 years.

We spent a few hours at the car show at Bartle Hall on Sunday, then walked around a dealer lot to look at cars more closely. The time and research paid off -- Mom picked up a new car yesterday. Her 11-year old Escort is up for sale, with a potential buyer lined up already.

We enjoyed time together shopping and having lunch on Monday before I spent a few hours with Melissa. It was definitely a girls day! We especially enjoyed exploring Sephora's offerings. Mom loved the Hydrating Perfection Powder (foundation), but at $59 (!!!) we had to look at each other in confusion. I guess people spend that much on makeup, but not us two people!

I had a wonderful visit with Melissa and really enjoyed seeing her 4 year-old Serena and her new baby, 2 month-old Tiernan. What a happy and loving family! She and I spirited off for a couple hours of girl talk. It was really nice to get to spend time catching up in person.

I ate like a little piggy for my entire visit so I will be on the treadmill and stairmaster for the forseeable future -- especially after eating so well with Dad and John in Arizona!!! As much as I enjoyed my trip, it sure was nice to be home in my own bed last night, all snuggled up with Michael.






Have a happy day!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

St. Patricks day is a time for celebration! On that note, we got together to perform a dance for you...

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

I had to leave Connor out of this one because there was room for only one boy (I couldn't bear to him a dress, but as you see I had no trouble doing it to Mattie).

Happy St. Patty's!

Happy Weekend!

Well, the weekend is here!!! I am off to Kansas City for the weekend to celebrate my mom's retirement. We are looking forward to seeing each other and spending some time catching up. I'm also hoping to squeeze in a visit with Melissa!

On another front, my friend in the hospital has been improving. Doctors are hoping to take off the respirator this afternoon, so I am crossing my fingers.

Have a happy weekend!

Ups and Downs

Some days life throws us unexpected curve balls. Today, my curve ball was news that a co-worker (who I work for on a majority of my projects) and friend was in intensive care on life support. He works and lives in Washington DC and apparently was hospitilized earlier this week. The president of my company found out today told us in small groups.

I did not handle the news well. Almost no information was available on his condition and the circumstances of the hospitilization. We don't know when he was admitted. We only know he has a severe infection. The whole office was in an emotional turmoil -- no one having known that someone we cared about was in very dire straits.

Near the end of the day we learned that the doctors are optimistic and he has improved some. The information is sketchy, but at least news is good. I pray for his recovery and that God give him and his family strength. He is recently divorced (after over 20 years) and lives alone.

Events like this help to remind me that every day is precious. Every relationship we have is important. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten irritated at my friend and co-worker Howie, how many times I have yelled or snapped -- we have a very close relationship. I should not get irritated about things that are unimportant. I don't want my last conversation with a person to be negative. Since I don't know what conversation will be the last, I must remind myself to be patient and forgiving to others. We should hold our loved ones and friends close to our hearts, whether they are next door or far away.

Thank you, my dear and wonderful family and friends for being blessings in my life. I love you and value you. And, Howie, you better get well soon, or I'll have to go to DC and tell you in person!

A Fun Rainbow Cake

At first I was going to mail this (to Pat, then to Melissa), but decided, hey, let's share with everyone. This recipe for a Rainbow Cake was linked in Amazon Daily's blog. OMG!!!!! It is so easy and fun -- you have to check it out. Seriously. Anyone can make this and have fun!

So, here's what it looks like:

And here's the best part -- the ingredients are simple. Check it out!

Even I want to make this... Right away!!!! I probably won't... Mainly because cake is not a low-carb choice (no matter how you cut it -- and this recipe is 81 carbs for 1/12 of the cake -- I worked it out). Aaah, to dream!

Have a happy day!

Hilarious -- YouTube video FaceBook in Reality

A coworker of mine posted this on FB (embedded video below), and I had to share. It is so funny, and sadly, scarily, true!!! Enjoy!

Coquilles St. Jacques Pot Pies with Roasted Lemon

On Sunday night I wanted to try this great recipe I got online: Coquilles St. Jacques Pot Pies with Roasted Lemon. As these things go, the pre-preparation was more work than we expected. Our grocery store was out of puff pastry, so we went to another store in another town. I was also on a quest for individual casserole/au gratin dishes. Fortunately, we found both.

I cooked up the mushroom béchamel sauce to perfection... I added it to the scallops for this photo.




After time in the oven, voila!, a beautiful pot pie.




It was so very delicious. I highly recommend this recipe!

Who is a turkey?

Some of my co-workers and I were entertained this morning by unexpected wildlife.




Don't get me wrong, I HAVE seen wild turkeys before. Just not in a highly populated area like Newton...

Here he is going closer to the dentist's office...







Maybe he needs his teeth cleaned... But, turkeys don't have teeth do they?

Smiles!

Look, Ma! No Spills!

Mike and I were in Macys last weekend when I ran across the OXO LiquiSeal travel mug .

I don't know if you have as difficult of a time with travel mugs as Mike does, but the things don't work for a darn. At first they are ok, but they quickly start to leak and drip.

My experience with OXO has been good, so I paid the $9.99 for the mug. I gave it the first try today. Boy, do I like it! It has a vacuum seal that you can actually hear close. I turned it upside down and not a drip or drop escaped... I am impressed.

Hopefully it holds up over time! I'll keep you posted!

Happy Birthday, Deirdre!

Look at this sweet picture...





Happy Birthday!

I'm so proud...

Our boy made Lolcats!





moar funny pictures

Isn't that great! Be sure to vote for him!

Catching Up...

I have been a little remiss about blog updates this week. Time has just gotten away from me. Sorry!

Having said that, here goes on what's been going on...

I worked from home last Friday because we have a service call I needed to be around for. Mattie loved having me around all day (and not having to be locked up). Monday of this week brought us a Nor'easter. It started Sunday night and we got snow until around 9 pm on Monday night. All told, we got around 15" of snow. The storm was at its peak during the morning commute and we were expecting a pretty constant stream of snow, so I worked from home again on Monday. Mattie did his best to help me out.




I didn't really realize how much he loved the arrangement until Tuesday morning. He walked around the house whimpering all morning because I had not picked him up and I was getting ready to leave for work. He repeated the act yesterday and today.

I'm sure this is all compounded by Mike's absence. He is working in Puerto Rico this week, having left on Monday and returning tomorrow (or Saturday). My week has been Ho-Hum with him gone, but what are you gonna do?!

Smiles!

What I'm Reading (February)

February has come and gone, and I have just finished the last of my books for this month.

	Mounting Fears  by Stuart Woods From the New York Times: "President Will Lee is having a rough week. His vice president just died during surgery. Confirmation hearings for the new vice president are under way, but the squeaky-clean governor whom Will has nominated may have a few previously unnoticed skeletons in his closet. And Teddy Fay, the rogue CIA agent last seen in Shoot Him If He Runs, is plotting his revenge on CIA director Kate Rule Lee—the president’s wife. Plus there are some loose nukes in Pakistan that might just trigger World War III if Will’s diplomatic efforts fall short. It’s up to President Lee—with some help from Holly Barker, Lance Cabot, and a few other Stuart Woods series regulars—to save the world, and the upcoming election."
	Fuzzy Navel  by JA Konrath From Amazon: "Things are going well for Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels of the Chicago Police Department. She has solved some of the city's toughest and most high-profile homicides. Her personal life is finally in order. Her friends and family are safe and happy. And she just got a call that eased her mind like nothing else could: Alex Kork, one of the most dangerous criminals Jack ever arrested, killed herself while in jail. But things sour quickly when a group of vigilantes on a murderous spree decide to take down a cop and the people she cares about ... and they turn downright awful when Jack discovers that Kork may not be dead after all. The next eight hours will be the worst of Jack's life. And that's saying something." This installment was much last graphic than previous ones. It was ok, not the best, but the cliffhanger ending will have me reading the next one due out in June.
	Vineyard Stalker by Philip R. Craig From Publisher's Weekly: "Secret love affairs and real estate schemes drive Craig's lively 18th Martha's Vineyard mystery featuring retired Boston cop J.W. Jackson (after 2006's Dead in Vineyard Sand). While J.W.'s kids and wife, Zee, are off-island, Zee's friend Carole Cohen asks J.W. to help track down a stalker harassing her reclusive brother, Roland Nunes. A carpenter and Vietnam vet known as "The Monk," Roland lives in a cottage on a valuable plot of land. Carole, a realtor, worries that someone wants to scare her brother away. Could it be their cousin Sally Oliver, who wants to sell the land? The plot thickens with revelations about Roland's neighbors, provocative divorcée Melissa Carson and Melissa's financier fiancé, Alfred Cabot. The level of crime plaguing West Tisbury escalates from stalking to murder, leading to a resolution sure to satisfy loyal fans." Another nice installation in the JW Jackson series. I have been saving his books up (since his untimely passing).
	What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Kindle Edition From Amazon:" How did this happen? Georgie York, once the costar of America's favorite television sitcom, has been publicly abandoned by her famous husband, her film career has tanked, her father is driving her crazy, and her public image as a spunky heroine is taking a serious beating. What should a down-on-her-luck actress do? Not go to Vegas . . . not run into her detestable former costar, dreamboat-from-hell Bramwell Shepard . . . and not get caught up in an ugly incident that leads to a calamitous elopement. Before she knows it, Georgie has a fake marriage, a fake husband, and maybe (or not) a fake sex life. It's a paparazzi free-for-all, and Georgie's nonsupporting cast doesn't help. There's Bram's punk-nightmare housekeeper, Georgie's own pushy parent, a suck-up agent, an icy studio head with a private agenda, and her ex-husband's new wife, who can't get enough of doing good deeds and saving the world—the bitch. As for Georgie's leading man, Bram's giving the performance of his life, but he's never cared about anyone except himself, and it's not exactly clear why. Two enemies find themselves working without a script in a town where the spotlight shines bright . . . and where the strongest emotions can wear startling disguises. " I loved this book -- I thought it was great. I read it all on the plane on the way out to Phoenix.
	Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich Kindle Edition From Amazon: "The First Full Length Stephanie Plum Between-the-Numbers Novel from #1 Bestselling Author Janet Evanovich. Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey. According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys. Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground. Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree. Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel.  Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs. Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys." This was a pretty  typical Plum book. I am really tired of reading, but won't stop for some reason....
	The Shack by William P. Young  Kindle Edition From AudioFile: "Mac is a grief-stricken father in mid-life about to have an extraordinary experience with God. His great sadness began four years ago on a weekend camping trip, when his 6-year-old daughter, Missy, was murdered. What he couldn't know then, but is about to learn, was God's purpose for Missy's death. Roger Mueller's clear, gentle voice characterizes Mac's family with high-spirited joy and laughter. His portrayal of Missy's animated excitement makes her especially believable. His polished performance of grief-stricken Mac brings tears. With empathy and sensitivity, Mueller captures the mysterious voices of those who have invited him to the now abandoned, yet transformed, cabin in the wilderness. This compelling fantasy explores themes of love, loss, and blame."
	What Looks Like Crazy  by Charlotte Hughes Kindle Edition From Amazon: "Psychologist Kate Holly is about to get evicted from her office, and her best option may be to share space with her jacuzzi-loving ex-boyfriend, Dr. Thad Glazer. That’s not going to help her patch things up with her firefighter ex-husband. With her oddball patients, meddling mother, and eccentric secretary thrown into the mix—not to mention a spree of suspicious fires—will Kate put her life back together or wind up in a padded cell?" I really enjoyed this book. It was cute and lively, just like the Evanovich books used to book. I recommend it for a light read!
	Nuclear Jellyfish  by Tim Dorsey Kindle Edition From Publishers Weekly: "Fasten your seatbelts: Serge A. Storms, Florida's manic tour and history guide as well as its most inventive and prolific serial killer, cruises at warp(ed) speed through bestseller Dorsey's 11th thriller (after Atomic Lobster). Serge's primary target is a tattooed thug called Jellyfish (behind his back) or Eel (to his face), whose gang rips off diamond couriers. But along the frantic way, Serge and his pal, the always-buzzed Coleman, remove a variety of societal pests, including skinheads beating a homeless man, auto repair shysters preying on tourists and bargain motels that don't deliver on their bargains. Serge's instruments of vengeance include garden hoses, pigs, aerosol sprays and lots of duct tape. Dorsey's inspired insanity certainly won't appeal to everyone, but Serge's antics give vicarious satisfaction to those who too often see misdeeds go unpunished. In short, Serge continues to pummel convention and evildoers with exuberant abandon and wit. 9-city author tour. (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved." I have read Tim Dorsey in the past and hated his writing. I, apparently, forgot this when I paid $10 for this book. It was difficult to get through, and I didn't like it. Sorry, but a huge thumbs down.

On to March! Hopefully I choose better things to read...

Smiles