It's been a while.
Life has been changing really quickly around here lately.
First, the job...
I LOVE(D) my job! I couldn't wait to go to work every day. I worked days, nights, weekends, holidays, didn't make any money and didn't care! It was a great feeling!!
Did you notice all that was past tense?
Yeah, those days are over.
I'm a big "go with the flow" kinda girl.
Recently, some little thing happened but I wasn't even fazed.
Then a little-bit-bigger thing happened, but I thought "I can get over that".
Then something really big happened but I decided to take the weekend to calm down and think rationally.
Then something truly awful happened and I said (out loud, by myself) "Alright already!".
So I'm looking for a new job.
I've had a few interviews already and more scheduled, including one (gasp!) in corporate, which I swore I would never go back to (desperate times, right?).
Then, the house...
When I bought this house, it was ok - not really a "fixer-upper", it just wasn't living up to it's potential.
I've been slowly working on little projects here and there (very little, very here and there).
Then something snapped.
I'm just tired of living in a construction zone, so I set aside some money, got a contractor friend over and told him to keep going until I run out of money or projects, whichever comes first (money).
Right now I'm working on the kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom.
I really need to find a job.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Monday, October 27, 2014
Bacon Cheeseburger Chowder
It may have been 70 degrees outside today (it's almost November!), but...
it's almost November.
Soup season!
And this is a really good one...
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 T flour
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 lb potatoes, peeled & chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1 T beef bouillon granules
12 oz Velveeta
bacon, cooked & crumbled
Directions
In a large pot, cook beef, onion & pepper
Drain
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Stir in flour until blended
Gradually stir in milk
Add potatoes, water & bouillon
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat
Simmer covered 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender
Add cheese
Stir until melted
Sprinkle servings with bacon
Originally printed in Taste of Home magazine, November 2014.
it's almost November.
Soup season!
And this is a really good one...
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 T flour
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 lb potatoes, peeled & chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1 T beef bouillon granules
12 oz Velveeta
bacon, cooked & crumbled
Directions
In a large pot, cook beef, onion & pepper
Drain
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Stir in flour until blended
Gradually stir in milk
Add potatoes, water & bouillon
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat
Simmer covered 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender
Add cheese
Stir until melted
Sprinkle servings with bacon
Originally printed in Taste of Home magazine, November 2014.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Life in a Jar
Every once in a while, I go through a stage where I just can't get into a book. I have stacks and stacks and stacks (and stacks, and...) of books, so I'll pick one up, read a page (sentence?) and know that nope, that's not going to do it.
Then I revert to my list of books I want to read, dig one of those out and no, none of them will work either.
That's when being in a book club comes in handy. Those books I HAVE to read (many times I wish I didn't, but that's another story).
Recently, I was in one of those stages, but a friend lent me a book, and I'm one of those people who feels obligated to read a book that someone loans me.
I am so glad I did.
The book Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project
is the story of a woman named Irena Sendler, a Catholic woman living in Poland during WW2.
We've all heard of Oskar Schindler (Schindler's List
), who is credited with saving 1,200 Jews during the war.
Irena Sendler saved over 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto, but most people had never heard of her (including me) until a group of teenage girls in Kansas came across her story and brought it to light.
The book is incredibly well written and captures both the best and the worst of humanity. It's easy to read, but also really, really hard to read.
The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945
, the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman that was made into the movie The Pianist (Single-Sided Version)
was also set in the Warsaw Ghetto during the war. If you haven't seen the movie, DO!
And, read Life in a Jar. You'll be glad you did.
Then I revert to my list of books I want to read, dig one of those out and no, none of them will work either.
That's when being in a book club comes in handy. Those books I HAVE to read (many times I wish I didn't, but that's another story).
Recently, I was in one of those stages, but a friend lent me a book, and I'm one of those people who feels obligated to read a book that someone loans me.
I am so glad I did.
The book Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project
is the story of a woman named Irena Sendler, a Catholic woman living in Poland during WW2.We've all heard of Oskar Schindler (Schindler's List
), who is credited with saving 1,200 Jews during the war. Irena Sendler saved over 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto, but most people had never heard of her (including me) until a group of teenage girls in Kansas came across her story and brought it to light.
The book is incredibly well written and captures both the best and the worst of humanity. It's easy to read, but also really, really hard to read.
The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945
, the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman that was made into the movie The Pianist (Single-Sided Version) was also set in the Warsaw Ghetto during the war. If you haven't seen the movie, DO! And, read Life in a Jar. You'll be glad you did.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Measure Twice, Cut Once
Good advice.
(And, not just for construction.)
I was recently given a bench, with a perfectly nice cushion...
The cushion, though...
It's just not my style. I like things a little more girly.
So, I decided to make a pillow sham for it, using this video...
So I measured the cushion, and finally found the perfect fabric (on sale!).
I cut it out on Saturday and realized that I forgot to take into consideration that there are actually two sides to a cushion.
Luckily (knowing how I am), when I bought the fabric, I rounded up generously (like I said, it was on sale, and I know how I am).
And, since it's an envelope style sham, so can only be put on one way, nobody will ever know the bottom is pieced together!
Also on Saturday, I tried a new crock pot recipe. I am an incredible crock pot cook and this recipe for Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken from Cozycakes Cottage was no exception. This recipe requires slightly more work than I like (you have to make rice!), but it was well worth the almost no effort whatsoever that it takes to make rice.
On Sunday, I had to work. But, as usual, my job was sitting around talking to people and (not quite as usual) hanging out with newborn baby birds.
(And, not just for construction.)
I was recently given a bench, with a perfectly nice cushion...
The cushion, though...
It's just not my style. I like things a little more girly.
So, I decided to make a pillow sham for it, using this video...
So I measured the cushion, and finally found the perfect fabric (on sale!).
I cut it out on Saturday and realized that I forgot to take into consideration that there are actually two sides to a cushion.
Luckily (knowing how I am), when I bought the fabric, I rounded up generously (like I said, it was on sale, and I know how I am).
And, since it's an envelope style sham, so can only be put on one way, nobody will ever know the bottom is pieced together!
 |
| ta da! |
On Sunday, I had to work. But, as usual, my job was sitting around talking to people and (not quite as usual) hanging out with newborn baby birds.
 |
| SO CUTE! |
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Dubuque, Des Moines & In-between
Each year, the Voices Gallery in Dubuque, Iowa holds a month-long art exhibit and cultural event in the historic Millwork District.
On Saturday night, I attended a reading by Michael Perry, who wrote (among other things) a book called Truck: A Love Story (P.S.)
that was HILARIOUS (for the most part).
that was HILARIOUS (for the most part).
 |
New York City? No, Dubuque.
|
The next day, I had to drive to Des Moines, for a press conference with the governor (yes, that sounds weird to me too).
Literally.
The Grant Wood Scenic Byway takes me about halfway to Des Moines from the town where I live.
I decided to take the scenic route.
Literally.
The Grant Wood Scenic Byway takes me about halfway to Des Moines from the town where I live.
 |
| scenic |
 |
| The Antioch School Grant Wood attended from 1897 - 1901 |
At the end of the byway, I took the "2-lane" (as opposed to the "4-lane") to Mt. Vernon, a small town between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City (two other small towns).
Recently, a conversation broke out on Facebook about how cute Mt. Vernon is (it is!) and how cool the coffee shop Fuel is (it is!!).
I had to check it out for myself (such is the power of social media!), and since I was driving in that direction anyway...
I've never heard of a chanchito, but these were super cute! They're supposed to bring good luck so I probably should've gotten one but I didn't.
Not-so-bright, but super-early the next morning...
 |
| View of the sunrise over the Iowa State Capitol from my hotel room |
 |
| Hopefully the only time I'm INSIDE the Iowa Supreme Court |
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Council Hill
Summer is (finally!) over (unofficially), so this past weekend I was able to get out to see one of my favorite local bands.
The Matriarchs is (are?) an all-girl bluegrass band. I hired them to play at our annual art festival in August and they were SO FUN!
The band was playing at Council Hill Station, an old train station/post office/general store/woolen mill built in the 1850's that now has barn dances and over 90 different kinds of beer.
On our way there, my friend told me about the Ably House, an old, abandoned house where several people had been murdered back in the 1800's.
We immediately started to look for it!
We drove down a long, one-lane road...
through a tunnel...
and then...
There was a fence (electrified!) and a gate.
We walked around to the back...
past the side of the house.
A little electrified fence won't stop me (it doesn't hurt THAT bad.), so I climbed over the back gate, and walked slowly past the side of the house. As soon as I turned to go onto the front porch, I heard a sound.
A truck! Driving down the lane right towards us!
Needless to say, I ran.
Then, nothing. Nobody. No truck...
Turns out, it was a couple of teenagers who came to the bridge at the edge of the property to fish.
But still.
Scary.
After that excitement, we decided to drive into Galena, a super cute, super touristy little town on the way home.
We wandered around for a little while, laughing about the irony of two adults being chased away by teenagers (isn't it supposed to be the other way around?), then headed into an ice cream shop where it's not scary at all.
The Matriarchs is (are?) an all-girl bluegrass band. I hired them to play at our annual art festival in August and they were SO FUN!
The band was playing at Council Hill Station, an old train station/post office/general store/woolen mill built in the 1850's that now has barn dances and over 90 different kinds of beer.
 |
On our way there, my friend told me about the Ably House, an old, abandoned house where several people had been murdered back in the 1800's.
We immediately started to look for it!
We drove down a long, one-lane road...
through a tunnel...
and then...
 |
| EEK! That's it! |
There was a fence (electrified!) and a gate.
We walked around to the back...
 |
| the path to the back gate |
past the side of the house.
 |
A truck! Driving down the lane right towards us!
Needless to say, I ran.
Then, nothing. Nobody. No truck...
Turns out, it was a couple of teenagers who came to the bridge at the edge of the property to fish.
But still.
Scary.
After that excitement, we decided to drive into Galena, a super cute, super touristy little town on the way home.
We wandered around for a little while, laughing about the irony of two adults being chased away by teenagers (isn't it supposed to be the other way around?), then headed into an ice cream shop where it's not scary at all.
 |
| GAH! |
Friday, August 1, 2014
Hail to the Red, White & Blue (and, Beauty & the Beach)!
So, I'm a day late.
And I'm totally cheating by using my July Goodwill Hunting find for both July and August.
But it's so perfect!
I actually saw this red, white & blue bag months ago and grabbed it. It could be one of those gift-with-purchase bags but I don't care!
I love it!
I'm not sure what the material is, but it feels like it'd be waterproof, and when I saw it, I immediately thought it'd be a perfect beach bag.
Not that I have time to go to the beach, but I am going to try to do something fun before this summer is over.
And when I do, I'm taking this bag!
This will probably be the last official "Goodwill Hunting" installment (but definitely NOT the last time I post one of my great thrift store finds!).
And I'm totally cheating by using my July Goodwill Hunting find for both July and August.
But it's so perfect!
I actually saw this red, white & blue bag months ago and grabbed it. It could be one of those gift-with-purchase bags but I don't care!
I love it!
I'm not sure what the material is, but it feels like it'd be waterproof, and when I saw it, I immediately thought it'd be a perfect beach bag.
Not that I have time to go to the beach, but I am going to try to do something fun before this summer is over.
And when I do, I'm taking this bag!
This will probably be the last official "Goodwill Hunting" installment (but definitely NOT the last time I post one of my great thrift store finds!).
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