I am two days into my new job now. It is so weird I started this week with interviews planned and then all the sudden I have an offer and am working on Thursday. Life sure does have a way of surprising me. My job has been a little slow. Thursday was filled with HR paperwork and an introduction to the project. Friday I was able to sit with a coworker part of the day and start learning their systems and processes. When I was at my old job I spent 9 am to 5 pm on conference call straight. Very rarely did I have any breaks and sometimes there were two and even three conference calls on my calendar at the same time. This new job sure is a change of pace for me. I might just learn how to relax and not be so uptight. I am sure things will pick up at my job but I will not nearly have the amount of conference calls I did at my last job. I might actually be a 40 or 45 hour a week employee rather than a 60.
Since I started working in a professional environment 9 years ago I always wear high heels. I am so used it that I really cannot walk without high heels on. Well…this last year of working at home and wearing flip flops all the time took that leg strength away from me. One day wearing heels for a full 9 hour day and I am so sore! The bottoms of my feet and calves are screaming at me to take it easy. I never had a problem walking in heels for this long until now. Hopefully it does not take me long to get used to it again.
So one huge problem with me not spending money. With all the weight I lost (Ok I put 5 back on) I bought all new clothes earlier this year. What I did not buy was work cloths. CRAP! I do need to buy a few new pairs of dress pants. I should be OK on shirts. I have about 25 pairs of dress pants and almost all of them are falling off of me. I do not mind if they are a little big but some of them are just extreme. I also need a new pair of black dress shoes. I really have not purchased a new pair since I worked in an office every day.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
My Last Day as a Housewife
I made sure my last day as a housewife went out with a bang! I did not sit back and relax all day. I cleaned, canceled other interviews I had lined up, and cooked a great meal for Tony. This is his last day being married to a housewife and more than likely will not be coming home to home cooked meals every night. Our schedules are going to be slightly off. I probably will get home an hour and a half after he does since he goes into work early. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I will not be cooking anything since I have karate those nights. Either it will be left overs or he is going to have to cook the meal for us. Tony will also have to get used to eating later at night if I am going to cook when I get home. I probably will get home between 5:30 and 6:00 each night and Tony gets home at 4:00. While working at my last job I worked at home so even though I would work to 5 even sometimes 7 at night I could quickly toss something in the oven or take a break to make sure dinner was ready for him.
Okay…backed to what I cooked today. Yummy! I first tried low fat monkey bars from Woman’s Day magazine. These are so stinking good I had to fight not to eat almost half of the batch. I did make one mistake. In the recipe I was only supposed to put a half cup of the chocolate chips in the batter and then sprinkle the rest on but I put the full cup in. Does not make a difference in the taste but all the chocolate chips sink to the bottom. They are 3 grams of fat per serving but I made a few modifications so it is probably only around 1.5 grams of fat per serving. 1.5x40 servings…okay…I had my share of fat today. Ops.
Monkey Bars
1 2/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 5 bananas)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar (I used brown sugar splenda)
¼ cup oil (I used applesauce)
¼ cup milk
2 large eggs (I used egg beaters)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 350 Degrees. Line a 15x10x1/2 inch baking pan with nonstick foil and let foil extend about 2 inches above pan at both ends.
2. Whisk mashed bananas, sugar, oil, milk, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl until mixed thoroughly. Whisk in flour just until blended; gently stir in ½ cup of the mini chocolate chips.
3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
4. Holding foil by ends, lift from pan onto cutting board. Carefully cut lengthwise in 4 strips and then cut each strip into 10. Remove from foil.
For dinner I made Tony Buffalo Shrimp Sliders from Redbook Magazine. I made these once before and he loved them. I did make a few modifications. I added red pepper flakes for more heat as Tony likes it. He does not like celery so I used onion instead. I also used whole grain flat bread buns, toasted with butter spray and garlic. I did not do red pepper flakes, onion, or garlic the last time and Tony liked it even better this time around. Now what did I eat since I do not like seafood...a Morning Star black bean burger. Yes, Tony gets the homecooked meals.
Buffalo Shrimp Slider
8 (3-inch) soft dinner rolls, split – or 4 regular buns
1 small heart romaine lettuce, finely shredded, 2 cups
1 celery stalk, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
1/3 cup shredded carrots
3 tbsp blue cheese dressing
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 tbsp hot-pepper sauce or buffalo wing sauce
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
1. Heat the broiler. Place dinner rolls, cut side up, on baking sheet. Place under broiler and lightly toast, turning baking sheet to toast rolls evenly.
2. In a medium bowl, toss lettuce, celery, and carrots with dressing. Divide the mixture over the bottom halves of the rolls.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add 1 tbsp butter and shrimp. Sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are almost cooked through.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp butter and hot sauce to skillet; continue to cook, stirring shrimp in buffalo sauce with a slotted spoon until cooked through, about 1 minute. Spoon shrimp and sauce over lettuce mixture, sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and place roll tops, toasted side down.
Now I have to share the potato salad I made Tony and his friends for guy’s night last Friday. This potato salad is a hit whenever I take it to a party. It is spicy and you can only make it with Tastefully Simple ingredients…so call your Tastefully Simple consultant to place an order…that would be me. Especially do not substitute the bacon bits for any other brand. It just does not taste nearly as good.
Okay…backed to what I cooked today. Yummy! I first tried low fat monkey bars from Woman’s Day magazine. These are so stinking good I had to fight not to eat almost half of the batch. I did make one mistake. In the recipe I was only supposed to put a half cup of the chocolate chips in the batter and then sprinkle the rest on but I put the full cup in. Does not make a difference in the taste but all the chocolate chips sink to the bottom. They are 3 grams of fat per serving but I made a few modifications so it is probably only around 1.5 grams of fat per serving. 1.5x40 servings…okay…I had my share of fat today. Ops.
Monkey Bars
1 2/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 5 bananas)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar (I used brown sugar splenda)
¼ cup oil (I used applesauce)
¼ cup milk
2 large eggs (I used egg beaters)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 350 Degrees. Line a 15x10x1/2 inch baking pan with nonstick foil and let foil extend about 2 inches above pan at both ends.
2. Whisk mashed bananas, sugar, oil, milk, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl until mixed thoroughly. Whisk in flour just until blended; gently stir in ½ cup of the mini chocolate chips.
3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
4. Holding foil by ends, lift from pan onto cutting board. Carefully cut lengthwise in 4 strips and then cut each strip into 10. Remove from foil.
For dinner I made Tony Buffalo Shrimp Sliders from Redbook Magazine. I made these once before and he loved them. I did make a few modifications. I added red pepper flakes for more heat as Tony likes it. He does not like celery so I used onion instead. I also used whole grain flat bread buns, toasted with butter spray and garlic. I did not do red pepper flakes, onion, or garlic the last time and Tony liked it even better this time around. Now what did I eat since I do not like seafood...a Morning Star black bean burger. Yes, Tony gets the homecooked meals.
Buffalo Shrimp Slider
8 (3-inch) soft dinner rolls, split – or 4 regular buns
1 small heart romaine lettuce, finely shredded, 2 cups
1 celery stalk, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
1/3 cup shredded carrots
3 tbsp blue cheese dressing
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 tbsp hot-pepper sauce or buffalo wing sauce
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
1. Heat the broiler. Place dinner rolls, cut side up, on baking sheet. Place under broiler and lightly toast, turning baking sheet to toast rolls evenly.
2. In a medium bowl, toss lettuce, celery, and carrots with dressing. Divide the mixture over the bottom halves of the rolls.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add 1 tbsp butter and shrimp. Sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are almost cooked through.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp butter and hot sauce to skillet; continue to cook, stirring shrimp in buffalo sauce with a slotted spoon until cooked through, about 1 minute. Spoon shrimp and sauce over lettuce mixture, sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and place roll tops, toasted side down.
Now I have to share the potato salad I made Tony and his friends for guy’s night last Friday. This potato salad is a hit whenever I take it to a party. It is spicy and you can only make it with Tastefully Simple ingredients…so call your Tastefully Simple consultant to place an order…that would be me. Especially do not substitute the bacon bits for any other brand. It just does not taste nearly as good.
Fiesta Bacon Potato Salad
5 large Idaho potatoes
2 hardboiled eggs
1 small onion, diced
2 cups miracle whip
¼ cup mustard
¼ cup bacon bits (Tastefully Simple Brand)
2 tb vinegar
1 tb dried onion (Tastefully Simple Brand)
2 tb relish
1 ts Fiesta Party Dip Mix (Tastefully Simple)
Boil potatoes in water until tender. Cool and dice. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Fold in potatoes. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.
5 large Idaho potatoes
2 hardboiled eggs
1 small onion, diced
2 cups miracle whip
¼ cup mustard
¼ cup bacon bits (Tastefully Simple Brand)
2 tb vinegar
1 tb dried onion (Tastefully Simple Brand)
2 tb relish
1 ts Fiesta Party Dip Mix (Tastefully Simple)
Boil potatoes in water until tender. Cool and dice. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Fold in potatoes. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.
I'm Employed!
I just accepted an offer with Bank A! They are paying in the range I wanted and their benefits are amazing. Right now Tony and I pay over $400 a month for health insurance through his work and with my new job we will only pay $74 a month. In the 9 years we have been married we never have paid so little for health insurance. I start work right away tomorrow. It is not nearly as much money as I was making in my last job but I have benefits and stability. Right now that is the most important thing. It is a better job than what I had prior to my last job.
I am not going to change much about the way Tony and I are living. We learned to live cheap the past three months and I want to continue to live cheap so we work harder on building up our savings account. I am going to continue with selling Tastefully Simple foods and build that business up.
I am not going to change much about the way Tony and I are living. We learned to live cheap the past three months and I want to continue to live cheap so we work harder on building up our savings account. I am going to continue with selling Tastefully Simple foods and build that business up.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Two Interviews Today!
I had two interviews today. The first interview was my second interview with Bank A. I met with their values team. It is more of an interview to see how my personality fits in with the people in the company. I think I fit in great. The only downfall to this job is I do not see growth or advancement opportunities. Maybe I will see them once I get my foot in the door. On the bright side they are paying in the range I am willing to accept and have an awesome work environment. Given the fact anywhere I get my foot in the door I am going to have to work hard to prove myself and my value. Advancement opportunities will come with time.
My second interview was my first interview with the duck insurance company. I really would love, LOVE to do this job. The downfall is the position is all commissioned based. I would not be making money for the first month but the potential for an incredible career and advancement opportunity is amazing. This interview was with a couple of other interviewees. It was an introduction to the company and the position. Second interviews will be scheduled soon.
I still have one more interview this week with Bank C on Friday.
My second interview was my first interview with the duck insurance company. I really would love, LOVE to do this job. The downfall is the position is all commissioned based. I would not be making money for the first month but the potential for an incredible career and advancement opportunity is amazing. This interview was with a couple of other interviewees. It was an introduction to the company and the position. Second interviews will be scheduled soon.
I still have one more interview this week with Bank C on Friday.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Your New Tastefully Simple Consultant
I decided to sign up to become a Tastefully Simple Consultant since I love their products and figure it is a great way to make extra cash while I am still job searching. I will not have my website up until next month for online ordering but can take orders through email. For those of you that are interested in hosting a book show or taste testing party or if you want some more information please email me at lhilt@nc.rr.com. Some of you may have already received an email from me. Much Much More to come on this topic.
Thanks to my friend Elissa for hosting my first show at the end of August!
Thanks to my friend Elissa for hosting my first show at the end of August!
My Weekend in Charleston
I had a great time in Charleston with my friend Crystal. She moved to Charleston from WI earlier this year. We have not seen each other in over five years. I drove down Friday afternoon. She had Chinese takeout was waiting for me. Crystal took me to her friend’s house to cool down in their pool. It was a horrible hot day in the Carolinas and nothing felt better than a dip in a pool. Her friends are so nice and I that bottle of wine they served up for me went down really well.
Saturday we went to downtown Charleston in the historic area. Crystal’s boyfriend drives one of the carriages and we were able to get on his tour. I like doing the carriage tours when I am in Charleston but that day it was around 100 degrees. I had a small lacy fan to try to cool down with but that was not working. I was in the middle of the carriage and sweating so badly. I put my legs up on the bench in front of me to get some air up my dress. I am sure I was showing many people my business but at that point I did not really care. Those nice air conditioned tour buses that were passing us looked better and better as the ride went on. After over an hour in the carriage we finally returned to the barn. The whole bottom of my light blue dress was covered in sweat. Almost looked like I pissed myself but on the back. Lucky for me I was not the only one with massive sweat on my clothes.
Sunday I left around noon and drove home. Tony and I have been together for almost 10 years and we still hate being apart even though we are having fun with friends. Tony had the guys over Friday night and then went out with a few on Saturday so he had a good time.
If you have never been to Charleston, SC it is one of those places you must visit before you die. Put it on your bucket list. This city is so amazingly beautiful and breathe taking. The history in this city is not like any other I have ever been too. The live oak trees are so mesmerizing. They are wider than they are tall and moss hangs from the branches. There are so many things to do and so many places to see. The possibilities are endless. The pictures are some I took last year in Charleston. I have not had the time to upload the new ones.
Saturday we went to downtown Charleston in the historic area. Crystal’s boyfriend drives one of the carriages and we were able to get on his tour. I like doing the carriage tours when I am in Charleston but that day it was around 100 degrees. I had a small lacy fan to try to cool down with but that was not working. I was in the middle of the carriage and sweating so badly. I put my legs up on the bench in front of me to get some air up my dress. I am sure I was showing many people my business but at that point I did not really care. Those nice air conditioned tour buses that were passing us looked better and better as the ride went on. After over an hour in the carriage we finally returned to the barn. The whole bottom of my light blue dress was covered in sweat. Almost looked like I pissed myself but on the back. Lucky for me I was not the only one with massive sweat on my clothes.
Saturday night Crystal and her roommate took me out to an upscale club downtown. I do not even remember the last time I was at a club. It may have been over six years ago when Tony and I lived in WI. Clubs just are not my thing. I am not a dancer but did dance a few songs with Crystal because she loves it so much. At least with it being an upscale club no one bothered me since I was wearing my wedding ring.
Sunday I left around noon and drove home. Tony and I have been together for almost 10 years and we still hate being apart even though we are having fun with friends. Tony had the guys over Friday night and then went out with a few on Saturday so he had a good time.
If you have never been to Charleston, SC it is one of those places you must visit before you die. Put it on your bucket list. This city is so amazingly beautiful and breathe taking. The history in this city is not like any other I have ever been too. The live oak trees are so mesmerizing. They are wider than they are tall and moss hangs from the branches. There are so many things to do and so many places to see. The possibilities are endless. The pictures are some I took last year in Charleston. I have not had the time to upload the new ones.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
My Birthday
My birthday started out wonderful. I do not make a big deal about birthdays but today was a great day. I rolled out of bed this morning forgetting it was even my birthday until I entered the living room and Tony put up Happy Birthday banners in the living room and dinning room. He even bought gold confetti and sprinkled it on the table. He is so cute when it comes to birthdays.
I continued on with my day with job searching followed by an interviewing class held by the unemployment office. I scored two interviews today that are scheduled for next week. One of them is with Bank C I mentioned yesterday and the other is with an insurance company with a big duck...hint, hint.
I picked up my bridesmaid dress and the tailor took way too much in around the chest. It is pretty tight and gives me rolls in the back with what little fat I have back there. I am going to take it back tomorrow to see if they can bring it out more. I hope they do not charge me for it since I already picked it up.
I made Tony and me burgers and fries for dinner. Mine was a black bean burger and Tony's was a turkey burger. Nothing fancy since I was headed out to karate while Tony baked my birthday cake. It was the first cake he ever made and he is learning slowly by using a box mix and frosting. One of these days I will teach him how to do every thing from scratch. Takes a long time but the results and self fulfillment are worth it. Back to the cake...since I have my bridesmaid dress to fit into in two weeks I gave him the substitutes to make the cake low fat. Use applesauce instead of oil and egg beaters for real eggs. He did and the cake tasted great. He even put it on my cake plate. I could tell he was pretty proud of himself.
I did not want anything fancy for my birthday since I am not working. Tony was going to buy me a spa session but I told him I would be just as happy with "It's Complicated". I love that movie. That is what he bought me along with a bottle of wine. Perfect!
I continued on with my day with job searching followed by an interviewing class held by the unemployment office. I scored two interviews today that are scheduled for next week. One of them is with Bank C I mentioned yesterday and the other is with an insurance company with a big duck...hint, hint.
I picked up my bridesmaid dress and the tailor took way too much in around the chest. It is pretty tight and gives me rolls in the back with what little fat I have back there. I am going to take it back tomorrow to see if they can bring it out more. I hope they do not charge me for it since I already picked it up.
I made Tony and me burgers and fries for dinner. Mine was a black bean burger and Tony's was a turkey burger. Nothing fancy since I was headed out to karate while Tony baked my birthday cake. It was the first cake he ever made and he is learning slowly by using a box mix and frosting. One of these days I will teach him how to do every thing from scratch. Takes a long time but the results and self fulfillment are worth it. Back to the cake...since I have my bridesmaid dress to fit into in two weeks I gave him the substitutes to make the cake low fat. Use applesauce instead of oil and egg beaters for real eggs. He did and the cake tasted great. He even put it on my cake plate. I could tell he was pretty proud of himself.
I did not want anything fancy for my birthday since I am not working. Tony was going to buy me a spa session but I told him I would be just as happy with "It's Complicated". I love that movie. That is what he bought me along with a bottle of wine. Perfect!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Double Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
By request from my blogger fans :) here is the recipe for the Double Chocolate Banana Bread.
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (I use egg beaters)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use 1/3 cup applesauce instead)
1 ¼ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use about ¾ cups)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of a 8x4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Beat sugar, eggs, and oil in large bowl at medium speed until combined. Beat in banana and vanilla on low speed.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat into banana mixture on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.
Without the changes I make the bread is 215 calories and 9 grams of fat per serving (16 servings). With the changes I make it is 175 calories and 4 grams of fat.
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (I use egg beaters)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use 1/3 cup applesauce instead)
1 ¼ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use about ¾ cups)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of a 8x4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Beat sugar, eggs, and oil in large bowl at medium speed until combined. Beat in banana and vanilla on low speed.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat into banana mixture on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.
Without the changes I make the bread is 215 calories and 9 grams of fat per serving (16 servings). With the changes I make it is 175 calories and 4 grams of fat.
Peanut Butter Bars
Today I went to see my friend Kristen that just had a baby on Saturday. She and the baby are doing well. It was nice to get out of the house and see her. Still no baby itch here.
I finally have an interview with Bank C that I submitted a resume to over a month ago. I have been working with a recruiter for this position I would be an excellent fit for. It is just a 6 month contract but I would be back to the wage I had at my last job so I would be able to save a lot of money before searching again. There is also the possibility for the job to go perm.
Tomorrow is my birthday and Tony is going to attempt to bake me a cake. This should be interesting. I am going to go to my early class at karate while he bakes. The pictures he takes of me with the cake probably will not be the most flattering since I will be a sweaty mess. It is so sweet of him to try.
On Friday I am heading to Charleston, SC to visit one of my friends. Tony is hosting boys night at our house so I can't let him think he can handle all the food on his own. I made peanut butter bars today for the boys and tomorrow I am going to bake the potatoes for the potato salad and prepare it Friday morning before I leave.
The peanut butter bars were really easy to make. There is no baking required. I found the recipe in my Southern Living Desserts cookbook. I made a mistake and bought milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet so these are very sweet. Tony likes them. Not sure how many will be left by Friday. Unlike my other recipes there is nothing low fat about these.
Peanut Butter Squares
1 cup butter - melted
5 1/3 oz graham crackers (one package inside a box of graham crackers), about 1 2/3 cups crushed
4 cups powerded sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted (I used 1 1/2 cups)
1. Stir together first four ingredients in a medium bowl. Firmly press mixture into an ungreased 13x9 inch pan. Spread melted chocolate over bars.
2. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hrs until chocolate is set. Cut into square.
Note: Layer peanut butter squares between sheets of wax paper and store in an airtight container up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.
I finally have an interview with Bank C that I submitted a resume to over a month ago. I have been working with a recruiter for this position I would be an excellent fit for. It is just a 6 month contract but I would be back to the wage I had at my last job so I would be able to save a lot of money before searching again. There is also the possibility for the job to go perm.
Tomorrow is my birthday and Tony is going to attempt to bake me a cake. This should be interesting. I am going to go to my early class at karate while he bakes. The pictures he takes of me with the cake probably will not be the most flattering since I will be a sweaty mess. It is so sweet of him to try.
On Friday I am heading to Charleston, SC to visit one of my friends. Tony is hosting boys night at our house so I can't let him think he can handle all the food on his own. I made peanut butter bars today for the boys and tomorrow I am going to bake the potatoes for the potato salad and prepare it Friday morning before I leave.
The peanut butter bars were really easy to make. There is no baking required. I found the recipe in my Southern Living Desserts cookbook. I made a mistake and bought milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet so these are very sweet. Tony likes them. Not sure how many will be left by Friday. Unlike my other recipes there is nothing low fat about these.
Peanut Butter Squares
1 cup butter - melted
5 1/3 oz graham crackers (one package inside a box of graham crackers), about 1 2/3 cups crushed
4 cups powerded sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted (I used 1 1/2 cups)
1. Stir together first four ingredients in a medium bowl. Firmly press mixture into an ungreased 13x9 inch pan. Spread melted chocolate over bars.
2. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hrs until chocolate is set. Cut into square.
Note: Layer peanut butter squares between sheets of wax paper and store in an airtight container up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Unwanted Kitchen Help and Sleepless Nights
Yesterday I was still struggling with headaches. Tony came home and dinner was not ready. He was starving. I did have chicken and shrimp marinating in the fridge. They just needed to go on skewers and I needed to get a box of pasta roni cooking. All I did was ask him to get the grill ready. Next thing I know my husband is helping me out and getting the skewers ready. One problem. My husband is not a cook and he starts putting the chicken and shrimp on the same skewers. The shrimp is precooked so it only needs about five minutes when the chicken needs 10. I tell him they cannot go on the same skewer and he starts getting angry at me for criticizing him when he is just helping. I also hate seafood so I do not want the chicken anywhere near the shrimp. I took care of correcting the skewers and he put them on the grill. A couple of minutes go by and I see him heading out to the grill with only one plate. He is going to let the shrimp touch the chicken. Okay…I was being an ornery bitch when I asked him to get a separate plate for the chicken and he responded appropriately with “Unbelievable!” I appreciate the help but if he had just let me do it we would not be having a little spat. If you are going to help out in my kitchen you need to ask how things are done and not assume. I am very picky about how I prep, cook, and serve. Yes I am over the top but I like things done right.
The chicken was really good. I marinated it in honey Dijon, lemon juice, and parsley. Tony liked the shrimp we had at Mom’s house a few weeks back so I looked up the recipe for basil shrimp and made it for him. When asked how he liked it he said “Ok but I like it on the stove better.” I do make a great shrimp scampi but at that moment I wanted to stab the skewer in his leg.
Later that night I had a very difficult time sleeping. For some reason about five months ago Tony started grinding his teeth in his sleep while making a sucking sound. I really wonder what kind of dreams he has to add a sucking noise. I am a very light sleeper so I wake up to everything. I took a Tylenol PM to help me fall asleep but it did not get the job done. Tony was grinding his teeth, Sydney was snoring, and there was a fricken bug outside my window chirping. After about an hour the chirping stopped. I was praying it is one of those male bugs that makes a god awful noise to mate and then the female eats the male once she is satisfied. I was beginning to think my wish came true until 1 AM when the little f*ck*r started up again. I finally had enough and slept on the couch. This was the first time Tony’s teeth grinding and other things was too much for me to handle. I was on the verge of tears I wanted to just fall asleep so badly. Tony woke up and realized I was on the couch. Until then I do not think he realized how bad his teeth grinding is. I would think all the times he woke up with bruised ribs would have been a giveaway. So for my birthday this week I hope I open up a mouth guard for him. I will get some sleep and he will no longer look in the mirror, rub his side, and ask if I punched him during the night.
The chicken was really good. I marinated it in honey Dijon, lemon juice, and parsley. Tony liked the shrimp we had at Mom’s house a few weeks back so I looked up the recipe for basil shrimp and made it for him. When asked how he liked it he said “Ok but I like it on the stove better.” I do make a great shrimp scampi but at that moment I wanted to stab the skewer in his leg.
Later that night I had a very difficult time sleeping. For some reason about five months ago Tony started grinding his teeth in his sleep while making a sucking sound. I really wonder what kind of dreams he has to add a sucking noise. I am a very light sleeper so I wake up to everything. I took a Tylenol PM to help me fall asleep but it did not get the job done. Tony was grinding his teeth, Sydney was snoring, and there was a fricken bug outside my window chirping. After about an hour the chirping stopped. I was praying it is one of those male bugs that makes a god awful noise to mate and then the female eats the male once she is satisfied. I was beginning to think my wish came true until 1 AM when the little f*ck*r started up again. I finally had enough and slept on the couch. This was the first time Tony’s teeth grinding and other things was too much for me to handle. I was on the verge of tears I wanted to just fall asleep so badly. Tony woke up and realized I was on the couch. Until then I do not think he realized how bad his teeth grinding is. I would think all the times he woke up with bruised ribs would have been a giveaway. So for my birthday this week I hope I open up a mouth guard for him. I will get some sleep and he will no longer look in the mirror, rub his side, and ask if I punched him during the night.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Meet Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb
I refer Sydney and Jack as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb when they misbehave. Let me introduce two of my three dogs.
Tony and I adopted Sydney (Tweedle Dee) in December 2004 when she was a year and a half old. We knew she was going to be a piece of work. She is a lab/pit/shepherd/whatever mix. One giant mutt. Well, when we adopted her we thought she was a nice medium sized dog. She only weighed in at 53 pounds. Shortly after we adopted her I took her to get spayed. They discovered she had lymes disease; which in dogs causes them not to eat. After she was treated the weight continued to pile on; all the way up to 93 pounds. Yikes!
Sydney is a runner so we will always need to have a fenced in yard. When she escapes she runs without looking back and goes until she passes out. Her little sprints have taken us miles. The worst was when she got loose at our townhome in Apex, NC shortly after we moved to NC. I opened up the back door to let her out to the bathroom. I dropped the leash. She knows the moment you drop the leash. Sydney took off in a sprint. I ran after her and dove for the leash just like a baseball player heading towards home plate. I landed flat on my stomach and my skirt went right over my ass exposing my thong and all the other goods to my neighbors. The leash slipped right out of my hand. Thank God I did not have implants at that time or I would have blown them open. Tony took off after her as I limped back into the townhouse. After about 45 minutes later Tony returns home with a worn out Sydney as I was sitting on the patio with a vodka and lemonade in hand. The vodka that I searched a half hour in the grocery store only to find out they do not sell liquor in grocery stores in the south. As Tony was chasing her one thing that ran through his mind, “Shit, now I am going to have to buy Laura a new skirt.”
Sydney is now seven years old and only has gotten out once in the last three years. Even with how fat she is now she still can sprint just not as far. She enjoys lying in the sun rather than playing. Sydney is pushy, stubborn, but full of love.
Jack
Tony and I adopted Jack (Tweedle Dumb) in September 2008. With the down turn of the economy our heart when out to shelter dogs and cats. We decided we had enough money and the extra room for a third dog and welcomed Jack into our lives. He was 7 months old when we adopted him and already 65 pounds. He had been at the shelter for a few months and since he is a German Shepherd mix he was overlooked by many people because of the “aggressive” breed label. I was in love with Jack the moment I saw him. He was so funny looking with his huge ears and paws that he still was growing into. Since Jack had been at the shelter for a while he walked so great on a leash. The volunteers really worked with him.
A few months after I adopted Jack I was walking him at Lake Lynn when a pit bull got loose from its owner and charged at us. We were on a walking bridge so there was nowhere to go. I turned my body to protect Jack from the attack and as the pit bull was starting to bite down on my leg the owner pulled it off. The dog still scraped my leg and aggravated scar tissue from a hematoma I had after a car accident in 1998. Jack was not harmed and was more shocked than anything. The following weekend Tony and I took the dogs to Umstead Park for a walk in the woods. Before that pit attacked us he would ignore every dog that walked by and now on this walk he wanted to attack every dog he saw. Great! Jack just fit into that aggressive breed label. We have been working with him since that happened and he is getting better. We pull him aside on walks when another dog passes and he is starting to whine versus growling. Still a long way from when he used to ignore other dogs. He is fine at doggy daycare since I am not in the picture to protect. Today when he meets a new dog we do it at our house and he wants to get one nip in to show whose boss. Jack is funny, protective, and the perfect dog to ward off bad people. When I walk him people move out of the way. He is around 80 pounds, lean, and tall. The funniest thing about him, he loves to watch TV.
Now why are these two Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb? Together they get into trouble! From eating my peach tree and lilac bushes, digging holes, chasing after birds, and playing tug of war with blankets. Wow do I have my hands full. Luckily in this past year the puppy phase as started to wear down. My carpet is thanking me too since Jack tore out a 6 foot by 3 foot section. Sydney did lose some weight after we got Jack but now age is catching up with her. I will have many stories about these two and soon will write about Oscar and Milo.
Sydney and Jack on New Year's Eve 2009. Syd's beads are hiding under her roles.
Sydney
Sydney in summer 2010 getting up close for a photo.
Tony and I adopted Sydney (Tweedle Dee) in December 2004 when she was a year and a half old. We knew she was going to be a piece of work. She is a lab/pit/shepherd/whatever mix. One giant mutt. Well, when we adopted her we thought she was a nice medium sized dog. She only weighed in at 53 pounds. Shortly after we adopted her I took her to get spayed. They discovered she had lymes disease; which in dogs causes them not to eat. After she was treated the weight continued to pile on; all the way up to 93 pounds. Yikes!
Sydney in winter 2008. She saw I was taking pictures and sat pretty and screamed for me to take a picture of her. It was so cute.
Sydney is a runner so we will always need to have a fenced in yard. When she escapes she runs without looking back and goes until she passes out. Her little sprints have taken us miles. The worst was when she got loose at our townhome in Apex, NC shortly after we moved to NC. I opened up the back door to let her out to the bathroom. I dropped the leash. She knows the moment you drop the leash. Sydney took off in a sprint. I ran after her and dove for the leash just like a baseball player heading towards home plate. I landed flat on my stomach and my skirt went right over my ass exposing my thong and all the other goods to my neighbors. The leash slipped right out of my hand. Thank God I did not have implants at that time or I would have blown them open. Tony took off after her as I limped back into the townhouse. After about 45 minutes later Tony returns home with a worn out Sydney as I was sitting on the patio with a vodka and lemonade in hand. The vodka that I searched a half hour in the grocery store only to find out they do not sell liquor in grocery stores in the south. As Tony was chasing her one thing that ran through his mind, “Shit, now I am going to have to buy Laura a new skirt.”
Sydney is now seven years old and only has gotten out once in the last three years. Even with how fat she is now she still can sprint just not as far. She enjoys lying in the sun rather than playing. Sydney is pushy, stubborn, but full of love.
Jack
Jack and me in Winter 2007. He is still a puppy in this photo.
Tony and I adopted Jack (Tweedle Dumb) in September 2008. With the down turn of the economy our heart when out to shelter dogs and cats. We decided we had enough money and the extra room for a third dog and welcomed Jack into our lives. He was 7 months old when we adopted him and already 65 pounds. He had been at the shelter for a few months and since he is a German Shepherd mix he was overlooked by many people because of the “aggressive” breed label. I was in love with Jack the moment I saw him. He was so funny looking with his huge ears and paws that he still was growing into. Since Jack had been at the shelter for a while he walked so great on a leash. The volunteers really worked with him.
A few months after I adopted Jack I was walking him at Lake Lynn when a pit bull got loose from its owner and charged at us. We were on a walking bridge so there was nowhere to go. I turned my body to protect Jack from the attack and as the pit bull was starting to bite down on my leg the owner pulled it off. The dog still scraped my leg and aggravated scar tissue from a hematoma I had after a car accident in 1998. Jack was not harmed and was more shocked than anything. The following weekend Tony and I took the dogs to Umstead Park for a walk in the woods. Before that pit attacked us he would ignore every dog that walked by and now on this walk he wanted to attack every dog he saw. Great! Jack just fit into that aggressive breed label. We have been working with him since that happened and he is getting better. We pull him aside on walks when another dog passes and he is starting to whine versus growling. Still a long way from when he used to ignore other dogs. He is fine at doggy daycare since I am not in the picture to protect. Today when he meets a new dog we do it at our house and he wants to get one nip in to show whose boss. Jack is funny, protective, and the perfect dog to ward off bad people. When I walk him people move out of the way. He is around 80 pounds, lean, and tall. The funniest thing about him, he loves to watch TV.
Jack watching Animal Planet. Even on mute he picks out the animals.
Now why are these two Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb? Together they get into trouble! From eating my peach tree and lilac bushes, digging holes, chasing after birds, and playing tug of war with blankets. Wow do I have my hands full. Luckily in this past year the puppy phase as started to wear down. My carpet is thanking me too since Jack tore out a 6 foot by 3 foot section. Sydney did lose some weight after we got Jack but now age is catching up with her. I will have many stories about these two and soon will write about Oscar and Milo.
Early Birthday Celebration
The weekend went by so fast. Saturday Tony and I celebrated my birthday early. We went to Milton's Pizza for dinner. I had a coupon for a free pizza for my birthday. Then we went to see Grown Ups at the theater. Grown Ups had mixed reviews. Tony and I laughed through the entire thing. If you like Adam Sandler and Chris Rock then you will like this movie.
Sunday we stuffed ourselves at dinner. I made the Hungry Girl cheese sticks, pasta, sausage, salad, garlic bread, and chocolate banana bread. Chocolate banana bread may sound disgusting but it is really good. It is low fat too so I do not feel guilty getting my chocolate fix with it.
I scored big time at Kroger yesterday. They had Gatorade and pasta roni for 49 cent each. Tony buys the Gatorade at the gas station for 2 for $5. I bought 30 of them for him so he can pack one with when he is out on the bike. Tony and I eat pasta roni a lot as a side with pork and chicken. I am happy when I see it on sale for $1 a box so with them at 49 cents a box I bought 20 boxes. I am sure we will go through all 20 boxes by the end of the year. Sounds funny to stock up on pasta roni and Gatorade but it will pay for itself.
My headaches are back today and I am miserable. I am sick to my stomach and the Excedrin is not working. I have a prescription for headache medicine the doctor in the ER gave me. I am starting to realize I am going to have to fill it. I do not like taking prescription pain meds but my over the counter meds are not working.
Friday, July 16, 2010
What a Busy Day
Wow was I busy today! My first interview with, we will call them Bank A, went very well. I interviewed with four people. The office is very neat. They are located in a section of the old tobacco factory. The office is very modern and emphasizes the history of the building with an industrial look. Definitely does not feel like a bank. I am going back for a second interview next week.
I had just enough time to go home and get lunch before my second interview with the supply chain software company. That interview went well also. The only thing that may not get me an offer is my salary requirements are higher than the hiring range for the position. I am not willing to go any lower so if I am not selected for that reason I am not upset about it. I can tell it would be a great company to work at but I would not like the drive. It is not that far but the highways to get there suck.
During my lunch break I called Bank B back that I interviewed with on Monday. She told me she talked to her manager two days ago and he still plans on giving me a call. She even hinted to me the qualifications I should focus on when I talked to him.
I missed a call from a recruiter while I was in my second interview. I called her back when I got home and she is submitting my resume for a project coordinator position. Talk about being busy with interviews for a bad economy. I am glad my headache was all cleared up before this day started.
Steaks and fries for dinner tonight with the Hungry Girl Chocolate Triffle. Too bad I ate most of the brownies I am putting it it. Low fat brownies are not so lowfat when you eat the entire tray.
I had just enough time to go home and get lunch before my second interview with the supply chain software company. That interview went well also. The only thing that may not get me an offer is my salary requirements are higher than the hiring range for the position. I am not willing to go any lower so if I am not selected for that reason I am not upset about it. I can tell it would be a great company to work at but I would not like the drive. It is not that far but the highways to get there suck.
During my lunch break I called Bank B back that I interviewed with on Monday. She told me she talked to her manager two days ago and he still plans on giving me a call. She even hinted to me the qualifications I should focus on when I talked to him.
I missed a call from a recruiter while I was in my second interview. I called her back when I got home and she is submitting my resume for a project coordinator position. Talk about being busy with interviews for a bad economy. I am glad my headache was all cleared up before this day started.
Steaks and fries for dinner tonight with the Hungry Girl Chocolate Triffle. Too bad I ate most of the brownies I am putting it it. Low fat brownies are not so lowfat when you eat the entire tray.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Hot Garlic Pickles
Here is the picture of the hot garlic pickles I canned on Sunday. They have to sit for 10 days and Tony is anxiously awaiting to open the jars. There are cayenne peppers, garlic, dill seeds, and fennel seeds in each jar. This was the easiest canning experience so far. I even remembered to wash my hands immediately after touching the peppers.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Interviews, Porn, and the ER
I had one eventful day today. My day started out normal. I ate my breakfast was watching Regis and Kelly. I received a phone call from my old employer about a work from home job as an account executive. I completed my phone screen with HR and will be moving onto phone interviews next week or so. No in person interview since they are in WI. After I completed that interview I received another call from the global supply chain I had a phone interview with last week. I am meeting them for an in person interview Friday afternoon at 1. My interview with the bank on Friday is at 8:30 so I have plenty of time in between interviews.
I spent around an hour preparing a resume and cover letter for a software project manager position with a “Media” company. I found the position on CareerBuilder and when I went to the company’s website to send my resume and cover letter I receive a message that the site I am going to contains adult content. I proceed…a little nervous. The job was as a project manager for an escort service! Are you freaken’ kidding me? Just what I want on my resume. Project Manager, Porno Industry. I was so mad I wasted my time on that resume. Curious what kind of “software” the project manager would be in charge of.
I decided to take a shower and get ready for my day. I put my robe on after taking the shower and headed over to my computer to check my email. All the sudden my vision started going. It was like I was looking into the bottoms of two broken coke bottles. I thought it was the sun shining into the living room so I closed the curtains. I looked at the computer again and I could not read anything. I ran to the bathroom to see if there was something in my eyes and I looked in the mirror and I could not see myself. I was beginning to panic. I called my mom, who is a nurse, and she told me Tony needs to come home and take me to the doctor. At first we were just going to go to the doctor’s office or urgent care but then a massive headache came on. I was crying I was so scared. I get a few migraines a year but the vision change had me freaking out. Tony left work right away and called our friends to check on me while he was on his way home. A few of my neighbors came over right away to make sure I was OK. I am so lucky to have friends like that to rush to my aid when something goes wrong. Tony pulled in and since my vision escalated to a massive headache and trouble walking we decided to go to the ER. By the time I got to the ER I started becoming disoriented. I was terrified. After a two and a half hour wait in the ER I finally see a doctor and they do a CT scan to make sure I am not having an aneurysm. It is all good. I just had a sever migraine. If I just had the headache and not the vision loss I would have never gone in. Losing my vision temporarily was one of the scariest things.
Now…let me tell you about my ER experience. First of all I am scared because I just saw Bret Michaels on the Joy Behar show yesterday and he was talking about how he had is aneurysm while watching Busty Cops 3. I start having my issues after looking at a job with an escort service. Great comparison. We get there and I have to sign in with the receptionist. I can’t even see the papers because my vision is so bad so she takes my driver’s license and fills it out for me. There is a paramedic next to me and I can hardly stand up. He did nothing. Then I go to a waiting are where I have to wait to talk to a triage nurse. I spent about an hour waiting there. A half hour into it I found a nurse and asked why the long wait. She thought she had two people working triage and there was only one. Not to be incredible mean but the dude looked like Fat Bastard from Austin Powers. I never saw him get off his chair. He just rolled his ass to the door to call the next person. After we were done with Fat Bastard we then had to go into the waiting room to wait to be called by a nurse. By this time my fears were starting to settle down and I was starting to get my vision back.
What surprised me now about the ER is you are no longer a name or number…you are a BARCODE! They put a barcode on your bracelet and scan it. I just love how shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice make the ER look so glamorous. I did not have any McDreamy or McSteamy. My doctor was McOverworked with too many patients and too little staff. That is right..One doctor in the ER. Next time I really might have to consider going to Duke.
Have you all ever analyzed people in the waiting room? There was one guy that came out of triage with a face mask on. He is clearly contagious and decided to take his mask off because it does not match is white sunglasses he is wearing INSIDE! Seriously, if fashion is more important what the heck is he doing at the hospital? Was not sitting by him. There was some guy lying over his wife and he sounded like he was either going a drug with drawl or he had not shit in the last month. Another young girl was there because she passed out at work. I know this because she talked so f’ing loud the whole waiting room could hear her. Maybe if her anorexia butt would eat something she would not be passing out. Every other room out of her mouth was “like”. Tony and I started making dinging sounds every time she said it. The ER waiting room is also clearly filled with people that are there because they do not have insurance. This group of three women came in and two of them went right to the waiting room computers to play on the internet. They clearly knew where they were located. Been there a few times?
Now I am at home resting. Tony made dinner tonight. The first time he had made dinner in months. He does like taking care of me though.
I spent around an hour preparing a resume and cover letter for a software project manager position with a “Media” company. I found the position on CareerBuilder and when I went to the company’s website to send my resume and cover letter I receive a message that the site I am going to contains adult content. I proceed…a little nervous. The job was as a project manager for an escort service! Are you freaken’ kidding me? Just what I want on my resume. Project Manager, Porno Industry. I was so mad I wasted my time on that resume. Curious what kind of “software” the project manager would be in charge of.
I decided to take a shower and get ready for my day. I put my robe on after taking the shower and headed over to my computer to check my email. All the sudden my vision started going. It was like I was looking into the bottoms of two broken coke bottles. I thought it was the sun shining into the living room so I closed the curtains. I looked at the computer again and I could not read anything. I ran to the bathroom to see if there was something in my eyes and I looked in the mirror and I could not see myself. I was beginning to panic. I called my mom, who is a nurse, and she told me Tony needs to come home and take me to the doctor. At first we were just going to go to the doctor’s office or urgent care but then a massive headache came on. I was crying I was so scared. I get a few migraines a year but the vision change had me freaking out. Tony left work right away and called our friends to check on me while he was on his way home. A few of my neighbors came over right away to make sure I was OK. I am so lucky to have friends like that to rush to my aid when something goes wrong. Tony pulled in and since my vision escalated to a massive headache and trouble walking we decided to go to the ER. By the time I got to the ER I started becoming disoriented. I was terrified. After a two and a half hour wait in the ER I finally see a doctor and they do a CT scan to make sure I am not having an aneurysm. It is all good. I just had a sever migraine. If I just had the headache and not the vision loss I would have never gone in. Losing my vision temporarily was one of the scariest things.
Now…let me tell you about my ER experience. First of all I am scared because I just saw Bret Michaels on the Joy Behar show yesterday and he was talking about how he had is aneurysm while watching Busty Cops 3. I start having my issues after looking at a job with an escort service. Great comparison. We get there and I have to sign in with the receptionist. I can’t even see the papers because my vision is so bad so she takes my driver’s license and fills it out for me. There is a paramedic next to me and I can hardly stand up. He did nothing. Then I go to a waiting are where I have to wait to talk to a triage nurse. I spent about an hour waiting there. A half hour into it I found a nurse and asked why the long wait. She thought she had two people working triage and there was only one. Not to be incredible mean but the dude looked like Fat Bastard from Austin Powers. I never saw him get off his chair. He just rolled his ass to the door to call the next person. After we were done with Fat Bastard we then had to go into the waiting room to wait to be called by a nurse. By this time my fears were starting to settle down and I was starting to get my vision back.
What surprised me now about the ER is you are no longer a name or number…you are a BARCODE! They put a barcode on your bracelet and scan it. I just love how shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice make the ER look so glamorous. I did not have any McDreamy or McSteamy. My doctor was McOverworked with too many patients and too little staff. That is right..One doctor in the ER. Next time I really might have to consider going to Duke.
Have you all ever analyzed people in the waiting room? There was one guy that came out of triage with a face mask on. He is clearly contagious and decided to take his mask off because it does not match is white sunglasses he is wearing INSIDE! Seriously, if fashion is more important what the heck is he doing at the hospital? Was not sitting by him. There was some guy lying over his wife and he sounded like he was either going a drug with drawl or he had not shit in the last month. Another young girl was there because she passed out at work. I know this because she talked so f’ing loud the whole waiting room could hear her. Maybe if her anorexia butt would eat something she would not be passing out. Every other room out of her mouth was “like”. Tony and I started making dinging sounds every time she said it. The ER waiting room is also clearly filled with people that are there because they do not have insurance. This group of three women came in and two of them went right to the waiting room computers to play on the internet. They clearly knew where they were located. Been there a few times?
Now I am at home resting. Tony made dinner tonight. The first time he had made dinner in months. He does like taking care of me though.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Awesome Interview!
My interview for the treasury sales position went great! They were not worried at all about me not having direct sales experience other than the Mary Kay sales a few years back. My knowledge of the products and personality is killer for this job. They are going to proceed with the interview and application process with me meeting with the manager over NC sales and HR. I am waiting to hear back on the days and times for those. She was very impressed that I found her and contacted her directly rather than waiting for the HR process.
If for some reason that does not work out I have an interview scheduled on Friday with another bank as a business systems analyst. I would much rather be in sales than going back to BA work. Sales is what I have been working towards for years. More to come!
If for some reason that does not work out I have an interview scheduled on Friday with another bank as a business systems analyst. I would much rather be in sales than going back to BA work. Sales is what I have been working towards for years. More to come!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Just Landed an In Person Interview!
Before I left for WI on July 2 got a little bold with my job hunting. There is a position at a bank for a Treasury Sales Officer. I know HR would dump my resume since I do not have the sales experience but I know the products inside and out. I called the bank to find out who the manager is over sales and asked for her email address. I emailed her directly with my background, how I fit the position, and my resume. She must have been out on vacation last week and just emailed me back on a Saturday night! She wants to meet Monday in person. I am super excited! The fact she wants to meet in person rather than talk to me over the phone is huge! I will let you all know how it goes on Monday.
Homemade Pasta Sauce - This one Sucked!
My canning experience continued today with homemade pasta sauce. This one SUCKED! I picked up 12 pounds of tomatoes from the farmer’s market. It only cost $10 for all of it but the fresh herbs were a little more. I did buy an oregano bush so I can grow my own oregano. I planted it in a Food Network mug and put it on my kitchen counter. Let’s see how long I keep it alive.
The pasta sauce experience started out quite pleasant. Tony helped me peel the tomatoes which I know he had no fun doing. The only thing that was fun for him was watching me cook in my underwear and a tank top. I diced the tomatoes after Tony peeled them and put them in the food processor. Then they had to cook for 70 minutes. While the tomatoes cooked I prepared the roasted garlic – twice because I screwed it up the first time. I put the herbs in once the tomatoes cooked down and it smelled very strong. Too much herbs. Tony came down to give it a taste test and he loved it but we still added in two cans of tomato sauce to help lessen the potency of the herbs. So not it is not 100% homemade but I would rather have it taste better. I added two tablespoons of red pepper flakes as it directed and it was too much spice for me. I decided to make rotini since we have the fresh sauce. Unfortunately I do not care for the sauce but now I do not think Tony will ever eat another pasta sauce again unless I make it. He loves the spices in it. Next time I make the sauce I will split the sauce in half and add the pepper flakes to his.
While we ate dinner I was sealing the cans. I bought quart sized jars this time instead of the pints. Well that did not work out too well. I do not have a pot large enough to still have two inches of water above the jars to seal it. Tony suggested I put the jars in upside down. Okay…will give that a try. I pulled out the first jar after the sealing process was over with and as I turned the jar over the air pressure moved to the top. It popped open and sprayed boiling hot pasta sauce all over my chest. Mother F*CK*R!! I ripped off my top and started wiping myself down. Of course Tony walks into the kitchen at that exact moment and thinks he just walked into a Girls Gone Wild video. I have red burn spots all over my chest now. I put the sauce that was in that jar into two pints jars and started the sealing process all over again. The other quart sized jar I left upside down until it cooled. It sealed just fine. The pasta sauce looks just like the salsa but a little darker. I need to come up with a creative way to mark the jars.
Tomorrow I am going to find a larger pot for the quart sized jars. I like them better since they take up less space in my pantry. And then I am going to try making pickles. This one seems much easier. Canning is a lot of freaken work but it does make me proud when I look in my pantry and see food I made. If I keep this up next spring Tony and I will have to put in a garden so it will not cost hardly anything to make.
The pasta sauce experience started out quite pleasant. Tony helped me peel the tomatoes which I know he had no fun doing. The only thing that was fun for him was watching me cook in my underwear and a tank top. I diced the tomatoes after Tony peeled them and put them in the food processor. Then they had to cook for 70 minutes. While the tomatoes cooked I prepared the roasted garlic – twice because I screwed it up the first time. I put the herbs in once the tomatoes cooked down and it smelled very strong. Too much herbs. Tony came down to give it a taste test and he loved it but we still added in two cans of tomato sauce to help lessen the potency of the herbs. So not it is not 100% homemade but I would rather have it taste better. I added two tablespoons of red pepper flakes as it directed and it was too much spice for me. I decided to make rotini since we have the fresh sauce. Unfortunately I do not care for the sauce but now I do not think Tony will ever eat another pasta sauce again unless I make it. He loves the spices in it. Next time I make the sauce I will split the sauce in half and add the pepper flakes to his.
While we ate dinner I was sealing the cans. I bought quart sized jars this time instead of the pints. Well that did not work out too well. I do not have a pot large enough to still have two inches of water above the jars to seal it. Tony suggested I put the jars in upside down. Okay…will give that a try. I pulled out the first jar after the sealing process was over with and as I turned the jar over the air pressure moved to the top. It popped open and sprayed boiling hot pasta sauce all over my chest. Mother F*CK*R!! I ripped off my top and started wiping myself down. Of course Tony walks into the kitchen at that exact moment and thinks he just walked into a Girls Gone Wild video. I have red burn spots all over my chest now. I put the sauce that was in that jar into two pints jars and started the sealing process all over again. The other quart sized jar I left upside down until it cooled. It sealed just fine. The pasta sauce looks just like the salsa but a little darker. I need to come up with a creative way to mark the jars.
Tomorrow I am going to find a larger pot for the quart sized jars. I like them better since they take up less space in my pantry. And then I am going to try making pickles. This one seems much easier. Canning is a lot of freaken work but it does make me proud when I look in my pantry and see food I made. If I keep this up next spring Tony and I will have to put in a garden so it will not cost hardly anything to make.
Date Night at the Comedy Club
Normally every Friday night Tony and I would go out to dinner and then find someplace to wander and spend money. Since I have not been working we try to only eat out once a month together. I also have a very hard time spending money out to dinner when I could have made it better. When we did go out to dinner it was at restaurants we know have great food and I order items I do not cook. Nothing pisses me off more than paying $15 for chicken out to dinner and it tastes horrible. How freaken hard is it to make chicken?
For our dinner last night I cooked a pepper cracked lean pork loin, angel hair pasta, vegetables, and apple cake with caramel sauce. It was great! Tony did not get home until after 6 PM, which is really late for him. His work is keeping him busy! I had the table set and a beer freshly poured in a frosty glass. I was already dressed up just as if we were going out. After dinner we watched Leap Year with Amy Adams. It was OK. Then we went to the late show at Charlie Goodnight’s Comedy Club. Since it is my birthday month I was given free tickets to a show. The show was OK. Tony liked it more than I did. I can’t stand the loud people at comedy clubs. They obviously did not get enough attention as children so the seek attention from comedians by shouting at them. How sad is that? The one guy behind me I really had to bite my lip because I was so ready to turn around and tell him to shut up.
This is the first Saturday in a few weeks Tony and I woke up together. With how busy his work has been he has been working half days on Saturdays. It is nice to have the extra income as well. He put in enough hours during the work week this week. We woke up at the same time…well…got out of bed. I made it to the couch and fell right back asleep. I am NOT a morning person. We both ended up with cereal for breakfast. Maybe tomorrow I will actually cook breakfast for us. Today we are going to go to the farmer’s market to pick up fresh vegetables for homemade pasta sauce and pickles. I may make the pasta sauce today and pickles tomorrow. Look for pictures coming soon!
For our dinner last night I cooked a pepper cracked lean pork loin, angel hair pasta, vegetables, and apple cake with caramel sauce. It was great! Tony did not get home until after 6 PM, which is really late for him. His work is keeping him busy! I had the table set and a beer freshly poured in a frosty glass. I was already dressed up just as if we were going out. After dinner we watched Leap Year with Amy Adams. It was OK. Then we went to the late show at Charlie Goodnight’s Comedy Club. Since it is my birthday month I was given free tickets to a show. The show was OK. Tony liked it more than I did. I can’t stand the loud people at comedy clubs. They obviously did not get enough attention as children so the seek attention from comedians by shouting at them. How sad is that? The one guy behind me I really had to bite my lip because I was so ready to turn around and tell him to shut up.
This is the first Saturday in a few weeks Tony and I woke up together. With how busy his work has been he has been working half days on Saturdays. It is nice to have the extra income as well. He put in enough hours during the work week this week. We woke up at the same time…well…got out of bed. I made it to the couch and fell right back asleep. I am NOT a morning person. We both ended up with cereal for breakfast. Maybe tomorrow I will actually cook breakfast for us. Today we are going to go to the farmer’s market to pick up fresh vegetables for homemade pasta sauce and pickles. I may make the pasta sauce today and pickles tomorrow. Look for pictures coming soon!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Interviews and Hot Dogs
I had an awesome phone interview today with a global supply chain company. I am certain I will get an in person interview. I am a perfect fit for the position. It may not be the money I am looking for but it is a permanent position and I know I would be happy. She is still conducting phone interviews for the next two weeks. Hopefully I hear after that about an in person interview.
I also got two phone calls from recruiters today. One is for a project manager position at a bank and the other is for a business analyst position at a credit union. The business analyst position is only 10 weeks but it will allow me to get back in the workforce for a bit. There is the possibility of it going out further, even turning into a permanent position but after hearing the description I may not be the right person. Who knows! She is submitting my resume so we will see what happens. The project manager job is 18-24 months. I would be great at that job and it would put me in a new area of the banking industry for me to expand my skills.
My phone interview I was supposed to have on Tuesday with the company I used to work for in WI did not happen. The woman ended up getting some urgent deadlines so I am waiting to hear back on a new day and time. My uncle still works there and is trying to see what is going on. It does not seem like they are in a hurry to hire right now so it could be drug out for a while. That is the one thing that is frustrating about job hunting. There are few jobs and most companies drag their feet with hiring.
Today I did not do anything fancy for dinner since I was occupied with job hunting and interviews. We had low fat hotdogs and pasta salad for dinner. Tony did not come home to me in a dress and apron. Rather sweat pants and a t-shirt. At least I was braless. Just as I type that he tries to grab a boob. Yup, that is my romantic husband. Sorry ladies, he is taken.
My orignal title of this posting was More Interviews. Tony suggested I change it so it catches the viewer's eye. So there you go...Interviews and Hot Dogs.
I also got two phone calls from recruiters today. One is for a project manager position at a bank and the other is for a business analyst position at a credit union. The business analyst position is only 10 weeks but it will allow me to get back in the workforce for a bit. There is the possibility of it going out further, even turning into a permanent position but after hearing the description I may not be the right person. Who knows! She is submitting my resume so we will see what happens. The project manager job is 18-24 months. I would be great at that job and it would put me in a new area of the banking industry for me to expand my skills.
My phone interview I was supposed to have on Tuesday with the company I used to work for in WI did not happen. The woman ended up getting some urgent deadlines so I am waiting to hear back on a new day and time. My uncle still works there and is trying to see what is going on. It does not seem like they are in a hurry to hire right now so it could be drug out for a while. That is the one thing that is frustrating about job hunting. There are few jobs and most companies drag their feet with hiring.
Today I did not do anything fancy for dinner since I was occupied with job hunting and interviews. We had low fat hotdogs and pasta salad for dinner. Tony did not come home to me in a dress and apron. Rather sweat pants and a t-shirt. At least I was braless. Just as I type that he tries to grab a boob. Yup, that is my romantic husband. Sorry ladies, he is taken.
My orignal title of this posting was More Interviews. Tony suggested I change it so it catches the viewer's eye. So there you go...Interviews and Hot Dogs.
So What Do You Hide From Your Husband?
So what do you hide from your husband? Every woman hides something. I can just about guarantee 99 percent of women have hidden credit card statements at some point in their life. I am guilty of it. Lately what do I hide….Tony’s IRA statement. Everyone’s 401k’s and IRAs are not doing well with this economy but it sure is a Debbie downer when he comes in the door and there is the monthly statement with more money lost. I will leave the ones out that have a gain. Since it has been so long since he has seen the loss statements it is a bonus when he sees a gain…which does not happen often. Just today a new statement came in. I ran it upstairs to the office and quickly filed it away. I think his 401k is doing well at work so that is not a problem but nonetheless people do not like to see money lost.
So what else do I hide? Well when I was making money it was all the clothing I was buying but at that time Tony did not care. I did not tell him about the new dress I bought for my high school reunion until he saw it. Normally I can get away with saying “this old thing” but his mom was drilling me on the dress and flat out asked if it was new. URG! At least he did not care and with my coupon at Macy’s it was only $30. He knew how hard it was for me to find something to wear to my reunion so he was OK with it.
I don’t hide anything else from him but am curious as to what other wives do.
So what else do I hide? Well when I was making money it was all the clothing I was buying but at that time Tony did not care. I did not tell him about the new dress I bought for my high school reunion until he saw it. Normally I can get away with saying “this old thing” but his mom was drilling me on the dress and flat out asked if it was new. URG! At least he did not care and with my coupon at Macy’s it was only $30. He knew how hard it was for me to find something to wear to my reunion so he was OK with it.
I don’t hide anything else from him but am curious as to what other wives do.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Homemade Salsa
I made homemade salsa for the first time. The ingredients cost me about $15 and made 9 pints worth. It would have been much cheaper if I could grow my own tomatoes but still less than buying salsa from the store. The salsa tastes SO GOOD! I love it. I like my salsa to be pureed rather than chunky. Even when I buy chunky salsa I run it through the food processor. If you ever tried Margaretville’s salsa it tastes just like it. The recipe did not call for it to be pureed but I did it any way before canning it. I took about three hours to make mainly because this was new to me. There is a great sense of satisfaction and fulfillment knowing I am eating salsa I made from scratch.
The first step was to peel the tomatoes. Who the heck peels tomatoes? After the first tomato was peeled I thought there had to be a better way. I looked in my canning book and found I have to submerge the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute. After that, put in cold water. The skins came right off. That was so easy. I continued preparing all of my ingredients when I went to the fridge for cilantro. I grabbed two things of parsley at the store and no cilantro. Damit! I got into my car and went to Walmart and picked up cilantro. Lucky for me Walmart is just two miles away.
On my way to Walmart my hands started burning – on fire and turning red. I forgot to wash my hands after deseeding the jalapenos and hot red peppers. It is now five hours after touching the peppers and my hands are still on fire. After I completed my canning I started searching for tips online to get the pepper oils off my hands. Of course all of these smart asses on the internet say to use gloves before touching peppers. I don’t care about preventative; I need to know how to get it off! The first thing I did was put lemon juice on my hands. That helped stop the burn for about a minute. Next I tried dumping rubbing alcohol all over my hands. That helped for about another minute. I continued to try vinegar, hand sanitizer, and even butter. The most soothing thing was aloe but it still hurts. Not as bad as an hour ago but sucks none the less. I can’t touch anything remotely warm.
Today I spent over half of my grocery budget for the month but I stocked up and the rest of the month will be small purchases. I spent $334.03 after my $113.10 in coupons. That included cosmetics, personal care items, pet supplies, canning supplies, cleaning supplies, and groceries. I had a lot of great coupons at BJ’s warehouse and now have enough toothbrushes and toothpaste to last me the rest of the year! So it seems like a lot but most of the items will last a few months.
The first step was to peel the tomatoes. Who the heck peels tomatoes? After the first tomato was peeled I thought there had to be a better way. I looked in my canning book and found I have to submerge the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute. After that, put in cold water. The skins came right off. That was so easy. I continued preparing all of my ingredients when I went to the fridge for cilantro. I grabbed two things of parsley at the store and no cilantro. Damit! I got into my car and went to Walmart and picked up cilantro. Lucky for me Walmart is just two miles away.
On my way to Walmart my hands started burning – on fire and turning red. I forgot to wash my hands after deseeding the jalapenos and hot red peppers. It is now five hours after touching the peppers and my hands are still on fire. After I completed my canning I started searching for tips online to get the pepper oils off my hands. Of course all of these smart asses on the internet say to use gloves before touching peppers. I don’t care about preventative; I need to know how to get it off! The first thing I did was put lemon juice on my hands. That helped stop the burn for about a minute. Next I tried dumping rubbing alcohol all over my hands. That helped for about another minute. I continued to try vinegar, hand sanitizer, and even butter. The most soothing thing was aloe but it still hurts. Not as bad as an hour ago but sucks none the less. I can’t touch anything remotely warm.
Today I spent over half of my grocery budget for the month but I stocked up and the rest of the month will be small purchases. I spent $334.03 after my $113.10 in coupons. That included cosmetics, personal care items, pet supplies, canning supplies, cleaning supplies, and groceries. I had a lot of great coupons at BJ’s warehouse and now have enough toothbrushes and toothpaste to last me the rest of the year! So it seems like a lot but most of the items will last a few months.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
4th of July Weekend
I went to WI over the 4th of July for my sister-in-laws bridal shower and my high school reunion. The bridal shower was great. Two of the other bridesmaids were able to make it. It was small but fun. The other girls in the bridal party are super sweet. My future sister-in-law is really nice and I like her a lot. Not many people can say that about their in-laws.
My high school reunion was OK. It was nice to see some of the people, others, not so much. It was my ten year reunion and people were still in their little clicks. Annoying! I will say the best part about going to the reunion is seeing the women that treated me like shit back then are now, well, not so great. There were a few of those and I looked amazing. Even caught a few of the guys from high school staring at me and back then they did not give me the time of day. Bet they now wish they were a little nicer to me. It was the perfect “f--- you” without having to say it.
After the reunion I met one of my best friends and her family for dinner at my parent’s house. Jessica and I have been friends since my sophomore year in high school. She only was in my high school for one year and then moved back to Texas. We were inseparable that year of high school. We stayed friends all these years and made a few visits to her after she moved to Indiana. Since moving to NC I have not been able to visit her. My vacation was always reserved for WI trips and other vacations for Tony and me. It was great to see her again.
My high school reunion was OK. It was nice to see some of the people, others, not so much. It was my ten year reunion and people were still in their little clicks. Annoying! I will say the best part about going to the reunion is seeing the women that treated me like shit back then are now, well, not so great. There were a few of those and I looked amazing. Even caught a few of the guys from high school staring at me and back then they did not give me the time of day. Bet they now wish they were a little nicer to me. It was the perfect “f--- you” without having to say it.
After the reunion I met one of my best friends and her family for dinner at my parent’s house. Jessica and I have been friends since my sophomore year in high school. She only was in my high school for one year and then moved back to Texas. We were inseparable that year of high school. We stayed friends all these years and made a few visits to her after she moved to Indiana. Since moving to NC I have not been able to visit her. My vacation was always reserved for WI trips and other vacations for Tony and me. It was great to see her again.
Tony's mom is a janitor at the school where we grew up. She does building check once a day. Tony and I went with her one of the days and watched our nieces play in the gym and road on three wheel bikes in the school. We were just acting goofy. There were four grades between Tony and I so we did not know each other in high school. As we were leaving the gym we had our first kiss in high school and then I asked Tony if he wanted to go make out in the locker room. LOL! We did not but it was funny.
Flying
I hate flying. I hate the people, I hate the wait, I hate everything about it. On my flight from RDU to Chicago I had this very annoying guy sit next to me. He stunk too. I put on my smelly hand sanitizer to try to lessen the smell of him and even rubbed perfume on my neck hoping to only smell myself. Didn’t work. I do not like talking to people I do not know unless it is for work. This creepy, horribly dressed guy next to me kept asking me questions. I would give a short answer and not say anything else. I finally put on my head phones so he would get the hint. Once he stopped bothering me I turned the music nearly off but still left the headphones in. He attempted to make conversation again. I turned my body to face Tony and then he left me alone…until…I opened my book and there he was again with questions. I so wanted to say “dude, I do not want to be rude but I do not like talking to people I do not know”. I held back since I had to sit next to him.
So for those of you that like to chat with other people on airplanes here is a word of advice. If you ask them something and they give you a simple answer and nothing more they do not want to talk to you. If they put on their headphones they do not want to talk to you. If they are reading a book or magazine they do not want to talk to you and if you attempt to talk to someone that is reading that is just plain rude. So for you chatters out there please entertain yourselves when you fly. Bring a book, magazine, talk to yourself in your head if you have to but for Christ sake leave everyone else alone.
While waiting in Chicago for my flight back to Raleigh this woman with two small boys sat in front of the counter at her gate…on the FLOOR. She dug out the McDonald’s lunch for her sons – real healthy lady. Their nuggets were sitting on the dirty floor – directly on the dirty floor and they continued to eat them. The youngest pulled on the railings and nearly knocked them over if onlookers had not caught them. What is the mother doing…texting. No discipline whatsoever. He ran around screaming and you could tell by the look on everyone’s face they were thinking “OMG! I hope that child is not on my flight.” What is wrong with people? Seriously.
One of my worst child experiences while flying was on a flight to Raleigh two years ago. I was in a dead sleep and woke up to the worst smell. This kid about three years old in front of me shit himself. The worst part – the parents let him sit in it and did not change him. I woke up choking on the smell of this kid’s shit. After about five or ten minutes a flight attendant came over and told the parents to change him. They came back with the shorts he was wearing in a plastic bag. I wonder how much poop ended up on the seat that someone later sat in. Gross.
So for those of you that like to chat with other people on airplanes here is a word of advice. If you ask them something and they give you a simple answer and nothing more they do not want to talk to you. If they put on their headphones they do not want to talk to you. If they are reading a book or magazine they do not want to talk to you and if you attempt to talk to someone that is reading that is just plain rude. So for you chatters out there please entertain yourselves when you fly. Bring a book, magazine, talk to yourself in your head if you have to but for Christ sake leave everyone else alone.
While waiting in Chicago for my flight back to Raleigh this woman with two small boys sat in front of the counter at her gate…on the FLOOR. She dug out the McDonald’s lunch for her sons – real healthy lady. Their nuggets were sitting on the dirty floor – directly on the dirty floor and they continued to eat them. The youngest pulled on the railings and nearly knocked them over if onlookers had not caught them. What is the mother doing…texting. No discipline whatsoever. He ran around screaming and you could tell by the look on everyone’s face they were thinking “OMG! I hope that child is not on my flight.” What is wrong with people? Seriously.
One of my worst child experiences while flying was on a flight to Raleigh two years ago. I was in a dead sleep and woke up to the worst smell. This kid about three years old in front of me shit himself. The worst part – the parents let him sit in it and did not change him. I woke up choking on the smell of this kid’s shit. After about five or ten minutes a flight attendant came over and told the parents to change him. They came back with the shorts he was wearing in a plastic bag. I wonder how much poop ended up on the seat that someone later sat in. Gross.
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