Cassie-b

Mixed messages??

I was standing in line in the grocery store yesterday, and saw in the headlines of the “newspapers” they sell with articles about Mel Gibson:

Mel Gibson Steamy affair revealed (sorry, I couldn’t find an article)
Mel Gibson Builds Church

I mean, is this a mixed message? or what?? 
I just don’t know

Beautiful Spring Day

It is so nice out.  I think I’ll go out and plant some radishes!!

Have a happy day!

Two posts in one day!!!

I’ve been blogging for nearly a year now, and have never posted twice in one day.  This is a record.  This is a vacation day for me, and I’m doing just what I feel like.  It’s great.

We had our annual family brunch this past Sunday.  It’s a tradition that I really enjoy.  This year we had 19 family members in attendance, only missing two college students. 

The restaurant was the Gypsy Rose, and I thought the food was very good.  Now we have to scout around for a new restaurant for next year.  That’s fun too. 

We already have one old historic restaurant that we’re considering.  We’ll have to give it a try.

I liked it.

Soup for the Weekend

Don came home yesterday with 4 pounds of asparagus (it was on sale for 99 cents a pound and Don loves a bargain)

We had some with dinner last night, and it was great.  But what to do with the remaining 2 pounds?  I doubled this recipe and made soup.  It’s sooo good - quick and easy.

Cream of Asparagus Soup 1 pound fresh asparagus
3 1/2 cups chicken stock (I use canned)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half (I use milk and it’s still good)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Trim the coarse ends off the asparagus and cut asparagus into one-inch pieces. Heat in a frying pan in 1 cup of the stock for about 6-8 minutes or until tender.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add the rest of the chicken stock, stirring, until slightly thickened. Add the half-and-half (or milk), salt, pepper and the, sautéed asparagus with the cooking liquid. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. I only process it a little - we like our soup a little less pureed.
Heat thoroughly, or better still, let is sit for a few hours or more in the refrigerator before reheating and serving. 

Have a Great weekend!!

How to get to the Meeting

Last week I found out that I had to go to a pretty important meeting at work – to a business site that I’ve never been to. 

Don was nice enough to take me for a ride over the weekend so that I would know how to get to the meeting place.  (I have a very bad, if any, sense of direction and don’t like to drive, especially to new places)I wrote down each turn, and how many miles we had gone, and when we found the place, I had a whole page of directions. 

Well today was the day.  I planned on about an hour to get there, even though it only took Don 35 minutes (on a Saturday morning)for the trip.  I went off this morning with my directions on my lap, and – drum roll- it worked! 

It took me an hour because of the traffic, but I didn’t make a single wrong turn and I didn’t cry, not even once.

After the meeting, it’s time to go home.  Now mind you, I also can’t convert “to” directions to “back home” directions.  But – drum roll again- I got home without a single wrong turn.  I’m so excited. 

Blogging Survey

I was visiting Linkmeister a few days ago and he commented on a very interesting article about blogging . 

I found it fascinating reading. As you might know, I’m an addicted blogger.

It’s not a bad idea to know just what it is you are doing, and just how large your audience is, and long-lived your posts can be.  I guess people sometimes get in trouble with their family members.  And with the people at their workplace.  And even the law at times.

If I’ve gotten in trouble with anyone, they haven’t told me.  I’m hoping that’s a good sign.  So, I’ll just go on my merry way and tend to this blogaholic thing I’m suffering from.

Shower Gift

We had to buy a wedding shower gift last week, and the bride was registered at one of those linen places. 

As we were at the register paying for blanket of her choice, the cashier asked us if we wanted it gift wrapped.  I was really thrilled with the offer and indicated that would be very nice.  Now I did not ask to have the blanket gift wrapped, it was their idea. 

Here is a picture of the “wrapped” gift.  Now if one of you posted this picture with this story, I’m not sure I would believe it.  But honestly, this was the package they handed me. 

I threw away the tissue, and saved the bag and rewrapped the package.  Slight improvement, don’t you think?

Blog Addiction

A strange thing happened to me this week.  Buzz, the Empress and I all lost access to our blog sites.  I was so upset.  Now, I’ve been doing this for about 10 months and it all started as a place to post recipes. 

In these past few months, I’ve begun to use my “blogging” as my daily separation between work and home (I like both home and work, but they are very different). 

I’ve been logging on and spending some portion of an hour each evening (and really enjoying it) before beginning to be the other Cassie-B. So thanks, Buzz, and welcome back to you and Empress.  I really didn’t know I would miss blogging so much. 

Oh, and today is a day off for me.  And lucky me, it’s snowing a lot here, and I didn’t have to face the driving problems early this morning.

A really great Sunday

Yesterday Don and I took our first ever bus tour.  It was so great.

We went in to Philadelphia and had brunch at the Irish Pub (in honor of St. Patrick’s day) Then on the way to see the Chieftans in concert at the Kimmel Center (also in Philadelphia) we came across the St. Patrick’s day parade. 

The Chieftan’s concert was absolutely fantastic.  Not only were they on stage, but they had other guests, Irish Dancers, a Guitar Player from Vince Gill’s band, a wonderful harpist, Canadian dancers, and local young Irish Dancers.  I don’t believe I’ve ever seen so much talent in one place before

It was great.  And all this with wonderful friends.

Friday- Day off - Love it

I’ve got 3 “carry over” vacation days that have to be used by the end of March.  Don is very busy with a project, so we can’t go anywhere.  Yesterday was my first day off, and 2 to go (carryovers).  How nice. 

I woke up to a beautiful sun shiny day.  Don fixed my breakfast, and I was in no rush at all.  After breakfast, I spent the morning cooking (I love to cook).  I read a book, went on a blog walk, and generally had a wonderful restful day.  It’s nice to have an unexpected day off and no plans.

And to think, I’ve got one next week and one the week after.  3 4-day weeks in a row!!! 

And look what greeted me in my front garden!!