Watching tv

by Donna on May 30th, 2007

I’m watching tv– Larry King Live. He has three women on who are celebrity “exes” and they are starring on a television show in which they help Regular Joes get over their breakups. The women are Shar Jones, Angie Everhart and Marla Maples. MARLA MAPLES? Huh? I remember back when she was the other woman. Maybe she hopes everyone has forgotten? I think she was miscast.

She just said, “What we do is help people dream again!”

They should have cast Ivana.

Donna SMASH!

by Donna on May 30th, 2007

I am so ticked off at myself! I stayed late at work to get a couple proposals finished (I still have a ton more to go) with the intention of wrapping up at 6:20 to catch the 6:28 train. I glanced at the clock and it read 6:20– I hurriedly added the finishing touches to the email I was working on and clicked send. I then started to exit the programs that were open and finally I turned off the computer. The clock now read 6:27. UGH! NOoooooo! How did that happen? The next train isn’t until 7:17! That means I won’t get home until 8:30! And tomorrow I have to go to Manhattan which entails waking up at 5 and not getting home until 7. How did I get here? Why am I not married with children and a nice house with a white picket fence, wearing a cute little shirtwaist dress as I watch the children play in the backyard through the kitchen window where I am preparing a home-cooked meal for my handsome husband, Dr. Alex Stone? Instead I sit here in this sterile skyscraper, staring at a computer screen worrying I have infected my eyes with Acanthamoeba keratitis via my not so sterile eye solution. I tell you, the Barbie I played with NEVER made cold calls or wrote proposals. She never went on business meetings or wore contact lenses. On the other hand, she would bend her legs up to her ears, stick her butt on an ink pad and give butt prints to her fans… Star Wars action figures. It’s a good thing I am not like my old Barbie doll. I don’t know where I would find a piece of paper big enough.

Vay cay

by Donna on May 30th, 2007

Lisa said to me this morning, “I only have 9 more days of school left!”
I replied, “I only have 34 years left until I retire!”

This week is going fast thanks to the long weekend. It feels like Tuesday but it’s really Wednesday. That’s so much better than vice versa. I can’t remember the last time I took a vacation. Was it the time Lisa and I rented a convertible in Florida and drove to the Keys? Was it the three days I spent in Cape May? Can three days even count for vacation? Of course I was off for a couple months early last year but that wasn’t vacation as much as unemployment. Maybe it’s time for me to start planning something. I feel like I need some time off. Time away.

Chicken Tika Masala

by Donna on May 29th, 2007

What was I thinking? The other day I read this blog post and it got me absolutely ferociously hungry for Indian food. I mentioned it to Rob one evening, “We could order Indian…” Rob’s reply was, “If I ate Indian food, I’d never stop going to the bathroom.” I dropped the subject. Driving back from work today, I decided to go to the local Indian restaurant and order take out for myself. The problem is that it was already late and I was hungry in and of itself. The Indian place took it’s sweet time preparing my Chicken Tika Masala. Finally they handed me the bag and I rushed home. Before I knew what was happening, I tore into the bag like a crazy woman. I gobbled everything in sight faster than Superman could leap over a building. Now my stomach hurts. And I didn’t savor a single morsel and I am having a hard time remembering how it tasted. Worst of all, the food didn’t even look as nice as the photo in that blog post.

Oh no!

by Donna on May 29th, 2007

The contact lens solution I use, Complete® MoisturePlusTM has been recalled. I need to call the 1-800 number they provided to see what I need to do other than discard my bottles. It seems a little silly since only 39 people have been diagnosed with a particular type of eye infection and of that group 21 use my solution. How many millions of people use it and have not been affected? Regardless, I treasure my sight.

I have two meetings today. I really wish the software I sell isn’t so difficult to use and that I could demo it myself. I hate depending on other people. This morning before 6:00 the guy that I am bringing to the demos called me to tell me that there is just no way he could get his car and drive to Philly by 9:00. Could I cancel it? WHOAH! I told him to grab a train. My stomach is doing back flips worrying I am going to get another call telling me he couldn’t find the train schedule.

Another week begins. The nice thing is there’s only 4 days to this week. How doable is that? Very doable!

Home Alone

by Donna on May 28th, 2007

I left the farm this afternoon and instead of going home, I went to TJMaxx. I bought a couple of shirts and skirts because I have been yearning for something different to wear. At home I boiled some cobs of corn for dinner. I really should have gone to my parents’ house for Memorial Day dinner but I am exhausted. Plus I am planning on opening up my work computer and getting some work done. I wish my company made it easier for me. The computer they have me using is probably about 20 pounds and it is just too big to lug home. The battery doesn’t hold a charge and it doesn’t have a wireless card so I am completely and utterly tethered. The computer is a hindrance to getting work done anywhere but the office. UGh! stop stop stop no more work complaints.

Time to work on the overload…

Substitutions

by Donna on May 27th, 2007

The Summer Fruit with Wine and Mint is chilling in the fridge. The name is a little misleading since the Wine and Mint are missing. The grocery store was fresh out of fresh mint. I didn’t even attempt a Wine and Spirits Shoppe since I am sure they are closed on Sundays. The joys of living in Pennsylvania. I cut up the cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes. What could I use instead of the wine and mint? I remembered Marti Mohito and I mixed that together with some sugar, heated it and doused the fruit. As I looked at the fruit, it seemed a little meager. Rob has 5 sisters, 4 of which would be at the farm. I definitely needed to cut up more fruit. Once the last bits of fruit were chopped, quarted and halved, I tried to figure what else I could use since I used the last bit of Marti Mohito. In the cup I poured a little more sugar, some lime juice AND Triple Sec! Heated and stirred that mixture and poured that on to the fruit. We shall see how it goes. Hopefully it is yummy!

Summer Fruit with Wine and Mint

by Donna on May 27th, 2007

I wonder if there’s a way to do this without the wine?

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Show: Everyday Italian
Episode: Italian Picnic

1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 ripe cantaloupe, halved, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 basket (8-ounce) fresh strawberries, quartered
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Bring the wine and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Chop and combine the cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, and mint in a large bowl. Pour the warm wine mixture over; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until cold, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours.

Transfer to the fruit mixture to a wide jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keep chilled.

Watergate Salad

by Donna on May 26th, 2007

1 package (4-serving size) Jell-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped walnuts nuts
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Topping

Stir the pudding mix, pineapple with juice, marshmallows and nuts in large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish as desired.

Makes 8 servings

Date and Nut Bread

by Donna on May 26th, 2007

3/4 c. chopped nuts
1 c. chopped dates
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. boiling water
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. sifted all purpose flour

Combine nuts, dates, soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the shortening and boiling water. Allow this mixture to stand for 15 minutes. Stir to blend, beat the eggs slightly, add the vanilla. Stir in the sugar and the sifted flour. Add to date mixture. Do not over mix. Place in greased 9 x 5 x 3′ loaf pan. Bake fo 1 hour at 350 degrees. When done, toothpick inserted in the center wil come out clean. Cool before removing. Loosen sides with a spatula. For perfect slicing, allow the load fo cool several hours. -Fran Pollack