Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Big 3-0


Jim enters a new decade today.

We finished out his twenties with dinner at our favorite Thai restaruant, Chiagmai, lots of red wine, and a wonderful evening with great company.
Jim was lucky enough to ring in his thirties with a massage, followed by house hunting, then unexpected flurries. This forced us to stay in with left-overs and movie night. Not to mention Jim serenading me for hours on his new guitar.

Isn't he the cutest?

Happy Birthday !

Friday, January 29, 2010

Day 2. No Coffee


Dear Coffee,

I miss you already. Don't worry I'll come back soon. I just needed a little break. I think our relationship was getting a little too serious. You were my first thought every morning, and I felt tired and grumpy in the afternoons without you. I just needed to know I can be independent again. I love you forever and hope we can still be friends.

Love, Mrs. Robinson

Monday, January 25, 2010

WWII

We've just finished watching Band of Brothers. It's a fantastic series about WWII centered around Easy Company of the US Army 101st Airborne division. I highly recommend it.



Grandpop is a WWII Navy veteran.
He is the 2nd James G. Robinson.
He's a good dancer.
He drinks room temperature Coors light.
He can still do a perfect dive.
He celebrated his 89th birthday last summer.

Book worm

I have a fresh stack of reading materials at my bedside. Nothing beats the winter blues more than snuggling up with a good book.

I'm about 1/2 way through The Stand, which I'm hoping to finish my the weeks end. In the line-up...Dead until Dark, the first in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Pride & Prejudice, and two new hand-me-downs from my friend Sarah, Baby Proof and The Time Travelers Wife.

Monday...


"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Thursday, January 21, 2010

A few things...

I guess I've been busy. Not sure with what exactly. Certainly nothing that's very exciting. I guess I'm overall in hibernation mode. But I have spotted some good finds out there the blog world...

R

eally cool fonts by Jessica Hische.


A great black dress, perfect for any occasion (courtesy of Stephmodo)

More really great dresses at ShabbyApple.

Super cute hip bag (link courtesy of Design Mom)

The Hip Bag in Cream Corduroy- Medium

LOVING this handmade button wreath (along with other really cute handmade gifts)

...and these sweet knit bracelets (spotted here)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Pot pie

I use to make this recipe back in college when I was first learning to cook on my own. I guess I kind of forgot about it for the last 6-7 years but is was just as delicious and even easier than I remembered.

2 C. frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 C. cooked chicken, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 can cream of chicken
1 C. Bisquick
1/2 C. milk
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix veggies, chicken, and cream soup into pie pan (deeper is better). In a medium bowl mix Bisquick, milk, and egg. Pour Bisquick batter over veggie mix. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

(I like my pot pie really hearty, so I add extra veggies. But, make sure to add a little extra cream of chicken soup. This is a little annoying if because you have to open another can, but it's definitely worth it!)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Monday...


"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. "

~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Garden Club

After an extended absence, Jim is back to blogging at Garden Club.

This is the back of a sweet T-shirt his buddy Tim designed back when we were in school together. Jim attempted to start a 'Garden Club' behind the school's rec center. He successfully grew one super hot pepper. The story is worth reading. You'll find it here.

He mostly writes about his various hobbies , very serious scientific interests, and an occasional sports review. Lots of big words, not so many pictures. He's a smarty (but a cutie). Check it out for book reviews, Bonsai growing and fresh water aquarium tips, sports reviews, and of course a few good laughs about our happy, silly life together.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

"kids say the darndest things."

I should put together a book of things that patients say to me....

Yesterday there were two separate conversations/comments about my boobs...thankfully both coming from other woman!! One women brought me lotion and body spray from Victoria Secret and proceeded to engage in a full conversation about her love for V.S. ended with, "What size bra are you? I'll bring you one in next week." Overall I think this women is just really friendly and possible a good deal shopper, but I'm not sure I'm able to accept such a gift.

The second women just blurts out, "Where'd those come from?" rudely pointed to my chest. "You must be pregnant!!" This women I don't particular like, but of course tolerate because she's a patient. My response was curt to say the least and I we moved on to the appropriate conversation about how she was feeling. I'm not even sure why she would make such a comment. I wish I had a picture of what I was wearing yesterday because I just don't understand how it prompted any type of commentary, particularly about my breasts.

On Monday, a man commented that he thought I looked "kinda black"...whatever that means...and I should get dreads or braids in my hair. "Oh really...you think I'd look nice with cornrows? I'll take that into consideration at my next haircut appointment."

A few of my old favorites....

A younger women who just want to 'let me know' that if I happen to get a divorce, her brother wanted to marry me (he's also a patient).

The women with "crotch" pain who refuses to acknowledge my use of the word groin instead.

And one of my old time favorites was a young lady over the summer..."Doc, I can't even do it doggy style because my knee hurts so much." Hmmm...sounds optional.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Monday...


"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."


~Winnie the Pooh


Sunday, January 10, 2010

Kitchen...

in sepia tone. part II

SoFee dog really made out this holiday season and has a bowl full of treats to prove it. The water bottle is still one of the best investments I made last year. The clementines have been delicious. Thanks Spain!

The note in bottom center is from our mailman, Enrique. He is the BEST mailman EVER and really is the nicest person I know. SoFee dog wants to marry him. She can correctly identify him from at least a 1/2 block away and , without fail, knows a substitute carrier...even from that distance.

Bedside


Before...

After...



Monday, January 4, 2010

Monday...


"A goal without a plan is just a wish."


~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Baby, it's cold outside...


...leading to a fairly uneventful new year so far. It's so cold and windy. The soft glow of the Christmas tree makes staying in even more cozy. It's a long-johns & blankets, lounging & snuggling, movies, paperbacks & board games, hot coffee & lots of candles kind of weekend for us.

I beat Jim in nail-biting game of Scrabble last night winning in my last turn with 16 points for 'hap' to put me in the lead by 3.

We finished season 5 of LOST and are restlessly waiting for the start of the final season.

We even ventured out to Barnes & Noble for a little date night complete with steamy hot lattes.

I've also been doing a lot of cooking and baking....

Meatballs and spinach-artichoke dip for New Year's Eve.

In Stidd family tradition, pork and sauerkraut to ring in the new year (with killer red skin mashed potatoes!)

And the BEST banana bread!
**I use a little less sugar (3/4 C.), add a snack sized cup of applesauce, and spinkle the top with crushed walnuts**



Ambitions

Resolution
–noun
1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made.
2. a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
3. the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure,etc.
4. the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness or purpose.

I'm not really in to making resolutions. It just seems too structure. Accompanied by too much guilt and negativity if unachieved. But I am into ambitions.

Ambition
-noun
1. an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.
2. the object, state, or result desired or sought after.
3. desire for work or activity; energy.

Things you want to accomplish, places you want to see, small personal defects you want to work on. Ambition, aspiration, goal, aim, focus. Positives. I often reassess where my ambitions lie throughout the year, both professional and personal. Winter. depressing. cold. dark. You can get lost in there! No better time for a fresh look and what life is for me...

Be really aware of what I put into my body and what I expect out of it. Make healthy food choices. Try new recipes. Get back to my A. M. workouts and yoga. Find balance between stress producing and stress relieving activities

Make an effort to learn new things. Read more. New ideas and facts about chiropractic and health. I also have several seminars I want to attend in the upcoming year.

Spanish. This is like a thorn in my side. I really do want to learn to speak Spanish, but it's just not in my wiring. Even interacting with a Spanish speaking population 5 days a week has had little effect on my comprehension. I seriously considering Rosetta Stone.

Take more weekend trips.

Friday, January 1, 2010

2010


Any resolutions for your New Year?

Lorraine, Jenny, and Jon ate 12 grapes at midnight in the Hispanic tradition, which is said to bring prosperity in the new year. There were several others not pictured that also took place in this ritual. I was just too full from a constant four hours of nibbling and picking at all my favorite dips and appetizers. There was also talk about running around the block with a suitcase. As far as I'm aware this never happened. I guess the sleeting rain and cold prevailed.

Jim is practical. 2010 is for finally buying a house.

Me...I'm looking to find a suitable replace for CoffeeMate creamer. This is a direct result of asking my office staff why there was several drops of dried, harden wax on the counter. There are no candles in the office. But, there is a coffee station...with CoffeeMate creamer. And those glossy, opaque globs were dried creamer. After several attempts to scrap, smudge, and wipe; even with the assistance of the harshest cleaners, those spots are still there. I don't know what that says for my digestive tract.