Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I have but one item on my wish list this year.

Gas, 5 burners, 2 ovens.  I'm in love.

S.

Cooking Sunday

Around here, Sunday is known as cooking day. Original, I know. Normally, each Sunday I make a few things for the week ahead. Typically, I make a soup or casserole for lunches, bread, cookies if JJ is around, and cupcakes This week was somewhat of a fail since I only made cupcakes and one dessert over 2 days. Yesterday I made a dessert called Sopapilla Cheesecake. It was great and very simple to make. It only requires crescent rolls, cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. It will definitely be a keeper. Today I made Lemon Cream and they were only okay. I prefer a light and fluffy cupcake and I found these to be too dense.

I usually enjoy cooking on Sundays but today I just felt like sitting on the couch. So I did. I'm sure I will be cursing myself halfway through the week when I'm stuck eating store bought bread. Yup, that is the glamorous life I lead... in which I complain about eating store bought bread.

It's Been Awhile

I guess you know it's been awhile when it takes THAT long to log in. Geesh. Like everyone else, it's been a busy spring and summer but it's still hard to believe I haven't updated since April. I guess at some point I just ran out of things to say. Anyone who knows me in real life who have a very difficult time believing that.

I'm going to try to maintain this blog but I'm going to worry less about having a "story" or a theme to talk about. I'm going to just update life as it happens. Because more and more I find I'm forgetting the every day things that go on and this is a good place for me to keep track.

Since my last post was about Jamaica, I think it's only appropriate to share that I'm headed back there again in January. Please keep that a secret because it's a Christmas present for the Littlest Princess. She should be (better be) pretty excited! I know am I!

The entire top floor of the house has been painted and redecorated. Next I just need to put up a tile backsplash in the kitchen and it should be all done. Just in time to put this place on the market and get the hell out of dodge! I feel that your neighbour burning grass with a flame thrower only 10 feet from your house is a good indicator that you should move. Actually, I have a whole bag full of those indicators but only a few hours before bed.

What else....I'm going to back to San Francisco in March. That should be fun and a whole different experience from the first time.

My cat is still an asshole. Gorgeous but an asshole just the same.

Jamaica

This time last week, I was just rolling through the door after a week in paradise. The arsehole cat was happy to see me and my tan was still fresh. It's been a rough week of cooking my own meals, making and doctoring my own coffee, no jerk chicken, and not a single person has brought my a slushy drink all week. I know, it's sad but true. We had a great trip! I loved being back in Jamaica. It's a beautiful tropical paradise but it's the people that keep me wanting to go back. It's not easy to put into words. Just a fun loving, friendly people. The resort we went to is called Secrets St. James and it was phenomenal. First class luxury all the way. But, to tell the truth, it was too fancy for me. The customer service was so thorough that it actually made me uncomfortable. We wanted for nothing...they waited on us hand and foot. The food was delicious and the beach was phenomenal. Those are my feet enjoying the beach on our first day. There is a 2 hour time difference so we were sitting on the beach shortly after 6 am each day. I love it. I can sleep at home when it's snowing and cold. I wanted to get every minutes of sun, surf and warmth that I could. We stayed on the beach each day until close to 5 pm. Only getting up for food and drinks. Providing no one delivered them for us.

We didn't even crack a book or magazine for the first few days. We just layed in the sun, people watched, chatted, and enjoyed the water.

This is the view of the pool from my patio. Oh, and my feet again. :) Just off to the right is the beach only 30 seconds from my door.

I took this pic standing on the bridge over the pool that you see in the photo above. Notice the beach just past the infinity pool.

We took our own floaties and it was so worth the weight in the suitcase. One morning at 8:30 am we were floating in the Caribbean Sea drinking Blue Mountain coffee from our Bubba Kegs. It doesn't get any better. Until lunch time when the roaming Jerk Chicken cart comes around and you stuff it into your mouth hand over fist while sipping rum from a coconut beside the Caribbean Sea!!!

We also spend half a day on a catamaran cruise where we got to do some snorkeling and see some local sights. For the snorkeling, they took us to a marine preservation area that happens to be right under the flight path for incoming plane at the airport. One landed while we were in the water and it was so close that I could see up inside the doors for the landing gear and smell the jet fuel. A tad unnerving but really neat too. Notice the hair in the above photo. I had just come out of the water and was in the process of pulling it back when J says "I don't like it when you pull your hair back. It makes you look like everyone else. It looks good down." So I left it down and let it air dry. Looking back at the pics I realized he was right. When my hair air dries after being wet from being in salt water, I don't look like everyone else. I look like a freaking lunatic with a giant, wet, used, rusty SOS pad sprouting from my head. This pic was one of the better ones. Stupid boat with no mirror. Note to self - ignore the comment and pull the hair back. Every. Time.

One of the highlights of the trip, for me, was seeing the Silverbirds Steel drum band. I've seen steel drum bands in Jamaica in the past and I was looking forward to the performance. This group was so incredible. Check them out on YouTube. They started out playing the expected steel drum music and all of a sudden broke into Grenade by Bruno Mars. They made my want to jump out of my seat and dance. They played everything from Micheal Jackson to Lady Gaga, BEP, Rihanna and others I can't even remember. They are awesome to hear but you have to see them dance to fully appreciate everything they do. I would happily pay alot of money to see them perform again.

And, finally, this photo. Stop saying "OMG", it's not what you think. J went back to the room one afternoon and was back on the beach 3 minutes later. He asked me our room number and I told him but asked why he was asking. He told me he went back to the room and thought he had confused our room number because the key wouldn't work.........and there was a Honeymoon banner on the door. We went back to the room and sure enough there it was. Clearly, they put it on the wrong door in error but it provided a great laugh for us. We thought it was hilarious and left it for the week. Too funny.

So those are the highlights. Jamaica is still my favourite Caribbean destination but I believe I should keep travelling and trying different places. You know, just to make sure. ;)

Packed and Ready

My bags are packed and I'm ready to leave for Jamaica. Let's be honest, my bags have been packed since I was supposed to leave in January. Stupid travel agency that I'll never use again. BUT I'm trying to be be bitter. There are 4 days, not counting today because I just ripped it off, left on the countdown calendar and I can't wait to leave. Seven days of sun, sand, drinks, and the Jamaican vibe. I can't wait to go back.

The Forgotten Art

It would seem there is a forgotten art when it comes to posing for photographs. I vote that we bring back the art of gently crossing our legs at the ankle when wearing a skirt and sitting in the front row of a group photo. Otherwise? Heeeelllllooooo Dolly!

Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

That's not a typo. Last night, I made Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes and I even piped the icing on top. I'll admit that when I tried them last night, I didn't love them but I didn't hate them either. I made a few dozen of them so I decided to pack them up to share with my co-workers.

I had an improptu cupcake party in my office at 8:20 am and those things were flying off the tray. I decided to try another one just to be social and OMG. They are delicious this morning. I guess they just needed to sit for awhile for the flavours to develop.

So there you have it - Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes are delcious and will be made again. One more baking success in my pocket makes me want to continue the quest. I think I might try Vanilla Bean Coconut Cupcakes this weekend and I'm keeping my eye out for some sort of lime flavoured cupcake.

A Whole Lot of Nothing

* Christmas was great! There was nothing earth-shattering that made it great. It was just calm and content.
* I started the Jillian Micheals 20 Day Shred on December 30. I had been using the treadmill every single day for the about 3.5 months before I started the Shred so I thought I would have some endurance. Wrong! It is 20 minutes of pure hell and I almost threw up the first day. It actually has gotten easier and I might just go crazy and try Level 2 today.
* I cannot get my act together today. I forgot to pick up my prescription that I needed for an early doctor's appointment. Then I took a wrong turn on the way there. I simply forgot where I was going.
* Much to someone else's chagrin, I'm bringing my suitcase upstairs tonight and I'm going to start packing. I know it seems a bit early (3 weeks from tomorrow) but I like the excitement and anticipation.
* Why do short work weeks always seem to go by so slowly?