Pet Peeve #2

Pet Peeve #2 - Clutter

I hate having a messy house but it seems that until my kids are grown and out the door, I will never see my floor! Why am I am cleaning ALL of the time? Like I don't get to sit down and rest, read a good book, surf the net because I am always cleaning! Well, truth be told, I really only clean and tidy up when my kids are sleeping, WHICH IS NEVER! Kidding... I do have time to myself, at like 2 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING! I guess I just ought to be thankful that I am not so much of a clean freak that I don't enjoy time with my kids. What is more important, right? Maybe I'll get a maid...

Knifeman

Vampires? No. Werewolves? No. Zombies? No. Knife Man? Yes.

Who is knifeman and where did he come from? I can't tell you. As a kid, I was afraid of an imaginary person I referred to as knife man. He would cut off any part of your body, except your head, that wasn't covered with a blanket. That is why I still to this day like to burrito myself up in covers at bedtime.

Something New Saturday #2 - Virus

Well, my main computer has a virus. This is something new and something I have been afraid of happening. I am going to call Extreme Computers Monday morning to see what they can do, if anything. I sure hope that they can help because I have my last 7 years worth of pictures stored on it and I have not (this will not happen again) backed them up. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. The problem is this...

When you turn the computer on and get to the start up menu where all the users have their own logins, you log in and then instead of taking you to your main screen, you are automatically logged off. You never get anywhere but that main profile menu...

Wish us luck at the doctor!

Photo Friday #2 - Edmonton

This is where I grew up... Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 1000 miles straight north from Logan with not a mountain to be seen. When I first moved to Logan, I was so claustrophobic because of the mountains all around me. It wasn't until I got horribly lost in a snowstorm (yes, I was lost in our little valley), that I learned the mountains were my best friend when it came to getting my bearings.

Edmonton Skyline - 1992

Downtown Edmonton from the air


Edmonton skyline seen from the North Saskatchewan River

Death by Bullet

I dream. I dream almost every night. I have one recurring dream that most people would probably call a nightmare. Maybe if I share, I won't have it anymore.

I am in a girl's bathroom. I know it's a girl's bathroom because, well, I am a girl and the walls are pink and red and the floor is gray. The walls and floor are cement. There is a sink directly to my left and next to it along the same wall are 3, beige stalls with the largest one at the end. There is a large window straight ahead and the sun is shining through the window in streams of light (like you see through clouds on a semi-overcast day). This is the only light in the room.

I walk into the large stall (I assume it is for the handicap) and I hear someone else enter the bathroom. I walk out of the stall and as I am washing my hands, I am shot in the back. It doesn't hurt too bad, it just burns. I drop to the floor, which actually hurts more. I am laying there on my side with my back to the door and I can feel myself slowly leaving my body. I don't catch a glimpse of the other person before they leave, all I hear is the door close behind them. I am alone and I think about my family. I can feel my breathing slow down and the heat of my own blood pooling around my face. I am not afraid.

I always wake up right at this point...

Maybe I ought to write murder-mysteries.

Soy Chicken & Broccoli Bake

This is one of my favorite recipes... I went to make it tonight and discovered that I had forgot to buy rice at the grocery store on Monday (refer to pet peeve #1)!

Soy Sauce Chicken
1 pkg drumsticks
1 pkg wings
2 cups soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 pkg saltine crackers

Marinate chicken in soy sauce and sugar for 2 hours. Drain chicken and save marinade. Roll chicken in crushed saltine crackers and place in baking dish. Pour 1/2 remaining marinade over chicken and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Broccoli Bake
1 pkg frozen broccoli
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix thawed broccoli, soup, rice in bowl. Pour into a baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Separate eggs, beat whites until fluffy, beat yolks and combine with whites and shredded cheese. Pour and spread over broccoli bake and continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes.

Serve both dishes together.

Reading and Writing

I love to read. Love it, love it. I am like a kid in a candy store when I go to Borders. So many books to choose from. I usually rely on the English teacher at school to recommend books for me to read. He has picked a couple of stinkers, in my opinion, but overall I have enjoyed his choices.

I don't have a favorite author and I don't have a certain type of book I like. I will pretty much read anything that is put in front of me. I have a list of books that I would like to read and a list of books that I would like to have in my library. I would like to one day have an official library, with a fireplace and a bar, a nice cushy chair and walls lined with lots and lots of books!

I thought it might be fun to blog about new books that I have read. Right now I am reading "The World According to Garp", by John Irving. You will see a review sometime next week.

Because life with a family can get crazy at times and I do have to start work early in the morning (which means I cannot stay up too late reading), I am hoping to read a book and post a review every couple of weeks. If a book is taking me longer to read, I will just post a review on a book that I have already read.

Since I love to read and I love to write, I have a couple of things I would like to accomplish before I die. A short term and long term goal... I would like to join or start my own book club and I would like to compile a book of short stories or maybe even a book series for kids. In the meantime, I will read and blog and read and blog!