Randoms of a Southern Girl at Heart...Who Exercises to Watch The Throne!

I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was a bit busy, but otherwise nice and peaceful. I don’t know about you, but I love when I can rest comfortably knowing that I have completed any and all chores, errands or things so I can chill. Loves it.


However, today is Monday. Please explain how I can spend 20 minutes in the bathroom doing absolutely nothing? I can’t figure out what I am doing to waste so much time in the morning? Okay, I know I am really trying to wake up. Sighing…I am going to do better.

The heat, ya’ll? It is doing the most. I don’t even know if I can call it the bowels of hell any more, it is more like hell? Geez, I have stopped watering my plants on the weekends before I go to work because it is too dang hot.

Speaking of garden, my flowers are still flourishing. My green onions, basil and cilantro are still hanging in there. My peppers are slowly but surely coming along, I just don’t understand why it takes so long to grow them. I can say without a doubt, my tomatoes are done. Don’t get me wrong I have some flowering and such, but before they can grow properly, the birds are eating them. How do I know? Yesterday, I was looking out of my den window and notice two red robins and I was oohing and aahing, then it occurred to me that really isn’t a good thing. I know I had a few green tomatoes left but they were gone and remnants of eaten tomatoes were on some of the leaves. I thought the birds were cute…now; they are the vermin eating my precious tomatoes that I am so over. I do still have enough tomatoes to get me through a couple more weeks.

Bouquet of 7/25/12

My cousin saw my most recent bouquet and she was so surprised that all the flowers came from my container garden. She was impressed they smelled so wonderful. Of course they do, I put love into those plants.

You know I am already planning next year’s garden. It will be slightly bigger, better soil and it will be just as amazing. Unless, I change my mind.

Do you realize August is this week? After August, is September, which means I turn another year older, God willing and then it is the holidays. Where has the year gone? I have been lamenting about the fact I haven’t had a vacation this year, but I am planning a post birthday staycation at a hotel/spa for the entire weekend. I used to do this all the time; I use the time to be quiet. I do very little, but I make the time to rejuvenate my mind, body and spirit, because sometimes you have to take care of yourself and deal with other things later.

Sunday dinner

Guess what I did this weekend? I cooked. I was determined on Friday that I would cook a full meal for dinner on Sunday and hopefully eat off it for lunch in the upcoming week. Seriously, you can only eat so many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and salads before you are over it. So I planned my menu and when I did my weekly grocery shopping I was prepared. So look for the recipes for the dishes soon. What did I cook? Using Pinterest as a guide, I prepared garlic brown sugar chicken, my aunt’s scalloped potatoes and a sauté of yellow squash and zucchini. For dessert, I made mixed fruit pops. I also baked a batch of the Triple Ginger Cookies for my kids on my second job. I repeat I cannot cook during the day, because it will make the house too hot, so Saturday night I was in the kitchen from 10 pm until midnight cooking. It really didn’t take long because I had season my chicken, cut up my veggies and mixed the batch of cookies up before I went to work that evening. And being the night owl as I am, I made fast work of cooking dinner.

Those kids ate them damn cookies up. They are always a good barometer on whether a dish is good or not.

Don't forget my sister has a story in Z-Rated Chocolate Flava III coming in August!

I guess my sister is settling into living in San Diego. My niece got to meet one of her singing idols on Friday, so she was stoked. And my sister seems to take great comfort in reminding me the weather is a comfortable 70 degrees. Ugh! And we suffer in hell. Frankly, she can have lala land; I am a southern girl by heart.

Lala saying Hi!  Ya'll she has dimples!

On Saturday, she sent me a text about a situation going on in Virginia and I responded, and? I know that sounds cruel, but I refuse to allow myself to get sucked into folk’s problems and chaos. I have peace right now and I plan to hold onto it as long as I can.

I have a girlfriend whose life seems to be a ball of chaos. And recently I got drawn into it. Then when I ask if she followed up on the help suggested, she has yet to respond. I am just gonna pray for her because undoubtedly she doesn’t really need help, but likes to cry out for it. I am done. Prayers work.

I can’t really say I have been watching the Olympics. I will watch for a minute and then I move on to something else. I used to be captivated by the summer Olympics, but now I guess I have too much going on to really concentrate on it.

I love looking at blogs of folks who sew their own clothes and have a great sense of style. However, you do not have to worry about me adding another hobby to this blog. I am not the sewing type. I have no patience. When I was in the 8th grade my home ec teacher taught a half year of cooking and a half year of sewing. I hated the sewing portion because again I have no patience; I didn’t understand why we had to base stitch the hems of shorts if we were going to sew them on the machine. In my logical mind, that was a waste of time and energy. I didn’t finish the two pair of shorts I started because she wasn’t going to let me sew the hems without base stitching and I wasn’t going to waste my time doing double work. I slept. And I passed the class. I was stubborn even back then.

Last night on my second job, a customer comes in saying she smelled natural gas outside our store and we may want to check it out. I am so glad the owner was there because it took both us to smell the gas. When we first when outside, we didn’t smell it. Then we went back out and the cross winds were blowing and whoa! The smell was strong and undeniable. He called the gas company, would you believe it took him almost 30 minutes to get someone on the phone through the 24 hour emergency number? They came out and although it wasn’t a leak, there was a problem that needed to be fixed and when I left last night they were still working on it. Thanks to the customer for letting us know. Although there wasn’t any danger to our store or people, if it hadn’t gotten fixed a lot of businesses would have to be closed down temporarily. No one wants or needs that right now.

I did have a good weekend and even spent a bit of time with The Guy. I hope you had a great weekend as well and will have a wonderful week too!

Roses, coneflowers, cosmos and marigolds!

Creative Cooking...Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

Do ever peruse food blogs and see something that you MUST try? I did that the other day and one of my favorite blogs is skinnytaste. Gina makes these healthy weight watcher meals and points the nutritional values as well as points, if you are following ww. I personally do not follow it, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to make healthy and delicious foods. This recipe, I will say is not as healthy as Gina’s, because I used Hot Italian Sweet Sausage. Sorry, but my local grocery store didn’t have the chicken or the turkey that they are known for having and my heart was set on having fresh zucchini in a different way. I have only cooked zucchini a few times and it is always roasted in the oven. So although I veered away from the original recipe with the sausage, I stayed on course with most of the rest of the ingredients.


Ingredients:  Sausage Stuffed Zucchini as adapted from Skinnytaste

1 ¼ of marinara sauce (Bertolli’s Burgundy Marinara)

5 small to medium zucchini

1 tsp of oil

½ small finely diced onion

3 tsp of minced garlic

½ cup of green bell pepper (she used red bell pepper, and since I had the green at home, that is what I used)

14 oz, Italian Sweet Sausage, the recipe calls for Italian chicken sausage for a lower fat and calorie meat

½ cup of part skim shredded mozzarella

8 tsp of grated Parmesan cheese

Tony’s and Black pepper to taste

My fresh zucchini

First thing I did was get a large pot of water to boil and while that was taking place, I cut my zucchini in half lengthwise and scooped out the insides with a small spoon.

See the zucchini with its flesh removed or in the process of being removed and the flesh in a separate bowl.

 

Then I placed my zucchini in the boiling water for a minute or two. What? I got a little busy and it was early in the morning. Once I removed the zucchini from the water I placed in baking pan of 9 x 12 which had a ¼ of the marinara sauce on the bottom.

After the 2 minute boiling and sauce lined baking dish

I chopped up my onions and the flesh of the zucchini. In a sauté pan, I browned up my sausage and when it was brown, took out of pan and put to the side. While it was the meat was browning I tried to make sure to get the pieces broken up to smaller pieces.

I heated up the tsp of oil and added my garlic, onion and bell pepper and cooked until the onions were translucent, then I added the zucchini flesh and seasoned with my Tony’s Chachere and black pepper and cooked for about 3 mins. Then I added the sausage to the mixture and cooked it for a few more minutes.

Sausage and zucchini mixture

Using a spoon I filled each of the zucchini boats with the cooked sausage mixture, pressing firmly into the boats. Then I topped with marinara sauce, sprinkled on the mozzarella and put a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Nope didn’t measure those last few ingredients I just insure the meat was covered and since I used the thinly shredded mozzarella, I used my best judgment. After all the boats are filled and covered with cheese, I baked the zucchini in the preheated oven of 400 degrees covered in foil for 35 minutes. Your zucchini should be cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Zucchini stuffed and covered in cheese ready for the oven.

Verdict: Seriously, I can’t go wrong with a Skinnytaste recipe. This was very delicious and although I used a few short cuts, I don’t think it was too significant. One boat is feeling, really. I ate as a Sunday dinner with a small salad and a small piece of garlic bread. Very tasty, simple recipe and worth the extra effort. Seriously, that 400 degree oven had my house hot! But I would definitely make this one again. Like I told my sister, this dish probably would work with any sausage substitute if you do not eat pork. So if you try it out, let me know how it turns out. And be sure to check out Skinnytaste, because she has an arsenal of healthy weight watcher dishes.

Fresh from the oven.  Piping hot!

Plated with fresh basil from my garden

Yummy!



How Was Your Weekend...Randoms

Purple coneflower

How was your weekend? I ask the lady who takes care of our floor every Monday, and she always replies, “Just wasn’t long enough.” Ain’t that the truth?



I remember waking up Saturday and the next thing I knew it is Sunday night. Yeah, I feel just like she feels, it isn’t long enough.


Last week I had to order my facial cleaner, moisturizer and make-up from Dillard’s online, because no one told me the one I normally go to is now their clearance center. Really? In the mall? Seriously? Well, my things came in short time, because me driving all the way out to Shorter, which is where I say the “other” mall is, wasn’t going to happen since I have been trying to get out there since before the 4th. Sometimes you have to bite the shipping costs.

All the little bottles were free, free I tell ya!

I am still working in the garden. The tomatoes are still turning red. Didn’t I mention I have been over this for a while?

Harvest from July 18th...sighing...

Cut flowers for the bouquet

The bouquet

You see I have been cooking. Sparingly, though. The Guy asked what was for dinner last night and I said all the tomatoes you want, or a salad or Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. I don’t think the choices were good for him. I told him it is too hot to turn the stove on. Really.


I had my annual female doctor appointment yesterday. I love my gyn; he gets me in and out. We laugh and talk before we get down to business and he knows, do what you got to do, don’t talk and hurry the hell up! And he does.


My sister has moved to San Diego. Bless her heart. She said my brother was emotional when she left and it almost made her change her mind. I was telling The Guy about it and I told him I am soldier and I don’t cry…Just kidding. He was like you are so silly. My sister’s stepmom asked how I was doing. Side-eyeing her. Seriously, my sister and I talk most days sometime several times a day. We haven’t lived in the same household since my mother died. We have always lived miles away from each other. Plus, I am gangster. LOL!


Little Carson isn’t quite ready for the club. They took him to the skating rink last week and it seemed to cause him tension with all the lights and such. Um, he will be ready when I take him.

River view from our hotel suite!

This past weekend was my book club’s annual slumber party meeting. We really need to stop doing this, because only three of us spent the night. Several stayed until after midnight. It is weird how what seems so simple, can be so much fun and enlightening. We had a great time just talking and enjoying each other company. We ate at Wintzell’s. I even did a review which will soon be posted on Trip.Advisor. Food amazing, service lukewarm. We stayed at the Renaissance downtown and we were given a river view and everything. Only issue is we moved to 3 different rooms. The first room the TV remote didn’t work and we were Viggling. Google viggle. Anyway, so they moved us to another room. Well…the bathroom smelled pissy, yes I said pissy and the cooler, was hot. Finally, we went down to the lobby because obviously calling wasn’t good enough, especially when the young lady said you want us to just clean around the toilet. No ma’am, we want the bathroom thoroughly cleaned. At the front desk, Joseph, who checked us in, upgraded us to a suite. Yes, that is what’s up. Plus, using my retirement discount, made us smile the whole time we were moving to our third room. Fun was had by all. One of the members is a Mary Kay rep, and she did a small demonstration. I have only had a makeover down by a rep many years ago and I didn’t like it. She did the Satin Hands and Satin Lips and I was hooked. Amazing is all I can say!

Me and another member shared a dozen and then looked at each other and said, "We could have just each gotten a dozen!"

Because they were so good, a close up!

I had planned when I got home Sunday, to water the plants, eat and nap. I didn’t get my nap. Too busy running my mouth on the phone. Everyone seemed to have had a great weekend.


Some food for thought: When someone shows you who they are, believe them.


The summer is winding down here, because school begins in August. I guess I need to hire some folks ASAP for the second job. So not looking forward to that.


My sister turned older than me on the 19th of July. (I am going to see how long before she notices this).


I am so proud of my brother he got a mode of transportation so he can get to and from his job until he can get his drivers’ license. He is still working and going to school. He makes me smile.


Some more food for thought: Faith. It really works.


I seem to be squinting in my pictures without my glasses. I guess I need to start back wearing my contacts. Geez.

Taken 7/21/12 braids pulled back into a bun.

Still squinting...

I did my nails this weekend. Cute?

Sally Hansen...

The Jacksons are making me sad. This family drama is playing out in front of the world and no one really knows what is going on. Hopefully, it will get resolved; because I am sure Michael is looking down distraught.


Okay, you know I am an avid, The Closer watcher. I haven’t watched an entire episode yet. Why you may ask? I don’t want it to end. I know Major Crimes is taking its place, but it still makes me so sad. I will pull up my big girl panties and watch it soon…


I am currently reading The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen Carter and Gathering of Waters by Bernice McFadden and finishing The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Yeah, I like to juggle my reading. Have you checked out my book club website lately? http://www.imanivoices.com/


Prayers for the families in Colorado.

RIP -Sherman Hemsley.  Geez, I found out about this on FB. 


Hope you have a wonderful week. I think I have a scheduled recipe coming this week as well. Later!

Sexy Intelligent Woman?  Cute though!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Cooking...Triple Ginger Cookies/Snaps

Triple Ginger Cookies or Triple Gingersnaps

Do you ever have a craving for a childhood treat and really want to make this particular treat from scratch? Or do you do like most folks and hit the stores and find a comparable substitute? It has been awhile since I have had any ginger snaps, in fact the last time I had them really was when my aunt used to buy these brown paper bag kinds from the local Dollar Gen.eral. Man, they were so good. You know hard, crunchy, and not too sweet but a nice ginger bite. However, I have never had any made from scratch and when I thought about doing them a couple of months ago, the recipes I pulled up seemed a bit too detailed and complicated. Let’s face, I am a lazy baker and I do not like a lot of ingredients and work. Since I love reading blogs, one of the ones I read has a regular blog and a cooking blog and she recently stated she was making her infamous Triple Ginger cookies for an upcoming wedding reception so that reignited my want to make ginger snaps. Jameil, also known for her blog the Record Dish was my inspiration, but I actually use the recipe from Allrecipes.com with small modifications, because you know how I do.

Minced ginger, Molasses and chopped crystallized ginger

Luckily, I only had to purchase three items. I easily found the molasses, which if you are from Alabama or live right here in Montgomery you know about Alaga Syrup, molasses tastes just like it, OMG! Alaga Syrup is made right here in Montgomery and was started over 100 years ago. Anyway, I just had to pass on that little bit of history. But I did purchase some molasses and not having had it before and tasting it, I was taken back in history with its flavor and Alaga Syrup. Now, finding the crystallized ginger was a whole other subject. I found it at my local grocery store in the Asian food aisle. But it took me a while to find it, so instead of getting the ginger root and mincing it I was like forget about it and got a jar, yes a jar of minced ginger. Same thing. Whatever, ya’ll know I am a lazy cook.

Ingredients for the Triple Ginger Cookies/Snaps as adapted from Allrecipes.com

¾ cups of butter (1 ½ sticks of butter)

1 cup of packed light brown sugar (this what I keep on hand)

1 egg

¼ cup of molasses

2 cups of all-purpose flour

¼ cup of whole wheat flour (I am trying to use up this wheat flour.  Don't tell my sister.)

2 teaspoons of ground ginger

2 teaspoons of baking soda

½ teaspoons of salt

1 ½ teaspoons of minced ginger

½ cup of chopped crystallized ginger

½ cup of sugar

Dry Ingredients

I always mix together my dry ingredients first so I mixed the wheat and all purpose flour, salt, baking soda and ground ginger. I chose to use a small amount of wheat because I had seen several recipes which used wheat flour. After the dry ingredients were mixed I creamed my butter and brown sugar until smooth. Then I added my egg and molasses. And with my mixer on stir, I slowly added my flour mixture until well mixed and added my minced ginger and crystallized ginger. (FYI – I chopped my crystallized ginger in my mini chopper which made short work for me.) Then the hard part, I put the cookie mixture in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Triple Ginger dough

Rolled in Sugar

With a parchment lined cookie sheet, and using my cookie scoop, I got a small ball of dough and dipped them in a small bowl with sugar. I tried to space the cookies far enough apart because the reviews from the different recipes and blogs say these cookies spread and they do. Into my preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes I placed the cookie sheet. I cooked them in batches because I needed to know how soft or crunchy the cookies would be, because I really like ginger snaps so I like them a bit hard. The first batched I cooked for 15 minutes (original recipe calls for 10 mins, but I always add at least 5 minutes because of my oven), those cookies came out nice and brown with a crunchy exterior and soft center. The final batch, which is the crunchiness I prefer I cooked for 23 minutes and they were perfect, I found the 2nd batch I did for 25 minutes was a little too crunchy. So you have to play around with the texture you prefer. The cookies were taken out the oven and allowed to sit on the parchment lined pan for 5 minutes before being put on wire racks for cooling.

Going into the oven...



Cooling off...

Verdict: Amazing! I loved these cookies. I do not know if I could even contemplate purchasing gingersnaps again. They had the right amount of crunch and ginger bite without being too sweet, that I love! Absolutely delicious. I managed to get 32 cookies out of this batch. I probably would like to use a smaller scoop next time. The cookies are currently in my freezer in an airtight container, where I can eat them lovingly from the freezer. Got that idea from Jameil’s recipe, so they will stay fresh longer. Let’s just hope I don’t eat them all in short time. Remember ginger really is good for you.

See the crystallize ginger...

See the inside...yummy!

See the diffence in the colors difference between 15 mins and 23 mins

Up close and personal...These were so good!

Creative Cooking...Fresh Tomato Salsa

Fresh tomato salsa using grape tomatoes w/tortilla chips



I figured out what to do with my overabundance of grape tomatoes. Salsa. Simple and plain. Now you know not only is it going to be time consuming and a little more work, but the results I was hoping for would be great. Seriously, co-workers, friends and family are a bit tired of the quart bags of tomatoes. No really. The Guy, who is allergic to them, wanted them for target practice. Um, no. I am not throwing away food if I can help it. So, I decided I was up for the task and found a recipe on Simply Recipes for Tomato Salsa. You know I changed up some things right?


Tomato Salsa as adapted from Simplyrecipes.com

2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes; i.e. as many grape tomatoes as I can cut into quarters

1/2 red onion, finely diced; i.e. quarter of a small white onion and a quarter of a red onion

1 jalapeño chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced i.e. 2 because I couldn’t find any Serano’s at my local grocery

1 serano chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced (see above)

Juice of one lime

½ cup chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: oregano and or cumin to taste

A pinch of sugar

Teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Quarted grape tomatoes

That is a lot of tomatoes!

I stared by quartering my grape tomatoes. Seriously, it only took about 10 minutes. Then I cut up my jalapenos removing the ribs, stems and seeds dicing them finely. Then I cut up my fresh cilantro. This took about 20 minutes total to cut and dice. As I cut up my ingredients I place them in my mixing bowl. Then I rolled my lime and then squeeze the juice over the cut up veggies. I added a pinch of sugar and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Then I mixed up my ingredients, tasted and added my salt and pepper to taste. Viola! Done.

Let's get to mixing!

Mixing.

Looks great!  Tastes even better!

Verdict: Amazing. I don’t know if I will ever buy bottled salsa again after making it for the first time. Okay, I am lying because I will not always have fresh tomatoes and cilantro on hand. I had all the things on hand except the peppers because my peppers are still growing. Geez, those things take a minute to grow. The freshness of the vegetables made this a stand out. There something about the crispness and pungency of fresh items right out the garden this can enhance a recipe. The only thing was I wished I had kept some of the ribs and seeds in for a spicier salsa. I like hot. Even so, I can say this was a wonderful success and I cannot wait to make it again. Plus, what a good and healthy way to get rid of all my grape tomatoes. Um, I was eating this as dinner and lunch. It was even better the next day, sad to say, but I finished it the next day.  It was that good!

Grape tomatoes make good salsa!

Lawdy, JR & Bobby have showed out tonight! Thank you TNT for scripted TV...but I need more Law & Order!

Post July 4th Randoms...and Ramblings...

Seriously, my cousin had me outside holding up a tent... that is why I look so dewy...LOL!

Hope your 4th of July was filled with fun and excitement and the heat didn’t do you in.


Let’s see what has been going on? I posted a recipe yesterday. I know it has been a long time, but I just do not feel like cooking. It is too hot.

On June 30th we had our book club meeting and one of the members picked up a sweet potato soufflé from a local restaurant and she needed to melt the marshmallows on top. My response, “Sweetie, I do not know if my oven is working because it is too hot to be heating up the house unnecessarily. Child, put them marshmallows on that thing and cover it back up and if it is hot enough they will melt.” She couldn’t be serious?

That day the temperature was the bowels of hell hot, over 100 degrees. No ma’am.

Since I had to barbecue the hamburgers and hot dogs, I got up at 5 am, although it was still dark out to set up the grill and get the coals hot. At 8 am, I was done and lawdy, lawdy it was already taking on the feeling of hell.

I managed to use the flowers from my container garden as part of the decorations throughout the house. The arrangements came out quite lovely, if I do say so myself. And I do.

Dining room bouquet

Den bouquet

Marigold bouquet

I am over the raised garden now. Really I am. The tomato plants are started to darken and brown, its lifecycle is coming to an end. And frankly not soon enough. Just kidding. I have enjoyed not purchasing tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro and green onions from the grocery story. Frankly, my bounty has yielded a lot and they have all been quite tasty. On the 4th I plucked 100 grape tomatoes from my plants. 100. And yes I counted them. So you know I immediately washed and bagged a quart bag to take to my cousins. Yesterday, I picked 66 tomatoes. My cucumbers are pretty much done, but they were good while they lasted. This year has been a wonderful learning experience and next year I have my dos and don’ts.

My flowers are doing well, but the sunflowers have yielded their last bloom. Next year I plant in a deeper planter and next to a fence. My only issue was the damn worms. I can’t with them. I just don’t understand why the smaller variety I was growing died so quickly. Next year we will try them again. My favorite flowers are the portulaca and the coneflowers. The colors and vibrancy of them made me happy. Cosmos are cute, but not as resilient. And I most definitely will be growing marigolds again; I forgot how much they make me happy when put in vases. My roses are coming out of their black spot fungus issues, hell it took two months, but it is getting healthy. And it only took a 4 dollar product and no rain to make it happen.

Portulaca - moss roses



Last sunflower bloom.  Tall right?

Yellow coneflower

My neighbors, who finally cut their grass, have gotten a pitbull puppy. Really? The problem is they do not have a fence and when I saw him he was just roaming on the side of their house. His little azz was trying to come on my property to play. Pitbulls are cute as puppies, but I don’t care, they are aggressive by nature and if they do not get him on a leash or in a fence, we are going to have a real problem. Real talk.

We had a splendid 4th of July with our family from my mom’s side. It was nice to be around folks and it not be for a funeral. Plus, I needed to know what my folks look like now. They would recognize me, but I wouldn’t them. LOL! Little Caleb, is styling and profiling. His little brother, who I didn’t get a picture of didn’t want to leave especially when I told him I was taking him to club.

Caleb, my 3rd Cousin

JT, my 2nd Cousin

No one is at work. I probably should have taken off too, but nooo; I came in to get ahead.

On my 2nd job, which again is part-time, the owner had us reading a book so we can take a test. Side-eye. And listening to a cd and coming up with 12 things we would do in 90 days if we owned the business. The managers are trying to act enthused, but seriously he is asking too much when we have to do it on our own time. I am busy. We are all busy. Did I mention this is my part time job? Really? I am over it.

Ya’ll I love my family, but some family members make the hair on my…never mind you get the picture. One of the F&L decided to change her baby’s diaper on the den couch where folks were eating and talking and watching television. My response, “I can’t with you all. I just can’t. WTF?” Then since she is F&L she had a little cousin put the diaper in the garbage, then the poor thing got in trouble because his grandfather was like, “GO WASH YOUR HANDS NOW!” Then F&L decided to enjoy a brownie and she never washed her hand. Trifling. You know she can’t cook anything that I would dare eat? I could go on and on about her, but I want. Yesterday, I wish I was active on twitter.

Speaking of Twitter, I didn’t see the BET Awards, because I was at work, but I caught the tail end when Brandy was singing the tribute. But ya’ll when Cissy sang, OMG! I was done. My sister said she had to leave the room because she was boo hooing so bad. I cried so hard I brought back on a headache from earlier, because for some reason it really dawned on me at that moment Whitney Houston was gone…

I have Basic Extended Cable. I am very unhappy with my carrier. Why you may ask? Because we barely have 40 channels and my bill is goes up every damn month. Seriously on June 26, we lost 5 channels, we just lost 3 back in December. I called their customer service line and apologize to the rep, because he was going to hear me vent. Period. Frankly, I feel like I am being manipulated into purchasing digital cable in order to get all these damn channels that I will not watch anyway. I watch the same few stations. Ya’ll we lost VH1 and when I asked why, they said because they wanted to be exclusively on digital so they would more exposure. So…you don’t want to reach the homes of folks who have basic and basic extended cable to be able to watch television, but those who already paying an astronomical amount for stations they do not watch? Let me be clear, I will not be making life decisions about channel stations. I will be able to eat and go to work and paying another light bill is ridiculous to me. So yeah, I am currently examining my options. Satellite and your competition that still has all the channels you removed. Lucky for you there are only 3 other options, but they are more affordable and likeable than you CC.

To Frank Ocean, I applaud you. Courageous.

Anderson Cooper? We already knew. But doesn’t take away from your sexy.

Speaking of sexy…I can’t wait to see Magic Mike. And Spider Man. On DVD, you know I am not going to a movie theater.

RIP Andy Griffith...I whistled the whole song the other day. But, um, how do you bury someone that quickly?

Are you tired of seeing Kanye and Kim K.? I am over them too. Isn’t she still married?

My cousin tried to make me take an enormous amount of food home Wednesday. I was like there is only me. She was like, “Take a plate home for The Guy.” Really? No. He grilled too. I don’t think they believe he exists, but I ain’t ready for the family get togethers yet.

Last week I washed my hair and braided it up, and then I put those plaits up in a bun and wore it like that until the 4th. I was so proud of myself, because it was neat and so much more manageable while working out. And the results…

See hair looks marvelous!  Braidout

Oh, before I forget I have lost 6 pounds…Wait until I tell you how!

You know I need to really learn to take better full body shots, but my dress was amazing...

Have a marvelous weekend. I will be chilling and working and preparing for a test on my 2nd job…

 And on behalf of Lala and Carson..Later!

Lala with her Hey face on!

Cool daddy, Carson!

 

(I can't wait to get them in the club! Just kidding...maybe.)