Bobby, Bobby, Bobby!

Bobby, I really need you to stop making those Whaanh sounds today.

The workmen are finally to come and take care of the ice damming from six and a-half weeks ago! While they are here, I have to keep Bobby in the bathroom behind closed doors. I do not want him underfoot and his favorite hiding place in beneath our bed. I fed everyone a good breakfast with the hopes they will remain hunkered down during this restoration process.

Bobby’s going to be hoarse before they have even begun. Poor thing! Take a nap sweetie.

BlogCatalog

Saturday Afternoon Supper

We have really been working at eating healthy. Less protein and more fruits and vegetables.

Friday night I made myself my perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich and wrote a post on Half Hour Meals about the technique. See for yourself.

Celebrating Earth Hour Now!

it’s 8:30 PM somewhere in the USA and even though I am on the east coast, I have turned out the lights, in honor of Earth Hour.

Happy Birthday Rachael!

She was our flower girl and today this little Mother-to-be is celebrating her special day.

Happy Birthday To You

Happy Birthday To You

Happy Birthday Dear Rachael

Happy Birthday To You!

Many Happy Returns … Love, Aunt Teesa and Uncle Joe

Subjective Ramblings

During my childhood, I was sometimes tortured by having to go to bed, even when I didn’t want to go to bed. It was frightfully hard for me to go to sleep sometimes. Lying there all tucked in, my eyes would roam the walls of the room, and I would huff and sigh, turn over, and sometimes creep out of my bed to tiptoe to the door that had been left a little ajar. From here I had a view of the hallway leading in to the living room. The television was usually turned down low and turning my ear toward the opening, I would catch waves of dialogue or some muffled audience laughter, or perhaps hear snippets of Johnny Carson while he was doing his nighttime monologue. As I stood there, I tried to make sure I was not breathing too hard for fear of being discovered.

Some evenings instead of the television set being on, I would hear music playing on my Daddy’s Hi-Fi Stereo, musical clinks of glasses being toasted and see the shadows of my parents as they danced near the hallway. I liked it when they danced, and I imagined Daddy picking me up to dance me about the room, while Mother watched delightedly. I was known for squiggling in-between their legs, until I forced them to let me enter their inner circle. From this vantage point, it wasn’t long before I was lifted up and held between these two people I loved so dearly. They did pamper me a lot because I was their last child. There would be no more after little Theresa. Four was the total amount of children in our family. Back then four children was considered small.

When we lived in Miami, our next door neighbors had eight children and their pretty young mother was carrying another sibling by the time we moved to the Washington, DC area. The parents decided on Bethesda, MD and we lived in a townhouse, way up at the very top of Pook’s Hill. I’ve always loved that name. There is a book titled “The Puck of Pook’s Hill”, which I told myself I would one day read (I was nine when I decided this), but I never have. Could be I’ll find a copy of it one day and do just that. You never know. But while we lived here I would do my best to be allowed to fall asleep on the sofa while the television played, and they either carried me to bed, or shook me awake and walked this stumbling girl to her bedroom. I just wanted to be close to my parents, because with the two of them working and school and playing and pretending to do the homework I hated, I just wanted to feel that tremendous love they showered upon me.

Whenever I hear certain old television clips or movie snippets or a familiar jazz song, it takes me back to the times when bedtime was a necessary routine, proper for a young child. And also back to those times when I peered through the crack in the doorway just to catch a glimpse of two people in love.

The Freedom To Just Be

As I travel around cyber space and meet writers and bloggers from around the globe I find there is an important factor which many of us tend to gloss over, or never think of. When we are reading someone’s blog or seeing their art, poetry, humor or food, we only see what they want us to see. It isn’t a bad thing, and it shouldn’t matter that we writers and creators of blogs worry about the what IF’s.

What if someone I know finds out I am blogging? What if someone learns I have depression? What if someone learns I have gray hair? What if someone I dated finds out where I hang out in cyber space? What if someone tells a secret about me, or whatever? Here in cyber space we all should be allowed the freedom to just be. Be ourselves without the niggling fears that usually accompany social gatherings, where we can be seen and are usually misjudged.

As a blogger I have things about me which I feel are private and is no ones concern. I refuse to be intimidated by wondering about the what IF’s. So my advice to anyone reading this is to feel free. Be creative. Be whatever you have longed for in your heart, and make sure you accept others the way you wish to be accepted.

I just read about a writer who felt they had portrayed them self as living an idyllic childhood where everything was perfect. The writer was concerned that it was exhausting keeping up appearances. My advice to this blogger was to relax and let it all out, reminding them that everyone looks for approval.

Everyone … be at peace with who you are and stop trying to hide your blemishes. Out here in cyber space … we love you warts and all. Cheers!

Busy Kitchen

Between Friday and today I have been a very busy cook. Half Hour Meals is growing and you can find many great things to bake and cook that are quick, easy and delicious. Besides this I baked chicken breast, had pasta with fresh basil and mushrooms, avocado and scalloped potatoes. We made our first smoothie in the Health Master, too. Did you know you can prepare hot soup from raw vegetables to soup bowl in just EIGHT minutes?

Saturday Night Lasagne!

This is what I prepared yesterday for one of my sister’s birthday (belated) gifts. Tight now I am going to the kitchen to prepare another one for me and Joe! I cannot wait. Come over to Half Hour Meals Community Discussion and see everything else I baked and cooked!

It’s What I Do

We are all travelers through our little lives. No matter how they turn out there is one thing for sure, we all need words of encouragement and gentle nudges or advice to help us get back on our path. Hopefully we are going in the right direction and heed well intentioned words, which might just be the answer we need to not only listen to, but to hear.

It’s what I do. It is one of my jobs while I am here on Earth. I offer words of encouragement and worldwide hugs that are filled with unconditional love. It’s just what I do.

Happy First Day of Spring. 

Theresa’s Midnight Meatball Madness

If you want to hear the story behind this recipe, just click here ——–>> *** Scroll down the home page and read.

Photo Booth Excursion

This is the real me. not a stitch of makeup, my hair was dyed the wrong color two weeks ago and I need to exercise. I hope you still love me. See … this is the reason I don’t like taking photographs. I look backwards from how I see myself (hard at work), in the reflective screen of my iMac. Sometimes I look cool but at others I have some goofy expression on my face. I am doing this in order to make myself stick to a healthy meal regime and to exercise. Like many Americans I too am over weight and I don’t like it. They tell you to love yourself and I do but … I wish I looked like I used to.

Here is a photo of me holding my niece when she was but two weeks old. I wrote a post about her five days ago. She is so cute, too. Wouldn’t you know I was blinking when my sister was snapping the shot.

The last one was when I was home after being on tour and Little Miss Rachael was hanging out with me and Bert the Bear.

What I am doing is co-creating a new me for this upcoming summer. Deadline is June 21st! Stop over at Half Hour Meals and grab yourself something special to prepare today! Don’t wait … just go.  Ooh and read my post today on their home page. Cool. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Spring Is In The Air

This is Spring 2009 and the trees here are getting ready to allow their buds to realize something more than their current status. It is a sight I am looking forward to watch unfold. Every day something new is popping up from beneath the top soil and blades of new grass grow in strength and endurance.

The birds are steadily poking the ground to fill their bellies and gather materials to build their nests. People are already beginning to walk around the complex for enjoyment and exercise, and the lack of coats or jackets on the after school children-at-play, herald in the upcoming season. Isn’t it great?

Vegetable Pasta

When you want fast, delicious and easy but you don’t want all of the fuss, I highly recommend you try out the varied pasta dishes I prepare. You cannot go wrong. Your tummy will thank you and it’s healthy eating. More can always be found at Half Hour Meals where I am a food writer and host. Just this weekend I gave out some of my new business cards, which BC Administration had printed for me. The ladies at the fundraiser, we were attending were pleased to know about this wonderful food lover’s site and assured me they will be stopping by this week. It’s just another way to communicate and share.

Theresa’a Vegetable Pasta

1 yellow onion sliced and chopped

6 asparagas spears peeled and cut into 1″ pieces

1 can French cut green beans drained

1 can artichoke hearts drained

1/2 red tomato

Salt and Pepper

1 Tbsp Herbs provence

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 stick butter

1/2 box angel hair pasta

1) Boil salted water.

2) Heat saute pan and add olive oil and seasonings

3) Saute everything.

4) Add pasta to boiling water and cook for four minutes.

5) Toss everything together and enjoy.

Healthy Breakfast

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Theresa’s Healthy Breakfast

1 yellow onion sliced and diced

2 new potatoes peeled, sliced and rough chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

Olive oil and 1/2 stick butter

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp Herbs Provence

1 cup sliced mushrooms

6 Asparagus spears peeled

1/4 Iceberg Lettuce cut into two wedges

2 Large Eggs fried over light/medium

1) Heat pan with olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Add Kosher salt and pepper to taste.

2) Add onions and 2/3 mushrooms saute and after 4 minutes add the garlic.

3) Peel potatoes and slice lengthwise and then rough chop.

4) Remove onions and muchrooms with garlic, when done and place into bowl and set aside.

5) Add more olive oil and butter to seasoned pan, salt and pepper and saute the potatoes, until cooked, and when halfway done, add the rest of the mushrooms to cook until softened.

6) Add the asparagus spears and add a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Cook three minutes.

7) Cut the lettuce into two wedges and place onto two dinner plates.

8) Remove the potatoes and mushrooms. Plate up.

9) Heat up the onions and mushrooms 1 minute in microwave and spoon over top of the lettuce.

10)Plate up asparagus and eggs.

11) Fry eggs. Plate up.