The transition has begun folks. The time is near.
The clocks have been set and the sun sits idle in the sky just a little bit longer.
It's taking over me,I swear I can smell it in the air.
Are you ready for it?
Oh yah,I'm talkin' bout SPRING!!!!!

I enjoyed my last Friday and Saturday shifts for awhile last week. I won't miss those hectic days at the shop! Sunday was a sunny beautiful day so Vern and I decided to head out and do some shopping. Until this weekend I had no idea that Vern had NEVER been to IKEA! Can you believe it? I almost couldn't! Of course I set out to fix that and we headed there first. I think we were in and out of there in a little over 30 minutes!And yes we actually bought stuff! "Follow the blue arrows" I kept saying...He learned his lesson once when we short cut and nearly missed the kitchen stuff (that's like the best part right?!) We really weren't there to buy much,mostly taking a mental inventory of all the things we need and all the things we want as we try to make ourselves comfortable here living at Del's for a few more years. 3 adults and one small dog are a tight fit in our little old house. We need all the IKEA space savers we can get!So we wizzed through,checked ourselves out and we were off  to Cash&Carry. For those of you who haven't been to Cash &Carry,it's a restaurant,coffee shop,catering supply type store. Vern likes to buy meat in large quantities and hand cut and package it at home.It also saves us a lot of money! (We had to stock up our freezer with meat for the new smoker!) This is also where we buy the ingredients for our homemade espresso drinks! It saves me quite a bit of money every week :) Then we headed home to enjoy the rest of the sunny afternoon. These cute birds were playing in a puddle nearby and so I got as close as I could....

Looked like it was bath time!

Last but not least I bring you some more food porn....
Remember the pork loin? I diced a few slices up real small and then  added my chicken fried rice leftovers from lunch and rolled them in the pre-made egg rolls wraps I bought for less than $2. I followed the instructions on the package and they were really easy to roll.

Then off to the deep fryer for 3-5 minutes!

Mmm...deep fried goodness :P

Am I making you hungry yet?
And finally the end result...the best egg rolls I have ever had!

It's so fun to play with food! These were a success and we'll be adding egg roll wraps to our regular grocery list. It's great way to use up leftovers and I'd like to also try them with cream cheese inside too. Perhaps I should put off canceling the gym membership....looks like we are going to be needing it more than ever!

Field Trip

 I did something today I have wanted to do for a long time. I applied for my Concealed Weapons Permit. This particular errand was like a grown-up field trip to the police station!  I have been smart or... maybe lucky enough to avoid becoming familiar with the station, so I admit it was a bit eye opening. After a simple form and $55.25 you are sent downstairs to the finger print machine. I also must add that I had Vern with me and his father was the local police chief for 18 years. His father was a very well known and respected man and that became even more obvious as we walked the halls of the station. His father was in so many of the photos on the walls,very cool :) Vern looks so much like his Dad...So back to my permit-we head downstairs to the finger print machine. We wait at the counter as our officer escort prepares the machine. On a dry erase board in front of us is a chart containing the 20ish people currently visiting our local jail. It states their name,offense and possible time serving. Wow? Although it seemed nosey..I quickly scanned the list to see if I just might recognize a name or two...nope.Then my curiosity had to know what criminals in our small town were doing these days..but it was the typical stuff-DUI,assault,probation violation bla bla .He was finally ready to take my fingerprints. He wet my fingers and squished them onto a glass lens and wa la- my fingerprints appeared on the computer screen!I seemed to be the only one impressed with this process!?Sooo, I think this means that now is not the time to start a criminal career,I am in the system!haha We headed back upstairs and Vern finished my tour down his father's memory lane,who knew going to the police station could be so fun?They will be calling me in a week or so and I can go pick up my permit..well I assume I will pass the background check?!?! haha I don't plan on packing a gun,I just want to exercise my gun rights while I still have them. The permit is also a way for me to show that I intend  to own and use a gun legally and responsibly. I just hope I am never put in a position to have to use it,only the position I am in now of protecting myself in case I do. :)

Food Porn :)

Today's blog is going to star with what I call "food porn"! Remember the pork tenderloin I mentioned yesterday? Well thanks to Vern's meat smoking research I just had to attempt the "bacon blanket" I had seen on so many web sites. I have to admit it looks impressive...yet it's sooo easy to do!

Then I painted on a little liquid smoke and ground some fresh black pepper...

Then into the oven on a broiler pan at 350 for about 2 hours or until it reaches 170 degrees

I broiled mine for the last 5 minutes to crisp the bacon...remove from oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Oh but it's worth the wait...

The result was a juicy,smokey, bacon flavored roast! Yum!

Exciting Stuff At Our House This Week...

 I am so excited to finally get to go to Alice In Wonderland this weekend! It came out March 5th but I haven't had time to go :( I have been excited about this movie for 5 months! I don't usually like to go to the  movie theater but I am making an exception this time! Mostly because I have heard that the plot is weak so I am counting on the special effects of Tim Burton and another entertaining performance from Johnny Dep (sp?) I will report back on this Sunday and give my review :)

 In other news-we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Vern's new smoker BBQ grill

This is the Country Smoker CS 680.
This is going to keep Vern from going crazy while recovering from shoulder surgery this spring.
I am going to enjoy being his taste tester!

It is supposed to arrive tomorrow but no guarantees.We are trying to be patient...but it's hard,Vern has been waiting and researching for weeks! I will also be attempting to help keep a photo log of his yummy creations to keep your taste buds coming back to see more! We are wondering if we can turn this meat and cheese smoking into a money making side business someday..? Mostly I hope Vern enjoys it as much as I think he will :)

 Day off for me tomorrow. I have a small to-do list but I'll be taking it easy. Perhaps I can think of something creative to do with the huge pork roast in my oven...it'd be nice if that damn grill would get here!Haha  I am also going to cancel our gym membership. It was fun but...we just don't go and it seems like a waste of money now that the weather is getting warmer and the dog needs walking. Much better than sweating with 30 other people in a small room full of machines and noise.I just hope there is no guilt trip included in cancellation ; x
As for the rest of the day,a few calls and errands and a whole lotta relaxing! Then back to work for a few more days as I start my awesome new schedule next week. Yay,I get to have a life again!

"You'll never learn to become old and wise if you were never young and crazy!"

-My favorite Facebook quote of the day

Good News:I'm Going To Live

 I know you are probably tired of hearing me complain about work but I have good news! The new manager started today and things have returned back to somewhat normal. So far I think she's going to be great :) My new schedule  is also a huge improvement. I get Friday and Saturdays off plus also Tuesdays! I have worked there a year and was lucky enough to not have to work Sundays but  that meant I had split days off.. Then I realized that Sunday is a way more laid back day and offered the switch. We will be able to do so much more this summer and I won't have to ask for as much time off! Plus I  get the bonus Tuesday to catch up with friends,housework and maybe even find time for photography.Vern is always so patient and supportive, I know he would also appreciate a few home cooked meals each week :) A busy schedule takes the joy out of cooking!
It's March 10th and the news said it's snowing out..so I am off to check the weather and turn on my electric blanket..nitey nite.

Campfire at "Dale's Beach" Sekiu,WA

Party Canceled

  I guess it wasn't the best week to start blogging..it's been a tough week and I've had a hard time finding something positive to share. Vern and I both had to work through the weekend and life outside of work has been just as busy. I can't say anything earth shaking has happen but it's been a week of much change at work. My manager left to pursue a better job and I am so happy for her BUT that means we get a new manager. Now I don't know how many of you have worked in a salon full of women but whenever there is change...things get strange. Kinda like they do when there is a full moon.I like change less than most. Cara likes her comfort zone,please don't rock the boat!haha
  The last week we have had NO manager and as my previous blog mentioned there were some tense moments.The lack of leadership left a ton of responsibility to my co-workers and I! I feel I have been tested in so many ways but I am happy because I learned about parts of my job that I was oblivious to. I struggled,I survived and I came out a stronger person. Ok so maybe change isn't so bad?  I think back to my day..the woman who is retired and raising her 3 teenage grand kids.The youngest 2 are twin boys in the 6th grade,one bi polar and the other ADHD.The oldest, a 16 year old girl who just got her license. Wow,not exactly what her and her husband had planned on their 47th year of marriage! Maybe I need to stop complaining that the ink and the paper ran out on the register...Ant then there was another woman this afternoon, one of my routine questions "Do you have kids?" brought her to tears. She lost her son 2 weeks ago. What do you say besides "I am so sorry"? As for me,after much sympathy and a brief pause I asked if she was married...she lost her husband 2 years ago. Strike 2 for me,I FELT HORRIBLE! She understood my fumble of questions and timing.We had both experienced times in our lives when we felt too heartbroken to go on and then we remembered those who suffer daily tenfold what we were...I think that's when the healing starts? She and I just began to click and the mood changed around in a positive direction!We chatted nonstop through the haircut and when she left,she was smiling :) A haircut can be such a pick me up! I think those are the times that keep my addicted to what I do-I love the high that comes with brightening someone's day. Alright,alright Cara's Pity Party is canceled. I'm done feeling sorry for myself now and done airing my petty complaints. Tomorrow is  a new day and our new manager starts...more change,another test. This time I hope I will pass a little easier while reminding myself that changes promotes growth. Right? This could be very good or very bad. I'm voting for good..or at  least tolerable. Stay tuned...