A Special Award, Orchids and Presents

A friend of mine sent me this in a email and I thought you might enjoy it too.
CALMNESS IN OUR LIVES
I am passing this on to you because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, 'The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished.' So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now. Pass this on to those whom you think might be in need of inner peace. Can you believe I have another orchid? This one is full of buds so should bloom and look beautiful for quite a while. Remember the first orchid? I cut the last of the blooms off today so it lasted. I really enjoyed it. I have one more and I think it is yellow but it shows no sign of doing anything.

I received my January snowflake from Crystal today. I just love it and I'm already looking forward to February's.

This very nice award is from Bebe from Peaches and Dreams. She is such a wonderful friend and I appreciate this award so much.

More about the award ~ "This blog invests and believes in the Proximity ~ nearness in space, time, and relationships. These blogs are extremely charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

I'm not good at selecting bloggers to award because I hate leaving anyone out so please all my special friends grab this award and post it on your blog.

I'm still cleaning and sorting. I finished my kitchen last weekend and now it's my bedrooms turn. I hope to start it tomorrow. I trying a new recipe for a roast tomorrow so if it turns out yummy, I'll post it so you can all try it.

A Giveaway, Lunch and Dessert

Isn't this the cutest doll you've ever seen? And it is being given away here. It's about Annie is a cute blog and she makes the dolls. She has the patterns too so you can make your own. They are all so precious. Good luck everyone!! (including me)

I'm trying to make healthy lunches. Last week I made a salad from Bulghur, tomatoes, olives and feta. So good for me and so tasty too. Today I made a soba noodle salad for the next couple of days. What do you take for lunch? I'm so spoiled by being able to come home for lunch that it's hard for me to plan ahead. Since I'm only working 6 hours a day, I only take a half hour so it's easier if I take something and eat at my desk.

The recipe is from this month's Everyday Food.

Cold Soba Salad with Feta and Cucumber

1 package (8.8 ozs) soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles)

1/2 English cucumber peeled into long ribbons and thinly sliced

1/4 head red cabbage thinly sliced

1 shallot thinly sliced

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 T olive oil

salt/pepper

4 ozs crumbled feta

Cook soba according to package instructions and drain.

In a bowl combine cucumber, cabbage, shallot, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil. Add soba season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, top with feta cheese and serve.

Tonight I'm having barbecue ribs, dijon potatoes and steamed broccoli with lemon and garlic oil. For dessert it's Brownie Pudding Cake. I can hardly wait for dinner. I have to idea where I got the recipe. I've had it for years.

Brownie Pudding Cake

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

4 T unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup milk

1 T oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup boiling water

4 servings

In a medium bowl stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 T cocoa powder and baking powder.

Add milk, oil and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Stir in nuts.

Transfer batter to an ungreased 1 qt casserole.

In a small bowl stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 2 T cocoa powder. Gradually stir in boiling water.

Pour the mixture evenly over batter in the casserole.

Bake 350 for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Serve warm.

My New Treasures

I was so lucky to win some giveaways before the holidays. I hope you enjoy seeing all my new treasures. The above picture is part of Sher's package.

This wasn't really a giveaway. Andrea was lucky enough to have a friend who gave her lots and lots of linens and dishes. I mentioned I loved the blue bird plate an she said she would send it tom me. I was so thrilled!!! She included the beautiful hankys too!! Thank you Andrea.

Crystal had a giveway for her tatted snowflakes. I will receive one a month and this is the December snowflake. I just love it!!

Doesn't it look dainty? I have never tatted nor do I know anything about it. It looks like a lot of work though. Crystal did a beautiful job. Thank you Crystal.

Sher has a monthly giveaway and I won!!! YEAH!! Thank you Sher. This is my new favorite teacup.

I lost a picture that included everything in the package.....don't you wonder where things go sometimes? I love the tags. I will use them on special presents this year. Aren't the stockings pictured at the top the cutest things you've ever seen?

I love vintage aprons and these are so special. I will add them to my collection. Thank you Sher.

MY 100TH POST GIVEAWAY

YEAH!!! It's finally here!! My 100th post, can you believe it? Sometimes it feels I've been blogging forever and then it's like I did my first post yesterday. I remember writing my first one and wondering how long it would take for someone to actually read my blog. I even offered a prize to the first comment thinking I really didn't have to plan anything right away because it would probably take awhile. I had been reading and commenting for about a year before I took the plunge so I figured everyone would know me as a non-blogger. Well lo and behold my friend Crystal came to visit and I had to scramble to come up with something. I was so pleased Crystal was my first because I have been visiting her for a long time.

I have met and made so many new friends and you all mean so much to me. If you don't post or comment for awhile I get worried. I want all of you to know how much you mean to me.

OK Shut Up Judy and get down to business....SHEEESH!!! Since this is the middle of the week I'm giving extra time to comment. I will close the giveaway on November 21. I think that is next Friday. Maybe I should look do you think? This is everything that will be included. Whoops sorry you can't have my babies. I was getting ready for work this morning and they were both watching me as usual so thought I would take a picture of them. So do you suppose Anna sits on the commode so I can't lift the lid and throw her in? This is an everyday occurrence. They are usually in whatever room I am. And remember these aren't part of the giveaway. I don't want anyone to be disappointed.

The 12 days of Christmas towel is though. Don't you think it's cute?

You all liked my fall spatulas so I thought you might like a Christmas one or two. The little one is awesome for getting into small jars. The large one has candy canes and peppermint candies and the small one has a reindeer.

And last but not least is the Holiday Baking book by Linda Collister. It's a great book and she gives advice on making ahead which is always nice this time of year. And as a bonus I'm giving you two of the beautiful tea flowers.

OK everyone, please comment and I will have Bailey draw a name on Saturday November 22 and will post the winner. And I looked, it's the right date!! He did such a fantastic job for the honey giveaway I thought it would be fun to let him do it again.