Food Photos

For some reason I have been obsessed with taking pictures of food that I don't usually eat or food that is beautifully presented to me at a restaurant or food that I find interesting.  Behold some of my recent photos:

 Not the best of photos, and really not the best of meals either, although the shrimp was grilled in a spicy seasoning that I enjoyed.  Not really the thing to order when at Frenchy's on Clearwater Beach.

 These were new on Frenchy's menu...fish egg rolls...probably not something I would order after trying them, but they were different.

 A much better selection for Frenchy's...boneless buffalo wings, but I'm done trying something new...the grilled grouper is still the bomb there!

 Uh, babe, we have a pizza cutter.  This is some Kashi frozen pizza he heard about from someone at work.  Not really my cup of tea with pesto sauce instead of red sauce, but then most meals from Kashi don't rate high on my list.

Oh, my but this was one delicious sandwich from Guppy's.  A roast beef sandwich with avocado and jack cheese and happiness.  Of course, I chowed down on it after helping to consume a pitcher of sangria with one other person.

That wasn't her, but she was there and thus a culprit in whatever it is we were doing, which I think was killing time.

Huh?

Since the whole texting craze began I have had to learn the texting abbreviations so necessary in the texting world.  These monikers aren't easy for me to text being an English major and the proud owner of a Liberal Arts degree.  I want to spell out each word and use proper punctuation, but in "getting in touch with technology" as my husband puts it, I have been known to use some abbreviations while texting.  I say "u" for "you" and "r" for "are" because otherwise my kids make fun of me.  I despise "LOL" for some reason that I can't explain so I ignore it when I see it and never use it.  Once in a blue moon I've used "Idk" and "bff" because Darcy use to go around repeating the commercial in which those were heavily favored and so it reminded me of her when I used them.

The other day my friend Kelly left a comment on my blog that used the abbreviation "IMHO".  I read her comment, and then I read it again.  "IMHO"? I thought.  Hmmm...  I read her comment again, and then I read it one more time.  "IMHO"?  WTF is that?  I tried to come up with some scenarios because I can't have Kelly be one up on me (which she usually is, but I pretend otherwise), but I couldn't get past "I am or I mean".  Nothing came to me for the "H" or the "O", and so I gave up on it and filed it away for later questioning of my children.

That night we went to dinner with my friend Cindy, her eleven year old son, and her fourteen-looks-like 21-year old daughter.  We were all chatting about this and that when I suddenly remembered the "IMHO", and so I looked across the table at the beautiful made up fourteen-looks-like-21-year old friend of Madison's and said, "What does "IMHO" mean?"

She leaned forward on the table, batted her mascara eyelashes, and calmly told me, "I...am... a HO!" 

Needless to say it broke us all up.  I explained the situation and paraphrased Kelly's comment, but no one knew what "IMHO" stood for so the fourteen-looks-like-21-year old daughter pulled out her Iphone and looked it up.

It means "In my humble opinion".  AH.  Now I want to know how in the BH did Kelly know that?

Connie Foot Photo #22

Today at the Foot God's office I strolled nonchalantly down the hallway to catch a glimpse of the man who receives the initial dermagraft, but who leaves enough left over to service one or two others; Connie being one of the others.  I turned around at the corner and stood a minute as if assessing something in my mind, and then I nonchalantly strolled back toward room 10 looking in the other rooms as I went by.  For some reason doors are not closed at the podiatrist's office.  I saw a young man to the right.  I saw a middle aged woman to the left.  I saw an older woman to the right, and then as I passed the last door on the left before reaching room 10 and I saw a foot WITH THE EXACT WOUND as Connie's.  It was on a different foot and more in the middle of his foot, but it looked EXACTLY like Connie's wound; same size, same depth.  It was so amazing I entered room 10 with my mouth wide open.  I never did see his face, just his foot.

When the Foot God appeared in the room to attend to Connie the equipment was not out and ready for him so he up and left, informing Nurse Kelly what he needed before returning.  Then he went into another patient's room and closed the door.  Dermagraft Joe, who had followed him into our room with the excess piece of dermagraft, sat down at the end of Connie and took a gander at the wound.  He stayed and chatted with us as we waited for Nurse Kelly to spring into action and his highness to return.  He was in the other room WAY longer then he ever is with Connie, and Dermagraft Joe had to finally go and gently remind him that time was of the essence where the dermagraft was concerned.

The Foot God breezed in, declared it looked "good", sat down and applied the dermagraft to her wound.  He told her she could resume home health to change the outer bandage as it has been P U stinky.  After seeing the other wound, and knowing there was a third person with the same wound (tried to see his wound too, but think he heard me discussing how to stroll past his door, which was at the end of the hall, and I think he hid it from my sight as I only glimpsed one foot with no wound when I went past pretending I was trying on some Dr. Weil's shoes, which they heavily advertise there) I see now why no one in that office gets excited or wound up about Connie's foot wound.  THERE ARE WOUNDS EVERYWHERE.

Judged before getting to know me

Today was a Connie foot day; the day we go to see the Foot God and then head over to her grocery so she can tootle along in their motorized wheelchair. We have the routine down to a science. At the grocery we park in a handicap spot when available, and I walk into the entrance of the store and drive out in the motorized wheelchair so Connie can get into it from the car with minimal standing.

Today we went through the same standard routine, only as I sat down in the motorized chair to turn it on and drive it out to Connie, a tall gentlemen in his early fifties entered the store. He watched me climb on to the chair, gave me a sneer, and said, "That's a great way to lose weight!" Then as I sat there with my mouth open he got a basket and stalked through the second set of double doors into the air-conditioned store.

Now usually these kinds of incidents happen to my friend Kelly not to me. I was flabbergasted and then pissed. Pissed enough to chase him down in the motorized chair and run him over....IN MY HEAD.

"Listen Asshole," I said loudly as I chased him through the bakery department nipping his rear with the basket that sits in the front of the chair. "My weight is of no concern to you, and certainly none of your bleeping business, but I get plenty of exercise carrying my mother's wheelchair up and down 15 stairs and in and out of her car every week. Not to mention all the exercise I get pushing her around in it up and down hills, around curves, and in and out of doctor's offices that aren't really handicap accessible. Before you go spouting out unwanted advice to people maybe you should realize there is more to the story and do us all a favor and keep your damn mouth shut!". Then I smartly turn the chair around and mo-dock it out of the store at its usual speed of three miles an hour.

But this was all said in MY HEAD and what I really said out loud was, "It is if you can't walk." Which of course made no sense, and he didn't hear anyway. Connie and I looked for him so that we could give him a piece of our minds, but she was too interested in the produce and so by the time I spotted him again he was already at the checkout and we were still in frozen foods.

It annoyed me for most of the day, but Connie bought me two bags of miniature Butterfingers (on sale!), I took a two hour nap, and I recovered nicely.  Can't keep this fat girl down!

I have bitten the Apple

I married a tech geek.  He has many talents, but his main talent is that he knows technology upside, inside, over and under.  He loves technology.  He loves techno gadgets, and toys, and things.  The benefit, for me, is that he refuses to buy these techno objects for himself and instead buys them for the girls or for me.  My problem is that I can't just accept these gifts happily; I guess because I feel guilt knowing that he would love to have this instead.

His recent passion has been Apple related toys.  After the nano Ipod came out he handed me a nicely wrapped package while we were watching television.  It wasn't even my birthday or Valentine's Day or anything.  I said happy things like, "What is this?  Why would you buy me a gift?  Why would you buy me an Ipod?  What am I going to do with an Ipod?"  It was black, for the Steelers, and it came with a case and an arm band to wear to the gym.  It took me all of one day to fall in love with it.  I still love that thing.

When the Iphone came out on the market he actually bought one for himself.  He kept apologizing for it, but I was thrilled that he had spent money on a toy for himself.  He played with the thing nightly adding music and movies.  He pulled out that phone every time we got into the van to travel down the street to the grocery.

Tom:  "I'm getting the GPS app so we know the route." 
Me:  "I go to the grocery every week.  I know the route."
Tom:  "Yeah, but this will tell us the fastest way to get there."

It got a little annoying.  Especially since I had no clue how to use the phone and was always terrified when he would hand it to me to look up something while he drove.  I would be stymied on getting it out of the case and then once I had it in hand I just kept saying, "I don't know how to get back to the main screen" until he would take it from me and work it and drive at the same time while I harped about how dangerous an Iphone was.

On my birthday he got me the new 4G Iphone.  I opened it and said happy things like, "An Iphone?  Why would you get me an Iphone?  I like my old phone.  I don't even know how to use this thing.  Does my old phone still work?"  It took me all of an hour to fall in love with it.  Before people couldn't reach me on my cell phone because I never carried it or it was so buried in the bottom of my purse that I never heard it ring.  No more!  The Iphone goes into my pocket first thing in the morning while I take my BP meds because you never know when I might need to look up useful information.  I love that thing.

Before our anniversary rolled around I saw that he was eyeing the new Ipad 2, and I jumped on it saying happy things like, "Don't even think about buying that for me.  If you want an Ipad then get it for yourself.  What would I do with an Ipad?  I have an Iphone.  And a computer with two monitors.  I like my monitors (another techno thing I resisted and ended up loving).  I don't want to carry around another thing and it won't go in my purse.  We are going to Costa Rica so let's not exchange presents for our anniversary.  Let's buy something there for both of us."  It apparently fell on deaf ears.

I opened my anniversary card and it said that an Ipad 2 was on its way with my name engraved.  I rolled my eyes and tried to thank him, but it came out very whiny.  Seriously?  That much money on an anniversary gift?  I hadn't bought him anything because I thought we had agreed.  Sigh.  What was I going to do with an Ipad.

Then my mother's Ipad 2 came in the mail from her sister.  Madison gave lessons to both of us on how to use it.  It took me thirty minutes to fall in love with it.  I came home pumped and excited and ready for my own Ipad to arrive.

Tom:  "I have good news and bad.  Which one do you want first?"
Me:  "Uh, the bad, I guess."
Tom:  "Something went wrong with the credit card and your Ipad isn't coming."
Me:  "What?  What?  I'm not getting the Ipad?  But I want it now!  I want the Ipad!"
Tom:  "Sorry."
Me:  "Well what is the good news?"
Tom:  "The company is shipping you a free Ipad case in apology."
Me:  "There giving me a free case for an Ipad I don't have?  What the hell?"

He explained the whole nonsense over the credit card, and for several days I said happy things like, "Well, I could take notes on what the doctor is telling you, but I don't have an Ipad.  Well, if I had the Ipad I was suppose to get for my anniversary I could jot that information down or look up that information."  Apparently, it was too much for him to take and so he re-ordered me another Ipad.

I've had it now a little over two weeks, and I DON'T KNOW HOW I'VE LIVED WITHOUT IT.  The thing is amazing.  It's like a little mini computer laptop, Iphone, and Ipod all rolled into one.  The free case isn't that great, but it does turn off and on the Ipad automatically when opened or closed.  It doesn't really protect anything but the screen so I guess I'll have to invest in a good case. 

Oh, and a bigger purse because I have to carry this thing with me at all times.  Who knows when I might have to look something up or take notes.

Conversation with a four year old

Ben:  "Hello Aunt Cara."
Me:  "Hi there Ben.  How are you?"
Ben:  "America is on the other side of the world, Aunt Cara.  It is on the orange side."
Me:  "The orange side, huh?"
Ben:  "We have an orange tree in our yard and we pick the oranges.  I like orange juice, but I don't like the pulp.  We have an automatic squeezer.  You plug it in and make the juice.  I make it with my mom.  I like cooking with mom.  She makes the best dinners ever.  I like sandwiches, especially grilled cheese ones.  It has Panera bread and cheese."
Me:  "That sounds delicious.  I hope I can have a grilled cheese sandwich when I visit you."
Ben:  "It has bits of ham in it.  Kids get the grilled cheese sandwiches and adults get soup."
Me:  "But I want a grilled cheese sandwich with ham in it."
Ben:  "Oh.  Well, well, uh, I could share with you maybe."
Me:  "That is so nice, Ben.  You would give me a bite?"
Ben:  "I have a bike.  I have one with training wheels and one without training wheels.  I ride without training wheels!!  My mom teach me to ride.  She loves to teach.  I speed down the hill and nobody can catch me.  Only a truck could catch me.  My dad drives a truck."
Me:  "So if I drove your dad's truck I could catch you right here in America, which is how this conversation started."
Ben:  "We live in the United States of America.  That is the country we live in.  Everybody lives in a country city.  What country city do you live in, Aunt Cara?"
Ben's mother:  "You just better end this now because this conversation will go on and on for hours."
Me:  "And I better stop now while I still know the answers, huh?"

Ha Ha Funny

During the week's festivities and hoopla of the graduation of the 8th graders, a friend flew in town from Canada to celebrate with all of us.  Long story short she moved away a year ago for personal reasons and thus her son was unable to finish up his final year at the school.  A group of us got together and brought them back for a week so that everyone could be together and so that he too could participate as an honorary graduate.

Before they arrived, my friend, whose house the two were staying in, was talking to me about what she had to do to ready her house.  We were discussing all the ins and outs and suddenly it occurred to me that one of the kids would need to move out of his or her room to accommodate the out of town guests.  I asked the obvious question what child, only to be told my friend had a guest room.  Well, I had never seen a guest room in her house before, and so she explained where it was upstairs and how she always had the door closed because the room tended to pick up junk that otherwise would be all over the house.

Later, while going upstairs to retrieve the girls before heading home, my friend led me to the guest room and opened the closed door.  I took one look at the room and the bed...

...looked at my friend, and said, "OH MY GOD!  The Easter Bunny took a dump on your bed!"

We're still laughing about that today.  Who says you lose your humor as you get older?  Ha!

Starting summer off right

It has been a busy week at my house the last month. School is over and summer, as we know it, has begun. I'm wondering how long it will take before I hear the "I'm bored" slogan. A friend of mine suggested we give the kids last week and this week to just chill and do what they want before we start dictating their summer. I agreed to that and was sorry I did by day 2 when Madison slept until 1:00 PM both days.

But a promise is a promise, and I still remember being that age so I'm trying to accommodate them. I enjoy having my kids at home and doing things with them, but I'm already running out of ideas.  Our first real day, we decided it was this Monday, we were recuperating from all the end of school festivities we had from the week before.  We loped around the house sleeping and watching movies on television.  Finally, the next day we came alive and met up with some friends at the beach.

We got there early, around 9:30 in the morning.  It was a beautiful Florida June day with sun and warmth.  We spread out our chairs and our towels, and the girls immediately went into the water.  The adults talked and munched on snacks.  I eventually wandered into the gulf, making sure to do the stingray shuffle, and floated for some time.  When I got out and settled back into my chair we had some dolphin sightings.

There were four dolphins swimming in pairs just inside the buoys.  They were frolicking and having a good time knowing the people in the water and on the beach were pointing and oohing and aahing.  They came up plenty of times to show off and for people to take photos.  I unfortunately was on the beach and did not have the zoom camera with me so my pictures seem to all be of one dolphin out of the water or of nothing but blue water and sky.

But it seemed like a nice way to start off the summer.  Dolphins are good luck so we are all hoping this summer will be a good one!

Connie Foot Photos #20 & #21

Last week's photo was on my IPhone, and for me not as easy to get into the computer as my camera thus the delay in getting it on the blog. Connie had another dermagraft, shared this time by three receiptiants. Because he cut around the wound the week before it hadn't gone down in size, but the depth was filling in quite nicely.

This week the size was smaller and the depth filled in even more. He avoided cutting again and applied another dermagraft. We talked about perhaps doing another skin graft to close the wound and it is still a possibility as time goes on.

 And it does...

And the birthday just continues

The thing about birthdays in this family is that we celebrate all week long.  We have an immediate family, and neighbors, on the very day of the birth.  We have a celebration with the rest of the family a day later.  Iif there is time and money then we throw in another birthday celebration party with friends.  Oh, and there is also the birthday celebration held at school.

Here is Darcy's birthday week:

Elliot helped me wrap the gifts

 The birthday pile

 Aunt Susan and family's gift to Darcy...

which she hated

 Darcy opening Madison's gift...

which happen to go with Aunt Susan's gift

 Darcy's slumber party

where they went on a Kelly E. treasure hunt

and she got lots of cool gifts

and played lots of odd made-up games.

Darcy's last party with family at Macaroni Grill Restuarant

 where she got more gifts

and had fun with her cousins.

Paying attention to detail

Cake Lady: "What can I get you?"
Me:  "I want to order an 8" inch cake."
Cake Lady:  "What kind?"
Darcy:  "I would like a marble cake with white icing."
Cake Lady:  "How would you like that decorated?"
Darcy:  "With pink and green flowers, fluorescent colors if possible.  I want "Happy Birthday Darcy" in blue icing on the cake.  I want ribbons around the sides in a color of your choice.  And if you could do some type of theme having to do with a slumber party such as a sleeping bag or pillows or something like that it would be great.  But I don't care what you come up with because I want to be surprised."

 We think they did an amazing job!

Thanks IR Publix!

Hoping these friendships keep evolving

 

High school here she comes

Madison's 8th grade graduation went well.  She has attended this school since she was three and it was so nice to see her graduate with some of the same kids she played with since she was tiny.  The ceremony is put on by the 6th and 7th grade students.  There was singing and then each graduate was celebrated with a speech from several of the middle school students.  

Madison was celebrated first.  One student read a poem.  Her friend Sarina read a speech about how smart and kind Madison is, and how much Madison has helped her through the years.  Darcy spoke last.  She read a speech she wrote.  It had her own brand of humor and warmth.  Madison got very teary.

Each of the seven graduates were honored this way, and when the middle school was finished, the graduates themselves got up and gave a speech they had written.

They went in alphabetical order so again Madison went first.  Her speech was well written, to the point, and full of memories of her time spent at the school.  She thanked her teachers and her family.  She was poised and self assured.  Her voice never wavered, and she made us very proud.

The head of the school passed out diplomas and gave his own speech.  The lead teacher gave a speech and advice to the graduates.  Then the graduates passed out scrapbooks to the parents that they have worked on all year.

And then it was over.  Twelve years at the same school ended just like that.  And my little girl was no longer a little girl, but a high school student.  Sigh...

Almost a teen

Today my little baby girl turned 12.  She has been very excited about her birthday, but unfortunately, with her older sister's graduation her birthday hasn't been top priority in everyone's minds.  Even twelve years ago she wasn't suppose to have her birthday this soon.

She came early, two weeks to be exact.  She came into the world quick and easy and sweet and cuddly.  She was very different from her older sister.  She liked to sleep.  She liked to suck on her fingers.  She liked to talk.  And she loved to swim.

Today she awoke early and opened a gift with her father.  Then she waited patiently while Madison and I caught up on much needed beauty sleep.

The two of us went to her favorite donut place and got her favorite donuts, glazed with vanilla icing and sprinkles.  We joyfully opened the rest of her birthday gifts and then gave up the rest of the day to her sister who was preparing for her graduation party later that night.

Which is why she is so special.  And cuddly...

Happy Birthday Darcy!

Time....goes by so fast

It seems just like yesterday...

 She was getting her Kindergarten diploma

And yesterday she walked again; a little taller

to receive her 8th grade diploma