Top 5 On Friday

From Music Memoirs



In Honor of Wills and Kate's Big Day....



Top 5 songs you'd want played at your wedding/commitment ceremony
 
1. Paul Stookey - The Wedding Song: This song is really what love is all about. So simple and so beautiful.
 
2. Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me: Another beautiful love song. A little bit overplayed when it first came out but still sweet.
 
3. The Beatles - Something: Perfection
 
4. Elvis Costello - Still: Because Elvis woould have to be played at MY wedding
 
5. The Moody Blues - In My World: One of the most beautiful songs Justin Hayward ever wrote.

Under The Weather

Nyquil superhighway here I come!  Because I feel like death warmed over....more when I feel a bit more...erm...ALIVE





On A Reading Roll

I've been reading a book a day most of this week, and just about every book I've read has been a good one!

Woo hoo!

I'm reading a cute paranormal mystery right now called To Kill A Warlock

Here's the book blurb for anyone interested (or you can click the picture to go to the Amazon page)

The murder of a dark arts warlock. A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the loose. A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate. Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch. Dulcie O'Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She's a Regulator-a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world. When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she's either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim. Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie. Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie's got her hands full. As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals.

I'll be reading the sequel when I finish this one which is A Tale Of Two Goblins , which looks like another cute mystery.

Here's the blurb for that one.

A Dreamstalker— a creature that stalks and kills its victims in sleep.

A fairy in law enforcement determined to stop him.
A potions smuggler who possesses something she wants.
A vampire with his own agenda.
And a partner who couldn’t possibly be sexier or more frustrating.
Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy working in law enforcement for the Netherworld.
When Knight Vander approaches her with a case regarding comatose victims, she agrees to help him, imagining the most difficult part will be combatting her attraction to him.


But, what Dulcie isn’t betting on is the fact that the case becomes personal when she learns all the victims are somehow linked to her.

When her best friend falls victim to the Dreamstalker, Dulcie must do everything in her power to ensure her friend’s survival, including associating with criminals and accepting the fact that desperate times do definitely call for desperate measures.



Now if you don't mind, I have some reading to do!

Three Years Ago Today

It was just as warm....

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon....

I was looking forward to a concert in Pittsburgh on Sunday....

When all of my world shattered.

It is 3 years....

It still hurts so much knowing you are gone from our lives...but Gram you have never left our hearts.

Damn Those Angry Birds

Since getting a smartphone, I've become addicted to Angry Birds. I don't know why.

I've always sucked at computer games.

Pacman was the only game I was ever any good at.

Now I spend at least a half hour on my phone hurling little birdies at green laughing pigs.

It is really frustrating.

Especially when I lose pitifully. Which is almost all the time.

I have been playing Angry Birds for at least a month and I haven't gone beyond the first group of levels.

Yup. I suck at Angry Birds.

Happy Easter!

In honor of the holiday, I thought I'd share 2 of my favorite Easter recipes

Scalloped Pineapple

1 sticks butter, melted 

3 eggs (beat slightly) 

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple (do not drain) 

5 slices of cubed bread 

1/2 c. sugar

Mix all ingredients together. Put in 9" baking dish. Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes or just until set. Good warm or cold.

Grandma's Corn Pudding

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 can (15 ounces) cream-style corn
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 slices day-old bread, crusts removed
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened

Directions

• In a bowl, beat eggs and milk. Add corn and sugar; mix well. Cut bread into 1/2-in. cubes and place in a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 9 servings.

Camera Critters

I haven't played Camera Critters in awhile, and since I was complaining about how my camera feels sad and lonely, I thought I'd share some of my furry critters with you.

We have a set of cubes in our bathroom, because the room has no closet for towels. The only problem is, the cats seem to think it is a great place to sleep, as seen here:

and here

Top 5 On Friday

From Music Memoirs

Top 5 musical things you could buy with the money you'd spend on a tank of gas
 
OK, right now it costs me about $38.00 to fill the tank from 1/4. YIKES
 
1. That's at least 3 CDs, preferrably the new ones by Thompson Square, The Janedeer Girls and Sara Evans
 
2. Cheap tickets to see Elvis Costello ~big sigh~ However the gas to get to that show would make it not worth it.
 
3. It would cover most of a new iPod shuffle. Actually at the rate gas prices are going, next week a tank of gas will = a new iPod shuffle.
 
4.  It is just a few dollars under the cost of Linda McCartney: Life In Photographs

 

I would love to have a copy of that book when it comes out in June!

5. A few of those Elvis Costello live CDs that I haven't gotten around to buying.

I Miss My Camera

I haven't been anywhere to take pictures in ages. The only photos my little camera has snapped are strange stuff on my phone and my dad's cake and birthday pictures. That totals about 2 or three.

I'm pretty sure my cameras are going to run away from home for lack of use.

The thing is. My little hometown of Charleroi on Mon, as I like to call it. Isn't very picturesque. There's nothing to draw the eye here.

I really miss being able to get out and about. I miss Centre Market in Wheeling and Oglebay...not to mention Ohiopyle State Park, Phipps Consevatory..(I've missed the Spring Flower Show) and the Rose Garden in McKeesport.

GAH!

Our gas prices are almost at $4.00 and from what I heard on the news this morning, some of the bigger cities have already hit the $5.00.

I really don't know how I'll be going anywhere with those prices, except to work.

So if you see my two cameras running around on their own...send them back and tell them to behave!

Things I've Learned

~ After blogging for almost 10 years, I finally learned how to schedule posts! That's pretty sad. But I feel a sense of accomplishment at that.

~ My book blog is really taking off. Plus I'm getting scads of free books to read. Free books = happy me. Plus I really love writing reviews and I'm not afraid to write not so good ones. But I've learned that so many book bloggers take the whole blogging thing so seriously.  I'm involved in a few blog tours, where I help promote some books and it almost feels like work, in a good way. Will work for books!!

~ The Royal Wedding is getting way too much publicity. I think it was almost as bad when Charles and Diana got married, but oye! All this fuss over a couple that have been living together for a long time. And who knows when he will become king. Yikes! I've learned that it is best to turn off all gossip shows, because hearing about Kate Middleton's dress, what they are eating etc is slowly making me insane. My condolences to my UK friends who must really be going nuts.

~ Activia Yogurt does actually taste pretty good, and I don't even really like yogurt all that much.

~ TV as a rule sucks anymore.

~ As much as I hate spending lots of money on coffee, Starbucks still brews the best Joe in my area.

My New Favorite Band

I'm in love with Zac Brown Band.

I first heard them on the Country Music Awards last year. They played As She's Walking Away, which they did with Alan Jackson.

Now I'm not a huge country music fan, but I like more of what's been out there lately, like Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry.

But Zac Brown! Oh these guys are on a whole other level. They are country, they are folk, they are wonderful.

At times they have the fun, happy go lucky sound of Jimmy Buffett (He appears on their latest album) and at other times they are more mellow like James Taylor. In fact, he performed with them in Vegas for the ACM's. Watch the performance here.

Its stuff like this that gives me faith in the music industry.

Why Do I Buy DVDs

This is a problem I am trying to deal with.

Why do I buy movies?

I think I'm going to watch them but ultimately I never do. They sit and collect dust on my shelves. There are even some that my friends have bought me that I still haven't taken out of the wrapping.

So far here are some of the movies I need to watch:

Mind you, these aren't all the movies and shows I have to watch. There's a Mika DVD, my bff bought me and countless others. It is maddening. My only defense is, I'd rather be reading.

Spring Cleaning

Well I actually managed to accomplish a few things this weekend, besides grocery shopping. Have I mentioned how much I hate that?

I took 3 bags of clothes to Goodwill. I have one more to go, but I somehow forgot it, in my mad rush to get out the door this afternoon.

I got a few of the pantry shelves cleaned in the kitchen. That should get a woo hoo.

I'm telling you, it sucks to live in an old house that has no cupboard space in the kitchen or closet space in the bedrooms. It is unnerving trying to find places for stuff.

We are packrats, not hoarders! Plus some crazy people bring us stuff but don't help to move the old stuff elsewhere, but that is a rant for another day.

Mount Laundry has been scaled.

The dog has been clipped.

I even got part of my book blog organized!

Now I'm tired. I need a weekend from my weekend! Hope your 2 days were great!

A Bookish Website

I was looking at the Book Page magazine from Books-A-Million that I got a few weeks ago when I was in the store.

Oh how I love Books-A-Million. Have I mentioned that lately?

But back to the magazine. I have been going through it for a couple of weeks, making a wishlist of new books, when I noticed the magazine had a website.

Check it out here

It has reviews, interviews and book blurbs. I signed up for an account, because well, if it is book-ish, I belong to it. I have accounts on Shelfari, which I don't use as much and Goodreads.

Now if you don't mind, I have some reading to do...and some wishlisting.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 ways music makes work easier.

1. It breaks up the monotony of the day. It is always nice to hear a good song just when things are starting to feel repetitious.

2. It keeps my sanity, or at least a sliver of it.

3. It reminds me that there are fun things in life. They just aren't happening to me from 8-4 M-F.

4. It reminds me that it is "5 O'clock Somewhere." 

Pour me something tall and strong. Make it a Hurricane before I go insane! I know it's half passed twelve, but I don't care. It's 5 o'clock somewhere!!

5. Sometimes it even relaxes me when things are getting too stressful.

I Started A New Meme Today

I have a new feature on my book blog. I hope that some of my bookish friends will take part in it.  It is called TBR Thursday or To Be Read Thursday. You can find out more about my new meme here and check out three books that are currently on my super massive To Be Read pile.

Plus if you do check the site out, you can see that I don't always read smut.

I read a lot of smut, I'll admit, but it isn't all smut!

Pierogie Casserole

Last week we bought a cookbook from a local organization and it had a recipe for pierogie lasagne/casserole. The cookbook's recipe was a little too involved for me considering I have to get a meal together quickly once I get home from work. So I went hunting for another recipe.

Here's the one I'm going to try on Friday, only I'm going to use more than a cup of mashed potatoes. In the comments most people seemed to be going with about 4 cups. Cheese should be Cheddar or a Cheddar mix.



I found this at Food.com
Ingredients:Servings:
4-6 Servings


1 cup mashed potatoes (instant or leftovers is fine)
1 lb shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup butter
2 -3 medium onions, diced
9 -12 lasagna noodles

Directions:
Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 40 mins
1 Cook noodles as directed on package to al dente.
2 Saute onions in 1 stick of butter (may use more if desired).
3 Butter 13x9 inch pan with remaining 1/2 stick butter.
4 Mix sauteed onions with mashed potatoes.
5 Layer noodles, then potatoes, then cheese, and repeat, ending with cheese.
6 Cover with foil and bake in a 350° oven for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Randomosity

~ My dad has bruises on his arm from the IV needles that are in the shape of a smiley face. Yes I took a picture of it.

~ Reading a memoir about a woman's loss of her mother to cancer. It is beautifully written and has had me near tears most of the day.

~ Apparently the pocket bac hand sanitizer from Bath and Body that is attached to my purse is a great cat toy.

~ I have Windows 7 ready to be installed on this computer but I am too lazy to transfer my documents/pics and music. How lame am I?

~ I've been pondering getting all my blogs organized, especially my book blog. I have a feeling that is going to take more time than I want to spend. I repeat, I am lazy.

Wowzas!

Now that's one helluva costume...actually that applies to both dancers. Number 86 is looking good!

I can't believe I've been voting on DWTS 3 weeks running now.

Go Hines!

FAIL!

Every weekend I have a list of things I want to accomplish and every weekend, I fail at finishing off the list miserably.

Its 7 o'clock and I have yet to get the dog bathed. I have done the laundry. I did get to the gym. But no dusting was done and the vacuum hasn't been taken out either.

ARGH!

I need a weekend to recover from my weekend and I haven't done anything. Or at least I haven't felt like I've done anything, and now it is over.

Seriously...ARGH!

Oh and I have another review due on Wednesday!

Need more time!!!!

Weekend's Aren't For Relaxing

The morning started with an argument about paying the bills. Yee ha! And the frustration that goes along with  not being able to find the ones that I was looking for.

Apparently these bills did not want to be paid.

Good for them!

I didn't want to pay them in the first place!

After that, I was trying to sort out my coupons...and I couldn't find my damn folder, where I keep all the little blighters.

Inside the coupon organizer was my $20.00 coinstar gift card for Amazon, so I'm sure you can understand why I was freaking out because I couldn't find it.

Oh and I had it out with my 19 year old nephew, who again is acting like a spoiled brat. That is a long story, but in a few words, it would be nice if he remembered his promise to help his grandparents out when he was home from school. Oh and unlike most college students, this boy is home EVERY WEEKEND!

But I won't go there.

Its been a long Saturday and I have to say that this time, I'm really glad it is almost over.

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 artist you wouldn't mind having dinner with.

Tell us why you chose who you did. This can be any artist past/present. Couples count as one..just in case you'd pick John and Yoko...Paul and Linda...etc.
 
1 The Krallstellos: Elvis Costello & Diana Krall, as long as they left the twins with the nanny! I would love to eat fancy schmancy food and talk music to these two people, because their careers are so different yet both are totally successful and well loved.
 
2. Mika: I don't know if I could eat in his presence because I'd be drooling over this little boy. Ok, he's 27 but that makes him a baby in my book.
 
3. Simon LeBon: Because I wouldn't care what I ate with him around. I mean this guy has been on more diets than I have! God Bless his cotton socks!
 
4. The Moody Blues: I wouldn't mind sitting down with some wine and cheese with these guys. John and Graeme would definitely bring good booze!
 
5. Deni Bonet: Just because she's such a fun lady, and I'd really love to sit down and talk with her.

I Love TV But....

I just don't seem to have enough time in my day anymore for the little things I enjoy. I'd rather read a book or listen to music.

I swear the only time I get to really listen to music I like, like Elvis Costello, Lady Antebellum, Gloriana, Mika etc is when I'm running on the elliptical the seated Octane one at the Y because I like to exercise and be lazy

Tonight two of the shows I love are new, Big Bang Theory and Bones. I'm not really excited to see them. TV cuts into my relaxing time and there's not nearly enough time for that in the day.

Plus there's all the stuff around the house that I need to get done that gets pushed back to the weekends because life is too crazy. (You know like laundry and vacuuming)

I swear I'm getting old, because a few years ago I could stay up til midnight getting stuff done or just as my mom and dad would say "pissing around." Now if I stay up that late, the next day I feel like I've been hit by a ton of bricks.

Getting old apparently sucks.

So I've got the dilemma: Get shit done or watch TV.

Now we all know what I would prefer to do. But before they condemn my house for being a crime against humanity, I'm going to have to get shit done.

Yuck.                                      

Let Me Tell You About My Night

I was up until 11 working on some reviews. I didn't really want to be, but I like getting stuff done on time. I head off to bed sometime during The Colbert Report. By 12:15 I'm flying down the stairs because my dad woke with a coughing fit.

I gave him his rescue inhaler.

He spit up his phlegm. Seemed ok, then got short of breath again.

Called 911.

Spent the rest of the night in the ER.

Didn't get home until 4:30 this morning.

Dad is home too and breathing better.

I have had about 1.5 hours of sleep.

I really can't take much more of this. I'm doing my best to stay awake today at least until 5 o'clock. After that I plan on crashing for a good 8 hours of sleep.

When Did I Grow Up

I never thought I'd be the type to hunt down recipes, but I do now. That is so strange. I actually hunt down websites and blogs that have cooking ideas. I guess it is because I now cook for at least 4 people if not 6 on some weekend evenings.

Strange, I don't have a husband or family of my own. I just feed mom and dad and anyone else that happens by.

Well on the Save-A-Lot website I found a great recipe for lasagne.

Allow me to share it.

1 package of no boil Barilla lasagne noodles (soak for a few minutes before using)
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 large carton of small curd cottage cheese
1 large package of mozarella cheese
2 lbs ground meat

1. Brown ground meat and drain off liquid.
2. Combine meat, sauce and cottage cheese.
3. Layer noodles and meat mixture in a 9 x 13 pan and repeat until finished.
4. Bake at 350 covered for 30 minutes.

Everyone in my family loved it...including one of the cats!

You Know It's Going To Be A Bad Day

~ When you are following a hearse half the way to work, and the other half you have a patrol car behind you.

That pretty much signaled today being lousy and so far, it has been.

There's some hellishly unfun things going on at work that are going to make the next few weeks so much unfun.

I just really need some me time again. Time when I can just relax and not have to be going to a grocery store or anywhere for that matter.

I really feel the need to turn into a hermit.

And with the prices of gas, this may happen.

I may also turn Amish, because I'm thinking horse and buggy is looking better and better as gas starts to hit the $4.00 mark.

To all my friends across the pond, how do you travel when driving is so expensive?

On A Happy Note

No one has been to the hospital this weekend!

Can I get a woo hoo for that!

I think it is pretty bad when that is the baseline for deciding if the weekend was a good one.

I did get to the Y every day this weekend, so that's good. If only it wasn't a birthday weekend and if only Giant Eagle didn't make the yummiest of chocolate cakes with whipped cream icing.

Yeah...the exercise didn't really do me much good, but it did help me destress and get a little bit of reading done. I'm all for anything that lets me get some reading done on the weekends.

Some people get to relax on the weekend....I get to go crazier.

Such fun!

Hope all of you had fun weekends

Happy Birthday Dad!

After much arguing with my computer and my camera, I bring you pictures from Dad's 85th birthday!

And here's a close up of the cake!

Top 5 On Friday

Top 5 songs you wish were just April Fools Day Jokes



You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

1. Bridgit Mendler - Somebody: Sweet Mary, I love Good Luck Charlie, but why do all the Disney girls have to have such nasaly voices! I can't take it.

2. Selena Gomez - Who Says: This is supposed to be an empowering song for young people. In reality it is obnoxious, and coming from a super gorgeous teen...the words seem to fall flat. Oh and who really would take advice from a girl that is dating Justin Bieber? Obviously she's not to bright!

3. The Ohio Express - Yummy Yummy Yummy: Whoever wrote this joke of a song from the late 60s should be taken out and tortured. Along with the ad exec from Kellogg's that decided it would work great in a commercial.

4. Aqua - Barbie Girl: This song still gives me nightmares!!

5. Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart: Oh the trauma. Even 20 years later this song makes me wish this was just a joke. The sad part is...I kinda like Billy Ray's other stuff....with the exception of this daughter!