Damn you Groundhog!

Every now and again I come across something that makes me gasp. I am talking hand slapping open mouth kinda gasping. That is exactly what I did when I saw these little darhlings on the fabulous Element's of Style blog.

So I bought them. I decided they were "debt worthy". My last pair of snow boots lasted years and they were shredded after last winter.

I bought a few hat a few weeks ago, as well. It really makes me secretly hope we get one more good snow. I must clarify, a snow over a half inch and under 3 inches. I would also like to use the rest of this firewood I have (please read as "I would like my New York Bruiser to build me another fire before the year is over"). And I like the instant excuse it gives me to lay around in mismatched sweats with bleach stains.

Please do not get me wrong, I need sun. And I am about to loose my mind waiting for Spring. I am so anxious about this pending weather, I even went to the Allergy Doctor to start my fortification process against the Cherry Blossoms. Little petals of evil, that's what they are.

I've even gone as far as to choose my signature mani/pedi shade for Spring (OPI's "Barefoot in Barcelona" in case you were wondering).

But I just want one day to be "Sassy Snow Boats in Nation's Capitol" before I board a plane to Spain, ya know?

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

Lots o changes going on in the House on the Hill.

Bebe Bro (we'll call him Boojamus) is leaving DC for the bright lights of Tiger Stadium and is moving home to Louisiana. So, last night we had our last "Family Dinner".

I've been pretty lucky here. Most people find little groups of people and create these family unit type structures. I didn't have to. I had my family here.

"Family dinners" started about 5 years ago when Boojamus moved up here with his best friend, Miguel. These two couch dwellers invested in HBO, a luxury I wasn't prepared to pay for as I was stealing cable at the time from the neighbor. So, every Sunday I'd go over to their house take turns cooking and we'd have a "Family Dinner." Me, Boojamus, Miguel and Turtle (and Eric, Drama and Vince). I wish I could have taken a picture of us when we saw the screen went black during the Soprano's finale.

Life got busy, as it tends to do, and we stopped doing them weekly but tried to do them every few months. And, we even had some people stupid enough to love us and start joining our dinners (Brusier, my sister in law, Lubey and Miguel's wife, JayMay.)

Unfortunately JayMay couldn't join us last night. I volunteered to drink her share of the Chianti because one of my New Years Resolutions was to do more service hours. (Before you gasp in abject horror, this weight loss tactic is addressed below, okay?)

We went to a cute little Italian place called Trattoria Alberto and were seated in the most charming little nook surrounded by windows, candle light and this divine little chandelier. (I think it really sets the mood for me to have a total emotional breakdown, don't you?)

My name is Scout and I ate pasta.

(WHHHHHHHHHAT!)

There. I said it. I just had a few bites AND I didn't get desert AND I didn't get anything that was breaded. So, for that, I still feel like I deserve a Congressional Medal of Honor.

I think we did Family Dinner proud and went out in style.

Just for ole times sake, we popped in Tuni's for a family favorite.......wait for it.....wait for it......"one more drink." Even typing it makes me laugh, as anyone who has met us knows that we had 3 more drinks.

I've always loved sitting outside with Boojamus and having a few rounds. We've had some of our best conversations on that bar's patio. He first told me he wanted to marry Lubey on that patio. He's helped me mend broken hearts on that patio. We've discussed career moves on that patio. We've told embarrassing stories about each other on that patio. (And probably created a few ones too, Ha!)

So, as I toasted last night to Boojamus "To Tiger Football, Raising Canes and Greener Pastures."

Thanks for the gift of letting me be your friend, not just your sister. I am so insanely proud of you and the man you have become.

Now, stay the hell out of my room at mom and dad's house. Why? Because I'm the maaaaaster and I said so.

Say Hello to My Little Friend... Dr. Atkins

I love getting wine corks from people and thinking "How cute! You think if I open a bottle, there will be some left?!?!" Serving size and Oreos are polar opposite words as far as I am concerned. Cakes are swallowed whole. (I admit, it is a talent). Basically, I don't understand the word "moderation". Never have.

I wish I could. I watch friends do this. Nibble on 1/16 of a bebe slice of cake. (Wimp). Sip Sip on a half glass of wine (Sissy). Tear open an Oreo and eat a bite of the side without the frosting (Idiot).

Not me, I have to go cold turkey. Nada. Zip. Zero.

My freshmen year of College, I gained the Freshman 50. You see, I've always been an ambitious young woman. Gaining a mere 15 lbs, well, that was for the Oreo non frosting people. Me, I am more about crushing the Oreo's into a powder and snorting it. Call me the Cookie Scarface.

So, I had to do something drastic like Atkins. With great success and no exercise, I managed to loose 40 lbs. I was even able to keep most of it off for several years. Until now.

As I am no where near my Fightin' Weight (Thank you Baby Jesus!), I am definitely getting close to being a contender. I'm back, Dr. Atkins. I'm kneeling before you, bacon in hand and waiting for you to bestow me the honor of leaving induction.

It makes having folks over for dinner a bit more challenging these days. And I sure do love having people over to eat, it is truly one of my favorite things. I think cooking for someone is the ultimate way to show love (....have I mentioned yet that I am from Louisiana?).

I look at A LOT of food blogs. And I am currently obsessed with one witty young woman who won my heart with a super low carb "bread" roll and is about get a big ole hunkin diamond from me after last night.

Last night NiNi and NayJay came over to be my super fabootal food subjects to Diamond Girl's Zucchini and cheese crust pizza. Cheese upon cheese/zucchini with sauce and cheese. Topped with pepper-pee-onni. It really was wonderful and I am excited to make it again. I want to try it as a breakfast pizza with a fried egg on top.

I am not sure I've been terribly successful so far in converting old recipes into low carb ones but I am having fun learning these new ways!! Will post a pot roast recipe tomorrow that was fantastic.

"They are simply outdoorsy, that's all"

I don’t think a day goes by where I am not quoting this movie in my head. I quote it like dudes quote The Godfather, I quote it like good and moral people quote The Bible.

I put on panty hose for work and think “Well, these thighs haven’t gone out of the house without lycra on them since I was 14.” If someone asks me about the color pink, I describe the color as “Blush and Bashful.” When someone makes me mad, I often think they are “a boil on the butt of humanity.”

Yeah, if you don’t know by now that I referring to my beloved Steel Maggies (Steel Magnoliasfor those off you who don’t speak Miss) then we need to rectify that situation immediately and get you a little Netflix subscription, mkay?

So, after several weeks of crazy work, I took off last Friday. The weather man told me the weather was going to be out of this world and I was out of my mind. Bruiser and I decided to go to Great Falls, VA.

I’ve been in DC for about 8 years now and everyone kept telling me to go there and nowI know why. Simply and totally breathtaking!! And only a few minutes outside of the city. I wish I had checked it out years ago.

So, here we are, in the midst of such beauty. Smack dab in the middle of the wonderment of God and nature. And I’m thinking about Steel Maggies.

Now, Steel Maggie-ites, you know where I'm going with this. One of the best all time quotes.This is the kind of quote I want someone to needlepoint on a pillow for me. I promise if you do, I’d essentially carry it around with me. Move over Maya Angelou, Henry David Thoreau and Will-i-am Shakespeare...

M’Lynn: “Jackson comes from a good ole southern family with good ole southern values. You either shoot it, stuff it or marry it.”

Shelby (a name we really love, right?): “They are simply outdoorsy, that’s all.”

THAT was my first thought when I saw THIS:

Sad, isn’t it? I prayed to be more normal when Bruiser and I were at church on Sunday.

We had a great time climbing rocks and acting like kids. We are threatening to go back soon to picnic and find a big ole rock and lay out with a good book. God really does spoil us rotten!

I'm too old for Hooked on Phonics

I have threatened for a very long time to blog. So, I am going to blog about life, love and the pursuit of another bottle of wine.. You know, the important things.

With that out of the way, I have something you need to know up front.

Look, I can't spell. I have never claimed to be able to do so. I think I was too busy mentally decorating my Barbie Dream Home to be bothered to pay attention to grammar and all that stuff in whatever grade you learn that stuff. So, please don't be offended as I butcher our beloved language.

And, yes, I see that little button that has a "check mark" and has the "ABC" written above it. And, I really do plan on hitting it as much as I can. But, I feel it necessary to warn you up front...it doesn't make a difference as my mom is the only one currently following this blog and she's painfully aware of my limitations.

(And in an attempt for full disclosure, I think you'd like to know that I first spelled "grammar" as "grammer". Told. Ya. So.)