Thursday, May 13, 2010

Pot of Gold



There have been low hanging dark clouds lingering in the sky for days on end.  They roll in quickly and then pass by.  But sure enough there are more to follow.  They are lurking off in the distance, waiting to dump raindrops big and small.  The chill in the air makes it feel a little more like football season than baseball season.  I've been trying to be a bit more aware of my surroundings.  So I keep a watchful eye on the sky and finally catch a glimpse of hope.  Do you see it?  It's faint... and there are still plenty of dark clouds all around, but I'm full of hope and plenty of excitement.  That was evidenced by the singing and dancing in the kitchen tonight.  After taking a bit of a sabbatical from the cupcakes and cookies - I spent time creating something sweet this week.  Perhaps I'll finally find that pot of gold at the end of the busy season.... I mean rainbow.




Thursday, May 6, 2010

April month-end reconciliation

As promised April brought a few showers.  And a sneak peek at May's flowers.  As with most other months it was filled with both debits and (kredits).  Hard to believe that we're well into May and I just found time to recap April!

April 2010


(+) Twins Games!  2010 Home Opener at Target Field.  4/14/2010 afternoon game with some rain.  First night game in the new stadium!  Three games in one week - a great way to start the season.


(+) No cavaties at the dentist!

(+) Flowering trees.  I have never been a big fan until this spring.  I took Tucker for walks most nights and couldn't help but notice the fragrance along the path.  It was refreshing!  Made me take a few deep breaths and relax.  I decided that when I own a home with a yard I definitely want a flowering tree.


(-) Struggling to pull myself away from work.  Wondering when the busy part will end?


(+) Run for the Lakez Marathon - a well run event that was organized by one of my great friends.  I am so proud of Heidi.  She worked her butt off and I had fun being a part of the weekend.


(+) Nachos at Zorba's.  Yum - they are in the top5!

(+) Scrapbooking weekend with the girls.  With all the recent births the spring trip relocated to Eden Prairie.  The close proximity allowed for access to babies and boys.  After a long busy season it felt good to let the creative juices flow!

(-) Subpoena phone calls - The first one made by heart skip a beat.  By the time the third criminal was released from the hospital I was well aware of the process.  Nothing like a scary automated phone call to wake you up at 6am and remind you of that very scary incident.

(+) The moon - for some reason I was especially fascinated by the moon.  Each night I looked to the East to find the moon.  On cloudy nights I was dissappointed that it was no where in sight.  The next morning while taking the dog out I looked to the West and sure enough Mr Moon was still here.  I felt reassured to know the moon was so reliable - always in the sky.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Cinco De Mayo


When traveling was a way of life I often found myself in random towns in various states.  If you were hoping for interesting and exciting locations the "town" part should have brought you back to reality.  They were blue collar towns where most people worked at the local automotive supply plant.  The towns were small.  Just small enough that when you walked into the restaurant for dinner all conversation stopped and heads turned toward the door.  Next came whispers about the out of towners.  Didn't matter if we stepped foot into the supper club, China buffert of local Mexican joint.  There was a rule that chain restaurants were out of the question as long as there was a risk to take with a local joint.  China Buffet always posed too much of a risk for me.  During those 5 years of travel I sought out as many local Mexican joints as possible.  I got burned once or twice, but Mexican still reigns as my favorite food.  And thus Cinco De Mayo holds a special place in my heart.

One friend shared in my excitement for tortilla chips, beans, salsa and sour cream.  In fact, I think it's safe to say her appetite for Mexican was slightly bigger than mine!  After dragging other team members to countless Mexican joints a few disgruntled individuals questioned our incredible appreciation for the menu.  Without giving it a second thought she quickly explained how her parents were in the Peace Corps and traveled the world after getting married.  She was a blessing to their marriage and was born while they lived in Mexico.  So as it turns out she was raised for the first few years of her life in Mexico where she feasted on the local cuisine.  She explained how she was a picky eater and for months only ate guacamole.  In order to bring this fabricated story full circle she quickly continued on about how her parents realized that the Peace Corps was not a life for a family so they moved to Nebraska and settled there.  A perfect ending to the story as she is a Husker.   I giggled at the guacamole part, but she was able to keep her composure (for the most part) and sure enough the gullible audience accepted the story.... and the fact that we would continue to eat at the local Mexican joints as much as possible.

Several months later I walked past a group of staff in the office and overhead one talking about how Mindy was born in Mexico and ate only guacamole.  I walked away with a smile.  I still don't know what's more incredible... the fact that our audience was so gullible or the amount of Mexican food consumed during our travels.  Regardless I still seek it out whenever possible.

I started my own Cinco de Mayo celebration a day early and was introduced to a new Mexican joint in the skyways  yesterday - Crazy Tacos.  (Thanks Jen!)  I was hoping for something off the menu at El Azteca today - but as I was hanging out at the "track" in Shakopee I settled for Chipotle.  I know - pretty disappointing for someone who claims nachos are her favorite item on the menu.  I promise to do better next year.

Looking forward to nachos with the sisters on the patio at El Azteca this summer!  I'll take a jumbo margarita on the rocks please!