PhotoPhun: Odd Foods

Really, what is odd? While something might be perfectly fine for one, someone else night think it's odd. I mean for real, people eat cockroaches and worms! No way in MY world is this normal! So, that just makes my point. What is odd? I've picked some food that people may have commented once or twice that what I eat might be a little abnormal. Whatever.

One of my favorite things in life is mashed potatoes and applesauce. No, not separately but on the same pile all mushed together. I haven't had this in ages, but I made some the other night just for the photo op! We start with the raw ingredients.


Once you've turned these spuds into mashed potatoes, place a plop of them on your plate and cover with your favorite applesauce.


Then, mix together well.


Viola! Ree's mashed potatoes and applesauce!!! Trust me, this stuff is the bomb! I am not a fan of mashed potatoes. But, if you gotta eat them, covered in applesauce is the way to go! mmm mmm good!

The same night I made us some brussel sprouts. I know I've blogged about these babies before. I can't believe that a lot of people won't eat them. Obviously, I think they're fabulous, but a lot of people think they're odd. Go figure.


Another dish from the one man's trash is another man's treasure: My sister-in-law invited the three of us for dinner for one of her specialties, liver and onions! Man, she makes the BEST! Even for you naysayers out there that think you don't like liver. You wouldn't say that if you tasted hers! We all left her house the other night fat and happy and this pan was just about empty!


It was a meal fit for kings! Since we didn't have any of them, all of us enjoyed tremendously!

Lastly is my dinner from Friday night. I can't remember all the details of the dish but it was mahi mahi on wild rice with grilled veggies with sweet spicy sauce and a little fruit dressing on the top.


This dish was lip smacking, belly busting GREAT! Why did this dish make the odd foods list? Because I had it at Mutt & Jeff's on Oberlin Avenue in Lorain! Driving by, you wouldn't expect much more than bar type food since for real, it's just a bar type place. But, looks are deceiving. Their menu is good, but Chef Patrick's specials are usually to die for! This was one of the specials Friday night and for real, this needs to be a staple on his menu! I just can't say enough good things about this dish. It just is odd that food like this is coming out of a neighborhood bar.

On your way to Mutt & Jeff's to taste the delicious food, make sure you check out Lisa, Mark and Jim's blogs to see what they thought was odd food.

Am I Invisible?

For real, some times I wonder.

When I had my car accident a few years ago, I was in the left lane of a four lane road, stopped with my brakes on and my left turn signal flashing waiting for traffic to clear so that I could turn. Then, WHAM, that twit just slammed into my ass end.

I had serious case of deja vu on Friday along with my life flashing before my eyes.

I was on Grove Avenue, another four lane road, in the left lane, brakes on, left turn signal on, waiting to turn left on 30th Street. There is traffic coming at me, so I'm stopped there for awhile. I don't remember ANYone behind me when I turned on to Grove from 28th Street, so I wasn't expecting anyone to be running up my tail pipe.

Suddenly, something told me to look back. In my rear view mirror I see a freakin' tanker truck bearing down on my FAST. I popped the clutch, hit the gas and sped out of the intersection. THAT'S when this dick sees that a car is stopped in front of him and he locks up his brakes. Honest to pete, if I hadn't moved, he'd have creamed me. I was in too much shock to even flip this guy the bird.

I was able to go ahead and turn on 31st Street instead of 30th, but c'mon now, there is absolutely no excuse for this asshole to have not seen me. I don't know where he came from, if he came from the steel plant or if he came from 28th Street. All I know is that in at least two blocks, he should have seen me in the left lane. And yes, I did check and my brake lights AND my turn signal are working.

Does this shit only happen to me? I think my destiny is to die in a fiery car crash and so far I'm just practicing for the main event. I hate being on the road and I swear it gets worse every day. If I was out there driving like a maniac, I could understand these problems I'm having. But I couldn't be less at fault in my own accident or in this near miss.

Ugh. I need to find a job where I can just work out of the house. I don't want to go out any further than my front porch.

PhotoPhun: Birds

Every week just seems to get away from me anymore. I really have no excuse other than laziness. I did dip into my archives for most of my pictures, but at least my last one is an original! Make sure you check out Lisa, Mark and Jim for the great birds that they found this week!

Like I said, I hit the archives. This is from Presque Isle in Erie PA. Never in all of my days living in Erie did I ever see wild turkeys on the Peninsula! This was a first for me when we were there last year. This was freakin' awesome!


These came from Calvary Cemetery also in Erie PA. First, the geese blocking the road in from of the Pieta


and then, more geese, visiting our relatives at the same cemetery. It's all good!


Speaking of cemeteries, this is the goose that was chasing after me at Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland OH. Geese hate me! This guy swam across a pond to get right to me!


I think this sleeping duck was found at Presque Isle in Erie PA. I really need to tag my pictures.


A couple of breath taking raptors at the Carlisle Reservation. First off, a couple of owls. You gotta love these creatures!


And then, the bald eagle. Even in a cage, this beauty just took my breath away.


Lastly, what the "bird" means in our family. Gotta love my brother Phil!


Next week was called by our new PhotoPhunner, my brother Jim. Odd Foods. Send in your pictures, this one should be good!!

It's My Birthday?

Wow! I didn't even know it!

You know how much I love my birthday. If memory serves me, my birthday is January 16th and it has been January 16th for the last 48 years! I even looked at my driver's license today to make sure! Yep, January 16th! (File that away for next year, will ya?!!)

Imagine my surprise today at work when I answered the front door to see a flower delivery guy there. He asked if I was Ree and when I said yes, he broke out into song! He sang Happy Birthday to me! Hey, I LOVE birthdays, so did it matter that it's no where near my birthday? I said thank you very much and took my flowers!


If you look closely on the bottom right of the picture, these flowers even came with a birthday cookie! The delivery guy said that was for me to share for my birthday. I said B.S. MY birthday cookie so I ATE it all! Bonus!

See? Birthday balloon too! It MUST be my birthday!


I finally read the card and they were from my sister Cathie, just because she loves me! How awesome is that!!

So, the meaning of this bouquet went from "celebration" that was requested to "happy birthday" which was delivered. Hey, I'm jiggy with it.

A girl could get used to this! Pay no attention to my messy office (hey, I've been busy today!) but this is what my desk looks like now with some Sissy goodness on it!


Happy birthday to ME!!

PhotoPhun: Just Desserts

This week's theme came from another new PhotoPhunner, my brother Jim! Instead of sending me his pictures, he's going to start posting on his own blog! Way to go brother and welcome to the fun! I'm sure Lisa and Mark were also having some fun this week so be sure to check them out too!

I did not have an easy time this week with the challenge. I am back on my diet, mostly, and desserts is a hard thing to think about!

But I do have my version of desserts! For example, if I've been pretty good during the week, I do deserve a treat on the weekend. One of my just desserts for being good is to go to Pete's on the weekend for some fabulous blueberry pancakes!!


Take it from someone that doesn't even like pancakes. People, these are the bomb!! I do just order the short stack and please notice the sugar free syrup. Hey, when you're being a little bad, every little bit of good helps!

And, here is my dessert most nights. My staple of celery and peanut butter. Trust me, that big bag of celery helps. If I can make myself stand there and clean and cut a bunch of it then it's no big deal to grab a handful and eat healthy instead of looking for crackers or pretzels or whatever. So, here is my just desserts for a lifetime of unhealthy eating!


Way to go on your first PhotoPhun, Jim! I can't wait to see what new you bring to our fun!

Vaca Day

I gotta tell you, Friday was not one of my better days.

Once again, I knew snow was coming. I thought I was better prepared for it this time. I was up and out the door early as I knew I would have to shovel. Holy crap what a pain in the butt. This was wet heavy snow and it was still raining/snowing to beat the band.

This is what I saw when I walked out of my door.


You can see how low that first tree is hanging. This snow was just so heavy.


I used to think this was beautiful. Yeah, I'm so over it this year.


I finished shoveling the driveway and I am literally soaked to the bone. But, I got in my car and started the drive to work.

I'm not sure if plows were out yet, it really didn't look like it. The roads were very slick and very slushy. I am getting myself worked into a tizzy just trying to get to the main road.

I know no one understands my aversion to being in a car any more. Some days it takes everything I have in me just to get from point "A" to point "B". What doesn't help is THIS idiot, who thought she was exempt from basic traffic laws. Like stop signs. She ran two of them, one of which almost had me T-boning her.

She obviously doesn't believe in brushing her car off, either. She is special. Maybe it's because she's driving a Ford, maybe it's because she's an idiot. I'm voting on the idiot part.


I think the only reason she stopped for this red light was because there was a pick up truck stopped in front of her! If anyone recognizes her, kick her in the shin for me. There was NO excuse for her to be driving like this, especially with school kids all around and she's running stop signs.


I could go on, but I'm having trouble reining in my swear words here.

So, I am heading to work when the radio passes on the wonderful information that we could get an additional five inches of snow during the day. Yeah, that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I had a panic attack in the car. The thought of driving further into this, watching it get worse and then having to drive back home. I honestly couldn't do it. I called Mike and asked if I could take a vacation day. Once I got his blessing, I couldn't get my car turned around fast enough.

Before you go thinking I spent the day drinking wine and eating bon bons, that's not the way it was! Before all was said and done, I was out there shoveling out the driveway again!

I am SO done with this snow. For real. It better leave fast, I only have so many more vacation days!

What's in Spock's Scanner?

The truth finally come out after all this time!

I came across this and ok, I laughed so hard I think I peed a little! It just tickled my funny bone!



Who knew that Facebook was around way back in the 60s!

Family Time

Recently when I was at Giant Eagle I picked up a huge ham. Why? Why not. I had a hankering for a ham and that always seems to happen when hams are NOT on sale! I decided to either go big or go home. I could get a huge 17 pound whole ham for the same price as an 8 pound half ham. That was a no brainer since I have a large family.

I invited Jim from Erie and Mike to come over and have dinner with us on Saturday. We had a great time! And, we had a LOT of food.

I didn't think to take pictures until we were way into dinner, but here's what we had. First the main course, the ham. This was absolutely the best ham I've ever made. It was so tasty, I couldn't believe it came out of my kitchen! I sliced it up this far and then Mike was nice enough to slice the rest of it off of the bone after dinner. Thanks, Mike! I always hate that part! He had it all in beautiful slices in numerous Ziploc bags so everyone got to take home some love.


Then, I found a recipe for glazed sweet potatoes. As you can tell from the color difference of these potatoes, I don't know a sweet potato from a yam! But, I had cooked both of them so I used both of them. I still can't tell you which is a sweet potato and which is a yam so maybe the next time I do this, I'll buy both again and make it my new tradition. This was fantastic!


Lastly I had some steamed asparagus with a little butter and salt. Who doesn't love asparagus! As you can tell, by the time I thought to grab my camera it was all gone! Use your imagination! This was full of green yummy goodness.


Now for the cast of characters. If you know my family, you know we're all characters! First, me and Jim on the left and Phil on the right. Aren't they cute?!!


Me and Mike, who can never take a serious picture! I hope that wasn't what I found under your chair last night!


Lastly, the hosts of the party, me and Ron!


I gotta learn to point my head down and quit looking through the bifocal to take these self portraits! Too much glare on the glasses!

Anyway, we had a great time and we still have a lot of left over ham. Thanks to Jim again for making the drive and coming over and for Mike for missing the hockey game to come play our reindeer games.

Best part is after dinner while Jim and Ron were Wii-ing, Phil, Mike and I played some three handed pinochle! Man, it's been forever since I played some three handed pinochle! Ok, I lost both games, but we had a blast! We even had guest appearances from Jenny and Grady! Bonus family love!

I have to throw a Benny story in here. When Mike and Jim got to the house, I had to tell them a few things that are new in our house since we have a cat. The biggest one was that if you go to sit on the couch, you really have to be careful that Benny didn't jump on the couch right where you plan on planting your butt. He seems to do that. So, guys warned, we went on with our evening. I guess I should have heeded my own warning!

Over this weekend, I stepped on Benny and Ron sat on him. For real. Either occurrence should have killed that poor kitten, but he let out a yelp each time and ran like hell. I chased him down, grabbed him and went over him with a fine tooth comb checking for broken bones or anything that seemed out of place. Both times I got kitten kisses from Benny and all seemed well in his world. Poor kitty.

A weekend of family time and Benny lived through it all. I can't ask for more than that!

PhotoPhun: Natural Framing

I have no excuse other than pure laziness this week. I just haven't made the time to get out there and take pictures this week! I am still sitting here in my jammies and I plan on staying that way today!

Since I didn't make it out this week, I went through my archives and found a few pictures for this week's challenge.

Going all the way back to 2006, I was so excited when Ron and I were at the Black River Landing and saw the Flagship Niagara From ERIE PA coming under the bridge! It was a homesick day and this was food for my soul that day.


Here is from 2009, what I thought was a nice moon shot during the day, framed over the tree? I know, I'm reaching here!


Also in 2009, here was the Goodyear Blimp, taking from right in front of my house.


Moving up to 2010, I have Larry and Linda at the Perry Monument in Erie PA.


And, the next day, found the four of us at the Garfield Monument in Cleveland OH. These stairs down to the crypt were beautiful!


Finally, from 2009, how's this for framing the rose between two thorns?? C'mon people! Work with me!


Since I was being lazy this week and brought no new pictures to the table, at least my brother Jim had my back! Here are Jim's submissions for this week's challenge, Natural Framing.

First, Jim liked how the ivy took over this bridge, framing the bridge.


Then, a sight we're all too familiar with, how the ice and snow piles frame our parking lots!


Lastly, my favorite shot. These trees made a great frame for the property! Good job, brother!


Please check out Lisa and Mark's blogs to see what kind of natural framing they found this week.

Jim was such a huge help this week, he even picked a theme for next week's PhotoPhun challenge! So, if Mark would like another week to think of a challenge, Jim's submission is: Just Desserts.

Good luck, all!

Got A Boat?

I know, are you tired of hearing yet about the flooding on Monday? Geez, this has been a crazy time here in Ohio.

I knew the Black River was flooding since WeatherBug warned me it was so. However, WeatherBug didn't warn that EVERYthing was flooding. Holy crap.

Driving to work, I came to a point where I cross a bridge. As soon as I cross, I see a school bus in the middle of the road. My first thought is WTF. Then I realize the bus is in the middle of the road trying to stay on the highest ground in running water! Yes, running water. I stayed back, let the bus get through and then I followed his lead. I went into the middle of the road to try to get through only to get to the intersection that was totally under rapidly running water. I held my breath and drove through it and thanked the heavens that I made it. It was one of those instances where I didn't know if it would have been better to turn around or better to forge ahead. I think I just got lucky this time.

Once through the intersection, I was ok until I got to work. They are working on the sewers to the north of us so I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not, but the road was totally flooded in front of my work. I pulled off the road the best I could across the street from work and waiting for Mike to get there. I couldn't tell how deep the water was, but it was moving fast. Here is what I was looking at!




It was crazy! When Mike got there, he assessed the situation and we ended up going to a business across the street to ask if I could park my car there for the day. No way my car was going to make it. They let me park in their lot, and Mike shuttled me back and forth to work. What he won't do to make sure I make it to work, huh?! That was probably more than he bargained for when he hired me! Oh well!

Here I was standing in our parking lot, looking out at the street. That's grass under that water, not a lake! And, yes, that my car with the new front bumper parked across the street!



I should have taken pictures on the side of the building as well. We were almost an island that day! What a mess.

You know, work has been trying lately. I had to work a day last week when we had no power due to the ice storm. Then, the horrendous drive into work on Friday with the snow storm. Then, Monday's floods. I really think someone is trying to tell me that I shouldn't be working for a living!

I have a Power Ball ticket for this weekend. Here's hoping!

That's Just Wrong, Page 22

A long time ago, I had an idea for a book. A book filled with things I see that are just wrong. I have been putting it slowly on this blog, one page at a time. This is page 22 of my book, That's Just Wrong.

I have seen my fair share of the goings on of the Lorain Police to make me not have a lot of respect for them. One case in point was car # 155 a couple of summers ago, driving right by my house. The driver of the car had BOTH hands on the keyboard of the computer, looking only at the computer screen, but driving up my street. For real? This is supposed to be an example of the men and women protecting this city? Heaven help us all.

We have campaigns to stop people from talking on their cell phones while driving. Some cities have gone so far to make it illegal to talk on your cell phone while driving. A great idea, as far as I'm concerned. There are campaigns to stop people from texting while driving! Holy crap, what in the hell ever happened to common sense? WHO would think this is acceptable?

Do the police feel that they are above the law? Or, since they are the select few that have laptops in plain view in their cars, it's acceptable for them to do whatever on their laptops WHILE they're driving? Is this right? I used to know a guy who thought it was perfectly ok for him to drive drunk since he did it so often, he knew what he was doing. Really?

All this to come to my point today. I found out that the Elyria Police are NO better than the Lorain Police.

Last night, I was driving home from work. I was going north on West Avenue at about 5:15 and I was stopped at the light at 11th Street. Guess who ran the red light heading south? An Elyria Police cruiser. What was he doing that he didn't see the red light? He was looking at his computer screen. Hey buddy, you know who you are. That was me shaking my head at you as you finally looked up after you ran that red light.

There was no lights and sirens. No emergency that he was on his way to. It was him, driving like an idiot. For someone that NEEDS to be above the law, running a red light. That's Just Wrong.

People of Walmart

There are websites and jokes devoted to nothing but the quality of people that shop at Walmart. I sometimes shop at Walmart, so I'm in no way saying that I am any better than most of them! But c'mon, people! You make it TOO easy to make fun of you!

Ron and I were at the new Walmart over on Leavitt Road on Saturday. While I might not have found Kermit the Frog, I did find an idiot that doesn't know how to park! That's usually not too hard to do in any parking lot, but this one took the cake.

Notice anything about that red car? Like maybe it's sticking out a bit into the lane of traffic?


Hmm. I wonder why!


Could it be because that's NOT a freakin' parking spot???


Damn shopping cart corrals take up ALL the good spots!


I'm kicking myself for not taking an extra couple of steps and walking to the back of the car to get a license plate number, but I figured better safe than sorry. I do live in Lorain after all and to be honest, I was kinda afraid of getting shot!

So, shame on you anyway. Learn to park or get OFF the road.

Gotta love those people of Walmart!

PhotoPhun: It's Not Easy Being Green, Part 2!

My brother Mike also took pictures for this week's PhotoPhun challenge! I love that my family likes to play my reindeer games!

Here are Mike's submissions for this week. The daffodils, the hyacinths and maybe some crocuses. Spring was definitely trying to break through at Mike's house before the snow storm!





Spring has gotta come for real one of these days. This is proof that it's trying.