My PSA

Oprah. She irks me. A lot. Even when she is right.

That lady bothers me. I think she has over stepped her talk show boundaries a million times over. Everything from her "ta-da" voice to campaign hopping for Obama has just rubbed me the wrong way.

So it almost pains me to say this but I think she is on to something with her latest save-the-world endeavor.


Of course if I were in charge, my PSA would be more like this


I digress. Point is that I think texting while driving is EXTREMELY dangerous. I'm constantly yelling at people who I see texting while behind the wheel. (And people who don't use their turn signal. Another issue in itself...)

These are people driving 60+ miles an hour on the interstates that I travel to work. Their automobiles are in motion and their focus is somewhere else. Their head is pointed downward, eyes not on the road.

I admit that I talk on the phone in the car all. the. time. But you will never find me texting when I'm driving. I may change the radio station or adjust my mirrors. I might even apply chapstick but I never text. Never.

My teen puts his phone in the glove box when he drives. It was a rule we implemented when he started driving two years ago. For his safety and for our peace of mind. It's distracting for a seasoned driver like myself so it's ten times worse for a young driver like him and we didn't want him to be tempted.

I know people that have been in accidents because of texting. Because that joke, that picture, that "hey what's up?" was more important than their safety and those around them.

A National Safety Council study revealed 28 percent of car accidents are caused by people who sent text messages while driving.

The NHTSA states that drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a crash resulting in injuries. In fact, a driver on a phone exhibits slower reaction times and greater impairment than a driver who has a blood alcohol level of .08 percent.

Approximately 200,000 accidents are caused by text messaging drivers. Every year, these accidents kill more than 2,500 people.

It's not worth it people. It's just not.

Sign the evil one's Oprah's No Phone Zone Pledge and keep the roads safer for us all.

Table Topics Tuesday: All Inked Up

if you were to get a tattoo right now, what would it be?

I'm wussing out and saying NONE.

Not because I don't like them. I do. There are 5 tattoos that adorn my body:

1) An ankh on my boob that I got at the tender age of 18
2) My husbands name on my left thigh
3) Our oriental birth sign on my right calf; the hubs & I have the same one in the same place
4) A tribal dragon on the left shoulder
4.5) Then a cover up for the dragon
5) My last one is a death bat with the words "Seize the day" under it.*



BUT I learned my lesson on #4. It was a spur of the moment trip to the tattoo parlor when a ski trip was cancelled where I picked out something without any thought.

I ended up having it inked over because I hated it so much.

Originally it was a crappy tribal dragon. The 2nd tattooist changed it so there are now two dragons and the oriental sign for Luck in between them. I'm into symbolism. It's really hard to see in this picture but the dragon eyes are green. Like mine.



So I will never get another tattoo without putting a lot of thought into it. Right now I have no plans to get another one. Again, it's not because I don't like them. It's just that I need to find something that speaks to me. Something that I want.

Because let's face it - they are permanently skin deep.

Now it's your turn:
if you were to get a tattoo right now, what would it be?

*The "death bat" is the logo for Avenged Sevenfold & "Seize the Day" is one of their best songs.

Just wondering...

*How much of Heidi is real and how much is plastic? Definitely a 20/80 split...and I'll let you decide which is 80%.



*Why it is so hard for people to use their turn signals? It doesn't hurt. I promise.

*Who thought "untrimmed chest" would make good lyrics in Trains "Hey Soul Sister"? Unless the song is about Chewbacca. But I don't think it is...



*Why the city is working on a major landscaping project...when budget woes are forcing them to close schools and raise the meal tax? Besides the fact that they could not afford to maintain parks & other public areas last year, bushes should be the LAST thing they spend money on.

*Signs in the same city say "DUI Illegal - City Wide". Are there cities that allow it some areas but not others? I think I'll skip a visit to those towns.

*Why are the teen & his gf holding a gnome during Prom pictures?**







**Because the photographer made them. And when I say "photographer" I mean ME.

Lucky #13

All of these are symbols of luck.



But I don't need luck when I have you...


Happy Anniversary S!




LUCKY #13!

Table Topics Tuesday: Shopping with abandon

if you could win unlimited shopping from one store, which one would it be?

Unlimited. The magic word. Clothes, shoes, accessories - oh my! Or wait should I buy things for the house? New furniture, new bedding and such.

I could pick Target and get both. Aisles and aisles of stuff. Unlimited stuff. It would be what dreams are made of.

But...

It is the beginning of our outdoor season and I have a new deck to accessorize. Lounge chairs, planters, maybe a deck box and a new grill. A few hanging baskets and outdoor lighting to prettify it all up.

Maybe a small garden. Or a big one. New kitchen cabinets or hardwood throughout. A spa tub or custom shower with multiple sprays. Paint, hardware, granite - all shiny & new.

Lowes it is! They can deliver my dream house and outdoor bliss. I can already picture it. My own personal paradise.

Now it's your turn:
if you could win unlimited shopping from one store, which one would it be?

A delicious ending

Yesterday I bought some strawberries at the grocery store without a clue what to do with them. A total spur-of-the-moment-purchase that I typically try to stay away from but they were on sale so it makes it okay right?!

After bringing them home I searched the web for a recipe using items that I had on hand. I found a million recipes calling for stuff I didn't have like graham cracker crusts or powdered sugar.

Since I'm a frugalnista I wasn't having any of that. No sir. I was determined to use what I had in my pantry.

Finally, I found this Simple Pound Cake recipe that begins with a yellow cake mix. Eureka! Strawberry shortcake it was...



Normally there are only three parts to a shortcake - the cake, the fruit and whipped cream - but my beloved doesn't like whipped cream.* So I threw together a sweetened cream cheese mixture so that he would have a little something to go with his strawberries.

I whipped up a package of cream cheese, a little sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla and a splash of milk.** It was downright heavenly. There was plenty of sweetness from the cake and whipped cream and just a little hint of tartness from the cream cheese layer.

A delicious ending. Otherwise known as dessert. Enjoy!

*Yes, I think it's shameful too. But it leaves more for me.

**The cream cheese mixture would be perfect just for dipping. Or if you like things a little sweeter, like I do, then mix equal parts cream cheese & marshmallow cream. It's the best tasting fruit dip I've ever made in less than a minute.

Spring Break - A picture post

New York





Vermont



Concord



Easter Picnic/Egg Hunt

Table Topics Tuesday: Your last meal

if you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

In a word - pasta. Any shape, any flavor, any kind. With marinara, meat sauce, fresh tomatoes and basil, Alfredo sauce, garlic and butter.



YUM!

I'm a carb lover so my pasta meal would include fresh-out-of-the-oven Italian bread with a crisp crust and fluffy center, drowning in butter.

To round out my carb laden meal I would have a nice garden salad with ranch or balsamic dressing. That way I won't feel so guilty about indulging.



Especially when dessert is served - chocolate molten lava cake.

Mmmmmmmm...my mouth is watering!

Now it's your turn: if you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...right?

If that statement is true then ya'll must ADORE me! :D

I won't bore you with all the details (at least not til I've uploaded all my pics!) but we have been highway bound for the last week.

First a trip to Albany NY to visit friends and see some of the great places that upstate New York has to offer. Or should I say what great EATS they have to offer since I sampled my way through the city. From Pasta Fagioli to chocolate cream puffs, to Polish coffee cake (Placek) and the perfect soft serve I had it all.

Let's just say I imagine heaven to be like Bella Napoli's - the Italian bakery we went to. Breads & desserts oh my!

Thursday we had to return home so that we could go to the teen's college on Friday in order to register him for classes. "On the road again..."

Then we returned to his future college on Saturday for a special invite only scholarship reception.

When we got home that night I was b-e-a-t. I mean totally exhausted.

But you know what they say...no rest for the weary...

Guess that's why we had a belated Easter picnic/egg hunt yesterday. Three hours in the park with the little ones would wear anyone out but then like complete fools we worked in the yard after that.

Phew!

Needless to say I've got a lot of catching up to do - with blogs, with work, at home, etc, etc, etc. and no energy at all to do any of it.