Y/Y Palooza #3

Around these here parts it’s FRIDAY. Woo Hoo! Just because My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I are retired, it doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate this very-treasured Day of the Week. A combined ninety(90) years of JOY that it was Friday! (Yes—I’m including the fact that both of us started “working” at age 12. Which means MSH worked for 57 years before he retired, finally, last year. I’m also allowing for the years I took off to be a stay-at-home Mom for TLC, but including my graduate school years. Which means 33 years for moi.)

My Yeehaw for Y’all this Fabulous Friday is a TV show! (You knew it wasn’t going to be a recipe.)
Playing House. On the USA Network. This is probably and mostly going to be a “chick” kind of TV show. Although I honestly believe if I asked MSH to watch it, he’d find it funny, too.

The premise is Emma (played by Jessica St. Clair) moving in with Maggie (played by Lennon Parham) when Maggie is eight months pregnant with her first child. Maggie’s husband has had an online affair and they’re divorcing. Even though he is VERY sorry and actually doesn’t quite understand why they have to call it quits.

From the show’s website:

“Now on her own, without the security and comfort of their once-happy marriage, Maggie must learn to fight for herself. It helps that the brassy and bold Emma is around to push her and advocate for her, as well as bring out the fun-loving and mischievous side to Maggie that has been dormant for years. As she faces the aftermath of these recent events and moves forward, building her nest and her new family, Maggie embraces past misfortunes and mistakes and comes to understand that these things make her who she is, and that her life can still be the adventure that she wants it to be.”

I’ve seen seven shows (Without the commercials, they’re about 22 minutes in length, don’tchaknow…). I have LAUGHED OUT LOUD watching every single one of them. TLC and Little Leighton (LL) will be here this afternoon, for a couple of days, to honor MSH/Dad/Pa-Pa for Father’s Day on Sunday. I cannot wait to re-watch these shows with TLC.

These two main characters previously had a show on NBC called Best Friends Forever. I loved that one and was heartbroken when it was cancelled. Trust me: This show is even better. Wittier. Cleverer (?).  Comical. Sweet. Touching. Delightful. Not-your-same-ole-same-ole sitcom.

I'm fairly confident you’ll recognize both of these talented ladies. I wasn’t familiar with all of the cast members (you will know many of the guest actors), but I’ve come to adore each and every one for the charm and depth they give to this adorable show.

Hope y’all have a Wonderful Weekend—Wherever in the World you are…

smooches and ta-ta for now…

Y/Y Palooza #2

It's time for TWO yummy YUMMIES!

These "recipes" (I use that term very loosely!) have become two of my go-to summer staples this year, thus far.

First up: my Roasted Squash and Zucchini with Sweet Onions. My Sweet Husband and I decided to try our hand at "organic gardening" this year. Our zucchini is already out of control. You should see the leaves and ginormous flowers. For this dish, I use one large zucchini, two medium yellow squash and half of a sweet yellow onion. I line my baking sheet with foil (I avoid washing dishes at all costs!) and lightly spray it with Pam. Then, I "julienne" my onion and lay the slices on the sheet. On top of those, I add the sliced zucchini and squash. (I cut them on a slight bias. I think it looks prettier!) I drizzle EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. I lightly toss this all together to evenly coat the veggies, but I try to keep the onions on the bottom. I roast these at 425 degrees for about twenty-ish minutes. DELISH. Go, moi! They are even scrumptious the next day. Do y'all remember the Squash Casserole at Black-Eyed Pea restaurants? This dish tastes JUST like it, but I'm certain it's healthier. I think it must be the sweet onions!

Next up: TLC's Tangy Salad Dressing. I love vinegar-y (is that a word?) dressings. The tangier (again, a word?), the better! I like to make my own most of the time, and this has become my favourite for arugula or spinach salads (just add the fixin's -- bell peppers, cucumbers, feta cheese, etc. -- of your choice and toss it all together). I don't measure anything, so this is a very rough guess. (I use a Mason Jar to "house, store and shake up" my dressings!) I add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper (each), 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard (Grey Poupon is my preference), 3ish tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1.5ish tablespoons of EVOO to the Mason Jar and shake vigorously! I typically like to chill it a bit in the fridge. I think that gives the dressing a little extra time for the flavors to meld together. YUM, I tell you.

Voila! These are simple, quick, and well, YUMMY! (If I do say so myself.)

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Y/Y Palooza #1

The first of our June Yummies and Yeehaws will be an ELC Yeehaw.

This year, My Sweet Husband (MSH) and I will celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. We've been together over 37 years. Like many couples that have lived together for a significant amount of time, we have our own cleaning/housework/cooking/yardwork routines. Ours can be summed up fairly quickly:

ELC does all of the laundry, 75% of the housework (MSH helps me vacuum and do all of our floors, along with "special projects" like cleaning all the fans--since we have high ceilings), 60% of the errands (grocery store, Cleaners, Post Office (since MSH retired about eighteen months ago he does help alot with these trips/chores/necessities), bill paying/correspondence/family and friend birthday acknowledgements/gifts/etc.

 
MSH does 97.5% of the yardwork (I do help plant and water flowers occasionally!), 98.9% of the cooking, and 96.5% of the window cleaning.

 
We have alot of windows. We live on 34 acres on top of a fairly steep hill. We can see for thirty miles. We wanted MANY windows. In fact, we don't have enough glass!!! It's one of several mistakes we made when building our home. MSH has tried so many cleaning products for glass/windows in the past fourteen years, it's a teensy bit comical. Not. 

Last Sunday, I helped him clean every window in our home, garage, and storeroom. It took us four hours. We decided not to do our Barn Apartment. We were completely worn out--for Two Old Geezers.

Here is the BEST window cleaning product MSH has ever found. He buys it by the case at Costco and/or Sam's. You might have to do some research to track it down wherever you live. It'll be worth it. IT ROCKS.

Hope Y'all are having a WONDERFUL weekend wherever in the World you are!

yummy/yeehawpalooza!

We understand we’ve said many, many, MANY times, in the past two or so years, that we were going to be better about posting TLC’s Yummies and My Yeehaws. Apparently we tell little fibs. Or outright lies. We’re honestly not sinister peeps. We’re pretty nice gals and fairly dependable. Good to our word. We’re also, often, however, confused. We seem to grossly underestimate the amount of time we have each day. Week. Month. We've gotten great at saying to one another: "Let's do that later, 'k?"

We periodically realize we’ve not kept our promises to tell y’all about the fun things we’ve discovered (or re-discovered). Healthy and/or delicious foods/recipes. Beauty Products (And, yes, we mean our latest mascara find!). Books. Television shows. (Unfortunately, we’re currently not able to discuss movies—those that are shown at actual movie theatres. Because neither of us has been to a movie in months. In fact, ELC has been to exactly one movie in two years. TLC has been to at least one. Could be TWO! We’re looking forward to the day we can go to a movie together! It'll be GRAND. Diet Cokes, popcorn and Raisinettes. Heaven. Sheer Heaven. We expect that shocking occasion to occur in approximately 2016. If we’re lucky.) Home products. Tips we’ve learned. Etc. Etc. Etc.

We intend to do a minimum of FIVE Yummies and FIVE Yeehaws during this lovely month of June! Woo Hoo. And then we promise to do this every three months. Ish.

That’s our goal...Standby, Friends…(but maybe don't hold your breath...)