Leighton Abbey

I'm not sure how long ago I heard about the PBS Series Downton Abbey. Could it have been last summer? Before then? I don't know. From last June until a minute ago, life has gone by so fast and furious I'm never sure what day it is. Or month. Truly. I do remember friends discussing this series and how they couldn't wait for it to begin. I remember I thought I should DVR it. Then along came Little Leighton. (Or she'd been here? As I said, who the heck knows, exactly.) Something happened to cause me to lose this series from my radar. I forgot to set the DVR. Sigh.

I would hear it mentioned, from time to time, in the past several months, on television shows like Extra or ET. Think I saw it nominated for some awards. Not sure if it (or the actors in it) won anything. Just know I would hear how much everyone was loving it.

When TLC couldn't figure out what to get me for Christmas (she is usually beyond clever, giving me the most unique/useful/fun/butnotexpensive gifts), I suggested she think about the first two seasons of Downton Abbey. I'd seen the boxed set at Target. Or Wally World. Again, I'm not my normally clear, sharp self.

TLC: What is Downtown Abbey?
ELC: It's Downton. Not Downtown. It was on PBS. Something about an English family. And their servants. In an earlier time in history. I don't know. But I want it.
TLC: Okay. But if I do get it, don't even expect me to watch it with you. That sounds B-O-R-I-N-G.

This past Tuesday, one of my nieces came to have lunch with me, TLC and Little Leighton. At my casa. We got to talking about what we were currently watching on the telly (Yes. My Royal English blood is taking over my American-ness. I never really know when that's going to happen. Kind of like The Incredible Hulk.), when she asked if we watched Downton Abbey.

ELC: Not yet. I have the first two seasons and I'm waiting for the energy to begin the process.
MSN (My Sweet Niece): You have to start it soon! You are going to ADORE it.

Since she is also obsessed with Dateline murder mysteries, like her Auntie ELC, I figured we must have similar entertainment tastes.

That night, after Little Leighton was put to bed and we urged My Sweet Hubby (MSH) to go watch his Weird Man Shows in our bedroom, TLC and I began our OBSESSION with Downton Abbey. OMGEE. We've finished the first season and are three shows into the second season. We've stayed up until 11:30 both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. We're sleepy. Kind of grumpy. And about to start watching in an hour-ish. I've vowed, however, we are NOT staying up past 10:00. This experience is reminiscent to me of the summer MSH and I watched six seasons of 24. In about a week. It took us six months to recover from that decision. Physically and emotionally.

Seriously, if you haven't heard about this series, or you've heard about it but thought you probably wouldn't like it, get thee to the nearest Target and buy the boxed set. It's like a soap opera! In the early 1900s. Who doesn't love classy soaps? The third season has currently started. We've missed the beginning. What a shock. Sheesh. Maybe we'll find that PBS is going to repeat it? So we don't have to wait for the next boxed set? Picture us crossing our fingers, Sweet Friends...

cheerio...for now...

Au-Pa

Y'all know how I feel about My Sweet Dad. Well, yesterday was an incredibly special and exciting day for my family. After 45 years in banking, Dad retired! (Though he's actually been working for 56 years -- starting with a paper route. He's also bagged groceries, been a soda jerk, worked at a small department store and filling station, had another paper route and checked cement -- among other jobs.)

After obtaining his business degree (in the midst of raising three boys -- the fourth son and then eventually his favourite daughter to come a bit later), and checking said cement for the highway department, he began working at a community bank in my hometown. He then left that bank to start another -- the one he said "au revoir" and "happy trails" to yesterday. We feted him last night with a yummy dinner and a toast to the past -- today -- and the possibilities for tomorrow. Then we spent the evening thinking of new "hobby" options. Grammy ELC decided he would make a fabulous "Au-Pa" for Little Leighton. Like an au pair -- Pa-Dad style!

Dad -- I am so proud of and for you. You've left quite a legacy. Your shoes can never be filled. You are the hardest working person I know. Your perseverance, dedication, success and the drive to never stop learning amazes and inspires me every single day. ILU. Congratulations!

Les Plaques Blanches

For Christmas, I received a gift card from ELC to one of my most favourite stores: Anthropologie. It had been sitting on my dresser in my closet, and I was itching to use it. I frequently browsed online but knew a trip to the ol' brick and mortar was in order.

On Wednesday, ELC graciously offered to watch Little Leighton while I treated myself to some much needed retail therapy. It was on my 5th-ish trip around Anthropologie (I wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything) that I discovered just what I wanted to spend part of my gift card on: one white "Grace" dinner plate and one white "Grace" salad plate.

You see, I have three floating shelves on a wall in my kitchen. They came with the house when we bought it. Though I've loved the "idea" of them, I've never been completely satisfied with my arrangement of random tchotchkes. During Christmas, I had placed a metal "Noel" sign I purchased in Canton several years ago on the bottom shelf. I decided then I liked the size of that sign and knew when I packed away the Christmas decor (which always makes me so melancholy) I wanted to replace it with something similar (and obviously less Christmas-y). Then it hit me. I had a white platter (also purchased in Canton) sitting in my buffet table that would fit the bill! I immediately grabbed it and instantly fell in love. It was then I realized I wanted to fill all three shelves with white platters of varying size and shape. I had two others I knew I could use but I still needed two more to fill in the gaps. Enter the Anthro plates! (Of course I didn't think to take a "before" until after I was finished. The two Grace plates are on the middle shelf, the first and second one.)

I'm pleased as punch at how it's all come together. Thank you, ELC, for the gift card and the inspiration!

A Yeehaw for Y'all!

So this Yeehaw will only work for those of you who have access to a Kroger’s store. And I can’t be sure, of course, that all Kroger’s stores have these little gems. This Yeehaw might frustrate those of you who live in England or France or Spain. Etc. For that, I will apologize. But if you have a Kroger’s you can get to—SOON—and you like cinnamon rolls, here is one of my most favourite Yeehaws ever:

As if we could ever just eat one! 

These heavenly little bites of cinn (Ha! Sin!) have 60 calories per roll. There are sixteen rolls per package. For a typical breakfast, TLC and I have four each. So a package lasts us two days—when we’re together. Once we open the package, there’s no waiting around to finish them off in a few days. Believe me—if we could—we’d each eat eight in one sitting.

We lovingly put our four little rolls in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Any longer than that and the cinnamon and sugar and icing melt too much. We want them to be warm and gooey. This amount of time seems to be perfect for that goal.

Yesterday afternoon, while at TLC’s casa, I picked up two packages. One for her. One for me to bring home.  I’m not going to lie: This morning I had five of these divinely FABULOUS cinnis. That messes everything up. Since tomorrow is T.G.I.F., I’ll celebrate and have six. Yes. Yes, I will. And NO ONE will be able to talk me out of it. Saturday I’ll have the remaining five.

Oh, no. Now I'm thinkin' about breakfast in the morning. This is probably not good, you know, for my mental health. Seems like it could be considered an obsession. Dr. Dukan would be extremely disappointed in me. He’ll have to get over it. To paraphrase a Barbara Mandrell (I loved her immensely) song from years and years ago: If loving these cinnis is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

I’m feeling very sorry for those of you who can’t try these. You are missing out on the most cinnamon-y, delicious, EXQUISITE little rolls on Earth. Better book your flight to Texas—SOON.

smooches...