An Oldie but a Goodie

I am working at my desk today, and decided I needed some new tunes to listen to while I scan and list stuff in my store. 

So a visit to the  iTunes store was in order.  And I found one I had forgotten about, but is really my favorite Elton John album: Tumbleweed Connection.  Evidently Elton was in a bit of a cowboy mood for this one, and I really love the songs.  Plus it reminds me of college, where Tony L. introduced me to this album (among other things, right Tone?)  None of your beeswax what those other things were...

Best thing about this album?  It DOESN'T include the two worst EJ songs in the world.  Which are "Benny and the Jets" and "The Bitch is Back".

Sample Knitting

I've been doing sample knitting for several designers.  I just got the pattern book showing one of my sample sweaters.  It's fun to see my work modeled and professionally photographed!

The pattern book is Simplicity Volume No. 2 from Skacel, which our wonderful LYS Paradise Fibers just happens to have in stock.  Maybe I need to go hang out in their patterns aisle and offer to autograph the booklet :0

Back on the Program

Katie and I returned to Weight Watchers last night.  We are both sick of being fat.  And know this program works (if you actually follow it, that's the "tricky part").  So our house will be good food HQ, with no cookies, booze, candy etc for the duration.

You CAN have all of these things on WW, just in moderation.  But I'm not really known for moderation so banishment seems better for me. 

Wish us luck!  And thanks for being my WW Buddy, Katie!

The Perfect Potato Salad

People are passionate about potato salad.  Or is it just me?  I firmly believe there is only ONE perfect potato salad recipe.  And it's not the one in this picture.  It's our mom's potato salad.

NO FANCY STUFF.  Do not add anything weird (especially do NOT put Miracle Whip or pickles of any kind in the PPS).  No celery, or other crunchy stuff.  No paprika or spices other than the 'trinity' (salt, pepper and garlic powder). All you need is:

hard boiled eggs
potatoes (I always use good ole russets), simmered until they are softened, but still firm
green onions
Best Food Mayo (I normally hate mayo in any form, it makes me gag to think about it.  But it's necessary in potato salad.  Must be Best Foods tho)
Salt, pepper and garlic powder.

dice the eggs and potatoes.  Throw them in a salad bowl with the green onions, which have been cut up into small pieces.  Add enough mayo to hold it all together, but not enough to make it a disgusting mayo-y goop.  Add more salt, pepper and garlic powder than you think it will need.  Stir it up.  Taste and add more S,P, or GP if needed. 

The perfect 4th of July dish.  My friend Lorraine was deathly ill a few years ago, and all she wanted (this was basically her dying wish, though lucky for us all she did recover) was a bowl of my potato salad.  I think the PS was what cured her.

Lucky Pup!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  I won "Great Balls of Wire" from Real Simple magazine :-)

Great Balls of Wire is a novel idea to organize your excess cables found around the house such as computer or TV cords. The tennis ball sized device can swallow up to 5 feet of cable and gives a simple and attractive solution to the usual mess of cables associated with modern life.

So now I'm lucky and organized.  Of course, this completely puts the kibosh on my winning anything in the Albertson's Summer Giveaway..

Fun at Camp

Just a quick report that I had a great time at Camp!  Why didn't I go before this?  The weather was grand, although there is NO way I'm getting more than my feet in any lake around here before August.  I enjoyed my stint as kitchen help, despite acquiring a big blister on day 1 as a result of picking up a super hot bowl from the dishwasher area (my main job was putting away dishes after washing/sterilizing.  Perfect, no brains involved and no cooking either).  The kitchen crew was an excellent team and I enjoyed working with the gang and actually did talk to strangers :-)

Katie and I had our own cabin with a bathroom, so that was definitely luxury living.  I got some knitting done, a little reading (note to self: do NOT bring your 37 pound "Autobiography of Mark Twain" on a camping excursion) and just relaxing. 

Off To Camp!

The girls are forcing me to interact with other human beings this weekend :-)  I'm heading out to Camp "Crotch" for the 4th of July Family Camp weekend.  Weather promises to be spectacular, and Lulu has already talked my ear off about all the fun stuff she is going to show me when we get there lol.

I'm a little nervous, bc I have this whole social anxiety thing going on, but I know P & K will take care of me and not make me talk to strangers (right girls?)  I have my knitting project all packed and Lucy and I are getting our grips packed.  Should be fun!