I've gotten a few emails asking where my blogs are. It's seems the last month has been either really busy or really lazy for me. After the weekend in SF for my birthday I got back to reality and tried to get back to work without really being in the mood for it. I was able to talk to my boss and get my schedule back to Folsom more than Arden. I'll now being working 3 days in Folsom and 2 in Arden. Now it means I'll be in the loop more now, but now I'll have to pack my lunch, as I won't be able to run home as much. But I think that is a good compromise.
In terms of fun, I got to take Jasmine (along with Fonda and Lisa) to her first ever concert at Shoreline. It was the Bridgeschool Benefit concert that Neil Young has been putting on for 20 something years. It felt like it's been that long since Lisa and I went and saw and met Pearl Jam there and getting a neck massage and falling asleep to James Taylor (that long fun weekend is still in the memory bank).
This year there were no cute young boys to give me a neck massage, only weird old people wearing strange hats for Jimmy Buffet and lots of pot smokers. The lineup looked interesting but quickly grew boring after too much time was given to a unknown band Monsters of Folk. Gavin Rosedale opened the concert with 4 songs while this crap band played on for almost an hour. Finally around 10pm (mind you we got there at 5) the good bands come on, but seemed to have a quick set compared to the unknowns (Fleet Foxes, Wolfmother and Monsters of Folk). Jimmy Buffet got the crazy drunk dancers going. While Chris Martin added some much needed humor to the show. Sheryl Crow was good and convinced me that she can sing live. Then No Doubt finally come on around 10:45. Gwen looked great once she turned to face the crowd more than half way through their opening song. It was weird to see them as an acoustic set, but of course it's No Doubt so they did great. And then it was over as soon as they started. We made a mad dash for the exit, missing the closing Neil Young act. This worked to our advantage as we parked facing an exit gate that we just drove right out without hitting any traffic. I think we left the stadium and were on the freeway in less than 10 minutes.
Overall it was a great first concert for Jasmine as the crowd was mellow (mostly from smoking pot all night), she got to see a lot of good bands/singers and we had NO traffic coming or going home. The next day I mostly slept away after getting home at 2am and having Fonda and Jasmine stay the night and leave early morning. Missing out on my homemade pancakes that I was dreaming about thanks to the second hand high I got at the concert.
Jasmine enjoying her first concert
The weekend before that was Making Strides walk at the Capitol. My mom spent the night to avoid the early drive down and Shelly met us at my house to carpool to the Capitol. We arrived just in time for the walk to start and actually met up with our company at the front steps. I've never seen so many people at this walk. I'm not sure if it's just because more people are aware and want to support or if more people are just being affected by the disease. Either way it was great to see so much support. The weather was perfect, cool to start with and warm by the end. We decided to have breakfast afterwards at Crepeville since we were parked a block away. We earned it after getting up at 7am and walking 3 miles. After returning home and a quick stop to set up my new phone at TMobile (finally upgraded to a mytouch and LOVE it) it turned into the lazy Sundays I've come to love. A quick sweep of doghair around the house, lunch and than a nap. Then wake up to watch all the night shows I love (Amazing Race and Dexter) and then off to bed to start the week over.
Then there was this last week and weekend. I love Halloween, Fonda and I usually get to dress up in some fun outfits, take Jasmine out for begging for candy and then eating most of it ourselves. This year though was low key. Our work had our annual Chili cookoff contest on Wed (usually it's on Halloween or Friday but the organizer had a deadline and had to move it to Wed). I look forward to chili cookoff as you get to taste a lot of different but good chili, mingle with co-workers and just take in the festivities. This year I came prepared. Tony brought little drink size cups for us to put many different tasters of chili instead of mixing them all in one big bowl. I brought the spoons. Luckily I got to taste the winning chili this year, as I got a sneak preview when I went in for my breakfast that morning and knew what was good. My top 3 favorites were Monica (even though it made me sweat and nose run), Jenny (a healthier but great smelling version) and Jessica's (the winner). I actually liked Jenny's so much I got the recipe from her and will be making it this week (bought all the ingredients so look for that blog later this week).
Friday was the costume part at work which for the first time in four years I did not participate. Jasmine got invited to hang out with some friends instead of being embarrassed as always by myself and my sister. So I didn't see the need in getting a costume this year. I did have the great idea of being Octomom by borrowing a long black hair wig from my mom, getting some wax lips and eight baby dolls from the dollar store, but just didn't put in the effort to do so. Instead I locked down the house, turned off the outside lights and watched a movie with the dogs, ignoring the few doorbell rings I did get (I could hear they were older kids so not worth passing out candy and in my neighborhood not a good idea to open the door at night to strangers).
Sunday afternoon I made it up to Apple Hill with Shelly and Bella. We got to a late start but made it up to High Hill just in time for lunch and the crowds. It was packed! I haven't been to Apple Hill in a long time and never seen it that crowded. We had hot dogs for lunch, which Bella tried to partake of. Then I went and stood in line for my yummy caramellows for about 20 minutes because it had to be the same line as caramel apples. Got a couple apple fritters and then we went on a search of apple cheesecake for my friend Tony. Every year when he and his family go to apple hill he is nice enough to get me a caramellow, so I thought I would return the favor by finding his favorite cheesecake, but with apple . I remember one year getting a apple cheesecake but couldn't remember the farm. So we drove around hoping something would look familiar. I stopped at one place I thought looked like it but instead got distracted by the winery next door and ending doing a wine tasting and purchasing some yummy sparkling almond champagne (for new years eve). I was smart enough to ask them at the winery if they place next door had the cheesecake and was told no, but Rainbow acres did. We drove there and they had apple cheesecake tart. Not the same thing but close enough. We stopped by my mom's house on the way home and then got back just in time for my shows.
Bella goes in for a bite
So that is where I've been and what I've been doing for the past month. Hopefully I'll start cooking more and add more photos next time. I'm sure with the holidays coming up I'll have lots more to share with you all.
Last week at our company's annual Chili cook-off I got pre-taste of one contestants chili as I went in for my morning oatmeal. Already by 9am the smell of spices and meat were thick in the air and I could smell it from my cube around the corner. Most of the chili's are red and thick with sauce and meat, but my friend Jenny's was more clear and full of ground turkey. The smell of cinnamon and cumin struck me first and then I couldn't wait to try it. A healthy chili, yes it's true and yes it's very good. At the cook-off I filled my dish up with her chili along with samples of others. Jenny ended up winning most colorful, but I think it should have won most unique and tasty category. I asked her immediately for the recipe and even took leftovers home with me and had them for dinner the next night.
Recipe:
