Thursday Thoughts - He’s the king of them all, y’all

1. Happy 14th birthday to the king of them all. I never thought this dog was making it to today but he does what he wants as he has since the day we got him in October 2005.

2. I always see the best skies in Target parking lots.

3. Nothing else was the best though. I felt like I was wandering around aimlessly last night because they're remodeling and I couldn't find anything. Cute new book section though.

4. Let this be known as the week I ran out of everything. $$$ I had to replace my eye cream (using Banana Bright by Ole Henriksen), dry shampoo (Living Proof is the GOAT), and deodorant (trying Native). I also bought Gus a new bed for the shore and took Lola Jean a book last night when I stopped by to see her and Baby Stephen and have pizza with them.

 5. I had no lunch for today or dinner for tonight so yesterday I whipped up one of Missy's favorite go to meals - I saw her comment on Lindsay's blog post on a healthy and easy weeknight meal and it sounded good so it was off to the races. I didn't have everything, so I browned ground beef with some Penzey's shallots, drained it, topped it with a bag of frozen riced cauliflower and a jar of salsa, added salt and Forward by Penzey's, chopped up half a jar of banana peppers and threw them in, and let it ride for a while. Then I topped with pepperjack cheese and broiled it.

6. I worked from home yesterday and I'm working from home tomorrow. Bruce is pleased. He likes to look over my shoulder or sit at my feet while I work.

7. I love when the Comcast building looks like part of the sky.

8. I've got no commentary on the state of the world in this post. I'm on vacation next week, leaving for the shore tonight with nothing packed, we have a lot of things going on personally and at work, and I barely got this together. I left my house this morning with no face moisturizer, eye cream,  or mascara...that’s three out of five things in my morning leave the house routine. Toner and under eye concealer made the cut. Not like I didn’t have time either, I did. My brain needs a break. Fuckitville, population: me.

9. Reminder:

10. Ecards.

What appears after the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts is a song lyric to whatever I'm listening to when I start to write the post. This week is Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley

Stop hitting me in the ass with your cart - we all need the lights, Sharon.

It's poor form to begin a blog post about one subject with a tangent about another, but my form has never been good. I love the memes using women's names, usually featuring pets. Don't you? They crack me the fuck up. If you ever see one and it's funny, tag me. Do not tag me in not funny shit. 

Anyway.

As I mentioned yesterday, I went to Target on Sunday at 2:30 pm. I was cruising along through most of the underpopulated portions of the store, humming to myself. I saw Christmas lights straight ahead so I made my way into that aisle. 

Annnd stop. 

Carts on both sides gumming up the works while their women drivers were very busy locking hungry eyes with items on shelves like they were Johnny Castle in his cabana after pulling off the dance at the Sheldrake Hotel with Baby. No problem ladies, carry on in your sensual eye dance with prospective mantel decor. I will go around. 

I did a cart K-turn which I hate even more than an automobile K-turn and headed down the next aisle over. I parked a discreet distance away, hoping I'd be in and out of the light section in a flash and thinking it would be easier without my cart. 

Surprise! There are now 203948203482384 varieties of white lights. I took a minute to look over my options, and in that minute, four different women hit me with their carts. I'm bad at math, but that's like someone hitting me every 20 seconds. No,15. Whatever, the point is what is it about the holidays that makes people lose all control in stores? It's like zombies focused on one thing. Everything and everyone else is just in the way.

Sharons, we all need the lights and we're all going to get the goddamn lights and we don't need to run each other over in the process. Chill. And buy yourself a box of brownie mix on the way out because damnit you deserve it.

Opt Outside + deals before Black Friday

Hello mon frers. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. I will be rolling my overstuffed self all over this beach town today as I Opt Outside on Black Friday and get some of the butter and gravy moving through the system.

I've never been a Black Friday shopper. I hate crowds and I prefer to have 80% of my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving, but I do like to take advantage of deals online on things for me and MFD (I buy both of our Christmas gifts) or the house. You can get great deals on the internets too. And on Wednesday, which means there's no need for Thursday or Friday shopping in my life. Here are some things I picked up this year, and as always no affiliate links:

Sephora had 50% off certain items Wednesday
Urban Decay Vice Lipstick $8.50, regularly $17 (in F-Bomb and TMI)
Living Proof Dry Shampoo Duo $22, regularly $34 (thanks Emily for the heads up)

Target had a Black Friday sneak peak for redcard holders Wednesday so I got the shore house some gifts. You have to add/change little things every year to keep it fresh.
Crock Pot 4.5 qt $10, regularly $19.99
Threshold fuzzy blankets in full/queen in scarlet mystery and green $18, regularly $39.99
Bodum French Press $10, regularly $19.99

Old Navy was running 50% off on Wednesday
Black dress for $18.49, originally $36.99
Go-warm open front hoodie for $18.49, originally $36.99 - my obsession this year. I have the heather gray and love it and I got the other two colors (navy and black)
Pixie Long Pants in olive through this for $17.49, originally $34.99 and rarely on sale. I live in these for work.

TOMs is offering 25% off certain styles with the code THANKFUL, so I ordered a pair of black velvet and black wool but will only be keeping one. 

I'm waiting to pull the trigger on a cart full of books on Amazon to take advantage of their $10 off $25 deal they usually run around now. 

I like the premise of the Opt Outside movement. Today's activities will include a sunrise, beach trash pickup, many dog walks, and watching Santa ascend from atop a building (pics below from 2015). ho ho ho, mofos.

What are your plans for today? Will you be outside, inside shopping, or both? Have you come upon any awesome deals? Anyone see a stainless steel roasting pan at a great price? Anyone? Bueller?

Thursday Thoughts

1. Newest weird fear: I will end a business call with I love you. I don't know why this has popped into my head, but I have alerted my closest coworkers so when it happens and I am on the floor in the fetal position, they'll know why.

2. New favorite pajamas: these pants from Target. So soft. Yes, I will be the loon roaming the shore streets this summer in printed pajama pants while urging my dogs to poop so we can go back home.

3. Swann Fountain is back on. I love it. Even when it's blowing every which way like it was Tuesday.

4. Other scenes from my walk to the library Tuesday - the trees in front of The Barnes, a lone daffodil, library dork tote bag, the mecca itself:

5. The Pennsylvania Primary is on Tuesday. I'll be voting. I will never not vote and I'll never take my right to vote for granted, because people like Alice Paul were imprisoned trying to get it for me. But I am royally pissed off at this government - I feel like it doesn't matter WHO gets elected President because Congress is sitting in D.C. like babies refusing to work or compromise or get over themselves and remember that they work for the people.

6. Speaking of women's rights, did you know that the Missouri legislature is threatening to jail the CEO of the local Planned Parenthood because she will not hand over patient medical files? Confidential, personal medical files. They don't only want to see the fetal tissue documents...they want to see abortion consent forms. Yeah, but we're equal. Federal privacy laws prohibit PP from releasing the materials but the GOP is still requesting them. This is seriously some fucking bullshit. p.s. : Periods for Pence is NOT bullshit. Go to the page. Follow along. Enjoy.

7. My pug shoes arrived. Gus is not impressed.

8. Next Sunday I'll be walking for my little girlfriend Eva the Diva on Team Eva the Diva in the March for Babies. Eva was born eight weeks early, weighed just over three pounds, and spent her first four weeks in the NICU. It was hard to watch Frank and Amanda go through that, so I can't imagine how hard it was for them to actually go through it. Eva is now a fierce, fiesty toddler, thanks in part to exceptional medical care and research funded by the March of Dimes. If you'd like to donate, please click here.

9. Hair done last night thanks to the fabulous Kristi at Sensational Scissors. No makeup thanks to Wednesday.

10. E-card of the week:

TWTW - the one with my people

Friday was the Villanova NCAA Men's Basketball Championship parade down Market Street - I stepped right out of my office to watch...and stood next to a student peeing in a bottle. Good times. We also got headshots taken, and I got this mask at Sephora after talking to the makeup guy about redness. Home to send MFD off to the shore for the weekend and talk to Lori until midnight, sustained by Trevose Pizza and the baked goods she brought.

Saturday we celebrated Baby D with a lovely shower complete with Val's special touches. As you can imagine, I was extremely pleased that the favor was a coffee mug. When it was over we went back to Laura's mom's house and spent a rainy afternoon lolling around on the couches for many hours, eating Brother's Pizza, and laughing our asses off. I felt so good leaving there. I love my old guard girls. Kim and I came back to my house and sat on my couches with Lori for a few more hours.

Sunday Target run with Lori, then we stopped in to see my fabulous niece Lola Jean, who was rocking her I Love My Aunt shirt since two aunts were visiting. On the right is the newest outfit purchased for Lola.

Weekly food prep-I didn't wannnna this weekend so I kept it simple. Breakfast: egg muffins with sausage and gouda; turkey taco meat and salsa (I wanted fresh, they were out, rat bastards) for lettuce wrap lunches; sweet bell peppers, snap peas, and oranges for snacks; and salmon with greek yogurt and dill/rice/steamed green beans for one dinner. Avocado toast for another, and I will probably make a pork tenderloin later this week.

The dogs are exhausted from visitors and excitement. And honestly? So am I. I didn't get enough sleep or drink enough water this weekend.

Sunday afternoon Jana and I recorded for The Armchair Librarians.

I finished a book (Show Us Your Books is tomorrow!), finished the first season of Flaked, and started Rectify.

Peace.

Two weekends in a row of seeing my people. My cup runneth over. 

Tell me about yours! 

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending &

TGIF! $25 Target Gift card giveaway today!

Five Photos For Friday

1. I love my striped bedroom chair. Just looking at it makes me happy.
2. I organized my makeup brushes on my dresser a la Gwen from Confessions of a Gila Monster. They need a little more work - I have to swap the round jar out for one of my square ones. I'm dying to try the polenta dish in that post too.
3. My happy place: cucumbers and cream cheese on a bagel and an icy cold V8.
4. It's time to change my wallet. I got these on super clearance at Target. Which to choose which to choose.
5. Spare room vignette: Love Makes Life a Beautiful Ride printable, old garage sale tray, candle, Grandmom's ring holder.

I am so so happy it's Friday. Here are this week's happies and crappies. I'm starting with crappies and ending with happies because I like to end on the up.

• Lots and lots of deadlines with a heaping side of stress and headaches for dessert. 
• Butthole drivers caused me to miss my train on Tuesday morning. 
• Then I was stuck on the train for an extra hour on Wednesday. 
• This impending bastard winter storm has cancelled my weekend with my BFFs, which I could totally use right now. Suck it, winter. 
• Precipitation makes MFD think he's a weatherman. He's been monitoring this storm and telling me all about the Gulf Stream and the European Model and the flim flam and the shim sham and I don't care we can look out the window and see the weather we don't need to study it. Sweet Brown, save me. Ain't nobody got time fo dat. 

• In a few short hours, this week will be in the history books. There will be much rejoicing throughout my land.
• I was rocking my favorite nail polish, Essie Merino Cool.
• I'm all caught up on Downton Abbey. This is also a crappie, because now I'm like a crackhead jonesing for more Downton Abbey and no dealer in town has any. 
• Even though I was looking forward to being with my girls this weekend and away from my everyday digs, the truth is I could probably use some major decompression this weekend after the week I've had. 
• I hausfraued like a champ last night so I can lounge, read, cook, nap, and maybe do some organizational projects this weekend. Or I can find another show to watch obsessively for 14 or 15 hours a day. 
• I signed up for the Lucky Leprechaun Book & Polish Swap. Visit Fortune Favors the Brave, Lulu & Sweet Pea, or My Three Bittles to sign up! Who doesn't love books and nail polish? If you say ME to both, we maybe can't be friends anymore. I need to decide which of my favorite books I'll be sending. It's safe to say I have my favorite polish picked out already. Someone's getting Essie Merino Cool. Boom.

• This $25 Target Giftcard Giveaway. Because I love you. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for reading my blog.  Good luck and have a great weekend! You can enter through the weekend. Spread the word and share the love!

New Englanders, start limbering up for the shoveling now. Stay gold, Pony Boy.



Linking up with The Sowell Life for The Friday Five and The Vintage Modern Wife and Scissors & a Whisk for Happies & Crappies.

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard

Anyone who knows me knows I like to be well stocked in the kitchen. I rarely run out of things and my cabinets are always full, for which I'm very thankful. With this stuff on hand, I feel confident I can throw together a meal on the fly without having to go to the store. Things that can always be found in my pantry:

Condiments
Oils - olive, vegetable, grape
Vinegars - I am a vinegar ho.
Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce - MFD's. I don't touch the stuff, although I may add some to a recipe if I'm feeling saucy.
Soy Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Mustards - yellow, spicy brown, dijon.
Hellman's mayo
Ranch and italian dressings. I also use creamy caesar for marinades.

Spices
Salts: coarse kosher salt, sea salt, regular salt.
Beyond that, I have a robust collection of spices. The ones I use most often and find necessary on a weekly or daily basis: chili powder, dill, cumin, garlic salt, garlic powder, ground dry mustard, onion powder, paprika, oregano, thyme.

Dry Goods
Pasta - spaghetti, elbows, rigatoni, bowtie, orzo. I like Barilla Plus or Healthy Harvest, but I keep regular on hand so MFD doesn't have a shit fit.
Quinoa
Brown Rice
White rice
Quaker Oats - I love the Quaker Oat man.
Barley
Lentils
Ramen
Bread - I prefer Sara Lee. I'm also a sucker for rye.
Panko breadcrumbs. If I need regular, I'll make my own.
MFD's requirements: Lipton noodle soup, Kraft Mac & Cheese

Cans and Jars
Beans - pinto, black, and kidney. I make my own black beans from dry and freeze them.
Tomatoes - diced, crushed, and whole peeled plum. I prefer Tuttoroso.
Tomato paste - I use what I need from the can and then freeze the rest in ice cube trays
Peanut Butter - Peter Pan mostly.
Jams and jellies - I love a variety. My least favorite is grape.
Peppers - roasted red, banana, jalapeno, chipotle in adobo sauce
Capers
Pickles - always dill, never sweet or bread & butter
Olives - green and black. Sometimes kalamata. Opa!
Chicken broth - I make my own whenever I can and freeze it, but I always have some on hand in the pantry as well.
Tuna

Baking things
Flour - all purpose and whole wheat
Sugar - white, brown, confectioner's
Cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips and Baker's chocolate
Pudding - vanilla and chocolate, instant

Beverages
Dunkin Donuts coffee, green tea bags and black tea bags.
CranGrape juice
Assorted sodas

Fridge
Milk - skim for me, 2% for MFD
FF half & half
Greek yogurt - I substitue it for sour cream often.
Sour cream
Cheese - feta, blue, parmesan, extra sharp cheddar, some type of jack. Block over pre-shedded. Nine times out of 10, I grate my own.

Freezer
Homemade marinara sauce, frozen flat in ziploc bags
Veggies: I always have chopped onions, chopped spinach, broccoli crows
Shredded cheese
Bacon
Shrimp
Shredded chicken bagged and frozen in one and two cup portions
Homemade soup - either leftovers or made specifically to freeze.
Ellio's pizza
Chicken breasts and thighs
Garlic bread

Produce
I always have celery, carrots, and potatoes
I usually have cucumbers, peppers, and another veggie.
Fruit I buy the most: naval oranges, granny smith apples, berries, grapes, bananas, stone fruits

Snacks 
Tortilla and regular chips, Utz special dark pretzels, Ritz crackers. I keep all of those on hand in case an impromptu party arises that we are either hosting or attending. If MFD has his way we also have Oreos, gummy bears, Nutty bars, and other assorted processed bad stuff.

What's in your pantry?  Big Hungry Shelby posted on this topic a few weeks back. Check out what she stocks here.

Tomorrow, tommorow, I love ya, TOMORROW!
Tomorrow I'm giving away a Target gift card because I love you.

Kiss kiss.