Updates on So Much

Welcome dear friends! I have so much to catch you up on. As I posted before, Doug did not leave for Saudi as planned due to the weather. So I got him for a whole extra week. He leaves Friday (2/26) at 6:30 AM. In this extra week together we found out something exciting. We found 2 nearby (within 30 miles) dog parks! For some reason there are not many dog parks in the south. Josh and Keelie are very excited and so am I! While I doubt they will have a pool table, Josh and Keelie will be playing with others. (beer and cigars are optional!)
My caring husband has found a live in care taker who has been here almost a month. We seem to get along well and that has to take a lot of worry off of a lot of minds.
I wanted to send a surprise to my dear friends at the pharmacy. I had some extra apples so apple pie it was. First problem, no disposable pie pans. Is is still pie if it is rectangle? I found this little heart cutter outter thing for .50 brand new a few weeks ago, I think it makes for a cute top crust. Whatcha think? (Oh DeeDee, Doug told me to tell you I took this picture but I knew that you would know better!)

I want to thank everyone for the suggestions about repairs/design of our home. While I will be asking everyone for opinions on so many things I still need to get a professional for basic issues. We found this out when we remodeled our bathroom. The contractor knew of all these gadgets that we did not know exsisted. Some were very inexpensive and are such a help to me in my day in and day out living. I thank everyone for their suggestions.

Well friends that is about it. I will be posting soon but am going to take a couple of days to sorta think and sort this new life out Wow, when we named this blog Starting Over, I had no IDEA!

The brains behind the blog

Welcome friends, thank you for stopping in. Here I am showing the honest way we live. I might have to admit that Josh is really the person behind the curtain writing the blog, but she is just not that into it. Can you see her in all that mess? I was working on sending out birthday cards and St. Patty's Day cards so that is the stack of mess beside the bed. We had a king size adjustable bed and it would not fit in the house in Chicago. So we bought a cheap headboard for this queen bed. I just threw the comforter over the headboard cause with dogs, comforters just don't work. For us coverlets work best. This is Josh with her St. Patty's day bandanna. She hates it. I guess that look on her face tells it all. We took it off as soon as Doug (yes Dee Dee still Doug) got the picture.
This is Keelie. She loves the bandannas but even Josh hates them on her we have sprayed some bitter apple on Keelie's bandannas so maybe Josh will leave them alone
And finally I want to show you the one and only sorta crafty thing I have done. When we remodeled about 5 years ago I hung this mural. I fell in love with it. It came in panels and I had to miter the corners. Before we moved I had really cute curtains from floor to ceiling on either side of it. Now I don't know what I am going to do. And one more picture of it. I am really proud of it.

Well that is all for today. Do you think Josh really writes the blog? Didn't I do a great job on that mural? Thank you so much for stopping in!

Yummy to the Tummy

Welcome friends, even though the weather is pretty here today I have cooking on the brain. Since I can't taste and smell anymore I am very careful about any recipes I share since I can't give first hand opinions. I have found a blog that I am just in love with! Moncia from Lick the Bowl Good not only has great recipes but tutorials to die for, the photography is amazing as well. She has both sweet and savory recipes and the girl can decorate her works of art like no body's business.

This is by far my favorite. I like that it is easy. I love the texture. I like that probably 6 people have asked for the recipe. Banana Pecan Butter Buns can be found here.

Your hips will hate Monica but every other part of you will adore her.

OK, don't wrinkle up your nose. This is wonderful. I made cupcakes out of this recipe for valentines day. I used a cream cheese frosting for the fluff factor and they looked sorta like this. OK DeeDee, you know the picture deal (LOL) I got the wrappers from here

Here is Monica's Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake Recipe. Do not frown! Try it here

I have had 3 people already call and ask for the recipe.

I can't say enough about this Strawberry Cake. Find the recipe here.

Words are just not adequate!

Ok, I will stop making you suffer, go check it out yourself. This is my favorite link

to her blog. It is her top 30 favorites. I have tried many other recipes and always been so happy with the responses I get. Thank you Monica for letting me share you and Lick the Bowl Good with my treasured blogger friends.

Jeanette

Your suggestions or ideas please

I have been searching the Internet for weeks for something and had a light bulb moment today! With all you wonderful blogger friends out there I know I can get the answer to my dilemma. Just a little background, my wonderful husband and I have lived in this home since 1990. Well except for a few years when we went insane! We moved to Chicago. On purpose. Now no offense to those wonderful folks because we met some great people but it is COLD there.

My hubby took a job there, we put our home up for sale. We sold most everything we owned and moved to start a new life there. Well, our home did not sell. My husband lost his job. We have had a very difficult past few years.

Since we were paying for our home in Georgia anyway, we moved back. After a year of job searching hubby has taken a job in Saudi Arabia and now we get to my question.

Those years on the market and neglect took a toll on the house. We do not have much furniture and decorations. Due to a traffic accident I have a brain injury that effects my perception so I need help with decisions.

I want to hire someone (?) to help me get a plan of action. Not a contractor because no major construction is necessary. I want to tell someone my goals, design tastes both inside and out. When you are younger you can do those hit and miss ideas but I want to make definite decisions, have a plan and work it. I thought an online planner but I need in home assistance. I want to plan our landscape with low maintanence ideas, I want to plan classic designs and storage and colors inside our home that will be long enjoyed. I don't want anyone to do any shopping for me. I still love the hunt! How should I tackle this? Hubby and I know it will be about an 18 month to 24 month project since finances are a big factor. I know since I want interior and exterior assistance I will probably need to find different people.

Help!

Wednesday Gratitude

I am joining Heidi over at Heart and Home
for Wednesday Gratitude. I am grateful for all the snow and yukky

weather we had last week. Please don't hit me. LOL

My husband gets to be home with me another week or so.

Plus it was so pretty.

Thank you so much for stopping in. Please go check out what so many lovely friends are grateful for over at Heart and Home
for Wednesday Gratitude.

I am not 100% today but I love hearing from you. What are you grateful for?

Meatless Monday - Lasagna

Welcome friends to another snowy day in Georgia. I am joining in the Meatless Monday party over at Sweet and Savory

Not only is meatless less expensive, usually healthier but a great way to trade recipes. I have to admit I am cheating a bit today. Back in the 70s my room mate was a vegetarian. She made the most incredible meatless lasagna . Sadly, over the years we have lost touch but I continue to crave that lasagna! On all recipes several months ago I found one that sounded close. My Mister won't touch it, but it does have high ratings. And gosh it looks great.

Photo from allrecipes Vegetarian Four Cheese Lasagna

Ingredients:
2 cups peeled and diced pumpkin
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
5 tomatoes
1 pint ricotta cheese
9 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup pesto
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
fresh pasta sheets
1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast in oven until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grill eggplant on a charcoal grill or fry in a skillet, turning once, until charred and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Halve tomatoes and place on baking sheet in oven for last 15 minutes of pumpkin time; cook until tender and wrinkly.
3.In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, feta, pesto, eggs, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold roasted pumpkin into ricotta mixture.
4.Spoon half of the tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Lay two pasta sheets over the sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over pasta and top with half the ricotta mixture. Cover with two more pasta sheets. Arrange the roasted tomatoes evenly over the sheets and spoon the remaining half the ricotta mixture over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Top with remaining two sheets of pasta. Pour remaining tomato sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
5.Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly

Don't forget to go check out all the other meatless dishes at Sweet and Savory! Stay warm and safe! Hey and leave me a comment letting me know what you are doing in this brrrrr weather.

Jeanette

A Snowy Day in Georgia and an Update

Thank you so much for stopping in. First I want to apologize for not visiting you wonderful folks. I have been so tired. I am certain it is a combination of Doug leaving, his daughter and the grandson visiting and the simple fact that I am getting old (not)! As you can see, we finally got our snow in Georgia. The dogs are loving it. My floors not so much. Because of the crazy weather, Doug did not leave for Saudi as planned. It will be next week. I am going to rest this weekend and promise to catch up with my blog reading. I can't wait. Stay warm my blogger friends, forgive my lapse in visiting but know I will be at your 'blog'step, hat in hand any day now.