I add this talking box thing here. So don't be shy and say hi!

I've found a new favorite thing. It's called "Pink Fluff." I like to dip strawberries and blueberries in it. Fresh, of course.

You mix a 3 oz. box of jello (any flavor, but it needs to be a red one if the fluff is gona turn out pink...but it really doesn't matter) and a 3 oz box of cook n' serve vanilla pudding with 2.5 cups of water and boil it until it's kinda thick. Then you put it in the frig until it's completely cool and then beat in a small container of cool whip.

It says it can be made w/ sugar free jello and pudding, and the fat free cool whip...but I don't do that.

Vic doesn't like it, but he doesn't like fruit. So I've been the only one eating it and it's lasted for at least a week and it's still good. I've gone threw 3 boxes of strawberries and 2 of blueberries in the last 10 daysish. It's all I've been eating for lunch. But, alas, I'm out of berries again and don't intend to go to the store...so tmw it's back to scroungin.

I have to go back to the crazy class tomorrow and Saturday. NOT looking forward to it, but after this weekend I only have 2 more weekends until it's over and those aren't until April.

Moe, What happened to bemoedee.com??? It makes me insane to click it and nothing come up. I LOVED the kitty pics, btw.

I'm freezing my balls off. Not that I'm complaining, I don't mind being cold because it happens so infrequently. What I do mind, however, is not being able to hop in my car and zoom wherever I please. I suppose that I could, but since the media has once again taken it upon themselves to scare the crap out of everyone and interrupt all the regularly scheduled programming by keeping us "up to the minute" on the current weather...I feel I should heed their advise and stay put.

Yeah, it's slick...but does the whole damn metroplex really need to shut down? No. We went to Albertsons and there were people on I-35 going 20 with their flashers on. The frickin road had been sanded. I mean, Cheese and Rice PEOPLE! Go 40 and loose the flashers. If people would not freak their selves out, they would be fine. But they started on the news yesterday when the sun was still out saying "If YOU can get home, do so! I repeat, if you can stay off the roads, do it! Now let’s go live to doppler to see the storm...See over here right by Abilene there is some activity...BY GOD! It's a CLOUD! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" I wish Mr. Bush would hurry up and do something so these idiots can have something news-worthy to report about.

P.S. I loved the Bangor Sisters...very cute!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! We do "guided meditation." I feel like I need to bust out the peace pipe and light up a bowl. Though, that would probably not go over well considering the setting.

Seen that movie...28 Days? Yeah, just these people are real.

I had class last night and today. Yes. It is Saturday. This class meets 5:30-9 pm on Friday night and 8:30 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday for 4 weekends. I'm home for lunch. It's "Working with Families: Analysis of the Virginia Satir Model." Now, I knew that Virginia's model was touchy-feely, but it is one of the best known models in working with families of addicts. SO, I thought that I'd go and analyze it and all would be good. Little did I know that my prof. would be a STUDENT of Virginia Satir. She's been dead forever, so why would I have thought that??? Yeah, well, she was a close personal friend of hers and believes in "experiencing" to learn, because of course, that's what Virginia believed. So I'm basically in group therapy. My whole class knows everything about me know, including the fact that I am NOT a touchy-feely person. Don't think I didn't tell my teacher that she was way too damn close to me for us to be caring on a conversation. We do not need to rub noses in order to hear one another. Did I mention that she is German, 80+ yrs. old, and commutes to UNT from SAN DIEGO?!

So today we've been at an inpatient treatment center. My group consists of me, a woman with multiple personalities who just underwent an exorcism by her BABTIST associate pastor before entering rehab to get rid of her demons aka personalities; a convicted sexual offender; and a heart surgeon from Pittsburgh who is a self proclaimed "sex addict, pill popper, and alcoholic."

Wowzers.

I'm exhausted and I am only 1/2 way done with the day!

I made a 93 on my test!!! Yeah! I got 38 out of 41 possible points. I rock.

Call me crazy, but I'd rather hear about good ol' M. Jackson (I'm sorry Mr. Jackson, I am fo' Real!) than about the damned old snow storm! When I'm wearing jeans, t-shirt, and flip flops...and it's like 10 something and still 60+ degrees; it's just really not news worthy to go ON and ON and ON about how much snow they got on the other side of the country. Now, if it lived in like Italy or Guam or something, then what happened on the other side of the country might be relivent to me. But I don't. And it doesn't. I mean, I can see that they should MENTION it...but it's not the "top news story" by any means.

And yes, I know that Guam is part of US and not it's own country. But it's fun to say, you know like BFE, but BFG??? See? Fun?

In other news, Frank's getting his balls chopped off tomorrow! No more manhood for Leroy Brown! Now THAT is newsworthy!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I got "The Perfect Pasta Pot" and some Ouidad (ouidad.com) shampoo, conditioner, and hair spray AND the best of all! Vic handed over his Civilization game!!!!!! He had given it to me before; but I gave it back. It's now broken in 1/2. I also got the cutest card with little dinosaurs one it. It was weird to get a "wife" card. We also went to dinner last night (since Vic has to work tonight!) at this new italian place RIGHT by our house...it's called Don Camillo and it's a family from Italy that runs it. It was really good, nothing like what we think of as italian food. Then we went to Beth Marie's the old fashioned ice cream place that makes all of their ice cream in the store...it's soooo good.

In this same little complex as the italian place there is about to be a bistro. It looks _bad ass_! They were working in there last night so we could see in. It's painted a deep red and has a big frilly umbrella that's a chandler and tons of cool HUGE mirrors and art. It's really odd that it's so close to our house...I can't wait for it to open!

I also had my first test last night in Research and Proposal Writing. I studied all day yesterday and think I did pretty well. It was harder than I anticipated though.

I slept so good last night, I think it was because the test was over with and I wasn't anxious like I had been the last couple of nights. Could have also been the cough med w/ codeine :). I go to the Dr. at 4 today; I hope she can fix me fast!

Midland Community Center for Mental Health
401 East Illinois Avenue
Midland, TX 79701

915-570-3300.

In case any of you are wondering if you actually know someone that went out and bought the recommended supplies in case of a "terror" attack, you do. That's right. My sometimes extreme hubby felt it necessary to trek to Sam's last night and buy 15 gallons of water, lots of canned goods, batteries, a radio, fire extinguisher, and walkie-talkie things. Don't think the last two items were on the suggested list, but hey, you never know. I just went along with it all; it was exciting in a sick sort of way. The whole time I kept feeling like I was in the prequel to that 70's Charlton Heston movie, "The Omega Man." There's this part where the Dr. scientist dude (Mr. Heston) throws this chick a gun and she says "What's this for?" and he replies "Comfort."

I've been sick for a few days and can't get into the stinking Dr. I think I have my traditional sinus infection. Blah. I also have my first test tomorrow. I am always sick when it’s completely inconvenient. Not that it’s ever convenient, but you know.

Vic was trying to be sweet tonight and cook dinner. I entered the kitchen to find a pan full of “Manwich” with some slightly stale whole wheat bread to put it on. Now, even if I hadn’t been a wee bit nauseous from the overdose of cold meds I’ve doped myself up on, I wouldn’t have wanted to eat this stuff. Vic was a little perturbed when I sweetly told him thanks, but no thanks. I ate a baked potato w/ cottage cheese instead. It was the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Though I’m sure this will be brought up again as soon as I try to make him try something he doesn’t want to eat.

My weekends could not be anymore useless unless I was like, dead. I do nothing, no, I mean, I do Nothing. I've become a weekend bum, just me and the poodles...oh, yeah, and the cat. But the only way I know he's here is because he screams when the poo's grab his tail. I have all my TV shows planed out, such as 20/20 and Sliders (reruns) on Fridays and Mad TV and SNL and Trading Spaces on Saturday. Since Vic works all night and sleeps all day, I do the same. I work hard watching TV and wasting time sitting on my keester all night, and sleep all day w/ him. Like today, I got up at 10...but by 2 he looked SO comfy...so I just HAD to join him. We got up at 5. He took a shower and went to work. I checked my email and settled in the heated recliner. There are a million things I could have done...like walk the dogs, laundry, save the whales...but, I didn't. C'est la vie, I suppose. At least for now anyway...

Oh yeah, the "Mock Fillet Mignon" aka "White Trash Fillet Mignons" (thanks to Vic)...are just hamburger patties w/ bacon on um. Tasty, but not at all like a fillet mignon. And the potato recipe was from Cooking Lite 'zine and they tasted like air until I added lots more butter. Maybe that’s why I’m fat. Are there really people that waste all that effort to eat something that tastes like air? I’m glad I’m fat, life is better this way!

Would you mind suggesting a HB Helper that is tasty? I'm tired of being creative. The only one I've had was the lasagna...wasn't a fan.

Mock Fillet Mignon

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil if meat is lean
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 4 strips bacon
• 1 can mushroom pieces drained (4oz)
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash red pepper sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper

Combine meat, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well. Shape into 4 patties. Wrap each with bacon, fasten with toothpicks. Cook on grill 10 to 15 minutes on each side or to desired doneness. Serve with sauce made by sautéing mushrooms in melted butter and adding seasonings.


Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 7 cups cubed peeled baking potatoes
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk, (2%)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place potatoes and garlic in a saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes; drain. Return potatoes and garlic to pan. Add remaining ingredients; beat at medium speed of a mixer until smooth.

Went to Hobbs to get the pekingese and came home without it. They were going to keep him, but since I've been home all of 17 hours, they have decided they can NOT keep him. They remind me often of why I like them better now that I don't live with them.

I'm cooking supper tonight, "Mock Fillet Mignon" and "Garlic Mashed potatoes." I have everything the recipes call for EXCEPT: meat, potatoes, and garlic. Ha ha ha ha. SO I'm off to the store. Vic is sick and he's been working a ton, so I thought I'd surprise him. Not with having supper ready, but by us not having to have THE discussion:

Me: "Whatcha want to eat tonight?"

Him: "I don't care, what do you want?"

Me: "Whatever you want."

Him: "I really don't care, it's up to you."

Me: "No, really, you've worked all day...you decide."

Him: "I'm so hungry, anything sounds great."

Me: "Well, fine. If it's up to me, then we are going out to eat."

Him: "AMANDA. We HAVE to stop eating out!"

Me: "Then YOU pick something for us to cook!"

Him: "Whatever is fine."

Me: "I'm not cooking anything until you tell me something."

Him: "I don't know, what do we have?"

Me: "The same stuff we always have, you are with me when we go to the grocery store."

Him: Walk to the pantry, open it. Stare blankly. Walk to the frig, open it. Stare blankly. Open the freezer. Stare. Walk back to the living room. Stare blankly at me.

Me: "See, nothing new."

Him: "Where do you want to go eat?"

Me: "I da know, where to you want to go...."

I've been on strike. Not sure why, but I've logged in a time or two and my fingers didn't do anything. I'm going to Hobbs today to pick up a pekingese that my mom's friend found. But now that I've contacted the pekingese rescue, Mom calls to tell me she doesn't think it's full blooded pekingese. Neat. Not real sure what I'm going to do with it now. It's very happy at my parents house...I think they should keep it. I'm also getting new tires while I'm there.

Last night I went to dinner with Jamey at this kick-ass place called Marty's in downtown Dallas. The food was awesome and so was the atmosphere. It's a wine place and they have a wine steward that comes around with the wine of the day and pours you a cute little taster glass. I ordered a coke, but it was still fun to get a taster. They had the best creme brule I've ever had. I can't wait to take Vic there, I think he will love it. Then we went to this play thing (http://www.the-mac.org/events.jsp), it was a one woman show. The woman was Jo Harvey Allen, which is the women that played the sex therapist in Fried Green Tomatoes (you know, the one that has them look at their who-haa's w/ a mirror!). She's also Jamey's second cousin. It was pretty good, it was a lot of stories about her growing up in Lubbock...so that was very cool. Jamey and I decided that once a month we are gonig to have a night out like that.

Theo, the barky choco lab from Nancy's class...well, he has dropped out because he BIT the teacher. Not once, but 4 times. Nancy's wasn't sad to see him go.