Oh yeah! I have a new favorite book! It's "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. So, so, so breathtaking, wonderful, poetic, melancholic, awesome and UNFORGETTABLE!! I just loved it and I will never forget this book. It is written by a young man. Incredible! Please read it! (Loon, wait till your birthday please!)
On the music front my new favorite is Joshua Radin, "We were here". Love the slow melancholy music of his. ALSO, just out today.....Ray LaMontagne "Till the sun turns black". Waaay soulful voice! Great CD! (sorry no pic!)
Ahhh.. finally I get to blog! Cami turned big 19 on the 14th and she got the day off of work. She requested NO cake, maybe just a fruit salad! Hunh??!! I said "Cam, are you sure?" and she was adamant, "No cake." Well, what is a bday and no cake and what kinda mom am I if I didn't make her a bday dessert? Sooo, the weekend before her bday I picked up some beautiful blackberries and raspberries from the grower's market and decided to make, "in secret", Creme Brulee! I had a selfish reason too. I wanted that "used" vanilla bean to make vanilla coffee with! She also wanted Wonton Chicken Salad and Mumbaldi (with our garden's eggplant.) A chinese and greek dinner! The wonton salad was sooo tasty and the mumbaldi was to die for, soaked up with fresh bread and butter! The Creme Brulee with melted sugar (I got to use the kitchen torch, scary thought!!) and topped with fresh mixed berries....it was all divine! She scored on the gift front too. Jas was quick to quip "Yeah, this is like Christmas for you and Lily's birthdays and mine was like Valentines Day!" What a girl! I just shake my head. Camille had a great time and just loved the fact that I didn't listen to her and I went ahead and made a special birthday dessert! All is good. And, thank goodness the birthdaze are OVER!!
Lily's birthday was sooo nice! I got up early to put her cake together. I "tested" it so much though, that by the time we had it I was kinda sick of it! Really, though, it was awesome. We had vanilla coffee, fresh peaches with blueberries and cream and Cook's Quick Cinnamon Rolls(May/June 2002) for breakfast. It was delicious!We went to dinner at River's Edge and sat out side and watched the Rogue roll by. It was absolutely gorgeous! Just the right temperature and a small breeze. Since she was "legal" she ordered a Choco-tini. Mmm, it was delish, kinda strong. I swear, I am just a wimp. I had THREE sips of that drink and I could feel it! No kidding. I don't drink ever anyway but I don't think I can tolerate alcohol anymore, maybe because of all the migraine stuff I've taken and continue to take. Hmm, just as well I guess. Then Cami had 2 sips, and she is just skin and bones, she felt it too! ( This is a quote from Cami on the way home "Does alcohol give you gas? We just crack up. "
I just want to know!" More laughing from us. "Geez, never mind, whatever!") It was an awfully fun dinner! The "big guy" just sat there, surrounded by his beautiful women.We came home and opened gifts. I don't know why I always overdo everything but it was like Christmas for Lily! I mean, I don't feel bad cuz she is such a wonderful daughter and it WAS her 21st! The digital camera came at the very last minute yesterday. I was sweatin' I'll tell you! She had no idea either. I had her open everything else first then saved the camera for last. She was sooo surprised, it was great. The cake was wonderful, even though we were all full from the dinner. (I had blackened tuna salad. I had no idea that the tuna was left pink inside and I had a hard time eating it, actually I gave it to the "big guy" and snitched some of his salmon).Anyway, it was really nice and, I now have to gear up for Camille's 19th on Sunday! Yikes!! I think I've gained 10 lbs already! What was I thinking , having their birthdays soo close!
P.S. The order of photos is: Lily being Marilyn, Me & Lily at restuarant, Jasi copping an attitude, beautiful Camille and "The Cake".
I am just a bad blogger! I think it has something to do with still being on "dial-up" because everything takes sooo long to upload! Well, that is a good excuse, huh?
Anyway, Pearliss is doing just great now! Got him transferred to his new "high potency" pellet food and Cami says he looks soo good. I think he looks "sooo" good because I took the collar off and the poor bird was finally able to groom! He was a "groomin' fool" for a while there after I first took the collar off! Such a funny bird!
Finally finished a new page. This is of Cami, during her and Jasi's "cowboy photo shoot". The camera loves this girl! I just really want to create some more art. Man, there is just no creativity there! It is soo very frustrating!
I met my Mom at the Grower's Market this past weekend and got some nummy rasberries to make Giada's "Raspberry Almond Tart". So simple and easy and goooood! We had lunch at Circle J Cafe and it was delish! I am so glad that she is in our town now, sorry Mom and Sis! She used to be in Crescent City but decided to move over the mountains to my part of the valley! I lucky! I split a hot pastrami sandwich with Jas and it also came with sweet potato fries that were awesome! The sandwich itself was on the best homemade roll! I can't wait to go back!And....Lilyann's 21st Birthday is tommorrow!!! I just can't believe my "baby" is turning 21!!! I am anxiously waiting for a digital camera I ordered for her, to get here UPS! I am hoping it comes today! I am also making Caprial's Coconut Cream Cake for the party. She loves coconut and in honor of the 21st I thought I'd go to the lengths to make this cake. Will post pic's when I have it done. So far, the coconut cream filling is delish ( I used the Mexican Vanilla I got at Market of Choice in Ashland this week and a whole vanilla bean, which I can now use in my Gevalia coffee this morning....oooooo nummers!) and the buttercream frosting starts with a pastry cream! Then you whip it into a creamed butter/sugar mixture....mmmmmmm good!!! Can't wait!! Happy Birthday Lils!Hmmm, well I think I'll go make some fresh blueberry muffins to go with that Vanilla coffee this morning........oinkers!
I love to tweak photos in photoshop! I took some pics of my beautiful Mandavilla and they turned out sooo pretty! I then tweaked it along with a photo of some pansies that had a beautiful butterfly sitting on the edge of the pot!Pearliss went to the Dr. today to check the "bubble collar" and he said we can start easing him out of it! Uh, Whaaat? Evidently I have to take the collar off when we are around the bird and put it back on when he is alone and when he goes to bed at night! Oh My Geez! I'm thinkin' I should be getting paid for this?
