They don't make 'em like they used to . . .

One of the 10 channels I get with my TV antenna has started showing nonstop sitcoms from the 60s and 70s. . . The Dick Van Dyke Show. Mary Tyler Moore. Taxi. The Odd Couple.

I've never seen any of these shows and I can't get enough of them! There's something so homey and relaxing about their slapstick story lines and old-fashioned values. (Okay, Taxi's a bit more risque, but it was the predecessor to Cheers, which is the earliest sitcom I can remember watching while it was still in production. Cheers is still very nostalgic for me. It and the Cosby Show were sacred viewing hours in our house.)

I remember loving sitcoms reruns from an even earlier era when I was a kid. . . Bewitched, The Beverly Hillbillies, I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan's Island and especially Gidget. In the summertime my siblings and I would roam the neighborhood from sun-up until 2 p.m. when we planted ourselves on the floor in front of the TV for several hours of our favorite sitcom reruns.

If my TV could pick up a channel playing those shows today, I just might never leave the house.

Cookie therapy

When I'm bored or stressed or just feeling creative, I make cookies. Not the worst way to blow off extra energy, I guess. But where diets are concerned, it's not the most productive thing either.

I tried a new Apricot Jam Thumbprint recipe last night and even cut the recipe in half. But I still have two-dozen cookies to get rid of very, very quickly.

Welcome to the gun show!

I have a funny memory of watching my teenaged brother and his buddies admiring their muscles reflected in the windows of cars parked in front of our house. I considered it silly boy behavior and mocked them.

But I've been taking a weight-lifting class at the gym for about a year now. (It's the only class at the gym I'm willing to take - spin is too hard and all the dancing workouts require coordination and grace, which I lack.)

So anyway, my biceps are getting sorta tough.



Won't be long before I'm flexing in front of parked car windows, eh?

Tasty highlights for the week

I can't remember much that happened this week. Work was a busy blur. But there were a few food highlights (yes, food is always the most memorable thing in my life.)

Sweet potato TATER TOTS. I ordered a plate of bratwurst because it was the only thing on the menu that came with the tots. Anytime there are tots on the menu, I must have them. Why don't more people serve them? Fries are great, but seriously tots are the way ketchup is meant to be eaten.

Lemoncello mascarpone cake with crunchies and strawberries on top. I don't really know what this cake was, but it came in an enormous slice during my first visit to the famed Cheesecake Factory. Underwhelmed by the restaurant, but SO in love with the cake!

Mrs. Baetge's Cookies. Last night I needed chocolate chip cookies. NEEDED them. So I rifled through all my recipes and settled on one I'd never tried before but looked decent. It's out of a church cookbook from my sister's Mormon congregation in Utah. I don't know who Mrs. Baetge is or even how to pronounce her name, but she makes a mean cookie. I'm just going to call them Church Lady Cookies from now on and this is the only chocolate chip recipe I'll ever need. (My coworkers all agreed it's the bomb.)




Church Lady Cookies (thanks to Mrs. B.)
1/2 lb. butter (NOT MARGARINE)
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
2 to 3 cups real chocolate chips
1 c. nuts (optional)

Cream the butter and sugar. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. Add flour, salt and soda. Then the chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or so. Just until golden brown.

The Church Lady Mrs. B. also says you can add 1 c. raisins and 4 c. oatmeal instead of the choc chips. Or use coconut and macadamia nuts. You can bet I will next time!

JR's Mechanic Shop

Changing a headlight bulb in a Pontiac Grand Am is more complicated than it should be. Can't automakers set it up so you can pop the hood, pull out the bulb and plug in a new one?

The mechanic was going to charge me like $50 to do it, though.

Yeah right. "I've got tools. I should be able to do this on my own," I thought.

Thank goodness for YouTube. I found a very helpful 10-minute video that I watched three times through before venturing out to the curb.

It wasn't exactly a piece of cake, but my very uncoordinated hands managed just fine. Feeling quite proud of myself at this moment.

I just wish that YouTube video hand mentioned the value of switching the lights on first to make sure you're replacing the right one. I ended up changing two bulbs instead of one.

On the upside, I've now had lots of practice if there's a Pontiac owner out there with a light out.

Start your engines!

Trying to get back in the saddle with posts here guys. Just signed up for Facebook (after resisting it for several years) so maybe look for me on there, too. I'll try to post more frequent updates in both spots, since I'm sure you wait anxiously by the computer for the latest news in my life. :)

A few weeks back, my super-cool friend Mbe was in town for business and stuck around an extra day so we could hang out. We went to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which is a big deal to NASCAR fans and not such a big deal to me. But he was intent on going, so now I can say I've seen it. Got a few fun pics from it.

Yeah, mon!

Just back from five days in Jamaica with my sister. Here's a summary of how we spent our time.

We stayed at the most charming little resort called the Royal Decameron with our own little hut, private patio and hammocks. The buffet was seemingly endless, with enough variety to make up for the mediocre quality. Personally, I haven't completely unplugged like that in years. It was SO relaxing and just what I needed. Plus, can you beat 80 degrees and sunshine? It's no wonder Jamaicans are so laid back. No need to hurry when you live in paradise.

I've posted more photos on my Snapfish account here.