MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS ON LIFE IN GENERAL

When I started this blog almost a year ago, I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going with it. And now I have to say that 10 months later, still…….no idea.

I recently gave it some thought though and have decided that what I want for this site is to be a friendly place for you to visit. You know, like the friend that you just pop in to see and end up staying all afternoon while enjoying a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or a pitcher of margaritas. I know, of course, that you don’t have all afternoon to spend here with me but still I hope that you will come by often and at any time, sit a spell, enjoy a beverage and share a piece of your life with me. Lord knows that I’m a blabbermouth and I’m going to share some of mine with you. And on that note……

• You’re welcome to my house any time. If the mess bothers you, don’t come back. It might be worse the next time. And while I’ve disposed of my neurotic need to keep a perfect house, I will never change my mind on this: Coasters. Use one. I’ve got a gun. Just sayin.
• This morning, Wii Wii told me that I was 50 years old. Mind you, this was pre-coffee and egg and cheese sammie on cardboard at 6ish am. Don’t be judgin, people! Later, I demanded a recount after nourishment and proper time allowed for waking. I’m now thirty. Thank you very much.
• I can dance like Ellen. But only when no one is watching.
• I am currently suffering from alternating hot flashes and cold chills. Is it menopause? Swine Flu? or is it Memorex?
• It’s been raining everyday for a week. The good news: The grass is growing. The bad news: The grass is growing.
• Today D2 and I came into the hallway at different ends completely dressed from the waist up but only in panties from the waist down. We took one look at each other and cracked up. You gotta love a house full of girls.
• Note to network execs: I don’t want to view commercials for tampons or enhanced KY jelly while I enjoy my morning coffee………..or ever. Women know where we can find these products. Advertising is not necessary. Am I right, girls?

That’s it for me. I’m off to get my hairs cut and colored. Grey roots is not an attractive look for me. *sigh*

TGIF! Have a great weekend!

Hugs,

SMB

THE MAKING OF A BIKER CHICK - I’M GOIN TO JACKSON

- I’m gonna mess around

Johnny and June

Most of my Biker Chick pics are from the back of a moving motorcycle. Sometimes, MHS forgets to slow down so I can get a decent shot. *sigh*

My last Making of a Biker Chick post left us in Cody Wyoming. From there we traveled west to Yellowstone National Park. We entered thru the East Entrance and wound our way down to the south entrance and headed toward Jackson Hole. (Yellowstone will have its own post, coming soon) I was really excited to get to Jackson. The Biker Nazi had told me that there were shops and shops and more shops there.

If you’re new to this blog and haven’t read previous Biker Chick stories, you should know that this trip was the first time I had ever traveled further than one hour in any direction from my home. While I was truly enjoying our adventure, I was more than ready to do something that didn’t include riding and anxious to shop for something that didn’t have HD stamped on it somewhere.

We got into Jackson just as it was getting dark. It turned out to be the only time our no plans, no reservations idea almost backfired. There were no vacancies every place we checked. We finally found one place with a room and two beds. We had to bunk together with The Biker Nazi and The Saint in pretty close quarters but it was better than sleeping on the ground so we took it.

The Wagon Wheel Village Motel was a cute little place and it was clean. It was also within walking distance to restaurants and shops which meant we could get a butt break for the night.

By the time we checked in and showered, we were starving and it was getting late. We walked to the downtown area and ate in a Mexican restaurant that was OK but nothing to brag about. I can’t even remember the name but if you’ll take me back, I could find it for you. *wink*

The shops were closing by the time we finished eating so shopping would have to wait until the morning.

There was a discussion over breakfast the next morning where we determined that if we were going to make it back in time, we needed to move on. NO SHOPPING! I have to say that I was mad. I was sad. I pouted like a four year old. I doubt The Biker Nazi ever noticed, you can hide a lot inside a helmet but I blamed him. He talked up the whole shopping thing and then ripped it right out from under me.

In truth, it wasn’t his fault. But that didn’t stop me from blaming him. We had less than a week left and still had the rest of Yellowstone to explore, Beartooth Pass and a visit to MHS’s aunt in Northern Montana to go. In the end, we even had to cut out the trip to MHS’s aunt which was disappointing to us all.

I didn’t get to shop but you can see that Jackson Hole is a very charming, quaint little village that just invites you to walk the streets in search of treasure.

This arch is made of antlers. Pretty cool, huh?

The thought crossed my mind to dismount our iron horse to take a stagecoach ride with these real horses.

Look, Jan! There’s sushi even in the old West!

A different kind of bikers.

It wasn’t hard to forget my bad mood with views like this on the way out of town.

Ain’t it purdy?

If you would like to read previous Making of a Biker Chick posts, you can find them listed on my sidebar.

GOAT WHISPERING

I just love our next door neighbors, the Goats. They are a fun family and they’re always happy to see us. That’s Daisy jumping up on the fence.

D2 is having a hard time convincing Brownie to take a bite.

These are my favorites, Donkey on the left and her mother, Hillary on the right. We were there for Donkey’s birth so she is extra special to us. Brownie and Daisy are the mean girls in goat world and never let these two to the fence for a carrot treat.

Daisy loves her carrots. She is Brownie’s mom. I don’t think Goats have that instinct to let your baby eat first.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our Goat Whispering World. We really enjoy “sharing” the Goats with our neighbors, the Wests. Do you or your neighbors have any fun and unusual pets?

SENSATIONAL SIX

I’ve been tagged by two bloggers for a six meme. Reader Wil and Jane at Gaston Studio have asked me to list six things that make me happy and tag six bloggers to do the same. If you haven’t already, please check out these fabulous bloggers. Wil’s eye with a camera will delight you with color and beautiful destinations. Jane has led the most amazing life and is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever “met.”

This task shouldn’t be too hard as I’ve recently been smacked upside the head with a reality check and have taken note of my blessings in the process.

My family and friends make me very happy. That’s a given. Instead of listing the obvious big stuff in my life, I’m going to list the little things that make me happy.

In no particular order, I give you:

1. My weekly beach walks. It’s easy to forget that I live in a sub-tropical paradise when I limit my activities to work, home and errands. I’ve made a conscious effort to appreciate my surroundings at least once a week. (Even when the weather is a little crappy.
2. Practicing random acts of kindness even when the recipient of such acts might question my mental stability. I took a lovely photo of a father and son at the beach yesterday. I then asked the man if I could have his email address so I could share the picture with him. He hesitated (read squirmed as he clutched his son’s hand and tried to find the nearest escape route) and then gave it to me in good faith that I wasn’t some crazy stalker woman. Poor guy. He has no idea. Later when bragging sharing about my kindness, Noleboy accused me of practicing random acts of creepiness. I get no respect. *sigh*
3. My new BFF, Wii Fit says I’m 34 years old. So what if that means I got married at eight and had D1 at twelve. That’s my story and I’m stickin to it.
4. Rain. It’s been a long time coming. We needed it so badly. I know that it ruined a lot of Memorial Day weekend plans but everything looks fresh and green again. My grass has come back to life.
5. Summertime with both of our daughters here at home. It’s going to be great.
6. Iced coffee. with chocolate mint truffle creamer. and whipped cream. with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. and a straw. in a tall glass. by the pool. Guess where I’ll be today.

This was a fun little meme. Now I’m supposed to tag six bloggers to list their six things but you know how I love to change to rules to suit ME. I’m tagging all six of you. Yep, YOU! Take it and run with it. It’s fun.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! I hope it’s a great one for you. Fun and relaxation. And to my American readers, take the time to stop, reflect and thank our US troops for all they’ve done, all they do and all they will do to protect and serve.

To all those who serve today and those who’ve served in the past, a very heartfelt THANK YOU from Smart Mouth Broad and family

God Bless America.

AND JUST LIKE THAT

SHE'S BAAAAAAACK!

If my mother were here, she would have most certainly told me to:

My favorite artist, Mary Engelbreit. God bless her!

But she's not here. So it took me awhile. Thanks, everyone for your patience and encouragement. You guys are the BEST! I was feeling all sorry for myself and wallowing in it. Meanwhile, my life is good and I should be ashamed of myself to whine and complain when there are so many others in the world so much less fortunate than I am. But thanks to raging hormones, I thought my world was coming to an end. All gloom and doom. No blue skies. Woe is me!

And then, Lisa, (God bless her little cotton pickin heart) kicked my ass! She pretended to post to her blog in her normal fashion but I KNOW she was directing it to me. You know, like when you're in church and the preacher is preaching to the whole congregation but you KNOW he is really talking to just you! Yeah, it was that kind of thing.

And then I moseyed myself over to see Blase (who has that fancy e that I don't know how to type) who dedicated his post to my crankiness and his. (He might deny the whole dedication thing if you ask him but trust me: HE.DID.IT.FOR.ME! Just check out his comment in his previous post) I clicked on that video, turned it up, kicked off my flip flops and danced around the house like a crazy woman. Now I am FUNKY(and you should see my funky face) instead of in a FUNK!

You just never know what's going to do it. I'm going to try to remember this lesson but in case I forget (and you know how I forget things), somebody, kick my ass!

A DIFFERENT TWIST

Cooking is therapeutic for me. Some people clean, some chant, some drink, some meditate, still others exercise or read or pray. I pray and then I cook. Sometimes I pray that the cooking turns out OK. *sigh*

If you’ve been reading here the last few days, you know I’m in a bit of a funk lately so rather than subject you to my funkiness, I’m cooking.

Creating something new and different in the kitchen is a challenge for me. And if you know me at all, I’m always up for a challenge. (I’m watching D2 on the Wii as I write this and realize that I’m going to have to up my game if I want to remain a challenge to her.)

I love to take an ingredient and find ways to prepare it in a different and unexpected way. Such is the case with this recipe.

We love broccoli. The whole family loves broccoli. I think we might be some sort of phenomenon. Isn’t every family supposed to have that one picky eater that doesn’t like broccoli? In our family, the picky eater is D2. She doesn’t like pizza and hamburgers. If I didn’t know better, I would swear she was switched at birth.

About a year ago (or maybe a little longer) I discovered this in the store:

The idea is to make slaw out of the broccoli stalk shreds like you would make with cabbage. I had a different idea. I saute it with a little extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper and just a dash of crushed red pepper. Oh, and sometimes, I throw in a little red pepper and some onion.

It’s a great, light vegetable dish and quite tasty too. Give it a try.

And as my grandmother used to say, “If you like it, tell others. If not, tell me.

Hugs,

Smart Mouth Broad

***Note***

Said funk is still in working order. I was attempting to schedule this post for another day. But now that I've completely screwed up that plan, I figured, "What the hell!" Here it is, hope you enjoy it. I'm going to fix myself another glass of sangria.

SOMETHING’S FISHY

I know, I know. I said I was taking a break. And I am. Really. I didn’t even open my laptop yesterday. And you know what? The world didn’t come to an end. Who knew? Here I thought I was the center of the blogging universe. Turns out…….not at all.

I knoooooooow……… Let’s all take a moment to consider what this really means.

I need to stop taking myself so seriously. *wink*

And speaking of fishy…………

It’s finally Friday! And Jan of Jan’s Sushi Bar has inspired me to post a recipe. I’m not Catholic but I always like to eat fish or seafood on Friday. Especially in the warmer weather. It’s a great way to kick off the weekend and it just feels right.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:

Dy-No-Mite Tilapia

This is not really a recipe so much as an idea. I’ve never done this the same way twice. That’s how I roll. Take it or leave it.

I got this idea from a favorite sushi dish, the Dynamite roll. It’s sometimes called a volcano roll. I’m pretty sure that you can find some variation of it in any sushi bar. No matter what they call it, it’s DELISH!

Ingredients:

The Biker Nazi was visiting when I last made this dish.

I used tilapia this time but you can use this same method with any fish and it will be great.

4 tilapia fillets

1 package cream cheese (softened)

2 or 3 TBS mayonnaise

1 bunch scallions/green onions (chopped)

1/2 lb chopped cooked shrimp (I’ve combined this with crabmeat or scallops too)

1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning. I’m guessing here on measurement. You might want to start with 1/2 tsp and then add more because I really don’t remember. Just do it to your taste and it will be great.

You should have seen the confused look on the Biker Nazi’s face when he saw me taking pictures of the food as I was preparing it. Then the little light went on in his brain and he said, “This is for your blog, isn’t it?”

Mix cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the scallions and chopped shrimp. Season with the Old Bay and set aside. Season tilapia with a bit of salt and pepper. Saute in a non-stick pan with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil until just done. Be careful not to over cook.

Let fish cool slightly. Spread with cream cheese mixture. Broil in toaster oven for just few minutes to just brown the cream cheese. I like to do this in the toaster oven as it doesn’t heat up the kitchen as much as the oven does. But if you don’t have a toaster oven or you are doubling the recipe, use the oven to broil the fish.

This is not the greatest photo to show off this great dish but trust me, if you can keep the fish from falling apart, it’s a very impressive presentation worthy of any dinner party.

***Note***

Any left-over cream cheese mixture can be used hot or cold as a very yummy dip with crackers. I've served it hot topped with parmesan cheese. Oooooo Awwwww, sooooo good!

TGIF! Enjoy!

I NEED A BREAK

Hold the pickle. Hold the lettuce. Hold the phone. Stop the presses. Stop the insanity!

I think I may have just a bit too much on my plate. A little more than I can chew……….if you will. It all became crystal clear a few minutes ago.

People react differently to stress. My Harley Stud gets cranky and yells at everyone. Me………? I drop my basket. Not all at once but one egg at a time. I forget to do important things. I do things and then forget that I did them. I become distracted to the point that I can’t complete a coherent sentence. People begin to question my sanity. Let me give you an example.

I was talking with Daugher #2 about which one of us would pick up her prescription from the pharmacy when I realized that I dropped off a prescription for myself last week but never returned to pick it up. Or did I? Uh Oh! Imagine my embarrassment when I made the call. It went like this:

Me: Hi, this is Smart Mouth Broad. I dropped off a prescription last week but I don’t think I picked it up.

Pharmacist: Let me check………………………………….Yes, we filled that on May 14^th.

Me: Did I pick it up?

Ph: *pauses as she considers if perhaps I’ve been taking a little too much medication* Well, let me see…………………………………….No, it’s still here.

I need a break. You may not see me around for awhile. Or maybe you will. This blog just might be the one thing that’s helping me to keep it all together except that I’m not keeping it together. If you don’t see me here much or at your place, please don’t take it personally. I still love you!

Hugs,

SMB

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

Yesterday I posted two true facts and one lie about my wedding.  I challenged you to put your deductive powers to the test and detect my lie. 

I was maybe a little too “into” this game as I alternated between strutting and sulking around the house.  MHS had a good time laughing at me as I would cheer, “Yes!  I fooled another one!”  and then “Damn!  They know me too well.” 

It killed me, to keep the secret for 24 hours.  But now the time has come for the big reveal. 

#3:  Our wedding picture was in the yellow pages.   True.  The photographer used our wedding picture for his ad in the yellow pages for the next few years.

#2:  My Harley Stud and I were married by the same minister who officiated at James Dean’s funeral.  True again.  Some of you thought that the minister would be too old by the time we wed but not so.  James Dean died in 1955. (5 years before my birth) James Dean was raised in my hometown and his family still lives there.  The Reverend Xen Harvey performed both ceremonies.  He was a very special man and I hold a very special place in my heart for this rebel with a cause.  More on that later. 

#1: Our wedding started 30 minutes late because the best man, The Biker Nazi, overslept after having a bit too much fun at the bachelor party the night before.  Lies, lies, lies.  And God help me if The Biker Nazi finds out that I said this.  The truth is that MHS didn’t even have a bachelor party.  Oh sure, The Biker Nazi wanted to give him one but MHS wasn’t interested.  I think he was too nervous about acquiring the new ball and chain to have a good time.  Our wedding was a beautiful candlelight ceremony that started precisely on time at 6:30pm with The Biker Nazi in his rightful place. 

Well, there you have it, folks.  Many of you guessed correctly which tells me that I’m not as mysterious as I think I am.  Who am I kidding?  I’m a blabbermouth and everyone knows it.  But that’s what you love about me, right?  You do love me, right?  Hello?  Is ANYONE still there?  Yoohoo? 

I want to thank Jane at Gaston Studio for tagging me for this fun game.  And now I’m supposed to tag others to play.  Well, Jack is starting now on the DVR because MHS is tired of waiting for me to finish this post and so I’m tagging everyone. If you want to play, go for it.  I can’t wait to see what kind of lies you can cook up. 

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

Jane at Gaston Studio has tagged me with a fun little game. I just can’t resist a good game. This one could be a little tricky.

I have been instructed to tell you three things about myself: Two truths and one lie. You have to guess which is the lie and leave a comment with your guess and why you think it’s a lie.

This exercise has proven to be quite difficult for me because I’m so pure of heart and all. It’s a good thing you can’t see my face because I’m not a good liar. I can’t keep a straight face.

I will reveal the lie tomorrow night some time before or after Jack. How’s that for being specific? Once revealed, I’ve been instructed to tag a few others to continue the fun.

Wedding fun: True or False?

#1: Our wedding started 30 minutes late because the best man, The Biker Nazi, overslept after having a bit too much fun at the bachelor party the night before.

#2: My Harley Stud and I were married by the same minister who officiated at James Dean’s funeral.

#3: Our wedding picture was in the yellow pages.

Catch me if you can. *wink*

THE MIRACLE OF LIFE AND KALAMATA OLIVES

My office was closed today for the holiday. What? You didn’t know today was a holiday. Oh yes, today was BABY day! The medical assistant in our office delivered her 2nd child today and to celebrate we closed the office. And by the way: IT’S A GIRL!!! We are a tight knight group in my office. We have all been there since forever and know each other’s families almost as well as we know our own. We have all helped to take care of one another’s children when they were sick and we had to bring them to the office. We’ve vacationed together. We’ve been thru engagements, graduations, marriages, divorces, loss, disappointment and accomplishments. While we definitely may, at times, drive each other to drink crazy, there is no doubt that we love each other dearly and have each other’s back.

Witnessing this miracle of life today brought me back to the births of my own two children. It’s so hard to believe they’re all grown up now. I can’t imagine what my father must think when he looks at me and sees the wrinkle in the middle of my forehead as well as other little tiny lines that show I’m no longer twenty something. Is it possible that he still sees that little smart mouth girl?

Babies are born every second of every day. Such a common, everyday event and yet each birth is truly a miracle. As I left the hospital today, I began to reflect and contemplate the meaning of life. I mean, “What’s it all about, Alfie?”

This is what I came up with:

Kalamata olives………..and feta cheese.

Yessirree! I was put on this earth to enjoy the flavor, texture and exquisite yumminess that is kalamata olives and feta cheese.......with a little tomato, a little cucumber, a little onion and some green leafy stuff.

What about you?

I SURVIVED!

Pay no attention to the medical experts who claimed my symptoms were not that of the swine flu or even flu symptoms for that matter. Never mind that I’ve almost completely recovered after 36 hours of antibiotics working their ever-lovin’ magic into my bloodstream. I don’t care if the docs say it was a UTI! I KNOW it was the swine flu. And I survived it! Oink!

I think the universe put some sort of curse on me just because I affectionately refer to my new toy as a Wii Wii. I walk around the house saying things like, “Did you Wii Wii today?” or “Do you want to Wii Wii with me?” And then within 48 hours of receiving this AMAZING gift, I found myself being able to do nothing but Wee Wee, think about going Wee Wee, wishing I could sleep instead of going Wee Wee EVERY.TEN.MINUTES and praying that I would never have to Wee Wee again. I guess that last one isn’t practical but if you’ve ever had a UTI the Swine flu you know what I’m talkin’ about.

I was rewarded for my pain and suffering by Wii Wii though. After completing my fit test today, I want you to know that Wii Wii thinks I’m 39. Of course, I should be insulted because we all know I’m 27 but being that just a few days ago, I was 55, I’ll take 39 and run with it

Thanks, everyone, for your well wishes. Reading your comments while I tried desperately to find a comfortable position on the couch provided me with a good laugh, warm fuzzies and sometimes both.

Big hugs,

SMB

UNDER THE WEATHER

The regularly scheduled program has been preempted by a bug. I’m sure it’s the swine flu but my medical experts tell me that my symptoms are not that of the swine flu nor do they even resemble the swine flu. My medical experts are idiots. What do they know!

Have I ever mentioned that I’m really cranky when I don’t feel good.

I’m going to bed.

Please join us tomorrow when we will resume our regularly scheduled programming.

To Wii Wii or to Blog?

Wii Wii won!

:-)

WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO IN THE FIRST PLACE

After much hinting, groveling, begging, whining and purdy pleasing, it turns out that all I had to do to get my beloved Wii was to become a raving lunatic bitch. Who knew it could be so simple? It seems that My Harley Stud and Daughters #1 and #2 put their heads and their wallets together to get me the Wii and Wii Fit for Mother’s Day. I was beyond thrilled and completely surprised. You know how I wanted a Wii. I mean I REALLY wanted a Wii. By now you’re probably as sick of hearing about how much I wanted one as the family was.

After showing my gratitude by jumping around like a hyperactive 4 year old and squealing with delight, Daughter #2 let slip with, “Maybe this will get you out of your mood.” Ahhhh, the modus operandi was revealed. But I didn’t care! I got a Wii!

And you know what! It worked. My evil twin, Skippy, has left the building.

So far, I’ve been insulted, injured and humiliated by this gaming unit. And.I.Love.It! I think I’m addicted. You may never hear from me again.

If I’d known that’s all it took to get what I wanted, I would have put on my bitch suit a long time ago.

LITTLE THINGS ADD UP - A Money in the Bank Post

I haven’t posted anything for Money in the Bank for quite awhile. For those of you who are new to this blog, MIB is a collection of money saving ideas from bloggers far and near. I’ve listed and linked the entire collection below but you can always find links to all the MIB posts by clicking on the piggy bank in the upper left corner of my blog. I will continue to host this feature until we have complete economic recovery or we lose interest….whichever comes first. If you have any money-saving ideas and would like to participate, feel free to take the little pig and run with it. Just be sure to let me know so I can link back to your post here.

Running a business in this economy proves to challenging on a daily basis. Sadly, I admit that I’m not really that great at budgeting or saving money. But I am quite cheap frugal when it comes to most things. In fact, My Harley Stud will attest to the fact that large purchases make me ill. The first time we tried to put an offer on a house, I hyper-ventilated and had to leave. The realtor came rushing after us as we walked to the car. She was screaming to MHS, “You can buy this house without her, you know. You can’t sell it without her but you can buy it.” True story. *sigh*

I have found that by doing a few things just a bit differently, I can save a few dollars here and a few there. This adds up to big savings at the end of the week/month/year. And keeping more money in my pocket makes me a very happy SMB. Here are a few little things that I do to save big:

• I turn off the ceiling fan(s) when I leave the room. My electric company tells me this can save $7 per month per fan.
• I don’t replace items that are in good working order for the newer, bigger, better upgrade. If it works, I keep it.
• We’re dining out less. Instead we do theme nights to make our meals feel a little more exciting.
• I don’t do Starbucks. My Harley Stud makes my coffee every morning (Thanks, Honey) and I leave the house with travel mug in hand. It not only saves me money but time. The exception to this rule would be during the holidays when I can’t resist their Peppermint Mocha. I think I just gained 3 lbs. thinking about it.
• I reuse my bath water. ………………………..Just kidding. I just wanted to see if you’re paying attention.
• Most of all, I refer to the posts of the bloggers below because there’s some really good stuff there.
• I’ve changed my toilet paper brand because Jan said so.
• I’ve become a regular at our local library, thanks to the reminder from Nothing Fancy.
• I’ve taken to beach walks and inexpensive take-out, thanks to Pseudo’s “date” stories.
• I’m paying more attention to my thermostat settings, thanks to Janie.
• I’m going to add OzGirl’s Waste Notes to the MIB list too. She didn’t actually post as a MIB but the savings were just too good to be ignored so link them, I will. See what she has to say about leftover coffee and saving leftovers.
• I’ve discovered Cheap Chick who has a blog dedicated to saving money. That’s a MIB link if ever there was one.

So there you have it my friends, If you’re looking for ways to cut corners, save a little jingle and keep more of your hard-earned cash, check out these great ideas.

Jan's Sushi Bar
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
A real sweet-tart of a dessert

Pseudonymous High School Teacher
Read how Pseudo and Daughter had a lovely evening out for under $20.

Pseudonymous High School Teacher
Pseudo has a great idea that's fun and saves money and it's green too!

Smart Mouth Broad
Chicken and Noodles

Jan at Jan's Sushi Bar
Chocolate Pudding
Ooooooo, how I love this woman!

Jan at Jan's Sushi Bar
Paper Towels

Jan at Jan's Sushi Bar
Bran Muffins
Jan teaches us how to save money and eat healthy all at the same time

Smart Mouth Broad
Sunday Dinner for Less
My recipe for traditional pot roast

Midlife Slices
PC or a Mac?

Janie's been laboring over this decision for awhile now.

Jan of Jan's Sushi Bar
Oatmeal Cookies
The Sushi Bar is serving up another fine recipe.
Nothing Fancy
Outlet Shopping
Here's a woman who knows how to find a bargain!

Smart Mouth Broad
A Cheap Date

Jan at Jan's Sushi Bar

Chicken Noodle Casserole
If Jan posts a recipe, I sit up and take notice. This is a woman who knows her way around a kitchen.

Pseudo at Pseudonymous High School Teacher
Pseudo has combined her Friday Foto with her Money saving post. You get a two-fer and she has not only shown us how to save money but time by combining the two posts. Snaps for Pseudo!
Check out her lovely evening out with the hubs that was pocket friendly too.

Pseudo at Pseudonymous High School Teacher

"Car talk"

Sprite's Keeper

"Step Away from the Sale"

Smart Mouth Broad

"A Valentine's Splurge"

Jan at Jan's Sushi Bar

Jan has combined her money saving skills with some great ideas for Valentines' Day. Check her out.

Nothing Fancy
Calling all book lovers!

Midlife Slices
She's got a million of 'em

Smart Mouth Broad
Grocery Shopping

I MISS LUCY

It’s been awhile since I’ve written a Lucy post. I can think of no better way to celebrate Mother’s Day here in SMBland than to talk about Lucy, my beloved mother who died a little over 5 years ago. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss her more and more. So many things have happened in our lives in the past five years and it breaks my heart that she couldn’t share them with us. I don’t know how this Heaven thing works but I believe there is one and I like to think that Lucy has box seats and is watching over us all.

Lucy was one of a kind. Everyone thought so. Everyone loved her. She was smart, beautiful, funny and took GOOFY to a whole new level. The goofiness is what I loved most about her.

Lucy was married for seventeen years to my siblings’ father before she married my dad. Daddy was eleven years younger than Lucy. The age difference was never noticeable until Lucy was in her 80s and got sick. She was always very young looking and could run circles around women many years her junior including me. She had so much energy.

My mother got a kick out of shocking people. I should mention that Lucy moved to our small town in Indiana when she married my father. I think it’s fair to say that many people just didn’t know what to make of her.

Lucy loved to tell people that when she got married, her husband was only 9 years old. Of course she was talking about when she married her first husband and saying that her second husband was nine. Sometimes she would explain, sometimes, she didn’t bother and would just leave them wondering. She also liked to say, “My husband was eleven years old when I had my first child.” You can imagine the reaction she would get. And she loved it.

God, I miss her.

If you missed my previous Lucy stories and would like to read them, they are linked below.

A Strange Telephone Conversation

I Love Lucy

A Roadtrip with Lucy

Lucyisms – A Language all her own

I’m Fine – Really Just Fine

Lucy – Mother Extraordinaire

Whether you’re celebrating Mother’s Day or you’re not……………….I wish you the very best day ever.

Hugs and kisses,

SMB

THE ANSWER

.....at least for me is always the beach. It calms me. Soothes my soul. Refreshes my spirit.

Thanks so much to everyone who commented on my last post. You have no idea how much your friendship means to me.

BIG Hugs,
SMB

ACK!

There is something in the air. Janie suggested that it’s hormonal (read: meno- flippin psycho, raving lunatic, cranky b*tch pausal). I spent a few stolen minutes on her couch yesterday. Thanks, Janie. Erin informed me that tomorrow is a full moon. EEK! Could it be that my werewolf tendencies are working in advance? The point is: all over the interwebs, I’m seeing, reading, hearing that something is about to blow. I think it’s me.

I think I bit Daughter #2’s head off three times yesterday. Rather remarkable actually as she only has one head. (She must be like the chameleon who grows its tail back when you pull it off.) She responded to these multiple beheadings by bringing me flowers at the end of the day. (She’s too young to buy alcohol.)

**Let’s all take a moment to contemplate what a terrible person I am and how very sweet D2 is.**

Here’s the thing: I like all the skies in my world to be blue ALL the time. And as a very wise 12 year old (D1) once told me, "Life just isn’t like that.” Dammit!

I don’t really like posting about the stinky stuff in my life unless I can turn it into a funny because let’s face it we all have stinky stuff and who wants to hear that? I’m posting the sludge today because I need your help. (Read: I can’t afford therapy.)

Below are a list of my current symptoms and some self-analysis. I’m begging you to channel your inner psychologist and therapize me.

• I’m tired. Bone tired. I’m getting enough sleep, I’m sure but still I’m tired.
• I’m cranky, almost angry and having a hard time hiding it. (I’m usually pretty good at deceiving the many and taking it out on the few.)
• I don’t want to do anything (and I have a LOT to do.)
• Mother’s Day is almost here. Perhaps, I’m subconsciously reacting because I miss my mom. I don’t want to be pampered. I want to run away. (oops, did I say that out loud?)
• I can’t remember if I felt this way last year. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday. I can’t remember to pick up my dry-cleaning. (They may have sold it) I can’t remember what I can’t remember.
• I’m whiny. Please pardon my statement of the obvious.

So……………….there you have it. I have more but I fear that if I continue to whine, complain, snark and grumble, you won’t come back again and to whom will I turn then?

Any suggestions?

I could shoot something but the gun range is temporarily closed due to some ridiculous zoning laws.

The emergency stash of dark chocolate m&ms isn’t working.

I could go to see the Disney Earth movie again. That was a smile maker.

I’m going for a coffee refill. With any luck, y’all will come up with a solution to the disaster that is me by the time I get back.

Geez, I hate being a biatch! And yet…………….I can’t help myself. ACK!

LUCKY ME

I thank God every night when I don’t fall into a comatose sleep before saying my prayers for giving me these lovely young women as daughters. They are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. With Mother’s Day approaching, I am even more aware of how fortunate I am to have these girls in my life.

Daughter #2 is home from college for the summer. Daughter #1 will be home once school is out in NC. It’s going to be great having them both home again. MHS will be so glad that he doesn’t have to hold up his end of the conversation at the dinner table for a few months.

I’m happy to say that Daugher #2 finished her freshman year at college on the dean’s list. Noleboy did too. I guess they ARE doing more than just playing kissy face at school. Congratulations to them both for a job well done.

Daughter #1 is about to finish her first year teaching. MHS and I are so proud of her but wish she didn’t have to move so far away to start her career. Letting go has never been one of my strong suites.

D2’s dean's list announcement brought back memories of D1’s last semester at the same university. As she was stressed out busy preparing for final exams, she would call me each day with an update. It would go something like this:

Day 1: “Did you send out the graduation announcements yet? I don’t think I’m going to graduate. I’m never going to pass this class.

Day 2: “I think it’s going to be OK. I’m pretty sure I’ll pass but that’s it.”

Day 3: “Don’t send the announcements! I’m definitely NOT going to graduate!”

Day 4: “I feel better about my finals. I think I’ve got it under control and I’ll graduate.”

Day 5: “Did you send the announcements? Don’t! I’m not graduating.”

And on and on until the day she took her finals. And guess what? She not only graduated (which you already know because she is teaching 6th grade social studies) but she made the dean’s list! I wanted to smack her (right after I hugged her).

Me: “How could you have thought you weren’t even going to pass and then end up on the dean’s list!” Silly girl!

Some days there’s just not enough wine in the world!

Once again, congratulations to Daughter #2 for making the dean’s list! You rock!

THE MAKING OF A BIKER CHICK – Cody, Wyoming

Beartooth Inn was the first lodging we came across as we approached Cody. It looked nice and clean and we pulled in to check it out. It was perfect. Just look at the view.

Cody, Wyoming is named for the famous Buffalo Bill Cody. I was anxious to get a butt break explore the museum but we decided it was a little too late when we arrived in Cody and we would have more time to really take it in if we waited until the next day.

Instead, we checked out the Harley store. MHS had to get his t-shirt, you know. I got a great pair of gloves on clearance. I still thank the Harley gods for that great find every time my little fingers are cold. You know what HD stands for? If you said Harley Davidson, you’re wrong. Hundred.Dollars. Yep, you can’t get out of any HD store without being $100 poorer. (That’s not really true but it’s a “joke” that a biker told me on the ferry ride to the statue of liberty after giving me directions to the Manhattan HD store.)

After we got our shopping fix, our bellies were getting a little grumbly. A local recommended a great Mexican restaurant. We got there just before 9pm and they were closing up shop. Note to future travelers: Cody is a great little town but they roll the streets up early. Those cowboys gotta get up early, you know.

Plan B was Wyoming’s Rib and Chop House. This turned out to be a serendipitous change in plans. We had been on the road for about a week and some comfort food was sounding really good to me. I ordered the pot roast and I am still trying to re-create that recipe at home. It was served with a mountain of red potatoes mashed with the skins and the pot roast was shredded and completely encircled the mountain. I have no recollection of what anyone else ordered because I was in love with my plate and had eyes for no other. That and a few beers and I was one happy woman.

The next morning, The Saint and I went on an exciting adventure to the laundrOmat while MHS and the Biker Nazi explored Cody on the bikes. MHS took the camera with him so I have no pictures but it was a very nice laundrOmat. *wink*

I said it before and I’ll say it again: I like people in my pictures but MHS and The Biker Nazi like to photograph their bikes.

This photograph was taken from the parking lot of the hotel. Beyond the mountains in the distance (and a really long ride) lies Yellowstone, our next destination.

MHS is scouting for lodging.

Halt, thief! Who is that masked man trying to steal Bill’s rifle?

It was hot! Be kind and try to ignore that I’m posting a picture of me in shorts. ACK!

That’s BN and MHS on the other side of those rifles.

The Firearms Museum was really cool. So many guns, so little time.

The Biker Nazi and The Saint stop to make a memory.

Two Grumpy Bears

The Saint dared me to climb up on this horseless saddle. I can’t resist a dare. We’re lucky we didn’t get thrown out. This was before they confiscated my water bottle. (Nice helmet hair, huh?)

See how the men are patiently waiting for us to conclude our horse-less ride? Wait, is that the BN’s foot I see tapping?

Aren’t you glad we don’t get our mail like this anymore?

MHS is completely oblivious to the fact that he’s about to get an antler in the arse.

We had a great time in Cody and I would love to go back one day.

Coming soon to a blog near you: The Making of a Biker Chick – Yellowstone National Park. Buffalo and elk and bears! Oh my!

***Note***

Links to earlier “Making of a Biker Chick” posts are listed on my sidebar.