Going bang in the night, tossing and turning and lightning blazing the skies.....

That's why I wasn't here this morning.

February went out like a lion here in Judiland.
What will March bring to my little suburban hamlet?
My pants were a little snugger than usual on this last day of February.
I'm thinking March better bring a stop to my mindless cookie munching.
Spring is supposed to be right around the corner.
You know what that means....no more sweaters and coats to cover our winter bodies.
I'm swearing off cookies and winter......
Starting right now.

Getting my Sunday on.......

Even though my hands smell like a combination of Mr. Clean and Murphy's oil soap and my body has taken a beating from scrubbing floors on my hands and knees, moving furniture and running baskets of laundry up and down two flights of steps while tackling cobwebs, stray kernels of popcorn and piles of magazines and newspapers and baskets overflowing with trash, I am a diva at heart.
I always put my red lip gloss on when I do housework.
It's the only thing that reminds me who I really am.

Between laundry, grocery shopping, scrubbing floors, sweeping carpets and polishing the furniture, I realized the housewife-way-of-life just ain't for me.
God bless my beloved mother and all of my aunts and many of my cousins who chose this profession and ace (d) it so well.
Because really--housekeeping is hard, unstylish, thankless work.
Me.....I'm content to get up every morning, put on my make up and fancy shoes, make my way to the office fighting lousy traffic and spending the day being agitated a bit, having a bit of stress and frustration and then, heading home, dead tired but not smelling like detergent and feeling like a truck ran me over.
This scrubbing and cleaning shit just ain't my thing.
No. No. No.
But, I'm realistic enough to know that sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
So, today, as I scrubbed and swept and cleaned, I comforted myself with the promise that tonight I was going to treat myself to a decadent night on the couch.
Me, my leopard robe, my fluffy slippers and my stylish friends and a true Hollywood inspired menu....

Coppola Bianco (honoring Francis Ford Coppola)
Giada DeLaurentis's Roasted Fennel with Parmesean (honoring Dino DeLaurentis)
Wolfgang Puck's Crab Louie
Take The Cannoli (which we picked up last night at a little Italian specialty bakery...honoring The GodFather)
Enrico Biscotti (honoring the location and inspiration for the movie The Bread My Sweet)

Yes, it's Oscar night.
Thankfully, my RED CARPET is very clean.

We all need something to aspire to......

Sometimes, a sense of humor and a key board is all you need.
Thankfully, I have both.

Happy Saturday!!!!

Eeny, meenie, miney, mo......

Time to put my thinking cap on....

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.

If only they were as easy as EENY, MEENIE, MINEY, MO......

TGIF....
After a long week of work and a boatload of other obligations, it's only natural to look at the weekend as a time to kick back, take it easy, do what ya wanna do, have a little fun and catch up on all the things that you never get a chance to do during the week.
Sounds good.
Unless you live in Judiland.
Each weekend, I have to choose which one of those things I want to do---
Kick back? Take it easy? Do what I wanna do? Have a little fun? Catch up on things?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. and Yes.
Each weekend, I have to figure out which one of those things I can actually get around to doing.
That's where I am right now.
In my mind, I know what I should do--catch up on things.
In my heart, I know what I want to do--everything else but catch up on things.
But, I keep thinking--I can't continue to not catch up on all the things that need my attention--like--doing laundry, scrubbing the kitchen floor, putting the china closet back together, put away the rest of the Christmas linens and crystal, corral all the paperwork that's laying around......well, you get the picture.
Yet, I also keep thinking--a girl needs to let her hair down, kick up her heels, get her beauty rest and blow off some steam if she wants to maintain her sanity, enjoy her life and not turn into a boring old hag.
Yes, TGIF.....

A message from UNCLE SAM.....

The U.S. Government has given the Lap band it's blessing.
Twice, in fact.

The Lap band has been FDA approved for the morbidly obese for quite awhile.
And, just a few days ago, it was once again FDA approved for even a wider sector the
population---the everyday obese person.
Finally, someone in the hallowed halls of the FDA gets it--obesity needs to be and should be dealt with using the technology and medical procedures available.


Obesity can lead to morbid obesity which can lead to more than just a handful of health issues--it can be MORBID.
It's not just about vanity and jean sizes.
What that means is that obesity can be directly linked to death.
Obesity is only a few BMI points away from morbid obesity.

What's a few measly points between life and death?

Amazingly, someone realized that it's downright silly to wait until people are at death's door before giving them the available tools and resources they need to help them.
Thank you Uncle Sam and Cousin FDA.

I'm just so sorry..... that's just not enough.
Just because the government restrictions change, that does not change the decisions of the insurance companies.


No matter what YOU say....the insurance companies have to get on board.
Until they recognize that by not providing their paying customers with the choices available to them to deal with their obesity issues--they will continue to shell out more dollars over longer periods of time to deal with the ailments brought on by obesity-- high blood pressure, diabetes, knee replacements, heart conditions--to name just a few.


Sure, we can all shake our collective fingers at obese people and tell them to cut their calories and exercise.
We can publicly declare that they are lazy, they lack willpower, they have emotional issues that cause them to overeat, they are remedial when it comes to nutrition and last but not least, they are just apathetic, pathetic gluttons.
We can look down on them and consider them weak, stupid people who just don't know how to lose weight.
Hey, let's face it.....that's what the world has been doing to fat people, to overweight people and to obese people for ions.
It's a national pastime to shame them!

But, I wonder--how can these insurance companies truly look their customers in the eyes and tell them that there is a tool that can really (really, really) help them but they won't give it to them because we have labeled them as fat, lazy, stupid, weak people?

It's time to listen to Uncle Sam and Cousin FDA......

It's a BAND OLD DAY for this snow-weary blogger....

Sometimes when blog entry words escape me or when I am in need of just a little reflection or just some entertainment, I drift back in time by reading what I blogged about in the past.
When I do, I am always filled with a real sense of accomplishment and a very deep feeling of amazement.
For more reasons than just my beloved Lapband.....
First and foremost, I'm simultaneously shocked and pleased with myself that I have been blogging for this long....
Really. Really. Really.
And, secondly, I am thankful that despite Mrs. Darby's (my first grade teacher) declaration that my chatterbox ways were a problem and always would be, I didn't let her stop me from chattering away....
Finally, I found a forum where it's okay to talk, talk, talk, Mrs. Darby
God Rest her soul.
And, just as importantly, I find myself ridiculously proud of the fact that I can write about the little nuances of life in a way that makes them worth reading--even for me-- when I go back and visit my entries!
As a closet writer all of my life, I can honestly tell you that there were many things I wrote over the years that actually embarrassed the hell out of me when I read them later on.
I was forever in that "what was I thinking when I wrote that?" mode.
And, lastly....I am reminded that I am still of sound mind.
The alzhiemers and the dementia hasn't got me yet....
How do I know that for sure?
Because when I read those blog entries.....

I remember.....

February 23, 2010...
I had just bought a darn cute skirt and needed pantyhose...

February 23, 2009
I was wondering about excess and it's relationship to obesity....

February 24, 2008
I had just bought a pair of Not Your Mother's Jeans and I was coming off a wild weekend


Even though Judiland is frozen over and there's cold snow all around, my memories and my thankfulness are warm and fuzzy....

The SAND is as white as SNOW out there......

Yes, it's 5:00 here.
But, not the 5:00 I was thinking about.

I need a shovel.
Forget the beach pail.
Just pass me the bucket of salt.
I won't be putting it on my margarita.

IT'S NOT SAND! IT'S SNOW!

I guess I'll have to put a coat over my bathing suit and save my very adorable little drink umbrellas for another day....
But, damn it, I am wearing my leopard print scarf, hat, gloves and boots.
After all, they match my bathing suit.

Move over FABIO......

I AM THE ULTIMATE SURVIVOR....



A SURVIVOR....that's what I feel like today.
Not just a survivor.
An ultimate survivor.
After a weekend that included lots of shennanigans and hijinx and this and that and everything in between, I am still walking and talking with some semblance of sanity.
That's a good thing.
I deserve the $1 million prize.
Hand it over.....

It was one of those weekends that will go down in the history books of Judiland......

I survived the weekend.
And, so did everyone else.
The only thing that didn't make it was my phone.
Guess what happens when you try to carry three huge grocery bags up concrete steps while trying to find your keys as well as trying to figure out how to explain to a 90 year old man that yes, his grandson (my nephew) was life-flighted to the trauma unit of the hospital from a very serious car accident but he will survive, while balancing a cell phone call from your sister (my nephew's mother) who is very upset, knowing all the while you are running late for yet another one of your father's eating sessions and the dogs are barking because they probably need to eat and void and it's starting to snow and you forgot your winter coat that you need to wear to work the next day and then the door won't open even though you are practically busting it down with your free leg and then you fall down, with everything from the bags flying everywhere and you start to panic that the eggs will break and all the milk will spill then your phone flies out of your hand and smacks head on into a wall?
Your phone breaks.
And, that's only the short-minus-emotion version.....




All of that.....
Just in time to take on another Monday.

Now, as Monday winds down......I'm plum tuckered out.
Thankfully, I have a new phone.
After work, I ran directly to the mall.
I got a new phone.
And new shoes.
I won't even bother to give a commentary on the fact that my phone was out of warranty 3 days ago--February 18--and I'm not due to upgrade until October of 2011.
That's why I needed the shoes.
No, I won't mention the fact that I had to pay full price for a suitable replacement.
Another good reason for the shoes.
Because you know--a girl needs a proper phone.
And more shoes.
One that is worthy of her and full fills all of her needs.
My needs always manage to increase with my misery quotient.....
My misery quotient always increases my shoe needs.

My body is feeling the effects of it all.
My brain is definitely feeling the effects.

My Lapband decided to be the only part of my total being to tell me--with no uncertain terms-- that it's time to slow down, take a breather and relax.
My Lapband spoke to me all weekend.
Through all the commotion and craziness, my Lapand kept trying to warn me.
My body let me keep going no matter how exhausted I felt or how unreasonable the demands.
My mind let me to take on more than I should and give more than it had the capacity to give.
But, my Lapband would not hear of it.
It talked back to me.....in ways that were not always pleasant.
My stubborn Lapband.
It kept trying to reign me in.
My Lapband is trying to tell me to stop and take notice of what a spinning, busy, stressful world can do to a girl.
It's doing it the only way it knows how.
Yes, friends, in between all of the craziness (and probably BECAUSE of it all!), I had many Lapband moments this weekend.
Not pretty at all.
As I reflect on the past three days--I realize that what my Lapband did was done out of love.
As I vomitted my way through almost the entire weekend, I didn't get it.
Now I do.
Have I told you lately how much I love my Lapband?
Now it's time to tell you how much I appreciate the fact that my Lapband loves me back.

Dadland in Judiland.....

I'm in charge of a 90 year old Frank Carr for the next 48 hours.
YES,the entire 48 hours.
So, blog friends, don't expect much.
He could summon me at any time to watch Walker Texas Ranger.

One never knows if Sarah Palin will piss him off and he will need calming.
God knows what will happen if he can't find the Catholic Channel at the right time to do the rosary.

Heaven forbid some Republican comes on TV and starts talking health care or social security or gun control or abortion or taxes or anything they talk about....we might have blood pressure issues.

My father loves being a Democrat.
An Irish Democrat--to be more precise.
No....an Irish Catholic Democrat.
Yes, that's the bottom line with him.

My father has no tolerance for anyone who isn't registered to vote or who doesn't exercise their right to vote.
He'd like it if you were a Democrat.
A Democrat who says the rosary is tops with him.

He thanks God...several times a day.... his daughters are Democrats.
He prays his son-in-laws are.
He is too respectful to ask them. (they are)
He sucks up the rosary thing....he knows his daughters would not do the rosary daily.
As long as we are Democrats....he will do the rosary for us......it gives him something to do.
With 3 daughters and doing the rosary for each of us.....he's a busy guy.
Add that to the fact that his 3 girls are not angels or saints....he's got some praying to do!!!
We love giving him something to live for.
He loves praying for sins.
So.....we continue.....

SINNING

GIVING MY FATHER A REASON TO LIVE!!!

Do you want a QUICKIE?

because that's the way...ah-ha, ah-ha, I like it...ah-ha-ha-ha....

Okay...I'm not really into quickies.
In fact, I like it long and slow.
But, this is life in Judiland.
We gotta do what we gotta do.

Wedged in between appointments and preschool and work, 3 band bloggers managed to eek it out.
We did a quickie.
And, it was gooood!
We girls know how to do that.
We are experts at eeking it out goood and QUICK....
So, that' just what we did.
Three girls from three different places in their days managed to figure it out.
We had lunch.

Band Groupie, me (of course), Stealing Skinny

Three girls in Pittsburgh who are dedicated to Lapbanding managed to figure out how to have lunch.
A quickie if there ever was one.
After it was all eaten and done---one had to drive to pick up a child at preschool, one had to drive across 79 and the other had to drive through Oakland back to WORK!
It wasn't easy.
But, damn we did it!!!
As if there was any doubt....

I'm thinking there are more of you who would love to do more.

Look at our faces....
If you like what you see....let me know.
Wouldn't it be great to go full throttle with a full group of Pittsburghbandbuddies?

Let me know....
Are you interested in a Pittsburgh Band of Outrageous Babes (aka P-BOOBS)?
Yeah....right here in our own hometown.....
I'm not promising a full weekend of outrageous banded babe stuff.
I am only promising a quickie....

If you are a Lapband interested Pittsburgh girl and you love QUICKIES....
FESS UP!!!!!!!!!!
Leave a comment and let me know how to be in touch....

Repeat after me.....QUICKIES CAN BE FUN.....

Meet the Bloggers.......

Lee Ann from Stealing Skinny.....
Nancy from The Sweet Spot....

We are all meeting today!
Yes, after months of trying to meet up with my blogging neighbor band buddies.....it's happening.
We blog within miles of each other.
Under the same sky....the same sun.....the same falling snow.
In the same sliver of Pennsylvania.
In separate little suburban hamlets.
On separate computers.
With separate lives.
Living separate experiences.
Yet sharing one tiny space on the internet.
Embracing one common goal.
Telling each other things we may not even speak aloud.
We're going to hear voices we never heard.
Faces we only saw in pictures.
Wondering if somewhere in our travels, we passed each other in the grocery store, at the mall.
Do we go to the same dentist? Go to the same Starbucks? Eat at the same restaurants? Know the same people? Drive on the same roads?
We are strangers who know about each other's journeys, mishaps, hopes, frustrations, challenges, victories and dreams.
Yet we never shared a meal, a drink or an audible laugh.
Women who know how much weight we gained, how much weight we lost and what size pants we wear.....things our own families may not even know.
It's an amazing thing.

Do I even have the proper shoes for this momentous, historic, bloggeriscious occasion?

Did someone say OPEN BAR?

I figured that might get your attention.
It always gets mine....


Now that you are here, grab a stool, we'll order a martini or two.
Probably two.
Because, you know, this bar is set way too high for me.
I need YOU to help me get a little higher so I can reach it....

THE MAINTENANCE BAR
......where nobody knows my name.
You can't lose and you can't gain.
Maintenance is like martinis.....two is not enough but three is too many.

I've never been here before.
This place where I am not trying to lose weight.
Oh, sure I've been to the place where I didn't want to gain any weight.
But, being at a place where you have to do them together is turning out to be harder than I ever imagined.

It's like drinking martinis and line dancing.
I can't seem to do that.
Never could.



I am looking through the bottom of a martini glass.
It's all distorted and wiggly.
You see the life preserver ( lime twist) floating by.
But, you gotta get to the bottom of the glass before you can hang on to it.
And, then....just when you think you can get hold of it.....the room starts to spin.


This morning, the room is spinning.
I am going to put one foot on the floor and say the rosary.
It's the only method I know to remedy what the Maintenance Bar is doing to me.

If you have other ideas to share.....please, tell me about it over a martini.
I'm buying.....

A mid winter question to ponder on this fair-weathered day.....

Have you ever wondered why most people have less trouble with walking and not falling down, talking and making perfect sense, and breathing without stopping, than they do with
dieting, finding love, or getting rich?

Of course not......

It's because with walking, talking, and breathing (which, incidentally, are infinitely more complex than dieting, finding love and getting rich), they engage the magic with intent and expectation, twitch a few general muscles to get things started, and then they turn the rest over to faith.

In the second group, they try to do it all themselves.


Thankfully, I'm not walking alone.
I have you.
And, my Lapband.
What a lucky girl I am.....

The words I blog are true.....

xoxoxoxoxo

Happy Valentine's Day!

From my happy, healthy heart to yours......

Where the hell have I been?

Yes, blog friends, I was AWOL from my blog for a few days.
My reasons are very valid.
But, you don't want to hear about that....do you?

Without going into all of the very detailed details of what I have been up to, I will tell you that it resulted in me desperately needing a Sunday morning dedicated to my fuzzy leopard robe, my furry, jewel encrusted bronze colored slippers, the Sunday paper, my chai and the door shackled shut--with no chance of escape or no chance of anyone entering.

Yes, my body is feeling the effects of all of the work and the fun and the rock and roll and martinis and the 3 hours of sleep a night and the work and the work and the more work---all of it tucked into a week that still had the demands of my normal day-to-day life.

Today is all about....decadent laziness in Judiland.
Be still my heart.

Speaking of decadent laziness.....
(a girl has gotta eat even if she's being lazy)

Pear Salad with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

• 2 Anjou pears
• 1-cup goat cheese
• ¼ cup of pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese grated
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them in a baking dish core side up brush some melted butter. Gently toss goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, rosemary, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation. And bake until the pears look golden. Drizzle the honey on top of the pears before serving.

BTW--I'm serving this tonight with baby arugula drizzled with a light sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, topped with a few shavings of parmesean, sea salt and pepper. Following it up with my decadently lazy version of eggplant rotini (Trader Joe's frozen breaded eggplant--spread each piece with a dollup of ricotta, sprinkle some romano cheese, a tablespoon or so of a good tasting jarred tomato sauce (Trader Joe's Organic Basil Marinara is a pretty good one that's economical as well!) , roll them up....put them in a casserole, drizzle a little more sauce on top. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, let rest for a few minutes before serving).

What does the lazy girl serve for a decadent dessert?
-Double French Vanilla Ice Cream drizzled with Hershey's chocolate syrup and a splash of Frangelico.


Okay, enough food talk and chit chat.
I'm off to do the ultimate in decadent laziness......wearing my robe and slippers past noon.

My 2011 budget includes dining on lobster at lunch....does yours?

I'm not real crazy about frugality.
Or pinching pennies.
It cramps my style.
It feels so....I don't know.....common.
And, I'm definitely not common.

But sometimes a girl has to mind her wallet if she wants to splurge on a special Valentine's Day.
So, during those times when I have to cut back, I make it a point of doing-with-less-than-usual as elegantly and decadently as possible.
You see, I don't want to know that I'm budgeting.
It's a little secret that I keep from myself.
To do that-I spoil myself much more than I do during my normal spend-with-abandon moments.
Yes, I know it sounds illogical...to the logical mind.
Let's just say it's my version of reverse psychology.
In other words--I play a mental game with myself.
I pretend that I am a woman of extravagant means who has certain needs.
A girl who needs to drink top shelf gin out of crystal martini glasses.
When I'm not consciously budgeting, I'm fine with Tangueray out of whatever glass I can find.
For me--it makes oodles of sense.
And, hell--it makes me feel good.
And, honestly...don't tell anyone.... I just love, love bargains and I think it's fun living well on a shoestring.
I like the rush of feeling like I'm getting away with something.....
Yes, I like to be a Diva Bad-Ass.
Believe me....when I bought those extremely discounted Ann Taylor dresses over the weekend--I literally ran out of the store and dashed out of the mall to my car for fear they would be following me for robbing the place......I'd be in handcuffs soon.
It felt so good.....knowing that I escaped with my LBDs.

So, you can imagine my sheer delight when I found Lobster Bisque in the frozen food aisle at Aldi's on Monday night.
Two servings for less that $4.
310 calories a serving.
We all know that I love Lobster bisque.
It's every Lapbanded girls dream soup.....so smooth and sweet with a little kick.
And....what could be more elegant than LOBSTER?
It ain't chicken noodle cup-a-soup.

So, now you're saying to yourself with a bit of disbelief.....she bought FROZEN lobster bisque at ALDI'S and this somehow makes her feel decadent and classy?

Yes, my lovelies....... and I suggest you do the same.

Getting into my pants.......

is always on my mind.......

I think it comes with the territory.
Of being a fat girl.
A dieting girl.
A girl who paraded through sizes like a boy in puberty.

Now that I'm trying to be more organized each morning, I spend a little bit of extra time each night planning out my outfit for the next day.
Knowing what I want to wear each day has never been my forte.
For as long as I can remember, I always lived by the rule that I would just feel my outfit when I bounced out of bed.
Funny thing....I never bounced out of bed.
I slithered.
I moaned.
I thrust my fist in the air threatening the day ahead.
I groggily made my way to the shower, hoping hot water would do the trick.
Or, maybe the toothpaste would lead me to feeling the fashion.
When that didn't work, I'd stand in my closet and hope that the feeling would come over me.
Never a good way to feel my way into a look.
Maybe I just did all of that in order to avoid the inevitable before I went to bed....the reality that nothing would fit.
It was just better going to bed holding on to the belief that something would fit.
And, not just fit but somehow magically turn me into the fashionista I always fashioned myself to be.
With my new devotion to making my mornings less indecisive, I've started figuring out what I will wear before I fall into bed.
I figured---now that I'm thinner and my closet is not filled with things that used to fit, my chances of going to bed dreading the misery of finding something to wear was a thing of the past.
For the most part--it was a logical assumption.
Yet, there are those nights when I painstakingly pull out the next day's outfit before I eat dinner. Then, the rest of the night, I secretly fear that I will outgrow the pants overnight.
As if somehow the crab cake and the clandestine chocolate Hershey's kiss will throw me into another size.
I just can't shake the fear that if I misbehave--a-la the chocolate candy--I will grow out of my pants.
In my dieting girl mind, I hold on to the notion that morsels of enjoyment will cancel out everything.
My hips will expand.
My belly will explode.
My thighs will grow.
My pants will not fit.
Even with everything that I've been through and everything that I know, I am haunted by the bad food thing.
Eat chocolate=Get fat.

So, here I sit--in the early morning hours......thinking about getting into my pants.
Life is just a mystery.....

All quiet on the Western PA front.......

We're all recovering from the weekend.....
Some of us are doing much better than others.
Carmen and Vince both hit the road in the wee hours this morning a little tattered and torn, a bit downtrodden and deflated and a whole lot of miserable.
A super sized dose of SUPER BOWL depression.
Even my loving reminders that it's just a game didn't help them with their demeanor.
My poor boys.

As for me.....
A weekend shopping trip managed to help me cope with Monday.
After all, I had to live another day....to wear my new, amazing fashion deals!
I couldn't let a little loss of a football game get in between me and my amazing weekend bargains.
My new size 6 black dresses from Ann Taylor would not look good with a sad face.
I mean--seriously 2 LBDs at Ann Taylor for....get this....$33.95.....
And, I'm pretty sure a frown does not go well with vintagey-looking, distressed cream leather western boots.
Come on.....rockin' boots with all the hardware....for under $40.oo?
Plus, let's face it--pointy-toed, spike-heeled Steve Madden black leather boots deserve to be worn with a smile.
Especially when they cost only $22.95!
And, let's not forget my little romp through Victoria's Secret......



How did I know I'd need shopping bags full of new reasons to go on today?

Good Morning from Pittsburgh.....

He's 90.....

Happy 90th Birthday to MY FATHER.....
His 3 girls love, love, love, love him!
His 6 grandchildren adore him!
And, his 2 son-in-laws are so thankful for him!!

He doesn't look a day over 60.

I guess I got some pretty good genes!



It's a big day here in Judiland.......
My father---Francis Anthony Xavier Carr.... is 90.
My Irish-Eyes-Are-Smiling Father is NINETY!!!!!!!!!!
My father....the man who I adore.
Thank YOU dear Lord!
My sisters and I are so thankful that our father is still with us.
He is a very special guy.

It's been a wild road to 90.....

He outlived his 3 wives.....
His childhood sweetheart--Margaret....who died on their one year anniversary
My mother-- Antoinette...who he shared 15 years and 3 daughters with.....Me, Denise and Cathy...
His Elizabeth....who he spent 25 glorious year with....no children but lots of traveling.....

He outlived his beloved little brother Patsy.....
It broke his heart to say good-bye.
We all miss Uncle Patsy so much....

Yet, my father is still in the here-and-now....

He told me that THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST SUPERBOWL of his life.
He wants THE STEELERS to win.
So, dear God....just in case my father never sees another SUPERBOWL....please make sure
THE STEELERS win

GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't FUMBLE....SCORE with THE SPREAD.....

Yeah, I'm talkin' football lingo.....getting myself linquisticly ready for the BIG GAME!
You know the one......the SUPERBOWL EATATHON!
It truly is a game in itself.....why do you think they call it a BOWL?
Just sayin'.......



Since I know that all of my Blog readers are die-hard Steeler fans and are saying novenas and rubbing their Terrible Towels on their patron saints and offering up their first borns or their siblings for a Steeler win, I figured I'd give you all what you've been waiting for........the inside scoop on what to put in your BOWLS this Sunday.

I'm giving you an
ITALIAN STYLE SUPERBOWL-A PARTY!
(it's super easy and guaranteed to bring home a win!)
Let's start it off with a little bit of musica......

Now, let's start pouring the vino and the beer.....
Then, it's time to....

MANGIA!

This menu feeds about 8-10 Steeler fans very well!

Italian Nachos

These are amazing!

2 bags of Multi-grain tortilla chips
Asiago Cream Sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup ( 3ounces) ground Italian sausage, fully cooked
3 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 can of diced Italian seasoned tomatoes
1/4 cup Kalamata black olives, sliced
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup banana peppers, sliced

ASIAGO CREAM SAUCE:
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 1/2 cups Asiago cheese, shredded



On a large, ovenproof dish, place chips in a single layer. Top with Asiago Cream Sauce and cooked sausage. Add half of the mozzarella cheese. Layer on the tomatoes, olives, scallions and banana peppers.

Top with remaining mozzarella and broil at 400 to 500 degrees F. until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.

TO MAKE ASIAGO CREAM SAUCE:In a cup, combine cornstarch and water. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in bouillon granules and cornstarch-water mixture. Add Asiago cheese and stir until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Makes about 3 cups.

EASY CAESER SALAD

Dressing:

1/2 bottle of balsamic vinegarette dressing
1/2 bottle of creamy caesar dressing

shake well, let sit for 1 hour in fridge for flavors to mingle

Mix all in a big salad bowl:

2 bags of chopped romaine
1/2 pound of chopped pancetta--browned until crisp, drained well
1 bag of Caeser Style Croutons
1/2 cup of shaved parmesean cheese
Add dressing and toss to coat!

Italian Chili
(for crockpot)
Yummy!

1 lb. ground beef--crumbled
1 lb. hot Italian Sausage--crumbled
1 lb sweet Italian Sausage--crumbled

3 jars of your favorite jarred (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

3cups water

2 cans (15 oz.) canellini beans, drained, rinsed

2 medium onion, chopped

2Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup parmesean/romano blend cheese


BROWN meats in large saucepan; drain.

ADD spaghetti sauce, water, beans, onions, 1/4 cup of the cheese and the pepper flakes to crockpot, stir in the drained meat. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or High for 2-4 hours.

Serve with remaining cheese and crusty, hot garlic bread!!

And, for that sweet ending......as you cheer the Steeler Champions.....
Serve store-bought biscottis with Coffee or Hot Chocolate laced with Franjelico.

Hurry up.....go out there and get what you need for YOUR SUPERBOWL-A PARTY!

SUPERsexy superBOWL......

It's SuperBowl week in Pittsburgh.
I hear it's also a SUPERSEX week....

Are we all having SUPERSEX because of the Super Bowl?
Studies show that maybe we are.
As for me?
I'll never tell.
Being coy is part of my sexiness......

The theory is that all of the excitement and manliness of the big game brings lots of excitement and manliness into the bedrooms of the hometowns of the teams who playing in the Super Bowl.....
Which means that the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh are rockin'......
But, come Sunday.....the sex is gone.
It's all about the game....

Well...if we can't have sex, we can least be sexy....
In fact, we can be.....

Thankfully, in Pittsburgh, we are off to a good start....
Steeler colors are sexy....
Black and Gold.
Yes....so sexy.
Tight pants on seemingly well-endowed, well-proportioned fellows is sexy.
Aren't they?
Yes....so sexy.

There are a few issues that could hinder the sexiness factor...
Dribbling hot wing sauce on your TERRIBLE TOWEL and stuffing nachos dripping in cheese in your Iron City rimmed lips .....not so sexy.
YOU got that right.
Having to unbutton and unzip your black jeans and pull your gold top over your bulging belly....not so sexy.
No. No. No.

Once again, I give thanks for my Lapband.
No wings, no beer and no unzipping for me.
Just Black and Gold....and my Steelertini.....
SUPERSEXY.....

Over and over and over again.......

Can this winter and it's misery get any more monotonous?

As my forever friend, blog reader Debbie says........it's just like the movie Ground Hog Day
Every damn night, I got to bed thinking I'm going to wake up to something other than snow and sleet and cold and a driveway that resembles a skating rink!
But....noooooooo........I'm stuck in Punxatawney with Phil.....

Note to UNIVERSE: We are not in Punxatawney!

Happy Groundhog Day everyone!
GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comparison is the thief of joy......

so says the Skinny Bitch.

You know what?
I'm inclined to believe that skinny bitch.
Besides being skinny,she's quite smart.
Plus, she's a bitch.
No wonder she is so loved and adored.

So, as we skid into February and contemplate what's in the stars for us this month or wonder if we'll finally get that Valentine's gift of our dreams or try to guess if the Groundhog will see his shadow, let's all pause a bit and consider what the Skinny Bitch is saying.

Take joy in what's yours, in what you have, in who you are and
stop giving a shit if someone else's life, stuff or body seems like it's better than yours.

I'm pretty sure this is the same advice your mother already gave you.
But, now that the Skinny Bitch has shared this wisdom.
It's time we take it.
After all, aren't we all aspiring to be a Skinny Bitch?