Scribbles and Scrambles ~Foodishness

This afternoon I put together a few recipes I've been kicking around in my head.

Success? Not quite yet. The creamy chunky guacamole was delish, except for the fact that I purchased habanero peppers vs. the milder jalapeno. Wham.

The salmon patties made with sweet potato and white bean puree needs a little work. Not much, just a few tweaks.

Finally, I finished up the "Friendship Bread" I'd been given. (The sour dough stuff you leave on the counter and squish everyday. After adding more sugar to the mix, I then had to add a box of instant vanilla pudding.

Okay. Not exactly "FRIENDLY." I'm pretty sure I'm not going to do that again. Tastes really good, but is really, really bad.

And speaking of food -- this is fascinating.

I'm going to have to check out this book.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Shame

Fiction lovers who love to dive deep into the inner workings of the soul....this is for you.




ABOUT THE BOOK

It's hard to appreciate the life you have when you're wondering about the one you might have had.

John Tilden's glory days are far behind him, and now it seems like all he has is the monotony of everyday living. He certainly thought there'd be more to it than his ramshackle Oklahoma farm and a mundane job coaching basketball at his old high school. He questions his fatherhood skills too: His oldest son won't speak to him, his younger son wants to quit the basketball team, and now his daughter wants to go out on dates. He loves his wife, but the marriage has settled into complacency.

With John's twentieth high school reunion approaching, he has agreed to play in an exhibition game with the old championship team. And his ex-girlfriend's back in town, newly single. What might have been now seems closer than ever.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Shame, go HERE


My Review:


I don't think my review can do justice to Shame. But I'm going to try. For starters, I was given the advanced reading copy via a pdf file and had to read it while attached to my computer. This is not my first choice in reading, I like to be able to cradle a book and curl up wherever I chose. The computer is just not the same.

Even though this was an annoyance, I voraciously devoured this story.

The characters became so real to me that I wept. But before I wept, I wrestled along with the inner struggle of John, and the unknown that lay sprawled on his horizon and the ties that kept him at bay. There were moments, basketball details mostly, where I didn't hang on every word, but the struggles, the tension, the story of what-if and what-might-have-been and what's-the-point pulled on every one of my emotional strings leaving most of them taut and humming.

Garrett writes with poignancy and fluidity, words filled with visuals and other sensory experiences that paint scene after scene in the readers' mind. In Shame, he aptly tackles the common human conditions, the ones we all have to face, eventually. The things we try to medicate, drown, and subdue, the haunting specter of relationships and regrets, and the reality of whom we are being the sum of our choices.

Shame will be on my 2009 favorites list. Fans of authors like Tom Morrisey and Wally Lamb may want to look into it. Readers who can't handle slower moving narratives or introspection might want to read more reviews and a sample of the writing before purchasing. CBA only readers may balk at some of the scenes, this is PG-rated inspirational fiction. David C. Cook has been publishing novels that are real, gritty, envelope-pushing and thought-provoking, and they get a double thumbs up from me.

My book-buddy, Kim, has a very different take on the book...go here to read her thoughts. Valid ones...because you all know how my brain quirks.

About the author:

Greg Garrett has published newspaper and magazine features, short stories, personal and critical essays, reviews, encyclopedia articles, novels, a memoir, and books of nonfiction during his thirty-year writing career.

Author of the critically acclaimed novels Free Bird (chosen by Publishers Weekly and the Rocky Mountain News [Denver] as one of the best first novels of 2002) and Cycling, as well as the nonfiction books The Gospel Reloaded (with Chris Seay), Holy Superheroes!, the spiritual autobiography Crossing Myself, The Gospel According to Hollywood, and the forthcoming Stories from the Edge, Dr. Garrett is a past winner of the Pirate's Alley William Faulkner Prize for Fiction, and a regional CASE gold medalist for nonfiction.

He was elected to the Texas Institute of Letters in 2005 for his lifetime literary achievements. Professor of English at Baylor University, Dr. Garrett was named the Outstanding Baylor Faculty Member for 1994 by the Baylor Student Congress, and received the university administration's outstanding professor award in 1996. He received his Ph.D. in English from Oklahoma State University, and recently completed the M.Div. at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, where he lives, writes, and serves as a lay preacher at St. David's Episcopal Church.

Super Cinema Saturday ~ Bedtime Stories

My Review:

Bedtime Stories is the family-friendly Adam Sandler coming out to play.

Low on inappropriate language though there are plenty of slang terms, heavy on quirky characters, Sandler plays the goofy anti-hero who is just looking for his special place in the world. His friends help him along. There are fewer sexual innuendos than in previous Sander flicks. However, there are quite a few cleavage shots. Overall, Bedtime Stories is closer in feel to Mr. Deeds than Happy Gilmore,Wedding Singer or 50 First Dates.

Why I liked it? Sandler is amusing with his sarcastic delivery and pent-up energy. The characters he plays are little boys in a man's body and that's always entertaining in my book. The movies he produces are sweet on several levels. Pro-family, not necessarily the mom, pop and 1.5 kids family, but the made up pack-type of families that tend to form on our American landscape. I love that Sandler's characters are overcomers. Regardless of the rottenness of life, they tend to struggle with the idea of change but eventually grab hold of a challenge and become better people. Sander's characters, in all the movies I've seen, are quirkily real and sometimes annoyingly sweet. The good guys have warts and the bad guys, well, they have way more warts and bad attitudes, too. Bedtime Stories contains all of these elements.

What I find annoying? The Little People aka dwarfs always seem thrown in for simple laugh fodder.

This is fun entertainment and classic Sandler. If you love his stuff, or family movies, you'll want to check it out.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Financial Wisdom and a Contest

Happy Friday. Just returned from a double dog mile. A lot like a double-dog dare, but far more interesting. No rain. But there was a dead possum requiring super human strength to avoid running pell-mell into its rotting carcass. There was the, of course, full bag of puppy not-so-treats. (Not pink. We blew through those by Wednesday. But, I digress. )

My focus today is money. (It was pay day for me, so I think its an appropriate day to discuss money.) Though I haven't read the book yet, so I can't offer a review. I can give you a quiz and some money wisdom from the authors, Curt and Marybeth Whalen.

Are You A Financially Focused Couple? Instructions: Give yourself 1 point for every "yes" answer, 0 points for every "no." 1.Do you have regular budget meetings? 2.Do you communicate about daily expenses? 3.Do you discuss large purchases before they're made? 4.Does each spouse have an equal vote about money decisions? 5.Have you planned for your future through life insurance and a will? 6.Do you agree about tithing and giving? 7.Can you both list out your debts, including the amounts and monthly payment for each account? 8.Do you have a plan that was written together for paying off debt and saving money? 9.Do you encourage each other to save money? 10.Have you discussed the spending habits and attitudes about money that you carried into the marriage? Tally up your score and use the guide to the right to see what category you fall into.

0-2 points: Don't get discouraged. There's nowhere to go from here except up! 3-5 points: You are taking steps towards being a financially focused couple.. Keep working together and you will get there. 6-8 points: You are almost 100% financially focused. Keep up the good work and get intentional about those trouble spots. 9-10 points: You are a financially focused couple and could show us all a thing or two! Consider sharing your wisdom with other couples who are struggling in today's uncertain times.

Top Ten Tips For Saving Money In Tough Times 1. Make a budget (and stick to it). A budget overwhelms many people but it is really nothing more than devising a plan for every dollar you bring in. Having a budget helps you spend smarter and think more. It also helps to improve your buying power. The best way to make a budget is to start by sitting down with your spouse and deciding how much you spend on regular categories like groceries, gas, medical, etc. each month. Talk through these things and get them down on paper. Then spend accordingly. An article that goes into step by step detail about making a budget can be found at: http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-make-a-budget/ 2. Stop using credit cards. Studies show that people who use credit cards buy more and think less about their purchases. By learning to spend cash and limiting your purchases, you make your money work for you rather than against you. Credit card companies are getting craftier as the economy struggles. 25% of all credit card users in this country will have their rates raised this year, or their monthly payment raised. When you are in debt, you are at the mercy of the company you owe. Don’t let yourself get bogged down by credit card debt. 3. Cook at home. It sounds so basic and yet how many of us resort to eating out because we just can’t deal with dinner? By taking a few moments once a week to devise a menu plan, shopping for the needed ingredients for that menu plan, and cooking the meals in your home, you can save lots of money and have more time to gather as a family and enjoy a slow evening at home. Eating at home not only saves money, it saves valuable family time. 4. Buy clothes at thrift or consignment stores. This is especially true with children’s clothes. When you are in a department store, always shop the clearance racks and avoid the other racks so you aren’t tempted. It’s also an income generator if you consign your own clothing. You can then take the money you earn on consignment and buy clothes for a new season without being out of pocket any money! 5. If you must eat out, only go to places you have coupons for. Keep a small photo album and arrange restaurant coupons so they are easy to find as you are heading out the door. It’s also a great idea to look for “kids eat free” nights and frequent those. Other ways to save on eating out include ordering water (big savings on this), share meals, order a kids’ portion if the restaurant allows it, and go out for lunch instead of dinner. For people who work, it’s always a good idea to pack your lunch regularly instead of running out to eat. A jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread will go a long way. 6. Learn to play the coupon game. Many people devote themselves to clipping and organizing coupons—and reap great savings from doing so. There are many frugal websites and blogs that detail exactly how to save a lot of money with coupons. A great one to start with is http://www.couponmom.com/. And here is a great tutorial video you can watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcAUZvGS6L8. 7. If you have children, limit the number of activities they do to one per child, per year. If you are struggling to pay for even one activity, consider asking for the activity as a gift from grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, etc. Instead of another toy that will end up broken or lost, your child can receive a gift that truly keeps on giving as well as one that invests in their future. 8. Think about the things you regularly spend money on like gas or utilities and research ways to save money on those things. For instance, http://www.gasbuddy.com/ tells you where to buy the cheapest gas according to your area code. Bundling services with your cable provider can save money each month. Calling your energy company to find out when their off-peak hours are and doing your laundry or dishes during those times can save on your monthly bill as well. 9. Don’t shop as a recreational activity. If you can’t see it, you won’t feel a need to have it. Use time you used to spend shopping to go for a walk, visit a park, exercise, read a book, or spend time researching money-saving sites on the internet! If you have a friend you used to enjoy shopping with, sit down and list out other alternatives for your time together. 10. Look for ways to generate additional income. Whether it be an additional part-time job or a way to make money from home using a skill or talent you possess, get creative, get motivated, and get excited about the potential you have to generate income that you didn’t have before. Every little bit helps, so put on your thinking cap and don’t be shy about stepping out and trying something! Here's a bit about the book. About the Book: (North Carolina) - The fear and reality of tough economic times, foreclosures, bailouts, bankruptcies and falling stocks strike fear in the hearts of many Americans today. With investors, newscasters and bankers giving advice, who can you trust? Marybeth and Curt Whalen share their financial successes and failures in their new book, Learning to Live Financially Free: Hard-Earned Wisdom for Saving Your Marriage & Your Money. If a family parenting six children can get out of debt and live financially free, anyone can. The Whalens readily admit they made their share of mistakes the first ten years of marriage. Becoming more disciplined and intentional in spending and saving helped them learn valuable lessons for better financial stewardship--lessons you'll want to learn too. Learning to Live Financially Free not only focuses on building a stronger financial understanding in the home, but also encourages couples to communicate, thus building better, stronger marriages. The Whalens clearly comprehend the need for careful money management and commitment in marriage. Money-strapped families will find peace of mind as they begin the process of becoming financially responsible and debt-free. And About the Authors Marybeth and Curt Whalen know what it's like to juggle marriage, kids and money. Their new book will encourage readers to manage their money and marriage more effectively. Marybeth Whalen is a speaker and contributing writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries. The author of For the Write Reason, Marybeth has also written for Parent Life, Money Matters newsletter, The Old Schoolhouse, Hearts at Home magazine, and Homeschooling Today. She contributes regularly to the daily online devotions of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Curt Whalen is a trained financial counselor through Crown Financial Concepts. He has years of experience helping couples establish budgets, solve financial problems, and learn to communicate more effectively. He has written articles for TEACH Magazine and Money Matters Newsletter and has contributed to books by authors Lysa TerKeurst and Melanie Chitwood.

Each blogger with at least 10 comments can send a name randomly drawn from the comments to submit for the grand prize drawing. The winner will receive:

1 copy of the book, Learning to Live Financially Free
1 copy of Financial Peace Revisited by Dave Ramsey
1 subscription to P31 Woman Magazine
1 copy of God's Purpose For Every Woman (collection of the best devotions from Proverbs 31 Ministries)
1 cd of Marybeth's message "Becoming A Woman of Influence"
1 Dove Chocolate bar (because everything is better with chocolate!)

Leave comments, people. Ready, set, go. Deadline is May 14th.

Serials and Scenarios ~ A Vote of Confidence

Robin Lee Hatcher's new release, A Vote of Confidence, is just around the corner. Keep reading for my review, and here's a bit more for your reading pleasure.

First Chapter

Robin's Website

Previous Dregs ala Robin.



My Review:

Vote of Confidence ended up being a satisfying and charming story. Sometimes I hesitate to read about, let alone root for a female character who comes off prickly and offended by any and all references to anything resembling a female weakness. Confidence's first few pages sent those vibes. The I'm-not-going-to-like-this-chick, vibes. In the hands of a lesser writer, that could've easily been the case. However, we're talking Robin Lee Hatcher here, and, as she painted the portrait of Gwen, she added enough humanity and depth that not only did I begin to like her, I actually wanted to see her get the guy and the job.

I love that there are some historical events that Hatcher borrowed and tweaked for her story. I also couldn't find much to not like about Morgan. If you love a solid hero, a heroine who eventually gets it, and a little suspense thrown into your historical fiction, you should probably put this one on your list.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ A Scene from Puppy 101

What's going on over there?

Oh, yeah.

Sawyer is the teacher's pet. Look at him run through his skills like a big, show-offy expert.






Rob patiently filling in for 22 while she's on her big, southern adventure and we are left home alone with the stinky twins.

Would've taken a video but these were tough enough to grab. Didn't want to give anyone motion sickness.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Slosh Sunday - Fun Run

I'm not a runner. Hello! I'm an anti-runner if I'm anything. I have never liked running, nor have I ever wanted to like running.

That said...

22 is gone for a spell. I'm the puppy-master. Puppy-masters get to do awful things like stick their hands in bright pink bags and pick up puppy by-products. When 22 is on walks with the girls and me, she does this, they are her dogs. But, since I'm such a nice mom, I will do this until she returns.

Day one of 22's trip -- all goes well. Rob and I take the puppies out for a brisk walk even though we'd gotten up early for a garage sale and then unloaded, sold, reloaded and hauled all the leftovers to the homeless mission. Even though we'd done all that, we took the pups for a walk. Nice, nice parents.

Day two of 22's trip. Rob was really tired. He hadn't really committed to being the puppy-master. So, me, being the woman who does wear big girl panties most days, decided I could do it alone. Three weeks of obedience training and all those walks with our fabulous Gentle Leaders...I could do it.

The weekend was a bit rainy. Did I mention that already?

The usual byways were surrounded by many places that could have been big mud puddles and to avoid the whole bath thing and/or other issues involving mud I decided to drive to a trail that is asphalt the entire way and butts-up to a concrete parking lot. We'd walk a mile or so. I could handle them for a mile all by myself. I told Rob, packed my phone, loaded the girls and took off. I needed to get the walk over and done with because we had more rain in the forecast.

Our walk was going swimmingly. Until we nearly reached our turn-around destination. I glanced up because what little sun there was had pretty much disappeared. Huh? Might be because it was now buried under a very dark cloud. A dark cloud with little rumbles and occasional flash of lightning.

First, as we turned around and began race-walking to the car which was parked about a half mile away, the rain drops were big, fat and steady. I could live with that. The faster I walked, the less hit me. Oh, they hurt when they hit my face, but I could deal with it. Then the sky opened and someone began throwing full pails of warm water on us. (At least they were warm.) So we ran, then when the puppy-master began to fear exploding lungs more than lightning strikes we slowed back down to a race walk. Then we rinsed and repeated.

We reached the car, drenched, soggy and grateful. Can you imagine how it smelled when two, very warm, wet dogs and I rode home? And, I have to confess something. When someone needed to take a break from running to take care of a personal doggy issue, I didn't take time to cart it out in a pink bag. Sorry.