Like many Chicagoans, after a particularly brutal and extended winter, I have been anxious for Spring to begin in earnest. I've been calling all of my local garden centers to find out what sorts of outdoor plants and flowers they have in stock. For the past few weeks, the answer has been either, "Nothing yet, but any day now..." or "Well, we have pansies but that's about it."

I called one location yesterday and as the garden manager got on the phone with, "Well, we have pansies..." he surprised me with, "And we also got in some petunias, herbs and vegetables."

Petunias! Herbs! Hurrah!

Although not among my top faves in the gardening realm, it sounded like there would be enough variety to create the windowboxes and container gardens with which I dress my outdoor "rooms." I was pleasantly surpised to find some accent plants,like dusty miller, to go with the early flowering specimens.

 I put together an outdoor herb garden of chives, rosemary and lavender. And I also took a chance on a container of blazing orange rannunculus. It makes me feel warmer already:

Last night I did a "trial run" of a princess-like hairdo on my daughter. Next weekend (the 19th) she makes her First Holy Communion -and of course we couldn't buy a simple headband with a bit of white tulle attached. We went for the creme-de-la-creme bejeweled tiara crown with double-layered veil, seed pearls scattered on the veil and mixed in with rhinestones on the crown.

My kiddo is like me in terms of personal style: if you are gonna do it, do it to the HILT! Not only did we procure the most fabulous headpice for the ceremony, but, since it is so large and weighty, we got an artificial hairpiece to clip on to her short ponytail. Yes, she is wearing a sort of wig-let for her communion! Of course the updo looks fantastic (the hairpiece resembles a pontytail of ringlet curls) and matches her hair color exactly. But it truly has a practical purpose as well: since her hair is too short for a bun or true ponytail, we pull her hair back in sections, then clip the hairpiece in,and wrap it around the stumpy "natural" ponytail. This then offers a very secure place in which I use combs and bobby pins to hook the crown/veil into. I'll post photos once the big day arrives.

Seeing her looking ever so regal reminded me of a time in the not-so-distant past when I wore a tiara of my own! Believe it or not, for my 25th birthday party, I decided to purchase a silver tiara from a costume shop. I decided I'd go to the party dressed in SILVER (after all it was my 25th - "silver jubille" birthday!) I remember taking WEEKS to find a silver lurex t-shirt. I finally happened upon one in Saks Fifth Avenue somewhere on the Mag Mile after exhausting less pricey shopping venues.

Back in those days, when not wearing wigs, I often styled my red hair into a flip hairdo with the aid of nothing more than a teasing comb and curling iron. Here is the result on that happy occassion:

I had 101 plans to spruce up our home/property prior to the arrival of my family next weekend. Virtually NONE of it got done, largely due to uncooperative weather and shrinking bank accounts.

I had settled in onat least CLEANING the house thoroughly and was feeling pleased with the results...and then my insane dogs peed not once but TWICE on the living room carpet. This, after I had virtually eliminated (no pun intended!) all traces of previous accidents.

Today I have nothing on my schedule and its drizzly and cold outside, so I'm staying in grubby sweats and scouring the house yet again in hopes that I can maintain some of the sparkle until next weekend.

Last month, I was bossy, er, *vocal* enough in my (thoughtful) insistence about a particular issue, that the moderator of our parish council put me in charge of organizing a subcomittee to design and scheule our annual "Parish Leadership Summit."

Typically,  we meet in one of the rooms at church. I decided to host our meeting at  a local sports bar. Not that I like sports, or beer...but I thought it'd be a motiviational tool to get the 3 "Chicago Superfan"-type guys on the subcomittee to actualy show up!

Ain't nothing like designing a prayer service over a picther of brewskis and a bucket of wings.

I tend to be an upbeat, positive-thinking person. That noted, I can also admit I am a beliver in the old tale that if a seagull (or pigeon) shits on you, then it's a sign of good luck.

I'm not what to think of the "signs" I received today, courtesy of my Scottish Terrier, Megan.

After her breakfast and walk (where she did her usualy morning poo) we came back into the house. As I sat down at the table to enjoy my tea while I read my email, Megan (my proverbial shadow) sat at my feet -and proceeded to squeak out an AUDIBLE fart! I looked at her in amusement and surprise, and said,"Megan!"

Poor Meg bowed her head and seemed ashamed of her accidental indiscretion.

Later, I walked into my bedroom to put away some items and finish making my bed. Megan was already up on the bed with her little furry tuchas ON MY PILLOW.

Another dog fart...and a resulting BROWN SMEAR on the pillowcase!!! I picked up the gassy lass, took her out for another walk "just in case" and then stripped he ENTIRE bed and washed the offending linens in hot water, detergent and borax. And then, thinking about this whole "luck" superstiotion with accidental poopings, I went to the local liquor store and bought myself some lotto tickets. If I win, I'll be certain to buy NEW pillowcases!

Everyone in the family enjoyed this! I made it on Saturday, then put it in the 'fridge and reheated via the crock pot on LOW to enjoy Sunday after Mass.

I got the recipe from my CSA farmer/owner, but I adjusted it based on my own cooking instincts and preferences. It is supposed to taste like a soup from the Olive Garden - I have never had their version but this is quite good. I served with garlic bread and parmesan cheese sprinkled and melted on top of the soup.

Toscana Soup

2 tbs olive oil
1 med. onion, diced
3-4 Italian sausages, sliced (Iused Turkey Italiansausage to lower the fat. You can pre-cook them OR just cook the slices in the pot with the onion)
2-3 potatoes (russet or red) peeled, halved and sliced
1 bunch kale, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 cans chicken broth
1/3 C. half-and-half
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (if desired)

In large soup pot, saute onion in olive oil. Add sausage (cook sausage through if needed).
Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 2 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

I haven't written much lately, largely because I haven't been feeling 100%. Nothing serious: hot flashes, headaches, backaches, skin rashes...and a disconcerting level of fatigue.

Of course, being the supposed hypochondriac that I  am, I did extensive research on this and everything points to 1.) going through "the change" and 2.) the aging process, in general.

I'm certain having a GI-tract virus last weekend didn't help boost my health, that's for certain.

I decided to take it easy and lay off the cardio and weight lifting. Rather than resort to wholehearted slug-dom, I did manage to put in a few hours of landscaping work around the yard over the course of the week. I also did some cleaning and organizing projects, and managed to try a new recipe for a soup that uses the kale that arrived my mystery box of veggies. It also utilized some of the potatoes and an onion from the great veggie box.

I'll reproduce the recipe here sometime soon.

According to the meteorologists, we seem to be out of the frost range for at least the next 10 days, and given historical averages its unlikely that we will have frost risk after that.

So, of course, I am jonesin' to get out and plant my annuals all around the house. But, as per usual, no one has them in stock yet. Considering we had a big snowstorm just LAST WEEK I suppose this makes sense. According to the lawn & garden manager at my local big box retailer, they should have plants in stock "any day now."

 But, dammit, (in my best whiny Veruca Salt voice) "I want it NOW!"

Well, at least my perrenials are showing signs of life.Pics to follow as soon as something blooms.

This morning it was 20 degrees (F), gray and drizzly when I walked my daughter to the bus stop.

But its spring, right?

APRIL FOOL'S!

Honestly, this has got to be one of the most drawn-out "winters" in my 20 years living in Chicagoland.

But my perrenial plants are popping through the frozen tundra, despite the temps. They've been "living" on this property longer than I have so I'm guessing they are used to the fickle weather by now.

*sigh*

Spring Break here in our school district ends on Monday. The other day, to get out of the house on the cheap, I planned a "lunch & movie" day for my 8-year-old. We first went to a noticeably CROWDED Culver's  (and btw, they have a pretty good tomato bisque soup for a "fast food" chain.)

I suspected that some, if not all, of the families with multiple kids under 10 had the next-door shopping center on their radar: it housese a second-run theatre offering a $1 matinee of "Alvin & The Chimpunks."

I hustled us through lunch, into the bathroom for a pre-movie tinkle, and then out to the car with what should have been ample time to re-park the car and get tickets,  even find a plum pair ofseats. But as we approached the window all we saw was a line.

We waited our turn patiently, only to learn when it wasour turn, that "Alvin" was SOLD OUT!

I quickly scanned the list of movies showing concurrently. No other "g" ratingswere available, but, there was a "pg." Unfortunately it was "American Treasure: The Sequel That Should Have Never Happened." Knowing my daughter and her tastes, I didn't even bother to ask ifshe wanted to see it. Our other option was 27 Dresses. It was listed on the ticket board as "PG" but when I saw the movie poster, it was actually PG-13.

The ticket agent must have read my indecisiveness about the movie selction for the kiddo and me. "Oh, there is NOTHING bad in it," she assured me.

OK. I turned to my daughter and said, "Don't tell daddy if they say the F-word or if you see someone's butt!"

And with that, we paid our $2 and went in. I did  NOT notice that the flick must have started a good 15 minutes before we got to our seats. But -what the heck-it was only $1.

It was very cute (although I'm probably generous in my review because it was just $1.)

The only bad things (as far as an 8-year-old viewing companion is concerned) were:

• 2 uses of "shit" (I belive both were: "You're shitting me!?")
• 1 "bullshit"
• 1 "ass" (I'm gonna kick your ass!")
• a couple drinking cocktails
• smooching but no ACTUAL on-screen hubba-hubba.

Um, my kid sees/hears that every day AT HOME,so no big whoop!

Now, on the other hand, I do recall WALKING OUT of the PG-rated "Scooby Doo: The Movie" some years ago 1.) because of constant thinly-veiled references to Marijuana:

Shaggy to woman in seat next to him: "What's your name?"
Woman: "Mary Jane."
Shaggy: "Mary Jane?! No way, like, that's like my FAVORITE name!"

2.) there is a scene with Scrappy Doo peeing on Daphne and muttering something like "You don't have the scrote(as in SCROTUM) to do the job!"

and 3.) because it sucked and even the kiddo had lost interest.

WHO the h*ll does these ratings, anyway? Apparently its a bunch of morons.