The Fridge, Part 2

Yesterday I showed you a photo of the front of my fridge. Today, let's take a look around the bend.

The dry erase calendar, an essential in every kitchen with a husband who has no set schedule at work and plays bass in a band. A lot.

The program to the BNC's beloved Grandmother's funeral. (Evidently, I collect memorial service programs.) She was buried on Halloween 2008 so our costumes that year were People Who Had Just Buried Their Grandmother. One of the crappiest weeks ever since we had to put Boochie down at the vet's.

A pencil drawing from our God daughter to the BNC for Father's Day. It's her and him, holding hands and, it seems, doing some sort of gangsta lean. It's adorable. This sketch is being held up by more Office magnets. Look, there was a time when I adored this show and Target, with their awesome dollar section, had gone Office crazy with all sorts of stuff and I bought into it, ok? I sooo bought into it that I actually have an I heart Jim mug. I eagerly await Target's Community dollar stuff and the potential for an I heart Jeff (or Troy, Abed, Pierce or Chang) mug.

Moving on....

Cutting boards, lots of them, all shapes and sizes and every single one of them has a job. Veggies, resting, carving, all of that. Justification submitted. Waiting for acceptance....

Linguini pasta holder with the stereotypical Italian chefs all around. Why there is only linguini inside is beyond me. I guess one day it decided it just wanted to be only for linguini.

Fruit, fruit, fruit. I buy it a lot because that BNC can scarf it.

And now, a tour of the inside.

Top shelf-some of my meds that need refrigeration, water, sugar-free Kool-Aid, Fresca and chicken broth.

Middle shelf-heavy cream, tomato sauce, corn tortillas, ham, turkey, cheese and eggs.

Bottom shelf-chicken breasts (that were made into chicken soup last night) and grapes.

Next, the door.

From the top-salted butter.

Middle-A sauce called Bodacious cause I fell for the cooking demo at the store. (Worth it.) Pickles, lime juice, steak sauce, mayo and beer.

Bottom-grape jelly, grated parmesan cheese (for my corn), ketchup, a marinade, shredded cheese, low sodium soy sauce and.....I have no idea what that last bottle is.

On to the freezer...

From left to right, container of beans in front of a container of chili, ice cream, chuck steaks, a whole chicken and the ice cubes trays.

And lastly, the freezer door.

Arm and Hammer freezer thingamajig (there should be one in the fridige but maybe it got shy and hid behind the Kool-Aid), a breakfast sandwich, sugar-free pops and my finger.

After viewing the photos now, my fridge seems a little bare. I just hate having to throw away food (who doesn't?) that either went bad sitting there, waiting for me to come around and incorporate it into our meal or, I made too much and the BNC couldn't stay for dinner or no need for a leftover lunch because of some function at work, blah, blah, blah, down the garbarge disposal/trash can. (I told you that calendar was essential.) So, I buy things I know I'm making that week, plan for leftovers, or not, and try my hardest to NOT throw money away. The pantry, on the other hand, is cramped. It's stuffed with dry goods, food storage baggies, spices, kitchen towels and cats treats that the cats are now aware of where they're stored because they stand in front of the pantry door and do the I know the treats are in there so give me one, mom stare. (In the great words of Conan the Destroyer) But that is another story...

So, what do you have?

The Fridge

Moving left to right...

A Smurfs Grouchy notepad because I totally watched the Smurfs as a kid. I even had Smurfette (cause my mom was all about me having the girl doll) and B had Papa Smurf. Let me say, neither one of us is happy about the movie coming out. Well, maybe a little.

Top of my Grouchy fridge pad are two cards from 2 separate memorial services I attended over the summer. I can't find a valid reason to throw them away. The tiny obituary and prayer on the back are sweet and touching and brings a tiny smile to my face that I attended both services.

The Office dry erase pad. I LOVED this show and then, something happened. I can't pinpoint when it jumped the shark but the excitement I used to have on Thursdays in anticipation of a new episode is gone. It is now reserved for Community and Parks & Recreation (when it returns in January and don't even get me started on that).

A photo of my mom and I about 11 years ago because I am wearing a Black Sabbath Reunion concert shirt from 1999. I totally went. Pantera opened up for them and then 5 years later Dimebag was killed. ONSTAGE! Yes, I listen to metal but it's the tip of the iceberg. I listen to all sorts of music. I don't hate. Unless it's Justin Beiber. I don't get singing baby, baby, baby over and over again.

The photo of my mom and I is being held by a magnet asking us to save the date for my BIL's wedding. The wedding never happened. They eloped in April 2009 and by the end of the summer, it was over. The wedding was scheduled for November. Yup. Regardless, they get along okay because of the adorable baby girl they had about 2 years prior to the wedding that never happened.

Next, a picture of the BNC and I about a year into our relationship. (We must have been 21.) Our picture was taken in the backyard of a small country club at the wedding of my then co-worker. (I worked at a stationery store. FUN!)

Right next to it, a picture from my high school graduation. Class of 1995! Go Bulldogs! Why, you ask, do I have a photo of my high school graduation on my fridge? Well, recently my mom started giving me all of my stuff from her house. Such items include my baby shoes, that I guess I will have to bronze by myself, my pacifier, in which she completely traumatized me when trying to wean me off of my first BFF, and photos of me in my young and awesome days. (I'm now older and still awesome.)

These two photos are being held by a souvenir from my honeymoon to Las Vegas. We did it all backwards you see. We should have eloped but.....I'm an only daughter with an awesome dad and it would have crushed him if I took his moment to walk me down the aisle. Sniff. Back to the magnet, it had my long ass first name so buysies!

Top right, a penis magnet. I know. It was one of the party favors from my bachelorette party, almost 6 years ago, and you never throw away a good magnet. I used to hide it on the side of the fridge when my mom used to visit when it suddenly hit me. Dude, you're old. You can do whatever you want. Let's see if she asks you about it. She never did much like the Hustler magazine incident.

A sheet of magnets from The Office. See above for explanation.

Finally, a postcard from a friend who works for an alternative newspaper here. A great read and a great friend. However, I have yet to see Kick Ass. I know, I know. It's on my Netflix though!

Tomorrow, a picture of the inside as well as the other side of the fridge.

I had a sad

With the BNC playing a show in another city last night, one in which I couldn't attend because of, I dunno, had to work today, I was left on my own for dinner and afternoon companionship. Usually a bowl of soup and a cat or two or three would suffice but after going to the doctor to have my CGM removed, I was in awfully low spirits. Oh, did I fail to mention the ambush at the doctor's appointment Friday afternoon? Well, let's take a detour.

It was my 4-month follow-up and history has taught me that for the past 3 years, visiting the endo in September brings you tests but usually not on the first appointment. Usually you make appointments to come back. ACRONYM ALERT! An EMG, an ECG, and, most dreadfully of all, the CGM. The first two tests don't really bother me. They should but they are nothing like the CGM. I HATE the CGM. The EMG involves some electroshocks on my hands and feet as well as inserted needles (!!!) in my arm and leg muscles, to test for any neuropahthy, while the ECG involves some nice, cold metal things all over my chest and feet and painful blood pressure taking to check my heart, its rate, blood pressure and all that good stuff. Sure, it's scary having these things sticking out of my hands and feet but the CGM just sucks ass. Basically it's a little monitor inserted in my side for 3 days. It looks like a small face hugger a la Alien. The initial insertion stings because they are sticking a needle inside me that will remain there for 3 DAYS. 3 DAYS! Did I mention the 3 days?Afterwards, a huge piece of tape is placed over it to protect the monitor from water, lava and whatever else may come at it. (It's the removal of this clear tape that hurts most of all upon removal.) I'm then given another blood glucose monitor, much different from my own personal one, and instructed to prick my finger before breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime as well as write down the times of every meal, details of the meal and when I took my meds. You try writing that down in the restroom of a churrascaria while on a double date with some wonderfully charming folks. Sigh. I know. I'm completely coming off as agitated but I am. My feelings took a beating this weekend. As I said, I was ambushed. Usually I am instructed on when to come back for these tests and this time I wasn't. My guard was down. They asked if I wanted to, I'll give them that, but since I'm not a fan of going to the doctor in the first place, I said yes. I simply didn't want to come back another day and take care of it all if they could do it right at the moment. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I had no support system which meant I was going to have to do this all alone. I was going to drive home alone and in tears. I tried calling my BNC just so I could hear the words you must chill but he was completely unavailable. Then, I texted B who helped me keep my shit together and talked me down from the hysterical tree I was already climbing. So, I totally Cool Hand Luked it and stood there, cracked some jokes cause that is totally one of my ways of coping (DEFLECTION) and took it. I didn't even cry. Well, not until I came home and looked at it in the mirror and felt the sting of the needle.

I completely understand why this has to be, truly I do. But oh man, does it ever make you sad. To sit at the doctor's office with much older people suffering the awful effects of diabetes breaks your heart but it certainly is a major reminder of why I pass on real ice cream, Mexican soda, cake, tortillas, candy and all that good shit and meticulously take my meds, show up at the doctor's office when I don't want to and take it. All those no thanks, I'll pass are worth it. Now, I realize I am far too young for this as well as realize that it's not a genetic thing whatsoever. It just is. Hot damn though. To add insult to injury, I personally know of no other diabetic that has to do the shit I have to do. I guess I should thank my insurance and my doctors but other than the people I see at the endo's, no one I know has to do this. Good/bad? Yes/yes.

So, after having a slightly sad weekend, and being left to figure out what I was having for dinner last night, I called up B. I didn't want to sit home alone and B always brings it and he brought it...at Star Pizza where we talked about our respective diseases and generally commiserated. It was the first time, in a long time, where we spoke about our feelings on them both. Our fears, our wants, the needs and the future, all of it. We're in the same boat about the diabetes and the CML and I'm hoping, we both are, that the day comes soon not only for a cure to them both, but also for the guidance on how best to make change, the kind of change MJ talks about in Man in the Mirror, the kind where you join a walk-a-thon, etc. We'd both like to do something charitable but we're not there yet. So far, we're still adjusting to what has happened as well as the lifestyle change and trying to get to a place where we both feel comfortable talking about it. Most of all, and most importantly, we just want to be as healthy as possible before we move onto the next phase, whatever that may be.

And so, we sat, we talked, we ate, and we spoke about other stuff other than our diseases. And there I learned more about my beloved youngest brother and those years where we all were off enjoying our new adulthood dripping with freedom. It's those first few years where, despite coming to the rescue of B in his many hours of need, that I don't know too much about. The same can be sad of me by him. But, it doesn't matter cause when he called, I answered, I took the hits for him, I gently nudged and I listened much like he did when I had to find someone to help me scoop out the the turmoil eating at me from within. I have said it before and I will say it again, I would die for my brother no questions asked.

So, because we were having some Oprah moments, I failed to take any pictures whatsoever. No food pics, no pics of shoes, no pics of B, nothing. But, I did doodle it.

Behold! B and I and 2 slices of floating pepperoni pizza.

And all is right with the world, for the most part that is. The diabetes has not affected anything with me and my tests are ok. Even a visit to the eye doctor went well despite a slight change in my eyesight. This is all I can hope for; The strength to remember to do what I have to do and the love and support from the people I love most of all.

Love

My new Chucks are love.

Brother's Pizza is love.

Driving towards the sunset in the middle of the city is love.

Tacos from Laredo Taqueria are love.

Menudo is not.

But Chucks, along with my love, are love.

Love makes a weekend doing doctor stuffs better to deal with. All the poking and testing and pain is worth it though.

Torture

With a doctor's appointment looming, I have no idea why I keep staring at this photo. I'm starving for a bowl. Maybe I'm just studying for the test that will be sure to follow. Maybe it's that tiny piece of fiber in the upper left corner which I most likely ate. It was good.

And, on a completely unrelated note, check out this kid.

My Baby Juggernaut, recently devoid of original sin and a devil tail, wearing his momma's heels. I love this kid. I adore his momma. I adore the fact that she doesn't make a big deal that he loves to wear her heels and his sister's tutu cause, for realsies, it's not a big deal. If Shiloh can do it, then The Boy can do it too. He wears heels better than me. He's so awesome and has the sweetest nature. After getting a talking to, he usually asks me, "Are you mad at me, Margie." Heart.Breaking. "Of course not, kid. Just please, please stop annoying those poor kittens.


I never saw such annoyed kittens. I'm totally picking this kid to take care of me when I'm older over his sister. I changed his diapers and he should change mine. Word.

Killer

Bitty Girl likes to "drown" things. I'm assuming its her animal instinct to kill stuff but the fact that she dumps items (hair bands, twisty ties, her toys) she's played with tirelessly into the water bowl makes me wonder about Apolo and Logan. Maybe their instincts will kick in if the couch is under attack. That or the food bowl, whichever comes first.

Did you just use my ink to draw this?

Chocolate chip cookies, a questioning octopus, Marcia Brady after she got hit in the face with a football hence the big nose and the name Ben.

Yea, productivity is down.

Hi.

I'm looking foward to breaking you in.

Oh, I see what you did there

I saw this on my travels to North/East Texas. Um, yea.

Fall TV

You better watch my show, Anna Mae!

I'll admit it, I watch WAY too much TV. Watching it gets easier and easier especially since I can program my DVR from any computer. (Thank you, UVerse!) For example, I just programmed Glee cause I forgot to do it yesterday. Word.

What follows is what I plan on watching this fall. I may look bad after you read my programming. Be kind.

Monday

How I Met Your Mother

I really enjoy this show. You cannot go wrong with NPH but seriously, if they don't move the story along on how Ted met the mother then consider me gone. Ok, maybe not, but you consider yourself threatened, HIMYM.

The Event

I have no clue what this show is about but it's set to record. Well played, NBC. Your marketing worked.

Tuesday

Parenthood

I love Peter Krause and Lauren Graham and that crazy family so it's on. Damn you, Dax Shepard though.

Wednesday

The Middle and Modern Family

I enjoy the wittiness and freshness of these 2 shows. Congrats to Al Bundy for getting a job as well. ;)

Survivor

I believe I saw the first season of Survivor but because Jimmy Johnson (former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys) is a contestant, I may just cave and watch it. I look forward to pointing and laughing.

Thursday

Community

Joel McHale on The Soup is a genius and, after a bit of a rocky start, him and the entire cast of this beloved show found their niche. Last year's episode titled Modern Warfare is some of the funniest shit I have seen on TV in a really, really, really long time.

The Big Bang Theory

I adore this show. It's completely witty and well written and reminds me a little of my friends and their nerd tendencies. Jim Parsons as Sheldon is pure gold and he deserved that Emmy. Way to make Houston proud. :) The only problem I have though is, TBBT and Community will be, for the first time, going up against each other. No bueno. Which shall be watched live and which won't?

CSI

I can't quit this show especially since Laurence Fishburne joined to replace William Petersen. But, it's Cowboy Curtis, ok? I must.

Project Runway

I love a reality show that puts the emphasis on creativity. I love watching them think it out, design it and ultimately showcase their creative idea on the runway. Michael Kors, the Duchess, is awesome and Tim Gunn is everything. I managed to get the BNC hooked. Phase 1 = complete.

The Mentalist

It's entertaining to me and I cannot hate on things entertaining me.

Note: I have managed to lose interest in The Office, an old favorite. I hope they just end it already. I ocassionally watch 30 Rock but I had to make cuts.

Friday

I tend to use this day to watch some of the stuff I don't get around to watching during the week but this is subject to change as I have to get out and do stuffs. I don't watch everything I record right away and I have been known to have several episodes of whatever during the summer (with shows running Christmas episodes). Don't judge me.

Saturday

Same as Friday. If I'm home then I will make an honest attempt but I make no promises.

Sunday

It's football season and that takes priority over everything else cause it's football afterall. Dexter recently came into my life so I'll have to find a way to make this happen.

God bless DVR. I still don't know how I am going to make all this happen but that's what DVR and days off are for, right? Right?

Word.

Last Thursday, a week after I turned 34, my BNC turned 34. To celebrate, his brother took us out to a cute little bar for some steaks and football. To know us would indicate that it was a perfect way to celebrate our early 30s. We ate and watched the kickoff of the football season. Watching 40-year old Brett Favre though, QB for the Minnesota Vikings, throw pass after pass, run up and down the field without so much as limping, made me feel old though. But suddenly the sky opened; the DJ, something I complained about because I wanted to HEAR the game as opposed to reading the closed captioning, bust out with some golden oldies. Tupac's California Love, Dr. Dre's Nothing but a G thang instantly took us back to high school. Salt-n-Pepa's Push it transported us back to middle school. If my back would have allowed me, I totally would have bent back to touch the ground just like in the video.

Back to the issue at hand...

I just picked up on the Mexican theme over at The Kitchn. Duh, tomorrow is El Grito! I'll be out of the city but you best believe that I will do El Grito in that tiny town whose only Mexicans are my in-laws. Bwah ah ah ah HA!

Viva Mexico!

Chicken, the original white meat

Back to Barbecue Inn this weekend after taking a break. Chapa and I went on to discuss pretty intense stuff during the 20-25 minute wait on the chicken. It was so intense that I'm sure I'll remember what it was about tomorrow in the middle of the night. What can I say? I'm in my early 30s, ok? And the chicken, mmmm, is just that good. So crispy, so moist, so yum.

The weather is on the verge of turning as if it were bitten by a zombie. However, today, as I made a Central Market run, I felt that ugly heat we all endured during the month of August make an unwelcome return. Already the Halloween/Fall decorations have made their appearance and, rumor has it, Uptown is prepping for the holiday lighting. Too soon? Definitely.

Sports Fan

As a tomboy, I grew up with a great love for sports no matter if my mom denied me the opportunity to play whenever the chance came up. When it comes to baseball, I love my Astros and no one else. I don't root for any other baseball team. And, despite the fact that they started off ROCKY, I'll root for them until the day I die. Yesterday, I managed to finally make it out and cheer them on as they beat the Dodgers 4-7.

However, football season started yesterday and well, that's my first love. I love Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts but the home team ALWAYS comes first. ALWAYS.

I love the 7th inning stretch. After singing, "God Bless America," we sing "Deep in the Heart of Texas" clap, clap, clap, clap.

Gordon Gartrelle

Quitting time for me is 4p and I'm usually walking into a 3-cat nap well into its 10th hour at 4:10p. First thing I do is turn on the TV; I cannot have complete silence. It's eerie to me. I usually let it run while I vacuum, Swiffer, feed and pet cats with eye crispies and make dinner. Sometimes, I am afforded sitting down and watching The Cosby Show reruns while a chicken roasts. Doing so has made me raise questions about Mr. Cosby and I have called many friends to discuss WTF is this man's problem.

For example:

There is an episode in which Martin, Denise's Navy husband, and Cliff, finally sit down, talk and get to know one another. Denise and Martin had eloped and Cliff inquired, on whether or not Denise was a virgin. He didn't directly ask but he got the message across to Martin. This is just beyond creepy. Sure, they don't directly mention it, etc. but creepy nonetheless.

Just check out the clip.

After the weird talk, you will notice the exterior shot of the house. This brings me to another example; the layout of the house. Usually in the opening, while the executive producer info shows up, an exterior shot of the house is shown mostly to indicate the next scene will be taking place in the house. Anyhow, it's an attached townhouse. ATTACHED. So why, in the the living room, behind the stairs, are there windows?

Check out the background.

It just bugs me. What gives?

I still love the show, not even gonna pretend to lie. I watched it when it aired that is, until The Simpsons showed up. At that point, The Cosby Show had grown stale and it was time to change the channel. But, no matter what, I will watch the reruns, even those bad episodes where Rudy was a teenager and it was just awkward all around much like I will still watch those final years of Roseanne and just lament on how it was actually really good. Then BAM! Yuck. They were both different from other shows on TV and had a lot going for themselves. Unfortunately, they didn't know when to call it quits. Regardless, my favorite episode has to be the Gordon Gartrelle episode. Theo hiring Denise to copy a designer shirt for him and what results afterwards is the best. I will always laugh and laugh whenever Theo, in his crackly, on-the-cusp-of-a-ball-dropping (Happy New Year!) voice, tell Denise, "Ask me the question again" after she asks, "You don't like it?" Pre-Project Runway!

Spatchcock

I've got a cold. I just sneezed about 20 times in about 5 minutes. I was sick earlier this year, well, I was sick about 4 times in the timeframe of 1 1/2 months, so I'd almost forgotten how miserable it can be. I'm sick but not sick enough to go home and die a slow death. I fall just below the Alert the CDC Line and the Go To Work Line. Usually when I'm sick, I refrain from cooking because who wants to eat food prepared by a sick person? I sure as hell don't. But, I had a thawed chicken in the fridge that had been waiting since Sunday to be cooked yet I didn't want to be standing over it shivering with a fever. But whatever, chicken, you win. I got all Dayquiled up and roasted the fat bastard.

But, I tried the spatchcock method. However, I didn't remove the backbone because I think I donated my kitchen shears. Whoops. I just tore the chicken a new one and kept on slicing. Plenty of kosher salt, bump and grind some fresh pepper, some rosemary, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until done, at 400º.

I boiled some new potatoes for about 20 minutes and then finished them off in the oven , seasoned with kosher salt, pepper and olive oil (I love how awesome good olive oil smells and tastes) while the chicken rested.


This meal didn't involve too much work as well as handling unlike that other meal you can make using a chicken (I'm looking at you chicken noodle) and it was divine. I very much enjoyed spatchcocking the chicken. Now, I just have to try the Keller method and find out whose cuisine reigns supreme.

So, I turned 34....

And I ate.

PF Chang's Great Wall of Chocolate of which I only ate a bite of.

The Breakfast Klub's chicken and waffles.

Guitar wallet missing the record coin purse I'll get later.


Brother's pizza = yum.

Oh baby...

Someone tried the meatball sub.

I met shaved ice this weekend and we fell in love.

I failed to take so many other pictures of the things I did, the things I ate and the people I hung out with as I celebrated my early 30s. I tried new places to eat, I saw people I hadn't seen in months, I came home at 3a, I saw Machete and laughed, I ate my glorious Brother's pizza with 3 of my BFFs, I drove with the windows down and I was happy. And then I got the sniffles. No worries though cause, "The dishes are done, man."

Tuesday Morning

I had one awesome weekend despite getting a cold Saturday night. I spent my Labor Day in bed while the BNC got stuck working. It was fine because I am still amazed that I crammed so much in 3 days. Thank you A&E for your Hoarders marathon.

Now, back to work. A picture post to come.

I did it!

It's my birthday and in honor of celebrating being in my early 30s, I purchased these last night. Word.

ps....At 9p, ready to watch Top Chef, I fell asleep. I woke up at midnight, since I still had my glasses on, to find the TV still on and the ending of the rebroadcast of Top Chef. I know who won and lost without knowing why. Yea, I'm getting old.

Want List

OMG, want, want, want. I fell in love with The Wire and this shirt is perfect. I think it will go well with my collection of t-shirts which includes my Callahan Auto Parts.

In keeping with the whole Wire love, I want the whole series. I've seen it on sale on Amazon as the Gold Box Deal of the Day and anxiously await that glorious day when it returns.

I did finally purchased myself a copy of Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home and have already begun to flag what I intend to make so that WANT is off the list.

Calvin & Hobbes, yo. You cannot go wrong with Calvin.

And lastly, for now, Night of the Comet. I adore this movie, along with several other 80s gems, and this one would go perfectly in my DVD player.

Oh, one more lastly, I will order my Dr. Seuss Converse today.