DIY Kitchen Island makeover. It started back in November 2010 . . .

From this

To This

Read all about it here!

Memorial Day

What could be more poignant than Old Glory flying in the early morning breeze!

Thanks to all our veterans that have fought to make us free!

Thank you, Dad!  Thinking of you today and knowing what the Marine's taught you, you have put to good use by getting God's house all organized!  The white short sleeve shirts, then the white long sleeve shirts, the colored short sleeve shirts, then colored long sleeve shirts both in the same color order!

I'm No Martha Stewart Beef Stew

I haven't made Beef Stew in a a month of Sundays, but with all this  icy, below freezing, snowy weather in North Texas, did I mention icy, it sounded like it would hit the spot!

Remember I don't have a sou chef or a clean up crew and I am not Martha Stewart!

The big pot is for the final product.  I took the cubed up beef and put it into a baggie with flour, salt and pepper and browned it . . .

in the frying pan with a little oil.

Ooops!  One for the doggies!  Don't worry, rinsed it off and just  like you have seen dogs eat worse things!  OOHHH!  Bad visual! 

I add the browned meat to the big pot with 1 can of Progresso French Onion Soup, 2 can of Campbell's Beef Consume and a couple of cans of water. 

I also add my carrots.  I like them almost mushy, but not falling apart.  Yes, they are out of a bag and already peeled, I just cut them in half.

I let the beef and carrots simmer for about 45 minutes.  Next were the spices;  garlic, 4 bay leaves, and pepper.  Be sure and take the bay leaves out before you serve.  Someone (hubby) may think you are trying to kill him, as they are poison if you eat them...but bring a really good taste to the stew. . .go figure! Correction - from my sweet mother-in-law - it is Bay Laurel that is poison, not Bay Leaves!  Even at 50+ you can learn something new!

I know, I know the spices aren't fresh.  Once again I am not Martha Stewart or for that matter, any Stewart!  Next come the potatoes.....I cut them in quarters and left the skins on, because the "butter gold" potatoes have thin skin and they don't come off like the bigger baking potatoes that some people use.  Anytime I use baking potatoes my sou chef (me) peels off the skin.

Cook some more until potatoes are fork tender.  Open two cans of green beans, sorry not off the vine!

The beans just need to warm up, not cook!  And that is how you make I'm No Martha Stewart Beef Stew!  But I do have to give credit to my dear Nana and her patience in teaching me how to make a wonderful beef stew!

Remember I don't have a sou chef or a crew to clean up . . .

But I do have a wonderful husband that can't believe that I can make this big of a mess! 

And doesn't mind cleaning up after his person Martha Stewart!



Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th, 2011

Come along with me for a week of

Administrative Professional Stories

Friday

Excuse me for the interruption, but life happens and some things take priority. . . so I am late on finishing this blog topic.
My last day of blogging on this topic is to say, “Thank you” to all my great bosses over the past 25+ years. I have always worked hard and have always been blessed with bosses that saw that and rewarded me well, with not only money, but their knowledge, their belief in me and their trust.

So thank you ALL!

Mrs. Davis – Sears, Memorial City, Houston, TX  (A very classy lady, who started me out on the right foot many years ago!)

Don Keding – Yellow Cab, Houston, TX  (My ex-uncle, but I think of him often)

Bob Howard – Howard Automotive Group, Edmond, Oklahoma



Bob and his ideas!  Well, I had one of my own.  Usually you get a 40th birthday "Over the Hill", but that was way to obvious!  I had an "Over the Hill" birthday party on his 39th Birthday.  There was a lady in mouning and a Preacher was reading his "obituary"!  See he wasn't the only one with ideas!  (Notice that computer, we've come a long way!)
My 30 year old daughter still talks about the Christmas he stopped by with a Teddy Bear that was as big as she was.  The Teddy Bear still has a home, in the attic at my house!

John Hawkins – Coggin Honda, Jacksonville, FL

John was the consumate professional.  He dressed to the nine's, I dressed to the nine's.  He always had the next great idea.  He was an expert at putting together teams.  Things ran so smooth, he could have played golf everyday.  Not John he wanted more, another challenge, another idea to implement.  He was very generous and introduce me and my daughter to some of the finer things in life.  His wife was a doll and we also had a special relationship.
John was taken from this earth to early at 55, but I think about him and know that he now watches over me!

Clariece Lewis – Coggin Honda, Jacksonvlle, FL (Retired and living the good life in Florida)

Charlie Barth – White Hawk Pictures, Jacksonville, FL (I count his daughter as a dear friend.)

Scott Gallagher – T2Labs, Jacksonville, FL (Scott also left us to soon. Bless him and his family.)

Dale McDonough – JCPenney, Plano, Texas (Retired)

Danay Navinsky – JCPenney, Plano, TX (I would have added Danay's picture, but she would have never forgiven me!)

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th

Come along with me for a week of

Administrative Professional Stories

Thursday

   Back to John, my great boss in Jacksonville. He and his wife were in a pickle and they asked if I would come out and sit with the boy’s while they went out and I could bring my daughter. We loaded up and headed out to his house at the beach. We got there, no problem, got the boys bathed and settled. My daughter was performing on Sunday, so we had to roll her hair in the pink sponge roller. Yes, this was a few years ago.

   When John and Tracye got home, he took one look at Jaclyn and busted out laughing and 2 seconds later Jaclyn busted out crying! So I’ve got my boss, who had had a couple of drinks, on one side and my daughter, who thought the world had come to an end, I didn’t knew whether to laugh, cry or RUN!

    We got everything calmed down and John and his precious wife insisted that we stay and have some “horse dovers” and a few glasses of wine. Well, we stayed until I couldn’t remember exactly how many glasses of wine I had . . .time to go!

    Backing out of the drive way . . .did I mention that I drove a company car . . . I hit the mailbox! Did I stop, no not me, I just kept on going, going and going ‘til I got home.

    Panic set in the next morning. How bad was the mailbox damaged, how bad was the car, oh, my gosh, the CAR. Was I going to have to pay for fixing the car, where would I get the money, oh, my gosh . . .was I going to get FIRED?

    I got up the nerve to call John at home, apologized about the mailbox and the car. Being the great boss he was, he just laughed and said, “I stood the mailbox backup and I’ll have someone look at car on Monday, so relax and enjoy the rest of your week-end.”

How could one administrative assistant be soooo lucky!

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th

Come along with me for a week of
Administrative Professional Stories

Wednesday
   Once again, a, “You have got to be kidding!” story! Once again, Bob was my boss. You have to remember that this was the 1980’s, when we were secretaries and no one knew what a sexual harassment law was!
   Bob had a friend that was turning 40 and he wanted to make sure he didn’t forget his 40th birthday. Bob had an idea (again). Have a party, buy lots of liquor, find 40 black roses, a black Rolls Royce and, of course, the obligatory plastic blowup doll! Guess who was in charge of this affair (again) Moi!   
   Bob had a dealership friend that just so happen to have a 1960’ish black Rolls Royce. My connections helped me get the black roses. What to do about plastic blow up doll? Visualize this: A 5 foot tall blonde behind the extra large steering wheel, of this very conspicuous big black Rolls Royce. With gallons of liquor in the trunk and the black roses on the passenger’s seat . . .get ready.
   I am now at a filling station, using the air hose, remember when they used to be between the gas pumps . . . In the backseat, I have the “doll” blowing it up and trying to make sure no one sees me! Thank goodness I had my raincoat with me to cover up the “doll.”
   So here I go driving down the street, looking like Cruella d’Ville, except I don’t have puppies to hide, I have a blow up doll to deliver!

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th

Come along with me for a week of
Administrative Professional Stories

Tuesday
     As I am sure every admin can tell you, there are times when you look at your boss and say “You have got to be kidding!”
     Once upon a time there was another boss, Bob.  He was single and wanted to impress his current girlfriend. He came up with this great idea and just knew that I could make it happen. The day – Thursday.  The idea – Dinner for two at his home with butler service. The event – Saturday.   Great, no problem, I’ll just whip it up and make sure everything is perfect! Bob had no idea of what menu he wanted, just when and where.
    This is where the “you have got to be kidding” comes in. I was fortunate enough to call a remarkable catering company and they took on the dinner!  They did an outstanding job!

Monday morning came around and he slipped me a $100 bill for job well done!