Day 15 of Pinterest ~ pearls are a Southern Girl’s best friend

Welcome to Day 15 of

 

 

Some people will say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but a Southern Belle loves pearls.

 

I. Love. Pearls.

 

I love creamy white pearls ….. pearls with a pinkish hue ….. and the grandaddy of the pearl world: the Tahitian pearl.

 

Did you know —– Tahitian pearls are grown in the Pinctada margaritifera cumingi oyster species (also known as the Black Lipped Oyster) found throughout the French Polynesia. Only 1 in 10,000 of these oysters produces a pearl and because of this rarity, they cannot be mass produced. It takes 22 to 26 months for a pearl to grow.

 

Wear your pearls proudly, Ladies!!!

 

 

World Peace…..one piece at a time

Attention dieters and calorie-counters, you will be offended by this recipe. Pants with elastic waistbands are highly recommended.

I’m convinced this chicken fried steak with gravy would bring peace to the world. If the crunchy, battered tenderized steak didn’t encourage people to be nice to each other, the thick and creamy gravy would surely change their attitudes. It changed my Husband’s.

 

You know those little crunchy bits you get when you fry something? Well, I took a big handful and added them to the cream gravy. Yeah, I’m livin’ on the edge. Mmmmm mmmmm gooooooooood.

Sorry, I was having a personal moment with myself.

Moving on!

Back to Husband’s change in attitude tonight…

Husband’s been irritated and frustrated all day while trying to find tires to fit one of the trailers parked behind our house. Currently, there are three ~ a horse trailer, a bumper-pull trailor, and a gooseneck trailor. He blew two tires last weekend coming home from an auction and it’s been tougher-than-nails to find two additional tires that match the new ones. He began this “scavenger hunt” EARLY this morning. Seven hours later, plus several trips to multiple retail locations bearing the same name, he found the tires.

Praise the Lord, the tires will be here Monday.

All was fine-and-dandy in Husbandville until I heard growling words. I peaked my head outside and quickly ducked back in. Minutes later, Husband appeared to share his bad news.

While re-attaching a new tire to the trailer, he stripped the thread on a nut and bent a bolt. That’s not a good thing. In fact, it’s going to require ANOTHER trip to an auto or hardware store for a new nut and bolt.

I know what you’re thinking – - ”Wow, this girl really knows what she’s talking about!” Keep telling yourself that. I won’t stop you.

Anyway……..I tell you all of this because as soon as Mister Frustrated entered the kitchen and smelled battered meat fryin’ in the iron skillet, his attitude quickly changed and he was quite pleasant. He even poured a glass of sweet tea for me. Bless his heart. 

World Peace Chicken Fried Steak

Start with a couple of pounds of tenderized steak cut into large pieces. I used two large steaks and cut into 12 pieces. Husband and I enjoy leftovers, but you can adjust the quantities to suit your needs.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, and seasonings. I use a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. In another bowl, combine add a good amount of Bisquick (or plain flour) and a healthy dose of more seasonings. In an assembly-line fashion, dredge the meat into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and return for another coating of flour.

Heat a large iron skillet over medium heat and pour in enough oil to completely cover the bottom.

When the oil is hot, add 2-3 pieces of steak, depending on their size. Don’t crowd the pan, this meat deserves respect and you’ll appreciate the crunchiness.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip. The steaks are done when golden brown.

Served with mashed/smashed/smooshed/baked/fried/whatever-you-like potatoes and gravy, this fried steak will promote peace in the world…….one piece at a time.

Oh, and would you believe this recipe is completely, totally, unequivalocally, 100-percent dairy-free. That means, no milk, no butter, no cream, no nothing from a cow. Well, except the meat, of course. I might have an allergy to cow’s milk, but I’ll still eat the cow!

Have you entered my current giveaway? If not, click HERE and add a comment with your name and email address. If 100 or more comments are received, I’m increasing the Target gift card amount to $100.00. Contest ends Sunday at midnight. Good luck!

Peace, love, and fried steak,

Packed & Ready……NOT!

Approximately 50 hours from now, I’ll be checking-in at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a 7:30 am flight with a final destination to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

This Wednesday marks the beginning of my first international mission trip.

Haiti Mission Team blog, click HERE

For eight days, I will live, work, play, and fellowship alongside the Haitian people as we repair a damaged school. The mission team and I are expecting to clear debris, construct new classroom walls, and install a playground. On the project site, there is no water, electricity, or air-conditioning.

At the guest house where we’ll be staying and eating two meals a day, there will be no air-conditioning, no running water, and limited electricity. Team members and I will be drinking only bottled water. We will, however, have Internet access.

There’s a silver lining in all things. (be sure to follow our team blog!)

Let’s discuss for a quick minute the current weather conditions in Texas. 

Hot. Dry. Windy.

I describe it as living in a hair dryer turned on HIGH speed.

It’s miserable.

The thermometer and meteorologists at WFAA Channel 8 in Dallas agree with me.

Unfortunately, the humidity level in Haiti is going to be worse and heat indices (that’s plural for index, if you were wondering) are expected to be in excess of 110-degree each day.

There’s an old saying that women in the South don’t sweat, we glow. Well, dawlins’, I’m sorry to ruin my precious reputation, but I guarantee I’ll be past the glowing stage and fully past the sweaty stage too. I’ll be gross. Deal with it.

No matter the heat, no matter the temperature, and no matter how much sweat is pouring out of my pores, I will be Polly Freakin’ Anna and have a smile on my face and say, “hi y’all” to anybody I meet while visiting Port-au-Prince. That’s how I roll.

Am I packed and ready to go?

Of course not.

Toodles and Happy Monday, Y’all!!!!

 

Just a little thingamabobber for you to think about……..I’m approaching a BIG blogging milestone and I’ve got a BIG giveaway annoucement to make as soon as I return from Haiti. Please encourage your spouse, mother, Cousin Eddie, and the neighbors to read and subscribe to my blog. You do NOT want to miss this, it’s going to be fun!

Cousins are the BEST

I’ve had a fine day. Really fine.

I left Louisville at the butt-crack-of-dawn early because my Mother said I had to come home and help in the sweet corn patch. No big deal, except I drove at excessive speeds to span the 150-miles under two hours only to get here as the pickers were done picking, the last ears of corn were boiling, and the cutting-off had begun. I did assist in the silking process though, so it wasn’t a total wasted effort on my awesome driving abilities.

If you don’t have a clue about what I just said, just nod your head and smile.

Bless your heart.

Anyway, by early-afternoon I called my cousins in the big city towndot-on-the-map of Onton, located outside of Sebree.

Earlier this week, I promised Lindsey that I would prepare a meal for her birthday if Miss Jill would allow me the pleasure of getting to use her fancy-schmancy kitchen appliances.

Imagine for a moment the commercial with Kelly Ripa and the Electrolux appliances. You know that stove that supposedly boils water in 90 seconds or less. Well, the less part is true. That stove is AHHHHHHH-MAZING. I want one. Problem is, I have a drop-in glass stove top and separate double ovens. I don’t know if those models are available. And, heck, even if they were, I’d have to sell kidney or my ovaries to afford them.

I digress.

Lindsey and I are second cousins. Her mom is Jill, or Miss Jill as I always called her when she drove a school bus. Lindsey’s father, Jim, and my father are first cousins. They all live in Onton and have a fabulous backyard complete with a HUGE swimming pool and gorgeous landscaping.

Lindsey’s engaged to Josh. He’s super-tall and a cutie-patootie who FINALLY proposed a while back…..their wedding is September 24. I’m planning to attend the wedding – plus, it’s another reason to come to Kentucky.

*Photo courtesy of Rachel Mathew Photography*

After swimming, Super-Tall-Josh and I began dinner. He grilled the pork tenderloin while I tended to the fresh green beans, homestyle mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, and bread. Josh and I made a great team! Supper was dee-lish.

I couldn’t eat the dessert options, but I know they had to be tasty and Lord knows there were enough candles on that darn thing. Geesh, Lindz, you’re old! Actually, Jill put about 8 packages of candles on the cake, I guess she was going for ambiance in the dining room.

Yes, there’s a chunk of dessert missing. Obviously, somebody did NOT wait for the candle-lighting ceremony.

Want more proof we’re a crazy bunch?

Who has a swim party, birthday dinner, AND spa session?!?!

WE DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is Jill’s mom, Granny Jane, getting beauty-fied. All of the girls got pampered tortured with a brow wax before the festivities concluded for the evening.

If I go missing or am unresponsive for an excessive period, check the whereabouts of this crew because I know they’re going to whip me for putting this picture on my blog ~ but I don’t care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Simply put, this afternoon was splendid. We swam, we ate, and we laughed out loud.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, some photos I took of the gorgeous flowers around their pool and deck. Jim is a part-time beekeeper as well, but several hives have been swarming lately and I didn’t want to take any chances getting stung – so I stayed clear of the bee area.

Hummingbirds were all over the place……until I got my camera ready.

This cardinal bird stayed perfectly still while I took his picture.

tehehe

I have a thing for dragonflies now.

delicate pink flower

I love this picture. You can see the tiny little fibers, or hairs, on the leaves and petals.

Kentucky has seen plenty of rain this year, which means the grass is green and lush. But growing along the perimeter of the deck and pool areas are these striped grasses. I think they look really cool. It’s as if somebody took a brush and painted white spots on the grass!

working on my camera’s “aperture” settings here – notice one petal is in focus while the other is not…….I’m trying my best to figure out this camera!

definitely have the subject in focus and the background blurred here….pretty nice shot

butterfly in the grass ~ told you the grass was really green here!

Drum roll please…….

Whomever said Friday the 13th was unlucky obviously did NOT enter my giveaway contest.

I’m so excited to announce the BIG WINNER for my FIRST GIVEAWAY.

(drum roll)

How ’bout them apples?! Jan at TDE (that stands for The Diamond E – don’t worry, I didn’t think of that all by myself…I deserve zero credit) is one of those whodathunkit buddies. She has a fabulous blog (click here) that I found and whodathunk that we live within 30 minutes of each other. Such a small world.

So, what has Jan from TDE won????

Jan, over at The Diamond E (I like saying this, can you tell?!) has won the grand prize: an all-expense paid vacation around the world including airfare, lodging at a super-sweet resorts, five-star meals, fun and games, and a lovely t-shirt that says

Wheeww!!! That was a scary moment for my checking account. Instead, Jan, at The Diamond E, will be receiving her selected choice:

Sorry Jan, no around-the-world trip for you, but I hope you enjoy the H20 Sea Salt Skin Smoother headed your way. I already have your mailing address so I will place the order today and it should be in your snail-mail box within a couple of days for you to enjoy.

With this being my first giveaway and all, I want all y’all (that means all of you, just checking to see if y’all are awake) to know that I did not cheat in this contest. First, I took all the comment entries and listed them in numerical order, in the sequence they were received.

Then, I went to random.org for a number generator and this is what it selected.

To the rest of y’all: Please stay tuned for other giveaways and contests. This was really fun and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I’m nearing 5,000 site visitors AND my 100th post in the coming weeks. I think that calls for a celebration where my visitors can win a fabulous something (obviously, not a trip around the world but something a little more practical…seriously people, let’s me real).

Thanks again to everyone that visited my blog and entered my first giveaway, I really appreciate you reading all the crap that’s in my head. I hope you’ll visit again…and invite your crazy friends.

Now, I need to finish getting ready for a lunch party at my house that I’m afraid no one is going to show for. Such is my life.

Let me just through this little tid-bit out here:

I sent CUSTOM invitations with HAND-WRITTEN addresses on the envelopes to 24 people. I also sent an eVite to everyone, just in case they don’t check their snail-mail boxes in front of their house. (you never know ’bout people these days) The theme of this party is Recipe Swap and Potluck. Basically, everybody brings a prepared dish to share with the group, including copies of the recipe. In theory, lots of people will attend and we’ll all share lots of good food and leave with lots of recipes for our own collection. I am using simple plates, cups, and bowls in a variety of bold and bright colors (on a white tablecloth) and fresh flowers are scattered around the house just for good measure. My favorite “extra touch” are the eight – yeah, count them, EIGHT – gift bags (also in a variety of bright colors) each filled with recipe-inspired gifts for the lucky winners to take home. There are also two bags filled with spa-inspired goodies to encourage those lucky winners to pamper themselves and one bag contains a couple of goodies from Starbucks®.

K.H. (who stayed the night with us) says I should have lived in another era. She’s probably right. At least she brought her recipe (on a magnet no less, proudly displayed on my fridge already) and enjoyed a glass of sweet tea. S.M. – who had a c-section last Tuesday - said if nobody shows up she’ll bring the crew (including N, H, and C) and supplies (breast pump and burp clothes) over. How sweet is that deal?! Actually, that’s kinda pitiful and pathetic on MY part. If nobody shows up to play in my sandbox, I gotta call post-prego lady with breast pumps.

(sigh)

If anybody’s hungry or thirsty, I got enough strawberry lemonade and chicken salad to feed an army. C’mon over.

And they’re off!!!!

Today is the first Saturday of May. No big deal, right?

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is Saturday, May 7, 2011, the running of the 137th Kentucky Derby. It’s a holiday. Well, to be perfectly honest, it’s more like a religious experience.

When Kevin and I announced our engagement and we started planning our wedding, the first thing I did was look at a calendar. If you are a native Kentuckian, or planning a wedding in Kentucky or inviting guests from Kentucky, you CANNOT get married during Derby weekend. It’s sacrilegious. Not only would this be frowned upon, no one would attend because everyone is either at Churchill Downs or at a Derby party! 

Another Derby tradition is the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home’ It doesn’t matter where I am — at Churchill Downs or the living room of my house in Joshua, Texas — I stand and sing at the top of my lungs. Every. Single. Word.

Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs

The Derby, along with Churchill Downs and the Twin Spires, is to horseracing as Augusta National is to golf; Wrigley Field to baseball; and Lambeau Field to football. It’s majestic and exhilarating all wrapped into the fastest two minutes of sports. Today, in front of 164,858 excited and screaming fans (a new Derby attendance record), Animal Kingdom won the 137th Kentucky Derby. I’m glad I didn’t place my bet because I would’ve put my money on Pants on Fire, who finished ninth in the field of 19.

Photo courtesy of Churchill Downs

But enough about the Derby. I want to share what most Kentuckians consider to be the treasured gem in the Commonwealth: the Kentucky Oaks. It’s the day for the ladies, most specifically the fillies (that would be a female horse) running at Churchill Downs the day BEFORE the Derby.

Just as the Derby winner receives a garland of red roses, the Oaks winner gets a garland of star-gazer lilies. Thus the saying, lilies for the fillies!

Most people don’t even know the Kentucky Oaks exists. I almost cried yesterday when a native Kentuckian asked me to explain the historic event. Are you kidding me?! The Oaks is a day for traditionalists and those wanting to enjoy a day at the racetrack without the splendor, pageantry, and celebrity chaos of the Derby. In its own right, the Oaks is meant to be reserved. 

My favorite thing about Kentucky Oaks is pink, pink, and more pink! The day is all about PINK. Everything at Churchill Downs is pink, from the decor to the drinks. In fact, the Oaks has its own official pink drink: the Oaks Lily®. 

All PINK'd out at the Kentucky Oaks - photo courtesy of Churchill Downs

If you’re in Louisville area the first weekend of May and you have the opportunity to attend the Oaks and/or the Derby, you have to go! However, when selecting your attire for the big day, please consider these two tips:

• at the Oaks, wear anything (within reason) you wish as long as it’s PINK
• Ladies: if you wear a hat, keep your dress and accessories simple – the hat is the star

Since I’m so generous (by the way, have you entered my giveaway?!), here’s one of my favorite Kentucky recipes: Woodford Reserve Bourbon Slush.

Everyday is a good day to be a Kentucky Girl…..but I”m especially proud this weekend!

Love y’all.

Fried Steak and a Cheap Sweater

There is something about a dinner plate filled with fried steak, mashed potatoes, and soft, warm biscuits all topped with creamy (and completely dairy free, made with soymilk) brown gravy. I am one lucky girl.

FYI: The day I married Kevin was the last day I bought beef at any grocery store. His family processes (is this a politically correct statement?!) at least two steers every year, so our freezer is ALWAYS stocked with 100-percent grass-fed beef raised at Kevin’s parent’s place in East Texas. Any fresher and it would still be on the hoof. Literally.

Last night, before going to bed, I set two packages of tenderized beef out to thaw. Before I left for work/school this morning, I put the meat in the fridge. I thought about that meat ALL DAY!!!

During lunch, I ate my sandwich with one hand and surfed the Web with the other. I came across a new blog, The Pioneer Woman, that you MUST visit. This woman, Ree, is really talented. And pretty. And cooks. She married a cowboy. (Score!). She has four beautiful children. (Awesome!) My favorite thing about Ree: she has a basset hound. His name is Charlie. He’s really cute.

Fried Round Steak - PW’s recipe if you want CFS in less than 20 minutes.

Chicken Fried Steak - PW’s recipe if you have a little more time and want something more traditional.

I’ve made chicken fried steak a hundred times, but tonight’s tasted soooo good! I think it was PW’s blog that got me craving CFS delicious-ness long before it was time for the dinner bell. Lucky for me, the afternoon was smooth sailing. Seriously, I did not get stuck in rush hour traffic (it was 5:05 pm when I left Fort Worth), every light was green in Burleson (miracle!), and Kevin was hungry and biting at the bit for something fried and fattening. He’s one lucky man too. 

I am so disappointed and deeply regretful that I did not take a single picture of my culinary creation. I didn’t think about it until I was scraping gravy off my plate with a biscuit and licking my fingers. I’m really sorry. You gotta believe me when I say it was REALLY good.

I did find time to snap some awful-dreadful-pathetic self-portraits of myself in a skirt (I really have legs, contrary to what some of my students believe). I also wore my new Talbot’s sweater. Now, before you get all huffy-puffy about me wearing Talbot’s, let me assure you that it came from their CLEARANCE rack. The only item I buy full price is Charmin ultra-soft toilet paper. The sweater’s original tag price was $119.00 - ouch. Who would pay that for a thin sweater made of cotton? I also bought a pair of dress capri pants (tag price $129) for a cool $11.46. Score another one for this girl!

OK, enough Frugal Frances (hey, that could be a whole other blog or post!!!). Check out these Best of the Terrible Self-Portraits.

I’m glad I could provide you with a good laugh and CFS recipe. I apologize profusely for not taking pictures of supper, I will try better next time. Happy Monday y’all!!!!

Celebrating our wedded bliss

Nicole & Kevin - March 31, 2007

This week, Thursday to be exact, Kevin and I will celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. We’ve been together eight years, but it seems much longer. We met in a Yahoo! Chat room, long before online matchmaking became popular. Most were skeptical and said we were crazy, but I credit our strong Christian beliefs, similar core values, and honest communication to the success of our relationship. Kevin and I based our long-distance relationship on honesty, trustworthiness, and hope in the future – our future. We were committed to one another from the beginning; we endured the hardships of being apart while being patient with God’s plan in our lives.

Courtesy of The Journal-Enterprise (May 15, 2002)

When we met in June 2003, I was in Kentucky preparing for collegiate golf at Bellarmine University in Louisville. Kevin was an IT supervisor in Dallas, Texas. In 2004, I earned an athletic scholarship to Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. God was making a way for this relationship. A year later, in 2005, I was accepted at Texas A&M University in Commerce, located 30 minutes from Kevin and his family. It was divine intervention.

Courtesy of Chris Owens Photography - Fort Worth, Texas (March 2007)

Today, Kevin and I are living a blessed life near Fort Worth, Texas. He is still in IT and I’m a middle school social studies teacher. Kevin enjoys team roping and I am active at church and enjoy reading, cooking, and blogging. If the weather’s nice, you’ll find us on the front porch with a pitcher of sweet tea or in the pasture with our golf clubs. Occasionally, we’ll challenge each other in a game of “the closest one to the water trough wins.” I usually win.

Kevin makes me laugh every single day; he is my best friend and partner for life. I am forever grateful that KyGolfGirl met TxTeamRoper and married March 31, 2007. God is so good.

Finger-Lickin’ Goodness (Papaw George’s Slopping BBQ Chicken Recipe)

Until I was six years old, I was the only grandchild on my Mom’s side. Still, I am the only granddaughter on both sides. Needless to say, I’m a tiiiiiny bit spoiled. (If you’re just visiting, I’m glad you know this about me and I hope will come again. Please invite your friends! For the rest of you, just roll your eyes and continue reading. Thanks!)

Me & Papaw George April '92 This photo was taken when he received a "Lifetime of Service" award from the American Trucking Association; he died three months later, in July.

My mother’s father died when I was 8 years old, but I have fond memories of my Papaw George. He had a big belly, wore polyester pants and shiny leather boots, drank Bourbon, owned a truck and tire company, enjoyed house-boating, and loved hosting backyard get-togethers with friends and family. My favorite Papaw George recipe is BBQ chicken. I always called this “sloppy chicken” because it was so messy and you weren’t eating it correctly if you didn’t have sauce all over your face, hands, and clothing. But “eternity chicken” could be appropriate, because when you’re hungry it seems like the chicken takes FOREVER to cook!

Papaw always used a charcoal grill and cut-up whole chickens – one reason it took forever to cook on a charcoal grill. Today, I used leg quarters (leg and thigh attached) and cooked the chicken on the grill as well as the oven.  There really is no official recipe with exact measurements or ingredients, but here’s my best attempt  on a family favorite. Note: I used Smart Balance butter (it’s milk-free) and Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory and Brown Sugar barbecue sauce – you use whatever you prefer!

1. Preheat oven to 400° and preheat gas grill to medium-high heat.
2. Add three tablespoons of butter to a large baking dish. Coat the bottom of the dish with your favorite barbecue sauce, approximately one cup. Place baking dish in the preheating oven. The butter will melt as the oven heats, stir at least once.
3. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (for color) and drizzle with olive oil.
4. Place chicken, skin side down, on grill. Sear 2-3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to burn the chicken and beware of flare-ups.
5. Remove chicken from grill and transfer to baking dish; cover with foil. Decrease oven to 350° and bake 60 minutes. When 15 minutes remain, uncover dish. I like to turn the chicken at least twice as it bakes, spooning the sauce over all pieces.

Look at those grill marks, I'm the next Bobby Flay!!!

Don’t know about you, but this chicken looks finger-licking good!!!

Hope everybody’s having a great weekend. I have successfully wasted a beautiful and sunny day by staying inside and completing  a month’s worth of lesson plans, laundry, and tweaking Papaw George’s “slopping” chicken recipe. Oh well.

Hugs,

ROT*10 and MOONSHINE

OK, so let me explain this title. Finally, after years of pondering, Husband and I, we think, have created the perfect nickname for me: ROT-10. (Instead of rotten, it’s rot and the number ten. Get it? Yeah? Not really? Whatever. Moving on.) I admit my spoiled-ness, but Kevin is always sure to extenuate the rotten part. He even suggested a personalized license plate for my car. I’m cool with that. (Hey, don’t nobody steal my idea, ya hear?) So, to prove I deserve this nickname, I will explain what I did today.

I woke up this morning with a delightful lover’s glow (I’ve been gone a week, don’t hate) and appointments at two salons: JKS and Deluxe Nail Spa. It’s been six-months-plus since I had had a haircut or brow wax (thank you, Shandee, for trimming my dreadful-and-curly locks from their frizzy hell and my eyebrows, oh my, bless your heart for saving that mess!). To me, a haircut and brow wax is enough pampering for one’s mental health but Husband (that’s what I call him in the privacy of our home, so why change it on the World Wide Web?) encouraged me to “get extra did” at the say-lon (his words, not mine). So, feeling much obliged, and with his credit card, I did. I made an appointment at Deluxe Nail Spa and told the lady I wanted the works, whatever that means. (I honestly do not remember the last time I had a manicure; I believe it was the day before our wedding: March 31, 2007). I was looking forward to the mega-massage chairs this place offers. You can see the extra-large chairs as you drive by, they are THAT big. Turn that puppy on and let me be. Sweet. Bliss.

I’ll be honest…I’m as lost as an Easter egg when it comes to being inside a nail salon. I don’t know the difference between acrylic or acetone (that’s a lie, but it sounds good). However, I know what a French manicure is and I like them. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to nails, nothing crazy or fancy, just simple. And, for goodness sakes, the length of the nail is very important. I’m pretty sure I would be capable of bruising myself in a padded room, but I could cause serious bodily harm with long, sharp nails.

The very nice lady at the front desk tried to explain to me all the options and differences – she had a thick accent that was hard to understand - but it all sounded Greek to me. When she had that expression on her face that said, “So, what’s your choice, Sucker?” I replied with my Polly-Anna smile, “Whatever you suggest!” She smiled with glee and I happily followed her to one of those ginormous massage chairs. She was happy with a juvenile (a.k.a. sucker!) customer and I was happy with my throne that wiggled and giggled my back, neck, and shoulders. 

I was just getting my fat rolls situated when a lady parked her petite self in front of my feet. WHOA! Let me set the record straight here: I am VERY ticklish. I’m also apprehensive because I have callused feet. I played competitive golf for 14 years…walking 36 holes a day in golf shoes in not pedicure-friendly. I was also the child that refused to wear shoes. I remember my Mom fussing at me in church one Sunday because I had somehow left our house without shoes. And, I digress.

While Little Miss was rubbing my feet with gritty-lotion and using a saw-like motion with a tool that looked like a citrus zester, a young man with a tray of nail tips grabbed my hands. EASY THERE, BUDDY! I asked for an explanation and he replied, “You order solar nails, best option for you!” Oh gawd, what have I gotten myself into?! What are solar nails? There’s no time for details because Nail Guy is already glueing three-inch-long tips to my nails. LORD HAVE MERCY! I asked, “umm, are you gonna trim these?” He laughs and says I sound like a gitty teenage girl. He also asked if this is my first time, I hesitantly reply, “yes.” MAMA! Thus, Little Miss continued to scrub my feet (poor thing, I can’t imagine the torture) and Nail Guy kept with his talon-sculpting. Seriously, do humans really wear nails that long?!

I tried to enjoy the massage and pampering, but to be honest, I was too freaked out by the tedious process of solar nail application. Nail Guy dipped a brush into a clear solution, pink powder, then white powder and all I could think was, “oh my, I look like a bad girl.” Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse he got out this drill looking thing and dusted me with nail powder. Ewww.

I think my toes look good, see?

Nail color is OPI Cajun Shrimp

But I’m not so sure about my finger nails. I think they are too short with too much white tip. What do you think?

Husband says he likes my nails and says I should go once a month for a mani/pedi…I like how this man thinks! I’m definitely interested in his sweet offer. In fact, I did some researchin’ this afternoon and found what I think is the length I want to try next…with smaller white tips:

Photo courtesy of nailsartphotos.com

Have you seen the moon tonight? It’s a SUPER moon – whatever that means. I tried to take a couple of pictures, but it’s really windy out tonight and the gas trucks are at the rig behind our house so the extra light is distracting as well. It’s a natural phenomena that hasn’t happened in 20-plus years and won’t happen again for just as long.

So,  there you have it. My “rot-10″ nickname and the super-shining moon. Enjoy the rest of the weekend, I plan to. I have thoroughly enjoyed my spring break but, to be frank, I’m not looking forward to Monday. I’m as bad as the students wishing and hoping for summer to arrive.

Signing off,

Rot-10