Wayne Dyer

So, how's it going? Other than it's Friday and happy hour should be starting now instead of 6:30 tonight?

Wayne Dyer always helps me put things in perspective. He has a movie which at times can be hokey, but helps you get the message. It's always good to watch when things are getting you down.

Sure wish they'd let me watch it at work! And I still wish it were happy hour already.

Dr. Wayne Dyer

Halloween Chocolate Covered Cookies

Halloween is just a short time away. Our neighborhood likes to get together and drink cocktails on the front porches while we pass out candy to the kids. (Did I say drink and pass out in the same sentence? Freudian slip.)

Something to eat on Halloween night or at a Halloween party? Check out these chocolate covered cookies - specially decorated for the holiday. Oreos and Nutter Butters. My favorite!

Edible Gifts Plus

Fireplace Screensaver

PES

Apple Pie

Some people go on vacation and don't do a thing. I like to do things that I never have the time to do at home.

We baked an apple pie this week. This is the second year we've done it. I forgot to add the sugar to the first apple pie I made last year. Plenty of ice cream fixed the lack of sugar.

This year, the pie was great (still had ice cream on top of course).

I've got to work on my decoration though. Those are supposed to be moons and scary cats on the top crust. Martha Stewart would not be impressed. Sorry Martha.

Martha Stewart's Apple Pie Recipe

Lobster claws

"Owww! Where are my claws?" said the lobster. "In my belly", I said.

Still on vacation!

We’ve been to Barnacle Billy’s and Lords so far. Mabel’s Lobster Claw is tonight.

(Excuse the bad photo - it was taken from my phone's camera.)



Barnacle Billy's
Lords Harborside
Mabel's Lobster Claw

Fallen off the wagon

We saw fireworks in Ogunquit last night. They shot them over the beach, so we were able to watch them from the Marginal Way, which is a tiny footpath along the coastline.

I’m not sure what the fireworks were for – my guess is they heard that Charles ate ham for breakfast!

We were able to snap a few photos using the tripod which was schlepped up here and the slowest lens setting on the camera. It worked great and here's one of the results!

How to use a camera tripods
Buy a Tripod
Marginal Way

Stonewall Kitchen

Did I mention I'm on vacation in Maine? Cool weather, changing leaves, good lobster and whoopie pies everywhere you turn.

Not in Maine right now? Too bad. We could have shared some lobster. While not a substitute, you could go to Stonewall Kitchen's website to buy whoopie pie mix.

Two Mainers made a successful business out of jams and jellies. But they also offer an impressive collection of kitchen supplies and other prepared foods. If you like Martha Stewart, you'll love Stonewall Kitchen.

We're taking a cooking class at Stonewall Kitchen while in Maine. No lobster though - I'll leave that to the professionals. I'm on vacation.

Stonewall Kitchen

A Very Long Engagement

While I was at home a week ago and sick with a cold, I watched a favorite movie of mine.

A Very Long Engagement is a French movie (subtitle alert, subtitle alert!) about a young girl in search of her lost fiancée, who has disappeared from the trenches of the Somme during World War One. It stars Audrey Tautou. Most people would recognize her as the woman who played opposite Tom Hanks in the Da Vinci Code, but her better work was in a previous movie titled Amélie. She is currently starring in the new movie Coco Before Chanel.

While there is sadness in the film, it is Mathilde’s optimism that fills you with hope and the carnival-freak show cast of characters make the journey fun. (Definitely a good movie for when you are sick and lying on the couch!)

There is a recurring scene in which Mathilde’s dog farts, to which the aunt responds “Doggie fart, gladdens my heart”. So much more mature than our typical response around the house, where we laugh and blame it on the person sitting closest to the offending dog. (What can I say?)

A Very Long Engagement
Amélie
Coco Before Chanel
Audrey Tautou
Da Vinci Code

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Zombieland

This past Friday, Charles and I went to dinner with two other couples. Half of the spouses were enjoying a quiet evening, while the other half was having too much fun to call it a night. (Too much bacon swiss dip and gimlets before dinner!) So a spontaneous trip to the movie theater playing Zombieland occurred for three of us.

I have a few favorite zombie movies. 28 Days Later, I Am Legend, Shaun of the Dead. Now Zombieland is going on that list.

The movie centers on the narrator’s rules for surviving a zombie plague. Clearly the thinking man’s guide to zombie survival, the narrator espouses rules that always escape characters in other zombie movies – such as the doubletap. When you’re not sure if the zombie is dead, instead of gently kicking it with your foot, he suggests shooting it again, also known as the doubletap. (Write that one down. It’s a keeper. Works on squirrels too.)

Go see the movie for other very important survival tips and to see a Woody Harrelson movie that’s actually funny. (Yeah, hard to believe!)

Zombieland
Twinkies (Twinkies are a running gag throughout the movie. Wait, did I say gag in reference to Twinkies? This site has links to recipes, including Twinkies Sushi. Yep, gag alright.)
Zombie Survival Guide
The Zen of Zombie
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Zombie cocktail (for any upcoming Halloween parties)

Kitchen Paint

A friend was touching up the cabinets in his kitchen. He picked up the wrong paint and suddenly had beige splotches all over his white cabinets. It was one of those paints that dries a different color. (Or so he says…)

Reluctantly, my friends decided to hire a professional painter who would paint the entire kitchen and fix the mistake (after living with spots for a couple of months). It took nearly a week because the painter started by using a roller instead of a brush. These friends are designers and would have none of that, so the painter sanded the cabinets and started all over again.

After about a week of painting and repainting, the kitchen was finished. The worst part about the experience according to my friends? They couldn't get into the liquor cabinet for a week because of the painting.

Never mind the plates or the dishes – it’s the drinks they missed the most. (I know what you’re thinking – and it was totally not my kitchen. This did happen to friends of mine. I swear.)

Color blindness - click here to test your vision
Chalkboard paint (now available in all kinds of colors – I love this stuff. Now what can I paint?)
AA

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