This Week with the Barista!

Photo taken from Here.

Monday: Frozen Chinese from P.F. Chang’s from the market’s freezer section, pre-packing for Thursday’s trip, and a couple’a episodes of Cake Boss.

Tuesday: Left Over Homemade Vegetable Soup, manicure & pedicure, and a couple’a episodes of Mike & Molly.

Wednesday: Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes & Fresh Tomatoes, packing for real, ONE episode of something on TV and in bed by 7pm.

Thursday: 2:50am wakeup call for my 4am ride to the air port, arrive in Knoxville, love on my Life Sister until sunset.

Friday: Do something artistic ALL day! LS promised!

Saturday: Photo Shoot at Cades Cove in Sevierville Tennessee!

Sunday: Cowboy Church, Complete Relaxation, Cooking a beautiful dinner for my host and hostess!

Monday: Early to rise for the pink eye from Tennessee to Minneapolis.

In Which Camp do you Land?

Firm? Limp?
You don’t have to go there Mark!  HA!

I happen to land in the FIRM camp when it comes to bacon! If I can’t break it, it’s not crispy enough. But it shouldn’t be burned. Yes, it’s a fine line but I’ve finally achieved it!

Baken’ the Bacon! Here’s how!
Put foil onto a cookie sheet that has sides (you don’t want the grease to go anywhere but into the pan below.)
Optional: lay cooling racks onto the cookie sheet
Lay bacon in single layer onto the racks
Place tray in a cold oven and set it to 400 degrees
Come back in 20 minutes to beautifully perfectly crispy bason!

Easy. Peasy.
Of course you might need to check it around the 15 minute mark just to be sure it’s not overdoing it in there. Some bacon can be sliced thicker or thinner depending upon the brand. Find your timing and bring home the Crispiest Bacon Blue Ribbon from the county fair this summer!

My "Should Be" Sister.

Have you ever met someone whom you feel like you’ve known for almost ever? About 7 years ago I met Chris through another friend. We hit it off immediately and have become so close with little or no effort at all. We just click. Like peanut butter and jelly. Like bacon and eggs. Like unicorns and glitter!


I call Chris my “life sister”. We were not born sisters but we share a soul like nobody’s business. We’re both introverts and we both really dislike the phone. We write to one another about once a week or so, and ALWAYS send delightful gift packages for birthdays. I just love shopping for her because I buy her things that I would love to receive myself. (ok so once in a while I buy doubles of things… )

Last night Chris and her husband met us for dinner at Kip’s Irish Pub in Plymouth. They’re here for a few days to attend the Raspberry Festival in Hopkins and to visit family. Whenever they come to town I know that it’s a crazy whirlwind for them, and knowing her the way I do, a crazy whirlwind is not the most fun way to spend any kind of time. Introverts need recharging and that doesn’t happen well when faced with crazy whirlwind vacations. I wasn’t expecting to be able to get together with them when they were here because of the crazy whirl wind but they found a couple hours for us anyway. She’s magic that way!

So last evening I spent a couple hours with my favorite sister on earth. And today I feel refreshed and new. She’s such a life giver it’s wonderful. A beautiful woman both inside and out. Around the edges too!  I love her to the moon and back, and then some.

I'm a lucky little sister.

TGFD!

TGFD = Thank God For Digital! 

Look who I shared space with last weekend over breakfast!

After literally (and I really mean literally) 239 shots,

Jeff was able to capture these little guys having breakfast too!

I would guess there were about 15 or 20 hummingbirds feeding on the front porch of the bed and breakfast we stayed at last weekend in Spring Green Wisconsin.

If you have the means, I highly recommend spending time with a hummingbird at breakfast.