Dinner - As promised

Dear Alexa-
Tonight I roasted half of a local raised chicken from the CSA. I coated it with olive oil and lemon pepper from Penzeys Spices. The mashed potatoes were baby reds, also from the CSA, spiced up with a healthy dash of French Onion Dip and some garlic powder. Finally we had some flash cooked green beans. Strangely enough the green beans are frozen and from Aldi, but they really are the best green beans I've found. They are the super thin type that I love.

A leg and thigh for me and the breast for Michael.
I could make a joke about him being a breast man,
but really he just doesn't like to eat meat off of the bone.
Something that seems crazy to me.

Yum!

Also this week I've been eating tons of watermelon.
Check out the giant hunk I ate for breakfast on Sunday.

Well that is "what the Perry's are eating tonight". Not really exciting, but yummy. I have no real plans for tomorrow. Maybe a quiche. I have some bacon and spinach that I need to use up and once again we have more eggs than I know what to do with.

Hope you are having a great day!
m

The Letter H

H is for House and also for Health.

March was a generally crappy month which wreaked havoc on my body. I thought that I was on the mend when I got slammed with a sinus infection. Every year I get one and every year I forget how miserable they are. I've blown through a box of Kleenex, my head is still full, my throat still hurts and whoever is stabbing my ears should really stop.
I just want to go to sleep and hide under the covers.
Stupid infection.
I really just want my health back!!

The Letter G

G is for Goose and also for Grape Jelly

Yesterday I had my first BP&J. Well actually AB&J. We all know the Peanut Butter is a deal breaker for me. A few weeks ago I purchased some Almond Butter but yesterday finally found the courage to try it. It looks like what I imagine peanut butter to look like and it made a convincing sandwich.
Michael actually made the sandwich and then stood there with Benadryl in hand, ready to save me from an allergic reaction. Luckily nothing happened. It was just a sandwich. After 2 bites I was done (there is still a lot of mental things going on with eating something that looks like a PB&J) so Micheal finished it off. His first such sandwich in years - he gave up the peanut butter when we moved into the house.
It was good and I think that I'll try it again someday soon. Grape Jelly is the only way to go.

The Letter F

F is for feather, but also for French Kissing Puppet.

I don't really think I need to say more than that. The idea of a French Kissing Puppet just sends in me into hysterics. Any way you look at it - delightful ridiculousness!

M: I'm glad that we're married and get to make out all the time.
m: Yeah, its a bonus.
M: It beats having to use my French Kissing Puppet.
m: (uncontrollable laughter)

I swear Michael knows just what off the wall things to say to make me laugh so hard that I start to cry...or nearly pee my pants...
French Kissing Puppet - priceless.

The Letter E

E is for Elephant and also for Education.

I've been thinking about going back to school. I'd like to get my Master Degree. But the thought of more student loans gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Hmm, one day I'll figure it out I'm sure. A little more education never hurts.

(I'm also really proud of my brother for going back to school! Mattie you will be a great teacher one day.)

The Letter D

D is for Dog, and also for Dog...

I am a dog person. Cats just don't do it for me, sorry cat lovers. I love a dog. Particularly I love my dog. If you have read this blog at all you know that I am a big fan of Miss Tallulah. She is delightful and I couldn't ask for a better dog.
And yet I can't help looking a Petfinder and drooling over all the puppies that need homes. Seriously I want this puppy, and this one, oh and this one too.
Michael says "We can't have another dog. Tallulah is enough."
But if you need a puppy, take a look at Petfinder.com. Puppies are plentiful and need good homes.

Dear Sleep

Why do you allude me? Why is it even though I woke up extra early this morning and should, by all rights be exhausted, I am not tired?
Sleep, you and I both know that I need you. I need you at least 8 hours a night. You make me feel so good. And the dreams, well lets just say that the dreams keep me coming back for more. So vivid and full of color and sounds and light. Dreams that are endlessly fascinating...
So why won't you let me get to them tonight?!
Come on sleep, be a pal and let me drift off.

Respectfully,
m

The Letter C

C is for Cookie and also for Cash.

I gave up "superfluous spending" for lent this year. Mainly this involved giving up going to Target, but as you may well know going to Target is almost a necessity. (They have the best price for dog food) But it also meant keeping a check on every purchase I made and trying to decide if it was really needed - and normally it was not. I didn't go into stores where I knew I would be tempted to spend. And when my credit card bill arrived this month is was less than half of what it normally is! Holy crud, I normally spend way too much money! These past 40 days have been a great lesson in living with less - not even less - but just with what we already have and the things we really need.
So I'm going to continue this ban on superfluous spending, we will see how much I save. I could always just go shopping in my own closet. I have lots of yarn and fabric, enough to keep me busy for quite some time.
So C is for the Cash that I hope to save!

The Letter B

B is for Ball and Also for Babies.

There are many babies around me right now. A friend welcomed Miss Lily a month ago and another friend is pregnant. There are babies every where I turn.
I've been hesitant to write about this, but here it goes: Our world has been turned upside down this past month. On Feb. 28th we found out we were pregnant only to have a miscarriage a week later. It was heartbreaking and has caused me to act in all sorts of irrational ways. I never knew there were that many tears inside a person. Michael and the family were wonderful, as could only be expected.
To make matters worse my body wasn't healing from the miscarriage and after nearly 3 weeks of bleeding and my hormone levels staying high I had a D&C on Tuesday. I am still sore and tired and I didn't know that my body would need so much rest. And unfortunately the procedure still hasn't resolved everything. It may have been an ectopic pregnancy. We are still looking into the possibilities.
The whole thing just makes me sad. Sad and confused and strangely thankful for all the good things I have in my life. Now if I could just get my body back to normal that would be great.
B maybe for babies, but it is also for belief. A belief that good things will come around again and that my friends and family are always there for me.
What could be better than that?

The Letter A

I'm getting a jump on NaBloPoMo for April. This months theme is "Letters". While I can't promise that I will write every day in April I am going to try. So this is my head start.

A is for Apple. A is also for Amick.

For 25 years I was an Amick and really I am still an Amick: I just have a new last name. I loved being an Amick – here are some of the things that makes one “Amick-y” in my opinion. If you are, or love an Amick you may have different ideas, but here is the list from one former Amick.

Amick’s sit in the front row, they like to read or learn. We have lots of useless information squirreled away. We are a little bit mousy and dress a little bit differently. No matter how much we hear that we are beautiful it still comes as a shock when we see it. Amick’s often put others first – sometimes to our own detriment. We listen a little too closely to others criticism, but can overcome them when we really put our mind to it. Amick’s love the little, fun things in life – like going to the zoo, so walking through a park. We fall in love really hard – sometimes waaaay too easily. Because of this, we get our hearts broken. Amick’s are not very tall, but even though we joke about it, it doesn’t really bother us. Amick’s cry at sad movies and also happy ones. Family means a lot to us, weather that family is the whole group or just one person or dog that holds our heart. We will always be there if needed. Amick’s are fun and goofy and love the childish things in life. We cannot sing nor are we very good at playing any musical instruments…no matter how long we practice.
I am an Amick and I can’t think of anything better. We may have our flaws, but I’m in good company.

(As is also for Alexa - a wonderful friend and a sister at heart who has spent so much time at the Amick house that she will be an Amick forever!)