Today's theme is "Food."

The Casserole

I think I channeled my mom yesterday. Ha. While Dad and I were at the store, I was seized with the compulsion to make a casserole. Go figure. So I grabbed a can of broccoli cheddar condensed soup and when I got home, I pulled out all the leftovers from the last few nights' dinners--mainly Boston Market fare from a couple nights ago. So I chopped and sauteed an onion or two in some butter in an ovenproof skillet. I added more butter, and the can of soup, and corn, and the remains of our rotisserie chicken, and a couple of cans of chunk chicken (for extra protein, of course), and whatever else struck my fancy. Then I covered my creation with leftover mashed potatoes and white cheddar cheese a la shepherd's pie. I seasoned the whole thing liberally with Montreal steak seasoning (a staple in everything we cook here). I left somebody else in charge of baking it, as I had a last-minute drama rehearsal to get to. I came home and found that next to no one ate it!! I had forgotten that anything that even resembles a casserole is automatically snubbed by the younger six.....and Bobby. So the consumption of a casserole big enough to feed Bolivia has been left up to Amanda, Dad, and me. Wah-hoo. It's not a bad dish--though not as good as the casseroles Mom made--but dude, I am gonna be so sick of mashed potatoes and chicken when we're all done. :oP

......................................................................................

The Chinese Carrot

Maybe our guys need to be exposed to a more diverse environment than that to which they are accustomed.....

So we (the whole family, save three) went to a buffet today. Golden Corral, to be specific. Amanda decided to start playing with her food. She took a giant carrot coin and started poking at with her knife, until she had carved a little face into the carrot. A smiley face with two little slits for eyes. And she turned to me and said, "Look Ashley, I made a face. It looks like a China man, doesn't it? That's funny. I made I China man." She was quite amused with herself. So amused, in fact, that she thought she'd show it to little Jared. She said, "Hey, Jared, do you want to see a China man?" Jared replied, "Sure.....oh, wait, I've already seen one today...it was cooking the chicken."

Oh my.

......................................................................................

Miscellany

Hmm...what else is new??? Well, I've been working my fingers to the bone trying to perfect my execution of the newest song I've managed to teach myself--"Dust In The Wind", by Kansas. I love that song! I don't know why, but I do. I'm sure it's owing to the pretty, "pick-y" acoustic guitar...and then there are those lovely strings in the bridge. I was so pleased with myself when I managed to pick out the entire thing without tab. And then that I can actually (kind of) play it? Oh, thrill me!
But anyway...

I'm starting to lose hearing in one ear. :oP Bleh. I think it's due to an inner ear infection. But it gets frustrating when I have to ask people to repeat themselves two and three times before I say, "Ohhh....no thank you, I'm not hungry," or whatever.

I got a new haircut! (see pic--taken today--above. I wish I knew how to make the picture post down here!) It wasn't exactly what I asked for....it's a little more, ah, mature, but that's okay, 'cause it'll grow out. And I've gotta say any cut would be an improvement on the length I *was* trying to wear in this Texas heat!! Mercies, that was a pain. This way, I can pull it into a ponytail and it actually stays OFF my neck!! :oD Yay!