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July 2008

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July 22, 2008

Hang Loose, Brudda

Monday
The sign on the wall at the gas station says, "You fill. We fill. All the same price. Just relax." A full service vacation, you betcha.
Monday3
Wake up, roll out of bed and straight into the pool.
Monday1
I brought somethings to keep me honest. I finished this hat. Jenny, my hostess loved it so much that I gave it to her. I'm working on more.
Monday2
Some ladies went to the beach, some stayed at the pool. We ventured into Waimea and grocery shopped then back home to fix din-din.
Wine and nibbles while dinner is being prepared kitchen-side.
Monday4
Rachel and Anna put together some terrific chicken fajitas. We ate on the lanai with bird choirs heralding the setting sun. So easy to mellow out here.
Monday6
Even the natives aren't at all restless.
Monday5
Goodnight ,sun.

July 21, 2008

A Little Grass Shack

Hawaii1
After a fairly long day of not-so-fun but oh-so funny travel, (let's just say that Mrs.Piggle Wiggle should pay a visit to the Delta employees), we made it to Kona. Our friend jenny came to meet us and whisked us off to an early dinner, well if you live on Hawaiian time it was early. It was fashionably late for us Nor Cal girls who hadn't eaten a gosh darn thing all day lone except for a "snack pack".
Hawaii2
We made up for lost time with gusto. I had macadamia-crusted mahi mahi with plum sauce on a bed of bok choy. Mahalo! We sat near water's edge and enjoyed the beautiful breeze and not-too-warm temperatures.
Hawaii3
The sun sets early in the tropics so by the time we got to the "shack"  it was dark. But this isn't a bad view, huh? The entrance from the drive leads to this slice of heaven.
Hawaii5
Here is the infinity pool by daylight. Yawn - cliche but true - just another day in paradise.
Hawaii4
When I finish my Kona coffee here on the lanai, I'll try to lift my camera up and get a few more shots of the island for you. Are we having fun yet? Amen, sisters.

July 19, 2008

Oh We're Goin' to a Hukilau

5017 Hawaii Calls copy
Huki-huki-huki-huki-huki-hukilau 


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Everybody loves the hukilau 
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Where the laulau is the kaukau at the l`au 
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I'm off today on my trip. But don't worry my little wahinis. You're in my pocket. Where I go you go.
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News at eleven.
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A- Lo Ha.

July 18, 2008

Get Back Wonky Cap

Cap

Can you imagine just how therapeutic it can be simply ripping pieces of fabric to shreds? Even with the risk of black lung disease from all the random cotton fibers, the sheer wantonness of it is peculiarly restorative.
CapA
Not that I harbor any aggressions or hostilities, ya know, but somehow the releasing of um, er, let's say - energy- by making mincemeat of a piece of gingham just has no equal.
CapB  
When my girls were very little I used to make bread every day. Having homemade bread is very nice. But kneading and thwomping and pounding on the dough every morning made me an ever so much more patient mommy.
Cap1
The lady across the way has a punching bag in her garage. Every afternoon I hear the thwaddle-thwaddle-thwaddle of that leather balloon being pummeled to within an inch.

Cap2 
You better get back wonky cap
Cap3

How can you stop when your feet say go?

Cap4 

So anyway, all this tension busting leaves me with scads of fabric strips. Whatcha gonna do?

Cap5

So I got me a crochet hook and went to town.

Livin' in the city just ain't where it's at

Jump back!!

P.S. - the spacing is all typepad all the time!!!

July 15, 2008

PB & V

Torito1

Next time you see Elvis hanging around tell him I'm making toritos. I'm pretty sure the King would swing his hips around and around after sipping this little concoction. It's like a fluffer nutter sandwich in a glass. Typical to Vera Cruz, Mexico where it's sold by the bottle, it's really easy to make and store in the fridge for a tipple now and again. I know you won't be able to help falling in love with toritos.
Torito2
I can read your suspicious minds. Peanut butter? In a drink? Well, you could switch it out for mangoes or even berries, but peanut toritos are my favorite. 
Torito3

Toritos de Cacahuate
makes 2 1/2 quarts to serve 8-10 people

2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup peanut butter ( not hunka-hunka burning love  but creamy)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup vodka

Place in a blender in batches and when it's all shook up you can pour it into bottles. It will keep in the fridge for over a month.

Torito4

Love me tender,
Love me sweet,

Just don't spill on my blue suede shoes.
This is how we shake rattle and roll around here. Don't be rubberneckin' baby, just come on over and enjoy.


 

July 14, 2008

Starting Now

Roses
You'll be swell! You'll be great!
Gonna have the whole world on the plate!
Starting here, starting now,
honey, everything's coming up roses!

Roses2
Clear the decks! Clear the tracks!
You've got nothing to do but relax.
Blow a kiss. Take a bow.
Honey, everything's coming up roses!

Roses3I'm back to getting things made. Yay!!!  

Have you guys played Patchworkz? I'm up to level 74. That might be some small piece of the whole non-productive part of my summer so far. Maybe. 

But it's Monday and I'm feeling crafty. That streak of light you just saw is me getting to work. 

July 10, 2008

Putting the Blah in Blogging

Blah1

These are some of the dirty dogs that are keeping me from blogging. Just look at that tripe!!!
Blah2
Artery-clogging, fat-padding minions of a devilish egg sort.
Blah3
Projects that are taking far too long for this simpleton...
Blah4
the results of which are not making my heart sing...
Blah5
nor is the mind-numbing repetition making my fingers fly at a furious pace.Blah6
Add to all that, sweltering heat and no tropical breezes to dry the sweat from my brow and a back that went out as I was putting away a little bowl in a high cupboard and has only JUST come back to where it belongs...
Well, add it all together and you have, ladies, the recipe for the bloggity blah-blahs. These are the dirty scoundrels keeping me from you. I'm fighting them with all I've got but it's a tough battle my friends. Keep the home fires burning, fly the flags high. I'll be out of the trenches soon.

July 08, 2008

Var Sa God

Prod_danish

We grew up in the Jello Generation, J-E-L-L-O. If we got any dessert at all, my mom being the first health-nut on the planet, we got Jello. Sometimes she'd jazz it up and mix some Dream Whip into it - whoo-hoo, but sometimes she go us one better and make Danish Dessert instead. We lurved Danish Dessert but it was a bigger commitment for our working mom seeing as how you had to cook it on the stove, stirring constantly for quite some while.
Danish1
"I don't know why I don't just make this from scratch," she'd say. "It doesn't take that much more time." 
But she never did and I always wondered. So the other day, faced with quarts of fresh raspberries I decided to go for it and make me some of that homemade Danish Dessert.
Danish2

Danish Dessert - Homemade

1 quart berries, washed and hulled
1/2 cup sugar 
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water


Whirl the fruit in food processor or blender until pureed. If you don't want seeds, push through sieve.
Using a wooden spoon, stir together sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Gradually stir in water and puree until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Let boil 1 minute. It will go from opaque to sort of translucent.
Spoon into bowl or dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. 

Danish3
The jewels of summer in a bowl. Var sa god - Dig in!!

July 04, 2008

A Yankee Doodle Dandy

Red1

Hurray for the red,
White
white,
Blue
and blue.
Redwhiteblue
Have a great celebration.

July 03, 2008

No Rest For the Wicked

Hat1

I'll admit it. I haven't been quite so bloggish lately. It's not that I don't love you. Oh, my no. I love you all oodles but I it seem as though summer is just another word for getting loads of crap done.
Hat2
There's been some crafting, of course, but also a lot of organizing. I have carried umpteen bags of junk downstairs to the garage. Might I gloat a little and tell you that there is EXTRA SPACE in many cupboards and drawers?!!!
Hat4
Oh, and there was an Evanovich in there somewhere and some other assorted mysteries that needed reading plus a few new cookbooks to go through. And, okay, right, there were some naps, yes.
Hat3
But all in all, I have been pretty busy. I hope you'll forgive me for not visiting as often, but you should see my closets!!!