Survived Black Friday

I met some friends of mine yesterday and went Black Friday shopping. In the end, I'm done with Christmas shopping and also bought all the birthday gifts (I have five birthdays coming up in January and February) that I'll need. Plus, I bought a small sewing machine (gonna try to make pants that fit Eddie) and an electric drill/screw driver (didn't have one for the house). This all occurred under the budget I set myself for Christmas gifts. And, I calculated that I saved about 42% off regular store prices.

So, it was worth it to get up early.

Yesterday, a friend of mine (who had friends teach him how to cook) brought over some food and we made this chicken sausage/rice/bean mix with veggies. It was good - and we made enough for several meals that I can use over the next week. I may put a few in the freezer, however, as I do get tired of the same meal all the time. It's part of my "cooking boot camp" effort that I thought about several months ago. This is another cost saving measure.

Thanksgiving was fine - the turkey I roasted turned out fairly well. The whole family gathered at my sister's house and after dinner, we watched the kids play Rock Band. It was cute.

What's in store for today? Well, there's writing I can do, I need to take some things into my office, there's leaves to be picked up in the yard, and putting grout on the mosaic, and maybe I'll start some beadwork. Not sure what I want to do - but that's the fun of having a day like this when I don't NEED to do anything, but can do what I want to do.

I'll pick up Eddie later on this afternoon - yay!

Hmmm . . . is the world trying to tell me something?

I think the world is trying to tell me something.

What, do you ask, is it trying to say?

That I need to learn how to cook.

I just spent last week-end at my friend, Paula's, house last week-end. She likes to cook and spends a lot of her time thinking about food (that is, when she's not teaching). Preparing meals, gardening, shopping for organic and local foods.

One of my faithful readers, Mary, has just started a blog relating to her adventures with food and trying to teach a recalcitrant stepson to enjoy a greater variety of foods.

When I'm in Hawaii next week, Renee is going to encourage me to "tinker" in the kitchen.

Last night, I was chatting with an old high school friend and coworker, Cathie, on Facebook, who owns her own Italian restaurant in southern California.

I told Mary that she should start a business along the lines of a "cooking boot camp" to help poor souls like me.

Whaddya think? : )