Um, that’s a rather morbid title; although it’s not meant to be. My to-do-before-death list has been getting smaller and smaller. And a good part of that is due to my wonderful husband who has been methodically ticking off the items on my list. Which is fantastically wonderful! Except for the fact that even though I’m a Christian, I am far too superstitious for my own good.

As that list gets shorter and shorter, the superstitious part of my brain is screaming I had better come up with some more items to add to that list! And I will, eventually.

This comes up right now because that wonderful husband of mine is ticking one off in almost exactly three weeks. He is taking me to New York city! I have never been on the East Coast before, and have wanted to visit NYC for many years. (I almost put decades, but I don’t want to feel old right now)

The tickets are bought and the itinerary planned by Kevin, down to the sight seeing tours we’ll take. As well as mulling over the different Broadway plays we’ll see. We’ve settled on Momma Mia and haven’t decided on the other one. We saw Wicked when it came to the Gammage Theatre here. We saw Rent, the movie version, and this one, although it moved me deeply, would have been far too serious for my first experience at a Broadway Play. We enjoy musicals, and the ones we want to see on Broadway, are the lighthearted and fun plays/musicals.

Part of me is frightened at such a long plane ride. But usually, no matter the length of the plane ride, I’m praying at take-off and landing. And of course if there is any disturbances in the air.

So now that we’ll be ticking this huge item off of my “to-do” list, I really need to come up with at least five more. Any suggestions? I do have one on the list that involves a limo, my husband and at least an hour of cruising around in said limo. The husband is looking into a limo that is part of a restaurant deal to pick you up at your hotel and bring you there. In our case he wants them to pick us up at the harbor, when we get off a boat that we’ll cruise around the area on. A ride in a limo to our evening meal sounds lovely. But I’m thinking that it isn’t quite all of my to-do item, since we won’t be doing what it was I wanted to do in the limo. My reasons for splitting hairs here, has to do with the superstition. I need to add to the list, before he ticks off too many more! I honestly never believed I would end up going to New York, so I figured this would be the one that would keep me safe until a ripe old age. Don’t try and make sense out of this, as superstition rarely has anything to do with common sense.

OK, I haven’t addressed the fact that this is the first post in ages.  Yes, life is busy, as it is for everyone. My reasons for not blogging have more to do with changing my routine while I worked on quitting the addiction of smoking. As I sit here typing, I am well over a month smoke-free, and proud of it! But it did take some work, as far as changing my routine enough to cut back on my habitual cravings. And to be honest, sitting here typing this, I keep wanting to reach for a cigarette. I’ve no doubt the more time that goes by, the less I’ll feel this way.

I hope everyone has a decent Monday. I missed all of you I read, and am looking forward to chatching up with everyone. Have a great rest-of-your-day!

Love,

3T

Which is why she won't mind me hacking her blog for this very speeeeshul PSA:

Melanie defies the calling of the Brown Sugar and Cinnamon poptart...so, in return, Rachel and I are am gonna make her the next viral video!

-- Danalyn

I slept well last night. Went to bed early, and got up early. Took a nap this afternoon; I’m assuming this was my mistake. I cannot wake up, I’m sleepy and dragging. I want to go back to bed. And the busiest part of the day is just getting started.

Five hours and I’m going to bed! This had better let up tomorrow.

Hope y’all are having an OK Monday! 

Love,

3T

This is one of those days when I wish I could fly out to Washington, and spend the day with you! I want you to know that I consider you to be a wonderful father, and one of my dearest friends! I spent a good part of today working with scanning old photos, and uploading them into a set named Memory Lane. This was in honor of your Birthday, Dad.

Looking back through time brought warm smiles and a few tears, as I remember all of us as a family, together in the same house, and the same state. I know we cannot turn back time, but having these photos, locks me in those moments so many years ago. It was a sentimental journey I enjoyed, and I hope you will too. This set is dedicated to you, this special day. I love you Dad! And I treasure our phone calls and our visits, when we go to Washington, or when you come here to Arizona.

I’m counting the days until we hop a flight this April. Until then I send great big hugs, lots of love and many, many prayers your way.

Love you,

Teri

Dad-Approximately 30 years ago.
Dad - Now

Mom & Dad - Then
Mom & Dad - Now

I love you Dad! And I hope you have a wonderful Birthday week!

Teri

Danalyn from Weblog Design Studios here to spread the word that WDS servers are DOWN!

I know many of our clients read 3T’s blog, I just would like to apologize for the inconvenience, and want to let you know that I am in contact with the techs as the data center right now.  It looks like it may be a hardware failure.

We are working to at least get WDS moved to a new server, so we can handle support tickets (as I’m sure we have many waiting to yell at us).  But for now, f you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at: .

Thanks,
Danalyn

Delta, my girlfriend of 20 years is here visiting me for the week. So far we are having a wonderful time together!

My blogging will be practically nill while she is here. I did want to let readers and those who I read know I won’t be around until Monday morning of next week.

I hope each of you has a fabtastic week and weekend!

Love,

3T

I haven’t abandoned this blog. Although from the looks of it, one might argue otherwise.

Where have I been? Well, besides hiding from my February curse, which is now officially over, I’ve betrayed my own sand box by playing in a new sandbox! Possibly revealing yet another symptom of my imaginary ADD. It’s time again, to add balance to my blogging time, while remembering to post here on occasion.

This new sandbox is part of the Arizona Republic’s website called Plugged In - SE Valley.  For those who live in the Southeast Valley, it’s worth having a look-see. I’ve learned some about my community, and participated in a few discussions.

Plugged In is the umbrella name for the AZ Republic newspaper’s online blogs; and they have a set for each area of Maricopa County. So you may take your pick, depending upon where you live.

I promise to post more often, now that some of the newness of Plugged In has worn off. Being easily distracted has benefits that I do enjoy. I discover what’s new, or new to me anyway. The downside is it makes for flakey and sporadic blog posts. I’m OK with that. 

On a Personal Note:

I have had some fun time with my children. From playing Yahtzee to roasting marshmallows over a bonfire, Tayler and Riley have been a complete joy to hang out with. Taking time to really listen to what your children have to say is not only rewarding for them, but for parents as well. For me, I’ve discovered qualities in them I genuinely enjoy. From their sense of humor to what is on their minds, they are enjoyable individuals.

Tayler, Kevin & Riley enjoying the crab legs.

Kevin and I had a crab feast with the kids, that besides being delicious was fun! It gave the hubby and I a chance to cook together in the kitchen as well. One of our favorites of all-time dishes, which as far as we know is only served at Houston’s, is their grilled artichokes served with a “secret sauce.”

Well Houston’s, I’m here to say eat your artichoke heart out! We (the hubby and I) have mastered the grilled artichoke and their secret sauce, for which they refused to give us the recipe. Houston’s in Scottsdale has been a favorite restaurant now for years. One of the reasons has been their grilled artichokes which are only on the menu for the season.

We have watched out favorite restaurant cut their quality little by little over the last couple of years. Albeit subtly, but nonetheless cutting away at the little touches that had made them a favorite to begin with. Their prime rib, once a HUGE slab of meat that literally melted in your mouth, has been sliced in half, and although I cannot say for sure, I’d be willing to bet the grade of meat is no longer the quality of years past.

Their $9.00 salad, that we willingly ordered and payed the price for, has replaced their boiled eggs with kernels of corn. Their smoked, freshly made bacon bits, are now maybe three or four on the salad, and again, the quality lacking what it once was.

Although they were small changes that the sporadic patron may not notice, those of us who were regular and devoted patrons not only noticed but relegated their restaurant to sporadic visits. One reason that has kept us coming back was their grilled artichokes with that special sauce. No more.

While the hubby scoured the internet and cookbooks, looking for a recipe for grilled artichokes, I played mad scientist in the kitchen with spices to re-create the sauce that was served with it. Mission accomplished. Although my sauce may not be exact, it comes very close to what is served at Houston’s. The only draw left to the Scottsdale Houston’s is their perfectly mixed Cosmopolitan, and the friendly bartender who mixed it. One more trip, and watching her mix my Cosmo, and the Scottsdale Houstons will be scratched from our list of date night restaurants.

If there is a lesson for restaurant managers to learn, it would be that cutting out to save a few pennies here and there in the end will lose you a customer base that has been devoted and spent far more than the few pennies you saved tweaking your menu. (Just my two cents worth)

And now I have to get back to some spring cleaning. My girlfriend Delta, from Washington state will be here this next week, and she deserves to sleep in a room that doesn’t look like a tornado hit it. Tayler has a spring orchestra concert tonight that I need to prepare for, so it doesn’t look like a tornado hit me.

Hope everyone is having a great start to the week!

Love,

3T