Country Bumpkin Goes Out to Supper...

I think I have mentioned that the hotel The Engineer and I are staying in serves a light meal 4 evenings a week.  As a cost saving measure we have been taking advantage of that which leaves us to dine out or enjoy a meal with family the other nights.  Yesterday The Engineer was a little late arriving home from work so we missed the free meal down the hall... LOL

I suggested we go out  to a place we had talked about going to... The Engineer suggested we find someplace a little less expensive for the evening and decided we would check out a place close by that had an interesting name that didn't give any hint as to the type of food they served.  So off we went...

As we walked around the building I noticed a couple coming out with 2 small children... hmmmm?  As soon as we came through the doors I knew.  There were several families with small children waiting... every table I could see had small children seated... there was someone in the lobby doing face painting on a small patron... THIS place catered to families... families with lots of small children!

Now don't get me wrong... I've had small children and we always enjoyed going out to eat with them.  But they grew up and moved away.  I even have small grandchildren which I would happily take out to dinner if they lived on this side of the ocean.  But I'm on vacation ( OK - actually I'm just loafing someplace other than home) and a meal in a building full of small children wasn't the experience I was looking for that evening.  The hostess - a young woman with bright pink locks amongst her black tresses asked if she could help us.  I walked up and asked quietly... "is this place full of little kids?"  She confirmed that it was... I said "Thank you very much but it's not quite what we were looking for" -  I wished her a good evening and we left.

The building next door to this place had and Irish Pub sounding name so we decided that we'd just walk there rather than getting back in the car and driving someplace else.

So this Irish sounding place... whose sign touted steak and crab also wasn't quite what we expected.  It wasn't the valet parking that gave it away... as lots of places have valet parking.  OK well - maybe not on a Wednesday but certainly on the weekends. 

Anyhoo - it was the 2 really spiffy SPIFFY young men who opened the doors as The Engineer and I walked up that gave it away... and by then we were kinda committed.  You see I don't have a problem walking out of a joint because it's full of kids... but I wasn't about to declare my Country Bumpkin status by walking out of a classy joint - we've done classy before - I just would have worn makeup if I'd known.

I would have also brought my glasses... so I didn't have to hold the menu wayyyyyy down there to read...

Anyway - we did have a lovely meal... everything about it was delicious and top notch.  I might be a Country Bumpkin but I do appreciate fine food and excellent service...

"So much for finding someplace a little less expensive..." was my comment to The Engineer after we placed our order... I just couldn't resist... LOL

StashBusting... Pete & Repeat...

Still no shopping... at least not for fabric!  Hence the 'Pete and Repeat' title... same totals as last week and the week before.

I did spring for some new sneaks... there is a New Balance store around here... I could actually get the walking shoes I wanted in the size I wanted - still had to shell out the $$$ - but I've got new sneaks - same as the old sneaks - only new!

And I used a gift certificate this week and picked up some new tops.  Sure seemed like a good idea to pack light - but in practice it means I have to do laundry several times a week... and hey I hate to do laundry!  So I've got me some new tops to wear.

Stashbusting Week #... uhh... uhhh... ??

Geesh, I'm totally lost on time... maybe it's from sizing withdrawal?  LOL

So there is nothing to report... nothing in... nothing out...

I'm probably the last one to report this week over at Judy's...

I'm just hanging out here in DFW visiting family, knitting on my socks, walking the dogs, and eating too much...

Today we are headed over to check out the place they make money nearby... and if they are giving away sacks of money - you can bet I'll be bringing one home!  LOL  Don't I wish!

Haven't yet made it into any quilt shops... but I'm not completely ruling it out for the future.

Souper Saturday: If only I were Home...

Oh my... I wanted to make this the minute I saw it!  I've been thinking about it all week - the weather this past week here has been chilly and wet.  I think know this would hit the spot.  You know the spot... the one that says... "Ooooo MMmmmmm aaahhhh that was good".

Go over and take a look at Cathy's recipe for Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup over at The Noble Pig - then head to the store - make this and tell me how it was... oh and not that it matters but I really like Muenster cheese, or Provolone, or Sharp Cheddar, or.... well it don't matter - just please don't use plain ole plain ole cheese when you make the grilled cheese sandwiches - or samiches as my kids use to call them!

Come to think of it - as a little kid I use to eat just plain ole mayo spread (lightly) between 2 pieces of bread - yep I didn't like bologna which was offered up quite often in a family of 6 kids.  Just not a bologna kind of girl - although I've been told quite often I'm full of bologna... I'm not!  LOL

You know I realized after I'd hit publish that I should tell you about the Tomato soups I use to eat and eat now.

Campbell's Tomato Soup - made with milk - was the go to soup as a kid growing up.  Even as a young mother I made it this way. 

Later I would take a can of TS, half a can of water, a can of stewed tomatoes with the juice (crush the tomatoes up in your hand), and a small can of chopped green chilies... add a dollop of sour cream if you need the extra calories and some shredded cheddar cheese and call it Mexican Tomato Soup - yummy with a side of nachos - or skip the nachos and have 2 bowls.

I've recently found these Pacific Soups at Costco... The Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup is sooooo good.  Check out their web site to find locations near you that sell their products!

I've Got a Hitch in My Get-A-Long...

Not quite sure what's up... but I feel like my right leg is screwed on wrong?  It started the other day and seems to be getting a little worse each day. 

I think I'll start taking some advil today and try to limit my walking... the thing I miss the most is crossing my legs.  I know it's not good for ya anyway and this is just proving it.  If it doesn't improve I'm going to have to consider seeing a doc...

A cold front moved in overnight and brought some much needed rain to Texas... they are a bit parched around here.  Rain is forecast for most of the week... and of course the rain chased the warmer temps away as well... a good week to lay low and knit!

I've enjoyed visiting with my family... especially the newest member - a great niece born last week.  Is that right?  My nieces' daughter is my great niece?  Anyhoo... she's tiny and cute and it was sooooo wonderful to hold her!  Ain't nothing better than a newborn sleeping in your arms!

We've been playing cards with family, enjoying watching my nephews HS baseball games, eating way too much good food, and just plain ole enjoying sitting around with folks.  We've done a little bit of touristy stuff too and will try and fit in some more each week as we go along.  The Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas is planned for this weekend and sometime over the next couple weeks we will go out to the US Mint over outside of Ft. Worth... I'd take orders for money... but I think I'll be doing well just to carry what I can for myself - selfish I know... but hey!?  Just being honest here.

Stashbusting... Zip a roonie!

LOL and I make that sound like it's something special... but hey it's only for a lack of shopping opportunity... thus far!  LOL

I have picked up some yarn but I don't have to confess report on that here...

Not sure if I'll get over to the fabric outlets this week... I probably should just stay away... far, far, away...

Souper Saturday... does this count?

Do you suppose that white gravy would count as a soup?

Naw I didn't think so... but hey, I had to try.  I've not had any soup this week but Good Lord have I enjoyed white gravy this week... burp!  Sausage Gravy with warm flaky biscuits, chicken fried steak with white gravy, and white gravy served with mashed taters to go with my smoked chicken.

It doesn't matter what you call it or what ya serve it over... it's almost always good here in Texas.  Now I'm not foolish enough to think it's anywhere close to being good for me... but oooohhh my is it yummy!

If I ever had to live in Texas again full time... I could get rid of my car and just roll everywhere I needed to go...

I am a Country Bumpkin...

Yep... and it only took a trip to the Dallas area to settle it.  Although I guess I've know that all along... I was never really comfortable with trying to dress up for occasions or events over the years.  Always felt like a kid playing dress up.

I went into a yarn shop the other day and felt totally out of place... totally... in a yarn shop!  It was a 'high end' yarn and womens clothing shop.  Beautiful, wonderful, luscious yarns and nary a price to be seen.  The clothing were all lovely too... you know - the kind for those tall slender ladies, trim and neat!  Me - I'm not tall... and I've got lots of hindsight... so not the clothes I'd be wearing - especially since I turned one tag for a simple top and it was $90ish dollars.  I was just looking at yarns and yet I felt sooo out of place.  LOL

I found myself wishing I'd put on some makeup - which I don't much feel compelled to wear at home very often anymore.  And the flannel shirt I pulled on over my shirt because it was cool out - well it just didn't work as an alternative to a light jacket.  Then there were those sneaks... which probably would benefit from a roll around in the washer.  I was clean - I just wasn't spiffy enough to feel comfortable there.  And I wasn't asking what the yarn cost... because you know - if you have to ask - you probably can't afford it.

Now I have been to 2 other shops - one that same day that I felt perfectly fine in... and the yarn was priced too!  LOL

I'm Howdy... the Country Bumpkin... and I'm OK with that!  LOL

Souper Saturday... a day late...

And I'm afraid I've got nothing other than a report on the 2 soups I've eaten this week... and they aren't from the Nurtisystem meals.  There was no room to pack that stuff to bring along... heck if I had room for that I would have brought my sewing stuff instead!

Friday night The Engineer and I had dinner at a place called 'Texas de Brazil' in Addison, TX.  WoW!  Wonderful atmosphere, Great food and service... and a price tag to go along with it... Cha-Ching!!  LOL  I won't tell you how wonderful the different meats were or what a marvelous buffet they had with various salad items, etc.  What I will say (since this is a Souper Saturday post) is that the lobster bisque was yummy!  Although I would have enjoyed some lobster chunks in it... it was very tasty and delightfully spicy!  I could have eaten 2 bowls full had I not already been way, way, way over stuffed as it was. 

Saturday I enjoyed a bowl of homemade Chicken & Wild Rice Soup that my sister had made... and you know there is nothing better than a bowl of soup enjoyed around a table with family!  Well and if you throw in some cornbread... perfection!

So what soups are you enjoying as winter winds down?

StashBusting Week 9.... Nada!

Nothing in... nothing out... hey I'm guessing I need to go on vacation more often!  LOL

Judy L had suggested that there would be quilt shops where I stopped along the way as I traveled here earlier in the week.  I was surprised to see in VA and TN some quilt shops actually listed on those road side signs telling you what is at the next exit... but I was good - I didn't stop. 

But one funny thing that I forgot to tell y'all about.  I'm driving along... and see a big billboard partially covered by tall pine trees.  All I see is  

^^^lt Store.... (those ^^^ are the trees)

of course my mind thinks... Q u i l t store

as I pass the sign and can see around the pine trees however... it now reads...

A d u l t   Store...

Oh well - wrong obsession... LOL

Next week I'll be checking out some quilt shops in the DFW area... so we shall see how good next week is.