Memphis Weekend

An enjoyable, yet tiring weekend is coming to an end. Friday afternoon, my friend Kelly picked me up at 3:45 p.m. and we left for Memphis. Our husbands and two other couples were already there. We stopped in St. Genevieve for dinner at Olive Garden, which was relaxing (and a decidedly wonderful change from the quick fast food pit stop on a road trip). Following dinner we treated ourselves to Starbucks hot chocolate.

We arrived in Memphis at 10 p.m. and our husbands helped us unload our stuff from the car. We stayed at the Comfort Inn Downtown. Our room had a view of the river and the Pyramid.

Saturday morning came early with a 5 a.m. wake-up call. We rolled out of bed and put on layers of clothes in preparation for the race. Steve (my husband), Daryl (Kelly's husband), Nan, and Ruben (my brother-in-law) were running the 1/2 marathon; Nan's husband Doug was doing the full marathon; Kelly, Sandy (my sister-in-law), and I were doing the 5K. The temp at 5:30 was only 24 degrees.

After a small breakfast at the hotel, we walked the 6 blocks to the start for the 5K, which began at 7:15 a.m. The other events started at 8 a.m. We walked to try to stay warm (although my toes were numb the whole time) and only jogged at the beginning (had to look cool) and the end. For someone who doesn't compete and train much, I did fine: 55 min. 28 seconds. I even got a medal and a T-shirt (which I gave to my husband; it was much too big on me).

We then darted through a throng of marathoners to cross the street to get to Starbucks (my reward for a job done). Then we went back to the finish area (at the baseball stadium) to watch everyone else finish. It was still cold and we had to move around to stay somewhat warm. Once Doug finished (nearly 4 hours), we finally headed back to hotel for hot showers.

We went to Grill 83 for lunch (had a bowl of spicy seafood gumbo--yummy). Then I took a well-deserved nap. That evening we had dinner at Majestic Grill (on Main St.), an old theater converted to a restaurant but still had the big screen where they show movies). Excellent food all around--ribs, pasta, burgers), and I had a glass of Spanish wine that was smooth and delicious. Following dinner, we walked around downtown and headed to Beale Street. We found a place to listen to live Blues music and have dessert (blueberry cheesecake for us).

After breakfast this morning, we headed back home. A good weekend--cold and tiring but worth it to spend time with family and friends. I know this next weekend will be busy with grading papers and some Christmas decorating.

I love Memphis, but I need to visit in the late spring or summer. I still haven't been to Mud Island.

Thanksgiving Break

Why is it called "break"? I didn't get much of a break this past week. I ended up doing more laundry and cooking than I usually do because of the boys being home and Thanksgiving. I had to read/grade many papers, and we did a little Christmas prep.

However, we did try to put a little fun/leisure into our week. Wednesday was my birthday (35 again, can you believe it!!). We went out to dinner and my husband and kids got me a necklace and earrings. Very generous and beautiful. Thursday evening we watched the G.I. Joe movie--actually a little better than I expected. And today, Sunday, I went to Trader Joe's with my friend Kelly and her daughter Kim. I hadn't been in about a month. It was great to stock up.

I have enjoyed reading everyone's Thanksgiving blogs as well as the other blogs too. I sympathize with the stress and craziness most of us are going through. Work hard, prioritize, eat well, get plenty of rest...we'll make through finals.

I am very thankful for my family, my health, my job (and my husband's job), our house, our friends. I need to keep a positive attitude and not let the little things get me down. And tomorrow (Nov. 30) is our 24th anniversary. My husband is my best friend, and I am so blessed to be married to him.

Chuck is Returning in January!

One of my favorite TV shows, "Chuck," was slated to return for a 3rd season in March. But great news--Jan. 10 will be the 2-hour season premiere. This show mixes comedy, action, a little drama, and a little romance all into one well-written, well-acted hour.

If you haven't seen it yet, check out episodes on NBC.com. It's a great escape from the stresses of everyday life.

To Dad--Happy Birthday

Tuesday, Nov. 17, would have been my dad's 73rd birthday. However, he passed away in January 2003. I just wanted to take a moment to remember him.

We didn't always see eye to eye

But I knew he loved me and was there for me.

He was a stern disciplinarian, but I knew right from wrong.

He lived for his grand kids, giving of himself generously for them.

a military man, a Republican, a proud American

He loved to play golf, watch CNN, and go fishing.

Family and friends meant more to him than money and things.

He preferred simple home cooking to fancy food.

Biscuits and gravy for breakfast, steak and potatoes for dinner.

He drank regular black coffee, none of those flavored or espresso drinks.

Fried chicken and breaded pork tenderloin sandwich were also favorites.

He showed me so many places in the world

and my home changed multiple times.

But I appreciate all the opportunities he gave me--

He made sure I went to college (there wasn't much of an option).

There I met the man I married--and Dad welcomed him into our family.

Thanks, Dad, for all you did for me. I miss you.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day--not the usual holiday. We didn't do anything special. I didn't even leave the house. This holiday is not one we celebrate with gifts or going to a parade or making a cake. We should, however. My husband is a veteran, 20-year career in the Air Force. My father also spent 20 years in the Air Force, so I am familiar with the military mission and lifestyle. I appreciate all those who have served and are serving in the armed forces. Seriously. It's a tough career choice.

My husband did get to work at home today with the holiday. He works on the base as a defense contractor--still serving the military in some way. I spent time grading assignments and completing online courses. Yes, I still have to take learn--my education is never complete. I have a little more to do finish the 3rd in a series of courses.

As this day winds down, I think of all those who aren't home with their families, enjoying a quiet dinner and relaxing in front of the TV. Stay safe and thank you.

Soup, Soup, and more Soup

What's your favorite soup? Do you make it yourself? If not, who makes it?


With the cooler weather, I have been on a soup craze. Every weekend, I make another pot of soup. Sometimes it's a creamy soup, a chowder, a chili, or even a chunky soup that's closer to stew. I have a few favorites, but I also am trying new recipes.


One of the first fall soups I made was Chunky Chicken and Chorizo Chili. It's got ground chicken, cooked (smoked) chorizo, peppers, onions, beans, tomatoes, and a bottle of beer. I don't even like to drink beer, but it adds a great flavor to the chili.

A favorite soup is Stuffed Pepper Stoup (named by Rachael Ray--thicker than a soup, thinner than a stew). I use 3 peppers of various colors (bell peppers, not spicy ones). Instead of rice (that you might use in stuffed peppers), the recipe calls for orzo, rice-shaped pasta. And there is ground beef, a large can of crushed tomatoes. Top each bowl with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.


Another soup I made I wrote about in an earlier blog--harvest creamy corn choup. It was fantastic. I will make that again soon. And I also shared about making Caldo Verde, the Portuguese soup. That was an experience because I had to use 2 pots. Most of it then fit into the crock pot to keep warm, but there was enough for a crowd plus leftovers.

This past Friday I made Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup. What's great is the chicken pieces are put in near the end, so they cook gently in the broth (and don't get tough). And the dumplings are potato gnocchi (not the frozen kind; look for packaged), so I did not have to make them myself. My husband loved this soup. It was so quick and easy to make and very tasty.

I can't wait to make more soup, but I'll be out of town this weekend. I guess Monday night I will have to get my "soup fix." Which one to make? I'll think about it and let you know.

By the way, I am not a Soup Nazi. Have another bowl. Here's some bread. There's plenty of soup for you!

When will allergy season be over?

I have dealt with a stuffy nose for more than a month now. It is aggravating. I don't have what I consider bad allergies, but this fall whatever is in the air is bothersome. At first, I took 12-hour decongestant at night, so I could sleep. However, after a couple nights, even that did not work well. I kept waking up unable to breathe clearly, which meant I couldn't sleep.

A friend of mine recommended Breathe Right Nasal Strips. She said they really helped with stuffiness. So, I went to Target and bought a package. I did look silly wearing the strip, but who would see me except my husband? Immediately after putting the strip on my nose, I could tell a big difference. That night I slept so much better. And I could breathe, really breathe, all night!

Now I am hooked. For the last 2 weeks I have used these strips and have gotten good sleep, restful sleep. Anyone with a little stuffiness, try them. I have bought only the name brand. My friend said the generic brand did not stick as well. I don't know if I want to go a night without them. We'll see how long the stuffiness lingers.