Dog Days

The holidays are over! Some people are depressed. I'm actually ready for the spring. But, I realized that my dog is going to miss all of the attention he's been getting for the past 2 months. We've been home, going outside multiple times during the day, and making sure tummy rubs were never in short supply.  We'll soon be back to work and school leaving him to entertain himself for a few hours. Thank God my parents are retired, so he won't be all alone.  Yet, I know the change will affect him. Here are some tips to help your doggy adjust to business as usual.

1. Wake up 10 minutes early and get ready. Once you're dressed, spend 10 minutes with your dog doing his favorite activity. This activity does not include the morning restroom break. For my dog, this activity would include a few tummy rubs, a song, tossing the ball around, and treat.

2. Leave challenges around the house. Put chew toys around his designated area. This will give him something to do rather than tear up the couch or baseboards.  Cover his doggy bed with a blanket.  Hide a treat under his pet bed or a towel.

3.  Hire a pet sitter for an hour a day, 2 or 3 days a week. You can gradually wean your dog off these services or maintain the practice if you find that your pet is happier when you get home.

4.  Schedule dedicated doggy time each evening. As days get longer, you will have more time to play outside. Until then, you can have a scavenger hunt with your family including your furry pal.

Any ways that you can include your dog in family activities will be best during this transitional time. Separation anxiety is real for our beloved pets. To help them through this change, we must make a deliberate effort to include them in the smallest of activities to compensate for the lack of presence until it's time for Spring Break!

My Dream Come True

Download it to your Kindle or Kindle Reader TODAY! Amazon.com - Read eBooks using the FREE Kindle Reading App on Most Devices  

Almost a year ago, I sat down at my computer and got lost in story that flowed so easily from my mind to the blank pages. I was obsessed with each character and wondered what they were doing when I was away from writing. I would sit and plan out what my characters would do, but by the time I got to the computer to write, they had their own plan. I remember one time, I just knew Drew would ride home with her friend after a party, yet she took off walking down the street as if to let me know that I wasn't in control of her.

Finally, after months of trying to figure out how I could get my book to the masses, my ebook is available on Amazon!  Just in time for Christmas, the holiday season, and cozy nights at home, Enigmatic Encounters: The Beginning is a witty coming of age story set on a small southern college campus. The next book in the series will be out next year, so don't panic! You will find out what happens next with Leslie, Drew, and Bruce, but you have to get this book first to find out what happens in The Beginning.

"What Are You Going To Do With Those?!" *Collard Greens Edition*

I find it intriguing when I'm checking out at the grocery store and the cashier asks questions about my purchases.  I've had cashiers who held up their line to read the package while inquiring about calories or ingredients. I've had people wrinkle up their faces at my choice of vegetable or meat. But, it seems to me that every time I purchase collard greens, I get the same question: "Whatcha gonna do with those?"

I was born and raised in Virginia. I thought it was common knowledge what to do with "greens."  Getting questioned about how to prepare collards made me think that there may have been a generational lapse in cooking instruction being that I am in my 30s (even though I've known what to do with greens since I was little), but I even have had older cashiers ask the same question. Some have gone on to say that they've "always wondered what people did with 'em."  Why do they choose me as the person to ask?  Maybe it's because I absolutely LOVE shopping at Kroger and when I'm checking out, I'm jovial in anticipation of how much my bill will go down once my card is swiped.  The thrill is like no other, but I digress....Let's cook!

I have decided to share my recipe for my Not-So-Southern Collard Greens. Truly southern collards or any greens for that matter include some form of pork (i.e. ham hock, fat back) for seasoning. Others, like my mom, opt for a healthier, yet still high in sodium and added fat option smoked turkey wing.  I'm the party-pooper who desires to stay as far away from high blood pressure as possible, so I don't use any meat for flavoring and my greens are a hit!

You will need:
3 bundles (about 3 lbs) of fresh collard greens (They are 99 cents per lb right now at Kroger. Check here!)
2 cups water
3 Tbsp Smart Balance Original Buttery Spread (or Smart Balance Buttery Spread with EVOO)
1 Tbsp Lawry's Season Salt (25% Less Sodium if you'd like to cut back)
1 Tbsp Granulated Splenda
2 Tsp cracked pepper (or freshly ground)
2 Tsp iodinized salt (or Sea Salt or Kosher Salt)
2 Tsp red pepper flakes

Cleaning your greens are essential. There is nothing worse that gritty greens! So fill up your sink half way with cool water and sprinkle a little (a couple of table spoons) salt. This saline solution will help remove any of the leftover grit/sand/dirt left on the greens. If you get your greens from a farmer's market, you will need to wash your greens 2-3 times changing sinks and water each time.  Kroger, with their thundering sound effects, wash their produce several times an hour so the greens are pretty clean when you get home. Once you have our greens in the sink, fill the sink to the top of the greens with more water rinsing the individual leaves as you divide the bundles.  Next, you'll need to cut the main stem out of the leaf.

Place your largest pot on the stove on high heat. Add all of your ingredients except the greens and bring to a ferocious boil. Lower to medium heat and add greens as you finish cutting them into squares.  Fold the de-stemmed leaf in half and then fold again two more times. Cut the folded leaf to make collard squares and then toss them into the hot pot. They do not need to be perfect squares!  Cover your greens once you have added all of them to the pot. After about 5 minutes, stir and gauge the amount of water you have in your pot. If you can see the water, there is too much!  Too much water will wash the wonderful taste out of your greens. You should have about 2 inches of water in your pot. Stir and monitor water every 15 minutes until done.

I cook my greens for about an hour. I still like my greens to have texture or as I call it "a little chew" to them. If you'd like to ramp up the cooking time, you can cook on high heat, but make sure you're watching your water level and keeping the cover on the pot.

My lunch today! Notice the steam fogging up the camera lens.

So keep this recipe handy since the holidays are rapidly approaching. You'll be able to impress your friends and family this Thanksgiving with your awesome greens! I may just print this recipe out and hand it to a cashier the next time he or she asks "what are you going to do with those?"

She’s Such a Flirt!

She lavishes you with all of her time. She takes you places you don’t usually get to go. She lets you sleep in and stay up late. She shines her bright sun on you then in an instant you are immediately transitioned back to the fluorescent lights of an office or cube. She teases you! She gives you everything you desire, but snatches it all away in a moment’s notice. Dear Miss Vacation, why are you so wonderful and so cruel at the same time?

I have been away from my office for 10 days! While I feel refreshed, I also feel a little let down. I hadn’t had to rush anywhere during my vacation. The only traffic I had to endure was while traveling, but my destination made all the toil worth it. This morning, on the other hand, I was stuck in traffic on my way to work along with everyone else. I looked over at stern, disappointed faces and recalled looking at the other travelers during my vacation traffic jams. Despite the obvious agitation of some of the drivers, the cars were full of jovial faces chatting it up, playing video games, and munching on snacks.  They were planning what they were going to do when they got to their destination or swapping stories about all they had just experienced during their trip.  But, this morning was quite different. Each car had a single driver. There was no one to swap stories with and no one to ask if they had beaten their high score. There were no chips or pretzels to munch as we sat bumper to bumper trying to get up the hill.  That’s when I realized that she had played a joke on me. She had let me taste the joys of freedom just to through me back into captivity.

I miss my son who was sick of me taking pics. I miss sleeping in. I miss my immaculate home that I had a chance to clean and actually enjoy. I miss going to the pool on a whim.  I miss being able to just let my hair go.   I miss trying new restaurants.  I miss souvenir shopping. I miss actually walking around and doing things instead of sitting at a desk.  I miss reading a book with a cup of coffee in the morning. I actually miss folding clothes while watching a good movie.  I miss complimentary continental breakfast.  Sigh.

Well, I guess I can just plan another awesome vacation very soon. Despite her cruelty, she’s absolutely wonderful when she’s around. What do you have planned? Make it big because she will leave you high and dry.   You want plenty of pictures and stories to tell when she kicks you out!