homeland

I just spent the last couple of months catching up on the HBO series Homeland.
We were on a mission to get current, so big daddy & I hunkered down each night glued to the set watching Nick Brody in action.
I still can't get over the fact that he is British and not American!
Crazy.
His accent is impeccable.
Also that he is the exact same age as I am...that really freaked me out.
He seems so much more....well...older than me.

Anyhow the show has won 6 Emmy Awards and they are well deserved.
Claire Danes is spectacular as well as Mandy Patinkin.
Love him.
In fact the entire cast is great.
It's an edge-of-your-seat (or in my case, sofa) kind of series.
It is also apparently Obama's favourite show.
And if the president of the United states takes the time to watch a T.V. show it's got to be good. Right?

Anyhow I can't wait until September- Season 3 to begin.
Then again, might hold off and do a viewing marathon like we tend to do with most HBO series.
I hate having to wait each week to see what happens.
I'm not good when it comes to patience and having to wait.

Thinking about starting House of Cards with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright next.
Or Downton Abbey.
Then again, Mad Men and Mr. Selfridge looks pretty promising too.

So much for my New Year's resolution to cut down of my television viewing....

oh and I snapped that image while on the highway in California last fall.
now that's not something you see everyday up here in the great white north.

"spring" break

Just back from spending a week in Florida with Lulu & my parents for March break.
It was really nice to travel with just Lulu.
The last time it was just the two of us she was just a few months old and sat on my lap the whole time.
She's a bit of a seasoned traveller now and is at that age where she can actually help out with luggage, passports etc.
Looking around at all the crying babies on the flight I had a hard time not feeling a bit smug, knowing that those days are far behind me now.
Then again, Lulu never once cried on a flight.
I know, I'm pretty lucky in that department.
She's pretty awesome when it comes to travelling.
Next stop Asia??

Anyhow, it was really nice to get away and soak up a bit of sunshine, blue skies, green trees and perfectly manicured gardens everywhere.
Not to mention enjoy all the spotlessly clean shiny cars and pothole-free freshly paved roads.
Florida is a drivers paradise.

We spent the week at my parents place. Which was.....interesting.

I haven't actually spent that much time with them since I moved out 24 years ago.
I love them and we are close, don't get me wrong, but it was a bit of a flash back from the past and there were several times when I felt 14 again.
Maybe it had something to do with the fact that my mother followed me (and my dad) around reminding me (us) (relentlessly) to apply more sunscreen, wear a hat and watch the sun.
I know, I know, she just cares, but geez...we are in Florida after all.
And a bit if vitamin D isn't going to kill me.
For the record, as soon as I get up I slather on the 65 SPF and for the most part avoid the sun when it's the strongest.
Gone are the days of applying sun-in to my hair, copper tone tanning oil and lying in the middle of the black paved driveway frying like an egg.
We were so idiotic back in the day.
Boy if I knew then what I know now....
Clearly this woman isn't worried about too much exposure and didn't have someone following her around with sun screen.
Nuts.

So that was a tad annoying and I had a really hard time biting my tongue.
There is a fine line between caring and being concerned and nagging.
I think I walk that line every single day actually.
What mother (wife) doesn't?
I find it difficult not to constantly repeat myself and go on about things that I feel are just in someone I love's best interest.
But it was a bit eye opening.

note to self: try not to nag at Lulu (and big daddy) all the time and cut them some slack and try to be be more relaxed about stuff. (especially sun screen)

Speaking of, unfortunately big daddy couldn't join us.
Or at least unfortunately for us..him not so much.
As nice as it would have been to have him there, he would have gone mental spending the week with my folks.
All due respect.

But it did get me wondering if some day Lulu will feel the same.
Will she want to spend lots of time with us, or will I drive her completely crazy.
I'd like to think that we will be close and want to take vacations together even when she's an adult.
But who knows.
Only time will tell.

an oldie but a goodie

I'm not much of a baker.
Love to cook savory, but sweet not so much.
I do love to eat sweet things though.
And there are few scents more heavenly than home baked treats permeating the house.
But recently I came across this recipe and figured, why not?
Simple and who doesn't love a rice krispie square?
O.M.G. such a subtle little change to a classic recipe yet it makes ALL the difference.
Bonus it took about 5 minutes to make.
My kind of baking.

I love reading Smitten Kitchen and have been a follower of her blog for years. (long before the awesome cookbook)
I highly recommend picking up a copy.
I have yet to make one thing that didn't turn out perfectly.
Not necessarily light on calories, but still an excellent cookbook filled with recipes that are not too daunting or complicated.
Her little personal stories about each dish make it even more enjoyable.

oh and as a side note if you do make this recipe I used mauldon sea salt which always bumps things up a notch.