I'm on the road again, or in the air again--Mississippi here I come!

Good Morning Dear Reader:

All my life, I have heard about miracles. Those mysterious events which occur without human intervention bringing healing, reviving the dead,  and creating events for which there is truly no rational explanation. Until now, I have to say that short of the one time I made divinity candy that actually turned out to actually resemble candy more than say, a lava flow, I have never personally experience anything I would call “miraculous”.

Today, I  have not only seen one, I am the recipient! Before I dazzle you with this mind-blowing experience, you need to know that I am in Mississippi visiting my mom and sister. Since I began devoting my life to blogging, I don’t go anywhere without my laptop and two cameras, so naturally, I drug all that paraphernalia along with me here. What I did not count on was not being able to get access to my sister’s wireless Internet service on my laptop.

Frankly this should not be surprising to anyone who knows me and has any experience with my knowledge of technology and anything mechancial.  I can smell a shoe sale. I intuitively know when I need to drop in at the garden center to find the plants I need have been marked half-price. And at the grocery store, I am right there when those $7.98 cheese balls go on clearance. But for anything with a motor, please be sure it is in warranty if I start tinkering with it.

Fortunately, I married Mr. Fix It. My husband is a man who can fix anything. Given the time and the right tools, there is no challenge too great. It just happens that he is not along on this particular trip, so here I am 400 miles away, unable to connect my laptop to the Internet, and did I say this is a really small town, and no there is not a Starbucks where I can set up my satellite office!

While Janet( my country-loving sister) has a computer with Internet access, I had no way to download my photos to my blog, and you know how important photos are to telling a story. That is when in pure desperation I decided to see if I could figure out how to download the Nikon and Canon software from the Internet to her computer. I know that sounds like it would be something akin to building a space shuttle in your basement but I  I am determined to get outside my own comfort zone and just try stuff, well some stuff. I will not be bungee jumping or parachuting anytime  soon, but I a decided the worst that could happen would be that the software wouldn’t work.

It really is the country!

This morning when I plugged my camera in to her computer I nearly fell off the chair. The program popped up and with it all the pictures I have been making over the past several days. I couldn’t speak at first. I had to check twice to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating. This has really never happene to me before. Usually these computer experiements are followed by, “Honey, I think there is something wrong with my computer. I don’t know what happened. I was just typing away and it all went blank.”

Maybe I’ve turned over a new leaf, tapped into some recessed chamber of my brain or just had some dumb luck, I’m feeling pretty good about myself. Who knows, I might just fix something else.

Somewhere in Houston my husband is laughing out loud.

Guess which sister got the green thumb?

Have a great day! And come back tomorrow when little sister talks back!

Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

I know that many of you have been concerned about the plight of my tomato harvest after I sighted a monstrous blue jay licking his pointy little lips at my tiny green tomatoes. I cannot say for sure, but I believe that I may have out smarted him and other nasty pests who have been eyeing my crop. Well possibly crop is not the right word for 3 tomato plants, but I have never had any survive this long in my care, so frankly the fact that they are still alive is a miracle to me.

Is there anything that Hobby Lobby doesn't sell?

Yesterday, I purchased green nylon net (more harmonious with my landscaping) and some big, flat sequins and tiny safety pins. This morning, bright and early, I constructed my little tomato jackets and decorated them with the silver sequins to reflect light ,which I am sure will paralyze and confuse the birds.It may also paralyze and confuse my yardman, not to mention the meter reader.

If these work, I'm selling them on the shopping channel for $19.99.

I will be monitoring the success of my little green jackets to see if they are successful at fending off birds and other nasty pests. Of course last night I did have a scary dream about a giant blue jay with a teeny, tiny pair of scissors, but I am sure it was only a dream…

Sunscreen Bargains

Consumer Reports has come out with its latest study of sunscreens and finds that pricey doesn’t always cut it. They found several bargain-priced sunscreens that worked even better than the costlier ones. Tops on their list for effectiveness and price were:

1. Up & Up Sport Continuous, buy at Target, two 6 0z. bottles are $10, SPF 30

2.  Walgreen’s Sport Continuous, SPF 50

3. Banana Boat Sport Performance Continuous

It was noted that all of the above brands offered both UVA and UVB protection for up to 80 minutes in the water. Remember,  when applying liquid sunscreen to your body, you need to use at least an ounce or 2 tablespoons to be really effective.

Dr. Oz, I Love Your Show!

While I don’t see it every day, Dr. Oz has the best common sense advice for everyone on good health and nutrition.  Sometimes even non-smokers have lung cancer, in fact, he says 20% of them have never smoked. He recommends we all eat peanut butter because there is a 55% lower lung cancer risk in non-smokers who get sufficient vitamin E. It is found in peanut butter, nuts and seeds.

Also, don’t forget cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cabbage can lower the risk of lung cancer by 22%. He also recommends drinking V8 if you are not a big vegetable eater. I love the low sodium with a good dash of lemon or lime and a shot of Worcestershire Sauce, over ice.

Don’t Wash Away Your $$$$!

You can spend a bundle on shampoo and conditioner or not. This month’s Allure Magazine features a Reader’s Choice Award section and the overall winners for shampoo was Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Shampoo, which also won the Breakthrough award. The matching conditioner also won first place.

I hope your day is simply spectacular!

Diane

Good Afternoon Dear Reader:

There are times when injustices occur and no matter how hard you want to suppress your opinion, you just can’t.  I do not know if you are a fan of Dancing With The Stars, but I am. I love ballroom dance. I grew up thinking that one day I would take Ginger Rogers’ place as Fred Astaire’s partner. I had no idea that by the time I was legal, he would be 82.

Strictly Ballroom happens to be one of my favorite movies and when I heard there would be a TV show devoted to ballroom, I was ecstatic. As the seasons have progressed, I have been bitterly disappointed to see the show become a contest between “stars” who have professional dance experience and Olympians whose events incorporate dance movement and intense physical conditioning.

How disappointing to see, every season, a handful of  non-dance professionals struggle and become excellent, exciting ballroom dancers, only to have the Olympians and professionals snap up the trophy.

Last night, before the final two pairs were selected to dance, the judges acknowledged that Erin Andrews had gone from amateur to an exciting and accomplishing ballroom dancer. I think she embodies what Dancing With The Stars should really be, “celebrities” who aren’t professional dancers or professional athletes who in the course of the show hone their skills and see who rises to the top.

The Cloris Leachmans, Buzz Aldrins, and Kate Goslins can be there to provide comic relief. Celebrities like Pamela Anderson have a chance to show that they are not as one-dimensional as we might have thought.

We don’t need the producers of the show to give us ringers like Yamaguchi, Lysacek, Donny Osmond,and last night’s winner Nicole Scherzinger, front woman for the Pussycat Dolls. There are plenty of other talented “celebrities” who will ramp it up and fill the void and frankly, they give the rest of us hope.

Terror in the tomato patch!

My beautiful plant!

I know you have all been dying to hear how my little pots of tomatoes are doing. Until yesterday, they were just blooming their little tomato hearts out.

By chance I happened to glance at them in the yard and to my horror, there was the most enormous blue jay sitting on my patio chair counting the tomatoes and evaluating their degree of ripeness. I flew out of the house waving my bedroom slipper at him until he grinned and insinuated that he would be back. This was not good.

I called the nursery for professional help and their best suggestion was to either hang reflective streamers on the plants or cover them with netting. I am opting for both. One cannot be too careful when the future of fresh salsa and margarita pizza are at stake.

I can almost taste them!

I have all my supplies assembled, green net (it seemed less obvious than orange or pink), large silver sequins and tiny safety pins to attach them to the netting.

I believe when my little tomato outfits are completed, not only will they be safe from pesky blue jays, they will add a certain festivity to my yard. Stay tuned.

Have a pest-free day!

Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

Yesterday when I read my horoscope in the local paper, I was shocked that it predicted a three-star day. I really prefer a five-star day, but as things unfolded, I realized there might be something to the wisdom of Madame Sofia’s predictions.

First, my computer played dead. Actually dead is not a good word. When I turned it on, I heard a clicking sound and then a high pitched squeal. None of those are sounds you ever want to hear coming from your computer or any other major appliance.

Mr. Fix It rescued me as he always does from from all things mechanical. I managed to get in a short post yesterday morning before heading off to have all my moles and spots examined up close and personal by a dermatologist.

All this reading I’ve done about sun exposure and skin cancer, plus some close calls by dear friends and family have left me worrying about my own “spotted” past–too many sunburns, too little sun protection. All the pamphlets in the world and photos on the Internet do not equate to a professional exam, so I made the appointment.

Destin, Florida--one of the world's most beautiful beaches and sunburn mecca.

And while my dermatologist now knows me better than say, my grocer, it was an all together pleasant and comforting experience.

First, I chose a female dermatologist who was highly recommended by a friend whose own melanoma was discovered by this physician.

Second, after I made the appointment, I quit trying to  guess if every spot on my body was the beginning of the end. My wildly active imagination was not going to ruin my life before I had a professional opinion. (This is so unlike me, but I am trying to do better!)

My dermatologist combed every inch of my body like she was looking for gold.  Fortunately there was nothing there other than some ugly freckles thanks to too much sun, some moles and skin discolorations that were products of heredity. I promised to be more faithful about my sunscreen and return in one year for an annual check.

She suggested that I put a good sunscreen right next to my toothbrush and apply it every single day. One fact that I did not know about sun exposure is that an estimated 80% of our lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 18–all the more reason to be vigilant now. Also, sunscreen should be generously reapplied after spending several hours outdoors, especially if you have been swimming.

Good news from the doctor should have made my day at least four stars, but when I attempted to finish my post, the blog site would not let me add my new material. I struggled with this darn thing for at least an hour, during which I discovered that the crown on one of my molars was rocking around–also not a good thing. My post finally took and I was off to the dentist for some unpleasant drilling and re-gluing.

Overall, it was an up and down day which in Madame Sofia’s wisdom equals three stars. Today she predicts I will be five stars all the way. I predict that whatever I do, I will be wearing sunscreen (and a hat!).

Lots of sun is great for flowers, not so good for us!

Wear Yours Too!

Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

Just a brief note and a full post later this afternoon. My computer has been on life support for 24 hours and my husband/hero, “Mr. Fix It” returned from out of town last night and saved it!! Saved me!

I forget how much I depend on that little flat box. My life is in there. Probably your life is in yours. I have been a bad mother. I have neglected it. I have promised to regularly back up. I never back up. I am perpetually in the “go forward” mode. I can change. I hope I can change. But for now…we’re almost back 100%. Stop back in late this afternoon and let’s see what we’ve got! Hey, back  up your life today!

Stop back in,

Diane

Hello Dear Reader, again!

It seems this backing up thing with computers is not truly quick and can take hours, so I have run my errands, and stopped to once again, engage in personal humiliation–yes, I tried on swimsuits! This time it was only two. Last time I went for the gold and drug in 7, counting on the mathematical probability of finding a good suit if I had more choices. Turns out, I ‘m still not good at math, or swimsuits.

I’m not a quitter and I will continue to imagine that out there somewhere is the suit that is going to change my life, not to mention my body. If you discover such a suit, I hope you will send out an alert because you have sisters here waiting in beach cover-ups dying to get in the water.

Goodbye Nantucket!

While my visit was short, I managed to cover a lot of territory–much of which included food and drink. And by the way, even though they have no chain restaurants, you will not miss them. Some of my favorites: The Rose and Crown ( and especially Vanessa, our amazing waitperson/tour director),21 Federal, The Club Car, The Boarding House, The Bean (coffee, that is),Island Coffee (cranberry muffins to die for), Fog Island (cranberry pancakes that I had to have twice!), The Downyflake (blueberry pancakes, outstanding) and of course The Juice Bar, ice cream heaven.

Coincidentally, Saturday was the big day for the Nantucket Wine Festival, which featured every major wine distributor in the U.S. pouring samples. You cannot have wine without food and there was plenty. Personally, I found the pairing of any wine with chocolate amazing.

Possibly Nantucket has some of the most beautiful and unique gift shops, north of Houston, of course. Stephanie’s beach gifts are great and for elegant displays of serving pieces, china and linens, Trillium is exquisite.

Robin at Trillium makes great use of simple clear glass vases or even tiny ones using unusual leaves and vegetation, like the ones below.

Tomorrow, I have some great information and health news. With summer and lots of time spent outdoors, I took my own advice and had a full body mole check. Come back tomorrow, and I promise–no pictures!!

Have a simply spectacular Monday!

Diane

Good Afternoon Dear Reader:

I don’t know where you are but here in Nantucket the weather is chilly but sunny and I have found myself in summer clothes looking longingly at sweatshirts. The island is known as “The Little Grey Lady of the Seas” and observing the homes, shops and public buildings you can see why. There’s a lot of grey.

That's a lot of grey!

There is also quite wonderfully an absence of traffic lights, billboards, chain restaurants, hotels, motels and groceries. There is an abundance of bed and breakfasts and quaint small hotels and inns.

Come in the winter and you can probably name your price for lodging. Residents say it can be very grim, what with all that grey, fog, and steady wind. But come summer, its beauty shines and the tourists arrive by boat and plane and total as many as half a million on the island 15 miles long and 3 and 1/2 miles wide. Day trips from the mainlands are more affordable as summer lodging is very pricey.

Don't you just want to sit down and stay?

Everywhere you walk here you are struck by the beauty of this place and the amazing floral displays. Window boxes are on every building and the flowers are just blooming their little hearts out. I am continually tripping on the rippling brick side walks because I am trying to focus my camera to share some of the beauty I see here.

Did I mention the food is pretty amazing? Last night I capped a delicious dinner with an ice cream sundae from The Juice Bar, a legend in this town. I opted for the waffle bowl, chocolate cherry chunk ice cream and hot fudge sauce (all homemade). I did try the crantucket–vanilla ice cream with chocolate-covered cranberries, but the chocolate cherry won out.  I will be back tonight to see if it was every bit as good as I remember it.

I can't believe I ate the whole thing!!! But it was wonderful!

As with most tourist towns, Nantucket is filled with beautiful shops . So far, I have only succumbed to some tees shirts for the kids and chocolate-covered cranberries which you never see at home. I was just drop-jawed at the beautiful Lion’s Paw home and gift store. Their linens and gifts for the home are simply exquisite.(Note to my husband: I want the green bed or at least the linens. )

The trend here is to use basically white linens, possibly with a small amount of colored trim and add more color with the use of embroidered pillows and possibly a throw. It is an incredibly “clean” and fresh look.

I don't think this is going to fit in my suitcase!

At Anderson’s gift shop, they have the most interesting mirrors that are really unique works of art. They are surrounded with miniature boats, birdhouses or boat paddles.

They also have beautiful table settings, gorgeous hats and giftware.

Boat paddles!

Any way you look at it, Nantucket is a tourist’s delight and I look forward to discovering more fun things to do and see. I hope you are enjoying this journey as well.

I have found a great new office at the public library, so superior to Starbucks! While there might not be an actual Starbucks here, there is plenty of good coffee, so don’t you worry, there is no danger of me going into caffeine or chocolate withdrawal!

Have a beautiful day!

Antique furniture, surrounded by books, how can I ever go home?

Diane

Good Afternoon Dear Reader:

I have been suffering terrible anxiety as a result of being unable to post to my blog all day yesterday and for the better part of today. I didn’t think I was addicted to blogging–coffee, yes, chocolate, yes, but blogging? I don’t think so. Well, now I do think so because all day in my head I have been rehearsing what I would write when I could finally locate an Internet connection. Now that I have one, I can’t say where all those brilliant thoughts went, but they would have been amazing, if I could just remember what they were.

You probably are imagining me on some desolate foreign soil, miles from civilization begging my Sherpa guide to find me a cappuccino. Okay, the cappuccino part is correct, but the foreign soil is the beautiful Nantucket Island.

The weather in Boston did not look so good when we landed.

Getting here was yesterday’s adventure when I realized that the connecting flight from Boston’s Logan Airport was not one of those small jets that make me nervous, but a teeny, tiny prop plane about the size of my SUV, okay, maybe just a little bigger. It was so small that at the Cape Air counter all six of the passengers had to fess up their weight to be sure the plane could get off the ground. I had to whisper mine and swear the gate agent to secrecy.

Why am I smiling? Will anyone at home be able to find my last will and testament?

It was not a beautiful, windless, sunny day. It was a rainy, foggy, blustery day. In fact we flew in fog most of the way, at least I think we did. It is difficult to see out the window when your head is mostly between your knees. If you are reading this, you know that I made it here safe and sound. Pilot Dan did a fine job and promises to take me back to Boston if I cannot possibly find a boat headed that way on Sunday.

Could Captain Dan be a real pilot? I sure hoped so!

I don’t know if you have been to Nantucket before, but I had not and I hope I don’t bore you by sharing all the interesting and fun things I have found here. First, it is unbelievably quaint and uniform. I would estimate that 95% of the homes here, and businesses are a traditional salt box style with weathered gray cedar shingles. Those that are not, are clapboard or stone and blend beautifully with the rest.

I am now officing at the Nantucket Public Library, a big step up from my Starbucks digs.

The first settlers of Nantucket came in 1639. I am sure many of the streets are the original cobblestone and brick. I do not recommend wearing any cute platform heels here unless you would like to spend your vacation days enjoying the hospitality of the Nantucket Hospital.

As I am prone to do, I immediately began checking out the restaurant scene and the shopping options. I am happy to report there are plenty of both, with abundant quality. Although I have been on the island less than 24 hours, I have managed to consume some incredibly delicious food, including some amazing cranberry pancakes this morning at Fog Island Restaurant. Nantucket has real cranberry bogs so the fruit is on many menus. One of my goals is to try the “crantucket” ice cream flavor at the Juice Bar today. I will report back!

Have a wonderful day! I missed you!       Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

Buy a blooming plant. It is the cheapest therapy I know.

Undoubtedly I must have missed the news report yesterday that predicted a hurricane or some other natural disaster would be striking our area in the very near future. I cannot imagine any other explanation for the crowd that met me at the grocery store at 3 p.m. The parking lot was packed and people were lined up waiting for a spot near the door.

When I finally found a spot and went inside, I could not believe the number of people lined up at the deli or hovering around the fresh fruit and veggies. I had two run-ins with a tall gray haired fellow who glared me down as I fondled the avocados looking for a ripe one. Then he got between me and the organic spinach and I was pretty sure we were going to have to arm wrestle or at the very least butt carts.

These poor veggies were just innocent bystanders!

Do I really have to put on a swimsuit?

Truly it is the eternal question: Is it really necessary to wear one of those pain-inducing, self-esteem skewering latex suits this summer? The answer is yes. Is there a suit out there that will minimize my teeny, tiny figure flaws or the not so teeny tiny ones? It appears that this year the answer could be “yes” if you are willing to fork over some bigger bucks. Spanx is here to help.

The June issue of Oprah Magazine just hit my mail box with it’s page 65 Perfectly Suited article which tackles how to buy a swimsuit for different, “real women’s” figure issues. All of the featured suits are great but my favorite is the Spanx which uses color-blocking and  mid-section tummy control to create a great look. It is $198 but, chances are good it will last at least two seasons, so that brings the price down to $99 a year, which is a reasonable investment for good self esteem. Check out all the Spanx suits at Spanx.com.

Where You Can Pinch Those Pennies

Consumer Reports is my go-to magazine when I need guidance for major purchases like appliances or autos, but every issue also has wise choices for everyday household products and services, like cell phones, etc. The May 2010 issue has several good tips for popular home products.

There are so many brands of paper towels and now they are very pricey, but Consumer Reports gives Walgreens Ultra Quilted a big thumbs up for cleaning ability and cost. I bought the 8-pack for less than $9 and they work great!

The Best Carpet Cleaner

Let’s face it we’re spillers, married to spillers, with spiller offspring. Bissell’s Oxypro Carpet Spot & Stain Remover, $4.85 lifted both spaghetti sauce and French dressing in Consumer Reports‘ tests.

Could It Be True?

I just read that Lee Jeans have introduced a new jean that may have our name on it! Slender Secret Jeans have tailored lines, premium stretch denim, great pockets and they “instantly slim”. Will someone please hurry and try on a pair and let us know?

I grew these! OK, I just watched.

Have a beautiful day!

Good Morning Dear Reader:

My new low-maintenance pet, the lizard sitting on the bunny!

It’s another Monday and a fresh start to a new week. I have been burrowed down in Gail Blanke’s book, Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life. I bought it because I know I really need to clean my closets, pantry, organize my photos, etc. As I began to get into the book, I realized that the physical clutter of our lives is only a small part of what she suggests we need to let go.

Blanke is a professional life coach and she is quite successful as a former columnist for Real Simple magazine, the focus of an entire Oprah show and a world-class motivator. She got my attention.

First, she encourages you to attack the physical clutter of your life, working through every room in your house, including the scary garage and attic! Now there’s material for nightmares.

Then she encourages you to tackle your office, your workspace. The third part of the book is the tough part, although most of us would think it is letting  go of our “stuff”. It isn’t. It is clearing our mental clutter:  feelings of inadequacy (we’ve all got them), letting go of regrets, mistakes of the past, having to be right, needing approval from everyone, and imaging the worst.

Whew! That’s a ton of tough stuff. Some of the things we need to let go are issues that we don’t realize hold us captive to our past. They limit what we do, how we think, and how happy we can let ourselves be.

One of her major points which really hit home for me was the chapter dealing with how we typecast ourselves or let others do it. We accept a label such as “I’m not good at math” or “I’m such a klutz”, or “I’m just not the creative type”. These prevent us from moving forward and put unreasonable restrictions on our life. They keep us from taking chances that might prove that label wrong. Sometimes we miss great career opportunities because there might be some aspect of a job that requires creativity or advanced math skills or risk-taking. Throw out those labels and create a new vision of who you are and who you want to be. We write our own story every day. We need the courage to change the dialog.

Blanke has exercises in every chapter to help clear the clutter, especially that in our head. If you visit her Website, www.throwoutfiftythings.com, she has a free downloadable workbook that contains all the exercises from the book. Even if you don’t read the book, I would encourage you to do the exercises. They’re powerful!

Leslie Shewring's beautiful blog, acreativemint.typepad.com featured in Artful Blogging.

I was going to say that I’m not an artist, but I am working on re-writing my personal script, so I will say that when I am looking for artistic inspiration, I go to the Somerset Studios/Stampington & Company’s incredibly beautiful quarterly magazines. They are more like books on every artistic topic you can imagine for people who sew, quilt, draw, bead, do computer art, journal, blog, craft, and stamp. The photography and descriptions of the work are just amazing and are so inspiring! I think we all need more beauty in our lives and these books show how many possibilities there are. I find them online and at Barnes and Noble and I am sure you can find them at Half-Price Books as well.

I hope I have not bored you today. I want everyone of us to be the very best we can be.  I hope you found one thing here today that makes you smile and see new possibilities in your own life.

We need to be our most unique self and therein is our flower.

Have a great day!

Diane

Good Morning Dear Reader:

Last night I went to a baby shower for a very precious mom-to-be. Among the darling gifts she received were a pair of Zootie Patootie leg warmers–not for her, but for the baby. What a brilliant idea! They come in a huge variety of colors and patterns and can be worn with onesies to keep baby’s legs warm and eliminate the need for pants. If you are a skilled diaperer, you can change one without even removing them!

The company, ZootiePatootie.com, was born when a new mom  of a little girl and her mom wanted more cute accessories for the baby. They carry a darling line of hats, legwarmers for boys and girls and matching onesies. The legwarmers run $12-14.

Be Your Own Baby Gift Designer!

For darling monogrammed and personalized baby and children’s clothing,

check out JillBeNimble.com. You select your fabric for appliques and get to be the designer! Adorable and great prices!

News Flash Big Sale!

If you need plants for your yard, stop in at Lowe’s. My local store had their beautiful plants, including all those blooming bedding plants 50% off.  The sale ends Monday.

Williams-Sonoma is so tasty!

I can’t walk past a Williams-Sonoma store without stopping in to see what’s cooking, and to pick up something new for my kitchen that I had no idea I needed.

Yesterday I stopped by and tried their incredible pina colada cake. Besides melting in your mouth, it tasted like possibly the best coconut cake ever! Of course, I got the recipe for us! Because while we may dream of being gourmet cooks and preparing dishes using herbs we grew, and 17 different exotic spices, including ingredients that can only be obtained in artisan markets on the West coast, we still like easy.

Williams-Sonoma Pina Colada Cake

1 box of Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix

Follow instructions on box, except, substitute Williams-Sonoma Pina Colada Mix (bottled) instead of water. Add one extra whole egg and 1 small instant vanilla pudding to bowl. Mix well and bake according to cake box instructions. The one I tasted was baked in a large flat cookie sheet with sides.

When done, glaze with 10X powdered sugar, mixed with enough pina colada mix to  spread. Top by pressing toasted coconut into the icing. Amaze your friends and family with this divine dessert.

Before we leave the wonderful Williams-Sonoma world, remember that they have free cooking classes on either Saturday or Sunday mornings in your local store. Their Website is filled with great recipes and cooking tips and there is a special section with recipes that kids can make. One that caught my eye was for carrot fries.

Carrot Fries (condensed version)

Slice 10 medium carrots into sticks. Toss with 2 T. of olive oil, 1 tsp. sugar, 2 tsp. fresh rosemary (or not), and salt well. Place on a cookie sheet, spreading out well. Bake at 425 degrees approximately 20 minutes until nicely browned on the edges. I think adults would love this as well.

Sex and the City or the country!

If you are a Sex and the City fan, it’s time to order your tickets for the May 27 opening of the new movie.  I think I read that Carrie wears 41 different outfits– and oh those shoes! It will truly be a girl’s night out, because I doubt you could drag many men there–and why would you want to?  Call your buds and make plans to be there.

Have a splendid weekend, come back on Monday and invite your friends!!

Diane