Chun Mee!!!

Yesterday after work, Shannon, Cindy, Jaime and I met for dinner at Chun Mee in Delano. Chun Mee is this little Chinese restaurant that both Shannon & Jaime worked at in High School. (Cindy and I worked at local grocery stores)... As always we had a fun time reminiscing and laughing, and trying not to laugh during Helen's pyramid scheme presentation. Helen is the owner of Chun Mee, and when she sees Shannon she always says, You not Marwied, you have no baby! But Helen is great and she even gave us her secret fried rice recipe! Chun Mee will be closing in a few years when Helen retires, so it was fun to get back there and enjoy Helen's food. (sorry, but I forgot to take pictures last night)
I have to add something else about laughing. When I was in elementary\high school I would bust out laughing all the time, everything made me laugh. The worst is when you are sitting in class and your teacher is talking, and your friends are all around you and you get the giggles, or someone says something funny. And what makes it harder is that you know that you can't laugh or you will get into trouble! SO you do everything possible to not laugh, like thinking about something boring or sad. But if for one second you even glance at your friends, and they are about to bust out laughing too... well sooner or later someone is going to lose it, and then you just can't stop laughing! That is what happened to us last night at Chun Mee! I haven't been in that situation in a long time, maybe I just don't laugh the same way I used too, maybe life isn't as humorous as it used to be. But it's nice to know, that if only for a brief moment, you can still get the giggles and no matter how hard you try, you just can't stifle the laughter!!

A night to myself...

My day is going sooooo slooowwwlllyyy! I am really looking forward to a night at home. Last night I made yummy Sesame Chicken with Asian Slaw and I brought it over to my couch-ridden cousin Kelly. So if you want the recipe, she posted it on her blog: http://vlachmytastebudsoff.blogspot.com/
Tomorrow night through Monday (Labor Day) I have plans, so I need to have at least one night to relax, clean & bake some bread, but not necessarily in that order... I still want to attempt to make the Zucchini bread with Moroccan Spices... but we'll see. Boring days at work make me want to do be lazy at home. But a job change may be in the future... hopefully many good things will be just around the corner.
I was driving today and I saw a tree whose leaves were already changing. It just seemed like last week I noticed that the trees just started to bud. Now it's almost fall and the leaves will soon change, then fall off the trees. This year has just flown by, and with that has come many many changes in my life. I'm glad for the changes, but not every change has been happy one.
I'm thinking about planning a trip somewhere soon. I haven't been anywhere in a very long time... and I need a change of scenery.
Sorry this post is so random... I have nothing interesting to say at the moment.

Superfluous Explained

People keep asking me what 'superfluous' means and why it is the title of my blog.
Well first of all, Superfluous is my favorite word. And if I was ever on Inside the Actor's Studio, that would be my favorite word pick. Secondly, I used to not know how to pronounce superfluous, and I even looked like a total idiot trying to impress a guy with my expansive Russian Literature knowledge. (My favorite short story is called "First Love" by Ivan Turgenev, which can be found in the book, "Diary of a Superfuous Man").

Well of course I said Super-FlU-ous, when you should say: Su-Perfluous. Whatevs!
Here is the definition of Superfluous, which I guess if you read between the lines, you could say that is a definition of me. You tell me...

su·per·flu·ous –adjective
1.
being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.
2.
unnecessary or needless.
3.
Obsolete. possessing or spending more than enough or necessary; extravagant.

su·per·flu·ous·ly, adverb
su·per·flu·ous·ness, noun

Girls Night Out...Part Deux

O! U R HERE!!

Friday did finally come around. The girls from WMHS met up in Jordan, MN at Jaime's place. Shannon, Cindy, Jaime and I enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by Jaimes... We headed out to do what I call, The Carver County Pub Crawl! We enjoyed good times and drinks and laughs at the local bars, putting to good use Jaime's BOGO card. I saw a few people I hadn't seen since high school. Including a very creepy teacher who is still creepy!! YIKES! (and Puke!). Overall we had some good laughs and no one got into any fights, although we came a wee bit close at the T-Road Tavern, but that is a whole other story. At the last bar, we girls stayed to close the place down and headed back to Jaime's to crash. We had a great breakfast in the morning and I headed out to help my friend Ellen move into Sarah's place... now i must chill, and maybe there will be more fun to have later... but for now this party girl is sleepy!

Well it's a Girls Night Out...

The Judds sang it best...

Friday finally came around This girls ready to paint the town

Tonight aint nothin gonna slow me down

I did my time workin all week

Tonights all mine, tomorrow Ill sleep,I wanna hear a band with a country sound

Well, Ive been couped up all week long

Ive been workin my fingers to the bone!

Well, its a girls night out Honey, there aint no doubt

Im gonna dance every dance til the boys go home

Well, its my night to rock No watchin that ol clock

Oh, aint no doubt, lordy its a girls night out!

One more day of work and then I'm heading out with my H2OTown Posse. I will report more on this outing tomorrow.

(P.S. As much as I loathe country music, The Judds are a very guilty pleasure!! I love you Winona & Naomi!!!)

The crux of the matter...

I didn't blog yesterday, and I was about to let today pass me by without blogging as well. The weather is a good indicator of my mood today, a bit gray and a lot gloomy.
I've just been thinking about people, friends really, who were friends but now are not. I'm not talking about the friends that you gradually lose touch with over time, but more of the friends you purposefully lose touch with. I have a handful of ex-friends that I am not friends with any longer and not ending on good terms either. Some are boyfriends that have decided either they couldn't remain friends with me, or vise versa. I have had girlfriends where the friendship has been so wounded, no bandage could heal the wound. Looking back there are no fingers to point, I have no ill will towards any of them. And if I could get all these lost friends in a room I would tell them how special they were to me, and if I could have my way all would be made well. I am a firm believer in forgiveness, I love the thought of reconciliation. However, sometimes people come into your life, but for a brief moment. And sometimes there is just the memory that is left, even if it is a painful memory. I've hurt people, people have hurt me. Life moves forward and hearts do heal with time... much time. Grace.

"Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a better past!"

Blueberry Waffles & Chocolate Zucchini

My wonderful cousin Kelly has hooked me up with my all time favorite candle: Blueberry Waffles! For the longest time I have gone to her house and literally drooled over the smell of this candle. Now I have my own! Actually this has been a good "find" week. Blueberry Waffle Candles, Hebrew National Hot Dogs, and my favorite Ruffies garbage bags! (Thanks Shannon & Sarah!) Does life get any better?!

Tonight I made yet again one more Zucchini dish:

Recipe from Auntie Lori:

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

zest of 1 lime (that is my addition)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.

For dinner I made myself steamed corn on the cob and a Hebrew National Dog. I ate my dog with ketchup & dijon mustard but I also added some Habenaro lime Salsa! Fanfrickentastic!

Here is my corn recipe:

Corn on the Cob with cheese & lime

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS

4 ears corn

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp. salt

6 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup finely grated queso blanco ( I used grated parm.)

1 lime, cut into quarters

In a large saucepan filled with salted boiling water, cook corn for 10 minutes in a basket steamer until corn is tender. (you can also grill the corn with husks on, use whatever method you prefer)

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine chili powder, paprika and salt.

Rub corn with butter and sprinkle with cheese and paprika mixture. Serve with lime wedges.