Target's New No Express Lane Policy

For some reason Target has decided to move backwards. They have decided to close all express lanes. They still exist, they just aren't used. They stand there, darkly mocking me. This is not the decision of the local Target; it's corporate. I just don't see any reason why they would choose not to staff an express lane to allow people who are buying just a few items to bypass people who are shopping with full baskets of kids' stuff, household stuff, or just plain stuff. This really does make me want to bypass Target and shop elsewhere when I want to get a few things.

Hopefully enough people will complain to Target to convince them to reverse this insane decision. I just sent an email off to corporate myself, and also let them know that I would be posting my thoughts on my public blog. So I did.

Maybe Target just doesn't need me anymore... the economy must be doing great!

New Toy Has Arrived!

It happened again, we got a new toy. We were on a waiting list for it for about 2 months. Dave needed a better commuter vehicle and we got word Friday that it arrived and took delivery Saturday night at 6pm (in the middle of the dinner party). Dave took some pictures and they are located at: http://majestyusa.com/gallery/v/jammerdjc/2009Majesty/

It gets 2 ½ times the gas mileage of either of our cars. Now we just need to get used to it and I need to take a class and get my license. Unfortunately, there’s no facility for Theo to ride with us. He just won’t sit still on the passenger seat.

By the way, it's a 400 cc, and it can definitely go on the highway. Also it gets 51 (or so) MPG.

August 9th Party Report

So, it started a few weeks ago when Dave decided it would be good to get the "Winos" (a group of couples that we go on wine tasting trips with) and the YEs (a group of "Young Executives" at the Capital Club) together for a gathering. We threw in a few other friends that we just love to hang out with and Dave's parents and sister. We picked a date and offered up our home as a party spot. I planned the menu and, as usual, took on some prep-intensive work! I was so busy the day before with scheduled errands that I didn't get as much prep done as I would like. And Saturday I lost a couple of hours of prep time because we spent so much time at the bike dealer purchasing a brand new scooter (a posting for another time...) So, when 5:00 rolled around and guests started showing up I took them up on their offers to help and I gave them small but very important and helpful tasks. Luckily everyone was quick to pitch in because I had Marsha crumbling blue cheese, Donovan fetching folding chairs and cutting up apples, Justin skewering shrimp, Amanda washing dishes, the two Marks watching the chicken and shrimp as they were cooking outside while I was assembling pizzas, Donovan was delivering them to David who cooked them, and the list goes on. I cannot thank everyone enough for helping out. It was a successful party and it's not all on me & Dave. Everyone helped to make sure all the food came out OK, so the party's success was due to all my helpers. Thank you!

I was asked to provide recipes for some of the dishes that I served. I have to tell you that I am notorious for trying out new recipes when I have guests over. I'm told it's the opposite of what you should do, but I do it all the time! I get most of my recipes from Cook's Illustrated (http://www.cooksillustrated.com/) and have always 100% of the time had great results from their recipes. Everything I served last night came from that source except for the Green Bean Salad with Truffle Vinaigrette. That's a recipe that I got from Chef Henri, former chef of the Silicon Valley Capital Club. He used haricot verts for the green beans but since they are so pricey I just used regular green beans. If you are making a small amount of salad for a more intimate dinner then the french green beans are worth the cost. Also, the recipe for the salad dressing makes a lot of dressing. He said to use what I need and put the rest in the fridge for future use. Last time I did make the full amount and had a lot left over. This time I cut the recipe in half and probably have about half of it left in the fridge after dressing the salad. The chef of course did not tell me how much green beans to use, how much mâche to use, how many apples. I just guessed. It's a salad, so the exact proportions don't really matter.

You can find all of the recipes here: www.coleman-home.com/Recipes/August_9/. If you have any questions then please ask. There's an email link up in the right corner of the main blog page.

We had so much fun hosting this party (I even sneaked a birthday cake in for Dave who will turn 43 tomorrow) and look forward to doing it again. Perhaps in time I'll learn to choose simpler menus that take less prep time and makes fewer dirty dishes. I already have ideas for the next two events. I really want to do Baby Back Ribs (recipe from Cook's Illustrated) once we get the smoker that I want and I also want to do a Paella Party using the paella cooker given to us by Dave's uncle and his wife. Recipe yet to be discovered!

Is Theo Really So Not-Smart? (I can't use the "D" word for my baby)

Our dog is wonderful. But I gotta tell you: He's not really the smartest one of them all. And he just might qualify for laziest. Right now he's like a teenager. He sleeps in sooo late. Usually dogs are up with their masters, right? Probably because they want food. Well, it's now 12:45 in the afternoon. 15 minutes ago Theo was still upstairs sleeping, though he relocated since I got up. I made him get up to come down for his "breakfast" (at noon!) and to go outside to do his business because in the next hour or so his groomer is going to show up to bathe him. I figured he should eat and eliminate before then. So, I told him to come downstairs, which he did. Luckily he did eat. (Sometimes he walks away from his breakfast.) After he finished he started to head back to one of his "sleeping spots" but I said to him: "No - You need to go outside and go pee-pee." This is where he actually seems smart. With this one command (sometimes it's even a suggestion) he will run out through his dog door, go to the far corner of the yard, and do his business. This time it was double duty. The point is this: He was preparing to go back to bed until I told him to go do his thing outside, even though he clearly had a couple of matters to attend to outside.

He does this every morning. Most mornings I don't bother to make him get up and get moving. Eventually he'll get up and go outside. Last week one day he didn't get up and come downstairs (so he never went outside...) until David got home from work. Astonishing!

Right now he is napping. Little does he know that soon he will be awake for a whole 2 hours when the groomer arrives!