A Smiling Hodgepodge

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Hello, dear friends.  All I can say is that you're lucky that I gave up complaining for 2018.  Otherwise, I would have bored you to tears sharing the nitty gritty details of yesterday's snowstorm.

By the way... remind me not to make the same resolution for 2019.
It's no fun.

You know the drill.

If it's Wednesday, it's time for Hodgepodge.

1. Speaking of endings....at your wit's end, at loose ends, a dead end, burn the candle at both ends, all's well that end's well, or no end in sight...which 'end' phrase might best be applied to your life lately? Explain.  

Most Some days I feel that Winter has no end in sight.

This is how I feel when I hear that snow is on the way.

2. What was a must-have accessory when you were growing up? Did you own one? If so tell us what you remember about it.

vintage uk

The first thing I thought of was go-go boots.  

I could not wait to get my first pair. 

On my best day, my sorry nine-year-old self did not look half as good as this lady.  

3. Something that made you smile yesterday?

Smiles were canceled yesterday due to weather conditions.

But I broke out in a big ol' smile over the weekend when we received a Save the Date card in the mail for the wedding of Katie, who was my #1's best friend when we lived in The Woodlands.  Lucky for us, her younger sister, Mally and  #2 were best buds, as well.  And their Mom was a close friend of mine and walking partner.  
That's what I call a friend trifecta!

We can't wait to see this adorable family in June for the festive wedding celebration.

The girls in the good ol' days.

4. January 30th is National Croissant Day. Do you like croissants? Sweet or savory? We're having chicken salad for lunch...would you rather have yours served on a croissant, a wrap, a bagel, bread, or a roll of some sort?

Fuss Free Cooking

I'm not a big chicken salad lover, but I wouldn't mind sticking my fork into this croissant casserole to honor the National Holiday.

key ingredient

Or I wouldn't stick my nose up to chocolate cream cheese croissant bake either.

5. Sum up your January in fifteen words or less.

I'll save my 15 words for next week.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Recently, I had a portrait of the hooligans painted, and I am so pleased with it.  Jennifer, the artist, did a stellar job of capturing their personalities.  Jennifer has an Etsy shop and an Instagram page if you'd like to take a gander.  She finished the painting quickly, and she is remarkably reasonable.  

So, if your Valentine is a pet lover, this might be the perfect gift of love.  I liked the painting so much; I asked Jennifer to make greeting cards as well.

Until next time...

This is me trying to get out to the garage.

Valentine Gifts for the Guy Who Loves To Cook

Hello, dear friends.  I hope that you are enjoying your weekend.  This post is second in a series of suggestions for Valentine gifts.  If you missed the first one, you could find it here.

I would like to introduce our guest writer, otherwise known as The Mister.  Due to my lack of knowledge of anything having to do with cooking or the kitchen, I consulted our at-home expert who somewhat willingly agreed to come up with Valentine gift ideas for the man who loves to cook.

Take it away Mister!

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For the guy who uses every pot and pan in the kitchen.

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How about a couple of books to inspire the buff man in your life?
Even if he's not, he'll appreciate the compliment. 

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My go-to gadget for slicing and julienne.  

It's easy to use and to clean.

Btw... my wife still thinks a mandoline is a musical instrument.

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We have at least a dozen cutting boards, but these are the only ones that we use because they are dishwasher safe and we're too lazy to wash them.

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Our #1 gave me a Sous Vide for Christmas.  

We've had some great dinners thanks to my new toy.

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These offer a little help along the way. 

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What guy wouldn't love a new grill set?

Especially since the case looks like one that James Bond would carry.

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And how about a little something to keep that grill sparkling clean?

This one works wonders.

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The Mrs. asked me if I wanted one of these for Christmas.  I told her no, but since then everyone has raved about the wonders of the Instant Pot.  This is my way of telling her that I changed my mind.

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If your man needs a little inspiration to get that pot cooking.

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For the guy such as myself that considers hot dogs a food group.

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For the guy who takes his shakes very seriously.

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Hands down - the best omelet pan I've ever had.

Just used it this morning.

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The Salt Experiment was a Christmas gift from # 2.  Great assortment and makes me feel like a scientist.

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How about a utensil for the man who considers dunking his cookies an art form?

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Does your guy complain family members (in my case, the Mrs.) steal his stash of ice cream?  Why not surprise him with a case of B&J's and a combination lock?

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Our # 2 added this air fryer to her kitchen and sings its praises.

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This is for the guy who can check how the roast is cooking while he's catching up on his emails.

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Drum roll, please....the number one most used gadget in the Clooney Kitchen.  The Mrs. loves her spritzers.

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Everybody needs a little confidence booster!

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And last but not least, if you want him to get you a really great Valentine gift, throw out the coffee maker and replace it with one of these.  

Thanks, Mister, great ideas.
Just don't quit your day job.



Until next time...

The Friday Files

Hello, dear friends.  Happy Friday!  I hope that you all had a good week.  Today I am off to a needlepoint luncheon.  I hope nobody checks my progress because there isn't any.  

Without further adieu, let's get on with The Friday Files.

Today's house tours come from the beautiful state of North Carolina.  And yes, they are for sale.

To see more of this gorgeous home, click here. 

I wonder if the deer is included in the deal.

To see more of this heavenly home, click here.

Want a sneak peek into some Designer's homes?

They're right here.

Want to perk up your kitchen?

What about an herb garden?

Trailer

My new obsession.

These stuffed peppers not only look delicious, but they are also good for your waistline.  You can find the recipe here.

Are you crazy for meatballs?

Here are 33 mouthwatering recipes.

If you appreciate a well-dressed potato like me, click here for some creative concoctions.

Good news for Cheesecake Factory fans.

Doesn't this sandwich look delish?

You might be surprised what it's made of...

My go-to diet dressing has decided to increase the calories.

Interesting marketing strategy.

I tried this one, Walden Farms Italian Dressing which has NO calories, and I think it's yummy.

The Brits have named the top 50 'little luxuries' that they appreciate most in life.  I agree with most of them.  
The quilted toilet paper isn't a deal breaker.

Guess what is number one? 

Are you sick of Winter?  I think that you know my answer to that.  Here is an informative article that gives you great tips on scoring the best deals on luxury hotel properties.
If you save money, you have to split it with me.

Daily Geekette
Guess who is getting into the audiobook business?
Hopefully, that means less expensive books coming our way.

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I have a question for you.  Do you take Collagen?  My #2 swears by it and the Mister says that it works for his joint pain after workouts.  

I just started taking these this week.  
The reviews say that it does wonders for the skin.
I'll keep you posted.
You'll be the first to know if I start getting carded.

Best news of the day.  
Murphy Brown is coming back!

I follow Candace Bergen on Instagram and she always writes fun, entertaining posts.  You can follow her here.

Do you have $14.00?
If you answered yes then you have a chance of winning this mansion along with a Rolls Royce, 10 acres of land, a 3-hole golf course, a gardener, and a housekeeper.
Find out the deets here.

Hope you win!!

Until next time...

loveofgoldens.com