I am Pretty Sure Chris is Not a Serial Killer

When it comes to tv relationships I fall hard and fast.  I have sacrificed a lot to my love for shows like LOST and Arrested Development.  The same cannot be said about romantic relationships.  It took Chris and I at least six months of "talking" or dating" or whatever before we would use the terms "boyfriend" and "girlfriend".  But tv, now that is a different story. 

I was really bored on Sunday and I was mildly hungover from too many mojitos at Paladar and there was nothing on television.  I had already been dragged out of bed at 8am to spend $24 to see infomercial booths at the world's worst home and garden show in Euclid.  Seriously if you are considering going, DON'T.  DO. NOT.  I cannot stress this enough.  There was however this great Peruvian musical ensemble playing that was by far the highlight of the show.  So if you decide to ignore my advice, follow the sounds of the bamboo flute and if you can watch that performance with a straight face you are a better person than I.   

Anyways, I shouldn't say there was nothing to watch on television because I did watch this great SyFy movie called Ice Spiders.  At first I thought it was going to be a discovery channel type thing about spiders in the arctic.  And then I checked the info and found out it was actually a movie about a lab in Utah where giant mutated spiders have escaped and are now terrorizing an Olympic ski team training at a nearby ski resort starring that one dude from Melrose Place and someone named Vanessa Willaims that is not who you think it is. Those spiders were big and nasty and were tearing everybody up.  There was a snow mobile chase, god-awful dialogue and lots of blood.  I watched about an hour of it cuz it was just too campy to change the channel and if you stumble across it, I would say it is worth a bit of your time (UNlike that Home and Garden Show - RIP OFF).  Come to think of it, I am curious how the movie ends.  I'm sure somehow the Olympic skiers figured out how to take those spiders down, but not before their coach lost his bottom half to a giant spider.   Words don't do justice: 

Fighting a spider with a ski pole

Starring "Vanessa Williams"

One of the spiders reeling in his prey

That was a long way to say that on Sunday I started watching Dexter Season 1 on netflix on-line and I have watched the first seven episodes in the last two days.  That is a lot of time watching tv about serial killers.  Like seriously way too much time thinking about murder scenes and blood spatter.  And every time Chris lures me into the kitchen to see what he has accomplished, I get a little nervous cuz the room is covered in plastic like one of Dexter's murder scenes.  I took Olive in with me to protect me in case Chris made any sudden moves.  But, I am pretty sure he is not actually a serial killer.  He doesn't display too many Dexter-isms and he doesn't work in a lab where they mutate spiders.  So that's good news!  Glad I've ruled that out after three years. 

If anyone in this house is trying to kill me, it is definitely Olive.  She follows me around everywhere like a total stalker.  She hides around corners and when I walk by she takes a flying leap attack at my leg.   And last night she stared me down, and as stealthily as she could, while maintaining complete eye contact, very slowly crept towards me and then pounced.  I was laughing hysterically, but was also a little creeped out. I'm definitely being hunted by someone.

The Holiday Season

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!  This weekend we put up some Christmas decorations including my little four foot tree.  Which Olive proceeded to climb, over and over again, and knock down, over and over again.  As annoying as it was, it was also the just about the cutest thing ever.

Tomorrow is our Holiday Party at work and I signed up to bring dessert for 24.  I wanted to make something simple that would keep well.  I had this treat at Jenny's bach party and it was so yummy and easy that I thought I would try it.  I used Christmas colors, but they can be modified for any occasion.  For example, I saw pink M&M's at the store for breast cancer and thought they would be cute for an upcoming baby shower.  

The nameless treat is just a snap pretzel with a Rolo on top, melted slightly in the oven (like 3-5 minutes at 300 degrees).  Then while the chocolate is malleable, press an M&M - pick your poison, I did regular and peanut - into the Rolo.   Then put them in the fridge to firm back up.  Done.  Enjoy.  Yum.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookies

It is officially the weekend!  No time for blogging.  We are off to Theresa and Tony's new house with friends for the night.  Sarah (previously Ruby) made these really awesome cookies that are perfect if you have some mini-snickers bars left over from Halloween.  And a picture of Olive cuz she is the cutest.  Enjoy the weekend!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookies

ingredients

• 1-3/4  cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2  cup sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup butter
• 1/2  cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4  cup honey
• 1  tablespoon milk
• 24  miniature chocolate-covered caramel-topped nougat bars with peanuts

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter and the 1/2 cup peanut butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat in honey and milk until well combined.

2. Pat 1 tablespoon of the dough into a 2-inch circle. Place 1 piece of candy in the center of the circle. Shape the dough around candy to form a 1-1/2-inch ball. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough and candy bars. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Makes 24 cookies.

Day 4 and I am already scraping the bottom of the barrel

I am currently watching Modern Family.  It is fantastic.  You need to be watching this show.  If you haven't been, don't worry, you can catch up on Hulu, and trust me it will be worth it. You also need to be watching Glee, but the stupid world series is interrupting my tv schedule.  Yeah I said it, I don't give two junks about baseball.  Or any sports for that matter.  So that's my Wednesday tv schedule.  On Thursdays there are also two fantastic new shows - Community and Flashforward.  And I missed V last night, but I might start watching that too.  Thank you tv people for such good new shows this year.

Here is an Olive update.  She is the most adorable tiny kitty in the world.  She went to the vet on Monday and she is all healthy!  And she has started sleeping on my pillow above my head which I love.  She is also getting really playful and crazy.  This morning when I was brushing my teeth in my bath robe she snuck up behind me and jumped and hung from the back of my robe.  Katie doesn't even like animals and she LOVES Olive.

Oh yeah, my sister's name is Katie.  I had previously referred to her as Little Potato but I am tired of using aliases and I can't remember them all and I don't want to come up with news ones. So from here on out I will be revealing the actual names of anyone I mention.  I don't think this will compromise anyone's privacy, but if you prefer a fake name let me know.

I bought some organic wine today.  Is it true that if you drink organic wine that you don't get a hangover because it doesn't have the sulfites that are in regular wine?  I considered drinking the whole bottle in the name of blog research, but I decided potentially showing up to work with a raging hangover was not a great impression for my second week at the new job.  Especially considering during my first week I may have had swine flu and adopted a cat.   I really know how to make a first impression. 

Meet Olive!

This week I started my new job.  So far I really like it and I really really like my new co-workers.  Today, the Cleveland Animal Protection League had an adoption event in the lobby and I just couldn't resist this little gal.  She is 3 months old, born in July on my Dad's birthday.  She is a long-haired tabby and she loves to cuddle and sleep.  She slept for about 3 hours in a box next to my cube without making a peep, just looking super cute.  She came with the name "Goofy" but that just absolutely didn't fit her.  She is the perfect little Olive!