Random Thoughts...Food, Firearms, and Fun

I’ve been a Dream Dinners customer in Lancaster, PA for a few years, and have even blogged about my experiences. After last night, I may not be a customer much longer. I received a call yesterday afternoon, indicating that I was the only person in the 6:45 session, and asking if I could come in early. Calls like that are bad business practice. This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked to reschedule or arrive early, because I’m the only person in a session. The last time, I rearranged by schedule to arrive early, but it meant adding a lot of driving to my day. This time, I simply could not arrive early. Calls asking customers or guests to arrive early or reschedule are bad. Many of us opt for Dream Dinners because we’re very busy. Asking us to rearrange our schedule just adds additional stress, and part of what Dream Dinners offers is a reduction in stress. When I returned the call, I indicated that I would be there when I could be there. I also said that if it was easi...

Friday was my Friday to leave work at 12, and I took full advantage of that. We had friends coming in from Kentucky for the weekend, and I wanted to be sure the house was very clean. Mac met me for lunch, and then we headed home and started cleaning. I tackled the bathroom, kitchen, and living room while he tackled the spare room. Everything was in great shape by 3:30. They got to our house around 7, and we had dinner. John and Laura cooked dinner--bacon-wrapped meatballs, homemade pasta sauce, and spaghetti. It was very yummy, and it was nice to not cook for once! John and Laura arrived in York so early on Friday that they checked in to the hotel Friday, so they could nap, rather than waiting until we were ready for them. While I was disappointed, at least we have a very clean house now! On Saturday, we went to breakfast and a gun show. After the gun show, we all headed back to the house, and Mac gathered up several guns so we could head to the range. We shot handguns first, then ri...

It's been so long since I've found the time to write a blog entry! I apologize, but lately, I've been so exhausted that the thought of adding one more thing to my to do list causes me to shudder! My mother is coming to visit this weekend, for the Best Kept Secrets of Berks County Tour. I feel like the house is a disaster (it isn't, but it isn't as clean as I'd like it for company), I'm sure I forgot something when packing my bags for tonight, and I know I'm running on less sleep than I'd like for having to drive and be awake until 10 or 11 tonight! I guess this is where coffee will be welcome! I'm looking forward to having my mother visit, even if I'm stressing about the house! It'll be nice for her to have a weekend away from home, and we'll have a blast! We're staying in Reading tonight, so we can get an early start tomorrow without having to wake up at some horribly early hour! We'll head back home tomorrow, after shopp...

I know I don’t spend enough time praising Mac, or thanking him, as in the day-to-day efforts of being DINKS, maintaining the house, taking care of the dogs, and doing rescue transports, things like saying thank you often fall to the wayside. I try to always thank him, but I know I can do better. Likewise, I know far too often, I don’t sing his praises!  He starts his workday before I start mine, as he works four, ten-hour days, yet since we’ve been married, I’ll wake up with him, and I’ll take care of getting coffee ready and packing his lunch. I’m a light sleeper, so it’s not a huge issue that I take care of the coffee and his lunch. I feel like I’m sending him off with a solid meal and his daily coffee, and I know he appreciates it. He routinely thanks me, but lately, he’s taken to cleaning out the coffeemaker before bed, rinsing it out, throwing out the old coffee, and placing a new filter into the basket. He never tells me that he took care of it, so it’s always a ...

It's been ages since I've posted, and I apologize, but things have been rather interesting, in a good way! In October, shortly before I left for my first real vacation in 3 years, I decided it was time to look for a new job. I posted my resume on October 14, and had an interview before I left for vacation on October 17. I returned from vacation on October 25, and on October 28, agreed to an interview with another company. I interviewed on November 1, and received a job offer on November 4. I accepted, and started my new position on November 18! I'm loving it!!! I am working longer hours, but I'm loving it, so I don't mind. However, it's why I've not posted an update in ages. I'm still attending Dream Dinners and enjoying it. My January session was yesterday, and I'm anxious to try some of the new meals. My February and March orders are scheduled, and in March, my Eastern Star chapter is hosting a Dream Taste event. I'm so excited to share it wi...

I've been volunteering with an organization for years, and have enjoyed it quite a bit, although at times, my volunteer and work activities seem to clash. I've been swamped at work. I've been working overtime and on weekends, and quite frankly, am looking forward to only having two rescue transports, a wine tasting and pig roast, rehearsal for Eastern Star, and lunch with a friend this weekend. I should add that I'm taking Friday off, as I needed to try to squeeze in Dream Dinners at some point and I simply could not find the time in the next week or so to do that without taking Friday off from work! I'd expressed my schedule to those in charge at the volunteer organization, and had been assured that they understood that work was my first priority. Unfortunately, no one there seems to recognize this, as they keep asking me to do things, and then only after I've completed it and pointed out that I've been swamped, have I received the response of, "Oh, ...

A few months ago, I took my car to Monro for an oil change, tire rotation, and flat tire fix. It was simple enough, or so I thought. On Friday, Mac and I were out and about, stopping at Costco, September Farm Cheese, and Dream Dinners. At Costco, Mac ventured out to the car while I completed a comment card about their switch to Pepsi at their snack bar. As I walked out of the store, he was backing the Jeep out of our parking spot. While he was doing that, I heard a pop, and figured it was simply the suspension, so I didn't mention it to him. He heard the same thing at September Farm Cheese while backing out, but he too thought it was the suspension, and didn't mention it to me. On Saturday, we dashed out to run a few errands, including picking up beer and dog food. We were headed out to the sportsmen's club for their annual corn roast, and then Mac was going to camp there, while I continued home with the dogs to visit with my parents. As we were headed back home after our...

On Saturday, Mac and Seth went to the range for a few hours while I cleaned and cooked dinner. I also had a quick grocery shopping trip so we could enjoy dessert as well. I prepared the Dream Dinners Crispy Coconut Chicken with Jasmine Rice, along with a side of mixed veggies, salad, and apple pie for dessert. The Crispy Coconut Chicken was extremely easy to prepare, as I simply tossed each piece of chicken into the Ziploc bag with the coconut and panko bread crumbs, shook the bag, and then removed the chicken from the bag. I placed it onto a cookie sheet that I'd covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Once I'd added all six pieces of chicken, I topped it with the extra coconut and bread crumbs. I baked it for 15 minutes, while the apple pie was baking, and cooked the rice and veggies. Mac and I really enjoyed the chicken, and Seth was impressed with it. I'd mentioned the concept of Dream Dinners to Seth and his wife before, so perhaps now th...

I really always try to just roll with the punches and not worry about if plans change. It’s not always easy, but I try. Mac and I have been planning a hunting trip to Wyoming. I’ve not had a real vacation from work in a few years, and I was definitely looking forward to having some time off of work and being disconnected from a computer and cell phone out in the wilds of Wyoming. Mac and his father go every year, driving out and back, and this year, I was going to fly out and join them, before driving back across the country with Mac. I was doing this to save a bit of vacation time. They were going to take separate vehicles, but follow each other. My parents were going to watch the kibblers, as that would save us the cost of boarding them, and I trust my parents to take good care of them. Last night, Mac talks to my FIL about the trip, and my FIL says, “Financially, it makes more sense for you to ride out to Wyoming with me, and for Wendy to fly out and back.” As the story continues,...