Looking for the Blog Worthy ~It’s Been Nine Days Since my Last Post

My days have all been the same...

Physical Therapy, House Chores, Crafting

When I haven’t posted to my blog for a while,

I look at my camera to see what photos I’ve taken...

and then, I know where my time has gone.

Most of the photos are of our cat and 

of what we’ve prepared for dinner.

We’ve had plenty of rain here in this neck of the woods.

Our plants out front are thriving!

There have been a few breaks in the wet weather,

enough for Hubby to grill something for dinner.

I graduated from Physical Therapy this week.

We enjoyed some live jazz music at The Ward.

Always a great way to kick off the weekend.

Saturday is Bison Game Day.

This week our Football Food was Super Nachos.

As you know, I like to make our own Taco Seasoning,

so I can limit the amount of salt in my diet.

Aren’t the spice colors pretty?!

OMG, Lizzie, GET DOWN!

I had my back turned while I mixed up the taco seasoning.

I have never seen her do this before...and I hope I never see it again!

So...I saved the Taco Meat, 

and we enjoyed Nachos with all our favorite toppings.

Here’s Lizzie staying calm and watching the game with Scott.

Another weekend highlight was 

a little FaceTime with Amy and Jack.

Hubby has perfected our Sunday Brunch of

Hash Browns

Bacon

Egg and Toast

Then, just like that, the weekend’s over,

 and it’s another week of the same routine.

I hope this finds you all dong well.

Make your life Blog Worthy!

Take care,

~Natalie

Where the Weekend Went ~Lots of Rain ~Live Jazz Music ~Great Friends ~Bison Football ~Good Food

It has rained here for three days straight.

We have had about 4 inches of rain in this area.

(I saw it on Facebook so it must be official, right?!)

No complaints here, it was a nice gentle rain.

Our thoughts are with those that have suffered

from the effects of Hurricane Dorian.

We kicked off the weekend with

the Jazz Group playing at the Ward.

This is what it looks like when your hubby is the drummer

and you get there early to set up.

That’s the venue’s owner and the bartender to the right...

I had a choice of the best tables.

The band sounded great...

they hadn’t played together for a while.

Lots of folks came downtown to listen.

We enjoyed visiting with some friends that 

we haven’t seen for a while.

Saturday was Game Day...NDSU vs. UND.

The oldest Football Rivalry in ND History. 

We did house chores early so we could be ready for kick off.

Lizzie was in her Game Watching Chair early...

Then hubby and I joined her,

But not before preparing Football Snacks.

A favorite...Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders.

I cut strips of Chicken Breast and coated them with seasoned flour.

The second bowl is olive oil and garlic.

The last bowl is Panko Bread Crumbs,

Parmesan Cheese, and Herbs.

If you would like the recipe, look for it on my Pinterest Page.

With these in the oven, I could focus on a new recipe...

Homemade Mac & Cheese Bites.

Stir the Roux so it doesn’t scorch.

Once it bubbles and is slightly thickened,

you can add the sharp cheddar, cream cheese,

and an egg for binding.

Bake in a mini muffin tin.

Here are the Chicken Tenders with a little dipping sauce.

Here are the Mac & Cheese Bites with a Fresh Basil garnish.

Lizzie was soon bored with the game.

But we Bison Fans had plenty to cheer about.

I hope your favorite team won.

Take care,

~Natalie

Monday Memories ~On This Date

 

January 29, 2013

It was perhaps the coldest day of that winter, five years ago.

We had received word that my mother had fallen and  broken her hip.

Because she was 92 years old and had heart problems, 

she was considered a high risk patient,

so was transfered to the hospital in Grand Forks.

It was cold in Aberdeen, but even colder in Grand Forks.

Not knowing how long I would be gone, 

I prepared several lessons for the substitute teacher.

January 29, 2012

Fitness for Life students were studying proteins

and learned the art of making a homemade breakfast burrito.

January 29, 2014

This was the year I had broken both of my wrists.

On this day, 

I had received the clearance to leave my soft splints at home.

To celebrate, hubby bought a new watch for me.

I had not worn a watch or a bracelet for nearly four months!

January 29, 2015

I enjoyed making a crockpot of soup for my knitting club.

Hubby had a new bag for his cymbal hardware,

and Callie needed to break it in.

Boston received that record snowfall.

Emily and Jake were coping with that mess.

January 29, 2016

Everyone needs some extra motivation 

to get through the long month of January.

We enjoyed some Friday Night Jazz at the Brass Kettle.

This was before their big rennovation.

 .

January 29, 2017

We took a break from our Saturday errands

and enjoyed some appetizers at Mavericks.

These are their delicious Moo Shu Egg Rolls

January 29, 2018

I was up at 5:30 this morning.

This was the view of the moon from our patio.

The official Super Blue Blood Moon Happening is not until the 31st.

Today, I eavesdropped on this conversation.

I told them that their secrets were safe with me.

I hope you had a marvelous Monday!

Take care,

~Natalie

Thanksgiving Week in Boston ~Zildjian Cymbal Factory Tour ~A Highlight

While in Boston, we enjoyed time being tourists.

Emily pulled some strings to arrange a tour of

The Zildgian Cymbal Factory.

You do not need to be a musician 

to enjoy this tour.

The lobby is a showcase.

Check out this Beatles drumset...

That's Ringo's signature!

Some of us are old enough to remember their first appearance 

on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.

The latest technologies...

who thinks of these things?!

Our tour guide was excellent.

We learned so much about the Zildjian family

and the history of their company.

If you are there to shop for cymbals,

the options are endless

depending on the sound you are looking for...

I mean *listening* for.

Jake is a drummer, like my hubby,

so he knew just the right questions to ask.

This sound booth was amazing.

There were dials on the wall...

first, we imagined ourselves in a small studio,

then a recital hall,

an auditorium,

a large cathedral,

and then, if you were playing for halftime at the Superbowl.

I, seriously, just stood there with my eyes closed.

With each change of the dial,

our tour guide played his cymbal 

and took us to each of those places!

The Buddy Rich display.

The drummers' studio.

Our next stop on the tour, was the factory itself.

No photos allowed,

however, we did see each step in the process

from the meltdown of their secret formula of metals

to the bright, shiny, perfectly shaped cymbal on the right.

We finished our tour with the Zildjian Wall of Fame.

If you are vacationing in the Boston area,

this 90 minutes is well worth your time.

It was one of my week's highlights.

Thank you, Zildgian, for your fine hospitality.

Take care,

~Natalie