FEROCIOUS women model their FABULOUS Brenda-Tie-Wear

FEROCIOUS!

When I was growing up down there in Raleigh, NC, I had a Chinese American friend named Brenda Tie.....one of the funniest, most interesting people I knew. We probably knew each other since Junior High times but became good friends in high school, and then were part of the same zany group of friends....FOMAS....Future Old Maids of America, when we were in college.

For several years I worked in the restaurant that her parent's owned, the Canton Cafe. (Where I told many customers that, no, I wasn't really Chinese. Or sometimes when they commented that I didn't look Chinese, I'd assure them that indeed I WAS. Hahaha, still makes me laugh).

Anyway, I kept up with Brenda many years after that too, sometimes seeing her when I went back to Raleigh to visit my parents.

Oh! And plus! PLUS! Brenda was one of the friends that invented the High-Five with me!

When my own girls were little, we lived in the woods of Virginia far far away from the leading edge of style and fashion. Besides that, we were more rough and tumble types....sneakers, hiking boots, blue jeans, corduroy....nothing fancy. And really knew nothing of leopard print.

At that time, Brenda's family, she has a husband and daughter, lived in Atlanta. Though certainly not NYC, it definitely far outpaced our neck of the woods, fashion-wise.

Our families exchanged Christmas cards for many years. They always sent those cards with a photo of their family. One year the card came with Brenda and her daughter completely decked out in leopard print. My daughters...and me...were completely boggled and amazed by all that leopard. We'd never seen the like of any such thing! Certainly not in Shifflet's Hollow, or Free Union or even in Charlottesville. We were completely in awe of this fashion statement. And thus it became known in our family as Brenda-Tie-Wear.

Anytime we'd see leopard print, we'd always point it out...."there goes some Brenda-Tie-Wear!" It was exciting......whenever we saw it.

We've made Brenda-Tie-Wear a part of our vocabulary, sometimes giving one another leopard print just for the joke of it.

About a week before Christmas this year, Steve and I were in Target having a fairly important and serious conversation with someone when we both spotted it at the same time. A whole display of Brenda-Tie-Wear! Hats! Mittens! Scarves! We could barely contain ourselves and strained not to go dashing right over, though in the end managed to maintain composure like grown-ups are suppposed to do.

Oh the joy! The whole rack was on sale too. 40% off. Bonanza! So we bought 7 pairs of mittens and 7 hats. One of those sets was for me. Yes, I wrapped my own hat and mittens and put them under the tree for myself. I didn't want to be left out of this very exciting Brenda-Tie-Wear moment. And yes, Curly Shirley, Steve's mom got mittens and a hat too. Of course.

I mean, really, don't we all look just so cute......uh, uh, FEROCIOUS!

Stylin' ferocious women (from bottom and left to right): Anna, Lucy, Ariel, Gwendolyn (Alyssa's friend), Alyssa, Curly Shirley, and myself.

Hooray for Brenda-Tie-Wear!

Jambalaya Commander's Palace!!!

Alrighty O! Last weekend I made Deb's Jambalaya Commander's Palace. I love this dish. Though the first time I made it, the rice wouldn't cook.....I guess I shoulda put the juice in with the tomatoes after all....and maybe even more juice, stock, water.

The next day I added more stock and some, oh yum!, a little more mysterious Cajun Seasoning (Sazonador Cajun....to be even more exotic) and oh my, oh! this is the flavor of my dreams.

Za! So I would offer this recipe with a few modifications.

Plus it makes a TON. I made half and have had it as leftovers, just Steve and I, twice.....plus two lunches for me. And I'm not tired of it. OH! And I froze some too. Thank goodness. But lots and lots. If you ever have to garrison the platoon at your house, this is the recipe you want to use.

Filling, delicious, and lo-o-o-o-ts! And lots.

If you want any of these recipes, just ask. I have them in a special file folder and can copy them easily. Eventually, I'll put them together in a booklet and boy o boy, will we all be eating well.

Cooking with Joy

Here it is.....the beginning of the long cold dark winter. I am at loose ends, can't figure out what to do with myself. Not ready yet to go back to work. After the busy-ness of the last few months you'd think it would feel good to just relax, but quite honestly, it feels mushy, stewing-in-my-own-juices lazy and too weird.

I need a project!

Oh but, ah......I have a project. One that got off to a great start last year, but then stalled out as other things filled the time and hurriedness took over.

The Joy of Cooking project. I love it! Asking each person I know of their favorite recipe, I will shop, prepare and cook that dish, thinking of them and enjoying the process of cooking with mindfulness.

First recipe this year: Poor Man's Lobster Theridore given to me by Sharon. I DID have to write a threatening ransom-style letter to get this recipe, but it was so worth it.

The dish was easy to make and delicious. I didn't feel poor at all! Richer even!

These are the recipes that I've made so far and I have to say, every one of them is wonderful. I've made them again and a couple have become mainstays. The cool thing is that some of them I'd never try without this project. When given a recipe, I MUST make it, no matter how hard or how exotic the ingredients. And you know what?! Some of those flavor combinations are some I've never experienced. Some of the ingredients I've never heard of either.

Yippee! Back to the project at last.

Enough Stripes?

The 'Not-so-good-at Bocce/Pathetic' group.....

Well, here they are! Drum roll please......bum-bum-bum-bum.....The King and Queen of Pathetic at Bocce! A hearty applause for this couple, Robyn and Marty, who lost all their seeding round games. And not by a little bit either! Ha! They lost one of their games 0-9. Holy mackeral, they were bad. Their goal differential was something like -19. Oh heavens. Well, they excelled at being really bad. Kudos to you Robyn and Marty!

OK, but here's the funniest thing. After studying the boards and seeing that Marty and Robyn were the worst team ever, and needing a third game, the Graffers.....you know, the ones who'd already cleared their mantle for the trophy, that Terry, who'd bought a new shirt for the Championship photos (nice shirt, Terry), the Graffers (on left) begged Marty and Robyn to play them. But then, hahahahaha! LOST to the worst team of the whole tournament. Not by a little either....by a lot....1-9. So much for that spot on the mantle.

Here, they are, pictured with Fran and Denny, who yes, were last year's champs, and yes, who made it into the Championship round by the skin of their teeth.....8th seed. And then proceeded to fall off the cliff. They lost 0-9.....Oh My Gosh! From the stars to the stables as the old Italian saying and insult goes.

These two teams representing the younger crowd both went down in flames! It must be noted that the two Annas placed second in the tournament a few years ago....2nd!, not too shabby. But alas, hmmmm.......guys, what do you have to say about this.....

This could be the cause of it all as far as Anna C. and Tyler were concerned. I've never seen such a lame throw! I'd call it more of a "thunk" release than a throw. This is the form you don't want to take. This is the throw you don't want to perfect. Doesn't work at all.

Here's Gary and Grace (center of photo)....another pathetic team. But we can cut them some slack; it was their first year, they'd never played before etc., etc., etc. Yeah, yeah, those excuses will work for this year, but next year you'll have to work on some different ones.

Yes, Nancy and Tim fell into that shaky area of winning two games, but then falling apart. Too much pressure. When they lost their 3rd game 0-9, well, it was sayonara trophy. I have to say, I think these two sweeties are so cute, they win the "cute couple" award this year.

Well, Bruce, with a wife who got her Bocce chops by learning to play with coconuts, I'd have to say, you don't EVER stand a chance.....unless Rosetta practices up with those cabbages.

Ah the Kumer group, Will, Lorie and Joe plus Nick, oh yes. All that stair-stepping, Lorie.....I guess you need to find more stairs. Will thought he was gonna take it. HA! Oh yes, Bocce is a funny sport. You can train all year long, but a weird bounce, an inconvenient divot.....it's a hard field out there. Next year, guys.....

We think the problem with the Diem "B" Team is all the bubble blowing. I mean, really, how can you focus and concentrate while chewing bubble gum, much less blowing bubbles. The funny thing here, this is another team that won their first two games (not by much) and then lost their third game (by about the same).....causing their goal differential to be....... O my gosh! O man, Cody! What a talented bubble blower! You blew a bubble in the shape of your goal differential.....O! Amazing talent! Whoa! Marcy, for a sporty gal, we're all wondering if you're EVER gonna make it into the final round.....

Hahaha! Oh yeah! This team, George and Kathy, finally won "a" game this year.....after a pathetic season last year. That game gave them hope. That win felt so good, they thought they were on to a win streak. But the streak was short lived. Maybe next year they'll take a couple more. Kathy and George remind me of the Cubbies....haha!....a team that perpetually stays in the cellar but lives with the hope that one day, they'll rise into glory. Could happen, ya never know.

Bocce 2011!

The Winners, The Champions of the Bocce Trophy of Glory, the Winners of all the marbles and the Whole Shebang are: The "A" Team, Ariel and Alyssa! Well done! Such focus, such determination.

Runners up, Close-but-no-cigar, the Diem Dream Team got to the Championship Game with dash and distraction. Brittany's wonderful flash of a lovely smile distracted all competitors. Tim was just determined not to be in the "pathetic" catagory for another year. Good job, Dream Team!

Frankie posting his score. O ho ho, right there, at "ball" level, that cute bulldog, Bert, is poking his muzzle.....full of teeth and slobber....right through the fence....congratulating Frank on his great score and ball tossing. Yiyiyi....yikes!

Mary, the Boot, and Sebastian, give the Lucky Boots their full credit. Sebastian, our French competitor, must think we're all nuts. I mean really.....Those lucky boots got Mary and Sebastian into the Finals, but they only went so far. It's odd, you'd think boots would work best in rainy conditions....

Rosetta and her Mona Lisa smile won the "Best Excuse for Pathetic Play" award by telling the story of learning to play Bocce with coconuts. Hahaha! Heck yeah! That'sa REALLY good excuse. Rosetta, practice with cabbages this year, and maybe eventually, you be able to move into the upper eschelons of Bocce play.

More on bocce to come......

BOCCE BOCCE BOCCE 2010!!

Here they are, the Champions of BOCCE 2010, the King and Queen, Denny and Fran 'Kick-Butt' Hines, BOCCE team extraordinaire!! Congratulations!! What skill! What focus! What concentration! What a lot of trash talk! Fran and Denny, we know that's what really won it for you, the trash talk....

The runners-up, Frank and Chris 'Lucky-Atmospherics' Browns, hey, they were in the zone, it wasn't no lucky fluke this time, they were smokin'!

Haha, and Sharon and John 'I-don't-know-if-we-should-play' Riegels, holy cow, 3rd place! This game takes a LOT of practice....and skill. Maybe they've been practicing on the sly.

Here's what we're all playing for.....Le Grande Trophey of BOCCE, enhanced this year by Kirk, it now has a walnut base, sanded, stained and polished for posterity. It is getting grander and grander every year....and more coveted. Thanks, Kirk, the trophy looks....ahem....professional, at least the base.

Last year's Champs, Amy and Kirk.....going for the 'Cutest Couple' Award. Amy, you ARE so cute. Well, I don't know, Kirk, nice try anyway.....

Now, let's talk about form from our top performers at this year's tourney.....check out Fran, our champ. I think it was the tongue-in-cheek manoever that was the winning ticket.

Denny, that's some kinda weird throw, but hey, you won! So! The off-balance, leg-behind, putzing-it-out-there throw is something to strive for.

Skippity-do-da....the crookedy-leg, more upright throw works for Frankie....

OMG, would ya look at that focus. Chris be the e-pit-o-me of focus and concentration! Talkin' bout the ZONE!

Our 4th place team......the only Roth team (of 4!) of the stacked Roth contingent....Ellen wouldn't allow them to play each other....it was a scheme to return the glory of the BOCCE Trophey to someone in the Roth familia.....Brian and Jean did their best to uphold the tradition....but alas, 4th place is pretty good but no cigar.

This is the inscrutable John Reigel form.....whether he was just standing around or throwin the BOCCE ball, this is the John Riegel form.

OK! Ha! Here's Fran teaching the unsure Sharon how to play BOCCE. Ha! Here is Fran talking trash to Sharon trying to intimidate the already underconfident Sharon. Ha! Here is Fran telling Sharon she's gonna Kick Her Butt!

Sharon's getting her fire up though, that girl can play BOCCE!

Alright! Now Sharon's into! Oh yeah! She loves this feeling of smacking other people's balls out of the way! Sharon loves threading her ball right to the sweet spot. Sharon is on fire now, baby!

The Roth gang.....I LOVE it! The whole fan-damily is there....boyfriends and girlfriends too. Young and not so young. Even though this family had 4! teams entered and the TOP 3 seeds....3 teams that didn't lose one game in the opening round.....they faded to obscurity with only Jean and Brian carrying the torch into the Championship round. Jean and Brian did quite well, making it to the semis....next year, Roths, more friends, a few ringers maybe......

Ahhhhhh.......it was a lovely night! Ahhhhhhhh.......the weather was perfect, the competition sizzling, the cheers of the crowd electrifying. Friends, conversation, laughter....trash talk. The lights, hey, we could almost see in the final rounds this year. What a glorious night!