Splurges… Friday Fun…

I was talking with one of my customers this week about the things we will splurge on and the things we wont.

She was asking me about my hairdresser. The hairdresser that I went to 6 months ago and got my hair cut for the first time in 5 years. It was a wonderful experience, he is the perfect mix of personable and professional and gave me exactly what I asked for. He used about 4 different pair of scissors to cut my hair and he styled it perfectly. Then took the time to show me alternative ways to wear it. It was everything I had hoped for. Honestly after he was done I felt like I needed a cigarette.

The crazy thing is that, while I loved that experience, I just find myself being too… oh let’s call it frugal (instead of cheap) to splurge on routine cuts and colors. Or for that matter manicures or pedicures. I’ll admit that there is a part of me (being a woman and all) that feels guilty about not doing these things for myself, and I’m sure if I did do them some of those hard mirror days might not be so hard.

(Sidebar here… I do realize that a cut and color is not going to take the place of or cover up the lack of exercise and healthy living. Those two things are still a struggle for me to get enough of what I should…. I’m going to go make a green smoothie right after this post!!!)

Now, I don’t want you to get the impression that I walk around looking like a hairy gorilla with dirty nails and toes. That’s not the case at all. I mean I do shave my legs, and I paint my toe nails, and I color my own hair (sometimes successfully). I just find these things to be “doable” for me. Does it look as good? That would be a big fat NO. But, I look ok. The ZMan thinks I’m beautiful (he says so anyway, and it’s not just when he is wanting something) so I believe him, and that’s what matters to me the most.

However, having stood on this soap box for the last 5 minutes claiming to be this frugal smugal woman of sensibility…. Did I tell you that I now have about $326.52 worth of olive oil and aged balsamic vinegars in my pantry. No, it’s not huge vats of olive oil and vinegar, the volume is much less. It’s approximately 10 bottles the size of a regular wine bottle. (which used to be 750 ml I’m not sure anymore because I’ve graduated to the large bottles and the boxes) 😉

Anyway, I digress, but isn’t that the point of a blog? HA!

It got me thinking about the things we’ll splurge on and the things we wont. Now, I’m certainly not passing judgement on anyone who goes for weekly pedicures, I just happen to be the type of girl who gets one once a year.

It’s just that I can not press my own olives into a beautiful oil, or age my own vinegars into a thick, rich, sweet balsamic vinegar.

I suppose the point of my post might be that I certainly would if I could. But the chances of the ZMan and I owning a vineyard in Napa valley growing our own grapes and olives is very slim. Oh, how I would love that! But it’s still unlikely. So, I’ll keep buying my good olive oils and vinegars and be happy that I can.

And tomorrow I’ll be going by Sally’s Beauty Supply to pick up hair color to color my hair this weekend, because I have a very special wedding to attend next weekend, and the roots are a little too prominent right now.

What do you splurge on? I’d love to know.

Tonight is pizza and beer night for me and the ZMan. I think it’ll be a ham and pineapple pizza tonight. YUM!

I hope you have a fun Friday and lovely weekend.

Just a little something pretty for you 🙂

Y’all Take Care!

Lori

The BEST Steaks!!!

The ZMan and I are big venison eaters. We have a freezer full of venison. We consider it to be the best organic, free range meat we can get, and we love it.

However, I will admit that every now and then we also like a big thick juicy grilled steak. Like these….

A friend of the ZMan gave him two grain fed prize steer t-bone steaks and we grilled them last weekend.

I have to tell you I don’t think I have ever had a better steak in my life. I thought the steaks I bought at the store were good, but man oh man these were perfect. So tender you really didn’t even need a knife, and the flavor was Outstanding!!!!!

I am going to try to get my hands on more of these for the freezer to have on hand for when we do want one.

I love it when you get a chance to try something new and then love it.

Thanks to the ZMan’s friend for the wonderful steaks!!!!

Oh Yea Baby we cleaned the bone!!!

But, now I’m spoiled for good meat!

Y’all Take Care!!!

Lori

Friday Fun… Oh My!

I hope you’ve had a good week.

Here in Virginia we did have a warm weather week, however the rain and cooler temperatures are coming back in for the weekend and next week. YAY, NOT!!!

This weeks warmer weather did allow for some of the flowers to pop out, like these.

And, the warmer weather got the ZMan in the garden planting radishes, cauliflower and beets.

This weekend we are going to hopefully get our potatoes and cabbages planted.

I’ll also do a bit of spring cleaning this weekend. Windows, baseboards and floors… oh my!

Last Friday for our pizza night I attempted a deep dish pizza that turned out pretty darn good.

See….

Now, if I’m being honest the motivation behind this pizza was simply that I wanted to use my toaster oven instead of the conventional stove oven to cook it.

Save electricity = save money.

But hey, I’m glad my frugal ways kicked in because it was one of our best homemade pizzas ever!

It was so good, we’ll be having it again tonight.

I hope you have a fun Friday and a lovely weekend!

Y’all Take Care!

Lori

PS: After noticing my stove top in yesterday’s post picture, I can see that I need to “scrub” it this weekend too. Oh My 😉

Grilling Chicken

The weather is beautiful today and in the mid 70’s which means I’m going to grill out tonight. Which also means I’ll be beating my chicken tonight, just like this….

All you need is some kind of heavy object. A small pan would work too. I prefer using my rubber hammer that I actually stole from the Z Man’s work bench. Ssshhhh 🙂

Put the chicken breast in a ziplock bag and have at it.

Really whack it! It’s kind of fun actually in a therapy kind of way, but much cheaper, trust me I KNOW!!!!

By beating the meat it creates the same thickness across the whole chicken breast, which means that it will cook evenly.

You know how chicken breast are thicker on one side, well by the time that side cooks the rest of the breast is dry.

Dry breast is not what I want.

After you beat the chicken, throw some seasoning on it, which I most often just use salt and pepper.

Toss it on the hot grill and cook it till the juices run clear.