Puzzles

I love to fix puzzles and my husband, bless his heart, searches each Christmas to find one that will puzzle me.
This year he found one at the Game store at the mall. It had me addicted. It was one of those 2 sided ones with the same picture on front and back only rotated 90 degrees.

I put some banana bread in the oven and sat down to put a few pieces in and before I know it the buzzer went off for the bread to be done.
After accusing Mike of messing with the timer I realized that I actually sat there for 40 minutes and did not put ONE piece in. I was so deep in concentration I didn't know what time it was.

To say the least I loved this puzzle and I did manage to get it done.
TA DA!!!

Mac n Cheese

I had some ribs in the crock pot and I was looking for something to serve with it and went looking in the pioneer woman cookbook.
I found her recipe for Mac n Cheese. I love Mac n Cheese. I would consider it one of my top "comfort" food. (OK, Why do they call it comfort food when you eat way too much and end up un-comfort-able?)

It's one of Bryan's favorites too. When he was growing up I would make mac n cheese and add other things and call it a casserole. Ham, Bacon, Broccoli, cauliflower, hot dogs. I liked it with vegetables, Bryan's favorite was always tuna.

It was a great side dish for my ribs for our dinner and a movie night. (Angels & Demons - I didn't think I would, but I really liked this movie)

And once again I had plenty of leftovers.

Beat Aunt Karen

Several years ago I had a contest with my two nephews, Andy and Jon, to see if they could beat my bowling scores each week. Both were in leagues back then. I just ran across the spreadsheet that Andy had set up. Most of the time I would win (not all, but most).

My bowling has been slipping in the last few years and my bowling teammate and niece Cheryl's has been soaring. I kept telling Cheryl that some day she would have a higher average than me. She would just smile.

Well folks it took her 10 years, but next week SHE will have a higher average than me.

I was so happy when she decided to bowl with me on Thursday night.


I was very excited to be her partner when we won the 600 club doubles tournament.
I love when we travel to our getaway bowling weekends.
I was very proud of her when she won the Illinois State Woman's tournament.

But I the most proud of her when she kicks my a**.


Cheryl = 161
Karen = 160
Bowling with a friend = priceless.

AHHH Retirement

Mike: Hey Karen, What are you doing today?
Karen: Nothing.
Mike: Isn't that what you did yesterday?
Karen: Yeah, but I wasn't done yet.

Not really folks, but it's a nice thought. I am actually in the process of tearing apart our 1/2 bath off our bedroom. The vanity is stuck in the 80's and it's painted WHITE with a border.
I know about time! We've been here 5 1/2 years.

Lateral meniscus

Mike had to go and get a complex tear in this part of his knee. Now I don't get to go to Orlando for a softball tourney and soak up some sun watching men (some hot, some not so hot) playing softball.

Mike joined the new LA Fitness in So.Elgin right around the corner from us. He wanted to work out with a trainer so when the guy asked him "Let me see what You got!" he jumped on the treadmill and started running. His knee didn't like it too much.

He went to the doc and his MRI showed "sever tricompartmental osteoarthritis with a moderate joint effusion and a complex tear involving the lateral meniscus."

Surgery is not an option right now, his knee is too swollen. He is on drugs right now. He goes back in 3 weeks to assess his progress. In three weeks I should be packing and worrying about how not look to fat or too white in my shorts.
Oh well - he is the one in pain and I can always visit the tanning salon if I want to get tan.

The Doctor did say that he is a prime candidate for knee replacement - no surprise there - His sister had both of her knees replaced and his brother Jack is having one of his done 1/25.

Pages 126 & 127

It's the weekend. It's cold outside. We have nothing on the agenda but a Netflix movie (Public Enemies).
What do I make for dinner? Hello Karen! New cookbook!

When I heard that Pioneer Women had a cookbook coming out, that went right to the top of my Christmas list. Well, Mike must of been paying attention and bought it for me. Shout out to Mary too, Bryan tells me that she had the same idea.

I found the perfect thing to make on pages 126 & 127 - Chicken Pot Pie.
I had all the ingredients in my cupboards, except heavy cream, and Mike was more that happy to go the store for it. I'm sure his mouth was already watering.

I also used her recipe for the pastry pie crust. (pages 128 & 129)

It turned out really, really good. Definite Do Over!

Just two things I noticed - her recipes are definitely NOT low cal. and you make enough to serve a family of six. I froze the leftovers for later.

One other thing - if a recipe says optional (in this case white wine) I seriously think they mean for you to add it. So we opened a bottle of wine, I used 1/4 cup in the pot pie and not letting anything go to waste, we drank the rest of the bottle with dinner.

I love the Pioneer Womens' website and her low down of all her recipes. Well, this cookbook is also full of pictures and stories of her husband, Marlboro Man, and her 4 kids. Worth reading all on it's own. I can't wait to try another recipe.

HEY - Who is in charge here?

If you were at the white house it would be Barrack Obama.
If you were at the North Pole it would be Santa.
If you were at my house it would be a toss up.

And if you were at the Elgin Country Club Golf Course that would be my nephew, Jon.

WOO HOO!!!!!
Jon was promoted to Head Golf Pro at the Elgin Country Club.
A big fat Kudos to him. He is sooo deserving and I know he will do a great job. I am so proud of him. He has come along way from using his pitching wedge to hit frogs in the ponds of Myrtle Beach to using it to teach country club memebers how to chip up onto a green and one putt.

Now Jon - Mike wants to know if you can get him tickets to the golf show and I want to know if you are hiring? :)

Here is the announcement sent to all Elgin Country Club Members.
Jon Duppler Promoted

After careful deliberation, the Board and General Manager Jim Capek are announcing that Jon Duppler, Elgin Country Club First Assistant Golf Professional, is promoted to Head Golf Professional. Jon, a native of Elgin, has been on the Club’s golf staff for the past 5 golf seasons. Jon is a graduate of Carolina Coastal where he attained his degree in Marketing and Golf Management. We are fortunate to have a deserving professional on our staff who has developed from an intern to a Class A PGA Professional under Scott Sandfort’s leadership. Jon is well respected by the Membership and Staff.

Congratulations Jon!

Band Wagon

I hate fans who do this.
BUT, I have jumped on the bandwagon and joined Mike in watching his beloved Blackhawks.

I remember growing up and watching the Hawks with my brother. We had 1 TV in the house and Dad had control over what we watched.
Lester got a TV for his bedroom and Sharen and I would sit on his bed with him eating popcorn and watching the Hawks. I'm not sure if it was the hockey or just spending time with our big brother that we enjoyed the most.

Mike has always loved hockey from playing as a kid on the fox river to watching his son play goalie in high school. Lately he holds up in his basement and catches most of the games on TV (thank you, Rocky Wirtz).
Unlike his following of the Cubs and Bears he thinks the Hawks are going to win every game and watches until the bitter end. Occasionally his son Brian would join him. I'm upstairs watching something else, but every time I hear screaming from the basement I will switch over to the hockey game and find myself watching it too. Yes I got hooked! (2 minute penalty - get it? - 2 minutes for hooking)

I still haven't joined Mike on Tuesdays when he watches the games at the Moose Lodge because it's on Versus and we don't get that here, but I did buy me my first Blackhawk apparel.

What kind of Hockey wife would I be if I didn't dress the part?

How Do You Say Goodbye?

When I married Mike I knew that he had a friend in Bobby. Bobby worked at the city with Mike and trained him when he first started. Somewhere along the way that friend became mine too.
I loved to golf with him - First because he didn't take the game to seriously and second because he lived by my motto "Hands before hips and beer on the lips"
Our first foursome in the kane Co. Police Chiefs outing 1989. I was Bobby's riding partner and when I got out to use the port-a-potty he pulled the cart up to the door so I couldn't get out. That day I taught him how to chip with a 7 iron instead of his wedge from off the green. He never did get the hang of it, but he kept trying.


Mike planned a surprise 40th birthday party for me and Sharen at Crystal Woods Golf course. He took the day off of work and golfed with us.


He turned me on to Margaritas made with squirt in a Catina in Nogales Mexico.


They had his memorial service on Monday in Green Valley, AZ and of course we couldn't go. We sent flowers, but I wanted to be there and hug Sue and tell Bobby stories. I have talked with her a few times since Christmas and I asked her if Bobby knew that we loved him and she assured me that there was no doubt about that.

He bowled with us in a Saturday night league and with Mike in his Thursday night league until he moved to AZ. So tonight I am going to sit in the bar at Bowlway, where we threw back copious amounts of beer, and have one more and say goodbye to Bobby, my friend.

Can U believe?

That I have a grandson that is 10. Well I do!
Dylan's birthday party celebration was Saturday and I had a brain cramp and forgot the camera. I was more concerned with the Buffalo Chicken Dip I made.
I had this at our bowling Christmas party and knew that the family would like it too. They did!

Here is a picture I took at lunch on Tuesday Dec.29. His real birth date.

Bryan and Mary joined us and on the way home we stopped at Mott's in Burlington. As many times as I have been by that bar and the stories I have heard about it from my nephews, Andy and Jon, I have never been in the place.
It was Mary's first visit too. It was larger that I thought, maybe because it wasn't crowded. The bartender was very friendly and gave me $5 to play some music. Mary and I played the songs that are up for consideration at their reception. Mary & Father - Me & Bryan - and Bryan & Mary's, should be interesting.

Happy New Year

Our 2009 ended like most other years and that is with dinner with our best friends, the Dup's at Applebees (thanks for the gift card, Jon). Then we headed on over to the movies and saw "Up in The Air". I had no idea that it was about people losing their jobs. It wouldn't of mattered though we all liked it very much.
We got there and the theater was full we ended up sitting in the second row looking up. The last time I sat that close I think it at the Grove or Crocker in high school and on purpose.

Every time George Clooney traveled to a city they flashed it on the screen and I would whisper to Mike.
Wichita - Got drunk there!
Kansas City - Got drunk there!
Detroit - Got drunk there!
Milwaukee - Got drunk there!
Tulsa - Could of got drunk there but my back put me on the disabled list that year.
Las Vegas - Got drunk there!
Ya really have to love them bowling tournaments...
San Francisco - Got drunk there, but that was with you!


The new year started out with breakfast of banana pancakes made on my new electric griddle.


I'm sure it will come into good use when I do my "Julie & Julia" impersonation with my new "Pioneer Woman" cookbook.