stream of conscious

I know I know.  I told you I was going to blog daily and then BAM! I got sucked into vacation mode and then back into reality mode...so here I am. My pictures have yet to be downloaded off the camera, so the Hawaii recap will have to wait for another day.  Until then, let's play,

"What's going on in AnnE's head?"

{sweater and scarf not advised attire while snorkeling...good thing I wasn't actually in the water...how embarrassed would I be?}

I was walking through the dollar store the other day and I kept looking for the prices on items. I was about to walk up to the checker when I read one of the signs on the window with the title of the shop, "Everything's $1" ...and that's when I turned abruptly around and walked the other way.  As it turns out no price tags needed when everything is $1. oops. It sure pays to read the name of the store on your way inside.
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Today, we had a thunderstorm - can I mention the fact that this is only the 2nd thunderstorm since we moved here over 5 years ago?  That's a good precursor to what I thought next...
"Who in the heck is moving all that furniture upstairs?"
... We live on the top floor.  We don't have neighbors above us... this might also tell you how much I love living in a multifamily dwelling... clearly I've had enough, even the imaginary neighbors are driving me crazy.
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I recently opened a Twitter account.  I have no idea what to do with it though.  Funny, I can grasp the idea of rambling on a blog but I feel as if I'm going to have stage fright with only 140 characters.
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While in Hawaii we planned to snorkel - (hence the picture above of me practicing wearing my goggles in the middle of Dick's Sporting Goods.)   As it turns out, I get panic attacks (who knew?! not me) but only when the waves are hitting me, goggles are on and there's a snorkel in my mouth...and fish nearby. Yep, I was all good until my thoughts swam into my brain and told me that I could indeed have a fish swim up next to me.  Once I had that thought, I couldn't shake it and I made a bee line for the shore.  Once settled, I did actually go back out into the water with a floaty (stop picturing arm floaties, please!...it was actually one of those swimsuits with the life jacket built in - kidding! it was an inner tube...and I was a lifeguard in college, so I shouldn't be too frightened about the water) and no snorkel...it was the snorkel not the fish that set off the panic attack.
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I read 4 books while in Hawaii. This is a serious accomplishment people! I never used to read that much.  I'd like to thank the iPhone for letting me borrow library books on you so that I can stay awake until the wee hours reading on you and not keep Mike awake with a book light.  My eye sight probably doesn't thank you, however.  BUT, the Keurig machine is loving you, I just need my 2 cup jolt in the morning and I'm good for another day.
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While we're talking books - the cutest book I've read in a while, which was described to me as "Devil wears Prada" meets Wall Street was Bond Girl by Erin Duffy. Super fast and easy read but cute...especially if you had close ties to the Financial Industry and the super fun melt down of 2008.

yum!

We aren't typically a Pinot house. Clearly, you know this if you've read our infatuation with the California Cabs or Zins. However, this Pinot was absolutely fantastic AND it went perfectly with our favorite homemade Saturday night dinner - Shrimp & Pasta (the recipe's scientific term is shrimp pasta in a foil package.)  Seriously the best meal I've ever made. Run, don't walk, to The Pioneer Woman's website and get this recipe.  Amazing. Delish and so so so easy. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/12/linguine-with-shrimp/

Funny story, for 28 and 5/6th years, I thought I was allergic to shrimp. To prove it, every time I tried shrimp, I threw up, so the only logical cause and effect is that I was allergic to the crustacean.  But what I didn't tell you (and didn't realize myself), was that the only time I tried shrimp was on spring break in Florida.  I burned to a crisp every year on our trip to Ft. Myers and when I say burn, I mean BURNED - vanilla yogurt on my face to cool down the heat radiating off of my skin burn. (and yes, I have learned my lesson, sunscreen is now my friend.  I also married Sunscreen's #1 Fan.)  As a kid, it was always on the day that I became 7 shades redder that I tried shrimp and then immediately threw up in a bush. Yes, a bush.  I have no idea why but it was always a bush. So, you tell me, wouldn't you say, "Well, clearly you are allergic!"

Fast forward until last year when Mike, his coworker and I went to Vic Stewart's restaurant in Walnut Creek and we got prawns.  They were To. Die.For.  I loved them and would have ordered 7 more platefuls.  AND then I called my mom to tell her how great the prawns were...which is when I learned that:

prawns = shrimp

Huh? who knew?

Obviously not this Minnesota girl that just recently moved to the meca of all things crustacean.  Now that I know that I won't throw up seafood in a bush, a whole new can of worms has been opened. I love Cioppino - San Fransisco's take on Clam Chowder (only so much better).  There's a place on Belden Place that serves a mean Cioppino, but that's another day.

Another day that I need to go eat it so that I can take a picture and show you the bountiful goodness. 

After all this babble talk about food, I almost forgot about the wine. This pinot, Bernardus, is from Monterey County.  We were given this as a gift from a friend that used to live in Monterey, (the UPS guy is my favorite person in the WHOLE world when he drops off a wine delivery!), this was her favorite vineyard, and now I completely understand why.  The pinot was deliciously light but still had enough spice and punch to satisfy our bold needs in a glass of wine.   This wine was enough for me to open my eyes to Pinot.  Pinots have sold me a lot more lately. Ok one more. The reserve tasting room at Chateau St. Jean served a good pinot as well.  This wine also sold Mike on the label. He's a sucker for any lion type mythical creature things like the ones on this label. [wine = 3 stars] [lion label = 17.2 stars]

Holy long blog post batman! It's clear that I haven't talked to you much lately and am a bit long winded.  You'll hear more of me, don't you worry, hopefully the posts won't be this long, however there are no guarantees. 

Boy oh boy, I think you should stop reading this now and get on with your day!