HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

Just because I found  humor in this, I totally copied this from an e-mail that my cousin sent to me.  It's not as if I'm going to follow this advice, although  I do like the one about the gravy!  No, I'm going to stick with my program as much as possible. 

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS


1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnogoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!


3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.


4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.


5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?


6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.


7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.


8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards, dude!!


10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:


"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"


Have a great holiday season!!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas !!!

Texas Tuesday December 7, 2010

Hello everybody!  It seems like forever since we've had a Texas Tuesday come around, but I guess it's because of the hustle and bustle of the holidays being upon us.  I was glad to make it through Thanksgiving before starting to concentrate on Christmas. So much to do, so little time. But I love these posts - they keep my creative spirit alive and well and that makes me challenge myself to do more and better.  Thank you all for being my compadres in this great tradition we've started. 

I've been thinking that we Texans never get to see much fall color unless we take a drive to Lost Maples.  Around here we have cedar, live oak, and Spanish oaks in the majority, with an occasional madrone or redbud.  The cedars and oaks never seem to put on a show, but ever so often, the Spanish oaks will pull out all the stops and provide us with some decent fall colors to admire along the hills.  They seem to hide all their glory until the last minute, then when you least expect it they pop out in beautiful gold and burnt orange and an occasional red.  Luckily this is one of those times. 

My card today is my own interpretation of our Texas fall colors.  I selected a Bazzill card base in a sort of beige tone, then decorated it with a rosette of a orange patterned cardstock surrounded by leaves that resemble our fall foliage.  Since Christmas is right around the proverbial corner, I selected "believe" as my sentiment, stamped in Memento Potter's Clay.  Simple, easy, and a fun reminder of what Fall is like in the Hill Country. 

I almost decided not to close this post on such a somber note, but I wanted to remind you that today is the 59th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  I was lucky to have been able to visit the magnificent island of Oahu a few years ago and one of the must-sees on my list was the Arizona Memorial. The memorial has fascinated me since childhood.  I was awestruck by the serene calm that exists there now as I thought about all of the souls that were lost on that long ago day.  Evidence of the attack can still be seen and the great ship still weeps oil.  Seeing floral tributes strewn on the water brought tears.  Please take a moment today to remember our brave fighting forces of yesteryear and those who serve today. 

Thanks for stopping by.