To Be Determined

This is how I have titled my trip to Wisconsin last week.  There is so much goodness that I can't come up with some clever, all encompassing phrase.  A phrase that wraps everything into one neat little bow.  This post isn't to give you details of our trip or to bombard you with too many pictures.  I'll do that later.  Nah, ok, now.

Tim made a comment on a photo I posted to Facebook of my sisters and I about how we were Wilson Phillips.  We can sing but never took our show on the road. It's a shame.  We would've been great on a tour bus together.  Not during our growing up years.  One of us would've been dead.  Most likely Leah.  She was the youngest and we pushed her around.  She took it because she had no choice.  We still push her around but now that we're adults we don't mean it and actually feel very apologetic for the way we treated her as a young'n.

Tim's comment opened my eyes a bit to how very, very different each of us truly are.  When I look at a picture of all of us I can't pinpoint 2 sisters that look like each other plain as day.  And we always get various opinions from people.  Some say Liz and I look alike, some say Leah and Liz look alike.  It's very funny.  What do you think?

And then there's the personalities.  I'm not sure how our parents survived.  I'm sure they were quite relieved to have Liz.  She balanced out the crazy between Leah and I.  She was and still is the creme to our oreo.  Two chocolate cookies right on top of each other is a bit much.  But add in the creme and you have a nice balance.  This is also why Liz is the favorite daughter.  Oh mom, don't even start.  Leah and I both know and we're ok with this fact.  Liz is making up for it by taking care of mom and dad when they're older.  Ain't she sweet?

Yours truly was the classic older sibling.  Protective, bossy and mean.  I beat up my sisters, I yelled at people who made fun of them or hurt their feelings and I constantly told them what to do and if they didn't listen I beat them again or told them they were adopted.  Much physical and psychological abuse was administered.  They're tougher.

Leah, oh Leah.  You poor thing.  She took the brunt of our brutalities.  But she played her role as the youngest well.  Was abused, got babied, abused, babied, abused, babied.  Over and over again.  I'd pay for her counseling but I don't like her THAT much.

On our trip all the couples were responsible for a meal each day.  Liz made lasagna, I did a chicken fried steak and Leah made a breakfast casserole.

All of us work very differently but we each have a good work ethic.  One of those positive things we inherited.  Liz is good at prep with a relaxed attitude.  She works ahead, schedules and gets it done.  If something goes awry she brushes it off and moves on.

Leah preps ahead as well but she is tense about it.  Things must be perfect and if they're not we know it.  This is why she makes a good boss.  She is quietly forceful.  But because I know Leah and how emotional she gets, I picture her being all calm and matter of fact and then getting a pillow and screaming bloody murder into the poor thing.  I better buy her a couple of pillows.

I am a mess from the start.  Barely any prep and I'm not calm forceful.  I'm just forceful.  So I flail around a lot.  The good thing is, when I get really pissed I become calm.  Hmmm...

These different characteristics showed in the way we made our dinners and I even overheard my dad talking about this very thing on the last day of our vacation.  Liz had made her sauce ahead of time and all she had to do was make the noodles and bake.  Easy peasy.  Now, if an ant crawls on the counter near her or she thinks she sees a spider much screaming and hyperness will ensue.  And the lasagna was delicious.

Leah made a breakfast casserole she had never made before.  I didn't watch her make it but if she gets upset or impatient it shows but she's not crazy about it.  She just fixes it and moves on.  Awesome casserole.  I need the recipe. SO MUCH CHEESE!

Then there's me.  I always make new recipes, read the full recipe right beforehand and then run around like a chicken with my head cutoff.  I can't help this.  It's a fault but that's how I'll always be.  A headless chicken.  Granted a very pretty one.

I have a friend with 3 girls that often says she hopes her 3 girls end up being as close as my sisters and I are.  Looking at her three I predict they will be.  We sorta couldn't stand each other growing up and now we can't go very long without seeing each other.  It isn't the type of relationship where we talk to each other all of the time.  In fact, I go months without talking to them on the phone but it doesn't matter.  Our hearts are bonded.

But seriously, we are so different.  I am really hoping we're related!

Now I will leave you with the quotes from our trip together:

Sarah - I have the strongest urge to stick jelly belly's up my nose right now

After ignoring the GPS and taking the long way around:
Eric - I like all the new streets!
Sarah - yeah, we've driven them all

Sarah - What are you getting cheese for?
Tim - to eat. What do you do with your cheese?

Liz - I get along with people when I'm tired.  Not so much when I'm awake because then I realize how dumb they are

Sarah - Tim is sorta like a ninja

Eric - {yeah, cause pregnant people can't drive}
Tom to Leah - non pregnant people can't drive

Sarah - Eric, can you feel these for me.  (re. avacados)

Leah to Sarah during UNO: How bout your play the right color?
Sarah - Ohhh, I thought I could play whatever I wanted

Leah - my upper is nicer than my lower

Dad - nobody has won since Sarah went out
Eric - well not when everyone keeps folding
Dad - Chowder head (supposed to be cheese head)

Sarah - What does unique casual dining mean?
Leah - They might as well say nude casual dining

Tim - Leah farts lemons.  Sarah, learn how to fart lemons.

Good night!

Fair Warning

I'll be getting on a plane and traveling this week to the Great North for work and I will be boarding this plane with a cold.  Oh the humanity!  How dare I get on this pressurized aircraft where the germs have nowhere to go but into the nasal cavities of the people around me?  While I showered this morning all of this came to mind.  I do my best thinking in the shower.  Nah, not really.  It's just that the steam of the shower loosens up the congestion in my chest and well I started to ponder my flight and how annoying it is to fly while congested and sick.  Pressure, fluid, ears.  You get my drift.

Airborne has become a standard carry-on for most passengers.  But for the few, like yours truly, that aren't smart enough to know this standard why not blast a warning email.  The airline has each passengers email address.  A simple "hidey ho!  you will be flying with a person who has a cold on your flight 1234 to the Great North.  Please plan accordingly.  Thank you for choosing RipOff Airlines for your travel needs" is all thats needed to prepare the travelers that they need to pick up some Airborne.  Granted, the sicky would need to warn the airline of their plight but it's nice to know that it's an option.  It could even be a checkbox when booking your flight.  Yes, I would like to be notified of sick passengers via phone, email, text and Facebook inbox.  Because honestly, who checks real email anymore?  It's all about Facebook homies.

After coming up with the brilliant email idea I thought about what other possible annoyances we as high and mighty Americans may want to be forewarned about.

A nervous nelly.  I think it might be nice to be told ahead of time that Nelly is going to be death gripping my arm at some point during the flight and I may want to bring along a light sedative to slip into the ginger ale.

The crying baby.  Ear plugs.  We all know the headphones to your media player won't silence the high pitched whine and those noise canceling headphones are expensive.

The talker.  I'm not a conversationalist on a flight.  I am always armed with my book or magazine and music player with headphones.  Even if you happen not to have a music player bring the headphones and put them in without the connection in plain sight.  This way the person thinks you're listening to music.  I suggest bobbing your head every once in awhile for full effect.

The muslim.  Yes, I said it and I'm not freakin racist so lay off.  Most people, if honest with themselves do a double take if they see someone who even looks muslim get on the plane.  I can't help it.  I do it.  My mind goes straight to the Twin Towers.  Sue me.  But if I know ahead of time that a full background check has been completed on everyone and all names have been compared against any Terrorist Watch Lists then I'm cool.  Maybe this already happens and I'm paranoid for no reason at all.

These are my shower thoughts for the day.  What would you like to be forewarned about prior to your mile high trip?

Safe Travels,
Phlegmy

No More Chinese Takeout!

My favorite market grocer has moved into town...Trader Joe's.  Everyone knows my excitement over this and if you don't, then we're obviously not real friends.  Sorry, just stating facts.  I'm going to *attempt* to write one blog post a week regarding something I've tried at Trader Joe's.  It may be something I don't like (shocker) and most of the time it will be things I LOVE and will demand that you try them as well. 


For my first post I'm picking their mandarin orange chicken, brown rice and pot-stickers.  With all of these items it's just not necessary to get Chinese takeout unless you're craving some lo mein or something boring. 


I want to be sure you know what each product looks like so you don't spend too much time wandering around tearing your hair out, which I do often.  This is the Mandarin Orange Chicken.   The orange chicken combo #14 at Lin Garden can't touch it.

With any good chinese dish you need rice.  I can hear the excuses now: "rice takes too long", "the rice sticks to the pan and I don't want to clean it".  Well these excuses are no good because Trader Joe's brown rice comes frozen in 3 individual packets (2 servings) and you put them in the MICROWAVE for 3 minutes...presto....done.  And it pairs marvelously with the mandarin orange chicken. 

Now, I didn't claim this was a very healthy meal.  Sure, the rice is brown and there is protein in the chicken but overall this meal isn't going to be on a dieters list of eats.  Eh, screw them...it's good stuff.  The side item won't be on their grocery list either but they're so YUMMY.  Potstickers!  Tim and I were first introduced to pot stickers through our friend Jon.  He is Taiwanese and his mom would make him potstickers and make enough for him to share.  How lucky were we?  I can't say that Trader Joe's pot stickers are better than Mrs. Ho's.  Not possible but since we no longer live near Jon we have to settle for second best.  

And if you're going to get the potstickers getting the gyoza dipping sauce is mandatory - no questions.  Tim is extremely picky about his dipping sauce and said that TGI Friday's has the best BUT after trying this sauce it wins.

Your meal is now complete.  And no need to thank me.  I share this with you because I am a wonderful person. 

Trader Joe's Luva,

Sarah

Unique

Buying presents is not a strong suit of mine.  This is why I avoid it at all costs.  Rarely will you receive a gift from yours truly.  Reasons for this are:  I don't like shopping and I don't pay close enough attention to what people like.  This being said I actually did make an effort this Christmas to find unique and special gifts to the best of my ability.  I succeeded with some and failed with others but overall I'm quite happy.  As long as I'm happy... ;)


There was one gift I received that was particularly unique and it's most definitely my favorite.  Nobody else should take offense.  Once I explain the gift you'll agree with me.  My sister Liz sent me a necklace.  And not just any necklace.  Each piece this lady makes is completely different...almost.  Each unique in its own way.  All of the sisters now have one and although I have one color and they each have a different there is one distinct piece that is exactly the same.  Liz told us we are to think of her when we see or wear the piece as it symbolizes our connection to each other even though we are apart.  


The thoughtfulness of this symbol as sisters of course made me cry and I'll wear it with just about any color even if it doesn't match 100% but now I'll be on the lookout for clothes specifically for the necklace.   And just in case you'd like to help me in my quest below is a picture so you know what color clothes to buy me.  


I can't tell you how many times I think of my sisters throughout the day.  Technically I could count but I won't.  It may nauseate you.  We miss each other a great deal and this makes me feel closer to them as odd as that may sound.  I can only hope we'll see each other soon.  I love you Liz and Leah!

The piece on the lower left with the flower design is what we all have in our necklaces