Stir It Up~

Remember Patti LaBelle? Wow, wonder when this photo was taken? I loved her songs from Beverly Hills Cops! And we're going to see her tomorrow night! I wonder if everyone will be all dressed up in Halloween costumes? I hope not, I hate costumes, especially on adults. On kids it's ok, but it seems kind of freaky on adults. Bad freaky, not good freaky. Anyhow, it should be fun. Even though I'm a LITTLE disappointed that we aren't going to dinner with the M&M's tomorrow night; I've got the cutest little tank tops for them for Halloween....Madison's says "Little Monster" on it, haha. Max's just has cute little ghosts and bats and stars and moons on it and says "eek" and 'Boo!" on it....oh well, they can wear them during the day I guess. Madison will be SO EXCITED to see his new top~ he's crazy about clothes, the litte stinker! He's a funny boy!

It's one of those days....you know, when you get up to a totally clean house, nice, neat kitchen,it's calm and quiet, you had a great night's sleep and the coffee is perfect?

For some reason, my coffee is sometimes PERFECT, and sometimes not so much. I don't know what the secret is....my BFF Roy, makes PERFECT coffee....every time. And he doesn't measure anything...just grinds it and pours it into the coffeemaker. Perfect. Me, I fill the coffee pot with water, set it on the counter, get down to eye level with it to make sure that the water is EXACTLY on the line. And then I get out my trusty coffee measuring scoop, and make sure it's not too full and not exactly level either....geeze Louise, you'd think I was performing neurosurgery! I make sure EVERY lump is smashed (b/c I keep our coffee in the freezer) before I push the start button too....no taking chances with my morning fix!
And sometimes...perfect, sometimes not so perfect. Anyway....today was one of the perfect days :).
I don't drink more than a cup or two, but I want it to be exquisite! It's always nice to start the day out on a positive note.

Which leads me to my next adventure of the day; my meeting for orientation for the volunteers for the Art of Food and Wine Festival.

I was running just a teensy bit late, as princesses are prone to do....or is that Divas? Hmmm, I think my mom told me that Princesses were always on time~ (yes, I know.....but I'm so much better than I used to be), but I knew exactly where I was going and it was only a little over a mile from home.
Of course, once I got to the hotel where the event and meeting are taking place, I went to the wrong end of the property, so had to turn around and go to the other end....couldn't find where we were to park, so had to make another round thru security gates and make u-turns...ugh. You'd THINK they'd tell you WHERE the meeting WAS on the property and WHERE to park.
Oh well, I figured it out eventually. Once I got inside, the meeting had been moved to another building...I got over THERE, and found out it had been moved all the way across the hotel to where I'd started out when I first drove in....I hightailed it over there, just in time to meet everyone on their way back to where I'd just come from :S. Yay.
So across the pool area, over the bridge, across the esplanade, up the stairs (and it's probably about 90 deg and most of the people who were there are WELL over 70 yrs old.....I felt bad for them).
Finally, we get to where I'd started out, in the grand ballroom and everyone got to sit down.Yay.
It didn't take long, we got the info we needed for parking on the day of our shifts and acceptable attire etc....no biggie. I almost was so disgusted at having to drive back and forth at first, that I was going to bag it, but I'm glad I didn't. It should be a fun event.
Plus, there will be some "celebrity" chefs...Sara Moulton, who I'm excited to meet and I'll be working with her (or around her or at least in the same general area) on the Sunday of the event, and the Hardy Boys (who I don't really know much about), and a few others....if you are interested, check it out HERE.
The weather will be beautiful I'm sure, and proceeds go to great charities, one of them being Meals on Wheels, which is a wonderful, wonderful group!
OH, the more I think about it, the more excited I get....I'm sure I'll bore everyone to tears by the time it's done :).

Well, another gorgeous day here, the lawns are greening up after being re-seeded for the winter. I have to say, that's ONE thing I LOVE about the desert....the lawns....and it's mostly appreciated, b/c MOI is the one who cleans up the doggie poo here.....no searching for it, wondering if you might step in it....the lawns are all FLAT, like a golf course; I LOVE that! A kitty litter scoop and I'm golden, LOL. No wrangling around long bladed grass..yep, there are some nice advantages living in the desert if you look for them, LOL.
Along with it being in the 60's in the mornings, about 90 during the day and the 70's in the evenings, I suppose this time of year I can't complain TOO MUCH! Not much wind lately either (me even uttering that is the kiss of death of course :S). The YE's can run in and out b/c I can leave the sliders open and the A/C is OFF, if only intermittently. I'm beginning to feel like a lizard, LOL.

It's my friend, Lizzy's birthday today too...one of the sweetest, lovliest women in existence, with more patience than 99.99% of people I know, and is the very BEST mom, and has brought so much joy, smiles and laughter into my life over the last many years than I can even say.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRLFRIEND~ I truly do appreciate the day of your birth! My life is so much sweeter because of this day! Hope it's everything you hope for!

Ooooh....tomorrow.....halloween!!!