When You Know, You Know!

I cringed the moment my step-mom asked how Bill and I met. Before the question had completely left her mouth, a shiver ran up my spine and into my brain, yelling “Lie! Dad is within earshot! You better lie!”

I couldn’t lie to either of my parents, so I twisted the truth and hoped my dad wasn’t listening.

“We met in a fish pond!”

As those words fell from my mouth, Bill, who will tell you how it is, and is as honest as Abe himself, blurted out the truth….”Online!”

This is where I face palmed. My dad, and my step-mom for that matter, worry about me enough without knowing I met a guy off the internet. Maybe I should have talked to Bill about this before he met my parents.

My step-mom had a puzzled face, and my dad, who was walking behind us yelled “How?”

Truth is, we really met in a fish pond….but apparently, as I’ve learned this past year, lots of younger people meet online.

A website boasting the name Plenty of Fish, was suggested to me. I met some real weirdos on there. After my last crazy relationship, I signed in and went to delete my account, but not before checking my mail. My inbox hosted a message from a cowboy who piqued my interest.

A few messages back and forth and I gave him my number. Who does that? You should talk awhile first! Fast forward less than a week later, and a lifted, white Chevy pulled into my drive.

After taking Baker to the dog park, we went for pizza. I was so engrossed with this sexy ass marine, (as much as I swore off military guys, let alone a marine) I needed something to hold on to. I asked a friend who worked at the pizzeria, to take a photo. I slid into the booth next to Bill, and then it happened….he wrapped his arms around me, and I felt like I was in the most perfect place.

I tried to brush it off as being silly….puppy love stuff, but then he confirmed everything for me. After touring the historical side of town (including breaking into an old cemetery), laying under a public gazebo just talking about nothing, and visiting a bar by the beach, we went back to my house. Here is where it could’ve gone sketch. Keeping in mind Bill lives an hour away, he brought an overnight bag, at my suggestion. At the time, I had a twin mattress (it was better than the air mattress with the hole, but a story for another day). Everything was so perfect, we just climbed into bed (with Baker) like it was natural.

Bill again wrapped his arms around me….and then let me fall asleep. When I woke up a few hours later, in the same position, I couldn’t believe it. He was awake, but let me sleep…without trying anything. I was sure it was him…”the guy” every girl waits for!

I was telling this story to some friends not long ago, and Bill just looked at me and asked “what did you think would happen?” Um….I’ve dated enough guys to know THAT wasn’t normal!

When I think about my favorite place, there isn’t clear blue water and white sand. Those things could be there, but in HIS arms, I’m in my favorite place, and it was there I first knew he was my “forever!”

The infamous first date picture!

Oak (left) and Baker just hanging out tonight. Bill left Oak this week with me. Bill gets some good, quality time with Diesel, Baker gets his BFF for a whole week, and I get two of my three “boys” to help me watch my roommate’s puppy, while she is in Atlanta!

If you’re wondering about my meeting this morning, it went GREAT! I think I’m going to land this big client, and Bill and I might stop stressing out about money so much….oh, and I get to do more baking!!!

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Taco Salad

Okay, this has NOTHING to do with baking, or being tattooed for that matter….BUT, I made it for dinner tonight and thought you might like to try it. Over all, it’s a pretty easy recipe, and I was able to make 5 portions. One for each of us tonight, and three for Bill to eat during the week.

You will need:

• A bag of tortilla chips
• 1 pound of ground beef
• A taco seasoning packet
• Beans (we use kidney and garbanzo)
• Veggies (I use tomato, cucumber, green pepper, lettuce, etc)
• Cheese (They make a shredded “Mexican” mix, or you can use cheddar)
• Catalina Dressing

Prepare your ground beef according to the directions on the seasoning packet. I had to brown the meat, drain it, add the packet and some water, then bring to a boil before simmering for 5 minutes.

While your beef (or ground turkey) is cooking, prepare your vegetables. I find cutting them small makes it easier to eat.

Strain your beans and run under water.

Next, layer your plates with tortilla chips. If you use lettuce, place that on top of the chips.

When the meat is done, portion it onto your chips/lettuce.

Now you can add your vegetables, beans, and cheese. I top ours with Catalina dressing.

Then enjoy!

I’m sorry I didn’t take any photo’s. Bill and I spent most of the day at the bakery, then by the time we got home, we had to rush dinner so he could head back to where he lives (an hour away). He did leave Oak with me for the week.

Oak has been acting up and getting into garbage at his house. Bill then leaves him outside while he is on base. I can’t stand that. I have a large crate here, that we don’t really use….so I figured Oak can use that while I’m at work.

Also, Kaila, my sweet roommate, had to go to Georgia (where she is from) to take care of some personal business….so I’m in charge of Alton Brown. Not the human, but rather the puppy. Kaila is from Atlanta, and so is celebrity chef Alton Brown….for some reason I kept thinking she should name him Dalton when she got him…then it hit me!!!! We could call him Alton Brown. She liked the name, and he now answers to it! I’ll have to post a picture the next time I post from my phone. He’s a rotty mix and cute as a bug! He immediately fit into our “pack” and the boys treat him like a little brother. Kaila is moving out at the end of this month….I tried to get her to stay….you know…for the sake of the boys….but she needs to be out on her own, and Bill will be moving in (FINALLY!)

Tomorrow I have a meeting with a potentially big client. Cross your fingers for me!

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What I Love About Weekends & Couponing 101!

Everyone loves the weekend! Well, most people. If you work in food and bev, or own your own restaurant, usually the weekends are your start of the week….but for me, I get to spend it with Bill and “the boys.” Bill drives up on Friday night and stays through Sunday. Even though we have to work, at least on Sunday, at the bakery to prep for the week, it’s still the best part of my week.

Nothing is better than waking up next to the sexiest man in the world, surrounded by three crazy dogs, and the occasional cat. Yesterday, I rolled over to find Isis asleep on Bill’s head. The boys, Diesel, Oak, and Baker, are usually up before us, and wrestling over some type of toy or tennis ball.

Sunday is also COUPON day!

Yes, I’m THAT person in the checkout line, with a million coupons, 60 boxes of Hamburger Helper, and an anal re-tentativeness only Bill can appreciate. (Well, him and our bank account).

If you have never coupon-ed, you’re missing out!  On Sunday we go and buy a couple copies of the newspaper and pull out the coupons. Then we sit down and take out the ones we are going to use. The rest get clipped and, if we know we won’t use them at all, they go to friends. If it’s a product we don’t usually use, (usually food) we hold on to it to see if it also goes on sale and we can try something new for dirt cheap. I can’t tell you how many times we have gotten an item for free or next to free, and loved it!

While one of us cuts (and we have a giant paper cutter like you had in school as a kid) the other pulls out expired coupons from our binder, and mails those off to military families over seas. Military families on bases outside of the US are given an extra 6 months past the expiration date to use coupons!

A website I use called The Krazy Coupon Lady, offers this program. Visit her website to see the specifics of what can and can’t be sent, and where in the US to send your coupons!

Next we match up sales with coupons we have and plan a shopping trip. We always bring all of our coupons on shopping trips because there are always unadvertised sales. My favorite website for this is Southern Savers. Next we hit the store and do our shopping. Most husbands hate shopping. Even fewer husbands/boyfriends help coupon. Bill actually enjoys helping me! We have fun shopping….yeah, we are THAT couple in the grocery store…..

We haven’t had a shopping trip where we would have spent thousands of dollars and walked away with the store owing us money like you see on those crazy coupon shows, but we do pretty well…..and we have fun doing it! When I first started using coupons, I couldn’t believe the store was just going to knock off money for having a piece of paper I clipped out of the paper. Now, I’m the one in the store saying “nope, can’t buy it this week….we don’t have a coupon!”

When your boyfriend is in the military, and you are working what feels like a million hours a week to not always be able to even just pay bills, the few hours spent on couponing can make all the difference!

 

 

 

 

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My D-Day

Well Wednesday was not a good day. I was supposed to be divorced from Jay, but Jay decided to send in the wrong paperwork to the court. He also didn’t appear. Of course this whole thing started because on the worst day of my life, he walked out on me, left me in the hospital waiting room, and went to work, when I thought I was going to die.

The judge continued the final hearing until the end of JUNE!! Needless to say, this “amicable divorce” is no longer amicable, and I’m extremely angry with Jay. I wanted to be officially free from him, and his stupid last name (which I haven’t been using. I went back to my maiden name immediately. I didn’t want his in the first place…..should have been a sign.)

If the day didn’t stink enough, I then did not get the check I was supposed to get from Met Life, closing out my retirement account. I have things I need to pay for as far as the bakery goes, and I’m stuck in a holding pattern. No one will return my calls or give me the alleged tracking number. It’s Friday and the check was supposed to be here on Wednesday.

My roommate, Kaila, came with me to court, then we went to Barnes & Nobel so I could get a few business books to help with the bakery. I went ahead and spent money I was counting on getting from that check. Now rent is about to be due, and I’m in a panic.

If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

We did find out Bill’s truck needed just a $30.00 fix, so we have that back. Meanwhile, my car is about to die at any time, so I’m driving the old S10 pickup. There’s no side mirror, signals, and apparently no horn. It’s a little rough, but it was the vehicle I had that had gas in it!

Someone did walk into the restaurant I bake out of and ask about wholesale baking. My business partner gave him my card, so I’m about to swing down there and introduce myself. A new customer would be exciting!

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Not So Turned Around

Around noon today, I thought I would be writing a post about how things are finally turning around for us. By 7 pm I was in tears asking God why.

I started today with a meeting with a local movie theater that also serves full meals. I was proposing they carry some of my baked goods since they didn’t have cupcakes or mini pies on the menu. They told me they wanted to redo the ENTIRE dessert menu. I almost threw up.

By 4:00 they came back with a list of things they wanted. I have a meeting again next week with them, and I am stressed worrying I can’t give them what they want for the price they want. I’ll deal with that later.

Bill came up because his truck was brought up here to be looked at. It’s not running and we have allotted $300. to figure out the problem, but that includes towing it an hour up here. The place looking at the truck is the same place we were trying to buy the new vehicle from. He drove our third vehicle up here, an $800. Chevy S10, with no turn signals at the moment.

I gave back the rental, got in my car, and thought everything was fine, until it died on a busy highway….I couldn’t even turn the flashers on. Bill was so upset he slammed his hand on the hood and left a small dent.

A police officer came (I’ve dialed 911 more times in the last year and a half than anyone does in a lifetime) and showed us a trick to get it in gear and off the busy road during rush hour.

This was when I was fighting tears. We already had one in the shop, now mine was dead, and living an hour apart means no shared vehicle.

Fortunately, I called my friend or “business partner” if you will and asked for help. Geoff owns the restaurant where I run my bakery out of. He’s also a dear friend. He and his dad came and jumped the car. My cables were at home, since I had cleaned my car out.

The car started, and we got it to an auto place. Geoff and his dad pull up (they followed us since Bill had no flashers if my car died again) and mentioned the rod that holds up my hood….which Bill pulled out and threw in my trunk….could have shorted the car out.

Bill calls his dad (actually his foster father) and runs it by him. He’s a big time mechanic for the state of Illinois. He is in charge of all the mechanics working on city busses. He says its possible.

I’m trying not to cry because I’ve been waiting for a check from closing out my 403b (401k for non-profits) and was going to take that money and put toward the bakery. It’s only $400. but it will help. Actually, I thought it would only be about $300, but got an email this morning saying it was $400. I was sure we were about to have to put it in the car. A few diagnostic tests, and the car is okay (aside from being a piece of junk!). Bill and I didn’t get to spend any quality time together, but we aren’t down two vehicles, just one.

I’m thankful I should be able to get around, and I’m thankful there is a chance with this movie theater, but its been a crazy and long day. Maybe tomorrow things will turn around….we will get there! 😉

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Meet the Hulk

First, here is the promised picture of Bill with the real Charlie Daniels. Bill is the hot one on the far left. If you have been living under a rock (like my roommate, Kaila) and don’t know, Charlie Daniels is the jolly looking guy sitting down.

So now, onto new business. I would like you to meet, the Hulk…aka, our new iguana.

This is Bill with the newest member of our family. Bill called around and found this iguana at a pet store. He had been there about two years and judging by his skin color and lack of spikes, he seems to have been neglected…..so we took him home. I realize they will just fill the empty tank with another animal…but we “saved” this one.

This morning we took him to PetSmart this morning…..where he was a star attraction for everyone walking by.

If you look close, you can see the family of geese in the parking lot. There is a mom, dad, and five babies! So cute!

Still no word on a new vehicle. We are going to fix my old one, work on pur credit, and try and save some money. I have to drive home from Bill’s today and head into the bakery for several hours. Right now I’m working on a presentation for a prospective client in the morning. If they agree to sell my products, we might be able to start digging our way out of this financial hole we are in! Cross your fingers!

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RIP Charlie Daniels (the lizard)

Yeah, that happened. Charlie Daniels was found dead on the floor by Bill Thursday night. The worst part is Charlie had escaped from his tank, and Oak (our not so smart dog) was the one who killed him. I know Oak didn’t do it on purpose. There were three puncture wounds on his belly and we think Oak was playing too rough. Bill was so mad, he banned Oak to the outside line. Then he started calling around to find another iguana.

We still haven’t gotten approved for a new vehicle, so I’m in one of their cars still. I think in the end, we are going to fix my car, save up, work on our credit, and try for a new vehicle later on. That said, we will get back what little money we had as a truck down payment, take $30.00 and get a new lizard. Bill wants a bigger one, that knows how to whip his tail, and can defend himself against dumb dogs!

This is taken the day we got him.

This was the last picture taken of Charlie. He was meeting McCabe for the first time.

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Jumping In

I’ve blogged before. In fact, it landed me in the New York Times when I was writing my first novel.

I have two passions in life, baking and writing. I’ve written my first novel, now I’m working on making the edits. So what do I write when I’m finishing one project? A blog. This blog. The blog about us…..

Who is us? Well, there’s me….Tina….and the Marine, my fiance, Bill…then there is our zoo!

Between us we have:

• Diesel – 14 – Chocolate Lab, came with Bill. Diesel (“D” for short) is the old man of the group. He is certainly the alpha after Bill.
• Oak – 2 – Black Lab, also came with Bill. Oak is kind of dumb, but he’s so sweet and loving! I know it sounds mean…but really…..if you want to laugh, just pull out the laser pointer….then point it in the bottom of the water bowl…..
• Baker – 1 – Brown Mutt, rescued from the shelter on 11/8/12. He waited there for me for about a month. I took him home, and we haven’t spent a night apart.
• McCabe – 5 – Black cat – weighs a grand total of 6 pounds, earning her the nickname “Little Bit.” I rescued her when she was just a few weeks old and fit in the palm of my hand. She was almost put to sleep at the shelter due to overcrowding. Since Bill and I met, she has become an absolute Daddy’s girl. Above any toy, food, other animal, other human, she LOVES Bill the most. Of course, he spoils her like a small child….
• Isis – 4 – Tiger stripped grey cat. She picked me! Actually, she was at Petco and reached through the adoption cage and pet the nose of my yellow lab, Buck. She came home with us and was Buck’s biggest fan until his passing in 2012. Isis loves to talk, and to explore. If she was an outdoor cat, I would probably find “gifts” each day on the door step. She is quite the hunter when she can be.
• Ruby – This is our rabbit. A marine friend of Bill’s was being sent overseas, and Ruby couldn’t go. Bill had to have her. She loves to boss the other animals around, and chase them. She’s kind of a bad-ass.
• Charlie Daniels – Our lizard. Yes, our zoo has a lizard. Bill and I got him our first weekend together. He is named Charlie Daniels because of a photo Bill had sent me of him with THE Charlie Daniels when he visited the troops in Iraq (when Bill was on one of 4 deployments.) I’ll show you the picture sometime. It’s my wallpaper on my phone….it’s pretty hot. Oh, and I love Charlie Daniels.

When we aren’t taking care of the zoo, Bill is doing Marine stuff at the air station in Beaufort, SC. Me? I bake. I literally spend all day playing in sugar. I know it sounds fun, but it’s a lot of work. Sometimes I get to work at 5:30 am, get home after 6 or 7, then spend hours on the computer doing paperwork, handling special orders, and all the fun “office” stuff you don’t see in a bakery.

My bakery is small. I’m in another restaurant, and don’t really have my own storefront. It’s small, but it’s mine. One day I will have the big storefront, but for now, this is what I can afford….sort of….I’m not really making much money. If it weren’t for the grace of God, I don’t know how we would make it each month.

Right now I’m waiting on a check for my 403b, which I closed out. It’s like a 401k, but for non-profit groups (I worked in a hospital). There isn’t much in it…in fact, I’m sure the check won’t even be $300.00, but we need it right now.

When I was out doing deliveries on Friday night (yes, almost a week ago), the engine all but blew up in my car. Bill and I have been trying ever since to get another vehicle. Unfortunately, our credit stinks, and we haven’t been approved yet. They have me in a loaner car until we can work it all out. I have a feeling we are going to be trading in one junk vehicle for another because we just can’t swing the payments. The one deal they offered us was just too much money a month.

Bill is on his way up (he’s an hour away until his contract with the military is up in July) and we are going back to the dealership to work on this. Meanwhile, Baker just wants to snuggle with me, since I was gone at work for 11 hours, and now I’m on the PC. He’s laying in the doorway whining. I feel bad, but I have to get some work done before heading back out to meet Bill at the dealership….which will probably end up being for nothing. Cross fingers.

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