One of our dogs loves to ‘counter-cruise’.  When no one is looking, she puts her paws up on the kitchen counter and grabs whatever has been carelessly left too close to the edge.  Once we opened a Krispy Kreme doughnut box and found it empty.  Somehow she had lifted up the top and eaten the [...]

One of my favorite perfumes smells like chocolate.  My lotion scent of choice?  Brown sugar vanilla.  And the shade of the bath towels I recently purchased?  Vanilla.  I’m seeing a trend here… Things that remind me of my favorite flavors just make me feel good.  And vanilla is at the top of my list of [...]

Long live the public library.  I have to say I’m really surprised they are still around.  I mean, letting people take books home, for free – who still does things like that? I must admit, though, that there is nothing much I like better than a brand new book from the bookstore.  But being an [...]

What a thrill.  This Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook definitely shook things up in my kitchen.  I love a recipe that makes you say “Hmm, I never would have thought of using _____ that way.” The thing that I found to be surprising is the use of capers [...]

When my mother was pregnant with me, she was sure I was going to be a boy.  My parents painted my room blue.  They decided to name me name Kevin.  They came home from the hospital with a girl. Apparently they had picked out a ‘back up’ name since my birth certificate says Karen.  And [...]