Tuesday, July 28, 2009

TEN ON TUESDAY


My Ten Favorite Sounds:

1. Ocean Waves Crashing the Shore
2. Wind in the Trees
3. Cat's Purr
4. Someone Mowing the Lawn
5. Songbirds
6. Raindrops
7. Babbling Brook
8. When Kids Giggle
9. Crickets
10.Chainsaw (this sound reminds me of home and my Dad)

Click Here to Play!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Backyard Delights


Rob planted a raspberry bush two years ago and last summer I was impressed at how much it had grown, but this year it has doubled in size!!! Nothing like picking fresh raspberries right in your own backyard! YUMMY!!!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

NEW RECIPE SUNDAY ~ SMOTHERED CHICKEN BREASTS


For the next little while I'm going to attempt to try a new recipe every week and post it here on Sunday nights. Tonight I tried a recipe I found at All Recipes website. It was pretty easy to make, and delicious, restaurant fare all most. I served it with steamed buttered green beans and baby red potatoes.

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 bacon strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions:

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and seasoning. In large skillet, cook chicken in oil for 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

2. In same skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings. In the drippings, saute the onion and brown sugar until onion is golden. Place two bacon strips on each chicken breast; top with onion and cheese.

NOTE:
I returned the chicken back to the pan after covering it with the bacon, onion and cheese, to let the cheese melt.

Monday, July 6, 2009

ROCK N ROLL DREAMS COME TRUE


I once had a friend tell me I had the whole horse up my ass, not just the horse shoes when it came to my "luck" in meeting the heavy metal bands whose posters were my wallpaper of choice as a teenager.

I've definitely had fate on my side a few times, a chance encounter with Tom Keifer (lead singer of Cinderella) on Bay street led to an invitation by him to be put on their guest list for that nights show. I won an all expenses trip to Orlando, Florida for the VIP Grand Opening of the Hard Rock's Vault Museum where it was like my teenage bedroom wall came to life! I got to attend a party with Brian Johnson of AC/DC, Zak Wylde of Ozzy Osbourne's band and Black Label Society, Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, Slash and Duff of the original Guns N Roses, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister and so many more.

Two highlights of that trip; One, getting a second chance to talk to Nikki Sixx. I had met him a couple years earlier at a music store signing, but was so dumbstruck I couldn't say anything. Getting a second chance to actually talk to him was awesome and a lot easier in a party atmosphere when I didn't have a time line of how long I could chat. Two, like me, Duff McKagan is an early riser, and I'm thrilled to say I didn't get to have breakfast with him just once, but twice! Super nice guy and I enjoyed our talks over breakfast immensely while everyone else was still sleeping.

One of the things I love, even more then me meeting my favorite bands is when I get to witness a friend meet theirs, and that happened again this past Saturday.

As a 40th birthday present to myself, I treated myself to the "I Love All Access 5 Star VIP Package" for the Def Leppard concert on Saturday, July 4th at the Molson Amphitheatre. The package included a pre-show party, goodie bag, and a seat within the first 10 rows, we got second row seats! I went with Brian, a friend of mine who is a huge Def Leppard fan too. I was thrilled when Brian got to meet one of his idols, Phil Collen, who plays guitar for the band. I knew the elation he felt, having experienced it myself so many times before. And I was pretty pumped to be meeting him too, but truly, more for Brian.

I've often wondered if these "rock stars" know how much meeting them means to us, the fans. They meet so many people, and sometimes the meetings are just mere moments that they most likely never think of again, but us, we carry them around in our hearts forever, like priceless treasures.

I have many more stories I could share, I have been an 80's metal fan for well over half my life now and their still out there touring and I'm still going to the shows. It's only rock and roll, but I love it!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

A PROUD CANADIAN


Yesterday this fine country of ours turned 142 years old. Rob and I had decided earlier in the week that we were just going to spend the day together and stay home. Still, I wanted to do something to acknowledge the day.

I did something I haven't done in many, many years, I dug out my Stompin Tom Connors cassette and played the whole thing, a couple times!

For those of you who don't know who Stompin Tom Connors is, I'll give you the short version, he's a proud Canadian who also sings folk/country songs all about the great country of Canada, every inch of it. Some of them are silly, catchy songs and some are serious history lessons in some tragedies that have happened here.

My very first concert was Stompin Tom, I was 5 years old and my father took me. I can still remember him walking out to play, dressed all in black, carrying his "board" which he stomps his foot on. I remember he told a joke about his home province of P.E.I., and 15 years later when I saw him again in Toronto, he told that same joke.

He's touring again this summer, and I'm going to look into going to see him again, as he's 73 years old now, and this may be my last chance to see this very proud Canadian in concert once again, singing about the country I love so much.