Giving you a slice

Since this blog is "A Slice of My Life" (get the link.....pizza.....slice???), I thought I would give you a small slice of my life today.

Owning your own business does have it's perks.....but there is SO much more that goes along with it. Some good, some bad, some boring, and some downright fun. The first of the month is an extremely busy time for me, but when you have to add in some of the extra things that make you busy during the month -- you find yourself completely buried.



Here's the things on today's plate:
* Doing self-audit for our Worker's Comp insurance (due today)
* Printing flyers and stickers for school pizza night next week (due today)
* Updating website for Pizza of the Month (need by tomorrow morning)
* Designing new boxtoppers for the month (due today)
* Changing online ordering for next month's pizza (tomorrow morning)
* E-mail to send out to customers for first of the month (tonight)
* A couple loads of laundry to finish (sometime today or tomorrow)
* Call Allstate and figure out why they think I need to pay deductible on accident -- not my fault (today)
* Do payroll (tonight)
* Do employee and manager newsletter for April (tonight) * First of the month bills written (food, rent, credit cards, etc. -- tonight)
* Call vet and find out exactly what kind of special low sodium our dear old dog needs to be on (today)
* Make posters, pizza instructions, and signs for new Pizza of the Month for the stores (today)
* Research what wacky promotions we want to celebrate for April and decide what specials we will be featuring.

Okay.....you get the picture. I am a busy girl today. Of course there are a couple of other things I need to add to the list, but there is NO WAY they are going to get done today.....so we'll leave it at that.



Then of course I need to add in the interruptions -- the 5 or 6 phone calls I will get from the male members of my family asking me to look something up, do something, or answer something.

Ok then.....why am I sitting here writing when I should be working??? I'm not....signing off and see you on the other side of April!

Why????

Why can't I win the lottery?

Why is it that by the end of the week I haven't opened any mail and I have a HUGE stack to open and sort?



Why is it that no matter how hard I work, how hard I try.....I am always having to do a whole week's worth of daily paperwork for the stores?

Why is it that I seem to be the center of the family and if anyone needs to know something, needs advice, or ANYTHING.....I am the one they call?


Why is it that I can't lose weight, can't find the time to exercise, and most days just really think I look disgusting?

Why is it that I am sitting here asking why when I have a whole lot of other things I should be doing (some of which would be done so that I wouldn't have them listed as "why")

Why is it that I really feel that I am totally bored in my life and want to do something different?



Why is it that owning a business is so full of stressors (financial, operational, employee)?

Why is it that everyone around me looks older, but I still feel the same way as I always have (albeit a little creakier)?



Why is it the older I get the more fearful I am of losing people in my life?

Why is it that you can be cheery and friendly 364 days of the year, but if you are in a bad mood ONE day - people think you are a bitch?

Seriously, do you ever wonder why to any of these questions?

When your little buddy gets sick :(

Well I had to take my little dog to the vet again today. He's been coughing really bad and having trouble breathing. I hate it when he's sick and can't do anything for him.

We acquired this little dog almost 12 years ago by accident. My older son suggested we go into a Petsmart one Sunday and we looked at the dogs. There was this cute little face looking at us from inside a cage......and we were hooked.



It didn't take him long to become a member of our family. He has been well loved all these years by every single person in this house and all the visitors we have as well. There's just something about that little face with the snaggle teeth and the little tongue that just doesn't make it all the way in his mouth sometimes.



Still to this day when Cris and Aaron walk in the door Toby is the FIRST one that they greet and shower their love on and there is not one single time I have come home and not found his wagging little tail right at the door waiting to see me. For some reason he latched onto me as his primary person, I think because I'm the only female in the house.

We've had so many great times with this little dog and we are slowly watching him grow old. He's not moving as good as he used to, he can't see well, and he can barely walk the distance of two houses on his nightly walk......but we still love him so much!



He's now facing another medical challenge with either a mass in his esophagus or an enlarged heart with congestive heart failure. The xrays are being read by a specialist and we should know in the next day or two. In the meantime, he's on yet some more medicine (we are up to 6 now).

I'm not ready to not have that sweet little dog around my house with me all day long!

Fourteen years ago I married my best friend.



It started in a Prodigy chat room on September 4, 1996. It was a chat room for divorced people. There were approximately 20 people in the room and we were all just carrying on with general chit-chat. He was in Houston -- I was in Tucson and it was about 9pm (my time)



I seriously don't even remember if he was contributing to any of the conversation in the room. I do remember him typing that he was leaving and everyone said good night. The next thing I know is an instant message pops up on my screen from him asking me a question. That was the exact moment that everything in my life changed.

We chatted that night back and forth for about two hours and signed off with the promise that we would talk again soon. And boy we sure did. Every night until the wee hours of the morning we would chat back and forth asking questions and staying up really late. These were back in the days when you paid for your internet by the hour and we both sure racked up some hefty internet bills.



I can remember the first time he called me and I heard his voice for the first time. Pictures were exchanged and arrangements were made for me to come to Houston to meet him in person (against the wishes of all people that knew each of us because they were afraid for our individual safety). The moment I got off the plane and saw him the first time -- that was it for me. We gave each other a big hug and I knew that this was going to be the man I would marry. For him it happened after I walked out of an airport restroom. He said that when I came out of there and he saw me -- that was when he knew I was "the one".

Our long distance romance didn't last long and within two months he relocated to Tucson and we've never been apart since.

Paul Gainor I love you with all my heart. You have been the most kindest, funniest, and best man any woman could ever have. From the first moment of meeting you I have felt a completeness that I don't even have to describe to you because I know you feel it too. As cheesy as it always sounds, you are my "soul mate" and the person that I was meant to be with. 14 years later I am still so in love with you and so happy that we have built this wonderful life together. Can't wait to see what the next 14 years are going to bring us! Love ya baby!

Keep track of your underwear!

Okay, now that I've got your attention.....this post is about that exact topic.

One of the jobs of owning our business is washing the endless amount of dirty (and nasty) towels and aprons.

We seriously do an extra 10 loads of laundry each week washing these little items.

Well apparently when I washed the store towels the other day, a pair of my underwear were left in the dryer and somehow ended up in the bag of clean towels shipped to one of the stores.

One of our young male employees gave them to Paul and said that "these must belong to Debbie".

Oops.....Nothing says "embarrassing" more than having a pair of your underwear show up in front of your employees. That is sharing a little more information with the staff that I really would like.

Thankfully, they didn't look like this:



And thankfully there wasn't any blackmail or ransom to get them back. I also appreciate the fact that they weren't tacked up on the company bulletin board with a sign that asked "who do these belong to".

So thank you to the employee who discreetly returned them to my husband. The lesson learned in all of this is: you gotta KEEP TRACK OF YOUR UNDERWEAR!

Where are my zzzzzz's

Seriously, in the last two nights I may have gotten 3 hours of sleep.

How long can you go without getting the proper amount of sleep?

I've tried this:



And I've tried this:



I was desperate and even tried this:



They are not working.

I toss and I turn. I try to get really comfortable. But it's not working

So I've decided to get up and begin my work day a little earlier than I expected. Why waste good work hours tossing and turning?

When I just can't do it anymore......I'll lay down and take a little nap.

Foodie Freaks

It's interesting that once the kids moved out......our menus have taken on a whole new direction.

Gone are the days of having to make things that "everyone" liked and welcome to the new age of experimenting and trying new things.

Now, don't get me wrong -- we still make some of our old favorites such as tacos, spaghetti, tacos, scalloped potatoes and ham, and tacos. But, we've been trying new things and have come up with some amazing dishes and new flavors.

So today we are honoring some of the new things that we have tried this week. Enjoy the journey and maybe it'll stir up a little inner Julia Childs in you.

First on our stop is the quesadillas. What do you do when you want a quesadilla for dinner.....you raid the refrigerator and find all the ingredients which sound yummy. These quesadillas were made with Poblano Peppers, Monterey Jack Cheese, fresh Baby Spinach, Cheddar Cheese, Cilantro, Green Onions, Flour Tortillas, and fire roasted salsa (we were going to add the neighbor's homegrown tomatoes.....but we forgot. Oh well, we'll get them the next time)



We kind of loaded them up a little too much and they made a runny mess in the grill ----



but the end result was absolutely amazing........



and......they tasted even better! (By the way......this portion of the blog was an idea generated by my honey.....he helped me create the photos for this segment)



Our next stop on this gastric journey is similar to the item above, but just a little different......OMELETTE! I love a good Omelette filled with all kinds of yummy stuff. Here's the ingredients: fresh Baby Spinach, Onions, Cheddar, fresh Tomatoes (from the neighbor's garden), Cilantro. Throw it all together and you've got yourself one mean Omelette!



Sorry no pictures of me eating this one......I was the only one home and I didn't want to take the time......I really wanted to eat this "bad boy". But here's what it looked like just seconds before it was devoured!



And of course prior to eating ANY Omelette....you must douse it with plenty of Louisiana Hot Sauce!

And our last vision of yummy deliciousness is Strawberry Shortcake!! I am so loving Strawberry season again. We've been eating fresh strawberries for over a week now and it's time to go to the grocery store and get some more. We love to eat ours on Angel Food Cake......it's light and airy and the juice just seeps into that cakey sweetness. I really think I'm going to grow my own this year! (No I'm not going to grow Angel Food Cake.....I meant the Strawberries)



Okay.....now you can all see why I look like a big porker in all my pictures.....because we are eating very well these days. But -- now that we are planning on visiting Tucson in a couple of months -- we have decided that we need to eat a little better and lose some weight.

So tonights menu is: Grilled Chicken Breasts topped with melted Monterrey Jack cheese and covered with Pico de Gallo and served with a side of salad.

P.S. I really wanted to have the chicken breasts topped with Jalapeno/Cilantro cream sauce......but the Pico is yummy too!

Hope ya'll enjoyed all the food we served up this week.....and I am available to cook for private parties and special events!

Changes

Just now I hugged and say good bye to my oldest son.

It's weird now that I have to hug them goodbye and they leave.

For so many years I was accustomed to them coming and going and I'd see them sooner or later. But, it's been 5 months now that they've both moved out, and I still feel a little bit of sadness when they leave.

Does this feeling ever go away?

Tucson or bust!

We're saving every dime, nickel, penny......literally

Ready to make the journey

Here's the stash that's going into the Swiss Bank account today

We've checked Travelocity, Expedia, Kayak, Cheap Air....you name it

Trying to find the best deal

to get us here:

Our hometown and the city we love

Watch out........we're coming on May 21st

and you better be ready for us!

Oh wait.....that's not us

Ok....that's better.

Can't wait to see ya'll!

Mardi Gras or Bust....Part Deux!

Hope you are still with us as we finish our exciting adventure. Had to skip a day because we had to honor an important (or so she thinks....lol) member of our family!

So if you can remember where we left off.......we had just finished the tour of the city.

Then we were off to the French Market, which is an open air market kind of like a swap meet with lots of food and vendors. By this time we were starving again. So after browsing the items......we decided it was time to EAT!

We chose a restaurant across from the market called the Magnolia Grill. The owner was nice and friendly and we picked a table out on the sidewalk where we could enjoy the beautiful weather, the fantastic food, and the great view!



On our menu was a traditional New Orleans Muffaletta, french fries, and Abita Beer! If you've never had a Muffaletta....shame on you! It's a special round crispy bread and filled with Olive Salad, Salami, Ham, and cheese and is oh so yummy. We washed it down with the official beer made in Louisiana.....ABITA! A nice relaxing late lunch/early dinner and then we were off!

Had an hour or two to kill before the night time entertainment began -- so wasted a couple of dollars at the Harrah's Casino on Canal Street. Gotta love spending time in the casino!

The nighttime adventure started with the New Orleans Historic Ghost Tour. We met with a group of 50 people on a creepy dark corner to learn some of the secrets and mysteries of the most haunted city in America. It was hokey, educational, and fun all at the same time. We learned some more history, but never experienced any of the spooks or ghouls that are apparently wandering the area on a regular basis. But all-in-all it was a fun way to spend 2 hours creeping along the dark streets of New Orleans!

After the ghost tour we found ourselves once again on Bourbon Street and spent the rest of our evening (and early morning) dancing, singing, and having a GREAT time with the local music at one of the bars. There were so many places to choose from -- but we spent the remaining time at the Fat Catz bar where the band played 70's and 80's music that we knew. It was a late night!



Day Three: Well this day began a little later (because of the late night we had) and was really a free day. But this day was planned for fun and no set schedule.

First stop was the casino where I was going to win all my millions. This was located in Harvey, Louisiana and was across the Mississippi River. So a 30 minute drive across a HUGE bridge -- we made it to the destination!



Okay, the casino was nice but it didn't exactly produce the millions that I had been expecting. So after a couple of hours -- we were on the road again back to the city!

Now being the big trivia nerds that we are, we had already looked in advance for a game in New Orleans.....and we found one (well we actually found two.....but only attended one). That was Monday night 8pm at Finn McCool's. From what we had heard it was a popular event......the rumors were correct. This place was a little neighborhood Irish bar.



This place was packed. We arrived at 7pm because we wanted to get something to eat and scope out the competition. Well apparently 3/4 of the competition got there before us......because there was at least 60 people there to play. We talked briefly the to the Trivia Master who helped us out, gave us our materials, and pointed us in the right direction to find a seat (which was at the end of the bar in the LAST 2 seats available).

The trivia was tough and was delivered by two people with a thick Irish brogue. Luckily we weren't humiliated by getting last place (which won a sack of potatoes), but we probably weren't too far out of the last place. But it was fun....and we didn't care.....we were playing trivia!

After trivia.....it was back to the French Quarter to enjoy some more live music and dancing! We pretty much went from place to place and listened to several bands, and then alas......it was 2am and time for us to head back to the Super 8 in Metairie!

Day Four: The last day. Always the saddest day for me because I know that the inevitable is about to happen......we have to head back home to real life! So we packed up the Corolla and once again headed into the city. First stop was lunch/brunch since we were hungry and we found a great little outdoor cafe at the French Marketplace were we ate a Spicy Sausage Po'Boy and Beans and Rice.....ya gotta eat the Cajun food while you're there!



Seriously, the food tastes better when you eat it outdoors and the weather is GORGEOUS!

The rest of our day was spent touring the Louisiana History Museum, Jackson Square, the Hurricane Katrina Museum, and we even had a gambling challenge for 1 hour at the Harrah's Casino.

But all good times must come to an end, so on our way back to where the car was parked before our trip to the airport.....we had one last hurrah and Abita beer at a local pub.



This is where we reflected on what a great trip we had and how we wished that we could forever be "on vacation".

Of course, on our way to the airport.....we still saw some funky people in New Orleans.....



oh wait.....wrong picture. I meant to show this one:



Ok, we've reached the end of this wonderful journey. All-in-all I just have to say -- what a great time we had and how much I love visiting this city.



Thank you New Orleans for showing us such a great time!

But if you think our trip ended there.....you're crazy! No we are! We landed at the Houston airport and then raced over to where our usual night trivia game was being held in the hopes that we could manage to pull our team into victory. But, our team didn't show up.....so we chatted with our friends, ate some dinner, and shared the fun we had on our mini-vacation!



Do we look tired or what?

Sisters....Sisters.....

This blog is filled with wishes for a Happy Birthday to my little sister!

Hope everyone can remember where this came from and can sing along!

Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters,
Never had to have a chaperone, No sir,
I'm there to keep my eye on her

(Looks like someone needs to)

Caring, sharing
Every little thing that we are wearing
When a certain gentleman arrived from Rome
She wore the dress, and I stayed home

(Here's a little known fact.....these were my clothes that she borrowed for this picture......lol)

All kinds of weather, we stick together
The same in the rain or sun
Two different faces, but in tight places
We think and we act as one

(Would someone please give these girls makeovers???)

Those who've seen us
Know that not a thing could come between us
Many men have tried to split us up, but no one can

(because we are all just the cutest couples)

Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister
And Lord help the sister, who comes between me and my man

(no words necessary for this one, but it is my sister's favorite pic of me)

Happy B-day........Love you and glad you're my sister!

Mardi Gras or Bust!

The post you've all been waiting for! Pictures of our fabulous trip to New Orleans.

Let me preface this by stating that we had absolutely the most wonderful time. I love travelling with my husband. You never know what we're gonna do -- but it's always fun!

So here we go:

Day 1: Leave Houston at 3pm and arrive at Louie Armstrong Airport about 45 minutes later. That was amazing -- we barely got in the air before we were in the final approach. They practically threw our free beverages at us! Once we landed it was time to navigate the airport to pick up our bags and find our car rental company.

With that task accomplished, we hooked up Mavis (she's our GPS and we take her on every trip) and were on our way to the hotel in Metairie. We were only about 15 minutes from the airport and about 15 minutes from all the action in New Orleans. HINT: Metairie is a great place to stay to avoid all the crowds and the high prices of the hotels around downtown New Orleans (especially when you have a frugal husband).



The first night was spent walking around the French Quarter, booking our tours for the next day, and eating a FANTASTIC dinner on Bourbon Street. The restaurant of choice was Pier 424. They gave us the best seat in the house: right in the open windows on Bourbon Street -- the view of the people walking up and down was unbelievable. My choice for dinner was Blackened Mahi Mahi, fresh asparagus with hollandaise sauce, and Crab Boiled Red Potatoes....OMG.....delicious!! Paul's choice was: Blackened Redfish, Boiled Red Potatoes, and I think rice. His fish was also fabulous. Truly, this was one of the BEST seafood restaurants we have ever eaten at!



Well after walking around and drinking some beer -- we called it a night! There was a Mardi Gras parade our first night there, but there was just too many people to get a close look -- so we just moved on.

Day Two: Day 2 began with a hearty breakfast buffet at the Shoney's in the parking lot of our hotel. We knew we had a long day and our first tour of the city was scheduled at 12:30pm -- so that meant no time for lunch. We stuffed ourselves with bacon, ham, fruit, eggs, gravy, biscuits and anything else they had available and then we loaded up our rental Toyota Corolla and were off for our drive into the city!

We took the VIP New Orleans tour, which was a small bus that took you on a 2 hour tour of the city. We learned so much while on this adventure. Some of the places we visited were the French Quarter, the French Market, the most devastated areas from Hurricane Katrina, the cemeteries of New Orleans, and the Garden District. This city has an extremely interesting history. Here's some pics of what we saw!

After the water from the flood receded, every house in New Orleans was inspected for survivors or bodies. Each house was marked with a code to indicate when it had been inspected, by whom, and if anyone was discovered. This was a house that never was rebuilt and was still abandoned. We toured a couple of different neighborhoods and it was really sad to still be able to see the water marks on the buildings after all this time.



The cemeteries in this city are very unique. Because the city is below sea level -- all bodies are buried above ground in tombs. We toured one of the cemeteries and learned the fascinating history of how the bodies are stored in these places. We also were warned not to visit these places by yourself or after dark because of the criminal element and how the tombs shield you from view. Glad we were there in the daytime!



We saw the famous old trolley on St. Charles Street:



And we saw the magnificent mansions in the Garden District. Some of the residents in this area include Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Nicolas Cage, and Anne Rice. The houses were spectacular and charming!



The tour ended.....but we still had a full day ahead of us! But can't fit it all onto this blog...........so to be continued tomorrow. Stay tuned!