Witchywoman meets Mauigirl!

I find it amazing that not even a year ago, I wrote a blog, just to see if I could do it as I had no idea I could write. I didn't really expect it to get read all that much as I don't consider my life that exciting. Imagine my suprise when a lady with the screen name of mauigirl started commenting on each one I wrote. She said she was originally from Washington and she was a crack razor clam digger. I didn't think anything would ever come out of that. I happened to put my email address in the blog one time and the next thing I know, Julie sent me an email and we exchanged phone numbers and started talking. The first time I talked to her on the phone was when I was cooking my portion of the joint blog that Kathleen and I wrote. I never dreamed that one day we would actually meet and hit it off the way we did! Julie and her husband, Mike, came up from Las Vegas to spend time with relatives in Olympia. She called and said she wanted to meet in person and it was all uphill from there. Mike and Julie drove down here to Longview on Sunday, July 25th (which happened to be my 41st birthday) to meet Bob and me. Bob and I got to the Guadalajara restaurant about 30 minutes before Mike and Julie so I started the evening with a Key West margarita...and, oh! what a margarita that was!! It came in a glass the size of a freaking fishbowl!! I told her that I would be in the bar and she couldn't miss me. I would be the one with the long, wild, red, curly hair...it's a very recognizable mop! In walked Julie and Mike with these cupcakes and a vase of a dozen yellow roses. There is a hysterically funny story behind these really yummy cupcakes. Julie had to run out to buy a bag and a tip to frost them and her brother asked her why she didn't just go to Costco and buy some. She's like...I met her on a cooking website and you want me to go to Costco???? I about died laughing when she told me that...so funny! And anyone who can make cupcakes look like that just RULES in my book! I can't do it, I can't! I don't care how easy it is...I'm not good at it! And by-the-way, Jules...these were just so freaking good...I finally had my two yesterday evening after the jist of my hangover was gone!!

This was the appetizer plate that we nibbled on...

Julie and Mike have been married for 39 years and have had such an amazing life together. I got to meet her avatar aka Lily and Lily is a yorkie-bichon mix and is just a little doll! So cute!!

Julie and Mike...

We hit it off and had so much fun!

I do believe I was getting just a wee bit toasty at this point...no matter! Everyone had designated drivers!!

This was our waiter, Alex...he was a riot!

This drink was just, for lack of a better word, GROSS! It tasted like cough syrup...

I tried to drink it, but I couldn't....please excuse Bob's picture taking, I think I need to turn him loose with the camera more often! And I wish I would have taken off my glasses!

But Bob could, realistically, say the same about me...I'm not too steady after a couple...I don't know what him and Mike were talking about, but they gabbed the whole time and got along famously!

Holy Carne Asada, Jules!! LOL! I had a bowl of some of the best Menudo I've had in a long, long time. I think I grossed Julie out with that...she kept telling me that she couldn't believe I was eating that. I told her that there was a method to my madness. I just knew what the next day was going to be like, so I took a bunch of it home to have for my "morning after" breakfast.

Such an amazing friend I've made! I can't wait to go to Las Vegas!

The Witchy's and the Maui's...

One of my best friends...Sarah stopped by. Here she is with Julie. Sarah's the bartender at the Chinese joint I used to work at. I remember last year, on my 40th...Bob snuck her some money to throw me a suprise party. Then he and his friend were making a mad dash to come home so Bob could be here for my birthday when they blew the drive-line out of Lou's truck in Yakima. Sarah drove 3 hours to Yakima to pick up Bob and Lou so Bob could be here...she is such an awesome friend. I had to work that night so I got to see Bob about 3:30 in the morning. But Sarah made sure he was here.

Mike's such a laid-back type of person...he and Julie remind me so much of me and Bob!

Yes, you truly are a Mauigirl, Jules!

Sarah!!

Ok, this picture is just ridiculous! And we're walking...

This drink was the last one that I had that night and it was called...what else? The Bucket!

We decided to share! Around 8:00, Mike and Julie had to get on the road to go back to Olympia...I hated for the evening to end, but that's what happens with all good things!


My other really good friends, Cecil and Diane, stopped by for a quick happy birthday. I hope I look as good as Diane does when I'm 64!

Sarah and Diane...

And Diane by herself...she's just a beautiful person, inside and out!



And Diane's husband, Cecil with Bob!

Sunday was the day for friends...old friends, new friends. Good food, good conversation, good booze and just a plain ol' good time. Thanks: Julie, Mike, Bob, Sarah, Diane and Cecil...I didn't think my 40th could be topped but you all did just that! I had a great birthday thanks to all of you!

England in an RV

Well, here we are sitting, contemplating, relaxing and listening to the sprinkling rain on the aluminum roof of this old fifth wheel and both Bob and I have a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Accomplishments of many things and the satisfaction that goes along with those accomplishments. We've seen beautiful sunrises and sunsets out here on the Columbia River. We've seen things that totally make us just shake our heads in disbelief, amazement, whatever you want to call it. And Bob and I have been able to share those together this year. Is this building our savings? Not so much. But it's ok. I know there is more to life than how much money we can squirrel away. I think life is finding the good in each day and making sure you get at least one deep laugh from the guts. Life is slowing down and taking time to smell the roses and life definately, for me, anyway...I don't know about anyone else...is to be pleasant to at least one person each day. I don't care if it's my mother-in-law or the methhead next door. That's how I want to be remembered when I take a dirt nap and those are the things near and dear to me.
The last week has been all about BBQ's, friends, sharing laughs, beers and some damn good food!

Even Super Dave the Girl Cat wasn't left out of the action, she hung out, too. Smokey Lonesome has pulled a disappearing act and hasn't been seen for a week. I don't know what happened to him, but I wish him the best in his endeavors and when he decides to quit galavanting around, he's always got a home with us. I do hope he comes back.

I've been tending all of this...and stuff is starting to grow and my ideas are paying off and it's cool to watch this week after week.

Take a good look cuz this doesn't happen much...I hate my picture being taken! Here I am with my inspiration!

To date, Bob and I have sampled:

1. Italy

2. Mongolia

3. India

4. Poland

5. Cuba

6. Morocco

7. Korea

8. Russia

9. Egypt

10. Thailand

11. Ireland

12. Greece

13. Israel

14. Argentina

15. Portugal

16. Sweden

17. Japan

18. Singapore

19. France

20. Germany

21. Ethiopia

22. China

23. Nepal

24. Panama

25. French Polynesia

26. England

I just found myself scrolling back through that list and thinking, "Did I really do all that?" and I answer, "Yeah, you did!" I have learned more about different cultures, and the different ways that just sitting down to eat a meal include. I'm starting to see a pattern involving the spices used for these different cuisines. And most importantly, nothing is impossible...just use your imagination and the sky's the limit. I've tried some dishes that made my eyes cross because they were nasty and I sampled dishes that I will probably make at least once more before I die, which is going the extra mile for me because I hardly ever make the same thing twice unless it's super good. I still haven't been able to sneak any lamb in on Bob but I won't complain too much about that...he's game to try all of these meals! Halfway done...wow! I've been waiting for this point because I'm too invested to back out of this now...I'll just keep going and finish it!

Now....

Tonight was our halfway-milemark English dinner and on the menu were Steak & Ale Pie and Apple Dumplings. Trust me...this is filling! These recipes were a combination of several recipes on AR that I combined and tweaked and had to use what I had because I couldn't drop everything and run to the store! I started the Steak & Ale Pie with this gorgeous bone-in rib steak. The recipes I read said to use stew meat...but, when I hear steak & ale, I'm thinking rib steaks!

And a nice blonde ale. I admit it, I'm a beer snob! I can't get into the discussions about the hops or the malt or all that, but I know what tastes good and that's what matters to me...I couldn't care less about the lingo! I used this ale...

And stewed that cubed up steak along with the ale, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, salt & pepper and parsley & thyme from my garden. I fished the bone out of this and thickened it up with a slurry made from, what else? Beer and flour!

These are the Apple Dumplings. I was reading on Wikipedia that dumplings are fruit with dough wrapped around them...well, I used a can of crescent roll dough wrapped around Granny Smiths, slathered with a mixture of butter, brown sugar, and apple pie spice. Then I poured cream soda in the pan and baked them...sound like a familiar recipe? It should...I used the Country Apple Dumpling recipe http://allrecipes.com/recipe/country-apple-dumplings/detail.aspx and switched stuff up. Delicious!!

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north, Wales to the west, the Irish Sea to the northwest, the Celtic Sea to the southwest, the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel separating it from continental Europe. Most of England comprises the central and southern part of the island of Great Britain in the north Atlantic Ocean. The country also includes over 100 smaller islands, such as Scilly and the Isle of Wright. London is the capital and, also, the largest city. London's Heathrow Airport has more international passenger traffic than any other airport in the world.

The Steak & Ale Pie. I wound up using phyllo dough on the top because Bob doesn't read boxes or ask for help in the store...it's a guy thing, I'm sure...and he didn't get me puff pastry. But, in all fairness, it worked and this pie was fantastic. I love how there aren't a bunch of spices or herbs to cover up the fact that I had some really good ale and super good beef in there! Well done, England...this is fantastic stuff!

The finished apple dumplings...I've made these, I don't know how many times and...well...our neighbor, Ralph, just loves these things so we are taking him half of the pan.

This glorious tasting Steak & Ale Pie...

And those dyamite little dumplings!

Well, as you all know, this will be the last international blog that I will post on AllRecipes. I've started a new website that I will be writing on. If you haven't gotten the link and would like it, send me an email to witchywomanslifeinanrv at hotmail dot com and I'll send you the link. I can't believe how many of you have emailed me for that...I knew that a lot of you were reading these, but I had no idea that the number was THAT high and I thank each and every one of you for that. But I just feel it's time to branch out into the unknown and leave my comfort zone here. So, it's not the end, it is the beginning and the sky's the limit here!

My groceries came to $12.89, so I was able to stuff $7.11 into the Beach Bag. Halfway Week 26 total is $149.65.

I am going to start randomly emailing one of you from my email blog update list to pick the final 25 countries. Bob is picking next week...he can pretty much eat anything now and he's sure has gotten mouthy since his voice has came back, so I told him to pick. Mexico, it is, Bob!!

Oh, yeah....

I think I promised you all a giveaway on this blog, didn't I? chi_phx_singer....you need to send me an email with an address I can send this box of stuff to...congrats, Bob pulled your name out of the hat! You are getting some shot glasses, a salad bowl, heat-resistant spatulas, postcards, air freshener stuff, pastas, spices and whatever else I managed to put aside this last month or so...so email me your address!

A final farewell to all of you cool people here...and a huge thank you! You all are awesome!