Friday Leftovers: March 23, 2012

Somewhere, buried in my Google Reader, is a blog that posts "Friday Leftovers." Those thought fragments or bits of an idea or blurbs that don't really constitute a whole post of their own, and yet they are still a part of life. I wish I could give credit where credit is due, but I need to find the blog first...and if you saw my Google Reader, you would understand why this is something of a dilemma.

** I am beyond thrilled to learn that Bath & Body Works is bringing back last Spring's limited edition "Signature Vanillas" for a short time. I discovered, far too late, that I love the Vanilla Apricot scent, nearly as much as I like their Christmas scent, "Vanilla Bean Noel." By the time I realized just how much I liked it, it was long gone. And I was sad. My mission today, after work, is to go straight home, check my stash of coupons, and then go straight to my local Bath & Body Works to stock up. Even better? They are running a "buy three, get two free" sale. I am happy!

** Happy is a far cry from how I was feeling yesterday evening. That was more along the lines of thoroughly annoyed with myself. Why? Well let me tell you what a stupid head I've been. ALL WEEK.On Sunday, I did my grocery shopping. I knew the ground beef I bought wasn't needed til Thursday and Monday was the "sell by" date. I should have put it in the freezer until Wednesday, but I didn't. I also had some Philadelphia Cooking Creme that this new recipe for stuffed shells uses. When I was putting things away, I needed to stack items, because the refrigerator was getting full. All week long, the refrigerator thermometer was reading between 40 and 50 degrees, no matter how high we set the temperature control, and it was running almost constantly--and yet this whole time the freezer was at at zero degrees without issue. T was getting annoyed because it had been working fine until it suddenly wasn't, and our new appliances are barely a month old. When I went to start dinner yesterday, the ground beef, which was already pushing it by not being frozen until needed, was looking...not good. Because it had been in a 50-degree refrigerator at times, I refused to take chances with it. I tossed it and asked T to go over to Publix for some fresh meat. (1. I am annoyed with myself for wasting a pound of perfectly good meat, throwing $5 in the trash and spending additional money. While the $10 is not making or breaking anyone's bank account here, it just irritates me in principle.) While he is at the store, I finish prepping for my meal as best I can, while waiting for the ground beef replacement. I take the Cooking Creme--creamy pesto flavor--out of the refrigerator...and it is FROZEN. Now I am confused because how on earth is the entire refrigerator running warm, the ricotta I also took from that same shelf is the proper consistency, and this stuff is rock solid?! I open the refrigerator to check the other contents of that shelf--yogurt, sour cream, another container of cooking creme which had been buy-one-get-one--and they are all fine. And then I see it. When I stacked the items on Sunday? I had BLOCKED THE VENT that cools the refrigerator. The only thing getting blasted with constant cold air was the offending item, while the rest struggled to keep cool and the refrigerator worked its butt off. (2. Now I am additionally annoyed because I have wasted MORE money. I had to toss a $3 container of cooking creme, because cream cheese is a yucky consistency after freezing and thawing. I also wasted whatever dollars it took for the refrigerator to run nearly non-stop Sunday through Thursday.) I sigh at myself and improvise with the other cooking creme, which is Savory Garlic flavor. (3. I am disappointed because I was really looking forward to the Creamy Pesto flavor.) T comes back with the ground beef, I tell him about my refrigerator theory and the cooking creme, and I carry on with my dinner preparations. I finish dinner and start eating...and then realize I forgot to use the baby spinach I wanted to use up before it spoiled. It wasn't part of the recipe, but I had it from something else and I hate wasting food if I don't have to. (4. And now I am annoyed that I have to toss this spinach which really can't wait any longer. Normally wouldn't have bothered me *too* much, but I felt like I spent dinner preparations just tossing money in the garbage disposal.) Just slap a big L for loser on my forehead. Oh and the refrigerator? Running perfectly again. I am embarrassed, because I know better.

** I had grand plans to go to Animal Kingdom this weekend. I like to see the animals before the Summer heat is full force and they get all lazy and sleepy. In full defiance of my plan, Mother Nature has cranked up the heat to the upper 80s, and it's going to rain both days this weekend. Hmph.

** I am ridiculously happy with the paper products being made for the wedding. They amuse me. They make me smile. They are coming out exactly as I pictured them. The person I am working with on Etsy has been a dream!

** On the wedding front, I ordered the first pair of shoes I am considering for the wedding. They are due to arrive any day now. And if I don't like them for any reason? Zappos has a 365-day return policy (provided you have the box and the shoes are in new condition) and free shipping. Both. Ways. I can't go wrong with that, right??

** Today marks the one-year anniversary of my surgery. I am stunned that it has been an entire year. And I still like my scars, faded though they be.

** I have been lax about having delicious candles burning since we moved.  I have no excuse. I know where the candles are, and I have quite an arsenal of seasonally-appropriate scents from which to select. Truth be told, none of them can compete with windows thrown wide open to welcome the perfume of orange blossoms, but sadly, their time is coming to a close. I need to break into my stash of Spring candles soon. And on the topic of Spring, I need to do something about the banner on this blog. The snowflakes are not only stale, but they are not even the correct season!