QOTD - Friday

Good morning everyone!! I have to be honest...I am SOOOO glad it's Friday. Can't wait to be able to sleep in this weekend. I'm wishing I was asleep right now. I've been having a terrible time going to sleep at night - and then I wake up a lot too (bathroom). I'm so exhausted it's not even funny. But, I know if I sleep in the day it's going to make the night time problem even worse.... I feel like I'm in a no-win situation with my sleep right now. On to the questions..... 1. Do you like to watch HGTV? What are your favorite programs? 2. Do you watch DIY? Which programs do you like there? 3. What are your favorite programs on Food Network? Do you ever try any of the recipes they demonstrate? Which ones? How well does it turn out? 4. When you try a new recipe do you follow it to the letter or do you improvise? 5. Do you consider yourself "fearless" in the kitchen? 6. Do you like to cook? 7. Do you like to decorate? 8. What are your plans for the weekend? 9. Are you scared of climbing a ladder to do something up high (paint, clean gutters, trim branches from the trees, etc)? 10. Are you "handy" around the house or do you hire people to do what needs to be done? Okay...that's what I was able to come up with for today. Hope you all enjoy them. I'll be back on Monday with the next installation of QOTD!!!! Have a great weekend!! Susan

1. Do you like to watch HGTV? What are your favorite programs? I love HGTV. I don'****ch it as often as I once did, but some of my favorites are Room by Room, Decorating Cents, House Hunters and Designed to Sell. 2. Do you watch DIY? Which programs do you like there? I watch it sporadically, but not enough to even know the names of the programs I've seen..... 3. What are your favorite programs on Food Network? Do you ever try any of the recipes they demonstrate? Which ones? How well does it turn out? I love to watch Emeril (he's hysterical) and Rachel Ray. I've tried several of her recipes - both from the show and one of her cookbooks that I bought. I've used some of Emeril's tips when cooking, although I've only used recipes from a Thanksgiving show one year from him....That was my best turkey and gravy EVER....and wouldn't you know, I didn't write everything down and the next year (and subsequent years) my food hasn't turned out as well... 4. When you try a new recipe do you follow it to the letter or do you improvise? Depends. If it's something totally new (like a Greek recipe and I don't really know much about Greek cuisine) I will follow it to the letter the first time and then will tweak it to my families taste afterwards. But, if it's Tex Mex, Italian, or something that I've cooked similar foods before, I will go ahead and improvise while cooking. 5. Do you consider yourself "fearless" in the kitchen? Yes. I am willing to try anything and frequently just go into the kitchen and start throwing things together - I come out with some of my best meals that way! 6. Do you like to cook? LOVE to cook. Also LOVE to eat.....Hmmmm...could that be why I gained all this weight??? Thank goodness for WLS or I'd be 20 pounds heavier by now! 7. Do you like to decorate? Yup. I sold Home Interiors and Gifts for a while and did rather well with it. I think my house is simply but tastefully decorated. Everyone who comes in always comments on how beautiful it is, while also being kid friendly and comfortable. 8. What are your plans for the weekend? Don't have any beyond sleeping in tomorrow morning. I'm sure hubby will have us out and about this weekend going to a park, or the beach or something. Hmmm....I'm thinking this might be a great weekend to go camping....will have to run that suggestion past him to see what he thinks... 9. Are you scared of climbing a ladder to do something up high (paint, clean gutters, trim branches from the trees, etc)? I can go up a ladder to a certain point and be just fine....but one more step and I get scared....What's funny is, that point changes from time to time... 10. Are you "handy" around the house or do you hire people to do what needs to be done? I consider myself quite handy around the house. My Mom and Dad are both very handy and I learned a lo****ching and helping them when I lived at home. I take care of most things around the house now. My hubby, gotta love him, is NOT a very handy guy who prefers to hire someone else to come in and do things....he uses the excuse that he's too busy and doesn't have the time, but that's a crock of @#$%. This is why I'm the one doing what's necessary to the house prior to selling it. He has no clue what to do...and I helped my parents build an addition to our house when I was a teenager! We added over 1500 sq feet to it!

1. Do you like to watch HGTV? What are your favorite programs? We dont' get HGTV 2. Do you watch DIY? Which programs do you like there? Um, we don't get DIY either 3. What are your favorite programs on Food Network? Do you ever try any of the recipes they demonstrate? Which ones? How well does it turn out? OOOOOO!! My Favorite is Paula Deen's Party. I also like 30 min. meals (but it's getting boring), Throw-Down, Ace of Cakes, Dinner Impossible....the list goes on. I take snippets away with me, but have not tried a full meal. I watched a Throw Down a week or so ago where Bobby Flay made a meatloaf that he topped with a balsamic glaze .....didn't make a meatloaf - but when I made porkchops that week I reduced some balsamic vin. and worcheshire sauce in the pan to top them with (yummo). 4. When you try a new recipe do you follow it to the letter or do you improvise? You're supposed to follow them, I thought they where just suggestions? Ha ha, I totally improvise. 5. Do you consider yourself "fearless" in the kitchen? Yes 6. Do you like to cook? I LOVE LOVE LOVE to cook 7. Do you like to decorate? Not particularly. 8. What are your plans for the weekend? A home jewelry party tonight, tomorrow cleaning and packing at the apartment. I am forcing myself to be done by 2 and making time to spend with The Boy tomorrow night - I have a feeling a fancy dinner is in order as I've not been good to him this week. I'm also skipping my kids choir on Sunday night to attend something he has going on (he doesn't know it) - cuz I think he'll appreciate me wanting to support him. 9. Are you scared of climbing a ladder to do something up high (paint, clean gutters, trim branches from the trees, etc)? I was...I have a feeling I may not be now..but I haven't tried a ladder yet. 10. Are you "handy" around the house or do you hire people to do what needs to be done? I can get it done if I have to - but if I can find someone to do it for me? Even better!

Better late than never I guess with the answers: 1. Do you like to watch HGTV? What are your favorite programs? Nope, don'****ch them. 2. Do you watch DIY? Which programs do you like there? Nope, haven'****ched it yet .3. What are your favorite programs on Food Network? Do you ever try any of the recipes they demonstrate? Which ones? How well does it turn out? I love Paula Dean and Sandra Lee. I have tried Paula's stuff and even when I am searching for something to make, I will check out her stuff. Simple ingredients and down to earth cooking. 4. When you try a new recipe do you follow it to the letter or do you improvise? For the first time I make it I try to follow the recipe, but if I don't have an ingredient I will improvise. After that, then it is fair game with the recipe. 5. Do you consider yourself "fearless" in the kitchen? Oh yeah, I very rarely use a recipe. Just improvise and take from what I have seen on TV to come up with something. It usually works out pretty good too. 6. Do you like to cook? Love to cook, especially when they appreciate it. 7. Do you like to decorate? Yes I do, and it is even better when the money is there to do it. 8. What are your plans for the weekend? Not sure. Probably do some cooking for the upcoming week and do cleaning. Nothing exciting planned so far but never know what the weekend will bring. Usually fitting into Joe's plans. 9. Are you scared of climbing a ladder to do something up high (paint, clean gutters, trim branches from the trees, etc)? I am not afraid of heights but I have not trusted a ladder for a long time due to the weight. I will soon weigh little enough to be able to go up the attic steps and get that cleaned out, finally. 10. Are you "handy" around the house or do you hire people to do what needs to be done? We are very handy and very rarely hire anyone to do work around here. Joe can almost do it all and as a result, I have learned a lot from him and also do for myself.

Susan, sorry to hear about your sleeping problems. That can really mess with your state of mind! Try getting some lavender oil and sprinkling a little on your pillow; it can be very good in helping you to relax and get some sleep. Also...are you writing these days? Maybe next time you can't sleep, you could just grab a notebook and start scrawling whatever comes to mind. I sometimes find that I'll start out feeling very tense and, as I write, the reasons come to the surface and sometimes the solutions become clear too. Then, I can sleep. 1. Do you like to watch HGTV? What are your favorite programs? No. 2. Do you watch DIY? Which programs do you like there? No. 3. What are your favorite programs on Food Network? Do you ever try any of the recipes they demonstrate? Which ones? How well does it turn out? I like the travel programs that Rachel Ray does. I enjoy Emeril. And the Barefoot Contessa. Mostly, I just pull ideas from them, listen for things I;d never thought of, intriguing combinations. 4. When you try a new recipe do you follow it to the letter or do you improvise? I always put my own twist on a recipe. 5. Do you consider yourself "fearless" in the kitchen? Yes...I have a very good sense of what will work with what. 6. Do you like to cook? Love to cook! 7. Do you like to decorate? Yes. 8. What are your plans for the weekend? I'm going out tomorrow night with a new group of people, meeting some new folks. 9. Are you scared of climbing a ladder to do something up high (paint, clean gutters, trim branches from the trees, etc)? I'm fine going up, really scared coming down. 10. Are you "handy" around the house or do you hire people to do what needs to be done? I do what needs to be done, unless it's something requiring a special skill I don;t have.

1. Do you like to watch HGTV? What are your favorite programs? i never remember to turn it on at home. they always have it on where i get my manicures though and i really do enjoy it then. i like the decorating shows. 2. Do you watch DIY? Which programs do you like there? my husband loves this old house and old yankee workshop. so i often see those. 3. What are your favorite programs on Food Network? Do you ever try any of the recipes they demonstrate? Which ones? How well does it turn out? i love rachel raye. i have adaped some of her ideas into my recipes and they always work out great. 4. When you try a new recipe do you follow it to the letter or do you improvise? i'm more of a "make it up as i go" kind of cook. 5. Do you consider yourself "fearless" in the kitchen? i consider myself fearless with a phone for takeout orders, and i certainly am fearless in a restaurant. as far as the kitchen goes, the little bit that i am in there i guess i would consider myself fearless. 6. Do you like to cook? i don't mind cooking when i feel good. it is hard for me to stand for long, and even just chopping vegis can really throw a wrench into my back and shoulders. 7. Do you like to decorate? i loved doing my house when we first moved in 23 years ago... i really need a complete makeove now, even though i have redone little things through the years. we would like to get out of this large house and into something smaller. i have 5 bedrooms upstairs, and downstairs i have a formal living and dining room, a family room, kitchen, huge game room, and a nice size laundry/utility room. it is just too big for the three of us now. we really only use the kitchen, two bedrooms and the family room. i used to entertain a lot. since my car accident in 1996, and my feeling crappy most of the time, my house is definately in "chaos". i would love to hire someone to come in and help me get it back in order. i would love to be able to throw fabulous dinner parties once again. any volunteers out there??? i'm willing to pay if anyone want to come and stay with me for a week or so. 8. What are your plans for the weekend? with this headache, i haven't made any plans. bummer! 9. Are you scared of climbing a ladder to do something up high (paint, clean gutters, trim branches from the trees, etc)? i don't mind going up as long as the ladder is sturdy. coming down is a little harder for me, but i do it. 10. Are you "handy" around the house or do you hire people to do what needs to be done? i am very handy. i grew up with a dad that did, and still does just about everything himself. my husband on the other hand, grew up with a dad that didn't enjoy that kind of work. i do the electrical and electronic hookups around the house, if it doesn't include working over my head. i can replace switches and plugs and light fixtures, as well as rewire the telephone system or t.v and stereo/cable/surround sound types of things. i also did a lot of carpentry work with my dad, so yes i would say that i am very handy, although with my back i don't get to do as much as i would like to do. as far as the cleaning and laundry go... fortunately since i have been married, i have had a housekeeper, and since i have been disabled, she seems to be doing more and more. i wish i could afford full time help, but once a week is a blessing in itself. now if i only had a cook!!! p.s. yes, i am spoiled.