Cowgirl At Heart

My department had a team building event a few weeks ago.  It was so cool that I have to tell you about it.  It's by far the best day "at work" I've ever had.

We went to a local equine center and spent the day with animals.  We had a quick lesson on the different styles of riding horses (Western vs. English).  The horse trainer demonstrated some tricks.  Then, they let volunteers brush the horses before they showed us how to saddle them.  I ran for the brushes!

I've never cleaned a horse before, and I've always wanted to.  The instructor showed me how to use the double metal loop to gently brush with the grain of the hair, then follow up with a bristle brush.  They said how it's important to clean where the saddle will be so that dirt doesn't cause irritations to the skin.  I had fun cleaning Top Gun.  He was a big beautiful boy.  One of my co-workers cleaned Top Gun from the other side.  He must have thought it was spa day.

Then they saddled up the horses and asked who wanted to ride.  YOU BET!  Since I sort of started a relationship with Top Gun, I ran for him.  Wahoo, I got to him first!  I was able to get up without incident (hey, it's been decades since I've ridden a horse, and he's a tall boy).  They adjusted the saddle, and away we went.  We walked around with the instructor holding the lead.  He told me what to do, which sounded so simple.  What, wasn't I doing that?  Ummm, not really.  Ok, I see how I tried to use the reigns like a steering wheel.  Which only confused poor Top Gun.  Once I fixed that mistake, he was much happier.  Top Gun soon relaxed.  Then we were not only walking, we were trotting.  The trainer warned me that Top Gun has a bumpy trot.  He wasn't kidding.

Soon we were both at ease with each other, so the instructor turned me loose and told me to go wherever I wanted in the arena.  We not only trotted, we cantered!  It was so cool to ride that big beautiful horse.  It gave me such a sense of glorious freedom.  It gave me the bug to go riding again.

Just starting to ride Top Gun

I monopolized about as much of Top Gun's time as I could, then decided that I should let someone else enjoy him too.  The instructor (Top Gun's owner) told me that he doesn't adjust well to following commands from other people riding him, and he did really good.  Glad he told me that after, or it may have made me nervous.  Which would have made Top Gun nervous!  I dismounted without a step just fine.  Whew!  I did it.  And I loved it.

So, I know what we are doing for my birthday this year.  Trail riding, and I can't wait.  The last time I rode a horse was in college with my college roommate, Jus, probably the summer of '89 or '90.  For something fun to do, we went on a trail ride towards the end of the school year.  Wish I could find the fuzzy out-of-focus picture from way back then.

I rode a couple of times growing up (as in single digits, not like I did it often).  The first time or two was on our family vacations to Colorado.  Here's a picture from when I was 10 or a little younger...

I guess I had a flair for wearing clothes that clashed on the weekends as a kid, too.

After riding Top Gun in the arena, I walked around and looked at all the other animals they have.  

Meet Ham (left) & Bacon (right), not their real names

The llama

Beautiful horses

And I met my new boyfriend, Jake.  He's a total lush when it comes to a butt rub, so we bonded.  Both of his eyes were brown/blue in each of his eyes.  I've never seen another like him.  

I'm a sucker for those eyes, and his hair

I have a weak spot for border collies/Australian shepherds.  But alas, I know that breed is not for me.  Not until I can devote all my time and attention to one, and when could that ever happen?!?  Not until I retire.  They are slightly smaller than a Golden, and their lifespans are longer.  And talk about smart.  Smart enough to get into trouble.  Every day, I'm sure.  So, I will admire him from afar, and visit him every chance I get.

Speaking of visits, Tullybird will be here tomorrow--in just a few hours as a matter of fact!  I have the week all planned out for meals/drinks/shopping, and... horse back riding!  We are going to hit the trail for a ride.  WAHOO!  I am so excited that she's coming for a 2nd visit this year!

Omaha: The Food Edition

A few weeks ago I told you how we had so much fun in Omaha.  I also told you about the best thing I ever ate in Omaha:  fantastic out-of-this-world ice cream.  Here's the rest of that trip, along with a wild and crazy unexpected find for the front porch.

Our hotel offered complimentary shuttle service within 3 miles.  Well, sign us up!  There are a boatload of restaurants and stores within 3 miles!  So we get on the shuttle, and unbeknownst to us, there was a bachelorette party going to a Mexican restaurant for a few rounds of tequila who just boarded the shuttle before us.  We got on and made our way to the back, and Todd said "Don't I feel out of place?" to which all the girls laughed.  It was pretty funny.  They were all 20- or 30-somethings dressed up in heels and short skirts.  You know they were hurting the next day.

The bachelorette party on their way to "eat the worm"

We decided to hit a dive of a little seafood restaurant which got really great reviews.  Sounds fun, why not?!  We can have a steak when we get back home (at a fraction of the cost, and cooked to perfection with no worry of disappointment).

My blackened scallops with pineapple relish atop a bed of mushroom risotto.  Very tasty!

Not sure what my possessed look was about.

Todd's blackened tilapia:  spicy!

We had a fun evening sampling crab cakes, clam chowder, and lobster bisque.  Then we had our main courses shown above.  We were stuffed, so we ended up walking back.  Note: there is a prison not far from the Old Market area.  Just sayin' in case you weren't expecting it.  It put a giddy up in my step.  I felt better once we made it to the police station just a few blocks away.

The next morning, we went to WheatFields for breakfast.  I highly recommend this place for dining or shopping for baked goods.

Their "Roll sampler" was mini portions of 5 different delectable sweet rolls.  All for $3.99!

I had egg scramble with sausage, red peppers, onion, and monterey jack cheese

Todd had their "bruleed potatoes" (almost like mashed taters with broiled muenster cheese) and poached eggs

After a pants stretching breakfast, we discovered a gem of a store called Hollywood Candy which was open on a late Sunday morning!  It was a "candy" store FILLED with nostalgia.  And every single kind of candy you could possibly ever want from current times or your childhood.

The Reese's candy machine that looks like a soda pop machine caught my eye.

I cannot imagine how they visualized displaying ALL THIS STUFF before they did it.

Old time working soda fountain counter.

One wall was adorned with click pens.  CLICK PENS!

Every candy imaginable.  And tons of different soda pops in coolers.

This was a true museum documenting our candy heritage.

Their company vehicle.

I decided to purchase 2 strings of Zotz candies (blue raspberry and cherry), a Black Cow, and my favorite candy bar I loved growing up: the Curly Wurly which used to be known as the Marathon Bar.  The Marathon Bar was a braid of chocolate covered caramel with a ruler on the back.  It was the longest candy bar on the shelf.  So I thought I was getting more for the money.  I never understood why everyone didn't choose that candy bar compared to all the others--it was BIGGER!  Of course, I didn't understand net weight at the time...

We spent just enough time exploring the candy store, which had a movie theater and consignment shop in it, to find another store open full of outdoor art.  Iron Decor & More was a feast for the gardener eyes.  We found so many neat things there.  Garden arches, benches, metal signs, metal sculptures of every size and shape, wine bottle holders, beer pail holders, large metal flowers, small metal flowers (painted or not), holiday themed items, etc. etc. etc.  They had seen us looking through the windows before we found the candy store, and they opened just a little early, just for us.  They were happy to see us.

We were mesmerized by this unbelievable rooster.  Just look at the size of this thing!

OH LOOK, IT'S A CHICKEN!

We loved this big guy!

But alas, he was way out of our price range.  Not to mention impossible to transport.  But he was fun to look at, if only for a few minutes.  Who doesn't want their picture taken standing next to this mammoth rooster?

We looked around and found an awesome 4' wine bottle holder that goes perfectly in an empty corner that I wanted to fill.  We found a teetering rooster that swivels with a big rock, sort of on a pendulum to put by the front door.

AND GUESS WHAT ELSE WE FOUND?!?!?!!?!!!

A 4' version of that rooster--Oh YES we DID!

Meet Otto.  He's made out of recycled automobiles.  Hoods, roofs, etc.

Those Wild Animals, And Zoo Animals Too!

We went to the Omaha zoo last weekend for my company picnic.  I heard lots of great things about it.  So, I had high expectations.  

WTF were we thinking?  Seriously.  It was a Saturday, of all days to go.  And the very Saturday before most kids went back to school nonetheless.  At least it was a mild day in the upper 80s, I believe.  But still.  It's been a long time since I have been to a zoo.  I love animals.  More than most people, if I'm totally being honest.  No offense.  So I thought it would be great.  

I do have to admit that I have a hangup about most zoos.  Caging animals make me sad.  But then I think of the situation like the 3 legged big cat, who would have died if the zoo hadn't taken her (and she has had at least 3 litters, so how awesome is that?).  So that makes me happy.  And I think, surely marine critters are "happy" because water is water and they are safe.  But I wonder, how bored are they really?  Swimming around in the same circle probably does get old.

The Omaha zoo has an aquarium, so I thought at least that would be neat to see, and I will not be sad to look at those animals.  Penguins are hysterical to watch.  I think you could have two of them in a box and they would entertain one another.  So I thought that would be fun.

Think again.

About 3pm, every person in that zoo under the age of 10 had a catastrophic melt down.  I'm not kidding.  And I was a witness To. It. All.  It was not a pretty sight.  We had 4pm tickets to see the 3D Imax film called Kenya.  It was OK.  I kept dosing off because I too *needed* a nap.

Anyway, we tried to hit the aquarium an hour before the movie, and that just wasn't going to happen.  Mid-afternoon is peak time for visitors to any attraction.  Note to self: remember that next time.  We walked into the building and peeked at the puffins.  We turned around and I swear every stroller sold in the US was in that lobby accompanied by every adult owner and kid in tow.  I suddenly felt claustrophobic in an uncontrollable sense.  I knew the aisles to maneuver through the exhibit would be narrow and dark at times because we had just visited the Desert dome.  I felt like salmon swimming upstream to spawn as I walked back OUT of the one-way-only crowd to get the heck out of there.  

Never again.

But we did have a GREAT time in Omaha.  Holy cow town, that city is FUN!  We stayed at the Hilton, which was the newest & biggest hotel, and it's in the downtown area.   There were SO MANY restaurants and shops within walking distance.  It was amazing!  We can't wait to go back.  But we'll skip the zoo, thank you very much.

Highlights of the weekend include seeing an aardvark dig a hole (highlight of the zoo experience by far, that hole was cool).  They leashed this guy like a dog!  They bring him or his buddy out on Wed. and Sat. afternoons, because "they like to dig".  That is pretty neat!

The dirt was flying out of that hole!

This Aardvark didn't want to leave his hole-digging adventure

 

Leashed for a walk, just like a dog

This guy was BIG

I didn't take a picture of the actual hole, but it was pretty large and he was starting to curve around in the hole so pulling him out, if the leash had been any longer would have been more difficult.  Can you imagine if he had gotten free?  He would have tunneled his way right out of there.


Did you know, and aardvark is not closely related to an anteater although they look alike?  They naturally live on different continents.  I learned that tidbit from the lady announcing what was happening.  So at least I learned something.

Spots on a giraffe are like finger prints... no two are alike.  I learned that, too.

See all those people?!?

Cool birds with a funny name, but sadly I don't remember it

This little guy looked pissed off

Cute little things, whatever they were

Snapping box turtles, I believe

LOVE this guy

Burrowing owl--he was actually trying to burrow under the shavings on the ground

hoot hoot

beep beep

Massive desert tortoise, he was massive

So most of our pics are from the Desert Dome, go figure.

And now for the BEST THING I EVER ATE in Omaha, we learned about this place on an episode of Shark Tank. eCreamery is the best ice cream, I think I've ever eaten in my life.  It was AMAZING.  Todd, who does not have an affection for sweets, got a dip and LOVED it too!  It will make non-sweets-loving people into ice cream fans, this stuff is THAT good.

I was giddy with anticipation as we found the store.

My cone: Cherry Cheesecake on the bottom; S'mores on the top.

So happy to finally have it!

Fun ice cream bars too!

I went in expecting to love the Sea Salt Caramel with Chocolate-Covered Pretzels flavor and I tried it.  But the pretzels were chewy and the texture left me scratching my head.  The sea salt caramel ice cream was good, but I didn't care for the pretzels.  

So I tried the Cherry Cheesecake and instantly loved it.  The cheesecake flavored ice cream was dreamy, and the tartness of the cherries positively made me happy in contrast to the sweet cream.  There was a bit too much graham cracker chunks for me, but I could easily pull them out.  

The other flavor I decided on without even trying was S'mores.  That day happened to be National S'mores Day, so it was like an omen.  When I ordered that flavor, the guy behind the counter said that was the staff favorite flavor.  It is marshmallow flavored ice cream with graham crackers and chocolate chunks.  The graham crackers were even dispersed throughout and very "mixed in" so I actually liked that part.  The chocolate chunks were nice because they weren't too big and did melt in my mouth when I was eating it, in contrast to the cold cream.  VERY, VERY good stuff.  This is what Todd got a scoop of too, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

So if you ever find yourself in Omaha, you gotta try the place.  You will be happy you did.

I'll blog later about our dinner and shopping the next day.  Just wait and see what we bought.

Awwww, The Dog Days Of Summer

Howdy!  How's it going?  How ya doin'?  Anybody out there?

I think everyone is too busy to blog.  It seems like even regular bloggers out there have turned it down a few notches.  The flame has fizzled.  But I still think about you... 

So, the pups are 9 months old now.  Can you believe that?  I can.  Every time I look at their size, I am amazed.  They look like 1 year olds to me, who happen to act like 6 month olds....  They are really testing us these days.  But good thing they are cute, because even after all the I-Can't-Hear-You, and rebel rousing they do, we still love 'em.  

Here are some pics from when we visited a really great friend who loves dogs.  Loves 'em so much, he adopted Yoda and opened his pool to any fur-bodies who wanted to jump in.  We went over to his house about a month ago...

Joey got in.  Jessie looked on... from afar.

Keystone was tuckered out after his swim.

Jessie looking innocent

Joey looking all field stock.

Keystone LOVED the pool!

Yoda is not a swimmer, but she is a lover.

More posts to come soon from more recent events.

Oh yea, and Tullybird is coming to visit us in just a few weeks!!!!  I'm so excited.
 

Savory & Sweet

I wonder what the deal is with the "chicken & waffles" craze of late?

I've had the real deal twice in my life. The first time was in Vega$, June 2011 at B.B. King's Blues Club for breakfast before flying home. The last time was at M&M's Fish & Chicken Shack in Sparks and their waffles were great! I believe there was a cornmeal taste to them. Loved it, even if I had to pick the chicken wings apart. There's nothing like being one with your food. I thoroughly enjoyed both times, actually. 

B.B. King's chicken and waffles, great for the morning after you partake liberally

Todd got a bag of Lay's Chicken & Waffles flavored potato chips. OMG, they are so addictive! Generally speaking, I prefer sweet to savory, so chips are usually not my downfall, but daaaang these are goooood. It's such a strange combination that I keep wanting to eat them to make sure my mouth isn't lying to my brain. The maple flavor is subtle but distinctively there. I told him not to buy another bag, because I can't resist them.

And by the way, he bought the cheesy garlic bread flavored chips to, and my thoughts on those are:  Meh.  They are OK. Totally resistible. The person who suggested the Chicken & Waffles flavor got totally ripped off in that contest. But I understand if you don't agree.  If you don't like maple, you would probably hate them.

Next up, thanks to social media, I heavily anticipated Popeye's special promotion of their Chicken Waffle Tenders. Thank you, Popeye's. Thank you for dreaming up such a creative approach to chicken tenders.

I remember the first time I "experienced" creative chicken tenders. It had to be almost 20 years ago when Todd and I loved visiting Chicago on at least an annual basis to eat and shop. We went to Planet Hollywood and had their Captain Crunch chicken fingers. They were divine. I've had them again since then, and the magic is gone, now replaced with low-quality mass-produced sub-par frozen-fried chicken strips. I guess they got so popular that they decided to cut costs and go with a cheap version. I will prefer to keep my memories of the first time we had them.

Anyway, back to Popeye's. We went on a little adventure today to find them because Todd knew how much I wanted to try them, and after all, they are only here for a limited time.

The crust is light, crunchy, crispy, slightly sweet and tasty. We waited two minutes, happily, for fresh waffle tenders to be up in the window. I did not care for the maple dipping sauce at all. It was thick and chemically smelling with a sweet taste of nothingness so I skipped the sauce. Our tenders were accompanied by steaming hot mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy. I do not want to know what's in that gravy. It's SO ugly with unidentifiable components. But that's OK because I wanted to eat it and taste it, not look at it.

Popeye's Chick Waffle Tenders, MMMmmmmm!

It was worth driving an hour for lunch to try these. I don't think I will do it again, but now that I've had them, my curiosity is satisfied. And so is my tummy.