I went out the other day for a hamburger at my favorite fast food place. I was disappointed and thus unsatisfied. Not only was the meal more expensive than the last time I went plus the gas to get there . . . I would have been much better off making something at home. But for some reason I craved fast food and bought into the convenience angle. I’m thinking more about the quality, now, or lack thereof.
I was on “live chat” with my internet marketing group and one disappointed member was ranting about a different fast food place that didn’t get the order right, plus what she received wasn’t all that great. Sometimes it isn’t worthwhile to drive back and get what you want and return what you don’t.
I’m not going to rant about fast food. I’m just saying the quality may not be what you remember from a previous visit. And I’m talking about just two particular places that I’m not going to name. You and your friends and family may have had similar experiences or your favorite fast food establishment is all right. It may all be a matter of perspective. Or the fast food place was having an off day. I remember going to one awhile back that everyone was saying had excellent food. I didn’t agree. I felt it was a wasted trip . . . but I did learn not to go back. It’s not about what others like, it’s about what you like. And right now, I’m liking what I make at home much better.
This should probably be a great opening for a recipe. I’m thinking about it. Something cool and delicious for summer.
Lettuce Wrap Chicken Club Sandwich
The really cool thing about this sandwich is that you can wrap it up in a lettuce of your choice and put in the ingredients you want . . . wrap it up and eat it or use a fork and eat it as a salad. You can use a salad dressing of your choice as well. It’s something different and quite refreshing.
Ingredients:
Cook and dice a chicken breast
1 diced tomato or you can use cherry tomatoes
1/2 of a diced up avocado
2 cooked slices of bacon, diced
2 iceberg or romaine lettuce leaves
salad dressing of your choice
ground pepper to taste
Add any other ingredients you want or remove ingredients and replace with other ones.
Directions:
Cook your chicken and bacon before beginning.
Dice up all the ingredients.
Set out your lettuce leaves and fill them up.
Top with your favorite salad dressing.
Fold your lettuce around your ingredients and you’re going to have a refreshing taste sensation in your mouth.
I did forget to tell you to have it on a plate and have a few napkins handy.
Enjoy!!
You could use a cheese of your choice or maybe some vegetables. I like having some grated carrots on top, but you can decide what would be best for the look and taste of your “sandwich.”
I enjoy taking a moment from time to time to stop and think. It’s always good to count your blessings daily and not wait until Thanksgiving Day . . .
Yes, I know the date . . . it is summer . . . I want to enjoy this season and I’m willing to wait for now until fall . . . Yes, you read that right.
I know I’ve been known to rush through summer and get going with fall and the excitement of Halloween!! Yes, that does seem to be my most looked forward to holiday . . . but I digress . . .
It seems that we have always wanted summer to be special since we were kids and that “What I Did Over Summer Vacation” essay you had to write. Isn’t it amazing how this assignment was universal throughout the United States and maybe the world or the whole universe. I honestly don’t know if that assignment is still given today . . . I suppose it is a nice ice-breaker for the beginning of the school year, but if you didn’t do anything special like a great vacation, that assignment was absolutely torture. Sure there was playing with the neighborhood kids, riding bikes, roller skating, playing baseball . . . visiting with cousins and grandparents and other relatives . . . even enjoying a delicious root beer float with Grandma on her front porch . . . going to the beach, mountains . . . an amusement park . . . but to have to write about it in class . . . nothing exciting seemed to come to mind . . . and what is exciting to any given age group?
Early this morning, my little Diva and I were out in the backyard . . . it was still dark out. I could hear something . . . a wild something or a neighborhood cat . . . Diva heard it, too. She smelled the grass and started tracking the scent left by something, then heard the noise . . . in the dark it is difficult to know if the intruder was coming towards us or away from us. Diva barked . . . was ready to chase the intruder out of her yard, but came back when I called her. We went inside . . . part of me wanting to get a flashlight to see what was in the yard and part of me didn’t want to know. So, I guess I don’t have a good story to tell you about the intruder in my backyard during the wee morning hours . . . except I was too chicken to explore further . . . I didn’t want to tangle with a skunk, squirrel, raccoon. snake or possum . . . or something of the two legged category . . . or even a ghost . . . I wanted Diva safe in the house with me.
But . . . is it safe in the house? Did someone or something slip inside while we were outside? Wouldn’t we have heard it? You see, random thoughts can go in any direction . . . unexpectedly . . . Now, to be honest with you, I haven’t heard anything going bump in the night (early morning). I know I’m being ridiculous . . . so I’ll end here with this cute video I found . . .
There are always holidays anticipated . . . and gone . . . What’s next?
Nothing more in July, then nothing in August . . . unless Back to School is a major concern on your radar and To Do List . . . maybe a vacation is in the works . . . maybe a camping trip or visiting friends and family . . . Labor Day in September . . . Columbus Day in October and of course, Halloween . . . is it too early to go with Halloween? Why am I asking, I’ve been putting in all kinds of Halloween or fall related stuff in here. It does take time to get some projects completed in anticipation of Halloween or any special holiday to you. Some people anticipate Christmas all year round . . . this is their thing . . . just as with any other holiday we find of special significance to us. Some people who find the 4th of July special may be right now planning for next year’s 4th of July bash.
Diva has something to say about the 4th of July:
After the 3 A.M. wake-up call yesterday. The day went pretty normally except for the goodies cooking on the BBQ. I was in great aromas heaven. By the time the boom-booms started up again I was tired and was getting some well deserved nap time. I was right next to Mom the whole time and she told me everything was all right and I was safe and I could rest . . . so I did. I would look to make sure Mom was still there. She was busy working on something, so if she wasn’t concerned, I didn’t need to be either. So I slept while Mom was in charge. All I can say is that the 4th of July is a great day for America. I am an American, too. I was born right here in the good ol’ USA. It’s all about Independence and America’s birthday. I learned about birthdays with my first one just a while back. I got a couple of new toys for my birthday that had napping time with me. So with the great 4th of July celebration, I learned about a new holiday. The best part is Mom and I celebrated it together. If it’s a holiday or just any ol’ day, I’m happy to be with my Mom . . . . and I know she loves being with me . . . My little lamb has a squeaky inside that needs to be squeaked . . .
Maybe I should have changed the caption to read: Did I hear someone mention Halloween?
I suppose it is never too early to work on different craft ideas or to begin thinking about Halloween costumes. That is a big deal. You do need to have a good idea early what you want before you get all confused by the variety of costumes.
Depending upon the weather where you live, warmth and comfort are major factors besides being that something you want to be or your children want to be. I remember as a kid wanting to be comfortable. I didn’t like wearing a mask. I wasn’t too fond of having my head and face covered. Wearing make-up was better than wearing a mask. I liked to be able to see where I was going and I didn’t want to trip on my costume . . . especially going up and down steps. These are important things to think about with your costume selection. Now, if you’re just going to a party and not going trick-or-treating then your selection may be completely different. Sometimes it is fun to get your friends to dress up like you and do some song and dance routine. The Roaring ’20’s flapper costumes are great fun and the hair and make-up you can do. Then you can learn to dance the Charleston and everyone will be joining in the fun, too. I wonder if there are some costumes for that . . . When you get an idea, you have to act on it quickly before it spreads and there are no costumes available.
Well, here are some ideas that you have plenty of time to work out. It’s important to get the right accessories. Definitely food for thought that may lead you in a completely different direction.
I honestly don’t know who is more nervous, Diva or me.
I think Diva likes this picture — it looks like she’s growing antlers just like her little stuffed toy moose.
Well, it’s grooming day. I need to deliver Diva early in the morning and hope they won’t keep her all day. I’ll miss her. She’s going for a trim . . . I hope that doesn’t mean anything too drastic. I know how fond Diva is of her pretty fur, but it’s getting too long on top and too long on the sides . . . I don’t want her tripping on it. I’d also like her back end short so she doesn’t collect leaves from the yard. It seems they do cling to her like a magnet. Maybe it’s because she’s so low to the ground . . . her fur seems to act like a rake . . . then when she gets in the house that static electricity is broken and I have leaves all over the floor. At least it’s easier to clean up than trying to get it out of her fur as she’s dashing around saying, “Chase me! Chase me! Chase me!”
At least, I think that’s what she’s saying . . .
I’m anxious to see her. The most difficult part about taking pets to the groomer is leaving them there and then waiting. I know Diva will be getting plenty of attention. She’s such a sweetheart.
I finally got around to taking Diva’s picture. It’s rather dark, but we’ll do another one during the day when the lighting is better. I don’t know why people want a picture of me in the picture, but maybe a dark one would be better 🙂 Well, here goes! It’s my personal debut on the internet. I do like being anonymous . . . but I’m doing this for my sweet Diva.
Today is little Miss Diva’s birthday! A whole one year old today!! Isn’t she adorable!!! She may be waiting for the cake and ice cream . . . but I don’t know the doggy equivalent. I’m sure we’ll figure something out!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced days, weeks and months flying by. It may be because I’m getting older . . .
This may not be something we want to admit, but I’ve been experiencing this for quite some time. It may be a thing about “retirement” or it may be something I’ve noticed because of getting new posts up on my websites or it’s time to buy groceries . . . again. I just don’t seem to get as much accomplished as I once did.
You know how it is when you’re working on a project and are in “the zone” of concentration how time flies. But I don’t seem to be in “the zone” of concentration. It seems that time goes by . . . another day . . . another week . . . month . . . even season. That may be a good thing for me . . . I love fall . . . but it does seem to be a long time coming.
I heard that with the lack of sun spots on the sun, we’re heading for a mini ice age. It doesn’t seem to be a global thing, but in certain regions. I’m not going to try to persuade anyone that I know what I’m talking about or get into the controversy of “global warming.” We watch the news and the weather reports. We can make our own decisions and draw our own conclusions. We experience weather every single day . . . it is either seasonal appropriate or not. We do remember from season to season, year to year. We may ask ourselves, “Is it getting warmer or colder?” “Are we getting as much rain as last year?” “Is this summer warmer than last summer?” “Are we having a mild winter?” We draw our own conclusions about our recollections . . . our own experiences. Then we do need to ask ourselves if we are being influenced by what we hear on the news? Is this altering our perceptions? Are we thinking and remembering correctly . . . are we being given accurate information? Or do we blindly accept it, because we’re too lazy or busy to look it up for ourselves?
Do we depend upon the observations of others?
Do they influence us? I’ve heard that we’re becoming more political . . . or everything is now political. Even a casual conversation becomes political. How is that possible when we’re talking about the price of groceries or buying a new pair of shoes or seeing the great new strides in technology? Have we become so numb to thinking for ourselves that we don’t think at all? Is that possible?
I do wonder if previous generations have experienced the same thing . . . and wondered about the same things I’m wondering about? We may always have had questions and observations, but has modern technology influenced us more than ever before? Are we better informed? We’re warned about spinning the truth . . . which happens with our friends and family to a degree . . . and then there’s downright lying . . . Has that become more acceptable? Is is all right for some and not for others?
That last question may seem foolish. It depends upon one’s value system . . . or have we lost that, too, in the process? And by process, I mean the passing of time . . . and the new ideas that have been brought to our attention in a variety of subjects that we may not have previously thought about . . . or is there a specific agenda . . . all of this may be very controversial . . . something I don’t usually address on this blog . . . but it is within our observations of the world we participate in.
It goes with the food we eat . . . the recipes we make for our families . . . is red meat bad? I remember once we were cautioned about eating too many eggs . . . then told to eat them . . . now its fats and sugars . . . then going vegetarian is more healthy . . . then there are the vaccines . . . good or bad for children . . . important or unimportant for the elderly . . . Much thought can even be hazardous for our health . . .
Are we given accurate information? That’s the question we should be asking. And who do we ask? Who can we trust? Does anyone really know the answers? Or is everything an opinion?
In internet marketing, we’re warned of scams, hackers, etc. All related to the internet, but can this be applied to our everyday life? Is the grocery store owner or manager trying to influence our choices by putting out certain displays or are these displays there to help us find what we’re actually looking to buy? Who is influencing whom in this situation? Are we being manipulated or are we doing the manipulation?
Or is there no manipulation going on at all? It may be a seasonal or holiday thing. Certain seasons we do want certain foods and clothing items. The stores are ordering what we’re prone to buy. We’ve all heard about the commercialization of the holidays . . . I can see the truth of that . . . I can also see that we’re either going to go along with it or not. We do have a choice to participate or not. It’s like with the Black Friday sales that have moved into Thursday’s Thanksgiving celebration. Would this be happening if the public wouldn’t be lined up outside stores early Thanksgiving morning?
Then there’s Cyber Monday . . . do we participate or not? Do we get our holiday shopping done? Or do we continue putting it off to the last minute? It’s all a matter of choice . . . some people have their shopping done well before fall while others enjoy the excitement of the last minute shopping. Everyone is different. We do get energized by the “vibrations” of others.
You may have experienced it yourself when you’re shopping for “back to school” or any given holiday . . . or even planning for a vacation. You may be influenced by the other shoppers who are buying camping equipment . . . and you’ve never entertained the thought of going camping in your life, but there you are looking at tents, sleeping bags, camping stoves and the like. Or patio furniture . . . and a hammock . . . a fire pit . . . ingredients for s’mores . . .
Interesting how I always get back to s’mores . . . it must be an obsession of mine . . . maybe like making the best hamburger . . . or hot dog . . . or all the creepy recipes for a Halloween party . . . to gross out your friends and family.
Well, my random thoughts have seemed to wander all over the place . . . without trying to influence others in any one direction or another, but to just think about it for yourself . . . you may draw your own conclusions or thought this blog post a complete waste of your time . . . That’s fine . . . I like your opinions . . . they’re yours . . . and I enjoy the freedom to express my thoughts and questions . . . I have no political agenda I’m expressing here . . . those thoughts are mine . . . I do have concerns about the weather and about the foods I eat . . . and about the expenses of living comfortably . . . and about the events on the global scene and at home . . . I’m not into controversy . . . I don’t wish ill upon anyone . . . I want everyone to be happy and not experience heartache or discomfort of any kind.
What I want for myself I want for others. It’s possible for everyone to succeed at whatever they choose. Of course it takes planning and hard work and a degree of luck thrown in . . . but we can accomplish much if we put our minds to it. I try to be as positive as possible. Being grateful for my many blessings and celebrating the successes of others, even when I may be struggling . . . maybe that’s when we put a “spin” on it telling ourselves that “we’re next” or knowing success is within our grasp. Yes, there are times our bubble is burst and we move on to other pursuits . . .
I’m reminded of a movie I watched about a wishing well . . . when asked, “Does it work?” The answer surprised me. There were two conditions:
you have to really truly believe
you have to make the right wish.
The obvious next question was, “How do you know if it’s the right wish?” And the answer was, “It comes true.”
We’re officially into the summer season. I don’t know whether to celebrate or cry . . . it’s not my favorite season because it lasts so very long . . . but I must be grateful for the seasons we do get in Southern California.
It’s been much cooler today . . . another reason for me to be grateful . . .
Little Miss Diva has become much more vocal lately . . . I’ll let her guest post on this website now, it’s a risk — I have no idea what’s on her mind . . .
I have my first birthday coming up in 7 days. I’ve been inspecting all the bags Mom brings in, but nothing interesting like toys and Diva Treats. Well, there was that roast beef . . . maybe Mom will surprise me with some more of that.
I think Mom might have some packages in the car she hasn’t brought in yet. I’ve been so good lately . . . well, I do bark when Mom’s working on the computer and talking on the phone . . . but I did bark at the neighbor this morning when he was working in his yard. I’m a good watch dog. I didn’t chase the cat that ran out of the hedge. Mom’s telling me to stay away from cats with a white stripe down their back . . . she called it something else, but I’m remembering the important stuff . . . I just won’t chase cats of any color.
Wow! I have a whole 7 days to be good.
It won’t be that difficult . . . I’ll just act cute and Mom will laugh and tell me what a sweet beautiful little girl I am. Yep, I do have my Mom wrapped around my little paw. Mom and I are going to be taking some “selfies” for Yvette and Diane, Yvette was my first Mom, she took good care of me ever since I was born and Diane took my picture and put them up on her website so my new Mom would see them and fall in love with me. It worked!!!
All I can really say about my new Mom is that she loves me . . . even though she took me to the vet who is a nice lady, by the way, and I had an operation and my teeth were cleaned and I got a shot in my rump. I didn’t like that shot very much, but the vet did have some tasty treats she gave me.
Mom says I’m going to the groomer this week to get all spruced up for my birthday. I don’t know about someone strange messing with my pretty fur. I wouldn’t mind the bath and a little trim, but I don’t know what Mom has in mind or what this groomer person is going to do. It is summer . . . maybe a short cut wouldn’t be too awful, but I’ll have to see . . . and if it doesn’t look good, I’ll have to beg Mom for some clothes and a hat to wear while my pretty fur grows out . . . maybe a pair of sunglasses, too. And absolutely no pictures!!!
I’m going to go play now. I have some old toys to chew on and toss around . . . then maybe a little nap . . . this guest blogging is a lot of work.
I do thank Miss Diva for her contribution on this blog post . . . she’s all tuckered out . . .
Besides little Diva’s birthday, summer brings on the thought of the 4th of July. I do love boxes I can make up for my guests filled with goodies. I found a wonderful website called Wings of Whimsy. There was just the right free printable I was looking for . . . a vintage red, white and blue triangular box. This isn’t the finished picture of it, but these boxes are included in the free printable.
You just need to Click Here for the free template.
I’m anxious to see her. The most difficult part about taking pets to the groomer is leaving them there and then waiting. I know Diva will be getting plenty of attention. She’s such a sweetheart.
