Karen’s Opinion

I am very happy today! I balanced my check book and discovered I had neglected to register a deposit. That is a great mistake to find. It is also a relief to have a little bit of money in the checking account! If the media would stop all their talk of doom and gloom with our economy, people would go on with their lives and spend money as usual. The sun is shining today and that makes me anxious for spring to arrive.

I love to see what flowers survived the winter. This winter was especially harsh so I hope my black-eyed Susans and purple cone flower plants multiplied. I cannot wait to see how full they have made my flower beds. One of these days, I won’t have to plant any annuals. That is what my goal is, to not spend money on plants. I want to sit out on my patio furniture, sip lemonade and read a magazine.

I may have to check into getting a new patio umbrella so I can work with my laptop outside. I have tried sitting in a lawn chair with my laptop but the sun glares on the screen and makes it impossible to see. While looking for an artificial Christmas tree this year, I stumbled upon a great website for great outdoor products. Todays Swim and Patio has an awesome selection of patio umbrellas that have the tilt feature. The tilt feature helps to block the sun no matter which direction the rays are pointing. They even offer patio umbrellas that come with LED lights so you can use them at night and enjoy an evening of relaxation.

Todays Swim and Patio has everything to help you get ready to enjoy your summer. They have outdoor fireplaces and fire pits that would be fun to use when the kids are home. We always enjoy roasting hot dogs and making smores over the fire. The fire pits from Todays Swim and Patio not only give you a great way to entertain but the quality of their products enhances the value of your property. Visit their website to see the beautiful, wicker furniture, outdoor lighting, outdoor rugs and other products they offer. They are a family owned business located in Mesa, Arizona. You can visit their store if you are in the area or order online as many satisfied customers have done since 1988. They are ready to serve you!

As I mentioned on my blog, The Pond, I was involved in a retreat this weekend. It was called The Chocolate Boutique and as the name says, it was all about chocolate. The theme of the retreat was based on Psalms 34:8 which says “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

We learned how good it is to have fun. I, for one, needed that reminder. During the winter it is easy to get downright depressed with all the gray days and cold temperatures. I recommend that you grab a friend and do something fun. I especially recommend some fun that involves chocolate!

On Saturday, I taught a clinic on how to make molded chocolate. I think these ladies had a great time. I didn’t know they were eating the chocolate until I looked at these pictures! I don’t blame them though. It was delicious.

This weekend I am helping our church ladies group put on a program that celebrates love, friendship and Valentine’s day. The program centers around chocolate! We will be tasting chocolate, making candy with chocolate and having conversation about chocolate. It is going to be so much fun.

There are many ways to make your Valentine’s Day special. One of them is to make your spouse feel special. If I were thin and young, I would shock my husband by playing a bit of role play. He might have a heart attack if I put on one of those sexy mini skirts and served him chocolate in bed. LOL It never hurts to put a little spice into your marriage.

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?

Val at Fun Crafts and Recipes wants us to talk about foods that sound funny. Here are this week’s four questions.

#1. What’s the funniest sounding food or ingredient you know of?
tortellini

#2. How do you pronounce “cavatelli”?
cav like ca in cat vat like in cat ulee

#3. How do you pronounce “gnocchi”?
knockee

#4. Share a recipe that calls for mozzarella cheese.
I can put mozzarella cheese on everything! I have just recently started buying blocks of mozzarella and grating it myself.

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