You say you want a resolution....well ya know, we all want to change the world

New Year's Resolutions.  Tough aren't they.  You have such great hopes for them.  On the Eve we all thought of things we wanted to do more of and do less of.  I wanted to be more positive and eat less saturated fat (or something like that).  

It's not that I am a negative person, but I tend to slip up and start obsessing about the negative aspect of any situation because for some reason it seems to be an easier conversation for me.   I need to stop that.  Yesterday this was very difficult.  We ordered a new dishwasher and thought it would show up at our house installed and ready to go.  Well, since Best Buy employees are from another world that does not acknowledge customer service, they delivered the dishwasher and told us we didn't pay extra to have it set up (nice if they had told us of the extra cost).  

Delivery men:  Where do you want it (the dishwasher)?

Jesse:  Where the old dishwasher is?

Delivery men place new dishwasher in front of old dishwasher

Delivery men:  Ok, sign here.

Jesse:  No, put it in there where the old one is.

Delivery men:  We don't do that.  You have someone else come and install it and then call us back and we can come and take the old one.

Jesse:  WTF!

Something like that.  I tried to be positive (because that was my NY's resolution).  What I find helpful is to remember how lucky I am to have what I have and to be grateful for everything around me.   So with the dishwasher situation I thought, I am lucky I have clean running water at all when so many people in the world do not.   I should not take this dishwasher in my living room for granted.   

On a serious note, we should all be grateful for what we have this year and to not stress about the petty, annoying, messy conflicts that get in the way of all the positivity in our world.  

...and to realize that an extra dishwasher in your living room works well as a end table.  

The Big Apple....Pancake

So this blog is based on a recipe from another blog that could be based on a recipe from another blog.  The blog world is so full of redundancies.  Alice Q Foodie is actually a blog I really like for recipes.  Most of the recipes I have made from her blog has been wonderful (can't speak so much for other blogs that will remain nameless).  This one is my favorite because it is easy and looks fancy.  I meant to make it for Erin and Jesse when they were visiting, but somehow the days got away from us (and donuts on New Years Day sounded too good to pass up--thank you Happy Donuts again for quenching the donut thirst on off hours).  Anyways, this delicious breakfast treat will please anyone who is lucky enough to stay at your house for the weekend.  Don't forget to make it just for yourself as well.  Hope you like the Big Apple Pancake as much as I do!

Searching for a Treasure

Blog is back in action.  Hope you are all still with me or will shortly join again.  I plan to highlight some of the Holiday spirit, but first wanted to recap my cool day in Alameda.  Actually I have spent most of the last 48 hours in Alameda.  Last night we went to the Lucky Ju Ju Pinball.  It was $10 for unlimited pinball.  You don't know how much you love pinball until you play it for 3 hours straight.  Then top it off with grilled cheese at Nations and it makes for a fun night.  

Anyways, today we went to the Antique Flea Market in Alameda.  We had a list or things we were looking for and had a decent amount of success.  The best find was this beautiful china cabinet.  It was ridiculously cheap and the seller delivered it for $15 (although he wouldn't haul it up the 35 stairs (thank you Kevin)).  It was dated from the 40's, but had been refinished with a coat of paint.  We also found a large copper tin to put our firewood in and my favorite, a punch bowl (it's on the bottom shelf in the cabinet).  It came with 20 cups!  There were 100's of stalls and acres of antique furnishings, clothes, jewelry, art work and everything else you can imagine. Just wear your walking shoes, lots of sunscreen and be ready to bargain.