Bunnies, Bacon, and Babes

Has anyone else noticed that it is already March 19th?? Who is sitting on the remote? Get off! 3 more weeks and we will be hiding eggs and roasting some pork product in celebration of spring, and bunnies that rise from the grave… or something like that.

Zombie Bunnies. Yea, that's the ticket!

So, this past weekend was gone in a flash, but it brought to light two very important things: cucumber mojitos are amazing, and don’t go cheap on the beef.  Friday night, I made homemade pot pies, and then wrapped up my evening with a few drinks with my sister and her family. I have officially opened spring/summer 2012 with refreshing mojitos. I kissed the whiskey, and put her to bed until this fall, when it is time to change back. You know what that means right? Yes. I declare spring has sprung! I don’t care that the spring equinox is tomorrow, I say it’s here!  My second lesson of the weekend is if you are faced with a crappy selection of beef at your local supermarket, don’t shrug and settle. Go elsewhere, and save yourself some disappointment. I didn’t do this, and ended up with beef hockey pucks wrapped in bacon. 

Makes a great doggy chew toy. Not meant for human consumption.

 So now I am itching to barbeque, and feel like the gas grill, while easy to operate, and very familiar to me, isn't going to be enough. I crave the tantalizing flavors of slow smoked meat. The gas grill isn't meant for slow and low, it is meant for quick and easy things.  I've done low and slow in a roaster, and you know what? It isn't the same. It doesn't matter the seasonings or the sauce, marinades, rubs, or sop. If you don't have the charcoal and wood, you just have a poor imitation of barbeque. I have a sudden desire to be excellent at charring meats. I'm not sure why I skipped getting a bonsai tree, or painting as a new hobby. I know, I am weird like that. But barbequing is something my father does, and  his father did too. It is typically a guy activity, but that never stopped me before. Plus, my husband makes better 'tator salad than I do, by far, so it should be up to me to serve something worthy of his side dish.  

Sorry to burst your.... No Santa. No Bunny. Just money!

Other than adding another item to my growing list of hobbies, the next event on my radar is Easter, and a special Mother's Day gift that my nephew and I need to work on for his mommy. Hopefully, he can actually keep a secret this time. Even if he doesn't, it will still be special. I wish I could say more, but Crissy will read this, and I won't be the one who let the cat outta the bag this time! As for Easter, well the traditions will be kept. Hide eggs, eat, and play. But I want to do something special too. Hayden is turning 7 this year, and while I know that he isn't growing up any faster than human biology normally calls for, I kinda feel like we are running out of years where the Easter bunny and Santa are real. When are these holidays going to cease to be magical?? When Hayden tells me that he confirmed Santa isn't real, I may cry. Threatening him with Santa if he isn't behaving works so well. What kind of life will we lead without the threat of Santa?! I'm off to brood about this, and try to get Monday off my plate. I always feel better about a week when I finally get Monday behind me. Not that there isn't another around the corner, but still. It feels like an accomplishment!