Nice Hailstorm in May...Or is it snow in May...just kidding...

Nothing like a thunderstorm that turns into a hailstorm in May!  The hail was only marble size at most but it still took out my smaller squash plants, cucumbers and some leaves off all my pepper plants with all its pelting of hail.  Oh and it chopped off a part of the raspberry bulb stalk I planted which is wood! One thing of pepper seedlings got completely flooded out because it was raining so hard the gutters overflowed right down into it.  It was a river of hail, mud and water.  I almost went out and tried to salvage something but at that point the hail massacre already occurred and I was not really into get wet, muddy and gross.  Or struck by lightening!  Although I did not sleep well, and woke up with a migraine and a cat that wanted to go out.  Fortunately some Excedrin and back to bed got rid of it.  Wanted to post my pictures of mass destruction and then I have to finish packing and shower so I can head to Detroit in the morning with Kiwi, and Bailey for Nick and Kristen's Wedding on Saturday!

So I replanted some more seeds and hopefully we will not have any more hail storms or my peppers will definitely die, a couple leaves and they should be okay.  They just got to survive the move and we will be good.

We Miss You Grandma!

Digital greeting created with Smilebox

It's so hard to believe its been three years since we lost her. It's so hard because some days I would just want a card in the mail that she was thinking of me. It's hard when you lose that rock in your family, the mother, grandmother, who brought everyone together.

It was a pretty productive day...

Well I got some things packed and brought some boxes and packing materials from my storage in the basement while I did some laundry.  I ran to the bank to get more quarters so I could do laundry and fill my bike tires with air since they were flat from sitting inside all winter.  Well I put in my bike standing up fine but it decided to fall down of course.  So I filled the tires, and headed home.  But when I went to take it out, like I've done millions of time's over the years as I used this bike all through the college years especially during the summer months, it pinched me or so I thought.  I think the emblem that used to be flat that now is lifted on the sides sliced my finger open, it's not that deep but it did slice all the way down the the dermal layer.

We got a bleeder....it looked worse than it was...

Before I trimmed the excess skin flap

Ouch it hurts...NuSkin was a fun experience but no worse than the fire sensation every time I washed my hands!

Its gonna be a busy 2 weeks!

My cousin Nick is getting married to his fiance Kristen on Saturday! (Congrats Guys!)  It seems like yesterday that we all were little kids...even Jasmine is not a kid anymore!
Then I'm coming back to Kalamazoo to pack up all my stuff to move out of my condo.  Moving is never fun because I always have tons of stuff and if anything this time I probably have more than ever.



Sometimes I just wish I could go back to the carefree living of childhood, below are some pictures of myself, my brother and some of my cousins.  Its not my cousin Nick who's getting married though.  I'm holding the Elf doll and my brother is in blue.

Freezing rain...

So Bailey wanted in from outside and it started to sprinkle rain then it started to rain little frozen balls, it didn't last long but it definitely filled the patio with little frozen balls of snow.  

Queso Blanco....Attempt #1 and #2

Queso Attempt #1:

So I was craving some white queso like you get at Mexican restaurants and a lot of recipes online used either Velveeta, white American cheese and Monterey Jack which seems odd, like wouldn't the Mexican restaurants use a Mexican cheese?

Well I figured while I was getting my On the Border Tortilla Chips from Sam's club that I would see if they had any cheeses that may work for the sauce.  

I made the mistake of finding a cheese named Queso Blanco which is a semi-soft fresh cheese, well of course it did not say much else and it was a huge block being Sam’s club.  Maybe I should have just waited and researched it but I thought it was probably one of the cheese used at the restaurants.  

Boy was I wrong.  Well I taste tested the cheese it really has no flavor besides a mild salty flavor.  So I chopped up a good portion of that and then some Monterey Jack that I had purchased to add some flavor.  Well that cheese did not melt.   Upon further research I found out it’s not a melting cheese nor is it a Mexican cheese it’s similar to queso fresco though.  

It just warmed to a curd like texture with the other cheese and I even put it through the food processor in hopes of maybe breaking it down, since it actually tasted good with the tomatoes, jalapeño’s and serrano peppers in it.  Although it was just not texturally appealing, because it was not smooth but it may be good on some crostini as an appetizer.  I guess I’ve learned that cheeses are a little more complicated than I thought, and semi-soft does not necessarily mean that it’s a melting cheese!

Queso Attempt #2:

So for attempt #2 I was not messing around I was sticking to what I the majority of the recipes called for cheese wise.

The recipe I found had said to get 3 slices on 10 from the deli for around 12oz but the deli only got just over half a pound so I had to get 4 slices.

So I got just under 12oz Land O' Lakes White American Cheese

then I got some Monterey Pepper Jack cheese to combine with it.

~12oz  White American Cheese

~10oz  Monterey Pepper Jack

~2 Jalepenos (Ribs and seeds removed)

~1 Roma Tomato

~1/2 of Orange and Red pepper (I had charbroiled some on my charcoal grill)

~2 Serrano Peppers (Ribs and seeds removed)

~2% milk to thin to desired consistency

~Cilantro to garnish (I forgot to Garnish)

~1/4 cup onion chopped finely

I decided to put it all in the crock pot.  The american cheese was not really firm enough to shred so I just chopped it into 1" squares and put it in the crock pot lined with a crock pot liner. (Easy cleanup)

I shredded the pepper jack cheese and mixed it in.  I then chopped and added all the rest of the ingredients and let it all melt together.  Then I added milk to make it the desired consistency.  Then it was ready to eat!

Pretty Orchids

I saw these at Meijer they are different colors then you normally see orchid wise at the store and super pretty but 49.99 is a little pricey.  Sam's Club had a huge multi-stem arrangement for much less, but I'm assuming these are new promos for Mother's day.

" Love, butter & the company of cats is the recipe for a good life " - Julia Child

This was the topic of the freekibble.com trivia question for cats to donate food to feed hungry cats today.  Julia Child was a wise lady and cat lover!  I just love this quote!  I could not agree with it more!  Bailey is my first cat and I've had him since he was a baby so he's just special.  Although I cannot imagine my life without my animals, they keep life interesting.


Do you see what Bailey's watching?  I try and get a close up of this big guy but he's pretty skittish, although he's come all the way up to my door wall but ran away before I could take a picture.

Ignorant morons please park in my spot

So I have two parking spots, I always park either in between or over so my guy neighbors and I have space to park.  Usually my other neighbors will park closer to the other spot line, but I was not happy to see someone parked in my spot since I was planning on going somewhere later.  Also I hoped no one was in the passenger side.  They have plenty of visitor parking behind them to use and really I think its rude to just park there without asking especially since I barely would of been able to get in my door.  I should of had them towed away or called the cops! Idiots!