my cafe

When our kiddos were younger and had not yet been exposed to college dorm food, they thought that I (and their Dad) should open our own restaurant. Besides the obvious...ok, so I let them think my cooking was worthy of its own dining establishment... we never could settle on a name for that said restaurant.  And now...besides the fact that the kids have been enjoying finer dining experiences... they will be disappointed to know that  someone already did it. 

I can't open my own restaurant with my name anymore. Darn it.

But...they did it with the motto that I love to live by.

Oh ya baby!

This sweet little cafe is in Plano, Texas. It's not far from where mom has just moved. Conveniently, it's very close to my sister's house as well. She took me to this cute little diner one day while we were out looking for shelving options for Mom's new laundry room. Normally, when I look over a menu, I like to glance at the desserts first, to gauge what kind of "entree" I might be interested in. As in, I should eat a bit lighter 'cuz I'm really interested in dessert. I have a friend from Colorado who has this same philosophy... we have the perfect "dining-out" relationship. And now, to find a restaurant touting my name AND basically telling me my life will be short if I don't have dessert...well, you get the idea.

Not only did I look at the dessert items on the menu, with my sister's encouragement...I went over to the  dessert counter to check out the pies! See if you can guess which one we chose. (we did share just one)

 Please note, the menu says "since 1958", loooong before I was born.

I chose a good classic cheeseburger with fries. I wanted to keep with my "eat light because you're having dessert" plan!  I thought about the Monterey Chicken, but the size just didn't seem to go with that plan either. And the fact that I have a major dis-like of mushrooms! Except for that fun guy* I'm married to. I like him.

eNORMAus! Clever...why didn't I think of that?

It was a great lunch and I'm sure that I will be back there again.

In case you want to know... we split an eNORMAus slice of lemon meringue pie!

Did you guess correctly?

NORMAlly, I would go for something chocolate, you're right.

* fungi =mushrooms *fun guy=husband

Post edit: My sister has clarified that "we crossed the city line while driving that day. The cafe is really in Frisco, not Plano." A normal mistake made by someone who isn't familiar with the area.

it's fall ya'll

The Harvest Moon says so.

What is Harvest Moon?

The Harvest Moon refers to the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, which marks the commencement of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. The equinox takes place twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Equinox refers to those days when the length of day and the night are almost the similar everywhere on the planet.

Is the Harvest moon bigger, brighter and more colourful?

The harvest moon is just like any other moon and is not really brighter, bigger or more vibrant. But, yes it appears to be visible longer. Now, the reason behind why one sees the bigger-than-usual size of a moon near the horizon is due to a ploy that our eyes play, called ‘Moon Illusion’. And finally, the reason behind the orange colour of a moon is because of the greater thickness of atmosphere in the direction of a horizon, due to which a blue light is dispersed and hence one tends to see a brighter, orange moon.

Why is it called the Harvest moon?

It is dubbed as the harvest moon because its light used to help farmers to gather their crops and this is why it is also referred to as ‘Full Corn Moon’.

Above info copied and pasted from the good ol' internet.

So...because the recent moon phase tells us it's fall, we have to believe it. That, and the fact that the temperature here in Arizona dropped enough over the weekend to enjoy two nights of sleeping with the windows open!   

I had a dream last night that a bobcat was inside our house. And I was ok with it.

I wonder if that would be called "pet illusion" or just a nightmare.


Besides the fact that y'all rhymes with fall...it's a little shout out to one of my Texas sisters. Today is her birthday. 
Happy Birthday Karen!

~norma~

like home

As most of you know, my Mom made a move from Colorado to Texas last month.

It is her third time to live in Texas...so like I said... "the third time's a charm."

She will be closer to family. Lots of family. She is in a really beautiful retirement apartment complex. 

So much of her treasured furniture and family collections fit nicely into her new home. What didn't fit, will be lovingly cared for in the homes of her "oh-so-grateful" daughters.

The move was a big accomplishment and actually, even though it was hotter than hot in Texas that weekend, it was a great family moment. Do you see that painting above her couch? She painted that when she was in high school. She has modestly said over the years..."it's really not that special." I don't agree. It has always been a favorite. It is such a peaceful painting. And now I love that it has a nice place to hang.

Her collection of aluminum goodies. Why yes, there is a strong family bond in the collecting department. It goes back a few generations!

As her move was becoming a reality and downsizing was in the forefront, she decided to purchase this china cabinet from the estate of one of her friends from her old neighborhood. It would replace a much larger piece that would not fit as well in her new apartment. This was meant to be. Her pretty dishes and family pieces look very nice it it, especially when the sun shines through the window and catches the sparkle of the glassware.

 We managed to fit many of her things in despite the smaller space.

And here she is. Looking comfortable in her new apartment. I'm excited to hear about the adventures in her new place.

Like Chuck said when he saw the pictures..."Looks like home to me."

And it does. It just seems to suit her and all of her furniture. Nothing looked out of place. It all looked very natural.

I hated to leave so soon after getting everything unpacked and organized. I felt like I wanted to hang-out and enjoy it a little bit. So, I'll just have to go for a visit. In the meantime...

" Mom...I hope it is starting to feel like home."

~norma~

great rain

It has rained here for two days. Lovely, soaking rain. It brought the temperature down enough to open the doors and windows for a few hours during the day. 

Yesterday, I pulled out my rain jacket and an umbrella and walked around in the down pour.

Because, you know how nice it is to walk in the rain sometimes. And you know, here in Arizona, when it rains...it usually really rains. I mean really. Lots and lots of rain. What had been just a nice even shower, turned into a down pour which then became a downright deluge for a couple of hours.

So much rain with nowhere to go. The desert ground can't soak it up, so it just puddles and flows to lower areas. It kept getting deeper and deeper around my toes.

It was somewhat refreshing as the temperature cooled off just a bit. Although, rain in the desert has an interesting smell. Not fresh and rain-like but rather...stinky... in my opinion. Sorry Arizonans. If you have  never smelled rain in the mountains you have missed out. Maybe this scent has something to do with all the interesting, creepy, creatures that make the desert their home. The welcome relief of the rain certainly outshines the fact that it doesn't smell so great. But, I did enjoy being out in it!

 I just stood still, listening to the rain pelt the top of the umbrella.

The pool water level actually rose a couple of inches over the course of the day. That's a lot of rain!

The washes down at the bottom of our driveway were running pretty fast. I'm certainly glad we live at the top of the hill!

There were flash flood warnings out for many parts of the city. And flooding through the big washes can be a real problem when it rains this hard.

It was getting pretty deep on the front patio.

I decided I would catch some of the rain for watering my plants next week when it is all hot and dry again. That trash can filled up in less than 10 minutes. Lots and lots of rain!

The trees, plants and even the cactus are all singing their delight this morning! Their thirst has been quenched and they are ready to be green and lovely again. Just in time for fall. You know, when leaves are suppose to turn colors and drop to the ground. These beauties are gearing up for a fresh new growth spurt and bloom after being dry and parched all summer.

Today looks like it will be another day like the last two. Doors and windows open.

Bring it on!

As for me....I'm still trying to catch up after being gone so much this summer. I did finally unpack my suitcase.

That was an accomplishment.

another reminder

It has been brought to my attention, that certain college students (names withheld to protect the not-so-innocent) visit my blog as a way to escape their homework responsibilities. It was also brought to my attention, that one of those college students had already seen my last post and was disappointed that there wasn't anything new for her to read.

Here is something new. Now, get back to your homework!

I have been on a two week hiatus from my blog and from my home. I've been helping my Mom move to her new home. In Texas. We practiced our y'alls and all while there. More later.

~norma~