Ramblings...

Good morning!! I started my Monday off by going to the doctor. FUN TIMES!!! While I didn't get my way, I did get a prescription for hydrocodone. I guess that's an okay trade off. Well, not really... I am not a candidate for surgery because of my lung issues and the best my OB/GYN can offer is pain management for right now. So, I'll try the drugs and hopefully that will make it better. I asked him that if my tubes weren't tied, could I have another baby. He said yes. I then asked if I could have the name of a fertility doctor so that I could have a baby. He told me no. So then I called Gary and asked if I could have a baby. He also told me no and said he'd buy me another dog to take care of the out of control urge that I have to procreate. Tell me how it makes sense that someone who is a good mom (no laughing here) can't have any more kids and crackheads get to have them all the time. That makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER!!! Just PISSES ME OFF!!!!!!


So, Texas Open occurred this weekend. Our reigning TICC Champion, Tom Dozier, won 1st Place! I am so happy for him and I'm glad someone from North Texas made a showing this past weekend. We had such a great time with Mark and Vicki. We went out to eat Saturday night at Pico de Gallo's and the food was great, the margaritas kicked ass and we laughed and had a great time. We got in a little trouble back at the La Quinta, but hey...we were having fun. Just a little on the loud side, I guess :) There were over 200 cooks Saturday and I wish that there had been more public judges to judge the chilis instead of chili cooks judging as high up as the pre-final table. I'm not being critical and I'm not bitching; I'm simply sharing my opinion about what I observed Saturday - and I'm not the only one, either. It's hard to plan for judges - I totally get that. I would just hope that this will be used as a learning experience for next year and for all of the Opens and Championships that we have. Maybe the judges for large cook offs (when you have 140 cooks pre-registered...don't you kind of know??) should be handled similar to how we get judges for TICC - sign them up early. Invite people out. Relying on the public can be iffy. For all of the advertising that you do to draw cooks, I feel that the best way to ensure you have enough judges is to advertise as much, if not more, for judges. There were a lot of people who busted their butts this past weekend for Texas Open and I know that they were all working to make sure that the cook off was successful. Maybe in the future we can all learn from this experience and any of us with larger cook offs coming up can take some of the lessons from this past weekend and put them to good use. 1 pm turn ins for Opens and Championships - absolutely! 2 pm turn ins make for a long day! Signing up judges ahead of time to make sure chili cooks aren't used in the later rounds - why not? There is always going to be unforeseen circumstances that affect even the best laid plans. But, when you plan ahead, you tend to also have alternate options in the event of a hiccup. Hopefully next year Traders Village will have more vendors open and therefore attract more of the public to come out and stay longer as well. I think that a lot of people had left as the judging went into the later rounds. Hey, shit happens and hopefully all of us can take something positive away from this cook off to use at our own.

Paige got her hair cut last week and she looks precious! She decided to cut it short again and it's so cute stacked in the back with a little swing in the front. Love, love, love my little girl! She had a great time at Gammy's this weekend, but Mommy missed her! We had lots of private time last night and she even had her favorite dinner - eggs with cheese, bacon and toast. That child could live on breakfast for dinner! Gary and I were craving Chuys, so I was going to make Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce for dinner last night. We ended up having the BEST Patty Melt ever at Out West Bar and Grill in West and we didn't need to eat dinner. That was seriously the best ever...better than the Hole in the Wall and that's tough to beat. I think I'm going to make enchiladas one night this week and even serve them with a fried egg on top...just like Chuys! The Irving Elks cook off is this Saturday and so is the SOKOL 10k Giveaway Dinner. That makes for a very long day, so I don't know if I'm going to cook chili. I'm going on a SOTF trip in a few weeks and Gary's going to Men's State, so I'm going to take it easy on the chili trail for a while. And not because I don't believe in cooking after I'm qualified. Uumm..okay.

Gary and I have decided what we want to plant in our garden, so I get to start on that soon. I also need to get my herb garden together and a get a fence put up for goats!!! I am so ready for warm weather. Gary dug the holes for our covered area over the middle of the backyard...a Pergola, I guess. We had a concrete pad poured in the backyard when we built our house. Gary has all of the materials for it, so that's what he's going to be working on. I found some awesome patio furniture to put out there, so I'm kind of excited about it. There is a place in Reagor Springs that sells outdoor fireplace kits and I would LOVE to have one out there. Gary, are you reading this?? Hint, hint :)

My computer continues to be infected with viruses, crash, screw up and generally suck ass. I can't get anything done and that sort of affects our year end. I'm putting off the inevitable phone call to the maker of my computer. I have a warranty, so they have to replace it. Still...what a PAIN IN THE ASS.

Spreading my own special brand of kindness and joy in all that I do......

The Cadillac Cowgirl