Friday Favorites: Why I Like Gus Better than Most People

1 - He's secure with himself. He knows he's the king and doesn't need anyone else to stroke his ego. When he's scolded, he recovers quickly. You can't keep him down.

2 - Gus does what Gus wants. If you don't like it, he does not care.

3 - He will stare you down like no other.

4 - He's independent but always returns to sit or lay next to me. He's my SnuffleupaGus. Get it?

5 - He greets me at the door every day bearing a gift. It's a dirty gross dog toy but still, it's a gift.

Happy 9th birthday to my Gussie, my first dog. Please live until the day I die...you can go a few hours before me. Wouldn't that be something? If our beloved pets could all die at the same time as us? Cheeseburgers for the dog members of our household tonight!

My posting schedule will be a little different next week due to a travel weekend:
Monday: Remember to look out for a special holiday edition of Shit MFD Says - it's his birthday
Tuesday: No blog post
Wednesday: Things I think are worth every cent
Thursday: an overview of the books I read this summer
Friday: Our trip to Chicago. So basically a TWTW post on a Friday - hashtag YOLO.

Chasing Silver Linings

Hello friends! I'm unprepared for TWTW today so I'm switching it up this week. 

Check back tomorrow for weekend things.

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The off weeks...whether it's one large life altering thing or a series of small things that occur closely together to create a unique shit storm, we've all been there. They suck. You feel like you've been put through the wringer and even if you're not a whiner (and I hope you're not because I cannot stand whiners) you feel like whining.

When I look around and everything seems wrong, I remind myself that it will get better. It always does. Sometimes it takes a little longer, but there's an inevitable upswing to every low time.

One of my favorite things to do is chasing silver linings. When I get bad news or have a shitty week, I start looking for the silver lining - it's almost like a game I challenge myself with to improve my mood. I truly believe there is balance in every situation. Sometimes it's very apparent (I have good news and I have bad news, which one do you want first?) and sometimes you have to really dig in and search for it. 

Those times? When the silver lining isn't immediately apparent, when you have to think hard, work around some mental roadblocks, and really look for it? That's when it brings the biggest reward: in addition to the silver lining itself, you get the gift of the journey and the lessons you learned about yourself along the way.

What about you? Sulker, silver linings chaser, or hybrid?

Summer Salads: Macaroni Salad

This is a very basic salad with no hard and fast measurements, but the next in the summer salads series nonetheless. I'm sharing this because it's a good thing to make to cultivate your taste method of creating good food. Too many people are out there cooking and not tasting as they go. Adding a bunch of crap at the end isn't going to save something. Taste as you go so when you arrive at the end, the dish is to your liking.

Ingredients
1 box elbow macaroni
4 stalks celery, chopped small
1 bell pepper (I typically use orange, yellow, or red), chopped small
1 can crab or 1 cup fresh cooked and picked (optional)
1 can shrimp or 1 cup fresh shrimp, cooked and chopped (optional)
Yellow mustard
Spicy brown mustard
Hellman's Mayo
Sea salt, white pepper (black okay), onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, garlic salt

Directions
Boil macaroni in salted water according to directions. Drain and store covered in fridge for at least two hours, but overnight is okay.

When you're ready to assemble the salad, put the macaroni in a large bowl with room to move and mix. Add your veggies, crab, and shrimp, then start by adding a cup of mayo and a tablespoon of each mustard. Then the spices - I'd start with about 1/2 tsp of each. Mix well, then taste it. What do you want to taste more of? I typically add more mayo - nothing worse than a dry salad, and let's be honest, macaroni salad is not the place to cut calories - and spices, but not all the spices. I do it by taste, and so should you.

It's a great easy salad to bring to a party or to make on Sunday for the week as a side.

What do you put in your macaroni salad?

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Haikuesday

Condiments: discuss.
Mayo means Hellman's only.
Mustard, up for grabs. 

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 See Asparagus & corn salad here, See Greek Orzo salad here

How I know you get me

Thanks to my friend Lauren at 
Eat, Drink, and Be Lauren for this post idea. 

You know you should wait for me to talk to you in the morning.

You know that if I add something to the conversation that sort of fits but maybe not really, you should think about what movie, TV show, or book whatever I just said could be from because I interject those types of things willy nilly.

You can tell by the look on my face when I'm not in the mood to chat.

You know I take my coffee with a little bit of cream and that when I order it face to face I show little bit with my thumb and pointer finger. You also know it annoys me when the coffee people ask, "No sugar?" because if I wanted sugar, wouldn't I have said I wanted sugar? 

If I say I'm hungry you know we should eat before I become hangry. 

You'll know to help yourself to food and drink and to make yourself comfortable in my house.

As soon as someone says they don't like Bruce Springsteen, you think here we go because you know I will mount a Bruce Springsteen is great because...campaign.

If I am really engrossed in a book, you know you should just leave me be. 

You don't ask me to pick the restaurant.

When you ask me a question, you know you will get an honest answer so you don't go away sulking when that is in fact what you get.

How do you know when people get you?

Linking up with Kathy for Humpday Confessions.

 Linking up with Shanna for Random Wednesday

Linking up with Liz for The Hump Day Blog Hop

Things that make my house feel like home

Post idea from Two Miracles.

Eclectic coffee mug collection

Stacks of books
Clean but well lived in feeling
MFD

Colored glass accessories...color in general

Pictures on the wall

Dogs chasing each other around, or just snoozing

A stocked pantry
Quilts and table toppers made by Lori
Candles

Fresh flowers
The shade of the huge old tree in the backyard
Soup on the stove, and cooking in general
Lounge attire
Eucalyptus mint hand soap
Clean sheets

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Haikuesday

Home, home on the range...

Little House on the praire

Ahem, the city.

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What makes your house feel like home?