I Have Disappeared Into The Dark Hole Of Nursing School

But I Will Be Back Soon...

I am in my final semester of Nursing School, which is Critical Care Nursing, and this summer I will begin my Preceptorship and graduate in August.

I hope in the next week or two, things will get less hectic, and that I will have a small amount of time that I can begin to Blog again.

I have sooooo much to write about and adventures to share.

I have really missed blogging a lot!!!

So Stay Tuned - For I am not Gone...

For Now I Must Keep It Classy In Nursing School With My Nose To The Books!!!

Cindy Lou...

Ideas For Those Meatless Friday Lunches During Lent...

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich!!!

Great For Those Meatless Friday Lunches During Lent!!!

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

A jalapeno popper inspired grilled cheese sandwich  with roasted jalapeno peppers, cream cheese,  jack & cheddar cheese and crumbled tortilla chips  for a bit of crunch. Servings: makes 1 sandwich Prep Time: 34 minutes Cook Time: 6 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Ingredients 2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded 2 slices sour dough bread 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature 2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded 1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled Directions *Place the peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down. *Place the baking sheet on the top shelf in the oven and broil until    the outer layer of the  skin has blackened, about 8-14 minutes. *Place the peppers in a zip-lock bag or other sealable container,     seal and let them cool until you can handle them, about 20 minutes. *Remove the skins from the peppers. The skins should easily "pinch" off. *Butter the outside of each slice of bread and spread the cream cheese    on the inside. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the cream cheese of     one slice of bread, top with the jalapenos, crumbled tortilla chips,     the remaining cheese and finally the other slice of bread. *Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. *Add the sandwich and grill until golden brown and the cheese     has melted, about 2-4 minutes per side. Yummy Grilled Cheese - Enjoy!!! Cindy Lou...

ASH WEDNESDAY...

TODAY IS ASH WEDNESDAY... WHAT ARE YOU GIVING UP? FOR ME???  SWEETS... Ash Wednesday (The Day of Ashes)

Ash Wednesday 2012 is on 22 February which is six-and-a-half weeks before Easter. The Christian season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. The date of Ash Wednesday varies each year according to the date of Easter. It is always six-and-a-half weeks before Easter.  The earliest possible date of Ash Wednesday is 4 February and the latest possible date is 10 March. What is Ash Wednesday? Ash Wednesday is a Christian festival. It marks the beginning of six and a half weeks of repentance, fasting and abstinence in preparation for the most important Christian festival of Easter. When is Ash Wednesday? In 2012 Ash Wednesday will be on 22 February. 2009 — 25 February 2010 — 17 February 2011 — 9 March 2012 — 22 February 2013 — 13 February 2014 — 5 March 2015 — 18 February 2016 — 10 February 2017 — 1 March 2018 — 14 February Why is it called Ash Wednesday? Ashes are something that are left when something is burned. For Christians, ashes are a symbol of being sorry for things they have done wrong and want to get rid of forever. It is also a reminder to them that we all come from ashes, and to ashes we all will return. Why are ashes marked on the forehead? For Christians, the marking on the forehead with ash marks the commitment to Jesus Christ and God. They wanted to show God that they were sorry for the wrong things they had done in the past year. Using a mark on the forehead as a sign of commitment is also used in many Middle Eastern cultures where a round, coloured circle is marked on the forehead.  What happens on Ash Wednesday today? Many Christians will attend a religious service where the ashes are blessed by the church leader, and placed on their forehead. Christians believe this marks the physical and spiritual beginning of a personal Lent season in which 40 days of repentance will begin leading up to the celebration of Easter Sunday. The actual moment when the forehead is marked initiates the beginning of lent for each individual person. What are the ashes made from? In churches the priest first burns the palm that have been kept from last year's Palm Sunday and then mixes the ashes of these crosses with holy water (which has been blessed) to make a greyish paste. When people go to church on Ash Wednesday, the priest dips his thumb in the paste and uses it to make the sign of the cross on each person's forehead.  Why are last years Palm Crosses recycled? Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, so when the crosses used in the last years Palm Sunday service are converted to ashes, worshippers are reminded that defeat and crucifixion swiftly followed triumph.  What do the ashes symbolize? Using ashes to mark the cross on the believer's forehead symbolizes that through Christ's death and resurrection, all Christians can be free from sin. HAPPY ASH WEDNESDAY!!! CINDY LOU...

Fat Tuesday - More Than A Mardi Gras Party Day!!!

But What The Hell - Let's Party!!!

Today - Tuesday, Feb. 21st, 2012, we will celebrate Fat Tuesday.  Fat Tuesday is the final day of Mardi Gras Festivities known as Carnival.  Mardi Gras is celebrated in predominately Catholic locations around the world, with such famous cities like Mobile, New Orleans and Rio de Jainaro.  Although all these festivities are best known for parties, costumes and beads, Mardi Gras has deep religious origins in the Catholic Calender as well as in pre-Christion Pagan Celebrations.

Came Vale, is the Latin root of the word Carnival, which means "Farewell To Meat".  Which is the reference to the upcoming 40 day fast of Lent that commences at Midnight on the Eve of Ash Wednesday.  Fat Tuesday was named due to the fact that it was a time of extravagant feasting of rich foods, such as. meat and pancakes before the upcoming fast. 

 

Shrove Tuesday, a reference to "shriving" or confession, is another name for Fat Tuesday.  Which was meant to prepare Christians for the fast ahead.  In fact, some communities use Shrove Tuesday to burn palm fronds from the precious year's Palm Sunday to create the ashes that are used on Ash Wednesday.

 Ash Wednesday is the fist day of the season of penitance and fasting that leads to Good Friday and Easter. Ash Wednesday is a solemn observance when many Christians receive ashes on the foreheads and are reminded that

 "they are dust and to dust they shall return."

Now What Are You Giving Up For Lent???

Cindy Lou...

FAT TUESDAY COCKTAILS & TOAST!!!

Are You Ready For Fat Tuesday???

It's Almost Here...

Raise Your Glasses

&

Cheers To A Happy Fat Tuesday... 

Two Of My Favorite Mardi Gras Cocktails

Pat O'Brien's Hurricane

* Pat O'Brien's Hurricane Mix

*Just Add Rum

OR

*1.5 oz amaretto liqueur

*1 oz light rum

*1 oz dark rum

*6 oz orange juice

*6 oz pineapple juice

*1 tsp lemon juice

*1 dash grenadine syrup

*orange or pineapple slices for garnish

*1 maraschino cherry

Directions

Fill a tall (approx 16 oz) glass with ice. Pour in the amaretto and light and dark rums. Next, add the orange juice, pineapple juice, and lemon juice. Stir, then top with a dash of grenadine and garnish with an orange slice or pineapple wedge and a cherry.

The Best Bloody Mary

* Zing Zang

*Vodka

*Spicy Okra

*Spicy Beans

*Olives

*Celery

*Dash of Worstershire

*Dash of Hot Sauce

A Few Toast To Drink To...

*"It's better to spend money like there is no tomorrow, 

Than to spend tonight like there is no money".

*"Here's to being single... 

Drinking doubles... 

And seeing Triple!"

*"I drink to your health when I'm with you, 

I drink to your health when I'm alone, 

Hell I drink to your health so often, 

I'm starting to worry 'bout my own".

*"Here's to me, 

here's to you, 

but if we ever disagree, 

f*#@ you, 

here's to me".

*“Here’s to Hell!  

May my stay there be as much fun as my way there!”

*"There are several good reasons for drinking,

 And one has just entered my head,

 If a man can't drink when he's living,

 Then how the heck can he drink when he's dead?"

"Here's to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold beer and another one!" 

"May the winds of fortune sail you,
May you sail a gentle sea.
May it always be the other guy
who says, "this drink's on me."

And From Me To You - Here's My Toast...

I Like Beer. 

On occasion, I will even drink Beer to
celebrate a major event,

such as the fall of communism,
or the fact that the refrigerator is still working!!!

Cindy Lou...

THE PIG THAT SCREWED MY JOE CAIN DAY!!!

OH CONTRAIRE - NOT JUST ONE,

FOR I AM RARE - UNLIKE SOME...

MY FLU SWAB WAS POSITIVE FOR BOTH INFLUENZA A & INFLUENZA B...

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL - OH LUCKY ME.

I'M TOLD ALONG WITH THAT BUNDLE OF GOOD NEWS,

THAT BRONCHITIS AND URI ARE MIXED IN THE SPEW!!!

My Letter To The Flu!!!
Dear Influenza A & B,
Was there a sign on my door that said come see me?
"No" that's what I thought,
But yet, it was me you sought.
Imagine my shock from the results of the nasal swab,
When it said I had both of you fat, lazy slobs.
And then to put the icing on the cake,
You brought Bronchitis and URI along for the take.
Since you came on Wednesday you should long be gone,
Yet here it is Sunday, and I am still laid up at home.
You brought with you an ear ache, sore throat, nausea, and body pains,
Not to mention a headache, temps up to 103, and a monsoon of rains.
You ruined my favorite weekend of Mardi Gras Season,
And as far as I know without a good reason.
The weekend was to start with Grayson Capps at Pirate's Cove last night,
But instead I had front row seats to watch yourself and MY Body in an internal fight.
What's pissed me off in the most ANGRY way,
That it's your fault that I missed all of the festivities of my most cherished Mardi Gras Event - JOE CAIN DAY!!!
So with that I say - I hate you, I hate you, I hate you - I do,
So remember this next year - Screw You Flu!!!

My Plans For Joe Cain Day - Today!!!

My Reality For Joe Cain Day - Today!!!

How The Flu Invades Your Body - Kinda Makes It Look Cute!!!

This Season Of 2011-2012 Is The First Time I Can Remember Not Getting The Flu Shot.
Let This Be My Lesson!!!

So Remember To Get Immunized Every Year,

Cindy Lou...

MOTHER NATURE - HOW DARE YOU!!! JOE CAIN DAY PARADE SCHEDULE UPDATE...

How Dare You Rain On Our Parade's!!!

Joe Cain and I - Joe Cain Day 2011

LATEST UPDATE FROM CITY OF MOBILE ON JOE CAIN DAY PARADE SCHEDULE...

In an official announcement, the city of Mobile has decided to push back Sunday's make up parades to 1p.m. 

The parades were previously scheduled to start rolling at 10:30 a.m.
The new schedule is:

1:00 PM: The Floral Parade; followed by the Knights of Mobile Parade and the Order of Angels Parade;

2:00 PM: Arrival of King Elexis I 

2:30 P.M.: Joe Cain Parade

5:00 PM: Le Krewe de Bienville Parade

7:00 PM: Mystic of Times Parade
8:15 PM: Coronation of King Elexis 

Merry Widows Of Joe Cain
(discussing this choas)

Throw Me Something Mista!!!

Cindy Lou...