Random Hallmark Moments: Easter Fun

   In case you've ever wondered what a bunch of middle managers and their vice presidents do at a "day away":

P.S. YES, MOM... I DO ACTUALLY WORK FOR A LIVING!

Steak vs. Octopus

   Just made a big, fabulous dinner. I fired up the grill for the first time this year & grilled KC strip steaks; and I whipped up some broccoli of the gods, sweet potato fries, garlic bread—the works!

   And now I wish I hadn't filled up on sour octopus gummies... Evil! They are delicious-slash-EVIL!!! That'll teach me to eat dessert first.

HAPPY (CHINESE) NEW YEAR!

   It is officially the year of the rabbit (卯年 in Japan), but I'm the lucky one...  my friends Kari and Dave recently returned from a business trip to Hong Kong, and they brought back plenty of goodies to share, from both China and Japan. ごまパイ (sesame pie)、チョコレートパイ (chocolate pie)、シーサーチョコ (Shiesare brand chocolates), a giant chocolate coin, good luck guide and more!

   Japanese caramel-flavored chocolates in the shape of foo dogs (with the coolest illustrations on the box! Their names are あ—"ah" and うん—"uun".) The candies aren't filled; the chocolate itself is infused with caramel flavor, smooth and delicious!

   And perhaps one of the strangest finds... pork candy. It's actually a piece of dried, spiced pork. And although that sounds really weird, let me assure you: it is DELICIOUS. If I had tried them before, I would have asked the gang to bring a few bags back for me. Yum.

   Kari held her annual Chinese New Year party, and the best part: her Dad showed up in a giant white rabbit suit! Wish my dogs could have seen that... I'm sure they would have lost their minds!

THANK YOU, KARI AND DAVE!!!  :)

Random encounter

   I stopped in to Target this afternoon to load up on Halloween candy for tomorrow (which ended up being tough to predict as always, and I overbought, which I suppose is better than underbuying!)

   I pulled in to a parking spot, and as I got out of the car a nicely-dressed elderly woman got out of the car next to me, kind of chuckling, saying that she didn't do a good job parking. I said that it looked fine to me, and she replied, "Yeah, but I had to back out & pull in a couple of times to straighten out. I wanted to make sure there was enough room for someone to park next to me. I'm glad it was you."

   I laughed and she put her arm around me as we walked toward the entrance. She didn't seem like she needed support, she just liked the camaraderie. There was something cool about her. This story probably sounds strange but it didn't feel that way at all.

   She started asking me if I was there to buy candy, and telling me how much she loves Halloween & how it brings back memories of when her children were little, and how she enjoys seeing her grandkids dressed up. She told me that she used to bake fresh, homemade gingerbread for the kids long ago on Halloween. A few kids liked it, but most didn't have a taste for fresh ginger. I said that I would have loved it!

   She smiled & told me to hold out my hand, and dropped a penny in it. She said, "I found this & I think you should have it."

   "Is it lucky?" I asked.

   She winked at me & we grabbed our carts & parted ways.
"We'll see."

Happy Easter!

Enjoy some disgustingly-sweet marshmallow candy. Or not. (These have been sitting on the lunch table at work because no one will eat them.)