Purple Puffs, Six Strings, and Going Home

Wow, has it been that long since I blogged? Apparently it has. I suppose that I have been preoccupied here in my little resort town of Pinehurst, NC. I have extended my assignment until December now. Although I have been surprised by how much I have enjoyed working here and contemplating the possibility of living in NC, I am eagerly waiting to go home to visit with my family and friends.

I suppose my latest new thing would be crossing off an item from my "bucket list". I have a new baby. She is red and black and occasionally if strummed the right way makes a beautiful sound. Yes, I am learning to play the guitar. My feeble attempts to teach myself have left me unmotivated. So next week I start my first guitar lesson. Who knows, maybe I will become a rock star. Yeah...unlikely I know, but at least it will keep me entertained for now. What else? After a very long hiatus from tennis, I will also begin adult tennis lessons this week with a group of ladies at at local tennis club. I guess this week is a good time to start new things. Hum...oh yeah. Halloween. I wasn't sure if I was going to top Richard Simmons last year but this year was equally as fun. I went as a bath sponge, loofah, puff ball...what ever you want to call it. Anyway, it provided laughter for many of my patients, which was great to see.



I know the big question is where to after North Carolina. I frequently shoot prayers to the Big Guy upstairs requesting directions. I keep hoping one day I will turn on my GPS system and it will tell me where to go. I have asked for an assignment close to home. We will see what is available in January. Hope everyone is doing well. Congrats to Angele and Wendy as they are both expecting. I'm thinking GIRLS this time.

RECIPES!!!!
I have been on a cooking kick lately for various reasons and have discovered some healthy and easy recipes. I have decided to start sharing some of my favorites. Enjoy!!!

BARBECUE PORK CHOPS

1 cup barbecue-flavored potato chips(about 1 oz.)
6 boneless pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick (about 1 1/2 lb)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick mix
1 tablespoon canola or soybean oil
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

Place potato chips in 1 gallon re-seal plastic food-storage bag; crush with rolling pin. Add Bisquick mix to chips; mix well.
In small shallow dish, mix egg mixture, then shake in bag to coat with Bisquick mixture.
In 12 inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Cook pork chops in oil 15to 18 minutes, turning once, until golden brown on outside and no longer pink in center. Serve with 3/4 cup barbecue.

Updating

I know it has been a while, but I am in the process of updating my blog.

Endings and New Beginnings.

Well I have finally settled into my new digs and started my new assignment. I enjoyed my month off as it sped by quickly. The birth of my nephew was a highlight. I even got to visit with some family members that I have not seen in a while. Unfortunately the circumstance that created this mini reunion was the passing of my grandfather. He died at the young age of 93, just a few months shy of 94. I can picture him entering the gates of heaven with a shuffled gait and pursed lips whistling the whole way. I would like to think that once he passed through the gates he was high stepping and singing as he celebrated his reunion with Grandmother and his family. He will be greatly missed.

I am enjoying living on one of the Pinehurst golf courses in Pinehurst, NC. It is whole different world here. I have yet to encounter a bad section of town. The houses are nice and well manicured and the people are super sweet. Khaki shorts and a polo shirt are all that are required to fit in. The speed limit is 35 and they mean it. After scanning the local paper, the worst crime committed in Moore County was improper equipment. It is definitely a resort town and quite the opposit from my experience in Baltimore. It is so nice to sit on my deck and the watch the golfers and not hear a single siren, bus, horn or person yelling. The village or city center is quaint with shops, pubs and boutiques. I love it. Hopefully the assignment will go well.

A final note. Have already started my adventures. Went with Charlie this weekend to Charlotte. We met up with some of his friends and tail gated before we went to a pre-season NFL game between the Panthers and Redskins. If you watched the game, you know it was a disappointment but fun none the less. More to come...

Baby, Blues and Driving

I have been enjoying my vacation from work. I drove away with Baltimore in my rear view mirror and stopped in Raleigh, North Carolina to pick up Charlie (who would be my co-pilot for my trip home). Our first stop was in Montgomery, AL where we visited with my friend Seana. Next we headed to Mississippi and stopped in Meridian for a visit with my brother and his family. Little did Charlie know that he would have to play barbies and candy land. My niece is very persistent and would not take no for an answer. She would later reveal that Charlie was not a good "barbie boy" which Charlie found great comfort in. Next we headed to Prentiss and took the one minute tour through town before heading to my parent's house. We visited with my granddad the next day and then went fishing at my granddad's lake. Unfortunately I lost our mini fishing tournament by 1 fish but none-the-less we had fun. It was soon time to move on with New Orleans being our destination. Since Charlie had never done the "touristy" thing in NO, I decided to show him the city. Hurricanes at Pat O's with a little dueling piano music, beignets and coffee at Cafe du monde (complete with powdered sugar everywhere), blues and jazz music, the french market...yep, we were your typical tourist. We also visited the Aquarium and the Imax theater, which pales in comparison to the Baltimore Aquarium and our experience there. Charlie hopped a plane back to NC and I continued my travels. Next it was to Mobile for a quick visit with friends. Me and Wendy had a belated birthday celebration with Chris at one of our favorite restaurants,Pappa's. We required no menus as we all get the same thing every time we go...steak. I always find this comical being as it is an Italian restaurant. Next it was time for girls weekend with 3 of my best friends from grad school. This wasn't our typical weekend though because the center of our attention was 2 toddlers. What fun it was to watch them play. We all had a great time. I then left there and headed to Bay St. Louis for my junior college class reunion. My first two years of college were a blast and it was so much fun to visit with everyone and relive those memories. Are you tired yet? No. Good, because I am not done. A little sleep deprived from the weekend festivities, I knew I had to find some energy because I was about to hang out with two of my favorite but very active little men...my nephews. They have one volume-loud and one speed-fast. Unfortunately my visit was cut short but for a good reason. I was about to add yet another man to my life. Christopher Cole Richmond made his arrival on July 28, 2008. My brother became a proud papa again. We were all very excited because we were certain that it would be girl since my brother already had a little girl and the Richmond name would end with him. He is beautiful and his big sister just adores him. She constantly wants to hold him, hug him and give him kisses. Obviously jealousy has not set in yet. I can't wait to return and play with Cole. I am now packing for a trip to Florida. I am so excited about relaxing on the beach. No news about my next assignment. I am enjoying myself so much that I am not worried...yet.