Childhood Teammates and Life Long Friends

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Sadly as we get older we are often seeing our childhood/longtime friends more often for less than happy occasions.This was the case this past week when we had to say goodbye to "Big E".  Mr. Emmons was a close friend to Guy and his family for over 40 years and his loss is huge to them and the entire community as he was so active in youth sports throughout PWC.After the service many of our high school friends who were also touched by Mr. Emmons in their lives gathered to reminisce and tell stories.This picture is especially touching as this is half our starting line-up of our HS varsity baseball team so many years ago.2016-02-16 16.40.11                   They grew up playing Little League through HS together and have remained in touch.  We did promise though to get together more often and not just for the sad times. 

Family Treasures

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When I was young my parents had an antique kerosene heater as a decoration piece in our family room for as long as I can remember.  I think they picked it up at a yard sale or antique sale, spray painted it black and had it sitting along the fireplace.  
When I was starting to think about decor for the new house I remembered that heater and told Guy I was going to start looking for one and then kinda dropped it into the brain bucket of things to look for.

Speed up to a few months later, we stopped by my Brother In-laws house as they were having a yard sale and we thought we would just say hello. After chatting for a while, in the corner of my eye I saw it, a old beat up kerosene heater.  I asked Guy to ask what they were going to do with it and they were going to donate it as no one had bought it.  I immediately said "how much? I want it".  Next thing I know my brother in-law is putting it into the car and says no charge, its a family heirloom!  I really didn't know what he meant so asked him more about it. He told me how it had been their grandparents heater, Guy and his, and how he could remember that they would use it every winter to heat their bathroom in their old one bedroom house.  Guy's eye lit up and you could tell he remembered it as well.

As you can imagine, I was honored to have something that was really a family item and not something we found in a thrift shop.  It means so much more.

I've taken the heater home, scrubbed it painted it and it now sits in our family room, although we don't use it to heat the house, we could as it has all the parts including the original wicks but I chose to instead imagine the warmth it provided to family so long ago.

Here it is when we brought it home:

2015-10-24 14.54.23

2015-10-24 14.54.23

                 After some cleaning up:

and now painted and in the new house.

File Feb 10, 3 36 05 PM

File Feb 10, 3 36 05 PM

 I need to find a permanent place in the house for it but so for now it sits in a corner until I can create a display of sorts with it)

Epic Fog Over the James

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So I shared this photo on my Instagram account last night of the view outside my office window when I arrive at work in the morning38CE08A2-EE8E-4996-8D80-3FBD0B388298This morning my Instagram blows up because "Visit RVA" apparently saw it and shared in on both their Instagram and Facebook pages.
How cool is that?  

Stir Fry with Chicken and fresh pineapple + brown rice!

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Stir Fry with Chicken and fresh pineapple + brown rice!

2 servings:

Chicken marinated in:

1 single chicken breast

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime

1 tablespoon grated ginger

Pineapple marinade:

1 small or medium-sized fresh pineapple

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon liquid honey

2 teaspoons of brown sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar (you can use regular vinegar)

Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon

You will also need:

2 tablespoons olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)

1 large chili pepper

Chives (you can skip it if you want)

Preparation

Cut chicken into strips, put into a bowl, add the marinade ingredients: a pinch of salt, paprika, grated garlic, lemon juice, ginger. Mix and allow to stand for half an hour (or longer - until the meat reach room temperature).

* In The second bowl: put the pieces of peeled pineapple and add the remaining marinade ingredients: soy sauce, honey, sugar, rice vinegar, lime juice. Mix and set aside for half an hour.

I do mine in the Wok! Pour 1 tablespoon of oil or olive oil, heat, add the chicken pieces from the marinade and fry for about 3 - 4 minutes stirring occasionally. At the end of cooking add the chopped fresh chili and chives cut into 4 cm pieces or chopped spring onions. Remove everything from the wok and place on a plate.

Put pineapple in the wok, without the marinade (do not pour marinade!), Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or oil and fry for about 2 - 3 minutes.

Pour the marinade, add chicken, keep still on fire for a moment to the flavors merged.

Crispy Chicken

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From:  LilLuna.com

Ingredients
  • 3 large chicken breasts
  • 2-3 cups Panko bread crumbs
  • ¾ cup flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 6 TB olive oil
  • 1 - 12 oz package farfalle noodles
Sauce
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ¼ tsp granulated garlic
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ¼ tsp seasoned salt
  • 1 tsp chicken bullion granules
  • 1 TB butter
  • 1 can cream of chicken
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup milk
 
Instructions
  1. Combine ½ tsp salt and ¾ cup flour in a bowl/pie pan (we use the pie pan because it's easy for dipping the breasts in) and set aside.
  2. Prepare for the breading process by putting the crumbs, flour and milk each into their separate bowls or pie/bread pans. Set aside.
  3. Place chicken in a gallon sized ziplock bag. Pound the chicken flat with a meat mallet. Remove chicken and slice each breast in half.
  4. Dip your chicken in the flour, covering all sides. Lay onto a small cookie sheet and set in freezer for about 5 minutes.
  5. Start cooking your pasta according to box directions.
  6. Place oil in skillet on medium heat.
  7. Remove chicken from the freezer and place into the bowl/pie pan of milk and then into the crumbs. Carefully add chicken to the oil and cook on both sides until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes each). Add more olive oil as needed.
  8. Reduce heat and cover pan. Let the chicken cook through for an additional 5-7 minutes, being careful not to burn bottoms.
  9. When your chicken has been cooked through, remove from heat, and cover with tin foil.
  10. In a small bowl, microwave 8 oz of cream cheese for 30 seconds. Add italian seasoning, garlic, oregano, salt and bullion and stir to combine.
  11. In your skillet, melt 1 TB butter. Add 1 can of cream of chicken, chicken broth, milk and seasoned cream cheese. Whisk over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Let cook for about 2 minutes. Pour noodles into sauce and mix until well coated.
  12. Cut your chicken into strips and place over your cooked pasta and sauce. ENJOY!