Albany, How I love thee.

The wind blew...Literally... And killed Shaela's carefully (at one time beautifully) decorated tree in front of the courthouse.

So I finally got to visit my longtime pal Shaela, and see her new home and town- Albany, Texas. Population a few thousand-ish. Yee-haw!

She recently got a "real" job at this awesome museum (with quite the little collection) as the education outreach something-or-other and will be living there a couple of years before grad school. 

Albany- pretty much the best small town after Marfa, Texas I've ever visited. We started off our visit with what else? A trip to the famous Beehive steak house of course!

I had one of the best chicken fried steaks I've ever eaten. Shaela go the Prime Rib- which she cut with a BUTTER KNIFE. It was soooooo good. 

Perfectly tender and fried. Not too much breading. Gravy on side. Yes, yes, yes!

Complete with hidden garlic. Soooooo good, even if was practically mooing. 

After our meal, a rancher at the table next to us asked me how my steak was. (He had overheard me asking the waitress about the battering process). After giving it two thumbs up we went on to chat a bit more and at some point the following description of his day was given to Shaela and mes. 

((Read with most hickdified accent possible))

"Yeah, I wake up and drink 5 cups of coffee.

Not all at once or anything, I wake up bout 4am and drink them til sun up. 

Then I go out and do my chores.. feed the cows. 

I come in and eat some cheese and crackers. 

And those hold me over the rest the day. 

At dinner, ask my wife, we just eat us some beef."

He also made statements such as:

"You'll wake up so hungry in the morning because that B12 in that beef."

"You'll never gain weight eating this meat"

Shae, am I forgetting anything? 

It was awesome! I wish I had a recorder. 

The local sheriff told me to "Put a rock in my pocket so I don't blow away."

I love small town charm... Even if one has to sacrifice things like grocery store hours (the oneAlbany store closes at 9), and restaurant (or men) selections- ha! 

Albany is most definitely a ranching community. I was constantly reminded this and the small town aspect by the store called "Lynch Line", and the men in CHAPS in the convenience store! (Pretty much every man in town wore cowboy hats)

So these were the highlights of my Albany trip. I did buy Shaela grass perfume and a bacon chocolate bar for her birthday/Christmas. The chocolate was amazing!!! I would recomment it to anyone. 

Inspecting the porky in her chocolate

Shaela gave me these awesome Sporkems! I'm a  collector, ya know. 

Thanks Shae! You sounded to perty practicing yer solo in the Messiah... Like a lil' angel!! Any wealthy Albany rancher would be lucky to have you! 

I want a hippopotamus...

I don't care how stressed with work I am. I needed to make time for a little cheer. 

I had to go to Breed & Co yesterday. While there, I discovered an entire section of the store I never knew about.... The NON-hardware section!! Woweee! Full of interesting foods, kitchen gizmos, books, candles, and CHRISTMAS DECOR!!

It must have been fate, because my eyes immediately found this guy-

A Christmas Pickle Ornament!!!

I don't have a Christmas tree to hide it in, so it is proudly dangling above my kitchen counter. 

I also decided to buy some lights and deck my lil' apartment out in those. They add just the right amount of glow I need. After all, I don't really like Christmas or Christmas decorations (Shhhhh, don't tell). I'll probably leave them up all year. 

I set out my Christmas fondue moose, because every moose lover needs one. 

I hung up my pickle, put on my holiday socks and was all set to do work. Low and Behold, the lesson I was working on required carving out Styrofoam to make a print, so I soon had a pile of snow all around me, on my clothes and in my hair. 

I forgot to mention another Breed & Co. find: A chocolate advent calendar!! 

My mom used to give me these when I was little, so I feel a little nostalgic opening this up for my daily chocolate dose. I didn't find a price tag on it, and nearly had a heart attack when it rang up to THIRTEEN DOLLARS!!! Geeez. I suppose it's because the chocolate is almost good and they are individually wrapped as presents. There are also little poems on the inside of each door. Todays:

"The Christmas tree looks twice as nice, decorated by these mice."

Now it's work time! Studying for my art history test by the glow of little white lights. I need some hot chocolate and I'll be in business. 

Peanut Butter Teacher's Pet

                                         
It's a couple of folks birthday today, and Veteran's Day. 

I decided to stray from the usual rice crispy treat, and make these guys- which I haven't made since high school. Shaela, I would mail you a dozen if I could. 

                                          

One of the people I am giving them to is big on coffee, so I decided to make some strong-arse coffee and add it to the chocolatey filling. I also used semi-sweet Ghiradelli for the filling rather than milk-chocolate because the cookies are plenty sweet and milk-chocolatey. 

The cookie recipe alone is eggg-ceptional and I had keep reminding myself "It's for the pals, it's for the pals" to keep from eating them all as I removed them from the oven. 

                             

                                         

One box went to my cooperating teacher. Along with a birthday pencil, Frida Kahlo magnet, and "to-do tattoos" (I am in love with these tattoos and have one on my wrist now with "get a life" listed)

                                                 

The other box is going to the coffee connoisseur mentioned earlier, along with a pencil and birthday gourd, which gets a post of it's own. The rest will go to whichever friend pays me the most.... With happiness and sunshine of course. 

I hope my pals enjoy, I know I'd like to have a friend like me. :)

Happy Tuesday!

Follow up:

Sooo I got this in exchange for one of my deliveries:

                                    

Plus one fantastico dirty dirty chai, plus one iced latte mistake that I gave to saraaaaaah who is sitting next to me. 

raw green beans for lunch! yeah!