Where Were You?

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Tomorrow is 9/11, a day we will not forget, a day I will not forget.

You see I know exactly where I was that day at the exact time the first plane hit the Twin Towers.  I was going through the toll at the George Washington Bridge listening to KTU radio.  The radio cut out as I passed through the toll.  I switched over to a news station, at first nothing and then it really didn't have info.  After I came through the toll you don't see much as the side of the Mountain/hill is in the way.  I recall turning my head towards the city and seeing the twin towers smoking and then a static radio saying a small plane or something hit the North Tower. It was a beautiful clear day so you could see straight downtown from the bridge.  The traffic was creeping along, almost in disbelief.  A radio reporter called into the station and they were on their way to work and live downtown.  As I was entering the helix to go down to West Side Highway, the reporter is saying, it seems to be a plane that hit and all of a sudden they scream, "OMG another plane is hitting the South Tower."

At that moment I was terrified.  My husband does not answer his phone during work.  I call my dad, who I was working for at the time and asked if he heard what was going on.  He said something hit the towers and I told him they hit both towers, planes! I also said, "this was no mistake it is F***** Terrorism!"

I came down and the police had already closed the WSH, since eventually this road brings you roght down that way.  They were re-routing through Harlem.  I rolled down my window and asked if I could go back over the bridge and he say yes.  I drove as fast as I could and as safe as I could.  Lucky for me people aren't leaving NYC at the time so I made it back home in minutes (I live right across the river in Fort Lee, NJ - The East side of my building faced the City and you could see the Twin Towers from  it).

I called my dad and he was going to leave but I said he couldn't they closed the bridge, I was probably one of last non-emergency people to be able to go over at that point.

I remember once I got to my building seeing a woman rushing to work and telling her what had happened and she was like, "I need to get to work."  I looked at her and said, "everything is closed, turn on the news."  I then walked into my building and told my doorman.  He and the other staff members tried tuning the small radio.  I got upstairs and turned on the TV, sat in disbelief and called my husband.
He did answer and said at that point they were staying there with all the people since there was some big stockholders meeting and most of the people were for out of town and had no where to go.  He was one of the managers in their Corporate Cafeteria and was handling all of the food for those meetings and the rest of their staff. They even had a child care center at his sight so many people had their kids there as well.  The good part was, it was far enough from the city so it wasn't as chaotic as it was in the city.

I sat glued to the TV, watching and crying at what happened. I didn't believe those buildings could collapse. Thinking about the unborn baby in me and what kind of world we (he) live in.  Will there be a place for me to raise my child?

As I watch now, I feel that same sadness for those who were lost and effected by this horrible tragedy.  My prayers are with everyone since we all lost a something that day.

Zizette

MIA {sorry}

I have been MIA lately.  I was spending time with my kids and my visiting nephew.  It was a glorious 3 weeks.  I so enjoyed it.  I am now getting back in the groove.  School starts tomorrow and I am very excited for the coming school year.  I am also *pondering* the thought of making another blog, but it being a teaching blog.  My thoughts are all over and I am excited for this school year but more on that later.

We had lots of fun in the past few weeks.

All he wanted to do at the Jersey Shore was  drive a Go-Kart

My Nephew caught the first fish of our stay at the lake

Sam caught the largest fish at 2 1/2 lbs, he was proud to brag he caught 8 1/2 lbs of fish in one day

Little Miss, she caught her fish with bread, Sunnies and Rock Bass for this little lady

Cousins, great summer!

Jersey Shore House

Really thought he was going to throw up here

We had an awesome summer and we are sad to see it end.  Here's to a great school year.

Ziz

A {new} love

I personally love to have a cup of coffee in the am.  I am not one of those people who feels it gets me through the day and if I have a cup at night I have never felt the ill effects of it and then be up all night.

However, many years ago, when I first got my drivers license and my parents got a brand new car (allowing me to get a car - not a new one but a 1976 Ford Grenada - Hey it was a pair of wheels) my friends and I would meet up for breakfast before school at Bob's Big Boy.

There we would have coffee.  Coffee with Sugar.  Oh boy, my friend Forest, well she loved her coffee with lots of sugar and well, I followed suit.  One day in particular was very bad.  Lots of coffee, lots of sugar and then a trip to 7-11 for some Jolt.  Do you remember Jolt?  I sure do.  That day I could not sit still.  I was jittery, jumpy and even worse, wanting MORE.  I think Forest and I would have killed Jeremy for some more Jolt.  In the end we did not get more, we did not kill Jeremy and we fell asleep early after crashing down hard.

The next day, not so much coffee and sugar.

Since then I enjoy my coffee.  Some days I drink a lot, some not so much.  So, I make a pot based on what I will be drinking and hubby does not drink coffee if it's been there too long.  So my pots in the am are not shared as I get up with the roosters and my pot is made too early.  He has been making his pot and at the end of the day I find that I am throwing full pots of coffee and always running out of coffee since we are making so much.

I made a suggestion, "Let's buy a Keurig."  A few years ago he told me, "Heck NO!"  I explained my rationale this time and he agreed (thankfully we were going to the lake where his parents have one and we have enjoyed using one for about a year now).  He was trying to figure out cost per cup (the food manager in him that is) and I did some research as well.  He agreed.

Yesterday I went and got my machine and as I type I am enjoying my first cup.  Pure Heaven.  One cup, no waste and all is well.

Oh and today I take my coffee with 2 splenda and half and half.

What do you like to drink in the morning?

Zizette

Gimme some {fried} chicken

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My son is picky.

He does not have much variety in his diet.  However, lately he has been trying more things.  He has eaten ribs, chicken on the bone and steak to name a few.  Thank goodness the tides are changing.

I get being picky, both me and my husband were picky eaters and today we are so far from being picky.  My brother was as picky as my son is now.

He asked me to buy drumsticks, all of sudden.  He likes wings but they are all in sauces and he is not ready or willing to have sauce (Little Miss eats and tries everything).

I decided to make them fried chicken (drumsticks).  They came out really well.  He really enjoyed them. I have to really play around with some recipes as I like them with lots of crisp.  He wants the smaller drumsticks and wings, like the buffalo wings.  He doesn't like sauce so trying to find the smaller ones has been hard for me - unless I just don't know where to look since I have never bought them.

It was a good first try and now I made another batch and have it in the fridge for easy meals.

I got the recipe from Epicurious

Enjoy!

Zizette

• 1 3-lb. fryer
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1/2 cup Pet milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1 qt. oil for frying

Cut chicken in eight pieces. Season well with salt and pepper. Set aside. Mix eggs, milk, and water. Pour mixture over chicken. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a heavy paper bag, mix flour, paprika, ground thyme, and granulated garlic. Place chicken in bag with flour mixture. Shake until chicken is well coated.

Heat oil in a Magnalite fryer — oil should reach 350°F. Place chicken in hot oil. Fry, turning as chicken browns. Heavy parts such as breast, thighs, and legs will take 15 to 20 minutes, wings about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain chicken on paper towels.

{simple} Sundays

I am *trying* to simplify things around here.
I am *trying* to shed the crap stuff around our house.
I am *trying* to do it with the kids not harassing me to keep this or that.

Even though yesterday was Saturday I had to start somewhere but today I will do more and *try* to dedicate time on Sundays to purge and simplify.


I did manage to purge a box from the garage.  It's been there since we lived here (2 years) and if we have not touched that stuff in this time, well it's time to go.  Hubby thinks I am a hoarder, that I am not but I do tend to hold onto some things for "memories" and what I may need.  Eventually I do get rid of stuff.

BUT if he wants to talk about hoarding he should look at himself.  Do you know what he keeps?  The boxes from cell phones, The GPS we got 4 years ago, the iPod he got god knows when - you get what I mean.  It's time to get rid of all this stuff.

I want clean spaces.  Maybe when the kids are gone for the next two days I can get around to cleaning the playroom/guest room.  We shall see.

I really want to do this because every third Thursday the Bulk pick up in our town takes away everything.

What would you like to simplify?

We {want}, we {need}

Okay, I grew up with a dog.  I love dogs.  My daughter LOVES dogs and so does my son.  My parents have a dog.  We all WANT, no Need a dog.  Notice someone is missing?  Hubby.  No Dog.  No way.  He does not want a dog.  How do we fix that?

We have a cat.  A BIG cat.  A BIG, NASTY cat.  She is mine.  I love her but she doesn't love anyone, well, maybe me from time to time.  Usually only for her long enough to like me then bite me but she sleeps with me.  The kids try to love her but she wants no part of it and Hubby - he does not like her.

Blogging Kitty

We sort of made an agreement years ago.  My hubby always says he needs to have some time without a pet (I had Lola before I met him so she has always been with us).  So, I said to the kids, when Lola dies we will wait 6 months and then we will get a dog.  He doesn't agree but last week when a friend's mom was fostering a puppy and I jokingly said, "meet our new dog."  He said, "we have an agreement."  So I made sure people recognized his commitment to our agreement.

BUT

We can't wait until the cat is gone. We want a dog now.  We need a dog now. Who doesn't want a dog?

from here

I go back and forth between wanting a medium/big dog and a small dog.  I would love to have a small dog to bring with us where we go and truly be a little lap dog.  But I also love the thought of rough housing with a big ole playful dog.

How do we get dad/hubby on board?  I brought the kids to our local pet shop and they played with the puppies Maya loves all dogs and Sam decided he wants a small dog, a Yorkie.  Just like his mom.

Now to work on dad/hubby.

Zizette

New {love}

I have a few new loves.

First, I am in love with a new website that my friend invited me to: RueLaLa

It has discounts on designer duds and such.  I am not super designer shopper but I love a few brands and I am super loyal to the ones I love.  I also love some brands that I really can't afford and this site allows some of that.

Anyhoo, I have wanted a Michele watch for some time.  So expensive, they do have a cheaper line the Tahitian Jelly Line and last week they had them on sale.

I got one for me.  After I lost internet in my classroom (on my prep then lunch). The original one I wanted sold out FAST.  This is the one I got and I am so happy considering my Raymond Weil lost a diamond bezel on the one o'clock and now has to be repaired.  In any case I am happy and I got myself a little treat for working 683 this summer.

I just love it when we can treat ourselves every now and then.
Zizette