The long haul

Today was such nice patio weather. I went to lunch (Patrizio's) with a friend and we ate outside. I wish every day in Texas was like today, but of course, this is a rare occurrence.

Yesterday I went to the Antique Mall in Plano, cash in hand. Last time I went, I didn't know it was cash only, so I was excited to return to see what I could find. Nowadays, going to thrift and antique shops are becoming more popular (probably because of cost). Here are some interesting things I spotted:

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets! Look at all those TOMS!

Haha.

The glasses reminded me of The Capitol, in the Hunger Games. I'm sure Effie would approve.

An antique Underwood. Unfortunately some of the keys didn't seem to function.

I saw some cool metal signs there too. Of course, Wizard of Oz caught my eye!

 For my brother in law who's a Batman fanatic.

And for my coffee loving friends :)

If you plan to visit your local antique mall, carve out a few hours for yourself. I was there for 3 and a 1/2 hours. When I was checking out, the store owner said, "You're still here?!" Haha.

Anyway, here are my antique finds!

Now, some of you may be wondering, why a typewriter? I'm not sure myself. But I could not pass it up. I probably spent half of those 3.5 hours circling the store, trying to decide whether or not I should get it. I love writing. When I was little, I used to write at least one poem a day. I would sing songs and write them down, or write in my little diary about my day. I just remember as a child reading and writing a LOT. Reading flourished my imagination, and writing helped put my thoughts out there. It was always easier for me to write what I thought/felt than speak. I want to try to type more of my poems and even possibly write a story this summer using my typewriter. Someone said they rarely got writer's block with a typewriter. I hope so.
It seems in working condition, although, I think I may need a new ink ribbon.

The teacup was a rare find. I try to only get teacups made from England, especially Royal Albert. Sadly, I didn't find the matching saucer, so I am on a hunt for that. It's called "Lady Carlyle" and it was $4.50. I love the details on the cup! So far this is my third teacup. I'll need at least 5 more if I want to host a tea party!


I'll end with a recipe I learned about from one of my favorite shows, Psych. If you have not seen this, you are missing out! It is hilarious and the dynamic between the two main characters is amazing. I finally got my friend to watch this show because we basically do the same thing they do: kill the conversation until there's nothing left. :) It's called Cuatro Queso Dos Fritos. It is twice fried. It has cheese. It quite possibly is bad for you. But it is delicious.
I pretty much followed the recipe here and I took her advice of using panko instead of regular bread crumbs.
I also took the skin off the potatoes; I thought it would have a better texture that way. Oh, and make sure you sprinkle kosher salt on the potatoes before you stuff it with cheese. This step is crucial before you stick your potatoes with toothpicks.

Oh, and make your friends come to you. It doesn't travel well. :)

Now I need to prepare myself for the long haul; 12 more weeks of school. 56 potential school days. Let's see if I make it!