CALLING YOUR MOM, AND SOME OTHER STUFF

If you're going out of your way to find the perfect gift for your mom to celebrate Mother's Day this weekend, you're probably wasting time AND money.  Most of us simply want a heartfelt card, a thoughtful long distance hello or a day of rest, especially those who have small kiddies.  That hardly ever happens though. (lol)

According to the folks over at Real Simple who did a survey with their Facebook fans a few years ago, 57% of you are calling mom on the regular, but the real surprise was that 6% stay in contact with their mothers via email only, and 6% actually waited to get a call first.  It was also interesting to see that 3% hardly made any contact at all, however, this crew  talked for a long period of time to make up for all that neglect.

My 34  year old son who shall remain  nameless, (he always swears I'll embarrass him-lol) will call, but his preferred method to reach me is by text because he refuses to use voicemail, the antiquated way of leaving a message. 

He knows me pretty well, because anyone who leaves a voicemail may get a return call about a week or so later.

I think he's also figured out that it's best for him to reach out and touch most of the time in order to avoid me calling his cell phone at 3am in the morning just to chat, and to have a really long conversation. (lol)  It's a win-win in my opinion.

FAMOUS NOVEL
This story about a family during the Great Depression was released in 1939, and the author didn't think his "run of the mill book" would do very well in bookstores.  But not only did The Grapes of Wrath win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature, but it was turned into a hit movie with Henry Fonda in 1940, and was one of the main reasons that John Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Did you watch Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman on Batman Returns?  Wasn't she just perfect?  Well, she wasn't the first choice for the standout role.  Originally, Annette Bening was offered the role in 1992, but had to decline because she was pregnant at the time.  By the way, this wonderful actress has been married to Warren Beatty for over 26 years!

 ROAD TRIP

Are you a foodie?  The Atlanta Wine and Food Festival will celebrate this year from May 31 - June 3, and there will be lots of familiar chefs there with plenty of entertaining events.

SPECIAL TREATMENT

Not only can you get unlimited FREE Wifi here, but at Claridge Hotel in London, they take things even further by allowing you the use of a laptop or iPad just in case you forget yours at home.  Feel free to borrow state of the art iPads, the use of a library with a walnut desk for your convenience, yummy treats,  and classic books during your stay.  Don't be surprised to find a piano in your room either. Queen rooms are available starting at $929.00

RELAX

Purple is my fave color, so I'm thrilled that we're now in the Lilac season, and there are festivals all over the place.  A tree can grow up to 25 feet tall, and they are synonymous with the the first feelings of love, and have a sweet soothing smell.

ANIMAL FACTS

Did you know that alligators have about 80 teeth, and have been known to devour  lots of stuff, but they don't eat from November through March.  In comparison, mosquitoes have about 47 sharp edges, allowing them to bite through our skin.  These edges are not like ours in the traditional sense because our precious blood doesn't need to be actually chewed.

LOSE WEIGHT DOING THIS

I'm always looking for miracle ways to lose weight, so it was thrilling to find that the Mayo Clinic says we can burn 11 calories per hour just by chewing gum.  It also stops craving for the food we really probably shouldn't be eating. 

SPINACH BALLS

Siriously Delicious is a fun cookbook from Carson Daly's wife, Siri, and I love the catchy title of her book.  This recipe is so simple to make, and you can also find other versions online.

• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs1
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter - Melted
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Yellow Onion-Diced
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix the frozen chopped spinach, Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter, onion, eggs, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls, making about 48.
   
3. Arrange the balls in a single layer on a large baking sheet for 30 minutes, rotating half way through until golden brown.
4. Add sticks if you like, or create your own special sauce.

Just in case you are still looking for gift ideas, there are lots of specials on flowers at Food Lion, Kroger, Lidl, Aldis, Walmart, Harris Teeter and more.  Many restaurants are also offering discounts and a few freebies.  Check around for deals in your neck of the woods.