We had a WHITE meal

for a snow day! Yep - I made an all white meal in honor of our MAJOR snow storm! The news reported that this is the snowiest February since 1896. Now that is a long time ago.

I roasted a chicken on the rotisserie outside (Gary shoveled), I roasted cauliflower in the oven as well as fingerling potatoes. The meal was YUMMY.

I hope this will be the last of the snow for the winter season, but it is only February 26th - and you never know what March will bring.

Happy Weekend - no TIES for me! Nope I need a break!

Best,
The Master Shoveler Jane M

All I wanted to say is

WE ARE GETTING SNOW - MORE SNOW - IT SNOWED ALL DAY YESTERDAY AND IS CONTINUING THROUGHOUT TODAY. I'M OVER WINTER. I WANT SPRING TIME. I'M SICK TO DEATH OF SHOVELING.

PEACE OUT!

The photos are various shots of the OUTDOOR table which we'll never get to eat on at this rate. Oh wait, it still is only February 26th!

I often wonder if I should have been a baker

We had company Sunday afternoon. I love getting company as you all know. We met this couple on a cruise we were both on many years ago and we've been friends ever since. Only problem is, we do not see each other nearly enough. We ran into these friends on a Friday night in Staples of all places! Such lives we lead! Anyway I called and made plans for them to come early this past Sunday afternoon. On the cruise, we used to eat the pizza on the ship every day at 4:30 before dinner. So I guess you know that I made my homemade pizza for them when they came for dinner. I also baked carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I was trying to frost the cupcakes like they do all that these new cupcake places in NYC. Here is my attempt at the cupcakes.

OK time to pick the orders for March - oh the ties - we are inundated with the ties.

Best,
Jane M

We're starting EARLY

this year designing the next PRIVATE STOCK NECKWEAR line for Fall 2010. We want to be the 1st out of the gate as they say this coming summer. Summer - I just wrote summer? As I look out my window there is snow left from the storm a week and half ago. Back to the ties - we're thinking FALL now - but we aren't going dark and dingy - nope, not gonna do that! Gordie also likes to be in on the action as well. That and the sun flooding in the room makes it irresistible to him.

On another note, I'm really turning into a pro at baking bread with the NO KNEAD method. Should I change my profession? Naaah there are enough bakeries around.

Tomorrow friends are coming for an early dinner - I will be making my pizza and a chopped salad.

It's the weekend - I should be doing something OTHER than ties!

Best,
Jane M

And so I had to cook

I don't know - my week is just not turning out to how I hoped. Seems to me there is NOT enough tumult. I NEED SOME A-C-T-I-O-N and I guess most folks are out in Las Vegas enjoying warm weather and shopping some lines.

So with all the snow and a fresh 6 or so inches today, I decided to cook up a storm. What else is new with me right?

I made Beef Bourguignon, and the 1-2-3 salad to go with it. I'm also thinking of whipping up my own EGG noodles and boiling those up! If I do make my own pasta, photos will follow.

I NEED TO GET THE GYM STAT! All this cooking is showing on my waist which is not a good thing.

Best,
Jane M

LOOK WHAT I BAKED!

I had to get up at 3:51am to get all my fun stuff done this morning. Yep on a Sunday - now it is NOON and I'm a bit tired. That's beside the point. I have been eyeing this recipe from the little Martha Stewart magazine for pretzels. I whipped together my pizza dough from the Jim Leahy book I have and I MADE THESE NICE TREATS! They are cooling in the kitchen so I've not tasted them yet - but I cannot wait.

Gary and I will not be out in Las Vegas this week, but we hope to be there in August to show our line. In the meantime, we're sending the travel line to all the stores who could not make any of the shows this past month. Our ties are flying out the door and we're getting GREAT feedback! 1 customer opened his box of ties and that evening had a wine and cheese at his store and sold 1/5 of the shipment. Could a reorder be in my future?! Stay tuned.

OK time to try a pretzel and have some mushroom barely soup that I also made this morning. What will dinner be? Stay TUNED!

Best,
Jane M PS Isn't technology wonderful? Gordie is able to SKYPE with his sister in college!

I just can't believe this

I think we DEFINITELY got more snow than what this ruler reads. REALLY! I lifted/shoveled such heavy snow so many times yesterday and early this morning. It hardly seems fair that the ruler says 11 MEASLY inches of snow! THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT! I must go on the internet and search snowfall totals. Or I'll have to watch my local news for the snow totals.

I'll be back at'cha with the final amounts tomorrow!

Best,

Jane M

Yes we had some SNOW!

The Northeast got slammed yesterday with a big snow storm. We have dug out - which took many times during the day and night and this morning. The snow looks so nice and fluffy now - but come a day or 2 things will be melting and not so pretty. Spring is only 5 weeks away I keep telling myself.

I did some baking yesterday. I baked this NO KNEAD bread and some apple tarts. It was all good and fun to do during a snow storm.

I'm looking forward to shipping all the neckwear orders! Keep them coming!

Best,
Jane M

I was dusting

and I turned over this porridge bowl and remembered I used to feed my kids with this cute bowl! Emily received this gift from a family friend when she was born. I have it in our living room with some candy in it. Back almost 21 years ago, I used to feed Emily and then Russell cereal out of this bowl. Oh those were the days! I thought life was so hard back then - WHAT WAS I THINKING? Now BOTH our kids are in college. Emily is enjoying 2 SNOW DAYS in a row - possibly more with the added snow they will be getting with this next storm that is on the way. We here in NJ are expecting 12 inches as well. I guess I have to get out the shovels for that back breaking job.

Not much else to report - snow pictures to follow once the storm starts.

Best,
Jane M

I find it difficult to be angry

at this dog. Gordon Oliver Cahn. My boss - my best dog EVER! I'm embarrassed to have to write this - Gordon is not allowed back at the groomer's house. He's banished - he's banned for good. He was so darn nervous to go on a little vacation and be away from me for a week. Gordie could not relax and enjoy new surroundings with many different little dogs like himself. He also met 2 cats - which he could not make heads or tails of so he chose to ignore them instead. Gordie was so afraid that he never EVER left the groomer's side. He followed her EVERYWHERE - like I wrote previously - into the bathroom as well. So what am I to do from now on? Oh I'd love to take Gordie to a Trade Show - he'd be the hit of the place. He enjoys working, he loves snacks and LUNCH is his favorite part of the work day! And so it goes.

I'm starting to get organized and back into my regular routine.

Both my kids are in college as you well know. Emily is in D.C. and Russ is in Princeton, NJ. THEY ARE GOING TO GET SLAMMED WITH SNOW FROM THIS MAJOR STORM! Emily was emailed from the University that they are ALL (25,000 students) to stay inside for the next 3 to 5 days and to have provisions because the BLIZZARD is coming! Emily is living alone now since her roommate graduated, so she invited her friends to come to stay for the weekend. I hope she takes photos so I can see first hand what the blizzard looks like. My sister also lives in Virginia about 18 miles away from Emily and she too will be posting blogs and photos as well.

So happy weekend to all - Enjoy the Superbowl!

Best,
Jane M

Who wants to know about CHICAGO?

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! We had nice meals, nice appointments with nice people, made some new friends, saw old friends, kibitzed and just had a good get-away. We also lucked out on good weather although some days were bitter cold, we did not get any snow which could slow us down. Our booth looked nice - our booth neighbors were nice - and we wrote some business too!

This morning we got to the airport our usual HOURS early. Gary was doing the E-ticket and I wandered over to the board to see if our flight was ontime. I spotted an earlier flight to Newark and with a little bit of luck we were able to hop on even with a long security line which was OUT THE DOOR AT 5:38AM! Yes indeedy, Chicago O'Hare airport is a busy place.

Couldn't WAIT to get home to find out how our Gordie did. He was next to IMPOSSIBLE for our groomer! He would not leave her side - she had to take him EVERYWHERE she went. When she went to the bathroom he knocked on the door with his paw and got himself in. Our groomer has many dogs of her own, but when Gordie got up on her bed - HE TOOK OVER! She said the last couple of days he got so comfortable he literally slept on TOP of her legs! While we were talking about Gordie for maybe 10 minutes, he chewed through his leash and now I must run out and buy a new 1! OUR GORDIE IS SET IN HIS WAYS! Next time I must find a house sitter so Gordie can be in his element. Also, our HEAT WENT OFF while we were away. It took HOURS to feel warm in here!

OK I must run out and buy something to make for dinner. I need to cook and eat plain food now. Boy did I indulge in Chicago. It's hard not to with all the good restaurants right by the Merchandise Mart. I can't wait to go back this summer for the next show.

Best,
Jane M