A romantic dinner for two...

There is just something romantic about sitting at a table for two, meant to share with the one you love, waiting for him to come home and share quality time together.

I love nights when the hubby and I get to do our Italian Antipasti finger food night. It's so much fun. We just load up a platter with marinated artichokes, peppers, cheese, marinated mushrooms, black olives, prosciutto and melon, and some fine Italian wine to go with all the fixings. We like to do this on a relatively unpredictable basis. Once in a while I like to surprise him with this on a night when I know he's not really into eating something overly filling but would rather have something light. Toothpicks are optional. We change the food selection usually every time we have this. Mostly it depends on what's floating around in the pantry (which has now become part of my sunroom) and the fridge. Sometimes I make bruschetta to go along with it. A lot of variations on that too.

Hey, does anyone know what a "hearts of palm" actually is? I bought it in a can, and I have no clue what it is. I must confess I just bought it because it was something Emeril on the Food Network started using in a few of his programs. But he never really explained what it is? Any help? (Aren't I so needy?)

So, I notice that I don't get many comments. I begin to wonder if there is a point to doing my own blog. Perhaps I should just stick to commenting and communicating instead of doing my own blog. Any opinions? Is there something that I'm doing that is "taboo" in the blog world? I'm so new at this, I don't know the "rules". Maybe I'm sharing too much information. Maybe I'm just plain old boring. Maybe I just need to be more patient. I welcome all comments. Good and bad. I also am looking forward to Christmas and Birthday time coming in December and buying my own digital camera with my gift money from my Dad. He's always so generous with all of us. Last year, I actually gave my substantial check over to my husband, who with his check from Dad, made a payment for a Jeep we bought from my husband's brother. We lost our car (2006 Monte Carlo), and had to have something for me to drive. This year I'm keeping the $$... to pay for some things I really need/want and there aren't any other options for me to buy them without this money from Dad.

I didn't get out to the shop during the week... but I am planning on sometime on Sunday. I have to work tomorrow from 8-4 pm... make a quick 1/2 hour errand, then I'm home for the night. I'll be making Potato Cheese Soup for a friend who had major surgery on September 29th. I haven't had the time to do anything for her and her boyfriend. She's out of commission for 6 to 8 weeks. So, by the time this weekend is over, I'll try to have made soup, and spent some time in the shop.

Also, the big foo-pah I thought I had made earlier in my posts involving the Department of Revenue has all been worked out, and it wasn't really a big deal. I just get so paranoid with the IRS and Department of Revenue for PA... like I'm a child waiting to be disciplined. Weird, I know. But, rest assured, with a small amount of money, I'll be back in the swing of things.