Kitty Deschanel

Gather 'round, my bloggy friends, and I shall tell you a funny tale of social anxiety, a new job, and pickles. I have a bad habit of licking my lips when nervous. If you follow me on Facebook  and my other social media accounts, you know that I recently left my pediatric dentistry job of 16 years in order to work closer to home. (You also know many more of my embarrassing stories.) Starting in a new workplace for the first time in my adult life (seriously, I was only 20 when hired at my previous office), I've been understandably nervous. So, I've been licking my lips excessively. Thanks to COVID-19 and a mandatory mask, no one is the wiser. Actually, I'm sure everyone knows. In the brief maskless moments when I'm sipping water or eating lunch, you can see that my lips are chapped as heck. Stop licking them! Oh, if only I could. I don't even know I'm doing it. Which brings me to my embarrassing story. After work yesterday, SN and I were chatting in our kitche

We're fully vaccinated and making up for missed travel, ESPECIALLY the missed meals. How is pimento cheese not a thing in New Mexico ? We can add green chile to it! Sexy Nerd and I were fortunate to spend a day in Savannah recently. With such a limited amount of time for our first visit to the city, I made sure to research the best restaurants and local foods to eat. From brunch through dessert, I've done my homework (and my taste testing - being a travel and food blogger is such a rough job) so you don't have to risk a disappointing meal in Savannah. There's something here for every budget, including free samples of local favorites. No car = no problem, as you can walk to everywhere on this list from the North Historic District (near the Savannah River), which is also home to all of the must-see tourist stops in Savannah, including Forsyth Park, The Basilica of St. John the Baptist, and SCADstory. Fair warning though - I'm going to make Savannah foodies angry with

I am a cheap thrifty person.  Okay, maybe it would be accurate to say that I'm right up along the very border of cheap. I'm not crossing the line though. Only my toes are over the line.  I have a story to share from my college years. I was 18 and working as a Pizza Hut manager and there was a time when trying to save a few dollars put me in a dangerous situation. Okay, there were several times, but we're just going to focus on one for this blog post. I had a coupon for a free car wash. The regular price was $4.99, so without the coupon there was no way I would ever be getting my car cleaned. My Alero wasn't that dirty and I didn't want to waste the coupon, so I put off the car wash until the day before my coupon expired.  After leaving work at nearly midnight, I took my Alero through the automatic car wash. After the thorough washing, I decided to drive next door to do a little grocery shopping before going home. It was the middle of January, so I bun

Every autumn, SN and I enjoy a visit to the mountains in New Mexico. This photo was taken during a walk around Monte Verde Lake in Angel Fire, scarves billowing behind us and with mugs of cardamom-infused coffee warming our hands. The leaves were golden and the fragrance of pinon firewood hung pleasantly in the air.  The lake cast an irresistible spell on us, with proof provided in the nearby property we purchased shortly after. That was a surprise even to us!  Our little Olive , who is not quite so little these days, has joined us on small drives, but never on a wondrous road trip. She stays behind to mind the house and keep Bernadette and Biscuit company.  Oh, except there was that one time back when she was a young pup; the time Olive set out on her own, seeking a grand adventure. She's our little biker babe. In honor of National Pit Bull Awareness Month, join Olive on a virtual autumn road trip across the USA. There are plenty of wildflowers, fire-hued leaves, and selfie stops.