Ok, so I promised you a story about 5-alarm chili. It had been snowing like crazy all day and it was one of the first really cold days. Being the good Texan that I am, I decided it was time to make a pot of chili to warm things up a bit. Well, I looked at a new recipe and made a few changes. I look at recipes as more of guidlines rather than hard and fast rules. I decided that the amount of chili powder called for was not enough. I added more and lots of onion and garlic to boot. You can guess the outcome. It was some HOT chili but it was yummy! I will make it again, but with a little less chili powder.

I would like to respond to a comment I recieved earlier this week. I have NOT been de-Texanized. I was merely being sarcastic when I said that 40 was a warm spell. The Czechs say it is like spring time and I was making fun off that. I have been freezing my butt off and it will only get worse! I've heard that this will be one of the coldest winters on record. I hope they are wrong.

It's funny what amuses me now. Lena's contact fell out the other night. It is my job to find them when she looses them. I couldn't find it anywhere and I asked her to look in the pocket on her shirt. When she pulled it open she wiggled a bit and squealed, "ooooh, I found it!" She then lifted up her shirt a little bit and there it was, sitting in her bellybutton. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I was crying I laughed so hard. Yes, I know....I need to get out more.

I will be home soon. Can't wait to see y'all and eat some of my favorite foods. Hope you aren't too busy with the holiday rush. See you in two weeks!

Jess