Iowa, anyone?

Rewind to a couple weeks back when I posted about my vegetable dicer thing...I had done up some vegies I had on hand and browned some hamburger and placed in a freezer bag for making soup later.  I had seen a recipe on a website (which I linked for you).  Made the soup yesterday and it was very, very good.  I can see why it won the contest.  I made it pretty much as the directions outline...no tweaking of the recipe for me but I did use parmesan cheese at the table.  I also had gotten a little carried away with my dicer and had enough for two batches so the rest remains in the freezer for another quick meal - which I find myself having to rely on more and more frequently these days. 

I have started a list of things I would like to do.   I am not calling this a bucket list so much as things I just want to do list.  To me the bucket list, from the movie, is comprised of things you just feel you must do or life will not be complete and that’s not what my list is.   My list is more dynamic than that, I hope.  An item that is hovering around on my list is quick trips..you know, to just anywhere I can get to in a day.  Stay for a day or two and home.  I think this may speak to a certain level of boredom with my surroundings.  I know I am in trouble here as its only January.  What am I going to feel like in March?  

We use to travel a little bit in the winter months, thanks to customer incentive trips that were scheduled through hubs’ work and we miss those trips.  Traveled with some great people to some great places.   We also had a bit more discretionary spending money in those days so while we didn’t do it often, we could just take off if we wanted.  Day trips usually.  My goal for 2012 is to return to those kinds of trips, places we can get to without having to take out a loan and enjoy a meal in a different city.  

I have been presented with an opportunity.  Husband wants to attend a two day auction of his particular interest in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Seriously? I am not familiar with Council Bluffs but he invited me to go.  At first, I was reluctant as um, well, it didnt’ seem too oh, metropolitan, lets say.   Besides, he has a group of fellow collectors that he attends auctions with and I don’t want to rain on his parade,  and most certainly I do not do the fifth wheel thing well.  But, I do want to get out of Dodge for at least a day.  

So Council Bluffs it is,  folks.  Not Cancun or Ocho Rios, but, I’ll take it.  Discovered that Council Bluffs is right across the Missouri River from Omaha, so I’m getting two cities, two states, in one! I’m looking forward to a bit of travel and something other than what I know, and the opportunity for some night life and a steak!