MerrinDonahue.com

I made a Bistro-Style Steak Salad last night for dinner, and when I took some over to the neighbors, they brought it to my attention that I never blogged the Panera story.
You see, I really, really like the Bistro Steak Salad from Panera. It has all the yummy goodness a salad should possess: steak, bleu cheese, baby greens, and a tangy dressing. Hey, if you’re forced to eat salad, then at least give me some steak and cheese (shut up, Josh). So imagine my….er…..surprise (read: utter disgust) the last time I ordered this salad when I forked a rather large bite of…..um…..ginormous black trash bag into my mouth. Sure, I called the manager. They told me that they would refund my money this one time and that they didn’t use those kinds of trash bags in their establishment. Excuse me?!?!?!? I then calmly placed a call to the District Manager, who took two full days to call me back. He also reiterated the fact that black trash bags were not used by the local Panera. Hmmmm…….I was getting a little tired of being called a liar, so I told him that I had taken pictures of the offending salad. He then offered me gift cards. I respectfully declined, pointing out that the very last” thing I intended to do was dine at the restaurant again (I did tell him that a better option would be to make a donation to a local food bank once he was sure that the food was trash-bag free). My point was this: What if a child had accidentally choked on the bag? Certainly, a need to train Panera employees to be better aware of food prep existed.
All of this led me to create my own at-home version of the salad, which, I might add, was much better than theirs. The moral of the story is this: Save yourself a buck or two, and much digust, and make it your own damn self. Oh, and don’t eat at Panera.

Thanks to Aurora for spreading the word about how to help the victims of the tragic tsunamis that have devastated parts of Asia and Africa. I donated to Unicef, but you can pick any number of charities that will rush aid to the victims and their families. For a list, click here. The UN World Food Programme is also a good choice, as are Doctors Without Borders and Direct Relief International. All donations to these organizations go directly to help the victims.
The next time you turn on your faucet, don’t take it for granted. Millions of people need sanitary water right now, not to mention food and medical supplies. Take some of your Christmas money and give back to the world a little.

Another Christmas is here, and I can’t believe how lucky we are. We are blessed with an incredible family, great friends, the best dogs in the world, and good jobs that keep a pretty nice roof over our heads. All in all, we have a fantastic life, and we don’t take it for granted for a minute.
We’re heading off to Fort Worth tomorrow for Christmas with my family, then we’ll be back in the Mound on the 26th. We’ve already had the Coopahue Christmas (Is it Fact or Crap?), and I know Kevin can’t wait to play with his Hot Dog stand.
Be safe this holiday, and be well. Remember to say a prayer for those who aren’t as fortunate as you, and remember to say a prayer for those who can’t spend the season with their families. To our families, and to all of our friends near and far, we wish you the happiest of days, filled with laughter, warmth, and love. Merry Christmas.

The sixth Harry Potter book is set for release on July 16, 2005. I can’t really say that I’ll miss working that event again.

Damn it! I was just congratulating myself (and my prenatal vitamins) on the fact that I have avoided getting the nasty cold that has plagued everyone else. Sho’ nuff’, I am now the proud owner of a hacking cough and a low-grade fever. Just in time for the holidays. Merry f’ing Christmas.

And that can only mean one thing: Fudge. I only make it once a year, and I must say, I’ve outdone myself. That’s right, kids: Not one, not two, but THREE kinds of yummy fudge are now ready to be consumed. Anybody want some?
In other news, I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping. Kev and I only have one more gift. I also mailed our Christmas cards yesterday, and Kevin even helped write and address them! (a Donahue family first. Where was he the year we sent out 82 friggin’ cards?!?!?!? Oh, well. Better late than never!) 😉
Presents are in the mail or already at their intended addresses. Which brings us to the coolest thing about this Holiday season of yule (I don’t have a log…Not in the way you think I said I did): The automated shipping system at your local post office. Yep. The lines were literally out the door yesterday, but there was no one at the automated kiosk. I stepped right up, shipped my shiznit, and even bought stamps. In and out in under 5 minutes while the line for the windows never even moved. Done.
Whew. I’ve got this thing wrapped up tight! Speaking of wrapped, I’ve knocked out the wrapping of Kev’s stuff (that makes it harder for him to peek).

I fell in love.

I’m pretty sure that the most annoying anthem of the holiday season is Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. Really…It was cute for about 5 minutes, but it’s time to let it die.