My New Obsession

I’ve never been much of a TV fanatic.  Mainly, I was a news and sports watcher.   For a few years, I never missed a MSNBC evening show….Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman…especially, the run up to Obama’s election in 2008.  Then, after he was elected, things turned so ugly.  The name calling, the hate rhetoric, bashing on the left, bashing on the right.  The night shows all covered the same news events the same way.  What was the point?

It was all conflict….never ending.  Not interesting in the least.  The only news I can barely stomach is the local news, but that’s after the first 15 minutes covering murders, rapes, criminals on the loose, seniors driving cars down the wrong side of the highway….that’s not even an exaggeration.  Why I even watch it is beyond me since the weather and sports I can get on my phone.  I do watch PBS news.  It’s a little more substantial than the other networks with their ‘tell the story in less than 1 minute’ requirement.

A few years ago, I was visiting my friend, Claire, in Park City, Utah, and before we headed back to Maryland, her husband introduced me to Guy Fieri on Food Network.  Have you ever seen him?  Spiky white, blond hair, a hint of pudginess around the middle, driving a fire engine red 1967 Chevy Camaro SS Convertible to his favorite Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  God only knows how many restaurants he’s visited all over the country, tasting each one’s unique cuisine.
“Off the hook,” he moans in ecstasy with each bite.

I have to say I use his recipe for sangria and I can never make enough when I’m entertaining.  I am a bit of a sangria connoisseur, and the only better sangria is the watermelon liqueur sangria at Nando’s or the pomegranate sangria at Carrabba’s.  Try them….fabulocious!

But, Guy has done American travelers a great service.  He takes all the guess work out of where to eat local when you’re traveling.  BH and I always go to the TripleD locator….mmmm….”off the hook!,” we chuckle.

When we come to Florida, there’s a “smart” TV….now there’s an oxymoron!  With access to Netfix, we look forward to our favorite series, House of Cards.  It’s CRAZY!  I truly hope there’s not a shred of reality in that show.  I’d have to move to…..where?  Canada?  Sweden?  Is anyplace better?  Well, I don’t have to think about that today.

Like most women, I’ve definitely enjoyed Downton Abbey.  But, really, one whole season is equal to seven weekly shows?  It’s over in a blink.  It ended just after the new House of Cards season arrived.  But, now I’m done with both.  What to watch?

My new obsession?  HGTV.  All those home shows.  Can’t get enough of them.  I’m not really a sit in front of the TV kind of watcher.  I’m working out and watching at the same time…..for an hour in the morning and a half hour in the evening.  You would think I would be skinny as a rail by now on my 940 calorie per day diet.  I wish.

I love those Property Brothers, identical twin brothers, Jonathan and Drew.  If I was 30 years younger….  One’s the realtor and one’s the renovator.  Their designs are amazing, turning fixer uppers into dream houses.  They give new meaning to the term, ‘handyman.’

Then, there’s the single mom, Rehab Addict, who upends old houses and turns them into mansions.  Property Virgin is a show based in Toronto who finds people their first houses.  Love It or List It takes owners to see other houses on the market to buy, while renovating their current house.  Will they Love It or List It?  My daughter swears they always Love It but every time I watch it, they List It.  There’s also Beachfront Bargain Hunt, House Hunters, Hawaii Life, Island Hunters.  I’m thinking about ordering the HGTV magazine.

I know.  I’m obsessed.  But, God, it makes working out so much easier!!