1.  Here we are, 52 weeks in, that’s a whole year of 40 things for Friday. Woo hoo!

2.  Fun fact about me: 52 weeks in a year is one of those elementary school facts I frequently double check in my brain.

3.  Also the correct order of planets, whether Pluto is currently considered a planet, number of bones in the body, and when we had our last leap year.

4.  I can get most of those. Not so much the leap year thing. And I’m not 100% on the number of bones.

5.  So I guess “I can get half of those” is more accurate.

6.  We’ve had a nice little stretch of 80something° days because it’s April in NC and that means Bring On The Heat.

7.  I feel like I roll through this pattern every spring – the warm days peek over the fence followed shortly by IT’S 80°?? WHY IS IT SO FREAKING HOT?!?

8.  Then comes my dire prediction that this is the summer we’ll all melt under the burning sun before I get a hold of myself and remember where I live.

9.  It is what it is.

10.  You know what else is what it is? This absolutely, positively incredible Fettuccine Alfredo.

11.  Standard disclaimer: this isn’t a healthy recipe. It’s stunningly unhealthy, really, but everything in moderation, right?

12.  I could feed you some bullsh*t about just make sure you serve it with a salad or as a side but that’s ridiculous. When I make this we all end up eating giant bowls with stupid-happy grins on our faces.

13.  But if I’ve figured out how to make a fantastic gluten free fettuccine you can bet your bottom dollar I’m sharing those tips here.

14.  Okay, first things first. Gluten free noodles are bland. It’s nobody’s fault, they just are, but boiling them in water doesn’t help.

15.  Tip one: cook the gluten free fettuccine in eight cups chicken broth/two cups water. (Sure, use ten cups broth if you want but eight cups infuses the flavor you need.)

16.  Toss a little salt in there, too. Trust me.

17.  Oh, and the step that says scoop out a cup of the broth/water? Don’t skip that. You’ll want it.

18.  As for the sauce? We’re a saucy family. I mean yeah, we’re a saucy family, but we’re also a family that loves a good cream sauce and the recipe as is just wasn’t cutting it.

19.  Now if you’re cooking with regular pasta the recipe sauce might work fine, but if you’re “saucy,” too, see #20.

20.  I figured in for a penny, in for a pound and added ¼ to each sauce ingredient. Now we’re talking 1 ¼ sticks salted butter, 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, and 2 ¼ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

21.  I try really hard not to think about what it’s doing to my cholesterol. I recommend you do the same.

22.  Don’t forget a healthy dash of salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Again, this might be less critical with regular pasta but gluten free really needs the spices.

23.  Also, I found the Parmesan worked better when I grated it into large flakes instead of on the small hole side. It turned out less uncontrollably stringy during the final process of tossing the sauce, cheese, and noodles.

24.  Okay, that’s enough about fettuccine, may you all go forth and pasta prosper.

25.  I’m dealing with crazy skin stuff right now, people. My face hates me.

26.  I have ridiculously sensitive skin. The one time I tried a facial my whole face just went KABLOOEY. So bad.

27.  Now my face and neck have literally erupted. Weird red bumps and zits and random dry patches. So SO bad.

28.  Yes, I know, it’s stress. Somehow knowing that doesn’t help.

29.  So I stripped everything out. No weird lotions or rinses, just plain soap and water. Unscented Cetaphil moisturizing cream. It’s a start.

30.  Anybody got some skincare tips? I’m all ears.

31.  Last weekend’s realization was a doozy. Are you ready? You sure?

32.  The top of my head shines like a disco ball in bright sun.

33.  No, seriously, it’s true.

34.  We had to take a family photo and it was a sunny day so we stood in the front yard for it. I flipped through them afterward, just to see if we’d caught one where everyone was at least halfway smiling, and practically dropped my phone.

35.  Not to be melodramatic but I may have shrieked. Something like MY HAIR, I think. It wasn’t a pretty sound.

36.  Then I dragged everyone up onto the porch to take a pic out of direct sunlight because SERIOUSLY?

37.  Look. You guys. I’m on board with letting the gray grow in, I really am. And I think in the end it’ll look…interesting. Let’s go with interesting.

38.  But it’s been thirteen months since I colored my hair which means I’m more than halfway through this project, and that means scalp to top of ears is silvery brown (mostly silver) and the rest is a coppery brown.

39.  I’m starting to understand why people chop off their hair when they get this close to the end. Just start fresh and let it grow out, you know?

40.  That shudder you felt was BrightSide’s panic swirling out into the universe. Don’t worry, hon, I won’t shave this mop down to a buzz cut anytime soon.