TS has been without Internet for several days and while I'm pretty sure she is not thrilled about it, she's coping. I've about recuperated from the "fine dining" experience I had during jury duty and am happy to report I did not have to have my blouse dry cleaned. So nice to have a sun porch that I could hang it on to air. Just wish it was warm enough to sit out there and read but with all those windows and no heat, I'm not tough enough for that!
I did something this afternoon that I haven’t done since I was a teenager. No, nothing as outrageous as some might be thinking. I went to the movies alone. I really wanted to see “The Edge of Darkness” and decided if I didn’t go alone, I wouldn’t be seeing it until it is shown on television, sharply censored, a hundred years from now. It wasn’t exactly what I expected but an interesting story line and a good movie.
Son #2 is changing positions in his company tomorrow and won’t be able to work the late shift any longer so I’m back to triple duty with Little Bit for the next few weeks. Perhaps I should have used this afternoon to rest up for whatever she has in store for me!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Not necessarily what it seems
Today gave new meaning to expressions that things are not always as they seem. Just because a restaurant has a name like New York New York doesn’t necessarily mean it serves sophisticated urban cuisine.
I had to report for jury duty today and on an extra long lunch break, I waded through the ever present panhandlers that loiter around the Capital to a restaurant below it by that name. It was a bit of a surprise when I went inside and saw a mix of cafeteria-style serving, self-service salad bar and drinks, and a deli, apparently owner/manged by Orientals. Nothing New Yorkish about any of that! Not the management but all the rest. I left smelling of fried food ~ my coat, my clothes, my hair, my everything!
When I got home, I washed what I could and sprayed what I couldn’t. My silk blouse is airing on the sun porch now, and I’m hoping I don’t have to pay a dry cleaning bill just to get rid of the odor. I suppose you could describe the flavor as close-to-Southern and the food was mediocre at best, definitely not worth reeking of grease the rest of the afternoon. I really debated about whether to turn around and leave when I first walked in and now I wish I had!
I had to report for jury duty today and on an extra long lunch break, I waded through the ever present panhandlers that loiter around the Capital to a restaurant below it by that name. It was a bit of a surprise when I went inside and saw a mix of cafeteria-style serving, self-service salad bar and drinks, and a deli, apparently owner/manged by Orientals. Nothing New Yorkish about any of that! Not the management but all the rest. I left smelling of fried food ~ my coat, my clothes, my hair, my everything!
When I got home, I washed what I could and sprayed what I couldn’t. My silk blouse is airing on the sun porch now, and I’m hoping I don’t have to pay a dry cleaning bill just to get rid of the odor. I suppose you could describe the flavor as close-to-Southern and the food was mediocre at best, definitely not worth reeking of grease the rest of the afternoon. I really debated about whether to turn around and leave when I first walked in and now I wish I had!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The "dogs" are on their own!
The other evening, I made tomato soup and grilled cheese, one of my favorite meals. Roo, formerly a big fan of it, has not been too enthused of it as of late. Little Bit has never been a fan of it.
In an attempt to make it more appealing, I took a tip from a magazine and took a square of toast and cut up a hot dog on it, floating it in the middle of the bowl and calling it "dogs on a raft." Roo got a kick out of it and ate a little tomato soup. 'Bit avoided it, instead chowing down on the grilled cheese. I said, "Look, honey, you have to get the dogs across the tomato river, try and eat some of it!" She studies the bowl, looking sort of sideways at it, and then says, "Nah, Mama, that raft looks pretty strong...I think it'll make it across the river just fine."
In an attempt to make it more appealing, I took a tip from a magazine and took a square of toast and cut up a hot dog on it, floating it in the middle of the bowl and calling it "dogs on a raft." Roo got a kick out of it and ate a little tomato soup. 'Bit avoided it, instead chowing down on the grilled cheese. I said, "Look, honey, you have to get the dogs across the tomato river, try and eat some of it!" She studies the bowl, looking sort of sideways at it, and then says, "Nah, Mama, that raft looks pretty strong...I think it'll make it across the river just fine."
Monday, January 25, 2010
And the beat goes on...
I thought the not-so-good news about my thumb was pretty much the worst thing that would happen this past week but I'm not quite so sure now that I'm sporting the first shiner I've had in many years.
I wish I could say something exciting caused it but I'm afraid not. I was hugging Roo goodbye last Saturday evening and as I turned to hug Little Bit, she stood straight up to hug me and her head popped me smack in the left eye. It hit me so hard I couldn't see anything but stars for a few minutes. Fortunately, I had switched my contacts for glasses so that lessened the brunt of it just a tad. I'm grateful it didn't break the glasses though.
It really isn't bad, unlike the first one I had that left most of the side of my face purple for several days. It hasn't spread too much, just some negligible swelling, and the bruising has (mostly) stayed beneath my brow and in the fold of the lid. You've probably already guessed Little Bit is hardheaded and now she's proven it!
Speaking of Little Bit, when her Mom saw her on the verge of tears a few days ago and implored her not to cry, she told her, "This is not tears. This is the beginning of tears." No moss growing on this one!
I wish I could say something exciting caused it but I'm afraid not. I was hugging Roo goodbye last Saturday evening and as I turned to hug Little Bit, she stood straight up to hug me and her head popped me smack in the left eye. It hit me so hard I couldn't see anything but stars for a few minutes. Fortunately, I had switched my contacts for glasses so that lessened the brunt of it just a tad. I'm grateful it didn't break the glasses though.
It really isn't bad, unlike the first one I had that left most of the side of my face purple for several days. It hasn't spread too much, just some negligible swelling, and the bruising has (mostly) stayed beneath my brow and in the fold of the lid. You've probably already guessed Little Bit is hardheaded and now she's proven it!
Speaking of Little Bit, when her Mom saw her on the verge of tears a few days ago and implored her not to cry, she told her, "This is not tears. This is the beginning of tears." No moss growing on this one!
Friday, January 22, 2010
A Diffiult Choice
Recent surgery on my thumb reminded me of this column I wrote about six years ago. Not that the thing with my thumb was nearly that traumatic mind you, but still aggravating.
Crutches or a walker? A walker or crutches? Really not much of a choice.
I recently had to choose and I have an uneasy feeling that either one would have been wrong. I know that neither would have been easy!
I postponed some pretty nasty foot surgery for three years, trying all the other remedies offered, some more than once.
Even though I really dreaded wearing a cast for a long time, little did I know that would be the least of my problems.
After biting the bullet and finally going through with it last week, I took the advice of nurses and therapists and opted for the walker. I can’t speak knowledgeably about crutches, but I have a feeling things would not have been all that different. That little therapist did make it look easy though.
I need the walker to keep the weight off my foot for the next few weeks. Silly me. I thought it was used to help you get back into shape. Little did I know that you need to be in good physical shape to use one of these metal monsters.
It sits in front of me, its metal bars stretched into a toothless grin, laughing at me. Daring me to try to conquer it.
I rise to the bait when I cannot longer resist the urge for a drink or to get something I want badly. (After just a couple of days, I had to want it extremely badly to even make the effort!)
It’s the same routine every time. Hop a few feet, rest and puff; hop, rest, puff—over and over and over. After what seems to be forever, I finally make it 15-20 feet to the refrigerator to get a fresh drink or snack.
This will necessitate taking lots of extra steps or you can do as I sometimes do and say, “Forget it. I wasn’t thirsty anyway,” and fall back down in your chair.
I figure by the time I get my arms and left leg muscles in shape, I won’t need it anymore. But if I ever anticipate needing one again, I am going to start lifting weights and go on a diet well beforehand.
While I am a long way from being an expert on this after the short time I have been using the contraption, I feel I am in a position to offer a little advice.
(This is not for those who just need a little assistance in getting around but for those who need it short term. After my experience, I certainly have a whole new admiration for the people who have to use them every day!
First, several weeks before you will have to start using a walker or crutches, find someone who weighs the same thing you do and carry them in your arms every step you make, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If you have to keep weight off one foot, do the same thing, only hop on one foot with them in your arms.
If you cannot find anyone to cooperate with you in this venture, you can accomplish the same thing with weights tied to each arm.
Do not wait until you really have to go to head towards the bathroom. Get a head start when you even think you might have to go, yelling all the way, “If anyone is in the bathroom, get out!”
And carry a little bag with you. It is hard to carry a drink under your arm and use a walker at the same time. Not only is it uncomfortable, when you drop the thing, it will roll forever.
Also, get one of those reacher gadgets to help pick up stuff. That way you may be able to beat the dog to the cookie you drop.
Not everything is negative though. On the upside, there is no cooking or laundry or housework during this time.
I do miss getting in the car whenever I like and going where I want to go. And I confess to being more than a little tired of peanut butter and crackers and daytime television.
Choosing the Lesser of two Evils
Crutches or a walker? A walker or crutches? Really not much of a choice.
I recently had to choose and I have an uneasy feeling that either one would have been wrong. I know that neither would have been easy!
I postponed some pretty nasty foot surgery for three years, trying all the other remedies offered, some more than once.
Even though I really dreaded wearing a cast for a long time, little did I know that would be the least of my problems.
After biting the bullet and finally going through with it last week, I took the advice of nurses and therapists and opted for the walker. I can’t speak knowledgeably about crutches, but I have a feeling things would not have been all that different. That little therapist did make it look easy though.
I need the walker to keep the weight off my foot for the next few weeks. Silly me. I thought it was used to help you get back into shape. Little did I know that you need to be in good physical shape to use one of these metal monsters.
It sits in front of me, its metal bars stretched into a toothless grin, laughing at me. Daring me to try to conquer it.
I rise to the bait when I cannot longer resist the urge for a drink or to get something I want badly. (After just a couple of days, I had to want it extremely badly to even make the effort!)
It’s the same routine every time. Hop a few feet, rest and puff; hop, rest, puff—over and over and over. After what seems to be forever, I finally make it 15-20 feet to the refrigerator to get a fresh drink or snack.
This will necessitate taking lots of extra steps or you can do as I sometimes do and say, “Forget it. I wasn’t thirsty anyway,” and fall back down in your chair.
I figure by the time I get my arms and left leg muscles in shape, I won’t need it anymore. But if I ever anticipate needing one again, I am going to start lifting weights and go on a diet well beforehand.
While I am a long way from being an expert on this after the short time I have been using the contraption, I feel I am in a position to offer a little advice.
(This is not for those who just need a little assistance in getting around but for those who need it short term. After my experience, I certainly have a whole new admiration for the people who have to use them every day!
First, several weeks before you will have to start using a walker or crutches, find someone who weighs the same thing you do and carry them in your arms every step you make, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If you have to keep weight off one foot, do the same thing, only hop on one foot with them in your arms.
If you cannot find anyone to cooperate with you in this venture, you can accomplish the same thing with weights tied to each arm.
Do not wait until you really have to go to head towards the bathroom. Get a head start when you even think you might have to go, yelling all the way, “If anyone is in the bathroom, get out!”
And carry a little bag with you. It is hard to carry a drink under your arm and use a walker at the same time. Not only is it uncomfortable, when you drop the thing, it will roll forever.
Also, get one of those reacher gadgets to help pick up stuff. That way you may be able to beat the dog to the cookie you drop.
Not everything is negative though. On the upside, there is no cooking or laundry or housework during this time.
I do miss getting in the car whenever I like and going where I want to go. And I confess to being more than a little tired of peanut butter and crackers and daytime television.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Weird or Just Very Sensitive?
Okay, another example of how you never know with Little Bit. Yesterday, when she was playing with her baby dolls, I joined in and asked her what they were doing. She was just putting one of them down for a "nap" and said she wanted to sing the baby a night-night song. I said, "How about Rock-A-Bye Baby?," to which she readily agreed. There we are, her rocking the baby cradle and me singing the song and not noticing until almost the end the horrified look on her little face. "What's the matter?" I asked, a little alarmed. "Mama, what happened to 'dat poor baby?? The tree broke and the baby fell out of it! That's not good! Babies shouldn't climb trees, it's not safe! Was the baby hurt?? That's a SAD song, I don't like that song!!! And on and on and on....sigh.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Two lessons
If I’ve learned nothing else in my life, I do know this. There are two arguments you cannot win: politics and religion. I do not discuss either and I do not inflict my opinion on anyone else.
I'm sure some are wondering what prompted this. It's just that lately everywhere I go it seems someone is raging about politics, even on Facebook. I'm of the opinion that if you cannot do better, be careful with your criticism. And if someone does not respond when you keep talking about a subject, realize they really, really do not want to hear/discuss it.
I like living in my new place but I unknowingly went from a quite liberal neighborhood to a hotbed of Republican ultraconservatism. I really do like my friends here, just wish they could find something else to talk about besides politics and money (indirectly). I've never joined in any of these discussions so I guess they are not sure what to make of me. Guess they will have to keep wondering!
To any of my Facebook friends reading this, I hope you don't take offense but I have wonder where all this religious fervor was when times were not so tough economically. When I look at my page sometimes, I wonder if I've accidentally strayed into a “tent” revival. I hate hiding anyone on my friends list but it has come to that when that is poltiics and religious are all a person posts. Sadly, it often makes me miss keeping up with someone I do care about.
This is not a judgment of anyone in particular but I think it gives religion a bad name when people you know are running around, swapping spouses, and violating other tenets of the Bible they are so fond of quoting suddenly become oh-so pious. I’m not really sure I want them to waste God’s time praying for me!
I'm sure some are wondering what prompted this. It's just that lately everywhere I go it seems someone is raging about politics, even on Facebook. I'm of the opinion that if you cannot do better, be careful with your criticism. And if someone does not respond when you keep talking about a subject, realize they really, really do not want to hear/discuss it.
I like living in my new place but I unknowingly went from a quite liberal neighborhood to a hotbed of Republican ultraconservatism. I really do like my friends here, just wish they could find something else to talk about besides politics and money (indirectly). I've never joined in any of these discussions so I guess they are not sure what to make of me. Guess they will have to keep wondering!
To any of my Facebook friends reading this, I hope you don't take offense but I have wonder where all this religious fervor was when times were not so tough economically. When I look at my page sometimes, I wonder if I've accidentally strayed into a “tent” revival. I hate hiding anyone on my friends list but it has come to that when that is poltiics and religious are all a person posts. Sadly, it often makes me miss keeping up with someone I do care about.
This is not a judgment of anyone in particular but I think it gives religion a bad name when people you know are running around, swapping spouses, and violating other tenets of the Bible they are so fond of quoting suddenly become oh-so pious. I’m not really sure I want them to waste God’s time praying for me!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Overheard
Overheard at Mary Mac's Tea Room at lunch today: Three very prim-and-proper looking, older ladies discussing "American Idol" and two of them breaking into an impromptu recitation of "Pants on the Ground" while trying to tell the third one about the program.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Paraskavedekatriaphobia (or how I managed to lose a great prize but still kept my wonderful son-in-law)
From The Telfair Enterprise, June 2008:
Paraskavedekatriaphobia: the fear of Friday the 13th.
I’ve never considered myself to be a superstitious person and have always laughed at the idea of a particular number causing an ordinary Friday to be an “unlucky” day.
Maybe not anymore though. Yesterday may have gone a long way towards convincing me that maybe there just might really be something to all the fuss.
I actually managed to get a haircut without catastrophe but that was about the only thing that didn’t seem to go wrong all day.
Aside from the fact it was about as hot, sticky and miserable a day as we have had so far, the first clue came early when I was drying water off my car and discovered someone had run something up under the undercarriage and left a small scratch. A tiny one, but a scratch nevertheless. Needless to say it was not the best way to start the day.
Then I discovered a certain bank branch (not local) had mixed up my account with my daughter’s and changed the checking status. No biggie, just another straw like discovering later that the spell checker file seems to have disappeared from my computer.
Staying in the house didn’t help either. I was pretty sure it would be fairly safe to dip some cherries in melted chocolate. Wrong. I had about finished the task and was quite proud I had managed to get it done without getting any on me when the spoon I had been using to scrape the bowl flipped straight up and spilled the stuff on me, the counter, the floor and what seemed like the whole kitchen. (I never knew an iced teaspoon could hold that much!)
Somehow though, the mess skipped from my blouse to the floor and missed my white pants entirely. I was feeling pretty good about that but by the time I got it all cleaned up, I had gotten chocolate all over them.
About then, the dryer shut off and I went to get my coverlet out before it wrinkled. In a momentary lapse of sanity, I just gathered the clean linen up to my chocolate covered shirt and headed into the den. You can guess what that did to the “clean” part of clean linen. As if that was not enough, after I managed to get that fisasco straightened out, the darn thing had shrunken 3-4 inches and doesn’t fit the bed anymore. Go figure!
Things quietened down for a little while but I should have known it wasn’t over. My cell phone rang late in the afternoon and a sweet little thing named Heather said she was calling about a Father’s Day Contest I had entered my dad into. I swear I am not usually rude to telemarketers but with the day I had had so far, coupled with the fact Daddy has been dead since 1978, I was really annoyed with her. I thought, “How cheesy,” using a sentimental holiday to try to sell something!
I told her my father had been dead 40 years (yes, I know it’s 30 but that was no time for math) and asked how she got my cell phone number. But I snapped the phone shut before the poor thing had time to answer. I must say in my defense, Heather talked quite rapidly and I only understood about every other word.
Unfortunately, about the time I closed the telephone, I realized what she was calling about. I had entered my son-in-law Jamie in a Father’s Day contest on a nationally syndicated radio show. I had 30 seconds to tell them why I thought he deserved to win one of three really nice Craftsman tool sets (or one of several tool boxes) and apparently my entry was a winning one.
I called right back but she had gone on to the next person on the list and given Jamie’s prize to them. I don’t know if it was one of the biggies or not and I don’t think I want to know.
When I called my daughter and told her what had happened, into between entirely too much snickering and giggling, she said I didn’t even have to tell them about it. I said yes I did. When I do something that supid, I have to share it with someone. She asked if I wanted to tell Jamie but I let her handle that job. He called back in a few minutes and he was laughing even harder than Julie did. Unfortunately, that gift of uncontrollable mirth was all he “won.”
That was by no means the last aggravating thing that happened before I went to bed but was probably the most traumatic. It’s really bad when the highlight and lowlight of your day is losing a really nice gift for your son-in-law.
He was a good sport about it though. He says my thinking that much of him was gift enough. Knowing how much he loves Craftsman tools, I can only hope he still feels the same way when he finally stops laughing so hard!
Paraskavedekatriaphobia, Anyone?
Paraskavedekatriaphobia: the fear of Friday the 13th.
I’ve never considered myself to be a superstitious person and have always laughed at the idea of a particular number causing an ordinary Friday to be an “unlucky” day.
Maybe not anymore though. Yesterday may have gone a long way towards convincing me that maybe there just might really be something to all the fuss.
I actually managed to get a haircut without catastrophe but that was about the only thing that didn’t seem to go wrong all day.
Aside from the fact it was about as hot, sticky and miserable a day as we have had so far, the first clue came early when I was drying water off my car and discovered someone had run something up under the undercarriage and left a small scratch. A tiny one, but a scratch nevertheless. Needless to say it was not the best way to start the day.
Then I discovered a certain bank branch (not local) had mixed up my account with my daughter’s and changed the checking status. No biggie, just another straw like discovering later that the spell checker file seems to have disappeared from my computer.
Staying in the house didn’t help either. I was pretty sure it would be fairly safe to dip some cherries in melted chocolate. Wrong. I had about finished the task and was quite proud I had managed to get it done without getting any on me when the spoon I had been using to scrape the bowl flipped straight up and spilled the stuff on me, the counter, the floor and what seemed like the whole kitchen. (I never knew an iced teaspoon could hold that much!)
Somehow though, the mess skipped from my blouse to the floor and missed my white pants entirely. I was feeling pretty good about that but by the time I got it all cleaned up, I had gotten chocolate all over them.
About then, the dryer shut off and I went to get my coverlet out before it wrinkled. In a momentary lapse of sanity, I just gathered the clean linen up to my chocolate covered shirt and headed into the den. You can guess what that did to the “clean” part of clean linen. As if that was not enough, after I managed to get that fisasco straightened out, the darn thing had shrunken 3-4 inches and doesn’t fit the bed anymore. Go figure!
Things quietened down for a little while but I should have known it wasn’t over. My cell phone rang late in the afternoon and a sweet little thing named Heather said she was calling about a Father’s Day Contest I had entered my dad into. I swear I am not usually rude to telemarketers but with the day I had had so far, coupled with the fact Daddy has been dead since 1978, I was really annoyed with her. I thought, “How cheesy,” using a sentimental holiday to try to sell something!
I told her my father had been dead 40 years (yes, I know it’s 30 but that was no time for math) and asked how she got my cell phone number. But I snapped the phone shut before the poor thing had time to answer. I must say in my defense, Heather talked quite rapidly and I only understood about every other word.
Unfortunately, about the time I closed the telephone, I realized what she was calling about. I had entered my son-in-law Jamie in a Father’s Day contest on a nationally syndicated radio show. I had 30 seconds to tell them why I thought he deserved to win one of three really nice Craftsman tool sets (or one of several tool boxes) and apparently my entry was a winning one.
I called right back but she had gone on to the next person on the list and given Jamie’s prize to them. I don’t know if it was one of the biggies or not and I don’t think I want to know.
When I called my daughter and told her what had happened, into between entirely too much snickering and giggling, she said I didn’t even have to tell them about it. I said yes I did. When I do something that supid, I have to share it with someone. She asked if I wanted to tell Jamie but I let her handle that job. He called back in a few minutes and he was laughing even harder than Julie did. Unfortunately, that gift of uncontrollable mirth was all he “won.”
That was by no means the last aggravating thing that happened before I went to bed but was probably the most traumatic. It’s really bad when the highlight and lowlight of your day is losing a really nice gift for your son-in-law.
He was a good sport about it though. He says my thinking that much of him was gift enough. Knowing how much he loves Craftsman tools, I can only hope he still feels the same way when he finally stops laughing so hard!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
And if you believe that...
I witnessed an interesting exchange yesterday. A woman from the next building was having a heated "discussion" with her boyfriend about something she found in his car.
He was trying to convince her by swearing over and over that he didn't know how it got there and, "It might be my Mama's." Yeah, right! I was dying to know what she found but thought it prudent to continue on my walk without asking.
If he managed to convince her that whatever it was, the incriminating article really did belong to his Mama, he should be able to make a fortune selling snow boots in Hawaii!
He was trying to convince her by swearing over and over that he didn't know how it got there and, "It might be my Mama's." Yeah, right! I was dying to know what she found but thought it prudent to continue on my walk without asking.
If he managed to convince her that whatever it was, the incriminating article really did belong to his Mama, he should be able to make a fortune selling snow boots in Hawaii!
Friday, January 15, 2010
You know
your life is pretty dull when you spend a large portion of the afternoon playing with your new GPS just to hear what the Hannibal Lector voice is going to say next.
I replaced my old one which died an untimely death after little use and,of course, after the warranty had expired. I found this one marked down $30 because Target was getting rid of the burgundy units. The color suits me just fine, especially when taken in that context.
I discovered that you can have "Hannibal" announce the directions and I love it. (I'm a Hannibal fan anyway.) He interjects questions/remarks on topics you would expect him to in between like can Patricia still feel a tickle where her skin was after it's removed. When you get to your destination, he tells you that you have arrived then says, "Don't worry. I'll inform Clarice that you're here."
I replaced my old one which died an untimely death after little use and,of course, after the warranty had expired. I found this one marked down $30 because Target was getting rid of the burgundy units. The color suits me just fine, especially when taken in that context.
I discovered that you can have "Hannibal" announce the directions and I love it. (I'm a Hannibal fan anyway.) He interjects questions/remarks on topics you would expect him to in between like can Patricia still feel a tickle where her skin was after it's removed. When you get to your destination, he tells you that you have arrived then says, "Don't worry. I'll inform Clarice that you're here."
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Perhaps we need a story refresher/clarification?
Overheard:
Little Bit had her Shaggy doll and assorted bridesmaid figurines from our wedding cake, playing with them. Shaggy was in repose in the middle of all the bridesmaids, who were standing rather solemnly around him in a perfect circle, praying. When asked what was going on, she replied, "Shaggy is under a spell. He ate a poisoned apple and now he's asleep for 100 years. The bridesmaids are bringing him gold, franken-stinz, and myrd to make him feel better."
I don't know whether to marvel at her creativity in combining the Nativity story with Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and a Hanna Barbera character, or to seriously begin working with the child to straighten the stories out!
Little Bit had her Shaggy doll and assorted bridesmaid figurines from our wedding cake, playing with them. Shaggy was in repose in the middle of all the bridesmaids, who were standing rather solemnly around him in a perfect circle, praying. When asked what was going on, she replied, "Shaggy is under a spell. He ate a poisoned apple and now he's asleep for 100 years. The bridesmaids are bringing him gold, franken-stinz, and myrd to make him feel better."
I don't know whether to marvel at her creativity in combining the Nativity story with Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and a Hanna Barbera character, or to seriously begin working with the child to straighten the stories out!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Another Great Boy & Dog Story
My friend Ed Grisamore is a wonderful storyteller. His repertoire ranges from the hilarious to the serious with a little of everything else in between, but always well told whatever the plot. This particular story is just really sweet and speaks for such a wonderful cause. http://www.macon.com/194/story/983341.html
Monday, January 11, 2010
A First? Definitely!
Something new happened to me today. I’m positive it was a first because I surely do not recall anything like it before and I believe I would remember something like that. I had something stolen even before I purchased it!
I was browsing in a discount store just to get out after being cooped up from all weekend by the snow and ice. I was surprised and delighted to find some items of lingerie like I wear marked down even more than usual. Even better, there were some white ones left and since I often wear white slacks and jeans, I got all three pairs left in my size as well as a couple in beige. I had my purse in the cart and my coat lying across it so I just put them on top of the coat.
Imagine my surprise when I started to check out and I had just one beige pair and that happened to be the only one I had placed in the deeper part of the shopping cart. Someone had lifted the others off the top of the stack! And yes, we checked to see if they had fallen off and/or a clerk had picked them up. No such luck.
I couldn’t help but laugh. It as the first time I've ever had my "drawers" lifted without my knowledge. I was just glad I hadn’t already paid for them!
I was browsing in a discount store just to get out after being cooped up from all weekend by the snow and ice. I was surprised and delighted to find some items of lingerie like I wear marked down even more than usual. Even better, there were some white ones left and since I often wear white slacks and jeans, I got all three pairs left in my size as well as a couple in beige. I had my purse in the cart and my coat lying across it so I just put them on top of the coat.
Imagine my surprise when I started to check out and I had just one beige pair and that happened to be the only one I had placed in the deeper part of the shopping cart. Someone had lifted the others off the top of the stack! And yes, we checked to see if they had fallen off and/or a clerk had picked them up. No such luck.
I couldn’t help but laugh. It as the first time I've ever had my "drawers" lifted without my knowledge. I was just glad I hadn’t already paid for them!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Bad Idea
Bad Idea:
Telling your three-year-old, who had multiple vaccinations earlier this week, that she would get "one shot" at sleeping with her big sister on Saturday night or she'd have to go sleep in her own bed.
Telling your three-year-old, who had multiple vaccinations earlier this week, that she would get "one shot" at sleeping with her big sister on Saturday night or she'd have to go sleep in her own bed.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Counting My Blessings
An excerpt from another (mostly one-sided) interaction with Little Bit, this time while watching Snow White. I omitted punctuation to reflect the reality of how she talks when she's on a roll.....
"Oooh, Mama, what is that queen doing is she turning herself into a witch wow she doesn't look very pretty, she's kind of scary looking what's that on her nose why does she not like Snow White is she going to do something bad to her what's wrong with the apple I like apples, but I like them peeled and not the skin I like applesauce too do we have some applesauce I can have but I want to eat it in the living room why can't I eat it in the living room I don't want to pause the movie and eat it at the table I'll wait 'til later wow look at that scary scary scary skeleton we have skeletons for Halloween I like Halloween how long 'til Halloween is here again I don't know what I'm going to dress up as but I hope I like get lots of candy but those skeletons aren't real they're like our skeletons where are the dwarves going they're going to work ooh those are pretty jewels they're digging do you think we could find those in our yard why doesn't Snow White go to work doesn't she have a job is her job to clean their house she'd better be careful not to spill anything on her pretty dress she needs to wear an apron when she cooks...."
Then I read about our friend losing her precious little baby and I think, "Thank you so much, Jesus, that I have the privilege of listening to this every day."
"Oooh, Mama, what is that queen doing is she turning herself into a witch wow she doesn't look very pretty, she's kind of scary looking what's that on her nose why does she not like Snow White is she going to do something bad to her what's wrong with the apple I like apples, but I like them peeled and not the skin I like applesauce too do we have some applesauce I can have but I want to eat it in the living room why can't I eat it in the living room I don't want to pause the movie and eat it at the table I'll wait 'til later wow look at that scary scary scary skeleton we have skeletons for Halloween I like Halloween how long 'til Halloween is here again I don't know what I'm going to dress up as but I hope I like get lots of candy but those skeletons aren't real they're like our skeletons where are the dwarves going they're going to work ooh those are pretty jewels they're digging do you think we could find those in our yard why doesn't Snow White go to work doesn't she have a job is her job to clean their house she'd better be careful not to spill anything on her pretty dress she needs to wear an apron when she cooks...."
Then I read about our friend losing her precious little baby and I think, "Thank you so much, Jesus, that I have the privilege of listening to this every day."
Friday, January 8, 2010
From a young mother
This is more serious than most of our postings. We try to keep it light but I think this is worth passing on. A friend from Telfair County, her husband, and family have been watching over their baby daughter at an Atlanta hospital for the past 17 days, not asking for perfection, just praying for her to survive. The way this little baby has polarized a small community and her parents' faith and grace even in the face of loss is amazing and surely worth sharing. This is her most recent posting at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/addisonclarkjones.
"As most of you already know, our precious Addi went to be with the Good Lord this morning. He gained another precious angel. But, I know in my heart that she's flapping her little wings and rejoicing with Him right now. No more pain, no more suffering. Those 17 days we got to share with her, we will cherish and remember for the rest of our lives. We don't know why and probably will never understand, but it was all God's plan and we have to remember that. She has made me realize that I take too many things for granted and need to slow down and cherish more things. And she has definitely brought me closer to God, as well as many others. Maybe that was God's plan? I know my heart is breaking and I have cried many, many tears. I can't even describe to you how this feels. But, I know Addi probably wouldn't want me to cry and be sad anymore - because she's in a better place - she's free to fly around and rejoice in His name. She's watching over us now. I want to thank each and everyone of you who has followed us in Addison's short journey of life. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for each message/text/call. It has helped us get through this difficult time. Please continue to pray for our families strength as we go through these next few days. God hasn't let us down yet, and I know in my heart he will keep us wrapped tight. Thank you God for blessing us with Addison and allowing us what time we did have with her. She has blessed us beyond measure, as well as you."
"As most of you already know, our precious Addi went to be with the Good Lord this morning. He gained another precious angel. But, I know in my heart that she's flapping her little wings and rejoicing with Him right now. No more pain, no more suffering. Those 17 days we got to share with her, we will cherish and remember for the rest of our lives. We don't know why and probably will never understand, but it was all God's plan and we have to remember that. She has made me realize that I take too many things for granted and need to slow down and cherish more things. And she has definitely brought me closer to God, as well as many others. Maybe that was God's plan? I know my heart is breaking and I have cried many, many tears. I can't even describe to you how this feels. But, I know Addi probably wouldn't want me to cry and be sad anymore - because she's in a better place - she's free to fly around and rejoice in His name. She's watching over us now. I want to thank each and everyone of you who has followed us in Addison's short journey of life. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for each message/text/call. It has helped us get through this difficult time. Please continue to pray for our families strength as we go through these next few days. God hasn't let us down yet, and I know in my heart he will keep us wrapped tight. Thank you God for blessing us with Addison and allowing us what time we did have with her. She has blessed us beyond measure, as well as you."
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Our weather forecast
was “a tale…full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” What a let down! All that snow we were supposed to have seems to have evaporated at least here in this section of town and it's just wet now. There's snow to the north, snow to the south, snow to the east and snow to the west but Atlanta proper seems to have missed the bulk of it. I know it isn’t too late but I doubt if it will backtrack so all we’re going to be left with is bone chilling cold. ((More of the white stuff fell in Midtown in just a few hours the first of 2009 than it has so far all day.) All this concrete I suppose. Lots of disappointed folks but can’t say I am among them. I know it would have been pretty but it’s okay either way with me.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Soup Weather for Sure!
This was my column for this week for the Telfair Enterprise. Maybe these soup recipes will come in hand for all this crazy cold weather.
Mulligatawny Soup has its roots in British Colonial India.
BLT (Bacon, Leek, Tomato) & Potato Soup is a hearty potato soup with a little different twist from the usual.
Soup, the ultimate comfort food
Nothing seems to be quite as comforting as a steaming hot bowl of soup on a cold, nasty day. It is the ultimate comfort food and warms us from the inside out as nothing else seems to do and considering the weather forecast for this first week in January, this is the perfect time to cook some up. Furthermore, experts are now confirming what our mothers and grandmothers have always known, that chicken soup really does have real medicinal value.
I am not usually a soup eater but I have a daughter who would eat it three times a day and never complain. It isn’t that I don’t like it. It’s just a dish I rarely think about. I do enjoy it in cold weather though, and if the year continues the way it came in, we certainly will have lots of “soup weather” ahead of us before spring arrives.
Soup can be as expensive as you want to make it or can easily be fitted into a thriftier budget. Its versatility also works well for working parents. It can be eaten as a snack, a first course, an accompaniment to sandwiches or a complete meal in itself. It’s also adaptable to time schedules. It can take 15 minutes or it can be cooked all day, depending on individual recipes. Just find one that fits into your time schedule.
The word comes from the same source as the English term "sop," meaning a piece of bread soaked in liquid. (Of course, sop means a whole other thing in the South!) Soup replaced sop in common parlance about the same time that people began serving the heated liquid without the bread.
Historians have discovered that man knew about boiling long before the invention of earthenware pottery around 6,000 BC. Inventive prehistoric man found that bamboo trees filled with clay, reptile shells or the stomachs of slain animals all made perfect vessels in which to boil liquid filled with fresh meat over a hot fire.
Anthropological evidence, including residue found stuck to pots, tells us man was regularly consuming soup by the Iron and Bronze Ages. Ancient Romans ate soup, including a type of fish broth cooked in wine and spices, and the Greeks were familiar with soup as well.
Soup has come a long way since then and is not necessarily even considered a hot dish any more. Chilled fruit soups are considered the perfect accompaniment for light fare such as salads and grilled dishes in hot weather.
Probably the best thing about soup is that with a meaty bone or a bit of ground beef or broth, some leftover veggies and seasonings, anyone can create a quick, delicious vegetable soup. This type soup, along with many others, requires little else outside your normal kitchen inventory. And I suppose stews and chili are technically considered soup but I prefer something more traditional (thinner) most of the time. Either variety is good any time but especially for a light meal or for when you just need to take the chill out of your bones.
I still consider my late sister-in-law Sarah’s wonderful chicken soup that none of us have ever been able to duplicate as a perfect example of homemade soup. It was light but filling, perfect in cold weather and in deference to the anticipated winter weather ahead and January being National Soup Month, I am only featuring hardy recipes here. Mulligatawny soup is one of the heartier, spicy ones even though there are lighter versions.
With a known history of at least 300 years, Mulligatawny Soup or Stew is one dish that has stood the test of time. The word mulligatawny is the Anglicized version of the Tamil words for "pepper water" or "pepper broth." It became popular with employees of the East India Company stationed in India during colonial times. When they returned home, they brought the recipe back with them to England as well as other members of the Commonwealth, most notably Australia.
It was a rich curried soup originally made with peppers, hence the name. It has changed to suit differing tastes in Western culture, and has gone through many variations at various times and places. It is usually based on a chicken stock but also made of mutton or vegetable stock and curry with cream, pieces of chicken, onion, celery, apples and almonds and garnished with rice. The cream in the first versions was very likely coconut milk.
Vegetarian versions may contain lentils, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, rice and fresh coconut. Australians also like to add tomatoes and bacon and yogurt is sometimes used instead of cream or coconut milk. Today’s Mulligatawny bears little resemblance to the original but there are some recipes closer than others.
Add carrot, apple, potato, dhal (red lentils), and chicken stock to pan; simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Discard cardamom pods and curry leaves. Blend or process soup mixture in small batches until pureed. Return to pan and add tamarind, lemon juice, coconut milk and fresh coriander leaves. Stir until heated through before serving.
TIP: An easy way to clarify butter is to melt it in the microwave and chill into refrigerator until butter rises to top and firms up. Discard liquids in the bottom of the container.
For the horseradish aficionados among us, this hardy recipe from Souper Jenny’s of Buckhead (Atlanta) will hit the spot. The AJC gave it a Golden Whisk award and included it in their best recipes of 2009.
Add stock slowly and stir to make sure all flour is dissolved. Add roasted peppers and beer and bring soup to a boil. Lower heat and simmer soup for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off heat, slowly stir in grated cheese and add horseradish, then use an immersion blender to make a smooth soup.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley. If you plan to freeze this soup, omit the cheese and wait to add when you are ready to serve it.
NOTE: Jenny prefers a dark beer like Guinness but you can use a lighter one if you choose. (The flavor of horseradish is one of the few things I absolutely dislike and I think this recipe would be still be very good if it were omitted.)
Bean soup has been for the daily menu at the U.S. Senate for more than 100 years. There are several stories of how this tradition began but none are corroborated. One story attributes the request to former Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota and another claims former Idaho Senator, Fred Dubois asked for it to be served daily.
The first recipe is the one used today but the one that follows was also said to have been used at one time. It makes a large quantity but would be good if serving a large group or if you just want to freeze some for later use. It could also be halved for a smaller amount. It’s relatively easy to prepare and you can jazz it up a bit with whatever herbs and spices you like.
Remove ham hocks and let them cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones, dice and return the pot with the beans. Discard bones and fat.
Braise the chopped onion in butter until it is lightly browned before adding to the soup. Before serving, return soup to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Do not season until after dish is fully cooked. Serves 8.
Remove the bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of remaining fat from pot then add the chopped celery.
Lay peeled carrots flat on cutting board. Holding each carrot at the root end, use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin strips. Chop the thin slices into small carrot bits or chips approximately 1/2 inch wide. Add chips to pan with the celery and continue to stir.
Cut leeks lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch half moons. Place dirty slices into colander and run under rushing cold water, separating all the layers so you can wash away all the trapped dirt. When leeks are separated and clean, shake off water and add to celery and carrots. Stir these veggies together, add a bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
While leeks are cooking the 3-4 minutes it takes for them to wilt, prepare the potatoes. Cut each potato into thirds across. Stand each third upright and slice it thinly so that pieces look like raw potato chips.
Add stock to vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add potatoes and tomatoes and cook 8-10 minutes until potatoes are tender and starting to break up a bit.
Stir in bacon and parsley and adjust seasonings to taste. Remove bay leaf and serve immediately with crusty bread, for dunking. One of my favorites whether served by itself or with an old-fashioned grilled cheese sandwich.
Mulligatawny Soup has its roots in British Colonial India.
BLT (Bacon, Leek, Tomato) & Potato Soup is a hearty potato soup with a little different twist from the usual.
U.S. Senate Navy Bean Soup has been on the Senate restaurant menu since the early twentieth century. One version can be traced to 1903.
Soup, the ultimate comfort food
Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses to leave you when you are impoverished and stretches its resources to give a hearty sustenance and cheer? Who warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer? Yet who also is capable of doing honor to your richest table and impressing your most demanding guests? Soup does its loyal best, no matter what undignified conditions are imposed upon it. You don't catch steak hanging around when you're poor and sick, do you? ~ Miss Manners
Nothing seems to be quite as comforting as a steaming hot bowl of soup on a cold, nasty day. It is the ultimate comfort food and warms us from the inside out as nothing else seems to do and considering the weather forecast for this first week in January, this is the perfect time to cook some up. Furthermore, experts are now confirming what our mothers and grandmothers have always known, that chicken soup really does have real medicinal value.
I am not usually a soup eater but I have a daughter who would eat it three times a day and never complain. It isn’t that I don’t like it. It’s just a dish I rarely think about. I do enjoy it in cold weather though, and if the year continues the way it came in, we certainly will have lots of “soup weather” ahead of us before spring arrives.
Soup can be as expensive as you want to make it or can easily be fitted into a thriftier budget. Its versatility also works well for working parents. It can be eaten as a snack, a first course, an accompaniment to sandwiches or a complete meal in itself. It’s also adaptable to time schedules. It can take 15 minutes or it can be cooked all day, depending on individual recipes. Just find one that fits into your time schedule.
The word comes from the same source as the English term "sop," meaning a piece of bread soaked in liquid. (Of course, sop means a whole other thing in the South!) Soup replaced sop in common parlance about the same time that people began serving the heated liquid without the bread.
Historians have discovered that man knew about boiling long before the invention of earthenware pottery around 6,000 BC. Inventive prehistoric man found that bamboo trees filled with clay, reptile shells or the stomachs of slain animals all made perfect vessels in which to boil liquid filled with fresh meat over a hot fire.
Anthropological evidence, including residue found stuck to pots, tells us man was regularly consuming soup by the Iron and Bronze Ages. Ancient Romans ate soup, including a type of fish broth cooked in wine and spices, and the Greeks were familiar with soup as well.
Soup has come a long way since then and is not necessarily even considered a hot dish any more. Chilled fruit soups are considered the perfect accompaniment for light fare such as salads and grilled dishes in hot weather.
Probably the best thing about soup is that with a meaty bone or a bit of ground beef or broth, some leftover veggies and seasonings, anyone can create a quick, delicious vegetable soup. This type soup, along with many others, requires little else outside your normal kitchen inventory. And I suppose stews and chili are technically considered soup but I prefer something more traditional (thinner) most of the time. Either variety is good any time but especially for a light meal or for when you just need to take the chill out of your bones.
I still consider my late sister-in-law Sarah’s wonderful chicken soup that none of us have ever been able to duplicate as a perfect example of homemade soup. It was light but filling, perfect in cold weather and in deference to the anticipated winter weather ahead and January being National Soup Month, I am only featuring hardy recipes here. Mulligatawny soup is one of the heartier, spicy ones even though there are lighter versions.
With a known history of at least 300 years, Mulligatawny Soup or Stew is one dish that has stood the test of time. The word mulligatawny is the Anglicized version of the Tamil words for "pepper water" or "pepper broth." It became popular with employees of the East India Company stationed in India during colonial times. When they returned home, they brought the recipe back with them to England as well as other members of the Commonwealth, most notably Australia.
It was a rich curried soup originally made with peppers, hence the name. It has changed to suit differing tastes in Western culture, and has gone through many variations at various times and places. It is usually based on a chicken stock but also made of mutton or vegetable stock and curry with cream, pieces of chicken, onion, celery, apples and almonds and garnished with rice. The cream in the first versions was very likely coconut milk.
Vegetarian versions may contain lentils, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, rice and fresh coconut. Australians also like to add tomatoes and bacon and yogurt is sometimes used instead of cream or coconut milk. Today’s Mulligatawny bears little resemblance to the original but there are some recipes closer than others.
Spicy Mulligatawny Soup
1 T. ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. grated fresh ginger
2 green chile peppers, chopped
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground cloves
2 t. ground coriander seed
1-1/2 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground turmeric
4 pods cardamom, bruised
1 T. chopped fresh curry
1 carrot, chopped
1 apple - peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 c. dhal (red lentils), rinsed, drained
8 c. chicken broth
1 T. tamarind concentrate
1 T. lemon juice
2 c. coconut milk
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 c. crushed almonds
Heat ghee or vegetable oil in large pan (use low heat); cook onion, garlic, ginger, chilies, spices and curry leaves, stirring, until onion is browned lightly and mixture is fragrant. Do not over brown the onion or else it will give the soup will taste burnt. Add carrot, apple, potato, dhal (red lentils), and chicken stock to pan; simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Discard cardamom pods and curry leaves. Blend or process soup mixture in small batches until pureed. Return to pan and add tamarind, lemon juice, coconut milk and fresh coriander leaves. Stir until heated through before serving.
TIP: An easy way to clarify butter is to melt it in the microwave and chill into refrigerator until butter rises to top and firms up. Discard liquids in the bottom of the container.
Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1/4 c. butter
1-1/2 T. all purpose flour
1-1/2 t. curry powder
4 c. chicken broth
1/2 apple, cored and chopped
1/4 c. white rice
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half, cubed
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch dried thyme
1/2 c. heavy cream, heated
Sauté onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour. Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done. Add hot cream just before serving.
Horseradish Cheddar Beer Soup
3 T. olive oil
2 c. chopped onion
2 T. minced garlic
8 T. all-purpose flour
6 c. vegetable stock
1 15-oz. can roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped
2 12-oz.bottles beer of choice
3 c. (12 oz.) sharp cheddar cheese
2 T. prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley, for garnish
In a heavy stockpot over medium-high heat, heat olive oil for 60 seconds. Add onions and sauté 5 minutes or until onions are soft, then add garlic. Cook 5 minutes more, then add flour and cook, stirring often, for additional 5 minutes. Add stock slowly and stir to make sure all flour is dissolved. Add roasted peppers and beer and bring soup to a boil. Lower heat and simmer soup for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off heat, slowly stir in grated cheese and add horseradish, then use an immersion blender to make a smooth soup.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley. If you plan to freeze this soup, omit the cheese and wait to add when you are ready to serve it.
NOTE: Jenny prefers a dark beer like Guinness but you can use a lighter one if you choose. (The flavor of horseradish is one of the few things I absolutely dislike and I think this recipe would be still be very good if it were omitted.)
Bean soup has been for the daily menu at the U.S. Senate for more than 100 years. There are several stories of how this tradition began but none are corroborated. One story attributes the request to former Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota and another claims former Idaho Senator, Fred Dubois asked for it to be served daily.
The first recipe is the one used today but the one that follows was also said to have been used at one time. It makes a large quantity but would be good if serving a large group or if you just want to freeze some for later use. It could also be halved for a smaller amount. It’s relatively easy to prepare and you can jazz it up a bit with whatever herbs and spices you like.
Senate Restaurant Bean Soup Recipe
1 gal. hot water
2 lbs Michigan navy beans (small)
1-1/2 lbs. smoked ham hocks
1 onion, chopped
2 T. butter
Salt & Pepper to taste
Wash navy beans and run hot water through them until they are white. Add washed beans and ham hocks to the gallon (4 quarts) of hot water. Cover pot and let simmer for about 3 hours or until beans are tender. Add extra hot water as needed to keep beans and hocks covered during the cooking process.Remove ham hocks and let them cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones, dice and return the pot with the beans. Discard bones and fat.
Braise the chopped onion in butter until it is lightly browned before adding to the soup. Before serving, return soup to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Do not season until after dish is fully cooked. Serves 8.
Bean Soup Recipe (for five gallons)
(Variation on Senate Bean Soup)
3 lbs. dried navy beans
2 lb. of ham and a ham bone
1 qt. mashed potatoes
5 onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Half a bunch of parsley, chopped
Clean the beans, then cook them dry. Add ham, bone and water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and mix thoroughly. Add chopped vegetables and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste.BLT & Potato Soup
(Bacon, Leek & Potato Soup)
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for drizzling
6 slices lean smoky bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 small celery ribs from the heart, finely chopped
2 small to medium carrots
3 leeks, trimmed of rough tops and roots
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
3 medium starchy (like Idaho) potatoes, peeled
2 qt. chicken stock
1 15-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of EVOO and the bacon and cook the bacon until brown and crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of remaining fat from pot then add the chopped celery.
Lay peeled carrots flat on cutting board. Holding each carrot at the root end, use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin strips. Chop the thin slices into small carrot bits or chips approximately 1/2 inch wide. Add chips to pan with the celery and continue to stir.
Cut leeks lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch half moons. Place dirty slices into colander and run under rushing cold water, separating all the layers so you can wash away all the trapped dirt. When leeks are separated and clean, shake off water and add to celery and carrots. Stir these veggies together, add a bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
While leeks are cooking the 3-4 minutes it takes for them to wilt, prepare the potatoes. Cut each potato into thirds across. Stand each third upright and slice it thinly so that pieces look like raw potato chips.
Add stock to vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add potatoes and tomatoes and cook 8-10 minutes until potatoes are tender and starting to break up a bit.
Stir in bacon and parsley and adjust seasonings to taste. Remove bay leaf and serve immediately with crusty bread, for dunking. One of my favorites whether served by itself or with an old-fashioned grilled cheese sandwich.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Exciting Errands
An excerpt from the (mostly) one-sided conversation in the minivan this morning doing errands:
Little Bit: " Mama, where are we going? The library and where? Osh Kosh? Where is it? Osh Kosh, Osh Kosh, Osh Kosh, THERE IT IS! Oh, it's not Osh Kosh? What is it, then? What's that over there...there, THERE, where I pointing! It's a blue car? I like blue, what else is blue, the sky and blueberries and birds...is that Osh Kosh? When are we going to be there? It's sure taking a long long long long long time to get there MAMA, IT'S A SCHOOL BUS!! Where is my sister? Why did she have to back to school? I'm sad Christmas is over....when will it be Christmas again? When is Halloween? It's after my birthday in Octo-ver? How old will I be? I think I'm six! I want to go swimming but it's too cold now can I get a bathing suit at OshKosh my sister needs a warm dress and you have to trade the nightgown? Why? Is the dress really really really warm and on fire? I wouldn't want to wear a dress on fire., that would hurt hurt hurt!! Why do you have to trade the nightgown? It's too small? Can I wear it? It's too big for me? Can I wear it when I'm six? When I was a LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TINY BABY I liked nightgowns are we there yet? OshKosh Oshkosh Oshkosh, IS THAT IT OVER THERE, MAMA? I'm ready to be there LOOK AT THE CHRISTMAS TREES, MAMA!! I thought you said Christmas was over and we had to take down our Christmas tree...why do they still have their Christmas tree up...are we almost there yet?"
Little Bit: " Mama, where are we going? The library and where? Osh Kosh? Where is it? Osh Kosh, Osh Kosh, Osh Kosh, THERE IT IS! Oh, it's not Osh Kosh? What is it, then? What's that over there...there, THERE, where I pointing! It's a blue car? I like blue, what else is blue, the sky and blueberries and birds...is that Osh Kosh? When are we going to be there? It's sure taking a long long long long long time to get there MAMA, IT'S A SCHOOL BUS!! Where is my sister? Why did she have to back to school? I'm sad Christmas is over....when will it be Christmas again? When is Halloween? It's after my birthday in Octo-ver? How old will I be? I think I'm six! I want to go swimming but it's too cold now can I get a bathing suit at OshKosh my sister needs a warm dress and you have to trade the nightgown? Why? Is the dress really really really warm and on fire? I wouldn't want to wear a dress on fire., that would hurt hurt hurt!! Why do you have to trade the nightgown? It's too small? Can I wear it? It's too big for me? Can I wear it when I'm six? When I was a LITTLE LITTLE LITTLE TINY BABY I liked nightgowns are we there yet? OshKosh Oshkosh Oshkosh, IS THAT IT OVER THERE, MAMA? I'm ready to be there LOOK AT THE CHRISTMAS TREES, MAMA!! I thought you said Christmas was over and we had to take down our Christmas tree...why do they still have their Christmas tree up...are we almost there yet?"
Monday, January 4, 2010
There goes my excuse!
According to a Sanford University study, if we ask the brain to do too many things at once, we simply won't have the energy left to either stop ourselves from overeating, ghrelin or no ghrelin, (an evil hormone that apparently induces us to overeat) or from imbibing in other activities we find rewarding. Since I've asked very little of my brain lately, I guess I have to find another excuse for my shortcomings.
I wouldn't be paranoid if everyone wasn't out to get me
Okay, maybe my germaphobia/paranoia is going too far. Since having a little one that seems to catch everything that comes down the pike, I have become a most valued consumer of handi-wipes, Lysol, and the like. After this latest nasty bout with pneumonia and with H1N1 and other stuff currently circulating, I have been very cautious about taking her around many people, because I have lived long enough to discover that many times people don't use their God-given common sense and keep themselves and their children home when they're sick. Call me crazy, but deal with a child that wheezes with the slightest cold and doesn't sleep when she is sick and spend hundreds of dollars a month on doctor bills and medicine because your insurance is crap and she's allergic to penicillin so her antibiotic options are limited, and you may change your tune.
Anyway, I did make an exception and we took the girls to see the Princess and the Frog, Little Bit's first movie and to Waffle House for supper afterwards. All I can say is, I'm dangerous with my pocket Lysol. I did get some strange looks from those around us in the theater, as well as a "What's that smell?" from our waitress. I had to confess that it was my handy dandy pocket Lysol that I used to disinfect the table as well as, um, all the condiments there. And the seats. What can I say...I know we're not the only weirdos that have ever frequented WH.
Feeling emboldened by not catching a bug there, I took the girls to Mass on Saturday evening. Of course, everyone holds hands and shakes them during the "Peace be with you" bit, but I was prepared with my pocket-size hand sanitizer. Alas, before I could cover the girls' hands with it, Little Bit, who had not had her hands anywhere near her face the entire time, decided to shove both sets of fingers IN HER MOUTH. I suppose that just goes to show, you cannot control everything, no matter how hard you try. It takes one shoving of fingers in the mouth (or nose), one neighbor coughing on a dollhouse and your kid touching it and contracting a virus, one whatever. I just have to get a grip and do what I can and calm down about the rest, I suppose.
Anyway, I did make an exception and we took the girls to see the Princess and the Frog, Little Bit's first movie and to Waffle House for supper afterwards. All I can say is, I'm dangerous with my pocket Lysol. I did get some strange looks from those around us in the theater, as well as a "What's that smell?" from our waitress. I had to confess that it was my handy dandy pocket Lysol that I used to disinfect the table as well as, um, all the condiments there. And the seats. What can I say...I know we're not the only weirdos that have ever frequented WH.
Feeling emboldened by not catching a bug there, I took the girls to Mass on Saturday evening. Of course, everyone holds hands and shakes them during the "Peace be with you" bit, but I was prepared with my pocket-size hand sanitizer. Alas, before I could cover the girls' hands with it, Little Bit, who had not had her hands anywhere near her face the entire time, decided to shove both sets of fingers IN HER MOUTH. I suppose that just goes to show, you cannot control everything, no matter how hard you try. It takes one shoving of fingers in the mouth (or nose), one neighbor coughing on a dollhouse and your kid touching it and contracting a virus, one whatever. I just have to get a grip and do what I can and calm down about the rest, I suppose.
There'll be Sad Songs
Well, who would've thought? Roo has always been very sensitive to sad-sounding songs, even as a little baby. We had a stuffed lamb that we finally had to give away because it would play a lullaby she would cry about when she heard it, even if it was only one note from being bumped (you could see where that would be a problem!).
Little Bit has never shown that tendency until today when Mickey Gilley's Tears of the Lonely came on. She started snuffling a little and looking extremely forlorn. When I asked her what was the matter, she burst into tears and said, "Because that song's so sad!!!" They keep you guessing, that's for sure....
Little Bit has never shown that tendency until today when Mickey Gilley's Tears of the Lonely came on. She started snuffling a little and looking extremely forlorn. When I asked her what was the matter, she burst into tears and said, "Because that song's so sad!!!" They keep you guessing, that's for sure....
Sunday, January 3, 2010
OMG, it’s hereditary!
Okay, I knew TS cost us a trip to the ER when was about the same age Little Bit is now. Seems she crammed a piece of foil from a candy wrapper up her nose so far we couldn’t reach it. What I did not know, or remember anyway, was that Cuz’s son suffered from the same affliction. This is what she wrote:
Okay, deja' vu, genetics and family history strike again. Evidently there is somewhere in our DNA the "let's stuff foreign objects up our nose, it's SO much fun" gene.
TS, you probably don't remember but-----
B*******'s only 2 trips to the ER as a toddler were the results of his sticking a watermelon seed, and after that was so enjoyable, a pea, up his nose. Both episodes took place while we were eating (we would look at each other and say, "But we were both SITTING RIGHT THERE!") and I guess he just thought that if food was good to put in his mouth, it would be good to stick up his nose too.
The first time, neither the ER doctor nor his pediatrician could find the watermelon seed and he was sent to an ENT who didn't find it either so evidently it either came back out or went on down between the time he stuck it WAY up there and when we arrived at the ER. Even though there were no visible results from all the medical attention, there were still sizeable bills.
The second time, a particularly effective sneeze while we were waiting for his pediatrician blew the pea across the ER floor and we were able to leave before any probing and prodding took place, but alas, not before another ER bill was incurred.
The first time we were very understanding since he didn't know any better. The second time, not so much, since he KNEW better even though he didn't DO better. After that, if he stuck something up his nose, we didn't find out about it.
Good luck to y'all as Little Bit follows so closely in her cousin B*******'s footsteps through a never-ever-boring childhood. We somehow managed to survive as did he (his parents' healthy fear of jail time may have helped) but of course you are aware that we did NOT survive with much of our intellect left! Our prayers are with you--------Love, Cuz
Scary, isn’t it?
Okay, deja' vu, genetics and family history strike again. Evidently there is somewhere in our DNA the "let's stuff foreign objects up our nose, it's SO much fun" gene.
TS, you probably don't remember but-----
B*******'s only 2 trips to the ER as a toddler were the results of his sticking a watermelon seed, and after that was so enjoyable, a pea, up his nose. Both episodes took place while we were eating (we would look at each other and say, "But we were both SITTING RIGHT THERE!") and I guess he just thought that if food was good to put in his mouth, it would be good to stick up his nose too.
The first time, neither the ER doctor nor his pediatrician could find the watermelon seed and he was sent to an ENT who didn't find it either so evidently it either came back out or went on down between the time he stuck it WAY up there and when we arrived at the ER. Even though there were no visible results from all the medical attention, there were still sizeable bills.
The second time, a particularly effective sneeze while we were waiting for his pediatrician blew the pea across the ER floor and we were able to leave before any probing and prodding took place, but alas, not before another ER bill was incurred.
The first time we were very understanding since he didn't know any better. The second time, not so much, since he KNEW better even though he didn't DO better. After that, if he stuck something up his nose, we didn't find out about it.
Good luck to y'all as Little Bit follows so closely in her cousin B*******'s footsteps through a never-ever-boring childhood. We somehow managed to survive as did he (his parents' healthy fear of jail time may have helped) but of course you are aware that we did NOT survive with much of our intellect left! Our prayers are with you--------Love, Cuz
Scary, isn’t it?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Random Musings
I don't care what circumstances brings homeless people to the streets, it still pains me to the core to see someone wrapped up as much as he can possibly manage, sleeping on a park bench in sub freezing weather like this morning. Or under a bridge like those we saw in all that cold rain earlier this week. I felt guilty about being in a warm car on the way to brunch today. It could easily be me there instead.
I was behind a car on 17th today (taking the back way home to avoid I-75 bottleneck) and I did a double take at the car stopped ahead of me at a traffic light. What I thought was a toy kitten turned out to be a real one, a cute little calico number. She raised her head and looked around at everything inquisitively but as soon as the car pulled away, she promptly laid it back down and seemed to go right back to sleep. Seeing her look so contented and realizing the obvious love the family has for her really warmed me.
On a funny note, there’s a house on Bohler near my condo that has as many inflatable Christmas things as they can fit into their yard and believe me, that’s a considerable number. (All that’s visible beside the decorations is the driveway.) It’s an older, ranch style house set among some much more expensive ones and I have to say it has been a great source of personal amusement every time I drive by. I couldn’t help laughing aloud yesterday morning when I passed and saw a pickup backed in beside one of the figures ringing the outside perimeter. Somehow, that seemed appropriate. Pickup aside though, they definitely have the Christmas spirit!
Santa finally found a Shaggy on eBay. Not only that, it also includes Scooby Doo and the nice lady is throwing in an extra figure that sounds like Velma from the description. How’s that for another example of real Christmas spirit!?!
I was behind a car on 17th today (taking the back way home to avoid I-75 bottleneck) and I did a double take at the car stopped ahead of me at a traffic light. What I thought was a toy kitten turned out to be a real one, a cute little calico number. She raised her head and looked around at everything inquisitively but as soon as the car pulled away, she promptly laid it back down and seemed to go right back to sleep. Seeing her look so contented and realizing the obvious love the family has for her really warmed me.
On a funny note, there’s a house on Bohler near my condo that has as many inflatable Christmas things as they can fit into their yard and believe me, that’s a considerable number. (All that’s visible beside the decorations is the driveway.) It’s an older, ranch style house set among some much more expensive ones and I have to say it has been a great source of personal amusement every time I drive by. I couldn’t help laughing aloud yesterday morning when I passed and saw a pickup backed in beside one of the figures ringing the outside perimeter. Somehow, that seemed appropriate. Pickup aside though, they definitely have the Christmas spirit!
Santa finally found a Shaggy on eBay. Not only that, it also includes Scooby Doo and the nice lady is throwing in an extra figure that sounds like Velma from the description. How’s that for another example of real Christmas spirit!?!
Argh!
Just to ensure that her Daddy and I don't get accustomed to having a good night's sleep on a regular basis, Little Bit decided to throw us another curveball about 3:00 a.m. She came into our bedroom, sniffing and sneezing like crazy. My first thoughts are, oh no, here we go AGAIN! Not another cold after finally kicking croup and pneumonia...please, God, give us a break. I gave her some Triaminic and after a potty break and nose-wiping, she finally fell asleep next to me. I, of course, lay awake for a couple of hours thinking, is it another cold or an allergy to something? No fever (yet), so might be an allergy. Oh, Lord, is she allergic to the dogs? What will we do if we have to find them another home??? And on and on and on....
After not sneezing the rest of the night/morning, she woke up and as soon as she sat upright began sneezing again. After a particularly hard sneeze, she picked up something that flew out of her nose and handed it to me, saying, "Look, Mama, what came out of my nose!" It was a nice big wad of plastic remnant from the straw from her juice box the night before. This was apparently the culprit behind all the sneezing and sniffling. When I asked why on earth she did that, she said "Because I wasn't sick." Go and translate THAT one.
This is the second time she has shoved something into her nose, the first time being a little wad of tissue. We suspected something in her nose then, but an examination with a flashlight produced nothing since apparently it was shoved so deep in there.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...she'd better find us a darned good nursing home in our old age, because she has aged us several years in the three short ones she has been here. She's lucky God made her so cute.....
After not sneezing the rest of the night/morning, she woke up and as soon as she sat upright began sneezing again. After a particularly hard sneeze, she picked up something that flew out of her nose and handed it to me, saying, "Look, Mama, what came out of my nose!" It was a nice big wad of plastic remnant from the straw from her juice box the night before. This was apparently the culprit behind all the sneezing and sniffling. When I asked why on earth she did that, she said "Because I wasn't sick." Go and translate THAT one.
This is the second time she has shoved something into her nose, the first time being a little wad of tissue. We suspected something in her nose then, but an examination with a flashlight produced nothing since apparently it was shoved so deep in there.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...she'd better find us a darned good nursing home in our old age, because she has aged us several years in the three short ones she has been here. She's lucky God made her so cute.....
Friday, January 1, 2010
Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow
Santa is still looking for Shaggy but the little guy has been elusive so far. Hopefully, some of the stores will re-stock really soon. This Santa’s helper went out for a little while today but the crowds were horrific and parking at a premium in some places so I gave up until tomorrow. Just wasn’t in the mood to fight it so I dropped my library book into the book drop and headed home. Guess I’m feeling a little like Miz Scarlett when she said, “…tomorrow’s another day.”
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