MySpace-Countdowns
MySpace-Countdowns
Monday, December 28
Monday, November 9
Keep on keepin' on....
Life in Hawaii is great. We're a little tired of this minuscule rental house, but it's not for much longer. We should be signing on the house on the 11th of January and then we get the keys on the 15th. We are going to spend a few days painting and then take delivery of our household goods the following week sometime.
I am back in school at Chaminade University at Honolulu. It's a private, Catholic school. I'm in the accelerated bachelor program, even though I am still just working on pre-requisites for the PharmD program at Creighton University. Hopefully I can apply for that program in '10, but I'm not sure yet. My math is sort of behind so I might not be able to get into the program until '11.
Tom is waiting with bated breath for the selection list. He is eligible for CWO5, which is a big ole deal. It will be the last feather in his cap and kind of be the punctuation point on his career. He's working here in Hawaii at a position he appears to really enjoy. We're hoping he can stretch that out for a few years and then later take the CWO5 position that is up at Camp Smith so we can stay here 6ish years. That should be enough time for me to finish school and it will put Tom right around 30 years of service (75% retirement woot!). He should be able to fully retire at that point. No working. We've tossed about the idea of him taking a position somewhere in Europe for a few years so we can travel throughout Eurasia. Who knows. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for Tom. The selections have already been made, we're just waiting for the list to come out!
Last time we had a "Wet Down & Birthday" party for his promotion. This time it will be "Wet-down, birthday and house-warming!"
Here's a picture of the house as of last week. It's just waiting for flooring!
I am back in school at Chaminade University at Honolulu. It's a private, Catholic school. I'm in the accelerated bachelor program, even though I am still just working on pre-requisites for the PharmD program at Creighton University. Hopefully I can apply for that program in '10, but I'm not sure yet. My math is sort of behind so I might not be able to get into the program until '11.
Tom is waiting with bated breath for the selection list. He is eligible for CWO5, which is a big ole deal. It will be the last feather in his cap and kind of be the punctuation point on his career. He's working here in Hawaii at a position he appears to really enjoy. We're hoping he can stretch that out for a few years and then later take the CWO5 position that is up at Camp Smith so we can stay here 6ish years. That should be enough time for me to finish school and it will put Tom right around 30 years of service (75% retirement woot!). He should be able to fully retire at that point. No working. We've tossed about the idea of him taking a position somewhere in Europe for a few years so we can travel throughout Eurasia. Who knows. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for Tom. The selections have already been made, we're just waiting for the list to come out!
Last time we had a "Wet Down & Birthday" party for his promotion. This time it will be "Wet-down, birthday and house-warming!"
Here's a picture of the house as of last week. It's just waiting for flooring!
Saturday, October 3
Coming along nicely!
Here's the house as of Thursday Sept 30:
Eventually I will write an in depth update about things that have been going on. However, most of it is deeply emotional and I am just not there yet. So, know that things are going well and growing.
Eventually I will write an in depth update about things that have been going on. However, most of it is deeply emotional and I am just not there yet. So, know that things are going well and growing.
Tuesday, August 11
Housing Update
So we spent a lot of time driving around Oahu in the last ten days. It was a rollercoaster of emotion for me. I loved a place online and it was horrid in person. I saw what was readily available and worried that we were going to have a project house. I wouldn't mind a project house, but since we're here a short time and not looking toward this being our forever home, it just didn't make too much sense (or cents).
So we looked at a couple of new developments. They are the only ones that aren't short-sales and those are touchy with VA lending. We found a place that we really loved. It was a bit more than we wanted to spend, but an awesome house. Look here at the second house down called Marina. The pictures really don't do it justice. It is a weird house (two separate one car garages) but we loved it. A lot.
Then the next day, we were out looking and the agent took us to this other development. When they showed us the brochure, there were a few places within our budget and we were surprised. So we went marching through the model homes. There were two we liked, but, unfortunately, one had a weird upstairs and one had a weird downstairs. We were torn. We made an appointment to come back the next day so that she could show us the facilities. Essentially she wanted to show us the country club and marina that adjoin the property. The map linked shows you the overhead (if you choose the satellite option on google maps) of the area. It is WAAAAAAAAAAAAY more advanced now, but the project is not complete.
So, back to the house. Later we found out that the house with the weird upstairs could be changed much more to our liking. It wouldn't be perfect but better. The community is currently being built, and like most new communities, they don't put all the houses up at once. The developer builds some, sells some, builds some, sells some.
We have pretty much decided to buy this house. It won't be ready until December, but we are ok with that. Since we're staying in this little rental house, we can sock some money away. Unfortunately, we are going to close too late for the first time buyer's credit (8k) unless they extend it to 2010, but we're spending about 40k less than we had budgeted, so I guess it's a wash...
This picture is from a house just down the street (note the service flag in the window). It is NOT our house, but it is just like ours will be. We are not sure what exterior colors we will get just yet, though.
Oh and that deck you see on the front of the house, that's right off the master suite and at the proposed Flach house, that deck will be facing the south with a dog park right across the street. We should get some nice sunset views.
So we looked at a couple of new developments. They are the only ones that aren't short-sales and those are touchy with VA lending. We found a place that we really loved. It was a bit more than we wanted to spend, but an awesome house. Look here at the second house down called Marina. The pictures really don't do it justice. It is a weird house (two separate one car garages) but we loved it. A lot.
Then the next day, we were out looking and the agent took us to this other development. When they showed us the brochure, there were a few places within our budget and we were surprised. So we went marching through the model homes. There were two we liked, but, unfortunately, one had a weird upstairs and one had a weird downstairs. We were torn. We made an appointment to come back the next day so that she could show us the facilities. Essentially she wanted to show us the country club and marina that adjoin the property. The map linked shows you the overhead (if you choose the satellite option on google maps) of the area. It is WAAAAAAAAAAAAY more advanced now, but the project is not complete.
So, back to the house. Later we found out that the house with the weird upstairs could be changed much more to our liking. It wouldn't be perfect but better. The community is currently being built, and like most new communities, they don't put all the houses up at once. The developer builds some, sells some, builds some, sells some.
We have pretty much decided to buy this house. It won't be ready until December, but we are ok with that. Since we're staying in this little rental house, we can sock some money away. Unfortunately, we are going to close too late for the first time buyer's credit (8k) unless they extend it to 2010, but we're spending about 40k less than we had budgeted, so I guess it's a wash...
This picture is from a house just down the street (note the service flag in the window). It is NOT our house, but it is just like ours will be. We are not sure what exterior colors we will get just yet, though.
Oh and that deck you see on the front of the house, that's right off the master suite and at the proposed Flach house, that deck will be facing the south with a dog park right across the street. We should get some nice sunset views.
Thursday, August 6
Life so far...
So, as prompted by one of my dear friends, I have not done much more than just post one line updates on Facebook. I should tell yall some more, eh?
OK, so this is only our 5th day here. The first two days were spent exploring the Leeward side of the island. We had thought we wanted to live in the area called Ewa Beach. After driving around down there, we were a bit discouraged. There are some nice houses but they are almost all stacked RIGHT ON TOP of each other. I mean you could stand between the two houses and touch each one. It was a let down.
The next day, we decided to head out to another little community called Kapolei. It's near Barber's Point which is a Naval Air Station that is being re-utilized. So, there is a commissary out there. We thought that was a plus. Tom pointed out a neighborhood on the hill that looked waaaaaaaaaaaaay out of our price range. I finally caved and we drove through it. Well there were a few (less than 10) houses for sale in the neighborhood and they should almost all have SPECTACULAR views of the ocean. They are south facing, so not much of a sunset view, but still! So we looked up some basics on our phones and wrote down a lot of addresses.
When we got home, I explored a bit online and the houses we liked were a bit more expensive than we had planned on spending, but they were not unattainable. Then Tom started doing a bit of research on the area. It's really kind of fascinating. It is 16 miles from downtown Honolulu, but it is part of Honolulu and all of the city/county government is moving out there. There is already a decent infrastructure in place and once they improve the freeway out there, it will be good to grow for a while. There is a Marriott resort out there and Disney is building a resort, too. So, theoretically, it should be a good place to invest. It's also a much nicer area than Ewa. So, we asked for more money and we're going to go hunt tomorrow.
Tom is still off work and will probably not report until September first. Austen is liking it thus far and the animals are all content here. Hershey ate a bug the other night and his lips became swollen to twice their normal size. The boys are going off to the groomer today. We have learned that with all wood floors, their nails have to be MUCH shorter or you have to listen to clickety clackety all night long.
So, that is about it. Love exploring thus far. It's nice having vacation first and having the time to get used to an area before choosing where we want to be.
OK, so this is only our 5th day here. The first two days were spent exploring the Leeward side of the island. We had thought we wanted to live in the area called Ewa Beach. After driving around down there, we were a bit discouraged. There are some nice houses but they are almost all stacked RIGHT ON TOP of each other. I mean you could stand between the two houses and touch each one. It was a let down.
The next day, we decided to head out to another little community called Kapolei. It's near Barber's Point which is a Naval Air Station that is being re-utilized. So, there is a commissary out there. We thought that was a plus. Tom pointed out a neighborhood on the hill that looked waaaaaaaaaaaaay out of our price range. I finally caved and we drove through it. Well there were a few (less than 10) houses for sale in the neighborhood and they should almost all have SPECTACULAR views of the ocean. They are south facing, so not much of a sunset view, but still! So we looked up some basics on our phones and wrote down a lot of addresses.
When we got home, I explored a bit online and the houses we liked were a bit more expensive than we had planned on spending, but they were not unattainable. Then Tom started doing a bit of research on the area. It's really kind of fascinating. It is 16 miles from downtown Honolulu, but it is part of Honolulu and all of the city/county government is moving out there. There is already a decent infrastructure in place and once they improve the freeway out there, it will be good to grow for a while. There is a Marriott resort out there and Disney is building a resort, too. So, theoretically, it should be a good place to invest. It's also a much nicer area than Ewa. So, we asked for more money and we're going to go hunt tomorrow.
Tom is still off work and will probably not report until September first. Austen is liking it thus far and the animals are all content here. Hershey ate a bug the other night and his lips became swollen to twice their normal size. The boys are going off to the groomer today. We have learned that with all wood floors, their nails have to be MUCH shorter or you have to listen to clickety clackety all night long.
So, that is about it. Love exploring thus far. It's nice having vacation first and having the time to get used to an area before choosing where we want to be.
Wednesday, August 5
Our First Tropical Adventure in Food
Ok, well actually it was our second. Last night we ordered the 'house special' pho which was full of things we could not identify. One was some sort of cephalopod. One was some sort of organ meat. Then there was some veal, that was easy to recognize. The other thing though... umm... I think it was jelly fish. I really do.
Anyway, onto today's adventure: Dragon Fruit
This is the outside of the fruit. It's pretty, huh?
and a couple of the inside:
The pink is so vibrant. I guess it also comes in white. So, onto the review. Texture like kiwi fruit but no flavor. None, really. It was quite a let down, but it sure is neat to look at!
Anyway, onto today's adventure: Dragon Fruit
This is the outside of the fruit. It's pretty, huh?
and a couple of the inside:
The pink is so vibrant. I guess it also comes in white. So, onto the review. Texture like kiwi fruit but no flavor. None, really. It was quite a let down, but it sure is neat to look at!
Friday, July 24
Monday, July 13
Sunday, July 12
ACK! Everything is so close I can taste it!
So, Tom comes home FRIDAY! OMG OMG OMG I can hardly believe that this crap is finally over. 19 months, folks. That's a long mudderfrakkin time.
After he gets home we buff the house and then the movers come for our express shipment on the 23rd and then our household goods on the 27th. Austen and I fly out on the 1st and Tom flies out on the 2nd (pet issues mean we have to fly separately).
We have rented a condo for two months. Hopefully our house hunting will be productive and we can get a contract and close within that time frame. If we can't well... we might just beach it.. hahahahaha
I am so dang nervous!
After he gets home we buff the house and then the movers come for our express shipment on the 23rd and then our household goods on the 27th. Austen and I fly out on the 1st and Tom flies out on the 2nd (pet issues mean we have to fly separately).
We have rented a condo for two months. Hopefully our house hunting will be productive and we can get a contract and close within that time frame. If we can't well... we might just beach it.. hahahahaha
I am so dang nervous!
Tuesday, July 7
Wednesday, July 1
Leave it to me...
To arrive in San Francisco on the afternoon of PRIDE! and take a wrong turn, into the Castro.
It was awesome though. The sheer acceptance was palpable. I love that about this city, oh and the architecture.
It was awesome though. The sheer acceptance was palpable. I love that about this city, oh and the architecture.
Sunday, June 21
Quiche
This the recipe for the quiche that Michelle and I were talking about on FB:
Asparagus and Leek Quiche
1 9" pie crust (I make my own, but you surely can use a frozen type)
1 egg white
1 (ish) tblsp butter
2 leeks (white and light green parts washed well and very thinly sliced)
1 bundle asparagus (I guess that's about a pound? I just buy the normal bundle and use that) snap off the woody ends and then cut on the diagonal into pieces about 1/2" long or shorter.
I usually add about 1.5 cups chopped ham to this (in my family meat is a necessary ugh! but you could use turkey that's very yummy or fish smoked salmon would be good or could just add more veggies a spinach or broccoli rabe or broccoli etc. etc. in there would be good or just not add anything and you will have a quiche with a bit more egg to it).
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups half and half (you CAN use the fat free kind it works fine)
1 tblsp cornstarch
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 (ish) tsp freshly ground nutmeg (I grind it into my hand and use about a dime to quarter size)
salt to taste (I use sea or kosher salt almost exclusively and it's usually about 1/4 tsp of either of those would be less table salt)
1 cup shredded cheese - I use Monterrey jack or mozzarella (whatever I have on hand) but this would be best with a swiss, I think. My kids loathe swiss cheese though... sad for me!
Oven to 375
Rack in lowest position
put crust in pan, brush bottom with egg white and bake for 10 minutes
In large skillet, melt butter and add leeks, asparagus and any meat or other filling ingredient you may use and season with fresh ground pepper. Let the asparagus get bright green and barely tender. Then allow to cool - doesn't have to be totally cool though.
Mix eggs, half and half, more ground pepper, nutmeg, cornstarch and salt with a whisk.
Put cheese on the bottom of the pre-baked crust then top with asparagus mixture and spread it evenly over crust. Top this with the egg mixture.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until center of the quiche is just set. Remove and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
Asparagus and Leek Quiche
1 9" pie crust (I make my own, but you surely can use a frozen type)
1 egg white
1 (ish) tblsp butter
2 leeks (white and light green parts washed well and very thinly sliced)
1 bundle asparagus (I guess that's about a pound? I just buy the normal bundle and use that) snap off the woody ends and then cut on the diagonal into pieces about 1/2" long or shorter.
I usually add about 1.5 cups chopped ham to this (in my family meat is a necessary ugh! but you could use turkey that's very yummy or fish smoked salmon would be good or could just add more veggies a spinach or broccoli rabe or broccoli etc. etc. in there would be good or just not add anything and you will have a quiche with a bit more egg to it).
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups half and half (you CAN use the fat free kind it works fine)
1 tblsp cornstarch
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 (ish) tsp freshly ground nutmeg (I grind it into my hand and use about a dime to quarter size)
salt to taste (I use sea or kosher salt almost exclusively and it's usually about 1/4 tsp of either of those would be less table salt)
1 cup shredded cheese - I use Monterrey jack or mozzarella (whatever I have on hand) but this would be best with a swiss, I think. My kids loathe swiss cheese though... sad for me!
Oven to 375
Rack in lowest position
put crust in pan, brush bottom with egg white and bake for 10 minutes
In large skillet, melt butter and add leeks, asparagus and any meat or other filling ingredient you may use and season with fresh ground pepper. Let the asparagus get bright green and barely tender. Then allow to cool - doesn't have to be totally cool though.
Mix eggs, half and half, more ground pepper, nutmeg, cornstarch and salt with a whisk.
Put cheese on the bottom of the pre-baked crust then top with asparagus mixture and spread it evenly over crust. Top this with the egg mixture.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until center of the quiche is just set. Remove and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
Wednesday, June 17
Teenagers
What do you do with them?
My daughter is making some huge choices and I wish to whatever god may be that I could help her see the reality of what she's choosing.
Does anyone know of a documentary type film that depicts life as a single mother? I was really hoping to find something that would depict life as a teen mother, but I cannot find anything.
I don't know if prayer works or if you can really send positive energy to someone, but if you have it in ya, please send all you have to Tori. She needs strength and clarity right now and has neither.
My daughter is making some huge choices and I wish to whatever god may be that I could help her see the reality of what she's choosing.
Does anyone know of a documentary type film that depicts life as a single mother? I was really hoping to find something that would depict life as a teen mother, but I cannot find anything.
I don't know if prayer works or if you can really send positive energy to someone, but if you have it in ya, please send all you have to Tori. She needs strength and clarity right now and has neither.
Sunday, May 31
Food Stuff
First, Liz, the pasta/rabe/sausage was fabulous. I think next time I will add a little 'zing' to it with something. I used mild sausage because Tori doesn't eat anything spicy. Maybe that is why it seemed a little bland? I am thinking more garlic, a healthy dose of reggiano and maybe just a wee bit o' Tony's Chachere's.
On to tonight's dinner:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth (may use bouillon)
2 carrots, sliced thin
3 celery ribs, sliced thin
Leek sliced thin
1/3 cup half-and-half cream
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 avocado, peeled and sliced in thin strips (wait until the last minute so avocado doesn't turn brown)
1/3 cup slivered almond
Directions
1 Using a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
2 Add the ginger, cinnamon, paprika, curry, salt and pepper to the oil.
3 Stir and cook the spices in the oil for 2 minutes.
4 Add the chicken pieces and cook over medium heat on each side for approximately 5 minutes or till lightly browned.
5 Remove chicken from pan.
6 Pour off any excess oil from the skillet.
7 Add wine to the skillet and deglaze for about 1 minute.
8 Add broth, carrots and celery and return chicken to the skillet, bringing all to a boil.
9 Reduce heat to low.
10 Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender.
11 Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
12 Add half and half to skillet, stirring until incorporated, over low heat.
13 Place rice on platter and distribute chicken pieces on top of rice.
14 Place avocado slices on top then pour sauce mixture over all.
15 Sprinkle top with slivered almonds.
I didn't have the almonds so I skipped those, but they would be good on it.
I would double the sauce next time. I only used 3 chicken breasts instead of 6 and it was just enough sauce.
I also used heavy cream instead of 1/2 & 1/2 because it's what I had. I think next time I will try coconut milk instead.
I would also add more veggies to the sauce. You could put ALL sorts of yummy veggies in there and hide them from the kidlets!
The kids gobbled it down faster than they could shovel it onto their plates. I served some sauteed asparagus with it that went very well. It would go well with any mild veggie...
I also think that next time I will chop the chicken after the first cooking so that it is more a part of the sauce.
Oh and I used a Viognier for the wine. YUM YUM YUM!!!
On to tonight's dinner:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth (may use bouillon)
2 carrots, sliced thin
3 celery ribs, sliced thin
Leek sliced thin
1/3 cup half-and-half cream
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 avocado, peeled and sliced in thin strips (wait until the last minute so avocado doesn't turn brown)
1/3 cup slivered almond
Directions
1 Using a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
2 Add the ginger, cinnamon, paprika, curry, salt and pepper to the oil.
3 Stir and cook the spices in the oil for 2 minutes.
4 Add the chicken pieces and cook over medium heat on each side for approximately 5 minutes or till lightly browned.
5 Remove chicken from pan.
6 Pour off any excess oil from the skillet.
7 Add wine to the skillet and deglaze for about 1 minute.
8 Add broth, carrots and celery and return chicken to the skillet, bringing all to a boil.
9 Reduce heat to low.
10 Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender.
11 Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
12 Add half and half to skillet, stirring until incorporated, over low heat.
13 Place rice on platter and distribute chicken pieces on top of rice.
14 Place avocado slices on top then pour sauce mixture over all.
15 Sprinkle top with slivered almonds.
I didn't have the almonds so I skipped those, but they would be good on it.
I would double the sauce next time. I only used 3 chicken breasts instead of 6 and it was just enough sauce.
I also used heavy cream instead of 1/2 & 1/2 because it's what I had. I think next time I will try coconut milk instead.
I would also add more veggies to the sauce. You could put ALL sorts of yummy veggies in there and hide them from the kidlets!
The kids gobbled it down faster than they could shovel it onto their plates. I served some sauteed asparagus with it that went very well. It would go well with any mild veggie...
I also think that next time I will chop the chicken after the first cooking so that it is more a part of the sauce.
Oh and I used a Viognier for the wine. YUM YUM YUM!!!
Saturday, April 25
Someone read my mind!
I am in love with Magic Erasers. I have been for a long, long time. I think they might be the best thing ever. Really. I've oft thought they should put one on a stick so I don't have to get down on my hands and knees to use them on the floor. Well they did it! It works just as fabulously as I had imagined.
If Magic Erasers are horrible for the environment, going to give me cancer or never going to biodegrade, please don't tell me. I don't want to know. I love them.
If Magic Erasers are horrible for the environment, going to give me cancer or never going to biodegrade, please don't tell me. I don't want to know. I love them.
Friday, April 24
Bacon?
Ya know, I don't really like the thought of bacon. I mean really, that fat and the fact that it's pork (swine are the most ill treated of all our food sources and they're the ones that are smart). It just doesn't seem like it should be so.good.
It turns out that it's some sort of great chemical reaction.
The first link has a silly photo, but nothing bad. It's a girl's rear end in a bikini bottom - in case you don't want your chillrens to see.
Why we love bacon.
Bacon Sandwich Cures Hangover
It turns out that it's some sort of great chemical reaction.
The first link has a silly photo, but nothing bad. It's a girl's rear end in a bikini bottom - in case you don't want your chillrens to see.
Why we love bacon.
Bacon Sandwich Cures Hangover
Wednesday, April 22
Triggers
I sure have a lot lately. I read a news article late last night that brought back a lot of stuff. I tried talking about it this morning with my lady, but I couldn't. I just didn't want to.
Mother Arrested After Kicking Young Daughters Out of Car, Driving Away.
That's the article that threw me into a tail spin.
When I was 14, we were driving home to Eastern Pennsylvania from a friend's home in Scotch Plains, NJ late on a Sunday night. I'm not sure what time it was, but it was after midnight. It was cold, wet and in the middle of nowhere.
I reached over to turn the heat up in the car. That was apparently the wrong thing to do. My father pulled over and told me to get out. He'd been drinking, so I didn't want to push. I knew he'd hurt me if I didn't get out. So, I got out, and he drove away into the night. We were on some freeway. I don't know which one. I looked around me and saw a light a ways off. So, I headed for that. I figured that way, I could at least be in the light. Lucky for me, that light was on a farm and I pounded on the door. The family inside was kind and let me in. They called the police and I was whisked away to the local sheriff's station.
I fell asleep on the waiting room bench. After the sun had risen, my Dad showed up to pick me up. They had called him and called him and called him. He didn't answer the phone. They assumed he was out looking for me. I actually thought he was too. Finally after many hours of not being able to reach him, they asked the local police to go to our house. He was there, asleep. He'd driven off, gotten home and went to bed. They got him up, he picked me up and we went home.
So, yeah, that memory is painful. You know what really hurts though? They arrested that lady. The one who actually tried to retrieve her children. I'm not sure my father was even chastised. That's what gets me. It's like some sort of fucked up envy toward those girls.
My brain is a clusterfuck.
Mother Arrested After Kicking Young Daughters Out of Car, Driving Away.
That's the article that threw me into a tail spin.
When I was 14, we were driving home to Eastern Pennsylvania from a friend's home in Scotch Plains, NJ late on a Sunday night. I'm not sure what time it was, but it was after midnight. It was cold, wet and in the middle of nowhere.
I reached over to turn the heat up in the car. That was apparently the wrong thing to do. My father pulled over and told me to get out. He'd been drinking, so I didn't want to push. I knew he'd hurt me if I didn't get out. So, I got out, and he drove away into the night. We were on some freeway. I don't know which one. I looked around me and saw a light a ways off. So, I headed for that. I figured that way, I could at least be in the light. Lucky for me, that light was on a farm and I pounded on the door. The family inside was kind and let me in. They called the police and I was whisked away to the local sheriff's station.
I fell asleep on the waiting room bench. After the sun had risen, my Dad showed up to pick me up. They had called him and called him and called him. He didn't answer the phone. They assumed he was out looking for me. I actually thought he was too. Finally after many hours of not being able to reach him, they asked the local police to go to our house. He was there, asleep. He'd driven off, gotten home and went to bed. They got him up, he picked me up and we went home.
So, yeah, that memory is painful. You know what really hurts though? They arrested that lady. The one who actually tried to retrieve her children. I'm not sure my father was even chastised. That's what gets me. It's like some sort of fucked up envy toward those girls.
My brain is a clusterfuck.
Monday, April 20
Vegetables
I'm on a quest to try them all. So, here's my list. I am going to italicize the ones I've not heretofore tried. If you have a recipe, send it on! This list isn't that great. There are a few things missing, but the things I know are missing are things I've tried.
Bulb Vegetables
Chives
Garlic
Leeks
Onions
Scallions
Shallots
Water chestnuts
Fruit Vegetables
Avocados
Chayote
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Okra
Olives
Peppers
Squash
Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Inflorescent Vegetables
Artichokes
Broccoli
Broccoli rabe
Cauliflower
Leaf Vegetables
Arugula
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chicory
Chinese cabbage
Collards
Cress
Dandelion nettles
Endive
Lamb's lettuce
Lettuce
Nasturtium
Purslane
Radicchio
Savoy
Sea kale
Sorrel
Spinach
Root Vegetables
Beets
Burdock
Carrots
Celeriac
Malanga
Parsnips
Radishes
Rutabaga
Salsify
Turnips
Stalk Vegetable
Asparagus
Bamboo
Cardoon
Celery
Chard
Fiddlehead
Fennel
Kohlrabi
Tuber Vegetable
Cassava
Crosne
Jerusalem artichoke (I've had pastas made from Jerusalem Artichoke flour, but not used the straight veggie)
Jicama
Potato
Sweet potato
Taro
Yam
Bulb Vegetables
Chives
Garlic
Leeks
Onions
Scallions
Shallots
Water chestnuts
Fruit Vegetables
Avocados
Chayote
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Okra
Olives
Peppers
Squash
Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Inflorescent Vegetables
Artichokes
Broccoli
Broccoli rabe
Cauliflower
Leaf Vegetables
Arugula
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chicory
Chinese cabbage
Collards
Cress
Dandelion nettles
Endive
Lamb's lettuce
Lettuce
Nasturtium
Purslane
Radicchio
Savoy
Sea kale
Sorrel
Spinach
Root Vegetables
Beets
Burdock
Carrots
Celeriac
Malanga
Parsnips
Radishes
Rutabaga
Salsify
Turnips
Stalk Vegetable
Asparagus
Bamboo
Cardoon
Celery
Chard
Fiddlehead
Fennel
Kohlrabi
Tuber Vegetable
Cassava
Crosne
Jerusalem artichoke (I've had pastas made from Jerusalem Artichoke flour, but not used the straight veggie)
Jicama
Potato
Sweet potato
Taro
Yam
Friday, April 17
Very freaking cool...
Two of my favorite performers. Lifted this off a forum I belong to. Very, very cool.
Monday, April 13
Sounds like a plan
Whew! I think we've finally figured out what we're doing.
We've decided to buy a home in Hawaii, which is nauseating in this market, but oh well! So, we're furiously hunting for houses all over Oahu. It's an interesting thing when you don't know the lay of the land, etc. I've never spent any time on Oahu and Tom hasn't been there in like a decade. Also, the reason we CAN buy on Oahu is the slumping market. How much farther is it going to slump?? Eeek... makes me nervous.
Tom will be home July 18th ish and we will start packing up the following week. We intend to fly out of here July 30th or 31st. Hopefully we can find and close on (or rent from the seller) fairly quickly so that we don't have to live in a tiny place with two children and four animals!
The animals are all set to go. Each of them is healthy and has the required anti-bodies needed to enter Hawaii (they don't have rabies there and want to keep it that way). They are all going to have to fly, which gives me fits. I am sure the boys can handle it but it has to be hard on the cats. I think we might try to sedate them and put them in carry ons. They're so little.
Anyway, just thought I would check in.
We've decided to buy a home in Hawaii, which is nauseating in this market, but oh well! So, we're furiously hunting for houses all over Oahu. It's an interesting thing when you don't know the lay of the land, etc. I've never spent any time on Oahu and Tom hasn't been there in like a decade. Also, the reason we CAN buy on Oahu is the slumping market. How much farther is it going to slump?? Eeek... makes me nervous.
Tom will be home July 18th ish and we will start packing up the following week. We intend to fly out of here July 30th or 31st. Hopefully we can find and close on (or rent from the seller) fairly quickly so that we don't have to live in a tiny place with two children and four animals!
The animals are all set to go. Each of them is healthy and has the required anti-bodies needed to enter Hawaii (they don't have rabies there and want to keep it that way). They are all going to have to fly, which gives me fits. I am sure the boys can handle it but it has to be hard on the cats. I think we might try to sedate them and put them in carry ons. They're so little.
Anyway, just thought I would check in.
Saturday, April 4
The Dirty Thirty
Sounds bad, huh?
It's not. It's what I am reading.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Go Ask Alice (author unknown)
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Forever by Judy Blume
Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women's Health Collective
My Darling, My Hamburger by Paul Zindel
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown
Slaughterhouse-five or, The Children's Crusade by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Deliverance by James Dickey
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich by Alice Childress
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
It's OK if You Don't Love Me by Norma Klein
It's not. It's what I am reading.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Go Ask Alice (author unknown)
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Forever by Judy Blume
Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women's Health Collective
My Darling, My Hamburger by Paul Zindel
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown
Slaughterhouse-five or, The Children's Crusade by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Deliverance by James Dickey
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich by Alice Childress
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
It's OK if You Don't Love Me by Norma Klein
Friday, April 3
The Great Dinner Experiment
So, I mentioned that the kiddos were making dinner last night. No, it is not because I am a slave driver. I am trying to give them life skills. So, here's the story:
We sit down to dinner. I am so proud of myself. This is a gourmet healthy meal. Rock on, Binky! The kids were slightly underwhelmed with the fresh sea scallops sauteed in ghee served with fresh, local asparagus topped with homemade hollandaise sauce accompanied by basmati brown rice. Sounds really good, huh? It was stellar, in my eyes.
So, out of frustration of the children turning their little noses up on my dinner that I thought was oh-so-good, I devised a plan. I told the kids to put together two dinner menus. They needed to provide me with recipes, and ingredients for shopping. The catch was that each meal must include a lean protein, a fresh vegetable and if they were to include a starch, it would have to be a root vegetable or whole grain.
So, they went to work. Google was burning up that day, I am sure. My cook book collection got a thorough working over and I was presented with four pretty decent menus. I did the shopping and the cooking and it all went really well. So then I decided that not only did they need to see the planning that goes into a meal but the preparation side, too. So, this week, they both put together two dinner menus again. The catch this week was that they had to cook one on their own. Of course, I would be on hand for consultation and assistance as needed.
Austen made white chicken chili that was out of this world and super easy. It will definitely be made again. Tori picked chicken Caesar salad with home-made croutons. I helped her add a little zing to the dressing and showed her how to toss together croutons, but that was it. Once again, another awesome meal.
Since I've been doing this, they eat better, get more excited about flax seed tortillas than any teenager rightfully should and don't mind trying new vegetables! It has been a win-win-win situation. Next week I am going to start a rudimentary cooking school with them. We will start with stocks and soups and then move to sauces and gravies and onto basic preparation methods for meats and vegetables. It should be fun! I bet I will have two of the only teens who know what a mirepoix is!! or a bouquet garni!!! or the holy trinity of creole cooking! hahahaha it will be fun.
Oooooooooh and get this... this was a freaking jaw-dropping moment. I was feeling bad yesterday. I have been having some really rough days. Anyway, I told the kids that on the nights they made dinner I would do dishes (only fair right - they do them when I cook). So, I sat down for a bit after dinner in an attempt to actually keep the food inside me and while I was ruminating, Austen popped out of his room and told me he was going to do the dishes because I shouldn't have to do them when I feel icky. I think the apocalypse is on the horizon.
We sit down to dinner. I am so proud of myself. This is a gourmet healthy meal. Rock on, Binky! The kids were slightly underwhelmed with the fresh sea scallops sauteed in ghee served with fresh, local asparagus topped with homemade hollandaise sauce accompanied by basmati brown rice. Sounds really good, huh? It was stellar, in my eyes.
So, out of frustration of the children turning their little noses up on my dinner that I thought was oh-so-good, I devised a plan. I told the kids to put together two dinner menus. They needed to provide me with recipes, and ingredients for shopping. The catch was that each meal must include a lean protein, a fresh vegetable and if they were to include a starch, it would have to be a root vegetable or whole grain.
So, they went to work. Google was burning up that day, I am sure. My cook book collection got a thorough working over and I was presented with four pretty decent menus. I did the shopping and the cooking and it all went really well. So then I decided that not only did they need to see the planning that goes into a meal but the preparation side, too. So, this week, they both put together two dinner menus again. The catch this week was that they had to cook one on their own. Of course, I would be on hand for consultation and assistance as needed.
Austen made white chicken chili that was out of this world and super easy. It will definitely be made again. Tori picked chicken Caesar salad with home-made croutons. I helped her add a little zing to the dressing and showed her how to toss together croutons, but that was it. Once again, another awesome meal.
Since I've been doing this, they eat better, get more excited about flax seed tortillas than any teenager rightfully should and don't mind trying new vegetables! It has been a win-win-win situation. Next week I am going to start a rudimentary cooking school with them. We will start with stocks and soups and then move to sauces and gravies and onto basic preparation methods for meats and vegetables. It should be fun! I bet I will have two of the only teens who know what a mirepoix is!! or a bouquet garni!!! or the holy trinity of creole cooking! hahahaha it will be fun.
Oooooooooh and get this... this was a freaking jaw-dropping moment. I was feeling bad yesterday. I have been having some really rough days. Anyway, I told the kids that on the nights they made dinner I would do dishes (only fair right - they do them when I cook). So, I sat down for a bit after dinner in an attempt to actually keep the food inside me and while I was ruminating, Austen popped out of his room and told me he was going to do the dishes because I shouldn't have to do them when I feel icky. I think the apocalypse is on the horizon.
Thursday, April 2
Great Days
I have a lot of great days. There are ones where report cards come home or we celebrate momentous occasions. Those are wonderful, of course. The ones I cherish the most though, are the ones where nothing spectacular happens. Where I wake up to a lovey text from my missing husband. Then I hit the farmer's market and score lilies up the wazoo for $10. After that, I run my errands and they all go flawlessly and without incident. When I get home, the kids are ready to go to the gym with me, and they go. Then when they're there, they don't wander around aimlessly trying to make it look like they're working out. Instead, they actually work their butts pretty good. They set goals and meet them. Then when we get home, the dogs are being spastic freaks and playing wrestle mania with each other while I hop in the shower and the oldest makes dinner, with help from the youngest, all with very little direction from Mom.
What a stellar day. It could have been better; Tom could be here, but he is not. So, I am appreciating as it is. As frustrated as I get with the kids, they are good humans. They are becoming better humans, too. With lots of bumps, some bigger than others (that was a bad joke for those in the know). They are handling their lives with honesty and integrity though. They have given up trying to lie and that makes a huge difference in all communication. I still get frustrated. I do. Often. It's ok though, because if they continue on the paths they are currently on, they will get *there*. They will get to that place where I can let go and be proud of what we did.
So anyway... it's a good day.
What a stellar day. It could have been better; Tom could be here, but he is not. So, I am appreciating as it is. As frustrated as I get with the kids, they are good humans. They are becoming better humans, too. With lots of bumps, some bigger than others (that was a bad joke for those in the know). They are handling their lives with honesty and integrity though. They have given up trying to lie and that makes a huge difference in all communication. I still get frustrated. I do. Often. It's ok though, because if they continue on the paths they are currently on, they will get *there*. They will get to that place where I can let go and be proud of what we did.
So anyway... it's a good day.
Friday, March 20
OK, Done with the moping
I've been in the pits for a bit. I got the 'end of deployment blues' and then the 'he's leaving again blues' and on top of that the 'doggie tail blues' and the 'two teenagers acting like toddlers blues' and the 'my tummy feels icky blues' all at the same time.
Wow. Bummer, huh?
I get swallowed by things at times and I'm so bad at expressing them, I do it here. Anyway, I'm done with that.
The deployment is over. He's gone again, but it won't be for long and he's not being shot at. The doggie is all better. When his fur grows back, he'll be golden (well he'll be yellow). The kids seem to be on the right path. Austen turned a major corner and that has made an immeasurable difference around here. Tori is here and dealing with some rough stuff, but I think she's dealing with it right. There could be some positives from her hardships, actually I know that it will be positive in the end, regardless of which way it turns out. Then, to top that all off, Eve - one of the bestest friends in the world - may have figured out what's been screwing with my insides for 2+ years.
Oh and lookie what I got these from my spectacularly wonderful husband:
Wow. Bummer, huh?
I get swallowed by things at times and I'm so bad at expressing them, I do it here. Anyway, I'm done with that.
The deployment is over. He's gone again, but it won't be for long and he's not being shot at. The doggie is all better. When his fur grows back, he'll be golden (well he'll be yellow). The kids seem to be on the right path. Austen turned a major corner and that has made an immeasurable difference around here. Tori is here and dealing with some rough stuff, but I think she's dealing with it right. There could be some positives from her hardships, actually I know that it will be positive in the end, regardless of which way it turns out. Then, to top that all off, Eve - one of the bestest friends in the world - may have figured out what's been screwing with my insides for 2+ years.
Oh and lookie what I got these from my spectacularly wonderful husband:
Thursday, March 19
Sunday, March 15
Tuesday, March 10
Victoria
Is coming home. Finally. I am very excited and anxious all at the same time. I pick her up at the airport tomorrow. She could use your thoughts/prayers/juju/white light or whatever you think might help. She's going through some big stuff.
I will keep you posted on how things go. If you don't hear from me for a while, send the MPs. Austen and her may conspire to put bury me in the back yard and keep the house to themselves. LOL!!
I will keep you posted on how things go. If you don't hear from me for a while, send the MPs. Austen and her may conspire to put bury me in the back yard and keep the house to themselves. LOL!!
Missing My Friends...
That was such a fun day. I am all nostalgic because today is Garrett's birthday. I think he is the only kid I've ever felt this deeply connected with that was not my own. I love all the Walter boys. They are all neat kids. Garrett is different because I got to know him so young and was there for so many FIRSTS in his life. I will never forget Jess coming to my house with some Pringles to show me that Garrett could walk. I will never forget driving that poor baby to the emergency room when my hand truck attacked him. Just so many things....
Miss you, Walter Family!
Sunday, March 8
OK, OK, I suck
Yes, I realize it's been like for.ev.er. since my last post. But, but I have umm have good reason.
First, Tom was only home for 4 weeks. OK, that's not an excuse, but I'm using it. Secondly, I've been spending a lot of time on Justin's blog (see link on right side). It is time consuming, but I think it's so worth it to chronicle this time in his life. I think it's really a neat project. Thirdly, Little Bear has taken a bit of my effort lately. He had his surgery on Feb 28th. He's healing nicely and has a very, very cute little stub of a tail. I feel horrible, but it was something that was out of my control according to the numerous vets I spoke with. And lastly, I spend time writing Justin. If you read his blog, you will see that he really looks forward to mail and so I've been trying to send him a bunch lately.
I will be back with vengeance eventually.
First, Tom was only home for 4 weeks. OK, that's not an excuse, but I'm using it. Secondly, I've been spending a lot of time on Justin's blog (see link on right side). It is time consuming, but I think it's so worth it to chronicle this time in his life. I think it's really a neat project. Thirdly, Little Bear has taken a bit of my effort lately. He had his surgery on Feb 28th. He's healing nicely and has a very, very cute little stub of a tail. I feel horrible, but it was something that was out of my control according to the numerous vets I spoke with. And lastly, I spend time writing Justin. If you read his blog, you will see that he really looks forward to mail and so I've been trying to send him a bunch lately.
I will be back with vengeance eventually.
Sunday, February 15
More Pictures from the Arizona trip
After a pitcher of beer (not by myself) - My eyebrow is falling again... WTF???
Two of my handsome boys
All three of my handsome boys
Me soaking wet. Yes, we got rained out in the middle of the desert.
Tanner making a goofy face.
Two of my handsome boys
All three of my handsome boys
Me soaking wet. Yes, we got rained out in the middle of the desert.
Tanner making a goofy face.
Saturday, February 7
Sunday, February 1
Some Miscellaneous Pictures from Recent Weeks
The Bacon Explosion
The only person I would ever make something like the bacon explosion for:
The flowers I rec'd for my birthday. They're still so very gorgeous and smell like a dream.
An arrangement I picked up at the farmers' market for $5. Aren't those the most beautiful lilies? They had no scent though, and that is why I buy lilies.
White Dog/Black Dog (ok he's brown) living in harmony:
She was sick. I've slept in the restroom when I was sick before, too. I don't think she over did it on the tequila though. Maybe I should check. She might have watered down the bottle. Naughty kitty.
The Evil Eye:
as an aside, poor Batty is not speaking to us. She doesn't come out of the guest room at all, ever. Little Bear won't hurt her and he's smaller than Hershey. I think she's just protesting. Diva.
I love her eyes in this photo:
The only person I would ever make something like the bacon explosion for:
The flowers I rec'd for my birthday. They're still so very gorgeous and smell like a dream.
An arrangement I picked up at the farmers' market for $5. Aren't those the most beautiful lilies? They had no scent though, and that is why I buy lilies.
White Dog/Black Dog (ok he's brown) living in harmony:
She was sick. I've slept in the restroom when I was sick before, too. I don't think she over did it on the tequila though. Maybe I should check. She might have watered down the bottle. Naughty kitty.
The Evil Eye:
as an aside, poor Batty is not speaking to us. She doesn't come out of the guest room at all, ever. Little Bear won't hurt her and he's smaller than Hershey. I think she's just protesting. Diva.
I love her eyes in this photo:
Music
So, I added a music player on here. How fun. I can add any ole thing, but I won't add stuff that is rude. I promise.. lol. I highly urge you to go to the player and listen to "Runaway" by The Corrs. It's "our" song. How sweet!!! I am feeling goobery.
So, things are definitely calmer here today. It was nice. I am dreading the next week worth of hard decisions, but we will get it figured out. We are headed to Arizona next weekend to see Tanner. I am so excited. I have missed him sooooooo bad. For those of you who don't know Tanner, he is my youngest step-child. He lives with his mom in Lake Havasu City, AZ and he is a riot. I have a step-daughter, too. She is 18 and lives in Ohio with her boyfriend. She might (hopefully) come to live with us here soon. She has some big challenges on her plate and I think that being with us will help her make the best of things... but we will see! We all know how easy it is to reason with teenagers!
Hope you're all well.
So, things are definitely calmer here today. It was nice. I am dreading the next week worth of hard decisions, but we will get it figured out. We are headed to Arizona next weekend to see Tanner. I am so excited. I have missed him sooooooo bad. For those of you who don't know Tanner, he is my youngest step-child. He lives with his mom in Lake Havasu City, AZ and he is a riot. I have a step-daughter, too. She is 18 and lives in Ohio with her boyfriend. She might (hopefully) come to live with us here soon. She has some big challenges on her plate and I think that being with us will help her make the best of things... but we will see! We all know how easy it is to reason with teenagers!
Hope you're all well.
Thursday, January 29
Conspiracy???
Little Bear's tail has a wound on it. Sorry if I've already explained this to you. The wound is on the very tip of his tail. Little Bear is a very hyper labrador. Guess how much he wags his tail. My house looked like a monochromatic Jackson Pollack painting for the last two weeks. Now its a dichromatic Jackson Pollack painting. See, the vet down the way told me to spray this stuff on it. It's blue. Well like deep purple really. It has gotten all over everything, including me. It's on the walls, the furniture and my legs.
The cat has started peeing in the sinks again. This time it probably saved her, though. See, there was blood in the sink. That means she has a bladder infection. Like I have NOTHING to do tomorrow... nails, tan, clean car, doctors appointments (yes two) and then all the hair and make-up and tweezing and all that fun stuff. Let's just slide vet in there.
goody, goody, goody.
The cat has started peeing in the sinks again. This time it probably saved her, though. See, there was blood in the sink. That means she has a bladder infection. Like I have NOTHING to do tomorrow... nails, tan, clean car, doctors appointments (yes two) and then all the hair and make-up and tweezing and all that fun stuff. Let's just slide vet in there.
goody, goody, goody.
Monday, January 26
Thursday, January 22
RAF
Royal Air Force? No.
Random Acronym Frustration.
My kiddo... he's a special type of mind. Things that pop out of his mouth at times make me go, HUH??? Examples:
"Hey, Mom, did you FTD?"
"Is this month's NG here?"
"Yes, I DMC."
and on and on and on....
I don't mind one here and there. Liz does it on her blog and it's funny. Austen does it and it's just confusing.
Random Acronym Frustration.
My kiddo... he's a special type of mind. Things that pop out of his mouth at times make me go, HUH??? Examples:
"Hey, Mom, did you FTD?"
"Is this month's NG here?"
"Yes, I DMC."
and on and on and on....
I don't mind one here and there. Liz does it on her blog and it's funny. Austen does it and it's just confusing.
Wednesday, January 21
Helen's Soup
I think I turned most of you on to Margaret and Helen's blog. Well, not too long ago, Helen posted a recipe for carrot and peanut butter soup. Since the peanut butter in the jars is supposedly ok, I went for it.
It's purdy darn yummy. The original is linked above, but I will copy the recipe here, too.
Helen's Aunt Mary Lou’s Peanut Butter and Carrot Soup
1 large onion diced
1 stalk celery diced
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and diced
1 tsp. vegetable oil
6 cups chicken broth
1 tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
Juice of one large lime
2 tbs. peanut butter
salt/pepper to taste
Using one large stock pot, heat the onion, celery and carrots in the oil until soft. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add all other ingredients and continue soft simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool for a bit and then use a blender to puree little by little until the entire stock is smooth. Return to pot to heat before serving. Tastes even better the second day!
I used an immersion blender, cus it is so much easier and so many less dishes. I also added some chicken after the blending, cus my kid requires meat something er other in everything.
Give it a try... it's yummy.
It's purdy darn yummy. The original is linked above, but I will copy the recipe here, too.
Helen's Aunt Mary Lou’s Peanut Butter and Carrot Soup
1 large onion diced
1 stalk celery diced
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and diced
1 tsp. vegetable oil
6 cups chicken broth
1 tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
Juice of one large lime
2 tbs. peanut butter
salt/pepper to taste
Using one large stock pot, heat the onion, celery and carrots in the oil until soft. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add all other ingredients and continue soft simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool for a bit and then use a blender to puree little by little until the entire stock is smooth. Return to pot to heat before serving. Tastes even better the second day!
I used an immersion blender, cus it is so much easier and so many less dishes. I also added some chicken after the blending, cus my kid requires meat something er other in everything.
Give it a try... it's yummy.
Friday, January 16
Well, it's for sure...
Tom will be going to school March 1st. So, if he gets home by the first of February, we will have 4 weeks. It's hard. Really. Hard. to think of him leaving again so soon. It really makes me pissy about the whole move thing, too. How can Tom fraternize with the E8-9s that moved into our housing area when he isn't home?? Oh, and no one lives in my house yet.
Good gravy, my blog has been one constant woe-is-me thread, lately, huh? I guess I get in over my head and then don't know what to do. I have an extra doggie now, school, and Austen is not getting what he needs from me. So much for keeping the home-front calm while the hubby was deployed, eh?
I will get through all of this. I don't know how, but I will. I just wish I wasn't doing it alone. I am tired of being alone. Very, very tired.
edit because I was over-sharing. I am a retard sometimes. We are going to do what's right for everyone. Austen is very present and on board with the decision making. This is hard, but not unmanageable. We will not just survive, we will thrive.
Good gravy, my blog has been one constant woe-is-me thread, lately, huh? I guess I get in over my head and then don't know what to do. I have an extra doggie now, school, and Austen is not getting what he needs from me. So much for keeping the home-front calm while the hubby was deployed, eh?
I will get through all of this. I don't know how, but I will. I just wish I wasn't doing it alone. I am tired of being alone. Very, very tired.
edit because I was over-sharing. I am a retard sometimes. We are going to do what's right for everyone. Austen is very present and on board with the decision making. This is hard, but not unmanageable. We will not just survive, we will thrive.
Tuesday, January 13
Big Girl Panties
I have them around here somewhere. I don't plan on wearing them today though. I am going to sulk today. Sulking is not healthy, by any means. I don't think it's particularly bad to sulk if you can acknowledge it though. I guess this is my new stance on life; unreasonable emotions are fine, as long as you're conscious of them.
hahahahahahahaha
That being said:
We're working on getting to Hawai'i. We think that the position there is something that Tom would like, living on the island for a few years wouldn't be too bad, Austen would finish high school there, it's tropical, if I can't do a brick and mortar PharmD program, we might as well be in paradise while I work my tushie off and the billet is non-deployable.
In order for Tom to take this billet, he may need to go to school. Not for sure, but it is likely. He has had some other schooling that may be commiserate and prevent it, but we don't know that yet. We're assuming he must go. So, in the big picture it is worth it.
The school is run twice a year. Tom should be home sometime around the first of February. The school starts in March. In DC. It runs through July. If we do the math, that would mean 45 days together in 18 months.
I am still pouting.
hahahahahahahaha
That being said:
We're working on getting to Hawai'i. We think that the position there is something that Tom would like, living on the island for a few years wouldn't be too bad, Austen would finish high school there, it's tropical, if I can't do a brick and mortar PharmD program, we might as well be in paradise while I work my tushie off and the billet is non-deployable.
In order for Tom to take this billet, he may need to go to school. Not for sure, but it is likely. He has had some other schooling that may be commiserate and prevent it, but we don't know that yet. We're assuming he must go. So, in the big picture it is worth it.
The school is run twice a year. Tom should be home sometime around the first of February. The school starts in March. In DC. It runs through July. If we do the math, that would mean 45 days together in 18 months.
I am still pouting.
Sunday, January 11
A Whole Day
... just to recover from the visit. Seriously. A whole day to recenter myself and I am not even sure I am done. Is it wrong that I get worn out around family? My brother is really easy to handle. He's a mellow guy and I probably stress him out far more than he could ever stress me. The rest of em? Not so much.
I think I am a fairly decent person. I have some big quirks. I am so neurotic and I get all spun up about stuff, but I am generally good. I don't lie. I try to think of others first (I don't always succeed). I try to behave in a manner that conveys a level of integrity befitting my ethical standards.
There are members of my direct family that I do not ever care to see in person again. That's sad. It really is. Either I have grown to be such a callous and cold person that I can write off familial bonds that easily, or they merit that kind of write off. Either way, it's sad. Writing my dad out of my life was impossible, but once I did it, I felt so much better. Things were just easier in a lot of ways.
OK, so I am rambling... this all goes back to it taking a tremendous amount of energy for me to deal with my mother. I literally sat on my couch this morning and cried for no reason. Then when I was done I realized I was just emotionally worn out. She had been gone 16 hours at that point. I should have been AOK by then, but I wasn't. I know I am whining again. It's ok. I think this kind of acknowledgment is healthy, even if it is whiny. Two years ago I would have just fought with her and been in a bad mood for two weeks and not known why. So, I am evolving. This writing of stuff seems to help me process. That's why you all have to lulled into a coma by reading it.
So, when do we stop being worn out by our parents? Or do we ever? Sometimes I wonder how in the hell I made it this far, hahahaha. I definitely have a blessed life these days and that is a result of every step prior, so I wouldn't change any of it. I just want to avoid future lost days and visitations filled with tension. Can you have a purely telephonic maternal/child relationship?
I think I am a fairly decent person. I have some big quirks. I am so neurotic and I get all spun up about stuff, but I am generally good. I don't lie. I try to think of others first (I don't always succeed). I try to behave in a manner that conveys a level of integrity befitting my ethical standards.
There are members of my direct family that I do not ever care to see in person again. That's sad. It really is. Either I have grown to be such a callous and cold person that I can write off familial bonds that easily, or they merit that kind of write off. Either way, it's sad. Writing my dad out of my life was impossible, but once I did it, I felt so much better. Things were just easier in a lot of ways.
OK, so I am rambling... this all goes back to it taking a tremendous amount of energy for me to deal with my mother. I literally sat on my couch this morning and cried for no reason. Then when I was done I realized I was just emotionally worn out. She had been gone 16 hours at that point. I should have been AOK by then, but I wasn't. I know I am whining again. It's ok. I think this kind of acknowledgment is healthy, even if it is whiny. Two years ago I would have just fought with her and been in a bad mood for two weeks and not known why. So, I am evolving. This writing of stuff seems to help me process. That's why you all have to lulled into a coma by reading it.
So, when do we stop being worn out by our parents? Or do we ever? Sometimes I wonder how in the hell I made it this far, hahahaha. I definitely have a blessed life these days and that is a result of every step prior, so I wouldn't change any of it. I just want to avoid future lost days and visitations filled with tension. Can you have a purely telephonic maternal/child relationship?
Because Liz said so, and she's the Queen of bloggyland.
Fourth folder, fourth picture. This could have been really bad, Liz. Be careful what you ask for! hahahaha This is a great picture though. We were at Boomers playing goofy golf. We have some free tickets. We might just go again today.
I'm not going to tag anyone... cus I'm all anti-authoritarian and stuff.
I'm not going to tag anyone... cus I'm all anti-authoritarian and stuff.
Saturday, January 10
Food..
I will eventually sit down and write a real blog about this...
Anyway, the basics on meat:
CAFO - Condensed Animal Feeding Operation. These are horrid. They keep animals inside and confined. They can be organic. They can be superfund sites.
Chicken - 45 days from egg to fryer when on hormones.
Pig - Kept so that they can stand and lay but not turn around or walk.
Beef - given rBGH/rBST and mostly fed grains, which is not their natural diet.
Fish - farmed salmon - bad - they eat their own feces - other fish? I don't know much about.
Dairy - Organic is better, but it can still be a CAFO product. I try to buy Organic Valley because they support Heifer International and family farms.
Oh and Monsanto - the debil. They make chemicals and grow a huge percentage of food. They have lobbyists and control jobs and many small-town economies.
High fructose corn syrup is to be avoided, IMO because of the environmental processes and impact. It has been correlated to many chronic health problems, but correlation is not cause/effect. They put it in tomato soup, bread and a plethora of other products.
I try to focus on eating local and happy. Nothing should be tortured for my sustenance, as far as I am concerned.
Some time I will write more.. not today though.
Anyway, the basics on meat:
CAFO - Condensed Animal Feeding Operation. These are horrid. They keep animals inside and confined. They can be organic. They can be superfund sites.
Chicken - 45 days from egg to fryer when on hormones.
Pig - Kept so that they can stand and lay but not turn around or walk.
Beef - given rBGH/rBST and mostly fed grains, which is not their natural diet.
Fish - farmed salmon - bad - they eat their own feces - other fish? I don't know much about.
Dairy - Organic is better, but it can still be a CAFO product. I try to buy Organic Valley because they support Heifer International and family farms.
Oh and Monsanto - the debil. They make chemicals and grow a huge percentage of food. They have lobbyists and control jobs and many small-town economies.
High fructose corn syrup is to be avoided, IMO because of the environmental processes and impact. It has been correlated to many chronic health problems, but correlation is not cause/effect. They put it in tomato soup, bread and a plethora of other products.
I try to focus on eating local and happy. Nothing should be tortured for my sustenance, as far as I am concerned.
Some time I will write more.. not today though.
Flikr Game...
Looked interesting...
Go to Flickr. Type the answer to each question in the search box. You can only use pictures from the first page that comes up. Have fun!
What's your name?
What's your favorite food?
Where did you go to school?
And then?
And then?
Who's your celebrity crush? (I guess you will have to figure out which one...)
Who's your favorite Disney princess?
What's your favorite drink?
Everyday:
Alcoholic:
Dream Vacation:
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you love most in life?
(I think it's funny that Liz got the same picture for a totally different question)
What do you dream about?
Go to Flickr. Type the answer to each question in the search box. You can only use pictures from the first page that comes up. Have fun!
What's your name?
What's your favorite food?
Where did you go to school?
And then?
And then?
Who's your celebrity crush? (I guess you will have to figure out which one...)
Who's your favorite Disney princess?
What's your favorite drink?
Everyday:
Alcoholic:
Dream Vacation:
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you love most in life?
(I think it's funny that Liz got the same picture for a totally different question)
What do you dream about?
Saturday, January 3
Thanks, Liz!!
Tom finally emailed... thankfully. I guess he has gold jump wings now.
Making the blog was fun...
The background is a bit cheesy, but it is something that Tom said to me once, when I was still a commitmentphobe, "Don't worry, Binks. I will love you always and forever." So, with his impending return... it hit a heart string... to say the least.
Making the blog was fun...
The background is a bit cheesy, but it is something that Tom said to me once, when I was still a commitmentphobe, "Don't worry, Binks. I will love you always and forever." So, with his impending return... it hit a heart string... to say the least.
Boot Camp
Yes, my older baby brother is going away to boot camp. I have always wanted to refer to him as my baby brother, but he is actually older than me... so that explains the descriptor.
We always had Justin pegged for military service. It was something that just fit for him. After he got older, we knew that window had closed and he would just have to be content gathering up an arsenal and living in the boonies in Idaho (no this is not something out of Deliverance). Once, when he was 28 he went to the good ole USMC and tried to join up. He was 5 days too late. They told him if he had signed a contract before he actually turned 28 he would have been good to go. Another time, he attempted to join the Coast Guard and they told him the same thing, "Sorry, dude. You're just too old."
Well the US Armed Forces recently changed their age limits. The USMC changed to 32, still not quite high enough. However, the Army changed their age limit to 42. I think Justin went in the day after he found out they had changed the age limit. He is all signed up and ready to go. He leaves January 15th. He is doing basic at Ft Knox in TN and is contracted to come out as an E3. He has a degree, so not sure why he is not going officer, other than maybe at his age he can only go enlisted. Or maybe the position that he is going after is enlisted only? I don't know. He's going to be a Calvary Scout.
Next week, Justin and my mom are showing up (can you feel the joy in my words) to deliver Little Bear to me. Little Bear is a 6 year old Yellow Labrador who is much more spastic than Hershey ever thought about being. hahahahahahah I am actually looking forward to Justin and Bear being here; it's my mom's visit that worries me. I get really tense when she's in my home. I feel so judged. Like every dang thing in my home is not good enough.
So, that's the news at my house. On another front, my house is finally put together. I've not registered for classes yet, so I might be taking underwater basket weaving or some crazy crap, who knows.
Oh! Will one of you wonderfully talented ladies explain to me how I can personalize my blog? Your pages are all so pretty and mine is just lame (this is the story of my life). Thanks!
Happy New Year, everyone. Much love to you all...
We always had Justin pegged for military service. It was something that just fit for him. After he got older, we knew that window had closed and he would just have to be content gathering up an arsenal and living in the boonies in Idaho (no this is not something out of Deliverance). Once, when he was 28 he went to the good ole USMC and tried to join up. He was 5 days too late. They told him if he had signed a contract before he actually turned 28 he would have been good to go. Another time, he attempted to join the Coast Guard and they told him the same thing, "Sorry, dude. You're just too old."
Well the US Armed Forces recently changed their age limits. The USMC changed to 32, still not quite high enough. However, the Army changed their age limit to 42. I think Justin went in the day after he found out they had changed the age limit. He is all signed up and ready to go. He leaves January 15th. He is doing basic at Ft Knox in TN and is contracted to come out as an E3. He has a degree, so not sure why he is not going officer, other than maybe at his age he can only go enlisted. Or maybe the position that he is going after is enlisted only? I don't know. He's going to be a Calvary Scout.
Next week, Justin and my mom are showing up (can you feel the joy in my words) to deliver Little Bear to me. Little Bear is a 6 year old Yellow Labrador who is much more spastic than Hershey ever thought about being. hahahahahahah I am actually looking forward to Justin and Bear being here; it's my mom's visit that worries me. I get really tense when she's in my home. I feel so judged. Like every dang thing in my home is not good enough.
So, that's the news at my house. On another front, my house is finally put together. I've not registered for classes yet, so I might be taking underwater basket weaving or some crazy crap, who knows.
Oh! Will one of you wonderfully talented ladies explain to me how I can personalize my blog? Your pages are all so pretty and mine is just lame (this is the story of my life). Thanks!
Happy New Year, everyone. Much love to you all...
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