Under the Stars and Dreaming

in honor of the first day of summer...

2009-06-21T11:26:00.005-05:00

I'm finally going to post some spring pics. What can I say, timeliness is not one of my virtues. The top one is my favorite b/c I didn't think Mr. Bee would come out as anything but a blur. When I uploaded the pic to the computer, I was thrilled!

If you want to see a few fall and winter pics, I just updated my flickr photostream. (I figure posting winter pics on June 21st would just be too pathetic, even for me!)

Uh, Happy Summer!

M-O-O-N spells moon

2009-04-19T15:12:00.003-05:00

I have always had trouble taking any worthwhile pictures of our beloved satellite, but with a few tips I picked up, I had some (very) moderate success.

I like the spookiness of the B&W.

But I also like the true color here, and the branch is a nice touch.

With the aid of my trusty photoshop, I was able to create a more artistic rendering.

And again. This one is my favorite, evocative and moody.

I know I'm not around much these days. Work and, of course, life-in-general, haven't left me much time or energy for my hobbies lately. Hopefully I will post more regularly soon, I'm just not sure yet when "soon" will be. If you're still checking in on me, I thank you!

hell hath no fury like... uh, hail

2009-03-29T19:05:00.001-05:00

Here are some cool pics from the major hailstorm we had last week.

B took these as it was happening:

And these just after it stopped:

I took these when I got home from work (almost 2 hours later!!):

And these the next morning:

There was still hail on the ground over 15 hours later!

Ní hé lá na gaoithe lá na scolb.

2009-03-17T13:52:00.000-05:00

That's an Irish proverb, meaning "A windy day is not the day to be fixing your thatch (roof)." (If google is to be trusted, that is.) Sounds like good advice to me. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm putting up the following recipe, but just a warning/apology: I sent this exact thing out by email last year, so if you got it then, you've already seen it. But not everyone will have gotten it then (and I didn't make anything this year) so I'm posting it. Plus, it's totally repeat-worthy!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

While chocolate cake may not spring to mind as a particularly Irish dish, this one has Guinness in it, which is Irish enough for me! It is truly delectable - moist, rich, not too sweet.

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE
Bon Appétit September 2002
Servings: Makes 12 servings.
My notes are in green (but of course).

(** I halved the entire recipe and used two 9-inch cake pans. What's below is the original recipe, though, so adjust accordingly depending on how much cake you want. **)

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups stout (such as Guinness) (which is what I used)
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (The recipe actually says Dutch-process cocoa is best, but I used my regular Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder and it was fine.)
4 cups all purpose flour
4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream

Icing:

2 cups whipping cream
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chips)

Preparation
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. (I just coated my pans with baking spray, nothing else, and they were fine.) Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours. Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. (** I put raspberry preserves in between the layers instead, then spread the ganache over the top and sides. **)

another winter passes

2009-03-15T20:40:00.000-05:00

Goodbye...

love is for suckers

2009-02-13T08:08:00.001-06:00

What did you think I meant?

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

short and sweet sour HUTAS* rant

2009-02-04T15:17:00.001-06:00

If you are going 50 mph in a 65 mph zone for no discernable reason, I am going to tailgate your ass, and I don't care if you're in the right lane. Pull your head out, hang up your phone, or get off the highway!

This post brought to you by the letters P, M and S.

* HUTAS = Head Up The Ass Syndrome. I made it up, but so did a bunch of other people. pfft

25 random things about moi

2009-01-26T11:48:00.001-06:00

(I did this on Facebook too, but figured it was appropriate fodder for the blog since some people who read this aren't on FB. For the rest of you, sorry for the repeat!)

Consider this a general tag to all of my bloggy friends - put up a list of your own, I would love to read it! (Let me know in the comments if you're doing it and I'll check it out.)

1. In order, I've lived in: Corsicana TX, El Paso TX, a very brief stint somewhere in CA that I barely remember, St. Louis MO, Corona CA, San Antonio TX, Frankfort IN, Carrollton TX, Overland Park KS, Highland Village TX, Austin TX. I've lived in Austin for almost 20 years now, but before that, I had never lived anywhere longer than 4 years, and in a few cases, less than one year.

2. My siblings are almost 8 (sister) and 10 (brother) years younger than me, and they have had a totally different experience growing up since my family stopped moving about the time they were starting school, and a couple years before I moved out.

3. I love to read, but the only books I've read more than once (as an adult) are the Harry Potter series, Hobbit/LOTR, and Wuthering Heights. And I fully plan to read them all again. EDIT: I can't believe I forgot Gone With the Wind! Duh. Though I don't necessarily plan to reread; 4 times is probably enough.

4. Even though I don't reread most books, I still buy 95% of the books I read. Silly and wasteful, perhaps, but I love the feel and smell of books, and the sight of overflowing bookshelves.

5. I didn't know my hair was curly like this until late high school. Always had short frizzy layers before then - stupid supercut hairstylists!

6. My "secret boyfriends" are Viggo Mortensen, Nathan Fillion, and Tony Bourdain. Oh, and Jim Halpert. So what if he's fictional, like it matters? In which case, I can't leave out Sawyer, Sayid and Desmond! (And my secret girlfriend is Kate Winslet.) Is that too many?

7. I think Calvin & Hobbes is the best comic ever.

8. As of this writing, my email inbox has 1156 messages in it. None are unread, I just like to keep all of my significant correspondence. (I still delete dozens, if not hundreds, every week.) I also have almost all of the letters, birthday cards and Christmas cards I've received over the past 20-25 years. Email's been a big space saver. :o)

9. In 10th grade I broke my ankle, and now I can't remember which one it was. (Left, I think... no right. Left?)

10. Outside of the US, I've been to Mexico (a few times), Germany, the Cayman Islands, France and Italy. (Tons of ground left to cover!)

11. Even though I only spent about 3 days there, I have a serious crush on Paris. I could simply walk around there for weeks. I tend to love any movie that's set there. And forget mustard and mayo, I put butter on my sandwiches now. :o)

12. B and I had our first kiss in the middle of Bourbon Street, NOLA, on Nov. 3rd, 1995. We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary this past September.

13. We met because I (briefly) dated his best friend. That guy ended up being our best man and we're still all good friends.

14. My first "real" job (after years and years of babysitting) was working the concession stand at a movie theater one summer. Free popcorn, cokes, and best of all, movies! It was pretty fun, actually.

15. I can touch my nose with my tongue, and my fingers are double-jointed.

16. I don't know if I want a kid or a dog, but I already have names picked out for either.

17. I have a moderate case of OCD. Amongst other things, I have to unplug the coffee maker and toaster, touch all the light switches, and say goodbye to all my cats (even the dead ones), before I can leave the house for the day.

18. I've had chronic insomnia for many years. I can fall asleep easily (too easily), but can't sleep through the night. I'm usually up sometime between 2 and 4, for various lengths of time, before going back to sleep. Pretty much every night.

19. I've managed to overcome my other true phobias, but I still have a very hard time with the cucarachas. And I can't crunch them or have their corpses in the house, either. I have to trap them under a cup with a rock on top of it, then slide paper or something under the cup, then take them out to the gutter to dispose of them. *shudder*

20. I am extraordinarily curious and ask a ton of questions. When I get interested in something, I kind of obsess for a while and learn everything I can about it. On the flip side, I get bored with things pretty easily, once the initial obsession wears off.

21. My favorite movies of all time are the Lord of the Rings movies.

22. I am an open-minded skeptic about the paranormal, but I'm still fascinated by it.

23. I've been in love 4 times. 1 was unrequited (probably a good thing in retrospect).

24. My favorite accent is Scottish.

25. I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. Something involving travel, photography, cooking & baking, watching movies, reading books, engaging conversation, writing, and surfing the internet would be perfect. Oh, and I'm kinda lazy and procrastinate like mad. Suggestions?

can't... resist... sleeping... kitty

2009-01-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

the honeymoon's over

2009-01-15T18:00:00.000-06:00

Oh, no, not with Facebook. We're still completely enamored with each other, aren't we, mon petit chou? (Although as I was logging in here, after logging in there, and logging into myspace, and logging into my paystub site, and logging into my bank site, I started to wonder just how many passwords one brain can hold...)

No, it's my car! Last March, I bought a lovely new Hyundai Sonata. It's the nicest car I've ever owned, and I've been nothing but happy with it.

Until now.

The damn CD player will no longer eject my CDs! Arrgh!! Sure, there are worse fates than listening to U2, Sinead O'Connor and the Xanadu soundtrack (yes I'm serious, it's really good, I SWAAAARE!) for all eternity - at least I removed all the Christmas music before it went on the fritz.

So now I have 3 slots left, and I have to think very carefully about what to put in. This is like one of those party game questions... if you could only have 3 CDs with you on a desert island, which ones would it be? Whichever ones I pick, will be the CDs I listen to forever!! I hate making decisions like that! I can't even play those party games, best I can usually do is come up with a top 20 or so.

I guess I'm going to have to do something that I really really despise. I'm going to have to take my car in for repair. This shouldn't be happening in our honeymoon year! I guess it's better to find out sooner rather than later that Mr. Sonata isn't perfect, though. *sigh*

can't blog, facebooking

2009-01-14T16:19:00.003-06:00

Is that a word, facebooking? Good gravy, I have resisted this for a LOOONG time. Several of my friends have good-naturedly harassed me about joining, and I've managed to put them off for ages, but no longer.

Facebook = Borg: resistance is futile.

It's fun, so far, but very bad for productivity. Very very bad. (So what the hell, I've already wasted this much time, may as well pop over and write a quick blog post, right? heh heh)

That's it for now, I have plenty of stuff to write about, but I can't because I just got 18763 more emails from FB...

our annual New Year's Day (ish) meal

2009-01-11T15:36:00.000-06:00

It's January 11th you say? Well, we didn't even eat this until Jan. 5th, so... that's just how I roll. But we eat this a few other times during the year, no need to wait till next January before trying it for yourself!

First, make a pot of black eyed pea soup. Then bake up some cornbread, and at the very end saute some baby spinach. Yuh-hu-hummy!

Black Eyed Pea Soup:

The soup is based on a recipe a co-worker gave me, and I changed it up a little bit. (I'm going to write it conversational style because I don't have an actual recipe.)

Chop an onion and about the same amount of celery and a couple cloves of garlic. In a soup pot, saute all that in some olive oil for a few minutes. Also, add a few twists of freshly ground black pepper and a couple shakes of red pepper flakes. After the veggies have softened a bit, add in one sliced link of kielbasa type sausage (the pre-cooked kind). Saute that for a few minutes. Then add in:

2 cans of drained & rinsed black eyed peas

1 can of drained black eyed peas with jalapenos (I don't rinse those to better keep the heat & jalapeno flavor)

3 cups water

1 cube chicken bullion

1 package of grape tomatoes, each sliced in half

And any more seasoning that you want, like I usually add more black & red pepper and some salt and some garlic powder. Stir and bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 25 minutes or so, till thick and creamy. (Like most soups, don't judge this one till it's done, the whole is way more than the sum of its parts.) Taste, and tweak seasonings if necessary.

Now, while that's cooking, make your cornbread. I admit here in front of god and everybody that I use Jiffy cornbread mix and I love it! So sue me. I do make a double batch in one pan to make it thicker and fluffier. I use a bit more milk than called for and start checking for doneness way before the recommended time. (Do not overbake! Otherwise it will get dry and icky.) Of course you should put a big ol' pat of butter on it before you eat it. I also like to take some and put it right in my soup.

For the spinach, saute a small clove of chopped garlic (or half of a large clove, don't overdo it trust me) and some red pepper flakes in some olive oil. Stir continuously and cook on medium for just a minute or two, till the garlic is softened and fragrant but before anything burns. Then turn the heat down to medium low and throw in a bag of baby spinach. Gently stir and work in all the spinach so it gets coated with the oil and wilts a bit. This won't take long at all, so watch it or you'll have a big pan of spinach mush. (I'd still eat it though, yum.) Remove from heat and transfer to plates. Sprinkle with coarse salt. I used some grey Fleur de Sel that I bought on impulse and haven't known what to do with. Crunchy!

The soup and cornbread are great leftover, but make the spinach fresh if you have this for a second night.

This is easy-(black eyed) peasy, delicious and hopefully will bring all who eat it good luck and prosperity in the new year. If nothing else, it will bring them a few minutes of culinary pleasure, Southern style. Happy New Year!

I Ate'nt Dead

2009-01-07T17:07:00.005-06:00

I've just been out borrowing. **

New post coming soon.

** If you don't get this reference, I urge you to familiarize yourself with a little planet called the Discworld. I love this series, it's my third favorite ever! (After Harry Potter and LOTR of course.) For A LOT more info, start here.

have yourself a merry little christmas

2008-12-24T16:00:00.002-06:00

Be safe and have fun!

~ Susie

(P.S. - It's unlikely I'll post anything over the next week as I'll be traveling around the southwest. Just thought I'd save y'all some mouse clicks. But be sure to come back next year!!)

ghost of christmas past?

2008-12-21T09:44:00.001-06:00

So last year when I actually decorated the house for Christmas, I decided to take a bunch of pics so I'd have proof for the doubters but mostly so I could practice taking pics in low light. Which I still suck at. They're always blurry, so I guess I need a tripod and maybe a better camera too. Or something. Anyway, when I was going through them, something on one of them caught my eye...

In the picture below, there is a small dark humanoid form in front of the fireplace. What the hell is that???? Now let me say, I took a bunch of pics in a row and it's only on this one, there is no ordinary object inadvertently placed in front of the lens that could be mistaken for whatever this is, and I even showed it to B and some other friends (all skeptics) and none of them could figure out what it is either!

Here I've lightened the exposure and zoomed in, so you can get a better look.

Now I'm not saying I think it IS a shadow person or something like that (uh, that would be bad), but it's been a year and I still can't solve the mystery which is kind of creepy but in a fun way. We've had a handful of other unexplained phenomena happen here over the years, nothing scary just... unexplainable. I'll have to do a post about those things someday. But for now, any idea what this might be? It does appear to reflect light, supernatural beings probably don't do that... right? Can you see it???

cranberry crunch cookies & italian cookies

2008-12-18T22:11:00.001-06:00

So our office party was pretty small & quiet this year (we were hoping for better), and there was way more food than hungry people, so my cookies were largely untouched. Which sucks ass because I spent three freaking nights baking them. At least, everyone who ate them seemed to like them, which is cool since I crave that sort of validation. All the cookies are very good, you can't go wrong with any of these, assuming you like what's in them.

The cranberry crunch cookies are chock full of goodies: dried cranberries, toasted almonds, oatmeal, and graham cracker crumbs which gives them a fun, unusual crispy/crunchiness. Yet they're chewy at the same time. Like I said, unusual and fun. I found this one here on Cookie Madness; Anna links to the original recipe on her post. (Which is what I used.) The prep on these is a bit of a pain compared to some cookies, as you have to toast the almonds, grind up the graham crackers, zest the orange. But there's nothing difficult about any of it. Also, these are pretty sweet, so I might skip rolling them in turbinado sugar (though that lends a pleasing sparkle and crunch) OR I might just cut back on the brown sugar some, if I make them again. But they're not cloyingly sweet or anything, I just personally prefer a bit less sweetness.

And I found these Italian cookies here on Noble Pig. Are these the cutest cookies in the universe or what? OK, maybe not, but they are definitely the cutest cookies I've ever made. I have a thing for sprinkles, what can I say. The original recipe calls for anise extract, but um, no I did not want licorice flavored cookies under my sprinkles, so I used lemon extract in both the dough and the glaze. Also, I added the zest of two lemons to the dough. Otherwise I think I followed the recipe exactly. When dipping the cooled cookies into the glaze, I did about 5 at a time, then sprinkled, then repeated. You want to get the sprinkles on there while the glaze is still wet. Oh, and this is my first foray into Crisco usage. It's a super small amount when you spread it over this many cookies, and I wanted to get the texture right, so I figured what the hell. (I am usually a butter purist.) No regrets with that here, though I will stick to butter-based recipes most of the time. Besides being adorable, these taste great, and they make your mouth happy because it thinks it is eating a teeny tiny cake - WITH SPRINKLES!!

happy happy joy joy happy happy joy joy...

quick FYI

2008-12-17T10:52:00.000-06:00

Do you ever feel like all those cutie pie animals out there on the internet must be getting smug and uppity with all the adoration? Well, this site takes their adorable fuzzy asses down several pegs, and it is hysterically funny! So I want to give it special mention because I think it's one of the funniest blogs I have ever come across. Really, as far as cute animal blogs go, the only thing that rivals this one, in my opinion, is ICHC. It's called &*#$ You, Penguin and there's a link over there as well --->. (I certainly love the F word, but since I don't know who is looking at this - could be lil' nieces and nephews sometimes - I do limit my use of it on here. So that's why I have the word itself bleeped out. But on the site, there's a copious amount of cussin', fair warning.) Anyway y'all, check it out - it's twisted and hilarious, and we all need more twisted hilarity in our lives!

peppermint bark chocolate cookies

2008-12-14T22:06:00.000-06:00

Well, the wedding I was in was a rousing success, I had a nice visit with my folks who came down for the weekend, I got all my shopping done (I think), and I made one out of the three cookie recipes I need to have baked for the potluck on Thursday. I probably should make the second recipe tonight, but it's already 10:00 and it's just not going to happen. I'm still feeling overwhelmed, but it's good to know I have accomplished something.

These cookies are really good. They pretty much taste exactly like you'd expect, in a good way. The recipe can be found here. No surprise that I did the "bark" the lazy way: used a scant half cup of crushed 'soft' peppermint candies* and a heaping half cup of white chocolate chips. (This dough is thick; I think my 20 year old hand-me-down hand mixer was about to overheat! Someday you will be mine, KitchenAid stand mixer... someday.) Keep the dough in the fridge between batches. All my batches were done in 10 minutes, which never happens when I make cookies, so be sure to check these at 10. Oh, and someone in the comments suggested adding a bit of peppermint extract but I did not and I would not in the future. Too much mint is overwhelming, the candy adds plenty of it, trust me. I got about 46 cookies or so. I will wrap these in wax paper and put them in an airtight container, then freeze till Thurs so they stay fresh-tasting. I'll try to post the other cookie recipes later in the week, but no hard and fast promises! G'night.

* Like these. They're hardish but sort of melty when you chew them. I wouldn't even think about using the totally hard kind; these were a pain enough to crush as it was. I unwrapped a bunch, put them in a freezer bag and went after it with a rolling pin. They crush better if you throw your weight into pressing the pin down on them, rather than bashing them.

super long post full of random things

2008-12-11T18:11:00.000-06:00

Last night we had a power outage that lasted 3 hours. Something blew up on top of some pole and several blocks went down. Luckily it was back on by 11:30 so we didn't freeze too bad, but never mind all the stuff I was hoping to accomplish. The good thing is, the moon was bright and the stars were shining and I spent a long time gazing at them. Wouldn't have done that otherwise.

I am FREAKING OUT about Christmas. I haven't done a single card or bought a single gift. And I can't do much this weekend because I'm in a wedding. And I have to bake 3 kinds of cookies for my office potluck. At some point. FREAKING OUT. And I didn't even decorate this year. Y'all people with mad skilz in time management - HOW DO YOU DO IT??? Seriously. Please tell me how. (If you're wondering how I have time to write this post, the answer is, by writing it at work, of course! heh)

The foliage around Austin is unbelievably gorgeous these days. I guess drought is good for one thing. I like to commute on prettier roads, and all along Mopac and downtown in the Clarksville area it's a feast for the eyes. So many colors, some trees are just glowing I swear. Please look around if you haven't yet, it won't last much longer!! Here are a few pics I took in Dallas over the holiday weekend, more coming later from here at home. Maybe. (See above plea for help.)

Haagen Dazs has a Limited Edition out right now, which is Peppermint Bark. Holy crap is it good. I ate three-fourths of the pint in one sitting. No, I'm not proud of that.

Why do those "Classmates" and "Reunion" sites keep emailing me that people are searching for me or signing my guest book, but then they won't let me see who's searching or even see my own guestbook without paying for a subscription? Fuck you, classmates and reunion.

I wish I could take pictures of smells. The other morning some guys were chopping down a tree behind my office and the fresh lumber smelled so good, I wished I could capture it and share it somehow. Poor tree though.

Over Thanksgiving, I learned that my brother and I apparently have exceptionally small ears.

It was a good holiday. Everyone got along, there was no real drama (though one nephew did squeeze out a few tears after losing at monopoly), it was downright pleasant all around! Plus I won the pot, twice I think?, in the card game we always play at B's family get-togethers. Suckas.

Also over Thanksgiving, I went to half a bachelorette party and I had a birthday.

37 feels a lot older than 36. (Hence, the attendance of only half a bachelorette party.)

My mom made me my "signature" birthday cake: devilsfood cake with chocolate frosting with M&Ms all over it. YU-HUH-HUMMY!

On the way home from Thanksgiving, we hit terrible traffic. No shock there, but it sucked anyway. B wanted to try a new alternate route, east of 35, so we did do that for a while. It was great, no traffic, just country roads and farms and fields and sky and grass and trees. Really pretty area (east of Hillsboro basically). The dying grass along the highway was sort of glowing greenish white. We had vast unobstructed views of the sky, silverlined clouds heading on towards sunset. (So many times when I'm driving, I see things that would make beautiful photos, and I'm not in a position to take any. This is very disappointing, but I suppose the bright side is it forces me to just enjoy the moment without filtering it through the lens, which can cause a detachment from the situation happening in real life.) I wanted to get back on the highway before dark, so we went back to 35 and the rest of trip was congested and annoying. Except for two things: the atomic sunset and later, our view of the moon's alignment with Venus and Jupiter. That was awesome! (Can you see the smiley face created by this alignment? Pic from Astronomy Pic of the Day. I love that site. As you might can tell, I love the skies.)

How about some more pics from the holiday weekend, even though it was like two weeks ago. This is my parents' dog, Zelda. Isn't she cute? My aunt thinks she looks like Falcor from The Neverending Story. hee hee

Not so much here!

If you can't be with the one you love, hook him up to a webcam. (My nephew was sick this day so he stayed home, but he still got to join us!)

Here's another nephew, preparing for his performace of All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth. He's a method actor.

How many screens can one roomful of people look at? Is this weird?

Internet addiction starts young these days. And it's no wonder considering the environment. ^

B really likes pie. He ate two pieces of leftover pumpkin pie in a row, knowing that we were about to eat my birthday cake. He ate some of that too.

The formatting here on blogger drives me crazy!

Is that all for now? I think so. If any of you actually read the whole thing, I'm impressed. I mean it with those time management tips. I am in desperate need here. (After 37 years of extreme procrastination, though, it might just be too late.)

i can has lazy post?

2008-12-09T12:19:00.000-06:00

I promise I won't keep posting ICHC pics instead of writing something. Eh, I can't actually promise that, but I will try not to do it very often. But sometimes one just comes along that is so frickin frackin awesome, I have to share it with my loyal readers. If you're not checking this site every day (link is over there somewhere --->), you are simply missing out on one of life's very real, very simple, daily pleasures.

more animals

Oh yeah, that "real" post is coming soon. And by soon I mean sometime before the apocalypse of 2012. Did you know that there will be an apocalypse on 12-21-2012? * All the other doomsdays and apocalypses I've experienced (Y2k, 6-6-06, etc etc etc) have been perfectly pleasant, so I'm not too worried. Also, by then, all the Harry Potter movies, and The Hobbit movie, will have been released, and maybe even the "other" hobbit movie that's to follow it. (Though that one could be dicey as it has a Dec 2012 release date.) We've seen a black man elected to office (please don't screw up please don't screw up) and we've seen dogs and cats living together. And there won't be any ice caps left to worry about. So basically, I'm cool with it, though I do want to get to Europe one more time before it happens. And I have a lot of books to read and movies to see and wines to taste and restaurants to visit and recipes to make (oh man do I have a lot of recipes to make). So I better get busy living or get busy dying, as a wise movie character once said. 4 years - what will you do with your time?

* Disclaimer 1 - there are all kinds of wild theories about the end of the Mayan calendar indicating the end of the world. I don't actually believe it, I'm being flippant with the above paragraph. Uh, just in case any of you were wondering. (Though "carpe diem" is always a worthy goal.) ** I know as it gets closer crooks and hucksters will prey on people's fears for the purposes of making a buck and/or scaring people into their churches. There's a movie coming out about it, too, for which I saw a teaser the other night before James Bond. *** Apocalypses are big business. Of course if any of these people actually BELIEVED it, they wouldn't give a flip about making money, b/c really, what would be the point? So there you go. And just in case, like me, you want to read a little more about it b/c there is this teeny tiny weensy part of you which you are ashamed to admit exists that feels the tiniest bit of anxiety about it, go ahead and read this article and move on with your life.

** Disclamer 2 - I totally think we could wipe ourselves out at any time, mind you. I just don't think some ancient calendar will have anything to do with it.

*** James Bond is very good. I have fairly neutral feelings regarding the franchise in general but thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I love the gravitas and all-around badassness that Craig brings to the role.

PS - This turned into a real post, didn't it? Yay!

I AM NOT A FREAK!

2008-12-05T13:23:00.000-06:00

Y'all, check out what my friend "Anonymous" just put in the comments on the nostril post. I will copy it here:

Having upper and lower jaw surgery on Monday, I have the answer to this question! My surgeon is about to alter the dimensions of my nose and airways, so, he asked me if I breathe out of one nostril all the time, or if it goes back and forth. Back and forth was my answer, and he said, "good". I always thought that was a problem, too. He said it was normal. He called it 'cycling', and said that if it didn't cycle between nostrils, then one side would get dry as a bone and have problems. I guess one side opens for awhile, then the other side closes via the tissue re-inflaming, thereby prepping it to open back up later, breathe air and warm it, catch particles, etc. So, I guess 'cycling' is good, normal, and not a problem!

That's right - I am totally good and normal and all y'all two-nostril breathers are the freaks!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAA

CD cover meme

2008-12-04T17:49:00.000-06:00

I have a vague notion that I will put together a post to sum up my holiday weekend, but in the meantime, here's a fun little meme. Y'all should play, too, and tell me what you get on your blogs or in the comments!

(And if you think it's really too late to be recapping Thanksgiving, consider that I still haven't unpacked yet from that trip. Timely is not my middle name.)

Step 1, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The name of the article is the name of your band.

Mine: Okay High School

Step 2: http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the last quote is the name of your album

Mine: Politics is applesauce. (My quote only had three words.)

Step 3: http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
The third image, from left to right, is your cover art.

Mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ingedegroot/3082493790/

I think it all works beautifully together, actually!! This must be how some bands actually name themselves. For would-be evidence, check out this article:

http://new.ca.music.yahoo.com/blogs/mojo/718/whats-the-worst-band-name-like-ever/

Reminds me of the fake band name that B and I came up with years ago - 24 Hour Emergency. Not bad, right? Right??

i know, i know

2008-12-02T13:47:00.000-06:00

I need a new blog entry! Even if you were thinking about trying those enchiladas, you are probably so sick of looking at them that you will refuse to do so now. I am going to try to put up something of substance (as much as anything ever is) soon, but for now, I have a question for my loyal readers and the universe at large:

Is it normal to only breathe out of one nostril at a time? Which nostril is clear varies, but I can rarely breathe through both at the same, and that's even when I'm NOT congested. Is this true for everyone, or am I a freak? (Meaning: am I freak in this regard - no need to debate my freakishness at large!)

And because posts are always better with pictures, I will leave you with this:

The cuteness... it burns...

spicy pumpkin enchiladas

2008-11-20T10:32:00.000-06:00

I can't stand pumpkin pie. I don't know what it is, I like those flavors and I like creamy pies, but blech, something about it just wigs me out. However, I will pretty much eat pumpkin in any and every other way imaginable. And it's good for you, too - bonus!

I found this recipe where I find a ton of my recipes, from the Cooking Light bulletin board. I'm just a lurker, I don't need yet another cyber place to ~~waste~~ spend time posting stuff. If you ever want to kill a few minutes between projects, or just get some ideas for dinner, I highly recommend stopping by and browsing around. There's a link to the main page over there somewhere. ---->

These babies came from this thread; my notes and changes are below. You could do whatever you want for the filling, though beans and/or chicken sound better than beef or pork in this case, at least to me. The only thing that some people might have a problem with is that they're pretty mushy, esp. the first night. So if that bothers you, well you should try to get over it because these are so yummy. But if it really really bothers you, you might want to skip these.

SPICY PUMPKIN SAUCE/ENCHILADAS

1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
4 garlic cloves, peeled (I used 3 and it was PLENTY)
1 jalapeno, quartered (remove ribs and seeds for less heat, if wimpy)
1 tsp. chili powder (I also added a dash of cumin)
8 corn tortillas (6 inch)
Filling of choice (see below)
1-1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar (or just enough to cover it)

Serves 4
* Prep time: 20 mins.
*Total time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 425. In a blender, puree pumpkin, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, 2-1/2 cups water, 2 tsps. salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth. (Hold blender top firmly as blender will be quite full.) Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of an 8 inch square or other shallow baking dish. (** I used a 9x11 inch dish, I think - I would NOT use anything smaller than that, it was FULL.)

Nuke the tortillas for a few seconds or dip in simmering water or whatever you do to make them pliable. Roll tortillas with filling: mound on half of the tortilla and roll up; place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce on top; sprinkle with cheese.

Place dish on a baking sheet (I didn't, but remember I used a bigger dish); bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool five minutes before serving.

FILLING: I used a can of black beans, drained and rinsed, combined with half a carton of Fage plain Greek yogurt, a small can of diced Hatch chilis (HOT of course), and about half a bunch of green onions, thinly sliced.

in which she leaves politics aside and resumes her inane perspicacious musings

2008-11-13T16:17:00.007-06:00

Love is a Stranger - the best Eurythmics song in the history of Eurythmics? I think we all know the answer is yes, but if you have a cogent argument you may attempt to dissuade me. And the video, oh how it reminds me of the glorious days of early MTV. I have no idea if MTV even plays videos anymore, but if they do, I bet there are few as good as the masters of the 80s. Duran Duran's repertoire alone is proof!

But back to Eurythmics. This video is classic - cool, sleek, dark, and a bit dangerous, and Annie Lennox is completely fabulous. Unfortunately youtube is not allowing the video to be embedded, which pisses me off, but what can you do? I'll tell you what you can do - go to this link and reminisce about a bygone era, and a band and network whose better days are behind them.

Love is a Stranger

Do it! I'll know if you don't do it! And then I will also know that you suck!

PS - I will be doing these types of posts regularly.

PPS - Maybe.

best New Yorker cartoon ever?

2008-11-07T11:31:00.000-06:00

words of hope

2008-11-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

I read a lot of comments yesterday regarding the election. Many of them touched me, a few of them disturbed me, and couple of them just confused me. But this one, which was posted on the Margaret and Helen blog, brought tears to my eyes.

By: Red (White) and Blue on November 5, 2008 at 2:37 pm

I’m a Republican.
I’m white.
I’m straight.
I’m what I consider to be fairly conservative.
Yesterday, I went to my polling place and voted for Barack Hussein Obama.
And I’ll tell you why.
It wasn’t because of the economy.
It wasn’t because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It wasn’t because Sarah Palin is a dingbat.
It wasn’t because John McCain is just like George Bush.
I did it because I’m tired of being afraid.
And, what’s more, I’m tired of being TOLD I should be afraid.
I should fear terrorists.
I should fear Muslims.
I should fear gays.
I should fear liberals.
I should fear taxes.
I should fear welfare recipients.
In fact, I should fear anyone who doesn’t look, act and think exactly as I’m told I should.

Enough.

Yesterday that’s what I said and so did a sizeable number of other Republicans, apparently.
Yesterday, most of us chose hope over hate.
Compasion over cruelty.
Discourse over violence.
Tolerance over intolerance.
Courage over fear.

THAT’S the America I learned about as a child.
The country where hope and courage overcame every challenge.
The country that holds Great Britain as its closest foreign ally.
Yes, Great Britain.
The same country from where our earliest settlers fled persecution.
The country that subjugated our forefathers’ colonies.
The country with which we fought a bloody war of independence.
The country that later invaded our sovereign nation and burned our capitol to the ground.
And we are allies.
Yet many of us see no hope of reconciling our current differences with other nations and peoples?

Come now. That’s just what we’re being told.
Yesterday, I stopped listening.

Thank you, Red (White) and Blue. This is simply beautiful.

cautious optimism, with a hint of free-floating anxiety...

2008-11-05T08:08:00.001-06:00

... and a whole lot of hope.

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA!!!!!!

Please don't screw this up.

2 winners from Giada

2008-11-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

The first recipe I found by lurking on the Cooking Light board, from this thread. That's also where I got the idea to serve it over greens; in this case, a mix of arugula, baby spinach, and herbs. It was easy and delicious!

Orechiette with Sausage, Beans and Mascarpone

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 servings

1 pound orechiette pasta (I used whole wheat farfalle, and only 1/2 a pound which is plenty)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound turkey sausage, casing removed (I used 2 links of sweet Italian turkey sausage)
1 small onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (predictably, my store didn't have cannellini beans so I used great northern beans and they were fine - I'm sure any white bean will do)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves (I used dried, eyeballed amount)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onions. Using a wooden spoon break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces as it browns.Continue cooking until the sausage is golden and the onions are tender. Add the beans and oregano cook for 2 more minutes. Add the cup of pasta cooking liquid and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir until it dissolves into a light sauce. Add the salt, pepper, and hot pasta. Stir until coated and serve. (And if you're me, sprinkle with freshly grated Parm.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I actually saw her make the second recipe on her show, which I hardly ever watch, but happened to catch for some reason. This one is also fairly easy and definitely delicious!

Halloween Spice Cake

Prep Time: 12 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Butter (**)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan (** I did not butter and flour the pan, I just sprayed it with that cooking (baking) spray that has flour in it)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (um, yeah, I just used table salt)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger (I thought I had some but didn't, used pumpkin pie spice instead)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (omitted this but added a very small dash of ground cloves)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting

For the cake: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour (or spray) a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. (I like to use a whisk to mix dry ingredients.)

In a large bowl, beat the sugars, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract to blend. Add the dry ingredients (in 2 batches) and stir (don't beat) until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into slices for serving.
(I think I had to bake mine for about 50 minutes for the center to cook completely. By that time, the outer edges were slightly burned. So I basically just cut the worst parts off. I think perhaps making this in a square pan instead of a loaf pan might help things cook more evenly. But I dunno. Still, very good overall and aside from the edges, it was moist as well.)

halloween then and now + a story

2008-10-31T08:13:00.000-05:00

This was our very first Halloween together, waaaaay back in 95. I don't have a story for this pic, but B & I both looked damn good, so I'm posting it anyway.

Here we are last year, at the most kick-ass Halloween party I have ever been to. Sometimes my inner dorkiness builds up and has to be released. That's what happened last year when I was looking at this picture and proceeded to write the following silly story in about a 15 minute burst of creativity. Unfortunately, the great majority of people (like, 4 out of 5) who read this blog have already seen it, but I'm putting it out into the blogger universe because you never know who else might stop by. And I'm cool with putting my dorkiness on public display. Which must be terribly obvious by now.

So here's me and Indy, my longtime BF. I'm the one on the left. My proper name is The Angel of Death, but I prefer Angie D on the street. Some people think we make for a strange couple, but the truth is, we are perfect for each other. We first met long ago in some remote jungle or rain forest or something, I can't remember. I had been keeping an eye on him, because Indy here is a bigtime risk-taker, so I knew it wouldn't be long before I got to meet him in person. I thought he was cute, so the prospect of finally meeting him was kind of a double-edged sickle. I don't get much of a chance to get to know the people I meet, if you know what I mean. But I really liked this guy. So I was pretty bummed when he finally went too far and I saw him staggering around with a poison dart sticking out of his rear end. But a job is a job, so off I went to harvest him. Well, something about me must have really stirred him up, because he couldn't keep his hands off of me! (Yeah, he was drugged, but he wasn't dead yet! ) He said facing impending death was his biggest turn-on, and that thought (plus his freely roaming hands) just made me go weak in the knees.

You have to understand, it had been an eternity since I'd had any action. (And when I say an eternity, I mean: an eternity.) And I had such a crush on him already. I had never been so tempted to bend the rules as I was that day. I think the crippling heat combined with the high humidity and all those colorful little frogs hopping around everywhere just made me go a little crazy. So I spared him. First time I ever did that, cross my scythe and hope to... well you know.

I'm all for honesty in a relationship, so I told him flat-out who I was and what I was going to do. He seemed to be relieved but it was hard to tell considering that at this point he was barely conscious. But he suddenly rallied for a second and I saw a glimmer of sheer terror flash behind his eyes. "Wait, wait, you aren't going to turn into a snake, are you? I really, REALLY, hate snakes." Geez louise, I don't know WHY people are always thinking I might do that, but I assured him that NO, I didn't operate that way, that was Satan, and despite everyone's assumptions we are NOT affiliated with one another. He looked really happy about that, right before he slipped into the coma. Personally, I was really excited to imagine all the fun we were going to have once he got back on his feet. I knew there would be hell to pay later (just an expression, remember, I don't have anything to do with all that business), but I didn't care.

Ever since that day we have been just as happy as a man and a harbinger of death can be together. There's a lot of extra paperwork and "misplaced files" on my end, and a lot of extremely painful injuries on his, but it's all worth it. He gets to keep taking all of his silly risks, since he has someone fixing the system for him from the inside, and I finally have a real live man, one who isn't afraid to love me for who - and what - I really am.

more fun with photoshop

2008-10-29T21:40:00.000-05:00

In honor of the coolest holiday, here is one of my most favorite pictures.

(I took this in Salem, Mass. which makes it even cooler.)

(It looks better large but this is as big as I can get it on here.)

Here's the fairly mundane original:

Decent, but nothing special.

But once I messed with it a billion different ways, I was able to achieve the exact tone/look/feel I wanted. The diffuse glow filter is especially cool.

Creepalicious!

would you give up immortality for this man?

2008-10-22T00:10:00.000-05:00

Would I? Ummm.... YES. (And even a few years of a normal lifespan.) It's not the king thing, I mean, that's cool and all, but this guy kicks all kinds of ass regardless of his royal destiny. He's fierce and grim and noble, but also gentle and kind and fair. He is a healer, but he will not hesitate to lop off the heads of vile evil creatures. With his Really Big Sword.

And he's hopelessly devoted to one lucky elven lady. If I were her, hell yeah I would give up immortality to be with him. For one thing, the Grey Havens would probably be a drag. But mostly, Aragorn is just one fine specimen of masculine perfection. And by perfection, I mean he is not perfect at all, which is what makes him so, uh, perfect.

I freely admit, I prefer movie Aragorn to book Aragorn. And it's not just because I have lust in my heart, and elsewhere, for Viggo. Well maybe it is, but I also like how movie Aragorn was warmer and had more humanity. Purists will probably object, but I think Peter Jackson changed Aragorn for the better in the movie. And Viggo was simply exceptional. Lust aside.

I was actually going to write a serious post about the melancholy that I always feel when finishing a LOTR book or movie, because I just finished rereading the whole series. And maybe I still will, but not tonight, because I should be sleeping and I'm going to be so tired in the morning and my eyes are dry and my contacts are about to pop out, all because I've been looking at pictures of Viggo for the past hour and a half. (Totally worth it of course.) And so, this post has now devolved into shameless fangirl lust.

Man I love google images.

fun with photoshop

2008-10-19T18:34:00.000-05:00

I love to take an ordinary, boring picture and turn it into something cool and interesting. If it weren't for digital photography and photoshop, not only wouldn't I be able to do that, I probably would never have gotten into photography at all. You see, I am an impatient procrastinator. If I used film, I would probably have 53 undeveloped rolls hanging about at any given time. Actually, that's not true. I would be so impatient to see my pictures, but would procrastinate so long about getting them developed, I'd probably take a couple rolls and give up. Also, I hate reading manuals and instructions and really learning how to do things the right way. I mostly just wing it. I know I need to learn more about f stops and shutter speed and... all that other stuff. But with my digital camera, I can just take several pictures of something until I get it right.

I do the same thing with photoshop. I don't know what I'm doing really, just playing around until my pictures look how I want them to. Some get very little editing, just a bit of cropping, others get more heavily tweaked, either to "fix" something, or just because it's fun. Usually it's for the fun reason, because a truly crappy picture can't really be fixed with photoshop.

Except... every once in a while I see potential in a crappy picture. I think, maybe with a little help, there is something cool there after all. And sometimes, it works.

For example. A grackle. Ho hum. I was planning to get a picture of a little woodpecker I had spied in our front pecan, but of course he was gone by the time I came back with the camera. But this guy hung around, so what the hell. Here's my SOOC shot:

Blurry, boring, blah. Headed straight for the virtual garbage can if it weren't for the PS.

But after playing around with it, I was able to make this:

Which is still blurry, but in an artistic way. (Or so I tell myself. Ha.) I love spooky stuff though and this gives me that vibe. It also has a graphic, tenuous quality to it: the idea or essence of a bird. But mostly, I just think it looks cool. Thank you, photoshop!

trip report the last

2008-10-16T22:19:00.000-05:00

We continued our circuit of small town attractions by going to the Koffee Kup in Hico, known for its large assortment of homemade pies.

See?

It's also apparently known for its wide appeal to biker-type people. And I'm not talking Lance Armstrong here either. I think we were the only dorks in the whole joint. Well I'm a dork. B isn't. B actually rides a motorcyle, much to my chagrin, but he definitely doesn't fit the profile of a biker-type person. I never knew pie was so popular with that crowd.

Anyway, our waiter was a non-biker type too, and he was very friendly, but not in a weird way, and look what he did to our pie!

I guess the waiter is a dork too. Maybe that's why he was so friendly to me, he sensed in me a kindred spirit.

Or maybe he serves everyone their pie this way, and I am really really a dork for even thinking he did it just for me.

But at least I didn't say, now that is service with a smile! That would have been super dorky!

I would be remiss if I did not mention the other big part of our day - the cows.

It's quite possible that I have never seen so many cows in a 6 hour period in my life.

I guess there's not much else to do round those parts except operate ranches. It does have a certain romantic appeal to me, and I blame this lady. But I just kept wondering where in the world do these people buy their groceries??? Do they have to pack dry ice with them when they go to the store for milk and yogurt and ice cream? They eat milk and yogurt and ice cream, don't they?? Especially ice cream????? Then I started to feel the panic rising from my vicarious dairy-withdrawal and decided it might not be all that romantic to live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere after all.

OK this is the same cow from up there ^ but trust me, there were a bajillion cows, we were just driving by too fast to take pictures.

There were also a lot of goats. Despite this limited photographic documentation, the cow activities we observed were quite varied. Sure, there was plenty of eating/grazing/chewing the cud, but also there was hanging out and chilling with the homies, gettin down wid (or up on) the ladies, sleeping, swatting flies, aimless wandering, all kinds of stuff. But the goats - every single one of them, every single time we saw them, were always, ALWAYS eating. I get a sort of sick pleasure when I see stereotypes in action.

Which brings me to Walburg and its "world famous" German restaurant. Which is where we ate that night. It's kind of like the Salt Lick in that you are driving for miles and miles in the middle of nowhere and then all of a sudden there are hundreds of cars and people all converged in this one spot. It was a beautiful night so we sat outside in their biergarten. There was a traditional German band playing, and even some traditionally clad dancers (including lederhosen I kid you not), a big German beer selection, delicious schnitzel, pucker-inducing vinegary potato salad, and a whole helluva lot of white people. Like I said... heh heh.

So, that about covers our tiny little trip. I think I've gotten a lot of blog mileage out of it considering all we really did was drive around a lot.

Oh, and the pie?

Key lime, baby.

And it was delicious.

The end.

trip report part tre

2008-10-12T16:50:00.000-05:00

After the winery, we headed over to Dublin, a/k/a:

Dublin DP is special - "real" - because it is the only DP that is still made with real sugar as opposed to that High Fructose Corn Syrup crap. Sure, all soda is junk food, but I indulge in it rarely, and I would much rather drink something made with good old-fashioned sugar than something made with a highly processed modified sweetener. Tastes better too.

The Dublin bottling plant is also the oldest DP bottling plant in the world. The company sets up a territorial limit for each plant, so that's why you can't buy Dublin DP outside of a 40 mile radius of Dublin.

Which is most unfortunate for us city slickers.

That's why we bought ourselves a case.

(This isn't our case, our bottles have stripes and are very retro cute but I didn't take a picture and really how many pictures of bottles can you stand to look at.)

While we were waiting for our tour to start, we checked out the alley across the street, which is, alas, just a stinky alley, BUT a stinky alley with some very cool sign art. And I dig sign art.

Also while waiting, I got to see a show across the street. This mom with a bunch of kids was yelling at them, and she said, well yelled, to them, "Sometimes I just think you're retarded!" mwahahaa. Is that terrible? I thought it was pretty funny.

Finally our long awaited tour began. (Yes, the sometimes-retarded kids and the yelly mom came too.)

First we all got a free ice cold Dr. Pepper!

Then we went to this room:

Next we went to this room:

(I call this my Laverne & Shirley shot)

Then we went to some rooms where we couldn't take pictures, with posters of past ad campaigns and various signage and memorabilia.

Then we went to the gift shop and spent, um, 80 dollars.

Then we left.

Tours are supposed to last 45 minutes. Ours began at 2, and by 2:45 we had taken the tour, spent a LONG time in the gift shop, and were 10 miles out of town.

So there you have it, folks. Such is the magical fascinating wonderland that is the Dublin Dr. Pepper bottling plant tour! We drove all the way out to the middle of nowhere and used up all kinds of expensive gasoline to get this information for you people so that you won't have to! We're just generous, thoughtful and caring like that.

But not generous, thoughtful and caring enough to share our case with any of you. Hello? They don't even SELL IT HERE. Go get your own.

And while you're there, if you have $ 2.50 and an extra 20 minutes, go on and take the tour. Just watch out for that gift shop.

trip report part deux

2008-10-09T22:28:00.000-05:00

We weren't really sure what we'd do to fill our day on Saturday, being that we would be staying in a town mostly known for shopping and antiquing, pastimes that neither B nor I are particularly interested in. So he got the idea that we should head out to the Dr. Pepper bottling plant in Dublin and take a tour, get some real DP, and see what we can see. We both really like taking tours and exploring, but I was wary, since it would be almost 2 hours in either direction, for what would undoubtedly be a dinky little tour. Luckily, one of our fellow guests at the B&B has a ranch in Comanche and is familiar with the area. She confirmed that it wasn't really a destination-worthy type place on its own, but grouped with some other places in the area, we could make a nice day out of it. And so, I was persuaded, and off we went on our small town tour of Texas.

First stop was in Comanche ---> Brennan Vineyards. It's a small but charming winery...

with a wonderful viognier (I'm usually more of a red person but this was so good we bought 2 bottles)...

gorgeous roses in full bloom...

(yes, I really like Photoshop, leave me alone)

a few vines on site (the rest were in fields out yonder)

(yes, yonder is a real place when you're in a small town in the middle of Texas)...

adorable tiny grapes (no raisins anywhere thank god)...

and a very cute kitty named Cab who liked to sit in the sink until one of his humanoid slaves served him his libations...

Their viognier is tasty, but their Cab is definitely my favorite!

Next time: why Dublin Dr. Pepper is the only REAL Dr. Pepper.

would have been

2008-10-08T07:00:00.002-05:00

I used to have a friend named Dennie. She was so fucking cool. She was born and raised in NYC, then came down to Austin in the hippie heydays of the late 60s/early 70s. By the time I met her, she was still pretty much a hippie. She had done so many things in her life; she was a writer and a photographer and a dancer and an artist and a musician and an astrologer and an inventor and more. Truly one of the most interesting human beings I will EVER meet.

She and I would talk for hours at a time, about everything under the sun. We shared a passion for movies and certain television shows - not just watching them but talking, talking, talking about them. Then talking some more. Those discussions alone could fill an entire afternoon, but that was just the beginning. We'd almost always end up talking about politics, work, pop culture, philosophy, our mutual fondness for Scottish accents and gorgeous men, religion, music, travel, literature, art, the overwhelming beauty of this world, and the overwhelming ugliness of it, history, our histories, and of course endless topics relating to our own daily lives. She was deep. She made me think. She made me laugh like crazy. She didn't really have things figured out either but after talking to her, I felt so much less alone in this world. We connected on a level that is rare and beautiful, soulful. I loved her. I miss her.

Things were hard for Dennie. She often said she was an inherently miserable person, and while I saw flashes of that, there was so much more. But she finally decided she'd had enough, and in February 2007, she ended things for good. She didn't tell anyone of her plans, and I'm sure it's because she didn't want to be stopped. But that also means that she didn't tell anyone goodbye. I won't dwell here on the pain and devastation I felt after that. I've accepted her decision, and I even think I understand it. She didn't see things getting any better and she wanted to go out on her own terms.

Today would have been her birthday. I'd have taken her to lunch, probably this weekend. We'd probably have walked from her apartment across the street to La Feria, then back again to her apartment or the courtyard behind it, because we wouldn't have been done with our marathon gab session. It would have been so fulfilling and fun and invigorating.

I still have so many things I want to ask her, discuss with her, share with her. And I really, really, hate that I can't.

This song will always remind me of Dennie, both because of the song itself and because I first heard it a couple weeks after she died. I can listen to it over and over and over again, I never get sick of it, and I always - always - cry a little. It's one of my all-time favorite songs. You've probably heard it dozens of times yourself. But give it another listen. Because of Dennie. Because it's beautiful. Because I loved her. Because I miss her.

And because it would have been her birthday today.

trip report part uno

2008-10-02T21:28:00.007-05:00

So for our anniversary, B & I took a long weekend and headed up to Salado. I found this B&B online that sounded wonderful: lots of great reviews and a homecooked breakfast and homemade baked goods in the afternoons and 24 hour coffee access and 6 acres out in the country and they even have bees and make their own honey. Yowza - sounded almost too good to be true! However, I am thrilled to report that everything I read about this place is right on the money - it's fantastic! In addition to all that other stuff, the place was immaculate, the owners were attentive and friendly but never intrusive, and we met some super nice fellow travelers. The Yellow House B&B was our home base for the small-town explorations that filled our weekend. I took a billion pictures, which is why I have to break up a pretty short trip into several posts. So let's get started!

Here's the front of the house, aptly named obviously.

And here's the B&B side, with its cozy and comfortable porch.

Doesn't it just exude country charm?

Can't have a big ol' place in the country without a big ol' red barn alongside.

Complete with hammock...

and rusty stuff.

In the back of the property you will find the bees. And B standing very close to the bees. With his face right up in their beeswax.

Plenty of places to take a load off...

I think this picture would make a nice banner. You might see it again here someday.

We had no shortage of company...

Don't worry, it was unplugged.

I saw a lot of this guy's forebears fluttering around but they wouldn't be still for me like he would.

There were tons of birds in the yard, esp. cardinals which I LOVE, but they wouldn't be still either, not for a second even. Here's my cardinal picture, a real trophy shot. Can you see him?? (Obviously the tree was moving too. ha.)

Finally, some still birds. But they were just boring old doves, sitting on a telephone pole of all the unromantic nonscenic ruining-my-country-vibe places! Oh well. At least the pole was still.

Coming up next time: we head west. It's a good thing we took B's pickup, let me tell you, because I don't think my dadgum foreign-made sedan would have, um, fit in.

Ten years

2008-09-26T10:33:00.006-05:00

Ten years ago, I was terribly busy. I had a big party to throw and it required a bunch of planning beforehand. I had to find a fabulous dress, pick out the perfect music, send out lots of invitations, locate a place to have it, and so much more...

I had to pick out a menu, then feed dinner to a huge crowd, including a fancy schmancy dessert.

There was major gardening involved - thousands of rose petals had to be gathered and distributed to all of my guests.

I even had to find a horse and carriage, right in the middle of a big city!

It took me about a year to plan this party, seriously. Isn't that crazy?

All so that me and this guy that I hooked up with in New Orleans almost 3 years earlier could officially spend the rest of our lives together.

(Here we are at Cafe du Monde, blurry pic'd and bleary-eyed after a night on Bourbon Street.)

It sure was a lot of work. But ten years after that party, I still think it was worth every little bit of it!

Happy Anniversary, B! I love you!

aaah, that's better

2008-09-21T23:21:00.008-05:00

In just a few minutes it will officially be the first day of Autumn! How I love the names of the seasons. Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer. The words themselves are so lovely and evocative. Every season has its merits, but this, this is my favorite one. Cool mornings and evenings begin, accompanied by warm and sunny afternoons. Rainy days return as well, bringing desperately needed liquid relief to a land parched from the harsh days of summer.

I took the first two pictures last December so we still have some time to wait before it actually looks like fall around here, but no matter. It's the state of mind that I love most: A time for introspection and daydreaming, a warm cup of tea enjoyed with a purring lap cat and an engrossing book, steaming bowls of soup and freshly baked bread, vast and low-slung orange moons, the soft hoots of a visiting owl, a far away train whistle in the middle of the night, pumpkin patches and hay rides and tromping through paths strewn with crunchy fallen leaves, scarecrows and apple harvests and light jackets and beloved quilts taken out of linen closets, muted harvest colors and brilliant glowing foliage, graceful and dizzying ribbons of black birds streaming over the highway at dusk, Halloween and headless horsemen and haunted houses and all things creepy, spooky, dark and mysterious.

The mercury may climb to 90 degrees here today, but in my mind and heart there is a most welcome chill.

Oat & Toffee Grahams

2008-09-20T12:12:00.005-05:00

Mmm-mmmm, my friends, these are a winner! I got the recipe from Culinary in the Country, one of my favorite cooking blogs. Joe's post about these, and the link to the recipe, can be found here. I followed his advice to brown the butter rather than simply melting it, and that definitely added an extra depth and yumminess factor to these bars. I also took his suggestion about the crushed salted pretzels as a topping (instead of almonds), which was inspired and delicious. Finally, I used semisweet chocolate instead of the bittersweet he calls for, as I was making these for co-workers and thought bittersweet might be too much for them. (However, if I were making them just for me, I would have used bittersweet.) One note of caution: do be sure the oat topping covers all the graham crackers, I did pretty well but left a few slim edges exposed and had to cut away some burnier bits.

These are decadent and pretty sweet, so pace yourself. A strong cup of coffee would be a perfect accompaniment, to cut/balance that sweetness.

These bars are highly recommended. Enjoy!

ninja cat video

2008-09-18T11:57:00.005-05:00

Several things are annoying me today, but this video made me laugh, a lot, so I thought I'd post it in case other people are also having an annoying day so that they can laugh too, because things seem a lot less annoying when you're giggling your head off.

Kitty reminds me of that chick in The Ring that comes out of the TV. (Not too many things truly creep me out in movies, but that chick did!) This guy is eleven bazillion times cuter though!

a lament for Crystal Beach

2008-09-14T13:01:00.006-05:00

For the past few years, around this time, B and I and a small group of friends would head to the coast for a long weekend. It was one last chance to enjoy the long lazy days of summer before the crazy too-short days of fall and the holiday season began. To get out of town for a change of scenery, to wade in the ocean and listen to the crash of the waves and the constant lull of the singing surf. To watch the kids' fascination with catching fish, with riding the big waves, with building sand castles and collecting seashells; timeless activities that have made memories for generations of children before and will continue to do so. A chance for us "grown-ups" to hang out with each other late into the evening, without having to worry about getting up and going to work the next day. A chance to enjoy a home-cooked breakfast together, to enjoy cocktails in the middle of the afternoon, to enjoy the latest stories and news from each other's busy lives.

The last two years we spent this long weekend in Crystal Beach TX, on the Bolivar Peninsula just outside of Galveston. We stayed in rented beach houses just yards from the ocean. We got out of our cars on the ferry ride over, to feel the wind whipping our hair and to look for dolphins, always thrilled when we spotted them. Several of our group even saw an actual live shark get (inadvertently I assume) caught by a neighboring fisherman! And on the last day, some of us stopped for lunch in Galveston, somewhere along the Seawall, for one last group meal before heading back home.

We did not take a beach trip this year. Our core group has basically disbanded. One couple has moved away, another is in the process of divorcing. It makes me sad to know we will never have those happy times together again, but, life happens and change is often good, in the long run if not in the short.

Still, the nearly complete loss of Crystal Beach and the massive destruction of Galveston due to Hurricane Ike has just made me all the more wistful about the loss of our own group. If any of you guys read this, please know that no matter how much or little we see each other in our future days, I will always remember how many fantastic times we had together. And I will always care about each and every one of you!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Obviously my feelings of loss are miniscule to the thousands of people along the coast who lost everything. From the reports I've heard so far, loss of life was thankfully minimal, but the destruction to the area is massive. Even downtown Houston took some big hits. Please keep all of the people affected and devastated by this storm in your thoughts and your hearts, and remember them with your wallets too if you can. There are several charities with Ike relief funds, and don't forget the animal victims too!!

Finally, here are a couple of striking photos. The first is a before and after shot of a section of Crystal Beach. Of course living on the beach will always carry the risk of total destruction. But it is still a hard hit to take when it does happen.

And here is a pic of the highway leading into Galveston. Dang!!

a few postcards from around town

2008-09-11T08:12:00.005-05:00

snakes and snails

2008-09-08T21:38:00.011-05:00

On Sept. 9th, back in 1981, just 2 years after my title of Only Child was unceremoniously revoked, and the new position of Big Sister was thrust upon me even though I did not campaign for it, my official duties doubled when Little Brother became a member of the cabinet.

As with Little Sister, I wasn't as close to him as I might have been had our age difference been smaller. They were certainly close to each other... and I spent a lot of time in my room trying to get away from them.

Alas, Little Brother continued with the regime that Little Sister had started, but dangit if he, just like she, wasn't awfully freaking cute. Allow me to present Exhibit A:

(Our family has never been big on dining room furniture. Gotta problem with that?)

Once he got older, I realized that he and I had many more things in common than just bugging each other. And it's still that way... our musical tastes, for instance, while not identical by any means, are often aligned. And we certainly both love an irreverent movie. And I think we're both still wondering what in the world we want to be when we grow up. (Though I'm sure he'd be down with rock star or ultimate fighting champion, and I would be okay with professional Parisian or um, professional ice cream taster. But you know, I'm just talkin' bout these damn day jobs that keep interfering with our DREAMS maaaann!!)

I think it's so cool that he writes and plays music and has been in a bona fide band. And it's really sweet to see how good he is with our Niblings (niece and nephew types). And my word, he did grow up to be a handsome young feller! Allow me to present Exhibit B:

(Image used without permission. No endorsement of Corona Extra implied. But it is good, though, you should have some.)

Have a great birthday R! Love you!

make you a deal,

2008-09-04T16:21:00.003-05:00

Sarah Palin: I'll stay out of your family's reproductive bizness if you'll stay out of MINE.

No? That's what I thought.

Ironic how conservatives are praising the daughter for her "choice" to keep the baby. So wait a minute - does that mean they're admitting that women ARE capable of making a choice regarding their offspring??? Oh right, just not THAT choice...

(I wonder how much of a choice this poor girl had about her impending marriage.)

Palin is for "abstinence until marriage" sex education - her own kid is a walking poster child for WHAT DOESN'T WORK. Yet, she is praised for it. Can someone explain this to me?

I have always thought that pro-life advocates, logically, should be the biggest proponents of birth control in the world, yet they are just the opposite. And I wonder how many of them are out there fostering and adopting all the unwanted children in this country? And why is it wrong to use embryonic cells - that are being thrown away ANYWAY - for research that could SAVE the lives of innocent children who have already been born and are facing terrible diseases and hardships? Why are those children not worth saving, but a bundle of cells that's otherwise going in the garbage is? Because of Jesus? Huh??? I fail to see the connection. And why should Jesus have anything to do with it anyway? Remember that little thing called the separation of church and state? Oh I know, I know, nation founded by Christians blah blah blah. So what?? What is important is that this nation was founded as a place where people have the freedom to practice any religion they choose, or no religion at all. So I still don't see what Jesus has to do with policy.

And don't even get me started on her wanting Creationism taught in school. Yes, of course evolution is just a "theory". It's a scientifically legitimate theory. Who knows what new scientific theories we will come up with in the centuries to come? Science is always evolving. (And for the record, I don't think the concept of God and the theory of evolution are necessarily mutually exclusive.) But to teach Creationism in SCIENCE class is comparable to teaching Greek mythology there as well. And hey, she's from Alaska, is she cool with throwing some Inuit creation stories in too? No? You can believe whatever you want, but that doesn't make it science. OK, I got myself started. Just one more point here. Palin is quoted in an interview with the Anchorage Daily News a couple years ago regarding her stance on teaching Creationism in schools.

“Teach both. You know, don't be afraid of information. Healthy debate is so important and it's so valuable in our schools. I am a proponent of teaching both. And you know, I say this too as the daughter of a science teacher. Growing up with being so privileged and blessed to be given a lot of information on, on both sides of the subject -- creationism and evolution. It's been a healthy foundation for me. But don't be afraid of information and let kids debate both sides.” [bolding is mine]

Irony of all ironies considering her ideas about sex ed? Am I right?

I watched most of her speech last night. I could almost hear all the Republican mommies in the country heaving a post-orgasmic sigh afterwards. I think she will be a popular pick for McCain within his own party, esp. with the far right religious members, but I'm not sure how many moderates and undecideds she'll bring in. I can't imagine many Hillary supporters jumping ship to vote for her, considering her stance on many issues is completely opposite to Hillary's. Not sure what McCain was hoping to accomplish here. We shall see, though. Maybe it will turn out to be a brilliant move on his part, and we'll get 4 more years of neo-con fundamentalist pandering. *blood runs cold*

fail

2008-09-03T13:49:00.005-05:00

If you ever want to feel intellectually superior to someone (me, specifically), just keep in mind the following phone exchange:

Me, answering phone: "(Company Name)"

Caller: "Hi, may I speak to Lisa?"

Me: "This is she."

Me: "Wait..."

Me: "I mean --

Me: "Hold please, I'll get her."

Yep.

birthday girl

2008-09-01T09:45:00.006-05:00

Today my little sister turns 29 years old.

We're almost 8 years apart, and growing up, we weren't really close.

She bugged me for many years.

Many many years.

She was always in my room, getting all up in my bizness. See?

(Check out the paint job on that dresser. And all my cheap crap. I used to love cheap crap.)

But as it happened, time passed and slowly we started to get along. And eventually, we even became friends.

We certainly have our differences - she's weird about cheese, she keeps having babies, and I think she's a republican.

But underneath all that, we're not so very different. We even have some of the same strange OCD tendencies, developed independently of one another.

Nowadays, I actually like talking to her and hanging out with her! I don't think either of us could have imagined that happening 25 years ago.

Look, here she is now, all grown up and lovely as can be! (I totally ripped this pic off her myspace; I hope she doesn't mind, heh heh.)

And here's a picture I made just for her. (She'll know why.)

Have a wonderful birthday, K! Love you!

lemon cream scones

2008-08-28T08:13:00.004-05:00

These turned out really well, and they're not difficult at all. I followed the recipe pretty much exactly, except I cut each circle into 8 mini-scone wedges instead of 4. Cut them before you bake them, BUT don't separate them. You're kind of scoring them basically. Mine took 15-16 minutes in a pre-heated oven.

They have a delightfully crispy crust and are soft and light inside. Serve them with butter and jam. We had some huckleberry jam that B brought back from Montana, yum! (And if you have access to a fresh steaming mug of cappuccino, it will only enhance the experience!)

Old-Fashioned Lemon Cream Scones
From The Best Quick Breads by Beth Hensperger

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar (optional), for sprinkling
** this is optional but I would not skip it!

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. (I prefer parchment paper, love that stuff!) In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Cut in the butter with a fork or a heavy-duty electric mixer (I used a pastry blender) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl or 1-cup measure, whisk together the eggs and cream. Add to the dry mixture and stir until a sticky dough is formed.

Turn out the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently just until the dough holds together, about 6 times. (I just did it within the mixing bowl.) Divide into 2 equal portions and pat each into a 1-inch-thick round about 6 inches in diameter. With a knife or straightedge, cut each round into quarters, creating 4 wedges. The scones can also be formed by cutting the dough using a 3-inch biscuit cutter to make 10 to 12 smaller scones.

Place the scones about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon sugar, if desired. Bake in the center of the oven until crusty and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately with butter and homemade jam, or cool on a rack and freeze in heavy-duty freezer bags for up to a month.

(These don't keep very well, so definitely follow the freezing advice if you don't eat them right away. I like the double-wrap method, basically I wrap them well in foil then put them into a freezer bag and seal tightly. If I use a freezer bag alone, things tend to taste plastic-y and not keep as well.)

Yield: Makes 8 scones
__________________

a peek into...

2008-08-26T15:14:00.005-05:00

my OCD, ADD mind, before work yesterday morning. (Yes, this really happened, and yes, I'm really insane enough to remember it all and to write it all down. I had to wait a day to post it because it was making me nauseous to look at it.)

(drying hair) i need to remember to take that meat out of the freezer, did B empty the lint catcher in the dryer?, i need to repaint my toenails, god that baseboard is dirty, don't forget to grab that CD, shinyhead, hahaaa, speaking of sineads what ever happened to sinead lohan, dammit these gray hairs just don't stay colored very long, what should i rate that movie, 3 or 3.5, i think 3.5, what jobs do i have coming in today, i have to get at least those 2 out, who am i gonna get to cover that damn job, it's more of a 3 really but i did like the performances so yeah i'll do 3.5, ack i'm already late, i wish i could just go back to bed, (outside to refill puff's water), why is he lying in THAT spot, he never lies right there, i hope nothing is wrong, (petting kitty) "bye sweetie, dang you are shedding like crazy, i'll see you tonight i have to go, oh you are *so* adorable, really, i have to go, i'm already running late", (to squirrel) "oh shut up this is MY yard i have a right to be here you know", oh yeah i need to water that plant, "ok bye baby, for real", ewww dead cricket, at least it's not a roach, (back inside) god i need to sweep this floor, oops toaster is still plugged in, i have GOT to start walking again, ok - no candy today at work, i'll just eat what i bring nothing extra, hahaha yeah right, oh yeah the meat, oops i almost forgot the CD, (pulling out of garage) dammit there's a piece of trash in the yard well i'm just gonna leave it, i'm already late, i could never be a maid, touching other people's trash grosses me out, hahaha a maid, i can't even keep my house clean never mind touching the trash, duh, (on the road) that meat isn't gonna be thawed out by tonight, crap! i forgot to check the dryer lint! did i close the garage door?, ok, come on in, i'm letting you in, come on, i know you are getting on so just do it, ok, forget it then, you lost your window, DAMMIT! motherfucker I KNEW IT fucking pay attention you fuckhead, this really is a great song, crap is that my phone? oh it's just a sound in the song, dude i think you can take your kerry/edwards sticker off your car now, man i'm tired, wait i think i only slept about 4 and a half hours last night no wonder, i have GOT to go to bed early tonight, oh god, what if obama doesn't win??, move grackle what are you doing?, wisconsin have i ever seen a wisconsin plate here, ugh i kind of have a headache, i closed the garage door right? i think i did.........................

But everyone does this, right? Or is it just me??? Do I need medication? Or just meditation? Maybe a vacation?

raisins, violating innocent baked goods since 1923*

2008-08-23T12:05:00.012-05:00

Ah, grapes... so luscious and satisfying, with their pleasing bite and addictive splooshiness.

And are any other fruits even capable of such a glorious transformation as this?

But friends, the raisins have got to go. For one thing, they are just dried up, shrivelled, dead grapes. But, they have another, more serious knock against them.

Behold the following scenario:

B: "Hark, m'lady, someone has dropped a raisin on our spotless** faux-wooden floor!"

S: "What ho, husband! How can that be? Let us seek a closer view."

B: "I do believe, fair wife, that something is amiss with this fallen raisin."

S: "Alas, husband, this is no raisin! Quickly, remove the foul object from our pristine** laminate planks!"

So do you see my point, people??

WHO THE HELL WANTS DEAD SPIDERS IN THEIR OATMEAL COOKIES???

* I just made that date up.

** Yeesh, I swear it looked clean from 64 inches up.

holy hogwarts!

2008-08-22T18:37:00.005-05:00

oh my lord

what the...... ??

when did...... ??

good gravy!!!

of course i've watched them grow up like everyone else, but i just came across this old pic today, so i couldn't resist a side by side comparison. have a great weekend, you one or two people who read this blog!! :o)

something amazing

2008-08-21T10:16:00.013-05:00

Something amazing happened the other day! When I got home from work, there were all these WET spots in the yard and on the deck and in the driveway... like actual PUDDLES and stuff. What was this mysterious reflective liquid?

I could see the trees and sky by looking DOWN at my deck! This is quite a phenomenon in the middle of August, in the middle of Texas.

The cannas were looking simultaneously fiery and dewy.

And their leaves sported an exquisite sprinkling of diamonds.

It may not have been enough to make a dent in the drought, but this little rain shower did wonders to quench a thirsty spirit.

Post the second - where anything goes!

2008-08-15T15:36:00.003-05:00

OK, so I posted this immediately after my first post, and I could have made it my first post, but for Very Important Reasons outlined in the previous - and first - post (see below), I did not. (There are far too many "posts" in this paragraph. Yick.)

When it comes to chips, I'm a flavor lover. "Plain" is lame. Nacho cheese doritos were an addiction for me as a kid, even the best tortilla chips aren't worth eating without salsa, and I will always pick cheddar sun chips over regular. So why are these old-school plain jane non-flavored ruffles that L left in the kitchen the best freaking thing I have eaten in DAYS???? Well, I'll tell you. Because I figured it out. It's because of the hormones. You just cannot appreciate the overwhelming and tremendous satisfaction that simple salty crispy fat-fried pieces of the lowly potato can provide until you have had the PMS. Sorry, guys. (Well OK there is another way but that is not the subject of this blog.)

* sigh *

Good stuff. I'm completely satisfied.

except...

well...

does anyone have any chocolate????

ummm...

2008-08-15T15:28:00.002-05:00

I couldn't figure out what to write about for my first post. THE first post of my first ever blog.

* pressure *

I have plenty of stuff I want to write about but nothing seemed to be the perfect fit for the big cherry-pop. (Is that too gross?) So I decided, screw it, I just won't write about anything.

Done and done.