I told myself to reserve judgement of my new town for 6 months while I got used to it.
Today, on the heels of my 6-month deadline, the daytime weather is 7 degrees with the windchill factor measuring -10 degrees.
Maybe I need another 6 months.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Groovy, Baby!
I had an appointment with a podiatrist this morning. Nothing major. Didn't think I needed to bring my camera. Who would want to see the embarrassing, little issue I have with my feet?
Well, I'm dying at the idea that I cannot just SHOW you the office. I'm about to make a new appointment and pay another $25 copay just so I can take a photo! Wood paneling with a lovely blue wash. Saloon chairs in the waiting room. A monstrosity of a Christmas cactus sitting on a table. A raspy-voiced receptionist. And, of course, a dream catcher on the wall. 70's culture right down to the smell of cigarette smoke. I felt I had stepped into a chain-smoking, old lady's parlor.
I feel mean. The doctor was very nice. He didn't seem to need to kick a habit at all.
Well, I'm dying at the idea that I cannot just SHOW you the office. I'm about to make a new appointment and pay another $25 copay just so I can take a photo! Wood paneling with a lovely blue wash. Saloon chairs in the waiting room. A monstrosity of a Christmas cactus sitting on a table. A raspy-voiced receptionist. And, of course, a dream catcher on the wall. 70's culture right down to the smell of cigarette smoke. I felt I had stepped into a chain-smoking, old lady's parlor.
I feel mean. The doctor was very nice. He didn't seem to need to kick a habit at all.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Happy Birthday (Observed)
We celebrated Randal's birthday yesterday. We spent the day flying and driving in an ice storm on his actual birthday. I'm not going to lie, the party wasn't that much better having waited several days to celebrate. Early church, teaching deacons and no gifts (upon his request) had something to do with the lack luster of the celebration. With a birth date so close to Christmas, he's learned not to expect too much.
I did succeed in making a great meal. With our kitchen in the early stages of remodel, dinner really is a special gift around here. Randal had even finished running new lights over our dining table the night before making it a real treat to eat in something other than darkness.
Zuppa Toscana
I did succeed in making a great meal. With our kitchen in the early stages of remodel, dinner really is a special gift around here. Randal had even finished running new lights over our dining table the night before making it a real treat to eat in something other than darkness.
Randal really likes Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. Ever had it? It's delicious. I've been hanging onto a pirated recipe I found on the internet. His birthday seemed a good time to crack it out. And I must say, it's an extremely good likeness! We loved it.
Zuppa Toscana
1 lb. Italian sausage
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 onion, diced
4 Tbs. bacon pieces
2 tsp. minced garlic
10 cups water
5 cubes chicken bouillon
3 lg. Russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch kale
Saute sausage and crushed red pepper; remove and refiegerate until needed. In the same pan, saute bacon, onion and garlic until onion is tender. Add water and bouillon; bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until soft (approximately 30 minutes). Reduce heat. Add cream and sausage; cook until heated through. Chop kale into bite-size pieces; add to soup just before serving. (Disclaimer: The picture is not mine. But it could have been! Last night it really did look that good!)
In keeping with the Olive Gardenesque theme I made pasta with pumpkin alfredo for the main dish. If my dad were here, he would've said it was a dangerous meal. "If you put a piece on your forehead, your tongue would lick out your brains trying to get to it," he would say. Do you see why I was embarrassed a lot as a kid? Here's the recipe in case you're interested in licking out your brains.
Randal, Happy Birthday. I love you. I consider you the greatest gift I've ever been given. You are patient and kind. I'm trying to to deserve you. Someday I hope to get there. (Next year, I promise not to spend your birthday gift money on plane tickets home and get you something other than a cheesy sentiment written on this blog.)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 onion, diced
4 Tbs. bacon pieces
2 tsp. minced garlic
10 cups water
5 cubes chicken bouillon
3 lg. Russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch kale
Saute sausage and crushed red pepper; remove and refiegerate until needed. In the same pan, saute bacon, onion and garlic until onion is tender. Add water and bouillon; bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until soft (approximately 30 minutes). Reduce heat. Add cream and sausage; cook until heated through. Chop kale into bite-size pieces; add to soup just before serving. (Disclaimer: The picture is not mine. But it could have been! Last night it really did look that good!)
In keeping with the Olive Gardenesque theme I made pasta with pumpkin alfredo for the main dish. If my dad were here, he would've said it was a dangerous meal. "If you put a piece on your forehead, your tongue would lick out your brains trying to get to it," he would say. Do you see why I was embarrassed a lot as a kid? Here's the recipe in case you're interested in licking out your brains.
Randal, Happy Birthday. I love you. I consider you the greatest gift I've ever been given. You are patient and kind. I'm trying to to deserve you. Someday I hope to get there. (Next year, I promise not to spend your birthday gift money on plane tickets home and get you something other than a cheesy sentiment written on this blog.)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Holiday Highlights and Lowlights
This one's going to be a doozey. There's a prize for anyone who finishes reading to the end. (Rest assured, there will be a quiz.) By the way, I'm sick of using initials so my New Year's resolution is to stop. For once I think I'll be able to stick to my goal.
2. The kids using a toy tape recorder as a camera because they have no idea a tape recorder's true purpose.
3. Adelaide opening presents while sucking on a candy cane like a sugary cigar.
4. Ticket To Ride. Loads of fun even though I lost every game.
5. Visiting my grandma only to find out she reads my blog. Hi, Grandma!
6. Adelaide obsessing over one ornament on the tree--a figurine of the classic Pooh. She unabashedly said to anybody who would listen, "Winne the Pooh is naaaaaaaked!"
7. Grandpa N. playing countless games of hide-and-seek only to have Adelaide give up their spot every time. While hiding, he tried to whisper the rules of the game to her; yet she squealed, "here we are!" every time the counter reached 20.
8. A night's stay with Randal's brother and his family at their cabin in Island Park. Three feet of snow had fallen a few days prior. Most of it was untouched and gorgeous. We had a great time.
9. Ethan commandeered a notebook from Grandma where he made a to-do list. He carefully crossed off each task completed: make bed, help Mom and Dad, help Grandma and Grandpa, do the dishes, help Adelaide, do something good. He was in the most gentlemanly mood I'd ever seen as he asked Grandma if he could help her with breakfast. Charmed the socks off her.
10. Twilight. Didn't love the movie, but I loved seeing friends again. In case you're wondering why I didn't love the movie look here. "No!...No!...how...I don't know...how..." Stellar performance. Actually we spent time with a number of friends. Bowling. Girls' Night Christmas party. Lunch. Games. And a night spent as squatters at Krista and Dave's house while they were snowed in at the airport. Thanks!
11. Watching cheesy Hallmark channel Christmas movies with my mom and sister. Seriously, their DVR was 98% full of them. We caught a lot of flack. Why wouldn't we with titles like "A Kiss at Midnight" and "A Boyfriend For Christmas". Now that I think about it, Twilight was the most Oscar-worthy show I saw over the holidays.
12. Ethan's gingerbread house. It turned out great. (Well, after my 19-year-old brother taught us how to make graham cracker trusses so the roof wouldn't cave in. Geez, get a job!)
2. A short while later, catching more vomit in my bra as I tried to run Adelaide to the bathroom. I sacrificed myself to save my parents' new carpet. Two days later, I caught the stomach flu too.
3. Randal ate one more time at Cafe Rio than I did.
4. My one goal was to learn to knit. Snow prevented my sister from coming back home to teach me. Next time.
5. And the lowest point of our trip..."A Boyfriend For Christmas"--most definitely the lowest.
Your prize is now the wonderful opportunity to comment on my mammoth post. Gotcha!
12 of my favorite vacation moments:
(By no means an all-inclusive list.)
1. We missed all the family parties so my brothers and sister recreated the "children's" nativity scene with Ethan and Adelaide. Kevin came in toting a gargantuan, Sam's Club olive oil as a gift for baby Jesus. (Notice their staffs are pool cues. Is that sacreligious?)(By no means an all-inclusive list.)
2. The kids using a toy tape recorder as a camera because they have no idea a tape recorder's true purpose.
3. Adelaide opening presents while sucking on a candy cane like a sugary cigar.4. Ticket To Ride. Loads of fun even though I lost every game.
5. Visiting my grandma only to find out she reads my blog. Hi, Grandma!
6. Adelaide obsessing over one ornament on the tree--a figurine of the classic Pooh. She unabashedly said to anybody who would listen, "Winne the Pooh is naaaaaaaked!"
7. Grandpa N. playing countless games of hide-and-seek only to have Adelaide give up their spot every time. While hiding, he tried to whisper the rules of the game to her; yet she squealed, "here we are!" every time the counter reached 20.
8. A night's stay with Randal's brother and his family at their cabin in Island Park. Three feet of snow had fallen a few days prior. Most of it was untouched and gorgeous. We had a great time.9. Ethan commandeered a notebook from Grandma where he made a to-do list. He carefully crossed off each task completed: make bed, help Mom and Dad, help Grandma and Grandpa, do the dishes, help Adelaide, do something good. He was in the most gentlemanly mood I'd ever seen as he asked Grandma if he could help her with breakfast. Charmed the socks off her.
10. Twilight. Didn't love the movie, but I loved seeing friends again. In case you're wondering why I didn't love the movie look here. "No!...No!...how...I don't know...how..." Stellar performance. Actually we spent time with a number of friends. Bowling. Girls' Night Christmas party. Lunch. Games. And a night spent as squatters at Krista and Dave's house while they were snowed in at the airport. Thanks!11. Watching cheesy Hallmark channel Christmas movies with my mom and sister. Seriously, their DVR was 98% full of them. We caught a lot of flack. Why wouldn't we with titles like "A Kiss at Midnight" and "A Boyfriend For Christmas". Now that I think about it, Twilight was the most Oscar-worthy show I saw over the holidays.
12. Ethan's gingerbread house. It turned out great. (Well, after my 19-year-old brother taught us how to make graham cracker trusses so the roof wouldn't cave in. Geez, get a job!)As for the lows:
1. Catching Adelaide's vomit in my hand only to have it run down and pool in the sleeve of my sweater. (My sister's sweater--so really the joke was on her too.)2. A short while later, catching more vomit in my bra as I tried to run Adelaide to the bathroom. I sacrificed myself to save my parents' new carpet. Two days later, I caught the stomach flu too.
3. Randal ate one more time at Cafe Rio than I did.
4. My one goal was to learn to knit. Snow prevented my sister from coming back home to teach me. Next time.
5. And the lowest point of our trip..."A Boyfriend For Christmas"--most definitely the lowest.
Your prize is now the wonderful opportunity to comment on my mammoth post. Gotcha!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Where's a Beet Farm B&B When You Need One?
After giving it a few hours I'm sufficiently over my computer blunder and am ready to write a real post.
As I said earlier, we were in Utah and Idaho for the holidays. It was so good to be with our family and friends again. Before we knew it we were packing to come back home.
I was not too hopeful for a terrific flight home. In Utah we had snow. Our flight was early. The kids were Christmased out and tired. We had a layover in Las Vegas. And once arriving at the JFK airport, after a 2-hour time change, we would be getting in the car and driving 4 hours home.
Really the flight went great. Our largest bag ended up weighing exactly 50 pounds. The time seemed to pass quickly. The kids did well. I was surprised.
We arrived in NYC to rain. Not bad. However, after just 2 hours on the road, the rain had turned into the kind of freezing rain for which the east coast is famous. We stopped over and over to knock ice off the wipers and windshield. R. was stressed. A.M. was bawling. This is when we decided to pull off and stay the night at a hotel. Good decision. The next morning the news was reporting over-night accidents on the highway we had been traveling.
Nothing rather remarkable to say about the stay except for the exciting fact that we were just outside of Scranton, PA. So we gave a shout out to Jim, Pam, Dwight and Andy at Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. and went to bed.
We woke up to ice sheets covering everything. I've never seen anything like it. R. had to chip away at the ice to open the trunk and car doors.
Everything looked like this, covered in up to an inch of ice. Beautiful.
We finally made it home. Yeah! Two days later, our driveway and most parking lots are still like sheets of ice. As we got out of the car today, A.M. said, "Be careful-ly, Mom! It's very, very slipper-ly." That girl loves her adverbs.
As I said earlier, we were in Utah and Idaho for the holidays. It was so good to be with our family and friends again. Before we knew it we were packing to come back home.
I was not too hopeful for a terrific flight home. In Utah we had snow. Our flight was early. The kids were Christmased out and tired. We had a layover in Las Vegas. And once arriving at the JFK airport, after a 2-hour time change, we would be getting in the car and driving 4 hours home.
Really the flight went great. Our largest bag ended up weighing exactly 50 pounds. The time seemed to pass quickly. The kids did well. I was surprised.
We arrived in NYC to rain. Not bad. However, after just 2 hours on the road, the rain had turned into the kind of freezing rain for which the east coast is famous. We stopped over and over to knock ice off the wipers and windshield. R. was stressed. A.M. was bawling. This is when we decided to pull off and stay the night at a hotel. Good decision. The next morning the news was reporting over-night accidents on the highway we had been traveling.
Nothing rather remarkable to say about the stay except for the exciting fact that we were just outside of Scranton, PA. So we gave a shout out to Jim, Pam, Dwight and Andy at Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. and went to bed.
We woke up to ice sheets covering everything. I've never seen anything like it. R. had to chip away at the ice to open the trunk and car doors.
Everything looked like this, covered in up to an inch of ice. Beautiful.We finally made it home. Yeah! Two days later, our driveway and most parking lots are still like sheets of ice. As we got out of the car today, A.M. said, "Be careful-ly, Mom! It's very, very slipper-ly." That girl loves her adverbs.
My Computer is Punishing Me
I should have listened to my friend's advice and saved my blog lists before I went around trying to change the background. I lost them. So if your name does not appear, please let me know. I have not cut any of you out of my life, I'm just an idiot.
As for the background--I'm sticking with black and white until I can stop saying swear words under my breath.
As for the background--I'm sticking with black and white until I can stop saying swear words under my breath.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
We're Home!!!
Most of you may know that we've spent the last 3 weeks in Utah and Idaho. We had a great time. However, all the while I felt the distressing feeling I had left a child behind. You know the scene in Home Alone where Macaulay Culkin's mom, having left her son home for the holidays, bursts through the door only to see him alive and well. That's how I felt...about my computer. Blog, oh how I missed you! I'm glad you were safe and I'm home now to take care of you!I have lots to say about our big visit, but for now I'm going to unpack a few suitcases and try to ignore the deep sadness I'm feeling after leaving Utah--again.
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