Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Kris, a steadfast friend of mine for years - thanks bud!, sent me this today. Perhaps you will also enjoy:

Hope begins in the dark,
the stubborn hope that if you just show up
and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.
You wait and watch and work: you don't give up.
-Anne Lamott

Monday, December 29, 2008

Just when you think your mess of a life is starting to get tidy with some comfort zones, the box falls apart. As I grow older I ask myself more often than not what purpose I have here on earth. Every day I ask for guidance and openness to what I am supposed to be doing for it seems I give everything of myself and continue to fumble.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Long day, but capped well.  Bond, James Bond.  The persona is to kill for and Mr. Craig has been working on his physique...

Speaking of physiques, it was a gastronomic medley today.  Brunch consisting of a few smoked oysters and Sam Light to be followed by Turkish apricots and peanut butter.  I was raised in an environment that encouraged shall I say an expanded palate.  I grew up hearing just one bite and if you don't like it then your taste buds just haven't grown up yet.  Meals were always colorful and a variety of texture.  I'll never forget the melon, sardine, prosciutto meal.  Or, those crank the heat, bring out the summer clothes, Hawaiian Luaus in the dead of winter.  So back to today, late this afternoon homemade hash browns did their thing while I shoveled.  The best way to get crunchy hash browns is to rinse off some of their starchiness.  A salad spinner was borne for this job.  Spread them out in an olive oiled large skillet, start medium high heat and then back it off, and resist the urge to touch them until they're translucent.

One of the local markets closed for the winter yesterday.  Excellent prices on produce!  This week will include guacamole - the avocados are perfect for it!  Baked brie with saute pears, pine nuts and a hint of pepper jelly enveloped in filo.  And finally, grilled vegetables since that wasn't a snow sculpture but the grill that I found on the back deck.

Winter can be so long without spice - so do something about that!


Saturday, December 27, 2008

People that have no concept of time puzzle me.  Like a moth to flame, I tried to go without a watch for a few days - you know for the experience.  That did not work so I attempted using my cellphone for its clock.  Of course that was doomed from the start since I continuously struggle to remember where my cellphone is.

My first watch was given to me by my great-grandfather and then subsequently lost in O'Hare.  I was five.  I had taken it off to wash my hands.  

Ever notice how fine women's watches do not light, but you can usually find a few men's that do?  Why is it that only men need to see what time it is in the dark?

I am wearing a new time piece today.  It is water resistant to 100 meters and it has diamonds.  Opposites attract.

Friday, December 26, 2008

My neighbors are really good people...

Last year when I was crutching, Bob came over and kept the decks shoveled.  Never once did I ask.  He just arrived one day and kept coming back until I was able to get around better.  Wow!

Tonight Rob saw I hadn't snowblowed.  My driveways are like navigating a mine field.  My thanks to him and Rick, The Unstucker.  My tow strap hasn't seen action since I downsized to the Subie.  Now that it's unearthed, that gives force to my need to upsize.  I'm thinking the strap would match nicely with a FJ Cruiser.  Really now, isn't having it in the Subaru akin to wearing a brown belt with black boots?  :)

Gee with this heavy wet snow, it's going to be delicious snowblowing in the morning.  It is supposed to be in the high 30's.  Now that's close to Sea-Dooing weather!
Scruffy.  That's the name of the bunny living in my wood shed.  There's a packed down freeway between my shed and the back deck.  After seeing only a few shavings left, I have determined that he likes organic baby carrots.  Not that he has so much else to redefine his palate on this time of year.  Wearing my bomber hat lined with rabbit fur, I realize we're all in one giant circle.

It's a melon baller morning.  Yes, that is when your head just needs a release and this one has the inkling of a cold.  We'll see what Vitamin I and some African plant called Pelargonium sidoides does for it.  I should break out the new bottle of Thieves Oil.  I believe in multi-faceted approaches, aka bomb it from all ways.

Lazy snowflakes are falling.  I'll call them that because that's what my driveways are telling me I am.  I didn't move any snow yesterday and opted for snowshoeing instead.  We seem to be having a typical snow amount year.  Certainly not that I check for the validity of this.  It is just based upon the number of times I've pull started the snowblower.  I love that thing!  It's like my little blue metal contraption of independence.  We're bonded.




Thursday, December 25, 2008

Few hours of sleep and ready to go again!

Bread pudding is in its warm little oven bath.  I'm about to start the Jack Daniel's caramel sauce.  There's a bit of a following for my "flavored" concoctions.  This melody is for some that have to work in EMS today.  

I wrote an article for our newspaper last year for its EMS insert.  It was entitled, "The Silent Profession."  Ever noticed when tragedy strikes our nation, the news seems to zero on police and fire as the only emergency services?  Well, wait, during Katrina I do remember a few Coast Guard rescue swimmers, but that's a different story.  Forced into the people's lives during a time of disarray and acting as street social workers, EMS folks do the grand majority of their work without a thank you.  Many calls are not life threatening and one is left wondering why the person just didn't get a ride to the hospital or why is he/she going to the hospital anyway.  Just like life in general, it is difficult to remember not to judge.  Every person we meet provides the potential to affect a life, ours or theirs, but usually both.

Sauce time - caramel, that is...I know what you were thinking...
It's just after midnight on Christmas Day 2008.  For years people have told me to write down my thoughts, make a book, on and on.  No, this is not just the people that receive novel length emails from me making the suggestions.

I spent some quiet time alone this Eve.  Watching the flames licking logs in the fireplace.  Hopefully Santa won't head down the chimney.  I have embers.  Don't want him to get stuck like the squirrel this past year either.  Open the flue - poof! - squirrel skeleton.  I almost passed out over that one.

Added a water fountain to the living room - thank you, Kris.  I have always wanted a fireplace co-mingled with a fountain.  Classic opposites.  I love opposites.

My EMS hobby reminded me today of what is really important.

It is Grandpa's birthday.  I'm going to help him celebrate it with a gift of - no, not Old Milwaukee - UnderArmour!  Just what every 90 year old should have!

Fleas on the dog (Feliz Navidad) singing chi- gee, how do you spell those little Taco Bell dogs? -is vacaying at the Rowes for this evening.   I shared what I like about him are his balls.  Stop - he has balls hanging from his sombrero.  Now how can I spell a hat, but not a dog?

Mom knows I want to venture north to be with polar bears.  She gives me a polar once in a while.  Tonight's pre-Christmas gift included a little statue bear holding a welcome sign.  If Mom ever figures out how to read my newly formed blog, she'll read that polar bears have white fur.  White fur, Mom. 

Have you ever noticed fountains sometimes have a hotline to your bladder?  And with that, my first blog entry is complete.