Monday, March 29, 2004

VERY VERY VERY bad things happen when one dog jumps the baby gates into the office and goes to town on 5 lbs of nutritional yeast and bee pollen. In all, he probably only ate a small portion of it...but made a gigantic mess in the process...and spent all night bloated and vomitting from it.

Just FYI.

Friday, March 26, 2004

What are you doing inside? It's spring time! Now go outside and get your quality hammock time in....

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

LET US PLAY

The soundtrack for today.

Monday, March 22, 2004

Today, whilst in the midst of the most hideous of all boring old people type errands...that is, namely, replacing a tire that was unceremoniously made flat by a piece of road shrapnel (inthesidewallthatwillbetwohundredbucksthankyouverymuch), I cracked the mofo out of my ankle bone. The outside bit. No I don't know the technical name. The pain was so searing that I still can not think clearly. I'm amazed I can coordinate my fingers somewhat to type this little tale.

I swear to you, I have suffered permanent nerve damage. It is going on nearly six hours now and my toes are still tingling, the searing pain is still throbbing not only in my ankle bone...but behind my knee. What the hell is that about?

Notes from the weekend:

1. D + clogs = super cuteness
2. Don't look now, but I feel a house painting frenzy coming on!
3. Taro milk tea is purpularly perfect.
4. There are just no figuring some people. Try as you might, you may never make the cut for them. And, they never will have the compassion to honestly hash it out with you. These kind of people? These kind of people, you just can't let them have an impact on your life. When it comes down to it, they act out of their own personal motivation and it has NOTHING to do with you. You will NEVER understand why they have been cruel to you, because it isn't anything you've done. It's all their own drama in which you are only a character role which they use as justification for their own weird machinations.
5. Why did it take me so long to buy a food dehydrator? I'm currently enjoying the fruits (ha! punny!) of my labour, namely: dried strawberries and bananas. Heaven!
6. There is no finer friday evening dinner than a fresh batch of just fried corn chips, fresh pico de gallo, perfectly ripe avocados and a few beers...al fresco....in your own backyard....in your hammock...with your husband.
7. Lost in Translation. Absolutely loved it.

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Me First & the Gimme Gimmes - I believe I can fly

Because I do so love Me First and The Gimme Gimmes......

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Our new neighbour is now officially my new best friend. I only know very little about him. There is a wife, and a 14 year old son. He seems quite friendly, smiley, and nice. He has plans for a fountain in the front yard. Blah. Blah. Blah.

All of that is all well and good, but....

I know the only thing I need to know about him for him to qualify as my new BFF.

Not only does he like to cook, but he likes to cook tamales. And has been told they are very good. He likes to cook tamales and share them out.

See? My new BFF.

Mmmmmmm.....tamales................

Friday, March 12, 2004

Ruby is a terrier all about the simple joys in life. Her current joys include:

1. Squirrel Patrol (duh! It's her purpose in life.)
2. Scrubbing her beard on the hallway wall. Especially after her tea. Especially if she's gotten nutritional yeast on her beard.
3. Giving all other dogs that approach her perch on the couch the patented ruby jihad crazy eyes, coupled with the quick snapping lunge. Don't mess with the Rube when she says it's time for everyone to stop moving.
4. "Special Walks." I had to quit taking her to agility training due to inclement weather, and due to the fact that the facilities don't have secure fencing and are next to a paddock with cattle. Ruby thinks the cows may be big squirrels that she needs to kill, and swiftly. Last time we went to training she went for a wee wander through the muddy paddock next door and scared the holy bejesus out of me. I couldn't get over the barbed-wire fence and she wouldn't come back. So, I take her for "special walks" now. This involves a short trip in the car (which signifies "going somewhere) to a nearby park and walking with her alone for about a half hour. She thinks she's hot stuff.
5. Side-kick duty for late night sonic runs. Due to some near nervous breakdown type life issues, there have been times in the past few weeks when only a cherry limeade from sonic was going to save me from a horrible and self-imposed death. On such life-saving errands, ruby rides shot gun and ensures that no squirrel monsters apprehend me at the drive in.
6. Deep sighs and snortles when cuddling in for the night. Coolish nights here in texas = opportunities for heavy duty night time leg warming duties.
7. Stinky dirt eating. Our soil here is very clay-ey. This time of year it is perpetually damp, and now that it has warmed up a bit...quite fetid. Apparently this is the pate of the dog world. We bust all of them daily for digging in their special stinky dirt spot and eating dirt. I'm going to have to go out there and barricade it with strategic garden stones or something.

Thursday, March 11, 2004

I'm ridiculously happy today, why you ask? As if you have to ask! Why, I'm happy because I just bought D his birthday gifts. Now you know me, you know we aren't into the whole gifting and extravaganza...but it is his thirtieth..and I had to!

He asked for a cheesemaking kit. I'm not joking. I just added the chef's aprons...and the big honking plastic clogs a la Mario Batali. I'm genius like that. Shoes that you can wash in the dishwasher! I told him he'd get bonus points if he wore the clogs and apron (nothing else) whilst making cheese. We're negotiating the cost of that.

PS. If ever you wondered whether or not you should start your own business, you should....if only for the tax benefits alone. Hello tax return!

Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Oh Shitake!

I've always loved mushrooms. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mushrooms! We go through at least a couple pounds a week at our house, not to mention the odd cans of mushrooms in escabeche that I eat with particular frenzy. I even visited the "mushroom capital of the world" last week.

So imagine my delight at purchasing a 1 lb bag of dried pre-sliced shitakes for my degustation. Alas! Alack! This delight turned to horror. It appears that I have no love for the shitake, despite several previous enjoyable encounters.

The other night I added a healthy portion of rehydrated shitakes to my smofu (smoked tofu) sweet and sour stir fry. It tasted a bit odd that night...but nevertheless was satisfying. Unfortunately the effect was disasterous on the leftovers. Imagine my horror at discovering the leftovers I was looking forward to for lunch were totally unpalatable.

The taste of shitake funk was so heavy and overpowering I went into a shuddering and involuntary revulsion that my body usually reserves only for things like spoiled milk, liver, and highly groomed and incredibly self-important suburban mumsies.

Oh god. This means I will now have to be ever vigilante against vigilante shitakes....just one more danger in a world fraught with them.

Monday, March 08, 2004

Chester County in Pennsylvania is very very rural. Who knew? Also, they make great mushrooms on toast!

Tuesday, March 02, 2004

Ok, so really, what can you tell me about living in Pennsylvania?