Dreadful Dinner Dilemmas Dissolved

Astronerd LOVES dinner! Eating is a small portion of it, what matters to her is the ritual of gathering together at the end of the day, seeing each other and talking. Oh, and eating. Sometimes I get into my meal planning groove and life is good. I wish it happened more often. In an effort to be more consistent and after reading lots of reviews, we are trying this. So far, so good. The food has been good, the meals easy to fix and the grocery budget is low.

Cleaning up my life

So many blogs talk about organization, but what if one has too much stuff? I look around my home and think it isn't necessarily a problem organizing than owning too much stuff. It would kill me to only pare my possessions to 100, but I don't have to have 10 shelf feet of cookbooks or VHS tapes that will never be watched. So, I have decided to get rid of five things per day and am chronicling it at www.fivebegone.blogspot.com
I wonder how on earth some of it got into my home to begin with. I must remember 1. I am not the only one living here and 2. Tastes and interests change. I don't know how many times I have picked up an item and said "What was I (or other family member) thinking when this came to live at our home?"

Anyway, if you want an inside look at what is departing our home, stop over there.

Eternal Perspective

I really like this quote by Brigham Young:

"We talk about our trials and troubles here in this life; but suppose that you could see yourselves thousands and millions of years after you have proved faithful to your religion during the few short years in this time, and have obtained eternal salvation and a crown of glory in the presence of God? Then look back upon your lives here, and see the losses, crosses, and disappointments, the sorrows. . .; you would be constrained to exclaim, 'but what of all that? Those things were but for a moment, and we are now here. We have been faithful during a few moments in our mortality, and now we enjoy eternal life and glory, with power to progress in all the boundless knowledge and through the countless stages of progression, enjoying the smiles and approbation of our Father and God, and of Jesus Christ our elder brother.'"

This Explains It

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death
Thy presence is my stay;
One word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.

-Isaac Watts

Purple Power!

My kitchen floor is a white vinyl made to look like tile. While I mop it regularly, it does need a really super-duper cleaning a few times a year. After trying lots of products to cut through the dirt, gunk and floor cleaner, I found the best and easiest product was the Clean Team's Red Juice Concentrate. Full strength, straight out of the bottle and onto the floor. While I love Clean Team products, $15 a bottle for the concentrate was a very expensive way to clean a floor. So I went on the hunt for a replacement floor stipper/degreaser/cleaner.

First I went online to see if others had done what I was doing. I did learn I was going to need to look for the product in a store's automotive section. Then I started buying products to see what worked. I am happy to say I found one, but not without some trade-offs.

The winner is: Purple Power by Aiken Chemical Company. I bought a 40 oz. spray bottle of this industrial degreaser for about $4 at Pep Boys. It is even cheaper if you buy it by the gallon. I sprayed it, undiluted, on the floor, waited a few minutes and then wiped off. Then rinsed and put a finish coat on the floor. It worked really well.

Trade offs: Red Juice is non-toxic and approved for use around food. I didn't see that on the Purple Power labels. Purple Power does suggest ventilation while using and says not to use it on certain products-do read the label. There weren't strong smelling fumes, but I did ventilate because I did cough a little-but I cough with Red Juice Concentrate as well.

My Bread Adventure Begins

Last summer I told myself if I survived my re-election campaign, I wanted to learn how to make artisan bread during the winter months. My goal: a tasty sourdough made without commercial yeast. Today, my adventure began.

I got this book from the library and have started my starter. The starter contains water, flour and cheesecloth-bagged grapes, all sitting in a large jar on top of my refrigerator. From what I understand, it will bubble, burble, stink and may grow mold over the next two weeks as it becomes a living creature. Then there are the feedings: 3x a day for the last five days of its growth. Sounds like having another person in the house.

I am learning what proofing baskets and cloths are, how to hand knead and the importance of temperature. It is all very interesting.

When I am done, I should have a sturdy, sour starter. Yay!

Christmas Time!

"Christmas time! The man must be a misanthrope indeed, in whose breast something like a jovial feeling is not roused-in whose mind some pleasant associations are not awakened-by the recurrence of Christmas. There are people who will tell you that Christmas is not to them what it used to be....Never heed such dismal reminiscences. There are few men who have lived long enough in the world, who cannot call up such thoughts any day in the year. Then do not select the merriest of the three hundred and sixty-five, for your doleful recollections, but draw your chair nearer the blazing fire-fill the glass and send round the song...and thank God it's no worse....Reflect upon your present blessings-of which every man has many-not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. Fill your glass again, with a merry face and contented heart. Our life on it, but your Christmas shall be merry, and your new year a happy one!" -Charles Dickens

Jr. High Time

Astronerd started junior high! The locker worked, school lunch was "good",and no students were trampled in the fray. A good day.

A Most Excellent Loaf

I have been on a bread making binge lately. Buns, regular white bread, self-ground whole wheat bread and most recently, this no-knead bread recipe. It is SUPER easy to make. I made four changes to the recipe though: 1. I use 1.5 cups of water; 2. I don't use a towel under the bread, but piece of wax paper with a tiny bit of Pam sprayed on it and then cover the Pam with some flour (I was having trouble with dough sticking to the towel); 3. I don't bake it for an additional 15-30 minutes with the lid off, but about 10 and 4. I put the pan on a heavy cookie sheet to help moderate the bottom temperature. Also, the bread is better if you let it rise more toward 18 hours rather than 12. I cooked mine in a Le Creuset 3.5 quart risotto pan (looks like a wider, shallower dutch oven) and it worked perfectly.

I am known for many things and cooking isn't one of them. But I do think the loaf above does look yummy.

Did They Forget They Could Fly?

Thanks C for the link!

Kelly Clarkson Concert

I took B, Astronerd and Astronerd's friend to a Kelly Clarkson concert. The line to get in was I would estimate a half-mile long. I thought I would be hard pressed to recognize any of her songs when in fact, I was familiar with many of them. It started raining at the beginning of her performance and I took these pictures of the rainbows behind the stage.

Unwanted Laundry Aide

I hate folding laundry and always appreciate any help I can get in folding clothes. But when the above critter showed up in my clean laundry yesterday, I felt more comfortable folding clothes without its help. Besides, its limbs are too short to help me fold sheets.

I have no idea what type of bug this is, but it is cool looking with its rough, sandy colored flat shell. I just don't like it in my clothes basket. It did have the sense to hang around in the clean clothes rather than the dirty ones.

I took its picture to a meeting I attended, hoping someone could ID the bug. One person said it looks like what he calls a type of June bug. Another said he had no idea what it is, but he bet they don't travel alone (yikes!). So its picture is being sent to an entomologist for identification.

Sittin' Susan

See the bird in the picture? That is Susan, a nesting robin that has taken up residence in one of our trees. Astronerd first noticed Susan and thus named her. I understand a baby shower is in the works.

We have two apple trees and each is beloved to FHA. Every spring he carefully prunes the branches and faithfully sprays the trees through the summer. In the fall, we always get lots of yummy red and golden delicious apples and FHA starts cranking out the apple crisp. I am getting hungry just typing this.

Susan presents a problem. The problem is Susan is sitting in the middle of our golden delicious tree, much to FHA's dismay. If you look carefully, she has almost incorporated an apple into her nest. Eviction was out of the question, according to Astronerd. FHA agreed to let Susan stay through this clutch of babies. He is carefully spraying (far away from Susan-it is a wide tree) so we will get some worm-free apples.

Astronerd is excited to see the baby birds, but I am pretty sure she isn't any more excited than FHA. Different reasons, of course.

Watching Out For The Wolf (and this Little Red)

Today I am heading out for the Bonneville Cycling Club's Little Red Riding Hood ride. Me and 2599 other women will be pedaling through Cache Valley tomorrow. Should be lots of fun and I hope it doesn't hail on we riders like it did last year. While I am glad I always wear a helmet while riding, I was really glad to be wearing one when it hailed. Nothing like the "tat tat tat" of the hailstones on one's head.

The picture above is the Little Red Riding Hood that usually shows up for the event. I wonder if she has shaved her beard this year.

Heber Valley Ride

My friend, E, invited me to ride the bike course she will be taking when she competes in the Battle At Midway triathlon on the 13th. I have always wanted to ride around Heber Valley and E is good company, so I took her up on it. We decided to start at Soldier Hollow, site of some of the 2002 Winter Olympic events. As we drove up the hill to the lodge, E said how nice it will be "warm up" going downhill. All I could think about is how I was going to have to go back up the hill on the return trip. Remember, what goes down, must go up.

We rode for 20 miles and had a fun time. We accidentally ended up in downtown Heber-but don't blame our navigational skills, but blame the missing street sign. My favorite part was the hilliest part of the ride. Not because it was hilly, but it took us to the base of the mountains. I saw some feeding deer and lots of birds. I also like riding through the country, looking at the feeding horses, cows and sheep. Drivers were courteous, traffic was light and dogs were leashed. That makes for a very good ride.

By the way, I did suffer going back up to Soldier Hollow, but not nearly as badly as I thought I would.

Tri Tri Tri

My one and only triathlon of the season is this Saturday. I am running for re-election so all my time and competitive juices are being temporarily refocused, except for this tri. Anyway, it is a really fun, women only tri. I like the fact it is located 15 minutes away so I can get up at 6 rather than 4 am. I've got the bike and swim part down, but know I will suffer on the run. But I will have fun while I suffer!

This tri is particularly fun because for many of the participants, it is their very first tri. There is an energy there that's hard to find anywhere else. Bikes racked, running and bike shoes in little rows, towels and water bottles to clean feet after getting to transition after the swim, etc. One year I stored my sunglasses in my bike shoes and forgot they were there when I went to put on my shoes. Don't do that. Another time, at a run-bike-swim tri, I forgot to take my bike helmet off. Fortunately, I caught the error before getting in the water.

Tri participants have one's age is written on the back of one's calf. I love it when I see a "6" or "7" as the first digit on someone's calf, even if they are passing me. I want to be participating in tris when I am that age.

Flower Power

Yay! A beautiful Saturday morning. While I am thankful for all rain/snow my community has received, it is nice to have good weather.

Planting time. I bought window boxes for Astronerd and B and we are going to get them planted today! Our family decided to plant flower boxes but hasn't decided on the exact location. They will either be on the brick ledge abutting the windows or on a shelf installed below the windows. Maybe if we get them all ready FHA (who is away on a scout campout) will be convinced to install window box shelves below the windows (he doesn't want to drill brick). A cunning plan. Or we may end up with low, flat planters on the ground. . .

Farewell, School Lunch

I cannot believe it, but my youngest is about finished with the elementary school experience. Hello junior high! I approach this with mixed feelings and so does my youngest.

One of my favorite things to do over all my kids' elementary school years is to meet them for school lunch once each week. I would pick "pizza day", the day when a pizza business would supply the day's lunch. I would get lunch and eat it with my kids. Lately, I have foregone purchasing an actual lunch but show up at lunchtime and visit. I meet their friends and we laugh, tease and talk. I have loved it. My kids' friends all know me and greet me when I see them. I learn about their lives too. I know my kids have loved it because I see how their faces would light up when we met up in the lunchroom. I have been doing this for twelve years.

At the end of elementary school, I have asked each of my kids if they would like me to continue to come for lunch, but at the junior high. Each has thought that maybe it is time for solo lunch eating. I wonder why? I am sure junior high lunchrooms are packed with mothers eating lunch with their children. If they are not, they should be. However, I will honor my growing kid's request, not attend junior high lunch and quietly mourn the passing of school lunch day. But I still reserve the right to show up if I am bringing lunch from a cool restaurant.

Lord of the Dance

I just got back from a wonderful Utah Baroque Ensemble concert at my church. A lot of the concert was in Latin and German (with translations). There is nothing like live music to lift the soul. UBE also sang one of my favorites: Lord of the Dance.

Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was young
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced for the scribes and the Pharisees
They wouldn't dance, they wouldn't follow me
I danced for the fishermen James and John
They came with me so the dance went on

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame
They ripped, they stripped, they hung me high
Left me there on the cross to die

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced on a Friday when the world turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body, they thought I was gone
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that will never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the dance, said he

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he