The "Real" State of the Union address

Good evening America.

WE'RE FUCKED!

Thank you. (waves)

Promised recipe

Cabble - or - Russian Cabbage Pie

More of a casserole in this variant

!/2 head of cabbage (shredded/cut)
!/2 pound of fresh mushrooms (thinly sliced)
1 medium yellow onion (sliced or diced)
2-3 tbs. butter
¼ tsp. each of:
Basil
Tarragon
Marjoram
Salt
Pepper
I/4 pound (or more) of sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
Paprika

Sauté onion in butter

Add mushrooms, basil, tarragon, marjoram, salt and pepper – cover and cook until mushrooms just begin to soften

Stir in cabbage, cover and simmer on a low heat until done

Put mix into casserole dish, spread grated cheese over top and add paprika to taste

Cook in oven at 350 for 10-15 min

***************************************

That’s the quick version

Longer version is to sauté onion and spices together. Mix in ‘shrooms and cabbage. Place in large casserole dish, cover and bake at 350 until done – add cheese etc.


Another variant is to bake it in a pie shell – ala quiche

Another is to layer thin slices of cream cheese and/or hard boiled eggs with the mix

HOWEVER YOU BUILD IT, I OFFER THIS WARNING: IT CAN BE HABIT FORMING!!!!!!!

ENJOY!

I'm not ignoring you...

...but things are a little crazy around here as of late.

For all of you who asked for the recipe I'll post it later - tonight or tomorrow! :)

Maybe this will calm down in a couple of days - maybe!

So, it's not lack of interest, just lack of time!

Tagged!

Tagged by Tommy Gunn – here ya go!

FOUR JOBS YOU'VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE:
Owning 2 businesses (both construction contracting)
Managing a fabrication department (black arts) for an aerospace firm
Managing a racing component manufacturing plant
Co-owner of a Christmas tree farm

FOUR MOVIES YOU WOULD WATCH OVER AND OVER:
The English Patient
Under the Sheltering Sky
LOTR
Lawrence of Arabia

FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE LIVED:
Seattle, Washington
Atlanta, Georgia
Jacksonville, Florida
US and Canada at large (a year in a motor coach)

FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH:
I am NOT a big TV fan – never have been - could and have lived quite happily without
SO – I will watch what others have on, before escaping (and most of it is pure shit IMHO)

FOUR PLACES YOU HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:
Caracas, Venezuela
Big Island - Hawaii
25,000 miles through US, Canada & Mexico
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS:
Cold pizza
Seafood – specifically lobster
“My” Russian cabbage pie
Fresh baked bread – just out of the oven

FOUR PLACES YOU WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
Hawaii
Any warm, sunny beach - clothing optional all the better
On a road trip
“She” knows

Do you ever feel ...

Saturday AM update: between the still incomplete customs documents (it's all about the taxes) and the unpredictability of the weather the Kelowna run has been postponed until next week - most of me is relieved! :) So, back to wading though the remnants of the Electrical Amateur Hour!

So, not to disappoint those who were looking for pictures I've decided to do another "Shell on Our Backs" post and it includes the same area of the Canadian Rockies and the Kootenays - stay tuned!

... like you've just left the planet? Like you are looking at your life from afar and wonder, "Is that MY life?"

I have more to do than I can say grace over now that I've started these projects at the house. I worked until late last night finishing up the replacement of yet some more bad wiring that I've uncovered. I want to just rip it all out and start fresh - I said "want to" - 4 iterations of wiring past the original knob and tube that was put in 86 years ago. I got really concerned when I found the cut end of a "live" wire buried in the insulation while tracing another - yes I was pissed and scared all at the same time. So what started out as a simple finishing of the basement stairwell has turned into a very different project of discovery and wonderment - wondering about the mind set of those that had come before me, or even if they were in possession of a mind.

The youngest and her BF left yesterday for Kelowna, BC to deliver some of his artwork to a gallery there. Through a huge border hassle because all the documentation wasn't in order they decided to return and straighten out the documents first. Unfortunately the BF can't take any more time from his day job so I was dubbed art chauffeur and a road trip looks like it is in the very near future - like today! I suppose I could have said no, but I think I need the road trip. Ah! A winter storm has move across BC and now the Coquihalla is pretty screwed with snow - they haven't shut it down, but it looks pretty rugged. This could prove to be a very interesting day!

Bearly an essay!

I was looking for something else when I came across this from one of my favorite authors:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed at the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

HAPPY TUESDAY EVERYONE!

Flotsam & jetsam

34 -14! Heh, heh! :)

FIRE DOG

I finally went to see Brokeback Mountain last night and I could go on and on about its merits, but I wouldn’t be saying anything that the critics haven’t already said – rave review.

There was a line in the movie that was Ennis’s (Heath Ledger) defining moment and it has had me thinking since I heard it. It has to do with the impossibility of their relationship and perhaps, more importantly, his resignation to life's seeming impediments:

Ennis to Jack – “Damn Jack, if ya cain’t fix it, ya gotta stand it.”

How many of us are going through life, wishing and wanting the impossible and not being able to “fix it”. I’m not saying that I agree with him and we should give up dreams, but it feels sometimes like we’re all just butting up against an impenetrable wall and goddamn it, my head’s getting a bit bruised – how about yours? We struggle with the relationships that we have, trying to fix them and make them better. We struggle with the notions that we have missed something important “out there”. We struggle when we find a “something” and cannot justify letting go of a “present” to even allow for a “something” to emerge, much less bloom. We struggle with the un-realized life.

Yes, the movie was sad - sad because of the pervasive bigotry, sad because of an unfulfilled love in an intolerant society, sad because of wasted lives and sad for the debris and detritus of all those left in the wake. How utterly mirroring of so many lives, such potential left to founder, whether from fear, ignorance, pride or stubbornness. So many un-realized lives, hope abandoned and left to wash ashore as so much flotsam and jetsam, never to be claimed or salvaged.

This wasn’t meant to be a downer post about a sad movie; it was an excellent movie and I just walked away thinking…about me…about you…about life.

I need...

...my mind to be...

What? Seamus did a SHOE post?!?!?

I thought about this for HNT but someone else had an entirely different request! Actually I told Sloth I'd do a shoe post - long ago - months ago - so here ya go Slothy!

My favorite shoes - the climbing collection!

Hurt like hell but get it done! I can only go for 30 minutes in these instruments of torture!

Yep! That's their natural shape! Great for little pockets, "dime" ledges and just molding themselves around the rock!

(dime ledge = narrow little features in the rock that offer purchace - sometimes no wider than the width of a coin)

These are my FAVS!
My 4th pair of these and best all round climbing slippers!

If it's got a crack I'll climb it in these!
Hope ya like purple!

My comfy slippers - wear all day - smell like hell (TG for Gold Bond Powder)!
Any climb over 2 pitches and these are the ticket!

I'd trade dress shoes, work shoes - well, any shoe to get to use ANY of these on any given day!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Sideways

I love finding a new author; well, new to me anyway. I'm barely into the book and already know that the read will be over all too quickly. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon now has me in it thrall and has superseded the other seven that I've started. I wish I had the time to just read it through, but c'est la vie, sleep, my other mistress, demands her attentions.

I fell asleep on the book again last night - nothing new, but interesting that I woke to a slightly damp page and this line jumped off of it. I thought about myself and many of you when I read it:

"People tend to complicate their own lives, as if living weren't already complicated enough."

...'nuff said!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!

5 Weird Things About Me

5 Weird Things About Me – tagged by Her Highness at QoA

1. Breakfast is NOT high on my priority list – couple of power bars and a gallon of coffee and I’m good to go – and they are usually eaten on the run … UNLESS … there is cold pizza in the fridge. The scent in the kitchen or the sight of the box is Pavlovian in its effect and the only thing that will stop that train from leaving the station is sex – honestly! I may wake up at 4AM but my stomach doesn’t get up for 5 more hours, unless there is a pizza or other equally cheesy, tomato-y and pasta like lump in the reefer (like lasagna or manicotti)!




2. Since I have an 80% hearing loss in my left ear since birth I have created habits that can be disconcerting for some till they “get it”! If I’m not walking on your left I’m not going to hear most of what is said - I’ve had relationships where this has been a blessing and not a curse! I always have to think where I’m going to sit in a group for the same reason. I usually sleep with my right ear into the pillow – better than earplugs!




3. I have this love/hate relationship with getting up early and sleep. I mostly like the early pre-dawn hours – house is quiet, animals are quiet, traffic is quiet … HOWEVER … it takes a keg of dynamite to blow me out of the bed. Once up I relish the time, but g-d I hate getting out from under the covers. The Buffledog has made that easier and it’s hard to ignore wet noses and doggie kisses all over your face. Easier, too, is if I’m at the beach and I WILL NOT miss the sunrise and a dawn walk on the beach. I may go back to bed afterwards and be glad for the sleep – or whatever, especially whatever!




4. Old stuff and new toys – I tend to be a gatherer, a gatherer of appropriate things. I hate clutter and too much “stuff”, but I get this really perverse pleasure making something old work or be useful again. Sure I could go out and buy some new tool and will if time is of the essence or if the NEED demands it. Perhaps I simply appreciate the relative permanence of older items – furniture, tools. I dislike plastic in general, even though I see its usefulness in a lot of items, but its imminent obsolescence I find disgusting. In days of yore while living with one of my great loves we fashioned our home with as little plastic anything as possible – fucking hard in this day and age I have to say – and I have to admit longing for that still, impractical though it may be.




5. My favorite weirdness though centers around days both racing and in the racing business. I insisted on the dichotomy of the raucousness of racing and the centering influence of classical music. Since most of those around me wanted music that was usually rock and such I spent most of my time in headphones, the more isolating the better. When I would be sitting in the staging lanes with the car before a run I would cocoon with my headphones to get into the zone. The same was true whether I was welding up a chassis or wringing out engines in the dyno room. The headphones served as hearing protection as well and I wasn’t seen without them any time at the track or in the shop if others were around, but most of my constituents simply thought I was certifiable and Mozart was my nickname for years – although Wagner or Vivaldi was often my zone music of choice.

Well, there you have it, TMI!

I’m not tagging – but pick it up if you want – I had no idea what I was going to put down, but once started it was revealing (and fun)! I could’ve gone on, but should leave some for later discovery and revelation.

HAPPY MONDAY

and

MLK DAY!

Who needs a chipper?

...when you've got a Buffle-chipper?

What is man without the beast? If all the beast were gone, man would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beast also happens to man.
Chief Seattle

LIQUID SUNSHINE

27 DAYS OF FUCKING RAIN AND DROWNING!

Today I'm having my webs trimmed. There was a line yesterday, but they were offering a "Buy 2, Get 2 Free" special. It was sad seeing all these people swimming into line, floating out of line - chaos I tell you, chaos! Traffic cops in water wings - just sad!

The peacock's tail and rainbows

Skylight in the National Art Gallery - Washington, DC

I was struggling this morning over what to post and a conversation surfaced that I had yesterday with a good friend regarding not “just settling” in our lives, but to strive for and reach for more. As she and I talked about where in our lives we’d done this and not wanting to do it anymore this passage from Robert A. Johnson’s book Owning Your Own Shadow came to mind; so I sought it out again and read it for the umpteenth time. I thought about my life and her life and so many of your lives and how all this relates so I wanted to share this with all of you as well.

Referring to working with our own shadow, which in Jungian terms is that part of us we fail to see or know whereas the ego is what we are and know about consciously, Johnson writes:

The first reward for this (our shadow work) is that we diminish the shadow we impose on others. We contribute less to the general darkness of the world and do not add to the collective shadow that fuels war and strife. But the second result is that we prepare the way for the mandorla – that high vision of beauty and wholeness that is the great prize of human consciousness.

The ancient alchemists understood this process. In alchemy one goes through four stages of development: the “nigredo”, in which one experiences the darkness and depressionof life; the “albedo”, in which one sees the brightness of things; the “rubedo”, where on e discovers passion; and finally the “citrino”, where one appreciates the goldenness of life. After all this comes a full color mandorla. This is the “pavanis”, the peacock’s tai that contains all the preceeding hues. One cannot stop this process until one has brought it to the “pavanis”, that concert of colors that contains everything.

Wrongly done, the many colors of life produce a grayness, and all the colors neutralize each other into a dull monotony. Correctly done, the “pavanis” comes and all the colors of life make a magnificent and rich pattern. The mandorla is not the place of neutrality or compromise; it is the place of the peacock’s tail and rainbows.

I think it is all too easy to muddle the colors and live out our life in grayness. I do not want to settle for grayness, for compromise, for dull monotony. I also do not believe that this is an easy path, but I believe it is a worthy path.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Memories on Hump Day

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, (even if we don't speak often) please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me. It can be anything you want - good or bad - BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you!

Snagged from our Waterpixie, Mara - thanks!

How creative can you be? HAVE FUN!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!

Peace and tranquility?

Off to the Buddhist Temple for a meditation class, a little refresher class to dust off the cobwebs and stir up the interest – and it is half price for the un-enjoyed! It was everything I expected it to be and then some…BUT…who knew there was so much traffic in one mind? We are talking LA freeway volumes of traffic with no thought having a thought about courtesy, even the thoughts about courtesy – running over each other, changing lanes without warning, changing directions in an instant and the occasional one finger salute to keep them all riled up. This may be harder to master this time, to quell the rush. How can one mind hold this much noise? The thoughts have run amuck!

You know what I walked away with besides an aching head? I walked away thinking that I’ve got it all and my soul is as restless as it has ever been. Now before someone jumps in with a “middle age dilemma” statement, let me say that it has always been like this, I just thought it would have settled down by now. Those were the most discourteous thoughts, running all over the road, spinning out and doing pirouettes on their bumpers so I never knew which direction they’d be heading. MORONS!

I’m usually aware of some racing about and often can slow them down, but last night there was such chaos – who knew? Gah! Look at the time that I’m writing this, I’m supposed to be sleeping – I need to be sleeping. It is abundantly clear that I need - YES NEED – to meditate.


Meanwhile, the FUCKING RAIN continues – ‘nuff said!


New project begun today - finishing this stairwell. I’ve been toying with it for a couple of days, but began in earnest today and the house is a wreck – yes, it’s on the Honey-do List, why do you ask? This is the beginning of several and has been on the list for years. This stairwell to the basement leads off the living room and is the first thing you see when you open the front door – if the basement door is open and it is a lot because it gets used a lot. Ah! The trials and tribulations of an 86 year old house……….first the lath and plaster………

Early Arrivals

Look what I found yesterday!

What!???? It’s only January 7th you say?

Honestly, this is a honeysuckle leafing and it is not alone in the yard. I found bush after bush setting leaves and the rhododendrons are budding strongly as well. Everywhere I looked plants were emerging from the leaf mulch, pushing their way to freedom and light and I was both happy and afraid – it is only January 7th after all!

We finally got a break in this incessant rain yesterday and the temps were hovering around 60 and after being cooped up for what has seemed since November, I was anxious to get outside and “DO” something. There is so much to attend to it was hard to know where to start, so I just grabbed the first implement of clean, the leaf rake, and marched forth into a land nearly forgotten…and began.

Taylor was happy to have a “playmate” in the yard and work was interspersed with such doggie distractions as “glove chase” and “rout out the leaf boogers” and “tug” on anything that resembled a rope. The yard was beginning to resemble something other than the Marsh of Sorrows. All was right with the world…until the Honey-do List appeared, proffered by none other than the be-robed and slippered Hot Sauce.

How did this happen? Oh! That’s right! Probably had something to do with the statement, “Hey, it’s stopped raining, I think we’ll (me and my canine sidekick) go work in the yard awhile.” I know better! Am I that out of practice? To actually announce an intent to work!!!!! WTF was I thinking. Even the Buffledog looked dismayed as I was not only handed the 3 page list of connubial doom, but it had to be recited with emphasis and explanation of each favored task. We left our wild abandon and playful demeanor in some remote corner of the beds and I stared incredulously at this burden of expectation that now resided in my not-so-willing hand.

Of course my higher self (and knower of things conjugal) took over and work got done in the order prescribed, albeit without the enthusiasm as before. The Buffledog followed me about the yard with the tug rope in his mouth and would sit and wait patiently for “dog breaks” to happen. Darkness fell and the List of Doom was appropriately checked off and set aside to breed and multiply exponentially for another “dry” day.

Hey! The leaves are leafing so Spring may not be far away…maybe!!!!????

He's too cute for his fur!

(he loves to help, but has a thing for purses and will carry them all day if allowed - he knows from whince the money flows)

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND YA'LL

Followup to Thursday's post

I was going to post the comments as a follow-up but as I was replying I realized the length of it would overwhelm these pages. So I left the replies in the comment box – it is quite lengthy today.

I want to thank each and every one of you who took the time to comment on yesterday’s post. When I first got the e-mails I was annoyed at the audacity, but, as I am want to do from time to time, I decided put it out on the table so we can all push it around and let it get messy if it needed to. I am both overwhelmed and pleased at your generous response.

The very action of participating in this online gathering has stretched me considerably over the last 11 months. Know that I prize and value each and every one of you. Your comments and contributions to our corner of the ‘sphere has meaning without measure.

My only regret (our perhaps more appropriately – frustration) is that I don’t get to visit and comment with you all as often as you post. I do try and get by at least once a week and more often if the time allows. Like many of you I sometimes read and not comment, but know it’s a matter of time and not laziness or disinterest.

I like this blog and I welcome the opportunity to continue in the fashion to which you’ve all become accustomed. Thank you my friends, my family, my loves.

Namaste

Buffledog update

The Buffledog had his 6 week exam by the surgeon yesterday. One more round of, “I know your hungry, but you can’t eat this morning” and “Let’s go see the doc, you can eat afterwards”. He was not happy yesterday morning, but they had to put him under full anesthesia to get proper x-rays. They were also going to x-ray the elbows and give the elbows injections of HA (hyaluronic acid) to help reduce the pain of the osteoarthritis that has begun to appear because of his elbow dysplasia. So, it was a big day for the Buffledog.

The results were thus:

The film shows the cuts in the bones in both knees as healed so the dependence on the steel plates will become less and less. The steel plates will remain in unless his body begins to reject them at some point, but so far so good.

He is weighting both hind legs significantly now which is relieving much of the stress on the elbow joints.

His gait is returning to normal so the swagger in his butt is also returning – YAY!

The film of his elbows does show some osteoarthritis as we expected.

He is already walking much better after the HA injections.

AND

His fur is growing back finally!

He was very glad to eat yesterday afternoon!

HAPPY HUMP DAY EVERYONE!

A piece of ass for Christmas

High on the “too cool a gift for words” list is this hanging sculpture we received from my SIL. She commissioned a local California artist and the model was a friend of hers. She had three commissioned and when the artist asked about the recipients she tells him, “Well, there’s a feminist, a lesbian and naturists.” He mulls it over for a minute and says, “Purr-fect!”

I love the tat!

*yes, it's molded on the model and cast*

HAPPY MONDAY!