Rest (redux with edits)

Just back from an hour run about the lake with our new friend Lisa and her doggies. It was much fun chatting away as we went around the water, through the mud, in the misty woods at 7:30 this morning. Lux is currently in the above position, nose just peaking out of the blankets. I am cleaning up the kitchen, making pizza dough for Meredith's dinner while I am away at the dinner we are catering tonight. Next up is getting a bird cage ready to hand over to a friend who has lovebirds which need to be separated, a few phone calls, a shower and then off to work till 11 or so tonight.

I had a weird dream last night about my car. I sometimes have dreams where I can't find my car in a lot after coming out of somethingerother. This time, not only did I not find my car, but it turns out it was repossessed. Yikes. Must be having some issues about my Path and finances. Turns out I took quite a hit on a ill chosen path last year, and it is causing me concern at present. I am over most of the emotional aspects of that experience, but still have some wrinkles I am ironing out.

Needless to say, I will not be investing in anything aside from my own business for a while.

So, um, yeah...funny how those deductions just are definately **not** deductions despite being told they are deductions (edit: By a paid individual who was doing my pre-tax analysis). Guess I will just consider it a contribution to a good cause and let it go. 'Nuff said.

My kitties slept with me last night. Lux has been choosing to sleep in her crate lately, which is fine, cause she takes up lots of space on the full sized mattress, and hell, if I am gonna have anyone sleep in my bed I want to have a lot more fun. The girls are getting more comfy with Lux now, in fact, as I write this Belle is sitting on the table next to me in plain view of Lux, which is a HYOOGE deal. Sure, lots of racing about still happens, but they now know that if they walk by slowly she won't go after them. She wants to play, and them, not so much. Sometimes Suki will whap out her paw at Lux in play, repeatedly sticking her paw out from behind something. It is fun to watch.

Okay, off to get ready for tonight...back tomorrow with a Weekend Update!

Whoa Nelly!

Yesterday was a blur. Up at 5, out for an administrative walk with Lux, home to get the girls ready for school, drive them to their schools, back home for a 30 minute run with Lux around the neighborhood, throw her in the crate, drive to work, cook for about 8 hours, drive home, take Lux to the woods for a long run, back home for dinner watch a few episodes of "Escape to Chimp Eden" and fall down go boom.

Today, pretty much the same! While yesterday saw me searing filet mignon and making bundles of asparagus tied in chives, today is strawberry shortcake, and well, you KNOW I will have to do some quality assurance on that one, eh? Cause, you know how KEEN strawberries and whipped cream are, right?

Your Daily Dose of Cool Things:

Animals on the Underground

Check out this amazing site about the animals they found on the Underground map in London! Almost as fun as playing connect the dots with a Sharpie and your freckles.

Click here for: MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Your Daily Dose of Wonderful Design:

Oooh! Side Swipe blade!!!

As a sous chef by trade I can tell you that stopping every few minutes to scrape a bowl is a total pain in the ba-donka-donk. This, my friends, is a way cool design for the kitchen. (Thanks, Andrea, for the cool link!)


Your Daily Dose of Inspiring Words:



"Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with their imagination." Robert Fulghum


Your Daily Dose of Wicked-Good Food:

Faux Breakfast Sausage with Asparagus and Toasted Tortillas with Goat Cheese

Made and eaten just moments ago, this is a very yummy and protien filed breakfast. I used Gimme Lean brand soy based "sausage" which I heated in a skillet, then I added some asparagus ends (left over from yesterday's asparagus bundles tied with chives). I put tortilla quarters into the toaster for a few minutes, then spread some goat cheese on them. Tossed all together with a wheel of goat cheese on top and a nifty chive spiral. Awesome!

Le Petite Post

First off, some phone cam images from our walk around Haggett's pond yesterday:

My daughter had a softball game in Andover last night around 6PM, so Lux and I ran off to the lake nearby for a long jaunt. It was a glorious evening, a light breeze, tons of birds, friendly people on the path, and Lux and I had a total blast. We started a new game I call "Pine Cones". This game involves me tossing pine cones at Lux while she ignores me at her until she responds by grabbing one and running away. Then I grab another and throw it and we play fetch with the huge pine cones until she gets bored of it. She tries really hard to ignore me, but it does not last long...very funny. I can *see* her pretending to ignore me, the sideways glances, the body posture.

Toward the end of our walk we crossed a very muddy part of the path which was bridged by some fallen branches. I spent some time really getting INTO balance and feeling my lack thereof, or my strength, meanwhile Lux was WAY ahead of me on the path. She looked back at me and said:

"Silly humans, you bi-peds are SO SLOW!!!", and she took off to investigate the swamp on the right side of the path.

Trying to lure her away from this very muddy and stinky place I raised up my hand with a treat in it and called "Lux! Treat!!!" which usually gets her running for me. This time not so much. She looked at me before jumping in and said:

"I SEE your WHEEEEEEET. I raise you SWAMP!!!!" Lucky for her, and for me, there was a place on the banks of the pond to get her in and rinsed off before getting into the car.

Today I am off to the kitchen. We have 9 events planned for the summer so far, and tons of cool work to do. So I will make this post a small one as I have a metric ton of stuff to do before I head off to work.

Your Daily Dose of Cool Things:

"If you build it, they will come" category :aka Don't let the kids out to play before looking FIRST:

"Mommy, those kids look wierd!"

Your Daily Dose of Wonderful Design:

Transparent House does concrete justice

Your Daily Dose of Inspiring Words:

"You're not the BOSS OF ME!!!" - Her
"Um, yeah, I am. Get in the god-dammed car" - Me

Your Daily Dose of Wicked-Good Food:

Image via Hopwild.com

Very, very Yummy. If you are a fan of the brew-o-da-hops, this ale is really tasty. Brewed in the traditional Belgian style (my favorite) with keiffer lime leaves and lime peels, this citrusy beverage is complex, yet not heavy. Serve as shown with a slice of citrus (I prefer orange or lemon, but you may use lime as well, to, you know, complete the trifecta)

Should be called Keen Things 19 1/2...

I went to Building 19 1/2 yesterday to stock up on my favorite Recession Cereal, Jerry O's, a fabulous Cheerios knockoff that has the ridiculous price tag of $1.75. While cruising the isles for stuff.n.such I stumbled upon these lowball glasses. A whopping $.49 each. Needless to say I brought home four. And some socks. And a waterproof sun-blocking hat for when I go to the lake to kayak. Which I will be doing in my birthday present to myself. Why, how very Keen!

Also Keen, this song, which is burned into my head these days...

Your Daily Dose of Cool Things:

SERIOUSLY COOL

Debranded Home: Reclaim Your Space

"Our objective is to provide you with the tools and information you need to de-brand your home. We want to change the way people think about and buy products. Advertising is everywhere and, granted, does serve a purpose, but we want to show you how to can reclaim your space. Once a product has made it off the shelf, its label has served its purpose.

It's freeing to not be pressured to dole out extra cash to buy that product with slightly nicer packaging. And you can feel good about recycling your bottles and either buying in bulk or learning to make things yourself."

Your Daily Dose of Wonderful Design:

Tumbleweed Houses

Flower Pot Lamps by Design My World

Your Daily Dose of Inspiring Words:

"Do not think that the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout our entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Your Daily Dose of Wicked-Good Food:

Arugula and Smoked Chicken Salad with Grapefruit Dressing

serves 2

2 halves boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

cracked pepper to taste

(grill stuff:charcoal or propane)

smoking chips

1 large grapefruit, juiced

1/4 cup walnut or canola oil

1 handful of arugula per person

I put my smoking chips in the microwave in a bowl full of water and cook for 3 minutes. This cuts the soaking time from half an hour to minutes. Get your coals/grill going, and when they are covered in white ash toss in a handful of the soaked wood chips. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and brush with the olive oil. Place on the grill and cook, about 4 minutes for the first side and depending on thickness, 3 minutes or more on the other side. Be sure to leave the top ON the grill to keep in the smokey goodness. When the chicken is done bring it in to rest a few minutes to redistribute the juices. Slice the chicken in thin slices and place it on top of the arugula on a plate.

Take the juice of one grapefruit (I use Ruby Reds) and whisk in the light oil making an emulsion. That is all that you need to do. The smoke from the chicken will be all the flavor you need. Drizzle the dressing on top of the salad and enjoy!

The Second Wave

Wrywracks

I love the second wave of Spring, when the new blooms arrive, the lilacs, the lilly of the valley. These are my favorite aromas of the Spring flowers. I remember as a child taking the tiny lilac flowers and inserting them into one another to make long chains, necklaces and crowns. I remember licking the little ends of the flowers for their nectar, and the smell of bunches of blooms in vases around the house. Gotta love nature's sex. It is the best.

Yesterday I went on our 3 hour hike, then a nap and a trip to Whole Foods for some sweet white miso for a my friend who felt ill. Miso is great for drawing out toxins, and apparently she was having a battle with a few bugs that were making her miserable and tired. I came home and watched Being There for the umpteenth time, and smiling as he walked on water, tumbled in to a deep sleep only to be awakened at 4 by cats eating my hair. Successfully shooed, they left me alone to sleep until, oh 5:30 when Lux came and pawed my head to get up. Darn...

A long hike again today, and as we rounded the corner found 15 people and 19 dogs at the swimming hole so we stayed and played for half an hour before heading on to finish the rest of the hike. Today is gloriously sunny, and Lux and I headed into Andover for Arts in the Park, a yearly fundraiser for the High School AFS program. Plenty of nifty booths full of nice art, and lots of people milling about. A quick trip to the store for some chicken and then home for lunch with the girls, grilled and smoked chicken breast, steamed green beans and fresh bread. Mmmmmm.

More later, but I wanted to check in and let you all know I am having an awesome Mother's Day, and I hope those Moms out there are having a blast, too.