I'm not crazy.

I'd like to look at getting a bicycle for riding to and from Trax, and maybe a little around the neighborhood. I'd like something lightweight, and I honestly don't care about gears; thinking 3 would be nice for any hills, but I don't think I need a 10-speed. I'd like to keep it affordable (way less than $400).

Any suggestions? I know absolutely nothing about bicycles.

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
- What I create will be just for you.
- It'll be done this year.
- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to re-post. We can all make stuff!!

Remember peoples, the annual Thanksgiving dinner is going on again this year. Any and all are welcome as long as you play nice.

Spread this year:

A Freaking Huge Turkey (24 lbs)
my Mamaw's dressing
Cauliflower-Horseradish Gratin
Brown-Butter Mashed Potatoes
Artichoke-Brie Dip in Sourdough Bread Bowl
Sweet Potato, Apple & Sage Spoon Bread
Lemon Meringue Pie

We could use some more desserts and alcohol, or whatever you'd like to bring. We could also always use extra chairs.

I'll be cooking all day, you can really show up whenever you want, but food will probably not be ready till 3:30 or 4:30.

I really hope to see you there. It would be nice to get an RSVP (no need to RSVP if you already have). If you've never been here, I'll provide my address upon request. Have a great week.

This has been a favorite of mine for a long time.  It's a moment in time, 16 lines packed full of the middle of a story.




Number 8

by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

       It was a face which darkness could kill
                                          in an instant
        a face as easily hurt
                            by laughter or light

          'We think differently at night'
                                          she told me once
       lying back languidly

                           And she would quote Cocteau

      'I feel there is an angel in me' she'd say
                                        'whom I am constantly shocking'

          Then she would smile and look away
                light a cigarette for me
                                        sigh and rise

     and stretch
                her sweet anatomy

                               let fall a stocking

Remember peoples, the annual Thanksgiving dinner is going on again this year. Any and all are welcome as long as you play nice.

Spread this year:

A Freaking Huge Turkey (24 lbs)
my Mamaw's dressing
Cauliflower-Horseradish Gratin
Brown-Butter Mashed Potatoes
Artichoke-Brie Dip in Sourdough Bread Bowl
Sweet Potato, Apple & Sage Spoon Bread
Lemon Meringue Pie

We could use some more desserts and alcohol, or whatever you'd like to bring. We could also always use extra chairs.

I'll be cooking all day, you can really show up whenever you want, but food will probably not be ready till 3:30 or 4:30.

I really hope to see you there. It would be nice to get an RSVP. If you've never been here, I'll provide my address upon request. Have a great week.

First, Southwestern Lasagne since it went over so well last week.

( Sunday Dinner Meatloaf )

( Light Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas )

( Rosemary Dijon Chicken )

I know these are all over the place, but wanted to post this list (from lifehackery.com, by the way) and see if any of you guys had any favorite tips that you could respond with.

This contains old saws like "draw a chalk line and ants won't cross it" but also new things that I'd not heard before like "pour vinegar over thawing meat to help speed the thawing process". Huh.

Also: How many of these are bullshit, in your experience?

Anyway, on to the stuff.

( Huge List o' Kitchen Tips )

Here are the recipes I made last night:

( Mac and Cheese )

( Butternut Squash Casserole )

( Potato Soup )

( Southwestern Lasagne )

That was pretty fucking great.

Thanks everyone for coming out. We are saying our good nights and preparing for a new tomorrow.

I'm pretty proud of this work, check out Jimmy's eyes ... they're closed!

This was my inspiration:

I knit a bat! And I'll knit more!









ETA: Ohh yeah. You can find the pattern and more (check out the raincloud!) here.

Beef Stroganoff. This is the dish I always begged my mom to make for my birthday, and now I know how to make it myself. Yurm.

Diabetic-Friendly Meatloaf. This tastes like a really large meatball. Meatwad. Hmm.

A second Butternut Squash Pizza with leftovers from last week. So I really only had to caramelize some onions and construct the pizza. Still too much nutmeg, but I'm hoping the garlic and curry and cheese help balance it out.

Diabetic-Friendly Butternut Squash Casserole. I have no idea what to expect from this - If I don't like it as a casserole, I'll probably just puree it and add some chicken for soup.

Luckily we picked up some really kickass halloween kitchen mats today and they saved my back. I'm enjoying this weekly routine of 3-hour cooking sessions.

Edit: I didn't realize I hadn't put the other things I made in my journal.

So this autumn, I've been trying to make food on Sunday so we don't have to worry so much about making food during the week. This way we have something healthy (ish) and ready whenever we like, so we don't have to order out or eat junk food or whatever.

So far I've made:

Turkey Chili with White Beans

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Puree

Tex Mex Turkey Meatloaf with Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

Swedish Turkey Meatballs with noodles

and

A tuna casserole that I just throw together with what's in the house.

I voted today. yay me.

"Hey, I don't know about you but I'm calling in on November 5th. So..

Election night party at the CoW


We'll start around 6pm November 4th. Come one, come all.

More details to follow, RSVP please. That way we know how much couch space to clear for you political bastards to sleep it off."

You can RSVP here or at his journal.

We don't have the Tee-Vee, but will have the radio on and computers all over hitting sites everywhere.

This is a great video of Colin's endorsement of Obama.

a public viewing of the debate town hall meeting anywhere tonight?

Last weekend, I went down to San Antonio for my dad's 65th birthday. One of the main things my mom had put together for this occasion was to transfer all the reel-to-reel tapes that my father and his family had sent to each other while he was in Vietnam to CD. It ended up being about 9 CDs worth of audio. She also invited many of his old friends to help celebrate. The whole evening was a success, with my father even having his back to the entrance as the first of his surprise guests walked up and kissed him on the cheek.

Anyway. I hadn't gotten to hear many of the recordings, and Jimmy ripped them all to my computer so I could listen to them later. I was just working, listening to music today, and one came up - I was immediately frozen with nostalgia. I didn't even exist at the time these recordings were made, and had never heard my Uncle Frank's voice. But I got to hear my Mamaw, Papaw, Uncle Estelle, and crazy Aunt Sharon all talking.

I wanted to share this with you, it is just a fascinating little snap of south Texas at the time. I hope you enjoy it.

Here's an mp3 - 18 meg download!

I'm finally done studying for the test I have to take in ... 10 hours.

I went to a coffee shop so I could focus. It was great, until the first of 3 or 4 "urgent" build requests throughout the evening interrupted my train of thought. *sigh* I hates this work/school thing. It wouldn't be so bad if I could just leave work at work.

Must ... sleep ...

( First Quiz )