happy birthday Bill

yesterday was Mr. Bill's birthday. we didn't do much to celebrate. had a piece of left over carrot cake and watched lost.

The weather here had been beautiful. I am hoping to get out on my bike again, but we'll see.

The broccoli seedling are getting the next sets of leaves. I have started exposing them to an open window for 15-20 min a day. I am determined to harden this guys off properly.

All sorts of things

Where to begin?
Friday evening Bill and I went out to dinner with some friends to Shaw's Crab house and observing Lent never tasted so good.
Saturday we went out to the west burbs and celebrated Bill's upcoming birthday with his family. We were home by mid afternoon so I got my bike down, tires filled with air and went on a quick 5 mile ride. It felt so good to be back on a bike, but I am rather out of shape. Saturday evening we participated in Earth Hour, and enjoyed the scents from the nice candles I have but never light.
Sunday was Palm Sunday... ever notice how it always seems to rain on Palm Sunday, the one week mass is supposed to start outside the church. Anyway Sunday I got some studying done, and in the afternoon Bill and I went and saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D. We both enjoyed it. For dinner, I tried my hand a roasting cauliflower, and it turned out very yummy.
This week is a short long week. It will be busy at work, but Friday is a holiday.
Oh and my broccoli(s) look like little clover now.

I am too young for this

so you all may recall that my body is slowly falling apart... like a short rib cooked for 10 hours.

Anyway I went to the chiropractor/ acupuncturist yesterday. I did my acupuncture session and then saw the chiropractor for may latest problem my ankle. Diagnosis: injured too many times not stable and in need of an orthotic. So in two weeks time I will get my first pair of orthotics. These will supposedly help my: weak ankle, my shin splints and my sore knees (oh and stabilize my lower back).
So here is my question: why weren't the orthotics suggested to me before (when I asked my aunt a DO) about my painful shin splints or knee problems? and What did people do before holistic health care? In the last year I have had more of my body problems solved questions answered and on time appointments with this office than I have ever had with a regular MD or DO.

I know many people don't believe these types of doctors actually heal problems, but my two cents is if your regular doctor can't help you maybe you should consider an alternative. The best part is my insurance has been great able this so far.

21 happy seedlings

little sprouts!!!

My little broccoli seeds started pushing through the soil yesterday and as of this morning a already have about 10-15 1cm tall sprouts.

Not much to report after all the excitement of earlier in the week. Today i am going to my first Bulls game. It should be good, though it would probably be more fun if it weren't work related.

This weekend we will celebrate Mr. Bill's birthday and maybe even clean the house a bit.

Waitlisted

So back in High School I applied early to the wonderful UofC and anxiously awaited the letter in early December. and when it came in a thin envelope I know nothing good could come of it. But the news wasn't totally bad. I had been deferred. And when all the applications came back in March I received my big thick envelope.

So the moral of the story is being wait listed isn't totally bad. I just have to wait some more.

PS I now will recite one of those silly poems I learned as a kid:

Patience is a Virtue
Virtue is a Grace
And Grace is a dirty girl
Who doesn't was her face

one more day...

One day more!

Ok So since my walk into work I have had the song One Day More in my head. It's a good thing I love this musical and really love this song, otherwise I might be getting super anxious right now.



Just in case you don't know the glory of Les Mis

seeded my broccoli

it has gotten down right cold around here, but despite that I have planted my seeds for broccoli and gotten them under the grow light. hopefully within the week I will see the fruits of my labor peeking out.

I didn't have much luck last year with seeding things, of course that is because 100% of what i seeded was supposed to be planed directly not transplanted. So, I am hoping for better luck this time.

today mr bill ran in the shamrock shuffle. and while it looked like the weather was going to be as crummy as last year, the rain stopped so he had a brisk but dry run. We go home in the afternoon, and while bill took a nap I watched the osu ncaa game and made soup.

I wanted to thank you all for your support about school. I find out on Wednesday, and I am amazed at how quickly time flies by.

ok time to be mildly productive at studying.

waiting

so as much as i have tried to ignore the marching of time and continue on with my life the wait to hear from graduate school is almost over. I will find out next Wednesday. I have tried to tell myself that I won't be upset if I don't get accepted, but the truth is it is hard. It is hard to stay excited about it even though you know the chances aren't huge that you'll get in. It is hard to try and make plans for the rest of the year not knowing what I'll be doing with my life in September.

I am ready to find out and be done with the holding pattern, but to protect my ego I am not quite ready, because I know the probability of acceptance. I have tried to stay even keeled throughout the last 3 months. I have tried to focus on my CFA studying, but with 6 more days I am having a hard time with keeping up my outer appearance.

Anyway, I know either way you guys will still come and read (all five of you).

Happy St Patricks Day

...Ahh a snake free Ireland ...

Roasted duck

Well since we weren't having duck soup this is my attempt at making the poultry I had thought was chicken.

___

Post dinner analysis:

I should always always should roast my birds for 10 min over the calculated time. I also should rotate it in the oven half way through and flip it to breast side up for crispier and tastier skin. Sigh it was yummy though. and my kitchen smelled soooo good.

whats better than strawberry freezer jam?

...Strawberry freezer jam spread between two layers of yellow cake iced with cream cheese frosting! I don't know why it took me this long to think of spreading my yummy homemade jam as a filling in cake. I don't think I'll make that oversight again.

Let's see, what else is new?
It is cold here again, but with no snow and a lot more sun I am a much happier person.

Bill and I bought this rain barrel over the weekend

we got it at a good price (though they are still fairly expensive) and we got this nice grey color. We bought it at a garden supply store that we like during their home and garden show on Saturday.

I have past the half way point of my lectures for Level two this weekend. June 5th is the big day, so just two and a half more months of studying. I have been at a steady pace of about 2-3 hours a day, but that will soon need to be bumped up to 3.5-4, so when my blogging lags or is totally unoriginal I am sorry.

I got my new glasses today and I am very excited to report that Bill agrees with me... the remind us of an Andes mint.

and finally giving up chocolate for Lent has been one of the hardest Lenten sacrifices I have made in recent years. But to come full circle, the sacrifice is a tad easier when you have a slice of yellow cake with strawberry jam

Dirty boots and ravioli

Ok people hang on to your hats... March is here, and although it is rainy and nasty this morning, I was able to get home before the sun set yesterday and work in my garden for about a half hour. Things were a little soggy, and I may have killed a peony trying to transplant it, but I have cleared a place next to my current garden (I am calling it "the Annex") area for my newly purchased asparagus roots.

And where did I get my asparagus roots? I got them at the flower and garden show that Bill and I went to this past Saturday. It was fun, but the vendor part was a bit disappointing. The gardens were really cool.

Last night we had my home made ravioli. When did I make the ravioli? On Saturday night Lily came over and we made pasta and ravioli. and after having a meal of the pasta and a yummy sauce made by Bill, we continued the culinary theme and watched Julie and Julia. I loved the movie it was cute and fun and as always Meryl Streep was amazing.

I will try to upload pictures of the raviolis and what-not for your viewing pleasure.

why i like to garden

This posting on one of my favorite blogs got me a bit worked up.

I don't like to be thought of as part of a "movement". Yes I like to eat organic (sometimes). and yes I like to eat local (sometimes), but I like having a banana in the winter, and I like having awesome cheeses from the store.

I don't garden because of a movement or because I want to return to a simpler time. I garden because I love it. I love raising something and seeing it grow and enjoying the fruits (literally) of my labor. I like the taste of fresh veggies and going out and picking a pepper to grill and eat 20 min later.

I won't simplify the thought process of eating better (ie more fresh produce and dairy over processed foods) as looking at our agricultural history with rose colored glasses. I know that in many ways 100 years ago our food processing and manufacturing was scary (think The Jungle) and worse for human health. And as much as I joke about my farm with chickens, I know that I would never be able to work a farm like they did 150 years ago. That being said, I don't like the extremist labeling that seems to happen with any type of "movement" these days. Just because I don't like the way things are currently doesn't mean I want to go to the past. Just because I like to try making my own ice cream or pasta (thanks dad!) doesn't mean I won't buy some Ben & Jerry's or Burtolli.

Here is what I believe... just because it is called "food" and they have it at a grocery store, doesn't mean you should eat it. And just because something isn't "good for you" doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. Just use some common sense people. If what you are eating day in and day out is more chemical that natural your body isn't going to function properly. You don't have to buy organic , you don't even have to grow your own food you just have to think about what you are eating. HOWEVER if more people demanded quality fresh produce I think more stores might provided it, and it seems that one way people are demanding that type of food is by the "organic" "local" "grow your own" movements that are springing up around the country.

In the end I don't think it is about being "liberal" or "hippy" or "idealizing the past." I think eating well and living well are things all humans want and need. I don't think it is wrong to demand a certain quality of food, and if you have the resources to get said quality, whether that means buying organic, local or just doing it yourself.

gardens!!!

Who is excited for spring?!?

[me me me.....]
[oh oh oh pick me!!!]

In celebration of a predicted 45 degree day this week lets talk about seeds and planting.

I think today I am going to talk about two of the three books I bought on line and then give my run down for hopefuls for the garden this year.

Both of the books that I am review are by the same author: Gayla Trail. She has a website here. The books are similar in tone and even have many of the same types of encouragement and suggestions.

I like the special projects in this book. being sewing deficient I think some of the tasks might be too hard for me to accomplish but there are some cool suggestions and fun projects. There were suggestions for how to combat (in an earth friendly way) some of the pests and diseases that can plague a garden. Some of my other books talk about making "teas" and "milks" but she actually explains how easy it is to do so.
This book is full of beautiful pictures and great advice for growing and using what you have. more focused on the actual garden aspect than the projects and what not. I liked the coverage of different veggies, which is a good portion of the book. Unlike some gardening books, who's coverage of plants is mostly charts with a tiny description, this book just writes about planting and harvesting, no charts! She gives great tips and hints through out some covering the same topics as the "You Grow Girl" book.

I don't know if I would reccoment buying both of these, but try to find them at your library, and if you like one as a refference book get it.

hmm

so I had started a great post about the gardening books that i recently bought, but then I wanted to check somethings in the books first and never got around to it last night.

Instead you get to hear about my newest foray into fish.

Bill and I bought a half pound salmon fillet this weekend. I always thing of salmon as the fish nasty lox or smoke salmon that come in the box of Harry and David that no one at work wants. THIS salmon was delicious (though a tad fatty) and not fishy at all. we baked it with a marinade, but I think I might marinade longer the next time... as it is a thick fatty fish. Anyway, salmon was good and we had brussel sprouts with a lemon butter and some whole wheat cous cous. Bill told me this morning that a lot of people would like the meal we had last night... and at first I took it as a slight to my cooking, but he explained that some many people won't eat fish or a veggie like brussel sprouts. even cous cous can be off putting to people who have never tried it.

So my lesson for all of you: try something that you think you don;t like. try it in a new way and go in without your old prejudices and you might just be surprised. I for one will be willing to make salmon again because of it.

Mom's Book

I know the message from my mom was very long, but to sum up:

My mom wrote and published her first book. It is a book geared for people with Alzheimer's disease. To find out more, or to order a copy visit her site (we hope that Amazon will be carrying it soon).

I know most of you people that read this are younger, but you might have grand parents or other relatives that could benefit from such a book. Or you might know of church groups or other organizations that might be able to utilize such a book.

The world of self publishing is tough, so I will probably post a reminder like this for all 10 of my readers :) every once in a while and I also put a link on the side bar.

Thanks!!