Lap Tob Abuse/Over Use

I asked The Dog Catcher if he thought there was a 12 step program for LapTop Abuse. I have gone to the programs for Fabric shopping, Walmart shopping, I REFUSE to go for chocolate consumption. But we need to give careful thought to the time spent on our rear-ends staring at the lap tops. Dog Catcher does genealogy. The Mrs DC goes for the blogs. The things I have found!! Sewing Blogs, Cooking Blogs, Food Storage Blogs you name it. Lots of time reading and absorbing. But it is sucking time vacuum.

So starting Monday my laptop time will correspond directly to the time I spend exercising. Drastic move, but necessary.

Dog Catcher got the tiller running and tilled the area for the Raspberry bed for me. I raked then planted 50 starts. Makes a nice row and NEXT year we will start getting berries!! The Blueberries are still in their pots, but the weather is changing so maybe I'll get them in the ground before we go to Hawaii.

We also got the ground tilled by the new fence and I raked and spread the grass seeds. DC place large rocks on the outside edge to discourage cars form driving over the new grass. This is on the gravel road side of the fence.

Tomorrow we pick-up the new chest freezer!!! I'm excited and ready to start filling it up. Will start with Whites Meats and build from there. Ok time to call it a night. Tomorrow will be a busy day of grocery shopping, dog bathing, tanning, picking up the freezer and organizing the laundry room where it will now live.

Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!!

It was 40* today. It rained all afternoon. My car tire had a slow leak. Nail in the sidewall. New tire. Shopping in the rain. Enough I say. I would like to be able to plant a garden and actually have it grow ---- not rot in the ground. It looks like a soggy, bug ridden summer. DARN. I may have to wander on to visit the kids that live in the HOT and SUNNY area's of the US.

I wouldn't mind a drought and un-seasonably hot weather. For the entire summer. Sandbars in the Columbia River. Just a thought.

Chuck approved Black Bean Soup

I have several cooking blogs I routinely visit. One of my favorites is called "The Half Assed Kitchen" because they use many short cuts and don't like fussy recipes that take tons of ingredients. This is THE BEST Black Bean Soup I have tasted. Quick and easy. And if this isn't soup weather---then nothing is!!





Here's what you need and how you do it:



1 medium onion, minced
1 celery stalk, chopped (optional)
Olive or canola oil
2 cans black beans (with liquid)
32 ounces chicken or veggie broth
1 14-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
1-2 cups ham, cubed (optional)
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon thyme
1-2 Tablespoons balsalmic vinegar (adds a lot of flavor, don't skip)
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream



Sauté onion (and celery if you use it) in olive oil over medium heat. Add black beans, broth, tomatoes, ham, cumin, thyme, balsalmic vinegar, salt and pepper.
Let simmer, covered but vented, for at least an hour. Preferably two.
Spoon into bowls and top with sour cream.





Enjoy!





I paired this with homemade rye dinner rolls and butter. I like my own cooking way too much. So I am going back on South Beach and scrape some fat off my behind, and there will be no more homemade rolls for a while. Sorry Chuck.

I love this picture! It is from our Bike Trip 2007.
I think we know how to vacation--eat lots, sleep well and surround yourselves with wonderful friends & family.

Good name for a fish????

Miss Kaylee called me this morning. She was wired tight and chattering a blue streak. Lots of questions for me "where is Wookie? where is Grandpa? what was I doing? When she took a break to breath I asked her about her new fishies. At one time they were "fishy 1, fishy 2, fishy 3 and Blue.

Today one was named "Booty" as in shake it. I'm laughing at that one. Her mother wasn't. "Kaylee Nicole you can not name a fish "Booty" It's not appropriate."

Hummmmmmmm, Megan is worried about appropriate?? Since when?

Just for fun!

A friend sent this to me. It just takes a minute and is really pretty cool. Enjoy

http://www.youniverse.com/statement/module/PersonalityModule/New_Personality_module

Bike Riding Fever

We were very anxious to get back on our bikes. The sky was sorta blue and the boys had Presidents Day or Uncle Milty Day or some such holiday off so we loaded the bikes, bundled up and went for an easy ride on the Springwater Trail.

We rode 12 miles and it really felt good. The only bad part was riding into the east wind from about Jenny Rd to Gresham City Park. It was hard to ride against and my nose ran and my finger tips were really cold. Riding gloves leave 1/2 of your fingers exposed.

It was a good ride, enjoyed by all. I'll try to remember being cold this summer when I'm gritting it out going up the "hills" sweating my brains out.

Chuck is styling with a ski cap under a bike helmet. That's how chilly it was.