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Aug. 22nd, 2010 04:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altarflameTonight I made one of my Signature Recipes (mmmhmm, with an emphasis on the "mmm") as we had Laura and her two kids, as well as Shaun over.
Elise said, "My Brian, and Liz-beth, my Ora, and Shaun?!?! ALL PEOPLE, my house?!?! No BELIEVE!!!"
She was excited.
If you would like people to come from far and wide (or...close and nothing else to do...) to eat at your house, here is the recipe:
"sauce"
1. sautee a diced yellow onion and some minced garlic in olive oil and butter/your preferred butter alternative
2. throw in a billion (10 roma or 6 full sized) chopped tomatoes - I leave it in pretty big pieces; simmer for a couple of minutes
3. squeeze in juice of half a lemon, sprinkle on a teaspoon of sugar, salt rather heavily, and then throw in a bunch of chopped fresh basil; stir and leave alone for a few minutes
4. add 1-3 (your choice...I veer towards 3) crates of mushrooms and, once they're cooked in, a couple of big handfuls of spinach or arugula (just until wilted)
"chicken" ...it doesn't make sense to have chicken in quotes like that. Oh well.
1. put boneless skinless tenderloins (or whatever you like better) on the George Foreman with a lot of seasoned salt rubbed in, and then lemon juice and season salt it more as you rip it up after it's cooked
"pasta" (again, this system was not thought through well)
1. boil it. I prefer linguini
Pasta, then sauce, then chicken on your plate, followed by mozzarella. It's so good.
Last night I had an Usborne show down is Islamorada. The house turned out to be a mansion by the sea; an entire wall was made of glass. The sun set over the gulf through it as we ate really good appetizers the host (also named Tina Marie) prepared. I saw four living rooms while I was there. Multiple balconies. Finger paint smeared on every wall. It was a whole gathering of women who had waited for education, travel and affluence before having kids, and now they stand around sipping wine and laughing as the toddlers paint on the doors and tiles and expensive furniture. Lots of broad gesturing - they all run a cooperative Montessori school together (where I now have a book fair scheduled in early December).
People were really nice and I made about $100 profit off of 4 hours of work (including the drive there and back). In the bathroom hung a sampler that read, "I dreamed of mermaids, motorcycles and a man who can dance". Other Tina said that was what made her move to Florida, and told us all to go check out the artist's website. Even though I know that most people in the Keys chose to move there at some point in their adult lives, it's still strange to me to really meet and know the transplants, as everyone I've ever been close with or gone to see is native.
Intense Feelings. That is the story of this week. Grant having a sugar deprivation meltdown. Me having random financial stress/PMS/bizarre-side-effects-of-yeast-die-off following-the-end-of-my-antibiotics meltdowns. Total joy and happiness over kittens, driving with loud music and rolled down windows with the ocean outside, and little people love. I'm either crawling through a maze of forts with Gloria, Isaac and Jake, or feeling like I'm about to throw up because the electric bill is too backed up and I really, really am not sure how to fix this...situation...I'm having with some dance studio people and our financed JUMP fees.
Worst:
-leak from hurricane shutter bolts coming through exterior wall and messing up floor inthe officeBob's room, is back...it pours every day this time of year
-a couple of checks bounced and now we have to fix things before that escalates into a nightmare
-major sleep disturbances are making me wonder if it's even possible that I could still be feeling the effects of two days of prednisone from a couple of weeks ago, OR WHAT. I haven't dreaded going to bed like this since the worst of my pre-therapy PTSD junk in 2008
-a situation at the dance studio got out of control and now even though I have not defaulted or done wrong in any way, someone else trying to help us has it coming back on them in a terrible way and I feel SO BADLY and am really, really stressed about it...I can't give details because it's too possible for someone connected to read this but it's just awful the way this has happened
-horrible multi-day allergy attack that's had my eyes swollen and been really irritating
-Aaron's cast depression coupled with a serious rebellious, mischevious phase for Elise are making bedtime a 3 hour ordeal that feels like spinning in circles...so over it
-my laptop is broken and I'm worried I've lost some of my most recent, not-yet-backed up writing work as well as MY LAPTOP :/
Best:
-Isaac and Jake are both drawing the most clever, hilarious stuff everyday - I'm going to be posting some of it soon, they are amazing and I am loving their explanations as much as their work
-I'm really excited about my new registered and self-hosted wordpress blog, which is almost ready to be unveiled...Grant managed to get my whole 7+ years of LJ onto it, with ALL COMMENTS and pictures and formatting and EVERYTHING, and all my freaking icons and the ability to use them when I post, and tags, and I'm impressed. I'm even happy with how it looks, from our own pictures...super soon.
-our school days are going very well - that is another thing I'll be posting more details about soon. We're going one entry per day through a LIFE "100 People Who Changed the World" book, that always leads to tons of discussion, and doing an anatomy unit that is really fun and I have a lot of great resources here for, and I FINALLY found my Story of the World Teacher's Guide, and Ananda has completed most of the stuff she was most behind in...I'm feeling very good about it all. Jake is writing his name and all letters and numbers, Isaac is copying whole sentences and reading simple books. Aaron has gone beyond one sentence entries in his nature journal and is even trying to be funny.
-the kittens are freaking adorable and doing so well...Chrysanthemum was from what the breeder called "a charmed litter" as all eight of them thrived so much from day 1 and there was never a single complication - that is how this is looking :) We have pretty solid homes lined up for 2 and a maybe for a third, so far, which I think is pretty good considering they're only about 2 1/2 weeks old. I'm way too taken with one little boy that just reminds me a little too much of a cat I used to love...we'll see how that goes. Watching Chrysanthemum carry them back to the nest when they wander off and clean them and things is great. She's earned a new level of respect from my sister, who watches her wearily try to get them all settled with hard earned empathy.
-the house has been pretty consistently cleaner than usual and it's starting to feel like I can keep it that way
Stupid 4am and I'm going to mass in the morning AFTER Cybele comes and picks up her guinea pigs grumblegrumble...
Elise said, "My Brian, and Liz-beth, my Ora, and Shaun?!?! ALL PEOPLE, my house?!?! No BELIEVE!!!"
She was excited.
If you would like people to come from far and wide (or...close and nothing else to do...) to eat at your house, here is the recipe:
"sauce"
1. sautee a diced yellow onion and some minced garlic in olive oil and butter/your preferred butter alternative
2. throw in a billion (10 roma or 6 full sized) chopped tomatoes - I leave it in pretty big pieces; simmer for a couple of minutes
3. squeeze in juice of half a lemon, sprinkle on a teaspoon of sugar, salt rather heavily, and then throw in a bunch of chopped fresh basil; stir and leave alone for a few minutes
4. add 1-3 (your choice...I veer towards 3) crates of mushrooms and, once they're cooked in, a couple of big handfuls of spinach or arugula (just until wilted)
"chicken" ...it doesn't make sense to have chicken in quotes like that. Oh well.
1. put boneless skinless tenderloins (or whatever you like better) on the George Foreman with a lot of seasoned salt rubbed in, and then lemon juice and season salt it more as you rip it up after it's cooked
"pasta" (again, this system was not thought through well)
1. boil it. I prefer linguini
Pasta, then sauce, then chicken on your plate, followed by mozzarella. It's so good.
Last night I had an Usborne show down is Islamorada. The house turned out to be a mansion by the sea; an entire wall was made of glass. The sun set over the gulf through it as we ate really good appetizers the host (also named Tina Marie) prepared. I saw four living rooms while I was there. Multiple balconies. Finger paint smeared on every wall. It was a whole gathering of women who had waited for education, travel and affluence before having kids, and now they stand around sipping wine and laughing as the toddlers paint on the doors and tiles and expensive furniture. Lots of broad gesturing - they all run a cooperative Montessori school together (where I now have a book fair scheduled in early December).
People were really nice and I made about $100 profit off of 4 hours of work (including the drive there and back). In the bathroom hung a sampler that read, "I dreamed of mermaids, motorcycles and a man who can dance". Other Tina said that was what made her move to Florida, and told us all to go check out the artist's website. Even though I know that most people in the Keys chose to move there at some point in their adult lives, it's still strange to me to really meet and know the transplants, as everyone I've ever been close with or gone to see is native.
Intense Feelings. That is the story of this week. Grant having a sugar deprivation meltdown. Me having random financial stress/PMS/bizarre-side-effects-of-yeast-die-off following-the-end-of-my-antibiotics meltdowns. Total joy and happiness over kittens, driving with loud music and rolled down windows with the ocean outside, and little people love. I'm either crawling through a maze of forts with Gloria, Isaac and Jake, or feeling like I'm about to throw up because the electric bill is too backed up and I really, really am not sure how to fix this...situation...I'm having with some dance studio people and our financed JUMP fees.
Worst:
-leak from hurricane shutter bolts coming through exterior wall and messing up floor in
-a couple of checks bounced and now we have to fix things before that escalates into a nightmare
-major sleep disturbances are making me wonder if it's even possible that I could still be feeling the effects of two days of prednisone from a couple of weeks ago, OR WHAT. I haven't dreaded going to bed like this since the worst of my pre-therapy PTSD junk in 2008
-a situation at the dance studio got out of control and now even though I have not defaulted or done wrong in any way, someone else trying to help us has it coming back on them in a terrible way and I feel SO BADLY and am really, really stressed about it...I can't give details because it's too possible for someone connected to read this but it's just awful the way this has happened
-horrible multi-day allergy attack that's had my eyes swollen and been really irritating
-Aaron's cast depression coupled with a serious rebellious, mischevious phase for Elise are making bedtime a 3 hour ordeal that feels like spinning in circles...so over it
-my laptop is broken and I'm worried I've lost some of my most recent, not-yet-backed up writing work as well as MY LAPTOP :/
Best:
-Isaac and Jake are both drawing the most clever, hilarious stuff everyday - I'm going to be posting some of it soon, they are amazing and I am loving their explanations as much as their work
-I'm really excited about my new registered and self-hosted wordpress blog, which is almost ready to be unveiled...Grant managed to get my whole 7+ years of LJ onto it, with ALL COMMENTS and pictures and formatting and EVERYTHING, and all my freaking icons and the ability to use them when I post, and tags, and I'm impressed. I'm even happy with how it looks, from our own pictures...super soon.
-our school days are going very well - that is another thing I'll be posting more details about soon. We're going one entry per day through a LIFE "100 People Who Changed the World" book, that always leads to tons of discussion, and doing an anatomy unit that is really fun and I have a lot of great resources here for, and I FINALLY found my Story of the World Teacher's Guide, and Ananda has completed most of the stuff she was most behind in...I'm feeling very good about it all. Jake is writing his name and all letters and numbers, Isaac is copying whole sentences and reading simple books. Aaron has gone beyond one sentence entries in his nature journal and is even trying to be funny.
-the kittens are freaking adorable and doing so well...Chrysanthemum was from what the breeder called "a charmed litter" as all eight of them thrived so much from day 1 and there was never a single complication - that is how this is looking :) We have pretty solid homes lined up for 2 and a maybe for a third, so far, which I think is pretty good considering they're only about 2 1/2 weeks old. I'm way too taken with one little boy that just reminds me a little too much of a cat I used to love...we'll see how that goes. Watching Chrysanthemum carry them back to the nest when they wander off and clean them and things is great. She's earned a new level of respect from my sister, who watches her wearily try to get them all settled with hard earned empathy.
-the house has been pretty consistently cleaner than usual and it's starting to feel like I can keep it that way
Stupid 4am and I'm going to mass in the morning AFTER Cybele comes and picks up her guinea pigs grumblegrumble...
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no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 02:37 pm (UTC)Also, I can always compare our life here and now to my childhood and feel so much better. For instance it's immensely comforting to me that whatever money stress we deal with, the kids aren't even really aware of it - they're always well loved and cared for, never in danger. None of us here are in any sort of trouble with the law, or that involves violence. Grant has a good steady job with benefits and we own a house and two cars in a decent neighborhood, and I have an amazing marriage! *shrug*
I am definitely more stressed than usual - your comment actually took me off guard when I mentioned things like "feeling like I'm going to throw up" and multiple meltdowns in the entry. But I understand what you mean, because I CAN still forget everything long enough to make a big dinner and enjoy it with others, or do the fort crawling or watch a movie or whatever.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 09:14 pm (UTC)The only thing that has really taken over my waking thoughts and then my dreams that way and screwed up my parenting and just broken me for day to day life, is fear of dying after my last surgery...it was so horrible. I'm sorry you have to deal with that kind of preoccupied anxiety more often - it was so bad for me for just - I don't know? 6-10 months? Something like that. At least in my adult life I've never experienced anything that could cast a pall over everything else that way.
I mean NICU stays too but that's different because someone is actually in the hospital, it's not just fear of a possibility...
no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 04:25 pm (UTC)I wish, wish, WISH there was something I could do to help with the stress. If you wanna talk, you know I'm here.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 10:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 11:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 04:55 pm (UTC)I TOLD YOU SO.
:D
I dreamed about you and Grant last night. Grant came to pick me and the kids up and was going to drive us to Florida. I opened up my door and he was standing there and gave me a HUGE hug. His beard was epic and it scratched my cheek when he hugged me. Then you walked in the door as a surprise. Your hair was even more epic than in pictures. You were wearing a green dress and carrying a white baby. Blond hair blue eyes, little girl. You hugged me and said something like 'lets go!'
no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 07:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-22 10:16 pm (UTC)I'm currently grilling a giant portabello for Annie since the rest of us are having burgers.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-23 01:31 am (UTC)Second: the dance "situation" has me all worried. :(
no subject
Date: 2010-08-23 02:52 am (UTC)I messaged you privately about the dance studio.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-23 05:33 am (UTC)I recommend you go with a web host that has some version of WordPress pre-installed so you can just click the "Upgrade" link from the admin section to get the latest version. If you don't it's not THAT crazy to install it on your own, just takes a little bit longer.
I've heard http://www.bluehost.com/ is good and I can give you hosting for $3/month (at cost) if you want it.