Quickies

I got back on Sunday from a trip with my husband. He had to go to Texas on business and I decided to tag along. He thought I was crazy, but we stayed in Galveston and had a nice time. I've got tons of pictures to organize.

Homer's been on a diet, sort of, and has lost a pound. The diet kibble does things to his system...on the plus side his poop doesn't stink so much. On the minus side it's messier.

Frank's phone died just around the time we were talking about getting him a new one. How convenient for him. Or was it planned?

Ernest's classes start Monday, but he has some meetings over the next few days. He is making the vacation last as long as possible. I didn't see him until noon yesterday.

Why do all the cars need things at the same time? Tires, oil changes, you name it. Why couldn't they spread it out a little bit?

I am not a gardener, but I do have a few home-grown tomatoes for dinner tonight.

It's time for a House Season 7 Marathon! Three discs from Netflix arriving!

That's it for me.

What's new in your world?

Cousins, (Somewhat Sorta Semi) Identical Cousins

I just do not see enough of this boy! He is always delightful. (As is his brother, but that's another blog post.)

And he reminds me of someone else near and dear to me.

There's something about the eyes. Or the brains. They're both quite extraordinary. (Eyes, Brains, and just the Boys in general.)

(Pizza courtesy of FRANK!!!)

I know I have complete agreement from all the parents, grands, and greats involved.

Here's to cousins!

Fine Feathers

I can't even count the number of times I've been to the zoo since Ernest has been working/volunteering there.

But I always like to take my camera because, more often than not, I catch something new.

Look at this fine-feathered fellow!

And his iridescent friend.

I don't really have any fine feathers for myself this summer, although I did find some pretty sleeveless tops which are coming in handy right now.

No fine feathers for my sons, either. At their advanced ages (ha!) they don't outgrow clothes like they used to. Frank is always happy if I pick up something at Costco for him. Ernest needs a longer inseam which is hard to find, so I usually order on-line if he wears something out. He needed new running shoes for cross country and I also forced him into a new pair of Converse after ignoring his complaint: "The old ones aren't worn out yet! I don't want to break in a new pair." Well, the old ones have holes and look pretty grody.

Anyway, good luck with your back to school shopping and find something nice for yourself too! You deserve it.

Housekeeping

A while ago I inadvertently deleted my links list. I repopulated it with the people who had commented here recently.

If you're not on there and you'd like to be, please leave a comment.

Notice Anything Different?

How funny. This post was in my drafts for a while and then Mrs. G was talking about something and I wrote this in my comment, which was pretty close to what I'd drafted a few weeks ago.

I've been toying over some changes to my blog too...in a similar vein with children close to 21 and 15.5, I'm not really a mommy blogger. My cats took over for a while, but I can't write about all cats all the time. So what is my blog about? Little bits of my life that I want to share. I don't write for other people, it's for myself and I am delighted if anyone wants to stop by for a visit.

Maybe I'll become Smalltown Me.

So there I go...the URL and e-mail are still the same, but that's Me all Me up there in the title. Me me me. I-I-me-me-mine. Although the cats and kids are going to sneak in frequently, because they're sneaky like that. And they're mine.

Cool Summer Supper

I don't know if I can ever top the Ill-Tempered Mutated Sea Bass, but I made this a few days earlier and it was another winner!

Emeril's Shrimp and Corn Salad

Although I can never quite manage to follow a recipe exactly...my bag of shrimp was a little bigger and I had 4 ears of corn. Also, I wasn't going to go out to buy "crab boil" or Old Bay Seasoning which another version offered as an alternate. I just tossed in some seasoned salt (it was another Emeril recipe so at least I stayed in the family).

The dressing had a nice bite to it.

What's your favorite cool summer meal? I need ideas!!

It's What's For Dinner

Mutated Sea Bass with a Frickin' Laser Beam

Dr. Evil: You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads! Now evidently my cycloptic colleague informs me that that that can't be done. Ah, can you remind me what I pay you people for? Honestly, throw me a bone here! What do we have?
Number Two: Sea bass.
Dr. Evil: Riiiight.
Number Two: They are mutated sea bass.
Dr. Evil: Really? Are they ill tempered?
Number Two: Absolutely.
Dr. Evil: That's a start.

My start is the mutated sea bass and the laser beam. I think I'll include some fruit salsa, sauteed spinach and rice.

What's for dinner at your place?

Mileage

My car hit an interesting mileage the other day...

Me? My personal mileage is a lot higher.

Over the past few years, I used to start each summer out with high expectations of what I would accomplish. And at the end of the summer nothing would be done. Except for putting a lot of mileage on the car while Driving Mr. Ernest back and forth to the zoo.

This year I did not make any plans to accomplish anything. Or to rephrase it, I planned to accomplish nothing. Hence, no disappointments. I have seen many movies, read stacks of books, and eaten delicious lunches. That is a good life and I am grateful.

But while my summer of lowered expectations was successful, I can't keep that up forever.

Ernest goes back to school on Labor Day*** and things must change. I must make some plans and have a schedule.

***Yes, ON Labor Day. You heard me correctly. His "Hogwarts," being primarily a boarding school, does not observe the Monday holidays. Ernest is just happy that his school does not start till September. He is "old school" like me and does not like the August starting dates! If I had not been laid off (and chosen to stay that way) I would be going back to work on Monday. This Monday! My sympathies to everyone who has to show up there on Monday.

One of the many reasons I decided to stay laid off was to take advantage of the opportunity to tag along on my husband's business trips. We had such a fantastic time in Ireland. So when he mentioned he had a trip coming up, I started making plans. Nowhere as exotic as Dublin, but still...

Plans and mileage...

What's going on in your world?

Thanksgiving in August

Well, just the turkey part. Handy was craving turkey so we did a modified shebang earlier in the week...turkey, stuffing, gravy, plus some leftovers to round out the meal. I put a hunk of turkey in the freezer, but we still had a lot in the fridge ...

The solution was Handy's brilliant idea: TURKEY ENCHILADAS.

Enchiladas de pavo son muy deliciosos.

Of course I have no real recipe.

It's just a "throw it together" kind of thing.

Chop up the turkey. Add some sliced black olives and diced green chiles.

Crumble up some queso fresco.

Lightly fry the tortillas...about 5 seconds per side.

(I used to cheat and not do this step but it makes a huge difference.)

Open up a can of green enchilada sauce and let your handy husband assemble them.

Bake at 350 for a half hour or so.

Muy bueno.

Ernest's going back for seconds. He has to carb load...he estimates he burned 1000 calories on the bike today. The giant burger, fries and chocolate shake afterwards probably replenished most of it.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

The Only Thing Cuter...

I don't think there's anything cuter than one swimming capybara

Unless it's two

or three

or even four!

Spread the capy love.

Video of Garibaldi Rous.

Please visit Gari at www.gianthamster.com

2, 3 and 4 capys from the Santa Barbara Zoo, photos by me.

Looking Up: Courthouse

A long time while ago, I did some posts on looking up...but then I forgot about the subject until the other day.

While touristing walking around the Santa Barbara courthouse last week, I remembered to look up. I saw...

a giant Fiesta flag.

a balcony to nowhere. Why is it there? Another visitor thought an opera singer should just appear up there and burst out into song.

many staircases. I love staircases. Just not climbing them.

So I was very happy that the elevator to the clock tower was working. The last time I was there, on a field trip with Ernest, we had to use the stairs.

There, I had to look out.

And down.

What a gorgeous day.

Painted Cave

Ernest and I took a detour on the way home Saturday, to check out a twisty windy uphill road for a potential bike ride.

And we happened upon a place I had driven by once or twice, but never stopped to look at.

Painted Cave.

(Photos by Ernest)

Feline Embarrassment

Can I embarrass my darling Homer any more than this?

Possibly, if I compare him to this.

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Homer says, I'm no Otto. I'm only half his weight.

I say, Homer, we need to cut back on that kibble a bit.

(Tues) Day Off

It almost seems like I am still working since I am hardly ever home. Driving Mr. Ernest does get time consuming, although I do enjoy my afternoons. He had a day off yesterday, so I did too. Sort of.

We spent an hour waiting at the medical clinic to see the doctor for 2 minutes to confirm the red bump on Ernest's back was a blablabla hemangioma, and Ernest could either leave it alone or take it off. Since it's just going to get bigger, I voted to take it off.

I realize you need some backstory here. The night I combed out the dreadlocks snarls I thought it might be a good opportunity to trim his hair after his shower. When I felt his eel-like slippery tresses slither through my fingers, I decided it was not the time for me to attempt an amateur trim. "Let's make an appointment with a hair professional," I said. Oh yeah, I can pass the scissors buck baby!

However, I exposed his upper back for the first time in years. Even when he has his shirt off, the hair normally covers it. And there was a little bulgy red bump on his right shoulder blade. "We should have that looked at," I said, because I don't like to see mysterious bumps on my golden child, and that's yet another story.

So we had to schedule another appointment next week for the bump-ectomy. The doctor said something funny like, "There Will Be Blood, " but I can deal with that. How many times have I taken someone to the ER for stitches? And Ernest won't see anything, since it's on his back.

= = = =

In the afternoon, Ernest was bored so he helped me with a cooking project. He juiced an entire watermelon in my handmedown* juice extractor for my Watermelon Jello project. Why am I making Watermelon Jello? Because I saw the recipe in Sunset magazine while we were waiting waiting waiting at the doctor's office. And since there was watermelon juice to spare, he made watermelon/strawberry/lemon/ade. Later I realized I could have saved the extra juice for Frank to make Watermelon Pie.

Oh well, I'm sure I can get someone to pulverize another watermelon. I got Ernest interested in the first place because I said, "Want to Gallagher a watermelon?" He was slightly disappointed that I did not hand him a sledgehammer.

= = = =

*I love my mother-in-law for many reasons, not just because she gives me the appliances she doesn't want anymore.

= = = =

Back to the jello...

Looks gorgeous, doesn't it. Like something out of, oh I don;t know, a magazine? Sadly, it did not taste as good as it looked. I think it was the sugar. I thought to myself, "Self, why does the recipe have all that sugar when watermelon is so naturally sweet?" But we added the sugar anyways. I should listen to myself.

Meeting Friends

Well, I think this is going to me my week of meeting old and new friends.

Saturday, I met Lala and her husband Dave. Now this was a case of new friends feeling exactly like old friends.

Sunday, Frank invited his best buddy and his parents over for what is becoming our usual Sunday barbecue. Again, terrific new people that we would love to see again.

(Frank made 3 batches of his incredible cookies...our guests also got plates of them to take home and we are left with only half a dozen for ourselves. But I'll have to wait a bit for the next batch. Next he's planning to make lemon bars from the lemons his grandfather gave him.)

Wednesday, I am lunching with two former co-workers, and hope to set up a lunch with another one on Friday.

Usually I go for weeks without seeing anyone but my family, so look at social little me.

What's happening with you this week?

Staying Awake

After being awake since 4 am, this is how I feel right now...



Why was I awake at 4 am? oh, I don't know, some strange noises from the other side of the bed and so as not to embarrass the other party, I'll just say it wasn't snoring. Then we were up at 5:30 anyway to take Ernest to a bike race.

Fortunately, I was able to stay awake long enough today to meet Lala and her husband. Fantastic people with great vacation stories! I just knew I would like her in real life, too. And such a small world: although we met through our blogs, it turns out we went to the same high school for a while.

Off My Rocker?

Do you think I have enough rocking chairs? I inherited all these from my mother's house and had them refinished. From back to front, the rocker in my room as a baby, a classic oak craftsman style from my great-uncle's house, my mom's favorite rocker which she kept in her kitchen, and my own little childhood rocker. They all have some kind of meaning or memories attached to them so I made room for them.


Plus we had Frank's childhood rocker. That's Frank at age 3, during the Year of Face Paint, as a frog. He sat in it a lot, until he got so big he got stuck! Ernest did too. Now it finds use as our favorite footstool.

So I need another rocking chair like, what? Like a hole in the head? Like Homer needs to gain weight?

But then I fell in love. It actually matches most of the furniture in my house. So I guess this one is mine, all mine, no emotional baggage attached, it's just here because I find it beautiful.

And it's so cool...

look, Frank Sinatra had one!

When I showed my husband that picture, his eyes slid right past the chair to the high-tech 1964 stereo system. "I think those are Klipschorn speakers," he said. We are all attuned so differently.

More Harry Potter Memories

I shared some Harry Potter memories when Deathly Hallows part 1 opened. Now that part 2 is out, here's part 2 of my Harry Potter Memories. These are about 9 years ago. Seems just like yesterday!

Here's Frank, ready to do his book report on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. He made his own golden snitch out of a bouncy ball, paper wings, and gold spray paint. I believe the scar is lipstick.


And the Harry Potter Sleepover Party for Ernest's 6th birthday.

A sleepover party for 6 year olds? What the hell was I thinking? ***

*** What was I thinking? That I could not say no to this adorable little wizard.

I had an ordeal getting this cake. Albertson's had a big sign up on their bakery counter advertising Harry Potter cakes. So I walked up to order the cake. "What do you want on it?" the baker asked. "Harry Potter!" I said, pointing to the sign. "Oh, we can't do that. We're all out." Then why the hell was the sign still up? So I stormed out and went to a local bakery, where they said, "Harry Potter, sure thing!" and voila, I got this beauty. Tasted better than Albertson's too. (I haven't bought a cake at Albertson's since....I can hold a grudge a long, long time!)

Well, now I'm going to kick back with my morning coffee and re-read the end of Deathly Hallows.

Accio coffee cup.

Monkee See

Last week we saw The Monkees 45th Anniversary Tour at the local casino. We haven't been to a concert there in a long time. Usually there are a lot of country singers, which you may have gathered isn't quite our cup of tea.

The show was a lot of fun! Although their voices sound older, the songs are still great. They were backed up by an 8-person band. Kudos to the lady on the right who played keyboard, 2 saxophones, and flute, "and all for one money," quipped Davy. He was full of quips, like "Justin Bieber stole my haircut, and Axl Rose stole my moves." Peter and Micky were quippy too. (Michael chose not to make the tour.)

They opened with "I'm a Believer," my favorite Monkees song, so I was a little disappointed to hear it so early. Not to worry, though, they closed with it too!

I had my experience with their greatest fan about one minute into the show. See that arm and elbow in white just behind my head? Well, she whacked my head twice within the first minute of "I'm a Believer." I was so annoyed. I had to turn around and tell her to be careful. Humphf.

There's the rest of the greatest fan right there below, once again directly behind my head. That's probably the hand that hit me. I absolutely love music and concerts but I am somehow able to contain myself and not spoil others' enjoyment. I wish they would do the same.

Frank came with us. Since it's an 18-and-older venue, we had to leave Ernest home alone. Frank has been to the casino before. To celebrate his 18th birthday, he went in and promptly lost $5 at blackjack. He's not a big spender!

He realized he had heard some of the songs before, even if he wasn't really familiar with the Monkees. Well, everyone has heard I'm a Believer in Shrek.

He was a little surprised by the hordes of old people (my term, not his) rushing the stage at the end. It was a senior mosh pit!

It was a nice long show, about 2 hours 15 minutes, so we got our money's worth. I loved seeing all the old TV show clips on the screen. Micky was always my favorite.

Cats in High Places

To add to our on-line gallery of cat art, this little statue is perched atop a parking lot wall. Looks like its ear has seen some cat fights.