wordless wednesday: queen of the canteen

Jamie on the other side of the canteen window at Pine Haven.  

She just looks like she belongs there!  

PHCA, June 2010

The Poached Egg - Daily Quote

(I'm just wondering how this reblogging tool works.)

This John Newton quote is one of my most favorites ever:

The Poached Egg - Daily Quote

Three Beautiful Things

1.  Choice:  I had one of those tough working-for-yourself-at-home days yesterday.  Wondering what I'm doing and if I'm half out of my mind.  Mostly I just needed to get down to taking care of some of the not-as-fun, self-discipline, work-your-plan stuff.  In the midst, I looked around and realized that I was sitting in my big bedroom/temporary office with not one, for FOUR windows letting sunshine and beauty stream in.  My son was wandering in and out updating me on world cup soccer and the general state of the world.  And I realized that in the midst of life change for my family that could have been - and is for many people - financially devastating, I can choose to take a chance on me.  I have my own business, I'm the boss and I have a fun, positive, experienced and successful group of women to work with.  Wow!  I love that.


2.  Technology. What a curse, but what a blessing.  I have some connection with friends and across the miles and across the years that I wouldn't have without email and facebook and cell phones and texting.  I can work at home with ease (see above).  I have access to weather radar to see where the storm is that woke me up early this morning - and can check on the weather at camp where Jamie is getting up to make breakfast for the 9th & 10th graders, and where mom and dad are starting their day, and where Julie and the kids are (hopefully!) still sleeping soundly.  Yesterday I took my morning walk and listened to one of my favorite radio programs that I almost never get to hear - it just magically put itself on my iPod and was there ready to bless my morning!  (oh, and The Writer's Almanac - that was magically there, too!!)

3.  My new purse.  I have this thing about purses.  It's more of a quest really.  An epic search for the perfect purse.  I have really restrained myself in recent years.  (I have.  You have no idea.)  I don't know if this is really it. But it is a beauty.  (And probably the cheapest, simplest purse I've bought in....ever.)   I bought it at Beagle Books in Park Rapids, a bookstore of my favorite kind.  I also bought a copy of The Princess and the Goblin (George MacDonald), which I just discovered you can read online for FREE here at Google Books.  And it's really a lovely copy.  But I digress.  The purse:  Beagle Books bought it directly from a Vietnamese women's co-op which she has visited.  That's just cool.  I wanted to pay more for the purse!  I did.  


What beautiful in your life?

on the menu

Isn't it amazing how the seasons - of weather & of life - break our routines, no matter how small and cause us to regroup, re-evaluate and reorder our little worlds?  I used to (and still too often) rant and rail about little chaos-es these seasons bring with them.  How I feel so out of sorts, so at odds and ends, just trying to find my way through the week in the midst of all the wreckage of my routine.  (Oh, the little dramas we create for ourselves!  At least I do.)


I'm learning to accept these seasons more graciously.  Please don't ask any of my children for a report on that, they don't have the proper perspective to evaluate fairly.  Surely there is no truly perfect routine, no truly exceptional method for remembering all the dates and times and appointments and bill due dates and to which teeth the boy's rubber bands are supposed to be connected and re-connected after brushing after each and every meal and snack.  Living and loving today cannot be diminished by the presence of winter coats in my front hall closet in June.  If I don't allow it.  The tree-lings that have taken over the beds along the side of the house that I never see have nothing real to say to me about my worth and a keeper of the home.  Really.  Or at least I'm not listening.  (Sorry, Mary - my dear neighbor.)  


I'm trying so hard (or maybe less hard) to live in the present.  To let the past go and the future come and just Live right now.  


At least until my planner refill calendars arrive in the next 7 - 14 days and then I'll really get organized.  :-)


Ah, yes.  I do have a menu for the week - really the next 10 days to 2 weeks!  yippee.


Marinated Steak Tips w garlic mashed potatoes and peas
Asian Pork and Noodles with cantaloupe slices
Salsa Rosa Burgers with roasted potatoes
Apricot Chicken with steamed rice and broccoli
Santa Fe Soup with cornbread
Crockpot:  chuck Roast with veggies 
Hot Dog Wraps with strawberries and chips  (yes!  hotdogs in crescent rolls!)
I just noticed there is no fish so I'll rely on Jeff for a fish - probably salmon!




Good Eatin'!!

wordless wednesday: little cabin

I miss this cute little cabin at Riverside Point Resort in Park Rapids.  We got away Saturday to spend the night between picking Nate up from camp Saturday morning and dropping Alex off Sunday afternoon.  We enjoyed paddleboat rides around Fishhook Lake and sitting in the swing just doing nothing but being together.  The resort allows pets so Mia was able to join us. Jamie even got an overnight pass to stay with us and make a trip to The Evil Walmart.  We went to church together at a new church near the camp:  Lakeside Christian Church.  What a treat to spend some time all together!  

[So much for "wordless!"]

Summer Sizzle or Drizzle? The Trilogy Begins: June Movie Lineup

JUNE

The heat is on as the first REAL Summer Blockbuster Month begins

ACTION/ THRILLERS

Knight and Day - Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are teamed together in this Action flick with some romance and supposed humor thrown. Tom rocks the action movies and Cameron can actually bring it too so this has the potential to be good, but do they have any on screen chemistry? It's questionable since they starred together in Vanilla Sky (2001) which didn't do very well at the box office. (For the record I didn't see Vanilla Sky so can't comment on the Cruise/ Diaz Chemistry Connection . . . yet).

The A-Team - When I first heard Hollywood was doing a movie version of this somewhat cheesy but entertaining 80's TV show I groaned, "Not another one." But after seeing trailers and the cast list I'm actually wanting to see this movie. I'm a big Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper fan and this has the potential of being a fun, roller coaster ride of an action flick. I don't expect a great plot, but if the action sequences are well done and adrenalin filled then COOL!

Killers - Buffed up Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl take on the action/ romantic comedy a la Knight and Day but unlike Cruze and Diaz Ashton and Katherine CAN do comedy so the humor could be better in this "retired secret government assassin marries an unwitting woman and his past comes back to try and bite him in the butt" movie. High jinks ensue but unless the dialogue is snappy and the action sequences well done then Killers could end up being terminated with prejudice.


The Karate Kid - When I first heard they did a remake of The Karate Kid I yelled, "NOOOOOO!" But after reading about it and seeing the trailers I realized this is The Karate Kid in name only. It's not even Japanese karate but Kung Fu. Hmm. Ok, well, this could still be a good movie but early reviews haven't been too favorable. Jaden Smith does an ok job but the story is a bit lacking and the magic of Miyagi/ Danielsan relationship is lacking.


COMEDY

Get Him to the Greek - Both of the stars were in Forgetting Sarah Marshall with Russell Brand reprising his character of English rock star, Aldous Snow. The write ups and reviews say this film is a wild and raunchy romp. Hmm. Well, may see it on DVD


Grown Ups - On the surface this seems like it might be funny but it also seems like they decided to throw a bunch of well known funny men up against a wall and see what sticks. Ensemble casts can be tricky and in the past ensemble comedian casts have been very hit or miss.


FAMILY

Marmaduke - CGI talking Great Dane. Sigh. I'm sure the kiddies would love this one. Not being a fan of the comic I think I'll pass.

Toy Story 3 - Back when my daughters were young I loved going to Toy Story and Toy Story 2 to see Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang. I do hope this is a good Pixar addition to the Story franchise and will probably see it on DVD for old times sake. (Hey, I'm a kid at heart).


SCI FI/ FANTASY/ JUST PLAIN WEIRD

Jonah Hex - This film is based on a comic book and since I've NEVER heard of it I'm feeling little interest in seeing it. This Weird Western style thriller is too niche oriented to be well seen mainstream so don't feel bad if you miss this one in the theaters.

Splice - True sci fi but heard this one is a disappointment. But then, I don't agree with most news critics so . . . Anyway, I like the premise (21st Century Frankenstein) and the trailer looked creepy and intriguing and I love me some decent science fiction every now and then.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - The Squee Crowd will be pleased that the third in the series is being released so timely. Bella, Edward, and Jacob return along with the love triangle, blood suckers, and furry friends galore. Get ready to get your vamp on . . . or wolf if your a Team Jacob fan. Squeeeeeeeee!


Enjoy the first month of true Summer releases and don't forget the popcorn people.

wordless wednesday: nate vs the funnel cake

Nate VS The Funnel Cake
at RibFest 2010
(not quite sure who won!) 

Favorite New Recipe

We made some yummy stuff last week while my parents were here - and of course, for Jamie's Open House and Special Dinner.  One of our new favorites (unanimously approved!) is Greek Burgers.  

Can't wait to make them again!

1 pkg hamburger buns

1 - 2 pounds ground turkey

For each pound of ground turkey add:

1/2 c mayo

2 ts curry powder

2 oz crumbled feta

1/4 ts salt

Toppings:

1 - 1 1/2 cups spinach leaves

small red onion, sliced thin

remaining feta cheese crumbles

Heat broiler.  Stir together mayo and curry; set aside.

Combine turkey, 2 T mayo/curry mixture, feta cheese and salt.  Shape into 1/2 inch thick patties (4 per pound).  Broil 4 inches from broiler, 11 - 13 minutes total; turning once.  

Spread remaining mayo/curry mixture on buns, layer patties, onion, spinach and feta to serve!

All is Not LOST

Having been a "Lostie" for years, I was both a bit sad to see the end of one of television's most innovative shows in a long time and a bit relieved to finally get some answers to all the bizarreness of the island and the Lostaways over the past six years.

The two and a half hour LOST retrospective and series finale did answer some questions about the whole LOST legacy but as usual left many questions unanswered.  Part Twilight Zone part X-Files and a splash of Outer Limits made this show a great watch with such a great combination of mystery storyline coupled with great characterization.  Seriously, without the characters being just SO good throughout this show would have died seasons ago.

I don't think I or anyone will ever fully understand the plane crash, the ISLAND, the Others, or the Dharma Initiative, but it was a blast tuning in episode after episode to peel back another layer of intrigue and to see Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, Locke, Ben and the other Lostaways maneuver there way through the mysteries of flashbacks, flashforwards, and even flashsideways for the past six years.  Though the end did get a bit schmaltzy at times, overall I thought the series did a great job of communicating positive aspects of community and redemption while sprinkling some Lord of the Flies just to add some spice from time to time.  It was an intelligent series in a medium that tends to dumb down programming and though networks are striving to create a LOST replacement it may be awhile.   After all, its hard to grab hold of the energy and power of "Black Smoke."

Spoiler Alert for those that may have not seen the series and plan to on DVD one day:  

I'm still not sure if the ending was supposed to really be the whole "time to enter the light" sequence and that they were really dead this WHOLE time?  The fading to black on Jack's eye as the whole series opened is highly suspicious that perhaps this was a whole St. Elsewhere scenario set-up which is slightly better than if it had been a Dallas, Pam Ewing dream sequence.  Still, the finale makes one believe that the passengers of fated Flight 815 did indeed die but the question is WHEN did they die (Time and Space) and was the WHOLE series a final last gasp firing of Jack's synapses before his lights went out???  Were the writers really that cruel?  Or were they just keeping us guessing until the very end?  (Cue the Twilight Zone theme music)   Picture a man on Oceanic Flight 815 bound for Los Angeles . . .