wasn't "original" to me. They let me compete and, well, Win! I bar-b-qued the marinated pork loin and it was umm umm good, kept snitching the whole time I was cutting it up. Added a a little "Crushed Red Pepper" (dehydrated) for a little more "zing" and it's another Blue Ribbon. Thanks for the receipe Annie. I love you!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Blue Ribbon #3
Based on the title you'd think I'm some kind of great chef or something - but in fact, it's not me but the receipe that's won 3 blue ribbons now. It's Annies receipe for Pineapple Chille which won it's first blue ribbon at the Lancaster II Ward Chille Cookoff in February 2008 and the third (that we know of) was won tonight in the Meadowdale, WA Ward Men's Chille Cookoff. When the signup sheets came along, there was a category for "Most Unusual" so it seemed this receipe would be great for that. When I showed up to the cookoff the category stated "Most Original." I felt bad and confessed the receipe wasn't "original" to me. They let me compete and, well, Win! I bar-b-qued the marinated pork loin and it was umm umm good, kept snitching the whole time I was cutting it up. Added a a little "Crushed Red Pepper" (dehydrated) for a little more "zing" and it's another Blue Ribbon. Thanks for the receipe Annie. I love you!
wasn't "original" to me. They let me compete and, well, Win! I bar-b-qued the marinated pork loin and it was umm umm good, kept snitching the whole time I was cutting it up. Added a a little "Crushed Red Pepper" (dehydrated) for a little more "zing" and it's another Blue Ribbon. Thanks for the receipe Annie. I love you!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Epiphany
So, this morning, I had an epiphany.
As I'm unloading yet another box (how do we have so much stuff??) I find a tablecloth. Jeanne is in the shower getting ready to go to lunch and shopping with Claudia (I'm so jealous, but they're probably tired of having a guy tag along) so I open the shower door and ask, "where do you keep the tablecloths?" To which Jeanne replies, "You know we probably have to reorganize the entire pantry." I become rather narrowly focused and say something like, "I just want to know where to put this tablecloth!" to which she replies, "oh, I think we put those in the buffet in the dining room." As I'm descending the stairs from the bedroom to the kitchen, feeling a little frustrated that I can't just get a simple answer to a simple question, I have an epiphany. To Jeanne, my question is not a simple question. Her vision and thought processes are expansive and comprehensive at the very time mine are limited and narrow. My question opened a vision to her about something that inevitably will need to be done and will include the object of my question. It occurred to me that I LOVE JEANNE for, among other things, her creativity and she can't have that creativity without expansive vision, even regarding my simple-minded questions. I hope to remember that in the future and try to delve into her creative responses rather than reduce everything to simple and now and also be filled with love everytime her answers make no sense to me realizing I'm the simpleton! (PS - you all may need to remind me of that occasionally. Feel free!)
As I'm unloading yet another box (how do we have so much stuff??) I find a tablecloth. Jeanne is in the shower getting ready to go to lunch and shopping with Claudia (I'm so jealous, but they're probably tired of having a guy tag along) so I open the shower door and ask, "where do you keep the tablecloths?" To which Jeanne replies, "You know we probably have to reorganize the entire pantry." I become rather narrowly focused and say something like, "I just want to know where to put this tablecloth!" to which she replies, "oh, I think we put those in the buffet in the dining room." As I'm descending the stairs from the bedroom to the kitchen, feeling a little frustrated that I can't just get a simple answer to a simple question, I have an epiphany. To Jeanne, my question is not a simple question. Her vision and thought processes are expansive and comprehensive at the very time mine are limited and narrow. My question opened a vision to her about something that inevitably will need to be done and will include the object of my question. It occurred to me that I LOVE JEANNE for, among other things, her creativity and she can't have that creativity without expansive vision, even regarding my simple-minded questions. I hope to remember that in the future and try to delve into her creative responses rather than reduce everything to simple and now and also be filled with love everytime her answers make no sense to me realizing I'm the simpleton! (PS - you all may need to remind me of that occasionally. Feel free!)
Monday, August 2, 2010
Arriving In Seattle
Well - after a cross-country trip, Jeanne and I have arrived in Seattle.
We have a house to live in - at least temporarily. We are "caretakers" for a house that has been on the market for 400 days and can live here (very reasonably) until the house sells.
The house has BEAUTIFUL views and is a nice house. 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and a family room and office.
Supposedly it is 4000 sq. feet, but we wound up with boxes and boxes of stuff that didn't fit! Guess we had more room in PA. We initiated the place with a little pizza party with Bill & Mary Ellen, Mike & Debbie's family and Bob and Lucy. It's so GREAT to be so close to everyone.
The back of the house is pretty much all windows which makes for spectacular views of the Puget Sound and Olympic mountains.
Emmy has bee able to see her cousins more in a couple days than in a couple years. Jeanne and I had lunch on Friday with Hal and Claudia Bennett. We have missed them sooo much. We went to Ivar's on the water front in Seattle and loved the food and company.
Of course at the same time we miss our friends in PA and hope many of you will visit us in Seattle! I'll update the next blog with pictures of the house FURNISHED!
We have a house to live in - at least temporarily. We are "caretakers" for a house that has been on the market for 400 days and can live here (very reasonably) until the house sells.
The house has BEAUTIFUL views and is a nice house. 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and a family room and office.
Supposedly it is 4000 sq. feet, but we wound up with boxes and boxes of stuff that didn't fit! Guess we had more room in PA. We initiated the place with a little pizza party with Bill & Mary Ellen, Mike & Debbie's family and Bob and Lucy. It's so GREAT to be so close to everyone.
The back of the house is pretty much all windows which makes for spectacular views of the Puget Sound and Olympic mountains.
Emmy has bee able to see her cousins more in a couple days than in a couple years. Jeanne and I had lunch on Friday with Hal and Claudia Bennett. We have missed them sooo much. We went to Ivar's on the water front in Seattle and loved the food and company.
Of course at the same time we miss our friends in PA and hope many of you will visit us in Seattle! I'll update the next blog with pictures of the house FURNISHED!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Hard To Move
Some of you are wondering why it's going to be hard for us to move from PA back to Seattle. All other reasons aside, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Saturday I spent about 45 minutes driving around Elizabethtown and took these pictures. I will miss that!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Toy Story 3 - A Must See
Most of you are aware of the fact that Emily and I love to go see good movies together. It's hard to find good ones though.
Usually, if I stay awake it was adequate, if I laugh outloud or cry it was good, and if I stay for all the credits thinking there's going to be one more scene, it's excellent. Toy Story 3 definitely got an "Excellent" rating. Never even came close to sleep, laughed AND cried, and waited through ALL the credits. In my mind, Toy Story (the original) had one of the best story lines of all time, Toy Story 2 was one of the true exceptions to the "Sequel Rule" and was overall better than the first, being one of the funniest movies I'd ever seen. When I heard there was going to be a Toy Story 3 there was great skepticism. What could they do to top 2? When it was over, my first question was, "When did this go in the can? Did they make it at the same time they made 2 and hold it for nine years so the character ages would be real?" The reason this crossed my mind is because the energy and flow of the movie came across as if at the end of the credits for 2 you just stayed in your seats for 3. It literally took me aback AND back in time. I belive the story line is better than 1 and the humor (though all original) is better than 2. One of the best movies of all time.
Usually, if I stay awake it was adequate, if I laugh outloud or cry it was good, and if I stay for all the credits thinking there's going to be one more scene, it's excellent. Toy Story 3 definitely got an "Excellent" rating. Never even came close to sleep, laughed AND cried, and waited through ALL the credits. In my mind, Toy Story (the original) had one of the best story lines of all time, Toy Story 2 was one of the true exceptions to the "Sequel Rule" and was overall better than the first, being one of the funniest movies I'd ever seen. When I heard there was going to be a Toy Story 3 there was great skepticism. What could they do to top 2? When it was over, my first question was, "When did this go in the can? Did they make it at the same time they made 2 and hold it for nine years so the character ages would be real?" The reason this crossed my mind is because the energy and flow of the movie came across as if at the end of the credits for 2 you just stayed in your seats for 3. It literally took me aback AND back in time. I belive the story line is better than 1 and the humor (though all original) is better than 2. One of the best movies of all time. A couple of notes:
1) Annie mentioned to me that a friend told her it was scary for kids. I must confess I've probably lost my bearings for young kid scariness - but that said, I can't remember anything that was REALLY scary. Yes there is a bad guy (or two) and yes they do some bad things to the good guys but it's not like they rip out Mr. Potato Head's arms (he does that to himself in one of the funniest scenes of the movie which involves a tortilla) or anything.
2) I went with Emmy tonight to see the newest Twilight movie (I've seen them all with her). I had to constantly ask her to explain things to me (who's who, what's what, etc.). From the moment Toy Story 3 started, as earlier mentioned, it was like a time warp, as if no time had passed from when you saw 2. Magical.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
London Post IV
Jeanne and Emmy indicated they'd like to get some rest so Mary and I took a walk through Kennsington Gardens and a little of Hyde Park. It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect and it was fun being with Mary. She was quite patient about my stopping to take pictures. I felt so blessed to have such a great relationship with a child. Jeanne and I have been so blessed in that regard.
We began by walking toward Kennsington Palace. This is where Victoria spent much of her life before becoming queen and where Diana lived after the break up with Charles. The Palace has lovely sunken gardens and beautiful grounds and it was on this walk that Mary began to educate me a bit about who Victoria was. It was a great introduction to later activities like touring the Palace, seeing the movie "Young Victoria" and visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Palace struck me as understated as far as palaces go. That was a sort of endearing thing about it. It looks smaller than it is from the outside. So, I guess if I had to own a palace, maybe this one would be it.
It was here in front of the palace that people left cards and flower arrangements and memorialized Diana after her death.
From the palace we walked toward Hyde Park. Mary took me to a "walkway" of sorts and told me it is the "Princess Diana Memorial Walk." Again, the blossoms were coming on, the flowers were blooming. It seemed we couldn't have come at a better time.
And fortunately, Mary is a pretty willing model.
We reached a point where there was a large memorial in the distance. Mary told me about it as we walked toward it. It is a memorial for Prince Albert. Albert was Victoria's husband and only love. A bit unusual for royalty. They married very young and although Albert died young (age 42 of consumption I think) they were married 20+ years and produced 9 children.
When a plan was hatched to create a monument for him, Victoria apparently told the planners, "If you're going to build him a monument, make it a real monument." This was the result. I saw many statues and monuments to Victoria, including in Birmingham, but none of them rivaled what they came up with for Albert. She really loved him and never remarried in the 40 or so years she lived after his death. She is the longest reigning queen of England and was pretty much universally loved. Albert and she were famous promoters of the arts and so Albert's monument recognizes the great artists and thinkers of the world to his time.
It was my first day in London and so architecture was thrilling to me. Simple views like this enthralled me. Actually, I never tired of the architecture the entire time.
Everytime I saw the chimneys it reminded me of the movie Mary Poppins.
I mentioned earlier how patient Mary was with my photography. One thing that compels me is helping people "all" be in the picture. Jeanne and Emmy and Mary could all tell you how many times they looked back to see me taking a picture of someone with their camera. On the way home, this couple was in the park and so I ask if they didn't both want to be in the picture. The young woman immediately and enthusiastically said yes, so while the young man was reticent, he had no choice. They were quite cute, he British and she American.
We began by walking toward Kennsington Palace. This is where Victoria spent much of her life before becoming queen and where Diana lived after the break up with Charles. The Palace has lovely sunken gardens and beautiful grounds and it was on this walk that Mary began to educate me a bit about who Victoria was. It was a great introduction to later activities like touring the Palace, seeing the movie "Young Victoria" and visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Palace struck me as understated as far as palaces go. That was a sort of endearing thing about it. It looks smaller than it is from the outside. So, I guess if I had to own a palace, maybe this one would be it.
It was here in front of the palace that people left cards and flower arrangements and memorialized Diana after her death.
From the palace we walked toward Hyde Park. Mary took me to a "walkway" of sorts and told me it is the "Princess Diana Memorial Walk." Again, the blossoms were coming on, the flowers were blooming. It seemed we couldn't have come at a better time.
And fortunately, Mary is a pretty willing model.
We reached a point where there was a large memorial in the distance. Mary told me about it as we walked toward it. It is a memorial for Prince Albert. Albert was Victoria's husband and only love. A bit unusual for royalty. They married very young and although Albert died young (age 42 of consumption I think) they were married 20+ years and produced 9 children.
When a plan was hatched to create a monument for him, Victoria apparently told the planners, "If you're going to build him a monument, make it a real monument." This was the result. I saw many statues and monuments to Victoria, including in Birmingham, but none of them rivaled what they came up with for Albert. She really loved him and never remarried in the 40 or so years she lived after his death. She is the longest reigning queen of England and was pretty much universally loved. Albert and she were famous promoters of the arts and so Albert's monument recognizes the great artists and thinkers of the world to his time.
It was my first day in London and so architecture was thrilling to me. Simple views like this enthralled me. Actually, I never tired of the architecture the entire time.
Everytime I saw the chimneys it reminded me of the movie Mary Poppins.
I mentioned earlier how patient Mary was with my photography. One thing that compels me is helping people "all" be in the picture. Jeanne and Emmy and Mary could all tell you how many times they looked back to see me taking a picture of someone with their camera. On the way home, this couple was in the park and so I ask if they didn't both want to be in the picture. The young woman immediately and enthusiastically said yes, so while the young man was reticent, he had no choice. They were quite cute, he British and she American.
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