Kathy's World

Fear.. part 2

2026-01-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

Fear

2026-01-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year

2026-01-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

Mutal Humanity

2026-01-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

My Misadventures in Chicken Comfort

2024-11-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, even the best intentions go hilariously awry. In an effort to make my chickens cozier at night, I decided to line the wire bottom of their coop with coconut husk mats. It seemed like a great idea—soft, warm, and natural. What could go wrong? Apparently, a lot. Last night, as I rounded up my flock for bed, I noticed something strange. They were not happy. Instead of their usual hustle into the coop, they hesitated and milled around nervously. I had to coax them in one by one, and even then, one stubborn hen refused to step onto the liners at all. To get her inside, I had to open a side door that bypassed the mats entirely. This morning, I expected the usual parade of chickens rushing out of the coop, eager to greet the day. Instead, only the two roosters emerged, looking bewildered but brave. The hens? Not a peep. When I went back to check, I found them inside the coop, huddled together and clearly confused. Realizing my cozy addition had completely backfired, I started removing the liners. Once I had taken out two of them, a few hens ventured out cautiously. The rest needed more convincing, so I opened the side doors again to give them a clearer escape route. Lesson learned: chickens don’t always appreciate upgrades, even if they’re meant for their comfort. Sometimes, sticking with what they’re used to is the best way to keep the peace. So much for my good intentions! For now, I’m back to the basics—and my chickens couldn’t be happier.

A Year of Loss, Heartbreak, and Searching for Hope

2024-09-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

This year has been the hardest of my life. On May 5th, I lost Larry, my husband, my rock, and my partner for life. His passing left a gaping hole in my world—one that no words can fully describe. Grief is relentless, and every day since then has been a struggle to find my footing in a world that no longer feels familiar. As if losing Larry wasn’t enough, the following months unraveled even more pain. I had to put down my sweet 16 year old dog Lucy. Then I discovered that Larry’s sister and her husband had been stealing from me while I was at my most vulnerable—when I wasn’t home, & when I was grieving. I lost more than material possessions; I lost family, trust, and any sense of security I had left. The betrayal cut deep, and with it came another layer of grief—the kind you feel when you realize the people who should be there for you are the ones hurting you the most. It wasn’t just things they took from me; they took my faith in the bonds that tie us together. In August, I faced yet another devastating loss—my big ‘sister,’ a person I loved dearly, was gone. Each loss feels like another weight pressing down on me, making it harder and harder to breathe, to think, to keep going. The compounding grief has taken such a toll on me, both physically and emotionally. Some days, it feels like I am unraveling under the weight of it all. I wish I could say I’m finding my way through this pain, but the truth is, I’m still searching. Grief has a way of taking not just the people you love but also the hope you once carried. I’ve lost hope on many days. I’m struggling to find a way forward, to piece together what’s left of my life when so much has been stripped away. The hurt feels endless, and I feel like I’m drowning in it. But as broken as I feel, I’m still here, writing this. Maybe there’s some small flicker of hope in that—maybe the act of sharing this pain is a step, however small, toward healing. I’m not sure. But for now, this is where I am: raw, heartbroken, and searching for some way to keep going in a world that has shown me so much loss.

Profile of an Alcoholic (2006)

2016-05-24T20:44:00.001-07:00

I developed a craving for alcohol at a very young age. Whenever I was around my dad's family there always seemed to be some kind of alcoholic beverage around. His family would always give me 'sips' of beer. When I was around 3 or 4 years old I was visiting my (paternal) grandparents. They worked as janitors at the local movie theatre. Sometimes they borrowed small amounts of cleaning products. I found a bottle of 'whiskey' in the shed one day and decided to try it out. Of course I had to go and brag so I took the bottle that I had already drank from and told everyone, "I drank whiskey". Everyone started acting weird and next thing I know I'm in the hospital with tubes run down my mouth. Apparently the "whiskey" was rug cleaner that had been poured in a small whiskey flask.

I recovered, but still had not lost the craving for alcohol. For some of you elders out there, you probably remember when doctors still used glass oral thermometers. These were always stored in alcohol between uses. The nurse would rinse it before placing it in my mouth, but it still had the taste of alcohol. I think I was the only little kid that loved this taste! As I got older, I would sneak paper cups of my (paternal) grandmother's wine. I even got a bit tipsy occasionally. By the time I was 14 I was ready to "party" with the tough kids. We found booze wherever we could find it. Back then my favorite was cherry vodka, but I always loved my beer. For most of my childhood, my (maternal) grandmother had kept me 'safe', but it was at this time my dad decided to move to Arkansas and take us with him. I started hanging out with kids that I would have never hung out with back in California (grandma wouldn't have allowed it). I had a lot of "fun" becoming a 'wild child'. After moving back to California, a year later, I found 'new' friends to party with. I played around with pot, tranquilizers, and speed.

By the time I was 18 I was tired of being an irresponsible brat so I joined the Navy to 'straighten' my life out. It was at this time that I gave up 'pot' and drugs. I tried to give up the alcohol...but it was soooo easy to get once I was in the Navy. All of the clubs on base allowed you to drink beer if you were 18 or older, even if the legal limit in the state was 21. I managed to separate my "party self" from my "work self" pretty successfully. I was learning to become a 'functional' alcoholic! I'd work all day and party at night until the clubs closed, then start all over again the next day.

In the fall of 1979 I met the man that I would spend the rest of my life with. I slowed down my alcohol consumption, but still imbibed regularly. When I got pregnant with our first child (Jason) I stopped drinking and smoking. After our son was born we would have wine in the evenings or an occasional beer after the baby was asleep but I was now out of the 'party' mode. My second pregnancy was also alcohol free.

I left the Navy during my second pregnancy ready to be a 'stay-at-home' mother. I really admire all the wonderful women out there that are successful at this. I really sucked at being a full-time Mommy. As my first child got older he was more and more difficult to manage. I enrolled in the community college full-time in order to save my sanity. It didn't help much, I got nearly daily calls from daycare regarding Jason's behavior. I was at a loss to figure out what I was doing wrong. I started medicating myself with beer. It was the 'perfect' tranquilizer for me. By the time Jason was in first grade I was up to a 12pack a day. It was at this time I finally decided that I may have a 'drinking problem'. I sought professional help and managed to quit drinking and lost 80 pounds as a bonus.

This lasted from 1986 to 1991. By 1990 I was working as a Senior Accountant at a company I loved. My husband was still in the Navy and we were about to move to Washington state. I hated leaving my job so much, I convinced him to retire from the Navy so we could settle down in the San Francisco, Bay Area. We bought our first house and settled down in Hayward, California. Once again my world was shifting... for the previous 10 years of our marriage, my husband was an occasional visitor. Most of the 1st 10 years he was stationed on ships and spent a lot of time deployed. Now I not only had to deal with my kids, I had an adult to deal with on a daily basis.

In 1991 I resumed medicating myself 'to calm my nerves'. The medicating process continued until 2001 when I got so sick of myself I said "ENOUGH!" By this time I had become borderline agorophobic and was battling with MS. In February 2001 made plans to meet some friends for lunch on a Saturday. When Saturday rolled around I couldn't make myself go, so I called them and said I was sick. I really just wanted to stay home and drink beer. Well, I stayed home but I didn't drink and haven't drank since. I suddenly experienced an epiphany. After I hung up the phone I sat on the sofa and cried from shame and the realization that I had buried my head in the ground for so many years. Larry and I were still married, but I had started sleeping on the couch the previous year. I was pushing him away. With my 'new found' sobriety, it was like someone had finally turned on the lights and I could see things that I couldn't see for years. I have an amazing husband... he is the kindest, most caring person that I know and I'm so glad that he stuck with me through all of the fog. I love him so much.

Next time a little kid asks for a taste of beer... Just say "No". It's not cute and it could start them down a road that is nearly impossible to navigate safely

Cauliflower, Potatoes and Leeks, oh my...

2012-03-10T20:16:00.001-08:00

This week's CSA bounty included the ingredients for this tasty soup:

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1 lb Potatoes peeled and cubed
3 Leeks, white portion sliced thinly
1 Shallot, finely diced
1/2 Head of Cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 qt. Trader Joe's Organic Vegetable Broth
¼ Cup of Olive Oil
¼ Teaspoon of Chili Powder
¼ Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cauliflower florets and parsley in a zippered storage bag. Add 1 T of olive oil and sprinkling of sea salt and black pepper. Seal and shake bag to coat the cauliflower with the oil and seasonings. Spread cauliflower in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Place in oven and bake until the florets are golden brown and the cauliflower is just tender when pierced with a fork.

Over medium heat, Heat remaining 3 T olive oil in a large pot. Add leek and shallot. Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and pepper flakes.

Add vegetable broth and potatoes to the soup pot and simmer until potatoes are tender.

Process soup mixture in a blender to purée. (I prefer using a handheld blender and purée right in the pot)

Stir roasted cauliflower into the puréed soup, correct seasoning, heat thoroughly and serve with crusty bread.

Kathy's World: Sausage & Fennel Orzotto

2012-02-20T14:54:00.000-08:00

Kathy's World: Sausage & Fennel Orzotto: My weekly CSA delivery often contains items that I don't use on a regular basis. My last delivery included a bunch of baby fennel so I went...

Sausage & Fennel Orzotto

2012-02-20T14:50:00.001-08:00

My weekly CSA delivery often contains items that I don't use on a regular basis. My last delivery included a bunch of baby fennel so I went on a search for ideas beyond braised or sautéed fennel. I found the following recipe through an app on my iPad. I had just enough fennel to make 1 cup sliced, so I just adjusted the rest of the ingredients by half. This was delicious and I will definitely make it again.

Ingredients
3 1⁄2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. link spicy Italian sausage
2 cups thinly sliced fennel (reserve fennel fronds and chop)
1 cup diced red onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 ⁄2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 ⁄2 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups dry orzo pasta
1 ⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 ⁄2 cup grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 ⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. minced lemon zest
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Heat broth in a saucepan over low; keep it warm while preparing remaining ingredients.
Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium. Add sausage; sauté until browned, 10–12 minutes per side. Transfer sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, slice sausage into 1/2-inch-thick rounds; set aside.
In the pan used to cook sausage, sauté fennel and onion until they begin to brown and soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to a bowl.
Add orzo to the sauté pan, stirring to coat pasta with residual oil in the pan; cook 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Add 1 1/2 cups warm broth to orzo; cook, stirring constantly, until broth is nearly absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add another cup of broth; cook and stir orzo until broth is nearly absorbed, another 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup broth; cook and stir until liquid is fully absorbed. Taste orzo for doneness. It should be creamy but not gummy.
Stir in sausage slices and vegetable mixture, then add Parmesan, butter, parsley, zest, and chopped fennel fronds. Season orzotto with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Information
Per serving: 637 cal; 35g total fat (13g sat); 76mg chol; 758mg sodium; 51g total carbs; 3g fiber; 24g protein

Recipe submitted by hedley
From the Key Ingredient website

Roasted Vegetable Soup

2012-01-27T19:36:00.001-08:00

I received my weekly CSA delivery yesterday and immediately turned to the internet in search of a recipe to use some of my bounty. I found this terrific recipe:

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
2 lb carrots, peeled
1/2 lb parsnips, peeled
1/2 lb turnips, peeled
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
4 c low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
1 CUT carrots, parsnips, and turnips into 3” x 1/2” sticks. Toss with 1 Tbsp oil on baking sheet. Bake in 450F oven, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes.
2 HEAT 2 Tbsp oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and thyme. Cook 4 minutes. Add roasted vegetables, broth, and 2 cups water. Simmer 15 minutes.
3 PUREE in blender (in batches). Season to taste.
NUTRITION (per 1 1/3-cup serving)
168 cal, 4 g pro, 24 g carb, 6 g fiber, 7 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 167 mg sodium

I made only minor changes to the recipe. I only puréed the soup partially and since I did not have fresh thyme I substituted 1 Tablespoon of dried thyme. I had a pork chop left over from dinner last night, so I cut it up into small cubes and added it just before serving.

Trading down

2011-11-16T10:56:00.001-08:00

Larry and I are getting ready for a trip with our new trailer. Boy, did we give that dealership a great deal! We traded straight across for a 2012 Springdale valued at about $22,000. We had been trying to sell our old 2008 Cardinal for the NADA value, but not even a nibble. Now the RV place has it listed for $35,500! (the NADA value). http://www.donsrv.com/rv/forestriver/fifthwheel/401/Forest_River_Cardinal_34RLTS

We wanted smaller, but we looked at so many trailers, the features that I liked all ran together. We decided on a 26' Keystone Sprindale. Oops, no pantry. I looked at one with a pantry, but apparently this one did not have that feature. *Sigh*, I guess we will have to get creative with storing our packaged and canned goods. We are trying not to kick ourselves too hard. It is a nice little trailer and we did want to downsize. We got spoiled with our land yacht, but even the trailer we had prior to the Cardinal had a pantry. Damn it we are going to learn to love our new trailer. It's time to make some lemonade.

Dear Hubby...

2011-03-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

A Letter From Home

Head's Up From a Loving Wife?

Fighting Depression

2011-03-21T21:49:00.001-07:00

Battling Depression ...again

I am fighting my way back from a dark tunnel of depression. I worry way too much sometimes about things I have no control over. As far as politics go, I can only vote my conscience. I am not physically able to go to rallies and protests. I can and do sign petitions to promote causes which I favor. I write blogs as a way to relax. Sometimes, I just tell jokes that I have read or heard elsewhere and try to arrange them in a somewhat 'artistic' way using HTML. I'm not very good at CSS.

Depression and MS go hand-in-hand but the relationship is somewhat like the 'chicken and the egg'. Does MS physically trigger depression, or does one become emotionally depressed because of the MS/Figromyalgia/unknown auto immune disease? Personally I think there is a little bit of both happening.

Auto-immune is just a fancy way of saying that I'm allergic to myself. Okay that's a bit over-simplified but that's what I believe. I understand the MS and Fibromyalgia somewhat. It's that 3rd auto-immune syndrome that nobody has been able to put a name to yet that really drives my crazy. So far it's been called 'possible lupus', eczema, 'some kind of allergy', and 'some kind of auto-immune skin disease'. But no one has been able to identify it for certain. I've tried many different things to relieve the symptoms over the past 15 years, but can't get more than minor relief. The only thing that really works is oral steroids. Oral steroids bring more complications such as weight gain and I am already too heavy.

This has been the longest bout of depression I have ever had. It started in November and I'm still struggling. Yes, the "S" word has come to my mind frequently. If it weren't for my husband, there is no doubt in my mind that I would use the "S" remedy. He is a rock! I am so lucky to have a husband that is also my best friend.

I want to stay up on current events and put in my two-cents, but I think humor is the best medicine right now. Okay...enough whining! Pity party is now over.

Here's today's humor:

Some Humor for Today's Blog

2011-03-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

You Can't Take it With You (or can you?)

There was a man who had worked all of his life, had saved all of his money, and was a real miser. Just before he died, he said to his wife, "When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the afterlife with me." And so he got his wife to promise him with all of her heart that when he died, she would put all of the money in the casket with him.

Well, he died. He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said, "Wait just a minute!" She had a box with her, she came over with the box and put it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled it away. So her friend said, "Girl, I know you weren't fool enough to put all that money in there with your husband."

The loyal wife replied," Listen, I'm a Christian, I can't go back on my word. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket with him."

"You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him?"

"I sure did," said the wife. "I got it all together, put it into my account and wrote him a check. If he can cash it, he can spend it."

We all get heavier as we get older because there's a lot more information in our heads. So I'm not fat, I'm just really intelligent and my head couldn't hold any more so it started filling up the rest of me!

My mother taught me to read when I was four years old (her first mistake).

One day, I was in the bathroom and noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar. I read the box in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping 'napkins' in the bathroom. Didn't they belong in the kitchen? Not wanting to burden me with unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for "special occasions" (her second mistake).

Now fast forward a few months....

It's Thanksgiving Day, and my folks were leaving to pick up my uncle and his wife for dinner...

Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone. Mine was to set the table.

When they returned, my uncle came in first and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife who gasped, then began giggling. Next came my father, who roared with laughter. Then came Mom, who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the table with a special occasion" napkin at each plate, with the fork carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked in the tails in so they didn't hang off the edge!! My mother asked me why I used these and, of course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter.

"But, Mom, you SAID they were for special occasions!!!"

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".

The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?".

The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".

Bad Puns

2011-03-18T22:53:00.001-07:00

Corny Puns

These are hecka punny!

Two vultures board an airplane, each carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at them and says, 'I'm sorry, gentlemen, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'

Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina. One went to Hollywood and became a famous actor. The other stayed behind in the cotton fields and never amounted to much. The second one, naturally, became known as the lesser of two weevils.

Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, but when they lit a fire in the craft, it sank proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it, too.

Did you hear that NASA recently put a bunch of Holsteins into low earth orbit? They called it the herd shot 'round the world.

glitter-graphics.com

A three legged dog walks into a saloon in the Old West. He slides up to the bar and announces: "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw."

Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? He wanted to transcend dental medication.

A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Amal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Amal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Amal."

A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer."

Some friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that: Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars.

There was a blogger who posted ten different puns, in the hope that at least one of the puns would make someone laugh. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.

Things Could Be Worse

2011-03-17T22:26:00.001-07:00

When You're Having a Bad Day...

Remember ...it could be worse... These amazing photos show how badly things can go wrong...

Are these the last pictures ever taken by the photographer?...

Confessions of a Welfare Brat...

2011-03-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

My mother grew up with high hopes of a career as a stenographer/secretary. Then she married my dad, a Navy seaman, with little ambition beyond the Korean war. Mom was stricken with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 21 years. The disease progressed rapidly and Mom became completely disabled by the time she was in her late 20's. Dad left the Navy and took up drinking, drugs and gambling. I knew that he chased women too (he introduced me to one of his 'girlfriends'. He actually did work a full time job for about 4 years, as a janitor at the local movie theater. Mom was able to draw SSI because of her disability.

When Dad wasn't bringing home money, we were able to draw AFDC and food stamps. My Mom's parents helped out as much as possible financially. Christmas presents and school clothes were all courtesy of Grandma Creek. My Grandpa Creek was my hero. He was a Teamster and enjoyed playing cards, but he was very responsible with his money. He always put half of his income directly into savings. He taught me to never stop learning. He told me that I could be anything that I wanted to be when I grew up. I lived with Grandma and Grandpa for a good portion of my childhood. My dad said my mother couldn't take care of us.

I made a commitment to never rely on 'welfare' and I left behind the world that I had grown up in. I only stayed in regular contact with Grandma and Grandpa Creek. I joined the U. S. Navy in 1976 and served until 1982. I met my husband in 1979 and we married soon after. He continued serving until he had enough time in to retire with 20 years service. I pursued a career in accounting and was left to raise our 2 sons mostly on my own. It was hard at times, but we were working for the medical benefits that we would receive as career military. Larry would have stayed in longer, but he opted for retirement so that I could stay with the company that I worked for in Hayward, CA. They went defunct in 1997. I was quickly hired on by Sutter Connect in Emeryville, CA as a Senior Accountant and later was advanced to Accounting Manager.

After retiring from the Navy in 1990, Larry went to work for a subsidiary branch of Parsons, Inc. They owned the contract at the time to do the referee work for the California Smog Check program. Through the contacts that he made as a referee, he went to work for the California Bureau of Auto Repair and spent the next 15 years working for the state, as an inspector and as a lab technician.

In January 2005, I lost my Grandma Creek and my mother within days of each other. By June 2005, I was having so much difficulty with MS (diagnosed in 1992) in the form of cognitive problems. I frequently forgot what I was working on. I had to start tasks from scratch after interruptions and I was prone to breaking down in crying episodes at the office. I talked to Larry about selling our house and moving to Oregon. (Thank you 'W' for letting us keep our proceeds). Larry was eligible to retire through CalPers and with his Navy retirement, I thought it would be a good chance for him to spend some time with his dad who was suffering with end-stage Parkinsons. Dad died in 2006.

We found that neither one of us fit into the Southwest Oregon lifestyle, but we tried to make the best of it. I finally got approved for Social Security Disability at the end of 2008. My first check went to the attorney that had to fight my case for me. In 2009 we finally decided that it was time to move back to California. We found a place in the country and finally sold our Oregon home in January 2010.

So here we are leeches on society with our military retirement, CalPers pension and my Social Security disability (which I paid into my entire life... everytime I hit the cap, the cap got raised.. lol.

So here I am, a lifetime of bilking welfare. Larry is trying to find a job, he gets bored not working, but no one wants to hire someone that is almost 60 years old (except Walmart). Euthanasia anyone?

Random thoughts on cognitive function…

2011-03-14T20:17:00.000-07:00

I am feeling like I'm getting dumber and dumber for the past few of years. I used to be proud of my "steel-trap" memory. Now it's more like a steel sieve. This was one of the reasons that I had to retire from my job so early. I could no longer remember things that I needed to remember in order to do my job more efficiently. It wasn't fair to my staff, my clients, or the company. The missed work days for fatigue didn't help out much either.

One of the benefits of declining cognitive function is that I can watch reruns of my favorite TV shows and not remember how they end. Hey, I have to find something positive in every situation. It helps to alleviate the depression a bit.

When my neurologist confirmed the presence of a "black hole" in my most recent MRI, I was relieved, because I was beginning to think that it was all in my head….Oh, I guess it was.

Please don't get mad at me if I just met you and can't remember your name…it got sucked into that black hole.

I found a poem by Lee Ann Roripaugh that contained a verse that (for me) dealt with cognitive function. I had it printed on my mother's remembrance cards:

Excerpt from "Hope"

I once read the goldfish memory span
was three seconds, and does this mean
each moment is an astonishment
in a series of quick incarnations spiraling
outward the way water ripples away
from a disturbance, so that, in the end,
each brief flicker of awareness
is long enough to learn to simply be,
and isn't this really, after all, enough?

Lee Ann Roripaugh

The nice thing about social networking, is that I can "chat" about current events and I have an outlet to double check the accuracy of my assertions. Virtually every response I post on HuffPost, Facebook, MySpace, Multiply, Blogger, Digg, & Yahoo, is thought out to the best of my abilities and is usually written and re-written several times. I have a lot of typos, so it takes awhile to come up with anything I want to share. (I still catch some typos after the fact). The problem with this is I end up spending way too much time on the computer.

Going to Siberia...

2011-03-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

...that is if NH state GOP Rep. Marty Hardy has his way. This article is beyond comprehension. As a disabled person suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, it really hit close to home: Ship defective and stupid people to Siberia

Read My Lips: We Need To Raise Some Taxes

2011-03-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

If the current fiscal year budget is not a done deal... neither is the extension of the Bush tax cuts! Read My Lips: We Need To Raise Some Taxes

More Cutting Costs at the Expense of Educators

2011-03-12T18:32:00.001-08:00

Ground Lamb and Peas

2011-03-10T23:05:00.000-08:00

Well actually in this case it is Ground Turkey and Peas. I had a hankering for Ground Lamb and Peas. After searching through my freezer, I found no ground lamb, but I did have ground turkey. Further inspection revealed that I didn't have any frozen peas either... I guess I had used them all up. I did find a bag of frozen mixed vegetable, so I grabbed the bag and sat down in my chair with a bowl and sorted out the peas until I had 1 cup. My son was visiting and caught me and gave me the "Rainman" jokes about sorting out the vegetables. Anyway I now had the cup of frozen peas I needed for the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 T vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds (or brown mustard seeds)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped red onion
5 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 or 2 serrano peppers, finely chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1 lb ground lamb (beef, turkey or chicken will work too
1 cup frozen peas (buy the frozen peas separately... it's a lot easier than sorting mixed veggies.
1 can rotel chopped Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp garam masala (more if you like)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the mustard seeds in the oil over medium heat. Cover pan until seeds stop popping. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, bay leaves,and cinnamon; saute until onions are soft. Brown the ground meat in a separate pan - drain fat and add to the onion mixture.
Stir in peas and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, salt, garam masala, and yogurt. Cook until thoroughly warm and remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.

Serve with Pita wedges and Tzaziki sauce.

I make a simple Tzaziki sauce:
1/2 cucumber seeded and chopped
1 T finely chopped red onion
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 t salt
dash cayenne
1/2 tsp dried dill

Whisk sauce ingredients together and chill for at least 1 hour. Instead of dry dill you can use fresh dill, cilantro, or mint to taste.

Bank that funded Walker, now Closed

2011-03-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Bank that funded Walker, now Closed

Rachel Maddow: GOP strategy: Disaster capitalism

2011-03-10T15:56:00.001-08:00

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