Happy 20th!!

It is hard to believe that it has been 20 years already! Didn’t we just start this journey?!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie! I love you! (Notice that I totally skipped the “awkward” years! You’re welcome!)

Friday Night VGNO -I am Migraine Barbie

Happy Virtual Girls Night Out! If you don’t know what that is, head over to Ann Again…and Again for the scoop!

Starr and I had brats for dinner tonight. I simmered them in beer and was going to grill them, unfortunately we ran out of gas while the grill was supposed to be warming up, so I finished them off on the stove. They were yummy anyway!

We are going to watch Madagascar 2 and then catch up on the Nuggets game. We know how to party on a Friday night! *cough*

I posted this song a few weeks ago. I was surprised to hear it on the new Miller Chill commercial recently:

“Fools” – The Dodos

mp3: “Fools” – The Dodos
Visiter

Talent in the Morning

Starr and I spent a few minutes watching Britain’s Got Talent videos this morning. We should be working, planning her upcoming 5k, or cleaning, possibly going for a walk, but no…we gathered around the computer and enjoyed these. We have been an emotional lot these days and every one of these videos brought tears to our eyes…in a good way!!

Aiden Davis, Dancing

Jamie Pugh, Singing

Natalie Okri, Singing

and Starr fell head over heals in love with one of the young men in this dance group (embedding disabled):

Diversity – Dance Act

What’s For Dinner? Shrimp Tacos

Last night it was Sauteed Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos with Mango-Pineapple Salsa from the Lifetime show Cook Yourself Thin. Starr didn’t think she would like it, but she did. A lot! We didn’t make the black beans, because Starr knew she didn’t like them and I didn’t have the energy to make them just for me. Next time I will make some cilantro lime rice to go in the tacos a-la Qdoba or Chipotle. Yum.

At Randi’s request…a photo. Of the Mango-Pineapple Salsa!

Sauteed Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos With Mango-Pineapple Salsa and Spicy Black Beans

For the shrimp tacos
2–4 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound medium shrimp, deveined
3 tablespoons high-quality tequila
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder (I didn’t use this, I used spicy chili powder instead. The chipotle powder was $11.00!! Yikes.)
2–3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
4 whole-wheat tortillas

For the mango-pineapple salsa
1 large ripe mango, chopped
1/4 cup red onions, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 8-ounce can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1–2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Salt, to taste

For the spicy black beans
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 14-ounce can black beans
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

1. To make the shrimp tacos: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cumin and red pepper flakes, and let the flavors blend together. Add the shrimp and toss. Carefully add the tequila and flambé. Season with salt and add the dried chipotle powder. Once shrimp are cooked, add the chopped cilantro and toss.

2. In a separate nonstick skillet over low heat, heat a whole-wheat tortilla until pliable, about 2 minutes on each side.

3. Plate one tortilla per person and serve three shrimp in each taco.

4. To make the spicy black beans: In a saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and chopped garlic clove. Sweat the onions for about 2 minutes. Add the cumin and the black beans. Stir and add the red pepper flakes. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

5. To make the mango-pineapple salsa: Peel the mango and chop into small dice and place in a bowl. Chop the yellow and red bell peppers and add them to the bowl with the mango. Add the drained pineapple tidbits and chopped red onion and toss together. Squeeze some lime juice over and toss. Add the chopped cilantro, salt to taste, and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I just noticed that the title says lime shrimp tacos…I don’t see lime in the taco ingredients. I did think that a squeeze of lime might be a nice addition last night. Next time…

It’s Time to Go on Offense.

New “Fidelity” video from the Courage Campaign

From the Courage Campaign website:

The California Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Proposition 8 is extremely disappointing, but we don’t have time to mourn their failure to restore marriage equality to California.

It’s time to go on offense. To be fearless in our fight for equality.

Starting right now.

In response, the Courage Campaign will hit the California airwaves with a 60-second TV ad version of “Fidelity” — the heartbreaking online video viewed by more than 1.2 million people, making it the most-watched video ever in the history of California politics.

We are launching this provocative new TV ad in the spirit of Harvey Milk’s call to “come out, come out wherever you are” and proudly tell the stories of the people most affected by the passage of Prop 8 — in moving images set to the beat of Regina Spektor’s beautiful song.

Mark Morford wrote a response to the California Supreme Court’s unfortunate and sad ruling:

But these setbacks are not insurmountable roadblocks. They are merely obnoxious speed bumps on what social conservatives see as our nation’s ungodly highway to hell. They only slow us down a little.

A new campaign in the fight for marriage equality is already taking shape. Evolution is happening, the energy and momentum are unstoppable. Simply put, the ignorance and homophobia that fueled and funded Prop 8 in the first place will not stand.

Don’t believe it? Hey, just ask your kids.

Equality just makes sense. Hate and fear doesn’t. I support love.

Was it a Memory?

I have always regretted having a “normal” family. There were no quick connections to celebrities, politicians, doctors, authors, scientists. I do believe that there are some interesting stories there, but not many that have been passed on. One of my hobbies over the years has been genealogy, I am a casual researcher and have been off the trail of anything for about two years because I can’t afford the neat online research tools and I am too lazy to travel and flip through microfiche.

I was born in Tennessee, a state that I love, and my families have been in the area for quite a long time. Our family, on both my mother’s and my father’s sides arrived in the colonies in the mid 1700s. Long before Ellis Island. They have been here for a long time.

What I want to discuss today is some new information that came to light last weekend during a quick visit with my parents. My dad is headed to California for proton bombardment of his recently diagnosed prostate cancer. My parents stopped here for the night while on their way. Starr asked dad a question about his father (Granddaddy) which started a long conversation that I wish could have gone on for days instead of just hours. My dad enjoyed telling his stories and he loved the fact that Starr was so involved, attentive, asking questions, and laughing. There were several different family issues that were discussed and I want to talk about all of them…heck I want to delve back into my genealogy research right now!! I have missed it.

This isn’t even something that dad talked about, but it is something that I discussed with Starr on several occasions and when it was brought up, my mom had a story to tell that made all of us wonder if there was any truth to this story?

I will start with my story: Several years ago my brother, DJ, and I were visiting our grandparents old farm. We wanted to say our goodbyes to Granddaddy. He wasn’t expected to live much longer and we wanted to spend some time with him. He was bedridden and not always awake, he had all but stopped eating and hospice visited daily. When he was alert, he wasn’t able to talk much: he wanted ice cream, he was in pain, would love some apple pie if you have it, he needs to sleep. He was aware of his surroundings, and who we were. He said “I love you” several times (which I cherish), would hold our hands and kiss you if you leaned in. It was a heartbreaking trip, made substantially worse by Grandmother’s obvious and painful loss of reason and function to Alzheimers.

She was difficult, funny, sad and confused. She spent a great deal of time patting and stroking Granddaddy, much of the time thinking he was a baby in need of care. She accused family members of stealing her clothes, complained about the strange family living in the tree out front, and was always trying to cook. When she was allowed access to the kitchen she made inedible concoctions using ingredients such as tuna, sugar and potatoes. The gas to the stove had been turned off and the easiest thing to do was let her do her thing in the kitchen…no knives, no fire…with supervision. Cooking for company is what she always did—and she did it well for a very long time!—you never knew who might show up and often people just did! Fighting her over it wasn’t worth it.

One afternoon during our visit, she was angry over the “loss” of all of her clothing, raging and yelling at the cousins who were gathered in the kitchen when she looked at me. “Kelly, come with me. I need to tell you something.” She grabbed my arm and led me to the living room. Sitting me on the sofa and in urgent, paranoid whispers, she said many things. Much of which was so off the wall, so crazy, I couldn’t make sense of it or remember it. The one thing that stuck out was her anger and frustration (despair, guilt, helplessness) with someone for taking the baby to the woods, to the creek. “I should have stopped him.” “I knew it was the wrong thing.” “Keeping this secret for so long.” The woods, the creek, the baby. I was chilled. Was there a child who died? Was it disposed of? Was it ill? Was it a miscarriage? Was it hers? Or a family members? There wasn’t anyone around anymore to ask.

Starr mentioned this story the other night, and as I was retelling it my mom’s eyes got wide. It turns out that many years ago Grandmother had heart surgery and my mom was helping out in the hospital with her recovery. Grandmother reacted poorly to the anesthesia and was not herself for several days. She was just like she was later on in life suffering from advanced Alzheimers. She spoke to people who weren’t there, she complained of the old man who was staring at her from the corner, and much more. While in this altered state she told my mom about the baby in the creek and how upset she was about it.

There has to have been at least 5 years between these experiences.

Where is the truth in this story? Was it a dream? A memory?

The sad truth is that we will never know.

Friday Mix

mp3: “Kiss Me Again” – Jessica Lea Mayfield
With Blasphemy So Heartfelt
Jessica Lea Mayfield-MySpace

mp3: “A Good Life” – Jill Sobule
California Years
Jill Sobule-MySpace

mp3: “All I Want is You” – Gladshot
Burn Up and Shine
Gladshot-MySpace

mp3: “The Young Ones Slept” – Great Bloomers
Speak Of Trouble
Great Bloomers-MySpace

mp3: “Lolita” – Throw Me the Statue
Moonbeams
Throw Me the Statue-MySpace

Disrupted Distracted

Since moving home, Starr’s presence has upended my daily routines. The TV in the living room is always on, I can’t think. What do I want to say? I don’t know. I can’t listen to music like I like, when I like. I can’t watch the TV shows that I like, when I like.

Not to mention the leavings: the shoes, socks, bobby pins, paper and empty coke cans. The blanket that I fold each and every day, that she unfolds, cozies up with and leaves heaped in a pile on the sofa or floor for me to pick up and fold again.

Dinner. Cooking. Dishes. Groceries. Laundry.

I’m not really complaining, I really love having her around. I just need to reset my expectations and establish some boundaries. She will be moving out again in just ten weeks or so, I will survive. The reason I bring it up, is that I haven’t been as on top of this blog as I want to be lately. The changes in my routine have left me scrambling…for time, for ideas. I am blank!! Not true, but the things that I am thinking about sharing take more time (and quiet moments) than I have at the moment to put together a post.

We have gone for a morning walk every day this week and plan to continue. Skye joined us yesterday, it was fun. We have gone to the movies, Star Trek—-LOVED IT! We’ve planned menus. We have gone shopping at antique stores looking for unique/cheap decor for her new apartment.

It has been a lot of fun so far!

I almost forgot to mention the hugs! We are huggers and I love the random hugs that I get throughout the day! I will miss those the most when summer is over! In the meantime, I savor them!

Here is a little song and video from Little Joy that has me in the summertime spirit this week: A cold beer, warm breezes, smiles and laughter…I’m working on it:

“Next Time Around” – Little Joy

mp3: “No One’s Better Sake” – Little Joy
Little Joy
Little Joy-MySpace

Postcards From Yo Momma

I received a link to this site, Postcards From Yo Momma, in my inbox this morning, I enjoyed it greatly. Apparently, I have been hiding  under a rock, because how could I have missed this?? They have a big enough following, and have been around long enough to put together a book!

Love, Mom: Poignant, Goofy, Brilliant Messages from Home

I spent a great deal of time this morning being completely amused by some of the mom wisdom/stories on these pages (while I should have been working!!)! I am going to pull an example or two:

Subject: Mom, Dad and Facebook: A Dangerous Combo

Mom: How do I unfriend on Facebook?

Me: What, you only have like 8 friends, who do you want to get rid of.

Mom: That’s really none of your business, and I have 40 friends thank you very much.

Me: That’s right, Dad has 8 heheh

Mom: Not for long!

Subject: Hear me…RABBITS

I bought some baby clothes for you today.

I know you aren’t pregnant, but I thought that maybe if I bought the clothes it would work in reverse…like I could will you to get knocked up.

Are you knocked up?  Tell that husband of yours to get busy.  I want you two sexing it up like rabbits.

Hear me…RABBITS.

Love,
Mom

PS: Your father is getting a vasectomy.

Subject:  you know, QUESTIONS

Backstory: Two nights before my wedding mom thinks we need to have “the talk”.

Honey,

I just want to let you know that if you have any, you know, QUESTIONS, you can ask me anything. Your father isn’t the best lover in the world, so I also know a lot about toys. Let’s get dinner tonight.

Love,
Mom

I warned Starr not to send in any of the crazy things I say…she said that she already had a few in mind! Darn it, I knew I should have kept the site to myself! So, as a preventative strike, I thought I’d share a little something that happened just this morning:

Starr: (bounding into my bedroom with tons of energy) You know how I am the most awesomest person ever?!

Me: Mmm hmm?

Starr: That’s it. I just wanted to make sure that you knew!

My Winnings!

The other day I mentioned that I won a blog giveaway  over at Little Miss Julia. My prize was a pendant from Little Jewel. They have such cute stuff!

The package arrived late last week, I was so pleased. I expected a bubble mailer, which would have been fine, but what I received was a 6 x 6 square box with this inside:

Isn’t it pretty?

I loved the ribbon.

When I opened the box, I was surprised again by the cute crocheted bag.

The whole package.

The Pendant. Isn’t it cute?