Yellow Dog/Bleeding Heart

Maybe it's the ice storms we've been having. Maybe it's the new year. Maybe it's the break between semesters at school. All I know is that I have been doing more this month than I have in a long time. I've been cooking like crazy, catching up on my reading, cleaning out the house and generally thinking a lot. What I've cooked this week: Chocolate chip cookies, homemade broccoli cheddar soup, Italian chicken with wild rice, a creme cheese coffee cake, my incredible Reuben sandwiches, spinach quiche, pumpkin cookies and a huge Mexican feast including fajitas. Books I've read so far this year (with opinions ) : Good Body , by Eve Ensler ( not as good a Vagina Monologues), Horse Play , by someone whose name I can't remember (An amusing quick mindless fiction read.) How it All Vegan and The Garden of Vegan , both by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer (Cool gals who are really really into the vegan way of life. I didn't read every single recipe, b...

Furry Furry, with the big blue eyes - Oh how I adore that child! He turned two this month and decided to put the T in Terrible, by locking his dad out of the house and seizing the opportunity to wreak havoc. We have been having terrible ice storms here, and as such, WS (Furry's dad) has been having more trouble than most with the walking-on-the-ice skill. Maybe it's because, having grown up in England, he doesn't have a lot of experience with the kind of ice we deal with every winter here in the Midwest U.S. Anyway, he was being particularly careful the other night when he took Furry home to wait for Bojo. He carefully carried him into the house and set him by inside the door before returning to he car for the bags. He had not made it down a single step when he heard, "Bye Bye daddy" and the distinct click of the lock. Now, I have been the first to condemn WS for some of his past actions, but for this one, he has my complete sympathy. I know I would certainly not ...

Hillary did it! She formally and officially announced! I should be elated. I have long been a huge fan of the Clintons. I think Hillary is brilliant. As feminist, the idea of a woman as President rocks! However, I am surprisingly unmoved by her announcement. I think timing is everything and I just do not think we, as a country, are ready for Hil'. I have always believed Hillary to be an ambitious woman, so in that respect it does not surprise me. I also know she is a powerful woman, with the friends and the finances to make this happen. But I have also always believed her to put the well being of the party first and foremost and frankly, I just do not think this is good for our party. I have already stated my reasons in other posts, but to sum up: I don't think she can win. I may eat my words. Hell, I may even completely change my opinion and pledge my sole support to her campaign. Right now though, I just am not sure.

Below is my response to a young friend's excited e-mail about Obama's seemingly impending announcement as Presidential Candidate: He would make an excellent running-mate for Edwards. But I think he, like Hillary, would be quite a long-shot for President. He needs to start lower and work his way up. His press is good, but he truly does not have the experience to run the country. He also has no military background, which in this election, is going to be almost crucial. Do not get me wrong. I like Obama , the man. I just do not feel he (yet) has the qualifications to run our country. The Democrats are pretty much poised to take the presidency in 2008. The public is disgusted by the Iraq situation and ready for change. Even many Republicans are ready to swing their votes over to the blue side. Even though all looks good for our party peeps, do not be lulled into a false sense of security. The position is still very fragile. Throw in a Clinton (any Clinton - Bill or Hillary) and th...

It has been a couple of months since I last posted, so I feel an explanation is in order. Since October I have been incredibly busy not doing school work. It has consumed almost my every waking thought. I haven not read a book, gone out to dinner, entertained guests or even taken a really long bath because... I have papers to write. But have I written them? Sadly, no. I thought, when I decided to return to school, that the bad habits of my youth would be gone now. Rather than procrastinate about my papers I figured I would now manage my time so wisely that I would be turning papers in early. Ha! The only thing I can say in my own defense is that when I decided to go back to school I did not know that the firm would decide to expand; therefore I could not have foreseen the increase in my workload. I also did not know that I would end up having to have minor surgery, nor did I know that said surgery would turn out to be not-so-minor and take weeks to recover from. I did know that Christ...

I did not know how to cook until I was 28 and pregnant with Little Dog. Prior to that I had no interest in cooking at all. Kitchens were merely places for storing my smokes and caffeine. Restaurants were invented for people like me. I learned to cook one reason: I was pregnant and I was hungry! I ate like an elephant, but thankfully never looked like one. I consistently lost weight and ended up weighing 2 pounds less when I delivered than I had when I conceived. I had tiny little bird legs and a big huge belly full of baby.  See?! During the pregnancy I craved my mom’s old fashioned cooking. She made me meatloaf, roast with potatoes, macaroni and cheese and even Jell-O with Cool Whip mixed in. She would tell me dinner was ready and then warn everyone else to watch out for my flailing limbs as I frantically shoveled huge helpings onto my plate. So, while my mom cooked me dinners, that still left breakfast and lunch unmanned. At the time my entire experience with “cooking” c...