The Government Can

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO2eh6f5Go0

The Adventure of "New Pooh for the Yellow T.A.R.D.I.S

So Yesterday I had a Me day. It was my day off, so it was legitimate. As a cast member of the World of Mouse I am allotted days off, from dealing with the midnight guests that inhabit our resort. They are a joy, beyond measure. But I digress.
I decided to do a Me day. Where I indulge my meness. I went to the movies. As I am blessed to live with My Prince Charming and The Girl, they do not share my pleasure in watching a good Chick Flick. There were some movies recently released that are quintessential Chick Flick fodder.
So I went to the Island that was once Pleasureable and partook in the cinematic phenomena that are movies.
But before my said adventure I made a brief foray in to the land that is the "Big Mart". I purchased sustenance that would carry me through my Chick flick viewing in proper Chick style. As the movie that I was to see began at 11:00am, I needed my morning repast, which the fabulously, dangerous McD's supplied.
Big Mart provided me with my ample supply of CHOCOLATE. I don't mean just any whimpy everyday sad sack Milk Chocolate, I went big guns and got DARK CHOCOLATE. Some Yummy Granola and Dark Chocolate Cookies...kinda of a symphony of goodness and indulgence in a crispy, sweet, yet good for you, circle of heaven. (My favorite cookie is a nice nutty Oatmeal and raisin concoction....in case the question arrises)
Then I found another piece of evidence that God Loves me......in the form of Dark Chocolate Peanut M&M's. It is a fact, cause I looked it up, that Peanut M&M's are on the GOOD list of the Glycemic Index. So the fact that these glorious orbs of joy are made with DARK chocolate make them even better for me.
So off I went to the World of Mouse, Previously Pleasureable Island, where resides the behemouth that houses 24 screen of Silver Screen Magic. I purchased my ticket for the adorable movie "UP", which began at 11:00am.
I totally want a talking dog named Doug and a beautiful exotice female bird named Kevin. The delightful combination that is Pixar along with the pixie dust laden talented Mouse, has a wonder way of combining and bitter sweet love story, where the elements of sadness and joy are spiralled with the delight and whimsy that has made my Mousey employer famous.
I really liked this movie.
Then I made my way to the movie that I truely wanted to see, based on a Blog of all things.
I remember the day in 2004 when Julia Child, that maven of all good cooking passed on to do a perfect omelet for our Heavenly Father. I remember as a young girl watching on Saturday mornings with my mom this quirky, silly lady creating such beautiful food. It is her influence, and my mother's help that have helped me to love cooking. I am not a gourmand, by any stretch, but I can make a pretty amazing Chocolate Soufle, I love cookbooks and can sit and read a cook book like other people read a novel.
My Prince Charming has been the welcome recipient of many a delightful dining experience.
The movie was very charming and sweet. A love story, a story of passion, perserverance. Yes, it involved a story of France, but as a country the place can't be that bad, if they cook like that...right. I mean the whole socialist thing......okay that's not a great element.
I really enjoyed the movie.
I had read the book that Paul Prud'homme and Julia Child did called "My Life In France". It was basically Julia Child's entry into the world of gourmet cooking and her inspirations. Her romantic marriage, struggles, and joys. I feel a slight kinship with her, since she married in her thirties, she was unable to have children, and well we both cook really well. Okay she's an accomplished chef, graduating from the actual Cordon Bleu. I had a cooking instructor in High School who went to the Cordon Bleu, would that count?
Enough...I am not Julia Child...but I do still admire her, and enjoyed the movie of her life.
So, after I left the movie theater I went in search of a new tee shirt. My Prince Charming made a comment to me the other day, when I was dressed in my less than normally elegant attire, that the tee shirt I was wearing was rather worn and nasty, and "honey, we have do have enough gold, where in you can go purchase a new more appealing tee shirt, one that is that's not so nasty or stained so horribly." So I heeded the sweet plea/cry of my Prince Charming. I went to a shop in Downtown of the World of Mouse, and entered a shop where they sell all manner of items that depict one of my favorite characters of the World of Mouse....Winnie the Pooh.
I found a new teeshirt, in a smaller size that I used to wear, YES! a Pooh pen, where Winnie is dressed as a bee and flies around the end of your pen, while attached to a chain....okay so you have to twirl the pen, but its cute. And I got a new foam Winnie the Pooh head to put on my Yellow T.A.R.D.I.S.
Yes I have a Yellow T.A.R.D.I.S!
A TARDIS is a Time and Relative Dimension in Space.
It is a vehicle which in I travel to my various locales, thoroughout my realm. I can also travel through space and time on nary a whim.
On the antennae of my TARDIS I had a Winnie the Pooh foam head, it got faded and during our last rain blasting, it was permanently dislodged. So I now have new Pooh, because my Old Pooh was washed off.
And that was my day of ME......till next time....Eat CHOCOLATE

Rant # 2 - Declaration of Independence

Wasn't our country founded by individuals who wanted to rule their own lives? Isn't that why millions of people come to America, to be Free?

Why does everything I hear or read from any news source, scream to me that we are heading down a path where our even basic of freedoms are being denied, it seems that soon we will not longer be allowed the freedom to choose for ourselves how we live our lives, but will be dictated to by our President/Fuhrer, or his posse of Czars.

Wait, didn't Russia try the whole Socialist, Bolshevik, Bolshevist, C.P. member, Party member, Red, Socialist, Stalinist, Trotskyite, apparatchik, com-symp, comrade, fellow traveler, member of the Communist Party, pinko, sympathizer, Progressive, thing.

That didn't work out so well for them did it? So why do our own elected congressmen and women think they can do the same thing?

Why would we want to try to do this evil thing..better?

Why does everything that I read that comes out of Washington D.C., make me fearful for the country that I love?

Why are there not more regular American people questioning what is going on? I have yet to attend a Tea party, but am planning on it.

By the way this hasn't just begun in the last 7-8 months, this has been bubbling for quite some time....many, many years even.

Why are the different cabinet members of the President even being labeled as Czars? Does this not bother anyone?

I was reading the Declaration of Independence where is says "...that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -.."

I do not see where is it says that anyone has a right to any portion of what I worked for.

If I choose to give, then that should be my decision.

I do believe in giving of my substance to whomever I choose, whether that be in the form of service, such as giving canned goods to a food bank,clothing to Goodwill, or money in the form of tithes at my chosen place of worship.
But if I do not, it is not the President's, Congress's, or some redistribution of Wealth Czar's place to take from me!

I don't read anywhere that says that I have any of Donald Trump's or Bill Gates' wealth. I didn't earn it, I am not entitled to it, just because I am human.
If I work hard at getting an education, or experience in a particular area and I have earned a nice income, I don't think this is anywhere for any the President, or some redistribution of Wealth Czar to decide.

If you do not work you should not be compensated for what you do not do.

I do not believe that someone who has gained something by any illegal means whether it is immediately discovered or not, (and illegal schemes are usually uncovered, eventually,) should be allowed to continue being rewarded for their illegal behavior.

If you have committed a crime, you should be punished, in accordance to the severity of the crime. You should feel remorse, but you should also have been inconvenienced in some way as to render the illegal act unpleasant enough to not attempt a revisit to that behavior or attitude. If you do revisit that behavior then another and more inconvenient, even painful punishment must be administered.

To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Whether that reaction is a positive one or a negative one, is entirely your responsibility.
Laws are made to protect humans from ourselves. If it hurts to put your hand in the fire, don't do that.

Wasn't our Government was suppose to have been established
FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE?

I have not heard of a time in the founding of The United States of America, where the Elected officials have demeaned, or talked down to WE the People. I don't recall hearing our Elected officials differinciate between political party associations.

I, for one find it a bit insulting that it is suggested, and sometimes no so subtley, that we are too stupid to understand complex bills or other governmental documents. That we are too simple minded to really care where our country is heading, or too blind to recognize the signs that were posted in ages past, but in cultures very similiar to our own, and not so long ago. Why do we study history, if we don't learn from it?

The following comes from Ask.com's offering of "Adolf Hitler's Rise to Power" I have not changed any of the wording in the slightest, I did, however bold portions that I found very alarming and mirrors some current American political party views.

"...With the assistance of party staff, Hitler drafted a party program consisting of twenty-five points. This platform was presented at a public meeting on February 24, 1920, with over 2,000 eager participants. After hecklers were forcibly removed by Hitler supporters armed with rubber truncheons and whips... Jews were the principal target of his diatribe. Among the 25 points more negative points were the abrogation of the Versailles Treaty, confiscating war profits, expropriating land without compensation for use by the state, revoking civil rights for Jews, and expelling those Jews who had emigrated into Germany after the war began. More appealing to the masses were no doubt his promotion of the popular welfare ("the common weal comes before individual welfare"), the right of the establishment of self-determination for all Germans and equal rights for their state, and the destruction of the "bondage of interest."..."

In the following quotes from the life of Adolf Hilter, perhaps substituting the word Jews, for oh let's say, non elected American Citizens, would help in understanding some of my fears and reasoning in where I fear the country is heading.

"...Soon after, treatment of the Jews (non elected American Citizens) was a major theme of Hitler's orations, and the increasing scape-goating of the Jews(non elected American Citizens) for inflation, political instability, unemployment, and the humiliation in the war, found a willing audience. Jews(non elected American Citizens) were tied to "internationalism" by Hitler. The name of the party was changed to the National Socialist German Worker's party..."

It sure is a blessing that our government is Elected and not self appointed.

Reading further in the Declaration of Independence:
"...That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government become destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter it, or abolish it,..."

Rant #1 - National Health Care, I don't like it!

Its been a while since I last posted something, nearly thought I had to create a new blog, since Google and blogspot didn't recognize me for a few seconds, or so it seems. But thank goodness I'm still active.

I get to go for a walk everyday that I work, for at the very least 45 minutes. I enjoy this rather immensely, because I can work out some frustrations, think things through. This includes having imaginary arguments with my wonderfully amazing Prince Charming, discussions I would love to have with my managers at the World of Mouse, lectures I need to give to The Girl, things like that. I also get to work out things that are prominent in the news, in politics, in our country, in the world.
Today I have had several things that have caused considerable contemplation and have bubbled to the surface and I feel the need and have the opportunity to blog about.

Rant #1

This whole country's argument recently has been about the proposed Health Care bill that congress, and the president of these United States, have not completely read nor seem to completely understand. I have read many articles, listened to many theories, and opinions. I am now convinced the solution to this whole mess would be to go back to the system that doctors and hospitals used way, way back when medicines and health was first a consideration. Not quite so far back as in the days of Noah. But that is always a possibility. I am talking about the time when men and women would become an apprentice to someone who knew the arts of applying medicines, created by natural means, and help others feel better, when something ailed them.
Or maybe more recently where men and women would attend college courses and learn the applications of medicines, and the healing arts. Then they would become licensed and open a medical office and tend to ill and hurt people. They would take cash payments, they would bargain for services rendered, like a bushel of corn, oats, a couple of chickens, for seeing to people who could afford to pay, or provide a barter of sorts. The states would license the doctors. Hospitals would be cooperatives of doctors, a collective of specialties, perhaps run privately by individuals, charities or even religion sects. The national government would have no say in who could see to which patients.
If someone could not afford to pay for a doctor, then sorry they can't get service.
If you are pregnant and a healthy woman, and listen to your initial doctor visit, where you learn the steps you need to take to be healthy, such as not smoking, not drinking alcohol, not going on a white water rafting trip, horseback riding, prolonged exposure to sun, eating a sensible diet, (I am sure there is more). If those steps are followed then a pregnancy can be seen to by a midwife, where again that service would be cash based, or barter system.
If you go to the Doctor and they tell you specific things to do to become healthy, like eating a diet with vegetables, grains, fruits and little red meat, and low fat, and exercising and you don't follow this common sense, they you don't get to sue the doctor if you get sick or sicker.
The majority of the malpractice suits should really be thrown out and Doctors should be able to concentrate on treating patients.
If you agree to a treatment, and all of the facts are layed out for you in the beginning of the treatment and things go wrong, unless gross negligence is proven, then you shouldn't be able to sue a doctor. However if you don't agree with the diagnosis that a doctor gives you, and you are able to afford and find another doctor you should be able to get another opinion. If you know something is bad for you, like smoking tobacco can cause cancer. You should not be able to sue the manufacturers of cigarrettes, or growers of tobacco for you getting cancer.
Or if you know that using a particular drug, prescribed or otherwise in an inappropriate manner or if you disregard how to use a particular drug prescribed by a doctor and you get high and kill someone or hurt someone, you or your family should not be able to sue the doctor for your inability to follow the rules.

But since it is not likely that our nation's health care system is going to go to that extreme, perhaps reviewing the current insurance system and fixing the complications that are causing the most problem could be looked at. Regulations by the insurance companies should be revamped, and streamlined, giving the doctor and the patient more freedom in the kind of treatment options that are available. If doctors and other health care professionals are allowed the freedom to treat their patients to the best of their knowledge, they should be able to do so.

I do not like the idea of a national health care policy for everyone.

I particularly do not like the idea of cutting off health care for people that reach a certain age, where it is assumed they have not further worth, that their lives are not valuable.

I do not want my parents at their ages worried that if they are hurt or sick that they are going to be pushed aside, given pain killers and a scooter and left to live out their "remaining" years wallowing in pain.
I am positive that my parents have the ability to have a long active life, well beyond their 70's. If they happen to slip and fall and need a knee replacement or hip surgery or back surgery, or whatever I don't want to see them pushed aside because our President and Congress or some Health Care Czar has decided because they are 79, they have passed their "worth fullness".
If they have the ability and we, their children have the ability to carry them on our insurance policies or we are able to afford private health care insurance for them in their behalf, this should be something we should be allowed, because we choose.

I do not like the idea of the President, Congress or a Health Care Czar telling me what I can and can not do with my body.

I am not all all comfortable with the direction I see our country heading.

And with that I come to the next topic of my Rant.

German Bacon & Potato Soup

When I think of German things, why do I think of Green.
Whatever.
So again, I received a Nintendo DS game called Personal Trainer: Cooking. Last week I made Chicken Tikka Masala. Which turned out amazing, it was so tasty and good.
So I had The Girl pick the next recipe with the stipulation that she not choose anything Chinese, because that is all she would eat if she had the choice.
Surprisingly she picked something from Germany, the Bacon & Potato Soup.
So I looked over the recipe, and I saw that I had to make the stock. I've never made stock, at least that I can remember. I got all of the ingredients required, the thyme, nutmeg, bay leaves, bacon, potatoes, carrots, beef, chicken legs, chicken thighs, celery and onion. I've never been a huge fan of onions, but I have to tell you, recently they really taste good, and give other foods such a nice flavor.
Okay. So starting around 8:30am Monday the 19th. I started to prepare the dinner. I thought perhaps I would complete the entire meal on Tuesday night, but did changed my mind.
I partially thawed the meats. I'd never heard of a stock being made with both chicken and beef....is that a German thing?
So I made the stock. There was A LOT of stock. I only needed 1 3/4 quarts. How many cups are in a quart....The Girl had today off school, so she found out that there are 4 cups in a quart. My Pyrex measuring cup is only 2 cups...so...roughly 7 cups of stock would be used for the soup. The meat not used at all. I'll be making a made up soup tomorrow night to use the meat from the stock.
My new visiting teachers came over just as I was at the point in the recipe where the stock cooks for 2 hours.
So they came, we visited. I fed them candy and cookies. They talked with The Girl, found her charming and 13.
One of my visiting teachers also works at The World of Mouse, as an actor in the Musical production of Nemo, performed at Animal Kingdom, she is Dory. So celebrities have graced my humble abode.
So, they left after a very nice message and a delightful hour of chatting and laughing. These girls are in their late 20's and are the sweetest. When we first met together they assumed I had just turned 30...so of course I love them dearly! They have already visited me more consistently than I have ever had visiting teachers visit me. I can tell you...I am well pleased!
So it was time to strain the stock. I think I used nearly every storage container, just kidding. I used around 2 but one was a very large bowl that could hold the 7 cups that were needed to be reserved for tonight's meal.
I removed the skin and bones from the chicken, and reserved the beef and chicken in a container to be used on Tuesday night. I threw the remains of the vegetables away.
Then cleaned up the kitchen only minimally.
The Girl and I then headed over to the Whale world and enjoyed a quick show, called A'lure. Its a new production that the Whale World's creative team have come up with. The story was honestly difficult to follow, but the acrobatic performers were amazing. We were able to see my Prince Charming in the midst of his job, the venue that he is the head of is down for 3 weeks for refurbishment, and he was replacing some worn out technical things, adorable and handsome even with blackend, machine greasy hands.
Then The Girl and I departed Whale World and went to pick up a few items from Whole Foods. I needed another onion and bread for the soup. We ended up getting prepared salads, some NICE cheese, we're not talking Cheddar or Colby here....Stilton and Manchengo....k. NICE cheese. Since we were having a German soup, I decided to pick a German bread....Pumpernickel..YUM.
Then we saw the dessert case. We passed it eventually...after getting some REALLY nice desserts to have after our German soup....okay so cheese cake, mousse and tarts are not specifically German, but they are in the neighborhood...oh look at a Globe!
Finally we returned home. My Prince Charming was in the shower...I said hello.
I then began the final preparations for the German Bacon & Potato soup.
With the assistance of The Girl, I didn't even have to ask, she insisted that she help me! So nice.
So we chopped the onion, bacon, potatoes and carrots. I sauteed the onion in butter, added bacon, then the carrots, then the potatoes. Then the stock, I only ended up using around 5 cups. The pan was already too full with the other stuff! So, more stock for the soup on Tuesday. The soup took around an hour to finally complete. I tasted the broth, to add seasoning if needed. It had such a wonderful silky taste. I added pepper, salt and some nutmeg. The nutmeg added a nice almost woodsy flavor, it was nice.
Then I ladled the soup in to the waiting bowls and The Girl chopped up some fresh parsley and sprinkled this on the soup. I served the pumpernickel bread with the soup.
We are waiting for our bellies to not feel so full, might be tomorrow that we are able to eat our desserts.
This soup was so good. I have not been much of a soup maker. I eat soup....from a can...quite often. But wow this was so nice, filling. I'll be making this again.
So that is 2 for 2 that we have all really liked the recipe that the Nintendo DS offered. I will be having my Prince Charming pick the next recipe.
I get to drive 2 hours tomorrow down to Tampa, to see my Lap Band doctor. The pants I am wearing today are nearly falling off...they look kind of ridiculous, but I can't justify purchasing new pants that I will probably not wear for more than 4 more months. I am excited to see how much more I've lost. I can finally see the difference in my face. Lots of other people have said my face has gotten lots slimmer, but now I can see it. I see other areas that are much smaller than before...I verified with My Prince Charming that he is fine with less than an ample hand full....he is.
I like this losing weight, and creating wonderful food. What a great combination.
Well until next time.
Everyone have a wonderful day.

Happy Birthday to My Prince Charming!!!!!

My Prince Charming turned the magical age of....38, on January 8th. I have strived to make his birthdays something of a celebration. In the 8 years we have been together he never gets excited about his birthday, and of course this translates into...he doesn't get excited about my birthday. I love my birthday. My Mom always helped to make that day such a special day for me, made me feel celebrated and special. She would take me out shopping, I was normally always able to get one complete outfit, with shoes, earrings, the works to me. Then she would cook my favorite meal, I always chose beef and noodles. And I normally picked pie, rather than cake. So I have tried to bring that tradition to our family.
The Girl is usually having her birthday with her Mother these days, but we do get to celebrate her.
My goal this year was to stretch out the Birthday Celebration time for my Prince Charming to encompass several days, not just one.
So, for my Prince Charming, on the date of his birth I made his current favorite meal, which is Pork Chops with Blue Cheese Gravy. Oh My Goodness what a rich and absolutely delicious meal. The Blue Cheese Gravy could be served in a bowl by itself its so wonderful! So, I made this, he loves it. I baked a cake. I tried to be creative.
I don't decorate cakes beautifully like my sister the Duckduckcow.blogspot.com lady.
So, from a packaged white cake mix, I made a cake. I made some instant Vanilla pudding and instead of butter cream icing I used whipped cream, instead.
My Prince Charming love colors, so on the surface of the cake I sprinkled food coloring dots and swirled them together in a fun pattern, with the thought that the colors would seep down into the cake and create color swirls, that you would be able to see when you cut into it. That didn't happen until about 2 days after we'd initially cut the cake.
So, the cake was over done, a bit more than brown around the edges. The pudding turned out really nice, and who can make whipped cream turn bad. So I put the cake together as I had it. And I sprinkled rainbow sprinkles on the top. I didn't really want to do candles, because well we are at the age where we don't pay attention to the number, okay!
The reaction from the cake was. "Mom, you can make this one again."
The most important thing was that My Prince Charming was pleased and felt celebrated. Then I announced that for his "Present" we would be going to a restaurant on Monday the 12th of January. A place called Texas de Brazil.
I had gotten him a new pair of jeans and a nice new shirt for Christmas, and requested that My Prince Charming don these new clothes for our dinner out. As much as I love my Prince Charming his way of dressing himself is rather basic. Jeans, tee shirts, with the tee shirt tucked in. I don't tuck tee-shirts in. So the new shirt was a tee shirt and an over shirt. You wear the tee shirt tucked in, but the over shirt you leave out, and un buttoned. So he comes out and has the whole thing tucked in. So I gently asked him to un-tuck the over shirt and unbuttoned it for him. He said he felt undressed. Then he put a baseball type cap on. I don't like that look so much. After 8 years of seeing his beautiful head, he decides now to cover it up? So, I have to just sigh, tell him I think he looks better with out the hat, but that I love him regardless.
We go to the restaurant. I see that he is not the only man wearing a baseball cap. This restaurant is not a fast food or even casual place its a "white table cloth" type place. Where the waiters are trained on super etiquette and serving is an art form.
We are seated and listen to the nice waiter explain to us the procedure on how things work at this restaurant. There is a central area where there are salads, cheese, specialty salamis, soups, yummy things. Then when we are ready we flip this little disk over to the Green side, and these traditionally dressed Brazilian gauchos come round with swords full of meat. Oh my goodness!
Let me gently remind the followers of Good Queen Lyn, that she has a device around her stomach that hinders the amount of food that Good Queen Lyn can eat. Which has been working wonders, but limits some things. So I am very selective on the items that I take from the central area. I have a nice piece of endive, 2 spears of asparagus, some yummy Manchengo Cheese, fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, and 2 green olives. I am back at our table well before My Prince Charming and The Girl. I have to chew all of my food, like 30 times...before another bite can be taken, which helps the tummy to feel fuller faster. So I did not want to fill up on the side yummies, so I could save room for the meat.
My Prince Charming and The Girl are somewhat luckier that they can still stuff themselves into oblivion with out nasty side effects. I was very pleased to see that The Girl had picked some rather delectable items and enjoyed the experience of tasting new things. She had some heart of palm, which is an item that I would not have thought that she would have chosen. She shared some with us. It tasted like artichoke to me. She decided that she could survive on an deserted island if there was palm trees about, because of the heart of palm could be eaten.
Its fun to hear how she thinks, sometimes.
Then it was time for meat.
I was the first to turn my disk from red to green.
I had to remind myself that I could only have a few bites of each kind of meat. There was beef, pork, lamb, chicken and sausage. All prepared over an open grill flavored only by the meats' natural juice and some sea salt.
There was a specialty cut of meat I can't for the life of me remember the name, but I was lucky to receive a sliver of the outside crust, the part that gets the licking of the flame. It was like heaven, it melted in my mouth! It was my favorite of the night.
The handsome Brazilian Gauchos began arriving...one after the other, after the other...in a frenzy of meaty delights.....*Sigh* There was leg of lamb, lamb chops, flank steak, fillet Mignon, Pork Tenderloin, Pork cutlets with Parmesan cheese, legs of chicken crusted with Parmesan cheese, and these yummy Brazilian sausages that were so good, the casing had that yummy pop, when you bite into it, and there was a little back of the tongue heat, my favorite.
My Prince Charming was such a dear, his intention was to eat what I could not. Our waiter could not understand this, and tried unsuccessfully to get My Prince Charming a clean plate from which to eat his own food. My Prince Charming said he felt so wasteful in changing plates from the sides course to the meat course, because that would mean more dishes for the poor dishwasher to wash. He's such a sweet man!
I ate all that I wanted to, and did not feel like I over ate. I tasted all the meat that I wanted. I tried to take small enough pieces that I would not have to waste a lot. My Prince Charming did take much of my meat, but he was also able to have fresh hot pieces for himself. When we all decided we'd had all we could, we left feeling good. My Prince Charming and The Girl felt more that a little stuffed, the uncomfortable overstuffed feeling. I felt sorry for them. I did not feel that way at all. I felt full and satisfied.
My Prince Charming felt celebrated and special. Everyone at the restaurant wished him a Happy Birthday.
I believe that my goal was accomplished, just as I had wished.

Cooking, eating, Joy had by all!

Greetings from the Kitchen of Good Queen Lyn...
One of the things that my Prince Charming gave to me on the day that we celebrate our Dear Savior's birth, is a "game" that is used on the Nintendo DS, Called Personal Trainer: Cooking. This is NOT your Cookin' Mama.
The game has "Real" recipes from all over the world. So I asked the Girl and Prince Charming what they would like me to experiment with first. They both said, "Anything you want."
So, since we can go out anytime and get adequate Chinese food, I decided to pick something completely foreign to all of us. CURRY.
So I picked the United Kingdom, and found a recipe for Chicken Tikki Masala, which is England's national favorite dish. So with The Girl loving everything British, right now, I picked that.
I got to get some new spices, Turmeric, and Garam Masala. Neither of which I have ever cooked with before.
I got some nice plump Chicken breasts, some fresh parsley, (I only needed a teaspoon, so I have a HUGE bunch that I will have to use up...)
So I make the Turmeric Rice that you are suppose to eat with the Tikki Masala. Isn't that a fun sounding name, Tikki Masala, so silly and exotic at the same time. Didn't think that was possible, did you?
The rice is sauted in butter first, new concept for me. Then you add the tumeric which turns the rice a beautiful yellow/gold, and adds a really nice perfume to the rice dish, then you add the chicken stock, and let it simmer till fluffy and done.
So, I marinate the cubed up chicken in yogurt, garlic, ginger, Gram Masala. Then made the sauce, using onions, Tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cumin, Gram Masala, and a little water. You let that get all happy in the pan, simmering while the chicken cooks in yet another pan. You add the chicken and all of the marinade and cook the chicken till not longer pink, then you add the tomato/onion sauce to the chicken. Let that all dance around the pan for a bit to marry the flavors, then Voila! The dish is complete. I was nervous to serve this to the Girl, as she can be rather picky about ANYTHING I cook. I knew that my Prince Charming would like it, and honestly it tasted much better than I thought, and I really liked it. The marinade left the chicken tender and juicy. The sauce was nice and I really liked the spice combination. So the verdict from the Girl, "Hey Mom, you can make this again!"
So we have one winner. I let her pick the next dish to try out of the recipes. With the stipulation that it not be Chinese. We have Chinese food A LOT. I like Chinese food, don't get me wrong, but the Girl could eat it day in day out, every day of the week. I can go a few months without the fix. So she chose Bacon and Potato Soup, from Germany. So will let you know how that went.

A New Year....

So, another year has dawned. I am so relieved. Last year saw lots of changes. And I don't mean the CHANGE in my beloved country's leader. (I am so over politics.)
I am talking about the subtle changes. In myself, in my Prince Charming, in The Girl. We are all getting older. Not just in age, but like fine cheese, or superb cut of beef, we are mellow, our juices condensing, our bone more brittle....just kidding.
I am looking forward to what the new year will bring.
I hope everyone looks to the New Year as a time for personal improvement, not in the way of Resolutions that are made and not kept, but as a time to do an inventory of things that need to be improved, strengthened, or added to their lives.

I recently got on to the Facebook.com site and am able to keep in contact with many of the College Program kids that come through the World of Mouse. Many of whom have become quite dear to me. These kids are mostly in their early 20's and many of them have remarked how I had become like a fun Aunt or even mother to them. I feel honored that these kids would look to me in such a way. I have gotten to know many of the because they received the privilege of working with me on the Graveyard shift that I do for the World of Mouse, and we have shared much conversation and they have left me somewhat comforted to know that our world in not going to be in the hands of people who don't care. These kids are smart, caring, insightful and courageous. Many of these kids are as conservative as I am, and some more so, that in its self is comforting. They are concerned about morals, about their education, and their futures.
I now have a brother and his family living on the other side of the world in South Korea. It is sad that they are not a mere 8 hours away. I will miss them.
I was blessed to have 3 new angels added to my extended family, we welcomed with open arms and hearts George, Abby and Fiona. I hope they will be made ready for Crazy Aunt Lyn.
I am still married to my most wonderful Prince Charming. We will be celebrating our 8th year of wedded bliss in March of this year. We still feel as though we have been married forever. It seems like such a small amount of time in what we have shared and have dealt with. He is my best friend, lover, and completely my Prince. He loves me, and does all he can to show me in deed and word. I am very grateful that we found each other.
My lap-band surgery in September has continued to allow me to lose the weight that I need, in a healthy way. I am more aware of how much I eat, I eat slower and enjoy the food much more and in smaller amounts. I have many baggy pants now. My blouses and tops are much bigger now. I am even able to get into a smaller bra size, which believe it or not is a huge thing for me. I have not had a picture of me till just recently, and though I am only just over 25 lbs lighter, I can see it in my face and neck area. I still have to remind myself that I didn't gain the weight all at once, so I'm not going to lose it all at once.
I think this year will be alright...If we don't talk about politics.