Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for a couple of reasons.
I like to eat and Thanksgiving always means good food. There is turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, sweet potatoes (and I love me some sweet potatoes). Oh, and we can't forget the pies. Not to brag, but I make a pretty damn good pecan pie -- I have my great grandmother's recipe. :)
But as great as the food is, I like Thanksgiving because it is a good excuse to have a nice meal with family and/or friends. It is a nice to get together folks, have some food and have some great conversation.
Thanksgiving is also a time for me to reflect on how lucky I am and have so many things to be thankful for. I have a job; am healthy; have a loving husband; have a happy marriage; have two fat and happy cats; have a wonderful family; have great friends; and have a home. I am truly blessed.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Roller skating: Fun times or dangerous folly
So my better half and I went to a friend's child's birthday at the local roller rink. Neither one of us had any intention of roller skating.But it was clear that my better half and my friend really wanted me to skate. My friend just thought I would have a good time. My better half thought it would be good for me to try something new. So I got some skates.
I was anything but sure-footed and was convinced that a fall was inevitable. But I was going to try. My first time around the ring, I held the carpet barrier with dear life. After the first go, I figured I was done. I skated and I was done.
I thought I was done. My better half and friend, thought otherwise and thought I should do another round -- and not hold onto the carpet barrier.
This did not strike me as a good idea, but I did it anyway. It was going well for the first half.
Then it happened. I wrong move and I fell crashing to the floor. I felt my bottom hit hard then my back. And my poor little head bounced. BOUNCED!
I laid on the floor, stunned. I felt the warm streak of tears on my cheeks. I hurt and my pride was bruised.
A day later, I still require heat and ice on my bottom..but my pride has healed. I tried something new and that is something to smile about -- even if there is a bruise on my ass.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Why hello fruit of the vine
As I get older, my taste in spirits continues to change.
When I was in my 20s, I wanted to spend time with comrade vodka. Man oh man, did I like vodka. At the bar, there were generally two drinks I ordered: Vodka Collins or a Colorado Bulldog (this one was short lived and was a phase my friends and I went through).
When I was broke, it was beer. But I always managed to find a little green to have my favorite clear spirit.
But I have some not-so-good experiences with comrade vodka. And as I have aged, I have seen the comrade less -- on special occasions like a night out with the girls.
I have, however, turned to the fruit of the vine.
When I was younger, I didn't care for the taste of wine. It was bitter, too strong, too dry...I just didn't like it. Until my mother-in-law introduced me to an inexpensive sweet wine -- Lambrusco. I loved it!
It was my first step to enjoying wine. Since then I have branched out to other sweet and dry wines. I am a sucker for a good Riesling, pinot grigio and pinot gris.
There are even a few chardonnays out there that I like.
Recently, I have decided to drink more red wines. A number of studies suggest that red wines -- in moderation -- may be good for you.
Reds are hard for me. My first real wine was Lambrusco, which is a sweet red. It made me associate red wine with sweet wine. Well, that isn't the case; there are some very dry reds out there.
So as I look for a choice red wine, I have to look for something that gives me balance between sweet and dry.
Two Oregon wines are fitting the bill..
I started with Bridgview's merlot. This is a medium bodied wine that has a dry finish. the bottle label talks about blueberry and black cherry flavors. I don't remember the blueberry tones, but I do remember the subtle cherry flavors. It is a nice wine and not an expensive wine. I believe a bottle at the grocery store was about $10 to $11.
But I wanted to try something that had a fuller body. I thought I would break open the Caprice Vineyard's Cabernet Sauvignon. I had sampled this wine at the vineyard and I enjoyed it. But I have found that a sample isn't always the same as glass.
So I was a little worried that it might not be as good as the sample. I was wrong.
When I uncorked it, I fully expected it to be heavier and drier. But it wasn't. It was light and refreshing. It wasn't sweet or dry. The label talks about the touch of plum, and I think there is more than a touch. I think this what gives this wine a nice balance and keeps it from being a sweet or dry wine in my book. But I am no expert.
These are the two I am enjoying now...which reminds me, I need to restock!
If you read this, and have a wine suggestion for me. Let me know, I want to sample as much as I can.
When I was in my 20s, I wanted to spend time with comrade vodka. Man oh man, did I like vodka. At the bar, there were generally two drinks I ordered: Vodka Collins or a Colorado Bulldog (this one was short lived and was a phase my friends and I went through).
When I was broke, it was beer. But I always managed to find a little green to have my favorite clear spirit.
But I have some not-so-good experiences with comrade vodka. And as I have aged, I have seen the comrade less -- on special occasions like a night out with the girls.
I have, however, turned to the fruit of the vine.
When I was younger, I didn't care for the taste of wine. It was bitter, too strong, too dry...I just didn't like it. Until my mother-in-law introduced me to an inexpensive sweet wine -- Lambrusco. I loved it!
It was my first step to enjoying wine. Since then I have branched out to other sweet and dry wines. I am a sucker for a good Riesling, pinot grigio and pinot gris.
There are even a few chardonnays out there that I like.
Recently, I have decided to drink more red wines. A number of studies suggest that red wines -- in moderation -- may be good for you.
Reds are hard for me. My first real wine was Lambrusco, which is a sweet red. It made me associate red wine with sweet wine. Well, that isn't the case; there are some very dry reds out there.
So as I look for a choice red wine, I have to look for something that gives me balance between sweet and dry.
Two Oregon wines are fitting the bill..
I started with Bridgview's merlot. This is a medium bodied wine that has a dry finish. the bottle label talks about blueberry and black cherry flavors. I don't remember the blueberry tones, but I do remember the subtle cherry flavors. It is a nice wine and not an expensive wine. I believe a bottle at the grocery store was about $10 to $11.But I wanted to try something that had a fuller body. I thought I would break open the Caprice Vineyard's Cabernet Sauvignon. I had sampled this wine at the vineyard and I enjoyed it. But I have found that a sample isn't always the same as glass.
So I was a little worried that it might not be as good as the sample. I was wrong.When I uncorked it, I fully expected it to be heavier and drier. But it wasn't. It was light and refreshing. It wasn't sweet or dry. The label talks about the touch of plum, and I think there is more than a touch. I think this what gives this wine a nice balance and keeps it from being a sweet or dry wine in my book. But I am no expert.
These are the two I am enjoying now...which reminds me, I need to restock!
If you read this, and have a wine suggestion for me. Let me know, I want to sample as much as I can.
It has been too long
It always amazes me how quickly time goes by and before you know it has been months and months since you have done something. You know, like blog.
Yeah, I know ... I am officially the world's worst blogger. What's worse? Oh wait, a hypocrite. I have been on my reporters and anchors that have blogs to blog regularly. Fine example I set.
Sigh. But I can't change the past and all I can do is move forward. Maybe try to be a better blogger.
It may be time for to think of why I started a blog in the first place. Was it place to gather a following? A place to develop some sort of philosophical body of work? Maybe a way for me to record my thoughts...kind of like a diary but public?
I don't know anymore. But I think it is important that I use the blog as a way to keep up my writing skills, as limited as they may be. I still see the written word as critical communication skill (and for the record, I am one of those people who still uses real words in text messages). It is a tool that I need to work on and improve.
Maybe I will review those old grammar books and get the mechanics down too.
:)
Yeah, I know ... I am officially the world's worst blogger. What's worse? Oh wait, a hypocrite. I have been on my reporters and anchors that have blogs to blog regularly. Fine example I set.
Sigh. But I can't change the past and all I can do is move forward. Maybe try to be a better blogger.
It may be time for to think of why I started a blog in the first place. Was it place to gather a following? A place to develop some sort of philosophical body of work? Maybe a way for me to record my thoughts...kind of like a diary but public?
I don't know anymore. But I think it is important that I use the blog as a way to keep up my writing skills, as limited as they may be. I still see the written word as critical communication skill (and for the record, I am one of those people who still uses real words in text messages). It is a tool that I need to work on and improve.
Maybe I will review those old grammar books and get the mechanics down too.
:)
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