Wistful thinking

Laurie was right. Snuzzy IS my new favorite site.

Winds of Change

Today I'm proud to be an American; proud to witness this historic moment and excited and thankful my daughter has been born in this amazing era.

Congratulations to our president elect, and congratulations to the people of America - it is you, and only you, who are responsible for this change.

PSA

Get out and vote.

Fall is my favorite season. Not only is it the season of my birthday, fresh donuts and cider, finally cooler temperatures, agricultural bounty, but it's also the start of the holiday season and the time for my favorite annual publications - the thanksgiving editions of the food magazines. Oh there's nothing better - it's food porn and I'm an addict. I love the pictures decorating the shiny pages of perfect food; golden turkeys, fluffy potatoes, browned casseroles, vibrantly colored vegetables.

My addiction to Thanksgiving isn't limited to the food. The seasonal decorations and the table settings are also a focus of my addiction. Autumnal colored linens, elegant holiday china, cornucopias, leaves, pumpkins and gourds, mums; I can't get enough. I hit the store to collect all the Thanksgiving editions of magazines I don't already subscribe to (yes, there are ones that I don't subscribe to thankyouverymuch), then I head to the library to check out all the cookbooks they have too. I plot and plan the menu, the table, the snacks, and the dessert with my mom and sister beginning more than a month in advance - discussing holiday menus past and assigning items for preparation.

This year we have an additional reason to be excited (and thankful) - two new family members trying holiday food for the first time (well, one actually trying it herself, one trying it second hand).

We have favorite dishes that return yearly to grace the holiday table (sausage stuffing, sweet potato casserole) and new items being tested for the first time. What are favorites on your holiday table?

Hi. I'm new here.

Shut up and eat your greens

So the government has decided to allow irradiation of your food. OMG! What should you do?

Hysteria!?

Mass pandemonium!?

Riots!?

Hmmm....Too much effort, too little return.

Maybe instead..

Urban homesteading? Buying local? Joining a CSA?

Better...but still requires actual thought and effort. I like to sit on my bum in front of the computer.

Whatever could you do?

How about exercising your constitutional right to do what we do best... Complain! The FDA is currently allowing a 30 day comment period on its new ruling to allow irradiation of commercially grown leafy greens (to begin in September). The information is out there - educate yourself and let the man know what you think.

(Hey, I'm biased, but I'm not against freedom of information. Check out this info too.
Yummy radiation
Shut up and eat your toxic greens
But we promise it's safe (winkwink)
I'm no robot
More shit disturbing

Oh, and BTW, the reason we have to fry our food is because commercial production is in short, nasty. Any wonder why this requirement was suggested by commercial food producers??

Revisiting a basic lesson

With rising gas prices capping now where in sight and well paying jobs moving into the past, many people in my town have turned to a new form of transportation. Their bicycle. Bikes are great. They're small, easy to park, manuverable, free to operate, self cooled (who doesn't like the wind in their hair), and offer an added benefit of providing the operator exercise. Operated according to the applicable laws and with the proper protective equipment (reflectors, lights for riding in the dark, a helmet worn by the operator) bikes are a safe and efficient method of transportation. Well, relatively safe. Unfortunately there seems to be a certain segment of the population who have forgotten that basic Kindergarden lesson called sharing. So let's review sharing as it relates to the road.

1) You do not "own" the road. The road is owned by the city/township/municipality/county and the citizens who reside there. And since we all pay taxes to use the road, whether we're walking, biking, or driving, we have as much right as you to be there.
2) Speed limits are posted for a reason. While you may not care about your safety (and frankly neither do we), we do care about the safety of everyone else on the road, so drive within the speed limits and keep them safe.
2.5) Driving with intoxicated/impaired/flat out drunk is illegal for a reason. Again, while you may not care about your safety, it's usually not the drunkard who gets hurt. If you're drunk, stay off the road.
3) Yelling obsenities is inappropriate, no matter how stressed/angry/tired/much of a jerk you are.

My hubby rides his bike to work, and I've been known pre-pregnancy to ride mine to run errands or to avoid having to find parking. I've had friends that have been hit by cars while riding their bikes, and I'm a daily witness to people harassing/disrespecting/endangering bikers (and everyone else on the road) with their inability to share the road and agressive driving.

A bicyclist was hit early this morning and killed on Sprinkle road by a driver (and alcohol is suspected to be a factor). Please, let's have this be the last one.