This is a rather dry post, but I just thought I'd ramble about the buffalo meat pot roast we had.
See, every time buffalo meat goes on sale, I want to try it. I hear good things about it... it's lower in fat and cholesterol than other types of meat, it's got those good omega 3s, more protein, and it's a leaner cut. I also hear it tastes better.
So I bought me a pot roast. You have to be careful with buffalo meat usually because it cooks faster than other meat, but for the pot roast, long, slow cooking was key. So seasoned it with salt, pepper and garlic, browned it, and tossed it in my crock pot with a can of diced tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions, a dash of worcestershire, a sprinkle of basil, a few tablespoons of white wine, and a couple of cups of water and a beef bouillion cube (it was a 1.8 lb roast), and let it cook for about six and a half hours (yep, I looove crock pot cooking). I thought it'd take longer, but my crock pot is a large one, and most foods on the 8 hour setting are finished in six.
My family loved it. It, they told me, was a keeper recipe. Six ounces of this meat had only 200 calories in it, and only 20 from fat. Egads! That's good for meat.
Now, I am not a big fan of pot roasts, which is ironic, considering it's my family's favorite meal. They love my pot roasts, and I can't stand them. But this one, this one I could stand. I'm going to try a few more cuts of buffalo when they aren't crazy pricey, but the pot roast was worth the cost.
So, um, yeah, Go Forth and Eat Buffalo....
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Boys and Tously Hair
Short hair is easy to care for in kids, especially boys. I'm a big believer in the short crew for my preschoolers. That is if I could get them to the hairdressers and get the hair cut.
See, I have a thing for tousley hair. Nothing is more adorable and cute to me than little messy haired boys running about with the wind blowing their loose, untamed locks every which way. Nothing is more adorable than those sights of bleary-eyed, bed-head, sweaty brows crawling up to me, just waiting for my hands to brush those soft, sandy brown bangs back, to nuzzle kisses in the depths of their boy-meets-shampoo scented heads. Nothing is more natural, correct, right, than boys with unkempt hair. It goes with their dirty elbows and scraped knees. It matches the dust clinging to their shorts and shirts. It's Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. It's living without worries or inhibitions, it's freedom to just be...
And every time they run out back, their toes free of kicked-off shoes, their hair flying whichever way it may, diving into the grass, digging in the dirt, I think how wonderfully marvelous it must be to be a little boy playing outside, doing their own thing, running just to run, digging to dig, and falling in the grass just to feel how soft it is, and it is then I can't bear the thought of those scissors cutting away a piece of that haphazard existence. Not yet, not quite yet. Maybe, maybe I'll do it this fall.
See, I have a thing for tousley hair. Nothing is more adorable and cute to me than little messy haired boys running about with the wind blowing their loose, untamed locks every which way. Nothing is more adorable than those sights of bleary-eyed, bed-head, sweaty brows crawling up to me, just waiting for my hands to brush those soft, sandy brown bangs back, to nuzzle kisses in the depths of their boy-meets-shampoo scented heads. Nothing is more natural, correct, right, than boys with unkempt hair. It goes with their dirty elbows and scraped knees. It matches the dust clinging to their shorts and shirts. It's Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. It's living without worries or inhibitions, it's freedom to just be...
And every time they run out back, their toes free of kicked-off shoes, their hair flying whichever way it may, diving into the grass, digging in the dirt, I think how wonderfully marvelous it must be to be a little boy playing outside, doing their own thing, running just to run, digging to dig, and falling in the grass just to feel how soft it is, and it is then I can't bear the thought of those scissors cutting away a piece of that haphazard existence. Not yet, not quite yet. Maybe, maybe I'll do it this fall.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Yakfest, Part II
Friday, I went grocery shopping at the local King Sooper. I'm unfamiliar with this chain, and keep wanting to call it King Scooper... I did a HUGE grocery trip... I'm talking two and a half weeks worth here... not my normal week-at-a-time jaunt. Turbo is in the carriage behaving nicely, while Bear is running around trying to eat everything in the produce section. He scored some blueberries, I bought a half eaten apple, and I may or may not have prevented him from chowing down some radishes.
About aisle 23 he looked tired and I put him in the carriage. Almost done boys, almost done...
Checkout line... almost done boys almost done... but Bear looks like he's going to pass out... awww poor wittle Bear.... I pick poor wittle Bear up and bring him round to the card swiper... when... without even so much as the 'mom I don't feel so good' I got from Turbo with the Milk Yak, I got regurgitated produce, brightly colored regurgitated produce, all over me.
Sigh.
They brought me a chair and a roll of paper towels to help me and the yakking child.
They swiped my card for me.
They told me it was okay (it better be, I spent more than $300 bucks there... family of five, don't go agoggle on me).
We get to the car.
We get home.
Bear EATS MORE.
Bear throws up more.
Bear lays down.
Bear is happy.
Mom eats.
Mom gets sick.
Horrendously miserable.
ALL AFTERNOON.... and evening, yak yak, and later that evening... just...miiissserrraabllle...
Bear got over it in an hour.
I ate toast on Saturday.
I couldn't stand the sight of all the fresh produce on my counter. It made me want to yak more.
I couldn't make anyone food. It was nauseating.
Later in the evening I ate harmless looking breadsticks from the local pizza place.
That was it.
Sunday, I was finally able to actually eat something, by around noon.
Today, I walked instead of wogged, I wasn't up to wogging speed this morning.
I had breakfast.
I feel relatively normal.
I have no idea what made me so ill. I thought the two yak events were unrelated, but clearly, we had SOMETHING, because all three of us got sick. I don't know. I'll know for sure soon, though. Hubby McRed has about a week delay time on getting whatever is running round the house. If he starts moaning around Wednesday, we can say it's a bug.
Ugh.
So that's where I was... aren't you all feeling so well informed now?
About aisle 23 he looked tired and I put him in the carriage. Almost done boys, almost done...
Checkout line... almost done boys almost done... but Bear looks like he's going to pass out... awww poor wittle Bear.... I pick poor wittle Bear up and bring him round to the card swiper... when... without even so much as the 'mom I don't feel so good' I got from Turbo with the Milk Yak, I got regurgitated produce, brightly colored regurgitated produce, all over me.
Sigh.
They brought me a chair and a roll of paper towels to help me and the yakking child.
They swiped my card for me.
They told me it was okay (it better be, I spent more than $300 bucks there... family of five, don't go agoggle on me).
We get to the car.
We get home.
Bear EATS MORE.
Bear throws up more.
Bear lays down.
Bear is happy.
Mom eats.
Mom gets sick.
Horrendously miserable.
ALL AFTERNOON.... and evening, yak yak, and later that evening... just...miiissserrraabllle...
Bear got over it in an hour.
I ate toast on Saturday.
I couldn't stand the sight of all the fresh produce on my counter. It made me want to yak more.
I couldn't make anyone food. It was nauseating.
Later in the evening I ate harmless looking breadsticks from the local pizza place.
That was it.
Sunday, I was finally able to actually eat something, by around noon.
Today, I walked instead of wogged, I wasn't up to wogging speed this morning.
I had breakfast.
I feel relatively normal.
I have no idea what made me so ill. I thought the two yak events were unrelated, but clearly, we had SOMETHING, because all three of us got sick. I don't know. I'll know for sure soon, though. Hubby McRed has about a week delay time on getting whatever is running round the house. If he starts moaning around Wednesday, we can say it's a bug.
Ugh.
So that's where I was... aren't you all feeling so well informed now?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Off My Mood
Not my rocker, my rocker is gone, sadly.
Everything today is just hitting me wrong.
I read a My Turn Essay that made me want to find the whining pre-mom prima donna and slap her upside the head with a 'Aren't you a bit full of yourself chickie' which, my friends tell me, was me possibly being over-sensitive. I'd link it, but then you may think I was being over-sensitive, and we can't have that.
I discovered a new blogging site by parents about parenting, and it hit me. I'm a parent. Hey! But nobody really cares, because I'm not a parenting personality. Which led to, come to think of it, the fact I don't actually have an identity in my blog as anything other than.... a blogger....
My daughter ate EVERY STINKIN" BASIL LEAF off the basil plant I carefully brought back to life after finding basil-eating bugs on it, and I reacted not so calmly. I plan to have a full container cottage garden/herb/veggie garden next year... and she killed this years one and only crop...
My son yakked Horizon's organic vanilla milk all over me. They aren't supposed to have dairy, but Turbo usually tolerates it well. Surprise! He then proceeded to take a four hour nap. I'll never get him to bed now.
I'm preparing for back to school and fall, and it's only mid-July, but I FEEL it's Mid-August, so my seasons are off, which is throwing me off, because I"m now craving temperatures below 85.
And I just am craving... salt.
See? I am just in an off mood.
Everything today is just hitting me wrong.
I read a My Turn Essay that made me want to find the whining pre-mom prima donna and slap her upside the head with a 'Aren't you a bit full of yourself chickie' which, my friends tell me, was me possibly being over-sensitive. I'd link it, but then you may think I was being over-sensitive, and we can't have that.
I discovered a new blogging site by parents about parenting, and it hit me. I'm a parent. Hey! But nobody really cares, because I'm not a parenting personality. Which led to, come to think of it, the fact I don't actually have an identity in my blog as anything other than.... a blogger....
My daughter ate EVERY STINKIN" BASIL LEAF off the basil plant I carefully brought back to life after finding basil-eating bugs on it, and I reacted not so calmly. I plan to have a full container cottage garden/herb/veggie garden next year... and she killed this years one and only crop...
My son yakked Horizon's organic vanilla milk all over me. They aren't supposed to have dairy, but Turbo usually tolerates it well. Surprise! He then proceeded to take a four hour nap. I'll never get him to bed now.
I'm preparing for back to school and fall, and it's only mid-July, but I FEEL it's Mid-August, so my seasons are off, which is throwing me off, because I"m now craving temperatures below 85.
And I just am craving... salt.
See? I am just in an off mood.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Happy Kid Monday
Today, I took the boys to the neighborhood park that has a heated kiddie pool. We walked, because I think it's silly to drive three blocks.
It's really cool, only 3'8" deep, has a waterfall rock, a cute slide, and little mini-geysers. The boys went nuts. They had a blast. I paid way too much money, frankly, but I'll probably go again since Turbo was so happy he clenched his fists and started shaking. He does that when powerful joy and glee strikes him, it's hilarious. Bear was a bit more hesitant. He didn't go in the creek/river like Turbo did, so was a bit slower. Once they were in though, boy, were they in. They kept running up to me to tell me how much they loved the pool. Repeatedly. As if they've never seen water before...
I am so excited they finally go in the water now, that I'm going to hit Target this weekend and hope they aren't all out of floatie tube thingies.
We only stayed for an hour, because Turbo started falling and swallowing water every two seconds. I hated to ruin his fun, but when kids get to this point, it's really best to remove them from the water. You know how it is, too tired to stay, too happy to leave... they got up early this morning so that may have been part of it. Next time I'll let them stay longer. This Friday I'm planning to take them to the lake again. They can build more mud tunnels.
They were so good at the pool and I was in such a weirdly relaxed, good mood I took them to McDonalds *I had a grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo and a yogurt and it STILL managed to be almost half my day's portions!*
Then I brought them home thinking they would crash. HA HA HA HA. No. Ah well. I sent them upstairs to play for an hour so I could have mommy time. I've started reading the local newspaper. I feel old fashioned, not getting my news online...
Drama Girl enjoyed it, but we're having a bit of a hard summer with her. It's not too bad, because she's ten, but because school is out, she's not in any summer activities and we moved here in April, she doesn't have a ton of local friends to hang with. I don't actually recall having anyone to hang out with in summer until high school, but I was hoping her experience would be better... well, next summer she'll have a camp or something, so she won't be bored, only one more month to go... and as long as I give her crafts and take her to the water, I think we'll be okay.
It's really cool, only 3'8" deep, has a waterfall rock, a cute slide, and little mini-geysers. The boys went nuts. They had a blast. I paid way too much money, frankly, but I'll probably go again since Turbo was so happy he clenched his fists and started shaking. He does that when powerful joy and glee strikes him, it's hilarious. Bear was a bit more hesitant. He didn't go in the creek/river like Turbo did, so was a bit slower. Once they were in though, boy, were they in. They kept running up to me to tell me how much they loved the pool. Repeatedly. As if they've never seen water before...
I am so excited they finally go in the water now, that I'm going to hit Target this weekend and hope they aren't all out of floatie tube thingies.
We only stayed for an hour, because Turbo started falling and swallowing water every two seconds. I hated to ruin his fun, but when kids get to this point, it's really best to remove them from the water. You know how it is, too tired to stay, too happy to leave... they got up early this morning so that may have been part of it. Next time I'll let them stay longer. This Friday I'm planning to take them to the lake again. They can build more mud tunnels.
They were so good at the pool and I was in such a weirdly relaxed, good mood I took them to McDonalds *I had a grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo and a yogurt and it STILL managed to be almost half my day's portions!*
Then I brought them home thinking they would crash. HA HA HA HA. No. Ah well. I sent them upstairs to play for an hour so I could have mommy time. I've started reading the local newspaper. I feel old fashioned, not getting my news online...
Drama Girl enjoyed it, but we're having a bit of a hard summer with her. It's not too bad, because she's ten, but because school is out, she's not in any summer activities and we moved here in April, she doesn't have a ton of local friends to hang with. I don't actually recall having anyone to hang out with in summer until high school, but I was hoping her experience would be better... well, next summer she'll have a camp or something, so she won't be bored, only one more month to go... and as long as I give her crafts and take her to the water, I think we'll be okay.
The Anti-Modern-Mom
This doesn't mean I'm old fashioned. It means I think the business of mommyhood has gotten a bit out of hand. I was contemplating joining a playgroup or mom's group and then remembered the last one. Now, keep in mind, they were wonderful women, but I couldn't compete. I could never top their kids. It's not that I think my kids are 'less' it's just that my kids aren't DONE yet. They haven't shown me their talents yet. They do everything on a whim, whatever catches their fancy...
Playgroups, I'm a fan of, lets get the kiddies together, but lets face it, before 2 or 3, you're really doing it to get yourself together with other moms, cool.
Preschool, okay, if it's free... I mean no offense but, I don't believe the high cost of preschool justifies the result. As in, I think my kids are brilliant, of course, but I don't need to send them to preschool for them to learn letters and numbers and run around and play and socialize. That's what playgroups and neighborhood kids are for, and what school is allegedly for.
Music class, tumble class, swimming class, tae kwan do for toddlers, art class, yoga class....
Great... if you have the money I suppose. I don't have the money, not for two of them. But even if I did, I'm just so not interested. I've tried some of those classes, and it left me feeling... well, worse than if I hadn't ever gone, and my boys didn't really enjoy it. It may be because I hate the compare game. It may be because I dragged them there knowing they secretly want to play at the park. It may be I just haven't found the right magic classes.
It's the mom compare game I hate more than anything though, and there isn't one class I've gone to where the compare game wasn't played....
"MY two year old loves the guitar so much, we bought him one and he practices because he's so musically gifted..."
"MY little gal is already singing her ABCs, her numbers and yesterday, started reading Harry Potter, I mean, her older brother didn't start on Harry Potter til he was FOUR!"
"My son's preschool teacher said I should consider having his IQ tested because he's so mature beyond his age..."
"Hmm, your sons are pretty rough and tumble... Jr. is more of a gentle soul..." (you calling my kid thugs? only I can do that...)
"I've got our girl into soccer, and she's a natural..."
"what about your sons?"
Well... um they make some AWESOME tunnels with mud, they can run like a sonofa...runner... i've never seen kids move so fast... they love scootering on the sidewalk, and I do believe Bear is musical, because he likes to bang on things and dance and sing to "you are my sunshine' and Turbo is CLEARLY going to be an architectural genius because you should see the towers he can build with lego.... both could go in the direction of Hollywood though, in stunt choreography, because let me tell you, they've staged some brilliant crashes in our upstairs hall with their trucks and trains, total mayhem and chaos... "
I mean what am I supposed to say? I don't KNOW what my boys are good at yet, they are only three and a half. They try EVERYTHING. They play drums, they sing, they build blocks, they build tracks, they toss balls, they kick balls, they tackle each other, they make up stories, they act out different characters using different voices, they run outside, they ride scooters, they don't like Sesame Street but love Dragon Tales, and they can count and recognize some letters. No, they can't read, but they put the books on their laps and pretend to read, sometimes they take mommy's books, they love stories, they love the kid yoga videotape, but classes? No. Compare them to other kids? How can I?
Kids are sooo different, and to say one is musically gifted at two is fine, but in my opinion ALL kids at two are musically gifted. Because all kids love music. They are ALL brilliant. Unless your kid REALLY is a genius, and if your kid really is a genius, he's probably not in a playgroup or kiddie class, s/he is just as brilliant as every other child.
But modern mommyhood makes us play the compare game... Johnny is social, Timmy is not, but Timmy is introspective and shy, whereas Johnny is a bit rough. Susie is musically gifted but Tina is already a star ballerina and clearly athletic. Ugh.
So, then, we move on to the next favorite question...
"What parenting method do you use."
"....."
"You know, what method?"
"There are methods?"
"well, what books did you read on parenting"
"Supernanny?"
"That method is...?"
"Oh, um, naughty wall, time out, toy time out, mommy time out, mommy hide in bathroom, just listen to me this once puhleeeze and guilt (as in, okay i've had it if you want to go ahead and destroy mommy's special things and make her cry go ahead...) and a belief in the 'I can't take it honey you deal with them"
"So when they act up in the store (not that Lizzie ever does, she's SUCH a good girl) what do you do?"
"Cry."
I mean... can we stop? Am I the only mom who's kids just play outside, and at the park? Who's not in a playgroup, music class, swim class, genius in training class... Am I the only mom who doesn't make a conscious choice to not leap up when one of the kid falls down and cries... "I am not going to go to him, I am going to watch him for a moment, and determine the nature of his injury, and then, decide if I should respond, I read that's the best way to handle it..." as opposed to "oh huh, he went boom. well then. just a scrape good. No no it's okay, I don't need neosporin. No I dont' think it'll get infected. No really, he doesn't need a bandaid. Wash it off? Nah, I'll just let him play a bit more....we'll wash it at home."
I do believe in certain uncompromising principles:
Early bedtime (8 p..m)
Three healthy meals and two snacks.
Shoes when you play oustide
Helments when you scooter.
Occasional baths.
Time outs in your room.
No pushing, hitting, yelling, screaming or throwing things.
You know, things like that.
Beyond that?
I make it up.
Playgroups, I'm a fan of, lets get the kiddies together, but lets face it, before 2 or 3, you're really doing it to get yourself together with other moms, cool.
Preschool, okay, if it's free... I mean no offense but, I don't believe the high cost of preschool justifies the result. As in, I think my kids are brilliant, of course, but I don't need to send them to preschool for them to learn letters and numbers and run around and play and socialize. That's what playgroups and neighborhood kids are for, and what school is allegedly for.
Music class, tumble class, swimming class, tae kwan do for toddlers, art class, yoga class....
Great... if you have the money I suppose. I don't have the money, not for two of them. But even if I did, I'm just so not interested. I've tried some of those classes, and it left me feeling... well, worse than if I hadn't ever gone, and my boys didn't really enjoy it. It may be because I hate the compare game. It may be because I dragged them there knowing they secretly want to play at the park. It may be I just haven't found the right magic classes.
It's the mom compare game I hate more than anything though, and there isn't one class I've gone to where the compare game wasn't played....
"MY two year old loves the guitar so much, we bought him one and he practices because he's so musically gifted..."
"MY little gal is already singing her ABCs, her numbers and yesterday, started reading Harry Potter, I mean, her older brother didn't start on Harry Potter til he was FOUR!"
"My son's preschool teacher said I should consider having his IQ tested because he's so mature beyond his age..."
"Hmm, your sons are pretty rough and tumble... Jr. is more of a gentle soul..." (you calling my kid thugs? only I can do that...)
"I've got our girl into soccer, and she's a natural..."
"what about your sons?"
Well... um they make some AWESOME tunnels with mud, they can run like a sonofa...runner... i've never seen kids move so fast... they love scootering on the sidewalk, and I do believe Bear is musical, because he likes to bang on things and dance and sing to "you are my sunshine' and Turbo is CLEARLY going to be an architectural genius because you should see the towers he can build with lego.... both could go in the direction of Hollywood though, in stunt choreography, because let me tell you, they've staged some brilliant crashes in our upstairs hall with their trucks and trains, total mayhem and chaos... "
I mean what am I supposed to say? I don't KNOW what my boys are good at yet, they are only three and a half. They try EVERYTHING. They play drums, they sing, they build blocks, they build tracks, they toss balls, they kick balls, they tackle each other, they make up stories, they act out different characters using different voices, they run outside, they ride scooters, they don't like Sesame Street but love Dragon Tales, and they can count and recognize some letters. No, they can't read, but they put the books on their laps and pretend to read, sometimes they take mommy's books, they love stories, they love the kid yoga videotape, but classes? No. Compare them to other kids? How can I?
Kids are sooo different, and to say one is musically gifted at two is fine, but in my opinion ALL kids at two are musically gifted. Because all kids love music. They are ALL brilliant. Unless your kid REALLY is a genius, and if your kid really is a genius, he's probably not in a playgroup or kiddie class, s/he is just as brilliant as every other child.
But modern mommyhood makes us play the compare game... Johnny is social, Timmy is not, but Timmy is introspective and shy, whereas Johnny is a bit rough. Susie is musically gifted but Tina is already a star ballerina and clearly athletic. Ugh.
So, then, we move on to the next favorite question...
"What parenting method do you use."
"....."
"You know, what method?"
"There are methods?"
"well, what books did you read on parenting"
"Supernanny?"
"That method is...?"
"Oh, um, naughty wall, time out, toy time out, mommy time out, mommy hide in bathroom, just listen to me this once puhleeeze and guilt (as in, okay i've had it if you want to go ahead and destroy mommy's special things and make her cry go ahead...) and a belief in the 'I can't take it honey you deal with them"
"So when they act up in the store (not that Lizzie ever does, she's SUCH a good girl) what do you do?"
"Cry."
I mean... can we stop? Am I the only mom who's kids just play outside, and at the park? Who's not in a playgroup, music class, swim class, genius in training class... Am I the only mom who doesn't make a conscious choice to not leap up when one of the kid falls down and cries... "I am not going to go to him, I am going to watch him for a moment, and determine the nature of his injury, and then, decide if I should respond, I read that's the best way to handle it..." as opposed to "oh huh, he went boom. well then. just a scrape good. No no it's okay, I don't need neosporin. No I dont' think it'll get infected. No really, he doesn't need a bandaid. Wash it off? Nah, I'll just let him play a bit more....we'll wash it at home."
I do believe in certain uncompromising principles:
Early bedtime (8 p..m)
Three healthy meals and two snacks.
Shoes when you play oustide
Helments when you scooter.
Occasional baths.
Time outs in your room.
No pushing, hitting, yelling, screaming or throwing things.
You know, things like that.
Beyond that?
I make it up.
It's Official
I'm healthier. Go me!
And, apparently, according to the eldest male brain in the household, my hips have returned.
I haven't seen a doctor, but I know when I do my main issue will be 'do I have the cholesterol issue my sister has...' I hope not. I mean, really, I'm doing what i can! My sister is very active and a size 4/6, so you see, it's quite probably hereditary.
And, apparently, according to the eldest male brain in the household, my hips have returned.
I haven't seen a doctor, but I know when I do my main issue will be 'do I have the cholesterol issue my sister has...' I hope not. I mean, really, I'm doing what i can! My sister is very active and a size 4/6, so you see, it's quite probably hereditary.
Friday, July 13, 2007
A recipe
Okay,
I don't really want this to be a lose weight/recipe blog, BUUUT it's something that I'm doing that's really working well, soooo MUAHAHAH...
This is a recipe I made, including the paste which is awesome if you like spicy. But I tweaked it, because i didn't have all the ingredients. It's sooo yummy. There's the original recipe, from the vegan website, and then there's mine below...
Cous-Cous (From Morocco)
Yum.
Harissa is basically a paste made from taking about ten dried chili peppers, soaking them in hot water for 30 minutes, then taking the stems off and seeds out, and adding it to a food processor with three garlic cloves, minced, two tbs of olive oil, a tsp each of ground coriander, ground cumin and ground caraway, and puree' it until it's a paste.
It's clear to me that I need a food processor, as trying to make this paste in a blender only really made the blender very dirty, and me very annoyed.
I don't really want this to be a lose weight/recipe blog, BUUUT it's something that I'm doing that's really working well, soooo MUAHAHAH...
This is a recipe I made, including the paste which is awesome if you like spicy. But I tweaked it, because i didn't have all the ingredients. It's sooo yummy. There's the original recipe, from the vegan website, and then there's mine below...
Cous-Cous (From Morocco)
Got this recipe from a Moroccan friend.
- 1 Onion
- Oil
- 1 fennel
- 1 green pepper
- 1 Carrot
- 5 large potatoes
- 200g Instant Cous-Cous
- 200 ml hot vegetable stock
- 5 tomatoes (peeled)
- 1 tbs ginger
- 1 tbs turmeric
- 1 tbs coriander
- 1 tbs cumin
- 1 tbs cinnamonm salt and pepper
- a twist of lemon
- 1/2 tbs Harissa
Wash and chop up the vegetables.
Put some oil into a large frying pan and heat. Add the onion and fennel and fry for 1 minute. Reduce heat and add the other vegetables. Simmer for 5 Minutes.
Meanwhile put the cous-cous into the vegetable stock and leave for 5 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
Add all the spices to the vegetables and finally stir in the cous-cous.
What I Did: (it's not very much like the original after all lol but still YUMMY)
I cut up some carrots, onions and small potatoes.
Put some oil in frying pan. Add vegetables and fry. (I used some broth to keep the potatoes from sticking, but whatever works) When almost done, added two tomatoes.
Microwaved a cup and a half of chicken broth til it was bubbling (about four minutes)
Poured cup and a half of couscous in chicken broth, covered, let sit for five minutes. (I LOVE couscous)
Added cooked vegetables to couscous.
Added 1 tbsp ginger, ground tumeric, ground coriander, and ground cinammon. Added a dash of salt and a tsp or two of pepper. Added the paste. Spritzed lemon over it all.
Put in whole red pepper that had it's seeds removed. (I.e. I stuffed the pepper with it). There was extra couscous so I just put it around the red pepper, since no one else would eat it, I didn't bothers stuffing more peppers.
Baked at 375 til red pepper was done.
Yum.
Harissa is basically a paste made from taking about ten dried chili peppers, soaking them in hot water for 30 minutes, then taking the stems off and seeds out, and adding it to a food processor with three garlic cloves, minced, two tbs of olive oil, a tsp each of ground coriander, ground cumin and ground caraway, and puree' it until it's a paste.
It's clear to me that I need a food processor, as trying to make this paste in a blender only really made the blender very dirty, and me very annoyed.
The Female Ego
I went wogging this morning. I came in. Made coffee. Hubby McRed came downstairs.
"Damn."
"What?"
"Damn. Let me see."
"what?"
"Damn, you look skinny! Ooh boy! Damn. That outfit is great on you."
(Hubby McRed, it seems, has a thing for yoga pants and work out tees...)
There is no other greater motivator than sincere enthusiasm from the male side of life.
Later, I'm going to expound on the merits of cous cous, but for now, tah, I have a free day to play with.
"Damn."
"What?"
"Damn. Let me see."
"what?"
"Damn, you look skinny! Ooh boy! Damn. That outfit is great on you."
(Hubby McRed, it seems, has a thing for yoga pants and work out tees...)
There is no other greater motivator than sincere enthusiasm from the male side of life.
Later, I'm going to expound on the merits of cous cous, but for now, tah, I have a free day to play with.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Female Brain
I've been reading this book called "The Female Brain" and it's written by a woman, who explains the female brain.
It's stuff most women already know, because, duh, women know everything... but I suggest all you 'only use 7,000 words a day' men consider reading it.
I think the most interesting part is where women's brains change throughout our lives while men's seem to stay the same...
It's stuff most women already know, because, duh, women know everything... but I suggest all you 'only use 7,000 words a day' men consider reading it.
I think the most interesting part is where women's brains change throughout our lives while men's seem to stay the same...
The Jobless Wonder Mom and more obsessive food/diet stuff
That's my superhero name.
Jobless Wonder Mom.
So you know what I've been doing unsuccessfully today.... yep... job hunting. I took about a week or two break before I lost my mind.
The search is on. I wish it were more like American Idol. Only it'd be Lahdeeda's Employer... that's right, HUNDREDS of employers can interview with me, but WHO will be the lucky one I choose to work for? Find out, on our new show, Who Will Lahdeeda Pick, airing weekly after "The Apprentice." Instead it's more like sitting on a desert island in an uncharted sea hoping someone will find the smoke signals, words spelled out of coconuts and such.
So on to other things.
I didn't wog this morning (wogging is when you start by jogging, get tired by the time you hit the curb, walk, see people, then jog again, til you can't breathe, then walk, then feel almost athletic, and start jogging again... repeat this for 40 minutes... or until you finally manage to wog back to your door...) so this afternoon I decided to make the trip to the store for milk a walk rather than drive. It's about a mile, maybe a bit more, round trip. Then, rather than down a Starbucks 400 calorie loaded frappucinno, I made myself an iced coffee frappe which is like, 50 calories and very good.
I realized today the true difference between dieting and changing your lifestyle. Dieting is temporary. You THINK and truly believe once you lose the ten pounds, you'll eat right and be good, but you never are, and it's because to really keep the weight off, you have to change what you eat daily. And you can't just do it five days a week and munch out on the weekends. It doesn't work that way. I also think low fat foods aren't really helpful, unless it's low fat dairy. Like all the low fat chocolate, ice cream and crackers? All they do is leave an unsatisfying taste in your mouth so you eat too much, or make you want the real thing so bad you end up eating it.
So, I'm still drinking tons of water, avoiding the diet coke, which ALWAYS makes me want to eat potato chips, and not ordering pizza as much as I used to. Go me. My biggest challenge now is incorporating strength training. It's not even that much of a challenge. Honestly, I just need to pick a program. I've got all the stuff. But so many choices!
Food Notes:
Last night, instead of mashed potatoes, which are yummy but make me feel like a big log, I steamed, mashed and pureed cauliflower with some butter. It looked like mashed potatoes and tasted great without making me feel like a log.
My lunch today was actually a breakfast...
Whole grain bagel
Tomatoes, cooked in a skillet
Egg (Protein! if you can't handle the cholesterol do egg whites)
Spinach
I cooked the egg
toasted the bagel
sauteed the spinach and tomato
PRESTO
Jobless Wonder Mom.
So you know what I've been doing unsuccessfully today.... yep... job hunting. I took about a week or two break before I lost my mind.
The search is on. I wish it were more like American Idol. Only it'd be Lahdeeda's Employer... that's right, HUNDREDS of employers can interview with me, but WHO will be the lucky one I choose to work for? Find out, on our new show, Who Will Lahdeeda Pick, airing weekly after "The Apprentice." Instead it's more like sitting on a desert island in an uncharted sea hoping someone will find the smoke signals, words spelled out of coconuts and such.
So on to other things.
I didn't wog this morning (wogging is when you start by jogging, get tired by the time you hit the curb, walk, see people, then jog again, til you can't breathe, then walk, then feel almost athletic, and start jogging again... repeat this for 40 minutes... or until you finally manage to wog back to your door...) so this afternoon I decided to make the trip to the store for milk a walk rather than drive. It's about a mile, maybe a bit more, round trip. Then, rather than down a Starbucks 400 calorie loaded frappucinno, I made myself an iced coffee frappe which is like, 50 calories and very good.
I realized today the true difference between dieting and changing your lifestyle. Dieting is temporary. You THINK and truly believe once you lose the ten pounds, you'll eat right and be good, but you never are, and it's because to really keep the weight off, you have to change what you eat daily. And you can't just do it five days a week and munch out on the weekends. It doesn't work that way. I also think low fat foods aren't really helpful, unless it's low fat dairy. Like all the low fat chocolate, ice cream and crackers? All they do is leave an unsatisfying taste in your mouth so you eat too much, or make you want the real thing so bad you end up eating it.
So, I'm still drinking tons of water, avoiding the diet coke, which ALWAYS makes me want to eat potato chips, and not ordering pizza as much as I used to. Go me. My biggest challenge now is incorporating strength training. It's not even that much of a challenge. Honestly, I just need to pick a program. I've got all the stuff. But so many choices!
Food Notes:
Last night, instead of mashed potatoes, which are yummy but make me feel like a big log, I steamed, mashed and pureed cauliflower with some butter. It looked like mashed potatoes and tasted great without making me feel like a log.
My lunch today was actually a breakfast...
Whole grain bagel
Tomatoes, cooked in a skillet
Egg (Protein! if you can't handle the cholesterol do egg whites)
Spinach
I cooked the egg
toasted the bagel
sauteed the spinach and tomato
PRESTO
Saturday, July 07, 2007
I ROCK
Go Me!
Thank you Momma's World! I didn't forget, I SWEAR!
I was just so shocked... I love Rosie the Riveter, btw. She is one of my favorite images of that era, the first women to really go out in great numbers in America and work...
I'm also going to give the rockin' guy award:
to Capt. Picard's Journal. He gets a gazillion nominations as it is, but I haven't seen this one. His writing is a nice little escape for me. A little sci-fi that takes me to the Star Trek universe, but a more comical, funny one. As a child, I watched Capt. James T. Kirk, and then, when it came back, devoured Deep Space Nine (a bit soap oper-y) Voyager and New Gen, along with every single freakin Star Trek movie... As a child, I used to dream of one day working on space ships. I was upset for years when I realized we'd never get to that point in technology during my lifetime. His posts are fun and help me de-stress.
Friday, July 06, 2007
The Raw Movement
While I sit here and add up today's calories to see if I can afford that Corona (yum), I thought I'd yammer on about the new thing...(Yep, that beer's mine) we are SO cutting edge here in Colorado...
I'm sure this isn't new to everyone.
It's the Raw Movement... a belief that the best way to eat everything is... well, raw. Your stove becomes storage (can you believe I just almost got my finger stuck in the corona bottle? How embarrassing would that have been? but my lime is stuck in the neck!) So you sprout beans and other things that sprout and eat those, you eat all your vegetables raw, and you incorporate more nuts into your diet and make milk out of nuts, like almond milk. Now, don't laugh at the almond milk. Seeing as my son can't have dairy, we run the gamut (is gamut a word?) from soy to rice to almond milk. Unless you're a total raw-ie, this essentially means you become a vegan, though some eat raw meat... You can use a dehydrator though.
Where am I on this? Well, I have the book, and it's got some interesting ideas and a lot of good information.(Lime has vitamin C, I think, so that's like, a plus for the beer) It's one of those situations where you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
I cannot live without soup, my favorite meat, lamb, and warm cooked veggies such as eggplant and squash. Some eggplant just is BEGGING to be cooked. However, if you try to eat as much as you can raw, you end up, SURPRISE, eating healthily, because processed foods are not, well, raw. I really think what Americans need are a 'VEGGIE FAD" seriously. Lets face it. Most of our problems stem from the fact we have an aversion to vegetables more exotic than say, frozen brocoli, corn on the cob and carrots. Lettuce without a wrapper is suspicious. (Mmmm chilled Corona... I'm a simple woman...)
So, where does this leave mua? Nowhere new, really, except with some nifty new recipes to help me incorporate veggies and grains this family tends to lack, such as cauliflower, sweet potatoes (I LOVE sweet potatoes and replace russet potatoes with sweet potatoes, healthier and yummier) coconuts etc. I do plan on trying the Almond Milk recipe as soon as I figure out where to find a nutmilk bag. Not to be mistaken for other nut products, and having nothing to do with nut jokes or the nuts of the male half of the species.
Today, I just returned from the grocery store so my fruit-n-veggie platter is overflowing. That little idea for that big platter really is the best thing I did. Whenever it is empty, I know I need to shop, and the rule is the veggies and fruit get used, not tossed, so if something is looking pretty ripe, it's used somehow in dinner. The best thing is my kids eat tons of fruit and veggies, because it's what they see all day long.
I did add two new things that aren't usually there, and my new goal is to add a new veggie once a week, hopefully finding yummy recipes for usually ignored veggies.
This week we have butternut squash, which I love, and cauliflower, which I understand, is great cooked and mashed.
So the raw movement is great for the promotion of vegetables, but what I am interested in is traditional Chinese medicine.
According to my supermarket flyer magazine (yes they have one) food in TCM (traditional chinese medicine) is warm, cool or neutral. Yang is the energy that dominates the summer months and Yin the winter, and when we are in the Yang months, we need cool, foods such as vegetables, fruits and juices, mainly raw, and fish and chicken. In the winter, we need warm foods such as red meat and pork, and heavier herbs and butter and so on and so forth. This seems to be more in line with how I feel.
This is my courtesy recipe of the week, but it's my normal breakfast. This is quick and filling, and frankly, not original... but boy did I feel clever figuring it out on my own... Oh, and my kids LOVE this breakfast, too, though Turbo and Bear get soy yogurt. BTW, I hear soy milk is great in smoothies, rather than milk. I know this because Turbo and Bear didn't drink all of it at Mama and Papa Bear's house, so Mama Bear used it in her smoothie.
Some vanilla or plain yogurt, not flavored, and light.
Put in cup or bowl (even if it's one of those individual sizes, but it's becuase I'm picky about my granola)
Toss in some granola (proper granola, that's healthy and good for you and does not contain chocolate, or m and ms..)
A bit o flaxseed, cuz why not.
Fresh berries if any are on hand.
Yum. And better for you than cereal, and a lot more filling than you'd think.
Oh and, anyone have any ideas on what to do with coconuts? I bought them since they were on sale!
(new cast notes... Mama and Papa Bear equal Fatherinlaw and wife... Grandma Bear and Grandpa Bear equal Motherinlaw and husband... and yes yes it's corny but whatever)
I'm sure this isn't new to everyone.
It's the Raw Movement... a belief that the best way to eat everything is... well, raw. Your stove becomes storage (can you believe I just almost got my finger stuck in the corona bottle? How embarrassing would that have been? but my lime is stuck in the neck!) So you sprout beans and other things that sprout and eat those, you eat all your vegetables raw, and you incorporate more nuts into your diet and make milk out of nuts, like almond milk. Now, don't laugh at the almond milk. Seeing as my son can't have dairy, we run the gamut (is gamut a word?) from soy to rice to almond milk. Unless you're a total raw-ie, this essentially means you become a vegan, though some eat raw meat... You can use a dehydrator though.
Where am I on this? Well, I have the book, and it's got some interesting ideas and a lot of good information.(Lime has vitamin C, I think, so that's like, a plus for the beer) It's one of those situations where you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
I cannot live without soup, my favorite meat, lamb, and warm cooked veggies such as eggplant and squash. Some eggplant just is BEGGING to be cooked. However, if you try to eat as much as you can raw, you end up, SURPRISE, eating healthily, because processed foods are not, well, raw. I really think what Americans need are a 'VEGGIE FAD" seriously. Lets face it. Most of our problems stem from the fact we have an aversion to vegetables more exotic than say, frozen brocoli, corn on the cob and carrots. Lettuce without a wrapper is suspicious. (Mmmm chilled Corona... I'm a simple woman...)
So, where does this leave mua? Nowhere new, really, except with some nifty new recipes to help me incorporate veggies and grains this family tends to lack, such as cauliflower, sweet potatoes (I LOVE sweet potatoes and replace russet potatoes with sweet potatoes, healthier and yummier) coconuts etc. I do plan on trying the Almond Milk recipe as soon as I figure out where to find a nutmilk bag. Not to be mistaken for other nut products, and having nothing to do with nut jokes or the nuts of the male half of the species.
Today, I just returned from the grocery store so my fruit-n-veggie platter is overflowing. That little idea for that big platter really is the best thing I did. Whenever it is empty, I know I need to shop, and the rule is the veggies and fruit get used, not tossed, so if something is looking pretty ripe, it's used somehow in dinner. The best thing is my kids eat tons of fruit and veggies, because it's what they see all day long.
I did add two new things that aren't usually there, and my new goal is to add a new veggie once a week, hopefully finding yummy recipes for usually ignored veggies.
This week we have butternut squash, which I love, and cauliflower, which I understand, is great cooked and mashed.
So the raw movement is great for the promotion of vegetables, but what I am interested in is traditional Chinese medicine.
According to my supermarket flyer magazine (yes they have one) food in TCM (traditional chinese medicine) is warm, cool or neutral. Yang is the energy that dominates the summer months and Yin the winter, and when we are in the Yang months, we need cool, foods such as vegetables, fruits and juices, mainly raw, and fish and chicken. In the winter, we need warm foods such as red meat and pork, and heavier herbs and butter and so on and so forth. This seems to be more in line with how I feel.
This is my courtesy recipe of the week, but it's my normal breakfast. This is quick and filling, and frankly, not original... but boy did I feel clever figuring it out on my own... Oh, and my kids LOVE this breakfast, too, though Turbo and Bear get soy yogurt. BTW, I hear soy milk is great in smoothies, rather than milk. I know this because Turbo and Bear didn't drink all of it at Mama and Papa Bear's house, so Mama Bear used it in her smoothie.
Some vanilla or plain yogurt, not flavored, and light.
Put in cup or bowl (even if it's one of those individual sizes, but it's becuase I'm picky about my granola)
Toss in some granola (proper granola, that's healthy and good for you and does not contain chocolate, or m and ms..)
A bit o flaxseed, cuz why not.
Fresh berries if any are on hand.
Yum. And better for you than cereal, and a lot more filling than you'd think.
Oh and, anyone have any ideas on what to do with coconuts? I bought them since they were on sale!
(new cast notes... Mama and Papa Bear equal Fatherinlaw and wife... Grandma Bear and Grandpa Bear equal Motherinlaw and husband... and yes yes it's corny but whatever)
Lakes... in the middle of nowhere
Well, ten minutes down the road, to be exact, and protected from urban sprawl by fields. So really, it's like, a huge lake surrounded by fields, that makes you think you are in the plains states, and someone managed to toss a lake in some previously useful farm land.
It was the view. See, on one side of me, mountains. On the other, flat lands. I can see for miles... and miles... The lake part is all plains. The mountains were behind me and 30 minutes the other way. It's nice that we are only 15 minutes from the mountains, but sometimes, when I don't see them, I get confused and think I'm in Nebraska.
Minus the corn.
So, guess what I did today?
Yep. Took the kiddies to one of the few natural glacier deposit lakes that is now a reservoir, and let them play right by the water, because they love the lake, but aren't inclined to actually go IN it. Drama and I went in it.
Highlights of the Day:
* Spending an hour finding one swim shoe
* Hottie McLifeguard
* Daughter seeing member of opposite sex she found appealing and blurting out 'Cutie Alert'
*Making water tunnels for trains
*Realizing not a lot of people bother going to this big empty lake, and prefer crowded city swimming pools
* Realizing it's cheaper for me to take my truckload o' kids and pay for parking rather than pay for all the kids and me in a crowded city swimming pool.
* Going grocery shopping with toddlers that had fallen asleep two minutes prior to entering the parking lot
* Hubby McRed suggesting I may be turning into a vegetable because I bought him organic beer... he meant vegetable as in vegetarian. It seems that for a primordial carnivore, a diet consisting of lots of vegetables is slightly alarming, and can throw word usage off. Why he equated organic beer with vegetables, I'm not certain. Perhaps he thinks they snuck some carrots in it?
* Buying organic beer because, why, heck-n-crap, it cost as much as regular beer and I was curious
* Coming home and not having to cook (Tonight's dinner is a yummy cheat salad of mozarella, basil and tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and black pepper... not a full meal per se, but it's hot and I'm not that hungry)
* Figuring out the secret to good iced coffee made in the blender
Okay, on that last one I cheated, and googled it.
It's how I find my calories, too, I google for calorie calculators.
It was the view. See, on one side of me, mountains. On the other, flat lands. I can see for miles... and miles... The lake part is all plains. The mountains were behind me and 30 minutes the other way. It's nice that we are only 15 minutes from the mountains, but sometimes, when I don't see them, I get confused and think I'm in Nebraska.
Minus the corn.
So, guess what I did today?
Yep. Took the kiddies to one of the few natural glacier deposit lakes that is now a reservoir, and let them play right by the water, because they love the lake, but aren't inclined to actually go IN it. Drama and I went in it.
Highlights of the Day:
* Spending an hour finding one swim shoe
* Hottie McLifeguard
* Daughter seeing member of opposite sex she found appealing and blurting out 'Cutie Alert'
*Making water tunnels for trains
*Realizing not a lot of people bother going to this big empty lake, and prefer crowded city swimming pools
* Realizing it's cheaper for me to take my truckload o' kids and pay for parking rather than pay for all the kids and me in a crowded city swimming pool.
* Going grocery shopping with toddlers that had fallen asleep two minutes prior to entering the parking lot
* Hubby McRed suggesting I may be turning into a vegetable because I bought him organic beer... he meant vegetable as in vegetarian. It seems that for a primordial carnivore, a diet consisting of lots of vegetables is slightly alarming, and can throw word usage off. Why he equated organic beer with vegetables, I'm not certain. Perhaps he thinks they snuck some carrots in it?
* Buying organic beer because, why, heck-n-crap, it cost as much as regular beer and I was curious
* Coming home and not having to cook (Tonight's dinner is a yummy cheat salad of mozarella, basil and tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and black pepper... not a full meal per se, but it's hot and I'm not that hungry)
* Figuring out the secret to good iced coffee made in the blender
Okay, on that last one I cheated, and googled it.
It's how I find my calories, too, I google for calorie calculators.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
The Math of Losing Weight
Whatever weight you are, if you want to lose weight, you must eat 500 less calories than the weight needed to maintain your current weight, and exercise 500 calories off a day.
The shocker?
Because I'm short, I am allotted less calories than, oh, everyone else.
Ahhh... the HORROR....
Truthfully though, I'm not craving or starving, and since I'm eating the right foods, I'm not starving.
My real concern is when I hit the point where I'm only eating 1500 calories a day (I am, like, five feet tall, so technically should only eat 1200 calories a DAY...HORROR...) I will need to be really good and it will take a bit longer unless I discover a love of long distance running.... ha ha ha....
The shocker?
Because I'm short, I am allotted less calories than, oh, everyone else.
Ahhh... the HORROR....
Truthfully though, I'm not craving or starving, and since I'm eating the right foods, I'm not starving.
My real concern is when I hit the point where I'm only eating 1500 calories a day (I am, like, five feet tall, so technically should only eat 1200 calories a DAY...HORROR...) I will need to be really good and it will take a bit longer unless I discover a love of long distance running.... ha ha ha....
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Yoga for Kids
First night of yoga for kids a success.
Drama girl was grumpy because she can't do yoga since her room isn't clean, and she's also going to do the adult yoga, she's old enough.
Turbo doesn't just jump into new things, so he sat and watched me and Bear and the show, and occasionally did a pose or two.
Bear loved it, so Bear and I were trees, butterflies, volcanoes, dogs, and other things. He liked being a tree, and said we should also do branches, and the volcano.
Bear didn't quite hit the correct form, but we can work on that once it is routine. If I tried to get them to do every pose right, they would revolt and not do it. Because Bear did most of the poses, he's expended some energy. Of course, they didn't do the relaxing poses, but again, I think that will come.
This is a 35 minute tape so we'll be using this as our bedtime routine. It's fun, too!
Drama girl was grumpy because she can't do yoga since her room isn't clean, and she's also going to do the adult yoga, she's old enough.
Turbo doesn't just jump into new things, so he sat and watched me and Bear and the show, and occasionally did a pose or two.
Bear loved it, so Bear and I were trees, butterflies, volcanoes, dogs, and other things. He liked being a tree, and said we should also do branches, and the volcano.
Bear didn't quite hit the correct form, but we can work on that once it is routine. If I tried to get them to do every pose right, they would revolt and not do it. Because Bear did most of the poses, he's expended some energy. Of course, they didn't do the relaxing poses, but again, I think that will come.
This is a 35 minute tape so we'll be using this as our bedtime routine. It's fun, too!
Back to the Mundane
Let me suggest something to all of you.
Do Not Fly.
If you do fly,
Do Not Check Your Bags.
If you check your bags,
Don't Say I Didn't Warn You.
If you check your bags, and your flight is canceled or delayed and you don't have your bags, you can't just get on a stand by list as easily, because they also need to find and move your bags.
The horrors, oh, the horrors, of popping out about 1K in tickets, only to find that your flight was canceled, and that they scheduled you for the FOLLOWING day without, of course, notifying you. That was not acceptable, and I had to get to my destination using two different airlines than the one I booked, and giving up the shorter tail end flight, making my brother drive two hours instead of twenty minutes to pick us up.
This, of course, is the 'norm' now.
The problem is, is when did Americans become so complacent with bad service, that they accept 'it's the weather and we can't control the weather' as an excuse for overbooking, lost luggage, bankrupt airlines (probably because of their wonderful customer service) lack of actual PEOPLE to help you when you have issues (try finding an airline representative at a gate, inside security) and a complete disregard for the American flying population that they simply brush off our complaints with an arrogant contempt? Or with canned managerial responses that equate to 'It is not our fault, it's not our fault, it's not our fault, it's never our fault.' It's the equivalent to the Air Force's "It was a weather balloon" explanation for everything from natural phenomena to test flights to things they themselves couldn't figure out.
They also accidentally wiped my daughter and I off of our return flight. /roll eyes/ there is nothing like paying for something, not getting it, and then, being expected to be happy that eventually they got you to where you were going. Imagine buying a red convertible with four seats and when you pick up the car, you get a two door, two seat hard top. No one would put up with it. But we put up with an antiquated airline system run by airline companies that don't seem to care about their passengers. Shoot, some airlines don't even offer cheezy bags of peanuts anymore!
Someone needs to put a swift boot in the airline industry's ass and help them join our century.
Another time, probably my other blog, I'll talk about this past week, the three days I spent in the middle of nowhere Indiana with my brothers and sister and father, visiting my very ill mother. She was expected to pass away, but apparently, no one informed her. You go Ma. But sadly, there is only one destination for her now, and it's not so much a road as a short, dirt path that will reach it's destination soon.
Do Not Fly.
If you do fly,
Do Not Check Your Bags.
If you check your bags,
Don't Say I Didn't Warn You.
If you check your bags, and your flight is canceled or delayed and you don't have your bags, you can't just get on a stand by list as easily, because they also need to find and move your bags.
The horrors, oh, the horrors, of popping out about 1K in tickets, only to find that your flight was canceled, and that they scheduled you for the FOLLOWING day without, of course, notifying you. That was not acceptable, and I had to get to my destination using two different airlines than the one I booked, and giving up the shorter tail end flight, making my brother drive two hours instead of twenty minutes to pick us up.
This, of course, is the 'norm' now.
The problem is, is when did Americans become so complacent with bad service, that they accept 'it's the weather and we can't control the weather' as an excuse for overbooking, lost luggage, bankrupt airlines (probably because of their wonderful customer service) lack of actual PEOPLE to help you when you have issues (try finding an airline representative at a gate, inside security) and a complete disregard for the American flying population that they simply brush off our complaints with an arrogant contempt? Or with canned managerial responses that equate to 'It is not our fault, it's not our fault, it's not our fault, it's never our fault.' It's the equivalent to the Air Force's "It was a weather balloon" explanation for everything from natural phenomena to test flights to things they themselves couldn't figure out.
They also accidentally wiped my daughter and I off of our return flight. /roll eyes/ there is nothing like paying for something, not getting it, and then, being expected to be happy that eventually they got you to where you were going. Imagine buying a red convertible with four seats and when you pick up the car, you get a two door, two seat hard top. No one would put up with it. But we put up with an antiquated airline system run by airline companies that don't seem to care about their passengers. Shoot, some airlines don't even offer cheezy bags of peanuts anymore!
Someone needs to put a swift boot in the airline industry's ass and help them join our century.
Another time, probably my other blog, I'll talk about this past week, the three days I spent in the middle of nowhere Indiana with my brothers and sister and father, visiting my very ill mother. She was expected to pass away, but apparently, no one informed her. You go Ma. But sadly, there is only one destination for her now, and it's not so much a road as a short, dirt path that will reach it's destination soon.
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