Evening sky

Evening sky
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

As the sun sets on another evening this week, I am still working through a patent application. I am buried to say the least. So enjoy my view of the Arizona sky from my little part of the world. Well, not the California sky I see currenlty, but my future evening sky. See ya in a few days. Please be patient.

I wish it was something as fun as what s'mee did a few days ago. Hoever, not! Just working on important paperwork.

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This

calm river
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

is one of the many rivers we found in Idaho. I was amazed at the amount of water in Idaho. Being a Californian I always assumed that since we were near the beach, we had lots of water. The occasional man mades lakes seem to be more of a humidity nuisance than anything. The beach always ruled for us.

Then we went to Idaho on a portion of our vacation. Wow. I could not believe it. Everywhere we went there were lakes and rivers. The scenery was beautiful.

The picture shows the calm side of the river. So serene and inviting. Then you cross over the bridge and see this:



That is a lot of water! What a fun place to play.



This is what the locals call Monkey rock. On any given summer day you can find an assortment of young people splashing about and getting nearly drowned. It looked like a blast! Idaho kids have all the fun.

After the water goes over the falls this is where it goes from there:


In my best John Candy voice I say " Beautiful scenery, beautiful!"

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The worst part about being a grandparent...

is that I don't have a wallet as big as Texas. Thank goodness! My granddaughter would have tooooooooo many things! Why? Because of places like this:

Baby Gadget. They show these kinds of things, just to entice me to buy! And to think I'm going to have another one in March! Oh My!



or this:



Go to Baby Gadget and buy stuff! Maybe it'll all be gone when I go there again. Please!

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News Flash!

After 60 minutes tonight the new Amazing Race is on! Yay! Yay!

So don't call me everyone. I'll be consumed by TV tonight. Any other time I take calls. But not during Amazing Race. Unless, of course, if someone is bleeding or worse. Join me in watching the best hour of tv worthy of your time. Most tv isn't, but the Amazing Race is!

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Complete the thought...

Never again in my life: will I let anyone hit someone I love. Not even spanking, thank you.

When I was five: my dad left my mom and brother for dead, me, he just ruffed up a bit.

High School was: Less than fun, as my parents moved from the beach (and the hottest guy ever) to a farm town my sophmore year.

I will never forget: the sound of my brothers voice the last time I heard it.

I once met: a guy whose uncle is Melvin Dummar (google it).

There’s this girl I know who: who could put her fist (to the wrist) in her mouth. She is now a quasi-famous (Broadway) opera singer.

By noon I’m usually: awake. I've been up for hours, but by noon I'm finally awake and personable.

Last night I: stayed up too late thinking about projects to do on Saturday.

Next time I go to church: Not counting tonight, Saturday evening, then Sunday too.

What worries me most: Is that politicians will continue to fight over the minutiae while us working class folks become less and less secure.

When I turn my head right, I see: a view of the front lawn.

When I turn my head left, I see: My latte colored wall with a couple of pictures hanging on it.

You know I’m lying when: I keep talking incessantly about the same thing. It's like I;m trying to convince you. In my mind I'm screaming to myself to just shut up!

If I was a character written by Shakespeare, I’d be: tragically in love with the wrong guy; my true love having died a horrible death from mistaken identity.

By this time, next year: I should have a bricks and mortar home built in Arizona!

A better name for me would be: Half. (I'm part of a trio of sisters, our last name being wit. My sisters, nit and dim.)

I have a hard time understanding: Why people gamble with their own money. Who likes losing hard earned money?

If I ever go back to school I’ll: I'm majoring in chocolate.

You know I like you if: I find some way of touching you. Whether it's a light tap, or a hug or just a quick brush of your shoulder.

Darwin, Mozart, Slim Pickens & Geraldine Ferarro are: dead.

Take my advice, NEVER: think you can't drive a car with a clutch. Everyone can, given some alone time with the vehicle, far away from where they really want to be. Oh yeah, and you can't have a cell phone to get someone to help bail you out of the predicament.

My ideal breakfast is: A dutch baby pancake, three thick pieces of maple bacon, 4 ounces of grapefuit juice, and some really toasted bread with butter dripping from it. If I can't have that, just a quick scone and a hot chocolate, please.

A song I love, but do not have is: The Twelfth of Never by Johnny Mathis.

If you visit my hometown, I suggest: you send me pictures. I have no idea what it looks like. I was born and we moved away three months later. Never been back.

Why won’t anyone: build a car that runs on water. It's been invented. But no one will mass produce it.

If you spend the night at my house, DO: make yourself at home. What's mine is yours.

I’d stop my wedding for: to wait for my brother to return from Australia. In fact I did. I waited almost a full year.

The world could do without: Bed bugs, after reading that recent article in the New York Times I have serious concerns about ever staying in a hotel again.

I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: creepy. Nothing. I don't even want to lick the belly of a cockroach.

My favorite blonde is: 4 non-blondes

Paperclips are more useful than: I can't think of anything. I guess because I'm biased against paperclips, I really don't like them especially those big ones.

San Diego means: home. My childhood. The Zoo. When I was a girl you got in free if you were under the age of 16. I went every weekend with my brother.

I stole this from my friend RTG You can steal it from me! I'd love to read your finishes.

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Not this time. Never forget.

September 11, is not about me. It's about them. 2996 is a collaborative effort by volunteer bloggers nationwide, possibly worldwide. There are 2996 bloggers who have comitted to remember and blogging about one victim of the 9/11/2001 attacks on the world trade center. 2996 blogs are a lot to visit. A lot of reading to do. A lot of pain, and remembrance to consider.

I remember as a young girl my mother would always pause on Dec. 7 of each year to remember. Pearl Harbor day. Now it is almost a forgotten memory. I am not sure many people under the age of 20 could tell you the significance of the date. It was a horrifying event. One the nation hoped would never happen again. But it did.

Sept 11 must live in bright and vivid rememberance for each of us. We must remember the sacrifice made, the heroes killed, and the lives lost. We must each, in some way, remember the horror of the day. Maybe, just maybe, it can unite us. Not against a common enemy, but for each other. Instead of the "me first" mentality, we could begin to adopt a more genteel manner, a willingness to let go and let someone else be first this time. Open a door, assist with someone in need, look into the eyes of those you interact with on a daily basis. Maybe we can quit objectifying people and see the human being inside each of us and extend a bit of love to one another.

Remember.

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Check the blog descriptive, it's changed.

Everything you wanted to know, and then some.

ME-MEME... Like the description says...

All you ever wanted to know about little ole me!

1. How often do you blog? At least thrity times a day. I live for comments and it just makes my day when someone does leave a little something. ;-)

2. Online Alias: AIM: momrules411 (whatelse would I be known as except information mom?) However, I am not ever on AIM. Sorry if you IM me there and I don't answer. To the rest of the world i am either TMG or chronicler.

3. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? Oh yeah. Sometimes I just cannot hold my mouth. It makes me crazy when people allow an injustice to continue.

4. What do you do most often when you are bored? I don't have time for bored. And, you know what they say... "If you're bored, you're boring."

5. When bathing, which do you wash first? I'm a top down gal. Shower hits the head first and it's soap bubbles from there! I know some of you must be screaming TMI! TMI! right about now. heh.

6. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? definitely. anyone who has children has done this several times.

7. What color looks best on you? I'm a red person. Especially at parties where my sis will be. We usually both show up in a shade of the same color and then become the entertainment.

8. What’s your favorite drink? Silly as it may seem - ice water. What better, more refreshing drink can you think of? I love it. Especially at 6 in the morning.

9. Do you believe in heaven and hell as a real place that each of us will go to after death? For certain. Hell is commuting and heaven is where my cats live - my house. Seriously, I believe there is definitely life after death, and we will answer to our creator. We then will decide if the next life will be supremely awesome or we spend it in regret because we know how disappointing we have been to ourselves. That is, to put it in very simplified terms. There is a plan and we agreed to it.

10. Do you find that you have more online friends than offline friends? Not especially. I do have friends I have made online, that are great friends, we're just geographically challenged.

11. What was your favorite subject in school? Languages. I was a Bank of America Language Scholar speaking French german Spanish and doing a bit of signing. Today I can still understand a lot of each but my conversation skills suffer as there is no one to converse with in a foreign language except my #3 daughter. Her and I still speak a bit of french to each other. I also liked to run. I ran around the globe in high school if you count how many miles I did around the track.

12. Are you a perfectionist? If I was, I'd still speak three languages.

13. Do you spend more than you can afford? Never. My sister taught me something about money once. She said if money can't buy happiness, then let's spend it. It has become my mantra. I spend it when I have it and I'm happy with the life I have. Money is not a factor in my happiness.

14. Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have love before? That is such crap. My sis in law loved and the love of her life died very early in their marriage. She has been eternally sad ever since. I think sometimes she would have rather spent her life alone than in a constant state of wanting.

15. Do you consider yourself creative? Yes. In a wierd way though. My sense of humor is one of my most creative things. I love to laugh and find humor everywhere.

16. Do you give yourself the credit you deserve? Probably not.

17. Do you donate time or money to charities? Of course. I am just beginning to work on beginning a new charity in our community. They do not have a chapter here and I want to get it started. So that will be next. Their name is Shoes That Fit

18. Have you recently done something that you’ve criticized others for doing? Heck yes. Don't we all? It's so easy to do and I kick myself a lot because of that horrible trait. I am trying to quit and hope I can answer this question better in the future.

19. What’s on your mind? Three daughters in three states all growing in ways that are amazing. I think of them almost all the time and cannot believe what icredible people they are.

20. Say one nice thing about the people you are going to tag!

Well, Lisa totally tagged the group (because she's so smart and witty, and we all go to her place first!), so maybe I'll step outside the comfort zone a bit and reach out to someone new.

Kimis the most amazing artist with illustrator I have ever seen. I look forward to her Illustration Friday with baited breath each week.

Susan is the brightest music lover ever. Her take on the indie music scene is awesome. I love her stories about her family and the fact that she lives in hunka hunka city doesn't hurt either.

Janet is the pinkest girl I know. She lives in the LA area and I'm living a portion of my life vicariously through her. She's young, fun and a talented budding phtographer.

Last but not least is a newcomer to the blogging scene. Drum roll please........

the 3rd Sister has just started blogging. I am looking forward to reading her and seeing her grow online. She's a bit unsure on what to write so this should help her get into the scene of it all. Oh, and BTW, she's related to me too!

If you haven't been tagged by me, but you want to do the meme, go for it! Let me know and I'll add a tag for you.

Love ya, see ya!

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Public Service Announcement

In the last week I have had the opportunity to see a couple of really good movies.

I recommend you go rent Akeelah and the Bee if you haven't already seen it. It was uplifting and an overall feel good film. It's recommended viewing for everyone.

Then jsut this evening I chose to go to a movie at a theatre. We decided to see a movie I had not seen advertised. It is called The Illusionist. It stars Edward Norton. I am a fan of his acting abilities (you see he was in the Italian Job) and so I chose to see this film on his merit. WOW! Great film. Yahoo users gave it a B+ I'll add my A grade to their B+ and recommend everyone see it. It is well done and has some very good twists and turns. And best of all - it's a love story.

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Plate #2

new plate
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

This is the newest creation. I love this plate! The owner of the bakery loves it. My niece, who happened to stop by today, loves it!

Again I ask, what's not to love?
Another view:

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I've been up to something

just a hobby
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

For years I have been fascinated by glass. I collect glass/crystal candy dishes, love vases and have more than my fair share of Crate and Barrel dishware.

I have stumbled upon a way to make glass even more a part of my life. Rather than going out and spending cash to acquire glass objects, I am now making them myself.

I stumbled upon the art of fused glass a couple of years ago. I didn't think of it often and put it in the back of my head. Just a few months ago, I was watching a show on tv. There was a lady from Texas showing everyone how she made little fused glass bowls. She made it look so simple, I thought "I could do that". A few months later I mentioned to my husband I wanted to give it a try. For a treat one Saturday we went to look at kilns and glass and see what was involved in this hobby. We weren't going to buy anything he said. Heh. Famous last words. We ended up purchasing a kiln, a glass starter pack and some tools.

After reading a couple of books and trying it out, I'm hooked. These pieces pictured above are the first "real" objects I have made. Currently there is more in the kiln fusing together and I can hardly wait to see how they turn out.

Here's another angle of the same dish and beads:



and


The beads can be made into earrings and necklaces or door pulls and knobs. I am not sure just how I'll use them yet. One project I really want to do is make a back splash for the ktichen. Hmmmm. I'm going to need a lot of glass for that!

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Books, I love books!

We were talking at the bakery the other day about reading. The owner is an avid reader like me. I mentioned one of my favorite authors has a new book coming out soon. It will be his first attempt at non-fiction, should be interesting. We'll see if it is as good as his fiction.

So of course over the weekend the owner had to pull down her copy of his last book and begin reading. She came in all excited about reading the first chapter. It is fun for me to talk about the books I've read with others. I have loved books since I was a small girl. I figured out very early in life that books could take you places. Not in the literal sense mind you, but places around the world, to experience things I would probably never experience any other way.

My favorite childhood book was Black Beauty. I still remember receiving it as a gift for Christmas one year. It became a prozed posession. From Black beauty I went on to read just about anything I could get my hands on. A favorite was the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle stories. They made me think about how my aproach to things could change outcomes. Then there were the Beverly Claery books. Henry and Ribsy. Charming. I loved them. Dr. Seuss, Sam the firefly, Go Dog Go and many others.

As my own children grew favorites emerged with them. Of course Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat and the old standards remained. But others entered. Caps for Sale, The Jolly Postman, Amelia Bedelia, and others. One thing still remains in our home. The bookshelves are filled with books to read. The bottom shelf being reserved for young readers. All their books are there to pull off and scour through and re-read. As they grow taller, the books to choose from grows. I don't think I have ever tossed a book or given one away.

You'll find all kinds of books on the shelf at our home. We even admitted out loud Saturday, we are in need of another bookshelf. Again. I can hardly wait for the new house. We will have a library. I am so excited to watch it fill up and be read over and over again.

What are your favorite books from your childhood?

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Some guys really know how to have fun!

I just saw this video on YouTube. I am beginning to love YouTube. These guys are great. Plenty of dancing! Hit the play button and see why I'm considering a treadmill.



or watch it here:

YouTube

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It's me!

Car Transport 1
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

Yep, that's me on highway 40 between Holbrook and Flagstaff. I'm the one reflecting off the back of a car transport truck. Please notice, that I am obviously the smallest car on the road. I was sharing it with everyone pulling a load. There was also a semi behind me. as shown in the pics below.



You can see the reflection of the semi too.




Have I said what fun I had? Such a good vacation! Wait till I show you another kind of transportation I took!

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Only in a Salt Lake City 7-11

7-11
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

We had stopped to pick up a map on out way to Idaho at a 7-11 in SLC. While my husband was inside retreiving the map I noticed a magazine in the rack that I have never seen in a 7-11 rackm before. It mademe laugh and I had to take the picture.

I have seen fishing magazines, girly magazines, teen beat magazines, the occasional TV guide, people and us and all those; but never in my life a Cross Stitchery magazine. heh.

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Statements that make me crazy

I was listening to a young coed speak this week. She made a statement that really truly showed how naive she was. She was smart enough to get into college, a very difficult one to get in to at that, but evidently book learning is her forte.

I look ofrward to her learning a few more things along her path in life and hopefully she'll be able to see how ignorant she sounded some day: "I have had the opportunity to do community service this year too. I volunteer at a local elementary school. First graders. This elementary school is in an economically challenged area so most of the love and attention the children receive is at school."

And ta-daa! She proved herself ignorant.

Money does not make you a better parent. It does not make you love more, feel more, do more. It only changes your geography. I hope she really does learn this lesson.

She has lived in a house on a hill, in an economically priviledged area during her lifetime. He father is an attorney. Her mother is a stay at home mom. She got most of her love and attention at home. You see her parents had money. See how stupid that sounds!?!

What are some dumb things people say that make you crazy?

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Photo Essay

Summer days
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

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Wahoo! Whew!

We're back. The longest roadtrip ever! 3318 miles added to the odometer and six states covered or at least entered. Yellowstone was great. The Grand Canyon is just that.

Watch for a photo essay in the morning. Glad to be home. I love my bed!

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I'm off!

moonset.JPG
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

We are setting out on vacation in the morning. We are touring the western U.S. not including the coast. So that means, we take the two hottest weeks in the summer months and go to states without a beach. Hmmmm. Something could go wrong here.

Nah. All's good. Watch for pictures.

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A bit of excitement

Today began with little excitement. My oldest daughter had been to the emergency room Sunday, checked out and sent home. She then went to the doctor yesterday with the same ailment and scheduled for surgery this morning. I was waiting for the call from her sister, who would be there with her, to call and report how things had gone.

Instead, an hour and a half past the time I expected to hear something, anything, the phone rang. Interestingly enough it was my eldest daughter on the other end of the line. Surprised I asked why she was calling? Did the surgery go so well that you're out of recovery and feeling wonderful? Her response: "Well, they didn't do the surgery." I was confused to say the least. I asked why? and then came the response never expected:

Mom, they didn't do the surgery for a good reason. I'm pregnant! Well, needless to say there were cheers heard round the world. This daughter, and her husband, could have been knocked over with a feather. You see, they were told last year, they would most likely never have children.

A miracle has taken place. We are all so excited. Except, of course, the soon to be parents. They are quite confused and will need a bit of time to adjust. Not that they aren't happy. Just very, very, surprised.

Looks like there will be a need of a car seat for the beetle.

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Your tax dollars at work. The right way.

view from the top of Ortega.JPG
Originally uploaded by foodchronicles.

Yesterday we went for a drive. It was going to be in the 112-115 degree level at home, so we decided to get closer to the coast. We by way of the Ortega's. Stopping at the view point above Lake Elsinore we shot a few pics and some video. As you can easily see the picture is filled with smoke. Smoke from the Yucaa Valley and Millard Canyon fires.

It was a smoke filled day, and will be for the next week most likely, in the Inland Empire. My nephew is working the fires. I live in a city that has a base for the arial bombers that work fires. It is as glamorous a job as it appears in the movie Always. It's hot, dirty work. Work that you must be trained to do. That you must be willing to be part of a team to do. There are no soloists on this team of brave people. Everyone knows that their job is as important as everyone elses. That the job you do is integral to the success of saving lives or puttin gout fires. Even if you stay on the ground and at the airport all day and never see a flame. Not one of them leaves work without knowing they made a huge contribution. What a great way to do a job.

I am posting a few of the pictures I shot at the airport last evening. There are a lot more on flickr.



This is the most famous view from the sky in our area. Hemet Ryan Air Attack has been around
forever. Our valley is well known for our fire fighting pilots and ground team.



Coming in to land. A good shot between the palms.



Turning base. When a plane comes in on appraoch they circle the valey and then turn base to land.



He's landed and taxi-ing toward the fill area. This is just one of many planes that will repeat the process throughout the day.



The plane has now manuevered himself into position to be filled with fire retardant.



The ground tech fills the plane with Phos-chek. It is a liquid protein used to retard fires.



Filled and ready to go in five minutes. That is the most incredible thing about the operation. If you go to flickr and review all the photos, you'll see #83 on approach, landing, being filled and taking off again in the span of 10 minutes. There is no wasted time in fire fighting. These guys do their jobs well and with accuracy.

On another note, the planes came in and went out in about an hour's time. Possibly shorter than that while I was there. Not one of the planes took on fuel. The hold is filled with retardant, the wings are filled with fuel. Incredible.



This is the team plan. There is a map of the fire. Where each plane will need to fly in, drop the retardant and get out, safely and as quickly as possible. There was a group of people in the observation area watching the planes land, fill and take off. It was a beautiful dance to some. These are the heros of the valley. Every one of them. Because of them, my nephew's job gets done. The firefighters on the ground work in conjunction with them to get the fire out as quickly as they possibly can.

It puts my day at the beach in stark contrast.

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