Yep, reading today's title pretty much sums up my condition. Came on Monday afternoon, thought (as I always do) that I could shake it off quick. You know, down more fluids, pump a little more of the Vitamin C, get a little rest. Nope. Gets worse before it gets better.
So anyway this morning I struggled through the shower and spent a good half-hour trying to decide whether to stay home and rest or just tough it up and go to work. I decided on the former. One of the downsides of being home ill is that the house is so very quiet during the day. And for me the challenge is to keep my mind occupied lest I get restless. (The fact that today was a nice warm one after several cool ones just made it worse.) Fortunately for me the ever-thoughtful Geogal procured some books from the local library so I spent some of this evening reading short stories by John Updike.
Lessee, chicken soup, orange juice, over-the-counter medication, reading material. Got em all. At least I feel prepared for however long this ailment lasts. Have to admit, though, I'm not looking forward to tomorrow morning and the same decision awaiting me...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Blog-worthy
Every now and then I hear of something I deem "blog-worthy." Since coming to Kansas it's usually something quirky about this part of the country or something that's so heinous I feel a need to share it with the world. Today's entry comes from the latter category.
Geogal got back from a church women's retreat held at a campground near Solomon, Kansas. I'll spare my dear readers the bulk of what she shared from the weekend but one item was just too laughter-inducing.
Everyone here who knows me (us, actually) is aware I will not eat Mexican food here unless I make it in my own home. Having lived in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona qualifies me as a connoisseur of the varieties of south-of-the-border cuisine available in the U.S. Southwest. Food around here labeled as "Mexican," isn't. No debate. No discussion.
First she told me of a dish they served called "charo," although I wonder if that was simply a corruption of the Spanish word "caldo." A soup with pinto beans, corn, other veggies, and whole lot of cumin. Apparently it was garden-variety with an excess of cumin to give it flavor.
It gets better. At this time of year tomatoes are plentiful given just about everyone grows them in their garden. One of the ladies brought a load of fresh ripe tomatoes for the cook to make salsa. What was the cooking ladies' concept of salsa? Tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.
No active ingredient.
I felt so sorry for Geogal that this evening I grilled her a nice lamb chop seasoned up just right.
Hit the spot. Mexican food will be served here later this week.
Geogal got back from a church women's retreat held at a campground near Solomon, Kansas. I'll spare my dear readers the bulk of what she shared from the weekend but one item was just too laughter-inducing.
Everyone here who knows me (us, actually) is aware I will not eat Mexican food here unless I make it in my own home. Having lived in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona qualifies me as a connoisseur of the varieties of south-of-the-border cuisine available in the U.S. Southwest. Food around here labeled as "Mexican," isn't. No debate. No discussion.
First she told me of a dish they served called "charo," although I wonder if that was simply a corruption of the Spanish word "caldo." A soup with pinto beans, corn, other veggies, and whole lot of cumin. Apparently it was garden-variety with an excess of cumin to give it flavor.
It gets better. At this time of year tomatoes are plentiful given just about everyone grows them in their garden. One of the ladies brought a load of fresh ripe tomatoes for the cook to make salsa. What was the cooking ladies' concept of salsa? Tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.
No active ingredient.
I felt so sorry for Geogal that this evening I grilled her a nice lamb chop seasoned up just right.
Hit the spot. Mexican food will be served here later this week.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
If you're an old TV junkie in need of a good laugh...
Wish this was on YouTube so I could embed the video here.
Oh well. Just click and have a good hearty laugh.
Oh well. Just click and have a good hearty laugh.
Bring On The 'Boys
I don't spend too much time perusing newspapers but this article from the Dallas Morning News is certainly worth the read.
But lest we engage in too much euphoric recall, let's remember that professional football was changing back in the late 1980's and you can't argue that Landry's way of doing things wasn't working. During his final season the Pokes went 3-13 and they really had not been a dominant team since about 1985. Remember that hideous loss to the Bears? Yeah, I don't want to go back down that road now.
Still Landry had a high level of character and integrity, something that is increasingly rare in today's NFL.
I'm ready for the season to start.
But lest we engage in too much euphoric recall, let's remember that professional football was changing back in the late 1980's and you can't argue that Landry's way of doing things wasn't working. During his final season the Pokes went 3-13 and they really had not been a dominant team since about 1985. Remember that hideous loss to the Bears? Yeah, I don't want to go back down that road now.
Still Landry had a high level of character and integrity, something that is increasingly rare in today's NFL.
I'm ready for the season to start.
Friday, September 11, 2009
A Near-Perfect Friday Evening
This week was a killer.
At work, that is. Despite having four workdays instead of the usual five it seems this week was equivalent to four Mondays in a row. Today felt like that last push just before the long-distance runner breaks the tape. Exhausting, but worth the effort.
So I come home a little after 5, and I'm tired. Real tired. "French fried" was the term I used with Geogal. She understands.
Not home even 10 minutes and it starts raining. Not the depressant type of rain but a gentle cool cleansing of all things including my fatigued soul. Almost Mother Nature's way of reminding me to slow down and enjoy what she has to offer.
I couldn't order it better than that. I'm home to enjoy it and I have no reason to be out of doors this evening unless I so choose. Relaxing, refreshing, rejuvenating. Even the air smells clean now.
Time to breathe deeply.
At work, that is. Despite having four workdays instead of the usual five it seems this week was equivalent to four Mondays in a row. Today felt like that last push just before the long-distance runner breaks the tape. Exhausting, but worth the effort.
So I come home a little after 5, and I'm tired. Real tired. "French fried" was the term I used with Geogal. She understands.
Not home even 10 minutes and it starts raining. Not the depressant type of rain but a gentle cool cleansing of all things including my fatigued soul. Almost Mother Nature's way of reminding me to slow down and enjoy what she has to offer.
I couldn't order it better than that. I'm home to enjoy it and I have no reason to be out of doors this evening unless I so choose. Relaxing, refreshing, rejuvenating. Even the air smells clean now.
Time to breathe deeply.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
So Long Summertime
August is gone. And so is summer. Therefore here are some musings I accumulated over the last many weeks. Nothing to really justify a blog entry of their own:
___________________
Vacation time has come and gone. Overall the trips out of state were good, no problems with travel and Geogal and I had no nasty exchanges or snapping at each other, even toward the end of the trip (which is where it usually happens).
___________________
Add this to the “Only In Texas” category: Where else can you drive for hours, traverse two states, stop at Denton for the night, and have the hotel parking lot full of...Texas license plates? Just like the old saying goes, if you drive “a far piece” in Texas, you most likely will still be in Texas.
___________________
Overheard from a woman during a group cookout in June, hosted by yours truly: “Uh-oh, the men are getting out the guns.”
(But seriously, I was just showing a friend the two rifles my dad gave me. No alcohol or violence involved here.)
___________________
Apparently in some parts of the country what happens outdoors can affect the taste of one’s beverage.
Case in point: Cleburne, Texas. Late July. Go to an Applebee’s (one of the rare national chains I will honor with my presence). Geogal orders iced tea but upon tasting it asks the server if she can bring her something different. “Just not something right about that taste.” The server responded that all of the iced tea varieties might taste odd. Reason? “The lake turned over.”
Seems that a good hard rainstorm will cause the sediment from the lake bottom to rise to the top, resulting in skanky-taking iced tea.
___________________
And to top off this goodbye-summer entry, what do I hear on Sirius 60, The Highway? Yesterday it was Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long.” Today it’s Kenny Chesney singing “Summertime.” And not the Gershwin-penned version, either.
Maybe someone should alert the programmers that September 1 ought to be the cut-off mark for warm-weather odes. I’m surprised they didn’t go for the trifecta and play Alan Jackson’s “Summertime Blues.”
___________________
Vacation time has come and gone. Overall the trips out of state were good, no problems with travel and Geogal and I had no nasty exchanges or snapping at each other, even toward the end of the trip (which is where it usually happens).
___________________
Add this to the “Only In Texas” category: Where else can you drive for hours, traverse two states, stop at Denton for the night, and have the hotel parking lot full of...Texas license plates? Just like the old saying goes, if you drive “a far piece” in Texas, you most likely will still be in Texas.
___________________
Overheard from a woman during a group cookout in June, hosted by yours truly: “Uh-oh, the men are getting out the guns.”
(But seriously, I was just showing a friend the two rifles my dad gave me. No alcohol or violence involved here.)
___________________
Apparently in some parts of the country what happens outdoors can affect the taste of one’s beverage.
Case in point: Cleburne, Texas. Late July. Go to an Applebee’s (one of the rare national chains I will honor with my presence). Geogal orders iced tea but upon tasting it asks the server if she can bring her something different. “Just not something right about that taste.” The server responded that all of the iced tea varieties might taste odd. Reason? “The lake turned over.”
Seems that a good hard rainstorm will cause the sediment from the lake bottom to rise to the top, resulting in skanky-taking iced tea.
___________________
And to top off this goodbye-summer entry, what do I hear on Sirius 60, The Highway? Yesterday it was Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long.” Today it’s Kenny Chesney singing “Summertime.” And not the Gershwin-penned version, either.
Maybe someone should alert the programmers that September 1 ought to be the cut-off mark for warm-weather odes. I’m surprised they didn’t go for the trifecta and play Alan Jackson’s “Summertime Blues.”
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