Excuses, excuses WAIT... updated

wait, this is what i meant to say:

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

after Thanksgiving dinner...

Ah, Thanksgiving. It's so great and delicious and quirky, isn't it? Every family has such unique rituals and demands, there are certain things that each of us just must have on the Thanksgiving plate. For some it's disgusting creamed onions, for others it's overrated turnips, and for many it's some other unexpected veggie like a rogue salad (which looked delicious, cousin). I was in charge of the normal veggies this Thanksgiving, which was a no-brainer. Peas and green beans. My wee family has evolved to include the quintessential peas 'n carrots combo that can only be found in the finest grocer's freezer, and the green beans speak for themselves. Except... I had a horrifying last minute thought around 10:00 on Thanksgiving morning, so as I tore into the Safeway parking lot for a couple of last minute items, I called my cousin to shriek: "You weren't expecting green bean casserole, were you?!"  Thankfully (on many levels), no one expected anything other than the pure goodness of steamed fresh beanies, and they were delicious even without the gahlic that would have made Uncle Paul holler in bostonian.

Our meal was sublime, and soon after we turned this

 

photo credit: my boy, on his phone. the kid was born to blog

into this

photo and pig credit: me

We had the chance to explore the traditions and rituals that various family members engaged in after the Thanksgiving meal was done

The floor nap

a yum dessert of pie and/or a bowl of whipped cream

And the obligatory walk around the block

Walk is a relative term

Especially among relatives

But they're nothing if not fair

not pictured: the 5 seconds just before this shot was taken, when my boy dumped them all right into the street. Look at Owen rubbing his poor bum. And look at my boy laughing.

It was a really nice Thanksgiving, and the after dinner frivolity carried on right into the next day, when we gathered once more to enjoy Turkey soup and a very special ritual that I'd been anticipating since the first time I ever heard the word a few year ago.... CRANBERITAS!

The only things Sheila measured for this recipe were the tequila and the triple sec, yet I did not ask or notice what those measurements were. Some and then some more?

Then she squeezed up some limes

And dumped in some leftover cranberry sauce

and a splash of OJ

To create this most lovely and refreshing, perfectly tart and divine leftover Thanksgiving treat!

Cheers!

Well hiiii! Boy oh boy do I ever have great stories and photos and fodder to share! Good times. Wait, what? You'd like to see/hear/enjoy?? Oh dear. You shall, my dear,but not quite yet. My assigned Thanksgiving historian is sleeping on the floor. in front of my computer, so i can neither access her photos nor the machine to drudge up a repeat post. What I *can* do is peck out excuses on my phone and assure you that we had a wonderful week thatclimaxed in a fantastic Thanksgiving feast/dance party/extravaganza. I *might* have had a lot of fireball then invited 20 people over for turkey soup and cranberitas today. I should go check on that.

So many blessings...

There is so, so much to be grateful for, isn't there?

And what an amazing thing to have an entire holiday dedicated to gratitude. It's one thing (among many others, don't get me wrong) we Americans have right!

I am so very thankful for (in no particular order and definitely the short list!):

good yoga teachers
bad yoga teachers
music
tears
my eyesight
colors
grass
the ocean
tweezers
feeling deeply 
sunshine
the cosmic waitress
lucky stones
inspiration
libraries
dancing
clean drinking water
my "cry-baby" pillow
blue jeans
my quite office at work
tea
my girls
my smart phone
cats
smiles, smiling
creativity
flip flops
blogging
savasana
wool socks
reflexology
hand-me-downs
silence
reconnecting with old friends
hot showers
beer
freedom
tutors
intuition
the Internet
photographs
vulnerability
giant full moons
singing sessions with my girls in the car
my yoga mat
sunsets
desire
thrift stores
wonder
flirting
my lovely co-bloggers (and their families ;)
lemon verbena soap
my friends ('cause they rock and keep me sane)
my mom(!)
Mexico
Champagne (all sparkling wine, really)
my living room window and its SD city view
starry skies
free speech
my brother and his family
acupuncture
jewelry
my higher self
hope
oxytocin
writing
my car
deodorant
Seventh Generation geranium and vanilla laundry detergent (seriously! It's the best)
washing machines
purring
kissing

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS!! XOXOXO

World Famous Garlic and Gorgonzola Smashed Red Potatoes . . ..

. . . and equally famous, yet not as exuberantly named, smashed turnips. That's what we're bringing for Thanksgiving.

Want to know how it's done? I don't blame you.

Chop red potaters. Duh.

Rinse and all that . . .

Turnips? Well, get a *really* sharp knife to cut away all the crap . . .

. . . then chop them too.

Aw, Schleckie-pie. . .

. . . how you do chop.

Me, I was in charge of garlic.

This helped.

So did this.

Back to the turnips.

From this . . .

. . . to this?

Magic.

Oh, wait, I need to try it to make sure it's okay . . .

. . . mmmmmmmmmm.

Perfection. And evidence to the contrary, the potatoes are *not* green. I'll give you one guess about the identity of the photographer. Hint: it was not Mistah.

Oh, and what about *our* dinner, whilst we were cooking, you ask?

Oh, we're good.

back to our happy place

We're on vacation! To our very favorite happy place. Remember?

September 3, 2009

April 5, 2011

April 26, 2011

August 29, 2013

September 6, 2013

I know there are more, I know there is one with pics of mom in it! But I gots ta goooooo

xo
Jacquie

Hell no, we're not cold!

It has been an incredibly beautiful fall in San Diego. Lately it has been clear and crisp and the visibiilty is simply amazing, reminding me that there are mountians just east of here.

I knew I had to get myself and my girls outside yesterday -- it was too gorgeous to do otherwise. The beach immediately came to mind because, well, we love the beach. And my girls will get in that ocean almost year round.

So we checked to see if Jacquie and her girl were up for it, and all headed down to OB.

It was a perfect fall day, but the ocean is a tad bit cold at this time of the year. And the beach breeze can be a bit brisk too.

But don't worry, my youngest has discovered a quick warm up routine.




Yep, Head, hands and booty, all nice and warm.

Happy autumn.

Objee

 On the banks of the Mighty Thames River sits a bucolic spot . . .

The United States Coast Guard Academy . . .

. . . right here in New London, CT.

And at that beautiful campus-by-the-river, the cadets team up to play football.

This year's final game was against the MIT -- you guessed it -- Engineers.

The players have really cute, um, uniforms.

Hey wait a second, that's not a player!

But best of all, the Coast Guard Academy features Objee the Bear.

Ob-Jeeeee!

Here's the story of Objee the Bear:

More Than A Mascot...A Legacy...

The legacy of one of the most dramatic rescues in Coast Guard history is a constant reminder to Cadets of the importance of fitness, teamwork and perseverance. The long time Academy mascot, the Bear, was chosen to honor the renowned Coast Guard Cutter of the same name.

In 1897, the Revenue Cutter Bear embarked upon one of her greatest missions. After a busy summer she was heading south for the winter, and put into Seattle along the way. There she was met with the news that 8 whaling ships with 265 men aboard were trapped in the ice off Point Barrow, the northern point of Alaska. President McKinley personally asked if Bear would try a rescue dash, although no vessel had ever sailed north at that time of year. Bear accepted the challenge, and sailed north on 27 November, with a volunteer crew. She drove northward into the cold, stormy seas for many days, finally grinding to a halt in the ice at Cape Vancouver, Nelson Island. She was still 1200 miles from the whalers. Three of her officers, Lieutenants Jarvis and Bertholf and Surgeon Call voluntarily left the Bear to trek through across the ice to the whalers. Their remarkable journey took 120 days, averaging 10 miles a day. For 800 miles they drove a herd of reindeer ahead of them, to feed the trapped men. They were just in time. When the rescue party arrived with the herd of reindeer, the whalers had run out of food and were reduced to eating their boots.

Eating their boots! 800 miles with a herd of reindeer! Dramatic indeed.

And the name Objee, you ask?

Let's ask the USCGA:

From Objee - the name of the Coast Guard bear. As recently as 1984, a live bear (Objee) was kept on the Academy grounds and occasionally roamed the barracks. A bit of history: By 1926, the bear had been the Academy's mascot for sometime in honor of the Cutter Bear, which had served in the Arctic Zone for years. However, it was during this year that a Cadet by the name of Steven Evans returned from leave with a live bear cub. He somehow talked the Superintendent, Captain Hinckley, into allowing the bear to stay at the Academy. The bear was named Objee, which was short for "objectionable presence." He had many homes throughout his tenure at the Academy, but the one he spent the most time in, and his last home was the old Academy observatory next to Billard Hall. Although he did not sleep in Chase Hall, Objee was often brought into the barracks and turned loose. He showered in the cadet showers, and was even allowed to eat in the wardroom from time to time. Cadet Objee was particularly fond of visiting cadets during study hour. Apparently he lived up to his name because finally in 1984 after 27 live Objees, the tradition was ended. 

I hardly think a bear who showers in the barracks can be classified as an Objectionable Presence.

I mean, really. Just look at this guy.

There is not an objectionable bone in his adorable little ursine body.

Now if you'll excuse us, we need to mush to Alaska to save 265 lives.