Marinated Broccoli--A Tasty Summer Dish

Bud and I have planted broccoli in our garden again this year.  Last year, we made a few mistakes: we planted it all at once, and waited a little too long to harvest it.  So in anticipation of weeks of fresh broccoli, I've been searching for new ways to serve it.  We love to eat it roasted, but wanted a change that would go really well with summer grilling.  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.

Marinated Broccoli

4 Tsp olive oil                          1 tsp honey
1 TB water                                1 garlic clove, minced
1 TB white wine vinegar           1/4 dash cayenne pepper
                                                                       1 1/2 Tsp lemon juice            
                                                            
                                                                       2 C fresh broccoli florets      2 TB chopped sweet red pepper ( I used a whole red pepper)

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the first 8 ingredients; shake well.  In a small bowl, combine broccoli and red pepper; add dressing and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Serve with a slotted spoon.


Bud and I had this last week with grilled chicken.  It's got a great sweet-tart taste and a hint of cayenne pepper.  It got a thumbs up from both of us!  Perfect for a picnic or potluck since it has no mayo and is pretty darn healthy.

Rain, Geese, and a Not So Elegant Stumble

Today I ran the Cedar Rapids Run the Flood Race.  The day started out with lots of thunder, lightning, and rain.  It stopped by 8:30; the race was at 9 A.M.  It was muggy and more storms were threatening.  If a person could run the 7 mile race in 60 minutes, they stood a good chance of not getting rained on, and getting through before anymore storms hit.

I was not one of those people.

First of all, Bud and I were walking in Green Square Park, when I managed to find the only hole in the grass, and proceed to step into it, and fall very clumsily onto the ground.  It was a jolt!  But, I was fine.  I think later today I will probably feel it.

The race started about 8 minutes late--don't know why.  I talked to my co-worker M, who was at the front starting line.  He's pretty darn fast.  I went to the back.  Finally, it started.  We're running, and about a mile in, there are a large group of geese and their babies on the side of the road.  When do they decide to cross?  As the runners are running by.  We were all kinda freaked out, as were the geese.  Feathers and bird poop were all over the place!  We were dodging geese, because the geese kept on coming across the road.  Apparently they were determined to get to the river.  I managed to avoid getting nipped, and stepping in poop.

I saw Bud around mile 2, and then lost him.  I didn't see him again until I was about 30 yards from the finish line.   He thought I was behind him, and he couldn't find me along the route. I was actually ahead of him.  So, not too many pictures.   At about mile 4, it started to sprinkle.  No big deal; it felt good.  Then it started to rain harder.  So, I was one of the unlucky people who ran about half the race in steadily increasing rain.  That's the first time I've ever run in a pretty good rain storm.  I felt bad for all those people who had ipods--I wonder how many are working now?  It was kinda fun to run in the rain.  It was warm enough not to cause a chill, and helped me cool down.

I got to the finish line in 1:15:49.  I was about 4 minutes longer than last year.  I would have like to have done better; I had to stop and walk dang it!  I'm taking some time  to work on a plan to increase my speed.  Bud said start all over again at 1 mile, and I may do that.  I have until Sept 5th, when I will run the BoFest Half Marathon here in Cedar Rapids.

My co-worker, M, finished in 45 minutes, and came in fifth out of 1500 people.  Pretty impressive!  A dog and a small boy beat me to the finish line.  By the time Bud and I got back to his truck, it was pouring, and once home, the thunder began.  I thought about all those people still walking and running, and hoped they made it safely to the finish line.

Onward to the next race!

Ryan's Friend, Cody

My nephew Ryan is five years old, and he's on the autism spectrum.  He's improved tremendously in the past few years, and one place my sister has taken him to is Miracles in Motion located just outside of Swisher, IA.  I decided to see for myself how Ryan was riding his horse.  It was such a great experience!

Here's Ryan patiently waiting for his horse, Cody to come pick him up.  

Cody has arrived!  Ryan has to pet him before his speech therapist, Sue, can help him on Cody.

Ryan had a big smile on his face through the 30 minute session.  These are volunteers who help with the kids.  Cody is a very patient horse, and the volunteers are wonderful with the kids.

One final pet for Cody.  Sue worked with Ryan on naming parts of the horse, saying "Whoa" and "Trot" (Ryan's favorite part) and keeping himself up straight on Cody.

After his ride, we walked around the farm, and Ryan stood still long enough to get a picture with his Aunt Susie.  A drink out of a Sponge Bob cup,  a  kiss goodbye for me,  and another session done with Ryan's new found friend Cody.  I don't get to be around horses much, but when I do get to  pet their noses and talk to them, I remember why it's so easy to love horses.   I think I can get a small pony for my backyard.  I'm sure the neighbors wouldn't mind at all!

They Don't Make 'Em Like Him Anymore

My Dad was a pretty cool guy.  He was one of those men who could give you a look of steel, light a match with his whiskers and casually pin you down with his eyes through the smoke of his cigarette. Yes, he was a John Wayne of a man.

This time of year always makes me a little sentimental for my Dad, since the day he passed, his birthday, and Father's Day are all  within a week of each other.  He's been gone for 6 years, and sometimes I still forget when I see a TV show or a book that he would have liked that he's no longer around.  Sometimes I see an older man with "Dad Jeans" on, and realize my Dad wasn't the only one who wore those.  Sometimes I see a customer's hands, and they look just like my Dad's did.  It kinda freaks me out, then I look up and realize it's a stranger who worked  hard all his life just like my Dad.

So, here's a few of the things I loved and admired about my Dad.  Some things I have inherited from him, and others I did not, although I wish the genes had worked on some of them!

My Dad was a mean golfer and a bowler extraordinaire.  He made it all look so effortless.  I, however, cannot even play Wii golf correctly; in actual golf, it's just easier for me to pick up the ball and throw it.   I  am regularly beaten at bowling  by my Great Nephew,  four  year old Bryson.  Me get a strike?  No way!

My Dad could make the best oatmeal for my sister M and I.  He also honored our requests to put "lumps" in our CoCo Wheats.

He was a gifted mechanical engineer who never went to school to learn his trade.  He learned on the job, and was self taught.  His drawings were precise and mathematically brilliant.  I can't draw a straight line, or a good circle.  My math skills are what lead me to get  a degree in History, and stay far away from Accounting.

He was incapable of taking a straight-faced picture.  I think the one above is the only picture  I have where he doesn't look like a space alien.  I have luckily inherited his ability to make facial contortions and have them captured on film.  Oh, I am so blessed with a rubber face! :(

I don't think he knew what the heck to  do with five daughters.  But he did fine anyway.

He met Bud, and liked him instantly.  Phew!  It's true, some of us do look for the same qualities in a partner that we see in our Dad.

Dad loved to watch paranormal shows, and I would pass all my ghosty books along to him.  He would promptly read them all and always turned to the ghost show on TV when either I or my sister PH would call him up and let him know what was on.

He loved strawberry shortcake, pineapple upside down cake, and fried chicken.   Dad always had two cups of coffee in the morning, and would make coffee after supper to relax in front of the TV.  Since I started drinking coffee at 13, I blame him!

He was a wonderful grandpa and great-grandpa.  He could finally relax and enjoy some kids.

He would fall asleep on the floor, and my sister M and I would put curlers in his hair.  This was a feat, since Dad didn't have much hair.  Somehow we got them in.  We also liked to put barrettes in, too.  We would talk to him, and he'd open one eye, and grunt.

He never complained when he didn't feel well, when he was in pain, or when he was unhappy.

So as you can see, my Dad was pretty cool.  My brothers and sisters and I know just how lucky we were to have him as our Dad.  Everytime I go outside in the summer, and return home to see even more freckles on my face and arms, I think of Dad.  Thanks to him, I will never have Nicole Kidman skin.  But I don't care.  They're just reminders of who I am, and where I came from.  And most importantly, reminders of Dad.

Really, Am I So Out of Shape?

Last night was our Midnight Release Party for the new Stephenie Meyer book, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner .   We had about 50 kids, which was below my hoped for estimate of 100, but I believe they had fun.  The weather was still muggy, and with it being Friday night, we had a lot of people in our cafe sucking down frappuccinos and eating lots of goodies.  Our red ribbon frappuccino was a hit.

My nieces and nephew came geared up in their Twilight shirts and had a great time putting fake bite and scratch tattoos on our guests.  I was amazed at the girls who sat and put together dreamcatchers from some kits I had there for our guests.  They looked really good, although the color combinations were pretty wild.  You can always depend on the imagination of kids to make something crafty!

Our Twilight Jeopardy was the most popular event of the evening.  L and K were fantastic game show hosts, and did a great job preparing questions to stump the contestants.  My sister  P told fortunes to all the young ladies (and a few adults) and sat with my Renesme doll all night.  Apparently the doll creeped out a few people.  How could that be?  She looked so sweet in her pink summer frock :)

Anyway, by 10 pm I was exhausted, mentally fatigued, and bordering on crabby.  It wasn't for lack of carbs--I had pasta for supper.  I grabbed an iced mocha, and that helped perk me up a bit.  Bud came to check out the party, and as always, I am grateful for his support of these crazy bookstore events.  He read a few magazines, then slipped out before midnight.

So after all was said and done, the books sold at midnight, the store cleaned up, everyone went home with my thanks for helping out that night.  I went to bed around 2 am because once I sat on the couch and turned on the TV, I couldn't get up and move to the bedroom.  You have to know my bedroom is about 10 feet from my couch, so it's not a journey requiring provisions and a backpack.  I pondered just lying on the couch in my work clothes and not taking out my contacts.  Then I realized how ridiculous those thoughts were, and managed to hit the bed.  Then I had to read, and managed a few pages before I realized I was closing my eyes and making up my own story!

Unfortunately, I woke up at 5 am, then again at 6 am, and finally at 7:30.  Aw heck, I'll just get up.  How can I feel like I have a hangover if I didn't drink anything?  Why is it that the older I get, the worse I feel the longer I stay up at night?  Where did those glorious bounce back days go where I could stay up all night, then go to work and make hamburgers and fries for people, working purely on Coca-cola and greasy food?  I probably could have run 10 miles on top of that, too!

So here I am, a mess in the morning.  Drinking coffee, contemplating going out to run, although the weather is rainy and it feels like a tropical forest outside.  Gross.  I have to be back at work at 2pm for another round of fun.  Although this time, I will get home at a decent time and go to bed before midnight!

One Night in the Life of a Single Woman

Even though I am in a long term relationship with Bud, we don't live together, and so there are nights when we just don't see each other.  Usually this is work related, and if I'm not working, I see it as bonus reading time at home.  Don't get me wrong--I'd rather spend an evening with Bud, but books are a close second.  And sometimes I even read when he's here, watching one of his shows.

Tonight did not work out as a reading night.  It combined many odd moments, and a strange combination of tasks at home that I have just now realized would seem like something from a reality show.

So I left work, stopped at my sister's house, and then had to leave to go to Goodwill to find a baby outfit for my 35 year old baby doll Chrissy. Yes, you read correctly.  I guessed she was a 0-3 month old size baby (with a full head of auburn hair that grows when you pull it out of her head) and bought her a delightful pink summer outfit for $2.58.  I headed to Hy-Vee to get my "I get paid tomorrow!" groceries and missed the memo that tonight was the night to stand in a line at the Chinese counter in the Johnson Ave Hy-Vee.  It was insane there!  The line wrapped around the deli and into the bakery.  No Chinese food at Hy-Vee  is so good that it requires waiting in such a long line.  It was like the good 'ol "there's a blizzard coming!" scenarios we had this past winter.  Madness in the fresh fruit aisle.

I got home around 7pm and made some mint brownies for my lunch with C-Joy tomorrow.  Then, I roasted some tomatoes for a really yummy caprese salad that C-Joy will also have tomorrow for lunch.   All the while, I am watching "The Real Housewives of NYC" because tonight is the season ender.  That means you have to watch two  hours of old episodes to get to the new one.  And it was a classic!  LuAnn sang, Ramona renewed her vows, and Kelly stayed crazy.  I ran to the basement on a commercial break to find my Chrissy doll wrapped in a plastic garbage bag buck naked, but with a smile painted on her face!  Nine years in a basement can age a doll.  And I don't want to know what happened down there when I wasn't looking.  My Barbie 70's house is down there, too.  Right next to Chrissy.

After copious amounts of Orange Cleaner and paper towels, I got the smudges off her body and tackled her hair.  I had to find a brush, because I don't use a brush on my hair, and I had to dig around to find one.  This brush was meant for someone who has baby fine hair with no snarls.  If Chrissy had been a real child, it would have been an ugly mess.  I managed to get most of the snags out of her hair, but don't have any hair stuff to smooth down the bits of hair that are sticking up on the back of her head.  We'll just say she woke up from a nap.

Chrissy is my date to the midnight book release party we're having at work Friday night for the new Stephenie Meyer book The Brief Second Life of Bree Tanner.  We've had two other midnight release parties for her last two books, and they were a smash hit.  I don't expect a ginormous crowd tomorrow night, but am hopeful for a healthy crowd of people dressed as vampires and werewolves.  It should be lots of fun!  So Chrissy is starring tomorrow night as Renesme, who is the half vampire child of Edward and Bella.  The coloring fits, and the freakishly fast growth rate of their daughter also explains the long auburn hair on Chrissy and the creepy smile.  She can read minds, too.

Chrissy is going to stay in my living room tonight.  I will watch where I put her before bed, and hope to God in the morning she has not moved.

If so, I am in trouble.
I am in my own horror movie.

Wait--did she just move?!

 

The Results Are In!

I previously posted about running another half marathon in September, and asked my readers if I should do it.  The overwhelming response was yes (and Ty said "don't be a wimp").  So, I'm gonna do it!  I shall take up the challenge. 

I will sign up this weekend and be locked in.  I hate to waste an entry fee and then not run the race.  So, friends and family, I expect you to be at the finish line, cheering me on!  Just don't get there too early--I'm one of the slower runners. :)

Speaking of running, I have to get off my duff and run after work today.  I couldn't get up this morning to run before work, so now I'm forced to cram it into tonight's activities.  Luckily the weather will be nice this afternoon and I have an excuse to stop at my sister's house before my run. 

Have a spectacularly wonderful extraordinary Thursday!