can’t explain…
could not love you
more if I tried
and there is no trying
to love you
as much as I do.
probably other people
just as kind, good, strong
as you
but I don't love them
just you.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Update
This site was subjected to a brute-force attack which mostly affected me as administrator. The domain host fixed the issue but I have some clean-up to do. If any of you notice any issues, please let me know through email.
Meanwhile, today's "Picture Of Inspiration":
Used to go skinny-dippin' out there many, many long-times-ago. Wasn't so over-grown then.
PSA: It's never safe to do such things alone ...
Continue reading →If You See This, The Problem Is Fixed – Maybe
Had a notice from the host of a brute-force hack-attack this AM and even I was locked out. Had to go to the host CPanel to fix the site access ... and it seems I blocked >everybody<.
Oops.
One of the regulars contacted me and asked what was up. I'd have not known y'all were locked out 'cause the site looked normal to me. As administrator, I don't see the site exactly as you do. If you notice problems, please let me know - I may not realize there's a problem.
Continue reading →DT’s Breakfast
Seems to be a favorite of mine - at least I fix it often enough.
Beany Weinies
What? You expected something new and original? :)
Frying pan
1 - 15oz can VandeCamps Pork & Beans ... though I prefer Bush's version - less water
2 - hot dogs - sliced about ¼ in thickness
Sliced onion - cut ¼ in slice of medium sized onion, then dice/slice that
Sliced green pepper - about ½ in section of green bell pepper - I'm a midwestern boy. "Peppers" are bell peppers
Sliced tomato - about ¼ - ½ in section, then chopped
Saute onions and peppers together until onions start to brown.
On low heat -
Toss in tomato pieces, continue to fry for length of time it takes to slice the two hot dogs (together)
While hot dogs are (lightly) browning, open can of beans
When hot dogs are lightly browned, dump in can of beans
Heat until center of mass begins to bubble
Serves one or two
Taps For NATO
From an article on RealClear Wire via ZeroHedge:
"Meanwhile, the United States—still NATO’s military backbone—faces a fiscal cliff, a recruitment crisis, and an overstretched force posture. The era of limitless resources is over. American global primacy has ended. Multipolarity has arrived. The U.S. must now prioritize. And that means making hard choices about where its forces are truly needed—and where others must finally step up or face the consequences."
I don't know or necessarily agree that American global primacy has ended; weakened though ... and it's not that "multipolarity" has arrived, but that multipolarity has returned. Multipolarity had existed - was NATO's purpose - throughout most of NATO's existence. That multipolarity - and the need for NATO ... at least US involvement ... first ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Too many - most of the world - has lived off US largess (and American neocon dreams and wishes) since 1990.
35 years - an entire generation - is enough. The world has drained us dry - we let them for pie in the sky imaginations of global unity under a US flag - but it's now past time to end the charade. Europe in particular does not need - nor any longer deserve - American "protection".
Update April 16:
A prominent Turkish defense official has given a rare interview to a regional Middle East outlet wherein he describes NATO as a "zombie alliance" which has outlived its functionality and legitimacy as a real military alliance, something which is becoming increasingly evident at Trump threatens to walk the United States away from being its main funder and leader.
NATO is now a zombie alliance. It exists more as a myth than a functional military bloc. Its expansion has been reckless. Its operations – from the Balkans to Libya to Ukraine – have destabilized entire regions, and its credibility is collapsing.
The EU, meanwhile, is pushing a €800 billion (approximately $864 billion) military revamp under the name “ReArm Europe.” But this requires massive austerity at home. European governments are preparing their populations for war, not peace. They need enemies to justify the spending.
He then admits, "But without US leadership, NATO cannot survive as a coherent structure. Trump’s America will not fight for Estonia or send troops to Moldova. Europe will have to defend itself – and it is not ready."
Continue reading →Easter Grub
So you've paid your taxes and counted your remaining pennies and now Easter is coming and Lent is almost over. Time to make, what?
What Easter specialties do folks here prepare?
My favorite Easter sweet is home made hot cross buns served warm with butter.
Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns
One a penny
Two a penny
Hot cross buns
If you have no daughters give them to your sons!
On the Canadian island where I was born the Easter "scoff" (big meal) included flipper pie prepared with onions, turnips and carrots. Harp seal flipper that is. It's a dark gamey meat not to my taste but the dish goes far back in history and many islanders still love it even if animal rights activists now object to its consumption.
In England no Easter Sunday lunch would be complete without fresh pea soup made with mint and spring onions. So delicious.
And then there's lamb that is traditional everywhere.. roasted leg of lamb, roasted or grilled shoulder of lamb , griĺled lamb chops, lamb burgers.
In northern Italy, there is the delicious Colomba di Pasqua (Easter Dove). It's a sweet bread with dried fruit or candied citrus that is sprinkled with sugar and almonds, like a panettone but shaped like a dove. In the unlikely event you can't finish it all it makes great French toast or bread pudding.
In the south, Easter luncheons almost always include deviled eggs. The Scandinavians do deviled eggs deluxe for Easter with shrimp or fish roe added on top.
Personally, I'm just looking forward to my first glass of wine in 40 days. I'll be happy to have it with nothing more than potato chips.
I've included links for recipes in case anyone is interested, but not for flipper pie!
www dot kingarthurbaking dot com/recipes/colomba-pasquale-easter-dove-bread-recipe
www dot countrylife.co dot uk/food-drink/recipes/how-to-make-homemade-hot-cross-buns-25333
www dot southernliving dot com/recipes/classic-deviled-eggs
www dot bbcgoodfood dot com/recipes/pea-mint-spring-onion-soup-parmesan-biscuits
www dot recipetineats dot com/rosemary-garlic-grilled-lamb-chops/
Continue reading →While Walking Uphill To School Both Ways In The Snow …
At the time of this sign, I had occasion to often drive Telegraph Rd (the one in the Dire Straits song - also passing where Jimmy Hoffa was last seen). Something to do with a young lady of my acquaintance ...
Driving back and forth to see this girl sucked up a lot of gas, maybe 80 miles round trip (she became my fiancee but the marriage never happened).
Anyway, there was this gas station open past midnight. Not many were in those days. And I often made the return trip after midnight.
Recall gas tanks were small and gas mileage even smaller. If you didn't keep an eye on the gauge, it was easy to run out of gas. Being young-ish and somewhat stupid played into that possibility. So did being broke much of the time.
"Can I have a $1.25 worth of regular please?" That was an hour's work ... and maybe 50 miles worth of driving.
So, this was often the only open station for the 15 miles or so I drove along Telegraph.
Trouble was, they charged ... 32¢/gal !!! Outrageous gouging!
I swore I wouldn't pay that much.
And, by God, all these years later, I was right.
Continue reading →Reprint – An Excerpt: “Trad Life” Is a Spectrum, Not a Straitjacket
Suggested by jd; article by Andrea Mew
www dot theconservateur dot com/lifestyle/trad-life-is-a-spectrum-not-a-straitjacket
Concluding paragraph:
I’m so grateful I was raised by a SAHM [“stay-at-home mom”]. I enjoy working and want to figure out a way to get both the bread and the baby. And I’ll fight for the right for any trad-aspiring woman to bake her sourdough bread, drive her minivan, and cook for her hardworking husband if that tickles her fancy. If you’re bothered by that? Maybe you’ve been mixing up equality and equity all along. The future of feminism shouldn't be about forcing women into the failed girlbossery of yesteryear; it needs to be about ensuring all options are on the table.
Make believe…
Originally posted: May 31, 2008
Let's pretend
we're an old
married couple,
Still in love and
still liking each other.
We know the
sweet spots
and the soft spots.
We can still find
the hot spots.
I'll cook your
favorite dinner.
We'll watch a
favorite movie.
…what do you mean,
it's getting late?
When did you join
a bowling league?
About Fiddlesticks
Submitted as a comment by SK
That was a word permitted when we were children (as opposed to many others that were not) as an expression of frustration at some ridiculous situation.
I looked up its origin because seeing it in print made me laugh. Hadn't heard it in ages. The only people I know who still use it are all English.
According to an etymological web site, he term seems to derive from the bows that are used to play violins. Those have been named in English since the 15th century – then as ‘fydylstyks’.
The word was appropriated to indicate absurdity in the 17th century.
Thomas Nashe used it that way in the play Summer’s Last Will and Testament, 1600:
"A fiddlesticke! ne’re tell me I am full of words."
There’s nothing inherently funny about a violin bow. It seems that ‘fiddlestick’ was chosen just because it sounds like a comedy word, like ‘scuttlebutt’ (a cask of drinking water), ‘lickspittle’ (a sycophant) and ‘snollygoster’ (an unprincipled person).
In the same way the ‘I don’t give a fig’ was originally ‘I don’t give a fig’s end’, that is, it referred to something insignificant, ‘fiddlesticks’ was originally ‘fiddlestick’s end’, that is, it was a reference to something paltry, trifling and absurd.
Continue reading →