UPDATE~~~~UPDATE

I am no longer going to use this address to display my blog!!  The new address is www.amothersthoughts.com  I hope that you will post me in your favorites and continue to follow my blog.

The content from here on out is going to this new address.  Content will remain the same, but this will be the last post on this site!!

Enjoy!!

Lynn

Knit-Picky Bitches

Do you ever think to yourself that we women (if you’re not a woman, that’s ok…) are the best and worst creations.  We are the strangest beings; harbored and maintained by our hormones and sometimes our twisted minds.

I was in the grocery store today and I saw this woman who was a past acquaintance of my parents.  Well growing up, I wasn’t the biggest fan of this particular woman.  A part of me never felt settled being around her.  I felt she was phony to say the least.  I know that you my reader has had this feeling at one time or another.  So when my parents broke ties with this woman, I didn’t encounter any grave loss or sadness.  I just figured that maybe she will see that she can’t keep friends because she was fake and very comparable.

So in keeping with my parents, being uncomfortable and sustaining the, at odd feelings for this woman, I knew that if I had ever seen her I would dodge her.  You know the see each other, but stay at a distance, because you REALLY don’t want to talk to them.

Well, I saw this woman today, and guess what, I am not a child anymore, and it didn’t brother me.  Yes, on first glance, I would have hidden, but she saw me and there was nowhere to hide.  She approached me and to my surprise she wasn’t as shallow and self-absorbed as I remember. 

It was  a pleasant experience and it was nice catching up, but I know that if I went back and had the opportunity again I would still justify my actions by remembering the feelings I had for this woman in my youth.

It’s humorous how our opinion is one with our parents though.  How in such a short period of time our views on people, places and things can in an instant become so tainted.

Do you have someone from your past that you wouldn’t want to see?  Is there someone who you may have had a confrontation with and now the thought of seeing them makes your skin crawl?  Well I have a few of them……..

Lynn

New Years Resolutions

When ringing in the New Year, we usually hear people speak of their New Years Resolutions!!  These resolutions in my experience’s usually include many of the various components that they probably did or tried the year before, and did not succeed.

I really don’t understand why people make New Years Resolutions when they can’t concummate them.  Why say it?  Just don’t say anything, because you have tried to lose weight for three years now and every year your new years resolution is to get on a weight loss program.  Well you still weigh the same and I don’t see you loosing any in the near future!!  Just don’t say that that is your new years resolution. 

You’ve tried to quit smoking, well do it.  Take whatever protocol that you need, to obtain those goals.

This to me is as bad as a new mother that says that she just can’t breastfeed.  That is hurts and that she has given up on the miracle that was provided for her to offer nourishment for her child. 

Or course it hurts to breastfeed your child for the first time, you’ve never done it before, the baby doesn’t know how to suck, it takes practice.  It probably hurt the first time that you had sex as well, but you got over it and learned to like it, love it in fact, well this is the same philosophy, like my daughter would say, practice makes perfect!!

Back to News Years Resolutions, what are some of your past new years resolutions?  Was it a resolutions that you could follow through on?  Have you ever had to make a comittment on a resolution that you could not achieve?

I can’t ever really say that I have made a resolution.  I know that I hope beyond belief that 2010 will be a way better year than 2009.  I hope for it, I long for it actually.  I can only dream that what is waiting for me is inconceivably better than what experiences that I endured in this current year.

Lynn

The Top 25+ Stories, Influential People, Controversy, Deaths & News of 2009

Just recently I watched the television special that Barbara Walter’s had on the people who she felt were the most fascinating and influential people of 2009.  Well, that got me thinking, most of the people on her list at my age, didn’t seem to be people who I would have chosen, nor did they affect my,
“Oh, my goodness, I can’t believe that happened.”  And when I think of something from the past 2009 events and people, I want that, “wow, I can’t believe that happened to that person.”  So here is a list of people and events that shocked me and were put on the board for being jaw dropping stories of 2009!!   This list is not in any specific order.

• Barack Obama becoming the first Mulatto President of the United States of America.

 

• The Bachelor’s Melissa Rycroft getting dumped on National television by Jason Mesnick after being engaged to pursue a relationship with the runner-up on the series.

 

• Michael Jackson being murdered by his physician.

 

• Shawn Graham trying to sell New Brunswick Power to Hydro Quebec a Province that doesn’t want to be part of Canada.

 

• Oprah’s announcement for retirement at the end of next season.

 

• Adam Lambert who is American Idol’s runner-up VERY controversial performance “For Your Entertainment, “ on the American Music Award’s .

 

• Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift’s speech on the VMA/MTV’s award show.

 

• Swine Flu becoming a Global Pandemic.

 

• John Travolta’s Son having a seizer and passing away.

 

• Bernard Madoff operator of the world’s largest Ponzi scheme is being charged with 11 counts of defrauding billions of dollars out of people.

 

• A US Airways plane with 155 people on board landed into a chilly Hudson River, after striking at least one bird upon takeoff .   The pilot, Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, emerged as a hero, with praise being heaped on him by passengers, officials and aviation experts.

 

• Sarah Palin, resigning as the former Governor of Alaska and running mate of John McCain.

 

• Canada makes waves battling Somali pirates.  Crew of 240 sailors were aboard HMCS Winnipeg in thick of anti-piracy fight off Somali coast.

 

• Paolo Zamboni, a professor of medicine at the University of Ferrara in Italy, learned in his medical detective work, suggests that MS is not, as widely believed, an autoimmune condition, but a vascular disease.  US scientists are testing a radical new theory that multiple sclerosis (MS) is caused by blockages in the veins that drain the brain.

 

• Tareq and Michaele Salahi aspiring reality-TV stars from Northern Virginia crashed the White House’s state dinner November 25, 2009, penetrating layers of security with no invitation to mingle with political dignitaries such as Vice President Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

 

• Ballon Boy’s story was discovered a hoax, ployed by his father to enhance his families chances to become reality stars.

 

• You can  Pay $100 million dollars to fly to the moon.

 

• Patrick Swayze dies of Pancreatic cancer at the age of 57.

 

• Jaycee Dugard surfaces alive after being abducted 18 years ago.  Kidnapped by Phillip Garrido and his wife, Nancy, in 1991 from the bus stop in front of her South Lake Tahoe home, Jaycee, now 29, lived, along with the two children she bore her rapist, in lean-tos and tents behind his Antioch, Calif., house for 18 years.

 

• Army psychiatrist killed 13 in US Army base.  A US army major killed 13 fellow soldiers at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, USA.

 

• Harvard’s Henry Louis Gates Jr.  Arrested for Disorderly Conduct after Protesting Claim he Broke into His Own Home.  Falsified report done by arresting police officer.  The officer is now being called a racist.

 

• It’s regrettable that Canadian taxpayers are funded $10.5-billion bailout of General Motors.

 

• 2009 was the year we were in recession.  Last recession was in 2001.

 

• Farrah Fawcett died on June 25, 2009, of colorectal cancer at age 62.

 

• James Delory, an autistic 7-year-old, dies in hospital after being lost in the woods close to his family home.

 

• Russell Hantz runner up on Survivor Samoa the best villain on Survivor!!

 

• Curtis Bonnell, 29, is charged with first-degree murder against cousin Hilary Bonnell, the 16-year old girl who disappeared in September from the Esgenoopetitj First Nation in New Brunswick.

 

• Air france jet crashes in paris with  228 aboard.

 

• Actress Brittany Murphy dies at the age of 32.

 

• Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman Gutierrez (born Natalie Denise Suleman, July 11, 1975) known as Octomom in the media, is an American woman who came to international attention when she gave birth to octuplets in January 2009.

 

So let me know what you think of my list.  If you think that I have forgotten something, let me know.  And if there was something that affected you, please tell me your story.

Lynn

Mushroom Caponata On Bagel Crisps

So for me and many others, when I get invited to a Christmas party there is always part of me that thinks, “what am I going to bring as an appetizer?”  I have made this recipe a few times and it goes over really well.  It’s not my recipe mind you, but here are the ingredients.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!!

 

This caponata appetizer recipe blends eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions for to create vegetarian party food that everyone will enjoy.  And they are very good to the eye!

Ingrediants

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 8 oz. package mixed mushrooms, sliced thin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 red onion, diced small
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 large tomatoes, diced small
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 18 plain toasted bagel crisps

I am also a big fan of Crispy Baguettes (Garden Herb, Tomato & Basil, Three Cheese) that you can find in the cracker isle at your local grocery store. 

Cooking Instructions

1. Warm oil in large deep skillet. Add eggplant in batches and saute until tender, about 5 minutes per batch. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add mushrooms, garlic, onions and parsley; cook until softened, another 3-4 minutes.
3. Add vinegar, capers, tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Scoop onto bagel crisps by the spoonful and serve. Top with some chopped parsley.

Substitutions (s)

Instead of serving the caponata on bagel crisps, scoop it into sautéed mushroom caps for a completely vegetable treat.

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

15 minutes

Ready In:

25 minutes

Servings:

18

Lynn

Holiday Photo’s

Have you ever tried to go get your children’s holiday photo’s done and something always goes wrong?  Well, that is where I am at with our picture taking.  Everytime that I make an appointment for my daughter to get her pictures done, something always happens to her. 

For the last three times, she was all ready and fell!!  Of  course this made her eyes all blotchy.  On another occasion she banged into something and cut her face.  Go figure.   I’m serious though, something always happens to her.

I can’t wait to get her pictures done.  But something always goes wrong.  How can I get her from point A to point B without her getting injured or emotional?  Any idea’s?  How are you making out with Santa and the picture process?

Lynn

Macaroni & Cheese (So Good)

Serves 4-6

Experiment by adding different cheeses – intensely flavored ones such as old cheddar, Gruyère or blue cheese are best. It’s a great way to get rid of leftover cheese bits you might have lurking in the fridge.  You can also add a can of tuna if your tastebuds desire!!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. (250 g) dry macaroni
Salt
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) flour
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) dry mustard (optional)
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) milk
2 cups (500 mL) grated old cheddar cheese, or half cheddar and half Monterey Jack
Bread Crumb Topping (optional)
2-3 slices bread, torn into pieces
1-2 Tbsp. (15-30 mL) butter or margarine
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Parmesan (optional)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until it’s tender but not mushy. Drain well in a colander and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

In the empty pot (no need to wash it out), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and mustard and stir well with a whisk, cooking for a minute or so until the mixture starts to turn golden. Stir in the milk and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. The sauce must reach a full boil in order for the flour to reach its full thickening potential. Reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes, until the mixture is nice and thick.

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cheese until it melts. Add salt to taste, then stir in the drained pasta. If you want a bread crumb topping, pulse the bread, butter and Parmesan in a food processor until the bread turns to crumbs and the mixture is well blended. Pour the macaroni and cheese into an appropriately sized baking dish and top with the bread crumbs or additional cheese. (It can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated in the baking dish; sprinkle with the crumb mixture or cheese right before you bake it.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the topping is golden and it’s bubbly around the edges.

Lynn

Housework ~ Laundry Problems

In a earlier post named, PET PEEVES

http://deardiaryamothersthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/pet-peeves/

I talked to you about how my husband thinks that he is helping me with housework, but in fact he is unconsciously giving me double the work.

I had talked about how he puts everything in a pile, whites, darks, towels and delicates don’t stand a chance when my husband thinks that he helping with laundry duty.  I had also discussed how after the washer and dryer are finished doing all the work it comes up stairs and lands on a couch or bed until I decide to fold it.

In some causes, my husband thinks that doing “laundry” is a favor or courtesy to me.  But a lot of the time when he is, “helping me” is consists of him doing his own laundry.  I am looking at my couch today, because I just working the last four days, and there are five loads of laundry that need to be folded.

I wish you could see the steam coming out of my ears……

He hasn’t done anything in the last four days, why, just why couldn’t he fold the clean laundry, now it is wrinkly and has to be put back in the dryer so that they will be foldable.

I feel like my husband has this secret radar that women just don’t realize that their men have to irritate us.  Why is it that a chore that would have taken a short time now consists of double amenability.

I’ve actually been present when women are discussing how men purposely mess chores up, to be at odds with their partner and in turn, their partner think that it is just easier to take the responsibilities on, themselves. 

What better of an approach though.  Why can’t we get away with that?  Why can’t we just acted dumb, lazy or have no ambition and get away with it?  Why can’t we stay on the computer all day long and then at the end of the day say, “what are you making for supper?”  What a life it would be!! 

Does anybody have any tricks for me to manipulate my husband into doing laundry?  How can I get him to care that everything is on my shoulders and that I am getting burnt out?

Lynn

Basic Dough

Ingredients:

1 cup lukewarm water
1 pkg. (or 2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar or honey
2 1/2 – 3 cups all-purpose flour, or half all-purpose, half whole wheat (I usually use about 2 3/4 cups)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. – 1 Tbsp. olive oil

In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar; set aside for 5 minutes, until it’s foamy. (If it doesn’t get foamy, either your water was too hot and killed the yeast or it was inactive to begin with – toss it and buy fresh yeast or try again!)
Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour, salt and oil and stir until the dough comes together. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 8 minutes, until it’s smooth and elastic, adding a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat all over. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for about an hour, until doubled in bulk. If you want you can let it rise more slowly in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

Punch the dough down, cover again and let it rest for 5 minutes. Divide it in half and shape each into a circle (or make individual mini pizzas) and place on a cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal.

Let the crust rise another half hour while you prepare the toppings. Spread the pizza dough with tomato sauce, sprinkle with desired toppings and bake at 450° F for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

Makes enough dough for 2 – 9” pizzas.

To make focaccia – pat the dough into a thicker circle free-form on a baking sheet or into a round cake pan. Cover and let rise for half an hour, then poke the surface all over with your finger, pressing deeply. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake for 25 minutes, until golden.

Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf, with 16 slices

3 very ripe bananas
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil or melted butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or half all-purpose, half whole wheat
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins or fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas well with the sugar using a fork, pastry cutter or potato masher. Blend in the oil, eggs and vanilla.

Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and stir until almost blended; add any additions (nuts, chocolate etc.) and stir just until combined.

Spread into an 8” x 4” loaf pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and bake for 1 hour, until golden and cracked on top, and springy to the touch.