Got Quirks?

Image via WikipediaI suppose we all have our quirks. I never realized some of my own, until I started to really think about it.

This morning, while eating a bagel, it dawned on me that I always eat the bottom of the bagel first; I leave the top of the bagel for last. I have become Robert Barone!

He was the character played by Brad Garrett on the vintage hit comedy, Everybody Loves Raymond. Robert's quirky habit was to touch his chin with his food before putting it into his mouth to eat it. I always thought that was weird. I'm not much different, since I now realize that I have to look at the underside of my bagel before deciding which is the right side to eat first.

I do have a method to my madness, however. The bottom of a bagel is usually bigger; it is crispier when it is hot, fresh from the toaster. The top is smaller, and less dense, so it stays crisp longer.

I started thinking about it and realized there are some other "rules" that I happen to live by:

• When eating a hot dog, the opening of the bun has to be on the left side. I have no idea why, but it just doesn't feel right the other way.

• The toilet paper always has to roll from the top down. My daughter describes this behavior as a family trait. Apparently she has inherited the 'toilet paper from the top' gene.

• When eating corn on the cob--and this is tricky--the kernels must be eaten from left to right, one row at a time. When holding the cob the large side must be on the left.

• If there are two pieces of candy, and one is bigger than the other, I will always eat the smallest one first, savoring the best for last.

• The same holds true for crackers. The broken ones are eaten first, leaving those fully in-tact for last.

• When cooking, I always use is the right front burner.

• When putting on shoes, first both socks, then both shoes, right one first.

• I prefer pizza cut into squares, rather than like pieces of pie.

I'm sure there are many more examples of my own quirky behavior, but I'm at a loss as to what they are right now. I wonder how many people think about these things? I asked my husband his thoughts on the subject.

He rolled his eyes a bit and said simply, "I don't pay any attention."

Do you do things every day that others might consider quirky? Have you ever thought about such behavior? Let me know. I'm really curious.

We must remember the whole story of 911

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For the husband who told his wife I love you one last time before his plane went down in a field, for the wife who stopped in the stairs to call her husband to say I will love you forever, for the mothers and fathers who kissed their kids goodbye the morning they died, for the policemen who rushed in with the firemen to help get others out only to die themselves, for the soldiers who fought back and lost their lives. today, tomorrow, ten years from now, we will remember.


This statement was posted on my Facebook page by a well-meaning friend on the morning of Sept. 11, 2011, to commemorate the tenth anniverary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, and Pentagon.


While I agree wholeheartedly with these sentiments and vow that we will always remember that terrible morning when a country lost her innocence, this is not the whole, complete story. We must not forget some of the hideous results that followed that horrible day.

We went to war with a country that had nothing to do with the events of Sept. 11. We went to war based on lies. 


In Iraq alone, since March 19, 2003 when the occupation of Iraq began, there have been 4,474 members of the military who have died. Of those who survived, 320,000 veterans have significant brain injuries. How many came home missing limbs? How many committed suicide?


Yet, that pales in comparison to the loss to the Iraqi people killed due to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. That staggering number of dead is upwards of 1.4 million people, which also includes mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, and brothers. There were also 348 journalists and 448 academics killed in Iraq. This is according to the website, http://antiwar.com/casualties/list.php

I for one, will not forget them either. Nor will I forget that they were murdered as surely as the victims in the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and aboard Flight 93. The worst part is that they were murdered in our name. 
These staggering numbers do not even include the invasion of all other Middle Eastern countries in what has resulted in the longest and costliest military action in our history. I cannot even conceive of the financial price we've paid, because frankly, when it comes to trillions of dollars, I just can't get my head around that. 


So on this solemn day, isn't it time to consider that perhaps there is a better way to solve our problems? I mourn for the loss from that horrible day, but I also weep for those who have died because of it. I certainly hope we remember the entire story.

Computer woes solved!

I cannot begin to total all the hours I have spent trying to get my ancient computer to operate efficiently, or at some times, even at all. My husband and I, each have at least 20 years experience with computers. We devoted countless hours and all we have learned over the past 20 years to try to solve my problems. It still wasn't enough. Last Saturday, thanks to an offer at Staples that we just couldn't refuse, we broke down and bought a new computer.



That was a week ago. I am now happy to say that I've finished downloading, transferring, and even tweaking some of my favorite old programs. I am writing this blog post on my new computer (and old software). I'm getting to know and understand Windows 7. I'm sure that in time, I will be as thrilled with it as I have all the previous versions I've used (all of them). 


It is pure joy to be able to turn the computer in the morning and watch it start, as it was intended. My old computer refused to do that. It would restart itself, intermittently, sometimes six or seven times, before it finally loaded my desktop.


This new computer, by Hewlett-Packard, has much more memory on board too, so I can listen to music, play a game, and download incoming mail, all at the same time.


I've decided that one of my favorite things is tweaking software. I might even be addicted to it, if that is possible. While function of a program is of course the most important, to me, that is followed only by how it displays. With a tendency toward art, color is very important to me. The right color can change my mood; brighten my day. It can also have the opposite effect, if it just isn't right. 


I tweaked my new Windows 7 to use a desktop theme based on my favorite photo--a sunflower that I shot myself and that I happen to love. Other colors are set to a pale lime green with partial transparency. Nice!


When I started my Microsoft Office 2003 software, I opened MS Word. The program displayed a hideous bright blue color that was painful to look at. It was oblivious to the pretty theme I had just created. I'm a writer. Trying to write when the ugly color on the screen stabs the eyes is not a good thing. When I ran this program on my old Windows XP-loaded computer, I was able to tweak all the colors of the various components. But, with Windows 7, the theme default colors don't translate into Office programs.


So, to have that bright blue from MS Office in the way; well, that would never do. I finally found a tweak online that I tried and it worked. It involved changing the setting for default colors in the Office 2003 settings back to a more pleasing gray that blends nicely with my other theme colors. 


By the way, I've tried to retrace my steps so I could give a shout out and hearty thank you to the brilliant person that revealed this illusive tip, but I can't find it again. 


If that person ever sees this post, my heartfelt thanks. 

This summer sucks!

It's official--I don't like summer--at least not this summer anyway. 


With temperatures hovering well into the triple digits for days--as high as 114º yesterday--things are looking pretty grim around here. Most of my plants are dead; only one or two flowers remain close to the porch. That is only because I water them. Even my house plants on the shaded front porch are suffering even though I water at least every other day. There will be no fresh tomatoes to can this year--at least not from my garden. I am beginning to feel like a shut-in because it is just too hot to go outside. 


Thank goodness for Netflix. We have taken to watching movies during hot afternoons or evenings. 

The weather has taken its toll on the wildlife as well. Deer have actually come onto the front porch to eat my flowers. That may not be weather related--it might just have to do with the rascals thinking they can get away with gourmet dining at my expense. They already ate a hibiscus and newly-planted crab apple tree. 


Their behavior does seem rather odd, however. For a time they were here every day. There was a buck, a doe, and two fawns. I haven't seen any of them lately. I'm sure they abandoned our desert landscape in favor of river or lakeside property. And who can blame them? 


The hummingbirds which generally flurry from flower to flower and to the sugar-water feeders we keep on the porch, are now just sitting listlessly on the feeder, their long beaks parted. It is so sad. This morning while watering my plants, I found one had died in a pot of coleus. Just yesterday I saw her perched on that pot. 


We have tried to keep the bird bath full and cool.


I have always been fond of the rain, which is now so scarce. The drought is getting very serious. The last nice rain we had was in June. I can barely remember the dance of the raindrops and gentle sounds, not to mention the smell of it. Chanel No. 5 has nothing on the scent of rain in the woods.


There has been some rain in the area; showers and some storms have popped up on radar images. And we did get a few drops the other night, but it was hardly enough to wet the sidewalk. The clouds seem to form close by only to go some place else to release their precious moisture. Instead, the outdoors now smells like a newly-mown hay field--which is in reality just dying Bermuda grass. It is hard to believe that we enjoyed 11 straight days of rain yielding more than 30 inches just a few months ago. 


As August marches on, there will be more moderate temperatures, at least for a little while. It won't be long before I harangue about how cold it is outside and how I feel like a recluse again. Funny how that works?


It isn't just the weather that promises annoyance. During this respite from the out of doors, the news was all about our country's political divide and lack of compromise among the nation's leaders. During the winter months, we can look forward to the 2012 campaign season which promises to highlight perhaps a greater political divide.


Yes, thank goodness for Netflix.

I've lost my best friend.

At the risk of sounding like one of those crazy old cat ladies, I can honestly say that my heart is broken by the loss of my best friend--my cat named Emily.


Emily died of natural causes, at home, Monday, July 11.


I'm proud to be a crazy old cat lady. I have no shame in saying that Emily was my beloved pet and trusted companion for more than 16 years. Through thick and thin, she has always been a comfort. We seemed to simply understand one other. 


For the last couple years, Emily's health was failing. She no longer used the litter box, but instead, became paper-trained. It was difficult sometimes to care for a sick cat, especially since my husband and I have four others in our household--kittens whose birthday was the day Emily died. Their mother lives here too, but she lives both inside and outside.


Despite the extra work and mess, I refused to end Emily's life for my own convenience, especially when she was still able to find pleasure in living. She had good days and bad days, but I believe she remained a happy cat until the end.


I gladly did whatever I could to make her comfortable. 


Emily didn't just like to be held, she liked to cuddle. She would reach her paws around my neck, like a hug. She came when I called her. So many times she curled up on my lap as I read a book or watched television. When quilting, she always laid on the fabric. 


Emily came into our family many years ago to fill my heart after the loss of another beloved pet, our collie, Howard. Howard had a story too, but that is for another time.


A friend took me to the home of a woman who ran a shelter in her home in Kankakee, IL. She had many cats, but I felt indifferent; perhaps it was too soon. She said she had one more, but she was in quarantine. She was recovering from an eye infection, but was due to be introduced back into the 'population.'


One look at this beautiful, little, grey fur ball, and my heart melted. It really was love at first sight. She was the one. I named her Emily after a dear friend. 


Emily has always been there. When my daughter got her own apartment; when my son moved away; when we relocated from Illinois to Arkansas, Emily was always a comfort. I can't count how many times I cried into her fur. I recall the long drive when we moved--her cat carrier was buckled into the seat next to me. For most of the trip we held hands. I was so worried about her, but she did great. We had many conversations in those long hours. 


Emily is now buried at the edge of our cedar grove in a grave marked with a bouquet of pink, plastic carnations, in full view of the back deck. 


Rest in peace, my Emily.

Stuffed Portobellos just the way I like them

I just love mushrooms; they can be cooked just about any way. 

Last week at the Farmer's Market, I came across these beautiful portobello mushrooms, discounted because they were picked the day before. Gotta love that kind of value.

I looked through cookbooks to find a recipe to use for stuffing them, but none of them appealed to me. Since none of them quite fit the bill, I decided to improvise.

First, I cut off the mushroom stems, and put them into the freezer for soup stock. I brushed the caps to ensure they were clean. Using a spoon, I gently scraped out the gills, which makes more room in the caps for the stuffing. I brushed them with olive oil and placed them into the oven, cap side up at 350º for 10 minutes while I made the stuffing.

I used a tomato, diced; a garlic clove, finely diced; a few fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips; 1/4 cup of Balsamic vinegar; a splash of Extra virgin olive oil; a handful of Panko bread crumbs, enough to balance the liquid consistency; some salt and pepper.

Depending on your taste, any of these ingredients can be varied. 

Upon stuffing all of the mushroom caps, I topped them with shredded Mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese. 

I returned the mushrooms to the oven to cook until the cheese melted. 

These were so delicious. Now that my tomatoes are starting to ripen, and the basil is growing well, I think it will be back to the Farmer's Market this week for more mushrooms. 

Visit the caves--a must see

My daughter, Jenny and her fiance, Mike came to visit us from Illinois this week. 

One of the places we had to visit was Blanchard Springs Caverns. They had never been there before, though my husband John and I are frequent visitors. Just about whenever anyone comes to visit, the caves are always a must see.

The caverns are spectacular, but they aren't the only draw. The scenic drive on  AR 5 from Mountain Home is so beautiful. 

I have lived in Arkansas for nearly seven years, and I will never take for granted the beauty that is all around me. It abounds here in the natural state. By the way, I love calling Arkansas by its moniker because to me, there is nothing better than 'natural.' I am honored to live in a state that prides itself in being natural.

The caverns' environs were even more enticing than normal, since we've had  such an abundance of rain. The creek was rushing and was so typically Arkansas--beautiful. I truly love Blanchard Spring and Mirror Lake. I wish such a setting was in my own backyard. We have the forest, and even a similar water feature, but only when it rains. It has been pretty spectacular lately, keeping the window open at night as the water rushed rapidly down the hillside and on to the river. 

I feel such a sense of pride when I visit this government facility. Our national parks and its amenities are something to be heralded, especially in these times of economic stress, foreign intervention and all other national issues. 

I think Jenny and Mike were surprised by what they saw. A living cave is not something that is easily imagined. The tour is always informative, professional, and interesting.