chanterelles

This morning at the farmers market we bought some chanterelles on a whim.  I had never had them.  So I fried them up in pretend butter and we ate them.  I had never tasted anything like them.  So good.  This pic doesn't show the orange color so well.

good mail day

Last night we got home from our trip.  It's good to be home because it's rainy here.  And it's home.

I keep getting all these spams from people wanting to sell me real estate in other countries.  Wtf.

This morning, oh happy day! we got the mail that accumulated during our absence.  There's some great letters.

And we went to the farmers market.  And we went to the Safeway early.

Mom painted my nails a silvery blue, yesterday.  Tomorrow's her birthday.

simplify

Yesterday was our Thanksgiving, and we made a huge feast.  It was a lot of work.  But we didn't bake our own pies this year, and we skipped sausage rolls. 

This morning we're having fry ups for breakfast.  It's good.

Today we'll go home.  It's hard to go home.

what my brother said

They're going to get hurt anyway.  Might as well have fun doing it.

we're happy it's raining

We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To nourish the earth.
To nourish the earth.
We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To put out the fires.
To put out the fires.

We went to the co-op,
tra la, tra lee!
to buy an avocado
for you and for me--
mostly for me.

We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To nourish the earth.
To nourish the earth.
We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To put out the fires.
To put out the fires.

We went to the co-op,
tra la, tra loo!
to buy some broccoli
for me and for you--
mostly for you.

We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To nourish the earth.
To nourish the earth.
We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To put out the fires.
To put out the fires.
We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To wash off BOB.
To wash off BOB.
We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.
To nourish our souls.
To nourish out souls.
We're happy it's raining.
We're happy it's raining.

new mini-song

You picked up everything
for all the points it'll bring.
Or did you do something silly,
something willy nilly. 

thanks for

Last night Mom beat me at rummy, but then we played speed.  When I won, it was a new thing.  I had never beat her at speed in my life.  So then we had a rematch and I beat her again.  Mom made Twilight Zone sounds. 

I said it was because she was sorting all day and had used up her sorting mind.  She cleaned out the back bedroom and we carried a heavy bookshelf out to the back patio.

Today is Thanksgiving here, and we have a Thanksgiving song.  It includes, "Thanks for everything, everything, everything, everything." 

doll skirt

Yesterday was the day before Thanksgiving, and we went to Costco.  And lived to tell the tale.  It was actually not too bad.  Ming had to wait in a line for dinner rolls.  There were mega pumpkin pies for all.

We here are not having Thanksgiving today--we're having it tomorrow when other relatives arrive.  The next day, a birthday party.  Mom saved the colorful donkey from last party, the donkey whose tail I pinned nowhere near.

There's this super-cute doll skirt next to this computer.  Mom needs to mend it.  I am finding it to be the best doll skirt ever.  It's pleated, gray with red trim, with a flower print on the fabric.

Mom's advice about BOB

Sometimes the only choice is the best choice. 
--Annette Taylor

last night

"What should I blog about?"  I asked Mom.  "Kicking your butt at cards last night?"

"What was the score?  I didn't even ask!"

"Pizza?  Going to four different pharmacies?"

"All around the garden.  Looking for a pill," Mom said. 

the tiedye

the health of BOB

This morning we left Las Vegas at 4.  BOB was fine.  BOB was fine all the way through until we pulled into the parking lot of the Vedanta temple in Montecito and parked.  I chastised Ming for checking BOB's back window five times. 

Then Ming pointed out to me that BOB was smoking.  There was a smell and some smoke coming out from under the hood. 

I was like, "What should we do?"  We decided to go to the temple's bookstore and look around then return to BOB and see if it would start.

I didn't know if I could enjoy the bookstore, but I did.  We looked at statues and expensive jewelry.  Then I read Ming two children's books.  Stellaluna and The Three Questions.  I wanted to talk to the woman who was running the bookstore but...too shy!

So we went back to BOB.  I was in suspense.  I thought it was oil burning off the engine, and I know there are leaks.  But BOB started, and we drove all the way to our current hideout.  No problem.

Here Ming checked the oil and automatic transmission fluid.  The oil was fine.  The ATF was a bit low.  So he added more.

Is BOB not long for this world?  Many people pray for our safe travels.  It's hard to say.

tiedye experiment

I was at Ross and saw a tiedye kit and got the idea in my head that we should tiedye the Sacred Peace Walk shirts.  So we bought a tiedye kit, I researched well how to do the spiral, we bought some larger rubber bands than the kit provides, we bought paper plates, a plastic table cloth...

So we were all ready.  And last night we finally tiedyed!  It was a little unnerving to get the all steps right, and it was getting dark (we were working on the picnic table outside).  So we didn't take any pictures this time.  And we let the clothes sit overnight in the oven because that's the warmest place in this house. 

This morning when we took everything apart to rinse it out on the sink, we saw we used not enough dye.  The shirts look pretty good but there's a lot of white left.  Maybe when we wash them a few times in the washer, the extra dye will dye the white parts a little bit.  Hope so.

Someone already has their clothes in the washer this morning, so we're waiting.  I will show you pics after. 

big time cookie fail

I baked some cookies.  They are vegan oatmeal cookies.  I pulled them out of the oven, and we each tried one.  First I thought it was pretty good.  Then I thought it tasted like nothing.  Then I thought it tasted strange.  The more I ate it, the less I liked it.  Now I think they're kind of nasty. 

"It's okay if you throw it away," I told my friend JR. 

Earlier we went to Buy Low for some baking soda and apple sauce for the recipe.  We looked for tea, but they didn't seem to have any.  But with the Mexican spices in their little cellophane bags on the wall, there was tea.  I chose Seven Blossoms and brewed some up.  It tastes like nothing too.

But the moral is the story is this: Don't trust random recipes on the internet that none of the comments are from people who actually tried the recipe.  And don't waste your friend JR's coconut oil on that shit.

park till dark

Yesterday we went to Sunset Park with a friend of ours and his granddaughter.  It was fun.  We had a picnic and played this kids game involving a pretend honeypot with pretend bees. 

Also we went around the lake.  Also we played red light green light--I fell and landed partly on my face, getting some rugburn.  But it feels fine today.

We also played freeze tag.  Ming was the quick hero, unfreezing us over and over again.

no bacon, please

This morning I did creamer for coffee.  Then I did sugar for grits.  It was good. 

I was going to have some grits.  But then I realized the brown streaks were bacon.  Wtf.  Gratuitous bacon.

Then we rinsed and sanitized pots. 

Today we might go to Lake Mead.  We've never been there.

gmorning

We have been serving the hungry with Catholic Worker every morning here in Las Vegas.  We have had a lovely time.  This morning I was napkin girl.  Other days I did bread.

Yesterday's peace vigil at the federal building was the best attended of memory.  There were about 15 of us.

Ming's reading a book about Predator drones.  I emailed people and ate M&Ms.  Sorry we're going to a farmers market.  I mean soon.

I'm thinking of interviewing a bunch of NDE people.  The only problem with interviewing people is transcribing it.  I'm thinking of using Dragon to do some typing for me.  I need to figure it out.

funslower

bread

yesterday's highlights

1.  laundry
2.  pasta
3.  emails
4.  candy and stamps run
5.  sleep

park

stop--grackle time

thermometers

Yesterday we were at Walmart to get a new battery for BOB.  We walked through the store while we waited.  We looked at thermometers.  They were broken.  I was curious what temperature it gets down to in this house.  They were only a dollar but...broken!

more temple pics

at the temple

Cactus Springs

We left Sacramento at 4 am and arrived here at Cactus Springs at 4 20 pm.  I'm blogging on my phone and it sux.  But it's so good to be here.

Last Gasp

Yesterday I met Ron of Last Gasp Books.  He gave me a weird coloring book: Forbidden Activities for Neglected Children.  "It even has stickers for your skateboard," he said.  He has a long white beard. 

more

Yesterday was Howard Zinn Book Fair.  We saw friends and had a good active time.  It was in San Francisco.  Then we went to dinner with my friend S who lives in Santa Ana which is down in Orange County.  We went to Herbivore.  I had the vegan beef stroganoff but it had too much fake beef in it.  I wanted more mushrooms.

Today I'm totally f-en tired.  Maybe I'll go back to bed.

help Enola go to Nutrition School

I feel honored to call Enola a friend of mine.  If you can, please support her in her school dream.

like candy

Is it time to send out Christmas cards yet?  I have this box with lots of Christmas cards in it from back when I thrift store shopped a lot.  I'm trying to use up stuff before we move. 

It's a beautiful cloudy day.  We did a lot of boring stuff today.  But at Jiffy Lube we got coffee.  I guess we topped off our fluids while they topped off BOB's?  I put sugar and French vanilla creamer in mine, and it tasted like candy.

the raven

Today we went to Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary.  It was the best time I've ever had at a zoo, I think.  It was rainy but not raining, so we had the place mostly to ourselves.  Most of the animals were out!  We liked the red fox best.  The fox was bigger than I thought.  The mountain lion was smaller.  I was excited to see wolves but more excited to see a healthy coyote.

Oh, and the raven which cawed.  And the pair of huge golden eagles. 

Then we went to the library and read books.  I read I Am Malala and a book on not wasting money. 

Then we did a bunch of other stuff I will not trouble you with.  I love you, reader.  Catch you later.

bling

"Why isn't everyone shocked by the beauty of my bracelet?" I asked Ming.

"It is a beautiful bracelet," Ming said.

"Because it's understated?" I asked.  "But it's got some sparkle shimmery.  It's a bit bling-y."

pizza advice

Made pesto pasta salad as well as pizza this evening.  Ming was dripping hand water on the pizza while he sliced it, and I let him know.  "Crazy isn't a very far drive right now," I said.  The crust is delicious crust from Trader Joe's--it comes in a bag in dough form. 

I suggest precooking the crust for a few minutes before putting on the toppings and popping it back into the oven for 10 minutes.

fruits in the backyard

another one

9689 words

I'm at 9689 words on the prose project.  This morning I didn't feel like writing, but it was good to make myself.  I wrote about this story I told Ming on the Berkeley marina the other day.  It was about a small bear and their bird friend getting oppressed by a witch.  It was nice to have an interlude.

Having a bread knife has improved my quality of life.  Trying to slice bread with an inadequate knife is a recipe for sad.

Today I want to go to a big chain bookstore just to look around.  Please don't let me buy any stationery!  I am asking the goddess of all things paper to help me stay resolved against stationery purchases, but I lack faith.

clarification

Waiting in person is beautiful and holy.  Waiting long distance like for someone to email you back--it varies. 

words

I'm at 8795 words on my chunk of prose for National Novel Writing Month, well behind.  But it's good to write a lot every morning. 

Yesterday we had lunch with a friend.  We brought over the vegan dal makhani I'd made the day before.  We brought over hot rice and some simple fruit salad.  I always like the grapes best.

Today we are having breakfast with friends and will go to the big farmers market under the freeway for more satsumas, I think.

Good morning.  I want to bless you today, though is there power vested in me?  Bless you.

our hero sips Thai iced coffee

the sky

You're beautiful and brilliant.
You have tried so hard for so long:
you're doing great.

You belong in the family of humankind.
You belong with the animals and plants.
The sky loves you.

vegan tunafish

I'm up to 7156 words on my pretend novel, behind but truckin' along.  I want to write some letters today.  Ming's going to garden with a friend. 

We walked to the co-op this morning to participate in anti-depression Friday.  We bought some fun things like vegan tunafish--wtf!

beautiful loved

Yesterday we went to Berkeley.  We saw Ming's kid J at Sconehenge and I had a voice lesson.  Then in the evening we went to this prisoner support event about Assata Shakur.  It was inspiring. 

Today I got a lot of writing done in the morning and emails.  Then I went to group.  I made those delicious roasted root veggies for brek and we finished them with avocado sandwiches for lunch.

I love fall.  Summer is an ordeal I endure.  Fall is my beautiful loved season.

veggies for breakfast

my breakfast

broccoli with soba noodles in peanut-pumpkin sauce

I was looking through this vegan recipe book for family recipes, simple recipes that kids like, about a year ago.  I don't cook for kids, but I thought it might be fun.

So I found this recipe for broccoli with soba noodles in peanut-pumpkin sauce.

I made the sauce this morning, and it's pretty good.  It's way lighter than my usual peanut sauce.  The pumpkin lightens it up.

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
sprinkle sesame oil
1 tbsp shoyu

I made it pretty close to the recipe.  But next time I might put more in, some garlic and stuff.

I used canned pumpkin left over from making pumpkin pancakes the other day.

tea

Yesterday morning's appointment was not nearly as bad as it could have been or as I expected it to be.

Today I gotta tutor and that's prettymuch it.

I'm working on a long piece of prose for NaNoWriMo still.  But I am under word count.

Yesterday we had lots of fun celebrating after the dreaded appointment.  We went to lunch and to a bead store.  And we saw my friend P.  We drank warm beverages at a La Bou because the library was closed.  I had some ginger tea.

a bad place, literally and figuratively

Today we go to the welfare office--
horray! horray!--
to get some General Assitance--
it's G.A.! G. A.!--
which is a loan for indigent adults.
We frolic in the office, happy as colts,
as the county puts a lien
on all our real property.

a tale of two eggplants

I bought two eggplants at the farmer's market for making baba ganoush.  But when we got them home, I noticed that one of them smelled like burning plastic.  Wtf.  So I washed it and it still smelled like burning plastic.  So I threw it away.

Then I made baba ganoush with the other one, and it's deee-licious.
 
Wash an eggplant, cut off the cap, and cut it in half.  Microwave it for more than five minutes.  Then let it cool.

Scoop the flesh out of the eggplant.  Put a peeled clove of garlic into the blender with some olive oil.  Put in the flesh of the eggplant.  Put in some salt, some smoked paprika, and some tahini.  The juice of half a lemon. 

Blend until it's smooth or leave it chunky if you prefer.  The blender couldn't handle our garlic clove, so I should have pressed it.  But maybe your blender is better.

NaNoWriMo

So I guess I'm not doing NaNoWriMo this year.  I started something yesterday but only wrote 700 words.  And then this morning I wrote 657.  Maybe I'll just do it differently, at a different non-winning pace, or something.

what do you call it when...

...a website becomes inactive and then another company buys the url and posts something unrelated?

There's this defunct organization, and I tried to go to their website, and it's now naked Asian people.  There's got to be a name for when a company does that.

Jagadhatri

This morning there was a big puja at church complete with homa fire.  We were there an hour and a half early for choir practice.  It was hard to stay with it all.  But they fed everyone afterward.  I spent most of the morning sitting on the floor.  I am grateful that my body was okay with that.  I couldn't see the homa fire, but Ming stood up in the back to see it.

"How did the homa fire look?"

"The top of the flame looked very impressive seeing as it was a small-based fire.  It seemingly had a small base."